Immortal Slayer (2)
"We've arrived."
Rattle, clack.
At Gaon's brief remark, everyone snapped their heads up.
Had it been about a day since they departed from Maryrose? Before they knew it, the party had arrived at the free city of Vertas.
"Ah..."
Sikan Bauer let out an involuntary gasp of emotion.
The calls of merchants hawking their wares, the delicious aromas wafting from street stalls—the vibrant energy of the free city washed over them.
Perhaps because they had just come from the ruined wasteland of Maryrose, this lively atmosphere felt all the more precious.
"Sikan Bauer."
It was just as Sikan was soaking in the fresh air of the free city.
Gaon, who was sitting across from him, spoke up.
"I kept my promise."
"...Pardon?"
"My promise to return before the investigation team arrived."
"What do you mean by..."
Sikan Bauer hesitated.
"...Ah."
A moment later, realizing what Gaon meant, Sikan let out a dry laugh.
"I suppose you did. You really returned to Vertas before a fortnight had even passed."
"..."
"To be honest, when you first said you were leaving to conquer a dungeon, I thought it was absurd..."
"Are you serious...? You're going to conquer a dungeon? Right now?"
It had been only three days ago.
A man who had just turned Vertas's Eastern Merchant Coalition upside down had suddenly declared his intention to conquer a dungeon.
How flabbergasted Sikan had been back then.
Instead of quietly waiting for the investigation team, the man had stubbornly insisted on going, muttering about revelations. It had seemed utterly preposterous.
But...
Who could have guessed that the dungeon was the hideout of Camilo, one of the Five Nightmares?
Let alone that he would slay an immortal who had reigned as a nightmare for centuries in a single day.
"...I am sincerely sorry."
Sikan Bauer bowed his head deeply.
Gaon replied dryly.
"There is no need to apologize—"
"No," Sikan interrupted, shaking his head.
"Unlike you, I don't think I will be able to keep my promise. That is why I am apologizing in advance."
"...Promise?"
Gaon's eyebrow twitched slightly.
"What do you mean by that?"
"My oath to keep the dungeon raid a secret."
Before they set out for the dungeon, Gaon had made a request.
He had said he needed Sikan's help, and that as long as Sikan kept his mouth shut, no one would know about the dungeon raid.
Sikan Bauer had accompanied Gaon on the condition that he agreed to this.
But...
"Instead of keeping the dungeon raid a secret, I intend to speak of it actively to the Council."
"..."
"I will tell them that you defeated one of the Five Nightmares. That you subjugated Camilo von Taribas, whom Midtemple has pursued for centuries."
Sikan continued, his voice devoid of even the slightest tremor.
"I will report all of this to the Council and do everything in my power to help prove that you are a Sword Master."
Gaon let out a soft chuckle.
Adelia, sitting beside him, also wore a faint smile on her lips.
The rattling cart of the old donkey driver passed through the checkpoint and headed toward the center of Vertas.
I didn't expect to win Sikan Bauer's trust this quickly.
Sikan Bauer was a strict, unyielding stickler for the rules.
Originally, Gaon had planned to take his time and slowly bring him over to his side.
Yet, not only had he won Sikan's trust in one fell swoop, but he had also secured a promise of active support.
Everything was going smoothly. It felt almost too good to be true.
Then again, it would be stranger if he didn't react this way after witnessing me defeat Camilo with his own eyes.
If someone refused to acknowledge him even after he had slain Midtemple's long-standing nemesis, they wouldn't just be stubborn—they would be downright foolish.
Screeech.
Before long, the cart pulled up in front of Mrs. Durdamel's tavern.
After bidding a brief farewell to the old donkey driver, I climbed the tavern stairs and looked back at Adelia.
"Adelia."
"Yes, Master."
"Guard the door. Do not let anyone in until I come out."
"...I will keep that in mind."
Entering the room, I washed up quickly in the tub and sat on the edge of the bed. Finally, the moment had arrived.
"Whew..."
I let out a deep sigh, calming my mind.
Resting on my lap were two items I had obtained with great difficulty.
The Earth Dragon's Heart and the Contaminated Chalice.
Combining these two would instantly elevate my physical abilities by several tiers.
The Contaminated Chalice doubles the effects of consumable items.
Because of this, players in the game used to combine the highest-grade elixirs with the Contaminated Chalice.
Mages used the Tear of the Great Spirit.
Priests used the Holy Water of the Sunken Temple.
And for swordsmen and martial artists, they used the Earth Dragon's Heart, which massively boosted physical stats.
Among them, the Earth Dragon's Heart is the ultimate elixir whose value skyrockets the earlier it is consumed.
The reason was simple.
It permanently altered the user's constitution, meaning the earlier it was consumed, the steeper and more exponential their growth curve became.
However, in the game, it was absolutely impossible to obtain this item in the early stages.
To defeat an Earth Dragon, one had to be at least Level 80, and by the time a player reached that level, the item's growth-boosting effects were practically halved.
On top of that, if one wanted to combine it with the Contaminated Chalice, which could only be obtained by destroying Camilo's life vessel...?
...It was utterly impossible for a low-level character.
Yet, I had achieved the impossible.
Barely a fortnight after the main storyline of Lost Elder had begun.
I had obtained the Earth Dragon's Heart from the depths of Labyrinth Village and even destroyed Camilo's life vessel.
