Chapter 228: The Dragonfolk Village (4)

The setting sun cast long shadows over the dragonfolk village.

“Oh? Is it already this late? Why don’t you stay with us tonight?”

Chief Ryuga offered to let them spend the night.

“Thank you, but we’ll have to decline. Besides, we can return home immediately with [Spatial Transfer]. Would it be all right for us to visit again?”

Tauro asked Chief Ryuga for permission to return.

“Of course! You and your companions are always welcome, Tauro-dono. I also have a favor I’d like to ask of you, so I hope you’ll visit again soon.”

Chief Ryuga rose and bowed. Tauro and the others stood, returned the bow, and left the chief’s residence.

The garrison captain escorted them back toward Ragune’s house.

“Tauro, by having Ragune join Black-Gold Wings, have we interfered with the dragonfolk’s long-held goal of conquering their dungeon?”

Aeris was concerned because Chief Ryuga had revealed that Ragune’s [Dimensional Corridor] was essential to their dungeon expedition.

“Possibly. Now that Ragune is an adventurer, she isn’t bound to follow the village’s plans. That may be connected to the favor the chief wants to ask.”

“You mean he may ask you to use [Spatial Transfer] to carry the conquest team through the dungeon.”

Aeris nodded as the idea clicked into place.

“If that’s what the chief asks, I’d be grateful if you heard him out. If [Spatial Transfer] works as our legends say, reaching the deepest explored floor would take almost no time, even though it normally takes several months. That would greatly reduce the burden on the conquest team. If the epidemic hadn’t occurred, I’d already be supporting them inside the dungeon.”

Ragune explained the future that had originally been planned for her.

“If you’re asking me, Ragune, I won’t refuse. When the conquest team is ready, I’ll help.”

Tauro took a magic-restoration potion from [Magic Storage] and drank it. Traveling to the dragonfolk village had consumed a great deal of mana.

“It’s hard to imagine how dangerous that dungeon must be if even the dragonfolk haven’t conquered it.”

Ankh glanced at the powerful garrison members accompanying them.

“The conquest team is far stronger than our garrison, but the dungeon contains monsters, traps, mechanisms, and depths that make exploration extremely difficult. I entered it once myself, but I couldn’t reach the deepest floor attained by earlier expeditions and had to turn back.”

The garrison captain answered Ankh.

“You look incredibly strong yourself. Is the dungeon really that severe?”

Ankh had already judged the captain to be a formidable warrior.

“At the time, I served in a support unit. There’s an enormous difference between us and the conquest team! Ha-ha-ha!”

The captain continued with a smile.

“This village also has an Adventurers’ Guild branch. By its standards, the conquest team would fall within the S-rank band.”

Tauro and Aeris were stunned by the casual comparison. S rank was the realm of legends: adventurers blessed with exceptional skills and limits who had refined them through extraordinary effort and good fortune. Even the greatest skill holders in the guild’s history were generally considered outstanding within the A-rank band.

The captain might have been showing some hometown pride, but it was clear that the dragonfolk conquest team was extraordinary.

“What kinds of skills do its members possess, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Tauro asked, unable to suppress his curiosity.

“Their skills include [Great Hero], [Great Sage], [True Saint], [Extreme Warrior], [Divine Mage], and [Sky-Soaring Dragon Knight].”

Every one was an advanced skill with an exalted title such as “Great,” “True,” “Extreme,” “Divine,” or “Sky-Soaring.” Tauro had heard of such skills, but had never encountered anyone who possessed one.

He decided it might be better not to ask any more questions about the dragonfolk’s astonishing strength.

“Ha-ha… I thought my own skills were impressive, but the dragonfolk are on a completely different level.”

Aeris could only laugh in disbelief.

“Even here, the members of the conquest team are treasured elites. I hope to surpass the limits of [Dragon Knight] and become a [Sky-Soaring Dragon Knight] one day, but I still have a long way to go.”

“Innate skills can evolve?”

Aeris stared at Ragune in surprise.

“Not by ordinary means, but they say a skill can evolve when its owner surpasses their limits. The members of the conquest team are people who have crossed those limits. Dragonfolk are long-lived, though, so it may be difficult for humans.”

Ragune revealed the information as casually as ever, even though it would have caused an uproar if presented to a national research institute.