While Thorin and his group were still discussing Alex’s offer to help kill Smaug, the dragon that had taken Erebor, Alex sat calmly beside the girls. They, in turn, were asking him questions about the structure of this world. Saya hadn’t had a chance to explain everything during their first meeting with the dwarves, so now it was Alex’s turn to fill in the gaps. Erina, Hisako, and Alice joined the conversation, listening intently.

Alex began from the very beginning — with the tale of Morgoth, the first great enemy who tried to bend this world to his will. His actions led to a long and bitter war, the echoes of which reached even Middle-earth. Morgoth wasn’t just a villain, a destroyer, or a tyrant. He was a master of deception, temptation, and corruption. Even those whose souls were once pure and bright fell to his whispers, becoming his puppets. Even the Maiar — the messengers of the gods — succumbed to his influence, turning into terrible demonic beings, consumed by flame and hatred.

The girls listened with growing interest, not realizing just how vast and complex the events in this world could be. But drawing parallels to the other worlds they had visited, the core idea remained the same: there is always someone who believes they can remake the world for the better, but in reality, they only seek to destroy it.

While Alex shared stories with his family, the dwarves behind him continued to argue. They were still debating whether to accept Alex’s help or follow their own path, relying on luck — which, honestly, had been scarce since the beginning of their journey.

Then Alex noticed something strange. His gaze lingered on Thorin, and he saw it — the dwarf leader’s soul was stained with darkness. A black mark was growing steadily, like a sickness creeping through his being.

Alex gently ran his fingers over Freya’s palm and motioned toward Thorin with a subtle glance. Freya caught the signal and looked at the dwarf — and saw the same thing. Even Nyx, who had been lounging casually at the table, lazily raised her head and stared at Thorin, spotting the early roots of greed blooming within him. Then she turned her eyes to Alex, silently questioning why he was helping someone who was already nearly consumed.

This silent exchange didn’t go unnoticed by the others. Hestia, sitting next to Alex, nudged him under the table with her foot and pointed at Thorin, clearly asking for an explanation.

“I saw darkness in his soul,” Alex said quietly. “Freya and Nyx noticed it too.”

“And what are you planning to do about it?” Jill whispered. “You’re still going to help that dwarf, even knowing he’s on the edge?”

“I have a theory,” Alex replied, shaking his head. “Just a hunch for now. But to confirm it, I need to see the Arkenstone.”

“Share it with us,” Valmet said in a calm tone. “Maybe it’s not as complicated as it seems.”

“As I said, I need to see the stone. If I’m right, this will be solved far more easily than you think,” Alex replied, popping a candy into his mouth.

The girls nodded, knowing that if things ever reached a critical point, Alex would find a way out. Saya, sitting nearby, reminded them again of what Thorin was destined to become: a dwarf consumed by gold-lust, who would eventually suspect even his closest companions of betrayal and might take extreme measures.

“Good thing the dwarves didn’t hear that,” Erina remarked. “With their stubbornness, they’d immediately reject Alex’s help just to prove something to someone.”

Meanwhile, Thorin and his companions were still fiercely debating the offer. In the background, cheerful laughter rang out — Anya, Nyarko, Jinx, GIR, MIMI, and Stitch had rounded up a herd of deer and were holding improvised races around the hill.

Alice, Nobukatsu, Valery, and Göll explored the surroundings, hoping for their own small adventures. Valery even pulled out a metal detector and started treasure hunting, with the others following behind, shovels in hand and ready to dig.

Some of the girls were strolling through the area, taking photos of the scenic landscapes and snapping group shots. Others were simply relaxing, enjoying the cool air and the peace.

Alex wasn’t in a hurry, even though he knew the dwarves had little time. He glanced once again toward the mountain range, from which the orc army led by Azog was expected to appear. Focusing, he could see massive underground worms already carving tunnels through the rock. That confirmed what Saya had said: the orcs would arrive in just a few days.

And then Alex asked himself a crucial question: what would happen to Lake-town? According to the original story, Smaug was supposed to burn it down, giving Thranduil a reason to intervene under the pretense of helping the humans. But if Alex killed Smaug before the town was destroyed, Thranduil would lose his leverage. The chain of events would change.

