After work, start to speedrun the other world-Chapter 107 - 19: Parting and Meeting

"Boss, where are we heading next?" A puzzled young girl’s voice emanated from the darkness, accompanied by a warm glow spreading over the damp, cold ground.

Xi Mu walked out slowly, holding a glowing sphere above his head, with Jed and a little pony following behind.

He turned his head towards Jed and said,

"To the Dwarf Kingdom."

"Can I...ask why?" Jed’s face stiffened, feeling a sense of foreboding and starting to worry whether the boss was planning to unseal the Flame Giant Surter, or to make contact with the followers of the Dusk Cult.

Either option was the worst possible choice.

"Don’t worry, I just want to find a Dwarf Master," Xi Mu seemed to sense Jed’s thoughts and explained,

"I’m not going to contact the Flame Giant Surter. I haven’t gone mad yet."

To forge a weapon with a +10 enhancement, it wasn’t as simple as finding any blacksmith; it had to be a top-tier forging master.

In this game, there were only five top-tier forging masters capable of creating weapons with +10 enhancements: two among the dwarves, one in the giant’s realm, one being the sealed Flame Giant Surter, and one in the Fairy Kingdom.

In short, creating a weapon with +10 enhancement was not an easy task; materials were hard to come by, and getting a top-tier forging master to help was even harder.

But he had ways to make top-tier forging masters cooperate.

Just then,

"Not having gone mad yet doesn’t mean you won’t in the future," a calm male voice suddenly cut through the air, making Xi Mu stop in his tracks.

He turned around and saw a wolf man in a cloak, slowly approaching with a greatsword in hand.

"You...shouldn’t have come to see me."

"Yeah, I should be making arrangements for the next life," the wolf man readily admitted, resting the greatsword on his shoulder, his smile growing stern, "But I felt like giving up chasing you now would mean losing the opportunity to kill you later."

"If you’re prepared thoroughly, there’s no such thing as an unkillable person," Xi Mu shook his head, his palm sliding over the Hunting King’s Greatsword, black flames symbolizing death clinging to it and emanating a chilling aura.

Any player who had tried adding the power of death to their attack in the early stages would find it hard to give up, unless they had fully grown stronger in the later phases and hadn’t upgraded the power of death to a higher level.

Then they might change their habit of applying a layer of death’s power before battle.

"That’s under the assumption that your enemy doesn’t improve," the wolf man’s body started to become scorching hot, resembling red-hot charcoal, flames emanating from his greatsword.

He stepped closer to Xi Mu, his voice turning cold,

"Saving a cursed city, helping a fallen princess reclaim her nation, being an apprentice to the newly crowned Magic Queen Hecate, and also a favored one of both the Goddess of Life and the Goddess of Death, oh—and it seems you’re also involved with Sky City."

"Throughout history, there have been many shining individuals like you, who can grow incomprehensibly fast just by not being seen for a while."

Jed, listening on the side, frowned and retorted, "But right now, you might not even be able to kill the boss."

While saying this, she retreated to a safe area, very aware of her capabilities, knowing that not causing trouble was the best help she could offer.

The wolf man glanced at the tanned, bare-midriff girl and casually replied, "Isn’t there even less chance later?"

He forcefully pushed off the ground, shooting forward like a dart, the flaming greatsword spinning like a flying dragon, striking vigorously towards Xi Mu.

Flames splattered as they brushed past each other.

Xi Mu shook his greatsword, observing another cut added to the wolf man’s chest. The strike was potentially fatal, but with the wolf man’s enhanced power in his kindling state, it was not easy to kill him with one blow.

Unless he activated the Ash Fire to boost his power for a quick kill.

But still in his weakened state, it wasn’t worth using too much magic power.

"The Surter’s fire you mentioned was passed to me by your boss," the wolf man seemed unconcerned about his injury, instead fuelling even more magic power into his fervor, making the Surter’s fire burn even fiercer.

He chuckled towards Jed who was cautiously watching from a distance.

"Crazy and tyrannical, hostile towards everything—that’s the nature of Surter’s fire. Your boss surviving means he’ll eventually become the most dangerous man."

"You came to kill the boss with that kind of awareness?" Jed remained unmoved, remarking snappishly,

"And I thought you were out for revenge."

Jed didn’t take any of the enemy’s words seriously, treating them only as psychological tactics.

And against such tactics, a good counter was all that was needed.

"Perhaps is indeed to add a touch of righteousness to my revenge," the wolf man smirked, his gaze fixating on Xi Mu again, "After all, we stole the meteor first, being killed is nothing to complain about."

With that, he charged again, his greatsword wrapped in flames like a massive hammer, smashing it down heavily towards Xi Mu.

However, Xi Mu dodged as if he had anticipated it. At the moment the wolf man tried to change his strike, Xi Mu moved in close and delivered a slash.

The symbol of death’s flames cut through Surter’s fire, severing the wolf man’s arm that held the sword along with it.

The battle ended.

