Jack walked up to the dwarves, waved his right hand, and cheerfully announced, "Alright, you're free now." For the first time, he felt a deep sense of joy and happiness from helping others, his heart warm with satisfaction. He then raised his left hand, storing Alex and Team One in his spatial ring, and, accompanied by Toby and Cons, began to walk forward.
"Benefactor, please accept our heartfelt thanks from the Sam Dwarf Clan. Had it not been for you, our entire clan of two hundred and twenty-one would have perished at the hands of these mercenaries," a burly, bearded dwarf assessed Jack with sharp eyes, then, after a brief pause, walked up to him and sincerely invited, "Please, come visit our clan."
Jack blinked in surprise, then smiled at the white-bearded old dwarf, who barely reached his waist, and replied, "May I ask how you are addressed, sir? And how did you end up captured by these mercenaries?"
The white-bearded dwarf let out a slight sigh and said, "Perhaps you could come visit our tribe. I shall explain everything in detail."
Jack glanced back at Cons and Toby, seeking their opinions.
Cons appeared indifferent, but Toby gulped loudly, tugging at Jack's ear and urging, "Go, boss! I've heard the dwarves brew the finest wine on the Oksas continent. Let's go drink, drink!"
Jack chuckled softly, his smile tinged with exasperation. Since when had Toby become a drunkard? With a resigned sigh, he nodded and said, "Then, lead the way."
The white-bearded dwarf beamed with joy, eagerly nodding, "This way, benefactor."
Jack followed the white-bearded dwarf, who led them through the remnants of the Sam Dwarf Clan. He learned that the dwarf's name was Grimdar, and he was the leader of the Sam Dwarves. They resided on the edge of the Beast Forest, within the territory of the Michelle Empire, and, as citizens of the Empire, led relatively comfortable lives. Known for their unparalleled craftsmanship, they had created numerous superior weapons and armor, which they traded with the neighboring humans for everyday goods. However, the high quality of their creations made them the target of mercenary bands, whose greed was matched only by their ruthlessness. Although the dwarves had strong warriors, they had successfully repelled previous mercenary incursions. Unfortunately, this time, they had faced an A-grade mercenary group—the Blood Moon Mercenaries—who captured them after killing dozens of warriors.
Dwarven slaves were not uncommon on the Oksas continent, but large-scale exterminations were a rare occurrence. It was only groups like the Blood Moon Mercenaries, with no regard for power or status, that dared commit such atrocities.
Jack sighed softly. This was what they called "a weak nation has no diplomacy." Looking at the young dwarves, who were only about one meter tall and had little skill beyond forging, it was clear they could never match the mercenaries in strength. The fact that they had held out for so long was impressive.
Coming from the 21st century, Jack's mindset differed greatly from those of Oksas' inhabitants. In his eyes, those vile and detestable humans were far less lovable than these kind and skilled dwarves. This, in part, was why he had acted so decisively against the 120 mercenaries; had it been any other humans, perhaps he would not have had the heart to do so.
Jack comforted Grimdar for a moment, but then noticed something strange—apart from Grimdar, the other dwarves seemed to be avoiding him, keeping a distance of three to four meters. This puzzled him greatly.
"Boss, they seem really scared of you," Toby murmured quietly, noticing the same thing.
Grimdar glanced at the other dwarves, then lowered his voice, his face awkward. "Please, benefactor, forgive the rudeness of the Sam Dwarves. It is just that your powerful aura earlier intimidated them, filling their hearts with fear, which is why..."
Jack rolled his eyes, a helpless expression crossing his face. "Ah, so in your land, necromancers aren't well liked?"
Grimdar hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "Forgive my bluntness, benefactor, but though you summoned so many skeleton warriors and necromancers, you do not seem like a necromancer, do you?"
Jack raised an eyebrow, a playful smile curling his lips. "Oh? And why do you think I'm not a necromancer?"
