I Became A Zompirewolf

The forge was much bigger on the inside than on the outside. Hundreds of broken and half-finished instruments, weapons and materials were scattered all over the blackened floor. The moment Ashton stepped a foot inside, he thought the room got struck by lightning and a cyclone at the same time.

What surprised him, even more, was the quality of the products forged. Although most of them were far from finished, nothing was marked lower than the Epic grade when Ashton checked them.

'Just who is this man...'

Once Thori and Ashton were inside the forge, the dwarf did not ask him anything. Instead, he began hammering a metal sheet. Ashton waited and waited, but Thori didn't speak a word. Astaroth was just as confused as Ashton.

"You are an interesting fella, human." Thori emotionlessly mumbled, "Not only do you possess a legendary sword, but you also managed to pass the test."

"A test?"

Ashton was confused. However, instead of answering him, Thori asked him another question.

"Do you know why I never allow anyone inside the forge?"

"Um... I think I have an idea."

"People think I don't want to share my smithy skills with anyone, that's why I don't allow them to enter the forge. It's quite hilarious, honestly." Thori kept going on without lifting his head from the metal sheet he was hammering.

"The true reason is... I do it to protect those delicate flower-like beings. The heat let out by the forge is sufficient to kill any mortal being who isn't a dwarf or has near immunity to fire and heat. Even the great Xyrans are no exception to this. Well... only some were, like the one called Seraph."

At that moment, both Ashton and Astaorth realised why Thori said Ashton passed the test. He was testing Ashton to see if he was an ordinary being or not. A normal being of space couldn't possibly survive the heat of the forge.

[This old bastard knows a lot more about the Xyrans than I thought...]

'You sound pissed.'

[How can I not be when I don't even remember this hammering fool, yet he knows everything about my people?]

Suddenly, Thori stopped hammering and threw the product at Ashton. It all happened so fast, that Ashton barely managed to catch the gauntlet in time.

"Go ahead, pick it up." Thori pointed at the armour, "Consider it my apology for attacking you earlier. It should also serve as the proof of my identity."

Ashton was a bit taken aback but looked at the metal gauntlet. Much to his surprise, the gauntlet didn't feel like it was made of metal at all. It was soft and... silky. But that wasn't all, the moment Ashton used [Detection] on the gauntlet he was dumbstruck.

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Item: Dwarven Might

Type: Gauntlet

> Ignore 1000 HP worth of damage once every 2 hours.

> Increases HP by 1500 points.

Stats bonus:

>> Armour: +100 while equipped for use.

>> Mana consumption reduced by 50% for all skills.

>> Strength: +50 while equipped for use.

Rarity: Epic grade item

Description:

An Epic piece of equipment made by a blacksmith whose name has been long forgotten by society. Although this gauntlet is a rushed product, it's still one of the most valuable pieces of equipment that can serve as both a sword and a shield as and when required.

Effect(s):

> The effect of all resistances is increased by 5 levels when the gauntlet is in use.

> The Last Stand: Instantly heals 50% of lost HP over a duration of 5 seconds when the user is on the verge of death. The user can not use any skills during these 5 seconds. This ability can only be triggered 5 times.

> Dwarven Blessing: While equipping the gauntlet, the user can use the following abilities:

---> [Enhancement]: The user can randomly enhance a weapon possessed by them. The efficiency of this skill is based on the user's [Intelligence] Stat.

---> [Refinement]: The user can refine a completely upgraded weapon to further increase its quality.

---> [Armament]: The ability to make weapons out of thin air... although the user needs to have the required materials within their inventory.

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"Close your mouth, or you'll end up inhaling the soot." Thori smirked while crossing his arms in front of his hardened chest, "If you like the gauntlet, I'll have it imbued with concealing magic. After all, the Seraph's crystal isn't something a mere piece of cloth can hide."

"How did you-"

"I'm a forge-master. Someone who has spent his entire life around fire and flames. I can recognise both rare materials and heat sources from a distance. That crystal of yours is no exception to that."

"I see..." Ashton mumbled while staring at the crystal embedded in his arm, "The gauntlet is good. Thank you. But do you mind me asking something else?"

"It's not like you're gonna stop either way, so bark." Thori mumbled and turned away to continue his work.

"How do you know so much about the Xyrans?"

Thori carefully put his hammer down on the anvil but did not turn to face Ashton. It was painfully obvious that Thori did not want to talk about it or more like, he was being forcefully stopped from doing so.

[Something is a bit off about this dwarf. Not only he is hiding his name, but he is also hiding his connection with the Xyrans. Try to get as much information out of him as you can... it's absolutely necessary to figure out whether he is a foe or an ally.]

'That's easier said than done.'

Thori's reaction was enough for Ashton to keep digging deeper into the matter.  But before he could say another word, Thori grabbed him by the neck and pulled him down to his eye level.

"Xyran sword and Seraph's crystal. Since you possess both, it's obvious you're being guided by someone. Probably a Xyran. Fine, sit wherever you like because it's going to be a long tale. A tale for which one day I'll come up with a title. But for now, you'll have to make do with a titleless story."