Ashen Dragon

Upon witnessing this scene, Stieg couldn't care about anything else, sidling up with a fawning smile on his dragon face, sticky saliva dripping from the corners of his mouth: "Miss Misha, you truly are the proxy of the Master..."

"You're wrong, this isn't my doing, but thanks to the grace of the Master." Misha gently shook her head and pointed to the sky.

After regaining control of her body, Misha was particularly excited, her heart pounding — being controlled by the great Ashen Empire's Emperor was undoubtedly something to be proud of, a matter of utmost honor.

After briefly calming herself, Misha looked at the distant dwarf remnants and couldn't help but sigh, "This is the powerful might of my Master, even a mere thought descending can unleash such terrifying power..."

"Indeed."

Stieg flapped his wings and wagged his tail, echoing beside Misha.

"Very well, clean up the battlefield and prepare to enter the city." Misha turned her head, seeing that the progress within Aivendel City was also proceeding smoothly.

The imperial soldiers were advancing in an orderly manner, forming neat formations, easily killing the frenzied dwarf warriors with firearms, about to complete the final task and completely occupy this fortress.

Suddenly, a mournful dirge echoed over Aivendel, its hoarse sound filled with endless sorrow.

"When you no longer open your sacred eyes, falling into silent slumber..."

The surrounding imperial soldiers curiously looked up, seeing an elderly dwarf standing atop the palace, murmuring softly.

— He was an old minister who had served three generations of the Masters of High Mountains, over three hundred years old, hailed as the living fossil of the dwarf clan, Bjorn Riley.

At this moment, this old dwarf was disheveled and poorly dressed, his body covered with the scars of battle, but his eyes were incredibly determined, as if he had made some resolute decision.

Bjorn was a follower of the "Silent Guardian" Du Masong, and in their customs, a funeral representing extinction was of utmost importance.

The priest presiding over the funeral must compose a song to honor the deceased dwarf's life and deeds, paying tribute to the forever silent Du Masong, and this song must never be sung aloud.

And at this moment, Bjorn was singing softly, conducting the final funeral rites for the fallen Ed.

According to original custom, the deceased's personal symbols, clan symbols, and beliefs would be woven into the beard, but surrounded by enemies, Bjorn didn't have the ability to do so.

The old dwarf could only tremble and lean on his cane, continuing to sing: "Holy hero, you dedicate your soul to your people, your body to the earth..."

Imperial soldiers asked, "Sir, should we take out that old guy..."

The officer made a throat-slitting gesture and said coldly, "Kill him. These priests, and priests have many strange tricks. They must be executed quickly to eliminate future troubles."

Elsewhere in the city, other imperial soldiers received almost the same orders.

The imperial soldiers, following orders, raised their rifles in unison, aimed at the top of the palace where the old dwarf stood, and pulled the trigger without hesitation.

"Bang!"

"Bang! Bang!"

The disorderly gunfire sounded, Bjorn staggered a few steps, his chest suddenly burst open with several blood flowers.

Immediately afterward, holes spurting blood appeared on the old dwarf's head, abdomen, and even legs, and he slumped helplessly to the ground in a pool of blood.

But even so, he smiled with blood-tinged froth at the corners of his mouth, still diligently murmuring: "For the hero who sacrificed all for the Kingdom, the mountains... shall become your..."

The dwarf's voice grew increasingly weaker, gradually transforming into a faint hum before finally falling completely silent.

Even in death, Bjorn did not close his eyes, his head tilted just to face in the direction of Ed's remains, his blood-covered mouth slightly open as if he had a thousand words left unsaid.

Atop the walls of Aivendel City, Big Goblin Delor folded his arms, looking down upon the scarred and battered city with a satisfied smile: "It's finally over, here..."

Yet at that moment, the cold wind blew over the dwarf king's remains, passing through the gap in his chest, producing a sorrowful, mournful sound.

"Whoosh——"

"Oh hero who sacrificed everything, the mountains shall be your monument, all things will mourn for you——"

That tune was exactly identical to the dirge sung by Bjorn!

Immediately, Delor's expression changed abruptly, and he quickly turned to look at the distant dwarf king's remains.

Stieg let out a puzzled howl, flapping his wings, taking to the air again, ready for battle at any moment.

And Misha furrowed her brow, staring intently at the corpse as if it were a stone carving, murmuring softly, "Could it be..."

"Swoosh——"

An earthy, profound light descended from the sky, enveloping Ed Klein's remains.

Instantly, fragments of rock flew, dust filled the air, surrounding stones gathered, and the figure within the light grew increasingly tall and mighty.

An unprecedented pressure spread out, and even Misha felt as if a mountain was pressing on her shoulders, making it difficult for her to fly.

"Damn it, what is that thing?"

"Could it be that the Lord of the High Mountains has resurrected?"

"How's that possible? He was clearly burned to death by Lady Misha's flames. I saw it with my own eyes, his heart burned to nothing!"

When the light faded, a dwarf with a wide chest stood on the earth, appearing in the sight of all.

He had hair and a beard seemingly carved from gray stone, earth-brown skin, and eyes like silver fire. His shoulders as broad as most barns, his arms knotted and bulging with taut muscles...

Even the warhammer in his hand had transformed into a pickaxe made of solidified magma — the Molten Rock Hammer.

From his face, people could vaguely discern Ed's features, but his aura had undergone a drastic transformation.

"He really has been resurrected!"

"Cassius in Heaven!"

"So what, Lady Misha killed him once before, she can kill him a second time!"

"These damned dwarves, as hard as stone, should be burned to ashes!"

Seeing such a miraculous scene, the Imperial soldiers and officers were abuzz with speculation, their faces showing surprise yet not too much fear.

But Misha, Delor, and other imperial high-ups familiar with the information were solemn, their expressions heavy, and even breaking into a sweat.

Big Goblin Delor couldn't help but swallow, trembling as he revealed the identity of the dwarf: "That's definitely not Ed Klein!

That's... the Silent Guardian, Du Masong."

Du Masong, the Silent Guardian, the Hidden Keeper beneath the mountains, the Shield of the Mountain, also the protector of the Shield Dwarves.

In the dwarves' legend, when Moradin appointed Him as the protector of the Shield Dwarves, Du Masong created a paradise for them beneath the peaks.

He crafted extremely beautiful natural caverns and embedded layers of rich, beautiful, glittering metals and shining gemstone crystals within.

He felt joy and honor when he saw the dwarves create splendid crafts from the ores they mined.

However, clumsily or crudely cutting the rock, failing to smooth the earth, ignoring the natural flow, and not highlighting the unique features of the rocks would make the Silent Guardian frown.

And as the protector of the Shield Dwarves, any slaughter against the Shield Dwarves would anger Du Masong.

The distant dwarf, or Du Masong, who had descended upon Ed's remains, surveyed the surroundings, and in wherever His gaze landed, fierce sandstorms arose.

"Swoosh——"

At this moment, Du Masong gazed upon the scarred ground, looking at the piles of Shield Dwarf corpses, and an uncontrollable rage filled His eyes.

"Cassius in Heaven..."

The imperial soldiers he gazed upon felt a burst of suffocation.

"Boom——"

The ground emitted a dull roar, earth tremoring violently, that "Silent Guardian" did not speak, yet expressed his fury through the earth and mountains!

The entire Black Stone Mountain was shaking violently!