Chapter 427: Preparing for War

Haze, who was sitting in a daze, watched as a livid Minhyuk came back from his quest to find Elpis. She asked, “Did something happen, my lord?”

Minhyuk rubbed his chin after hearing Haze’s question. Then, he said, “It seems like there’re no normal or sane people in this territory except for you and me, Haze.”

“…”

“How can Elpis…?!” Minhyuk’s arms flailed around as his body trembled.

Meanwhile, Haze thought,

‘But, isn’t it strange to want to make Elpis work as a fisherman…?’

Based on what Haze was seeing right now, she could tell that Minhyuk was not able to successfully give Elpis the task that he thought of.

‘My lord is also not a normal person…’

The words almost came out of her mouth, but Haze did her best to endure it. However, Minhyuk delivered another blow, “I have to do my best to remain as a normal person.”

There was a saying that among a group of friends, there would always be someone that thought that they were the normal one! And that person was none other than Minhyuk. However, his anger was only short-lived. Minhyuk’s expression turned serious as he thought about something. Then, he said, “From now on, we’re going to use every means possible and start external activities.”

“External activities?”

“We’ll have to prepare for what’s coming next.”

Haze nodded silently. She knew that they would have to watch out for a lot of things after Minhyuk had won a lot of victories during the World War. In other words, they had to step up their efforts in building a kingdom.

“Aruvel, Ben and Corr, these three will start on our external activities. Of course, I will too.”

These three were the key figures of Atlas Territory. If something happened during their absence, Atlas would receive a huge blow. However, Minhyuk believed that even if they were not here, the two beings that remained in the territory would be able to protect Atlas. These two beings were none other than Brod and Elpis, Atlas’ powerful sword and sturdy shield. With these two, Atlas would not be easily breached by any forces.

“What about the Ingredient Heaven?”

“The Hybrid Race that migrated from Rocard Kingdom said that we can expect the yield of our crops to increase by at least five times. They’ve also expressed their surprise at the power of God’s Land.”

This meant that they would be able to let each soldier experience a ten-point stat increase, which would give them a ridiculous boost in their power.

“Ah. Where’s Sir Brod?”

“Just like the lord had expected, he had successfully become ‘Lordified’ and has been working hard on raising the livestock. However, the problem is that he’s too into it now…” Haze said as she continued to explain about what happened and how he stopped the livestocks from being slaughtered by acquiring the ‘Livestock Seeds’.

“How is the taste of the meat from the Livestock Seeds?”

“It tastes more exquisite than ordinary meat.”

“Then, there’s no problem with that.”

In Minhyuk’s view, it would not matter whether they grew it or raised it, as long as it tasted good. Then, at that moment, someone knocked on the door. Brod slammed the door open the moment Minhyuk allowed him inside.

“My lord. I brought you something that you will definitely like.”

Thuuuuud—

Brod placed a bright red egg on the ground. Minhyuk’s eyes widened, his throat moving at the sight of the egg placed in front of him.

Gulp—

“I got the egg from a dragon lair. I brought it back because I thought that the lord will definitely like it.”

“…!”

Haze was shocked when he heard Brod’s words.

.

‘An egg from a dragon lair?’

According to the books that Haze had read, the colors of the shells of their eggs matched the attribute that the dragon would have once they grew up. A silver dragon would have a silver egg, a blue dragon would have a blue egg and a red dragon, a dragon known for its power and ferociousness, would have a red egg.

‘It’s the egg of a red dragon…!’

Haze felt delighted. If this red dragon’s egg hatched and grew up, it would be a great addition to Atlas’ forces. Haze wondered if Minhyuk was trembling because he also realized this fact.

Minhyuk and Brod made eye contact.

“I… I think it would taste good if we crack it open and make some fried eggs, right?”

“Hoho. I already took your thoughts into consideration, little lord. That’s why I brought it back.”

“As expected of you, Sir Brod. No one can compare to you.”

