Chapter 446: Yellow Dragon's Orb (1)

A shrine located deep within a cave.

"The Penitence Cave isn't just a prison for yokai who have committed crimes."

The woman with long, neatly tied-up blue hair, Qinglong, continued speaking softly as she walked. Horus, small in stature, followed closely behind her, looking around curiously. Various ritual objects were placed here and there: sacred ropes and bells, mirrors and swords. Among them, memorial tablets displayed a subtle presence. Qinglong stopped and pulled something out of her pocket.

-Four Perils Dool.

After briefly looking at the memorial tablet, which emanated a strong energy, she carefully placed it in an empty space in the shrine.

And after a short time…

The newly placed tablet blended in with its surroundings.

"Yokai are inherently born with mystical power and use supernatural abilities as naturally as breathing throughout their lives. It takes a lot of energy to forcibly restrain them. The more criminals we imprison, the greater the burden on us."

"Hee—"

It was an extremely inefficient process. The criminals had already caused considerable damage to Geumo Island the moment they were imprisoned for breaking the rules, and now additional resources were needed to maintain the prison. Wouldn't it be better to just kill them all?

'That way, we could acquire rare materials more easily.'

But that would inevitably weaken the organization's unity. Unless the criminals had committed truly heinous crimes, it would be difficult for others to feel any attachment to an organization that slaughtered their own kind.

Fortunately, Geumo Island, arguably the best in Ganghwan when it came to Taoist magic, had found an alternative solution.

"The principle is simple. We use the criminals' yokai energy instead of our own."

The idea was to forcibly extract their energy, weakening them, and then use that energy to suppress other yokai and operate the illusory formation, the rehabilitation program. So that all yokai sealed in the Penitence Cave would become each other's shackles.

"And the remaining energy is stored for later use?"

"As expected of Horus. You're very bright."

Qinglong, with a warm smile, patted his head and gave him a piece of candy she had pulled out from somewhere. In other words, the Penitence Cave was a prison, a reformatory, and a power plant all rolled into one.

"And that's been a great help recently. We've expended a lot of energy maintaining the world's balance, which was on the verge of collapse."

It was the best option in a situation where they couldn't easily trust those who had already caused trouble and been sealed. Most of the energy required to operate the illusory realm was currently being supplied from here.

"So, Horus? Why did you want to come here? There's nothing here that would interest you."

Qinglong, the manager of the Penitence Cave, looked down at Horus, who was munching on the candy, with clear eyes. Although she had readily agreed to his sudden request, she was clearly curious as to why he had asked.

"Munch, munch—Ah, about that…"

He scratched the back of his head, having been observing the bleak surroundings. There wasn't a specific reason he wanted to check this place. He just wanted to see it with his own eyes, in case it became a variable in his future plans.

'I didn't expect the 「Yellow Dragon's Orb」 to be like this.'

He carefully chose his words, recalling the prerequisites for activating the perk. The instructions, imprinted in his mind along with the system message, were filled with various conditions, but the three most important points were:

First, himself, who had achieved the feat of being Ganghwan's savior and received the perk as the 'Last Yellow Dragon.'

Second, the immense energy he had just witnessed.

And lastly…

"…Can I take the Dragon's Child to the Dragon God's Shrine?"

Qinglong frowned slightly. The Dragon God's Shrine was a sacred place accessible only to dragons, a place even the leaders of Geumo Island couldn't enter without permission. It was natural for her, despite her gentle nature, to feel some resistance to the suggestion of bringing a human, even a "Dragon's Child," to such a place.

But Horus was confident. That she would agree once she heard his explanation.

And his confidence was soon proven right.

"…My goodness, let's convene a meeting of the Five Dragons immediately."

She immediately dropped everything and gathered the Five Dragons as soon as she heard the reason. They were all busy with their respective duties, but they couldn't help but rush over at her insistent summons, which was unusual for her calm demeanor.

"What's going on, Qinglong? Why did you call us all so urgently?"

The woman with short red hair, Chilong, grumbled.

"A Five Dragons meeting at a time like this. Has something serious happened?"

The white-haired man, Bailong, the eldest, spoke calmly.

"Hi Horus! I haven't had time to see you because I've been so busy. You're still so cute!"

