The 3rd Floor Ascension Exam (1)
- He carries the blood of the Demonic Dragon.
……!
The blood of the Demonic Dragon?
As I blinked my eyes, Ellaon added further explanation.
'Yes. He is half-man, half-dragon.'
Good heavens.
I never could have imagined it. James wasn't a pure-blooded human at all.
How was that even possible?
- It doesn't seem he was born with the Demonic Dragon's blood. More likely, he came to carry it at some point during his climb of the Sky Tower.
Oh!
A thought struck me the moment I heard that.
In the early days, James had been quite active on the world stage, his face seen often in public. But somewhere around the time he conquered Floor 5—or was it Floor 6?—his appearances outside had grown exceedingly rare.
And yet, from that point on, the records he set inside the Tower began to skyrocket, widening the gap with everyone else faster than ever.
Could something have happened to him in that window?
It was an eminently reasonable deduction.
- Yes. From that point on, the probability is high that he ceased being human and became a Dragonia.
Dragonia.
It was the name given to one who was half-man, half-dragon.
Hold on a second.
The perk skill I chose at Level 10 was Dragonia. Does that mean I'll become half-dragon too, no longer human?
- Not at all. The Demonic Dragon's blood that man carries devoured his original blood to the point of transforming his very species, but the Dragon Blood you will awaken is a power wholly subordinate to you.
Having said so, Aleon added one more remark.
- Besides, even among the blood of dragons, there is a hierarchy of rank. The Demonic Dragon's blood that man carries feels like mongrel stock—not fit to even lick the boots of the Noblesse lineage. But the Dragon Blood you will awaken belongs to the pinnacle of the Noblesse itself—the Dragon God, Alka—
Just as Aleon had gotten that far, James addressed me once more.
"Shall I call you Mr. Hahoetal? Or perhaps Mr. Unknown?"
"Whatever's comfortable… hmm. Just call me Unknown, please."
"You prefer that alias, then. Very well. Unknown. The thing is, I have something I'd like to discuss with you separately. Would you have the time?"
"Of course."
Good grief, this is James we're talking about. If I didn't have time, I'd invent some just to offer it to him.
Still, what a gentleman this man is.
No matter how much of a name I was making for myself as a rising star, the gulf between me and James was as vast as heaven and earth—and yet here he was, speaking to me with such unfailing courtesy.
Quietly impressed by James's character, I spent a short while alone with him.
"Unknown, there is a favor I wish to ask of you."
"……?"
We were the only two left in the room. James opened his mouth with weight pressed into every word.
A favor for me? What could it be, that he'd set the mood like this?
"What would that be?"
"To be honest with you first—I originally came here to help you. We learned that Tiamut, for reasons of its own, has been targeting you."
Heh.
It was something I had vaguely sensed watching the Toad-faced Executive's movements, but hearing it stated outright like this, the words couldn't help but sound chilling.
"However, after watching you battle Tiamut this time, my thinking changed. The one who needs help isn't you. It's me."
"……?"
Wait, what?
The undisputed strongest among the Seven Ascenders has a favor to ask of a small-fry like me?
At first, I thought I'd misheard him.
"Is there something I can help you with?"
"Yes. I need your strength, Unknown."
James's expression was grave. He wasn't saying this lightly.
"What exactly are you asking of me?"
"First—can you promise me that you will absolutely never speak of what you witness here today to anyone outside?"
"Yes."
The moment I said so, James snapped his fingers.
Ziing!
Our private meeting had already begun within a soundproofed space, and on top of that, a hemispherical opaque barrier descended, cutting us off from the outside world entirely.
"Do not be alarmed."
With those words, the change began in James.
Kugugugugugu!
The mana around James's body churned savagely. A violent, grotesque aura—one that carried the will to bring the world itself to ruin.
Kwadeudeudeuk!
At the same time, black scales began to sprout across James's skin. His arms, his legs, his neck. And then, half of his face.
