WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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Chapter 46: Dragon God Festival

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After the Society Head issued an order barring guests, Kyoryong Bodhisattva and her supporters gathered at her home beneath Bukhansan.

"The Society Head has begun making contact with Gangnam Holy Temple Church."

"So she finally brought in outside forces. Gangnam Holy Temple Church, of all churches."

"It may not be as mighty as it once was, but it's still one of the Five Great Lineages, isn't it?"

"Do you think the Society Head has noticed something?"

"Shh! Don't mention it carelessly!"

There was a reason they had gone so far as to attack the messenger from Gangnam Holy Temple Church.

First, it was political maneuvering to replace the current Dragon Maiden Bodhisattva, the Society Head.

The current Dragon Maiden Bodhisattva had been installed in a hurry after the previous holder died, so her foundation was weak.

There couldn't be a better time to seize control of one of the Five Great Lineages, the Black Lotus Society.

Second...

"......!!"

The lights flickered.

The lights throughout the house, which had been perfectly fine until moments ago, blinked as black mist rose from them.

"Get down!"

The moment Kyoryong Bodhisattva cried out urgently, the male shamans and other shamans hurriedly dropped to their knees.

A curtain of darkness settled over the room, and while it brushed past them, nobody dared to speak.

They only had to wait.

Until He whispered.

Splash!

The light pouring from the lamps turned into black mist and overflowed from within them.

Soon, the lamps shattered and spilled onto the floor. As the pitch-black liquid swirled and rose into the air, the temperature around them dropped in an instant.

Tremble, tremble...

He was coming. He was coming.

They shook at the mere sense of that presence, too terrified to even say its name aloud.

Before long, the pitch-black liquid pushed through the dark mist and began taking shape.

A black horse.

A black horse with blood-red, vicious eyes, a muscular body, and four legs stepped across the floor with sharp clacks.

No one dared raise their heads.

It was only the form of a messenger, not even His true body, yet who could dare look directly upon a great demon beyond comprehension?

【Has it begun?】

The voice scraped at their brains, pressed down on their hearts, pierced their organs, and seeped into the depths of their souls.

【Speak.】

At that voice, heavier than thunder, Kyoryong Bodhisattva and the male shamans prostrated themselves.

"W-we sent the beasts out to fight, just as you ordered!"

"B-but that monster devoured every last one of them! Forgive us!"

"They were beasts commanded through the Great One's power! I-it was because we were lacking!"

They lowered themselves so humbly it was pathetic, placing all the blame on themselves.

They couldn't dare make excuses, even though accepting responsibility could mean the deaths of many... no, all of them.

【How long did it take?】

"P-pardon?"

【How long did it take for the beasts to fall to that bastard?】

Kyoryong Bodhisattva immediately began thinking.

How long had it taken?

The Eight-Foot-Tall Ghost had been there when they ambushed him. Excluding that... most of the beasts had charged straight at the monster.

"I-I think it was a little under a minute!"

【......】

The black horse fell silent.

Then it gave a hollow laugh.

【It has weakened. Yes, it couldn't have brought its full power after descending without any conditions.】

Kyoryong Bodhisattva and the male shamans felt as if they had been struck over the head.

Weakened?

That thing?

They had deployed Ankylosauruses, among the toughest creatures around, as well as Deinonychuses and Velociraptors, predators specialized for hunting.

More than thirty dinosaurs had ambushed it at once.

And the monster that had annihilated them in roughly a minute... was weakened?

If that was true, then it too was a transcendent being beyond anything they could imagine.

They had involved themselves in a battle between such monsters.

【Have you gathered enough bones?】

"Y-yes! The museums have large quantities of fossils in storage!"

The red eyes stared down at them.

Worms that ordinarily wouldn't even be permitted the honor of dealing with Him.

But with the Second King now in play, he could afford to offer even them a bargain.

【Use my power. Cast as much magic as you need and replenish the beasts. There is only one thing I desire from you vermin.】

Kill the king.

Kill the king who sought to bind us in brass chains.