Haze, who turned to look at Minhyuk, was shocked to see the fierce gaze in his eyes. Those were the eyes of someone that was starving to get their hands on the egg. It was true. Minhyuk was really dying to eat the dragon egg in front of him. Then, Haze thought,

‘If he can really eat it, then would it give him the same power as a powerful elixir?’

However, a problem appeared.

Baaang— Baang—

The egg did not budge at all even after Minhyuk and Brod did their best to crack it open.

“Why can’t I eat it when it’s already in front of me?! Why?!”

‘I’m just like Kim Cheomji and his ox bone soup!!!’

If someone like Brod could not crack the egg open, then it meant that no one could break it.

“My… fried… dragon… egg…”

Looking at the teary-eyed Minhyuk, Haze thought,

‘Ah. It seems like I’m really the only normal person left in this territory huh?’

The girl who thought herself normal, was the same girl that was selling a sack of normal rice worth 30,000 gold grown in Valhalla Territory for 30 million gold by saying that it was a ‘power-enhancer’ sack of rice blessed by Food God Minhyuk. With her talents as a great merchant, Haze was able to gain a hundred times more profit from anything and everything. She was nowhere close to being normal, with how she was rushing straight to becoming a legendary swindler.

***

All of the dragon elders had gathered together in Red Dragon Bracard’s lair, a lair located in the American Server. Dragons were the greatest and strongest existence in the world! They might be a bit weaker than Black Dragon Vormon, but the fact that they were the supreme rulers of magic remained unchanged.

And the reason why these dragons gathered in Bracard’s lair was…

“Is it true? Was the Dragon Lord’s egg really stolen?!”

The owner of the lair, Bracard, was silent at Dragon Elder Belluc’s words.

“Haaa~ How can something like this happen?!”

“We’re in trouble. The lord’s egg has been stolen…”

It was only just recently when the previous Dragon Lord, Bediaz, fell into eternal rest. Dragon Lords were pure-blooded dragons with excellent magic that far surpassed any other person. They were existences that had ridiculous growth and speed in learning. When Bediaz laid the now stolen egg, she left a prophecy,

‘My child will become the strongest and the greatest dragon in the history of dragonkind.’

Dragon Lords could take a glimpse of the power that the eggs they laid would have in the future. According to her, the power of the dragon that would hatch from her egg was far superior than any dragon that has ever existed. She even declared that her child could trample Black Dragon Vormon, a creature that even the strongest Dragon Lord could not fight against. Knowing this, they called for the strongest Dragon Knight, Bracard, and gave him the task to protect the precious egg. However, someone was still able to steal the egg from under his claws.

“What were you doing when all of this happened?!”

Bracard was silent at the elder’s words. It was because he was in a deep sleep. However, just because he was asleep did not mean that he just allowed the thief to steal the egg.

“While I was still in deep sleep, the thief nullified all of the traps and mechanisms created with the dragon elders’ power. On top of that, this thief was able to escape the eyes of the strong army that the Dragon Elders have placed in the vicinity of my lair.”

“Ho… how…”

They were all in disbelief. The thief was able to nullify the traps and mechanisms that they, the Dragon Elders, had set up?! What was more shocking was the fact that this thief was also able to escape the eyes of the ten-thousand strong troops that they had stationed around the lair.

“This is definitely the work of an evil force that covets the Dragon Lord’s power. They’re definitely going to use the power of the lord’s egg to gain more strength and authority.”

“Are they trying to control the continent…?”

“No, perhaps they are trying to destroy the continent.”

“Hoo…”

“This…”

“What are you doing?! We need to quickly find the lord’s egg!!!”

However, no matter how hard they tried, they would not be able to find the egg. This was because it was already far from where they were, safely nestled in another continent.

“If we can’t find the egg, then the entire continent will be bathed in a sea of fire!”

What they did not know was that the man that stole the egg, as well as the man that received the stolen egg, did not have much interest in the destruction of the continent, nor gaining authority.

However, if the dragons knew that these two people were only thinking about making fried dragon eggs, their eyes might roll back and faint.

