Oter was dead.
He had been kicked to death like a stray dog by the very ritual he had painstakingly summoned.
His massive, hideous body was now riddled with ragged, bloody holes, looking like a giant hornet's nest made of rotting flesh.
Cleared!
Two large, gold-and-red-bordered words popped up. The chaotic scene before his eyes receded like a tide, revealing the simple, ancient floor of the library.
Before he even had a chance to marvel at how good the game's special effects were, a voice abruptly rang out in Bai Xiaodu's mind.
“The day the hero draws his sword is the day the evil dragon must die.”
He immediately grew alert and quietly observed Lingxin's reaction.
Her expression remained unchanged; she still seemed deeply shaken by the manner of the evil dragon's death.
In any case, this scene was still far too shocking for a transcendent of the 【Knowledge】 Pathway.
...Was he the only one who could hear it?
Silencing his stray thoughts, Bai Xiaodu calmed his mind, and indeed, the voice spoke again.
The voice was almost a roar, yet it was filled with the frenzied explosion of long-suppressed emotion.
It was as if the original owner of the voice had suffered some immense injustice, and was now approaching step by step with a blade in hand, eyes crimson like a vengeful ghost seeking a soul.
“Evil dragon!”
“I am Kalugar, Private First Class of the Ninth Regiment, Seventeenth Division ‘Hell's Fangs’ under the command of the 【Mage Emperor】!
Today, I have come to claim your life for those who died unjust deaths!”
“Devouring your flesh, drinking your blood, grinding your bones to dust, and scattering your ashes! Even that cannot quench my hatred!”
As the words fell, the scene before Bai Xiaodu's eyes suddenly shifted.
A vast area before his line of sight rippled like the surface of water.
The sky darkened, and the ashes floating in midair burned continuously, turning into a scene of ruin and desolation.
A thin, frail figure carrying a longsword climbed with extreme difficulty along the gold dragon's spine, slowly, slowly crawling toward where the dragon's head lay.
The dragon beast had a hideous face, but half of its body had been beaten to near-shatters. It could only wail and roar helplessly, watching the figure step by step, firmly planting his feet upon its forehead.
He finally stood up straight and raised his arm high.
The tip of the sword pierced down, and the evil dragon was slain.
The colors of the world fell completely still, and then...
The blood-stained longsword was carelessly discarded, clattering as it hit the ground.
The figure collapsed onto the dragon's corpse, starting to weep for no apparent reason, before bursting into loud, bitter sobs.
The scene faded into black and white, then quickly dissolved into a single line.
Bai Xiaodu felt a wave of complex emotions.
He rarely used the word “heart-wrenching” to describe someone's feelings.
After a brief moment of surprise, he worked to stabilize his expression so Lingxin wouldn't notice anything unusual.
Just as he expected, he was the only one who could see this scene as well.
【“Ashes Library” Cleared.】
The Galgame System slowly displayed text.
【Calculating rewards...】
【Distributing rewards...】
【Kalugar's Remnant Sword (Blue)】
【Type: Material】
【Description: A broken sword steeped in history and decay. Its owner's name may have long since faded into the river of time, but the will to resist invasion and protect loved ones is indestructible.】
【Note: I will turn the rest of my life into bullets of vengeance, shot straight into your filthy, loathsome hearts.】
Blue Quality.
Bai Xiaodu couldn't help but lick his lips. This was the second time he had seen something of Blue Quality.
The previous one was 【Heart of Iron】, which had granted him casting speed and reaction capabilities far exceeding his peers.
Passives gave direct, visible effects, while materials were likely used for some kind of ritual or for refining weapons.
The requirements for this tier were probably much harder than for passives, which meant...
If used properly, this thing might bring him an even greater boost than 【Heart of Iron】.
Quietly stowing the remnant sword away, Bai Xiaodu saw that everything had returned to normal and prepared to pull Lingxin to log out with him.
She didn't leave immediately, however. Instead, she looked up, her gaze slowly sweeping across the dilapidated library with a touch of melancholy.
“I don't know who suggested scanning Secret Realms into games, but it was truly a wonderful decision.”
“Xiaobai, did you know? The game we just cleared tells the story of an unsung hero's life in history.”
