NSE-Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Return

After receiving the Spatial Ring containing the Ancient Dragon’s corpse and by-products.

The four who had promised a future meeting stepped outside.

‘I got it much faster than expected.’

A dragonkin corpse.

He couldn’t take it out here.

Even though the bones, hide, and so on had been separated, the dragon’s size was simply too immense.

The office would fill up with dragon meat.

‘I’d better just go home.’

The Training Ground at the Main House.

There, he could lay out even a dragonkin corpse without trouble.

And so he headed for the Main House, and.

He first took the by-products out of the Spatial Ring.

With a light touch, a small jewel was grasped.

‘This is all? Wait, don’t tell me…….’

The Ancient Dragon was a kind of hidden boss.

There was no way the reward from such a guy was this stingy. In the end, it meant the jewel in his hand was worth that much.

He hurriedly held up the jewel, and.

After he saw the item’s contents.

“Huh…….”

He sensed a jackpot.

[Forgotten Dragon’s Jewel]

[Grade: ??]

[A jewel the Ancient Dragon cherished. Amid a beautiful halo of light, the form of a dragon shows through.]

[Effect 1. A medium that can transfer you to the ‘Age of Dragons.’ However, the user needs qualifications befitting it.]

[Qualification Conditions]

[1. Level 500 or above]

[2. ???]

[3. ???]

This is a Chain Quest item.

And what’s more, an item demanding tremendous qualifications from the very start.

‘An S-rank or higher Gate.’

Age of Dragons.

Wasn’t the name of the place you’d transfer to menacing enough by itself? He figured it might be a world where dragons flew around like birds.

The Sword Immortal and the other Awakened must certainly have seen this Chain Quest item too.

Awakened of that caliber would surely know well how much this item was worth.

‘And yet they handed it over…….’

Even though it must be an item worth coveting, to hand it over so readily.

Honestly, he was very grateful.

‘I’ll have to treat them well when we meet later.’

Thud.

He took out the Ancient Dragon’s corpse.

The summoned Cedric began examining the dragon.

―Astonishing. I did not know Master’s abilities were this great. To obtain a dragon corpse of this scale so quickly…….

“So serve me well.”

The moment he put in the request, the Sword Immortal worked as a mercenary and came back after smashing the tomb in a mere 6 hours.

It was express delivery, quite literally.

“How’s this, then?”

―A dragonkin’s strength is usually measured by age. At this size…… it must be over three thousand years old. It seems excellent.

“Compared to your old body?”

―The Gold Dragon Lord was a dragonkin of nearly ten thousand years. I had my frame made from that.

“Uh, right……”

Quite a dizzyingly ancient age, I see.

―I did not even hope for Lord-class. If Lord-class ones ran rampant in Master’s world, it would probably have been destroyed within days.

He nodded.

Certainly, there was a gap in level between Cedric’s world and this one.

The Death Lord alone was EX-grade.

The Legion Commanders were around SSS.

By contrast, this side?

They counted S-rank as the best.

Even if they labeled an Awakened of Level 1,000 as SS or something like that.

‘Even if you dumped a whole truckload of them, that Cedric guy, they couldn’t beat him.’

That was how great the might of Cedric, who had flown around riding a Bone Dragon, was.

You could say the potential itself felt different. It seemed only someone like the Sword Immortal, who had realized the Mind Sword, could even stand a chance.

‘It’s not strange.’

Hadn’t he seen the message back when he attained the Achievement?

That humanity’s potential had increased.

In other words, that was the same as saying potential had been restricted.

He didn’t know who had done such a thing, or why.

‘I’ll have to find out gradually.’

Either way, what mattered right now was precisely enhancement through bones.

“At least one part should fit, right?”

―……I do not know either.

Thanks to the leg bones, 20 was currently filled, so the remaining Capacity was 81.

‘It’ll work out somehow.’

Probably he could replace about one part with dragon bone.

‘If possible, I’d like a Great Success to pop up…….’

The problem was that if he ran aiming for only that, he might use up all the dragon bones and not get any result at all.

‘Let me run at it a bit first…….’

Then I’ll make a judgment after that.

“Where do you want to swap first?”

―The arms seem good. They would help when swinging the spear.

He nodded.

Holding both of the dragon’s arm bones, he approached Cedric.

Left, right.

The dragon had two arm bones in total.

There were only two chances.

[Using Bone Exchange(B)!]

[Replacing ‘Cedric’s’ arm bones with the Ancient Dragon’s arm bones!]

[The material’s tier is far higher than your Level.]

