Chapter 466
Chapter 466
-----------------------------------------------------------------
>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 466
>Chapter Title: The 31st Horse Overturns the Game Board
>-----------------------------------------------------------------
Kang Seol sought out Maktus again the next day, lingering by the statue at the summit.
"Leave this child to me."
"......"
"Do you need time to think it over?"
He was right.
For one, the situation was utterly unpredictable at the moment.
And in the midst of that, flight training?
There were plenty of issues to ponder—how long it would take, whether it would create gaps in their forces.
"How much time will it require?"
"It's not something that happens overnight. Until she flies."
"......"
"Until she flies, I'll take her under my wing."
"That's..."
"The child of Tancred—I'll say this upfront: no dragon in this world can teach her the laws of the sky. But..."
The corner of Maktus's mouth curved upward.
"I can. I understand this little one. Perhaps this is fate.... If you miss this chance, she may never fly. Choose wisely."
Maktus's words rang true.
No, they were the truth.
'Tantuinu, Tancred's sister, wouldn't understand her either....'
Tantuinu, so-called for her elite upbringing, had flown on time and grown up much like her mother, Tancred.
But Tansia was different.
From birth, so much had gone awry for her. An origin and growth no one could comprehend.
If there was one dragon in the world who could understand and teach her... it would be Maktus.
'I never imagined Maktus would open up like this....'
In Pandea, creatures evolved through time, experience, and myriad spiritual changes.
It wasn't rare in history for non-human bodies to awaken human speech and reason.
Maktus was walking that path now.
Kang Seol rested his chin in his hand, lost in thought.
'...In the end, the decision isn't mine.'
He looked at Tansia, who nodded.
"Tansia stay."
"...You want to?"
"I want to fly. So no matter how long, Tansia stay here."
Maktus snorted in approval.
"Yes! That's the spirit!"
Kang Seol stroked Tansia's head.
"If it gets tough, anytime..."
"Not tough! I do it!"
"...I'll come get you."
Dragging their reluctant feet, Kang Seol's group descended from the summit.
Tansia had decided to stay on Joon Mountain, so she would.
But Kang Seol's group planned to leave Joon once their next destination was set.
For now, it was farewell.
"Just go like that?"
Cong scratched his ear.
"Tansia chose it."
"Clear-cut. I like it."
Kang Seol answered curtly and headed down toward Baldu's village.
He paused before a roadside stele.
Cong read the inscription.
"Song of Folly?"
"...It's like Baldu's marching song."
"Oh! I'm interested! Read it."
The rest of the group gathered to listen.
"To the dragons, heed our folly. Hmm? Self-deprecating?"
Cong scratched his head and continued.
"You with wings, you with scales."
Cong's expression shifted.
"You who breathe hot fire—we have no wings, no scales, no fire. Yet we will fight."
"Hmm..."
"We fight you in our folly. So you, enlighten our foolishness."
The lyrics captured the battles fought by Baldu, lord of Wing Canyon.
Kang Seol murmured the final verse not inscribed on the stele.
"Baldu..."
Their voices overlapped.
"Rightly cover the heavens."
"Rightly cover the heavens."
It wasn't Cong who echoed Kang Seol. It was Ka-bu, chieftain of Baldu.
"You know Father's song?"
When Ka-zan sang Baldu's song, he always added the final line. That was Baldu's golden age.
"How do you know it?"
"I heard it wandering the north by chance."
"I see... Legends are like rain—they spread to all. It's like hearing fragments of Father's scattered memories. Kang Seol, was it?"
"Yes."
Ka-bu made a proposal to Kang Seol.
"Interested in Father's tale?"
"Not uninterested."
"Haha... I need someone to talk to. Shall we walk alone a bit?"
Kang Seol nodded in surprise.
"...Sure."
The others returned to the village, leaving Kang Seol and Ka-bu to walk slowly.
"Baldu was always a sturdy tribe. The legends of Father and Maktus just made us famous."
"Who'd doubt Baldu's strength?"
"Hahaha...."
Kang Seol glanced at Ka-bu's face. Noticing the tension, he sensed the truth was coming.
"That day, now legend—the day sky dragon Azanic fought Father Ka-zan."
"That day, huh."
"...Yes. Still vivid. The spear forged from an ancient dragon's horn. Father's spear."
"Didn't it have a name back then? Dragon Slayer, named after the fight."
"You know your stuff. Right. Dragon Slayer. Curved double blades with a solid core shaft. Made for aerial combat—easy to swing any way, pierced dragon scales like nothing when thrusting."
Ka-bu described the Dragon Slayer spear. Kang Seol thought the spear on Ka-bu's back resembled it.
"That spear..."
"Ah, made alongside Father's. Been handling it since I was young, so it's shorter. That's its charm."
"...You take after him."
"Me, like him? Ha... Don't. Growing up, compared to Father endlessly... Elders and all, wanted to toss them in the canyon."
"Hahaha...."
"...Everything was a burden."
"Is that so?"
From here, it was unknown to Kang Seol—after Ka-zan left Baldu.
