Chapter 91: I Believed in You (1)
Kaang-!
In an instant, the sound of glass shattering rang out, and a sharp impact struck Jeonghyeon's head.
Elkalabi.
It was the moment he'd heard the name of Afraksas's ancient dragon.
"W-wait a sec. Afraksas's ancient dragon? What the hell does that mean?"
"You don't know what an ancient dragon is...?"
"That's why I'm asking. What is it?"
The air grew heavy in an instant.
The anger Jeonghyeon had shown so far was nothing compared to this—the ominous power of the Demon King filled the space in a flash.
Romanell gulped as he met Jeonghyeon's now-reddened eyes.
"I-I assumed you knew since you know Elaha. Ancient dragons are the ones who originally ruled Afraksas."
"And?"
"Starting with the light dragon Solgaleh, the flame dragon Ignirn, the storm dragon Albatron, the deep sea dragon Makedon, and the thunderclap dragon Raikazan—the power from beyond Afraksas began flowing through those five leading dragons."
"...?"
"They tried to convince the ancient dragons. A massive evil threatening Afraksas would soon descend."
The Demon King.
It was Solgaleh and the dragons who had foreseen the Demon King's arrival.
And behind them... ancient dragons had existed.
"Then... the dragon bones in Dragon Falls Gorge...?"
"Those are Elkalabi's bones."
Jeonghyeon's head began to throb even harder.
Kuung-!
He was starting to lose control of his own mana.
"Hey... you okay...?"
Horakti even peered at Jeonghyeon's face with worry.
"What the hell? You alright? Finally lost it?"
Nus poked his face out from the inventory and asked Jeonghyeon.
"Kuh...!"
Even Jeonghyeon himself had no idea why this uncontrollable pain was surging through him.
If Malekith had done something, there should at least be a quest notification by now.
"So... why did all the ancient dragons die and get replaced by these new ones?"
"Well, the ancient dragons manifesting in Afraksas rejected the advice from the new dragons, who couldn't even show their forms..."
Romanell trailed off and glanced at Horakti instead.
"The first Demon King. Most were slaughtered in Yorgand's rebellion. Only then did Afraksas's inhabitants start serving the dragons."
"Even amid that, a few hidden races still believed in the ancient dragons..."
Jeonghyeon cut Romanell off and glared at Horakti.
"What about you? Were you one of the ones who killed the ancient dragons?"
"Hey. Beastkin lifespans max out at 150 years. That war ended thousands of years ago."
Realizing Jeonghyeon's state was far from normal, Horakti placed a hand on his shoulder.
"For now, take a break."
"Bullshit. Don't touch my body...!"
Jeonghyeon's voice vanished into thin air.
Left behind were Romanell, still tending his wounds, and Ignirn's subordinate, standing awkwardly alone.
"Um... you'll treat him, right?"
"Uh... we'll hold off until Jeonghyeon-nim returns."
"Y-yes...?!"
***
Horakti brought Jeonghyeon back to the Seoul Western District branch in Korea.
Jeonghyeon's domain—the safest place for him to rest.
"Huff!"
Returning to the familiar air infused with mana, Jeonghyeon gasped roughly as if snapping back to his senses.
"Rest here. Once you're stable, I'll take you back."
"Thanks...!"
With his mana finally settling, Jeonghyeon's legs gave out beneath him.
Thud.
"Jeonghyeon!!"
Before his mana could rampage, the Wakin sisters—who'd been waiting—rushed over to welcome him.
"Wakin...!"
"Long time no see! How'd Afraksas or whatever go?! Where's Philip and Jeonghu?"
At Melani Wakin's—the older sister's—innocent words, Jeonghyeon's head throbbed once more.
This time, though, it wasn't pain...
"Right!! Philip and Jeonghu!!"
Mana supply had been cut off for far too long.
They might've died in the tower at this rate.
Jeonghyeon immediately pulled up the remote status window.
Philip Park - Loyal Right-Hand Man
Uldran's Awakener
Loyalty Level: Lv. 10 (max)
Current Status: Near Death
Location: ???
Jo Jeonghu – Excellent Subordinate
Mirtus's Awakener
Loyalty Level: Lv. 8
Current Status: Near Death
Location: ???
"Damn it!"
For now, Jeonghyeon opened the Demon King Shop and dumped every available stat point into Philip and Jeonghu.
