Chapter 136: Hammer Heart Castle
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor:
Zhang Yang returned to White Jade Castle, where he took out [Skill Book: Deep Wound] and laughed heartily. He patted the skill book against his body and gained <Deep Wound>.
<Deep Wound> (Passive): After a successful critical attack, inflicts an additional 30% melee damage as bleeding damage. Lasts for 6 seconds.
This was a good passive skill, as long as any attack hits critically, <Deep Wound> would be activated automatically! Although 30% melee damage did not seem much, this was a free skill book and bleeding damage was unaffected by Defense.
Certainly, anything that ignored defense was kind of pointless for Zhang Yang who already had <Eagle Eye>. But in a battle arena, other than a tank versus tank scenario, otherwise, he would not have enough time to stack the effects of <Cripple Defense>, so the effect of bleed would be very practical in this kind of situation.
Zhang Yang did not fight Chalvos for long, but wasted a lot of time on the journey to Bison's Hill itself, so he had actually been away for an hour. Zhang Yang thought about it for a while, and took out [Bow of the Fallen Moon] from his inventory and decided to complete the quest of "Remnant" by sending the Dwarves' celestial item back to Hammer Heart Castle.
Hammer Heart Castle was far away from White Jade Castle and Zhang Yang needed to get through two training map rated to be over level 30. Hammer Heart Castle was located on the Sivar Hills in the Land of the Red Cloud.
Zhang Yang could not take a Gryphon to reach Hammer Heart Castle directly. Instead, he needed to reach Gutan Town in the Land of the Red Cloud before walking to Sivar Hills and finally arriving at Hammer Heart Castle.
After making payment, Zhang Yang sat on Gryphon and he reached Gutan Town after an hour. This journey made him bored and sleepy as besides chatting, players were not allowed to do anything, even if it was making potions, when they were taking the Gryphon.
Zhang Yang came down from Gryphon and summoned [Skeletal War Horse]. Once he mounted it, this impressive war horse immediately reared on its rear hooves and began to rush forward quickly.
Although the training map in the Land of the Red Cloud was kind of far away, Zhang Yang could still see a few players were training in this training map. Once they saw Zhang Yang's impressive mount, they could not help but stare at his war horse in envy.
The monsters in the Land of the Red Cloud ranged from Level 30 to Level 39, but Zhang Yang's level was just 31, so he attracted many Level 35 monsters' aggro and those monsters chased behind him. However, the [Skeletal War Horse] increased 300% player's movement speed, so those monsters were unable to catch up to Zhang Yang. After they chased Zhang Yang a distance, they went back to their spawning point when the aggro went out of range.
After another 40 minutes of galloping, Zhang Yang finally arrived at Hammer Heart Castle which was well-built, unsurprising for the Dwarves.
The castle was huge but it had only three levels, unlike human castles which were designed to be as high as at least ten levels. The castle was not high but covered a wide area which gave a stout, solid feeling. The shape of the castle was similar to a Dwarf's body shape, stocky and thick.
Dwarves' city defense was unlike human castle which was surrounded by moats and natural hazardous terrains, there was no moat or drawbridge surrounding the main entrance of Hammer Heart Castle but generously opened up their two huge iron gates with eight Dwarf Warriors patrolling forth and back. When Zhang Yang looked carefully, it was Level 60 Elites, who could probably kill the best players at the moment with a single blow.
However, this did not mean that defense of Hammer Heart Castle was lacking in any other manner, as they had placed cannons on their castle's wall! These cannons could cause a lot of damage with a single shot.
It was said that Dwarves loved to dig into the ground so they actually found a stone relic from many years ago which gave them many advanced technologies! In addition to that, Dwarves were the outstanding smiths, thus, they created cannons, and ballistae and several other siege engines.
"Stop there, this is the domain of Dwarves and you are not allowed to trespass on our domain!" Zhang Yang's path was blocked by the eight Elite guards at the entrance of Hammer Heart Castle.
Zhang Yang had no intention of provoking the guards, even if they spat on him. No even Zhang Yang would be able to fight against eight Level 60 Elites!
He removed his [Skeletal War Horse] mount earnestly, before walking forward and saying: "I'm the Union's adventurer, I was ordered by Barga - The Mead come to Hammer Heart Castle to send his remnant!"
"What? Lord Barga!"
"Didn't he die in a war twenty years ago?!"
Eight Dwarf guards instantly whispered and discussed with each other.
After a while, one of the Dwarf guards said: "Warrior, Lord Barga already died twenty years ago and you look like you're barely 20, how could Lord Barga entrust a baby to complete his testament?! Hahaha!"
The Dwarves laughed together.
Gaining entry wasn't going to be easy.
Zhang Yang took out the [Bow of the Fallen Moon] from his inventory. He held it with one hand and said: "Barga definitely died long time ago, but his soul was not destroyed. So I met his soul, and he passed me the Dwarves' celestial item and entrusted me to pass it to his son, Sith - The Mead!"
"This... this is 'Bow of the Fallen Moon'?"
"One of the seven sanctified items, 'Bow of the Fallen Moon'?"
"Oh god, I can feel the life force of the Great Sage Smith on this 'Bow of the Fallen Moon'! That's right, this sanctified equipment can only be created by our Dwarves' Great Smith!"
The eight Dwarf guards bowed respectfully as one.
