Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 673 - 624: The Fire of Revolution

When Imelt held her hammer aloft, all the council members sneered. They drummed their fingers on the table and scanned the room with their eyes like thieves seeking their accomplices, smirking arrogantly at one another.

In this noisy, mocking atmosphere, Imelt cleared her mind and focused her energy on the warhammer.

"Ha!"

As the blazing Hammer of the Red Dragon struck down, before the booming sound erupted, the dwarves gasped at the sight. The red-haired dwarf’s body stretched to its limit, her muscular frame solid as rock yet fierce as fire. Sparks scattered with her red hair dancing in the air. Those Red Dragon eyes gleamed like jewels embedded in a statue...

Lyle was indifferent to the sudden change in atmosphere in the Craftsmen’s Council—his gaze was fixed on the rusted blade engulfed by flame. The blade, which Nia had nibbled in her mouth for thirty minutes, was now wrapped in intense light. Lyle was certain that this was not the remnant of an explosion, but the manifestation of some special power.

The light dissipated, and what appeared before everyone was a brand-new dwarf-crafted war sword, without a nick or a trace of corrosion, appearing as if it had just been taken off the polishing machine.

"How is that possible..."

The contrast between the previous rust and the current transformation profoundly shocked the master smiths—this reality, entirely usurping their experience, baffled the council members. They looked at the Red Dragon that turned scrap into weapons, eager to know the answer.

At that moment, the Red Dragon, with the face of a dwarf, approached Lyle, biting her lip, and wiping away her tears.

"I have failed again, Lyle."

Lyle shook his head and patted Imelt on her back.

"You did your very best. Now, let me show these fools just how amazing you are."

The Dragon King Priest, with the Red Dragon in tow, stepped onto the platform, lifted the pristine weapon, and declared proudly to all, "This is the power of the Red Dragon Imelt, she breaks your perceptions and turns decay into wonder."

"The power of the Red Dragon is sufficient to grant rebirth, and this is the first manifestation of her power, the repair of weapons. No master smith can achieve this. Although I am an idiot human who knows nothing of smithing, I can read it on the faces of all the dwarven masters here. Imelt has done better than every single one of you present!"

Lyle bowed, his confrontational demeanor changing to a smile as if swapping faces.

"My little test for Imelt is complete. Now, please continue the evaluation of the Craftsmen’s Council..."

"Lyle, you have made clear Imelt’s capabilities, the outcome of the evaluation will surely remain the same... Is there any need to continue?" The dwarves’ pride prevented them from recognizing the Red Dragon’s miraculous power in the previous assessment. Of course, such power was useful to the dwarves, for forging equipment can fail, the more powerful the equipment, the greater the difficulty, and the higher the rate of failure. Such failure could lead to more than one can bear and shatter a mighty weapon into nothingness.

What does the power of the Red Dragon mean?

"Weapon Undying"—with good use of this power, everyone in the Craftsmen’s Council believed that no race’s weapons and equipment in the world could surpass the Molten Dwarves.

But even in the face of such formidable power, their eyes were clouded with narrow-minded dust, ending in scorn. It was because they realized their mistake that Lyle’s proclamation stung each council member’s face. Each council member felt personal humiliation as if they were in Lyle’s place and would surely have struck back bitterly, but Lyle did not continue his accusations, instead just smiled it off.

Visergg considered this to be Lyle offering the Craftsmen’s Council a way out, feeling appreciation in his heart while deciding to save face for the Red Dragon. After all, the council would certainly secretly give the Red Dragon a seat, her power was too important for the dwarves. In the face of interests, rules can be bent.

"No, please continue the Craftsmen’s Council’s evaluation; I’m not finished yet!"

"But..." The Hammer of the Red Dragon that repaired scrap metal surely would not be able to destroy heavy weapons, aren’t you humiliating the Red Dragon?

Lyle revealed a dangerous smile. "I’ve said, Imelt has her strengths, and repairing weapons is just one part. Aren’t you curious about her other abilities?"

