Chapter 358: Chapter 358

‘The Last Yellow Dragon.’

The title, and its description, were very familiar.

He had already received a similar achievement in Auterica, ‘The Last Gold Dragon’.

‘It seems Tam was considered the Yellow Dragon until now.’

More precisely, his body contained the essence of all Five Dragons, thanks to his unique ability.

And with his death, that title, ‘the Last’, had been transferred to Horus.

An unexpected windfall.

‘I wasn’t expecting this, since there hadn’t been any notifications…’

The other dragons had treated Horus as the Yellow Dragon, but he had assumed it wasn't a system-recognized title.

“Well, it’s good for me.”

Not only did it increase his Karma, but the perk he received was a powerful ability in itself.

Perks, acquired through achievements, were incredibly rare and difficult to obtain, each one equivalent to a unique skill.

‘Let’s see… the perks I currently have…’

First, 「Interdimensional Transfer Formation Summon」, acquired after his ‘miraculous’ return to Earth.

It had been a bit of a cheat, but it was the foundation of his current power.

Its cooldown had been halved after he entered another world, Ganghwange, so its importance was undeniable.

‘And then there’s “Instant Death Immunity”, acquired after becoming the Immortal King, “Extra Life”, acquired after Hans gained notoriety, “In the Hero’s Footsteps”, acquired thanks to Heinrich…’

「Karma Shop Ver.2 Update」, acquired after accumulating an excessive amount of Karma.

「Monarch’s Authority」, acquired after becoming the Vampire King and uniting Auterica’s vampires.

And 「Dragon’s Lair」, acquired after becoming the Last Gold Dragon.

‘I had seven before. Now I have nine.’

Hans, stroking his chin thoughtfully, smiled faintly.

He had accomplished quite a bit.

So many achievements, each one requiring incredibly difficult and challenging feats, worthy of the title ‘great’.

‘Some of them are frequently used, while others are… gathering dust.’

He wondered which category his newly acquired perks would fall into.

He opened his eyes slightly, reviewing the new powers he had acquired.

The name clearly suggested a connection to ‘Greed’, the Six-Headed Dragon he had just eliminated.

Its function was also straightforward.

To consume and absorb, making everything his own.

‘…It seems like a good fit for Harley.’

That was his initial thought, but as a perk, it probably wasn’t that simple.

The system didn’t provide user manuals, so he would have to experiment and figure out its full potential himself.

‘It should also be helpful for Hugo, who has “Heavenly Ki Body” and a backlog of undigested elixirs. And it will benefit the other avatars’ growth as well… Wait a minute.’

As he was considering its various applications, he suddenly paused.

A new possibility had occurred to him.

‘To consume and completely absorb… If I can apply this to my main body on Earth…’

Earth, a barren wasteland devoid of magic.

No energy, no magic, no miracles.

The only exceptions were the Awakened, chosen by the system that governed all dimensions.

They could replenish their energy through some unknown system function, not by absorbing ambient energy.

But they also faced a significant limitation.

They couldn't grow stronger after returning to Earth.

Like a plant transplanted from fertile soil to a barren desert.

‘Of course, they won’t wither and die, thanks to the system’s protection.’

They could still use their existing abilities.

They could even increase their skill proficiency and, with some luck, even evolve their skills.

The growth bonus they had enjoyed in other worlds was gone.

No matter how hard they tried, their progress was slow and uncertain, leaving them with a sense of frustration and loss.

And they could no longer use Karma points.

‘And that’s just the skills. The biggest problem is…’

…that they couldn’t accumulate energy or increase their level on Earth, a world devoid of magic.

Whether it was martial arts or magic, their technical skills might improve, but they couldn't break through the wall that separated them from the next level.

They needed not only enlightenment, but also the support of ambient energy.

‘That’s why they’re so obsessed with Dragon Veins in Ganghwange.’

Of course, there was a slim chance of transcending on Earth.

If they could acquire a high-grade elixir from their origin dimension and consume it at the exact moment of enlightenment.

‘But most of its energy would dissipate due to the difference in energy density, and if they failed to transcend, they would become crippled.’

They would need an elixir on par with a Dragon Heart.

It was better to just give up than to waste such a precious resource.

‘But “Power of Gluttony” solves that problem.’

To consume and completely absorb.

It meant a near-perfect energy absorption rate!

He could finally start cultivating his main body on Earth, without having to waste high-grade elixirs.

‘I haven’t risked it until now, since I could access the other avatars’ energy through “Individual Projection”…’

But more options were always better.

Especially in unpredictable situations.

‘I’ll have to be more diligent in searching for elixirs. Harris is the best choice for that.’

Hans and the undead were out of the question. They would contaminate any elixir they came near.

‘And then there’s… “Yellow Dragon’s Orb”.’

The perk Horus had acquired after becoming the Last Yellow Dragon.

But this one was different.

‘…What is this? How do I use it?’

He couldn’t understand it, no matter how many times he checked.

It was the first time the system had given him something without any explanation, so he couldn't help but feel a bit… confused.

It usually provided at least some basic information.

“Activates automatically when the time is right.”

…a single, cryptic sentence.

It was strangely… different.

‘…Tsk, there’s no point in dwelling on it. It’s just a bonus perk anyway.’

It wouldn't be detrimental to him.

The Akasha System was… fair, in its own way.

…Though he wasn't sure if this perk was a genuine reward or the result of some other entity’s intervention.

