[Translator – Peptobismol]
“When you get back, give this to Miss Iril.”
What?”
Ronan frowned, bewildered by the sudden statement.
It felt oddly familiar, reminiscent of the things he’d often heard during his past days as a punishment soldier, especially in the midst of desperate battles where death was rampant. Understanding the meaning behind the words, Ronan spat out a curse.
“If you’re thinking something stupid, I’ll really kill you.”
“There’s no other way to break through this situation. If you and Aselle survive, you can figure something out. I’ll try to buy as much time as I can.”
“Buy time? Are you fucking serious?”
Ronan let out a dry laugh, incredulous. This fool was planning to sacrifice himself to save the others. Despite the dire situation, it wasn’t something he expected to hear from someone who hadn’t even lived half their life. Shullifen nodded solemnly.
“Yes. We might manage to hold out for a while, but dealing with all of them is impossible. You know the state Aselle is in.”“Th-that’s…!”
Aselle, who was slumped over Ronan’s shoulder, took a shallow breath. He was nearly depleted of mana. To make matters worse, all the mana potions they had brought were shattered during their clash with Naransonia.
Of course, Ronan was aware of this but had chosen not to mention it. Spitting on the ground, he growled harshly.
“Stop acting tough and think about saving yourself. If you say something like that again, I’ll crush your balls.”
Shullifen remained silent. The encirclement was tightening by the moment. The guards seemed more cautious, likely because many of their comrades had died.
A dragon’s roar, presumably from outside the tower, echoed. Damn it, were there more than two of them? The gap had closed to about twenty paces when—
【Capture them alive, if possible.】
【Stop wasting time and get it done.】
The twin dragons spoke. The faces of the hesitant guards were now masked with another layer of fear. They seemed to be the type that ruthlessly drove their subordinates. With a scream, the guards charged.
“Kraaaghhh!!”
“Alright, come here then.”
A cacophony of metal-clad screams filled the air. Gripping his sword hilt, Ronan’s blade, Lamancha, glowed a vivid crimson. Swish! As he swung his sword horizontally, the emitted sword energy cut through the charging crowd.
“Arghhh!”
“Keuuukk!”
Splat! Severed bodies flew into the air, with blood and entrails scattering each time he repeated the action.
“Orders from above! Do not retreat, suppress the intruders!”
Despite seeing their comrades fall, the guards pressed on, trampling over the dead as they advanced. Despite their ongoing efforts to fend them off, the gap between them and the enemies was slowly closing.
“Damn it.”
Ronan clicked his tongue. The sheer number and size of the enemies were overwhelming. And the dragons or Lycopos hadn’t even stepped in yet, which meant they were in deep trouble.
This is bad. His body was getting heavier, too. Suddenly, Shullifen’s voice came from beside him.
“Move aside.”
“What?”
Now that he thought about it, Shullifen had been oddly quiet. Sensing a surge of mana, Ronan turned his head.
Shullifen, gripping his sword with both hands, was catching his breath. The blade, not yet transformed by the wind, was surrounded by a bluish glow.
“You
Ronan’s eyes widened. Shuuuu…. The sound of a storm, akin to one during a typhoon, pulsed from within the sword. An immense amount of mana was condensed within the steel, waiting to be unleashed.
“Sh-Shullifen
“Hmph!”
Aselle’s eyes were wide with shock. In an instant, Shullifen’s arm vanished from sight. Boooom! As the condensed storm was released, the enemies in front of them were obliterated. The wind blasted through, shattering the wall on the opposite side.
“Keuuukk!”
“What the…!”
“Arghh! My legs!”
Cries of shock erupted from all around. Nothing remained in the path where the wind had passed. A wide-open path appeared in the middle of the crowded space. Unlucky individuals caught in the middle screamed as they lost limbs.
【Kaahhh!】
【Nooo, Radaskaza!】
One of the twin dragons was among the victims, clutching his torn-off left arm in agony. Aselle covered his mouth with both hands.
