Meanwhile, the Dwarf Adventure Squad, including Bilbo, was heading towards the middle section of the Misty Mountains under the guidance of the Gray Wizard Gandalf.
In fact, if the Dwarf Adventure Squad wanted to reach the Lonely Mountain quickly, the best route would have been to cross the snow-capped mountains via the Northern Highlands.
However, the runes on the map to the gates of the Lonely Mountain that Thorin possessed could only be understood by the Elves.
Therefore, Gandalf had to put in the effort to guide the Dwarf Adventure Squad towards Rivendell, the land of the Elves to the south of the valley.
Furthermore, Thorin had fought in places like the Moria Mines east of the Misty Mountains and the Lonely Mountain, so he had a general understanding of the terrain of Middle-earth.
Therefore, it was hard to say that he was unaware of Gandalf's intention to intentionally lead the team on a detour.
However, even though he knew Gandalf was doing this out of good intentions, Thorin, who regarded the Elves as enemies, found his expression growing increasingly ugly along the way.
Just like that, the Dwarf Adventure Squad stumbled their way out of the Dark Forest, and during this time, they met Radagast, who arrived riding a rabbit-drawn sled.
Gandalf also received from him the "Cursed Sword" that signaled the resurrection of Sauron and the Witch-king of Angmar. Incidentally, he also obtained three Elven swords forged by the ancient Elves.
The "Cursed Sword" of the Witch-king of Angmar was naturally kept safe by Gandalf. As for the three ancient Elven swords, after keeping the Elven longsword for himself, Gandalf handed the Elven dagger to Bilbo for self-defense and gave the ancient Elven broadsword to Thorin.
"There is a gorge in the mountain range ahead, and if we pass through it, we will reach the Anduin River. Then, by following the current downstream, we will soon reach the Lonely Mountain..." After walking out of the forest and arriving at the central plains, Gandalf explained his travel plans to the dwarves.
In reality, he was thinking about how to get the dwarves to go to Rivendell "willingly."
And because Rivendell, the home of the Ñoldor Elves, was right next to the central plains, Gandalf did not have much time left.
Just at this moment, a squad of Orcs riding Wargs appeared at the end of the plains. Gandalf's eyes lit up as a plan formed in his mind, and he shouted, "Everyone follow me, I know a place where we can avoid the Orcs' tracking."
After saying this, without giving the dwarves time to think, Gandalf led the Dwarf Adventure Squad running towards the direction of Rivendell.
Thorin seemed to realize something; he glanced at the distant Orc cavalry squad with an ugly expression, then looked back at Gandalf's retreating figure with a complex expression.
In the end, he chose to follow.
On the other side, Mike, riding a Great Eagle, had crossed the forest and arrived at the central plains in just half a day.
Just as he was commanding Gwaihir, preparing to head directly to Rivendell, he saw the fleeing Dwarf Adventure Squad from high above.
"Let's go, let's go see my old friends—!" Mike called for the Great Eagle to lower its flight altitude and chased after the Dwarf Adventure Squad.
Down below, the members of the Dwarf Adventure Squad, relying only on their legs, could not outrun the Orcs riding Wargs, and at this moment, they were being led by Gandalf to hide behind a small hill.
"Although the number of enemies is a bit high this time, I believe we can repel them..." Beneath the small hill, Thorin, unwilling to keep hiding so miserably, drew the ancient Elven sword from his waist.
It wasn't as if they hadn't seen Orc squads in the forest before.
In a one-on-one fight, they were no match for the dwarves.
"Thorin is right. This time the Orcs have the help of Wargs, and those beasts have very keen noses. If we just keep hiding, it will be hard to avoid them..."
"I agree to fight... Dwarves fear nothing..."
"..."
With the support of Kili and Fili, the dwarves took out their weapons one after another, ready for battle.
Meanwhile, the Wargs, with their keen sense of smell, carried the Orcs on their backs up to the small hill where the dwarves were hiding. One more step forward, and they would discover the dwarves.
"Do it—!"
In the critical moment, Thorin shouted and stabbed a Warg that was leaning forward with one sword strike.
The other dwarves also joined forces to kill the Orcs that fell from the Wargs.
The battle was on the verge of breaking out, and the Orcs in the distance, who were looking for prey in the surrounding area, all heard the news and gathered together riding their Wargs.
