Chapter 123
“No! What is this!”
Delilah, who had been watching the Great Demon Dragon’s appearance, shouted in excitement.
It was a tone unlike her usual calm self.
“A dragon? A dragon, you say?”
She looked back at the Magic Swordsman.
“Luka. He definitely summoned a dragon, right? My eyes aren’t playing tricks on me, are they?”
“Lady Delilah.”
Luka replied.
“I am someone who doesn’t even know the true nature of the Dungeon you are creating. There’s no use asking me.”
“Ha, that’s ridiculous. It’s strange enough for a non-ranker to summon a dragon… In the first place, dragons aren’t beings that come just because a human calls them. That Joo Donghoon. How is something like this possible…?”
Delilah pressed the palms of her hands to her temples.
“Hoo, no wonder… he sounded so certain. Luka. Do you have any idea how unbelievable this is?”
“……”
No, I mean.
I told you I don’t know, didn’t I?
When he looked at her with that expression, she quickly cleared her throat.
“Ahem, dragons are selfish and greedy beings. They are also like wild beasts.”
“Beasts… you say?”
“Yes.”
Delilah nodded.
“You know how wild beasts are, right? They have their own territory, and any other predator that invades that territory, they just—snap!—kill them. They don’t care if it’s their own kind or whatever. That’s why there can only be one dragon in each world. And you think that’s all? Their pride is off the charts. They’re the very definition of wild. Beings that can never be controlled…!”
Excited, her cheeks flushed slightly.
She even stuttered.
“Don’t tell me, Joo Donghoon. Did he know about this characteristic of dragons?”
“……”
“If so, how?”
Delilah’s eyes grew deep in thought.
Her unique ability was to observe the thousand worlds and temporarily connect them.
At the same time, she could turn them into ‘Dungeons.’
She could set ‘missions.’
And depending on the ‘difficulty’ of those missions, she could provide rewards according to ‘Probability.’
Of course, the process wasn’t always easy.
This was because in every world, there were inevitably those who interfered with the ‘Dungeon-ification.’
The Dragonkin were one such group.
– Hmm?
– There is a being that has invaded my territory?
– Who are you? Where did you come from, and what is your purpose here?
The reason she was able to provide the location for Theme 2 to the participants was also…
Entirely thanks to her contract with Aranvalon.
– Hmph, another world, you say.
– Fine.
– You’re saying that if I just deal with the humans who come here, I can obtain the souls of greedy humans?
For Aranvalon, it was a contract with nothing to lose.
The effort required was truly minimal.
There was a restriction that he had to leave humans who weren’t greedy alone.
But that wasn’t a huge loss, was it?
He felt no need to refuse something that would bring him food so regularly.
“……”
Delilah, who had been briefly reminiscing, opened her eyes.
‘He said he’d caught a dragon before.’
Joo Donghoon had definitely said it.
And he had also said he could do it.
‘If this is his method…’
Delilah swept the hair from her forehead.
‘It might certainly be possible.’
No matter that another dragon had appeared.
The difficulty of the Dungeon remained unchanged.
To catch Aranvalon.
It was the mission with the highest difficulty of all the Themes she had ever provided.
If they succeeded, an immense reward would follow.
‘In any case.’
The means and methods didn’t matter.
Whatever the method, as long as it was resolved, that was all that mattered.
“Indeed.”
Delilah wore an expression as if she were in a dream.
“To think the day would come when I see two dragons from the same world existing at once. This is a rare experience.”
A feeling of both bewilderment and anticipation.
“……”
Luka stared at Delilah with a strange look in his eyes.
Although he had only served as a examiner three times.
He could say with certainty that this was the first time he had ever seen her so excited.
* * *
“Hup!”
I braced myself.
I tensed my thighs.
I pressed my feet firmly into the ground to support my body.
Gwoooooh!
It was because the pressure from the mere aftermath of the Great Demon Dragon’s appearance felt like it would send me flying.
Olena’s jaw dropped.
“Wha-what is that?”
“First time seeing it?”
Then again, I had only seen its polymorphed form.
This was the first time I had seen its true form in person.
