Chapter 231 Chapter229-The Towering Dwarf
"Oberlis, do you believe what Ethan what said to be true?" Rose inquired, her eyes clouded with uncertainty.
As she removed her helmet, a cascade of silvery-white hair, reminiscent of a waterfall, fell around her, revealing the tapered ears characteristic of her lineage.
She was an elf.
Hearing her question, Oberlis nodded and said, "I believe there's no need for Ethan to lie. Besides, Sister Rose, don't you find the trial of the Elf King so peculiar? Especially for each generation who participates in the trial, there's a noticeable change in their aura after they successfully complete it."
"What's even more unsettling is that the temperament of each successive Elf King is strikingly similar."
"Many attribute this to the legacy, but now it seems that it's not so straightforward. I suspect those Elven Inheritors who've completed the trial of Elf King essentially become incarnations of the first Elf King."
As soon as he spoke, Rose's face paled in shock.
"Silence, Oberlis!" She sharply reprimanded, "You're a part of the elf clan too. How could you question the first Elf King?"
"A part of the elf clan?" Oberlis scoffed bitterly, his eyes turning fierce. "Sister Rose, you consider me as a part of the elf clan, but those people, the members of the Dawn Elf Kingdom, they don't see it that way."
"They label me a Dark Elf, a stain on elven honor."
"They are the ones who cast me out!"
"And, sister Rose, how much longer will you deceive yourself? The Dawn Elf Kingdom is irredeemably corrupt, from the deity they venerate, the original Elf King, down to every soul in the kingdom! Didn't we make the arduous journey to the Eastern Shore in hopes of finding allies to overthrow that decaying Dawn Elf Kingdom?"
Oberlis's voice reverberated through the hall.
Rose's expression shifted from anger to sorrow, finally letting out a heavy sigh.
"We'll discuss this later."
With that, she activated the space gate and departed.
In the conference hall, there is only Oberlis remained.
With a sudden forceful slam of his fist on the table, he declared menacingly, "This time, I'll make them pay!"
...
Deep within the Snowy Plains, inside a small mountain cave.
Ethan, having departed the meeting, returned through the space gate.
And he find Sherry standing at the cave's entrance, seemingly lost in thought as she gazed out.
Ethan approached quietly.
But he was noticed by Sherry only when he was close by.
"Ethan, you're back," Sherry said with a hint of joy.
Ethan nodded, "What are you looking at, Sherry?"
Sherry pointed to the sky and remarked, "It's snowing. In Snowy Plains, it doesn't actually snow often, but when it does, it will last for several days. During that time, the heavy snow can bury an entire house, and if left unattended, that snow won't melt at all."
"After each snowstorm, we would have to shovel out our homes."
"Sadly, those days are no more exist," she sighed.
Snowy Plains was Sherry's homeland, filled with her cherished memories and moments that had once defined her life.
Ethan understood this well, but now wasn't the time for despair. He consoled Sherry, saying, "Though the past might be hard to forget, just like heavy snow, it will eventually stop. Plus, you have me now, and a whole bunch of friends like Mia and Eluna."
"Yes," Sherry nodded, leaning into Ethan.
The two stood silently, admiring the snowfall.
After a brief respite, they set off into the blizzard.
Three days of travel later, as dusk approached on the third day, Ethan finally glimpsed the small village Rose had mentioned.
Nestled in the valley of Snowy Plains, it comprised merely a dozen or so scattered homes.
As Ethan entered, he was immediately met with the hostile stares of several Snowy Plains Wolves.
The Snowy Plains Wolf is commonly found deep within the Snowy Plains.
While they might not be particularly powerful individually, they possess a high level of intelligence, allowing them to coordinate in battle.
Moreover, they have an extremely keen sense of smell, easily detecting various scents.
However, their natural talents seemed insignificant now.
Ethan merely released a hint of his aura, and then all these Snowy Plains Wolves cowered, whimpering in terror.
In their understanding, this was an adversary not to be trifled with.
Upon hearing the noise, the villagers emerged from their homes.
There stood an elderly man clad in thick fur clothing, who looked at Ethan and Sherry with a hint of apprehension.
He cautiously inquired, "May I ask what brings you both here?"
"We are looking for someone," Ethan replied.
"Looking for someone?" The elder's brow furrowed in confusion.
