My Two Status Windows

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 82: The Defense of the Dragon’s Lair (3)

"I am a servant of the gods, blessed by Thor... and I have inherited a Dragon Heart from an Arkardian."

I struck first against Arik, who was staring blankly at me.

Honestly, I was itching to say it.

I had repeated the same words 50 times while retrying, wondering if something would change.

At this point, it felt like I was performing in a play.

Arik's eyes widened in shock at my words.

"A Dragon Heart?"

"Yeah. So reveal your true identity. You're Drakina, aren't you?"

I just threw it out there.

After observing throughout my 50 retries, I was sure this guy wasn’t an ordinary orc.

And I couldn't think of any other possibility.

The orc frantically waved both hands, looking pale.

"A-Ah, no!"

"What's your connection to the Dragon God Drakia? Your name sounds similar."

"You… you know my father?! Yes, Drakia is indeed the Dragon God!"

Was it because Drakia had been forgotten?

Arik got so worked up that she started spitting while talking.

Yeah, she's definitely Drakina.

Dragons are kind of dumb, huh?

Maybe because she’s just a hatchling?

"Are you the Dragon God's daughter?"

"Ack… that's sneaky! Fine. Yes, I am Drakina, daughter of the Dragon God!"

Arik lifted her chin proudly.

But if she's Drakina, why did she die during Minerva’s Judgment?

"Weren't you evolving into a dragon?"

"How do you know that? No—more importantly, show some respect to a great being!"

"I can sense it with my Dragon Heart, dumbass. And respect? You’d be dead without me, so you should be the one showing respect."

"Ugh..."

"Anyway, if you're evolving into a dragon, why are you running around as an orc?"

Arik gritted her teeth and fell silent for a moment.

Her eyes rolled around like she was debating whether or not she could say it.

She thinks too much.

Time to apply some pressure.

"Hurry up and spill it! Otherwise, I’m leaving. Think you can hold out without me?"

"Ugh, fine! This is my avatar. Even while evolving into a dragon, I can control at least one avatar."

"Then wouldn’t it be better to just run away as a hatchling instead of fighting like this? Those guys are no joke."

"As a hatchling, I wouldn’t be able to escape… The enemy’s encirclement is too tight. And the other dragons aren’t coming to my aid… No one remembers the Dragon God Drakia… Something’s wrong."

Drakina spoke with a puzzled expression.

"In the end, I have to fully evolve into a dragon to use teleportation and escape this situation. Before that, I can’t break through the barrier spread across this mountain range."

So basically, "Protect me until I become a dragon."

"Can you share the Dragon God’s power with me?"

"You’re too strong, so it's impossible. Unless you evolve into a dragon too..."

Ugh, that dragon thing again.

"Got it. For now, save your monsters. Use them when the Hero arrives."

"How do you know about that?"

"I have the ability to see the future."

"Then tell me the future."

She shoved her orc face right into mine, making me frown.

When I quickly dodged, Drakina widened her eyes.

"Why are you avoiding me?"

"Ugh, is an orc your only avatar? Can’t you change into something like a human or an elf? If you're neutral, even a Valkyrie would work. Orcs just piss me off."

"I'm already beautiful… These sharp fangs, this sturdy square jaw, the well-distributed muscle with just the right amount of fat… Orcs go crazy for this look!"

"Yeah, well, human beauty standards don’t match that. Please, just change."

"I can’t. I’m evolving into a dragon, remember?"

Ugh, do I have to keep looking at that face?

Other monsters don’t act like this, but Drakina keeps getting all up in my space.

It’s creepy.

"Then talk to me from a distance. Don’t get close."

"Ugh… You’re so mean."

"Don’t say 'you’re so mean' with an orc face. It’s annoying."

"Che! Fine! I won’t help you anymore!"

She stomped off with her underlings.

Is she a kid?

Even if she’s a hatchling, she’s definitely lived longer than me.

Well, if she’s backing off, that’s great for me.

"Stay put until the Hero arrives. Got it?"

"Fine! I’ll see just how well you fight."

"…Strong."

After ten days of holding off the enemy’s invasion, Drakina wore a strange expression.

She smiled, then frowned, her expression shifting between emotions.

She should be happy, considering she didn’t have to use her own forces, but maybe she wasn’t entirely thrilled watching me fight so well.

