Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: Severing the Fifth Chain
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After grilling—no, training—his squad members all day long, Ian finished his shower and sat on the edge of his bed, towel-drying his hair.
“Hoo... I'm beat.”
It had been an exhausting day, but it felt immensely rewarding.
If someone asked Ian who had trained themselves the hardest over this winter, he could answer with full confidence.
This vast continent of Aagena was too expansive for anyone to boldly claim they were the absolute best.
But he was certain he'd rank among the top ten.
Ian's power was growing at an astonishing pace.
Dr-r-r-ek!
Tossing the towel from his head carelessly, Ian opened a drawer and pulled out a small box.
Inside was a single pill glowing faintly blue at the edges.
“Damn... Only one left already?”
Ian wasn't particularly greedy for elixirs, but the sight drew a wry smile anyway.
It was inevitable.
This last pill was stark proof of his failures over the winter.
Unlike the other squad members who received Guardian Pills to amplify their aura after the Shurton mission, Ian had gotten ten slightly inferior Cold Heart Pills from Paon as his reward.
Cold Heart Pill (冷心丹).
Not the explosive aura booster like the Guardian Pill that everyone coveted.
But for straightening twisted aura pathways and supplementing the body's energy, it was unmatched.
Ian had instantly grasped why Paon gave the top contributor like him ten lesser pills instead of Guardian Pills.
Solar Meridian Blockage.
It was a directive to improve his unique constitution—a heavenly blessing and curse no one else possessed.
The aura from a Guardian Pill wasn't crucial for him.
Even now, as he sat relaxed and breathed, the Blood Demon Iron Chain Art continuously generated aura within him. And each time he severed a chain of the Solar Meridian Blockage, he absorbed its vast reserves.
Yet this was also a test.
A trial to witness with his own eyes how much growth Ian could achieve in ten chances.
Even after conquering the volcanic mountain, the birch forest, and rescuing Shurton's princess.
At the moment of reward, Paon had granted Ian both opportunity and trial once more.
“He really checks obsessively, doesn't he.”
Ian shook his head with a weary expression, but he couldn't deny Paon's judgment was spot-on.
Indeed, with his third Cold Heart Pill, he'd severed the fourth chain of the Solar Meridian Blockage.
That alone restored his upper Expert realm. In a way, it was no bad deal.
Of course, failing this time would change everything.
'Using all ten pills just to break one chain... That'd be utterly humiliating.'
The Cold Heart Pill wasn't potent enough to snap a Solar Meridian Blockage chain outright, but it more than sufficed to aid Ian's skills and the Blood Demon Iron Chain Art.
Which meant failure now was purely on him.
This had become a matter of pride.
Thup!
Ian popped the final Cold Heart Pill into his mouth and immediately circulated the Blood Demon Iron Chain Art.
Wooooong!
A blood-red aura rippled across his skin.
The majestic energy of the Blood Demon Iron Chain Art coursed through his aura pathways.
How long had it flowed?
... Kirrik.
Faintly, only audible to Ian, the sound of chains reached his ears.
Kirrik, kirirrik!
Like they refused to yield, the iron chains bound his aura pathways in layers.
Compared to when Lucas first peered into his body, they'd halved in size.
But the chains constricting the depths of his pathways were more menacing, like a wounded beast.
Kugugugugu!
Aware it was being devoured, the chain thrashed wildly, keeping Ian on high alert.
'Come on... Time to vanish one more.'
His body and aura far surpassed his initial reincarnation.
But in this moment, he never relaxed.
A single lapse in focus could incinerate all his built-up aura pathways, just like his first encounter with the Solar Meridian Blockage.
The chains were that perilous.
Charrrk, charrrrk!
Chiiiik!
Moving like a living creature, the chain repelled Ian's aura.
No, it didn't stop there.
Chwarrrrk!
As if asserting no mere human deserved it, it attacked his aura.
Kwaaaang!
An explosion only Ian heard erupted inside him, jolting his body.
Uluk!
A trickle of blood escaped his mouth from the massive internal shock.
Dangerous.
