After the smooth first meeting between Horus, the hatchling from Auterica, and the dragons, who are the pillars of the Ganghwan Realm,
Horus began intense training in the world’s magic under their attentive care.
The Blue Dragon and the Red Dragon had stated that it was enough just to stand as the Golden Dragon during the ceremony, but Horus, the concerned party, strongly requested otherwise.
No matter how symbolic his participation might be, knowing how things were unfolding made all the difference.
Since he was also a co-host of the ceremony, wouldn’t it be better for everyone for him to at least have a basic understanding of magic?
…The two dragons were incredibly proud of Horus’s insistence and promised to spare no support for his education.
Of course, hidden beneath Horus’s intentions was—
‘Now that I’ve come this far, I need to grab everything I can. …Besides, that might lead me to find a way to save the dragon children.’
His sole mindset was to make the most of the situation.
Before addressing the immediate issues, it was standard to slowly uncover the fundamentals.
To solve the challenges presented by this world, he needed to grasp its mysteries thoroughly.
‘While the Mosan Faction is renowned as a prestigious institution for magic, most techniques they use derive from Gonmudo.’
And it was those at the pinnacle of Gonmudo who were also regarded as legends in this world—the divine beings known as dragons.
Symbols of supernatural powers that allow them to freely manipulate natural disasters, including the Hoo-pung-hwan-woo.
How could Horus give up such a wonderful opportunity to experience the essence of Ganghwan Realm’s magic through them?
And so, as Horus faced this new mystery, his learning ability was nothing short of shocking to the Red Dragon and Blue Dragon, who still viewed him as a young and adorable otherworldly dragon.
“What on earth… who is that kid? Could it be he was just pretending not to know everything? Otherwise, this speed doesn’t make sense.”
“…I see now how he reached such a level at that age. It goes beyond mere talent. He’s absorbing and understanding these mysteries as if it’s second nature.”
“Ha! Those old geezers who fuss over a thousand years of skill would collapse if they knew. Is time really this fleeting?”
“Hmm.”
That tiny young dragon absorbed everything the two taught him with an overwhelming momentum.
It made one wonder if this was indeed his first experience with magic.
But when you think about it, it wasn’t strange at all.
The “Ruler of All Things” assisted in familiarizing energy and affinities,
The “Seeker of Mysteries” granted potential for all esoteric knowledge,
The “Resistor of Providence” bypassed limitations stemming from the distinctions between dragons and wyrms,
And he was already mastering the pinnacle of demon magic known as “Dragon Speech” at a high level.
Horus was literally born with a lineage that had flawless skills from the start, like a perfect pedigree gold spoon.
Wasn’t he also currently infused with ‘Growth Elixirs’ and many other growth enhancements?
‘There’s no need to mention the indirect aid from other avatars like the “Impure Wise Ones” or “The Path of Magic.”’
All those factors combined resulted in the current Horus.
He grasped one thing and understood ten; understanding ten led him to grasp a hundred, and from a hundred to a thousand, an absurd culmination.
《The entity has gained enlightenment through knowledge. The skill “Heavenly Flow Magic” has been acquired.》
Once he sincerely focused on one thing, it didn’t take long for the results to manifest.
“…To think he could reach this level so soon. What do you think, Blue Dragon?”
“Certainly more than I expected. There’s no need to drag it out; we can move on to the next stage right away.”
“I agree. With what he’s shown, I wouldn’t mind parting with that.”
“Right, it’s necessary anyway.”
Such rapid growth garnered enough admiration and recognition from the two women teaching him.
When the next lesson began, they presented him with a very special gift.
A precious item they never expected to give him so soon.
“Hmm? This is, could it be…!”
“Uhuhu, Horus’s surprised expression is adorable.”
“It’s refreshing that we’ve switched roles and are the surprised ones now. Not bad at all.”
A globe shimmering a brilliant blue, as if it captured the clear sky.
