Chapter 19

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Hydra Dragon Enhancement

The Sewer Dungeon of the Golden City Arcana.

The dungeon's reward, which can only be unlocked at level 8, has increased by two stages.

Although the reward list contains only four items, that was enough.

【Wind Seal】, 【Mutant Captain's Hook】, 【Black Iron Dagger】, 【Mutant Monster Rat's Core】

'They are all essential items.'

Is it because they are the rewards for clearing an 8-level dungeon, two stages above?

It feels like they have gathered only the essential treasures.

I carefully examined the reward list in order.

First, the ‘Wind Seal’ is a talisman.

It increases agility and reduces wind resistance, making it a fundamental talisman that any assassin or archer class must have.

The ‘Mutant Captain's Hook’ and ‘Black Iron Dagger’ are high-level secondary weapons. They are likely the best among the equipment rewards in this sewer.

Typically, hook-type secondary weapons provide additional options for navigation-related classes. Additionally, giving the Black Iron Dagger to Isabella would immediately boost her combat power.

However, the most eye-catching item was the ‘Mutant Monster Rat's Core’ at the end of the list.

'It’s a pity it’s not a soul, but it’s still useful.'

If the soul of the mutant monster rat had appeared, I would have cheered, but the core is also very useful in many ways. Especially, the core of a mutant type has the most essential function.

【Mutant Monster Rat's Core (Material)】

★ A mysterious core that caused the mutation of the monster rat

★ Feeding it to a beast will cause mutation, and it is occasionally used as a material for special tools or equipment.

★★ Beast Lord: Can enhance ‘beast-type souls’

A hidden option visible only to those with the hidden characteristic ‘Beast Lord’.

The core's most essential function is to enable the enhancement of souls.

‘Hydra Dragon is also a beast-type boss monster.’

According to the setting, the Hydra Dragon is a composite of various beasts created by a mad scientist. This means it can be enhanced using the mutant monster rat's core.

However, the soul of the Hydra Dragon is something I have never seen before.

I have no idea what changes will occur if I enhance a raid boss monster of a 12-person team.

‘... There’s something I don’t know.’

A smile came to my face as I faced the unknown.

Even though I shouldn’t get excited due to the Iron-Blooded Overlord’s Heart, I am excited.

I have played Pangenia almost every day for the past five years.

I am the player who has played Pangenia the longest, and it’s not an exaggeration to say that I know everything about this world.

And yet, there is still so much in Pangenia that I don’t know.

The impossible difficulty that makes it un-clearable always stirs a strong desire to challenge.

Behind this is the unknown, the mysterious.

‘... That’s why I can’t quit this game.’

Of course, there is also the possibility that no special changes will occur even if I enhance it.

But I love even that possibility.

<<You have selected the ‘Mutant Monster Rat's Core’.>>

Why would I need to hesitate any further?

*

I bought a four-wheeled carriage.

I ordered the sturdiest and toughest materials available.

Of course, it was Hudson’s money, not mine.

In exchange, I prepared the horses to pull the carriage.

“...”

Hudson, sitting in the carriage, lifted his head and stared straight ahead.

The reason his gaze and mind were simultaneously captured was the horse pulling the carriage.

His mouth opened and closed like a goldfish, his mind completely lost.

‘Is that... a horse?’

What is a horse?

Obviously, a horse is a horse.

A quadruped that runs the fastest and longest among livestock.

But what was in front of him was not an ordinary horse.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The ground trembled with each movement.

A gigantic body.

A monster with nine heads!

‘Not a horse, but a Hydra Dragon...?’

When the Saint-Awakened said he would prepare the horses to pull the carriage, Hudson bought the carriage without much thought.

It wasn’t until they were ready to leave Arcana that he realized what the ‘horse’ the Saint-Awakened was talking about was.

It was the Hydra Dragon.

Not a crudely made Hydra Dragon, but a fully formed one summoned through a soul!

The soul-engraved boss monster retains its original form.

Even if they look similar and are of similar level, their class cannot be compared.

However, it was widely believed that the soul of the Hydra Dragon did not exist.

It was thought that the Chimera was created and had no original form.

But it did exist. A Hydra Dragon summoned by a soul.

‘... What is that?’

Hudson’s eyes looked up at the Hydra Dragon’s head.

On the head of one of the nine, the one in the center, a long horn like an elephant’s tusk protruded.

This was also a characteristic not found in a typical Hydra Dragon.

Squeak.

Rumble!

“Gaaaah!”

“S, save me!”

“Run!”

The screams coming from outside were from a bandit gang that had set up camp near Arcana.

One of the largest and most feared bandit gangs that plagued merchants traveling to and from Arcana, but they were being massacred like flies by the Hydra Dragon.

Especially the lightning shot from the horn. Once it compressed and fired, over a dozen bandits would evaporate without a trace.

Its destructive power was on par with at least mid-level lightning spells.

“The outside is noisy.”

“... It’s the screams of the Red Hood Bandits.”

“So? It’s nothing to worry about.”

The Saint-Awakened closed his eyes again.

‘Nothing to worry about?’

... Those sounds?

“Please, save me!”

“Kiaaaah!!”

“Mommmmm!!!”

*

After over ten days and seven warps, passing through two high-risk, high-level areas,

We had almost crossed half of the central continent, but finding what we wanted was not easy.

“Is this it?”

“Hmm. It’s already dead.”

Looking at the tree with a blue glow in front of us, I said.

The tree itself was not dead, but the ‘Path of the Spirit’ was already closed.

‘The Spirit Tree.’

What I was looking for was the Spirit Tree.

