Chapter 745: The King of the Hills, the Explosive Hammer

"Rage of the Mountains!"

"Heaven's Opening!"

Kestajin brandished a warhammer and a great axe simultaneously; as soon as they were revealed, dwarves at the arena's edge shouted in amazement, their eyes full of envy at the two weapons.

Lei En couldn't help but watch for a few glances.

On the way to the Iron Furnace Arena, Zuo Er Tan said a few words to himself. He refused Thorgrin's disclosure, yet found it hard to turn down Zuo Er Tan's goodwill; however, Zuo Er Tan's understanding of Kestajin was not deep, so he mainly introduced Kestajin's weapons and gear.

First, these two weapons—the warhammer "Rage of the Mountains" and the great axe "Heaven's Opening"—are epic‑level arms forged by Kestajin himself.

Rage of the Mountains weighs five thousand pounds; its brown hammerhead is square and plain, resembling a craftsman's hammer magnified several times.

Its enchantment has only one effect: it carries the Earth Shaking Strike!

Heaven's Opening has a far more imposing appearance, nearly as tall as Kestajin; its massive haft is covered in runes, the double‑edged blade is circular with razor‑sharp edges, and the haft's tip pierces between the two blades, forming a sharp spear point. Lightning flashes flow along both sides of the blade, amplifying thunder magic power and bearing multiple spells.

The "Storm Rune Heavy Armor" Kestajin wears is also a full set of epic armor, forged by himself.

As one of the few rune lords among dwarves, he has poured almost all the wealth accumulated over the years into this luxurious gear.

Lei En's All‑Seeing Eye pierces the heavy armor and discovers that Kestajin also wears several magical items.

An enchanted necklace that resists mental attacks, a magic ring that amplifies thunder, two dimensional‑space rings, a dragon‑skin undershirt beneath the armor with high‑grade magical resistance, and a talisman at his waist that boosts strength…

He has armed himself to the teeth.

The value of this gear alone reaches five to six million Gold Shields.

However, equipment is secondary; Kestajin's true power still comes from himself. Lei En sensed a familiar aura on him; even though the Soul Eye cannot discern the opponent's Element, many things can still be judged.

Kestajin's power is at least level fourteen, close to his own.

He also possesses a steel body; judging from the skin beneath the armor, it should be a fourth‑level steel body, and his "Toughness" exceeds level ten, possibly level twelve.

A surge of thunder power surrounds Kestajin; from the fluctuations of surrounding thunder Elements, it appears to be three thunder‑form Elements.

Yet the aura that Lei En most fears is another kind.

Earth Power!

Lei En perceives Kestajin standing before him; though clearly shorter, he resembles a towering mountain rooted in the earth, and the arena floor, even rocks and soil for thousands of meters around, subtly form an invisible link with Kestajin.

Legendary Element—Heart of the Earth!

Zuo Er Tan tells himself that before ascending to King of the Hills, Kestajin's profession was "Butcher", and he worships Glinmneer and the Earth Mother, possessing innate divine strength; from birth he had power comparable to an adult dwarf and mastered a few simple earth spells.

Dwarves claim to be "Children of the Mountains" and "Children of the Earth"; many dwarves are born with innate affinity for earth Elements, and dwarf mages mostly specialize in earth spells.

However, a talent like Kestajin's is rare in dwarf history.

He is born with the "Earth Pulse".

When Kestajin's feet touch the ground, his power surges, defense and resistance become unbelievably high, and the most terrifying aspect is his endless stamina, which has allowed him to defeat countless foes.

Lei En immediately thought of the Empire's Earth Nun.

From "Earth Source" to "Earth Pulse", then advancing to "Heart of the Earth", these three core Elements of the Earth Nun make them fearless super‑warriors.

The sand worm's demon soul carries the Earth Pulse; any part of its body that contacts the ground continuously draws Earth Power, greatly enhancing strength, stamina, recovery, defense, resistance, and casting, and it also gains an extra tactile sense, perceiving nearby targets' movements through ground vibrations.

Advancing to the Heart of the Earth removes the need for ground contact to siphon power, granting near Undying Body.

A flood of information flashes through Lei En's mind in an instant.

The simplest way to defeat such an opponent with limitless stamina is to crush them head‑on, using greater force to inflict massive damage that far outpaces stamina and wound recovery.

