140. Explosive Dragon Unseal (2)
Whooosh!
The fiercely raging flames gradually began to be subdued.
—....?!
As the mana that had been gushing out as if it would explode started to come under control, shock flashed across the Ancient Explosive Dragon’s face.
Its firepower was steadily weakening.
No, rather than weakening, it was being steadily sucked away by that bizarre firebird off to the side.
—...What is that supposed to be?!
Utter bewilderment appeared on the Ancient Explosive Dragon’s face.
It wasn’t enough that a Fiery Body, considered rare even on the ancient continent, had appeared—now there was another being with control over flames on a level similar to its own?
Did that even make any sense?
And that wasn’t all.
Fwoosh, fwoosh!
Deep inside, the Explosive Dragon Sorcerer was also pressing it hard.
Through her own technique, no less—Explosive Dragon Sorcery.
Explosive Dragon Sorcery, Secret art - Ruination.
And even more than that.
It was the final stage of Explosive Dragon Sorcery—Ruination.
That ultimate technique, the final Breath it had used when destroying continents, was now beginning to manifest in Explosive Dragon Sorcerer’s hands.
—Huaaaargh!
The Ancient Explosive Dragon quite literally felt dizzy.
This is insane!
How in the world did that child learn that?!
As the shape of the crimson dragon bursting forth from her hands was completed perfectly, Breath exploded out from its mouth.
Kuwaaaaaaah!
An energy like thousands, tens of thousands of Explosive Dragon Waves compressed together pierced forward in the form of a beam.
If even that came out, there was no answer.
This was far too unfavorable.
—Give up, Ancient Explosive Dragon.
Explosive Dragon Sorcerer spoke calmly.
—I’m not going to repeat the same mistake as before.
The past.
After destroying the continent with her own hands, how much had she regretted it?
It was true that she utterly hated humans, but not enough to burn every last human alive.
If you really thought about it—
Wasn’t it all because of that Ancient Explosive Dragon that she had been treated that way in the first place?
Besides, the ones who had wronged her were only the villagers, not every human in the world.
Surely among them, there must have been humans who would have understood her and accepted her.
‘Like my Lord Jinwoo.’
—Just what... when did you even learn that?
The Ancient Explosive Dragon cried out in shock.
Up to the third stage of Explosive Dragon Sorcery, Flame, that was one thing.
Since it was power naturally passed on while it parasitized her, and a technique for controlling the Explosive Dragon Wave.
But Ruination?
That was the ultimate technique that only it alone in this world could use.
—A dragon’s breath is a technique permitted only to the dragon race! How could you possibly use it?!
A human using Breath?
Even if the sky split in two, that was impossible.
—What kind of stupid nonsense is that?
Explosive Dragon Sorcerer sneered.
—You are me, and I am you.
From the very moment the Ancient Explosive Dragon branded her heart and began parasitizing her, Explosive Dragon Sorcerer had already become a being no different from the dragon race.
—More precisely, you are my negative emotions.
—What nonsense are you spouting?! How dare a mere host claim to be one of the great dragon race!
The Ancient Explosive Dragon shouted in fury, but—
Explosive Dragon Sorcerer ignored it as though its words were not even worth hearing.
—Ancient Explosive Dragon, it doesn’t matter what you say.
She had already shown that she could use it.
Nothing would change no matter how much it tried to argue.
To borrow Lamba’s expression, too bad, so sad.
—And do you know this?
Fwoosh!
Explosive Dragon Sorcerer raised flames with a swing of her dragon-headed staff.
—What happens to a parasite that fails to consume its host?
At that moment—
Explosive Dragon Sorcerer’s eyes flashed.
They were filled with such murderous force that even the Ancient Explosive Dragon, itself a dragon, flinched.
—Ngh! I’m telling you again, I won’t just go down without a fight!
—As much as you like. But it doesn’t change the fact that you’re nothing but a failed parasite.
A dead parasite was nothing more than a lump of protein.
Explosive Dragon Sorcerer recited coldly.
—From now on, even your power will become mine. I’ll digest it properly and absorb even that ability. So go ahead—try enduring to the very end.
Kuwaaaaaah!
