Chapter 238 Unequivocal Strangers

[Outside of Advent Dawn]

Most players already long left the area, which a lot of what was overheard was people deciding to visit taverns and restaurants to drink away the looming threat of the "war" that was on its way.

"Well, that was enlightening," he said.

The red-haired assassin stood outside of the tucked-away temple, leaning against the rock wall as he stood beside Yeong-Un, Korain, and Archie.

"We've got a goal now, at least," Korain scratched his head.

"Better than nothin'," Archie smiled.

He scratched his head, "I guess for now we're supposed to just wait around and toughen up before the real battle begins?"

"If I know you, I doubt you'll be sitting around," Korain said.

"'Bout to say," Yeong-Un smirked.

All he could think was "Well, say that to me from five months ago" but he opted to just take the slight compliment with a small smile.

He exhaled, tightening his wristguards, "We've still got to find the others. Now more than ever with this war on the horizon. But, honestly…I don't know where we're supposed to look."

Korain scratched his head with a sigh, "I see what you mean. If this war starts, and they're lost in the middle of it–it's not going to look pretty."

"Sorry 'bout that, guess I'm not as much help as I said I'd be," Archie embarrassedly chuckled.

"No, this isn't on you. I wouldn't blame anybody for not knowing their way around a foreign place like this," he said.

Still, there was little in the way of clues or direction to go off of. The four of them were left quiet for a minute with their thoughts on their next move.

Yeong-Un was the one to finally speak up, "They could be in that Yinglong place."

"Huh? In Yinlong?...I mean, maybe…" He put his hand to his chin.

"Ya guys haven't been there, right? I didn't get much of a chance to meander around myself, and I was told it's pretty dangerous 'round there, so…" Yeong-Un said, "...Could be the place, though it won't be a pleasant time."

"Still, isn't it difficult to move from one kingdom to the other?" He asked.

"Especially at a time like this, right?" Korain added.

He raised an eyebrow, "Wait…How did you cross between both kingdoms?"

The scar-faced man tilted his head as if it wasn't much of a question in the first place, "Huh? There's a special spot I found–some kinda weird bridge between both countries or somethin'."

"Yeah? Where is it?"

"Err…I'll have to feel my way back there, but it was a big bridge, ya know?" Yeong-Un explained, "A big one, too! Had this big ol' river around it, some huge dragon statues, too!"

It sounded more like a child explaining something straight out of his imagination, but in this alternate world, such eccentricities were the norm.

"I guess we've found our destination, then," he said.

Korain nodded, "Let's stop back at Minjing for the night. I could use a beer, or two, or…three."

"Same here," Archie nudged him with his elbow.

He already didn't like the sound of things, and now there was Yeong-Un to consider, who he watched carefully while they began hiking back to the city.

I've never seen Yeong-Un with alcohol in him, and I don't know if I want to, he thought.

–

[??? | Yinlong Kingdom]

It was a patch of land secluded from the roaring cities; tucked away in a domain of tall trees among the clouds, a mountain among many, connected by bridges that overlooked the valley.

A statue of a man with draconic statues, holding his hands together in a prayer, stood tall.

"Ah…sorry. What was that?"

Sitting on an abandoned, stone bench that was laden with overgrowth, trying to be reclaimed by nature, a young man with unkempt, blonde hair and goggles over his eyes looked up with a goofy smile.

A dragonkin warrior slammed the bottom of his spear down, "Explain your presence here, outsider. Depending on your answer, you may lose your head."

The goggle-wearing adolescent scratched his curly, golden locks while staying seated, "What now? Explain my presence? I mean, I kind of just stumbled here, ya know? Nice bench, though."

As he patted his hand against the bench, which wore a fingerless glove on it, the dragonkin soldier nearly burst a blood vessel in anger as he yelled out.

"This is sacred land you laze around on! Speak now of your being here or die, outsider!"

With another slam of his spear against the ground, the Yinlong soldier summoned his comrades with him to stand beside him, readying their spears and pointing them towards the unknown human.

"...Ah, c'mon now, can't a guy just chill? It's a nice, sunny day out, and I've gotten pretty pale, ya know?" The goggle-wearing, smiling adolescent said.

