Steel Mountain Range (7)

“Hoo… Hoo…! I told you to stop!”

The floor, struck by the hammer, shattered, etching cracks in all directions.

Faced with Garuda’s violent force, the traditionalist dwarves trembled and ceased their destructive acts.

“You, you’re a traditionalist dwarf too! Why are you stopping us!”

“Wait, wait, stop for a second, and look at my hammering!”

Kkang, Kkang, Kkang-!

The traditionalist blacksmiths’ footsteps halted. They were speechless at the sight unfolding before their eyes.

Garuda began to hammer the lump of iron she had brought. Once, twice… In an instant, the form of a sword took shape.

“That speed…”

“How can she have such balance…”

“Such perfection…”

Admiration flowed from the mouths of the veteran artisans.

In just a few minutes, a perfect sword was created. From the flow of the rune patterns to the circulation of magic, a masterpiece without a single error.

“This is… a true dwarf.”

“This is…”

The dwarf at the very front raised the sword. His beard trembled.

One by one, the other dwarves also put down their hammers. Before Garuda’s work, their anger turned to shame.

“We… we were on the wrong path…”

That’s when it happened.

“I’ll show you… what tradition is.”

Garuda picked up the hammer again. This time, an even more intense rhythm resonated.

Kkang, Kkang, Kkang-!

The flames of the furnace were reflected in her hazel eyes. Within them, the soul of an artisan was seen burning.

Ten minutes, twenty minutes… an hour passed.

What lay before her was no longer a simple weapon.

“This is…”

“Art…”

Exclamations burst from the dwarves’ mouths.

A work where the precision of magic engineering and the soul of tradition were perfectly harmonized.

“E, everyone! W, we all can do it! I was a terrible dwarf until recently… But Haru-nim taught me….”

Garuda said in a trembling voice.

“True tradition is… creation, not destruction. It’s about making something better. Because… we’re dwarves!”

At her words, the traditionalist blacksmiths knelt down one by one.

“I’m ashamed…”

“We were wrong.”

“The true path of the artisan was this.”

A smile hung on my lips. What Garuda’s skill had subdued was not just their anger.

The pride of the dwarves, the soul of the artisan, and…

Even their hearts.

But this was just the beginning. Someone was unlikely to welcome this situation.

In the distance, light leaked from Gardis’s mansion.

‘He’ll start moving soon.’

The hand holding the Holy Sword tightened. The real fight was about to begin.

*

The next day, an angry voice erupted from Gardis’s study.

“That damn Garion’s daughter!”

The sound of a table being struck. A glass fell and shattered.

“The traditionalists’ riot failed.”

With a cold smile, he gave an order.

“Suspend the permits of all traditional forges. Raise taxes by 500%.”

“But Lord, if you do that…”

“Shut up! Execute it immediately!”

A few days later, bailiffs stormed into Garuda’s forge.

“Overdue taxes…”

“Failed the safety inspection too…”

“Suspension of business…”

Garuda’s face turned pale. Her hand gripped the hammer tightly.

It was at that moment.

“Wait.”

I stepped forward.

“Hero-nim, this is according to the city ordinance…”

“Oh, yeah? Then what ordinance is this?”

I took out a piece of parchment from my pocket. The signatures of the traditionalist and innovationist representatives were clear.

[Indictment of Gardis’s Illegal Taxation]

The bailiffs’ faces turned white.

“This is…”

“Ah, I have this too.”

I unfolded another document.

[Testimony of the Murder of the Former Lord]

Testimony left by a young technician from the magic engineering workshop. The truth of that ‘accident’ 10 years ago.

“What is this…”

The bailiffs hurriedly retreated. But it was already too late.

Traditionalist and innovationist dwarves were gathered in the plaza. In their hands were evidence of Gardis’s corruption.

Fabricated loan documents and ledgers.

Records of illegal taxation.

And…

Evidence of murder.

It was time for the Holy Sword to be wielded.

*

The central plaza of Iron Forge was filled with people. Traditionalist and innovationist dwarves stood side by side. The evening sunset dyed their beards red.

“Brothers with hammers!”

The traditionalist blacksmith shouted.

“Comrades who handle magic engines!”

The innovationist technician responded.

Their voices merged into one.

“We were deceived!”

Someone raised a loan document. It was a debt document manipulated by Gardis.

“Look! This is the evidence that incited our division!”

The traditionalist representative tore the document. The fragments scattered in the wind.

“They used us!”

“They squeezed us dry with taxes!”

“They profited from the division!”

Angry voices echoed through the plaza. But this time it was different.

Not anger towards each other, but anger towards a single goal.

Gardis’s mansion was visible. The lights were off in every window.

“Hiding is useless!”

“Let’s reveal the truth!”

The march began. Traditionalists and innovationists walked side by side.

The sound of hammers and the sound of engines became one rhythm and echoed.

Kkang- Kkang!

Woong, Woong-!

“Father…”

Garuda muttered. Tears welled up in her eyes.

