Overgeared

Kraugel looked quite tired. The last few days’ journey had not been easy.

“It looks like these things have some sort of tracking function.”

Kraugel pulled out a wooden object—an ordinary nameplate with someone’s name on it.

“Ever since I killed the first cultivator I encountered, I keep running into these guys. They all had this thing on them.”

More than a hundred nameplates spilled onto the table.

“Since I had to deal with a lot of enemies who reached the level of nascent soul or soul transformation, I realized that there is a considerable skill difference between cultivators who are on the same level realm-wise. Just as some skills are better suited for PVP, the cultivators’ skills have also been greatly influenced by the techniques they have learned. For example, cultivators who are in the late stage of nascent soul might be stronger than the ones who are in the early stage of soul transformation. Those who have learned PVP-appropriate techniques generally fought a lot more battles. It might simply be a matter of combat experience.”

“So, just like us. Having a higher rank doesn’t always make you stronger.”

Grid picked up a nameplate and checked the item information. There was only one line of information.

[This is a nameplate that proves one’s identity.]

Just in case, he tried to infuse it with mana, spiritual energy, Annihilation energy, and even divinity, but nothing worked. Grid thought that there must have been a ‘ban’ on it.

“I received a call from Lauel,” Grid said. “Turns out that many of the nameplates taken from the prisoners were found among the belongings of these invaders, meaning they belong to the same group. There is a tracking function embedded in these nameplates, and that is why they have been heading to Reinhardt.”

“Do all nameplates look the same?”

“Not at all. It seems that the shape is different depending on the cultivator’s affiliation. The ones who chased you and the ones Zik took care of belong to different affiliations.”

“How has the investigation of the overall performance of the soul transformation realm been going?”

“The people who have reached that realm are unmistakably Transcendents. If they are in the late stage of the soul transformation realm and are skilled in combat, they are just as powerful as the four apostles. Turns out there are people stronger than the apostles after all.”

“Since you mentioned it… Let’s say a cultivator is in the late stage of nascent soul realm. If they live long enough, can they become stronger than someone who has reached early soul transformation?”

“Who knows? I learned this by fighting more than a hundred cultivators, but it is impossible to defeat them with skills alone. You also have to be lucky. In particular, a person I talked to learned the art of body refining and had a harder time raising his realm. Ah, body refining is...”

Kraugel already knew a lot more things about cultivators than Grid. he was the number one ranker after all. He had fought many cultivators who were nascent soul or above, so he had captured and interrogated many of them. Knowing Kraugel, he must’ve already mastered the Golden Soul Technique and Memory Searching Technique.

Grid listened to Kraugel’s story in silence and a smile gradually spread on his face. In retrospect, spending time with Kraugel had always been beneficial, including the curry with bracken incident. Because of the events of that day, he’d had to spend some quality time at the villa with Yura and Jishuka to heal properly.

Kraugel finished the report and got up. “...You might already know most of what I just told you, but you can cross-check it and use it as reference to determine if what I said is true.”

“I’ll take a break for now. I need to practice the techniques I have acquired so far. I’ll take a look later and send you any information that can be of help.”

“Thank you.”

Grid didn’t bother suggesting he take a break. How could he hold back a man who had so much enthusiasm?

turned to look at

had things to discuss with my guest. You haven’t eaten properly in a few days. Should we

consideration, but

Nefelina complains every few hours how

the insane dragon? I heard about her from Kraugel. A

even Raiders only woke up once every one hundred years to eat, but that was just his hobby as a

leaves personally picked by Irene. A soothing fragrance filled the air, making Navaldrea feel less

my favorite tea. Please try it. I am honored to have the opportunity to entertain my

talking about

You might not

to save face. I naturally know a lot of things because I am a dragon. I know that the truth is actually the opposite of what you’re

you mean

isn’t your benefactor. You are my mother’s benefactor. You gave her

Grid cocked his head.

‘model’ of the horn. In return,

Crazy God... This

that far because of that power. Therefore, I am greatly indebted

mother regained her strength for a moment thanks to the horn and managed

“......”

didn’t refute

a sharp personality. Appearance wise, she looked so much like Jishuka, they could be considered sisters. However, her personality was the polar opposite of Jishuka, who had an obedient

shut his mouth. ‘If I keep talking, the atmosphere will only get worse,’ he thought to

furrow her brow. She paused for a

excuse me,” she said. “It might be because I’ve been on my own without my parents around ever since I was a hatchling, or it might be because I am of Trauka’s bloodline that I lack social skills. I apologize if I offended you with my needless

wrong. You don’t have to

had

hands. Trauka said that since you are his only blood relative, there is a risk that you might become the next Fire Dragon. I summoned you to prevent

Navaldrea’s pupils constricted.

the Fire Dragon? Would I inherit it from the old dragon? Being an old dragon isn’t about status. They are beings who have existed since

a dragon, doesn’t know this, then I don’t know the details either. But I don’t think

can’t resist? It’s disgusting that a monster who has eaten dozens of his flesh and blood would justify himself using such a method. When it was time to die, he suddenly wanted to regain his honor.” She paused for a bit. “If I get a chance to become an old dragon, I don't want to turn it down. At first, the cultivators tracked us down because they wanted revenge. Now, they want my bones and skin. I need

words were plausible, but Navaldrea’s red eyes were dripping with desire. She wanted to be powerful. Perhaps this was because she had been hiding from Trauka all her life, but she seemed

Grid nodded.

will become an old dragon. The fact that you’ve come all this way means that you are willing to cooperate with me, right? If I have an old dragon on my

you are worried about me becoming a second Trauka, don’t worry. I don’t know what will happen

you guarantee that? Maybe you will want to become a

“Um...”

wasn’t extremely stubborn. Despite already making up her mind, she still tried to listen to what the other person had to

it. I respected and loved my mother. Maybe one day, I will want to be a mother just like Ifrit. It would be horrible if I was blinded by instinct and devoured my offspring at that time. But is it possible to become an old dragon without becoming the Fire Dragon?

become stronger. Stay in the empire

lot of nonsense. Human nations rise and fall in less than a thousand years. They can last maybe ten thousand if they’re lucky. It will take more than that for

and dragons viewed time quite differently. Therefore, the premise that they