Limit Breaking Genius Mage Chapter 428

Episode 428: The Eye of the Typhoon (1)

The Silent Desert between the Central Continent and the Western Continent is inaccessible to anyone except indigenous creatures, not even transcendent beings.

For that reason, Linus, with the help of Marquis Esperenza, boarded an intercontinental spaceship from the Central Continent to the Western Continent.

The road back to the volcanic area was rough.

The carriage's wheels broke and the driver was stranded, and while passing through the forest, the coachman was killed instantly by a plant that shot poison. In a secluded place, he was even attacked by a group of bandits.

It was a long distance even if I just went forward smoothly… … It was to the point where I felt as if the world was forcibly getting in my way.

Despite this, Linus showed his tenacity and survived.

Even though his fighting ability has declined significantly since becoming one-armed, his experience as a platinum-rank adventurer has never faded.

Of course, the fact that he received an abundance of wealth from successfully recreating the national treasure [Raindia] at the request of the Estyrian royal family also played a part.

A journey of several months.

Crossing borders and passing through several cities and towns, Linus came across a lot of news, whether he wanted to or not.

Of course, there are newspaper reports that a bone dragon has appeared in the Republic of Veldirn on the Eastern Continent.

I also know how and by whom the Bone Dragon was subdued.

The deity of the Eastern Continent.

The being Linus is currently facing is one of the main characters in the rumor.

"this……."

Linus, who had already gotten out of bed, knelt down in front of the dragon's skull.

It's a look of complete obsession.

He slowly stretched out his arm and carefully touched the legendary material that he had never encountered in his entire life as a blacksmith, and that he had never even seen.

Linus muttered.

“I heard that the remains of the purified undead dragon were divided between the Luas Church and the Dark Warton Tower, and that only one of its ribs was released into the market through the Great Council called Licentia and the Scales of Ignacia…….”

“What is apparent is not always the truth.”

Yes, that's right.

Whether sunny or shady, this world is stained with all sorts of secrets.

But what does that matter?

The skull of the tenth dragon, of which only nine existed in recorded history, is right before your eyes!

Linus took a deep breath.

Surprise, confusion, and even amazement quickly calmed me down.

I was so distracted that I turned around and found my place again.

A calmness came over Linus' face.

“First of all, I understand what the situation is.”

"really?"

“No, honestly, I don’t know anything. But there’s no need to ask. The important thing is that Your Majesty came to me to ask for a production, right?”

Verden saved Linus, and Linus gave his life to Verden in exchange for building the Orient for free, but it is not a relationship that ends when repaid like a debt.

The goodwill still remains.

Linus had more than enough reasons to treat Verden as a special guest.

“But, of course, I didn’t know you would go across the continent and even to the volcanic zone. Is there something urgent?”

“We need a new weapon.”

“If it’s a weapon… is there a problem with the staff I made?”

The Light of the East, Orient is Linus' masterpiece and magnum opus.

“Hmm, it’s not something that would break in just one or two years. Besides, Your Majesty is a sorcerer, so it’s unlikely that you would be directly shocked. Surely… you didn’t use that to strike the dragon’s bones, did you?”

“It’s not like there was no contact at all, but Orient is fine. There’s no problem.”

"yes?"

“It would be quicker to show than to explain.”

Verden summoned Orient from subspace and infused him with magical power.

Hooooooooooooo!

A metallic sound brushes my ears.

The golden light flowing from the orb illuminated the cell.

Anxious tremors.

Linus frowned and tilted his head as he faced him.

“This seems to be a phenomenon that occurs when the staff itself temporarily reaches its endurance critical point… No, why is this happening all of a sudden??”

Linus had always been aware of Verden's realm, which was in the upper 6th tier.

The reason was simple.

Well, Leonil Bertanas was a magician of the 6th rank. It was reasonable to think that he was at least of the same level in order to win against the supposedly strongest man in the kingdom.

So that was the problem.

There wasn't much of a reaction back then, so why is it causing trouble now?

“It’s not a problem caused by Orient’s damage, nor are there any other external factors… In my opinion, the only remaining variable is yourself. Do you have any guesses?”

“Rise of the realm?”

“Well, it is true that there are cases where the weapon changes depending on the growth of its owner. But if a magician rises above the 6th level, it sounds like he has become a transcendent being? Haha, I didn’t know Your Majesty would make such a joke.”

“…….”

No answer comes back.

Linus glanced up.

Blue eyes that seemed to see through both the inside and outside were staring straight at him.

It was somehow creepy. The look in his eyes was clearly different from before.

“Just kidding…huh?”

“Now that we’ve relayed the message, let’s continue the conversation outside. The guard who went to get food is coming back.”

In the distance, the dwarf's presence can be felt gradually approaching.

Verden kept the dragon's skull and the Orient in subspace.

“How do I get out of here? If it’s okay with you, I can break you out of here right now.”

