Wolves of Hader

Chapter 139

It was a place near the summit of the mountains.

From below the entrance of the palace, the main ridge of the eastern mountains wound on and on, and in the far distance, I could even see the sea.

Because of the snowfall, I couldn't see it now, but on a clear day, I would likely have been able to spot Mouk as well. It was a position from which, if devils appeared, they could head straight to Mouk.

Kkieeaeek—

Asgard's bones soared freely above the mountains. Riding atop them, the Elin siblings were absolutely exhilarated.

"elder brother Roger! I can see Mouk!"

"Young lord! Now we..."

'Asgard' flew past me, and the siblings shouted excitedly. The speed was too fast, so Bellen's shout trailed off. At that pace, they'd reach Robe in two days.

Asgard flew past me again.

Bellen called out quickly.

"Where are we supposed to go?"

"Go straight to the new territory! Hide the bones!"

"Okay!"

Asgard banked again, then immediately soared overhead. Kkieeaeek— echoed above. That must be the sound made by the guardian elemental.

"Oh! What an amazing sight!"

"Come over here and take a look at this!"

The officers came up as well and gazed out at the majestic mountains.

Everyone was caught up in emotion. Alongside the joy of achieving a higher level, new determination and resolve flickered on their faces.

Oren spoke.

"Boss. I owe you an apology."

"For what?"

"For not recognizing you as the boss."

"That's a bit sudden."

"Is that so."

The officers laughed as they looked at the mountains.

Even without saying it, we all knew. From now on, it wasn't just about fighting for power—we would have to be prepared for the darkness as well.

"Let's head out."

"Are we going down this way?"

"We'll need to go with the special forces. The underground path is blocked, so let's cross the mountains. It's not far."

Everyone descended from the entrance.

I told Donnie to come down after packing up all the treasures. It didn't make sense to send a treasure transport team to this place.

Since the palace entrance was near the summit, crossing the mountain wasn't too difficult. In fact, descending from the entrance itself was harder. It was originally a passage dragons used.

/ / /

Everyone had gathered at the fishing village. Waiting for Donnie and Allen to arrive, we lit a bonfire and had a meal. The rock monsters had all been dealt with.

It took about six hours to descend from the mountains to the fishing village. Maybe because of how much time had passed, but just as we were starting our meal, Donnie and Allen came out of the cave as well.

"So, where did you go?!"

"Can you please shut your mouth for once?!"

"You always lie, that's why I ask!"

"You saw it yourself as soon as you woke up! There wasn't anything like treasure!"

"Don't lie! Roger, that bastard, hit me! Did it on purpose to knock me out! That damned bastard!"

"Calling the young lord a bastard, how dare you!"

"Where'd you sneak it away to? You think I don't know you guys whisked off the overlord's monster treasure too? How did you do it, huh?"

"Ugh, I'm sick and tired of this!"

"Hahahaha!"

Everyone burst into laughter as we ate.

Whenever someone mentioned treasure, everyone's ears perked up.

Mango asked,

"So what's this treasure?"

"There was some treasure. I'll make sure each of you can pay off your debts and live comfortably for life."

"Oh! Is that true?"

The officers' eyes sparkled.

The Tuji brothers looked delighted as well.

"Hey! Roger! You—"

"Why'd you skip over me, elder brother?"

"You! Grrr."

Allen pointed a finger at me, grinding his teeth. He was obsessed with equipment, obsessed with treasure, addicted to playing with fire, and even had an inferiority complex about his race. I wondered if he needed some treatment.

"If you skip the word elder brother again or point your finger at me, I'll take back your elemental. I'll divide up the treasure from this expedition fairly, so keep that in mind. There wasn't as much as you think."

"Who could believe that!"

"When I gave you the armor, the weapon, and the Bouncy Boots, what did I say? Already forgotten?"

"I didn't know it was gonna be like this."

"So just shut up and eat. I'll make sure you get your share too."

"All right."

Donnie and Allen joined in and ate the grilled fish. As we ate, we looked out at the eastern sea.

The morning sun was just rising.

It was a calm, peaceful sea.

If I set out upon that sea, I would come to Aindel. The sea was this serene and beautiful, yet I couldn't go because of the Storm barrier. What a shame.

One day, I plan to try it.