However, Kestajin was formerly a "Butcher", also called a "Slayer".

A butcher is akin to a berserker, yet more ferocious; they wear no armor, wielding a great axe on the brink of death to hone their combat skills. Most butchers perish within their first few battles; those who survive are the dwarves with the most refined fighting techniques.

Kestajin has lived nearly three hundred years; rising from butcher to King of the Hills, his combat skill is truly a Master among Masters, standing at the pinnacle of melee professions!

Lei En lacks confidence in a direct duel with Kestajin to compare combat skills.

"Looks like we can only gang up."

He glanced at his phone interface; the Thundercast Celestial Soldier has been clearing undead on Shield Island, and in the past two days it has absorbed another wave of energy.

A slight thought flickers, and his soul power pool drops rapidly.

Mirror Image Technique rose from seven rings to eight rings, the maximum ring count; after mysterious affinity amplification, he can now create ten mirror images.

Ten against one, even the finest combat skill will have its gap erased.

Then comes the Lightning Combo.

This melee super‑ultimate Element, derived from the Blue Dragon's soul, is currently at level three; it can launch three attacks on an enemy in an instant, essentially stacking into one, and adds powerful lightning damage that causes paralysis and penetration, visually resembling three lightning whips.

Lei En poured in over two hundred energy units, raising it to level five.

Lightning Five‑Whip, complete!

However, Lightning Combo and Destruction Critical Hit cannot trigger simultaneously; upon striking a target, only one can be chosen. Each melee Element has its merits: Lightning Combo adds a debuff, while Destruction Critical Hit deals greater destruction, and they can be switched as needed.

Lei En brandished the Thunder God's Hammer; dwarves outside the arena, upon seeing his warhammer, were momentarily stunned, then erupted in excited shouts, with at least several hundred dwarves exclaiming, "Thunder God's Hammer!"

"Morradin is on top!"

"Idiot!"

Sharp‑eyed dwarves examined it carefully, then sighed in relief, scolding, "What he's holding is merely a replica of the Thunder God's Hammer; the genuine one vanished over a thousand years ago, so how could he possibly have it?"

Those startled dwarves bowed their heads in shame.

Master Grunus, the forger of the Thunder God's Hammer, sat at the arena's edge, staring intently at his life's masterpiece; his face showed both satisfaction and regret, a very complex expression.

Some dwarves nearby, aware of the backstory, cast glances his way.

Another dwarf, puzzled, said, "I heard this young man is a famous Wizard among humans; why is his weapon a warhammer?"

Some dwarves familiar with Lei En explained, "He's a battle Wizard…"

At this moment, the battle preparation began.

Kestajin roared, "Mountains, grant me strength!"

His booming voice echoed through the arena, drowning out all other sounds; amid a rumbling thud, Kestajin's body surged wildly. In half a breath, he grew from about 1.5 m to three meters, doubling in size; his Storm Rune Heavy Armor strained to fullness, and the previously oversized weapons became perfectly wieldable, just the right size.

The endless Earth Power surged into Kestajin's body; at the same time he activated Blood Frenzy, his eyes filled with madness yet he retained enough reason, perfectly controlling his anger.

The giant‑like King of the Hills saw his strength climb step by step.

Fifteenth‑level power!

Lightning Element surged from all directions, converging on Kestajin's heavy armor; hundreds of runes were activated, and the Great Sky Axe also glowed with dazzling electric light.

The King of the Hills' overwhelmingly dominant aura made even the dwarves outside the arena gasp, feeling an invincible presence.

They doubted whether only Legendary High-rank Lei En could catch Kestajin's hammer blow.

The dwarves shouted in unison: "King of the Hills, King of the World!"

The next second.

Under the gaze of tens of thousands of dwarves, Lei En's mithril light armor suddenly changed into a deep‑blue suit of armor, glittering with countless lightning runes; his stature swelled to over three meters tall, and his armor and war hammer grew proportionally.

Swish!

Behind Lei En, a pair of massive metal wings unfurled like an angel's; his left hand gathered a dark‑golden greatsword, its blade ignited with silvery‑blue flame yet exuding a lightning aura.

A force not inferior to Kestajin's erupted, and even from afar its terrifying aura made the dwarves' hearts race.

