"This is…"
The Brightness Dragon Lord's expression tightened, shock and uncertainty flashing across his face. Even the Heavenly Dragon Lord grew solemn.
Two faint strands of Dragon Aura rose instinctively from them, sweeping over the massive boulder.
As if sensing something, the boulder let out a faint, delighted hum. The heartbeat within grew stronger, and a thin trace of Dragon Aura began to seep out in response.
In Naohara and the others' sight, three strands of Dragon Aura intertwined in midair, resonating with one another.
"So this fluctuation… we weren't mistaken."
"My King, you've truly given us quite the surprise."
Feeling the resonance stirring within his bloodline, the Brightness Dragon Lord let out a quiet sigh, his expression complicated.
Before meeting Naohara and the others, he had discussed many possibilities with the Heavenly Dragon Lord. They had considered countless scenarios, yet this was not one of them.
These Players were, in some ways, even more extreme than the Eight Greed Kings. They were actually attempting to create a True Dragon Lord.
Both True Dragon Lords could clearly sense it. The life force inside the boulder was still weak, but it was steadily growing stronger with every passing moment.
At this rate, when the dragon within was finally born, it would likely possess power comparable to that of a True Dragon Lord.
"Brightness, Heavenly, you both understand just how tempting Wild Magic is."
"Originally, we intended to raise a True Dragon Lord ourselves. But since you've submitted to The Great Tomb of Nazarick, there's no need to go to that trouble."
The Dragon Creation Project had been Demiurge's proposal.
The plan was to nurture a True Dragon Lord loyal solely to The Great Tomb of Nazarick, then use the dragon race's inherited memories to explore the domain of Wild Magic.
The sudden appearance of the Brightness Dragon Lord had disrupted their original arrangements.
Even so, Naohara and the others had not abandoned the project. On the contrary, they had increased their investment of resources.
After coming this far, there was no reason to stop halfway.
"The one who devised this method… is truly a genius."
The Brightness Dragon Lord and the Heavenly Dragon Lord exchanged a glance, unsure what else to say.
After a long pause, that was all they could manage.
The two True Dragon Lords tacitly chose not to ask why the scent of the Platinum Dragon Lord lingered everywhere in this place.
The Brightness Dragon Lord had already shared his suspicions with the Heavenly Dragon Lord regarding the possibility that the Platinum Dragon Lord had been captured by Players.
Now, the two of them merely shook their heads at the blood pool, with no intention whatsoever of attempting a rescue.
Though they were both True Dragon Lords, they held little fondness for that son of the Dragon Emperor.
"My King, to be honest, I would say this plan has only a fifty percent chance of success."
After thinking carefully for a moment, the Brightness Dragon Lord spoke slowly.
Things were no longer as they once were. Ever since the battle with the Eight Greed Kings, newly born dragons had lost the ability to inherit Wild Magic.
Among True Dragon Lords, the Brightness Dragon Lord was slightly weaker than the Platinum Dragon Lord, but the overall gap between them was not significant.
Yet among his many offspring, only Draudillon had been an exception. Relying on her innate Talent, she had forcibly inherited Wild Magic.
By all logic, a plan to obtain Wild Magic through artificially creating a dragon should have been impossible.
But there were always exceptions.
As he stared at the boulder within the blood pool, the Brightness Dragon Lord hesitated.
Ordinary young dragons could not inherit Wild Magic. But what if the newborn dragon possessed strength comparable to a True Dragon Lord from the very beginning?
He did not know. That was why he gave it a fifty percent chance.
At the same time, he felt a trace of relief. Fortunately, he had chosen to submit early. If the dragon were born and truly inherited Wild Magic, their value would drop significantly.
Since he had chosen to submit, he had no intention of becoming an insignificant figure.
The Heavenly Dragon Lord, on the other hand, seemed indifferent. As long as he had a place to sleep, he was content.
