Section 9, Heart of Fire

Scrolls are divided into two types: trigger-type and magic-input type. The former has a small structure at the top of the scroll. When in use, one crushes the trigger structure at the top of the scroll, allowing the magic crystal fragments inside to activate the scroll. This type can be used even by those without magical power. The latter type requires the user to input their own magical power to be activated. Although trigger-type scrolls are easy to use, the amount of magical energy provided by the magic crystal fragments is limited, thus they can only be used to create first and second-level scrolls. To use advanced scrolls, one must be a magician.

"I am the one here to seek your assistance, what are you doing...?" Leo looked at the dwarf's shackles, and without needing to ask further, he had already guessed that the old man was a prisoner. However, he still did not fully understand the items crafted by the old man.

I did not see Kul Tiras, nor did I see the Flame King. Why is that? The Flame King might still be sleeping in the lava lake, but the old dwarf surely cannot have disappeared.

In the distance, a swarm of fireflies flitted about, searching for insects among the rocks. A fire gecko, while crawling, bumped into a stone, producing a faint sound, and was immediately swarmed by the fireflies, torn into pieces and carried back to their nest

With a wry smile, Kulunwachira raised his hands and feet, producing the clattering sound of chains.

... ...

Emerging from the tunnel, a vast valley appeared before them. The current location of Leo and Bosque was right at the edge of the basin, positioned halfway up the mountainside. It felt as if a lid had been lifted off a pot, and an intense heat immediately rushed toward them, accompanied by a foul smell reminiscent of rotten eggs and thick smoke, catching both men off guard

"Master Kulunwachira?" Leo said softly, while also making a gesture for silence

The Flame Guardian, who was left behind, quickly stepped forward and reached out to grab the small creature. The fire beetle twisted and burned in his hand, ultimately leaving behind a red crystal, which was the essence of heat and also the favorite food of the Flame Guardian. Although it was small, it mattered little to the Flame Guardian, as it was certainly faster than absorbing it himself from the lava lake

The red on a flame guardian gradually dimmed. He glanced at his companion beside him and emitted a mental wave, signaling that he was going to the lake to feed

The companion did not object, and he floated towards the lava lake, dragging a long tail behind him

"Not bad, it's me. Who are you?" It seems the old dwarf is aware that there are guards outside, and his voice is kept very low.

Place the blazing essence into your mouth, while the Flame Guardian fixates on another fire beetle

"Can we do it this way ... ... " Leo gently shared the plan with the old dwarf

The dwarf looked up at the ceiling

Two flame guardians stood faithfully at the entrance of the cave, listening to the sounds of clinking and the rustle of pages coming from within

"How can I help you in this state? Young man, I am trapped here by the Flame King, forging weapons to combat his enemies," Kulunwachira said. "Unless you can help me retrieve my warhammer, we can work together to sneak away while the Flame King is asleep."

After waiting for a moment, the guard did not come in

After a total of four pauses, Leo finally landed on the ground. With a swift movement, he hid behind a large pile of stones

The ground suddenly trembled, and the magma in the fissures was forced to the surface by the shaking rocks, filling the cabin with a foul odor. The violent vibrations nearly threw Leo off the wall; fortunately, he had been on guard and was well-prepared, holding a scroll in one hand and gripping a protruding rock with the other.

Leo took out a trigger scroll and handed one to Kulunwachira, saying: "Use the scroll first, you go ahead, and I will follow."

In the center, there is a massive magma pool, with the magma churning within. Flame creatures rise and fall among it, emitting joyful moans. On the shore, several fire-eyed wolves lazily crawl and sleep, long drool dripping from their tongues into the magma.

Hearing a slight noise, the old dwarf suddenly turned his head.

