*Thump, thump, thump, thump!*
Theo’s heart raced, pumping furiously in sync with his dantian.
*Boom, boom, boom...!*
The intense pulsation reverberated like the opening drums of a battlefield, sending a powerful shockwave around him.
As the heat rose, the flames that ignited over the searing winds turned into bright yellow sparks, scattering wildly in all directions.
The more his blood boiled,
the faster it rushed through his veins.
The more the flow accelerated,
the more his magical power amplified, infusing immense strength into his body.
Bulging veins stretched taut across his forearms, climbing up his neck and covering half of his face. Theo’s pale complexion appeared even more ghostly as a result.
Yet, that was far from the end.
All of Theo’s artifacts began to resonate, adding their strength to his own.
『How long has it been since you awakened the Dragon Blood? And already you’re using it? You’re an impatient partner, truly.』
A voice, almost like laughter, seemed to echo faintly in the distance.
『Very well. If you’re to be my partner, you should be able to handle at least this much. Coincidentally, I’m digesting right now, so I’ll lend you some aid.』
For a brief moment, Theo thought he saw a flash of light before his eyes.
*Ziiing!*
[The Blessing of the Guardian Dragon has commenced.]
[‘Talent: Dragon Blood’ has activated, automatically awakening the ancient dragon lineage within. All ancient dragon relics exhibit fierce resonance.]
[All acquired special abilities are temporarily enhanced.]
[All strengthening abilities are temporarily fortified.]
[All artifact effects are temporarily amplified.]
.
.
A cascade of messages appeared before Theo’s eyes.
*Boom!*
Theo stomped the ground with fierce force.
Numerous beams of light filled his vision.
And Theo threw himself straight into them, cutting through the steam swirling over his skin, his Dragon Slayer Sword burning bright red, eager to annihilate the enemy before him.
Each of those beams transformed into the sword’s trajectory, becoming a blazing inspiration in his mind.
[All Buff state initiated.]
[Time limit: 5 minutes.]
[Countdown begins.]
[00:05:00]
[00:04:59]
.
*Whoosh—*
The power of the Dragon Blood didn’t only affect Theo’s physical body.
It extended to every relic of ancient dragons he’d gathered, along with every skill and special ability he’d acquired through them.
*Thump, thump, thump, thump...!*
*Boom, boom, boom, boom...!*
Theo, hearing the pounding of his heart as if drums were right beside his ears, relentlessly pressed his attack against the Ghost Slayer Captain.
*Crash, crash, crash—*
‘What kind of power is this?’
*Clang! Clang! Clang!*
The Ghost Slayer Captain winced with pain each time he deflected Theo’s blows, as if his wrists were about to snap.
Failing to keep up with Theo’s overwhelming onslaught, he was driven back from the altar to the center of the platform in moments.
In truth, he had been underestimating Theo all this time.
After all, how strong could such a young boy possibly be?
How remarkable could this backwater’s so-called Kriemhilt’s Mystique really be?
Even sealing the Sea King had relied on ancient relics, hadn’t it?
Everything about Theo seemed dubious to him.
So far, the Floating Archipelago’s forces hadn’t proven to be much at all, showing pride typical of islanders but lacking the power to handle even a single Ghost Slayer unit he commanded.
But this time, it was different.
It was clear now: Theo was no ordinary foe.
Had the tales of mystique not been exaggerations, after all?
Something clicked in the captain’s mind at that moment.
Ragnar.
Hadn’t strange phenomena like this been known to occur occasionally in that cursed northern household?
He’d heard stories of lowly junior warriors of no worth suddenly becoming capable of slaying dozens, even hundreds, of soldiers overnight.
And those warriors shared one common trait.
“You... You’re a direct descendant of the Ragnar family.”
*Grind*
The Ghost Slayer Captain clenched his teeth, glaring at Theo.
Now, rather than reacting with surprise, he calmly defended himself against Theo’s attacks.
“But I’ve never heard of someone so young among the Ragnars being this strong. The youngest, Torkel, is already in his mid-twenties, yet you don’t even look that old. Who are you?”
Theo twisted one corner of his mouth into a smirk.
“Didn’t the High Dragon warn you about me?”
“High Dragon? You mean Lord Edd?”
“Who else would I mean?”
A flicker of recognition flashed in the Ghost Slayer Captain’s eyes as he recalled a few scattered reports Edd had shared across the units worldwide.
Among the new generation of Ragnar, a boy named Theo Ragnar required careful attention. Not just for his talent, but for his cunning. A striking young man with long hair and a nearly beautiful face, making him easy to spot.
Back then, he’d thought Lord Edd’s extended time with the Ragnars had made him overly cautious, even regarding a child.
But perhaps that caution hadn’t been so misplaced?
At the end of that message had been one final warning:
*In case of a clash, eliminate him as your top priority. However, if given a chance, disengage swiftly to avoid the high probability of retaliation.*
A chance.
Did that chance include time to gather Kriemhilt’s mystique?
A chill ran down his spine.
This chapter is updat𝙚d by freeweɓnovel.cøm.
“Enough idle talk. We’re hardly close enough to exchange pleasantries.”
A surge of inspiration filled Theo’s gaze as he swung the Dragon Slayer Sword diagonally.
<Nibelung’s Claw – Slash>
*Clang!*
The Ghost Slayer Captain barely managed to deflect Theo’s precise strike, clenching his teeth in pain.
*Grind*
“Arrogant brat.”
Even if Lord Edd had warned him to avoid a direct confrontation...
There was no way he could retreat after being pushed back by a mere child and still claim his title as a Ghost Slayer Captain.
