Chapter 668

Thump thump—

“Enter.”

Dweno spoke with a serene tone, lifting his gaze toward the nocturnal sky visible through his workspace window.

The doorway swung wide, and Enniha stepped inside.

“Have those companions settled into their quarters?”

“They have.”

“And the previous foreigners who arrived ahead of them?”

“They hail from the exact same homeland as the newcomers. They explained they were an early reconnaissance squad dispatched ahead of time.”

“Is that so?”

Enniha placed a lengthy pipe between her lips as she observed Dweno give a slow nod.

“Care for a drag?”

“You know I abstain from smoking.”

“You truly are an exceptional dwarf.”

“Enniha. You, likewise, are an extraordinarily peculiar elf.”

The practice of burning tobacco was inherently rooted in dwarf heritage.

Dwarves, being creators and craftsmen from birth, frequently required long periods of motionless reflection and deep thought.

Consequently, they naturally began igniting specific herbs that promoted mental clarity, marking the origin of tobacco.

Conversely, elves harbored a deep aversion to the distinct aroma produced by burning foliage.

Thus, the image of an elf puffing from a long pipe was a highly anomalous sight.

“Whew.”

Enniha released a prolonged trail of smoke, stepping closer to Dweno as she stared up at the starry expanse and whispered.

“It is truly magnificent. It still resembles a fantasy. The simple reality that I can gaze upon the stars above.”

“Shouldn’t you be accustomed to the sight by now?”

“Not in the slightest. I doubt I will ever grow weary of looking up.”

This celestial view, taken completely for granted in the ancient era, had become something incredibly rare and treasured.

How many individuals had wept openly on the day they finally witnessed the starlight return—a sight they believed was forever lost to them?

Enniha was counted among those people.

“Dweno, aren’t you a bit too devoid of sentiment? When we won back the night sky, you were the sole person who didn’t even show a hint of emotion.”

“That is untrue. Despite my outward appearance, I was profoundly shaken at that moment.”

“A fabrication. You have maintained that exact demeanor since our early days.”

Their bond stretched across a vast timeline.

Far before the onset of the Age of Calamity.

“When our paths first crossed, you carried such a cynical, weary expression. I wondered to myself, ‘What sort of dwarf acts this way?'”

“When I first laid eyes on you, I also questioned, ‘What sort of elf behaves like this?’ Standing so fiercely independent, despite being banished by her own people.”

“I have corrected you multiple times, I was not banished, understood? I departed voluntarily on my own two feet.”

“Ah, is that why you boldly sought asylum within dwarf territory—which happened to be actively warring with elves—simply because you would be dragged back in chains if apprehended?”

“As I said back then. The adversary of my adversary is my companion.”

“Are you aware that your stubbornness is occasionally completely unreasonable?”

“They were the ones who degraded my artwork first!”

“Good grief.”

“Had it been legitimate artistic critique, I would have tolerated it. But how could I tolerate the authoritarian suppression that demanded I snap my brush, proclaiming my creations worthless merely because they failed to glorify our specific race!”

Enniha scowled deeply.

During that period, Enniha’s alleged transgression was racial treason.

The justification for this severe accusation was that, as a creator, she refused to exclusively worship the beauty of elves, maintaining instead that the cultural and artistic expressions of alternative races held equal value to their own.

Enniha’s conviction amounted to an outright challenge against the structural authority of elven civilization.

Consequently, Enniha, who was nothing more than an obscure painter rather than a prominent figure in elven society, found herself a fugitive targeted for racial treason.

To evade the tracking parties of her kin, she fled to seek sanctuary among the dwarves.

That was the setting where Dweno and Enniha originally crossed paths.

Enniha resided within the dwarven domain for an extended duration, forging close ties with its inhabitants.

Inevitably, she absorbed elements of dwarven lifestyle and tradition.

It was during this exact phase that Enniha, possessing no inherent capabilities outside of painting, initiated her training in martial disciplines.

She possessed a shocking aptitude for combat arts, rapidly ascending to become a highly capable combatant.

