Chapter 742: The Strong Are Supreme

After recognizing Kestajin Tie Su, Lei En also saw a few acquaintances.

Zuorutan and Bulestein were both listed, and in the crowd he also discovered Master Gurunus, whom he had met once before.

This rune blacksmith is the maker of the "Hammer of Thunder" in his own hands; since obtaining the Hammer of Thunder four years ago at Lady Xia Lanwei's trade fair, he had not seen Gurunus again, and it turned out he had returned to Rongyanbao.

Gurunus is not only a Master‑level rune blacksmith, but also a legendary Mid‑stage barbarian hammer warrior; his seat is near the front, clearly indicating a high status in Rongyanbao.

When he saw Lei En, his eyes also brightened slightly.

Lei En gave a slight nod to Gurunus, then followed Magnus through the dwarf passage, stepping onto the steps one by one, and ascended to the throne platform beneath the statue of the dwarf guardian deity Maharl.

In the past, the platform had only one throne belonging to King Magnus.

Today, however, three broad thrones carved from rock stood side by side, the middle one slightly larger; Thorgrin and Dan En were already seated on the two smaller thrones on either side. Next to Dan En was a tall stone chair, which was Lei En's seat.

Magnus ascended the throne and turned to sit down.

"Your Majesty."

The dwarves saluted the three kings on the platform, bowing in unison and shouting loudly. After Magnus responded, the dwarves then sat down one after another.

"Children of the mountains, may Maharl protect you."

Magnus spoke loudly, his authoritative and resonant voice echoing through the palace so that every dwarf could hear clearly; he raised his hand to signal Lei En to stand, and said, "Many of you already know, this is the Earl of Glamorgan from the Oriense Empire, His Excellency Ryan Augustus."

The dwarves' gazes refocused on Lei En; some were surprised, some curious, some puzzled, and some dwarves who had heard of Lei En's great name widened their eyes.

Lei En gave a brief bow in response, saying nothing.

Magnus continued, "Your Excellency the Earl, you have come to Rongyanbao at my invitation to discuss an important matter. This matter concerns the future of all dwarves in Rongyanbao, Zhigao Shan, and the three great kingdoms of Du Feng, as well as the entire Shi Jie Shan Mai."

A slight stir arose among the dwarves, and a murmur of whispers echoed through the palace.

Lei En had been in Rongyanbao for two days, and the three kings had also gathered there, but only a few dwarves of the upper ranks knew the details.

"Your Excellency the Earl will build a new city on Shield Island of the New Continent," Magnus announced loudly. "This project will be undertaken jointly by the stonecutter guilds of the three great kingdoms, and our cooperation with Your Excellency will go a step further. Once the city is established, a dwarf district will be set up within it to accommodate the children of the mountains. A dwarf legion will also permanently garrison this city."

Halfway through his speech, many dwarves could no longer sit still.

The whispers turned into loud chatter.

"Maharl protect!"

"Earth!"

"Are we finally embarking on the path to restore our ancestors' glory?" the dwarves shouted excitedly, and the solemn palace instantly turned into a bustling market, noisy and chaotic; some dwarves were so excited they flushed, hugging their kin, tears glimmering in their eyes.

On the stage, Lei En instantly appeared to the dwarves as the most precious gem in the world; the dwarves looked at him, their eyes shining.

If the three kings were not present, a dwarf would already have rushed up to speak with Lei En.

"Silence!"

"Silence!"

Magnus shouted several times, and only after much effort did the excited dwarves quiet down; no one spoke, yet the palace still brimmed with a fervent atmosphere.

"I have already discussed the cooperation terms with Your Excellency the Earl and the two other sovereigns," King Magnus said, without revealing the contract details, giving a brief introduction before adding, "In the next half month, the three great kingdoms will recruit five thousand craftsmen and five thousand dwarf warriors."

"Children of the mountains, the chance to revive our ancestors' glory has arrived!"

Magnus's highly stirring mobilization prompted the dwarves below to respond enthusiastically; dozens of legendary dwarves immediately volunteered to the king, willing to join the legion.

Some also shouted loudly at Lei En, showcasing their strength.

The dwarves' reaction reassured all three kings.

Obviously, the kingdoms understood the current difficult situation; the naturally brave dwarves, cramped in underground fortresses with no outlet for their strength, could no longer contain themselves. Thus the plan to expand into the New Continent received overwhelming support.

Lei En observed the dwarves with his Soul Eye; almost all dwarves were very pleased.

Those few powerful Kings of the Hills also gave their full support, with only one exception: Kestajin Tie Su. This King of the Hills' mood was complicated; he was not wholly opposed, but he considered more and seemed to be worrying about something.

"He must have guessed Thorgrin's intention," Lei En thought.

It wasn't hard to guess; Kestajin would certainly not comply with Thorgrin's arrangement and may have already prepared.

