Chapter 90: Hermit of the Black Forest (3)

[You have gained a mysterious skill (???-tier). You cannot find out what it is until you use it.]

[You can use it after exiting Xantimur’s lair.]

The system gave Crockta a cryptic skill and refused to tell him the name of the skill until he left the lair.

“It’s impressive that you have defeated all of my guardians. Most can’t make it to the middle and run away in fright,” said Xantimur.

After Xantimur revealed their actual location, Crockta felt immense power coming from him. Xantimur had the majestic air of a dragon that would make most creatures tremble in fear just from standing face-to-face with him.

“Are you a dragon?” asked Anor.

Xantimur had all of the traits of a dragon. He had powerful magic that could change the appearance of their location in an instant, used terms like ‘lair’ and ‘guardian,’ and had a striking presence.

Xantimur nodded and answered, “That’s right, you who have inherited the blood of a necromancer.”

“...!”

“Necromancers have existed since ancient times and descended from the bloodline of gods. I haven’t seen such thick necromancer blood in recent times,” said Xantimur as he placed his hand on Anor’s head.

Although Xantimur had the face of a young man, they could sense his wisdom from living through the ages.

Xantimur grinned and remarked, “You should be proud of yourself.”

Anor’s eyes grew wide in shock. He had hidden and been embarrassed of his necromancy power his whole life because others were fearful of such powers. Even his mother who had passed down her necromancy to him had sealed her power and kept it hidden from others. Yet, this powerful dragon was telling him to be proud of it.

"Connecting the living and the dead is a power that wasn’t granted to mortal beings. However, an ancient deity pitied humans because they suffer from endless farewells throughout their finite lives, so the deity bestowed their power upon a few humans who had the strength to endure such pain. It is the deity’s mercy and blessing toward humans,” explained Xantimur.

“Ah...” Anor uttered, scratching his head.

He didn’t know how to respond because he had never heard a compliment like that before. Anor lowered his head in embarrassment as his face turned beet red.

“Thank you,” muttered Anor.

“But it needs work.”

“Huh?”

“Right now, the most you can do is raise the dead and control their corpses. You are nowhere near the level of true necromancy,” stated Xantimur.

“...!”

Xantimur’s eyes then headed toward Tiyo and said, “Tiyo, the son of the brave gnome Hedor.”

Tiyo’s eyes widened.

He asked, “You know my father?”

“You are not even close to reaching your father’s level.”

Tiyo was shocked. Not only did this dragon know the name of Tiyo’s father, but he was also critiquing Tiyo as if he knew Tiyo personally.

“There’s no limit to the strength of the General, the artifact that you use. However, you have already set a limit within yourself,” stated Xantimur.

“What do you mean?!” exclaimed Tiyo.

“The General is an undefeatable and versatile magical weapon that was made by the Dragon General of Light, the gold dragon Avoclad,” said Xantimur.

“It’s a weapon for dragons?” asked Tiyo.

“That’s right. You should grow the size of your bowl [1].”

Tiyo staggered in shock. “You are calling m-my bowl small...”

He had lived his whole life as a tough and macho man. Everyone had always told him that he was a man with a big bowl, but this black dragon was calling his bowl small.

“The General’s true name is Dragon Slayer,” Xantimur.

“...!”

“It’s a weapon designed to kill dragons, but you wouldn’t even be able to catch an ogre with it, let alone a dragon.”

Tiyo slumped down to the ground. His eyes trembled in confusion.

Xantimur’s gaze now shifted toward Crockta. Crockta let go of the tension in his body. The system had said that meeting the hermit was a reward in itself. Xantimur’s critiques seemed harsh, but they held important truths that would lay the foundation for their growth. Those who didn’t listen to others couldn’t grow further.

Crockta straightened his chest as if beckoning Xantimur to roast him.

Xantimur said, “Great.”

“...!”

“Keep doing what you are doing. That’s it,” commented Xantimur.

However, as Xantimur was about to turn away, Crockta grabbed ahold of his arm and begged, “Hey, please criticize something about me.”

“There’s nothing to criticize.”

“Stop lying.”

“...Can you handle it?”

“Yes, I want you to criticize all of my shortcomings as much as you want, without restraint!” declared Crockta.

“Hmm, if you really want that...”

