What Remains Unchanged (2)
Yunak Seus. What had been suppressing the fallen evil dragon through eons of time was an immense burden he had shouldered. The leader of all dragons. And the sense of responsibility to carry out the will of the Mother of All Things, the World Tree.
It was that which restrained both his malice and his draconic instincts.
However.
"From this moment on, you may rampage as the king of all things, Yunak Seus. For you shall be recorded as a foe more formidable than any demon or demon king I have ever faced."
From the instant that voice reached him.
For some reason.
It felt as though he could truly lay down every burden.
And so Yunak Seus did just that.
It was a chain of astonishing events, even to him. To think that merely shedding his load would rejuvenate an ancient dragon awaiting his final day, reigniting his flames.
Yunak Seus reacted purely.
'This is... enjoyable.'
He wagged his tail, spewed flames, and expressed his ecstasy.
His mindless rampage must have resembled that of a hatchling.
Yet Yunak Seus paid it no mind. He burned his final flames more brilliantly than anyone.
He revealed the majesty befitting the king of all things.
Pssshhh...
Thus, the inferno gradually began to die down.
'...Is it over?'
Only then did his vision return.
What entered Yunak Seus's eyes was neither the devastated surroundings nor his own body, charred black from the crimson blaze.
It was the silver-haired man gazing at him: Claudy.
"I suspected it was you."
The balance of good and evil within his crumbling psyche.
For Yunak Seus, transformed into an evil dragon, reason no longer existed.
No one could converse with such a being.
So what was this situation?
Claudy provided the answer.
"This is the exorcism ritual, Yunak Seus."
Exorcism Ritual
Hunter and prey. A ritual conversation possible only within the rite.
Spoken not by mouths, but unheard by any soul.
Its meaning was simple.
King of all things? No, with kingly dignity cast aside.
It meant he could be honest with his emotions.
"I was afraid, Lord Claudy."
Afraaaid.
Frail words emerging from a dragon—no, the elder dragon, paramount among them.
Tears welled in Yunak Seus's eyes, tears he had never shed even as a newborn hatchling.
"I knew this day would come from the moment I swallowed the evil fruit. I wished not to show such disgrace before you, nor to be hunted by you as an evil dragon. Perhaps that is why I fled far from you."
Claudy replied.
"I understand your heart."
Yunak Seus wept.
It was no ferocious roar.
For Yunak Seus knew as well.
The weight of the burden borne by the man before him—Claudy, the Black Dark Dragon.
A burden more merciless than his own.
He could not equate it directly to Claudy's load.
Yet their plights were akin, allowing Yunak Seus to ask from the heart.
"...How do you endure it?"
He had received solace from Claudy, who bore an even heavier yoke.
Yet in this world, no one existed to console Claudy.
For his greatness was beyond mortal comprehension...
Claudy, who could receive neither understanding nor comfort from anyone, answered.
"I have no need of it."
The same response as always.
But realizing he had no more to lose, Yunak Seus dared to smile.
A irreverent thought surfaced.
Claudy. Are you not, like me...
Simply enduring desperately...?
Yet Yunak Seus did not voice it.
"I see..."
Having borne his own burden, he could fathom the heart of one desperately enduring.
Thus, Yunak Seus asked no more.
"I have no face to show before you."
The dying embers of the inferno.
His body, scorched white.
In his fading vision, he reflected on eons of life.
No regrets, so no life flashing before his eyes.
Instead, a belated realization dawned.
"In the end, I troubled you to the last, Lord Claudy. Far from dying quietly, I awaited your solace, shed my burdens, and rampaged like a hatchling..."
Not the Arcana continent, but reality.
A world of adventurers defenseless against his frenzy.
Considering the damage he must have wrought before Claudy intervened...
He could not close his eyes in peace just yet.
But a voice came.
"No need for concern."
"...?"
"Your wounds are not mine, Yunak Seus."
"...!"
Wounds...?
Only then did Yunak Seus look back at his body.
Claudy had wielded neither blade nor spell against him.
Indeed, Claudy had simply endured his tantrum fully.
Yet, as Claudy said.
Clear wounds marred his flesh.
Yunak Seus realized.
Soot marks across his chest and body.
"...These mana traces are from the Mage Tower. Oh dear, I've unwittingly reenacted the Dragon-Mage War. Heh, fortunate that this shameful history does not repeat."
He could not overlook the wounds on his back either.
Piercing his scales and hide.
Distinct sword wounds.
Yunak Seus smiled contentedly.
"And whoever's sword strikes they are, I am pleased. Even in my decrepitude, they scarred my body. They may yet become blades you can trust, Lord Claudy. And..."
Mercifully.
You have lifted even my final burden.
With his last guilt assuaged as well, perhaps.
"It seems this loyal one's end has come."
Yunak Seus felt his slowing heart.
The Dragon Heart.
The halting heart could no longer pump hot blood.
Yet, why?
His flesh felt profoundly warm.
Yunak Seus understood the reason.
"...!"
The World Tree.
Claudy, bearer of the Mother's blessing.
It was surely embracing him with that warmth.
"Yunak Seus. You shall not be recorded as a frail ancient dragon, nor a vicious evil dragon. You will shine brightest as the torch of inferno opening a new era."
You, even to the last...
He wished to express infinite gratitude.
But strength failed him.
'Then I am glad...'
Yunak Seus swallowed his words and slowly closed his eyes.
Shhh...
Hellfire.
Green flames enveloped the evil dragon.
Unknown to Yunak Seus.
The hellfire began devouring him.
