Chapter 1074: Kundara (7)

“Olivera told me about you, but you’re an even more astute child than I imagined.”

Lennok sat facing the colossal body of the white serpent across a spacious platform.

The white serpent flicked its tongue, its scales shimmering like hard, beautiful jewels.

Its mere presence, coiled and seated, created a strange, uncanny sense of discord, as if the surrounding light sources were distorting.

The serpent, looking down at Lennok with reptilian pupils, spoke slowly in the voice of an aged woman.

“To find a way to prove yourself in this city without undergoing the Tribulation’s Trial—I cannot help but admire that ingenuity.”

“If you’re referring to my not following Kundara’s rules—”

“No. I am speaking of your wisdom in circumventing the rules established in Kundara.”

The serpent cut Lennok off and replied.

“While this city presents a way of life based on the nine tribulations, there’s no inherent reason for those who aren’t Long-lived Beings to follow that path.”

“……”

“In that sense, your judgment, not to cling to the Tribulation’s Trial, is exceedingly correct. No, perhaps it’s closer to the essence of things than merely ‘correct’?”

Flicking its tongue with an air of satisfaction, the serpent said.

“Those who see things differently from others have always engaged in eccentric behavior, regardless of the era. You possess an interesting and amusing talent.”

Was she actually highly evaluating Lennok for not undergoing the Tribulation’s Trial?

Rather than intentionally not clinging to it, he had merely chosen a method that seemed achievable using Obaekro.

But this serpent, who claimed to be Olivera’s acquaintance, seemed even more pleased by that fact.

‘She possesses a remarkably unique spellcraft system.’

Unlike its pristine white appearance, the air around the serpent was truly acrid.

Just breathing it could kill and shrivel plants and animals, and even the mana flowing through her body was toxic and tainted.

‘An incredibly potent extreme poison… Is she a spellcaster who incinerates mana itself to convert it into poison?’

“Where is Olivera now?”

“She is recuperating in my nest.”

“……Recuperating?”

“You’ve likely guessed, as I haven’t hidden it, but I am a spellcaster who wields extreme poison.”

The serpent continued.

“Poison, depending on how its quantity is controlled, can also be medicine. If its extreme properties are used appropriately, it can cleanse harmful energies and kill diseases, not just life itself.”

The serpent’s pupils gazed down at Lennok.

“That child had too many impurities in her body during the process of transforming her own lineage. Thus, it became necessary to cleanse her magical standing once.”

“That….”

Was one of the reasons Olivera accepted Lennok’s proposal to come to Kundara to seek this serpent’s help for her treatment?

It was absurd that she was focusing on treatment instead of gathering information, but if she had sent this serpent to compensate for that, it wasn’t incomprehensible.

At least, given that she had said this much, it was certain that the serpent was not lying.

Having considered that far, Lennok’s expression hardened, and he lifted his gaze coolly.

“Alright. I will take your word on that.”

“Hmph… You’re finally being a little more honest.”

At Lennok’s words, the serpent seemed pleased, flicking its tongue rapidly.

“I heard you were a Grand Spell Master so composed he bordered on arrogant, and now I see Olivera’s assessment was spot-on.”

“If you’ve maintained an acquaintance with Olivera for so long, then you, too, are likely no benevolent Long-lived Being.”

Lennok retorted.

“From the moment you appeared after I’d settled in and made such pronouncements, it must have been a trick to gauge my reaction.”

“……”

“So, what exactly do you mean by this ‘method to enter the Ninth Tribulation’?”

Lennok looked up at the serpent with cold eyes and asked.

“That statement about temporarily becoming an Ascendant. You wouldn’t make such an offer without knowing my current dilemma.”

Upon obtaining information that Kaiser’s body was hidden in the Ninth Tribulation, Lennok faced one problem:

The Ninth Tribulation was a place accessible only to Level 9 Ascendants.

For Lennok himself to pass through the Ninth Tribulation by conventional means, he would have to gain the qualification and become an Ascendant.

However, attempting a ‘level up’ here, which required meticulous preparation and still might not be enough, was tantamount to suicide.

‘Even if I miraculously succeeded and reached Level 9, I wouldn’t be able to handle the backlash.’

Even if by some miracle he succeeded in becoming an Ascendant and gaining the qualification, the high-ranking Long-lived Beings of Kundara would undoubtedly notice.

