The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 319

213. Dragonification

Thud— Thud—

[Krrr…….]

“Good. Good. Just wait quietly.”

Milliana seemed pleased with the blue-scaled Drake, lightly patting its cheek with a smile.

Whoosh……!

Swish……!

Even after the ship docked on the island, Drakes still flew in the sky.

However, they only circled, flapping their wings, not daring to descend near the island.

The reason was that the wild Drake that had attacked them earlier was now bowing its head to Milliana.

“This one must have been the leader of those guys. Lucky for us. We don’t have to fight unnecessary battles.”

Milliana said, pointing at the blue-scaled Drake.

“To not only subdue a wild Drake with force but also truly tame it… I didn’t think there would still be someone like you, especially not in this day and age, far removed from the Magic Era.”

Altemann was amazed by the sight.

The fact that it was a leader meant that the blue-scaled Drake already had the ability to win even if it fought the Drakes above.

“She’s definitely a skilled Sword Master, but there are probably more than ten people on the continent with similar skills. Aren’t you overestimating her too much?”

Altemann shook his head at Carryl’s words.

“Of course, the top ten on the continent you’re talking about can hunt Drakes. But taming them is a different story. You know that too.”

“True. Although it’s faint, the Digon clan has dragon magic. This proves that dragon blood flows in her body.”

“It’s more than that. The Digons existed even during the Magic Era. Well, they weren’t called barbarians back then… I met the Digons even a thousand years ago.”

Altemann looked at Milliana with interest.

“Even in that era when magic was flourishing, there was no one like her. It’s amazing. Magic tends to weaken with each generation… She has deeper magic than her ancestors from a thousand years ago.”

Carryl chuckled.

Altemann had no idea that he had elevated her dragon magic by one level.

“Isn’t it a good thing? A Sword Master with dragon magic. And now she even commands Drakes, so morale will soar just by her appearing on the battlefield.”

“That’s true, but…”

Unlike Carryl, who was already thinking about how to utilize her in the war against the Empire, Altemann had an uneasy expression.

“Carryl, look at the size of these scales.”

She held up a blue dragon scale from the Drake and said to him. It was definitely large enough to be mistaken for a dragon’s.

“How is it? Mine is better than yours, right? It’s a cool scale. I’ll call you Blue Scale from now on.”

Carryl shrugged and turned away at her childish boasting.

“From here on out, it’s uncharted territory. Everyone, stay alert, as we don’t know what to expect.”

Carryl said, steeling his resolve.

“Understood.”

“Yes.”

Aidan and the Snakels nodded in response. Since the first monster they encountered on the island was a Drake, they couldn’t help but be nervous about what awaited them inside.

Kuggggg…….

The active volcano in the center of the mountain occasionally growled, and black smoke continued to rise into the sky.

The party slowly moved forward in the eerie atmosphere.

“They won’t come down again, will they?”

“As long as Blue Scale is with her, they won’t target us. The leader’s scent will keep emanating.”

Juke Di Hold glanced at the scale Milliana had and nodded.

“That’s a relief.”

They had witnessed the process of the Drake being tamed by Milliana’s overwhelming power, but they had already fought Drakes with their own strength.

They realized the significant difference and, though ashamed, the Assassins of the Dark wished to never fight Drakes again.

[Kyak…… Kya-gak…….]

At that moment.

Just as they were sighing in relief, the sound of rustling bushes and strange noises made them quickly scan their surroundings.

“Everyone, draw your weapons.”

Carryl remained calm, drawing Ice Claw and lightly twirling the sword.

“Even if the ones outside the island let us in, it seems the ones inside still don’t want to let us pass.”

In that instant,

Red eyes covered them.

* * *

“Everyone, scatter!!”

At Juke Di Hold’s shout, the Snakels hid in the forest.

Dugududeuk―!!

Dugeugeu―!

With a ground-shaking sound, the lush trees of the island instantly fell to both sides, snapping in half.

Kuang!!

A huge monster emerged from the bushes.

