Tiamat

+++

[The skill ‘Javelin Throwing’ has leveled up. Current Level: 2]

Doyun dismissed the system message before him.

The team members stared at Doyun with agape expressions of shock. Doyun calmly strode past them, deftly dissecting the Ogre’s corpse to extract its shattered core.

A human-head-sized azure gemstone covered in various magic inscriptions on its surface. Seeing it, Leona’s eyes widened.

“The core?”

Doyun nodded. As expected of a ranger, she seemed quite knowledgeable.

“I had a feeling it was some kind of monstrous being, and it turned out to be a Guardian.”

At those words, Leona and the others looked at Doyun peculiarly.

‘A monster…?’

Who? The one who dropped it in one blow?

“…How did you do that? Did you perhaps have some S-Tier ability or something?”

While an S-Tier skill itself seemed far-fetched, Doyun being a fresh Cradle graduate left little other explanation for that level of destructive power.

“…It was an item proc.”

Doyun muttered vaguely.

But even that excuse didn’t quite cut it. No matter how potent the Aeor Gale Javelin was, its destructive force would have been unattainable if thrown by anyone else.

For most divine armaments, their might varied immensely depending on the wielder’s own prowess.

Doyun confirmed the Aeor he had thrown was retrieved back into his Nebula’s Void Space, able to summon marked items anywhere.

For someone like Doyun who frequently utilized javelin throwing, it was an exceptionally convenient ability.

“In any case, let’s discuss what to do from here.”

Leona sensed Doyun deflecting, but chose to drop the matter for now, nodding instead.

After a brief discussion, the team decided to proceed. Having witnessed the monumental variable of a Guardian Ogre, further investigation was necessary.

Of course, their utmost priority was survival. While the Ogre had been an unexpected situation prompting their failure to immediately evade upon hearing its footsteps, from now on they would immediately retreat at the slightest hint of danger.

“Sophie and I will take the vanguard.”

With the exhausted Leona and Chiwoomen relegated to the rear, Doyun and Sophie took the vanguard positions.

The very idea of two newcomers at the vanguard seemed preposterous, but the team unknowingly nodded in acceptance – they no longer viewed Doyun as a mere newcomer.

And so, the march resumed with Doyun leading the way.

+++

After continued trekking, Leona’s team arrived at their destination.

Originally, this had been one of the most auspicious mana-abundant sites Doyun knew of. But now.

‘…I can’t sense any spiritual energy.’

Moreover, beyond the clearing before them, a steep rocky mountain exuded mana from within – where Enoch’s vault had been located.

Doyun scrutinized the area with his senses, soon perceiving another anomaly beyond the lack of spiritual energy.

“…”

Doyun silently formulated a plan, allowing the team members to proceed into the clearing’s center.

And the moment they reached the middle.

Rumble… Rumble…

The ground began trembling.

“Wha, what…!”

“Everyone remain calm and be ready to swiftly retreat if necessary!”

As Leona shouted orders, right as she prepared to press her ear to the ground and locate the source, the edges of the clearing erupted as massive forms burst forth.

“Wha, what is this now…!”

Six gigantic golems, each around the same size as the previous Ogre.

Having surrounded the clearing from the start, they began lumbering towards the group.

“Our exit is blocked! We can’t break out of the clearing!”

“Those things, their movements are sluggish. For now, let’s stay calm and think this through.”

Leona spoke with composed calm, Doyun adding,

“Those are likely Guardians too.”

“I figured as much. But why are Guardians here in the first place…”

“There seems to be a cave entrance right in front of those. Let’s make a run for it. Their bulky frames won’t be able to follow us inside.”

Leona pondered briefly. While it meant being trapped inside the cave, they had no choice for now. They would contact the guild from within and await rescue.

Following Doyun’s indication, the group dashed towards the cave entrance, taking shelter inside.

Having momentarily evaded the golems’ encirclement, providing some relief.

“Wha…?”

Leona and the others felt their vision spinning.

“This too… wasn’t in the records…”

Muttering those words, Leona and her team collapsed limply to the ground.

Clutching his throbbing head, Doyun staggered deeper into the cave’s interior.

‘…Disturbingly potent indeed.’