This is the purest power!

Moreover, the massive lightning power on this imposing yet exquisite armor almost solidified, as if the Lightning God had descended.

The vast Iron Furnace arena fell silent, and the dwarves stared fixedly.

The kings on the stands, several Kings of the Hills, couldn't help but stand, seeing shock in each other's eyes. Only Thorgrin remained slightly composed, as if he had known all along, a faint smile curling his lips.

Inside the arena, Kestajin stared at the taller Lei En, his pupils snapping shut.

"Titanic divine power and boundless frenzy!"

"Lord of Thunder?"

Kestajin received no reply from Lei En; he looked toward Thorgrin on the platform, a flash of realization crossing his mind, then became exceedingly cautious, withdrawing all contempt.

As the host, King Magnus took a deep breath and proclaimed:

"The duel begins!"

Kestajin struck first, bending his knees and springing back; his massive body vaulted high into the air, letting out a roar as thunder cracked, using the downward momentum like a mountain crushing from above, his war hammer and great axe slashing together toward Lei En's head.

Simultaneously, his roar summoned Lightning Element, forming thick bolts of lightning that struck down.

Seven‑Ring Thunder‑Calling Technique!

Lei En let the lightning strike his body, focusing his spell, his shoulder twitched.

Instantly, ten identical Lei En appeared around him, ten Mirror Images materialized and instantly flashed outward, covering the entire arena.

So many Lei En left the dwarves gaping in astonishment.

The Mirror Images created by the Eight‑Ring Mirror Image Technique possessed sixty percent of the original's strength and lasted fifteen minutes.

It was only that the casting time was a bit long.

Just as Lei En finished the Mirror Image technique, Kestajin had already swung at his head from less than five meters away. He looked up at his opponent, cast a spell, and instantly unleashed a Mind Blast to attack Kestajin's soul from afar.

A formless booming crack.

Kestajin's head lit up with a protective layer, blocking the Mind Blast. His expression showed no change, his gaze as steadfast as steel.

Supreme Elemental Steel Willpower.

Kestajin's spirit was as hard as steel, his body even harder than steel; his fourth‑grade steel body reflected an odd metallic sheen as he swung his war hammer and great axe to the ground.

At the critical moment, Lei En vanished.

Boom!

Earth Shaking Strike!

The entire Iron Furnace arena trembled as if an earthquake had struck; debris flew, shockwaves bearing lightning slammed into the rune arrays around the arena, and the tens of thousands of dwarves watching from outside were violently shaken, most unable to stay seated and falling down.

Several Lei En Mirror Images standing on the ground were swept up by the Earth Shaking Strike's shockwave.

But those images made no attempt to dodge.

After flashing out, the titanium‑gold holy sword in their left hand transformed, rapidly elongating into a dark‑golden spear over three meters long, surrounded by terrifying thunder‑flame, aiming at the freshly landed Kestajin.

The King of the Hills sensed danger.

At the same time, he also sharply locked onto Lei En's true position, dozens of meters directly above his head, and without a second thought, triggered Electric Flash Teleport to pursue.

Clang!

The electric flash that Kestajin had become traveled only a few meters before his body reappeared, interrupting the spell.

At that moment, the Mirror Image hurled the dark‑gold spear from its hand.

Lei En had already upgraded the Thunder God's Spear to sixth level, making it faster and more powerful; although the spear formed from the titanium‑gold holy sword was not heavy enough, reducing some potency, and the Mirror Image's strength was less than the original's, it was still sufficient to threaten Kestajin.

A series of thunderclaps exploded.

The dwarves outside could barely track the Thunder God's Spear's trajectory, seeing only a few streaks of light as it struck the falling Kestajin.

Then a cataclysmic explosion occurred.

Magical protection surfaced on Kestajin's heavy armor, but before the sixth‑level Thunder God's Spear it was instantly pierced, exploding directly on the armor. Its damage rivaled that of the Nine-ring Technique; the storm‑rune heavy armor was immediately damaged, and Kestajin was blown about wildly.

Even though he possessed Fifteenth‑level power, floating mid‑air with nowhere to draw strength, he momentarily lost his balance.

Lei En made a spiritual leap to Kestajin's upper side, his war hammer glowing with electric light.

Lightning Five‑Hit Combo!

