The Giant Divine Dragon's Factor
How much time had passed?
It felt like being trapped in a centrifuge, my body relentlessly torn apart and reassembled. The pain was a given, but the motion sickness I had never experienced even aboard a ship, combined with the constant ringing in my ears, was on another level entirely. It was as if all five senses had tangled together and were spinning without end. I genuinely thought I was losing my mind.
Huuu—
I drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. It was the trigger to restore my original senses within the mental world. The floating sensation lasted only a moment before my body's senses returned to their proper places.
“Ughhh...”
A groan slipped out at the dull ache radiating through every inch of me. I had finally stabilized, but stirring the frame constructed from the primordial species' essence with a giant's blood had taken its toll.
The constant buzzing in my eardrums prevented them from properly absorbing external sounds, delivering only a chaotic jumble. My eyelids felt as heavy as if weighted with lead, making them difficult to lift.
Blessing of the Night has been applied.
“Huuuk.”
“Are you alright now?”
A warm, comforting energy enveloped me like an electric blanket, easing my breathing. When I slowly opened my eyes, the goddess was there.
“Thanks to you, I feel much better.”
“Then that is most fortunate.”
Thud.
“Goddess?”
“It is fine. This one has merely overexerted herself a little.”
Nyx's voice carried no strength whatsoever.
“What in the world happened here?”
The training hall had transformed into something resembling ruins. Countless traces of destruction were etched across the ceiling and floor. It looked like the aftermath of a tyrannosaurus running wild. The barrier deployed throughout the room had weakened so severely that even a light tap from a finger would shatter it completely. Even the garments Nyx had woven from Polar Night had become noticeably shorter.
“Around twenty minutes after you closed your eyes, your energy began to run amok.”
Checking the clock revealed that roughly three hours had passed since I had immersed myself in the mental world. For nearly two and a half hours, mana had been erupting nonstop. Considering the output of the Primordial Dragon Heart, it was a miracle the barrier had not collapsed.
“You’ve suffered greatly, Goddess.”
“It would have been far more difficult had the other children not lent their aid.”
I see. No wonder the barrier had been holding on by a thread. The mages from Gold Moon who had been training nearby had apparently poured their power into reinforcing it.
Good grief. I’ve ended up owing William Rockefeller yet again. I shudder to think how much he’ll try to squeeze out of me for this favor.
“Since we have indeed received assistance, you should be grateful.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Had the shield not endured that rampage, every ounce of the shock would have struck you directly.”
“I’m sorry.”
Ouch. The truth hurts more than anything.
I swallowed my complaints at the goddess’s pointed rebuke. Next time I overhaul my body, I’ll have to bring Jiyoung along too.
“After causing such a commotion, what results have you obtained?”
“I was just about to check.”
“You have experienced this before.”
“The body modification tech tree has changed.”
It was a path I had never walked before. However, I was certain it was far superior to anything from before the regression. I examined the information recorded in my status window.
The explanation was incredibly long, but it allowed me to grasp the situation perfectly.
“So that’s why it’s called Giant Divine Dragon instead of just Giant Dragon. The word for ‘god’ is in there.”
“It is all thanks to the power this goddess shared with you.”
“Your grace is immeasurable.”
“Your tongue is smooth as ever in praising this one’s benevolence, yet your attitude lacks sincerity. Truly the end of days. The end of days indeed.”
Nyx snorted.
“Shall I prostrate myself in worship?”
“Even receiving a kowtow from you would be excessive. It is unnecessary.”
Though we spoke in jest, Nyx’s contribution had been immense. Without the power she had engraved upon my crown, combining two incompatible natures would have been far more arduous. Even if I had somehow succeeded through great effort, the results would not have been nearly as impressive.
“Thank you. Truly.”
When coincidences pile up, they become destiny. From the moment I met Nyx until this very instant, I offered my gratitude for the countless opportunities that had never existed in my previous life.
“Are you thanking me solely for those opportunities?”
“Hey, what are you saying? I’m grateful for every precious connection I’ve formed with you, Goddess.”
“Hmph. That is the most honeyed tongue you have used all day.”
Nyx lightly swept her hair back as she muttered.
“Still, it has pleased this one’s heart.”
“Pardon?”
“If you did not hear it, then let it be. This one is too exhausted from some child’s antics to repeat herself.”
Sigh. Why get so angry just because I asked a question?
“Are you feeling better now?”
“More or less. I can breathe properly again.”
“In the future, refrain from such dangerous experiments.”
“I’ll try.”
“You do not say you will not do it.”
“I’m just being honest.”
Nyx burst into laughter. She really is something—laughing right in my face like that.
“Now you possess three transformation abilities.”
“Indeed.”
Dragon Form. Void Mirror. And finally, Giant Dragon Transformation.
Ordinary people struggle to obtain even one ultimate-grade skill, yet I now had three powerful transformation abilities capable of shifting the entire battlefield.
Hmm.
My right hand naturally rose to my chin.
“Could you not combine all three? Using that Fusion Qigong ability of yours.”
“Impossible. My body would explode.”
Even when I had used God's Wrath and Void Mirror simultaneously, my body had been collapsing in real time. Adding Void Mirror to Giant Dragon Transformation—which was clearly a superior version of Dragon Form? I would burst like a balloon within ten seconds.