"I'm not as strong as Father. He felled Azanic in Wing Canyon. Naturally, strongest among humans."
"......"
"After seeing that fight, I gave up catching him. Just vowed not to tarnish his honor."
The light of the one ahead can blind those who follow.
"The tribe's in its worst state. Over half the wyverns gone, all losing will to fight. Feels like... all my fault. If Father were here, it'd be different."
Kang Seol paused.
"Well..."
"...What?"
"Ka-zan's era ended long ago. He left a huge mark on Baldu's history, true, but not for long."
"What's your point?"
"Maybe Baldu flourished not just from Ka-zan's shadow... That's the gist."
Not solely Ka-zan's halo made Baldu this strong. Ka-bu laughed.
"Good at flattery. Gotta watch you."
"Not flattery."
"Hey."
Ka-bu looked at Kang Seol.
"Can I think of you as a friend?"
"Dangerous times. Fewer friends and foes mean fewer fights."
"More friends, more foes—fine by me."
"......"
"...That's Baldu. What say you?"
Kang Seol smirked.
Ka-zan's heir a friend now.
"Sure. Friend."
"Good then, friend! One request to celebrate."
Ka-bu met Kang Seol's eyes seriously.
"Help find the wyverns. Baldu will help you."
* * *
Left behind, Tansia looked around.
"Little one, stop glancing about."
"Not little one, Tansia."
"That black-haired human's gone. Quit looking."
"Maybe hiding, watching?"
"Your master permitted it. You're mine now. Call me Master from here on."
"Not master, Daddy!"
"Huh? How's a human a dragon's parent?"
"Dunno! But feels that way!"
"Hmm... Come closer."
The statue-sized dragon drew Tansia near, adjusting claws delicately.
Craaack...
He lifted her eyelid to check her pupil.
"Ah—say it."
"Ah..."
"Not just sound—stick out your tongue."
"Ah—."
Checked her tongue.
"Hmm, got it. You swallowed a shadow, huh?"
"Yeah!"
"Your dam's Tancred. Hm... Guess she couldn't hold you to the end. Swallowed the shadow to be born, unavoidable...."
"Wasn't unavoidable! Warm!"
"Survival instinct. Can't hatch from an unbrooded egg."
"Th-that..."
"Interpret as you like. I just judge your body as I see it."
"Yeah? What's Tansia's condition?"
Tansia perked her ears for an honest assessment.
"Overfed. Body's heavy."
"Eeeeng... Didn't eat that much."
"The shadow. Potential brimming, but who knows till it blooms."
Tansia drooped at that. Maktus raised a finger.
"But your master here is Maktus, dragon who ruled skies with great warrior Ka-zan."
"Impressive?"
"Very. Serve your master well, and you'll fly the skies soon."
Tansia bowed to Maktus instantly.
"Master!"
"Yes!"
"I want to fly the skies!"
"Engrave it! Flight is love!"
"Love?"
"Memorize!"
"Love!"
Eccentric dragon Maktus began teaching Tansia bizarre flight methods.
* * *
Kang Seol's group agreed to help Baldu, but how exactly? Or even if they could find the missing wyverns was unclear.
"Just bail?"
"No more dealing with Baldu ever?"
"......To fight Azanic, need Baldu. But without Ka-zan, how beat Azanic?"
"We can figure that after finding wyverns...."
"Even Cong... Kang Seol, your thoughts?"
"Hm? Ah...."
Kang Seol found Baldu's situation suspicious.
'Released wyverns instead of killing? Why?'
Because they need wyverns.
Or wyverns useful to them.
'At least better than slain....'
Still mere speculation. Head aching, Kang Seol stepped out, walking the cliffs.
Canyon's terrain: sharp rocks like thorns hindering flight. Winds swirled freakishly, like storms.
Baldu flying here anew seemed amazing.
Swish...
Then, Kang Seol sensed presence.
Faint hostility writhing toward him.
Response instant.
Paaak-!
He spun, counterattacking.
Visual info flooded.
Huge fist, massive build, dangling ornaments, body tattoos.
Not human.
"...What?"
"...Just checking."
Voice startled Kang Seol this time.
Troll tongue. Kang Seol eased his attack.
Unknown approach, identity. Perfect for intel.
Paaak-!
Paaang-!
Whirr-!
Kang Seol spun, kicking up troll's fist with foot.
Pak-!
"Ho!"
Whoosh...
Leapt, raining kicks on troll's chest.
Pabababap-!
"Krahahaha!"
Opponent staggered back.
"Too lenient."
"Who are you? Fight after."
"Why? I attacked."
"No hostility."
"Hmm... You speak troll, though."
"Why seek me?"
Troll grinned.
"You're strongest on this mountain."
"......"
Opponent skilled enough to pick strongest amid crowds.
"Baldu chieftain?"
"No."
"Tch... Problem."
Kang Seol's eyes flashed with realization.
"You... know, don't you?"
"Hm? Ah...."
Troll smirked.
"Where the wyverns went?"