Galaxy's First Ruler

Chapter 116: A Count's Curse

'When the essence of Four Divine Beasts combines, the Wheel of Reincarnation rotates half a turn.'

*

"True Phoenix"

Trifon heard the incomprehensible muttering and looked at Tomislav's face.

He didn't deny that the word 'True Phoenix' had too much charisma, filling the hearts with greed whoever heard the name. But Tomislav seemed to come out from the shackles and lure of unreachable power fairly quickly.

"I still can't believe that you offered yourself as bait. Even if you are a Count, it still seemed a fool's errand to face that Devil by yourself."

Trifon nudged his glasses, and saw the look of absolute shock on Berb's face, hearing about his true strength. He pretended to be a spoiled brat and said to Tomislav.

"Don't talk to me as if I am your friend."

But this time, only a wry smile surfaced on Tomislav's face. Trifon walked to the pile of petals and picked up the Return-stone.

"Haha! The Demon is still sleeping, huh? Very good!"

The spoiled Trifon's words reached the ears of Tomislav and Berb, who looked at each other, guessing vainly what the young Count was on about.

Trifon pretended like a teacher, as he nudged his glasses and asked.

"Tomislav, what's the difference between Random-Dungeon and normal Dungeon?"

The sudden question was like a bullet shot out of a gun that didn't give Tomislav any moment to think, and he spouted like a machine.

"Three are known widely. First, there are no Return-stones in Random-Dungeons. Second, there are no optional Quests in Random-Dungeons. And third, Dungeon Breaks. Normal Dungeons can't have Dungeon Breaks."

The teacher Trifon nodded, quite satisfied by the answer. He fidgeted with the Return-Stone and looked at the distant snowy mountain, covered by a Mana-film.

"My Lord, what are you waiting for? Crush the Return-Stone and let's get out of here. I am sure you too would want to hear news from your planet."

Trifon pretended to be a General and brought his hands behind his back. He walked back and forth as if struggling with a battle-turning decision.

"We can't go back. The time has finally come for my House to serve its purpose."

"What... What do you mean? Have you gone mad? Have you not seen the Quests? Even with a Count as a Party member, the 'RECORD' gave us those optional Quests. What kind of terrifying thing rests on that mountain we don't even know and you want to hunt that?"

General Trifon suddenly halted and snapped his head to look at angered Tomislav. He couldn't have a mere soldier questioning his decision. So Trifon reverted to his calm state and nudged his glasses.

"Hunt? Do you know why I let Ellington die when I could save him? Do you know why you and your teammates are still alive? And do you know about the hidden truth of Return-Stone?"

The calm Trifon saw Tomislav's face finally crumbling down as if they sensed something ominous was about to happen. But the horror on Berb's mummified face, as he looked at the hovering water-drop around Trifon, was heart-wrenching.

Trifon pretended to be a fanatic and savored the expression on Berb's face.

"I knew this kid has something special about it. Have you never wondered why a Return-Stone is called so?"

The fanatic Trifon had an aura of righteousness around him as he asked Tomislav. The secret history that he had read about, the sacrifice of his ancestors, and the words of the Ancient Oracle kept echoing in his mind.

*

"My Lord, you can't?"

Berb staggered a step back, shocking Tomislav, and took out a pyramid-like object having many symbols engraved on it.

"What's going on?!"

Trifon brought his hands together as if praying, but his face was towards the mountain. The question asked by Tomislav went unnoticed. Berb's hands struggled to raise the pyramid over his head and muttered.

"Tomislav. The Return-Stone No, he can't have all those materials."

"BERB! What's going on?"

Tomislav shouted at Berb while Trifon's hand reached out in the void. He took out a transparent globe with a slimy liquid inside it that kept slithering like a mile-long river.

"Impossible! It's It's the Saliva of a True Dragon! Tomislav, we have to stop him even if it cost us our lives."

Tomislav held Berb by shoulders and shook him from head to toe.

"What's going on?!"

Berb muttered as if in a trance, unable to take his eyes off Trifon's hands.

"The Return-Stone. At my home planet, there is a theory that a Dungeon's essence lies in it. That's why by breaking it, the Dreamers can leave the Dungeon. The 'Return' here never meant for the Dreamers, but"

A terrifying thought racked Tomislav's brain and his hands, holding Berb, slumped down. His mind couldn't process the sudden change in Trifon from an amiable and trustworthy teammate to a fanatic set on destroying everything.

"Is this the kind of Curses the higher Ranks struggle with"

Tomislav muttered, taking out his bazooka, and aimed it towards Trifon's back.

As Trifon's hands came out of his Inventory, there were two globes in his hand. In one there was a drop of liquid. Its color kept changing between white, blue, red, and golden. In another, there was a piece of black bone. The Bone was covered in symbols, so tiny that it seemed impossible for it to be engraved by anyone.

The four objects hovered around him as space shook and multiple fissures appeared within the Dungeon, bringing a storm with them.

ZHOOM!!!

Shoop!

The Return-Stone, as if attracted by an unknown force, went to the middle of the four objects. Tomislav used his bazooka to hold himself and Berb from getting swept away by the storm.

"Tomislav, it is said that using four materials and a Return-Stone, an artificial body can be created. A body lacking any soul and consciousness. Those materials are True Phoenix's hair, True Dragon's saliva"

The storm made it impossible for Berb to speak more. Trifon stood up and faced the two Dreamers. The reverence on his face looked scarier than his previous spoiled and calm appearances. And his voice was unfazed by the vibrating space and storm.

"True White-Tiger's blood, and True Black-Tortoise's bone. This colorful world has become rotten from within. It is time for someone to drown the world into White and Black!"