Chapter 118

“We can’t get close!”

“Damn it! Antonio! What on earth are you guys trying to pull?!”

Gooo—

The fierce gusts and scorching heat radiating from the colossal statue of Kriemhild prevented Selferd and Arin from approaching.

Though they glared at Antonio as if they might kill him on the spot.

Antonio, however, was clueless about how to handle the situation, stamping his feet in frustration.

The statue’s sword was already shattered, and cracks spread across its entire structure.

‘What the hell are these idiots trying to do…! If they were planning this, they should’ve done it properly! How could they leave it like this!’

Antonio already sensed instinctively that the Gray Brotherhood had failed.

If not, things wouldn’t be in such disarray.

Rampant mystery.

This fact would undoubtedly soon spread across the entire autonomous region.

And then, all the responsibility would fall squarely on Black Skull.

His father, Umberto, given his personality, would likely deny any association with this incident and Spinola, trying to wash his hands of it.

A predicament.

‘What if I pin the blame on them?’

Antonio cast a sidelong glance at Selferd and Arin.

A scenario where he could transfer the blame to them and claim that Black Skull had tried to stop them began to form in his mind.

However—

Screech!

“I don’t like the way this bastard’s eyes look.”

At some point, Arin had drawn her sword and was holding it just under his chin.

Antonio bit down on his lower lip.

Right at that moment—

Wiiing!

Suddenly, a siren blared, shattering the tension between them.

Thud, thud, thud!

—Here they are!

—Reports indicate intruders spotted near Kriemhild’s statue! Move quickly to suppress them! If they resist, permission to shoot on sight!

—Summon the Magic Corps! Call the Magic Corps immediately! The mystery is going berserk!

The sounds of guards bustling about outside could be heard.

Soon, their current situation would be exposed.

Antonio and Selferd’s group quickly exchanged glances.

They silently agreed to leave this place first and settle things afterward.

But to do so, they first needed to gather their allies near the statue, which was no easy task given the intense heat that prevented any approach.

Even standing there made it hard to breathe, and their skin felt like it was burning.

“All we need is a path, right?”

Just then, an unfamiliar voice rang out.

Selferd and Arin’s gaze snapped to the source.

Suddenly, as if falling from the sky, pure white frost descended, and a snowstorm began to whirl around them.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

The gusts were split in an instant, and a layer of ice formed on the ground.

And then, a swordswoman appeared.

It was Ray Ragnar.

“The Frosted Blade?”

“This won’t hold for long. Go quickly.”

Though Selperd and Arin were startled to see Ray, they quickly pushed aside any questions and dashed across the icy ground.

Antonio, too, began running frantically.

Every second was urgent.

* * *

“Could I have a cup of tea?”

The Plum Blossom Palace was abuzz for the first time in a long while due to an unexpected guest who had arrived at dawn.

It was none other than Niel, the MIstress of Water Lily Palace.

They had been close as sisters in their youth, but the two had drifted apart when they both became wives to Kyle. It was a rare sight to see them meeting like this.

It was clear there were matters only these two ladies wished to discuss.

The attendants and maids quietly brought in refreshments and then discreetly withdrew from the palace.

Clink.

“The teacups are lovely. You’ve always had an eye for things like this.”

“What brings you here, Mistress of Water Lily Palace?”

“Is it a place I could only come to with official business?”

“Given that you haven’t come without a reason before, it seems rather unusual to hear you say that.”

“… I don’t have much to say on that.”

Niel let out a bitter smile as she set her teacup down.

“I was hoping for some advice about my daughter.”

“Are you here to scratch at the heart of someone without children?”

“I hear rumors that you’ve adopted a child.”

The Mistress of Plum Blossom Palace simply smiled in silence.

A graceful elegance emanated from her.

It was a stark contrast to Niel’s cold, aloof demeanor.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

And that contrast grated on Niel’s nerves.

“You look like you’re enjoying this immensely.”

“Have I raised an adopted child? Rather, an already well-grown one has found his way to me. I consider it my fortune.”

“… And could you stop with the honorifics? It’s painfully awkward.”

“I’ll decide after seeing how the Mistress of Water Lily Palace conducts herself.”

Niel let out a sigh.

The world didn’t know.

People assumed their distance stemmed from a petty rivalry over their husband, Kyle. Yet, that wasn’t enough to sever the bond of friendship they’d shared.

The real reason for the rift—yes, the truth was, it was Niel’s fault.

After all, the fact that the Mistress of Plum Blossom Palace was unable to bear children was…

“Just a few days ago, Ray left Water Lily Palace. She went to help Theo. Without my knowledge, she even obtained the separate approval of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry’s captain.”

“….”

“So, I let her go… but you know as well as I do, Ray has had such a difficult upbringing.”

The Mistress of Plum Blossom Palace silently sipped her tea.

Niel’s consultation continued.

“I know a child is bound to leave my side someday, and I had prepared myself for it. But now that she’s gone, I can’t stop worrying.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. What do you think I should do?”

