Chapter 49
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Ddol Ddoli and the Lake Spirit
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A mysterious being covered head to toe in blue. The combat prowess of the woman who called herself the lake was truly formidable.
She had taken multiple direct hits from Ddol Ddoli's punches, delivered with full sincerity, without so much as flinching.
[Ddol Ddoli has learned how to utilize mana!]
-Kyaak! Ah, it hurts!
-How the hell are you hitting me? My avatar is a kind of soul body. Physical attacks shouldn't be able to harm me!
No, she was taking damage. She was making a huge fuss about how much it hurt, after all.
But Ddol Ddoli could sense it instinctively. This blue woman didn't seem to be in any real pain that threatened her.
Just looking at how she was still radiating power so casually made it clear. Her fussing was pure exaggeration.
-You're tough. Ddol Ddoli got a lot stronger, but my attacks aren't landing. Impressive.
-W-Wait a sec. You can materialize your mana? That doesn't make any sense. You're a stone golem, aren't you? Stone golems can't use abilities like th... Kehk!
A powerful punch. The woman spewed water as she collapsed. Or at least, that's how it looked. In reality, the blow hadn't landed properly. The moment the fist connected, she had deliberately let her body disperse to minimize the impact.
Ddol Ddoli wouldn't have noticed before. But now, he could sense it.
The mana filling the surrounding air and the pulsating mana packed tightly inside his core had heightened his senses.
Ddol Ddoli was certain.
That woman was no weakling.
Of course, that didn't mean he planned to back down.
'That jerk insulted Ddol Ddoli's master.'
He didn't care what else he heard.
Stupid golem? Fine. Artificial life? Fine. Dim-witted idiot? Slow as a slug? All good.
But insulting his master? That was unacceptable. Ddol Ddoli couldn't forgive that.
That's why he fought.
-W-Wait. Are you... using primal mana? Is that it?
The woman's words barely registered.
He was too deep in thought.
'Ddol Ddoli got much stronger. Can win.'
He stomped the ground. Charged forward with punches. Followed by a flurry of strikes. Ddol Ddoli's onslaught was razor-sharp.
His speed had improved, and the destructive power of his attacks had doubled.
At this level, he could easily take on all the guardians of that black dragon he'd fought before.
And that black dragon itself.
Not just breaking its horn.
He could deal meaningful damage to its sturdy body too.
But whether that mattered now was another question. His strengthened power wasn't landing.
After clashing repeatedly, he realized it. This wasn't about whether the opponent was tough or not.
What was the right way to put it?
Right, it was like punching water.
No matter how hard you punch water, it doesn't die. It just scatters and reforms.
It takes no damage in the process. Smashing it with a heavy rock is just pointless.
-Hey! Answer me! How do you handle mana? It looks just like primal magic... Kyaak!
Yeah. The opponent was like water.
'Ddol Ddoli's attacks aren't landing. So what now?'
Ddol Ddoli's expression remained calm as he unleashed his barrage, but his mind was accelerating.
He pondered and pondered how to land a proper hit on this foe. Then he recalled the dragon's physical attacks.
'Dragon coated its body in mana. Mana makes attacks stronger.'
Ddol Ddoli's gem eyes lit up. He thought he knew the method.
Ddol Ddoli clenched his fist. For a moment—perhaps an illusion—blue light flickered over his rocky fist.
The instant he thrust it forward, the blue woman cried out desperately.
-I'm sorry!
Ddol Ddoli paused mid-swing.
-Sorry?
-Yeah! Because I insulted your master, right? If that's it, I'm sorry. I was wrong, so I'll apologize.
-Really?
-Of course! I don't lie!
Ddol Ddoli froze. The mana enveloping his arm vanished as if washed away, and the mana clinging to his rocky surface scattered back into the air.
Along with the thick hostility that had shrouded his entire body.
His appearance was now utterly peaceful. The ferocious stone giant was gone, replaced by a completely transformed Ddol Ddoli. The woman let out a snicker.
