This Dungeon Grew Mushrooms

With both sides clearly inclined toward cooperation, the negotiations proceeded with unusual smoothness.

Although there were no shortage of dwarves internally who harbored dissatisfaction toward humans and wished to make things difficult for the delegation, the ruling figures of the major clans showed astonishing unity and forcefully suppressed those dissenting voices.

In fact, when Inanna cautiously raised the topic of wanting to learn some methods related to “sealing an elemental lord,” the dwarves’ response was unexpectedly forthcoming.

However, when that “method” was finally handed to Inanna, the contents caught Lin Jun off guard.

Lin Jun had expected to receive something like a complex sealing magic array blueprint or an ancient incantation ritual.

Instead, what the dwarves delivered was, unmistakably… a user manual.

A manual on how to operate the enormous metal ring embedded in the fire elemental lord’s chest.

It turned out that the object was called the Ring of Restraint.

According to the description, this ring was most likely a “collar” crafted by the original creators of the dungeon to bind the powerful elemental lord in front of the core gate.

Its internal structure was extremely complex, engraved with multiple layers of runes and possessing many functions.

Back then, the dwarves’ ancestors had succeeded in sealing the fire elemental lord precisely by deciphering and activating part of the restraining runes within the ring.

The problem, however, was that activating the runes on the ring required the elemental lord itself to not resist violently.

Ronan pressed further, asking how the dwarven ancestors had managed to force the fire elemental lord into submission in the first place.

In response, the dwarven representative offered only a glorified yet vague answer:

“Through unparalleled wisdom and unmatched strength.”

As for what kind of wisdom it was, or what sort of strength had been used, there were no details whatsoever.

This time, Inanna’s expedition to the Moltenfire Dungeon was directly tied to the dwarves’ own interests, so their preparations were exceptionally swift.

In just three days, everything was ready.

An elite dwarven force of over a thousand warriors would advance as the vanguard. Even General Duvalin and the dwarven war hero Bardo would be accompanying them.

It was not that the dwarves were unwilling to send more troops, but rather that the terrain inside the Moltenfire Dungeon was extremely complex, severely limiting how much force could be effectively deployed. This was also one of the key reasons they had been unable to conquer it despite repeated attempts.

As for Bardo, although the members of the delegation had a poor impression of this arrogant dwarf, there was no denying his ferocity and overwhelming strength.

In previous campaigns against imperial border fortresses, whenever he took the field, he always charged at the very front.

Often, as soon as a flaw appeared in the fortress’s defensive magic, he would be the first to leap onto the walls, throwing the defenders into chaos and creating openings for the siege war constructs to completely destroy the defenses. His military achievements were indisputable.

It was clear that the dwarves truly did not want anything to go wrong with Inanna on this mission.

That said, Lin Jun was not about to entrust the safety of this operation entirely to the dwarves.

Both the knight and the Sword Saint could be sacrificed at critical moments to stall the enemy. As for Number Four, although it swore confidently that it would protect the pink puji, Lin Jun still regarded it as a one-time firecracker.

Against an opponent at the level of an elemental lord, whether it was the frost elemental lord or this fire elemental lord, the most troublesome aspect was their ability to exploit the battlefield environment to the fullest.

In an environment perfectly aligned with their own attributes, their combat power could easily more than double.

If the battlefield were instead moved to the frozen tundra of the northern border, this team might even have had a chance to take down the fire elemental lord outright.

Once inside the dungeon, Inanna immediately demonstrated her terrifying affinity with elemental spirits.

Large numbers of fire and earth elementals gathered close, gently clustering around her.

Even though he had been mentally prepared, witnessing this scene firsthand still made General Duvalin swallow hard.

He felt that if elemental spirits had tails, they would probably be wagging them enthusiastically at that pink-haired human right now.

However, being too popular also brought its own problems.

The sheer number of elemental spirits gathering around severely obstructed the team’s movement. Even though the elementals tried their best to restrain their heat, the density still caused the ambient temperature to soar to unbearable levels, making even breathing difficult.

Inanna had no choice but to throw a light spell far ahead and use the moment when the elementals chased after the glowing orb to quickly move the team forward.

There were moments of danger along the way, and the threat came from an old acquaintance of Lin Jun’s—the burrowing worm.

These heat-resistant giant worms also inhabited the Moltenfire Dungeon.

Before it appeared, the familiar vibrations put everyone on high alert.

When the burrowing worm suddenly burst out of the rock wall on the right side of the formation, opening its grotesque mandibles, Bardo—who had been waiting for it—swung his massive hammer with mountain-splitting force and slammed it into the front of the worm’s emerging head.

Rock armor shattered, flesh exploded, and the burrowing worm suffered a devastating blow. In pain, it thrashed its massive body wildly before retreating in panic back into the tunnel it had bored, leaving behind only a scene of wreckage and still-trembling rock walls.