The Ancient Explosive Dragon and the Explosive Dragon Sorcerer clashed once more.
But this time, the result seemed obvious.
Hong Ari’s Vermilion Bird.
Fiery Body.
HunGyo.
Baek Jinwoo.
And every guild member watching that scene.
All of them were cheering her on.
They were even helping by siphoning away the Ancient Explosive Dragon’s firepower.
—Pathetic little thing.
Explosive Dragon Sorcerer smiled.
—Shut uuuup!
—Do you really think someone like you, made of nothing but negative emotions, could have comrades willing to fight beside you?
—You bitch! I’ll kill you!
The two beings clashed fiercely, both within and without.
* * *
Kuwaaaaaah!
Windows shattered, and the marble floor broke apart.
Honestly, it was a shame.
‘If I’d known this would happen, I should’ve unsealed it outside somewhere, or on a deserted island.’
Yoo Jia probably wouldn’t scold me, but if she saw this, wouldn’t she just let out one deep sigh after another?
“Urgh!”
Hong Ari focused, forcing the flames to die down.
“......!”
Hwang Jiwoo, eyes squeezed tightly shut, had placed her hand on Explosive Dragon Sorcerer’s shoulder as she fought.
That trembling hand showed just how much courage she was summoning.
—Ngh!
The Ancient Explosive Dragon ground its teeth.
Now there was no helping it.
What could it do when it was outnumbered?
Its goal of seducing the Explosive Dragon Sorcerer?
That kind of thing had long since vanished from its mind.
Kwaaaaaaah!
Once again, the Explosive Dragon Sorcerer’s Breath shot forth.
It had originally been one of its most reliable techniques, but now that it was on the receiving end, it was nothing less than hell itself.
—Kyaaaaagh!
The Ancient Explosive Dragon writhed.
It revealed its massive body and tried to counterattack, but was blocked again and again.
Its enormous tail lashed through the flames, and at times the surrounding space burst apart and scattered fragments everywhere, but...
Fwoosh!
Everything was blocked and burned away by the Explosive Dragon Wave.
And then, at last—
Puhak!
The tip of the dragon-headed staff extended by the Explosive Dragon Sorcerer pierced through the crimson dragon’s heart.
—It’s over now. Just admit it and disappear.
What matters is not the fight.
It was Explosive Dragon Sorcerer’s resolute and unshakable heart.
That alone was enough. No matter how much the Ancient Explosive Dragon struggled, it could never defeat the Explosive Dragon Sorcerer.
Because in the end, the Ancient Explosive Dragon was nothing more than a parasitic dragon.
—Urgh!
The Ancient Explosive Dragon felt the extinction of its power slowly spreading out from the pierced heart.
As it realized that its once-mighty power was draining away regardless of its own will, a bitter laugh escaped it.
—Kh, kekeke...!
So that was it.
Was this how it had been destined to end after all?
The Ancient Explosive Dragon’s cry was no longer filled with rage or resistance, but resignation.
Even the pride of the dragon race, so great and overflowing with arrogance, held no meaning at this moment.
Flare, fwoosh!
The form of the Ancient Explosive Dragon gradually became fainter within the flames.
—I hate to admit it, but there’s no helping it.
Even dragons were, in the end, mere living creatures. Before death, they could only become helpless.
—So even overwhelming power has its limits when it is built only on loneliness and negative emotions? Fine. You fought well, Explosive Dragon Sorcerer. You’ve become stronger than anyone else. Khhheh.
There was no longer any hostility in that voice.
She was right.
If you are me, and I am you—
Then what meaning was there in victory or defeat?
—But remember this. The moment you are filled with negative emotions again, I will revive. I will return, chew up your damned body, and burn this continent... especially those bastards around you who tormented me... burn them all. Do you understand...?
Ssssss...!
The terrifying final voice of the Ancient Explosive Dragon faded and scattered into the air.
“.......”
“......”
And at that moment—
The space became quiet once again.
The flames gradually died down, and the surrounding air slowly began to cool.
Situation over.
Naturally, the area around them was a complete mess.
—...Haa, Lord Jinwoo.
Letting out a faint breath, Explosive Dragon Sorcerer looked toward Baek Jinwoo amidst the wrecked training hall interior, and at the same time—
[Ding!]
