[The final trial has been completed.]
[Congratulations! To Lord Dubaegwan and the guardians who follow him!]
[You have triumphed in the final trial!]
The long-awaited message appeared.
The guardians let out cheers, while the destroyers who were either still alive or reduced to slaves lowered their heads with darkened faces.
What does it mean to lose in the trial?
It's simple — it means you receive no reward whatsoever.
And conversely—
[Benefits are granted to the victorious guardian faction.]
[First, a magnificent reward will be given based on the accumulated soul growth and the journey each guardian has taken.]
[Second, deceased guardians will be resurrected. However, guardians who died without forming a soul contract cannot be resurrected.]
[Third, the guardian who made the greatest contribution to the victory of the guardian faction, along with their nation, will receive a special benefit!]
In short, the victors are given enormous rewards.
If the message describes the reward given to each individual as "magnificent," then there's no need to question the level of these rewards.
On top of that, the resurrection of fallen guardians and even special benefits—
"This special benefit..."
"Who will receive it—goes without saying, doesn't it?"
"Yeah, that's obvious."
All the guardians' gazes turned toward the sky.
There, floating high above, were Lord Dubaegwan and Han Yuseong, who had followed him.
If it hadn't been for that man, no one would have received the special benefit.
"What kind of benefit could it possibly be?"
"Whatever it is, I wish I could at least see it."
Jealousy and respect, envy and admiration, and awe—
A flood of mixed emotions filled the eyes of those who gazed up at Han Yuseong, suspended in the air.
But none of them would get to witness the reward.
[All players will now return to the world they originally came from.]
With the message, the players vanished into light.
They had returned to Earth.
There was no time to see what reward Han Yuseong had received, nor to feel disappointment or envy over it.
Just like that, all the players disappeared—
All but one, to be precise.
[Are you not a player?]
"Of course not."
It was Han Yuseong.
All guardians and destroyers had vanished from the battlefield.
Han Yuseong alone remained.
What was left besides him were the soul spirits who had lost their contractors—
And only one other presence remained, watching him: Lord Dubaegon.
—Kuuuuuuu…
"With a body that large, just sticking your head in feels overwhelming."
[If I were a hatchling, I might've been scared… mm, what a shame.]
Lord Dubaegon nuzzled his head against Han Yuseong.
A gesture overflowing with affection for his guardian.
Though his sheer size made it more burdensome than comforting.
—Kururururu…
"Hm?"
Lord Dubaegon lifted his head.
His gaze turned toward the Dragon Altar.
At that moment, the statue shaped in Dubaegon's likeness shattered, and a mighty force burst forth.
That energy flowed entirely into Lord Dubaegon.
Crack—! Crash!
A dramatic transformation overtook Lord Dubaegon's body.
Unlike the temporary flesh formed through a manifestation skill,
this was complete and perfect—a true body,
the body that Lord Dubaegon was meant to have.
And moments later—
Fwoooosh!
A torrent of radiant light erupted from Lord Dubaegon, centered on him,
and the soul spirits scattered across the surroundings were absorbed into him, vanishing in the process.
Then, a message appeared before Han Yuseong's eyes as he watched.
[Your soul spirit, Lord Dubaegon, has become the final "Survivor."]
[Now possessing a perfect physical form, Lord Dubaegon will embark on a journey to rebuild the ruined world, carrying countless soul spirits within him.]
Han Yuseong lifted his head.
The now fully incarnated Lord Dubaegon was gazing back at him.
—My… Guardian…
Lord Dubaegon spoke,
as if he had just learned how to use his voice for the first time.
The creature lowered its head and looked at Han Yuseong with eyes full of expectation.
—Name… Me… Name…
"Name? Don't tell me… you want me to give you a name?"
Lord Dubaegon nodded.
Had he died before he was even born, without ever receiving a name?
Hearing this, Kakasha chuckled as if amused.
