Episode 111
“What is this?”
It was the same chain bundle that had appeared in the video left by Terrakan Draker.
Zeke reached out towards the chains.
[“Chains of ???” detected.]
[Title: Heir of Terrakan Draker activated.]
[Registered as the heir to the “Chains of ???.”]
Just like the ancient Hershion he had obtained from Cain, the chains left by Terrakan Draker were also shrouded in mystery, their name obscured by question marks.
Vrrrrr!
Suddenly, the chains began to vibrate.
At the same time, they started to emit a bright light.
“What… what’s happening?”
The bundle of chains rose on its own, like a snake, and wrapped around Zeke’s gauntleted arm.
“Ugh!”
Caught off guard, Zeke tried to shake the chains off his arm, but they transformed into a halo of light.
Vrrrrr!
The chains, now light, passed through the gauntlet and coiled around Zeke’s arm, burrowing into his skin.
Zeke felt a searing pain, as if his arm was on fire.
“Aaaagh!”
The agony from the chains was beyond the healing factor’s ability to mend.
Zeke collapsed, clutching his arm, his body trembling with pain.
Then, as if being absorbed, the chains sank into his arm.
“Ugh!”
In a panic, Zeke tore off the gauntlet and threw it aside.
Sssssss!
When he checked his arm, a chain-shaped mark was etched into his skin.
The mark glowed a fiery red, as if burning, before the light faded, leaving only a faint outline.
The burning pain finally subsided.
“Phew.”
Wiping the sweat from his brow, Zeke examined the chain-shaped mark that stretched from his wrist to his shoulder.
“What on earth is this?”
A message appeared before his eyes.
[“Chains of ???” have been successfully registered to the user’s soul.]
[By registering the “Chains of ???,” you have acquired the skill “Soul Binding Technique (Grade A).”]
[Documents related to the Soul Binding Technique have been added to Terrakan Draker’s secure archive under the “Miscellaneous” folder.]
“Soul Binding Technique?”
After reading the message, Zeke opened the secure archive.
―Terrakan Draker’s Secure Archive―
Organization Operation Manual
Dragon Slaying Manual Ver. 5.21 (Final)
Reference Materials
Collection of Growth-Enhancing Aphorisms
Miscellaneous
“Miscellaneous? Ah, this must be the folder the system mentioned.”
When he clicked on “Miscellaneous,” he found a list of lab photos and videos he had saved.
At the bottom, a new entry had been added.
―Soul Binding Technique_Final Version
Zeke opened the Soul Binding Technique to examine its contents.
Just as he had seen in the holographic video, the technique detailed how to use chains to immobilize enemies.
“This is as detailed as the Dragon Slaying Manual.”
In today’s world, most knights rely on swordsmanship. Only the Empire and the Holy Kingdom use swordsmanship with shields, while spear or bow users are rare.
So, a technique like chain binding was unheard of.
Yet, the fact that Terrakan Draker, a legendary dragon slayer, was also a master of such a binding technique was astonishing.
Zeke studied the Soul Binding Technique and extended his left arm.
“Let’s see. If I do this, the chains should appear?”
He mimicked the motion of throwing a chain.
The mark on his arm glowed, and a chain slithered out.
“Wow, it actually works!”
Zeke grabbed the chain that emerged from his arm and swung it around.
Vrrrrr!
The chain extended and retracted, moving according to Zeke’s will.
Practicing the binding technique left by Terrakan, Zeke retracted the chain back into the mark.
“If I master this, capturing beasts will be a breeze.”
Capturing beasts would earn him a significant amount of karma points.
Since points were valuable, it was wise to hunt beasts whenever possible.
Zeke was pleased with his unexpected new ability.
“Good thing I claimed it before the Empire could.”
With this newfound power, he decided to search for any other legacies Terrakan Draker might have left behind.
“System, are there any other relics besides the facilities in this protective base?”
