Space Domination

Space Domination.

A spell that let its caster seize absolute dominion over every inch of space inside a chosen range.

Yujun compressed that space, then compressed it again. The Earth Dragon's body warped. Space Domination was already a magic of terrible force, and he had drunk an elixir on top of it that tripled the potency of his spells. Not even a dragon could come through something like that intact.

Crack. Crack. Bone shattered, and slabs of flesh tore free. The Earth Dragon's body wrenched itself into grotesque, impossible angles.

And then, in a single instant—

Crunch!

"...A Mythic Item Box?"

Was slaying an Earth Dragon really that great an achievement? He had never obtained a Mythic Item Box before, and the fact left him faintly dazed.

I knew random boxes existed. But Mythic grade?

Yujun checked the Legendary title first.

Just as I thought.

He had earned this title before, so he already knew what it did. Every stat increased by ten percent. No one needed an explanation to see how good a title like that was.

That was when Davern approached, mouth hanging open as if shock had forgotten to close it.

"You truly finished it. I can scarcely believe it."

"I told you. It would only take a little time."

"For all that, it didn't seem to take very long at all. Truly remarkable. I have never seen a player as strong as you."

The praise was embarrassing enough that Yujun steered the talk elsewhere.

"No one was hurt, I hope?"

"There would have to be an opening to get hurt. Everyone is perfectly fine. Their levels seem to have climbed a great deal as well, and they unlocked achievements besides. For us, it was a windfall. Rewards, and we didn't lift a finger. You have my thanks."

"The quest is done, so let's head back to the village."

"I don't think I'll be satisfied until I've given that village chief a thorough beating."

"Don't. They'll haul you off."

"The envoys... I'm aware."

"Shall we go, then?"

"Let us."

Just then Paranet came up and whispered something into Yujun's ear. Yujun's face went hard.

"I'll stay here a moment and follow after. Go on ahead."

"What is the matter...?"

"There's something I need to do with those dragon bones. You don't mind if I use them?"

Davern shot a glance at Paranet, then nodded.

"Of course. You might as well have slain it alone."

"Glad to hear it. I'll see you later."

"Very well."

Yujun remained in the Earth Dragon's domain with Paranet. Only after he was certain the others had gone did he speak.

"There's a young one?"

"To be precise, an egg."

"Where did you see it?"

"Beneath the earth."

"Huh? How did you see something that was underground?"

"I heard it. A sound one might call an egg cracking, if you will."

"And how exactly did you hear that?"

"That, I cannot say. But consider the matter with a little common sense, if you would. Why else would the Earth Dragon have stood guard over this place alone? To protect its offspring, of course. Indeed, whenever we put distance between us, it never once gave chase."

"You telling me to use common sense is somehow infuriating. Still, you've got a point."

Yujun opened his senses to their keenest edge and raised a barrier around the area with Ancient Magic. A considerable store of mana drained away.

"Lead the way."

"At once!"

The patch of ground where the Earth Dragon had always lain. The egg was buried beneath it.

"This is pricking my conscience a little..."

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Killing the dragon, then taking the egg it left behind."

"Hahaha! And since when, Master, have you troubled yourself over such things?"

"What...?"

"M-my deepest apologies."

Paranet dug into the earth and held the egg out to him.

"This counts as an item too?"

And it had been judged Mythic. That was no small thing.

"Looks like it'll be a long while before this hatches, though."

"Indeed. Not a single scratch upon the shell."

"Didn't you say you heard it cracking?"

"...I must have misheard."

"Maybe there isn't only one."

He searched the surroundings on that thought, but it came to nothing.

"Did I do well?"

"What?"

"I found the egg, did I not?"

"Ah. Right. Well done. Finding that egg was a tremendous help."

He tossed the praise out without much thought. He could hardly walk away with only the egg, so he gathered the Earth Dragon's bones as well. Like those of magical beasts and transcendent species, the Earth Dragon's bones were treated as items, which meant he could tuck them into his inventory and carry them without the slightest trouble.

When they returned to the village, a festival was in full swing.

"Oh? People are happier than I expected."

Yujun went over to Davern.

"The villagers have reason enough. They have reclaimed the land they need to grow their crops."

"Truth is, the village chief ought to be glad about that too."

"He was blinded by the need for quick coin. He didn't hatch any particular scheme, but one can't help finding it galling all the same."

"You're not planning on revenge, are you?"

"I have been turning it over in my own way, but nothing of note comes to mind."

The chief had certainly done wrong. He was not, however, a villain who absolutely had to be put down. He had simply used the situation to pocket a profit for himself.

Well. If I'd been on the receiving end like them, I'd be furious too.

This quest had given him far too much. Dissatisfaction couldn't have taken root if it tried.

And I can't stay here forever.

He needed to reach the 6th Layer as soon as possible. The 1st Layer, to be exact. In the end, Yujun decided to leave the village without spending so much as a day there.

