Dragon Maken War

Chapter 4 - Azell Zestringer (4)

Magic and Spirit Order is a secret art that is not taught thoughtlessly to others, and no one trains in front of others. However, Azell knew about Rick’s presence. He resonated with the mana without paying attention to him.

“Mmm.”

There was a faint ball of light that rose up in front of Azell as he continued to resonate with the mana. After seeing this, Rick instantly recognized what it was.

‘Is that a mana aggregate? He didn’t have a single ring of life, so how was he able to create such a dense aggregate of magical force?’

The rings of life of a person, who had mastered the Spirit Order, was a representation of how much strength the person could use. As the number of rings of life increases, one could release more stronger power.

However, when Rick observed him, Azell hadn’t properly activated his energy and he had no rings of life. So how was he able to make such a dense aggregate of magical force, which had materialized in a form of light?

If Azell had heard Rick’s question, then he would have answered like this.

‘Even if I do not have the rings of life, my control over the magical force is high and this allows me to freely manipulate the magical force.’

Azell had already perfected the Spirit Order, and he had reached the highest stage before. Of course, he was unrivalled in manipulating the magical force.

The other practitioners would only absorb a portion of the power they had raised through the mana resonance. However, Azell gathered all the power into one place, and he supported it with both hands.

Then he drank it.

Ricks eyes became round.

“He ate…the mana aggregate?”

He had never heard of such an event. Azell had drunk the mana aggregate he had made as if it was water!

“Hoo-ooh.”

This caused a considerable amount of magical energy to flow into his dried energy pulse.

Azell circulated the magical force throughout his whole body’s energy pulse. After it soaked in, he gathered the leftover power to draw a ring.

‘I won’t be able to do it in a day’

As expected, the job of forming the ring of life was tough. With this amount of magical force, he wasn’t even able to maintain the small origin that’ll become the ring of life’s circle.

Azell tried to raise the mana resonance again to form another mana aggregate, but suddenly the vision in front of his eyes spun.

“Oook…..”

He was sitting cross-legged, but he almost lost his balance. He was barely able to avoid from falling to the ground, and Azell realized his problem.

‘Shit. My body won’t be able to endure it.”

The condition of his body was so bad that he could only resonate the mana for a short period of time, and after receiving one magic aggregate he had reached his limit. Spirit order was a

secret art that strengthened the body through magical force. One had to train the body and magical force equally to see a synergistic effect. If one side is deficient then it’ll affect the other side too.

Rick spoke.

“Don’t over do it. Where did you learn to make a mana aggregate and drink it? I know the basics of Spirit Order, but this is the first time I have seen that method.”

“….maybe?”

Azell turned his head in puzzlement.

His attitude indicated that he didn’t know either. Of course, he was acting, but he had laid down a cover story earlier. So Rick just let it go.

Azell spoke.

“I have a request, army doctor Rick.”

“Mmm?”

“The meals tomorrow… Could you give me the normal amount?”

Azell was able to speak properly now. His voice was extremely hoarse, but he was able to articulate clearly.

Rick shook his head.

“No. Do you think your body could digest a normal meal?”

“I’m only asking, because I believe I can.”

“You only feel like that. You might defecate bloody stools.” (TLN: ew >.<)

“No, really. I’m unsure about my memory, but… I’m able to control my body through Spirit Order. I only went to the restroom once today.”

‘His body is in such a state that it may not be able to absorb all the nutrients…. Still that shouldn’t be normal?’

Azell spoke to the dubious Rick.

“First, I’ll eat tomorrow’s breakfast and I’ll stop if it is a burden. Please let me at least attempt it?”

“Mmm. Ok. However….”

Rick spoke with an unsatisfied expression.

“You are very natural at speaking casually to me?” (TLN: again korean has casual/respectful way of speaking. MC was speaking casually == no respect)

“Did I? By the way, didn’t you, army doctor Rick, do the same thing?”

“I’m someone even the army’s Centurions respect?”

“In the past, I also got special treatments. Maybe. Since I can’t really remember it.”

“Jeez.”

Rick clicked his tongue, but he didn’t say anything. In the first place, he didn’t have the personality to tie his neck in a noose over someone not addressing him with honorific.

‘Also, this guys is oddly familiar?’

At first, he was slightly afraid of the person who didn’t look like a human then he felt pity.

Now that he had heard some of his story, he was oddly familiar. This caused him to treat him in a very relaxed manner even if his appearance was like that.

After Azell saw his reaction, he smiled inside.

‘Fortunately, I’m able to manipulate the energies pretty well.’

It was common for a person to feel a unique feeling when one sees another person. The feeling could be called a normal impression. Some people are comfortable, some are threatening and some people’s impression is so faint that one can’t tell if the person is there or not.

