And I Became a Dragonkin - 07

07. Warrior of the Fallen Nation

The strongest beings on the continent are the dragons and Dragonkin. 

However, even in the eastern part of the continent, the total number of Dragonkin is estimated to be around three thousand.

Their average lifespan is said to be over a thousand years, but their population has hardly changed. 

Despite being the strongest on the continent, they are a very small minority.

Most Dragonkin belong to paternal families. 

Dragonkin rarely group together outside of their relatives.

There are two Dragonkin countries on the continent. 

However, in neither country do Dragonkin gather in large numbers. 

Even in the oldest Dragonkin country, the Miklis Dragon Kingdom, the number of Dragonkin is not high.

“Ars, have you ever been to the Miklis Dragon Kingdom?”

“No, I haven’t. It was wartime, and I didn’t have the time to go that far.”

“It’s the oldest Dragonkin country, right?”

“That’s what they say, but according to my grandfather, if you go back even further, it was a different country.”

“A different country?”

“I don’t know the details. It’s just something my grandfather mentioned, and I only remember bits and pieces. But even so, the Dragonkin population in that country is only about nine hundred. For detailed information, you’ll have to ask the dragons.”

“Nine hundred? That’s a small number.”

“Small? I don’t think so.”

Apart from the Miklis Dragon Kingdom and the Remilorezon Dragon God Nation, Dragonkin live in family units in their residential areas. 

When Dragonkin settle in a new place, guardian tribes and beast tribes gather around them to revere the Dragonkin. 

Alternatively, Dragonkin may settle near towns or villages of these tribes.

Dragonkin maintain a neutral stance in any conflict and do not intervene as a principle. 

However, there is one exception to this neutrality: when their residential area is attacked or their safety is threatened.

“That said, there’s no one who would dare attack a Dragonkin residential area.”

Ars said to Ace with a laugh.

If an organized enemy attacks a Dragonkin residential area, other Dragonkin families living nearby will join in the retaliation.

In such a case, even a small country could be easily destroyed.

In fact, several countries in the past have been wiped out after attacking Dragonkin residential areas. 

Therefore, soldiers from any nation are strictly ordered not to approach Dragonkin residential areas. 

This is also one of the reasons why guardian tribes and beast tribes gather around Dragonkin residential areas.

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There is another reason why the population of Dragonkin doesn’t increase easily.

Dragonkin can interbreed with guardian tribes and some beast tribes, so they do not always form families with other Dragonkin. 

In fact, the guardian tribes have the most children with Dragonkin, followed by the beast tribes.

The main reason for the low growth in Dragonkin population lies in the inheritance of their bloodline and abilities. 

Dragonkin can only be born from a Dragonkin male and female. 

Even then, there’s no guarantee that their child will be a Dragonkin.

The probability is about 40%. 

Furthermore, one in two of these Dragonkin children will be a half Dragonkin (Raphil).

Half Dragonkin (Raphil) are complete Dragonkin with the same physical abilities and the ability to use Dragonkin magic. However, they are not born with the “Holy Dragon Bracelet” that signifies a true Dragonkin.

The presence or absence of this bracelet is the only difference.

—But it is a significant difference.

“This is a really difficult issue. The ease of having Dragonkin children seems to be related to the innate traits of both the male and female. Sometimes, many Dragonkin children are born from the same couple, and sometimes none. A friend of mine had ten children with two Dragonkin women, and all of them were Crown Guardians (Loran). It’s likely a problem with the male.”

Ars didn’t have knowledge of genetics. 

Still, he understood this as a “bloodline” issue based on tradition and experience, and he wasn’t entirely wrong.

Since Dragonkin are an evolved form of the Holy Guardians, even children born from two Dragonkin are three out of five times Guardians.

Two out of those three are Crown Guardians (Loran).

Simply put, they are higher-ranked Guardians. 

Crown Guardians do not have the characteristic abilities of Dragonkin. 

