Chapter 259: Sixty-Fifth Floor, Dragons’ Grave (7)

The Community of the Dead, on the sixty-fifth floor.

[Doesn’t it feel like Su-Hyeok has been climbing the tower way too easily lately?]

[Yeah, kind of? I mean, he’s already done with this floor, and the next one is a rest area.]

[You lunatics, are you saying he should struggle more? Do you want to get hunted down by the Shadow Su-Hyeok fan club?]

[No, that’s not what I meant. It’s just that it’s lost some of its excitement? The other guys seem more interesting right now.]

[You’re saying Su-Hyeok isn’t entertaining? You bastard, if Su-Hyeok and you survive after clearing the tower, we’ll see how that goes for you.]

[No, that’s not—ah, damn. My bad.]

[But I kind of get what you mean. They say watching underdogs is usually more fun.]

[What’s the problem? He’s insanely cool. Don’t you know “SCA?” Just enjoy the show. Let Su-Hyeok do his thing.]

[SCA? What’s that?]

[It’s short for “Su-Hyeok Climbs Anyway.” You know how Koreans love their abbreviations.]

[SCA? That’s actually pretty good. SCA!]

[SCA!]

[SCA!]

[You maniacs, ugh.]

***

[Complete the Beastfolk Alliance’s request. Time Remaining: 120 hours 53 minutes.]

Nothing particularly eventful happened during the journey.

Aside from a short rest at about midday, the trip was nothing but a repetitive cycle of walking. We exchanged some conversation, but since everyone was still awkward around each other, silence filled the air more often than not.

I didn’t find that particularly problematic, however. That allowed me to plot how I would secure the legacy. In the end, I concluded that I had a better chance than I had initially thought.

Just the fact that the trial hasn’t ended yet is proof enough.

In truth, the moment I discovered that the legacy was hidden within the cultists’ hideout, the outcome was all but decided.

Moreover, by this point, I was no longer a particularly crucial figure. Even if I disappeared and left Langley and Tashak to transport the legacy, the Beastfolk Alliance would get credit for finding the lost legacy of the dragonkin.

Despite that, the tower hadn’t unsummoned me. I didn’t think it was because the tower wanted me to purify the legacy. Rather, I assumed it was simply because I had found it far too quickly.

Realistically, most of my allotted time on the sixty-fifth floor should have been spent searching for it.

I do have a hypothesis.

I hadn’t received Black Butterfly’s reward on the sixty-fourth floor, but I had collected the demon’s corpse. In a sense, that could be considered the floor’s compensation.

If that were the case, then perhaps a similar rule applied to the sixty-fifth floor as well. Maybe my ability to claim the dragon’s legacy depended on my own efforts and decisions.

It was a highly plausible theory, made even more convincing by the scale tokens I had received from Herkest and Sarkeiz.

Even a low-level bureaucrat like Tashak bowed his head without hesitation.

𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

If I played my cards right, this could very well work in my favor.

Of course, I would need to assess the situation once I arrived, but regardless of what happened, I intended to secure as many benefits as I possibly could.

I had already prepared my justifications—excuses like that if I took the legacy, it would protect the continent’s future, and the like.

Didn’t Tashak say that his boss is less than ten minutes away?

Feeling someone staring at me, I turned my head to the side. “What? Do I have something on my face?”

“N-no, it’s nothing,” Langley stammered, clearly flustered, as she quickly averted her gaze.

What was that about?

Since yesterday, she had started sneaking glances at me far more often than before. It puzzled me, since it didn’t seem like it stemmed from admiration or attraction.

Sure, I had saved her a few times, but we hadn’t known each other long enough for it to be anything like that. It was far too sudden.

If anything, she was probably starting to believe I truly was a polymorphed dragon.

A stranger appears out of nowhere, defeats a legendary swordmaster, opens a magic hole in space, and somehow has a pair of earrings that can only be earned from a dragon.

It wasn’t unreasonable for her to suspect something.

We walked for a few more minutes before I finally sensed movement in the distance. The dragonkin had noticed us, stopping their tasks. Since Tashak was with us, they didn’t display any hostility, just readiness.

