Chapter 220: Source of the Stampede

"Are you insulting me?"

"No. I am simply saying that everyone has things they are suited and unsuited for."

Wait, does Viktor subtly trying to get rid of Warren, Xiao Tao, and even Long?

Qiu Nuoya sometimes thought that having so many people around could be troublesome, but he liked having everyone together. It made things lively.

"Viktor, Long is my tamed monster!"

"From what you has told me, I remember there were two conditions in exchange for taming him. The first was protecting his fellow dragons, and the second was finding him a mate.

"The request that required us to have Long’s help has already been completed, and now that he has found his mate, the only remaining condition is protecting the dragons. However, that can be accomplished even without Long being here."

"Your contract with Long was only for one year to begin with. Knowing you, Qiu Nuoya, you probably intended to continue protecting the dragons even after the contract expired, did you not? If so, what difference does it make if that happens a little sooner?"

Viktor really is good at twisting things around when it suits him...

Qiu Nuoya felt that trying to manipulate everything so that it went exactly the way he wanted was one of Viktor’s worst habits.

"If you are concerned about the one year contract, all you need to do is tell Long, ’Listen to the Saintess and go work for her.’ Now that the two of them have become mates, everything should work out perfectly."

[ What the hell are you all talking about? I’ve been listening quietly, and you’ve been saying whatever you want. I already thought that guy was pretty damn arrogant, but I’m not about to become someone else’s puppet. I will only act according to my own will. ]

"Ahh, that’s exactly why you’re my boyfriend♡ My arrogant dragon is the best♡"

Yeah, whenever Shangguan Wan’er opens her mouth, things just get more complicated. Could you please keep your mouth shut for a moment?*

Qiu Nuoya suddenly remembered that he had not yet explained to Long the real reason he had summoned him here.

He hurriedly began explaining what had happened.

[ Oh, so you want me to unleash Dragon Breath on the horde of monsters? I don’t mind doing that, but Dragon Breath won’t work against the Monster Stampede. ]

"Huh? It won’t?"

[ Yeah. The Monster Stampede is a phenomenon caused by the land becoming saturated with magical power. If I get caught up in it, even I could end up going berserk. ]

[ Monsters gather around areas where magical power accumulates because they seek high-quality magic. But magical power can also become poisonous. Apparently, when the concentration becomes too high, it robs monsters of their sense of self. ]

[ Monsters that have lost their sanity won’t flinch even when attacked. And when there are so many of them, simply fighting them won’t solve the problem. You have to strike at the source. ]

"So the Monster Stampede won’t stop unless we destroy the place where that magical power is accumulating?"

[ That’s probably how it works. If the Stampede happens once every hundred years, then the saturation of that magical power must also occur on a hundred-year cycle. I only know about it from stories my grandfather told me, and I’ve never actually encountered one myself, so I don’t know anything beyond that. ]

So there really is a reason why the Monster Stampede happens.

Qiu Nuoya had never heard any of this before. It was all completely new information to him.

"What is Long saying?"

"Um, he says that Dragon Breath will not work against the Monster Stampede, and that we cannot truly solve the problem unless we destroy the source of the magical power causing the Stampede."

"The source of the magical power?"

Qiu Nuoya explained Long’s words to everyone. Viktor listened and nodded thoughtfully.

"I see. Then that source of magical power is something like a dungeon core."

A dungeon core...

Now that Viktor mentioned it, the two really might be similar.

The monsters inside dungeons had no sense of self. If that was because the magical power of the dungeon core deprived them of their consciousness, then it was essentially the same phenomenon as the magical power accumulation Long had described.

"If that is the case, then perhaps we can seal that source of magical power just as we sealed the dungeon core."

"If we seal the source of the magical power, can we stop the Monster Stampede?"

"Even if it is similar to a dungeon core, a magic accumulation is not the same thing. Besides, if we do not even know where it is, would it not be difficult to seal it?"

Igor unusually spoke up.

"Well, that is true. Besides, figuring that out is the responsibility of the Hero and the Saintess. It has nothing to do with us. Shall we take our leave soon?"

"Eh..."

"Long, you should also listen to the Saintess and work hard for her."

[ What!? Why the hell should I take orders from you!? Are you kidding me!? ]

Even when Long shouted angrily, his voice did not reach Viktor. Viktor did not understand what Long was saying in the first place, so simply hearing a growl did not faze him. Though, even if Viktor could understand him, Qiu Nuoya suspected he might not be fazed anyway.

"Viktor, isn’t that a little too one sided? If the Monster Stampede occurs, there is a chance this country could suffer devastating damage, right? If that’s the case, shouldn’t we at least..."

"That has nothing to do with you, Nuoya. If this country is going to be destroyed, then we can simply abandon it and move to another country or another continent."

"Viktor!"

It was true that there were other countries besides the Velikorya Kingdom, and Qiu Nuoya had heard that there were still continents that humanity had never reached.

But Qiu Nuoya had come to this world and been given the chance to start a new life here, also being surrounded by so many friends and acquaintances.

To be told to throw away that new life entirely just because this country might be destroyed felt far too cruel.