Chapter 99. Ignirn's Sanctuary (1)
Philip asked as they left Dragon Falls Gorge behind and walked until the plains came into view.
"But where are we headed?"
"Ignirn's sanctuary is supposed to be near Dragon Falls Gorge, so it'll turn up if we poke around the area."
"That's exactly what I'm asking how—"
"You'll know it when you see it."
"?"
Jeonghyeon was certain Ignirn's sanctuary would appear just a little further ahead.
"How can you—"
"Ignirn loves anything that makes him look the strongest."
All dragons had attributes they symbolized, and those shaped their personalities.
'Or maybe the opposite.'
Ignirn's attribute was fire.
And he craved to show everyone he was the mightiest—not by bragging about his greatness, but by making them all tremble in fear beneath him.
That was why, in the present world, his sanctuary had been planted smack in the southern central district, the most crowded civilian zone.
And in a massive palace-like structure, no less.
Plus, the awe born of terror and dread was Ignirn's very symbol, so it was obvious without being told.
The place near Dragon Falls Gorge teeming with the most monsters—that had to be Ignirn's sanctuary.
The more eyes on it, the farther his intimidating presence would spread.
'Well, truth be told, Ignirn's sanctuary is such a key stronghold that everyone has it memorized...'
Just a short walk from Dragon Falls Gorge, and high-grade monsters started appearing.
The Garibaldi strategic outpost.
The spot where Ignirn's awakener, Garibaldi, had made his name as a base—and famous as a sanctuary too.
"Monsters good for decent mana stones should start showing up soon. Let's farm some on the way."
"Farming, got it!"
Once this quest was done, they'd have to head back to the present world.
'Gotta clear the rest of Tower floor 50, and the Hunter Association's pressure is coming soon too...'
He couldn't show up empty-handed to see the Wakin sisters after so long.
Mana stones from the Tower and fields could never match the quality of the originals from Afraksas.
It wasn't long before monsters began appearing, one by one.
They looked like regular gnolls, but the pair of massive axes in its hands said otherwise.
'A Crimson Gnoll, huh. Been a while since I've seen one.'
Jeonghyeon channeled mana into his right eye.
Crimson Gnoll (Variant)
Grade: B
Traits: Far more ferocious than regular gnolls. Grows even wilder upon seeing blood. Said to feel no pain, fighting even after death.
"Ho. It even gives info like this?"
Nus tilted his head curiously from beside him.
"What? You can see it too?"
"I can see it too!"
"Me too!"
Philip and Jeonghu could see it as well.
Until now, only Jeonghyeon had been able to, so this must be due to his Demon King assimilation rate.
"Even better, then. Everyone know how to fight 'em?"
"Grrrk...?"
"What... isn't it just one-shotting them?"
Philip, loading his Soul of the Mountain with mana, grinned confidently.
"Haha. If you can, smash their heads clean off."
"Why?"
"Makes harvesting the mana stones easier."
"Got it!"
At Jeonghyeon's gesture, Philip and Jeonghu shot forward like they were racing.
Jeonghu was faster, but he needed time to gather mana for his Storm Dragon Fist.
Meanwhile—
"Hyaah~!"
Crack!
Philip, needing no such prep, was already swinging his mace at the Crimson Gnoll's head.
It crumpled before it could even get riled up by the blood, skull shattered to bits.
"Yesss, mana stone~!"
Jeonghyeon pulled out his Blood Dissector and harvested the gnoll's mana stone.
A top-purity B-grade stone.
Pretty damn usable.
"Haha! I'm faster~!"
"...Hah! Don't you know gnolls run in packs?! More are coming!"
Jeonghu and Philip began scouting the surroundings on their own, hunting down gnolls.
Crunch! Boom! Kee-yeek!
Dull, gruesome sounds echoed through the Garibaldi strategic outpost.
"Oh, this one's higher grade. Nice!"
Jeonghyeon approached monsters like he was hoeing potatoes, squatted to harvest stones, then moved on.
Crimson Gnolls, Crimson Dryads, Crimson Goblins, and more.
Not a burger set, but every monster here was armed with "Crimson" and feral as hell.
But—
"Hyaatcha!"
Crunch!
"One Strike!"
Boom!
They tore like paper before Jeonghu and Philip's attacks.
Before long, his inventory was stuffed with mana stones.
"Hey, jackpot. Check this out."
"Pfft, like you're gonna share any."
"Want one?"
"Damn, how do you farm this fast? The next Demon King really is different."
Jeonghyeon chuckled at Nus's quick pivot and tossed him a fresh stone.
Nus snatched up the stone—bigger than his body—and chomped it down in pixie form, crunch crunch.
"But you know..."
"Yeah?"
"For a so-called Demon King... you look kinda pathetic."
