Chapter 231
Episode 74: The Power of the Black Dragon (4)
“A scream… a sound?”
Jin tilted his head in confusion as Misha lifted Murakan into her arms.
“Meow?”
[Miya?]
“And absolutely no one is allowed to enter the room.”
What kind of treatment could be so intense…?
Curiosity stirred within him, but Jin decided not to ask. After all, Misha was the only one in the world who could bring Murakan back. Worrying wouldn’t change anything.
‘Whatever the method, it’s definitely an excruciating treatment. Hang in there, Murakan.’
Unaware of the agony soon to come, Murakan lay quietly in Misha’s embrace.
“Please take good care of him, Misha.”
“I’ll see you later.”
Click!
The sound of the door closing felt unusually heavy. Jin and Shuri exchanged glances, blinking nervously.
Then, just seconds later, a scream pierced the silence.
Kyaaahhh!
A sharp, piercing cry—distinctly feline—escaped from behind the firmly shut door. Startled, Shuri scratched at the door as if begging for it to be opened, the noise sending chills down their spines.
[Miyaaa…!]
“Hey, Shuri. Misha’s just treating Murakan. Don’t worry.”
“…So it’s started, then.”
At that moment, Quikantel, passing by the corridor, stopped beside Jin and spoke.
Though Shuri was told not to worry, Jin himself couldn’t shake his unease.
He was about to ask Quikantel if everything would be alright—after all, she had spent the entire night talking with Misha and might know more.
But Quikantel’s expression was grim.
She even crossed her arms and bit her nails, looking so anxious she seemed like someone who’d committed a grave sin.
“Quikantel?”
Sigh “I just hope he can hold on.”
“Hold on? What do you mean?”
A wave of dread spread quickly.
“Oh, Misha didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
“This treatment isn’t just about restoring Murakan’s original form. If that were all, there’d be no need to worry. But Misha plans to restore Murakan’s old power as well.”
Kyaaak! Kiaaak!
Murakan’s screams continued beyond the door, accompanied by the grinding sound of some kind of mechanism. Yet Misha’s voice was nowhere to be heard.
“So when you say ‘hold on,’ do you mean that if something goes wrong during the restoration, Murakan could die?”
“No, no. If that were the case, Misha wouldn’t have gone ahead without telling you.”
Quikantel waved her hand dismissively.
“Then what?”
“If the surgery fails, Murakan won’t lose his life, but he’ll lose all the power he still has.”
Jin’s eyes widened.
For a moment, anger toward Misha welled up inside him.
If the surgery carried such risks, Misha should have at least consulted with him or Gili.
But on the other hand, he understood.
‘If it were Murakan, he’d definitely agree to the surgery, even knowing the risks.’
The old power Murakan once wielded—heard about from him and those around him—was incomparable to his current state. It was said to be on par with Temar Runkandel, capable of ‘contesting’ him.
He was said to overwhelm every dragon in the sky, and the power Jin had witnessed firsthand when Murakan faced Paytel, who had recently incarnated Julian, was terrifying. The title ‘Great Black Dragon’ was no exaggeration.
Yet now, Murakan was weaker than not only Quikantel but even Jin himself, his own ward.
If they ever faced a life-or-death situation together, it would be Jin, not Murakan, who would protect the other.
So there was no way Murakan wouldn’t want the surgery.
Not all guardian dragons are stronger than their contractors, but the general mindset among them is that they should at least be ‘not lacking.’
As if reading Jin’s thoughts, Quikantel added,
“Misha may seem like she dislikes Murakan, but she rushed here the moment something went wrong. She’ll do her best, so let’s wait quietly for a few days.”
“What are the chances of success?”
“About fifty percent.”
“Not too low, then.”
“Oh my, what’s that noise? It sounds like a cat screaming. Could it be… Murakan?”
This time, Gili appeared in the corridor.
After Quikantel explained again, Gili’s face went pale in an instant. Jin took her trembling hand.
She shared the same thoughts as Jin. They should have been told beforehand, but then again, if it were Murakan, he probably would have insisted on it.
None of the three could leave the corridor.
One by one, their comrades began to gather, and the number of people standing outside the door grew.
“Oh dear, Murakan… just hearing this hurts me. Your Highness, how worried you must be.”
“Gongja, Gili, he’ll get through this.”
“Here, have something to eat while you wait.”
By noon, all their comrades had gathered outside the corridor.
The screams continued relentlessly through the night. The dull sounds of something breaking and cracking grew more frequent.
Just before midnight, the group heard something new—a groan unmistakably human.
“Ugh… aaah!”
It was nothing like the piercing cat cries before; it was definitely Murakan’s voice.
From then on, the cries alternated between feline wails and human screams. Murakan was shifting back and forth between his human and cat forms during the treatment.
As their anxiety grew, the screams suddenly subsided, and the door opened.
