Chapter 127 : The Revival & The Training (Part 2)

After a few weeks...

"Ahm—"

*CRUNCH*

Suddenly a noise was heard from a certain room.

A male was sitting there and having a large portion of meal prepared on a table within that room

From meat, bread, soup, and all kinds of food were served there.

*KNOCK* *KNOCK*

And in the middle of his meal, the door of that room was knocked by someone.

"Mmfhh?—cmpoe on minn (come on in)."

And the male responded with his mouth stuffed with those foods.

*CREAK*

A dwarf emerged from the door, "Hey, it is time."

It was Doldain who called him out.

"Ughhh...are you seriously still eating? Rei."

Rei had finally recovered. Although his body was still wrapped around with bandages, he was still living and kicking, and still with his large appetite gobbling all the food in front of him.

*GULP*

"Haaa...well I was hungry, since I could barely eat any food for the past few days."

"It doesn't mean you can eat a whole family size meal alone." Doldain grumbled while still couldn't believe this is the young man who barely could talk before.

"It feels like you are a different person now after finally being able to talk."

"At first, you look like an innocent mute child when you can't talk." Doldain teased him as he grinned.

Rei gulped down another portion, "Ughhh, it was hard to use hand gestures to talk, you know." Rei remembered the time he tried to use hand gestures, but it didn't work.

"Hahaha! I thought you needed some ale, so I just gave it to you! Hahaha!" Doldain laughed with such a full wide smile.

As if he enjoyed the time he spent with him.

"Hey! You almost killed me twice after pouring my mouth with a whole bottle of ale!" Though he still had some grudges due to that mistake.

'...he seemed to be awkward and scary before, but Doldain isn't that bad.' Rei thought while munching on his food.

[Dwarf], unlike [Elf], they are a race that was gifted for their craftsmanship. If [Elf] is good at handling [Spirits], for [Dwarf], they rely on their own strength and forging a weapon.

Not only forging weapons, they are also good at fighting and using a certain weapon that Rei had been wanting to learn.

That is...

"Hey, boy! Come on! Stop eating, our King is waiting for you." Doldain interrupted.

"Uhhhh." Rei didn't answer right away as his eyes still fixated on the leftover food on his table.

"Don't uhhh me, I'll treat you something better after this meeting." Doldain offered.

Rei hesitated again, until he gave up.

"Fine fine! I did promise to meet her after I recovered!" Rei grunted and finally standing up from his seat, then followed Doldain from behind.

*****

*TAP*

*TAP*

Rei was walking behind Doldain as they were passing through this dark corridor.

But the torches that stuck on the wall beside them brightened their path.

While Rei was following him, he was having some thoughts as he observed Doldain's back.

'It's been a few weeks since I stayed in this place, although it can't be a good place to rest but at least I got some company and shared some good food.' Rei thought while still staring at his back.

'[Dwarf]...unlike Gudmund who I met in Aven Town, this [Dwarf] is different than I thought...his physique and that aura.'

'He is definitely not just any ordinary [Dwarf] no...it makes Gudmund the weirdest, I guess this is the true [Dwarf].' Rei guessed.

'In the books, [Dwarf] was described to have combat capabilities and skilled craftsmanship... but despite having those skills and strength, they're still..'

'A crazy alcoholic drunkard.' Rei was reminded of how crazy Doldain was when he drank those alcohols during his company.

Dwarf was also known for their tolerance for alcohol. Their habit of being drunk and their love to drink alcohol was because of their Gods who bestowed their skill.

[The Blacksmithing God, Hephaesteus].

The God who also bestowed his skills [Weapon Fusion].

'The God was known for his craziness over alcohol, I guess that's why the Dwarf is like that.' Rei was still thinking of it as he followed Doldain from behind.

'But...most importantly...' Rei glanced his eyes side to side.

And he noticed that he just stepped on some stairs leading towards something and it's going up.

'Where the heck am I?' Rei questioned himself multiple times.

The stairs were long as Rei was still following Doldain from behind.

'It felt like I was in prison, it's cold but...' Rei thought while his hand reached and touched the wall beside him.

'...there's some warmth around the walls.' Then his eyes glanced back at Doldain.

'I am curious...whenever I ask him about my whereabouts, the only thing he could say to me is...'

[You'll see after you recover].

'....that's all.' Rei thought.

