Chapter 26. A Guest Arrives in the County (1)
A translucent message announced that I had consumed the Gelu-Drake’s Genetic Factor through Predation.
The moment it appeared before my eyes, my body immediately reacted, and my fingernails and toenails underwent a transformation.
Their appearance did not change significantly.
They still looked like ordinary human fingernails and toenails, but their durability and strength were anything but human.
◆Dragon’s Claw [A] : Upon acquiring this skill, the Player’s [Keratin] is enhanced. Its density and strength are refined to the extreme, making it comparable to a dragon’s. The hardness of the Player’s [fingernails, toenails, and hair] subsequently increases by [+1,601,200%], while their strength increases by [+1,992,500%].
When attacking with this skill, all damage inflicted ignores [-35%] of the target’s Defense.
<This is a Passive Skill and is permanently applied immediately upon acquisition.>
The skill description appeared before my eyes.
Like Hardened Skin [D], it was a Passive Skill.
The word “passive” meant “not requiring active participation”.
Therefore, a Passive Skill was one that required no deliberate action to activate.
Simply possessing the skill kept its effects active at all times, making it an extremely convenient and useful skill.
Furthermore, it was a complete skill.
It was a fully realized ability that required no additional Predation.
“But I didn’t acquire any other abilities in exchange.”
It appeared that the process had focused entirely on acquiring Dragon’s Claw [A], preventing me from obtaining any of the Gelu-Drake’s other abilities.
My Predation [S+] was not complete enough to acquire all of the Gelu-Drake’s abilities.
To acquire one, I had to give up another.
“This is better.”
Still, acquiring one complete ability was far better than obtaining several ambiguous, incomplete abilities.
After all, I had no idea when I might obtain the Gelu-Drake’s Genetic Factor again.
Its population was so small that the species was practically nonexistent.
The lower a creature stood on the food chain, the stronger its urge to reproduce.
Because it faced a greater threat of death, it needed to produce many offspring as quickly as possible.
Conversely, the higher a creature stood on the food chain, the more drastically that urge diminished.
The Gelu-Drake was the Master of the Snowy Mountains.
More precisely, it had been the apex predator once known as the Master of the Snowy Mountains.
Because nothing in the Snowy Mountains threatened its life, the Gelu-Drake had no overwhelming urge to reproduce.
It did not go out of its way to search for a male or female partner.
As a result, its reproductive ability was also relatively poor.
That did not mean there were no other Gelu-Drakes, but—
“I wonder if I’d find a few more if I combed through the entire North.”
Therefore, acquiring one definite dragon Genetic Factor was far better than randomly obtaining a disorganized collection of useless abilities.
In that regard, its rank was an astonishing [A].
Even the Regeneration ability obtained from an Ice Troll performed remarkably despite being only [B-] rank.
I couldn’t even imagine how powerful an [A]-rank ability would be.
“My fingernails are too short to test the ability....”
Hunting monsters throughout the Snowy Mountains had completely worn down my fingernails.
They had all been ground away until there was barely anything left that could be called a fingernail.
After considering the problem briefly, I used Nutrient Synthesis [C+] to burn calories and synthesize Keratin.
Then I immediately activated Regeneration [B-], causing my short fingernails to grow in an instant.
The newly grown fingernails immediately received the effects of Dragon’s Claw [A].
Once acquired, a Passive Skill was applied permanently.
That meant Regeneration [B-] had effectively given me a personal weapon that I could replace an unlimited number of times.
“It has incredible synergy with Regeneration.”
This allowed me to freely shorten or lengthen my fingernails according to the situation.
As expected—
Acquiring one complete ability was better than acquiring several ambiguous ones.
“I wonder how much stronger they’ve become.”
The numerical increases were absurd.
However, the numbers alone did not intuitively convey how hard my fingernails had become.
“Something I could use to test them....”
I looked around but couldn’t find anything suitable.
The pure-white scenery of the Snowy Mountains contained nothing but snow, and even that had been completely frozen by the Ice Breath.
Perhaps that was why the lone sword lying in the snowfield stood out so clearly.
“That is....”
It was the sword I had thrown aside while fighting the Gelu-Drake.
It wasn’t anything special.
However, it was a well-made sword forged from steel.
I walked over and retrieved the sword buried in the snow.
Its blade had been considerably damaged during the fight against the Gelu-Drake, but it was still sufficient for a test.
I angled my fingernails and grabbed the blade—
Clang—!
“What...?”
The sword simply snapped in half.
I hadn’t performed any special action. I had only exerted a little force. Yet the sword had split in two.
Looking closely, it would have been more accurate to say that I had torn it apart.
“I expected them to be harder than steel, but....”
I had never imagined they would destroy it this thoroughly.
“Even the Heightened Keratin I consumed in my previous life wasn’t this powerful.”
The Heightened Keratin I had consumed in my previous life—and intended to acquire again—had only been comparable to a steel sword.