Kill him.

【Do that, and the treasures of this world will be yours.】

Humans fell for that sweet temptation far too easily.

* * *

Decarabia's necromancy was limited to avians.

Pastor Go had said it was because Decarabia possessed authority and magic over birds.

In other words, as long as there were bones, Decarabia could summon and command spirits, but only those of birds.

The question was how far the concept of "birds" extended.

Flying bird spirits?

No, that couldn't be it, considering I could summon chicken souls.

When you traced the history of birds back, the concept became far broader than I'd expected.

"It is already an established fact in academia that birds are descendants of dinosaurs. Modern birds are also included in the concept of theropod dinosaurs."

That wasn't all.

"Can pterosaurs be considered birds too?"

"Strictly speaking, they are reptiles. However, they are classified as Avemetatarsalia. They are closely related to birds, so if we focus on the interpretation of 'bird,' they should qualify."

That meant there was a chance Decarabia's avian-only necromancy could command both dinosaurs and pterosaurs.

"My heart is pounding right now..."

"Heh heh, hehehe... Perhaps we may accomplish something that no Dragon Maiden Bodhisattva in history has ever managed."

"Then let's perform the spirit possession right away! Ah! Do you have bones? It'd be easier if there was a complete skeleton."

"There are two conditions first."

"Conditions?"

"Yes. This young lady cannot do this for free. I need to be compensated."

She wasn't wrong.

I'd expected there would be a price to pay.

"The price..."

"The estimated value is over a hundred billion won. Do you possess assets worth that much?"

"..."

When I pressed my lips shut, Dragon Maiden Bodhisattva smiled faintly.

"I do not intend to charge you its full value. The bones will not disappear simply because we summon the soul. Instead... if you help me, young master, I will provide you with a complete pterosaur skeleton."

"What do you need help with?"

"It is a condition that should interest you as a fellow enthusiast. Help me invoke a Dragon God."

Dragon Maiden Bodhisattva's condition was simple.

She planned to hold a descent ritual to call down a new Dragon God, and she wanted my help.

"The Dragon God Festival begins this week."

"The Dragon God Festival?"

"It is an event where we hold a descent ritual and receive a new dragon. It is a quarterly event of the Black Lotus Society, but... Kyoryong Bodhisattva has issued a challenge there."

The Dragon God Festival was a spirit-descent ceremony for the male shamans.

The male shamans who served Dragon Gods were responsible for the Black Lotus Society's combat strength, so receiving a powerful Dragon God was how they proved their worth.

For her to issue a challenge over that meant...

"She intends to receive a Dragon God with Dragon Maiden Bodhisattva's divine title, and even the position of Society Head, at stake."

"The one who invokes the stronger Greater Dragon becomes the Society Head?"

Dragon Maiden Bodhisattva nodded.

"But aren't you all the experts? I don't know what I could do to help."

"Whew... Under normal circumstances, I would not even consider accepting an outsider's help."

Dragon Maiden Bodhisattva let out a quiet sigh, as though bitter over her situation.

"At present, I cannot even acquire decent fossils. The subordinates who were supposed to participate in the descent ritual are withdrawing their support as well."

"What? But you're the Society Head."

"It is because Kyoryong Bodhisattva has already invoked a Greater Dragon. It was a display of power before the Dragon God Festival. And that Greater Dragon... is far stronger than the one I invoked."

In other words, once Kyoryong Bodhisattva issued the challenge, her victory had become almost certain.

"It is strange. My aunt did not possess that kind of ability..."

"I have something to say about that."

I remembered the stench I'd sensed from the moment I encountered them.

That distinct smell I'd noticed when I met demons and magicians.

That same smell had come from their group.

If they were minions of a demon, their bizarre growth made sense.

"I find that difficult to believe. She may be greedy, but we cannot accuse them of being a demon's minions without evidence."

"We'll deal with that part gradually. Still, I'm sure of it. There's a demon backing those people."

The demon probably had authority that gave a powerful advantage when it came to summoning Dragon Gods.

