Tiamat 2

[It gladdens me to meet you, Războlnic’s successor.]

“…Tiamat.”

Doyun gazed up at the ancient dragon before him.

[Did Războlnic speak of me?]

“You’ve become quite pitiful since I last saw you.”

[…!]

At his words, Tiamat’s slitted eyes widened.

[Could this be… a reincarnation retaining memories? An act of the gods?]

“No, just a series of coincidences piling up.”

Doyun smiled wryly at their reunion, just as he had with Eloah and Brudhild, and spoke to Tiamat,

“Long time no see.”

The corners of Tiamat’s mouth curved upwards slightly.

She gazed wistfully skyward, conveying her words to Doyun telepathically.

[For us dragons, a century is not such a lengthy period. But…]

As she lowered her gaze back to him, her eyes betrayed profound weariness.

[Without you, Războlnic, this past century on the continent felt like ten thousand years.]

Her resonant voice echoed within Doyun’s mind.

[I am glad you have returned, Hero.]

“For a mere human to receive the Dragon Lord’s welcome after a paltry 100-year absence. As before, and hereafter, I shall remain unparalleled.”

Doyun exchanged playful banter with Tiamat, reminiscing.

“But what are you doing here?”

[Recuperating from my wounds.]

Doyun examined the numerous gashes marring Tiamat’s body, the viscous mana still oozing painfully from them.

Intensely dark and foul – the most malicious energy in existence.

The Demon Lord’s power.

Tiamat recounted the events to Doyun.

A brief respite after the Demon Lord’s demise. Then the advent of a new Demon Lord.

As a principle, dragons did not interfere in the material realm. But they had suffered profoundly under the previous Demon Lord’s terror.

Thus, the Dragon Lord Tiamat had taken it upon herself as the continent’s guardian, venturing to the Demon Lord’s Domain to subjugate the newly born, still-weak Demon Lord.

[And I was defeated.]

Doyun’s eyes widened in shock.

An unthinkable occurrence.

The Dragon Lord was the most perfect, mightiest being under the heavens. The previous Demon Lord had been an irregular exception even compared to those who could aspire for godhood, but the Dragon Lord’s supremacy remained absolute.

Yet for the Dragon Lord to be defeated by not even the Demon Lord himself, but his newly born daughter – an unfathomable outcome.

[Războlnic.]

She met Doyun’s gaze intently.

[Be wary of this era’s Demon Lord. She has inherited her predecessor’s full power.]

“…What?”

Doyun doubted his ears.

To completely inherit that near-godly might, and for a newly formed youthful body to withstand it – was such a thing even possible?

[Never let your guard down, Războlnic.]

Doyun fell silent, listening gravely to the sole being who had directly battled the current Demon Lord – the Dragon Lord’s warning.

[And…]

But it didn’t end there.

[Utilize the system to grow stronger than your previous life. Otherwise, you cannot defeat the Demon Lord.]

“…What do you mean? Are you saying the Demon Lord not only inherited her predecessor’s power, but has grown even stronger than that?”

[…]

No response.

She merely looked at Doyun solemnly, lips sealed.

[Războlnic.]

“…What is it. Why the hesitation?”

Doyun sensed an indescribable gravity in her silence.

[I… believe in you.]

“…? What nonsense is this?”

At that, Tiamat averted her gaze.

She recalled the unbelievable sight she had witnessed during her battle against the Demon Lord.

‘Războlnic wouldn’t do such a thing.’

She trusted Doyun. Hence, she said no more, unwilling to doubt him.

The man before her was a Hero – possessing a far nobler soul than those mere overgrown lizards resigned to wallowing in unreachable realms, ignoring the continent’s plight. A soul even loftier than Tiamat’s own.

The qualifier ‘trustworthy’ applied to this man above all others.

What she had seen could not have been Enoch’s doing, but rather the unintended consequence of other causalities – the Demon Lord must have employed some insidious means. So Tiamat reasoned.

“…Alright, let’s drop it if you don’t want to talk about it. Enough with the past…”

Unable to comprehend her meaning, Doyun didn’t pry further since she seemed disinclined to elaborate.

“So you said you were recuperating here. For decades, even.”

[Yes.]

“But why, and how did you end up here? I never told you about this place.”

[I was drawn by the spiritual energy. This chamber held the highest concentration on the entire continent. It truly amazed me – the perfect environment for recovery.]

Referring to the alchemical medicines Doyun had stockpiled.

“So where are my medicines now?”

[…They were yours, after all.]

“…Hey. Don’t tell me you…”

Doyun narrowed his eyes as Tiamat averted her gaze.

A rare sight indeed, to see the Dragon Lord squirming before a human.

[…My apologies. I had no choice for the sake of recovery.]

Doyun pinched the bridge of his nose.

“…Very well, it’s in the past, let it go.”

But he chose not to press further. While the loss of his medicines was regrettable, if it had allowed Tiamat’s survival, it was well worth the cost.

“Did you deploy the Guardians after sensing me from afar?”

