Ch-19. **Hydragon Enhancement**
—
The sewer dungeon beneath the Golden City of Arcana.
The rewards for a dungeon that could only be cleared starting from at least Level 8 had now been raised by a whole two tiers.
There were only four items on the reward list, but that alone was more than enough.
【Seal of Wind】, 【Hook of the Mutant Captain】, 【Black Iron Dagger】, 【Core of the Mutant Monster Rat】
*All of them are key items.*
Was it because these rewards belonged to a tier two levels above an 8-level dungeon clear?
It felt as though only the most essential treasures had been gathered here.
I carefully examined them one by one.
First, the “Seal of Wind” was a talisman.
It increased Agility and reduced Wind Resistance—an absolute, foundational talisman that any assassin or archer-type class must have.
Next, both the “Mutant Captain’s Hook” and the “Black Iron Dagger” were high-grade sub-weapons. They were clearly the best gear rewards available in this sewer.
Hook-type sub-weapons usually gave additional bonuses to navigation-related classes. And if I gave the Black Iron Dagger to Isabella, it would immediately translate into a boost in combat power.
But among them, the one that drew my eye the most was inevitably the last item—the **“Core of the Mutant Monster Rat.”**
*It’s a shame it’s not a soul, but this is still plenty useful.*
If the soul of a mutant monster rat had dropped, I would’ve shouted in joy—but the core was also extremely versatile. Especially mutation-type cores, which held the most important function.
—
### 【Core of the Mutant Monster Rat (Material)】
★ A mysterious core that caused the rat’s mutation
★ Feeding it to a beast triggers mutation; sometimes used in rare tools or equipment
★★ Beast Lord — Allows enhancement of possessed “Beast-type Souls”
A hidden option visible only to those who possess the hidden trait, **“Beast Lord.”**
The core’s central function was that it enabled enhancement of souls.
*And Hydragon is also a beast-type boss monster.*
Lore-wise, Hydragon was a chimera—a fusion of countless beasts born from the experiments of a mad doctor. Meaning, it could be enhanced using the mutant monster rat’s core.
However, even I had never possessed a Hydragon soul before.
And I had no idea what would happen if I enhanced a raid boss monster meant for a 12-man party.
*…For there to be something I don’t know.*
Faced with the unknown, a smile naturally curved my lips.
The Heart of the Iron-Blooded Monarch should’ve prevented me from feeling excitement, and yet—I felt excited.
For the past five years, I had played Pangaenia almost every single day without rest.
I was the gamer who had played Pangaenia the longest, so it wasn’t an exaggeration to say I had mastered every corner of this world.
Even so, there were still countless things I didn’t know about Pangaenia.
Its impossible, insane difficulty always stoked my hunger for challenge.
And beneath it all lay this realm of the unknown—this mystery.
*…No wonder I could never quit this game.*
Of course, there was always a chance that enhancing it would cause no special change at all.
But even that possibility—I loved.
<<You have selected “Core of the Mutant Monster Rat.”>>
There was nothing left to hesitate about.
—
—
I purchased an entire four-wheeled carriage.
I ordered it using the sturdiest, toughest materials possible.
Naturally—not with my own money, but with Hudson’s.
In exchange, I had prepared the horse to pull the carriage myself.
“…….”
Hudson, seated inside the carriage, lifted his head and stared dazedly forward.
His gaze—and mind—had been completely stolen by the horse in front of him.
His mouth opened and closed like a goldfish.
*Is… is that supposed to be… a horse?*
What is a horse?
A horse is, of course, a horse.
A four-legged animal, the fastest and most enduring among livestock.
But the creature before us was no ordinary horse.
**Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!**
The ground trembled with each movement.
A massive, impossibly large body.
A monster with nine heads!
*That’s not a horse—it’s Hydragon…*
The Star-bearer had insisted he would prepare the horse to pull the carriage, so Hudson had bought the carriage without much thought.