The menacing Greed Dragon, Aranvalon, filling the space before us.
And to its right, the pitch-black Great Demon Dragon, its form gradually taking shape.
Kugugugu!
The world was splitting in two.
A brown world and a black world.
Before these two colored worlds, we were nothing more than specks of fine dust.
“This is insane.”
Olena narrowed her brow.
“We can’t run any further. It feels like it would be the same even if we moved more.”
“Yeah, I agree.”
I nodded as well.
Rather than running, it was better to employ our best defensive measures.
‘Bone Four.’
That’s why I arranged the shield-bearers in the front.
‘The rest of you, too.’
I had them focus on defense rather than offense.
Offense, my ass.
In truth, just deflecting the aftershock of their clashing auras was overwhelming.
“Good heavens…”
Beside me, Vladimir let out a low groan.
“I can say with certainty, this is the most shocking sight I’ve ever seen in my life. If the end of the world were to come, would it feel like this?”
It really was like that.
The clashing auras were so fierce.
It was to the point where space itself seemed to warp.
Ssssst!
The black energies emerging from the Forbidden Bead were gathering together, continuously forming a shape.
A head, torso, legs, eyes, and claws were slowly being constructed.
“……”
Even Aranvalon could no longer look at us.
It shifted its gaze to stare at the form of the Great Demon Dragon.
In short, it was like this.
Before your eyes are seven ants.
Also, to your right is a menacing tiger, its body crouched low.
In that case, what would you pay attention to?
Wouldn’t you be more concerned with the tiger that could threaten your life than the ants?
“Did it take the bait?”
I muttered inadvertently.
“Pardon?”
Myoi Hana reacted beside me.
“For now, let’s hold our breath and wait. I hope the Great Demon Dragon doesn’t look at us.”
I swallowed hard.
That thing held a grudge against us.
Against me, to be precise.
The 500 years it had strived to break the prohibition placed by Eldrin and Dmir.
I had essentially torn them to shreds.
A creature like that.
There was a chance it would act recklessly.
Whether there was a tiger or a lion next to it.
It might just charge in to crush the ants.
Grip!
I took a scroll out of my pocket.
[Item: Wish-Granting Scroll]
[Grade: S]
[Type: Scroll]
[Description: Use it in a moment of crisis. Something you need most will appear.]
[Effect 1: In a moment of crisis. Ancient magic will aid you.]
To prepare for any unforeseen circumstances.
I had to prepare everything I could.
“……”
I lowered my stance and looked ahead.
A strange tension flowed in the silence.
It was as if the entire world held its breath just from the mere existence of the two beings.
At that moment.
– Mmm, who are you?
The silence was broken.
The one who broke the silence first was the Great Demon Dragon.
Fwooooosh…
Just by opening its mouth to breathe, the ground shook, and I felt my body lift into the air.
It was as if the world itself was breathing thanks to the dragon’s inhales and exhales.
– Where have those bastards who deserve to be torn to shreds gone? And what strange fellow is this, glaring at me?
– That is what I would like to ask, intruder.
The two beings stared at each other.
Even as their snorts tickled each other, neither being blinked an eye.
Though they seemed to be standing still.
There was a deadly tension, as if they couldn’t afford to show any weakness.
Aranvalon opened its mouth.
– Hah, it has been a long time since I’ve seen one of my own kind. I thought you would never appear in this world again after being crushed by my claws long ago.
All who invade its territory are killed.
A dragon’s territory is endlessly vast, capable of containing the entire world.
Therefore, it had to be the only dragon in existence here.
– Were you summoned by those little humans?
– Little ones?
The Great Demon Dragon asked.
– Those little humans over there. Huddled together, are they not?
– …Little ones? Where?
Kugugugu.
It was then that the Great Demon Dragon’s neck turned.
The moment its bright yellow eyes fully captured me.
‘Fuck.’
I felt a chill run down my spine.
The hair on my entire body literally stood on end.
Like experiencing a scene from a horror movie right before my eyes?
– Hooh? That one?
Kugugugu…
The Great Demon Dragon’s snorts grew fiercer.