'But I sensed that…if he's going to take me to Ignia, I'll soon find—'

They finally stopped at the end of the stairs path, and saw a door before them.

*CREAK*

Doldain opened the door for them.

*PSSSHHH*

After that, they were greeted with the sound of smoke that came out from a chimney and soared through the dark sky.

'....my answer?'

Rei found himself in something that he had never seen before.

It was a dark place, the sky was dark.

No, rather than dark it was covered by some sort of ceiling above them.

And underneath that ceiling was a city that was lit by magic crystals, along with several bright flames under the chimney and...

*THUNG*

A sparks.

*THUNG*

From a hammer that tampered a sword that was held by several dwarfs, lined up like they were in some sort of ceremony.

Rei realized that he was standing on a wide balcony above a fortress castle that showed him the city in full view.

Yes.

This was an underground city, no—it's—...

'It's an [Underground Kingdom]?'

Rei finally got his answer after this whole time, he was stunned with this kind of surprise.

Then Doldain stood beside him.

"Heh, isn't this an amazing sight?"

"Y-yeah."

Rei couldn't help but be amazed upon seeing this scenery.

But rather than the Kingdom and unique setting of the place…

His eyes were more fixated on the crowd of Dwarfs underneath him along with the hammer sound clashing the steel that resounded through the whole Kingdom.

'The sound is resonating...and it's not just any random sound, it sounds...like a rhythm.' Rei thought.

"You got it right~" Suddenly a woman's voice could be heard as she replied to his thoughts.

Rei recognized that voice as he was guided by Doldain who continued walking through the balcony which led him to a tea party.

A single parasol and a tea table filled with tea cups and a pot.

And the one who was sitting there alone was a woman.

She was wearing a red dress, and her long hair was like a wave of flames and the edges of her hair were yellow and orange.

.

.

.

.

.

.

She was someone who was known as the King who ruled this Kingdom.

.

.

.

.

.

"Welcome otherworlder~"

.

.

.

.

.

Yes...

.

.

.

.

.

She was known as...

.

.

.

.

.

[The King of Dragons, Ignia].

"To our [Dwarf Underground Kingdom, Helga]."

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

And the ruler of the Dwarf Kingdom.

Ignia greeted him with a smile as she took a sip of her tea, while Rei stood still there and stared at her.

Rei didn't speak at all and remained silent until Ignia finished her cup.

"So how was your stay here?" Ignia asked while putting down her cup.

"Well it is quite comfy considering where I am." Rei replied.

"You need to know that the place that you stayed in was the castle's dungeon." Ignia glanced at him.

"Oh, that explains why it was so damp and dark." Rei replied to her calmly.

"My apologies~ it's just that we didn't expect a guest would come over~" Ignia spoke.

"True, though I should be the one who apologizes for being rude after coming here without any warning."

Ignia snickered as the conversation didn't stop at that, it was as if they were throwing knives when they were being sarcastic.

"Well I accept your apologies, but I wonder...is there anything you would like to ask? Since currently I am quite in a good mood after our conversation~" Ignia spoke, giving him permission to ask about anything.

Rei immediately thought of a question.

It was something that he had been holding in.

And that is...

"Why did you help me?" Rei asked the question that he had been meaning to ask but it remained unanswered until today.

He asked this before, and got the answer but he was still unsatisfied with it.

Ignia just shrugged, "I answered that before~ but it seems you want another answer huh?~"

"Yeah, even if you did answer me that someone did ask for your help, that doesn't mean you just accept it without any ulterior motive…am I right?" Rei explained it.

'Rather, I can already guess who's the one who asked her.' Rei thought.

"Ohh, what makes you say that?~ I am a Dragon you see, the strongest Dragon, the Kings of the Dragons, what could I possibly want from someone inferior such as you?" Ignia mockingly spoke to him.

Rei stared at her, "It's because you are a dragon, you have all the types of strength right?"

"Exactly~"

"Then what if I had something that a Dragon doesn't have." Rei guessed.

Ignia remained calm as she smiled, "What do you have?~"

"This..." Rei then raised his hand.

*SWOOSH*

Then a black flame appeared on his hand.

"You want [Hell Flame] that I possessed, isn't that right...[The Red Dragon, Ignia]." Rei spoke boldly.

Ignia's lips turned into a wide grin.

