Chapter 186

Chapter 186
## Chapter 186: The Being That Must Be Served

Isera’s expression darkened with a deep scowl.

She had detected the emergence of a fresh “dragon vein” manifesting in the very sector where the demonic battalions had retreated following Basara’s instructions. Did this imply Basara had miscalculated? Isera dismissed the thought with a sharp tilt of her head.

‘It has manifested as an entirely new entity.’

She sensed an additional decline in her own strength. Dragon veins and the dragon gods tied to them functioned as natural anchors, designed to suppress “existences disrupting the balance.” Specifically, they served to severely diminish the combat attributes of demons crossing over from Pangeniar. This was precisely why Isera’s primary objective had been to locate and neutralize the resident dragon god.

However, before she could uncover the current guardian, a successor was already in the process of gestation.

‘For a fleeting heartbeat, the consciousness of this budding dragon god brushed against my own. There is no doubt the dragon vein is nurturing a new deity.’

Initially, she suspected only a dragon vein had formed. It was a known tactic for dragon gods to generate veins as decoys to weaken or mislead hostile invaders. Yet, moments ago, she had unmistakably felt the awakening mind of a gestating god. Isera, being a creature born from the essence of a dragon god herself, could not be mistaken.

‘This is no standard dragon god, either.’

This nascent being was a deviation. It was clearly a mutant, sharing a similar nature to herself or Basara. The brief mental contact had confirmed it.

‘…I cannot permit this to continue.’

The birth of this deity had to be intercepted. If the dragon vein reached maturity and the new dragon god ascended, the demonic legions would suffer a crippling blow to their effectiveness. A mutant dragon god would be particularly unpredictable and dangerous. The invasion, which she had previously deemed infallible, was now at risk. She could not allow this process to conclude while the original dragon god remained hidden.

‘Seven days remain until the dragon vein is finalized and the dragon god awakens.’

If she failed to obliterate the exposed dragon vein within that one-week window, the deity would be born, imposing further structural weaknesses upon her forces. Dragon gods were the quintessential apex predators for those from beyond. Furthermore, deciphering the specific “strike condition” of a mutant would be an agonizing challenge.

It was a mirror of her own existence. Isera possessed the ability to alter her personal “condition,” but it came with a significant drawback. Once changed, the rule remained static for a set duration, and she became exceptionally vulnerable to that specific “condition.”

‘…My vulnerability must remain a secret until I have completely gauged the military strength of Earth.’

Her mind drifted back to her defeat at the hands of Wilhelm. That terrifying man was a memory she fought to suppress. She had never imagined he would deduce her specific condition: “vulnerable to attacks when all active buffs have less than 5 seconds of duration remaining.” Once that secret was laid bare, Isera had been cut down without the chance to resist.

There was no certainty that Earth didn’t harbor another strategist like Wilhelm. She would not risk a direct confrontation until every variable was accounted for. With her resolve hardened, Isera issued a decree to her gathered host.

“Pay heed, soldiers. Our singular objective is now the prevention of the dragon vein’s maturation.”

It was an order for total mobilization. She was determined to ensure this new dragon god never drew its first breath.

—

The critical factor was time.

Seven days were all that stood between the Queen of the Bloodfiends and her ascension to the status of a “dragon god.” If the exposed “dragon vein” was not defended, the transformation would fail.

‘Isera will stop at nothing to halt the dragon vein’s completion.’

Her strategy was transparent. She would exhaust every resource to prevent the birth. The complication, however, was that I remained bound to the dragon vein’s exterior.

‘The queen is currently drawing energy from both the dragon vein and myself.’

If I moved away from the site, the flow of energy would be severed. Without my presence, the completion of the dragon god would face catastrophic delays.

‘…What is the best course of action?’

The directive to hold the dragon vein had been broadcast to all allies. But could the human forces hold out for a week without my direct intervention? Even with the demons further debased by the aura of the vein, the coalition under Dark Star was hardly a bastion of reliability. Nor could I easily relay complex instructions to them. To enter the sanctum of the dragon vein from the outside required the explicit consent of the dragon god—who did not yet fully exist.

‘There might be a way.’

A narrow path of possibility revealed itself. I considered the power of the Divine Faith Incantation. That specific energy allowed for the transmission of will across vast distances. The question was, which person should I entrust with the Divine Faith Incantation? After a brief moment of internal debate, I began to speak.

—

The report arrived: a dragon vein had manifested within the borders of Korea.

When Park Taewoo first processed the news, his pulse quickened with a mix of shock and adrenaline.

‘A dragon vein right here in Korea!’

His initial reaction was one of hope, but that was quickly eclipsed by the realization of the impending catastrophe. He soon understood that the entire demonic vanguard was pivoting toward the peninsula.

‘Heaven help us. Why must we face such an overwhelming trial!’

Park Taewoo, recognized as Korea’s premier champion, felt the weight of despair. While it was a relief that the international alliance was mobilizing toward Korea, it meant his homeland was about to become the epicenter of the greatest war in history. Regardless of who won, the cost would be astronomical.

‘Only desolation lies ahead. Korea will be reduced to ruins.’

Battlefields were notoriously unforgiving. Once the dust settled, nothing of the old world would remain. Countless people would perish, cities would be leveled, and the nation would spiral into a dark age. Yet, he felt powerless to steer the course of fate. In the grand hierarchy of the alliance, Park Taewoo was a minor figure.

It was in this state of hopelessness, just as he arrived back on Korean soil, that he was approached.

“Are you the one…?”

A man, dressed with impeccable neatness, had approached him without fanfare. He was a foreigner. As the stranger introduced himself, Park Taewoo’s senses snapped into focus.

