Thick smoke rolled through the air as the Dwarves regrouped, finally deciding to retreat. For once, both sides stayed quiet. No one wanted to start something. "They're right ahead, sir!" Three figures came into view. One of them, a silver-armored guard, pointed toward the Dwarves, his voice trembling with excitement. "Holy cr*p, that's Nighthale!" "Yeah, that's him! He's after the Dwarves too!" "Well, of course. The guy's been searching for the lost race forever. The Dwarves just walked right into his lap." "D*mn it, I bet someone already claimed his quest reward. I'm losing my mind over this." "It's worth millions, man! I'd lose my mind too. But what I really want to know is how he plans to deal with those Dwarves." "No idea. That damage number was ridiculous. I can't even imagine how to tank that. But hey, it's Nighthale. He's the one who soloed a level 100 boss. If anyone can handle this, it's him." "Yeah, well, if a fight breaks out, I'm not sticking around. I'm not getting showered in dwarf guts." The crowd didn't need a name tag to recognize him. Even though Aiden's face was covered, too many people had seen the clips from his past fights. They could tell it was him from the way he moved, confident and precise. Everyone froze and watched. They wanted to see what kind of power the man at the top of the leaderboards really had. On one side stood the Dwarves, who could crush anything with a single eighty-thousand-damage swing. On the other, the player who had slain a level 100 Lord-tier boss like it was nothing. If they clashed, it would be a spectacle no one would forget. "Sir, please be careful. The Dwarves have volatile tempers," the silver-armored guard warned. He had already told Aiden everything he knew about them before they arrived."I know," Aiden said flatly. He couldn't afford to let his guard down around these eccentric creatures. These Dwarves weren't much different from the eerie creatures, just shorter and louder. They both loved to fight. But this was his shot at his second Class Advancement. He couldn't back out now. Whether it came to blows or not, he needed to get close. "Your part's over," Aiden told him. He glanced at the barrier surrounding his body, more than ten million points of shimmering shield protecting him, and then started walking toward the Dwarves. He didn't call for Gray. He wasn't here to fight. Even if he took a few hits, the worst that would happen was losing some money. But if things turned ugly, any chance of getting information about the Lost Temple would vanish. And the Dwarves might have powerhouses of their own too."That d*mn human's coming this way! I'm gonna crush him!" As Aiden moved closer, Thurinn's eyes went wild. He gripped his hammer tight, his muscles bulging. "Hold it, Thurinn!" Thor lifted his hand and blocked him. "Wait a second. Don't you think that human looks... weirdly decent?" Thurinn blinked and stared hard at Aiden. "Hmm…" He frowned, thinking hard, for once lost in thought. That was true. No one could explain why, but even with his face hidden, the human looked oddly appealing. There was something magnetic about him. Some kind of charm that made no sense. Thurinn tilted his head and muttered, "Thor, this is weird. I don't even feel like smashing this guy anymore.""Same here," Thor said, sounding almost delighted. He wrinkled his nose and sniffed the air. "Hold on. Do you smell that? He smells amazing." Thurinn sniffed too and blinked in surprise. "You're right. That's not normal. There's something rare on him." ... Thor took another deep breath, his eyes glazing over. "That's the scent of artifacts. And not just one. The aroma's too strong. What he's carrying is beyond artifact level." Thurinn's jaw dropped. "That explains it! No wonder I liked him the second I saw him." Dwarves were known across the continent for their unmatched skill in forging. Every one of them could sense weapon quality from afar. Even at this distance, both Thor and Thurinn could tell Aiden carried more than one top-tier item. For a race that had been trapped in their forest for centuries, unable to gather rare materials, even a single artifact was the ultimate temptation. They were both over two hundred years old, and neither had ever seen a Legendary gear with their own eyes. Their only knowledge came from the ancient records passed down by their ancestors. "Wait a second," Thor muttered, frowning. "That smell isn't just from artifacts. There's something else mixed in. Something ancient. I know I've smelled it before. But I can't remember what it is." Thurinn rubbed his beard, thinking hard. "You're right. That does sound familiar." For a moment, silence hung between them as they tried to remember.