Chapter 179 - The End of the Wait (2)

-The king had prepared a vessel that had lost its soul. He regenerated the body that was killed in the fight against Kaydika.

<…….>

-If I taught him the secret art of Transmigration, he said he would make improvements on the technique. He would return my soul to my previous body. That was the king’s offer.

-It is. This can be used on those that died a long time ago….

Reygus tilted his head in puzzlement.

<I’m pretty sure you said…. Your tribe rules dictated that any information regarding the technique can only be exchanged between man and wife. That is why the king proposed to you…..>

-That’s right.

-I am the tribe, and I am its law. That is why I made up that rule on the spot, and I used it as an excuse to make the king propose to me.

<…….>

Reygus looked at her in a dumbfounded manner.

-He started talking about his ideal world in front of a dying person. He talked about needing my secret technique to achieve this goal. He tried so hard to convince me that I should live and share in his ideal. He was so loveable at that moment. If I was going to live again, I thought I would like to tightly hold onto him.

<…ha-ah.>

Reygus’ shoulders slumped as if air had gone out of him.

Kayalia had dreamy eyes as she looked up into the air. She spoke.

-Oppa knows what happened afterwards.

While living as a human girl, she had lost faith in humanity. This was why she had accepted Atein’s offer. On top of that, she went around gathering the scattered remnants of her tribe.

They had thought she was dead, yet the leader of their tribe had appeared right in front of them. She had come back from dead. They sang her praises as if she was the second coming. Her tribe joined the Dragon Demon king’s army.

-I believe sir Almarick and my body was revived using the improved technique. Currently, the king is using the very same technique to recover his body. It should be noted that it took him a long time to restore our bodies. In his case, the remnants of his body wasn’t left behind, and he had to restore his body at an entirely different location. Of course, it isn’t an easy task.

-Yes.

<Well, it was always hard to discern what the king was thinking. He probably has his own reasons for doing so.>

-Everything he thinks up is so magnificently large in scale. It is hard to understand his actions if one is too close to him. I think this falls in the same category….

Kayalia continued to tilt her head in puzzlement as if she couldn’t understand Atein’s decision.

Reygus, who had been looking at her, asked a question.

-That is…….

At his words, Kayalia had a complicated smile on her face as she spoke.

-He saved me from a certain death by the hands of humans. He also told me that it was alright for me to treasure myself more as I live my life.

She closed her eyes as she remembered her old memories.

The Dragon weapons were constructed over a long time. Each Dragon weapon was a unique tool, and one had to go through a painstaking process to make the Dragon weapon.

On the other hand, one awakened a Dragon Soul.

It didn’t require a long process. It was a matter of if you can do it or not.

The process of awakening the Dragon Soul was like having a conversation with oneself.

There was an essence infused within an individual’s Dragon Demon magic. The essence originated from a Dragon. This power allowed one to forcefully control nature through one’s will. Dragon Demon magic was a fusion of human wisdom and the power of the Dragon, which had control over nature. The fusion allowed Dragon Demon magic to possess strength and versatility.

When one learned the Dragon Soul technique, it awakened the will of the Dragon, which was the basis for the Dragon Demon magic.

This was why the familiar could move at an instinctual level. It was like breathing. The Dragon Soul allowed the familiar to escape the control of the Dragon Demon magic, and it could move through its own free will.

This was when the true conversation started.

A being that was a clone and a sworn brother was born. The owner of the Dragon Demon magic had to put one’s life on the line to start a conversation with this being.

One had to use one’s will, the techniques that governed the Dragon Demon magic and one’s stamina to guide the being that was capable of communication.

This was how the will of the Dragon Demon magic transformed into a Dragon Soul.

Hooooooooooo……!

A gale swirled around the region. The trees shook as if they were about to be broken. Leaves and grass flew into the air. Reshoo stood in the middle of this gale as his bluish-white hair whipped crazily around him.

“If you don’t put it to sleep, you’ll become exhausted soon.”

“I know.”

The one to answer was Kairen. His black hair remained calm within the gale. It was an unreal sight, yet the reason for this phenomena was clear.

He had caused the gale.

It was as if he was standing within the eye of the storm. The place he stood was the only location that had escaped the effects of the gale. Moreover, a green Dragon was moving at the heart of winds.

“So this is what it feels like.”

Kairen mumbled to himself.

He had awakened his Dragon Soul.

He could feel it. The Dragon Demon magic flowing through his Energy Pulse was moving, and it had a will of its own.

An unknown being had been born within him. It felt as if he was looking into a mirror after not seeing himself for a very long time. The image within the mirror was extremely familiar, yet at the same time, it was unfamiliar.

Kairen’s Dragon Soul possessed power that was reminiscent of a Storm Dragon. Originally, his power hadn’t dealt with any specific properties. However, this fact hadn’t been a detriment in him learning how to control his newly gained abilities. He was used to dealing with powers possessing a variety of properties through the Dragon Arts.

When the gale subsided, Reshoo grinned.

“I thought it would take you much longer than Leticia. However, you were only two days late.”

“Why did you think that?”

Leticia had awakened her Dragon Soul two days ago.

Kairen realized he had fallen behind her, and this fact had vexed him. This was why he had pushed himself to the limit, and he was finally able to awaken his Dragon Soul on this day.

Reshoo answered him.

“You hadn’t known your own essence.”

“Essence?”

“Leticia possesses the essence of a Frost Dragon. Leticia didn’t have this knowledge. However, she used the power of Frost even when she was using the Dragon Arts. She knew at an instinctual level as to where her abilities had arisen from.”

