Chapter 49
Chapter 49
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Reward Acquisition (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
On the way back after wrapping up the expedition to the Bovoir Abandoned Mine Zone.
Federback crossed the now-empty mountaintop where the mountain lord lay dead and scanned the far side of the abandoned mines.
The aftermath of the avalanche and lava eruption had completely collapsed the Bovoir Mines.
Rebuilding would take time, but the disaster had also carved out a new mine on the opposite peak.
'...This is a first.'
It was a hidden vista unseen before his regression.
Federback peered carefully into the massive fissure below.
Amid the rising geothermal heat, bubbling lava simmered.
The mountain's vital energy, once blocked by iron stakes, now flowed freely into this new channel.
Federback could tell at a glance that it was a prime vein for mining.
The surrounding bedrock was solid, the slope gentle—perfect for hauling heavy equipment and erecting structures.
'I'll recruit miners and relocate their families here. Might as well build a whole village.'
This place was no longer a no-man's-land uninhabitable by humans.
Federback judged that this geothermal oasis amid the snowfields held great potential for prosperity.
If a mining town sprouted here, Meurso Mountain would soon bustle with people.
Even better, hot springs gushed from smaller tunnels inside a massive cave—prime tourist material.
Splash—
Federback sank into the steaming hot spring.
Cold snow piled around him, while scalding water rose in the center.
"......"
He closed his eyes, immersing himself.
Not to soothe battle fatigue.
In the pitch-black void of his mind's eye, Federback replayed the recent fight.
[Grrrrrr—]
The now-slain Ice Dragon Adara bared its jaws in his mental world.
'Plenty of missed opportunities.'
Federback reviewed his mistakes.
'Shouldn't have gripped the sword reverse for that ankle slice. A forward grip would've severed the heel tendon clean—or chopped the whole foot off.'
'When it slammed its forepaw down, dodging was wrong. Should've thrust the blade in, borrowed its momentum to cleave the leg lengthwise. The fight would've been a breeze after.'
'For the breath attack, I needed a steeper shield angle. Stance was sloppy too. Tilted back hard and crouched low, no frost would’ve stuck. No chill seeping into my veins.'
Avoid repeating errors.
That's the point of review.
Federback shut his eyes tighter, visualizing the dragon's moves.
Claws incoming, block with shield, stab the lungs, breath blasts, roll aside, slash the ankle.
In his mental replays, felling Ice Dragon Adara took far less time.
As Federback endlessly reviewed the battle...
Tzzzzz...
Inside him, the dragon core stirred.
[Kraaaaaagh!]
Each death cry made the core embedded in him vibrate wildly.
Crack—!
Finally, the tiny orb of extreme cold split in two.
Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!
The core's energy spread through his body.
Federback thought:
...An egg is a world.
...One who would be born must destroy a world.
He strained to suppress the exploding chill within.
Yet the cold pierced through his flesh anyway.
Bubble bubble bubble...
This was a hot spring.
The boiling water began freezing around him.
'Master this, and my power surges.'
Federback poured everything into taming Adara's lingering core.
Snap—!
The halved orb split again.
Federback's brow twitched.
Flash—!
His dark vision flooded with light, eyes still closed.
'!'
A vast silver wave swirled through the darkness of his mind.
A galaxy of stars flowed like a river.
He knew what it was.
Akashic Records.
The super-dimensional vein holding all fates and causalities of the world.
'So that's it. Slaying Ice Dragon Adara twisted fate and causality.'
Adara had been a key pillar of this world's framework.
Now dead, its role and status shifted to Federback.
The Akashic Records' prior entry on him warped slightly.
Ice Dragon Adara: thesis (正).
Federback: antithesis (反).
The live-updating result: synthesis (合).
The world redefined him.
His fate, causality, even info on everyone he'd meet—rewritten.
The world was reborn around this one small human.
'Altering fate, even slightly, is monumental.'
Federback felt Adara's rampaging energy fade within.
Pop—!
The four shards shattered into countless fragments, scattering through him.
...Crickle! ...Crickle! ...Crickle!
