Chapter 136: The Strongest Hatchling (2)
“This should be good.”
Jin-young dragged the Heavenly Thunder Sword into the black steel training ground located in a corner of the secret research division.
It was the place Eun Ji-eun mainly used when controlling her red mana, and the entire facility was made of black steel, so durability was not an issue.
Of course, to Jin-young and the Heavenly Thunder Sword, it was no different from paper.
The most important thing was that it was isolated from the outside.
―Is this really the best option?
“Do you think your current state is the best?”
The Mystic Energy possessed by the Heavenly Thunder Sword was unstable. To be precise, it was somewhat too much for the current ‘sword’ to contain.
For now it seemed fine, but if the amount of Mystic Energy continued to increase like this, there was a high chance the sword would not endure and would break.
Because there was a limit to the amount and quality of energy that the soul trapped inside the sword could hold.
Moreover, the process by which it had regained Mystic Energy was not normal, so it inevitably put a strain on the sword.
―But this power is originally what I handled best…
“Yes, you probably handled it well before you were trapped inside the sword. But right now, it’s too much.”
The Heavenly Thunder Sword was displeased at having the power it had barely regained taken away, but there was nothing it could do.
Once it was caught in Jin-young’s radar net, it had no choice but to give it up.
―Hoo… In truth, I was also concerned. I got greedy after regaining the power after such a long time.
“Don’t worry. Since you’ve already grasped the feel, you’ll be able to awaken the energy again anytime.”
―That is also true. Now, instead of only teaching my disciple, I must start training myself as well.
While absorbing the Creep, the Heavenly Thunder Sword had also sucked in the vital energy that existed in its hometown.
It had filtered out the harmful components of the contaminated zone and absorbed only the pure essence, thereby regaining its former power.
Now that the contaminated zone of the lower world dungeon, its hometown, no longer existed, it would be difficult to obtain Mystic Energy in the same way.
But if it started training again, it would be able to build up its power sufficiently.
“Well then, I’ll eat well.”
Jin-young strongly pressed the Heavenly Thunder Sword’s blade with psychokinesis.
At the same time, psionic energy dug into the blade and made contact with the Mystic Energy accumulated inside.
―The feeling… is strange……
Although the Heavenly Thunder Sword had no sense of touch, because it had a soul, it seemed to feel the existence of the energy.
Jin-young ignored the Heavenly Thunder Sword’s groaning voice and extracted the Mystic Energy.
Shusususus…
A blue orb smaller than a fist was completed.
Compared to the quasi-divine Nekraksia, it was a tiny amount no bigger than a speck of dust.
Still, for something contained in a sword, it was a decent level.
Above all, what was surprising was the quality of the energy.
Perhaps because it was the power of a martial artist who had trained for a very long time, it even felt pure and refreshing.
“As expected, it’s ambiguous for me to use.”
Jin-young muttered while looking at the orb where Mystic Energy was condensed.
The Heavenly Thunder Sword, which had been silently dejected at those words, immediately asked.
―Then are you returning it to me?
“Why are you so obsessed? Where did you leave that pride of the Heavenly Thunder Sect or whatever?”
―Ahem… That’s not what I meant. I was just about to say that if you were thinking of returning it, you should forget about it.
“Yes. While educating Advisor senior, you should also grow together. That way, later we can beat the Heavenly Demon together.”
At the word “Heavenly Demon,” the Heavenly Thunder Sword trembled its blade as if in a shudder.
―Finally… you too have gained the will to face the Heavenly Demon. That’s fortunate.
Jin-young brushed off the Heavenly Thunder Sword’s words with one ear and put the Mystic Energy orb into the sub-space.
He wanted Mystic Energy, but there was a separate reason he wasn’t absorbing it.
First, because it had a different nature from the mana he normally handled.
For some reason, the Heavenly Thunder Sword’s mana was subtly different from a Hunter’s unique mana.
It might be due to the special nature of the lower world dimension it came from, or perhaps the difference in training methods.
In fact, it could be forcibly mixed if he tried, but Jin-young wanted to compress Mystic Energy as purely as possible if he could.
Then why had he taken the Heavenly Thunder Sword’s energy?
‘Put it in the sub-space and research it. We also need to check compatibility with other energies.’
