Chapter 1515: Noble Heart

Erend already had an idea about why the Obsidian Dragon could not determine his rank. The answer was probably because he was an anomaly.

Unlike the other Dragonborn, Erend had not been born as one. His Dragonborn power had come from the System. It had transformed him and granted him abilities that should not have existed naturally. In a sense, Erend had been created as a Dragonborn rather than born as one, and there was something about that process that felt... artificial.

The Obsidian Dragon did not seem to realize this. Erend hoped it stayed that way.

"I still find it strange that I can’t sense your rank," the Obsidian Dragon said. "I can sense the ranks of your three friends. They’re meeting my other selves right now."

Erend remained quiet for a moment before answering, "Maybe I’m simply too weak for you to recognize it."

"Hmm. That’s certainly possible," the Obsidian Dragon replied. "Perhaps your existence hasn’t developed enough for the ranking system to recognize your position."

Erend nodded as though he accepted the explanation.

"And what about the others?" he asked.

"The three of them are still Awakened."

Erend nodded again. That information matched what he had expected.

For a moment, the hall became quiet again. Erend looked toward the ancient throne while thinking about everything he had learned so far.

The more answers he received, the more questions appeared. He and the other three Dragonborn had spent most of their lives knowing almost nothing about their own kind. They had no proper records, no surviving society, and no elders who could explain their origins or abilities. So any information they could obtain now was valuable.

"Is there anything else you can tell me?" Erend asked. "Anything at all would be useful. We barely know anything about our own kind."

The Obsidian Dragon let out a sigh. "I understand. Yeah, unfortunately, there aren’t many records left for the next generations of Dragonborn."

"Right. Why is that?"

"Because we never really care to create them," the Obsidian Dragon explained. "Dragonborn were scattered across the cosmos. Most of us simply lived our own lives and concerned ourselves with our own affairs. We rarely gathered together, and there was no central civilization that preserved our knowledge for those who came after us."

"That’s unfortunate," Erend said.

"It was. But there wasn’t much we could do about it. We were created without a purpose, remember? So naturally, everyone eventually chose their own path."

Erend remained silent for a moment before the Obsidian Dragon continued.

"Still, there are things I can teach you. Some ancient techniques developed by Dragonborn over countless generations."

Erend’s attention immediately sharpened. "Techniques?"

"Yes. Techniques that can help you deepen your control over your power. They won’t simply make you stronger overnight, but they can help you understand your Magic, your body, and the Dragon within you on a much deeper level. Maybe even give you better control of the Black Rage."

Erend’s eyes widened with interest. "Can you teach them to me?"

The Obsidian Dragon laughed softly. "Of course. That’s one of the few things I can still give you."

The Obsidian Dragon began explaining the ancient techniques one by one. His voice remained calm and patient as he described the principles behind them, explaining how a Dragonborn could strengthen the connection between their body, Magic, and soul.

Erend listened carefully and tried to memorize every detail. However, after several minutes, the Obsidian Dragon suddenly stopped.

"Actually, explaining all of this through words isn’t the best way."

Erend frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I’ve already forgotten how complicated some of these techniques are to explain. It would be much easier if I simply gave you the memories."

Erend raised an eyebrow. "You can do that?"

"Heheh. Of course. You’re speaking to a Dragonborn who has been alive for a very long time. I’ve had plenty of time to learn strange techniques."

A strange sensation suddenly appeared around Erend.

The air in front of him began to distort as a faint golden light gathered within the ancient hall. Erend immediately felt a foreign presence approaching his mind, but it carried no hostility.

"Don’t resist, young Dragon," the Obsidian Dragon said. "I’ll transfer the memories directly. You won’t just understand the techniques. You’ll remember how they were performed so you can learn this later by yourself."

Erend nodded.

The golden light suddenly entered his body. His vision went dark for an instant. Then countless images flooded his mind.

Erend saw unfamiliar landscapes, ancient Dragonborn standing beneath distant stars, and figures practicing strange techniques that manipulated Magic in ways he had never witnessed before. He experienced the movements, breathing patterns, methods of circulating energy, and sensations that could not easily be described with words.

The memories continued pouring into him until the entire process finally stopped.

Erend stood completely still. His breathing became slightly heavier as he processed everything that had just entered his mind.

The Obsidian Dragon’s cheerful voice returned. "There! Now you have them."

Erend lowered his head slightly. "Thank you."

Silence returned to the ancient hall. Erend did not know what else he could say to a Dragon who had already died long ago yet had still helped them more than he could have expected.

The Obsidian Dragon spoke first. "Now you can begin your own journey."

Erend looked toward the tall stone throne. For a moment, he imagined the Obsidian Dragon sitting there and speaking to him directly.

"Do you... not want the truth to be revealed to this world?" Erend asked.

"What would be the point?"

"You saved this world, but the people here remember you as a bringer of disaster. Are you really okay with that?"

"Yeah. I don’t really mind." The Obsidian Dragon’s voice remained relaxed. "I only wanted to save this world. I never expected their gratitude. We choose our own purpose, remember?"

Erend smiled. There was something genuinely noble about the Obsidian Dragon’s words. "I guess you’re right."

"Now you can go, young Dragon. Find your own purpose. Perhaps we’ll meet again someday. Perhaps we won’t. Either way, I wish you and your friends good luck."

Erend smiled.

His journey to this place had given him far more than he had expected. He had not found the ultimate answer to the Black Rage, but he had discovered knowledge about the Dragonborn that would remain with him for the rest of his life.

For that alone, the journey had been worth it.

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