Chapter 38: Return (1)
After receiving the subspace ring containing the ancient dragon’s corpse and byproducts, the four who had promised to meet again stepped outside.
‘Got it way faster than I thought.’
A dragonkin corpse.
Couldn’t pull it out here.
Even with the bones and hide separated, the dragon’s sheer size was insane.
The office would end up packed with dragon meat.
‘Guess it’s time to head home.’
The training grounds at the main house.
That spot could handle a dragonkin corpse no problem.
He made his way to the main house.
From the subspace ring, he first pulled out the byproducts.
A light touch, and a small gem filled his hand.
‘This is it? Wait, no way…’
An ancient dragon was a kind of hidden boss.
There was no way the rewards from something like that would be stingy. Which meant the gem in his hand was worth a fortune.
He hurriedly pulled out the gem.
The moment he checked the item details, he murmured, “Huh…”
He sensed the jackpot.
[Forgotten Dragon's Gem]
[Grade:??]
[A gem precious to the ancient dragon. Amid its beautiful halo, the form of a dragon shimmers.]
[Effect 1. A medium to transition to the ‘Age of Dragons.’ However, the user requires qualifications befitting it.]
[Qualification Conditions]
[1. Level 500+]
[2.???]
[3.???]
A linked quest item.
And one that demanded insane qualifications right from the start.
‘An S-rank gate or higher.’
The Age of Dragons.
Just the name of the place you transitioned to sounded brutal. Probably a world where dragons flew around like birds.
The Sword Sage and the other awakeners must have seen this linked quest item too.
Awakeners of their caliber would know exactly how valuable it was.
‘And they still handed it over…’
It was an item anyone would covet, yet they gave it up without hesitation.
Honestly, he was pretty grateful.
‘I’ll have to treat them right next time we meet.’
Thud.
He pulled out the ancient dragon’s corpse.
The summoned Cedric began examining the dragon.
—Amazing. I didn’t realize Master’s abilities had reached this level. To procure a dragon corpse of this magnitude so quickly…
“So take good care of it.”
The moment he posted the request, the Sword Sage mobilized his mercenaries, and in just six hours, they’d obliterated the tomb.
Express delivery, through and through.
“How’s this look?”
—Dragonkin strength is typically gauged by age. This one… probably over three thousand years old. Excellent specimen.
“Compared to your old body?”
—The Gold Dragon Lord was a dragonkin nearing ten thousand years. I made my skeleton frame from it.
“Oh… right…”
Talk about ancient.
—I wasn’t even hoping for a lord-class. If a lord-class ran wild in Master’s world, it probably wouldn’t last a few days before everything was destroyed.
He nodded.
There was definitely a level gap between Cedric’s world and this one.
Even a Death Lord was EX-grade.
A Legion Commander was SSS at best.
Over here?
S-rank was considered the pinnacle.
Even if they labeled a level one thousand awakener as SS.
‘Dump a truckload on him, and Cedric would still win.’
That was how overwhelming Cedric had been, soaring through the skies on his bone dragon.
It was like their potential was on another level entirely. Maybe only someone like the Sword Sage, who had comprehended the heart sword, could put up a fight.
‘Nothing strange about it.’
Hadn’t he seen that message when he achieved the past exploit?
Humanity’s potential had increased.
Which was just another way of saying it had been restricted before.
He didn’t know who or why.
‘I’ll figure it out bit by bit.’
Either way, what mattered now was reinforcement through bones.
“At least one part should fit, right?”
—… I don’t know.
His leg bone already took up 20, leaving 81 capacity.
‘It’ll work.’
He could probably swap out at least one part with dragon bone.
‘If only a great success pops…’
The problem was that fixating on it might burn through all the dragon bones without a single result.
‘I’ll run it a bit first…’
Then decide.
“Where do you want to swap first.”
—Arms would be good. It’ll help when swinging the spear.
He nodded.
He approached Cedric, holding the dragon’s two arm bones.
Left, right.
