The 31st Piece Overturns the Game Board

A foul-smelling toad was clenching a spear and running after Seol through the swamp.

"Why are you in such a hurry?"

"I have my reasons. So, my task is to execute someone?"

"That's right… That bastard has been disturbing my swamp for a while. And it’s about time he receives his judgment."

"Ah…"

"This way! Hurry and follow me."

Options appeared before Seol.

[[This toad who introduced himself as the Swamp Guardian, is exuding a sense of mission. He says he needs your help to fulfill his duty. However, since you can't trust everything he says, you might as well ask some questions.]

1. Who is the guy disturbing the swamp?

3. Must you really execute them?

4. Couldn't you handle it alone?

…]

Seol looked at the choices that popped up and chuckled.

Then, he didn't ask any questions.

'I roughly understand why he's doing this. He's being too greedy.'

Since Seol was unsure of the outcome, he decided not to follow the choices that popped up. Instead, he just stayed silent.

Seol and the Swamp Guardian ran toward their destination without exchanging a word.

'Luckily, he's close to the gateway.'

Things would have ended up in a failure for sure if he had gone in the completely opposite direction.

Even at this moment, danger was rapidly approaching.

"Oof… Oof…"

They ran so fast that Seol and the toad were panting after arriving at the destination.

"That's the one."

While catching his breath, Seol looked at someone unconscious and bound—it was a creature with an alligator head. Its mouth was tightly tied with ropes so that it couldn't speak.

Seol smiled.

"If you need the seal, help the Swamp Guardian. Kill him. That arrogant insolent who dared to defy authority…"

At that moment, choices popped up.

[[The Swamp Guardian seems to want to eliminate the enemy. You have to make a choice. But first, there are a few things you must confirm.]

1. What did he do wrong?

2. Why do I have to kill him?

3. Shouldn't we reconsider killing him?

4. Can I obtain the seal in exchange for another favor?

…]

Seol did what he needed to do without asking any questions. He didn't have time to waste arguing.

Slash…

"Yes… Huh? Wh-what are you doing?!"

Seol swiftly cut all the ropes that were binding the alligator's body.

"What are you doing?! Why aren't you following my orders? Don't you want to receive the seal?"

Just then, the alligator opened his eyes.

"Woah… I got caught again. This is why the swamp is fun."

"…"

The alligator extended his hand to Seol.

"Nice to meet you. I'm the Swamp Guardian. Sleepyhead asked me to tidy up the swamp."

Seol nodded and shook his hand.

"I'm Seol. Who is that guy?"

"Ugh… Don't be fooled! I'm the Swamp Guardian!"

He asked back at the retreating toad, "If that were the case, why do you need my help? After all, didn’t Sleepyhead entrust you with managing this part of the garden?"

"That's…"

That's why he didn't ask any questions on the way here. The toad would have chosen to flee if he had asked something that had left him speechless.

"It's obvious. Sleepyhead will curse you if you kill the Swamp Guardian. So if I kill the Swamp Guardian, you can avoid the curse."

"You… How much do you know?"

Seol knew from the beginning that the Swamp Guardian was the alligator.

He didn't remember exactly how the Swamp Guardian looked, but he knew he wasn't a toad. There was little chance he would have changed species overnight.

Moreover, his request made Seol very suspicious.

"I-If you do that… I'll execute you too!"

Paf—!

Whoosh…

Seol turned around and extended his foot.

Pang—!

The moment Seol's foot touched the toad's body, the toad let out a scream.

"Croak—!"

Although slightly startled by the toad's scream, he managed to block the attack.

Swoosh…

The Swamp Guardian had glasses with one broken lens.

"Let him go. Let's let him leave this once."

"Didn't you almost die…?"

"Die? It was all a prank, after all. Isn't that right?"

As the Swamp Guardian greeted the toad with a smile, the toad shivered and disappeared into the swamp.

"Why did you let him go? Wasn't he threatening you?"

"Creatures living in the swamp are lazy. So they have to act, even if it's like that. Otherwise, the swamp will rot."

"…"

"You just thought it didn't make sense, right?"