When the practitioner of Spirit Order reaches the highest, one is able to control the energy that is emitted, and in turn, one can change one’s impression. Earlier Giles was softly emitting an imposing feeling. This was the same principle. (TLN: he gave Giles as an example.)

Azell was able to utilize this technique. He intended to give off a friendly atmosphere with no pressure. Rick ate it up.

Rick complained.

“Sir Giles picked up a strange guy.”

He didn’t call Giles a Centurion, but he called him ‘Sir’, which was an honorific for knights.

Azell thought this was strange, but he started asking a different question.

“Ah. Do you think I could ask you couple question?”

“Do you realize that someone in your position shouldn’t talk like this?”

“I know I’m the one who should be questioned, but I can’t remember anything. ”

“I don’t know who you are but…. I bet you lived shamelessly.”

“I think so too.”

Azell laughed bitterly. If he wasn’t shameless, then he wouldn’t have invested an enormous amount of resources to save his own life by emulating the dragon’s hibernation. He wouldn’t have even attempted it.

‘Anyways, Carlos was chomping at the bits to do the experiment.’

Carlos did everything in his power to save his friend, Azell. However, as a magician, he probably felt ecstatic that he would be able to implement his methods. Originally, magicians are that kind of breed.

Azell asked a question.

“Where is this place?”

“We are with the Balan forest located in the Rulain kingdom’s western border.

“The Rulain kingdom….”

Now that he thought about it, Giles introduced himself as belonging to the Rulain kingdom’s western border guards. At the time, he didn’t have the presence of mind to pay attention to it, but now that he thought about it….

‘That country doesn’t exist.’

According to Azell’s knowledge, the country called Rulain kingdom didn’t exist.

However, he did remember a figure called Rulain. Amongst the noble family of the Nadik kingdom, there was one called Duke Rulain.

Azell asked the most important question.

“By the way, what year is this according to the Atein calendar?”

Each country on the continent used the years since they were formed. However, there was a separate system called the Atein calendar. The magicians started counting the time since the Dragon Demon King Atein was destroyed and when the humans was freed from his threat. This method started being widely used.

Rick answered.

“It’s the year 222.”

“Year 222? Did you say year 222?”

“Yes. Also, today is the 4th month 8th days.”

“Huh… No, wait a moment.”

Azell put his hand on his forehead, while making a shocked expression. The shock was too large that he lost the ability to speak for a moment.

“220 years…..’

Azell had fallen asleep 2 years after he had slain the Dragon Demon King Atein. According to Rick, 220 years had passed.

‘I can’t believe this.’

He had already guessed that he had been asleep for a long time.

Unlike other animals, the dragons hibernate for at least couple decades. Since the time he was awake, he had somewhat accepted the fact that he had been asleep for a very long time.

However, he would have never imagined that such an enormous amount of time had passed.

‘That explains it.’

He was sure it was the same language, but words he didn’t know was mixed in with it. It wasn’t because he was in a region where he never visited, but neew words he didn’t know were formed after a vast amount of time had passed.

‘Everyone I knew… They are all dead.’

Azell was despairing when he heard a voice carefully asking him a question. This woke him up.

Rick was staring at him with a worried face.

Azell replied.

“Ah, I’m ok.”

“What’s wrong? Was it a memory related to the date?”

“A little bit.”

“What did you remember?”

“I think… I lost several years worth of memory.”

Azell lied about it.

The surprised Rick asked a question.

“How many years?”

“I’m not certain. However, the last date I remember was the year 218.”

Therefore, there was a 4 year gap in his memory. Azell decided to tell him this.

Of course, this was an event that would make one shocked.

Rick questioned.

“How old are you, Azell?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think I’m 30 yet…..”

“Yeah?”

Rick was surprised. Azell asked while frowning.

“Why are you reacting like that?”

“No, how should I say this. You don’t seem that old. When I look at your appearance, I can’t determine your age at all.”

“Mmm. That’s how it should be.”

Azell laughed bitterly.

After the conversation, Rick went to sleep, so he also went to lie down on his bunk. Even though his body required sleep, he was up all night, because of the confusion and shock.

‘Carlos…..’

He wanted to see his friend that he could never meet again. (TLN: Q_Q)

5

The next morning Azell called after a soldier and they went looking for Giles.

It was morning, but Giles appearance was impeccable. He looked delicate, but he seemed to try hard to act with discipline.

Giles asked him a question.

“Have you eaten?”

“Thanks to you.”

After getting Rick’s permission, Azell was able to have a normal meal as breakfast. Rick was surprised at seeing Azell eat all the of meal that the soldier brought.

“You look way better than yesterday.”

“That I do?”

He looked scary since he was still very skinny, but his appearance was way more human-like compared to yesterday.