His taunt was very effective. The dragonkin were busy wondering about the reason for their own existences after looking at hundreds of thousands of dragons flying about, and now that Yu IlHan had said such an audacious thing, they all started gathering up.
[Guwoooooooooooh!]
From the mountains and forests.
[Kyaoooooooooh!]
From above the clouds.
[Kyaaaaaaaaahk!]
From caves, submarine and subterranean tunnels – from various places that made up the world, dragonkin came out and rushed towards where Yu IlHan was.
[The ruler of the world…… calls for us!]
[Kyahaaaaak! The lord of all dragons, that aura is so annoying!]
It was an incomparably grander scene than when the dragons had gathered. Dragons were, in the end, just a portion of dragonkin, and there were at least ten million dragonkin subspecies that were born other than dragons. And even right now, that number was still increasing due to evolution.
“Still not enough. You’re not planning to go against me with such a puny aura, are you!”
[Now you’re acting more like a dragon, my ruler.]
Yu IlHan lightly ignored Echjar’s words and used the ancient elven magic formation to expand his mana and his aura far and wide. More and more dragonkin gathered. The natural mana was stimulated by Yu IlHan’s own and gave birth to more dragonkin as well!
[We have come as you have called.]
[Just what are you.]
[Kyaak! Kyaaaaaaah!]
[Annoying! You are annoying!]
Unlike dragons who were usually born with higher intelligence than humans, the intelligence of dragonkin was all over the place. Perhaps Orochi was considerably high on the spectrum?
Yu IlHan mastered the skill, Language, once in the past, but among the dragonkin here, only 30% were able to voice out their thoughts in a specific ‘language’. Of course, the majority of those 30% were 4th class beings.
“You have eyes and ears so you should have heard. I am the ruler of this world, and the lord of all dragons.”
[We know of that already. You smell very charming. I can feel an overwhelming pressure from you. I feel a power that attracts and rules over us.]
The highest-levelled one among them replied. With gigantic bat-like wings, and a streamlined body, this dragonkin was red in color, which signified it was born with the fire attribute. To classify it, this could be considered a winged dragon.
Yu IlHan was surprised after finding out that it was near level 290. Never did he imagine that there would be a being that would be born with a higher level than Ruby.
“Really? So you feel the power of my rule skill.”
[But it is different. You are the lord of dragons and not all of dragonkin. You are the lord of fire, but not mine.]
“You’re right.”
As the ruler of all dragons, his authoritative power was effective against dragonkin as well, but that was the extent of it. That was also what made the dragonkin hesitate, and what made them gather at this place to decide for themselves.
“Then you should know why I have called you here.”
[Is it to raise the pride of dragons?]
[Is it to make us the slaves of dragons?]
[Or is it to make us into the dragons’ playthings?]
Even though dragons were the king of all dragonkin, why were these dragonkin afraid of dragons! Yu IlHan made a distant face after thinking back to the dragons that had once ruled over Dareu.
Thinking about it, the dragons also lorded over the other dragonkin as well. The dragonkin at that time were either in submission to dragons or were expressing their fear towards them. Decisively, there were no 4th class dragonkin apart from dragons in Dareu at that time.
The Yu IlHan of that time thought that all dragonkin would evolve into dragons upon becoming 4th class, but thinking about that now, that was complete and utter nonsense.
When did he fix his misconception? It was ironically when he became the lord of all dragons. Only after he acquired the ability to rule over dragons and his records deepened did he realize that Orochi was not a dragon but a dragonkin. The fact that he couldn’t adapt to Echjar’s body that fast was probably also influenced by this fact.
So, by this logic, the dragons living in Dareu before should have killed numerous dragonkin thinking that any 4th class dragonkin would inevitably threaten their places as kings in the future. Then, they made the remaining ones their underlings. How tragic!
“No.”
But Yu IlHan had to enforce an even more traffic thing to these dragonkin.
Right now.
“I have come to give you the chance to become true dragons.”
As the leader of Dragon’s Nest, the ruler of dragons, and as citizen of Earth, he needed to fulfill this mission.
[……What?]
[Kyaak! Kyaaaaaaaaaaaahk!]
[What is that? The limitation of a species cannot be overcome, never!]
The reactions were very violent. Even more uproars arose among the millions of dragonkin who were increasing in number even right now. Just as even Yu IlHan’s ears became slightly deaf due to all the noise, the winged dragon of level 290 asked him.
[Make us into a dragon, and command us?]
“Precisely. No, in fact, you’ll submit to me automatically once you become a dragon. You should know that already, no?”
The winged dragon lost its words for a moment at Yu IlHan’s honest words. The other dragonkin seemed to have some wits, as they all became silent in wait for the winged dragon’s answer. It eventually spoke again.
[O, greedy ruler of dragons, can’t you let us be? Can’t you let us live on?]
“Nope. The ones that won’t obey my commands will only become experience for my children. Right now, each and every source of experience is precious you know?”
[Hah……!]