In the worst-case scenario, it wouldn’t be strange for the other Eight Great Dragon Kings, who guarded Kundara’s borders, to move to secure Lennok.

And Lennok, in the unstable state of a newly ascended Ascendant, would have neither the leisure to hide it nor the power to fight.

Therefore, Lennok had entirely ruled out the option of directly reaching Level 9 and passing through the Ninth Tribulation himself.

Ultimately, to pass through the Ninth Tribulation and find Kaiser’s body, he would have to use an unconventional method rather than a straightforward one.

Did this serpent, claiming to be Olivera’s acquaintance, mean she could provide him with such a means?

“There is an item called the Elixir of Ascension.”

The serpent stated.

“Elixir?”

“As the name suggests, it’s an item that temporarily transforms the consumer into a state similar to an Ascendant.”

“……”

“To put it simply. If you take that elixir, you can safely pass through the Tribulation’s Trial of the Ninth Tribulation.”

The serpent said with meaningful eyes, observing Lennok’s reaction.

“You would also be able to enter the sanctuary of the Ninth Tribulation, as you wish.”

“……Are you trying to play word games with me about the meaning of Ascension?”

As soon as he heard that, Lennok’s expression visibly soured.

With a cold, hardened face, Lennok looked down at the serpent and said.

“Reaching Level 9 literally means gaining the qualification to challenge Ascension. That is not a concept that can be obtained with a mere elixir.”

“……”

“It’s a gamble where you entirely rewrite yourself, and still can’t guarantee success. And you say it can be achieved with the help of others, by simply taking one pill?”

In the Third World, there were only about ten officially recognized Level 9 Ascendants.

And Lennok, having met Ascendants, knew better than anyone how unrealistic an achievement Level 9 truly was.

A reckless gamble, where even after burning everything within oneself, one could not be certain of reaching it.

Even after gaining the qualification and reaching Level 9, they were beings destined to constantly break down and rush towards ruin.

Monsters who gained transcendence by being devoured by their own answers, in exchange for gaining the right to provide the final answer.

It was a state achievable only by deeply understanding and accepting oneself, and then becoming deeply engrossed.

As far as Lennok knew, the only being across all worlds capable of making others like that was the Pontiff alone.

Could the Elixir of Ascension truly mimic an ‘accident’ superior to the Pontiff’s power?

As soon as Lennok heard the serpent’s words, he was convinced it was impossible.

But the serpent did not get angry even after hearing Lennok’s skeptical words.

Instead, it merely flicked its tongue rapidly, as if the answer found it even more intriguing.

“You already clearly understand what Ascension means.”

“……”

“Perhaps you even have a sense of how to gain the qualification.”

The serpent’s eyes gleamed at the silent Lennok.

“Indeed, if you know the direction to proceed and therefore don’t cling to it, then perhaps you are the one who will someday step onto transcendence. But what I am trying to say is not that.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“The Elixir of Ascension is not an item that makes the consumer an Ascendant.”

The serpent flicked its tongue.

“Rather, it’s closer to forcibly inducing an ‘abnormal status’ similar to an Ascendant in the consumer.”

“……”

“The important thing isn’t becoming an Ascendant, but reaching the Ninth Tribulation.”

The serpent grinned.

“Whatever the case, as long as you pass the Tribulation’s Trial of the Ninth Tribulation, it will be as good as achieving your desired objective, won’t it?”

“……The elixir’s ability itself is to induce an Ascendant-like abnormal status in the consumer?”

Lennok put his hand on his chin and fell into thought.

“That’s hard to accept. Something like that isn’t a medicine, but rather…”

An Ascendant-like abnormal status? Did Level 9 Transcendants all suffer from a common symptom?

Furthermore, the ability to artificially induce such a status in a consumer would hardly be a mere medicinal effect.

“That’s right. The Elixir of Ascension is no artificially manufactured drug.”

The serpent said, as if it had read Lennok’s thoughts.

“It is an extreme poison made by corrupting the Inner Core of a dead Ascendant. What I recommend to you is, in fact, an effect akin to a side effect of that extreme poison.”

“Made by corrupting an Ascendant’s Inner Core, that’s—”

“Why do you think I, of all Long-lived Beings, am explaining and introducing the Elixir of Ascension?”

