Another World Reincarnation Chronicle

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“Everyone, don’t stray too far and gather where you can be seen. We don’t know what kind of monsters might be around.”

Upon Celyon’s words, several team members looked up at the sky. They seemed to have recalled the sky whale they saw briefly when they first arrived here.

Celyon’s team began to disperse in pairs of two. The task of collecting the newly discovered differently colored crystal stones had commenced.

I found myself moving alongside Noel.

“We should head out too.”

“Ah, okay.”

Thanks to Celyon’s instructions, we didn’t have to go far. Looking around, I saw others gathering crystal stone samples from nearby.

Noel and I found a suitable spot to settle down and began our collection. The crystal stones were quite hard, but when I tapped on the root parts, they came off easily.

“Hey, Seris.”

“Yeah?”

“Um, by any chance…”

I halted my collection and looked at Noel. She seemed to hesitate, her lips quivering as if she was about to say something.

“Did you spray any perfume…?”

“Excuse me…?”

That was an unexpected question. Perfume? I didn’t have such a thing.

I thought she would ask about matters regarding my changed body or my battle with the king, but it seemed I was mistaken.

“Do I smell odd?”

“Ah, yeah. It’s like this strange burning smell, if I had to describe it.”

“Burning smell?”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t trying to smell it on purpose…”

“Yeah, I know. It’s natural to have your odor wafting around when you’re passing through here.”

“Ah, right…”

“By the way, burning smell? You mean like a scent of something burning?”

“No, not exactly, um… it’s a bit hard to put into words.”

I tilted my head and sniffed as if trying to understand Noel’s words. However, I couldn’t detect any burning smell as she described.

“Um… how should I explain this… So, in this area, there’s a heavy dirt and shiny iron smell, you know?”

Noel was mumbling as she loitered near the crystal stones. Seems she was getting frustrated with her own way of expressing things and let out a small sigh.

At that moment, Noel turned around.

She looked like someone who had just discovered something.

“Noel?”

“It’s the smell of pristine iron…”

“Excuse me?”

Noel didn’t answer my question. She kept sniffing as she cast her gaze toward the distance. At that moment, the nightmare beneath me lifted its head in the same direction Noel was looking.

And then it happened. Something shiny white appeared from far away. It was soaring through the sky.

As time passed, the white object grew larger and came closer to a recognizable distance.

“A dragon…?”

I muttered absently, gazing at the approaching being. It was covered in pure white crystal stones, but its form was strikingly similar to a dragon.

Of course, it was much smaller compared to the Bone Dragon I had faced directly or Kalbain from the memories of Mana.

“That’s it! That creature is where the pristine iron smell is coming from!”

Buuuuuum—!

The flight speed of the white crystal stone dragon was incredible. It flapped its enormous wings and soared right over our heads. The pressure from its wings was so intense that I almost fell off the nightmare.

As the crystal dragon flew away, white mana scattered behind it. It was then that I finally understood what Noel meant. She had detected mana thanks to the mana from Monster Island.

“Over there…”

I furrowed my brow while watching the crystal dragon’s flight. It was heading in the direction of the expedition team’s base camp. The crystal dragon was flying without hesitation towards that location.

“Could it be…?”

All the adventurers who had scattered directed their gazes to one place. The white crystal stone dragon began to disperse its immense presence, seemingly unconcerned about hiding its identity.

[KWAAARAAK!!!]

The previously silent mouth opened wide, erupting with a tremendous roar. The tearing sound of its cry hit my eardrums, and I almost lost strength in my legs. It was due to the pressure emanating from the monster’s presence.

“Return!”

Celyon’s urgent voice erupted. No one there questioned where they would return to. Every adventurer scattered and began to run toward one direction.

Kuuung—!

However, the crystal dragon descended on the base camp even faster. The creature that descended from the sky was much larger than expected, and as its enormous legs and tail began to move, the monsters we had captured were smashed, and all our research materials were thrown to the ground.

“Aaaah!”

“Ugh, urgh!”

Naturally, the scholars conducting research at the base camp perished. Before the blood on the ground could even cool, the adventurers arrived before them.

[KUWAARAAK!]

The crystal dragon unleashed a furious scream at the surrounding adventurers. At the same time, the crystal stones covering its body began to move with a loud sound.

“Attack! Protect the materials! Drive it away!”

Without someone needing to take the lead, the adventurers began to charge at the dragon. At that moment, I felt an instinctive foreboding, like a sharp blade poised to pierce my throat.

In that instant, I immediately pulled on the nightmare’s reins and leaped behind a massive pile of crystal stones.

Right after that, a colossal burst of light erupted, sending white crystal stones flying in all directions.

Puffff—!

I peeked out from behind the crystal pile to examine the situation outside. A number of adventurers rushing toward the crystal dragon were already pierced by white crystal stones, and quite a few of the stones covering the dragon had vanished.

