Chapter 266 – Hey Friend! (2)

"Agreed."

The sword master Hannah stoically agreed with Cage.
Cale's blank expression stiffened up as Saint Jack approached him with an odd expression on his face.
Jack approached him and quietly started to speak.

"Although that smile just now was different than usual, I know that your heart is a just heart that is focused on doing good things, young master-nim. I heard about everything you did until now, young master-nim. You saved a lot of people in the Roan Kingdom and other kingdoms too, right? I thought that was very like you, young master-nim. However, however…"

There was sadness in Jack's eyes.

"I am just worried that it was hard on you to have to hurt your enemies. Of course, I have experienced things now too, so I know that we need to become vicious in order to protect ourselves and our people."

Jack's innocent face had become a bit more mature.

"Young master-nim, you're okay, right?"

Cale could see Cage, who let out a big sigh and shook her head, and Hannah, who was looking at her older brother with concern.
He turned his gaze back to Jack and answered his question.

"I am okay."

His calm response made Jack hold back his emotions and nod his head.

"I understand your wish, young master-nim."

'What is my wish?'

Cale wanted to ask that question but did not question it. It was because he heard the ancient Dragon Eruhaben sigh.

– …Human, that Saint really is a good person. He is good all the way down to his heart. He truly deserves to be a Saint!

Cale ignored Raon and looked toward Cage and Jack as he started to speak.

"Please rest for a bit. You can rest on the first floor with everyone else or rest in your rooms. Please relax while you are here."

Cale then made eye contact with Hannah. She still did not wear a robe and let her scars show, allowing Cale to see that her gaze that was even more vicious than before.

"As for you, follow me."

Cale headed to the basement with the two Dragons and Hannah. Hannah asked as she followed behind Cale.

"Where are we going?"
"To a prison that may end up being an execution ground."

Execution ground.
That word made Hannah start to smile wickedly. It was because she was curious as to why Cale was taking her to this location.
Cale stopped outside the basement training ground and started to speak.

"I may save one of Arm's core red stars today. I may also take him around with me for the next six months."

The word, 'Arm,' made the smile disappear from Hannah's face.
She had been saying all this time that she would be the one to kill the members of Arm and that she had been training while thinking about that moment. Cale continued to speak to her.

"You hate Arm and want to kill them, however, you will need to deal with one for a few months."

That was what Cale was worried about.
He was concerned that this blood-crazed sword master might get angry and chop the Arm member's head off. She was someone who could easily do that.

"Cale Henituse."

He could hear Hannah's voice. Cale slowly turned his head to look at her.
Hannah looked at Cale and honestly answered back.

"I am not a shameless person."

He had allowed her to stay at the Super Rock Villa and prevented the Whales from killing her.
Just as Hannah wanted to get revenge on Arm, she was fully aware of everything she had done. She started to smile again.

"You don't need to tell me these things."

The reason that Cale had called her over separately to tell her this in advance might be his way of caring for her. Hannah was not too familiar with this word, 'care,' however, she took her hand off of her scabbard.

"I will not do anything if you try to save him."
"Mm."

Cale thought that she might have misunderstood something.

'Should I have said that he will end up blowing up in six months?'

Cale felt oddly iffy, but decided to just let it go.
There was a reason he was keeping the Dragon half-blood alive. Cale had asked Eruhaben to go to the Super Rock Villa and get the Sun God twins and Cage while everybody else went to the capital. He had asked for something as Eruhaben prepared to head to the Super Rock Villa.

'Eruhaben-nim, could you make it?'
'It's not an issue if you get me the ingredients. But why?'
'I need it for something.'

Cale recalled that conversation as he opened the door to the training ground.

Screeeech-

The heavy door slowly opened.

"Ah, you're here, young master-nim."
"Hello."

The two Whales who noticed them coming into the training ground greeted them. Paseton's greeting was respectful while Archie's was…half-assed. However, the two of them quietly headed out of the training ground as Cale motioned for them to leave.

"Mm."

Sword master Hannah looked at the center of the training ground and let out a groan.
She recalled when she had been poisoned by dead mana in the past. She could see something that was neither human nor monster and that looked even more disgusting than she had looked at the center of the training ground.
She started to frown.

It was not because he looked disgusting or ugly.
It was because it made her recall her past self.

'Why does this bastard only gather people like this?'

She found Cale interesting for picking up strays that were dying like this red star here and herself.
However, Cale didn't find it to be interesting at all, it was just reality.

"Haaaa, haaaaa."

A weak breathing noise filled the area. Cale approached the Dragon half-blood close enough to hear that weak breathing before crouching down and making eye contact.

"Take your pick."

The Dragon half-blood tried to smile toward Cale who got right down to business.
However, he did not have any strength to smile as the week that Cale had given him had come to an end.

The Dragon half-blood looked at the ancient Dragon Eruhaben who was standing behind Cale.
That was the first time he had a conversation with a Dragon. It wasn't anything serious. However, the Dragon half-blood wanted to chat one more time. The person he wanted to chat with was, naturally, Cale.
He then opened his mouth to speak.

