Chapter 657 Petrified
"Probably because he wants to get pressured by time and constraint." replied Angus casually.
"Pressured?" asked Headmaster Antonio in confusion.
"Yes. As Angus said, Master Balrug is an unusual craftsman. He has an eccentric habit when it comes to creating great work. It either must be a work that costs millions of gold or pressured by many constraints." explained Balkin.
"The more he gets pressured by time, materials, and other things, the greater his work. He also likes to do spontaneous things like this moment." said Angus.
"That's… I don't even know if it is great or utterly stupid." commented the Headmaster.
From the Headmaster's point of view, Balrug way of work is inefficient and involves too much gambling. Although Angus and Balkin said the more pressure, the greater his result, it didn't mean he was guaranteed to make a masterpiece.
However, Angus knows old Balrug skill is the real deal. This kind of person is similar to David Michelangelo from his past life. He is either making perfect things that cost money, spontaneous things, or when receiving tremendous pressure from everything.
Under this condition, his work will become a true masterpiece. Angus himself had already witnessed his work. One of them is his first weapon, Skythorn. Skythorn is an unusual weapon that is a combination of a double-bladed spear and halberd.
It also has extreme power to eject its pointed ends. The weapon's body is also made of an irregular vine and riddled with sharp thorns. From this feature alone, it looks more like a decoration and artwork than a functioning weapon.
However, this weapon could become a deadly weapon under Angus's hand that even heavily injures elite beastman while Angus is still in his academic days. At that time, Angus didn't have his current ridiculous body, mana, or Ancient Power to boost him.
Unfortunately, Skythorn material is mostly made of Manatium. Although it is a good material for a weapon, it is still different from those rare materials often used for Artifacts.
Skythorn can also not handle strong direct clashes when facing an artifact. In the end, Angus could only give up using Skythorn as he already has a Twin sword artifact.
'Hmm… Come to think of it, I left Skythorn in Balrug's hand and still have not asked for it back.' thought Angus inwardly as he remembered this particular Balrug's great work.
As Angus and the others wait for Balrug to come out, they keep hearing a series of loud hammering from the inside. However, no one dared to look at the room as they didn't want to disrupt Balrug.
Fortunately, Anna also didn't make any trouble this time. She keeps playing with her pig called Mini Porky. Apparently, the gigantic Porky could make a miniature version of himself. This miniature version of himself is much stronger than the ordinary pig it usually produces.
Not only that, but it also has the gigantic Porky ability to produce pigs from its body but at a lower scale. The pig it produces also couldn't be bigger than itself. Anna usually rides this pig as she is starting to imitate Mira, who is too lazy to move around.
She usually asks Angus or Jayna to carry her, but she feels it is too much hassle to move with her small feet when they are busy training or working.
"Mini~ Mini~ Porky~ Porky~" Anna kept singing weird Porky songs while Mini Porky danced around, following its master's intention.
After a few hours, the hammering suddenly got louder, as if something exploded. *TING* *TING* It has become deafening to the point of ringing Angus's and the others' ears despite the strong isolation in the room.
"Urgh… Is Master Balrug okay?" asked Headmaster Antonio worriedly.
"I am not sure." said Angus after creating a light sound barrier around them.
Suddenly, the hammering sound stopped leaving only dead silence. After waiting a few minutes, they heard no hammering or anything from the room.
"Err.. Did you think we should check on him?" asked Headmaster Antonio.
"Hmm… Let's see." said Angus as he touched the strong door.
"This!!" said Angus before he suddenly punched the door and broke it.
*BOOM* an intense heatwave immediately came out from the room and tried to roast everyone. Fortunately, they are pretty fire-resistant from heat waves at this level. Ignoring the heatwave, Angus enters the room and finds Balrug on the ground, covered with sweat.
"Balrug! Balrug!! Crazy old dwarf!!" called Angus while scanning the old dwarf body.
Angus finds the old dwarf's body has severe dehydration. However, it is not just dehydration. Balrug also enters a unique state where his body no longer has a liquid and slowly hardens like a stone. Yet, Angus could still feel his mana core shine brightly and pump like always.
"Water!! He needs a lot of water!!" said Balkin from the side.
