◈ Episode 429. Are You Ready (1)

Wallswale swallowed hard.

‘You are more than I imagined.’

He’d used his dexterity to the fullest. He’d also squeezed every ounce of aesthetics he’d normally neglected. The purpose was to refine equipment suitable for Hoyeol’s extravagant outfit.

‘Each and every one of them is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece.’

Nothing is too good to be left behind.

So Wallswale remembered Hoyeol’s empty hands. If the gloves were made from the dragon’s skin……. it would be enough to protect the hand that would do so much good in the future.

But, apparently.

“I heard your voice. The Legendary Dark Dragon.”

“……!”

The glove seemed to be imbued with a power that even its creator had not anticipated. As a native of Arcana, he could not see the system messages. Still, Wallswale, he could feel the change in himself.

Goooooo-!

Suddenly, Wallswale’s short hands began to emit a faint light.

The first [Mythic] ranked item on the Arcana Continent.

Wallswale’s dexterity had advanced yet again.

“?!”

However, Wallshwale didn’t have the time to congratulate himself, or even to take a closer look at his glowing hands. It was inevitable.

deolkeong!

“Chainwalker, what’s going on?”

Iron Castle Ship.

The dwarven citadel had begun to shake violently, and even the dwarves, who were relatively well-balanced for their short stature, were swaying to one side or the other, unable to withstand the shaking.

Barely holding on to the pillar.

Chainwalker, the dwarven leader, called out urgently.

“Is it a storm?”

No matter how great the technology, it must be humbled before nature.

And so it is with the Iron Castle.

If it was a storm, it should have been diverted, not met.

“No!”

“Then it’s turbulence?”

“Uh, I don’t think so!”

“What?”

Then what.

The answer to that question soon became apparent to everyone aboard the Iron Castle: they could see it with their own eyes.

Sssssshhh.

The looming darkness.

A castle in the sky.

Something bigger than the Iron Castle was approaching.

“It’s too big to be seen!”

It was no threat, no attack.

It was simply approaching.

It was shaking the Iron Castle.

Chainwalker made a quick decision.

Now that the Behemoth’s Maw was not working properly.

He imagined the worst.

He envisioned a giant beast rising from the demonic realm.

“All units, prepare to respond with fire!”

The threat of the Demon World was no longer a distant memory.

Gulp.

Dwarves swallowing dry spit.

But thankfully.

The tension didn’t last long.

ttogag.

Everything was shaking.

Two legs straight out without the slightest movement.

Hoyeol stepped forward and opened his mouth.

“You have nothing to fear.”

“……Commander-in-Chief?”

“I told you.”

“What do you mean…….”

……No, you already said that?

“You, you don’t mean Dark Dragon, do you?

But the question remained.

Hadn’t the Commander-in-chief himself said that Dark Dragons were not real, but legends made into reality? He had seen it with his own eyes.

It was the largest of all dragons, and its wings were enormous and spread wide. If only it could wield influence on the continent like a real dragon.

The moment Dark Dragon flew over Antonium.

Most of the city’s buildings should have collapsed from the impact.

But nothing like that happened to Antonium.

‘More than that.’

Chainwalker grunted.

cheolkeog.

Hoyeol opened the door to the deck of the Iron Castle.

It was a questionable move, indeed.

Chainwalker thought back to Hoyeol’s words.

‘You must have heard the voice of the Legendary Dark Dragon…….’

His pupils twitched.

“……!”

What if he wasn’t exaggerating when he said he heard a voice?

No way, the power of that giant Dark Dragon.

What if it means that he have finally fully dealt with it?

It was just a guess.

Right or wrong.

The words had been spoken.

Chainwalker added a grim parting shot at Hoyeol’s back.

“I hope you get what you want.”

*

[Effect: Eunaxus, the great Elder Dragon of Myth, declares. “My legacy shall be that Claudi shall be able to understand and speak Dragon Tongue!”]

Yes, everything is karma.

‘Dark dragon, that damn dark dragon!’

If someone other than me had gotten hold of the Legacy of Eunaxus, I wouldn’t have had to face this situation. Why, I could have just focused on learning to speak dragon tongues.

‘Dragon Cry, Dragon Breath. I’ll be too busy drinking kimchi soup.’

But karma won’t let me.

Outside deck of the Iron Castle.

In a roiling storm.

I stood stiffly and looked at the source of the trouble.

Yes, I was face to face with the Legendary Dark Dragon that spoke to me.

Swoosh.

……That thing must have been influenced by the demon hunter’s skimpy outfit, right? Its wings, which are overwhelmingly huge compared to those of dragons like Kudhanax and Frostnax, seem to allow it to fly without the need to flap.

Soon, its mouth opened.

“At last, you answer my call, Claudi.”

Apparently, it has been calling to me all this time.

“I have always been by your side.”

It’s a bit much to put it that way……? Well, maybe you’re not wrong. The Dark Dragon is the materialization of a [Legend] that roams the Arcana continent and reality.

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

I’ve only just begun to understand the language.

In short, I didn’t hear you because I wasn’t good enough.

But what did you misunderstand from the cool silence?

“That I am finally worthy to face you.”

……No, I was simply unable to answer because I lacked the ability, but this is the time to answer, and I must.

“Tell me what you want, Dark Dragon.”

