Card Apprentice Daily Log

Chapter 2374  Longevity

Date: Unspecified Time: Unspecified Location: Myriad Realms, Lil. Red Storm, Seed World, Trophy Section, Duel Realm, Crafting Sector, Venue: Chaos Dwarven Forge.

There were two reasons why Chaos Dwarfs were rarely found outside their territory. First, because every powerful being out there wanted a Chaos Dwarven slave to create and maintain their precious items. Second, because their elders raised them to prioritize their family and race above all else—right after their craft.

Thatʼs why it stunned Wyatt to see an elder Chaos Dwarf publicly disown two young Chaos Dwarfs. What made it even more shocking was when the elder told Biore and Dulas they no longer needed to worry about working at the Chaos Dwarven Forge.

Wyattʼs brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of it. Were Biore and Dulas just disowned by the Ironhold family—or the entire Chaos Dwarven race? The Forge didnʼt belong solely to the Ironhold family but to their entire race. How could an elder from the Ironholds have the authority to dismiss workers who served the Chaos Dwarven Race unless they had been cast out completely—not just from their family, but from their entire people?

That thought seemed ridiculous. The Chaos Dwarfs should know better than him that the moment Biore and Dulas left their territory, theyʼd be hunted by slave traders. Wyattʼs fists clenched as his confusion deepened. If he hadnʼt stepped in, the elder Chaos Dwarf wouldʼve shattered Bioreʼs spirit entirely. Meanwhile, Dulas still hadnʼt recovered; she stood there, dazed, barely reacting to anything around her.

Moonʼs sharp eyes caught Wyattʼs furrowed expression. With a sigh, she said, ”Theyʼre paying for their part in the greatest humiliation the Ironholds have suffered since their family was founded.”

Wyatt blinked, the realization dawning on him. His features tightened, a mix of understanding and frustration crossing his face. Moon too notice of it and continued, her voice calm but bitter. ”Itʼs not their fault. It was the elder Chaos Dwarf who chose to double down on your challengerʼs mistake.”

”Heʼs covering his blunder by sacrificing Biore and Dulas,” Wyatt said, his tone edged with realization. Moonʼs earlier words had hinted at it, but she hadnʼt dared to say it outright. His comment drew the attention of the two young Chaos Dwarfs.

Dulas, her eyes glistening with tears, looked at Wyatt and, with a trembling finger pointing at the demon codex, said, ”Master Crafter, I… I canʼt reach my parents. Theyʼve blocked me.”

Bioreʼs jaw tightened as he glanced at Dulas. While his life had prepared him for hardships like this, hers clearly hadnʼt. Seeing her so broken stirred memories of his own childhood. Taking a slow, heavy step toward her, he gently placed a hand on her head. ”Donʼt worry, Dulas,” he said softly. ”You still have me.”

Moon, standing just beside Wyatt, whispered, ”Itʼs going to be hard for those two to survive on their own.”

Wyatt frowned, his voice low and questioning. ”Are they disowned by the entire Chaos Dwarven race?”

Moon nodded, her gaze darkening. ”Yes. Their race is set on making an example of them—especially after what happened to the Ironhold family. They donʼt want a repeat of this disgrace with their younger generations.”

Her explanation sent Wyatt into deep thought. He could see the root of the problem clearly now: longevity. These long-lived races, while blessed with enduring lives, were shackled by the weight of their traditions. The very elders who had once propelled their people to greatness were now holding them back, unable—or unwilling—to understand the world the younger generation had been born into.

On Earth, old age and natural death helped bridge generational gaps, clearing the way for new leadership, ideas, and perspectives. But here, the longer one lived, the stronger they grew—and the longer they held onto power. The elders, who had built their raceʼs traditions and enforced its rules, clung to them with an iron grip. Meanwhile, the younger generation, raised in vastly different circumstances, struggled to relate to those traditions or to the power structures that upheld them.

And when someone dared to challenge the old ways, they were crushed—made into a public example to ensure no one else tried to follow suit.

Back on Earth, in some parts of the world, families would hunt down couples who eloped and kill them. Entire villages would gather to stone women suspected of being unfaithful to their husbands. Daughters were murdered for becoming pregnant out of wedlock.

Interracial couples, homosexuals, people struggling with depression or other mental illnesses, wives unable to bear children—anyone who was seen as ”different” in any way—were often killed in horrific ways. These acts werenʼt just punishments; they were warnings to everyone else.

Heck, women were treated like livestock be it a princess or a common mans daughter, if they werenʼt killed in the womb they had no right but to serve their family then their husband and his family. The fact that when he was back on earth still many countries treated women as such spoke volumes. If those men were still alive and in power, the future for women would undoubtedly be bleak.

Wyatt remembered reading about a tribe on Earth that used to sacrifice breech babies to their god. They believed that babies born feet first were demons. This barbaric tradition continued for generations, because if a family refused to sacrifice their child, they were labeled demon worshipers and sacrificed alongside their baby by the rest of the tribe.

But times changed. The people who upheld those cruel traditions eventually died, and those left behind were too old to stop progress from erasing the horrors they had created.

This kind of transformation wasnʼt possible in the Dark Realm, where the stronger one was, the longer they lived. Here, despite all their strength and knowledge, they still clung to the law of the jungle. Grudges and feuds ran deep, lasting milleniums, megayears even.

Even divided, the inhabitants of the Dark Realm had the power to dominate the Myriad Realms. Wyatt couldnʼt begin to imagine the force theyʼd become if they ever united.

Understanding the culture and norms of a species with such long lifespans was fundamentally different from understanding humans. Wyatt stopped trying to make sense of why the elder Chaos Dwarf had treated Biore and Dulas the way he had—especially Biore.

Looking at the two of them, Wyatt took a deep breath. His gaze softened, but his voice remained steady. ”I know this isnʼt the right moment to bring this up,” he began, ”but Iʼm afraid if I wait for the perfect time, I might not get another chance to see you two again.”

He hesitated briefly, then continued, ”So, forgive me if this seems insensitive, given everything youʼre going through. But I want to invite both of you to join my guild. Itʼs not as big or renowned as the Ironhold Guild, but it can be your new family—if you want it.”

Wyatt had originally planned to get to know them better first—share his vision, hear their thoughts, and gradually win them over before inviting them to join his guild. He wanted to make sure they wouldnʼt turn him down. But their situation had changed everything. His carefully laid plans no longer mattered. He had no clue what their answer would be, but he asked anyway. This was unlike him but did as something in his gut told him it was now or never.