Dwarf City. Dragon Heart (A LitRPG Wuxia series): Book 14 Read online

  The Saga:

  Dragon Heart

  DWARF CITY

  Book XIV

  By Kirill Klevanski

  Text Copyright © 2022 Kirill Klevanski

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book can be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the author.

  Introduced by Valeria Kornosenko

  Translated by Julia Kharkova, Marina Zikic

  Edited by Damir Isovic

  Cover designed by Julia Jdanova

  Illustrated by Valery Spitsyn

  HELLO ALL!

  Hello all!

  My name is Kirill Klevanski and you are reading my adventure LitRPG wuxia saga.

  The whole story is planned out and will have 2000 chapters. Now the story has almost 1600 chapters spanning 19 books.

  14 books are translated into English and released.

  To read from the beginning of the story (click the link):

  Dragon Heart: Stone Will

  Contents

  Chapter 118

  Chapter 1219

  Chapter 1220

  Chapter 1221

  Chapter 1222

  Chapter 1223

  Chapter 1224

  Chapter 1225

  Chapter 1226

  Chapter 1227

  Chapter 1228

  Chapter 1229

  Chapter 1230

  Chapter 1231

  Chapter 1232

  Chapter 1233

  Chapter 1234

  Chapter 1235

  Chapter 1236

  Chapter 1237

  Chapter 1238

  Chapter 1239

  Chapter 1240

  Chapter 1241

  Chapter 1242

  Chapter 1243

  Chapter 1244

  Chapter 1245

  Chapter 1246

  Chapter 1247

  Chapter 1248

  Chapter 1249

  Chapter 1250

  Chapter 1251

  Chapter 1252

  Chapter 1253

  Chapter 1254

  Chapter 1255

  Chapter 1256

  Chapter 1257

  Chapter 1258

  Chapter 1259

  Chapter 1260

  Chapter 1261

  Chapter 1262

  Chapter 1263

  Chapter 1264

  Chapter 1265

  Chapter 1266

  Chapter 1267

  Chapter 1268

  Chapter 1269

  Chapter 1270

  Chapter 1271

  Chapter 1272

  Chapter 1273

  Chapter 1274

  Chapter 1275

  Chapter 1276

  Chapter 1277

  Chapter 1278

  Chapter 1279

  Chapter 1280

  Chapter 1281

  Chapter 1282

  Chapter 1283

  Chapter 1284

  Chapter 1285

  Chapter 1286

  Chapter 1287

  Chapter 1288

  Chapter 1289

  Chapter 1290

  Chapter 1291

  Chapter 1292

  Chapter 1293

  Chapter 1294

  Chapter 1295

  Chapter 1296

  Chapter 1297

  Chapter 1298

  Chapter 1299

  Chapter 1300

  Chapter 1301

  Chapter 1302

  Chapter 1303

  Note from the author

  Chapter 1218

  “S o, the Emperor knows who I am.” Hadjar rested his chin on his left hand and moved one of his pieces a couple of squares forward. His knight was now threatening the enemy’s bishop.

  “He does.” Chin’Ameh replied honestly. His clawed finger twitched slightly, and a pawn moved forward, guided by his will, protecting the bishop.

  They were sitting on the grass of the central peak of the Magic Dawn Pavilion and indulging in a game of chess. Frankly, Hadjar didn’t really like the game. Perhaps his dislike was due to the fact that chess had been a trial that he’d had to pass when he’d met Traves. Or maybe he’d just been too young to find beauty in moving lifeless figures across a black-and-white plane consisting of sixty-four squares. Now, years later, he’d finally found some meaning in it, especially when chess served as the backdrop to a conversation.

  “Are you absolutely sure?”

  A rook slid in, now standing next to that same bishop, adding an extra layer of protection to it. If Hadjar still wanted to take the valuable piece, he would have to sacrifice a minor one — his pawn. But it was precisely through such losses and gains that victories were attained. That was something Hadjar had learned from Morgan, may his forefathers welcome him with bread and honey.

  “I heard the Emperor as well as I can hear you right now, Hadjar the North Wind.”

