WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ SSS-Class Revival Hunter ◈
Chapter 258: Sealing the Dragon (1)
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-Whether it's a Ki Dragon or whatever, it's just a mass of Aura!
-Let's suck it up like an elixir and nourish ourselves!
An outrageously simple proposition.
Yet, this simplicity stirred the members of the Fire River Council. The amphitheater-like sunken meeting room quickly filled with buzzing voices.
-To absorb such a monstrous creature through Aura cultivation? Is that even possible?
-That's nonsense.
-But if it really is a pure collection of Aura as the monster claims, then there’s no reason we can’t devour it....
Snap!
Chairman Seimslam smacked the ground with her tentacle.
-Quiet.
Everyone instantly silenced. In the Fire River Council, where the rule of the strong prevailed, the chairman's action was understood as "Excuse me, but I'd appreciate it if you weaker ones would kindly shut up."
Seimslam was strong, and a graceful silence followed.
-I ask Uburka. Are you saying we can eliminate this monster through Aura cultivation?
-Ugor! In my opinion, that's exactly right.
Although Seimslam, a Mountain Snail Tribe member far junior to him, spoke to him casually, Uburka did not care in the slightest. He merely chuckled like a mischievous child joining in a wicked prank.
-Think about it. What we eat becomes part of our bodies, right? Similarly, the Aura we absorb, even if it comes from that creature’s breath, becomes our Aura.
Uburka clenched his fists, making a thumping sound.
-So, you take a bite, I take a bite. If we all come together and share bite by bite, Ugor! That turtle will vanish without a trace, leaving us stronger!
-Hmm.
Seimslam pondered deeply.
The Mountain Snail Tribe was naturally smaller in size, similar or even smaller than goblins. Now that the Earth Spirit Tribe had evolved into Hobgoblins, they were no match. Even the one sitting next to Seimslam, arms crossed, was Uburka, the largest warrior in Earth Spirit Tribe history.
-Lime.
So imagine how small Seimslam looked next to Uburka?
Even Seimslam's tentacles, the pride of the Mountain Snail Tribe, were reduced to just one. Her old snail shell was wrinkled and unsightly.
Yet, even next to the green mountain that was Uburka, Seimslam was dignified, and her dignity felt natural.
-Listen, everyone.
Maybe it was inevitable.
-We'll now decide the Fire River Council's stance on this unprecedented situation.
In that world, my teachings of the Demonic Cult had spread, and the Earth Spirit Tribe was trained and disciplined according to those teachings. The Mountain Snail Tribe had been subservient to them for hundreds of years. The teachings of Demonic Heaven permeated the Fire River Council. Therefore, if Uburka was the first Heavenly Demon, then Seimslam was the 417th.
The scars from losing all but one tentacle were not a source of shame under the doctrine of Demonic Heaven but a source of pride. The more scars, the longer the path of the sword; the deeper the wounds, the freer the Divine Art of the Demonic Heaven.
-We accept the former chairman Uburka's advice and will absorb the Ki Dragon's Aura!
It was the moment the Fire River Council's stance on the Ki Dragon incident was decided.
Soon after, as if waiting for this landmark decision, the council members stood up.
-Chairman! We'll send a summons to all of the Fairy Tribe!
-Why are you pointy-eared bastards trying to get ahead on your own? The Serpent God departed first, so we horn-bearers have first claim!
-Ho ho... everyone is so eager. But can we really get there without our ships?
-Ah, everyone's so greedy. We, [The Group Firmly Against Monopolizing the Ki Dragon], strongly propose establishing a committee for fair and equal use of the Ki Dragon....
-Silence!
Seimslam smacked the ground again.
-I know you're here representing your tribes, Lime! But that's true for 'everyone'! Everyone here represents their respective tribes!
The council members paused.
Seimslam continued.
-Therefore, we can come to a conclusion representing 'all tribes'! And it's our duty as council members to reach such a conclusion!
This statement caused the council members to cough awkwardly.
She was the first in history to become chairman without being from the Earth Spirit Tribe. Not only was Seimslam strong, but she also possessed the political acumen to maintain that strength.
Before long, a consensus was reached in the Fire River Council.
-Our Vampiric Tribe will immediately announce this to the world. We'll use Dream Notification to spread the word.
A Vampiric Tribe council member spoke.
Other tribal representatives followed.
-Our Fairy Tribe will mobilize all merchants to host [Pilgrims]. Just announcing it will cause chaos.
-Our Ghost Tribe will ensure the safety of the roads to prevent bandits from causing trouble.
