Chapter 127 : Dragon's Trial (3)

The Dragon's Crystal was illuminating the High Dragon’s Nest with its subtle light.

Baden would be waiting at the end of this path.

What kind of expression would the Dragon Lord, who had just finished mourning his father, have?

What words should I say to him?

As I was walking along the one-way path, deep in thought, Hike stopped me for a moment.

“The first trial is over.”

I soon understood what she meant.

I must have gotten used to not using Mana during the trial.

I had subconsciously kept Mana confined within my heart.

“Right. I’ll try to use it naturally when I greet Lord Baden.”

“What if Baden tries to tear open your chest as soon as he meets you?”

“Then I’ll just use Mana now.”

I quickly changed my mind.

In fact, I could circulate Mana in my body while walking.

It was no different from breathing.

I hadn’t forgotten how to use Mana just because I had been holding my breath until now.

Hike plucked a large crystal from the cave wall.

“If you’re going to do it, sit down properly, get into position, and breathe.”

“Yes, I understand.”

I followed Hike’s words.

For some reason, I was nervous.

Would the efforts I had put into the first trial be engraved in my body?

Pop.

At the same time Hike broke the Dragon’s Crystal, I released the Mana I had confined.

Like a dam opening its gates, a large amount of Mana poured into my body.

It felt as if every single blood vessel was being engraved with Mana, moistening the parched earth.

As I released Mana, the Dragon Heart also thumped, beating strongly.

It was as if it was scolding me for only just now coming to it.

The Dragon Heart no longer pushed me.

When I was young, we were so at odds that it felt like it would kill me, but now we have become good companions.

Even though it was my heart, a sense of alienness still remained.

But clearly, we have become quite close now.

“Ah...”

An exclamation of admiration escaped me without my knowing.

Mana seeped into my body, which had been used to its limit without Mana’s assistance.

Only then did it really sink in.

The body and Intent that I had trained through the first trial.

The ability of my body, in particular, had clearly increased.

“Do you feel it?”

“Yes, it’s truly... amazing.”

I had been waiting for this moment, but also fearing it.

My desire to see how much I had grown was strong, but at the same time, I worried about what would happen if I hadn't grown that much.

But there was no need to worry.

My body remembered the efforts my companions and I had put in. I wish I could have shared this moment with everyone.

I wondered if my companions were feeling the same thing in the second trial, which had started before mine.

It hadn’t been long since we separated, but for some reason, I missed them.

Hike broke another crystal hanging on the cave wall.

The highly concentrated Mana within the Dragon’s Crystal was absorbed into my body.

My body was already filled with Mana.

It was even overflowing from my body.

Whether I intended to or not, my body was filled with my Mana.

“Try to transform it into an aura.”

“Are you telling me to put an aura on my whole body, not just on the blade?”

“Exactly.”

I had never tried it.

I had many memories of projecting Mana out of my body, but I had only ever condensed it into an aura to add to my sword.

But Hike wouldn’t say something useless.

I followed her words and transformed the Mana surrounding my entire body into an aura.

I succeeded immediately.

A solid white light settled around my body.

“From now on, strive to maintain this state.”

“Yes, thank you so much for your guidance.”

“Let’s go.”

Hike nonchalantly walked toward the cave, even at my words of gratitude.

I looked at her back and thanked her again.

“Thank you, Lady Hike.”

“...”

“Thank you. You don’t have to answer. Just remember that I’m grateful to you.”

“Are you always this talkative?”

Hike asked gruffly.

Her tone seemed to be scolding me, but it was easy to tell that wasn’t her true intention.

She was probably just awkward, as there weren’t many people who would treat Hike, a dragon and a hero of the continent, with such warmth.

“I’m not usually very talkative, but I promised myself to always express my gratitude to people who I’m grateful to.”

“Adjak wasn’t that type.”

“Well, Lord Adjak and I are different.”

I chuckled.

I had once played as Adjak, but I was a different person from him.

Just saying that fact out loud made me feel happy for some reason.

‘I will bring about a different result than Adjak.’

It felt like I was making that vow.

When I laughed, Hike also gave a slight smile.

As if she was embarrassed by her own smile, Hike’s walking pace subtly quickened, and I also sped up to follow her.

***

“Lord Baden, it’s been a while. Has everything been well with you?”

“I am well.”

Baden had supposedly been mourning his father for three years, but I couldn’t feel any change in his aura.

I thought that seeing the rim of his father’s heart embedded in me would stir up some emotions in him.

Baden, like the noble Dragon Lord he was, just looked down at me with calm eyes.

“You have changed a lot in that time.”

“It’s been three years. I’m happy to show you my changed self.”

“Indeed, three years is not a short time for a human.”

I was wrong.

I thought there was no change in Baden, but that wasn’t the case.

When I first met him, Baden wasn't hostile towards humans.

Back then, he didn’t even use his vocal cords to speak to me.

