Just past 1 a.m.
Inside the Hidden Management Department garrison.
Megumi Kato, who had been working overtime until now, entered the third-floor reception room carrying a small stack of documents. She approached Kotoko Iwanaga and set the files down:
"This is the latest intelligence summary."
"Thank you, Megumi."
Kotoko Iwanaga looked up, adjusted her non-prescription flat-frame glasses, and said with a smile:
"With this addition, we should be able to estimate the data now."
After speaking, Kotoko Iwanaga buried herself in the documents again. Thanks to the arcane art attached to her flat-frame glasses that accelerated knowledge absorption, she quickly scanned the contents and sighed in relief:
"It seems the situation matches what you brought back, Luo Shu."
"Total participants: 1,223. Survivors: 53."
"In total, approximately 1,170 people died. Roughly excluding duplicate categories, we estimate about 600 different races perished in the struggle for the True Dragon Legacy."
Hearing this, Luo Shu, seated in the single armchair at the head of the room, frowned and said:
"I only obtained four portions of Demigod Rank True Dragon's blood essence. Does that mean it takes 150 races to condense one portion of blood essence?"
"Perhaps that's the case..." Kotoko Iwanaga removed her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose. "It might be due to losses or ritual requirements."
"Even accounting for losses, it aligns closely with the promotion conditions for a True Dragon Sorcerer: to guide and create a death event affecting hundreds of races. Considering this, 120 races should be the minimum consumption quota."
At this point, Kotoko Iwanaga narrowed her eyes, a smile playing on her lips:
"And the regions that can gather so many different races in East Asia are likely only the Chinese Union, Japan, South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia."
"Given that Japan has already undergone one ritual, and considering the potential locations and influence of various regions..."
"The forces capable of quickly completing the True Dragon Sorcerer ritual are probably only the American Union, the Chinese Union, and the French Union."
"The first can influence South America and Southeast Asia, the second has local resources, and the French Union effectively governs Africa with ample resources."
"Of course, aside from these Unions, the remaining entities that could accomplish this would be us, and that True Dragon whose complete demise remains unconfirmed."
Hearing this, Luo Shu nodded and reminded:
"An hour ago, Lin Qi contacted me and relayed the Class information they obtained about the True Dragon Sorcerer."
"If I'm not mistaken, the upper echelons of all Five Great Powers should have obtained this intelligence, though publicly it's declared that our SDS acquired the inheritance."
This actually surprised Kotoko Iwanaga:
"The True Dragon Sorcerer's Class? How did they obtain it?"
Luo Shu thought for a moment and tentatively offered an explanation:
"It might have been a participant who wasn't present at the time who sniped that True Dragon..."
"However, for some unknown reason, Lin Qi only obtained information up to Hero Rank. He seemed completely unaware of anything beyond that, which has been confirmed by both Nia and Utaha."
Hearing this, Kotoko Iwanaga suddenly looked enlightened:
"No wonder you suddenly called me here an hour ago and asked me to list the organisations capable of holding rituals. So that was the reason."
"But that doesn't make sense either..." Kotoko Iwanaga looked suspicious: "Compared to the ritual, the most crucial condition is actually drinking the blood essence of a Demigod dragon species!"
"And currently, those who possess Demigod Rank dragon blood..."
At this point, Kotoko Iwanaga couldn't help but glance towards Luo Shu.
Noticing Kotoko Iwanaga's gaze, Luo Shu nodded and said:
"I only have four portions of blood essence, obtained from the final guardian."
"And as far as I know, this information should only be known to me alone."
Because Rad and Joseph used their own authority to freeze space-time during their operation, the blood essence requirement of the True Dragon Sorcerer wasn't exposed to others.
This was something Luo Shu, who had already gained control over the True Dragon's corpse world, could confirm with certainty.
Hearing this, Megumi Kato asked curiously:
"So, the essence blood can only support four people becoming True Dragon Sorcerers, and all of it is in our hands?"
"No, there should be more than just this essence blood."
Kotoko Iwanaga shook her head, then looked meaningfully at Luo Shu:
"The True Dragon that escaped might very well have preserved one or two portions of the materials."
"After all, for a True Dragon at Angel Rank, producing Demigod Rank materials should be within its capabilities."
Hearing Kotoko say this, Luo Shu shrugged and sighed:
"You've hit the nail on the head, Kotoko."
"I only discovered this by using the connection between the Death Authority and the True Dragon's corpse."
At this point, Luo Shu recalled the special circumstances he had discovered when collecting the True Dragon's corpse and couldn't help but let out a heavy breath:
"Roughly once every six months, by gathering 100CC of blood from each of over a hundred different species, I can use the Death Authority to manipulate the True Dragon's corpse and condense one portion of Demigod Rank dragon species essence blood."
"And this condensation process consumes almost nothing; it's entirely a spontaneous function of the authority."
"Yet a True Dragon with such abilities only had the four portions we just obtained on its body, which is undoubtedly unreasonable."
"No matter what, it should have reserved at least one portion of such a thing."
"That's why I suspect that True Dragon might not be completely dead, but rather pulled a vanishing act!"
"I see, it's exactly as described in the inheritance..." Kotoko Iwanaga nodded in understanding: "When exceeding two ranks, one can manufacture corresponding materials by consuming power."
"Similarly, Divine Rank existences can create the main materials for Angel advancement, Seraph and Angel Ranks can create Demigod Rank main materials, Demigods can create Elite Rank materials, Hero Rank can condense Common Rank materials..."
"So an Angel Rank True Dragon corpse can produce Demigod essence blood... As for why it only produces one portion every six months... is it because the True Dragon is already dead?"
Shaking her head, Kotoko stopped thinking about these matters. After all, both the True Dragon's corpse and the Death Authority were in Luo Shu's hands, so she had plenty of time to research them.
The key issue now was which Union would move to create True Dragon Sorcerers.
Thinking of this, Kotoko made a troubled face and said:
"But when it comes to investigating the movements of various organisations..."
"I can't help feeling that this shouldn't be my responsibility, but Meer's? She's the head of the Intelligence Department, right?"
Looking at Kotoko's frustrated expression, Luo Shu smiled playfully and said:
"Haven't you already guessed the reason yourself?"
Just as Luo Shu was teasing Kotoko, a knock sounded at the door.
Then, Kuroka's lively voice came from outside:
"Is Master in there? I've brought Miss Ryōko with me, meow~~"
Hearing this, Luo Shu glanced up at the door and said calmly:
"Let her in."