The Pearl of the Yellow Dragon (3)
A cute little golden creature with bright, sparkling eyes is nodding its head at me.
“Hoo.”
I carefully loosened the long body that wrapped around my legs and lifted it up with both hands.
Having only just been born, its scales had a faint gleam, and it lacked a mane and limbs, with a forehead resembling a small bump more than horns.
Although it looked quite inadequate to be called a dragon, it still exuded an inexplicable elegance, strongly asserting that it symbolized mystery itself.
“So, how did you end up here?”
[Cough!]
Hwiryeong, with its reptilian appearance, let out a dog-like sound that didn’t match, wagging its tail and licking my cheek.
Thanks to the psychic connection, I instinctively understood what this little one was trying to say.
“…Just curious to give it a try? Thought it might work out?”
[Peeurur—!]
“Wow, that’s amazing. I didn’t know this was even possible.”
The baby yellow dragon observed the household items with an inquisitive gaze.
I looked down at Hwiryeong with a peculiar expression, feeling the strong bond and connection we shared.
‘Originally, Earth isn’t a particularly good environment for beings that live based on mystery like dragons. There’s only one exception.’
Temporarily manifesting through the summoning of an Awakened One, a being detached from the laws of the world.
Of course, as I had emphasized many times before, the ability to summon beings from other realms had long been obsolete.
No matter how high a summoner had ascended in another realm, upon returning to Earth, they would inevitably fall back to being just average.
‘But my situation is different. It seems this little one is recognized as a summoned creature by the system. Is it thanks to the “Pearl of the Yellow Dragon”?’
If it is indeed my summoned creature, various effects like Dimension Barrier Mitigation would apply, and I could understand the current situation quite well.
Since Horus’s identity was intertwined with mine, to him, it might not feel significantly different either way.
However, fully accepting that this little one was now here was an entirely separate matter.
“Ha.”
I blinked innocently at the brightly shining Hwiryeong gazing back at me from Earth.
At the same time, I sighed while staring at the baby yellow dragon of the Ganghwan Realm, sound asleep in Horus’s arms.
‘Indeed, it seems my “Avatar” has influenced things, right? No way a dragon could be born with abilities like this from the start.’
The small bodies existing on both Earth and the Ganghwan Realm.
Of course, they weren’t exactly the same as my unique skill and mechanics.
If I had to put it simply, they could be considered a downgraded version of my “Avatar.”
‘There’s no doubt that the one left in the Ganghwan Realm is the original. What appeared here in this world… could it be a direct projection of that body?’
No matter what anyone said, I was the top expert in this field.
Thanks to the naturally developed insight from the repeated evolution of the “Avatar” ability, it didn’t take long to grasp the situation.
‘There’s only one body capable of being projected like this. Moreover, there’s a limit to its application range.’
The biggest difference was that, unlike myself, Hwiryeong’s abilities came with various additional restrictions.
If Hesperon, who held the Chain of Pact, were to summon it later with more power from somewhere else, it could be different. But for now, what manifested here seemed to be all it could do.
That wasn’t all.
The moment of projection left the original in the Ganghwan Realm in a deep hibernation, vulnerable, while the linked body would share any damage taken, among other drawbacks.
It was, of course, different from how I could operate my “Avatar” as completely separate entities.
‘Well, the original is situated right in the heart of Gonmudo, so there shouldn’t be much risk.’
Moreover, the projected body could cancel its manifestation at any time, so during a critical moment, I could simply pull away, just as I had managed to escape various crises by using “Summoning Release.”
“You really are something, huh? To act on impulse like that because you thought it would work out.”
[Peeheehee—! Gack gack!]
“Alright, alright. Good job!”
I chuckled and patted the head of the pleased Hwiryeong.
I allowed the sudden intrusion this time without fully realizing, but seeing as I held the reins of this relationship, I wouldn’t let it happen so easily next time.
[Kyaah! Gack!]
“Yeah, yeah. Here, you want to try this?”
Since this was how it turned out, it wouldn’t be bad to let go of everything for a moment and spend a little time with this little one.
I wrapped the whining Hwiryeong around my neck like a scarf and guided it through my residence, feeding it various snacks.
‘So warm. Although it looks like a reptile, it seems to be warm-blooded.’
Having a guest visit this large space, which I had only been using for myself, began to stir emotions within me that I hadn’t been aware of until now.
Suddenly, a certain impulse that I thought had dulled surged up from within.
“…I thought I was fine now.”
Was I lonely too?
Having multiple bodies, I had been socially active far more than others, and I thought I’d be okay. But it seemed there was something unfilled that mere superficial relationships couldn’t satisfy.