Grimdar nodded sagely, smiling gently. "Because I felt no elemental fluctuation coming from you. That is a requirement for any mage. Without that, how could you be a mage? Furthermore, our dwarven records describe necromancers as summoning lifeless skeletons, devoid of any emotions. Yet, the skeleton warriors and necromancers you summoned exuded anger, especially anger towards you. This greatly intrigued me—could you perhaps be a summoner?"
Jack burst out laughing. "A summoner? I can't summon anything! How could I be a summoner? I'm a rather unique type of necromancer, somewhat different from the others." His mysterious grin made him look like a cunning fox.
"Oh, I see. However, on the Oksas continent, necromancers are quite despised. I kindly advise that you refrain from casting magic too openly in the future. Be cautious; you don't want to attract unnecessary trouble." Grimdar offered his advice.
"Ah, so necromancers are so discriminated against? That's quite disappointing." Jack muttered under his breath.
"Boss, I think you're amazing!" Toby whispered in his ear.
"Amazing, my foot."
Under Grimdar's guidance, they soon arrived at what could only be called a small village, though it was larger than most settlements. It was located at the center of the Beast Forest, with an iron mine nearby, making it ideal for forging weapons and armor. Once a beautiful village, it had now been destroyed by the Blood Moon Mercenaries. Many wooden houses had been burned down, and the remaining structures were crooked and unstable. The ground was stained red with blood, and there were numerous bodies of both dwarves and humans scattered across the area. Many dwarves were silently wiping away their tears at the sight.
Grimdar, his heart heavy, tried to rally the dwarves, shouting, "Sam Dwarves, don't lose heart! As long as we live, we can rebuild our clan. Now, let us welcome our protector!"
All the dwarves, with utmost sincerity, placed their hands over their hearts, showing profound respect. In unison, they called, "The Sam Dwarves welcome our protector!"
"Protector? Who's the protector?" Jack was nearly stunned.
He stood there, frustrated. Looking at these passionate, kind dwarves, he felt a mix of emotions. After all, his blood was human, not the so-called protector of the dwarves. But he couldn't bear to disappoint them, unsure of how to clear up the misunderstanding.
"Gulp... Boss, the dwarves' wine is truly amazing. It's strong! How about we stay a few more days?"
At that moment, Toby, with no regard for his image, was standing on a table, drinking heavily with several young dwarves. They were drinking the dwarves' unique Mace Wine—spicy and potent, it was renowned as the strongest alcohol on the Oksas continent.
Toby chugged down two large bowls, his face flushed and reeking of alcohol. His small frame and surprising tolerance for booze shocked the young dwarves.
Is this really a beastman? He's nothing short of a professional drunkard.
Despite the destruction of their village, the Sam Dwarves had hidden many supplies and weapons underground, so the losses were not too severe.
Over two hundred dwarves, under Grimdar's direction, began repairing the damaged houses, retrieving supplies from cellars, and assisting Jack. The scene became lively and bustling, with everything running smoothly.
Jack, however, was far less enthusiastic than Toby. Though being hailed as the protector of the Sam Dwarves seemed impressive, his true goal was to travel across the Oksas continent, expanding his horizons. Besides, this place was near the Aleta Gorge, and if that damn Beast God found out he hadn't died, it would bring even greater trouble. He needed to leave soon.
"Grimdar, do you really think I'm your protector? We've only just met. Are you sure you haven't made a mistake?" He had asked this question at least thirty times but still couldn't believe it.
Grimdar, while pouring Jack another bowl of Mace Wine, replied, "Honored Protector, we would never deceive you. You are unquestionably our protector, and this is tied to a great secret of our clan."
"A great secret? And a secret that involves me? What secret is that?" Jack asked, now intrigued.
Grimdar exchanged a glance with the other dwarves, then slowly stood, saying, "Honored Protector, if you wish to know, come with me, and I will reveal this earth-shattering secret..." He then turned to a few other dwarves, instructing them to keep an eye on Toby and Cons, and led Jack to a relatively large house.