Battle with the Earthborn

As morning light filtered through the window, Zoren woke and immediately checked his screen.

[Shield Duration: 65:54:43]

"We still have time," Zoren muttered, rubbing his eyes. "We need to level up while the shield is still active." A new notification popped up on his screen, catching his attention.

[NOTICE!]

[You Fulfill the Requirements to Level Up Your City!]

[Do you want to level up your City?]

[Yes][No]

Zoren tapped [Yes] with a determined look.

[CONGRATULATIONS!]

[Your City is Now Level 2!]

[Unlocks: Quarrying, Irrigation, Handsow]

[Reward: Summoning Card x1, 1000 Points, 100 Gold]

[Quarrying]

Allows your troops to gather stone on the map faster.

[Irrigation]

Increases food production in the Farm.

[Handsow]

Increases wood production in the lumber mill.

"Awesome!" Zoren exclaimed, eyes widening at the rewards. "Gold?" He frowned in confusion.

[Gold is Otherworldly Currency]

"Oh, okay," he said, brushing off his confusion for the moment. "Now, let's see what this Summoning Card has in store!" With a flick of his wrist, he activated the card. The card began to spin rapidly, its colors swirling in a mesmerizing display. As the spinning slowed, a figure materialized before him.

The woman depicted was a blacksmith, her long pink hair tied back in a practical ponytail. She wore a white shirt with sleeves rolled up, a rugged leather apron, and sturdy gloves, all hinting at her work in the forge.

[STATUS]

Name: Lyra Emberforge

Level: 1

Rarity: Epic

Strength: 11 Vitality: 10 Agility: 9 Intelligence: 9

Skills: Smith (P), Metallurgy (P), Engineering (P)

Lyra regarded Zoren with a cool, assessing gaze. "Master," she greeted him, her voice carrying a trace of formality.

"Lyra, I need to build a Smithy," Zoren said, surveying her with anticipation. "Can you help?"

Suddenly, the entire server seemed to tremble, sending Zoren stumbling slightly. "What is that?!" Zoren shouted, his eyes darting around.

[NOTICE!]

[SERVER EVENT IS NOW AVAILABLE!]

Name: Lohar's Trial

Difficulty: B Duration: 72:00:00

Details:

- During the event, defeat the Golems on the map to receive a special event item. There are 3 Golem categories: Small Golems, Medium Golems, Large Golems. Rewards vary based on Golem size. At the end of the event, you will be ranked based on how many Golems your City has defeated.

Small Golems - 100 Points

Medium Golems - 1000 Points

Large Golems - 100,000 Points

Drops (Rewards depend on Golem Size):

- Golem Core (Small, Medium, Large)

- Golem Essence

- Lohar's Lost Technology Blueprints ( The percentage to get this is low)

- Stone Bricks, Metal Ingots, Copper, Silver Ingots, Titanium , Platinum Bar, Obsidian Shards, Adamantium.

Zoren rushed outside his village, heart racing. The sight that greeted him was chaos: small stone Golems scuttling around, while a colossal Golem was wreaking havoc on a distant village. "What… the… hell…" Zoren's voice trailed off, stunned by the destruction unfolding before him.

Resolute, Zoren rallied his combat troops. "Gather up!" he commanded, voice steady with resolve. "We need to take down these small Golems, earn those rewards, and level up and Give me all the Blueprints you find," Zoren instructed. "Let's hunt these Golems!"

In Grid's territory, Grid was seething with rage upon learning about the destruction of his armies. "That useless pig!" he roared, his face flushed with fury.

"He's a disgrace!" barked the 2nd Commander, Gerad. "We should attack immediately!" Gerad added.

"I will kill them. Just give me the command, Master," the 1st Commander, Gurlok, said fiercely.

"Stupid..." the adviser said calmly, a hint of derision in his tone. "disgusting, gluttonous hog"

"What did you say?!" Gurlok and Gerad demanded in unison, drawing their weapons with menacing glares.

"Stop!" Grid said in a measured tone, causing Gurlok and Gerad to lower their weapons reluctantly. "What do you suggest?" Grid said with a calm voice.

"I recommend we wait until the Golems are cleared," the Adviser said coolly, his tone laced with casual disdain. "Their shield won't last forever, and when it's down, they'll be vulnerable."

He paused, a malevolent grin spreading across his face. "They're fortunate this time," he continued, "but their luck won't last. Soon enough, they'll face the consequences."

Grid, begrudgingly agreeing, ordered his troops to focus on eliminating the Golems.