The serpent grinned at Lennok’s surprised counter-question, utterly unexpected explanation.

“It’s because I, as a Poison Mage, was directly involved in the manufacture of that poison. That is why I can offer you this method today.”

“……”

“If you understand, let us continue. Currently, the Elixir of Ascension is not in the hands of any specific Long-lived Being or superhuman.”

Outside the tranquil garden, only the serpent’s voice echoed clearly.

“Instead, it is set to be presented as one of the prizes at the Obaekro tournament to be held two days from now in the Sixth Tribulation.”

“……A prize at the Obaekro tournament?”

Just as Lennok’s expression turned quizzical at the sudden statement, the serpent smiled and said.

“A certain Long-lived Being, renowned as the most talented Grand Spell Master in Kundara’s history, is quite fond of Obaekro.”

“……”

“He is a Grand Spell Master with an unrivaled standing in the city, and because he loves Obaekro so much, he regularly holds tournaments to gather people.”

“His standing and authority are so great that he can personally open the Elder Council’s treasury as a prize for the tournament winner.”

The serpent’s eyes glinted at the silent Lennok.

“The Elixir of Ascension is in that Elder Council’s treasury. It is the item you must acquire if you accept my proposal.”

“……I see.”

Only then did Lennok realize the meaning of the serpent’s proposal, and he let out a wry smile, tilting his head back.

Why playing Obaekro well was a condition. Why he had sought him out after hearing Olivera’s words.

“You want me to personally participate in the Obaekro tournament and acquire the Elixir of Ascension?”

“We can arrange the authorization and procedures for you to participate in the tournament. All that’s needed is your consent.”

The serpent flicked its tongue leisurely.

“What do you say? Will you consider this old one’s nonsense and give it a try?”

[Now, we will begin the Kundara Elder Council Obaekro Tournament!]

A splendid pavilion made from old ancient trees.

In a vast courtyard where cherry blossoms fluttered, Lennok stood among hundreds of people.

As a curly-haired boy on the platform opened his mouth, holding a fan, his voice echoed to the opposite side of the pavilion.

[Ah, the Obaekro tournament held today, as always, is to select the most outstanding Obaekro players from across Kundara—]

[As a result of the Elder Council’s extensive efforts to encourage the challenges of elders passing the Tribulation’s Trial—]

[Just as Angron of the Fire Salamander clan recently achieved great success, we plan to select and reward players of exceptional skill…]

Formal and ceremonial pleasantries exchanged before the start of the tournament.

Standing amidst the bustling crowd and listening to the explanations, Lennok already felt drained.

But he composed his tired expression and waited for the boy to finish speaking.

[The winner of the tournament will be specially granted access to the Elder Council’s vault located in the Eighth Tribulation, so we ask everyone to do their best—]

[We will now reveal the tournament bracket!]

Flash!

With the boy’s words, a huge scroll unfurled behind the platform, revealing a bracket densely filled with hundreds of names.

The bracket showed the participants, who had registered and had their identities confirmed beforehand, randomly arranged in a tournament format.

Lennok let out a wry chuckle as he found his name, registered as [Van], within it.

‘It seems that serpent handled things well.’

As he walked towards his designated seat, following the bracket, Lennok looked around.

‘As expected, the number of high-ranking Long-lived Beings is considerable. Is the tournament itself just a pretext for them to gather and play Obaekro?’

If the Tribulation’s Trial could be passed through Obaekro, then it would be a welcome development for Kundara if Long-lived Beings improved their skills by playing Obaekro.

Therefore, it made sense if they were holding a tournament and offering rewards to create a reason for Long-lived Beings to play Obaekro.

Since skilled spellcasters were more likely to be good at Obaekro, it was natural for high-ranking Long-lived Beings to participate in the tournament.

Lennok, having found his seat according to the bracket, slightly bowed his head upon seeing his opponent who was already there.

“Greetings.”

“……”

A middle-aged man sat with his arms crossed, eyes closed, in front of the board game.

He didn’t even nod in response to Lennok’s greeting, let alone reply.

Just as Lennok scratched his cheek, about to say something, the man spoke.

“In the cold world of competition, idle words are merely a luxury.”

“……”

“Exchanging words will only infuse the board with meaningless emotions.”