[Checking facilities as per the administrator’s command.]
[Search complete.]
[An ancient dragon lair predating the construction of the protective base has been detected underground.]
Zeke was taken aback by the system’s revelation.
“What? A dragon lair?”
The system automatically displayed a map, marking the path to the dragon lair.
[The current transport system of the protective base is non-operational. You can access the underground via the emergency exit.]
Following the map, Zeke located the entrance to the emergency exit in a corner of the protective base.
Descending the dark stairway, Zeke ventured deeper and deeper.
“I’ve never seen a dungeon like this before.”
It seemed that the dragon lair had been built first, then a temple by the Joins, and finally, Terrakan Draker had established the protective base to fend off dragons and beasts.
As he descended, Zeke pondered the dungeon’s structure and a question arose.
“Come to think of it, wasn’t the dragon known as the World’s Arbiter attacking humans alongside beasts? How does that make sense?”
In his past memories, Bahamut had warned that if humans grew too powerful through aura, he would annihilate them to maintain the world’s balance.
Perhaps Bahamut, feeling threatened by a world full of humans, had led other dragons and beasts to destroy the human world.
“But Bahamut had a contract with Terrakan. Something doesn’t add up.”
According to Kaishir, a contract between a human and a dragon meant sharing each other’s souls, becoming “eternal partners.”
This implied that Terrakan Draker and Bahamut were eternal partners, sharing their souls.
Yet, in his past memories, Terrakan had personally destroyed his contracted dragon, Bahamut.
As Kaishir had put it, “Such a thing should be impossible.”
Zeke recalled the scenes from his past memories, lost in thought.
“There’s so little known about Bahamut and Terrakan Draker that it’s hard to piece together what’s really going on. I have the information, but connecting the dots is difficult.”
Lost in thought, Zeke eventually reached the bottom of the stairs, standing before a massive door.
“Is this the dragon’s lair?”
The door was enormous, far larger and thicker than any castle gate.
Overcoming the immense pressure, Zeke slowly reached out towards the door.
[Title: Blessed by the Ancient Dragon confirmed.]
[Opening the lair.]
The lair’s door, which had been sealed without a single seam, began to open slowly.
Zeke watched the door open on its own, a look of astonishment on his face.
“At this rate, is there any ruin I can’t enter?”
Zeke marveled at the power of the “title,” which seemed more potent than any skill or ability he had encountered.
As he stepped inside the lair, Zeke’s jaw dropped at its sheer size. It was even more impressive than the Joins’ temple.
The size of the dragons he had seen in the holographic video was astounding, but the lair where such dragons resided was unimaginably vast.
Despite being sealed for so long, the lair’s floors, pillars, and walls remained intact, showing no signs of damage.
As he marveled at the immense scale, Zeke walked through the long, wide corridor until he reached a vast chamber.
“What is this place?”
The center of the chamber was sunken, and the floor was covered with refined mana stones, like gravel.
“My goodness.”
The sight of mana stones covering the floor of a circular chamber the size of twenty Valhalla arenas was breathtaking.
At that moment, a message appeared before him.
[Connecting to the lair’s control system.]
[All functions are inactive as the previous administrator has sealed the lair.]
[Searching for alternative access routes.]
Another system message soon followed.
[Title: Successor of the Sword Saint confirmed.]
[Playing message left for the successor.]
Zeke was startled by the message.
“Successor of the Sword Saint? Why now?”
Vrrrrr!
Suddenly, a massive dragon appeared before Zeke.
With two pairs of wings and scales that shone like gold, the dragon had piercing blue eyes.
Zeke took a step back, awed by the holographic image of the gold dragon.
Even as a hologram, the dragon’s presence was overwhelming.
The gold dragon’s blue eyes glowed as it gazed at Zeke.
In Zeke’s mind, the dragon’s voice resonated.
“Successor of the Sword Saint, Shaton Draker.”
Zeke felt Bahamut’s heart race in response to the dragon’s voice.