“T-There’s no need to escape. It’s a light punishment, so you can leave immediately after paying the bail. But for only being locked up for ten days… Those dwarves will probably try to get a lot of money for it. Dwarves are greedy.”

A sea I have already experienced.

“I’ll give you that tidy up. What’s the procedure?”

“So, if you talk to the dwarf guarding the prison entrance, he will guide you.”

“It’s simple.”

Verden turned his back.

“Alpha, is the scan finished?”

[Scan complete. Dwarf's skills confirmed. Currently analyzing. Progress 17%. 4 hours, 32 minutes, 13 seconds left until analysis is complete.]

Alpha stretched out both arms.

The guy who skillfully climbed up the hem of the robe landed on the nape of Verden's neck.

It was Alpha's exclusive stone in mini golem form.

<Transition>

Verden, who had been performing short-distance teleportation, disappeared in an instant along with Alpha.

The door opened immediately afterwards.

A dwarf appeared, pulling a metal cart loaded with food and drink.

“It’s time to eat!”

“…….”

In the cell, there was only Linus, whose complexion was pale.

After a while, Linus was released.

* * *

A building in the eastern district of Waystone.

On the top floor, a one-armed man and a strange transcendent being stepped foot.

It's a cozy room.

Linus, who had prepared refreshments by waving his right arm in a hurry, sat down across from Verden at a table centered around one of them.

“I don’t know if this will suit your taste. If there’s anything else you want, I’ll go out and buy it right now…….”

“Okay.”

"yes."

Linus answered immediately.

Then, without realizing it, I hid my trembling hands under the table.

Since he left prison, he had never asked anything about the Transcendent. It was not something he was curious about or interested in.

The same was true for golem-like creatures the size of the palm of one's hand.

My own judgment was that not knowing the details was bliss, and that killing curiosity was the answer.

Of course, that doesn't change the reality of being with a transcendent being… … There's a big difference between being certain by hearing it directly and just making a guess that's close to certainty.

At least mentally.

It's not too late to sort out your inner turmoil.

Linus, who had gathered his wits like that, started talking about the real topic without any further ado.

“Your Majesty, if you entrust me with the dragon’s materials… I believe you have truly come to find another blacksmith through me. Is that correct?”

“If you could handle it, I would leave it to you.”

“Haha, if I was that skilled, I would have just stayed in the volcanic zone and not lost my arm while looking for materials.”

Despite the mention of coming to find another craftsman, Linus didn't seem at all offended.

What blacksmith would be ashamed of himself for not being able to handle dragon bones, especially the skull?

Besides, Linus was a man who was particularly good at self-objectification.

“To put it bluntly, there are only two ways to handle a keel in this dwarven society, that I know of.”

“Two?”

This part was also surprising to Verden.

I didn't know there was a choice, there wasn't just one possible means of doing it.

“Yes, the ‘first’ is to be entrusted to the clan leaders, the leaders of the dwarf clans, and the second is to be requested by my master.”

“Please explain in order.”

“Of course. Then…….”

Linus cleared his throat.

“First of all, the former is a group. Even if the individual skills of the clan leaders are lacking, they can not only secure enough skilled dwarves, but also use the most advanced dwarven facilities without any problems. In other words, if given enough time, they will eventually be able to melt down the dragon’s skull and use it. However, I do not recommend it.”

“Why?”

“There are many disadvantages, but above all… the moment they see the material, they will pretend to take over the production order and try to steal it. They may also secretly contact the Arnak Empire and try to drive you out. That is more beneficial to both the individual and the group.”

Linus scratched his temple.

“These days, dwarves are quite different from what the world knows. As you can see from the streets of Waystone, there is a reason why they are so sharply ideologically opposed to each other.”

“The protests were quite violent. Mostly auditory.”

“More than half of those loud protesters are disciples of the Hammer, Gharun, who has the same integrity as me. Well, it’s only natural that they’d cause trouble since Gharun, their master and the center of the orthodoxy, has been captured.”

Verden narrowed his eyes.

'The hammer with the incision, Gharun.'

The greedy dwarf who guided Linus to Waystone, the master of Linus, and the culprit who attacked the second prince of the empire as told by Bali and Corey.

“I heard a little about the Second Prince attack incident. Were you also captured as one of those protesters?”

“Huh? No. I got involved by accident. As I was passing by, the disciples of Gharun started causing a ruckus right next to me…… and I got caught. Because I was also a disciple of Gharun.”

Linus is human, of course, even though he learned his craft from dwarves.

There are physical differences.

If I went around screaming like other dwarves, my voice might burst in one day.

“And I’m not particularly active in protests. That Harun… It’s not that I don’t understand why my master was captured. I’m glad he didn’t get executed, since he swung his ignorant giant hammer at none other than the prince of the great empire. Seriously.”

An empire is different from other nations.

If we consider only the status of the country itself, it is no exaggeration to say that it is at the top of the world.

Verden said, crossing his arms.