Yu IlHan’s words lacked any sugarcoating whatsoever. To survive, to live on, to protect – he had long since resolved to do anything. From the moment he ripped apart the monsters that appeared on his university campus, his resolve may have wavered slightly, but it never snapped.
[Then…… If so!]
It raised its aura. The flames that arose on top of its red bat-like wings looked somewhat similar to Yu IlHan’s Ruin Calling. Perhaps even their abilities were similar. The records of Ruin Calling should have been used in the evolution of this world after all.
[Then we have no choice but to kill you!]
“……So it’s like that after all?”
The majority of dragonkin reacted at its words. They all agitated their auras to threaten Yu IlHan, and the more rash ones among them charged towards Yu IlHan already. Yu IlHan laughed after seeing them. Echajr sighed.
[So even for the Lord it’s impossible. The karma of dragons is thick.]
“Who knows? I think differently. I’m not sure if all dragonkin are like this, but if it’s one that wishes to become a dragon…… it will be different.”
[Lord……?]
Yu IlHan made a small smile after hearing Echjar’s voice of suspicion. He uttered one word as if whispering.
“Manifestation.”
[The skill, Manifestation, activates. Declaring your ruling territory.]
The world Dareu had acquired its ruler, evolved, due to Yu IlHan and his records. The first manifestation occurred in that place. The already perfect Yu IlHan had raised his authoritative power even more, coloring the entire world red.
[Kugh!?]
[What…… is this?]
[The enormous mana, the burning sensation from the atmosphere……!]
The skill, Manifestation, was an advanced version of his main class skill, Falling Down, at the same time being the skill that contained all of his draconic affinities and fire attributes. If he wanted, he could make the mana in the air to be his own, which place in this world was not part of his territory?
The skill, Manifestation, housed the vast expanse of the many continents of Dareu into his domain. The power of fire and dragons inside were all enhanced, and would probably have strengthened Ruby and the other dragons who should be fighting by now.
[Kugh, Kahak……!]
[The flames, are not listening to me.]
All dragonkin, whether they were aboveground, underground, or in the air, felt an overwhelming pressure exerted onto them, but the ones that manipulated fire had an especially harder time breathing. All fire had to submit to Yu IlHan, so any kind of fire that bore hostility against him was not forgiven, even if they were produced by someone else.
[No, way, this, is……!]
The one that suffered the most was of course the winged dragon. Due to shock of its own flames betraying it, it couldn’t even fly properly and fell to the ground. Some of the weaker dragonkin were squished and burnt to death without even being able to resist.
[You, just…… what!]
It barely raised its head and glared at Yu IlHan, and spoke words full of hostility towards the ruler of this world. However, Yu IlHan only laughed lightly and replied.
“You should know already. Everything that comprises this world, is only bowing its head to the master it should serve.”
[Eeek…… you……!]
Unacceptable. It was unacceptable that it had to bow its head in the disgusting monster that was a dragon in human form! That even the fire from its own body was trying to follow that monster, escaping its control!
However.
[Strong…… dammit, you’re strong……!]
[Kihk…… Kihiiiik!]
[Kuaaaaaah Kuaaaaaahn!]
Including the winged dragon, all of the dragonkin that froze stiff while charging towards him, as well as those that went against his call but still had to bow down the moment Yu IlHan activated manifestation, felt it in their bones.
Yu IlHan was strong. He was suitable to be called the lord of all dragons. He was the ruler of this world, as well as the ruler of all flames. The moment they decided to go against him, this outcome was as good as set in stone.
[Frustrating…… it’s frustrating!]
The winged dragon spat out a mouthful of blood in despair.
[I also want to become a dragon! I want to become strong!]
Pursuing strength wasn’t only limited to dragons. It was the common characteristic across all of dragonkin.
Whatever they looked like on the outside, they literally all pursued and had admiration for power. This could be seen from how the gazes of all dragonkin towards Yu IlHan had turned from rage to fear and admiration. Yu IlHan had brought out his power precisely because he knew it would come to this.
“You want to become strong?”
[Yes! I want to become stronger as well! Even though I could be born with such a strong body, collapsing because of the predestined fate upon my birth is unacceptable! I cannot accept it!]
Its shouts contained neither reason nor rationale. It was more like a shout of despair. However, this was natural, since although all the dragonkin were high levelled, they were born during the 6th Great Cataclysm. In other words. They were newborns! They were young! What good would hesitating do for them? They were young and had no experience!
And this meant one other thing as well.
‘They’re easy to fool too.’
[…….]
Even the former dragon of despair, Echjar, was speechless. This guy was really suited to be the devil man who ruled over dragons! Perhaps he might do well even if he became the leader of Destruction Demon Army!
“Good, I’ll make you stronger.”
Declared Yu IlHan as he twisted his lips.
“What I want is simple. Submit to me, and live on with everyone else.”
His voice and mana resonated with the ancient elven magic formation to spread around to all of Dareu. His voice resounded across the minds of all dragonkin born, and those that were yet to be born.
“And I shall make you into dragons.”