Chapter 43: Shadows of the Dragonkin

“A book praising the Dragonkin?”

Ethan asked immediately.

In his previous life, some humans were indeed awed by the Dragonkin’s power.

But they were a tiny minority, and their activities were extremely subdued.

Proclaiming praise for the Dragonkin would invite not just rotten food but mobs with clubs.

A book exalting the Dragonkin?

It’d be branded heretical and burned on the roadside without question.

That was Ethan’s perspective.

“Would you like to see it?”

Silvia handed him a book.

[Dragon God Scripture]

Ethan let out a dry laugh. To think such a book would appear.

Written with simple words and illustrations for illiterate commoners, it resembled a children’s tale.

Flip.

He turned the pages.

His eyes gleamed.

This…

A mana breathing technique.

One centered on gathering mana in the heart.

Though it mixed various methods like a hodgepodge stew, it was unmistakably a Dragonkin-inspired technique.

Merciful He grants strength to all. Chant the verses, and the Dragon God’s blessing will be yours.

It was far inferior to the training methods of black mages.

It could quickly build strength up to a 4-star knight’s level.

But that was its limit.

And Ethan saw a major flaw.

An unstable technique.

Its crude method would strain the heart during training.

Few who practiced it would live past forty.

This is how they spread their influence.

Promising power.

Nothing was more enticing. Ethan stared at the book.

It wasn’t handwritten.

A sophisticated print.

Printing required extensive preparation. Closing the book, he looked at his Strategist.

“Lawrence.”

“Yes.”

“What do you think of the Dragonkin? No need to mind me—just speak freely.”

“I see them as monsters who invaded our Hydern Kingdom.”

“Do most people think that way?”

“At least those in the Ardan Ducal Territory would. It’s what we’ve been taught since childhood.”

Ethan nodded.

Though the Dragonkin signed a non-aggression pact in this life instead of nearly annihilating humanity, most people naturally despised them.

Why would they like monsters who invaded their lands?

Praising the Dragonkin was far from normal.

Especially since…

The Dragonkin were pushed back by the Ducal House, failing to display overwhelming power in this era.

“Where did you get this book?”

“From Jifron’s private study.”

“Was that guy a Dragonkin worshipper?”

“I don’t think so. He called them ‘lunatic cultists’ when he mentioned them.”

“Cultists?”

“Yes. He referred to them as the Narakthos Order. He didn’t seem fond of them. Likely acquired the book for investigation.”

“Did he say where he got it?”

“Yes. From a merchant guild in the Romenton Barony—the Mimilon Guild. They’re distributing it.”

“Openly?”

“No. He said ‘under the table.’ But a considerable amount has been circulated. Jifron suspected a printing press nearby.”

A merchant guild.

Whether the guild produced the book or merely imported it needed investigation.

The Narakthos Order…

Coincidentally, Ethan knew what “Narakthos” meant.

One of the six commanders serving the Dragon Lord.

Narakthos, the Deceiver Dragon, a Shapeshifter.

The Dragonkin weren’t a single race.

Even among them, appearances and traits varied widely.

Shapeshifters could alter their forms extensively—plants, beasts, even humans or other races.

Utterly vile creatures.

Lower-tier Shapeshifters weren’t too troublesome.

They could mimic human appearances but not their Dragon Heart.

Anyone above 5-star status could sense the oddity immediately.

Their transformation duration is short too.

Even transformed, they couldn’t fully suppress their Dragonkin instincts, often exposing themselves within a week.

But mid-tier and above were different.

They could mimic not just appearances but personalities, habits, and lifestyles.

Unless closely acquainted, detecting them was nearly impossible.

Moreover, they could alter their Dragon Heart to resemble a human’s.

That’s when they get truly troublesome.

Mid-tier: roughly 7-star.

High-tier: 8-star.

Top-tier: 9-star.

Detecting them required that level of skill.

But 7-star knights weren’t common, even in a count’s domain.

Thus, mid-tier Shapeshifters could blend in undetected for long periods.

Though their power was modest for Dragonkin, they were easily killed once exposed.

Yet they were the most bothersome, often ranked as the top nuisance among Dragonkin.

In his previous life, Ethan had slain thousands of Shapeshifters.

A commander like Narakthos?

He could disguise himself as a king, and it’d be hard to notice.

In his past life, mages crafted a tracking item called Trace Incense to hunt him.

Even a Transcendent struggled to see through Narakthos’s disguise, so they relied on scent.

One year.

That’s how long it took to track him after applying Trace Incense.

Only then did Ethan behead the Deceiver Dragon.

His name resurfaces now.

Not pleasant news.

“Did Jifron do nothing about the Order?”

“I heard nobles are tacitly tolerating it.”

“They’re ignoring these lunatic cultists?”

That was the crux.

“Yes. The west, where the Ducal Territory lies, harbors ill feelings toward them, but other regions differ.”

“How so?”

“The Narakthos Order emerged fifteen years ago. Early on, locals reported them to nobles.”

“And?”

“But the nobles didn’t act, and whistleblowers often met mysterious ends. So people started ignoring the Order even when encountered.”

Silvia paused, then continued.

“Due to long-term missionary work, the Order thrives in some regions. Nobles turn a blind eye.”

That explained why Jifron called them cultists but left them alone.

If most nobles acted that way, it’d be absurd for one to crusade alone.

“Does he know the Order’s location?”

“In the west, unlike other regions, they operate covertly. Even Jifron didn’t know their base.”

Ethan nodded.

The Ardan Ducal House dominated the west.

As the bulwark against the Dragonkin, the Order struggled to gain traction here.

Open missionary work would lead to a bonfire.

Arrogant bastards.

Clenching his fist, Ethan thought of the Order. The Ducal Territory was land his ancestors died to protect.

To think filthy creatures dared set foot here!

For now, the locals’ resistance kept it discreet, but left unchecked, it’d spread like in other regions.

The Dragon God Scripture’s mana breathing technique made that clear.

They need to be dealt with.

The guild distributing the book might hold clues to the Order.

A printed book means they’ve established a base.

If it was nearby, he’d launch a purge without hesitation.

But first—

“Where’s the Ring?”

“Here.”

Silvia knelt beside Ethan and pressed something under the desk.

Click!

A lock released, and a drawer popped open.

Inside was an ornate box containing the black liquid he’d seen before.

Here it is.

Ethan plunged his hand into the liquid.

A vast amount of fire mana surged into it. The liquid was absorbed into his body instantly.

The Ring filled his body, his mana coursing through it.

With two Rings, his body felt heavier.

Not bad.

After consuming the elixir, one Ring had limited effect. This was fortunate.

He infused energy until the two Rings swelled.

Double.

In a burst of power, he could draw up to twice the energy.

The saying went: hide a third of your strength to survive.

But Ethan hid nearly seven-tenths, factoring in the increased energy and lighter body when using Liberation.

The reason past Dukes could unleash endless energy?

The eight Rings.

Preparations are done.

Now, to visit the guild distributing the Dragon God Scripture.

Lifting the book, Ethan smiled coldly.

“Where exactly are these distributors?”