Yong, the blue dragon that accompanied Song Hyeong-gi. A growl Su-hyeun had heard a couple of times before from the creature entered his ears and he turned his body toward the source of the noise.
He could now see the azure-blue sky where faint clouds floated lazily by, and, below them, a wide plain dyed a rich green hue. And there was a massive blue dragon lying down on it, with its wings comfortably folded in.
<< Itâs really a dragon. >>
The sleeping dragonâs stately aura was truly amazing, even though it was curled up in slumber. Its overall size was about the same as Song Hyeong-giâs dragon, and it was also the same blue color as well.
<< The highest color in the dragon hierarchy is red, and the lowest is purple, wasnât it? >>
According to the explanation from the book Malcolm had lent him, the blue dragons were the most common.
[40th floorâs trial will now commence.]
[Save the world of dragons. The dragon before you will guide you.]
ââŚ?â
Since the explanation was way too simple, Su-hyeun decided to silently wait for more. But no further explanation was offered even after some time had passed. The only thing he could rely on now was the dragon before him, contently sleeping away.
<< Things are complicated from the get-go. >>
Su-hyeun frowned as he studied the sleeping dragon. Nothing came across as a clue to him. If one had to be picked out, though, then it might be related to where exactly he was at the moment.
<< The world of dragons, is itâŚ. >>
Well, he could somehow tell that by looking at this dragon slumbering away without a care on this wide-open field.
In this world, the existence of dragons wouldnât be seen as something special. More than likely, a human such as him would be treated as an even more rare existence here.
<< But, what am I supposed to âsaveâ in this place? >>
The world seemed rather peaceful to him. Almost as if there wasnât really a need to save anything.
<< Maybe thereâs some kind of a defect somewhere? >>
When that thought popped up in his mind, Su-hyeun shook his head. That was something heâd discover gradually in the future. If the systemâs message was to be believed, then the dragon before his eyes would do the job of guiding him.
âHey, Miru.â
Riiip-
Su-hyeun called out, and, immediately, Miru tore through space and emerged outside. The dragon had grown larger than him at this point. Laughing happily, it bounced around everywhere, brimming with energy.
Gurung, gurururung-
Miru was still like a little kid despite its larger bulk.
In the midst of its bouncing about, it discovered another dragon and its eyes opened much wider.
âIt looks like you can stay outside in this place.â
Su-hyeun couldnât let Miru outside often, afraid that the larger physique of his red dragon might inconvenience other people, or get mistaken for a monster.
But this was the world of dragons, so Miru being outside shouldnât pose any problems, whatsoever. No, being outside, even if it was deliberately so, might be for the best, actually.
<< I might be able to get more clues about Miru this way. Even if itâs just one more, itâs worth it. >>
Su-hyeunâs interest in all things related to Miru was quite big, to say the least. Even someone like Song Hyeong-gi, who hoovered up whatever little morsels of information related to divine beasts he could, had no idea what kind of an existence Miru was, after all.
Honestly, there was a chance that even the other dragons wouldnât know much about Miruâs identity. The blue dragon accompanying Song Hyeong-gi didnât know anything either, despite instinctively lowering its head towards Miru.
âI wonder if I can communicate with them, thoughâŚ.â
Su-hyeun began walking toward the sleeping blue dragon.
From what Song Hyeong-gi had said, a dragonâs slumber could last for a few years at the longest. He felt a little apologetic about waking it up, but that didnât mean he was willing to give up on his trial and wait here forever.
âExcuse me. May I speak to you for a moment?â Su-hyeun called out to the blue dragon. The creature wiggled a little, but buried its head even deeper and snored loudly away once more.
âHmmâŚ.â
In the end, Su-hyeun stomped on the ground.
RUMBLE-
Krr-ruk-?
The impact resonating on the ground woke the dragon up. It mustâve been in a really deep sleep.
âIâd like to speak to you.â
Kurung, krrrrâŚ.
