Ch.190Chapter 190: Sword Grave (8)

#

This is not a good situation.

Being transported to a time period a thousand years ago by some unknown force.

I don’t even know how long I’ll remain in this time period.

How could I possibly accept a request from someone living in this era?

It’s obvious that I would only end up disappointing whoever entrusted me with such a request.

As these thoughts crossed my mind.

Before my ancestor, who had been stammering and hesitating, could properly make her request.

It would have been logical to politely decline, explaining that I wasn’t in a position to fulfill it.

Unfortunately, before my intended polite refusal could leave my lips.

“This…”

My ancestor’s action was quicker, as she somehow produced something from her bosom and thrust her clenched fist toward me before I could even register what was happening.

True to her reputation as someone who wielded a sword with such speed that it was impossible to follow with the naked eye.

I should have anticipated that her speed in producing something and presenting it to me would be equally astonishing.

I couldn’t help but smile bitterly as I realized that this outcome resulted from my moment of hesitation.

My expression had become so uncontrollably distorted.

I worried that my ancestor might notice my agitation.

But (fortunately?), she didn’t seem to read my expression.

Intent only on conveying her request to me, my ancestor continued by unfolding her clenched fist.

What entered my vision as her tightly closed fist opened wide was a brilliance.

A beautiful radiance that outshone even the twinkling stars and moon in the high sky was now revealing its presence on her hand.

It was so dazzling that I could barely make out its actual form.

But as I patiently waited to become accustomed to the brilliance.

Eventually, as the radiance subsided, I could observe the object’s true appearance.

It had a red hue.

At first glance, it seemed so intensely red that I thought of blood.

But as my eyes adjusted to the color, I realized this red contained not the ominous quality of blood but an incredibly warm energy.

It reminded me of Shizu, who once smiled brightly while telling me that my hair contained a very warm and gentle energy.

And as my eyes adjusted to the color, I gradually turned my attention to its appearance.

At a glance, it resembled a ruby, which was considered the king of gemstones before diamond’s value skyrocketed with the advancement of cutting techniques.

Even now, its value hasn’t diminished compared to diamonds.

How should I put it? It felt too noble to be dismissed as merely a gemstone.

“…What is this?”

I unconsciously uttered a question while trying to identify the object.

Finding my reaction amusing, my ancestor, who had been watching me slowly, said:

“Can you tell what this is?”

She subtly revealed her hope that I would recognize what it was.

“…Is it a gemstone?”

When the result of my impoverished imagination came out of my mouth, unable to think of anything beyond a gemstone.

My ancestor smiled at me and said:

“It looks similar, but it’s quite different. It’s worth more than mountains of such gemstones.”

After indirectly revealing its value before disclosing its identity.

“Hoo…”

With a faint sigh, she instantly gathered an unimaginable amount of battle qi.

I knew well the nature of this spectacle that would have inspired awe in anyone familiar with the breathing techniques used to manipulate battle qi.

Prikasa.

This was a skill that could only be demonstrated by someone who had mastered the legendary breathing technique that had shared the name and history of Ranos to its extreme.

After instantly gathering the enormous amount of mana floating in the atmosphere into her heart.

The way my ancestor operated it by circulating it throughout her body was exactly the battle qi operation method I had always dreamed of since gaining regenerative abilities and being able to properly utilize battle qi.

But, as if thinking this alone wasn’t enough to impress me.

My ancestor instantly transferred this battle qi, gathered to its extreme, into the gemstone on her hand.

It was an incomprehensible sight.

The battle qi gathered by a superhuman at their peak is itself an excellent weapon.

It’s natural that unless a weapon is designed to withstand battle qi, infusing excessive battle qi into a material would damage it rather than allow it to function properly.

This should be no exception, even for that beautiful and noble gemstone.

“…Ah.”

So, as I watched the battle qi my ancestor had gathered continuously pour into the gemstone, I let out a sigh tinged with regret, imagining the gemstone turning to powder.

But that sigh didn’t last long.

“…Huh?”

Soon after, I couldn’t help but utter a confused sound.

The gemstone, which I firmly believed would shatter, was continuously receiving my ancestor’s battle qi, refined to the extreme through Prikasa, without breaking.

Rather, it intensified its beautiful red light to such an extent that “blooming” would be the appropriate expression.