‘If only I could share some of this with Taesan… No, that’s not it. Now isn’t the time to feel weak.’
The moment when the full confrontation with the Buncheon Society was about to begin.
I didn’t know what kind of capable individuals they might mobilize or what tricks they might pull, so I couldn’t afford to create any weaknesses recklessly.
If I carelessly spoke up now, I could put my friends in danger.
‘It’s alright. There are plenty of capable individuals to fight alongside me for now. Once everything is over…’
Lost in thought, I shook my head and turned my attention back to Hwiryeong, gently patting its body.
We hadn’t spent much time together on Earth, but I couldn’t keep this little one here indefinitely.
“Alright, you’ve played enough now, right? Time to head back. They’re waiting for you to wake over there.”
[Kyuung…]
“Well, you can come back to play again next time, right? Today isn’t the only day.”
[Gack!]
It had only been a few hours since Hwiryeong crossed over to Earth.
However, on the other side in the Ganghwan Realm, a full day had already passed.
It wasn’t unusual for a dragonkin to be a sleepy breed, but for Gonmudo, which was preparing a festival to welcome the just-born yellow dragon, it must have been a disappointment.
Swish—
As if sensing my feelings, the young dragon’s body softly began to fade away.
The warm sensation gradually distanced itself.
Just before it completely vanished.
Thump—
A head smaller than my fist touched my forehead.
Then, after a brief moment passed.
I found myself alone in the middle of the wide living room as usual.
“………”
The house looked unusually empty.
Standing still in the now cold and silent space, I gazed at the scenery, which just moments ago was filled with activity.
“Ha! A newly born one getting so cocky…”
A chuckle escaped me for no reason.
The funniest part was that I actually felt comforted by such a trivial action.
Is this why people keep pets?
“…Well, it did feel a bit empty for such a large space. Maybe I should consider keeping a few more creatures to occupy it.”
If only I could find a clever one like that little one.
Having sorted out my thoughts, I turned my attention back to the ongoing situation elsewhere.
The tasks of organizing the supplies harvested from the Heavenly Demon Church’s warehouse had already long been completed.
From holy relics imbued with special powers to materials harvested from high-ranking monsters, and even a fair number of dragon pearls.
With all that, I had plenty of items to use as energy.
‘It’s a shame I couldn’t obtain a complete dragon pearl from the yellow dragon.’
That was unavoidable.
The Demon Cult wouldn’t let something as precious as a dragon pearl just sit idle for decades.
The dragon pearls, tainted by experiments and magical cultivation, had long lost their original purity, now only reduced to mere energy blobs.
‘Besides, the former soldier of the Demon Cult, Tam, certainly wouldn’t have just let that slide.’
Though the energy problem was resolved, unfortunately, I couldn’t immediately begin the ceremony to hatch the next yellow dragon.
The blue dragon also had energy as a primary concern, so I only brought it up first, but obviously, there were more requirements for conducting such a significant ceremony.
‘If I’m too reckless, it might make maintaining the realm even more difficult, so it can’t be helped. It’s said more time is needed to lessen that burden.’
Perhaps due to the mental clarity brought by Hwiryeong.
I finally realized that I had been unreasonably impatient.
It was all the stress that had accumulated as I faced the formidable Buncheon Society.
The more I dealt with them, the more I understood about the Buncheon Society, the more prominently I felt the shadow of the Buncheon Society’s head looming over everything.
A being capable of completely overturning the world and reorganizing the order of Earth, tightly controlling absolute powers ensuring they don’t act recklessly.
‘If there were not some reasons causing them to refrain from acting behind the scenes, the world would already be under the rule of the Buncheon Society.’
That restriction was likely deep-rooted in the inability of the Buncheon Society’s head to freely use his powers.
It was a limitation that applied not just to his strength but also somewhat to the organization he had built.
‘And as time goes by, the restrictions on him are gradually weakening.’
To achieve that, he must be traversing various dimensions, wreaking havoc on worlds.
It was undoubtedly true that I needed to settle things before he completely threw off his shackles.
It was concerning that the encounter with the being that had become a god on Earth could weigh heavily on me, and when it came to that point, I couldn’t guarantee that Korea, known as his primary base, would remain safe.
‘For me, I could hide anywhere thanks to the “Dragon Lair,” but… everything I’ve built up could completely vanish.’
The whole of Korea would likely turn into a battlefield.
Nuclear missiles launched from China would turn the entire territory into a sea of fire, and as I stepped in to hold that back, the full-blown war with the Buncheon Society would likely commence.
I doubted someone planning to drive over half of humanity to death would care much about the lives of mere tens of millions.
