Chapter 59
Dane casually walked into the war forge hall as he was recalling all the information he gathered as he interacted and socialized with the staff and personnel living and working in the war forge. The 20-acre land was large enough to accommodate and house 60-plus people; these were people who lost their homes to feudal skirmishes among nobles that were not living inside the main capital. The tales of Duchess Elleena Rothchester's kindness were known even with the contract workers.
Wrenla Bouldergrove, wife of Siglorr, a 280-year-old, 3-foot-3-inch female dwarf, used to sell jewelry for the Duchess, as she liked Wrenla's design and craftsmanship. Wrenla's intricate designs and attention to detail made her jewelry highly sought after by the nobles and residents alike.
Her relationship with Duchess Elleena Rothchester was purely business, but she personally saw how generous and kind she was until the Duchess closed the gate and never took in merchants, as her only son was kidnapped and was never seen again. The picture the Duchess posted on all guilds in the east region became a haunting reminder of the tragedy that befell her family. Wrenla's once thriving business came to a sudden halt, leaving her with only memories of the prosperous days she spent selling jewelry for the duchess.
Year after year, no news about her son's whereabouts and status until her family slowly moved on, and with the death of her husband , she gradually began to rebuild her life under the care and support of her new husband named Segast Vandros, 0 years old , a known influential merchant in the upper east region with his four daughters.
Kehsi 21 years old, five foot eight tall
Tamina 19 years old five foot three tall.
Dana 17 years old and five feet tall
Myla 16 years old four feet tall
These four were notorious for stirring up trouble in their hometown of Mornhaza, also known as the City of Silk, where they frequently got into altercations and bullied nearby residents near their same age. Despite their young age, and they were all women , they were known for their fierce attitudes and quick tempers. Their reputation often preceded them wherever they went in Mornhaza.
Despite their behavior, the people could not do anything, as their father was also a powerful and influential figure in the city, holding a position of authority that shielded his daughters from facing consequences for their actions. This dynamic only fueled their sense of entitlement and arrogance, making them even more feared and disliked by the community.
Until they moved into the main capital, their personality and ego became more unbearable, causing tension and conflict with the other noble families in the main capital as they used their stepmother's authority to do whatever they liked in the royal academy of Solnara with nearly a thousand students from all the citizens of the city.
These people soon manipulated the Duchess into conforming to their own personal agenda, leaving her feeling isolated and insignificant as she lost interest in doing anything significant as she was lost and lost her kind, enthusiastic spirit that once defined her.
King Deryth Cererindu has been a fair and just ruler; he never liked social hierarchy among his subjects and has always promoted equality and unity within his kingdom. However, the behavior of the noble, wealthy merchant and aristocrats from all the families currently living under his insignia.
They have been reported to be causing unrest among the citizens, leading to concerns about the stability of the kingdom's social order. King Deryth may soon need to address this issue to maintain peace and harmony within his realm.
Dane can approach the quest in so many ways, but one thing is for sure: he will clear the task with a positive outcome. The first clue was already handed to him, the stories relating to Duchess's son are obviously connected to the hired mercenary that Cragmir Bouldergrove past. And because the clue was only meant for a player, ears only , as the y are the only one authorized to accept the quest. And as for those who accidentally heard this information my word of mouth just automatically and casually dismissed it , and went on with their daily lives as if nothing happened.
Dane was lucky enough to gain this vital information. Derick Collins and Miranda Saunders, who were the lead scenario and story task creators, were masters of spontaneous different branch narrative s in the game.
They had carefully woven together various plotlines to create a rich and immersive experience for players, making it difficult to discern what was real and what was merely a diversion. This intricate storytelling will keep anybody engaged and eager to uncover the truth behind the mysterious disappearance of Duchess's missing son.
But now, after a few failed attempts, Dane will accept the quest and gain another reward that no player has ever achieved. As he casually walks along the farm area of the war forge, those who saw him greeted him with a smile as Dane answered with a knowing nod. He walked along the path that was created to be the main path where farm wagons would travel through.
He saw Olmar Bouldergrove with Elaria Syrune as the two were training on an untouched path of farm soil. Olmar and Elaria stopped their training to greet Dane warmly. Elaria Syrune was still a bit hesitant, knowing she made a foolish mistake in entering his room without his consent just to feed her curiosity. Dane was already informed by Ward and just ignored it and saw it as an honest mistake.
