Chapter 143 : Chapter 143

Chapter 143 : Dragon's Vault (2)

Official History.

I had a thought that it might be related to how I came over to this world.

Because when I first came here, I saw a message that said ‘Adjak’s record has been adopted as the Official History’.

It was a question I asked with the expectation that I might be approaching the secrets of the world, but Hike reacted as if she had never heard of it in her life.

“Official History? Never heard of it.”

“Then, by any chance, do you believe that there are worlds with different branching points other than this one?”

Hike did not listen to my words lightly and was lost in thought for a long time.

However, as if she couldn't find an answer, she shook her head from side to side.

“Well, I do not know that either.”

I thought that since she was a coordinator of the world, she might know of a realm I didn't, but it seemed to be a realm that even Hike was unaware of.

“Then there is one last thing I want to ask. Is the World of Recurrence connected to other worlds?”

“The World of Recurrence I showed you is merely a world I recreated after hearing Adjak's explanation. I was not there myself, so constructing it plausibly was the best I could do; it is different from building another world.”

Hike stated the facts firmly.

A question still remained.

For a world constructed based on Adjak’s words, it was overly elaborate, and it almost perfectly matched the world I had seen beyond the monitor.

But in a situation where Hike said she didn't know, I couldn't press any further.

Because I knew that she would not lie.

“Yes, thank you. I suppose I will have to find out more on my own.”

And then, I held up the emblem wrapped in red thread to Hike and said.

“I will choose this. May I try using it right here?”

“Do as you wish.”

Not much time had passed since I had received the third trial.

However, the state of the Tune I had touched then and the Tune stored in the vault was definitely different.

The passage of some 300 years felt new and strange.

On the other hand, I could still feel the same sinister energy.

But my anticipation was greater than my worry about the uncertainty, so I split the signet in front of Hike.

Wooooong─!

A red energy burst out and enveloped my body.

At the same time, a voice was heard.

[You have acquired the Tune, ‘Red Thread Lv.1’.]

[It is a red thread that can extend freely. The caster's mana, Tunes, etc., can be imbued into the thread without limit.]

As soon as the voice was heard, the method of using the Tune was engraved in my mind.

If I could put what I have into the thread and deliver it, its applications would be endless.

“Would you like to try using it?”

“If I use it here, it might cause problems for the vault, so I will try it outside.”

Hike asked what I was worried about when she was here, but my companions would soon be entering this place.

I didn't want to show them a vault in a state of chaos.

I hoped they could marvel at it to their heart's content, just as I did when I first entered.

“Right. I suppose I should guide the others now.”

Hike didn't urge me further, as she was not unaware of my thoughts.

However, she looked at the bead that had broken in my hand and lost its light, and asked.

“Even if it was a god who had lost its energy, it couldn't have been easy to face. How were you able to win on your own?”

“Were you not able to see the contents of the trial?”

“After you placed your hand on the tombstone, you crossed over into a space that I could not peek into.”

I didn't know that even Hike couldn't check the situation inside the tombstone.

No wonder she hadn't made any particular mention of it.

“I was in a space of nothingness for a long time. It felt like I was trapped for several years, perception-wise, and in there, I trained with Lord Adjak’s body……”

“The experience of training in the body of another being, not your own, must have been a great help.”

“Yes, especially since it was Lord Adjak’s body. As I was training for a long time, a red thread suddenly flew in and began to bind my body.”

And then, I slowly explained the fight that happened in there to Hike.

Hike listened with surprising enjoyment.

She would have a smile on her lips and sometimes add interjections.

I thought that perhaps I had been misunderstanding Hike as just a cynical dragon all this time.

Then again, if she were just a lofty dragon, she wouldn't have gone to such lengths for me.

‘Thank you, Lady Hike.’

Hike even momentarily forgot the fact that she had to bring the next person to the Dragon's Vault and became engrossed in my story.

And there was a part where Hike was truly surprised.

“……Are you saying you could really use Adjak's Fourfold Transformation?”

“Yes, it was a very loud and flashy Fourfold Transformation.”

“Haha, it was. Now that you mention it, it's quite a different track from your quiet Fourfold Transformation.”

Hike was genuinely happy.

That smile looked strangely bittersweet.

“I don't know if I can perform it again but… I will definitely show you if I succeed.”

“You will be able to.”

“Really?”

“Yes, a Fourfold Transformation is difficult to perform for the first time, but after that, you become able to use it quite well. If you succeed, you will be the only being capable of wielding two Fourfold Transformations.”

“If I can do that, it will be thanks to you, Lady Hike. I really shouldn't have accepted a gift.”

“Shall I extract it for you?”

“……Can you extract a Tune once it has been acquired?”

“Of course. Though you might die in the process.”

Hike spoke coolly, but she had a smile on her lips.

Although the content was gruesome, I could clearly see that she was joking.

I, too, showed a slight smile.

“Then let's go out. After letting your companions choose their gifts from the vault, I will check the accomplishments you've gained so far.”

“Lady Hike, thank you sincerely.”

