IRHHAC 08

Chapter 08

Dragon Heart

Imbuing a Dragon Heart is an extremely difficult—and dangerous—task.

To contain the vast mana stored within a dragon’s heart inside a human body is like pouring a waterfall into a calm lake.

Thump. Thump.

North inn of Thebes.

Kim Jun, who had rented the largest room, took out the Dragon Heart—so large it was almost the size of his own body.

I can do this.

This was the heart he had obtained in his regression, in the Dragon’s Plains on the 80th floor.

At that time, when he attempted the implantation, his level was 91. Now, he was level 33—an overwhelming difference compared to his past life.

Even then, it had been a life-risking challenge.

I need Seo Yeon’s help.

As a reward for clearing the 6th floor for the first time, Seo Yeon’s current level was 10.

At this point, her unique skill, “Mana Stabilization,” would have grown significantly stronger.

Knock—knock.

After carefully knocking on the room where his companions were staying, Kim Jun called Seo Yeon.

“Seo Yeon, could you come out for a moment?”

The door opened, revealing Seo Yeon’s face. Behind her, Ryu Ji-ah looked suspicious.

“Oh? You’re calling only me? At this hour of the night?”

“Why just her? That’s weird. I’m coming too.”

“It’s not like that. Go back to sleep.”

After briefly excusing himself, Kim Jun walked with Seo Yeon to a quiet forest outside Thebes.

“Guild Leader? You must have brought me all the way here for a reason. Can you tell me now?”

Seo Yeon smiled, but behind that smile was a sense of seriousness—an intuition that something important was about to happen.

Kim Jun, Guild Leader of the Han Guild, was not someone who acted lightly.

Calling her out at this hour meant there was certainly a serious reason.

And that assumption was correct.

“Seo Yeon.”

“Yes.”

“Please help me implant the Dragon Heart.”

“…Pardon?”

From Kim Jun’s spatial pouch, the heart he pulled out still pulsed with a deep red glow.

The intense wave of mana pouring from it made Seo Yeon instinctively step back.

“Th, that’s a Dragon Heart?”

“Yes.”

“How are you even going to implant something like that?”

“I’ll handle the process. I just need you to stabilize the mana flow inside my body.”

Without Seo Yeon, even if Kim Jun obtained the Dragon Heart, it would take months to fully absorb its power.

But he didn’t have that kind of time.

The Tower never gave challengers the luxury of rest.

Even a moment’s stagnation meant retreat.

And retreat meant death.

“Let’s begin.”

“Y-yes…”

Seo Yeon’s voice trembled with tension.

The overwhelming presence of the Dragon Heart filled her with unease, but she steadied herself with slow, deep breaths.

She carefully moved behind Kim Jun and knelt.

Kim Jun placed both hands on the massive Dragon Heart.

Thump. Thump.

The mana radiating from it was overwhelming.

Even the total mana within his body was incomparable to it.

Will this be okay?

For a moment, hesitation crossed his mind. Could a human body endure such power?

But there was no turning back now.

He took a deep breath.

And began absorbing the Dragon Heart’s mana.

“Haa—!”

A dense crimson energy surged upward like a starving serpent, crawling up his fingers.

At first, it was a thin thread—but it quickly grew violent and intense.

Red lines spread beneath his skin.

Like molten lava flowing through his body, the mana surged from his hand to his arm, from his arm to his shoulder, and finally toward his heart.

“Ghhhhh!”

A suppressed scream burst from his mouth.

His entire body stiffened. Every vein swelled red beneath his skin like heated iron chains.

The torrent of mana was testing the limits of his humanity.

“Aaagh!!”

His face twisted in pain.

Every cell felt as if it were burning. His human mana circuits were far too narrow and weak to handle the dragon’s overwhelming power.

At this rate…

Warning signals blared in his consciousness. If this continued, his mana circuits would overload and explode.

His body would be swept away by the flood of mana, and his soul would be torn apart.

“Guild Leader!”

Seo Yeon shouted urgently, but all she could do was stabilize the flow from behind him.

Ssshhh—

Blue mana flowed from her fingertips, wrapping around his body.

But before the Dragon Heart’s overwhelming force, it was nothing more than a thread.