Just as Decarabia's magic gave me a powerful advantage when invoking avian spirits.

"Then we need a backer too."

"A backer?"

"Yeah. If they're backed by a demon..."

Wouldn't we need to bring in an angel?

* * *

The Dragon God Festival came around incredibly quickly.

There had only been a week left when I first visited the Black Lotus Society headquarters.

Held every quarter, this event celebrated the male shamans who received spirit descent and would protect the Black Lotus Society.

But today's Dragon God Festival had a very different atmosphere from the previous ones.

It felt like the calm before a storm.

Everyone openly knew that Kyoryong Bodhisattva would challenge Dragon Maiden Bodhisattva for her position here today.

"Will the Society Head really be replaced?"

"She's been invoking multiple Greater Dragons and Lesser Dragons since she was a child bodhisattva. They say she's a once-in-a-generation genius in the Black Lotus Society."

"But everyone saw the Greater Dragon Kyoryong Bodhisattva summoned. The Society Head's Greater Dragon can't compete with it."

The Greater Dragon the Society Head had invoked was famous too.

At the very least, it was powerful enough that ordinary Greater Dragons could hardly stand against it.

But what was the Greater Dragon Kyoryong Bodhisattva had summoned and paraded around so proudly?

You could count on one hand the Greater Dragons capable of opposing it.

"I thought perhaps she had managed to get proper fossils. The museums in Goseong and Jinju refused to cooperate with the Society Head."

"They had already gone over to Kyoryong Bodhisattva. I heard she didn't just pay them a little, either."

"Shh! Watch what you say. The Society Head could change today."

Hmm. Just from the bits I'd overheard, Dragon Maiden Bodhisattva was clearly at a disadvantage.

Was the Greater Dragon Kyoryong Bodhisattva had summoned really that amazing?

"It succeeded! This young man has successfully received the Lesser Dragon Velociraptor!"

Clap clap clap clap!

The Dragon God Festival's descent rituals were proceeding one after another.

Those with spiritual power chose their own path, then performed spirit-descending rituals to receive the gods they would serve.

The Black Lotus Society simply performed rituals to receive Dragon Gods.

Normally, a spirit-descending ritual required many experienced shamans, musicians, and assistants.

It was a ceremony performed by multiple shamans, musicians, and support staff together.

"Now, child bodhisattva. Calmly make contact with the Dragon God you have received. This honored one has descended for you."

"This is... my Dragon God..."

A child bodhisattva who looked barely old enough to have started elementary school stared at the raptor Dragon God she had invoked, sweat pouring down her face.

Krrk?

The raptor Dragon God tilted its head as if it wasn't used to this situation, but the child bodhisattva was no different.

The time for blessings and congratulations for the raptor Dragon God and the child bodhisattva was brief.

One shaman rose from her seat.

A white robe, then a red ritual garment embroidered with dragon scales.

It was a luxurious outfit decorated with elaborate patterns in golden thread.

"Kyoryong Bodhisattva."

"Society Head! Today, I would like to make a proposal for the Society's prosperity!"

Everyone held their breath as they watched.

They all knew why Kyoryong Bodhisattva had stood.

At last, it was beginning. Their expressions said they had known this was coming.

"What do you mean by the Society's prosperity?"

"We male shamans who serve Dragon Gods began as practitioners meant to protect the Society from outside threats. We have only one purpose. To receive stronger dragons and protect the Society!"

At those words, Dragon Maiden Bodhisattva took a sip from the teacup on the platform and raised her gaze.

"Go on."

"Today, I propose that we hold a descent ritual with Dragon Maiden Bodhisattva's divine title at stake!"

"......!!"

They had known, but they apparently hadn't expected her to make the demand so openly.

"The position of Society Head is not decided solely by receiving a strong dragon."

"No! Only strong dragons can protect the Society! Are you afraid you may lack the qualifications?"

"Kyoryong Bodhisattva, watch your words...!"

At that moment, the gazes of every male shaman gathered at the Dragon God Festival turned toward the person who had spoken.