[Of course not. The dragon race chooses names even before they are born. That one surely has a name already. However, it seems he wishes to receive a new name from you instead of using the one he was given.]
Kakasha chuckled repeatedly, clearly finding it amusing to see such a massive being act like this.
Unfortunately, Han Yuseong didn't find it all that amusing.
He wasn't the creature's parent—why was he being asked to name it?
Especially after what was essentially a single day of connection.
—Kuuuuuuu…
"Sigh…"
Those eyes—so desperate, so full of sincerity.
That look stirred something in Han Yuseong's heart.
"Well… it's just a name."
He would be the one to rebuild the world.
A being who might become king of the dragon race.
Taking that into consideration, it was best to give him a name worthy of his future.
And just then, a name came to mind.
"Bahamut. From now on, your name is Bahamut."
—A name… I've been given a name…
As Han Yuseong uttered the name Bahamut, letters appeared in the air.
They were inscribed in a language he couldn't understand.
The letters began to move, and soon they were absorbed into Bahamut's body—
as if the name was being engraved into his very being.
[To the dragon race, who live for countless ages, a name holds great significance. Quite literally, it is etched into their soul.]
Han Yuseong was glad he had chosen a dignified name.
Had he given a strange or silly name, it would've been etched into Bahamut's soul forever.
Bahamut seemed pleased with the name, giving his head a slight shake.
Then, he stepped closer to Han Yuseong, once again lowering his massive head toward him.
"You're so big, it's overwhelming."
—We… always… together…
A surge of powerful energy burst forth from Bahamut.
That energy entered Han Yuseong's body.
He felt it—something he couldn't quite put into words—
a connection had been formed between him and Bahamut.
Bahamut, seemingly satisfied, spoke once more:
—Farewell, my Guardian… Someday…
He spread his massive wings wide.
With one last look around through his deep, turbulent eyes,
he turned his gaze back to Han Yuseong—
then soared into the sky and vanished.
That final message left behind—
He was heading off, not to this ruined world, but to find a new one,
taking the soul spirits with him.
Bahamut would go on to rebuild the dragon race in that new world.
Han Yuseong rubbed the back of his neck as he looked at Hanol Mall.
"It doesn't seem like it's going to be easy."
Just as the statue in the Bear of Dvaebon Road had said, it would be a harsh journey.
He would have to walk the path alone, without anyone's help.
Even though the bond he had formed over the course of a single day was brief, Han Yuseong still wished Bahamut good fortune.
Boom!
As Bahamut departed, the world began to collapse.
When the Dragon's Altar, which was barely clinging to the Dragon's Tomb, was destroyed, the world also started to fall apart.
Han Yuseong's body, watching the end of everything, turned into light.
Along with the final flicker of the mirage, he returned to his own world.
Rumble...!
The Dragon's Tomb completely collapsed.
And everything returned to nothingness—
To a profoundly empty space where nothing existed.
Han Yuseong opened his eyes.
He saw the familiar scene of his small apartment.
Though it was just a shabby studio, the moment he got home, a wave of exhaustion suddenly hit him.
He felt like lying down right away to rest—
But now was not the time for that.
[Reward! Oathkeeper, check your reward. Reward!]
"Head's pounding. Be quiet."
It was time to check the rewards.
The reward from the most recent trial,
[
[However, before that world perished, it left behind the sole survivor capable of rebuilding the ruined world. The Dvaebon Road, which you named 'Bahamut', set off on a distant journey to delay that task.]
[Player Han Yuseong, this is the result of your actions.]
[Due to your influence, some rewards have been modified!]
What kind of ending did he face in his previous life?
The Dragon's Tomb had collapsed all the same—but without any surviving dragons.
That was because the Destroyer Jinmyeong had triumphed.
The Dragon's Altar had been shattered by the hands of the destroyers, and all dragon souls were absorbed and vanished.
Bahamut, too, had been absorbed by someone while still a lowly F-rank dragon soul.
