Vol 6 Chapter 8

"According to Kor's words earlier, I met Ilumine first before coming here at that time. Right?"

"...That's right."

This strange feeling of speaking and answering himself...

"You, you said you've met Lumi... no, Ilumine, right?"

"I have."

"Yes. If Lumi is still alive, I need to find her and ask. She might have been told more."

Kapros didn't bother to ask who. He had a feeling, almost a certainty, that he would know soon enough without asking.

At that moment, the dragon, who had been quietly listening, added a word.

『 You, human. Unlike... in... the... past, now... I... am... the... one... who... must... step... forward... first... among... the... dragon... race... if... an... anomaly... occurs... in... the... world. Although... I... cannot... act... yet... as... I... don't... feel... I... need... to... move, if... you... plan... to... visit... the... children... of... the... forest, I... would... like... you... to... relay... their... opinions... about... the... anomalies... happening... in... this... world... to... me... as... well. I... have... an... obligation... to... consider... the... opinions... of... all... races. 』

Ding!

"..."

As always, Kapros felt that none of the sub-quests within this quest were easy. Looking at the penalties for accepting and refusing, he didn't even sigh.

He raised his hand and pressed the accept button, and a small earthquake rumbled throughout the cave before stopping.

『 I... will... gift... a... token... of... the... dragon's... promise... to... the... human... who... willingly... agreed... to... my... request. 』

As soon as the words ended, a small light burst forth from the air, and a red liquid mass identical to the one seen in the Dark Knight's memory earlier fell towards Kapros's head.

"Ah..."

Drip-

Startled, thinking it would wet him, Kapros raised his arms over his head, but as the liquid seemed to have evaporated as if absorbed in the blink of an eye, nothing touched his fingertips.

However, a moment later, a strange energy suddenly pierced intensely from the top of his head to his toes, as if he had been electrocuted.

"Ugh...!"

My head...! It feels like it's going to burst...!

Ding! Ding! Ding!

- You have absorbed dragon's blood!

- Status effect, Ecstasy! Ecstasy!

- Health increased by 9500.

- Mana increased by 95300.

- Training level of 6th circle Aerial Servant increased by 23.84%!

- Training level of 6th circle Inferno increased by 36.98%!

- Training level of 6th circle Blizzard increased by 31.24%!

- As the training level of all 6th circle magic being learned has exceeded 80%, Superior's Magic Book 2 can now be opened!

- Aiagas R is reacting to the energy of the magic book!

What is all this...!

A heat that felt like being incredibly angry or having exercised all day without rest surged through him, feeling as if it would burst with each heartbeat. His ears were ringing, unable to hear, and his whole body felt numb as if paralyzed. How long had he been there, just breathing heavily?

As the heat finally subsided and his hearing and senses gradually returned, Kapros was able to recognize the conversation between Superior, speaking through his mouth, and the dragon.

"What are you trying to do by making my successor like this?"

『 He... seemed... too... weak, so... I... specially... empowered... him, but... it... seems... he's... intoxicated... by... the... power. I... didn't... expect... this. It... was... unexpected. 』

"It's strange to expect a human who hasn't yet transcended their limits to absorb the blood of the strongest magical creature without any preparation and be fine."

『 It... seems... so. 』

These guys... I'll remember every word you just said.

Perhaps due to the power of anger, as his reason cooled, his startled mind also calmed, and his condition quickly returned to normal. After moving his fingertips a few times first, Kapros stretched out his crouched body and stood up. The sensation that had felt like it would burn up completely disappeared, and an astonishing vitality filled his entire body.

"Phew..."

[ Oh, you. Have you finally come to your senses? How do you feel? ]

"Shut up."

[ You never take jokes as jokes. We're so cold~ ]

"What do you mean, 'we'?"

[ What else? We're sharing a body... ]

Kapros turned towards the dragon without hesitation.

"Thank you for the excessive reward. Thanks to you, I think I'll be able to overcome the obstacles ahead even more. However, now that I've received this request, I don't think I can delay my journey for even a moment. May I go on my way now?"

The dragon seemed to have understood Kapros's intention right away, thankfully.

『 It... seems... I've... talked... too... much... after... meeting... another... being... besides... myself... after... a... long... time. Human, your... path... ahead... will... be... treacherous. However, if... your... will... is... firm, your... enemies... will... no... longer... be... able... to... be... your... enemies. And... 』

Suddenly, the pressure of the enormous presence filling the cave seemed to ease slightly.

『 Mage... who... has... returned... across... time, do... not... forget... the... meaning... of... the... time... you've... regained. Everything... has... a... fitting... reason. There... must... surely... be... a... reason... why... you... had... to... return. I... bless... your... path... ahead. 』

"Thank you."

"I don't need blessings. I hope you'll be faithful to your new duty until we meet again after I see Lumi."

The first to give thanks was Kapros, and the second to speak was Superior. As the dragon trembled as if laughing, the entire cave shook again with a light earthquake.

Kapros looked up once more at the dragon's enormous body, whose end he couldn't see, then turned around and left the cave. The path that had felt so long when entering now felt very short when leaving. Perhaps because he realized that the being inside was no longer a threat to him, his steps even felt light.