The next afternoon.
The group arrived at the tribal settlement of the Mine Race at the agreed time.
It was a stone village built against the mountain, perched on the edge of a cliff, surrounded by towering rock walls that seemed to form a natural barrier, protecting the settlement.
Below the cliff lies a vast mining area.
Countless mine carts shuttle back and forth along the tracks.
The sounds of metal clashing, wheels rolling over tracks, and gears turning rose and fell, the entire mining area constantly operating at high speed.
This is the core production area upon which the Mine Race depend for their survival.
The giant sword slowly descended outside the village.
Rudeus and his group stepped off the sword one by one. The moment their heels touched the ground, they noticed the wary gazes cast upon them from the entrance.
Two Mine Race warriors clad in heavy armor were stationed there.
They gripped their weapons tightly, their sharp gazes sweeping over the crowd before them, clearly wary of these uninvited guests who had suddenly descended from the sky.
One of them asked in a deep voice:
Who are you? What is your purpose in coming here?
Rudeus stepped forward, his expression calm.
"I am Rudeus Greyrat."
"We've come to discuss cooperation with His Excellency the Mining God. Could you please inform him?"
Upon hearing the name, both Mine Race warriors were taken aback.
The two looked at each other, their eyes revealing undisguised surprise.
" Rudeus..."
"No way? Could it really be the Primordial God that's been rumored lately?"
They turned their heads again and carefully examined the boy in front of them.
He was about two meters tall, with short brown hair, clear blue eyes, and a handsome face that subtly exuded extraordinary charisma.
His white robes appeared simple, yet they exuded an aura of authority that commanded respect.
Not to mention the giant sword that just descended from the sky, and the strange magic they witnessed.
All of this perfectly matches the rumors surrounding " Primordial God ".
One of the Mine Race warriors immediately put away his weapon and became respectful.
"Please wait a moment, I'll go inform the God of Mining God right away!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he quickly turned around and ran towards the depths of the village.
Rudeus and the others stood still, waiting quietly.
Not long after, the Mine Race warrior returned.
" The Mining God has agreed to a meeting; please follow me."
After saying this, he stepped aside to make way and led the group into the village.
The moment you step into the Mine Race's settlement, a completely different aura washes over you.
The air was thick with heat, and the sounds of crisp, powerful tapping echoed in the ears.
"Clang--"
"Clang--"
Looking around, blacksmith shops and furnace workshops can be seen almost everywhere in the village.
The blazing furnace fire illuminated the resolute faces, exuding a rich and pure aura of craftsmanship.
As expected of a race renowned throughout the continent for its forging prowess.
Soon, Rudeus and his party were led to a building that was clearly of a higher standard.
Judging from the location and decoration of the buildings, this was clearly not a place that ordinary people of the tribe could set foot in.
The Mine Race pushed open the gate.
What came into view was a large, long table.
At the other end of the long table sat four dwarfs.
All four men had thick beards.
On the left is a dwarf with a brownish-yellow beard, on the right is a dwarf with an orange-red beard, and on the far right is a dwarf with a dark brown beard.
The dwarf sitting in the very center was short and stocky, yet incredibly imposing, with bronze skin and a thick, reddish-brown beard.
The four men's gazes slowly swept over Rudeus and his group.
In the end, they all stopped on Talhand at the back of the group.
Talhand stiffened slightly as he was locked onto those gazes.
He instinctively shrank his neck and quietly moved two steps to the back of the line.
The dwarf with the orange-red beard spoke first, his tone utterly impolite.
" Talhand? You actually have the nerve to come back?"
"Are you lonely out there, so you want to come back and catch up with the Mining God?"
The dwarf with the brown beard also said in a cold voice:
"What's the point of someone who has betrayed the honor of the Mine Race coming back?"
That's enough.
The middle dwarf with the reddish-brown beard spoke in a deep voice.
Is now the time to talk about these things?
He then turned his attention back to Rudeus.
"It really is Primordial God Impact himself!"
"The deeds of Primordial God Impact have been making headlines across the continent recently. Seeing him today, he is indeed extraordinary."
He paused here, then changed the subject.
"However, I wonder what business you have with the Primordial God Mine Race this time?"
Rudeus smiled slightly.
"We'll discuss the collaboration later."
"Since this is our first visit, I can't come empty-handed. I've prepared a special gift."
The dwarf with the dark brown beard immediately became interested.
"Oh? A gift that Primordial God Impact himself calls 'special' must be something extraordinary."
Rudeus did not answer, but only smiled mysteriously.
The next moment, he raised his right hand and waved it gently.
The Magic Pocket then unfolded.
A flash of light.
