“We can’t get close!”
“Damn it! Antoniou! What are you all planning?!”
*Whoooosh—*
A powerful wind and scorching heat radiated from Kriemhild’s Colossus, blocking Selpard and Arin’s path.
They cast Antoniou murderous looks, but he, too, was at a loss, anxiously stomping his feet.
The Colossus’s sword had already shattered, and cracks spread across the entire structure.
‘These idiots! If they were going to do something, they should’ve done it right! How could they mess it up this badly?!’
Antoniou instinctively realized that the Gang Brotherhood’s mission had failed.
If they had succeeded, the situation wouldn’t have descended into this chaos.
The relic’s rampage.
Soon, all of the Autonomous Territory would know about it.
And Black Skull would be blamed for everything.
His father, Umberto, would likely try to distance himself, claiming the Spinola family had nothing to do with this mess.
He was trapped, with no good options.
‘Maybe... I could pin this on them?’
Antoniou stole a glance at Selpard and Arin.
He briefly considered framing them and spinning a story where Black Skull had tried to stop them.
But—
*Shing!*
“Your eyes bother me.”
Arin had silently drawn her sword, pressing its edge beneath his chin.
Antoniou bit his lower lip in frustration.
At that moment—
*WEEEEEEEE!*
A siren blared, cutting through the tense atmosphere.
*Thump, thump, thump!*
“They’re here!”
“A report’s come in! An intruder has been detected around Kriemhild’s Colossus! Move to subdue them immediately! If they resist, shoot to kill!”
“Summon the mages! Quickly! The relic is running rampant!”
Outside, the guards were scrambling into action.
Soon, their situation would be discovered.
Antoniou exchanged quick glances with Selpard and Arin.
They agreed to leave this place immediately and deal with the fallout later.
But first, they needed to retrieve their allies near the Colossus—no easy feat with the intense heat blocking their way.
Just standing nearby was enough to make breathing difficult and to scorch their skin.
“All you need is a path, right?”
At that moment, a new voice spoke.
Selpard and Arin quickly turned to locate the source.
Suddenly, white frost descended from the sky, and a blizzard tore through the air.
*Crunch, crunch, crunch!*
The wind split apart, leaving a layer of ice on the ground.
And a swordsman appeared.
It was Rey Ragnar.
“The Ice Blade?”
“This won’t hold for long. Move quickly.”
Though surprised by Rey’s sudden appearance, Selpard and Arin didn’t question it. They sprinted across the ice-covered path.
Antoniou hurried after them, fully aware of the urgency.
* * *
“Could I have a cup of tea?”
At the Plum Blossom Palace, an unexpected visitor had stirred things up early in the morning.
The Palace Lord of Sujeong Palace, Niel, had arrived.
Though they had once been close, almost like sisters, the relationship between the two had cooled after both became wives of Kyle. It was rare for the two to meet.
Clearly, they had private matters to discuss.
The servants quietly set down the tea tray and withdrew from the palace.
*Clink.*
“The teacups are lovely. You always had an eye for things like this.”
“What brings you here, Palace Lord of Sujeong?”
“Must I have an agenda to visit?”
“It’s strange for someone who only visits with a purpose to say such a thing.”
“...I don’t really have a good answer to that.”
Niel gave a bitter smile as she set her teacup down.
“I need advice on my daughter.”
“Are you trying to irritate me by bringing up children to someone who has none?”
“There’s a rumor that you’ve taken in an adopted son.”
The Plum Blossom Palace Lord smiled softly without answering.
Her demeanor was elegant and serene.
It sharply contrasted with Niel’s cold, steely appearance.
And that only grated on Niel even more.
“You look delighted with yourself.”
“Have I raised this son? He came to me fully grown. I consider it a blessing.”
“Could you stop with the formal tone? It’s awkward.”
“That depends on your actions, Palace Lord of Sujeong.”
Niel sighed.
The world thought the reason for their distance was a petty rivalry over their husband, Kyle. But the truth was, that wasn’t a big enough reason to drive them apart.
The real reason was closer to Niel’s fault.
From the beginning, it was because the Plum Blossom Palace Lord could not bear a child...
