CHAPTER 636: CHAPTER 428: THE END OF ANCIENT DRAGON PEAK

"Princess, Lady Matilda is here."

With the Princess’s consent, Matilda pushed the door open and entered, seeing Selene inside the study.

The latter had a tired expression on her face, with slight dark circles under her eyes, appearing to be overworked.

However, upon seeing Matilda arrive, she still showed delight, inviting her to sit down.

Adventurers are a hot-blooded group, so with the atmosphere of impending war, they needed to be appeased. The Hasavi Team and a few other reputable adventurers were commissioned by the Royal Palace to calm the adventurers.

Therefore, Matilda had come to the Royal Palace to report affairs and also to check on Selene, having heard that she had been extremely busy lately.

This was already the second time someone had come to visit Selene, and each time the latter would cheerfully say:

"Quickly, tell me what’s going on outside?"

However, this time, Selene didn’t immediately say these words.

Matilda found it odd but still recounted the recent happenings.

For instance, the number of Dragon Head Stones recently flowing into the market had reached eight. Someone rented out the stones for a fee, only to discover that there was a limit to the number of uses, and once that limit was reached, they would shatter on their own.

Since most of those who could use the Dragon Head Stones to transform were strong experts, the public’s attitude toward the dragon heads shifted from initial mockery and curiosity to admiration, with stylists beginning to design various Dragon Horn styles for the transformed.

Additionally, it was confirmed that the Nameless King had no reaction to the Yurshika Holy Bell or the Dark Moon Longbow.

Furthermore, the Ornstein Armor found by others at the Ancient Dragon Peak was as pristine as ever, with no signs of weathering, although it still couldn’t be worn as normal equipment.

"So, the set I brought back is one of a kind?" Selene looked at the armor hanging on the wall, her eyes smiling with delight.

Surprisingly, the weathered version of the Ornstein Armor was the unique treasure of the first adventurer to discover it.

"Also, this is from Fingerley for you, as a gift."

Matilda took out a delicate device, resembling a small projection device that could be clipped onto clothing, only the size of a fingernail. When touched, its color changed based on the surrounding environment.

"This is a magic tool created based on the Transmission Stone. Currently, real-time transmission technology still has shortcomings, so this device cannot transmit captured images in real time but with delays, the length of which depends on the magic power infused into it."

She explained its usage.

"The one given to you can record but functions more as a receiver, receiving images transmitted from other Transmission Stones."

"Is it really that amazing?" Selene clicked her tongue in wonder.

Matilda smiled and said, "Even though you can’t leave the Royal Palace, we’ll record our adventures and send them over as a form of relaxation outside your busy affairs."

Selene showed a moved expression, involuntarily gripping the other’s hands, her eyes seemingly sparkling with tears.

The Hasavi Team truly saw her as a friend!

But then...

After Matilda left, Selene looked at the Transmission Device, with a slightly awkward expression.

In fact, yesterday, the day before, and...she had used the Return to Hometown and Teleportation Necklace to travel back and forth between the Royal Palace and the Sain Dungeon, enough to give her dark circles.

"After all, it’s their kind gesture."

She picked up the Transmission Device and pressed it onto the necklace. The device’s color immediately changed, blending seamlessly with the necklace.

Later that night, at the Sain Dungeon.

Selene’s figure appeared at the Fire Transmission Ceremony, covered head to toe. Upon entering the dungeon, she immediately stepped into the Painting World "Tread the Path of the Ancient Dragon."

Like a child secretly playing computer games while their parents sleep, she needed to seize every second.

The familiar foot of the Ancient Dragon Peak, the familiar transition, looking at the place she had challenged for several days, she set off on the ascent almost the instant Ornstein leapt into the sky and departed.

The familiar cold and the pain of scraping against the rock surged at her, but as long as there was a firm goal in her heart, the climb didn’t seem all that difficult.

She ran upwards for several hundred meters before taking her first pause because the pain here intensified significantly.

"Whew, still bearable, keep running upward."

The sounds of battles between Ornstein and the Flying Dragons continuously echoed from above. She felt she possibly discovered why the number of dragons at the Ancient Dragon Peak dwindled later on. Perhaps they were slain by Ornstein.

Continuing the climb, the pain escalated again. She gritted her teeth and pressed on.

Since secretly entering the dungeon, she devoted all her limited time to conquering this Painting World, progressing steadily, and today she planned it to be her decisive battle.

Why could someone far weaker than many other adventurers say "decisive battle" here?

At halfway up, the so-called pain not only included the cold and the physical agony of scraping against the rock but also introduced spiritual trials.

The goals adventurers think about while ascending turn into nightmares constantly attacking their psyche, with effects not short of Hell’s March.

An unsolvable issue was that until now, adventurers challenging this Painting World did not fully engage with the utmost seriousness unlike the steadfastness of the Path Seekers, causing them to falter under mental attacks.