Lee Eunha and Taesan shouted in shock.
“Oh Haeyoung!”
“That damn old man… We barely got him back to his senses, and now this?!”
However, Lee Taeseong did nothing but silently watch Oh Haeyoung.
Having volunteered as a punching bag until the others arrived, he knew the truth.
That lightning strike just now—there was no hostility in it.
As a result, Oh Haeyoung, who had taken the lightning head-on, stood there completely unscathed.
Instead, golden electrical energy rippled across her body, shimmering like heat haze.
Crackle. Sizzle.
“……”
The once-clouded eyes of the Guardian Dragon had cleared.
[Little one… Can I finally rest now? Is it alright for me to stop protecting this land, this sea?]
There was a deep yearning in his voice, a doubt about his very existence.
Beaming, Oh Haeyoung proudly pointed at Lee Taeseong.
“Yes! You can finally lay down your heavy burden and trust in your successors a little more. You’ve seen it yourself—this guy here is unbelievably strong! And he’s from the great Republic of Korea! If invaders come, he can take them all down by himself! So you don’t have to worry anymore!”
The Guardian Dragon’s gaze shifted to Lee Taeseong.
That being, whether truly ‘human’ or something else, radiated an immeasurable presence.
Even after enduring the full force of his frenzied attacks, he still stood, completely intact—a being beyond comprehension.
Strange as it was, if ‘that thing’ wasn’t an enemy but an ally…
There could be nothing more reassuring.
[So… I can finally be freed from this long, long duty…?]
His voice was filled with exhaustion.
Though he had chosen this path, the time he had endured alone was far too cruel for a single existence to bear.
He had become a dragon, but his mind had not transcended its limits.
Standing firm against the relentless tides of time, his once-unyielding spirit had eroded, leaving him as little more than a hollow shell.
His reason for being was fading.
All that remained was the lingering remnant of a belief—that he must protect this place.
[So, the people of this land can live on without me now… That is a relief. A true relief.]
Oh Haeyoung’s eyes, too, turned gold.
Having gained some control over the electrical energy flowing through her, the static that had crackled wildly around her grew calm.
“Thanks to you, Great King, the people of this land have been able to live in peace. That’s why we exist here today. Thank you, Your Majesty. You may rest now! There’s no need to bear this burden alone any longer. You have done more than enough!”
At her words, the Guardian Dragon smiled warmly.
[Seeing you, I know now that my efforts were not in vain. My kingdom and my people may have vanished, but their name remains in history, and their descendants still walk this land. Even after all this time, the legacy of Silla endures.]
“Of course! Do you know how many Parks there are in Korea?! A lot happened after, but thanks to you protecting the East Sea, we’ve been able to flourish!”
[Little one… It was your flute that allowed me to regain my senses.]
“Hehe. Did you like my playing?”
[…]
The Guardian Dragon, being honest by nature, couldn’t bring himself to say he enjoyed her performance—not even as a courtesy.
However, it was true that her playing had restored his fractured mind.
[Child, what I have given you is the essence of all the power I have gathered over the ages. My time is nearly over. Though your music has granted me temporary clarity, it is only fleeting. Before long, the madness will return.]
The lightning that struck Oh Haeyoung had contained the concentrated essence of the Guardian Dragon’s power.
A dragon’s orb—otherwise known as a yeouiju.
He had bestowed it upon her in the form of lightning.
It is said that even a dragon that ascends to the heavens will plummet if it loses its yeouiju.
But the Guardian Dragon, already summoned by the heavens, no longer needed it to rise.
“Then can’t I just play the flute again every time it happens?”
[I appreciate the thought, but that is not possible. That is why I have decided to end my long duty and return to the heavens.]
“Well, that’s a relief!”
[Thank you, little one. With those words, I can finally let go of the burden that has bound me for so long. You have freed me from my endless duty.]
“Hehe. If I was even a little help, then I’m honored!”
[The power now belongs to you. Use it however you wish—I will not interfere. However, if your heart wills it, please watch over those who live in this land. I earnestly hope that your kind spirit spreads far and wide.]
“Of course! Don’t worry! The power you gave me—I’ll use it to protect this land!”
With a satisfied smile, the Guardian Dragon murmured softly.
[How admirable.]
Then, slowly, he began to ascend.
A dragon’s ascent.
It was commonly known as a meteorological phenomenon, but in truth, it was an event that occurred when a dragon ascended—when it was called by the heavens and freed from the earth.
A massive column of water swirled, connecting the sky and the sea. Riding that current, the Guardian Dragon soared gracefully, its form gradually fading until it disappeared into the heavens.
Its once-clouded eyes were now filled with divine energy, and its scarred scales gleamed with a mysterious luster. It looked like a warrior clad in armor.
The vast, open sky.
From between the clouds, a gentle voice flowed down.
