Item Name: “Sleek Bracelet”.
A rare-grade accessory, it serves no purpose whatsoever when worn; it’s what you might call a mere decorative item.
It has the “Bind” enchantment, making it utterly useless since you can’t sell or transfer it.
I obtained this item in a place called “Highlands of the Blue Forest,” accompanied by Yena.
The forest existed above a World Boss-level entity known as Bluering, and we cleared the dungeon by trapping the Spirit of Darkness there.
The system presented me with a reward option after I achieved feats beyond the set limits, and after much deliberation, I chose the “Very Mysterious Random Box,” which led to this bracelet.
Honestly, the reason I picked the random box back then was a bit frivolous.
“Things weren’t as serious then as they are now.”
I learned through the Hammer of Karabus from the Crab Empire that the place was related to Deoen, but I was unsure if it truly connected to Deoen’s “past.”
At that time, it was unclear whether there were even humans or the Demon Race left, let alone the Empire.
To make the broadcast a bit more entertaining, I drew from the random box, and out came this.
But it turns out this was such an important item.
“Oh. Is this it?”
“Yes. The Bracelet of Sealing, one of only six in the world; it’s a lock.”
[?]
[?]
[Isn’t that just pretty trash?]
[Info: The trash drawn from the Duncl reward random box, and Lily gave up ‘mythical’ for this.]
[Wow?]
[LOL]
[Great Lily]
[I remember Lily got quite a bit of flak when she drew that, LOL]
[Lily dodging criticism from the past, LOL]
[Lily, did you expect this when you drew it?]
[Big Picture on]
[Lily) Actually not thinking about it at all, haha]
“Is that so?”
[?]
“That’s right. I foresaw everything.”
Everything was according to plan.
It wasn’t for nothing that I discarded mythical rewards for this trash item.
Well, maybe it was not.
[LOL]
[She’s overcoming even this]
[Lily the Great Empire, LOL]
[Ah… saying she ‘foresaw’ it.]
“How did you come by the Lord Heavenly Horse? How did you know this would seal?”
“The coming chaos is ‘Disaster of the Sea.’ His power is immense, so you must use opposing strength to suppress him.”
“Opposing strength… Sky?”
Normally, when thinking of opposing strength to the sea, you might consider earth or fire, but Kraken’s sea is a bit different.
Kraken’s sea is a power in itself and a unique domain.
There are very few places in this world that can contend against that domain.
Clatter.
“We stand upon the place where living beings can get closest to the sky.”
“It is the place where living beings can be closest to the sky.”
Plateau.
“On that day when the Heavenly Horse’s Dominance was completed, the Master of Black Lotus Mountain predicted the impending disaster.”
─”Crazy girl… no, Deputy Guild Master. The disaster of the three will engulf the world, and its end will be the end of the world.”
─”But there will be a way to escape. I will grant you the power and knowledge to block the gates of the end.”
“Thus, a colossal task of killing the sky was assigned to me.”
“Did she say crazy girl?”
“The mountain’s master may speak harshly, but he feels a lot of shame. It’s only natural since he is entrusted with my dwelling.”
The Heavenly Horse held a proud expression.
For some reason, the mountain’s master might not think so.
“What about the Deputy Guild Master?”
“It’s just a title. If I drive away the calamity, I will ascend to the true rank of Heavenly Horse.”
“So you mean not yet?”
“It merely refers to my position; it’s not that I am not Heavenly Horse─”
“Your job isn’t being Heavenly Horse, right? Am I wrong?”
“……True, but I am Heavenly Horse.”
[What? Not Heavenly Horse yet]
[Not Heavenly Horse?]
[Deputy Guild Master?]
[Heavenly Horse’s Lamentor]
[Heavenly Horse Special: Deputy Guild Master]
[Heavenly Horse’s Lamentor hahahaha]
[Ahh, anyway, I’m still Heavenly Horse]
Heavenly Horse’s Lamentor… no, Heavenly Horse Church’s Deputy Guild Master Heavenly Horse.
The Heavenly Horse glared discontentedly while floating the jade cup and pouring black tea.
The cup she had already finished was again filled with bitter tea.
“…You really like messing with people, don’t you?”
“Not at all. Everyone enjoys it.”
“They probably died from enjoying it.”
Even if they died, they would be resurrected.
Chug! The Heavenly Horse said this and gulped down the overflowing tea in one go.
“?”
Hot tea aside, her demeanor was completely different from just moments ago when she had sipped slowly.
She never ate like this before.
[???]
[Drinking Champion ddd]
[Drinking Champion Special: Gulping boiling tea]
[Hahaha]
[Lily cannot lose]
“Isn’t it hot?”
“I’m quick to see.”
“?”
Despite drinking that scalding tea without a hitch, she quietly closed her eyes and placed her hands on her knees.