Within it, a vivid golden glow flickered like flames or waves, strongly radiating its presence.
It was an unfathomably beautiful item one couldn’t take their eyes off.
“The Yeouiju…”
“It’s a gift for Horus. It’s also an essential item for the ceremony. I didn’t expect to give it this quickly, though.”
“To shoulder the burden of the Golden Dragon, you need the Yeouiju. Typically, each has their own, but in your case, the previous owner would certainly understand.”
The Yeouiju is an indispensable item for any dragon, akin to the Dragon Heart.
It is both a reservoir infused with substantial energy and a treasure that grants numerous beneficial effects to the user.
Unless some ‘great incident’ occurred, an item created by the dragon itself wouldn’t simply be given away easily.
“The previous owner…?”
“…Well, let’s just say it was the former Golden Dragon. Each one didn’t last long, so it’s tricky to pinpoint specifics.”
“There’s no need to worry about it being a relic. It was left behind in the hopes that it would aid in this situation.”
After all, considering the recent string of ‘big incidents,’ having a Yeouiju without an owner was almost natural.
Horus gazed at the Yeouiju in his hand, concentrating deeply.
Hoo-woo—!
A storm of energy mixed with wind surged.
An overwhelming energy, still unfamiliar, began to wildly fluctuate the nearby temperature.
But it was natural for proficiency to rise with frequent use.
Moreover, he possessed abilities favorable for getting accustomed to such energy.
‘Not bad. No, it’s fantastic! I never thought I’d acquire this so quickly.’
While it’s true that Horus’s exceptional learning ability was a major factor—
Perhaps this bold decision was influenced by something else as well?
‘Yes, for example…’
The chaotic situation across the continent had escalated to a point where those from Gonmudo could no longer ignore it.
That is the rise of the Demon Cult.
‘That must have made them anxious. With the current circumstances, you never know when something unexpected might happen.’
The Golden Dragon clan had already faced extinction due to conflicts with the Demon Cult.
Although the Buncheon Society, which prominently led that effort, had departed from this land, the remnants left of the Demon Cult could not be taken lightly.
It was only natural for them to react sensitively.
‘Hmm, the Yeouiju. How can I use this most efficiently…’
Of course, Horus didn’t worry about it one bit.
And why would he?
He had already defeated the Heavenly Demon, the primary culprit behind it all, and was currently laying waste to the main fortress of the Heavenly Demon Church.
With an excellent companion who was like a second self.
*
In the Shingang Fortress, in the Tian Mountain Range, the main base of the Heavenly Demon Church.
Boom—!
The ground trembles with a tremendous sound.
A city that had been eerily peaceful, despite being the source of calamity in the world, was now thrown into chaos from a sudden uproar.
“Move, move quickly!”
“The Ji-sal squad is on the move right now!”
The Church’s warriors moved frantically.
Jang-Sam, who had been in charge of livestock for over a decade, peeks out anxiously from within the barn, his expression full of fear.
‘What on earth is happening!?’
He had already lost count of how many times that thought had crossed his mind.
He strained to think with his still-stiff head to try and piece together what was going on.
Today seemed just like any other day.
Jang-Sam, responsible for livestock in the main base of the Heavenly Demon Church, woke early, ate the meal prepared by his wife, and took a moment to pray to the Heavenly Demon, the deity they served, before heading to work.
After that, he spent some time cleaning the barn and feeding the cows.
Suddenly, the bright sky was covered in dark clouds, turning ominous at that moment.
The sudden change in weather bewildered him and those around him for a moment,
And immediately after—a loud clap of thunder echoed, seemingly from the heavens, as a voice began to resonate all around.
[“Hear me, mortals trapped within their confines.”]
[“I am the sovereign of all demons.”]
[“Bow down to the new demon king.”]
Just listening filled him with a chilling dread, making the hair on his whole body stand on end.
A voice that was both holy and solemn seemed to rain down upon the world.