  Chin’Ameh had made an effort to protect his bishop. It didn’t seem to be the most significant piece, but it was currently tied to the game as a whole: the actions of the king, the queen, and the group of pawns. This particular bishop was the ‘door’ that blocked the inner area of the white army. Hadjar was playing with the black army, and the only thing he’d managed to pull off in the past hour was to take some initiative and go on the offensive.

  “Why do you want my bishop so badly?” The dragon asked suddenly.

  Hadjar explained his reasoning.

  “That’s a good plan,” the dragon nodded. “But do you realize that there are far more convenient spots to attack than a well-protected piece that can attack in turn?” Chin’Ameh nodded at the pawns in front of the king.

  Hadjar looked at the ‘soldiers’ who had fallen on the black-and-white battlefield. Of course, their whole game was just a cover that allowed them to take a slightly better look at the current situation and conduct a very sensitive conversation while not fearing that they would be overheard.

  “You said that the path to the king was blocked,” Hadjar made another move, which opened the way for further attacks. With this, he was hinting that the secret path to the treasury described in Ash’s diary had long since been blocked. It wasn’t surprising, given how many years had passed since then. The other secret entrance, which neither the dragons nor the Sage Ash had known about, had been destroyed during Raven’s Wing’s escape. And that’s how the Raven Sect, the fanatical worshipers of the Black General, had managed to screw Hadjar over yet again.

  “It is,” Chin’Ameh nodded. “However, in big games, Hadjar, there are also major tricks you can use.” He boldly moved the bishop that had been contested before, opening a way for the enemy rook to assault the backline of the black army. Hadjar watched in amazement as the until-recently ‘trapped’ bishop bravely attacked his queen, which he couldn’t move, lest he put his king in mortal danger. “While you thought you were setting up a trap or going on the offensive, you were actually following someone else’s plan. Always remember, Hadjar the North Wind, that you may not be the king, but just a pawn. One of many. Which, of course, can go all the way to the other end of the board and become a queen, which can then still be sacrificed the moment it becomes useful to do so.”

  Hadjar had to take the bishop with his second knight, which was taken by Chin’Ameh’s own knight in turn, then it was taken by Hadjar’s pawn, which was taken by Chin’Ameh’s queen right after. That was how Hadjar lost the advantage, the initiative, and went from a bold attack to a panicked defense. All this time, he’d thought he was following hi
s own plan while he had actually been walking down a path that had been determined for him. Morgan... The Dragon Emperor... Helmer... Freya... Derger... The Jasper Emperor. They were all playing their own games, ones in which Hadjar was just a pawn that would be sacrificed to protect something more valuable, but they wouldn’t mind turning him into a queen... so that they could sacrifice him later for a greater profit.

  “Fucking schemes,” Hadjar hissed and turned away from the chessboard.

  The delegation was gathering below the Magic Dawn Pavilion. Not because it was a special site these days, but because once upon a time, Chin’Ameh’s daughter and Traves had set off to the Ruby Mountains from here.

  “There’s only one way to win this game,” Chin’Ameh continued suddenly.

  “By not playing?” Hadjar chuckled sadly. “I tried, wise dragon. By the High Heavens, I tried… and it would cost me far more than I’m ready to pay.” Hadjar touched the wedding bracelet on his wrist. It still smelled like her and gave off her warmth…

  “You can’t afford to not play,” Chin’Ameh picked up a pawn and twirled it in his fingers. He stared at it as if it contained all the wisdom that he had accumulated over hundreds of eons. He was an aging dragon whose time was coming to an end… How long did he have left? Twenty thousand years? By the standards of most, it was still a ridiculous amount of time. “But if you can’t beat your opponent, try this,” Chin’Ameh said thoughtfully. He took one of the bowls, shook out the pieces inside and, turning it over, placed it next to the chessboard, after which he placed a white pawn on top of it.

  “What’s that?” Hadjar asked.

  “The sixty-fifth square,” the dragon explained. “The one that can’t be reached.”