Leo effortlessly executed his nimble technique, climbing up the wall to the top, then with a gentle leap, he retrieved the war hammer and floated down gracefully

Leo moved swiftly along the edge of the *Tu* Book Basin, constantly taking cover behind rocks to observe before proceeding further

The cave is quite shallow; after walking just over 10 meters, I reached the end. At the terminus is a slightly larger room where an old dwarf is busily forging in front of the iron station

It seems that Bosque still has some intellect, as he calculated the abilities of the Flame Monarch based on the time the task was issued and his own schedule, among other factors

Casually placing the iron pipe aside, Leo gently asked, "Where is your war hammer? How can I obtain it?"

Taking the opportunity to sneak into the cave, Leo slowly moved forward, guided by the sound

After obtaining the warhammer, Kulunwachira was exceptionally excited, indicating that the old dwarf, this prisoner, was not having a good time.

This may be the most enjoyable task of Leo's life, as the Flame King actually placed the old dwarf's warhammer on a rock at the top of the cave, about eight or nine meters off the ground. Unless one is that tall or can fly, it is impossible to reach. This condition is not a problem for Leo, but it poses a tremendous challenge for Kulunwachira

"En," Bosque nodded in agreement.

Ding ding ding— the old dwarf took out a hammer and struck it forcefully a few times on the iron station

Leo carefully examined once more, and through the steaming mist, he finally discovered a black dot to the east, which appeared to be a cave

After observing Bosque, Leo revealed a hint of satisfaction regarding his performance, at least knowing to cover his mouth and try not to make any noise.

Although flame life does not actually need to consume food, it must absorb heat to maintain sufficient fire elements within its body in order to survive

The fiery heat surged forward, raising the already suffocating temperature by several degrees.

Leo looked at the old dwarf with a questioning gaze

Cough cough cough ... ... Bosque desperately covered his mouth, but he still choked and started to cough.

This is a world of blood and fire, where the scent of charred coal permeates the air amidst the relentless waves of heat. The atmosphere is thick with steam, smoke billows, rocks are twisted and fractured, their surfaces charred black. In the cracks beneath the ground, a red liquid flows ominously, indistinguishable as either magma or blood

Patting Bosque on the back to help him catch his breath, Leo gently said: "Wait for me here, remember, if anything happens, do not run around, find a place to hide"

Just as the old dwarf was stuffing the scroll into his bosom, a person was thrown in.

Leo crouched motionless behind the rock. Having remained in this position for several hours, at this moment, he needed to create an opportunity

Several fire beetles hurriedly crawled out from behind the rocks where Leo was hiding, quickly dashing past the Flame Guardian

Indeed, as Bosque mentioned, this is the territory of a newly emerged Flame King; otherwise, there would not be merely a few fire-type monsters and books here

On the ground lay a chaotic array of iron rods. Leo picked one up and discovered that they were all hollow iron pipes. It seemed these were intended for the fire element to launch flames, likely to be used as a ranged weapon. One could easily guess that the Flame King had probably fought several battles against the Serpent Lizard. Due to the Serpent Lizard's speed and use of a bow and arrow, the fire life had not gained any advantage. Thus, they prepared to use these blowpipes to concentrate the flames for ranged attacks.

Leo stood above the entrance of the cave, and according to Kulunwachira, this was the signal for the guards to come in and take the iron pipes

The dark red rocks shimmered with a faint glow; although there were no luminescent mosses or plants, the path ahead was still clearly visible. With a peculiar rhythm, waves of heat surged from the front, invigorating the usually damp and dark spirit of the Bosque. Red, yellow, and dull brown became the dominant tones of the entire tunnel, while a sulfurous scent permeated the air, causing an indescribable discomfort. As one ventured deeper, the heat intensified, and the colors grew richer and more profound. Red, yellow, and dull brown became the dominant tones of the entire tunnel, while a sulfurous scent permeated the air, causing an indescribable discomfort. As one ventured deeper, the heat intensified, and the colors grew richer and more profound.

Leo glanced at the stone wall below, took a gentle step forward, and fell straight down. Several meters below, a hard protrusion served as his first stepping stone; with a slight impact, his downward momentum was significantly reduced, but he continued to fall.

The old dwarf also wore a confused expression, not knowing what the problem was

After examining the trigger point of the scroll, the old dwarf pinched it with his hand and nodded slightly