Hearing this, Angus and Headmaster Antonio immediately cast water on Balrug's body, even trying to forcefully drink it. The moment the water touches Balrug, it instantly turns into vapor.
Magically, Balrug's body didn't have any increase in temperature, and his inner organ slowly worked back from being petrified.
Noticing this, Angus immediately creates a large amount of Water Ball and covers Balrug inside it. Once again, the same phenomenon happens as the water slowly turns into vapor and Balrug's body turns reddish.
After a few minutes, Balrug finally breathed normally and woke up from being drowned by the surrounding water. Angus immediately releases the water ball.
"*Cough* *Cough* Huft.. Huft… Brat, are you *Cough* trying to kill me?!!" said Balrug madly at Angus.
"Ungrateful crazy old dwarf, I was trying to save your life from whatever your state is. A few minutes later, you will be turned into a hard stone. If you want to commit suicide, pick a different time and place." retorted Angus.
"Ohh… I guess I owe you one. Hahaha…" laughed Balrug shamelessly.
During this time, "Big sis, why is that uncle laughing weirdly?" asked Anna while riding Mini Porky.
"Anna, that uncle is a bad person. You mustn't get near or become like him." lectured Jayna sternly.
"Ehh… Is the uncle also a pervert?" asked Anna innocently.
"It is similar. A person like him is called shameless. He is one of the worst kinds of people." said Jayna while bad-mouthing Balrug.
Hearing Jayna's sharp words, Balrug feels like he is being stabbed by a hundred burning swords in his heart and slumping on the ground.
"Anyway, what did you create this time to the point of creating this kind of a mess." said Angus while looking at the destroyed smithing facility.
"Hahaha… It's a secret. In fact, I didn't know if I could make it in the first place. I just focus on it and forget about everything. It's been a while since I entered this state." said Balrug. 𝘣𝑒𝘥𝑛𝑜𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝘤𝑜𝑚
"Whatever. Now, we have a more important matter. I hope you didn't forget about the Undermine Council that you mentioned for these past few weeks." said Angus.
"Don't worry about it. Still, if you want to go to the Undermine Council, you don't need to wait for me. Balkin, could open the tunnel for you." said Balrug.
Hearing this, everyone looks at the silent Balkin at the back.
"Ehh… I-I thought you only wanted to meet Master Balrug." said Balkin before being smacked by Angus and Balrug.
"*Sigh* Fine, let's go now. Balkin, you clean all this mess!!" said Balrug before leading everyone outside to an empty area beside the smithing facility.
"Ehh!!" responded Balkin, but everyone already leaves him alone.
Arriving at the outside smithing facility, Balrug took a large horn from his pocket storage tools. *BOOOO* A loud warhorn was heard across the Royal Academy. Suddenly, the entire area trembles.
*GRRAAR* A giant gold worm appeared from the ground before returning to the ground leaving a large golden burrow. The burrow is very deep and covered in a gold metallic wall. Angus is also unable to detect anything inside the burrow beside his vision.
A moment later, a group of dwarves wearing golden armor emerge from the burrow in an orderly manner.
"Kacha!! Kacha!! Ul-Dafur!!" shouted the dwarves' leader in dwarf language.
The golden-armored dwarves immediately stop approaching Angus and the others in an orderly manner.
'This level of discipline… Does all the dwarves' army also like this?' thought Anugs inwardly.
"Balrug, you crazy bastard. You are still alive." said the dwarf leader while approaching Balrug.
"Shut up, cousin Hostor. You are getting fatter, as always. How is Glorisa?" asked Balrug.
"Still noisy as always. Sometimes, I question myself why I marry such a loudmouth woman." said Hostor.
"Hahahaha… What did I say? Marriage is one trip to hell." said Balrug.
While the two old dwarfs are chatting, "Big sis, is marriage a bad thing?" asked Anna innocently.
'She definitely does it on purpose.' thought Angus inwardly.
"No, Anna. Marriage is a good thing. Don't listen to those uncles. They are a bad influence on you." lectured Jayna.
"Okay." replied Anna obediently.
'Yup. She definitely does it on purpose. She is unusually obedient.' thought Angus inwardly.
"So, is he your famous disciple?" asked Hostor while observing Angus.
"Yeah… How is.." said Balrug.
Before Balrug could finish his sentence, "Nope. I am not his disciple." said Angus.