  “It looks more like a prison,” Hadjar said, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

  Chin’Ameh glanced at the forces gathering at the foot of the hill. “The younger a creature, the more often they get captivity and freedom mixed up.”

  “Is it even possible to get polar opposites mixed up?”

  “If you switch concepts,” Chin’Ameh nodded. “What most people take for freedom is really just a shackle that feels good to be in, and only by breaking these shackles can you become truly free.”

  Hadjar sighed a little wearily.

  “The sixty-fifth square means performing actions that are unexpected. The ones the game itself doesn’t allow for normally. Think about that when you’re fighting for the Princess’ life.”

  Hadjar looked at the beautiful girl wearing flowing silks who was coming up in a cart that floated through the clouds, drawn by pink, six-winged birds.

  “Do you think, wise Chin’Ameh, that the delegation will encounter many dangers?”

  “Why do you think the Emperor is sending such an impressive army with his daughter?”

  The army really was astonishingly powerful.

  Chapter 1219

  W hen a bugle sounded, Hadjar left the Magic Dawn Pavilion, turning into a white lightning bolt to do so. Piercing the clouds of magical smoke formed from the incense and leaving behind a silhouette that looked like a dragon spreading its wings, he appeared at the head of the procession.

  The long column of people, or rather, dragons, which stretched out for several miles, brought back memories of Rahaim’s caravan and the Sea of Sand. Admittedly, the dragon procession was far more magnificent and somewhat pompous compared to the caravan.

  The rearguard, which consisted of a dozen riders, trailed after the procession. The warriors were wearing turquoise robes of incredible quality that probably cost a fortune, along with amulets around their necks, Imperial level armor, and weapons of medium quality. Most of them were armed with spears.

  The ones not armed with spears held a variety of armaments, from simple infantry weapons, all the way to a kind of broadsword attached to a pole. Such weapons were so heavy that it was hard to guess how the dragons’ mounts could handle their weight with such apparent ease. The Princess’ entire entourage of guards, including the rearguard, the main forces, and the vanguard, were mounted, riding huge three-tailed tigers with strange, greenish fur and crimson stripes. The monsters varied in power, ranging from the initial level of the Primeval Stage to the mid-level Spirit Stage.

  Hadjar hadn’t really understood why the dragons didn’t travel in their true forms, as they could reach a speed that not even the engineers who’d made ‘The Fury of the Mortal Skies’ could dream of imitating. Chin’Ameh had explained that once a dragon advanced to a certain Stage of cultivation, it was easier for them to stay in human form. Their dragon form was then used only in extreme cases, like during a fight, special training, or meditation.

  Walking ahead of the rearguard were numerous servants. Tailors, cooks, artisans, potters, builders, and other representatives of the lower class made up their ranks. In total, there were about three hundred of them. Among them were Lords and peak-stage Spirit Knights, which demonstrated a high level of cultivation in the Dragon Lands, but the average level or Stage wasn’t as monstrous as it might’ve seemed back at the Ruby Palace. The servants, unlike the warriors, didn’t ride tigers, but traveled in some kind of lavish, spacious stagecoach pulled by magic clouds.

  Then came the 2226 dragon warriors. There were also twenty mages mixed in with them, and all of them were either former or current disciples of Chin’Ameh and his Pavilion. They were easy to tell apart from the regular warriors as they carried no martial weapons. Their leader was holding a staff covered in runes and symbols that must’ve been very expensive in his clawed hands.

  He looked at those around him as if they were little more than dust that might sully his fancy, pointed shoes. Every mage rode on their own personal cloud, which covered their legs up to the knees.

  Next up was the Princess’ own carriage. Hadjar had rubbed his eyes in disbelief at the sight of a stone building resting on the clouds. It was made of magical marble. Adorned with three picturesque stained-glass windows, as tall as a two-story house, and as wide as the deck of a galleon, it was like a miniature version of the Palace. The Princess and her two personal maids travelled inside of it.

