Murky found himself at a loss for words, his mouth agape, as he stood before the imposing figure of the adult Draugr warrior.
"You damn bastard!"
He cursed deep inwardly, this despicable individual seemed to grow even angrier whenever he extended a helping hand.
To make matters worse, the warrior continuously insisted that Murky should simply observe and learn.
What a load of nonsense!
Murky wasn't even native to this world, and despite being a player, the system had made it abundantly clear that he was not fully accepted here.
Naturally, he couldn't learn through mere observation; the only way to acquire knowledge was by completing missions.
Nevertheless, Murky couldn't help but be impressed by this barbaric screamer. Standing magnificently at the pinnacle of the 10th stage, this Draugr warrior was undoubtedly one of the strongest in the village.
It was no wonder he rode atop a formidable dragon beast known as the bull horse, also in its peak stage ten dragon form.
"Arrrghhh!"
The Draugr warrior unleashed another ear-splitting scream, leaving Murky momentarily speechless.
"In these ten stages of development, both the poultry dragon and its rider possess second bloodline intensity. This means that if they were to face off against a regular predator dragon with no bloodline intensity at the 12th stage, either one of them could hold their own, even when alone. All I wanted was to gauge the strength of his Draugr war art," Murky paused, his voice trailing off, "But..."
Before he could continue, his words were drowned out by a resounding roar.
"WHAT IS GOING ON?"
The adult Draugr warrior, who had effortlessly lifted Murky up as though he were a mere child earlier, now wore an expression of exasperation.
His face mirrored the sentiment of utter bewilderment shared by the bull horse trotting alongside them.
From the back of the dragon bull horse, Murky could almost envision a colossal question mark hanging above the duo.
"Sigh, it's all because of me," he mumbled, chuckling wryly at their perplexed faces.
The cause of their puzzlement was his scent, an aroma ancient to all dragons.
Whenever dragons caught a whiff of it, they recoiled in disgust, instinctively moving away from its source.
These dragons won't even bother to fire something at him, afraid that he would explode and would catch them too.
"I must be an old naked white man at the eye of these dragons," Murky mumbled with helplessness.
At least it's the one that kept himself, even from earlier.
Back then, inside the cavern, an intriguing phenomenon unfolded. Two distinct breaths, known as the Ancient dragon breath and the Ancient dragon fart, gave rise to the presence of natural spring water and ordinary spring water.
The Ancient dragon breath had the ability to create regular spring water, while the Ancient dragon fart, despite its noxious nature, possessed potent cleansing properties due to its composition of ancient viruses and other elements creating a natural spring water.
When the water stream came into contact with either breath or was exposed to them over time, it underwent a purification process, gradually transforming into both spring water.
However, it was essential to note that while the Ancient dragon fart had even greater purifying capabilities than the breath, it also accumulated an abundance of dirt and debris over millions and billions of years, rendering it perilous.
Nonetheless, this foul gas played a crucial role in the creation of the natural spring water, albeit at the expense of its cleanliness.
"Hmmm…"
Murky was deep in thought, considering the power of a newly created Ancient dragon fart and how it could scare other dragons.
He wondered, "If just a little dirt and a recent fart could frighten them, what would happen if I released one that had been brewing for countless millennia?" But the idea alone sent chills down his spine.
He questioned himself, "Why am I even thinking about this? Even with my dragon mount, Snow White, I know I can't handle such potent substances yet. Maybe in the future, when the world progresses to its fourth season, I might be able to use them to some extent. But the truly dangerous ones would still be beyond my reach. Besides, waiting for that season would take too long."
Out of nowhere, a sudden realization struck Murky, causing him to freeze in place.
He realized that both the poultry dragon's head and the adult Draugr warrior were focused on something, or rather, someone in his arms. Murky reacted quickly, showing his confusion and asking, "Huh? What?"
At that moment, the Draugr warrior snapped out of his trance and pointed a finger at Murky's now healed hand that Murky bit earlier, he was about to speak.
Murky didn't let him finish and nodded vigorously, saying, "Yes, it was natural spring water."
After confirming his earlier statement, Murky pointed to the spot where the spring water had been, keeping his unwavering attention on it. He couldn't believe what he was hearing and exclaimed in disbelief,
"Why didn't you mention it earlier, you rascal!?"
His eyes widened, and he thought, 'What in the world?'
Suddenly, an unexplainable fear surged through Murky's veins as he witnessed the warrior's bulging metallic muscles, pulsating veins, fiery red eyes, scowling beard and mustache, and arms that seemed like a fusion of sixty arms, gripping a bloodied ax with cuts and cracks.
He felt completely paralyzed, like a tiny ant on the verge of annihilation under the Titan's colossal grip.