Every village had a gate to the 6th Layer, but the gate did not open whenever one pleased. Entry was allowed only within twenty-four hours of completing a quest. Let those twenty-four hours pass, and a new quest had to be accepted.

Wasting time on quests that don't even pay a reward is pointless.

So he crossed into the 6th Layer at once.

Yujun's mouth stretched ear to ear.

He had known that entering the 6th Layer granted a trait. But an S-rank trait like Magic Comprehension—and at a moment barely removed from the day he had obtained Ancient Magic (EX+)? There was no enduring that without joy.

Swallowing that Ring of Luck back then really was a masterstroke.

The butterfly effect ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it had set off was enormous. The trait's effect was simple enough: it increased the power of magic, and at the same time helped him cast several spells at once. Easiest to think of it as Ancient Magic having grown sharper still.

"Master. You look happy."

"Coming to the Abyss does seem to have been the right call."

"I am of the same mind."

"You are? Why?"

"We obtained the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠dragon's bones, did we not? Heheh. You mean to strengthen me with them, yes?"

"No? What are you talking about? I'm saving these as crafting materials for later."

The shock seemed to hit him all at once. Both of Paranet's arms dropped limp at his sides.

"What? You jest, surely? You mean dismantling the dragon was not for my sake? I even found the dragon egg for you..."

Yujun let out a short laugh. Of course he meant to reinforce the fellow's bones as well. The dragon's bones were simply so vast that he had no intention of spending all of them on it.

He looked around. The 6th Layer was not particularly wide: a broad rectangular platform, and tiers of spectator seats ringing it. The air of the place was not unlike the auction hall of the Black Market. Easily more than a hundred people sat gathered in one spot, wearing thoroughly bored expressions.

Good. Hasn't started yet.

The 6th Layer's quest would begin only once a hundred and twenty-eight had assembled. A tournament. That was the heart of this layer. They would settle matters in duels, and the distinguishing points were few: one's opponent, or oneself, might die, and killing that opponent carried no responsibility whatsoever. Each victory, meanwhile, paid out a considerable sum of experience.

Paranet chose that moment to ask.

"What must one do to reach the 5th Layer?"

"Simple. Finish in the top eight."

"The quarterfinals... so four victories in a row."

"Right. You know your stuff."

"I may not look the part, but I was an alchemist. Arithmetic this simple is child's play."

"Anyway, it won't be hard."

"Because all we must do is fight?"

"If you're strong, that's all that matters."

"Then it will be very easy for you, Master."

The standard of those entering this tournament was high, of course. Players come from elsewhere, and players who lived in the Abyss itself. Reaching the 6th Layer meant they were strong enough to have earned it.

Yujun studied their faces, looking for anyone worth keeping an eye on—especially those whose equipment stood out. Superior gear rarely existed on its own. As a rule, the ones wearing good equipment were the ones whose strength could back it up, which made inspecting an opponent's items the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠surest way to measure their power. For Yujun, who had item lore memorized down to the last line, it was no difficult work.

That was when someone came toward him. Horns rose from the man's head. A demon, by the look of him.

"A human? A human came here?"

"Yeah."

"How?"

"How else? I walked."

He had cast spatial movement a few times along the way, but that was beside the point. Yujun looked him over.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because I can't believe a feeble human made it this far."

"Have you only ever been in the Demon Realm?"

"I have."

"Right. That explains it."

Yujun took his eyes off him. The demon's brow knotted.

"Human. Are you ignoring me?"

"Yeah."

"You've got some nerve."

"What, because I'm a human and I ignored you, a demon?"

"You understand well enough. Then you must also know what you ought to be doing right now."

"Yeah."

"Kneel this instant—"

Yujun made as if to bow his head, then drove his fist straight forward.

Wham!

"Guh!"

The demon took the blow and went flying. He didn't stop until he had crossed the arena and crashed into the spectator seats.

"Why pick a fight."

There were demons like this now and then. Shut away in the Demon Realm, they held humans in utter contempt and thought far too much of themselves, and the tendency ran strongest in those born to prestigious houses. The game had contained demons of exactly this sort, and he had found them curious at the time. So it really had been a faithful reflection of reality.

"Master. Leave the cleanup to me."

"Forget it. If he's strong, I'll run into him later anyway."

And if he wasn't, there was no reason to spare him a thought. The demon had come to his senses; Yujun could see him stalking back with rage written across his face. Yujun raised a barrier with magic, narrow in scope but solid.

Is this because of Magic Comprehension?

His mana efficiency when casting seemed to have improved.

An ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠S-rank earns its keep.

The demon who had picked the fight pounded on the barrier, but it was hopeless. Use an offensive skill here, and he would be thrown out of the 6th Layer on the spot. He could do neither one thing nor the other, and had no choice but to choke his anger down.

Still some time before the tournament starts. Might as well take care of what I've been putting off.

He still hadn't opened the Mythic Item Box.

"Hoo..."

Face trembling, Yujun opened it. Brilliant light burst from the box, and a hologram window rose before his eyes. Yujun's gaze sharpened with light.