It relentlessly rammed the rocks on the beach where the party had been standing, shaking its head from side to side and panting.

It had long horns protruding from its forehead and a waddling gait like a rhinoceros, but it was larger than an elephant and its skin shone smoothly like a beetle’s shell.

Kwang―!!!

Another roar erupted, and another monster of the same shape emerged from the forest, sprinting, but unable to control its speed, it plunged straight into the seawater.

[Pur……! Pupupupu……!!]

It shook its head and walked onto the beach, panting.

People were speechless, staring at the enormous monster.

“……What is that?”

Milliana frowned, looking at the monster that was snorting and preparing to charge again.

[Kyak……!! Kyaaaak……!!]

When the monster’s attack shattered the rock where she had been standing, Blue Scale roared as if wary of it, but for some reason, it couldn’t approach.

“It’s a magical beast I’ve never seen before. Even the wild Drakes are afraid of it. What on earth is it?”

“Burguster…….”

“Hmm?”

Carryl muttered with a stiff face, looking at the rhinoceros-like monster.

[Chwi…… Chwi…….]

Rough breathing could be heard whenever it looked down and breathed.

“Why is a Floor monster here?”

“Floor? What do you mean?”

Milliana asked back.

“I’ll explain later. Dealing with them comes first.”

At Carryl’s words, she drew Ark and Gale.

[That monster. If your memory is correct, Floor refers to each level of Parell, right? Then does that magical beast mean it’s a monster inside the Tower of Parell?]

Alrn asked in his mind so that others couldn’t hear.

‘Yes. It’s a type of corruption. The oracle hasn’t been given yet, and Parell hasn’t appeared yet…….’

[Hmph. It’s not entirely impossible. The Council of Seven Elders also created something similar to corruption. You remember, right? The black monster we first cut down at Gray Academy.]

‘Of course.’

[And, of course, the Platinum Dragon told us how to create it.]

Carryl nodded.

The Immortal Guild also created something similar, but its perfection was significantly lower.

‘There are two possibilities for why that thing is here. Either the Platinum Dragon’s level of creating corruption has risen to this extent, or it can directly summon corruption.’

Either way, there was a decisive conclusion.

‘In our past life, when Gray Academy couldn’t be conquered, we first learned about the existence of corruption after the oracle was given. But seeing this, Nar Di Maugh has been researching corruption for a long time.’

In his past life, he didn’t mention it at all until the oracle was given. In the end, it meant he had been deceiving them.

“Everyone, listen carefully! Twenty-five people will form a group to attack it. The primary goal is to never die. You are valuable assets. There’s no need to be sacrificed carelessly in a place like this.”

“Twenty-five people? Is it that strong?”

Aidan slowly gathered his magic power.

“Its shell has tremendous durability and elasticity. But it has weaknesses. Restrict its movements and target the joints between the shells.”

“Targeting small gaps…… That’s what we’re best at.”

“That’s right. If it were just one, that many people wouldn’t be needed. The problem is that they live in groups.”

“……Yes?”

Carryl said, looking at the completely destroyed forest inside.

“It’s coming.”

Woodudududududu―――!!

Kugugugu―――!!

At that moment.

A cloud of dust soared from inside the forest with a tremendous roar, and those clouds were gradually rushing towards the party.

“Aidan, Juke Di Hold. You two take half of the Snakels and handle the two behind us.”

Aidan said with a stiff face, looking at the rising dust clouds.

“We’ll take care of the rest.”

Aidan and Juke wore stunned expressions at Carryl’s nonchalant words as he looked at the monsters, which seemed to be at least a dozen.

“Yes?”

“No. Carryl, you stay put.”

Milliana stretched out both arms downward towards the Burgusters that were running towards them.

Udeuk― Udeudeuk―

Then, the sound of bones twisting could be heard from her spine, and red scales sprouted on both arms.

“Mutation?! No, she doesn’t even have the Master Key? What is this…….”

Altemann couldn’t help but be shocked at the sight.

