```
Ver. 4.1.9b — Emergency War Situation Monitoring Patch
▶ Real-time status reflected for the Dragon-Dwarf engagement zone
— Battle adjudication activated for the northern fortress district of the Autonomous Dominion
— Immediate settlement of divine power for combat damage within the relevant zone
※ Automatic tallying of divine power influx upon large-scale engagements.
```
---
Jaewon rose from his chair, patch notes still in hand.
This was not the time to be sitting around together like this.
“Log.”
“Yes.”
“I need your help to figure out how the Constellations react on the battlefield. Fly out.”
Log was already on his perch, wings spread wide as he stretched. He had been doing so even before Jaewon spoke. They had both been thinking the same thing.
Jaewon opened the cabin door for him.
Log shot out in a straight line toward the outside of the cabin.
After confirming that Log was flying well, Jaewon closed the door, sat down at the table, and picked up the crystal orb. He opened the vision-sharing tab with his spirit. Log’s eyes, flying between the trees, connected to him.
---
A blue sky. And a magnificent rocky mountain that seemed to pierce slightly into that sky came into view.
Log spread his wings and climbed higher. The closer his altitude rose to the underside of the clouds, the wider the view became. The northern region of the Dwarf Autonomous Dominion. The fortress district spread beneath the mountain range.
Jaewon tilted the crystal orb and peered into it.
The moment he brought his eyes closer, he saw smoke staining the blue sky.
Flames were rising from three directions around the mountain.
From around the mountain, to the mid-slope, between the rocks, and at the entrances of canyons. The dragons had chosen their positions and were growing fires that surrounded the mountain in quadrant-like arcs.
They could have set an angle and burned the entire mountain, but...
‘Good thing the dragons have decent judgment.’
If they had truly decided to kill the dwarves because of the “precious-metal weapons capable of killing dragons,” then he would have had to sell the dwarves cheap teleportation magic scrolls as an endangered-species perk.
‘That would be a loss too.’
At least the dwarves would not go extinct going forward, Jaewon thought in relief.
Because the people who needed to evacuate could still evacuate.
“Log, is the smoke okay?”
- “I am a spirit, so I am fine, but...”
“Yeah, I know. But you’d sulk if I didn’t worry, wouldn’t you?”
- “What is that supposed to...”
Log was dumbfounded by the strange concern, but he soon moved here and there in search of a branch to secure a proper view.
As the smoke rose, it began to blur and cover the view toward the fortress below.
Jaewon narrowed his eyes.
Dwarf cannons had long range. Especially precious-metal cannons that Jaewon had patched separately.
Instead, the fact that they needed to aim by sight remained the same.
If their vision was blocked by smoke like in the current situation, their aim would be disrupted.
Since the dragons’ route of advance had been exposed to the community and a surprise attack had become impossible, this was an extremely rational choice on their part.
Below the fortress, the dwarves were moving busily.
Log’s view descended. Cannons were lined up along the fortress walls. It seemed they had dragged up even the stock meant for sale. There were more than twice as many cannons as usual. The dwarves were aiming the barrels toward the smoke and adjusting their angles.
There were still no visible enemies, but they were aiming nonetheless.
For the moment a dragon came bursting out of the smoke.
Jaewon cupped the crystal orb with both hands.
‘This is right before the engagement... The fires are just a smokescreen, and they’re not going to dig up from underground, right? If they do, the dwarves won’t be able to respond and it’ll be over in no time.’
He grew tense.
This was a board he himself had designed. This was what he had prepared for over the past few days, but...
Seeing it through Log’s eyes was different. The rising smoke, the dwarves aiming their cannon barrels—everything felt like a potential variable.
It felt as though he could hear the sound of dragon wings somewhere within the smoke.
Log maintained his altitude and circled around.
As Log flew toward the massive smoke and fire clouds, dragons could be seen sitting atop the mountain ridge. Several dragons, creating a grand spectacle simply by standing there.
Some were also moving within the smoke, subtly jerking their chins. If one looked closely, they were calculating angles. How far the cannons’ range might extend. Where they could enter to slip through gaps in the bombardment.
They were cautious.
‘They’re all using their heads, at least.’
Fortunately, as expected of prideful dragons, it did not seem like they would dig tunnels and launch a surprise attack.
The moment Jaewon thought that—
The sound of wings changed.
---
One dragon limbered up atop the mountain.
Log’s vision turned that way. It was medium-sized. Smaller than the other enormous dragons. But it was fast. It folded its wings and dove at an almost vertical angle. It plunged into the smoke. It vanished.