This dragon seemed like the type of person who couldn’t say anything bad to someone they liked. Xantimur eyed Crockta warily with his cold eyes.

“You have reached the Pinnacle,” began the dragon.

“You are correct,” replied Crockta.

Crockta’s goal had been to reach the Pinnacle ever since Hoyt had shown Crockta his Pinnacle move, and he had achieved it after defeating the Behemoth. It hadn’t been easy at first, but Crockta had since grown used to embodying the Pinnacle. Now, all of his movements bore the realization of the Pinnacle.

“Look at what’s beyond it,” advised Xantimur.

Crockta’s eyes grew wide in surprise.

Crockta had assumed that the Pinnacle was the end. It was bewildering to hear that there was something beyond the Pinnacle when it was already hard to absorb and express the powers of the Pinnacle with his body. The teachers who had taught Crockta about the Pinnacle were Lenox, Hoyt, and Baek Han-Ho, and they had all reached the Pinnacle-Tier. Crockta had seen varying degrees of power within the Pinnacle state, but he had never seen anyone who had completely exceeded that state. What lay beyond the Pinnacle state was unexplored territory.

“The Pinnacle state is becoming one with the world,” said Xantimur. “But there is a state beyond that, where you can wield the world according to your will.”

“...!”

“Aim for that.”

Crockta brimmed with excitement. He wanted to swing his greatsword immediately.

‘Is it really possible to wield the world according to one’s will?’

“What do you call that state?” asked Crockta.

“That is...” Xantimur grinned. “The world calls those who achieve that state ‘Heroes.’”

It was the Hero-Tier! The Belt of Despair that Crockta was wearing was also a Hero-Tier item. The demon’s power was terrifying at Quantes. If Crockta had not succeeded in persuading the demon, then Quantes would have been destroyed and disappeared from the world map. Beings of the Hero-Tier, the state after the Pinnacle, were powerful enough to destroy cities and civilizations.

“I did not expect you to defeat all of my guardians, but you succeeded in the end. Your potential for growth is limitless,” stated Xantimur.

Right then, the castle door opened.

“...!” Crockta was in shock.

All of the monsters they had defeated were gathered inside the castle. The ogre martial artist who had driven Crockta into a corner, the goblin archer who had played with Tiyo, the lich who had necromancy powers stronger than Anor’s, the axe-wielding troll, the lizard spearman, the dire wolf who had ambushed them like a ninja, and the kobold archer who created illusions were all gathered there.

“Grrr.”

The ogre martial artist saw Crockta and gave a thumbs up.

Crockta replied with a thumbs up. He noticed that the ogre had bandages wrapped around its head.

“That... That guy...” Tiyo uttered while pointing his finger at the goblin.

The goblin was sitting down with a splinted leg. He saw Tiyo and pretended to slit his throat. It was a warning that the next time they fought would be Tiyo’s last.

“All of my guardians are training their minds and bodies to reach a higher state,” said Xantimur.

The hermit who dwelled in the Black Forest enjoyed helping others grow, but not everyone could meet him and receive his help. Potential trainees had to first pass a test from the hermit’s volunteer guardians. The number of trainees gradually increased, and they continued to level up.

“How about it, travelers?” asked Xantimur. “You guys have hit a wall, but won’t you try knocking on it here?”

It was an enticing offer. The guardians whom Crockta’s crew had defeated were staring at them as if beckoning them to go over.

“To be honest, we left out the really powerful ones to be considerate of you guys,” added Xantimur.

At that moment, a huge cyclops rose from among the group of guardians. He looked at Crockta and grinned. Then he patted the head of the ogre whom Crockta defeated and shook his head.

“...!” Crockta’s eyebrows twitched.

“Do you have the confidence to grow stronger as you mingle with them?” asked Xantinur as he looked at Crockta, Tiyo, and Anor in succession.

Tiyo’s and Anor’s responses differed greatly. Tiyo’s eyes became ablaze with passion, while Anor shook his head slightly with a frightened expression.

“Are you scared, dweeb?” questioned Tiyo.

“No, you retard!” responded Anor.

“Then, let’s go.”

“Ah... Huh?”

Tiyo nudged Anor forward, and Crockta followed after them. Thus, they arrived at Xantimur’s lair, the sanctuary of trainees.

