The 31st Piece Overturns the Game Board

PAANNG—!

The sight of Azanic being sent away to some forest somewhere on the continent was incredibly exhilarating.

['Early Exit' has donated 2,000 Madness!]

[As soon as Azanic went to work, he took a sick day and went back home.]

- Just what kind of poison did he use? Hahaha.

- He got beaten up by the Night Crow and came back to his senses, hahaha.

- O-One more game! Let's play one more game!

- ???: No thanks. You're terrible at this. (1 match, 1 victory, no loss)

- And they never met again.

As Azanic disappeared, countless messages appeared.

[Faction: Sky Dragon's plan, Black Sky is encountering setbacks.]

[Hidden Adventure 'Black Wing,' which will reward a significant amount of Era's Might, is delayed.]

[The state of Sky Dragon, Azanic, is becoming unstable. He will remain silent for an extended period.]

[The wrath of the Sky Dragon has reached its peak. His entire nest is on high alert.]

[Factions once wary of the Sky Dragon are now rising in unison.]

[A wide variety of anomalous Adventures might arise.]

…

The joint assault by Seol and Jamad had truly taken a toll on Azanic. And there was someone who, despite having witnessed it closely, couldn't believe it.

"Oh my God… To think Azanic…"

Tantuinu, who still wore the Crimson Prison around her neck, couldn't believe the current situation.

After all, it was Azanic—a formidable opponent who was widely known across the continent.

To think they would be able to deal such damage from a close range to such a monster.

Tantuinu's gaze shifted to Seol and Jamad.

'To think they would keep their promises…'

Tantuinu handed over the map of the Underground Garden and recalled what Seol had said.

- Once the dragon enters the pit, there will only be one chance. Even if he notices the attack, he won't be able to escape immediately.

- His defense is solid. Isn't there a chance the attack won't work?

- I'll handle that. What's important is having a destructive power enough to seize the opportunity. Can you do it?

- I'm confident…

No wonder Seol and Jamad had chilling expressions.

To make this plan succeed, they didn't retaliate against Azanic even once while being chased. They had given him no clues to make their power unpredictable.

Perhaps that was why Azanic had relentlessly charged into the pit like a wolf hunting a rabbit.

'Impressive… To be honest, I wasn't expecting anything…'

For beings like dragons who lived endlessly, the lives of land-dwelling creatures were insignificant—their will, their beliefs, everything about them.

'Come to think of it…'

Even when they encountered Azanic at the entrance of the Underground Garden, they received Seol's help.

If it weren't for him, they would have been captured without even setting foot in the Underground Garden. If that had happened, her mother's descendants would have been taken away and killed.

'How does Seol act as if he knows everything?'

He seemed like someone who often came and went from the Underground Garden.

No, in fact, even if she had only accepted Seol as an ally, they might have still succeeded in escaping, but she wouldn't have been able to take revenge on Azanic.

Her gaze turned to Jamad.

'He really did wound Azanic…'

How many people in Pandea were capable of wounding a dragon?

Dealing damage to a dragon wasn't something that could be easily done. Even if one had laid a trap like Seol did, not many would have been able to execute it properly.

'Even I…'

Even Tantuinu would shake her head if she were told to deal damage and wound Azanic.

She, too, was a dragon almost at the Supreme-rank. However, she couldn't challenge Azanic, someone who had far surpassed that rank.

She recalled her mother, Tancreed's words.

After going inside the Red Prison and entrusting her body to Tantuinu, she said.

- My child, head to the Forest of the Slumbering…

- Mother, I think it's wrong. We no longer have enough strength to repel Azanic's pursuit… There's no one who can help us. Even if we reach that place…

- An old friend will be lingering there for a while. The sprout that has been waiting all along will break the surface and peek out.

- Does Mother still have hope…?

- New winds often start from unexpected places.

- I will listen to Mother's words.

At that time, it was blind faith… No, to be honest, she didn't believe her.

'A sprout breaking through the surface and peeking out?'

Tantuinu, who had glanced at Seol and Jamad for a moment, nodded in resolution.

'I will also stake the future on them.'

At that moment, her thoughts were interrupted by the old tree's words.

"Yes, it's been a while since a small life form has visited my garden. There must be a reason why you wanted to talk to me, even at the cost of disturbing my deep slumber."

Seol's party marveled at how such a massive life form could exist.

