Episode 34
With his promotion to a mid-level administrator, it seemed like a slew of new features had been unlocked.
Zeke opened his status window for the first time in a while.
[Mid-Level Administrator Status Window]
Name: Zeke Draker
Class: Immortal (Unique Grade)
Title: Blessed by the Ancient Dragon, Heir of Terracan Draker
Authority: Dragon Kin Mastery
Constitution: Celestial Bone Structure, Immune to All Poisons
System Features: Inventory (100 slots) / Mini-map (Portal Travel) / Mid-Level Quest Book / Skill Shortcut Slots / Potion Shortcut Slots
Passive Skills: Healing Factor / Unyielding Mental Defense / Infinite Stamina / Combat Instinct
Special Skills: Gale Force [Grade A (Proficient)] / Elemental Sword [Grade S (Novice)]
Active Skills: Magic Reflection [Grade A (Novice)] / Area Buff [Grade A (Novice)]
Dragon Skills (Stage 2 Unlocked): Dragon’s Gaze (Proficient) / Dragon’s Majesty (Proficient) / Gluttony (Proficient) / Word Magic (Locked) / Dragon Scale Armor (Proficient) / Dragon Claw (Proficient)
Karma Points: 1365
The barrier that had been blocking him shattered, and by acquiring the Elemental Sword, he completed the quest mission.
Zeke felt the surge of power as he broke through the wall, reaching the level of a Red Knight.
Watching him, Kaishir crossed his arms and nodded approvingly.
“Yes, that’s more like it. Only then can you be considered my successor. Though, you’re still far from perfect.”
Zeke asked Kaishir, “Is there no advanced technique for the Elemental Sword? Like a finishing move or an ultimate skill?”
“You fool. If wielded properly, it can summon storms and split the earth. Why would you need an ultimate skill? Only those lacking in skill seek such things.”
Kaishir’s self-assured demeanor was as strong as ever.
Yet, given Kaishir’s prowess, Zeke could somewhat understand his perspective.
“What will you do now, Your Majesty?”
“Having passed on the Elemental Sword, I must return to the spirit realm.”
“Is there no way for you to return to the mortal realm?”
“If a powerful spirit like me were to descend recklessly, it would disrupt the world’s balance. Karma would not allow it.”
Zeke was taken aback by Kaishir’s words.
“Karma? What do you mean by that…?”
Suddenly, Kaishir’s form began to fade.
“I must go now. Don’t go getting yourself beaten up out there. Make sure the world knows of my achievements.”
Kaishir was as self-centered in his departure as he was upon his arrival.
Soon, Kaishir vanished completely, and the sky-blue gem on the pedestal lost its light.
“With a personality like that, I wonder how he ever got along with the fairies.”
After Kaishir left, Zeke gathered all the items he could carry into his inventory and finally stepped out of the ruins after several months.
He wanted to test his new powers against the Hydra, but the creature was nowhere to be found.
Resolving to face it another time, Zeke activated the mini-map to descend the mountain.
At that moment, a new feature on the map was activated.
[A new feature has been activated, allowing portal travel.]
[Locations previously visited by the administrator that are accessible via portal are marked on the map.]
“Portal travel, huh?”
Zeke checked the map.
The places he had visited that were accessible by portal were highlighted.
He confirmed the portal-accessible locations from Argos.
[Points deducted for portal use: 150]
As he clicked through various locations, he noticed that the points deducted varied based on the distance.
With hunting dogs roaming the Giant Mountain Range and having already missed the expected arrival time in Valhalla, Zeke decided to use his points for portal travel.
[Transporting to the designated location.]
[Portal is activating.]
Suddenly, his vision blurred, and he felt a wave of dizziness.
The unique sensation of the portal swept over him.
When Zeke lifted his head, he found himself near the ancient ruins of Argos.
“Unbelievable.”
Though it consumed points, this feature seemed to allow him to travel freely across the continent.
