Another World Reincarnation Chronicle

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“Hiieeeek-!”

I shot my head up at the scream that seemed to tear through the high sky. It appeared that the wind spirit I had attached to Wendy before leaving the village was putting in some effort.

The wind had arrived. As the chilly breeze from Taebaek brushed against my cheek, a woman wrapped in wind descended before me.

There was no impact from her landing. It was thanks to the inflated power of the wind spirit that Wendy was safely caught. Amidst the swirling mist scattered by the wind, Wendy’s expression became visible. She was looking at me with a bewildered face.

“Hello.”

“W-what is this…?”

“I needed to separate those two. Are you hurt at all?”

“Ah, um…”

Wendy nodded at my question. Once I confirmed her safety and summoned back the spirit, the wind that was wrapping around her quickly diminished.

“Ah…”

The weakening wind naturally meant she could no longer hover in the air. Wendy looked down at her feet with a disappointed expression. Just a moment ago, her legs had been floating, but now they touched the ground.

“What was that just now?”

“It was the wind spirit.”

“The wind spirit…? The one that’s with the elves?”

“That’s right.”

I told Wendy about how I came to acquire the wind spirit, sharing the story of receiving the seed of the World Tree in an unnamed forest and then crossing to Monster Island where I met the elves living on the sky whale.

“Is that really true…?”

“Whether you believe it or not is entirely up to you, Wendy.”

With a strange expression, Wendy adjusted her clothes. She sighed lightly and said to me,

“I felt lighter than usual. It wasn’t like outside mana was interfering. I felt that infinitely soft and warm presence of the wind; how could I not believe it?”

With that, Wendy began to draw on her mana, raising a stronger wind. A transparent current blossomed from beneath her feet, raising a flurry of white snowflakes, and her body lifted slightly.

“Is this what it feels like…?”

Her movements were much more stable compared to the magic practice we had done on the airship. It seemed she had learned quite a bit from her brief time with the wind spirit.

“By the way, did you call me to say goodbye?”

“Goodbye?”

“Isn’t that it?”

I tilted my head at Wendy’s words. The adventure wasn’t over yet. Every situation indicated that the journey to find the Ice Stone was continuing. The old diary and rusty hammer that had come to me like fate meant just that.

“Adventure. We have to see it through to the end.”

Now, with companions and a destination set, my heart felt as light as a feather after disconnecting from those two troublesome men. I started walking with Wendy over the snowy mountains.

“So, where do we go next?”

“To where the Dragon’s Furnace is. It’s in a place called Hyun-ho.”

“Hmm… Hyun-ho…”

Wendy nodded to my response and unfolded a map. I cast a glance and vaguely figured out the position of Hyun-ho.

“Don’t you have a map?”

“I have a map of Jinchun, but nothing like yours that covers the entire land.”

“You didn’t buy one…? There was one on sale right in front of the airship dock.”

“If you know what’s in front of you, it won’t be fun, will it?”

Wendy tilted her head as if she didn’t understand my words.

Before I left the great eternal snowy mountain known as Taebaek, I took in the view. The Ice Stone that had brought winter year-round had vanished. Free from its influence, Taebaek would begin to experience climate changes just like other regions.

Next time when I return…

I don’t know when it will be, but if I do come back, the snow-covered white world will no longer exist.

I turned my body, anticipating the true form of the land that had been hidden by the eternal snow.

*

Hyun-ho is written with the character for shape and the character for tiger. You could see why this place received its name by looking at the distant massive mountain.

The elongated mountain seemed to vaguely resemble a tiger.

It was autumn. On the lazily lying back of a tiger, vibrant autumn foliage was blooming beautifully. Following the refreshingly blowing wind, the leaves danced around, creating red waves.

Wendy and I headed towards the large city. The city’s name matched the place, Hyun-ho. As soon as we entered the city, countless gazes fell upon us.

“They’re staring a lot. Is it because wizards are rare?”

“It’s quite a distance from the airship dock, right? Typical wizards don’t come this far.”

The towering Nightmare was the least interest of the beastmen. I could hear whispers among the beastmen who were glancing around.

“Are those the sorcerers?”

