I. Toward the Heart of the Mountain
Leaving behind the Frost Barricade that trembled under Faerondil's pursuit, Arthur and Anna pressed deeper into the tunnel. As they progressed, the very architecture of the passage began to shift. The soft, fluid lines of stone carved by Elven magic were replaced by the rugged, iron-fortified masonry of the Dwarves, inlaid with raw gemstones.
The air grew heavy with the sharp, warm scent of iron and forge-fire. But the most striking change was the mana. Unlike the fluid, ethereal mana found near the surface, the energy here felt dense, earthy, and almost crystallized.
Arthur felt a sudden tremor within his Seal. It was as if the ambient mana was exerting pressure on the outer walls of the Seal from the outside, matching the internal pressure from within.
This mana... it's so heavy, Arthur thought. It feels like I'm breathing liquid metal instead of air.
This environmental density was indirectly intensifying the pressure within his Seal. While this was the very reason his E-Class reservoir could produce B-Class striking power, the external reinforcement was now pushing his limits even further.
The tunnel finally opened into a colossal cavern. This was the heart of the Under-Mountain Kingdom, Khazad-Dûm (The Dwarven Dynasty). It was a gargantuan subterranean metropolis where every wall and ceiling glowed with lava-light, shaped by the smithing magics of master dwarves.
II. Before the Iron King
In the grand hall at the city's center, Anna and Arthur stood before the King of the Royal Mountains. King Bofur was a formidable figure, clad in heavy iron-and-gold armor. His beard, woven with precious gems, reached down past his shoulders.
Anna knelt and explained the situation: the Elven defeat, the crushing weight of the treaty, and Faerondil's treachery.
King Bofur spoke in a voice that rumbled like a rockslide. "Commander Anna. Your Elves invited us Dwarves to the surface wars before. We chose to retreat beneath our lands. The alliance of Humans and Orcs is indeed formidable, yet we shall not offer them a foothold here."
Bofur turned his gaze toward Arthur. "And who is this human? A traitor to his Kingdom, or a friend to the Elves?"
"He is Arthur, my King. The man to whom I owe my life. And he possesses the Sealed Miracle. His mana is as dense as Dwarven mana, though his reservoir is frail."
Interest sparked in Bofur's eyes. "Condensed mana? Intriguing."
He turned to the leader of the Dwarven mages, an elderly and revered dwarf named Master Runah, who held a staff shaped like a smithing hammer.
"Master Runah. Examine this youth's mana. The power of our mines may push the limits of this anomaly."
III. The Seal and the Mine Mana
Master Runah led Arthur to a Mining Magic workshop located even deeper underground. The ambient mana here was so thick that the air felt like a furnace.
Runah handed Arthur a fragment of rock. "This is a shard of pure mana crystal. Channel your mana into it."
Unlike his attempts to attune with Elven Flora Magic, Arthur struggled to project his power here. The Stone and Iron Mana of the surroundings felt alien to his Frost Mana.
"Do you feel it, Human?" Runah asked. "Our mana isn't fluid like the surface Elves'. It is a solid spirit. It is so dense that your Seal cannot simply 'absorb' it; it is being shoved inward."
Arthur nodded. "That's right. The pressure in my Seal is rising, but it's becoming harder to expel the mana."
Master Runah realized that in this environment, Arthur's Frost Magic would become even more potent, yet far more difficult to control.
"Your problem is simple: To increase your reservoir, you must thin the restrictive walls of your Seal. Elven meditation does this slowly. We Dwarves control mana through Forging and Shaping."
Runah gestured toward a massive forge. "Your mana structure is like iron. It has hardened under high pressure, but it lacks form. Instead of trying to break it, you must hammer it."
"Hammer it?"
"Yes. You will learn to control mana through a physical process. Every time you cast Frost Magic, you will not just expend your reservoir; you will attempt to manipulate the very walls of your Seal. You will use every moment of spellcasting like a Dwarven Smith's hammer. This is the only way to rapidly forge your E-Class reservoir into C-Class, and eventually, B-Class."