[‘Explosive Dragon Sorcerer’ (EX-rank) absorbs the authority of the ‘Ancient Explosive Dragon’ (S-rank)!]
[An unbelievable achievement has been accomplished!]
[‘Explosive Dragon Sorcerer’ (EX-rank)’s Intelligence increases by 500!]
[‘Explosive Dragon Sorcerer’ (EX-rank)’s firepower grows stronger!]
[‘Explosive Dragon Sorcerer’ (EX-rank)’s latent ability is unlocked!]
[Possessed skill, ‘True Devour’, has been created!]
Thud!
She lost consciousness and collapsed.
* * *
Devour.
- Devour: Each time Explosive Dragon Wave defeats a boss-class enemy, the damage of Explosive Dragon Wave permanently increases.
That had originally been the skill.
A broken ability that strengthened Explosive Dragon Wave itself, the very foundation of Explosive Dragon Sorcery.
But—
The skill Explosive Dragon Sorcerer obtained this time was not just Devour.
It was none other than ‘True Devour’.
- True Devour: Each time Explosive Dragon Wave defeats an enemy, the damage of Explosive Dragon Wave permanently increases.
‘Insane.’
Baek Jinwoo was stunned.
The explanation was similar.
But one phrase was missing: <boss-class>.
Regular Devour was already broken, but removing that phrase made it even more absurd.
‘So this means the stacks go up even if she just kills random trash mobs?’
In other words, if she entered a dungeon crawling with goblin hordes and wiped them out?
Every single one of those would become stacks.
Each goblin would become the equivalent of a boss from a normal dungeon—or a boss from the Tower of Trials.
Something that could save an overwhelming amount of time compared to the Devour of the past!
And on top of that—
‘Her Intelligence went up by 500 too.’
There was only one thing that meant.
Explosive Dragon Sorcerer was no longer the D-rank existence she had once been.
Now, even without Devour, her very existence alone would display S-rank might.
And if Devour was added on top of that?
Wouldn’t even SSS-rank be insufficient?
She had literally been reborn as something beyond all standards.
A being perfectly suited to the title of EX-rank.
“You worked hard. You really did.”
Baek Jinwoo stroked the red hair of the sleeping Explosive Dragon Sorcerer.
“I’m truly proud of you.”
He had heard it from Hwang Jiwoo.
What kind of battles she had fought within herself. And what kind of trauma she had carried.
Because of that, he understood.
Why Explosive Dragon Sorcerer had always considered being with him the greatest value of all.
Why she had even deliberately refrained from mastering Explosive Dragon Sorcery just so she could stay by his side.
‘You were lonely.’
That would not happen anymore.
Just as HunGyo found meaning in life by training them, Explosive Dragon Sorcerer too would spend her whole life with them and never be lonely again.
‘Lately I’ve only been focusing on HunGyo.’
It really was time to focus on Explosive Dragon Sorcerer now.
Building stacks, too.
And the endgame rune as well.
Wouldn’t there be much more time ahead spent together with Explosive Dragon Sorcerer?
Did she feel Baek Jinwoo’s sincerity, or was she simply having a good dream?
The lips of the lying Explosive Dragon Sorcerer curved into a soft smile.
* * *
At that same time—
Clang! Claaang!
At the foot of Geomdansan, Rund, who had been busily hammering away and making runes, lit up with excitement.
—O-oh, oooh!
Wooooong!
A glow was flowing over Rund’s entire body, including the hammer.
—At last! Finally!
Luxury Crafting had risen to level 3.
In a short time, it had returned to the level it had once been at when separated from its former master.
There was no surprise there.
An endless stream of materials and work kept pouring in, so Rund had been swinging its hammer day and night without rest.
Sleep?
A summon had no need for such a thing.
Rune crafting.
For a Rune Dwarf, that alone was the meaning of life—and its joy.
—Master! Maaaster!
Excited, Rund grabbed its hammer and ran toward the training hall.
At Luxury Crafting level 3, Explosive Dragon Sorcerer’s unique endgame rune could be created.
Knowing how long its master had been waiting for that, Rund was even more thrilled.
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