Steel Mountain Range (8)

The moment I held the Demon Sword ‘Twilight’ in my hand, a chilling energy surged up my palm. A purplish-black coldness penetrated from my fingertips to the top of my head.

The purplish-black radiance flowing through the sword’s blade became even more vivid. The magic power, rising like a black mist, swallowed my aura and then spat it back out.

“Interesting.”

The automata charged at me all at once.

‘Shall I test it out?’

I lightly swung the Demon Sword. A purple sword light sliced through the air.

Hwiing-

In an instant, the automata were split apart. The bronze armor, which had been so sturdy, was torn like paper.

“This is… fucking awesome?”

Like a living creature, the Demon Sword ‘Twilight’ pulsed in my grasp.

It felt like the destructive power of the Demon Sword from the game was being reproduced exactly.

“No way… how could it cut through bronze armor…? Im… impossible! Bronze armor that can’t even be scratched by a dragon’s claw! Reinforced with the ancient dwarves’ secret technique…”

“What do you even know about dragons? I’m kinda close with them.”

“Eeee… Everyone, commence firing!”

The automata fired their magic cannons all at once.

Hwiik-

With a single flash of sword light, the magic bullets were shattered into pieces. A purple trajectory remained in the air before slowly fading away.

“This is impossible…! What on earth…!”

“Well, ’cause I’m a Hero.”

At my words, his face turned even paler. Twilight’s purplish-black radiance illuminated his fear-stricken face.

The sensation transmitted through the handle was sweet. A sharp and chilling feeling, completely different from the Holy Sword.

Yet, a heavy weight settled comfortably in my hand. As if it had become a part of my body.

“This is… the power of a Demon Sword. I might get addicted.”

The darkness rising from the sword’s blade slowly gnawed at my life force.

A Demon Sword that steals life in exchange for granting powerful strength. An ordinary person would be in mortal danger after swinging it a few times.

‘But it’s no problem for me, with my SSS-class durability.’

A Demon Sword that converts the user’s life force into powerful strength. And a Hero with near-infinite life force.

‘Could there be a more perfect combination?’

I raised the sword towards the bronze soldiers. Purplish-black magic flowed along the blade.

In that instant, Gardis’s face contorted.

“Everyone, charge! Now!”

The automata moved all at once. Hundreds of bronze footsteps shook the ground.

Kung kung kung-!

But I wasn’t afraid anymore. I was actually enjoying it.

‘Finally… I’ve gained the power to stand against them.’

A smile formed on my lips. For now, shall I enjoy this moment?

The catharsis of wiping out enemies all at once.

I swung the sword in a circle. A purplish-black slash spread out in a circular arc.

Kwajik-!

The bronze soldiers fell like dominoes. Dozens of automata collapsed with a single slash.

“Stop it! Stop it somehow!”

Gardis’s voice trembled. His bronze crown shook.

The remaining automata charged all at once. Red light pulsed from the chests of the mechanical soldiers. The magic furnace exceeded its critical point…

“Self-destruct! Self-destruct! Together with the Hero!”

“Hmm… Isn’t that a bit obvious for a last resort?”

Before I could even finish speaking, the automata began to explode. Bronze fragments rained down.

Kwang, kwang, kwang-!

A chain reaction of explosions engulfed the hall.

I reverse-summoned the Demon Sword and summoned the Holy Sword.

The light of ‘Dawn’ instantly subdued the heat of the explosions. Powerless, like a candle before the sun.

Two swords. Light and darkness. Both were mine.

“Damn it… it’s not over yet. I’ll show you the true power of the dwarves!”

With Gardis’s shout, the bronze fragments floated into the air. As if drawn by a magnet, the shattered armor pieces gathered, and the shattered joints were reconstructed into a new form.

Kung!

A giant automaton, easily over ten meters tall, was completed. The bronze armor, engraved with runes, gleamed.

“Euhahaha! This is the true form of the Bronze Giant Talos! Tremble! Before the perfect combination of machinery and magic!”

Gardis’s crazed laughter echoed from the cockpit. The giant automaton threw a punch.

Kung!

The earth trembled. But my steps didn’t falter.

“Still don’t get it?”

I asked back with an indifferent voice. The Demon Sword Twilight, which I had summoned again, glowed even more crimson.

“You’ve come to the wrong game genre.”

“Wh-what did you say?”

“In this world, the more ancient the technology, the stronger it is.”

I lightly swung the Demon Sword.

Hwiing-!

The Hero’s unique ashen aura exploded forth. And within it, purplish-black sparks flashed.

The ashen aura and black magic were mixed together. The two powers achieved perfect harmony, emitting an explosive energy.