"You know well."

"Hehe… If you take a closer look, the creatures living in the swamp are cute. Although they are a bit rough. Anyway… thanks for saving me, human! You're the second human who saved me."

Seol had saved the Swamp Guardian a long time ago.

The Swamp Guardian's requests were in stark contrast to his optimistic personality and were really challenging.

As expected from a Swamp Guardian who mainly dealt with rough work, he also left players with rough tasks.

However, sometimes, situations that could allow you to skip such things arise. And that something was to save the Swamp Guardian.

Charlie discovered this a long time ago after saving him.

"Swamp Guardian, seal."

"Ah, that's right! If I received your help, I should help you too. Here!"

Tsss—!

The pattern of the swamp was engraved on the back of his hand.

[You have obtained the Swamp Guardian's seal.]

[Sleepyhead will have a solo encounter with you.]

He managed to acquire the final seal.

At least the escape route was secured.

BOOM…

BOOM…

BOOM—!

[The Sky Dragon, Azanic, has entered the Underground Garden.]

Meanwhile, it seemed that the entrance of the ruins couldn't hold anymore, and Azanic passed through it.

"Damn it…"

"Ugh, what was that sound?"

"Swamp Guardian, could you give me a Delusional Lotus?"

"Of course! Since you've helped me!"

After obtaining the last poisonous herb from the Swamp Guardian and holding it in his arm, he then sprinted toward the next gateway.

"Ah… T-Take care!"

"Yes! Take care!"

After arriving at the next gateway at full speed, Seol started doing what he had already done at the previous two gateways.

At that moment.

CRACK—!

The second gateway collapsed.

Black and shiny scales emerged from the distance, followed by yellow and ominous reptilian eyes.

Those eyes reached the very distant final gateway, where Seol was.

The Sky Dragon, Azanic, returned to his original form and looked at Seol.

"So it's there…"

Seol felt a bone-chilling fear the moment their gazes met.

BOOM—!

BOOOOM—!

Psss…

The Forest of the Slumbering was a place Azanic was visiting for the first time. Moreover, he wasn't even aware there were such hidden ruins.

'How fun…'

As he broke through the entrance, a massive energy disappeared. It felt as if a star had fallen from the sky.

He instinctively felt Tancreed's death.

"In that case… It must have fallen into the hands of her descendant… Tantuinu, or the new allies."

Either way, it didn't matter. Just a few extra steps had been added. In the end, her descendants would fall into his hands.

There was no need to be impatient.

Crack…

Having forcibly opened the entrance to the ruins, he was sucked into the Underground Garden of the Forest of the Slumbering.

Crack…

Craaaack…

His body started to transform. It was a bigger change than a caterpillar becoming a butterfly.

He wasn't in his human form anymore, but his noble Elder Dragon one. His eyes were fire, and his wings were wind. With such strength, he had nothing to fear.

"This form is a bit clumsy…"

Due to the energy spread across the Underground Garden, he couldn't take his human form but had to remain in his original one.

"I see. So, an afterimage of Tancreed remains. Did she fall here?"

Tancreed's scent stopped here. The smell of the ones claiming to be her allies and Tantuinu extended to distant places.

To think they dared to flee from him made him sigh at their stupidity.

"Over there."

After folding his wings.

PAAANNNGGG—!

In an instant, the massive body created a gale and flew away.

Upon arriving at the first gateway, he looked at the Steel Silvergrass and scoffed.

"What a fool."

Huup…

Soon, Azanic's chest swelled and glowed red.

Puhaaaaa—!n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

A huge flame consumed the Steel Silvergrass.

Paang—!

Tatap…

Tap…

"Huh…?"

A nasty smell spread.

It was the Pungpung-i Seol had prepared. Inside it were the burning spores of the Blink Flower, creating a foul odor.

Although they were already highly toxic, the fire made them emit a very harsh, poisonous smell.

"Hmph."

Unfortunately, Azanic was one of the Transcendents. Just as Irizard had unique authorities, Azanic did too.

His body was his authority. It was highly resistant to elements, blades, and blunt weapons. He also had a remarkable regenerative ability.

