Chapter 102: Dragon Continent (3)
The surface of the Dragon Continent was wild and full of nature, but there was something special about it.
The trees were tall and thick, with their branches spreading wide like open arms. Soft green moss covered the ground, and colorful plants peeked out from behind bushes, giving the forest a quiet, magical feeling.
The air was clean and fresh, with a light breeze that carried the scent of flowers and leaves.
Birds sang in the distance, and strange animal sounds echoed softly, making the forest feel alive.
It wasn’t scary, but peaceful in its own way—like a place where time moved slower, and everything was in harmony.
Even though the land was wild, it had a beauty that made you want to stop and look around forever.
Ash soon separated from the others, who were heading in a different direction.
They didn’t say much, and he didn’t feel the need to explain. They had their own path, and so did he. While the group moved toward the east to start their herb collecting, Ash quietly turned away and walked deeper into the forest.
His eyes were focused on the mountains far away, standing tall like silent guardians covered in mist.
***
From the information he remembered from the novel, there weren’t supposed to be any other creatures around the Ruin.
But he wasn’t foolish enough to blindly believe everything written in that book. After all, novels didn’t always cover every little detail, especially things that might not have seemed important to the story.
And this world, despite its connection to the novel, was real—far more complex and dangerous than what had been described in just words.
According to the Scavengers, the group he had traveled with to reach this place, there were many dangerous and unpredictable creatures hiding inside this forest.
They had warned him more than once that some of these beings were strong enough to kill him in an instant if he let his guard down.
Scavengers was the name of the group Ash had come with—a experienced team that did mining, gathered herbs and survived by moving through ruins and abandoned zones.
Sure, he had the Rune of Life. It gave him a unique advantage, and maybe it would keep his body alive as long as his brain remained unharmed.
But even with that, he wasn’t the type to rely on luck or powers he didn’t fully understand.
He didn’t want to test the limits of that rune, not unless he absolutely had to.
So, he continued forward carefully, placing each step with caution.
He wasn’t skilled enough to sense every presence around him, especially without using Omni Thought, but for now, he had his eyes—and they were more than enough.
He trusted his instincts and used his senses to guide him through the dense forest.
He scanned his surroundings constantly, paying attention to anything that felt out of place.
He avoided narrow paths, watched for shifting shadows, and stayed far from areas where the air felt too still. He moved silently, almost like a shadow himself, weaving through the thick trees without making a sound.
Hours passed in this quiet and alert state, and surprisingly, he hadn’t encountered even a single monster.
For a moment, he wondered if maybe he was just incredibly lucky this time.
But deep down, he knew better. Luck had never really favored him, not in this life, and definitely not in the one before.
And just as expected, trouble found him soon enough.
Why is that here...?
He asked himself silently, keeping his face calm and emotionless, but his heart skipped a beat the moment he laid eyes on the creature ahead.
Because sleeping quietly at a distance, resting beneath the soft shade of trees, was something he never imagined he’d witness in real life.
Am I actually this lucky? Or... are mythical creatures just something normal here on the Dragon Continent?
He had no answer to that. He didn’t know how rare they truly were, but what he saw right now could only be described as something out of a dream.
It was a Unicorn.
A shiver ran down his spine, and goosebumps rose across his skin as he stared.
Even if they’re not extinct in this world, they’re still considered creatures of legend...
Not just here—in his previous life on Earth, unicorns had only existed in fantasy stories, bedtime tales, and myths passed down through generations.
And yet here it was.
But... it’s beautiful.
He couldn’t stop himself from admiring it. The unicorn looked majestic, almost divine.
It had the strong, elegant body of a horse, pure white from head to tail, with a single horn rising from its forehead that shimmered in the soft light with a rainbow-like glow.
Its tail was long and fluffy, with silky strands of hair that moved gently with the breeze. The entire creature looked like it had been sculpted from light and magic itself.
It was sleeping peacefully, surrounded by a soft white glow that faintly shimmered in the air around it. The aura it released seemed to purify the very wind, calming everything nearby—as if the forest itself refused to disturb the creature’s peace.
No wonder I didn’t run into any monsters until now.
