The Kingmaker System
"The masterminds are cooler than heroes," I mutter as I stare at the chess pieces before me. It is easier to be the one who sits in the shadows and moves the pieces, likewise deciding the flow of the game. Heroes will foolishly sacrifice their lives for the good cause and villains will sacrifice the world for their own gain, but masterminds will use both the heroes and villains to their own benefit. Why, you ask? Well, that's because I've lost my life once while trying to be a hero so, I don't want that anymore. I'd rather be a mastermind who molds the world as per my convenience and live peacefully. Because, why not? *** [Defender of Divine Glory says you are the hope of this world.] What? [Goddess of Wisdom believes that you will be the one to save the world.] Wait, what?! [Propose the Grand Duke the idea of a fake marriage.] And, why would I do that?! [Stop the assassination of Prince Eric.] Why would I save him?! [The candidates for the throne are:... Who will you choose?] Ah! I give up... It seems like a curse that anyone who wishes for a slacker life in Isekai will have to go through the most troublesome things. In my past life, I died because of one rookie mistake but after being transmigrated in the world of fantasy I've gotten an opportunity to start afresh, but unlike the protagonists who look for their love and glory, I'd rather make money and live a life of a slacker. I have magic, I have power and I have money, what else do I need? Well, that was the plan but this damn system is getting on my nerves. I mean who in their sane mind would want to mess with the complicated royal family and political affairs? But that's not all though. I've also become the saviour of this world. Things just can't be anymore worse! Besides, the penalty of failing this quest is... [Failure: Destruction of the World.] It seems like if I screw up in selecting the right person then the destruction that is going to befall the world won't be stopped. If I speak of my reward then it's this vague thing. [Reward: Fulfillment of any wish.] "If that's the case then, I'd rather choose the person who would be the best fit for the throne." And that's how I decided that I would become the Kingmaker.
8. Dragon's Legacy (2)
There was a time when the majestic dragon was revered as a God by humans.
But now, it was nothing more than an object of hatred, something that the humans would die to conquer.
The dragon was the epitome of nature's beauty, with its radiant blue scales that covered his colossal body and diamond-like eyes that saw through everything visible and invisible to the naked eye. Its size was so humongous that a human might resemble as a mere kitten in front of him.
In the past, it helped humans and protected them from dangers but now, those same humans were coming at it with weapons.
They wanted to slay it because they feared that one day it might eradicate the human race and also with the greed that the dragon's scales and eyes would fetch them immense wealth.
Driven by greed and valour, the humans came at the dragon relentlessly forcing him to kill them in self-defence.
There were tears in its eyes whenever it killed and he seemed like he was suffering even though it was for his survival.
Hundreds of men died and the humans termed the Dragon as an evil being.
Countless warriors launched attacks on him and died until one day an unparalleled warrior stepped inside the Dragon's lair and after a long battle he defeated it by driving his huge sword through the dragon's heart.
The warrior was then entitled as the Dragon Slayer and made the King of the Kingdom.
I was passively aware of the story that was flashing before my eyes and for some reason, I could empathize with the Dragon. He wasn't bad from the start, it was because of some people that he ended up like that.
Suddenly as if I was pulled out of the water my eyes flew open and I breathed heavily finding myself standing with the blinding glow surrounding me, it faded as soon as I came to my senses.
"Ugh..." I heard the Dragon groan.
"What the hell happened?" I wondered aloud as its figure was fluctuating like a flame in a storm.
"I underestimated the faculties of the ones whom protect thou." It spoke in a laboured voice and I frowned.
Did something happen while I was passed out?
[Goddess of Wisdom scolds you for making a rash decision.]
[Defender of Divine Glory is touched by your decision.]
"Wait, what happened here?" I asked.
"I shall allow thou and thy brother to depart..."
The figure slowly receded towards the lake and I frowned. Was he not going to take my body?
"Wait!" I called and it stopped.
"Thou may depart, I shall not claim thy vessel."
Huh? Wait, did my Patrons interfere and do something here?
[...]
They definitely did.
"Will you not help us?" I asked.
"I hast no power to aid thou, yet if thou keep walking in that direction," a glowing appendage stretched in the opposite direction pointing at the tunnel-like space.
"Thou shall reach the exuent near the mountain pass."
Its figure started diminishing after saying that and I couldn't help but feel pity for the being who was misunderstood and murdered.
"Wait!" I called again and the figure stopped.
"Is... Is there a way that I can help you?" I asked unsure of myself.
"Help... me?" The Dragon's voice sounded sceptical.
"I know, I'm nothing but a small child but to thank you for telling us a way out, I want to do something in return."
The Dragon's blue mana waved like the ripples on the water's surface before it started speaking, "Then, will thou free me from here?"
"Free you?"
"I hast been trapped hither for centuries, and I desire freedom." It said with a hint of exhaustion in its voice.
"Is there a way to help him be free?" I asked the system and the Patrons.
[Hint: The Dragon's heart is in the lake.]
I stared at the notification with confusion. But then I looked at the Dragon's mana.
"Fine, then. I'll try to help you be free." I announced and the Dragon's mana shuddered.
"Shall thou?"
I walked over to the lake and looked once at Rune before taking a deep breath and diving into the water.
The bubbles covered my vision for a moment before I started swimming deeper.
[Acquired new skill: Underwater Diver.]
[Acquired new skill: Breathing technique.]
I ignored the blue screens as I kept going down until something huge came into my view. It was a huge blue rock that lay at the bottom of the lake, it wasn't glowing as the other mana stones that were around the entire lair. Its blue hue was faded and it seemed like it had lost all its life.
I spotted something glinting on the rock and I swam closer to it.
My lungs were starting to give in as I was losing the limited air besides, my body was starting to feel the pressure of being so deep underwater, that I was barely holding by.
[Acquired skill: Endurance.]
The pressure slowly subsided and I didn't feel suffocated as I drifted closer to the Dragon's heart. I swam closer to the glinting object and realised that it was a sword that was lodged into the Dragon's heart.
Though it had been centuries since the dragon was dead yet, its heart was still here with its murder weapon still lodged onto it.
Should I remove this sword to free the Dragon? I wondered before I gripped the large hilt of the sword.
I tried to pull it but it didn't budge. I gritted my teeth and yanked it with all my strength but it didn't seem to be working.
[Acquired skill: Superior Endurance.]
"It is all right if thou canst not doth it. I appreciate thy noble thought." I heard the Dragon's voice and shook my head.
[Acquired skill: Advanced Strength.]
I grunted as I applied full force and suddenly the sword moved.
[Acquired skill: Superior strength.]
I clenched my teeth as I kept pulling feeling the muscles and tendons in my body straining and aching and the other notification popped up.
[Acquire skill: Supreme strength.]
I tensed my whole body feeling my veins nearly pop until I felt as if they would burst with the amount of pressure around me and the force I applying myself.
The sudden force hit me and I was sent floating back by a few feet. I almost lost the air in my lungs but then I noticed the heavy thing in my hands.
The huge sword that was lodged into the Dragon's heart was in my hands. I looked at the heart and before I could be happy about it the water current shifted.
The water started revolving around me like a whirlpool and I couldn't understand it. I pulled the sword out of that Dragon's heart then everything should be fine, why the hell was there a whirlpool?
My body floated into the centre of the raging whirlpool before the water slowly converged towards me, I couldn't understand as the whole process went so fast and I heard the Dragon's voice in my head.
"I am grateful for thy help and in return, I grant thou this lair and whatever remains of mine power. You shall be regarded as my..."
Before I could grasp it all, I lost my consciousness.