Chapter 50

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Translator: Ace

Chapter: 50

Chapter Title: At Last, a Rock

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Ddol Ddoli remembered the first words its master had spoken right after its birth.

"Uh, yeah. Right. I made you. Nice to meet you, golem."

An awkward expression and slightly stammering speech. It was a look so clumsy that no one would believe this was the creator of a life.

Ddol Ddoli didn't feel any great joy for the new life from that appearance, but it still liked its master.

That was because Ddol Ddoli remembered the time before its birth.

"Hahaha! The mysterious life stone! I finally got it!"

Ddol Ddoli clearly remembered its master breaking into a huge grin the moment he spotted it rotting endlessly in a corner of the black market.

It remembered its master pouring out words nonstop, saying how much he had wanted to meet it.

"Hey! Do you know how much I scoured the Empire looking for you?"

"Heh heh, just hold on. I'll make you into a golem right now."

A beaming smile. Bouncing steps full of excitement. Nostrils flaring uncontrollably. A constant hum on his lips.

An appearance unable to contain his thrill. The moment the joy in that exuberance reached Ddol Ddoli, Ian was imprinted on it.

Who had ever been this happy to see me?

Not a single soul.

Ddol Ddoli had always been ignored and abandoned since its earliest memory.

"You... my... master."

"My father, my master... I am... happy. Born... thanks to master."

Only its master had ever shown genuine joy upon seeing it, so Ddol Ddoli wanted to bring joy to its master in return.

It wanted to help him.

What would make its master happy?

What would help its master?

The first place it had shared with its master. Though he hadn't expressed it, it had been such a wonderful first outing into the world. On some nameless mountain, Ddol Ddoli found its answer.

"Get as strong as possible. So no one can ever harm you. Got it?"

"Get... strong..."

"Yeah. As strong as possible. So no one can harm you. Understand?"

"Understood. Golem... gets strong. Endlessly... strong..."

Aah, I see.

Master wants me to get strong.

Yes. If that's master's joy, then I shall grow strong.

I shall grow endlessly strong to please my master.

To see that beaming grin from the black market corner once more, Ddol Ddoli engraved the goal of strength deep into its subconscious and endlessly sought out enemies.

It was easy. They died with just a hit.

Goblins, trolls, ogres, humans thick with dark mana, and even those nasty things called demons.

Ddol Ddoli was happy. Even without its master, it was happy. Because it was charging toward its goal.

Because it could clearly feel itself growing stronger in body.

For a moment, it even thought there might be no enemy in the world stronger than itself.

But it quickly realized that thought was mere arrogance.

It wasn't invincible. Far from the strongest.

If it were truly strong, it wouldn't have barely escaped Necropolis in such peril.

A clash with a dragon? No need to mention it. It had been defeated so miserably it couldn't even lift its head.

After barely being saved by its master and receiving his devoted care, Ddol Ddoli had a new thought for the first time.

What is Ddol Ddoli lacking?

Simply seeking and crushing enemies had shown its limits, so now Ddol Ddoli sought to fill its deficiencies.

What exactly was it lacking?

Being slow and dull?

No.

That was fine.

It was its essence.

Rocks were slow and dull by nature.

Ddol Ddoli wants to be more like a rock. Stronger and tougher.

If only it were more rock-like.

Tough enough to shrug off a dragon's breath.

Strong enough to punch through a dragon's scales.

Ah, want subordinates too.

Come to think of it, it had no minions.

'Lara has lots of minions. Humans have lots too. Master said Count Acra has them. But only Ddol Ddoli doesn't.'

The last one was more envy than a true wish, but whatever.

That was what it was thinking now.

The moment those ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠thoughts burned intensely into its mind, Ddol Ddoli's consciousness, lost in reminiscence, went black. At ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the same time, the core in its heart began to resonate.

Wooong!

The seal was breaking.

Light leaked from the center of the rock body, near the heart. The light grew so intense that it enveloped the entire form.

Liana gazed steadily at Ddol Ddoli, a faint smile on her lips at the mystical scene, like an aurora in the night sky.

So full of talent. I just gave it a little nudge, and it realized on its own.

It must mean the quantity and intensity of its wishes were immense. Intense longing was essential to bloom Primordial Magic.

Ddol Ddoli. What is your wish? How do you want to manifest your talent?

She watched its transformation with keen interest.

Even she, who had lived ages rivaling a dragon's, had only witnessed a blooming twice before.

It couldn't be helped. Those with Primordial Talent were exceedingly rare to begin with.

Her previous experience came vividly to mind.

The being with Primordial Talent back then had been a tiny bird.

That bird, flaunting its vivid red plumage, had bloomed its talent and become the highest fire spirit.

It had headed to the southern volcanic region, endlessly spewing lava, and afterward became the volcano's guardian.

That was 500 years ago.

A Primordial Talent after 500 years.

How could she not be excited!

Ddol Ddoli. What spirit will you become? Hmm, you're a rock, so perhaps a rock spirit? Then you could rule anywhere without issue.

Rocks were earth. Earth existed everywhere in the world, so barring the sea, there was nowhere it couldn't rule.

No matter what, become a magnificent spirit. Your existence is incredibly precious.

Though an artificial life, what did that matter? Its soul was so pure.

With such a pure soul, it was sure to become a great spirit. No worries there.

Hee hee hee. Hurry and awaken. I want to see you soon...

Her thoughts halted. She couldn't help it. The light leaking from Ddol Ddoli's body had thickened.

By now, it should have faded, but instead of dimming, it shone even brighter?

"N-No way."

