Chapter 104
Chapter 104
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 104
Chapter Title: Bloodless Sovereign
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Leyzon inquired around, searching for the intruder who had entered the Floating Island.
And among the possibilities, he recalled the most likely one.
‘Judgment Lord.’
The monster among monsters, hailed as the strongest among the lords.
Users described his power as utterly unfathomable—he was an Irregular designed not to be defeated.
Flame Head had reported earlier that the Judgment Lord had headed east.
Which meant there was a chance he had invaded the Floating Island as well.
"Syria, Eden, Pauli—there's a chance it could be the Judgment Lord. Stay sharp."
The Floating Island was a dungeon Leyzon absolutely had to clear for his goals.
If that guy smashed it to pieces, things would get messy.
"Hmm?"
At that moment, Syria tilted her head.
It was the kind of reaction that suggested something felt off.
Syria rarely showed responses like that.
Leyzon's curiosity showed on his face.
"Syria, what's wrong?"
"...Leyzon-nim, I don't think it's actually the Judgment Lord."
Leyzon's eyes sharpened.
Syria was the only one here who had faced the Judgment Lord before.
Her hesitation meant it was probably someone else.
"I sense a different presence."
"It feels kinda familiar, but it's really faint. Nothing like the Judgment Lord at all. This is the presence of someone deliberately hiding themselves."
Syria's judgment was spot-on.
Leyzon agreed—the Judgment Lord would never bother suppressing his aura like that.
Leyzon rested his chin in thought for a moment.
If even Syria's senses picked up only a faint trace, the intruder was no pushover.
‘Then who the hell...’
Who had slipped into the Floating Island right now?
A chilling unease rode in on the breeze.
Just then, Pauli—his crown's glow extinguished—raised a hand.
"Leyzon-nim, why not leave the search to me?"
Pauli radiated confidence.
"This Floating Island is basically a fortress when you get down to it."
The Floating Island was an isle suspended in the sky.
With no ties to the ground below, calling it a standalone fortress wasn't far off.
"Give me time, and I can bend this place to my will."
Pauli was clearly signaling his desire to take charge.
Pauli had screwed up earlier.
He had become the dungeon master and attacked his own master, Leyzon.
An unforgivable blunder for any undead.
Especially since Leyzon had personally saved him.
Now, he was eager to make amends.
"But aren't you still reeling from the Undead Fusion aftermath?"
Syria had taken a break earlier and built up some strength.
But Pauli had used Undead Fusion right before arriving on the Floating Island.
His crown's dim light was proof enough.
"Just watch."
Pauli sat cross-legged on the spot.
Then he suddenly tensed his entire body.
Leyzon watched curiously.
Before long, he realized what Pauli was up to.
"Pauli, you don't mean—"
"No idea how it happened, but I picked up a new skill."
Light converged on Pauli's body.
Leyzon knew exactly what skill it was.
Photosynthesis [Special]
Immobile recovery: Restores body and mana simultaneously.
A new skill gained upon evolution.
Photosynthesis.
Soon enough, light flickered back to life in Pauli's crown.
"Hm, this'll do for some detection."
Pauli finally perked up, energy restored.
Definitely a handy skill.
More than enough for scouting.
‘Gotta give him a shot at redemption.’
Leyzon was lord to all undead.
Part of his duty was understanding their hearts.
"Pauli, she's all yours. Go wild."
Leyzon handed him the reins without hesitation.
"Much obliged."
Pauli slammed a hand to the ground.
Boom—
A tremor rippled out from his palm, echoing across the island.
It spread through the entire Floating Island in an instant.
"Eek!"
Hanok flinched instinctively at the surge of raw power nearby.
The force coursing through the island was that immense.
‘Fortress Reconstruction.’
In that split second, Pauli unleashed Fortress Reconstruction across the whole Floating Island.
The island began to shift and morph.
‘I get it now.’
Pauli had prior experience as a dungeon master.
The Floating Island was a dungeon too.
He had instinctively mastered dungeon control.
‘This is gonna be huge.’
It would prove a massive asset moving forward.
Dungeons held endless mysteries yet to be uncovered.
Pauli just might unlock their deepest secrets.
‘What'd you expect from my undead?’
Leyzon's lips curved into a grin.
Rock solid.
Pauli's antennae twitched at high speed.
Some time passed.
Flash—
Pauli lifted his head.
Pauli had successfully claimed the Floating Island.
There was a time limit on the occupation, but in that instant, every scrap of info flooded into him.
"...Leyzon-nim, I know who the intruder is."
"The Judgment Lord?"
"No. It's a dragonkin."
Dragonkin?
One name flashed through Leyzon's mind.
"The old dragon?"
But doubts lingered.
‘Even an old dragon...’
The timing was way too quick.
By the time the young dragon had raced back with intel, Leyzon was already gunning east at full speed.
‘Old dragons move slow.’