“Because human species are naturally gifted with strong minds and richer emotions than other races, in their eyes, we are practically born to be the perfect sacrifices.”
“Most conflicts in history started because of this. So, so many people died on the path of the 【Great Counteroffensive】. Calling it a tragic victory forged in blood would not be an exaggeration.”
Shaking her head sadly, Lingxin sighed.
“Just like the original protagonist of this library. He slew the dragon's head alone with a mortal body, avenging his fallen compatriots in his homeland, yet his name faded into the river of time...”
“Kalugar.”
Lingxin blanked for a moment, then looked at Bai Xiaodu in confusion.
He nodded, speaking in a very serious tone.
“His name was Kalugar.”
“I really like reading random historical tabloids, which contain all kinds of obscure theories and summaries. The deeds match up, and the timeline does too. If I'm not mistaken, the original owner of this library's Secret Realm was named Kalugar.”
“Someone remembers him, Sister Lingxin.”
The moment the words left his mouth, Bai Xiaodu cursed himself inwardly.
Too nosy.
The historical tabloids were, of course, just something he made up on the spot, but seeing her like this, he just couldn't help but say it.
Whatever, whatever. He'd just treat it as doing a good deed.
Accumulating some good karma for the future.
Lingxin didn't say anything in the end. Her lips parted slightly, and she finally gave a firm nod.
The game ended.
They logged out, and the lively, bustling plaza reappeared.
They found a park bench as before, and sat down on opposite ends.
This time, however, they sat a bit closer to each other.
Having obtained a very nice item, Bai Xiaodu hummed a little tune, feeling exceptionally cheerful.
He naturally rested his tail on her lap, letting her stroke it.
After chatting idly about this and that, Bai Xiaodu deliberately steered the conversation toward rituals.
At present, his understanding of rituals was limited to raising levels and invoking blessings.
The material was indeed a good material, but he still had to figure out how to use it.
Half-closing his eyes, looking thoroughly relaxed as she stroked his tail, Bai Xiaodu asked as if casually,
“Sister Lingxin, I remember you saying that the gold dragon beast's ritual could draw the gaze of some powerful figure from history. If I managed to get some really good materials, like dragon scales or dragon blood, could I also use a prayer technique to sacrifice them and exchange them for something I want?”
Lingxin immediately lifted her head slightly, looking as though he had finally asked about something in her area of expertise.
“Of course you can. However, you have to categorize the materials. Generally speaking, deities and powerful figures of various races will only accept things related to their own race, or closely connected to themselves.”
“If you want to target a specific ability or item, you'll need to slightly modify the orthodox prayer words while maintaining your sincerity. If you're capable, it's best to also alter the way the ritual is conducted.”
“The higher the quality of the materials, the stronger the spiritual emotions, and the more perfect the ritual, the greater the probability of success, and the better the effects you'll receive.”
She proudly patted her chest, the resulting bounce making Bai Xiaodu afraid to even blink.
“To tell you the truth, as a transcendent of 【Knowledge】, I have participated in and even hosted the design of several ritual plans. You can search for them on the Transcendent Network; they've already been selected as excellent design cases for basic rituals by the United Federation.”
Bai Xiaodu blinked blankly.
“What is the Transcendent Network?”
“...”
This question seemed to choke Lingxin up. She remained silent for a moment before speaking.
“I'm sorry, Xiaobai. I forgot about that. What rank of magic apprentice are you right now?”
“Rank 0.3.”
Glancing at the 【Designated Enhancement】 lying in his inventory, Bai Xiaodu didn't dare say anything.
Lingxin had no choice but to continue explaining.
“The Transcendent Network, as the name suggests, is another network used by the transcendent community.”
“Because entertainment sections aren't allowed, its reach is very limited, which is why most mortals don't even know it exists.”
“Most of the content discussed there consists of scattered transcendent knowledge and sharing experiences. There are people advertising their transcendent products, forming teams to run Secret Realm dungeons, organizing groups to go to some dangerous planet to gather local specialties, and so on.”
“Once you complete your ascension ceremony, the Federal Government will actively contact you and invite you to join.”
Rate on N.U.