“First that warrior, and now you – your Ragnar clan never shuts up.”
“That’s because we have the skill to back it up.”
The Ghost Slayer Captain’s eyes narrowed as he prepared to counter, only for his spine to tingle with an ominous sensation.
What was that?
Just as he turned, something shot out of his shadow, jaws wide open like a shark lunging at its prey from beneath the water’s surface.
He had no time to comprehend what it was – all he knew was that he had to defend himself.
Pouring mana into his left arm, he tried to unleash his aura, but—
*Crunch!*
“Guh!”
His aura passed right through the shadow, hitting the wall behind instead, while those monstrous jaws clamped down on his left arm and shoulder, tearing them clean off.
*Splat!*
The pain of his arm being ripped away defied description, his vision swimming with stars.
And before he could counterattack, the creature retreated back into the shadows, leaving him reeling.
“Wai...vvern?”
Why was there a wyvern here, especially one acting like this?
The beast seemed more vicious, larger, and covered in a rippling black shadow.
In truth, Umbrac had begun its evolution into a spectral dragon after absorbing the purified venom of the Sea King, but the Ghost Slayer Captain couldn’t have known that.
Theo, however, knew and was quite pleased.
A triumphant screech echoed from Umbrac.
“Well done, Umbrac.”
*Caw!*
Theo acknowledged his loyal creature, and, following a new spark of inspiration, swung the Dragon Slayer Sword again.
*Crash, crash, crash!*
A fierce storm of searing winds and lightning surged around the Ghost Slayer Captain, Umbrac lurking like a shark in the shadows, ready to strike.
“This little...!!”
The last thread of the Ghost Slayer Captain’s composure finally snapped.
The fact that he was being toyed with by a child humiliated him, the pain and blood loss from his missing arm gnawing at his sanity.
He swung his aura-imbued blade at Theo’s head, but—
*Clang!*
It was intercepted by the Dragon Slayer Sword.
*Flash! Flash!*
In that moment, Selperd, Arin, Ray, and Marti, enraged by the death of their comrades, joined the fray, pushing him to his limits.
“You... will die!”
Outraged by his allies’ deaths, Marti leapt in, forcing the Ghost Slayer Captain to fend off five swordsmen and a fearsome beast simultaneously.
*Clang, clang, clang!*
Even with his elite skills, the Ghost Slayer Captain was hard-pressed to hold his ground.
‘There must be a way.’
Theo focused all his energy, reading every movement of the Ghost Slayer Captain.
As his brain burned with focus, Theo split each motion down to fractions of a second, tracing the flow of mana and aura.
His vision sharpened, the world around him slowing to a near halt as his perception outpaced time.
*Thump, thump, thump...*
His eyes bloodshot, Theo’s intense red gaze locked onto the Captain’s unsteady stance from his missing arm.
The right side of his waist, then his left shoulder.
Theo moved his hand to his waist, holding his breath.
When his breathing and stance aligned—
—he drew his sword.
*Flash!*
<Nibelung’s Claw – Rupture>
The gleaming strike tore through the world like the fangs of a ravenous beast.
In that instant, the focus Theo had achieved, the searing concentration that made the world stand still, shattered as his attack hit its mark.
The Ghost Slayer Captain’s side, from his right waist to his left shoulder, bore a deep, jagged wound as if slashed by a dragon’s claw.
Splurt!
‘Not deep enough!’
Theo instantly realized the strike hadn’t been as effective as he’d hoped. The captain had instinctively pulled back at the last second, lessening the impact.
“Kill... you...”
The realization that he had narrowly escaped death led the Ghost Slayer Captain to make his final, desperate decision.
<Bloodlight Convergence – Stage Two>
<Reverse Blood Explosion>
A brilliant crimson light flared around his body, radiating a painful glare.
With his body primed for self-destruction, an explosive surge of mana blew Theo and his allies several steps back in an instant.
“I will kill you, Theo Ragnar!”
The captain charged directly at Theo, determined to end it all.
‘I must stop him...!’
[00:00:01]
[Time limit reached.]
[As a penalty, all stats are temporarily reduced by 50%.]
Theo’s arms wavered as fatigue crashed over him, his speed failing to match his heightened senses.
Whoosh!
He crossed the Dragon Slayer Sword and Moonlight Blade in an ‘X’ to block the oncoming strike.
「Everything’s a mess, truly.」
Suddenly, an immense pressure filled the air, bearing down on Theo and the Ghost Slayer Captain alike.
Theo staggered, dropping to one knee, while the captain’s charge faltered as he fell flat on the ground.
“......!”
“......!”
“......!”
“......!”
Selperd, Arin, Ray, and Marti looked over, words caught in their throats as they felt the suffocating weight around them.
It was as if an invisible hand was squeezing their lungs and hearts, holding them captive.
The same pressure gripped everyone present—Ghost Slayer members, temple knights, and the remaining Black Skull members alike.
Silence descended like a shroud.
In that instant, this place became the sole domain of a mysterious intruder.
「Everything here is an utter mess.」
A man slowly rose, commanding the scene with a chilling presence.
Wearing a wooden mask that obscured his face, his robe billowed in the tension-filled air.
It was Noyle.
He tossed something to the ground with a nonchalant gesture.
Thud...
Two severed heads rolled across the floor, one belonging to a terrified Umberto Spinola, the other to Giuseppe Grimal, his face frozen in shock as though he hadn’t understood why he had to die.
「This chaos was certainly not part of the plan.」
Behind his mask, Noyle’s eyes gleamed coldly.