The Red Star of the North Continent, Isla
The Red Star of the North Continent, Isla
"The mana is surging."
A red-haired woman walking alone along the mountain path peered ahead.
Far off in the distance, a noisy battle was unfolding. Massive amounts of mana were leaking out, the stench growing stronger by the second. It made tracking easy.
The location of Pegasus Sesiah.
"I've been counting the days for this."
A smile curled at the corners of her mouth. For ages, she'd scoured the world, leaving her home in the North Continent behind, all to find Sesiah. When word came that it had appeared in the Bagas Mountains, she'd rushed here immediately.
Now that her long-sought prize had shown itself, her heart pounded with excitement.
Pegasus Sesiah. She had to have that pure white, beautiful divine steed.
She was red. It was white. They would make a perfect pair.
That's why she craved it so.
The woman had thick horns sprouting from above her ears. Her eyes gleamed golden. With the refined beauty of a woman in her thirties, her name was Isla.
Isla was a compulsive collector. Rare things ignited an irresistible urge to possess them. The pristine white form of Pegasus Sesiah was the epitome of beauty that stroked her collector's itch.
That's why she wanted it.
It's over.
She sensed the battle ahead had ended through the flow of mana. The challengers—humans—had lost.
Isla slowly entered the ruins midway up the mountain.
"Move him quick! Run! Run!"
"Cough! N-no, we can't...! Not yet...!"
"Give it up, Lord Glenn! We've lost!"
"I have to get my hands on it...! Sesiah! Sesiiaaaah!"
A mage with considerable mana reserves was being carried away on a stretcher. Blood streamed from his eyes and ears. The knights hauling him looked utterly wrecked too—their armor shattered to rags, their bodies reeking of burnt flesh.
Even just passing by, the stench was so overpowering it nearly made her choke and pass out.
Serves you right for biting off more than you can chew.
Isla eyed the retreating group like a swarm of flies. She was arrogantly dismissive of humans, viewing them as insignificant. This wasn't her home turf—it was foreign soil—and she was suppressing her instincts to conserve strength. But deep down, she wanted to wipe out every obstacle in this mountain range first.
"Pruuuh!"
Sesiah neighed triumphantly, prancing about in celebration of its victory.
"How adorable."
Isla grinned with delight. It was day 300 of her obsessive hunt for Sesiah.
Finally, they'd meet.
Now that it was in her sights, it was hers—a hundred percent. No way she'd let it slip away.
And why not? Her body swelled in an instant, transforming into a colossal red dragon.
"Rooooaaarrr!"
She bellowed thunderously.
At that moment, back at the camp, the onlookers peering into the crystal orb doubted their own eyes. Some were so shocked they fell flat on their asses.
"A d-dragon too?!"
"Gonna eat 'em?"
"Sesiah's done for. Dragon's gonna snag it."
"We're screwed... Heading back empty-handed?"
"Who're the red dragons out there? Anyone know that one?"
"Think I do."
A seasoned adventurer, leaning on his staff, stepped forward to the orb. Staring intently into it, he spoke.
"That dragon's gotta be the Red Star of the North Continent, Isla. Those massive horns match what I've heard."
"I-Isla? Not just any dragon—one of the world's Harmonizers!"
"Then Sesiah's really toast."
"My god. Seeing a Harmonizer with my own eyes!"
"Alright, everyone, calm down and let's watch."
As the spectators buzzed, Lamo of the centaur tribe inspected her gleaming golden bow and slung it over her back.
"We're moving out."
"Yes!"
She led her band of all-female centaur warriors out of camp, clinging to a shred of hope.
Descending the pitch-black stairs led to a brightly lit stone chamber. Candles lit in ancient times still burned steadily, fueled by magic.
"Hard to breathe in here. It's musty."
"Hey, hero dude, can't Hanna and I just wait outside? We won't run, promise."
"How can I trust that?"
"You're gonna take everything anyway! Why drag us into this suffocating hell?"
"Shh."
A metallic clank echoed from deeper inside. What was that?
Clank. Creak.
A full-plate armored knight seated on a stone chair rose slowly, joints squeaking like a broken doll.
I clicked my tongue.
Damn.
Not just decoration after all. Tomb guardian, huh?
Spotting us, it drew its sword and exuded a chilling aura.
"Intruders will be executed."
From within its helm, baleful blue eyes glowed as it charged.
An unexpected obstacle. Should've prepared properly before entering the tomb—instead, I waltzed in all excited like it was a museum field trip, way too defenseless.
Deborah and Hanna died in seconds. Hands bound, they couldn't even run properly.