Jaewon froze.
“Kyaoooooo——!!”
The massive body burst through the smoke in an instant. Toward the front of the fortress. It did not slow down. It crossed the cannon range head-on.
The dwarves on the fortress wall reacted all at once.
Cannon fire erupted.
Every cannon lined up at the front of the fortress spat fire at the dragon simultaneously. Since they had dragged out even the stock meant for sale, the number was on another level.
Cannonballs poured through the air in small arcs. The dragon took one hit and tried to change direction, but it was already too late.
Several cannonballs struck it at the same time.
The dragon fell straight out of the sky.
Jaewon saw that moment through Log’s eyes.
The dragon was falling fast. In the direction that blue body was falling stood the fortress’s northern outer wall. The dragon was in no condition to avoid it.
Kwaaang——.
Only sight should have been shared, but it felt as though the vibration came through the crystal orb. Log climbed higher. Smoke and dust spread. Within it, the fortress’s northern outer wall could be seen disappearing.
A single dragon’s fall had collapsed one section of the fortress.
Jaewon stared at the sight.
It had been shot down. That was something the dwarves had accomplished. The precious-metal cannons had done their job.
‘Was the buff too strong...?’
He worried for a moment, but looking at the situation, there was also the collapsed fortress outer wall.
‘......I failed to calculate that a dragon’s body was that huge.’
It seemed the balance had somehow worked out, Jaewon noted inwardly.
Community notifications began pouring into the crystal orb.
---
Keeping the vision-share active, Jaewon opened the community tab.
It was the Constellation Lounge.
```
======================================
■ Constellation-Only Community — Sponsor Lounge ■
======================================
[Live] Dragon Engagement Status — Shootdown Confirmed
— Wandering Starlight
👍 2,104 💬 874 comments
Did you just see that? A dragon actually fell for the first time in like a hundred years
Are precious-metal cannons for real? Some influx happened, but a dragon falling
Was that actually possible?
ㄴ Flame of the Red Furnace : Old Man Ttukttagi actually did it lolololol
The Age of Cannons wasn’t an overreaction and dragons are this easy to catch now?? No suckers here who didn’t buy dwarf coin, right?
ㄴ Frost of Dawn : The fortress outer wall collapsed too though
Isn’t that dwarf damage? Shouldn’t the corpse disappear?
ㄴ Jet-Black Curtain : The dragon got shot down
They should make use of the byproducts
ㄴ Frost of Dawn : Aren’t the rest of the dragons going to enter
through the collapsed outer wall?
ㄴ Flame of the Red Furnace : ......Didn’t think of that
[What did I just do]
— Lord of the Abyss
👍 1,400 👎 3,201 💬 2,847 comments
I’m that dragon’s main sponsor.
There are a lot of posts cursing him as a massive troll who threw away a sponsorship in one go
But the truth is, I was the one who ordered the straight charge. Please don’t curse our Dark Lord
Because I thought he could endure two or three precious-metal cannon shots
I’m also the one who failed to check the specs properly
I thought the cannon thing would be an overhyped fuss like that mass-produced holy sword event from before
ㄴ Jet-Black Curtain : lolololololololol
ㄴ Flame of the Red Furnace : You made him charge straight in??
ㄴ Lord of the Abyss : I thought if a gap opened, he could just charge.
I overlooked the actual power of precious-metal cannons.
ㄴ Frost of Dawn : Ah, but thanks to you the fortress outer wall did collapse, so thanks
ㄴ Jet-Black Curtain : For now, the result is a 1:1 trade, I guess lol
One dragon for one outer wall
ㄴ Lord of the Abyss : I just lost everything. My hands are shaking
The dragon is dead.
The sponsored divine power is gone.
ㄴ Wandering Starlight : Still, it was heroic.
ㄴ Lord of the Abyss : What changes if it was heroic?
ㄴ Flame of the Red Furnace : lololol I can’t really comfort you
ㄴ Jet-Black Curtain : At least you proved that precious-metal cannons are really strong.
I think some people will raise their dwarf sponsorship divine power.
ㄴ Flame of the Red Furnace : Already raised mine.
```
As Jaewon scrolled down the screen, he watched Log’s view as well.
The dragons were retreating back to the mountain ridge. After seeing the dragon that charged straight in get shot down. They were saying they would not push themselves any further. Smoke was still rising.
The fortress dwarves were moving too. It looked like they were trying to temporarily block the collapsed outer wall. Ttukttagi Bolt-Nut IV could be seen calling in personnel from the workshop side, his beard flying.