Dane asked Olmar what fighting technique he was using. Olmar scratched his head and reluctantly showed Dane a martial arts book he got from his uncle's collection. As Dane took a glimpse of it and casually read and turned the pages, information flowed into his mind. Dane assumed it was Ward, as he was interested in all types of martial arts. Dane then asked if he had more books about martial arts.
Olmar looked at Elaria as she handed him another martial arts book that was about wielding a sword and a dagger. As Dane also flipped the pages, the information got absorbed into his mind as two memory books manifested in his library, and the caretakers took them and placed them on a book cabinet labeled as martial arts .
The two were delighted to see that their benefactor was also interested in martial arts. Dane asked the two if they wished to spar with him for a few minutes as a light exercise before continuing their exploration of the library. The untilled soil where they were was big enough for a spar.
Dane already understood the two books' martial art techniques, and with Ward's help, he combined the skills and formulated a new martial art with the two books' strongest focal points. The first one was the destructive force of the war axe swings, and the second was the fast, continuous attack of the daggers .
Dane's mother's sword technique was similar; each strike was heavy but had a smooth transition flow so the next attack would be constant and fast, like a free-flowing river.
Miyako Azai's ultimate attack was so fast and heavy no other technique could block it. Only one person survived her deadly attack, and all the nine slashes that lacerated Edward's body were deep and nearly fatal, but he was a crazy battle fanatic and was able to calculate the distance of all those nine simultaneous strikes from fatally killing him.
He even manages to land a stomach punch toward the woman Edward Lazarus would marry and become his wife.
The two techniques were added to his own skill. Dane asked the two to attack him with their full resolve, as they will eventually take the mantle of protecting their guild and clan. The two nodded as they stood their ground and held their weapons proudly.
Dane raised his hand and told them to wait as he looked for a weapon that he could use for the match; using his mother's katana was inappropriate in a spar. When a familiar-looking woman offered her digging shovel , Dane thanked the woman, and he now recalled the family of four who were part of the gypsies' caravan that settled near the cursed forest.
Dane thanked the young lady as she answered and introduced herself as Anika Roughbrook, daughter of Adam Roughbrook, 56 years old, with a beard and a five-foot-three stout and bulky physique that many thought was a descendant of the Dwarven. She wanted to talk more, but seeing the number of people gathering, she held back.
Mentioning she remembered him would draw a lot of questions, and being under contract, this act might bring his family more harm than good. She just accepted seeing him to be safe and decided to keep her distance for the time being. She smiled politely and excused herself from the crowd.
The contract farm people saw them and knew Olmar and Elaria usually used this time to train, and they just let them be, as they never interrupted any of the farmers working on the field.
But seeing Dane, who was their new benefactor and showed interest in their training, they decided to wait and watch what the tree was going to do next. Cragmir Bouldergrove eventually saw the people gathering at the farming area and decided to investigate. As soon as he saw the tree, he instantly understood the events that would happen. Cragmir rushed toward the three as he asked Dane if he could cast a barrier to protect the people who were going to watch the spar.
Dane smiled and acknowledged Cragmir's correct assumptions on the matter at hand as he politely asked if Cragmir wouldn't mind casting a barrier. Cragmir accepted the request eagerly; he spoke the rune barrier language, and a large dome shape manifested around the three.
The barrier was tall and wide, with a similar size to an average basketball court. Soon Siglorr Bouldergrove and his wife, with most of the elders, came to watch the tree spar. Siglorr walked toward his brother as Cragmir was seen with a reluctant expression, knowing what Siglorr mentioned to him about how powerful Dane's magical attacks were.
Siglorr smiled and assured him their benefactor was not the type that would do anything to hurt their clan members; he might have a different perspective in dealing with a certain problem, but even if he knew Dane for just a short while, he had this personality that instantly earned his trust. Siglorr knew that Cragmir's hesitation was understandable, but he had faith in Dane's intentions and abilities to teach the two.
Their voice can still be heard outside the barrier, as Dane told the two to attack him, and he will only respond by using melee attacks to answer their assault. The two firmly held their weapon of choice and enhanced all of their physical abilities before charging at Dane, ready to test their skills against his melee combat expertise. Siglorr watched with anticipation, knowing that this encounter would not only strengthen their abilities but also deepen their bond .
The soil burst outward as the two dashed toward Dane. He was silent and was closely watching the two's movements. Unlike wild animals, the two had patterns that could easily be seen if you were patient enough to observe. As the clash began, Dane quickly identified their predictable movements and countered with precise strikes. Olmar's swing was wide, and the force he exerted was strong, but Olmar's swing was too rough and did not have a smooth trajectory and lacked any linear precision.
