Boom!

The cave trembled once again.

The iron door remained intact.

‘It’s not the entrance. It’s outside.’

Theo looked up at the ceiling.

‘What’s happening on the cliff?’

Someone had definitely collided.

He had repeatedly confirmed that no one was following him.

‘Or did they come after me because I disappeared?’

That was a possibility.

After all, he had placed first in the first Blooming Ritual.

It was only natural that there would be many who targeted him, just like Hyde and his gang.

‘I’ve been away for too long.’

It was time to head back.

“Is something happening outside? Is it the Blooming Ritual?”

“Yes. That’s correct.”

“What a useless thing. Herding children into a trap... Well, thanks to that, I've had a rather entertaining spectacle every year.”

Lodbrok chuckled and urged him to respond again.

“So, what’s your conclusion?”

“My answer remains the same. Lodbrok, I choose you as my reward.”

Thud!

Lodbrok’s movements halted.

Her face turned rigid.

[You have chosen ‘Ragnar’s Protector Dragon - Lodbrok’ as your reward.]

[The title: ‘Companion of the Protector Dragon’ has been created.]

[The title: ‘Descendant of the Ancestor’ has been created.]

[A spiritual connection with Lodbrok has been established. You can now partially read Lodbrok’s surface thoughts.]

Messages popped up in succession.

It meant he could no longer back down.

“...What are you thinking? You can’t be that foolish. I’ve given you this opportunity!”

Lodbrok’s face twisted with displeasure.

“Or are you feeling pity for me? Foolish! A Selector with the duty to stop the Nameless Monarch should not make such an emotional decision!”

“I’ll find a way, won’t I?”

“What?”

At Theo's calm response, Lodbrok flinched without realizing it.

“I will find something to replace the broken heart, no matter what.”

“How do you plan to do that?”

“You said that the Primordial Dragon Relics are fragments of the Primordial Dragon’s soul, right? Since it’s the same dragon, there might be an answer among them, don’t you think?”

“...!”

“Even if that’s not the case, while searching for the relics, I might come across various treasures or Mystics, and among those, there might be substitutes or methods that come close.”

Compassion?

Pity?

Perhaps that was correct.

Theo could see himself from his past life reflected in Lodbrok’s eyes.

But that didn’t mean he made an impulsive choice without thought.

‘If I can be with Lodbrok, I’ll have a position incomparable to any other heir.’

Just becoming the ‘companion’ of the Protector Dragon who revived Ragnar with Sigurd would give him an unparalleled legitimacy.

Moreover, everything in Lodbrok's nest was exceptional treasure, which would surely aid his growth.

“Until the end...!”

Lodbrok seemed to be about to say something but then let out a deep sigh.

When she spoke again, her face was a mixture of complex emotions.

“...You remind me of Sigurd for some reason.”

Then Lodbrok spoke again.

“Fine. You speak with such confidence, I’ll trust you once. It’s amusing to receive help from the son of the one who harmed me, but it’s a significant aid, so you have enough qualifications to be my companion. However, there are conditions.”

Theo nodded.

“I cannot leave the nest in this state. If I do, I won’t last even three months due to mana loss.”

Lodbrok chuckled bitterly and raised her hand.

Then a part of the bookshelf trembled, and a thick tome flew into her grasp.

“So until you find a ‘way,’ I will hibernate here. Take this with you.”

“What is this?”

“It’s a grimoire called <Amon>.”

“...!”

Theo received the book she handed him with trembling hands.

He never expected to encounter Amon here.

“You seem to know it, huh? It’s the only one of its kind in the world.”

“...I was surprised that it’s a grimoire with a demon’s name.”

“A demon? Ah, I see it’s known that way to you folks.”

Lodbrok shook her head and continued.

“Well, it did lose itself to rage later and lost its ego, so it wouldn’t be strange to be called that... But originally, Amon is nothing like such a trivial thing.”

Theo ran his fingers over the tome.

Its soft texture felt good.

