Bear School Astartes

”Listen to me, Radagast, Lann!”

Gandalf looked seriously at the two beside him.

”I sensed something was wrong after escorting Sorlin and his group through the Dark Forest, and I headed here. Then I received a messenger from Radagast.”

”Now it’s clear! I’ve figured it out!”

Gandalf clenched his pointed hat tightly in his hand, mirroring his tense emotions at that moment.

”The beastmen who’ve been hunting Sorlin and his group are led by [the Desecrator] Azog. I initially thought he was just a powerful beastman leader among the Northern Beastmen.”

”But now, the Nine Nazgûl only listen to one master, and since they’ve appeared, it means Azog also has a master!”

”And it’s the same person—Sorun!”

”Azog isn’t solely pursuing the Reconquest Expedition Team of the dwarves due to a family feud with Sorlin Oak Shield. His purpose, or at least his master’s orders, must be that Lonely Mountain! It’s Elbo!”

The wealth within Lonely Mountain and its geographical location are crucial to the overall situation in the North.

In such a severe situation, Gandalf appeared guilt-ridden and worried.

”I admit, I did indeed want to optimize the defenses in the North, which is why I helped Sorlin organize this expedition team.”

”But now, they are completely unaware of the hidden situation and are blindly rushing towards Lonely Mountain! Even I only just realized!”

”It’s a death trap!”

”So, you want someone to warn Sorlin, to tell him the reality beneath the surface. But if I didn’t misunderstand.”

Lann tilted his head at Gandalf: ”That should be your responsibility, shouldn’t it?”

Now, the dwarves only think that the goal of this Reconquest Expedition Team is to reclaim their nation and return home.

But beneath the surface, there’s a conflict between the evil forces and benevolent forces of the entire North, each wishing to consolidate defenses and improve strategic layouts.

The opposition faced by these two situations is of a completely different magnitude.

And Sorlin and his entourage aren’t even aware of what they’ll be facing.

Gandalf pursed his lips in a bitter but helpless manner.

”Now, if Sorun has indeed regained considerable strength, then the entire Middle-earth Continent is in grave danger. I must uncover his true condition and force him to reveal himself. That is... force him to act!”

”But Gandalf!” Radagast said anxiously beside him, ”What if, what if Sorun... ”

The shabby old man hesitated to finish his sentence, simply gesturing a dangerous motion of drawing a finger across his neck.

”He won’t.” Gandalf said, feigning ease, ”I still have information he desperately wants to know, as long as I don’t let it slip, he won’t rush to kill me.”

A brief silence.

”So... that’s it?”

Lann spread his hands, looking at the elderly man who knew what he was facing, yet remained calm.

”Although I don’t know how powerful Sorun is, you know the castle before you is an inescapable trap, but you still want to go in?”

”We all have tasks that must be completed, Lann.”

Gandalf smiled calmly, stroking his long beard.

”The so-called sense of responsibility, the so-called persistence... all mixed together, constitutes the so-called destiny.”

”I am to fulfill my destiny.”

The Demon Hunter nodded silently, not saying much. He mounted the Qilin, turning around.

”Where are the dwarves now, Gandalf?”

”They will pass through Long Lake Town, where they’ll make their last supply stop on their journey, at the big lake in the northeast corner of the Dark Forest.”

”Understood. By the way.”

The Demon Hunter on horseback looked down at the old wizard in the grey robe, smiling lightly.

”I don’t think your destiny ends here, Gandalf old chap.”

”Ha ha!” The old wizard laughed heartily, resting his magic staff on his shoulder, pipe in mouth, ”Thank you for your blessing, Lann old chap.”

The Qilin’s long neck also turned to look at Gandalf, snorting, as Rong Buqiu stood on its back waving and meowing at the old wizard.

The heavy sound of hooves faded away in the forest.

Gandalf also turned around to face his colleague.

”Alright, Radagast. No need for more words, but you must remember — ”

”Absolutely don’t follow me! I must go in alone! We each have our own duties, don’t act on your own, understand?”

Radagast remained quiet, saying nothing, only gradually moving away from Gandalf.

”When we arrived in Middle-earth, you agreed to listen to me! Give me your word!”

Gandalf shouted without turning his head.

And as he walked away, Radagast muttered a response without turning his head.

”Alright, alright, I promise. I’ve remembered, haven’t forgotten.”

Upon receiving a response, Gandalf pursed his lips, closed his eyes, and nodded, looking finally relieved.

”Yeah.” The old wizard in grey muttered softly, ”We’d better not forget.”

