Mushroom Lord in the Underground City

Chapter 583 - 573: Obstruction

For the Hero, an air wall has never been a problem, and this time was no different.

However, squeezing the tentacle into the ring was quite tight.

Additionally, once separated from Inanna, the Ring of Confinement started emitting high temperatures, almost burning off the tentacle.

After crossing that invisible boundary, Lin Jun could only return the increasingly hot Ring of Confinement to Inanna’s hand.

Inanna’s brief pause attracted the attention of several dwarf warriors, but they were clearly unaware of the air wall, merely thinking this human impulsively had her Puki try on the ring, and they soon looked away.

On the return journey, the atmosphere was entirely different from before.

The biggest change came from Bard.

This dwarf war hero, carrying that giant hammer, walked briskly near Inanna, his voice booming:

"Hey! Pink-haired one! I misjudged you earlier!" He acknowledged without reservation, "To not retreat even a step in front of such a monster takes more than your peculiar talent! Anyone without some grit would have collapsed in fear long ago!"

He forcefully slapped his sturdy breastplate, producing a resounding clamor: "I, Bard, recognize only one kind of person, those who dare to put their head on their belt and face off with enemies directly! You’re good!"

Although Inanna didn’t feel she needed his recognition, since it was praise, she could only nod in agreement.

Along the way, Bard started talking about his past battle experiences, but without the sense of competing, instead sharing stories.

At the same time, he began to inquire in detail about the Battle of Dragon Roar Valley, focusing on tactics and choices when facing dire situations.

Inanna shared some of her father and Puki’s responses, with Bard occasionally expressing doubt or approval. Overall, the communication was fairly pleasant.

However, when the team finally returned to the surface...

...

"You cannot take the Ring of Confinement away."

The leader of the Deep Furnace Clan, having learned the whole story from General Duvalin, blocked Inanna, who was about to board the carriage.

The waiting envoy manager Ronan immediately stepped forward: "Deep Furnace Clan Leader, what does this mean? The Fire Elemental Lord has been sealed, and the threat of the Molten Fire Dungeon is lifted. We’ve completed the agreement!"

The clan leader’s gaze fell on Inanna... or rather, the dark red striated ring on her finger.

"Initially agreed upon, was the ’method of sealing’ in exchange for Inanna’s assistance in controlling the dungeon’s elements, allowing the troops to smoothly reach the Fire Elemental Lord. The agreement never mentioned... allowing Miss Inanna to take the Fire Elemental Lord itself, along with the crucial magic item confining it."

Ronan argued: "But it also didn’t say we couldn’t take it away, right?"

"No means no."

The clan leader knew what he was doing lacked some justification, but in the face of tangible benefits, some face was negligible.

It’s not about fearing that Inanna obtaining the Fire Elemental Lord would strengthen human forces.

Humanity’s current state, with some enhancement drawing more imperial attention, would be advantageous for the dwarves.

It truly concerns the dwarves, especially the Deep Furnace Clan’s interests.

The Fire Elemental Lord represents not just formidable might, or rather, leaving the Fire Elemental Lord in the dungeon wouldn’t make it a dwarven force.

What the dwarves want is to control the countless Elemental Spirits in the dungeon to a certain degree through the sealed Fire Elemental Lord!

Only then can they use those cheap slave collars to drive numerous low-tier Elemental Spirits to gather and transport dungeon resources, even the Elemental Spirits themselves are resources.

Without the lord’s command, those Elemental Spirits would not become an aid but rather, like wild demons, interfere with their mining.

"This Ring of Confinement must stay. Its ownership has always belonged to the Mountains."

The clan leader refused to yield, and General Duvalin hesitated for a moment before standing behind the clan leader.

Faced with this situation, Lin Jun discussed how to handle it with the Sword Saint and Inanna within the Fungal Network.

Once the item was in the Pink Puki’s hands, it meant it was in Lin Jun’s mouth.

And now, someone wants to take what’s been eaten out of Lin Jun’s mouth?

Dream on!

However, whether to argue or resort to violence, the small group was currently debating.

Before coming to a conclusion, a giant hammer smashed onto the stone slab ground in front of the Deep Furnace Clan leader and General Duvalin!

Boom!!!

Debris flew, and if not for Duvalin’s quick reaction, sidestepping with his armguard to protect the elderly clan leader, the sharp flying shards might have drawn blood.

"Bard, what are you doing?!" Duvalin was both shocked and angry, sternly reprimanding.

"What am I doing?" Bard pulled the giant hammer out of the debris pit, slinging it over his shoulder, his eyes blazing fire, "I’m upholding justice!"

He pointed the giant hammer at Inanna: "I saw it with my own eyes, the person who didn’t retreat even a step in front of that ghostly thing and ultimately took care of it! According to the mountain’s rules, whoever single-handedly takes down a monster, all of that monster’s belongings damned well belong to them!"

He spat toward the Deep Furnace Clan leader and several clan members behind him with varying expressions: "Now, she only wants to take a crappy ring, and you guys, hiding at the back who didn’t even smell the heat of the Magma Lake, dare to jump out and snatch the spoils! Do you have any shame?"

The clan leader’s face turned iron gray, white beard trembling with anger, his black iron staff thumping heavily: "Fool! You have no idea how important the Ring of Confinement is to the dwarves! It’s none of your business here!"

"None of my business?" Bard seemed to hear the greatest joke, "The one I despise the most is your kind, hiding at the back playing tricks, blindly commanding, yet not daring to smell the battlefield’s blood! Robbing warriors of glory earned with their lives, that’s damn well my business!"

Before the words were finished, his already towering body expanded again, muscles pushing against the armor with a metallic creak, his frenzied air sweeping like a storm.

It seemed he directly activated his bloodline power, entering combat status.

"Today I’ve got to see if you gutless cowards dare to stop me!" He cursed, raising the giant hammer, clearly intending to forcefully open the path.

"Brute! Fool!" The clan leader shook with anger, pointing at Bard, momentarily at a loss for words.

He never anticipated the first to jump up and oppose would be his "own people"!

General Duvalin looked equally grim but still led dwarf soldiers in picking up battle axes and shields, standing ready.

Lin Jun hadn’t yet decided what to do, but seeing Bard setting a good example, there was nothing left to say.

The Sword Saint’s tentacle wrapped around the sword hilt, Knight Puki’s figure faded as an inconspicuous small soldier in the team quietly cast, layering several phantoms on Inanna. If chaos ensued, Inanna’s true self could be immediately hidden.

What further surprised the dwarves was that they once again heard the Fire Elemental Lord’s manic and excited voice.

"Hahaha, gonna kill these dwarves? Should have done that long ago, should have burned those filthy bugs to death!"

Flames erupted from the Ring of Confinement on Inanna’s finger, the Fire Elemental Lord’s power slowly seeped out, and the surrounding temperature instantly rose.

Faced with this terrifying scene, some clan members retreated in fear before finally turning to flee.

Though the clan leader didn’t run, in the continuously warming environment, the elderly leader’s condition was visibly deteriorating.

And General Duvalin was—fighting the Fire Elemental Lord?

Key combatant Bard was even on the opposing side!

He inwardly cursed both the clan leader and Bard together, but in the current situation, he could only grit his teeth and press forward.

No immediate conflict erupted.

Lin Jun wanted the dwarves to recognize the difficulty and retreat, while the clan’s face-representing Duvalin stubbornly stood at the front.

Just when Bard finally couldn’t hold back and was about to initiate the first strike.

The Dwarf King’s envoy rushed over hurriedly, sweating profusely, halting both sides on the brink of conflict.