Chapter 314
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 314
Chapter Title: Resolving the Inner Core
Ragren Family's family head chamber.
There, Krash faced the Poison King, Haouran Ragren.
Haouran's eyes held a profound displeasure, as if he were staring at the scoundrel ruining his daughter's life.
Yet, regardless, he didn't stop scrutinizing Krash closely.
'He's grown far stronger than back then.'
Haouran's eyes narrowed.
The first time Haouran met Krash was about a year ago.
Back then, upon encountering Krash, Haouran had assessed his potential and been astonished.
Rather than mere talent, Krash had grown through sheer tenacity, to the point where no peer could stand against him.
But separately from that, there was a lingering unease.
Krash's strength seemed, to anyone observing, like something borrowed from the future.
As if struggling futilely against the fate of being overtaken by true geniuses given time.
Krash had grown strong solely on that unyielding grit.
Yet sometimes, such people reached the pinnacle.
So Haouran didn't underestimate Krash.
On the contrary, he had even evaluated him as someone who might one day lead the era.
And now.
Haouran's eyes, facing Krash once more, brimmed with shock.
'Just one year.'
In that single year, Krash had become an entirely different person.
Haouran had thought Krash was thrashing against the limits of his talent.
But lo and behold, the Krash who reappeared showed no such limits.
Whatever he had done, the process was beyond even the Poison King's comprehension.
'...Could it be marrow cleansing and bone transformation?'
Had he achieved marrow cleansing and bone transformation, something even geniuses rarely accomplished?
If so, it wasn't incomprehensible that his talent limits had expanded dramatically.
But at his age? That was unprecedented even among the Four Heavenly Strongest in history.
'He's unmistakably turning into a monster.'
Haouran swallowed a silent groan inwardly.
The boy whom he'd once thought peerless in grit alone was now encroaching on the realm of supreme talent.
He realized the rumors about assigning him a title weren't groundless.
That child would soon ascend to the Ten Strongest Under Heaven.
And not long after, to the Four Heavenly Strongest.
What came next?
Even Haouran couldn't predict.
But herein lay the problem.
Beside this star Krash, now blazing fiercely enough to swallow others, was his own daughter Haring—blinded by infatuation.
Even a hedgehog finds its young adorable.
Haouran cherished and loved his daughter deeply.
She was the only child he had left.
Naturally, he couldn't help but adore her.
Yet the one she harbored feelings for was treading a path far too distant.
And engaged to one of the empire's highest nobles, no less.
'Even the imperial family has their eyes on him.'
A deep sigh escaped Haouran's lips.
"You've come to resolve the inner core within your body."
Haouran set aside stray thoughts and got to the point.
With the Fourth Imperial Princess—who the emperor had recently begun subtly promoting—present, he couldn't afford idle chatter.
"Yes, that's right."
He didn't know why such a thing had formed in the young man's body.
But when it came to inner cores, Haouran was indeed the expert.
"Follow me to the workshop."
The family head's office was no place for this anyway.
So Haouran led Krash to the workshop.
Throughout the journey, Haring stuck closely to Krash's side.
Though it pained him to see his daughter like that, considering the Ragren bloodline's traits, he couldn't intervene.
The Ragren Family bound themselves eternally to their beloved after just one encounter.
"Here."
Haouran opened the workshop door.
Those inside, brewing poisons, startled and bowed to him.
"Everyone, step out for a bit. You all have work to do."
At Haouran's polite request, the workers hastily tidied up and left.
Krash inhaled the thick poison scent filling the room and glanced at Sizzly.
She had already donned a mask hanging by the entrance.
No need to worry about her.
Haouran proceeded deeper into the workshop.
He arrived in a room lined with jars containing what looked like animal carcasses.
All were spirit beasts that had perished.
No signs of hunting meant they had been gathered naturally deceased for poison research.
Haouran fetched a wooden chair and placed it in the room's center.
"First, let's examine it."
Krash obediently sat as Haouran instructed.
Haouran placed both hands on Krash's back and focused silently.
After a tense silence, Haouran's eyes widened slightly.
"...It's real."
He had detected the crystal lodged within Krash's body.
Haouran couldn't discern the nature of its power.
In the world, only Krash and the former War Emperor Durandal wielded aura.
But one thing was certain: the inner core in Krash's body was extremely dangerous.
For now, it was suppressed via the Eight Extraordinary Meridians and Four Cardinal Directions, but if it erupted, Krash's body would shatter to pieces.
"How did you end up harboring something like this?"
Haouran realized Krash had intentionally created it.
As he shot him a reproachful look, Krash scratched the back of his head.