To stop attacking just because she said that. What kind of guy does that?
-Hey. You really stopped attacking?
-Obviously. You apologized. You're no longer a jerk who dissed Ddol Ddoli's master. So you're not an enemy now.
-Pfft.
Ddol Ddoli unclenched his fist and lowered his hand. Seeing this, the woman covered her mouth and laughed. He looked so adorably clueless, staring at her blankly.
-Hey, how long have you been alive?
-Dunno. Ddol Ddoli doesn't count that stuff.
-Over ten years?
-Ten years...
-Try counting. Can you count?
-Obviously.
Ddol Ddoli wiggled his fingers. Naturally, he knew how to count numbers.
After fiddling with all ten fingers for about five seconds, he shook his head.
-Nah, not ten years. Not even close.
-Figures. You're totally a kid.
-Ddol Ddoli's not a kid. Ddol Ddoli's Ddol Ddoli.
-So your name is Ddol Ddoli, huh.
-Yeah. Ddol Ddoli.
-Puhuhu, right. Ddol Ddoli it is.
The woman fully relaxed. Now she understood why this golem spoke like a child. Knowing that explained his reckless behavior.
'I'm the idiot. Telling a clueless kid not to come here or whatever.'
Warnings are for those who can comprehend them. Speaking them to someone who couldn't meant conversation was impossible.
-I'm Riana. Nice to meet you.
-Riana. Nice. Ddol Ddoli.
Ddol Ddoli extended his hand. As if offering a handshake.
Riana flinched at the sight.
'Offering a handshake to the guy he was just fighting?'
Truly a child without a trace of prejudice.
-Ddol Ddoli. Sorry for saying you shouldn't exist in this world. That was a slip of the tongue.
-That's fine. Ddol Ddoli doesn't care.
-As a token of my apology, I'll invite you to my domain.
-Your domain?
-Yeah. That lake over there. The entire lake is my domain.
-Wrong. Lake's a lake. No owner.
Riana chuckled. It was the same response, but it didn't feel bad this time.
Now she knew it came from ignorance.
Honestly, Ddol Ddoli wasn't wrong.
Nature has no owner. A mountain is a mountain, a lake is a lake.
-You're right. I was wrong.
So she admitted it readily.
She was indeed the lake spirit ruling Azlan Great Lake, but there was no need to flaunt it here.
-Come here. I'll show you around.
-Okay.
-Since we met like this, it's fate. Let's chat. I have questions for you. Feel free to ask me anything too.
-Ddol Ddoli likes fighting more than talking.
-You can fight anytime.
-True.
She headed toward the lake.
Ddol Ddoli followed obediently.
Ddol Ddoli and Riana settled by a large rock next to the lake.
Riana asked Ddol Ddoli a few curious questions, and he answered honestly. Mostly about why he was here and why he wandered alone.
Only after hearing that Ddol Ddoli roamed the world seeking strong foes to grow stronger did Riana understand why he'd come all the way to this remote great lake.
He had sensed her power from afar—the lake spirit ruling Azlan Great Lake, a supreme water spirit.
But she hadn't leaked any power.
She was certain even a sword master revered by humans couldn't sense her strength.
Yet he had? What did that mean?
'This kid's senses are incredibly developed.'
Not just developed—abnormally so.
'Definitely not an ordinary stone golem.'
Abnormally sharp senses. Strength beyond a typical stone golem.
And this mana that only she could sense.
-Ddol Ddoli. Can you use that power once for me?
-Power? Wanna fight?
-No, not like that. Hmm, yeah. Can you coat yourself in mana and throw a good punch at the air?
-Easy.
Ddol Ddoli sprang up and punched the air.
A crisp sound rang out, and the air shimmered blue before fading.
To an outsider, it might look like simple mana materialization. But she knew what it was.
'Primal magic, as I thought.'
Otherwise known as primal talent.
Her body trembled.
-It's finally here. Finally.
-Huh?
-Nothing. Just talking to myself.