The man’s eyes snapped open, and he gripped a black stone with a solemn expression.

“Let us begin. I am ready.”

“……”

This man, despite spouting what sounded like profound wisdom, had naturally taken the first move.

Even Lennok was momentarily distracted by his peculiar way of speaking, making it difficult to notice the impropriety.

Lennok, holding a white stone with a bewildered expression, nodded and sat opposite him.

“Alright. Let’s start immediately.”

“My apologies, young friend, but I shall finish this quickly.”

Thud!

The man placed a black stone down without hesitation and said.

“For I have a long journey ahead, too long to show pity to every opponent I must face!”

“White wins by a total margin of 80 points.”

“……”

The middle-aged man stared blankly at the board, looking completely lost.

“It was a good game. Until next time.”

Lennok slightly bowed to the man and rose from his seat.

He walked past the other players still engrossed in their games and found the boy on the platform, idly fanning himself with a bored expression.

“Excuse me.”

“Ah, yes. What is it?”

The boy sharply turned his head with an annoyed expression.

Lennok spoke to the boy in a polite tone.

“I won the game, but where should I go next?”

“……Huh? It’s already over?”

The boy, with a bewildered expression, craned his neck and looked at the spot where Lennok had played.

Seeing the back of the man, who was bowing his head in dejection, the boy’s face changed into a smile, and he rubbed his hands together.

“Ahaha~ You must be a skilled player. Then you’ve come to the right place.”

Swish!

The boy pulled out a brush, dipped it in the inkstone below him, and drew a large ‘X’ over the completed match on the bracket scroll.

Having quickly erased the won game from the bracket, the boy connected the bracket lines with his brush and nodded.

“There, real-time update complete. You can proceed with your next game now~”

“……”

It seemed strange from the moment he started drawing the bracket on a scroll; was this tournament conducted in a thoroughly analog fashion?

Considering the age of the Long-lived Beings participating in this tournament, it wasn’t that strange, but still…

“It doesn’t bother me, but is it alright to connect the bracket arbitrarily like that?”

“Ah, you’re a first-time participant in this tournament.”

The boy scratched his cheek.

“I assumed you knew everything and briefly skipped the explanation, so I’ll give you a bit more detail on the procedure.”

“……”

“Ahem, basically, opponents are determined by the number of wins you accumulate. Losing once doesn’t mean immediate elimination, but the more wins you have, the faster you advance to higher rounds.”

“So it’s to ensure participants play as many games as possible.”

“Exactly. Isn’t that the purpose of all the elders who participate in this tournament anyway?”

The boy said, fanning himself.

“They can meet opponents they once lost to and seek revenge, or conversely, lose to someone they’ve beaten before, so it’s quite popular. You know, Long-lived Beings who have lived for hundreds of years tend to hold grudges, don’t they?”

“……”

This boy seemed ill-suited to manage such a tournament.

Perhaps sensing that Lennok’s reaction was somewhat unusual, the boy belatedly waved his brush with an awkward expression.

“Uh, anyway, whenever you finish a game, just report the outcome, and I’ll connect you with an opponent who has a similar number of wins. Believe it or not, I’ve been doing this for over 20 years~”

“……20 years?”

Even after a few days, the different scale of time in every part of this city still felt unfamiliar.

Lennok shook his head and moved on, watching the ink being applied to the bracket on the scroll.

‘If I don’t need to meticulously calculate the scores, I should move faster.’

He had taken some time with the first opponent to crush them by score difference, but it seemed simply accumulating wins was more important than the content of the game.

If winning by 80 points or by half a point yielded the same result, there were plenty of ways to shorten the time.

“I won.”

“Yes. You’re fast. Moving on~”

“Please update the bracket.”

“I’ll tell you right away!”

“Next game?”

“……Yes. There’s an empty slot in the bracket.”

“Next.”

“……”

The boy, looking at Lennok who had climbed onto the platform with a bewildered expression, asked.

“Participant. Isn’t this your fifth time coming up to the platform to re-determine your match?”

“Yes.”

“……It’s only been an hour since the tournament started.”

“They were all opponents who didn’t require long matches.”

Lennok replied calmly.

“So I finished them quickly.”

“……”

This time, the mischievous boy’s expression turned serious.

“I apologize, but I’ll go briefly meet the opponents you played against.”

