Chapter 260: Bad News (4)
Chapter 260: Bad News (4)
I arrived back at the mansion, carrying the items I’d received from Rebecca and Fay.
With Iris joining us, I explained everything that had happened in the Chairman’s (Jin’s) office.
Blah, blah, blah, something about a stinky platypus.
“And that’s how it went.”
“Hoh. So this is it…”
Iris, who was fully armed and ready for battle at a moment’s notice as I’d instructed, nodded with an impressed expression.
The others reacted similarly. Unlike the era before the War of the Gods, when one might see a dragon soaring through the sky at least once in a lifetime, dragons were practically extinct now.
Even when their population was at its peak, they rarely left behind Dragon Hearts, so seeing one in this day and age was bound to be a shock.
“I have seen dragons in combat before, but this is my first time seeing a Dragon Heart.”
“Me, me! I’ve seen one before. A dying dragon was about to self-destruct, and it ripped out its own Dragon Heart and threw it! I caught a glimpse of it then!”
Just what kind of era did you live through…?
Carla and Elisha, and even Famila’s family standing politely in the back, looked slightly appalled.
The Great War generation is terrifying!
“But, but. What’s with this staff? I’ve seen the Chairman use it a few times, so I know it’s something amazing, but can it really be used as a power source? It’s a staff, isn’t it?”
Iona tilted her head while holding the ornate staff, which featured a beautiful blend of silver and red.
For the record, like most end-game items, this thing was soulbound. Even when we held it, the staff’s original mana amplification effects didn’t work at all.
Iris, who had been staring at the Dragon Heart fragment as if possessed, closed the box lid and shrugged.
“I know about that. I’ve been feeling a familiar aura from it for a while now.”
“It’s that, isn’t it, Master?”
“Most likely, Elisha.”
Elisha and Iris nodded at each other.
“Hey… don’t keep it between yourselves. Tell me too.”
“What? I had no intention of hiding it from my Master. I was simply lost in a bit of nostalgia, as it carries a truly dear scent.”
Iris stroked the staff affectionately as she continued.
“This is a staff made from a branch of the World Tree. Though it has been coated in mithril and adorned with mana-infused gems to draw out synergistic effects that even I cannot fully comprehend… the essential base is a branch of the World Tree.”
“In case you weren't aware, this staff carries an aura even denser than the divine relics enshrined in Alfheim,” Elisha added.
I knew that even without her telling me.
Before moving on to the second playthrough, Rebecca—who had transported the player’s party to the location of the final boss, Noble Reign—reunited with Rahim.
The two, joining forces once again as they had in the past, succeeded in helping the player defeat Noble Reign.
However, Rebecca had already reached her limit, and Rahim, whose mind was in tatters as he waited for his final days, couldn't hold on any longer either.
As soon as the battle ended, they passed away in each other's arms.
A single beam of light from the heavens shone upon their peaceful faces, followed by a cutscene where that light reached out toward the player’s party—it was a truly touching moment.
It felt like a passing of the torch from the heroes of the past who had protected the world to the heroes of the present, including the player.
Even if I didn't have the Excellent Memory trait, I wouldn't have been able to forget it.
After seeing that ending, the player would obtain Rahim’s Holy Sword and Rebecca’s staff.
To put it simply, they were clear rewards—bonus weapons that could be used from the second playthrough onward.
If I recall correctly, their names were the Holy Sword Galatine and the Dawn’s Star.
The setting was that they had lost their original power after being heavily damaged in the final battle long ago, so their actual performance was a bit underwhelming.
They were ranked about one tier lower than the end-game weapons you could obtain during the main story.
However, since they had a trait that added all sorts of buffs when both were used in the same party, they were sometimes called "graduation gear" under the assumption that both would be used as fixed equipment…
But because it required locking two party slots as a Paladin and a Mage, people eventually stopped using them.