Only when they were ready to leave Arcana did he learn the identity of the “horse.”
It was Hydragon.
Not an artificially created imitation, but a complete, true form summoned through its soul!
A soul-engraved boss monster always bore its original, primordial form.
Even if another looked similar, even if it was the same level, their **tier** was incomparable.
But it was widely accepted as fact that Hydragon possessed no soul.
Chimeras were artificial creations—there should have been no such thing as an “original form” to summon.
And yet here it was. A Hydragon summoned through its soul.
*…What is that?*
Hudson’s eyes turned to the top of one of Hydragon’s nine heads.
From the head at the center protruded an elephant-tusk-like horn.
Another feature no ordinary Hydragon had.
**Zzzzzk—!**
**Kwarururung!**
“Gyaaaaaah!”
“S-save us!”
“Run!!”
The screams outside came from the bandit group stationed near Arcana.
One of the largest, most notorious bandit clans—bane of all merchants traveling to and from Arcana—yet they were being slaughtered like flies by Hydragon.
Especially the lightning beam fired from its horn. A single compressed blast turned more than a dozen bandits into nothing—leaving not even bone dust behind.
Its destructive power rivaled that of at least a mid-tier lightning-type skill.
“The outside seems noisy.”
“…It’s the screams of the Red Hood Bandits.”
“Oh? Then it’s nothing serious.”
The Star-bearer closed his eyes again.
*Nothing serious?*
…That noise?
“S-someone help!!”
“Kyaaaaaah!!”
“Moooommyyyyy!!!”
—
—
Over ten days, we crossed seven warp zones and two high-risk, high-level regions.
Effectively we had crossed nearly half of the Central Continent, but finding what we needed was still not easy.
“This one isn’t it either?”
“Hm. It has already died.”
I looked at the tree that glowed with a faint blue hue.
The tree itself wasn’t dead, but the **“Spirit Path”** had already closed.
*A Spirit Tree.*
What I sought was a Spirit Tree.
A Spirit Tree is a tree from which a spirit is born.
When a spirit is born from a tree, it temporarily opens a path toward the **Spirit Realm**.
Only by entering that path could one reach the **Spirit Tower**.
But the tree before us had birthed its spirit long ago—the path had closed.
“To my eyes it doesn’t look much different from other trees…”
To Hudson, this so-called Spirit Tree looked like any other tree.
He had no idea what differentiated them.
*Tsk.* I clicked my tongue softly.
“We have no choice. We’ll have to take the risk.”
We could no longer afford to delay.
I drew Michela’s blade.
Hudson and Isabella stepped back as I swung the sword wide and cut through the tree.
**Ku-rung!**
The tree’s trunk split and it toppled over.
At that moment—
**Hiiiaaaaaa—!**
Voices that sounded like screams or groans resonated from across the entire forest.
“D-Dryads! You’re insane!”
Hudson quickly pulled out his hammer and scanned the surroundings.
Soon after, multiple dryads appeared—human upper bodies atop deer-like lower bodies.
“To cut down a tree pregnant with a spirit…”
“Humans have lost their fear.”
“Tear him apart.”
They were half-elves.
The guardians of the forest.
【Lv. 7】
Monsters of Level 7 or above!
And there were more than fifty of them.
A tree that had borne a spirit was extremely symbolic to them.
Since we had felled it, they had no intention of letting us leave alive.
“…….”
*Gulp.*
Hudson swallowed nervously.
Isabella also took a combat stance. Instinctively, she knew that fighting this many would not be easy.
I walked slowly toward them.
“Open the ‘Gate.’ Then I shall return a spirit to this forest.”
“Human speaks nonsense.”
“Is he mad?”
Some dryads aimed their bows.
If none of them could be reasoned with, then this gamble failed.
I spoke again.
“The spirit of this tree is already dead. This forest is dying as well. I am a druid, master of spirits—I can give your forest a new spirit.”
A forest is born from a spirit.
