Limit Breaking Genius Mage Chapter 430

Episode 430 Interview (1)

Volcanic areas are home to deformed landmasses that naturally hold heat, but that heat is often convected rather than distributed evenly by tectonic shifts.

Then, heat from various factors gathers together and explodes, causing the land to rise, which is the origin of terrain such as red volcanoes.

This is the characteristic of volcanic areas.

However, it is not as harsh as the Great Forest or the Silent Desert, so it can be partially developed by humans like Waystone.

Of course, dwarves are hardly affected by the environment, no matter where they live in the volcanic zone.

They are also called the Metal Race because they have extremely high resistance to fire and excellent fire extinguishing power, making it easy for them to stay alive.

It also doesn't need to be exposed to sunlight and is as sturdy as it looks.

This means that even if you stay in the mine for your entire life, you can live a healthy life.

So, dwarves mainly live in huge fortresses built by developing the volcano itself as a clan unit.

If you can prevent volcanic eruptions through stabilization and management───you can constantly activate the fortress function with the geothermal energy inside, and by growing special plants, you can secure food and protect your clan from external enemies.

As the center of the tunnel, it maximizes mining efficiency.

Because it is possible to arbitrarily raise the temperature of lava using catalysts and facilities and use it for advanced tasks, there are many advantages.

What makes this possible is the dwarves' unique technology.

This is the information I gathered through conversations with Bali and Corey, based on the basic knowledge about dwarves I learned from books.

From him, Verden got a clue to infiltrate the Red Volcano Clan.

'If the dwarves use the volcanic lava directly or indirectly… … they must have artificially created new paths to allow the flow to spread throughout the clan.'

It's not like you're drawing water from a lake, you're just scooping up lava every time.

It is confidence as a wizard.

Because efficiency is a concept that must always be considered, whether human or dwarf.

───!

Verden's vision turned orange as he jumped into the lava lake.

<Suggestion> does not work here. The only indicators are magic detection and senses.

It's a limitation that wouldn't even be a problem for the transcendent Verden… … .

'If you look at it objectively, it's kind of crazy.'

If he had been a normal wizard, he would not have even thought about it, let alone taken the same approach as he has now.

Because if your concentration breaks, your magic runs out, or the spell runs out of power… …then you will inevitably be engulfed in heat and pressure and become part of the lava.

Even while maintaining the shield, air must be continuously created.

Without the help of a magical item, it would be impossible for anyone other than a wizard who has mastered the fire and wind attributes and double casting.

'There are also a host of other considerations.'

In short, it is a stealth method that even seasoned magicians or sorcerers would not dare to attempt.

In general, penetrating the interior of an active volcano is tantamount to suicide.

And such common sense… … of course, was not limited to humans.

'As expected, there's nothing.'

Even though you've entered deep, the barrier protecting your clan doesn't appear.

As expected.

It was obvious that even the dwarves would not have dared to assume that there would be intruders who had broken through the thick layer of lava.

Eventually, the lava flow became deeper and narrower.

───Beat it! Beat it!

───Naaaaaaah! A cold beer awaits!

The shouts of dwarven craftsmen working busily can be heard. Their voices are so loud that they are almost noise, making the lava tremble.

'It's too early to tell.'

Verden manipulated the lava around him to secretly increase his speed.

Countless metallic sounds pass by.

So I continued along the direction of the flow and reached the end.

Empty space.

There are traces, but their presence has not been detected, so it seems they have left for a while.

Swish.

Verden appeared outside.

The lava flowed like mucus along the curves of the magically formed curtain. He released the shield and tapped [Einver] on the shoulder.

Alpha sticking his body out.

The guy looked around with his one shining eye and said.

[Infiltration complete.]

With this, Verden and Alpha entered the Red Volcano Clan.

* * *

Now that we've managed to get inside the impregnable fortress without being detected by anyone, it's time to find Gharun.

Verden activated [Einver] and covered himself with a <veil> to hide his presence.

Even though I was walking around the halls openly, no dwarves noticed me. They just passed by, chattering loudly.