“Sigh, given this situation, it’s only natural to feel anxious.”
But analyzing the collected information calmly, it didn’t seem like that scenario would unfold anytime soon.
At the very least, I still had a few years left.
There’s an old saying that goes, “Hurry slowly,” isn’t there?
It’s better to approach things cautiously rather than messing up by acting hastily. In times like this, I needed to respond calmly and sequentially.
“First, regarding the all-encompassing pressure extending towards us. Our capable personnel are responding rather well so far…”
Howard Industries, which had garnered a significant reputation by selling magical equipment across the globe, as well as the blood alliance and various vampire organizations championed by the idol Lycoris.
Just recently, diplomatic offensives against the nation of Korea itself had begun.
‘I’m sure the Buncheon Society had a hand in that.’
While they hadn’t mobilized direct force, that alone was still no easy challenge.
There would always be a significant gap in their ranks.
‘But even so, I can still hold on. That’s why I reorganized the intelligence operation and gathered subordinate forces.’
So, what exactly do I need right now?
To not be dragged around by them, to overturn the situation, and gain more time.
What that involves is?
“Information. About the Buncheon Society’s head. And his true motives.”
The information I had gathered so far was merely superficial.
To devise fundamental countermeasures, I needed to grasp the causal relationships more fully to respond to his maneuvers in advance.
And very conveniently…
There was a perfectly matching method that was on the verge of being prepared.
*
[A being of grand purpose’s thoughts and ideologies always emerge from their footprints of the past.]
In a space filled with dense darkness.
A sinister voice echoed from its center.
[I shall thoroughly unearth the paths you have walked until now.]
And right after that…
The overwhelming presence that had filled the darkness vanished as if washed away.
*
This world is destroyed.
Demons roam freely across the earth while humans have hidden underground to escape them.
The few remaining humans resort to robbing one another for the scant resources left, having lost any will to fight against the demons.
All those courageous enough to dream of challenging such an impossible fate had long since fallen into purgatory.
“Cough! I will not allow this… I will surely kill you, Lapua…!*”
Losing one’s life to the mocking of demons was no different from dying from a natural disaster.
Friends might pity you for your misfortune, but harboring a desire for revenge against the enemy was something they couldn’t entertain.
That was, after all, an impossible feat.
“Ha, ha… Demon, demon! If only I could contract with a more powerful demon than the one you made a deal with…!”
However, if there’s a fellow human behind that curtain, the story would change.
If the raging wildfire that consumed everything was a deliberate act of arson, the arsonist would be the true enemy!
The problem was that the arsonist was perched at a level that could not possibly be reached.
A demon contractor.
A slave who betrayed humanity and sold everything to demons.
Yet in exchange, they were promised riches and glory during their lifetime—essentially little more than toys for the demons.
“Great being, elevated one. I offer my soul and body. Please, grant me relief from this torment…”
Thus, many sought to become demon contractors.
Considering the reality faced right now, it was hardly an unusual thought to prioritize the immediate rather than worrying about what may happen afterward!
The young man conducting the ritual in this very place harbored those same thoughts and was in the midst of attempting to become a demon contractor.
Having fought through countless tribulations, he was extravagantly using rare materials he had painstakingly obtained.
But becoming a demon contractor wasn’t so easy.
For one simple reason.
Because it was so much more fun this way.
The method the young man had obtained was among the false methods sown by the demons, driven by that very idea.
A futile struggle that only made things harder without yielding any effect whatsoever.
Had he possessed any modicum of talent as a contractor, there might have been a sliver of hope. Alas, he bore not even the slightest hint of talent.
Gooooh—
Thus…
What was happening now was plainly abnormal.
The thick darkness that the young man had so carefully prepared began to clump together upon the altar.
A pitch-black fog, impenetrable by a single ray of light, gradually began to take shape.
“Ooooooh! Great Eternal Demon! Please answer my call—!”
However, having no relevant knowledge prior, the young man had only been focused on mere survival until recently and was entirely unaware of this fact.
Excited by the expected response, he merely shouted his fervent pleas.
[Great Eternal Demon…? Where did you hear such a lowly name?]
At that moment, a sinister voice flowed forth from the center of the altar.
The overwhelming presence that encapsulated all evils tightened around him.
Yo,u, no—
[Hehehe, I am the King of all the Dead and the Ruler of Death.]
Just facing the presence sent a crushing weight down upon the young man’s soul, causing him to breathe heavily.
He desperately tried to maintain his consciousness, but it was beyond his limit.
As his awareness slowly faded away, a terrifying voice resounded softly.
[Hannibal Strauss.]