The girl with long, braided black hair, Heilong, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

But their varying reactions gradually converged as Horus explained.

Doubt, disbelief, astonishment.

And a sliver of hope.

"Then, I'll take that as everyone's agreement."

Everyone nodded at Qinglong's words.

Less than a few minutes after the Five Dragons' emergency meeting began…

The proposal regarding Jegal Hye-mi's access to the Dragon God's Shrine was unanimously approved.

"Sigh."

A nervous Jegal Hye-mi slowly walked forward. She couldn't help it. She had been separated from her companions and summoned alone in this unfamiliar illusory realm.

'And in a world filled with yokai…'

But she wasn't overly scared. Taking a deep breath, she walked forward without hesitation. She had the firm belief that someone would come to rescue her, even if she faced danger. Just like they always had.

"Here! This way!"

As she walked without hesitation…

A youthful voice called out from the end of the passage. She looked and saw a small child, seemingly only six or seven years old, waving at her.

'A child?'

A doll-like, beautiful boy with brilliant golden hair and golden eyes, a rare sight in the Central Plains.

"Ahem."

The boy puffed out his chest and lifted his chin proudly. He was so cute that she felt her mind go blank for a moment, but as the Dragon's Child, she could sensitively perceive his aura and instinctively realized the truth about this cute-looking child.

Surprisingly, she and this child were not strangers.

"Yellow Dragon…? Are you perhaps the Yellow Dragon?"

The very same Yellow Dragon who had wiped out Beijing with a single attack during the war with the Demonic Cult.

And the one who had presided over the ritual for her and the other Dragon's Children.

"Yes! You recognize me? I'll guide you from now on, so follow me quietly!"

That was the identity of the boy who shrugged his small shoulders and walked ahead of her. She couldn't even ask a question and simply followed him with her mouth closed.

'…This is unbelievable.'

She swallowed hard and clenched her fidgeting hands. Then, opening her eyes wide, she fixed her gaze on her guide.

'That terrifying Yellow Dragon is so cute!'

She couldn't help but smile and be captivated by the sight of him toddling with his small feet. As if she were bewitched by a wicked yokai.

The passage they were walking through was filled with beautiful works of art, but they didn't catch her eye.

'Ah, I want to pat his head.'

White, smooth skin like rice cakes and golden hair as soft as silk threads. His little head bobbing and his limbs moving energetically. She even seemed to smell a warm, sunny scent emanating from him.

'So this is how adorable children are.'

Having spent her entire life secluded in the deepest part of the clan, she had never had the opportunity to interact with children. And after regaining her health, she had only encountered the darker side of the world. That's why Horus, who exuded a sun-like aura just by existing, was all the more impressive to her.

'If I have children… will I be able to give birth to such a cute child?'

A wish she had thought impossible until recently.

But now, it wasn't just a dream, but a possibility.

'Yes, my child will definitely be lovely. I'm not bad-looking myself. And as for the father…'

Perhaps it was because of the recent kidnapping incident…

…various fantasies flashed through her mind like a runaway train. She even began imagining her future child's appearance by combining their facial features, nodding with satisfaction with a flushed face.

'Yes, any combination is beautiful. Ah, what about the name? Should I start thinking of names now, one for a boy and one for a girl? What if they're twins?!'

Jegal Hye-mi started agonizing over it with a red face. Horus, who had been giving her a preliminary explanation while guiding her, looked back and blinked.

"So, you don't have to worry too much… Huh? Are you alright? Are you sick?"

She snapped out of her reverie at his call and looked up abruptly. Naturally, she hadn't heard a word he said.

"I-I'm sorry. Could you please repeat that? I was lost in thought…"

"Hmm! It's okay! It can happen when you're nervous."

The boy, surprisingly mature for his appearance, nodded understandingly, crossed his arms, and smiled.

"Well, to cut to the chase…"

He held up a finger and continued in a cheerful tone,

"We're going to make a baby!"

"Wha—?!"

Horus tilted his head at her unexpectedly flustered reaction.

After a brief moment of confusion, she regained her composure and fell into thought, having understood the situation after Horus' detailed explanation.

'A new Yellow Dragon.'

A baby.

