Chapter 152: Paradise, Storm, Suppression, Silver Light (Two-in-One)

Inside the shop:

"Mm-hmm."

Vulkan listened attentively to the bearded shopkeeper's introduction, nodding repeatedly while carefully examining the various items hanging on the walls.

Though he stood at a towering height of 1.9 meters, this one-and-a-half-year-old Primarch looked like a child who had just entered a long-dreamed-of toy store, contemplating which one to buy.

Even if he didn't intend to make a purchase, he couldn't resist looking at everything, satisfying his curiosity.

Dorn, also scanning the surroundings, couldn't hide his excitement and curiosity.

While their minds were more mature than ordinary children, they still couldn't resist fantasizing about "brave heroes fighting evil kings" or "knights slaying dragons."

In contrast, dwarf lord Thorjan, elven princess Ao Yi, and the battle-hardened human captain Pietro Bomir were already quite accustomed to the sight of an array of weapons and armor.

Thorjan, who had stepped next to Vulkan, looked up at the massive warhammer Vulkan was eyeing and commented:

"That's made from the leg bone of a Frost Ape, one of the most dangerous beasts in the polar regions. Its bone strength surpasses even the finest steel forged by us dwarves.

It's also imbued with lightning magic, making it an excellent choice for a first close-combat weapon."

"Is that so?" Vulkan nodded thoughtfully, then shifted his gaze to a metallic bracer that resembled a gauntlet. He earnestly asked Thorjan, "What about this one?"

Pleased with Vulkan's respectful attitude, Thorjan patiently explained:

"This appears to be infused with elven magic. If I'm not mistaken, it can generate a large shield according to the user's will, particularly effective against undead creatures."

"Good eye, lad!" The bearded shopkeeper joined their conversation, proudly adding:

"The Frost Hammer and the Light Bracers are the finest items in my shop."

The shopkeeper gave Thorjan, Vulkan, and the rest of their group a long, meaningful look, seemingly sensing something unusual about them. With a wide grin, he turned away and called out, "But I've got one more treasure to show you all. Hold on a moment!"

Hearing this, the five gathered together as the shopkeeper disappeared into the storeroom.

Soon after, a series of clanking sounds came from the back, signaling that he was searching for this "shop treasure."

In fact, by now, Dorn and Vulkan had learned everything from Ao Yi — including the prophecy about the new Emperor and the ancient tomb of the first Human Emperor.

As for how Ao Yi had deduced their identities outside the city, it was because members of the elven royal family were skilled in using magic long lost to humans and dwarves.

Influenced by Tinas and integrated into the prophecy, Ao Yi had easily recognized that the two brothers were "outsiders," not natives of Terra.

Moreover, the brothers had gathered intelligence from their father's command, learning that he had "recruited" the allied forces of three races and had become the prophesied new Emperor. Thus, they decided to cooperate with Ao Yi to seek out the legendary tomb of the Human Emperor.

At that moment.

As they waited, Dorn's attention was drawn to a crimson dragon-scale armor, his face showing a hint of confusion.

After all, according to Ao Yi and others, the few remaining dragons were also under the Empire's control. Yet here in this shop, dragon-scale armor was being sold.

This led Dorn to wonder about the authenticity of the armor, the Empire's relationship with the dragons, or perhaps the dragons simply sold their shed scales to the dwarves?

It didn't seem right.

Seeing this, Thorjan stepped in to clarify for the brothers: "The dragons are greedy but honest. They often travel to polar regions to stoke fires and burn coal, earning commissions from the locals.

When they're strapped for cash, they'll even pull off a few scales to sell to us dwarves. It's no secret inside or outside the Empire."

"True," Pietro chimed in, who had been mostly silent.

"Indeed." Ao Yi nodded, confirming Thorjan's words.

???

Dorn and Vulkan were stunned.

Dragons... stoking fires and burning coal?

It was hard to imagine.

In the main universe, literary works involving sword and sorcery often portrayed dragons as greedy, evil, and cunning creatures. But here on Terra, the behavior of the dragons seemed more in line with some of Atlas's principles.

Perhaps they could suggest to their father the creation of a themed park in the main universe, or collaborate with other companies in different universes?

Dorn immediately thought this could be a great way to boost the company's economic growth. The dragons could earn a decent wage, and it would be a win-win situation for both sides.

"Ha! Found it!"

Suddenly, the shopkeeper's excited shout interrupted Dorn's thoughts.