I had needed to combine it with other abilities before it could contend with an Aura-imbued sword.
With that in mind, I had assumed Dragon’s Claw [A] wouldn’t be significantly different.
After all, it merely strengthened the Keratin already present in my body.
Yet this ability alone far surpassed a steel sword.
“At this level, I could probably shatter Aura with ease.”
I hadn’t tested it directly against Aura, but it seemed entirely possible.
As the Predator, I had confronted countless Aura users in my previous life.
Based on that experience, these claws could easily overwhelm an ordinary Aura Sword.
And that wasn’t all.
“Even a Master’s Aura Blade might be no match for them.”
Master—the pinnacle of Aura.
It was the dreamlike realm yearned for by every Aura-wielding warrior, including knights and martial artists.
Yet even an Aura Blade wielded by a Master did not seem capable of surpassing Dragon’s Claw [A].
After all, this ability was practically identical to the “claws of a true dragon”.
And no matter how powerful a Master might be, they were still nothing more than prey before a dragon.
Dragons stood at the pinnacle of biological evolution.
It was no exaggeration or empty boast to say that no Genetic Factor on this continent surpassed that of a dragon.
“Insane....”
The word escaped my mouth naturally.
It was truly an ability acquired by consuming a dragon’s Genetic Factor.
All the hell I had endured to hunt the Gelu-Drake had been more than worthwhile.
With this—
“Good.”
I had surpassed the person I was in my previous life by one step. I had moved one step closer to the “Ultimate Lifeform” Ian had described.
And by doing so, I had moved one step closer to Ian.
More importantly, Dragon’s Claw [A] was not my only gain.
== [Player Information] ==
[Name]—Adrian White Wolf
[Title]—Master of the Snowy Mountains
[Level]—Level 26
[HP]—26
[MP]—0
[Stats]—Strength: 27 (+5), Agility: 13 (+5), Stamina: 20 (+5), Mana: 6 (+5)
[Experience]—34.7%
<Bonus Stat Points +13>
My level had reached an astonishing 26.
Furthermore, a new [Title] category had appeared in the “Player Information” window.
As a result, all my stats had increased by 5, and the additional levels had given me another 13 Bonus Stat Points to distribute.
“Let’s invest all the level-up points into Agility.”
By investing all thirteen points, I could raise my Agility to an astonishing 26.
As a result, not only my nervous system’s ability to process stimuli but also its ability to receive them improved dramatically.
My vision became so clear that I could distinguish individual snow crystals.
My sense of smell became sensitive enough to detect even the scent of ice.
My hearing did not miss even the faintest sound of the wind.
My sense of touch became so extraordinarily sharp that I could detect the slightest presence.
“Isn’t this basically an ESP(Extra Sensory Perception) ability?”
I wasn’t joking.
If I continued raising my Agility, it seemed as though it would eventually become indistinguishable from ESP.
No, it seemed likely to surpass ESP.
Of course, to accomplish that, I would have to invest all my Bonus Stat Points into Agility.
That meant I couldn’t invest them into Strength or Stamina, but….that was fine.
“I’ll just have to train my body even harder.”
After all, Strength and Stamina could be increased through other means.
With that settled, it was finally time to return to the County.
“I wonder if Ian has returned....”
With that hope in mind, I descended the mountain.
Then I suddenly stopped.
“I can’t leave the Gelu-Drake’s corpse behind.”
The Gelu-Drake was a highly valuable monster in many ways, not merely because of its heart.
Its hide alone, which could easily withstand a steel sword, was an outstanding material for armor.
I carefully attempted to store the Gelu-Drake’s corpse in my Inventory.
Now that the <Master of the Snowy Mountains> Title had increased my Strength by 5, the Inventory’s maximum storage weight had also increased to 1,080 kilograms.
◆The Inventory’s maximum storage weight has been exceeded.
“It won’t all fit.”
Even then, I couldn’t store the entire Gelu-Drake.
That was only natural.
It was an enormous creature with a body nearly ten meters long.
Even at a glance, it appeared to weigh at least 1,500 kilograms.
In other words, even if I crammed it into the inventory, I would have to leave approximately 500 kilograms behind.
“As if I’d do that.”
Naturally, I had no intention of leaving any of it behind. I emptied all the remaining monster corpses from my inventory.
There weren’t many left because I had eaten nearly all of them while fighting the Gelu-Drake.
I sharpened my fingernails and tore into the Gelu-Drake’s corpse.
Its hide had been so tough that a steel sword couldn’t leave a scratch on it, but—
Crunch—!
It tore like paper before Dragon’s Claw [A].
I completely severed its half-cut neck.
I also cut off its tail.
Butchering it was not particularly difficult.
In fact, it would have been harder to find something I hadn’t done during my time in the Special Task Force.
“....This should be enough.”