He noticed that the poison mixed into his breath but didn't care.

"It was a nice try, but it's futile."

As proof of that, his body seemed to have no abnormalities. However, he avoided using fire.

The reason was Seol's Steel Silvergrass.

Although most of them had burned the dragon's flames, some Steel Silvergrass had become even harder. To pass through the gateway with his enlarged body, he needed to break all the Steel Silvergrass. However, since they became even harder, he became increasingly irritated.

Well, only one process was added, so he would have to endure it, but…

Whoosh…

Crack—!

As he swung his claws, the Steel Silvergrass were split in half and collapsed.

Azanic sniffed and moved into the forest.

Those bastards weren't here.

Annoyed by that fact, Azanic took a deep breath and exhaled flames once more.

BOOM—!

The forest burned in the shape of those flames.

As he looked at the traces of the destruction with satisfaction, someone shouted from afar.

"Dragon! What are you doing?!"

It was the Forest Guardian.

"I'm looking for the human and troll. If you tell me the truth, I'll spare your life."

"This is Sleepyhead's garden! Do you know what you've just done?"

"Sleepyhead? I don't know such a being. I'm not interested in inferior creatures."

"You don't know Sleepyhead…? Then you won't be able to meet him."

"What?

"I don't know. I won't tell you anything!"

Fwoosh—!

The Forest Guardian flew away in an instant.

Azanic thought he would likely learn nothing even if he got hold of and questioned the Forest Guardian. That's why he flew to the next gateway. The smell of the human was getting closer.

He thought that after passing through this gateway, he might be able to catch up to them.

Once again, Steel Silvergrass blocked the gateway.

"How annoying!"

Irritated, he slashed his claws and knocked down all the Steel Silvergrass in the passageway.

PAANG—!

Of course, poisons spread during the process.

He felt a bit of pity for the ones escaping while relying on such desperate means, even though all of their efforts were useless.

Crack…

After shaking off his body, his eyes turned toward the next gateway.

There he is. That bastard was there.

The rat who opened the ruin's door and helped Tancreed and the others escape.

"So that's where you are…"

Huup…

Just when he was about to exhale fire, the gateway where the bastard was became filled with the same Steel Silvergrass as before. Concerned they would become even harder when exposed to the fire, Azanic shot the fire into the swamp.

BOOM—!

"Hmph. You were lucky."

Just as Azanic was about to fly to the gateway, someone said to him.

"Do you have any grudge against the swamp?! Is this because of the seal?"

"Seal? What nonsense are you talking about?" Azanic replied as the Swamp Guardian tried to argue with the Dragon fearlessly.

"To meet with Sleepyhead, you need a seal. Isn't that why you're here?"

"I don't need it. I have no intention to meet him."

"You are making a mistake."

"What…?"

"Nothing. Do as you wish."

The Swamp Guardian quietly disappeared.

Azanic became angry at him for wasting his time. However, he would have enough time to trample over these ruins later.

He hunched his body, trying to fly toward the gate in an instant.

But at that moment…

"Ugh…?"

His wings felt heavier than usual.

He realized that his flames were weaker than before.

"Hmph…"

He tried to ignore such ominous signs.

He was a dragon… A dragon was a dragon even until the moment of their death.

"I'll just have to catch him and ask questions."

Whoosh…

Paanngg—!

After reaching the final gateway instantly, Azanic slashed the Steel Silvergrass with his claws.

Paanngg—!

As expected, poison was flowing out of the passageway.

Fwoosh—!

Azanic flapped his wings to disperse the poison, but avoiding inhaling some of the fumes was impossible. With the poison already spreading through the air, there was no way he would be able to avoid inhaling it no matter what.

"How annoying… but I've caught you."

Soon, he soared into the sky.

Fwoosh—!

He could see a human rushing toward a large pit.

He was almost there.

Azanic smiled satisfyingly and shot a small flame.

Whoosh…

He didn't plan to kill Seol right away. After all, he had bothered him for quite a lot.

The flames flew toward Seol.

"Not yet. You must pay for your crimes."