Chapter 266: Summer (3)

The day the Mad Dragon destroyed the passenger ship bound for the Summer Continent and confronted Elvis.

From that day onward, the Mad Dragon flew relentlessly.

He refrained from any further acts of destruction, simply continuing to fly.

Soaring far beyond the sight of humans and birds alike, the Mad Dragon swiftly traversed the Summer, Fall, and Winter Continents.

Finally, he reached the easternmost tip of the Winter Continent, soaring past the recently completed Great Wall.

Even after flying for quite some time beyond that, a pristine white mist blocked his path, resembling milk spilled across the sky.

This was no naturally formed fog. How could such a dense mist blanket the sky at an altitude where even clouds couldn’t form?

The fog, so dense that visibility barely exceeded ten centimeters, was clearly unnatural.

Mad Dragon—or rather, Chulsoo88, who had seized control of Mad Dragon’s body—smiled.

“We’ve arrived at Maha.”

This thick fog was a Sacred Scripture created by the dragons to prevent ordinary beings from entering Maha. It also served to disorient the demons within, causing them to lose their way.

Such an artificial fog blanketed the entire eastern sea of the Winter Continent—a deathly mist that even seabirds and marine life avoided.

Yet Chulsoo88, undeterred, plunged straight into the fog and soon found himself wandering aimlessly within its depths.

It’s somewhere around here.

Maha could be reached by sailing west from the Spring Continent.

Despite the immense distance, Chulsoo88 had deliberately traversed the continent to reach the western edge of the Maha Sea, driven by the pursuit of something unique that could only be found in this place.

If the lore I created truly exists…

Though absent from the original storyline, it was a hidden plot point destined to be revealed in the final act.

…I’ll definitely find it.

A hidden piece of lore known only to the original author, and now, to him.

Lotberia’s Heart!

The Dragon Heart of Lotberia, the most malevolent dragon ever devoured by the Maha!

If I can get my hands on this… dealing with that bastard will be a piece of cake.

Just as Louis planned to use his hidden trump card to confront the Mad Dragon, Chulsoo88 harbored the same ambition.

Except his trump card was far more potent than the one Louis was preparing.

Mutter, mutter…

Louis was feeding Ariana her baby food when the incessant muttering from beside him made his face harden.

Murmur, murmur…

Though he couldn’t understand a word, the bizarre, confused muttering continued, and a vein throbbed on Louis’s forehead.

“Kidnapped… I was kidnapped? At my age, kidnapped…?”

Finally, unable to endure the irritating muttering any longer, Louis snapped. “Shut u—!”

“Huh? Oppa?”

Louis abruptly covered Ariana’s ears, stopping himself from swearing. He quickly sanitized his threat.

“If you don’t shut up, I’ll tie you up and throw you to the ogre!”

”…”

Even softened, Louis’s threat remained chillingly menacing.

Despite his complaints, Pablo’s tearful expression refused to fade. He sidled up to Louis and whined, “No, you should have at least given me a heads-up! You can’t just kidnap someone like this!”

“A heads-up? So you could run away?”

“M-me? R-r-run away? N-n-no way!” Pablo’s gaze drifted evasively.

Without any binding oaths to hold him, he couldn’t deny the thought had crossed his mind: If I escaped, Louis might never find me.

As if reading his thoughts, Louis chuckled dryly. “Go ahead and run if you think you can. I dragged you all the way from the Winter Continent to the Spring Continent. You really think I can’t track down one little guy like you?”

“Hic!”

Hiccup!

Pablo gasped for air, only to be seized by a fit of hiccups. After finally calming down, he pleaded, his voice tinged with desperation, “Please, Louis, I’m begging you…”

“C-could you at least move us somewhere else…? Good heavens… a Dragon Lair for a dwarf…”

“Weren’t you just claiming to be human?”

“I’m half-dwarf, aren’t I? Anyway, a Dragon Lair for a dwarf… to bring me to this dreadful place… I’d rather be tortured!”

“Dreadful? Are you insulting dragons now?”

“N-no, of course not!”

“Want to find out what real torture feels like?”

”…No, that was a slip of the tongue.”

“Besides, this isn’t a Dragon Lair.”

”…Then what is it?”

Fin, who had been wiping Ariana’s mouth with a napkin, answered Pablo’s question.

“It’s a playground Louis and the Twins built.”

”…For a playground, it’s certainly… luxurious.”

As Pablo said this, he looked around the spacious interior.

The space was surprisingly comfortable, considering it had been carved entirely out of solid rock. This was thanks to the Sacred Scripture embedded throughout, which constantly regulated the temperature and humidity.

True to their dragon nature, the interior was lavishly decorated with what appeared to be quite expensive luxury goods, and numerous rooms branched off from the main chamber. The place was easily large enough to accommodate dozens of people.

