Limited Extra Time - Chapter 135

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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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—— Page 1 ——

Ajidahaka opened his mouth, meeting the gaze of the two men.

-My mana, which escaped from the corpse, hardened like stone as time passed, and it seems the Magical Beasts consumed it and made it their sustenance. That thing they call ‘Harun’.

One reason the dragon hunted Magical Beasts was to supply mana to its Dragon Heart, which had emptied during the long period of dormancy.

This thing called Harun, which the Magical Beasts divided among themselves, was my mana condensed and accumulated.

-If you wish, I can share some Harun. An amount that human can endure at maximum is trivial to me. I can provide as much as needed in exchange for giving life.

Ajidahaka spoke lightly.

Supplying mana was something that would be resolved quickly with time. I had already received sufficient mana to operate immediately.

As long as she lived, the miracle would not end.

—— Page 2 ——

In other words, Ajidahaka’s remaining time was Carina Leopold’s remaining time. Naturally, I had never intended to watch him die.

-However, let me be clear. If you had researched that stone, you would understand—my mana no longer possesses the function to extend the lives of those already dead.

Ajidahaka spoke firmly.

“….”

“….”

It was information they had already heard from Periel Kalos. Both Millaiyen and Periel Kalos knew well what would come next.

As if by agreement, both men clenched their fists tightly.

-My mana simply extends the time one can live by granting new life as an energy source.

-…Is there no option to swap out Haron?

Isn’t there an option to swap out Haron?

-You seek to live life too easily.

Ajidahaka narrowed his eyes and spoke with stern authority.

Periel closed his mouth. He knew it was impossible, but since his opponent was a dragon, he had spoken of possibilities that might exist against all odds.

-A human’s fragile heart can receive my mana only once. It is the process of forcibly transforming a human heart into a dragon heart, so anything beyond that will overload the body.

If the mana stored in the dragon heart is depleted or the dragon heart sustains damage, it leads directly to death.

Making one’s heart like a dragon heart means becoming bound to the same fate as a dragon.

She too would lose mana if her heart were injured, and then she would die. If the stored magical power runs out, she dies the same way.

—— Page 3 ——

-Furthermore, dragon power has poor compatibility with divinity, so divine blessings will vanish and miracles can no longer be performed.

——Surely not.

-She can still perform the art she has cultivated thus far. She simply will not witness miracles anymore.

Periel’s face contorted in shock and horror.

For those who had fallen under the allure of miracles, that would be unbearable. Especially Carina’s obsession with her art

was far from ordinary.

To her, miracles were a friend, a protector, and a companion who walked alongside her life. Carina had called them her only true understanding. Periel lowered his head.

Only Periel could fully comprehend that sense of loss.

-Finally, even if we provide Haron, infused with mana at a precarious level that the master can endure, survival is limited to five years at most.

——–

Millaiyen and Periel’s faces hardened simultaneously.

It was horrifying, yet simultaneously not vastly different from what Periel had heard before.

The only difference was that back then, I couldn’t determine the exact number of years, but this time the precise duration was thrust right before my eyes.

“The corpse decayed and the rat died. There was no coming back to life. And when I dissected it, the Haron I had forced it to consume was gone.”

“When I examined it closely, there was no Haron that I had forced into my arms.”

“…Just tell me the conclusion.”

“Haron contains a peculiar power. And the rat that consumed the Haron—now devoid of that power and stripped of its radiance—never resurrected again.”

“What does that have to do with anything?!”

“If I were to revive her using this method… she would still die. This doesn’t restore lost life—it merely extends life for a brief span.”

—— Page 4 ——

“…She’ll die?”

“Yes. It depends on the grade and quantity of Haron, but likely within a few years.”

Periel’s words and the dragon’s words were no different.

‘Carina Leopold will die.’

I could not escape that premise.

Millaiyen drew a dry breath. No matter how many times I heard it, those words never became easier to bear.

—Why must she die?

—That was her life. It simply flowed that way. Not by her own will, yet she was born, never received her parents’ love, and became consumed by art through a blessing. That is all.

Ajidahaka spoke matter-of-factly. If fortune is absent, then fortune is absent. If it is common, then it is common.

Millaiyen’s face contorted with anguish.

I wished for her happiness.

I wished for her to live long and happily.

‘So I’m going to die after all.’

Was death truly the reward for all those long years of suffering?

Despite centuries of torment, I had gained only a quarter of my lifespan in freedom. That was supposedly the maximum.

-But, Dragon…

-Ah, my name is Ajidahaka of the Crimson.

Ajidahaka was the ancient Red Dragon, renowned as the most powerful of his kind.

As time passed and I weathered countless storms, my age advanced, and the brilliant crimson scales that once gleamed had faded to a dull brown.

-Yes, Lord Ajidahaka. If what you say is true, then something is peculiar. Until now, Magical Beasts have survived even when their hearts were destroyed.

—— Page 5 ——

You should have found and destroyed Haron, the core of the heart, the one you speak of. They merely harbored my power. That’s quite different from the master who sought to turn the entire heart into a dragon heart like mine.