Suddenly, the poultry dragon bull horse turned its attention to the awakened Draugr warrior and let out a soft purr, bringing him back to reality.
Brrrr…
Ignoring Murky's bewildered expression, the warrior reached for the jug or flask containing the spring water, all while carrying the stunned Murky on the back of his reliable poultry dragon bull horse.
With the spring water in his hand, the Draugr warrior cautiously opened the lid and took a sniff of its aroma.
He tried to whiffed it with his hands.
"Uhhm!!"
Satisfied with the scent, he took a small sip, allowing the water to trickle down his throat.
Gulp!
He sealed the flask again and realized the importance of this precious resource.
He made a mental note to share it with his fellow warriors.
However, the Draugr warrior couldn't help but notice that Murky was still lost in his own world, staring into space without focusing on anything in particular.
"Huh?"
Perplexed, the warrior scratched his head, unable to understand Murky's behavior. After all, he couldn't take back the water now.
Without warning, in a sudden and unexpected manner, the Draugr warrior unleashed a powerful and forceful slap upon Murky's back, resulting in a painful and agonizing experience for him.
Bag!
The impact of the slap was so severe that it caused Murky to almost cough up blood, a vivid and distressing sight and a clear indication of the extent of the injury inflicted upon him.
In addition, the sickening sound of a bone breaking echoed in Murky's ears, intensifying the already distressing situation.
"Eh!?"
Once again, the warrior found himself scratching his head with a disbelieving expression, a gesture that visibly displayed his confusion and bewilderment.
In an attempt to provide some form of commentary or acknowledgment, he uttered the words, "You've done well, you've done well," although the meaning and intent behind these words remained somewhat unclear and ambiguous.
However, while the warrior engaged in this peculiar behavior, Murky, consumed by a potent mixture of pain, frustration, and resentment, could only return his gaze with a piercing and intense glare, his eyes reflecting the burning desire that resided within him, a desire to exact vengeance upon this loathsome and detestable creature, whose physique bore a striking resemblance to that of a powerful and formidable bull.
In the depths of his mind, Murky silently seethed, his thoughts filled with a torrent of anger and resentment, as he recollected the events that had transpired.
He mentally lamented, 'I distinctly remember telling you that the substance in question was, in fact, natural spring water. I made a genuine effort to provide an explanation, but your excessive volume and lack of restraint rendered my attempts futile. Furthermore, your inability to exercise self-control only served to compound the already dire situation.'
The intensity of Murky's emotions was palpable, yet he maintained a silent composure, allowing his inner rage to simmer and stew beneath the surface.
'Fuck, I want to kill this bastard!'
At that moment, as the seconds ticked by and the situation continued to unfold, Murky bore witness to an act that further ignited the flames of fury within him.
The despicable and contemptible warrior deliberately turned his head, purposefully directing his back toward Murky, an act that served as a catalyst for the intensification of his already overwhelming anger.
In response to this deliberate provocation, Murky, fueled by an unwavering determination and an unyielding desire for power and authority, harbored a deep and burning resentment towards this loathsome individual. He vowed silently,
'Just you wait. Once I have amassed sufficient power and authority in the days that lie ahead, I shall relegate you to nothing more than mere bait for the dragons, subjecting you to a fate that is befitting of your wretched existence, you bastard.'
The intensity of Murky's hatred surged within him, threatening to consume him entirely.
He reflected deeply on the perilous encounter he had narrowly escaped, a life-and-death situation that had left an indelible mark on his consciousness.
It was the Draugrskins' unique and formidable martial technique, a manifestation of their ancestral heritage, an ethereal and elusive substance that resembled an aura, endowing its wielders with an extraordinary and unparalleled strength, while simultaneously sapping the strength and vitality of their adversaries.
In certain instances, when confronted with opponents who were inherently feeble and vulnerable, the deployment of this martial technique proved to be so overwhelming that it resulted in the untimely demise of those unfortunate enough to bear witness to its devastating effects.
Which almost killed Murky.
1In the aftermath of this tumultuous and harrowing encounter, a burst of raucous and sinister laughter erupted from the unidentified Draugr warrior, his guffaws resonating with an air of malevolence and malice.
"BRAHAHAHAHA!!"
This eruption of laughter served only to exacerbate and intensify the already raging inferno of anger that consumed Murky's being.
As Murky observed the warrior's gaze, fixated upon his own back, he could discern a distinct and unnerving comprehension of the seething emotions that resided within him, a comprehension that seemed to fuel the warrior's laughter, causing it to reverberate with even greater intensity.
"HAHAHHAHAHA!"
The echoes of that laughter reverberated within the depths of Murky's consciousness, acting as an accelerant that further stoked the flames of his fury, threatening to consume him whole.