<The Demon Lord of the Swordsmanship Family Chapter 136>
While roaming around LA with Bom, I received a notification that the packaging was complete and headed for “Dragon’s Lair.”
However, the moment I entered, I was lost for words at the sight of the Red Dragon.
“Take a look at this guy…”
It was indeed the blonde beauty I met for the first time.
Just up to the neck. Below that, he was completely battered.
A full-length cast was connected to his chest from his right arm. And the metal rods inserted in both legs – whatever they were, he seemed to be using some strange device as he awkwardly wheeled himself out.
“Are you pretending to be pitiful right now?”
“…It’s not that.”
“Not that? What do you mean not that? Don’t I know about dragons? Huh, you’re funnier than you look.”
Of course, dragons have transcendent regenerative abilities. The reason they don’t regenerate instantly like trolls is because each part of a dragon’s body and organs are so highly developed that there’s a delay in regeneration.
The hit I dealt a few days ago was fatal, but it wasn’t a wound that couldn’t heal. Additionally, the compensation I asked for was a bit high, but it wasn’t something that warranted such dramatic groaning as if he was immediately dying.
“…Don’t misunderstand. I have pride too. I don’t want to be like this.”
“But why are you like this?”
“I don’t quite know myself. For some reason, the wounds inflicted by you aren’t healing easily.”
“…Huh, really?”
…Hmm, could the power of the giant be the cause.
In that case, it makes a little sense. This power is something even I cannot fully grasp.
“Let’s start with the accounting?”
“Here.”
The Red Dragon cautiously handed me something.
It was a ring. A chunky ruby ring shimmering with a large gem.
At a glance, it looked like an artifice for alternate space.
I didn’t bother to check the items. Isn’t it bound by the ‘Contract Document’? It’s not the kind of contract where you can fool around.
“The accounting is finished.”
I glanced at the Red Dragon.
The fool was staring at me vacantly.
“Why…”
“Man, calm down a little.”
“Human… Don’t disrespect me just because you won once. If I could only use my original power…”
“I know. Something about the duties of a guardian spirit, right?”
“…!”
Guardian Spirits were originally created to sustain the human world.
When dealing with humans, there’s a penalty. Though with or without the penalty, I can handle worm-level opponents easily these days.
But the point I’m making now isn’t about who’s stronger or weaker.
“I have one question. How many artificial spirits have you scattered outside there?”
“…”
“How come I keep running into you wherever I go? Seriously? Even Gigant wasn’t this bad.”
“…”
“Do you understand now what I’m saying?”
A Guardian Spirit must not exert unnecessary influence on the human world.
That’s the principle of a Guardian Spirit.
In my opinion from having stayed in this city for a while, the Red Dragon has clearly overstepped the line – excessively.
“If it weren’t for Gigant, you would have already been finished?”
“What do you mean?”
“Gigant is just maintaining balance. You idiot.”
Of course, it’s probably not intentional. Gigant really dislikes this guy.
However, regardless of the process, the fact that their rivalry is maintaining balance is the truth. In my view, this might be the reason why ‘God’ has left the Red Dragon alone.
“Be moderate. Stop playing boss moderately, using humans moderately, moderately confident, and moderately greedy. That’s all I have to say.”
After finishing my words, I turned around without any lingering thoughts.
“Anyway, I had a fun time.”
By this, my trip to the U.S. where I gained much is over.
Let’s go back, to home.
Optimum’s CEO Kim Yeon-hee arrives at the airport. What were the outcomes of the U.S. trip?
<Scoop> Why did the ‘Queen of Optimum’ head to the barren land of High Castle?
Optimum’s spokesperson, “We’ve shown results. Detailed situations will be announced soon.”
A shocking statement from High Castle. “We will proceed with joint research with Optimum…”
Is there any difference between these two somewhat similar but completely different fields, ‘Artificial Spirits’ and ‘Artificial Spirit Stones’?
…
…
<Photo> Gathered at the airport are the legends of ‘Sword Master and Jin-ryong’.
The man stared intently at the picture in the newspaper.
Park Geon, Kim Yeon-hee, Park Su-hyeok, Park Min-ji, Park Ki-hyuk, Park Bom, Jin Do-ha, Yoo Hae-ryun, Jin Yu-ri…
My foes are there.
The brothers, sisters, and the grandmatron killer are loathsome as they laugh.
With a crunch, the man crumpled the newspaper and closed his eyes.
And tears trickled down.