“They say they can breathe fire and water from their bare hands… Is it true?”

“Everyone be careful of their horns and tails. I’ve heard from my acquaintance that sorcerers covet our tails and horns.”

“Ugh… Our horns and tails…? How can that be…?”

“They want them for their magic materials…”

Even if I didn’t want to, I had no choice but to listen. Thanks to my much sharper hearing than the average person. I sighed while observing the beastmen when one of them who had been spreading rumors started to sneak away, sensing the atmosphere.

“It doesn’t seem very friendly.”

“Still, they’re not openly hostile, right? I think a proper distance makes it easier to operate here.”

“That’s true.”

I nodded, recalling my experience near the airship dock. The beastmen there were too close to the wizards. How annoying was it to have people constantly clinging on while acting as guides?

It was lunch time. I sought out an inn with Wendy. The inn looked quite old and was bustling with guests.

After requesting a Nightmare at the entrance, we were guided by another employee to a table on the first floor. After ordering our food, I held back that departing employee to ask a question.

“Excuse me.”

“Yes? Is there something else you need?”

“I have a question. Do you know where the place called the Dragon’s Furnace is?”

“The Dragon’s Furnace…?”

“Also known as the Dragon’s Nest.”

“Umm…”

The employee tilted his head at my question. From his expression, it seemed he truly didn’t know. He didn’t have a monetary demanding attitude.

“I’ve lived my whole life here, but that’s the first I’ve heard of it. It might be better to seek out older beastmen than me.”

The employee apologized and walked away. I pulled another employee aside to ask the same question, but the responses were similar. It seemed I would need to follow the initial employee’s advice and find older beastmen.

After finishing our meal, Wendy and I unpacked our things and stepped into the marketplace. A little money would burst forth the information most people had. This place was no different.

“Um, the Dragon’s Furnace? Where is that… Could it be there?”

“Do you know where it is?”

“Well, I’m not sure… it’s something I heard a long time ago.”

“That’s fine. Just tell me what you know.”

“Umm… You see that mountain? The one that looks like a tiger lying down.”

“Yes.”

The old beastman pointed toward the head of a large mountain, which was colored in red foliage that resembled the mouth of a tiger.

“That head part is probably what they referred to.”

I gave him an appropriate amount of money. After that, I continued to search for older beastmen and asked the same question, but there were few who knew about the Dragon’s Furnace.

“Looks like it’s definitely there.”

“Let’s head there for now.”

I led the Nightmare and began climbing the mountain with Wendy. Darkness fell over the red foliage, yet we did not stop our steps.

The mountain was very treacherous. It seemed that it had never been traversed by people, as there wasn’t even a natural path formed.

After what felt like an eternity, the seemingly endless challenging trail suddenly opened up to reveal a vast cavern. The large stalactites growing above and below the entrance resembled teeth.

“Wow…”

Is this the Dragon’s Furnace?

I tilted my head, peeking inside the cave, but I couldn’t find anything particularly special.

“I think we should go in a bit more.”

“Is it okay… though? It looks like there’s an old rope stretched across the front.”

As Wendy said, there was an old rope hanging in front of the cavern.

“Considering there are broken spots, it looks like it’s been neglected. Let’s just go in.”

“Umm…”

That was the moment I led the Nightmare over the broken rope and stepped into the open area. Suddenly, a small vibration started from the bag on my back, and the rusty hammer I had kept inside began to float on its own.

“Huh…?”

“Gasp…”

The floating hammer shot off towards the deeper parts of the cavern. The hammer reacted. It meant something was there.

With a small smile on my face, I pulled on the Nightmare’s bridle.

“Let’s go!”

The sharp stalactites growing around me made it feel like I was entering the mouth of a giant beast. The sound of the wind inside sounded just like a monster’s roar.

The hammer flew into the hand of a translucent man. With curved horns growing from above his head, he appeared to be a mountain goat beastman.

[You arrived quite late.]

His faint voice echoed through the entire cavern. He was looking at me with a gaze mixed with complex emotions.

“Don’t tell me you’re the one who reforged the Dragon’s Breath…?”