Villagers rarely ventured outside.
They sustained themselves on small wildlife from the snowy mountains.
He hadn't heard of anyone in the village communicating with the outside world.
"We are in search of a Dwarf, a Dwarf Craftsman named Henry Powell," Ethan continued.
"Dwarf Craftsman?" The elder's puzzlement deepened.
He clarified, "Sir, we have no Dwarf Craftsman here. However, there is a craftsman named Henry Powell, but he's not a Dwarf. He's a Giant."
"A Giant?" Now, Ethan was taken aback.
Was the information that Victor provided incorrect?
Or perhaps Rose had referred to a different village?
Regardless, since they were already here, there was no harm in meeting this craftsman.
"May we see him?" Ethan inquired.
"Of course," the elder nodded, leading the way.
Soon, they arrived at a towering stone house.
The elder stepped forward, calling into the residence, "Powell, there are visitors for you."
Soon after, a tremor was felt.
The massive stone house's door swung open, revealing a colossal figure standing nearly four meters tall.
Despite the towering silhouette, one could still discern distinct Dwarf features - the disproportionately large hands and feet, a thick beard hanging from the jaw, and a balding forehead. Indeed, this was a Dwarf, but quite an unconventional one at that.
Indeed, he appeared to be a Dwarf, but a very unorthodox one.
"Who are you?" The towering Dwarf blocked the doorway, casting a questioning gaze upon Ethan and Sherry.
Taking a moment, Ethan inquired, "Are you Henry Powell? The Dwarf Craftsman Master? We were referred by Victor, hoping to commission you to create a powerful artifact for us."
"Victor?" Henry Powell raised an eyebrow. "That old fossil, he's still alive? Hmph, if you've come on his behalf, you might as well leave! I have a grudge against him and will certainly not craft anything for you."
With that, he began to close the door.
Yet the door remained ajar.
Henry Powell paused, and his gaze had shifted to something in Ethan's hand: a blueprint detailing the Oksd heart.
"This blueprint..." His voice quivered with excitement. "Such a wondrous device... Whoever designed this is truly a genius. No, it's the heart of the Oksd that's the true marvel here!"
The design Ethan held was indeed that of the Oksd heart apparatus.
"And this..."
Under the puzzled gaze of Henry·Powell, Ethan once again produced another blueprint.
[Divine Artifact Blueprint: Blasphemous Spear]
[Materials: Trembling Earth Crystalline3, Rending Sky Shard3, Submerging Sea Essence3, Divine Stone1, One drop of Divine Blood.]
[Forging Method: Requires alternating forging with Blazing Flames and Icy Springs.]
[Description: An unfathomably powerful weapon, its very existence is deemed a blasphemy against deities! This spear can effortlessly pierce the body of a deity, and as it slays formidable beings, it seems to also absorb some of their powers.]
This blueprint was a reward from completing a hidden quest.
"This is..." Henry Powell's voice trembled with mounting excitement, his lips quivering.
Taking the blueprint gently from Ethan, he held it with the reverence of a devout follower meeting their deity.
"So, Mr. Henry Powell, are you capable of forging these for us?" Ethan inquired with a smile.
Henry Powell seemed to be in disbelief as he sought confirmation from Ethan, "Are you sure you want me to craft this divine artifact?"
This was a genuine divine artifact!
Even though Henry Powell prided himself as a master craftsman, he had never worked on such a formidable piece, leading him to doubt his own skills momentarily.
"Of course, if you think you're up to the task."
"I most definitely am!" Henry Powell assured promptly.
Such an opportunity lay before him and there was no way he would let it pass.
However, a realization soon dawned upon him.
"Was this Victor's doing?" he interrogated. "Did he tell you about that? Did he know of my insatiable temptation for crafting mighty artifacts and hence showed you this blueprint?"
"Hmph, just this once and never again!" Henry Powell added swiftly.
For a true craftsman, forging a divine artifact is the pinnacle of honor, and everything else can be disregarded in the face of it.
Faced with Henry Powell's words, Ethan simply responded with hearty laughter.
Soon after, Henry Powell stepped aside, inviting Ethan and Sherry into his abode.
It was only then that Ethan truly witnessed the craftsmanship prowess of this towering Dwarf craftsman.
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