After Regressing, I Gained the Power of the Demonic Dragon - Chapter 37

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 37
Whirrrrrr.
Light poured from the Record Plate and touched Sang Hyuk’s palm.
The scales running down his right arm blazed to life, one after another from fingertip to shoulder.
Thump!
The Apocalypse Dragon’s Heart pounded, and the usage record from moments before flooded back into his mind.
A thick iron spike had been driven deep into the heart of the crystal pillar.
A hand covered in black scales extended toward the crystal pillar.
Extinction bloomed from the fingertips, swallowing both the spike and the surrounding crystal.
Yet only the spike had turned to black sand.
The portion embedded within the crystal had vanished completely, but the crystal itself that had touched the spike remained utterly untouched by Extinction.
Until now, Sang Hyuk had needed to reduce the power and range of Extinction to avoid sweeping away the parts he wanted to keep.
But the Extinction in this record was different.
He hadn’t weakened the power—he’d decided from the start to erase only the spike.
‘I didn’t reduce the power. Extinction acted only on the target I chose to destroy.’
The Record Plate blazed once more.
Whoooosh!
Light wrapped around his right arm and seeped between the scales.
[You have confirmed the Stage 2 usage record of Extinction.]
[You inherit a superior technique of eroding only designated targets.]
「Divine Authority Extinction advances to Stage 2.」
[Authority Name] Extinction
[Authority Stage] Stage 2
[New Operating Method]
– You can designate which portions to erode within a structure confirmed by Dragon Eye.
– Extinction does not act on undesignated portions.
– Targets within one meter of your fingertips suffer no reduction in power or speed even without direct contact.
[Beyond one meter from your fingertips, power and speed decrease according to distance.]
[Higher-ranked targets consume more stamina and mana.]
Sang Hyuk spread his right hand, covered in scales.
Extinction bloomed at his fingertips.
At Stage 1, when what needed to be erased and what needed to remain were interlocked, he’d had to fine-tune the power and range meticulously.
The slightest misalignment and necessary things would vanish along with the rest.
Now he could simply use Dragon Eye to survey the structure and select only what to erase.
Even if they touched each other, Extinction would not affect the remainder.
And his range had grown as well.
Now he could deliver the same force from a step’s distance as he could through direct contact.
‘Not bad.’
He could feel the weight of his own growth.
‘So now···.’
Sang Hyuk withdrew Extinction and looked toward the opposite side of the Gate Chamber.
A massive door leading into the First Storage Area was bound tightly with several thick chains.
The Guardian Beast looked toward the door as well.
[That door hasn’t opened since long ago.]
As Sang Hyuk moved toward the door, the Guardian Beast followed.
But after only a few steps, the Guardian Beast’s legs faltered.
Sang Hyuk slowed his pace so the Guardian Beast could keep up.
The Guardian Beast steadied himself and fell into step beside Sang Hyuk once more.
When the Guardian Beast reached his side, Sang Hyuk examined the chains and the door’s surface.
The chains were the same type as those that had been connected to the Guardian Beast’s collar.
The door bore the original seal-mark of Oego carved into its surface.
But layered over it were countless additional sealing marks matching the chains.
It appeared that those who invaded this place had even sealed the door itself.
Sang Hyuk’s eyes darkened to a deep crimson as he took in the sight.
‘Dragon Eye.’
Through Dragon Eye, he perceived the flow of mana: the overlaid sealing marks were siphoning power from the door and channeling it into the chains.
Because of this, Oego’s original seal-mark could not function.
‘I’ll have to erase these as well.’
Sang Hyuk decided to wipe away both the overlaid sealing marks and the chains.
As Sang Hyuk raised his right hand, the Guardian Beast’s gaze fixed upon it.
Blood still oozed from between the scales that covered his right arm.
The Guardian Beast’s pupils trembled slightly at the sight.
[You’re planning to use that arm again?]
Sang Hyuk turned his head to look at the creature.
“Are you worried about my arm?”
The Guardian Beast’s ears twitched.
[W-worried, nothing of the sort.]