He had assumed earlier that maybe he had just been lucky, that the beasts had simply been away from the path he walked.
But now he understood.
It wasn’t his luck keeping the forest silent—it was the unicorn. This was its territory, and no monster would dare to set foot here. No predator would risk approaching a creature so powerful, so sacred.
And even though only one unicorn stood before him...
There are probably more.
Unicorns were known to be solitary, but when they took over a place like this, it usually meant others were nearby. Perhaps a mate, or maybe even their young.
What if this one’s the male... and the female, along with their child, is resting somewhere deeper inside?
He didn’t know why the thought made him uneasy, but it did. The idea that there could be a child nearby made the situation far more dangerous.
Because there was one thing he remembered clearly—unicorns were gentle and peaceful by nature, known for their purity. But if someone tried to harm them, or worse, if someone dared to steal their child...
Then that unicorn would lose all control. It would go on a rampage, driven by rage and grief, and it wouldn’t stop. It would chase the one responsible to the ends of the world, and either it would die... or the target would.
Ash had absolutely no intention of testing whether that legend was true.
Better to leave before anything happens.
He held his breath and began to move slowly around the creature, keeping his footsteps quiet and choosing a curved path that wouldn’t bring him too close. His goal was simple—avoid being noticed and walk away peacefully.
But just as he took a careful step forward—
The unicorn’s eyes opened.
And in that moment, Ash felt like time had frozen.
Its eyes were glowing with soft, swirling colors—shades of rainbow that shimmered and moved like liquid light. They didn’t look real. They looked like something out of a dream, something that didn’t belong in this world.
Ash couldn’t move.
Oh my fucking god...
His thoughts screamed in panic, but on the outside, his body stood completely still. Frozen in place. Staring back into those unreal, glowing eyes.
King of Unicorns...
What kind of cursed luck is this...
***Unicorns
There wasn’t much known about them, except for the fact that they were naturally gentle creatures with the rare ability of purification, healing, and perhaps many other powers that still remained undiscovered.
Especially for Alchemists and Blacksmiths, even the corpse of a unicorn would drive them insane with desire. Its entire body was a treasure—every part useful, every part valuable.
The blood of a unicorn was considered a panacea in itself. It had the ability to completely nullify any poison, regardless of how powerful, rare, or ancient that poison might be.
In other words, you could basically say that unicorns possessed something that could be called Universal Poison Immunity.
As for the other parts of their body, they were equally valuable. Many ingredients needed to create legendary elixirs—those ranked number one or two in the entire world of Akumia—could only be obtained from a unicorn’s remains.
Then there was the horn of the unicorn. It had a strange and rare property—it could channel mana in a way no other creature or item could.
So if a unicorn’s horn was used in the making of a sword or a staff, the mana flowing through that weapon would react and respond much faster.
On top of that, some of the destructive properties of Aether would naturally blend into those attacks, increasing both their speed and their power.
Aether—yes, that strange and unnatural element of nature.
Unicorn horns had the unique power to channel destructive Aether through them.
That alone made unicorns terrifying when provoked, because even a single attack using Aether could be deadly enough to kill an opponent of the same rank.
But at this moment, Ash was facing an entirely different dilemma.
Why is the King here...?
He questioned it silently in his mind.
Out of all the possibilities, why did he have to encounter a unicorn now—and not just any unicorn, but the King of them?
Unicorns were separated by three distinct types, which could be recognized by the color of their eyes.
If it had blue eyes, then it was a male.
If it had violet eyes, then it was a female. But if its eyes were rainbow-colored—shimmering with all hues—then that unicorn was the King of the species.
Even though only a few of them remain in the world, who would’ve thought I’d meet a King here, of all places...?
Ash stood there, not knowing what he should do. Just as his thoughts were spiraling, a voice suddenly echoed inside his mind.
{Human...}
The moment he heard that voice, Ash’s eyes widened—not just in surprise, but with genuine disbelief.
Even his usually calm and blank expression shifted for a moment, showing a trace of shock.
And the reason was simple.
Did it... did it just speak inside my head? But how is that even possible...?
Isn’t mind communication supposed to be blocked because of the Rune of Knowledge...?
***