I Became a Ruined Character in a Dark Fantasy-Chapter 628

No other farewells were needed. Ian brushed the hilt once and rose to his feet.

—Well, I'll admit spending time with that one was fun. But I didn't think you'd give the sword a full funeral. You must have grown attached.

Ian ignored Yog's rambling, turned, and opened his status window as he walked. There was no better cure for sentimentality than a fresh set of numbers. He immediately noticed that his level had risen and that he was only a breath away from the next one. He was already near the max level, so he must have gained an immense amount of experience.

It wasn't surprising. He had killed two dragons.

Dammit...

He cursed inwardly and opened his skill window. Aside from the points from leveling up, he had gained three extra skill points. Just a few more, and he could learn a transcendental-tier spell. He had long since met the level requirement.

As he walked, his gaze stopped at a new skill in the Common category, Avatar of Platinum.

Ian’s eyes narrowed slightly. It was the new Mantra circuit etched into his back, the legacy Archeas had left behind. Even knowing that Archeas’s soul had found peace, Ian felt a surprising sense of loss. He even missed the dragon’s nagging, though he’d never thought he would.

It was a feeling he never wished to experience again, yet one he knew he would have to accept. The day would come when he’d have to part with everyone he cared for in this world.

But... at least not again until then...

Gritting his teeth, he checked the skill's information. Avatar of Platinum was a skill that consumed the circuit's magic to increase all stats by a certain ratio. The information did not list the exact numbers, but they were sure to be significant.

What caught his eye, however, was the secondary effect. He could separately control a portion of the magic stored in the circuit.

It really works.

Just by acknowledging it, Ian felt the dragon’s magic stirring from his back and gave a small nod. He still didn’t know exactly how much of it he could freely control, but one way or another, it would be useful. He could use it to cast spells, power magical tools, or even serve as an extra energy source for the Platinum Barrier.

It solved the long-standing problem of his insufficient magic power.

—You've got something new in your palm.

Ian looked down at his exposed right hand. A new Mantra circuit, different from the Platinum Barrier's, was faintly visible on his palm.

"It's the key to that nest," Ian said, stopping.

Yog’s laughter followed soon after.

—To give you such a grand house as a gift. Then again, if it weren’t for us, your nagging friend would’ve been the one to die.

A bitter smile touched Ian's lips as he began checking his equipment. "Yeah. Probably."

That was all he said. He had no intention of telling Yog about the Platinum Dragon's death.

Meanwhile, he finished inspecting his equipment. The decorative parts were melted, and most of the items' bonus options were inactive. The durability was pitiful, but they still functioned as basic armor.

That was enough for now.

"That's enough chatter."

Ian closed the information window and looked ahead. The Mantra was glowing in the air a few steps away. It had formed a complete circle, perhaps because he had approached.

"Fragments of the Heaven Defier might be waiting on the other side."

This would teleport him out of the boneyard. It wouldn't be strange if the Heaven Defier's former apostles were lurking outside, waiting to kill him.

—I don’t know exactly what that means, but it sounds very dangerous.

Yog’s voice carried a strange tinge of excitement. It seemed it had fallen asleep during Archeas's explanation.

Ian didn't bother to elaborate. He drew a steady breath and stepped beneath the Mantra circle, body tense, ready to move even through the lingering fatigue.

Swoosh—

The Mantra radiated golden magic, enveloping him. In an instant, everything around him was drenched in bright yellow light.

—I don't like this at all.

With Yog's flat whisper, Ian’s body stretched like taffy and shot upward. He felt a bizarre sensation of rising and falling at the same time before his stretched body snapped back.

Crack—

This time, Ian didn't tumble. He landed on one knee, almost collapsing. He fought back the vertigo and nausea, gritting his teeth as he looked up.

Swoosh...

The light that had enveloped him scattered into a shimmering haze, dissolving from him. Ian’s dim eyes fixed on the faintly emerging landscape beyond.

His eyes widened for just a few seconds before a subtle smile formed on his lips as he slowly scanned his surroundings. Then, with a quiet thump, he dropped to the ground and sat down.

—Strange. It reeks, but somehow it puts me at ease.

Yog’s whisper drifted through Ian’s mind.

—Still, the crazy dragon’s scent is nowhere to be found. Looks like it’s not nearby.

Ian's smile twisted. Rubbing his temple with his left hand, he said, "I know. There’s no way it would be."

He took a slow breath to steady his nausea and let his eyes adjust to the scene around him. The air reeked of stagnant rot and brine. Dull grass, twisted trees, and moss-caked stones spread before him, shrouded in a faint mist that curled over murky puddles.

