Chapter 666

“Even after gazing up at that firmament repeatedly, it never becomes familiar,” Ar murmured quietly, keeping his eyes on the expanse above.

He recalled the realms of Arion and Dweno, and now this current encounter.

Though this marked Ar’s third time witnessing it, adapting to the sinister sky of the apocalyptic age remained completely beyond him.

“Who could ever grow accustomed to something like that?” Kyle added, shaking his head and making a clicking sound with his tongue.

Every member of the group alongside them bore a rigid, anxious expression.

The reality before them was being consumed by the domain of the hero.

Furthermore, knowing this was Dweno’s world made it certain that overwhelming difficulties were looming ahead.

Chelsea cast a look behind her toward Leo, who walked at the forefront alongside Artian as they trailed behind Dweno and Enniha.

“Ah, of course. My own introduction slipped my mind,” Enniha remarked, lightly striking her hand against her brow.

“I am called Enniha. My craft is painting, capturing the splendor of this realm upon canvas.”

“Oh, an artist! I find great joy in viewing artwork myself,” Artian expressed, bringing her hands together with genuine fascination upon hearing Enniha’s words.

Enniha observed Artian with a somewhat complex look.

“Your demeanor has shifted entirely from just a few minutes prior. Is that a common trait among spirit summoners?”

“Maybe I am simply an exception to the rule? The entities I am bound to possess rather fierce personalities.”

“As a rule, those who summon spirits tend to have foul dispositions,” Dweno interjected nonchalantly from up ahead without turning around.

“Regardless of whatever gentle facade they present to the world.”

“Goodness, that isn’t true, I am quite gentle! Isn’t that right, student Leo?”

“Well, I suppose…”

“How can you respond so half-heartedly?!”

Under ordinary circumstances, Artian’s personality would have grown far louder under the influence of her possession, yet she remained relatively subdued.

The reason lay in the identity of the person preceding them—he was an illustrious Great Hero.

In the contemporary era, such a figure held authority akin to a deity.

Showing any form of disrespect was entirely out of the question.

“Changing the subject, what is your true place of origin?”

“We can discuss the particulars once we have arrived at a secure location.”

“I see. A group of strangers recently arrived at our stronghold. Do you share any ties with them?”

‘Strangers? Could he be referring to the forward reconnaissance team?’

“While I cannot say for certain without knowing their identities, a link is highly probable.”

“Those individuals are surrounded by numerous enigmas,” he remarked.

Despite his words, his skepticism toward Leo’s companions had completely dissipated.

Trailing after Dweno and Enniha, the companions journeyed for a considerable period before the outlines of distant ramparts came into view.

“A stronghold?”

“…Incredible.”

The grand architecture of the stronghold, instantly striking to the eye, drew murmurs of awe from the travelers.

Sensing this, Leo shifted his attention over to Artian.

Meeting his eyes, Artian gave a subtle, understanding nod.

The location before them was none other than the dilapidated citadel where Leo’s crew had intended to stop for rest.

Yet those very ruins had been completely restored, standing tall and robust.

‘Judging by the design elements, this construction originates from the age of devastation,’ Leo noted to himself, closely analyzing the defensive structures.

‘It is more than just a reproduction of ancient techniques.’

While its facade mirrored an ancient stronghold, the outer fortifications carried the distinct aura of Gardsron, blended subtly with accents belonging to contemporary times.

‘So they managed to completely reconstruct the stronghold,’ Leo surmised with a nod.

As Dweno walked toward the surrounding waters of the moat, a grinding mechanism whirred, and a massive drawbridge descended.

With a resonant thud, the span settled into place, prompting Dweno to glance over his shoulder.

“Allow me to extend my greetings to you, travelers. Let us proceed inside so I may hear what brings you here.”

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The metallic ringing of hammers colliding with anvils echoed fiercely through the air.

Captivated by the noise, the travelers expressed their astonishment.

“Are there truly this many dwarves gathered here?”

“A significant number of beastfolk are present as well.”

“Could every single resident here belong to the age of devastation…?”

The companions advanced, scanning their surroundings.

Near the main gates of the stronghold, innumerable forge workers were gathered, with dwarves diligently crafting armaments across the area.

Leo reflected silently on a single word as he watched them.

‘Ivaldi.’

“The proficiency of these craftsmen is truly staggering,” Driana remarked absentmindedly, prompting a warm, proud grin from Enniha.

“Naturally. The metalworkers of Ivaldi stand unrivaled across the lands.”

