Chapter 266
Chapter 266
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 266
Chapter Title: ACT. 53 The Crow and the Dragon (4)
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"..."
He flinched noticeably but pretended not to, keeping his eyes shut.
Yet, the contradictory twitch of his ears suggested he was trying to gauge my reaction.
"Get up now before you're found out later and make things more pathetic."
"...Why?"
The Dragon of the End slowly rose and asked a question.
See? I knew he was awake.
"If you let me live, I will come to attack you next. It would be better for you to strike me down now. I cannot comprehend your methods. Why did you heal me instead of attacking, and why did you bring me here?"
The Dragon of the End's eyes were filled with disbelief.
It was a perfectly reasonable question.
I would have asked the same thing in his position.
I chuckled lightly.
"You want to see your family too, don't you?"
When I was swallowed by the Dragon of the End.
I was able to share some of its memories and emotions through mana assimilation.
The Dragon of the End that came to Earth is still a young specimen.
In a species that typically lives for several thousand, or even over ten thousand years, this one was barely a hundred years old.
Though it's not a direct comparison since their youth and middle age span thousands of years, in human terms, he would be about seven or eight years old.
An age where the feeling of not wanting to be separated from family is stronger than the instinctual will to destroy.
*Mom, Dad. I miss you. I want to go home.*
That was the very first emotion that flowed into me the moment I was swallowed.
His stiff, formal speech is just a way to appear strong.
"You bastard, my memories...!"
Immediately realizing why, the Dragon of the End rose to all fours and took a threatening stance.
Not that it looked like anything more than a sulking cat hissing.
"Besides, you're in a state where recovery is unlikely. Even if I don't try to kill you, you won't be able to survive here on your own until you become an adult."
The Dragons of the End aren't born with immense power.
Compared to the adults, who possess enough power to destroy an entire planet on their own, their youth is a time of constant threat from predators.
That's why they are typically raised in a nest, strictly protected by their parents until they reach adulthood.
The Dragonian that was guarding the egg was meant to overcome the difficulty of surviving youth here, but it's dead now.
"I also want to see the family I was separated from."
Recalling the past memories I saw during my resurrection left a bitter taste in my mouth.
"...You will regret this."
"If that time comes, I'll stop you."
"To deliberately leave a future threat when you could eliminate it now with no repercussions. You are a fool. An utter imbecile. An idiot hastening his own demise!"
The Dragon of the End flew out the window in a rage.
Besial spoke, dumbfounded.
[He throws a fit even when you save his life? But Kim Se-hyeon, are you sure you can handle this?]
"When have you ever seen me spout nonsense? Just shut up and trust me."
As the Dragon of the End said, the chance of it returning as a massive threat is slim.
That's why I could say what I did.
That wasn't all.
*A way to turn a negative and a negative into a positive.*
I was gauging the potential benefits beyond that.
A single outcome with a probability that was by no means low.
"So just go to sleep for today. We're done with everything."
As I flopped onto the bed, Besial looked dissatisfied but refrained from saying anything more.
[Things are complicated enough with that guy who calls himself a regressor. Oh, and this is a secret, but it turns out even our higher-ups are keeping quiet about him. Seems like there's something to it.]
"Of course there is."
A regressor I know nothing about, not the one who originally existed in EOA.
If he had already experienced this situation where the game became reality and then regressed...
"...No way."
I have to think about this differently.
*Whether he possesses the unique ability 'Regression' or not.*
I need to confirm that first.
I can't rule out the possibility that he's lying.
To do that, I first need to figure out if a real regressor exists.
Something that is systemically 'limited to one person' cannot be possessed by multiple people.
*Should I just accept Odin's divine power?*
*If I had the 'Eye of Wisdom,' I could pierce through any mystique and see his information.*
Plus, since he's the chief god of Norse mythology, the other powers that come with it would be formidable.
*Not that it's likely to happen.*
Gods based on mythology are fundamentally more interested in their regions of origin.
That's how they can exert power closer to their original strength.
This tendency was especially strong among gods classified as chief deities.
Zeus, who gave his divine power to Jeon Do-jin, was a fickle one who spread his power all over the place, so he's an exception.
*I'll wait and see a little longer.*
[And there's something else you should know.]
The moment I closed my eyes, Besial spoke up, making me crack one eye open.
[The main quest system is completely messed up. From now on, the main quests probably won't be normal. There's no telling how they'll unfold.]
"Because the Primeval and the End appeared at the same time, so early?"
[That's probably part of it, yeah?]
"Still, the grand scheme of things won't change that much. Especially for now."
Especially since the major events are already set.
The order of events might change, like with the Disaster of Solitude and the Dragon of the End, or entirely new events that never existed before might occur, but worrying about it now when I don't know what will happen won't solve anything.
I'll find out naturally when the next main quest begins anyway.
I closed the eye I had briefly opened.
Once I set aside my worries, drowsiness washed over me in a rush.
I surrendered my body to the encroaching sleep.
***
"..."
The Dragon of the End hadn't flown far.
Right above where Se-hyeon was sleeping, it perched on the rooftop and gazed up at the night sky.
The world cloaked in darkness, the moonlight that warmly enveloped it, and the twinkling stars.
Though much was different, the emotions they evoked were the same.
Longing.
And the one being who had noticed it.
The Dragon of the End quietly sank into its thoughts.
For a long, long time.
[Hmmmm.]
Besial, who had been watching, scratched his head.
[I have no idea what's going on. Can I go to sleep now?]
From Besial's perspective, the Dragon of the End showed no intention of leaving.
