Chapter 144
I thrust the awl made from the shards of Ascalon into the narrow space.
-Graaaaaa! Ascalon that damned sword!
But it’s too short to reach his heart, however, in this world artifacts are one of the best conductors of mana and aura.
“Yeah, it’s just a skewer now, but eventually you’re going to get stabbed to death by this chopstick-like stick.”
As it is, I channel my aura through the skewer, exploding its length.
I aim for the deepest part of his chest, where his heart is.
The technique I conjured up in my head is one of the pinnacle Aura techniques.
It was one of Kwak Chun-Sik’s original techniques, Solitary Youth.
-Krrrrrrrrra! Stop! Stop!
Aura erupted from the awl that had burrowed into his body and began to mercilessly ravage his insides.
Where’s the dragon heart? How many times have I stabbed him and I don’t know where it is.
Crunch.
I feel something shatter under my fingertips.
“Gotcha.”
-Kraaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!
A scream that sounds like it’s in real pain, unlike any I’ve ever heard before.
The heavens and the earth begin to tremble at the sound, and the huge body slowly loses its strength and collapses.
-dauðlegur. Ég skal bölva þér. (Mortal, I curse you.)
The creature murmurs quietly before it dies.
At the same time, the violet energy from his wounds rushes toward me.
[‘Aegis’s Watch’ triggers]
[You succeed in blocking the attack]
A crimson shield immediately forms, and the attack aimed at me dissipates.
“Damn the curse.”
I kick the creature’s corpse.
“If you’re going to die, die nicely.”
The raid boss mob that terrorized Jeju Island for decades, Fafnir, was dead.
“Bishop……we have really killed Fafnir-”
“Father John. Don’t say a word. I think he’s going to resurrect because of you.”
“……Yes?”
John made a confused face, but to the bishop’s dismay, Fafnir was indeed dead.
He was killed by the mortals he had ignored so much and the system window in front of me proved it.
[Hidden Quest Complete!]
[You have successfully cleared the Hidden Quest “Salvation of Jeju Island”]
[You have succeeded in defeating the evil dragon Fafnir, the nightmare of Jeju Island]
[Rewards based on contributions will be distributed]
[A new Epic Imprint is formed]
[(N)Epic Imprint]
[Achievement: “Dragon Slayer”!]
[Special Reward will be granted!]
[Attribute: “Dragon Slayer”!]
[Dragon Slayer]
[1. Dragon Slayer – You deal 3x damage to dragon species only]
[2. Fear of Death – You have succeeded in killing an immortal and those who do not know the concept of death find terror in you]
[3. Mythmaker – You have slain a dragon, and you are writing a new myth. Your rank rises significantly and you gain immunity to status ailments]
“Not much has changed.”
Seeing that the effects of the Dragon Slayer I remembered were still listed, I nodded and looked at Fafnir, who was now a corpse.
“Well, I suppose this is a reward.”
The corpse of a great dragon.
The best materials in the world, yet to be unleashed upon the world.
“You. Saber Cloud, right?”
Hearing the voice from behind, I turned my head to see the bishop’s surprised face.
“Huh? What’s that……ah.”
I casually touched my face and no longer felt the aura.
Even the [clown makeup] I had put on my face after the scuffle seemed to have disappeared.
“……I did use his name, though.”
“That face……and that unruly aura. Are you Corleone’s child?”
Did my face really look that much like my father?
The bishop deduced my identity in an instant with so little information.
I nodded nonchalantly, concluding that there was no point in hiding it anymore anyway, given my relationship with her and the current situation.
“That’s right, Eugene Han Corleone. That’s my real name.”
“And the master of our Aura School. You’re a student of Master Kwak Chun-sik!”
He exclaims, jumping to his feet from where he’s been healing behind me, as if hiding my identity all this time has been so frustrating.
The bishop nods as if he understands everything now.
“Aha, so the Blue Moon Workshop helped because you’re higher up in the hierarchy than them.”
She nods with a look of instant understanding, as is her Catholic nature.
Well, I suppose it’s a bit of an anomaly that a former nun was made a bishop because of her ability to communicate with holy objects…….
I do remember playing as a Paladin, so there was definitely quite a bit of hierarchy.
“Okay, I’d like to propose a reward system based on raid contribution. Any objections?”
With that, I look at the two representatives of each faction.
“It wouldn’t be a bad idea to organize it later, but…… I’d rather just get it over with and get some rest. I don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind either, master.”
“Then let’s talk about it right here.”
What I proposed to them was this.
I’ll take care of the dragon’s corpse.
The Blue Moon Workshop will have an exclusive contract with Corleone for the coming year.
Halla Cathedral has…….
“Catholic precedence over all of Jeju Island?”
“Yes. Now that Fafnir, the bane of Jeju Island, is gone, the Korean government will try all sorts of dirty tricks to get it, but I have no intention of handing it over to them.”
“You don’t intend to hand over Jeju Island?”
I showed her the envelope in my cube.
“I bought most of the land on Jeju Island when it was cheap. It shouldn’t have been part of the national territory, but thanks to Fafnir, they sold it all. Even the White Rock we’re standing on now is mine.”