"How bold."

Ignia then released a large amount of her aura that was enough to envelop the dark sky with her red color.

Doldain remained calm when he saw such a scene as he stood beside him, though what's more surprising is that Rei didn't cower behind his back.

Instead...

He stood there calmly while enduring such pressure coming from this one entity in front of him.

Ignia who released such aura, smiled once again, "But...I don't particularly hate it~ rather I love bold people instead someone who is shy and scared~"

Then Ignia clapped her hand, "You are correct! Indeed, in exchange for helping you I need that flame of yours~"

"But now what? Even you have shown that boldness of yours…" Ignia suddenly put her leg onto another as her eyes wandered around for a moment.

"And have been trained to not fear the death that crawls around you..."

Her atmosphere changed when her eyes gazed at him.

"Just because you have those three points, I haven't deemed you worthy yet~" She smiled

"Then...what am I supposed to do?" Rei asked.

"I don't know~" Ignia shrugged her shoulder, "You need to be straightforward on this, rather than asking what you need to do."

Rei became quiet when she said that, "Then..." He had one thing that had been a common occurrence ever since he came to this world.

Rei raised his hand and pointed his index finger towards her.

"How about...

He looked her straight in the eyes and spoke.

"...I challenge you into a fight."

The words that always put him in trouble, finally escaped from his mouth once again.

"....?!"

His eyes looked serious and determined.

Even Ignia and Doldain were surprised to hear those words.

Not to Doldain who was her subordinate but to the King of Dragons herself.

Ignia opened her mouth as she smiled, "Hah—HAHAHAHA!~" and began to laugh.

"To think you would be this straightforward! Just right after I told you to~" Ignia grinned.

"Hey Doldain! You were ignored! Hahaha!~ He challenged me instead of you, how do you feel?~" Ignia purposely spoke to Doldain like that to tease him while she was laughing.

Doldain snickered, "Heh, well it indeed hurt my pride to not get challenged by someone like him...but he clearly knew how to aim higher." Doldain praised.

Rei knew that if he chose to challenge Doldain, it would be the easy way for him to make her recognize his strength.

But...

'...That won't do, because challenging him would be an easy way for me to get stronger, what I need is to know my limits once again.'

'...by fighting a stronger foe, just like her.' Rei thought of it while looking at her.

As their eyes met, Ignia knew of what he was thinking.

"Yeah, it is very good to aim higher~" Ignia then straightened up her legs and stood up from her seat.

"Doldain." Then called his name.

"Understood." Doldain bowed his head for a moment.

Rei was confused when all of sudden Doldain backed away as far as he could from where he was standing.

"Huh?"

"Right now, you need to prove to me~" Ignia spoke while slowly gripping something in the air, and then...

*BZZZTT* *BZZZTT*

A sword appeared from thin air as she pulled it out. A sword with dragon design on it and the blade was dark brown in color.

Rei was surprised to see that, "W-wha—"

*SWOOSH*

Then without a warning, Ignia dashed at him at such a high speed.

"The hell—?!"

Rei immediately pulled out an iron sword from his [Inventory] and raised it.

*TING*

Then Ignia lifted her sword and swung it down at him.

"Heh~"

*BOOM*

After that a large explosion occurred at the balcony of the castle.

Dust and smoke blinded the view of these two as it slowly dissipated, it was quite of an unimaginable scene.

"Kugh—!!"

Rei was standing still with his body clad in black flame, along with his sword.

'[Agni]!'

Rei activated his skill to increase his vitality and durability while his body was clad in black flame.

Ignia smiled widely as her sword was blocked just like that, "Ara~ quite sturdy aren't you~!?"

But she wasn't even using her full strength. She raised a bit of her strength and her grip became stronger.

Rei was pushed back a bit even though he was holding the sword with two hands.

"Ughh—!!" Rei then released his right hand, then pulled out a spear through his [Inventory].

"Oh~ a spear?~"

*SWOOSH*

Then took this moment to thrust his spear at her.

*SWOOSH*

"Wow~ so aggressive~"

Ignia moved her head aside as his spear passed through.

*SWOOSH*

Followed with her swinging her left leg.

*BAM*

"But it lack speed~"

She performed a kick that directly hit Rei's right abdomen.

"Ack—!"

Then his body was flung away and...

*BAM*

...crashed towards the castle wall just right beside the door where they emerged from.

