271 - Regression Is Too Much

Chapter 271 – Proven by the Regressor (11) Choi Ji-won and three other players were waiting outside the cave, enjoying the morning sunlight. "... Did you actually succeed?" "Wow..." I couldn't help but feel awed as I watched the wizard stagger forward, leaning heavily on his staff. One part of my amazement was due to my disbelief at having succeeded, and the other was the bewildering sight of the wizard himself. "Then... Bingryong? Are you going to capture it?" "But the clear condition was to kill the wizard..." "What do we do..." "Be silent. I shall perish with dignity." "..." As the wizard's irritation grew, the French woman's mouth dropped open in disbelief. "I've wanted to join this tower all my life. I never thought I'd get in like this." The wizard let out a sigh—it was unclear if it was of resignation or amusement—glanced at us briefly, then set off walking somewhere, as if indicating we should follow. "What are you all standing around for!" The captain trailed after him. With a chuckle, the man began to follow the wizard. The players exchanged glances and then followed their leader. "I'm going up." The wizard's cave was situated about halfway up the mountain. In other words, ascending from here meant heading to the mountain's peak. "... Isn't there anything up there?" Of course, I'd already glimpsed the shape of the mountain on the way. It was... just an ordinary mountain. This meant there hadn’t been any alarming presence that could be labeled ‘Bingryong.’ Or had there been? Dragons were sometimes known to take human form. Was there a small human hiding up there? It made sense. "Oh, it stopped." However, the wizard didn’t walk far before pausing. It wasn't too distant from the wizard's cave. "Can you see it?" The wizard pointed to the mountain’s peak. "... What is it?" "Look closely." "I can't see it! Foolish man!" "..." At the captain's words, the wizard squinted his wrinkled eyes and looked toward the peak again. "... I can't see it clearly." The wizard swung his staff, and a black-red flame soared towards the peak. -Quang! With a small explosion, ice that covered the mountain's peak cascaded to the other side. "..." "..." At that moment, everyone's breath caught in their throats. As if by some unspoken agreement, all eyes were fixed on the same spot. Even as eyelids ceased blinking and slowly turned red, no one uttered a word. It was... a dragon. Yes, no other explanation sufficed. Its scales shimmered a frosty blue. Massive teeth. Two large horns. The distinctive slit pupils of a reptile. In truth, before the existence of dragons made a comeback, I had seen one appear in New York. So I wasn’t overwhelmed by a sense of, ‘Wow, I’m seeing a dragon in real life.’ No, quite the opposite. The beautiful dragon... It felt utterly surreal. I couldn't fathom that such a massive creature was still alive and breathing, nor could I believe it was now trapped in ice with eyes that still moved. "Huh?" Someone gasped, breathless. The dragon's eyes locked onto us with compelling clarity. An incomprehensible weight pressed down on the air. It was a level beyond us. The phrase 'a class of its own' was fitting. I centered my soul in an effort to resist. This was because power beyond ordinary perception often intertwined with the soul. "... What. Is. That." Only after I concentrated on my own soul did I recognize it. How regal and magnificent the creature was. Even though it was said to have fallen now, originally, it was above us all. -Forgotten. Bingryong's eyes blinked. At that exact moment, the snow covering the dragon's body cascaded away, raining down in all directions like an avalanche. "Watch out!" "Stop it!" The players were no longer at a level where they could be swayed by just a gaze. The rocks and bits of wood mixed in were rather solid, but I was able to fend them off as I swung my weapon, channeling magical energy. "Damn!" The captain looked disconcerted. The direction we faced was towards the village. And that was the real problem. If this continued, the village would be buried in snow. -Thud. Simultaneously, the wizard's staff struck the ground, and a massive red hand erupted, burning away part of the snow. By chance, it was directed towards where the village lay. "..." "..." Hypocrisy... I wanted to call it that. But now wasn't the time or place. We turned our attention back to Bingryong. The creature had fully shifted its gaze and revealed itself to the world. -Howl! Bingryong spread its wings wide. The glistening snowflakes in the sky were breathtakingly beautiful. The stretched wings eclipsed