What had incapacitated the team was an exceedingly high-tier mental sleep trap magic.

The cave Doyun had entered contained a hidden passage leading to the vault’s interior.

Intricately interwoven with memory erasure and various other magics operating in tandem, even the Alliance’s investigation teams had failed to detect this cave’s abnormalities thanks to this trap.

Perceiving and responding to it was an immensely difficult task beyond normal human capabilities.

And this hadn’t been Enoch’s doing.

‘An uninvited guest paid a visit, it seems.’

The vault had likely been breached or occupied.

However, whoever could wield such advanced magic and command supreme Guardians hadn’t anticipated Enoch Războlnic’s exceptional mental fortitude allowing him to pierce through.

‘No, there’s more to it.’

Doyun sensed the magic’s effects being largely nullified against him.

The same phenomenon he had experienced with the Armament Minister and when blocking curses during the Imp Battle.

‘And yet, for it to still affect me to this degree…’

Doyun greatly revised his assessment of the opponent upwards.

While lacking expertise in magic himself, this was a level of profound mental sorcery he had never before encountered.

‘Could it be…?’

And with each additional clue, his conjecture about the adversary’s identity grew more concrete.

Against such an opponent, retreat would normally be prudent – currently beyond Doyun’s ability to prevail against, even if revived.

Yet Doyun didn’t halt his steps. If his speculation proved correct, he wouldn’t be in any danger.

Operating the mechanism midway, Doyun passed through the hidden passage, eventually arriving at the vault’s entrance.

‘A barrier.’

The vault was securely protected by an exceedingly formidable barrier – undoubtedly not Enoch’s handiwork.

Doyun unsheathed his sword.

‘Manifest Sword.’

Celestial mana seeped into Jupiter’s heaven-hued blade, the sacred beast’s pure mana resonating to amplify Doyun’s own.

Not the typical flame-like sword aura, but a luminous existence of keen edge itself – Doyun’s intent to slice the barrier before him.

The sword aura manifested through Manifest Sword was an expansion of the ‘cutting’ phenomenon itself, transcending mere enhancements to range and slashing power.

Manifest Sword’s cutting extended even to the conceptual realm, able to sunder existences ordinary blades could never touch – the true power of Manifest Sword.

Doyun raised the brilliantly shining blade overhead.

And the very moment he tensed to slice through the barrier.

Rumble… Rumble… Rumble…

‘…Hm?’

The vault’s doors opened.

‘…’

The barrier dissipated too, as if whatever dwelled within welcomed Doyun’s entry.

After a momentary pause, Doyun sheathed his sword and strode forth into the vault that should have contained Enoch Războlnic’s collection of rare alchemical medicines from across the continent.

However, instead of any such medicines, another existence had taken up residence there.

[Welcome.]

A resonant voice echoed within Doyun’s mind.

An immense, majestic form towered over the vault’s interior.

Weary yet intelligent eyes. Horns bearing the marks of age. An innate aura of sublimity palpable just by standing before it.

Yet deep wounds marred its body, viscous mana oozing painfully from them. Broken claws and fractured horns. Scales lacking luster, chipped in places.

“…”

Doyun fell silent at the sight before him.

Far from the perfect existence hailed a century ago, it now cut a pitiful, dilapidated figure.

Doyun sensed the loneliness of its solitary struggles through the ages, the profound scars they had etched.

[That sword.]

But the being looked at Doyun with adoring eyes, oblivious to his sorrowful empathy.

[One hundred years ago, there was a child who fell in love with that very sword, insisting I craft an identical one for him.]

It smiled wistfully at the nostalgic memory, deep wrinkles etched across its aged visage.

[That ring too. A gift I had bestowed to help alleviate the burden he had shouldered.]

Even its resonant, age-trembled voice carried a lingering sense of longing.

[And the technique you displayed before the doors.]

It met Doyun’s gaze directly.

[An apex of swordsmanship even I could scarcely hope to emulate.]

Myriad emotions shone through its gaze – admiration, pride, pity.

[It gladdens me to meet you.]

The being had shared a deep bond with Enoch in his past life.

The most perfect existence under the heavens, closest to the celestial realm.

[You are Războlnic’s successor.]

The Dragon Lord – Tiamat.