Chapter 529: Battle of Silver Peak

"Warriors of the mountains, the Revival Era has arrived! Fight! The grudges written in the blood of ancient kings in the Great Book of Grudges shall be settled one by one!"

Beneath Silver Peak, Thorgrim Grudgebearer sat high upon the Throne of Power, rustling through the Great Book of Grudges. As High King, adding or deleting its contents was his exclusive right.

"For the High King!"

The rhythmic war cries and footsteps made the earth tremble constantly. Before the rise of that anomaly Sinuoli, the High King had always been the most charismatic figure; wherever Grimnir's Axe pointed, the Dwarf Realms would follow with provisions and support.

The majestic body of the Rune Colossus blocked the sun for the High King, and the magnificent military formation made his thoughts drift back over a hundred years. If they had possessed these earlier, how could the Great Holy War have been so difficult to fight?

The young man carrying the great banner at the very front was the champion of the youngest son and also the chosen of the God of War; the primitive battle axe in his hand and the treasure passed down through generations of High Kings in his own hand flowed with the same power.

Sinuoli did not come, but his "Ancestor Chosen Guard" did; this was the most legendary unit in the entire Old World. They always squinted their eyes and looked at people from the corners of their eyes, but their service record justified this arrogance.

"What does this count for? Back when I followed the great restorer in..."

Facing no matter how many or how strong the enemies, when such catchphrases were muttered, the surrounding friendly forces would naturally be greatly inspired. As for the skillful combat techniques and the finest equipment, those were just the icing on the cake.

"Boom!"

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"

The bloated main gatehouse and shooting tower, built haphazardly by "Da Orks," was blown to pieces. It was a group of uniquely painted gyrocopters; the red fuselage was pierced by a gray fist smashing downward.

The "SnorrisFist" air squadron was composed of the most brilliant pilots from the Southlands. Unlike standard level bombing, to increase strike accuracy, they would dive at high speed toward the target, then pull up sharply while dropping bombs at close range.

The squad claimed that one of their bombing runs was equivalent to the power of a Demigod's strike, and this had been acknowledged by the deity himself. Outside of war, they also undertook flight performances and air force recruitment propaganda in the Southlands.

"Attack!"

Thorgrim swung his divine axe, and the main force began to advance along the mountain road. At the very front were several teams of Ironbreakers; since Everpeak was not far from Silver Peak and the road was relatively clear, they did not begrudge the time to transport these slow stone statues.

"Clatter, clatter!"

After all, having been operated for thousands of years, although lacking heavy firepower, the simplest rolling logs and boulders could still interfere with the Dwarf attack to a certain extent from a high position in the narrow terrain.

"Where is that Slayer Engineer? It is time for him to contribute!"

Malakai Makaisson had proactively requested to Sinuoli to stretch his muscles, and after meeting the High King, he uncontrollably peddled his inventions. Thorgrim's openness was compared to the older generation; if not for Sinuoli's sake, this rude and reckless fellow would have almost been beaten out with sticks.

"Oh ho, look! The Greenskins are hiding in their little shacks! Time for target practice!"

Dwarf tactics were primarily defensive; traditionally, artillery positions were not easily moved once set up and calibrated. This time, the Southlands provided the latest improved tracked self-propelled artillery, which, in addition to better off-road capability, provided a relatively stable firing platform.

"Rumble!"

The artillery regiment roared, and the Greenskins' counterattacks relying on favorable terrain were suppressed. The thick gates were already dilapidated and useless under the heavy strikes of the stone statues. But the Dwarfs knew that attacking a mountain fortress was only the first step.

"The blood of Daemons tempers our blades!"

The Slayer Brotherhood followed closely behind Gotrek as the first to charge in. After the Battle of Itza, they had expanded with new members. These Longbeards marked the types and numbers of Daemons they had slain with unique four-colored gemstone badges on their chests, simultaneously displaying their strength and wealth.

"Kill! Reclaim the ancestral homeland, Sons of Grungni! This is an unprecedented opportunity!"

The Brotherhood cleared the enemies at the entrance with heavy axes; there were more suitable teams to handle the street fighting in the tunnels. The Sons of Grungni clan were the former royalty of Silver Peak; they lived in Everpeak and served the High King but had never given up the desire to return to their homeland.

Ironbreakers clad in full meteor-iron armor poured from the foyer into the passages. The Lengya Tribe was a mix of Orcs and Goblins, and they had held off numerous large-scale Dwarf conquests by relying on an endless variety of troop types and tactics.

"The Silver Hall, planned by Father God Grungni himself, has been ruined to such a state!"

Thorgrim stood up from the Throne of Power, surveying the fortress hall by the light of the lamps. Legend had it that the entire dome was covered in silver foil, depicting the stories of the ancestors at the beginning of the world.

"Indeed, the series of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that triggered the Age of Mourning made it impossible for us to watch over each other; once lost, it is hard to find it back."

Rune Master AuriksonIronChisel of the Drazkrad Clan drove the Doom Anvil to Thorgrim's side. It was he who had verified Sinuoli's Master-class Flight Rune back then; who would have thought that such a young Prince could sweep away a millennium of decline?

"Find the Lengya Warlord as soon as possible. Whoever beheads him shall be rewarded with a hundred gold pieces and a ranch!"

Valaya's divine grace kept the High King energetic. He held his divine axe and the Great Book of Grudges, hanging out the bounty to encourage the warriors. He had a grasp of the situation at Eight Peaks, so he had to end the war as quickly as possible to allow the Southlands troops to return.

In addition to those appearing on the front lines, the "Rock Sheep Hunter" elite Ranger unit, famous throughout the Old World, also provided support. They shuttled between the ridges, bringing back enemy intelligence and countering Goblin scouts.

"Report! We have searched most of the fortress; the main force of the green mushrooms seems to have withdrawn."

"Where could they go, MountGunbad? That would only be letting their heads stay on their necks for a few more days!"

As time passed, more and more warriors went deep into the tunnels, and those beside the High King in the foyer gradually decreased. Three days later, the messenger brought back abnormal news.

"WAAAGH!"

"Thump, thump!"

The roar and footsteps of war pigs provided the answer. The Lengya Warlord knew it was difficult to hold the position, so he withdrew from the fortress with his elite troops in advance, looking for an opportunity to launch a decapitation strike.

"Form ranks! Defend the High King!"

"Come on, you monsters! I am the scribe of the Great Book of Grudges, King of Karaz-a-Karak, Thorgrim Grudgebearer of the Drazkrad Clan!"

Thorgrim's self-introduction matched the treasures he possessed; the Great Book of Grudges, the Throne of Power, and Grimnir's Axe were passed down with the High King's position; the Dragon Crown was inherited at Everpeak, and the SkaldorArmor was the clan's treasure.

The accumulation of so many legendary pieces of equipment was enough for a scholar and a peak mortal powerhouse to contend; Thorgrim was not known for martial prowess but had also experienced many great battles. The people carrying the throne knew his intent and moved forward unswervingly to meet the incoming War Pig Cavalry.

(End of chapter)