After a while, we emerged from the dark passage.

As Verden raised his gaze, the sight of the red volcanic fortress was reflected within the walls.

'It's spectacular when you see it in person.'

Rectangular buildings erected here and there.

Even at a glance, the technology is incomparable to that of Waystone's structures.

To the west, metal carts manned by dwarves move smoothly along the rails, laden with ores of all kinds.

In the east, dwarven staple food, plants that grow with little nutrients and no sunlight, were growing in abundance.

In the south, there was a constant roar and metallic noise.

Finally, far to the north, there was a majestic citadel. This must be where the Red Volcano Clan leader resided.

'Then this is the second floor.'

Verden vividly recalled the drawings Linus had drawn for him. He moved cautiously, comparing his memory with the actual structure of the fortress.

To get to the prison floor, you have to go through the lowest floor.

Verden found the empty magic elevator in the corner and boarded it.

Alpha came down on his robe and pressed the button to go directly to the lowest floor.

Then, a dwarf miner with soot on his face came running.

“Wait a minute! Wait!!”

The dwarf miner shouted urgently.

The gaze was not directed at Verden, but at the closing door.

Alpha pressed the close button repeatedly.

Kuung.

A completely blocked door.

Eventually, the dwarf miner missed the elevator right in front of him.

───Hey, shit!!!

There's swearing coming from above.

Regardless, Alpha sat down on his own seat at the nape of Verden's neck.

[Putting the goal first. Eliminating obstacles.]

It was Alpha's rational judgment.

Verden nodded in praise to the mini golem that had completed its mission.

Soon after, the magic elevator reached its destination and stopped.

Thud, thud.

We went further down as Linus had told us.

After passing several dwarven patrols in full body armor, I found a large brass door, the entrance to the prison floor.

There is no way around it.

Linus also didn't know any details about the prison floors other than their location or structure.

This is something that must be resolved with the power of Verden and Alpha.

“Alpha.”

[Your order has been confirmed, Your Majesty Verden.]

Alpha flashed his one eye.

The metal door was magically treated to prevent magical power from seeping in, so I attacked the tiny gaps and looked for only the area where magical power could reach, examining the entire internal structure.

It is recognizing the form of an object not through the object itself, but through the air surrounding it.

Alpha's scan is complete.

[Analysis complete. There are two ways to open the door. The first requires a special key. The second is partial destruction.]

Verden chose the second.

Now it was a hassle to go and get a key that I didn't even know where it was.

“Pick the location.”

[check.]

Alpha pointed the light of his magical power at a specific point.

Magic <Destruction>

Concentrated crimson magic power.

Verden stretched out his right arm and placed the tip of his index finger against it. Only the part that made contact with it began to disintegrate and scatter.

[Here. Here. Here. There. Here.]

Verden followed Alpha's instructions and destroyed a total of 26 locations.

Clank!

As we destroyed the last part, a heavy sound was heard and the tightly closed door began to open on its own.

I took the stairs beyond and went down to the bottom of the basement.

'Is this the prison floor?'

The stone lanterns installed here and there emit yellow light, softly illuminating all directions.

It's empty.

There were many empty prisons.

… …except for one thing.

Verden, who had removed the <veil>, approached the prison in the center.

You can see inside through the bars.

An older, muscular dwarf sat with his hands and feet bound.

“Are you Gharun?”

At the soft question, the dwarf with a grim expression raised his head.

He looked Verden up and down with very critical eyes and stroked his bushy beard.

“They said that the Black Knight and the Oath Keeper were coming… but what the heck, a Transcendent One has come.”

* * *

Even though Verden didn't reveal his identity, his identity was immediately apparent.

It wasn't just a hit.

Gharun snorted at Verden's gaze.

“Huh, isn’t it strange that a being wearing so many artifacts isn’t a transcendent being? Let’s see. That ring is a natural artifact imbued with the power of a different species, and the robe… Hmm? It seems to be artificially made, but it’s much higher grade than ancient artifacts. Where on earth did you get that?”