As half of her face was covered in scales vertically, Milliana looked like she was wearing a half-dragon mask.

“Just like you gained power in the Thousand-Year Ice Cave, I haven’t been idle either.”

Paat―!!

She sprinted into the forest at an incredible speed that couldn’t be followed with the naked eye.

Kwaaaang―!!

Kwagang!!!

Milliana forcefully pressed down on the Burguster’s head with her hands covered in scales that had sprouted like claws.

[Keeeek……!!]

Then, its hind legs were lifted high, and its face was slammed into the ground.

“What is that form? A human wearing a dragon mask. That magic power…… Is that why the Drakes follow her?”

Altemann said, marveling at Milliana’s overwhelming force.

“Leave it to me.”

She stood on top of the Burguster that had collapsed in one blow and said quietly.

* * *

“This is the last one!!”

Milliana shouted in a shrill voice, stabbing two twin swords between the Burguster’s neck.

[Keue……! Keueeek……!!]

The monster, flipped over like a turtle and wriggling its short legs, had lost all of its previous imposing appearance and stomped its feet before screaming and collapsing.

“Easier than I thought.”

Seureung―

As the magic power contained in every strand of her hair disappeared, she shook her head from side to side, tossing her hair.

“Hoo.”

“That’s a magic power manipulation method I’ve never seen before.”

Altemann said, watching the scene.

“My dragon magic is far inferior to yours. So, I was worried while you were away.”

Milliana replied.

“Fortunately or unfortunately, my body, mixed with Elven blood, is more excellent at absorbing magic power than ordinary humans. So, I tried to condense dragon magic directly into my body instead of a weapon.”

“A type of body modification technique.”

Carryl nodded as if he understood.

“That’s right.”

“And the result is this.”

Udeuk― Udeudeuk―

As she pulled out the sword she had stabbed into the Burguster’s neck and rotated her shoulder, it made a loud noise as if the abnormally protruding bones were being realigned.

The skin had also changed, with the red scales that had sprouted as if half-covered in dragon scales appearing and disappearing.

“That’s right.”

As the transformed appearance disappeared, she nodded with a low sigh.

While Aidan and Juke Di Hold’s Snakels were catching two Burgusters, Milliana faced seven alone.

Thanks to that, Carryl and Altemann leisurely caught one each and then watched her fight.

“I named it Dragonification.”

“What a grand name.”

“Grand? It has that much effect, doesn’t it?”

Carryl chuckled at Milliana’s words.

‘She was one of the Ten Chosen by the Oracle, but her skills are now beyond comparison to her past life.’

Carryl somehow thought that she might be the one to hunt the first corruption that would descend after the oracle was given.

“Can I learn it too?”

She asked at his question as if it were unexpected.

“You’re already strong enough, but you really have no end to your greed for strength? Stop trying to take away other people’s livelihoods.”

“Who opened the door to dragon magic?”

She pouted at Carryl’s words.

“Hmph. But this will be difficult for you too. It’s possible for me because I have a body that received Elven blood, but you’re just a human, no matter how great you are. It’s not just about condensing magic power in the magic circuits, but injecting dragon magic into the muscles and skin of the body. I don’t know if your body can undergo a body transformation that can handle dragon magic.”

“The condition is Elven blood, you say.”

“That’s right.”

“Elven blood…… Hmm, I see.”

Carryl repeated her words, as if contemplating something.

“Let’s go.”

Then he said as if it were nothing.

Kug…… Kuggeugeug…….

A tremor echoed from the huge active volcano in the center of the island, and black smoke was rising as if lava would erupt from the crater at any moment.

“That’s where the Platinum Dragon’s lair is, right?”

“That’s right.”

The forest-dense island might seem difficult to navigate, but the path was surprisingly simple.

Seokeong―

Milliana drew her sword and cut through the bushes on the side facing the volcano, not the original forest path.

“Creating a path is the fastest shortcut.”

Even after facing and annihilating enormous monsters that could sweep away an entire kingdom, they didn’t even break a sweat and began to walk deeper inside.