Chapter 135

Chapter 135
## Chapter 135

The current state of affairs struck Ivar as completely bleak.

Throughout the initial two trials, Lucian had demonstrated a staggering disparity in skill compared to his rivals. Among the tribespeople, it was already widely accepted as a certainty that Lucian would ascend as the next chieftain.

In this climate, any desperate attempt by Ivar to sabotage Lucian would find zero backing. Cornered and with no moves left, Ivar played his final card as the day of the third trial arrived.

“The third trial consists of a duel. However, this will not be a contest between the candidates themselves, but a challenge issued by us to verify your capabilities.”

“…It sounds as though I am the only one being put to the test.”

“Precisely so.”

Ivar gave a firm nod, acknowledging Lucian’s sharp observation.

“You have already been granted the Dragon’s Selection. For such an individual to simply compete for the leadership would be nonsensical. Nevertheless, we maintain our own right to choose who shall rule over us.”

“So, your requirement is for me to prove my right to lead by crushing all of you?”

“One who has claimed the Dragon’s Heart could surely never fall to those of us who possess only minor fragments of its power. Is that not the logic?”

If Lucian were to suffer defeat at the hands of even a single challenger, it would imply that the Dragon’s Selection had been an error. Having made his point, Ivar maintained a bold, unshakable expression, as if his reasoning were beyond reproach.

Lucian let out a brief, mirthless chuckle at Ivar’s last-ditch effort, which was poorly hidden behind a mask of stoicism.

How miserable. Then again, having been backed into such a corner, he has no alternative but to try and settle this through combat.

Lucian’s displays up to this point had been nothing short of legendary. When paired with the narrative Marius had carefully woven beforehand, it appeared as though a mythic hero had manifested in the flesh.

Because of this, he had easily won over the hearts of the tribes, but this success had also caused the public’s expectations of him to reach impossible heights. Even if a trial was blatantly unfair by the standards of a normal warrior, the onlookers now considered it a fitting challenge for someone of Lucian’s stature.

After all, a man who commanded the elite and held the Dragon’s Heart was expected to navigate such hardships with effortless grace.

He realizes the tribe won’t stand for it if he tries to ruin me through raw malice, so he’s disguising his intent as a formal test. Still, it’s a decent enough plot for something thrown together in a day.

Tales of a singular, mighty warrior vanquishing a crowd of foes were a staple of folklore—clichéd, perhaps, but effective. While the demand was somewhat lopsided, given the aura Lucian had cultivated, it wasn’t a reach for the people to demand such a feat.

Furthermore, Ivar and his two sons had also integrated fragments of the Dragon’s Magic Power. They likely held onto the hope that in a life-or-death struggle, they might actually stand a chance against Lucian and his Dragon’s Heart.

“Hmm, thinking on it, the chieftain makes a fair point.”

“Anyone who seeks to challenge a legend should face an ordeal that matches that power.”

“To be honest, I’m eager to see the true extent of the Dragon’s power with my own eyes.”

Just as suspected, the tribespeople responded positively to Ivar’s condition. Feeling the weight of the expectant looks directed his way, Lucian gave a casual shrug and addressed the group.

“Fine, I accept. Just to clarify—do you intend to attack me all at once?”

“Is it perhaps too daunting for the master of the Dragon’s Heart to contend with three warriors simultaneously?”

“Hardly. I simply assumed it would be more efficient. Duel after duel feels like a bit of a repetitive task.”

Ivar ground his teeth at Lucian’s nonchalant confidence. He was unable to discern if Lucian was genuinely that assured of a three-on-one victory or if he was merely playing a game of nerves.

“To your misfortune, you will face us in a series of consecutive individual bouts. A true warrior does not deliver a blow from the shadows.”

Strike from behind, my foot.

They were undoubtedly opting for one-on-one matches because they were blind to the full extent of his skills. By staying on the perimeter and watching, they hoped to identify a flaw they could exploit.

Lucian repressed a smirk and adopted a look of mock disappointment.