Stronger!

Seo Yeon clenched her teeth and poured out everything she had.

Inside Kim Jun, a far more violent battle was unfolding.

He turned his consciousness inward, where he could see his mana circuits.

Small rivers of blue light flowed through his body, while crimson dragon mana poured over them.

Do not resist. Do not reject it. Let it flow.

Like wind rippling across a deep lake, his mana trembled.

He closed his eyes and surrendered to the flow.

Let it all pass through.

Inside his consciousness, two rivers collided.

Human blue mana and dragon crimson mana.

At first, they clashed violently, creating turbulent chaos.

But as Kim Jun released all resistance, they slowly began to find harmony.

Gurgle—

The natural flow returned.

Red currents flowed into blue ones.

And soon, they became one.

Rumble!

Mana gathered at his fingertips.

Fwoooosh—!

Flames burst from both his hands.

“!!”

It was coming.

A massive surge.

The previously blocked mana exploded like a flood.

Dragon mana began stabilizing throughout his entire body.

“Guild Leader! Open everything up! Now!”

He had to absorb every last bit of the Dragon Heart’s power. Not a single drop could be wasted.

He turned inward again.

There was a barrier somewhere—something blocking the full flow.

“Gghhh!”

He dived back into his body.

Like exploring a maze, he traced the pathways of mana.

From hand to chest… the flow circled endlessly, never fully escaping.

Found it.

The connection point between heart and soul.

The boundary where human and dragon power met.

A microscopic crack where mana was being lost and dissipating.

Uuuu—

He focused all his will on widening it.

Wooooong—

The narrow crack slowly widened.

And through it, he saw something.

A dragon’s consciousness.

A primordial existence beyond human understanding.

WOOOOONG—!

It noticed him.

And then it lunged.

“Cough!”

His body shook violently, blood spilling from his mouth.

“Stay focused! If you stop here, you die!”

Facing the dragon’s consciousness, Kim Jun felt suffocated by its overwhelming presence.

Ancient memories pierced through him like lightning:

Flying freely across blue skies,

Breathing flames that burned mountains,

Battles against transcendent beings,

And finally… death.

Who are you?

The dragon’s voice echoed in his mind.

What should I do?

Seo Yeon panicked.

Kim Jun was not normal.

He was completely frozen, sweat pouring from his body.

His lips were pale blue, his breathing shallow.

But most of all—his eyes.

His pupils were fully dilated, unfocused, staring into emptiness.

“Guild Leader! Guild Leader!”

No response.

Is he going to die?

Her hands trembled. Even her Mana Stabilization skill wasn’t enough.

The Dragon Heart’s energy was still raging, and his body was shaking violently under its pressure.

Even if it’s hard, I have to hold on. I can’t let him fight alone!

Seo Yeon pushed her exhausted body beyond its limits.

Her limbs felt like lead, her head spinning.

Her mana was nearly gone—but she couldn’t stop.

She bit her lip until it bled.

Gathering the last remaining mana in her body—every drop, even the faint traces hidden within her hair—she poured it all into him.

Please… please come back, Guild Leader…

Five hours passed.

Ssssshh—

Heat radiated from Kim Jun’s body.

Seo Yeon’s face had turned pale as paper.

For five straight hours, she had maintained the flow of his mana without rest.

Her body had long surpassed its limit, sustained only by willpower.

And then—finally—a change began.

Like the end of a long storm, something inside him began to stabilize.

The red mana flowing through his veins.

Dragon mana and his own began to harmonize.

Thump. Thump.

His heart, which had been faltering, began to beat again.

Fwoooosh—!

The blue mana disappeared.

Only red remained.

“Guild Leader…?”

Seo Yeon froze in shock.

Whoooosh!

A violent wind erupted around Kim Jun.

Leaves scattered, dust spiraled into the air.

His hair and clothes whipped violently.

The pressure of his mana shook the very atmosphere.

BOOOOM—!

It gathered around him and shot upward like a dragon ascending to the sky.

“…Thank you, Seo Yeon.”

“Guild Leader…”

Kim Jun looked exhausted.

But at the same time, there was relief on his face—as if a massive burden had finally been lifted.