The engagement held its breath for a moment.
The first round was over.
Jaewon set the crystal orb down briefly and stretched his finger joints.
He opened the divine power balance tab.
The number was rising.
The war had not even properly begun yet—but merely from the Constellation Lounge heating up, sponsorship divine power was flowing in. The 2,847 comments on the Lord of the Abyss’s scream-post. Flame of the Red Furnace raising his dwarf sponsorship. Jet-Black Curtain watching and showing interest.
It was turning into money.
Jaewon pulled the patch notes closer.
There was still time left.
Then—
Ding—.
It was not a community notification, nor an operations notice, but the shop tab.
Jaewon opened the tab.
```
⚡ Divine Power Payment Notification
[Boldur Workshop Sponsorship Account — Flame of the Red Furnace]
▶ Cannon Production Time Reduction Tickets × 12
Applied immediately
```
Jaewon raised an eyebrow.
It was the dwarf-sponsoring Constellation. After seeing the fortress outer wall collapse and deciding the defenses were in danger, he had paid up immediately. It was an item that increased cannon reload speed. Since the outer wall had been breached, he intended to fill the gap with firepower.
Just as Jaewon was about to close the tab—
Ding.
Another notification.
```
⚡ Divine Power Payment Notification
[Human Lord Alliance Sponsorship Account — Knights of the Western Dawn]
▶ Cavalry Movement Speed Increase Buff × 300
▶ Infantry Marching Fatigue Reduction Buff × 500
Applied immediately
```
Jaewon stared at the screen.
It was the human lords. If the dragons messed with the Dwarf Autonomous Dominion, cannon deliveries would be cut off. If cannon deliveries were cut off, their own military power would weaken. They disliked that, so they were going to provide support.
A large-scale movement speed buff.
Jaewon picked up the crystal orb and opened the divine power balance tab.
The number was rising.
It was rising.
Jaewon moved his gaze toward the calculated refund amount for Pure White First Snow. He checked how much remained until it was filled.
It was filling rapidly.
‘......At this rate.’
Jaewon set the crystal orb down on the table and closed his eyes for a moment.
At this rate, it was nice.
The refund amount would be covered, and once the war went into full swing, even more would accumulate. There would be no legal action. Pure White First Snow would not be exposed either. The board would simply keep moving.
Nice.
Jaewon suppressed the corners of his mouth as they tried to rise.
He was not sure whether he had succeeded in suppressing them.
However.
---
Log’s view changed.
Jaewon picked the crystal orb back up. The vision-sharing tab.
The dragons were moving.
But their direction was strange.
The place they were heading was not toward the dwarf fortress.
On the contrary, they were going farther up from the rear mountain ridge. One took flight first, and the ones on the adjacent ridge followed. Smoke was still rising, but beyond it, the dragons’ silhouettes were disappearing one by one.
Jaewon watched the scene and frowned.
‘......Are they pulling out now?’
They were pulling out.
One dragon had been shot down. After seeing that, the dragons were getting scared and retreating. The power of the precious-metal cannons had exceeded their expectations. It seemed the sight of the dragon that charged head-on being shot down without even enduring a single round of fire had left too strong an impression.
‘There was a misjudgment, sure. But the balance was calculated properly.’
Jaewon thought inwardly.
That had been the Lord of the Abyss failing to grasp the specs.
‘It wasn’t that dragons themselves were weak. It depended on from what direction and how much cannon fire they took.’
The dragon just now had foolishly attempted a frontal breakthrough all by itself, so it had been taken down easily.
The reason those dragons were retreating now—was fear.
It seemed the war was about to end.
If the dragons returned to the mountains like this...
The dwarves would have won, but the war would not break out.
The human lords would have moved to provide support, but there would be no enemy.
The Constellations had poured in divine power, but there would be no content.
The refund amount was almost filled.
But the war had not erupted.
Jaewon slowly turned the crystal orb in his hand.
‘What should I do.’
He could not force the dragons to charge. Raising the NPCs’ courage through a patch was one method—but then it would look artificial. The Constellations might notice.
He needed a way to naturally draw the dragons back into battle.
Jaewon pulled the patch notes closer.
His mind worked rapidly.
The dragons were retreating because they were scared. They were scared because the cannons’ power was stronger than expected. In that case—
He just had to make the cannons not look strong.
‘That’s impossible. I can’t suddenly patch weapon damage downward.’
Or else.
At the ingenious answer, Jaewon’s fingers stopped.