And this is just a playground? Pablo couldn’t help but marvel anew at the dragon mindset.

Yet, despite his admiration, this place truly was Louis and the Twins’ playground, just as Fin had said. Bored of playing in the same old spots, Louis and the Twins had modeled their own hideout after the adults’ lairs. This was the result, and the reason Louis and his travel party were here was simple.

It was all because of the Flame Siblings’ training.

Boom! Boom!

Even now, the Flame Siblings were sparring with the Twins outside. Two Tier 1 fighters and two Top Tier fighters, and the Flame Siblings were giving the Twins their all. With such a powerful quartet clashing, how could the impact be minimal?

That’s why they had moved their training ground here, finding it too difficult to practice in the village due to the excessive commotion.

Two weeks had passed since they began this rigorous, live-in training camp. Louis, sensing that the Flame Siblings’ skills had stabilized, summoned Pablo.

Or rather, he kidnapped him.

“Kidnapped… Kidnapped…”

“Shut up. I told you to be quiet.”

“Hic… But, Louis…”

“What?”

”…Who is that child?”

Pablo’s gaze fell upon Ariana, who was in her human form. She was the one Louis was cradling protectively, gently patting her back.

“Burp!”

Ariana let out a dainty burp as Louis patted her back, releasing her transformation. Her dragon form materialized.

“Huh?!”

Louis smiled at Pablo’s startled reaction. “My younger sister.”

“L-Louis’s younger sister?” Pablo stammered.

“Mm-hmm.”

Pablo blinked, then his face fell into an expression of despair.

Another master added to the roster…

The bleak future of having to care for Louis’s sister as well loomed before him.

As Pablo sat there dejectedly, a door swung open and Lavina appeared.

“Oh? Mister Pablo?”

Lavina, returning from her daily hobby of cleaning a room, froze at the sight of him, her eyes widening in surprise.

“Mister, how did you get here?” Lavina asked.

”…I didn’t come willingly. I was dragged here,” Pablo replied.

“Aha!” Lavina exclaimed, instantly understanding the situation. She slapped her palm with her fist.

Pablo’s eyes narrowed as he watched her. “By the way, Miss Lavina,” he said.

“Yes?”

“Since the last time I saw you… your tastes have changed quite a bit.”

“Hehe, isn’t this outfit pretty? It’s a brand-new design I just made!” Lavina replied, flashing a wide smile.

”…I see,” Pablo muttered to himself as he watched her laugh freely in her maid outfit. “She’s really gone all the way, too.”

Meanwhile, the four who had been sparring outside entered the room. More precisely, Tania and Kendrick, covered in blood and unconscious, were being dragged in by the Twins.

“Sparring session over for today!” one of the Twins announced.

“Ah, that was refreshing,” the other added.

The Twins looked utterly refreshed, while the Flame Siblings lay bloodied and unconscious.

Pablo glanced at Louis and feigned recognition.

“Ah, I wondered who it was. It’s you,” he said.

“No wonder I sensed a familiar presence,” Louis replied.

The Twins, seemingly finding nothing more to see, scurried over to Louis’s side to observe Ariana, who had snuggled up beside him and fallen asleep.

Just then, Louis tossed two bottles to Pablo.

“Go feed these to the kids,” he said.

“Ugh… Ugh!” Pablo exclaimed as he hastily caught the bottles flying toward him.

He caught two bottles filled with a deep crimson liquid. Instinctively, he recognized them as top-grade potions.

He’s already putting me to work as soon as I arrive…

Though he grumbled inwardly, Pablo’s body was already moving in obedience to Louis’s command.

Pablo approached the Flame Siblings and frowned at their condition.

“What the hell is this…?”

At first, he had only glanced at them roughly, assuming they had merely shed some blood. But their injuries were far more severe than that.

”…It’s a miracle they’re still alive.”

With his considerable experience, Pablo examined their wounds closely.

Kendrick’s ribs are shattered, and it looks like a broken bone pierced his lung. As for Tania… what on earth did she do to end up like this?

Tania’s arms hung limply like boneless tentacles. The bones within must have been shattered into dozens of pieces. Her fists, in particular, were pulverized beyond recognition, reduced to fine powder.

“Tsk tsk, these young fools treat their bodies like trash.”

Clicking his tongue, Pablo poured the potion into the mouths of the Flame Siblings.

The potion’s effects were instantaneous.

Crack!

A grotesque sound emanated from their bodies.

The Flame Siblings jolted upright.

“Huff! I almost died! I saw Grandpa Jack, our neighbor who passed away!”

“Haa… me too…”

”…Was that you next to me?”

“Was that Orc-looking thing my brother?”

“Orc? You wanna die?”

“Can you even kill me? Wanna find out?”