After covering another two hundred meters, a cluster of cabins came fully into view. Calling them cabins didn’t quite do them justice, however, as they possessed an old-world elegance befitting a dragon’s residence.

In front of them, ten dragonkins stood waiting. Their hands rested on their weapons, poised to draw at a moment’s notice, their postures exuding subtle wariness.

One of them, standing slightly ahead of the rest, turned to Tashak and demanded, “Tashak, what is going on? You show up unannounced, bringing a human and beastfolk without so much as a report. Wait—what is that?”

Mid-sentence, the dragonkin abruptly halted, his gaze locking onto me. It took less than a second for his pupils to dilate.

“Oh, heavens. I greet a Scion of the Ancestors.”

***

[Complete the Beastfolk Alliance’s request. Time Remaining: 120 hours 21 minutes.]

“

Haha

, so that’s how things have turned out.”

The neatly arranged dining table was enveloped in a warm, convivial atmosphere. With the dragonkin openly treating me favorably and Langley seamlessly playing along, the mood remained pleasantly light.

One of the dragonkin approached, set down a bottle of liquor, and promptly walked away.

Across from me, the leader of the dragonkin, Sebedra, smiled as he said, “Please, have a taste of this. We call it Breath of a Dragon, and this one has been aged for over eighty years.”

“I appreciate it.”

I accepted the drink and offered a slightly awkward smile.

At this point, I wasn’t sure whether this was still part of the trial or if I had stumbled upon a place I could truly relax.

No—this was beyond mere relaxing. The level of hospitality I was receiving far surpassed what I would have expected.

These dragonkin even treated me with greater deference than they did Tashak, although he was little more than a minor functionary. In fact, they had even gone so far as to reprimand him.

“You brought the Scion here without informing us?! You should have summoned us immediately!”

According to Langley, the dragonkin stationed at this outpost had an especially noble heritage, to a surprising extent.

Given my connection to dragons, their reverence was only natural. It was an incredibly favorable situation for both Langley and me, as we each had something to gain from them.

After a light toast, I set my glass down, and Sebedra gazed into the air, lost in thought. “For the Scion of the Ancestors to accept the Beastfolk Alliance’s request and retrieve the legacy... it seems the ancestors truly had an exceptional eye for people.”

“Well, the dragons of old were all remarkable beings,” Langley chimed in smoothly, her tone laced with flattery.

Sebedra responded with a gentle smile and nodded toward her. “I would like to extend my gratitude to the Beastfolk Alliance as well. Thank you.”

“Oh

, ah

, no, not at all. I wasn’t even aware that Sir, I mean, Su-Hyeok had ties to the dragonkin.”

“Isn’t that how fate works? Thanks to the Scion, we dragonkin and the Beastfolk Alliance have grown a little closer. Today is truly a joyous day.”

With everything proceeding so smoothly, Langley’s expression was brighter than ever. “Thank you for your kind words.”

Inwardly, I was smiling as well. Perhaps obtaining the legacy would be even easier than easy.

I decided to move toward a conclusion, ready to end the trial. “So then, does this mean that the dragonkin will join the Beastfolk Alliance?”

“I can’t say for certain just yet, but that does seem likely. To be honest, I’ve never been fond of alliances like this, nor did I expect we would actually find the legacy.” Sebedra met my gaze. “Despite that, the opportunity to meet the Scion and recover the legacy is a direct result of the Beastfolk Alliance’s efforts. I believe future discussions will progress favorably.”

Langley’s expression brightened even further. Hearing those words, I felt confident that I had completed the trial.

Except the notification window didn’t update.

That could only mean one thing—the legacy could be a reward.

“By the way, do you have a method to purify the legacy?”

“Well, considering it has been tainted by demonic energy...” Sebedra trailed off, pondering something. “Much of the ancient magic and technology has been lost, so the only real solution is time. As the years pass, the corruption will gradually dissipate. Dragonkin live long lives, so time is not a concern for us.”

They didn’t have a proper solution at the moment. I struggled to restrain my excitement, sensing that an opportunity had arisen. I didn’t have any intention of abandoning the legacy at this point.

As long as I took it with me, I would figure something out. Besides, if time alone were enough to purify it, then it would eventually become usable.