Unease sprouted within Visergg, that eerie sensation again—the previous test was just an appetizer. This human was slowly unveiling his plan. But... even though the dwarves knew the danger, like all the council members, they couldn’t resist the tempting fruit laid out by the Dragon King Priest Lyle.

"The Red Dragon’s... other abilities..."

The dwarves’ eyes gleamed with a red light, they leaned forward eagerly to catch every word Lyle said, like a greedy dragon sighting treasure.

"Corrupt their minds, driven by benefits, truly... amusing. Alright, I will control the extent."

"The power of the Red Dragon can restore that which is damaged. And for the complete, the Red Dragon’s power can bring ’Enhancement.’ The meaning of enhancement surely doesn’t need to be explained to the masters here, does it?"

The council members started whispering among themselves.

"Enhancement doesn’t sound too outlandish; all of us can enhance most weapons through forging..."

Lyle’s smile grew even more brilliant.

"You just said ’most,’ right? You can only enhance most weapons."

In the face of Lyle’s obvious mockery, the council members first became angry, then, as if suddenly comprehending everything, they turned their heads to look at the Red Dragon Imelt, their eyes filled with an avarice that could not be simply summed up.

"Could it be!!!"

Lyle laughed unrestrainedly, spreading his arms wide.

"Dragon Father Yemotar was once the master of the world, his power encompassing the evolution and extinction of all things. The authority and rules given to the Red Dragon by the Dragon Father, that’s a power that can enhance all equipment."

"Even those unimprovable Divine Artifacts."

[Weapon No Upper Limit]

The council members went mad—this was not merely a dragon, but the god of smithing! Oh, heavens, this god is the guardian of our dwarves! All the members now wished they could go back in time and kill their former foolish selves.

"Don’t get too excited, verify it first, what if I am fooling the Dwarf King and the entire Craftsmen’s Council? Have all your brains jammed?"

Lyle’s words were like a bucket of cold water poured over the dwarves’ heads, as they were overwhelmed by the thrilling news and a sense of shame, losing all sense of direction.

"That’s true, we need to find a Divine Artifact to test the hammer properly..."

"But Divine Artifacts are hard to come by..."

"Mackenbert does have a few, but they’re all under the control of the Fire Hammer Royal Family..."

"One of them seems to be..."

"The Flame Hammer, forged for the Fire Hammer Royal Family by the Red Dragon Fleisheimer... now hanging from His Majesty’s waist."

Are you thinking of rebelling? To actually consider using my kingdom’s treasure for a test!

Visergg thought to himself, but he didn’t say it out loud; instead, he picked up the Flame Hammer in his hand, and the Dwarf King let out a heavy breath.

"Miss Imelt, please entrust your Divine Artifact to me for use."

"Only the Son of the Fire Hammer can wield the Flame Hammer."

"I will personally test it for you."

Visergg Firehammer switched the Flame Hammer to his left hand, while his right hand took up the relatively diminutive Hammer of the Red Dragon. He positioned the head of the Hammer of the Red Dragon against the burning edge of the Flame Hammer and gently scraped it, like striking flint.

[Ignite]—this is the power of the Flame Hammer, a Divine Artifact bestowed upon the Molten Dwarves by the Red Dragon, representing the hammer of the dwarven ruler. The fierce flames of the Flame Hammer could intensify the full strength of the weapon and its bearer, maintaining peak condition.

The heavens were about to change, for the Flame Hammer was destined to become an accompaniment to another’s hammer one day.

Beneath Visergg Firehammer’s mustache, his lips formed a smile.

Let me light the spark of this revolution.

"Ah!!!!!"

Amidst the bellowing roar of the Dwarf King, the two Divine Artifact war hammers collided above his head. The force of the impact burst between the two hammers, illuminating the entire Bronze Hall with the burning fire.

The Hammer of the Red Dragon, unscathed.

Flame Hammer +1.