“Eugyagyagak!”
In the middle of the plains, Sinhyeok was being chased while making a bizarre noise.
“M-Master!”
At his desperate shout, she, who had been watching, extended a single finger.
Soon, black light gathered and shot forth.
That light instantly engulfed the mang-a that had been pursuing Sinhyeok.
Kkureureuk.
With a strange sound, the mang-a chasing him collapsed.
It twitched faintly, wriggling on the ground.
“Phew, I seriously almost died.”
“As if you would die from something like that. Such exaggeration.”
“Wow, how is a weak person supposed to live with this sorrow?”
At Sinhyeok’s grumbling, the Dark Sword smiled at the corners of her mouth and stretched out a finger.
“I don’t think one will be enough. Shouldn’t you hurry along?”
At the Dark Sword’s advice, Sinhyeok sighed and turned around.
“I really don’t want to go.”
“Hurry up and go. I am personally catching them for you. Where else would you find such luxury?”
“I really am grateful, but why does one side of my chest feel so cold?”
“Because it is empty. Go and work. Then it will get better.”
Sinhyeok chuckled and started running again.
“Yes~ I’m off to work.”
After several rounds of luring them in and with the Dark Sword’s cooperation, they caught dozens of mang-a.
None of them disappeared; each lay collapsed with a hole pierced through its forehead.
“But are these things definitely dead?”
“Of course not. They were already dead to begin with, so they will get up again later.”
“Wow.”
What a vicious place.
Sinhyeok hurriedly prepared for the work.
‘First, extraction.’
There was only one thing he had to do now. Pull out what was called the remnant of the dragon.
He placed his palm on those who lay fallen as silent as dead mice.
He could feel the powerful pulse of a mighty energy beating within.
‘Is this it?’
He wanted to interfere with it through his will and peel it away like when he made potions, but it did not go well.
“Hmm.”
Naturally, his head turned toward the Dark Sword.
“What a disciple who needs so much help.”
She clicked her tongue and casually extended a finger.
Power was extracted from the mang-a lying on the ground.
“Here it is.”
Sinhyeok smiled and held out both hands.
“But, disciple, how do you intend to take this with you? Hoh?”
The moment he grasped it, it hardened like a crystal.
Sinhyeok held it carefully and slipped it into his pocket.
“Then, Master, please take care of the rest too.”
Sinhyeok bowed and scraped as he asked.
She clicked her tongue with a tsk-tsk.
“A disciple I met only a few days ago is quite grandly working his master to the bone.”
“Come on, if you put it that way, I feel a little hurt.”
“Am I wrong, then?”
Sinhyeok shut his mouth.
“M-Maybe a little?”
“Good grief.”
The Dark Sword shook her head and resolved it all at once.
Countless dragon remnants burst out into the air.
“Now, hurry and take them. Disciple.”
Sinhyeok smiled and ran over, catching them one by one with tap, tap, tap.
Soon, his pocket was filled to bursting with numerous dragon remnants.
After carefully putting away the rest, he waved to his master.
“It’s a bumper harvest.”
Clutching his bulging pocket tightly, Sinhyeok returned to the village.
When Sinhyeok returned to the annex, he neatly spread the cracked core and the dragon remnants of each attribute that he had brought back on the table.
“Hmm, do I just mix them together?”
He simply spread his hands and kneaded them freely.
He shaped them like clay.
“They mix better than I expected.”
The Dark Sword, who had been quietly watching from behind, felt the common sense she knew crumble for a moment at this strange sight.
“Can energy be touched just because one touches it?”
“Can’t you do it, Master?”
“Why would that be possible? If someone could do that in the first place, would they even be human?”
After saying it, she found it a little strange.
“As expected, you are not human, but some kind of youkai who uses cunning tricks, are you not?”
“Hey now. Are you really going to keep saying that to one of your few disciples?”
“You ridiculous fellow. You have only learned one breathing technique.”
“Haha.”
While conversing with his master, Sinhyeok happily kneaded the dragon remnants.
“The colors are pretty.”
Each color was shining vividly like a rainbow.
Then, the more they were touched, the more transparent the colors became, and soon they began to unify into one.
“It’s working. It’s working.”
They slowly amplified into a single energy and scattered radiant light.
Seeing that light, the Dark Sword felt a strange stimulation and an enlightenment came to her.
‘All streams return to the source. In the end, is this not what it means for all streams to return to the source?’