Despite being a grimoire with a demon's name, it emanated a sense of reverence.

“Amon originally means ‘hidden existence’ and symbolizes everything invisible. Another name for Amon, ‘Om (oṃ),’ is said to be the sound that echoed at the beginning and represents the sacred tone that condenses all vibrations of the universe. Merely reciting it can purify the soul.”

Theo's eyes widened.

From just Lodbrok’s explanation, it seemed more appropriate to refer to the grimoire as a ‘holy book’ or ‘scripture’ rather than just a spellbook.

“Familiarize yourself with this for now. If you do, this place will awaken.”

Lodbrok tapped his head with her finger.

Theo's eyes naturally widened.

There was no way he wouldn’t understand what that meant.

• The brain gate opens.

The human brain is where the soul resides.

When this place is said to ‘awaken,’ it means not only will intelligence and judgment improve, but it will also create a connection with the energy of nature that flows between heaven and earth.

In other words, it meant he could achieve spiritual growth.

This could lead to significant development.

The rise of his Level.

It was a stroke of luck that every martial artist chasing after the sword would desire.

‘This is why Heuksul chose this!’

The rise of Level would grant tremendous power to the heir they served.

“Amon is the ‘voice of the soul’ and ‘vibration of truth.’ It expands spiritual waves, awakening the essence of things, and allows you to hear the voice of thoughts buried within. Once you reach a certain level, you’ll also be able to hear my voice.”

...The voice of the soul? The vibration of truth?

What is a spiritual wave, and what is the essence of things?

Each term was difficult, but there was one thing he understood.

• He would be able to converse with Lodbrok even after leaving this place.

And that meant one thing.

“So from that point on, I can truly borrow Lodbrok’s power.”

Borrowing Lodbrok’s power meant he would receive the same benefits that Sigurd had.

In other words, it meant he could become the ‘real’ Dragon Lord!

Thump, thump, thump!

Since ancient times, the position of Dragon Lord has been one that every swordsman of Ragnar coveted since Sigurd.

Theo felt as though the path leading to that place was already opening before him, and his heart raced wildly.

“Are you calling me by name already? You’re quite the arrogant companion.”

“I thought that as a companion, it would be fine to call you by name. If it makes you uncomfortable, I can refer to you as ‘Protector Dragon’ again.”

“That’s fine. Just hearing it is enough to make my arms itch.”

Lodbrok waved her hand dismissively.

“You're right. From the moment we can communicate back and forth in earnest, you too will receive the same privileges that your ancestor enjoyed. The ‘dragon factor’ that lies dormant in your blood will awaken.”

The power of the ancestor.

Theo clenched his fist tightly.

“Of course, for that to happen, my recovery must take priority. Remember, as I mentioned, I have at most two to three years left.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll manage somehow within that time.”

“I hope your skills match your boasting.”

[You have obtained the grimoire ‘Amon’ as an additional reward.]

[Refer to the contents described inside the book for usage instructions.]

[You have gained a massive amount of experience.]

[Your level has increased.]

Lodbrok clapped her hands enthusiastically.

Clap!

“Then I declare that the primordial pact has concluded. Let’s look forward to our future endeavors together.”

Lodbrok’s solemn expression transformed back into a faint smile.

“A new companion after a millennium.”

Her voice was filled with mischief.

And then.

Flash!

Theo felt himself enveloped in a burst of light before he was thrust into another area with a sensation of space warping.

Before the light filled his vision completely, the last thing Theo saw was Lodbrok returning to her true form and entering hibernation.

Just before his eyelids closed.

Her golden pupils seemed to be looking at something far away.

Somewhere like a distant past.

Whiii...!

Theo found himself on the cliff above the Protector Dragon's Nest, the very spot where he had clashed with Hyde's gang.

It felt like a dream.

Meeting the Protector Dragon, becoming her companion, and obtaining Amon all felt distant, as if experienced in a dream.

But the grimoire in his right hand confirmed that everything he had gone through was real.