Those intentions contained in that calm announcement were something a mere villager like him could hardly gauge or withstand.
‘Right, that’s how it went. This is the change that occurred right after.’
With great heaviness, Jang-Sam finally sighed as he recalled the fragmented memories.
It was just a few spoken words that made him feel as if his mind had gone blank. Once that voice ceased, overwhelming magical energy enveloped the area, setting off the current chaos.
Boom—!
Jang-Sam gulped and cautiously peeked out toward the center of the city.
[Grrrroar!]
“Stop them!”
Clang! Bang!
Fights erupted all over the place.
Dark figures, drenched in black ink, trampled over the Church’s warriors, and those who had joined them swiftly organized to fight back.
While the battles appeared intense, even someone like Jang-Sam, who lacked combat knowledge, could see at a glance that the Church’s warriors stood no chance.
Naturally, he couldn’t help but think that.
They were just holding down the fort against a bunch of minions.
The true powerful entity up above, looking down on them and leisurely approaching, was yet to be stopped—what was the point of it all?
Boom!
[WOOOOR!]
[Gah…]
Suddenly, the entrance of a building belonging to the Heavenly Demon Church burst open, and massive figures began to pour out.
Beings of unimaginable size, clearly not human.
“Wha… are those… monsters?!”
They were not just large;
Creatures with wild boar heads and horns, winged tiger-like beings, and wolf-like creatures stood on two legs.
Simply encountering them was enough to leave an oppressive sense of foreboding.
Even Jang-Sam, who had endured quite a bit, felt himself suffocating in their overwhelming presence.
Unable to cope with the tidal wave of intimidation, his mind gave way, and he fainted just like other ordinary citizens.
“Ho? What’s that…?”
At that moment, Hans, who had successfully erected a barrier around the entire area, turned his gaze toward where the giants were.
“Could they be Jiangshi made from yokai? They feel oddly familiar.”
Hans’s narrowed gaze scanned the bodies of the yokai Jiangshi.
Each one towered over five meters, adorned with various symbols, and clad with talismans.
The sight of these massive bodies being turned into Jiangshi piqued his curiosity about their Jiangshi technique.
‘Ah, no wonder they feel similar to Do-ol.’
It wasn’t just a feeling.
Their identities were Jiangshi made from the great yokai known as the Four Great Fiends during their lifetimes.
All except for Do-ol, who had escaped to Gonmudo, were right there.
They had lost their intellect and were now mere puppets of humans, stripped of their former might.
‘Those aren’t the only ones.’
Following behind them, various yokai Jiangshi began to trickle out of the building.
Seems like that building was a workshop for creating Jiangshi using yokai.
It appears that the notion that only human corpses were suitable for Jiangshi materials was merely a bias in this regard.
Of course, that wasn’t bad at all.
On the contrary,
‘This is good; an excellent sample!’
He felt even more pleased that the level of their Jiangshi technique surpassed his expectations.
When thinking about incorporating various techniques into diverse fields in the future, a flexible and expandable method was essential.
‘Having seen this much, I feel like I’ve seen it all.’
Hans slowly surveyed the surroundings.
With many elites, including the vulgar priest, having escaped, he had been deliberately tightening the noose to draw out everything they had hidden…
Now it seemed like they had revealed almost everything.
‘Well then, should we wrap it up?’
There was much work to do ahead.
Not only was it vital to recover those samples intact, but he also needed to ensure he captured the command and research teams of the Demon Cult without delay.
Goooo~
Black magic began to concentrate around Hans’s body.
An abyss-like darkness, as if it could swallow everything.
Crunch— Crack!
The density of existence twisted the space around Hans.
And from the warped spaces, the aura of black abyss slowly began to seep out.
A cold smile formed on Hans’s lips.
Naturally,
An empty house, where the priest and primary forces had fled, could not stand in Hans’s way.
Just a few hours after Hans’s arrival.
It took mere moments for the main base of the Heavenly Demon Church to fall.