Before, he'd have backed off here without pushing.
There'd be another chance.
But not today.
Ian clung tenaciously, determined to end it now.
Partly because this was the last Cold Heart Pill, but also a realization he'd come to.
The reason for past failures despite challenges.
Knowing there was a next time, he'd retreated complacently.
'Step back once, and next time it's two steps.'
So Ian refused to yield further.
Br-r-r-r-uk!
'How long do you think you can hold out!'
Grinding his teeth with a screech, Ian unleashed every ounce of Blood Demon Iron Chain Art energy at the Solar Meridian Blockage chain.
Kwarrrruk!
The Blood Demon Iron Chain Art crushed the chain; the chain ground back at his energy.
Thus, Ian fought his solitary battle until the moon set and sun rose.
Chirp, chirp!
The dawn chorus with the rising sun heralded morning.
... Flash!
Finally, Ian's eyes snapped open after the all-nighter.
Clarity shone in them; the blood-red aura around his skin gleamed deeper.
Sring!
Drawing his sword, Ian slowly infused it with Blood Demon Iron Chain Art energy.
The red aura coalesced atop the blade, twisting like threads into a single, tangible strand.
“Finally... success.”
It was the Sword Thread realm—the final wall for ordinary humans.
At winter's end in his seventeenth year.
Ian severed the fifth Solar Meridian Blockage chain.
And ascended to Supreme Expert.
It was winter.
The Great River Amatres cleaved the Great Mire's heartlands.
Each tributary could sustain a city; its monstrous main flow stretched beyond the Great Mire to Aslan Kingdom.
Justly called the lifeblood of southern Bestrika.
Along one southern tributary of the Amatres main stem, an untimely great battle raged.
While Ian and the Latent Dragon Squad honed themselves in a passionate winter.
Here, some endured an even fiercer winter.
One thick with the scent of blood.
Kaang, kaang!
Blades clashed; blood and sweat from their wielders mingled passionately.
No place burned hotter this winter.
Sek!
The duel for life ended.
Twitch, twitch!
The headless lizardman's body staggered limply before collapsing toward the Amatres bank.
Splash!
Blood fountained from the neck stump.
Staining the pristine Amatres surface red, bit by bit.
A mere tributary, yet vast.
One lizardman's blood would wash away traceless.
But what of dozens? Hundreds?
As if answering, massacres unfolded across the tributaries.
Lizardmen here, trolls there.
Regardless of race, the fallen polluted land and water with blood.
“Krrruk! Weak, so weak. Calling yourselves midlands hegemons with that skill? Even a stray dog would laugh.”
The troll who beheaded the lizardman hefted his axe with a ferocious grin.
Or tried to.
“Krrruk... Eek!”
The troll couldn't continue laughing.
Chaeaeang!
The curved sword that flew in was too sharp for complacency.
A lizardman blocked the brute troll's axe that felled his kin, snarling beastly.
“Keruk! You mad bastards! Dare touch an Amatres tributary? Don't you know who owns this place!”
Duke, lizardman overseer of this Amatres tributary among many, was furious—but more disbelieving.
No one valuing life would attempt this madness.
This tributary belonged to the Mudflow, one of the Great Mire's three powers.
Leading them: Sea King, who subjugated even western seas' monsters beyond Amatres.
With Golden Eye ruling southern orcs, Sea King terrified all Great Mire life.
Thus, Duke never imagined attack since taking charge.
Unless suicide.
“Kruk, kruk! We know. That's why we're here, right?”
Yet the facing troll just picked his ear and scoffed at Duke's threat.
“What... did you say?”
So calm hearing Sea King's name...?
Duke's eyes shook wider at the troll's unforeseen reaction.
Invading Sea King's turf knowingly... voluntarily?
“No way... Golden Stream?! Golden Eye, you filthy pig! We agreed no incursions, even signed non-aggression—yet you backstab us!! Sea King won't stand for this!! Kerrrr!”
As Duke cursed, opposing troll Olga shrugged laughing.
“Kup, puheup! Pukukukuk!”