On the foundation that both parties harbored clear intentions to cooperate, this negotiation proceeded exceptionally smoothly.
Although there was no shortage of dwarves internally who held dissatisfaction toward humans and intended to embarrass the delegation, the power holders of the major clans displayed surprising tacit understanding, suppressing this wave of opposition.
Even when Inanna tentatively proposed hoping to learn some methods regarding "sealing the Elemental Lord," the response from the dwarf side was quite straightforward.
However, when this "method" was subsequently handed to Inanna, the content was somewhat beyond Lin Jun's expectations.
Lin Jun had originally thought he would obtain some complex sealing magic array chart or an ancient incantation ritual.
But what the dwarves handed over was shockingly... an instruction manual.
An instruction manual on how to control that giant metal ring on the Fire Elemental Lord's chest!
It turned out it was called the Imprisonment Ring.
According to the instructions, this ring was likely a "collar" created by the dungeon's original creator to bind the powerful Elemental Lord before the core gate.
Its internal structure was complex, engraved with multiple runes and possessing numerous functions.
The dwarf ancestors had successfully sealed the Fire Elemental Lord back then precisely by cracking and activating some of the imprisonment runes within it.
But the problem lay in the fact that to activate the runes on the ring, the Elemental Lord itself needed to not be resisting fiercely!
Ronan had pressed for details on how the dwarf ancestors had forced the Fire Elemental Lord to submit back then.
To this, the dwarf representative only gave a reply full of glory but vague on details: "By relying on supreme wisdom and unmatched strength."
As for specifically what kind of wisdom and what sort of strength, there were absolutely no details.
This time, Inanna's trip to the Molten Dungeon concerned the dwarves' own interests, so their actions were very swift.
In just three days, all preparations were completed.
A force of over a thousand elite dwarf warriors would serve as the vanguard to clear the path. Even General Duvalin and that dwarf war hero Badul were going along.
It wasn't that the dwarves were unwilling to dispatch more troops, but rather the internal terrain of the Molten Dungeon was complex, limiting the number of troops that could be effectively deployed. This was also one of the key difficulties in why they hadn't been able to conquer it for so long.
Regarding Badul, although everyone in the delegation had a poor impression of this arrogant and conceited dwarf, his bravery and formidable strength were unquestionable.
In previous campaigns attacking the Empire's border fortresses, as long as he took the field, he would invariably charge at the very front.
Often, after a flaw appeared in the fortress's defensive magic, he would be the first to breach the walls, throwing the defenders into disarray and creating opportunities for the subsequent siege war golems to thoroughly destroy the defenses. His military exploits were truly illustrious.
It could be seen that the dwarves really didn't want any accidents happening to Inanna here.
However, Lin Jun couldn't possibly entrust the safety of this trip entirely to the dwarves.
Knight and Sword Saint could be sacrificed at necessary moments to stall the enemy. As for No. 4, although it solemnly swore to protect Pink Puchi, Lin Jun still counted it as a disposable firecracker.
Against an opponent of an Elemental Lord's level, whether it was the Ice Elemental Lord or this Fire Elemental Lord, the most troublesome part was that the opponent could utilize home-field advantage to the maximum.
In an environment compatible with their own attributes, their combat power could often soar by more than double.
If the battleground were switched to the icy and snowy lands of the Northern Territory, perhaps this team would have a chance to take down this Fire Elemental Lord directly!
Upon entering the dungeon, Inanna immediately displayed her terrifying affinity for elemental spirits.
Large batches of fire elementals and earth elementals approached, docilely gathering around Inanna.
Although he had anticipated this, seeing this scene for real, General Duvalin still swallowed hard.
He felt that it was only because elemental spirits didn't have tails; otherwise, they would probably all be wagging them at that pink-haired human right now!
However, excessive popularity also brought trouble.
The number of gathered elemental spirits was so great that it seriously obstructed the team's march. Even though they tried their best to suppress their own high heat, such density still caused the surrounding temperature to soar to an unbearable level, making even breathing difficult.
Inanna could only throw an illumination spell far away and quickly depart while the elemental spirits chased after the light ball.
Danger appeared midway, and the danger came from an old acquaintance of Lin Jun—the Burrowing Bug!
This heat-resistant giant worm was also distributed in the Molten Dungeon.
Before it arrived, that familiar vibration put everyone on alert.
When the Burrowing Bug suddenly burst out of the rock wall on the right side of the team, opening its hideous mouthparts, Badul, who had long been waiting for it, swung his giant hammer. With the momentum to split mountains and crack rocks, he smashed it ruthlessly onto the front of the giant worm's protruding head!
Rock armor shattered, flesh and blood exploded. The Burrowing Bug suffered heavy damage. In pain, it frantically twisted its massive body and fled back into the hole it had drilled from in panic, leaving behind a mess and a still-vibrating rock wall.
Badul spat, bent down to pick out a worm tooth fragment the size of a palm from the ground, casually wiped it on his armor, and stuffed it into the leather pouch at his waist as a trophy.
