Merrick forced himself to calm down. He tossed the talisman in front of him and dropped into the rocking chair, then closed his eyes to rest. If he could not see it, he would not think about it. The backyard slipped back into calm. Water flowed down the fountain, and it looked clear and steady. Merrick still could not settle his mind. He tapped the armrest with his fingers and tried to steady his emotions. A full minute passed. Another minute followed. ... "D*mn it! Fine, you win!" Merrick shot up from the chair before three minutes passed. He dragged his hands through his hair in anger, then vanished from the spot. Someone had him right where they wanted him. That thought hit him the instant he opened the portal. Merrick knew it was bait. Even so, he still stepped onto the path toward Leafport without hesitation. He had no choice. If he did not figure this out, the feeling would keep clawing at him. The frustration made his skin crawl! ... Merrick reached Leafport at full speed. After asking around, he quickly found the hall where Aiden was staying. The door gave off a low groan as it slowly shifted under his hand. He eased it open and froze at the chaos inside. The hall was destroyed. Plates covered the floor. Tables and chairs lay overturned. Groups of short figures clutched food and devoured it. A few even rolled on the ground while fighting over bites. "What the hell?" Merrick’s mind was blank. While asking around earlier, he had already confirmed that Dwarves had moved into Leafport.Still, seeing it in person still stunned him. This was the race that had vanished for more than a thousand years. They were the ones who could forge artifacts. "Merrick, over here." Aiden noticed him from the corner and waved with a smile. Merrick strode over fast. His voice cut sharp. "Kid, where did you even get these Dwarves?" "That part does not matter." Aiden smiled calmly. "What matters is how we get them to forge artifacts." Merrick understood the gist of the story at once. His brows pulled tight. "This has something to do with the Temple of Hephaestus?" Aiden gave a firm nod. "Yes." Merrick stayed quiet for a long moment, then lifted his head. "I will help you look for the Temple of Hephaestus. But tell me the truth this time. What is your real goal? Temples are tied to old gods, which makes them dangerous. I am not walking in blind and dying for nothing." Aiden explained everything in brief. "Class advancement, huh?" Merrick nodded as he listened. "No wonder you're taking the risk. You really have no other option." He let out a slow breath. "Fine. I will go with you. But hear this first. I am not taking your money or any reward. Once we enter the temple, we split up and search on our own. If we run into something dangerous, we avoid it if possible. If we cannot, I will try to keep you alive. That is all I can promise. Do you understand?" Aiden thought for a moment, then nodded. Merrick made his stance clear. There would be no contracts. He would help when he could, but if death showed up, it was every man for himself. They stood on equal ground. The risk was real and heavy. Still, when it came to hidden temples like this, no top-ranked powerhouse would gamble their life for money. Most would refuse without thinking twice.Merrick agreeing to this already meant a lot. "When do we move?" Merrick asked. "Right now." ... Time moved fast, and two days passed. The land split apart with deep cracks. The dry riverbed held no green life at all. Burned rock covered the ground, and thick lava churned below. Bright sparks burst out now and then. The heat twisted the air until it looked unstable. A sharp warning sound rang out, harsh and constant, and carried far before fading away. Two figures rushed forward inside white light. Aiden stared at the temple tracker in his hand and spoke in a low voice. "This temple really knows how to hide." … After getting a rough location from Thor, he and Merrick rushed straight here. Even with breaks included, they had searched for a day and a half.The tracker kept alerting them, yet the entrance stayed hidden. It earned its name as a lost temple. Even with a tool built just to find it, locating the Temple of Hephaestus felt impossible. Without that device, no one would ever find it. The ground shook as a violent blast tore through the earth. A massive creature burst upward, its body long and slick, wrapped in roaring flames like a monstrous eel.