"This feels… stranger than I expected."
It was even more so for Han Yuseong, who in his past life was the Destroyer Jinmyeong.
He had once destroyed the Dragon's Altar and absorbed the dragon souls.
Now, in this life, he had become their guardian and helped them instead—it was only natural that the feeling was bizarre.
The fortunate part was: it didn't feel bad.
[Growth Achieved: 300,000]
[You are being rewarded according to the achievements you demonstrated in the trial.]
[You succeeded in defeating a mythical-level opponent. However, you failed to fully defeat them using only your own power.]
[You overcame a trial that is normally considered nearly impossible to surpass.]
[You have met the activation condition for the unique ability 'War God'.]
[As an additional reward, the trial rewards are being enhanced.]
[Fighting Spirit has increased by +30.]
A message about rewards appeared.
It had been a long time since he last saw a reward from War God—and indeed, it had been a while in real time too.
Was Galveon the last one?
Thanks to Bahamut's buffs during the trial, most enemies hadn't even been strong enough to trigger the activation of War God.
'Too bad I couldn't squeeze a skill out of Wei Harmo.'
Still, he had managed to salvage something from the Colossus of Ruin, which was a relief.
A light burst into the air, and a portion of that light descended into Han Yuseong.
He instinctively sensed the transformation.
[You have gained a massive amount of experience. Your level has increased by 10 stages.]
[You are awarded 200,000 coins.]
[The Eye Lord you are contracted with is granted great benefits: 400,000 coins, blessing enhancement, and exclusive selection options.]
[You have obtained the artifact 'Oathkeeper of Dragon Souls (Legendary)'.]
[You have obtained an artifact, 'Random Skill Book – Grade 5'.]
[Bahamut has bestowed upon you 'Blessing of the Dragon (Mythic)'.]
[You have acquired the skill 'Heart Like a Dragon (SS Rank)'.]
The rewards kept coming, almost to the point of taking his breath away.
In fact, someone in his mind was audibly gasping.
It went without saying—it was Kakasha.
Hearing that sound calmed him a little. Han Yuseong exhaled deeply and continued checking the rewards.
[Blessing of the Dragon (Mythic)]
– A divine blessing bestowed by Bahamut upon his one and only guardian.
– All Stats +20.
– Attack Power +20%, Defense +20%.
– Fire skill damage +30%, Fire skill mana cost -20%.
– All beings of Dvaebon will recognize the blessing engraved upon you.
The blessing Bahamut bestowed upon Han Yuseong—
And one more:
[Heart Like a Dragon (SS Rank)]
· Type: Passive
· The mighty power of a dragon now resides in your heart. Yet, there is still a heartbeat within that remains dormant...
· Greatly enhances the user's vitality; fatigue comes slowly.
· Max Mana +200%, Mana Regeneration Speed +100%.
· Grants natural-born talent in handling mana. Mana perception is also vastly increased, and the presence of "hostility" can now be instinctively sensed.
· Particularly when using fire-attribute magic, numerous synergistic effects are granted.
· All status ailment resistances +50%, Fire resistance +50%.
· Grants the ability to use
Heart Like a Dragon.
It didn't mean Han Yuseong's heart had physically turned into a dragon's heart.
Rather, the power of a dragon had settled into his human heart.
And even that alone was producing this level of effect.
Fsssh—
Han Yuseong lightly activated a spell.
In an instant,
Its size and sharpness had also drastically changed.
This was thanks to his innate gift in handling mana.
He could also feel vast amounts of mana coursing naturally through his body.
'At this level, I won't have to worry about running out of mana anymore.'
Unless it was an intense prolonged battle, his mana wouldn't run dry.
Even skills like
, which he previously avoided due to inefficient mana consumption, could now be used freely.And one more thing.
'It said fire-attribute magic receives synergistic effects, didn't it?'
That would mean enhancements to power, casting speed, area of effect, and similar traits.
