Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Relic of the Ancient Dragon (3) >

‘That’s a relief. It would have been tough if I had to face Ray as well.’

Contrary to how he appeared on the outside, Theo let out a sigh of relief internally.

From the dungeon to the training grounds, his stamina and magic power were completely drained after the continuous battles.

After finishing the dungeon clear and stepping outside:

– Y-Young Master! We’ve all been searching for you! Where did you go?

– What’s the matter? Did something happen?

– There’s a brawl happening right now at the 4th training ground...!

He hadn’t had a proper chance to rest because he had rushed over upon hearing the urgent news that the 4th training ground had become a battlefield.

‘Still, I did get some rewards from clearing the dungeon.’

[Congratulations! You have successfully hunted the Lesser Drake and completed Tutorial Quest #12.]

[Evaluation: A+]

[You have obtained the ‘Tooth of the Lesser Drake’ as a reward.]

[You have obtained the ‘Claw of the Lesser Drake’ as a reward.]

[As a bonus reward for your high evaluation, you have gained access to the .]

The quest rewards he received after two months of waiting were more than worth it, fully compensating for the long anticipation.

First, the items.

—

[Tooth of the Lesser Drake]

· Type: Material

· Effect: Strengthening material for crafting weapons and armor. Increases durability.

· Usage Requirement: Level 10

—

[Claw of the Lesser Drake]

· Type: Material

· Effect: Strengthening material for crafting weapons and armor. Enhances sharpness.

· Usage Requirement: Level 10

—

Typically, if the form of the beasts from the Demonic Sea remained intact, one would call it a “jackpot” since they were highly useful for crafting weapons and armor.

And among such beasts, the high-ranking Lesser Drake had dulled even the sharp edge of Theo’s sword and posed a real threat to him.

Even without the , the materials from the Lesser Drake would surely be invaluable for crafting new weapons and armor.

However, out of everything Theo received as a reward, what excited him the most was something else entirely.

It was the ‘Skill.’

—

[Skill List (▼)]

– Lesser Drake’s Fear

– [None]

– [None]

—

[Lesser Drake’s Fear]

· Grade: D+

· Mastery: 1%

· Effect: Unleashes the intense killing intent unique to the Lesser Drake, overwhelming the surroundings. Instills fear in targets of a lower level than the caster.

—

The sharp, tingling sensation of the powerful killing intent could throw enemies into confusion and fear. In a battlefield where clear-headed judgment was essential, there could be no weapon more deadly than this.

In the ecosystem, the reason dragon species reigned as apex predators was precisely because of this.

Any living being exposed to a dragon’s killing intent was forced to bow their head.

And now, it seemed that this skill allowed one to artificially unleash such killing intent.

Even though it was from a lower-ranked Lesser Drake, there were still countless advantages to possessing it.

In fact, simply activating the skill allowed Theo to completely dominate the atmosphere of the 4th training ground.

Despite his lack of stamina, one reason Theo was able to overpower Holcus so swiftly was that he had crushed his spirit first.

‘Two empty slots left. I can learn two more skills like this...? This is practically a cheat.’

While savoring the effects of the skill, Theo remained on guard, still wary of Ray.

And then—

“The energy is brutal. It’s chaotic. We can’t talk like this. Let’s just meet at the Blossoming Ceremony.”

She muttered incomprehensible words, and just as she had appeared, Ray suddenly vanished again.

Whoosh!

Her movement technique was so swift that even Theo’s keen eyesight couldn’t track her.

“...?”

‘Talk? What does she mean?’

As always, just like in his past life, it was impossible to guess what Ray was thinking or what her true intentions were.

Meanwhile—

“W-We’ll just take our leave now...!”

Jenkins and his group, who had been trying to sneak away along with Ray and Holcus, slowly started retreating.

Slash!

Suddenly, Wellington swung his sword in a gust of wind, blocking their path.

“Leaving already? Shouldn’t you leave an arm behind first?”

“...!”

“...!”

“...!”

In an instant, the faces of Jenkins and his gang turned pale.

* * *

Evelyn felt a sharp throbbing in her temples.

A major commotion had occurred while she had briefly stepped away.

“So... they started badmouthing Young Master Theo first, and you lot couldn’t hold back and fought them?”

“Y-Yes, that’s right...”

“And that’s how this mess happened?”

Nod, nod...

His followers couldn’t meet Evelyn’s gaze and only stared at the ground.

Grit...

Every time the sound of her grinding teeth echoed, their heads drooped lower and lower.