“Next time, put a little more effort into it. It didn’t even take a minute to clear?”

Seogeok-!

The giant automaton was split like paper. The upper part slid off, and blue flames sparked from the cross-section.

Kwaaaaang-!

The giant automaton’s armor shattered into fragments. The massive body, which had been moving with a rough noise, collapsed helplessly.

“Th-this can’t be…”

Gardis was thrown out from the wreckage. His dust-covered silver beard fluttered pathetically in the air.

‘It’s over now.’

When I reverse-summoned the Demon Sword, a black cross was engraved on the back of my left hand. You could say it’s a mark of the Demon Sword.

It contrasted strangely with the white cross of the Holy Sword engraved on the back of my right hand. Like light and darkness.

“Ugh.”

The two symbols throbbed simultaneously. As if rejecting each other.

‘Must be my imagination.’

I decided to move on for now.

“P-please wait, Great Hero-nim!”

Gardis crawled on the floor and rushed to my feet. His dust-covered silver beard swept the ground.

“All of this is a misunderstanding! I was just… for the city…”

That damn mouth, here we go again.

“I’ll give you the exclusive mining rights to the mithril mine. The smithy, the vault, everything… no, even this entire city!”

The villain’s stupid lines that always come out at the end.

“If Hero-nim were to combine your strength with the dwarves’ technology, conquering the world wouldn’t be a dream!”

Gardis’s voice became sweet. A greasy smile spread beneath his silver beard.

“A new order encompassing both tradition and innovation… if Hero-nim and I were together…”

“Shut up.”

I took a step forward and grabbed him by the collar. Gardis’s eyes trembled with fear.

“W-wait! All of Garuda’s legacy too… Ugh!”

My fist struck Gardis’s jaw. Shattered teeth scattered into the air.

“Alright, everyone. Do as you please.”

I threw Gardis into the crowd. Hundreds of hammers and wrenches were raised all at once.

“Let’s judge this traitor!”

“You’ll pay the price for betraying us!”

“In the name of the dwarves!”

Peok, peok, peok-!

Screams echoed through the plaza. Silver beards were stained red at the intersection of hammers and wrenches.

“Ha, Haru-nim…”

Garuda approached and looked up at me. Her voice was hesitant, but full of anticipation.

“Did I… did I help a little bit?”

Her hazel eyes trembled anxiously between her long hair. Once just a timid dwarf girl, she now stood as a full-fledged blacksmith.

“Did you help?”

I chuckled softly and stroked her head. Her soft brown hair flowed through my fingers.

“Who else but you could have created such a masterpiece?”

“Th-that’s…”

Garuda’s face turned bright red. She clutched the hem of her apron and muttered.

“It’s still… still not enough. I think I can make something better…”

“You’re already thinking about your next work?”

At my words, she was startled. But she nodded soon after.

“Yes! This time, the circulation of magic power… no, I mean… something better…”

The fire of a craftsman blazed in her eyes. She was no longer a girl hiding in someone’s shadow.

“You know, Haru-nim.”

She suddenly asked in a serious voice.

“Yes?”

“Can I really… really become the best blacksmith?”

A trembling voice. But what it contained was not fear, but anticipation.

“You are…”

I looked at her for a moment. The calluses on her hammer-wielding hand, the soot on her work clothes, and the craftsman’s soul burning in her hazel eyes.

“You’re already the best craftsman.”

Tears welled up in Garuda’s eyes. But this time, they were tears of joy.

“Thank you…”

Her small shoulders trembled. Her brown hair hid her flushed face.

“I’ll make even better things for you in the future. Stronger, more beautiful…”

Garuda couldn’t continue speaking and sobbed. I gently patted her back.

The sunset dyed the blacksmith street. The sound of hammers began to ring out again.

***

The sky of Iron Forge had changed. Clear air circulated instead of black smoke. The whirring of magical engineering and the sound of hammers from traditional smithies rang out harmoniously.

“Look, if you engrave the runes like this…”

“Oh, then the magic power efficiency will increase by 30%!”

In the Steam Forge workshop, traditional blacksmiths put their heads together with magical engineering technicians.

“I’d like to propose a new alloy process…”

“How about a ratio of 7:3 for mithril and lava stone?”

A bearded craftsman nodded at the young technician’s proposal. There was no more conflict.

The bulletin board in the central plaza was renewed.

[Iron Forge Reform Plan]

– Complete abolition of illegal taxation

– Realization of safety inspection standards

– Establishment of a support fund for traditional-innovative fusion

Dwarves laughed and talked in front of the bulletin board.

“The corruption of the Gardis regime has been completely eliminated.”