Gazing upon it, Claudy spoke.
"You have suffered through eons, Yunak Seus."
*
The Mage Tower had exceptionally opened its doors fully.
As if to prove the news true.
Those clad in black attire headed toward the tower.
Dozens of meters from the entrance.
An anchor reported before the camera.
The rumor that the mysterious cat blocking Yunak Seus was the Black Dark Dragon's pet had been directly denied by the dragon himself.
Thud, thud...
Shining.
Like the others, Rocks, Dmitri, and Camilla—clad in black suits and dresses—ascended the Mage Tower steps.
In the solemn atmosphere, Dmitri whispered.
"Did everyone know? That the Tower Master was a cat?"
"Nah, I didn't."
"Then why's no one freaking out?!"
Dmitri still couldn't believe it.
"Okay, fine, shape-shifting magic—even a Mage Tower leader can use it freely. But the Mage Tower mages I know sacrificing for someone?"
Zero Mountains.
He had witnessed the cat Tower Master's exploits with his own eyes.
No wonder he was so shocked—even world-weary Dmitri had been more intrigued by the rumor that the mighty cat was Lee Hoyeol's pet.
Dmitri swallowed dryly and continued.
"...Damn, then what am I, the guy who trashed the Mage Tower behind their backs? Born again or what? Feels off. If I'd known, I'd have donated big as atonement."
"Trashing the Mage Tower? Ballsy."
Rocks shrugged lightly and glanced at Camilla.
She'd been scanning the crowd since earlier, clearly searching for someone.
He knew who without asking.
"Found her, Jessie?"
"Rocks, what do you mean by that?"
"Pure curiosity. For now."
Camilla answered without glancing his way.
"...Not here. Maybe she arrived early."
Camilla didn't know the full details of Jessie and the Tower Master's bond, but her wide field of vision had caught Jessie cradling the Tower Master.
And the tears hastily wiped from Jessie's eyes.
Soon, they reached the memorial space.
"Huh?"
There, Shining encountered not Jessie, but unexpected rivals.
The massive alliance now bound with them and Cheonha Tongil as the troika.
"...Hey, move."
A few players who caught on cleared the way.
Thus, the massive alliance and Shining faced off.
But contrary to expectations.
The massive alliance and Shining were both part of the Holy War Alliance.
Dmitri spoke first, amiably.
"Yo. You look rough, Nam Taemin."
"Your face is the problem, Dmitri."
"...Mouth works fine, so I worried for nothing."
Nam Taemin and Dmitri.
The two muscled men chuckled.
Nam Taemin pointed to his bandages and whispered.
"Mage Tower healing magic's top-notch. Could unwrap this now... but gotta show we suffered, right?"
"What? Nam Taemin scheming for image? Bet it's your bro's idea. You and I ain't that smart."
"How'd you know? Good instincts, like me."
Hisagi and Rocks shook hands too.
"Injuries okay, Hisagi?"
"Neither good nor bad."
"Yeah, figures. Charging a dragon."
Their exchange was cordial in its way, but their eyes held deeper meanings.
Above all, neither could fully trust others.
"Hey, hi."
"Leoni! Seen Jessie?"
"...Why ask me? Let go already."
Embarrassing.
Still fixated on finding Jessie, Camilla had hugged Leoni haphazardly.
Leoni, barely escaping due to height difference, asked.
"She came early, right? It's the Mage Tower."
"Probably."
"Your princess is hard to spot."
"That's Jessie's charm."
"Must be somethin'."
Chance encounter, no reason not to walk together.
Dmitri was thrilled.
He had mountains of questions for the massive alliance anyway.
"So, thoughts?"
"Thoughts? On what?"
"Playing dumb ain't humble, it's deceit—you know that?"
Phase 1: Level 2,500.
Phase 2: Nearing Level 3,500—Yunak Seus.
Just participating in the Yunak Seus raid had leveled players 1-2 times.
And these three from the massive alliance had landed blows on him.
Even scraps varied in weight.
Especially since Arcana's rankings laid it all bare.
Thwack—Dmitri nudged Nam Taemin's side and whispered.
"Thoughts? Contributing to slaying Arcana's greatest boss ever. Hitting official rankings 1st, 2nd, and 6th—what's that feel like?!"
A whopping 50 levels up.
Thus, the massive alliance guild masters claimed player official rankings 1st, 2nd, and 6th.
Thwack—Nam Taemin returned the jab.
"I'd pop a vein and die with guildmates like you."
"What the—?"
"Right, Rocks?"
With Nam Taemin and Hisagi surging ahead.
3rd: Ryu Ojuncheon. 4th: Skal. Rocks dropped to 5th and shrugged.
"Sometimes, yeah."
Even Leoni, whom he'd seen as a distant runner-up.
Now nipping at his heels.
Dmitri belatedly sighed.
"I'm bad at math...! Sorry, Rocks."
"Not the first day."
"I'll gather solid intel instead."
Even after needling Rocks, Dmitri's curiosity lingered.
Indeed, the congratulations were mere prelude to the real question...!
Dmitri probed slyly.
"But Lee Hoyeol Commander overwhelmingly topped the kill contribution, right? So... mind sharing what loot he got? I mean, dragon drops no less...!"
But Dmitri couldn't finish.
Click-clack—Familiar heel sounds in his ears.
"Is that truly what you wish to know?"
Flat voice.
...No way?
Dmitri turned, trembling.
There stood.
"What I acquired."
"Eek...!"
"I asked if you are curious."
Hoyeol.