Before Jeokho and Yong Jegun headed to the Dragon Palace, Jo Euishin heard about the nature of the place and asked Jeokho for a favor.
“When you go to the Dragon Palace, please check the extent of Cheonshin’s influence on the place.”
Jo Euishin’s intention was easily understood.
With a pleasant smile, Hwangho replied.
“Jo Euishin, do you want yours truly to come to the Dragon Palace? Even if it’s out of range, if you wish, I will send my main body.”
Jo Euishin didn’t respond much.
Rather than being unresponsive, it seems like Jo Euishin didn’t intend to send Hwangho’s main body anywhere out of bounds.
Jo Euishin was very reluctant to face a situation where Hwangho couldn’t move his alter egos.
Instead of answering Hwangho’s words, Jo Euishin spoke to Jeokho.
“Please hide him from the shamans and also from Hwangryong. There’s a possibility that Hwangryong would trust the shamans more than the Tiger Clan.”
“Understood.”
Jeokho fulfilled Jo Euishin’s request and accurately grasped the extent of Cheonshin’s influence on the Dragon Palace.
Using this information, Jo Euishin set up a plan.
“So the people going to the Dragon Palace are Euishin hyung, Jeokho-nim and his son, and Hwangho-nim.”
“Eunho-ssi, I’m going with them too though?”
“Yes. It seems so.”
Eunho summarized Jo Euishin’s plan, but Yong Jegun kept butting in.
“Then this body will send alter egos. One will go to the Red Lion Team Building, and the other will be at the Dragon Palace. I should prepare for a scenario where I have to fight simultaneously.”
As long as Hwangho is within the borders of the country, he can control his alter egos with considerable power, but not as much as his main body.
Unlike his main body, Hwangho’s alter egos are restricted in their use of light skill and earth power, so he might have to fight using his main body in the end.
Hwangho was very excited by the idea of having an opportunity to go on a mission with the benefactor and use his power to the fullest.
After a few seconds of staring at the excited Hwangho, Jo Euishin spoke.
“It’s possible that your alter ego sent to the Dragon Palace may not appear until everything is over and we have to go back.”
“What?”
“I want your alter ego to keep hiding behind Jeokho’s fog. Stay with him since he knows the extent of the border.”
Hwangho complained at Jo Euishin’s words.
“Does that mean this body will continuously be hidden behind red fog? That would make it difficult for me to stop you if you’re about to do something reckless, Jo Euishin. It’s been a while since we went on a mission together.”
“If the Black Screen finds you in the Dragon Palace, they’ll know to prepare to stop you. We can’t get into unnecessary fights.”
With Jo Euishin’s wise choice of words, Hwangho was eventually defeated.
He decided to go to the Dragon Palace but hide himself, just as Jo Euishin said.
“It would be fun for Hwangho-ssi to hide himself. Oh, but when the shamans use their power to transfer us, they might notice it.”
Yong Jegun began to explain the transfer process.
If it was within the power of the five shamans, there’s a high possibility that they’d detect Hwangho even if he were hidden behind Jeokho’s red fog.
To solve this problem, it was decided that the Dragon Clan should also use their power to help with the transfer process.
“I’ll wrap the whole party with my spatial skill before the transfer. I’ll say it’s to prevent motion sickness. And to help Cheongryong and Yeom Bangyeol too.”
If one of the most powerful dragon and the Red Lion adds their strength, the shamans will not be able to detect Hwangho.
Hwangho knew that every word exchanged during the meeting was valid, but he grew less and less talkative.
Meanwhile, Jo Euishin brought up Hwangho again.
“Hwang Jiho can use the Yongsae to enter the Dragon Palace.”
“He can use my invitation.”
Yong Jegun said so as if intending to use up all his invitations to the Dragon Palace before ascending, but Jo Euishin rejected the offer.
“It’s of great significance that the head of the Tiger Clan get his permission from the dragon bird (Yongsae) that only the head of the Dragon Clan and the Dragon Palace’s guardian can distribute.”
Hearing Jo Euishin’s words, the sadness piled up in Hwangho somewhat melted.
There was a big difference between using the invitation from a mischievous dragon versus one received from Cheongryong and Hwangryong.
Jo Euishin was trying to establish Hwangho’s authority and to symbolize that the alliance between the two clans has become stronger.
Hwangho laughed for the first time during that meeting.
“Hahahaha! I’m so glad that Jo Euishin thinks so deeply about yours truly and the future of the Tiger Clan. I know your intentions well.”
Jo Euishin muttered a “I think that’s a little too much,” but Hwangho just felt great.
After understanding Jo Euishin’s will, Hwangho decided to move.
“I’ll have to meet the benefactor’s expectations.”
***
When he appeared after the red fog was lifted, Hwangho looked up at the cracked boundary.
Since it was a solid boundary, it was possible to recover it despite its cracks, but the shamans were still moving to destroy it.
Considering the level of damage, Hwangryong and Cheongryong, who can’t control their bodies perfectly, have no power to protect the boundary.
‘The problem back on the ground is cleared, so I should change his main body to here.’
Fwaaat!
Hwangho opened up his power and a golden energy spread around him.
While his golden boundary grew bigger, it still seemed like the Dragon Palace would be swallowed by the deep sea at any moment.