***

Xantimur’s castle was grand in scale. Who could imagine that such a huge castle was hidden inside the forest? Like Shakhan’s fortress, the castle was hidden with magic—as expected of a dragon’s lair that collected treasures.

“There was a time I lived in a cave like other dragons,” said Xantimur as he guided them. “But after an incident, I realized that true treasure is not gold or riches but friends.”

“...!” Crockta was surprised.

Xantimur said what middle-aged old men always said after they had a drink or two.

‘Friends are treasures.’

Nevertheless, it sounded more persuasive when Xantimur, who had the appearance of a beautiful young man, said it with a cool castle in the background.

Xantimur continued, “So, I used my riches to build my own castle as a lair. Then, I started helping those who have reached their limits and became their friend. At first, I had just one or two trainees, but the number of trainees continued to increase.”

There were training grounds in various spots around the castle with monsters honing and polishing their skills through practice.

“Why aren’t there any humans, elves, or orcs?” asked Crockta.

“They all left,” replied Xantimur.

There wasn’t any change in Xantimur’s expression, but Crockta could sense a tinge of loneliness from him.

“Some departed for the outside world to spread their name and earn fame and honor after building their skills here, but these guys are different,” commented Xantimur.

“...”

“They will only be hunted as unique monsters if they go outside. They have nowhere to go now. Although they crave a bigger world because they have exceeded the limits of their species, the world detests them and calls them monsters. They’re not satisfied with looting and hunting others like their species, but they don’t have a particular place to go,” explained Xantimur with a calm smile. “So, I will protect them under my wings until a time comes when they are acknowledged and appreciated. They will never betray me, and I will never betray them.”

Crockta realized that this dragon wasn’t just a regular dragon but a passionate dragon with hot blood running through his veins. Who could call this dragon a cold reptile?!

“Xantimur, we can’t stay here too long,” said Crockta.

“That’s what I thought.”

“But we also want to become your friends.”

Xantmur burst into laughter that rang loud and clear.

He remarked, “Crockta, you say weird things.”

“What...”

“Aren’t we already friends?” asked Xantimur.

“...!”

Xantimur was much warmer than Crockta had expected. It turned out that Crockta, Tiyo, and Anor were already this warm guy’s friends.

Crockta nodded in agreement.

“Now, your friends are waiting for you. Unpack your bags and come,” said Xantimur.

Crockta, Anor, and Tiyo unpacked their bags in the room that Xantimur had guided them to. Then, they immediately headed to the training grounds where various species were sparring actively outside.

“Welcome,” greeted Xantimur.

Xantimur was standing on the training ground in a completely different attire. He was wearing clothes that allowed him to move freely. When Crockta’s crew first met him, Xantimur looked like a scholar or magician, but right now, he looked like the epitome of a swordsman who exuded a distinct aura.

“Anor, you should learn from this friend,” said Xantimur.

He pointed at a lich who only had bones left. The lich grinned.

“...!” Anor was stunned.

“Your biggest problem is your fearful personality. It doesn’t suit a necromancer,” commented Xantimur.

The lich wrapped his arm around Anor, whose face quickly turned pale. To Anor, the lich, who had the appearance of a rattling skeleton, was the very definition of fear itself.

“I will help you get close with death,” said the lich. “Hahaha! Just trust me. Hahaha!”

Anor struggled under the lich’s arm, but the lich continued laughing and dragged Anor away with skeletons trailing behind them.

It was Tiyo’s turn next.

“Tiyo,” Xantimur called out.

“Yeah,” replied Tiyo.

“Your weakness is your bowl.”

“What?!” Tiyo uttered, jumping up and down in agitation. He had been bottling up his frustration after being criticized about the size of his bowl earlier. “What do you mean? No one has ever told me I’m narrow-minded or petty my whole life! It’s my first time hearing that I have a small bowl. It’s truly my first time. Hahaha, so funny. Then, how big is your bowl, huh? You were crying while talking about a weird dream! I’m a man who let it slide when a friend borrowed five hundred silver coins from me and didn’t pay me back! Take back what you said! I don’t have a small bowl! Generosity is Tiyo, and Tiyo is generosity in Quantes. I say this again, but since I was a child—!”

“Aren’t I correct?” Xantimur asked while looking at Crockta.

Crockta nodded and replied, “Correct.”

“Don’t agree with him, Crockta!” yelled Tiyo.

