Chapter 146

Chapter 146

Trait ‘Link (S).’

A Trait Suhyeok had purchased from the Hidden Shop the previous night for 6.4 million Coins.

[Your bond with Black Dragon ‘Sylvie’ deepens.]

[Progress toward Trait ‘Link (S)’ activation: 43%.]

[Once Link activates, you will be able to use ‘all’ of the target's Traits and Skills.]

There were conditions for establishing a Link.

The target couldn't simply be a member of the same race.

Most importantly...

The target's consent was required.

Up to ten Links could be maintained at once, so Suhyeok had already connected it to Seong-a and Baul, whose very concepts as beings were different from ordinary races.

[Link with Ego Sword ‘Seong-a’ has been activated.]

[You may use the target's Traits.]

[Link with Shadow Knight ‘Baul’ has been activated.]

[You may use the target's Traits.]

The range of Traits available to Suhyeok had expanded even further.

It was no longer limited to Plunder.

Now he could also use the Traits of beings bound to him.

That meant he would eventually be able to use the Traits of knights created from shadows as well.

And the same applied to Sylvie, whom Suhyeok was currently feeding.

"Ububuu-!"

[Trait Plunder is available for this target.]

[Trait - Sylvie Valkheim]

• Dragon Eye (S)

• Polymorph (S)

• Dragon Tongue Magic (S)

Dragon Tongue Magic.

The magic used by humans was, in essence, a systematized form derived from the Dragon Tongue Magic of Black Dragons.

In other words...

Dragon Tongue wasn't human magic.

It was dragon magic.

Its power was different.

Even the very principles that formed its spells existed on another level.

And Dragon Tongue is one of the rarest Traits even among Black Dragons.

The fact that neither Kaiden nor Bellian possesses it proves that.

There was a simple reason Suhyeok hadn't simply plundered it.

Humans couldn't use the Dragon Tongue of Black Dragons.

That was the limitation of species.

And Dragon Tongue itself was an Authority of Black Dragons.

Of course...

Suhyeok's body was already something close to a hybrid between human and Black Dragon.

If he plundered it, using it probably wouldn't be difficult.

Even so...

He chose not to.

Taking it would be no different from making an enemy of the entire dragon race.

There was no reason for Suhyeok to create that kind of unnecessary risk.

"...Your aura has changed."

Bellian stared at Suhyeok.

"You feel like a completely different existence compared to yesterday."

"Do I?"

Suhyeok answered indifferently.

Bellian looked at him and thought.

The Dragon Eye saw through everything.

His own Dragon Eye could look beyond even the target's essence.

His father Kaiden could probably see even deeper.

Gulp.

Bellian's hand trembled.

Sweat ran down his forehead as he almost took a step back without realizing it.

W-What in the world is this...?

The Suhyeok reflected in his Dragon Eye...

Felt like a supreme existence.

Something from a dimension far above Bellian himself.

Far above anyone else in this Sanctuary.

The instant Bellian had seen him earlier...

His body had instinctively flinched and nearly prepared for battle.

It had been pure survival instinct.

The desperate reaction of a living creature preparing to risk death in order to survive before an overwhelmingly superior existence.

In simple terms...

Bellian had felt crushing fear toward Suhyeok.

"You need to rein in the aura you're releasing."

"Look behind me."

"They can't even move."

Suhyeok's gaze shifted toward the maids behind Bellian.

"H-Hngh...."

"P-Please spare us...."

They couldn't even meet Suhyeok's eyes.

Their bodies trembled helplessly beneath the pressure unconsciously leaking from him.

Sylvie, on the other hand, seemed perfectly fine.

Probably because their Link was already partially connected.

• Yeah, we can feel it all the way from here. Just how much stronger did he get? lol

• Seriously ㄷㄷ He's definitely surpassed ordinary Players now.

• I bet even lower-ranked Constellations wouldn't be a match for him anymore lol

• There hasn't even been a case of a human becoming a Constellation, and I've never seen anyone get this strong before lol

Even the Constellations seemed shocked by the change in Suhyeok's Rank.

He had clearly surpassed the level of a mere Player.

Controlling it really is difficult.