Of course, it wouldn’t be cleansed by the time I ascended the tower, but I had the Core of Decay, and if that weren’t enough, Ha Hee-Jeong could have another way.

Though in reality, the shop is the most likely place to have a solution.

There had to be at least one item capable of purifying demonic energy. I would think about it later.

Acting calm, I asked, “Would it be possible for me to take responsibility for its purification?”

Sebedra looked at me in surprise. “Excuse me?”

Langley, though silent, reacted in surprise as well, her eyes widening. Her sharp gaze practically screamed for me not to mess it up.

Ignoring her reaction, I continued, “If time is the only solution, then the situation seems a bit precarious.”

Sebedra’s brow furrowed slightly, his discomfort evident. “Are you saying that we are dangerous?”

His words carried an unspoken challenge if I was implying that I didn’t trust them. Even if they regarded me as the Scion, such doubt was only natural.

I had anticipated this reaction and smoothly responded, “You may already be aware, but demon-worshipping cultists and fiends have begun appearing across the continent.”

“Yes. You mentioned that earlier,” Sebedra acknowledged, fixing me with an unwavering stare.

He waited for me to continue.

I let the silence stretch just long enough to create tension. “That’s not all. Not only have demonic entities like fiends returned, but a demon was very nearly born on this continent.”

“What?”

Disregarding Sebedra’s astonished expression, I rose from my seat and placed a hand on Mung-chi. “Rather than explaining, I believe it would be better to show you.”

I retrieved the sealed glass container from the mimic, revealing the demon’s corpse.

Langley, having already seen it before, remained composed. However, Sebedra was visibly shaken for two reasons.

First was the existence of the mimic, an artifact capable of storing objects in a separate space. Second was the fact that an actual demon’s corpse was right before his eyes.

“What in the world?”

“A shadow is looming over this land.”

If an intelligence operative like Langley hadn’t even heard of spatial magic before, then there was no way the dragonkin would have seen an artifact capable of storing items in a separate space.

Since I had already revealed so much, I decided to embellish the story a little. To be fair, my prophecy of doom wasn’t much of an exaggeration. If anything, I had just prevented the crisis before they could witness it themselves.

“I have never shared this with others, but my distant master was once a demon hunter.”

“What?!” Langley’s jaw practically hit the floor, her reaction almost cartoonish.

Sebedra glanced at her, clearly unimpressed by her reaction, before turning his full attention back to me. “A demon hunter. Do you mean the legendary warriors of old?”

“Yes. Though my master never considered himself a hero, just a hunter. Regardless, he fought alongside dragons and was given a token in recognition of his deeds.”

I gestured toward the mimic. “This is a tool designed to seal and purify the corruption of demons.”

After speaking that outright lie, I felt a slight pang of guilt, but I decided to ignore it. After all, I had eliminated a demon that could have plunged this world into chaos and eventual ruin. This much was justifiable.

It wasn’t as if I expected the people of this world to treat me as a savior, a champion, or a hero.

“I do not doubt the dragonkin’s abilities. However, given the state of the world, it is inevitable that demonic entities will detect an artifact tainted with their energy. Can you truly defeat them?”

I paused for dramatic effect, challenging Sebedra with my gaze.

“I can. The corpse you see before you is proof. If you still doubt me, I can demonstrate it firsthand.”

Sebedra remained silent.

That was enough. The conversation had now shifted in my favor.

I went in for the final push.

“My master once told me that I was fated to seal artifacts imbued with demonic energy and eliminate demons themselves. You dragonkin live for centuries. I give you my word. Once the relic’s corruption has been purified, I will return the legacy to you.”

The silence that followed was heavy. Then, at last, the flicker of uncertainty in Sebedra’s eyes steadied. I recognized that as a sign of acceptance.

Maintaining a composed expression, I inwardly allowed myself a satisfied smirk. If I showed it outwardly, it would have looked downright villainous.

Not that it mattered because I secured the legacy.

Now, I just needed to figure out how to deal with the corruption.

***

「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has obtained the dragon’s legacy, completing the hidden mission ‘Inheritance by Proxy.’ All stats increased by 2.」