Chapter 401
Chapter 401
-----------------------------------------------------------------
>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 401
>Chapter Title: The Evil Dragon Awakens
>-----------------------------------------------------------------
Banghyu's death was handled rather lightly.
The news was that he had passed away from early senility and a chronic illness, bleeding out in the end.
And many let the report pass without much suspicion.
However, there were those who knew the truth yet remained silent.
All of them, acting in unison from the shadows, were waiting solely for the Dragon Ascension Ceremony.
And finally, that day dawned.
The day three humans would become dragons.
The Dragon Ascension Ceremony had arrived.
Bwooooo...
Bwooooo...
Grand blasts from wind instruments.
Boom...
Booooom...
Majestic drumbeats joined in.
It was a major event, and no one wanted to displease the new dragons, so everyone hid their silence amid the music.
A ceremony befitting tradition, conducted with proper decorum.
But this was not the full picture of Khan.
Greeee...
Clank...
Greeeeee...
Clank...
"Th-that's..."
"They must be unveiling the new-model golems right on schedule."
The recently developed new golems.
Earth Troops Model 4.
Even one boasted tremendous might, but eight had been mobilized for this event.
If these eight moved in unison, they could wipe out a nearby minor nation overnight.
"...Impressive show of force."
"Yeah..."
Khan was an empire where tradition and the fruits of civilization coexisted.
No one found it odd to see massive golems amid the sprawling palace.
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
Troops lined up in perfect formation beneath the golems.
Even the grand general, who had stepped back from the front lines just for the ceremony, was there.
His physique was overwhelming, but the aura of a lifelong battlefield veteran was even more so.
The vast Dragon Palace was packed with people attending the Dragon Ascension Ceremony. Khan displayed its overwhelming power, and everything was perfect.
Except for one thing.
Rumble...
The overcast weather.
Now, it was time for the ceremony's stars to make their entrance.
Bwooooo...
With the wind instruments blaring, three figures stepped forward together.
They wore dragon robes and coronets.
These were the dragons who would lead Khan into a new era.
Taeul, standing in the center, was slightly ahead of the others—a sight that looked quite splendid.
Had the imperial citizens seen this, they would have roared in cheers.
But for the royals, it was a solemn occasion, so no cheers replaced the music.
They walked slowly, then halted midway.
They had no intention of approaching further from the start, and the ceremony proceeded accordingly.
"His Majesty the Dragon Emperor enters!"
Opposite the three princes, including Seolhong, Hongcheon entered on his own.
He who had ridden in a palanquin for so long lately.
Somehow, he appeared markedly healthier.
He took his seat, shielded from the sunlight by curtains.
Hoo...
"Long live His Majesty the Dragon Emperor!"
The praise for the Dragon Emperor began with someone's lead.
As always, the dragonkin echoed cheers lauding his reign.
"Long live His Majesty the Dragon Emperor!"
"Long live His Majesty the Dragon Emperor!"
However, there were certainly those who did not so much as twitch their lips.
They exchanged glances and nods with one another.
They were the dragonkin who knew a monster cloaked in the Dragon Emperor's guise was brazenly hiding behind those curtains.
All of them had been recruited by Seolhong, Taeul, and Sinyo.
The others might tremble at the grandeur and scale of the Dragon Ascension Ceremony, but they reserved their shivers for the moment soon to come.
Today, many things would change.
Swish...
At a gesture from the one wearing Hongcheon's skin, the ceremony continued.
Someone recited a tedious speech of unknown origin, and others pretended to be moved, murmuring flowery lines...
To those in the know, it was nothing short of a puppet show.
Puppets dancing on a grand stage of empty pomp.
"Prepare cannons!"
Greeeeee...
Clank...
Greeeeee...
Clank...
All eight golems raised one arm toward the sky.
Weapons loaded with massive amounts of gunpowder. The golems were walking artillery batteries.
"Wait!"
Taeul raised his hand, heedless of his billowing sleeves.
Silence instantly blanketed the festivities.
The music came to a complete halt.