Just as Wellington’s grip on his sword tightened—

Swish!

“...Who’s there?”

Wellington, stopping in his tracks, suddenly drew his sword from his waist and aimed it behind him.

His sharp gaze pierced through the empty alley.

And then.

“If you won’t come out, I’ll assume your intent is malicious and cut you down...!”

“As expected, I cannot rival your senses, Young Master.”

Step, step—

A familiar face emerged from the alley that had seemed empty just moments ago.

Wellington’s eyes widened slightly.

He had encountered someone he hadn’t anticipated at all.

“Ralph?”

It was Ralph Giggs, the chief butler of the House of Narcio, dressed in his formal butler attire. He had cared for Wellington since his childhood.

“Have you been well, Young Master?”

“So-so. But why are you here?”

“Naturally, I came to see you, with the Blossoming Ceremony approaching.”

“Me? Isn’t the family not particularly interested in me?”

Although Wellington typically maintained a polite demeanor when dealing with others, his tone now was particularly cold.

Ralph gave a wry smile.

“How can you say such a thing? You are the one destined to carry the future of the main family... But before that, I must ask for your understanding on one matter.”

“Understanding?”

“Yes. Initially, I was only supposed to come with the retainers, but, unfortunately, I was required to bring another guest with me.”

Thud, thud—

Behind Ralph, another figure appeared, walking silently.

In that moment, Wellington’s face hardened.

* * *

Swish—

Slide!

‘Ray Ragnar?’

Theo, on his way back to the Camellia Palace, narrowed his eyes at the strange sensation of someone secretly tailing him.

She was trying to move quietly, or so she thought.

But there was no way she could escape Theo’s sharp senses.

‘She didn’t leave the vicinity of the training grounds during the entire practice session either. Why is she following me now? Does she want a proper duel?’

But it didn’t seem to be that either.

‘If that were the case, she would’ve come out sooner and challenged me to a duel.’

In truth, Ray Ragnar, despite her cold exterior, often engaged in impulsive actions, making her a significant headache for the intelligence bureau in Theo’s past life.

– Don’t try to understand Ray Ragnar. It’ll only drive you insane. Just accept that she’ll act how she acts.

That advice had been passed around frequently.

If Ray had a reason, she would eventually make it known.

For now, Theo decided to feign ignorance.

‘Still, Theo Ragnar, you’ve come a long way. Not only have you caught the attention of the Four Lords of the North, but you’re also being compared to them.’

It was a situation he never would have imagined in his previous life.

Standing shoulder to shoulder with those he had once admired was, without a doubt, a joyous thing.

It meant he was finally being recognized as a swordsman.

But, contrary to what he had expected, he didn’t feel overly excited or elated.

Instead, he felt calm, almost indifferent.

It felt... natural, in a way.

‘Have my expectations become too high?’

Theo thought it was likely because he had witnessed the swordsmanship of Julius and Kyle.

The image of the Dragon Flash that remained deep in his mind had completely shifted his thoughts and interests.

“.......”

At some point, Theo reached his hand up toward the sky, where the moon hung bright.

He clenched his fist, but the moonlight simply slipped through his fingers.

It felt just like trying to grasp Dragon Flash.

‘I’ve been practicing continuously, trying to catch up somehow... but I’m not sure if I’m on the right path.’

Julius’s words about how difficult it would be had been true.

Climbing to such towering heights was incredibly hard.

In the process, you hardly noticed the scenery around you or the people climbing the same mountain with you.

The Four Lords of the North were just like that.

Maybe because of that...

Right now, in this moment, a small but significant shift was taking place inside Theo’s heart.

A desire to see the end of the sword.

The simple urge to be acknowledged by others through the sword had transformed.

Of course, his desire to become the head of his house and to hunt down the enemies of his past life hadn’t disappeared.

But now there was something more, a higher aspiration.

It meant he had gained an ideal to pursue.

Before, he had been too busy just getting through each day, blaming his poor circumstances for everything.

He hadn’t even considered breaking through those limitations.

But now, things were different.

He would shatter them, no matter what.

He would rise and reach that high place.

That was Theo’s vow.

Crack...

At that moment, the last remaining chains that had unknowingly bound his heart and body shattered and disappeared.

“...What is this?”

Just as Theo was about to step into the entrance of the Camellia Palace, feeling lighter and freer, he stopped in his tracks.

.......

For some reason, the Camellia Palace and its surroundings were far too quiet.

It felt... unnatural.

It seemed like there was an intruder.