"Ah."
Watching James—the peerless beauty—transform into something uncanny, I couldn't help but draw in a breath.
Half-man, half-dragon.
It was an appearance that made the meaning of those words unmistakably clear.
"The blood of the Demonic Dragon flows through my body."
Right. I'd learned that just a moment ago from Aleon.
"…You aren't surprised. Once again, I'm reminded of your remarkable composure."
No, actually, that friend called Aleon told me about it just now, so—
"In any case—how does my form look to your eyes, Unknown?"
"You look strong."
At my answer, James let out a small laugh.
"Yes. I am strong. The Demonic Dragon's blood has boosted my combat power by leaps and bounds. However…"
James's face crumpled slightly. At the same time, red bloodshot streaks began to bloom across both his eyes.
And it wasn't just his eyes. The scales across his entire body began to writhe and twist grotesquely, as if bulging veins were rising beneath them.
"Kghhhh…"
The pain, too, seemed considerable—James bent over like a shrimp, letting out a long groan. Then, a short while later, the black scales that had sprouted across his body slowly began to recede.
"Haah… haah…"
James panted for breath, then looked at me and spoke.
"At some point, the Demonic Dragon's blood began to slip beyond my control like this."
"You mean…"
"You can take it to mean that I am being devoured by the Demonic Dragon's blood, little by little."
Ha.
At those words, I let out a sigh.
- It's only natural. Once he's already failed to seize the initiative and been swallowed by the Demonic Dragon's blood, this is the predetermined course.
Then what happens to him?
- Once he is fully consumed by the Demonic Dragon's blood, his reason will vanish, and nothing will remain but the instinct for destruction.
……!
It was a shocking thing to hear.
"Lately, I can feel the Demonic Dragon's blood slowly devouring my body. As more time passes… I fear I may lose myself entirely."
James, too—though no one had told him—was gazing with perfect clarity into what his own future held.
There's no way to fix it?
- If he were supplied with a continuous stream of pure Dragon Blood to neutralize the Demonic Dragon's blood, his symptoms would ease.
Hold on. So if I activate the Dragonia trait later and awaken my Dragon Blood…
- It could help provide temporary relief.
Heh. So that's how it is.
- But it is not a perfect solution.
Then what should he do?
- Hmm. Even I don't know that. In my life, I never once researched the Demonic Dragon's blood, and procuring materials on the subject was never easy.
Come to think of it, I'd heard plenty from Aleon about just how magnificent a species dragons had been in Pangaea. Conducting research related to such beings couldn't have been simple.
Still, merely knowing that the Demonic Dragon's blood could be soothed through Dragon Blood was tremendous information in itself.
But then… what was James about to ask of me?
It's not as if he could know that I would awaken my Dragon Blood in the future.
"That was a long preamble. My request is this—I intend to raid one of Tiamut's strongholds on the 3rd floor. I wanted to ask whether you could help me."
Tiamut's stronghold?
As I blinked at him, James added further explanation.
"The 3rd floor is a level scattered with countless ruins. Among them is a ruin once called the Dragon's Nest. In that place, now held by Tiamut, I intend to search for a way to resolve my problem."
Ah.
So that's what it was.
I pondered for a moment, but this was a question with an answer already written.
A chance to forge a firm bond with James, the strongest in the world.
And the Dragon's Nest, no less. Setting aside James's problem entirely, I had a feeling I might pick up clues about dragons there, and the prospect whetted my appetite greatly.
And besides… Tiamut. Isn't this my chance to knock those bastards down a peg?
I had seen with my own eyes that, under the restrictions the lower floors imposed on higher-floor beings, even an Ascender of the Seven Celestials' caliber had to work for his victories. The restrictions supposedly weakened the higher you climbed, but I doubted Floor 3 would see them lifted dramatically compared to Floor 2.
We've already crossed the river of no return with Tiamut anyway. This is a deal with nothing to lose.
