A Dragonslayer’s Peerless Regression

Chapter 52

"Insane..."

The scene before him was horrifying beyond description.

Traces of all manner of human experimentation remained, regardless of age, gender, or race.

As Sieg trembled with rage, barely containing his fury, a voice interrupted.

"Who's there!"

A mage in a laboratory robe shouted as he noticed Sieg. The mage's robe was heavily stained with blood and remnants, as if he had just finished an experiment.

Sieg turned to the mage and spoke.

"I'll give you one chance. If you tell me what you've been doing here, I'll at least grant you a painless death."

Realizing that Sieg was an intruder, the mage raised his hand.

"Poison Fog!"

Perhaps a specialist in poison magic, the mage immediately created a toxic mist and attacked Sieg.

『Detected: Poison synthesized with magic.』

『This poison surpasses the effects of Immunity to Hundred Poisons.』

『You have been poisoned.』

The magical poison seemed to be immune to the effects of Immunity to Hundred Poisons. However, Sieg's Healing Factor restored his body faster than the poison could take effect.

Drawing Bahamut, Sieg lunged forward.

"Ugh!"

Before the mage could even react, Sieg's sword cleaved through his body.

As the mage collapsed and died instantly, Sieg gritted his teeth.

"That was too easy a death."

Though he was unharmed thanks to his Healing Factor, Sieg couldn't ignore the lingering poison. He retrieved an antidote potion from his inventory and drank it.

Once the poisoning subsided and his body returned to normal, Sieg gripped his sword and ventured deeper into the laboratory.

Passing by experimentation tables littered with discarded test subjects, he entered an area lined with various reagents and experimental tools.

More experimental mages were there.

"An intruder!"

Before they could say anything more, flames erupted from Sieg's sword.

Fwoosh!

The pure flames engulfed the mages, burning their bodies completely.

They didn't even have time to scream.

"No need to show mercy to monsters like them."

Sieg turned back and set fire to the area where the grotesquely murdered test subjects lay.

Then, he rummaged through the mages' belongings, stuffing experimental materials and records into his inventory. He even tore down sealed containers and took them as well.

He planned to review everything slowly after escaping to a safehouse.

'If the Crimson Blossom Disease Princess Melissa mentioned was created through magic, it might have been developed here.'

As Sieg was about to leave the dungeon after burning the laboratory to ashes, something stopped him.

Sssss―

A dense poisonous mist began pouring toward him.

『Detected: Poison synthesized with magic.』

Upon confirming the system's warning, Sieg immediately stepped back.

At that moment, someone emerged from the toxic fog.

"Who dares to lay hands on my laboratory?"

It was an elderly man wearing a black robe.

Sieg examined the insignia and number of rings on the man's robe.

'A scorpion emblem with six rings. Likely an elder of the Scorpion Clan.'

The emblem on a mage's robe denoted their affiliation, while the number of rings symbolized the number of circles they had mastered.

A mage with six circles was usually a high-ranking figure, such as an elder of a renowned clan or the head of a mage corps.

The old man raised his hand and pointed at Sieg.

"Who sent you?"

Without answering, Sieg immediately charged forward with Bahamut. He knew well that engaging in conversation during battle with a mage brought no benefit.

Wooong!

An aura blade surged from Sieg's sword.

Startled, the old man quickly cast a spell.

CRACK!

The old man's body disintegrated like sand, avoiding Sieg's aura blade. He reformed a short distance away.

Before the mage could launch another spell, Sieg activated his Mana Reflection skill.

Ziiing!

A field of reflected mana unfolded around Sieg.

The old man frowned as his mana refused to move according to his will.

"Damn you! Could it be... you're a Draker pureblood?"

A pureblood awakener Draker, with the ability to disrupt mana, was the natural enemy of mages.

The old man hastily pulled something from his robe and tore it apart.

Suddenly, a magic array made of sand appeared on the ground, and a synthetic chimera sprang forth.

Sieg scowled as he observed the creature.

'The Scorpion Clan is always such a pain to deal with.'

The Scorpion Clan, based in the desert, was a group of black mages who specialized in forbidden magic shunned by others.

They weren't just limited to creating synthetic chimeras and poisons; they also crafted golems through illicit means and researched necromantic magic to control the dead.

