Dragon Blood (2)

Kugrrrrr!

Mana rampaging wildly inside my body.

It felt like my body might explode at any moment.

'Ugh.'

I swallowed a silent scream.

I barely managed to sit cross-legged.

Immediately, I circulated the to calm the erratic mana.

Hwooooo!

An unprecedented aura poured out from my entire body.

Only after circulating the several more times could I somewhat stabilize the mana.

"Master! Are you okay?"

As I opened my closed eyes,

I saw Azkai fidgeting anxiously, looking like he desperately needed to use the bathroom.

"Mm... not really okay."

I'd usually say I was fine even if it was a white lie.

But my condition right now was truly awful.

Sweat dripped down my forehead.

My back was soaked.

Cold sweat beaded all over my body.

"I'll take you inside the lair for now."

Azkai immediately carried me into the Dragon's Lair.

"Master!"

"Are you okay?"

『Seojun!! Does it hurt??』

"Chu chu!"

"Popo-!"

"Awoo woo woo!"

@Groooaaar-

As I entered dripping cold sweat,

all the guardians in the lair rushed over to me in a swarm.

『Keron. Master, your temperature exceeds normal levels.』

Archeron especially, despite being mid-repair and core replacement himself—far from normal—hovered by my side, fretting over my condition.

"Hoo. Yeah. My body's in rough shape right now. I'll lie down and rest a bit."

I staggered and collapsed onto the soft brown fur.

'Why is my body acting up like this?'

Then I slowly pieced it together.

Why my body was like this right now.

I'd just been on the verge of hitting level 80.

Then suddenly, my Dragon Blood started surging.

Mana began flowing unstably.

So, this situation was because of the Dragon Blood, and the reason it was acting up was that I was approaching level 80.

'Is this how you hit the devilish wall at level 80?'

The level 80 wall, which only the chosen could surpass.

It seemed that trial had come for me.

『Seojun! You okay?』

Dania approached my side.

The other guardians trailed behind her, peering down at me with worried faces.

『I know what's happening!!』

At that moment, Dania said something that made my ears perk up.

『Seojun's body is trying to form a Dragon Heart right now!』

"...!"

Dragon Heart?

I recalled my trait skill, Dragon Blood Awakening.

The line about awakening the Dragon Heart upon reaching a certain mana amount.

It seemed hitting level 80 had met that threshold.

"Ha."

So that's what it was?

The corner of my mouth twitched upward ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠without me realizing.

But how do you awaken the Dragon Heart?

『Dania will help! Just believe in Dania.』

It looked like awakening the Dragon Heart required Dania's assistance.

"Urgh. Can you do it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠now?"

『Ung. Not right now. Need to gather energy first.』

Damn!

My body kept feeling worse.

I'd have to lie here until Dania could help.

With that thought,

my consciousness sank into sleep.

***

『Seojun...』

Dania watched Seojun fall asleep, her face full of worry.

Knowledge floating in Dania's mind.

This was the Mana Fever that came during the contractor's Dragon Heart formation process.

『Just wait a bit!』

Seeing Seojun with cold sweat beading on his forehead, Dania steeled herself.

She'd help Seojun through the Dragon Heart creation.

Using the power of her first horn could shorten the time.

Of course, not right away.

『Kkyu!』

Dania flapped her wings and descended to the Mandragora field.

Spiritual herbs she usually skipped because they didn't suit her taste.

But now, she needed to gather mana fast.

@Groooaaar!

Mandrian saw Dania's actions and swiftly uprooted one Mandragora root, handing it to her.

『Thanks, Mandrian!』

Munch!

The moment Dania bit into the Mandragora, her brow furrowed slightly.

Still, she had to eat it.

To grow stronger and help Seojun.

Dania's level began rising steadily.

Her head itched, her scales tingled.

Felt like her third horn might sprout, or her first molt was approaching.

Either way, a bit more energy gathering, and she could help Seojun.

She even gave up her favorite Han-bing-gwa, stuffing Mandragora after Mandragora.

『Ah!』

Suddenly, she let out an exclamation.

Something else she needed to fetch popped into her head.

『Chu chu, Azkai!』

"Chu!!"

"You called, O great one?"

Chuchu and Azkai rushed over at Dania's words.

Dania continued, looking at them.

『Need Heavenly Whale Scales!』

Heavenly Whale.

One of the transcendent species called Sky Whales.

Sometimes, Heavenly Whales communed with cosmic energies while soaring the skies.

They absorbed that energy to grow.

In that process, mystical scale-like substances shed from their bodies were called Heavenly Whale Scales.

It was a blessing-like material for any being on the cusp of growth and evolution.

"Chu!!"

Chuchu's eyes sparkled at the mention of Heavenly Whale Scales.

Azkai's eyes lit up too at Chuchu's reaction.

'Guess he knows where they are?'

Chuchu, this guy.

Nothing he didn't know.