“Now I understand. Father’s dream…”

The harmony of tradition and innovation. A future for dwarves who acknowledge and develop each other.

The former lord who gave his life for that dream.

And his daughter, who inherited his dream.

“Let’s go.”

I said. The Holy Sword sparkled in the moonlight.

“It’s time to reveal the truth.”

As we arrived in front of the mansion, guards rushed out.

“Step back! This is…”

But their words could not be finished.

Hundreds of hammers and hundreds of wrenches were aimed at them.

“We are no longer divided.”

“We are now united as one.”

The guards put down their weapons.

They were also dwarves. They knew how to kneel before the truth.

“What will you do now, Lord?”

“How will you explain 10 years of lies?”

The traditionalist representative shouted, and the innovationist representative added.

Gardis’s shadow was visible beyond the window.

His silver beard trembled.

The end was in sight.

The moment the truth was revealed.

“It’s already too late.”

Gardis raised a bronze crown with a relaxed smile.

“Too late? What are you talking about…”

The dwarves’ representatives couldn’t even finish their words.

Kukung-!

The entire building vibrated. The walls cracked, and the sound of metal rang out.

Cheolkeok, Cheolkeok-

The sound of mechanical joints moving. Something was awakening within the walls.

Kung, Kung-

Giant bronze mechanical soldiers revealed themselves. Hundreds of automata surrounded us.

“Isn’t it beautiful?”

A crazy smile spread across Gardis’s face.

“The precision of magic engineering and the magic of ancient runes… reborn in the best form!”

Ancient rune patterns shone blue on the automata’s armor. The power of magic and machine intertwined and resonated.

“This is the true power of the dwarves!”

Gardis roared.

“While you were divided and fighting over tradition and innovation… I was already looking beyond that.”

At his gesture, the automata moved. Perfect order, overwhelming power.

“Garuda’s father opposed this too.”

Gardis’s eyes sank coldly.

“He was a sentimental fool. ‘Power without the soul of the dwarves is empty’ or something…”

His voice was laced with contempt.

“So I eliminated him. There were no mistakes. It was a perfect accidental death.”

The automata slowly approached. The sound of bronze footsteps shook the earth.

“Ha, all talk and no action. Anyone would think he was a dragon, not a dwarf.”

The Holy Sword brushed against the bronze armor. But the Light of Dawn failed even to scratch the automata’s solid armor.

“This is a little tough, huh?”

I took a step back. The encirclement tightened further.

Kung, Kung, Kung-

Hundreds of bronze footsteps became one rhythm and echoed. A perfect legion created by the precision of magic engineering and ancient magic.

“Somehow, this is tougher than the game.”

I swung the Holy Sword once more. The Light of Dawn struck the bronze armor.

Chalkadak-

But again, failure. The automata’s armor was perfect.

“Hoo hoo hoo…”

Gardis’s laughter echoed through the hall. His crown sparkled in the moonlight.

“Is that all the Hero’s power is?”

Damn it… If I had my hero party, this would have been over in 1 second… Kuaaak, Aris! Sylvia! Seraphine!

The automata raised their arms in unison. Magic charged in their bronze fists.

Wing-

I took the pouring magic cannons with my body. Of course, I’m fine, but at this rate, it won’t end.

“Aish, why are there so many.”

I sighed. This is why dwarves are no good. Selfish midgets, I tell ya.

If they had something like this, they should have sent it to the front lines against the demons a long time ago.

Kung, Kung-

The bronze footsteps grew closer. Now there was no room to escape.

“Look! This is true power!”

At Gardis’s command, the automata threw their fists at the same time.

Cheolkeok, Cheolkeok-

There was no space to avoid. The wall was behind me, and I was surrounded on all sides.

Woong-!

The sound of magic exploding was heard. In an instant, my vision turned white.

“Hahaha!”

Gardis’s laughter grew farther and closer.

“This is the world I dreamed of! An invincible bronze legion! The strongest weapon of the dwarves!”

The surroundings gradually turned whiter. The explosion of magic was about to swallow everything.

‘This won’t do…’

The strength drained from the hand holding the Holy Sword.

Gardis’s roar echoed.

“Now no one can stop me! No one…!”

It was when Gardis’s cry reached its peak.

Kung, Kung-!

Someone’s footsteps echoed. A small silhouette appeared.

“Ha, Haru-nim!”

It was Garuda. Her long hair fluttered behind her. She was holding something in her arms.

“Please use this!”

Garuda threw a sword at me. At that moment…

Hwiing-

The cloth was peeled off, revealing a purplish-black blade.

The moment the sword touched my hand, a high-pitched vibration rang out. A resonance that seemed to shake the soul.

“Demon Sword ‘Twilight’…”

A smile hung on my lips. The best masterpiece created by the Crystal of Chaos.

“You finally finished it.”

Her hazel eyes shone with pride.

I swung the sword.

Hwiing-

A purplish-black trajectory cut through the air.

Kwajik-!

At that moment, the bronze armor of the nearest automata was torn like paper.

“Ah… this cool and heavy sensation… It’s a first.”