The Dragon's Essence and Qliphoth's Shadow
With the Primordial Dragon Heart and Dragon Blood now fused through Devour, I had taken another step closer to the Primordial Dragon.
Before long, I would need to undergo another physical transformation.
After fully devouring the Eldritch Dragon's essence, I called my party members back from the outskirts of the battlefield.
"Master, are you really still human?"
"Probably not for much longer. My race is about to change."
"Ugh, that doesn't sound like a joke."
Jiyoung stuck out her tongue in disgust.
In truth, I had already become a dragonkin some time ago.
The Tower of Babel allowed players to ascend to a higher race upon meeting certain conditions. It was a concept slightly different from rank promotion.
One could change their race by receiving the blessing of a specific constellation or as a reward for completing a hidden mission in the Tower.
Just like how orcs had high orcs as their superior race, or elves had high elves.
"Thank you for keeping the interference away."
I expressed my gratitude while looking around at my party members.
It had taken over two hours to defeat the Eldritch Dragon. Even after using the Rage of the Evil Spirit twice—my trump card from the past—I still couldn't end the fight quickly.
After wiping out the high orcs and trolls brought by the Tagarion faction, my companions had continued guarding the surrounding area. They had prevented other monsters from intruding onto the battlefield and creating variables.
"Mr. Yu, do you even realize how much I've benefited from this?"
"Honestly, I can't even begin to guess the limits of my junior."
"I've learned so much more. Please continue to guide me in the future."
Awe shimmered in their eyes. Even the Golden Circle team members, who were essentially outsiders, looked at me with expressions of admiration and shock rather than dark jealousy.
"Master, how about throwing a grand party once we return?"
"What nonsense. We're not going back yet."
"It's not just anything—it's a dragon! No player has ever hunted one before..."
Look at Ping Lei. The tension had completely left him, and now he was talking about parties.
"It's not over yet. Have you forgotten why we came here in the first place?"
Our surface reason for entering the DMZ was to resolve the Gate Break incident. The hidden objective was to stop the Tagarion faction's schemes, but that couldn't be revealed to the public.
"Ah, the impact of that monster was so overwhelming that I forgot."
"You're going straight to five rounds of sparring when we get back."
"I was only trying to celebrate Master's great achievement!"
"Doesn't matter. Still no."
No matter what, I couldn't forgive anyone who let their guard down on the battlefield. Watching his dazed expression, it was hard to believe this was the same man once called Death's Hand who had dominated China's underworld.
"Hehe, congratulations on the sparring!"
"Shut up. You think I'm going to die alone?"
"That's exactly why you shouldn't run your mouth. Master even called you the Harbinger of Ruin."
"I don't want to hear that from you of all people!"
Ping Lei and Jiyoung bickered back and forth. To me, they seemed evenly matched.
* * *
『Anomalies Observed in the DMZ!』
『Who Are the Klyphoth, the Group Controlling Monsters from the Gate Break?』
『Klyphoth—Not Tower NPCs, But a Real Organization!』
『Neglected Gate Break Zones Sound the Alarm for Every Nation.』
Right after returning to Seoul, I released footage taken during the DMZ subjugation to major media outlets. The Golden Circle always recorded their gate-clearing processes with miniature cameras, so there was no shortage of material.
This time, I was riding on the Golden Circle's preparedness.
The movements of Klyphoth and the majesty of the Eldritch Dragon spread across the entire world.
"Mr. Yu, are you sure this is okay?"
"Why do you look so displeased when you ask that?"
"You just released information of immense value so easily."
Ellen muttered with a voice full of lingering regret.
In an era where information was power, the series of events in the DMZ could have been leveraged to make a fortune depending on how they were used.
"This is a matter of life and death. I'm not in the mood to haggle."
"Hohoho, how simple. Did you really think that was my only reason?"
Ellen replied with a slightly sharp tone, as if her irritation had risen.
"You're thinking there might be players who have joined hands with Klyphoth."
"Tch, so you released the information even while suspecting that?"
"Of course."
I answered calmly.
"If you knew, then it was reckless. What if they become wary?"
Nyx, who had been eating cake in her manifested form, let out a short exclamation of "Oh."
"The girl's words are reasonable. This time, you were indeed careless, partner."
"There's a Korean saying: 'Beat the grass to startle the snake.'"
By publicly announcing Klyphoth's existence, anyone in a secret alliance with them would react in some way.
"Mr. Yu, with your current information network, it will be difficult to detect their schemes in the shadows."
"I've already commissioned the Black Network."
"Unbelievable! When did you reach out to them?"
"A while ago."
The Black Network.
In my previous life, it had fallen into internal strife because of Ping Lei, who had taken over China's underworld including the Triads. But in this life, I had eliminated the factors that could have become liabilities in advance, allowing it to thrive.
Well, the parties involved probably had no idea.