The shell broke.
Gurgle—bubble bubble bubble...
The frozen spring thawed, bubbling up.
Federback's body shed its human limits, reassembling wondrously.
A reconfiguration no ordinary human endures after the womb.
This life, it was his first.
'Pre-regression, I've been through it countless times... but nothing this intense.'
Skin, muscles, veins, organs, bones—all rebuilt.
Unbearable agony and searing heat threatened to incinerate his soul.
Yet Federback endured with a stoic face.
......How much time passed?
Shoooo—
When Federback opened his eyes, only a massive crater remained.
His clothes had burned away; all water had vaporized.
"It's done."
He had fully absorbed Ice Dragon Adara's power.
Federback summoned his mana.
Rumble rumble rumble...
An amount unbelievable for a fresh 3rd Circle sword prodigy.
Surpassing peak 3rd Circle, brushing 4th Circle's wall—profound.
"Pushed awakening back by at least three years. Dragon cores are the best."
A bit more training, and 4th Circle's barrier would crumble.
He inspected his tougher, stringier skin, hyper-dense muscles, bones hard as steel yet elastic.
Vision, smell, hearing, touch, taste—all hypersensitive now.
Clink—
Even distant ice melting sounded nearby.
His eyes pierced a hundred meters to snow crystals' facets.
"Now, just refine my gear."
Federback checked the dragon's tooth and scales atop the crater.
Tooth into a sword via smelting, scales into a shield.
He'd forge a blade surpassing the famed sword White Scale, sacrificed to end Adara.
"Sorry, Sis. Promised to return it, but that's off the table."
As Federback murmured...
"Young Master! My lord! Sire!"
Sancho came running from afar.
He draped a filthy hide over Federback's naked form.
One of the treasures he'd wildly bid on at that corruption auction—selling off his cousin's mistress's step-sibling's foster parents' in-laws' distant relative's buddy's neighbor's stepbrother.
"Aigoo, it's freezing—why are you naked? Cover up."
"......"
Federback eyed Sancho.
Sancho rattled on unasked.
"While you hunted the dragon, the other prisoners all died. All because they plotted betrayal..."
"You."
"Yes?"
"Why follow me?"
Sancho hesitated at the question.
After long thought, he scratched his head.
"Dunno exactly. Just wanted to serve you loyally. Atone for past sins, reflect on my life..."
Sancho babbled, then bowed low.
"Agh, forget it! Ever since running from the forge as a kid, I've wanted to be a new man! Serving you feels like the way!"
"Only you can change yourself. Don't lean on me."
"Not leaning—serving!"
"......"
Federback stroked his chin.
The road home was long anyway.
A squire for chores wouldn't hurt.
After brief deliberation:
"Fine. One test then."
"Test? What kind?"
"To see if you're worthy to follow."
"......!"
Sancho's jaw dropped halfway.
"A talent like me offers service, and you test? When I worked bureaucracy, I was damn good! Even here, I pulled my weight! This is too mu—"
His protest cut short.
Federback's gaze chilled.
"Actually, I love tests. Shot at promotion."
"Can't do it? Say so."
"Didn't say that! What is it? Your humble Sancho will ace it!"
Sancho puffed up, thumping his chest.
Federback nodded.
Then pointed at the peak ahead.
"That's the tunnel for the new mine."
"Fresh cave from the dragon's rampage."
"Veins suggest the lair connects there."
"Got it. But why...?"
Sancho tilted his head.
Federback shrugged casually.
"Dragon's dead. Who owns its lair?"
"You... my lord? You slew it."
"Right. Lair's mine, so everything inside is too?"
"Oh!"
Sancho's eyes lit up, getting it.
"Dragon lairs got treasure!"
"Sub-dragon, not pureblood—less intelligent. Treasure's probably cheap."
"Still treasure! Let's grab it—wait."
Sancho paled mid-ramble, pointing at himself.
"Into the lair... me too?"
"Obviously."
Federback nodded.
Then poked Sancho's gut with the dragon tooth tip.
"Lead."