MTLNOVEL Chapter 231: Request of the Black Iron Tribe Leader
In the geothermal hall of Dili Castle, a three-meter-wide pit had appeared where a wall and the floor once met.
Where there had once stood a Quenching Furnace, there was now nothing.
The stone doors of the geothermal hall had been shattered, and the scattered debris had been cleared by the Black Iron Dwarves, now piled beside the main gate.
Lu Heng looked upon this scene, feeling somewhat helpless.
He hadn't expected things to turn out this way.
It was humans who had stolen the Darkville Black Iron Tribe's Quenching Furnace, no wonder these Black Iron Dwarves harbored such hostility towards humans.
The Black Iron Dwarves, having faced an invasion from the Abyss, found themselves in a plight not dissimilar from that of the Bansel Clan, gradually declining over several centuries of migration, with their population dwindling.
While they still retained the forging and Quenching Skills of their glorious days, they had lost many of their forging and Quenching facilities along the way.
Now, with the last Quenching Furnace gone, it meant the Darkville Black Iron Tribe's Quenching Skill would be lost forever.
As for building a new Quenching Furnace, they no longer possessed the capability.
...
Such was the unpredictability of being summoned to the Abyss Battlefield.
Judging by the Main Quests issued by the Abyss Battlefield, they indeed seemed to guide humans to help the Black Iron Dwarves, but this was not compulsory.
In other words, human Superpower Users summoned here had countless choices.
They could help the Black Iron Dwarves, or the Bloodline Demons, or neither.
Of course, they might also plunder the treasures of any side.
When interests were sufficiently high, Superpower Users looting the indigenous population could indeed occur.
The theft of a Quenching Furnace now seemed minor compared to the actions of certain groups when they first landed on the American Continent.
Having learned about the plight of the Black Iron Tribe, Lu Heng sat down to renegotiate with Darkville.
Lu Heng made his stance clear— he was willing to help the Black Iron Dwarves take back Black Stone City.
Although Darkville didn't fully trust Lu Heng, at least they were able to sit down and talk, indicating that there was still room for easing tensions.
"Darkville Leader, I am good friends with Master Gulu of Quenching Castle. Before coming here, Master Gulu entrusted me to help locate his kinsmen and restore the glory of the Black Iron Tribe."
Lu Heng paused before continuing, "My sword was forged by Master Gulu, and I believe the Leader can recognize that it embodies the unique forging craftsmanship of the Black Iron Tribe.
"The Leader doesn't need to trust me completely right now, just set aside prejudices temporarily to observe the performance of this batch of humans.
"We will figure out a way to help the Black Iron Tribe take back Black Stone City, as our goal aligns in this respect.
"Besides, my team consists of three people, and I can assure the Leader can trust our team leader absolutely.
"As for the other humans, it's best not to fully let down your guard yet, but don't go after them either. Observe their actions before deciding.
"If they are willing to help the Black Iron Dwarves assault the Bloodline Demons at the Black Stone Mine, our chances of victory could be much greater.
"By setting aside preconceptions temporarily, the Black Iron Tribe won't suffer additional losses, yet they may win the help needed to retake Black Stone City.
"I think the Leader should seriously consider my proposal. I believe this is the best opportunity for the Black Iron Tribe to reclaim Black Stone City."
Darkville pondered deeply; he was all too aware of the dire straits the Black Iron Tribe found itself in, teetering on the brink of extinction.
Three years of struggle had hastened the decline of this Black Iron Tribe.
In the past three years, it had been the Black Iron Tribe that attempted to attack Black Stone City in hopes of reclaiming their ancestral home.
This situation could change at any moment; if the Bloodline Demons switched from defense to offense and assaulted Dili Castle,
the then frail Dili Castle might not withstand a single offensive from the Bloodline Demons.
At that point, their Black Iron Tribe would either be eradicated or forced to flee and continue down the path toward extinction.
He didn't want to witness any of it.
Moreover, he had a vengeance that had not yet been exacted.
He was the leader of the Darkville Black Iron Tribe, inheriting his father's name; hence, he was Dakville III.
His father, Dakville II, had once been the leader of Black Stone City.
Their tribe had also seen a revival, for the Black Stone Mine had been rich in mineral and geothermal resources, allowing them to forge stronger weapons and bolster their Combat Power.
However, one fateful day, Bloodline Demons descended unexpectedly, laying siege to Black Stone City.
His father, Dakville II, perished in the battle for Black Stone City, and without their cornerstone, the remaining tribespeople fled from Black Stone City and scattered.
Black Stone City was strategically situated, easy to defend but difficult to assail.
He couldn't fathom how the Bloodline Demons had managed to conquer Black Stone City.
The night Black Stone City fell, he was not there but out fulfilling a tribal mission.
By the time he received the news and returned with his trusted aides, the flag of the ram-headed Bloodline Demons already adorned Black Stone City.
Learning that his father had died there, his eyes filled with hatred.
But he knew he couldn't just rush in and die in vain.
So he roamed with his trusted aides, rallying the scattered tribespeople, initially seeking refuge in Dili Castle, awaiting the chance to reclaim Black Stone City.
This struggle between the Black Iron Tribe and the Bloodline Demons had persisted for three long years.