She really is just a kid.

"The Hero will be here soon, and I’m going to charge in headfirst. You handle your own survival, okay?"

"Got it. Just guard the gate, right?"

"Yeah."

She understood quickly.

Guess my ten-day training to drill it into her head paid off.

The monsters spread out and stood guard in front of the iron gates.

Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.

Drums echoed beyond the cave, spreading divine energy.

The divine energy made Drakina’s orc body and the monsters tremble violently.

"The Hero… is too strong…"

"Just guard the gate."

I climbed onto my Flame Chariot and activated Hermes' Acceleration.

As the Hero’s overwhelming presence grew stronger, I charged forward.

I had to strike before he could use his ultimate move!

"Tsk… It took this long just to subdue a mere hatchling?"

The Hero, lowering his voice to sound imposing, suddenly raised his tone in shock.

He had spotted me charging at full speed.

"Focus Enhancement. Thunder God!"

Before reaching him, I unleashed a strengthened lightning attack.

Even while accelerating, the lightning shot forward with terrifying speed.

The Hero, who had been raising his sword to gather divine energy, hastily adjusted his stance.

"You bastard!"

A golden shield formed around the Hero’s body.

The enhanced Thunder God attack tore through the shield like paper, but it failed to penetrate his sword.

The radiant blade absorbed the lightning completely.

Damn.

Is this the difference between an A and a B rank?

"So, you're Thor’s servant! I shall offer your head to Jupiter!"

The Hero leaned forward slightly—then, in an instant, he was right in front of me.

With a single swing of his blade, my Flame Chariot was sliced clean in half.

Shit.

He’s strong.

I need to go all out.

Because of the SP drain, I’ll have to use Soul Energy Emission!

"Soul Energy Emission!"

The Yeoui in my hands blazed with pure white flames.

The Hero smirked and lunged at me.

“What a pathetic trick!”

The hero swung his sword right in front of me, as if to subdue me immediately.

His speed was so fast that I could barely follow it with my eyes.

Clang!

Aegis’ shield blocked the blow, but his sword twisted strangely and aimed for my neck.

I barely managed to parry the strike with my own sword.

The sword of light and the sword of the soul clashed simultaneously.

Boom!

A blinding white explosion erupted, and my body was thrown backward.

“Ugh!”

Both of my arms felt like they were about to be torn off.

The Yeoui, burning white-hot with energy emission, had slightly bent.

Fortunately, Hephaestus’ armor absorbed the impact of the light explosion.

With just one clash, I understood.

The hero was stronger than me.

The difference between A and B was clear.

I prepared for the next inevitable exchange while keeping my eyes locked on the hero.

Whoosh!

Once again, his sword targeted my head.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

But the intensity of the sword of light was noticeably weaker than before.

The mass of light had visibly shrunk.

Clang!

The hero’s sword clashed against Aegis’ shield and momentarily halted.

Unlike earlier, he couldn’t immediately follow up with another attack and was momentarily stiffened.

Seizing the opportunity, I thrust my sword.

The sword of light tried to block Yeoui’s trajectory once more.

Fwoooosh…

But this time, it failed to deflect the strike and was pierced straight through.

The sword of light, split in half, burned in white flames.

Then, starting from the tip, the sword’s light faded away and slowly disintegrated.

Within just two exchanges, the hero’s sword was gone.

“No… This can't be…? The holy sword…?”

His face was hidden beneath his helmet, but his stunned disbelief was unmistakable.

Was it due to the energy emission?

I wasn’t sure of the exact reason, but now was my chance.

“Acceleration.”

Activating Hermes’ acceleration, I instantly closed the distance to the hero.

Realizing my approach, he tried to retreat.

If he fled with full intent, he’d be hard to catch.

This was my moment…!

“Enlarge, Yeoui!”

Maintaining energy emission, I expanded Yeoui.

The blade stretched out, grazing the hero’s arm as he attempted to step back.

His armor of light was cut through, and his arm became engulfed in white flames.

“Graaahhh!!”

The hero let out an ear-splitting scream.

It was a reaction similar to that of the Death Knight, Ampellion, when he was struck by energy emission.

The difference?

Hades saved Ampellion, but no one was here to save the hero.

