LOTR: Bringing an MC System to Middle-Earth

BOOM!!

Then the ground exploded.

A deafening blast shattered the stone floor, tearing open a hole several meters wide. TNT blocks, dozens of them - shot up from the pit like fireworks, scattering in all directions with wild, chaotic energy.

Some detonated immediately, bursting into flame and shrapnel that sent Smaug stumbling with a growl. Others ricocheted across the hall, embedding in walls or ceilings before erupting, dislodging enormous chunks of rock that hammered down on his head and wings.

One rather enthusiastic TNT block embedded itself directly in the dragon's back and went off with a flash and bang that left his vision swimming.

"HRAAAGHH---AAAHHH!!"

With stone crashing around him and blasts erupting from all directions, Smaug finally curled in on himself. He folded his wing membranes in tight and dropped low to the ground, coiling his body protectively. The assault had driven him into a full defensive posture.

Meanwhile, tucked away safely behind a stone wall in the meeting chamber, Eric listened closely, his face inches from the rock, trying to catch every sound.

The explosions didn't last long. Truth be told, his entire stockpile of TNT only amounted to a few bundles. It had looked like a lot in his inventory, but once placed down, it barely covered a modest patch of floor.

Still... the chaos it caused was more than respectable.

"Is it over?"

Eric crept back through the tunnel he'd dug, poking his head out just far enough to survey the wreckage.

The hall was now a disaster zone. Craters pocked the floor. Broken pillars and shattered masonry littered the ground. Scorch marks and gouges marred the stone walls, and at several spots, it looked like a wrecking ball the size of a wagon had slammed through.

"Where's the dragon?"

He climbed out, stepping lightly over fallen stone, and drew a torch from his belt to illuminate the area. The flickering flame revealed a small hill of rubble ahead, oddly shaped and... moving?

The mound of stone shifted slightly. Subtle, but rhythmic. Almost like something breathing beneath it.

Eric's instincts screamed at him. He took three rapid steps backward until his heel touched the edge of the tunnel.

CRASH!

"RAAAAAH! REVENGE! VENGEANCE!!"

The stone pile erupted like a volcano. Massive boulders were hurled into the air as Smaug's vast form exploded from beneath the debris. He roared with unholy rage, wings snapping open, eyes alight with fury.

"Death! All of you will die! Treacherous humans! I will bring DEATH to your kind!"

THUD!

The maddened dragon hurled himself at a wall, the impact making the entire mountain quake. Even on the far side of the chamber, Eric stumbled, nearly losing his balance.

THUD!

THUD!

The blows came in steady, furious rhythm. Smaug slammed his bulk against the wall again and again, determined to smash through, yet no matter how hard he struck, the wall refused to yield.

"What?!"

Smaug finally stopped, eyes narrowing.

This wasn't just a wall. If it were only a few meters thick, it should have crumbled by now. No, this was something else entirely. This felt... ancient. Immovable.

It wasn't a wall, it was a piece of the mountain itself.

"You're wasting your energy," came a voice from the far side.

At the small two-meter-high tunnel entrance, Smaug spotted the very human who had dared to attack him. Without hesitation, he spewed fire, determined to silence the man before he could speak another word.

But when the flames cleared, the figure was still there, completely unscathed, leaning against the wall as if enjoying a warm breeze.

CRACK!

Smaug lunged with a sudden snap of his jaws, but Eric ducked aside in time. With a swift counterstrike, he smacked the dragon's snout with the flat of his sword, sending Smaug's head lurching sideways.

It made a loud noise, sure - but barely did any damage. More irritating than painful.

Eric winced. The TNT had been flashy, but in truth, it had done next to nothing. Not a single dragon scale had been broken. The blasts had looked impressive, but the total damage barely reached triple digits.

For a beast the size of a fortress, with armor tougher than anything short of netherite, TNT might as well have been party crackers.

Even standing near a blast wasn't much of a threat to Eric himself. Unless you were right at the center, the damage was negligible.

He'd struck Smaug on the head just now with all his strength, eighteen points of damage and barely scratched him.

Forget scratching. The health bar hadn't even twitched.

This dragon's defense was off the charts. If he could harvest some of those scales, he could probably craft the strongest armor set in history.

Still, while Eric was drooling at the thought of materials, he also felt a headache forming.

If TNT wasn't enough, he'd have to bring out the big guns... or at least something equally ridiculous.

He muttered, "Looks like I'll need either redstone science... or a really dirty trick."

Sadly, his science was lacking for now.

So dirty tricks it was.

"You can't trap me forever, filthy human Steve!" Smaug bellowed, practically spitting the name.

"The Dark Lord's army is already on the move. They will come for me... and when they do, it will be the end of you all."

"I have memorized your scent. I will hunt you to the ends of the world. You cannot hide. Not from me. Not ever. Forever... FOREVER—!"

BOOM.

The mountain groaned again. Far away, in a narrow cell in Lake-town, Bard jerked awake, blinking through the barred window.

"What was that?"

The town outside was lively as always. No one seemed to notice the distant rumble or if they did, they didn't care.

They had lived near the mountain for decades. Nothing bad had ever really happened. Why should it start now?

CLANK. CLANK.

Bard rattled the cell door, his face tight with anxiety.

"Did you hear that?" he asked the guards.

Back near the Lonely Mountain, deep in a hidden path behind the cliff face, a group of dwarves had suddenly stopped in their tracks.

"I heard it," Balin murmured, placing his ear against the stone. "That sound came from deep within the mountain..."

THUD.

Balin flinched and jerked away.

"That one nearly ruptured my eardrum."

THUD.

Small rocks tumbled down around them. The earth trembled.

"What's going on in there?"

"It's the dragon. It must be awake!"

"What are we going to do now?"

"Are we too late?"

Panic began to ripple through the company. Smaug was awake. That changed everything.

"Silence!" Thorin roared.

His shout cut through the fear like a blade. The others quieted, though their eyes still flicked about nervously. Thorin's heart was hammering in his chest, but he forced himself to stand tall.

Even if your knees shake, a king must not falter.

"We still have time. We've come too far to turn back now. We've crossed half the world, faced trolls, orcs, storms, and worse - are we going to stop here?"

"All because we're scared of one dragon?"

"We are the sons of Durin. Our goal is the halls of Erebor. Our purpose is the restoration of our home. We will not turn back until that goal is met!"

"Not even death will stop us!"

Balin was the first to step forward, voice firm. "We have never doubted you, Thorin."

"We are with you," said another. "To the end."

"But what is happening in there?" someone asked. "We can't charge in blind."

Thorin nodded slowly, then turned to Kili.

"Kili. The map and key are yours for now. Stay here. I'm going to see for myself what's happening."

He handed over the artifacts and turned toward the base of the mountain.

"Wait, where are you going?" Kili called after him, clutching the key.

"To the front gate. The sounds came from that direction. I'll find out what's going on."

With his sword tight at his hip, Thorin strode off alone.

This so-called king without a throne had spent years tormented by dreams of reclaiming his homeland. Now that it was finally within reach, he would not let it slip away.

Bilbo reached into his pocket, fingers brushing the cold ring.

"Thorin, I can--"

But before he could finish, the other dwarves stepped forward, forming a line of solidarity.

"We'll go with you."

They moved to stand at Thorin's side, placing Bilbo safely in the middle.

"Whatever awaits us, we'll face it together. Victory or death, there is no third choice."