They are guardians with high physical and mental abilities, excelling particularly in guardian arts.

“Most of the top healers are either Crown Guardians or half Crown Guardians (Half-Loran). There are many excellent children born from Crown Guardians or Crown Guardian and half Crown Guardian pairs. Most of the high-ranking members of the guardian tribes are of Crown Guardian lineage.”

According to Ars, Crown Guardians (Loran) and half Crown Guardians (Half-Loran) are not only skilled in their arts but also very intelligent. 

This is why many of them become priests, healers, or hold important positions in the country.

Additionally, there are those known as Guardian Dragonkin (Farua), who possess abilities between Dragonkin and Crown Guardians. 

They are the highest-ranked guardians, physically close to Dragonkin. 

They can use some Dragonkin arts, but as a result, they are slightly less skilled in guardian arts. 

Their birth rate is about 20%. 

However, Guardian Dragonkin (Farua) are the top guardians but not true Dragonkin. 

They are rare combat specialists among the guardians and often possess the arts of lightning swords and electromagnetic shields. 

Many famous warriors are Guardian Dragonkin (Farua).

Thus, even among the children of Dragonkin couples, about 60% are guardians. 

The remaining 40% are Dragonkin and Half Dragonkin (Raphil).

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Half Dragonkin (Raphil) have both the abilities of Dragonkin and the highest guardian arts (Holy Guardian Arts). 

Their average lifespan is similar to that of Dragonkin. 

This is why, in the past, the numbers of Dragonkin and Half Dragonkin (Raphil) were almost equal.

Additionally, Half Dragonkin (Raphil) are very intelligent.

Many of the leaders of towns and villages were Half Dragonkin (Raphil). 

There was even a nation led by Half Dragonkin (Raphil) in the past. However, that nation no longer exists.

The difference between Dragonkin and Half Dragonkin (Raphil) is simple. 

As mentioned before, Half Dragonkin (Raphil) are Dragonkin. The only difference is the presence or absence of the Holy Dragon Bracelet. Dragonkin are born with the Holy Dragon Bracelet, while Half Dragonkin (Raphil) are not.

However, the Holy Dragon Bracelet is the true mark of a Dragonkin. 

Just as dragons on this land are born with a jewel in their claws, Dragonkin are born with the Holy Dragon Bracelet.

This bracelet can only be bestowed upon Dragonkin. 

Therefore, Half Dragonkin (Raphil) cannot activate Dragonkin-exclusive weapons.

“There are special weapons for Dragonkin, but are they just swords?”

“Swords are one type. The main types are swords, spears, shields, and halberds.”

“What’s the difference between these and regular weapons?”

“It varies by weapon. No two are the same. Each weapon has unique features and ways to handle it. Some spears can shoot lightning bolts, and some swords can unleash flames.”

“What? There are spears that can attack from a distance?”

“Yes, there are. The spear I used could shoot lightning bolts up to 300 meters.”

Ace was astonished by this. 

According to Ars’s explanation, the spearhead can generate lightning and shoot it like a projectile at the target.

“However, these Dragonkin weapons can only be used through the Holy Dragon Bracelet.”

Ace had already learned this from genetic analysis. 

But he hadn’t been able to analyze detailed information about the weapons.

The Holy Dragon Bracelet of the Dragonkin is an independent life form and has powerful defensive capabilities.

In battle or emergencies, it envelops the body in a transparent shield. 

It’s like being wrapped in a colorless, transparent bodysuit. 

Even Earth-type firearms cannot harm a Dragonkin’s body.

Dragonkin, even young children, are protected by this bracelet and cannot be killed. 

In emergencies, powerful defense and healing arts are automatically activated to protect their lives.

Additionally, many can activate a powerful shield art from the bracelet, similar to the Guardian Dragonkin (Farua).

Ars was sealed using a secret technique involving the Krem Sacred Spring, and this Holy Dragon Bracelet was the reason. 

