Chapter 37: Ancient Dragon (1)
There's a saying about being at a complete loss for words.
When someone witnessed something overwhelmingly bewildering, their mouth could clamp shut as though glued in place.
That kid Park Siwoo had some impressive skills that could surprise anyone, but no one here could claim they matched the Sword Sage's display today.
Divine Spear, Fist King, Poison Demon.
These three knew the Sword Sage's abilities all too well.
Sure, the brother wielded his sword like a master.
But today, it was on another level entirely.
‘What the hell?’
Fist King, the youngest of the four, blinked in disbelief. A horde of monsters over level 500 blocked their path.
By the time he, Divine Spear, and Poison Demon had each taken down two, over six corpses lay piled in front of the Sword Sage.
The Sword Sage was undoubtedly Korea's top Awakener. But that didn't mean he outclassed them by this much.
Their skills were only a hair's breadth apart.
“… Big brother. Did you secretly gobble down some ginseng behind our backs?”
“No, I didn't. But I did receive a fine gift.”
“A gift? What's that? Spill it to your little brothers here! Let's all get a taste of that fountain of youth!”
The Sword Sage looked at the three.
Not just Fist King, who had spoken up, but even the usually taciturn Divine Spear and Poison Demon showed glints of curiosity in their eyes.
“I'll tell you once this gate is cleared.”
“… Deal! Let's wrap this up quick!”
Mana flared fiercely around Fist King's fist. Divine Spear's spear tip sharpened. Green steam billowed thickly from Poison Demon's body.
That was when they reached the boss room.
[The tomb trembles violently at the advent of a mighty foe!]
[The tomb's final guardian, 'Ancient Dragon,' appears!]
“… Huh?”
Poison Demon and the other Awakeners tilted their heads.
The tomb's boss was always a dragonkin.
But none were ever called Ancient Dragon.
This was a monster none of them had seen before.
‘Hidden piece?’
The Awakeners' eyes lit up.
They too had once burned with passion exploring gates. Time may have dimmed the flames, but they hadn't vanished entirely.
“Haha, this is fun! Brothers, I'm heading in first!”
Impatient Fist King charged at the Ancient Dragon first. Massive mana gathered over his fist.
[Hundred-Step Divine Fist (S) used!]
Boom!
He unleashed it with full force, and a gigantic fist projection slammed into the Ancient Dragon's body.
Whoosh.
Smoke rose.
Yet, as befitting the final guardian, the Ancient Dragon didn't budge an inch.
Soon, dark energy gathered in its maw.
The terrifying power made Divine Spear and Poison Demon narrow their eyes.
“Kid! Watch out!”
Danger.
The instant the judgment hit, they lunged forward. The beast's crimson-black breath barreled toward Fist King.
[Moonlight Slash (S) used!]
[Malignant Venom Spray (S) used!]
The two hurriedly activated their skills. Massive energies surged toward the breath. Fist King also launched an attack at it.
Moments later, the three recoiled in shock.
‘We're… getting pushed back?’
Their skills were being crushed by the breath. The colossal force crept steadily toward Fist King.
That was the moment.
A chilling aura struck everyone's spines.
Their gazes snapped to the Sword Sage.
A sword with no aura emanating from it came into view. Yet it pressed down with suffocating pressure.
It felt like standing naked with your neck laid bare before a blade.
The Ancient Dragon whipped its head around in alarm. Immense pressure gripped its heart fiercely.
As the breath's path shifted toward the Sword Sage—
Slash!
A sound like something being cleaved rang out, and the Ancient Dragon's body split in two.
“…!”
Everyone's eyes bulged as wide as they could go.
The dragon's byproducts splattered out, but no one cared.
The Sword Sage's display just now had been that shocking.
No one had even seen him swing his sword.
Yet the Ancient Dragon was dead.
The Sword Sage, descending from midair, stared at the message before him.
[Achievement of the Inexplicable unlocked!]
[Title, 'Fanatic Disciple' acquired!]
[Title, 'Heart Sword Wielder' acquired!]
[New Title List]
[1. Fanatic Disciple]
[Performed a miracle through fanatical faith.]
[Effect: Increases chance of enlightenment when with the master in your heart.]
[2. Heart Sword Wielder]
[Become a swordsman who cleaves beyond the material realm, into essence itself.]
[Effect: Heart Sword power +30%]
[You have glimpsed the boundary of illusion and reality. The realm of No-Self between them.]
“… Now I get it.”
The words Kim Minwoo had spoken.
Now, finally, he had a slight inkling of what they meant.
Illusion was the material world.
Beyond that boundary, the Sword Sage had pioneered a new realm: the sword of the heart.
A stagnation of over twenty years.
Without those words, it might have lasted a lifetime.
‘But…’
He had been obtuse.
He still didn't grasp what the realm of No-Self truly was.
But it didn't matter anymore.
Now, he had a master in his heart.
As the Sword Sage mulled over his newfound enlightenment—
The three elders hurriedly surrounded him, pressing for answers.
“… B-big brother!”
“What the hell was that just now?”
“Skill? Nah, it ain't something you pin down like that.”
Being men of insight themselves, they had discerned it wasn't a skill.
“It's the gift I received.”
“Argh! You're driving me nuts! So what is this gift?!”
Impatient Fist King pounded his own chest.
His curiosity was bursting at the seams, ready to spill out.
“I received a great teaching.”
“A teaching?”
“From big brother?”
“From who?”
“You want me to spell it out?”
“No!”
“That'd be a shame!”
“Big brother! After all our years together! We came to help you here too!”
“… Ahem.”