“Does splitting their use not leave you wanting in terms of sustained power?”
“None of the skills have particularly long durations.”
Dragon Form lasted ten minutes. Void Mirror lasted five minutes when used alone. Giant Dragon Transformation lasted three minutes. Using them consecutively was also burdensome, since Void Mirror carried significant aftereffects. Giant Dragon Transformation would likely have minor recoil once its duration ended.
“It seems I must make adjustments after all.”
“Can you interfere with skills as well?”
“Dragon Form and Giant Dragon Transformation are essentially body modification options.”
The body modification itself was an ability that had escaped the system’s limits by Devouring the Rainbow Flashing Stone. With some variation, I could alter the skill options as well.
A cold gleam flickered in Nyx’s eyes as she listened to my explanation.
Um… Excuse me, ma’am? Why are you looking at me with those eyes?
“Do you truly not understand the reason?”
Jinho knows nothing.
Slap!
“How long has it been since you caused that disaster?”
“Ow ow ow!”
“You deserve to hurt more, my dear.”
Goodness. Our goddess really has a heavy hand. No exaggeration—my back stung so fiercely that a tear actually formed. To think her strike could penetrate skin harder than diamond. Even while renting space in a homunculus body, a concept goddess remains a concept goddess, it seems…
“To think you have the leisure to entertain other thoughts in this goddess’s presence.”
Slap! Slap!
Ughhhh. It hurts like hell. There’s no physical damage, but the pain is immense.
Once the goddess’s anger subsides, I’ll have to ask her for the secret behind it.
“Local adjustments are fine.”
Adding another major modification or further subdivision would be too much. Both my body and mind were currently in tatters. Therefore, I would make modest changes.
Interfering with the Giant Divine Dragon's Factor.
Modifying skill — Dragon Form.
Stat increase reduced from 100% to 40%.
Duration increased to 30 minutes.
“The sustained power has increased dramatically!”
“Yeah. The Giant Divine Dragon's Factor effect gave me even more benefit than expected.”
If the completion rate of the Giant Divine Dragon's Factor rose further, maintaining the dragonkin state of Dragon Form permanently might become possible. That would mean enjoying the spec increase in every battle. It would be incredible.
“However, the aftereffects of Void Mirror remain the same, do they not?”
“That skill doesn’t lock the transformation form to a primordial species.”
Since a superior ultimate skill called Giant Dragon Transformation had appeared, using it like a trump card made more sense. However, Void Mirror’s utility was not limited to decisive battles.
The essences I had absorbed could transform into anything. The applications were truly limitless.
Having adjusted Dragon Form, I observed my newly modified body and noticed several changes.
“Ah, now the wing area is being incorporated into my body as well.”
I would love to fully assimilate the essence of a flying species like a lesser drake, but the goddess would probably kill me for real if I tried. Both my body and mind were shredded, so I should set aside my greed for now.
Just as I was about to finish my observation, one essence reacted to my modified body.
The essence of Takirion's Sapling resonates with the Giant Divine Dragon's Factor.
Huh? Why are you reacting all of a sudden?
The essence of Takirion's Sapling obtained from the DMZ was a language-based one. It had never created synergy with other essences before the regression. Still, there was no harm in checking the synergy effect.
I immediately linked the essence of Takirion's Sapling to the Giant Divine Dragon's Factor.
Language of Spirits has been changed to Dragon Speech.
The effect of words has been enhanced.
Knowledge of dragon-race characters allows use of unique incantations.
Dragon Speech? In other words, the language required when using dragon-race unique magic or skills.
“Is this ability new to you as well?”
“My mouth is starting to hurt from talking so much, but yes.”
Language of Spirits, which I used occasionally as support, had improved through resonance with the Giant Divine Dragon's Factor. Now I could even use the dragons’ unique incantations. There were no dragon-race beings around me at the moment, and I didn’t know any Dragon Speech spells, so it held little immediate meaning…
“Still, more options are always better.”
“Such greed.”
Ehehehehe.
So sweet. I was starting to worry my teeth might rot from how sweet this was.
“Have you finished all your business?”
“Thanks to you, Goddess.”
“Then that is good.”
Nyx waved her hand lightly.
“This one shall rest for a while. Having expended so much power, maintaining a physical manifestation is difficult.”
The homunculus body was reverse-summoned. At the same time, Nyx returned to her spirit form and perched on my shoulder.
Nod… nod…
The three-head-tall Nyx’s head bobbed up and down. This was the first time I had seen her so disheveled. It was clear she had struggled immensely to prevent the Primordial Dragon Heart from going completely out of control.
Once I cleaned up the situation, I should buy her some delicious cake.
“Giant Divine Dragon’s Factor, huh…”
I stroked my chin, repeating the words several times. If my body—now based on the dragon race while also containing the powers of giants and gods—could advance one of my plans ahead of schedule…
I retrieved my phone from the storage locker in the corner of the training hall.
Beep. Beep.
“You certainly made quite the spectacle.”
“Sorry about that.”
“The repair costs are fine. After all, I owe you a favor this time as well.”
“Using the World Eater incident to offset it feels a bit…”
“Did I not also provide transportation for your undead?”
Hmm. As expected, it doesn’t work.
“Please lend me your private jet.”
“Where shall I have it take you?”
“Mount Saint Helens.”