It seemed they had used the stones covering its body as weapons.

“Ugh, ugh…”

“Ugh, urgh… die…”

Those who had been pierced in their arms and legs were the lucky ones. Those who had been struck in the stomach or chest were spilling out dark red blood and their innards as they perished.

At that moment, the crystal dragon roared once more.

[KRROOAAK!]

The surrounding mana began to churn and gather toward the crystal dragon. The collected mana coalesced around its body and grew larger, emitting a loud noise.

“Chiiit—!”

In that moment, Celyon dashed forward. As her upper body swayed, a blue light streak extended.

Zwarrrm—!

[KRROAAK!]

The crystal dragon, having allowed Celyon’s strike, stagged back a step. Almost instantly, the crystals covering its face began to fall away.

With Celyon leading, the counterattack from the humans began. Team leaders, including Balder, stepped forward to exert pressure on the crystal dragon, followed by a torrent of attacks from other team members.

Slightly hesitating, I retrieved the sword from my back and then drew out the Stormbringer strapped to the side of the nightmare.

It felt heavy in my grip, but even without enhancing my body with mana, I could swing the Stormbringer.

“Let’s go!”

The moment I tugged the reins of the nightmare, it swiftly took off at great speed. The clear terrain allowed the nightmare to unleash its top speed in an instant.

Thud— thud— thud—!

To the rhythm of heavy hoofbeats, the distance quickly closed. Just as I neared the crystal dragon, I swung my sword with all my might. The mana that spread from my heart momentarily enhanced the strength of my waist and arms.

Crack—!

The blade of the Stormbringer struck the head of the crystal dragon and pulled free.

[KRROAAK!]

The moment the attack succeeded, I had to pull the reins of the nightmare immediately. The crystal dragon’s body shimmered once more as it writhed in agony.

Paaahh—! As the light it emitted grew brighter, the shadows of me and the nightmare elongated.

I bit my lip and jumped off the nightmare’s back. I figured that no matter how fast the nightmare was, I couldn’t avoid the attack executed right in front of me.

And my judgment was correct.

Flash—!

At that moment, a massive flash erupted, and dozens of crystal stones shot toward me and the nightmare.

As my heightened senses detected attacks from all directions, my muscles contracted and relaxed, granting me explosive speed, while the rushing mana burst forth from my body.

The mana escaping from my body created a powerful wind, allowing for rapid adjustments to my posture.

To the left, then to the right.

As I swung the Stormbringer wide, all the crystal stones flying toward me shattered. However, my movements did not stop there. Many more crystal stones were still aiming at me and the nightmare.

As the blade of the Stormbringer turned due to the erratic release of mana, it was directed toward the upper left.

Pababak—!

Another similar scene unfolded. Set wide, the swinging blade cleared the crystal stones, and again, it moved to clear more stones.

As the white crystal shards broke and scattered like snow, a thin crystal shot through at me, taking me by surprise. Before I could evade, the swift stone passed my cheek and hit the back leg of the nightmare behind me.

Thud—!

Plooo—!

“Hah…”

The moment the hail of crystal stones ceased, I turned around. The nightmare remained standing even with a crystal the size of my forearm lodged in its hind leg.

Blood trickled down its trembling leg. The nightmare let out heavy breaths as if to say it could still fight, but from my perspective, it seemed worn out.

After exchanging silent glances multiple times, it snorted and limped away from the battlefield.

I took a deep breath as I glared at the crystal dragon. The creature raised its guard, gathering mana to regenerate its covering crystals.

I couldn’t afford to give it a chance. If it grew crystal stones on its back again, it would unleash another downpour.

As my judgment was finalized, my body began to move. Each stride tightened the space as my feet hit the ground.

My head was becoming bright with white heat. My senses transcending humanity began to shape a new attack method based on the knowledge I possessed.

The moment a clear image of my attack formed, I exhaled softly and reached out with my hand. It was a small hand instead of the blade of the Stormbringer, yet at this moment, it was the best attack I could muster.

As my hand slowly approached and touched the body of the crystal dragon, the massive mana spinning in my heart flowed out through my arm and into the dragon’s body.

Mana of different properties tends to repel each other. This was the reason I hadn’t directly absorbed the natural mana but rather formed a mana circle first.

In that moment, the expression on the crystal dragon’s face distorted. It seemed to sense the anomaly within its body.

But it was too late.

The moment the differing properties of mana began to mix, a rough repulsive force erupted from within.

This resulted in a massive explosion.

Boom—!

The heavy body of the crystal dragon was sent flying backward.

Countless stars flowed in the inner world as a small star emerged. This star depicted the hazy figure of a man, and through the man’s mouth, the name of a technique flowed out.

[Blast]

As the body of the soaring crystal dragon plummeted to the ground, the hazy figure of the man vanished alongside the starlight.