The dragon discovered Su-hyeunâs presence and mumbled something as it rubbed its drowsy eyes.
-What is a human doing here?
A baritone voice could be heard. But rather than entering his ears, it was transmitted directly into his brain.
Su-hyeun was greatly relieved to know that he could communicate without issue and said to the dragon, âYou seem to know the language of man quite well.â
-I mastered the translation magic perfectly by the time I was one hundred years old. Even if you werenât human, but some barbaric race without a developed language, I still wonât have a problem understanding you.
âThatâs great to hear.â
-Answer my question. What is a human doing in this place?
âThatâsâŚ.â
Su-hyeun hesitated, not knowing how to answer that.
<< Forget about not believing me, would this guy gets p*ssed off instead if I said I came to save this world? >>
Dragons naturally thought of themselves as a superior species than human beings. According to the book Malcolm lent him, it was dragons who taught humanity magic, as well as many other enlightenments and even civilization itself.
That was why dragons always thought that they were being merciful toward humanity, but never believed the latter could help them out.
<< Should I say Iâm lostâŚ.? >>
It was thenâŚ
The blue dragon finally spotted Miru, and shot up from its half-curled up position.
-A red dragon??
Gya-ong, gya-rururuâŚ
Miru mustâve gotten scared by that, because it hurriedly hid behind Su-hyeun.
<< Is it that scary? >>
Su-hyeun looked at Miru hiding behind him before shifting his gaze back to the blue dragon. For sure, this guy was on another level compared to Song Hyeong-giâs dragon, even if their sizes were roughly the same.
Unlike that manâs dragon, which was only a few years old, this blue dragon emitted the feeling of vast, indescribable history.
<< Just how old is this guy? >>
The strength of dragons was divided into two categories.
First, by color.
Second, by their age.
Considering that, this blue dragon before him might not be of a higher rank than Song Hyeong-giâs dragon, but it would easily best the latter simply through the sheer number of years it had lived so far.
-That red dragon, is it with you?
Su-hyeun replied to the blue dragonâs question, âYes. Weâve been together for about two years.â
-But, why� With a human�
âDo you know something about Miru⌠no, wait, this red dragon?â
-âŚ.
There was no immediate reply. That was enough for Su-hyeun to become sure of it, though.
<< Bingo. >>
He could tell instinctivelyâthis reaction, this silenceâdidnât come from not knowing anything. So, Su-hyeun became quite confident that heâd learn more about Miruâs identity from this dragon.
-Where did you meet that red dragon?
Rather than replying with âas a reward for my trialâ, Su-hyeun came up with a suitable-sounding answer, instead. âIt hatched from an egg I came across coincidentally.â
-From an egg, you say?
âYes.â
-âŚIs that so.
The blue dragonâs expression turned cloudy as it thought deeply.
Even though the creature learned this for the first time, it nodded its head as if it had expected as much. Su-hyeun addressed the dragon again, âJust what kind of an existence is the red dragon? AndâŚ.â
He hesitated slightly before continuing on cautiously.
âWhat is the current situation of this world?â
The blue dragon slowly alternated its gaze between Su-hyeun and Miru.
-Why donât we talk while on our way?
âExcuse me?â
The blue dragon turned around, and its long tail came down to rest on the ground. It was obviously telling him to climb up on its back.
Su-hyeun hesitated again slightly, before climbing up while consoling the still-scared Miru. Whatever the cause might have been, this blue dragon was supposed to guide him anyway, according to the system message.
-Iâm setting off.
Flap-
The blue dragonâs large wings unfurled. The creature kicked the ground and shot into the sky quickly, then began telling its tale.
-Red dragons are, in a way, symbols.
Finally, the mystery around Miru began to unravel. Su-hyeun listened closely in great anticipation.
-Red is the symbolic color that signifies the direct lineage of the lord of all dragons, the dragon king.
