The squad of three official-level powerhouses was an unstoppable force against the apprentice-level believers. Bahanger barely needed more than a single hammer strike to eliminate most of the opposition.
However, these relentless attacks on one stronghold after another served little purpose beyond increasing their chances of locating Tishachar. While these strongholds were undeniably important, there was something odd—
Tishachar had yet to make a move.
As for the antidote to the disease… there was none. Not a single stronghold contained any trace of a cure, and it was clear that Tishachar had never even considered how her own followers would survive once the plague leaked in the "factory."
"I say Tishachar is just scared," Bahanger scoffed, swinging his hammer over his shoulder. "She probably ran off crying to her mother the moment she heard about us. Hah!"
After annihilating three strongholds in succession, Bahanger's contempt for Tishachar only grew. To him, any leader who let their enemies batter down their doors without retaliating had no real strength. According to Moradin's teachings, such a leader was a coward—the type of existence a dwarf warrior despised most.
But neither Kang Kai nor Punk shared Bahanger's opinion.
Punk, in particular, sneered at the notion that Tishachar might be "afraid." He had seen her madness firsthand—even in her mere projection form, she had been willing to throw herself into battle without hesitation.
Was such a person capable of fear?
The thought was laughable.
Yet despite that, something about her current inaction felt… wrong.
Punk could sense a conspiracy brewing.
A gut feeling told him that if they didn't move faster—if they didn't eliminate Tishachar soon—then even obtaining legendary equipment wouldn't be enough.
His own life might very well be forfeit.
The Fourth Stronghold
"The next stronghold is up ahead," Punk said, his eyes fixed on the deep valley before them. "We can't afford to let our guard down."
After an entire morning of combat and travel, the team had arrived at a massive chasm in the grasslands—a great scar in the earth, dark and yawning like the maw of some ancient beast.
Legend held that this chasm was the result of a strike from a legendary warrior, back in the days before the Kingdom of Dylan was founded.
No one knew just how deep it went, but its width spanned about ten meters, stretching out in a seemingly endless line that merged with the distant stone forest.
The residual energy from that ancient warrior's strike still lingered.
A biting cold wind, laced with the remnants of water-ice battle aura, howled through the ravine.
Even now, centuries later, the landscape for miles around was trapped in eternal winter—a frozen world starkly contrasting the surrounding grasslands.
To be honest, both Punk and Kang Kai felt that this chasm was the least likely place for Tishachar to be hiding.
It was simply too dangerous.
The lingering power of a legendary warrior was no trivial thing. The freezing aura of the canyon gnawed at everything in its reach, warping the creatures that survived into twisted monstrosities.
Any being capable of withstanding such an environment would, at minimum, possess official-level strength.
And since the will of the legendary warrior had long since dissipated, every single one of those creatures had been reduced to mindless, bloodthirsty beasts.
Venturing into this chasm carried immense risk.
A single misstep could mean death.
And yet…
As they continued eliminating strongholds, this location no longer seemed so impossible.
After all—
what better place to hide than where no one would dare look?
The very dangers of the chasm might serve as Tishachar's perfect defense.
As they drew closer, a suffocating sense of danger settled over them.
Sensing it as well, Kang Kai quickly spoke up before battle could commence.
"Mr. Bahanger, let me remind you—arrogance is the first step to failure. We are dealing with an enemy whose capabilities remain unknown. Any moment of carelessness could lead to an irreparable tragedy."
His voice was serious, and it was clear he took Punk's warnings to heart.
After all, Punk was the only one in their group proficient in prophecy spells.
But Bahanger was unimpressed.
"Hmph! I don't need a kid lecturing me!" the dwarf scoffed. "I've led more ruin expeditions than the two of you combined!"
His lips curled into a smug grin.
Kang Kai only sighed, shaking his head. Their philosophies were worlds apart, and he wasn't about to start an argument over it.
As for Punk, he didn't even bother responding.
In fact, he preferred it this way—
Let Bahanger continue underestimating the enemy.
If the dwarf was foolish enough to charge straight at Tishachar, he would make for a fine meat shield.
Bahanger, mistaking their silence for agreement, only became more boastful. His thick beard trembled with amusement as he laughed.
"Heh! Just watch—I'll smash Tishachar's skull in with one swing of my hammer! The bastard won't even have time to beg for mercy!"
His voice was filled with confidence.
"You know, I once shattered a giant's leg with a single blow. Then, with my next strike, I crushed the skulls of two more giants! That whole tribe of giants fled before me, I tell you! If not for—"
Ah.
The dwarven racial trait—bragging—had been activated.
This sort of nonsense might fool an ignorant apprentice, but to two experienced official-level professionals, it was nothing more than a joke.
Kang Kai rolled his eyes.
A tribe of giants?
Please.
Everyone knew that a true "giant tribe" consisted of at least five or six official-level giants. If they encountered even a single such tribe, the three of them would have to flee for their lives.
Just as Kang Kai was about to call him out on his blatant exaggerations, Punk's calm, serious voice cut through the conversation.
"Bahanger. Kang Kai. We're here."
Both of them immediately turned their attention toward him.
At some point during their chatter, they had reached the very edge of the chasm.
A frozen wasteland stretched before them, the ground sealed under layers of ice, and snowflakes drifted lazily down from the sky.
Kang Kai's expression turned grim.
If someone had truly made their home in this forsaken place, they either possessed extraordinary abilities… or sheer recklessness.
"This isn't a bad location," he admitted. "Easy to defend, hard to attack. The creatures here will be tough to deal with… If Tishachar is here, she has guts."
"Tch. Dangerous? Please," Bahanger scoffed, gripping his warhammer. "I've braved ruins far worse than this."
Despite his bravado, however, his grip unconsciously tightened.
This time, no one paid attention to his words.
Punk took a deep breath, feeling the icy energy thick in the air.
It was a chilling reminder of the sheer power of a legendary warrior. Even after centuries, the remnants of that battle lingered—proof of strength so immense it could scar the world itself.
"Let's go down."
Without waiting for a response, Punk swiftly cast a Light Spell and began his descent.
Flying was too risky—the sharp energy currents in the air would make it unpredictable.
Instead, he climbed, with Golem One leading the way, carving handholds into the rock wall.
Seeing this, Kang Kai and Bahanger exchanged a glance before following suit.
As the three figures disappeared into the depths of the chasm, the frigid wind howled in their wake—
like a beast whispering warnings that none of them could hear.