Bardo spat on the ground, bent down, and picked up a fragment of a worm tooth the size of his palm. He casually wiped it against his armor and stuffed it into the leather pouch at his waist as a trophy.

Aside from elemental spirits, the Moltenfire Dungeon did indeed harbor a few magical creatures adapted to extreme heat like the burrowing worm, but they were clearly incapable of posing a real threat to this force.

After two days of steady progress, the team finally reached the deepest area.

Last time, the knight puji had only been discovered upon reaching the outskirts of the lava lake. This time, however, they were still some distance away when the fire elemental lord’s roar thundered from the end of the passage:

“It’s you insects again! Courting death!”

At the same time, hostile mental commands surged outward from the depths.

Wherever those commands passed, the elemental spirits that had been gently clustered around Inanna froze for a moment, then their flames surged violently once more.

“Damn it! So it really doesn’t work?!” General Duvalin’s heart sank as he immediately shouted orders. “Shield wall! Tighten formation! Slow retreat!”

The dwarven warriors reacted swiftly. Heavy shields slammed into the ground, axes and spears protruding through the gaps, forming a moving wall of steel as they prepared to fight while withdrawing.

Even in the most optimistic scenario, this elite force would likely suffer losses of more than half.

Yet unexpectedly, when Inanna stood atop a massive rock and the light spell flared again in her hand, the elemental spirits that had just begun to rampage miraculously calmed down once more.

“Kill them! Burn them to ashes! Why are you all just standing there?” the fire elemental lord’s mental commands crashed through again and again.

But the low-level elementals that once obeyed it unquestioningly only reacted briefly this time. Before they could even attack, they settled back into docility.

A surge of unbelievable joy burst into General Duvalin’s eyes as he ordered the formation to hold and continue advancing slowly.

As the team drew closer to the lava lake where the fire elemental lord resided, it too seemed to sense that something was wrong.

“What is that? What exactly have you brought here?!” For the first time, the fire elemental lord’s mental fluctuations carried not just rage, but also suspicion and unease.

Its roar remained loud, yet it no longer sounded as confident as before.

“Get out! Do not come any closer! Otherwise, I will turn you all to ash!”

When the team finally entered the lava lake’s range, the fire elemental lord’s attention became almost uncontrollably fixed on Inanna.

In the searing environment, even the battle-hardened dwarven elites could not suppress their trembling when facing an enemy like a natural disaster incarnate.

Bardo still stood at the front of the formation, but he subconsciously tightened his grip on the massive hammer, staring intently at the foe.

Yet Inanna did not remain behind the lines. She stepped past the tense Bardo and faced the mountain-like inferno directly. Her clear voice carried a strange, penetrating power:

“Great Fire Elemental Lord, we crossed flames and obstacles not to ignite another war. I seek a path beyond war and destruction, one that can exist between you and the dwarves.”

As Inanna spoke, the raging flames on the fire elemental lord gradually eased.

On the enormous face traced by fire, brutality and fury slowly gave way to an indescribable, intoxicated expression.

“Oh… this is so… so captivating…” It subconsciously extended a hand formed of flame toward Inanna.

But then it suddenly snapped back to its senses.

“No!” The fire elemental lord let out a heart-rending shriek, yanking its massive hand back as if it had nearly touched poison. “My will is free! Burning since time immemorial, never bowing! You will not—will not control me with such despicable means!”

With a furious sweep of its arm, a terrifying wave mixed with viscous lava and annihilating energy roared toward Inanna and the team behind her.

“Damn it! In the end, it still comes down to talking with a hammer!” Bardo cursed, reacting instantly.

He grabbed Inanna by the clothes and, with no regard for gentleness, flung her backward through the air. Several of Number Four’s tentacles shot out in time, catching the pink puji securely midair.

Bloodline Enhancement

The war god bloodline of the Firebeard Clan boiled within him.

His body swelled visibly, growing two full sizes larger. The hammer that had once seemed oversized now fit perfectly in his grasp.

“Get back for me!”

With a furious roar, Bardo poured all his strength into a single strike against the oncoming wave of destruction.

The lava wave was actually split cleanly down the middle by this blow, smashed apart and forced to roll backward.

Although large amounts of molten rock splashed outward, the dwarven mages raised mana shields in time, blocking it all.

“Good! Again!” Bardo landed atop a protruding slab of black rock, shaking molten residue from his hammer. His chest heaved violently, battle intent blazing in his eyes as he prepared for the fire elemental lord’s next, more ferocious assault.

However, the expected follow-up attack never came.

After the lava wave parted, everyone saw an unbelievable scene.

The mountain-like fire elemental lord had drawn in all its flamboyant flames, its enormous body now looking far dimmer than before.

It was… slowly—extremely slowly—moving toward the shore where they stood.

That cautious posture was exactly the same as that of the ordinary fire elementals that had previously clustered around Inanna.

This sight not only stunned the dwarves present.

Even Lin Jun felt a sense of absurdity—and a trace of fear.