The moment my decision was made, I opened my mouth to James.
"Very well. I accept your proposal."
"Thank you."
At my words, James smiled with delight.
An alliance in all but name, begun between two individuals. Just how enormous a change this small step of ours would bring to the Sky Tower—and to Earth—no one yet knew.
"If your conversation is finished, might I borrow this gentleman for a moment?"
Once my talk with James had ended, Sophie Dubois approached me this time.
Whoa. Milady. Up close, her figure is…
Ahem. Western women really don't mess around, do they.
"……"
She had called me aside and now simply stood there, staring at me in silence.
What is this? Did I do something wrong?
Tilting my head, I finally couldn't bear it and spoke first.
"Is something the matter?"
At that, she parted her cherry-blossom lips with a short exhale.
"Mister Unknown—have you, by chance, formed a contract with a spirit?"
"……!"
My eyes went round at the utterly unexpected question.
How did she know?
Ah.
Come to think of it, she was the greatest Grand Spiritist alive. She might have caught the scent of spirits on me.
How am I supposed to answer this?
Leaving aside the overwhelming power I held relative to my level, wielding spirits when I wasn't even a Spiritist was an entirely separate matter—one I had no wish to reveal until I'd built up a bit more strength. As I hesitated over my answer, she spoke first.
"Please be honest with me. Nothing I say will bring you harm."
Hmm.
At those words, I nodded.
She was right—in any case, once I reached the 3rd floor and started using Dryas, word would inevitably leak out bit by bit. It would come out eventually, so there was no need to lie and smear tar on my relationship with her. I was already sailing in James's ship now, and she was closely tied to James as well—she could practically be counted as aboard the same vessel.
"Yes. I have. A spirit."
"As I thought."
She nodded flatly, as if it were only to be expected.
What? So she already knew?
If I'd lied, that would have been a disaster.
"Could you tell me how you came to contract with a spirit?"
She'd asked that much, so there was nothing I couldn't share. I gave her a summary of the story of Dryas—harboring the faint hope that she might hold a clue about that 'Irregular' existence.
Of course, the odds of that are practically nil.
The moment I thought so—
"Hmm. It may well be connected to Tiamut, actually."
What?
Connected to Tiamut?
"That Irregular you speak of. I have my suspicions about someone. Once that existence has been firmly identified, I'll tell you everything."
"Yes, understood."
As I said so, a thought formed in my mind.
What the hell are the Tiamut people, anyway? They're no simple villain organization.
They had the feel of beings deeply entwined with all the foul business that had gone on within the Sky Tower.
"I'll be in touch from time to time. If you ever need anything regarding spirits, or need support of any kind, say the word anytime."
"Thank you."
My eyes sparkled at her words.
Oh. This feels like meeting another Han Gain—a benefactor as precious as a lifeline.
There was no reason to refuse someone offering help. I had a feeling that going forward, I might receive a great deal of aid in fully restoring Dryas's power.
"Then I'll be waiting for you on the 3rd floor."
"I'll climb up as soon as I can."
And so I parted ways with James and his party.
And then I threw myself headlong into leveling up.
In the blink of an eye, I reached Level 15.
You may now select a Perk Skill of the Sage trait.
The perk skill I chose upon reaching Level 15:
◈ Allows the simultaneous casting of two spells.
◈ Upgradeable to Multi Casting upon meeting the conditions.
Double Casting—the perfect answer to the bitter regret I'd felt during my battle against João. With it, my combat strength leapt upward once again.
Level 16, achieved with ease.
Level 17 came just as quickly.
Level 18, effortlessly.
Level 19, breezed through.
And in the end, I arrived at Level 20—a pace of growth that even James's party, who claimed they would be waiting on the 3rd floor, could never have predicted.
It was a hyper-accelerated level-up, once again setting the media ablaze.
The question on everyone's mind was what kind of results Unknown would show in the Floor 2 Ascension Exam. Once again, all eyes turned toward Hajun.