"Human! As my most devout believer, behold my true power!"
Mare Rhein crossed her arms over her chest, a smug, radiant smile spreading across her face as she spoke slowly, savoring the moment.
"This is a power I've only just awakened. It will absolutely leave you stunned."
"Oh?"
Kurose Akira's eyes flickered with curiosity and anticipation.
Mare Rhein lifted her right hand with a graceful motion and snapped her fingers.
Snap—!
In an instant, crimson energy surged outward like a raging tide, flooding the entire room.
Akira was momentarily overwhelmed by the spectacle—but even as confusion rose, something else caught his attention.
A layer of crimson dragon scales had silently formed over his arm.
Just like Ivsha and the others.
But… not quite the same.
These newly formed scales were astonishingly light—thin as cicada wings—resting gently against his skin, bringing with them an unfamiliar, almost soothing sensation.
"Well? How does it feel?" Mare Rhein asked, her voice tinged with both pride and a hint of nervous expectation.
"Not bad." Akira nodded, then frowned slightly. "But why are the scales only on my arm?"
"Uh… well… that is…" Mare Rhein faltered, awkwardly scratching her cheek as her gaze darted away.
That reaction told him everything.
Akira chuckled under his breath.
So that's how it is.
The limitation was obvious—Mare Rhein simply wasn't strong enough yet.
Still…
His gaze drifted between the dragon scales on his own arm and those covering Ivsha and the others.
Even if she couldn't fully equip every guild member with complete dragon-scale armor right now…
The potential was terrifying.
If one day every member of his guild could wear a full set of dragon scales—
The power spike would be absurd.
…What exactly is this ability?
With that thought, Akira immediately opened Mare Rhein's status panel.
Just as he suspected—
A new trait had appeared.
[Dragon God Domain (Incomplete)]
"Dragon God Domain…?"
Akira's expression shifted to one of astonishment.
Compared to Virola's [Nature Domain], this name carried a far more domineering presence.
As expected of a destruction dragon that once shook the world thousands of years ago.
Unfortunately, the domain was incomplete.
To awaken its full form… her level would have to increase.
Without hesitation, Akira opened Mare Rhein's breakthrough quest panel.
The moment he read the requirements, his brows knit together.
[Mare Rhein's Breakthrough Challenge!]Description: The flames of rage within Mare Rhein can no longer be suppressed. She must defeat Mira Aure!Objective: Defeat Mira Aure!Reward: Level Advancement! Perfect Domain!
"…Looks like everything still comes back to Mira Aure."
With a wave of his hand, Akira closed the panel and shifted his gaze toward Lucia.
She had lifted one elegant foot, her fingertips gently brushing against the dragon scales that adorned it. Her eyes shimmered with wonder and curiosity.
Though she had encountered dragons before, witnessing their power being granted to other beings…
This was her first time.
"If I had possessed this power back then…" she murmured softly, her voice tinged with distant memory.
It was so quiet that only Akira—who had been watching her—caught it.
Lucia quickly noticed his gaze and masked her emotions, clearly unwilling to let him see that vulnerable side.
Akira scratched his nose awkwardly.
Seems even Her Holiness the Pope has her pride.
"Sir Akira~"
Ivsha suddenly leapt into his arms, her smile radiant and sweet.
"Look—Lady Rhein's power is truly fascinating, isn't it~?"
As she spoke, she took his hand and pressed it against the dragon scales covering her arm.
The moment his fingers touched them, Akira blinked in surprise.
They were… soft.
And more than that—
The scales were shaped like tiny hearts.
He immediately turned his attention toward Lucia's foot and Loserine's cheek.
Just as he suspected.
Lucia's scales were smooth and oval, like polished jade.
Loserine's, on the other hand, formed delicate diamond shapes.
"…Yeah. It really is fascinating," Akira admitted with a nod.
He hadn't expected Mare Rhein's domain to not only grant draconic power—but also alter the very form of the scales.
"Hmph! Of course my power is amazing!" Mare Rhein declared proudly, puffing out her chest. "Once I fully recover, even the Pope of Light won't be my match!"
Lucia: "?"
"Alright, enough. Let's head out and complete some quests."
Akira casually ruffled Mare Rhein's hair before leading the guild members out.
At present, the guild's quest panel only displayed breakthrough missions and three daily tasks.
Since breakthrough quests weren't something they could tackle immediately, Akira decided to clear the dailies first.
Half an hour later—
All three were done.
Even he hadn't expected it to go that quickly.
Back at the guild, Akira submitted the tasks… and then paused.
For a moment, he didn't know what to do next.
The guild's development had clearly hit a bottleneck.
Breakthrough quests? Stuck.Guild rank advancement? Also stuck.
After some thought, Akira made a decision.
He would take Loserine and return to the cave where Mira Aure was sealed.
"You all are free to do as you like in the guild. Loserine—come with me."
With that, he left.
"Free time…?"
Ivsha and the others exchanged puzzled looks.
Freedom was one thing—but without him around, they suddenly didn't know how to spend their time.
At that moment, Lucia stood up and made a suggestion.
"It's been quite hot lately. Why don't we go swimming?"
"That sounds wonderful!" Ivsha immediately agreed, her eyes lighting up. "The newly built outdoor pool hasn't even been used yet~ We should pick out some swimsuits first—and surprise Sir Akira~"
"Agreed!""Sounds good!"
