Chapter 537 - 536: Shadow Anvil’s Obsession

Chapter 537: Chapter 536: Shadow Anvil’s Obsession

When the name "Witte" was mentioned, Balende immediately fell silent.

"So that Dwarf has been against the expedition this whole time because of his son?" Ale whispered, standing beside Colin.

"Yeah," Colin murmured, his eyes on Balende. "Looks like his son was a casualty of the previous expedition, too."

Orelia let out a soft sigh.

For a father to watch his own promising son perish without a trace... there could hardly be anything more cruel in this world.

It was no wonder Balende harbored such animosity toward Durkin.

In his eyes, Durkin’s father had called his son away, and then he had vanished without a trace.

Donkexes continued to shout, his voice thick with emotion.

"Witte was a terrific blacksmith, the most devout follower of Moradin I’ve ever known. When the former king issued the call, he gave up his trade to join the expedition. We will remember his sacrifice and honor him—because he was a true hero.

You love bringing family into this, don’t you? Well, I’m going down there to find my son. I don’t care how he died—whether he was bitten in two by a purple worm, stabbed by some Fishman, or had his brains squeezed out by an Aboleth.

No matter what, I will find him. Even if it’s just a weathered corpse, I’ll find him. And if I die, I’ll die by his side! I’m a father, Balende, and I’m not a fucking coward!"

The words, resounding with force, left Balende speechless.

The great hall fell quiet.

Colin glanced at Durkin, who was standing off to the side.

His expression remained unchanged, as impassive as the statue in the temple. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

Just as Colin thought the matter would end there...

A Dwarf set down his tankard and raised his right hand.

His expression was calm, almost unnaturally so for the occasion.

The Dwarf said flatly, "I am Darin Shadow Anvil, son of the missing tanner, Dain."

The hall fell silent once more.

A gentle hand rose.

"I am Philia Shadow Anvil, wife of the missing worker, Karen," a soft voice said.

A calloused hand rose.

"I am Bardin Shadow Anvil, brother of the missing Warrior, Ulgath," a low voice said.

A small, smooth hand rose.

"I am Madred Shadow Anvil, apprentice to the missing toymaker," a young voice said.

...

Their voices echoed through the vast hall, like the whispers of lonely ghosts wandering through the Dwarven hall.

Yes, every Dwarf sitting here was someone’s child, sibling, or parent.

But their children, siblings, and parents had long ago been lost to the deep darkness of the Underground. Not even their bodies had made it back to the clan’s tombs.

Who could call their quest foolish?

Even if it was foolish, blind, and impractical, who had the right to stand in their way?

In that moment, Colin began to understand why the Shadow Anvil Clan’s desire to reclaim their homeland had endured for millennia.

Generation after generation of Dwarves delved into the Underground. Generation after generation lost their dearest kin. Generation after generation followed in their footsteps... The cycle had repeated for thousands of years.

This obsession, etched into their very blood and clan, had become too deep to ever be shaken.

’Honestly,’ Colin thought, ’I don’t see this ending well for them, going into the Underground with that kind of mindset.’ But he was in no position to criticize.

Just then, he noticed Dorn standing nearby.

Even among the unique Dwarves of the Shadow Anvil Clan, he always stood out, a perpetual outsider.

The Gray Dwarf half-breed said nothing, merely gazing at the statue in the hall.

His expression was complicated; Colin couldn’t begin to guess what was on his mind.

After a moment, Balende hopped down from the table, grabbed a beer for himself, and retreated to a corner.

After the commotion, the cheerful atmosphere among the Dwarves was gone.

Colin and his companions ate and drank in awkward silence. The victory feast fizzled out unceremoniously. By the time it was over, the Dwarves were even more quiet and withdrawn than before.

Colin figured it would take a few days for them to get back to normal.

「The day after the feast.」

Colin was lying in his tent, drowsily catching up on sleep. Kase sat beside him, yawning.

The Aboleth’s strange sickness had really been tormenting him, Kase, and Orelia.

Just then, Donkexes’s voice came from outside the tent. "Colin! Weren’t you lot in a hurry to leave? The portal is ready!"

"Now that’s good news." Colin rubbed his cheeks, then scrambled up to pack his things. He took out his waterskin and dampened the bandage wrapped around his head.

He stepped outside the tent and called for Ale and Orelia.

Just then, Donkexes looked into the distance and yelled, "Dorn, get over here!"

Dorn, who had been working nearby, jogged over. "What do you need, Donkexes?"

"Go with them to the Surface," Donkexes said, jutting his chin toward Colin. "You can look after our outpost there."

Dorn looked like he wanted to say something, but he hesitated.

"Hm?" Donkexes asked. "Something on your mind?"

"Er... no." Dorn ducked his head, went into his tent to pack his things, and then fell in silently behind Colin’s group.

Donkexes led the group to a corner of the great hall.

Donkexes stood before a brick wall and pressed a sequence of stone bricks that were indistinguishable from those around them.

The moment he pressed the final brick, there was a soft CLICK. A section of the wall, about one person wide, slowly swung inward, revealing a secret passage.

Donkexes then led them into the secret passage.

The passage ended in a small, empty room containing nothing but a stone gate, similar to the portal in the sewer hall.

"This is the portal to the Surface," Donkexes said. "I’ve already used Magic to recharge it. Have a safe trip."

"See you next time," Colin said.

"Next time will be to fit you for that suit of dragon bone armor. You’d better look forward to it, Colin," Donkexes said with a wide grin, pushing open the stone gate.

Beyond the stone gate was the same room full of portals they had visited before.

Colin stepped through the portal first, returning to the Surface.

Once everyone was through, he said, "Alright, let’s go. First, we find Edwin to get this sickness treated. We can split the money on the way."

"Hah..." Kase yawned. "Let’s get a move on. I’ve had enough of this."

Colin felt like the strange sickness was about to drive him mad, too. He and the others quickly made their way out of the sewer.

The brilliant sunlight instantly swept away their gloom.

It had to be said, one of the worst parts of being in the Dungeon was the lack of sun. A life without a single ray of sunlight was enough to drain anyone’s spirit.