Chapter 97: A New Holy Relic

[Clone of the Great Guardian (SS)]

• A clone of the Guardian who once followed the Dragon Lord. No soul remains.
• Overall Stats: SS
• Potential: SS
• Possessed Item: Dragon Bone Stave.
• Possessed Skills: Dragon Lord’s Blessing (SS), Overwhelm (S)… Magic Resistance (SS), Physical Resistance (SS), Mana’s Blessing (SS).

I stared at the being beyond the message.

A figure in a black hood was floating in the air, holding a stave taller than itself.

‘The Great Guardian, huh.’

Looking only at its stats, it wasn’t so different from the Lords of the Forest.

In fact, some of them even surpassed it.

Yet the presence the Great Guardian radiated far exceeded theirs.

Just gazing at it made my whole body tremble.

Something beyond what even the Dragon’s Eye couldn’t see.

It was an inexplicable, strange sensation I couldn’t yet fully describe, so I didn’t let my guard down.

I kept my eyes fixed, prepared to fight at any moment.

“…….”

Inside the black hood, there was nothing but darkness.

A being whose expression was unreadable.

Maybe it was because I wasn’t moving that it wasn’t moving either; suspended in midair, it showed no other sign of action.

‘Should I make the first move?’

If we just stared at each other like this, the trial would never end.

In the end, I had to defeat that thing for this battle to conclude.

Hoo.

I took a deep breath and gathered my focus.

Drawing mana from the Dragon Heart, I opened my eyes wide. I wanted to see how it would react to magic.

Wooong!

Wind Arrow bloomed in my hand.

“Yong Anaseon Spear: Ultimate.”

I hurled the dragon’s fang at the enemy, its destructive power pushed to the extreme.

Paaaang!

A tremendous sonic boom echoed, and a storm wind blasted forward.

The Great Guardian, who hadn’t moved a muscle before, shifted the stave it held.

The blue jewel at the end of the stave pointed straight ahead.

Flash!

The moment the blue light flashed, a barrier formed around the Great Guardian.

Yong Anaseon Spear struck the shield.

Kwaaaaang!

The dragon’s fang struggled desperately to tear into the shield, but it vanished without exerting its full power.

At the same moment, the Guardian began preparing magic.

A powerful wave of mana surged out as it cast its spell.

Giant fireballs poured out and began to orbit the Great Guardian.

Like moons around a planet.

While several fireballs circled, the Guardian flickered and disappeared.

No.

It didn’t hide—it teleported.

Feeling a chill at my back, I moved and cast Absolute Barrier.

An instantaneous defensive magic, ready at once.

A semi-transparent shield appeared, just as the Great Guardian’s stave fell.

With a light thud, the stave landed, but its power was overwhelming.

Kwaaaaang!

A mighty explosion rocked the Absolute Barrier.

The shield shattered instantly, and mana scattered in all directions.

Through the gaps, one of the fireballs circling the Guardian shot at me.

“Guh!”

I conjured a wall of ice to block the fireball and used teleportation to withdraw.

At the same time, I began preparing my next spell.

The enemy, apparently unwilling to give me the time, teleported to my side.

It raised its hand, incanting magic.

Once again, a wall of ice appeared, exhaling white steam.

The stave spun rapidly and smashed into the wall.

Kwaaaaang!

With a boom, the ice wall burst into powder, some of it melting to soak the ground.

At that instant, another fireball circled toward me.

I created an ice ball to cancel out the fireball.

‘So that’s its tactic.’

Strike with the stave to trigger explosion and target magic, then the fireballs chase down the targeted spot.

Five fireballs remained.

My first goal was to destroy all of them and, with the Blessing of Magic, comprehend and learn the spell.

I moved, responding to its magic.

Kwaang!

Kwaaaang!

I deliberately left openings to draw attacks, blocking them while conserving as much mana as possible.

Before I knew it, all the fireballs circling it had vanished.

[Through the Blessing of Magic, you comprehend the principles and structure of Spiral Flame Cannon (SS) magic.]

[Your understanding of magic has deepened.]

[Your understanding of elemental attributes has increased.]

[You have acquired Spiral Flame Cannon (SS).]

Confirming the new magic inscribed in my mind, I checked the enemy’s movements.

Fwoosh!

Again, it used Spiral Flame Cannon, conjuring fireballs. It also cast enhancement magics on itself.

Haste, Strenghth, and so on.

Looked like it was about to charge me head-on.

‘Is this phase two?’

I used the mana in my Dragon Heart to strengthen my body as well.

Wooong!

Wooong!

Mana surged through me, boosting my strength, speeding me up, broadening my senses.

Thanks to Dragon God’s Body, my physical enhancement spells were even more effective.

And I modified the spells I’d just learned from it.

“Spiral Ice Cannon.”

Spinning crystals of ice formed a spiral and hovered around me.

A cold, white aura flowed out.

Instead of a weapon, I clenched my fist and poured mana into it. With protection magic, I infused it with chill.

I gripped my fist, icy energy radiating, and watched my opponent.

Flash!

As the enemy vanished, I tracked its location, spun my body, and swung my fist.

“Ice Impact.”

A blast of pure cold erupted from my fist, forming crystals that devoured the stave the Great Guardian swung at me.

Kwaaang!

The two forces collided, unleashing a powerful explosion.

At the same time, Spiral Flame Cannon and Spiral Ice Cannon crashed toward each other.

Kwaaaang!

Steam erupted from the meeting of fire and ice.

With both of our views obscured, the Great Guardian moved first.

It dashed in and swung its stave like a spear.

With flexible movements, I mixed punches and kicks, starting a close-quarters fight in earnest.

Whish!