A flash of white light from the teleportation array—
Akira and Loserine arrived at the border of the Elven Kingdom.
The moment he stepped out, Akira noticed something was different.
There were far more elves stationed here than before.
"…Looks like the final battle is approaching."
A shadow of concern crossed his face.
Even with their current advantages, an unease lingered deep in his chest.
Just then, a familiar voice broke the silence.
"Akira? What are you doing here?"
He turned.
A woman with fiery red hair approached, smiling.
"Honglian? What are you doing here?" Akira asked in surprise.
Honglian laughed lightly. "Things in the guild have settled down recently, and we've cleared most of our commissions. I heard the border situation here was tense, so I volunteered to help guard it. What about you?"
"…Your guild is idle too?" Akira muttered.
It seemed the Fairy Concubine Guild was facing the same issue—stalled progress due to rank advancement.
That only made him more curious about the difficulty of reaching an A-rank guild.
After a brief pause, he explained, "We're helping the Elven Kingdom deal with the undead threat."
"Oh? That's perfect!" Honglian beamed. "Then we'll be fighting side by side again! If Azkman hears about this, he'll be thrilled."
"Azkman?"
Akira blinked, then quickly understood. "So your guild is joining the battle too?"
"Yep~ Couldn't stop them even if I tried," Honglian said with a shrug.
After a short exchange, they parted ways.
Akira and Loserine headed straight for the cave.
But just as they arrived at its entrance—
Akira suddenly stopped.
And grabbed Loserine.
"…Something's wrong."
He frowned, his voice turning grave.
"The death aura inside… it's much stronger than before."
"?"
Loserine focused, then condensed a thread of soul magic and sent it drifting into the cave.
In the next instant—
It was swallowed whole.
Erased.
Her expression changed instantly.
Akira's face darkened as well.
"…What the hell is going on?"
The death aura had mutated.
It was denser. Heavier.
Oppressive enough to suffocate.
Even Loserine's soul body couldn't withstand it.
Akira's senses sharpened as he scanned the surroundings.
Something inside the cave had changed.
Something unknown.
"There's… a sound inside!" Loserine suddenly warned.
"?!"
Akira's gaze snapped toward the depths of the cave.
At the same time, he activated his half-dragon form.
Crimson scales spread across his body.
And in that very moment—
A shadow emerged.
The blackened corpse that should have remained motionless deep within the cave…
Was now walking.
Limping forward.
The instant their eyes met, Akira's expression sank to its darkest point.
A status window appeared.
[Death Devotee (Legendary)]Level: 88 ( ? / ? )Race: UndeadStats: ???Growth: 12 (All attributes +12 per level)Traits:[Widowmaker] (Defeating this unit grants this trait!)
"—!"
"Damn it!"
There was no time to process the absurdity of that trait.
The corpse had already raised its decayed blade.
"I'll hold it off—run!" Loserine drew her oathbound sword, its cold light flashing as she prepared to buy him time.
But Akira knew—
This was a Level 88 Legendary undead.
She couldn't win.
"Retreat!"
He made the call instantly, pulling her into his arms and turning to flee.
At that exact moment—
The Death Devotee's body erupted in black magic.
Then—
It vanished.
Turning into a streak of darkness, it shot forward like black lightning.
"Shit!"
Akira sprinted with everything he had—
But it was too fast.
In seconds—
It was in front of him.
He was forced to stop.
Gently setting Loserine down, he braced himself.
A fight to the death.
But just as battle was about to erupt—
A radiant, five-colored beam of magic descended from the sky.
It engulfed the Death Devotee.
In mere moments—
The skeletal body dissolved.
Fading into nothingness.
Gone.
"…?"
Akira froze for a second.
Then he looked up.
A pure, radiant figure descended slowly from the heavens.
"Elven Queen…?"
Shock filled his voice.
He hadn't expected her to appear—
Not now.
Not here.
Perfect timing.
[Death Devotee Defeated!][Obtained Ultra-Rare Trait — "Widowmaker"!]
"…This trait is ultra-rare?"
Akira's face twisted with disbelief.
He genuinely could not understand how something called "Widowmaker" qualified as ultra-rare.
"Are you alright?"
The Elven Queen's gentle voice broke his thoughts as she landed gracefully before him.
"Thank you for saving us!"
Akira clasped his hands in gratitude.
Without her—
They'd have been finished.
"No need for thanks~"
She shook her head lightly, her gaze shifting toward the place where the Death Devotee had vanished.
Only a black rune remained.
"To think a servant of Death was lurking so close to the Elven Kingdom's borders…"
Hearing that, Akira asked, "Your Majesty… do you know anything about the Goddess of Death?"
"Mm."
The Elven Queen nodded, her tone growing more serious.
"The Goddess of Death is… a very unusual deity. She possesses the largest number of followers. Like a plague, they spread her doctrine across the world—casting the shadow of death over countless lives."
"It is said that only when several powerful gods joined forces to seal her… was the spread of death finally contained."
She paused.
A trace of confusion flickered in her voice.
"However… something strange happened."
"After sealing the Goddess of Death…"
"Those gods… vanished."
"Without a trace."
"Even their followers disappeared along with them—as if they had never existed at all…"
…
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