SWNOVELXO Chapter 72
Chapter 72. Special Arena – Nature’s Decline (3)
TL: xLordFifth
ED/PR: The reader
-“Snow?”
-“What? It really stopped?”
-“This is just lol.”
-“Someone can stop an elf with words?”
-“I’ve never seen such magic…”
Soon enough, she trembled incessantly as if she had been exposed to the extreme cold of the wilderness, bare. To be precise, with a shiver running down her spine.
It would be right to say that the upper half of the high elf, covered in dark green scales, was trembling. Shimun wore a triumphant smile.
‘It works as expected.’
From his previous battles with the Naga and the Cockatrice, he had roughly grasped how to use the situation to his advantage. And now, unlike before, he was also focusing his Dragon Force. Subduing her with just a word wasn’t too hard.
However, “Uh…ugh!”
Perhaps because the Dragon Force infecting the high elf was considerable, she started to rise slowly, trembling all over.
Before she could fully recover, Shimun focused his Dragon Force into the situation once again and spoke, “Surrender the spirit of the World Tree you possess.”
Like being enchanted, the high elf opened her chest wide, and brought her hands together. At the same time, something wrapped in dark green smoke revealed itself above her hands.
‘Is this the spirit of the World Tree? It looks just like a bonsai.’
A small, ancient bonsai.
The dark green spirit, looking exactly like that, was extended towards Shimun.
All the while, the scaly half of her body emitted a faint light, resisting Shimun’s command with all it had.
“This needs to be sorted out quickly.”
The moment Shimun’s fist, concentrated with mana, touched the spirit, [You have come into contact with high-level Dragon Force.]
[Dragon Force is being absorbed.]
[High-level Dragon Force strongly resists.]
Sparks flew, offering a sting like static electricity.
‘Oh? Putting up a fight?’
Shimun slightly furrowed his brows, crushing the resisting Dragon Force roughly. The sparks intensified, but the cheeky bout of strength from the Dragon Force didn’t last long.
[The high-level Dragon Force has surrendered.]
As a signal of a series of messages, with a sound reminiscent of breaking porcelain. The corrupted spirit of the World Tree shattered.
The fragmented dark green Dragon Forces lingered in the air for a moment before seeping into Shimun’s hand, [You have absorbed a large amount of high-level Dragon Force.]
[Dragon Force increases by 50.]
[Converted to affiliated stat of alchemy energy, increasing alchemy energy by 25.]
“What, what!”
Shimun was startled by the astonishing bonus stats.
And rightly so, ‘50, you say?’
By simple calculation, it was equivalent to reaching level 50. Although it translated to an affiliated stat of alchemy energy, increasing by only 25, it was still no small amount.
‘After all, it was the Dragon Force that corrupted the World Tree, so isn’t this expected?’
If it had been any lower, that would have been the real surprise. Accepting his conclusion, Kim Shimun reached out toward the slumped High Elf.
“Philo”
-Yes!
Perhaps due to the increase of 25 in his alchemy energy?
[To compensate for the inadequate equivalent exchange, the Philosopher’s Stone requests 10,000 achievement points.]
[Do you accept? (Yes / No)]
With the bright voice of the Philosopher’s Stone, a familiar message box appeared.
“Ten thousand, huh? Fair enough.”
Having checked the required points, Kim Shimun did not hesitate to choose Yes.
Woong.
The achievement points needed to fill the gap gathered at his fingertips. Flicking his infused fingers.
Ttak.
A small seed fragment fell onto Kim Shimun’s palm.
[Fragment of the World Tree’s Seed]
Rank: Mythical
The seed of the World Tree.
Though but a fragment, its essence remains the same.
Unlike the faded entry item, the broken fragment of the World Tree’s seed.
A clear and serene green seed fragment.
[Constellation Zeus and the Black Goat twinkle their eyes in interest.]
[Constellation Heavenly Demon sends an intrigued glance.]
The constellations showed their interest all at once.
Especially.