“Thou…”
That’s right.
The man’s identity was Emil.
In the past, he discarded the name Seo Chang-hyun and was reborn as Emil, the High Priest of Celutis.
Knock, knock.
At the knock, Emil hastily wiped away his tears.
Soon after, the door opened, and a man with a gaunt physique and a sharp look entered the room.
High Priest Gato, who was in charge of the Japanese branch of Celutis.
“High Priest Gato, you’ve come.”
“High Priest Emil, were you in the middle of praying?”
“Ah… no.”
Hesitating Emil.
Gato glanced at the crumpled newspaper and continued.
“High Priest Im was an eccentric person. His thoughts were unfathomable. Nevertheless… his faith was impeccable. He was one of the rare followers who truly followed The Lord. She would likely be The Lord’s closest ‘part’ right now.”
“Thank you for your concern…”
“No need. We must help each other as brothers.”
Gato’s words resonated with Emil. He was right; this was not the time for sentimentality.
“Before long, we’ll secure the ‘offering’ we’re targeting.”
“It’s taking longer than expected.”
“Our Triad connections are treading carefully unlike expected. The reason seems to be the crackdowns from both the Korean and American sides.”
“Hmm… typical of those lacking faith.”
“Nevertheless, through the Triad’s smuggling routes, we could gather ‘Salvation’ from various places. It wasn’t a total loss.”
“Fortunately so.”
Gato smiled as he moved towards the window.
Below, people shackled by all sorts of injustices could be seen. People who have been oppressed for so long that they’ve even forgotten how to resist.
Gato would return the rights stolen from them.
Under the name of ‘revolution’.
“There’s not much time left.”
The Tokyo Tower reflected in Gato’s eyes.
Back in Korea, I kept going back and forth to Jin-ryong Mountain.
There’s no need to explain the reason.
It’s because of the ‘Dragon Armor’.
This is an issue of pride.
This is the biggest project I’ve helmed since I opened my eyes in this world, so I can’t tolerate any error.
“Isn’t that spell array too excessive? Let’s reduce it a bit. Ah! The engine is fine. The engine is the core, so a bit tight is good.”
“There’s no need to worry too much about the ‘early form’. The Dragon Armor is about creating ‘materialized unique magic’. Just as every unique magic is different, the Dragon Armor will change into a different form for each user.”
“The starting point is where ‘will’ is accepted—this part here. This Dragon Armor interprets and computes the user’s will it accepts, deriving ‘truth’. That’s the fundamental mechanism of the Dragon Armor.”
Just like in the past, once I dive into the lab, I won’t stop until I get the result I’ve aimed for.
If I didn’t touch it from the start, that’s fine; there’s no compromise with my style.
To third parties, it might be a tiresome style, and even my master would call it stubborn and crazy.
But Jin Do-ha never tried to break my stubbornness.
Gratefully, he even encouraged it.
“The output seems slightly insufficient. Let’s try it again.”
“Is modification needed? Then let’s do it. If Ki-hyuk wants it, we must do it. Can’t we?”
“Just focus on how to perfectly bring your imagination into reality. Don’t worry about costs. I and our family will handle that.”
Among the tight security of the Woon-ryong Corps, the highest-quality Magic Gems were transported.
Commander Jin Do-min of the Woon-ryong Corps guarded the pocket dimension of Hyperspace like a heart.
Around him, all members of the Woon-ryong Corps stood guard, their auras so menacing it seemed like they’d cast spells immediately upon approach.
The Dragon’s Egg Force maintained Jin-ryong Mountain on a 24/7 emergency basis without a single leak. To move even in the vicinity of Jin-ryong Mountain required their permission.
But what most surprised me was the A-dragon Academy.
I thought they were at war. They were a group responsible for the academic progression and education of the Jin-ryong family, but had retired from active service due to injuries or age.
I thought they had gone to war. It was like moving a whole magic battalion. They were all powerful mages who could return to active duty immediately.
These mages acted as my hands and feet.
For reference, the youngest mage in the A-dragon Academy is 40 years old. Regardless of how it turned out, they were significantly older than me. Yet, they did odd jobs without a single complaint.
This was when I once again realized the true depth of the Jin-ryong family’s power.
The roots of the World Tree.
The steel of Gigant.
The body of the Red Dragon.
Add to this the endless support of the Jin-ryong family.
An unprecedented and unparalleled mega-project.
The Dragon Armor.
We were just a single step away from completion.
*
Jin-ryong Mountain.
