Lord of Caldera - Chapter 176

Chapter 176: Chapter 176

“Think about it. Is it cooler to defeat demons and leave with, ‘I’ll leave the rest to you,’ or to stick around screaming, ‘Bow to me! Worship me! I am the hero!’?”

Godfrey’s mouth opened and closed wordlessly. Meanwhile, Sylas focused on the mechanism, adjusting the gears as he went.

“All right, just a few more adjustments here, and a hundred rotations all at once should do the trick…”

Clank, clank, clank.

“No! Don’t—!” Godfrey yelled, but it was too late. The machine clicked into place, and the floor in the center of the chamber opened, revealing an object rising up—a small, heart-shaped gem that gleamed like a rare treasure.

“So this is the dragon’s heart,” Sylas murmured.

“Do not touch it! I have not granted you permission! I have not—!” Godfrey’s hologram raged, helpless as Sylas reached for the heart.

Ignoring the outraged ghostly figure, Sylas picked up the dragon’s heart.

‘Even I’m getting a bit nervous,’ he thought. For the first time in a while, Sylas felt his calm cracking slightly as he held the heart. This was, after all, the key to awakening his lineage.

‘No more waiting.’ Sylas didn’t hesitate any longer and quickly swallowed the dragon’s heart, feeling it dissolve into a liquid the moment it touched his mouth, sliding down his throat effortlessly.

Thump.

“Haaah!”

The moment he swallowed it, Sylas’s own heart thundered, his body alternating between intense cold and burning heat.

‘Damn it! It’s already absorbing before it even reaches my stomach?’

The transformation hit him hard and fast, leaving no time for preparation.

Sssss.

“Nghhh!” Steam began rising from his skin as an indescribable pain overwhelmed him. His body convulsed, and he collapsed to the floor, writhing as Godfrey laughed.

“You fool! Consuming the dragon’s heart directly?”

‘What?’

Had there been a problem with consuming it directly? He hadn’t heard anything about this.

“Only one of dragon blood can consume the dragon’s heart! Are you such a one?” Godfrey demanded, his laughter malicious.

“Ugh! What are you saying?” Sylas gasped.

“If you truly bear dragon blood, you’ll endure the pain and gain power. But without that bloodline, you’ll die in agony!” Godfrey continued, his tone mocking. “Your greed has destroyed you! Go to the underworld, filled with regret for coveting the power of the dragon’s legacy without the right!”

“Argh!” Sylas’s body twisted under the pain. Minutes passed, one after another, and yet he clung to life. One minute stretched into three, and then ten. He was still alive. Godfrey’s triumphant sneer slowly faded into a puzzled stare.

“…Why aren’t you dead?”

“Because… I do have dragon blood!” Sylas growled.

“What?”

“It’s finally settling down,” he said, feeling the last traces of pain diminish. His body still ached, but the torturous heat and freezing cold had passed.

Sylas took a deep breath, finally calming down, then glared at the hologram.

“You could’ve put a warning somewhere if there were side effects!”

If he’d known, he might have braced himself more. Frustrated, Sylas kicked the pedestal where the dragon’s heart had rested.

The kick, meant only to vent his irritation, sent the pedestal soaring into the air, smashing into the ceiling. Sylas stared, dumbfounded, at the pedestal embedded in the wall high above.

After a moment of shock, a grin spread across his face.

“Now that’s some power.”

Sylas clenched his fist. It wasn’t as though raw energy was suddenly surging through his body or that he felt an uncontrollable force welling up. Instead, it was a simple amplification of strength—a feeling that the world around him had weakened rather than he himself had grown stronger.

‘So this is what Toby and Ray must experience every day,’ he thought. Stones felt like fragile cookies ready to crumble in his grip, and tough metal seemed no stronger than glass. He now understood the calmness his loyal retainers always maintained. Knowing that few things could harm him provided a natural sense of security.

“It’ll take some time to get used to this,” Sylas murmured, rising from his position. Godfrey’s hologram shuddered upon seeing him stand.

“Wh-where are you going?” Godfrey stammered.

“Where else? I passed the trial. I’m going outside,” Sylas replied matter-of-factly.

“The decision of success is mine to make!”

“Yeah, right,” Sylas scoffed. “You’ve probably got this place set up so that anyone who obtains the dragon’s heart automatically passes. Your role is just to sit around demanding bows and respect.”

Godfrey fell silent. Sylas had hit the nail on the head. While he may have been a person of power in life, now he was nothing more than a copied fragment of consciousness, capable only of managing simple lock mechanisms. The complex parts of the chamber operated automatically, triggered by specific changes.

“Well, I’m off,” Sylas said, turning toward the exit.

“W-wait!” Godfrey called out, and Sylas paused. He was feeling generous enough to let Godfrey say his piece.

“Very well. It seems I cannot stop you. But I ask just one favor—a final request, as a matter of respect.”

“A favor? What kind of favor?” Sylas asked.

“Please… address me as ‘the Great Demon Slayer, the Bane of Dark Gods, and the Terror of Dragons, the Hero Godfrey.'”

Sylas’s smile twitched as he felt a vein pulsing on his forehead.

“Of course, you attention-seeking maniac!” he replied with gritted teeth.

“W-wait, no! That’s not it! I am ‘the Great Demon Slayer, the—'”

“Forget it, I’m out,” Sylas cut him off, striding toward the stairs. Godfrey’s voice echoed behind him, desperately pleading for a single expression of reverence. As he ascended the steps, Sylas mused to himself, realizing something ironic: being a hero was about the deeds one accomplished, not about possessing admirable qualities as a person.

Ragnar stood with his arms crossed, his gaze fixed on the entrance to the stone chamber. It had been two hours since Sylas entered. The nobles, accustomed to a day-long wait, had dispersed around the camp, but Ragnar remained rooted in place.

“Great Chief, perhaps it’s time for you to enter,” suggested Loghain, approaching him. Ragnar’s expression darkened.

“I told you not to speak to me so casually. Others will find it suspicious.”