Chapter 181: Lewd Yokai After School (47)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 181: Lewd Yokai After School (47)
At the far end of a canyon shrouded in thick, black mist, lay the entrance to a massive cave.
I moved forward cautiously. The closer I got, the more the intense energy radiating from the cave seemed to pierce my skin.
‘The Black Dragon's Heart must be in there.’
As I reached the entrance, the demonic energy grew even stronger. The energy, writhing like a living creature, enveloped the area. Even the air felt heavy, as if it were pressing down on me.
Gripping the Flying Heaven Sword, I stepped into the cave.
The cave's interior was dark, but a faint red light flickered along the walls. The walls and ceiling were chaotically engraved with ancient symbols, and a dark red liquid flowed across the floor.
‘Is this blood?’
I cautiously touched the floor with the tip of my boot. It felt stickier than water.
‘…This isn't just some ordinary liquid.’
I took another step forward. The cave was much deeper than I had anticipated.
I walked for so long that my sense of time began to blur, yet there was still no end in sight.
‘Are there no other demonic beasts or yokai?’
There were no signs of traps, either. Without letting my guard down, I continued deeper into the cave.
Before long, a massive gate finally came into view.
A stone gate of overwhelming size, dozens of meters high. A dragon was carved upon it. This was no simple sculpture.
The form of a colossal dragon was coiled around the stone gate.
Each black scale seemed to be vividly alive and moving, and a faint red light emanated from the dragon's eyes.
The dragon’s open maw projected an intimidating pressure, as if it would devour anyone who dared to pass.
I reached out and knocked lightly on the gate.
-Thud….
A heavy response came back as I knocked.
-Rumble…!
The entire cave began to vibrate. I immediately gripped the Flying Heaven Sword and took a step back.
As the gate opened, an intense demonic energy burst out in all directions. The force of it cracked and shattered the surrounding stone walls.
-CRASH!
Finally, the gate was fully open.
Beyond the massive gate lay a pitch-black darkness. Sensing the ominous energy within, I stepped inside. The gate then closed on its own, blocking my path of retreat.
-Thud.
In an instant, the pitch-black darkness lifted, and the surroundings became brightly lit.
The space was surprisingly simple. In the middle of the empty room, a single black orb floated, wrapped in dark chains.
‘So that's... the Black Dragon's Heart.’
I slowly walked toward the orb. The closer I got, the more its powerful demonic energy pressed down on my entire body. It felt as if an invisible hand was crushing me.
I stood before the black orb.
The moment I reached out to grab it—
-Zzzzt!
I felt a powerful resistance, like a sharp electric current spreading from my fingertips.
‘So I can't just take it, huh?’
I pulled my hand back and carefully examined the orb. The black chains wrapped around it didn't seem to be made of simple metal.
‘To break the seal… do I have to sever them by force?’
As I raised my sword, the entire space trembled as if in response. I took a deep breath and slowly focused my energy.
I swung my sword and brought it down on the chains in a single strike.
-CLANG!!
The recoil was immense. The powerful impact sent me skidding back across the floor.
"Tch, this might take longer than I thought."
I gripped the Flying Heaven Sword again. I could feel that the power binding the chains was by no means trivial.
‘I knew it was too easy getting in here... They made it difficult to take, I see.’
I slowly exhaled and relaxed my grip on the sword.
"Haaah… I should rest for a bit."
I had been on a forced march for days, advancing day and night while fighting demonic beasts. My body felt as heavy as lead.
I spread my energy, extending my senses. I checked to see if anything was approaching, but all was quiet.
‘I don't sense any dangerous presence…’
I slowly sat down near the sealed Black Dragon's Heart and leaned my back against the wall.
Strength for battle is important, but what matters most is maintaining peak condition.
‘I need to rest, even if it's just for a moment.’
I closed my eyes.
*
I swung the Flying Heaven Sword with all my might.
-CLANG!
A sharp metallic sound echoed deep into the canyon.
I had lost count of how many times I’d struck. This time, too, the chains didn't break completely. But—
A crack.
Ever so faintly, a crack had appeared on the surface of the chain.
‘This would have been easier if I knew the exact way to break the seal…’
Not knowing the proper method, I had no choice but to continue the tedious grind.
I raised my sword again.
-CRASH!!
The Flying Heaven Sword came down with force.
A large crack formed on the chain, and black lightning shot out from the darkness.
-Zzzzzzt!
The space vibrated violently as if it were being twisted by the erupting black demonic energy. After dozens of attempts, the seal was finally about to break.
‘Finally…’
I sheathed the Flying Heaven Sword and took a deep breath. The black orb, freed from the fallen chains, floated up, glowing. I reached for it as it swirled with intense demonic energy.
As I grasped the orb, a cold sensation pierced my palm. I could instinctively feel the immense power condensed within this small object called the Black Dragon's Heart.
"What a pain in the ass."
I let out a small laugh and opened my mouth. After all the trouble I'd gone through fighting countless demonic beasts to get here, there was no need for any more hesitation.
