Chapter 466
Seong Jihan widened his eyes at the remark.
Someone who could refer to the Dragon Lord as a pet.
'It could only be the Red Administrator.'
The Red Administrator, who had subordinate relationships with the Sun King and the Dragon Lord, treating them as his disciple and mount respectively.
Only someone of that caliber could call the Dragon Lord a pet.
However,
'In the past, the Administrator's Hand didn't seem to show such dominance over the Dragon Lord.'
In fact, the presence of the eyeball was much weaker compared to the Administrator's Hand.
Stat-wise, too. When embedding the Administrator's Hand, Red increased by 300, but the eyeball only increased it by 100.
Yet, looking at the current messages,
Compared to the one constantly referring to its true body, the intelligence and clarity of this eyeball's speech were unmistakable.
'Hmm… This thing seems closer to the Red Administrator.'
The arena owner, who seemed to have a connection with the Red Administrator,
Had given him this eye, and it was showing its presence at this perfect timing.
While it was troublesome that the Dragon Lord's presence couldn't be detected, should he follow the eyeball's instructions?
Seong Jihan pondered briefly.
'If it doesn't work out, I can respond with Azure. Let's hear what it has to say.'
"What's the way to summon the pet?"
[Place your hand on that heart. When you manifest Red, I'll command the beast.]
What a straightforward method.
Seong Jihan put his right hand, which had the eye embedded, onto the heart, igniting the Red flames.
Then,
Whiiing…
The giant red gem began to glow.
[Bow and greet your master, beast.]
A powerful voice resonated from inside.
Then,
Pang! Pang!
Dragon eggs began to crack and break all around, and the dragon's aura started to gather.
[This… this voice, and such dominance… Is it really the master?]
Ssshhh…
Soon, the serpent-formed Dragon Lord slowly revealed himself from the ground.
The Dragon Lord, whose head was smaller compared to the avatar form seen before at the tournament.
At first, Seong Jihan thought that maybe it was another avatar, not the main body.
[To think even my body size has shrunk like before… Does the master's authority still apply to me…]
When the Dragon Lord revealed his confused feelings while looking at the heart, it confirmed it to be the main body.
'Immediate effect.'
This was the reason why the eyeball was bragging with such confidence.
Seong Jihan was about to attack the revealed Dragon Lord when,
[Master, no, Administrator… I am not what I used to be! Now I can defy your orders…!]
Pong!
The serpent form exploded, and the Dragon Lord vanished again.
'Ah, that guy ran away again.'
What kind of Dragon Lord only knows how to run away?
It's genuinely infuriating.
Apparently, it wasn't just Seong Jihan feeling this way.
– He talked big about defying orders, but in the end, he ran away;
– Is he really a Great Constellation? Why does he keep running?
– Looks like gathering the Silver Dragons for that breath attack was all he had planned…
– He really needs to step down from his Great Constellation title.
Viewers watching were also frustrated by the Dragon Lord's escape.
However,
[For a mere beast meant to carry the master, this is an unnecessary struggle.]
The eye embedded in Seong Jihan's hand disdainfully judged the opponent's escape.
[Manifest Red on the heart like earlier. This time, I'll summon him more forcefully.]
It demanded Seong Jihan to exert the same power as earlier.
"…Fine."
Ssssshhk…
When Seong Jihan extended his hand towards the heart again and manifested Red,
[A punishment is necessary. Beast.]
This time, Seong Jihan's right hand moved on its own, grabbing the Dragon Lord's heart.
Crackkk!
The heart of the Lord broke into pieces.
And then,
[Graaaaah…!]
Screams echoed from the ground as eggs started exploding one after another.
It looked as if the eggs were linked to the heart fragments.
[Come out.]
Crack!
As Seong Jihan's hand dug into the broken heart,
Sssssh…
Smoke thickened among the broken eggs, revealing the serpent-formed Dragon Lord again.
Its body was full of holes, bleeding profusely.
[Why do I still fall under his control…]
The large serpent stared blankly at the sky with its slit pupil.
The Dragon Lord, treated as a mere pet by the Red Administrator.
After the administrator disappeared, he rebuilt the dragon race and expanded his influence, ultimately becoming a Great Constellation.
Yet at the sound of his former master's voice, all the strength he had built vanished,
Leaving him in a near-death state.
[I thought I had escaped…]
[Switching your heart with eggs to expand your power…]
[How did you… No, how do you know, Master?]
[It's all as I designed. In all those years, you have not evolved beyond my design.]
[…]
Seong Jihan looked down after hearing that.
All those endless eggs, they were all fragments of the Dragon Lord's heart?
'So, breaking them increased my level…'
He thought as he recalled the system message from earlier.
[Level has increased by 8.]
With the eye fully digging into the Lord's heart and the eggs exploding, his level had dramatically surged.
His level had risen by 10 in such a short time after intruding the Dragon Lord.