[If blood drips, it’ll make Oego dirty.]
Sang Hyuk smiled faintly at the creature’s words.
“Don’t worry. I won’t soil Oego. First things first—I need to clean that up.”
Sang Hyuk wiped the blood from his right arm with his left hand in one swift motion.
Then he reached his right hand toward the door of Oego.
Once more, he used the Dragon Eye to identify what needed to be erased.
‘Only the chains and the markings grafted onto the door.’
“Extinction.”
Shriek!
The Extinction spreading from his hand consumed the entire door.
The Guardian Beast looked at Sang Hyuk’s injured arm once more, then drew near to his side.
This time, it made no move to stop him.
Instead, it stood beside Sang Hyuk, eyes fixed on the door.
Whoosh.
One of the seal markings grafted onto the door transformed into black sand and scattered downward.
The door surface beneath remained unchanged.
The remaining seal markings vanished in turn.
As the last marking disappeared, the original pattern of Oego’s door shone forth once more.
The chains that had barred the door also transformed into black sand and fell away.
All traces of the intruders’ presence in the Gate Chamber had been erased.
The door surface directly below remained intact.
The other markings were similarly effaced.
Though the Extinction consumed the entire door, it only erased the chains and the grafted markings, leaving the door itself without a single scratch.
Hummmmm!
As all the grafted markings vanished, the patterns originally carved into the door began to glow once again.
Whoosh!
At the same moment, all the chains binding the door crumbled into black sand and dissolved away.
In this way, every trace lingering in the Gate Chamber was erased.
Yet the door still did not open.
Now only the Guardian Beast’s consent remained.
[The door…… has returned to its original state.]
The Guardian Beast’s voice trembled slightly.
The creature approached the door and placed its front paw upon the pattern that had regained its light.
For a long moment, it could not lift its paw from that spot.
Then the Guardian Beast examined the entire door before its gaze fell upon Sang Hyuk’s right arm.
Scabs were now beginning to form on the arm.
[That arm… it hurts, doesn’t it?]
“No, it’s bearable.”
His words said one thing, but Sang Hyuk’s expression had tightened slightly.
The moment Sang Hyuk withdrew the Extinction and lowered his right arm, the pain he’d been holding back rushed in all at once.
The wound beneath the scales throbbed, and his fingers began to tremble.
Even though the Divine Authority of the Apocalypse Dragon’s Scales had awakened, the wounds that had already formed showed no sign of healing.
Sang Hyuk withdrew the scales and examined his right arm.
Most of the bleeding had stopped by now.
He wiped away the remaining blood with the torn edge of his sleeve, then tore the fabric further and wrapped it tightly around his wrist and forearm.
The Guardian Beast stood at a distance, watching this scene, hesitating for some time.
Then slowly, it drew near to Sang Hyuk’s side.
“What is it?”
[…….]
The creature gave no answer to Sang Hyuk’s question.
Instead, it looked once more at the bloodstains remaining on Sang Hyuk’s right arm
and gazed at it.
Then, turning to regard the door, it gently pressed its forehead against the back of Sang Hyuk’s hand.
Warm fur brushed against the back of his hand.
The Guardian Beast pressed its forehead against Sang Hyuk’s hand, curling its twin tails against its sides as it settled into a sitting position.
After purring softly for a moment, the Guardian Beast lifted its forehead and gazed at Sang Hyuk’s right arm.
[You saved me.]
Then it turned its head toward the door.
[And I didn’t destroy the door my master left behind—I restored it.]
Finally, looking back at Sang Hyuk, it continued.
[So I take back what I said about you being a thief.]
“Does that mean you’re admitting I’ve formally inherited this heart now?”
[I’ll need to see more.]
Sang Hyuk laughed softly.
“Picky.”
[I’m a Guardian Beast.]
The creature didn’t leave his side while Sang Hyuk caught his breath.
When he rose to his feet a moment later, the Guardian Beast stood as well.
His legs still felt weak, but this time he walked to the door without assistance.