“A few days ago, Rey left Sujeong Palace. She went to help Theo. She even secured approval from the commander of the Black Iron Dragon Squad without me knowing.”
“....”
“So I let her go... But you know how hard Rey’s life has been.”
The Plum Blossom Palace Lord quietly sipped her tea.
Niel continued to pour out her concerns.
“I always knew she’d leave my side someday, and I thought I was prepared. But now that she’s gone, I can’t stop worrying.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. What should I do?”
Worry filled Niel’s expression.
Who would have thought that the woman often called an ice statue due to her lack of expression would look so concerned?
The Plum Blossom Palace Lord knew Niel better than anyone—there was no one as sentimental as her.
This content is taken from fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm.
Her icy exterior was only a mask to conceal her true self.
“Niel.”
Finally, the Plum Blossom Palace Lord decided to open her heart a little.
“Hmm?”
“Compared to what you put your mother through, this seems like a minor concern.”
“...”
“Think about how you troubled her. You nearly burned down Sujeong Palace twice, and if we consider that the Original Dragon lacks hair because you plucked it all out...”
“...Why are you bringing that up?”
“Because it’s relevant.”
The Plum Blossom Palace Lord continued, unfazed.
“A daughter is a mirror of her mother. She simply mimics what she observes in her mother.”
Niel was momentarily speechless.
Memories of her own behavior around Rey flashed through her mind...
“A mother’s duty is simple. To watch over her daughter, who mirrors her, and to be a source of comfort and guidance when she’s struggling.”
Niel recalled how the previous Plum Blossom Palace Lord had quietly comforted her, even as she wept bitterly over her own mistakes.
“And it’s no different for a son. I’m waiting for Theo here without interference, for that very reason. I’ll be here to welcome him when he returns.”
Niel closed her eyes, letting the Plum Blossom Palace Lord’s words sink in.
Something,
something deep and indescribable stirred within her heart.
* * *
“This is insane.”
Theo exhaled deeply.
He’d lost track of how long he’d been running.
Days had blurred together as he dodged arrows and bone spears that seemed to appear out of nowhere.
He hadn’t rested, eaten, or slept properly in days, and exhaustion was taking its toll.
His magic reserves were nearly depleted.
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He’d managed to collect a significant number of the remains, but the journey was far from over.
**<Flame Dancing>**
The wildfire continued to consume the forest, and though he’d built up resistance to the Dragon-Slaying trait, which made hunting the Dragon’s Tooth soldiers easier—
‘This place is too vast, and there are too many of them.’
The jungle was far larger than he’d anticipated, and the Dragon’s Tooth soldiers numbered in the tens, if not hundreds, of thousands.
‘There has to be another way.’
But no solution presented itself.
All he could do was keep fighting.
Day after day.
Another day. Then another.
Days turned into weeks.
He’d lost all sense of time, feeling as though he was caught in a never-ending cycle of battle with the Dragon’s Tooth soldiers.
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[You have successfully gathered part of Kriemhild’s remains. (53/206)]
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“Hah... hah...!”
Bleeding and barely able to see straight, Theo gasped for air.
Just as his vision started to blur completely—
*Whoosh!*
He heard the sound of an arrow whistling through the air.
Theo tried to deflect it, but his body, heavy as soaked cotton, refused to obey.
*Thunk!*
The arrow struck him square between the eyes, and he toppled backward.
*Splash!*
Blood poured from his wound.
Death loomed over him.
At that moment, his inventory suddenly opened, and items spilled out onto the ground.
Kriemhild’s remains he’d collected, and among them, the wooden box containing Garuda’s Heart.
The box rolled to a stop in the pool of blood beside him.
*Thump, thump, thump...*
The box began to pulsate.
*Thump, thump, thump!*
Theo’s heartbeat, which had been slowing due to blood loss, began to pick up again.
The rhythm of the two hearts slowly synchronized.
*Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!*
Suddenly, a volley of arrows rained down, embedding themselves in Theo’s body.
The Dragon’s Tooth soldiers, frustrated with Theo’s relentless resistance, took out their fury by shooting arrows at his lifeless form. Some of them even stomped on his body, while others tried to burn him with fire.