Because of their vile practices, simply being a member of the Scorpion Clan was enough to warrant a death sentence in the Holy Kingdom.

The fact that the Scorpion Clan had collaborated with the Empire on human experiments was a scandal capable of shaking the entire continent.

"Grrr!"

The chimera, seemingly a fusion of a desert black scorpion's tail, a southern jungle's shark dragon, and a griffin's legs, bared its fangs at Sieg.

The chimera's saliva appeared to be made of venom, as it sizzled and released smoke upon contact with the ground.

The old man looked at Sieg with a smug expression.

"This is my greatest masterpiece! Not even a Draker can withstand it!"

The chimera began slowly advancing toward Sieg.

Sieg activated Dragon's Majesty, a skill particularly effective against monstrous beasts.

The chimera flinched, startled by the sudden pressure.

At that moment, a message window appeared.

『You have instilled fear in a lowly dragonkin.』

『Unique Authority: Dragonkin Domination has been activated.』

『Would you like to subjugate the dragonkin target?』

It seemed that the chimera had been created using a shark dragon as its base, which the system recognized as a dragonkin.

Sieg chose to subjugate it.

『You have subjugated a lowly dragonkin.』

Sieg's unique authority worked perfectly.

The chimera growled softly as it looked at Sieg, its gaze now filled with a mixture of fear and respect.

Sieg gave the chimera an order.

"Bite that bastard."

The moment Sieg's command was issued, the chimera turned and charged toward the old man at full speed.

Caught off guard by the sudden attack, the old man panicked.

"Argh! Not me—get him, you fool!"

Unable to cast proper spells due to Sieg's Mana Reflection, the old man was bitten in the neck by the chimera and killed instantly.

As Sieg reflected on how easily the matter had been resolved, he searched the old mage's robe.

Among the belongings, he found an identification card and several other items.

"Gurav al Rummani? This guy was the second-in-command of the Scorpion Clan."

For someone of such infamy within the notorious dark magic clan, his death had been unexpectedly anticlimactic.

Scorpion Clan mages were known for their proficiency in ambushes and assassination magic, often excelling in chaotic battles.

Normally, they would be surrounded by heavy guards, but as this was a secret research facility, it seemed to be staffed exclusively by mages for security reasons.

After collecting Gurav's belongings, Sieg incinerated the body, just as he had done before.

The chimera, observing Sieg's actions, seemed to determine that the situation had ended. It approached him and rubbed its head against his side.

Amused by the surprisingly endearing behavior, Sieg hesitated for a moment. Then, another message appeared before him.

『Would you like to give a name to the subjugated dragonkin? A named dragonkin can be summoned at any time by its master.』

After some thought, Sieg decided to give the chimera a name.

"Your previous master's name was Gurav, so let's call you Gurav too."

The chimera, now named Gurav, seemed displeased with the choice, but there was little it could do about it. The name had already been decided.

The chimera registered under the name Gurav dissolved into sand and disappeared into Sieg's shadow.

『Summoned creature Gurav has been registered.』

It seemed Sieg had gained an unexpected subordinate.

Having secured even the chimera, Sieg finally left the dungeon at a leisurely pace.

* * *

Over the next ten days, Sieg evaded the pursuit of the Pavela Cartel and returned to the territory of the Mechain Cartel.

Upon his return, Sieg headed to Don Juan's estate and faced him directly.

"Incredible. Truly incredible,"

Don Juan said, cigar in mouth, as he regarded Sieg with admiration.

"Care for a drink, Sieg Murray?"

"No, thank you."

Don Juan stood from his chair and looked at Sieg.

"To be honest, I didn't think you'd succeed in this mission."

"I don't make promises I can't keep."

"Indeed, you've proven that well. These days, it's rare to find someone so trustworthy."

"Then will you believe my words now?"

Don Juan nodded.

"A brave warrior deserves respect. I've always cherished and treated warriors like my own children. I hope you understand that."

Sieg silently scoffed at Don Juan's words.

'What a load of nonsense.'

The number of people who had died as disposable pawns for the Mechain Cartel likely numbered in the thousands.

Understanding all too well the ruthless nature of the cartel, Sieg found Don Juan's self-righteous words laughable.

Don Juan patted Sieg's shoulder and spoke.

"Sieg Murray, as a token of trust, I've prepared this for you."

Don Juan retrieved a box from the desk and handed it to Sieg.