Shuut-
The Mystic Energy orb was sucked into the sub-space.
『So now only the wrath energy is left.』
‘Has subject 78 still not come to his senses?’
『Once the mania disappeared, he just became a cripple. He has no motivation and is just waiting to die. And it seems this state is his original nature.』
For the past few days, experimental subject 78 had shown signs of anxiety, wandering the sub-space and muttering incomprehensible words.
But recently, he had lost all motivation and was just lying still.
If left alone, he looked like he would starve to death.
Of course, since he was a high-grade Hunter, he wouldn’t die that easily.
‘Hmm… Then it doesn’t seem like he’ll be much help to Ji-eun.’
Currently, the human who handled red mana the best on Earth was subject 78.
That was why he had considered attaching him as Eun Ji-eun’s master once mental brainwashing was complete.
But he had become a kind of empty shell whose mind to brainwash had also died.
In this state, there was no choice but to extract only the red mana and kill him.
『For now, I’ve attached the dog, so we can only wait for some reaction.』
‘Anu? I wonder if he won’t get eaten.’
『He’s a smart dog, so such a thing… Wait.』
‘What’s wrong?’
The tentacle’s voice, which had been speaking calmly, rose slightly.
It seemed something unusual was happening in the sub-space.
『The Mystic Energy started moving on its own as if drawn to something, so I left it alone… but it’s trying to be absorbed by the Dragon Egg.』
‘What? Then it’s gone?’
『Not yet. I’m controlling it so it doesn’t get absorbed. What do you want to do?』
The tentacle was asking whether to let the Mystic Energy be absorbed by the Dragon Egg as it was or to separate it.
Jin-young pondered for a moment and said,
‘Proceed.’
『Good.』
The tentacle also seemed inwardly curious and released the Mystic Energy orb.
The freed orb was immediately absorbed into the Dragon Egg.
The next moment.
Jjeojeok-
The surface of the egg cracked.
***
“Woof woof.”
“…….”
Following the great one’s order, Anu was circling around the red-haired human.
The one called experimental subject 78 showed no reaction even though Anu was probably annoying — he just lay there motionless.
As if he had become a doll.
Anu, who had been gnawing on subject 78’s leg, lost interest and tossed it aside.
While wondering how to draw his attention.
Shuut-
A blue orb emitting a mysterious power quickly brushed past above his head.
Anu, who had been staring blankly for a moment, bit subject 78’s foot and started chasing the orb.
The place they arrived at was a separated section of space.
It was surrounded by a barrier so no one could approach recklessly, and beyond it lay one large Dragon Egg.
The blue orb had almost reached the Dragon Egg but was blocked and unable to get closer.
At that moment, the foot of subject 78 that Anu was holding in his mouth twitched.
“…….”
When Anu looked back, subject 78 was staring at the blue orb and the Dragon Egg.
He still looked lifeless, but unlike before, there was a faint spark of interest in his eyes.
Anu also watched curiously to see what would happen to the blue orb and the Dragon Egg.
And a little later.
Shususus…
The blue orb was absorbed into the Dragon Egg.
Jjeojeok-
Immediately the surface of the egg cracked, and fragments fell with a thud.
Then blue smoke slowly rose.
Kwadeuk!
Sharp claws burst out, tearing through the cracked hole.
After that, things proceeded rapidly.
Jjeojeojeok- Pukwak!
The claws began wildly smashing and tearing the hard shell.
At first it looked like the creature was struggling to break out of the egg, but now it seemed different.
It felt like it was simply continuing because smashing the shell itself was fun.
The egg was already half-destroyed to the point where it could come out, but the thing inside kept hitting the remaining intact parts.
“Kehet.”
As if to prove it, an excited sound leaked out.
But there was no longer any place left to break.
The shell, already cracked in several places, looked like it would shatter at any moment.
Crack!
With the final strike, the egg collapsed completely.
Soon after, a hatchling with its entire body covered in pure white scales revealed itself.
Its two pupils were a brilliant blue like embedded sapphires, and the pair of horns on its head shone with a light golden color.
“Kyuu?”
The hatchling tilted its head upon seeing Anu and subject 78.
Because the egg had hatched, the barrier that had isolated the space had disappeared.
Anu approached the seemingly harmless hatchling first.