Zoren, accompanied by three blue orcs, engaged in battle with the Golems. "Dammit!" Zoren cursed as he struggled to pierce the Golems' tough exteriors. "My sword barely scratches them!"

"My axe only made a dent," Skargash grumbled beside him.

After several grueling minutes, they finally managed to defeat a small Golem, its form disintegrating into dust and leaving only a few pieces of loot behind.

Zoren let out a frustrated sigh as he examined the spoils—two stones and a metal ingot. "We've only taken down one, and this is all we get?" he muttered, irritation evident in his voice. "Let's head back for now," he decided, a plan beginning to take shape in his mind.

Back at the village, Zoren searched for Lyra, who was busily attending to her tasks. He spotted her near the forge, a look of concentration on her face. "Lyra?" he called out, his voice cutting through the noise of the bustling village.

She turned, her eyes meeting his with a mixture of surprise and irritation. "What is it, Master?" she asked, though there was a hint of curiosity in her tone.

Zoren stepped closer, his expression earnest. "Can you craft a pickaxe or a large hammer?"

Lyra huffed, crossing her arms. "Of course I can, but I'll need a Smithy and the right materials."

Zoren nodded, unfazed by her brusque demeanor. "Alright, I'll help gather what's needed. What materials do you require?"

She gave him a pointed look. "I need Metal Ingots and Rock Powders to build an Anvil. And since you're so eager to assist, you can handle constructing the Smithy, Master."

Before Zoren could respond, the group returned from their hunt, looking weary and covered in grime.

"Master, we're back," Kaen announced, his voice tired but relieved. "The Beetlefolks managed to take down ten small Golems, but their spears barely made a dent."

Nyx added, "The Khajiits brought down three small Golems, but our arrows and daggers were nearly useless."

They presented their haul: ten stones, fifteen metal ingots, one piece of silver, and one small Golem core.

Zoren examined the loot thoughtfully. "This isn't too bad," he said with a nod. "With these materials, Lyra can build the Anvil. I'll get started on the Smithy."

He set to work with determination, clearing a space for the new structure. Zoren carefully laid out the foundation, measuring and cutting with precision. By noon, the framework of the Smithy began to take shape. With every nail hammered and every beam secured, the building slowly transformed from raw materials into a solid structure. By afternoon, the Smithy House stood complete, ready for Lyra to begin her work.

[Smithy House]

[Requirement: 1 Personage]

"I'll appoint Lyra to oversee the Smithy House," Zoren decided.

[Requirement Fulfilled!]

[Smithy Bonus: +10% Forging Speed and a 10% chance to create a rare item]

"Then I'll get to work!" Lyra declared, her voice tinged with enthusiasm despite her usual brusqueness.

She immediately set to work, her skilled hands moving deftly as she crafted the pickaxes and hammers. Hours passed as she worked at the forge, her focus unwavering. When she finally emerged, a look of satisfaction on her face, she held up her creations.

"Master, I'm finished!" she announced proudly, her cheeks flushed with the effort. She displayed eight common pickaxes, two rare pickaxes, four uncommon mauls, and one rare maul.

Zoren's eyes widened with genuine admiration. "Wow, not bad!" he said, clearly impressed. Lyra's face lit up at the praise, a rare smile appearing as she basked in his approval.

"Alright, let's get moving," Zoren said, a plan already forming in his mind. "Kaen and the Beetlefolks will use the mauls, Nyx and the Khajiits will take the pickaxes, and I'll join the blue orcs for the hunt."

With their new equipment in hand, the group prepared for the hunt, each member ready to put their newly acquired tools to use in the ongoing battle for survival.

The hunt resumed, and this time, the results were far more satisfying. Skargash struck a small Golem with his pickaxe, and with just two

hits, the Golem crumbled. "This is much better," Skargash said, a grin spreading across his face.

Kaen, wielding a maul, smashed another Golem to the ground. "Master's plan was brilliant!" he said, clearly pleased. The hunt became more efficient, and within an hour, they had hunted 53 small Golems. Zoren checked the rankings:

[Lohar's Hunt Server Rankings]

1. Kingdom_1176792.....15,300

2. Kingdom_1470558.....12,800

3. Kingdom_1280549.....9,600

4. Kingdom_1570558.....7,900

5. Kingdom_1270548.....5,300"

"We're number 5—not bad," Zoren said, feeling optimistic. "Let's aim higher and hunt bigger targets." Zoren gathered all his troops and selected the 15 who had pickaxes and mauls. He instructed them to hunt Medium Golems next and gave the loot from the small Golems to Lyra to create more weapons.