[Success Rate: 5%]

[Would you like to attempt it?]

‘Wow.’

5%, no less.

He had half-prepared himself, but the success rate was dreadfully low.

‘……Even bones in a similar Level range as mine don’t have a high success rate anyway.’

He had tried bones in the Level 100s once, and the success rate was roughly 30%.

30% or 5%.

It wasn’t quite the same thing, but he couldn’t very well hold onto this until Level 500 just to use it.

“Ah, whatever!”

He went for it right away.

[Failed.]

[Failed.]

Both arm bones evaporated in wisps.

“It’s fine, there’s still plenty left. Next?”

―Let us do the chest bones.

[Failed…….]

“Next.”

―The spine……

[Failed…….]

The pelvis, even the legs.

All of them were gone.

“Ah.”

―Is only the skull left?

“Yeah.”

―Then there is no choice. We shall use that.

“Right. It’s a dragon head, so this should have a good effect in its own way too.”

If it succeeds, that is.

The moment he attempted the skull like that.

[Title ‘Super Lucky Guy’ effect is activated!]

[A strange fortune wraps around your body!]

[Great Success!]

[The Ancient Dragon’s skull bone transforms to fit Cedric’s build and race!]

[All of Cedric’s Stats increase by 30 each!]

[*Great Success Special Effect: Mini Breath can be activated]

[Remaining Capacity(100/101)]

“It popped up?!”

He looked at Cedric.

The changed skull resembled a dragon’s form. It was quite literally a magnificent transformation fitting a Dragon Knight.

―This is my first time having a head like this.

“So you don’t like it?”

―Well, it seems fine.

Well, it’d better be fine.

The additional Stats alone were at a crazy level.

All Stats plus 30.

It had eaten up a whole 80 Capacity, but the figure was more than worth it. On top of that, a curious special effect was attached.

Mini Breath.

‘That Breath, it seems.’

It had the modifier ‘Mini’ attached, but a Breath was a Breath.

“Can you fire the Breath?”

―……I have never done it once, but…… somehow it seems possible.

“Then try firing it over there.”

―Will that be all right? This should be Master’s house.

“Yeah. It’s the Training Ground, so the facilities are sturdy.”

―Then I shall try. I happened to be curious too.

Dark-crimson energy gathered at Cedric’s mouth.

Soon…….

[Cedric uses Mini Breath!]

Cedric with his mouth wide open, and.

Boom!

The Training Ground wall could be seen bursting to pieces under the Breath’s barrage.

Seeing that, Cedric hurriedly closed his mouth.

“Oh, you can cancel it too?”

―……Yes. I did not intend to break it…… the facilities seem less sturdy than expected.

“Kahaha! You adorable guy!”

He wildly stroked Cedric’s dragon head. He couldn’t contain his laughter.

It felt like dopamine was gushing like mad in his head.

The Training Ground’s walls were extremely sturdy.

They could withstand even a beating from a decent S-rank Awakened.

And yet it had been smashed?

It meant the Breath’s power was tremendous.

It was a time to be thankful for the Breath’s outstanding power, not angry about the broken wall.

He talked with Cedric about the Breath.

“So the Mana consumption is heavy?”

―Yes. I fired briefly and half of my Mana vanished. It can deal heavy damage in a short time, but it does not seem to be purely an advantage.

He nodded.

The maximum duration was roughly 3 seconds.

A short but powerful Skill.

‘It might be different once Cedric has more Skills, but right now it’s no different from a finishing move.’

It seemed it would be a big help when facing the Apostle.

* * *

Day 3 since leaving the Gate.

In the meantime, society had been quite noisy.

It was because of the Sword Immortal’s new record.

The public opinion that the Awakened of the past were washed up vanished entirely, as if it had never existed.

Nothing but praise.

It wasn’t strange that national pride flared up once again.

Kim Min-woo too drew attention once again. Because the place the Sword Immortal and his party had rushed to right after finishing the clear was none other than Ilseong Group.

Even amid such heated public opinion.

Kim Min-woo quietly finished his preparations.

‘Now it’s time to go back.’

In the meantime, there had been a great increase in strength.

Thanks to Choi Yu-na pouring out 650 Elixirs in 3 days, he had been able to raise all his Stats by 50 each with Elixirs.

‘The Skill Book work is done too…….’

He had also stocked up plenty of bones in the Level 200s, and had even been able to obtain Rare set items for Cedric and himself to use.

‘The head changed nicely too.’

He planned to use the remaining by-products from the dragon separately later, once the Skeletons’ crafting skill rose.