-Our Gill-Fin Tribe will gather ships for the pilgrims. Leave the large-scale passenger transport to us.
-Our Mountain Snail Tribe will handle construction, Lime. That turtle is huge, so we'll need construction to climb onto its shell.
-Our Earth Spirit Tribe will mobilize all Blood Drama Troupes. Ugor. We'll share the troupes' know-how to make Aura cultivation easy for beginners through learning Blood Dramas.
Even after resolving these issues, Seimslam was not satisfied.
-Fools! The most important problem remains! To eat turtle soup, we first need to catch the turtle. Lime. But that turtle is alive! Discussing which plate to use and how to cook it before that is absurd!
Again, the council members’ faces flushed with embarrassment.
Watching them with satisfaction, Uburka, the former chairman of the Fire River Council, laughed.
-Ugor. Right. It is a millet-sized little problem.
-Not millet-sized. It's a fucking problem, Lime.
-One could say that. That Ki Dragon has a [self-awareness].
Uburka stroked his chin.
-The dragon you recently beheaded and threw into the sea....
-Recently? That's ancient history from decades ago, Lime.
-Ah, sorry, Ugor. When you become a Constellation and focus solely on training, your sense of time becomes quite different from ordinary people. Anyway, that dragon you obliterated had no self-awareness. It just cried when hurt, retaliated when attacked, nothing more than an animal. But that turtle is different.
Uburka scratched his chin while speaking.
-How a massive Aura mass developed a [self-awareness] is a fascinating topic for scholarly types who love to think, but Ugor, it puts us in a tough spot while they have their book party.
-It'll think, “What kind of bullshit is this?” and kick away the little runts clinging to it. To prevent that, we'll ultimately have to take the turtle's head, just as we said before....
Seimslam scratched her remaining tentacle on her shell.
-It's far too big for us to handle. How many warriors will die, or even if they do, whether we can decapitate it, I can't say.
-Ugor. We could just stick to it and start Aura cultivation right away. Eventually, its resistance will weaken.
-Don't think with your standards, Lime. Aura cultivation should ideally be done in a calm state over a long period, but the turtle's shell is a terrible place for meditation, acting up unpredictably.
Seimslam scratched the back of her head with her tentacle.
-And if something that size runs wild, it will certainly affect the entire world. Ships traveling between the New Continent and the mainland will capsize, and if coastal cities are swept away by tsunamis, the damage will be beyond description. The pressure might even become unbearable and trigger a chain of volcanic eruptions, like pimples bursting. Lime.
Seimslam sunk into deep thought.
The extent of her concerns was vivid even beyond the hologram. The fate of the continent and all tribes depended on this council, and she was its chairman.
And her being the council's 'chairman' also meant she wasn't the 'king'.
-Excuse me.
A representative of the Vampiric Tribe raised their hand.
The same person who had used Dream Notification to reveal the location and identity of the Ki Dragon.
-I have a clever idea.
Since Seimslam was not the king but the chairman, she didn’t have to come up with all the solutions herself.
A council is a place for exchanging ideas.
As Seimslam herself said, the council members gathered were those whose job was to propose ideas.
-A clever idea? What is it?
-That would be....
The Vampiric Tribe council member began speaking. Their lips moved precisely, and their neatly groomed Kaiser mustache followed suit.
Moments later, as he closed his mouth, the council members who heard the story were engulfed in shock.
-Oh, indeed.
-Certainly a clever idea.
-Hmm. But is that even possible?
-Having a [self-awareness] means it's possible, doesn’t it?
Amidst the flowing opinions, Seimslam tapped the table with her sole tentacle.
-It's worth a try. Lime.
The Vampiric Tribe council member smirked.
However, Seimslam's statement was not yet finished.
-We need to attract the turtle's attention for that clever plan to work effectively.
Grunts of “Hmm!” and “Hmph!” came from around the meeting room.
The task was no different from putting a bell on a cat, an understandably challenging proposition, but Chairman Seimslam was unfazed.
-I'll volunteer first.
The council members hesitated.
Chairman Seimslam looked at them and chuckled in the unique way of the Mountain Snail Tribe.
-Think about it, you moldy fellows. The first ones to contact the Ki Dragon and sit in meditation will be the lucky ones to savor the biggest honey, right?
"......!"
-As the 629th chairman, I declare that I will lead the vanguard. I have no intention of entrusting the role of the lucky one to anyone else.
Seimslam turned her head to look at Uburka.
-What about you, ancestor?
-Ugor. Whether the turtle belches or throws a tantrum, I'm confident in sticking to its shell and savoring the honey.
Uburka smiled, revealing his fangs.