The black tea entering her body slowly began to emit energy, aiding the operation of the Aura of Heavenly Horse.
In an instant, the Aura of Heavenly Horse gathered around her, circulating around the energy center of her dantian.
I may not know much about martial arts, but I think I can figure that out.
“Breathing technique?”
As she silently collected her inner energy, a black figure emerged behind her.
A dark figure rises behind her as she gathers her belongings.
Something gigantic.
It could be compared to a mid-level World Boss and bore a striking resemblance to the ‘Bluering’ seen in the strangely blue forest highlands.
─……I don’t want to.
Snap.
“…!”
The summon failed.
As a result of the failed summoning, the Heavenly Horse doll stumbled for a moment, but the Heavenly Horse casually wiped the blood from her lips and treated her internal injuries.
“…You’re a bit rough today. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.”
“Were you trying to summon the Mountain’s Master?”
“Yes. If I could see the Mountain’s Master in person, things would go smoothly.”
[Oh]
[Lily is going to hunt the World Boss again?]
[Mountain’s Master ㄷㄷ]
[Mountain Lord?]
[Why isn’t the Master appearing with Lily here? Let’s kill her.]
[She’s a bit cocky, isn’t she? LOL]
The Heavenly Horse poured more tea into her cup with a sour expression.
After taking another sip, she once again began to channel her energy.
─……
Crack!
Another failure.
“…Do you think I won’t be able to do it?”
She took another sip.
Again, failure.
Just one more…
─Stop it, you lunatic…
“Cough!”
The Heavenly Horse spat out blood.
It was a volume of blood that wouldn’t be unusual for an ordinary person to die from, but for the cultivated Heavenly Horse, it was nothing.
“Haah…”
“Shall I heal you?”
“…I’m fine. I’ll recover quickly from this level of injury.”
“Is it not usually like this?”
“Normally, it should take no more than one or two cups to get this far. But today, even after four cups, I can’t get it out.”
After being rejected this much, one might expect her to wilt, but the Heavenly Horse, on the contrary, burned with determination and pulled out a new teapot to fill her cup once more.
“Let’s see how far I can go. All I have is time.”
─……
“Should I try?”
“You?”
Before pouring the tea, the Heavenly Horse looked at me while levitating the teacup and tea in mid-air.
“You are not simply a being that can be called forth by just drinking.”
“I’ve more or less grasped how to do it. Isn’t it simply spreading the energy throughout the body and summoning it in the shadows?”
“Easy to say…”
Whoosh! I spread the red mana, transforming the colors of my body.
The red mana circulated all over my body, creating a single form, and the red Bluering emerged from behind the shadow.
To be precise, it was an illusion created to resemble the form of the Bluering.
Since it’s red, should I call it Redring?
The Heavenly Horse’s eyes widened.
“…Impressive. To so easily replicate what you’ve seen once.”
“This level is easy.”
It’s just made using ‘manifestation’, one of the mana operations.
Actually, it’s not much different from the mana circulation used by mages.
The only difference is the location where it’s stored, I guess?
Of course, it’s true that in terms of mana application, I’m among the top three users, but it wasn’t that advanced of a technique.
[Haha, does the Academy professor look like a joke to you?]
[Lily special: Always copying techniques.]
[Heavenly Horse wailing lol.]
[Not easy for Lily.]
[Are we really eating?]
The Heavenly Horse let out a snicker and filled my half-empty teacup to the brim.
“The Mountain’s Master is wise but has much vigilance. Perhaps you’ll face even greater challenges than The Ruler.”
“It’s okay. We can heal it.”
“…Alright. Drink up.”
Gulp.
“Ugh, gross.”
Closing my eyes.
A completely different hot energy erupts into my body as I sip the tea slowly, bursting out chaotically.
If it were an ordinary person, their body would collapse immediately from such turmoil.
─…!
After suppressing it all, I gather the energy and slowly circulate it.
I feel a singular will.
Something like a lotus flower floating gently.
‘Is this the Mountain’s Master?’
Sre…
As I draw up the lotus, a black shadow rises behind me.
I didn’t look back, but I could feel it enough.
─…I never acknowledged you.
A dark shape with dissatisfied eyes is glaring at me.
It seems the shadow, which I never acknowledged, is displeased with being summoned by me.
Drip…
Blood flows from my mouth.
So, this is how it is.
“An attack from ‘within’… it’s been a while.”
It’s nearly impossible to penetrate my body, and even if it somehow did, it would all be erased by the holy power.
If I hadn’t deliberately blocked the holy power, the energy would have vanished before even making an attack.
─Don’t ever summon me again. You have no right to do so. Even to the Deputy Guild Master, today is not the day…
Kwahhak!
─…!!
“Don’t run away; let’s talk.”
I grabbed the Mountain’s Master trying to disappear into the shadows.
Where do you think you’re trying to escape?
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