Reluctant to waste SP, I deactivated energy emission and swung for his neck—

But my sword halted against his light armor, unable to cut through.

“Tch….”

“Soul Energy Emission.”

Reactivating energy emission, I drove my sword into his neck.

This time, the blade slid in smoothly.

“Graaahhh!! What is this pain…?! Aaaahhh!!”

The hero was engulfed in white flames.

He had reached A-rank, a demi-god level.

He had endured countless battlefields, suffered numerous wounds, and built resilience to pain.

Yet, he couldn't withstand these white flames and howled in agony.

It was chilling to witness.

But my enemy’s pain was my opportunity.

Deactivating soul energy emission, I swung once more, beheading the hero.

Blood sprayed like a fountain as his head fell.

The white flames devoured both his light armor and his severed head before vanishing entirely.

All that remained was the hero’s headless body.

To be certain, I slashed and burned his corpse with Yeoui.

His head was gone, so he had to be dead, but just in case.

Only after dismembering and incinerating his body did I finally feel at ease.

“Phew…”

Soul Energy Emission…

This thing is seriously insane.

How is it this strong?

Wait… was it too strong?

I should check my SP consumption…

Several message windows appeared.

[Energy Emission – Collided with the Holy Sword Lightsaber.]

[The SP value of the Holy Sword Lightsaber is substantial. Would you like to erase it?]

[This is an attack that threatens the user’s life. Auto-approved.]

[Colliding with Lightsaber. Due to low skill level, up to 20,000 SP is consumed.]

[Destroying Lightsaber. 20,000 SP consumed.]

[Erasing Lightsaber. 20,000 SP consumed.]

40,000.

I spent 40,000 just to erase a sword?!

The message log was ridiculous.

That’s a full day’s worth of soul brokerage income, gone in an instant.

[Erasing Minerva’s Armor. 20,000 SP consumed.]

[Colliding with the 7th Hero, Frederick.]

[20,000 SP consumed.]

[20,000 SP consumed.]

[20,000 SP consumed.]

[User deactivates Energy Emission. Frederick’s soul is fragmented.]

100,000.

100,000 SP is gone.

What kind of madness is this?

It only cost me 3,200 SP to kill Ampellion…

This is insane…

What the hell?!

[You have used an excessive amount of SP. Please adjust the maximum SP limit for Energy Emission.]

AAARGH!!

There was a max SP limit adjustment?!

Why wasn’t I shown that earlier?!

[The hero’s soul is incomplete. Soul reaping efficiency is extremely low.]

[The hero’s soul is incomplete. Ability absorption efficiency is extremely low.]

I defeated the hero, but did energy emission do too much?

The SP gain was only 1,000, and the stat absorption was pathetic—Strength +1, Agility +1, Magic +2.

I killed an A-rank demi-god and got this?

At least my level increased to 162…

If my level hadn’t gone up, the shock would’ve been unbearable.

“Whoa… what the hell was that? That was the strongest sword technique I’ve ever seen!”

Drakina ran up to me, her face filled with excitement as she bombarded me with words.

She was clearly fascinated by the technique that had taken down the hero in an instant.

But I had no time to answer.

I was busy adjusting the max SP limit for energy emission to 10,000.

“You’ve bought us time by defeating the hero! You did amazing! Kahaha!”

Arik—no, Drakina—slapped my back and laughed heartily.

This was the happiest I’d ever seen her.

“Now that we’ve taken down a hero, can we proceed with Dragon Ascension?”

After using so much SP here, we had to make sure Drakina reached Dragon Ascension.

“Yeah. With one of the Seven Heroes of the Roman Empire dead, the enemy will definitely retreat for now. Alright, just wait until I ascend to full dragon form!”

Drakina’s confidence was infectious.

And she was right.

With the hero dead, the enemy did not attack for three days.

And then…

[Main Quest ‘Repel the First Invasion of the Holy Empire’ has been cleared.]

[You have gained 30,000 SP.]

[You have acquired the title Guardian of Dragons.]

[The Power of the Dragon has awakened.]

The main quest completion message appeared.

30,000 SP was practically nothing, but the other two rewards seemed promising.

Alright.

Time to change my title and check out the Power of the Dragon.

I opened the skill window to inspect it—

Suddenly, a solemn voice echoed in my ears.

[I should be dead… And yet, you…?]

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]