Deep Within the Ironforge Mine
The tunnels were damp, echoing with the distant sound of dripping water.
Blade Lunaria (Shujin) walked casually through the darkness, torches flickering against the walls. His eyes shone sharply, yet his red sword rested lazily across his back.
"Starting off with slimes, huh…" he muttered as a group of slimes stared at him.
With a swift burst of fire magic, the slimes' sticky bodies splattered across the stone walls. Orcs and goblins charged in next, wielding crude weapons. Blade sighed.
"Don't you guys ever learn?"
He drew his sword in one smooth motion. Simple fire spells flashed repeatedly, and the monsters were reduced to silence. Their bodies collapsed into piles of flesh and bone. Blade whistled cheerfully as he stored the remains into his magic bag.
"Easy money. The Guild will pay well for these."
The deeper he went, the stronger the enemies became. Stone Golems hurled massive boulders, but Blade dodged effortlessly and shattered their cores. Giant spiders descended from above, venom dripping from their fangs—only to be burned to ash by small bursts of flame. Poisonous snakes hissed and writhed, only to be crushed casually beneath his boots.
"Just a warm-up… not bad," he murmured.
"But where's the real prey?"
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The Undead Commander
Soon, the stench of rot thickened. From the shadows emerged a unit of undead soldiers—armored corpses with glowing eyes. At their center stood a massive undead commander, rusted helmet in hand, raising a skeletal arm.
"Turn back, mortal… This mine belongs to the dead."
Blade tilted his head and smiled calmly.
"Sorry, but I've got a shopping list. And finishing it involves you."
The commander roared, releasing waves of necrotic energy as the undead surged forward. But Blade's movements were precise—each strike cleaving bodies apart, fire consuming what his blade did not finish.
Within minutes, silence returned. The commander collapsed, its skull split cleanly in two. Blade kicked it aside and tossed the corpse into his magic bag.
"You're the ones who ignored the warning," he said cheerfully.
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The Crystal Chamber
At last, the mine opened into a vast cavern bathed in radiant light. Magic crystals and pure mana stones—frozen within rock—lined the walls, pulsing like heartbeats.
Blade's grin widened.
"Heh… jackpot."
He carefully harvested several crystals, their light reflecting in his eyes.
Then—
The ground trembled.
The cavern shook.
From beneath the earth burst a massive brown venomous serpent. Its scales glistened with poison, its eyes burning with hunger.
"…Ah. A guardian, huh."
Blade didn't even reach for his sword. He extended his hand, dark flames dancing along his fingertips.
"Sorry, big guy. I'm craving grilled meat."
The serpent lunged, jaws wide. With a roaring blast, Blade unleashed pillars of fire, engulfing the creature. Screams echoed as flesh burned and collapsed into a steaming mass.
Blade waved away the smoke and inhaled.
"…Smells like overcooked beef. Kinda awful. Now I'm hungry."
He stuffed the corpse into his bag, chuckling. Thankfully, the crystals were unharmed.
---
Return to Ironforge
When Blade returned to the Guild, his bag was overflowing. The receptionist's eyes widened in shock.
"B-Blade-san… what is that smell?"
He grinned and dropped the serpent's corpse onto the floor.
"Dinner, anyone?"
The adventurers burst into laughter.
"He… grilled a giant snake?" "That's Blade for you!"
The receptionist laughed helplessly and shook her head.
"Blade-san is insane… but effective. Thanks to you, the mine can reopen. And these crystals…"
She clenched one tightly, eyes shining.
"This will change the entire city's economy!"
Blade stretched lazily, accepted a heavy bag of gold, and handed over the crystals.
"Not bad for one day's work."
---
Shadows Over Drakensport
Far away, the Federation capital of Drakensport faced a nightmare.
Fires burned across the horizon. An army of over one hundred thousand extremist demons surrounded the city. Mana surged, and banners bearing the Demon Lord's crest stained the sky.
Inside a massive war tent, the 10th General of the Demon Lord, known as the Master of Cruelty, sharpened his blade as commanders bowed.
"That city won't last long," one sneered.
"Their so-called king is a fool."
The general smiled coldly.
"We'll starve them. Break their walls. And when they crawl to us in chains, I'll personally carve that traitor Aethelred into pieces."
Within the Federation fortress, Aethelred Vi Regis remained calm as reports poured in, his crimson eyes burning.
"My lord," a follower said anxiously,
"The enemy has us surrounded. Despair is spreading."
Another noble pleaded,
"For the people's sake, surrender. Save their lives."
Aethelred's expression hardened. His voice was cold and firm.
"Anyone may raise their hands—but I will not.
If you value your life over freedom, leave.
But remember this—betrayal has a price."
Several nobles fled to the enemy camp, begging for mercy.
The 10th General laughed.
"Traitors deserve only one reward."
With a casual gesture, he ordered their execution. Screams echoed through the camp.
Back in Drakensport, loyal commanders watched Aethelred closely.
"My lord… why did you let them go?"
Aethelred's gaze was steel.
"To test loyalty. Those who stayed are my true brothers and sisters."
He donned his black armor and marched beyond the city gates, sword raised high. Only one hundred soldiers stood behind him—but their eyes burned with unshakable faith.
Facing the overwhelming army, Aethelred declared:
"We may stand one hundred against one hundred thousand—
but our courage surpasses numbers!
Today, we carve our will into history!"
The rebel army roared.
The first battle was about to begin.
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✨ End of Chapter 9 ✨
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