To be honest, in multi-playthroughs or when starting a sub-character, your base stats are so high that playing the standard way becomes too easy.
Ah, my thoughts drifted for a moment. Anyway, while I knew how incredible this staff was, I couldn't help but tilt my head at the claim that it could serve as a power source.
That’s because, even though I’d accepted it since they said it would work, the status window for the Dawn’s Star in my memory didn't have any options related to mana storage.
Mana amplification, elemental magic bonus, spatial magic bonus, accelerated health and mana recovery, and a conditional all-stat buff.
That was the extent of the Dawn’s Star’s options as I knew them.
To use it as a power source, shouldn't it have a function like a mana battery?
Since its mana amplification rate was so high, it might be able to produce a similar effect if handled well… but since it was a bound item, we wouldn't be able to draw out its full potential.
As if sensing my doubt, Iris puffed out her small chest and spoke.
“The branches of the World Tree contain a massive concentration of life force. Furthermore, as it is a part of the Divine Body, as long as the Lord of Life—who circulates all things—exists, its power will never run dry, even if it is separated from the main body like this.”
“That’s an amazing effect… but life force isn't mana. Though I suppose mana recovery might improve as a side effect.”
That must be why one of the options was a boost to health and mana recovery.
“You are correct, Master. However, life force and mana are very closely related. Are you not experiencing this yourself every day?”
“Wait, don't tell me…?”
I whipped my head to the side. Iona was casually waving both hands in a V-sign.
“That’s right, that’s right! We’re going to apply the magic formulas of blood magic. I’m not very good with magic circles… but Iris is, right? If the two of us combine our strength, we’ll get a pretty decent result.”
“Indeed. To add to that, I received a particularly dense blessing even among High Elves. Thanks to that, I should be able to assimilate with the aura of the World Tree to some extent, making the conversion process smooth.”
Iris claimed that if it worked properly, it would be a superior power source to a fragmented Dragon Heart, just as Rebecca had said.
It was a method of utilization that focused on the material itself—the World Tree branch—rather than the staff’s abilities.
It was also a method that would have been impossible if even one of them, Iris or Iona, had been missing.
Rebecca probably knew all of this when she handed over the staff.
“So the magic circle issue is resolved?”
“Yes. It is impossible right this second, but one day should be enough.”
“Good. Then let’s move on to the next thing.”
After handing the staff to Iris, I picked up the box containing the Dragon Heart fragment.
“I’m planning to consume this now. Does anyone have a better idea?”
“““……”””
“If not, I’m eating it right now.”
“W-Wait a moment, Master! Even so, it’s a Dragon Heart. Wouldn't it be better to have the help of Lady Iris or Professor Iona?”
“I don't think anything bad will happen… but just in case. Yeah. Iris, Professor. I’m counting on you.”
“Leave it to me! I shall assist you so that you may absorb it as safely as possible.”
“Yep, yep. I’ll gather up as much of the overflow as I can, so Student Yandel, just focus entirely on the absorption!”
I nodded at their reassuring words and stared at the fragment in the box for a moment.
It was sharp and transparent like a crystal. However, on the inside, clusters of five-colored light repeatedly tangled and separated, asserting their presence.
It wasn't actively emitting mana, yet the condensed energy itself felt like a heavy pressure.
If a mere fragment was at this level, what kind of existence was a whole Dragon Heart—or the dragon that owned it?
And how strong was the Evil God who drove such dragons to extinction?
I couldn't even begin to fathom it. What was certain was that it was at a level incomparable to my current self.
I had to get stronger. This fragment would significantly shorten that time.
Hardening my resolve with the thought that I had to go save Helena, I popped the finger-sized fragment into my mouth.
“Gulp.”
The moment it touched my tongue, the Dragon Heart melted away like a snowflake hitting the ground. I hadn't even tried to swallow, but it naturally slid down my throat.
Gulp.
“……?”
What? Is that it?
