Chapter 339: Dragon and Dragon (3) |
After the initial meeting between Horus, the hatchling from Auterica, and the dragons of Ganghwange,
Horus began receiving intensive training in the local sorcery from the two dragons, under their watchful care and guidance.
Azure Dragon and Red Dragon had initially said that his presence as the Yellow Dragon during the ritual was purely symbolic, but he had insisted on learning more.
Even if he was just a mascot, understanding the process was still important.
And as a participant in the ritual, he had to at least have a basic understanding of the sorcery involved!
…The two dragons, impressed by his enthusiasm, promised to provide him with their full support.
Of course, Horus had his own reasons—.
‘I have to take advantage of this opportunity and learn as much as I can. …And maybe I’ll find a way to save the Dragon’s Children.’
He was determined to exploit the situation to his advantage.
And to overcome the challenges of this world, he had to first understand its mysteries.
‘The Maoshan Sect is considered a renowned school of sorcery, but most of their techniques are derived from the Golden Island Sect.’
And within the Golden Island Sect, the true masters of sorcery were the dragons, revered as legendary divine beasts.
They were symbols of power, capable of manipulating natural phenomena like wind, rain, and even natural disasters.
How could he possibly pass up such an opportunity to learn from them?
And Horus’s learning ability…
…was nothing short of shocking to Red Dragon and Azure Dragon, who still saw him as a cute and naive little dragon from another world.
“Heavens… What is he? Was he pretending all along? Or is this learning speed even possible?”
“…Now I understand how he reached this level at such a young age. It’s more than just talent. He’s absorbing and understanding magic instinctively, as if he was born to do it.”
“Ha! Those old fogies who brag about their thousand years of cultivation would faint if they saw this. Time is truly meaningless.”
“Hmm.”
The small dragon absorbed everything they taught him with a terrifying speed.
It was hard to believe he was a complete novice.
But it wasn’t that strange, when you considered his abilities.
「Ruler of All」, which enhanced his affinity with energy and elements.
「Seeker of Mysteries」, which granted him an aptitude for all magic.
「Resistor of Fate」, which allowed him to ignore or mitigate the limitations imposed by the differences between dragons and dragons.
And the fact that he had already mastered 「Dragon Language Magic」 to a high level.
Horus was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, a perfect pedigree, his skills and abilities far surpassing those of ordinary dragons.
And he was currently under the influence of the “Growth Elixir” and various other growth bonuses.
‘Not to mention the indirect assistance from my other avatars, like “Unholy Sage” and “Path of Magic”.’
All of these factors combined to create the current Horus.
A being who could learn ten things from one, a hundred from ten, and a thousand from a hundred. An anomaly, an embodiment of unreasonable growth.
《The individual gains enlightenment through knowledge. You have acquired the skill “Heavenly Flow Sorcery”.》
And so, as he dedicated himself to his studies, it didn’t take long for him to achieve significant results.
“…He’s already at this level. What do you think, Azure Dragon?”
“He’s exceeded our expectations. We can move on to the next stage.”
“I agree. It’s not a waste to give it to him.”
“Indeed. It’s necessary, after all.”
His rapid progress earned him the admiration and recognition of the two women who had been teaching him.
And as their next lesson began, they presented him with a special gift.
A precious item he hadn’t expected to see so soon.
“Huh? Is this…?!”
“Uhuhu, even your surprised expression is cute, Horus.”
“It’s refreshing to be on the receiving end of surprise for once. Not bad.”
A spherical orb, radiating a brilliant blue light, as if it contained the clear sky itself.
And within, a golden light flickered and danced like flames or waves, its presence undeniable.
A mesmerizingly beautiful object, impossible to look away from.
“A Dragon Orb…”
“It’s a gift for you, Horus. And you’ll need it for the ritual anyway. I didn't expect to give it to you so soon, though.”
“You can’t be the Yellow Dragon without a Dragon Orb. Normally, you would have your own, but you’re an exception, so the previous owner will understand.”
A Dragon Orb was an essential item for a dragon, equivalent to a Dragon Heart.
It was a treasure trove, containing a massive amount of energy and bestowing various beneficial effects upon its owner.
It was a precious item, rarely given away, as it was usually bound to its creator for life.
“Previous owner…?”
“…The previous Yellow Dragon. It’s hard to say exactly who, since they didn’t last long.”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s a memento, a legacy left behind to help with the current situation.”
Of course, considering the recent events, the ‘Great Calamity’, it wasn't surprising that there were ownerless Dragon Orbs.
Horus stared at the orb in his hand, then focused his mind.
Whoosh—!
A storm of Ki, mixed with wind, swirled around him.
The surrounding temperature fluctuated wildly as he struggled to control the massive amount of energy, still unfamiliar and unstable.
But proficiency came with practice.
And his abilities were conducive to mastering it.
‘Not bad. No, this is amazing! I didn’t expect to get my hands on this so soon.’
His rapid learning, thanks to his unique abilities, was definitely a factor, but—.
…There was probably another reason for their generous gift.
‘For example…’
The current situation in the Murim world, the Demonic Cult’s resurgence, which was a major concern for the Golden Island Sect.
‘They must be in a hurry. Who knows what might happen in these chaotic times?’