Ajidahaka shook his head and explained again. Periel Kalos nodded at the calm explanation.

Millaiyen silently held Carina in his arms while focusing on the story.

The only thing certain is that Haron will be destroyed.

If not, the Magical Beasts will naturally continue to be revived. On the other hand, if Haron is destroyed or taken away, he won’t be able to come back ever again.

Does that mean even Carina…?

That’s right. The master is the same way. Ever since fusing with Haron, as long as the heart isn’t damaged, he’ll come back to life no matter how many times. Whether his organs are crushed or his limbs are severed, he’ll regenerate.

Ajidahaka answered Millaiyen Pestellio’s question immediately.

Millaiyen Pestellio’s face darkened.

Millaiyen shook his head. If Carina were to find out about that, wouldn’t she resent the fact that he saved her?

If you look at it that way, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that if you keep Haron in your heart, you’d live an eternal, immortal life.

Of course, that was merely a theoretical scenario. Had there been no limit to the mana a human could absorb, things would have unfolded differently.

But the human body was fragile and weak.

And each person had their own threshold.

…What is this?

Ajidahaka lifted his head slowly, sensing a gaze from afar.

His pale yellow eyes fell upon the corner of Leopold Manor.

His eyes narrowed further.

With a flinch, the black puppet’s body trembled as it swiftly rounded the corner and vanished into the distance—

all in an instant while Periel and Millaiyen were absorbed in their conversation, their attention diverted elsewhere.

—— Page 6 ——

Ajidahaka’s eyes narrowed briefly before his gaze lowered once more.

-If you wish it, I shall share my power with you. I will cast a spell upon Haron—all you need do is keep the body alive and place this upon the heart.

…

Neither Periel nor Millaiyen could answer readily.

Would Carina even be grateful for a life restored in such a manner? An existence where even torn organs could regenerate?

-If you offer it, we shall accept with gratitude. May we be permitted to make the choice ourselves?

Periel stepped forward first.

Millaiyen glanced at him once, then lowered his head again. Frozen—

Periel Kalos stepped forward first.

Millaiyen Pestellio glanced at him once, then bowed his head again. Frozen—

Her ragged breathing made it feel as though my heart would stop.

I had never felt her death so close, so imminent.

-Then do as you wish. It has been far too long since I last saw how this world has changed.

Ajidahaka gathered magical power upon his razor-sharp talons.

A spherical jewel materialized in an instant. The Harun, radiating brilliant five-colored light, was unmistakably different from any other Harun.

Its purity was incomparable even to Grade 1, and merely gazing upon it threatened to blind the eyes.

Periel Kalos carefully caught it in his palm as it flew toward him.

-Then I shall return before long.

It was only possible if Carina Leopold remained alive, but Ajidahaka saw no need to voice such a condition.

—— Page 7 ——

He spread his wings wide and thrust off the ground, soaring into the sky.

The earth trembled beneath his massive form, and trees snapped under the force of his wingbeats. The ground was gouged with claw marks. It was utter devastation. The gardeners would surely clutch their heads in despair if they saw this.

Millaiyen watched Ajidahaka disappear into the distance, then bowed his head.

He carefully stepped back into Leopold Manor, cradling Carina Leopold in his arms. Fortunately, the manor had sustained no major damage.

“Millaiyen, are you alright?”

“I am not.”

How could I be? I was not alright.

I wanted to overturn everything on the spot. I wanted to scream and wail. I wanted to shatter everything my hands could reach.

Millaiyen trudged up to the Second Floor and entered the room. After locking the door, he stumbled forward and laid Carina Leopold upon the bed.

He pulled the thick blanket up to just below her neck, then slipped his hand beneath it, grasping her hand tightly.

Millaiyen sat in the chair, his grip on her hand unwavering as his head bowed low.

She lay sleeping, appearing almost as though death had claimed her. Only the faint, rasping breath that escaped her lips proved she still clung to life.

Heat gathered at the corners of my eyes.

I bit down hard on my lower lip. Though the torn flesh should have ached, I remained frozen in that state, silent and unmoving.

The burning sensation pooled in my eyes before finally spilling down onto her cheek.

I clenched my teeth.

I had become powerless.

My desperate desire to save her seemed only to wound her further.

The tears that had gathered fell in an instant, pattering down—

—— Page 8 ——

—onto her skin.

Watching the tears stream down her cheeks, I clenched my fists.

‘If only I had found Haron properly.’

It was my helplessness that had brought us to this.

I had dealt a mortal wound to that monster, yet failed to capture it. Goreden had seized me and forced me to retreat.

Had he not intervened, I might have perished in the Forbidden Forest.

“Carina, I…”

A voice heavy with suppressed anguish escaped my lips.

What must I do to save you?

Your life would become something entirely different from that of an ordinary human—but would you truly be happy if I saved you in such a way?

If you resent me for saving your life, how could I possibly face you?

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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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