"..."

"..."

A heavy silence filled the space.

The only sound was the faint dripping of liquid.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

The source of the sound was my hand.

Blood continued to drip from the wounds where I had gripped the sword.

Watching the droplets fall, I thought to myself—

Ah, fuck, this hurts like hell.

‘...Why does this hurt so damn much...?’

I kept my face expressionless, but it was excruciating.

Was it because I had gripped the blade longer and tighter than last time?

I glanced down at my palm.

‘Well, shit.’

The bone was exposed.

Having experienced this before, I knew that my regeneration would be frustratingly slow.

The bandages I had wrapped around my hand were already soaked through and unraveling.

I didn’t really mind—it wasn’t mine, after all. It belonged to Seol Yeong.

But I couldn’t just leave it like this...

I was considering tearing my clothes to wrap the wound when—

Ssssshhhh.

‘Huh?’

A sensation spread through my left arm.

Eternal Bind.

Eternal Bind suddenly moved, coiling itself around my injured hand like a bandage.

‘...Oh.’

Was it trying to help?

A cursed relic with a sense of consideration?

Tighten.

‘Gah...!’

As if it had read my thoughts, Eternal Bind tightened even further.

It was probably to stop the bleeding, but the irony of the situation wasn’t lost on me.

Suppressing the pain, I heard the blacksmith speak.

“...What do you mean, you’re going to kill the Dragon Emperor?”

“Exactly what I said. I’m going to kill him.”

“Bullshit! How can a dragon kill the Dragon Emperor?!”

His eyes were red with emotion. His expression was one of sheer desperation. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

“Why not? He can be killed, just like anyone else.”

“Don’t try to deceive me! Dragons can never defy the Dragon Emperor! Do you think I don’t know that?!”

Hearing that, I tilted my head slightly.

Couldn’t defy him? I didn’t think that was true.

‘If that were the case...’

Then there would’ve been no reason for Dokgo Jun to act the way he did.

“...I—no, we—don’t trust dragons.”

“...Hm.”

It wasn’t clear whether he was unaware of the situation or simply held an inherent hatred for dragons.

Either way, he kept growling at me.

‘Still... it’s not a complete rejection.’

I could sense it.

Something in the air had shifted.

Maybe because I said I needed to kill the Dragon Emperor?

I could see it in their eyes—something had changed, if only slightly.

“If you don’t believe me, that’s fine, but...”

It didn’t really matter if they trusted me or not.

What mattered was—

“That thing you’re using. I want some of it.”

“...What?”

I pointed at the sword in the blacksmith’s hand.

He frowned.

“What are you talking about?”

“This.”

Snatch.

“Guh!?”

I yanked the sword from his grip.

The moment it slipped from his hands, his face twisted in anger.

“You... you bastard...!”

He tried to lunge at me.

But—

“...!”

I pressed the blade against his throat.

Of course, I had no intention of actually cutting him.

I just needed the sword. And I needed him to stop moving.

Ignoring the frozen blacksmith, I turned the blade over in my hand.

Then, I pressed it against my forearm.

I barely touched it—

Ssssshhhh!

—but the burn was instant.

The metal wasn’t hot. If anything, it was cold.

I only held it there for a brief moment before pulling away.

Then, I tossed the sword back at him.

“Ugh!”

He caught it in a panic.

Watching him, I chuckled.

“I need this stuff. It’s amazing, isn’t it? Just a touch, and it burns like hell, melts flesh. So tell me—”

I tilted my head.

“Does it only work on dragons?”

I’d been wondering about it for a while.

That ominous-looking blade.

When I fought Gubong, it had given me the same feeling.

Just looking at this metal made my skin crawl.

Was it simply an unpleasant material?

Or was it because I was a dragon?

“Do you really think I’d tell you that?”

“Why not? Even if you don’t, I have plenty of ways to find out. And besides—”

I glanced around.

The other dwarves were still watching me warily, their weapons drawn.

I let my gaze linger on each of them before [N O V E L I G H T] turning back to the blacksmith.

“If you won’t answer...”

I smiled.

“...I could just kill your friends one by one until I figure it out myself.”

“...!”

At my words, he stiffened.

Before his panic could escalate, I grinned.

“Relax. I’m joking.”

I said it with a cheerful smile, but his expression remained tense.

Of course, it wasn’t a joke.

It was a warning.

And proof.

That I could kill them all if I wanted to.

But I wasn’t.

That was the point I wanted to get across.

Judging by the way the room turned ice-cold, it worked.

I observed their reactions before taking a step back.

“There’s no point in staying here any longer. I’ll leave for now.”

That was enough for today.

I could push further.

But if I wanted this to go my way, I needed to take a step back first.

“Next time, let’s have a real conversation.”

“...I told you already—I...”

“Yes, yes. You hate dragons. I get it. But,”

I gestured toward myself with my wounded hand.

“I hate dragons too. So we’ll get along just fine.”

“...”

“I’ll see you next time. And when I ask a question, I expect an answer.”

“You bastard...!”

Waving casually, I turned and walked out.

The blacksmith shouted something after me, but I ignored him.

I leaped into the air, leaving the forge behind and landing atop a nearby rooftop.