After separating everything that could be removed and leaving only the torso, it appeared to weigh approximately 1,080 kilograms.
When I stored it in the inventory, the Gelu-Drake’s corpse instantly disappeared from before my eyes.
Naturally, it had not truly disappeared.
It had merely been stored in my inventory. All that remained were the severed head and tail.
I would have to carry those myself.
The moment I hoisted them onto my shoulders, my body sank deeply into the snow.
That was only natural because the head and tail alone weighed approximately 500 kilograms.
Then a good idea occurred to me.
‘This would make excellent weight training.’
Changing my plans, I took the Gelu-Drake’s torso back out of the inventory.
Instead, I stored its head and tail inside.
Then, using the 1,080-kilogram torso as a barbell, I descended the Snowy Mountains in a lunging stance.
◆Your muscle fibers are tearing again!!
◆Your muscle fibers are being reconstructed!
◆Your Strength stat has increased by 3!!
The results were remarkable.
* * *
Kugugugugung!
The thick wooden gates of the Count’s Castle opened with a deafening roar.
The sound of the gates opening was loud enough to rupture one’s eardrums, but the shouts erupting around them sounded even louder.
“Th-That...!!”
“The Gelu-Drake...!!”
The soldiers guarding the gates of the Count’s Castle all jumped in shock.
Without exception, every soldier stared at me while expressing the same emotion.
“Lord Adrian....”
“He subjugated the Gelu-Drake….?”
“Was what Sir Kai told us really true?!”
“Th-That’s impossible...!!”
Astonishment.
They were astonished by the Gelu-Drake resting upon my shoulders—and by me.
‘This wasn’t my intention.’
I hadn’t carried it here to attract everyone’s attention.
I had merely carried it because it made an excellent weight and allowed me to increase my Strength and Stamina stats.
Thanks to it, I had increased my Strength by 6 and my Stamina by 3.
In any case, I didn’t particularly enjoy attracting attention.
What kind of Covert Operations Commander would deliberately draw attention to himself?
I lowered the Gelu-Drake’s torso from my shoulders.
Kuuung!
Its immense weight of 1,080 kilograms caused a small tremor when it struck the ground.
“G-Good heavens...!!”
“You carried that here...?”
“Uuurgh...!”
....I had unintentionally attracted everyone’s attention again.
While the soldiers nearly fainted from shock, the gates opened completely.
I spotted a soldier who appeared to be both the officer responsible for guarding the gates and a Centurion(A professional military officer in the ancient Roman army who commanded a unit called a century).
“You there.”
“A-Are you speaking to me….?”
“Is there another officer in charge here besides you?”
At my question, the Centurion glanced around.
Naturally, many other soldiers surrounded him.
However, he seemed to realize that he was the only person present who held a position of authority and immediately rushed over to me.
“You called for me, sir!”
He had been briefly stunned, but his military discipline was impeccable.
Even this alone showed that Kai had trained the soldiers well.
I pointed toward the Gelu-Drake’s corpse on the ground.
“Make sure this is properly stored so it doesn’t spoil.”
Naturally, keeping it in the inventory would have been easier.
However, I needed to leave the inventory empty so that it could serve as a storehouse for the nutrients required by Regeneration.
“....Pardon? You mean the G-Gelu-Drake?”
“Yes. Is that order too difficult?”
“N-No, sir!!”
The Centurion stiffened into a rigid position of attention, as though the very suggestion were absurd.
I brushed the snow from my hair and asked another question.
“Also, did anything unusual happen in the County while I was gone?”
“By something unusual, you mean….?”
“Did anyone visit the County while I was away….? No one came?”
“In that case….Sir Kai brought an unfamiliar man into the County a short while ago.”
My eyes flashed at the Centurion’s answer.
Calling him an unfamiliar man meant that even the Centurion did not know him.
In other words, he was not from the County, meaning there was a high probability that he was Ian.
“Who was it?”
“I’m afraid I don’t know who he was....”
“You don’t even know his name?”
The Centurion quietly shook his head.
I turned and looked over the soldiers, but none of them appeared to know either.
I turned back to the Centurion.
“Where is he now?”
“He is currently at the Lord’s Castle, meeting with the Lord—no, Lady Seraphia.”
“Seraphia?”
“That is correct.”
It seemed I needed to go there immediately.
“Make sure the Gelu-Drake’s corpse is properly stored and does not spoil.”
“Do not worry, sir!! We will protect it with our lives!!”
The Centurion stiffened rigidly at attention.
Then, as I began walking away—
“Unit, form ranks!!!”
The Centurion’s shout rang out.
The soldiers simultaneously stood at attention and formed ranks on either side of me.
Their postures were brimming with military discipline.
“Salute Lord Adrian, who risked his life fighting for the County!!”
The soldiers’ gazes toward me were completely different from what they had been two weeks ago.
I walked between the saluting soldiers and headed directly toward the Lord’s Castle.
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