The being beyond the curtains rested his chin, intrigued.
"Before the cannons fire, allow me a word."
A waving hand.
Meaning: proceed as you wish.
Taeul cried out on behalf of the new dragons.
"O Khan, empire of fire and flowers! The glorious path built on dragon blood shall continue unbroken!"
Something was off.
Clank...
Clank...
The golems' arms turned toward the dais.
"Aaahhh!"
"Eeeeek!"
The maids who knew in advance hurriedly retreated, leaving only the one wearing Hongcheon's skin behind.
"What!"
"Rebellion!"
"What in the world is happening!"
Taeul, Seolhong, and Sinyo shouted.
"No individual can overcome the united strength of the collective. Perish with Khan's history, Hwagmu!"
"Fire!"
Fwooooosh...
KABOOOOOM-!
Explosions erupted in unison.
The golems were armed not with ceremonial cannons for the Dragon Ascension, but weapons designed purely for slaughter.
KABOOOOOM-!
Power enough to blow away the entire palace.
"Urgh..."
"The wind..."
A ferocious gale assaulted them.
Here and there, blood trickled from ears.
Why had the Dragon Ascension Ceremony come to this?
The dragonkin who had heard nothing of the plot were simply bewildered.
Sizzle...
No foundation stones remained—just a pit of scorched earth.
And within it, bubbling liquid.
Magma born from molten rock, far hotter than "hot" could describe.
Khan's grand general, Jimyeong—who had been briefed in advance—peered into the pit and muttered.
"...Farewell, evil dragon."
Jimyeong turned away.
The dragonkin stared at him in shock.
"Grand General!"
Splat...
Jimyeong's head turned.
He meant to look back, but it spun fully around and dropped to the floor.
"Well done. Quite the flashy preparation, my descendants. No progress even after centuries, as ever."
Crunch...
Without so much as a speck of injury, he appeared.
Hongcheon—no, Hwagmu.
He glanced indifferently at the boiling lava, his robes unscathed.
Greeeeee...
Greeeeee...
All golems turned fully toward Hwagmu.
Fwoooosh...
As Hwagmu reached out, a massive spear flew to him from somewhere.
His cherished weapon from his days as Hongcheon.
Clack...
"Long time no see."
Fwaaaaaang-!
Screeech...
Kreeeeek...
Hongcheon swept the air, and the golems' legs crumpled like bundled straw.
KABOOM!
KABOOOOOM-!
"Y-Your Majesty..."
"Your Majesty! What is this..."
Taeul bellowed at those still grasping the situation.
"That is not Hongcheon! It's Hwagmu! The evil dragon has donned Hongcheon's skin!"
At his words, the dragonkin went wide-eyed as if struck by lightning.
"Heh heh..."
Rumble...
Pour...
Lightning flashed, and rain began to fall.
[Hwagmu uses Authority: Sky as Intended.]
[Hwagmu manipulates the weather.]
[The current weather is thunderstorm.]
[The storm amplifies Hwagmu's power.]
[Hwagmu's close-combat proficiency greatly increases, and attribute power is granted to close-range weapons.]
"Quite the grand preparation. But... you made one miscalculation. I am no individual."
Whoosh...
Fwoooosh...
The great spear whirled around.
"No... I am no human."
Rustle...
Scales covered Hwagmu's skin.
Crackle...
A red-eyed dragonkin stood tall.
Seolhong, Taeul and his group, and the dragonkin who grasped the situation exchanged glances.
Hwagmu's resurrection was incomplete.
That he hadn't fully revived meant he could still be defeated.
"As expected... you haven't reclaimed your body!"
"Bring him down! Ensure Hwagmu never rises again!"
"Waaaaah!"
Countless troops, generals, and dragon stones charged at Hwagmu as one.
KABOOM-!
Hwagmu stomped hard, and the ground crumbled beneath him.
With that single step, he neutralized most of the onrushing forces.
And that was not all.
"Body? Ah... you mean that. Very well. I'll show you."
Whoooosh...
