Chapter 10 (Bonus Chapter)

The Dragon Lord's eyes widened, unable to hide the greed that flared behind them. As a dragon, his sense of smell was finely attuned to magical value, and the moment Rex drew the weapon, he knew that Rex wasn't lying..

This wasn't just a powerful item. It was beyond any World Item he had ever encountered.

"You want it?" Rex asked with a casual shrug. "I don't really have much use for the sword. But if, one day, you can offer me something worthy of the trade, then sure."

"That's the most valuable thing I've ever laid eyes on," he said softly, his voice filled with reverence. "I highly doubt anything in this world could equal it."

Unable to resist, he shifted back into his dragon form and slowly stepped closer, drawn in by the overwhelming presence of the weapon, eager to see the treasure up close for himself.

"You have a point…" Rex said thoughtfully, before putting the sword away. The moment it vanished, the Dragon Lord's disappointment was palpable.

"Don't make me regret showing off," Rex added with a sigh, shooting the dragon a side glance.

Snapping back to his senses, the Dragon Lord let out a quiet breath and nodded. After a moment of silence, he turned and motioned for Rex to follow. Without another word, he led him toward the empire he had built.

"A dragon ruling over an empire of humans… what are you planning?" Rex asked softly, his tone more curious than accusatory.

"This empire was built to raise the next heroes," the Dragon Lord replied calmly. "I'm not much of a leader, but I gave birth to its royal bloodline—hoping to nurture the next generation of powerhouses."

He let out a faint sigh. "But my son is a disappointment. So, I plan to have more children. If none of them prove worthy, I'll turn to their children. And if even my grandchildren are useless…"

He paused, his voice losing any pretense of attachment. "Then I'll just leave. It would mean this entire empire was a waste."

Rex nodded slowly, understanding the logic.

"Then let me come back in the future to see how things play out," Rex said with a smirk, turning away. "I don't want you getting any weird thoughts about my body."

The remark left the Dragon Lord speechless, caught off guard by the casual jab, but he made no move to stop Rex as he walked away.

Sometime later, Rex stood atop a mountain peak, overlooking the vast expanse stretching out before him. The wind was sharp, the air chilling cold.

As he slowly looked upward, his eyes landed on a massive shadow drifting across the sky. There it was—the Heavenly Dragon.

A being of myth and power, its body so immense it was said to rival the size of an island. It soared across the heavens like a living continent, majestic and terrifying all at once.

"It's truly massive," Rex muttered, eyes fixed on the colossal form drifting through the sky.

The Heavenly Dragon, sensing his gaze, slowly turned its head. For a moment, their eyes met. Then, the dragon shifted course, flying directly toward him.

With every beat of its wings, its size became more overwhelming, until its body completely blotted out the sky, casting a vast shadow over the mountain peak.

"You're a player?" The voice echoed directly into Rex's mind—deep, ancient, and heavy with power.

It made sense. If the creature had spoken aloud, the sheer force of its voice would have shattered a person's eardrums.

"That I am," Rex replied with a light smile. "I've heard you're the oldest dragon, and I came seeking knowledge… specifically, why we players were brought into this world."

The Heavenly Dragon gave a slow shake of its massive head, the motion stirring the wind into violent gusts that howled across the mountaintop.

"I do not know the reason behind your kind's arrival," the dragon said, its voice echoing through Rex's mind like the rumble of distant thunder. "But I know this—it is tied to the Primordial Dragon Lord."

Rex nodded in understanding, eyes narrowing with quiet curiosity.

"Thank you for the information," Rex said calmly. "Do you know where I can find this Primordial Dragon Lord?"

"I do not," the Heavenly Dragon replied. "After the first player arrived—over four hundred years ago, the Primordial Dragon Lord vanished… along with him."

Rex fell silent, eyes narrowing in thought. After a moment, he gave a small, respectful nod.

"Still… thank you." With that, Rex turned to leave, the wind shifting softly behind him as the massive dragon remained still, watching him go.

"My knowledge doesn't come free," the Heavenly Dragon said, its voice rumbling through Rex's mind.

Rex stood there, momentarily speechless. With an exaggerated sigh, he reached into his inventory and tossed a divine-grade item toward the massive creature.

The Heavenly Dragon caught it effortlessly, clearly pleased, and with a single beat of its wings, it took off, vanishing into the sky like a passing storm.

Rex rolled his eyes and turned away, continuing his journey in search of the Primordial Dragon Lord.

'So… 400 years ago, a player arrived—only to vanish alongside the strongest being in the verse,' Rex thought, his steps steady as he followed the pull of the next powerful aura.

'I have to wonder… just how powerful was that dragon to pull players into reality? To turn a game into reality on such a grand scale… even to give World Items their power.'

He narrowed his eyes. 'World Items can nullify other World Items. So did that dragon possess a power even beyond that? Something unique… something I haven't seen yet?'

'That dragon… he was a World Enemy-level boss. Makes sense why he ignored the battles between players and dragons—he saw himself as above it all,' Rex thought, his gaze fixed on the horizon.