Seeing that the battle was inevitable, Gandalf didn't say much more and immediately drew the ancient Elven longsword from his waist.
In the back, Bilbo also gripped the ancient Elven dagger, ready for battle.
"Screech—"
Just then, with a bird's cry, a Great Eagle with a wingspan of over fifteen meters descended from the sky, whipping up gusts of wind.
Immediately after, its talons, like sharp blades, knocked over the Wargs and Orcs along the way one by one.
Any Orc caught by the talons was either killed or injured.
"What a huge bird..."
The dwarves looked up at the valiant Great Eagle and the destructive power it caused, expressions of surprise on their faces.
Some even quietly swallowed their saliva.
"That is a Great Eagle living on the highest peak of the Misty Mountains. It can also be considered our helper..." Gandalf naturally recognized the Great Eagle and began to introduce its origin.
"There is someone on the Great Eagle's back... It seems to be Mike..." Bilbo, relying on his sharp eyesight, saw Mike on the back of the Great Eagle, and his face instantly lit up with joy.
"It really is that human. How is he with the Great Eagle..."
"But it's really cool. We owe him one..."
"..."
The dwarves had fiery tempers but were also clear about who they loved and hated. After recognizing that the newcomer was Mike, their impressions of him all changed for the better.
Even though Mike had previously stated that he wanted to compete with the dwarves for the treasure on the Lonely Mountain.
But after this incident, the dwarves couldn't bring themselves to hate Mike.
Of course, these dwarves did not include Thorin. At this moment, this descendant of the Dwarves royal family was gripping the ancient Elven sword in his hand so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.
The gloomy expression on his face was certainly not friendly.
"Alright, everyone, don't just stand there. Take advantage of the opportunity while Mike is holding off the Orcs and let's leave quickly—!!" Gandalf still hadn't forgotten his original intention and called out to the dwarves to head into the crevice of the Imladris valley.
The Imladris valley, also known as the Deep Rift, was a naturally formed mountain crevice, and at its end was exactly Rivendell.
"Are we not going to care about Mike?" Bilbo, being pulled forward by the Wizard, was still worrying about the safety of his first human friend.
"Mike is powerful and has the help of the Great Eagle, so it is very simple for him to leave. Instead, if we stay here, it will only distract him." Well, in order to get the dwarves to enter the land of the Elves, Gandalf lied.
In the current situation, as long as the dwarves turned back, they could absolutely kill all the Orcs and Wargs on the plains without any injuries.
The dwarves thought so too.
Kili and Fili, holding their weapons, were even eager to try.
"Listen to Gandalf, let's go—!" Thorin looked back at Mike on the Great Eagle's back, and then decisively gathered the dwarves to leave.
After all, in his heart, he had always viewed Mike as an opponent.
Or rather, in his eyes, everyone who wanted to seize the treasure of the Lonely Mountain was an enemy of the Dwarves.
Thus, under the call of Gandalf and Thorin, the Dwarf Adventure Squad successfully entered the Imladris valley.
"Have you had enough fun? Next, I'm going to make my move too—!"
Without the threat of heavy crossbows, the Great Eagle, possessing air superiority, was absolutely a dimension-reduction strike against the Orcs and Wargs.
As for the departure of the Dwarf Adventure Squad, Mike didn't have much of a reaction. He patted the young eagle that was still showing off its fancy flying skills in the air, then leapt down from its back.
After a superhero landing, he immediately summoned the Flame Holy Sword from within his body.
Drawing on the experience of killing the Woodland Troll last time, in order not to let the Flame Holy Sword get stained with the blood and filth of the Orcs, Mike directly condensed a layer of Power Of Faith on the blade.
A knock-off version of a "forty-meter broadsword" took shape. With one swing, the powerful flame energy instantly turned the approaching Orcs and their mounts into ashes.
Just as Mike was preparing to stretch his body some more, hundreds of arrows suddenly flew out from the jungle on the east side of the plains.
These arrows seemed to have eyes, and most of them hit the vital parts of the Orcs and Wargs.
Immediately after, a well-equipped Elven cavalry unit charged out, and before long, they cut down the Orcs who saw that the situation was bad and were preparing to flee.