“Now we’re finally being reborn as a true dwarf city.”

Even more people gathered in the plaza in front of City Hall. Today was the inauguration ceremony for the new mayor.

A girl went up onto the platform. Her long brown hair fluttered in the wind.

“Th-that is…”

Garuda’s voice trembled. But she took a deep breath and raised her head.

“We are one…! Or… never mind…”

Her hazel eyes shone firmly. No longer a timid girl, but a leader of a city stood there.

“Whether it’s tradition or innovation, that doesn’t matter. We are all dwarves.”

Many dwarves raised their hammers and wrenches.

“The pride of the dwarves is not being afraid of change! But at the same time, not forgetting our roots!”

Her voice echoed through the plaza.

“It’s the future that my father… that my father dreamed of.”

Tears welled up in Garuda’s eyes. But she shook her head and smiled brightly.

“Let’s create a new Iron Forge together. A true dwarf city where tradition and innovation harmonize!”

The crowd’s cheers pierced the sky. Hammers and wrenches crossed, signaling the city’s new beginning.

***

“Ugh… what is all this…”

Garuda sighed as she looked at the documents piled up on her desk. Her small frame looked even smaller in the huge office.

“It’s the inheritance procedure.”

The secretary placed a new stack of documents down.

“30% stake in the mithril mine, 3 ancient rune libraries, legendary-grade smithy…”

Garuda’s eyes trembled as if she were feeling dizzy. Her long hair flowed down onto the desk.

“This is… all of it…?”

“Yes. It’s the legacy of Garion-nim that Gardis had been hiding for 10 years.”

“No, no, that’s not the important thing…”

Garuda looked at the documents with a desperate look.

“I have to… read all of this?”

When the secretary nodded, Garuda’s shoulders slumped.

“I just liked blacksmithing… can’t I just hammer?”

Her hand fiddled with a hammer placed on one side of the desk. Then another secretary came in.

“Mayor, 12 boxes of ancient dwarf smelting method documents have arrived.”

“Hiiik!”

Garuda jumped up from her seat. Her brown hair scattered like a waterfall.

“Wait! Wait a minute! I’m… I’m…”

Her gaze turned to the window. It was obvious that she was thinking of escaping.

“Mayor, you can’t run away.”

“It’s the 5th floor. It’s dangerous.”

Both secretaries said at the same time. There had been an incident last week where she tried to escape and failed.

“Ugh… where could Haru-nim be…”

Garuda buried her face in the desk. A sigh leaked out between her long hair.

“Haru-nim would be able to handle these documents well…”

Then the office door opened again.

“Mayor, the gold vault inventory audit is…”

“Uwaaaaak! I like hammers! Hammers!”

Garuda rolled around on the desk. Documents scattered like snow.

“Mayor…”

“I just want to hammer! What did I do wrong? Hwaeeeeng…”

The secretaries sighed and organized the documents. It was a scene that had become a daily occurrence.

New documents piled up on the desk.

But even while complaining, her hands moved steadily. Scanning documents, stamping seals, and writing memos.

“Mayor, these are documents related to the mithril mine stake.”

“The imperial trade plan also needs approval.”

“The establishment approval for the traditional-innovative fusion research institute too…”

Garuda’s shoulders twitched each time the secretaries placed new documents down.

Mines, libraries, research institutes… everything that Gardis once controlled was now her responsibility.

“Haa…”

Garuda muttered while hugging the hammer tightly.

“I miss the smithy… I’ll even eat salads… I’ll work out hard too…!”

But her eyes were scanning the documents one by one. Even while complaining, she didn’t abandon her responsibilities as mayor.

With a small sigh, she picked up a pen instead of a hammer.

“I have to finish this and go hammering this time…”

The sunset slanted over the pile of documents. The day of Garuda Ironheart, the new mayor of Iron Forge, was coming to an end.

*

A peaceful morning came to Iron Forge. Garuda, who had become mayor, was still at war with documents today.

The hand holding the pen trembled. Just as she was about to stamp the seal for the dozens time while suppressing a yawn.

“Mayor, the elven delegation has arrived.”

“Yes? El… elves?”

The seal fell from Garuda’s hand. Before the secretary could even finish speaking, the door opened.

A cold energy enveloped the office. Long emerald hair fluttered gracefully.

“Nice to meet you, new mayor of Iron Forge.”

It was Sylvia. The Elven Queen, the master of spirits.

“A… a…”

Garuda’s voice trembled. Sylvia’s green eyes shone coldly.

“I’m sorry for coming so… suddenly.”

She approached the desk with an elegant step. Green spirits hovered around her.