It wasn't even fun to watch, as it showed no movement despite his continued observation.
If it were going to leave, it would have left long ago.
Besial decided to stop watching and vanished beyond the subspace.
***
The moment I woke and shifted, I felt a pleasant, warm weight on my arm.
It was that feeling.
The sensation of nudging a sleeping cat or dog.
The cat I had as a kid felt just like this.
I opened my eyes to check.
"You're awake."
The Dragon of the End was looking at me pitifully, as if to say, 'Why are you sleeping in so late?'
I checked to see if I had overslept, but it was only eight o'clock.
Not that late at all.
I scratched my messy hair and sat up.
"You didn't leave."
"Where would I go in this body? Natural enemies are everywhere. On top of that, I have so much mana that to magical beasts, I'm treated like a walking elixir, a health supplement, or a golden goblin! Far from leaving, it's a situation where my survival isn't even guaranteed if I go back to my cave and hide... Wait. Why are you licking your lips? D-don't tell me you're looking at me like that too?"
"No. *Slurp*."
"Don't look so blatantly disappointed! Dammit! Maybe I should have just left!"
"I'm serious, it's not like that. I was just hungry because I woke up."
"If that's the case, then I'm relieved, but..."
It was true that for a moment, I considered taking the dragon's inner core, but there was no need to say that out loud.
"It's not just my size that has shrunk. I've used up almost all my power, and soon, my memories will disappear as well."
The Dragon of the End's eyes drooped slightly.
Just as it can grow rapidly by devouring everything about a target, the reverse is also possible.
If it uses up even the power needed to maintain its state, it will regress to infancy.
If it were to grow slowly without any 'food,' it would take a very long time to regain its memories.
"Therefore, before that happens, I intend to form a contract. I will acknowledge you as my companion."
The Dragon of the End declared, holding its head high.
A companion.
A term used when a species classified as a 'dragon,' considered superior to humans, takes a human or other intelligent being as a lifelong partner.
I smiled inwardly.
The Dragon of the End had no choice but to make this decision.
Because I had guided it to believe this was the best option.
It's true that I pitied it after assimilating with its memories and emotions.
However, I'm not foolish enough to be unable to separate public and private matters.
The dragon's situation, and the influence my words would have in that state.
Everything was thoroughly calculated.
And as a result, just as I predicted last night, the negative had turned into a positive.
"I'm not just making you my companion for nothing! You have to take responsibility for me, protect me, feed me regularly, and, uh, also... I'll become independent once I gain enough strength to protect myself!"
"Are you looking for a companion or a nanny?"
"Anyway!"
The Dragon of the End stomped its front paws a couple of times in anger.
How cute.
*Fwaaa!*
A magic circle formed, enveloping me and the Dragon of the End.
It was for the companion contract ceremony.
"There's no time. In a few minutes, I will lose all my memories, and the only thing that will remain is the fact that we have a contract."
[Is this that 'responsibility without pleasure' thing I've heard about?]
Besial cut right to the point.
Well, even so, the Dragon of the End is a creature that will possess power surpassing most S-rank players after just a little nurturing.
There was no downside.
Especially since the contract would make it a reliable ally.
"...Keep your promise."
The Dragon of the End narrowed its eyes.
The magic circle glowed, and completely indecipherable characters danced in the air.
"My name is Rasty. I acknowledge you as my companion, to be with me until the end of the world."
A burst of light erupted and then subsided as if nothing had happened.
[You have become the companion of the Dragon of the End.]
[You have achieved the accomplishment, 'One Who Walks with the World's End.']
[A dedicated trait will be granted.]
[Master of the End (S+)]
One who walks with the world's end must be strong enough to survive until the very last moment.
The power, and the choice, are yours.
What end will you herald?
The end of the world? Or the end of this wretched apocalypse?
Once every 7 days, you can use 'Proclamation of the End.' Borrow the mana of the Dragon of the End to drastically enhance your Mana stat.
*'Borrow the mana of the Dragon of the End?'*
An S+ rank. And a destructive effect to match.
I had never once become the companion of the Dragon of the End before.
Which is why this was a trait whose existence was completely unknown to me.
I let out a dry laugh and shifted my gaze to the sleeping 'Rasty.'
Sleeping soundly, it looked exactly like a young creature.
*'If it grows to adulthood...'*
I would gain an ally of the transcendent class.
It was the addition of a power that not even the Crow could handle on his own.
***
"You made a contract with the Dragon of the End!?"
After hearing the full story, Jun Bo-ra slammed her hand on the table and shot to her feet.
"A contract with a monster that showed such terrifying power... What on earth did you threaten it with?"
"Why do you jump to threats?"
"Well, from the monster's perspective, there's no reason to make a contract."
"I made the contract while it still recognized me as its parent. It said itself that it had used too much power and would lose its memories soon anyway."
"Wow. You're a truly vicious bastard."
Jun Bo-ra waved her hands, a look of disgust on her face.
I'd come up with a plausible reason on the spot, but it was more convincing than I thought.
"Oppa, what are you going to name it then?"
"That's right. If we're raising it, it needs a name. It's a dark black color... how about Brownie?"
"The Dragon of the End's name... is Brownie."
Jun Bo-ra slapped her forehead.
Choi Yeon-su tried to spin it positively.
"It's the same principle as giving a gentle name to a typhoon... right?"
"It revealed its own name. It's Rasty."
"So cute."
Jo Min-ah giggled and poked Rasty's cheek with her finger.
At that, Rasty opened its eyes, blinked for a moment, and looked around.
"...Kyuu?"