Looking at the light, Sinhyeok felt that now was the perfect timing to bring out the core.
‘Now!’
Sinhyeok quickly slapped the cracked core onto it and rubbed it in.
“Come together. Come together.”
The Dark Sword felt as though he was playing with clay rather than performing alchemy, and the auspicious light and moment of enlightenment retreated.
“Truly, how lowbrow.”
“Huh?”
Sinhyeok, who had not heard because he was concentrating, turned back and asked.
“Keep doing what you were doing. I shall do what I was doing as well.”
Sinhyeok continued rubbing the core quickly.
At some point, he felt a pulse beating from the core.
‘It’s beating?’
When he let go, the core rose into the air on its own.
Soon, it pierced through the ceiling and soared into the sky.
“Is it done?”
Sinhyeok and the Dark Sword came out of the annex and watched the core soaring in the air.
“There it is.”
They saw the core flying up into the sky, and the enormous form visible above it.
‘It’s here.’
A vastness whose size could not be measured.
At that sight, every cultivator and every dragon in this Dragon Soul Corridor paid attention.
‘It has certainly been repaired.’
The Supreme Dragon’s immense gaze turned toward the core.
‘Human. I shall accept the contract.’
A broad smile spread across Sinhyeok’s lips.
“Nice.”
The enormous figure of the Supreme Dragon began to compress into a smaller form.
Soon, it fell from the sky toward the ground.
At last, he landed gently on the ground with the core in hand.
The man with long black hair looked at Sinhyeok with a satisfied expression.
“Not bad.”
“Ah, yes. I am pretty not bad.”
His hand naturally extended.
As the Supreme Dragon looked at him in puzzlement, Sinhyeok said shamelessly,
“Why do you keep pretending not to know? If I give you the signal, shouldn’t you just hand over that Transcendence thing on your own?”
The Dark Sword clicked her tongue at his astounding shamelessness.
“Tsk, what an impudent fellow.”
The Supreme Dragon said with a smile,
“How can you ask me to give again what I have already given?”
“Pardon?”
At the words that it had already been given, Sinhyeok wore a blank expression, while the Dark Sword looked as though she had attained a great realization.
“The Origin. That is the path that leads to Transcendence.”
“Correct. That young lady has realized it, so why can this foolish one not understand?”
The Supreme Dragon clicked his tongue as he toyed with the core.
But Sinhyeok sighed.
“I don’t know, so please explain in detail.”
“Tsk-tsk. With a hint of this level, every human here would understand.”
At the Supreme Dragon’s rebuke, Sinhyeok frowned.
“I am, strictly speaking, the guy who cleared that contract or quest or whatever it was. If not, take it back. I’ll just have to break that core again.”
At Sinhyeok’s threat, the Supreme Dragon flinched in surprise.
“You… insane human! How dare you!”
He swiftly pulled the core behind him.
“Do what you did once more to your own heart. If you try it, you will know.”
With a puzzled face, Sinhyeok took out the remaining mang-a remnants.
He kneaded them again and looked at the Supreme Dragon with a suspicious expression.
“I’m doing it? I’m really doing it?!”
“Good grief! I told you, hurry up and try it!”
At his urging, Sinhyeok stuffed it into his body while filled with suspicion.
Hwaaa.
A clear, refreshing sensation spread sharply through his entire body. A wondrous feeling seized Sinhyeok.
At the strange sensation of floating, a smile naturally formed on Sinhyeok’s face.
‘Is this Transcendence?’
When he glanced at his body, there was nothing like what they had called the traces of a dragon.
‘It looks normal?’
The other thing was near his heart. Something heavy had settled there.
It was surely his soul, and yet something formed like a crystal had taken its place in his heart.
As the exhilaration faded, Sinhyeok looked at the Supreme Dragon with a bewildered face.
“That’s it?”
“What were you expecting?”
“No, I mean, if the power of a dragon clearly blooms, shouldn’t scales appear, and wings sprout, and things like that?”
The Supreme Dragon chuckled.
“Kheuheup.”
At that irritating laugh, Sinhyeok frowned.
“Hey, seriously, do you know that laugh of yours is really unpleasant?”
“Kheup. Are you human, or are you a dragon?”
At the Supreme Dragon’s question, Sinhyeok thought for a moment before answering.
“I’m human.”
“Then it is only natural that you show the form of a human. The forms of those people are mere shells. They are under a terribly great misconception.”
