Although he hadn't passed out, Brock felt his consciousness growing increasingly blurred.
Amidst his hazy thoughts, he seemed to see the purple dragon from his dreams once more.
At the same time, his body began to itch uncontrollably, as if something were about to grow from beneath his skin and bore its way out.
Were they the Forbidden Fire particles within him?
It didn't seem like it...
Damn it, his mind was fading fast.
Through the gloom, Brock vaguely saw a burly, four-armed figure rushing toward him.
...
“You're awake.”
Brock hadn't expected to open his eyes again. The purple-skinned blacksmith was still sitting beside him, as if nothing had changed since his previous period of unconsciousness.
Had his life been saved by this purple-skinned blacksmith once again?
Would he ever be able to repay this debt of gratitude?
His mind was still heavy, and his thoughts began to wander as these questions drifted through his head.
The purple-skinned blacksmith brought over the same low-quality potion as before, propped up Brock's head, and began to feed it to him.
Once the potion was fully drained, Brock felt his severely injured body ease significantly. He couldn't tell if it was just psychological or if the purple-skinned blacksmith’s low-quality potion was truly that effective.
“It's a good thing your body has already broken through to the second-rank. Otherwise, with the vitality of a first-rank mage, it's unlikely you would have survived,” the purple-skinned blacksmith said as he slowly laid Brock back down into a flat position.
Brock let out a long breath, his emotions complicated.
He had nearly been killed by one intelligent monster of the Well of Eternal Imprisonment, only to be saved by another intelligent monster of the same place.
It was a truly strange experience, but one he only ever wanted to have once. Brock had no desire to go through it a second time.
“What happened? All the residual Forbidden Fire has vanished. Did someone attack you?” the purple-skinned blacksmith asked, looking at the heavily injured Brock.
What happened?
Brock used his heavy consciousness to recall the preceding events, then slowly recounted them in a raspy voice.
The purple-skinned blacksmith listened patiently. From that strange face, Brock couldn't tell what he was thinking.
It wasn't until Brock finished explaining everything that the purple-skinned blacksmith let out a long sigh.
“So that's how it is...”
“Origami Mane... that prisoner of the monster merchant race? To think he survived after being exiled into the desert.”
Brock coughed twice, feeling a sharp, tearing pain in his lungs.
“Don't get too agitated. Your physical condition is very serious.”
Brock could only breathe slowly to calm the pain in his lungs. He suppressed his emotions and movements, speaking in a heavy voice.
“Do you know Origami Mane? What's the story with the prisoners, and what was that Candelabra?”
Hearing Brock's words, the purple-skinned blacksmith did not withhold information from this human who had nearly died because of him.
“Origami Mane is a prisoner who committed the crime of theft of the Forbidden Fire and was imprisoned and exiled to the Dark Night Desert.”
“He should have been wearing the shackles of the Well of Eternal Imprisonment, but it seems he managed to break them, regain his freedom, and even obtain a Candelabra.”
“Since he's free, he likely hasn't given up on the Forbidden Fire. I didn't expect that he would be the one to destroy the Forbidden Fire seal in the lava mining tunnel this time.”
The purple-skinned blacksmith’s spirits were very low.
“As for the awakening of the Forbidden Fire Blessing, I'm not entirely sure about the details.”
“But since Origami said so, it's likely true.”
“Awakening the Forbidden Fire Blessing requires a Forbidden Fire Container and a massive amount of residual Forbidden Fire.”
“For Origami to think of using the residual fire from the seal in the lava mining tunnel to awaken the Forbidden Fire Blessing... I have no idea where that prisoner obtained such information.”
Brock lay on the ground, his emotions gradually stabilizing as he listened to the purple-skinned blacksmith’s explanation.
“I see.”
“Where do you plan to go next?” the purple-skinned blacksmith asked, looking at Brock.
Brock used his mana to sense his body. The Forbidden Fire particles permeated every inch of his flesh and bone, still present within him.
He could be incinerated by the Forbidden Fire at any moment. What could he do next?
Frustration and despair lasted only for a fleeting second before Brock's will to survive suppressed those distractions.
It wasn't over yet. He was still alive. The will known as Brock still existed, and his living flesh could still breathe and move.
He couldn't give up. Struggling to survive was more important than anything else.
“Is there any way to remove the Forbidden Fire from my body?”
“I want to live.”
Brock looked toward the purple-skinned blacksmith.
He wasn't simply asking for help; he was seeking a solution from his first glimmer of hope.
If the purple-skinned blacksmith had no way, he would continue onward, searching further.
Perhaps by seeking the true Forbidden Fire, his life—which was currently less stable than a flickering candle in the wind—might find a turning point.
Even if there were no way to survive within the Well of Eternal Imprisonment, he would leave and search elsewhere for hope.
He would search every dungeon until he found a way to live.
Before that, he had to take revenge on Thorin for plotting against him.
As for the monster merchant Origami, Brock didn't actually feel much resentment in his heart.
Thorin had tried to kill him out of greedy malice.
Origami had harmed him because, at that moment, Brock was merely a tool to achieve his goal.
“The Forbidden Fire is lurking in every inch of your flesh. In the Well of Eternal Imprisonment, only things related to the Forbidden Fire can resolve such a condition.”
“Seek the true Forbidden Fire, or find a Forbidden Fire Container.”
The purple-skinned blacksmith provided the solution.
“A Forbidden Fire Container?”
In the dungeon, what adventurer wasn't currently searching for a Forbidden Fire Container?
Which of them didn't dream of pursuing the supreme power of the Forbidden Fire?
Obtaining a Forbidden Fire Container from those adventurers would be easier said than done.
“Aside from the three Candelabras in the dungeon, there was once a Forbidden Fire Longbow.”
“However, the Forbidden Fire Longbow fell into the lava and merged with it long ago. Its location is unknown.”
“It is impossible to track down.”
“As for the last remaining Candelabra, it is even more elusive than the Forbidden Fire Longbow; no one in the Well of Eternal Imprisonment has any clues about its whereabouts.”
Brock tilted his neck with great difficulty.
“You said before that when the Forbidden Fire erupted, the Well of Eternal Imprisonment forged magic items to resist it in order to withstand the lava.”
“Can those magic items help me?”
The purple-skinned blacksmith shook his head.
“A Forbidden Fire Container is unique; it is a vessel smelted using the true Forbidden Fire.”
“Those magic items can only provide resistance against the fire.”
“Furthermore... they have long since been lost over the years to the depths of this lava-covered land. How could one possibly find them now?”
Rate on N.U.