It would likely apply not only to magic, but to fire-attribute skills as well.
For Han Yuseong—who had a contract with Kakasha—this was an especially useful effect.
And finally, there was Mana Overdrive.
"Now this is an interesting effect."
A smile tugged at Han Yuseong's lips.
He had a feeling it wouldn't be long before he'd get to use it.
He then moved on to check the rest of the rewards.
[Oathkeeper of Dragon Souls (Legendary)]
· Slot: Ring
· A diminished version of the Oathkeeper of Dragon Souls used in the Dragon's Tomb. In exchange, its slot has changed from a necklace to a ring.
· Attack Power +100, Defense +100, Slight increase to reaction speed
· Magic Casting Speed +10%
Compared to the one he used in the Dragon's Tomb, this version was considerably weaker.
But the fact that it could now be worn on a finger as a ring made it not a bad deal at all.
Finally, Han Yuseong used the last remaining artifact.
[Using Grade 5 Random Skill Book.]
[Bonus reward effect from War God is activating. Some of the random skills will now be offered as selectable options.]
[Please choose your desired skill:]
[1. Divine Grace]
[2. Descent: Ancient Wraith]
[3. Spirit Return Point]
[4. Venom That Flows Through Blood]
[5. Flame Annihilation Form]
Thanks to War God, even though it was a random skill book, Han Yuseong had the luxury of a selection.
There were five options laid out before him.
"Buff, necromancy, sword art, passive… and a martial form."
After reviewing the list, Han Yuseong chose without hesitation.
There was no need to dwell on it.
[You have acquired 'Flame Annihilation Form (S)' from the Grade 5 Random Skill Book!]
[Flame Annihilation Form (S, Lv.1)]
· Type: Active
· A martial art created by the Flame Dragon that once swept through the martial world—comprised of three powerful forms.
· Effect: Strengthens the activated body part during form execution.
– Falling Blossom: Stomps the ground, releasing a fiery shockwave that sweeps the area. When used from a high position, it crushes the ground upon impact, causing an explosion.
– Burning Lotus: A leg move infused with blade-like refined flames, striking in a sweeping arc for rapid successive hits. Can be chained into Annihilation Flame.
– Annihilation Flame: Unleashes a devastating blaze that incinerates everything in its path.
A martial art made up of three forms.
Until now, Han Yuseong had received multiple bonuses to fire-element skills, yet hadn't possessed any worthwhile ones to use.
This was like rain in a drought.
"As expected of a divine trial… Maybe I should call it a field of opportunity instead."
Han Yuseong chuckled softly.
A divine trial was cruel—countless people died within it.
But the rewards were just as great. Especially for someone confident in their abilities, it was a place where rapid growth was more than possible.
Just like Han Yuseong had done in this trial—
"Kakasha, my 200,000 coins are…"
[F-Four hundred thousand… 400,000… co-co-coins…!]
"Hey, snap out of it."
[R-Rich… I—I am a noble rich lady now!]
Seeing the massive amount of coins had completely broken Kakasha.
Honestly, even Han Yuseong had been secretly taken aback.
To think he'd receive a total of 600,000 coins from a trial at this stage.
It must've been because his growth performance was so high that the rewards scaled accordingly.
'It's going to take Kakasha a while to come back to her senses…'
She really was a Coin-obsessed Eye Lord.
Han Yuseong sighed and headed toward the bathroom.
Considering what lay ahead, it was probably best to rest a bit while he still could.
But before that, a good wash—
[Congratulations, Player Han Yuseong.]
[You have achieved the highest performance within the Divine Trial and uncovered a Mythic Quest that no one else found—and completed it.]
[As a result, the
At that moment, a message appeared in front of Han Yuseong.
[You are granted the right to choose the configuration of the
A message that was entirely unexpected.
READ MORE CHAPTERS HERE- [T/L: Read extra chapters on my ko-fi page "Pokemon1920" : http://ko-fi.com/pokemon1920 ]