Ivaldi was legendary.

Throughout the age of devastation, it stood firm as one of the rare strongholds that held out against the relentless onslaught of Tartarus until its final days.

Its population consisted primarily of dwarves and beastfolk who manufactured massive quantities of battle gear, some of which eventually found its way to the city of Gardsron.

‘So this is them.’

Leo paused mid-step, his eyes sweeping over the workers of Ivaldi.

In that ancient age of desperation, anyone fighting on the vanguard considered the gear produced by Ivaldi’s forge masters absolutely vital.

‘They were the sole countermeasure against the terrible weapons forged by the Giant King Gyas.’

Back when Leo lived as Kyle, he had relied heavily on the shields and blades they provided.

To a great extent, their craftsmanship had preserved his existence across numerous combat zones.

Yet, this marked his very first encounter with the living smiths of Ivaldi—with a single exception.

Leo focused his silent gaze onto the broad back of the dwarf leading their march.

Dweno.

Selected as one of the four legendary champions by Licinas, he served as the defender of Ivaldi and held the title of its Master Smith.

His renown during that epoch easily rivaled that of Agon, the Guardian of the Azure Sky.

The current setting differed entirely from what lingered in Leo’s memories, which was entirely logical given this location was not the genuine Ivaldi.

Furthermore, the actual fortress of Ivaldi that Leo recalled had long lost this lively energy.

“Why have you halted? Do you intend to stay behind?”

Prompted by Dweno’s voice, Leo resumed his pace.

“I am right behind you.”

Dweno guided the party straight into the heart of the stronghold, toward the structure that originally housed the commander’s headquarters.

Witnessing this building fully restored to its prime caused Kyle’s mouth to hang open in utter bewilderment.

“I could have sworn this place was reduced to rubble. How can it look so pristine?”

Dweno offered a hearty chuckle upon overhearing Kyle’s stunned whisper.

“Hah, you aren’t wrong. When a sudden phenomenon brought us to this place, the citadel was nothing but debris,” Dweno explained, letting out a small grunt as he settled himself into a seat.

“Luckily for us, a massive cache of building supplies remained preserved beneath the surface. We utilized those resources to restore the place, wrapping up the work in roughly four weeks.”

“Can such a feat really be achieved so quickly?”

“Have you forgotten who we are? We are dwarves, after all.”

Driana showed her agreement, staring at Dweno as he maintained a gentle expression, treating the massive undertaking as a trivial matter.

“Naturally. With Lord Dweno supervising, a task like this is trivial.”

Driana nodded vigorously, her gaze gleaming with excitement.

“A charming young lady is showering me with praise. May I ask your name?”

“I am Driana!”

“Ha! Excellent. Miss Driana, do you also practice the art of forging?”

“Indeed! I work as both a smith and a creator of art!”

“An artist, you say?” Enniha’s interest was instantly piqued.

“A metalworker… Would you allow me to inspect a piece of your handiwork?” Dweno requested.

Spurred by the request, Driana unsheathed a longsword and stepped closer to Dweno.

Dweno scrutinized the weapon Driana had crafted, his expression turning to one of appreciation.

“My word, exceptional talent! There is no doubt you possess rare genius.”

“D-do you truly mean that?”

“You ought to dedicate yourself entirely to being a blacksmith.”

“Pardon?”

“It would be a tragedy to squander such remarkable talent on other pursuits. Devote your efforts strictly to the forge! Hahaha!”

“Dweno! During an era as grim as this, you must not extinguish the passion of a budding creator! Did you not agree that bringing elegance to the populace is vital?”

With those words, Enniha closed the distance to Driana, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder as she questioned her.

“What drives your desire to be known as an artist?”

“I wish to pass down true beauty to the generations that follow us!”

“Magnificent! Hold fast to that conviction always!”

Kyle watched Enniha encourage the young girl and chimed in.

“The particular piece of art I presented to you a while back was actually crafted by her hands.”

Upon hearing this revelation, Enniha’s expression faltered slightly.

“W-well, it possessed a distinct character that wasn’t entirely without merit.”

“Ow, that still stings,” Kyle grumbled, soothing his spine where Enniha had struck him previously, though the painter simply averted her gaze.

All the while, Driana gazed up at Enniha with eyes full of absolute reverence.

“I beg of you, allow me to become your disciple!”

Never before had Driana received validation for her artistic endeavors, leaving her profoundly touched.

Enniha fell into contemplation as she observed the girl’s earnest demeanor.

