Chapter 639 – Scary Wolf.

“How did we end up bringing a useless bastard like you all the way to the third ring?”

The words ended with a dull thud as Ermes’s back struck the stone wall of the alley. Several tools slipped from his grasp and clattered to the ground, their noise swallowed by the surrounding sound of the district. Three figures stood over him, blocking his path. Each wore mismatched gear that looked ill-suited for real combat. Large backpacks rested against the wall to either side, with another lying near where the blacksmith had fallen.

Ermes raised his hands slowly, palms out. His fingers were thick and calloused, blackened permanently by soot and forge smoke. He was broad-shouldered and strong, but there was a difference between the strength of a craftsman and that of someone with a combat class, like these three were.

“I told you…”

Ermes said, forcing his voice to stay steady.

“I was hired to assist with maintenance and logistics. I’m not meant to be a porter.”

A fist slammed into his stomach, ripping the breath from his lungs. He doubled over on instinct, his knees buckling.

“Don’t talk back.”

The man snarled as he raised his fist, ready to strike the man lying on the ground. Ermes lifted his hand to shield his face, but he did not cower. His eyes remained wide and defiant. Just as the blow was about to fall, a strange growl echoed behind them.

“Grrrr…”

“Huh?”

All three goons turned around. Behind them stood a massive wolf-like creature covered in blue sapphires. Its size rivaled that of a horse, towering over everyone present. It opened its maw to reveal rows of sharp teeth slick with dripping saliva. The men recoiled in shock, scrambling backward in fear, but Ermes did not move. Instead, his gaze fixed on the harness and armor the creature wore. To a blacksmith like him, the intricate runes and masterful craftsmanship were breathtaking, clearly the work of a true master.

“W-what is this beast!”

“S-stay back!”

The large wolf took a step forward, the gems embedded in its body glowing brightly. It snarled at the trio, who had no idea what to do. They glanced around in desperation, but no master of the beast could be seen, and there were no other adventurers nearby to help them. They had dragged the blacksmith to a secluded spot, and now that decision had backfired.

“Rrrr…”

Blue flames flickered to life between the wolf’s teeth. They surged forward, forming a small fiery cloud as the beast exhaled. The adventurers staggered back as the heat washed over them. The creature padded closer, its flames licking the stone and turning gray rock into charred black.

The smell of scorched stone filled the air. Suddenly, the creature snapped its jaws as if it were about to pounce.

“FUCK THIS!”

One of the men screamed and bolted, abandoning the others without a second thought. The remaining two fled immediately, panic stripping away what little bravado they had left. One slipped on loose gravel and barely managed to scramble back to his feet, sobbing curses as they ran toward a more populated area. None of them looked back, leaving the blacksmith alone behind them.

Ermes stayed frozen for a bit longer, chest heaving as he listened to the retreating footsteps fade into the noise of the district. The massive wolf snorted, blue flames sputtering out as easily as they had formed. The glow of the sapphires dimmed to a calm shimmer and for some reason, the beast just sat down.

For a moment, the man stared at the monstrous wolf, yet for some reason, he could not feel any animosity coming from it. It was as if the creature did not want to harm him. Eventually, he heard footsteps approaching from the other side. A robed man emerged, his steps slow and heavy. Though he could not clearly see what the man wore, it was obvious that the garments were heavy armor, something a blacksmith like him could easily detect.

“Amun.”

The man spoke in a low tone, somewhat otherworldly, as though it carried a strange power. Ermes flinched and twisted around, scrambling to his feet despite the ache in his ribs. He understood at once that this figure must be the owner of the beast that had perhaps just saved him. Even so, he could not yet relax, knowing that a single mistake might still leave him between those sharp wolven teeth.

The stranger stepped forward, and the wind caught his cloak, blowing it aside and revealing a few more details. Ermes could now see what he had missed earlier. The quality of the gauntlet, the subtle enchantments woven into the greaves, and the way the massive wolf became docile the moment the man appeared. It was instantly clear that this adventurer was powerful and not someone to be mocked.

“You there…”

“Yes!?”

The old blacksmith snapped to attention as the man held something out toward him. It appeared to be a parchment, and soon the man asked a question.

“Is this the correct spot?”

For a moment, they lingered like that, the hand still outstretched, until Ermes finally understood what was happening. Slowly, with trembling hands, he took the piece of paper and began to read. Just as he had expected, this man was part of the same expedition into the dungeon.

******

‘He looks scared. Agni might have overdone it a bit.’

Roland glanced over at Agni, who was sitting with his tongue hanging out. His current name had been changed to Amun, an old Egyptian deity often depicted with blue skin, much like the sapphire blue that now covered Agni’s body.

He had urged his wolf partner to scare the three adventurers a bit since he needed an excuse to intervene. This blacksmith was the man he had decided to protect, as he was dead set on heading into the third layer of the super dungeon. While the situation was not ideal, it allowed him to see with his own eyes how the guild operated.

“Y-yes.”

The blacksmith spoke with a shaking voice at first, but it eventually calmed when he realized that Roland was not there to hurt him.

“This is… this is the eastern gathering point. Third ring escort group. That’s the one.”

Roland inclined his head slightly and withdrew his hand once the parchment was returned. The simple motion seemed to ease some of the pressure in the air, though Ermes’s shoulders remained hunched, as if he expected another blow at any moment.

“Did I interrupt at a bad time?”

He glanced toward the tools still scattered on the ground, searching for an answer. His agent had provided some basic information on the people participating in this expedition, but nothing specific. There was a chance that someone here had been hired to ensure Ermes never reached his family.

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The three who had attacked him were suspects. They were ordinary tier two class holders working as porters. When expeditions into areas restricted to Platinum and Mithril adventurers were organized, porters needed a combat class to keep up with the group.

It seemed they wanted the blacksmith to serve as one as well, which could prove disastrous since he likely lacked the stats needed to escape monsters lurking in the deeper parts of the dungeon. It was possible, but he expected someone in a higher position to be pulling the strings, as tier two class holders were far too weak to be trusted with such a task.

“Oh, that? It’s nothing, just a small misunderstanding between people. Think nothing of it!”

“Is that so…”

Ermes looked distant, as if he did not trust Roland or understand why he was being asked. Perhaps he feared the newcomer was searching for dirt to use against him later. Gossip was frowned upon, but there could be other reasons. He might simply have not wanted to involve Roland in the mess that had been created.

“I really didn’t mean to cause any more trouble, good sir…”

Ermes started talking, as if he wanted to say something important. However, before he could continue, hurried footsteps echoed from the direction the three porters had fled. The blacksmith flinched and turned toward the sound, and Roland did the same. Three figures appeared. They were the same adventurers who had fled earlier, but their expressions were very different now. They looked confident, no longer alone.

Behind them walked a man in his early forties, tall and broad, clad in well-maintained green scale armor clearly crafted from a powerful beast. His gear showed signs of use, but it was also heavily enchanted, every enhancement runic in nature. A longsword hung at his right side and a shortsword at his left, both enchanted weapons forged from high-quality metal.

‘Is that the leader?’

Roland asked himself as he analyzed the situation. His initial scans showed that this man had the highest level present, though more figures were approaching from behind. Three others followed him, all fighter types wielding enchanted weapons, each at least a Platinum-ranked adventurer.

“Captain, that’s it, that’s the beast that tried to attack us!”