Chapter 26
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Proof of Majesty
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Seong Ji-yoon grasped the "Golden Mana Locket" hanging around her neck. The cool sensation of metal transmitted into her hand.
"Getting used to doing this solo now."
The strong are lonely. For her, concepts like "comrades" or "parties" had long since faded into obscurity.
Any awakeners below a certain level would only hold her back, while the truly powerful had already carved out their own territories. And if she had time to form a party with someone on her level, she'd be better off tackling other dungeons instead. All to protect the people of this land.
She considered herself fortunate to have obtained this necklace, at least. It let her clear two extra dungeons a day.
"S-Seong Ji-yoon Hunter! Gate break in 30 minutes!"
A tense rookie from the Management Bureau shouted. The staff who'd met her multiple times before were already moving with mechanical efficiency.
"Don't worry. I'm heading in right away."
She gave her spear one final check. The A+-grade weapon had undergone several repairs and was on the verge of dropping a rank, but it should hold up for at least ten more battles.
Five minutes later, having finished her preparations, Seong Ji-yoon donned her armor and stepped forward.
"1:37 PM. Entering A-Rank Dungeon."
She passed the Management Bureau staff inspecting the gate and set foot into the blue portal.
Woooong—
The sensation of space warping hit her, and her vision brightened.
"Hm."
She had arrived on a small floating island suspended in midair.
Looking around, she saw an endless sky stretching out, dotted with large and small rock islands scattered about. Below lay only an abyss of clouds—no sign of the ground anywhere.
Kieeeek—!
A shrill cry pierced the air as a shadow darkened the sky. Dozens of wyverns soared from one floating island toward another.
Shhshhshh!
Scaled lizards and snakes slithered across the ground, emitting ominous rustles.
And atop the highest floating island, on the peak of a rocky mountain, sat a drake clad in sky-blue scales, surveying its surroundings with dignified poise.
"Of all things, an aerial battle against a Wind Drake."
Seong Ji-yoon clicked her tongue briefly. Her main skills revolved around close-range spear techniques. For someone without flight capabilities, an air battle was a severely disadvantaged battlefield.
Moreover, the Wind Drake boasted the highest speed and maneuverability among baby dragons. It was also a full thirty percent larger than a typical drake, meaning it could fly even higher.
Of course, it wasn't impossible to kick off the air with her "Sky Walk" skill, but the mana efficiency plummeted.
She steeled herself to pour every ounce of mana into this dungeon. Worst case, she might have to use a one-time escape item.
Gripping her spear firmly, she assumed a combat stance. First, she needed to clear the B-Rank and lower monsters crawling on the ground and fend off the wyverns. They were all rewards in themselves, and they'd only get in the way during the drake fight.
Fortunately, the drake showed no signs of moving, standing stock-still like a statue.
As Seong Ji-yoon prepared to take down the monsters, a sudden sense of incongruity washed over her.
"Hm...?"
The monsters' movements were abnormal.
The wyverns, called living fighter jets, weren't charging at her—instead, they huddled together on the lowest floating island, trembling in fear.
It was behavior that could only be explained by mass illness or the presence of something far more powerful. Monsters rarely held back their hatred for humans.
But the wyverns weren't the only ones acting strangely. The lizards and snakes lay prone on the ground, fangs hidden, playing dead.
It was an incomprehensible scene, but Seong Ji-yoon didn't let her guard down.
"A gimmick?"
In some dungeons, killing monsters triggered other threats—like unstable terrain or a powered-up boss.
The drake might be waiting to exploit such a gimmick. As a test, Seong Ji-yoon stabbed a stationary lizard on the ground.
Yet the drake showed no noticeable strengthening, nor any change in its mana output.
Thud!
On a hunch, she leaped downward, smashing one wyvern with the momentum.
The wyvern's heart pierced through, it died without a scream—but the others didn't attack, nor did the drake grow stronger. They merely scattered in surprise.
"...?"
An inexplicable situation, but caution was key. After taking down a few wyverns, Seong Ji-yoon began making her way toward the drake.
As she ascended, the number of monsters increased, but no battles ensued. She stabbed those blocking the paths while leaping between floating islands.
Dozens of bounds later, she reached the rocky peak where the drake perched.
"Grrr...."
The drake growled lowly. Yet it showed no signs of pouncing or taking flight.
If anything, it seemed terrified, hunching its body, spreading its wings, and staring at Seong Ji-yoon—like a wounded bird puffing up before a snake.
Seong Ji-yoon grew increasingly confused. Wyverns fled, lizards froze, snakes hid their fangs. Even the wyverns trembled in anxiety.
Still, she advanced, spear tip trained on it.
One step, then another.
As she drew closer, the drake bared hostility but lowered its posture and bowed its head. Not the behavior of an intelligent monster with aerial superiority.
Seong Ji-yoon pressed the spear tip to its snout. Despite the cold metal touching it, the drake made no attempt to evade. It merely gazed up at her with uneasy eyes.
"...What the hell is going on?"
As a test, she climbed onto the drake's back.
Thud, thud.
She kicked it with her foot, but the drake remained meekly prone.
At that moment, a blue gate reopened in the air where she had first entered—the signal for dungeon clear.
"Ha."
Seong Ji-yoon dismounted, a mix of joy and emptiness washing over her. The boss of an A-Rank Dungeon had surrendered without a fight.
This wasn't the first time she'd worn the Golden Mana Locket. In other dungeons, monsters hadn't attacked her aggressively, doubling her efficiency—but nothing like this overwhelming effect.
"No way...."
Two pieces of knowledge surfaced in her mind—passages deciphered from ancient dungeon texts.
"All scaled creatures shall kneel before the true dragon."
"One who bears the scales of a dragon instills fear in all. For it means they are recognized by dragons... or a dragon slayer."
They seemed unrelated at first glance, but if one possibility held true, every puzzle piece would fit.
"If this locket is a dragon byproduct, it all makes sense."
She didn't know how the Korean government had done it, but they'd secured a dragon scale. And traded it with the U.S. Department of Defense for Midas's item.
She formed a hypothesis in her mind—one that tied everything together.
Stepping down from the surrendered drake, she stood before its massive head. It still peeked at her with head bowed.
"Stay here."
Infusing her words with mana, the drake immediately flattened itself on the ground.
"This could be leveraged in international dealings."
Seong Ji-yoon exited the gate, leaving behind the drake that would become Korea's new asset.
"S-Seong Ji-yoon Hunter! Are you alright?"
"New record! Cleared in 1 hour! And you preserved the gate too...!"
Unlike usual, she skipped the fan service and boarded her vehicle straight away.
She pulled out her phone and dialed shortcut number 1—Director Joo Deok-hwan's direct line at the Management Bureau.
"Yes, Hunter Seong Ji-yoon. What can I do for you?"
"Director, it's Seong Ji-yoon. I have questions about the 'Golden Mana Locket.'"
"That's classified, so I can't disclose details—"
"I'm using that S-Rank privilege you mentioned earlier. Right now."
She stated firmly. Invoking the right to access most classified information, as promised for S-Ranks.
But Director Joo Deok-hwan's response left her frozen.
"That's higher-level intel. I'm sorry."
"...What?"
Information above even an S-Rank like her. It defied common sense.
"...Understood."
But she had more than just access rights. Connections, power, influence—all in her grasp.
"I'll uncover this myself."
She vowed to mobilize everything to dig up the truth.