Chapter 138
Chapter 138
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 138
Chapter Title: The True Worth of Growth
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Three effects remained from the alchemical ritual.
Both were extraordinary powers.
In comparison, the [Growth] effect seemed rather ordinary at first glance.
It didn't alter, create, or transcend anything.
Yet the [Growth] effect concealed another power entirely.
Time itself.
And for something that took a full century just to hatch.
For a primordial spirit that might require centuries more to reach adulthood, its value in this moment surpassed any other effect.
[Krooooaaargh―――!!!]
Every time Kelduan thrust its head through the inscribed ritual circle on the wall, the Dragon's Repository shook violently.
Kwajik―――!!!
One of the dragonlings encircling Luen to protect Juter lunged to block Kelduan.
Ugrit...! Ugrit...!!
But Kelduan simply gaped its massive maw and swallowed the dragonling whole.
[Gulp―.]
Was it because of the rapid growth?
Kelduan licked its chops hungrily as it eyed the remaining dragonlings.
"Eat your fill."
[Kuoaaaaah――――!!!!!]
At Woojin's permission, it reared back its head and let out a triumphant roar.
Kugugugu...!!!
The repository trembled once more.
"You mad bastard...!!! The Azure Ghost's egg?! This is impossible!! It can't be!!"
Juter screamed in disbelief at the unfolding scene.
"Getting called crazy by the craziest bastard in the world... Is that a compliment?"
Woojin smirked, clearly pleased by the reaction.
[Kyaaak...! Kyaak...!!]
[Karruk...!!]
The remaining dragonlings abandoned Luen and frantically swarmed around Juter.
The creatures that had seemed so menacing moments ago looked utterly pathetic before Kelduan.
Kwaaaang―――!!!
Kelduan's head crashed down onto the dragonlings.
[Kyaaaak...!! Kyak!!! Kek!! Ka... Krug... Druru...!]
The dragonlings thrusting their spears let out bizarre cries as they were sucked wholesale into Kelduan's mouth.
"You...! I'll kill you...!"
The one who'd been spouting nonsense about friendship just moments ago was finally revealing its true colors now that things had turned against it.
Kwaang―――!!!
But before it could act, another arrow slammed into Juter's head.
This time, it didn't just embed—it pierced straight through.
Kwaduduk...!!
Luen, freed from the dragonlings' encirclement, drew her bowstring once more.
"...Kik!!"
Juter staggered with a grotesque noise.
Shuuk―!! Shushuk――!!
Luen's [Rapid Fire] followed in relentless succession.
Every arrow in her quiver punched through Juter's body and thudded into the floor.
"Th...is... bast... ard...!"
With its jaw shattered by arrows, dangling uselessly and slurring its speech, Juter glared at Luen while shoving a hand into its pocket.
Peong――!!
In that instant, an explosion erupted from its body.
"Hands off, you freak."
Juter whipped around, grimacing at the sight of its charred black hand.
It was Irurin.
She wiped the blood trickling down her forehead and raised her staff.
Hwaruruk...!!
Flames erupted around her once more.
"Y... You...!!! Filthy pests...!!! I should have wiped you all out from the start!!!"
Juter's face twisted into a nightmarish contortion.
But regrets wouldn't change a thing.
It was too late.
Kwaduduk...!!
Its dragonlings had already been devoured entirely by Kelduan.
'Can't let it take any drugs.'
As if reading Woojin's glance, Irurin nodded.
Whaaaak...!!!
At the same moment, the fireballs she conjured hurtled toward it.
Tadadak―!!!
That was the signal. Woojin charged at Juter as well.
Woojin closed the distance in a single bound.
[Dash].
Setsuna's [Mist Step] layered on top simultaneously.
Shyik――!!
Woojin appeared before Juter in an instant.
He swung his sword down in a diagonal slash.
Kang―――!!
But at that moment, the creature's massively enlarged arm blocked Woojin's blade.
The full-force strike failed to pierce its hardened skin.
"...Die!!!!"
Juter swung its fist at Woojin.
"Khan!!!"
That was when it happened.
Woojin whipped his head around at Goun's voice.
Something hurtling straight toward him.
Kwak―!!
The moment he reached out, the Dragon Knight's Sword slapped perfectly into his palm.
The faint vibration from the hilt.
He could feel Cheongrin's energy emanating without even looking.
It would hold.
Seogeok―.
Not even a sound.
Juter's body cleaved cleanly from shoulder to waist.
Kung...!!
Its upper torso slid along the severed surface and thudded to the floor.
"Gr... Graaaak!!!"
Even halved, it didn't die—instead, it thrashed and glared at Woojin.
Hardly surprising anymore.
"Hup―."
Woojin raised his sword toward the fallen upper body.
Kung―!!
Chwaaaak―――!!!
He mercilessly hacked through its joints one by one.
"Kyaak...!! Stop...!! Sto... p...!!!"
Juter shrieked.
"Don't play dead. You don't even feel pain."
Undeterred by its flailing, Woojin kept dismembering it.
"...Isn't that enough now?"
As Woojin caught his breath after severing its limbs, Goun spoke up, unable to watch any longer.
"Enough?"
Woojin's response was ice-cold.
"You really think so?"
Puk―!!