“If that’s how it must be. When shall we begin?”

“Right here, in this moment.”

“I appreciate the urgency. Who is the first to step up?”

“That would be me.”

Hearing the voice from the flank, Lucian shifted his gaze to see Einar approaching, an axe resting against his shoulder. Einar met Lucian’s eyes with a look of grim resolve and lowered his weapon.

In response, Lucian unsheathed his blade and moved toward Einar. As the two opponents took their positions with a clear gap between them, the surrounding tribespeople pulled back to create a makeshift arena.

“Is there anything you wish to say before we start?”

At Lucian’s inquiry, Einar blinked in momentary confusion before a self-deprecating smile touched his lips.

“What words could I possibly offer you now? I have not yet forgotten the weight of shame and loss of honor.”

Einar, who had viewed Lucian as a peer only days prior, was now speaking with formal deference. This wasn’t the shallow, calculated respect shown by his father, Ivar; it was a tone steeped in genuine awe.

Lucian observed Einar closely and remarked, “If the shame is so heavy, you could have walked away. You remain loyal to your father’s commands to the very end.”

“He remains my blood. How could I abandon him simply to preserve myself? If I cannot pull him from the fire, then I must burn alongside him.”

“Even if the time for shared sacrifice has already passed? Would you hold to that choice if the rest of your kin were gone and you were the only one left standing?”

Einar’s expression turned rigid at the pointed question. After a brief period of silent reflection, Einar exhaled a heavy sigh and shifted his axe into a fighting stance.

“Let the trial commence.”

A grin tugged at the corners of Lucian’s mouth. It was clear Einar had no intention of responding, likely because he was too proud to plead for his life—even though Lucian had no desire to kill him.

He’s too valuable a man to waste here.

He was far superior to his father, possessing a spirit more honorable than many of the Empire’s own knights. If brought into the fold, Einar could serve as a perfect link between the northern snowfield tribes and the common people of the Empire.

Having resolved to keep Einar alive, Lucian allowed his sword to hang loosely toward the earth.

“Make your move.”

“Take your stance.”

“My apologies, but you aren’t an opponent who requires me to brace myself. Disregard these trifles and strike first.”

Einar’s complexion flushed red at the blatant provocation. Though he struggled with his own guilt, having his prowess as a combatant dismissed so casually was an entirely different wound.

“You will regret your arrogance!”

Whoosh!

Einar charged at Lucian, the Dragon’s Magic Power surging violently through his frame. His velocity and raw power were easily on par with the most elite knights of the Empire.

Yet, Lucian didn’t so much as flinch. He merely extended his bare hand toward the descending axe.

“What are you…!”

Einar was struck with horror by the suicidal gesture, but the momentum of his swing was far past the point of no return. The heavy axe blade slammed into Lucian’s open palm with bone-shattering force.

CLANG!

“…!?”

The crowd stood in stunned silence. How could the sound of metal striking metal ring out so loudly when the weapon had met only human flesh?

A second later, Einar, finally grasping the reality of the sound, let out a terrified gasp.

“This is impossible!”

Lucian was gripping the edge of the axe blade with his fingers as if it were a mere toy. Even though Einar had put every ounce of his strength into the blow, Lucian showed no signs of exertion.

Giving the blade a playful shake, Lucian offered a mocking smile.

“Is this the best you can do?”

“….”

Beads of cold sweat rolled down Einar’s brow. To a distant observer, it might look like Lucian was using sheer, monstrous physical strength to halt the blade before it pierced his skin.

But Einar, being the one holding the weapon, understood the truth.

The blade hadn’t been caught mid-air. It had made full contact with the palm.

The axe had undeniably impacted Lucian’s hand. And yet, the steel had failed to leave even the faintest mark on Lucian’s flesh.

“Just what kind of trick is this?”

“You don’t recognize it? It is a power you are supposed to already hold.”

The moment he finished speaking, a shimmering, flame-like aura began to radiate from Lucian’s form. Upon closer inspection, it became clear that Lucian was encased in a subtle, translucent layer of mana.