I brought the black orb to my lips.
-Gulp-
The moment the black orb went down my throat—
-RUMBLE!!
An explosive demonic energy erupted, and my entire body convulsed.
A ferocious power, like a typhoon raging inside me. An intense pain washed over me as my dantian boiled and twisted.
"Kuh…!"
I instinctively circulated my internal arts, but this was on a level that couldn't be simply controlled.
The black demonic energy spread like wildfire, wrapping around my entire body through my blood vessels.
A searing heat, as if my skin were burning away. It didn't feel like my heart was beating, but more like flames were erupting and consuming my entire body.
‘This... isn't going to be easy.’
But I'm not the type to get scared in a situation like this.
I gritted my teeth and pulled the corners of my mouth into a smirk.
-RUUUMBLE!!!
The entire cave shook. Just as I tried to suppress the rampaging demonic energy—
-CRACK!!
A shockwave spread through me, as if something had completely burst inside my body. And then, the Black Dragon's energy consumed me.
Black scales sprouted from beneath my skin, and an intense pain washed over me as my bones and muscles were restructured.
‘Dammit…!’
I drew upon my internal energy to suppress the rampaging demonic power, but the Black Dragon's energy would not be tamed so easily. Instead, it burrowed deeper, trying to swallow me completely.
-Grrrrrowl…!
Black lightning sparked within my body.
And in that moment, memories flooded in.
A thousand years of time.
A colossal dragon soaring through the sky.
The chaos and destruction that consumed battlefields. And the final moment when it all ended.
The memory of being left with only a heart, bound by a powerful seal.
‘Is this... the Black Dragon's memory?’
I held onto my consciousness.
The memories raged like a storm, threatening to swallow me whole, but I refused to be swept away.
-Rumble!
Something resonated deep within my body.
The rampaging demonic energy gradually subsided, and the foreign power slowly began to become my own.
‘Now… it's almost done.’
An incredible power radiated from my entire body.
-SWOOOOSH!!
The rock walls cracked, and the floor caved in. The Black Dragon's energy enveloped my body, raging like a storm.
‘Is this… the power of the Black Dragon?’
I slowly opened my eyes and looked down at my hands.
Black scales flickered in and out of existence across the back of my hands.
My vision widened, and my senses grew sharper. The powerful beat of my heart.
I felt as if I had been reborn as a new being.
I took a quiet breath.
And then I swung my hand lightly.
-BOOM…!!
In an instant, a tremendous shockwave spread out, as if it would tear the very space apart.
Before my eyes, one of the cave walls had completely evaporated. Beyond the vanished wall, the deep night sky unfolded.
A large moon shone down on me, its cold light pouring down brilliantly.
‘…I'll need to learn how to control this power first.’
This power was newly mine. It would take time to get used to it.
I cautiously approached the collapsed wall. A cool breeze blew in.
And in that moment, I felt a strange sensation.
‘Huh…?’
I slowly looked down.
"…What the. Where did all my clothes go?"
I thought it felt a little too breezy, and it turned out I wasn't wearing anything.
Not only that, but the black scales that had covered my skin were slowly disappearing.
I raised a hand to inspect my body.
As the scales receded, my skin was revealed. It looked a shade paler than usual. As if I had been submerged in darkness for a long time.
I raised my hand and spread my fingers.
-Swoosh.
A black energy rose from my fingertips before quickly vanishing.
‘As I thought… I've changed.’
But this was to be expected. Having absorbed a dragon's heart, it was impossible for my body not to change.
The beat of my heart was different, too.
It was deep and powerful. A much more intense energy than usual spread throughout my body.
I slowly took a breath.
That's when I felt something on my head.
I frowned and raised a hand to touch my head.
And in that moment, I froze at the sensation on my fingertips.
"…What is this?"
An unfamiliar texture. A hard yet smooth curve.
Long, sleek, and solid horns.
They felt so natural that I hadn't noticed them at all until I touched them.
I narrowed my eyes.
"Hmm, can I... get rid of these?"
The moment I thought that—
-Swoosh.
The horns on my head vanished smoothly. As if they had never been there in the first place.
I stared blankly for a moment, then raised my hand to my head again.
Gone.
I let out a small laugh and muttered to myself.
"Looks like I can control it with my will."
I could change my form with just a thought.
I brought my hand to my head again.
This time, I pictured the horns.
-Swoosh.
Instantly, I felt the solid sensation on my head once more.
And then the horns vanished again.
I checked for any other changes. I couldn't see any.
I let out a long sigh.
"…But I have no clothes."
I stared blankly into the air for a moment, then looked over my body again.
My clothes had likely disintegrated during the process of absorbing the heart.
I bit my lip slightly and muttered to myself.
"Well... looks like I'll have to go around naked for a while, huh?"
Getting stronger was great, but now I was stuck walking around naked.
I clicked my tongue briefly and looked out of the cave.
Now that I had the Black Dragon's power, it was time to return to Baekyo Village.
I took a step toward the dark forest that stretched out beyond the ruined cave wall.