Thump-!!

Making a sound like a heartbeat, it began to pulse distinctly before my eyes.

How could I not make such a foolish sound?

Who would have thought a gemstone, merely a mineral, would make a sound like a living human heart beating and continue to pulse?

Since I had never seen such a sight even in the bizarre Obsidian Palace filled with all sorts of oddities.

I couldn’t help but leave my mouth open.

By now, the gemstone had absorbed all the battle qi surging from my ancestor’s body.

Despite having absorbed all of a superhuman’s battle qi, which an ordinary human couldn’t even imagine containing.

As if still not satisfied, it continued its fierce pulsing, as if craving more battle qi, or rather, mana.

After a brief moment.

My ancestor slightly raised the pulsing gemstone in her hand so I could see it better, and then slowly opened her mouth.

“This is an Essence. And it’s the Essence of a dragon that has lived for an unimaginably long time.”

She revealed the identity of this gemstone-like object that had given me such surprise.

An Essence naturally formed within the body of a dragon that had lived for ages.

There’s no need for complex understanding.

It’s a substance easily explained by the term Dragon Heart.

“…”

Even when I didn’t know the identity of the Dragon Heart, I was astonished by what I witnessed.

Learning its identity only increased my shock rather than diminishing it.

I could tell without being told whose Dragon Heart this was, since she had mentioned making a request related to Fafnir.

And I could guess what request my ancestor was about to make with this Dragon Heart.

“If you go to the highest mountain on the western continent, you can meet him. Could you deliver this to him?”

As expected…

My ancestor had brought this out to make a personal request of me, who had mentioned going to the western continent.

It was an obvious request, requiring no thought.

Return this Dragon Heart to its original owner.

Something like that, I suppose.

But the imbalance between the lightness of the request and the importance of the item entrusted for such a simple task was making my head spin.

Regardless of this confusion.

My answer to this request was already decided.

#

“I’m sorry.”

To prevent my ancestor, who seemed ready to place the Dragon Heart in my sleeve if I didn’t speak, my response was a polite refusal.

It was a refusal that had to be made.

As I mentioned earlier.

Even if I accepted the request and took this item.

I, who would eventually have to leave this place, would hardly be able to deliver this to Fafnir of this time period on the western continent as per her request.

And I could easily imagine what would happen if I failed to deliver it and returned to my original time period.

Think about it: if I accepted my ancestor’s request to return it to its original owner and somehow made my way toward the western continent.

But suddenly returned to my original world.

The fate of this Dragon Heart would be completely uncertain.

Perhaps it would return to the original time period with me, who was holding it.

Or it might be left behind where I disappeared.

In either case, it couldn’t be considered a good situation.

Let’s say it returns to the original time period with me.

Not delivering it to Fafnir of this time period means Fafnir would be in a weakened state.

It’s unlikely he would navigate through the midst of this fierce holy war in that condition.

There’s a risk that history could change.

And even if it’s left where I disappeared, that’s problematic in its own way.

I couldn’t help but be amazed by the power shown by Fafnir of my time period, who habitually muttered that his current strength was far inferior to what he once possessed.

If this Dragon Heart, containing the power of Fafnir near his prime, incomparably stronger than what I had witnessed, were left unprotected.

The demon gods of this era, obsessed with power to hold this world in their grasp, wouldn’t leave it alone.

This also carried the risk that history might change because of me.

Ultimately, I judged that under no circumstances should I accept the Dragon Heart that my ancestor was trying to entrust to me for her request.

“Such a valuable item is too burdensome for someone like me to accept.”

Following my polite refusal, I indirectly expressed that I could not accept this Dragon Heart under any circumstances.

Having expressed my intention so clearly, I expected my ancestor to respond.

Either withdrawing her request, saying she had no choice if I insisted.

Or getting angry, asking why I wouldn’t fulfill her request.

I thought she might show one of these two reactions, but.

“…”

After hearing my refusal, my ancestor, maintaining the calm expression she had when making the request, suddenly narrowed the gap between us.

“Hand.”

“…Pardon?”

I reflexively questioned her abrupt demand to extend my hand.

“Hand.”

There was an irresistible force in my ancestor’s voice, still insisting I extend my hand.

Clearly, if I followed her command and extended my hand.

