The dwarf Thorin let out a loud shout.

His booming voice instantly startled all his teammates who were immersed in the joy of acquiring weapons.

Everyone followed his gaze to look around and discovered that many "enemies" had unknowingly appeared, all "glaring fiercely" at them.

"They're magic armor constructs!!"

The well-informed Nancy instantly recognized the enemy's identity.

These guards that looked like statues were combat puppets driven by metal, rock, magical patterns, and cores.

They were killing creations made by dwarf craftsmen that could tirelessly and loyally execute their original master's programmed commands even after centuries.

These magic armor constructs had bodies covered in rock armor plates supported by dark metal skeletons, with runic energy glimmering at their joints and across their surfaces, and red light shining from their eye sockets.

The weapons they held varied—some had giant battle axes, some carried heavy spiked mauls, others had long whips. Despite different weapons and appearances, all constructs emitted a cold killing intent.

"Prepare for battle!"

Gauss and Thorin instinctively moved to the front of the team, left and right, subtly shielding the entire group behind them.

Any enemy trying to get through would be intercepted by them first.

This was the advantage of having two or more frontliners.

Most of the time, relying on just one person could only create a point-like defensive range, but with two or more, they could coordinate and cover each other, forming a relatively solid defensive line that firmly protected the fragile spellcasters, supports, and other ranged professions behind them.

Behind them, Serlandul and the priest cast temporary combat-boosting divine spells on the two "frontliners" before the fight.

"Crush them!" Thorin let out a powerful battle cry, his heavy shield slamming into the ground with a dull thud as he challenged the rapidly approaching magic armor constructs.

A faint earthy yellow glow surrounded him, making him emanate an unshakable, rock-solid aura rooted to the earth.

Was this some kind of skill to attract enemies and draw aggro?

Gauss noticed that the moment Thorin acted, most magic armor constructs turned their heads to look at the dwarf Thorin, the red light in their eyes seeming to intensify.

But even if living creatures could be affected, could constructs like these also have their aggro drawn by skills?

Gauss could only marvel at how miraculous skill effects could be.

But now wasn't the time to dwell on such things. Gauss tucked his White Wand into the specialized "wand sheath" on his thigh—an item that could securely hold the wand while allowing quick drawing when needed.

Keeping it close to his body also allowed him to benefit from the White Wand's enhancement effects.

He crouched slightly, the "Windchaser" he just acquired emitting a clear, resonant hum.

He, Thorin, three clay spiders, and one clay gnoll stood at the front, forming a solid defensive line.

Since the purpose was to withstand the first wave of enemy assault, hold enemy aggro, and prevent his teammates from facing enemies directly, he didn't take the initiative to attack.

The next moment, battle erupted violently.

The magic armor constructs wielding battle axes and mauls charged to the front like heavy war chariots, their cold weapons swinging down at Thorin and Gauss with crushing force.

Thorin didn't dodge or evade, tilting his shield upward as an earthy yellow light instantly burst forth from it. The moment the maul collided with the shield, a faint white shockwave appeared in the air, then the construct's momentum was completely halted, and as the yellow light intensified, it was even sent flying backward.

On the other side, Gauss didn't tank the hit like Thorin but displayed exceptional agility.

But now wasn't the time to dwell on such things. Gauss tucked his White Wand into the specialized "wand sheath" on his thigh—an item that could securely hold the wand while allowing quick drawing when needed.

The sword tip carrying sharp wind pressure struck the golem's wrist joint as it swung its weapon.

Bang!!

A concentrated impact force erupted, the golem's chopping motion suddenly halting, with even fine cracks appearing in the rock armor plates at its wrist.

Although it didn't completely destroy it in one hit, it successfully interrupted its attack rhythm and made it drop its weapon.

Was the strength not as high as imagined? Had they weakened from being placed for too long?

The thought flashed through Gauss's mind.

But other magic armor constructs quickly swarmed forward.

Leaving him no time to focus elsewhere.

"Sturdy Scale Bloodline!" As energy scales surfaced on his skin again, that familiar torrential power instantly surged through his entire body.

His muscles slightly bulged, lines becoming more defined, as his strength, stamina, and five senses all received varying degrees of temporary enhancement.

Moreover, the flow of magical energy on the golems' surfaces gradually became clearer in his vision.

So intercepting here could effectively strike them?

Behind Gauss, the others had also prepared their spells.

Vines grew from the ground, binding toward the magic armor constructs.

The constructs wouldn't just watch as vines coiled around them, but just as they moved to avoid them, the mage Nancy completed her incantation from further away, waving her magic wand.

The space where numerous magic armor constructs stood seemed to be outlined, then in the next moment, a silent distorted ripple instantly swept through the area.

