Chapter 175
Chapter 175
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 175
Chapter Title: Root (5)
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The reason for Ragnar's existence.
They, always called the pinnacle of hegemony in the empire, actually bore the duty to protect the world?
But Theo could somewhat understand that.
After all, they were the ones who had blocked the demon beasts of the Demon Sea for over a thousand years.
‘Even if it feels more grandiose, it’s not all that different from the duty Ragnar originally shouldered.’
「Then, since you’ve conquered the White Tower, allow me to explain the rewards you’ve obtained.」
Snap!
Kertosucus lightly snapped his fingers.
Messages flooded up before Theo without pause.
[You have received usage rights to the White Tower.]
[The White Tower is being updated.]
[Updating…….]
Boom!
The White Tower suddenly trembled violently.
It felt as though something was being added atop the roof.
‘The building is changing.’
Theo’s eyes widened as he stared up at the ceiling.
Watching the White Tower expand sideways in real time was a novel sensation beyond words.
[All stages from previously conquered relics have been added to the White Tower.]
[The White Tower has been set as a new sub-space domain. A network connection to the real world has been established, allowing materials from the inner world to be summoned into reality.]
“Summon?”
Theo tilted his head, and Kertosucus nodded.
「Precisely. Through the recent update, all relics have been paired with this White Tower at its center. You’ll now be able to share functions between them, and the synergy effects will grow even stronger.」
Theo glanced down at his hands.
The ring on his finger, the earrings, and the swords slung across his back all quivered in unison.
He could intuitively sense that the relics’ functions had been vastly enhanced from before.
「But the greatest boon is that you can now summon the guardians who protected each relic.」
Theo hurriedly shifted his gaze back to the guardians.
Were they suddenly here for this reason?
No wonder.
Kraaack!
The lesser drake pounded the ground fiercely and let out a mighty roar.
Grrr! Kurk!
The griffin spread its wings wide and soared into the sky, flaunting its valor.
「Only brute-force fools here. If you need wisdom, I’ll aid you anytime.」
Mystical powder drifted down with each flap of the fairy dragon’s wings.
Drurrruk—
The invisible desert worm burrowed beneath the ground right there, shaking the floor violently.
「Hmph.」
Magara openly turned her head, displeased at having to obey Theo’s commands, yet unable to defy them.
‘If I can truly summon and command these outside…… my forces will multiply several times over at minimum.’
Beyond these, two more dragonkin aided Theo.
Umbra and Pontus. Rulers of sky and sea.
This meant he effectively controlled land, sea, and air.
「And I, as your butler, shall educate them to serve you properly while conveying the will of the All Gods Temple.」
Kertosucus bowed neatly with perfect etiquette.
「Allow me to greet you once more. I am Kertosucus, the butler managing the White Tower—your domain, my lord.」
Theo nodded and asked,
“Guess I can call you Kerto from now on, casually?”
「As you wish. You are the successor who passed the ancient dragon’s trials multiple times, so it’s only natural the dragons follow you.」
“Then, one request first.”
「Command me.」
There was no awkwardness in Theo as he issued the order.
As if it had always been his attire.
“Seems there’s an uninvited guest here who wasn’t summoned.”
「Shall I expel them?」
“Drag them before me.”
「As you command.」
When Kerto raised his head again, the lesser drake and griffin moved first.
Kreeeak!
Kaaak—
“Damn it!”
In that instant, a rift tore open in one corner of space, and a flustered Gishar burst out.
While Theo had been distracted sorting through his rewards or whatever, he’d tried for an assassination— but when exactly……!
In truth, Theo hadn’t detected Gishar’s stealth until moments ago.
He’d been too busy climbing floors, attaining Nirvana, visiting the All Gods Temple, checking rewards.
He hadn’t even considered an unqualified outsider might intrude on the relic trials.
But the moment he gained ownership of the White Tower, he sensed Gishar’s presence.
Ownership wasn’t mere ‘possession’ of the White Tower.
It was closer to ‘domination.’
The White Tower was a manifestation of Theo’s mental world.
Having fully mastered his mental realm through <Nirvana>, it was impossible for him not to notice an intruder.
Swoooosh—
Boom boom boom!
Gishar unleashed waves of sword ki to block the lesser drake and griffin’s approach.
‘No choice. It’s all or nothing now!’
[Guanyin - Thousand Daggers]
Gishar was one of the five candidates, renowned for his uniquely bizarre swordsmanship.
His steps were as light as a night cat’s, and his daggers left not even a shadow.
So fast his hands seemed a thousand.
Pew pew pew!
Dozens of daggers floated in the air.
Each tug on the threads at their hilts sent them veering in different directions, targeting the dragonkin’s weak points.
The griffin grew furious as the hard-to-detect daggers kept slipping into blind spots, accumulating wounds.
The lesser drake halted momentarily as the threads tried to bind its legs, pondering how to crush the daggers.
‘Hah! Think it’ll go your way? Know what that thread is?’
There existed heavenly silkworm thread.
Extracted solely from the rare heavenly silkworms born in minuscule numbers in the distant Far East.
So tough ordinary steel couldn’t sever it, with fine elasticity—used for armor in its homeland.
Yet Gishar wielded it as a tool for his daggers.
Combined with his blinding speed, it created the illusion the world brimmed with his blades.
