Chapter 147 Ironan Mountains
Ironan Mountains, Mountain Pass, Northern Area of the Human Continent, 8th Floor of the Tower, Several Days Later.
When Samiel undertook the Mission assigned to him by the Hall Master himself, through Bishop Abraham Antigonus, in the end, he decided to take with himself the Ork Dharzug. As he predicted, Yvraine was not that interested in going to freeze to some godforsaken mountains when she didn't really have to and still was under the depression from our last similar trip.
Probably psychological trauma from almost freezing to death because someone forgot to cast some warming spells on herself to prevent such a situation could really run deep. At least, deeper than Samiel initially, though.
Whatever, Dharzhug wasn't even a bit concerned about the frost or ice-cold weather because mostly the Orks were extremely adaptive species. In fact, aside from them, only single species could boast of the same adaptability and similar capabilities, if not even surpassing the Orks, and those were the Bugs.
It wasn't surprising to find orks even in some most uninhabitable worlds in the Cosmos, as they were known to adapt to almost every environment. Naturally, this was one of the main capabilities that made them so fearsome because an enemy that could adapt to everything was extremely fearsome. Not to mention, they were shown even to develop resistance towards the various types of energies and environments.
Due to that, it took Dharzug only several hours to adjust himself to the cold enviroment, and he did it during our journey through the Northern Area when the temperature started drastically dropping and at the same time, the Ork started automatically adapting to the enviroment. Samiel observed this process with a great deal of scientific curiosity because he never saw anything similar.
It was not even conscious motion, but something that happened automatically the second they entered the cold enviroment. It was truly a wonderous racial ability to be capable of adapting to almost any kind of enviroment because it has been noted that there didn't exist an environment yet, where the Orks couldn't really survive.
The Void was no exception because Legendary Level Orks could easily survive in the Void itself without many problems, which made them one of the most dangerous species to deal with. Their adaptability also showed in the combat because Orks would easily become resistant against various kinds of elemental damage and so on, due to that one needed to have superior firepower to deal with them or he would perish.
Of course, Eldritch Creatures such as Samiel Zentaur, while not having such frightening adaptability, they were too troublesome to deal with because each one at the Legendary Level has tremendous vitality, and they are a nightmare to kill due to their regenerative capabilities. As long as some parts of their bodies remain, they can still regenerate themselves to the full state as if nothing had happened.
They had been walking through the Northern Area of the Human Continent for several days already, and there were rarely any people on the roads or anything. Due to the environmental conditions that the Northern Area of the Human Continent being very cold, there were very few settlements outside a few big cities that were in the north. Aside from that, this place was relatively desolate, minus some mining outposts in the mountains.
Apparently, the entire Northern Area was very rich in a variety of ores; even some precious ones were found already in the mines of this place. That would explain why Smaiel had a feeling that the Human Brotherhood didn't have a problem with raw materials, despite their situation and almost zero financial capabilities.
Finally, after several days, we have arrived at the Ironan Mountains, where one of the warehouses of the Avalon Kingdom was located. Evidently, it was the largest one that the Avalonians built on the 8th Floor's Human Continent, so they could supply their pawns with some advanced magetech weapons, to wage the proxy war against the Demon Tribal Council.
It paid off, but as everything is good in life, even this would not be an exception to the universal rule and would soon end. Samiel took Dharzug with him, mainly because he got information that there were several Silver-Tier Professionals present at the warehouse, probably more than ten; they were the guards assigned to the place.
Because Samiel wanted to take everything that they had stored within the warehouse, as it would sell for a nice sum of Credits, he needed to attack swiftly and brutally, pacifying any kind of resistance as soon as possible without any side damages, especially to the weaponry which was stored there.
Due to that, the only fighters would be him, Dharzug and Ashimer. Three of them should be enough to handle all resistance of the Human Brotherhood and even more than that. If there were only around ten Silver-Tier Professionals, then it was okey, because Samiel himself could take several average Silver-Tier Professionals at the same time, especially right now, as his Level was increased once again several times, reaching Level 35 and mastering the Intermediate Winter Magic to a certain degree.
Coupled with the Intermediate Void Magic and Intermediate Necromancy Arts, Samiel was already a powerhouse on his own, and if he was put on any Lower World, then despite being technically a Bronze-Tier Professional, he would already become and world-threatening calamity and scourge that plagued the world.
"Come on, my Orkish friend; we are only several tens of kilometers from a fine slaughter."
Samiel stated as the Ork huffed, already in anticipation of fine slaughter. He went with Samiel because he was promised of a fine fight. He didn't care about the cold; he was an Ork; as any other Ork, he adapted, and due to his special lineage and mutation and blessings from the Green Gods, he adapted even faster than any other Ork.
Because Samiel knew the exact location of the hidden warehouse of the Avalon Kingdom from the report of the Hall of Kadath, he left his Familiar with the Yvraine. On top of that, Nefertari also wasn't much fond of the cold freezing environments, so she chose to remain with Yvriane, as she considered that much better.
Nefertari, as an Elder Wampus Cat, in truth, wasn't bothered about coldness, but it wasn't in her preferences. In truth, she preferred warm environments, such as basking on the sun, some tropical environments, and so on, like the sand one on which he found the Altar of Bast.
After three hours, they were caught in a strong snowstorm; when they started crossing the Ironan Mountains, and it was clear that the snowstorm wanted to kill them because the temperature was dropping at a fast speed and the snow was already reaching their knees, which was making it very hard to move.