Suddenly the air seemed to become incredibly viscous, light refracting slightly under magical influence, making objects in the space appear somewhat blurry and swaying.

All magic armor constructs swept by the ripple halted momentarily, then their movements visibly slowed by several beats.

Subsequently, vines successfully coiled around the enemies, further restraining them.

"Slow spell!"

Gauss glimpsed this scene, marveling that it was an excellent skill, though unfortunately this spell was 3rd-circle.

He drew the White Wand from his leg, directing the clay spiders and gnoll to pounce on the slowed enemies while quickly gathering mana—speed was crucial in warfare.

He had to seize the perfect attack opportunity created by his teammates to launch a fierce assault.

He slightly narrowed his eyes.

The magical energy flow of the magic armor constructs became increasingly clear in his golden-glowing eyes after activating Sturdy Scale Bloodline.

Of course, he could only see the surface level;

deeper layers remained beyond his analysis.

But for combat, this was sufficient.

Brilliant azure light gathered at the wand tip, condensing, forming, then shooting out violently!

"Thump thump thump thump thump!!!"

Particles of light accurately hit crucial nodes in the magical energy flow as Gauss locked on.

These nodes were like circuit switches—once disrupted by external magical energy, they would be affected.

Five missiles struck the same construct.

The constructs wouldn't just watch as vines coiled around them, but just as they moved to avoid them, the mage Nancy completed her incantation from further away, waving her magic wand.

Then, following a series of bangs, consecutive dull sounds emerged from within it. The internal energy core exploded due to magical energy blockage, rock armor plates shattering from the internal explosion, metal fragments and rock pieces flying everywhere. As the red light in its eyes extinguished, its massive body instantly collapsed like a puppet with cut strings, completely motionless.

"One down!"

Gauss withdrew his gaze.

The process went more smoothly than he expected.

Subsequently, vines successfully entangled the enemies, further restraining them.

Primarily team coordination: Serlandul and Elton's buffs, Nancy's Slow spell, Aria's control and immobilization, plus his precise timing and the special vision to detect magical energy flow in Sturdy Scale Bloodline state.

He even suspected the magic armor constructs themselves might have inevitably deteriorated and weakened over time, otherwise they shouldn't have been so easily triggered into energy overload and explosion.

Gauss glimpsed this scene, marveling that it was an excellent skill, though unfortunately this spell was 3rd-circle.

Beside him, Thorin also smashed a construct to pieces with his warhammer.

But while Gauss used clever force, Thorin relied on brute strength.

In the following time, everyone continued similar coordination.

Gauss and Thorin mainly tanked, with his several clay creatures patrolling nearby, intercepting any signs of enemies breaking through the defensive line.

"Gauss!"

Of course, he could only see the surface level;

deeper layers remained beyond his analysis.

Magic Missiles shot out from his hands again, like several living blue comets accurately striking the knees of constructs surrounding Thorin.

Bang! Crack! Bang!

Intense magical interference once again erupted with the Magic Missiles' explosion.

Crack! With shattering sounds, the construct's leg joints lost their original sturdiness due to abnormal magical energy flow, leg joints breaking audibly. The massive body lost balance, toppling heavily to one side.

With Gauss's powerful ranged support, dwarf Thorin's pressure greatly reduced. After catching his breath, he quickly swung his giant warhammer, gathering thick earthy yellow light like a whirlwind smashing into the construct's body.

One hammer! Two hammers!

Under the team's increasingly skilled coordination, magic armor constructs fell one by one like chopped trees.

"Bang!" Two magical energies collided, the struck construct's body stiffening, runic light on its surface constantly flickering, with an overload-like buzzing sound coming from inside.

The underground space returned to silence, leaving only the sound of everyone's panting.

"It's... over." Aria loosened her grip on the staff, her palms full of sweat.

"Safe for now." Nancy cautiously looked around before speaking. "Seems there are no other defensive devices."

Gauss looked at the fragments on the ground, secretly feeling somewhat regretful.

Unfortunately, probably because they were non-living beings, these defensive guard magic armor constructs didn't seem to qualify for the Monster Encyclopedia's listings.

Otherwise, he could have collected some elite points again.

Thorin casually found a rock to sit on, picking up a fragment to examine in his palm.

"Wonder how much use value these have left after recycling..."

Elton and Serlandul began post-battle recovery, healing light enveloping Gauss and Thorin, alleviating their physical fatigue and soreness.

"As long as everyone's unharmed, rewards are secondary." Elton looked at Gauss. "Thank you, Gauss. Your Magic Missiles were crucial."

This assault involved many magic armor constructs.