A Spirit Tree is a tree where a spirit is born.

A Spirit Tree temporarily opens a path to the ‘Spirit Realm’.

Only by entering this path can one reach the ‘Tower of Spirits’.

And the tree in front of us had been a long time since a spirit was born, and the path was closed.

“It looks no different from other trees to me...”

To Hudson, this Spirit Tree looked no different from any other tree.

What was the difference?

Tsk. I clicked my tongue and said.

“There’s no choice. We have to take the risk.”

We couldn’t afford to waste any more time.

I took out Michela’s sword.

As Hudson and Isabella stepped back, I swung the sword and cut down the tree.

Crash!

The tree’s trunk was cut, and it fell over.

At that moment.

Hiaaaah!

A sound that was both a scream and a groan echoed throughout the forest.

“It’s a Dryad! Crazy!”

Hudson took out his hammer and guarded the surroundings.

Soon, many Dryads, with the lower body of a deer and the upper body of a human, appeared.

“To cut down a tree that bears a spirit.”

“Humans have lost their fear.”

“Tear them to shreds.”

They were half-fairies.

Forest guardians.

【Lv.7】

Monsters of level 7 or higher!

Their number exceeded 50.

A tree that bears a spirit is very symbolic to them.

Since it was cut down, they would not let us go alive.

“...”

Swallow!

Hudson swallowed and tensed up.

Isabella was also in a combat stance. Instinctively, she knew that a fight with such a large number would not be easy.

I slowly approached them.

“Open the ‘Gate’. In return, I will gift a new spirit to this forest.”

“The human is talking nonsense.”

“Are you crazy?”

Some Dryads aimed their bows.

If they don’t understand, this gamble will fail.

I spoke again.

“The spirit of this tree is already dead. This forest is also dying. I am a Druid, the master of spirits, and I can gift a new spirit to your forest.”

Forests are born from spirits.

When a spirit dies, the forest dies.

And the spirit of this forest died long ago.

If a new spirit is not born, this forest will eventually die.

But that is only possible if they understand.

Can these simple-minded Dryads, who only know how to protect trees, understand me?

“Kill him.”

“Pierce him.”

“Kill him first!”

... These ignorant ones.

Is there no choice?

If this fails, I will have to open a portal and return to Arcana.

The effort of the past ten days would be wasted.

“Wait. I will listen to your story, self-proclaimed Druid.”

I turned my gaze.

【Lv.9】

A High Dryad with a long beard.

It seemed to be the owner of this ‘Rustling Forest’.

I thought it was just one of many forests, but the presence of a High Dryad suggests that the spirit that appeared when this forest was created was quite powerful.

‘At least it’s a relief.’

At least this one seems to understand.

“Is what you say true?”

“It is true. If you open the ‘Gate’, I will go to the Tower of Spirits and bring a spirit to this forest.”

“We cannot open the gate to the Tower of Spirits.”

“But you must have the spirit’s corpse, right?”

“...”

The High Dryad closed its mouth tightly.

Its eyes seemed to ask how I knew.

But it was obvious. They wouldn’t just scatter a dead spirit in the forest.

They would keep it in case it could be revived or give birth to a new spirit.

“How do we know you are a Druid?”

“How could I find and cut down this tree if I weren’t a Druid?”

Only a Druid can distinguish a Spirit Tree.

The High Dryad looked at the cut tree and me, frowning.

“If you lie, you will become the forest’s nutrients.”

“What if it’s true?”

“... I will give you a fitting reward.”

<<Sub-Quest: Return the Spirit to the Forest has started.>>

<<Reward: Achievement ‘Friend of the Dryads’, Forest’s Favor>>

<<Failure: Honor -30, Battle with the Forest>>

A battle with the forest.

I shrugged at the grandiose message.

*

The spirit’s corpse they showed me was a crude stone.

It seemed to be both a forest spirit and a rock spirit.

‘There is still a path left.’

I could see it.

The path of the spirit engraved on the stone.

This is also a Druid’s ability.

Druids can communicate with spirits and open the path to the spirit realm.

But the entrance was so narrow and small. There was only one way to temporarily widen it.

“I need to break it to enter.”

“...”

The High Dryad’s eyes trembled.

This stone is the spirit’s corpse. If broken, it will be gone forever.

The High Dryad finally spoke.

“If you lie...”

“Kill me.”

Hudson reacted to my straightforward answer.

His body trembled, and his eyes seemed to say, ‘What are you saying, Saint-Awakened?!”

Anyway, permission was granted.

All that was left was to break the stone.

Boom!

I clenched my fist and struck it.

Boom!

As I continued to strike, the entrance temporarily widened.

Squeak!

Soon, a golden portal appeared above the stone.

<<A portal to the ‘Tower of Spirits’ has been created.>>

<<Only the ‘Permitted One’ can enter.>>

At the entrance of the portal.

A golden spirit guarding the entrance was visible beyond it.

A cute little creature with golden armor and a helmet.

The spirit pointed at me.

It meant only I could enter.

But I looked at Hudson and Isabella.

The golden spirit thought for a moment and then spoke.

- Are they friends of the Druid?

I nodded.

- Are they companions you can trust with your back and life?

I nodded again.

- Then they are allowed to enter.

Whoosh!

The portal grew larger.

In that instant.

《Main Quest 3: Ascend the Tower!》

《Mysterious towers built around the world. Completing the quest by ascending one of them will complete the main quest.》

《Tip: It is recommended to first ascend the ‘Tower of Basics’ in each city.》

《Reward: Varies depending on the content.》

Seeing the message that Main Quest 3 had started, I smiled.