A flash of realization struck Arthur. Mana was like a metal—forged and solidified under high pressure. Now, he had the chance to permanently hammer that metal into a greater form. The Dwarven Kingdom would be the place where his power truly evolved.
lV. The Art of Mana Forging
For an entire month in the Dwarven Kingdom of Khazad-Dûm, Arthur remained under the intense supervision of Master Runah. Unlike Elven meditation, Dwarven training was physical, grueling, and often agonizing. Every day, Arthur ventured into the deepest mines where the mana was at its densest.
Master Runah taught Arthur to strike his mana as if he were a blacksmith. Every attempt to manifest Frost Magic was now a hammer blow against the internal walls of his Seal.
"Arthur! Do not let the mana flow! It is metal—give it form!" Runah would roar, his voice echoing through the forge.
Instead of simply releasing his mana, Arthur consciously tried to stretch the restrictive boundaries of the Seal while pushing the energy out. This process forced a portion of his mana to integrate permanently into the Seal's structure, expanding his capacity.
By the end of the month, Arthur's face was pale from the constant exposure to extreme cold and the crushing weight of the external mana, but his body was stronger than ever.
In one final attempt, Arthur released his mana. The surge erupting from the Seal was no longer the faint glimmer of an E-Class. It was a powerful, freezing, and steady torrent. Master Runah handed him a Mana Measurement Crystal.
The crystal erupted in a brilliant blue light. The runes on its surface confirmed his new standing: Mana Rank: D-Class.
"You did it, human," Runah said with a rare nod of respect. "From E to D in a single month. Even for a Dwarf, such progress is rare. Your Seal is truly an anomaly. You are D-Class now, but the potency of your spells... it rivals the B-Class."
V. Peace and Parting
At that moment, a messenger from the Elven Palace reached the Dwarven Kingdom. He brought urgent news to Anna: a fragile peace treaty had been signed between the Human and Elven Kingdoms.
The terms were heavy for the Elves, but the war was officially over. Crucially, the treaty allowed members of the nobility and merchant classes to travel—with restrictions—between the two realms.
Anna's face brightened slightly. "This is an opportunity. I can enter human lands not as a commander, but as a noble on a diplomatic mission. In this political climate, even Faerondil won't dare attack me openly."
However, the situation for Arthur was different. "And what about me?" he asked.
Anna sighed, looking at him with concern. "In the official records of the Human Kingdom, you are a deserter and a traitor. Moreover, because you fled with me, they will be looking for any excuse to capture you. You cannot use the main roads."
Arthur remembered the letter from home. His family had suffered because of the Orcs. The peace treaty might not have changed their plight.
"I must go to Barren Town," Arthur said with absolute resolve. "I need to see my family. I need to know they are safe."
Anna understood. "Very well. Then we part ways here. I will take the official route to balance the situation at the Palace. You must take the old smuggler paths where patrols are thin. If you are caught, I cannot save you."
She handed him a compass of Dwarven make with a hidden compartment and the last of her Elven gold. "Go now, old friend. And remember: hide your strength. Even as a D-Class, in their eyes, you are still an F-Class nobody. Let your Seal be your shield."
VI. The Traitor's Return
That night, Arthur bid farewell to Anna and the Dwarven Kingdom. He climbed through a lesser-known, ancient smuggling tunnel that opened into the Human Kingdom.
After a long and arduous journey, Arthur finally reached the hills overlooking Barren Town. There were no soldiers or Orcs in sight—only tired, silent fields.
He couldn't define the emotions swirling within him. He had come from the luxury of the Elven Palace and the mysteries of the Dwarven Mines. His D-Class mana separated him from his old, weak self. Yet, he was still a banished traitor who had to hide just to see his family.
Smoke was rising from the chimney of his home. As he approached, his heart hammered against his ribs. He didn't know if Alex and Satella were truly safe.
With trembling hands, Arthur knocked on the door. It creaked open. Standing there was a familiar woman, her hair slightly grayer and her eyes weary: his mother, Satella.
She froze for a moment, looking at the boy who had grown taller and whose face had hardened with experience. Then, her eyes filled with tears of joy.
"Arthur! My son... you've come back!"
All of Arthur's pain, exhaustion, and the weight of his "treason" melted away in his mother's warm embrace. He was home. But this was no peaceful return; it was the silent and dangerous beginning of a wanted traitor, hiding the power of a D-Class miracle.