The Sword Sage cleared his throat and eyed his brothers.
He had kept them in suspense long enough. Time for the main point.
“Fine. I'll introduce you to that person. But this could bring trouble to him. You okay with that?”
Nods.
“Then you should take a gift at least.”
The Sword Sage pointed at the dragon's corpse.
Understanding his intent, the three elders nodded.
They had joined the raid solely to help, not for rewards.
If they chased such things, they wouldn't have semi-retired in the first place.
To forge ties with such a remarkable eccentric for just that?
They'd hand over ten, twenty corpses and byproducts without a second thought.
The Sword Sage stored the Ancient Dragon's corpse and byproducts into his subspace ring. Soon after, along with the gate clear rewards, their figures vanished.
* * *
Kim Minwoo.
He had been shocked multiple times today.
On his way back from the auction house news.
[Title, 'Greatest Teacher' acquired!]
[New Title List]
[1. Greatest Teacher]
[The disciple you taught has wrought a miracle.]
[Effect: Greatly increases learning effect when imparting teachings.]
He had been stunned once by the sudden title-acquisition message, then again when the Sword Sage rushed over after barely finishing a hurried interview outside.
And…
“The whole corpse and byproducts? For free?”
“Yeah. It was the first time an Ancient Dragon appeared as boss. Its level seemed beyond simple S-rank, so it'll be a huge help for sure.”
Ancient Dragon.
Even Kim Minwoo was hearing the name for the first time.
When he had cleared the Dragon Tomb, no such boss had emerged.
‘Did it appear because of the Sword Sage?’
He had said he swept through the gate. That must have triggered it.
‘This qualifies as top-grade material…’
Even scouring the entire world, dragon materials matching an Ancient Dragon would be rare.
Few Awakeners could slay such a beast.
In price terms, it would easily exceed billions—no, trillions.
Dragons were already priceless head to tail, and this one outclassed all previous ones. With bidding wars, who knew how high it could go.
And they were giving it away for free.
No wonder he was stunned.
“The others agreed too?”
“Yeah. If you grant one request.”
“A request…”
“Nothing tough. Just meet those three yourself.”
“The elders?”
The Sword Sage nodded.
“They probably seek teachings. Whether you share is up to you. It's not worth a mere dragon corpse.”
Think about it.
Even if the Sword Sage spread the words around, it would be hard to complain.
The teaching had come from him first, and he wasn't even sure if those phrases truly held power.
‘But they're handing me this pass?’
One casual phrase to forge ties with three masters?
Plus a free dragon corpse?
‘Jackpot.’
Divine Spear, Poison Demon, Fist King.
No downside in connecting with any of them.
Kim Minwoo wasn't the fool who would turn down free gains.
“Sure. Are the three outside?”
“If you heard, get in here already!”
With those words, the door flew open, and the three elders hustled inside.
“Hoho. I suspected, but to think it's really this kid.”
“We kinda figured since the Ilsung Group visit.”
“True, but…”
The three elders stared straight at him.
“Nice to meet you. Kim Minwoo. I've long admired your reputations, elders.”
“Ahem! You really the one who enlightened big brother? I just can't believe it.”
Divine Spear cleared his throat as he asked.
“It's too grand to call enlightenment… but something like that.”
At his words, the three elders crowded in.
“So what was this enlightenment?”
“Tell me too! I won't forget the favor!”
“Can't you give us even a hint?”
But all he could do was parrot the same phrases from before.
He glanced at the Sword Sage.
There stood a super genius who had attained enlightenment and refined it.
“Why don't you explain, Sword Sage?”
“… You sure? It was ultimately your teaching…”
“Yes. You've already reached that realm, so you'll explain far better than me just peeking in.”
“… Very well.”
The Sword Sage then began explaining to the three, facing them.
In summary, it was about seeing the world beyond the material realm.
‘What the hell does that mean?’
It was Korean, yet sounded like alien tongue.
Even more absurd: the three elders' faces turned gravely serious.
Hmm.
I see.
They nodded along, murmuring affirmations.
“… However, I still haven't grasped the No-Self realm Minwoo mentioned. I just feel like something exists in my heart…”
The Sword Sage glanced his way.
Knowledge-thirst burned in his eyes, subtly.
The three elders' gazes piled on too.
The mood demanded he say something now.
He quickly rifled through the Sword Sage's old lines.
Picked the most fitting one, tossed out casually before.
“I don't know exactly either. Just…”
“Just?”
“No-Self means forgetting oneself. The more you do, the freer you become, but limits are clear. We're human. Can we truly forget ourselves as humans?”
“…”
“So, forget yourself, yet do not forget. That's all I know.”
Forget, yet do not forget.
One of the Sword Sage's past phrases. The room fell utterly silent, not even a pin drop.
After a long moment with eyes closed, the Sword Sage nodded.
That instant.
['Greatest Teacher' effect activates!]
['Fanatic Disciple' effect activates!]
[Effects stack!]
Messages appeared.
‘What? Scary.’
Did they really enlighten something?
“Forget, yet do not forget… You've taught me something profound again.”
Seeing that, the other three elders' faces grew solemn too.
They hadn't grasped it fully, but they felt it wasn't empty words.
“… I thought this generation was all hopeless, but no. Korea's about to soar.”
Divine Spear spoke first.
“Kim Minwoo, right? Here's my number. Call anytime if you need a favor.”
“Ahem! Same here. Take my number too.”
Fist King and Poison Demon vied to hand over their numbers.
His connections piled up wildly.
The Ancient Dragon corpse tumbling in was just icing.