Its breath became a gale, sweeping through my hair.
The ground shook violently.
– Khahahahaha! Yes! You!
The Great Demon Dragon roared.
– So you were here! You lackey of the Outer World! Yes, did I not tell you! That you would not be able to seal me completely! In the end, we meet like this!
Fwoong!
The Great Demon Dragon spread its massive wings.
And it began to shoot all of its energy toward us.
“Keuk!”
“Wha-what is this pressure?”
My teammates exclaimed in shock.
“I can’t breathe!”
An immense killing intent enveloped us.
‘Dammit.’
Is this how it ends?
I furrowed my brow and brought both hands to the scroll.
Please.
I hope some magic that can break through this situation comes out.
– Khahahaha! You bastard! This is perfect. As promised, I will incinerate your soul.
The Great Demon Dragon roared.
– Look forward to it! You can really look forward to it! For sealing me. I will make you rot for all eternity in a space of endless time, in a state where you can neither die nor live, suffering for the rest of your life!
Fwoosh!
Just as flames were about to erupt from the dragon’s mouth.
– What do you think you are doing? Intruder?
Aranvalon’s eyes, standing beside it, flashed a ghastly blue.
Kwaaang!
Simultaneously, it blasted an immense amount of energy at the Great Demon Dragon’s torso.
– …What?
The Great Demon Dragon furrowed its brow at the sudden ambush.
The exchange happened in an instant.
– You, an intruder, dare to lay a hand on my property without permission?
– What, are you picking a fight?
The Great Demon Dragon growled.
Aranvalon smirked and retorted.
– Those things showed greed. Unaware that I was going to let them live. They overstepped their bounds and issued a challenge to me. In other words, they are my challengers, whom I must kill.
Kugugu!
Space trembled under the pressure of the two beings.
– I am the Greed Dragon. I do not let anyone take what is mine. Therefore, you would do well to withdraw that energy at once and get the hell out of this world.
– Ha, ridiculous.
A dry laugh escaped the Great Demon Dragon’s mouth.
– They have to be killed anyway, so you could just yield. Is that something worth attacking me over?
– Did I not say it? That one must be killed by ‘me.’
– What kind of bullheadedness is that?
The Great Demon Dragon looked dumbfounded.
However, Aranvalon was resolute.
– Ridiculous. Is it only stubbornness when I insist, but not when you do?
– What, fine. This action. I can take it as a challenge, right?
– A challenge?
– Yes, a challenge.
– Not a challenge. A warning.
– What, a warning? Do you truly wish to die?
– On second thought, rather than a warning, it would be better to just kill you.
– What?
– Do you know? Though we are of the same kind, a dragon’s corpse is truly precious. Kehehe, not a single part goes to waste.
Fwoong!
This time, Aranvalon spread its wings wide.
At that moment.
Ssssst!
Soldiers holding crossbows began to appear on all sides.
It was an amount so large that what we saw before was merely the tip of the iceberg.
– Your body will become my precious ‘Treasure,’ and your teeth will become soldiers to protect my ‘Treasure.’
– You’re insane.
The Great Demon Dragon looked disgusted.
– They called you the Greed Dragon. You really are a madman whose brain has been pickled in greed…
Kuaaaaah!
This time, the Great Demon Dragon thrashed its wings.
– Yes, fine. Let’s do this.
Simultaneously, the roars of countless creatures filled the space.
The appearance of the Ancient Drake Legion.
– I will make you pay for that foolish choice! I will tear you to shreds. And then, I will enjoy that damn bastard as an after-dinner dessert!
The monstrous creatures following the Great Demon Dragon attacked Aranvalon’s soldiers.
Chaang!
The soldiers, too, drew their swords without panicking.
And so began the chaotic battle.
“……”
I stealthily pushed the scroll I was about to tear back into my pocket.
“This is.”
Olena, her eyes wide, looked at me.
“This turned out well, right?”
“I think that seems to be the case?”
My eyes were wide as well.
This species called dragons.
They’re simpler than I thought, aren’t they?
‘Anyway.’
It seems my gut feeling was right this time, too.
Shall we see who wins?