At those words, Sinhyeok realized that transcending through the power of a dragon was, in truth, a misconception.
“Then what if someone contracts with a dragon and receives its power?”
“Dragons are cunning creatures. By nature, they enjoy pranks and do not tell others the correct answer.”
The Supreme Dragon himself criticized dragons.
“Unbelievable.”
“Well, even if they know, most cannot do it. So it is given in the sense that they should take at least that much with them.”
Sinhyeok clicked his tongue and looked at these dragons differently.
“They’re pure scum.”
“Kheup. Well, it may look that way to you. But if I must speak from our position, it is appropriate intervention. If one interferes in every fate, things will be smashed to pieces.”
“Ah, yes. I’m sure that’s so.”
Though it was his soul, Sinhyeok found the something pulsing like a heart fascinating.
“It’s really strange that this counts as Transcendence, but why don’t I feel anything?”
“Because your level is far too lowly and feeble. That Origin was also adjusted to suit your level.”
Crack.
At the brutally belittling remark, Sinhyeok became displeased again.
“Cursed mouth.”
The Supreme Dragon did not back down and replied,
“Cursed head.”
“Ah, yes! Good grief, I should hurry up and leave. But how do I get out of here?”
He pointed slightly at Sinhyeok.
“Like this.”
Sinhyeok’s body began to turn transparent.
And his surroundings were becoming blurry again.
“Ah, like this?”
The Supreme Dragon poked his heart with a finger and said,
“I shall not forget your grace, ‘Last Alchemist.’”
“Oh~? Just in words?”
At that mouth that kept chattering until the very moment he left, the Supreme Dragon ended up laughing.
“A dragon’s words are not hollow. They are also steadfast. I, Zarkanos Verheim, Lord of the Abyss, make this promise.”
A faint spread of black-red flame bloomed over Sinhyeok’s heart.
“You shall forever be a friend of dragons.”
Sinhyeok did not know what it meant, but welcomed it for now.
“A friend with good connections is always welcome.”
“Very well. Now hurry up and go, human.”
Just before he disappeared, Sinhyeok’s eyes met the Dark Sword’s.
“Master! Let’s be sure to meet outside!”
She chuckled.
“Do as you like.”
“That’s right! Your name! What is your name!?”
The Dark Sword told him calmly,
“Namgung Hyea.”
“Okay! We’re definitely meeting!”
Srrrk.
After Sinhyeok disappeared, the Dark Sword soon returned to her usual indifferent expression.
She posed one question to the Supreme Dragon, who still remained.
“Supreme Dragon. May I ask you just one thing?”
He answered while putting the core into his robes.
“I am in a particularly good mood, so just one.”
“Can a human handle every energy of all things without discrimination or limitation? And even knead it without any repulsion?”
The Supreme Dragon answered with an expression as if it were obvious.
“Of course not. That is… something only that fellow can do. It is a domain possible only for the Alchemist, who handled all things with his fingertips.”
The Dark Sword calmly nodded.
“Thank you.”
She turned around, intending to leave and resume her training as before, but the Supreme Dragon stopped her.
“You follow me as well.”
“Pardon?”
She looked at the Supreme Dragon, who had already turned and was walking away.
“You too have been swept up in fate, so I shall give you some help. I will teach you, a lowly human, a little about how to contain all things.”
“Ah….”
The Dark Sword hurriedly followed behind him.
The Supreme Dragon carefully stroked the core he had placed in his robes and recalled an ancient era, one close to the beginning.
‘My lord and my father. I meet you once again.’
Soon, he smiled.
Naturally, dragons disguised as humans gathered around him.
“Father.”
“Dragon King.”
The Supreme Dragon looked back.
Hundreds, thousands, and more dragons looked at him and bowed their heads.
“Has the time come?”
The representatives of the dragons of each color and attribute knelt before the Supreme Dragon.
“It will not be long. Now, it is time to open the gate.”
The Supreme Dragon raised his head and said to the golden man,
“How are the filthy worms of evil?”
“They are writhing. In the universe that will become one again, they are waiting for an opportunity.”
“Prepare. Ready yourselves for the final war.”
At the Supreme Dragon’s command, the Golden Dragon asked quietly,
“When will it be?”
“That screw-loose fellow will know when the time comes.”
Everyone realized whom he meant.
“He will return, filled with rage. That will be when we step forward.”