“Y-You severed a dragon’s body!”
It was a power that deserved to be called a secret technique. But there was no time to celebrate. Shullifen looked as exhausted as someone who had wandered the desert for ten days.
Indeed, it’s tiring.”
Shullifen staggered as if he were drunk. It was clear that the power came with a heavy toll on his stamina.
“You idiot, what are you trying to achieve by pushing yourself so hard
Ronan was about to shout when Shullifen suddenly grabbed him by the collar and yanked him forward. His grip, surprisingly strong, didn’t match his scholarly appearance. Pulling Ronan close, he spoke.
“Clean the pocket watch once. It might be stained with blood.”
“You…!”
Ronan had no time to respond. Whoosh! Shullifen hurled Ronan towards the crumbled wall. The guards and fanatics, still reeling from the overwhelming power, failed to stop the two as they were flung. Aselle, clinging to Ronan, was thrown along with him.
“Aaaah!”
“Damn it!”
“We lost them!”
The guards shouted in confusion. By the time they turned their heads, the two had already reached the sky outside the tower.
“That bastard…!”
Ronan gritted his teeth. The floor they had been on was rapidly receding. The night wind roared in their ears. In the sky, several dragons circled, forming a ring.
That fool had finally done it. The noise from the floor they had been on started to echo again, indicating that the fight had resumed. Crash! Slash! The characteristic sound of Shullifen’s wind slash tore through the air.
‘Stay calm.’
Ronan took a deep breath. His head, which had felt like it would explode, cooled slightly. The die was cast, and he needed to find a solution calmly.
Shullifen likely wouldn’t last long. As the Rising Star of the Empire, he could hold out for a while, but dealing with that many was impossible. Would he die, then? A fleeting memory of one of the twin dragons’ words crossed his mind.
‘Capture them alive.’
Capture if possible, it had said. Although it might not be true, acting on that assumption was their best bet for now. Whatever happened, letting Shullifen’s effort go to waste was not an option.
“Huu.”
Having decided what needed to be done, Ronan exhaled the breath he had been holding. The blurry surroundings began to come into focus. The first thing he saw was Aselle, hanging on and screaming.
“Ahhh! Aaahhh!”
Next, he saw the enormous lake looming above them, reflecting the tower and night sky. It was vast, large enough to swallow a village. Ronan spoke.
“Aselle. Can you use magic?”
“Kyaaahh, I’m sorry. I’m almost out of mana…!”
“Almost means you have some left.”
Ronan, deep in thought, suddenly swung his sword towards the tower. Boom! The air-slicing sword energy collided with the wall, causing an explosion. He pointed to the debris falling from above.
“Aselle, I’m not asking for much. Just match our speed with those falling pieces.”
“Wh-what?”
“We need to hide our position. Hurry up.”
Ronan urged him. He was certain there were people watching, and if only one column of water rose, they’d be discovered immediately.
[Translator – Peptobismol]
“Oh
Aselle’s eyes widened in understanding. He didn’t know if it would work as a diversion, but they had to try something. Using the last of his mana, he shouted desperately.
“I-Invisible Hand!”
The familiar spell echoed. An invisible hand grabbed their bodies, slowing their descent briefly. Splash! As Ronan embraced Aselle, they both crashed into the lake.
Splash! Pieces of debris fell almost simultaneously, exploding upon the water’s surface. Hundreds of large and small water columns shot up from the lake. The guards who were chasing them from another level stopped, bewildered.
“What happened?!”
“They seem to have fallen! Damn it, we can’t tell from here…!”
The guards clicked their tongues, staring at the lake. They wished they could wipe it out with lightning magic, but it was one of the places where the dragons stored their treasures, so they couldn’t risk it.
“Ugh
Ronan opened his eyes, submerged in the cold water. He saw the shimmering light near the distant surface.
‘We survived.’
Luckily, their slowed descent had prevented a fatal crash. The lake was so deep and vast that it felt like falling into the sea. Aselle, who was in Ronan’s arms, spat out water.