“I thought friendship with the new mayor was necessary.”

“I… I see. It’s an honor…”

Garuda unknowingly gripped the hammer tightly. Cold sweat formed on her palms.

“So, about that…”

Sylvia walked to the window. The surrounding air grew colder.

“Have you heard anything about the Hero Haru? Oh, don’t worry. Haru and I are the best of friends… or more than that.”

“Haru-nim’s friend…?”

Garuda’s eyes widened. Her long hair shook slightly.

‘Not a dragon, not a Saintess… but the Elven Queen!’

A memory flashed through her mind. The request Haru had made in a small voice before leaving.

‘Absolutely… absolutely don’t tell anyone…’

But Sylvia’s green eyes shone coldly. The spirits hovered around the desk.

Cold sweat flowed. The hand gripping the hammer tightened.

Garuda hesitated. She bit her lip, then fidgeted with her fingers.

“Th-that’s…”

Sylvia’s gaze sharpened. The green spirits sparkled threateningly.

‘Absolutely don’t tell! It’s a promise…’

She bit her lip tightly. She resolved to never tell, putting her dwarf pride on the line.

‘I’m Haru-nim’s exclusive blacksmith! I can’t betray his trust!’

A flame of loyalty burned in her heart. She steeled her resolve.

“Please tell me honestly. The spirits can tell lies right away.”

Garuda’s flame went out. Sylvia’s voice was still soft, but she could feel the blade hidden within.

“Hiiik!”

In the end, Garuda screamed and hid under the desk. Her long hair poured down like a waterfall.

“Ha… Haru-nim… well… went north!”

Garuda finally shouted. Her voice was trembling.

“He said he was hurrying before the… before the blizzard…”

Sylvia’s eyes wavered. A moment of silence followed.

“I see…”

Sylvia finally opened her mouth. With a cold smile.

“I’m glad you told me honestly.”

She walked towards the door with an elegant gait. Green spirits hovered around her.

“I hope we can have a good relationship in the future, Mayor.”

The door closed and Sylvia left. Only then could Garuda breathe a sigh of relief.

She wiped away her tears and muttered. But she shook her head soon after.

“Ah… no, that’s… I shouldn’t have… but… hiing… but I was so scared…”

Documents were piled up on the desk again, but that wasn’t important right now.

She hugged the hammer tightly and stared blankly in the direction Sylvia had disappeared.

*

Long after Sylvia left, Garuda raised her head from the pile of documents.

“Secretaries, it’s really over today! Can I go hammering now??”

She shouted in a lively voice and jumped up from her seat. Her long hair scattered like a waterfall.

“Mayor, there’s still approval…”

“It’s over! It’s all over! The hammer is calling me!”

Garuda began to hastily organize the documents on the desk. She looked as excited as a child after school.

The secretaries sighed and went outside. It was the usual routine.

As soon as the door closed, Garuda’s expression changed. The playfulness disappeared from her hazel eyes.

She took out a thick blueprint from under the desk. Ancient dwarf blueprints and the latest magical engineering blueprints were mixed together.

“Haru-nim…”

Her fingers stroked the blueprint. Her red eyes, like the flames of a furnace, sparkled.

“Don’t worry. I… definitely…”

The hand holding the hammer tightened. There was no more trembling.

A cold smile formed on her lips. Her long hair cast a shadow over the blueprint.

“The perfect combination of tradition and innovation… that’s the true power of the dwarves.”

Ancient wisdom and modern technology merged into one in her mind.

She headed to her smithy. A smithy that had grown dozens of times larger and was filled with professional equipment.

Kkang-!

The first hammer strike rang out. It was a cold echo, different from usual.

Fragments of the Chaos Crystal sparkled on the workbench. Garuda’s hand movements surpassed the realm of a craftsman.

“With this power… surely…”

Kkang, Kkang-

Each time the hammer sounded, her eyes deepened further. The soul of the craftsman was stained with madness.

“The only one who can truly help Haru-nim… is me.”

A strange-shaped device appeared on the workbench. A monstrous object that mixed the technology of traditional blacksmiths and the innovation of magical engineering.

“Please wait for me.”

A smile formed on Garuda’s lips. It was no longer the smile of a timid dwarf girl.

“Dragons, spirits… I can trample them all…”

The hand holding the hammer trembled. But this time, it was not because of fear, but because of anticipation.

“Then Haru-nim will… only need me, right…?”

Madness bloomed in the eyes of the once timid dwarf girl.

The sound of hammering rang out again. This time, more intensely, more coldly.

The sunset dyed Iron Forge. The sky seen beyond the window was still peaceful, but beneath it, something dangerous was awakening.