When a spirit dies, the forest eventually dies.
And the spirit of this forest had died long ago.
Unless a new spirit was born, the forest’s fate was sealed.
But that only worked if they were capable of reason.
The truly simple-minded ones who knew only how to guard trees might never understand my words.
“Kill him.”
“Pierce him.”
“Just shoot!”
…These ignorant bastards.
Do I have no choice?
If so, I’d have to open a portal and return to Arcana.
It felt like the ten days of effort would evaporate—
“Wait. Let us hear him out. You who call yourself a druid.”
I turned my head.
【Lv. 9】
A High Dryad with a long, beard-like mane.
Likely the ruler of this place, the “Rustling Forest.”
I had assumed this was just one forest among many, but a High Dryad’s presence meant a fairly powerful spirit must have been born here.
*Good. At least one reasonable one.*
She looked like one who could understand words.
“Is what you say true?”
“It is. If you open the Gate, I will ascend the Spirit Tower and return with a spirit for your forest.”
“We cannot open the Gate to the Spirit Tower.”
“But you have the spirit’s corpse stored, don’t you?”
“……”
The High Dryad shut her mouth tightly.
As if asking how I knew.
But of course—they would never just scatter a dead spirit into the forest.
There was always the chance it could revive or conceive a new spirit, so they would keep it preserved.
“How do we know you are truly a druid?”
“How else do you think I found this Spirit Tree and cut it?”
Only a druid could distinguish a Spirit Tree.
The High Dryad alternated her gaze between the felled tree and me, frowning.
“If you lie, you shall become nourishment for this forest.”
“And if I tell the truth?”
“…You will be rewarded accordingly.”
<<Sub-Quest: Return a Spirit to the Forest has begun.>>
<<Reward: Achievement ‘Friend of the Dryads,’ Blessing of the Forest>>
<<Failure: Honor −30, Battle with the Forest>>
*Battle with the Forest.*
A ridiculously grand message. I shrugged lightly.
—
—
What they presented as the spirit’s corpse was a rough stone.
It seemed the forest’s spirit had been an earth-spirit.
*There’s still a path remaining.*
I could see it.
The spirit path carved into the stone.
This too was a druid’s ability.
A druid could communicate with spirits and open their paths.
But the entrance was far too small. There was only one way to widen it temporarily.
“I’ll have to break it.”
“…….”
The High Dryad’s eyes trembled.
This stone was the spirit’s corpse. Breaking it meant destroying it forever.
The High Dryad finally spoke.
“If you lie…”
“Then kill me.”
Hudson reacted instead—his entire body trembling as if shouting, *“What are you saying, Star-bearer?!”*
Either way, permission had been granted.
All that remained was to smash the stone.
**Thud!**
I clenched my fist and struck it.
**Thud!**
As I continued striking, the Gate widened bit by bit.
**Ziiiing—!**
A golden portal manifested above the stone.
<<A portal to the “Spirit Tower” has been created.>>
<<Only those who have been permitted may enter.>>
At the portal’s entrance,
Beyond it, a golden spirit stood guard.
A tiny creature clad in golden armor and helmet.
The spirit pointed at me.
It meant *only* I could enter.
But I looked at Hudson and Isabella.
Seeing that, the golden spirit hesitated for a moment, then spoke.
—Are they friends of the druid?
I nodded.
—Are they companions to whom you can entrust your back and your life?
I nodded again.
—Then they may enter with you.
**Fwaaaah—!**
The portal expanded.
At that fleeting moment—
《Main Quest 3: Ascend the Tower!》
《Among the mysterious towers erected across the world, ascend one to complete the Main Quest.》
《Tip: It is recommended to first ascend the ‘Basic Tower’ found in every city.》
《Rewards: Vary depending on completion details》
Seeing the message that Main Quest 3 had begun, a smile formed on my lips.
Ай ладно щя будем получать 300 бафов и других приколов по этому поехали