[Now, everything is ambiguous, perhaps it’s because my existence has grown hazy. What holds my fading mind together is you, the spirit left by the dragon, and my lingering attachment.]

The moment the hazy man finished speaking, his presence began to grow immensely. Even though he clearly had no physical form, I could feel a presence, and the surrounding mana started responding and gathering as if to his will.

[I waited my whole life for just one, singular forging fire spell.]

Kaang-!

With his words, the man swung the hammer he was holding. The hammer, which was aimed into empty space, created a crisp sound as it hit the shapeless mana, and a bright spark fell from beneath it.

“Look, there’s been some misunderstanding…”

[I know. I understand you are not the dragon you promised me. However, I do not have much time left. Before I fade away, allow me to swing my hammer filled with the longing I have built up my whole life.]

​

“In that case…”

[Tell me what you need.]

“I need a sword; can you make the sword that I will use?”

[A sword to be swung with the body of a dragon…?]

“No, with this body.”

The moment my words ended, the man’s transparent gaze traveled over my body. With his gesture, the surrounding mana moved and brushed past my body.

[Such a small physique. Not suitable for swinging a sword. However, if that is what you want, it’s not impossible. Just… I only need a medium that you can touch.]

“A medium…?”

[A vessel to hold the breath of a dragon. For example, a dragon’s scale or fang, or maybe the sword that this horse possesses…]

I looked down at the Storm Bringer attached to Nightmare’s side at the man’s words. Though it was a weapon with excellent functionality, its size was too massive for me to use comfortably.

Nodding, I raised the Storm Bringer high.

“Are you saying I can use this to create a new sword? But it’s too large for me to handle…”

[The size right now doesn’t matter.]

At that moment when I nodded at his words, the Storm Bringer I was holding wobbled slightly and flew toward the man.

Kaang-!

It was the moment. Without hesitation, the man swung his hammer toward the incoming Storm Bringer. With a single swing, Storm Bringer’s form was distorted.

[Prepare your breath.]

I nodded and leapt off Nightmare’s back. The quick-witted creature began to retreat, as if intending to hide behind a large rock.

“W-what on earth is this…?”

Only Wendy was bewildered, blinking her eyes without understanding the situation.

Kiiiiing-!

At the moment the circle of my heart was spinning rapidly, another circle began to form behind me. It was the setup to engage two different attributes at once. The creation of the External Circle.

As the circle formed behind me emitted a cold chill, frost began to settle on the cavern.

The hot heat that started from my heart began to envelop my body. Flames erupted from my mouth with each exhale.

Whurrrr-

[You can wield two types of energies at once…? Just what are you…?]

“Shouldn’t I just use one?”

[No, that’s fine. Just pour it out.]

The traces of the dragon began to appear on my body. Blue and red scales sprouted on the back of my hand, and large horns grew from above my head. Finally, when a long dragon tail sprouted through my pants, I knelt on the ground, concentrating both types of mana on my chest.

As soon as all preparations were complete, I stretched out my elongated tail and expelled the mana I had gathered within.

Kwaaaaaaaaaah-!

It was the blue flames of the dragon, filled with scorching heat. The beam shot forward in a linear path, pushing away the surrounding air and mana the moment the man swung the hammer.

Kaaan-!

An enormous thunderous sound erupted, incomparable to before. As the breath that clashed against the man’s hammer began to concentrate in one place, the man swung the hammer once more.

Kaaan-!

Kugugugugu-!

The cavern began to crack as if unable to withstand the impact. The shockwave started a massive earthquake.

I frowned while watching the man’s hammer swings. This was the first time I had poured out the dragon’s breath for such length. The mana that had been swelling inside me was showing signs of running low. The External Circle that had formed outside was similar; it began to flicker faintly as if having consumed most of its mana.

When I thought I was at my limits, the man swung his hammer in a grand motion, unlike before.

Kaaan-!

At that moment, a clear sound burst forth. As a giant light erupted from the dragon’s breath and the Storm Bringer receiving that breath, the whole world turned white.

When the white light that colored the entire world dissipated, the figure of the man swinging his hammer had vanished.

Instead, only two short swords lay where he had stood. From the two swords oozing hot heat and cold chill, azure lightning erupted.