The moment Dane deflected Olmar's attack and used the Force to get redirected to a different angle, Olmar's body would follow the same erratic path, showing his lack of control and predictability in combat. Dane capitalized on this weakness, swiftly maneuvering to exploit Olmars' unrefined technique and secure the upper hand in the fight.
He used the soil to move around and slide into Olmar's blind side. with a quick step and circular motion of his lower body, Dane bombarded Olmar with heavy strikes from the shovel he was using, the swing were not wide. Siglorr and Cragmir saw how Dane held the shovel, and with quick, rapid wrist downward motion ,Dane was able to bombard Olmar with hammer strkes as Olmar defended with his war axe, soon Elaria Syrune came near Dane right side and was about to deliver a stab.
Dane lowered his body and spread his left leg, and the shovel hit Olmar's war axe. Dane quickly swept his left leg in a circular motion going backwards and kicked Elaria on her upper shoulder, and as Dane's kick made contact, he drove the shovel into the soil and used it to propel him upward as he spun and used the force to push the two away.
Their defensive stance was ruined as Dane dashed toward the two , who lacked understanding in any strategic fighting position. The two made a mistake in sticking together. Dane's combination attacks used all of his body; the shovel was just an extension of his body, and his punches and kicks were hitting the two. Dane would even grab Elaria's head and smash it toward the ground, while Olmars got hit by Dane's elbow and hook punches.
The ones that were Dane's skills were a shock. He wasn't just that powerful in magic, but his fighting skill was evidently more controlled and destructive. In just five minutes, the two surrendered and understood Dane's resolve as he told them to always be prepared for the unexpected in battle.
Dane's calculated movements and strategic approach allowed him to outmaneuver Omar's brute force, and even with Elaria's speed, hesitation can lead to devastating consequences on the battlefield. He demonstrated the importance of strategic knowledge over strength and speed and always being prepared to do what is necessary in combat.
As the dust settled, Olmar and Elaria surrendered, their breaths heavy with exertion but their eyes gleaming with newfound understanding. They knew that in order to be successful in battle, they would need to adapt and learn from Dane's example of strategic thinking. With their newfound understanding, they were ready to approach future battles with a different mindset and be prepared for whatever challenges may come their way.
Dane's agility and strategic thinking allowed him to outmaneuver and outsmart his opponents. With each move, Siglorr could see the mutual respect and admiration growing between them. He was happy to see the next generation had the will and determination to become stronger as Olmas's and Elaria's eyes were filled with pride and hunger to be better.
"You two are not just part of this family; you both will soon walk and continue the path of greatness."
"The things you have been doing are the correct path, and I have no doubt that you will both surpass even my own accomplishments one day," Dane said, his voice filled with pride and encouragement. As the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the training grounds, Siglorr saw and knew that the future of their clan was in good hands with Olmas and Elaria leading the way for the next generation.
Again, those that saw Dane's fighting skills were amazed; they knew he was magically gifted, but having a skill in close combat was truly impressive. The stories he shared about his life were indeed real, as he was raised by great fighting masters and grew up into a known family even inside the tower. The Lazarus clan was synonymous with being great hunters and was even able to clear the Evolve Drake quest. was also intelligent enough to pick up new techniques quickly. Siglorr felt a sense of relief knowing that Dane would be a valuable asset in protecting their clan in the battles to come.
But knowing this, they all soon understood and connected all the small information that the person in front of them might be. Siglorr suddenly clapped his hands and congratulated Dane and two others for a great sparring lesson. Siglorr's voice was weirdly loud, and he was like, Focus on those who saw the fight. Siglorr knew many finally pieced together who the benefactor's real identity was..
The stories of the Netherborn have already reached their ears , as many merchants come in and out of their war forge.
"Ok, as everybody here saw the fight , many of you that swore to our benefactor their loyalty understand why they should keep their oath."
"The benefactor's true power and influence were now clear to all who witnessed the spar, solidifying the commitment to remaining loyal." Siglorr's strategic move had successfully reinforced the importance of allegiance and secrecy among those present.
"So hush your lips and resolve your stand; soon changes will happen. And with thi , we must be ready for that, as Dan Lazarus has opened that path to us."
The war forge was never this lively; many people passing by outside the tall, fortified walls could only imagine and assume the scenarios that might occur inside because it was extremely secretive, and the few instances of break-ins were fortunate to be stopped by unknown and undetermined forces secretly serving the forge . As the members of the Warforged awaited the changes that Dan Lazarus had promised to bring, their excitement and anticipation grew.