"Why do you want to keep me alive for six months?"

He needed to know before he made his decision. He was curious as to why Cale would keep him alive. Cale answered without any hesitation.

"You need to go back to your house."
"…My house?"
"Yes."

Cale did not trust the Dragon half-blood.
No matter how sad of an upbringing he had that he couldn't help but become twisted, he still could not trust the Dragon half-blood.

It was because the Dragon half-blood had a past history of wanting to kill him and his people.

He cared more about the people around him than this bastard's sob story.

That was why Cale had something to take care of with him while letting him live for six months. He told the Dragon half-blood what he needed him to do.

"Your house, Arm. You need to guide me to where you stayed."
"Ah."

The ancient Dragon Eruhaben let out a gasp as a thought that went through his head. However, it did not reach the Dragon half-blood who continued to speak with Cale.

"If you wish to know the location of the base, isn't that something I can just tell you?"
"How can I trust you?"

The Dragon half-blood was at a loss for words at the immediate question.

"I cannot trust you. That is why you have to lead us there with your own two feet to show us."

The Dragon half-blood asked another question that came to his mind.

"What do you plan to do once you find out the location of Arm?"
"None of your business."

Cale was smiling oddly as he sternly answered.
Eruhaben became certain after seeing that expression.

'He's planning on blowing up Arm's headquarters!'

Cale had asked the ancient Dragon a few days ago if it was possible to make a large quantity of Dragon's Rage. The ancient Dragon had originally thought that Cale was planning on using it against the Empire and the Alchemists' Bell Tower.

'This punk is moving while thinking about taking down Arm after dealing with the Empire.'

As Eruhaben realized, Cale was planning to work very hard for a short period of time before welcoming his late twenties with a peaceful and relaxed life.
That mindset was so strong that it could overcome most natural disasters as well.

The Dragon half-blood who faced Cale's sturdy gaze closed his mouth and observed Cale. He had heard that Cale was twenty-years-old. However, Cale's gaze was sturdier than his 900-years-old self.

That gaze was telling him something.
It was telling him to decide.

The Dragon half-blood's mouth slowly opened. His lips were shaking. It was the first time in his life that he had the chance to decide something about his own life.

"…Six months later, at that time..."

He heard that his body would explode.
That was when he wanted it.

"That is when I want to die."

It was the moment he gave the answer.

"Gasp."

The Dragon half-blood took a deep breath. His limbs started to shake. His body suddenly stiffened up to the point that he could not speak.
His gaze headed in a direction.

He was not the only one.
The ancient Dragon and Hannah both had their eyes opened wide as they looked at someone.
Cale seemed different than usual.

He looked classless as he crouched on the floor, however, an unbelievable pressure was flowing out of him.
Sword master Hannah looked down at her hand. Her fingers were slightly shaking.

A pressure that was strong enough to affect a sword master like herself was coming out of Cale. She felt as if she was a puny human standing in front of a natural disaster. She felt small while looking at Cale's back.

"…This."

Eruhaben felt the Black Dragon Raon's paw on his back as he took a breath and commented.

"This is when our weak human seems to be a bit strong!"

Hannah who was standing next to them started to frown.

'A bit? This is just a bit?'

"But today, he seems quite strong compared to normal."

Quite strong wasn't even enough to describe it. Hannah clenched and unclenched her fists repeatedly. She thought that others might not notice her shaking fists if she did that.
However, the ancient Dragon who was not affected by the pressure turned away from the proud-looking Raon and looked at Cale.

'It is almost at the level of a Dragon Fear.'

This pressure was similar to an adult Dragon's Dragon Fear.

'No, it is equivalent.'

Dragon Fear was a strong pressure of a higher-class being that came out when an adult Dragon wanted to let its presence be shown. Dragon Fear.
However, this was not Dragon Fear.

'This is that feeling.'

It was the power of the Dragon Slayer that the ancient Dragon had felt from Cale.
Dragon Slayers gave off a pressure that would not be destroyed by Dragon Fear. This was the first time Eruhaben saw Cale using this power.

Furthermore, he could see Cale using another power as well.

The human who was giving off an aura that was at the level of the world's greatest race, Dragons, took a white crown out of his pocket. Anybody could see that this crown fit him quite well right now.
Anybody who saw him right now would have no issues calling him, 'king.'
The white crown started to shine on top of Cale's hand.
Eruhaben said a different name for the Dragon Catcher at that moment.

"…The treacher."

This name for Dragon Catchers was something only someone like the eldest Dragons on either continent would know about.

Humans with a body that can grow by eating Dragons.

Those humans went against the laws of nature.
They were not simply mutants nor variants.

The Dragon Slayer household picked one head per generation.
That head of household had the power to destroy the ecosystem. They were able to overcome the limitations of a lower race and successfully hunt Dragons.

Nature rejected such Dragon Slayers.
That was why Dragon Slayers could not become kings. They simply existed outside of nature and fought against Dragons.