Gharun was interested in the weapon that Verden was wearing. He didn't really seem to care whether the opponent was a Transcendent or not.

As Linus mentioned, it's a very unique character.

At that moment, Gharun looked up and gazed at Verden's appearance.

“Ashen hair, blue eyes… Yes, it was you. Asher, the wizard who saved Linus.”

“You have a good eye.”

“I remember that idiot who got hit in the back of the head and lost his left arm, and kept talking until his lips were dry. I saw it in the newspaper too. But I never heard anyone say he was a transcendent being.”

Gharoon called Linus an idiot, but it wasn't in an accusatory tone.

Rather, I felt goodwill.

“I see you like Linus. Is he your special disciple?”

“How could a one-armed blacksmith not be special? He may be a pitiful man in many ways, but it is commendable that he never gives up on being a blacksmith despite having only one arm. Even among the dwarves these days, there is no one with that kind of spirit.”

Gharun whetted his appetite.

“But how did you get into the clan? You probably didn’t have permission to enter… Did you break the barrier or something?”

“I came in secretly.”

"how?"

“There was no barrier on the lava side.”

“Huh, I guess he does things that are out of common sense because he’s a transcendent being.”

Gharun straightened his bent back.

“So, strange transcendent being, what did you come to me to create?”

“The story moves quickly.”

“Because all the Transcendent beings who came to me in the past had the same business.”

Were there any transcendent beings among Gharun's guests?

Verden took the dragon's skull out of the subspace and placed it on the floor.

“Oh, I see, this is the material you got from that bone dragon. I thought it went to the Luas Church, but was it a trick? Anyway, what kind of weapon do you want?”

“Staff.”

“Staff… Oh, by the way, did you say that Linus made your staff? Dawn of the East, Orient. I think they are masterpieces and magnum opuses. Let’s take a look.”

Verden, who had no reason to refuse, summoned Orient.

“Hmm.”

Gharun narrowed his eyes and stared at Orient intently.

In great detail.

His thick, rough fingers twitched occasionally.

“For Linus, he definitely made something good. But…….”

Gharun saw through the interior of the Orient without even touching it.

“It seems that you have been repeatedly exposed to shocks that are beyond your ability to handle, as well as to massive magical powers that have reached the critical point. You have been treated quite roughly. You may look fine on the outside, but you are a total mess on the inside.”

“Is that so?”

“Self-repair is not omnipotent. Its function is no different from forcibly extending the life of a weapon. In fact, there are cases where self-repair makes it impossible to repair something that needs to be repaired. However, this is not that bad, so I guess I can separate the materials and recycle them.”

Gharun nodded his head.

As befitting his reputation as a great dwarf, his every gaze is filled with observation.

But there was something I needed to hear a definitive answer to first.

“So, can you handle this material?”

“If we’re just talking about whether it’s possible or not, then it’s possible. I’ve handled dragon bones before. It was a long time ago for a human, but… Well, even I’ve never used a dragon skull, but there’s nothing that I can’t do.”

It wasn't something like Man-Yong.

The dwarf never doubted his own abilities.

At that moment, Gharun said.

“Then this time I will ask.”

“Speak.”

“Are you qualified?”

qualifications?

“As a craftsman who makes tools, I do not tolerate those tools being used in vain. I never accept a request to make something that does not meet my standards. An emperor? A transcendent being? Huh, is that a big deal?”

He stood up from his seat.

“The concept of transcendence differs among races. Humans refer to beings who can interfere with the world, beastmen refer to monsters with overwhelming violence, and elves refer to those who have received the order to transcend from the World Tree. However, dwarves are different.”

The hammer with the incision twisted the corners of his mouth and clenched both fists tightly.

“We do not transcend as beings. We are the ones who create transcendence. That is what dwarves are.”

Great conviction and pride.

The legendary dwarf stared straight at Verden.

“There’s no need to explain in detail. Just tell me the main points. What you want to do, what your goal is.”

Gharun asked Berden about transcendence.