Dragonkin cannot be killed physically.

In this sense, they are invincible. 

The Holy Dragon Bracelet operates autonomously, protecting the body even if the Dragonkin loses consciousness.

However, they do have a physical lifespan, so they are not immortal.

Let’s get back to Half Dragonkin (Raphil). 

The main weakness of Half Dragonkin (Raphil) is that they don’t have the Holy Dragon Bracelet.

Because of this, they can’t use the shield arts or Dragonkin weapons. 

As a result, they are significantly weaker in both attack and defense. 

This is why there is a distinction between Dragonkin and Half Dragonkin.

“However, that’s just the common classification. For us Dragonkin, there’s no need to differentiate. Children born between a Dragonkin and a Half Dragonkin (Raphil) are still Dragonkin. The only real difference is whether they have the bracelet or not.”

Ars explained this. 

Among his companions, there were also two Half Dragonkin (Raphil). 

Ars insisted there was no difference. 

But the truth was that Ars was still alive, while those two Half Dragonkin (Raphil) were no longer.

Ars knew this tragedy better than anyone.

Half Dragonkin (Raphil) are not invincible superbeings, which allows them to live freer lives compared to Dragonkin.

Military organizations are not as strict with Half Dragonkin (Raphil).

As a result, many skilled and honest Half Dragonkin (Raphil) attract guardian tribes and beast tribes. 

It’s common for them to be revered by these tribes and take on central roles.

However, this has also brought trouble, as previously mentioned.

In the past, there were times when towns and villages led by Half Dragonkin (Raphil) banded together to form small nations. 

These small nations were led by about a thousand Half Dragonkin (Raphil) and were composed of guardian tribes and beast tribes.

However, a demon descended upon a neighboring country. 

A reincarnated Earthling appeared and mass-produced firearms, explosives, landmines, and flamethrowers using gunpowder and oil. 

This led to a large-scale invasion by humans armed with these weapons, marking the beginning of a massacre with Earth’s weaponry.

This reincarnated person rose to the top of the human race and established a hegemonic state known as the Camiloalban Empire. 

This person aimed to rule the entire continent as its king.

The first target of the Camiloalban Empire was the small nation led by Half Dragonkin (Raphil). 

They were envied by humans from other countries. 

The small nation and its people were annihilated by an army of 200,000 humans armed with Earth weapons.

Although Half Dragonkin (Raphil) are superbeings, they can be killed.

The fifty-year war instigated by the Camiloalban Empire and the humans ended with the advent of the wide-range combustible material detonation technique (Ekuramist). 

However, the war claimed many lives among the beast tribes and ordinary humans. 

Many guardian tribes also fought and sacrificed themselves to protect these people and the natural environment.

“If only the wide-range combustible material detonation technique (Ekuramist) had been developed ten years earlier…”

Ars muttered regretfully, leaving the rest unsaid.

The main forces fighting against the Camiloalban Empire were the guardian tribes and beast tribes, supported by Half Dragonkin (Raphil).

The Dragonkin typically remained neutral, staying out of all conflicts. 

Ars was one of the few Dragonkin who protected the guardian tribes and beast tribes.

Together with Ars, the Half Dragonkin (Raphil) desperately protected the guardian tribes and beast tribes. 

Until the development and increase of practitioners of the wide-range combustible material detonation technique (Ekuramist), Half Dragonkin (Raphil) and a few Dragonkin stood at the forefront, fighting against the tyranny of the Camiloalban Empire.

As a result of this great war, the small nation of Half Dragonkin (Raphil) was destroyed, and their numbers decreased significantly.

Now, it’s rumored that there are fewer than five hundred Half Dragonkin (Raphil) across the entire continent.

However, as long as Dragonkin exists, Half Dragonkin (Raphil) will not disappear completely. 

Yet, their numbers are now less than those of Dragonkin. 

On Earth, they would be considered an endangered species. 

It will likely be a long time before their numbers recover to the thousands.