Lost in thought, Alex tapped his chin with his finger, eyes fixed on the ridgeline.

“Don’t overthink it,” Brunhilde’s voice suddenly said. “If killing that creature saves the people of Lake-town, then you’ve prevented needless deaths.”

Her voice rang clearly in Alex’s mind — thanks to their spiritual bond.

Alex raised an eyebrow and simply nodded. Either way, even if the elves didn’t come, the dwarves from the Iron Hills would still arrive and bolster the army. In the worst case, Alex was ready to handle everything himself — or let the girls unleash their full power, wiping out whatever stood in their way and crushing the orc army. The girls had plenty of experience fighting overwhelming enemies. And if one were to compare the demons created by Davoth with Sauron’s orcs, the orcs were nothing more than children in armor. The demons had laid waste to entire worlds, leaving only death and ruin behind.

The girls had caught Brunhilde’s words and wanted an explanation. But Brunhilde didn’t need to say a thing — once again, Saya filled in the gaps. She reminded them that in the original timeline, the story of the dwarves and Smaug inevitably led to the destruction of Lake-town by the dragon. However, she then pointed out that Smaug’s attack also triggered the involvement of the woodland elves, who supposedly came to aid the humans. This increased the allied forces that would later stand against the orcs.

That put the girls in a difficult position: what would happen if Smaug died before burning down the town? The elven army might never arrive. They turned their eyes to Alex, silently asking for guidance.

But Alex only shook his head. He wasn’t going to sit back and watch a town die in flames. Just then, the dwarves finished their discussion and turned toward Alex and his companions.

“I accept your offer, wizard,” Thorin said.

Alex turned his head and studied the dwarves closely. He immediately noticed that the darkness of greed within Thorin’s soul was flickering — swelling and shrinking, as if an invisible battle was taking place within him. That gave Alex hope. It was the reason he was willing to help: because he believed Thorin deserved to be king. If he could overcome his greed, he could truly lead his people.

Alex stood up from the table and moved to sit with the dwarves.

“Since you’ve discussed my offer and agreed, I think it’s time to go over the terms,” he said, looking Thorin directly in the eyes.

“Agreed. Balin, draft the contract,” Thorin replied, not breaking eye contact.

With every word, Thorin could feel it — the man before him wasn’t just a wizard. He was another king. A kindred spirit. Someone who had also led his people through darkness toward victory. That sense of shared purpose strengthened Thorin’s trust.

Balin was already pulling out parchment and a quill, but Alex gently stopped him with a gesture.

“No need to trouble yourself. We’ll do it differently.”

“You mean to seal this deal with words alone?” Thorin narrowed his eyes. “Aren’t you afraid I might break my promise?”

“Thorin, even without a contract, a king is bound to keep his word. But we will make a contract — just not on paper. A magical one,” Alex replied calmly.

“Then proceed, wizard,” said Thorin, straightening his posture with regal dignity.

“Very well. Here are the terms. My side agrees to slay Smaug and aid the dwarves in reclaiming Erebor. Should the Arkenstone be found, I will deliver it to its rightful heir — Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain and grandson of Thror. While residing in Erebor as guests, we also agree to assist in resolving any arising issues. In return, the contracting party will provide payment — in the form of jewels, knowledge, weapons, or materials, as requested by my side. Are these terms acceptable?”

“I have one question,” Thorin interjected. “What did you mean by ‘arising issues’?”

“You’ll understand soon enough,” Alex answered calmly. “Now, do you accept the terms?”

“I do,” Thorin said with a nod.

“Then extend your hand and repeat after me,” Alex instructed, raising his palm.

Thorin mimicked the gesture.

“Zekt,” said Alex.

“Zekt,” Thorin echoed.

A glowing magic circle burst to life on both of their outstretched palms — the symbol of a sealed pact. Alex had used the ancient spell Zekt to see if it would function in this world. His intuition was right — the magic activated perfectly.

