――――――――――
You have defeated the field boss, “David McFarlane”.
Everyone will receive a special reward and 6 SP.
From now on, you can choose whether to engage in battle with this Field Boss or not.
Race level increased. Gained 1 SP.
Job level increased. Gained 1 SP.
The race level of your familiar has increased.
The job level of your familiar has increased.
The level of [Health Recovery Rate Increase] skill has increased.
The level of [Magic Power Rate Increase] skill has increased.
The level of [Advanced Magic Control] skill has increased.
The level of [Enchantment] skill has increased.
The level of [Trap Magic] skill has increased.
――――――――――
McFarlane was defeated after Jigoro broke his neck. Before Jigoro and Genjuro destroyed his enhanced armor, we had already defeated the False Bone Dragons, bringing the long boss battle to an end.
“It should be over now… but…”
“We can’t move forward because of this barrier-like thing.”
The mist that the False Bone Dragons had been scratching at still hadn’t dissipated. Eiji and the others tried touching it and attacking it, but there was no change. This remained true even after the boss battle ended.
“Normally, this would mean we haven’t met the necessary conditions to pass, right?”
“That seems likely, but what could the conditions be?”
“I have no idea.”
We struggled to get this far but the method to pass through the physically dense mysterious mist remained unknown. In Birdy Perch, where we had gathered information, there was no detailed information about the “Black Death Ice Forest”. No one knew how to proceed further.
“What do we do? Should we all attack it once we’re in better shape?”
“If it has a physical form, it can be cut.”
Jigoro and Gentaro suggested this. It might not be the most elegant solution, but perhaps it was the only one we had?
[No, I’d rather you wouldn’t resort to that, if possible.]
Just as I thought we had no choice but to resort to forceful measures, we were suddenly stopped by someone. The voice belonged to an unfamiliar woman and it came from above our heads.
“Gruaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!”
Right before I looked up in surprise, Karl let out a threatening roar and positioned himself between us and the source of the voice. It was rare for Karl to show such a high level of alertness. However, I immediately understood why when I saw the owner of the voice.
“A white… dragon?!”
“It’s beautiful…”
Above us floated an incredibly large dragon, so huge that it was unbelievable that none of us had noticed it until it spoke. It had two horns reminiscent of clear, colorless crystal and a pair of wings rounder than Karl’s. Its entire body was covered in pure white fur, which was strikingly beautiful. Each strand of its fur emitted a faint glow, giving it an almost divine appearance.
Although it was a Western-style dragon with an overall slender physique, we couldn’t let our guard down. This was because its length was even greater than that of Agnasrelim, whom we had encountered before. Agnasrelim was about fifteen meters tall, but this dragon was more than twice that size.
[Hehehe, thank you for the compliment. Let me introduce myself. I am Langhort, the Ancient Light Dragon Lord, the guardian of the ‘Dragon Sanctuary’ that lies ahead.]
Lady Langhort seemed not at all displeased and her voice took on a somewhat delighted tone. She descended to the ground and revealed herself to be the Ancient Light Dragon Lord, which apparently meant she was of the same rank as Lord Agnasrelem. This implied she was around the 80s in terms of level.
Can you imagine how scary it would be to have a level difference of more than 60 levels from Karl? A dragon is a monster capable of fighting a level 60 False Bone Dragon at just level 20, and she was a Dragon Lord. Her strength was immeasurable.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Langhort. I am Isam, leader of the ‘Night Walkers’ guild and I am a Chaos Abyss Dragon Bone Elder Lich.”
[Hahaha, so you are wanderers, eh? You are more courteous than I expected… huh?]
In the presence of a superior being with no hostile intent, I thought it wise not to adopt an aggressive stance. Having replied respectfully, Lady Langhort chuckled in good spirits. However, suddenly, she narrowed her eyes and began to scrutinize us. A few seconds later, she widened her eyes as if surprised.
[Come on, you’re joking, right? Friends of Agna and acquaintances of the Wind Dragon Emperor? What a gathering of important figures!]
“Agnas… are you referring to Lord Agnasrelem?”
[That’s right. How has he been doing?]
It seemed Lady Langhort had discerned that among us were individuals who held titles such as “Friend of the Water Dragon King” and “Acquaintance of the Wind Dragon Emperor”. The descriptions had mentioned that highly intelligent dragons would unconditionally welcome those with such titles, and this appeared to be true.
“Yes, though I didn’t have many opportunities to speak with that esteemed dragon…”
[Hahaha! That sounds just like him, always so serious! You must have been recognized as a friend for your role in saving the Lizardmen during their crisis, right?]
“Exactly as you say.”
[Is that so…. Good then. You guys are unquestionably qualified.]
With a single flap of her wings, Lady Langhort caused a change in the white wall that had been blocking our path. What had appeared to be merely a drifting mist began to swirl slowly. It seemed she was manipulating this mist barrier.