Because things are not going well

Anyway.

I hope you have a worthy cause.

I hear the voice of Dark Dragon!

I shouted something that could have been misunderstood and came out onto the deck.

The way the dwarves stared at me was strange!

“I have something to show you.”

I don’t know if they know what’s burning inside me.

Dark Dragon gave me his back.

I climbed onto its back as smoothly as if I were boarding a subway. Instead of sitting on my ass like I would on a horse, I stood upright.

[Achievement: Ride a Dragon, King of All]

[Effect: Increases proficiency with all mounts to maximum]

[Duration: Passive]

Your mount proficiency has been maximized thanks to the effects of this achievement.

Even on the Iron Castle.

It’s not for nothing that I wasn’t the only one who didn’t falter.

‘By the way.’

Legendary Dark Dragon.

Where are you taking me?

I realize the greatness of this snout.

It’s a legend that grows stronger the more it is echoed, regardless of its reality.

In that sense, Dark Dragon?

It might be a real dragon.

At least on the Arcana Continent.

In reality, the name of Dark Dragon?

It’s no exaggeration to say that it’s been seen tens of billions of times on social media alone.

The legend of the Dark Dragon resonated in two completely different worlds.

In that sense, it’s safe to say that Dark Dragons are also [『Anomaly』]. Indeed, just as dragons tore dimensions, Dark Dragon were able to travel through space by tearing dimensions.

Then, Dark Dragon spoke.

“There is a threat, Claudi.”

Beyond the rift.

I see an unfamiliar landscape.

A message flashes across my mind.

[You have acquired the achievement, ‘One who witnessed the Demon World.’].

So that’s the Demon World.

To put it simply, the Demon World was the calm before the storm.

By the way, how great are you, Dark Dragon?

I guess I wasn’t exaggerating when I said that you can observe the Arcana Continent from behind?

‘To be able to glimpse the Demon World like this.’

It’s not something I could have ever imagined or practiced.

Of course, now that I’ve realized it, I might be able to practice it.

I realized that.

‘You have to work really hard, Hoyeol.’

That Dark Dragon must be my strength in the eyes of reality and the Arcana Continent. I can’t even imagine how much of a bubble it is.

Nevertheless, I shamelessly declared.

“A threat. Not even an interest to me.”

Dark Dragon flapped its massive wings once more.

“I know. Even in the Demon World I’ve studied, you’re referred to as the Demon King of the Ten Thrones, an unprecedented threat.”

……What, the rumor has spread to the Demon World?

You don’t mean my full name, do you?

I was shocked, but Dark Dragon moved its wings and continued speaking.

“In the Demon World, the Demon King of the Ten Thrones is known as the Primordial Being, the one who cannot die even if he wants to. However, you have defeated one of the Primordial Beings, Buer, and claimed the Ten Thrones.”

Until then.

I didn’t immediately understand why Dark Dragon was praising me.

But after hearing the rest of the story, it made sense.

I must have done more than I realized……!

As we all know, demons don’t get along with each other.

They fight amongst themselves, and that’s just the way it is.

It seemed that the high ranking Demon Kings was no exception.

‘So the fact that I’ve managed to survive at all means…….’

To put it another way.

Even compared to the other nine high ranking Demon Kings.

At least Buer had the ability to endure.

However, I was not only able to defeat Buer, but I also defeated the Demon World Lich, Discus, and the one who wanted Buer’s throne. Dark Dragon continued in a sinister voice.

“That’s right. The Demon Kings of the Ten Thrones are also wary of you, Claudi. For the first time in the primordial history of the Demon World, the high ranking Demon Kings are forming an alliance to destroy the threat you pose to them. That is the state of the Demon World that I have observed, Claudi.”

Indeed, it is a cause for desperation.

Still, should I call it a blessing among misfortunes?

Apparently, the number one Bael was not part of the alliance.

‘Anyway, it wasn’t for nothing, was it?’

As I said, the Battle for the Demon King.

The proof of the Ten Thrones had already begun.

It makes sense now why Behemoth’s Maw was silent.

The demons are simply cowering in fear of me.

But that fear will be short-lived.

The eight high ranking Demon Kings of the Ten, except for me and Bael.

They have come to an agreement.

It meant that it wouldn’t be strange if an overwhelming number of demons from the Demon World began to pour into the Arcana Continent. It meant that they could all aim for my Tenth Throne at once!

‘This won’t be easy.’

I was thinking of simply throwing myself into the Demon World.

I had no idea that the high ranking Demon Kings were building alliances among themselves.

I never imagined it.

‘This is a lot of weight on my shoulders.’

Grandfell’s past, tangled up in the Akshan Civil War.

I looked to the legacy of Eunaxus to lighten the burden, if only for a moment.

Such a trial awaited me.

I’m shocked, but I don’t show it.

Even when I didn’t respond.

Did you say you were observing the Arcana Continent?

Dark Dragon’s next words were quite reassuring.

“Claudi, you must grow. To the extent that even demons who have lost their senses due to the High Ranking Demon King’s malice, and those who cannot understand the subject, obey. You must be reborn as a being who can instill overwhelming fear.”

No, not just words, but direction.

“It is the words of the ruler that make it possible.”

The message flashed before my eyes.

[Hidden class, would you like to change to ‘Dragon Lord’?].

……A really big message.