The appearance of the glowing seal on Thorin’s hand stunned all the dwarves. Some stared at it as if Thorin himself had become a wizard. Even Thorin hadn’t expected it, but he instantly felt a subtle, almost tangible connection — the binding thread of the contract tying him to Alex.

Alex, of course, didn’t explain one extremely important detail: breaking the terms of this magical contract wouldn’t just bring consequences — it would unravel the very essence of the one who broke the oath. It was an absolute pact, where a word was worth a life.

The girls already knew about Zekt — they’d secretly read the manga in which Alex was the main character, hiding it from him so they wouldn’t get on his nerves.

While everyone was still reeling from what they’d just witnessed, Alex calmly stood up from the table and stretched, his spine and shoulders cracking loudly. Then he removed his coat and handed it to Gloria, who accepted it with a light smile, as if this sort of thing happened every day.

Rolling up the sleeves of his shirt, Alex reached into his inventory and pulled out a massive bident — the weapon of Hades. Its sudden appearance immediately caught the attention of every dwarf. Their eyes locked onto the gleaming weapon, shining under the sunlight.

“May I ask… who crafted such a flawless weapon?” Balin asked in awe, unable to look away from the bident.

“This spear once belonged to a god. And it was forged by the god of blacksmithing,” Alex answered calmly, slinging the ancient weapon over his shoulder.

The dwarves stared at him as if he were a living legend. They had heard it with their own ears — in this man’s hands was a weapon that had once belonged to a deity. Alex couldn’t help but smirk slightly, watching their stunned expressions. He was used to that kind of reaction.

His girls, however, looked on with obvious doubt: using divine weapons against an ordinary wyvern was like shooting sparrows with a cannon. But Alex just waved off their looks.

“Alex…” Erina began, hinting at the dragon meat.

“I know, Erina. I have experience. The meat won’t go to waste, you can rest assured,” he replied, winking at the excited Erina.

“Mmm. Then I believe in you!” she nodded enthusiastically, already mentally planning a menu made from dragon meat.

“Oh, and before I forget… Bella, get up. You’re coming with me,” Alex said, addressing the girl with white hair.

“Me? Why me?! Can I… not go?” Bella asked, her voice full of embarrassment.

“You wanted to be a hero, right? And the first step is to kill a dragon. So get up. Let’s go.” Alex didn’t wait for her consent — he simply grabbed Bella by the waist and slung her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

The girls burst out laughing, watching Bella flail helplessly on Alex’s shoulder. The poor girl’s face burned with embarrassment. She threw an indignant glance at her friends, but they just laughed even louder. Especially Lily, who shamelessly poked Bella with her finger and couldn’t stop giggling.

But as soon as Alex turned his head and shot Lily a calm yet meaningful look, the girl immediately fell silent and shrank back.

“You’re coming too, Lily. Since you’re having so much fun — show how strong you’ve become,” Alex said evenly.

“But…” Lily started to protest, but Alex’s gaze made it clear: there would be no discussion.

Having no room to argue, Lily sighed heavily and pouted like a sulky child. The other girls — Cassandra, Daphne, Haruhime, and the rest — stopped laughing. They felt uneasy: who knew, maybe next time it’d be them dragged into fighting a dragon? Though some of them might want to test their strength against such a dangerous beast, now was not the time — they had all come to relax, and no one felt obliged to fight a monster that had taken over the dwarves’ kingdom.

Lily approached Alex and gave him a hurt look. Meanwhile, Bella was already smirking at her, and Lily almost began to argue, but before she could utter a word, Alex swiftly grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her onto his shoulder. Now both girls, like two sacks of potatoes, lay on Alex’s shoulders, exchanging annoyed looks.

Alex remained completely calm. He took a deep breath and exhaled a cloud of steam. Bolts of lightning ran across his body, and in the next moment, he vanished, leaving behind only the rumble of thunder and the crackle of residual energy.

The dwarves and the hobbit were still trying to comprehend what had just happened.

“I’m no great warrior, of course… but is it really safe to take two young girls into battle against a dragon?” Bilbo asked cautiously, glancing at Alex’s family.