The moment he pushed his head forward to sniff it.
Tsztsztz…
The blue mana radiating from the hatchling’s body.
True to its nature as a dragon, it was already handling mana right after being born.
But no matter what, it was still a hatchling. Anu sniffed without any sign of wariness.
It was then.
Anu suddenly sensed killing intent.
“……!”
He reacted quite quickly and tried to retreat while wrapping himself in a mana barrier, but.
Kwaaaang!
The mana wave that flew in without warning instantly shattered the barrier and sent him flying backward.
Even though he had let his guard down, breaking through a Disaster-grade monster’s barrier was something he had never imagined.
He didn’t sustain any external injuries, but it was more than enough to fluster Anu.
“Kehehet!”
The hatchling laughed as if it was fun while watching Anu being pushed back.
When it emitted mana again, Anu properly created a barrier this time.
Kwaang! Kwaaaang!
Mana waves were released in quick succession. This time the barrier didn’t break immediately, but it cracked to the point of splitting.
Even though it had just been born, mana seemed to overflow from it as it continued firing mana waves at Anu.
Kung! Kukung!
However, Anu’s barrier gradually grew stronger. The hatchling seemed to get bored and shifted its gaze.
Toward subject 78, who was standing right nearby.
“Ah…….”
Subject 78, who had been living in lethargy until now, felt an emotion he hadn’t experienced in a long time.
“Cute.”
“Kyuu?”
However, as if to make that thought meaningless, the hatchling began emitting mana.
Right before a powerful mana wave was released toward subject 78.
Shusut-
The hatchling was summoned outside the sub-space.
***
Kwagwang!
A deafening roar echoed inside the black steel training room.
“What kind of dragon is this energetic right after being born?”
Jin-young was dumbfounded as he watched the hatchling firing mana waves.
The hatchlings he had seen in Renard had all been fragile creatures.
Just like how a human baby couldn’t do anything by itself right after birth, the same applied to hatchlings.
They were born with mana as expected of dragons, but it took a long time for them to handle it skillfully.
Yet this hatchling was already showing the bizarre behavior of emitting mana and turning it into waves to attack right after hatching.
As if its mana wasn’t decreasing at all, it continued firing waves at the training room walls.
Kang! Pakakang! Pajijik!
It succeeded not only in denting the black steel walls but even creating cracks.
“Kiheit!”
The hatchling let out laughter as if it felt joy from destroying something.
It was exactly as the tentacle had said.
The Heavenly Thunder Sword, who had been carefully observing the hatchling, spoke.
―What is this white thing? It looks like a big lizard, yet also like a dragon. The fact that it’s pure white is quite peculiar.
“Well, it’s similar to what you said.”
―Hoo, it’s a creature I’ve rarely seen even in this world. Where exactly did you get it from…
The Heavenly Thunder Sword stopped speaking mid-sentence and quickly dodged to the side.
Bwoong-
Because the hatchling flew in while vigorously flapping its small wings.
The hatchling didn’t give up and continued chasing the fleeing Heavenly Thunder Sword.
―W-why do you keep chasing me?
“Who knows… Maybe I put honey on the sword.”
―What honey? All I have is internal energy.
“Ah, right. It seems it wants your internal energy.”
Before the hatchling was born, the Mystic Energy orb that the egg had absorbed.
That was the one taken from the Heavenly Thunder Sword.
The hatchling was now smelling it perfectly.
It was possible that the reason it was so energetic and aggressive right after birth was because it had received the Heavenly Thunder Sword’s energy.
『Another hard-to-handle guy has entered the sub-space.』
“He’ll probably get better once he grows up a bit. Let’s raise him for about a thousand years with time acceleration.”
『You talk as if dragons grow just by eating anything and sleeping anywhere.』
“Looking at him, it seems he’ll grow quickly if we just feed him mana.”
Jin-young watched the hatchling for a moment and continued.
“Nidhogg would be a good name for him.”
_____________________________________________
TL Note:
This novel is fully completed.
You can either:
- Unlock this novel individually through its Collection "Transcendent Psychic Regressor" and access all remaining 65 Chapters for only $3
- Or join the Premium Tier ($7) for access to all 6 novels and ongoing updates
Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/cw/Vritratls
____________________________________________