He clearly understood they owed much to Gauss—not only did he destroy many constructs, but he also multitasked frequently during combat, restraining numerous constructs while providing ranged support when necessary, essentially serving as the frontline organizer.

"No problem, just doing what I should." Gauss waved it off. After receiving brief treatment, he stood up, twirling Windchaser in his hand.

Truly elite-grade equipment—completely different from ordinary weapons. Though he hadn't had it long, the actual combat perfectly demonstrated its practicality and power.

Sufficiently sturdy itself, fast speed, very easy to control, and when necessary, he could activate two active effects to unleash powerful force.

Unless he obtained better options, this would be his main melee weapon for the foreseeable future.

He walked to a construct wreckage and crouched down, poking at the charred, shattered internal structure with his sword tip.

"Their energy structure is very unstable, like... contaminated or eroded by some power, not simply deteriorated from age..." Gauss overturned his initial judgment, his gaze focused on the barely noticeable dark stains remaining on the runes. "This seems to be the real reason they overload so easily."

He turned to Thorin: "Thorin, any ideas?"

"..."

Hearing this, Thorin's heart instantly chilled, his hearty smile freezing slightly.

Facing Gauss's direct gaze and question, his eyes dodged slightly before exchanging looks with Nancy and Elton.

Crack! With shattering sounds, the construct's leg joints lost their original sturdiness due to abnormal magical energy flow, leg joints breaking audibly. The massive body lost balance, toppling heavily to one side.

Finally speaking in a muffled voice:

"...Your intuition is really sharp." He tossed away the fragment in his hand, brushing off the dust. "You're right, they're not weakened from normal aging."

He paused, reorganizing his words.

"They were defective products from the start."

"Because they were created by... Duergar."

Thorin sighed, his expression turning serious.

Finally, when the last golem was shredded by the killing wind field surrounding Gauss's Windchaser, turning into scattered wreckage all over the ground, the intense battle finally concluded.

"Of course not!" Thorin jumped up like a cat with its tail stepped on, his voice suddenly rising.

The underground space returned to silence, leaving only the panting sounds of everyone.

"Sorry." He sat back down, his voice much calmer.

"Safe for now." Nancy cautiously looked around before speaking. "Seems there are no other defensive devices."

"Apparently those ordinary dwarf clans were enslaved by mind flayers for centuries due to excessive underground digging, and because of this experience, underwent fundamental irreversible changes both physically and mentally, eventually becoming an extremely evil race."

Gauss looked at the fragments on the ground, secretly feeling somewhat regretful.

Through Thorin's introduction, Gauss gained some understanding of duergar.

Duergar were also called Durzagon, a completely fallen race rarely seen in the surface world nowadays, currently living in cities deep in the Underdark.

They were already completely different from ordinary dwarves.

Thorin casually found a rock to sit on, picking up a fragment to examine in his palm.

Duergar practiced slavery, were suspicious and ruthless, while dwarves were lawful good, valuing honor, family, and tradition.

Their faith also differed greatly—duergar worshipped the evil god Laduguer, God of Duergar, God of Tyranny, God of Enslavement, while dwarves worshipped Moradin, God of Dwarves, God of Smithing.

Apart from some connection at their origin, these were almost mutually exclusive races, no wonder Thorin reacted so strongly when Gauss asked if duergar were a dwarf branch.

"So, did you come here with some other purpose?" Gauss continued asking.

He said this because despite Thorin's strong dislike of duergar, when initially contacting Gauss, he only vaguely referred to this place as a "dwarf workshop."

If it were initially, Gauss definitely wouldn't have asked so directly, but after several days together, he'd gained some understanding of the trio's character, hence his straightforward question.

He clearly understood they owed much to Gauss—not only did he destroy many constructs, but he also multitasked frequently during combat, restraining numerous constructs while providing ranged support when necessary, truly serving as the core organizer on the frontlines.

"Yes. We indeed came for more than just exploring ancestral ruins."

His rough fingers stroked the warhammer's grip, his gaze sweeping over the construct wreckage on the ground, finally settling on the passage leading deeper into darkness.

Truly elite-grade equipment—completely different from ordinary weapons. Though he hadn't had it long, the actual combat perfectly demonstrated its practicality and power.

Sufficiently sturdy itself, fast speed, very easy to control, and when necessary, he could activate two active effects to unleash powerful force.

Elton took over:

"We must purify it, not just to restrain our dwarf enemies the duergar, but for everyone living on this land."

He walked to a construct wreckage and crouched down, poking at the charred, shattered internal structure with his sword tip.

"Their energy structure is very unstable, like... contaminated or eroded by some power, not simply deteriorated from age..." Gauss overturned his initial judgment, his gaze focused on the barely noticeable dark stains remaining on the runes. "This seems to be the real reason they overload so easily."