“That’s it!”

Pablo’s expression hardened as he watched the Flame Siblings, whom he had barely saved from the brink of death, immediately resume their bickering.

Wait… I can’t sense their cultivation levels anymore?

Pablo’s cultivation was at the Lower Class of Tier 1, on the verge of reaching the Intermediate level. Yet, the last time he had seen the Flame Siblings, he could easily sense their cultivation levels. Now, he couldn’t sense anything at all.

That means…

Have these kids already surpassed me?

What an absurd rate of growth!

While Pablo stood frozen in shock, the Flame Siblings recognized him and greeted him.

“Huh? Mister Pablo?”

“When did you get here, Mister?”

“Uh… um… Just a little while ago… I was dragged here.”

“Aha!”

“Ah-ha!”

The Flame Siblings instantly grasped the situation and sprang to their feet.

Without a word, they entered one of the rooms, quickly washed up, and returned, as if it were an everyday routine.

But each of them was carrying a large backpack.

And there was Lavina, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, standing beside them with her own backpack.

”…Huh?”

While Pablo tilted his head in confusion, Louis, who had been gently patting Ariana’s back as she slept, spoke up.

“Is everything ready?”

“Yes!”

“We’re finished!”

A question mark floated above Pablo’s head as he listened to their exchange.

Louis turned to him. “Pablo, your foothold on the Summer Continent is still secure, right?”

“My foothold? You mean…”

“The Frenche Kingdom. Does your name carry any weight there?”

Pablo puffed out his chest proudly. “Heh heh heh! Of course! With Pablo’s name, nothing is impossible!”

“Then show us what you can do on the Summer Continent this time.”

”…Huh? Are you saying we’re going to the Summer Continent?”

“Yup.”

“Uh, when?”

“Now.”

”…?!”

Only then did Pablo realize why everyone else had brought their backpacks. He frantically reached out a hand. “W-wait a minute…!”

Poof!

But before he could finish his cry, the figures of everyone in the room vanished without a trace.

And so, that day, Pablo had the rare experience of crossing continents—from winter to spring, and then from spring to summer—all in a single day.

Meanwhile, at Silver Flower Castle:

“Ugh… I’m exhausted.”

Genelocer, having just returned from completing his “hole-patching” duties, let out an uncharacteristic groan and slumped onto the sofa in his office.

“Heh heh heh.”

Despite his physical fatigue, his expression was remarkably bright.

I thought it would take at least a few months, but it only took a little over a month… That’s practically no time at all.

Technically, he hadn’t completely finished the job; he had merely rotated duties with another Elder. Still, his part in the operation was now over.

Why?

Because he had a precious hatchling to care for.

In truth, his desire to reunite with Ariana and Louis outweighed even his duty to protect the clan’s well-being.

Time to go see my kids.

The face of his youngest daughter, whom he hadn’t seen in over a month, flickered vividly in his mind. He longed to rush over and plant a kiss on her cheek.

I hope she hasn’t entered her first sleep device yet.

The typical age for a first sleep device ranged from one month to a year. If Ariana’s had activated early, she might already be asleep.

“That would be a little sad…”

He couldn’t bear the thought of no longer seeing his little one chirping like a chick. For Genelocer, this would be a crushing disappointment.

“Alright! Let’s get going.”

Eager to see his children, he heaved his heavy body to its feet. Just as he was finishing his preparations and about to leave,

“Hey, Genelocer!”

His door burst open.

As always, Genelocer’s brow furrowed at the sudden appearance of an uninvited guest.

But Carlos’s next words stopped the frown from fully forming, leaving only a slight twitch in his eyebrows.

“Hey! A dragon just reached Zero Rank!”

The unexpected news left Genelocer looking bewildered.

“Zero Rank? Who is it? That unlucky dragon who willingly stepped into the Abyssal Pit himself? And which blessed Elder is retiring to appoint a successor? Wait… no way… a Dark Attribute?! Please… please let it be true! I’d resign from this Elder position in a heartbeat!”

Carlos grinned, hearing the genuine curiosity and desperate hope in Genelocer’s voice.

Carlos chuckled as he replied, “Your son.”

“What about him?”

“That unlucky dragon who willingly stepped into the Abyssal Pit himself—he’s your son. And the blessed Elder who’s retiring is Bartholomew, the Headman of the Spatial Attribute.”

Genelocer seemed unable to fully grasp Carlos’s words. Perhaps his mind had temporarily frozen. After standing motionless for a long moment, he scratched his ear and asked again, “So Louis… what about him?”

“Congratulations.”

”…?”

“I heard your son has reached Zero Rank. He’s the youngest dragon in history to achieve that level.”

”…?!”

Genelocer’s jaw dropped at Carlos’s words, which sounded both like a compliment and a mocking jest.