‘If I had appeared from the start, or if I hadn’t come at all, it would’ve been dangerous.’
If the Black Screen had spent all of its strength against Hwangho, it wouldn’t have been able to use this much power leisurely.
Hwangho decided to conserve his power just in case.
“I’ll use earth power, Hwangryong.”
“As the manager of the Dragon Palace, I allow you.”
As soon as Hwangryong’s gentle answer was heard, earth power began to rise from the ground and surround Hwangho.
As the earth power added to Hwangho’s magic, a light shone so strong that the outline of the Dragon Palace was blurred.
Hwik!
As Hwangho lifted his golden hand, the light turned upward and covered the sky with gold.
Hwangho moved his hand toward the golden light as if commanding it to cover the cracks in the boundary.
The light that Hwangho controlled was then re-established in the form of a boundary.
The boundary was gradually restored, its form even sturdier than before.
“Amazing.”
Hwangryong lifted his blindfolded face and looked at the scene.
He became an audience watching with admiration, but Hwangho knew that that dragon wasn’t a being to be underestimated.
‘He noticed my presence as soon as we arrived at the Dragon Palace.’
At their first encounter, Hwangryong looked straight at the hiding Hwangho.
Since Cheongryong took the Yongsae on behalf of Hwangryong, Hwangho thought that Hwangryong wouldn’t see him until the end.
But Hwangryong immediately noticed the guest.
Hwangryong stopped by the Blue Dragon Palace often, expecting Hwangho to show up and talk to him.
As the restoration of the boundary progressed smoothly, Hwangryong said,
“I’m glad and grateful for the help of the head of the Tiger Clan, but I am worried about the Dragon Clan’s benefactor. I thought one of you would join him.”
“If you’re talking about the Tiger Clan’s benefactor, then you don’t have to worry.”
Hwangho said flatly.
“I made him promise to send a pigeon if things get shaky. I haven’t heard from him yet.”
Hwangho’s words had a strong concern for Jo Euishin, but they also conveyed formidable trust and belief in him.
“Jo Euishin knows what to do next.”
***
Black Dragon Palace.
On the magic circle drawn before the shamans arrived, five people including me stood on top.
The candidates were agitated when they saw gold stretching over the boundary, but not long after I reassured them, the golden light repaired the cracks.
Hwang Jiho moved just in time.
“It’s not Hwangryong-nim’s power. Is it from our guests?”
“Yes.”
“There must be a guest that I didn’t know about then.”
The youngest palace shaman was quick-witted.
It wasn’t difficult to guess since the Dragon Clan members didn’t have that kind of power, and all the Tiger Clan guests had red hair.
“Are you ready?”
“I’m done preparing.”
The youngest shaman stood calmly and nodded.
I looked back at the candidates and two of them nodded hesitatingly.
From their perspective, it must’ve been disorienting to see the Dragon Palace suddenly changing like this as they were about to sleep, more so with the nature of my current request.
The youngest shaman was calm, and Yoon Yeorang excitedly said that she’d do it, but I had doubts if this would really work.
“I’m ready too!”
“Unnies, are you ready?”
“Uh, y-yeah.”
“…Can we do it?”
“Of course!”
Yoon Yeorang wanted to get to the ceremony quickly.
I thought she would feel the most burdened among them, but seeing her excitement, I can say that she has the courage of my playable characters.
“Let me check the location for the last time.”
The shape of the magic circle I drew was similar to when the Dragon King’s shamans used their power as a group.
In other words, there are spots for the five-colored ogansaek shamans where we individually stood.
‘Five people are ready to fill the position.’
The sharp-eyed shaman candidate fills Shaman Byeok’s place.
The youngest palace shaman takes Shaman Hong’s.
Shaman Ja is taken by the sharp-eared candidate.
Yoon Yeorang is in Yoohwang’s place.
And I stood on Shaman Nok’s position.
“Will you two really be okay?”
I understand why the youngest shaman is concerned.
The candidate who stood in Shaman Byeok’s place received Heukryong’s scales, while the other candidate received Baekryong’s.
The youngest shaman who took Hong’s place received Jeokryong’s scales.
The three have the support from superior beings, but Yoon Yeorang and I don’t.
“Yoon Yeorang will be okay. She saw the Dragon King in her dreams before coming here, so his voice will be easily pulled.”
“Oh? You knew, Euishin oppa!”
“…So many suspicious things about this, but it’s hard to doubt since you brought all these scales.”
Yoon Yeorang didn’t find it strange that I knew about her dream.
Rather, the youngest palace shaman cast her suspicions in her stead.
“I get her, but what about you? You’re not a shaman nor a candidate.”
The youngest palace shaman was correct, but there’s no issue about that.
“It’s alright. Because I can borrow the power of a very strong shaman.”
Not a shaman, but a candidate to be exact.
<Light skill Player Identity activated.>
The character that I chose was, of course, the version of Yoon Yeorang from PMH whom I raised the most.
As soon as I borrowed Yoon Yeorang’s power, the youngest shaman noticed that my energy changed as she looked at me with stunned eyes.
But this wasn’t the time for that.
“Let’s begin this ritual. The descent of the Dragon King.”
Jeokryong, Heukryong, and Baekryong’s favor.
To summon the Dragon King and drive away Imoogi that encroached on the Dragon Palace.
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