[Thank you, my children.]
Everyone stood in awe, mesmerized by the majestic and breathtaking sight.
Then, they carefully lowered their heads in respect.
It was their final farewell to the great dragon that had protected this land even in death.
As soon as the Guardian Dragon ascended, the surrounding climate returned to peace, as if nothing had ever happened.
“It’s gone.”
“I’m glad everything ended well!”
Oh Haeyoung beamed, and Eunha let out a sigh.
“Well, it seems like we managed to handle it somehow. But that lightning strike earlier—was that really the Dragon King’s Orb, Hae-young?”
As Oh Haeyoung released her power, golden lightning flickered across her entire body. Fascinated, she tested her newfound strength, moving her hands experimentally before smiling brightly.
“Yes! I think so. The power is so immense that I can’t control it fully yet, but… hehe.”
Watching her, Taeseong nodded in satisfaction.
“That’s an unexpected reward. Focus on mastering it from now on. If you can completely wield the essence of a Beta-class entity, it will become a tremendous asset.”
“Yes!”
Taesan also laughed heartily.
“Haha! It seems the Guardian Dragon was moved by your kind heart, Chief Oh. This is why people should live with goodness in their hearts!”
Eunha pouted.
“But I was the one who created the Manpasikjeok. I poured all my remaining energy into making it, and yet I didn’t receive a single reward…”
“Well, that’s because you can’t play the flute. It can’t be helped.”
“…I’d probably play it better than Haeyoung.”
“Ahem.”
Of course, it wasn’t that she resented Oh Haeyoung for gaining power. But after the recent events, Eunha had begun to crave strength as well, so she couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed.
“I’m sorry, Deputy.”
“It’s fine. It’s not like you did anything wrong, Haeyoung. I’m just grumbling because I’m feeling a bit jealous. So don’t feel guilty—instead, just protect me from now on, okay?”
“Hehe. Yes! I’ll make sure not even a single hair on you gets hurt!”
Taeseong, who had been silently watching Eunha, spoke indifferently.
“Even if the Deputy had received the Guardian Dragon’s Orb, you wouldn’t have been able to use it as well as Chief Oh.”
Eunha’s eyebrow twitched. Turning to Taeseong, she replied, her face slightly annoyed.
“What’s that supposed to mean, Taeseong? I admit my physical abilities aren’t as good as Haeyoung’s, but I’m still Delta-class. Are you saying I’m so incompetent that I wouldn’t even be able to make use of a gifted ability?”
“You aren’t compatible with it. You know this as well as I do. Chief Oh has a naturally gifted body. On top of that, she has trained relentlessly to reach a high level of skill. That’s why she can endure that level of lightning energy even without fully controlling it. But you’re different.”
Eun-ha immediately understood what Tae-sung was implying.
With her relatively weaker physical abilities, if she had received the orb, the overwhelming lightning energy might have overloaded her body.
She already knew this deep down, but that didn’t make hearing it any less frustrating. Facts often hit the hardest.
Oh Haeyoung, looking flustered, glanced between Taeseong and Eunha, feeling like she had unwittingly caused conflict.
Eun-ha scoffed but didn’t argue further, while Tae-sung continued speaking without concern.
“…Fine. It’s not like I could have used it anyway. It found the right owner in the end.”
“If you want to get stronger, you need to find the method that suits you best. Improving your physical capabilities is a given, but in your case, you should focus on mastering your own abilities. You’re well aware, aren’t you? How dangerous and versatile your power is? Depending on how you use it, it has limitless potential to turn the tide of battle.”
“……”
“Focus on maximizing your own strengths. If you can master your abilities, at the very least, you won’t have to worry about dying an untimely death. At least, not in Beta-class entity management.”
In short, he was saying that Eunha had the potential to be a Beta-class administrator—or even higher.
At first, she had just been annoyed, but as she listened, her thoughts began to shift. She knew how strong Taeseong was, and if he was saying this, then there was truth in it.
‘Focus on maximizing my own strengths… Thinking about it, I’ve always been afraid of using this power. I must have been subconsciously rejecting it.’
Her possession ability had given her great power, but ironically, her past experiences with it had left her with trauma.
That’s why most possessors, even while working as administrators, received psychological counseling.
“…Thanks. You helped clear my head.”
“I’m glad if it helped.”
At that moment, Taesan chimed in.
“Chief Lee Taeseong. What about me? How can I become even stronger?”
Sensing an opportunity, Go Young-hee hesitated before speaking up.
“M-me too! If you have any tips, I’d love to hear them…”
Even Sooah joined in.
“Oppa… Me too.”
Taeseong glanced around at everyone and said,
“Everyone, I’m planning to return to Korea and establish a new management team.”
TL : I will change Go Yeonghui to Go Young-hee in further releases. I might have said it before too my bad