“Young hobbit, although Bella is still young, she has the soul of a hero. This battle will help her grow. As for Lily… even giants couldn’t withstand her strike,” Freya answered calmly, sipping the tea Hisako had just placed before her.

“Excuse me, madam… do you mean one is a heroine, and the other… a hobbit?” Balin asked in surprise, looking at her.

“Exactly, dwarf,” Hestia smiled. “Both were trained by my husband, the greatest warrior. He trained all the girls in our family… except for these three who joined recently. But they’ll have their turn soon.”

The girls nodded in agreement. Each of them had undergone rigorous training with Alex—even those who specialized in magic or firearms. This only increased Thorin and his companions’ interest in this unusual family.

Meanwhile, Alex, using the “Breath of Thunder,” reached the secret passage hidden inside the mountain. It was securely concealed by magic, but Alex didn’t bother investigating — he simply kicked the door with full force, and it slammed open with a crash. To hell with magic — if you can open it the old-fashioned way.

Setting the two disgruntled girls down, he crouched and entered the passage. Lily and Bella followed him, though without much enthusiasm. The crash of the broken door echoed through the entire valley before Erebor, drawing the attention of everyone still in the hall.

“Looks like they’re already at the passage,” Chun-Li noted, leaning on the table.

“Hurry up. And notice, he didn’t even need a key,” Becca smirked, rolling her eyes at Riveria. “I told you, elf girl, no magic can compare to brute strength.”

The girls nodded in agreement. Many had seen Alex “clear a path” more than once—literally. They remembered how he had fought through the entire underground laboratory of the Evil Corporation, saying, “The emperor’s path is always straight.” Some thought that if Alex hadn’t known about the passage, he would have just blasted his way through the mountain.

Hearing all this, Thorin glanced absentmindedly at the key in his hand… and for the first time wondered if he even needed it.

Meanwhile, Alex and the girls moved through the halls of Erebor. Even for him, the scale of the kingdom was impressive: dozens of halls, intertwining passages—a true labyrinth. Any ordinary creature would have long been lost. But Alex, using his instincts and memory, found the way to Durin’s family treasure room.

“Weapons ready,” he quietly told the girls.

With obvious displeasure but no objections, Lily and Bella drew their weapons. Lily wielded brass knuckles, while Bella had a pair of slender daggers. After passing through a couple more halls, they reached an arched passage leading to the treasure chamber.

Alex pressed a finger to his lips—a sign for silence. The girls nodded, though Lily couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

They entered.

The first thing they saw was not just piles of gold… it was a river of gold stretching along the hall. Coins, jewelry, artifacts—all shimmering in the torchlight and seeming endless.

Alex squinted, taking in the scale.

“When you said ‘mountains of gold,’ I imagined something the size of a castle…” Lily whispered, looking at him with wide eyes. “But you didn’t specify it was an actual golden mountain.”

“Honestly, I didn’t expect this either,” Alex admitted, not taking his eyes off the treasure. “But what interests me more is: why do they have all this if they don’t even spend it? With such wealth, they could push science forward, invent new things… become the most advanced race in Middle-earth.”

He stroked his chin thoughtfully, watching the glimmer of the coins when somewhere deep within the treasure chamber came a muffled, almost inaudible sound—the breathing of a dragon…

Lily and Bella couldn’t help but agree with Alex. If all this gold were put to the right use—as he suggested—the dwarves of Erebor could indeed become the most technologically advanced race in Middle-earth. After all, rare metals and precious stones play a key role in scientific research and magical developments, and here they had them in abundance.

However, despite the apparent wealth, Alex felt no desire whatsoever to claim the treasure for himself. He understood perfectly well that all this gold was just metal—only able to flatter the ego of a greedy person. And in this world, if he needed something, he could create any amount of gold, gems, or rare metals himself. So looking at the treasures of Durin’s line, he felt neither awe nor greed.

Lily and Bella showed no greed either. Yes, they were impressed by the scale, but nothing more. In their family, they had Alex—a man who could give them anything they ever dreamed of. So why chase after gold?

