Second Life of a Dragon Raising Hunter

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Chapter 386: Are We Ready?

“Is everyone ready?”

With a confident grin, Lucrecia asked, donning her sunglasses.

As Yeon-woo and the kids in the back seat, along with Nea in the passenger seat, nodded in agreement, the engine roared like a beast, echoing its growl.

It was a jeep known as the Monster Killer S, part of the Isla Automotive series, specifically the off-roader line.

With a sturdy frame reminiscent of dinosaur bones and an array of blessings and enhancement magic wrapped around its body, it exuded confidence, practically daring any mid-sized monster to become a roadkill!

“When on earth did you buy something like this?”

“The Isla dealer helped me with the purchase…”

“Did you pull off some kind of ‘all-in’ deal?”

“What do you take me for? No way, I bought it with actual money!”

Just hearing the word ‘dealer’ made my heart leap nervously. Well, I did get a salary sufficient to live in this world, so I suppose that’s what was used.

Still, the fact that my first purchase was a vehicle was quite the surprise.

“Wow, the sleekness of this body, and its massive size… My heart raced the moment I laid eyes on it. Could this be love?”

“Maybe so.”

Dismissing Lucrecia, who had suddenly started spouting strange lines, Yeon-woo scanned the inside of the car.

Even through the eyes of a dragon, it was a masterpiece with no corners cut. The engine’s sound symbolized the advancements in mana engineering.

The Monster Train was sort of a prototype. The reason it transitioned to an automobile out of nowhere was because of its ludicrously good power efficiency that had pushed the engine to its limits.

It was similar to newly awakened aura users smashing everything in their homes. The power control was off, causing them to always output maximum power, resulting in constant destruction around them.

Mana engineering was similar. Forget gears; it would just ramp up directly to fourth gear!

The culmination of such research was the off-roader series.

Of course, it was pricey as a first attempt, but now, a year later, it was at a price point where it could be afforded with a bit of stretching.

Naturally, Yeon-woo could buy dozens. Does the mana enhancement business look like a failure?

“If you think of it as a travel vehicle, it may be a bit extravagant, but it’s not bad at all.”

“Right!? I waited for this day because I heard you were going somewhere! I thought it was time to showcase my magnificent Draegon…”

Yeon-woo could only stare at Lucrecia, who was pressing her face against the car body with an ecstatic expression.

Well, if a dragon knight wanted to name her car after a dragon, what could be said? She must be longing for a dragon…

“Alright, let’s head out~!!”

““Woohoo!!””

“Grah!”

Lucrecia and the three kids shouted gleefully. My ears hurt. Vroom, slowly, Harmony City began to fade into the distance.

The highlight of the Monster Killer series is undeniably comfort. While the Monster Train provided a very pleasant journey, its design meant it would have to stop by other cities along the way.

But not for the Monster Killer! As long as you avoid exceedingly dangerous locations, you could charge directly toward your destination…!!

Of course, this world isn’t filled only with safe spots, so if an unexpected situation arises, the consequences must be borne by the one involved.

In that sense, this trip was aptly described as pleasant.

Most monsters wouldn’t even approach the dragon’s aura felt inside the car.

Even if a strong monster did appear, both Yeon-woo and Lucrecia could easily handle it.

It was undeniable. For Yeon-woo, who had invested only in a house or orphanage, having a personal vehicle was like stepping into a new world.

“Should I buy one too?”

At Yeon-woo’s mumble, Lucrecia’s eyes sparkled behind her sunglasses.

Oh no, I slipped up. By the time Yeon-woo realized it, it was already too late.

“Really? You’re thinking of buying one too? Do you want me to introduce you to a dealer I know? He was helpful for me when I bought this…”

“No, I’ll manage to find it on my own. Please focus on driving.”

“There’s nothing to focus on…”

Hmph, Lucrecia let out a whine. True, with no one on the road, and cruising across an obstacle-free plain, there wasn’t much need for concentration on driving.

Yet listening to car talk was quite the chore. I could endure it, but…

“Let’s all head out together~!!”

Since it didn’t seem like there was any radio reception, they couldn’t play any music. However, chatting amidst the lively singing of the kids through their stored audio was difficult. It made it hard to focus on conversation.

Not wanting to pay any mind to Lucrecia, who was having a lively chat with Nea, Yeon-woo decided to play with the three kids, who were swaying in the breeze like three sunflowers in the back seat.

When unsure what to do, playing with kids is always the right move. It’s good to keep that in mind for when I become a father someday.

*

It didn’t take long to reach the gate that Leviathan had mentioned. Judging by the location, it was near Cheonju City, tucked away in a corner of the Mongolian Steppe.

“Is this it?”

The family stepped out of the car. As Lucrecia manipulated the car key, the vehicle seamlessly melted into the surroundings.

It was a function that assumed the owner would leave the car in the plains to enter the gate.

For Lucrecia, who held the car key, the vehicle would still be visible.

“Wow, it’s completely barren out here. How did you even find this?”