Magnus nodded toward the side, and two dwarf guards lifted a stone table and placed it before the throne.

Bulestein cupped a dragon‑skin scroll in both hands and placed it on the table.

Unfolding the scroll, the cooperation terms were written densely in Dwarvish and Aurelien Language, the red ink made from dragon blood, impervious to fire or water, capable of lasting for millennia. Bulestein shouted, "Your Majesties, Your Excellency the Earl, the contract is ready."

Magnus rose, and the other two kings also descended.

The three dwarf kings stood before the table, loudly reciting the revered name of the dwarf guardian deity Maharl, swearing in the deity's name; the statue's eyes emitted light, and a vast divine aura enveloped the palace, making the dwarves watching the signing ceremony feel both awe and great joy.

This meant that this cooperation had received Maharl's blessing.

Under the deity's gaze, the kings solemnly signed their names, then all turned to Lei En, and Magnus said gravely:

"Your Excellency the Earl, please."

Lei En stepped forward, read the dragon‑skin scroll's contents one last time, and after confirming there were no issues, signed his full name.

The moment he finished signing, he sensed a gaze from the distant void shift away.

The dwarf guardian Maharl, a very ancient deity, is one of the most powerful gods of Ai Lun E Si. In dwarf mythology, Maharl is the consort of the Earth Mother, together having created the dwarves; the other dwarf gods are the offspring of the two deities.

Because of this relationship, the Earth Mother has many dwarf followers, second only to Maharl in number.

However, several dwarf deities fell in the previous era, including the god of forging and crafts Moradin. Today, most dwarves worship only three deities: Maharl, the Earth Mother, and the dwarf warrior god Grelinnir.

The signing ceremony completed, the dwarves shouted loudly, their applause rolling like waves that did not subside for a long time.

Magnus tucked away the contract scroll, placed it into a sturdy magical alloy chest, and had it sent to the treasury of Rongyanbao for safekeeping.

Thorgrin tapped his hand, causing the dwarves to quickly quiet down.

"Now I announce several important matters." The King of Zhigao Shan's prestige was clearly higher than Magnus's, and the dwarves listened attentively, "The dwarf legion heading to the New Continent will thereafter be permanently stationed at Gotham City, which is the Earl's city, and must obey the Earl's orders and pledge loyalty to him."

Some dwarves' expressions changed, and they couldn't help whispering to each other.

"Loyalty to a human?"

"He is not a child of the mountains; how can he be entitled to our loyalty? Only a king can command dwarves."

The low murmurs reached Lei En's ears.

He immediately sensed that some dwarves' enthusiasm had waned considerably, clearly resisting loyalty to him and even feeling very hostile. However, most dwarves were indifferent, as long as they could leave the Shi Jie Shan Mai, join the battle, prove their strength and courage, whether they swore fealty to the Dwarf King or to humans made no difference.

Thorgrin seemed to have anticipated this situation; he ignored the hesitation of the few dwarves and continued, "This dwarf legion comes from the three great kingdoms, so we name it the 'Three‑Hammer Legion.'"

"The Three‑Hammer Legion will be led by a King of the Hills."

"This King of the Hills bears the heavy responsibility of protecting Getan and defending the city's residents. In the future, he will also be the leader who leads the dwarves back onto the New Continent—such a crucial position, after consulting with the two sovereigns, I have decided to appoint …"

Thorgrin paused here and looked at the several Kings of the Hills below.

Today, besides the three kings, there were also four Kings of the Hills present. They had originally listened to Thorgrin's words with eager anticipation, but after hearing the latter part, the Kings of the Hills seemed to realize something, and their faces changed.

Kestajin's gaze instantly sharpened, lightning flickering in his eyes.

"We have decided to appoint Kestajin Ironbeard as the commander of the Three‑Hammer Legion," Thorgrin announced loudly. "Kestajin will lead the Three‑Hammer Legion to the New Continent, obeying the Earl's orders."

Instantly, all dwarves' eyes fell on Kestajin; the palace, which had still been noisy, fell silent.

Even the most dull‑witted dwarf understood Thorgrin's intention.

Two years ago, Kestajin was promoted to King of the Hills, changed his surname to Ironbeard, and proclaimed that he would revive the glory of the Ironbeard clan, causing a sensation across the five dwarf kingdoms.

Dwarves worship their ancestors and heroes; even though the Ironbeard clan had been dormant for millennia, nearing extinction, its reputation and deeds still passed down through dwarf generations.

Kestajin possesses the Ironbeard clan's Book of Grudges, confirming that Ironbeard blood flows in his veins.

He is like a banner, attracting many dwarves who also carry Ironbeard lineage to join; although currently only a little over a thousand, they have already formed a considerable force. In the past two years, the resurgence of the Ironbeard clan has been the most eye‑catching event in the dwarf kingdoms.

Some clever dwarves had previously guessed that Thorgrin would never stand by idly.