[No. It was due to your spiritual energy. A sacred beast emanating such dense, potent spiritual energy was unprecedented for me. Thus, I sought to bring you here for treatment.]

“Was it really that remarkable?”

[Of course. Even celestial beings would feel unconditional goodwill towards you, while sacred beasts would become utterly enamored, unwilling to leave your side. You’d best watch out for kidnappings by wandering dragons.]

Tiamat examined Doyun’s physique as she spoke.

[…Truly a more astounding form with each passing glance. The feats of vanquishing the Demon Lord and saving the continent must have been monumental indeed. For a single reincarnation to elevate you closer to godhood than even the Dragon Lord.]

“Closer to godhood? Me?”

A wholly unfamiliar notion. Doyun listened as Tiamat explained.

[Gods are not born as such from the beginning.]

Souls undergo countless reincarnations, accruing karma through their deeds. The differences between ordinary lifeforms, celestial beings, and sacred beasts lie in this very karma.

And at its pinnacle lies godhood. The disparity between mortals and gods was merely a matter of accumulated karma.

Yet Doyun had started as an insignificant human intellect, only to transcend even the supreme sacred beasts – dragons – in a single lifetime.

The closest existences to godhood were dragons. But Doyun’s current form could be considered the highest echelon of sacred beast, surpassing even dragons in their proximity to divinity.

“Come to think of it, this body’s performance is pretty killer. Ah, and curses or magic directed at me seemed largely nullified – is that also because of this?”

[Indeed. Even dragons possess potent magic resistance and spiritual power flowing through their very blood. Yours would exceed even that.]

“Hmm…!”

Doyun let out an emboldened grunt.

In his previous life, Enoch had been perpetually hamstrung by human frailties like stamina and durability, forced to hone evasion to the utmost limits. All due to being shackled by the limitations of the lowly human race.

But now, not only had he attained draconic resilience, he even boasted magic resistance and curse immunity. Truly an empowering realization.

[You’ve also become quite the pretty boy.]

“You dragons flirt with humans too?”

[Beauty’s standards tend to be similar across races, generally.]

Doyun chuckled, exchanging banter with the Dragon Lord herself.

“Let’s leave the chatter for now. My comrades are waiting outside. So, do you intend to remain here?”

[Why do you ask?]

“I need to report back to the guild.”

With witnesses to these anomalies, it couldn’t simply be overlooked. Doyun would have to report this vault’s existence to the guild and Alliance in some capacity, prompting follow-up investigation teams to arrive here eventually.

Doyun felt this expedition provided the perfect pretext to grant the World Tree those 40,000 gold coins – reporting this as Enoch Războlnic’s treasury vault, with the coins as the recovered assets to be handed over.

However, that would undoubtedly inconvenience Tiamat, hence his question.

After a moment’s contemplation, Tiamat responded,

[Then if it would not be an imposition, might I seek lodging wherever you reside? Your spiritual energy would greatly aid my recovery.]

“Would that be alright?”

[I have no further reason to remain here. This place’s inherent spiritual energy and the vault’s medicines have all been depleted. If you permit it, I would like to impose upon you.]

Doyun readily nodded. With her vacating, it would simplify matters for him too.

But then, an entirely unforeseen thought crossed Doyun’s mind.

“…Say, would you be able to fight?”

Doyun asked Tiamat eagerly.

If she were to accompany him, it would be the perfect solution to the dilemma over guarding against the Celestials he had been grappling with. Putting aside her formidable defensive magic, Tiamat herself was the mightiest lifeform, the Dragon Lord.

And naturally, she would also be an immense wartime asset.

However, Tiamat shook her head with seeming reluctance.

[I apologize, but that would be impossible. In my current wounded state, I am far too enfeebled to exert myself.]

“…I see.”

Doyun scratched the hilt of his sword wistfully.

“Very well then. Come and recuperate at the World Tree guild where I’m staying, Eloah’s guild.”

[My gratitude. I shall head there shortly.]

After concluding their conversation, Doyun rummaged through the vault, gathering evidence for his report.

But upon surveying its state, he clicked his tongue.

“…You really cleaned this place out thoroughly, huh.”

[Hmm, hmm.]

Could telepaths even clear their throats? Doyun discovered an unexpected facet.

[…Again, I truly apologize. Thus, I would like to offer you a gift in return.]

“Oh. A gift?”

Doyun perked his ears at the surprising words, turning towards Tiamat with anticipation.

The Dragon Lord Tiamat’s gifts had always astounded Enoch – Buske’s gallery, the Nebula ring, Doyun’s cherished sword.

Brimming with expectation, he gazed at her.

[How about the dragons’ mana cultivation method? For us, it’s more our very breathing than mere cultivation, but you should be able to grasp the gist.]

“What?”

Doyun doubted his ears.

“…You want me to learn the dragons’ mana cultivation method? Is that even possible?”

[It would have been unthinkable in your human days. But you are now a sacred beast surpassing even dragons. It is entirely feasible.]

She pointed a claw at Doyun’s chest.

[Allow me to transform your heart into a dragon’s heart.]