Bear School Astartes

”Alright!”

Gandalf laughed cheerfully in that old voice.

”Elrond, what do you think now?”

”What do I think?” The elf shook his head helplessly, ”Two wizards vouched for him, what else can I say?”

”Hey, I’m not a wizard.”

Lann raised his hand in protest, but Elrond waved his hand dismissively without even turning his head.

”You’re Radagast’s proxy, no different from a wizard.”

Sorlin, Balin, and Bilbo all laughed happily.

Because this conversation meant that the elves of Rivendell would no longer obstruct their journey or hold them back.

However, Elrond did not appear very relaxed.

He leaned forward, whispering in Gandalf’s ear while the three dwarves were carelessly distracted by their joy.

And his eyes were still fixed on the demon hunter leaning against a nearby pristine pillar.

Elrond’s experience, thanks to his long lifespan, was exceedingly rich. Nearly at the first meeting, when Lann anticipated the trajectory of his arrows, Elrond immediately realized the demon hunter’s heightened senses.

He even roughly estimated the potency of these heightened senses.

At this moment, although it seemed he was whispering privately with Gandalf, he was actually signaling with his eyes: these words were meant for both Gandalf and Lann.

”Even if I’ve agreed to this matter, it doesn’t mean everything will go smoothly, Mistlandir.”

”The world’s guardians are not just us.”

Lann, unclear of Elrond’s meaning, made no expression.

But Gandalf, upon hearing, pursed his lips and nodded, showing understanding.

Elrond turned and walked towards the depths of the hall. He had said all he needed to. Now, it was generous enough to show some hospitality to the dwarves’ expedition team.

And Gandalf clapped his hands.

”Alright, gentlemen.”

The old wizard roused the three dwarves from the joy of deciphering the cryptic language and receiving the elves’ acknowledgment.

”We’ve obtained what we needed most from Rivendell, the hidden information on this map.”

”But you are still hungry, weak, with faces sagging from rapid weight loss. Go rest now; Rivendell will restore your strength.”

”Knowing of the secret door, you need to have the stamina to get there.”

After sending the dwarves away, the old wizard passed by Lann, still quivering, while leaning on his magic staff. If unaware, one might truly think him a decrepit old man.

”Ah, my old bones need a good rest too. See you tomorrow, Lann. I wish you a good sleep.”

Gandalf spoke to the demon hunter in the self-muttering tone of an old man.

Lann nodded at him politely.

”My sleep has always been quite good, thank you for your concern.”

-----------------

The next day, Lann awoke in the room arranged for him by Elrond.

The elves had too much time and energy, so much that just within this room, as he opened his eyes and looked at the beam above, it was adorned with intricate elegant designs.

Lann rose early, practically awake as the first ray of sunlight streamed through the window.

The air in Rivendell was refreshing, as he strolled through this exquisite city, which was layered and tiered like Losric and Yan’an.

Rivendell also had many statues placed beside stairways and along roads.

However, unlike Losric and Yan’an, the statues here do not exhibit divine sacrifice through cruelty nor portray grotesque, indescribable figures.

Most statues here depict elves dressed in splendid armor or elf women wearing flower crowns with graceful postures.

The moss on the statues indicates how long these sculptures have stood.

The pale sun rises from behind the Mist Mountains, dispersing the thin silver mist. Dew shines on the yellow leaves.

Accompanying Lann in his awakening, Rong Buqiu walks beside him quietly, occasionally letting out a soft ’meow’ and continues breathing in the fresh air.

They also gaze at the towering Mist Mountains to the east with admiration and reverence, where the peaks remain snow-covered, occasionally exposing patches of bare gray rock.

”Let’s do sparring practice today, meow!”

Rong Buqiu and Lann found a platform in Rivendell where the sound of the waterfall could be heard. The Three-Floral Elu Cat enthusiastically drew the Thunder Cat Sword from its back and aimed at its leader.

”I now, have somewhat felt the sensation of [Fighting Spirit], meow!”

As a demonstration, Rong Buqiu emitted a sound like explosive flames, and a faint red Fighting Spirit Light Flame flashed over its fur.

Lann once taught [Iwami Style] to Rong Buqiu and Ciri, and it seems [Torso Breath] indeed has good effects.

Rong Buqiu is young, but its body is already capable of [Fighting Spirit] practice.

Although Lann taught it swordsmanship, ultimately, the technique of [Fighting Spirit] is seen by Rong Buqiu as the main tool for hunting.