"Young warrior, please forgive our previous impudence! You have brought back our long lost treasure, you are as good as any honoured guest and friend! Please follow me, and I will lead you to meet Lord Markan!"
One of the Dwarf guards bowed to Zhang Yang and that sudden change in demeanour somehow pleased Zhang Yang. They were not all too different from humans after all.
That Dwarven guard led the way at front and brought Zhang Yang into their castle. After walking through a few corridors, he followed the staircases and moved towards third floor.
Along the way, Zhang Yang saw several Dwarven women and children. The Dwarves stared at this human, strange looks on their faces. If Zhang Yang had not been escorted by Dwarf guards, he guessed that these Dwarf NPCs would have attacked him already.
Although the four races formed the Union to fight against the invasion of demons and specters. However, this did not mean that the four races were close to each other like family! In fact, before demons and specters became a disaster, these four races fought against each other for dominance over the land. They had no choice but to form the Union as they were defeated miserably by demons and specters.
Zhang Yang came to third floor, and the Dwarf guard leading Zhang Yang stopped in front of a stone room. That Dwarf guard announced in a low voice in obvious reverence of the occupant, "Lord Markan, there is a human adventurer here. He has brought us the [Bow of the Fallen Moon] and said it was Lord Barge - The Mead's testament!"
Clack!
The door of that stone room opened immediately. A male Dwarf with red hair and red beard walked from that stone room, his long beard, tied up in several braids, reaching his crotch.
[The Great Smith Markan, Leader of the Hammer Heart Castle] (Yellow-Gold, Humanoid)
Level: 80
HP: ???
The HP of a Yellow-Gold Chief NPC was not visible!
"Young warrior, welcome to Hammer Heart Castle. I thank you for your great effort! Please rest, we will hold a banquet for you later and will eagerly be awaiting your tale!" Markan spoke warmly.
Zhang Yang replied hurriedly: "Lord Markan, I was merely entrusted by Barga - The Mead, to send the [Bow of the Fallen Moon] to his son, Sith - The Mead. Please allow me to fulfill my promise towards the deceased!"
Markan revealed a trace of smile on his face and said: "Young warrior, you have a noble heart! Alright, Tumar, lead our noble guest to meet Sith!"
"Yes, Lord Markan!" That Dwarf guard bowed to Markan.
Markan went into the stone room once again. Zhang Yang followed that Dwarf guard and went all the way down to the basement.
Dwarves were inborn with a passion to dig, and dig, and dig, and thus, they constructed more buildings underground than they did above ground! From the outside, this Hammer Heart Castle was only three storeys tall. In fact, it had five levels of basements! They stopped at the forth level.
The three levels above the ground were the living quarters for Dwarves, while the five levels underground was the workplace for Dwarves and many Dwarf smiths were making items with their hammers underground.
That Dwarf guard led Zhang Yang to the front of a young male Dwarf and said: "Sith The Smith, there is a noble guest would like to meet you!"
That young male Dwarf was designing some sort of blueprint. He heard what that Dwarf guard said, he turned around and said: "Eh, who is that?"
[Sith The Smith - The Mead] (Normal, Humanoid)
Level: 40
HP: 4,000
Zhang Yang strode forward and said: "Mr Sith, my name is Zhan Yu, I'm an adventurer from White Jade Castle! I have explored Misty Valley and I accidentally found your father's soul who entrusted me with his will to send [Bow of the Fallen Moon] which is the Dwarves' holy equipment to you!"
"What? My father's testament!" Sith showed a puzzled facial expression.
After a moment only he said: "Respectful warrior, please follow me, I would like to know everything in detail!"
F*ck, I'm still not allowed to complete the quest directly!
Zhang Yang had no choice but followed Sith and went back to castle's third floor before entering a house. That Dwarf guard went back to his post at the castle's entrance, having completing his task.
Sith poured a glass of wine for Zhang Yang and said: "Respectful warrior, please tell me, how did my father die?"
Dwarves loved wine, wine was their most common beverage, and serving it was the same as how humans served their guests with tea.
Zhang Yang took out [Bow of the Fallen Moon] and put on the table then said: "Your father was turned into a specter by Evil Sorcerer Terpot Ryhar. But with the protection of 'Bow of the Fallen Moon', his soul was not completely controlled by Evil Sorcerer Terpot Ryhar. Thus, he able to pass me [Bow of the Fallen Moon] and entrusted me to send it to you!"
"Thank you..." Sith immediately stood up and bowed to Zhang Yang.
"Ding! You have completed the quest: Remnant. Gained 50,000 Experience points!"
F*ck, I travelled such a long way but gained only 50,000 Experience points? If he had known this earlier, he would not come for this trip! Zhang Yang could not help but regretted.
Sith picked up [Bow of the Fallen Moon] on the table, gently touched the bow with an loving expression, clearly cherishing his father's memory, "My father was a great archer among the Dwarves since he was young. Hence, the King bestowed him 'Bow of the Fallen Moon' and let him use this celestial equipment!"
Eh, there is a subsequent quest?
Zhang Yang was about to tear up a [Teleportation Scroll] but he when heard what Sith said, so he stopped and observed the situation.
"My father..." Just as Sith begun speaking, a single tendril of dark light burst out from the [Bow of the Fallen Moon] and skewered his body!
"Ah!"
Sith suddenly uttered a roar like an earthquake!