From the size and weight of the box alone, Sieg could already guess its contents.

When he opened it, his suspicion was confirmed.

'The head of the Syndicate chairman.'

A quick glance showed there were five more boxes nearby.

Six cartel executives had come to Mechain to celebrate Don Juan's birthday.

"Do you like your gift?"

Sieg closed the box and nodded.

"I see your trust, boss. Clearly."

Don Juan smiled in satisfaction before walking back to his chair. Once seated, his expression turned serious.

"But there's one problem."

"What kind of problem?"

"It seems the Pavela Cartel has realized we were behind the attack. They're making absurd claims about us using knights and mages from the Central Continent."

The Pavela Cartel had taken the bait Sieg had scattered.

Don Juan spoke to Sieg.

"Sieg Murray, I want to send a clearer warning to those filthy pirate scum. Let them know that the true ruler of the Southern Continent is the Mechain Cartel."

Hearing Don Juan's words, Sieg nodded.

"I will go to Pavela myself and deliver your message."

"What? Really?"

Although he had been planning to deal with Pavela, Don Juan was startled when Sieg volunteered to infiltrate. He had not expected Sieg to take the initiative.

Sieg addressed Don Juan.

"In return, I ask that you empower Kay. Ensure she can properly handle the Syndicate's vacant position."

At Sieg's suggestion, Don Juan nodded.

"Indeed. To properly manage our goods, the Syndicate's mess will need to be sorted out."

"With your support, any lingering noise from the Syndicate will quickly disappear."

Don Juan nodded in agreement.

"Very well. Sieg Murray, I'll personally back her as her patron."

With that, he clapped his hands.

From an empty section of the wall, a figure emerged silently.

It was a man with slicked-back hair, an eyepatch covering one eye, and dressed in an old military uniform.

Sieg recognized him immediately.

'Simon Sapatero.'

Simon was one of the Mechain Cartel's top hitmen and a notorious outlaw from the borderlands of the Southern Continent.

Don Juan patted Simon on the shoulder and spoke.

"I'll assign our top hitman and a unit to assist you. They'll be of great help in this mission."

Simon, his face expressionless, gave Sieg a slight nod.

In his previous life, Sieg had a connection with Simon. It was Simon who had taught Sieg Southern-style martial arts and assassination techniques.

Sieg spoke to Don Juan.

"As soon as the unit is ready, I'll head straight to Pavela."

"Immediately?"

"The longer we wait, the thicker Pavela's defenses will become."

Don Juan nodded at this assessment.

"Very well. Simon, make sure the mission is carried out successfully to the end."

Simon once again responded with a simple nod.

As Sieg watched Don Juan, a sharp smile played in his mind.

'Don Juan, you'll sink further into the swamp, and you won't even realize it until it's too late.'

* * *

Step. Step.

A figure walked into the completely burned-out dungeon.

It was a man with red hair flowing like a lion's mane.

He was Abel Draker, the knight who shook the continent with the title of Lion Sword.

Abel bent down to examine the scorched remains in detail.

Behind him, another figure appeared—William, heir to the Zimmens Household.

"Abel, the investigation is already over. The Imperial Intelligence Bureau has thoroughly combed this place. There's nothing left to find."

Without responding, Abel moved further inside.

He searched for faint traces left on the walls and floor, reconstructing the scene in his mind.

Then, he spoke slowly.

"It was just one person here, William."

William was startled by the statement.

"What do you mean, one person? That's impossible. At least a battalion of mages and knights must have..."

"No, it's clear. At least someone of Red Knight caliber was fighting here."

"What? A Red Knight in this remote southern backwater? That's absurd."

William stared at Abel, disbelief written all over his face.

Abel scooped up a handful of charred soil and slowly stood up.

"There are traces of the Intelligence Bureau covering things up in a hurry. This means the Empire is secretly involved in something we don't know about."

He let the soil fall from his hand back onto the ground.

Abel turned to William.

"We need to find out what the Intelligence Bureau is hiding."

"You're planning to dig into the Bureau's secrets? How will you handle the fallout?"

Abel's eyes glinted sharply as he replied.

"There was something here we can't afford to miss. My instincts tell me so, William."

He gazed at the remnants on the ground and added, "If I am to hold both the Empire and the Drakers in my grasp, this is necessary."