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Chapter 5. The Iron Hammer Of The Wilderness

(???'s POV)

Let's go back just a little bit in time. 

It was when Akira had just found the path. 

Behind him, there was the stout figure of a person—a dwarf. 

His name was Hagg, a dwarf obsessed not only with iron but also with metals in general, unlike most dwarves who were obsessed solely with iron and met their end with it. 

Hagg, at the age of 139, was one of the few who had a different obsession, or rather, a different way of being obsessed.

Instead of endlessly forging iron, copper, and mithril in the dwarf kingdom, he wanted to encounter metals from all over the continent. 

So, he set out on a journey. 

Dwarves embarking on journeys weren't uncommon. 

They were as passionate about battles as they were about iron. 

Many became mercenaries, trained as warriors, or were drawn to the scent of blood for no apparent reason. 

They were inherently robust and skilled, making them in high demand. 

Women, being relatively domestic, meant the dwarf population wasn't as scarce as, say, the elves.

When dwarves found a good place during their travels, they would return to the kingdom, find a wife, and establish a permanent residence. 

Their children would then be born as town dwarves, seamlessly blending into society. 

Strangely, most of these children were also inevitably enchanted by the magical allure of iron, but that's another story.

Anyway, Hagg, the dwarf who set out on a journey, traveled from town to town, working as a wandering blacksmith. 

If there was no work, he spent a considerable amount of time traveling as a warrior. 

The world was vast and had interesting, delicious things like good wine, but it also showed the dark side of humanity. 

Yet, Hagg always found joy. He's always making new discoveries on his journey.

Today is like another day where he could encounter something exciting. 

On the western edge of the continent, a detour around the mountains led to a remote port town. 

Hagg noticed a lone human man walking quite a distance ahead. 

He had no luggage, and yet, he looked oddly well-dressed. 

His pure white shirt and well-tailored pants seemed brand new. 

Even from a distance, it appeared they had been worn for only a few days.

Hagg wondered why someone would wear new clothes while walking through the wilderness. 

Humans sometimes did strange things to show off or boast, so he concluded it must be something of that sort. 

The man's shoes seemed worn out, occasionally revealing his heels. 

It was doubtful they would last until the town. 

Well, if he regularly wore those shoes, he probably wasn't just a commoner.

Either he wasn't used to walking, or he was concerned about his shoes. 

Regardless, Hagg was confident he would catch up before reaching the town. 

It might be interesting to hear where this merchant came from. 

Hearing tales of foreign iron would be fantastic. 

Since he had no companions, he probably wasn't a noble. 

Hagg wasn't particularly interested in fabric, but the design of those pants seemed somewhat intriguing.

Lost in these random thoughts while walking, another two men appeared in front of the lone man. 

Amid a brief exchange, Hagg noticed a bald man flanking behind, blocking the retreat.

"Good grief..."

A sigh escaped him. 

Why was the world filled with so many fools?

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(Akira's POV)

"Oh no, this is bad. I'm in a pinch right now. I don't have a sister or anything, though."

"Um... as you can see, I don't have anything with me. Oh, if you want, you can check."

To convey zero hostility, I raised both hands with a strained smile.

"Huh? Alright, then strip naked and throw each piece of clothing over here."

"Here?!"

Buck naked?! Completely nude?! Right here?! Who the heck wants that!?

These guys don't have weird preferences, do they?!

"Ah... um..."

"Hurry up, you idiot!"

"Yikes!"

The skinhead unexpectedly pushed me from behind with the butt of his spear. 

For a moment, I thought I had been stabbed, and I let out a bizarre and awkward scream! 

It happened when I snagged my shirt on a low bush.

"What the hell, stripping in a place like this? Humans never change."

The new voice belonged to a muscular dwarf who was about a head shorter than me but had a sturdy build. 

He wore metal armor and carried a huge hammer on his back. His face was wrinkled, and a dignified beard reached down to his chest. 

However, he lacked care in his cuticles, as there was no shine in his hair or beard.

I initially thought they were a new gang of bandits, but since all three of them looked surprised, it seemed unrelated.

"It's not stripping! Dwarf! Get lost quickly!"

The skinhead yelled. It seems he's short-tempered.

"Well, if it's not stripping, then... it's like robbing, isn't it?"

The small giant (dwarf?) referred to as a dwarf directed an intimidating smile at me, closing one eye.

I couldn't understand the meaning immediately, but it dawned on me, and I shouted.

"Help! Please help! They're robbers! Muggers!"

I rolled around and sought refuge by circling around the dwarf's back. The skinhead tried to stab me with the spear, but the dwarf caught it with one hand.

"What?!"

"Darn it! Do it!"

"Don't let your guard down! This guy's serious!"

The skinhead released the spear and stepped back, taking out a knife from his waist. 

The three of them assumed a defensive stance, crouching with their weapons. 

There was an undeniable readiness for combat... or rather, for murder.

I collapsed on the spot in fear. My knees refused to stand up.

The dwarf discarded the short spear he had been holding and slowly prepared the hammer on his back.

Until then, the trio of robbers had been shouting insults, but they fell silent with wide eyes.

It was an overwhelming presence, not just in physical mass but also in the aura of killing intent emitted by the dwarf.

One step forward.

One step back.

One step forward.

One step back.

Even I, who knew nothing about the exchange of blows, could feel the power dynamics in this fight.

There was no future where the robbers could win.

"Are you going to die?"

A shiver ran down my spine. 

The words from the dwarf felt like a physical weapon beyond mere words.

"Damn! Fine! We'll let you off today!"

"Be grateful!"

"If we meet again, we'll kill you!"

Instantly, the three ran off into the wilderness, kicking up dust. 

They were surprisingly fast.

Well, as long as they disappear, anything is fine.

"Thieves are truly why do they have the same clichéd lines until the end..."

Scratching his head, the dwarf put the hammer back on his back.

"Ah... ah..."

I tried to say something but couldn't manage it.

"Are you okay? Young one."

A hand like a catcher's mitt was extended, and when I grabbed it, he helped me up.

Despite being short, he had incredible strength.

"Ah... thank you... you saved me."

The words slipped out casually.

"Well, as long as you're safe."

Thus, it was the meeting with the wandering blacksmith, Hagg, also known as the Roaming Iron Hammer.