[Constellation Odin and the gods of Asgard show great interest.]
“Why are they so interested?”
Although Kim Shimun briefly wondered about the particular attention from Odin and Asgard, that was the end of it.
“Ah…”
Turning his gaze toward the cracking voice in front of him. Like a doll with cut strings. The High Elf had awakened. Her previously unfocused eyes now sparkled with vitality.
“Ah!”
She struggled to approach, only able to move half her body.
“Don’t strain yourself. Stay there…”
Just as Kim Shimun was about to approach her.
Ossak.
Her body, transformed into dragon form, sent a chilly warning. Kim Shimun instantly twisted his body and flicked his fingers.
Ttak.
Mud spikes, made in an instant, flew out. The alchemy energy, which had increased by 25.
And the new option from his recently acquired title ‘Pioneer of Alchemy’, the power of alchemy enhanced by 5%.
Ddddrk!
A wave-like pile of mud spikes overwhelmed the attacker. Yet, Kim Shimun’s brows remained furrowed. No wonder.
“I was wondering why Nidhogg’s power suddenly disappeared…”
Through the dusty fog. The black-haired woman who appeared, unscathed by even a tiny scratch, gave Kim Shimun a deep smile.
“This is turning out to be quite an interesting event.”
* * *
[Due to a special situation, all spoken words on the broadcast will be muted.]
Suddenly, a message appeared on the broadcast screen.
Thus, the black-haired woman could not be heard.
-What now? What’s the issue?
-Am I the only one who can’t hear anything?
-Nope, can’t hear either.
-This channel. Always has technical difficulties lol.
-Aargh!! The new lady appears and why can’t we hear her voice!
Kim Shimun’s chatroom erupted into flames in an instant.
However.
-It happened before as well, newcomers.
-Now, now. All the sound effects can be heard, so please focus.
-Sound effects, lol. That’s true.
-Seeing how selective this censorship is, it really makes you wonder what kind of technology they have.
From a previous broadcast. Viewers who had once experienced such a situation had quelled the fiery chat.
Of course, Kim Shimun, unaware of these circumstances in the chatroom, simply sneered, “As expected, nothing ever goes smoothly for me.”
He looked at the black-haired woman in front of him with a chuckle.
“How is it that a human stands here? Before that, how did such a frail body reach this place?”
Arrogance. The woman, filled to the brim with the unique arrogance of the dragon race, asked, lifting her chin high.
Suddenly.
“Wait. Those eyes of yours!”
The woman, whose pupils elongated in a way characteristic of reptiles, looked at Kim Shimun with a startled face.
Precisely, “How can a human possess the eye of the king!”
It was Kim Shimun’s left eye, which was now active.
And then Kim Shimun, using the Heavenly Demon Divine Arts (天魔神功), supreme Emperor’s Demolition Strike (覇皇碎).
The opportunity was not missed.
Crash!
The giant spear held by the woman and Kim Shimun’s leg, charged with the Supreme Emperor’s Demolition Strike, clashed.
A brief struggle of power ensued, but it was only for a moment.
“Cough!”
Whether she couldn’t fully withstand the Supreme Emperor’s Demolition Strike, the woman was pushed back, leaving long furrows in the ground with her feet.
“You! You’re no ordinary fellow!”
“Could say the same about you.”
Surprise evident in both parties.
It was expected, ‘To think someone could block my Supreme Emperor’s Demolition Strike so easily.’
Not many could withstand the blow of the Heavenly Demon Divine Arts’s movement without significant damage.
Especially since Kim Shimun’s Supreme Emperor’s Demolition Strike far surpassed the attack strength of a Gold rank. Yet, the woman in front of him had blocked it with just a spear.
Though pushed back quite a distance, she was unscathed, leaving no room for doubt. The woman, eyes filled with killing intent, glared at Kim Shimun.
“Human. You dare not answer my question?”
“I don’t see any reason to.”
“Ha! Such audacity for an inferior race.”
The woman snorted.