-If the one born first shamelessly hogged all the honey, could he call himself an older brother? Ugor. But wouldn't it be shameful for younger siblings to cling to their older brother whenever something happened?
In the past, the Fire River Council had rejected Uburka and my help.
Even on the 37th floor, Uburka did not intervene, and Viper, known as the Serpent God, also refused to participate.
Issues of this era should be handled by the people of this era.
Issues of this world should be addressed by the characters of this world.
Such was the atmosphere at the Fire River Council.
But...
-Ha!
Seimslam snorted.
-Willpower is only beautiful when there is the strength to prove it, Lime. Willpower without proof is just vain struggling. And as a result, those who suffer are not the vain strugglers, but Lime, the powerless people who should have been protected by them.
Seimslam slammed the desk with a whip-like sound.
-That turtle bastard said it would kill all those who cannot use Aura.
The council members’ expressions darkened as they recalled the Ki Dragon's declaration.
-That amounts to saying it will kill not only everyone who has yet to awaken Aura, but even newborn babies who cannot understand a word.
Seimslam slammed the desk again.
-I'm not sure if there's any creature that wouldn't get angry when its offspring is threatened, but we are not that kind of creature.
-Uoooo! That's right!
The council members raised their voices.
-Correct, Chairman!
-We are not that kind of creatures!
-We are not…! We are not…!
-We, [The Group That Isn't That Kind of Creature], openly support the chairman's declaration and....
-Silence!
Seimslam smacked the desk again.
Amid the awkward silence of the council members, Seimslam turned to Uburka, annoyed yet hopeful.
-Therefore, we have to use even dog poop if it's useful. Can you help, ancestor?
-Ugor. Calling it dog poop is harsh, but alright.
Uburka laughed.
-I'll help.
-Good.
Seimslam nodded.
-Then, centering around the ancestor and me, we will form a special task force to attract the turtle's attention, Lime. As mentioned earlier, those who volunteer for the task force will have the right to be the first ones on the turtle's shell to meditate.
The task force was quickly formed. Requests to join came flooding in like ants to dropped honey candies.
The Fire River Council was a gathering of both council members and warriors. With their chairman leading the way, there was nothing to fear.
-Hmm. It's a bit lacking.
However, Seimslam frowned.
-Excluding me and the ancestor, frankly, the quality is a bit lacking. It would be perfect if about 200 to 300 more powerful guys would drop out of nowhere....
-Kuk-kuk-kuk.
It was at that moment that the doors of the Fire River Council opened.
-I've been waiting for that.
The large doors opened, letting in sunlight.
The sunlight that couldn't make it in cast long shadows on the floor. Hundreds of shadows, especially the horns on their heads, stood in a row.
-We who serve the Serpent God.
-The Serpent God's own Divine General Unit.
-All of us in the [256-Color True Color Ghost Squadron]!
A moment of silence ensued.
-Hmm.
Seimslam propped her chin.
Uburka scratched the back of his head.
-Hey, current generation.
-Hmm.
-You said you'd use dog poop if necessary.
-I did.
-Are we using those?
-Hmm... just wait a moment, Lime.
I'm in deep thought right now…."
After a long time passed, that day's Fire River Council came to an end.
Soon afterward, those entrusted with the mission began their journey toward the Ki Dragon Dwelling in the Deep Sea.
It was the opening of the pilgrimage route that would come to be known as the "Path of Aura."
Guooooooo-!!
The Ki Dragon Dwelling in the Deep Sea, strongest of all Ki Dragons, roared.
The Ki Dragon, which had sunk into the deep sea, was incredibly powerful, the strongest in this world.
-Uaaaak!
-Gaah…!
Both Uburka and the entire 256 True Color Ghost Division were defeated. Even all together, they were no match.
The Ki Dragon in the deep sea was unique in the world.
Anyway, it roared.
-Uaaaah, it's over!
-Damn, let's run!!
The worthless ones who couldn't awaken their Aura fled.
But the Ki Dragon was stronger than them.
-Ah, damn…!
-If only I had studied Aura more diligently…!
And so their regrets were nothing more than a belated dirge.
Guooooooo-!!
The Ki Dragon Dwelling in the Deep Sea.
That was the moment it completely and irreversibly annihilated all those who couldn't awaken their Aura….
-Brother, that turtle is smiling?
-Leave it. Must be having a nice dream.
The leader of the Vampiric Tribe spoke as they lit a cigarette.
Behind him, more than a hundred thousand Vampiric Tribe members, now one with the Dream Demons, flapped their wings and transmitted waves of thought.
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