And the level of the person who had accomplished this monumental feat was...
Lv. 11
...A level that barely matched the average physical stats of a healthy adult.
And even then, I was only Level 3 before entering Camilo's trial.
A hollow laugh escaped me.
Even though I was the one who did it, the situation was so absurdly unrealistic.
If I didn't have the Soul of the Sword Master, I wouldn't have even dreamed of attempting this.
Regardless.
I stared at the Earth Dragon's Heart once more with a serious gaze.
Now, while my level is low, is the absolute best time to reap the benefits of this item.
Until now, I had barely scraped by.
I had managed to escape crises by deploying my skills in the nick of time.
Though I possessed overwhelming swordsmanship, my pathetic stats prevented me from properly unleashing that power.
My movements were sluggish due to my low stats, and there were several touch-and-go moments where I was left gasping for breath.
But...
Things would be different now.
Once my physical abilities were significantly boosted, I would be able to fully utilize my swordsmanship talent.
If so, I would be able to perfectly replicate the movements of the skills I had internalized.
"..."
Having finished my thoughts, I grasped the Earth Dragon's Heart in my hand.
Crush!
As I crushed the hard sphere with both hands, red powder poured out. I sprinkled it into the Contaminated Chalice.
Soon, the powder dissolved into a liquid inside the cup, forming a swirling red vortex.
Now, I just have to drink this...
I swallowed hard.
...If I recall correctly, a terrible pain is supposed to follow immediately after consumption.
Back when I played Lost Elder, consuming the Earth Dragon's Heart triggered a cutscene of the character writhing in agony.
Even characters with a fairly high rank in the Pain Resistance skill would often pass out, unable to endure the torment.
And for good reason—the Earth Dragon's Heart completely restructures the consumer's physical makeup.
In the process, the pain of bones, muscles, and organs twisting and reshaping would be indescribably brutal.
...Still, I have no choice but to endure it.
No matter how painful it might be, the reward would be just as great.
Gulp!
Having made up my mind, I closed my eyes tight and downed the contents of the chalice.
The next instant, I felt a hot, viscous liquid slide down my throat.
"...!"
Crack, snap!
Every bone and muscle in my body screamed in unison.
An agonizing pain, as if my internal organs were being torn to shreds, enveloped my entire body.
I wanted to scream, but I forced it down.
I clenched my teeth until they bled. I felt like the moment I opened my mouth, I would throw up everything.
As my consciousness began to fade, new notification windows started flooding the corner of my vision.
You have consumed the 'Earth Dragon's Heart'.
Due to the effect of the 'Contaminated Chalice', the item's effects are doubled.
Reconstructing the body to inherit the traits of the Dragon Body.
Strength has increased significantly. Agility has increased significantly. Stamina has increased significantly. Perception has increased significantly...
"What are you doing here, Lady Adelia?"
In the second-floor hallway of the tavern.
Sikan Bauer, fresh from his bath, approached while drying his wet hair with a towel.
Adelia, who was guarding the door, scratched her cheek and replied.
"Lord Gaon asked me to guard the door for a moment."
"...Pardon?"
Sikan Bauer's eyes widened.
"I will take over the guard duty. You should go inside and rest, Lady Adelia..."
"No, it's fine."
Adelia declined with a gentle smile.
"Lord Gaon requested this of me personally."
"But..."
"I rested plenty in the carriage on the way back to Vertas. So you don't need to worry."
Sikan Bauer sighed as he looked at Adelia with a complicated expression.
He realized that no matter what he did, he wouldn't be able to break her stubbornness.
"...If that is your wish."
Adelia continued with a soft smile.
"By the way, I didn't expect you to acknowledge Lord Gaon as a Sword Master."
"..."
"Especially you, Sir Bauer, who values rules and procedures above all else."
Hearing this, Sikan Bauer let out a soft chuckle.
"I am not that inflexible. To witness Lord Gaon's deeds with my own eyes and still refuse to acknowledge him as a Sword Master would be..."
"Aaaaargh...!"
"...!"
At that exact moment, an agonizing scream echoed from inside the room.
"What in the...!"
Startled, Sikan Bauer reflexively reached for the door handle, but...
"No!"
Grab!
Adelia grabbed his arm.
"Lord Gaon said that under no circumstances should anyone be allowed in!"
"But..."
"We must wait until he comes out of the room himself! This is Lord Gaon's command!"
"..."
Sikan Bauer hesitated.
He parted his lips, about to say something more to Adelia, when—
Thud, thud, thud!
The sound of someone frantically running up to the second-floor hallway echoed.
"Y-Young Master...!"
"...?"
Hakun Durdamel, who had become the temporary head of Vertas's Eastern Merchant Coalition, was panting heavily, his face pale with terror.
"W-Where is the Young Master...!"
"He is currently occupied. What is the matter?"
Swallowing hard, Hakun Durdamel cried out.
"...W-We need help! An intruder is attacking the city gates right now!"
"Aaargh...!"
Whoosh!
Splat!
A massive axe flying at terrifying speed split a guard's head open like a watermelon.
With several corpses already staining the ground red, the remaining guards holding halberds stumbled backward in retreat.
The tips of their spears were pointed at the giant walking toward them from the distance.
"You rats..."
A chilling voice escaped the giant's mouth.
"...Hand over the dark-blue-haired rat immediately."