Chapter 216
Chapter 216
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 216
Chapter Title: Dragon Heart Hunt 2 (1)
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Dragon Heart.
Or the Dragon Heart, as it was called in legends.
It was no different from an imaginary artifact whose very existence had never been confirmed.
In the distant past known as antiquity.
An era of which scarcely any records remained.
Even back then, when dragons were said to have existed, the Dragon Heart was an item no one could easily lay eyes on.
Why wouldn’t it be?
It was the source of power for dragons, the strongest beings on earth.
That legend, which everyone thought existed only in fairy tales and novels, was real—and it existed right there in the Black Dragon Vault.
And that Dragon Heart had fallen into the hands of a mere knight from the Cradle.
Gordon’s eyes sparkled with interest.
‘He actually managed to pick that one out…’
The Dragon Heart had existed for an immeasurable span of time.
Its original immense power had all but vanished, leaving behind only a size as small as a pinky fingernail.
Moreover, it didn’t radiate overwhelming energy like the Dragon Hearts in stories.
At a glance, it was just a red pearl.
In the Black Dragon Vault, superior items were scattered everywhere like pebbles underfoot.
Yet in that very Black Dragon Vault,
he had set aside everything else and chosen the Dragon Heart.
That alone was truly astonishing.
‘Did he know what he took?’
Did the kid even realize what he’d carried out was a Dragon Heart?
The last one remaining in the world, perhaps?
‘Even if he knew, it’d be impressive—but if he didn’t, that’d be even more incredible.’
To take something of such top-tier value from within the Black Dragon Vault.
As Gordon stared at the empty display shelf,
thud.
The Sword Lord turned on his heel.
Thud, thud.
He showed no hint of regret, even after handing over a Dragon Heart.
With hands clasped behind his back, he lightly pivoted and descended the stairs at a leisurely pace.
From the third floor to the second.
Then down to the first floor.
The Sword Lord glanced around before pausing at one spot.
“……”
What the Sword Lord silently gazed at was Yohan Redner’s leg, floating in midair.
Gordon, standing beside him and looking at it too, quietly asked,
“Did you know Yohan Redner has been coming and going from the Cradle?”
“Leave him be.”
Gordon’s expression said it figured as much.
The presence of Yohan he’d sensed last time.
Given the man’s personality, that brazen intrusion into the Cradle like it was his own home couldn’t have been a first.
‘He’s probably the only one in the world who could pull that off so boldly…’
Of course, it was only possible because the Sword Lord permitted it.
Thus, Gordon couldn’t dare voice any objection and simply bowed his head lightly.
“…Understood.”
Instead, Gordon asked something else.
“When do you think he’ll come to reclaim it?”
What “it” was that he’d come to reclaim.
Gordon’s gaze toward the “leg” explained everything.
To that question, the Sword Lord gave a curt reply.
“Soon.”
With a voice utterly devoid of highs or lows, the Sword Lord clasped his hands behind his back and resumed walking.
But he didn’t get far before halting again.
Surprise flickered across the Sword Lord’s face.
Gordon shot him a puzzled look as he followed the Sword Lord’s gaze.
‘What’s that…?’
Gordon managed every item in the Black Dragon Vault.
Yet there was one thing even he knew nothing about—not even its origin.
It was the “arm” of unknown ownership that the Sword Lord now stared at.
What happened next shocked Gordon even more.
“…The mythic wraith is rejoicing.”
A voice tinged with rare agitation leaked from the Sword Lord.
In the past decade or so, Gordon had never seen the Sword Lord display such dramatic emotion. He froze in astonishment.
Finally, unable to hold back, he asked,
“What in the world… whose is that?”
He’d asked once, decades ago, but received no answer.
He hadn’t repeated the question since.
The Sword Lord’s silence meant he had no intention of telling—and Gordon knew better than anyone that such resolve never wavered.
But today was different.
For the first time, the Sword Lord answered Gordon’s question.
“An old brother and foe, a mortal enemy and inevitable existence.”
Gordon’s eyes widened slightly at the joy in the Sword Lord’s voice.
* * *
Whoooosh.
A vortex of mana swirled around Yuri.
A short distance away, sprawled on the ground, Yohan watched the scene with keen interest.
‘Unique.’
The surging energy didn’t feel vicious or harmful.
It was just oddly sticky—profoundly distinctive and memorable.
‘Mana this viscous…’
Moreover, Yuri had been circulating his mana for three hours already.
Yet the torrent showed no signs of stopping.
Despite its tiny size, the amount of mana contained within was immense.
‘What the hell is that thing, really?’
Even Yohan couldn’t have guessed that the tiny red bead Yuri had picked up was the legendary Dragon Heart.
Thus, his doubts lingered.
Five hours after Yuri began circulating his mana,
whoosh.
The mana vortex gradually subsided.
A sign that it was over.
About five minutes later,
“Hoo…”
Yuri exhaled deeply and opened his eyes.
A sharp glint flashed in them.
Seeing this, Yohan sprang up and scurried over to Yuri.
“How is it?”
Yuri’s lips curved into a broad grin at the curiosity-laden question.