“…Hudson? Wait—are you the Hudson? The primary lieutenant from Labyrinth City? You’re a player?”

—

In her original state, the Queen of the Bloodfiends possessed neither intellect nor sagacity. She was a creature of pure biological imperative, driven solely by the need to propagate her kind. This was the natural state for a being designed for the singular purpose of Bloodfiend reproduction—a life of instinct, devoid of contemplation.

‘Transcendence. Moving beyond the horizon of one’s limitations.’

However, through the influence of the “Core of Transcendent Evolution,” the Queen attained “consciousness” for the first time. With the birth of a mind came an immediate sense of revulsion toward her own physical state. She saw a bloated, cumbersome frame—sluggish meat that was incapable of graceful movement.

‘The king requires a servant. I cannot fulfill my duty in this hideous form.’

She could not attend to her sovereign while trapped in such a shape. She needed to break the chains of her design and evolve. Spurred by this newfound will, her body began a rapid metamorphosis. Human-like legs formed, her silhouette streamlined, and jagged, skeletal wings tore through the skin of her back. This transformation was guided by her perception of her “master.”

The monarch of the Bloodfiends possessed a human likeness. As her body shifted, her intellect followed suit, gaining the depth and complexity of human thought.

-World Tree Root.

The evolution did not stop there. As her physical shift concluded, she tapped into the ancient “truth” embedded within the World Tree’s root.

‘The root is the genesis. The start of all things.’

Her mind expanded. Her knowledge grew vast, and a shimmer of cosmic mystery took hold in her gaze. The World Tree’s root held the foundational secrets of the cosmos. She was no longer a mere breeding queen guided by hunger.

‘I crave knowledge. I seek power. Longing and ambition—feelings I have never known.’

The change was radical, yet she embraced it.

‘My advancement is the advancement of the entire Bloodfiend race.’

She was their sovereign. Her growth would inevitably pull her subjects to higher heights. But there was still more to integrate.

-Heavenly Shattered Egg.

A massive shell of mysterious origin. Though it was fractured, its essence was profound, radiating an intense divine aura. Even with her enlightened eyes, its true worth was staggering.

‘This is a vessel.’

She realized the egg’s function. Even in its broken state, the lingering energy that had once nurtured a greater being remained potent. She sensed that by utilizing this energy, she could reach an even higher plane of existence. The Blade Queen stepped carefully into the ruins of the egg.

In that instant:

‘…!!!’

Her perception of the world exploded. Every mind became a point on a shared map. From the Bloodfiends nearby to the tiny insects in the grass beyond the dragon vein, from the teeming masses of humans to the invading demons—even beings on the far side of the globe felt like extensions of herself. It was as if she had ascended to godhood.

‘…In the distant past, a deity was formed and birthed from this very shell.’

She understood then. The egg had been the cradle of a god. Though she didn’t know which one, she had inherited a remnant of its divine spark. Simultaneously, the dragon vein began to impose the destiny of a “dragon god” upon her. The vein itself transformed into a “tower”—a physical manifestation of divinity.

‘But I am not a god.’

She realized that becoming a standard dragon god would tether her to the dragon vein forever. Her true desire was to be at the side of the one she served. She had changed her very shape for that purpose. She could not accept a role that would isolate her.

‘There is only one god in my world, and he is the one I serve.’

Randolph.

If a god existed, it was him alone. Therefore, she refused to become one herself. Furthermore, she felt her current divinity was incomplete. Her rank had soared, but it felt hollow. To force a transformation into a dragon god now would result in a flawed, half-baked deity. The Blade Queen knew this to be a fundamental truth.

It was then that a series of messages resonated:

《The ‘Intact Golden Rule’ elevates the Blade Queen’s rank.》
《The ‘Intact Golden Rule’ elevates the Blade Queen’s rank.》
《The ‘Intact Golden Rule’ elevates the Blade Queen’s rank.》

……Ah.

The sensation was overwhelming. It was a flood of prestige, memory, and history. It felt like the collective legacy of ancient, luminous beings. While most such legacies had crumbled into dust, the Intact Golden Rule preserved them like a perfect diamond. It was a supreme treasure capable of mending any “void” in one’s soul. And he had bestowed it upon her without hesitation.

‘If this is what the king desires…!’

The Queen shivered with profound emotion. Only Randolph could provide such a magnificent gift. It was his will that she not remain incomplete, but become a perfected being. As his loyal subject, she would fulfill his vision. The Blade Queen cast aside all remaining hesitation.

《The Blade Queen’s level cap is unlocked from 13 to 16.》
《The Blade Queen’s stats rise dramatically.》
《The same effect is granted to the Blade Queen’s legion.》
《The number of Bloodfiends the Blade Queen can command is upgraded to 1,000,000.》
《The ‘Heavenly Shattered Egg’ has exhausted all its energy.》
《The ‘Heavenly Shattered Egg’ transforms into ‘Bloodfiend Spawning Nest.’》
《‘Bloodfiend Spawning Nest’ increases the probability of even more special Bloodfiends being born.》
《‘Bloodfiend Spawning Nest’ can produce up to 2,000 eggs per day.》
《The hatching time for eggs produced in the ‘Bloodfiend Spawning Nest’ is shortened by 20%.》
《The Blade Queen acquires the karma of ‘Dragon God – Follower.’》
《‘Dragon God – Follower’ connects to the object of worship, ‘Randolph.’》
《‘Dragon God – Follower’ takes damage only when ‘Randolph’ is attacked. It is immune to all other attacks.》
《‘Dragon God – Follower’ can move outside the ‘dragon vein’ according to the commands of the one it worships.》