The light intensified. It didn't just intensify—it exploded. Liana shot to her feet, blurting out without thinking.

"King-grade!"

"Insane! Truly insane! A king-grade?!"

The light faded. No, it wasn't fading—it was compressing.

Compressing and returning to the heart.

Back to where it belonged.

With all changes complete, Ddol Ddoli finally opened its eyes.

Liana rushed over, unable to close her gaping mouth.

"D-Do, Ddol Ddoli! Are you alright?"

"You... Liana."

"Congratulations! You safely awakened your power!"

"Thanks. Ddol Ddoli got strong... thanks to you."

Liana scanned Ddol Ddoli from top to bottom. No major changes in appearance. But the inside was different.

Am-Awesome. No openings.

If the Ddol Ddoli she'd first seen felt like basalt full of holes, now it was like granite.

Utterly solid. A rock filled to the core. The giant humanoid made of rock chunks gave off the strong impression of a single massive boulder.

This is... a king-grade soul?

Liana's eyes gleamed. Jackpot. An enormous jackpot.

I have to tell the king!

No, no need. The king would already know.

A new king-grade soul. It meant a being capable of shaking not just the Spirit Realm, but the history of the mortal world, had been born.

"Ddol Ddoli! Or... should I not call you that anymore? Sir Ddol Ddoli? Your Majesty?"

Liana floundered. She couldn't treat a king-grade being lightly. It would be another pillar supporting the Spirit Realm.

No matter that she was the highest water spirit; she couldn't compare to a Spirit King.

Of course, it wasn't king-level strong yet.

But time would fix that.

"Sir Ddol Ddoli! Please tell me! What power did you awaken?"

"Ddol Ddoli... stronger."

"Pardon?"

"Ddol Ddoli... tougher now. Dragon attacks will only hurt a little. Happy!"

Ddol Ddoli clenched its fist. A massive rock the size of its torso shattered in one blow.

Ddol Ddoli thrilled. It hadn't even used much strength, yet it shattered!

This was the newly awakened power!

The Will of the Rock!

"No, Sir Ddol Ddoli, not that. What power did you... Ah, maybe you don't understand that way. I mean, what kind of spirit did you become?"

"Huh?"

Ddol Ddoli tilted its head. What spirit?

"Look at me. I'm a lake spirit first, but a water spirit. Precisely, highest water spirit. Understand?"

"Understand."

Ddol Ddoli nodded vigorously. It knew that much common sense.

"Lake spirit. So lake is Liana's territory. Like that."

"Yes, yes! Just like that, what spirit did you become, Sir Ddol Ddoli? Earth spirit? But the Earth King lives. Then... Rock King?"

"Don't understand. Ddol Ddoli not spirit."

"...Pardon?"

"Ddol Ddoli not spirit. Ddol Ddoli just Stone Golem. Ah, Rock Guardian?"

"No, what are you saying! You bloomed your power, Sir Ddol Ddoli! That makes you a spirit!"

"No. Stone Golem. And Ddol Ddoli not king. Just Ddol Ddoli."

Ddol Ddoli walked off. Then paused.

It turned back for one word.

"Ah, thanks. Sorry for hitting. You good spirit. Good spirit... Ddol Ddoli's friend."

Thud! Thud!

"That way... strong power felt. Ddol Ddoli fights."

Ddol Ddoli advanced.

'Whoa, the king refuses to acknowledge himself as king?'

Liana stared blankly at Ddol Ddoli's receding back.

She couldn't believe it.

'When it radiates power so clearly?'

The viewing ended, and Ian returned to normal.

He saw the familiar interior of his house, but that wasn't important. Ddol Ddoli's changes were.

'Spirit Realm?'

He couldn't make sense of it. It had just bloomed a skill—why was its existence known in the Spirit Realm?

No idea. For now, nothing was clear.

Let's check the new traits first.

Starting with Will of the Rock.

Insane. A constant mitigation effect?

In Chronicle Terradium, mitigation was a 30% damage reduction effect.

Tank classes usually ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had it, but only briefly via active skills.

To have it always on?

And greatly reducing all status ailments? An absurd option.

Crazy. Absolutely crazy.

And the next one.

Ian's eyes widened as he read the description.

It was no ordinary explanation.

'Small stone guardians resembling Ddol Ddoli will be born?'

What did that mean?

Did that mean he was a dad now?

Ddol Ddoli stopped mid-step. Something strange stirred inside it.

'Ddol Ddoli... insides feel weird.'

The mana within writhed, swelling as if about to burst. It was a sensation Ddol Ddoli had never felt before.

The mana wasn't just swelling—it felt like it was about to leak out.

Whether due to the awkwardness of the expanding mana or not, Ddol Ddoli wanted to vent it outward.

'Release... mana.'

Ddol Ddoli immediately emanated the mana pulse. Or rather, it wasn't so much "immediately" as the mana pulse naturally emanated. It hadn't consciously used it; it just happened the instant the thought arose.

Like breathing without thinking about it.

The awkward feeling inside vanished the moment the mana pulse emanated. Ddol Ddoli resumed its path with a satisfied expression.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Ten minutes after Ddol Ddoli departed.

The ground where Ddol Ddoli had stood began to writhe.

Ku-gu-gu!

A small stone embedded in the dirt. It twitched, then rose like a sprouting seedling, reshaping itself.

A head formed first, then two arms. Finally, sturdy legs.

Thus, the newly born tiny pebble golem.

It planted its sturdy legs firmly, stood tall in a victory pose, and proclaimed its first words to the world.

"Rock!"