The bishop looks at me with his mouth hanging open.
“You were so sure you could kill Fafnir without question.”
“Huh? Of course.”
If I didn’t think I could do it in the first place, I would have tried when I was stronger.
I had decided that I could do it with my current specs and abilities.
“But that seems a little too salty, since you were dealing with Fafnir, not something else, and I haven’t forgotten that those…… chopstick-like weapons you used were also made of Ascalon.”
“I think that’s the end of the story, I just enhanced it with Ascalon, but you do have a point, it certainly seems a bit insufficient, doesn’t it?”
I showed her the additional reward I had prepared last night.
“We’re going to sponsor the children at Halla Cathedral until they reach adulthood, but we’re not going to use the name of Corleone, we’re going to use the name of another company……but we’re going to help them learn in the best facilities in the world.”
To be clear, this wasn’t a bad deal for the church.
It’s not as if they don’t value the children of Halla Cathedral the most in the first place.
Most of the inconveniences of traveling to and from school and enduring discrimination would be eliminated.
These were children who grew up on Jeju Island, a place that was enchanted by the creation of the Rare by Fafnir.
Jeju Island, which has always been full of magic since Fafnir created Rare, was the perfect environment for awakening just by living there.
“If those children become Awakened and I have a stake in it, it’s a win-win.
Considering the astronomical amount of money it takes to raise an Awakened, it was obviously an offer the church couldn’t refuse.
“Besides, aren’t you forgetting where…..is?”
I crossed my arms and looked down at my surroundings.
“We haven’t even gotten to check out his Rares yet, and I’m sure it would be huge to share just what’s in there.”
The Blue Moon Workshop is overflowing with dragon byproducts, giving us the opportunity to craft gear and reach new heights.
For the cathedral, a stable future for its children and influence across Jeju Island, and for me, a dragon carcass.
“I think this is a good deal for all of us.”
And I was confident that everyone would agree to my proposal.
* * *
“Bishop, Mr…….?”
~After the Fafnir raid~
As we made our way to the Lava Cave where the children and apprentices were, we could see them already outside, waiting for us.
“What? The clothes are definitely yours, but…… huh?”
“Brother, where did he go?”
“Is uncle dead?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at their confusion as they couldn’t adjust to my face.
“This guy?”
I say that with a playful expression and change my face with [clown makeup], and the children let out a “Tsk!” in surprise.
“My handsome brother has become an uncle!”
“It’s Uncle!”
“He’s not dead?!”
The children run up to me with a look of delight on their faces.
“Why do they like you more than me, the bishop?”
The bishop grumbles through his pouting mouth.
“Well, I have a face that works for kids.”
Indeed, all the children who have seen me so far have liked me.
“By the way, Jeanne. Here, let me give you this.”
I carefully take the rosary out of my pocket and give it back to Jeanne, who is clinging to my right leg.
“Jeanne’s rosary helped me win, thank you.”
Jeanne meekly accepts the rosary from me and I pat her on the head.
“Hehe. I’m glad, mister. Or should I call you brother?”
As I continue to stroke her confused head, I check on the children and apprentices.
They appear to be unharmed.
“Didn’t another pack come along and start a fight?”
“What? Oh, yes!”
The apprentice straightens up at my question.
“There was a group of raiders that passed near the cave that looked like they were defeated, but nothing major happened, master!”
……Master.
TLN: Master in this context is related to the martial arts title not his status as heir to Corleone. His master Kwak Chun-sik is the Grandmaster so Eugene as his direct disciple is addressed as master.
No matter how many times I’ve heard it, I’ve never gotten used to it, but it feels good.
Just then, Sister Maria and the others who had been scouting the area returned.
“Mr. Cloud. As expected, the other factions seem to have mostly disintegrated after the battle with the monsters, and are now returning to their respective home bases, leaving some behind to reorganize.”
“Well, I guess we don’t need to worry then, and like I said, the others can go back and get a good night’s rest.”
Dealing with the rest of the gang wasn’t too difficult.
After dealing with Fafnir, I was able to use my satellite phone on Jeju Island again. I contacted Corleone and asked them to follow up with Jeju.
Perhaps, with the arrival of the main force, it would be organized within the day.
“Sister Maria, tell me about Hallasan!”
“Did you really kill a dragon with chopsticks?”
“Was the dragon really tough?”
“Did Sister Maria fight the dragon too?”
The children smiled innocently, not afraid at all, even though something so big had happened.
Sister Maria smiles, grabs their hands, and slowly walks them back to the bus.
“Come on, we can talk about the details on the bus. Chopsticks? Of course. How great was Mr. Cloud, so if you want to know what happened up there…….”
……Well, I proved that I’m not a liar, so if that’s a good thing, it’s a good thing.
As I’m slowly walking towards the bus with that thought in mind.
-Ting!
My phone finally started to work, and I started to remember all the texts and messages I had piled up in front of me.
And among them, the one that caught my eye the most was…….
[Calendar alarm]
[Midterm D-day 3]
“Ah.”
I forgot about the exam.