A group of people ascended under the security of the Dragon Egg Force.
“That d*mn lizard, his bl**d’s boiling. He’s caught the kids like rats. Tch.”
“Did you already forget what I just said? I told you to watch your mouth.”
“He calls me ‘cat’ too.”
“Husband… this is Jin-ryong Mountain.”
“So what? Don’t worry, wife. Your husband is tougher.”
“That’s not what I meant, you… Just, please…”
Park Geon’s typical banter made Kim Yeon-hee feel a rare bout of dizziness.
But the conversation between Park Su-hyeok and Park Min-ji following behind them was even worse.
“It’s been a while since we’ve been here… Looks good.”
“All you’re thinking about is fighting.”
“What can I do? That’s how I was born. Aren’t you getting itchy too?”
“…Shut up with your vulgar expressions.”
“So, don’t you want to fight?”
“…Of course, don’t ask such obvious questions.”
The body is honest.
Since stepping onto Jin-ryong Mountain, the instincts of the Sword Master had been furiously ringing.
Thus, when the members of the family reached the peak of Jin-ryong Mountain, what greeted them was a magic circle filling the air, an enormous-scale magic circle.
“Wow…”
“The scale is…”
“Insane.”
Even they, who had fought in numerous battlefields, had never encountered a magic circle of this scale.
Just then, Park Ki-hyuk and Park Bom came to greet them.
“You’ve arrived.”
“Grandma!”
“Oh my, our Kang Sei.”
At last, the complete Swordsmanship Family took their steps within the massive magic circle. However, it seemed that the more they ventured inward, the more dazzling the magic circle became.
When they finally reached the center, the magic circle was now swimming through the air as if it were a living organism. Like fish swimming in an aquarium, the magic circles moved back and forth, causing Kim Yeon-hee to gape in astonishment.
“…Exactly how much did this cost?”
“He uprooted pillars.”
“Huh?”
At the familiar voice, they turned their heads to see Yoo Hae-ryun. Dressed in a traditional hanbok of dark blue tones, she smiled elegantly.
“Ah! Hae-ryun~ It’s been ages.”
“Brother always remains the same. How have you been?”
“Cool.”
Former comrades from the formation of Optimum.
Yoo Hae-ryun and Park Geon embraced each other lightly, expressing their joy at seeing each other again.
Then Jin Do-ha and the participants entered. The clear patterns of the dragons shone brightly on their neatly dressed traditional robes.
Everyone was present.
Now, it was time for the protagonist to appear.
The beginning and end of this project. Park Ki-hyuk stepped forward, receiving everyone’s gaze.
Father, Mother, Brother, Sister, Bom, Jin Yu-ri… He swept his eyes around, and finally, exchanged a look with Jin Do-ha.
“I will showcase it immediately. The Dragon Armor Project.”
The moment his foot moved.
An intricate hexagram appeared under Park Ki-hyuk’s feet.
Dozens, hundreds, thousands—too many to count—magic circles spread out like ripples.
Ku-kung!!
Ten sarcophagi sprang up around him.
Each sarcophagus was engraved with exquisite dragons. They depicted a red dragon and a black dragon coiling around each other, fighting over a pearl of wisdom.
Completely unexpected forms.
Kim Yeon-hee, who had expected the Dragon Armor to be merely war armor, looked at Park Ki-hyuk with a perplexed expression.
“As you see, the Dragon Armor is not war armor. It’s also obviously not Alpha Gear.”
A self-conscious puppet? No.
This is ‘materialized unique magic’.
In other words,
“A weapon completed by your ‘truth’.”
Truth (眞理).
The ultimate enlightenment that a mage seeks.
But isn’t this “truth” something latent within each individual?
Though it sounds grand, isn’t it just one of the possibilities in the larger scheme?
All humans are born with infinite possibilities. Except for the shining stars among them, they mostly end up as common stars fading into the sky.
Do these people not have their own ‘truth’?
Park Ki-hyuk believed otherwise. Every human has their own finishing line. They just haven’t reached it yet.
The Dragon Armor is a weapon that forcibly awakens this ‘truth’.
It artificially manipulates the latent potential, the unattained finishing line, and forces it into the user’s mouth.
The explanation was over. Now it was time to go to work.
“Jin Yu-ri and Park Bom. Come forward.”
Holding hands, Jin Yu-ri and Park Bom walked out, and right on cue, the pearl of wisdom emitted a glow, and smoke filled the air as the sarcophagi opened.