“Where’s the dragon, then?” Bella quietly asked, glancing around.

Instead of answering, Alex picked up a gold coin from the floor and tossed it toward one of the gold piles in the corner of the hall. The coin arced through the air and with a rustle rolled down, nudging other coins.

In the next moment, the pile of gold began to stir as if coming to life. The gold cascaded downward like a river, revealing the massive body of the sleeping Smaug.

Lily and Bella involuntarily held their breath. Now they saw him with their own eyes—a huge dragon curled up on a heap of treasure. And they couldn’t help but admit: Alex was right calling Smaug an “imperfect dragon.” He most resembled a giant winged lizard.

Meanwhile, Alex was scanning the treasure chamber with mana, and soon he discovered the Arkenstone. He reached his hand into empty space—his palm passed through thin air—and when he pulled it back, the legendary stone was glowing in his hand.

Lily and Bella stared at the Arkenstone in awe, momentarily forgetting about Smaug’s presence. The stone was almost perfectly shaped—resembling a massive diamond, but far more beautiful. White with an inner glow, it shimmered with all the colors of the rainbow. It shone as if stars were trapped inside, surrounded by an invisible aura of light.

“What a beautiful stone… Now I understand why Saya called it the royal one,” Lily whispered.

“So beautiful… It shines like Alex’s eyes… just like stars…” Bella unintentionally muttered aloud, revealing her thought.

Realizing she’d spoken out loud, Bella immediately covered her mouth with her hands, her cheeks flushing bright red. Lily gave her a dry sideways glance, clearly noticing the attempt to flatter Alex. He, however, just smiled gently and patted Bella on the head for the kind words.

Holding the Arkenstone, Alex instantly understood why this stone was so special. It wasn’t just an ordinary gem—the Arkenstone was crystallized energy of nature itself, literally the embodiment of the “heart of the mountain.” First seen on MV4LEMP|YR.

But with this discovery came the understanding of the cause behind Durin’s greed. The real reason wasn’t the Arkenstone itself. Nature’s energy was pure and neutral. The true evil came from the ring King Thror wore—a ring created by Celebrimbor with Sauron’s involvement. It was Sauron who infused the ring with darkness—a fragment of his very essence. Over time, this darkness seeped into the Arkenstone and began to influence the minds of its owners. This was how the so-called “dragon sickness” appeared.

Alex was fully convinced: Torin, like his ancestors, had been consumed not just by greed, but by the influence of Sauron himself.

“Well, now I have an answer,” Alex said, cleansing the Arkenstone of the remaining darkness.

“An answer? To what question?” Bella asked, looking up at him.

“Why Durin’s line fell to greed, calling it the ‘dragon sickness.’ It’s all because of the great villain of this world, who played a multi-move game… but ended up screwing up. And in 60 years, he’ll mess up again,” Alex said, putting the Arkenstone away in his inventory.

“Maybe we should just get rid of it right away?” Lily suggested, putting her hands behind her head.

“Hmm… Honestly, I’m lazy. Although… I could deal with it. Or not. For now, we’ll stay here a couple of days, handle the orc army—and then we’ll see,” Alex said, thinking aloud.

Bella and Lily silently stared at Alex as he pondered whether to kill Sauron or not interfere at all. Theoretically, Alex could end the upcoming war in Middle-earth in just a few minutes. All he’d need to do was pull the Ring from Bilbo’s pocket, teleport to Mordor, start a genocide of orcs there, point a finger at Sauron’s infamous flaming eye, and then simply throw the Ring into the volcano’s crater. The entire campaign would take him no more than ten minutes.

But he was troubled by the consequences. It wasn’t that he feared Sauron — he was more worried about the possible changes, which could be either good or catastrophic. What if Aragorn never became king of Gondor? The kingdoms wouldn’t unite, the elves wouldn’t sail away… The whole course of history could collapse like a house of cards. And it wasn’t certain that would be for the better.

So Alex kept doubting: should he intervene or not?

“All right, enough thinking. My head’s about to explode… To hell with it, I’m on vacation,” he muttered and lit a cigarette.

