Find a Troubled Girl after leaving the Guild-Chapter 375 - 212: War Goddess

"We can’t let there be another one of these things!" Cassandra charged up and prepared to leap up to hammer the damaged arm of the Steel Guard.

Before she could attack, a beam of flame shot downwards onto its arm. Without the protection of the Concept Rune, the Source Armor on its body surface immediately began to change color under this high heat.

Hephaestus, wearing a pair of Heavy Boots, stood on the flowing lava everywhere. The scorched hem of his robe was ripped off by him, and now he regained control of the track system of the Mountain Copper Furnace, gathering its power to launch an attack.

Above his head, several artisans, some using Flying Devices and others floating by their own power, began repairing the damaged track system post the Steel Guard’s arrival.

Beside Hephaestus, a glowing Fire Magic Energy Source ran at full power, reigniting the Mountain Copper Furnace.

"It’s you, the leader of the sinners who stole the dominion of the Furnace!"

The Steel Guard stared intently at Hephaestus.

"It’s me," said the red-haired artisan. "Now I understand, it’s not that I myself am an irredeemable mediocrity, but that you took away what belongs to us.

"Sinners? Do you know how many people are here, how many have dedicated their lives to pursuing this goal?"

Hephaestus focused on activating each device of the Mountain Copper Furnace bit by bit.

"If you think I’m a sinner, then so be it. I won’t merely ’steal’ the dominion; I intend to completely control it."

"Well said!" Cassandra shouted.

Before she could attack, the red-haired Grand Artisan raised his hand to draw in Magic Power, and at the feet of the Steel Guard, a surge of golden liquid metal gushed out — the molten Mountain Copper, with four Engraved Bracelets floating in it.

"It’s that golem," Li Ang remembered the golem that had just returned to the furnace to replenish itself, silently during the forging process. He forgot about it while the Guard of the Creation Cauldron arrived.

This thing originally belonged to Hephaestus, a trump card the artisan prepared long ago.

The massive flow of Mountain Copper suddenly surged, instantly engulfing the Steel Guard, restricting its movement.

Its right arm easily tore the liquid Mountain Copper off, but since the defense rune on the left arm was broken, the liquid Mountain Copper couldn’t be shaken off this time. It quickly reintegrated the torn form back into itself.

Hephaestus said, "Its entire body’s runes collaborate with each other; opening a breach will affect its stability."

The high heat of the flowing Mountain Copper made the structurally compromised Steel Guard extremely uncomfortable, emitting a piercing metallic sound. It seemed to realize it couldn’t shake off this liquid enemy.

Cassandra dragged over some huge heavy shackles from the edge of the furnace: "These are leftover tools from when we built the Furnace and the lift — enjoy them, you bastard!"

She flung the heavy engineering shackles, entwining them around the Steel Guard, reinforcing its binding.

"Even if you confine me, you cannot destroy my form. The army from the Creation Furnace will pour out and grind your flesh and blood to dust."

As it finished speaking, its entire Source Armor began to disassemble, but didn’t completely separate; some chains shot out instead, quickly embedding into the rocks of the hollow underground like a giant net, firmly linking it to the mountain.

The Spiritual Fire in its eyes gradually extinguished, its body huddling as if entering a dormant shutdown state.

Besides, the Dimensional Rift was also slowly closing, and the artisans helplessly watched as the door leading to their heart’s desire gradually shut.

"Can’t we rush through, with Level 9?" Someone looked at Elaphia, seeming to think they had the strength to pass through this passage.

"Tearing open the Dimensional Rift doesn’t mean one can pass through. Level 9 isn’t that strong; to do this, they must have a unique method," Li Ang said.

He thought of the Crimson Demon and Bahamut.

The demons, he hadn’t seen them pass through the Dimensional Passage. They seemed restricted somehow, only manifesting through infusing with Nebis’s Spirituality, but could provide energy through the Magic Power Dimension’s invisible conduits. Without that restriction, they could probably do what the Furnace Guard did.