From Elin's perspective, it would probably be the same for them. So far, there wasn't a strong enough reason for us to go to Aindel either.

/ / /

"Whoa! What is this!"

"Careful! You're gonna fall!"

"Hurry, pull me up!"

Urald, who had gone up ahead and looked into the huge cave, nearly fell off the rope ladder. He was the first to enter the cave, and Wundbark followed after.

"My goodness! Never thought I'd see such a thing in my life!"

Wundbark was no less astonished.

I, too, climbed up to the cave entrance.

Inside the huge cave, asgard's bones lay coiled majestically. Bellen had hidden Asgard in a cave on the cliff above.

This cliffside cave was in the north of the new territory. Bellen said that if she called to the guardian elemental, asgard would come flying even from afar. It was a perfect location.

Two Dran inspected Asgard's bones.

Both couldn't hide their amazement.

"To think I'd encounter legendary materials in this way."

"Dran, have you ever worked with dragon bones before?"

"I have. Before the ancient war, I was commissioned by a dragon-slaying hero to create armor and spears."

Urald looked at the wing bones.

"Even one small wing bone could become a greatsword as is. With four per wing, that's just eight in total."

"The ribs are thick, so we should break them up and make scale armor. These bones likely won't melt in fire, right?"

"I've heard dragon bones don't melt under fire. So as you suggest, cut them up and make scale armor. I wonder if I can make any holes in them, though."

"We'll have to go to the overlord or the west."

"Right, unless we use the Eternal Flame, we won't be able to bore holes in it. We should get some embers while we're at it."

The Eternal Flame.

An ancient fire possessed by Dran, which can melt any material and never goes out.

"If we cut off the wing bones, won't Asgard be unable to fly?"

"If anything, it'll probably be lighter and fly more easily. As long as the spine, wings, legs, and head are left, it should be fine. Let's leave half the ribs just in case."

"I agree. It won't be a super powerful aerial weapon. Also, being too conspicuous to the public..."

"It would be best as a mount."

"That would be better."

I looked at the wing bones once more.

"Would it be any different if crafted into a greatsword?"

"It would just be lighter, sharper, and harder. Because it's lighter, it won't hit as hard as current greatswords."

"The armor should prove very useful. It'll be as light as wearing a cloak. With scale armor, mobility will be doubled. And it should also offer defense against lightning attacks."

"That's true."

No matter how excellent an elemental weapon is, it's still auxiliary equipment. Weapons and armor crafted from these dragon bones could be our main gear. Maybe even become our final equipment.

"We should go to the overlord or the west."

"The overlord would be best. The more you share the Eternal Flame, the smaller it gets. The west obtained theirs from the overlord too."

"I'm looking forward to this. Once I and you are known as the Dran who made equipment from dragon bones, our names will go down in history."

"Will it really turn out that way?"

Urald and Wundbark laughed.

I smiled and spoke as well.

"Then I'll go fetch the Eternal Flame. Please make nine sets of armor and nine greatswords. If possible, I'd like the whole set to look like a Hader wolf."

"Oh! That's a great idea!"

Asgard's bones were a shade of black tinged with ashen gray. They were quite similar to the color of Hader wolves' fur. So it would be best to shape the helmets and armor to resemble wolves.

Helmets modeled after a wolf's head and fangs, and armor that mimicked the lithe body of a wolf. If we did that, the berserkers and I would look just like wolves ourselves.

I had planned to head to Robe in late spring next year.

Honestly, I missed Eilin a little, but I couldn't change my plans just for Eilin.

But now I decided to go at the beginning of next year.

Right after Ross's wedding. And perhaps also visit the southernmost part of Beltern. Then, even to the Yan continent.

Before that, I decided to tie up all the loose ends. Send a groundwater construction team to Parde's territory, prepare for the merchant guild's subsidiary IPO, and support building the carriage factory.

/ / /

"What should we do now?"

"I don't know. What do you suggest?"

Together with Donnie, I ended up buried almost neck-deep in treasure, sparing only our heads above the pile. The treasure poured out in a torrent and didn't stop. Only after being buried did I realize I had been under some kind of spell.

The pressure mounting from all sides was so intense I couldn't move. The surge of magic power radiating from the coins was overwhelming.

We dumped gold coins and magic coins back at the fortress. Since we couldn't take them out one by one, we asked to pour out everything at once.