After all, it is an Elu Cat born in the New Continent.

And Lann raised an eyebrow, in terms of increased explosive power and expanded destruction, [Fighting Spirit] is indeed a powerful technique.

”Alright.”

Lann responded with interest, and facing the excited kitten, his hand was already resting on the hilt of his sword at the waist.

”Let’s first practice...”

In the fresh air, accompanied by the sound of the waterfall, Lann could barely say the word ’train’.

A voice came from the spiral staircase diagonally above the platform.

”How about we practice a bit together, then?”

”Meow?”

The Elu Cat blinked its moist large eyes, looking upward ahead.

Lann also dropped his stance and turned to look at the air behind him.

On the spiral staircase at that position, Elrond was standing with the Hobbit Bilbo, smiling as they looked at the platform below.

It seemed like they were walking together and chatting during a morning stroll and happened to wander here.

But what surprised Lann was Bilbo.

The Demon Hunter raised an eyebrow, giving Bilbo Baggins a subtle look to which he responded with a warm smile.

In the first half of his life, Bilbo Baggins had never stolen or lied, hiding himself was just a few games he played in childhood.

Such a person had no experience in being a flying thief at all.

But Gandalf still personally went over and recruited him for the Dwarves’ Reconquest Expedition Team.

It could even be said that the most important role in the entire Dwarves’ Reconquest Expedition Team was this flying thief who was to take the King’s Gemstone—the Aken Gemstone from under Smaug’s belly.

Lann initially thought that Gandalf had some prophetic mana, or he was preparing to use his mysterious magic to help Bilbo before the actual task.

But now Lann realized... maybe there really is a ’born master of flying thieves’?

Elrond was understandable, but Bilbo was so close, less than ten meters away, yet he didn’t notice the Hobbit.

The natural padding on their feet allowed their steps to be silent.

And after bathing and changing clothes, their body scent was also faint.

Moreover, Hobbits were small in stature, always able to slip into the blind spots unnoticed by normally sized people’s eyes.

This ability made Hobbits seem almost magical to ordinary people, always appearing and disappearing unpredictably.

Lann couldn’t help but think: If Gandalf really cast an invisibility technique or something on Bilbo, this guy might really become a master thief!

”Lord Elrond.”

Lann greeted politely.

During a chat with Gandalf yesterday, he learned that Elrond was not the Elf King.

He was the Standard Bearer of the previous Elf King, and Rivendell was his domain, so the formal title could be Lord of Rivendell.

”Good morning to you too.”

Elrond and Bilbo walked down the stairs towards Lann and Rong Buqiu.

”Did you sleep well in Rivendell? I noticed the Qilin was in no hurry to get up, did it not sleep well last night?”

”No, Rivendell, whether the environment or the city itself, is very comfortable.”

Lann scratched his cheek a bit awkwardly.

”The Qilin is just lazy, don’t mind it.”

”As long as my guests can sleep well in my city, I don’t mind at all.”

Elrond’s handsome and gentle face carried a smile; he seemed to have much tolerance for the childish behavior and faults of these ’young people’.

Meanwhile, his hand was placed on the hilt at his left side waist.

Lann looked at that Long Blade.

The Long Blade had just been half-covered by the light gauze draping down from Elrond’s shoulder, completely without any sharpness or chill.

But when this Elf pulled aside the gauze covering the hilt and put his hand on it, the whole person’s feeling changed instantly.

The Long Blade was of typical elven style.

Smoothly curved and thin, with hollowed-out or inscribed floral patterns.

Even the scabbard looked like a work of art.

”Are you guys going to spar, meow?”

Rong Buqiu blinked, then cheered excitedly.

”Hooray!”

It quickly sheathed the Thunder Cat Sword behind its back and then ran swiftly on all fours up the spiral staircase to stand with Bilbo.

The two of them leaned over the railing to look down.

”Hey, Rong Buqiu, weren’t you the one who actively wanted to spar with Lann just now? And now you run away so easily.”

Bilbo relaxedly slipped his thumbs into the pockets of the small jacket of his inner suit and tilted his head to speak to Rong Buqiu.

”You completely don’t understand, Bilbo!”

The Elu Cat looked down at the scene below with excitement, feeling nothing from the Hobbit’s teasing.

”Watching powerful people sparring sometimes yields greater rewards, meow!”

”Really?”

Bilbo shrugged, speaking indifferently.

This Hobbit actually had no sense of strength or weakness and no obsession; he was simply in a good mood and wanted to watch the excitement.