'The moment I invest stats, they get an instant power boost equal to the supply...!'
He'd crammed in strength, agility—whatever he could. It should at least keep them alive.
"Mana... I need to supply mana...!"
Jeonghyeon opened his inventory and called for Nus.
"Nus! Supply mana!"
"N-not now! Any more and my life force is at risk!"
To a mana entity, mana was life force.
Using 99% and leaving just 1% could kill it, losing its original form.
Like taking a 100kg human and slicing off 99kg at once.
"Damn...!"
"Mana? Didn't Nus eat mana stones?"
Younger sister Adel Wakin asked, puzzled.
"We've got mana stones from climbing the tower and clearing fields. Haven't used a single one."
"...Where?!"
"Y-you look desperate, so follow me! Warehouse is too far. We've got some nearby!"
At Wakin's words, Horakti stepped forward.
Pulling out the Guide of Spirits, he touched Melani's forehead.
"No need. Think of the warehouse location. We'll go straight there."
"Uh, uh... here...!"
"Got it. Let's go."
Jiiing-!
With time of the essence, the Guide of Spirits' mana released rapidly.
Jiiing-!
They arrived at what used to be the Jo family's martial training hall.
Now, no trace of training remained—it was a full mana stone warehouse.
Awakener followers had cleared dungeons tirelessly, and residents managed it together, so stones were piled high.
"This enough?"
Melani asked.
High-loyalty subordinates shared some of the dominator's emotions, so though they didn't know details, Melani and Adel sensed the dire situation.
"Tch. Low quality, but... can it eat all this?"
"Yeah. We'll gather better ones later—hurry!"
"Got it!"
Nus dissolved its form, reverting to its original state and expanding.
Shuwaaak-!
With lowered density, Nus spread like a massive fog, absorbing countless mana stones into itself.
"All the mana stones we've been stockpiling... gone this fast..."
Adel Wakin swallowed regretfully.
"Done! That's plenty!"
Even the best were C-rank. Mostly E, maybe D at best.
Jeonghyeon and his party's insane growth had overshadowed it, but C-rank+ required B-rank monsters—and no porter had skills like his.
"Okay!"
Nus compacted and flew to Jeonghyeon, who reached out.
His right eye glowed red.
"Mana supply...!"
Even deep in the tower, mana would flow.
Worth a shot.
The instant Nus touched him, Jeonghyeon sucked in mana—nearly 10% from Nus—filling up and then some.
'Mana entities really are different.'
A mere 10% for Nus.
Impossible for Jeonghyeon alone.
With the pain of blood draining, he poured all his mana into Philip and Jeonghu.
"What now?"
Horakti asked, watching tensely.
"...Wait. And trust."
All he could do was hope his loyal subordinates handled it.
Jeonghyeon swallowed hard, believing in them.
***
"This power...!"
"Right...? This...!"
Philip felt it first, lifting his head from the floor. Jeonghu followed suit.
"Jeonghyeon-nim... sent mana!"
Mentally exhausted, but physical pain and wounds had mostly healed.
Mana surged in Philip's body.
He clenched his fist and gripped Soul of the Mountain again.
"Still... not dead?"
One watching Colossus rose in panic.
"H-hey! They're still al—!"
The Colossus tried calling others back to the walls, but.
Thud boom!!!
Jeonghu's One Strike pierced its chest dead center.
Kuung-!
It crashed to the floor with a roar and quake.
"Haa... we got it wrong."
Jeonghu grinned at Philip.
"Yes. Who'd guess the boss was the whole room."
The boss wasn't hiding somewhere.
This was a giant golem's body—the entire room was the boss.
That's why Jeonghu sensed no mana.
And why the ceiling—golem's upper body—had almost none.
"Half expected it, but a golem boss."
Tower bosses often golems or orcs—proven again here.
'Inside a golem. Colossi are like white blood cells.'
So, new ones would replace the fallen quickly.
Kuguung-!
Sure enough, as soon as they downed one, new Colossi creaked from the walls.
Dormant ones reformed too.
"One Strike can hit their cores. I'll handle trash mobs."
"Got it. Then I'll finish the boss."
Dominator's mana returned to the two who'd nearly been buried as rubble.
Jeonghu launched at Colossi still detaching from walls, maxing his speed with Leap.
"Huu...!"
To slay an unknown giant, Philip gathered all his power.