half the sun. "Is it... sealed?" Someone murmured. Though unspoken aloud, everyone probably shared the same thought. Had it been sealed? -Quake. With merely gathering itself up, Bingryong caused the ground to tremble. Yet the creature took no further action. It re-folded its wings and just watched us, crouching atop the mountaintop. But even that alone. "... Can you win?" Can you win... The question echoed in my mind. It was only then that you realized. This wizard is weak even in his own realm. He is a pivot whose power is bound because he cannot enter the tower. Of course, there are countless beings far stronger than the wizard. And the fact that influential figures like them chose to seal the dragon. There must be compelling reasons for that. "That dragon was originally called the guardian dragon." Spoke the dark wizard calmly. "Wise, powerful, reserved. It was a dragon fit for the role of protecting silently." "Why would you seal someone like that..." "This one was originally a golden dragon. I didn't know initially, but golden dragons use holy magic." "But?" "He consumed something wrong, and his color turned blue." "..." "Additionally, he is not in a normal state. He is slowly dying, being crushed by his own power. I sealed him because humans would perish faster than this dragon." The wizard added, "It no longer holds any meaning." -Saaagh. Around that time, white particles emanating from Bingryong’s body reached us. "Uhm..." The grains carried a chilling energy, forcing the players to summon magical power to fend off the cold. As for the captain... it appeared he was enduring through sheer mental strength. This cold felt similar to my own ability, yet it pierced to the bone. There were distinct differences between my cold and Bingryong's. If my chill had a solid rigor that seemed to stop everything in its tracks, Bingryong's cold was sharp and felt like being pierced randomly by spears. "Hold on." As I gathered my thoughts, Choi Ji-won took a step forward. "Hmm..." He advanced, one deliberate step at a time, his sword outstretched. Come to think of it, Choi Ji-won possessed a trait that allowed him to gauge his opponent's strength. "This isn’t easy." Choi Ji-won spoke cautiously. "The closer we get, the stronger the energy. Possibly, being right near it... I think it will be challenging to fight effectively." "Is it like my cold?" "Maybe. But this feels more aggressive." The power of 'cold' was advantageous in this situation. Just by nearing it, your combat effectiveness would be severely restricted. Of course, it was to my advantage because I had resistance to cold... But this wasn't a foe I could defeat alone. I slowly turned to look at the three other players. Judging by their pale faces, it seemed unlikely they'd be of much help. Given this with the players, plus the more ordinary captain... a warlock, myself, and could Choi Ji-won be a reliable force? "Negotiation... Did you try?" "If it were possible, I would have already done it. Do you think the people in our world are fools? He's long lost his intelligence." "..." The Italian man began speaking but then fell silent. It was true. If negotiations were feasible, they would have resolved it through dialogue. If your world was on the verge of destruction, of course you'd attempt everything possible, right? "I cannot wield magic because of the seal. Instead, it 'possesses' magical power. I can't control it if it emerges naturally like this." "What else?" "His heart is currently ensnared by a sealing demon. Bingryong cannot leave this mountain." "Then if you attack from a distance..." "Can you pierce those scales? They're dragon scales." "Hmm." The advantage we have is its lack of intelligence. An unintelligent beast can be 'hunted.' Even if it has instincts, it's highly likely to be outwitted by strategy. However, as for the drawbacks... it's a dragon. A dragon. Even if sealed, its basic specs are in a league of their own. "Can't we just unseal it and see what happens? What could you possibly say?" The captain barked from the side. The wizard shook his head. "Unless it’s within the tower. It doesn’t end when we die. There's also the chance the invader is a mad climber fortunate enough to bypass the barrier." Ultimately, if I couldn't take down Bingryong, I had no intention of breaking the seal. Judging by the looks of it, the task seemed daunting. Me and Choi Ji-won. If the wizard put everything he had into it, could he prevail? It's fragile. I couldn't guarantee success. "First... there is one more plausible method." However, it wasn't entirely impossible. One method came to mind.