Chapter 63: Just Destroy It (5)
Translator: miraclerifle
Editor: Borderline Masochist
Cale immediately asked the Black Dragon.
“How can you feel the scent of dead mana?”
Mana. That symbolized a power that existed in nature.
In some senses, it was similar to an ancient power that was created in a specific location. However, the two were very different.
The difference was between whether or not it could be left behind.
Mana disappeared as soon as the person who controlled that mana died, while ancient powers could be left behind.
The Black Dragon easily answered.
“I think it is because of the swamp. The swamp is dominating the mana and preventing it from dissipating.”
‘Dominating?’
Cale’s expression turned odd but the Black Dragon kept silent. The Whale siblings, as well as On and Hong, approached Cale and the Black Dragon.
The Black Dragon started to speak into Cale’s mind.
- I am very perceptive.
Cale made eye contact with the Black Dragon.
- I feel a power similar to your shield and wind inside the swamp.
“Ha!”
Cale inadvertently let out a gasp-like laughter. The mask-less Black Dragon started to smile. Cale also started to lightly smile as well.
Ancient power.
There was an ancient power inside the swamp and it had a good chance of being related to the keyword, ‘dominate.’
‘This is a first.’
This was Cale’s first time finding an ancient power that was not discussed in the novel. Of course, he had no idea whether this was an ancient power left behind by someone or one that was naturally developed in this location.
“You are very smart.”
“Correct. I am smart.”
The rest of the group became even more curious after seeing the Black Dragon and Cale smirking mischievously.
“Young master Cale, can you tell me what is going on? What do you mean by the scent of a dragon’s mana?”
Cale turned around to look at Witira. She was asking Cale, but seemed to have at least a decent idea of what was going on.
“I’m sure you already have an idea, but there is a good chance that there is a dragon corpse inside the swamp.”
“...A corpse?”
“Yes. But it is most likely very old and probably mummified.”
Cale only knew about the Forest of Darkness based on Choi Han’s experience as described in the novel. However, there was a number of very important information told by the novel.
< The lifeforms in the Forest of Darkness have had to always fight for survival because there has never been any single dominant ruler. >
No ruler.
It was probably correct to say that there were no dragons in the Forest of Darkness while Choi Han was there. Furthermore, people in the novel never mentioned a Dragon’s Lair or a dragon in the Forest of Darkness.
‘It must mean that it is a very old corpse.’
Tap. Tap.
Cale lowered his head to see Hong point to the swamp with a bitter expression.
“I guess I can’t eat the swamp water?”
Hong seemed to have lost his appetite after hearing dragon corpse. Cale could see that Hong was heading over to the Black Dragon to apologize without waiting to hear his answer.
“Sorry. I thought it would be delicious.”
“I do not care.”
The Black Dragon responded back with a curious expression.
“The thing inside the swamp and I are different. We are not related.”
Dragons really didn’t seem to care about their, ‘tribe.’ They all just considered themselves to be individuals unique from anything and everything else in the world. Cale looked at the completely unperturbed Black Dragon before he started to speak.
“I thought that the mermaids would have gotten stronger from the poison in the swamp. Their specialties are poison after all.”
The Whale siblings Paseton and Witira looked toward him.
“However, now I am thinking that it is probably the dead mana in the swamp and not the poison increasing their power. Either that, or it is from both the poison and the dead mana.”
Cale looked at the siblings.
Cale decided to proceed right away after hearing Witira’s response. He stood at the border of the swamp and waved toward the rest of the group.
“Step back.”
The rest of the group became confused. However, Cale just sternly said it once more for these chumps that won’t listen to him when he wanted to get to work right away.
“Go back into the forest and stay there. Don’t come out until I tell you to come out.”
Cale opened up the magic bag and continued to speak.
“You could get poisoned or hurt if you don’t listen.”
Paseton, who had been listening quietly, started to speak.
“Young master-nim, will you do it on your own?”
“He is not alone.”
The Black Dragon responded for Cale. Paseton turned toward the sound of the voice and then flinched. He could see the clear vibrations of mana around the Black Dragon. They were like waves floating around the Black Dragon, who had found the perfect opportunity to show off his strength.
“The two of us will take care of it, so go wait over there.”
“Young master Cale, I really can’t tell what your limits are.”
Cale just let Witira’s comment go in one ear and out the other ear, as he patted On and Hong on the head. Hong’s ears and tails were down.
“You two stay there as well. On, take good care of Hong. Hong, I’ll bring you some of the swamp poison, so just wait for me.”
Hong nodded his head at Cale before approaching the Black Dragon.
“Be careful. Don’t get hurt.”
“I understand.”
The Black Dragon nodded his head at Hong and stood still while Hong patted him with his front paws. Cale thought that the kids were playing well with each other and took an empty bottle out of the magic bag and threw it toward Paseton.
“Put the swamp water into the bottle. It is a magic bottle, so it won’t break.”
“...How did you even prepare for this?”
Paseton looked toward Cale with admiration, but Cale did not care. Instead, he continued to ruffle through the magic bag that looked small on the outside but was very spacious on the inside.
“Young master-nim, I filled the bottle.”
“Then go wait over there.”
Cale told Paseton, who had filled the large bottle with mud and water from the swamp, and the rest of the group to move along. Witira hesitated for a moment, but moved back toward the forest at the kittens’ urgings.
The Black Dragon verified that everyone was safely far away before approaching Cale.
“What do you plan to -.”
The Black Dragon stopped talking after seeing what Cale took out of the magic bag. He then continued speaking after seeing Cale gently smiling at him.
“Human, you look a bit smart right now.”
“Nah.”
There were two magic bombs in Cale’s hands.
These were different from the bombs with the multiple explosions he used in the Ubarr coast. These were the stronger and more destructive bombs used in the novel when the Ubarr mages launched their final attack.
Two of those bombs were in Cale’s hands right now.
“I was debating where to use these, but I guess an opportunity has shown up.”
Cale handed the two magic bombs to the Black Dragon.
“Run wild.”
“Can I really do that?”
Cale shortly answered the Black Dragon, who had caused a very visible fluctuation of mana to show how much he wanted to use his full strength.
“Don’t ask something so obvious. Naturally, make sure I don’t get hurt.”
The Black Dragon started to smile.
Swiiiiiiiiiiiiiiish.
A gust of wind started to run amuk with the Black Dragon at the center. Natural power. The mana was triggering the air in the vicinity.
Cale quickly summoned the Indestructible Shield after feeling like he was going to be pushed back.
At the same time, he could see layers of shields being created around him.
One layer, two layers, three layers.
It was a total of three layers.
“I need at least this much to make sure you don’t get hurt.”
The confidently speaking Black Dragon’s eyes were sparkling. Dragons really had completely different personalities compared to Whales. Rather than loving peace, dragons prefered to rule with fear and destruction. They were selfish and violent beings.
Cale pointed toward the black swamp once the Black Dragon had finished preparations for the bombs and looked toward him.
“Destroy it."
1. (PR: I just got Skyrim flashbacks. The horror.)