“It proved to be a hidden favor of destiny. You, who possessed no remarkable brilliance for the canvas, were gifted with aura and shifted your calling to that of a combatant.”

“I am an artist, not a combatant!”

“Did I not advise you during those days? That earning a livelihood through that path would be nearly impossible, so you ought to abandon it.”

“And you! You were deeply stirred by the very image I crafted!”

“…It is true that the final piece you produced before leaving the settlement was striking.”

Dweno let out a deep, resonant chuckle.

“Enniha. The depiction of the breaking dawn you crafted was exceptionally beautiful.”

“Indeed. And you promptly incinerated that splendid triumph, the crowning achievement of my creative existence.”

“Because of that action, I formed a resolution back then. To govern my strength so I would never again reduce the exquisite wonders of this world to ash.”

“You entertained such a thought?”

Enniha’s eyes widened in surprise.

“I did. Following that event, I even cultivated a minor appreciation for creative arts.”

“Hold on! Hold on! You have absolutely never shared this detail with me before!”

Enniha, her face painted with astonishment, leaned in incredibly close to Dweno.

Dweno met Enniha’s gaze with a completely unbothered expression.

“Until quite recently, did you not maintain that creative expression was entirely pointless in this current period?”

“I held that view previously. However, my perspective has evolved. I now recognize that we require artistic legacies to pass down to subsequent eras.”

“Dweno, are you suffering from some ailment?”

“I am in perfect health.”

“Incredible…”

“I intend to forge several legacies for subsequent eras using my own capabilities.”

“Creative expression is no simple task.”

“Undoubtedly. It will surely present a massive challenge. Yet, Enniha, whenever I observe your creative pieces, I feel entirely assured that I can surpass your skill.”

“Why you!”

Enniha immediately drove her elbow straight toward Dweno’s forehead.

“Are you unharmed?”

“I am absolutely… not… unharmed! You wretched, cynical dwarf!”

Enniha, writhing from the impact while clutching her elbow, clenched her jaw tightly.

Dweno, letting out a soft laugh at Enniha’s expense, inquired.

“What is your assessment of those youths?”

“Those youngsters?”

Enniha straightened up, a radiant grin spreading across her face.

“It brings such joy to observe them because they completely diverge from the youths of this current age. Their gaze is entirely unique! Their gaze! How should I describe it? Should I say they possess ambitions? Or that they are filled with optimism? Ah! Exactly! Their tomorrow appears to gleam with light! They are genuinely innocent!”

“Are the youngsters within Ivaldi devoid of innocence?”

“Oh come on! That is an entirely separate matter! I am referring to them being reminiscent of youths from the ancient times!”

Children resided within Ivaldi as well.

Youths brought into the world during this specific timeline.

Youths who possessed no awareness of daylight, no awareness of moonlight, and no awareness of the stars above.

Unfortunate children incapable of envisioning optimism or a future.

Such was the defining trait of youths born throughout the Age of Calamity.

“Even that particular Spirit Sorcerer, Artian, correct? Even as a fully grown adult, his gaze differed entirely from our own, did it not? While we remained secluded defending Ivaldi, the outer lands recovered optimism! Could that be the reason such innocent youths have emerged?”

“…”

“This will undoubtedly exert a positive inspiration upon the youth inside Ivaldi as well!”

“I truly hope that proves correct.”

“However, that youth identified as Leo stood out as somewhat distinct.”

“…”

“How to put it? Should I say he mirrors us? His gaze lacked any trace of youthful innocence. He projects an aura remarkably akin to your own.”

“Akin to me?”

“Indeed. He possessed that specific vacant, lifeless expression in his gaze, identical to yours.”

“Whose gaze are you labeling lifeless? Furthermore, Enniha, your powers of perception are lacking. That is precisely why you are ill-suited to become a legendary artist.”

“What did you just claim?”

“It is undeniable that his gaze was unsettling, however… it was far from lifeless. Those eyes unmistakably belonged to an individual who would absolutely never surrender.”

