Chapter 171: Festival - Aftermath

It was a moment when I wanted to cry.

[The talent, "Black Heaven Dragon Blood (S+)" transforms your body.]

‘……Come to think of it, I had something like this.’

[Dragon Blood (S)]

The power called Dragon Blood generally granted the power of a dragon, along with the special stat Dragon (龍). All of its effects were excellent: increased defense due to dragon scales, basic strength increase of dragon species, and even magic resistance that could ignore most magic.

‘The downside is that it consumes a lot of mana.’

But that didn’t matter to me.

Because the Black Flame Sacred Body was a vast vessel. It functioned similarly to the dragon’s orb or dragon heart.

Crack.

My bones twisted. The body made from Black God Martial Arts showed abnormalities. Thanks to Black God Martial Arts, I could understand there was a power I couldn’t recognize affecting my body.

‘Considering it ignores the Energy of Defying Heaven, it must be mysterious.’

I steadied myself against the energy entering my body.

Contemplation.

I calmly blocked the pain and activated Divine Sight. Energy began to permeate a body full of the Energy of Defying Heaven, a body at the pinnacle of human potential.

‘It’s Defying Heaven.’

It was a slightly different Defying Heaven.

An early stage, pure Defying Heaven, with nothing mixed in.

It entered my body and enveloped it.

Crack. Crunch!

My bones twisted. The process was to break everything and recreate it. Defying Heaven permeated the shattered bones. Then they began to heal. Blood was supplied. As Defying Heaven mixed with my blood, it began to flow together.

‘I’m glad I blocked the pain.’

I used part of Defying Heaven’s energy to limit the pain. Yet my body moving erratically was quite a grotesque sight. I calmly observed and moved the Black Flame Sacred Body.

Thump.

The Black Flame Sacred Body, dormant in my core, moved. It spewed out black flames as Defying Heaven coursed through my body.

Sizzle. Sizzle.

Defying Heaven circulated throughout my entire body. Muscles and blood vessels tore and split, then regenerated and compressed. This was happening throughout my entire body.

Crack.

My entire body was crushed and then regenerated.

‘The whole body is…….’

Evolving to a higher stage, or perhaps several stages higher.

At this point, even if an average sword struck me, it would only leave a scratch.

‘It’s ridiculous.’

As I was thinking that, I felt some power within my body settling in.

Ding.

[The stats Strength, Agility, and Stamina are replaced with the special stat Dragon (龍).]

[The special stat Dragon (龍) rises to 50 due to the influence of your body.]

Was it the influence of the dragon? As I focused this power, I realized I could form black scales on my body.

‘Is this how it works?’

Crack.

Black scales appeared on my left arm. I touched the scales. They were extremely hard. Even if I took an average sword strike barehanded, it would only leave a scratch.

‘Black Heaven.’

-What’s the matter, Master? Ah, clothes! Put on some clothes!

Black Heaven covered her face with both hands, peeking through her fingers. I looked at her incredulously.

“You know I’m wearing pants.”

-Master, no matter what, showing your bare body to a grown woman is not right!

“What do you mean, bare body?”

I controlled Black Heaven with my mind. She landed in my hand.

Swish.

As I infused her with my energy, a black sword aura emerged. It was different from before, in the form of flames.

‘It’s not sword flames?’

Maybe it was because the Black Flame Sacred Body devoured the Flame Demon and acquired the Black Flame Martial Arts. The sword aura, now in the form of flickering flames, touched the scales on my left arm.

Crackle!

Sparks flew from the scales. The flame-like sword aura cut into the scales but couldn’t penetrate deeply.

‘If my sword aura can be withstood, that’s truly amazing.’

The sword aura refined by the Black Flame Sacred Body was incredibly powerful. It was a force that even top-tier opponents couldn’t withstand. Those at the same level couldn’t even compare.

‘Lucky me.’

It was a very satisfying gain. Then, I realized that the power I possessed was that of a black dragon.

Black Flame Dragon…?

‘…….’

I decided to keep quiet.

I went out with a sullen expression.

I was wearing black jeans and a black hoodie.

“Why do you look so glum? Ah, is it because you missed my song?”

“No, that’s not it.”

The world was just messing with me.

Ershil approached with a slight smile. She wasn’t wearing her usual uniform. To sing one of the main songs of the festival, she was dressed differently. She wore a sleeveless dress with black lines and a black ribbon around the waist.

“But did you hear?”

“Hear what?”

“The Bell of Selection rang. It means a new higher rank has appeared.”

“……Right.”