It meant a baby dragon. In short, it was a project to revive a true Yellow Dragon in this Ganghwan, not a fake like Horus.

"Here it is, Horus. I searched everywhere, and we only have two right now. There might be more somewhere in the Central Plains, but…"

"This is enough for now! We can't hatch them all at once anyway! We can search for the rest later and increase the number gradually."

"…We'll have to prioritize recovery."

The Dragon God's Shrine.

It was located in the center of a massive, coiled dragon-shaped rocky mountain. Horus, who had guided Jegal Hye-mi inside, took the object Bailong offered and his eyes gleamed. A round orb, shining blue as if it contained the clear sky within. A brilliant golden light flickered within it like flames or waves, radiating a clear presence and mystical beauty.

'Yellow Dragon's Orb.'

It was a relic of a deceased dragon…

…and now, a medium that would become an "egg" bearing new life.

'I knew the 「Yellow Dragon's Orb」 would be related to the Orb, but I didn't expect it to be this literal.'

Well, considering the Dragon God's involvement in this perk, it might be natural. It was difficult to say that this world had fully recovered with the absence of the Yellow Dragon.

'Well, not bad. I can't keep looking after Ganghwan forever. I should leave behind a proper countermeasure.'

Of course, that wasn't the only reason. The 「Yellow Dragon's Orb」 was his perk, so there were considerable benefits if it truly succeeded.

"They say everything is ready. Then let's begin the ritual. I'll leave it to you."

Leaving those words to Horus and Jegal Hye-mi, Bailong transformed into a dragon and soared high into the sky. Then, he joined the three other dragons already waiting in the sky and each took their positions. Qinglong in the east, Chilong in the south, Bailong in the west, and Heilong in the north.

"[Now, let's begin!]"

And Horus, standing in the center of the altar in the middle of the Dragon God's Shrine, polymorphed into a massive Gold Dragon using 「Elder Dragon's Heart」. Although things had been somewhat disorganized so far due to prioritizing survival in disaster situations and not receiving a proper inheritance from his predecessors…

…the Five Dragons, direct descendants of the Dragon God, each had their roles.

The calm and rational Qinglong was the manager and judge of the Penitence Cave.

The belligerent Chilong was the vanguard, actively responding to external conflicts.

The calculating and risk-averse Bailong was the general manager, overseeing internal affairs.

The cunning Heilong was the judge, gathering external intelligence and eliminating traitors.

'And the Yellow Dragon is the high priest, symbolizing the connection with the Dragon God.'

A powerful aura emanated from Horus. Of course, as a fake Yellow Dragon, he couldn't fully replace the role of high priest.

Rumble—

The one who filled that gap was the 'Dragon's Child.' Jegal Hye-mi, the proof of the world's restoration, the apostle sent by the Dragon God, and the shaman.

"…Ugh."

A heavy groan escaped her lips as she knelt, holding an Orb in both hands, praying.

'My body feels like it's going to explode.'

A vast amount of energy, flowing from the Penitence Cave, was being sucked into the Orb in her hands, along with the energy from the other dragons who formed the pillars of the ritual according to their directions. Most of it was being controlled by Horus, the Yellow Dragon, but it couldn't help but put a strain on her, who was at the center of the ritual.

'No, I'm still okay. This is nothing compared to back then!'

Compared to when she had contacted the Dragon God while bestowing a blessing upon Ha Seung-hoon after being reunited with him during her captivity by the Demonic Cult, this was bearable. Back then, she had lost consciousness before she could even do anything.

'I've received so much, I have to do this much!'

And who knows? She might even learn some special abilities from the dragons through this. Having become more desperate for power after the recent incident, wanting to become strong enough to not be a burden to Ha Seung-hoon, she gritted her teeth and clenched the Orb.

At that moment.

Crack—!

A cracking sound came from the Orb in her hands. As its name suggested, the Orb was an artifact containing a strong will. A crystallization of mystery, so renowned that it was said to grant any wish. Moreover, the 「Yellow Dragon's Orb」, a system perk, was currently influencing this entire ritual!

And the result of all these elements combined…

…was enough to twist the laws of this world and manifest a miracle.

Crack!

Through the crack in the broken Orb…

[Kyah!]

…along with a faint cry…

…a small, yellow head popped out.