As for Bahamut, it physically tore open the dimension using its own power, which can’t be relied upon.

"What are you saying? Lady Legislator helped us a lot. You want her to go in alone against who knows how many of these steel frames?" Cassandra said.

An artisan came to his senses: "I was too hasty, sorry."

Facing the silent Steel Giant, Molaine wiped his sweat: "No immediate threat, right?"

"Close call," Falo said with a dry laugh.

"It’s not over yet."

Being in the Spiritual Horizon, Li Ang saw Spiritual Lines on this thing leading into an unseen Dimensional Rift, likely directly linked to the Creation Cauldron.

Sharing this information, he continued, "This probably serves as a mark. It’s not lying; if we leave it here, the army from the Creation Cauldron can lock onto this location."

Gaelin eyed the runes on the Steel Guard: "I wanted to study it further."

Hephaestus lowered his head in thought: "It finds us through the moment ’Radiance of Creation’ was formed from the Treasure Artifact, which it calls the Power of Origin. That power flickers briefly; if it has companions, they too can’t find us this way again — it’s a beacon."

"Throw it to the Bottom of the Sky, let them search there!" an artisan shouted.

The red-haired artisan observed the final chains released by the Steel Giant: "These things have merged with the island’s subterrain rocks. No wonder it feels so confident."

Elaphia hadn’t yet shed her War Goddess form, only opening the Pure Magical Metal on her chest armor to reveal her appearance.

Within the Metal Valkyrie, she was encased in a Pure Magical Metal Structure just like she had shown Zoe training tools earlier, transmitting her skills aptly to the external armor.

With Li Ang’s Spiritual Activation, she looked radiant.

"Should I cut them?" she asked.

Hephaestus replied, "It understands its structure well; the chains are interconnected, forcibly dismantling them would transfer the force to other chains, damaging the subterrainean structure of Vitas."

"Then what do we do?"

The artisans turned their focus to Elaphia, Li Ang, and the three artisans of the Hammer of the Source.

"Don’t forget, we’re artisans."

The red-haired man seemed to have an answer.

"We’re not good at combat, but smelting things — this is our forte.

"Today, our greatest gain is realizing the making of Treasure Artifacts isn’t about our lack of talent, but inborn constraints — from today, our direction is clear."

"As for this thing," Hephaestus pointed at the Steel Giant: "Thanks to Lady Legislator and the witch for helping us protect the Furnace, we need to reignite the Mountain Copper Furnace, direct the flame towards the giant, simultaneously melting and dismantling it."

He sneered: "Let’s start with this practice — there will be more to dismantle soon enough."

Artisans beamed, responding loudly as they got back to work.

Li Ang watched the excited crowd, filled with emotion.

Even for him, after accomplishing a major task, his first thought was to rest a while, but these people’s enthusiasm and energy always convert into motivation. Perhaps this is why they reach such mastery in the path of artisanship.

Before long, as internal materials of the Mountain Copper Furnace ran out, the artisans began gathering materials externally.

On the other side, Farlonio whispered: "Doesn’t Mr. Li Ang’s Enhancement Magic have side effects?"

"You found that out too?"

Li Ang was helpless against the crafty merchant, sighing. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"She’s of the Blade Master lineage; her blood is resilient like steel. Wouldn’t she be unaffected by the Enhancing Spell’s side effect?" Falo asked.

Li Ang shrugged, noncommittal.

"If that’s so, she wouldn’t suffer the burden of her Secret Technique, making her and Mr. Li Ang a perfectly matched... pair of combat partners, I’d say."

Elaphia heard the merchant’s words, keeping a straight face but failing to contain a hint of a smile.

The Mountain Copper Furnace still needed some tending, and as Li Ang pondered about his role here, Hephaestus along with two other artisans of the Hammer of the Source approached.

He looked at the Holy Staff in Li Ang’s hands: "May I have a look at this Treasure Staff?"