Nus smirked at Jeonghyeon's antics.
"...Ah."
He didn't crave showing off dignity or anything.
But yeah, using the Blood Dissector—which had beheaded high elves and subjugated beastkin Demon Kings—to mine B-grade mana stones? Lame.
"...You say that after taking the stone, scared I wouldn't give it?"
"Hahat!"
"You little shit...'
Nus bolted away before Jeonghyeon could grab him.
He held back from smashing Nus flat.
Pathetic or not, what could he do?
Irony of ironies: the Blood Dissector was a "harvesting knife," and Jeonghyeon a "field porter."
But with wars against hordes of monsters ahead, not harvesting all those stones himself was a problem.
'That slime pisses me off, but he drops real food for thought.'
Oh well. No choice for now.
Pathetic or not, he'd squat and mine.
By the time they'd gathered a hefty load and monster corpses piled up around them instead of live ones—
"Ah."
They reached the spot where the Garibaldi strategic outpost would soon stand, and Jeonghu let out a sharp gasp.
"Totally obvious."
Ignirn's sanctuary came into view.
It screamed power: walls of monster bones and horns, a glaring red building inside that hurt the eyes with its imposing bulk.
Not bright and dazzling like the Rock Dwarves' underground sanctuary—instead, stark and terrifying.
"What's next?"
Entering the sanctuary was a blatant invasion.
Jeonghyeon needed to make that clear to his subordinates first.
Sanctuaries weren't common knowledge yet.
"Listen up. What we're about to do? It's basically declaring war on the dragons."
"Pardon...?"
"Means we've seen the last of Ignirn's awakeners."
"..."
"A dragon's sanctuary is that important. And from here on—"
Jeonghyeon paused, glancing at Philip.
Philip stared back, tense.
Tap.
Jeonghyeon clapped his shoulder.
"I'm the Demon King. We'll hit more sanctuaries than you can count. Stick close."
Had to do it anyway—what was there to hesitate over?
Plus, this quest came from a dragon: Uldran.
Humans were less than shrimp in dragon squabbles, but oh well.
"Understood. I'll follow you anywhere!"
Philip nodded, somehow emboldened, his face alight with the resolve of Uldran's awakener.
"You too, Jeonghu. Got it?"
"Yes. Demon King or not, we'll follow you."
"Good. Stay sharp—subordinates'll be waiting."
No telling how many humans had come to Afraksas, but Ignirn's awakeners? They'd show for sure.
Hell, Uldran's illusion even showed one killing his awakener.
Jeonghyeon wrapped up his thoughts and stepped toward the real heavy hitters.
As they entered the sanctuary's main gate, the doors creaked open like they'd been expected.
Creeeak!
Dozens of subordinates in ibex-horn masks waited inside, ready.
"You the ones who killed our vanguard?"
The frontmost one asked.
Face hidden, but built like an orc.
"That's us."
"Killing our vanguard wasn't enough—you invade the sanctuary? Guts hanging out your ass?"
"Yeah, something like that."
Tired of chit-chat, Jeonghyeon drew his Blood Dissector.
"Vanguard was just scouts. Think you can beat the main force?"
"Talky bunch. Rubbed off from Ignirn?"
"...! Insulting Lord Ignirn?! Battle stations!!"
His shout had the others draw weapons, prepping for combat.
"Philip, Jeonghu."
"Yes!"
"Yeah!"
"Hang back. Nus—show 'em."
"Uwaa...! I've been dying to cut loose with this power!"
Nus, who'd waited patiently for his moment, launched from Jeonghyeon's shoulder.
"Listen up, you fire-lizard shits! Wonder if you'll burn or not~?"
Tiny pixie-form Nus held a massive fireball bigger than himself, roiling fiercely.
"That mana...?"
The subordinates froze, seeing their own mana type wielded by an enemy.
Made sense. Their power, fresh and unknown, in foe hands.
"Let's see how long you last. Hellfire."
Nus pointed at them.
The orb floated slowly, leisurely, right into their midst.
BOOM!
A massive blast erupted, Ignirn's Flame Dragon inferno spreading everywhere.
"Guh! Hold!!"
The soul-scorching flames clung and blazed, but as Ignirn's minions, they endured decently.
"Tch. Woulda been easier if you just died."
Jeonghyeon shook his head.
"A little toasty ain't shit, right? But mix in some Storm Dragon mana...?"
Nus conjured another orb.
This one swirled with Mirtus's mana, unstable, on the verge of collapse.
"This is Lady Nus's power! Die, you fucks!!"
As flippant as the power was mighty, the orb screamed toward them.
No slowness this time.
It burrowed into their ranks at blinding speed, detonating dead center.
A colossal explosion—like an atomic bomb—filled the sanctuary.