Chapter 400
Chapter 400
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 400
Chapter Title: Majesty Master (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The final piece of the Dragon Killer Quest. Rokan set out to find the Gold Dragon's lair, moving at full speed alongside Kai.
To minimize the time needed to pinpoint the location, he used coins without restraint. As a result, in less than two hours, he located the Gold Dragon's lair.
"This place..."
The spot he reached, map in hand, was in a truly peculiar location.
It was the heart of the heavens—the massive basin terrain that could be called the navel of the heavens—which served as the Gold Dragon's lair.
"Damn, something feels ominous..."
It seemed empty at first glance, yet it also felt filled to the brim with something. That was the impression it gave.
Rokan sensed that this something was mana or divinity or the like.
Which only made him more uneasy.
Wouldn't a creature dwelling in a place brimming with such potent energy have amassed extraordinary power?
The Gold Dragon was one that claimed 'mana itself' as its attribute, without any ordinary elemental affinity to speak of.
*Ping-grrrr.*
Rokan tentatively desired the location of another Gold Dragon, but the compass pointed nowhere.
He had thought there might be one or two more, but whether Gaokan’s kill hadn’t respawned yet or this one was a fresh respawn, no other Gold Dragons registered.
"Whew, it's all or nothing, then."
*Kyuuu! Kyuu kyuu kyuu kyuu...*
Kai's cries echoed as they descended. It wasn't just the sound—the terrain itself amplified and gathered all forms of power.
'No monsters?'
Rokan first scanned for monsters that should have swarmed the lair. Yet despite the concentrated energy here, no monsters lurked.
He swept the area thoroughly, convinced it couldn't be that barren, but not a single lifeform dwelled in the soil or among the trees.
[You have been exposed to concentrated mana energy. Exercise caution. Prolonged exposure may lead to mana poisoning.]
"Oh, great."
It seemed the mana was so densely packed that it was the cause.
Even for Rokan, freshly arrived, a warning about mana poisoning appeared. Lesser creatures must have long succumbed to poisoning or rampage.
Only one race could likely withstand this mana pressure.
'Dragons.'
Beings born under mana’s blessing.
The Gold Dragon resided here, but this place allowed only Gold Dragons to dwell.
"Got to hurry."
He didn't know exactly what mana poisoning entailed.
But any status ailment was something to avoid with a mighty dragon foe ahead, so Rokan urged Kai onward, searching the lair.
'Nothing.'
Yet he couldn't find the entrance.
The compass spun in place, confirming this was the spot, but no cave resembling a dragon lair appeared.
'The sky?'
No. He glanced up just in case, but saw only cloudless blue.
'The ground, then?'
The ground was the next best bet. Lairs were usually earthbound, after all.
Such mana concentration likely centered on the earth, not the air or sky.
Of course, tampering with it risked a massive explosion, but Rokan was confident he could survive.
He decided to test the possibility.
"Kai, let's try 'that'."
*Kyuu...*
At Rokan's telepathic signal, Kai looked slightly unsure.
It was Kai's new skill.
Learned through the Creation skill Tetra Elemental and turned into a proper skill after practice, but never tested in real combat.
He'd trained sporadically before, but success was rare.
No choice, though. Among Rokan's techniques, nothing else could pierce solid ground as well as Super Extreme or crude AoE magic.
*Kee-yuu! Kuooooooo!*
Kai, transformed into a great peng, spread his wings wide.
His colossal form shadowed much of the basin, and his massive maw drew in immense energy.
Since it used ambient mana rather than his own, the terrain's mana-gathering property amplified it.
Concentrated mana surged toward Kai's mouth.
"Elemental Breath! Fire!"
*Ku-goooooooo!*
From Kai's mouth erupted a fusion of all attributes.
To shield himself from attribute repulsion, he cast Tetra Elemental on himself, then unleashed the clashing energies as one.
"Whoa."
Even for Rokan and Kai, who had reached level 400, this was their first proper use.
Self-applying Tetra Elemental countered the backlash, but gathering mana took time, making it unusable in urgent fights. Now, its power was terrifying.
Massive explosion? That was nothing.
The breath from Kai's mouth melted and shattered the earth, burrowing underground.
It carved straight down like a chisel—a force different from Super Extreme.
"Kai, take a breather!"
As expected, something lay beneath the path Kai carved.
Descending through thick strata revealed a vast space like a city.
"Huh?"
No, not a city. What Rokan took for buildings were statues as large as buildings.
