Bonus Chapter for 100 Powerstones
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I have to say, having a local in the squad really pays off.
Under Dance's guidance, Zeke soon spotted a massive web-like structure stretched between two trees.
It looked like it had been abandoned for a long time, but judging by the size, its previous owner was likely not something to be trifled with.
Zeke used his iron sword to tear down the spiderweb, looting 5 String.
Adding two sticks to the mix, Zeke crafted a Fishing Rod at the Crafting Table.
He then took out a unit of wheat, tied it to the fishing rod's line, and voilà—a [Wheat on a Stick] was complete.
Signaling Dance, Zeke mounted the Cow again and dangled the bait right in front of the beast's eyes.
It was positioned perfectly—just where the Cow could almost reach it if it stretched its neck, yet always remaining just out of reach.
Driven by the illusion that it was mere inches away from a meal, the Cow ran faster and faster.
"Not bad speed at all."
Zeke crouched low. Fuel consumption: one unit of wheat per hundred kilometers. What a bargain.
The mount shortened their journey significantly. About two hours later, the trees began to thin, and they reached the edge of the forest.
"Mount Lezra. That's what we locals call it. It's the final barrier before Tyrok Bastion."
A rare smile appeared on Dance's face.
Zeke looked up. It hadn't seemed so imposing from a distance, but standing at the foot of the mountain, he finally felt the sheer majesty of the range.
"Mountains always look closer than they are..." Zeke muttered, pulling out two units of wheat to reward the Cow.
From here on out, they were counting on it.
The mountain path was far more rugged than the forest trails.
The Cow lurched and swayed with every step. Sitting on its back, Zeke felt like a popcorn kernel in a popper, constantly thrown up and down.
As their altitude climbed, the temperature dropped noticeably.
White frost appeared on the rock surfaces, and the snow on the ground grew thicker. Zeke used a stone shovel to scoop up a pile of snow from the roadside.
[Snowball] x4
The icy touch sparked a bit of playfulness in him. He molded a snowball and tossed it at a nearby rock.
The snowball smashed against the stone, shattering into powder.
In most cases, snowballs dealt no direct damage; their only utility was knockback.
Blazes were the exception. Against those fire-elemental creatures, snowballs could deal a respectable 3 points of damage.
Zeke collected the snowballs. That little piece of trivia might come in handy someday.
The higher they went, the colder it got.
The freezing wind cut like a knife. The Cow beneath him had thick fur to keep warm, and Dance behind him wore standard combat fatigues designed to withstand the elements.
Only Zeke, wearing a full set of Iron Armor—which had excellent thermal conductivity—was freezing until his teeth chattered and his whole body shivered.
He quickly took out four pieces of leather, crafted [Leather Boots], and hurriedly swapped them on.
Any leather armor prevents a biological entity from entering the "Freezing" state.
As his body began to warm up again, Zeke exhaled a breath of white mist in relief.
He realized more clearly than ever that mastering the modules and mechanics of Minecraft was his greatest asset in the Warhammer universe.
–
The Eye of Terror hung high in the center of the sky; it was already noon.
Protected by the leather boots and carried by the tireless Cow, Zeke's group successfully reached the summit around midday.
Atop the snowy peak, the wind roared.
Zeke reined in the Cow and gazed into the distance. His mouth fell open involuntarily, forming a perfect 'O'.
The Tyrok Fields unfurled slowly before his eyes.
The visual impact hammered Zeke's brain. He stood there, stunned into silence.
It was hard to imagine using the word "crowded" to describe such a vast plain.
There were boundless tents, countless armored personnel carriers... Military supplies and logistical stockpiles were stacked in layers upon layers. The people walking in the aisles looked like ants.
How many soldiers were stationed on this plain? A hundred thousand? A million? Ten million?
Further away, in the hazy mist, a slowly moving silhouette emerged.
It was a Warlord-class Titan. A genuine God-Machine. With every step it took, a low resonance echoed through the earth.
Flanking it was a Leviathan aircraft.
The Leviathan sounded a siren in salute to the Titan, and the Titan returned the gesture with a series of high-pitched, deafening war-horn blasts.
"This is Tyrok Fields Navigation Channel," a clear voice crackled over the radio on Dance's back.
"Welcome home, soldiers. I repeat, welcome home."
"Transport shuttle 4532, please proceed to Landing Pad 3 on the left to clear the berth for incoming ships."
Dance pressed his hand tightly against the radio. This Cadian soldier, who hadn't broken down despite facing death multiple times, now lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly.
Dance looked up, his eyes red. "We're home. I never thought I'd actually make it back alive. Thank you, Zeke."
Villager (Weaponsmith)
1 Emerald - Iron Sword [Fire Aspect]
A fracture price. Forget 21, just 1 Emerald.
Zeke snapped out of his shock. Fire Aspect was pretty tempting.
However, he had just obtained a decent weapon, [Grug's Warhammer].
That thing had a base damage of 8, reaching 13 on a fully charged hit, plus powerful knockback. It felt solid in the hand.
In comparison, the Iron Sword only had a base damage of 6. Even with the enchantment, it seemed a bit lacking.
Trade it. The hesitation lasted only a split second. Zeke was too curious to see what a Minecraft enchantment would look like in Warhammer.
Besides, completing this trade would further increase Dance's trading level, unlocking even better goods.
Zeke placed the single Emerald from his backpack into the trade slot and clicked confirm.
Pop. The emerald shattered, turning into countless motes of light that flowed into Dance's body.
Simultaneously, a shimmering Iron Sword appeared in Zeke's hand.
Zeke gave the blade a tentative swing. The trajectory left a trail of flame in the air.
Cool!
"We should head down," Dance's voice broke in.
Zeke nodded and stowed the Fire Aspect sword.
They say it's easy to go up a mountain but hard to go down. For Zeke, it was the exact opposite. He had a hundred ways to descend quickly.
He could place a water stream and slide down, or sit in a wooden boat to fly down, utilizing the immunity to fall damage.
Zeke decided to combine the two for a rapid-rapids adventure.
He switched to his Iron Pickaxe, dug a four-block hole in the frozen earth beneath his feet, and created an [Infinite Water Source].
Then, transforming into a human water pump, he used his bucket to scoop and pour repeatedly.
Column after column of water was placed, the liquid rushing down the steep rock face, merging to form a water slide that ran straight from the summit to the valley below.
"Do you know how to row, Dance?"
Dance turned to see Zeke placing yet another wooden boat on the ground.
Looking at the crude wooden vessel equipped with only two oars, Dance felt a pang of apprehension.
Zeke noticed it and reassured him, "Don't worry. As long as your technique is good enough to not smash into the cliffs... it won't break. Usually."
Usually. Dance silently mulled over that word, then nodded.
He trusted Zeke. This mysterious partner always had all sorts of bizarre methods, and surprisingly, they worked.
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Next Goal: 200 Powerstones. Only 3 days left before the Powerstone reset but its possible I think...