Sleepyhead yawned.

"Yawn… How sleepy. I must fall asleep so the forest starts breathing again."

The tree was basically telling them not to bother him and state their business quickly. Although it seemed to have a bad temper, it seemed that he still fulfilled his duty.

Seol stepped forward. He had thought a lot about what to demand in return for taking care of the garden.

Soon, options would pop up before him.

"But…"

Before the options came up, an unavoidable situation arose before him.

"Ugh…"

Jamad trembled violently.

"Jamad?"

"AGH!"

Jamad grabbed his head and buried it in the ground. Seol urgently turned his eyes to Sleepyhead.

[Jamad's condition is unstable.]

[Jamad's loyalty decreases.]

[If loyalty continues to fall, something unexpected might happen.]

A message similar to when Karuna went berserk after meeting Karen popped up.

"His power is rampaging… At this rate, reaching the desired rank will be hard. This is the price for using overwhelming power."

Without a moment's hesitation, Seol bowed his head to Sleepyhead.

"Please, help him."

"Is that what you wish? If it were me, I could offer you something more valuable."

Seol shook his head in response.

"I determine the price."

"…"

In fact, it made no sense.

Even the confident Karen had been locked in the Void to reach Supreme-rank and hadn't been sending news to achieve it. Yet Jamad was about to reach it overnight without any signs.

'He overdid himself to keep the promise…'

Jamad had drawn more power than what he currently had available and was now enduring the side effects.

In this situation, Seol, as Jamad's master, couldn't do anything.

'But if it's Sleepyhead, it will be different…'

If it was this old tree that could even make divine relics, it could surely correct Jamad's condition, just like how the Grand Duke of Frost, Azran, had stabilized Blaine's condition in the past.

"Fortunately, the energy Tancreed left in the garden is still present. If it's this…

"Does that mean…"

"I can't guarantee the result. The rest is up to him."

He said, referring to Jamad.

* * *

Crack…

Sleepyhead’s stem dug into Jamad's body.

Crack…

A tree trunk tore through Jamad’s skin.

Seol hadn't seen anyone else besides him reach Supreme-rank, so it would be surprising no matter what happened.

"Aah… AAAHHH!"

[Jamad's condition is unstable.]

[Jamad's loyalty decreases.]

"You must endure the pain. That will lead you to the right path."

"AAGGHH!"

Crack…

Startled by the sudden noise, Seol looked at Jamad's foot.

'His foot…'n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Tantuinu was equally surprised.

"He is turning to stone…"

"No… Jamad, Jamad!"

Crack…

Jamad's body was turning to stone as if it were reacting to a Basilisk's gaze.

Although the petrification was proceeding at a very slow pace, it couldn't be delayed.

Seol looked at Sleepyhead’s face, which had an uneasy expression.

"What remarkable vitality. His body should have been devoured by Primal Power and broken, but he's still alive. Small life form… stay strong! Your life is too precious to be reduced to dust here!"

"What's Jamad's current situation…?"

Jamad's awakening was a very important thing for Seol. Not only was he ranking up, but there was also a chance he might lose him.

Sleepyhead said somberly.

"If he cannot overcome the pain, he will never be able to reach the next step… The pain he is experiencing is reserved only for pioneers."

Those who run ahead face the wind blowing in front of them. They had to run while enduring a skin-tearing wind and being constantly pushed back.

'Pain… Pain?'

After wondering if there was no way to help, Seol thought of what he could do on his own.

'What could I do… Pain… Pain!'

Although he trusted Jamad, he was going through too much pain just to stand still and do nothing.

And then, thanks to a spark of inspiration, he found a clue.

After all, he had experienced something similar before.

It was when the red energy connected to Karuna was cut while fighting the Black Knight. That day, he almost lost him. And how holding onto it resulted in reconnecting and restoring him to a complete state.

'It's Blood of Origin! If it's Blood of Origin, there's a chance!'

Seol remembered that Finn Modria, the owner of the Blood of Origin, had a similar ability.

The only power worth trying was that.

He needed to stake everything on its potential.

Swoosh…

Seol focused and placed his hand on the trunk connected to Jamad.

'Jamad and I are connected by the lineage.'

Imagine.

Imagine.

And sharing the pain he had him.

Swoosh…

The trunk started to turn black, causing Seol to frown.