The Guardian Beast pressed one of its front paws against the glowing rune beneath the door, then looked back at Sang Hyuk.
[As the final Guardian Beast, I grant you passage through this door.]
«You have received the acknowledgment of the final Guardian Beast.»
As the creature’s approval settled upon him, the Sealed Key to Dragon’s Treasury in his inventory trembled.
Sang Hyuk immediately drew out the key and inserted it into the keyhole at the center of the door.
[The Sealed Key to Dragon’s Treasury has been verified.]
[The Apocalypse Dragon’s Heart has been verified.]
[All conditions for opening the First Storage Area have been satisfied.]
«You have acquired temporary access authority for Oego.»
«The First Storage Area of Oego will now partially open.»
Grind-grind-grind-grind-grind!
The massive door swung open on both sides.
Dust accumulated over long ages spilled out through the widening gap.
Sang Hyuk placed the seal key back into his inventory.
The Guardian Beast saw the open door and tried to walk inside first.
But before it could cross the threshold, its legs gave way and it stumbled forward.
Sang Hyuk caught the small body in his left arm.
[Let me down.]
“Once you can walk on your own.”
[I can walk.]
“You couldn’t just now.”
The Guardian Beast fell silent.
It pushed at Sang Hyuk’s arm with its front paws a couple of times, but the strength drained from it quickly and it could push no longer.
The creature lowered its paws and looked up at Sang Hyuk directly.
[Everything left inside doesn’t necessarily become yours.]
“I know. You look first.”
The Guardian Beast’s eyes widened round.
“It’s the place you’ve been protecting.”
[Of course I’ll check it first.]
The answer came boldly, yet its front paws gripped Sang Hyuk’s collar tightly.
Sang Hyuk didn’t remove those paws as he stepped into the First Storage Area.
Hum-hum-hum.
As he crossed the threshold, crystals embedded in the ceiling began to glow one by one.
Sang Hyuk stopped and surveyed the brightened storage chamber.
Unlike the Gate Chamber, the interior was intact.
There were no signs of intruders, and all the storage chests remained in their places.
Fortunately, those who had penetrated as far as the Gate Chamber had never managed to open this door.
They had only sealed the gate further and bound the Guardian Beast with chains before withdrawing.
The grip of the Guardian Beast’s paws on Sang Hyuk’s collar loosened slightly.
[No one ever made it in here.]
“So you protected it to the very end.”
[Of course. I’m a Guardian Beast.]
The Guardian Beast’s twin tails rose slowly.
Seven pedestals lined the walls of the storage chamber.
On each pedestal sat a single storage chest, each one different in shape.
Each chest bore the name of the legacy it contained, carved into its surface.

Bone and scale, bloodline and breath—all bore names connected to the Apocalypse Dragon’s flesh and form.
[These are all the legacies your master left behind.]
“I can’t open all of them right now, can I?”
[No. You’ve only earned the right to pass through the gate for now.]
[Each legacy has its own condition for opening. They’ll unlock one by one as you meet each requirement.]
Sang Hyuk nodded slowly.
He couldn’t access them yet, but all the legacies remained here, waiting.
He took another long look at the seven chests.
That’s when his gaze caught on something else—an old, weathered chest set apart on the innermost wall.
Unlike the others, it bore no name carved upon its surface.
The moment Sang Hyuk reached out to examine it—
Thump!
The Apocalypse Dragon’s Heart surged with a violent beat.
The heart of the Apocalypse Dragon had responded to the nameless, ancient chest.
At that same instant, the old chest answered the call of the Apocalypse Dragon’s pulse.
Click.
The chest’s lock turned of its own accord.
The Guardian Beast stirred awake in Sang Hyuk’s arms.
His eyes widened as he recognized what lay before him.
[That is…….]
For a long moment, the Guardian Beast found no words.
[It’s a record from the day Oego was attacked.]
Faint characters materialized above the chest.
[Record Date: Day of Oego Invasion]
As the text faded, light began seeping through the edges of the lid.
Slowly, the chest began to open.
「Playing back sealed record.」

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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