Thanks to my connection with Madam, the operator of the Black Market, information from the underworld flowed in steadily.
"By the way, partner, when will you let me experience that entertainment I enjoyed before?"
Oh no.
I quickly pressed a finger to my lips.
The Black Casino was obviously an illegal business. It wasn't something to discuss in broad daylight.
"Don't worry. I'm not exactly a law-abiding citizen myself, so I won't make an issue of it."
......Ellen's "hohoho" laugh was really grating.
"What about the thing I asked you to prepare earlier?"
"I was just about to tell you. The cargo ship will arrive in Korea within two days."
"Faster than expected."
"While acquiring the Tyrannosaurus fossil, I made several connections."
I swallowed a laugh.
The remaining funds after investing in Raiden had all been used to purchase Primordial essences. I had entrusted the money to Gold Moon and requested proxy purchases, and the process had moved faster than anticipated.
Since I had also obtained Dragon Blood by defeating the Eldritch Dragon, if I could fill one more Primordial essence to 100% this time, I might be able to manifest the Primordial Dragon to some extent.
I hoped the amount of fossils Gold Moon had prepared would be enough to reach 100% essence.
While waiting for the cargo ship to arrive as soon as possible, I licked my lips in anticipation.
* * *
The news of Klyphoth's activities quickly spread even to France, a European nation far from Korea. It was possible because Earth's internet had made the speed of information exchange faster than magic.
A man with golden hair slicked back.
France's top-ranked player and pride, Rene Davis, let out a sneer while reading an internet article.
"Never thought I'd see the name Klyphoth in an article."
Rene Davis unconsciously glanced at the tattoo on his right hand.
The shape of an inverted tree.
It was the symbol of [Klyphoth] mentioned in the article.
Knock knock—
"Let her in."
The moment Rene finished speaking, the door swung open on both sides and a woman walked in quickly.
She looked to be in her mid-twenties.
Her fresh dress made her strikingly beautiful enough to draw attention, but there was something oddly pale about her impression.
"I greet the Sapling of Tamiel."
The Sapling rank.
Rene Davis had already made contact with Klyphoth and accepted their doctrine into his body. It was a fact even Jinho, who had regressed, did not know! An information gap created because no one knew when he had betrayed humanity.
"Didn't I tell you not to act before I contacted you?"
Rene Davis frowned.
Sssss—!
Sharp killing intent stabbed wildly at the woman's spirit.
At first glance she looked like a modern person, but she was a Klyphoth follower who had crossed over through a gate that caused a break.
A branch of the Tamiel faction.
Rene Davis had entered Klyphoth's fold through the woman before him.
"If your existence is revealed, it will be dangerous. I told you to focus on adapting to this world."
The woman, who had been flinching her shoulders, soon bit her lip hard before opening her mouth again.
"O Sapling, our existence has been discovered sooner than expected."
The existence beyond the gate.
[Tamiel's Branch] endured the killing intent and got straight to the point.
"Life never goes according to plan."
"This matter must be reported to the higher-ups, O Sapling!"
The reason [Tamiel's Branch] had come to the guild despite disobeying Rene's orders was simple.
The dimensional fragment connected to the Tower.
After crossing the gate, she could no longer communicate with the Klyphoth faction in the imaginary world. Since she was not from Earth, she could not access the Tower of Babel either.
The only person she could rely on, alone in this world, was Rene—who was connected to Klyphoth and could enter and exit the Tower.
"I'll handle that problem myself, so stand down."
Rene replied nonchalantly.
The woman looked at him with a dissatisfied expression.
Although she had joined the Tamiel faction, Rene himself was not actively spreading Klyphoth's will.
"......I hope you will show behavior befitting a Sapling."
With those words, the woman withdrew.
Rene clicked his tongue.
"Still so naive."
His interest was not in the order of the imaginary world.
Only power.
Becoming stronger than anyone else.
To achieve that goal, he would use any means necessary.
That was why he had joined hands with Klyphoth.
The Klyphoth faction from the imaginary world had a secret alliance with the Old Gods.
Although they could not directly intervene in the Tower's operations, the Old Gods had helped Rene through devices they had secretly installed during the Tower's creation process.
That was how he had obtained Fusion Qigong, practically a signature technique, upon his promotion to Almighty.
His guild, [Les Rouges (Red Army)], had also grown into a guild spanning all of Europe thanks to the secret support of the Old Gods and Klyphoth.
"The chaos Klyphoth desires will create itself."
Rene had already sown the seeds of discord throughout Europe.
By the time those seeds sprouted and bore fruit......
The [Klyphoth Disturbance] incident that occurred in Korea, the eastern nation, would seem like child's play compared to what was coming.
"All I need to do is collect the price."
Rene swallowed his laughter.
Both Klyphoth and the Old Gods were nothing more than stepping stones for him to climb higher.