"Fifty percent, huh? That's the same conclusion Demiurge came to."
Momonga stroked his chin. He was not surprised.
At present, ordinary dragons could no longer inherit Wild Magic and could only use Tier Magic. The White Dragon Lord who had recently submitted to The Great Tomb of Nazarick was proof of that.
Under such circumstances, a fifty percent chance was already quite promising.
Herohero spoke up at that moment.
"If we wanted to learn Wild Magic ourselves, are there any restrictions?"
He cared little for anything else. His sole interest was Wild Magic.
Facing the two True Dragon Lords, Herohero voiced his question.
Naohara and Momonga also turned their eyes toward them.
But to the trio's disappointment, the Brightness Dragon Lord slowly shook his head.
"I'm not certain. But since it's a legacy magic passed down within the Dragon Race, the chances are slim."
"My King, you carry Dragon Blood. You may have a chance to learn Wild Magic. As for the two of you…"
At that point, the Brightness Dragon Lord fell silent.
The Heavenly Dragon Lord nodded in agreement.
"So there's really no other way?"
Momonga sounded frustrated. They had finally come into contact with Wild Magic, yet he himself was unable to learn it.
Herohero, however, remained calm. The restrictions surrounding Wild Magic were troublesome, but not impossible for him to overcome.
As the oldest and strongest Ancient Black Slime among his kind, he possessed the innate power to devour and fuse.
In the past, Herohero had devoured many beings, including the flesh and blood of the Platinum Dragon Lord. But those had only been acts of consumption. He had never chosen to fuse.
His racial description stated:
Elder Black Ooze: The oldest and most powerful existence among slimes. Possesses terrifying corrosive abilities, able to easily dissolve opponents with its slime. By devouring creatures, it can obtain their memories and abilities.
If Herohero were to fuse with the body and soul of a True Dragon Lord, he would essentially become a unique form of dragon.
[Elder Black Ooze Dragon?]
A faint gleam flickered in Herohero's eyes as he glanced at Momonga and activated Message.
[Message]
"Momonga, I have an idea."
Herohero's voice echoed in his mind, causing Momonga to pause.
"What idea?"
Momonga immediately pressed him. Among the three of them, he was the only one who could not learn Wild Magic. That fact weighed heavily on him.
"Blackie, are you setting your sights on Draudillon?"
Naohara interjected, having already guessed what Herohero was thinking.
Draudillon, as the offspring of the Brightness Dragon Lord, should not have been able to inherit Wild Magic due to her weakness.
Yet because of her innate Talent, she had managed to wield that power. The Brightness Dragon Lord had personally stated this before they went to meet the Dragon Queen in the Dragon Kingdom.
Talent: [Wild Magic Reenactment]
It was an extremely formidable Talent, capable of forcibly activating Wild Magic.
With that Talent, Momonga's problem would be solved.
Herohero's idea was simple: devour Draudillon's heart and obtain her Talent Seed.
"But the Brightness Dragon Lord has already joined The Great Tomb of Nazarick. If we go and dig out the Dragon Princess's heart, wouldn't that be… inappropriate?"
Momonga had carefully observed the Brightness Dragon Lord's behavior. The dragon had been cooperative and obedient. That made him hesitate.
"…Then let's wait for now. There might be another solution. If it really comes down to it, we'll consider that option."
Naohara made the final call.
"Alright… let's wait."
"Yeah. We'll wait."
...
After ending the Message, Naohara turned toward the Brightness Dragon Lord.
"Brightness, Heavenly, do you know why we came to this world?"
He deliberately shifted the topic away from Wild Magic.
Momonga and Herohero also grew serious. The mystery of their transmigration was something they could not afford to ignore.
"That… goes back several hundred years."
Though slightly surprised by the sudden change in subject, the Brightness Dragon Lord was quickly drawn in.
Memories from centuries past surfaced in his mind. He let out a long sigh before slowly beginning his explanation.