As they approached the Medium Golem, Zoren's eyes widened. The Golem was as tall as a house, a formidable guardian of stone with glowing eyes. He used Appraisal:

[STATUS]

Name: Stone Golem (Medium)

Level: ??

Strength: 43 Vitality: 51 Agility: 27 Intelligence: 24

Skill: Earthquake Slam(A), Granite Shield(A), Terracotta Guard(P)

The Golem stood tall, its frame casting a shadow over the group as it shifted, the ground beneath it rumbling with each movement. Zoren's eyes narrowed as he assessed the situation. "Stay alert and keep your distance until I give the signal," Zoren instructed, his voice steady. The troops nodded, their weapons at the ready.

The Golem turned its head toward them, its eyes flaring with a bright, ominous light. With a ground-shaking roar, it lifted one massive arm and brought it crashing down. Zoren's team scattered, narrowly avoiding the impact as the ground where they stood split open, leaving a jagged crater.

"Kaen, Skargash, take the left! Nyx, the right! We'll draw its attention from the front!" Zoren commanded, quickly taking charge of the situation.

Skargash, wielding a rare pickaxe, darted forward. With a powerful swing, he struck the Golem's leg. The pickaxe bit into the stone, sending small shards flying. The Golem growled, its attention shifting toward Skargash. As it moved to retaliate, Kaen came from the side, bringing his maul down with a thunderous crash against the Golem's other leg. The impact caused the Golem to stagger, but it quickly regained its balance.

Nyx, with the agility of her Khajiit heritage, darted in from the right. Her pickaxe struck the Golem's arm, aiming to weaken its ability to attack.

The stone cracked under the force, though the Golem showed no signs of slowing down. "Earthquake Slam incoming! Fall back!" Zoren yelled, recognizing the Golem's skill activation as it raised both arms high. The team retreated just in time as the Golem slammed its fists into the ground, sending shockwaves that rippled through the earth.

The force knocked several troops off their feet, but they quickly recovered. "This thing's tough!" Skargash grunted, wiping sweat from his brow. "But it's got weak points—we just need to keep hammering at them!"

Zoren nodded, formulating a plan. "Focus your attacks on its legs! If we can bring it down, it'll be easier to land hits on its core!" The group renewed their assault, this time concentrating on the Golem's legs.

The Golem swung its massive arms in wide arcs, trying to swat them away, but they dodged with practiced precision. As the battle raged on, the Golem activated its Granite Shield, a layer of reinforced stone covering its body.

The team's attacks now barely made a dent, the weapons bouncing off the hardened surface. "Damn, it's shielding itself!" Kaen shouted, frustration mounting.

Zoren, unfazed, ordered, "Keep hitting it! The shield can't last forever!" After what felt like an eternity, the Granite Shield began to crack under the relentless assault.

The Golem, now visibly weakened, roared in defiance, but it was too late. A coordinated strike from Skargash and Kaen brought the Golem crashing down to one knee.

"Now! Go for the core!" Zoren shouted.

Nyx was the first to move, her pickaxe aimed straight for the Golem's chest. With a powerful strike, she drove the pickaxe into the Golem's core, the point of impact glowing with a bright light as the stone cracked.

Skargash followed suit, his pickaxe plunging into the core alongside Nyx's pickaxe. The Golem let out one final, agonized roar before its body began to crumble, turning to dust that blew away in the wind.

[+1000 Points]

As the dust settled, only the loot remained—10 metal ingots, 1 Medium Golem Core, and 1 Lohar's Lost Technology Blueprint. "Nice, we got a Blueprint…" Zoren said, his voice filled with amazement as he picked up the blueprint and unrolled it. His eyes widened as he read the details.

[Lohar's Lost Technology Blueprint]

[Name: Lohar's Obsidian Cannon]

[Requirements: Golem Essence, Titanium, Obsidian Shards, Medium Golem's Core]

Zoren's heart raced with excitement as he gazed at the Obsidian Cannon. "An Obsidian Cannon… This could give us a huge advantage."

He turned, his eyes hardening with resolve. "But we're not finished yet. We'll keep hunting the Medium Golems. Once Lyra finishes crafting more weapons, we'll set our sights on the Large Golems."

The troops nodded in agreement, their spirits high despite the exhaustion from battle. They had proven their strength, but they knew the road ahead was long and fraught with danger. And so, they continued their hunt, driven by the promise of greater rewards and the need to prepare for the inevitable confrontations that lay ahead.