Chapter 308: Chapter 277: Rewarding Merits, [Giant God Security] is Established

In the Forging Workshop of Grent Manor, the anvil still held a lingering warmth.

As Jon stepped inside, he saw Old Sutton sitting on a low stool, head bowed as he polished a forged armor plate with a thick cloth.

The nearby forge fire leaped and danced, illuminating the Old Dwarf’s deeply lined face and his bright red drinker’s nose.

Piled next to the forge were several enormous, frost-etched scales—trophies from the recent Frost White Sub-dragon attack.

Jon gestured, magically pulling a scale into his grasp. Information immediately appeared before him.

——

[Frosted Sub-dragon Scale (Rare · Material): Equipment crafted from this material will gain the "Dragon Scale," "Frost-Etched," and "Creeping Frost" affixes. Provides an additional 80% Defense Value, +10 Frost Resistance, and a small chance to grant a special effect.]

——

Jon’s fingers brushed across the Ice Crystal-like patterns on the scale’s surface. The bone-chilling cold and the item’s Attributes gave him a more direct sense of the power of the Frost White Sub-dragon that had attacked.

It was just as he had suspected: three affixes, placing it on the very cusp of the Advanced Level.

If that creature had managed to cross that threshold, a single one of its scales would have been enough to provide five equipment affixes, reaching the Perfect Level!

He looked up at the Old Dwarf by the forge and asked softly,

"Sutton, what exactly happened during the attack?"

Sutton’s polishing paused for a moment. Without looking up, a rough grumble rumbled from his throat.

"Damn it, what do you think happened? Those big lizards flew straight here from the Shery Mountains. They were after that Rosalind girl."

He stopped polishing and tossed the armor plate aside with a CLANG.

"It was only because Heta County was in utter chaos. Otherwise, they never would’ve had the guts to invade the Empire’s territory."

"Add to that, this old man still knows a trick or two, so all they could do was fly around and watch from the sky."

The Old Dwarf patted the ridiculously heavy Forging Hammer at his feet, which was wreathed in faint, almost imperceptible arcs of electricity, and gave a haughty snort.

"Just called down a few bolts of lightning, and it had them squawking and screaming as they fled!"

Jon listened in silence, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the sharp, curved edge of the Dragon Scale.

Sutton’s description was as blunt and simple as ever, but Jon could clearly picture the immense danger it concealed.

After a brief silence, he spoke quietly.

"I understand."

"These creatures... they dare to run wild in my domain... Hah... I’ll make them pay for it tenfold, a hundredfold!"

His fingers tightened, the metal of his gauntlet grating against the scale with a harsh scraping sound.

The chilling intent beneath his calm tone seemed to make the temperature in the Workshop drop by several degrees.

Then, his tone shifted, becoming more pragmatic.

"This matter isn’t over. But with the fighting in Heta County on hold for now, it’s time to put the establishment of our own territory on the agenda."

"Sutton, I want to hear your thoughts on the territory’s core construction plan, especially the fortifications and the main workshops."

At the mention of building and Forging, the resentful look on the Old Dwarf’s face instantly smoothed out, as if it had been hammered flat.

"Ha! Lad, now you’re asking the right questions! When it comes to laying stone and building a Fortress, is there anyone better than us Dwarves?"

"Now that the fighting’s died down and communications are open, it won’t be long before more good lads arrive with their gear to help you build your territory!"

But at the mention of his kin, his gruff voice dropped a notch, laced with a hint of resignation.

"It’s just... that matter Grotta brought up before, the ’Ancient Divine Ceremony’..."

He rubbed his soot-stained fingers together, looking awkward.

"Karak Azgar is in the deepest part of the mountains. The journey alone will take a long, long time, to say nothing of the preparations for the ceremony itself."

"Until this ceremony is complete, getting more Dwarves to join... I’m afraid that’s going to take a good long while."

Jon nodded gently, then casually tossed the heavy Dragon Scale back into the corner, where it landed with a dull thud.

He walked to the forge, the leaping flames tracing flickering lines of light and shadow across his sharp profile.

"It’s fine, Sutton. The ceremony is not an immediate concern."

He paused, his gaze turning to the leaping orange-red flames inside the furnace.

"Besides, regarding the Ancient Gods... I learned some rather unexpected information on my trip to Heta County City."

"Oh? What’s that?"

Sutton asked instinctively, his eyes, already red from the heat of the forge, suddenly widening.

"Don’t tell me you went and..."

The corner of Jon’s mouth seemed to twitch upward almost imperceptibly, but the hint of a smile was instantly replaced by a cold severity.

He turned his head to look directly into the Old Dwarf’s astonished face, his words as clear and sharp as falling icicles.

"In Heta County’s Sun Cathedral... I met the Sun God, Poao."

"CLANG—!"

The hammer Sutton had instinctively picked up slipped from his grasp and fell to the floor with a sudden, sharp ring!

He froze completely. The lines on his face seemed to solidify as he made a choked, gasping sound.

After a long moment, he finally managed to force out a hoarse question.

"A god?! You... you saw... Poao?! What... what did he say?! About the Ancient Gods... what exactly..."

Jon met his shocked, unfocused gaze. His own expression remained placid, but the depths of his ice-blue eyes seemed to reflect a burden brought back from the Divine Realm, a weight incomprehensible to mortals.

"That was a long, and very crucial, conversation."

He cut off the Old Dwarf’s rambling questions.

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