Another festive dinner came as many once again enjoyed the night. Siglorr secretly handed Dane supplies, including his personal request. Siglorr'l can't get over how Dane managed to combine the transfer sack to his dimensional store without breaking the magic laws, still astounding him.
The formless armor serpent came out and ate the month's worth of supplies like it was nothing and stored it in Dane dimensional space in an orderly manner.
Soon Siglorr' waited for Dane's approval after he handed him his primary weapon. Ward was the one that gave Siglorr' the schematic design of the upgraded weapon, as Ward and Miko can no longer use and access the main system creation without facing consequences from the main tower's current administrators .
Dane checked his newly crafted katana, and it was now sharper, lighter, and extremely durable. The handle was now longer,nd the handguard was redesigned to have an extra feature.
Charging mana attack spells toward the handle is now channeled toward the hand guard with a serpent open mouth to shoot attack spells while the blade strikes its target, getting two simultaneous fatal blows. Dane smiled, grateful for Siglorr's help in enhancing his weapon. He gave Siglorr' a handshake as he planned to just use melee. Sword and sword techniques and combine it with a few magical focus attack spell bursts. To inflict more damage and confirm a kill,
He wanted to create the Netherborn persona to be more skilled in warfare and rarely rely on magic to confuse enemies that he knew would surely come out to challenge him. Showing too much of his power will eventually expose his weakness, as he can only use low-tier fire and lightning attacks. The rapid spell burst must be fast and correspond to his katana strikes.
A single slash with multiple bombardments of fire bullets is what he wanted to achieve, and , seeing the katana gun in his hand, Dane can now test its ward design and Siglorr's forging skills made it happen. He can wait to test this weapon in the demon mouth.
Dane thanked Siglorr' and went up toward the highest part of the warforge castle , Siglorr' was asking why go up; thus, he plan to aske him again to use his busts teportation, Dane smiled at Siglorr' and told him he already knew how to use that spell and made it even better,Siglorr' laughed and just mention
"I knew you were different, Master Dane, the moment I saw you demolish the tree stump just to get my attention."
"I am just lucky that you were kind enough to share the spell with me."
"Huh, I never share anything; you are just too You were able to understand the language and use it on your own."
"Anyway, I know why you requested to come up here, Master Dane."
"That's why I liked you Siglorr', being the head clan leader and a master forger, your instinct is always impressive. As ever"
" the demon mouth gorger is located at that direction master Dane "
"Thank you, Siglorr, for guiding me to the demon mouth gorger's location. I will make sure to handle it with caution and precision."
"Your trust in me means a lot, Master Dane; I will not disappoint you."
Suddenly, Dane used the mana engine to cast the teleportation gate, burned through 6,000 mana points, and emerged forty feet above the ground and above the tree lines, traveling southwest about half a mile from the Gorge.
The tentacle-like serpent came instantly out and drove down into the ground below as he descended slowly. His appearance changed to hide his face as he felt many eyes saw him come out from nowhere.
"Should I come down as Netherborn or a different player? Ward, scan the area. Please identify the being that saw me."
Five smoked form dark horned owls minifested and detach from Dane Clothing, and the five flew away and scanned the area. Soon the five were able to gather the needed information
"Twenty guild players were spotted running in all directions; none of them saw you, but one of the war orcs that were pursuing them saw you emerge in the sky. "
"What are your recommendations, Ward?"
"Helping them might prove disadvantageous to your mission, Master Dane. It would be best to avoid any interaction with the guild players and focus on your original objective. If necessary, we can use diversion tactics to keep them away from your location. "
"ATTENTION, MIKO'S RESEARCH IN UNDERSTANDING THE SPIRITUAL REALM HAS ENDED; SHE HAS ATTAINED 60 PERCENT OF HER GOAL."
" SHE WILL RESUME FULL FUNCTION."
"Greetings, Master Dane, how I missed you!"
"What about me?"
"Ward, I miss you too. How was your task with Master Dane? Did you encounter any issues?"
"It went smoothly, Miko . No issues to report."
"I am so glad I was able to learn so much in studying the spiritual realm."
"But I think my timing is a bit off. Shall we continue your discussion later, Master Dane?"
"I am glad you are back, Miko. You are right. Ward, please update Miko with the events that transpired in the past few days."
"No problem, Master Dane,"
"Don't worry about me; I will test my new weapon discreetly. Leave the formless armor under my mental command."
"As you command, Master Dane, in the meantime we shall enter the library for the time being."