Azkai could see why Master doted on this little furball so much.

***

"My god!"

The first buyers of the mithril posted by Madoje.

They were the Galaxy Wolf Clan, one of Korea's eight great clans.

After researching the conductivity of the mithril Madoje sold, they couldn't help but scream at the results.

"Does this make sense?"

"Mana conductivity... 100%?"

Mana conductivity of 100%.

A value theoretically impossible.

Madoje's mithril became the first to shatter that impossibility.

"We suspected supreme-grade from the first test, but this is just..."

Galaxy Wolf Clan Master Eun So-wol decided not to announce it yet and secure the two additional mithril ingots Madoje listed at auction.

But whether the info leaked or not, bidders refused to back down.

28,198,200 Coins

29,827,500 Coins

31,973,520 Coins

33,188,190 Coins

......

The price soared past the previous 27 million coin winning bid.

The frenzied bidding drew public attention once more.

Rumors of 100% mana conductivity spread on the Superhuman Net, drawing massive attention.

Everyone agreed the skyrocketing mithril prices were insane.

And the final winning bid.

41,088,000 Coins.

The two ingots totaled 82 million coins.

Everyone wondered who bought it.

Speculation pointed to Galaxy Wolf Clan buying again.

But they confirmed participating but dropping out due to budget limits.

So who the hell got it?

The mystery was solved soon.

Thunder Shadow Clan from Korea.

One of the richest clans.

Their clan master had bought it.

He was the type who always showed up where attention gathered, hogging the spotlight.

In vulgar terms, a total attention whore.

Crowds swarmed ThunderShadowSword's post.

Asking if he'd really spent that much just for a post.

But.

Their reactions flipped in an instant.

The post exploded across the Superhuman Net, sparking massive waves.

***

Southeast between the eastern rainbow forest and southern golden plains.

A relatively remote area.

Two figures appeared heading that way.

"Chu!!"

Shweeeee!

Chuchu racing at lightning speed.

Azkai hot on his tail.

"Chu!"

Chuchu's cry, like cheering him on to go faster.

Azkai chuckled inwardly.

'Why's he so damn fast?'

Chuchu was way below his level.

Yet his speed wasn't lagging behind at all.

'No wonder most couldn't catch him... Hm?'

Mid-evaluation of Chuchu, Azkai suddenly turned his head.

Tadadadadadadad!

Beings charging across the ground at tremendous speed.

About 50 massive insects with turquoise exoskeletons.

"Grrr..."

A natural growl escaped as he identified them.

"Kirit?!"

The insects heading for the rainbow forest halted abruptly upon hearing Azkai's roar, their speed dropping to a stop.

"Kraaaaa!"

Azkai leaped forward, landing in front of the insect swarm.

"Y-You are..."

The insect-man leader with turquoise exoskeleton.

This massive insect commander had power similar to the division commanders he'd met before.

"Grrr. Up close, I see. You lot are scout bugs, huh?"

"Y-Yes."

The scout commander, sensing Azkai's might, kept a low posture throughout.

While rolling his eyes, plotting an escape.

"I can hear your eyeballs rolling from here. One question: what's your goal, swarming like this?"

"That's..."

As the scout commander hesitated, Chuchu reached out and shouted firmly.

"Chu! Chu chu chu!"

No need to ask more—just wipe 'em out.

Azkai agreed.

Judging they wouldn't talk easily.

"Consider catching my eye your misfortune."

Snap-

Azkai flicked his finger.

Roooaaar!

"Kuh...!"

"Kiriririririt!"

Huge flames erupted from beneath their feet.

The 50+ giant insects melted on the spot without proper resistance.

Overwhelming power.

Azkai was Azkai, after all.

"Chu!!"

As the flames faded, two ▲ fragments gleamed amid the ashes.

Chuchu dashed over and snatched them up.

And then.

Hwooooo!

An unprecedented aura rose from Azkai's body as his level increased by one.

"Hm?"

Azkai noticed his power growing, his face showing surprise.

He was currently under power restrictions.

Growth should have been impossible.

How suddenly?

'Must be that ★ gem Master gave me.'

It felt like the right answer somehow.

'Nice.'

He grinned.

He'd been feeling the need for more power, so this slight growth brought a natural smile.

"But..."

Glance.

Azkai turned to gaze at the distant eastern forest, faintly visible.

'Faint but intense insect stench reaching here.'

An uneasy feeling crept in.

A warning bell rang in his head: regain power fast.

Lava Emperor Stone.

If he reclaimed it, he'd break the restrictions immediately.

No unease then.

"Tch."

Problem was, no clue where to find the Lava Emperor Stone.

"Let's go."

First, their purpose here.

Azkai followed Chuchu again at high speed.

And the place they reached.

"Oh..."

Azkai let out an exclamation.

A massive aurora unfurling in the sky.

The supreme presence emanating from it.

'That's the spot.'

Heavenly Whale.

Traces of that existence.