The war hammer, in an instant, hammered five times in rapid succession, almost merging into a single blow, each strike whipping up massive whip‑like lightning that battered Kestajin's chest.

Boom!

The King of the Hills shot down like a cannonball, crashing into the hard rock and gouging a huge crater.

He lay on his back, and every dwarf could see his chest armor smashed to ruin, exposing a metal‑cast torso that had caved in, flesh blurred, with streaks of lightning corroding the wounds, piercing the organs as if charred.

The dwarves could hardly believe their eyes.

The King of the Hills, famed for his great power, actually lost a strength contest to a Wizard!

Kestajin's eyes reflected Lei En's figure; from his perspective, multiple Lei En floated in the sky, each with wings spread behind them, locking onto him from different corners—some casting spells, some re‑forming dark‑golden spears, and two swinging swords to slash.

Thunder Slash!

Thunder Slash!

Two Mirror Images, together with their swords, bore thunder flames that formed huge silver‑blue blade auras, one on the left and one on the right, slashing toward Kestajin.

Kestajin rolled to his feet, and the wound on his chest healed in an instant.

However, the Mirror Image's Thunder Slash had already arrived.

Clang— clang—.

The deafening clash of metal rang out; Kestajin swung his war hammer and great axe, adjusting the angles, and with exquisite skill struck head‑on against the two Mirror Images.

The Mountain Fury War Hammer unleashed countless bolts of lightning, delivering a seventh‑level thunder strike!

The Heaven‑splitting Great Axe performed an eighth‑level Reverse Slash!

The Mirror Image's titanium‑golden holy sword snapped instantly; the lingering force of the Thunder Slash struck Kestajin, only damaging the Storm Rune Armor slightly, while the Mirror Image itself was blasted away by Kestajin.

One Mirror Image was struck on the head by the Mountain Fury War Hammer, splashing a spray of sparks; although it wasn't a headshot, it fell to the ground and immediately fell unconscious.

The other Mirror Image was cleaved open by the great axe, a huge wound running diagonally from shoulder to waist; yet no blood spilled, and the wound was rapidly writhing as it healed.

Kestajin, seeing the Mirror Image's wound like metal, couldn't help but feel a moment of astonishment.

He was also deeply shocked.

Lei En's defense was beyond imagination; even as a Mirror Image, he himself could not be killed with a single blow!

Before that thought even settled, several Thunder God's Spears were launched.

The purpose of the two Mirror Images fighting head‑on was to buy time for the others. When Kestajin repelled them, he lost the initiative. Even though he sensed danger approaching and tried to trigger Electric Flash Teleport again, this time the teleport distance was even shorter, less than two meters.

He watched helplessly as a Thunder God's Spear struck him.

Amid the explosion's roar.

Kestajin was blown into the air; this time the Storm Rune Armor was damaged, its protection reduced, and numerous wounds erupted on his body, the worst exposing bone.

The Heart of the Earth drew power from afar, and the injuries healed almost as soon as they appeared.

However, Kestajin saw Lei En flash to the front, and the Thunder‑and‑Lightning Hammer came crashing toward his head. Using his most seasoned combat experience, he met the hammer with the Mountain Fury, and swung the Heaven‑splitting Great Axe at Lei En's neck, attempting to block the blow.

Bang! Bang!

The Mountain Fury was smashed open, nearly slipping from his grasp.

The Heaven‑splitting Great Axe did strike Lei En, but the Titan Power Armor rebounded it, leaving only a dent that healed instantly.

Lightning Five‑Hit Combo!

Lei En, in an instant, swung five hammers in succession, five whip‑like bolts of lightning dancing, and again slammed Kestajin to the ground, causing the entire arena to jolt violently.

Kestajin's head slammed heavily onto the rocky floor, his helmet shattered into pieces, exposing a brain gushing with blood. Even with a steel will, Earth Power shielding his body, and a fourth‑level steel physique, after being hammered five times by Lei En's terrifying power, he was dizzy, unable to counter, and could not even stand.

The Soul Eye detected Kestajin's dizzy state; Lei En hesitated not, his wings fluttered, with a "clack" sound, a Electric Flash Teleport chased him.

The Thunder‑and‑Lightning Hammer was raised high with both hands and slammed toward Kestajin's head!

(End of Chapter)