“……Isn’t it?”

A seemingly random topic.

But Ershil looked at me with a suspiciously knowing expression. I nodded awkwardly.

“Even the Energy of Defying Heaven doesn’t work against illusions, so there was no answer.”

“You have something else.”

“Did the Heavenly Demon tell you?”

“I can sense it.”

“Well, Seo-ha always spoke as if you knew something from the start.”

Then, as if realizing something, she looked at me with a startled expression.

“Could it be……?”

As Ershil mumbled to herself and nodded, I wondered what she meant.

“So why are you here?”

“Just because. Actually, the festival got kind of half-hearted because everyone was so busy. So I snuck out to have a secret date with you.”

Ershil giggled as she said that.

I chuckled. Honestly, even if the world was against me, taking a little break like this helped me keep going.

I was about to ask Ershil out on a date.

“Elder?”

A voice without any inflection.

Seolhwa Ryeon appeared, her silver hair fluttering as she wore her school uniform.

“Elder?”

“……Seo-ha, what are you doing here?”

When Ershil looked puzzled, Seolhwa Ryeon changed her tone.

“……Just standing here.”

“We were about to go on a date.”

Ershil said, pulling my right arm.

“……A date?”

Seolhwa Ryeon tilted her head, looking puzzled.

Her delicate collarbones were visible. Her blue eyes, like lakes, turned towards Ershil.

“Are you going on a date in those clothes?”

“What else would I wear on a date?”

Ershil replied incredulously.

Ershil was wearing a white sleeveless dress, and Seolhwa Ryeon spoke as if she couldn’t understand.

“Elder… I mean, Seo-ha, his date is different. We’re hunting Mines.”

“……?”

“……”

This was a bit sad.

Ershil leaned in close to me and whispered in my ear.

“Is she someone who’s really sick?”

Seolhwa Ryeon still seemed not to understand, tilting her head in confusion. I felt quite sad about that pitiful reaction.

“Hmm.”

Ershil crossed her arms and looked at Seolhwa Ryeon as if evaluating her. Then she nodded.

“She has a good style. It seems she’s not just an average performer. Is she a unique case like Ara?”

Muttering to herself, she approached Seolhwa Ryeon and pulled her toward me.

“How about going on a date with two girls?”

Ershil looked up at me with a mischievous smile. I quietly nodded.

The Emperor sat quietly in her chair, reflecting on the battle.

In fact, it wasn’t a battle. It was a one-sided massacre. It was the power of her newly created star. It was thanks to the ability to store a vast amount of mana.

During breaks in the battle, mana was stored. As a result, the star’s combat power was slightly reduced during regular times. However, its combat power in a single surge could rival that of a transcendent being.

It was unbelievable.

A mere puppet rivaling a transcendent being. But the truth was, Lee Seo-ha made it that way.

“Hu hu.”

Thinking of the boy made her laugh.

“You seem to be enjoying yourself.”

“Yes, I am.”

The vice-principal, who hadn’t enjoyed the festival due to reorganizing the stars, replied grumpily. The principal smiled.

“The ‘Bell of Selection’ rang, aren’t you going?”

“There’s no need to look. I already know who achieved the higher rank.”

The artifact that rings when someone achieves a higher rank, the ‘Bell of Selection’.

It rang during this fight. Everyone was busily moving to find out who reached the higher rank.

Although they could roughly infer it later when the name appeared on the ‘Hall of Fame’, guild scouts and associations were moving busily to recruit the higher rank.

‘It’s pointless.’

That child created his own guild. It was a declaration of intent to rise on his own.

So the Emperor was content to embrace Lee Seo-ha within her fold.

However, she was curious about the name the world would give to the path the child had walked.

The artifact where everyone’s names were recorded, the ‘Hall of Fame’. She was curious about the name it would bestow on him.

‘What kind of title will it be?’

The Emperor wondered.

The title she received was Puppet Master. It reflected the path she had walked. She had shown many ugly aspects back then. The title of Emperor was only possible because she became the highest rank, accepted herself, and showed a dignified appearance.

‘Handling black flames, Black Flame Demon Emperor (黑炎魔帝)? Or maybe, given that he killed many Mines, he might receive the title of Saint (聖子).’

While leisurely thinking about the title, the Emperor prepared.

He had fought a tough battle. By now, he should be resting at home. As she thought about that, the Emperor saw the boy through the window.

‘…….’

On the right, he was arm-in-arm with Ershil, and on the left, he was arm-in-arm with Seolhwa Ryeon, who looked shy.