“Blub!”
Seeing him struggle but otherwise unharmed, Ronan sighed in relief and started swimming. They needed to reach a deserted shore as quickly as possible. As he ascended rapidly, Aselle began to thrash violently as if in a seizure.
“Grr! Ugh!”
What’s his problem now? Feeling something was off, Ronan looked down. He froze. Something enormous was moving in the dark, empty water.
‘What…!’
Ronan’s eyes widened. It didn’t take long to identify it. A black dragon was rapidly approaching. The lake’s surface, blending with the night sky, had concealed it from above.
‘Fuck!’
Sensing danger, Ronan sped up. Judging by the fact that it had two wings, it wasn’t Orsay. But that was the least of his worries.
‘Why is something like that under the lake…!’
Ronan frantically swam, but the dragon’s swimming speed far outpaced his. Just as it was closing in—
[Calm down. I’m not on the Dragon King’s side.]
A voice echoed in Ronan’s mind. Startled, he turned his head.
‘What?’
The voice was dry and weary, vaguely familiar. Yet he couldn’t place it. The voice spoke again.
[Enter my mouth. I’ll help you escape for now.]
Ronan frowned at the bizarre request. He wanted to shout that it made no sense, but he couldn’t, being underwater.
While he hesitated near the surface, the black dragon suddenly accelerated and swallowed both of them in an instant.
****
“Ugh
Ronan opened his eyes. His vision was hazy, like looking through fog. A musty, indescribable smell filled his nose.
He heard water flowing nearby. Slowly, he sat up. He remembered encountering the black dragon underwater, but everything after that was a blur.
“Where is this…?”
As his vision cleared, the surroundings came into focus. It looked like a massive cave, with walls and floor polished smooth.
A campfire crackled beside him. The arched ceiling was so high it was barely visible. Ronan urgently looked around, remembering Aselle.
“Damn it, Aselle.”
Thankfully, Aselle was nearby, lying by the fire. He was breathing. Relieved, Ronan sighed and sat down.
Their clothes were somewhat dry, indicating they’d been unconscious for a while. As he scanned the area again, he murmured in disbelief.
Where are we?”
“The sewers.”
“What?”
The answer came from behind. Ronan quickly stood and turned. An old man with his hands behind his back was looking down at him.
“To be precise, the sewers the City of Dragons, Arden. You won’t find anything like this anywhere else on the continent.”
“You
Ronan’s eyes widened in recognition. It was the innkeeper who had served drinks with him and Orsay. Unlike before, his rolled-up sleeves revealed a metal prosthetic hand. Ronan asked.
“You saved us?”
“You could say that. I’ve been keeping an eye on you since the tavern. After hearing the Dragon King’s threats, I came to check and saw you fall into the lake.”
“Wait, the lake? So, you’re
“Yes, a dragon.”
The old man nodded, speaking calmly as if it were obvious. He admitted he was the black dragon who had swallowed them.
Ronan laughed incredulously. This time, he hadn’t noticed at all. The old man had hidden his presence even better than Orsay.
“This is surprising.”
“Didn’t I tell you black dragons are good at disguising?”
Ronan couldn’t make sense of this old man. Suddenly, the old man squatted down, studying Ronan’s face closely before speaking.
“You really look alike. Too much alike.”
“Look like who?”
“It’s hard to say just one person. You resemble both the one I respect the most and the one I despise the most. You’re not from the Cult, are you?”
The old man trailed off. Hearing “Cult,” Ronan raised his eyebrows. A dragon’s image flashed through his mind.
Black dragon, metal prosthetic hand replacing a severed left hand. Connecting the dots, Ronan’s jaw dropped.
Alivrihe?”
“So you know my name.”
The old man sighed deeply. Now Ronan noticed the faint, shimmering mana around his shoulders. As he fiddled with his prosthetic hand, he spoke.
“So, who are you? Did you come here to ruin my first and last vacation?”
[Translator – Peptobismol]
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