Chapter 40

When the dark wizard who had been the source of the plague turned into a handful of ash and vanished, the evil aura that had spread from him began to gradually thin. The deathly silence that had weighed on the forest lifted, and in the distance a nameless bird’s song could be heard. The forest was still sick, but it began to breathe, little by little.

“Master, are you all right?”

Kael approached with a pale face and asked. He was still trembling all over from the uncanny power and ruthless interrogation his master had just displayed.

“I’m fine.”

Rian brushed the dust from his clothes as if nothing had happened. But inside him, the mana that had raged like a storm was settling back into a calm abyss. The battle with The Devil’s Tear and the successive fights had been a good test of his new body and power, but they also made him aware of the danger of a force not yet fully controlled.

“Kael, you should return to the estate first. Relay my orders to Argos, and stay with Father and Mother and Lily so they don’t worry. I have somewhere to stop by.”

“You intend to go alone? It’s dangerous!”

“Don’t worry. It’s an invited visit.”

Rian patted Kael on the shoulder and, without hesitation, stepped deeper into the forest. His destination was the mountain rising like a massive wall at the center of the monster forest, the resting place of the ancient red dragon, Ignis.

Alone, Rian’s pace quickened. He no longer hid his power. Trees and rocks, wind and earth, every being that made up the forest seemed to open a path for him. Poisonous vines curled away from him, and ferocious monsters fled in terror when they sensed him. The forest acknowledged him not as an outsider, but as its new ruler.

After some time, a vast cliff appeared before him. In the center of that cliff yawned a massive cave, the dragon’s nest, the ‘Dragon’s Maw’.

As he approached the cave entrance, an overwhelming pressure that seemed to make every cell in his body scream washed over him: ‘Dragon Fear.’ It was the absolute presence of a top predator that would drive mortals mad and stop their hearts. But Rian did not flinch. Instead, he felt a strange longing and familiarity in that oppression.

He stepped into the cave without hesitation. Had Kael seen it, he would have fainted. The interior was far larger than imagined, and treasures of gold and silver flowed like a river across the floor. Mountains of wealth stacked up, enough to exceed the empire’s yearly budget many times over.

And atop that mountain of treasure, ‘it’ lay sleeping.

A colossal body dozens of meters long. Scales redder and seemingly harder than lava from an active volcano. Wings folded along its back that, if spread, would cover the sky. Eyes closed as if containing all the wisdom and history of the world.

It was the ancient red dragon, Ignis.

Each breath he exhaled made the entire cave tremble subtly. Rian quietly walked up the treasure mound and stood before the sleeping giant’s face.

Instead of making a sound, he drew his mana into a thin thread and lightly touched Ignis’s snout, sending the greeting, ‘Long time no see, friend.’

At that moment, enormous eyelids that had been closed for centuries slowly opened. Golden dragon eyes turned toward Rian. Within them was the drowsiness of one just awakened and an ancient wisdom that seemed to pierce through everything.

[…A little one, are you.]

It was a majestic, languid voice that resonated directly in his mind.

[The fearless human child who disturbed my slumber years ago. You smell far more interesting than then. From your soul… there is a taste of star lore mixed with abyssal mana.]

“Long time no see, Ignis. Looks like you’ve slept well.”

Rian answered through his mind as well.

[Yes, a very sweet sleep. But why did you dare disturb it? Do you wish for me to pluck out your small heart and add it to my hoard?]

There was a killing intent in Ignis’s voice, but Rian did not lose his smile.

“Tell him I came to clean because mold started growing in your resting place. Have you ever heard of something called the ‘Ashen Wyrm’?”

At Rian’s words, Ignis’s golden eyes dimmed coldly for the first time.

[You dare speak the name of those repulsive worms before me. Somehow you’re still alive, little one.]

Ignis lifted his immense head and brought it right before Rian’s nose. Even that exhalation could have swept Rian away, but Rian remained calm.

“Those worms tried to make your body their new home and dirtied my front yard. So I cleaned them up for you.”

Rian compressed the events that had just occurred and transmitted them mentally.

[Hoho. You dealt with that so-called vanguard? That plague’s power, all by yourself?]

Amazement and interest flickered in Ignis’s eyes.

“It’s my hunting ground. It’s rude to dump trash without the owner’s permission.”

[Krahaha! An insolent little one! I like you!]

Ignis’s laughter echoed throughout the cave.

[Very well, little one. I acknowledge your boldness and strength. I will give you information about those disgusting worms. But…]

Ignis’s golden eyes pierced through Rian.

[What can you give me?]

The ancient dragon was proposing a bargain to the small human.