The gold dragon continued.
“My name is Uranos, leader of the Gold Clan. I have awaited the successor of the Sword Saint, as foretold by Chronos.”
“Chronos’s prophecy?”
Uranos looked at Zeke with deep eyes and spoke.
“Shaton Draker entrusted each clan’s leader, including myself, with a part of Chronos’s seal.”
Hearing Uranos’s words, something clicked in Zeke’s mind.
“A seal? Could it be the seal of the Chronos Kingdom?”
Uranos continued.
“To prevent the prophecy spoken by Chronos, I leave a part of the seal and arrangements for the successor here. The successor of the Sword Saint must find the remaining seals and uncover the truth left by Chronos.”
Vrrrrr!
As the message ended, Uranos’s form blurred and vanished.
Just then, a message flashed before Zeke’s eyes again.
[You have acquired 1/4 of the Seal of the Kingdom of Chronos.]
[Once all the remaining seals are found, the coordinates to the Kingdom of Chronos’s treasure will be activated.]
Zeke pondered deeply, recalling the vision left by Uranos, the leader of the Gold Dragons.
“The truth left by Chronos, huh? I thought the treasure of the Kingdom of Chronos was just a vault of riches.”
Though he couldn’t decipher the prophecy of Chronos, the fact that the swordmaster Shaton Draker had made arrangements with the dragon leaders suggested it was no ordinary matter.
“This feels so disconnected from the future I’ve experienced. It’s hard to grasp.”
At that moment, another message appeared before him.
[The preparations made by Uranos, the Guardian of the Sky, are being delivered.]
[The arrangement is tailored to the user’s abilities.]
[Title ‘Dragon’s Chosen’ confirmed.]
[You have acquired the Dragon Skill ‘Dragon’s Fang.’]
“Dragon’s Fang?”
Unfamiliar with the term, Zeke immediately checked the skill.
―Dragon Skill Information―
Dragon’s Fang: Allows the summoning of soldiers using a dragon’s tooth as a medium.
“Does this mean I can command summoned creatures?”
Zeke took out Bahamut, crafted from a dragon’s tooth, and activated the Dragon’s Fang skill.
[Summoning Dragon’s Fang soldiers using the Black Sword Bahamut as a medium.]
[At Dragon Skill level 3, you can summon up to 15 Dragon’s Fang soldiers.]
[With Bahamut’s heart enhancing your abilities, you can summon up to 20.]
A low hum resonated as Zeke’s shadow expanded, and from it emerged soldiers clad in black armor.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
They carried swords at their sides, bows slung across their backs, and spears in hand.
The 20 Dragon’s Fang soldiers, dressed in unfamiliar attire, lined up in perfect formation before Zeke.
Impressed by the powerful aura each soldier exuded, Zeke marveled.
“These are at least as strong as Yellow Rank swordsmen, if not more.”
Twenty Yellow Rank swordsmen could easily rival an entire mercenary unit.
As Zeke considered how to command them, he tried issuing a mental order.
‘Turn to the left.’
In unison, the Dragon’s Fang soldiers pivoted to the left as if they were one entity.
Zeke nodded in satisfaction.
“These will be incredibly useful in chaotic battles. I won’t need to risk other soldiers for scouting or reconnaissance.”
For someone like Zeke, who often needed to infiltrate and conceal his identity, the Dragon’s Fang soldiers provided a significant advantage in disrupting enemies.
When he dismissed the soldiers, they dissolved into black smoke, merging back into his shadow.
Zeke gazed at the mana stones embedded in the lair’s floor, lost in thought.
“Hmm, I wonder if I can take all of these with me.”
Just then, a message in red letters appeared before him.
[Following the previous administrator’s orders, this lair will be completely sealed.]
[The lair is set to self-destruct soon. Please open the emergency escape portal to exit.]
[Countdown commencing.]
“What? Self-destruct?”