The Yellow Dragon clan had already been annihilated by the Demonic Cult.
Even though the Master of Heaven’s Turn Society, the one who had orchestrated it, was gone, the remaining forces of the Demonic Cult were still a significant threat.
It was natural for them to be on edge.
‘Hmm, a Dragon Orb. How should I use this…?’
But Horus wasn’t worried.
After all,
He had already eliminated the Heavenly Demon, the root cause of the current chaos, and he was currently dismantling the Demonic Cult’s headquarters.
With the help of his… companion.
____________________
Xinjiang Province, Tian Shan Mountains, Heavenly Demon Cult Headquarters.
Kaboom—!
The ground shook, a deafening roar echoing through the air.
The city, which had been strangely peaceful despite being the source of the world’s chaos, was plunged into turmoil by the sudden attack.
“Quickly! Move!”
“Earth Devil Squad, deploy immediately!”
The Cult’s warriors moved frantically.
Jang Sam, a farmer who had been tending to the livestock for over ten years, hid inside the barn, his face pale with fear as he watched them.
‘What in the world is going on?!’
He had lost count of how many times he had asked himself that question.
He racked his brain, trying to understand the situation.
It had been an ordinary day.
He had woken up early, eaten breakfast prepared by his wife, prayed to the Heavenly Demon, and then gone to work.
He had been feeding the cows and cleaning the barn…
…when the clear sky suddenly darkened, storm clouds gathering overhead.
He and the other workers had exchanged confused glances…
…and then, accompanied by a deafening roar of thunder, a voice, as if descending from the heavens, echoed through the air.
[“Listen, mortals, trapped in your little world.”]
[“I am the master of all demons.”]
[“Bow before your new Demon King.”]
Just hearing those words had sent shivers down his spine, his mouth drying up.
A solemn and majestic voice, as if proclaiming a divine decree.
The sheer will contained within those words was beyond his comprehension, his mortal mind unable to process it.
‘Right, that’s what happened. This was right after that.’
Jang Sam, his fragmented memories returning, sighed heavily.
Just a few words, and his mind had gone blank. And then, as the voice faded, an overwhelming demonic aura had engulfed the area, and the chaos had begun.
Kaboom—!
He peeked out of the barn, his heart pounding, and looked towards the city center.
[“Roar—!”]
“Block it!”
Clang!
Battles were erupting everywhere.
Figures, shrouded in darkness as if dipped in ink, were rampaging through the Cult’s warriors, while other martial artists, their movements more refined and coordinated, formed defensive formations and fought back.
It was a fierce battle, but even Jang Sam, a simple farmer with no combat experience, could tell.
That the Cult warriors didn't stand a chance.
It was obvious.
They were just fighting the minions.
No one was stopping ‘him’, the unknown being hovering in the sky, casually approaching the city.
Boom!
[“Roar—!”]
[“Ugh…”]
And then, the entrance of one of the Heavenly Demon Cult’s buildings exploded, and several massive figures emerged.
Creatures far larger than any human.
“Gah! D-demons?!”
And they weren’t just big.
A boar-headed monster with horns, a winged tiger, a wolf standing on two legs…
Just looking at them made his breath catch in his throat.
Jang Sam, who had somehow managed to maintain his composure until now, finally succumbed to fear, his mind overwhelmed by their overwhelming presence.
He collapsed, foaming at the mouth, joining the other unconscious civilians.
“Hmm? What’s that?”
Hans, the invader, who had just finished erecting a barrier around the city, turned his gaze towards the newly arrived monsters.
“Jiangshi made from demons? And they seem… familiar.”
His narrowed eyes scanned the monstrous figures.
They were over five meters tall, their bodies covered in tattoos and talismans.
To turn such massive creatures into jiangshi… he was intrigued by their technique.
‘They feel similar to Dool.’
It wasn't his imagination.
They were jiangshi created from the Four Perils, powerful demons who had once been Dool’s companions.
The other three, excluding Dool, who had escaped and joined the Golden Island Sect, were all here.
Their minds were gone, their power diminished, reduced to mindless puppets controlled by humans.
‘And there are more.’
More demonic jiangshi, of various shapes and sizes, emerged from the building.
It seemed like that building was their workshop.
His assumption that only human corpses were suitable for creating jiangshi had been… incorrect.
And that was a good thing.
‘Excellent samples!’
Their jiangshi creation technique was more advanced than he had expected.
He needed versatile and adaptable techniques for his future projects.
‘I’ve seen enough.’
Hans looked around.
He had been slowly tightening the noose, applying pressure to force them to reveal their hidden assets, now that the Cult Leader and most of their elites were gone…
…and it seemed like they had revealed everything they had.
‘Time to clean up.’
He had a lot to do.
He had to retrieve the samples intact and capture the Demonic Cult’s leaders and researchers.
Goooo—
A dark, demonic aura, dense and oppressive, began to converge around him.
A bottomless darkness that seemed to devour everything it touched.
Crack— Crackle!
The space around him distorted under the pressure of his presence.
And a black, abyssal energy seeped through the cracks, spreading outwards.
A cold smile appeared on Hans’s lips.
Naturally,
An empty house, its main forces gone, couldn’t stop him.
Just a few hours after his arrival,
The Heavenly Demon Cult’s headquarters fell.