A Dragonslayer’s Peerless Regression

Chapter 6

A handsome man with long red hair sipped his tea, savoring the aroma of black tea.

He wore black leather gloves etched with strange patterns.

Unlike typical knights, his attire consisted of a black uniform and leather coat, with his sword strapped diagonally across his back—a style that symbolized only one thing.

A knight of the Draker Household.

Among them, he held the most esteemed status as a pure-blood Dragonslayer.

Abel Draker, the second of the five direct descendants of the Draker Household, placed his teacup down with a satisfied expression.

“The aroma of this tea is excellent.”

With hair resembling a lion’s mane, Abel Draker was a knight who had earned the moniker Lion Sword for his exploits on the battlefield.

Across from him, his cousin William Zimmens let out a small sigh at Abel’s relaxed demeanor.

“How can you drink tea so calmly right now, Abel?”

William’s expression was grave as he read through the news his younger brother Owen had sent from The Cradle.

“You’re not even slightly fazed after hearing that Zeke defeated Reina Turunn?”

Abel chuckled as he set down his teacup.

“William, you always take things too seriously.”

With a composed expression, Abel asked him casually, “Isn’t the Blessing Ceremony approaching soon?”

William nodded. “Yes, it’s a month away.”

Abel smirked as he stood and walked over to the window.

The view outside sharply contrasted with the tranquil atmosphere of the room.

The surroundings were engulfed in flames, with people screaming amidst the chaos.

Knights were beheading prisoners and tossing their corpses into pits filled with bodies.

Despite the apocalyptic scene, Abel’s expression remained calm.

He spoke slowly. “It seems it’s time for me to visit the main estate.”

Abel’s voice carried a hint of curiosity.

“I’m eager to see what kind of awakening our youngest will achieve.”

* * *

Whoosh! Whoosh!

In the private training chamber, Zeke swung a claymore with deliberate precision.

Horizontal. Vertical.

For the past month, following the end-of-year evaluations, Zeke had focused solely on the fundamentals of swordsmanship, practicing basic slashes until it became monotonous.

After defeating Reina and causing an uproar throughout The Cradle, he had secluded himself in the training room, dedicating all his time to honing his swordsmanship.

“Hah…”

Upon completing his ten thousandth swing, Zeke wiped the sweat from his face with a towel.

In the span of a month, his body had undergone remarkable changes.

He had grown over five centimeters taller, and his frame was now covered with muscles as solid as stone.

This transformation was the result of a grueling regimen of overexertion, followed by healing through Healing, repeated relentlessly.

“Hah.”

Zeke exhaled as he spoke.

“Open status window.”

Active Skills: Precise Stab [Grade E (Expert)] / Consecutive Slashes [Grade D (Beginner)] / Critical Strike [Grade D (Skilled)] / Quick Steps [Grade D (Skilled)]

“Hmm…”

While training with the sword, the Slash skill had advanced beyond the expert level and transformed into Consecutive Slashes.

Consecutive Slashes was a higher-tier skill with greater accuracy compared to Slash.

‘I still don’t understand why I’m the only one who can see this.’

Zeke shook his head as he reviewed the status window. For now, he could only guess that it might be connected to the ancient artifact he had discovered in his past life.

To reach the Ice Mountain Range, where the ancient artifact was hidden, he needed to be at least at the level of a Blue Knight or higher. At his current stage, he had no way of investigating the mystery of the status window.

Zeke shifted his focus to the Karma Points.

Perhaps eliminating mana-infused monsters and acquiring more points would reveal additional information about this system.

‘For now, regaining my original strength comes first.’

Knock knock!

Someone knocked on the door of the private training room.

“Come in.”

Decker entered.

“Young master, we depart in two hours.”

Zeke nodded and replied, “Understood. I’ll head out shortly. Make the preparations.”

* * *

Rumble, rumble, rumble!

Carriages carrying trainees of The Cradle began moving, escorted by knights of the Draker Household.

The family crest was engraved on the carriages.

The Cradle was situated within the domain of Dragon’s Nest, the ancestral territory of the Draker Household.

Dragon’s Nest held significant symbolic value as the birthplace of the Draker lineage. However, as the duchy of Troy, where the main house was located, lay on the western edge of the continent, the household’s true center of power resided in the Four Seasons Castle, located in the continental hub of Midland.