“Is that the case? I considered myself quite adept at evaluating character.”

Enniha tilted her head thoughtfully.

“Regardless, it is undeniable that optimism has manifested.”

“Yes.”

“Therefore, Enniha. I will absolutely ensure you behold the early morning daylight once more.”

“What?”

“Did you not state that you desperately desired to witness it? That it represented your ultimate aspiration?”

“You actually retained that memory?”

“Naturally I did.”

When their paths converged once more within Ivaldi, Enniha had declared:

‘I desire to behold the early morning daylight once more! We will absolutely reclaim the dawn!’

Roughly two decades had transpired since that moment.

The land was plunging into a gloom so immense that individuals could no longer even summon the memory of early morning daylight.

It had transitioned into a period where merely uttering such concepts, dismissing them as futile optimism, would incite hostility from those around you.

Under such conditions, the stellar light they witnessed anew permitted individuals to envision optimism once more.

“I pledge this upon every single thing I possess.”

Dweno closed his hand into a tight fist and declared.

“I will absolutely display the early morning daylight to you.”

“Oh? Such powerful passion coming from a cynical dwarf!”

Enniha nudged Dweno’s temple playfully with her elbow.

“Gah…”

“Is your elbow undamaged?”

“It is absolutely… not undamaged! You dense block!”

“It possesses less density than your own skull.”

“Ugh.”

“What of that young girl, Driana? Do you genuinely intend to instruct her in the arts?”

“I do.”

“I believe it would be wiser to abandon that endeavor…”

“I shall cultivate her into a magnificent creator!”

Dweno remarked, observing Enniha ablaze with determination.

“I additionally intend to impart my smithing expertise to that young girl.”

“Oh? Truly?”

“Indeed. She proved to be a youth endowed with innate capability.”

Dweno smiled broadly.

“To begin, the methodology of commanding flame.”

“Won’t she flee in terror if she receives instruction from you?”

“I shall simply retrieve her once more. Where could she possibly escape to from this location?”

Enniha clicking her tongue softly upon hearing Dweno’s commentary.

‘A tragic fate awaits that poor girl.’

“Consequently, we have arrived at the deduction that annihilating the Legion’s Record represents the most effective strategy.”

During the silent hours before dawn when the camp was completely asleep.

Kal, positioned adjacent to the crackling fire outside the shelter, conversed with Leo.

“Correct.”

“On another note, what precisely constitutes this Hidden Mission?”

“It likely indicates the presence of an overachievement criteria within the Legion’s world as well.”

Overachievement.

This represents a phenomenon realizable within the Hero’s world whenever an individual accomplishes a deed far exceeding what transpired within authentic historical records.

Quite literally, a unique recompense is bestowed.

A magnificent triumph granted solely to those who transform the impossible into reality.

Kal probed gently, questioning Leo following his statement.

“What is the ultimate fate of Ivaldi within authentic historical records?”

“Dweno emerges as the solitary survivor.”

“Ah…”

Kal’s expression darkened slightly upon hearing Leo’s revelation.

“And the assaulting fiends?”

“Gias, the Giant King.”

“…Precisely as anticipated.”

Kal pressed her lips together firmly.

The historical animosity embedded within Dweno’s world surfaced in her thoughts.

“In the same manner that Luna shares a bitter animosity with the Monster Queen, Dweno shares one with the Giant King.”

Up until that era, Gias was recognized as the individual who forged the most supreme armaments across the lands.

Confronted by the armaments Gias constructed, commonplace gear would utterly shatter without offering any form of opposition.

Yet, the armaments forged within Ivaldi stood apart.

The solitary location capable of generating armaments to withstand the most horrifying and supreme gear across the land.

That factor rendered Ivaldi uniquely crucial.

Lisinas had likewise profoundly desired for the metalworkers of Ivaldi to align themselves with Gardstron.

Regrettably, Ivaldi ultimately collapsed, leaving Dweno as the solitary remnant.