Woojin drove his sword into the head rolling on the floor.
"Agh, you psycho. I said stop."
Its eyes snapped open, glaring at Woojin as it yelled.
"...Huh."
Goun could only shake her head wordlessly at the grotesque sight.
"Don't fall for it. It's not human. It's a monster."
Instead of replying, the mangled-jawed thing blinked dozens of eyes embedded in its face.
"So... what now?"
Goun asked Woojin with a troubled expression.
Tuk―.
On a whim, he pressed the [Pilgrim's Cross] to its forehead, but nothing happened.
It wasn't a curse, after all—just alchemy.
"Gonna shut its mouth first and think."
Woojin tore off Juter's cloak and wrapped it tightly around the head.
"Wha... wha... re... yo...!! Mmph...! Ummph...!!"
It struggled with its garbled mouth, but Woojin bound it tighter to muffle any sound.
"You're not going to kill it?"
Irurin asked Woojin.
"Can you?"
"Yes. Probably."
She explained the [Spatial Distortion] spell she'd found in the repository.
"Hmm... Erasing space itself. Yeah, that could wipe its head clean."
Kung―.
But Woojin tossed the bundled head into a corner and shook his head.
"Too risky. No telling what it might do to you."
"Still..."
"I'll handle it. It still has work to do anyway."
"Work?"
Irurin tilted her head in confusion.
She couldn't fathom what task such a horrific monster could possibly have left.
[Kueeeee...]
"Nothing major. Let's deal with this guy first."
Woojin said, stroking Kelduan's head.
It had been a true gamble.
Had the alchemical ritual failed to awaken Kelduan... what then?
'I had some ideas if it'd been Manipulation or Revival instead... but it worked out.'
Still, they'd barely cleared one mountain.
As he'd seen at the lake, adult Kelduan was massive enough to register as a location.
The ritual array was far too small by comparison.
Kelduan had barely squeezed its head out—its body remained trapped inside.
Two options.
Shrink it down, or summon it fully outside the labyrinth.
"Any spots nearby fit for Kelduan to stay?"
"Well, Crimhild's close, but... not for living creatures."
Setsuna's [Cloud Step] was probably out.
"Guess we'll have to shrink it then."
"Got it. I'll check the repository's grimoires and tools for something useful."
"I'll go too."
"Goun, check yourself over first."
"Yes. Setsuna's recovery spell fixed me up."
She answered briskly, but it wasn't a wound a basic heal could mend.
"Use this if you need it."
Woojin tossed him the last potion.
"Sorry I couldn't give it sooner."
"Don't say that."
Woojin nodded quietly at Goun's words.
"Can it eat that guy maybe?"
Woojin pointed at Juter's head, but Kelduan shook its head no.
A monster even a spirit shunned.
Such a thing existed in the game too.
'No idea its level there... Hope it's at least human enough—at best, something a beheading finishes.'
The game was eighty years ago, after all.
He could only pray it died to a clean neck chop at minimum.
"We might find a way back faster than expected."
"...Hm?"
"To send you home, we need spirit power, right?"
Woojin's eyes widened at her words.
"Right."
Pensir hadn't fully matured, so they'd sought a path through Setsuna.
She'd been born with Camilla's power.
But Setsuna wasn't a full adult either—her spirit power incomplete.
That research had been no easy task.
Now, though, the most perfect adult spirit stood before them.
"I'll start right away."
Irurin divined Woojin's intent and prioritized researching spirit power over fortifying the dungeon as a base.
"But... do you really have to go back?"
As she pulled grimoires from the repository, she denied her own words with a hasty headshake.
"No, forget it. I said something stupid."
She clutched the books and gave an awkward smile.
"Guess I'm getting soft with age."
Woojin's chest tightened.
Until recently, he'd only remembered her as a child.
Seeing her older than him had shocked him plenty, but reflecting now... how much hell had she endured since that innocent youth?
Her life was unimaginable.
"Sorry it took so long."
Woojin finally said what he should have at their first meeting.
"Pfft, it's not like you delayed on purpose."
Irurin turned to look at him.
"Promise me one thing instead?"
"What?"
"If you come back, do it before I turn into a wrinkled old hag."
"...Huh?"
"Luen's an elf—she doesn't age. But I'll be all saggy and dotted."
She buried her face in her hands and shook her head at the thought of Woojin seeing her like that.
Like a bashful child.
The girl he'd first met at nineteen.
"...I'll try."
Caught off guard, Woojin chuckled despite himself.
"Not 'try'—promise."
"Yeah."
Woojin nodded slowly.
"I promise."
Irurin beamed at his answer.
Chwaruruk...!!
Dozens of grimoires fluttered around her like wings, pages riffling as they hovered.
Wuuuuung...!!
The repository's great magics began stacking neatly in her mind.
'We can get back.'
Woojin felt certain watching her.
"Setsuna. Scout the repository. Bound to be useful artifacts galore."
-Is that okay?
"Of course."
At his permission, she zipped happily after Luen and Goun.
"Well then..."
Irurin focused on her magic; the other three were busy exploring the repository.
Just him left.
"Mmph...! Ummph...!!"
Woojin picked up Juter's head from the floor and carried it deeper inside.
Somewhere the party couldn't see.
What came next would be rather brutal.