Only then did the realization hit Einar regarding the force that had neutralized his attack.

“The Dragon’s Power…!”

At Einar’s exclamation, Lucian’s smile deepened, confirming the warrior’s suspicion.

—

“Dragon mana represents the fundamental essence of a dragon’s might.”

The previous evening, Marius had addressed Lucian’s inquiries with profound earnestness. He had been meticulous in his phrasing, translating complex concepts into terms that even a novice to the arcane could grasp.

Likely owing to his years of mentoring various pupils, Marius’s tutorial was remarkably coherent.

“Every feat a dragon performs is fueled by the mana stored within its heart. Since Your Highness has claimed that heart’s power, you are theoretically capable of mimicking all the divine authorities of the ancient dragons.”

“Does that mean I can breathe flames from my throat as well?”

“Indeed. Provided you possess unwavering conviction, an internal structure to act as a substitute for a flame sac, and the precision to dictate the flow of the manifesting mana.”

Lucian was momentarily speechless when his sarcastic question received such a dead-serious reply. Could a human body truly exhale fire?

“Is such a thing actually feasible?”

“In theory, it is entirely within reach. The hurdle is that Your Highness was born into a human frame and has spent a lifetime conditioned by human logic.”

A dragon understands its capabilities from the instant of its birth, and its heart is an organ perfectly tuned for such a beast. Consequently, to harness that power in a human vessel, one must emulate a dragon in both mindset and physical intent.

A dragon’s internal engine would never spontaneously recalibrate itself to fit a human.

“Consider the heat produced during the manifestation of mana. A dragon possesses a specialized organ to contain that heat from birth, allowing it to pool the energy internally before a controlled release, but…”

“Humans lack such an organ. So, the moment that mana is summoned, it simply dissipates or leaks out.”

“Precisely so.”

“Then breathing fire or soaring through the clouds would be nearly impossible. The former is too dangerous to attempt with a substitute organ, and the latter would, at the very least, require a set of wings.”

A dragon could hoist its immense bulk into the air and glide with nothing but two thin membranes. That flight was likely empowered by the heart, but it also meant that even a dragon required the specific physical apparatus—wings—to fly.

If a human, devoid of such draconic features, tried to force a different body part to fill the role, the resulting strain would likely tear them apart.

“More importantly, I can’t intuitively understand how to breathe fire or fly. It’s something I’ve never done.”

“That is a valid point. However, the acts of moving one’s body with speed or striking with immense strength are things humans experience daily.”

“I follow. Is that why the body grows stronger just by soaking in the Dragon’s Magic Power?”

Because simple physical reinforcement naturally satisfied the requirements without the need to consciously pretend to be a dragon.

Having absorbed the core of the concept, Lucian grew pensive. How could he naturally mimic a dragon to unlock its deeper power?

Claws could be simulated with a blade, teeth were impractical, and poison—much like wings—lacked the necessary biological foundation. Among the remaining traits, there was only one that seemed viable.

“Can I replicate the durability of dragon scales using a human body?”

To Lucian’s query, Marius provided an immediate answer without the slightest doubt.

“It can be done.”

—

The technique for manifesting dragon scales was relatively straightforward. It involved layering a dense shroud of mana over the standard physical reinforcement that any skilled knight could perform.

While the natural boost to durability was minor, the crucial factor was that the flesh became objectively tougher, if only by a fraction.

The secret is that the base durability increases at all. If there is even a trace of an effect, I can use the Dragon’s Power to amplify that effect a hundredfold.

The result was that Lucian’s skin, when saturated with mana, became so resilient it was practically indistinguishable from dragon scales. It reached a point where nothing less than a strike from a master like Felicia could hope to draw blood.

Inevitably, Einar, who operated on a completely different level than someone like Felicia, had no chance of piercing Lucian’s defenses.

Lucian looked down at Einar, who remained paralyzed by the revelation.

“Is this the extent of your strength?”