In these bleak times, finding an individual who harbored a genuine desire to preserve aesthetics for posterity was incredibly rare.

Recognizing a familiar passion in Driana’s gaze, Enniha gave a firm nod.

‘Very well. I shall take her under my wing. Her artistic sensibilities are rather peculiar, but… I will guide her nonetheless.’

“I accept.”

“Thank you, Master!”

Observing this exchange, Kyle leaned over to Ar.

“What is your wager on the duration of this arrangement?”

“I give it forty-eight hours before she gets thrown out.”

“Really? A whole two days? Aren’t you being overly optimistic?”

“What is your estimate then?”

“Twenty-four hours, tops.”

“Care to make a wager?”

“You’re on.”

Entirely oblivious to the fact that Ar and Kyle were gambling on her future, Driana beamed joyfully.

Enniha couldn’t help but offer a warm, affectionate smile in response to that radiant expression.

“Let us steer the conversation back to serious matters,” Leo intervened.

“You are familiar with the foolish individuals and the remaining champion.”

“Indeed. They operate out of Gardsron, do they not? What makes you bring them up?”

“Has there been any recent contact between you and them?”

“None at all. The distance separating Gardsron and Ivaldi is immense. Though, as you can see, this location is far from Ivaldi anyway.”

Dweno shook his head negatively in response to the inquiry.

Leo, possessing the memories of Kyle, was fully aware that no such meeting had occurred.

He intentionally posed the question simply to apprise his companions of their current circumstances.

Without a direct exchange with Dweno, providing his allies with a breakdown of their current state would have appeared highly suspicious.

By listening carefully to Leo and Dweno’s exchange, the rest of the group compiled the scattered details and began comprehending the reality of their position.

“There is a particular matter I wish to clarify,” Leo continued.

“Speak freely.”

“What are the precise coordinates of our current location?”

“We are situated within the southeastern region of the landmass.”

“Ah, that confirms it. I attempted to deduce our position via the stellar alignments, but decades without a clear night sky left my calculations uncertain… It seems our sudden transposition brought us entirely to the southeastern territory.”

In truth, the proper domain of Ivaldi belonged to the north-central territories of the mainland.

“This is nothing short of divine intervention! Had we remained where we were, annihilation was certain!” Enniha stated, her expression turning radiant.

Hearing her declaration, Duran stepped forward to inquire.

“Could you elaborate on what you mean?”

“Up until roughly four weeks ago, our forces were enduring the absolute brunt of the Giant King’s assault,” Dweno explained in a grave tone, folding his arms across his chest.

“Our lines of communication with the exterior territories had been completely severed for an extended duration. Remaining in that predicament would have inevitably led to the demise of every single soul.”

Upon hearing this, Leo slowly shut his eyes.

‘By the time our paths originally crossed, the citadel had already been breached.’

Moments prior to the arrival of Licinas, Kyle, Luna, and Arion, the defenses of Ivaldi buckled completely under the relentless pressure of Tartarus.

Dweno alone managed to endure the slaughter.

When the four legendary figures initially encountered Dweno, he was already performing final rites for his fallen brethren.

‘The weight of this knowledge is truly unpleasant.’

Possessing foresight into what was to come offered little comfort.

“Allow me to ask something! The stars are fully visible in the heavens above! I cannot recall how many generations have passed since I last witnessed a genuine night sky!” Enniha spoke, her countenance overflowing with anticipation.

“Being encircled entirely by the forces of Tartarus, we remained oblivious to occurrences beyond our borders. Has a turning point finally arrived in this age of devastation?”

For those trapped in complete isolation, harboring such a perspective was completely natural.

They desperately wished to believe that their frozen reality—or rather, a dying world—was finally showing a glimmer of salvation.

‘However, that reality belongs to an age far ahead of this one.’

Was it his place to enlighten them? To reveal that they were standing in the future?

If he chose to do so, their immediate inquiry would concern their own fates.

Leo remained quiet for a brief moment before finally offering an answer.

“Indeed. The heavenly canopy has been restored to us.”

“I knew it! In that case, the conclusion of this dark epoch must be drawing near!”

Staring at the vibrant grin on Enniha’s face, Leo offered a quiet response.

“It may well be.”

He lacked the heart to shatter her illusions by telling her the true conflict had scarcely commenced.

Only after every single one of them laid down their lives, alongside an incomprehensible number of subsequent casualties, would a resolution slowly dawn in the far-off future.

Leo simply could not bring himself to voice that harsh reality.