One reason the ancestral home of the Draker Household carried such importance was the Blessing Ceremony.

And now, the carriages, carrying trainees, sped toward the ancestral home for this Blessing Ceremony.

Thud!

The trainees alighted from the carriages, all dressed in black robes adorned with the crest of the Draker Household.

Zeke stepped down from his carriage as well.

‘It’s been a while.’

He gazed around the central building of the ancestral home, commonly referred to as the Lair, preserved for over a millennium.

This was where Terakan Draker, the founder, was said to have been born and raised, marking the beginning of the legend of the Dragonslayers.

The trainees proceeded toward the hall where the Blessing Ceremony would take place.

Rumble!

The doors opened, revealing a massive hall.

On the central wall of the hall, a mural depicted Terakan Draker, the founder, with a chain wrapped around the neck of the evil dragon Bahamut as he brought down his sword in a decisive strike.

Inside the hall, knights and retainers of the Draker Household were already assembled, dressed in formal uniforms, awaiting the trainees.

Also present were parents of the trainees and representatives of allied families who had come to witness the Blessing Ceremony.

Standing at the very back, Zeke scanned the hall and its occupants.

‘More unfamiliar faces than familiar ones.’

In truth, in his previous life, he had been expelled from the family at fifteen, leaving him with little opportunity to meet the knights of the Draker Household directly.

He had learned more about the Drakers’ affairs while wandering the continent, gleaning news from various reports and rumors.

Among those gathered, Zeke suspected that some were likely informants serving the direct descendants engaged in the race to become the next head of the household.

‘Well, once they realize I’m not awakening, they’ll lose interest soon enough.’

At that moment, Zeke’s eyes landed on a striking figure.

A man with red hair, wearing a distinct uniform and leather gloves, stood apart from the others.

Seeing him made Zeke’s heart pound as if it were about to drop.

‘Why is that person here…?’

The man was none other than Abel Draker, the second son of the Draker Household’s main lineage.

Noticing Zeke’s gaze, Abel turned his head, locking eyes with him, and smirked.

A genius who, a decade ago, had become the youngest Blue Knight in history at a mere twenty years old, earning the title Lion Blade.

Now, as a rising star shaking the continent, Abel Draker was here in person.

Zeke swallowed hard as he stared at him.

‘Lion Blade. Or rather, the Knight of Carnage….’

In his previous life, Abel Draker had become a harbinger of chaos, not only within the Draker Household but across the entire continent.

Seeing Abel now, Zeke’s tension rose.

‘In my past life, Abel never came here. So… this means the future has already changed because of me.’

Though the change was subtle, something was indeed shifting from the events of his previous life.

At that moment, Pan Mark appeared, dressed in the formal attire of the household.

“The Blessing Ceremony is about to begin!”

At his announcement, everyone in the hall stepped back toward the walls.

Servants emerged, carrying something to the center of the hall.

Thud, thud, thud!

A large object, covered in cloth, was placed at the center.

At Pan’s gesture, the servants pulled away the covering.

Even though Zeke already knew what it was, his eyes wavered at the sight.

‘To think I’d have to see that accursed thing again.’

At the center of the hall stood a massive bronze statue of a man clad in armor, holding a sword.

It was the Sword Deity Statue, used in the Draker Household’s Blessing Ceremony.

Pan called out from in front of the Sword Deity Statue.

“Aaron. Step forward.”

From the front of the group, a tall boy approached the statue.

Aaron, visibly tense, gazed up at the Sword Deity Statue before slowly kneeling on one knee. He reached into the bowl of water placed at the base of the statue.

The sharp needle at the bottom of the bowl pricked his palm.

Wooooooong!

As blood from the prick spread faintly through the water, the surface rippled, and the bowl began to glow.

The Sword Deity Statue trembled.

Rumble!

Soon, a bluish light emerged from the sword held by the statue. Aaron’s body was also enveloped in the azure glow—a sign that the Blessing Ceremony had succeeded, and he had awakened his Aura.

In the Draker lineage, blood relatives awakened their aura at the age of twelve through the blessing of aura.

Compared to knights of other families, who typically only awakened aura in their early twenties, this was an extraordinary achievement.

This blessing of aura allowed the Draker Household to cultivate stronger knights at a pace unmatched by any other family on the continent.