-----------------

The heavy sound of hooves was like a drum, with the combined weight of the Qilin and Lann trampling on the thick humus of the Dark Forest, creating such a commotion.

Previously led by Radagast all the way to Dorguldu, Lann and the others were not disturbed by the chaotic magical forces within the Dark Forest.

And after adaptive training with Radagast in the Dark Forest, even Rong Buqiu, who had the shortest endurance time among them, could maintain clarity for several hours in this forest.

Without needing to slow down to consider Radagast’s rabbit sled, a few hours were enough for the Qilin to traverse the Dark Forest.

”This time Sorlin, Balin, Baggins... heh, they all owe me a big favor.”

Lann muttered on the Qilin’s back.

”Rushing here just to save the life of these few dwarves.”

”Saving people is a good deed, meow!”

Rong Buqiu patted his boss to comfort him.

”Besides, I heard the treasure in the Lonely Mountain is piled up like a mountain, meow. Maybe they’ll thank us with treasures?”

”It would be best if that’s the case; then I can immediately repay the funds I pulled from the Knight Order.”

The Demon Hunter dismissively pursed his lips.

The finances Lann used to revitalize his money stream were pulled from the Ashen Knight Order.

Although it belonged to his knight order, he is very clear about the line between public and private. He dislikes owing money, so he repays it as soon as possible.

But the Qilin obviously doesn’t care much about money or treasures.

”Whinny!”

Its feline face nudged forward, emitting a shriek.

”But the dwarves say there’s a dragon in the Lonely Mountain! What kind of dragon would it be? An ancient dragon?”

The Qilin’s thoughts were transmitted through a variant of the [Yakxi Rune], and it was more interested in the dragon named Smaug.

Unfortunately, during Lann’s venture to the pinnacle of the ancient dragons in the Flame World, he once saw from afar the giant dragon corpse lying on the mountains, covering nearly half of the mountain range, but the Qilin didn’t get there at the time.

Upon learning about the malicious dragon [Ankala Gang] in this world, Lann used the size of that dragon corpse as a reference.

”Dragons in this world are not like you, Qilin.”

Lann said, patting the neck of this beautiful [Phantom Beast].

The intelligence of the New Continent Ancient Dragons is at least comparable to humans. After so long adventuring with Lann, the Qilin has accepted many human concepts, like it’s actually an ancient dragon.

”Dragons in this world are born evil because they are all war races created by the ancient dark god named Morgoth.”

The Dark Forest is a long, narrow forest running north to south. Lann, riding the Qilin, first crossed east from Dorguldu, exiting the range of the forest, and then traveled along the forest edge all the way north.

He didn’t dare to stray too far from the forest edge because he didn’t know the way. Without the Dark Forest as a directional landmark, who knows where he might end up.

In large forests like this, their boundaries are quite vague and wide.

So, even though Lann had exited the forest, it was just that the density of trees and vegetation was sparser, with thick fallen leaves and humus sometimes revealing soil and stones.

The Qilin, with blue-white lightning arcs, rushed through the trees like a swift wind.

The wide Magic Rune Cloth swayed up and down in the air, full of majesty and nobility.

However, during this rapid pace, the Demon Hunter, who was casually talking with the Qilin or Rong Buqiu earlier, suddenly shifted his gaze towards the front at an angle.

Simultaneously, a slight sound came from the lush green canopy, faint enough to seem like an illusion even to the Demon Hunter’s senses.

Boots stepping on thick trunks, branches and leaves seemed to have consciousness, separating before the person passing through, and not entangling...

”Stop, stranger, you have trespassed into the Woodland Kingdom’s territories!”

It was a clear voice. Accompanying the voice was an arrow shot down from the canopy.

The intended target of the arrow was to land before the Qilin’s next step, clearly meant to intimidate and stop.

But it was also clear—the archer underestimated the Qilin’s speed.

He probably saw the shadow of the Qilin running, and relying on his experience and instinct, he shot the arrow.

Under normal circumstances, the archer’s skills would be entirely sufficient.

But New Continent’s Ancient Dragon is indeed not a usual circumstance.

Thus, the arrow was basically heading towards the Qilin’s neck!

”Wait!”

The archer in the tree clearly realized immediately, and he voiced his surprise.

And while voicing, he shot another arrow to intercept the previous one.

This archery skill, nearly worthy of legendary stories, not only was someone really using it now, but it was even more exaggerated than in tales!

Because he succeeded!

”Crack!”

At more than thirty meters, a shooter with an unstable, surprised mood broke the previous arrow with a subsequent shot!