“Did Lord Dweno evolve into a metalworker eclipsing the Giant King by conquering that immense sorrow?”

“Yes.”

“However, how should I articulate it? His current disposition appears distinct from when I observed him previously?”

Kal tilted her head in confusion.

“In that era, he manifested as an incredibly gentle individual, whereas presently he projects a somewhat detached aura, would you agree? Did his core nature alter significantly following his integration into the Great Hero party?”

“No, Dweno was a vibrant individual from our very first encounter.”

An eccentric creator who proclaimed optimism, asserting a future existed, and adamantly insisted on preserving beauty for subsequent eras.

It was Dweno who grinned and requested Lisinas to serve as his unclothed subject during their initial introduction.

For that reason, Dweno’s contemporary demeanor represented a facet Leo himself had never previously encountered.

‘He completely avoided discussing his background.’

At that specific time, he possessed no desire to delve into Dweno’s background either.

Because Dweno was simply Dweno.

Because he recognized the dwarf had endured sufficient tribulation.

He refrained from such inquiries, perceiving it would mirror the reopening of old scars.

He merely assumed the dwarf possessed a naturally resilient spirit.

“Your monochrome nature… brought to mind my own past self.”

It occurred immediately prior to Dweno’s passing that he initially opened up regarding his background.

Within that specific exchange, Dweno noted his aversion toward Kyle, who mirrored his own past self.

Dweno stood out as the comrade who comprehended him most profoundly among his peers.

He frequently wondered how Dweno, who represented his exact antithesis, could comprehend him with such clarity.

‘That particular query is finally resolved at this moment.’

Kyle offered a melancholic smile.

‘He bears an uncanny resemblance to me.’

“However, to realize an overachievement… wouldn’t eliminating Lord Dweno constitute an overachievement from their perspective?”

Should Dweno perish within this space, history undergoes a transformation.

Shifting into a timeline where the land can absolutely never achieve salvation.

That outcome by itself would signify an overachievement for Tartaros.

Nonetheless, this Hidden Mission dictates the live apprehension of Dweno.

On occasion, securing an individual alive presents a far greater challenge than executing them.

This holds even truer for an illustrious champion such as Dweno.

Leo clarified, noticing Kal’s bewildered expression.

“The Legion’s Record functions as an item that supplants the Hero Record with the entries of the Legion. It constitutes something currently being authored, rather than an event from antiquity.”

Leo’s crimson eyes flashed intensely as he stared into the blaze.

“This implies they possess the ability to orchestrate the most advantageous scenario for themselves given the existing parameters.”

“The most advantageous scenario?”

“Should the Hero Dungeon enter a state of frenzy and consume the lands, it spells absolute ruin for our side. The Legion’s world operates as the direct inversion of the Hero’s world. However, consider this.”

Snap— Woosh—

Embers erupted from the blaze.

“Would this specific dungeon entering a state of frenzy and invading the lands truly signify a disadvantage for the Legion?”

“…”

“In essence, it serves as a portal bridging the Age of Calamity and the contemporary era. Furthermore, the Age of Calamity defined an epoch where every variety of fiend and abomination roamed unchecked. The entities from that ancient era and the entities of this current period all share a singular objective.”

“…The total annihilation of the lands…”

Kal swallowed down her anxiety.

“Precisely. From their viewpoint, no disadvantage exists even if this dungeon remains sustained. Rather, it represents the absolute premier scenario. Furthermore, the single element causing those entities the greatest irritation is this exact stronghold.”

The vast majority of abominations that break free from the dungeon and manifest in reality suffer total eradication at this stronghold.

Quite literally, a barrier obstructing the threshold.

“Apprehending Dweno alive would serve as a prerequisite to guarantee this frenzied world can be sustained indefinitely.”

“In that case… what course of action should we adopt?”

“Our path remains unaltered. We possess a singular duty. To safeguard Ivaldi so that the history from 5000 years ago is prevented from repeating itself.”

Leo tightened his hand into a fist.

“Altering the course of history. That is the task set before us.”