Suddenly, “Waiting for an answer from a mere human…”
Crack.
Her body twisted. Not just her body.
[I was foolish!]
A voice far from any human’s echoed. At the same moment, crack, crackle.
The woman’s body, nearly 2 meters tall, started to grow, surpassing 4 meters, then 5 meters.
Especially, ‘Four legs?’
The previously slender legs split in half, dividing into front and back.
Soon, [I will chop you to pieces!]
Like a centaur, a giant figure with four-legged lower body and a two-armed upper body emerged.
Dark scales had taken over her once soft skin.
[Hidden Boss ‘General Dranis’ appears.]
A sudden notification of a hidden boss. Yet, Kim Shimun remained unfazed, observing the now enlarged dragon race.
“So, it’s an evolved dragon race.”
“Interesting. A human knows of the evolved ones?”
From their birth, dragons’ ranks were determined, setting them in a hierarchy. Nevertheless, there were exceptions even within this strict order, with the evolved dragons being the prime example.
Regardless of their birth rank, the evolved could surpass their initial status through their own abilities, with the majority exhibiting strength surpassing even that of the higher-tier dragons.
“Judging by your appearance, you must be of the Dvali evolution.”
Dvali, a mid-tier dragon race known for their superior physique and mobility, capable of quadrupedal movement. General Dranis’s eyes sparkled sharply as he recognized his own identity from the comment.
“This makes me even more curious about what’s going on in that tiny brain of yours… even more so…”
And that sparkling turned into a murderous glare.
“I’ll have to dismantle you!!”
Despite his massive size, Dranis charged with incredible speed, true to the Dvali evolved dragons, renowned as the cavalry of the dragon race. However, even in the face of this headstrong charge, Kim Shimun remained calm.
‘I hadn’t considered the possibility of an evolved species, but…’
He had already dealt with top-tier dragons before. And now, stronger than ever, ‘This shouldn’t be too difficult.’
Keeying.
Kim Shimun was about to infuse his Astrape with Dragon Force when
— Zzzzt!
[“Kyaaak!”]
A grey spark restrained Dranis before its cause could be understood.
[The constellation Odin expresses dissatisfaction with ‘Are you kidding me right now? Huh?’.]
[The constellation Black Goat vents, ‘You damn bastards! Just try to proceed. I’ll show you a real mess!’]
[The constellation Zeus and the Heavenly Demon visibly agree with a displeased expression.]
Four upper-echelon constellations were closely observing Kim Shimun, all showing deep displeasure. As if to prove it —
Zzzzt!
[“What is this madness! Why is the arena penalizing a player?”]
Even Dranis, now restrained by the grey spark, shouted fiercely. This surprised Kim Shimun slightly.
‘Player? Did she just say player?’
More shocking than the fact that she was an evolved dragon species was… But the surprise didn’t last long.
‘Well, Marnel was a player too.’
The dwarf girl, Marnel, whom he had saved. She was a participant in the Galaxy Arena, wasn’t she? This had been the case even on Earth in a previous life.
Before the appearance of different races in the official arena, humans were the only participants in the Galaxy Arena.
However, the shock was significant when, with the start of the regular arena, various races appeared and humanity realized they were just taking their first steps.
With that thought, ‘I somewhat understand the constellations’ dissatisfaction.’
Kim Shimun quickly grasped the situation.
‘An upper-tier species, already in the regular arena, intruding is why they’re protesting.’
And surely, Dranis’s rank wasn’t just gold. Sure enough.
[The constellation Zeus growls, ‘A platinum player intervening directly like this cannot be tolerated.’]
[The constellation Heavenly Demon smiles ominously, ‘Furthermore, this dragon’s participation wasn’t through official routes, was it? I hope for a wise resolution.’]
As the constellations started to point out Dranis’s platinum status and began to seriously question, Kim Shimun realized he didn’t need to intervene directly to deal with Dranis.
‘This is turning out to be quite interesting.’
With a slight upturn of his lips, Kim Shimun quietly stepped back.