“Old man, this thing…”
“……?”
“Is insane.”
It was the highest praise Yuri could muster—the only words to capture his current mood.
‘No joke…’
A few months back, his mana core had nearly shattered. He’d absorbed Yohan’s mana to reconstruct it.
Ninety percent of that mana went to repairing the core.
The remaining ten percent lingered like a small bump.
The mana clump Yuri had dubbed his “nipple”—back then, it was all the mana he could use.
He’d steadily consumed elixirs to grow it, finally reaching walnut size.
Of course, purity had inevitably dropped, but quantity mattered more to Yuri, leaving him deeply satisfied.
But now…
‘Eight months of scraping together elixirs to barely hit walnut size—and this one tiny bead surpasses it in a single go?’
That little red orb rendered eight months of effort meaningless.
Yuri gauged the mana filling his core.
‘Four times? Five? No, even more?’
At least four times over.
Dazed by the staggering surge, Yuri froze—until Yohan pressed him, eyes gleaming.
“How much exactly?”
Rubbing the area of his mana core, Yuri replied to Yohan’s follow-up.
“About 60%... no, 70% full.”
“……?!”
Yohan’s shock mirrored Yuri’s own bewilderment.
‘Feels… solid.’
Since forging his new mana core, Yuri had never felt this full.
No matter how many elixirs he downed, it always felt empty.
Each time, he’d wondered when he’d ever fill it.
‘And one bead does it?’
The unprecedented fullness from his mana core made him feel stuffed without a bite of food.
Yohan whistled in admiration.
“Huh? I figured it was something special when you took it… but it filled your core that much?”
Seventy percent of Yuri’s mana core equated to nearly 15% of all the mana Yohan had amassed in his lifetime.
Considering the elixirs, spirit herbs, and spirit items Yohan had consumed over the years, it was mind-boggling.
The issue with such potent spirit items was the inevitable side effects.
With a hint of concern, Yohan asked,
“Hmm… Any other weird stuff going on?”
At the question, Yuri immediately entered a meditative state.
A moment later,
he answered with a look of realization.
“This… feels like it changed the core’s nature?”
“The core’s nature?”
Yohan nodded as if to say, ‘Of course.’
No issues would’ve been the real surprise.
But Yuri’s explanation was unexpected.
“Before, it felt solid. Now it’s chewier? Super elastic, but mana flow’s fine… Oh!”
“What? What’s wrong?”
“Ooh! Mana’s gathering better! It’s sticking perfectly to the core—what is this?!”
“…You brute. That means improved mana cohesion.”
“That’s exactly what I was saying!”
“Damn fool.”
“For real, though?”
“Whatever. Anything else weird?”
“Hmm… Nah? Feels refreshingly good. Oh, senses feel a bit expanded.”
“Hmm…”
Yohan’s eyes narrowed at the description.
‘Boosts capacity this much and improves cohesion too…’
If true, that blood-red pearl-like item was a treasure of the ages.
A spirit item packed with benefits, no drawbacks—the dream of every mana body cultivator.
‘And I wasted five hours worrying over it?’
Pure time sink.
No wonder Yohan’s gruff voice slipped out.
“…Lucky little shit.”
* * *
Suddenly pissed off, Yohan grumbled and holed up in the training hall to practice Demon Style Restraint.
Meanwhile, Yuri took time to adapt to his suddenly exploded mana reserves.
Normally, a few elixirs wouldn’t warrant adaptation time—but this was different.
The sheer increase had skewed his senses, demanding adjustment.
Thankfully, it didn’t take long.
Two hours later,
Yuri gazed at the golden holy sword now sheathed in his blade and smiled contentedly.
‘Even maintaining the holy sword constantly should last an hour easily now.’
Using it only at key moments would extend combat time exponentially.
‘This is… pretty damn good.’
No—way beyond good.
This alone had closed much of the baseline mana gap between him and Kunter.
‘Polish the fundamentals a bit more… and I could face Kunter again without even using Demon Style?’
One spirit item had transformed yesterday’s Yuri into today’s entirely different being.
Greed was inevitable.
‘Any way to sneak back into the Black Dragon Vault?’
Grabbing another spirit item or elixir would be ideal.
But as that greedy expression crossed his face, it suddenly stiffened.
Thinking of the Black Dragon Vault brought back the severed arm twitching in the air.
Yuri looked down at his palm.
‘Something definitely seeped from that cut arm into my body.’
The problem? Meditation revealed no anomalies.
‘What the hell was it?’
Had it all been an illusion?
Yuri shook his head.
‘No… it happened for real.’
He’d felt it clearly. Seen it clearly.
The liquid’s texture and feel on his palm.
The solid golden metal form just before absorption.
‘That was no illusion…’
The moment certainty hit—
gurgle, gurgle.
Golden liquid surged from Yuri’s palm.
It quickly hardened into unyieldingly solid golden metal.
“…Fuck?”
Staring at the golden metal in his palm, Yuri muttered a curse—then bellowed at the top of his lungs.
“Ol, olololld maaaaaan!”
Old man, get over here!
Something’s happening to my body!