Age brought caution.
‘No way that geezer's already at the eastern edge.’
Impossible.
"Old, sure. But not that old."
As expected, Pauli shot down the old dragon theory.
And if it was old but not ancient, that ruled out the young ones too.
Leyzon's thoughts brushed the evil dragon.
But he dismissed it fast.
The beast impaled in the castle walls wasn't climbing any islands.
‘Process of elimination leaves...’
No friggin' way.
Leyzon looked up with a chill.
"...Hanok, hide in Syria's shadow."
Meeting this one wouldn't do Hanok any favors.
Hanok dove into Syria's shadow at Leyzon's command.
"All three of you—battle ready, just in case."
Leyzon wrapped the [Black Mask] around himself.
No harm in playing it safe against a foe like this.
"Pauli, guide us."
"On it."
Ant wings sprouted from Pauli's back.
He shot into the air.
"Bone Broom."
Leyzon hopped on his Bone Broom, tailing Pauli tight.
As Pauli pressed forward, the vegetation parted like obedient servants.
Pauli had claimed the island.
They recognized him as master and cleared the path.
Leyzon made swift progress thanks to it.
"Over there."
Moments later, even Leyzon began sensing the presence as they closed in.
This close now.
The other side noticed too.
Red thread-like lines flickered into view all around.
‘Knew it.’
That bastard.
"Syria."
A red shadow erupted at Leyzon's call.
It swatted away the crimson threads lashing toward Pauli and Leyzon.
Kwaaaaang!
A massive blast choked the air with smoke.
In that instant, a red gleam winked through the haze.
Straw and darkness surged from Leyzon's surroundings, snaring the light.
The foe yanked back hard, retreating before the trap closed.
Whoosh!
A gust scattered the smoke in one go.
And there—
Lush crimson locks filled Leyzon's sight.
Perched atop them: two striking horns.
Dragonkin horns lengthened with age.
Hers were impressively long—a mark of full maturity.
"Bloodless Sovereign."
Leyzon named her on sight.
She was the other figure drawn to the Floating Island.
Leyzon's eyes narrowed—he'd zeroed in on her through elimination.
‘Why her of all people?’
A total curveball.
The Bloodless Sovereign never left her black market lair.
Back when he'd bought Hanok there.
Leyzon had crossed paths with her once.
‘She hasn't been tailing me this whole time...’
Their reasons for heading east must've overlapped somehow.
Meanwhile, a flicker of caution showed in the Bloodless Sovereign's demeanor.
That brief skirmish had let her gauge Leyzon's strength.
She knew he was no easy mark.
Which meant no pointless brawls.
She raised both hands freely.
A clear sign: no fight.
"Gave me a start. Suppressed my presence that hard, and you still tracked me down."
She'd buried her aura deep, just as she said.
Without Pauli's fortress takeover, pinpointing her would've been tough.
"Ahem."
Pauli puffed up a little, proud.
Gotta praise the guy later.
Meantime, the Bloodless Sovereign eyed them with a subtle glint.
"You're him, right? The Abyss."
Leyzon's gaze shifted behind the Black Mask.
"Ah, on your guard, huh."
The Bloodless Sovereign flashed a relaxed smile.
"Easy. No plans to tangle with the infamous underworld king Abyss."
She lorded over most underworld intel.
Her network was vast.
Her knowing about Abyss? Not surprising.
But showing up here, now? That was the issue.
"You planted eyes on the young dragon."
The conversation revealed her intel source.
The Bloodless Sovereign smirked knowingly.
"Quick on the uptake."
Sure enough—she'd bugged the young dragon.
‘Anything else wouldn't explain...’
Her presence at this exact moment.
Even the old dragon, tipped off by the kid, hadn't arrived yet.
She'd beaten him here.
Only made sense with eyes on the young one.
"What, you here to block the evil dragon too? Like the old fart? Kinship among dragonkin?"
Leyzon jabbed.
His barbs didn't faze the Bloodless Sovereign one bit.
She just casually swept back her flowing hair.
"Sorry to disappoint—no family ties here. Hate 'em if anything."
Old news.
"More like the opposite."
A cryptic smile played on her lips.
"Abyss, you're out to kill the old geezer, aren't you?"
The old dragon backed the royals.
He'd thrown down with Estelle on their behalf.
Leyzon planned to sic him on the evil dragon this time.
"And?"
Shadows and darkness churned around Leyzon.
Power so thick even she couldn't look away.
A quiet warning leaked from him.
If she meant to shield the old dragon—
Leyzon would happily throw down.
"Perfect. That's exactly what I came to ask."
The enigmatic woman blabbed on freely.
A wicked grin spread across the Bloodless Sovereign's face.
"Old geezer and evil dragon."
Then she dropped a total head-scratcher.
"Team up with me. Let's kill those two."
The Bloodless Sovereign had just proposed dragonkin genocide.