Barbarians glanced between themselves and at Teman’s lifeless body several times before averting their gaze to Asher.
There was a great sense of respect in their eyes.
Strength was law—this was the only rule they followed and also the reason Teman had ruled for decades. The fear he had instilled in their hearts made them see him as a godlike entity.
A man who could not be defeated.
That had been the mindset of the Dothanites for decades, and it had slowly cemented itself as a law.
Never oppose Teman!
Omar Seir, Teman’s younger brother, who had his arms crossed all this time, finally took a step forward.
“You proposed an exchange? We want the food and clothes. What do you want?”
His indifference to his brother and sister’s deaths piqued Asher’s curiosity, but since things were now working in his favour, he saw no reason to poke into a supposed unpleasant past.
His bronze skin shone brightly under the sunlight.
“Warp ore. It has a blue luster and—!”
“I’ll show you where it is,” Omar replied.
Asher exchanged a glance with Nero before following Omar on horseback. After all, Omar was 10 feet tall!
As they made their way, Omar suddenly asked, “You are the one chosen by I Am to be the lastborn of the First Men?”
Asher nodded.
“My brother was scared of you,” Omar continued. “He was afraid you would end his rule, and his people would fight under the banner of a human.”
Asher glanced at him. Omar looked and acted more educated than others.
“Then what about you?” Asher asked. “What is your take of me?”
Omar glanced at him.
“I think you are not human. Humans cannot rule other races. Many have tried and failed. But you… God’s chosen can… because you have transcended being just a human. I can see it in your eyes. They are not the same as any other human.”
Asher narrowed his eyes slightly.
“It takes more than being a lord to drop the centuries of bloodshed and grudges between races,” Omar went on. “I believe it takes the heart of a ruler. A true ruler—like the First Kryos.”
Sapphira’s face surfaced in Asher’s mind.
He smiled. “I see.”
“We’re here.” Omar gestured toward a cave large enough to accommodate a 10-foot tall man.
Looking at the large head sculpted above the cave entrance, Asher’s eyes widened.
“This was a dwarven mine?!”
“It was, until our predecessors claimed it centuries ago,” Omar nodded. “Shall we proceed?”
Asher responded with a nod, dismounted and entered the cave. His eyes immediately fell on the broken rails that were once used to carry mine carts.
‘The dwarves truly owned this mountain.’
They walked deeper, and soon Asher began spotting the ores.
“This is a dwarven ore mine,” Omar said, gesturing toward the pile of stones emitting a soft blue glow. “And those ores piled over there exuding blue light are warp stones. From how they’re piled, you can tell that they’re considered waste since, compared to dwarven ore, those warp ores are weak.”
Asher could hardly believe his eyes.
This was a dwarven ore mine!
One of the strongest metals ever forged into the best weapons and armors was before his eyes!
This could mean a complete upgrade for his military. It could skyrocket his men into the ranks of Tenaria’s strongest forces!
If this mind was large enough, it would give his men a significant technological advantage—one that lay in their weaponry and armor!
And then there was the warp ore. The ore was considered useless to most, but for those who shared his blood, it held untapped potential.
Asher’s perspective shifted. Mount Seir could become an industrial town if he played his cards right.
“Edom has waged war against us because of this mountain,” Omar mused. “With their technology, once they laid hands on this mine, they would grow powerful enough to rival Clan El. We would be nothing more than an obstacle in their path.”
Omar began.
“With my brother dead, I am the next in line to lead Dothan. But I know well that many of us won’t survive this winter. I don’t want my people to die.”
Asher looked at him, tilting his head slightly.
“You want to renegotiate the deal?”
“Not for free. Come.”
Omar then led him into the depths of the mine. When they reached a cliffside, he pointed at the massive ball in the middle of the cavern below.
Amid all the ore deposits, rail tracks, and carts, one thing stood out—a massive, spherical object at the heart of it.
“In exchange, you can have that.”
Asher narrowed his eyes. “What is it?”
“A metal stronger than dwarven ore.”
Asher furrowed his brows. “You’re joking.”
[He’s not.]
Asher’s eyes widened when he heard the soft, calm voice of the system.
This was only the second time it had broken from its routine to speak to him directly.
‘There’s an ore stronger than dwarven ore?!’
[Dwarven ore was more well known because of its abundance. What you see before your eyes is the Elden ore. It is far superior to the dwarven ore, and that ball is the last remaining Elden ore in all of Tenaria.]
‘Hmm…’
Seeing Asher remaining silent, Omar decided to convince him. “My gift allows me to produce metal from my body and shape it into any weapon of my choice. But due to my lack of control, I deformed my arm, permanently making it look like steel. However, it also gives me the ability to sense metal ores and that right there is greater than the dwarven ore. I give you my word.”
[Upgrade materials found: Elden ore & King blood.]
[Double upgrade available: Advance your paladins beyond the rank of Great Paladins, elevating them directly to the rank of Adeptus Paladins. Yes or No?]
[For ‘Yes, ‘ you must be granted access by the owner or claim it forcefully.]
Asher’s heart drummed.
“What do you want in exchange?”
“A place for me and the rest of Dothan in your paradise. I heard you have made space for both the Edomites and Dothanites.”
Asher smiled. “As you wish. Gather your people and make preparations. We shall all leave before winter.”
Omar, pleased and relieved, bowed his head at Asher before hurriedly racing out of the cavern.
Asher didn’t know what to feel. It had been too easy this time. But the reason it was this easy was because Omar had dropped every shred of his pride to seek a better place for him and his people.
They had no capable blacksmith, so the ores were of little use to them.
‘The ore is mine now. Proceed with the upgrade of the paladins.’
