Chapter 98: Crazy Dragons
ROARRRRRRR!!!!
These dragons are seriously crazy... completely out of their minds...
BOOM!!!
Just then, a massive explosion rocked the ground behind him, sending a shockwave that nearly knocked Ash flat on his face.
Dirt flew everywhere, and he stumbled, coughing as he scrambled to his feet and started running like his life depended on it—because it really, really did.
"I SWEAR, YOU FUCKING LIZARDS, LEAVE ME ALONE OR I’M GONNA COOK YOU ALL INTO STEW! I’LL TURN YOUR WHOLE CLAN INTO FREAKIN’ BURNT CHICKEN!!"
His bold declaration echoed through the valley... only to be answered by a thunderous roar and a blazing burst of dragon fire.
ROARRRRRRR!!!!
BOOM!!!
These damn lizards, I swear...
Why the hell did I steal that egg? What was I thinking?! Am I stupid? I am definitely stupid. Oh my life...
Suddenly, a voice thundered from above like a broken loudspeaker.
"MAKE SURE THAT THIEF DOES NOT ESCAPE!"
Ash barely had time to react as more dragons swooped down from the sky, their wings slicing through the clouds like blades, eyes glowing like they were all on a revenge arc.
"Oh, come on! That was ONE egg! Just ONE! You guys have hundreds! You could’ve at least put up a sign or something!"
But his desperate whining didn’t help. The dragons only roared louder, fire building in their throats as they dived straight for him.
Ash ducked behind a rock, his heart hammering like a war drum.
I am losing it. I am losing my damn mind.
These long-tailed, overgrown turkeys are chasing me for days, like I stole their bank password.
Another fireball exploded a tree nearby, sending flaming splinters flying past his ear. He yelped and rolled over the ground, slapping at sparks on his sleeve.
"I DIDN’T BREAK THE EGG! I KEPT IT SAFE! IT’S STILL WARM AND NESTLED IN MY BAG! I’M A RESPONSIBLE THIEF, OKAY?!"
BOOM!!!!!
"YOU IDIOTS!!!!"
The dragons clearly didn’t care about his speech on proper stolen-egg etiquette.
They answered with more fire.
Ash kept running, flailing like a madman, his eyes wide with panic and regret.
If I somehow survive this, I am never stealing dragon eggs again. I swear. Okay—maybe I’ll think twice. Depends on the egg.
And if you’re wondering how Ash ended up in this absolute disaster of a situation...
Well, let’s go back to the day he left the academy.
***
In the world of Akumia, the four continents were connected by a vast landmass, allowing travel from one end to another without much difficulty.
For those who wanted faster transportation, warp gates and travel portals were available and commonly used.
However, the Dragon Continent was a different story altogether.
Unlike the other four continents, which were all joined together, the Dragon Continent was an isolated landmass surrounded entirely by the sea, resting alone in the heart of the ocean.
Its very location made it difficult to reach, and unlike other places, there was no shortcut.
If someone wished to go there, they had to travel by ship. No portals existed—because the dragons, in their pride and arrogance, had forbidden the formation of any kind of spatial gate on their land. Not only that, but they had outright banned all other species from stepping onto their sacred island.
The dragons were just that unreasonable. Proud to a fault, and fiercely territorial.
Three weeks had passed since he left the academy. Now, Ash found himself in the middle of the endless sea, aboard a ship bound for the Dragon Continent.
I can’t wait to learn the Dragon Tongue, he thought, a spark of anticipation in his eyes.
At the moment, he was seated inside his room, a thick book open in his lap.
It was filled with his handwritten notes and personal theories regarding Runic Magic. During these three long weeks at sea, Ash had poured his time into research, hoping to understand the nature of this complex art.
According to his observations, Runic Magic didn’t require any incantation to activate.
It reminded him of both Elven and Dragon magic in its structure and feeling.
Though more complicated than Human magic, it held greater power and potential.
In Ash’s opinion, humans were using Runic magic by simply imitating runes, shaping them into array and formations.
He didn’t know exactly how Elven or Dragon magic worked, but something inside told him this journey would bring him closer to the truth.
Thanks to the Rune of Knowledge, he could understand any language, even the Dragon Tongue.