The last empty storeroom was filled to the brim.

The storeroom was bursting at the seams, and the treasure began spilling out into the hallway. Eventually, it started to fill the cramped corridor. Even when we screamed for it to stop, it was useless.

"Hello! Is anyone out there?"

"Someone, please get us out of here!"

"Isn't anyone outside?"

"Help!"

"Hahaha."

Our empty shouts just echoed in the void.

The pressure from the magic was so strong, I was on the verge of suffering an internal injury. How did things end up like this?

No one could enter this underground vault. Only Ross and Russell, who had special access, could get in.

Ross had gone to Mouk with Jena to shop for wedding gifts. Russell was returning from his honeymoon.

Technically, I could use magic power to blow the area up, but the castle would likely collapse if I did. The walls of the vault room functioned as sub-structures for the underground.

"Young lord. If we starved to death like this, people would be clutching their stomachs laughing for the next thousand years."

"Hahahaha!"

After a bout of laughter, I asked,

"Why did the elemental pour everything out at once?"

"I'm not sure. It's strange that even things you carried out came out too. Maybe because I dropped the bag?"

"Why were we just watching?"

"Good question."

In the middle of talking, we started chortling again.

Even now, it seemed ridiculous.

When I was standing at the entrance, with coins piled up to my knees, I thought it would surely stop soon. But suddenly, the gold coins in the room surged forward and swallowed me up to my waist.

If I had just gotten out then, it would've been fine, but we kept thinking, 'It'll stop now. It'll stop soon.' In the end, we missed our chance. Both of us just stared blankly and ended up buried.

Because of the fierce magic massage, the magic power within my body was churning so wildly, even the tiniest channels in my body were about to open up.

"Young lord."

"Yeah?"

"We ought to lock up some of our men like this too, don't you think?"

"Right?"

"After we get out alive, of course."

"Well, obviously."

"Hahahaha!"

The absurdity of the situation made it hilarious just to look at each other's faces. We looked like the world's most clueless duo. Who would've guessed it would pour out all at once?

Why did we let our guard down, just staring at it? Why were we just standing there, not thinking anything? Even if I just spaced out, why did Donnie—

Was this Asgard's curse?

Destroying its palace, taking its treasure, and desecrating its remains?

But why am I so sleepy?

And what's with this insatiable hunger?

"I'm so sleepy."

"Me too."

Donnie was the same.

"Should we take a nap?"

"We might get internal injuries."

"So why am I so drowsy?"

"Just sleep a little, then."

We were about to become the unfortunate duo who died while buried in treasure. Maybe it was the magic, but I was overwhelmingly sleepy. The hunger, too, was tremendous—even though I had definitely eaten breakfast.

Donnie soon fell asleep.

I fought against sleep, dozing off and waking up again and again, just in case I had to trigger a magic explosion to escape.

How much time had passed?

I found myself dreaming.

Before me sat an old man whose identity I didn't know.

His white beard hung down to his navel. He wore black clothes, a black hat, and held a black staff.

The old man stared at us, who were dozing off, buried in treasure. He was sitting atop the mountain of treasure that reached up to our necks. At first, I thought this was reality.

'Why are you sitting like that?'

'Who are you, old man?'

'Look at these foolish thieves. How do you hope to achieve anything big, being so slow-witted?'

'And who are you to say that?'

'Forget the tall one. You always acted clever, but you couldn't see through such a simple trick?'

'Did you cast a spell on us? Who are you, really?'

'You want me to say that with my own mouth?'

'First, could you help us out of here?'

'Do you think I came here to save you? What's so special about someone like you that everyone talks so much? Tsk, tsk, tsk.'

'What are you talking about right now?'

'Listen closely.'

'Who are you, to be here?'

Tok—

The old man struck me on the head with his staff.

'Enough chatter. Just listen to what I have to say.'

Maybe because it was a dream.

I couldn't even speak properly.

The old man spoke again.

'Come to Hairopro someday. There are things I have for you. And there are old men there who want to see you.'

Then, like smoke, the old man vanished.

With shouts echoing in the distance.

It was Ross's voice calling for me.

What a bizarre dream.

Some old man I'd never seen before suddenly showed up.

What? He wants me to come to Hairopro?