Chapter 538: Ambush (I)
Jormugandr allowed Vlad, Ouroboros, and Fafnir a moment to absorb the information about their recent foe before continuing with his explanation.
"The Vorometallicae come from a harsh and chaotic environment," he began. "It has shaped them into beings of unparalleled physical might and resilience. What truly sets them apart from demons and devils, however, is their innate ability to absorb and integrate supernatural minerals and metals into their bodies. As they grow stronger, these metals enhance their power, durability, and abilities."
A flicker of understanding passed through the eyes of Vlad, Ouroboros, and Fafnir. Suddenly, it made sense why the three-headed minotaur they had just battled had seemed overwhelmingly powerful. This revelation also sparked a gleam of greed in their expressions.
If the Vorometallicae literally fused special ores into their flesh, that meant each one of them could carry valuable resources within their bodies—treasures that might be extracted and sold.
Even more so, Jormugandr, as an Alchemy MasterMaster, contemplated how these exotic metals could be forged into potent new weapons or armor. Yet before they could let their imaginations run wild, they refocused on the information, eager to hear the rest of what he had learned.
They knew their enemies now, but in this vast Doomsday World—a battlefield between the forces of Darkness and Light—they still needed to identify potential allies. Jormugandr, perceiving their thoughts, continued.
"The representative of the Light in this world is an extremely powerful plane known as Graecia. It’s ruled by humans and has been locked in conflict with the Chaovoratities Plane—the home of the Vorometallicae—for millennia. Graecia is under the command of a man named Alexandros, also known as the ’White Death.’"
At that, Jormugandr paused, his feline features growing solemn. "Ovalion’s memories held no direct image of Alexandros as it seemed he had never met the man, but it’s clear that the Vorometallicae regard him with genuine horror. His name is considered almost taboo. They fear him on a fundamental level."
Vlad, Ouroboros, and Fafnir exchanged significant glances, each of them sensing the weight of that revelation. For a single man’s name to be so dreaded by a warrior race equivalent to demonkin or devilkin implied that Alexandros was truly monstrous in power. Anyone able to elicit that kind of terror from the Vorometallicae could very well surpass the might of Legends.
Jormugandr then directed his gaze toward Ovalion’s fallen corpse. "I managed to salvage a scrap of information from his mind about a fortress controlled by Graecia called Golden Sky. We could reach it in roughly two weeks if we move quickly."
Vlad’s lips curled into a small but satisfied smile. A strong human settlement might serve as an excellent place to gather more knowledge and secure a base of operations. The battle with Ovalion had shown them that exploring this Land of the Three Calamities on their own was fraught with peril. At the very least, a fortress populated by humans might offer a semblance of shelter and the chance to learn the local power structures.