"At the time, it was the best option."
With Ixion's forces potentially attacking at any moment, Krash needed to master the Creation Battle God as quickly as possible.
Thus, he had no choice but to extract aura from the demonic valley in this form.
"Can you extract it?"
Krash himself hadn't yet figured out how to use the inner core.
But he was certain his body couldn't withstand awakening it internally.
Better to remove it and deliberate from there.
Haouran examined the inner core once more at Krash's words.
"Wait a moment."
He left Krash and approached the bookshelves.
They held various research logs.
Haouran flipped through them intently.
Krash knew it wouldn't be easy and waited patiently.
After some time, Haouran found a clue in one log.
"Long ago, an old man came to our family requesting removal of the inner core he'd formed in his own body."
Like Krash, a human who had created an inner core.
He called himself a Sage.
"According to this log, the extraction succeeded without issue."
Afterward, the Sage claimed he owed the Ragren Family a great debt and prophesied they would shine like stars, then departed.
Indeed, the Ragren Family prospered thereafter, becoming renowned in the empire.
A fairy-tale story, but recorded in the family log, so it was real.
"I plan to use the method described here, but some materials listed are no longer obtainable."
From an ancient era, the log mentioned extinct flora and fauna.
Even the poison-savvy Ragren couldn't brew with nonexistent ingredients.
So Haouran proposed one solution.
"The Forbidden Zone we Ragren manage, the Last Ark. It should still hold the materials listed here."
The Forbidden Zone, Last Ark.
A twisted world erosion preserving all flora and fauna that ever existed.
To some, a treasure trove.
But living plants and animals meant invisible viruses and bacteria persisted too.
Enter carelessly, and one risked ancient unforeseen diseases or lethal toxins.
Naturally, off-limits to civilians.
Even skilled martial artists needed thorough preparation before entry.
"The problem is, even we Ragren haven't found one ingredient."
"Which one?"
"Soul-Binding Flower. Only its form and properties are noted; its very existence is questioned."
It was used, per the log, yet unknown.
Krash pondered, stroking his chin.
Even in his regressed life, he'd never seen it.
'Never sought such knowledge.'
Krash was an expert in curses, but not poisons.
'Wait.'
A sudden thought struck him.
"Haouran, could you tell me the Soul-Binding Flower's properties?"
"Hm, the Soul-Binding Flower binds souls. One ensnared becomes a living puppet. That's why it's used for extraction—to sever the soul-core link harmlessly."
As an expert, Haouran fluently described its traits.
Krash pondered, rummaging his memory.
He recalled a similar curse.
'Soul Imprisonment.'
An advanced curse that imprisoned the target's soul, turning them into a living puppet.
'Not identical, but the effect matches.'
Krash turned to Haring.
She had studied curses and poisons alongside Darling and Dorma.
She might have a way.
"Haring, can we talk a moment?"
"Huh?"
Haring, focused on Haouran, looked puzzled but nodded, sensing purpose.
Krash discussed it with her.
After deliberation, she nodded.
"It's not impossible. We just need something that binds the soul."
Positive response.
But she voiced concern separately.
"Still, Krash, there's a high chance of side effects."
Subbed materials could bring unknowns.
And this time, even Krash couldn't Ignis away the effects.
To fully benefit, he'd have to endure any side effects.
Seeing her worry, Krash smiled briefly.
"I've never had a problem with any elixir you've made, Haring."
If anything, they'd overcome crises.
Never once caused one.
"I trust your skills."
Haring flinched, then clenched her fists.
"...Got it. If you trust me, I'll do my absolute best."
She resolved to create a Soul-Binding substitute.
As Krash turned, believing in her, his eyes met Haouran's.
His face had turned devilishly stern, making even Krash pause.
Do all dads with daughters get like this?
"Haouran, I'll gather the remaining materials from the Last Ark myself."
In his past life, he'd traversed Forbidden Zones out of necessity, including the Last Ark.
"...Fine. I'll prepare the rest."
Haouran relented, composing himself.
Time to head to the Last Ark for materials.
As Krash set off for the Last Ark.
Several figures arrived before the Ragren Family estate.
"This is the place. Prepare."
The apparent commander, in a bowler hat, thumped his cane.
Beside the elderly gentleman, a man with a protruding dog's muzzle muzzled by a gag lumbered forward.
"Sniff... the poison scent is potent."
Sniffing flared nostrils, he was a burly man larger than the others.
The old man glanced at him.
"Any issues with detection?"
The man scoffed.
His eyes gleamed with murderous intent.
"As if."
The World Erosion Beast, Mad Dog.
He had arrived at Ragren.