Lord Of The Lost

Near the dwarf's remains, a tattered package lay half-buried.

When opened, mithril and adamantium tumbled out—precious ores used in forging extraordinary weapons and armor.

This discovery proved something long suspected—

The Blacksmith Path had originated from the dwarves.

Only certain magical ores could be crafted into enchanted weapons.

However, the strongest supernatural beings had another method—

They could infuse ordinary objects with their own extraordinary characteristics, granting them supernatural abilities.

The tradeoff?

Such weapons could only carry abilities from the wielder's path.

A true master blacksmith, however, could craft multifunctional weapons, embedding them with versatile magic.

This explained the massive difference in quality among items of the same grade.

For instance:

Dragon Scale Armor—so strong that it could withstand direct hits from rare artifacts.

Low-tier Berserker Axes—which granted a 30% power boost for five minutes, but left the wielder fatally weakened afterward.

The dwarf warrior had likely sought the lost techniques of his people.

Yet, in the end, he had perished, his weapons and treasures forgotten—until now.

---

Final Thoughts

William carefully collected everything.

A warrior's final possessions—now in new hands.

Perhaps, in a different timeline, this dwarf might have been a friend, a mentor, or an ally.

But in this cursed labyrinth, only the dead remained—whispering their stories in silent, forgotten ruins.

The Road to Power: Equipment, Sequences, and the Kingdom's Might

High-Level Equipment: The Rarity of True Power

The stronger the equipment, the less skill is required to use it effectively.

This is why mithril and fine gold are so precious—they are essential materials for forging rare-grade weapons.

These rare items correspond to Sequence 8, marking the advanced tier of transcendents.

A Sequence 8 transcendent can permanently infuse their supernatural characteristics into ordinary objects, transforming them into high-quality gear.

But forging true rare-grade weapons?

That remains beyond their reach.

For context—

Border Town can produce hundreds of high-quality weapons.

But true rare-grade gear?

There are only two pieces in total.

One belongs to the monarchy, the other to the church.

These two artifacts alone are enough to keep thieves at bay.

Even if a master rogue wielded a Sequence 8 weapon, they wouldn't stand a chance.

They would be outmatched, suppressed, and crushed by the combined power of royal and divine authority.

Rare gear is more than just strong equipment—it's a symbol of power that ensures balance.

And in all of Border Town, there isn't a single Sequence 8 transcendent.

---

The Wall Between Sequence 9 and Sequence 8

The truth is, most transcendents never advance beyond Sequence 9.

Becoming extraordinary is one thing.

Becoming a legend is another.

There are three higher paths known to humanity.

But the road to Sequence 8 is like wading through deep mud—every step requires immense effort.

A knight in Sequence 9 might train his Basic Stab 10,000 times a day.

After three, five, or even ten years, his physical stats will significantly improve.

But can anyone truly endure years of mind-numbing repetition?

There is no shortcut.

No miracle breakthrough.

Just endless, grueling effort.

The saying goes, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

But for a transcendent, the journey isn't a thousand miles—

It's thirty to fifty years of hardship, just to reach Sequence 8.

This is why so few ever succeed.

And yet, the king cannot afford to wait that long.

---

The Birth of the Kingdom's Extraordinary Legions

According to Sophia, most warriors and knights don't even try to reach Sequence 8.

Instead, the king found a solution:

"If they can't ascend, make them stronger where they stand."

Thus, the extraordinary legions were born—specialized military forces designed to maximize the power of Sequence 9 transcendents.

Each army followed a specific combat doctrine, amplifying a different aspect of warfare.

Knight Divisions

[Heavy Armor Knights] – Masters of defense, unbreakable shields on the battlefield.

[War Knights] – Aggressive chargers, designed for relentless attacks.

[Greatsword Knights] – Specialists in wielding colossal weapons, capable of cleaving enemies in half.

[Sky Knights] – Elite cavalry, striking from above.

[Sniper Knights] – Long-range killers, picking off threats before they reach the front lines.

Warrior Divisions

[Royal Guard Corps] – The king's personal protectors, trained to perfection.

[Vanguard Corps] – The first to charge into battle, setting the stage for war.

[Heavy Armor Corps] – War machines in human form, nearly unstoppable in direct combat.

Each legion optimized its transcendents, ensuring maximum efficiency without the need for promotion to Sequence 8.

This information isn't available in Border Town.

It's classified knowledge, known only to those close to the throne.

Sophia only learned about it because of Iris, who had whispered these secrets in bedtime stories.

But among all the king's legions, there is one force that stands above the rest—

The Magic Legion.

---

The Kingdom's Ultimate Weapon: The Magic Legion

Even a Sequence 7 Wolf Lord would think twice before provoking the king's forces.

Why?