Crushed by nothing but hundreds of silent stares, the person eventually had to sit back down.

"It seems the Society's practitioners have already reached their conclusion."

"...Very well. Let the one who receives the stronger Dragon God through a descent ritual inherit the divine title of Dragon Maiden."

"Heh."

Kyoryong Bodhisattva twisted her lips, certain of her victory.

"Now, brothers and sisters who will assist this Kyoryong Bodhisattva's spirit-descending ritual, please rise!"

At Kyoryong Bodhisattva's words, the male shamans at the Dragon God Festival all stood.

There were over fifty of them, nearly one-third of the shamans participating in the festival.

"Bring forth the Dragon God's bones!"

As soon as Kyoryong Bodhisattva gave the order, huge bones began moving through the entrance as if they had been waiting.

They were dinosaur fossils and a complete skeleton needed for a Dragon God's spirit-descending ritual.

I'd heard the more complete a skeleton was, the greater the chance of succeeding in a spirit-descending ritual, but that...

"That's a complete skeleton."

Yeah. It was a skeleton that perfectly recreated the creature's form. And anyone interested in dinosaurs would know what dinosaur it was.

"S-Spinosaurus!"

"My heavens! She managed to acquire another fossil of that Greater Dragon!"

The Greater Dragon Kyoryong Bodhisattva had proudly displayed was Spinosaurus.

One of the largest land dinosaurs in existence.

And now its descent ritual began.

"Maintain the formation!"

At Kyoryong Bodhisattva's command, twelve ritualists burned talismans at the same time.

More than a dozen musicians began beating janggu drums and gongs, and spiritual energy rose strongly enough to see.

They too were performing a ritual to receive a Dragon God through spiritual power.

A spirit-descending ritual to invoke a Dragon God consumed an enormous amount of spiritual power.

So much that it couldn't be done alone, so much that assistants were essential.

Four supporting shamans held Kyoryong Bodhisattva up from both sides to keep her from collapsing.

Kyoryong Bodhisattva stepped alone into the center of the altar and began an invocation prayer.

"Beyond the deep waves of the Eastern Sea, I call to the skies where the breath of the beginning sleeps! Ancient kings born of dragon blood, who have crossed the ages of the Cretaceous!"

A low, solemn voice rang out with the sound of bells.

Jingle.

The candles placed around the altar all turned blue at once.

Spiritual energy... No. It was something else.

Before I could figure out what it was, the drums grew more intense.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Kyoryong Bodhisattva swept her fan through the air and shouted.

"Retainers who walked the earth and shook the heavens. Cast aside your forgotten names and heed this body's command."

The air suddenly grew heavy.

A fierce wind shook the decorations around the ritual grounds.

"Urk!"

"Gah!"

Several male shamans coughed up blood and collapsed.

Kyoryong Bodhisattva didn't care. She poured the black, evil spiritual energy within her body into the Spinosaurus skeleton.

"Come! King of the Cretaceous! Descend upon this altar and obey my command!"

It was not an invocation suited to receiving a god.

Soon, black mist wrapped around the skeleton and swelled into a massive shadow.

"Oh, ohhh...!"

"A Greater Dragon! Another Greater Dragon!"

Spinosaurus.

Crossing tens of millions of years, a new Greater Dragon stepped into the present age.

"Huff! Hah! Huff! Hehehe! What do you think? This Kyoryong Bodhisattva has invoked the greatest of Greater Dragons once again!"

Half the ritualists who participated had collapsed after vomiting blood, but it was still a success.

Kyoryong Bodhisattva grinned triumphantly at Dragon Maiden Bodhisattva.

"......"

She only rose from her seat without a word.

"Then I will bring out the bones of the Dragon God I intend to receive as well."

Creeeak!

The altar doors opened.

It was a huge entrance, large enough for the Spinosaurus skeleton to pass through.

The dinosaur bones that entered through it were...

"Hah!"

"W-what is that?!"

Clack clack!

Our patron, are you ready?

It's our turn now.

Footnotes:

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