They watched as the shopkeeper carried out a large wooden sword case from the storeroom, placing it on the right side of the hall with a thud.

"Hahaha, if it weren't for the fact that you brave warriors seem destined to be here, I wouldn't bring this treasure out so easily!"

He then took out a rag to wipe off the dust and cobwebs from the case.

After a quick cleaning, he unlocked and opened the case, revealing its contents to the five gathered around.

Inside lay a two-handed sword on a soft red lining.

A blue gemstone was embedded in the crossguard between the blade and the hilt, while the hilt itself was engraved with intricate golden patterns. The long, wide silver blade measured close to two meters.

!

The moment Dorn's gaze fell upon the sword, he couldn't look away, as if it had captivated him completely.

"This is a masterpiece!" Vulkan couldn't help but marvel aloud.

"Mithril?!" Thorjan's eyes widened as he looked at the shopkeeper, seeking confirmation.

"Hahaha! You've got a good eye, young man!" The shopkeeper couldn't hold back his laughter.

"That's right! This Storm Greatsword is my proudest creation, forged from pure mithril! I'm not boasting, but no other dwarf in the entire capital has anything that can compare to it."

The shopkeeper paused, then leaned closer to the stunned Dorn, whispering, "Kid, I can sense a special connection between you and this sword. What do you say? Want to take it home? It's just this much."

He held up his left hand, spreading five fingers.

"Fifty gold coins?" Dorn nervously guessed the price.

"Fifty?" The shopkeeper looked surprised, then shook his head.

"Kid, the cost of making this sword alone was over two thousand gold coins. You should know that in all of Terra, only the labyrinth under the capital has mithril veins. Not to mention, I even had a friend enchant it with wind magic, so five thousand is the reasonable price."

"Five thousand... that's enough to buy five properties in the best areas of the capital... no, even more," Pietro muttered under his breath, sweating as he calculated the value.

"Thorjan, is it really worth five thousand?" Vulkan asked in confusion.

"Definitely," Thorjan quickly explained. "Mithril is compatible with all metals and magic, extremely malleable, and nearly indestructible when forged into armor. Weapons made from it are incredibly sharp.

If enchanted by a grandmaster mage, the weapon can even adjust its weight and size to the wielder. Some kings don't even own a single mithril dagger. So, do you think it's worth five thousand?"

"Indeed." Vulkan understood.

At the same time, he prepared to report this valuable information to their father.

In his view, mithril's properties made it an invaluable material for crafting armor or weapons for elite troops.

However, Dorn was troubled.

The investigation unit had provided them with sufficient funds for buying supplies and local close-combat weapons for self-defense, but the five-thousand-gold price was far beyond their expectations.

Just then, Ao Yi calmly took out a green gemstone and handed it to the bearded shopkeeper.

"This should cover five thousand, right?"

"Of course!"

The shopkeeper's eyes lit up, and he carefully held the gemstone in both hands, exclaiming, "A Losrian Emerald that grants longevity! Haha, this could fetch a fortune from the human nobility! Forget the Storm Greatsword, you all can pick out a few more items. Otherwise, you'd be short-changing yourselves."

Without waiting for a reply, the shopkeeper rushed back to the storeroom, clearly excited about the gemstone's immense value.

??

Seeing this, Ao Yi instantly became the center of attention.

"What?" Ao Yi asked, puzzled. "As a 500-year-old elf, is it strange for me to carry a few treasures that humans have never seen?"

She then turned to Dorn, who was filled with gratitude, and continued, "No need to thank me. My duty is to assist the Emperor's descendants in finding the tomb. Besides, I have a strong feeling that the Storm Greatsword belongs to you."

Taking a deep breath, Dorn still responded solemnly, "Thank you. After the mission is complete, I'll give you something of equal value in return."

Ao Yi didn't respond, simply resuming her selection of weapons and armor from the shop.

Afterward, all five of them chose their preferred items from the shopkeeper.

Vulkan took the Frost Hammer and the Light Bracers, while Dorn had the Storm Greatsword resized and wrapped in brown cloth, carrying it on his back.

As they left the shop and the solid wooden door closed behind them, the shopkeeper muttered to himself:

"Maybe my old eyes are failing me... mistaking those two kids for the Emperor's

 descendants? Oh well, no matter. Either way, I made a loss on this deal."

Outside the shop;

It was midday in the capital, a time when the city should have been bustling with activity. But the streets were sparse, and more than half of the shops and stalls were closed.