Worry was etched across Niel’s face.

Who could look at her and call her an emotionless ice sculpture?

The Mistress of Plum Blossom Palace knew all too well that Niel was one of the most sentimental people she knew.

The cold exterior was merely a facade to hide it.

“Niel.”

At last, the Mistress of Plum Blossom Palace decided to open her heart, if only a little.

“Yes?”

“Compared to what you worried about when you were young, this seems like such a small concern.”

“…”

“Thinking back to how much distress you caused your mother back then, you wouldn’t say such things. Almost setting the Water Lily Palace on fire twice, or the fact that the Origin Dragon’s lack of hair might be because you plucked it all… compared to those, this is trivial.”

“…Why are we talking about that here?”

“Because it’s relevant.”

The Mistress of Plum Blossom Palace continued calmly.

“A daughter is her mother’s mirror. She only reflects the behavior her mother shows her.”

For the first time, Niel was at a loss for words.

Memories of the way she had behaved around Ray flashed through her mind…

“A mother’s duty is simple. To watch over her daughter, who mirrors her, ensuring she doesn’t stray. And when she struggles, to quietly be there as a place of comfort.”

Niel recalled how, when her actions had caused deep pain to the Mistress of Plum Blossom Palace, the former Mistress of Plum Blossom Palace had silently stayed by her side, even as she wept.

“And that’s no different for a son. The reason I haven’t interfered with Theo’s affairs and am waiting here is precisely because of that. I plan to greet him warmly when he returns.”

Niel closed her eyes, letting the words of the Mistress of Plum Blossom Palace sink in.

Something,

something indefinable resonated deeply within her heart.

* * *

“Damn it. This is insane.”

Theo let out a long breath.

He had no idea how far he had run.

For days, he had been fleeing from arrows and bone spears that could appear at any moment.

Exhausted from the lack of rest, food, and sleep, he was on the verge of collapse.

His magic power had nearly run dry long ago.

[Successfully retrieved part of Kriemhild’s remains. (21/206)]

Although Theo had managed to gather some of the remains, there was still a long way to go.

Flame Dancing

The wildfire continued to consume the forest, and though he had built up a certain resistance to dragon slaying, hunting the Dragon Fang Troops had become somewhat easier.

‘It’s too vast. There are too many of them.’

The jungle was far larger than he’d anticipated, and the sheer number of Dragon Fang Troops seemed to be not merely in the tens of thousands, but likely in the hundreds of thousands.

‘There must be some other way.’

Yet, no solution revealed itself.

For now, he had no choice but to push forward.

Theo clashed with them, again and again.

Another day, two days.

Three days, four days.

Ten days, fifteen, twenty…

He lost track of how much time had passed here compared to the real world, enough to make him wonder if he would run out of time to complete the quest.

Eventually, he reached a point where he lost all sense of time, endlessly fighting the Dragon Fang Troops.

[Successfully retrieved part of Kriemhild’s remains. (52/206)]

[Successfully retrieved part of Kriemhild’s remains. (53/206)]

.

[Successfully retrieved part of Kriemhild’s remains. (121/206)]

.

.

[Successfully retrieved part of Kriemhild’s remains. (178/206)]

“Hah… Hah…!”

Theo’s breath came in ragged gasps as he suffered severe injuries from bone spears and arrows.

His vision blurred until he could barely see.

Whoosh—

He heard the faint whistle of an arrow flying toward him from somewhere.

He tried to deflect it, but his body, heavy as soaked cotton, refused to move.

Thud!

The arrow struck him squarely between the brows, and his body collapsed backward.

Splurt!

Blood gushed from the wound.

Just as death began to creep over him.

At that moment, his inventory flung open, and the items within spilled out.

Among them were the fragments of Kriemhild’s remains he’d painstakingly gathered, along with a small box containing Garuda’s Heart.

The box rolled across the ground before coming to a halt in the pool of Theo’s blood.

Thump, thump, thump—

The box pulsed rhythmically.

Ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum!

As Theo’s heart slowed from the blood loss, its pace began to quicken again, syncing with the heartbeat emanating from the box.

Thunk, thunk, thunk!

A sudden downpour of arrows rained from the sky, embedding themselves in Theo’s lifeless body.

It was the Dragon Fang Troops’ way of venting their frustration over the trouble Theo had caused them.

One of the Dragon Fang Troops stomped on Theo’s corpse, and another even set it on fire.

Thump-thump-thump-thump!

Ba-dum-ba-dum-ba-dum-ba-dum…

But rather than fading, the heartbeat grew stronger, its tempo intensifying.

Eventually, the pulsation grew so powerful that even the Dragon Fang Troops could hear it.

“Keeek?”

They snapped their heads up, searching for the source of the sound.

“Keeek! Keeeeek!”

A few pointed at the ground, indicating that the heartbeat was emanating from below.

And sure enough—

Rumble, rumble, rumble!

At that moment, an earthquake began.