Just two chances with the arm bones.
[Bone Exchange (B) activated!]
[‘Cedric’s’ arm bones will be replaced with ancient dragon arm bones!]
[The material’s level is vastly superior to your own.]
[Success rate: 5%]
[Proceed?]
‘Whoa.’
Five percent.
He’d half-expected it, but the success rate was horrifically low.
‘… Bones around my level don’t have great odds either.’
He’d tried a level one hundred bone once, and it was around thirty percent.
Thirty or five.
Not the same, but he couldn’t just sit on it until level five hundred.
“Whatever!”
He went for it.
[Failed.]
[Failed.]
The two arm bones crumbled to dust.
“It’s fine, plenty left. Next?”
—Ribcage.
[Failed…]
“Next.”
—Spine…
[Failed…]
Pelvis, legs.
All gone.
“Ah.”
—Just the skull left?
“Yeah.”
—No choice then. We’ll use that.
“Yeah. Dragon head ought to have some nice effects.”
Assuming it succeeded.
The moment he tried the skull.
[Title, ‘Super Lucky Guy’ effect activates!]
[Strange luck envelops your body!]
[Great success!]
[The ancient dragon’s skull morphs to fit Cedric’s body type and race!]
[Cedric’s all stats increase by 30!]
[*Great success special effect: Mini Breath now usable]
[Remaining capacity (100/101)]
“Jackpot?!”
He looked at Cedric.
The changed skull resembled a dragon’s form. A majestic transformation perfectly suited to a dragon knight.
—First time for a head like this.
“You hate it?”
—Well, it’s not bad.
Of course it wasn’t.
Just the stat boost was insane.
All stats up thirty.
It ate eighty capacity, but more than worth it. And then there was the bizarre special effect attached.
Mini Breath.
‘It’s gotta be that breath.’
Mini or not, a breath was a breath.
“You can fire a breath now?”
—… I’ve never tried, but… it feels possible.
“Then blast over there.”
—You sure? This is your home.
“Yeah. Training grounds are sturdy.”
—Alright then. I was curious too.
Crimson-black energy gathered at Cedric’s mouth.
Moments later…
[Cedric uses Mini Breath!]
Cedric’s mouth gaped wide.
Boom!
The training grounds wall shattered under the breath barrage.
Seeing it, Cedric hurriedly clamped his mouth shut.
“Oh, you can cancel it?”
—… Yes. I didn’t mean to break anything… but the facilities aren’t as sturdy as I thought.
“Hahaha! You adorable bastard!”
He ruffled Cedric’s dragon head wildly. He couldn’t stop laughing.
Dopamine exploding in his brain.
The training grounds walls were incredibly tough.
Even an average S-rank awakener pounding on them wouldn’t faze them.
And it’d smashed them?
Meant the breath’s power was tremendous.
Time to be grateful for the breath’s might, not pissed about the wall.
He chatted with Cedric about the breath.
“Huge mana drain, huh?”
—Yes. Just that short burst took half my mana. Great for massive damage in a pinch, but it’s got its downsides.
He nodded.
Max duration around three seconds.
Short and brutal skill.
‘Once he has more skills, it’ll balance out. For now, it’s basically an ultimate.’
Perfect for clashes with apostles.
* * *
Day three since exiting the gate.
Society had been in an uproar.
Thanks to the Sword Sage shattering records.
All the talk about past awakeners being has-beens? Vanished like it never happened.
Nothing but praise.
National pride blazing again wasn’t surprising.
Kim Minwoo drew attention once more. The Sword Sage and his crew had headed straight to Ilsung Group after the clear.
Amid the heated public fervor.
Kim Minwoo quietly finished his preparations.
‘Time to head back.’
He’d gained a ton of power in the meantime.
Choi Yuna churning out 650 elixirs in three days let him boost all stats by fifty each.
‘Skillbook work’s done too…’
He’d stocked up on level two hundred bones and snagged rare set items for Cedric and himself.