And so, he traveled.

For the next 100 years, Rex journeyed across the world. He set foot on every mountain, sailed across every sea, soared through the skies, and even ventured deep into the underground world.

Along the way, he came to know of the great powers that shaped this world—beings like the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord, and many others hidden in shadow and myth.

But his true focus never wavered. He was searching for the Primordial Dragon Lord, and the elusive Dragon Emperor—the one so many blamed for the arrival of players in this world.

Yet, no matter how far he went, he couldn't find either of them. They remained phantoms of the past—powerful, mysterious, and just out of reach.

As for why everyone believed the Dragon Emperor was responsible for the arrival of players in this world, no one could give Rex a straight answer.

Everyone seemed certain that, just before the first player appeared, the Dragon Emperor had done something. But what that was, no one could say.

Regardless, Rex made his way back to the Dragon Empire. His goal this time was clear—he came seeking the Brightness Dragon Lord, one of the oldest Dragon Lords still alive.

If anyone knew the truth, or at least had insight into why so many Dragon Lords despised the Dragon Emperor, it would be him. Unlike the Heavenly Dragon, which kept to itself, the Brightness Dragon Lord didn't.

But the Brightness Dragon Lord was long gone. Rex's return to the Dragon Empire proved fruitless—his lead had gone cold. It seemed his carefully built trail of research had failed.

To make things worse, he couldn't sense the Dragon Lord's presence anywhere. Either he had taken a non-draconic form, or he was simply outside Rex's range of perception.

As he approached the city gates, a voice called out sharply. "Halt! You must pay to enter the Dragon Empire!" one of the guards barked, stepping forward to block Rex's path.

Rex let out a quiet sigh before casually pulling out a gold coin from YGGDRASIL. The moment it caught the guard's eye, his expression shifted—caught completely off guard by its weight and shimmer. He quickly stopped Rex and hurried off to verify its authenticity.

It didn't take long. The guard returned in record time, now wearing an uneasy expression. He was just a gatekeeper, after all—he knew better than to offend someone who could casually toss around a coin of that caliber.

Without hesitation, he allowed Rex to enter, especially after Rex refused the offered change. The guard watched him disappear through the gates, then immediately turned and rushed off to report the incident to his superiors.

This was still a young empire, and someone showing up with a gold coin from an unknown origin could stir complications. If he kept quiet and it turned into something serious, he'd be the one held responsible.

The commander, upon receiving the report and the strange gold coin, wasted no time in escalating the matter to his superiors.

One thing was certain about the Dragon Empire—its people were fiercely loyal to their Empress, the great-granddaughter of the Brightness Dragon Lord.

Word quickly reached the palace, and soon, the Empress herself sat upon her throne, delicately examining the coin that had been handed over by the gate guard.

She was a blonde-haired loli, adorably dressed and radiating a cuteness that could melt stone.

Every guard in the throne room stood perfectly still—outwardly disciplined, but screaming internally at the sight of their Empress focused so intently. Her innocent curiosity only amplified her charm.

Yes, it was no secret. This empire, for better or worse, was absolutely filled with lolicons.

"Who gave you this coin?" the Empress asked in her usual soft, innocent tone, her eyes still fixed on the glinting surface.

But as she looked up to hear the response, she caught the uncomfortable gaze in the soldier's eyes. Her expression didn't change, but inwardly, she sighed. 

'Why are all humans like this?' she thought. 'Are they all just… lolicons?'

"Someone named Rex Tempus," the soldier replied, trying his hardest to maintain a professional posture. "I'll have him brought before you immediately."

He straightened his back, doing his best to suppress the flustered energy surging within. She was just too adorable. This was someone he no, someone all the soldiers in the empire would gladly lay down their lives for.

"No. I'll go see him myself," she said flatly, her tone leaving no room for argument.

She had no desire to remain another second under the gaze of so many lecherous eyes. With a flash of light, she vanished—activating a third-tier spell—and shot through the skies of the empire like a comet.

Her destination was clear. 'He didn't even bother to hide his aura,' she thought, narrowing her eyes as she honed in on the source of power.

Soon, her gaze fell on a tranquil pond nestled within a serene patch of wilderness—and there he was.

Rex sat at its edge, calm and relaxed, enjoying the beauty of the natural world as if he had all the time in the world.

"A little girl?" Rex muttered, raising an eyebrow as he sensed her presence.

Despite her youthful appearance, her power level rivaled that of a level 30—impressive for someone so small. But given her lineage, it only made sense. She was a descendant of the Brightness Dragon Lord, after all.

"I'm Draudillon Oriculus," she said as she gracefully landed before him. "My great-grandfather once spoke of the Great Player—the one who stands above all others."

As her feet touched the ground, her form began to shift, golden light wrapping around her as she transformed into a stunning woman in her early twenties. Despite her youthful appearance, she was over forty years old

"No need for all the bowing and formalities," Rex said with a relaxed smile. "Come, sit down."