Then they turned back and finished off the wailing Orcs and Wargs on the ground.
The whole process was clean, efficient, and orderly.
"We are the Elven cavalry unit of Rivendell. My name is Dwalin. May I ask how to address you?" Dwalin, having completed the guard mission, brought his Elven squad to Mike.
Out of respect for the strong, Dwalin jumped off his horse while asking the question.
It should be known that Mike's previous attacks had been witnessed by this group of Elves.
That Flame Holy Sword, possessing the power to annihilate everything, was no worse than the Ring of Fire among the Three Elven Rings.
"My name is Mike, a traveler from the Northern Highlands. I am planning to visit Rivendell, but I am not sure if you would welcome me." Mike introduced himself.
As the saying goes: one does not strike a smiling face.
Moreover, these elegant Elves indeed felt much better to be around than the rude Dwarves.
"You're that [Troll Slayer] from the Northern Highlands lately. You're truly remarkable—" Dolin couldn't help but reach out to shake Mike's hand, saying in a friendly manner, "We Elves respect every warrior who fights for justice. I believe our King will also be very happy to know of your arrival."
Indeed, when traveling abroad, having a resounding title is very important.
The surrounding Elven knights became noticeably more enthusiastic after learning that Mike was the recently renowned [Troll Slayer].
However, for Mike, something like [Troll Slayer] sounded a bit low-class, and he really couldn't bring himself to like it.
He needed to find an opportunity to earn himself a better-sounding title.
"It's nothing, it's nothing," Mike calculated calmly, then accepted the Elves' invitation and walked toward the main gate of Rivendell.
At the same time, he did not forget to signal the Great Eagle that had flown high into the sky to follow.
Furthermore, to accommodate Mike, this squad of Elven cavalry all dismounted and accompanied him on foot.
After passing through the jungle from which the Elves had emerged, the group arrived in front of a mountain peak.
The towering mountain peak appeared to have no path forward, but after winding around a few times under the guidance of the Elves, a narrow stone path appeared before them.
"Rivendell is protected by magic. If you're not one of us, you cannot enter even if you reach the entrance." Dolin, who viewed Mike as a man of justice, briefly introduced the situation here after entering the stone path.
It must be said that the title of [Troll Slayer] was still somewhat useful.
And speaking of this, one must mention the Three Elven Rings.
Before the Dark Lord Sauron completely turned to darkness, he had forged twenty powerful Rings of Power, three of which were gifted to the three Elven clans.
They are: the Ring of Water, crafted from mithril and set with a white gem, which possesses the power to control water elements and also carries the power of purification and protection.
Next is the Ring of Fire, set with a ruby, which possesses the power to control flames and can grant the wielder the courage to resist the corruption of darkness; it is a symbol of hope and courage.
Finally, there is the golden Ring of Air, set with a sapphire, or as it is also called, the Ring of Power. This ring contains powerful magic and also possesses the abilities of healing and prophecy.
Elrond in Rivendell holds the Ring of Air. In Elrond's hands, this magically powerful ring provides a protective force for Rivendell.
...
Just as Mike was heading toward the main gate of Rivendell, the adventure squad led by Gandalf had already passed through the crevices of the deep rift and entered Rivendell, this earthly paradise that had never been polluted by dark forces, a step ahead.
The mountain path was filled with the fragrance of trees and flowers, and warm sunlight shone within the valley.
The Dwarves followed the hillside path, passing through a forest composed of pine, birch, and oak trees. In the middle of the meadow below, there was a rushing river, the babbling sound of the water like singing.
Next, Gandalf led the group across a very narrow bridge without railings and stepped onto the Rivendell square.
"My old friend, I knew we would meet again—!" Elrond seemed to have been waiting here for a long time.
Upon seeing Gandalf, he warmly gave the wizard a hug.
"I do have something to ask of you, it is about the dark forces of Middle-earth..." As he spoke, Gandalf was about to take that [Cursed Sword] out from his bosom.
This sword of the Witch-king of Angmar carried many meanings. Gandalf wanted to use it to persuade Elrond to join in dealing with Sauron's dark forces.
"No rush, I have a premonition that another friend will arrive shortly." The Ring of Power had the ability of prophecy, and Elrond seemed to have guessed what the wizard wanted to say.