The tremors matched the rhythm of the heartbeat.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

“Keeek!”

“Keeeee!”

The Dragon Fang Troops chattered their jaws in alarm. Some, sensing danger, shrieked in instinctive fear.

Something—

Something unknown to them was approaching.

With each passing moment, the tremors grew stronger, the booming heartbeat reverberating through the jungle like thunder.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Then—

Kaaa-boom!

The faint ripples that had spread across the pool of Theo’s blood suddenly intensified, expanding throughout the entire jungle, merging with the heartbeat in a single, powerful pulse.

All the blood Theo had spilled across the jungle surged upward, converging at one central point.

At the same time, Kriemhild’s remains floated up into the air.

Piece by piece, the remains began to assemble as if completing a puzzle.

The sternum took shape, and the right leg materialized.

Theo’s blood seeped into the chest cavity, forming the shape of a heart.

And at its center was Garuda’s Heart.

As the two hearts fused into one, they transformed into a new heart that began to beat with a powerful rhythm.

Thump…!

With each beat, tendrils of muscle branched out, wrapping around the bones like vines.

Layer by layer, skin covered the form until it took on a distinctly human shape.

The figure that emerged bore a striking resemblance to Kriemhild as Theo had once glimpsed her in his visions.

Though the form was still incomplete, missing about thirty percent, it was unmistakable who she was.

Kriemhild’s apparition slowly descended to the ground, kneeling on one knee.

She met Theo’s gaze, reaching out to gently stroke his jaw, her touch warm and filled with sorrow.

Gently glowing—

Kriemhild’s apparition slowly lowered herself over Theo.

As though she were reclaiming her rightful place, her form began to merge with his, aligning perfectly, as if this was where she was always meant to lie.

At that moment, a miracle occurred.

Theo’s body, having regenerated in an instant, slowly opened its eyes.

Flash.

A sharp gleam appeared in his gaze.

[Successfully achieved regeneration using Garuda’s Heart.]

[Kriemhild’s remains and lingering thoughts were used as materials for regeneration. Kriemhild’s achievements are now engraved upon your body.]

[Acquired Advanced Dragon Slayer Resistance.]

[Acquired Advanced Dragon Warrior Trait.]

“Still… alive,” he muttered.

Theo forced his creaking body upright, rising to his feet. Despite the strain, a smile lingered at the corners of his lips.

It was all thanks to the miraculous power of Garuda’s Heart.

—

[Garuda’s Heart]

– Type: Elixir, Material

– Effects:

– Significantly increases flame resistance

– Enhances abilities by 150% during Dragon Combat

– Specializes in magical attributes

– Greatly boosts attack speed and agility through the status effect “Frenzy”

– Grants the special privilege “Seed of Resurrection”

—

The Seed of Resurrection.

As the name implied, this privilege allowed for rebirth, just as in the legend of Garuda, who revived from ashes alongside a spark of flame, granting its owner a second chance at life.

—

[Seed of Resurrection]

– Type: Privilege

– Description: Allows one-time resurrection. The required materials will be drawn from items in the user’s possession.

—

There was one specific aspect of this privilege that caught Theo’s attention.

‘The need for materials to use it. While it means always having the necessary items on hand for resurrection, it could also present an opportunity for reaching a higher level if utilized properly.’

Thus, he had experimented with Kriemhild’s remains as the material for his resurrection.

‘Now, with Ragnar’s talent and the Shadow Demon Poison intact, my bones have been completely replaced with Kriemhild’s.’

In other words, he now possessed a body that combined the prowess of a dragon and the legacy of a Dragon Slayer into one.

In truth, this wasn’t an idea Theo had devised on his own. It was an outcome once achieved by a disciple trained by Hilda in his previous life.

‘Though, that’s something I won’t be experiencing anymore.’

Regardless—

With this transformation, he no longer needed to fear the natural enemy, Dragon Slayers.

“Of course, there were still parts that had yet to be replaced with Kriemhild’s bones.

But gathering them now and switching them out would suffice.

In fact, through his heightened senses, Theo quickly pinpointed the scattered locations of the remaining bones.

Drawing his four Death Beats, he sent them swiftly to each location, while using Drake’s blade as a staff to help him stand.

‘Let’s pick up the pace.’

[Kriemhild’s bones have been partially retrieved. (179/206)]

[Kriemhild’s bones have been partially retrieved. (180/206)]

.

As his body’s adaptability increased, the speed at which he defeated the Dragon Fang Troops also accelerated.

[Kriemhild’s bones have been partially retrieved. (201/206)]

.

.

[Kriemhild’s bones have been partially retrieved. (205/206)]

Finally, Theo reached his last destination.

A secluded cave at one corner of the jungle.

Inside, he retrieved a skull, worn and rolling on the ground.

[Kriemhild’s bones have been partially retrieved. (206/206)]

[All bones have been successfully retrieved.]

[Mystery has been completed.]

[Kriemhild’s last words are now replaying.]