She calmed herself. No need to babble unnecessarily.
-Can you handle that power in other ways too?
-Nope.
Her heart raced. She tried to suppress her excitement.
-Your master implanted a dragon scale in you. That's how you got this power. But Ddol Ddoli doesn't know how to use it. Just punches and kicks. Oh, body slams too.
-Dragon scale? What do you mean?
-Literal. Master upgraded Ddol Ddoli. Got dragon scale. But can't use the power.
-So your master reinforced you with a dragon scale?
-Yeah.
So he thinks the dragon scale made him strong.
'No wonder his magic resistance is so high.'
If this golem's body incorporated dragon scale components, it made sense. Dragon scales offer unparalleled magic resistance.
But dragon scales had nothing to do with primal magic.
'Kid. That power isn't from the dragon scale. It's probably something you already had.'
Of course.
Primal mana resides in the soul, not the flesh.
The dragon scale didn't grant the power—it awakened the power he already possessed.
-Ddol Ddoli. Want me to teach you how to use it?
-You'll teach? You?
-Yeah.
-Okay, teach.
Ddol Ddoli nodded readily. Riana cheered inwardly but kept her cool as she spoke.
-Great. But to do that, I need to touch your body. Okay?
-Fine. Touch.
She placed her hand on his back.
'Hmm, this is a bit of a cheat. But no choice. No grown-up to guide him, so I'll do it.'
She infused mana, and instantly his rocky body turned blue. Soon, Ddol Ddoli felt a massive power surging inside him.
'Strong power. But not scary.'
Because this wave-like power carried no hostility.
No malice, not even a speck of evil. It was pure power, so Ddol Ddoli entrusted his body to it without doubt.
Even as it reached his core, the heart of his life force.
Shwaaa!
The moment the power enveloped his core, Ddol Ddoli felt a comfort like being cradled in a mother's arms.
It was bizarre. Refreshing yet cozy. How could touching the core feel painless?
-Whoa, I feel something.
Ddol Ddoli fiddled with his chest. His core felt ticklish.
This tickling power was primal magic.
He got it.
Ddol Ddoli closed his eyes. Focused inward.
A water-like power. His core enveloped by it. The moment his focus touched the pulsating mana within, Riana's voice pierced his mind.
-Primal magic is the power of the soul. So it's not about techniques—it's your heart that matters.
-Ddol Ddoli's heart...
-Ddol Ddoli. Think about it. What do you want to do? What do you truly desire?
-Dunno. Ddol Ddoli likes master. Protects master. That's it.
-If you're not sure, slowly recall everything from your birth to now. All the answers are inside you.
Riana continued, but Ddol Ddoli didn't hear.
Couldn't hear. His consciousness was already sinking into his inner self.
[Ddol Ddoli's skill 'Primal Magic' begins to awaken!]
"Huh?"
Ian jumped at the sudden alert.
"Master. What's wrong?"
"Nothing. It's fine."
'Awakening? Like branching?'
He was puzzled. Ddol Ddoli wasn't a homunculus.
As a stone golem, he didn't undergo branching.
So what was this?
'Oh, primal magic!'
He remembered.
Primal magic hadn't awakened yet.
[Ddol Ddoli is retrieving experiences for awakening.]
[You may view Ddol Ddoli's experiences.]
[Would you like to view Ddol Ddoli's experiences?]
The system flickered.
Ddol Ddoli's experiences? Ian grew curious.
Like with Lara and Arkbon's branching, watching would lead to some growth event?
'Let's see.'
[Viewing Ddol Ddoli's experiences.]
His vision blacked out, then returned. Ian sensed the location had changed.
'This is the black market.'
The underground black market in the capital's outskirts.
'Why here? It should start from the lab... Ah! The Mysterious Life Stone!'
He remembered.
The stone containing Ddol Ddoli's soul.
The item that took six months to acquire for Ddol Ddoli's creation.
It had been incredibly hard to get.
Ddol Ddoli's memories apparently started from when he was the Mysterious Life Stone.