He looked at the nine Spatial Rings on his fingers.

Rings filled with food and seeds. The remaining one was the Unique ring he’d obtained from killing Lee Seo-yun.

‘Status Window.’

[Name: Kim Min-woo(23)]

[Class: Necromancer]

[Level: 101]

[Owned Skills(6/33): Death Lord(EX), Summon Cedric(SSS), Bone Exchange(B), Curse of Aging(D)+9, Summon Skeleton Mage(E)+9, Summon Skeleton(F)+9]

[Mana: 3,240/3,240]

[Titles: 18]

[Strength: 316(+31)] [Agility: 316(+31)] [Health: 287(+28)] [Magic Power: 310(+31)]

“This is it.”

Murderous Stats with even the increase from the Divine Fruit added on.

What was even scarier was the fact that this wasn’t the end.

Because the Stat increases from the new equipment hadn’t been applied yet.

[You equip the ‘Eerie Necromancer’ Set!]

[Strength +30, Agility +30, Health +30, Magic Power +70 increase!]

[Soul Summon(D) is activated!]

[You equip the Sword of Judgment!]

[Strength +20, Agility +20]

[Tear Off(D) is activated!]

Stats were inflated once more here.

Stats with even 10% of the item increase added through Indomitable Soul.

Thanks to that, Magic Power rose to a monstrous 418.

Mana 4,180.

If he summoned only Skeletons, he could call out an absurd number, 1,672.

Now he was truly a one-man legion.

[Would you like to return inside the Gate?]

There was nothing to hesitate over.

The moment he nodded, the scenery changed. To a place full of ice-cold winter wind.

[Warning!]

[You can no longer use the Middle Zone!]

It didn’t matter.

He had gotten everything he could from this outing. He saw a few Orcs standing near the Middle Zone.

Urkan was among them.

―Snort! Eldest Brother! Waited with neck stretched out! Tasty stuff?

“Nothing special happened in the meantime, right?”

―Snort! Big Brother was right! Those guys cowards! Besides a few scouts, none seen! So tasty stuff?

“You punk, I brought it. Go tell the kids we’re holding a festival.”

―F-Festival! Really?

“Yeah. I’m going to feed you until your bellies burst.”

Now that food could be printed like money, bulking up was the top priority from here.

A festival was one of the Orcs’ traditions. An event showing the tribe’s strength by flaunting overflowing food.

If he held a large-scale festival, every Orc in the vicinity would flock in.

Amid cold and hunger, with word of a paradise, could they really stay away?

The numbers would grow several times faster than now.

‘If I hold back, it turns to crap.’

Violent numbers collapsed even the advantages of terrain.

A Fortress?

In the end, that wasn’t an invincible defense either. Hadn’t he witnessed that in the Death Lord’s Trial?

That nothing can withstand endless numbers.

He planned to reproduce that.

Bulk up.

And then bring down the Fortress.

―Snort! Will tell younger brothers! Spread rumor all around! We strong enough to hold festival!

“Now you catch on the instant I hint. You got smarter.”

―Snort! Urkan smart!

“Go.”

Time to really play.

* * *

Apostle Velitas.

A Dark Mage knelt respectfully before him.

“Great Apostle. Those guys are behaving strangely.”

“……Strange behavior?”

“Yes. It looks like they are about to hold a huge festival. They are roasting monster meat and burning through food wildly.”

“Kahaha! Aren’t they complete morons!”

Velitas burst into laughter as if delighted. He had a clear grasp of the Orcs’ food situation.

Because he had kept checking by sending scouts.

These were Orcs who, only until yesterday, hadn’t been able to eat plentifully.

Naturally.

Where on earth would they find food in this bitter winter?

With even nearby monsters drying up.

So they must have cut rations and tenaciously built up stockpiles.

And in the midst of that they hold a festival?

There was only one reason for such a mad act.

“That human guy must have been very anxious.”

“Yes. The grumbling of the starving Orcs must have been rampant. Like the feeble human he is, he must have been unable to hold out any longer and released all the food.”

Velitas nodded.

In the end, he hadn’t been able to withstand the angry public sentiment.

‘His thinking is obvious.’

Scatter all remaining food to gather as many Orcs as possible, then attack the Fortress with the Orcs gathered by wringing them out like that.

“Thoroughly strengthen the Fortress’s defenses. They will probably attack within a few days.”

“Understood, Great Apostle.”

It seemed they could stop the Orcs’ stirring without any particular sacrifice.

Velitas was certain.

That this fight was a complete victory for his side.