CHAPTER 40: AOC [8] - THE HORDER AND BEAST

Rion stared at the green arrow glowing a few meters away from him, and tried to somehow distract himself from the hammering, wood chopping and many other brutish sounds from reaching his delicate ears.

He was currently at the west end of the Redwood Den.

The west end was the area where all of the Dhaevrak weapons, utensils, fabric, and everything else were crafted or forged, and all of this was under the guidance of the descendant of the God of Forge and Craft — Arok the Horder.

He took a deep breath and coughed right after as the burning smell of wood and metal entered through his inhale of determination.

"Blasted hell... that’s why I don’t like coming here," he muttered with a displeased look and walked towards Arok’s forge, which was in a cavern chamber with a scrunched nose.

Kahrun followed behind him with his hand covering his nose and asked, "Are you taking us to the right place?"

Rion nodded and continued to walk towards the green arrow.

A few moments later, a chamber came into their vision, and they walked towards it.

Just as Rion reached the entrance of the chamber, a blue screen appeared before him.

[Ding!]

[Sign-In at the The Horder’s Forge?]

[Yes / No]

Seeing the screen after years, a faint smile creased his face, and he commanded inwardly, ’Yes.’

[You have obtained 5kg of Mythiron!] (11.02 lbs)

[Ding!]

[Lucky spin is in effect!]

[Congratulations, you have obtained X10 Rewards!]

He waited for his final reward, but instead, a screen appeared before him.

______

Choose your reward:

50kg of Mythiron.

5kg of Azrath.

_____

He blinked a few times at the near screen and focused on both of the rewards.

Two more tabs appeared beside the screen.

_____

Material: Mythiron

Description: A type of iron that is found near the veins of Azrath.

Characterisation: Grey ore with black swirls all over.

Effects: Much more durable than normal Iron and can only be cut by tools or weapons forged from Azrath.

_____

_____

Material: Azrath

Description: Condensed World Energy.

Characterisation: Blue ore with black and grey swirls all over.

Effects: Indestructible, slightly enhances Aura and releases impact as an energy blast.

_____

’World Energy? What’s that?’ He questioned inwardly and made the decision that was best, according to him.

’5kg of Azrath.’

[You have obtained 5kg of Azrath!] (11.02 lbs)

He dismissed the screen right after and shifted his gaze towards Arok, who was examining an arrow.

Arok was a strict man with grey hair that had a few white strands, and his braided beard was streaked with age. The wrinkles covered his face like a spider web, and his thick brows stopped the sweat at their periphery.

He was tall, and his arms were packed with muscles that had met more metal than the wild.

Rion walked inside the forge, but Arok was too focused on the arrow. He lifted his hand to let him know of their presence, but Karhun stopped him and said, "Don’t do that. He doesn’t like to be disturbed; just drop it somewhere."

Rion raised an eyebrow but didn’t ask any further and simply placed the pouch on a nearby table and left.

***

Rion and Kahrun climbed the tall cliff at the south end of the Redwood Den.

Kahrun was already tired from the climbing but he didn’t say anything as it was their last offering.

They climbed a few more steps, and their eyes fell on the mouth of a large cave.

Rion stared at the cave as well as the last login location possible within the Dhaevrak tribe.

He looked at the pouch and walked towards the cave without a hint of fear or dejection from having to meet Valak, who, for some reason, had taken the sole right to leave him with PTSD.

Just as he placed a foot in the cave, a blue screen appeared before him.

[Ding!]

[Sign-In at the The Beast’s Cave?]

[Yes / No]

He commanded, ’Yes.’

[You have obtained the passive skill (Beast Fangs)!]

[Ding!]

[Lucky spin is in effect!]

[You have obtained no change!]

[You have obtained the passive skill (Beast Fangs)!]

He blinked at the messages and quickly read the skill information.

————

Skill Book: Beast Fangs

Type: Passive

Description: Your teeth can tear through any skin and flesh.

[Assimilate?]

[Yes / No]

————

A disappointed sigh escaped his lips, but he didn’t let himself quack over something this minor. Instead, he said to himself, ’It doesn’t matter what I get but how I use it.’

Kahrun watched the slight changes in his expressions and thought, ’He is doing that again... is this some kind of disability?’

Both kept their thoughts to themselves and stepped further in.

Just as the cave turned darker, the sound of loud breathing reached their ears, and after a few moments, their eyes fell on Valak, who sat upon a dark throne with his head resting on his hand that was on the armrest, and the dire wolf sitting beside the throne.

They slightly lifted their eyes and glanced at a pair of black and red gauntlets that were hung on the wall.

Rion didn’t know how to describe it, but he felt a weird familiarity with the gauntlets. It wasn’t the one he felt with the members of the Dhaevrak; instead, it was like an unforgettable acquaintance.

However, before he could dig deeper into it, Valak’s cold voice cut into him.

"Have you come to stand?"

Both of them quickly shifted their gaze back to him, and Kahrun began to quiver under his sharp gaze.

Rion clenched his left fist and stepped forward. He knelt and offered the pouch as he said, "Please take our offerings, Den Lord."

Valak didn’t say or do anything; instead, his dire wolf rose and walked towards Rion with its ferocious yellow eyes that mirrored Valak’s, locked onto him.

The dire wolf’s breath rubbed off Rion’s skin as it bit on the top of the leather pouch and walked back.

Valak took the pouch from it and commanded, "Leave."

Rion stood up, looked at him for a moment and took a step back before turning around and leaving the place.

— The ritual had been completed.