‘And that sweet new head.’
He’d save the leftover dragon byproducts for when the skeletons’ crafting skills improved.
He glanced at the nine subspace rings on his fingers.
Ones packed with food and seeds. The last was the unique ring from taking down Lee Seoyoon.
‘Status window.’
[Name: Kim Minwoo (23)]
[Class: Necromancer]
[Level: 101]
[Held Skills (6/33): Death Lord (EX), Cedric Summon (SSS), Bone Exchange (B), Curse of Aging (D)+9, Skeleton Mage Summon (E)+9, Skeleton Summon (F)+9]
[Mana: 3,240/3,240]
[Titles: 18]
[Str: 316(+31)] [Agi: 316(+31)] [Vit: 287(+28)] [Mag: 310(+31)]
“There we go.”
Godlike stats, buffs included.
Scarier part? This wasn’t even the end.
New gear bonuses weren’t applied yet.
[Equipping ‘Eerie Necromancer’ Set!]
[Str +30, Agi +30, Vit +30, Mag +70 increase!]
[Soul Summon (D) activated!]
[Equipping Judgment Sword!]
[Str +20, Agi +20]
[Tear (D) activated!]
Stats ballooned again.
Indomitable Soul adding ten percent of item bonuses.
Pushing magic to the monstrous 418.
Mana at 4,180.
Just skeletons? He could summon 1,672. Absurd.
A true one-man legion now.
[Return to gate interior?]
No hesitation.
The moment he nodded, the scenery flipped. To a place thick with biting winter wind.
[Warning!]
[Intermediate zone can no longer be used!]
Didn’t matter.
He’d gotten everything from the outing. A few orcs stood near the intermediate zone.
Urkan among them.
—Chwik! Big bro! Waited till my neck hurt! Got tasty stuff?
“No trouble while I was gone?”
—Chwik! Bro was right! Total cowards! Barely any scouts! So, tasty stuff?
“Brought it. Tell the kids—festival time.”
—Fes—festival?! For real?
“Yeah. Gonna stuff you all till you burst.”
With food duplicated, bulking up was top priority now.
Festivals were an orc tradition. Flaunting overflowing food to show the tribe’s strength.
A big one would draw every orc in the area.
In this cold and starvation? They wouldn’t ignore word of paradise.
Numbers would multiply several times faster.
‘Hoarding it turns it to shit.’
Sheer violent numbers crush terrain advantages.
Fortress?
Not invincible. He’d seen that in the Death Lord trial.
No defense beats endless waves.
Time to recreate it.
Bulk up.
Then smash the fortress.
—Chwik! I’ll tell the bros! Spread the word everywhere! We’re strong enough for a festival!
“Spot on now. You’re getting smart.”
—Chwik! Urkan smart!
“Go on.”
Time to really play.
* * *
Apostle Belitas.
A black mage knelt respectfully before him.
“Great Apostle. They’re up to something strange.”
“… Strange?”
“Yes. Looks like they’re prepping a massive festival. Roasting monster meat, burning through food like crazy.”
“Kahaha! What total morons!”
Belitas burst into delighted laughter. He knew the orcs’ food situation inside out.
Thanks to constant scout reports.
Just yesterday, they’d been barely scraping by.
Made perfect sense.
In this brutal winter, where were they supposed to get food?
Local monsters were already tapped out.
So they’d rationed hard and hoarded desperately.
And now a festival?
Only one reason for that kind of madness.
“That human must’ve been desperate.”
“Yes. Starving orcs griping everywhere. Weakling human couldn’t hold out—dumped all their food.”
Belitas nodded.
Couldn’t withstand the angry masses in the end.
‘Plan’s obvious.’
Dump every scrap of food to max out orc numbers, then squeeze those orcs into an assault on the fortress.
“Bolster the fortress defenses. They’ll hit us in a few days.”
“Understood, Great Apostle.”
He could quash the orc uprising without much loss.
Belitas was certain.
This fight was their total victory.