Eat Casually, Grow Stronger-Eating Was His Favorite

With the Dragon's Power gone and one of the spare ingredients burnt, Russell was heartbroken and sullenly tossed Frodo aside, keeping the last Nightmare for himself.

He was a carefree person, and his sorrow came and went quickly. Seeing everyone following the Nightmare around in the dust, especially the dwarf Gimli who was exhausted and foaming at the mouth, his depressed mood immediately improved a lot.

Singing love songs when you're sad will only make you sadder; only seeing other unfortunate people can lift your spirits.

"Russell, what did you just see?"

After stopping to rest once again, Gandalf came to Russell's side. As expected of a leader among wizards, the dwarf warrior was running so hard that his legs were about to give out, but Gandalf was not out of breath or red in the face, as if he had just finished warming up.

Russell frowned. "I saw the Eye of Sauron, and Sauron, the shadow formed from darkness, it must be him."

Gandalf cursed his bad luck. Russell had seen Sauron, which meant Sauron had seen him too. The Fellowship of the Ring's whereabouts had been exposed, and they could no longer continue along the original route.

Gandalf pondered for a moment, then made up his mind and asked, "Did Sauron say anything to you?"

"He said he'd give me the Dragon's Power in return for taking the One Ring to Mordor..." At this point, Russell suddenly felt utterly hopeless, slapping Gandalf's thigh. "I was about to agree, but somehow, I was blinded by greed and rejected Sauron's offer. Now, thinking about it, my heart aches, and I deeply regret it!"

Gandalf: (◣灬◢)

Let me tell you, at the last Valley meeting in Rivendell, if I hadn't stopped you, you would have been beaten to death. I regret it now!

"Our route has been exposed. Sauron will surely set up many obstacles to reclaim the One Ring. The forces of darkness cannot operate during the day, but Saruman the White's Uruk-hai army is not afraid. This will be our biggest obstacle on this journey," Gandalf said.

"What should we do then?"

"We have no choice but to go through the Mines of Moria!" With his plan to sneak into the village failing and formidable enemies lurking in the way, Gandalf had no choice but to change course, even though he was unwilling to give up.

The group changed direction, no longer climbing the Great Snow Mountain, but heading south along the Misty Mountains, passing through the Mines of Moria below, and finally arriving at the Rohan Pass.

Rhea is the largest underground city in the northwest of Middle-earth, containing a vast network of tunnels, rooms, mines, and palaces, and has been the home of the dwarven descendants of the descendants of Durin people for thousands of years.

The dwarves were skilled at Digging Holes tunnels, and their network of tunnels was carved through the highest peak, 'Mount Caradhras,' with Endless Stair leading from the bottom of the mountain to the top.

The Fellowship of the Ring can traverse the highest peak by climbing the endless staircase to reach the next sanctuary Lothlórien, where the powerful magical queen Galadriel resides.

Before nightfall, the group arrived at the Mines of Moria and climbed the steps to the mountainside.

A deep, dark lake loomed before us. Perhaps due to the influence of the mineral vein, the water in the lake was as black as ink. Coupled with the dark clouds overhead, the lake appeared quiet and eerie.

Behind the lake, steep mountains rose vertically, clearly carved out by the dwarves. Gandalf came to the center of two green trees, and after feeling around on the wall for a moment, he found the entrance to the Mines of Moria.

"The West-gate of Moria only reflect the light of the stars and moon..." Gandalf frowned, but quickly understood. "It's a trap set by the dwarves. We need a password to enter. Let's wait here for a while. When the dark clouds clear, we'll be able to see the puzzle."

As soon as he finished speaking, the dark clouds in the sky quietly drifted away, and a ray of tranquil moonlight shone down. The West-gate of Moria immediately lit up, and Gandalf also saw the riddle set up by the dwarves.

Gandalf, one hand on his hip, thought to himself that Heaven was really giving him face, and read out the riddle, "The Doors of Durin, Lord of Rhea, speak of friends, and then enter... How easy!"

As a learned and wise man, Gandalf felt that the door was an insult to his intelligence, so he raised his staff to block the West-gate of Moria and chanted a long incantation.