His voice would tear through my head and cause damage, but now he was speaking comfortably with his own voice.

Moreover, he seemed to have a more understanding attitude toward humans than before.

Three years might be a fleeting moment in a dragon’s time, but I could instinctively tell that Baden had changed a lot during that period.

“Do you still believe that you alone can solve the problem of Myeolji?”

“Yes, my belief is unwavering. I am the only one who can do it, and I will do it.”

I answered clearly with a confident voice.

“Let’s begin right away.”

As soon as Baden finished speaking, the space changed.

The same place where I had received the Heart Engraving unfolded before my eyes.

I climbed onto the platform made of cut blue crystal.

I bowed and lay down with the thought, ‘Please take care of me.’

Hike was carefully holding the rim of the former Lord’s heart.

Unlike the first time I received the engraving, about a third of the rim was broken.

That many pieces were embedded in my heart.

“There’s no need to explain it again.”

“Yes, I am ready.”

“This time, I will cut your chest.”

When Baden said that, I looked at Hike. Hike seemed to know what I wanted to say.

“How about reciting the Dragon Speech first and then cutting the chest?”

“That would be better.”

Soon, Dragon Speech flowed from Baden’s mouth.

I felt an unknown power grasping my heart.

It wasn’t a sensation one gets used to just by experiencing it once.

However, I relaxed, as if entrusting everything to Baden’s Dragon Speech.

Baden chuckled, seeing my expression.

Then, he sliced my chest open with his sharp claws.

Ugh.

But the pain was the same.

Still, since the Dragon Speech was recited in advance, the moment of pain would be shorter than before.

Baden received the former Lord’s heart rim from Hike and then plunged it into my heart.

One piece, then another.

The rim was being transplanted.

This time, I intended to feel the process to the very end without passing out.

The Dragon Heart also didn’t fight the Lord’s heart rim that came into it as furiously as it did before.

It just slowly felt the energy transmitted from the new rim.

The former Lord’s realization held within the rim was engraved in my mind.

The second Heart Engraving.

When this process was over, I would definitely be stronger than before.

***

The second Heart Engraving was over.

In terms of game effects, it would be said that the dragon’s majesty had been bestowed upon me, but I couldn’t feel it in reality.

There was something else I could feel an immediate change in.

– Mana, as the Dragon Lord, I command you. Heal this human’s chest.

I could now understand the meaning of the Dragon Speech, which I had never been able to understand before.

And I could vaguely feel the amazing phenomenon that the Dragon Speech created.

The recovery through Dragon Speech was a different form from the Holy Power-based Heal.

It was difficult to say which was better, but the task of commanding Mana to heal the wound on my chest was utterly mysterious.

“Lord Baden, Lady Hike, thank you.”

“You managed to hold onto your consciousness well.”

“When can I get the third engraving?”

“Don’t be in such a hurry. It will only be possible after the second piece has completely settled.”

“It won’t take long. My heart is already much stronger than before.”

“So it seems. There was little to no rejection reaction when you received the new rim.”

Baden also acknowledged it.

Soon, I would be able to receive the third-stage engraving.

The reason I am rushing the third-stage engraving is simple.

With each stage of engraving, my overall abilities, such as my physical prowess and my ability to handle Mana, increase.

But for those with the ‘Dragon Heart’ trait like me, we can use Dragon Speech from the third-stage engraving.

Then I will not only surpass the state of being half-human, half-dragon, but I will also gain power no different from a dragon.

I was looking forward to that moment.

As I was filled with anticipation, Baden subtly asked a question.

“I heard you’re undergoing the Dragon’s Trial.”

“Yes, Lady Hike gave me the trial.”

“I heard about it. I don’t know if you all will be able to overcome the second trial.”

“...Is it that difficult?”

I was startled and looked at Hike.

I also worried about my companions who were already in the second stage of the trial before me.

They said the Dragon’s Trial was not easy, but if Baden was saying that, how hellishly difficult must the difficulty be?

“Don’t say unnecessary things.”

“There’s nothing you can’t say to the Lord.”

I knew they spoke comfortably when they were alone, but at that time, my consciousness was fading after receiving the first Heart Engraving.

Unlike their past as enemies, it seemed they were much more comfortable with each other now.

Hike gave up bickering with Baden and spoke to me.

“Polarin, let’s go and start the second trial.”

“You won’t give me time to prepare?”

“Your companions entered without even a moment to use their Mana like you.”

“I’ll go right away.”

I bowed my head to Baden in thanks.

Expressing my gratitude right away was a principle that also applied to Baden.

After saying goodbye to Baden, I went to the portal Hike had opened.

“Come out alive.”

How difficult was the second trial that even Hike, who had given it, would say something like that?

I was very worried, but I had steeled my mind sufficiently on the way out of the High Dragon’s Nest.

“Of course. Please prepare the third trial and the third engraving as well.”

Hike chuckled instead of answering.

It had been a day where I saw a lot of dragons smiling.