The First Legendary Beast Master

Chapter 868: Stone Crusher Axe

Everyone went silent as the weapon was placed on the desk.

”That, itʼs beautiful.” Governor Shin sighed.

”That has to hit harder than Iʼd smash your sister.” One of the Dwarves announced, smiling at the Governor.

”Youʼd need two hands either way. His sister is a big olʼ gal, and youʼve got stumpy legs.” Karl agreed.

{WTF?} Ashbringer asked in a private message, but Karl just winked at him as the Dwarves began to laugh.

”Freshly made, Runes havenʼt even settled overnight yet. Itʼs not a fake.” The oldest of the Dwarves announced.

”Oy! Thatʼs in Dwarven.” One of the emissaries declared as he examined the runes.

”Well, I am somewhat better at Dwarven poetry than any other language when the topic is the finer aspects of striking stone.” Karl shrugged.

The Dwarves stared at him suspiciously, so Karl took the Governorʼs notepad and wrote out the Dwarven runes he had used for Overlord Othelloʼs new blade back in the Golden Dragon Nation.

”This is the first one I made using that technique, and the result was spectacular. Even gave her a personalized effect of extra damage against perverts.” Karl explained.

The dwarves read the sheet and began to laugh.

”Transform back, letʼs get a look at you then.” The eldest Dwarf insisted.

Governor Shin looked curious, but Karl didnʼt hesitate to dismiss [Beast Form] and stand on his human legs for the first time in a month or more.

”What do you know, youʼre not a Dwarf? You kind of smell like one, though. So perhaps just a little bit.” The old man muttered.

”Not a human, either. Now, Iʼve done some things Iʼm not proud of while drinking, but did someone shag a Void Elemental?” One of the other men asked.

The old man laughed. ”Donʼt be silly. That would be like taking a Fire Elemental to bed.”

Karl cleared his throat. ”Ashbringer is half Fire Elemental.”

The Dwarves roared with laughter, and Karl began to wonder if this whole visit was just entertainment for them, and not some serious political matter, the way that Governor Shin saw it.

Karl smirked at one of the younger men, a ginger haired Dwarf with soot embedded deep in the lines and pores of his hands.

”Donʼt even play like you wouldnʼt give it a shot if the lady of the forge came to life.” He added.

Ashbringer smirked, and the Dwarf looked pensive for a moment before nodding in agreement.

The elderly Dwarf leading the delegation sighed. ”Alright, enough jokes. I see that youʼve managed to obtain a single actual Runemaster. If there were more, Drodh wouldnʼt need months and months to prepare for a visit.

The quality of the weapon, as well, is incredible. Especially for a Demon.

We will accept that you are a proper producing city, but we canʼt say that Drodh is a weapon making nation. In light of that, we will halve the tariff.”

Governor Shin sighed in relief, until the old Dwarf picked up the axe.

”How much? I can trade you another artifact, or various items of equal value.” He insisted.

Governor Shin got a shrewd look on his face. He hadnʼt expected the Dwarves to actually want the weapon. He was trying to show off and avoid getting embarrassed during their trade negotiations, even if it cost him Totem Ranked resources.

”I will let you deal directly with the creators.” Governor Shin deflected.

Ashbringer nodded at Karl, who smiled at the Dwarves.

”How about this. I need a short list of materials, and I would like to request free access to your Bara Cityʼs dungeon.” Karl requested.

The Dwarves smiled. He hadnʼt asked for anything outlandish, just crafting materials to make more equipment.

Ashbringer brought out his list of materials for making Overlord Rank weapons, which was mostly metals, with a few gems. Karl could use those to finish any of the enchantments the weapons needed, but he added one more item to the list.

Mythic Rank magical beast blood. Five gallons worth.

He was certain that Rae was doing a happy dance in the Dungeon right now, but Karl was also reasonably sure that he could secure her next advancementʼs bath products.

The Dwarves frowned at the last addition to the list. ”Does it have to be from a beast?”

Karl shrugged. ”Demon, Shadow Element Monster, or even Dragon blood would work as well. But I have found that sentient beings get quite particular about being stabbed and bled.”

The Dwarves began to seriously consider it. It wasnʼt like there were no Mythic Rank creatures in their nation. In fact, there were quite a few.

But as Karl had pointed out, they would get more than a little bit insulted if someone stabbed them. And the more civilized of the Mythic Beasts had agreements in place with the Dwarves to control a region of the nation so that the Dwarves didnʼt have to continually eliminate growing threats.

Killing one would leave a territory open and cause more problems than it solved.

However, the oldest of the Dwarves had a plan. ”I know a source. But before I agree to it, I need to know what it is for.”

Karl considered how he would answer, then decided that the simple truth would be easiest.

”The System gave me the class of Beast Master, now Beast Master Packmaster. I have a bonded partner, a Blood Destruction Demonic Spider, formerly a Bloodbath Spider. Her advancement process involves higher Rank blood in large quantities.

In order for her to reach Totem Rank, I will need that blood.”

The Dwarf nodded. ”There is a long tradition of bonded animals in Dwarven culture. Now, itʼs normally one of the Mountain Goats, a Stone Wolf or a Dire Bear, but Spiders arenʼt unheard of, as they also like to live in the mountains.”

The Dwarves had a class that could bond monsters? Now that was convenient. But perhaps his class wasnʼt as special as it had seemed in the Golden Dragon Nation. Unless they were something like the Beast Rangers, who only got a single partner.

The old Dwarf extended his hand. ”I agree to your price. We will bring you and Grandmaster Ashbringer to Bara and register you with the guard station for entry to the Dungeon.

It is a ten-person instance. Does your Guild have enough Overlords?”

Karl shook his head. ”We can get close, but there arenʼt ten of us at Overlord Rank. We are primarily a crafting Guild.”

Two plus the beasts was close to ten, in a way.

But the old man seemed to expect that. ”There are places to form a group in the city. I will arrange for someone to show you around and take you in on a visit. The first time you visit, the guide normally charges a large fee to protect the newbies from the Elves and Spiders, but for a Runemaster, I am certain I can get a group to compromise.”