  The carriage was guarded by the Head of this parade of magic and luxury — Officer Sin’Magan, the older brother of the mad swordswoman Tash’Magan. The one who’d tried to take the place of the Hero in the Delegation of the Ruby and the Dragon. And now she most likely hated Hadjar, who, because he’d been unable to defeat Tash in a fair fight, had resorted to a very dishonest trick in order to beat her.

  Unlike his subordinates, Sin rode a five-tailed tiger. It was larger, scarred, more muscular, and had a sharp, calculating glare. It was a mid-level Spirit beast, equal in power to a peak-stage Nameless. Sin exuded the distinct aura of an initial-stage Heaven Emperor. Definitely a dragon to watch out for.

  “Hero Hadjar of the North Wind Tribe,” Officer Sin’Magan greeted him with a nod. He stowed the old bugle back in his saddlebags. “Come. Let Sashkem sniff you.”

  Sashkem was obviously the name of the dragon’s tiger. While it might’ve sounded a little wild — dragons riding on tigers — in the Nameless World, there were far more amazing things than that.

  Hadjar reluctantly stepped forward. The tiger’s snout, which was the size of a boulder, not to mention the fact his fangs were as big as sabers, moved toward him and the beast sniffed him. Hadjar kept his hands away from the handle of his Scarlet Blade. His stance showed a casual lack of concern even though he was ready to fight to the death if anything did happen. The tiger might potentially smell the human part of him. After a few moments, Sashkem straightened his neck, turned to his rider, and gave a short growl.

  “My old friend, you’re right as always,” Sin said with a slightly wry smile, not because he had a bad temper or anything, but because half his face was hidden behind a steel mask, and deep scars peeked out from beneath it. By the High Heavens, Hadjar easily recognized whose blade had inflicted them. Raven’s Wing... What a busy life you lead…

  “Well, I’m glad
to welcome the Hero into our ranks,” Sin held out his hand. Given that he was several feet up, Hadjar had to use his energy and will to rise up into the air and shake the offered forearm. “You’ll be under my command for the next two years. You have one task — protect the Princess. Do so in a manner that doesn’t prevent me from taking care of my fellow citizens, and we won’t have any problems. Maybe this’ll even be the start of a great friendship.”

  “I serve the High Heavens,” Hadjar replied with a phrase he’d been taught.

  “May they extend over your wings,” Sin said in turn. “Now, go and get the wreath. We’ll be leaving soon. Two years isn’t a lot of time considering the distance we have to cover.”

  Two years of traveling at speeds that no mortal or practitioner would ever be able to comprehend. The Nameless World was large and, as Hadjar had learned long ago, it wasn’t a normal planet at all. It was something different.

  However, at the moment, he was more concerned with the gaze of the mage holding the staff. It was less than friendly. Fucking schemes…

  Chapter 1220

  W hat was a single month to beings that lived for thousands of years? Probably what an hour was to mortals. And a year? Probably the equivalent of a day or so. In light of that, it wasn’t surprising that the delegation felt more like a casual stroll, rather than an important and dangerous event.

  The guards were from the Magan family. As Hadjar had learned over the past month, the Magans were famous for their skills with weapons. As it turned out, the ability to walk the path of Weapons or Magic was considered a great gift for dragons. Even though the guards ranged from peak-stage Lords to advanced-stage Nameless, only a few of them possessed a True Kingdom. The mages were from the Min family. The same family as the Mentor whom Hadjar had almost sent to his forefathers.

  Once upon a time, the Ameh family had been the one that held undisputed power in the Magic Dawn Pavilion. But over the course of the war for the throne and the rise of the current Emperor, many of them had died. Others still had gone to the Strange Lands — mages were always drawn to knowledge and secrets. So, the only ones left had been Chin’Ameh and his daughter — the heir to the title of Pavilion Head, which she hadn’t been able to inherit. She’d been born incapable of following neither the path of Weapons nor harnessing the Words. This sometimes happened with dragons, as cultivation was hundreds of times more difficult for them than it was for humans. In their true forms, they often couldn’t reach higher Stages simply because they didn’t have enough food to do so. Animals not only needed to fight for territory, but also the ability to hunt and grow.