Yeon-woo couldn’t help but agree. There was nothing in sight that could serve as a signpost.

Without Leviathan’s tip, who would have been able to locate this gate? It looked like there was simply nothing here.

However, as he walked under the sun, a small depression obscured by the shadow of a hill caught his eye.

As Yeon-woo cautiously walked down into it, the others followed closely behind. Eventually, they spotted a golden inscription engraved on the ground.

The seal bearing the Golden Desire. It seemed this was definitely the place.

“Shall we finish our preparations and head inside? I think I heard there’s no monster inside…”

“Just in case! Let’s get ready! Goo, Tae-oh, Dawn!”

Excited about entering a gate for the first time in a while, the kids shouted and ran back to the car.

While the car camouflaged itself with the surroundings, the kids seemed to effortlessly retrieve their gear.

These were items prepared for when a suitable monster appeared during the drive and the kids, particularly Shar, expressed a desire to fight.

“No matter how much of an Isla vehicle it is, the dragon’s eyes can’t be fooled.”

“Hey, I wasn’t expecting that much.”

As Yeon-woo muttered about the nonchalant way they found something invisible, Lucrecia giggled.

Well, it’s true. What would a dragon do to steal a car? If it were a greedy dragon, it might haul the entire vehicle to its hoard, but that would be a natural disaster.

Not long after, Shar returned, fully equipped.

It would be better for Tae-oh to stay inside, but that might make Dawn uneasy, so they could stay in the back instead.

“Alright, let’s go in.”

They stood in a line and grabbed each other’s hands. This was to prepare for the risk of getting separated.

Like a single entity, they dove into the dark, undulating space ahead.

A sense of vertigo hit Yeon-woo. Had it been too long since he last used a gate? He turned around and was relieved to see that all of them looked fine.

After confirming everyone’s safety, he surveyed the inside of the gate. It was a plain, just as he expected from such a vast expanse.

Noteworthy were the columns protruding from the ground like jagged rocks scattered peculiarly all around.

It was clearly a place where an ancient civilization once thrived.

“Oh, the air is surprisingly nice.”

“Right? Usually, places like this are filled with a stagnant, uncomfortable atmosphere.”

Even the air inside provided hints about the atmosphere in the gate. Of course, it wasn’t always 100% reliable.

Cave-like spaces inevitably became stagnant, and gates in illusory realms can deceive a person’s senses the moment they enter.

However, when it comes to gates associated with the Demon King, they could offer some clues.

Take Leviathan’s place, for instance; it was shrouded in darkness where you couldn’t see a step ahead, dense with the damp air.

“Well, let’s do some exploration. If any suspected monsters show up, call for me.”

“Got it! Let the treasure hunt begin!!”

At Yeon-woo’s words, Shar bolted with the children toward the nearest stone column.

With hands morphed to resemble his true nature, Shar began frantically digging away at the soil. Yeon-woo handed shovels to Dawn and Tae-oh. This should provide ample fun.

Lucrecia strolled casually, while Nea watched Yeon-woo intently.

“Shall we take a look too?”

“Sure.”

The two reached a silent agreement and took a stroll across the plains. The breeze blew just right, and the ground was sufficiently soft, making for a perfect walking gate.

“It’s a bit awkward to say, but it really did meet a nice end.”

“If the people involved heard that, they might curse us.”

“Not like they’re alive.”

If they were dead, it wasn’t like they could complain about it. If they didn’t want to die, they should have made better choices, right?

Yeon-woo’s words made Nea chuckle quietly.

“Still, it’s true. It couldn’t be any nicer for a stroll. I wish our world was like this!”

“Wishing for a peaceful demise, are we?”

“Something like that. It’s heartbreaking to think about a world where all the land and sky are polluted, and nothing can survive.”

Since everything’s already ruined, what’s there to be heartbroken about? But if Nea felt that way, then there must be some truth to it.

Wishing that even if their homeland were to fall, it would leave behind beautiful remnants was understandable.

As they continued their conversation, Yeon-woo suddenly felt something solid clank against his foot. Glancing down, he spotted a slab that seemed to have fallen from somewhere.

It had something written on it. Yeon-woo picked it up and peered carefully but couldn’t comprehend the content. Nea seemed stumped by the characters too, shaking her head.

“Should we keep this? It might help analyze the language.”

“Good idea!”

Ancient ruins in this other world were a pain for this reason. The inability to understand the texts meant it took some time to interpret them.

However, with Nea and Shar around, he had faith they could decipher even completely alien languages. With a satisfied smile, Yeon-woo wrapped his arms around Nea’s waist.

“Oh come on, there are other people here!”

“With this little? It’s just a harmless amount of skinship, sis.”

Caught off-guard, Nea tilted her head at Yeon-woo’s bold attitude, which showed no sign of embarrassment.

He wasn’t wrong. As long as his hands didn’t wander, it was fine. Of course, Yeon-woo had no intention of doing anything untoward in a place like this, and he kept his hands respectful.

(TBC)