He shrugged it off and turned his attention back to the massive dragon corpse.

A mangled and decaying piece of meat, its former glory as a transcendent being gone.

“I’ll have to… clean it up a bit.”

He had been forced to use excessive force, so the body was quite damaged.

It wouldn’t have mattered if he was planning to resurrect it as an undead, but he had other plans.

He placed his hand on the corpse, absorbing the lingering death energy—.

…And his eyebrows shot up in surprise as the energy was extracted cleanly and efficiently, far exceeding his expectations.

He couldn't restore the already corrupted parts, but it was still much better than he had anticipated.

‘So, “Power of Gluttony” also applies to this.’

As an undead, Hans didn’t need to eat.

The closest equivalent would be absorbing energy, like he had just done.

‘This perk is more versatile than I thought.’

Its adaptability increased its potential applications.

He nodded slowly, a satisfied smile on his face, and then…

…his head turned sharply.

Towards the area where he had meticulously erected a barrier before the battle.

Where the captured Dragon’s Children were being held.

He instantly identified the source of the unusual phenomenon.

Her energy signature was familiar.

“Hmm, a long-distance communication spell? This is… impressive.”

Hans’s eyes gleamed with interest as he realized what she was doing.

A covert communication spell, exploiting a momentary lapse in their surveillance…

And it was so subtle that he almost missed it, if it weren’t for the barrier he had erected.

‘She’s using Zhu Gang-in’s energy as well. She must have somehow convinced him to cooperate. …So, she not only figured out about the Dragon’s Children in such a short time, but also found a way to utilize her own dormant power.’

Communication spells were incredibly complex and difficult to use, a secret art that even most sorcerers couldn't master.

Even powerful factions rarely used them, despite their undeniable usefulness.

And to cast such a high-level spell using a newly awakened power… it was an incredible feat.

‘I heard she was a prodigy when it came to magical theory, but I didn’t expect her to be this skilled.’

Zhuge Hyemi, the Zhuge Clan’s precious daughter, who had spent most of her life bedridden due to her illness.

Her only hobby had been reading and analyzing magical texts, memorizing entire books and dissecting their contents.

“This is… convenient. I can use this.”

Hans nodded slowly, his eyes narrowed, as he sensed a faint energy, carefully bypassing his barrier.

He collected the storm clouds he had summoned and retrieved Tam’s corpse.

He had already defeated Yalu Huan and taken control of his forces, but he wasn’t planning to stop there.

This was not only a rehearsal for his Home Theater, but also a part of his grand plan to restore the Dragon Heart.

‘Narrative is important. And it will also increase my Karma gains.’

He allowed the faint energy to continue its journey, its progress slow and cautious, as if it was afraid of being detected.

…it created a small hole in the barrier, connecting to the outside world.

To Hugo, aka Ha Seung-hoon, who had been traveling at high speed, using his lightness skill, and had just stopped for a break.

He was currently consuming elixirs, using his newly acquired 「Power of Gluttony」.

Having eliminated the attackers and sent their bodies to Hans,

Harley resumed his journey towards Mount Song, where the Shaolin Temple was located.

‘They wouldn’t dare to mistreat me! I saved them! I wonder how my first subordinate in Ganghwange is doing. He was quite competent.’

His next plan required the participation of various factions, and the Shaolin Temple, one of the two pillars of the righteous Murim, was a key player, so he had decided to visit them personally.

Even though they had suffered heavy losses during the recent attack, their reputation couldn't be ignored.

“Aaaagh! Why are you doing this?!”

“S-spare me! I have a family…!”

He casually punished the evil factions that threatened the peace and harmony of the Murim world.

After all, if they disrupted his plans, it would decrease his Karma gains.

It was always a good idea to clean up the trash when you had the chance.

‘And it’s a good source of side income.’

Having completed his… community service, he confidently strode away from the ruined estate, his hand casually twirling a long, black spear made from meteoric iron, a rare and valuable material in Ganghwange.

‘Not bad. I should analyze the techniques used in its construction.’

He sent the spear to Howard, the Dwarf, through the 「Avatar Cloud」.

And then, he received another item, a large chunk of meat, its surface slightly discolored and dripping with blood.

“Sniff, sniff, it smells… interesting. Like… aged meat.”

It was a part of the Six-Headed Dragon he had just slain.

Even though he had intended to use the entire body as a sacrifice to restore the Dragon Heart, he couldn't resist the temptation to… sample it.

“Hahaha! Of course! It’s just a small bite. …Hmm, maybe I should have more. A little bit from each part…”

He had once heard that meat tasted best right before it spoiled.

He had thought it was nonsense, but…

‘…It actually looks quite appetizing.’

Harley drooled, his mouth watering.

He usually preferred fresh meat, but this… delicacy… was quite tempting.

It would only take a moment to age it, just by placing it near Hans.

“Let’s have a taste, shall we?”

His lips stretched into a wide, monstrous grin, his jaw unhinging.

「Voracity」, the skill that amplified his bite, activated.

And at the same time, 「Power of Gluttony」 came online.

His sharp teeth tore into the flesh, juices and blood splattering.

A rich, savory aroma, with a hint of… cheese?

‘This is… surprisingly…’

And as he was casually evaluating its flavor,

《The individual meets the conditions and grows. The special skill “Voracity” has evolved into “Gourmand”.》

…a system message, something he had been anticipating, appeared before him.