“Once you’re inside, remember only three things.”
First, something you’re good at.
Second, something you need.
Third, something you desire.
“Is that all?”
“Yeah.”
Jin Yu-ri’s eyes widened at the simplicity of the command. Everyone except the personnel was surprised.
But encompassed within this simple command was everything.
Something you’re good at is your ‘strength’. The field where you are most capable and confident.
Something you need is your ‘weakness’. The areas where you are short and need improvement.
When you view yourself objectively like this,
Finally, something you desire becomes your ‘utopia’.
“Lie not.”
“Like when using unique magic?”
“Exactly, like when you use your ‘dragon’s word’.”
After explaining to Jin Yu-ri, it was Park Bom’s turn next.
Bending down, Park Ki-hyuk smiled at Park Bom.
“Bom, do you understand what Daddy explained?”
Looking around at the people, Park Bom whispered,
“No… I don’t understand at all.”
Of course.
An innocent child, who hasn’t even decided on a future career, couldn’t possibly be expected to objectively view oneself.
“Don’t worry about it,” Park Ki-hyuk stroked Park Bom’s head and reassured her.
“Little Bom, just close your eyes and be still once inside.”
“Really? Is that okay?”
“Yeah, I prepared for that possibility.”
Park Ki-hyuk lifted the necklace hanging around Park Bom’s neck.
“This will take care of it.”
A necklace made especially for today. To put it simply, it’s a tool that objectively records one’s state.
“Just close your eyes and hold the necklace tightly. Can you do that?”
“Okay! I can do it!”
As Bom vigorously nodded,
Jin Yu-ri and Bom stepped into the sarcophagi, Jin Do-ha and Park Ki-hyuk exchanged a look and nodded, then began to channel mana.
Go-o-o-o-o-!
The magic circles began to rotate around the sarcophagi.
Like the planets orbiting the sun, the magic circles intertwined and transformed into various shapes.
Soon, light began to seep through the cracks of the sarcophagi.
As the rotation continued, the light grew stronger.
The faint illumination transformed into a flicker and then into a clear glow.
Then, suddenly, the sarcophagi began to change.
The first one was Jin Yu-ri’s sarcophagus.
Jin Yu-ri’s sarcophagus shattered and scattered in all directions. The scattered pieces floated around Jin Yu-ri and began to transform.
The regular blocks changed into colorful lights, gradually forming a shape.
Gradually emerging were the arms, legs… a form resembling the human body, and when all the shapes were completed, it merged with Jin Yu-ri’s body.
Park Ki-hyuk chuckled.
‘Obsessed with war armor, huh?’
Even the Dragon Armor is shaped like war gear. Truly, Jin Yu-ri loves her war armor.
On the other hand, Park Bom’s sarcophagus started to change as well.
Yet, it was a transformation completely different from Jin Yu-ri’s. While Jin Yu-ri’s sarcophagus broke, Park Bom’s melted like water.
Little Bom, following her father’s advice, kept her eyes tightly shut and held the necklace.
Under her feet, a pool of light of various colors spread out.
The expanding pool… resembling the rings of a ripple, spreading out around Park Bom.
Circles were drawn, and six beams in different directions were marked.
A hexagram.
Park Ki-hyuk’s Apocalypse unfolded.
Seeing this, Park Ki-hyuk’s eyes widened.
‘The little one.’
Truly like his own reflection.
Park Ki-hyuk smiled slightly.
As the bubbles rose over the completed hexagram. Bubbles appeared and disappeared repeatedly, like water boiling in a pot.
At some moment.
Boowaaak!
It began to inflate.
It inflated and inflated, until it formed a dome the size of a small hill.
“Is this… slime?”
Indeed.
That was precisely the right expression.
A white, formless dome, soft and fluffy. Thick and adorable in appearance.
Little Bom’s completed Dragon Armor resembled slime.
“Wow.”
“What is this?!”
“Sister! Look, Sister, it’s slime!”
“Is that so? Bom, look at me. Ta-da, it has a tail.”
“Wowaaa! Pretty!”
Soon after, Jin Yu-ri and Park Bom admired each other’s Dragon Armors. Those involved in the project congratulated each other with cheers.
However, it was too early to celebrate.
Cheering should only occur when everything is finalized, when its value is recognized.
“Alright, eight armors remain. Come forward in order.”
Dragon Armor.
A monumental weapon that will be recorded in history, completed here by Park Ki-hyuk’s hands.