“Stay trapped here!”
[Heavenly Net]
Before long, a densely woven net of threads formed on the ceiling and dropped over Theo’s head.
Magara worked her jaws, then exhaled a sharp ‘Hoo!’
A water cannon blasted out, making the net sway, but it was enough to hinder Theo and the dragonkin—
[Shadow Assassination Dagger]
While the group fixated on the sky net, a dagger stealthily racing along the ground shot straight up.
Flash!
Like a serpent striking prey.
The net had been mere feint.
The true aim was this.
‘It’s over!’
Gishar sensed his success.
The shadow dagger would pierce Theo’s nape silently.
But then,
‘He’s…… smiling?’
Gishar recalled how Theo had left defense solely to the dragonkin, showing no movement himself.
Suddenly, the fairy dragon dropped right in front of Theo.
A transparent barrier formed.
Claaang!
The shadow dagger bounced off pathetically.
“When exactly……?”
“First time facing off properly, and it seems you don’t know me at all, brother.”
What Gishar didn’t know was that the fairy dragon had tracked everything approaching Theo via the <Detection> spell.
No matter how stealthily the shadow dagger moved, detection was inevitable.
“And I never pick endurance fights.”
「Freeze.」
Theo had planned to turn this against Gishar and bind his feet.
The moment the fairy dragon incanted, the air chilled sharply.
Fwoooosh!
Crackle—
Frost settled over Gishar’s skin.
By the time he realized and tried to retreat, both legs were thoroughly frozen.
Kababoom!
Seizing the opening, the desert worm burst through the ground.
Kaaaak!
Ignoring the net shredding its hide from the heavenly silkworm threads, it swallowed Gishar whole.
Gulp— glurk!
「Bad food might cause trouble. You sure?」
The desert worm chewed awhile, then spat Gishar out only after the fairy dragon’s advice.
Ptooey!
“You……!”
Gishar painfully raised his head, drenched in saliva.
The desert worm’s venom was already coursing through him actively.
But the fairy dragon cast binding magic to restrain him fully with ropes.
“I knew succession candidates sometimes take each other’s lives, but I didn’t expect such a blatant assassination attempt.”
“Kill me here…… and it won’t end well for you…….”
Gishar glared at Theo with reddened eyes.
“Begging for your life?”
“Shut up. I’m telling you how to survive.”
With the assassination failed, Gishar thought only of escaping alive.
‘Lose here for now…… but I must expose his truth outside. Tell Master!’
Having followed Theo up the entire White Tower, Gishar knew he wasn’t a ‘normal’ Ragnar.
Possibly tied to another world.
Maybe not a true Ragnar, just wearing the mask.
‘Hid meekly till the awakening ceremony, then suddenly changed. If connected to that place with all the gray buildings……!’
If that inference held, Theo lacked even qualification for succession.
So Gishar steeled himself to reveal part of his closely guarded background.
One step back for future advance.
“I hid it due to the throne contest, but my backer isn’t one to ignore. Kill me here, and you’ll suffer forever; spare me, and your path smooths. Let’s join hands.”
Gishar was certain Theo couldn’t refuse.
From what Reje said, Theo knew how to deal.
Julius, Plum Palace Lord, Black Dragon, Blue Dragon showed interest, but
No true backer yet.
No, he couldn’t ignore eldest brother Kinkannon either, so the offer would seem attractive to solidify position……!
“Want to say you’re the hidden disciple of the Tyrant Dragon, brother?”
But Theo revealed the hidden card first, leaving Gishar dumbfounded.
“You, how, how do you……?”
“Tyrant Dragon alliance…… tempting indeed.」
Tyrant Dragon.
One of the Nine Dragons, rivaling Demon Dragon and Illusion Dragon for supremacy.
So domineering, he associated with no one save Kyle.
Moved solo like Blue Dragon, yet a one-man legion.
His moniker ‘One-Man Army’ wasn’t for show.
‘But even that Tyrant Dragon hungers deeply for the throne. That’s why, contrary to rumors, he does maintain a force.’
Unlike other Nine Dragons, Tyrant Dragon simply didn’t rule it personally.
Gishar’s followers were that force.
“But you’re missing one key point, brother.”
“……What?”
“You don’t think you’re the only path to the Tyrant Dragon, do you?”
“What……!”
Gishar bellowed in confusion, then widened his eyes as realization dawned.
“Right. The Tyrant Dragon hasn’t taken only you as disciple.”
“……!”
In that moment, Gishar thought of Anshio.
His lovely identical twin sister, yet inscrutably unpredictable at times.
“Guess you didn’t know.”
“Th-that, that!”
“Sorry, but I’m no saint to spare someone who targeted my life. Nor do I fancy another backstab.”
Gishar wanted to yell ‘Wait!’
“And now you know too many of my secrets—how could I let you live?”
White Tower details.
Commanding dragonkin.
All must stay secret.
Slice!
Gishar couldn’t even stop Theo.
Kerto, standing behind, chopped his head with a hand blade.
Spurt!
Roll……
Gishar’s head tumbled across the floor, frozen in shock.
Thud!
Watching the headless corpse crumple, Theo thought.
‘Now it really begins.’
He’d eliminated one of the five candidates who’d seemed impossibly distant.
This would surely be the trigger.
The spark igniting the true throne contest……