The reason was that the news of the new Emperor's arrival in the south had spread like a "wind of hope," rapidly reaching every corner of Terra.

In response, the Chancellor had urgently increased patrols, deploying loyal troops throughout the capital to suppress the spreading rumors by arresting residents discussing the new Emperor.

But this only fueled public outrage. The capital's residents had begun gathering outside the palace, demanding that the Chancellor immediately send the Empire's main forces south to aid the new Emperor in fighting the dark forces of Demon Ido.

A few days ago, there was almost a mutiny outside the capital.

Most of the soldiers stationed outside the city were civilians conscripted by the lords, and they were already resentful before arriving. Once the rumors of the new Emperor spread, they were naturally unwilling to follow the Chancellor's orders any longer.

At this moment.

Looking at the empty streets, Dorn suddenly seemed to remember something and asked Ao Yi, "Hey, doesn't the prophecy mention how we're supposed to find the tomb?"

Ao Yi shook her head gently, "No specific mention, but Queen Tinas speculated that the tomb might be near the capital."

"In that case..." Dorn's eyes narrowed as he spotted the heavily armored, well-dressed city guards forcibly entering homes and shops, arresting residents who were discussing the new Emperor. He lowered his voice and said, "Let's put the tomb on hold for now. Are you all bold enough to join me and my brother in ridding the capital of its current threat?"

...

Without needing to say more, Vulkan, carrying the Frost Hammer and wearing the Light Bracers, understood. He knew Dorn was planning to spark an armed revolution in the capital, using the momentum to take down the Chancellor and speed up Atlas's takeover of Terra.

Their father couldn't spare the time to deal with the north, but the two of them had plenty of it.

Moreover, if necessary, they could take the blame for any potential casualties caused by their armed uprising, protecting their father from political fallout.

"No problem," Pietro said without hesitation.

"How could I miss a chance to show off?" Thorjan was eager to join in.

"This deviates from the original plan..."

Ao Yi hesitated, burdened by the pressure to fulfill the prophecy. But when she saw the city guards dragging a child out of a home, even she, who rarely showed emotion, frowned deeply. Her hands retrieved the longbow and enchanted dwarf-forged armor-piercing arrows from her back, her voice cold as she said, "I'm in."

As for the city guards;

"Get out! Hurry! Filthy peasants are just that—filthy."

"Damn peasants, who gave you the right to discuss such things?!"

The exquisitely armored city guards spewed vulgar words as they roughly dragged a family out of their home, slapping and kicking them as they went.

"You blind fools! You're nothing but lackeys! Trash!"

The man thrown onto the street didn't care about the pain, screaming curses as he struggled to his feet, attempting to punch the nearest guard.

But the city guard captain, clad in heavy armor and wearing a red cape, used his advantage to step on the man's chest, pinning him to the ground.

The captain then looked around at the gathered onlookers, raising his voice to threaten and warn:

"Listen up, all of you! The last of the royal family died out 300 years ago. There is no so-called new Emperor in the south!

Anyone who dares to discuss the elves' nonsense again, or question the Chancellor's orders, will face the same fate—execution on the spot!"

With the captain's orders, the city guards worked in groups of three. Two pressed the man's family to their knees, while another raised his sword to the girl's throat.

"Daddy! Save me... Daddy!"

"Ah!! You animals! You scum!"

Seeing his five-year-old daughter kneeling among them, the man's eyes turned blood-red, and his fingers scratched the ground so hard they left bloody marks.

Witnessing this, the onlookers were not cowed by fear but instead became more enraged. The dwarf blacksmith nearby had already grabbed his hammer, ready to be the first to fight back.

But suddenly!

*Whoosh—thunk!*

An armor-piercing arrow flew through the air, leaving a green trail as it pierced the neck of the city guard poised to behead the girl.

*Clang!* The sword fell to the ground.

"Gurgle..." The guard instinctively raised his hands, trying to stop the blood pouring from his throat.

But it was futile. Within moments, he collapsed, dead.

"A peasant has attacked us! Prepare to suppress the—"

The city guard captain seemed to have been waiting for this moment. He drew his sword, ready to lead his men in slaughtering the entire neighborhood to achieve absolute intimidation.

But when he saw a white-haired boy holding a giant sword, he froze.

In the next second, a flash of silver light swept past, and the captain found his vision flipping, rolling in all directions. During this disorienting moment, he seemed to catch a glimpse of a headless body standing upright.

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