"We didn’t come out above the boneyard. This is the swamp on the frontier."

That was why he was smiling. Archeas had remembered the conversation they’d shared. Perhaps it meant that, instead of drowning in sorrow or loss, he should focus on uncovering the truth of his bloodline.

—Ah, right. The swamp you said you’d go to.

Ian nodded, still massaging his temple. "Yeah. The homeland of the fairies. And the homeland of the one you took over."

A soft chuckle echoed through his mind.

—So that’s why I felt this way... An emotion that wasn’t mine. How interesting.

Doesn't that mean you've fully merged with the Swamp's Resentment?

Ian placed his right hand on the mossy flagstone beneath him. This wasn't a random teleport. He could feel faint dragon magic from beneath the stone, something he'd never have noticed before.

A device made by a dragon?

It might have been some kind of marker used for teleportation. Of course, that wasn’t important. It only reminded him that he’d once planned to ask Archeas for a teleportation spell as a reward—a request he could no longer make.

—So, what's the plan here?

Had I never explained it to Yog properly?

Ian shrugged. "The White Mage died in the Fairy Forest. He did some crazy things, so there might still be traces left. I'm going to search the forest for it."

He reached out and pulled a golden box from his pocket dimension. The ornate chest appeared beside him.

—What kind of crazy things?

Yog asked as Ian opened it.

Ian took out a cigarette case. "Well, I heard he tried to cross dimensions."

Yog burst out laughing.

—A mere mortal trying something so audacious. Then again, it's not impossible. You know that better than anyone, Friend.

Ian's brow furrowed as he picked up a cigar. "I didn't learn that by choice. And watch your mouth. Unless you want to spend the rest of your life with your friends."

Ian snapped his fingers, lighting the cigarette. The sparks flared briefly before fading into the mist.

—Well, if he tried something like that, he must’ve left some lasting marks behind.

Ian, rubbing his temple, took a drag.

—I might be able to sense it. Maybe you, too.

Ian exhaled and nodded. That was what he’d been hoping for. Searching the vast, dangerous jungle felt like an impossible task. At least the nausea was starting to fade. The cigarette smoke would help steady his gut.

He reached for a piece of jerky from the corner of the chest, pulling a water pouch closer. Transferring the cigarette to his left hand, he placed the meat in his mouth. He hadn’t eaten in a long time. Even with his superhuman stamina, he still needed food.

He hadn't eaten before teleporting because he knew he'd just throw it up.

—And if you find those traces, then what?

Yog asked as Ian chewed slowly.

Ian opened the water pouch and shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just hoping to awaken my bloodline's memories, or at least find a clue."

He washed the jerky down with water and wiped his mouth. "If it's a dead end, I'll have to start my search over from scratch."

He put the cigarette back in his mouth and looked up at the cloudy sky. Like the rest of the frontiers, the sky was shrouded in shadow, making it impossible to tell the time. It also meant it was a place the gods' eyes didn't easily reach.

Still, he knew Karha or Lu Solar would be aware of his location. The faint warmth coursing through his left arm made that much clear.

—Anyway, once you’re done eating, we should get moving. You know this place, so we won’t get lost... right?

Yog chuckled.

—Though it’d be fun if we did.

Ian, chewing another piece of jerky, snorted. "Rely on my memory alone, and that’s exactly what’ll happen."

This place was seeped in madness and had been abandoned for ages.

He glanced at the ominous, dark forest. "I'd rather not step into a demonic realm, so stay sharp. If you sense a source of madness, we'll avoid it."

Yog, having crawled onto the edge of the open box, flicked its tongue.

—Weren’t you planning to enter the forest?

Ian swallowed and shook his head. "Not every forest around a swamp is the Fairy Forest. If we just rush in, we'll get lost. It'll be a maze in there."

He took another drink and closed the water pouch. "So for now, we’ll circle around the outskirts until we find something familiar."

Once they could get their bearings, the rest would be easy. Ian wrapped the last few pieces of jerky and tucked them inside his breastplate.

—I wonder what’s waiting for us. Just trust me, Friend.

Yog said, crawling onto Ian's hand as he closed the box and put it away.

"Yeah. I wonder, too."

Ian stood, cigarette between his lips, and drew the Black Sword from his belt. He drew a long breath of smoke, blade hanging loosely at his side.

"Let’s see just how filthier this miserable backwater has become," Ian muttered.

He walked toward the misty swamp, sifting through old memories that had begun to feel almost nostalgic.