Overjoyed, he waited patiently for the gate to open, but after a long while, the West-gate of Moria remained unmoved. Gandalf frowned and pondered, trying several different spells and reciting almost every Dwarvish he knew, but the West-gate of Moria still did not react.

"How strange, this shouldn't be happening..." Gandalf took off his Wizard's hat and turned around, saying, "Wait a minute, this door isn't as simple as it seems. Remember not to mess with the creatures in the lake..."

Turning around, Gandalf froze; he was all alone. Frodo and the others set up a fire, Russell stood by the lake directing them, while Aragorn, Boromir, and the others went into the lake to capture the Watcher in the Water.

Gandalf: "..."

So I was talking to thin air the whole time?

"Aragorn, Boromir, Gimli, the three of you go into the water and fight it. Be careful not to let the octopus get away. Legolas, you and I will provide ranged support. Don't alert it. Wait until it surfaces before attacking." Russell clapped his hands and said loudly, "Guys, whether we get an extra meal tonight depends on your performance."

"Ooooooo!!!"

"If we all work together, we'll definitely have the midnight snack ready in no time. Remember, we are the Fellowship of the Ring, so we must unite and fight together!"

"Ooooooo!!!"

Gandalf: "..."

Gandalf felt a sudden, inexplicable pain in his chest. He really wanted to grab these people and beat them all up, asking them what they were here for.

Also, when did he, as the leader of the Fellowship of the Ring, begin to be sidelined?

"Phew, phew, don't be angry, don't be angry!"

After grumbling for a while, Gandalf sat down cross-legged in silence. As a mature Maiar, he had seen all sorts of troubles and there was no need to get angry over such a trivial matter.

Rumble—

Water splashed everywhere, a deep roar resounded, and the lake surface boiled instantly. Seven or eight enormous tentacles burst from the water and lashed out at Aragorn and his companions.

"Drink!"

The sharp sword swept across, and a grotesque tentacle was severed. The severed limb fell into the water, writhing and thrashing, spraying out a viscous, black liquid.

The octopus in the lake was clearly a mutated species, with fleshy barbs on its tentacles and the tips transformed into palms with suckers, which was enough to make one's scalp tingle.

What happened to the promise of letting it grow freely?

As the octopus appeared, Aragorn, Boromir, and Gimli all shouted. They were all battle-hardened elites, and with their combined efforts, they quickly severed five or six tentacles.

Boom!!!

The octopus, in pain, pushed its enormous body out of the water. Beneath its ferocious and terrifying face, its gaping maw roared repeatedly, stirring up turbulent lake water into huge waves that surged toward the three of them.

"Legolas, kill it!"

As soon as Russell began to speak, the Elf Prince fired three arrows in quick succession, the tips of his swords glowing white. Two arrows pierced the octopus's eyes, and the last one plunged into its gaping maw.

The octopus let out a painful howl, and was surrounded by Aragorn and his two companions with sneering smiles. A flurry of swords and giant axes chopped it into sashimi-like slices, ending its short life as the ruler of the lake.

"Extra meal! Extra meal!!"

Boromir, the son of the Steward, cheered. Despite the long and arduous journey, he had somehow gained weight. Among the group, apart from Frodo and his three companions, he was the weakest. He had been utterly defeated in an arm-wrestling match by the wizard Gandalf, which he found deeply shameful. He secretly vowed to catch up.

How can we get there in time?

Of course he eats it! He can become stronger just by eating whatever he wants, and that's his favorite thing to eat!

Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli all agreed with this, but they emphasized one point: unlike the Hobbits who indulged in gluttony, the hobbits ate and drank to become stronger.

Becoming stronger comes at a price; they made huge sacrifices, such as losing weight.

The Elf Prince has become more rounded, Gimli was already a short, round figure, and now he's even rounder. Aragorn is also caught in a dilemma, with a fleshy neck when he looks up and a double chin when he looks down.

The group sat in a circle around the campfire, each holding a small bowl. Gandalf felt a pang of sympathy watching them. Were these people really prepared?

"We can't let them continue like this. Comfort leads to decadence and lowers their guard..." Gandalf sighed. Let him bear all the consequences of his sins!

Thinking of this, I squeezed in with my bowl in hand.