The previous night...

Suhyeok had consumed the Moonfall Herb he received from Ruzian and the Celestial Fruit he got from Shaka.

The energy had been so immense that he'd needed to circulate it through cultivation all night.

His growth limit had been removed.

And his Internal Energy stat had doubled.

[Your Internal Energy has risen beyond a certain threshold.]

[Your enlightenment in martial arts has already reached the level required for the next realm.]

Suhyeok could instinctively feel it.

He was close to reaching a new realm.

Right now, he stood at the absolute peak of the Transcendent Realm.

The next step was the Profound Realm.

And perhaps...

Even the Life-and-Death Realm that he'd never reached before his regression.

The moment Sylvie's Link fully activated...

That might become the trigger.

Ding!

[Your Rank has far exceeded the limits of the 70th floor.]

[The ‘Dragon of the End’ on the 99th floor strongly recognizes your existence.]

The Dragon of the End....

So now I can feel it too.

Its gaze.

And....

Suhyeok looked at the chat window blazing with activity.

More precisely...

At the countless Ranks of the Constellations he could now sense beyond it.

Before the regression, he hadn't noticed any of them.

Now...

He could feel each Constellation individually.

And if Suhyeok eventually became a Constellation himself...

Things would change even further.

"My apologies."

"I'm still not used to it, so controlling the aura is difficult."

Once Suhyeok gathered it back in...

Color finally returned to Bellian's face.

The maids relaxed as well.

"Hoo...."

"Please be careful from now on."

"If you do that during the Great Council, the elders may interpret it as hostile intent."

After Sylvie finished eating...

Suhyeok picked her up and started to leave.

Bellian looked at him curiously.

"Hm?"

"Where are you taking Sylvie?"

"I'm taking her outside for a bit."

"Though by outside, I only mean the garden in front of the estate."

Roughly forty percent remained before Link fully activated.

To close that gap...

Suhyeok needed to deepen their bond a little more.

"I-I see...."

Bellian cleared his throat.

"Ahem."

"..."

"Ahem! Ahem!"

He kept clearing his throat as though deliberately trying to be heard.

And apparently...

He intended to keep doing it until Suhyeok reacted.

[What is wrong with that guy, nya?]

[He's been making noise nonstop and it's driving me crazy, nya.]

[And you already fed her! Why do you have to take her outside too, nya?!]

Leon sounded thoroughly annoyed.

He'd acted the same way while Suhyeok was feeding Sylvie earlier.

He kept grumbling and throwing looks around.

Enough to make Suhyeok wonder whether Leon genuinely disliked the situation...

Or was simply jealous that Sylvie was receiving so much attention.

[Do whatever you want, nya! Hmph!]

For now...

Suhyeok ignored Leon and addressed Bellian.

"What?"

"Is there a problem?"

Only after Suhyeok spoke first did Bellian finally stop coughing.

He answered awkwardly.

"Well, there isn't exactly a problem..."

"But..."

"Could I perhaps come with you?"

"As her uncle, I'll need to become familiar with Sylvie and grow closer to her."

Then he began rapidly listing one reason after another.

Suhyeok let most of it pass in one ear and out the other.

The maids nearby looked like they were doing the same.

In the end...

Everything Bellian was saying came down to one thing.

Let me come too.

"...Fine."

"I don't mind."

"Th-Thank you!"

Bellian's face brightened immediately.

"Haha! Then I'll go to the garden ahead of you and prepare everything!"

He sprinted away in an instant.

The direction he was heading...

Was where the Family Head's office was located.

...Don't tell me he wasn't planning to come alone.

"Ubub?"
("Mister?")

Sylvie tilted her head while nestled in Suhyeok's arms.

Suhyeok let out a faint sigh and turned away.

"It's nothing."

"You don't need to worry about it."

"For now..."

"Yes."

"We should go outside."

Meanwhile...

Two enormous adult dragons were flying through the air toward the Valkheim estate.

Their scales glowed red.

Red Dragons.

Behind them flew another Red Dragon that was almost fully grown.

The difference in size was obvious.

Tap.

Around the middle of the mountain range where the Valkheim estate became visible...

