There was no sun or moon in the ashen sky. In a strange place where gray dust obscured the sightless sky, Ruon opened his eyes.
He had felt his consciousness slipping away as flames engulfed his body, but he did not panic. He quickly scanned his surroundings.
“What is this?”
He saw a multitude of abandoned war machines stuck in the pale ground. They were all charred black, looking like useless scrap metal.
That’s when it happened.
With a whooshing sound, a crimson glow began to rise from the cracks in the ground. The light that brightened the barren land looked like lava erupting from the depths.
It was not just an illusion. The rusty helmet that was lying at Ruon’s feet started to glow red. At the same time, the heated air expanded and dispersed the dust that had blocked his vision.
Ruon could see the crimson light spouting like flames from the ground beyond his clearing sight.
The light that adorned the air and then fell to the ground spewed steam and quickly solidified, forming a shape.
Something rose slowly from the steam.
“Welcome.”
A heavy voice and a thumping sound of heavy footsteps reached his ears.
“Warrior, you have come to take the test of the furnace.”
Ruon muttered to himself as he saw the figure that revealed itself.
“Duermyr?”
A huge upper body with rock-like muscles, fiery red eyes that emitted a bright light, and hair and beard that blazed like flames.
The man looked like a miniature version of the statue of Duermyr that he had seen in the square of Roverduk.
Then, the man began to laugh loudly, showing his throat. His shoulders shook with excitement, and hundreds of sparks flew from his body.
The man said.
“Warrior, you have said the words that I like to hear the most. But unfortunately, I am not Duermyr. My name is Volcan. I am the being that he sculpted after himself.”
The giant who introduced himself as Volcan looked at Ruon with interest.
“Ho ho, a human? It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a human challenger.”
Ruon retorted sarcastically.
“Then what is this test you’re talking about?”
That question made Volcan’s fiery eyebrows flare up. It looked like he was raising his eyebrows.
“Hmm? You don’t even know what test you’re taking, and you’re holding the sacred object? Well, that’s not important. What’s important is that you and I are facing each other.”
Volcan spread his arms and shouted.
“This is the furnace of the great Duermyr. It is a huge mold that tempers the soul, and at the same time, the grave of countless warriors.”
As if responding to his words, the crimson light that looked like lava surged from the cracks in the ground.
In the swirling heat, Volcan continued.
“Warrior with a strong soul that maintains its shape in the furnace. I, Volcan, will test you as the keeper and the warrior of the furnace.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Volcan kicked the ground and rushed in. Ruon saw the massive body that came crashing down on him and instinctively reached for his waist.
His hand should have grasped the hilt of the holy sword, but it hesitated in the air for a moment. Ruon quickly gathered his thoughts and punched Volcan’s face with his clenched fist.
At the same time, Volcan’s fist hit Ruon’s side.
It was a breath-taking blow, but Ruon clenched his teeth and stepped forward. He bent his arm and turned his body to the right, driving his elbow into Volcan’s forehead.
Instead of blood, a tremendous amount of sparks flew. Volcan’s head snapped back, and he stretched out his arms without looking and grabbed Ruon’s shoulders. Then he pulled him in and delivered a lightning-fast headbutt.
Bang-
A sound that shook the ground echoed from the two men’s heads.
Ruon ignored the ringing in his head and lifted his right foot. His raised toe hit Volcan’s chin.
The grip on his shoulders loosened, and Ruon quickly shook off his arms and backed away. He secured some space and pounded Volcan’s stomach with both hands, then kicked his chest hard with his left foot.
The giant who resembled the god of the anvil and flames rolled on the ground.
“Amazing! You’re incredible!”
Volcan got up without touching the ground, clapping his hands. He spat out a fist-sized fireball from his mouth and said.
“I don’t even remember the last time I rolled on the ground! I’ve only met weaklings who couldn’t handle the heat of the furnace…”
Volcan couldn’t finish his sentence. Something was flying toward his face with a whistling sound.
He quickly bent his upper body and dodged the projectile, but he couldn’t avoid Ruon’s knee that flew at his head.
With a thud, Volcan’s body slid back. But in that short moment, he also threw a punch at Ruon’s abdomen.
“Ugh!”
Ruon clenched his stomach in pain and asked with the bowstring he held in his other hand.
“…What happens to the test if I kill you?”
Volcan smirked.
“Brave warrior, you ask an interesting question. But sadly, I, who was born with the breath of Duermyr, will not perish as long as the flames of the furnace are alive. Don’t forget that I am always the tester and you are the one who proves yourself.”
As he said that, he stuck his hand into the cracks in the ground. He pulled out a double-edged axe that was red-hot. He asked Ruon.
“Warrior, what is your name?”
“Ruon.”
“Not bad.”
Volcan twirled the axe in his hand and began to close the distance. Ruon frowned as he watched him.
This was a headache.
Until now, he had faced Volcan’s bare-handed attacks with his own bare hands, but he couldn’t delay drawing his sword any longer. The enemy had pulled out an axe that looked extraordinary at a glance.
It was Volcan’s double-edged axe that hastened his decision. He drew his holy sword from his waist and faced the red blade that flew at him, leaving a red trail behind.
