The Death Flame Fragment

Kiruk…… kirrrruk…….

One of the insects struck by the layered ice barrier of Nute lay flipped over, its eight legs twitching feebly. Unlike the other grave bugs, a red glow pulsed at the tip of its tail like a beating heart.

Puuk—

There was no real resistance. Tesaro's sword slid smoothly into its belly, and I lopped off the grave bug's head with Amur's dagger.

The alert confirmed that Gate 2's trial was definitively over.

Creeeak……!

I twisted the embedded sword, and with a cracking sound as its shell split, a small, gem-like red stone popped out from the grave bug's gut.

"Hmm."

The gem dropped from the grave bug leader was decent, but it didn't excite me much since I had no fire skills.

'And it's not even a complete piece—a fragment's pretty meaningless.'

Enchanting equipment required an advanced blacksmith or higher, and the number of enchants depended on their forging proficiency. With limited slots, it was crucial to use the best gems possible.

But beyond its value, this held weight as the first trophy from Parahum's trial.

"Red Sickle."

I tossed the gem I'd been holding to him.

"You use it."

His Five Color Ring's Fire Chariot was the only fire-attribute skill in our party right now, so I handed it over without hesitation.

"This isn't ordinary fire—it's the magical flame born from Parahum's heart. Normal fire attacks won't dent Parahum, but this should do the trick."

Rerto Karen knew that well enough and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stayed silent.

"This……."

But Red Sickle himself looked at me in bewilderment.

It didn't make sense for a level 80 powerhouse to be surprised by a Rare-grade item. Clearing the impenetrable Gate 2, which he'd failed before, must have hit him deeply the moment he took the fragment.

And as per the game's ironclad rules, that sentiment triggered change.

"……I have no choice but to acknowledge it."

Red Sickle muttered in a low voice, a wry smile on his lips as he couldn't tear his eyes from the fragment.

'Perfect.'

I nodded as if I'd been waiting.

More Bond Slots meant I could boost affinity with multiple NPCs simultaneously.

'Affinity levels up not through separate EXP, but by hitting milestones.'

I was satisfied to learn this new way to raise the trait while eyeing my two Bond Slots.

'Plus, raising Red Sickle's affinity will naturally boost Phlia's and the Red Cat Mercenaries' rep too.'

I resolved to max out my rep with him by the time we beat Parahum, solidifying ties with the mercenaries and Obela.

"Alright, final gate. Key thing: clearing the Undead Drake in Gate 3 spawns Parahum right there—no recovery time. Obvious, but focus on stamina management."

Phlia and Red Sickle nodded at my words, but Rerto still eyed my strategy with suspicion.

Seeing his reaction, I gave Phlia a subtle glance.

"The Undead Drake's only weak point is the Command Stone embedded in its forehead. Destroy that, or it'll regen anything else instantly."

Phlia picked up my cue.

"But smashing it's no easy feat. Watch for its Plague Aura ability."

She stabbed her dagger into the ground.

"Nasty gift from Parahum. When it rears its head, a fierce barrier forms around it. Attack then, and the aura's poison mist thickens. Never hit the aura barrier."

"Also, avoid its tail smash—keep its head turned inward. No ranged here, so we flank from the sides."

Red Sickle added the final tip on the drake strat, and Rerto finally nodded, suspicion easing.

"The Undead Drake in Gate 3 is special to Obelans. Back when Obela was a kingdom, Desert King Meyas hunted it—a desert dragon."

"No way…… Balpudra, ancestor of the Wingless Dragon Rintburm, one of the Six Great Dragons?"

"Exactly. That's why ancient Obela's flag was a desert dragon. Traces remain all over the city."

Rerto asked Red Sickle with a flicker of surprise, and he nodded.

"You know it?"

I asked Rerto as if I'd expected it.

"Heard the Kartinin family's heirloom, Backlight Scale Armor, was forged from Balpudra's bones. Founder Nel Kartinin challenged the Colosseum during his martial journey."

"Oh?"

"Records say he gained the connection there to craft it…… Didn't know it was made here."

Rerto sounded a bit excited, given the family tie.

'Of course. Backlight Scale Armor's one of the Iron Kingdom's treasures—he's gotta be eyeing it.'

But it wasn't easy to get. Still, Rerto now hoped for clues here.

I smirked at his shift.

"Knowing parts of the dungeon strat isn't weird. Like how you know about the armor, but I started in the Iron Kingdom and had no clue."

Rerto seemed to shed more doubt.

"Parahum info's plentiful in Obela's old tomes. You could've found it too if you weren't rushing the quest."

I patted his shoulder lightly and headed for the Gate 3 door.

"So quit overthinking and follow."

"……."

Rerto obeyed without fuss—he knew party unity was key for Parahum's Tomb.

'Go ahead, strut all you want. Once we're out, you're done.'

'Kim Do-hyun. If we'd waited for rescue like you said, time would've been tight. But post-clear? Plenty of time for them to arrive.'

His eyes gleamed.

'I'll get the Royal Scepter, then handle you with the rescue team.'

"Let's go."

I said to the three.

'Your schemes are obvious. Murder in your eyes.'

Turning away, tension beaded sweat on my sword hand.

But not just from Rerto.

'Obela's full of Undead ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Drake lore. But zilch on the real boss, Parahum.'

No one—not even Red Cat Mercenaries past Gate 2—had challenged the Immortal King.

Except one.

Me.

"Rerto."

He looked up.

"I'll make sure you get the Royal Scepter."

"……?"

I climbed the stairs without another word. He tilted his head behind me, puzzled.

'But you won't leave alive.'

[Krrrrrr…….]

A faint breathing echoed as we reached the top floor. The crouched, sleeping Undead Drake bore the wingless form of a desert dragon.

A red line visible only to players marked its territory on the floor—step in, and it wakes.

"Incredible……."

Rerto muttered unconsciously at the sight.

Made sense—even as undead, it was his first dragon in Dimension World 2. He'd hunted worse before, but never a dragon at level 40s.

The level gap's overwhelming pressure ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was chilling.

'Always hits the same—too damn real for 'just a game,' fear and all.'

Crushed by the game. A programmed system puppeteering human emotions wasn't all fun.

Krich—

An unpleasant chill hit me.

"I'll take point."

Rerto drew his sword with a stiff face, sharing the unease. Clank—

Unlike before, he held it horizontal to the ground, blade near his face. Dead serious stance.

'Silver Sword 1st Form.'

His form suddenly overlapped with someone in my mind.

Kartinin third son, Sian Kartinin.

The one I regretted most.

His face flashed, a pang in my chest.

Then—

'……Huh?'

The trait that only worked on NPCs suddenly activated on me.

'Why now……?'

No time to figure it out—an alert popped up as I panicked.

Tss…… tzztztzz……!!!

Then it hit.

The alert window's pixels shattered like an old CRT screen, text scrambling.

"……?!"

'Strategist……?'

That familiar title was another moniker for Rerto Karen.

Hwaaaaa……!!

In that instant, an unseen realm sucked me in, unveiling a sight I'd never witnessed before.