“Are you suspecting I used unfair methods?”

“……Since you’re a first-time participant, just a quick confirmation.”

“Understood.”

As soon as Lennok gave his permission, the boy quickly moved around the pavilion, questioning various opponents.

He would ask something, wince while covering his ears, and then return with a puzzled expression.

Looking up at Lennok with a disgruntled face, the boy said.

“Uh, all five opponents you played against are claiming you used sorcery in the game…?”

“……Excuse me?”

“They’re all fuming, demanding that you be disqualified immediately….”

“……”

Just as Lennok was momentarily speechless at the unexpected response.

“He did not use sorcery in the game.”

A deep voice echoed from behind the boy.

“He merely induced his opponents’ attacks to increase the pace, and then, at the point where a minimal score count was possible, he adjusted his play just enough to win.”

“……Huh?”

“In fact, if you look at the games he played, every match ended with a half-point difference. Isn’t that right?”

As the startled boy tried to turn his head, a thick, silver-glowing hand firmly grasped his shoulder.

A tall Dragonkin, who had appeared behind the boy unnoticed, bared his teeth and said.

“In other words, he’s an extremely, extremely, extremely skilled Obaekro player.”

“……”

A tall, dragon-headed man, whose entire body was covered in dazzling silver scales.

His splendid yet sharp appearance truly stood out, even among the myriad Long-lived Beings gathered for the tournament.

The boy, belatedly recognizing the Dragonkin, was startled and bowed deeply towards the man.

“M-Maleon-nim…!!”

The boy, who had been rude to all sorts of high-ranking Long-lived Beings at the tournament, was now terrified and displaying proper etiquette to this esteemed personage.

Other Long-lived Beings, who belatedly noticed the boy’s reaction, also respectfully greeted the silver dragon as soon as they saw him.

“Maleon-nim. Have you been well?”

“Jorje of the Untouched greets the Silver Star!!”

“Rumei of the Dark Crow offers greetings to the Monarch.”

Judging by his aura and the treatment he received, he was no ordinary Long-lived Being.

Among all the Long-lived Beings Lennok had encountered in this city, he was undoubtedly a member of the most noble of creatures, the dragon-kind.

And certainly one of Kundara’s power brokers, positioned at the very pinnacle.

But the Dragonkin, called Maleon, paid little attention to the surrounding greetings.

Instead, he simply patted the head of the boy bowing next to him and stepped forward.

As Lennok’s gaze shifted at the familiar gesture, the grinning Dragonkin crossed his arms and said.

“As you might have heard, I am Maleon. Would you care for a game of Obaekro?”

“……”

“To truly know a man, one must, above all, compete with him directly.”

Maleon, as he called himself, smiled, seemingly pleased.

“In any case, it seems the elders gathered for this tournament are no match for you. I shall face you myself.”

“That…”

He knew how Lennok had quickly finished his previous games, yet he unhesitatingly proposed a match.

Confidence in his own skill. Keen discernment in recognizing and acknowledging his opponent’s ability.

A peculiar attitude of arbitrarily choosing an opponent, unconstrained by the tournament rules.

‘……Could it be?’

“I apologize, but I must decline if you are not registered in the bracket.”

Lennok smiled and shook his head.

“As I am participating to win the tournament, I do not wish to needlessly expend my mental energy.”

“Hmm, given your skill, you wouldn’t need to worry about such things… In that case, how about this?”

Maleon shrugged.

“If you win against me, you will be awarded the championship prize, regardless of subsequent matches in the bracket.”

“……”

“I will personally open the Elder Council’s treasury located in the Eighth Tribulation for you. I have the authority to do that.”

It was an absurd and almost unbelievable proposition.

But even more surprising was the fact that the boy, who had been listening nearby, raised no objections.

This was proof that the Dragonkin’s words, mentioning the championship prize right before Lennok’s eyes, were no empty boast.

“You are no ordinary participant.”

Lennok’s eyes sharpened as he realized this.

“Who are you?”

“Me?”

Maleon chuckled at Lennok’s question.

“The leader of the Eight Great Dragon Kings. A Supreme Committee Member of the Elder Council in the Eighth Tribulation.”

“……”

“And the organizer of this tournament….”

Maleon’s eyes gleamed sharply.

“And one who, like you, seeks to enter the Ninth Tribulation.”