However, this was not the place to discuss those matters.
"I apologize, I was too anxious." Gandalf also realized that his behavior was a bit reckless. So he changed to a lighter topic and said: "Is the person you're waiting for the [Troll Slayer]?"
Well, Mike's feat in the Dark Forest had also been spread by the people in the medium-sized village that had been saved.
Gandalf and the others had come from the Dark Forest, so naturally, they had heard some rumors.
"Oh, judging by your tone, the other party seems to be a very interesting person." Elrond also became somewhat interested.
"Of course, Mike is not only powerful, but his charm is also no less than your Elves. You will know once you see him." Gandalf smiled and kept him in suspense.
As the favored children of Iluvatar, the handsome appearance of the Elves was famously well-regarded among all races.
And in Gandalf's view, the charm Mike possessed was even more excellent than that of the Elves.
It was hard to tell who was truly the favored child of heaven and earth.
Next, Gandalf shared with Elrond the interesting anecdote of how he and Mike went to the Old Forest to mooch fruit wine from Tom.
This also made Elrond's interest in Mike grow increasingly greater.
In contrast, the Dwarves standing behind the wizard at this moment seemed to have been completely ignored by Elrond.
"I knew it, there isn't a single good thing among the Elves..."
"They say we Dwarves are arrogant, but I think the Elves are the truly arrogant ones..."
"Shh, stop talking, don't forget where we are..."
"..."
Dwarves were naturally at odds with the Elves.
Moreover, the Dwarves in the adventure squad had indeed been given the cold shoulder. Therefore, many of the Dwarves began to whisper and gossip about Elrond.
Thorin naturally heard his companions' words, but he did not speak up to stop them.
Compared to other Dwarves, Thorin had a stronger sense of self-esteem, so he had even greater grievances against Elrond.
Coupled with his status as royalty among the Dwarves, he could not allow himself to be treated as inferior and suffer such grievances.
"Lord Elrond, Thorin Oakenshield, descendant of the Dwarves royal family, greets you!" Facing his companions' gazes, Thorin, as if seeking attention, walked straight up to Elrond, the Elven King.
Although his words were polite, his expression revealed dissatisfaction.
"Not being able to control the mouths of one's subordinates is not a virtue a king should have..." Elrond seemed to have seen through Thorin's petty thoughts and, after pointing it out to him, said: "King Under the Mountain, grandson of Thror, I wish you success in this mission."
Gandalf wanting to help the Dwarves reclaim the Lonely Mountain to cope with the subsequent invasion of dark forces was not a secret in many people's eyes.
Moreover, Elrond also possessed the ability of [Prophecy].
And compared to the calm and composed Elven King, Thorin's petty thoughts naturally fell short.
Furthermore, the Dwarves were caught bad-mouthing others right in front of the person they were talking about.
This made Thorin lose a lot of face, so after nodding in greeting, he wanted to retreat back into the crowd.
"Wait, can you let me see the sword at your waist?" Just at this moment, Elrond, who held the initiative, inadvertently saw the ancient Elven sword at Thorin's waist.
"That is a sword given to us by Radagast on behalf of Mike; there are three in total..." Gandalf, who hadn't been able to get a word in, took this opportunity to help Thorin out, saying: "According to Radagast, these three swords were found by Mike in the trolls' cave in the Dark Forest..."
Gandalf naturally had also heard the Dwarves' gossiping about Elrond just now.
In order to help the Dwarves ease their relationship with Elrond, after introducing the origin of the sword, Gandalf signaled to Thorin with his eyes, urging him to quickly hand over the sword at his waist for the Elven King to see.
Thorin did not live up to the wizard's good intentions and then honestly handed the sword at his waist to Elrond.
In fact, to tell the truth, Thorin did not hate all Elves, but rather hated the Sindar Elves of the Black Forest.
Or to be more precise, he hated Thranduil, the Sindar Elven King of the Black Forest.
When the dragon Smaug attacked the Lonely Mountain back then, Thranduil happened to be nearby, yet he did not extend a helping hand to the suffering Dwarves.
It should be known that Thorin had specifically sought help from Thranduil at that time.
Because of this, ever since then, Thorin, who was not very broad-minded to begin with, had held a grudge against the Elven King Thranduil of the Black Forest.