Because to attack one transcendent knight is to provoke an entire army.

And when that army moves, it is not just steel and muscle, but magic and fire, thunder and destruction.

Even the dragons, once the rulers of the world, had learned this lesson the hard way.

They had once flown freely, considering themselves untouchable, above the laws of mankind.

Then, one day, they defied the kingdom.

And in response, the Magic Legion was unleashed.

It was a battle that should have been impossible—

Humans, no matter how strong, should never have been able to stand against the ancient might of dragons.

But they did.

And when the dust settled—

The dragons no longer dared to act recklessly.

Their power remained great, but their will to fight had been broken.

For the first time in history—

Humanity ruled the battlefield.

Into the Depths: Power, Survival, and the Fall of the Gray Dwarves

The King's Command: A Forced Crusade

A decade ago, the King issued a direct command to the witch clan—

Suppress the Black Forest.

The witches had no say in the matter.

They had to obey.

Why? The full truth remains unclear, even to Sophia.

But one thing was certain—the King's word was law.

And now, thanks to Sophia's insights, the team had a far clearer grasp of the world's power struggles.

---

Leveling Up: The Demon Wolf Evolves

[You have unlocked new abilities in the Demon Wolf Path.]

[Your level has increased to 15.]

With each battle, William's power grew exponentially.

For most Sequence 9 transcendents, progression was a grueling process.

They had to master their unique abilities before even thinking about advancing to Sequence 8.

But William?

Different story.

His natural comprehension and incredible attributes allowed him to rapidly master the Demon Wolf's gifts.

The so-called bottleneck that most faced?

He simply didn't experience it.

It wasn't just talent.

It was his nature as a higher-level lifeform.

Some extraordinary beings don't need to "train"—they simply grow into their power, much like how dragons naturally amass strength over time.

But this advantage came with a price.

Extraordinary creatures struggled to reproduce.

To pass on power to their offspring, they had to sacrifice a portion of their vitality—sometimes even falling out of their sequence as a result.

For beings like Helka, this meant that if he ever had children, they would be born as natural Sequence 9 Knights.

And once they reached adulthood, some might even naturally ascend to Sequence 8.

Such was the price—and the privilege—of true extraordinary bloodlines.

---

A New Target: The Underground Ruins

With ruins offering the highest rewards, the team set their sights on new targets.

Among their hopes?

Uncovering the lost formulas for secret potions.

But the maze itself was an enemy.

Visibility? Limited to 100 meters.

Communication? Completely blocked.

The layout? Warped, shifting like a living thing.

The entire maze felt like Bermuda's magnetic field on Earth, twisting space and leading the careless to certain doom.

Exploring was like opening a blind box—you never knew what you'd get.

But now, they had an advantage.

Metatron, now Level 10, could see through the false paths.

Instead of wandering aimlessly, they could head straight for the ruins.

---

The Underground Battlefield: The Gray Dwarves' Last Stand

The latest ruin wasn't just buried in time—

It was sealed beneath the earth.

Like a dark, forgotten prison.

The moment they stepped underground, they were ambushed.

The Gray Dwarves had been waiting.

In the depths of the Underworld, not all dwarves had perished.

Some had abandoned their honor, mutating to survive the horrors of the maze.

But in the process, they lost something more—their minds.

They devolved into primal creatures, trapped in tribal savagery, hunting any adventurer who dared enter their domain.

This wasn't a war.

It was a massacre.

---

The Brutality of Survival

They had read about gray dwarves in the maze guide.

But reading and facing them in battle were two very different things.

These creatures were ferocious, relentless, their battle instincts pushing them beyond normal limits.

William realized just how dangerous they were when they triggered his own [Desperate Situation] ability.

Even Sofia, with her immense magical strength, was forced into close combat.

Their armor could resist magic.

Their weapons were crafted to counter spellcasters.

They were small, but brutally effective warriors.

And their leader?

A monstrous powerhouse—stronger than any other Sequence 9 they had faced.

William and Sofia joined forces to bring him down.

With their chieftain slain, the remaining dwarves panicked.

Some dropped their weapons and begged for mercy.

But Alex showed none.

One by one, he executed them all.

No hesitation. No remorse.

In the darkness of the underground, the gray dwarves were wiped from existence.

The Underground Hunt: Lost Secrets and Unexpected Discoveries

In the dim, untamed depths of the underground, the team uncovered a trove of magical materials—along with plenty of worthless junk.

But one thing stood out.

No magic gold coins.

William furrowed his brows. That was unusual.

Sophia, inspecting a square shield with intricate golden engravings, let out a soft hum.

"Of course. The dwarves must have melted down magic gold coins to enchant their gear, making them resistant to magic."

The realization made sense—though it also meant the dwarves had spent a fortune in doing so.