The Returnee's Hidden Strategy Stream

[Translator - Jjescus ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter: 129

Inside the dwarf village's underground workshop intense training was underway.

"Don't let your focus waver. Listen to the sound of the flames first."

"I... understand."

Kim Jaeha furrowed his brow, concentrating intently on the flames before him.

Hanbit and Aysis, who had arrived earlier, had been watching this scene for several minutes.

-Is he really learning?

-Skill training = staring contest with fire?

-This is absurd.

-Jaeha...

Viewers questioned this situation.

It was a different picture than the skill training they had expected.

However, it was clear from Gorik's expression that he was serious.

"Maintain that state until I return."

Rising to his feet, Gorik walked out of the workshop.

Hanbit and Aysis followed suit.

"Let's talk outside. We can't disturb him."

Once outside, Gorik exhaled briefly.

Although he was teaching strictly, this was also his first disciple.

Naturally, he couldn't help but worry.

"So, who is that woman?"

Gorik's gaze turned to Aysis.

She had been eyeing the sword at Hanbit's waist since a while ago.

"She's a scientist from the Holy Kingdom whom we kidnapped from the forest. Simply put, she's the mastermind behind the monster wave."

"The mastermind?"

For a moment, anger flashed in Gorik's eyes.

It was a natural reaction when thinking of the monster horde that had attacked the dwarf village.

Hanbit took a note from his inventory and handed it to him.

"Please look at this. It's a note from Camon."

"...Camon?"

Gorik's eyes widened at the familiar name.

He quickly took the note and read its contents.

<This skill belongs to my close friend, the dwarf Gorik. If you look further into the future, go to Hedric Kingdom in the Amethyst Forest. Show him this scroll and note, and he will help you.>

The trace of Sallion contained in Norton's ring.

It was a note that he had found along with a scroll to forcibly activate that power.

After carefully reading the contents, Gorik slowly looked away.

"What happened?"

"I'll explain it step by step."

Hanbit told him what had happened in Edlen.

As he listened to the story while looking at the note, Gorik wore a slightly dazed expression.

"...I heard rumors circulating in the city. They said you saved Edlen. I couldn't believe it, but did you fulfill Camon's wish?"

He recalled the faint hope his friend had held.

At the time, he had devised a way to use the ring along with consolation, but honestly, he didn't think it was possible.

To think that his wish would come true after his death.

He could almost see his friend's smile, a smile he had never seen before.

"Why didn't you tell me this earlier? If I had known, I would never have opposed you."

"I have no intention of using Camon's will. Thanks to him, I was also able to save my people."

"...I see."

-Is this real?

-It's just ordinary fire manipulation.

-We know the story, so he's acting. lol

-No, Black Dragon was serious.

-He really worked hard.

-Isn't he just doing this for a story reward?

-Didn't you see him kill Barres?

Regardless of the viewers' differing opinions, Hanbit always acted sincerely.

It was because he couldn't treat this world lightly by manipulating the situation.

He just wanted to create the best possible outcome.

"What I want to say is that I am also someone who opposes the Holy Kingdom. But the most important thing right now is to stop the wave by using all means. There's nothing better than the information and knowledge that the enemy has. Especially since this side will completely turn to our side."

"...Is that this woman?"

"Yes. This is a bit of an unusual story, so I'll tell you this as well."

Hanbit continued to tell him about the events that had followed Jinuk's disappearance.

This was because he needed to understand this situation to use Gorik's power in a clear direction.

"So that's how it was."

He blinked his eyes.

The human woman before him seemed to be beyond the realm of the ordinary.

Contrary to the rumors he'd heard about the Holy Kingdom's fanatics, she was quite different.

“The forest from the south to the north...,” he murmured, organizing the information.@@novelbin@@

He focused on the monsters' location.

With such a wide range of attacks, it would be difficult to counter them with ordinary methods.

“There will be thousands of monsters. So why don’t we try using the wall?”

“...Use the wall?”

Both their gazes turned to the glass wall.

It was damaged in many places due to the aftermath of the wave.

Repairs were scheduled to begin quickly, starting tonight.

“The wall will probably collapse as soon as the wave starts. The Crash Birds will launch the first attack, right, Aysis?”

She nodded in agreement, her eyes on her scabbard.

“Probably so. It’s not just the number of those creatures, but they’re also enhanced, so the impact is tremendous.”

The Crash Bird corpse he had seen during his first meeting with Jinuk.

But the ones that would come in the third wave were of a different level.

“With a wall like that, it’s something that could happen anytime, but if it collapses, there's no point in repairing it, is there?”

Gorik added, saying that it was a waste of manpower to repair.

They could use that time to prepare for the wave.

“No, we'll use it as a weapon. Since it's going to break anyway, let's turn it into a giant bomb.”

“...A bomb?”

-?

-Blow up the wall?