‘Get a grip. There are many things I need to pay attention to if I want to revive Lodbrok.’

In particular, finding a replacement for the Dragon Heart required utmost caution.

Since Kyle had taken Lodbrok’s Dragon Heart, if it were discovered that he was trying to revive her, it surely wouldn’t end well.

Crack!

Theo lightly slapped his face with his palm to regain focus.

‘First, I need to find the nearest safe zone.’

The examination for the second Blooming Ritual involved summing up the scores of the monsters hunted over a fortnight.

But there was actually a hidden ‘another’ test.

To complete it, he needed to gather as many different types of totems as possible.

‘First, the direction is... southwest?’

As Theo turned his gaze according to the sensitive sense provided by the Dragon Heart, various landscapes around him came into view.

Though partly covered by a snowstorm, there were still traces of blood and signs of battle scattered across the snowy plains.

The traces of shock he sensed from Lodbrok’s nest were evident.

Theo crouched down and touched the bloodstained soil with his index finger.

‘The battle must have ended only about ten minutes ago. There were about nine? No, ten people involved. The forces that clashed were mainly three. The number of people is five, four, and one, respectively.’

Theo quickly deduced the events that had occurred here based on his past life experiences.

While two groups of roughly equal numbers and strength clashed, one remaining person nearby got caught up in it.

The problem was that this one person was an exceptional fighter, capable of matching the other two groups.

As a result, the clash escalated significantly.

That one person attempted to flee after suffering serious injuries from being outnumbered.

‘The place that person headed to is where the totems are located. The remaining two forces are currently pursuing them.’

As soon as Theo grasped how the situation was unfolding, he began to move quickly.

If this person appeared right where he was, it was certain they were targeting him.

Then, he needed to take advantage of the chaos to strike from behind.

Moreover,

If Theo’s assumptions were correct, the person currently being pursued was a participant he knew well.

“Haah, haah, haah...!”

Inside a cave, half-hidden by a snowstorm, where one could never find if they didn’t know the area well.

Ray Ragnar leaned against the wall, pressing her hand to the wound on her left side.

Blood was pouring out from the injury.

“Ugh!”

Shiiing!

Her hand began to turn pale, and the wound area was covered in ice, stopping the bleeding.

<Ice White Shield>.

This was one of the techniques Ray had learned from her master to heal her wounds during her struggles with the soundless pulse.

“Whew...!”

Ray finally managed to catch her breath.

She was on the verge of exhaustion due to continuous battles and pursuits.

If she hadn’t scouted this cave where the totem was located in advance, she would have been too distracted to keep an eye out for the monsters drawn by the smell of blood.

“How did that kid... overcome such a situation... all this time...?”

At this point, Ray found herself astonished by Theo.

Even she, who had faced nine opponents, was this exhausted.

How had Theo managed to handle everything since the second Blooming Ritual began?

“There shouldn’t be... anything wrong...”

Ray closed her eyes quietly.

The biggest topic among participants in the testing ground right now was, ‘Where on earth has Theo hidden?’

Ray, worried about Theo, had acted separately.

In the process, she had collided with two factions.

The group belonging to the Cultivation Society.

And the training swordsmen from the Plum Blossom Clan.

It was clear why the Cultivation Society was chasing Theo.

It must have been instigated by Axion.

However, what was incomprehensible was why the training swordsmen of the Plum Blossom Clan bore ‘malice’ towards Theo.

It had already spread widely through Winterer that the Plum Blossom Lord wanted to take Theo as her disciple.

So Ray had clashed with those two factions to separate them from Theo.

Her injuries were all a result of that encounter.

‘I must find that kid before they do.’

To repay the favor from her childhood that she had yet to repay.

Just a little rest and then she would move again.

Just as Ray was thinking this and about to close her eyes...

Swoosh!

Suddenly, Ray swung the sword she had placed on the ground wildly.

Crash—

In an instant, the interior of the cave was covered in ice.