Now, he finally bared his fangs at Kestajin.

Under everyone's gaze, Kestajin slowly rose and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, I refuse to serve as commander of the Three‑Hammer Legion; please appoint someone more capable."

Thorgrin stared coldly at him, "You intend to defy the king's order?"

Kestajin fixed his gaze on Thorgrin, said nothing, yet unmistakably conveyed his intention—to disobey.

"Hmph."

Thorgrin's face showed displeasure.

He said calmly, "The Three‑Hammer Legion bears the heavy task of reviving our ancestors' glory and will be equipped with the dwarves' finest weapons and armor, so it requires a rune lord and a cadre of rune blacksmiths to maintain and repair the legion's gear. You are the only rune lord among the Kings of the Hills; for the dwarves' greater good, you must assume this commander's seat."

Some dwarves nodded slightly, finding his words reasonable.

Indeed, no dwarf suited the commander role better than Kestajin; some even thought Thorgrin might not be acting out of personal interest.

Yet Kestajin remained unmoved, giving no response.

"What's the matter?" Thorgrin's tone rose a few notches, a massive surge of thunderous lightning erupted, suffocating the front‑row dwarves like a raging storm, and he shouted, "Kestajin, for the restoration of our ancestors' glory, countless dwarves are willing to give their lives—this is the chance every clan dreams of, and you would refuse?"

Kestajin finally replied, "I have other important matters; I do not wish to leave Thus line: Zhigao Shan."

"What could be more important than the future of the entire dwarf race?" Thorgrin pressed sharply.

Kestajin opened his mouth.

Thorgrin's aura suddenly contracted, he stared tightly at Kestajin and said, "This is the king's command. Do you not see me as your king?"

His voice was not loud, but to the dwarves it sounded like a sudden thunderclap, making them grip their weapons nervously.

Kestajin's whole body trembled.

"Your Majesty is indeed the king of Thus line: Zhigao Shan; on that point I have no doubt," he answered laboriously after a few seconds.

Thorgrin hummed, "Since I am your king, why do you defy?"

"I…"

Kestajin looked at the three kings on the stage, scanned the crowd, and realized all dwarves were watching him, a pressure crushing him.

He knew that if he agreed and went to the New Continent, he might never return.

The New Continent is a hundred‑fold more dangerous than the Shi Jie Shan Mai; he might be killed before Thorgrin even dies.

The grand ambition of reviving the Ironbeard clan would become a phantom dream.

Kestajin was extremely anxious, yet could find no excuse to decline. If he openly defied the king's order, Thorgrin could punish him openly and brand him selfish, disregarding the dwarf race's greater good, ruining his reputation completely.

In anger and frustration, Kestajin saw Lei En on the stage.

A flash of insight struck his mind, and he shouted, "Your Majesty, I do not wish to defy the order, but I also refuse to pledge allegiance to the weak, for this is the right granted to me by Gelinmnil, the dwarf warrior god."

With a splash, the dwarves turned toward Lei En.

Magnus and Dan En's expressions also changed; Kestajin's meaning was clear—he was a follower of the dwarf warrior god Gelinmnil, whose one doctrine is never to bow to the weak nor serve the weak.

The so‑called weak are naturally judged by the follower's own strength.

Those weaker than oneself are the weak.

"The strong are supreme," dwarves also uphold this principle, and not serving the weak is another interpretation of it.

The Dwarf King is mostly held by Kings of the Hills, also reflecting the "strong are supreme" ideal.

In dwarf society, the doctrine of not serving the weak is not strictly enforced; there are still a few superiors weaker than their subordinates, and not all dwarves worship Gelinmnil. Thus, when it was previously said that the Three‑Hammer Legion would swear fealty to Lei En, the dwarves did not consider this, and Lei En, being a Legendary High-rank, is stronger than almost every dwarf, which does not violate the doctrine.

However, for a King of the Hills it becomes problematic.

A King of the Hills is a Saint Rank strongman, whose strength far exceeds Lei En's, and Kestajin used this reason to refuse the appointment; Thorgrin had no reply.

Lei En, now the focus, showed no change in expression, as if the matter did not concern him.

Thorgrin, however, wore a look of astonishment.

He glanced at Kestajin, then at the composed Lei En, his expression quickly returned to calm; his snow‑white beard twitched, emitting a cold laugh, and he said, "Kestajin, you think your strength surpasses the Earl's? In my eyes, you are the weak one."

"I don't believe it," Kestajin scoffed. "Unless he defeats me."

Before Thorgrin could speak, Lei En already knew what he would say and simply shook his head, "I refuse."

Tomorrow is July, still short of the 3,000,000‑word goal; this time we'll have a massive bleed… everyone hurry into the group, red packets at 7 p. m. tomorrow night!

Also asking for monthly tickets, don't waste them, think 3,000 votes and give me some blood…

(End of chapter)