222 The secret passage!
Dragon’s disciples were the strongest reoccurring character in the novel, and they foiled the plans of the followers of Chaos many times.
They were confronting the main forces of Chaos and the undead army, stopping them from invading the northern dukedom and the nearby counties and pushing them back, creating a safe zone for humans in the north, while the protagonist was struggling to survive against the servants of Chaos and reach the safe haven the dragon disciple’s had created.
During the Chaos invasion of the empire, which sadly didn’t reach a conclusion before Roy encountered a dungeon break and got killed by a beast back on Earth, Chaos would have enslaved the entire humanity in a year if not for the Dragon’s Disciples.
‘The Baldwin County was destroyed when Chaos invaded, but the Baldwins didn’t die! The author never personally stated that they did. It’s just us readers who concluded that the Baldwins fell with their County, when in actuality, they retreated to the northern dukedom, grouped up, made a plan, and started fucking with Chaos and its forces! Each time they appeared, Chaos was said to have felt a deep pain in its unspeakable region!!! Hahahahah!!!! I must become one myself!!!!!’
When he heard he could become a dragon’s disciple, Roy’s eyes lit up. He was willing to do everything to become one. He was a big fan of theirs. Most of the readers were. But he was the only lucky bastard out of them. He was given a chance to become what he idolized. How could he give it up without a try?
In the first popularity pool, they were seven ranks below the protagonist. It was released two days after they made their appearance. In the second one, they were one rank below the protagonist. In the third one, the fucking protagonist was one rank below them. They claimed the #1 for themselves for three popularity pools straight.
And on the day the next one was published… Roy died!
‘So many counties and baronies were revealed to be destroyed on the day Chaos invaded the empire later on in the novel, but he mentioned only Baldwin county at the start. His purpose… it must be to amaze the readers when the true identity of the dragon’s disciples was released. The author Sunset_never_Blooms is a genius at foreshadowing.’
Roy couldn’t help but praise and curse the Sunset_never_Blooms for doing a good job at masking Baldwins as the dragon’s disciple.
If the author had laid it out from the get-go, Roy would have found out much earlier that the people around him were the dragon’s disciples.
Hearing Roy’s words, Damien smiled widely and looked at him in a new light. “Heh… I’m glad to see that you have the guts to face death and still advance forward. That’s the entrance to our ancestral land. If you mean what you said, step into it and don’t look back.”
While saying this, Damien raised his hand, and the boulder that Roy failed to scratch or touch levitated twenty feet above the ground.
Something was revealed.
The big stone from the Celestial Flying Realm was hiding the secret passageway to Baldwin’s ancestral land under it. When Damien lifted it, it was revealed.
Roy’s eyes widened because he saw a sinkhole on the ground. He walked up to its edge and scrutinized it.
It was dark.
The good news is that it was wide enough for three fully grown men to jump inside it at the same time.
He inspected it and realized that it was a magical gateway that would teleport him to the ancestral land of his clan.
Roy turned to Damien and pointed at the stone floating in thin-air, asking him, “Is this another application of Force?”
Damien gave him a nod, “Yes, it is. You can’t see it, but I am using a gigantic hand to grab and hold it up there.”
“Is there any way to see colorless aura or force?” Roy questioned Damien.
“No, it’s called colorless for a reason. They will be invisible to you unless you have mystic eyes or awaken an ocular bloodline ability. But worry not. Only a few lucky ones have a strong colorless aura and force.” Damien answered Roy.
“Well, I will meet you after conquering it,” Roy said to Damien confidently as he put one foot inside the sinkhole.
Just then, he was stopped by Damien.
“Wait, take this jade stone with you.” Roy turned to look at Damien and saw a glittering stone in his hand. “Crush it if you encounter a challenge you have no way of overcoming. Your life will be saved. If you hear a bizarre, thunderous roar, crush it immediately. Do not hesitate to do so for even a single moment if you want to live.” Damien tossed it towards him as Roy caught it in his hand.
『Ding! Congratulation. You have gained the life-preserving rune stone. You can crush it to instantly escape the ancestral land. You will be instantly teleported to the garden of Feudal Lord Damien’s Manor when you crush it.』
“A bizarre, thunderous roar? Got it! If I hear something like that, I will immediately follow your advice and escape the ancestral land. Thanks for the freebie, eldest cousin.” Roy slightly bowed to him in gratitude.
“Just refer to me as Damien.” Damien waved his hand, and a gentle force helped Roy up.
Arnard has given up on self-awakening his ex-rank soul herding ability a fourth time because of Roy. He was pinning his hope on Roy, believing that he would be able to overcome all challenges. However, Damien knew how dangerous that place was. Arnard believed Roy wouldn’t die tackling the trials and easily overcome them, but Damien thought the opposite. Besides, the trials weren’t the only danger there.
So.he wasn’t going to risk Roy’s life by sending him there without a life-preserving item.
It would be a waste if he died.
‘He might come off as cold and different, but… he is a good person.’ Roy thought Damien wasn’t as heartless as he appeared to be and actually kind-hearted before smiling at him. “Damien, I will return with good news. I promise!”
“I hope you do.” Damien wished him well.
Immediately after, Roy jumped into the dark sinkhole.
『Ding! You have entered the Ancestral Land of the Fire Dragon Celestial Clan!』