But understanding a language and being able to speak it were two very different things.
That’s why he wanted to truly learn the Dragon Tongue during this visit. If possible.
Just a few more days now...
According to the captain, their ship would soon reach an island situated near the Dragon Continent.
This island was large enough to serve as a supply base but remained far from the actual continent.
That was intentional, of course—because getting too close to the dragons’ territory was nothing short of suicidal.
We can’t get any closer to the continent, or the dragons will probably kill us all.
Dragons didn’t tolerate visitors. Unless someone had a valid reason and an invitation directly from them, no ship would ever be allowed to pass through the restricted waters.
Despite this, the Dragon Continent was considered a land of treasures, known for its incredibly high density of mana.
The mana saturation in that region was so rich that herbs and ores found there were far superior to those on the normal landmasses.
They were rare and of the highest quality—priceless in the eyes of alchemists and blacksmiths alike.
Because of that, humans, elves, and even dwarves often attempted to sneak into the Dragon Continent just to steal those valuable resources.
And if you’re wondering why the dragons didn’t simply stop them, the answer was surprisingly simple.
Those lazy lizards spend half their lives sleeping, Ash thought, lips twitching.
Instead of guarding their land themselves, the ancient dragons left security duties to the younger and weaker dragons.
But even with this lax system, no one dared to make a mess or cause trouble once they set foot on the island—because they all knew the consequences.
If they woke up even a single sleeping dragon by accident, their fates would be sealed.
There was no place to run.
The ocean stretched endlessly around them, and while humans had ships, dragons had wings.
One could never hope to escape.
You could say that Ash was incredibly lucky.
Had he arrived even a day later, he might not have found this particular ship making the trip from the Human Continent to the Dragon Continent.
These voyages were rare and usually unannounced, operating mostly through underground deals.
Although... I had to pay a ridiculous amount of money and search through the entire black market just to find this ship...
He clicked his tongue softly, recalling the headache-inducing effort it took.
As he stood up and walked towards the window of his cabin, he glanced out at the deck.
There were around fifty people on board, including himself. Some of them were dedicated sailors, working diligently to keep the ship steady and on course.
A few stood near the edge of the railings, scanning the horizon with sharp eyes, on the lookout for sea monsters or storms.
Others were resting in the shade or below deck, taking a well-earned break from their shifts.
The ship itself was an advanced vessel—powered by a fusion of magic and technology.
It glowed faintly with mana circuits engraved across its body, keeping it steady on the ever-shifting waves.
A rotating core thrummed at its center, acting like a beating heart that powered the sails and shielded the vessel from sea monsters.
Inside, the cabins were lit with soft-glow stones that never dimmed, and a self-sustaining water filtration system ensured endless clean drinking water for long voyages.
This wasn’t an ordinary ship—it was a high-tech vessel designed specifically for long, dangerous journeys in magical waters.
Ash, ever cautious, had chosen to travel under a different identity—the one known as "Unknown."
So, naturally, he dressed the part. He wore a full black outfit, his silvery white hair now dyed pitch black. His face remained hidden behind an expressionless white mask that gave off an eerie, cold feeling.
On his left ear, a white earring hung silently. It was Eclipse—his sword, sealed in earring form.
Just a few more days...
Even during the journey at sea, Ash had wasted no time. He had already memorized half the academy’s library. Of course, memorizing and understanding were two different things.
His routine was strict and disciplined.
Each day, he channeled mana into his training suit to increase its weight, making every movement more taxing.
He would then proceed to go through intense physical training, followed by sword practice until his limbs were sore.
Afterward, he would sit down and meditate, comprehending everything he had memorized from the library, whether it was related to magic theories or sword techniques.
That was how he spent most of his time at sea.
And without a doubt, his understanding of both swordsmanship and magic had grown significantly.
Recently, aside from Runic Magic, he had begun working on mana breathing techniques.
The academy had plenty of these, but most were either tailored for mages or swordsmen individually.
Ash was trying to combine the two systems—one that could work for a Magic Swordsman like himself.
But it was far more difficult than he had expected. The flow, the rhythm, and the internal balance—it just didn’t click yet.
Just as he was lost in thought,
A knock echoed through his cabin.
KNOCK!!
***