She would place Fafnir’s Dragon Heart, which she was holding, into my hand.

So naturally, I shouldn’t have obeyed her.

But contrary to my intention, my hand was involuntarily extended, drawn by some irresistible force.

Thud

In that moment, Fafnir’s red Dragon Heart, still pulsing, was placed in my hand.

Ah, damn it.

What was that? Why did my hand rise against my will?

Rather than dwelling on regrets, I decided I should immediately return the Dragon Heart to my ancestor.

But as I tried to hand the Dragon Heart back to my ancestor who was right in front of me.

“…Huh?”

I couldn’t believe my eyes.

The figure of my ancestor, who had displayed a presence larger than anyone else just moments ago, suddenly disappeared from my sight.

Thinking something might be wrong with my eyes, I rubbed them with my free hand.

But my ancestor was still nowhere to be seen.

“…Damn it.”

Realizing this wasn’t working, I went beyond relying solely on my vision.

I quickly activated my battle qi and employed my finely honed spiritual sense to search for traces of my ancestor.

But I couldn’t detect any presence, even within a range that not even a trained superhuman could escape from.

In this series of events, I finally had to accept it.

Whatever trick she had used.

My ancestor had entrusted me with Fafnir’s Dragon Heart and disappeared without a word—an absurd situation.

It’s unbelievable.

She forced what she called a precious and important item of Fafnir’s onto someone she met for the first time today and then disappeared without a word?

“…Where did she go?”

Having faced such an absurd scene, I had lost even the energy to be angry, and only a voice filled with bewilderment came from my mouth.

-Pass.

“…!!”

I barely managed to suppress a scream at the sudden sound of my ancestor’s voice from behind me.

Though startled, I quickly calmed myself, knowing that returning the Dragon Heart to my ancestor was the priority to escape this confusing situation.

“Were you there all along…? No one’s there?”

I turned toward the source of the sound, but my ancestor was nowhere to be seen.

What kind of joke is this?

“How can you give such an important item to a complete stranger and then disappear? I cannot accept this, so please reappear and take it back.”

I clearly expressed once more that I could not accept the Dragon Heart.

Whether knowing or ignoring my feelings.

-Such a noble attitude, trying to return such an extraordinary item to me without batting an eye. Excellent.

My ancestor, speaking with the most majestic voice I had heard today, seemed pleased with my attitude.

So much so that I could feel it, despite being unable to confirm her presence with any of my senses.

A thought crossed my mind.

When I first encountered my ancestor.

Could my assumption that this was a time period from a thousand years ago be wrong?

At first, it seemed like a nonsensical thought.

-I’m glad, so glad that I can finally meet a descendant who can return it to him…

As the word “descendant” emerged from my ancestor’s voice, revealing a vague but poignant affection.

This thought gradually turned into conviction.

Therefore, needing to hear something from my ancestor to understand what was happening.

“…What is this about?”

I posed a brief question, condensing all my feelings.

-It’s exactly as I said. When you return, give that to Fafnir.

“No, that’s not what I’m asking…”

-Ah, I’d like to keep you longer, but time doesn’t permit. Anyway, congratulations on passing. Go forth and benefit the world widely. My descendant of my blood.

Ancestor Lumen Ranos ended the conversation by continuing with what she wanted to say rather than answering my question.

Even though I wanted to continue the conversation, the same blackout of consciousness I experienced when moving from the Sword Tomb to this place occurred again.

“Wait—”

I couldn’t even finish what I was saying as my eyes slowly closed.

In that brief moment when all actions ceased except for my hearing, I heard my ancestor’s voice in my ear.

-Ah, I forgot something. Could you tell Fafnir something from me?

My ancestor’s final message, along with the Dragon Heart, reached me.

-Tell him I… miss… him a lot.

Though it was faint and unclear.

Thanks to her voice changing from majestic to a mixture of longing and affection, I could understand what she said relatively easily.

By the way, whether before regression… or after regression.

It seems my fate of encountering beings with transcendent… powers more than necessary remains the same, albeit in different directions…

My fading consciousness completely sank with this final grumble.

As soon as my consciousness returned, my body was back inside the Sword Tomb.

[Oh, you’re back quickly?]

I could hear Fafnir’s voice greeting me happily in my mind.