After Aaron’s successful awakening, the other trainees approached the Sword Deity Statue in turn to receive the blessing of aura.

“Next, Reina. Step forward.”

It was Reina’s turn. She walked to the statue and placed her hand in the bowl of water.

Rumble!

As expected, the statue’s sword glowed blue, signaling her aura awakening.

Having already awakened her aura and opened her Ether Hall, this was no surprise.

But then, something unexpected happened.

Wooooooong!

The blue light flared brighter, then shifted into a deep red.

Gasps erupted from the spectators.

“Red light! A Pureblood Awakening!”

Reina’s body was enveloped in the crimson glow.

A Pureblood Awakening was a rare phenomenon that appeared only in a select few among the Draker lineage. It was a virtual guarantee that the individual could grow beyond the level of a Blue Knight.

Additionally, those who achieved a Pureblood Awakening were endowed with unique abilities.

Crackle!

With Reina’s awakening, the magical lights in the hall began to flicker.

This was the result of the Pureblood Dragonslayer trait known as Mana Disruption.

“Bring gloves!” Pan ordered, and the servants quickly brought temporary gloves for Reina.

Once she donned the gloves, the flickering ceased.

All the spectators and trainees in the hall stared at Reina with awe and reverence.

From this moment on, Reina Turunn had earned the right to use the name Reina Draker.

She had proven herself as a pureblood of the Draker lineage.

As Reina stepped back from the statue, her awakening complete, Pan shouted once more.

“Next! Zeke!”

It was finally Zeke’s turn.

Everyone in the hall fixed their gaze on him.

The youngest son of Arthur Draker, the current head of the household and one of the continent’s strongest warriors.

Statistically, a Pureblood Awakening was more likely to occur among the direct descendants bearing the Draker name.

The spectators watched Zeke as he stood before the Sword Deity Statue.

‘To think I’d stand here again.’

Horrifying memories from his previous life clawed their way back into his mind.

Zeke knelt down and slowly placed his hand into the bowl of water.

The sharp needle at the bottom pricked his palm, and blood spread through the water.

‘Hoo…’

The entire hall held its breath, their attention glued to the statue.

Rumble!

The Sword Deity Statue began to vibrate.

If the Blessing Ceremony succeeded, the sword in the statue’s hand would emit a blue light.

But then, something unbelievable happened.

Thud!

The vibrations ceased, and no light emerged from the statue.

‘Damn it….’

Every member of the Draker lineage was supposed to receive the Blessing of Aura. The absence of the expected reaction was an unprecedented phenomenon, and the spectators tilted their heads in confusion as they observed the statue’s strange behavior.

However, Zeke had already experienced this scenario in his previous life.

Back then, he had even switched hands and tried again, but the blue light had never appeared.

‘So, it’s the same in this life too.’

He had harbored a faint hope that things might be different this time.

Yet, once again, the statue failed to recognize him.

‘Damn it. Whatever. I don’t need an aura awakening. There are plenty of other ways to grow stronger.’

As Zeke pushed aside his bitterness and prepared to withdraw his hand from the bowl, something unexpected happened.

Wooooooong!

The Sword Deity Statue began to vibrate again, this time with a different resonance.

At the same time, letters appeared before Zeke’s eyes.

[The identification terminal has detected missing data required for class identification.]
[The system will input class information into the terminal using administrative privileges.]

‘What the hell is this?’

The administrator system was interfacing with the statue, visible only to Zeke.

Wooooooong!

The vibrations from the statue grew stronger, causing it to tremble even more violently.

[Class identification data input is complete.]

Suddenly, the eyes of the Sword Deity Statue lit up.

The spectators, already bewildered by the unprecedented events, wore expressions of shock as they witnessed this phenomenon unfold.

[The terminal has identified the user’s talent as “Healer.”]
[Confirmation: Class has already been unlocked.]
[The obtained class has been identified as a Rare Class.]

Fwooooosh!

The sword held by the statue flared with crimson light.

‘Crimson light?’

Crimson light from the Sword Deity Statue was a sign of a Pureblood Awakening.

Normally, the sword would emit blue light before shifting to red. For it to shine red from the start was unprecedented.

The spectators murmured amongst themselves, their astonishment palpable.

Then, in that moment, new letters appeared before Zeke’s eyes.