A jar of wine slowly floated out of the space, followed by five exquisite wine glasses appearing out of thin air.
Rudeus used telekinesis to slowly pour the wine into the glass.
Then, he used ice magic to condense crystal-clear ice cubes in the cup.
This scene caused the eyes of the Mining God and the three elders to widen slightly.
As Mine Race possessing top-notch forging skills, they had seen countless rare and magical artifacts.
Yet, their natural, fluid, and almost effortless use of magic still amazed them.
However, the Mining God outwardly maintained the dignity befitting the head of a clan.
Until the next moment--
The rich aroma of wine wafted into my nostrils.
The expressions on the four people's faces finally changed.
Rudeus poured himself a glass as well.
Then, in front of the Mining God and the three elders, he drank the wine in his cup in one gulp.
This beverage is called -- Wheat Juice.
"It comes from my hometown, and its production process is quite unique. It has a rich and smooth taste, and adding ice brings out its unique flavor even more."
"Your Excellency, the Mining God, why not try it for yourself?"
Upon hearing this, the Mining God finally couldn't contain himself any longer.
He picked up his wine glass, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp.
The other three elders also eagerly raised their glasses.
The moment the wine touches your mouth.
The pupils of the four people suddenly contracted.
The delicate, rich foam bursts on the tongue, bringing a soft and smooth sensation.
The rich aroma of malt, mixed with a subtle sweetness of malt, slowly spreads, followed by a perfectly balanced bitterness from the hops.
The refreshing carbonation stimulates the taste buds, and the clean and crisp taste is without any burden.
After swallowing, the lingering aroma of wheat still lingers in the throat.
The four remained silent for a moment.
The next second--
"Good wine!"
"What fine wine!"
"Haha! That was great!"
Seeing this, Rudeus couldn't help but smile.
Then, he activated his magic again.
Jar after jar of wheat juice flew out of the Magic Pocket and landed neatly on the open ground beside it.
Immediately afterwards, he took out a spatial bracelet and used levitation magic to send it to the Mining God.
"Your Excellency the Mining God."
"This contains three thousand jars of wheat juice."
"This is a gift for our first meeting; it's entirely from my own heart, so please don't refuse it."
Gottwald looked at the spatial bracelet in front of him with a look of doubt.
" Primordial God Impact, are you kidding me? This tiny bracelet can hold 3,000 jars of wine?"
"Your Excellency the Mining God, you could try infusing it with magic."
Upon hearing this, the Mining God did as instructed without the slightest doubt, a stream of magical light emanating from his fingertips and flowing into the bracelet.
With a flash of magical light, a jar of wine appeared on the table.
"Wow~ Such a convenient tool exists in the world? How come I've never heard of it before?"
"May I ask how Primordial God Impact obtained this magical item?"
"This is a magical item I obtained from an ancient, secret realm. It's not particularly valuable to me."
"I see, Primordial God Impact, you're too kind!"
"Since you're here, why did you bring so many gifts?"
"Please don't stand, everyone! Please have a seat!"
"Ha ha ha ha!"
Rudeus smiled slightly.
"Then we'll accept it without further ado."
Then, everyone took their seats one by one.
Rudeus then began to formally introduce his companions.
"These are all my friends."
He introduced the six people beside him to the Mining God in turn.
Gottwald listened attentively and nodded slightly.
He then solemnly announced his name.
"My name is— Gautbard of the Glorious Sky."
"As you can see, I am the Mining God today."
The dwarf with the brownish-yellow beard then spoke:
"My Hazeruni, and I am the current Grand Elder of the Mine Race."
The dwarf with the orange-red beard:
"My Aruderuba, and I am currently the Second Elder of the Mine Race."
Finally, the dwarf with the dark brown beard said in a deep voice:
"My name Jekuroseku, and I am currently the Third Elder of the Mine Race."
Rudeus nodded.
"Then, Your Excellency the Mining God, I'll get straight to the point."
"I think we both understand one thing."
" Demon God Laplace, did not truly perish after the Human-Demon War."
"One day, he will return again, bringing calamity back to this continent."
Gottwald's expression gradually became serious.
Rudeus continued:
"The power of the Demon God is evident to all."
"That is not something that any one country or race can contend with alone."
"Only by uniting all parties can we find a chance of victory in the face of future disasters."
"During my time in the Great Forest, I have already established contact with the Beastmen and the Long-Ear Race."
"My visit to the Mine Race today is to hear the thoughts of the Mining God."
The words had barely left his mouth.
A brief silence fell over the room.
Gottwald slowly lowered his head, lost in thought.
Rudeus did not urge him.
They simply sat there quietly, waiting for the answer from the Mining God.