“Ah. So that’s what you meant by those words.”

Kairen understood what Reshoo was trying to say.

Whether it was a Dragon Demon or a Dragon Majin, they had an origin in a Dragon.

Their ancestors were the 1st generation Dragon Demons, and they were born from the fusion of a Dragon and a Demon. Their essence was dependent on the Dragon that had fused with the Demon.

In the case of Kairen, he had the essence of a Storm Dragon. He hadn’t known this until he had awakened his Dragon Soul.

Suddenly, Kairen asked him a question.

“Reshoo, do you know Leticia’s past?”

“I do. Why?”

“Something is a bit off.”

“What is it?”

“If it is as you’ve said, Leticia’s essence is inherited from Almarick, right? So why does she have the essence of a Frost Dragon?”

Almarick’s Dragon weapon was the Storm’s Scream. It had dominion over thunder. Wasn’t that power totally unrelated to the power of Frost?

Reshoo let out a bitter laugh.

“In the case of Leticia, her birth process was special. A variety of bloodlines had mixed over the generations to create her. That is why she had no idea what her essence was.”

“I see. It makes sense since she is a Dragon Majin…….”

“What about your parents, Kairen?”

“I’m not sure. They were both Dragon Demons, but I have no idea what abilities they possessed.”

“I sense a story there. Both your parents were Dragon Demons. It is rare to see such an occurrence in human society.”

“That’s right. It was only possible, because it was within several generations of the Dragon Demon war.”

The number of Dragon Demons living within human society was low. This was why it was rare for Dragon Demons to marry each other. It was more common to see a Dragon Demon marry a Dragon Majin or a human.

However, Dragon Demon’s blood were thicker than human blood.

If a Dragon Demon mated with a human, their offspring would be a Dragon Majin. A union between Dragon Majins produced a Dragon Majin. It was the same for a union between a Dragon Majin and a human.

As Dragon Majins continue to copulate with humans in each successive generation, it took a very long time for their blood to become diluted. It took a very long time for their descendants to become wholly human.

On the other hand, a union between a Dragon Demon and a Dragon Majin produced a Dragon Demon.

The sex or the purity of the Dragon Majin didn’t matter. The partner just had to be a Dragon Majin. A union between a Dragon Demon and a Dragon Majin always produced a Dragon Demon.

This was why there were so many Dragon Demons in this world despite there not being too many 1st generation Dragon Demons.

Suddenly, Reshoo spoke.

“However, I’m a bit surprised that you are attempting this right now. Aren’t you worried? Your perturbed heart may pose a potential risk. That is why I wanted you to wait for the end result.”

“I want to ask you the same question. Aren’t you worried about her?”

“I am worried, but she chose this fight. I just have accept whatever result that comes out from it.”

“Hmmm…….”

As expected of Leticia’s teacher, he looked sentimental on the outside, but he was bone chillingly cold in accepting matters of life and death.

Kairen put his Dragon Soul to sleep then he turned to look into the distance.

The gale had died down, and he could hear the deafening roar in the distance. He was several kilometers away, but it was apparent that a fierce battle was ongoing at that moment.

“My comrade put her life on the line to attempt this. The desire of not wanting to lose to her has become stronger. That is why I’m going to do it.”

“You really hate losing.”

Reshoo laughed as if he found it amusing.

Leticia was fighting in the distance.

She had completed her Dragon Soul two days ago, and she had received permission to carry out the Dragon Slayer’s Ritual from Albatan.

The fact that she was lacking power had been made apparent in her fight with Almarick. She had gained the Dragon Soul, but she knew she needed a bigger power for her upcoming fights.

‘If I die here, it means I would have died in the future.’

After saying those words, she made her decision to attempt the Dragon Slayer’s Ritual.

‘I trust in the fact that you aren’t an idiotic woman. You won’t die after saying such words. I believe in you, Leticia.’

Kairen silently sent his feeling of support towards her.

As the light lessened, Leticia slowly opened her eyes.

She had been victorious in the Dragon Slayer’s Ritual. The Frost Dragon had given everything of itself to the victor.

After fighting desperately for several hours, Leticia had reached her limit. However, her entire body was surprisingly filled with energy.

Moreover, she could feel an enormous unrefined power within her. It was a power that she had been unable to make her own.

“So this is what it feels like.”

Leticia mumbled to herself.

Azell’s explanation had been vague, but she was now able to understand what he had been talking about. She just had to refine this power, and she would be able to repeat this process. She was sure she would be able to exceed Almarick using this process.

Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap…….

As she was savoring this feeling, Leticia heard the sound of clapping. It broke her revery.

“Congratulations.”

It was Azell. He had attended the Dragon Slayer’s Ritual as an observer.

Leticia spoke.

“My preparation is complete. I want to take more time to be able to attempt another Dragon Slayer’s Ritual, but I’m assuming we don’t have the luxury to stay here any longer?”

“Probably not.”

It was hard to gather information from within the forest. Albatan had a general idea of what was happening across the continent, but he had shown no inclination in departing this knowledge to Azell’s party.

Even if they didn’t have any information, they knew they didn’t have the time to continue their training. The Keepers of the Prophecy had been the governing body of the Guardian Shadows. They were no more. This probably meant the Plain of Darkness would have stepped up their level of activity.

Azell’s party had remained here despite knowing this fact. They had determined that the Dragon Soul was needed in the upcoming fights. Since Kairen and Leticia had gained the Dragon Soul, their stay in the forest had come to an end.

Suddenly, Leticia asked him a question.