Rei coughed blood a bit and immediately fell to his knees, "Ughhh—"

"...and power~"

Ignia smiled when she lowered her left leg.

"Heh~ come on~ is that all you got?~" Ignia taunted.

Doldain sighed, "My King, you need to know that he's still injured and in the middle of recovering."

"You're worried if I might accidentally kill him? Then if he dies, it's because he is that weak." Ignia replied.

Such harsh words she uttered, it hadn't been a minute, he got hit and went down just like that in such a short moment.

'Damn it...' But Rei stood back on his feet again and stuck both his sword and spear on the ground.

Then he immediately took out a bow from his [Inventory].

Taking this moment when she was distracted by charging his aura into the arrow he was holding.

Then...

'[Artillery Strike]!' Rei shot the arrow at her.

Ignia immediately noticed it, her eyes shifted at the direction of the arrow that was aimed at her.

"Ohhh~ aren't you quite hasty?~"

But...

*SWOOSH*

His arrow that was clad in red aura, shifted its direction just right in the middle and...

*BOOM*

...struck the ground right in front of her.

Causing a large explosion where her eyes were blinded by the smoke and dust.

"Blinding my eyes~ such an obvious tactic~ but..."

*SWOOSH*

Ignia swung her sword to sweep the dust away from her sight.

"Do you think that would work on me?~"

But when she looked at her front after the dust dissipated.

*SWOOSH*

A spear clad in flame was thrown at her face.

"...?"

*BAM*

In that short moment she used her left hand and grabbed the spear before it could reach her face.

"Obvious attack—"

But Rei wasn't in her sight now.

Instead...

He was on her left side where her left was wide open due to her left arm being preoccupied with his spear.

He raised his sword up and clad in black flame together

"Ohhh~" But Ignia remained calm.

'Using two powerful moves to hide your presence...clever~' Ignia looked at his posture and she suddenly widened her eyes.

'Wait—this technique? This is—?!'

But before she could do anything, Rei swung his sword downwards vertically at her.

*SWOOSH*

'[Kagutsuchi no Ken]! + [Sky Decapitation]!'

*BAM*

It was a direct hit.

*BOOM*

Which resulted in a large explosion once again around him.

The dust once again blinded their vision, but when the dust was cleared.

Something unexpected happened.

*TING*

Rei's technique that could cut through a Dragon's body with his black flame...

"....?!"

*TSSSKKK*

Was stopped by the tip of her claw which blocked his sword.

The claw was from her right hand that shapeshifted into a dragon's hand.

Some of her skin turned into a red scale, and her eyes became sharper as she used her dragon's power.

But for some reason...her gaze...

She showed him a killing intent.

"You..."

After that she threw his spear away from her left hand and...

*SWOOSH*

*GRAB*

Grabbed his neck with her left hand.

Rei was surprised by her sudden change of emotion, "Ughh—?!"

As his body was lifted up.

"You...how did you know that technique?!"

From the way she spoke, she seemed to be angry at something.

Something related to his technique that he just performed. Rei could tell from her angry glare.

"U-ughh..."

But Rei couldn't talk because her hand on his neck stopped him from talking.

"Tell me!" Her attitude changed as her grip got stronger.

Rei widened his eyes, 'Ughh!! I....can't breath...! Must...stop her!!'

'[Agni]!!!'

*SWOOSH*

To stop her from holding his neck, Rei clad his body again by sparking out black flame.

"Tsk!—"

Ignia immediately released her hand away before she got caught by that black flame of his.

Rei coughed after he was released from her grasp.

"What the hell?!—" Rei was angry due to the sudden killing intent, but she didn't mean to try to kill him.

But if he's a normal person, her pressure is enough to kill him.

"My King, what were you doing?" Doldain was worried after seeing that scene as he went to her side.

Ignia didn't answer their question, instead she looked at her left hand.

"Hmmmm...you passed." She answered.

"Huh?? What?"

"I said you passed, I didn't mention how to end this but still you managed to get a hit on me." Ignia spoke while turning around without facing him.

"So tomorrow, me and Doldain will teach you some stuff that you wanted to learn, that's all."

The atmosphere around her became a lot quieter and down than usual.

Rei and Doldain were confused from the sudden change as they watched her walk away, leaving the two of them.

To be continued…