I Received System to Become Dragonborn-Chapter 821: Busy

The night went on, growing later and later. But strangely, the tavern around them only got louder and livelier, the sounds of laughter and chatter echoing from outside their room.

Eccar felt that this brought a certain color to the place — a sharp contrast to the Elven Kingdom. He rarely saw this kind of energy in the Elf Palace. The Elves were always so calm and peaceful that Eccar sometimes wondered how they even had fun at all.

He glanced at the two human parties sitting in front of him — eight people in total. Some of them were already deep into their drinks, chatting and laughing as they tried to grow more familiar with one another. They had said that the chemistry between their parties was crucial for their survival during the quest ahead. And Eccar thought to himself that they were probably right.

But among those adventurers, there were two who didn't seem drunk — or even as relaxed — as the others. They were the leaders of each party, Jan and Mark.

The two were speaking in low, serious tones at the far end of the room, while the rest of their companions slurred their words and laughed in front of them. Eccar didn't know exactly what they were discussing, but he figured it couldn't be far from the mission they would soon face.

Eccar smiled. He didn't feel worried in the slightest at the moment — but then, suddenly, a memory flickered through his mind: those times when the Rage had burned through him.

"Ah, shit. I'd forgotten about that, but now here it comes again," Eccar muttered with a helpless sigh.

Even now, there was still no solution to that Rage. The battle earlier hadn't pushed him hard enough to force out his full power like when he fought the Six Pillars of Dominion. So thankfully, he hadn't felt the stirrings of that terrible force.

However, he couldn't be too sure about this mission. He had no idea what exactly he was going to face out there. And that, actually, was concerning.

But he would do everything he could to avoid using his full strength — to avoid waking the Rage again.

Eccar shook his head, forcing the creeping thoughts out of his mind. He couldn't afford to get trapped in that spiral right now if he wanted to see this mission through.

He took a slow breath, trying to push away the weight sitting on his chest. Maybe things would turn out fine. Maybe this wouldn't spiral into disaster. After all… he was only dealing with an old god.

"What's the worst that could happen, right?"

A wry, humorless smile tugged at the corner of his lips at that thought.

After a few more seconds spent rebuilding his resolve, he exhaled sharply and let his mind settle. He closed his eyes, shutting out the rowdy laughter and drunken shouts of the adventurers around him.

The noisy tavern faded into the background as he centered his focus.

Reaching inward, past the noise, past the worry, he sought out the connection that tied him across the distance.

"Erend, are you there?"

---

Gunfire erupted from the mansion by the sea. Sharp and rapid bursts echoing in the night. Then another volley followed, and another after that. It was clear now that multiple machine guns were firing from inside.

"Damn it! They were waiting for us!" Adrien growled in frustration. He pressed a finger to his comms, connecting directly to the command center overseeing the operation.

"This is Alpha Team. The mission's compromised. The spies knew we were coming — they've opened fire on us!"

The voice on the other end crackled through the headset.

"Copy that, Alpha Team. The Command Hub orders you to proceed with caution. Your priority is to capture the target and his accomplice alive — by any means necessary. Do you copy?"

Adrien cast a quick glance at Billy and Erend. No words were needed; they already understood. The phrase by any means meant they were cleared to unleash their Magic if it came to that.

Both Erend and Billy gave a sharp nod in response.

"Understood, Command Hub," Adrien replied, ending the transmission.

One of the squad members let out an exasperated breath. "This is insane. They still expect us to press on and grab that bastard alive when the whole op's blown to hell?"

Follow current novels on freewebnσvel.cѳm.

Adrien's gaze hardened, but his voice stayed steady.

"Yeah. They're counting on us three being here to turn this around. That's why we're going to hit back hard. Here's the plan: me, Brook, and Drake will handle the gunners and draw their fire. The rest of you slip in through the shadows and track down the spies. By now, they're probably making a run for it."

The squad straightened at his command, answering with firm nods and quiet affirmations.

Adrien's hand tightened around his weapon. "Let's move!"

With that, the team sprang into action, vanishing into the dark as more gunfire rattled from the mansion ahead.

Erend stiffened slightly as the familiar pull of telepathic contact brushed against his mind — Eccar.

He glanced at Adrien and Billy, raising a hand a little awkwardly. "Hey, uh… I just got a contact from Eccar. I think I should take this." His face showed a hint of apology as he looked between his captain and his friend.

Adrien barely paused as he checked his weapon and nodded. "Don't worry about it. Billy and I can handle this. I think the two of us are enough. You stay put and jump in if things get tight."

Relief flickered through Erend. "Thank you, Captain."

Billy shot him a quick grin and nodded. Then, with practiced ease, he and Adrien darted off, moving under cover along the wall, closing in on the window where the gunners were firing from.

They moved with calm despite the chaos and Erend knew why. Both of them carried Magic power now, enough to tip the scales even in a trap like this.

"If they didn't have that power," Erend thought, "I wouldn't even be stopping to answer this call right now."

But he trusted them. Adrien and Billy could handle this without him — at least for the moment.

Drawing in a breath, Erend let his senses open to the thread of connection. His thoughts reached out across the distance.

"What is it?" Erend asked through the telepathic link, his tone clipped but steady.

"Are you busy?" Eccar's voice came, sounding a little hesitant.

"Yeah. Kind of." Erend admitted, his gaze flicking to the flashes of gunfire in the distance.

"Oh. I'll be quick then." Eccar said. "I met some new allies here in Qomore Kingdom. We're planning to move out soon — heading to an old temple in the forest."

---