âThe dragon kingâŚ.?â
That mustâve been their way to denote a royalty. The idea of lineage seemed to also exist within dragon-kind, and body-color was how that lineage could be differentiated.
And the color red ranked the highest, symbolizing the direct descendants of the dragon king.
Gya-rrng-?
But Miru, born with such a noble bloodline, was tilted its head this way and that in confusion, as if to ask, what are you even talking about?
Su-hyeun could only sigh softly at that utterly-unconcerned attitude and continue with his questioning, âIn that case, where can I find Miruâs family? And what exactly is happening to this world?â
The blue dragon hesitated and didnât say anything for a little while, before finally replying in a quiet voice.
-No more⌠direct descendants of the dragon king survives.
âExcuse me?â
-Itâs like I said. Theyâre all dead. Some dragons say they ran away, but, whatever the case might be, the only red dragon currently remaining is most likely this little child over here.
That was an unexpected discovery. Su-hyeun was thinking that he might get to meet other red dragons, who should be slightly larger than Miru, but now, none of them were alive?
âHow can that even beâŚ.?â
-There was a war.
âWhat war are you talking about?â
-I canât describe it well. Seeing it with your own eyes will be better.
Fwoooosh-
Thick bluish clouds suddenly enveloped Su-hyeun. He didnât fight against it and patiently observed the unfolding development. Not too long afterward, the view in front of his eyes transformed. Even his sitting figure felt weightless, as if he was soaring through the air.
Ruuuuumble-
Boom, ka-boooom-!
Kiiii-aaaaah-!
Explosions and screamsâaccompanied by a pitch-black sky above. Su-hyeunâs eyes narrowed as his vision caught these new sights.
âAn illusion?â
Su-hyeun was currently floating in the airâwhile still in the same seated posture.
He knew that this was all an illusion, but, after looking at the details on display, he began thinking this had to be a recreation of something that happened in the past.
<< Is this the war the blue dragon was talking about? >>
He saw the corpses of dragons in the distance.
The corpses were intermingled with the remains of other monsters, littering the ground, utterly soaked in blood shed by the dragons.
<< Wait, isnât thatâŚ. >>
It was then that Su-hyeunâs eyes caught the sight of a rather familiar monster.
Kiiii-aaaah-!
A gigantic turtle revealed itself in a lake in the distance.
<< The Titan Turtle. >>
From its massive physique, occupying at least half of the lake, plus its shell that boasted unrivaled defensive capabilityâSu-hyeun was well acquainted with that creature.
<< Whatâs a creature only found inside navy-colored dungeons doing in hereâŚ.? >>
When he took a closer look, though, it wasnât the only powerful monster he recognized.
Most of the demonic beasts waging war against the dragons throughout the battlefield were quite similar to the monsters he knew.
Among them were some weak creatures whose appearances he recognized despite their names escaping him, as well as an occasional gigantic monster like the Titan Turtle.
Currently, the Titan Turtle was engaged in a battle against a group of orange-colored dragons. Those dragons were so massive that they didnât lose out to the turtle-shaped monster in sheer size.
The sight of five orange-colored dragons engaged in a fierce battle against the Titan Turtle was a spectacle of the highest caliber.
<< Iâm sure of it now. >>
Su-hyeun knew what this war was, the one shown in the blue dragonâs illusion.
<< This isâŚ. the one that I also know. >>
The black sky, and the sudden invasion of monsters.
The dungeon outbreak that couldnât be stopped anymore.
Thud, boom, boom-
He sensed a massive presence. His head quickly swiveled in that direction.
The presence of one singular creature felt the largest within the world created inside the illusion. Which implied that the one responsible for the illusion was most conscious of this creature than anything else.
And Su-hyeun didnât need to see it to know just what that thing was.
<< Itâs coming. >>
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The boss of all these demonic beasts, slowly striding toward his location.
A giant with the head of a dragon.
<< Fafnir. >>
The moment he saw the creature, thick, heavy killing intent began oozing out from Su-hyeunâs body.