Draudillon blinked, briefly stunned by his casual tone, but after a moment, she nodded and gracefully walked over to sit beside him.

"I was looking for your great-grandfather," Rex continued lightly. "During my travels, I learned quite a bit about him. Since he's one of the oldest beings alive, I thought he might know something I'm missing."

"Oh… my great-grandfather taught me everything he could before he disappeared," Draudillon said, her voice soft.

Her posture was stiff, clearly uneasy sitting so close to someone as overwhelmingly powerful as Rex. Despite her royal bloodline, his presence made her feel small.

"Among the things he shared… was information about players."

"Oh?" Rex tilted his head slightly, interest flashing in his eyes. "Then, do you know how we players ended up in this world?"

"Well… my great-grandfather didn't know the full story," Draudillon said quietly, her tone careful. "But from what he explained, about six hundred years ago, the Dragon Emperor attempted to overthrow the Primordial Dragon Lord, trying to claim the title of the leader of the dragon lords."

She glanced at Rex briefly before continuing. "He did something… something that forced the Primordial Dragon Lord to summon someone from another world. That act left him severely weakened."

She paused, her voice lowering. "I don't know what happened afterward… only that on that day, both the player and the Primordial Dragon Lord vanished, and the Dragon Emperor was left heavily injured."

"…I see," Rex muttered, absorbing the weight of her words. "So, how are the Primordial Dragon Lord and the Heavenly Dragon related? And why does he have such a cool-sounding name?"

"That's because he's the ancestor of all dragons," Draudillon replied calmly. "The Heavenly Dragon and the Dragon Emperor are just a few of his children."

She folded her hands in her lap as she continued. "The Primordial Dragon Lord didn't need anyone else. Alone, he gave birth to them. But over time, many of his children were killed… mostly because of the players."

Rex nodded slowly, his expression growing distant as he fell into deep thought, piecing together what little he now knew of the world's true history.

"By the way," Draudillon said thoughtfully, "one of the members from the hero party has been trying to track you down… I believe her name is Rigrit."

At that, Rex's eye twitched. Rigrit… His one-night stand with her had been just that—a moment of pleasure, nothing more. The promises he'd made?

To Rex, they were simply words spoken in the moment, meant to make things feel more magical, more alive… but never meant to be taken seriously.

He had said he loved her… but if one were to translate his intent, it would have sounded more like, "I love this."

It wasn't personal. If Rex had to truly love everyone he'd been with over the past hundred years, then he'd be in serious trouble by now.

Some women liked dirty talk, others—like Rigrit—liked being praised by someone they saw as above them. It made them feel seen. Made them feel special. Rex understood that well. And he played the part.

"Thanks…" Rex said lightly, his eyes briefly drifting as he sized up Draudillon's figure.

She was undeniably stunning—a curvaceous beauty whose presence could charm anyone, regardless of gender or race. It was almost strange that her empire preferred her loli form over this one. 

He let out a soft laugh, noticing how tense she still was.

"You don't have to be so stiff around me," he said, his tone light and easy. "Relax a little."

"It's not every day I stand before someone who can bring the concept of infinity into reality," Draudillon said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"And it's not every day I find myself sitting beside the most beautiful woman in the world, yet here I am—completely calm about it," Rex replied with a relaxed grin.

Draudillon's eyes widened at his words. She turned to look at him, clearly stunned, unsure if she should believe what he'd just said.

"Y-you can't just say such things so casually," Draudillon stammered, her cheeks burning a vivid red.

"Say what?" Rex replied with a soft smile. "Since when was speaking the truth something that needed to be hidden?"

He leaned in slightly, his gaze locked onto hers. "You're the most beautiful person I've ever met… someone I'd love to make my wife one day."

His voice was calm, almost gentle—but the closeness of his words left her face glowing red, her composure unraveling under the weight of his sincerity.

"W-wife?" Draudillon stammered, her voice cracking as smoke rose from her head. In a flustered panic, she jumped to her feet and quickly put some distance between herself and Rex.

"Haha! That was the best rejection I've ever seen," Rex said, bursting into laughter.

Flustered and mortified, Draudillon waved her hands rapidly, trying to explain herself through the embarrassment.

"I-I didn't reject you… I mean…" Draudillon's voice trailed off as her face turned an even deeper shade of red, steam practically rising from her skin.

Before she could gather her thoughts, Rex suddenly appeared before her, gently taking her hands in his.

"Then let's take our time," he said with a charming smile, his voice low and sincere. "And in the future, when you're ready, we can bring the topic of marriage back up."

Draudillon stood there dazed, heart racing, completely thrown off by the warmth in his words.

Later that night, Draudillon lay sprawled across her bed, completely drained. Her body was slick with sweat from head to toe, her limbs heavy and unresponsive.

Her tongue lolled out, eyes half-rolled back from the sheer, overwhelming intensity of what she had experienced.

As for Rex? He was already miles away, the matter of the Dragon Empire left behind without a second thought—another chapter closed as he moved forward on his journey.