“Well, it’s a protest anyway. The method I mentioned earlier seems to have far more fatal flaws than advantages. It seems like the latter is the only answer.”

“I guess so. Even though he is currently imprisoned, the only one who can handle the keel as an individual is the Master. However… there are still problems on his side. In some cases, it can be worse than that of the Clan Leader. No, rather than a problem, it would be more correct to say that he has flaws.”

"defect?

“To be a little more blunt…….”

Linus sighed.

“That guy, he really is a really weird and dirty guy.”

He did not spare emphasis in his evaluation of his teacher.

* * *

The dwarf clan's stronghold built inside a 'red volcano' filled with geothermal energy.

At its deepest point, there is a prison layer where all the dwarven technologies are concentrated, an iron fortress from which one cannot escape once trapped.

Step, step, step.

The sound of short strides.

A dwarf walking alone down a dark path───the leader of the Red Volcano Clan stopped tall.

There is a large prison in front of you.

A being with its limbs bound could be seen through the gaps in the tight metal bars.

A rough voice was heard.

“It seems like your butt has gotten heavier since you became the clan leader. Now that you’ve shown yourself in front of me.”

“Please understand. I had to do something to clear up what happened up there.”

“Training? Is shaking your beard at a human being considered training these days? Well, that’s strange. I don’t think your parents ever taught you that.”

“…….”

The clan leader tried to control his temper at the sudden mention of his parents.

You must not get involved.

A minimum of respect must be shown.

The opponent is a special breed of dwarf, a muscular dwarf who neither weakens nor dies even after 200 years, and a legendary blacksmith.

A hammer with a cutting edge, that's Gharun.

“I don’t know, Mr. Hammer of Integrity, because I have never been a clan leader. Unlike you who are free, I have a lot of responsibilities.”

“Don’t speak so solemnly and politely, because it gives me goosebumps. I know your personality. By the way, I was there when your grandfather was born.”

“Did you know that that was the 827th time I told you a story about my grandfather?”

“Your grandfather was short for his age. He was a dwarf among dwarves. This makes him number 828.”

“Do you want to starve in prison?”

“Haha! Just starve me once. I’ll die. And you know I designed this prison myself, right? If I mess up, I’ll escape, so just know that.”

“I designed that restraint.”

“That’s the problem. Shall I show you? I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

That wasn't a bluff.

The clan leader, whose face had suddenly turned red, slumped to the floor and exhaled heavily.

“Okay, take a deep breath. You might get sick if you don’t.”

“Seriously, fuck…….”

The clan leader suppressed his anger.

“……Gharun, do you know what you did? You attacked the Second Prince of all people. Because of that, a rift was created in our relationship with the Empire.”

“If they wanted to, they could have killed him on the spot, but they only gave him a warning. Anyway, it’s a good thing.”

“It went well? The relationship we spent so much time building seems to have regressed!”

“Dwarves don’t need that kind of relationship.”

It's like this again.

No matter how well you try to persuade them, they won't listen.

Authentic dwarf.

The clan leader felt annoyed with the dwarves who could not adapt to the times.

“If you have any complaints, protest or something……!”

“That’s not enough. You won’t eat it.”

“But did you really have to act so aggressively? Do you know what troubles have come about because of you? The Arnak Empire has decided to dispatch one of its Lords, the Sword Saint!”

“Why, are you trying to kill me?”

“On the contrary! You senile old man!”

He threw down the letter from the Arnac Empire that was in his bosom.

“The Second Prince was holding another string. It was so secretive that even the Empire was slow to find out.”

The clan leader's expression distorted.

“Other transcendent forces will intervene in this incident.”

* * *

“Is this the volcanic area?”

“It’s as rocky as I heard. And the temperature is high. I wonder if a volcano will erupt if we go there.”

A man and a woman climbed to the top of a rocky mountain.

They are covered in gray body armor from head to toe and wear red cloaks.

They each had the appearance of knights, each holding a sword and a pair of swords on their waists.

“I knew you would come someday, but I never thought it would be because of the Second Prince.”

“It can’t be helped. Since Young-ae has feelings for the Second Prince… Even though it’s a bit like that, it ended up being a good thing for the King.”

Now that we have legally entered the dwarven territory protected by the Arnak Empire.

“Since we’ve managed to sneak in through a gap, we must do whatever it takes to create a crack. The only thing we need to watch out for is the swordsman dispatched by the Empire.”

“The disciple of the transcendent being who protects the empire. I’m looking forward to it. I wonder if the rumors are true or not. Let’s stop looking and get going.”

The woman placed her fist against the forehead of the helmet.

“For my vow.”

They are part of the 'Knights of the Word'.

The transcendent beings who reign over the continent, the oath-givers, and the beings who have made promises to each other.

Two transcendent forces, the Arnak Empire and the Knights of the Oath, gather at the red volcano in the volcanic zone.

Without noticing the Transcendent One in the waystone.