He was still somewhat shocked—he never expected an ordinary ruins exploration might involve an evil god.

This was a deity, while they were just low-level adventurers who hadn't even broken through to Master rank.

This seemed too strange.

As absurd as elementary students just learning addition and subtraction being called to participate in high school Olympiads.

"But, why you... I mean, us handling something so serious?" Gauss still didn't understand.

Anything involving deities was no small matter.

He didn't believe that with the trio's mysterious background, they couldn't access higher-level professionals.

Wouldn't it be more certain to have Master-rank professionals or even stronger experts handle this?

"It must be done by us." Nancy shook her head, understanding Gauss's perspective well.

But...

"Sometimes having stronger people isn't better, especially when nothing has begun brewing yet."

"The stronger one is, the more brilliant they shine—to those proficient in prophecy and perception, it's like throwing a huge rock into a calm lake, ripples instantly spreading far."

"Then not only would we fail to purify that wisp of evil god's aura, but might instead attract the evil god's attention, achieving the opposite effect."

"Plus, don't underestimate us—we all have our unique skills, already being the most suitable executors carefully selected for this purification."

After hearing the explanation, Gauss understood.

As for why dwarf Thorin chose to invite him to join the team, it was probably due to his mysterious intuition, sensing his exceptional strength in advance? Would help with the commission.

"Regarding this mission's rewards, we're willing to pay you additional fees..."

"..."

He exchanged looks with Aria and Serlandul, discussing briefly via Message cantrip before nodding in agreement.

"In that case, let's continue then."

"Good! I knew I didn't misjudge you." Thorin grinned, seeming much more relaxed after the confession.

After resting and collecting the numerous spoils on the ground, the group continued deeper along the passage.

"Gauss, no need to worry too much. While divine power is formidable, it's not simple for deities to interfere with the Prime Material Plane, especially evil gods like Laduguer—rules constrain them."

"Mostly they can only exert influence through spreading doctrines, luring people to fall, granting followers power, but even that has limits. As for avatars, our small-scale activities would absolutely not attract one." The usually taciturn Elton seemed to sense Gauss's slight hesitation, comforting him.

Thorin also nodded vigorously.

"Right, if deities could descend whenever they wanted, this world would've been chaotic long ago."

"Nodes like this actually exist many places in this world, many of which might never be activated."

As they proceeded deeper into the passage, the surroundings became dim again.

Why does his Light cantrip seem much brighter than mine?

While walking, Nancy compared Gauss's Light cantrip with her own, filled with puzzlement.

Duergar practiced slavery, were suspicious and ruthless, while dwarves were lawful good, valuing honor, family, and tradition.

Their faith also differed greatly—duergar worshipped the evil god Laduguer, God of Duergar, God of Tyranny, God of Enslavement, while dwarves worshipped Moradin, God of Dwarves, God of Smithing.

Really strange... but she didn't rashly ask now.

After all, she and Gauss were only temporarily teamed up, not long-term fixed teammates. Rashly asking about mastered magic might be unimportant at apprentice stage with limited cantrips, but after professional rank, it became a taboo that needed attention.

Skills determined a professional's strength.

If malicious individuals learned all currently mastered skills and abilities, they could be specifically countered, greatly increasing risks.

"Tap tap—" Quiet footsteps echoed in the corridor.

After the magic armor construct attack,

Gauss thought they'd encounter other obstacles along the way.

Other team members thought similarly—everyone remained highly vigilant, guarding against possible attacks from all directions.

But unexpectedly, they reached the end without incident.

Gauss raised his glowing Windchaser, scanning the end wall with bright light.

His rough fingers stroked the warhammer's grip, his gaze sweeping over the construct wreckage on the ground, finally settling on the passage leading deeper into darkness.

When everyone looked at it, the dark red mold pulsed like a heart.

A twisted, imbalanced sensation instantly pierced through from their soles to their entire bodies, finally rushing into their brains.

Nausea, dizziness, overall discomfort swept through their entire bodies.

Only when Elton's holy emblem blazed with light did all negative effects gradually fade.

Gauss was the quickest to break free, exhaling deeply.

At this moment, the dormant giant egg inside him seemed startled by something, slowly awakening.

Hunger once again surged from the depths of his body like tidal waves.

"!...."

Gauss's stomach growled loudly. The others who had just shaken off dizziness—Thorin and the rest—all looked at him with incredulous expressions.

At such a serious moment.

Was he... hungry??

Aria, her face still somewhat pale, took out several mana berries from her pocket, asking quietly:

"Gauss... are you hungry? Want to eat something first?"