Thump, thump, thump...
But the heartbeat echoing from the ground didn’t fade. Instead, it grew louder, becoming strong enough for the Dragon’s Tooth soldiers to hear.
Squawk?
They stopped, turning their heads to locate the source of the sound.
Squawk! Squawk!
A few of them pointed to the ground.
The heartbeat was coming from beneath them.
Rumble...
The ground began to shake, pulsing with the rhythm of the heartbeat.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Squawk!
The Dragon’s Tooth soldiers began to panic, clicking their jaws in fear. Some instinctively screamed, sensing that something unknown was approaching.
With each beat, the tremors intensified, reverberating throughout the jungle.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Then—
CRASH!
The blood pooling on the ground, where Theo had fallen, began to ripple and spread outward across the jungle floor. The pulsing heartbeat merged with the rippling waves, drawing in every drop of blood Theo had spilled throughout the jungle. It all gathered in a single point above him.
Kriemhild’s remains also floated up, each bone finding its place as if piecing together a puzzle.
The sternum took shape, followed by the right leg.
Theo’s blood pooled into a central cavity, forming the shape of a heart, with Garuda’s Heart at its core.
When the two hearts aligned, they fused, creating a new, powerful heart that began to beat with newfound strength.
Thump...
With every beat, muscle fibers extended like vines, wrapping around the bones.
Skin formed over the muscles, and a figure began to emerge.
As the figure solidified, it resembled the Kriemhild Theo had glimpsed in the fragments of memory.
Though still incomplete, her form was unmistakable.
Kriemhild’s apparition descended slowly, kneeling beside Theo.
She met his gaze, a soft hand brushing his face with warmth and sorrow.
Whoosh—
Then, Kriemhild’s spirit began to merge with Theo, as if returning to her rightful place within him.
And in that miraculous moment, Theo’s body regenerated, his wounds healing as he opened his eyes.
Flash.
A fierce light glowed in Theo’s eyes.
[Using Garuda’s Heart, you have successfully achieved regeneration.]
[Kriemhild’s remains and spirit have been used as materials. Kriemhild’s legacy is now imprinted on your body.]
[You have gained Advanced Dragon-Slaying resistance.]
[You have gained the Dragon-Knight trait.]
“Looks like... I’ve survived.”
Theo struggled to his feet, his body creaking with each movement, yet a grin spread across his face.
All thanks to the miraculous properties of Garuda’s Heart.
[Garuda’s Heart]
Type: Elixir, Material
Effects:
Type: Special Perk
Description: Allows the user to revive once. However, items currently held by the user are used as materials for the resurrection.
Theo paid particular attention to the specific requirement for resurrection.
‘So I always need materials to revive. This is a drawback but could also open opportunities for higher achievements if used correctly.’
By using Kriemhild’s remains as materials for his resurrection—
‘My body now carries the talents and venomous aura of Ragnar, while my bones have been replaced by Kriemhild’s.’
He had now become a being that combined the dragon’s lineage with the achievements of a dragon slayer.
This wasn’t Theo’s own invention; it was inspired by a disciple of Hilda’s in his previous life.
-Now, he no longer feared the Dragon-Slaying trait.
Of course, some of his body was yet to be fully replaced with Kriemhild’s remains, but he could still finish the process by collecting the remaining parts.
With heightened senses, Theo quickly located the scattered remains of Kriemhild in the jungle.
He drew all four Deathbeat daggers and sent them to each location, using the Drake Blade as support to help himself stand.
‘Let’s pick up the pace.’
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[You have successfully gathered part of Kriemhild’s remains. (180/206)]
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With his body quickly adapting to the new power, Theo moved faster, dispatching Dragon’s Tooth soldiers with ease.
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Finally, Theo arrived at his last destination: a cave nestled in a remote part of the jungle.
Inside, he found a weathered skull lying on the ground.
[You have successfully gathered part of Kriemhild’s remains. (206/206)]
[You have completed the recovery of all remains.]
[The Mystery has been fulfilled.]
[Kriemhild’s final message will now be revealed.]