Deborah barely dodged the tomb knight's sword beam, but the shockwave hurled her into the wall, smashing her to death. Looked like her guts ruptured.
Hanna got her head crushed by a massive falling rock from the ceiling—concussion city. Unavoidable accident on my part.
I was locked in one-on-one with the berserk tomb knight; the collateral damage took them out. Not the best connection, but I prayed for their souls and erased them from my mind.
I poured everything into battling the tomb guardian.
And barely won.
"Huff! Huff! Good thing Ranser is the Sword of Light, or I'd be dead."
An ancient survivor. Detached from death itself. A dark power defying nature's cycle ruled it—and that was prime prey for Ranser.
Every slash burned its flesh, sealing its infinite regeneration. That's how I clinched it.
I dismissed Ranser's summon and removed the fallen knight's helm. As expected, undead. Its face had withered away at death, leaving just a pitch-black skull.
"Whew... Intense workout in low oxygen. I'm beat."
Thud. Thud.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed from the stairs leading out.
Someone's coming?
I ducked behind a chamber pillar.
Moments later, the intruder was... Jenia.
Shocked inwardly, I stepped out.
"What're you doing here?"
"Oppa!"
Jenia threw her arms around me.
"How'd you find me?"
"The forest reeked of your cum. Followed the scent."
"Ah..."
I chuckled awkwardly.
"Where're the girls and Aquina?"
"Came alone. No clue where they are."
"Why?"
"Left 'em behind."
She pulled back, face hardening.
"No obligation to protect them. Finding you comes first."
Unbelievable.
"You left Aquina alone?"
"So?"
From sweet to icy little sister in a flash. Classic tsundere. Frustrating as hell.
Better investigate the chamber quick and bail. As I scanned the room, Jenia eyed the corpses on the floor.
"Who're these women?"
"Tried to kill me. Was gonna enslave 'em for the house staff as punishment, but they croaked."
"Enslave?"
"Yeah."
"You ditched 'em?"
"Ditched? What?"
"Don't use corpses?"
"What for? We're leaving 'em."
While I shoved open the heavy stone sarcophagi carved from solid rock, Jenia busied herself.
She laid Deborah and Hanna side by side, pulled out a necklace, and chanted a dark spell.
Gave her that one?
I'd seen it before. Belonged to my adoptive dad, Sars. For building dark armies.
Death in this world wasn't absolute. Revival was possible in many ways. Perfect resurrection cost a fortune, but half-assed versions were cheap.
"Ughhh..."
"Aaaah..."
Deborah and Hanna stirred back to life, twitching like zombies.
"Hey, what the hell?"
"My soldiers now. You weren't using 'em."
"Still... Nah, whatever."
Whatever. Bodyguards to protect my sister? Fine by me.
Deborah and Hanna started off mindless, but as Jenia chanted more, they calmed, gaining composure.
"Guard the entrance."
They nodded obediently and dashed out.
Revived as undead, they felt different—gone was the arrogance, replaced by loyal, serious soldier vibes.
Wild.
"A hero who just watches while his sister turns corpses into undead..."
I laughed hollowly and shoved the next sarcophagus open.
Rumble.
"Oh."
A resplendent suit of armor etched with a lightning emblem on the breastplate caught my eye. I unrolled the accompanying parchment scroll.
This is the thunder breastplate favored by King Erkness.
Wearing it, he achieved the great feat of capturing Pegasus Sesiah.
The wearer becomes invincible against thunder and lightning.
Understanding its purpose, I let out a gasp.
"Incredible."
Unexpected treasure. On top of the lasso, another perfect tool for snagging Sesiah.
Gotta borrow this.
As I hurriedly pulled it out, Jenia called.
"Oppa, check this."
I paused and approached. She was peering into an open sarcophagus filled with miscellaneous daily items.
"Isn't this something you could use?"
Jenia picked something up and held it out—a round golden ring. It looked familiar.
"Yarosla Penis Ring Upgrade Tool...?"
Why the hell was this here? Was the Penis Ring some ancient heirloom?
Up close, it was a match for the one I wore. Slot this over the base ring on my dick for enhanced effects?
The basic one just blocked ejaculation. What would this add? No clue.
"Gotta test it."
I dropped trou right in front of my sister. She'd seen me fuck before—what's the big deal?
Slid the upgrade over the existing ring, then tried getting hard to test.
Nothing. Wouldn't rise.
"Eh, too much sex today maybe."
Plus that fight with the knight wore me out. Need a breather?
"Problem?"
Jenia glanced at my dick, then at me.
"Won't get up? Want me to rub it?"