Red energy swirled from Hwagmu's hand. A profoundly horrific aura.
"Now is the time to reclaim what I gifted you. All these years, the fruits within you have ripened, awaiting this day."
Hwagmu raised his hand high.
"Cough..."
"Urk..."
Every dragonkin clutched their hearts simultaneously.
[Hwagmu uses Blood Essence Absorption.]
[Reclaiming dragon blood.]
[Recover 40% life force upon reclaiming all dragon blood for full revival.]
Thud...
Even Taeul dropped to one knee.
Hwagmu had no doubt of his true revival.
But then.
Zing...
A tiny sound reversed the tide.
Ziiing...
The tinkling of a bell.
The bell's chime unraveled everything.
[Wilderness Bell is activated.]
[All malevolent energies dissipate.]
......
Seolhong held the bell in her hand.
[Blood Essence Absorption is halted.]
Hwagmu glared at Seolhong.
"...How dare you!"
In that instant, the freed dragonkin formed a defensive formation around Seolhong.
"Protect Seolhong!"
"Keep Hwagmu away!"
"Now's our chance! Surround him!"
Ting...
Ting...
The dragonkin, freed by the bell's chime alone, instantly realized they must protect its sound.
But the same applied to Hwagmu in reverse.
Neutralize her, and it all ends.
The world would return to the evil dragon's grasp.
The web spun by humans looked impenetrably tight, no room for even a needle.
But their foe was a dragon.
"Roooar-!"
Crackle...
KABOOOOOM-!
"Arrrgh!"
"Cough..."
The formation burst apart in one strike.
"Run! Seolhong!"
Ting...
Seolhong's eyes met Hwagmu's.
In that moment, her body froze.
Right then.
Flash-!
Someone snatched Seolhong and bolted.
It was Chiwu.
"Seolhong, don't stop the bell."
"Yeah!"
Ting...
Ting-a-ling!
"You won't escape!"
Countless blockers tried to bar Hongcheon's path.
Fwoooosh-!
"Gaaah..."
Rumble!
"Arrrgh!"
They were seared by lightning and sliced by the spear, holding the line—but it wasn't enough.
Chiwu despaired, realizing he couldn't save Seolhong.
At that moment, he spotted someone watching from the upper story of a distant pavilion.
Locking eyes with that figure, Chiwu said.
"Seolhong, please. Stay alive."
"Chiwu!"
"Go! It's all on you! If you stop, Khan is finished!"
Whoosh-!
Chiwu hurled Seolhong beyond the walls and turned back.
His path led to death.
"No, Chiwu!"
"Don't let them take the Wilderness Bell! Go! Don't stop!"
Rrrrip...
Fur sprouted across Chiwu's body as he joined the others, charging at Hwagmu.
Clang-!
"...Ho."
Chiwu was the only one to block Hwagmu's strike.
Spurt...
"Urgh... grrr..."
But no miracle occurred.
The spear pierced Chiwu's gut and withdrew.
Thud...
Chiwu collapsed, strength draining from his body.
Drip drip...
Hwagmu shook blood from the spear, pursuing Seolhong.
Grab...
Chiwu crawled, clutching Hwagmu's ankle.
Bam-!
He was kicked flying. Even as consciousness faded, he kept muttering.
"You must live... Seolhong... you must... live...."
* * *
"Huff... huff..."
Ting-a-ling...
Ting...
The Wilderness Bell kept ringing, and Hwagmu accelerated his pursuit of Seolhong.
The distance was closing.
Soon, Hwagmu came into view.
Whoosh...
"Hand over... the bell..."
In that instant, Seolhong felt her body lift into the air.
Someone had snatched her from Hwagmu once more.
The one who grabbed Seolhong was none other than Jinryeo.
"Damn it all!"
She screamed as she ran.
Truly, incredibly fast.
She had no interest in the Dragon Ascension Ceremony, had been napping in the palace outskirts, woken by the blasts, wandered over, and jumped in upon seeing Seolhong and Chiwu fleeing.
She was the one who had exchanged glances with Chiwu from the pavilion.