Two women landed after using Polymorph.

"It feels like it's been a long time since we came to House Valkheim."

"Not since Sister Sylvie died."

"Right, Celine?"

"So Big Sister's granddaughter is really here?"

"Mael."

The two Red Dragons called each other Celine and Mael.

They belonged to House Kyren...

Sylvie's maternal family.

The reason they'd personally come to Valkheim was simple.

The granddaughter of their eldest sister Sylvie...

Sylvie herself...

Had appeared.

Celine suddenly froze.

Her gaze locked onto somewhere near the Valkheim estate.

"You felt that earlier too, didn't you?"

Mael's expression grew sharp as well.

"...Yes."

"There was definitely an enormous presence."

"And then it vanished in an instant."

"If it disappeared that suddenly..."

"Could it have been the Family Head?"

"No."

"Impossible."

Celine shook her head.

"It was different from the Family Head."

"The aura we felt for that instant..."

"Clearly surpassed even the Chairman."

She had lived for thousands of years.

As a member of the Great Council...

Even she had never sensed anything like it.

"What in the world was that aura?"

"It felt like a Black Dragon..."

"And yet somehow not."

Neither of them dared approach recklessly after the presence disappeared.

Then...

"Mom."

"Aunt Mael."

"Can I go ahead first?"

"I'm curious about that cousin too."

"Wait, Rex──!"

BOOM!

He had already started moving before she could stop him.

Celine reached out...

But Rex had already released Polymorph and flown away.

She sighed heavily while watching her disobedient son disappear into the distance.

"Haa...."

"Why does he even ask if he's just going to go anyway?"

"He's my son, but..."

"At times like this, he really takes after his father."

"Completely reckless."

"Leave him."

Mael shrugged.

"It's House Valkheim."

"Nothing serious is going to happen there."

"And even if something does, Bellian is around."

"He'll handle it."

Unfortunately...

Their expectations went in a completely different direction.

BOOM!

Rex landed in the middle of the Valkheim estate's garden after using Polymorph.

For some reason...

His face was filled with obvious displeasure.

"...What the hell?"

"Who are you?"

"And why are you holding my cousin?"

Suhyeok stared at the boy, who looked around sixteen.

Those three presences I felt earlier.

Judging by the red hair, they must've been Red Dragons.

Then they definitely sensed my aura too....

Suhyeok adjusted Sylvie in his arms.

So who exactly is this arrogant little dragon?

Then he realized it.

The young dragon standing before him was...

"I don't know how some mere human got into this place..."

Rex glared at Suhyeok.

"But if you know what's good for you, put that child down."

"Otherwise..."

"You're going to regret it."

Red Mana unique to Red Dragons began spilling from Rex's body.

The ground shook violently beneath the pressure.

Young or not, a dragon is still a dragon.

I shouldn't underestimate him completely.

The older Red Dragons would probably arrive soon and resolve this anyway.

But first...

It would be better to neutralize that hostility.

Highly condensed Mana began gathering around Rex's Mana Heart.

Perhaps because he was still young and didn't know how to hold back...

He looked ready to blow away the entire area.

"Looks like talking nicely won't work."

Rex gathered his full strength.

He was about to unleash his Breath.

Then...

Flash.

"...!!"

Suhyeok vanished from in front of him.

Rex's eyes widened.

He belatedly sensed Suhyeok's presence and tried to turn around.

But...

"You should sleep for a while."

"W-Wait──"

BOOOOOOM!!!

Rex's head was driven straight into the ground.

He instantly lost consciousness.

Suhyeok shook off the fist he'd used.

Then looked down at Rex, who had been knocked out far more deeply than intended.

"...I misjudged my strength."

"Well..."

"He'll probably be fine."

"I didn't hit him hard enough to kill him."

"He's a dragon, after all."

The way Suhyeok spoke about a dragon as if he'd merely dealt with an ordinary monster left Leon speechless.

[...Wow.]

[I don't even know what to say anymore, nya.]

[Ugh, whatever.]

[Deal with it yourself, nya.]

Sylvie, meanwhile...

Only smiled even more brightly.

"Ubuuu-!"