Xantimur coughed and said, “Hmm. Anyway, there must be a misunderstanding. I’m not talking about your personality when I refer to your bowl. But now, I see that your personality is also...”

“What?!” exclaimed Tiyo.

“Let’s let it slide for now. Anyway, I’m talking about the bowl of imagination. Can you lend me the General for a second?” asked Xantimur.

Tiyo grudgingly handed over the General to Xantimur, who grabbed the grip of the General. Right then, the General transformed.

“...!”

The General, which had the form of a long gun, opened up at the muzzle as its barrel expanded and transformed into a huge firearm. It looked like a cannon.

“T-This is...” muttered Tiyo.

“The General grows stronger with your imagination and will,” stated Xantimur.

Then he aimed the General at the sky, and the General sucked in the surrounding mana. Xantimur pulled the trigger. There was a flash of light at the barrel of the gun, and the General fired a shot. A magic bullet soared into the sky, accompanied by a radiant and iridescent mass of energy. Then, the magic bullet exploded with a bang. An explosion of mana filled the sky with colors like fireworks. After that, the shell of the magic bullet fell to the ground.

“My god...” uttered Tiyo. He was completely mind-blown. “This... This is...”

“This is the true power of the dragon weapon. When Avoclad, the Dragon General of Light, used it, it was incomparably more powerful than what I just did.”

After firing a bullet, the General reverted to its previous form as a long gun.

“Here,” said Xantimur as he returned the General to Tiyo.

“Can you make it like a cannon again? It was amazing!” shouted Tiyo.

“That’s your job, Tiyo.”

“Argh!”

Tiyo warily eyed his surroundings as he made an attempt to transform the General, but the General remained the same.

“The one who will be teaching you is the great goblin archer, Kiao,” said Xantimur.

“You are finally here!” someone suddenly exclaimed.

It was the goblin who had displayed storm-like archery to Tiyo. Kiao walked toward Tiyo with a short bow in hand.

“That guy lost to me!” yelled Tiyo.

“Tiyo, Kiao let you win,” revealed Xantimur.

“What?!” Tiyo uttered in shock.

Kiao just shrugged.

“It’s worth commending you for shooting the tree and using it to defeat Kiao. It was an unpredictable move that could only be carried out by a soldier trained in combat. However, had Kiao revealed his true powers, you wouldn’t be here,” declared Xantimur. “If Kiao had shot his arrow with murderous intent, then you would have disappeared without a trace into a spatiotemporal storm.”

“...!”

Tiyo was unable to argue further. He had witnessed Kiao creating a storm with a single arrow, but was it even possible to reach a state where one could generate spatiotemporal storms?

“Kiao is a great teacher. You can learn to express unprecedented powers with the General like he can. Learn from him,” said Xantimur.

Kiao giggled and poked at Tiyo with his bow.

“Let’s go kyak! We have tough training waiting for you kyak!” exclaimed Kiao.

“Ugh... This guy...” muttered Tiyo.

“Call me Teacher kyak!”

“Shut up, goblin! I will give you something to talk about if you don’t teach me properly!”

“Kyak kyak kyak! You are an arrogant disciple!” complained the goblin.

Now, there was only Crockta left. Xantimur raised his sword and shifted his gaze toward Crockta.

Crockta grinned. He had expected it from the moment he first saw Xantimur with a sword. Crockta’s teacher would be the black dragon Xantimur himself. Crockta burned with a competitive spirit. He was excited to clash swords with a dragon.

“Xantimur, the name of my sword is Ogre Slayer,” began Crockta.

“It’s a great sword,” remarked Xantimur.

“But it might change its name today...” continued Crockta as he pulled out his greatsword. The Ogre Slayer brimmed with excitement. “...To dragon slayer.”

It was an arrogant statement, but Xantimur grinned in response.

Then something dripped down Crockta’s neck.

“...!” Crockta suddenly flinched and trembled.

The tip of Xantimur’s blade hovered over the small wound it had made in Crockta’s neck. Crockta had only noticed because of the warm blood dripping down his neck.

Xantimur said, “One.”

Crockta forced a smile. He couldn’t anticipate the number of times he might die today at Xantimur’s hands.

1. Koreans like to say someone has a big or small bowl depending on the size of their abilities, character, and acceptance of others. Usually, a person with a big bowl is open-minded, patient, and experienced ?