"Jinryeo!"
Ting...
Ting-a-ling!
"Just escape, right?"
Seolhong nodded fiercely.
"...Yeah!"
Escape the dragon, then devise the next plan. Possible because the empire's future pillars—the dragonkin—still lived.
Hwagmu was too deep in to withdraw now. Leaving the Wilderness Bell unchecked would spell trouble later, and collecting other blood first meant regurgitating the blood essence eventually.
He had to seize Seolhong here and now, as quickly as possible.
Flash-!
Flaaash-!
They leaped across palace walls.
"Kunna! Make me faster!"
- It will strain your body.
"It's fine!"
Jingle...
She tossed a coin pouch into the air; it vanished.
Rrrrip...
Jinryeo's thighs swelled massively, boosting her speed.
Crackle...
KABOOM-!
Lightning from the spear struck where she had been.
"Huff... huff..."
Strain wracked her body.
At that worst moment, Chiwu's words surfaced.
- Effort is a habit. If you're always lazy, when the time comes to try, you won't know how and you'll flounder. So I'll teach you how.
Grit...
Chiwu must be dead, right?
Yeah, he's dead.
No need to heed the words of the dead.
"Raaaaah!"
- I feel like I'm saving my effort for some important task later. It must be that!
I have to prove it.
Prove myself!
Tears welled up and poured from her eyes. Rain and tears blurred her vision.
Caught up again.
'...Kunna, make me fly far away.'
Kunna, make me fly far away.
- The price?
No money left.
No, money couldn't do it.
'Take my left arm.'
Spurt-!
"Jinryeo!"
The distance widened once more.
But not by much.
Ting-a-ling...
Ting-a-liiing...
"Huff... huff... don't ever stop."
"......"
"Because this Jinryeo is making an effort for the first time in her life... huff... don't stop... it's expensive."
Ting...
Ting...
As expected.
Caught up in an instant.
Jinryeo reached a resolve.
'...I see. O dragon.'
- You seem indifferent, but I know you are brave.
Brave one, Jinryeo.
- There will come a time, a moment when you must do what only you can.
Jinryeo leaped rooftop to rooftop, shouting in her mind.
'Kunna, take my life.'
- .....
'Keep Seolhong safe.'
- Is that a transaction?
'...A plea.'
- ...I refuse. I have nothing to give you.
Even her final struggle rejected.
In that instant, strength failed, and Jinryeo crashed through a roof to the floor below.
Crack...
Craaackle...
"Damn... damn..."
Someone leaped down through the hole in the roof.
Hwagmu.
Boom-!
Jinryeo bolted from the building again.
KABOOOOOM-!
The structure exploded in seconds.
In two seconds, she would die.
'One...'
And.
'Two.'
It was strange.
For some reason, she didn't die.
Ting...
Seolhong's hand opened.
The Wilderness Bell was crucial.
The dragon had told her.
- Choose the timing wisely. It must be in your hand when needed.
No better moment to gauge. Now, the hand holding it was opening.
- What have you given the girl now?
The one taking the Wilderness Bell from her was not Hwagmu.
- Heh heh heh... 'Tis the time for salmon to swim upstream.
Jinryeo murmured.
"Hee hee... Kunna, I see... already..."
The reason Kunna refused Jinryeo's plea.
Seolhong had already escaped the dragon.
Ting-a-ling...
The Wilderness Bell tied to the sword's tassel, dangling from the hilt.
The sword spoke.
【Oh! This tickles.】
"Just endure it a bit."
Seolhong murmured, dazed.
"Why..."
"Getting wet in the rain would be troublesome."
- Getting wet in the rain would be troublesome.
"How... did you return?"
"Because I... promised to."
Three years had flown by, enough to blur the shape of one another.
Karrumble-!
Kang Seol had returned.
He stood before Hwagmu and said.
"You've awakened after all."
"...Who are you?"
Kang Seol grinned.
He invoked an eastern legend—the phrase sure to instill the most fear in Hwagmu.
"O dragon... I have come."