Still the same bustling Axel Adventurers Guild.
At this time of day, there aren’t many people in the guild, with only a few tables occupied by early-rising Adventurers quietly eating breakfast.
Except for that table in the corner.
“Another glass!
No, three!
Make them large!” Aqua was standing on her chair, one foot on the edge of the table, waving an empty glass at the waitress.
Her long blue hair swayed with her movements, and the flush on her face made it impossible to tell if it was from excitement or the alcohol.
The long table in front of her was covered with empty glasses.
Not three glasses, not five, but a full twenty.
“That’s twenty glasses, Miss Aqua…” Luna walked over carrying a tray, looking at the pile of glasses with a complicated expression.
“Are you sure you want more?” “Sure!
Positive!
Absolutely!” Aqua slapped the table, causing the purple hagoromo on her chest to quiver.
This Goddess is in a good mood today, I’m drinking until the sun goes down!” “But it’s only eight in the morning…” “Then I’ll drink until the sun comes up!” “The sun is already up…” “Then I’ll drink until it goes down again!” Luna opened her mouth to speak, but finally gave up on trying to persuade her.
She silently placed three glasses of Bubbly Wine on the table and turned to leave.
Megumin sat opposite her, the plate in front of her already empty; she had even wiped up the breadcrumbs with her fingertips and stuffed them into her mouth.
She held a cup of hot milk in both hands, taking small sips, her red eyes occasionally glancing at Ash beside her.
Darkness sat next to Megumin, having finished only half of the steak in front of her.
She wiped the corner of her mouth with a napkin, her gaze also lingering on Ash for a few seconds.
Ash sat in the head seat, a glass of cold water placed before him.
And his expression could only be described as ashen.
That’s not an exaggeration; it was truly grey.
That originally handsome face now looked as if all the blood had been drained from it, and his entire being radiated a sage-like sense of “I have seen through the essence of this world.” Megumin put down her fork, her red eyes looking at Ash as she tilted her head.
“Ash, your expression is very strange.” “How is it strange?” “It’s the kind of expression someone has after being swallowed by a frog, spat out, and then swallowed again.” “That’s a very precise metaphor, but I don’t want to admit it.” Darkness also turned her head, studying Ash seriously.
“You’ve been staring into space for a while now.
Have you run into some trouble?” “Trouble?” Ash picked up the cold black tea, took a sip, and then put it down.
“It’s not exactly trouble.
I just feel like the world is targeting me.
It’s all the world’s fault!” “The world?” Megumin blinked.
“Cough, it’s nothing.” Ash sank into his consciousness and pulled up the system panel.
Looking at those two lines of golden text, his mouth twitched.
[Chain Quest Updated] [Quest 6: Tame a creature with the ‘Dragon’ attribute.
Reward: Noble Phantasm ‘Gram’.] [Quest 7: Engage in deep communication (Breeding and Training) with a creature with the ‘Dragon’ attribute.
Reward: Ability ‘Dragon-Kind Modification EX’.] [Quest 8: Kill ten enemies with the ‘Mage’ class characteristic.
Reward: Noble Phantasm ‘Rule Breaker’.] Ash’s gaze lingered on ‘Quest 7’ for a full ten seconds.
Deep communication with a giant dragon?
Breeding and Training?
Dragon-Kind Modification EX!
In Norse mythology, it’s the ability the hero Sigurd obtained after swallowing a dragon’s heart.
The ultimate self-modification, transforming the body into a dragon-kind Mana Reactor.
Strength, speed, defense, and maximum mana are all significantly increased.
It could be called a top-tier enhancement that allows one to reach the heavens in a single step.
But the price is…
having to do *that* kind of thing with a dragon first.
He recognized the words ‘Breeding and Training’, but their combined meaning made him suspect the system was malfunctioning.
With a giant dragon…
Breeding and Training?
Him?
Ash took a deep breath and questioned the system in his mind.
“System, explain Quest 7?” [Reply to Host: The goal of Quest 7 is to ‘establish a deep-level soul link and physical resonance with a creature possessing the ‘Dragon’ attribute.’ This process involves deep mental fusion and physical energy exchange.
The term ‘Breeding and Training’ was chosen to accommodate the Host’s linguistic habits.] “My linguistic habits do not include that term.” [According to the Host’s past browsing history, the frequency of this term ranks in the top three percent.] “That…
that’s big data pollution.” [The system does not engage in subjective evaluation; it only provides objective data.] “…” Ash exited the system panel, his face looking even worse.
“Does this system have some kind of sick sense of humor?” But he was indeed covetous of that reward.
If he had this ability, what would it mean?
It would mean his strength, speed, defense, and maximum mana—all his shortcomings—would be supplemented all at once.
It wasn’t an ‘enhancement’; it was a ‘qualitative change’!
But the price was…
Ash’s eyelid twitched.
He had read many fantasy novels where the protagonist slayed dragons, rode dragons, or tamed dragons.
There were all sorts of operations.
But doing it with a dragon…
there seemed to be quite a few of those too…
Ash cursed in his heart, then exited his consciousness and looked at the three women in front of him.
Aqua was still chugging alcohol, completely oblivious to his expression.
—A barrel of water.
Megumin was poking her plate with a fork, making a crisp “clink clink clink” sound.
—The one-blast-a-day loli.
Darkness was sitting perfectly upright, but her eyes had already begun to wander, seemingly imagining some unspeakable scene.
—The perverted knight.
“Forget it, I won’t think about it.” Ash rubbed his temples.
“Anyway, I won’t be able to find a dragon anytime soon.
Even if I did, I might not be able to go through with it.
Even if I could, the dragon might not cooperate.
Even if the dragon cooperated…” He paused for a moment.
“Why am I even having this discussion in my head?” “Ash!” Aqua suddenly jumped down from her chair and slapped Ash on the back so hard he almost spat out his tea.
“What are you dazing off for!
This Goddess has only had twenty glasses of wine; I haven’t even drunk you into bankruptcy yet!
What’s with that expression, like you just lost your wife!” “You *are* my wife.” “Oh right…
then what’s with that expression, like you just lost yourself!” Ash took a deep breath and turned to look at Aqua.
Her face was flushed, wine foam was still on her lips, and her blue eyes were filled with the boldness of someone saying “I can still drink.” “It doesn’t matter how much you drink.” Ash said.
“Anyway, it’s almost Cabbage catching season.” “Cabbage?” Aqua blinked, her drunkenness seeming to clear just a little bit.
“Are you talking about those…
flying Cabbages?” “Yes.” “The ones that ram into people?” “Yes.” Ash picked up his tea cup and took a sip.
“Not only do they fly, they ram into people.
And they travel in swarms, a massive, dark cloud of them that blots out the sky.
Every year when the season comes, they fly down from the mountains and pass through Axel.” “Every year at this time, emergency quests for Cabbage catching are posted on the Adventurers Guild’s bulletin board.
Each Cabbage can be sold for a good price depending on the situation.” As soon as Ash finished speaking, Aqua immediately put on a money-grubbing face, her eyes instantly lighting up.
“Doesn’t that make more money than fighting frogs?!
Then what are we waiting for?” Aqua slapped the table and sprang up.
“Let’s go!
To catch Cabbages!
This Goddess is going to be rich!
Filthy rich!”