To this, Samiel was forced to start using the Winter Ruler to manipulate all of that snow to carve a path for them to pass. It proved to be especially effective, as Samiel was able to control all of the snow that was falling, creating a nice path for them to cross over.
Soon enough, they entered the valley, in which, according to the information Samiel received from the Hall of Kadath, the entrance to the underground cave system, where the warehouse of the Avalon Kingdom was located. Samiel carefully observed the valley, but there was hardly anything to see because everything was covered by a heavy blanket of snow.
"Wait a moment Dharzug... something is moving up there."
Samiel stated as he stopped the Ork from rushing to the valley, as he suddenly noticed several figures far away. There were two of them; clearly at the Silver-Tier and even more evidently, they were the guards from the Avalon Kingdom, who were stationed there.
"These two are either patrolling the area or went out to breath some fresh air... probably the stench of the caves doesn't suit them well."
Samiel stated while observing the two Silver-Tier Professionals from the Avalon Kingdom as they were just standing in front of the entrance to the underground cave system. After several seconds, seeing that they remained at their positions and didn't really go anywhere else, he concluded that these ones just get out on some fresh air.
"What da now with those gits?"
Dharzug looked at the squishy humans impatiently because Samiel was doing his best to contain the Ork from rampaging. It was already bad enough that they were not participating in any mission from The Guild right now because Samiel didn't really wish to help the Golden-Horned Demon Tribe in any way.
"Give me a second... we don't need them alerting their companions and setting up whatever traps and defenses they have prepared for us..."
Samiel stated as the big Ork frowned a little but agreed because he saw how the crafty humans were inflicting losses on the Demon Tribes despite their lower individual strength but were depending on their cunning and schemes.
Afterward, he started subtly using the Winter Ruler to manipulate the icicles that were hanging from the bottom of the cliff, which was covering the entrance to the cave. Several seconds later to one minute, suddenly several huge icicles, all long more than five to seven meters, started falling down, straight at the guards from the Avalon Kingdom.
Surprisingly and unfortunately at the same time, one of the guards noticed the falling icicles, though at least only when they were five minters above them, as they hastily activated some of their protective measures and defended against falling ice.
"Attack!"
Samiel said to Dharzug as he disappeared in a flash, with the Ork following the suit as he grinned and gripped his waraxe "da big choppa" as both of them rushed at the two Silver-TIer Human Professionals who were still busy defending themselves, not noticing the danger that was coming for them.
Half a minute later, as the two human Professionals were gaping for breath while sustaining various degrees of injuries from the falling icicles, when enormous war axe appeared out of nowhere, slashing at one of the two, following the roar of "Waaaggghhh!".
With one powerful chop, one of the Silver-Tier Professionals was chopped in half; the snow was painted red as the organs flowed out from the corpse. With a single attack, one of them was dead, and before the remaining Silver-Tier Professional realized what was going on, he found his heart being pierced through with Ice Trident.
"Excellent... we can proceed further."
Of course, Samiel stored the corpses in his Dimensional Ring because these were corpses of high quality, which meant that they would be very suitable material for the Undead creation at a later date.
After they entered the underground, they went through a relatively narrow tunnel, which was illuminated only by some lamps, in which the fire was burning. Despite that, the tunnel was still very dark, but that wasn't a problem for either Samiel or Dharzug.
Some Orks could see in the darkness as they had night vision, and Dharzug was one of such Orks because he obtained that ability due to his racial mutation. And Samiel, as a partial Eldritch Creature, though he was closer to the Eldritch Creature after his last evolution, could naturally see in the darkness as well.
So, both of them walked through the narrow pathway for more than half an hour as they descended deep under the ground. The warehouse was located deep within the cave systems under the Ironan Mountains because the Avalon Kingdom not only wanted to hide their activities from the Demon Tribes but also from the Human Brotherhood.
Indeed another form of insurance to ensure the continuous compliance and servitude of the Human Brotherhood towards the Avalon Kingdom, not like it was even a bit surprising. Samiel would do exactly the same thing because rather be safe than sorry.
Fortunately for them, the pathway to the warehouse area, was straight and without any complications; probably the Avalonians, when digging this place and reworking it for their purposes, take into account their own people so that they won't get lost in the endless labyrinth of paths.
"Stop; several meters away is a trap ward laid down."
Samiel stopped Dharzug as he sensed traps that were in front of them. There were several of them, from which only a few were very activated, but once a single one is activated, then the spell nexus, will activate all of the remaining traps, as all of the wards were interconnected with each other.
After some time, Samiel started digging into the topic of Warding because it was another branch of Magic that was very interesting to him; it was very powerful and versatile and had immense potential. Most people associated the Warding Magic only with the defensive purposes, or some static defensive Wards, and perhaps some supporting ways.
But in truth, Master in the Warding Magic could create an all-purpose Ward that he could actively manipulate during the combat. Not to mention, even with the basic knowledge of the Warding Magic, Samiel could discern any traps and other things that could cause a lot of damage to them, just like right now in the narrow path under the mountains.
Then focused on the Trap Ward, that was laid before them as he carefully navigated his Mana to create a Mana String and started disrupting the runes that were creating the Runic Matrix of the Ward, until the ward sizzled a little and several sparks appeared in the air, signifying to them that the Trap Ward was deactivated.
With that notion, he repeated the same process on the other Wards that were all around the place; after five more minutes, Samiel deactivated all of them, as they now obtained a free passage to the underground cave, where their final target was located.