In the Molten Dungeon, besides elemental spirits, there indeed inhabited a minority of monsters like the Burrowing Bug that adapted to extreme heat, but they clearly lacked the power to pose a substantial threat to this team.
Just like this, after two days of trekking, the team arrived at the deepest part.
Last time, Knight Puchi was only discovered after reaching outside the lava lake. But this time, with a considerable distance still remaining from that churning lava lake, the Fire Elemental Lord's roar came crashing from the end of the passage:
"It's you bugs again! Reckless fools!"
Simultaneously, a mental command to attack spread out from the depths.
Wherever the command passed, the elemental spirits that were originally docilely clustered around Inanna paused, and the flames on their bodies quickly surged up again!
"Damn it! It really doesn't work?!" General Duvalin's heart sank, and he immediately roared orders. "Shield formation! Contract formation! Retreat slowly!"
The dwarf warriors reacted swiftly. Heavy shields slammed into the ground; battle axes and spears poked out from shield gaps, forming a moving wall of steel, preparing to fight while retreating.
However, even in the best-case scenario, this elite force would likely suffer over half casualties.
Yet, unexpectedly, when Inanna stood on a giant rock and the brilliance of the illumination spell lit up in her hand.
Those elemental spirits that had already gone berserk miraculously ceased hostilities once again.
"Kill them, burn them to ash! Why are you all staring blankly there?" The Fire Elemental Lord's mental command impacted over and over again.
But the low-level elemental spirits that used to obey its every command in the past only reacted initially. Before they even had time to strike, they became docile again.
Incredible ecstasy erupted in General Duvalin's eyes as he ordered the team to maintain formation and continue advancing slowly.
As the team gradually approached the lava lake where the Fire Elemental Lord was, it seemed to sense something amiss as well.
"What is that? What exactly... did you damn things bring?!" In the Fire Elemental Lord's mental fluctuations, for the first time, there was a trace of emotion that wasn't pure anger, but a mix of suspicion and apprehension.
Its roar was still loud, but it didn't seem as confident as before.
"Get out! Don't come any closer! Otherwise, I will turn you all into ashes!"
And when the team finally entered the range of the lava lake, the Fire Elemental Lord's attention focused on Inanna almost uncontrollably.
In the scorching environment, facing a scene with an enemy like a natural disaster, even battle-hardened dwarf elites found it hard to suppress their trembling.
Badul still stood at the very front of the team, but he also subconsciously tightened his grip on the giant hammer, staring dead at the enemy.
However, Inanna did not cower in the back. Instead, she passed the tense Badul and faced that mountain-like blaze directly. Her clear voice carried a strange penetrating power:
"Great Fire Elemental Lord, we traversed flames and barriers to come here not to ignite new wars. I long to find a path for you and the dwarves outside of war and destruction."
With Inanna's words, the surging flames on the Fire Elemental Lord's body gradually soothed.
On that giant face outlined by flames, violence and fury were gradually replaced by an indescribably intoxicated expression.
"Oh, this is such... such charming..." It subconsciously reached out a palm made of flames toward Inanna.
But soon, it snapped back to reality in horror.
"No!" The Fire Elemental Lord let out a heart-wrenching shriek and violently retracted its giant hand as if what it was about to touch was some poison. "My will is free! Burning since ancient times, never yielding! Don't you dare... don't you dare use this despicable method to control me!"
With a wave of its hand, a terrifying giant wave mixed with viscous lava and destructive energy roared toward Inanna and the team behind her!
"Motherfucker! In the end, we still have to let the hammer do the talking!" Badul, closest to Inanna, cursed angrily, reacting swiftly.
He grabbed Inanna's clothes and, without any tenderness for the fairer sex, flung her entirely backward through the air. No. 4's several tentacles stretched out in time, steadily catching Pink Puchi in mid-air.
[Bloodline Enhancement]
The Firebeard Clan's God of War bloodline boiled within his body!
His body grew taller at a speed visible to the naked eye, expanding by a full two sizes. The originally slightly oversized hammer now became handy.
"For me, get back!"
Badul roared, smashing down with all his might toward the oncoming wave of destruction!
Under this blow, the lava giant wave was forcibly split from the middle, smashed into rolling back!
Although large patches of splashing magma poured down, they were all blocked outside by the magic shields erected by the dwarf mages.
"Good! Again!" Badul used the momentum to land back on a protruding black rock, flinging off the residual magma on the giant hammer. His chest heaved violently, eyes burning with battle intent, ready to welcome the Fire Elemental Lord's even more violent attacks.
However, the anticipated follow-up attack did not arrive.
After the lava giant wave parted, everyone saw an unbelievable scene.
That mountain-like Fire Elemental Lord had now restrained all its flamboyant flames, its massive body appearing much dimmer.
It... was slowly, extremely slowly, inching toward the shore where they were.
That cautious posture was simply identical to those ordinary fire elementals that had been attracted by Inanna and clustered over earlier!
This scene not only shocked the dwarves present.
Even Lin Jun felt absurdity, as well as a trace of... fear.
(End of Chapter)
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