As per the current situation, it would inevitably end with the annihilation of the Black Iron Tribe.
Darkville wanted to change all this, but he couldn't think of a better way.
Bloodline Demons had occupied Black Stone City and the Black Stone Mine, securing the most resources and strategically advantageous terrain.
The closest Darkville had ever gotten to the heart of Black Stone City was when he led his elite troops through the mining tunnels of the Black Stone Mine to infiltrate the city.
That was the time when they had the best chance to retake Black Stone City, but they still failed in the end.
That was two years ago.
In the two years that followed, the Black Iron Tribe simply persisted blindly, with no hope in sight for a turnaround.
Now, Darkville faced two paths before him, continuing the fight against the Bloodline Demons until the Black Iron Tribe was completely annihilated.
Or leave Dili Castle, move away from the Molten Lava Plain, and find another place to recover and thrive.
Just like his grandfather, Dakville I, had done.
His grandfather, Dakville I, had led the Black Iron Tribe to migrate and settle on the Molten Lava Plain, building the Black Stone City on the Black Stone Mine, marking the rejuvenation of the tribe.
That was the tribe's glory, and his father, Darkville II, was equally ambitious, hoping to continue the tribe's resurgence.
But one night, the Abyss Descent occurred, and the Bloodline Demons interrupted the rising fate of the Black Iron Tribe.
Now it was his turn.
He faced the same decision as his grandfather, Dakville I, whether to search for the next home.
He lacked confidence because he was born on the Molten Lava Plain, born in the Black Stone Mine; his roots were there.
He didn't know if he could find a suitable place for the Black Iron Tribe to settle if they left the Molten Lava Plain.
He also didn't want to leave because his grandfather was here, his father was here, and he... also wanted to stay.
So, even with just a glimmer of hope, he wanted to fight for it once more.
...
Lu Heng followed Darkville as they walked through the mural corridor of Dili Castle, listening to him recount the history of the Darkville Black Iron Tribe.
The history was not long, spanning almost a century from Dakville I to the present.
Beyond that lay the more ancient history of the Black Iron Tribe.
That was the history of the Abyss Descent, when the Black Iron Tribe split into branches and began to migrate.
After listening carefully, Lu Heng said, "Darkville Leader, I am willing to help you, to do all I can to assist the Black Iron Tribe in taking back Black Stone City.
"This is also Master Gulu's entrustment to me; if I have the chance in the future, I will bring Master Gulu here to meet you."
Darkville now faced only two roads, to trust this human before him and fight once more, or to lead his tribesmen from the Molten Lava Plain to seek their next unknown homeland.
He was not confident that he could, like his grandfather, complete such an aimless migration of the tribe.
After an afternoon of interaction, Darkville could also see the sincerity in Lu Heng.
As the leader of the tribe, commanding the respect of so many tribespeople in times of crisis, he clearly had exceptional qualities.
He felt the sincerity in Lu Heng, so he made a decision.
"I am willing to trust you this once, but you must show your earnestness, as there are things you have done for which we cannot forgive you," Darkville set his terms.
Lu Heng could tell this was a request for a pledge of sincerity and nodded, agreeing, "Is thirty Bloodline Demons enough?"
Darkville, however, shook his head and said, "I see you have the ability to disguise yourself. Besides disguising as a Black Iron Dwarf, can you also impersonate a Bloodline Demon?"
Lu Heng had initially disguised himself as a Black Iron Dwarf to sneak into Dili Castle, so Darkville knew of this ability.
"I can, but it's very dangerous."
Darkville requested, "My father's ashes are still held in Black Stone City, enduring the desecration of the Bloodline Demons. Therefore, I hope you can enter Black Stone City and retrieve my father's ashes. If you can do this, you will gain the full trust of the Black Iron Tribe."
His words complete, task information appeared before Lu Heng.
[Trigger hidden quest: The Ashes of Darkville II]
[Description: Darkville II died in battle during the fall of Black Stone City, his ashes left within. Dakville III hopes you can enter Black Stone City to retrieve his father's ashes.]
[Reward: Darkville's token of gratitude]
Seeing the task information, Lu Heng knew this was the quickest way to earn the Black Iron Tribe's trust.
Although the task was dangerous, the situation was quite tricky.
Completing this task would allow him to untangle the situation in the shortest time possible.
After a moment's thought, Lu Heng replied, "Alright, I agree to your request. But I have one condition."
"Speak."
"I hope that during my time entering Black Stone City, the Black Iron Tribe will temporarily refrain from hunting other humans. Of course, it's necessary to remain vigilant—it would just be a temporary ceasefire. Can you do this?" Lu Heng proposed.
The request was not unreasonable.
After pondering for a moment, Darkville agreed, "It can be done. As long as you can retrieve my father's ashes, I am willing to reconcile with your people."
"Then it's settled; I'll take on this task," Lu Heng agreed.
Once they had reached an agreement, all the human Superpower Users who had been summoned to the Molten Lava Plain saw the update to the task information at the same time.
The first Main Quest had changed slightly.
[1. Avoid being hunted by the Darkville Black Iron Tribe. (Suspended)]
This meant that the pursuit by the Darkville Black Iron Tribe of the human Superpower Users was halted for the time being. Whether the hunt would continue depended on how things would develop further.