[Not only did you manage to deal with that pesky human, but you also have the recognition of Agna and the Wind Dragon Emperor. You are more than qualified to proceed. And besides…]
“Grrrrrrr…”
Lady Langhort glanced briefly at Karl, who growled as if to threaten her. Observing Karl, who had consistently maintained his vigilance from the beginning, she smiled wryly yet appeared somewhat amused.
[This one is so attached to you. That alone speaks volumes about your character. Now, follow me.]
After saying this, Lady Langhort turned her back and began to walk away as she entered the swirling mist. As she disappeared into the mist, her figure became obscured, but it was clear that passage had been granted. We had no choice but to proceed. We exchanged nods with eye contact and followed in her footsteps.
◆◇◆◇◆◇
Having progressed for about a minute along a path obscured by dense fog, where visibility was limited to only a few meters ahead, our surroundings suddenly cleared. There was a sight that could only be described as spectacular.
“This is… the ‘Dragon Sanctuary’…”
[Some also call it a paradise.]
We found ourselves standing in a lush, green meadow. Warm sunlight poured down from a crystal-clear blue sky, and occasionally a gentle breeze danced with the hem of our robes. It was a serene and comfortable spot that was perfect for picnics or hiking.
“Kyuu! Kyuu!”
“Grurruru!”
“S-so cute!”
The meadow was teeming with numerous young dragon pups, playfully engaging with each other. This vast expanse of grassland seemed to be an ideal playground for them. Their innocent frolicking and flying, coupled with their cute cries, completely captivated our female companions. Even Usaji who is usually so composed was visibly smitten by the charm of these dragon pups.
Observing the dragon pups, I noticed that while some preferred running, others seemed to enjoy flying more. This was surely a matter of individual differences. Their varied physiques, the colors of their scales, the presence or absence of fur, along with differences in horns, wings, and even the shapes and numbers of tails, made each one uniquely fascinating. It was interesting to ponder how these creatures might evolve over time.
[It’s a beautiful place, isn’t it? And though it goes without saying, that building over there is the palace where the Dragon God resides.]
Lady Langhort puffed out her chest proudly and directed our gaze to a towering high-rise building standing solemnly in the middle of the meadow. Unlike the modern skyscrapers in the “Ancient Ruined City” this structure resembled a pure white cylindrical column. It lacked windows, but instead, several blue luminescent lines ran vertically along its surface. These lines flicker regularly, so it can be assumed that they have some sort of function. This building must surely belong to the era when McFarlen and others lived.
The futuristic sci-fi-like appearance of this place was striking, especially within the grassy plains. Yet, oddly enough, the chalk-white building that towered over the place seemed to harmonize naturally with its surroundings.
[Then this is where I leave you. I have my duties as a guardian after all. Someone will come to receive you; leave the rest to them.]
“Someone to receive us?”
[Yes. Well, we shall meet again if fate allows. Farewell!]
With these parting words, Lady Langhort took flight, quickly ascending into the sky. Her huge body rapidly diminished to a speck which only went to show how high her flying speed was. If one becomes a Dragon Lord, will they also be able to fly at such speed?
“Receive us, huh? Who do you think will come for us?”
“Maybe an android, don’t you think? This place seems teeming with life, so it wouldn’t be surprising if friends of No. 18-san are still operational.”
When Usaji voiced her doubts, Eiji shared his conjecture. Indeed, that possibility might exist. The ancient humans had likely created these androids who now served us. It wouldn’t be surprising if they also followed the Dragon God in the same manner.
“If that’s the case, they might be willing to share spare parts for Towa-san’s modifications.”
“To-Towa? Could that be…”
“Yes! Shio-chan named her!”
“It’s sad to always call her ‘No. 18’, isn’t it?”
“The name ‘Towa’ is pretty straightforward, though~~ssu. ‘To’ from ten and ‘Wa’ from eight.”
Shio was uncharacteristically blushing. It seemed that unbeknownst to me, the individual known as No.18 had been given the name Towa. She was almost always in the workshop assisting Iris or Shiitake, so those of us consumed with combat and exploration, myself included, hadn’t interacted much with her. I didn’t know about this development.
“A name, huh… Well, she’s one of us, so why not?” Jigoro said.
“Right, right! Towa is a companion… Ah! Something’s coming!”
“Look up!”
While we were engaged in conversation, Ruby and Shishu, our scouts, were the first to detect something approaching. When I looked up as I was told, I saw several humanoid figures flying with wings sprouting from their backs.
“Are those Birdians perhaps?”
“No way~~ssu! Birdians don’t have bat-like wings like that~~ssu!”
“They also have tails~~.”
“And horns~they have them too~?”
“Could this possibly be…?”
Amidst our confusion and anticipation, the humanoid figures landed near us. A man who appeared to be their leader stepped forward. He bowed his head and then puffed out his chest and announced his name.
“Greetings, honored ones who have been acknowledged. My name is Mathis Drachen. I am the chief of the Dragonewt (half-dragon) race and a servant of the Dragon God.”
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