I’d never learned true swordplay, but I’d picked up things by watching Lopenheim or the orcs train.

I predicted the enemy’s movements, dodged attacks, and countered with Ice Impact.

Kwaang!

Kwaaaang!

I thought I was holding my own, but that was just my illusion.

The Great Guardian was far more experienced.

Its combat sense was profound.

As time passed, I began to lose ground.

‘Does it have infinite mana?’

It kept casting magic, which was daunting enough.

Its combination of close combat and magic was flawless.

Learning could only happen when you had room to breathe.

Right now, I was barely managing to block and dodge.

After fighting for a while, I finally realized what that strange sensation was when I first saw it.

‘The gap born of experience.’

The Great Guardian had honed its skills at the Dragon Lord’s side, earning the title of ‘Great.’

Someone like that couldn’t possibly be limited to mere SS-class stats and skills.

Because this was a clone, its numbers had been temporarily reduced.

Its true power must have been far greater.

That was the gap I’d sensed at the beginning.

“Hoo.”

The clone of the Great Guardian might not have its original stats, but it retained something unchanged.

That was its battle experience and instincts.

If this kept going, my mana would be depleted first.

It was almost time to finish the fight.

‘With my current strength, just holding out is the best I can do.’

To win this fight, I needed a variable.

Why did only China and the United States of America possess Sacred Relics?

It was because those two nations had Twelve Constellations Rank Hunters.

And I had comrades just as powerful.

Watching the Great Guardian preparing to attack me again, I lifted the corner of my mouth.

“Summon.”

Wooong!

With a white flash, the newly joined Guardians were summoned.

High Elf Pedrias.

Vampire Lord Lene.

Naga Queen Rea.

I gave orders as I looked at the summoned Lords of the Forest.

“Let’s take that guy down.”

【I… I told you, keep your promise! Why’d you summon me to a crazy place like this!】

The Vampire clung to her own shoulders, her face filled with fear as she hid behind me.

Truly the very image of a shut-in general.

【When will you introduce me to Irellin? Didn’t you promise? You said you would! Did you trick me?!】

The elderly High Elf cried out for his unfulfilled love.

【Ooh, this looks fun.】

Only the combative Naga Queen charged head-on, launching into battle with the Great Guardian.

She drew her trident and conjured a giant wave against the enemy.

“If we take that thing down, I’ll give you blood. Pedrias, you’ll get to have a meal with Irellin, so make the arrangements.”

【You’d better keep your word this time.】

Pedrias vanished in a flash, conjured a bow, and loosed hundreds of arrows at the Great Guardian.

Kwaaaang!

As the fierce battle raged—

【Give me blood first.】

“Defeat it first.”

【…I need blood to fight.】

“Are you sure?”

【Yeah.】

“If you try to run off, you won’t get a drop next time.”

【What are you talking about now?】

“Fine. Here.”

I held out my wrist to Lene.

Her eyes sparkled with rapture as she swallowed.

She drew close, baring her sharp fangs to my wrist.

Pook!

She bit into my arm and began sucking blood.

After a single gulp, her body trembled as if she were entranced.

【This is crazy. I feel power surging up! It’s like experiencing a whole new world.】

Like someone emboldened by drink.

After drinking my blood, Lene gained courage, shifting from a shut-in general to a real general, flying straight at the Great Guardian.

Using the various magics she gained from absorbing my blood, she combined them skillfully to assist Pedrias and Rea.

“You’re fighting well.”

It was my first time seeing them fight properly, so I wanted to gauge their battle prowess in this encounter.

And the result was quite satisfactory.

【So strong. Wow! I’m thrilled for the first time in ages.】

【If I can have a meal with Irellin, please, just die already!】

【Power is overflowing, kuhuhuhuhu. I’ll kill them all!】

With the three of them pressing in, even the Great Guardian started to falter, being driven back.

The Lords of the Forest burned with fighting spirit.

It didn’t take long for the three to bring down the Great Guardian.

Naga Queen Rea nullified the Guardian’s fire magic with Water Prison.

High Elf Pedrias’s Spirit Magic shattered the Guardian’s barrier.

Vampire Lord Lene used Blood Magic to sever the Great Guardian’s neck.

Thunk!

The black hood fell to the ground.

Then it dissipated into black smoke.

[You have passed the Trial of the Sacred Relic.]

The three approached me.

【Are there no more opponents? I want to fight again.】

【Quickly arrange that meeting with Irellin.】

【I’m getting tipsy. So this is the taste of blood. I’ve wasted my life up till now.】

“One more round.”

There was still one sealed Sacred Relic Box left.

I reverse-summoned Rea, who was delighted at the prospect, and Pedrias, who frowned at the news.

Of course, I sent back the blood-drunk Rea as well.

I walked to where the Great Guardian had first stood; there, the sealed Sacred Relic awaited.

I picked up the Sacred Relic.

[You have obtained the Sacred Relic: Mana Spring Ring.]

[Mana Spring Ring (Sacred Relic)]

• A Sacred Relic made from the Dragon Heart of an ancient Dragon.
• Greatly increases mana recovery speed.
• While held, permanently increases maximum mana.
• If ingested, grants tremendous effects. However, if consumed incorrectly, you may die instantly.

That wasn’t the end of the message.

[Sacred Relic: Mana Spring Ring is registered.]

[The mana recovery rate of those affiliated with the Dragon Lair increases greatly. The mana near the Dragon Lair becomes more abundant.]

I slipped the ring onto my finger.

If I ate it now, I’d probably die.

For now, it was best used to increase my lacking maximum mana.

‘This is just average?’

Recalling the higher-grade Sacred Relic Box that remained sealed, I returned to reality.

“Let’s go for another round right away.”