“Hmm...”

The sun was setting.

Night would fall soon.

I gazed northward.

This part was handled.

The issue with the turtle was settled—for now.

‘Time to finish the last task for today.’

************************

I left Mount Hua.

Naturally, I was heading toward Yahwol Palace.

Going back so soon after finishing yesterday’s business felt a bit excessive, but—

‘I have to go.’

There were still too many unresolved matters.

Besides, I needed to keep an eye on the situation.

‘I also need to observe Yusa more closely.’

I had to approach him.

I didn’t know if I could get close to him completely, but—

‘Once I get closer, I’ll find out.’

From what little I knew of Yusa’s power,

he didn’t seem like someone who wouldn’t notice if I tried sneaking around.

In times like this, it was better to be direct.

‘Though I feel like I’m going there too often...’

It felt like I was heading to Yahwol every single day.

At this rate, I might as well just settle down there permanently.

‘That might actually be a good idea.’

Traveling back and forth was a hassle.

And since there were Mount Hua people stationed there, I could probably arrange something.

As I thought about this while climbing the mountain—

“...”

I suddenly stopped and rolled my eyes slightly.

Slowly, I scanned my surroundings as if inspecting the forest.

At first glance, nothing seemed out of place.

This was the same road I had always taken, the same trees and underbrush I had seen countless times.

Above me, the sky remained unchanged, carrying the glow of the two moons.

“Hm...”

Resting my chin in my hand, I let out a quiet sigh.

“...”

I felt the wind.

I didn’t try to extend my senses or sharpen their density.

I simply stood still, closing my eyes and feeling the surroundings.

And after standing there for a moment—

Ssshhhhhh.

Within the flowing air, I caught something out of place.

“...Found you.”

I opened my eyes. At the same time, I raised my energy.

Thump.

My vision shifted as I lunged forward, chasing after something.

The moment I moved, the hidden figure moved as well.

However—

Grab—!

“...!!”

I was faster.

My hand clamped down on them before they could escape.

As soon as they were caught, they struggled, thrashing and trying to break free.

Before they could, I tightened my grip and slammed them into the ground.

BOOOOM—!!!

A rough impact shook the earth, sending dirt and debris flying into the air.

A gust of wind carried the dust upward, obstructing my view, so I used my energy to clear it away.

And then, I finally saw them—

The one I had caught and pinned to the ground.

Seeing them, I grinned.

“...So it’s you.”

For the past several days,

Every time I left Mount Hua,

This person had been irritating me, always lingering at the edge of my senses.

Whenever I tried to track them with my energy, they vanished.

And when I tried to find them without my senses, they were nowhere to be seen.

It had been pissing me off.

“It was you, right?”

I had finally caught them.

After days of trying to track that lingering presence without using my energy—

“Yarang. That was your name, wasn’t it?”

A woman wearing a black mask.

I wasn’t sure if she really was a woman,

but judging by her body, she certainly seemed to be.

She simply stared at me, her throat caught in my grip.

Her expression was hidden behind the mask.

With how much pressure I was applying, she had to be in pain.

Yet, she didn’t make a single sound.

‘This woman...’

The ruler of Mangye.

The one my mother had referred to as her daughter.

And—

‘The one who wounded Cheonma.’

The one who had left a wound on Cheonma before disappearing.

Clench.

The moment I recalled that, my grip tightened.

"What’s your deal? Why do you keep following me around and pissing me off?"

“...”

"You don’t want to talk? Fine, then."

She was supposedly a General, so she had to be strong.

But she was also someone who had been watching me for a while.

Instead of wasting time questioning her, it might be better to provoke her and see how she reacted.

After making my decision—

"Let’s see how long you can keep that mouth shut."

Fwoosh—!!!

Flames engulfed my fist.

Blue fire crackled, wrapped in my energy.

And I threw my fist straight at Yarang.

No—

I tried to.

Whoooosh—!!!

My fist shot forward, aiming to crush her face.

But—

For some reason, it stopped just before making contact.

Had I hesitated? No.

I had intended to hit her, no doubt about it.

And yet—

“...What the hell are you?”

I couldn't.

My body refused to obey.

"You..."

My voice trembled slightly as I spoke.

"What the hell is your—"

Ssssssshhhhhh—!!!!

“Guh—!”

I flinched, my eyes narrowing.

Suddenly, a powerful burst of energy erupted.

A golden aura surged outward, momentarily blinding my vision.

I quickly dispersed the light and regained my sight.

“...Shit.”

The Yarang I had been holding—

Had already disappeared.

Where? Where the hell had she gone?

I was about to search for her, but—

It turned out there was no need.

She hadn’t fled.

She had merely moved behind me.

She was just standing there, watching me.

I turned to face her, ready to speak—

And then—

Tch.

The strings holding her mask suddenly unraveled.

Slowly, the mask slipped from her face.

Plop.

With a soft sound, it fell to the ground.

And at that moment—

Her bare face was revealed to the world.

The instant I saw it,

My heart sank like a rock.

I couldn’t help it.

Because Yarang’s face—

"You..."

It was the face that I had longed for more than anything.

Both in my past life and now—

She had the exact same face as Wi Seol-ah.