He wasn't much in the way of intimidating; he was slightly below average height, of an average build without much muscle on his frame, or any for that matter, and carried himself with a lackadaisical demeanor.

In the face of the dragonkin soldiers, who stood head-and-shoulders above him with their burly builds and frightening spears, it was clear who the winner would be in a conflict.

He smiled.

The soldier roared, "Eliminate the outsider!"

—At least, normally such factors would lead one to believe this was the case.

Just before the spear of the bearded Yinlong soldier could be thrust forward towards the body of the unknown adolescent, the blonde-haired young man raised his hand.

"Huh—?" The soldier stopped, sweating.

The other dragonkin men stopped as well, confused as to why their comrade had halted his attack.

"What's wrong!?"

"Captain!"

What the others couldn't see was the adolescent's palm; it was glowing; bubbling up with a bright energy that began to emit something.

"Ahh—ah…graaah!" The dragonkin captain yelled out,

Suddenly, the soldier's complexion began to shift, darkening as his flesh bubbled up, boiling as steam exuded from his pores.

The power birthed itself through an unstable energy; peeling at the skin, muscle, and bone of the soldier as it was broken down at its most fundamental level as if being unraveled like a tie.

One of the soldiers tried to step forward to help, but stopped, "Captain…!"

POP.

Like a balloon filled with flesh, the dragonkin man popped; his entire body dissolved to an implosive force. A red mist was all that was left of the Yinlong captain; swaying like a crimson haze.

"…Aww, man. I didn't want to do that, but he sort of came at me, ya know?" The goggle-wearing adolescent scratched his head casually.

The other soldiers were left in disbelief at the power displayed; unknowing of what had just happened, but imposed nonetheless.

"You murderer!" One soldier roared.

"Hey now, you attacked first—"

Just as the mysterious man tried to speak, the dragonkin with fear in his eyes began to morph into his draconic state while charging forward with his spear held towards the figure.

Through the veil of his yellow-tinted goggles, the adolescent's eyes intensified.

"I'm getting really tired of being attacked for no real reason."

With his hand held up, a small sphere of energy that resembled a miniature sun manifested above his palm, producing a wicked heat before being flicked towards the dragonkin.

"Huh—?" The soldier reacted.

A flash of light was birthed as the sphere's form dissolved into an explosive release, erasing the Yinlong warrior in an instant through a contained heat wave.

It was a power that sat on a threshold opposite to divinity. Though it possessed ability profound in destruction and unmatched in annihilation, such power was the very antithesis of godhood.

[Ajax | Level 43 | Nuclear System]

Such a concept was the polar opposite of God's will; it was the creation of man–its greatest and worst discovery; a power cultivated and spun into a force that could invoke Armageddon itself.

All that was left was another soldier, younger than the others and quivering as he fell back onto his fear.

"P-p-please…!"

The young man adjusted his goggles, lifting them up as he looked down at the dragonkin soldier with his silver pupils that were in the shape of an atomic structure.

"…I was just following orders! I swear!"

"I was just trying to catch some sun and relax, but you and your pals intruded on me, ya know? So I don't get why you're begging now," he said.

As he held his hand towards the cowering soldier, gathering a focus of the volatile energy around his palm, he then stopped.

The soldier himself, quivering and covering his head, was perplexed by why the action towards his demise was cut short, but thankful as he looked up,

A noticeable sound of steps revealed the reason why Ajax stopped his retaliation. The adolescent looked towards the figure who had arrived with a cautious smile.

"And you are?" Ajax asked.

[Yinglong Empire | Grand Chancellor, Li Shuang | Level ???]

It was a man with a devious smile, dressed in illustrious robes and the cap of a scholar, though he had a young face, he was certainly seasoned by life through his scarlet eyes.

He was unnaturally pale, as if almost translucent as a snowflake; though the man had a smile that combated his deathly complexion.

"Well met, outsider," the man greeted.

"—" Ajax watched him.

"Oh, you needn't be wary of me. Forgive my barbaric men for their rude welcoming," the grand chancellor said, "I am the grand chancellor of Yinlong; a humble position I uphold with the best interests of my kingdom in mind."