'No. A bit more…'

Sleepyhead’s trunk, which had been turning black, returned to its original color.

'More!'

Tsss…

And then, it started to generate heat, turning dark red this time.

That dark red energy quickly reached Jamad.

[Enlightenment! You have awakened a new ability.]

[You have learned Lineage: Pain Sharing.]

[Lineage: Pain sharing is influenced by Passive: Good Lineage.]

Crack…

When Jamad's lower body had completely turned to stone, they finally connected. Seol was soon subjected to the same wind Jamad was facing.

Whoosh—!

'Ugh…'

His surroundings became dark.

Although everything turned black, a faint light was flowing from ahead.

Even walking caused all of his senses to be overwhelmed by pain. Seol felt as if he was about to lose consciousness from the pain but endured it by recalling someone.

'It was a worse pain than this…?'

The pain Jamad was enduring was most likely several times worse than what Seol was experiencing now.

After all, Seol was merely sharing his pain.

"AGH!"

He naturally screamed.

It couldn't be helped regarding such pain.

It couldn't be helped…

Seol instinctively knew he had to move toward the light. He just needed to keep walking.

'But…'

The concept of walking there felt unbearably heavy. The more he walked, the more the pain intensified.

Step…

'Ugh…'

Walking was hard.

He couldn't walk.

He didn't want to walk.

'I don't want to walk…'

If this was all to cross over the Supreme-rank’s wall, did everyone who reached this place have to endure such pain?

It was too painful… Too grand.

He was overwhelmed by it.

Thud…

Seol lost his strength and fell on one knee when…

"Ugh…"

Swoosh…

"Uugghh…"

He heard the sound of someone suffering.

He could hear someone moving, little by little.

Seol opened his eyes while enduring pain.

'Oh my god…'

Jamad was crawling on the ground.

He had already succumbed to the pain. His eyes were closed, yet he was still going forward.

Perhaps his senses had been shredded by too much pain.

His appearance made Seol stand up.

Step…

Step…

Although the pain returned, it wasn't as painful as watching him suffer.

Before he knew it, the light was getting closer.

Swoosh…

Jamad finally stood up and started to walk.

"No more… No more…"

He stopped.

Perhaps he had exhausted his strength.

Thud…

Seol bumped into his back.

"Seol, is that you…?"

"Yes."

Seol could feel Jamad’s smile from his back.

Jamad chuckled and muttered.

"I've shown you a pathetic sight."

"…"

"I can't walk anymore. I'm exhausted. So…"

"I understand."

Seol supported Jamad's back with his shoulder, and they moved toward the light together.

Fwoosh—!

It was the moment the reassembly of their collapsing mind occurred.

* * *

Crack—!

Thud…

Jamad completely turned to stone.

Seol kept his head bowed with no reaction.

Tantuinu closed her eyes.

"So they failed… Th-This can't be…"

"…"

"Old tree, is there a way to make at least Seol recover his breath…?"

At that moment.

"Hahaha… How unusual, truly unusual."

"Yes…?"

"They've done it, young dragon. These small life forms did it on their own."

"What does that…"

At that moment.

"Cough…"

Seol raised his head and hurriedly pulled his hand away from the trunk.

Blood flowed out from his mouth.

"Seol!"

Tantuinu approached and supported him.

"Oof… Oof…"

When pain and endurance stand side by side, exhilaration follows. Seol had walked mindlessly toward the tunnel where the light was flowing out from, and the world he glimpsed for a moment made him feel both despair and exhilaration.

The doubt of whether he could reach that light combined with the excitement of having glimpsed its other side.

"Are you okay?"

"Ah, aah…"

Instead of answering, Seol looked at Jamad.

He had completely turned into a stone.

Tantuinu shook her head.

"Jamad is…"

Crack…

At that moment, cracks began forming on the petrified Jamad.

"Th-This can't be…"

Crack…

Crack—!

CRAACCKK…

Jamad stone body crumbled, and something awakened within it—a being that wasn't black but had formed a complete entity.

WHOOSH…

[Escape! You have broken free from the limits of a Shadow.]

[You can define yourself on your own.]

A troll with small fissures on his body and parts of his skin turned to stone looked back.

"It feels as if I were reborn."

Seol and Jamad looked at each other and laughed.

[Jamad, the Walking Mountain is born!]

[Jamad, the Walking Mountain has reached the complete Supreme-rank.]

…