When I’d taken the Demonic Blood Pill or other elixirs before, the system correction had handled the digestion without much trouble.
So I’d thought it would be fine this time too… but for a Dragon Heart fragment to be absorbed this easily?
Just as I was tilting my head and trying to observe my internal state—
Thump!
A sudden, intense burning pain flared in my chest.
It felt as if someone had set fire to my heart, and I instinctively clutched my chest.
“Gah…!”
At my sudden reaction, I could feel the people around me moving frantically and saying something.
“Master…! …do we?!”
“Mana… stabilize… first!”
But the pain was so severe that I couldn't understand them properly. It felt like I could hear them with my ears, but my brain couldn't process the words.
I felt mana more clearly than ever before. But the problem was that the mana was boiling like crazy.
The heat that started from my heart spread throughout my entire body.
Was it because of the characteristics of the Lindelheit breathing technique, which substituted the heart for the core and the blood vessels for the mana roads?
Heat rose throughout my body, making even breathing difficult.
What was it? What was the problem? Seeing the massive amount of mana churning inside me, the Dragon Heart was the real deal.
With a confused mind, I tried to maintain my breathing and cling to my consciousness, but then a cool breeze suddenly blew from behind my back.
Iris or Iona was probably injecting mana into me to stabilize the rampaging power.
However, it didn't have much of an effect. The coolness that started from my back didn't spread far before being swallowed by the heat.
Just as I and the other women were in a state of high anxiety, the mana that had been raging as if it were about to burst out of my body suddenly went silent.
Thump.
And then, I heard a small heartbeat.
I knew instinctively. This sound was my guide. I had to follow that faint whisper.
I grabbed the momentarily frozen mana and pulled with all my might to perform the Lintblum Breathing Technique.
At first, it wouldn't budge, as if it were a giant boulder. But as I kept pulling and pulling, it slowly began to roll.
Thump. Thump.
The mana found its original path, albeit slowly. The heartbeat grew louder, as if praising me and telling me to keep going.
Encouraged by this, I operated the mana with a will forged even stronger.
The mana that branched out from my heart spread to my fingertips and toes, circulating through my entire body before returning to my heart.
After one full rotation, the mana had become much more docile. Naturally, the speed of operation accelerated.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
The sound of the heart grew louder accordingly. I knew now. This wasn't the sound of an actual heart beating.
It was the sound of resonance… the sound of the core and the mana resonating with the body.
No. Conversely, it might be the body resonating with the mana. Considering the progenitor of the Lindelheit family, this was likely closer to the truth.
In the series of flows within the Lintblum Breathing Technique, that intention was drawn as clearly as if I could grasp it in my hand.
The desperate struggle of a genius to feel and control the massive mana that sought to kill them. All those processes and results began to be understood one by one.
The Lintblum Breathing Technique was clearly made for someone like me.
The moment I realized this, the core became one with my heart, and the mana roads melted into my blood vessels as if overlaying them.
It felt as if my entire body had become a single mana organ.
Yet, it wasn't unpleasant. Rather, it was incredibly refreshing, as if I had shed a thick shell.
The mana, which was now racing through my body at a speed even faster than when it first went out of control, was no longer frightening or painful.
Just like moving my arms and legs, the mana was now completely under my control.
After the heat that had scorched my body cooled down and the unified core and mana roads were completely settled, I slowly reduced the rotation speed.
Thump… thump…
The heartbeat slowed down proportionally. The mana, which had been gradually slowing, eventually became completely calm and returned to my heart.
A sense of fulfillment welled up in my chest. It had been dangerous, but the thought that I had grown a step further made the corners of my mouth twitch as I opened my eyes.
And the moment I saw the notification that appeared before me, I couldn't help but scowl deeply.
Ding!
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【You have consumed a Dragon Heart Fragment (S).】
【The effect is amplified by the Trait: Medicinal Constitution (C).】
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“Dammit!”
It was because of you!