However, Dragons did not hate these Dragon Slayers.
Why?

Although nature rejected them for being treachers, Dragons thought that nobody could exist without having a natural enemy.
A Dragon's only opponent and natural enemy.
Although they loathed Dragon Slayers, they could not completely hate this only opponent of theirs.
A race without a natural enemy would become complacent.

Eruhaben looked toward Cale with an amused expression.

He had heard about the fake Dragon Slayer, Syrem.
Thanks to that, he learned that the true Dragon Slayer power was divided up into different parts of the world and that the Dragon Slayer household had disappeared.
And now, those scattered powers were slowly gathering into one person.

But surprisingly, that person was someone who saved Dragons.
Forget hunting, it was someone who could not watch anybody die.

'A new Dragon Catcher, no, a new treacher might appear.'

A new era was slowly approaching.
The ancient Dragon felt old as he watched the lights of a new era slowly starting to brighten.

The ancient powers that were not well-known in the world were being activated by Cale as the two Dragons watched on.
Although they had an enemy called Arm and the continent was in a state of chaos, the ancient Dragon could see the light beyond all of that.

The ancient Dragon looked toward Cale who was at the center of that light.
He then started to frown.

"Ugh."

He could hear the sword master Hannah groan as she turned her head.
The ancient Dragon slowly approached Cale. He could then see that, contrary to the aura he was giving off, Cale was frowning.

"Ha…damn it..."

He could see the fatigue on Cale's face.

Slurp, slurp.

"Ahhhhhhh! Ugh!"

One was the sound of the white crown's jewel slurping up the Dragon half-blood's blood, while the other was the Dragon half-blood's painful scream.

Slurp, slurp.

The energetic white jewel was eating up the Dragon's power within the Dragon half-blood's blood.
Although it might seem cruel, Cale had not healed the Dragon half-blood's injuries from the last battle. He just did light touch-ups in order to prevent him from dying.

Thanks to that, the crown was sucking blood out of the disgusting injury that Choi Han and Raon had created on the Dragon half-blood' stomach.

'Is he not going to die from blood loss?'

Honestly speaking, Cale was worried about the Dragon half-blood who was screaming as if he was in a ton of pain. That was why he raised the strength of the Dominating Aura even higher.

Cale was now using the Dominating Aura at max power. It was because of the advice from the owner of the Dominating Aura.

– The Dominating Aura. Do you know why you need this bluff of a power? People who don't know much about it would say that it is a good power for scamming others but useless in battle.

That was the truth.
It was perfect for scamming people.
But there was a need for this power as well.

– It is to scam this crown. This aura is the only thing that this crown is afraid of in this world.

"Ugh!"

The Dragon half-blood took a deep breath and fainted.

"…Sigh."

Cale's instincts told him what he needed to do right now, and he whispered to the crown.

"Don't overdo it."

He made sure that the Dominating Aura was fully activated. It was to the point that the ancient Dragon had to stop approaching him as well.
All of that aura was then focused on the crown.

Shhhhh.
Cale threatened it as the crown started to shake.

"Listen to me unless you want me to cut you in half and grind you into a powder so that you disappear without a trace from the world."

The ancient Dragon became shocked.

'He's probably not talking to the fainted Dragon half-blood, so is he threatening inanimate objects now?'

The ancient Dragon stopped walking, wondering what was going on.
However, Cale was seriously threatening the crown at this moment as well.

"You disgusting crown bastard. I will destroy you one day."

Shhhhh.
The white crown was shaking visibly.
Cale said one last thing to the crown.

"Listen to me if you want to live for a long time."

Slurp, slurp.
The white crown started to drink the Dragon half-blood's blood more slowly and gently.

"Ho!"

The ancient Dragon watching this let out a gasp, however, Cale finally mumbled with a satisfied expression.

"Too bad. I was hoping I could throw and then stomp on you like last time."

Slurp. Shhhhh.
The crown stopped drinking and started to shake.

"…What are you doing? Are you not going to do your job?"

However, the crown could not help but slowly suck the rest of the Dragon's blood out of the Dragon half-blood's body at Cale's comment. Cale turned his gaze away from the crown and looked toward the Dragon half-blood.
The Dragon half-blood's black scales slowly started to disappear, leaving behind human flesh.
It was proof that the Dragon's heart inside the Dragon half-blood's heart was slowly losing its strength.

It was at that moment.

Beeeeeep- Beeeeeeep-

The video communication device sent the emergency tone.
Raon approached Cale and started to speak.

"Human! It's that idiot Toonka! Toonka is calling!"

The Whipper Kingdom's Commander Toonka. He was calling Cale.
Cale calmly answered back.

"Ignore it."

He could deal with the Dragon half-blood first before calling him back.

"Alright, I will ignore stupid Toonka's call! But there is a message as well!"
"What is the message?"
" 'Hey friend, I miss you. I need your help.' That is what he said!"

'What nonsense is this?
When did I become Toonka's friend?'

Cale could not help but laugh in disbelief.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]