Hike stared at me with wide-open eyes, then opened a portal without another word.

***

“We can really choose whatever we want?”

“Yes, but please choose the one that you are most drawn to. If you don't know the effects, ask Lady Hike.”

Keldric glanced at Hike.

It seemed she was still difficult for him, even after receiving the Heart Engraving and going through the trial thanks to her consideration.

Keldric lowered his voice and whispered so only I could hear.

“If I ask… she won't get mad, right?”

“She can probably hear you even if you whisper like that.”

Startled, Keldric fidgeted with his hands.

Hike was pretending not to listen, looking elsewhere, but she was surely hearing everything.

“She will definitely help you.”

She's probably even hearing what I'm saying right now.

“If you're done discussing, let's go.”

Hike took my companions and headed to the Dragon's Vault.

It seemed she would guide Keldric, Bea and Everchen to the vault all at once.

I waved my hand widely towards my departing companions.

“Go and pick the best things! Let's clean out the Dragon's Vault!”

My companions, who were thoroughly intimidated, couldn't even reply to my playful words and entered the portal leading to the Dragon's Vault.

In the past, whenever my companions had an opportunity to acquire something, I had given them a lot of advice, but I didn't this time.

If it were equipment, I could help them choose something more suitable, but Tunes were different.

I thought it would be better for them to acquire the ability they truly wanted, rather than me helping them choose.

And with Hike there, there was nothing to worry about.

Left alone, I checked the abilities I had gained so far.

I wanted to show Hike my accomplishments as promised.

I also had to check the ability of the new Tune I had acquired, and I wanted to know if I could use Adjak's Fourfold Transformation.

First, [Red Thread].

I stretched out my hand and shot out the thread.

Swish, swish, swish!

As I willed, the red thread extended and wrapped around three trees in front of me.

And without any separate adjustment, it began to suck up the life force contained in the trees, that is, their mana.

It was a mystical energy.

The mana floating in the atmosphere and the mana contained in natural objects were distinctly different.

The Dragon Heart beat as if pleased to absorb the new mana, took the mana inside itself, converted it into a denser mana, and then emitted it.

And then I extended three more strands of thread to the trees behind me.

If I was right, this Tune had another application.

To imbue the power of other Tunes into each individual strand of thread.

First was [Gravity Manipulation].

Kukooong!

When I imbued gravity into the thread, all six trees in front and behind me snapped and collapsed.

Next was [Black Flame].

Soon, black flames burned all the trees. Watching the trees turn to ash in an instant, I retracted the flames.

Once I got more used to it, I could use it in all sorts of ways.

I was extremely happy at the thought of having obtained a definite weapon.

And then I had to try to manifest Adjak's Fourfold Transformation, ‘Heaven-Shattering Thunder’.

As Hike said, there is no being in this world who can use two Fourfold Transformations.

Perhaps even Hike, the coordinator, couldn't do it. In the first place, a Fourfold Transformation is about maximizing a single being's intent to its limit to affect the world.

If I could use two, it would be no different from me handling two different worlds.

Before that, I manifested my own Fourfold Transformation first.

After much thought, I decided on the name ‘Star-Devouring Severance’ for my Fourfold Transformation.

It was a slightly more grandiose expression of the meaning 'to cut and absorb a foe,' and since a Fourfold Transformation is an act that affects the world, it's better to deliberately give it an extravagant name to strengthen one's own belief.

Since Adjak's Fourfold Transformation had 'heaven' in it, I felt it was strangely fitting for mine to have 'star' .

Tearing the sky or absorbing a star, both were equally grandiose.

I retracted Star-Devouring Severance.

Because I wanted to try Heaven-Shattering Thunder, even if it was difficult.

‘Hoo…… let's recall the memory from back then.’

I didn't even know how to use lightning-attribute magic, nor did I have any related Tunes.

So I couldn't even make a tiny spark.

At this rate, it would be difficult to even feel a precursor to Heaven-Shattering Thunder.

But I clearly remembered what kind of will I had manifested to the world when I used Heaven-Shattering Thunder.

To be able to move faster.

To be able to strike down lightning more powerfully.

I focused my intent on those two things.

I did not consider the fact that I originally couldn't handle lightning.

I just stood still, focusing on my intent.

At this moment, there was no need to swing a sword, nor to wrap my whole body in aura.

Quietly, quietly, I focused only on what was in my head.

As I closed my eyes and poured my everything into my intent…….

Clunk.

I heard a sound.

I was happy.

Because it was the sound that was made when I used Fourfold Transformation in Adjak's body.

Just as Adjak's body and my mind didn't mesh perfectly, the intent that could only be used with Adjak's body probably wouldn't fit perfectly with my body.

Nevertheless, it's not impossible.

I erased my smile and continued to submerge myself in my intent.

Clunk, clunk.

After it repeated a few times, the long-awaited sight unfolded.

Craaaaaaackle!

The clear sky darkened in an instant, and dozens of lightning bolts struck down around where I stood.

Soon, my body also became a bolt of lightning.

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