"Hey, old Gandalf, why are you stealing kills when they're at low health?"
Levi felt somewhat helpless as he sheathed his sword and greeted Gandalf with mock indignation.
"Your timing is quite perfect."
"Ahaha, a wizard is never late, only arrives precisely when he means to." Gandalf shamelessly told Levi with theatrical grandeur.
He also tapped the three troll statues frozen in fleeing poses with his staff, nodding as if quite satisfied with this masterpiece of petrification.
"Good thing no one's missing arms or legs."
"We have your burglar to thank for that, and Levi."
Thorin slowly walked over and also greeted Gandalf, as if the previous minor dispute had never happened.
"These trolls must have come down from the Ettenmoors."
Gandalf looked down at the black blood dripping from Levi's sword and spoke slowly with growing concern.
"This is not a good omen."
The Ettenmoors were a dark land adjacent to Angmar and the Misty Mountains, also one of the places where trolls frequently appeared and lived.
"For trolls to dare venture this far, the last time was when evil ran rampant..."
That is, during the dark period when Sauron was still around.
Gandalf looked at Levi with meaningful intensity.
"Nothing is certain, perhaps it's indeed as you think." Levi said something only Gandalf could understand, leaving the others looking confused.
Sauron was not one to die so easily.
Even if chopped into mincemeat, he could transform into a pool of black blood and be reborn many years later. Although he'd lost the Ring, no one could say with certainty that he had truly vanished from this world.
However, at this moment, only Levi among those present could confirm that Sauron was indeed still active.
Gandalf shook his head, temporarily suppressing his inner doubts, and turned to survey the nearby terrain with practiced eyes.
"Trolls cannot be active in daylight. There must be their cave nearby."
However, while Gandalf was speaking, Levi had already skillfully climbed over a small hill and found an entrance swarming with flies and mosquitoes.
"Over here!"
Levi held up a torch, leading the way ahead through the putrid darkness.
"What is this place? What a terrible smell..." A group of dwarves covered their noses, with several coughing directly from the stench that assaulted their senses.
"The trolls' treasure hoard."
Clatter.
When they reached the deepest part of the cave, suddenly, there was a different sensation underfoot.
Chests of jewelry lay piled in corners, gold and silver coins heaped like small mountains on the ground, glittering in the torchlight like stars fallen to earth.
"We've struck it rich."
Several dwarves grabbed shovels and buried these treasures that couldn't be carried away, preventing others from discovering and taking them.
Thorin picked up two matching swords from a dusty, cobweb-covered area nearby and examined them carefully with the eye of a connoisseur.
"This is not something trolls could make."
"Nor could human smithcraft achieve this."
Gandalf took one of the swords, blew off the dust, and examined it carefully with reverent attention.
"These swords are from Gondolin, forged by the High Elves of the First Age."
Upon hearing they were elven items, Thorin immediately let go with disgust, feeling the sword in his hand instantly became less appealing.
"There are no finer blades in all the world."
How quickly attitudes change.
Thorin sheathed the sword, drew it to look at it twice, and nodded with grudging satisfaction.
[Glamdring] and [Orcrist].
Levi immediately recognized these two precious swords. The former had once been the sword of the Lord of Gondolin, the High King of the Noldor Turgon, while the latter was a matching sword whose wielder was unknown, but certainly a very capable elf.
Both swords had killed over a thousand orcs and possessed their own unique names.
"May I take a look?"
Levi asked the two men with genuine interest.
Without hesitation, Gandalf handed over his sword, followed by Thorin, who also gave his sword to Levi.
Levi held both swords, examining them carefully with the appreciation of one who understood fine craftsmanship.
[Glamdring] Attack +9.
[Orcrist] Attack +9.
Same damage as his own ancient sword... all first-class blades.
"What do you think of this sword, Levi? If you like it, take it. I believe it would serve better in your hands." Seeing Levi staring at the sword, Gandalf tactfully offered.
His staff worked just fine. He didn't necessarily need an additional sword.
"Very fine swords, though not necessarily better than mine."
Levi handed both swords back and drew his own ancient elven sword.
Even in the dark cave, when this sword was drawn, its blade still gleamed like ice with ethereal light.
Compared to the other two, this sword had an additional aura of severity.
Regardless, these were all swords more durable and sharp than netherite swords.
After hiding the treasure in the cave, the group headed outside.
During this time, Gandalf spotted a quite sharp-looking elven short sword on the ground, picked it up and gave it to Bilbo, along with some words of wisdom.
"True courage is not about deciding when to kill, but about deciding when to spare."
"Something's approaching!"
Someone outside suddenly shouted. Gandalf immediately went out to check, and Bilbo, after staring at the short sword for a while, also followed.
However, they soon discovered it was a false alarm.
It was the Brown Wizard Radagast who had come.
"Gandalf, something's very wrong in Mirkwood. There are many evil giant spiders. They must be spawn of Ungoliant."
Ungoliant, a powerful being similar to an outer evil god born from the Void, now whereabouts unknown. Even one of its offspring, Shelob, was so formidable that Sauron dared not provoke it, only occasionally sending a few orcs as tribute.
"I went to Dol Guldur. It was terrible... Oh, and I found this."
Radagast pulled out a tightly wrapped sword.
This was the Witch-king of Angmar's blade.
Gandalf's expression grew grave.
Roar!
Suddenly, a wolf's howl interrupted their conversation. A warg leaped down from above, was killed by Levi's sword, followed by several more jumping down to attack, but they were quickly dealt with as well.
"Warg scouts, which means a large pack of orcs is approaching!"
"We need to leave here immediately."
"No good, the ponies have all been frightened away!" A dwarf ran over in panic, adding: "Except for Levi's."
Bilbo sighed.
Great, all that work for nothing.
"I'll lead them away."
"I'll take them out."
The Brown Wizard and Levi spoke almost simultaneously, the two eyeing each other sideways, both thinking unknown thoughts.
"Those are Gundabad wargs. They'll catch you." Gandalf told the Brown Wizard.
"These are Rhosgobel rabbits. I'd like to see them try."
Seeing there was no time for further argument, Gandalf looked at Radagast, then at Levi.
"I think perhaps..."
A moment later.
On the plain, half the wargs were being chased and cut down by Levi on horseback, while the other half chased Radagast trying to bite him.
Gandalf led the dwarves and Bilbo running in another direction, evading pursuit by a group of warg riders led by a minor chieftain.
"Damn it, forget about that wizard on the rabbit! All of you go hold down that human, we'll kill the dwarves first!" the minor chieftain angrily commanded.
As forces from Radagast's side withdrew, pressure on Gandalf and the dwarves' side suddenly increased, though it was still manageable.
"Now I understand. That Levi fellow wasn't bragging after all."
Behind a large boulder, Bofur quietly poked his head out, watching the pack of wargs being chased and howling by Levi, his face showing amazement.
"I never knew there could be such a strong human in the world. Unheard of."
"There's much you don't know. While we have the chance, let's go!" Gandalf urged, leading the dwarves toward a hidden entrance.
[Chapter Complete]
***
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