A sharp sound rang out as the two weapons clashed. A tense struggle ensued, and their eyes met in mid-air.
Volcan said,
“You have a sinister weapon. That ominous power… are you from Veludusias?”
Ruon felt a headache from the holy sword’s whispering, which started to spew ominous words as if it was the right time. He replied coldly,
“Sorry, but I don’t have the mind to chat with you.”
He pushed the enemy back with his arm and thrust his holy sword into the open space between them.
Volcan twisted his wrist and blocked the attack with the curved surface of his axe.
The blades of the two weapons slid against each other, and sparks flew everywhere.
Volcan took two steps back and roared loudly, holding the handle of his axe with both hands. He swung it down.
Ruon didn’t hesitate and raised his sword diagonally to block it.
Boom!
He managed to deflect the huge force of the axe, but the ground under his feet cracked.
“Not yet!”
Volcan shouted, and a red wave pattern rose from his axe blade. Then, a crimson flame poured out with a fierce momentum.
He smiled in satisfaction as he saw the flame engulf the enemy’s body, but his eyes gradually widened.
A blood-red shield blocked the flame. A tremendous light burst out from the melting shield.
Volcan was startled and raised his axe, but it was too late. The holy sword flew at him like a flash and pierced deep into his chest.
“Not enough!”
But as if that was not a problem, Volcan didn’t back off and swung his axe.
The blood-red shield shattered with a clang, but Ruon was already gone.
He had retreated a few steps back, and he had a bow in his hand without a string.
A light exploded and swept over Volcan’s body. He was exposed to a barrage of light that was so fast that the word ‘rapid fire’ was not enough. He quickly protected himself with the flame from his axe.
Ruon had no interest in the stalemate and slammed the ground. He stretched out his fist with all his strength and grabbed the handle of the holy sword, digging through the flame.
“Ugh!”
The sword that was stuck in Volcan’s chest slid diagonally and cut his right side before coming out.
Ruon dodged the axe blade that followed him persistently, but he was caught in the flame that poured out afterwards and rolled on the ground a few times.
Fortunately, the burning sensation didn’t last long.
He lifted his head and saw the flame that was covering his body gradually subside.
Volcan, who was holding his wound that was spewing out a red fireball, asked,
“A sword swallowed by an evil power, and a bow that shoots arrows of light. You are a versatile warrior! Can I ask why you challenged the trial of the furnace?”
Even though his upper body was split in half, he still maintained a sharp look in his eyes. He was not a mere creature that Duermur had sculpted.
“I took the trial as a price for fixing my sword.”
Ruon answered briefly, and black blood dripped from his nose.
It was the aftermath of forcing the holy power into the corrupted holy sword.
“That’s the reason?”
Volcan chuckled and started to walk towards him.
He’s walking?
Ruon frowned as he saw Volcan, who had a huge scar on his wound as if it was patched up, walking towards him.
He once again forced the holy power into his hand that was holding the holy sword.
The holy sword screamed and kicked, but Ruon ignored its howling and forcibly extracted the power of the sword.
He said,
“Let’s see if you can recover even if your head is cut off.”
Volcan curled his lips as he saw the blood-red aura that was swirling around the holy sword.
“You are a warrior who has stepped into the realm of legends. Let’s dance until the furnace melts!”
That was when it happened.
Volcan’s body stopped abruptly. He spat out a fireball and dropped his arm.
“It’s a pity, but this is it.”
Ruon’s heart sank at Volcan’s voice, which had no trace of hostility.
“You’re ending it like this? Who says so?”
“Duermur said that this is enough. The goddess of mercy seems to be very angry with him… You have attracted their attention, you are a great warrior!”
Volcan’s hair rose up with a chuckle.
“Ruon, you are a warrior who overcame the heat of the furnace and left a scar on this Volcan’s body. You have proven your worth. Duermur’s praise be with your strength!”
He shouted and grabbed Ruon’s shoulder firmly.
He felt a hot sensation, but Ruon quietly watched the scene. He felt a strange and hot power from the heat that was digging into his shoulder.
“Today is a bit hasty… but next time, let’s have a proper match.”
With those words, Volcan’s body crumbled like ashes. At the same time, the ground began to shake as if there was an earthquake, and then Ruon’s body was covered in flame.
And he opened his eyes.
“Lord Ruon!”
“Ruon!”
He turned his head at the voice from behind, and Igor and Kyle ran towards him.
“What’s the fuss?”
Kyle frowned and snapped back.
“What’s the fuss? Do you know how shocked I was when I saw you standing still in the flame for a long time? And that dwarf kept repeating to watch… I thought Ruon was burning to death.”
At his words, Ruon turned his head and looked at ‘that dwarf’, Retol. Retol asked with a trembling voice as their eyes met.
“…Did you really pass the trial?”
Ruon nodded lightly and looked down at his shoulder, which was itching. He blurted out without realizing it.
“What is this?”
He saw a hammer tattoo covered in flame under his burned shirt.
At that moment, Ruon felt a huge sentence rising from the depths of his inner self, burning.
[Duermur’s Blessing]
It was ‘that thing’ that took its place bigger and clearer than any other sentence. It emitted a bright light.