If it rises 17 more, he'll become a constellation.
'Let's finish this quickly.'
Seong Jihan drew his sword to eliminate the exposed Dragon Lord.
Just as he was about to advance,
[Seong Jihan, I have something to tell you.]
"You want to talk?"
A voice emerged from the eye clutching the heart.
[You will soon die.]
* * *
"I will soon die? What does that mean?"
[Exactly as it sounds.]
Whoosh…
As flames erupted from the shattered Dragon Lord's heart,
The serpent's head, collapsed on the ground,
Suddenly stood up and approached the floating Seong Jihan.
Its slit pupils had turned into red eyes.
'That…'
Although much smaller in size compared to the one on Seong Jihan's hand,
The semblance was unmistakable—a similar red eyeball.
'Could it be… the Red Administrator has taken over the Dragon Lord's body?'
It was definitely different from the Administrator's Hand.
Seong Jihan concentrated the void into the Eclipse he summoned with his left hand,
Determined to use the Taiji Sword if needed.
[You have used the void excessively.]
The Dragon Lord's eye scrutinized Seong Jihan's sword and face.
[Just like this.]
"…So, that's why you say I will die?"
[The void ultimately guides life to its end.]
Sssss…
[No one, not even the 'Administrators,' can escape this, except for two beings in the universe.]
"Even you, Red Administrator?"
When Seong Jihan referred to the eye as the Red Administrator,
– What?
– Did he say that thing is the Red Administrator…?
– The Dragon Lord's eyes did change instantly.
– Seems like the serpent tried to resist futilely and got its body taken.
– But why does the Red Administrator show up so suddenly after being in hiding?
The alien viewers were astonished.
The most capable among the BattleNet administrators, who didn't relinquish his authority after his term ended and remained in hiding,
The mythical figure who reappeared caused a surge in viewer numbers, surpassing even when he fought the Martial God.
Of course,
[I am merely a fragment containing part of the Administrator's memories. Actually, Seong Jihan, you are the closest to the Red Administrator.]
The entity denied being the Red Administrator.
Seong Jihan chuckled at that.
Subduing the Dragon Lord with a few commands, yet calling him the Red Administrator.
"Alright then, fragment of the Administrator, what do you want to say?"
[Seong Jihan, don't you wish to live?]
Fssshh…
As soon as those words ended, a crack appeared on one side of the Dragon Lord's face.
It didn't reveal the void itself,
But the broken look was eerily similar to that of Seong Jihan's fractured face.
[To transcend the void consuming you, you must become a Permanent Administrator.]
"If you judged me incorrectly, you would've known I'd have pressed that button long ago, right?"
[That, I am well aware of.]
The giant serpent's head moved slowly up and down.
[Thus, I present you with a new choice.]
"A new choice…"
[Destroy this body.]
Sssshh…
The Dragon Lord's head moved closer to Seong Jihan.
The distance was now within the range where the opponent could be killed easily without even fully utilizing the Taiji Sword.
[And become a Temporary Administrator, choosing Red.]
"Choose… Red?"
[Correct.]
So, if one becomes a Temporary Administrator, can they choose the color?
Seong Jihan questioned after hearing the suggestion.
"But isn't Red unavailable since you, the Administrator, took its authority and ran off?"
[Others can't, but you can. You are part of Red, the crucial core part.]
"…"
He was told earlier that he is this era's heart.
Since even this entity emphasizes him as the core part, it must be true.
As Seong Jihan nodded, the Red Administrator tried to convince him.
[If you choose Red, humanity doesn't have to be eradicated like before. The Red particles within can be absorbed by you as the Temporary Administrator.]
"Is that… possible?"
[It is possible for 'us.' If you become a Temporary Administrator and choose Red, a way will be found.]
Whoosh!
Flames engulfed the Dragon Lord's head.
[Then, you can revert your void-consumed body,]
The previously shattered half of the head returned to its original state.
[And we shall become the third Permanent Administrator.]
This pitch… was more appealing than the button.
As Seong Jihan quietly listened.
[The Cosmic Tree Yggdrasil urgently warns you not to be deceived by these words.]
[If you become the Red Administrator, you will be controlled by this entity, who warns you against its deceitful tongue.]
[While the heart merely beats, the real control lies with the brain, be cautious.]
Messages urgently came from the Green Administrator's side.
Choosing Red means an elimination from the Permanent Administrator race, which made Yggdrasil anxious.
"Yggdrasil is saying that."
When Seong Jihan mentioned it,
[You trust an elf?]
The Red Administrator retorted simply.
Of course, he didn't trust that side but,
'Same goes for this one…'
Seong Jihan stared at the glaring Dragon Lord.
"First, let's kill the Great Constellation."
He moved his left hand wielding the sword.
Thunk!
Eclipse penetrated the Dragon Lord's head.
[Great Constellation 'Dragon Lord' has been subdued.]
An achievement was cleared