-That's crazy scale. lol

-It doesn't seem like only the monsters will die;

Hanbit's statement elicited puzzled reactions from everyone except for one person, Aysis.

"A glass wall as a bomb? Sounds interesting! How exactly are you going to use it? Do you have a device in mind?"

Her interest piqued, she bombarded him with questions.

Hanbit looked at the glass wall and said, "It would be like shards of glass being shot outward. Of course, that alone won't be enough to kill the enhanced monsters."

"That's a correct assessment! The creatures that will appear in the final wave have thicker skin and exoskeletons than the ones with leather. Ordinary glass won't even scratch them!"

Even though Aysis was excitedly bragging about the monsters, Hanbit already had a solution in mind.

He turned to Gorik.

"Your Highness, could we modify the internal structure of the wall when repairing it?"

"Hmm, are you trying to hide a bomb inside?"

"That's right. It's more like this..."

Hanbit began drawing a diagram-like picture on the dirt floor with a fallen branch.

Gorik, being an expert, nodded immediately upon understanding.

"You're going to hide bombs in the ruins of the wall that the Crash Birds have destroyed and lure the monsters there. You're sure the monsters will rush towards the mana stone, right?"

"Monsters that have gone berserk due to the enhancer rush towards high-density mana. No matter how much you stabilize it, that instinct doesn't disappear."

"...That's a bit frustrating, but it's not wrong. After all, you can't completely kill their instincts."

Aysis expressed her disappointment, as it was a problem she couldn't solve.

Then, she tapped on the drawing on the ground and continued.

"But there's still a problem. It'll be difficult to inflict significant damage on those creatures with a normal explosion. How are you going to solve this?"

"I'm going to use the Ice Spider's legs. I have a lot of them."

Hanbit took out the translucent material he had received from Avantgarde from his inventory.

Gorik looked at it closely and asked curiously, "How are you going to use this?"

"I'll leave that to Your Highness."

"...?"

-?

-"Do it for me"

-The engineer's pain.

-Please come up with a reasonable plan.

Gorik made a bewildered expression, but he couldn't tell him the answer.

This was because the process of finding this solution would significantly reduce the awkward atmosphere between Gorik and the dwarves.

"But can I take a look at this? I'm curious."

At that moment, Aysis asked, looking at the scale that Hanbit was holding.

Gorik was also curious.

"Is that the reverse scale you got from the Snow Drake?"

"Yes. I'm thinking of using this as a weapon. What do you think?"

“Hmm, let me see. Give me the sword as well.” Gorik said, looking at the dark blue scale and the sword.

Hanbit, who had handed over the scale first, drew the sword from his waist and passed it to him.

“... ”

A moment of silence passed.

Taking his eyes off it, he stroked his chin and said, “It’s a pretty well-made sword.”

It was a simple compliment, but it was a high praise. The fact that Gorik judged it to be a well-made sword was significant.

“However, it’s difficult to use this scale. With your current sword, it won’t be able to integrate. Why don’t we enhance the sword in a different way?”

He expressed a negative opinion about using the reverse scale.

Hanbit nodded, as it was an expected result.

"Oh? If that's the case, would you like to try this?"

Aysis, who had been watching the conversation, suddenly pulled a small bottle containing a yellow liquid from her bosom.

Hanbit's eyes widened at the sight of it.

[Endless Spring]

Rank: 6

Grade: Unique

Description: A spring rarely found deep underground. It alleviates damage from all negative effects. However, the effect on powers beyond the limits of the spring is reduced.

A special spring with amazing effects.

Hanbit asked her with wide eyes, "Why do you have this?"

“I asked for it after seeing the second wave. Did you see that priest earlier?”

“Ah.”

The male priest they had found with Aysis in the nest.

As someone in charge of black market deals, he handled a variety of goods.

But he never thought he would have obtained this spring.

The changes caused by the traces of Glacier were absurd.

"But why do you have this?"

"Of course, I was going to use it to investigate that chill! I thought I would die if I jumped right in."

-Consistent GOAT

-She's so transparent.

-She's going to jump into danger after preparing, knowing she might die.

-Her way of thinking is different.

Her curiosity button had been pressed after seeing Glacier's cold.

Given Aysis's personality, it wouldn't be strange if she had actually run into the chill.

'It's a bottle made by Artsvel.'

It was the same kind of glass bottle he had found in Bolivo's underground warehouse.

It was an item of Artsvel, who could preserve any object in perfect condition.

Hanbit took the small bottle and asked Gorik, "Your Highness, if we use this together, would it be possible?"

"It's enough. I never thought this spring would appear."

His voice was filled with conviction.

Using the spring as a material would make it possible to alleviate the burden of refining with the scale.

It was an unexpected opportunity for the sword to grow.

And if it was done by Gorik's hands, it would have a very high effect.

Hanbit smiled inwardly and handed him the bottle.

"Then I'll leave it to you."

[Translator - Jjescus ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]