They caught a brief glimpse inside: the room was splattered with bloodstains, and dark spiritual energy swirled in thick clumps throughout the space. Murakan’s figure was nowhere to be seen.
“Phew!”
Misha stepped out into the corridor, wiping sweat from her brow.
She blinked in surprise at the gathered comrades, then shrugged.
“What’s this? Some kind of spectacle? Looks like Quikantel told you. If you’re here to scold me…”
“We’re not. You know Murakan better than any of us, so you must have decided on the surgery for good reason. Is he alright?”
“For now, yes. But this has to continue for a few more days. It’s still too early to relax.”
The wicked smile she’d shown earlier was gone, replaced by a deeply tired expression.
At least Jin, Murakan’s contractor, could sense how much spiritual energy she’d been expending all day.
The overwhelming aura she’d radiated when they first met had noticeably faded. It was clear she was pouring her soul into the treatment.
“I’m exhausted. I should eat something and rest.”
“I’ll prepare something right away, Misha. Is there anything you’d like?”
To everyone’s surprise, Misha answered,
“Strawberry pie. If that’s not available, then any pie made with fresh, tangy fruit.”
Brother and sister, indeed.
Every day, Misha began treatment around noon and finished near midnight.
A week passed. As time went on, the human screams inside the room grew more frequent than the cat cries.
“Today’s the final hurdle. I don’t know what kind of trouble this idiot brother has caused.”
Misha looked at Jin and the others with tired eyes.
Whether they cleared this hurdle or not, from today on, Murakan would return as a dragon and be with his comrades again.
“Waaah!”
As the treatment began, the screams were more intense than ever.
But the cat cries had vanished completely. The unstable transformation between human and cat forms was over.
No one knew how the night passed. All they could do was suppress their anxiety and stare at the firmly closed door.
Even if Murakan lost his power, the comrades wouldn’t treat him any differently.
But could Murakan himself endure that reality? That question kept them from relaxing.
“It’s almost midnight, my lord. Please… I hope he’s safe.”
At that moment, the screams stopped. The noise of the treatment devices fell silent as well.
The group held their breath, waiting for the door to open.
Click…!
When the door swung open, the first to appear was a man with long, jet-black hair cascading down his back—Murakan.
He smiled broadly the moment he saw his comrades.
“Long time no see, everyone.”
“Murakan!”
“Lord Murakan!”
His voice carried a strange, commanding presence unlike before.
Jin immediately recalled the first time they met in the basement of the storm cellar. Just like young Jin had felt then, an overwhelming aura radiated from Murakan’s gaze and demeanor.
The surgery had succeeded.
Before Misha could even announce it, the comrades instinctively knew.
“Ha ha ha! Yes, I am Murakan!”
Suddenly, Murakan burst into a wild laugh. The comrades flinched and stepped back, overwhelmed by the immense power radiating from him.
Crack… snap…!
Though it was just laughter, the thick stone walls of the corridor began to crack. Something that would have been impossible for Murakan just forty days ago.
“This is it! This is who I am! Hahaha—ugh!”
Suddenly, Murakan’s neck snapped sharply—a force so intense a normal person would have died instantly.
Misha slammed the door behind her, hitting him hard on the back of the head.
“What’s wrong with you? Who told you to yell like that? My eardrums were about to burst from your screaming all week.”
Murakan spun around and glared at Misha, then broke into a chuckle.
“Anyway, thanks. You saved my life. I’m grateful, so I’ll give you a hug! Come closer.”
“Get lost.”
“Yeah, just kidding. I don’t like you either. Now, go home. I’ve got a celebration to attend with my friends. I’ll send your payment later.”
“Oh, keep talking. You’re acting like you don’t see a thing just because you’re feeling a bit better. Get a grip—this is your last warning.”
“You’re still not leaving… ugh! Ack!”
Thwack! Thwack! Crack!
Misha’s fists sent Murakan flying down the hallway, crashing into walls and doors. Even at a glance, her punches and kicks packed the power of at least an eight-star strike.
Yet Murakan took every hit without shedding a drop of blood. Their comrades couldn’t decide whether to be shocked by Misha’s assault or amazed by Murakan’s endurance.
“Your old strength’s only about forty percent back, little brother. Mess around, and you could die.”
After landing about twenty blows, Misha roughly tossed Murakan aside and said,
“You… you only restored forty percent on purpose, didn’t you? If you brought me back fully, I’d be stronger than you!”
“Your thinking’s impressive. I’ll give you five seconds. If you don’t drop to your knees and show some gratitude right now, I’ll turn you back into a cat.”
Why would I do that?!
Just as Murakan was about to shout, Jin and Gilly grabbed him at the same time and forced him down.
“Thank you for your hard work, Lady Misha.”
“You all waited patiently too. Still, as much as it pisses me off, I guess I have to head back now, just like he said.”