Weathered by ages yet preserved by some power, the statues stood with vivid expressions.
"Chess?"
Some faced the same direction, others each other—like overlooking a giant chessboard.
"What do you make of it?"
Then, someone addressed Rokan.
A Gold Dragon with gleaming golden scales gazed not at Rokan, but the statues.
Had the old thing grown bored and played solo chess?
No, unlikely.
Rokan considered ambushing but noted a golden barrier already enveloped him.
Even Rokan couldn't pierce it in one blow.
So he observed and responded calmly.
"Winner and loser?"
"That works."
With opposing sides arrayed, what else mattered? Rokan answered quickly—no need for deep analysis.
"The stronger one wins."
The power from each statue, faint divinity equal across them.
No overwhelming side, hard to call. But obviously, the stronger prevails and survives?
"Is that so? A foolish question on my part."
His casual answer might seem perfunctory, but the Gold Dragon accepted it. Truth rang true.
He even nodded as if enlightened.
[Guardian Ancient Gold Dragon Juriph][Lv 499]
Rising, the barrier lifted.
His massive frame striding forward felt like a huge threat.
But Rokan couldn't act rashly this time.
Level 499. On the cusp of godhood at 500. How could he draw arms lightly?
Every word, every move made Rokan flinch, feeling diminished.
"Damn. At that level, pass it on and ascend already. Why cling?"
"Heh heh, all for my purpose, no?"
Rokan grumbled to provoke, but Juriph brushed it off lightly.
Meanwhile, Rokan's mind raced.
Guardian Gold Dragon—what did it guard?
Solve that, and maybe he'd ascend or perish fulfilled?
Unaware or uncaring, Juriph reached the statues, stirring vast mana to awaken and animate them.
"Watch closely."
The roused statues clashed. Shattering and crumbling, they spewed malice and hostility.
But no victor emerged.
They tangled and mixed until identities blurred.
'What’s he thinking?'
What purpose in showing this spectacle?
Rokan scowled, but Juriph watched serenely.
Shatter, regenerate; regenerate, shatter.
The tedious, endless brawl dragged on.
*Kyuu?*
Even recovered Kai approached.
But Juriph never glanced away.
'Screw it and strike?'
Temptation itched, but Rokan suppressed it.
No good against that.
At least wait for Tetra Elemental cooldown to attempt something.
"See? An unending war. They hate each other yet mirror one another. Power balanced perfectly, so it rages eternally. How would you resolve it?"
Another koan after ages.
Alike yet different, perpetual strife.
Simple, no? Rokan snapped curtly.
"Break the board. Grow strong enough to shatter balance, or recruit stronger."
"But then risk being devoured by that strong one?"
Juriph engaged seriously, face etched with worry, posing again.
"Either way, death. And without guts, they'll shatter anytime. Now two sides, but rivals or foes could emerge. Better smash early, unify, deter others. Crush sprouts as they show."
"Right, right. Cowering leads to ruin eventually."
Juriph enlightened again.
Rokan grew bored—was this sage play?—but changes brewed within him.
"You think you could be that strong one? The variable to upend this board?"
"Of course."
Rokan replied confidently.
Who else?
Purpose unknown, he smiled childlike.
"Yes. Then I'll trust you. Truth is, I'm weary now."
"...?"
*Fwooooosh.*
Golden radiance burst from Juriph.
Rokan felt something odd.
About to act? Mana poisoning?
Hastily checking status, he spotted anomaly.
"Experience..."
It rose.
As glow intensified, EXP surged.
'Divinity!'
More—his divinity flowed into Rokan.
An indescribable, immense force absorbed into him.
'Why...'
Rokan couldn't grasp it.
A few koans, and this EXP and divinity? Dementia? Depression?
Knowing what absorbing them meant, Rokan couldn't hide shock.
Death.
Juriph drove himself to death, yielding EXP and divinity to Rokan. Forsaking life.
Why? For what?
The vague answer came soon.
"Now balance breaks. Endless war rages infinite; gods shift battlefield to earth and heavens. World crumbles, chaos descends. But possibility dawns. New generation rises, ends war, prepares for next foe."
Prophecy or oracle. Rokan recorded it, but comprehension escaped.
Only gods moving war to earth and heavens registered.
Apostles or more? Irrelevant now.
[Level up.]
[Level up.]
Juriph's legacy brought him to Majesty Master's threshold.
*Gulp gulp.*
Rokan downed Level-Up Potion without hesitation.
[Level up.]
Finally, level 449. Promotion quest available.