Zeke returned to his retreat to prepare for his journey to Atlas.
He was already a month late for the entrance period at Valhalla.
He hurried towards Atlas, the largest city in the central continent and the heart of Midland.
“In my ten years at Valhalla, I’ve never seen anything like this.”
An elderly knight in formal attire looked sternly at Zeke.
He was Flaubert Borges, the esteemed headmaster of Valhalla, a place every knight aspired to enter.
Despite not being from the Draker family, Flaubert had been chosen as Valhalla’s headmaster.
His appointment was met with universal respect across the continent, as he was a knight renowned for both his skill and integrity.
A former long-serving captain of the royal guard in the Kingdom of Thebea, his reputation was impeccable.
The story of how Arthur Draker personally visited him three times to request he take the headmaster position was still told to this day.
Under Flaubert’s leadership, Valhalla’s prestige had only grown.
As a distinguished knight and a man of principles, Flaubert alternated his gaze between the recommendation letter and Zeke standing before him.
“So, why are you late? Surely you knew the term starts in March.”
Unable to explain that he had been training under the Hero King in the ruins, Zeke slightly altered the truth.
“I went to Argos for secluded training and became so engrossed that I lost track of time.”
Flaubert scrutinized Zeke with sharp eyes.
“Are you saying that your secluded training was more valuable than a month at Valhalla?”
“That’s not what I meant. I was simply so focused on discovering the path of the sword that I lost track of time.”
“Hmm…”
Though a man of principles, Flaubert was not inflexible.
As a skilled knight himself, he could somewhat understand Zeke’s explanation.
Nodding, Flaubert spoke.
“Your reasoning has some merit, but Valhalla has its own principles.”
He looked at Zeke.
“I’ll judge based on the results of your training in Argos. If it proves more valuable than a month at Valhalla, you’ll be allowed to enroll.”
“You want me to demonstrate the results of my training?”
“Exactly. What, are you not confident?”
Zeke shook his head.
“No, I’m ready to begin.”
Flaubert shook his head and rang a bell.
Someone entered the room.
“Find an empty training room and take Zeke Draker there. Also, inform the professors of each department to gather at the training room immediately.”
Zeke followed the headmaster’s assistant to the training room.
Having never been to Valhalla in his past life, the unfamiliar buildings fascinated him.
“This way, please.”
The training room was impressive in both size and facilities, even for an empty one.
“Valhalla is truly remarkable.”
As he explored the training room, Flaubert soon arrived with other professors.
Each professor was a renowned knight on the continent.
Standing in the center of the training ground, Zeke listened as the headmaster addressed him from the observation seats.
“Show us the results of your training. The professors from each department will evaluate and make the final decision.”
Standing alone in the training ground, Zeke pondered what would satisfy the strict headmaster.
‘Showing the Elemental Sword here isn’t an option. This is tricky.’
He decided to demonstrate the Gale Force and Dragon Slayer techniques.
Drawing Bahamut, he assumed a stance.
The headmaster and professors watched him intently, their eyes sharp.
Their expressions seemed to say, “Show us what you’ve got.”
As Zeke focused his energy into Bahamut, an aura blade surged forth.
Just as he was about to unleash the Gale Force technique, someone exclaimed.
“My, my goodness!”
He hadn’t even done anything yet, but the professors were already staring in shock at his aura blade.
‘Oh no.’
In the presence of the Hero King Kaishir, aura blades were considered basic skills, and Zeke was seen as a slow learner.
But back in reality, he was a prodigy who had mastered the aura blade at fifteen.
Zeke closed his eyes, cursing his oversight.
The damage was done.
He retracted the aura blade and bowed respectfully.
“My skills are unworthy of being shown to the esteemed headmaster and professors.”
Seeing a pure-blooded Draker, who had become a Blue Knight at fifteen, display such humility, the professors were moved by his character.
The headmaster’s voice softened considerably.
“It seems your month was indeed spent in valuable pursuit.”
“I was merely struggling to grasp an elusive thread of understanding. I apologize once again for the delay.”
The headmaster, now in good spirits, chuckled.
“Haha, if you’re slow, then what does that make the rest of us?”
The professors joined in the laughter.
With the evaluation concluded in a friendly atmosphere, Zeke was granted permission to enroll at Valhalla.
Once everything was settled, he moved to the residence in Atlas that Decker had secured for him.
Using the black card from the family head, he was able to acquire a luxurious estate not far from Valhalla.
“Welcome, sir.”
As he entered the estate, the staff greeted him warmly.
Decker, more knightly than any knight, bowed to Zeke.
“How was Valhalla, young master?”
“It went well. They want me to start next week. They’re sending over the documents needed for enrollment, so could you handle that for me?”
“Of course, young master.”
Zeke headed straight to his room.
He had just returned from a rushed trip to Valhalla and hadn’t yet opened the random boxes and skill cards he had collected.
“Three random boxes and three random skill cards,” he mused.
He had opened random boxes before, but the skill cards were new territory.
Zeke decided to start with the random boxes.
He opened them to find a pair of boots, leg armor, and an earring.
―Boots Information―
Description: Boots crafted from a durable yet lightweight metal called Uncheol.
Unique Ability: None
Special Note: Activates a unique ability when the full Uncheol set is worn.
―Leg Armor Information―
Description: Leg armor made from the same durable, lightweight Uncheol.
Unique Ability: None
Special Note: Activates a unique ability when the full Uncheol set is worn.
―Earring Information―
Description: Earrings intricately crafted from crystal.
Unique Ability: Increases mana recovery speed by 15%.
Special Note: Pairs well with a red dress.
The items were fairly standard.
Following the gauntlets, he now had boots and leg armor made of Uncheol. He wondered if he might eventually complete the full set.
Next, he turned his attention to the random skill cards. He felt a bit cautious, as it was his first time opening them.
As soon as he did, the cards emitted a light, and messages appeared.
[Opening random skill cards.]
[Active Skill ‘Static Shock (Grade C)’ has been registered.]
[Active Skill ‘Flashbang (Grade C)’ has been registered.]
[Active Skill ‘Dissonance (Grade C)’ has been registered.]
Three active skills in total.
Zeke read through the skill descriptions.
―Static Shock: Imbues your weapon with an electric charge.
―Flashbang: Emits a blinding light to obscure the enemy’s vision.
―Dissonance: Produces an unsettling sound to confuse enemies.
He activated the newly unlocked skill shortcut feature.
Three empty slots appeared before him.
By selecting a slot, he could assign one of the active skills to it.
Zeke filled the slots with Flashbang, Dissonance, and Static Shock in that order.
[Skills in slots can be activated with just a thought.]
Upon confirming the message, he imagined using Static Shock while holding his dagger, and immediately, electricity coursed along the blade.
“Wow, that’s impressive.”
Once a skill was used, it required a cooldown period before it could be used again.
Zeke also activated the potion slot feature.
By placing desired potions in the three slots, he could consume them with just a thought, which would be handy in urgent combat situations.
While checking his potions to fill the slots, Zeke came across a vial containing the Fairy King’s Tears, a reward from a surprise mission.
“Now, what exactly is this?”
He read the description of the Fairy King’s Tears.
―Fairy King’s Tears: Allows you to summon the Fairy King from the spirit realm once.
“Summon the Fairy King?”
In legends, the Fairy King was known to grant wishes to humans.
“Could I use this to summon the Fairy King and make a wish?”
After some thought, Zeke carefully returned the Fairy King’s Tears to his inventory. He figured it might come in handy someday.
Knock, knock!
There was a knock at the door, and when Zeke gave permission, Decker entered the room.
“What’s up?”
Decker approached Zeke and said, “Young master, you have a visitor.”