“Heh. You say ‘vacation,’ but end up helping dwarves reclaim their kingdom,” Lily snorted, not hiding her sarcasm. “The model of a relaxing hero…”

Alex gave her a blank look and silently tugged her nose to shut her up. Lily squeaked and tried to fend off his hand.

Letting her go, Alex turned his gaze to the sleeping Smaug and realized who was the best target for his pent-up irritation. Looking around, he spotted a huge gemstone the size of a watermelon, picked it up, tossed it a couple of times in his hands, and grinned.

Without hesitation, Alex took a fighting stance and hurled the stone straight at Smaug’s head.

With a crushing sound, the stone slammed into the dragon’s skull, and Smaug jerked, tossing his head back. Suddenly awake, his throat tore out a roar of pain and rage.

“Who dares disturb my sleep?!” he growled, standing up full height, his eyes flashing.

In response, a second stone smashed into his face. Smaug’s head flew back again, and he nearly fell onto his back. Regaining balance, he hissed and looked around the hall, his eyes soon resting on three figures standing on a rise.

Seeing the culprits, the dragon bared his teeth, his gaze filled with malice.

“Pathetic human…” he began, but was cut off again by another gemstone strike.

“Stop pretending you’re great,” Alex shot back, throwing yet another stone. “You’re not a dragon — you’re just a wyvern!”

Bella and Lily didn’t know how to react to all this… and, honestly, they just didn’t care. While Alex amused himself with the dragon, they watched the scene with a light dose of boredom.

Smaug felt dizzy after another hit. All the stones kept hitting the exact same spot—right on his forehead. Even his mighty scales began to “feel” the force of the blows. He had always considered himself invulnerable… but today something was wrong.

“You will pay for your insolence, pathetic human! I will burn you to ashes… then swallow you whole,” Smaug growled, spreading his wings.

“I’m afraid your teeth won’t hold up,” Alex replied calmly, tossing another gemstone in his palms.

“My scales are tougher than iron. No blade can pierce them! My teeth are sharper than any edge, my claws are like spears, and every flap of my wings causes a hurricane! You think you can stop me, human? You came for the treasure… like all before you. Like a fly drawn to rotting flesh!”

“Close enough. But I didn’t come for treasure. I came to kill you… and then eat you. Cool, right?” Alex smirked. “Now… Lily, I choose you! Go!”

“What are you planning to do!?” Lily screamed as Alex grabbed her by the scruff.

“YEET!” he declared solemnly and flung Lily toward Smaug.

“I told you not to throw me at others!! Alex, you IDIOT!!!” came her angry shout mid-flight.

Lily knew she had no choice. Clenching her fist, she slammed her blow squarely into Smaug’s snout. Unlike the gemstones, her hit was truly painful—so much so that the dragon lost some teeth, blood pouring from his mouth.

Furious—not only for being used as a throwing weapon but also at the dragon’s arrogance—Lily latched onto Smaug’s head and began furiously pounding his skull. Each strike echoed through the dragon’s bones and brain.

Watching this, Bella started hoping she might get lucky and avoid involvement. But no.

“You’re up next, my beautiful hero,” Alex said calmly, grabbed Bella, and flung her at Smaug just the same.

“ALEX!! You idiot!!” Bella yelled in mid-air, sharing her friend’s fate.

She crashed into Smaug’s body and plunged her dagger into his flesh. The pain was sharp and unexpected—Smaug, utterly confused, tried to understand how he could be hurt at all. His skull buzzed from Lily’s blows, and his sides burned from Bella’s blade.

Roaring in pain, Smaug thrashed wildly around the hall, desperately trying to shake off the two crazed girls. He slammed his body into pillars, trying to rid himself of the nuisances like annoying fleas.

Meanwhile, Alex calmly smoked, watching the chaos like a tired tourist on a sightseeing trip.

“All right,” he muttered, “just a bit more and everything will collapse…”

He snapped his fingers, and the pillars in the hall were magically reinforced by mana—to make sure, God forbid, the ceiling wouldn’t fall on everyone amid this wild bacchanalia.

To be continued…

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep