Whether You Call Me a Guardian Dragon or Not, I’m Going to Sleep

Chapter 52: Life and Death (2)

Deathly Aura. Regarding this energy that originates from death, it seems more investigation is needed, so let's keep it for now.

Who knows? If this dangerous energy is processed well, it might be used effectively.

And if vitality is utilized well, it seems possible to suppress the deathly aura, so some control seems feasible.

"Looks like we can suppress this deathly energy using the energy of life for now... but it seems more investigation is needed, so I'll take this with me."

I picked up the frozen chunk of deathly aura. Because we can't just leave such dangerous energy unattended.

The reason for this energy's emergence... I have a rough guess. It probably comes from the decaying bodies of dragons buried underground.

Yuck. Those bodies remain a problem over time.

Especially the energy that clung to this Black Dragon child... Even though I adjusted my power to prevent the child's body from breaking apart, he had enough strength to withstand my magic power.

Perhaps the deathly aura emerging from the bodies buried underground continued to accumulate and concentrate without escaping the ground due to the dark spirits, resulting in this sticky deathly aura.

Ah, then would the deathly aura emerging from there not be as persistent as the one that clung to this child? Hmm... I'll have to check on that later.

[Ughhh...]

[Hm?! Are you regaining consciousness, Seres?]

[Where is this...]

The Black Dragon, called Seres by the Dragon Lord, slowly opened its eyes.

[Uh... human...?]

[You're still not fully awake, don't judge by appearances.]

"Don't be too harsh. It's natural, considering this child was half-dead."

[That is true, but...]

Anyone would struggle to grasp their situation properly if they were dying from their body decaying alive, especially just after recovering from such a situation.

In fact, it's impressive that this child can open its eyes properly.

[Uh... Ah! Are you perhaps the Creator Dragon God?!]

"Un. I see you recognize me."

[Of course! Where else would you find a human with such horns on their head?!]

At that, I touched the pair of horns on my head.

Certainly, with these, anyone could recognize me.

But hiding them... feels like it reduces the power I can naturally emit, which is inconvenient.

Hmm... But I can't just create humans with horns on their heads.

Should I come up with some kind of disguise?

Well, I'll think about it later. Yup later.

"Anyway. How do you feel?"

[My chest feels heavy, but I'm not in pain. Rather, I feel more energized than before.]

"Your chest?"

I placed my hand on Seres's body and let my magic power seep in to examine the chest area, noticing a small amount of deathly aura clustered inside Seres's chest.

Unfortunately, it was in a rather problematic location.

"Ohh. It seems the deathly aura has settled in the Dragon Heart."

[What?!]

I thought I had completely extracted it, but some of the deathly aura remaining in the body had gathered in the Dragon Heart inside Seres's chest.

When extracting a large chunk, even if a small portion is left behind, I thought it would be completely eradicated by the life force. But is it enduring because it has found a place within the powerful Dragonheart filled with magical energy?

It seems to be maintaining a balance by continuously converting the magic power emanating from the Dragon Heart into deathly aura, surrounded by Seres's vitality, preventing further spread... What should I do with this?

Should I fish it out with magic power again? Would the deathly aura clinging to the Dragon Heart, which produces a vast amount of magic power, be easily lured out?

Moreover, since it's clinging to the Dragon Heart, the deathly aura tries to grow by converting Seres's magic power but is reduced again by the surrounding vitality of Seres and emits purified magic power in a cycle.

"This is troublesome. It seems I couldn't completely deal with it."

[What?! Do I have to suffer again?! I hate pain!!]

"That's the thing. It seems the deathly aura was special, having been concentrated for a long time. I didn't expect it to be this persistent."

To think it would do this even to a Dragon Heart once it clung on. Quite a toxic energy.

[Good heavens... Creator Dragon God, is there no other way?]

"Another method... Unless you give up your physical body, it might not be too much trouble. Or you could carve out the Dragon Heart and create a new one..."

[Isn't that almost the same as choosing death...]

When I tried to forcibly remove it, the energy was so tenacious that it wouldn't detach until the body was nearly destroyed.

If it stays like this... If the energy of life is vigorous, it won't be a problem thanks to the balance between vitality and deathly aura, but if vitality shows even a slight weakness, the deathly aura will try to take over the body again.

It's like living with a bomb filled with poison attached to the heart.

[Ugh... I don't want to die... I hated suffering too...]

"First of all, if you sufficiently boost your own vitality, you should be able to suppress the deathly aura that has settled in the Dragon Heart."

[Really?! Please teach me how!]

The method...

"Use magic power to enhance your vitality. Isn't it simple?"

[Huh?]

At my words, Seres tilted their head as if they didn't understand.

[Creator Dragon God, normally, that's not something anyone can do.]

"Hm? Why not? Just do it."

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[Huh?]

At the Dragon Lord's words, I merely tilted my head slightly.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

To put it simply.

[Was this even possible...?]

"I've told you several times that it is!"

After dozens of attempts, the Dragon Lord and Seres mastered the method of using magic power to enhance vitality.

"Without even trying to do it yourself! You just saying it can't be done over and over!!"

[So-Sorry...]

[But it's not easy. A dragon's magic power has a fixed attribute, so it's not easy to perform different actions, but this is the first time I've realized it could work like this.]

Hmm... Is that so? I didn't know since magic power didn't have attributes to begin with.

Well, it might be difficult for other dragon children since their attributes are fixed.

"But still, enhancing one's own vitality directly like this isn't too hard, is it?"

[That's true, but...]

"It's also possible to transfer the enhanced vitality to others."

The two dragons merely nodded slightly at my words.

Why complain that it can't be done. Tsk, tsk.

Back in my day, I tried this and that first. That's how dragons were created, humans were born, and so on.

As Seres was enhancing their own vitality, they suddenly seemed to remember something and said.

[But if we can use this vitality to drive out the deathly aura... couldn't we eradicate the deathly aura emerging from the ground?]

"The deathly aura emerging from the ground?"

I thought for a moment. I don't know exactly how the deathly aura emerges from the ground, but considering the tendency of vitality and deathly aura to repel each other.

"Hmm... There might be a possibility."

Of course, vitality that can only exist inside a body will gradually decompose and disappear if it doesn't enter the body of a living being.

If we create a barrier using vitality... maybe we can prevent the deathly aura from escaping?

Of course, I have no idea how much vitality would be needed to do that.

And since the gradually disappearing vitality needs to be continuously replenished... the consumption would be enormous.

Or if there's something that can store vitality, like a gem or a stone, and use it to create a barrier... that would be much more convenient.

Un. I'll have to record this as something to do later. We can't just let the deathly aura keep escaping.

[Hmm... But since the deathly aura has settled in my heart, can't we use it somehow?]

"Hmm?"

[What are you saying, Seres. You're talking about using the energy that tried to consume and kill you.]

[No, but brother. If we already have it, wouldn't it be good to use it? Magic power mixed with darkness and death. Doesn't that sound incredibly cool?]

[Ah, you foolish child. Ah, I'm sorry, Creator Dragon God. This one is one of the younger ones among us...]

A Black Dragon that handles the energy of death... Black Death Dragon...? Something inside me feels a stirring of my inner adolescent fantasy...

"You might be able to use it, but it won't be easy. If you're not careful, it'll try to consume your body."

[Hmm. So you're saying I can use it if I try? Since we're living together in my body, I should at least try to make it work! After all, I can suppress it again using my vitality!]

Un. I wonder if this is recklessness or naivety.

"If you use such power, you might be ostracized by other dragons."

[Ostracized? I've been facing that for a long time already! I've faced discrimination for my scale color. I'm not so weak as to be hurt by that now!]

[I-I'm sorry, Creator Dragon God.]

Hmm. Discrimination because of scale color... This is all Erebus's fault. Just like the dark spirits were ostracized, now the Black Dragons are facing discrimination too.

"Tell the other dragons. We're all same kin, so don't discriminate based on scale color. If they go too far, I might get angry."

[Ah, understood! I'll definitely pass the message along!]

Saying this should make the dragons reflect on their actions.

I doubt I'll need to get angry.

"Ah, and Seres."

[Y-Yes?!]

"If you're discriminated against by other dragons because of the deathly aura within you, come find me."

[What?! Are you planning to make dragons extinct again?!]

Why does it always go in that direction? I mean, there is a precedent, but still.

"If you, who harbors the aura of death and are considering using it, might be helpful for what I'm planning to do."

[Me? Helpful?]

"Yes."

If I create the afterlife, I'll need someone to manage it. A dragon would be suitable for that role, especially one that already harbors the aura of death. Un.

I think about three managers for the afterlife would be good. One could be the largest shade among the dark spirits. Un.

[What kind of work is it?]

"I'm preparing to collect deceased souls, assess them, and then reincarnate them after judgment. It's still in the initial stages, but once it's fully operational, we'll be able to organize the souls wandering this world."

There aren't many wandering souls in the world yet, but it'll become problematic as they accumulate.

We need a system for timely processing!