Hello, is this a letter addressed to Demon Fortress?

The atmosphere around them froze instantly.

Levitation, a stealth magic of legendary rank or higher.

These two conditions weighed heavily on the minds of every dwarf, like two mountains.

"I remember……"

A young dwarf suddenly spoke, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

"Freya's North Wind Caravan seems to fit the requirements, right? She's a legendary wind mage."

"Wind is a major component of concealment magic."

Several dwarfs around him nodded in agreement.

"Yes, yes, that girl's concealment magic is indeed amazing."

"If it were her, perhaps..."

"no."

Barna immediately poured cold water on the idea.

He leaned against the wall, arms crossed, looking helpless.

"The north wind won't work."

"With that levitation mage in their team who keeps crashing every now and then, they might as well use an airship."

He paused.

"Moreover, with the current number of demons rioting outside, Freya's concealment magic won't be of much use."

"It needs to be at least one rank higher than her concealment magic, at least high enough to fool even a legendary high-ranking person."

The dwarves fell silent.

Can it cast a stealth spell that can deceive even legendary figures who have risen to power?

That must be...

Epic Rank?

How many epic mages can you find in the entire Stronghold, no, the entire Blackwater Corridor?

It's likely that only in a city with a thousand towers could one or two people meet the criteria.

"If it's levitation..."

A muffled sound rang out.

Everyone looked and saw it was Grom.

He sat on a wooden crate in the corner, frowning.

"I do know a guy who can definitely do it."

"But we can't find another mage who is proficient in stealth."

Those around were stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening.

"Ah, that black-haired human!"

"Yes, yes, that's him!"

"Indeed, the fact that he could control such a fast vehicle back then shows that his mastery of levitation is definitely not low."

"Do you think that speed, if used to break through enemy lines, would be easy?"

"No way, his little boat would be a problem even if you put a few dwarves in it, let alone the supplies needed to build Shield Island."

Amidst the cacophony of voices, Barna, who had just returned from the capital of Carter, was completely bewildered.

He frowned and looked around at the people.

"Black-haired humans? Small boat? Speed?"

"What are you talking about?"

No one answered him.

Meanwhile, Bahrain also sighed.

"I wanted to keep him here so he could help me build the second shield."

He shook his head.

"But who could have imagined that the Kuroshio would erupt in such a remote place?"

"Those madmen of the Church of Light, though they act insanely, have never made a mistake in their divine divination."

"Did something go wrong this time?"

Barna was even more confused.

Even the fortress lord admitted that the other party had the ability to levitate?

He couldn't help but ask:

"That guy you're talking about...is his levitation skill amazing?"

Bahrain and Grom exchanged a glance.

Then, they both laughed at the same time.

There was something complex in that smile.

"He can cast levitation spells without chanting."

A simple sentence left Barna stunned.

Then, his eyes widened suddenly.

"What?!"

His voice rose, almost cracking.

"A levitation spell cast without incantation?!"

"That's impossible!"

He stared intently at Bahrain.

"Even the master of the Wind Tower can't cast that spell without chanting!"

Barna served as the team leader for year-round transportation.

His understanding of levitation was far superior to anyone else present.

As the team leader, he couldn't possibly not keep a close eye on the magic at all times.

Because its status in the transportation industry is comparable to a magic weapon.

If there were a mage who could levitate.

Even a novice who has just mastered the art of levitation can increase the speed of a transport team by at least 100%.

As the mage improves their skill in this spell, the speed can be increased further.

The problem is...

Improve.

There are very few mages left who can use the levitation spell.

There are practically no people who can truly master this magic.

Barna did not know the specific difficulty level.

All he knew was that, as the strongest representative of the wind element, even the Wind Element Tower Master could not achieve a state of chanting without any incantation throughout his entire life.

As a result, this place is located in a remote area that is far away from the City of a Thousand Towers.

We found one?

"real??"

He looked at Bahrain with a face full of suspicion.

Bahrain smiled and shrugged.

"At least, I didn't see him chant any spells."

He paused, thinking about the current situation, and then sighed.

"With him around, at least we don't have to worry about the difficulties of maritime transportation."

At this point, the dwarves around them all fell silent.

Things seemed to have reached a dead end.

Meanwhile, the demons outside continue to gather in droves.

If the second stronghold cannot stand, it will be unable to share the pressure with the stronghold.

Then the loss was almost inevitable.

Just at this time.

In the corner, a dwarf who tends a boiler hesitated for a long time.

He looked very young, with a somewhat childish face.

He gripped the shovel in his hand repeatedly, then loosened it again.

He secretly glanced at those important figures.

He lowered his head again.

Take one more look.

He lowered his head again.

at last.

He put down the shovel he was holding.

He pulled a dirty rag from his waist and vigorously wiped his face, which was blackened by coal dust.

Then, he took a deep breath.

Summon your courage and head to Bahrain.

They took each step very slowly.

The dwarves around him noticed him and their eyes all turned to him.

The dwarf's face turned even redder, but he didn't stop walking.

He walked up to Bahrain and stopped.

He nervously twisted the rag in both hands.

"that……"

His voice was soft and trembling.

"Lord of the Fortress..."

Bahrain lowered his head and looked at the dwarf who only reached his waist.

His face, covered in coal dust, was now filled with tension and unease.

His gaze softened.

"Is there something you need?"

The little man raised his head and glanced at Balin.

He quickly lowered his head again.

He opened his mouth, but the sound was so soft it was like a mosquito's hum.

"I want to ask about... the person you're talking about..."

He paused.

"Is he... the manager of the 7-copper-coin post office?"

"Is that...the black-haired human who was flying around Ironshield a month ago?"

Bahrain was taken aback.

The dwarves around them were also stunned.

All eyes were focused on the little man.

The little dwarf was trembling with nervousness.

He knew he shouldn't step forward at this time.

He was just a boiler operator.

Those were all legendary powerhouses, fortress lords, important figures he could only admire from afar.

The common people of Shield City had actually guessed that Shield City was in crisis.

But they didn't have much of a direct experience of it.

Because this is what daily life in Shield City is like.

Demons surged forth, and artillery fire raged.

This time, however, it was much more intense.

Many of the powerful dwarves we used to see have disappeared.

He had a vague feeling that this time might be different from before.

But he didn't intend to approach them.

These are occasions for important figures, not for him to participate in.

but……

He was very happy in Shield City.

His home is here, his job is here, and everyone he knows is here.

He didn't want to leave.

So when I heard those important figures discussing things to no avail and falling silent.

He remembered what had happened an hour earlier.

He hesitated for a long time.

In the end, she still stepped forward.

Bahrain looked at him with a gentle gaze.

"Yes, that's him."

he asks.

"Is there a problem?"

The little dwarf swallowed hard.

He could feel that all the important figures around him, whom he could only see from afar, were now looking at him.

The pressure was so intense that he could barely breathe.

But he still spoke up.

"that……"

His voice was trembling violently.

"Just now... on my way here from home..."

"When I passed by that post office... the door was open..."

He looked up at Bahrain.

"That black-haired human seems to be sorting through letters."

The words fell.

The entire forging workshop fell into a deathly silence.

All the dwarves stood there, stunned.

one second.

two seconds.

three seconds.

Then--

"What??"