***

Minhyuk was completely disappointed when he failed to eat some fried dragon egg. But then, at that moment, Brod asked, “My lord. Can you please allow the livestock to train alongside the soldiers?”

“You want the livestock to train with the soldiers?”

Minhyuk frowned at Brod’s request. Even though Brod could strengthen the livestock’s physical power, they were still, after all, animals with low intelligence. It would be impossible for Brod to train them any more than what they could do before.

Of course, this was also because Minhyuk was still unaware of the miracle that ‘Livestock King Brod’ had created and the fact that the pigs, cows, and chicken were able to grow and gain abilities by training with him everyday.

“Wouldn’t it be too hard if the livestock trained with the soldiers? I think this idea is a little rash.”

Brod was the strongest and most powerful swordsman. Naturally, he would be Atlas Territory’s commander-in-chief. So, how could someone like him get the crazy idea of having the livestock and the soldiers train together? Brod’s thought process had now completely gone in a completely different direction from what Minhyuk thought. Minhyuk just wanted him to train a strong army while raising the livestock.

“Then, I’ll show it to you,” Brod said confidently as he led Minhyuk to Atlas’ training ground. It seemed like Brod had already expected Minhyuk’s reaction and opposition, so he had already made preparations in the training grounds.

“Attention, everyone.”

“Hwiiik!”

“Mooooo!”

“Cluck, cluck~”

“Meeeh, meeeh!”

The animals cried out as they lined up neatly.

‘Crazy…?’

Minhyuk’s eyes widened in surprise when he saw the animals standing neatly in a row. Then, Brod winked at the chickens. One of the chickens started to run fiercely.

“Cluck, cluck!”

“…?!”

Minhyuk’s eyes widened even further after seeing the chicken run as fast as an ostrich. In front of the running chicken was none other than a target. The target, which was made of copper, was harder than the wooden targets usually used for training. After all, this was the same target used by the soldiers for archery training. Then, at that moment, the chicken flew up fiercely…

“Cluck, cluck!”

…as a bright light flashed briefly on its beak. And finally…

Thump—

“…!”

The chicken’s beak struck the target fiercely. The chicken, which hung on the target after being stuck, pulled its beak out and gently landed on the ground.

‘That’s crazy…! Isn’t that ridiculous?!’

Just when this thought flashed in Minhyuk’s head, one of the pigs stepped forward. The pig stomped on the ground with its hind legs as if it was a bull, before rushing forward fiercely.

“Hwiiiiiik!”

In front of it stood several soldiers holding huge square shields in front of them. At that moment, there was also a powerful light that flashed on the pig’s body.

‘Both the chickens and the pigs have learned a skill?’

When this thought flashed in Minhyuk’s head…

Baaaaang—

…the soldiers flew back like bowling pins when the pig collided with them.

“…”

It did not end there. One of the cows ran straight towards one of the soldiers, who also rushed towards the cow. He then thrusted his dull spear towards the cow. However, whether the spear was dull or not, it proved to be useless in front of the cow’s tremendous defense. The cow just ignored the attack and rushed straight towards the horses.

“Hihihihing!”

“Kihihihing!”

The horses could not do anything against a single cow. Then, Minhyuk's gaze turned to one side.

“What’s that over there?”

There were a variety of puppies gathered together. From poodles, to pomeranians, to spitzes, to jindos, and even golden retrievers. These puppies all sat in a neat row, just like disciplined soldiers.

“They’re abandoned dogs. I’ll train them in the art of exploration, infiltration and beauty trap.”

Minhyuk blinked blankly as he looked at one place. He could not help but support his forehead helplessly.

“Why is Love, Hope, and Happiness also here…?”

The three-headed dog Cerberus, the gatekeeper of hell, tilted its heads as it looked at Minhyuk while sitting proudly in front. There were also epaulets fitted on their shoulders with the words:

[Woof-woof Squad Leader]

“…”

Minhyuk was speechless.

1. This reference has been mentioned before. It is a reference to the short story One Lucky Day