Xi Mu looked indifferent, resting his greatsword at the wolf man’s neck, "Any last words?"

The wolf man laughed heartily, "Knight, care to die with me?"

Was this wolf man crazy?

That’s what Jed thought, but seeing the serious expression of the wolf man, she felt he was talking about something grave.

"If you don’t die now, one day you’ll end up killing those you love," the wolf man asserted, "Those who love you will die under your blade, one after another."

"..."

With no expression, Xi Mu swung his blade, beheading the wolf man, as the flames symbolizing death consumed the wolf man’s body.

However, his equipment remained intact.

"Never thought your flames could infect others, boss," Jed approached, examining the equipment left by the wolf man.

Subsequently, she heard a surprising remark.

"Jed, let’s part ways here," Xi Mu said seriously, startling Jed, who then cast a puzzled glance.

She believed she hadn’t been holding them back and could provide substantial help to Ahtal; she wondered why Ahtal wanted to part ways with her.

Of course, as a mercenary, she wouldn’t defy her employer, but as a friend, she worried about Xi Mu facing dangers alone.

Xi Mu turned and walked towards a dim tunnel in the distance, saying to Jed with his back turned, "I don’t want to kill you, so it’s better we split up now."

If Jed stayed by his side, he would need to act a bit, which was a waste of energy. With the werewolf’s remarks, he had enough reason to send Jed away.

After all, he planned to make contact with the followers of the Dusk Cult and further embark on the Ash Path.

It was inconvenient to keep Jed with him.

Moreover, Jed was too weak now; keeping him around wouldn’t be much help in defending against enemies, but rather, Jed might fall into danger.

"..."

"..."

Jed, watching Xi Mu who was accompanied only by a horse, instinctively wanted to chase after him but stopped abruptly, suppressing his impulses with the strong calm and decisiveness forged from his time as a mercenary.

One should not obstruct a man who has made a resolve.

"Boss, if one day you become an Asura, I will definitely risk my life to stop Letixia!"

She placed both hands near her mouth and yelled after Xi Mu’s receding figure, only to see Xi Mu wave his hand without turning around, his form gradually vanishing into the darkness.

Lowering her hands, she too turned and left.

However, moments later, she suddenly ran back, picked up the equipment left by the werewolf, and then finally left.

After all, the equipment left by the werewolf was clearly valuable.

...

...

The lightless tunnel.

Xi Mu walked alone, accompanied only by a horse, making his way through the damp and cold tunnel.

After a while.

The mare snorted, looking at the quietly walking knight beside her, and motioned for him to mount after he looked at her.

This was not because she saw his solitude and wanted to gallop away all his troubles, but because walking this way was truly too difficult.

That’s why she specifically allowed the knight to ride her again.

"No need, I’m fine now," Xi Mu waved his hand, pretending he did not understand the mare’s gesture.

Soon, he was thrown onto the horse’s back by the nape of his neck.

As hooves hit the ground, the mare started to sprint, like a flash of lightning that streaked through the unlit tunnel, Xi Mu’s small light orb creating a long trail in the darkness, seemingly moving faster than light.

Of course, this was just an illusion.

But it was certain that the mare, when running seriously, truly epitomized swift as the wind and quick as lightning.

What was supposed to be a day’s journey, 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

was completed in just ten minutes.

Light flooded into view, and the world opened up, revealing rivers of flowing lava and buildings erected beside the magma.

And dwarfs were moving about in such towns.

This is the underground world, very different from the civilizations above ground; the customs here are comparatively fierce.

Dismounting,

Xi Mu walked forward, standing on a hill with Dwarf Town below — there’s nothing special about this place.

The primary reason for being here was the proximity to Doma City, allowing direct access to Dwarf Country, making map traversal convenient.

There was no other special reason.

"Pleased to meet you, Lord Ahtal," a respectful and gentle female voice came, leading Xi Mu to instinctively look towards its source.

He saw a blindfolded nun, hands crossed in front of her lower abdomen, moving elegantly towards him; she stopped in her tracks.

"I serve the flame," she said softly, placing a hand on her chest, her blindfolded eyes seemingly piercing through the silk, focusing on Xi Mu’s face.

She then nodded affirmatively:

"You are the chosen Ash Lord."

"..." Xi Mu did not reply, observing the blindfolded nun. Although her nun’s attire covered everything that could be revealed,

it was still possible to discern the mature curves of a woman’s body, and despite the scorching heat, this servant of the flame did not sweat.

This was to be expected, given she was a powerhouse of level ninety-plus, now impervious even to his knife attacks under normal circumstances.

Normally, it is very easy for players experiencing the game for the first time to be distracted by the various beautiful women and handsome men, leading them along corresponding story arcs.

Being charmed by a goddess often leads one down a god-like companionship path.

And being seduced by a witch, choosing to become a demon, leads one down the most orthodox path of the king of mysteries.

And finally, the path of the Ash Lord, equally managed by a character who could bait players into this storyline’s conclusion.

That would be the blindfolded nun.