Chapter 133
Kwaaaa!
A terrifying energy gathered in the dragon’s mouth.
It compressed—again and again.
The energy surging from the dragon’s heart began to drag everything around it inward with crushing gravity.
‘As expected.’
I swallowed.
When I was protected by Ancient Magic (SSS-grade), I hadn’t realized it.
Facing a dragon’s Breath head-on…
The majesty was no joke.
‘But it’s more manageable now than before.’
Supreme Azure Mind Method told me.
If the Breath from when the two dragons collided earlier was about 90% of its full power—
Then this was about 5%.
‘Block as much as I can. And if that doesn’t work…’
I pulled out the Wish-Granting Scroll (S-grade) just in case and held it between my teeth.
If things turned bad, I’d tear it open immediately.
“Hey, you crazy bastards… what are you doing! Don’t do that!”
Vladimir shouted from behind, staring at the teammates packed around him like a wall.
“You’re not going to block that, are you? Not just magic—a dragon’s Breath? I’m fine, so leave me and run…!”
“Be quiet.”
Myoi Hana, standing beside him, shoved a blood-staunching cloth into his mouth.
“Are you the only one allowed to be cool? We’re not allowed to be cool?”
“Mmph! Mmmph!”
“We call that double standard.”
Good.
I didn’t have time to listen right now.
Kugugugu!
Because all of my focus was on the Breath about to pour out.
“Vladimir is right. Just as the team leader is my close friend, those here are also my close friends.”
Whoo-oong!
Judgment Spear swung his spear once.
“It may be a weak force, but I will contribute to deflecting the Breath.”
“Me too.”
Maximilian, the middle-aged man, stepped up beside him.
He raised his sword and began to chant, expression solemn.
“Supreme Fragrant Sword, Ultimate Technique Fifth Sword, Mind Sword, I will prepare.”
“Just hearing the skill names is flashy.”
Olena smiled brightly.
“I can only help by casting Water Shield in multiple layers.”
Good.
Judgment Spear.
Max.
Olena.
Even a fraction of strength mattered right now.
Koong!
Bone Four and his subordinates stacked themselves in layers in front of me.
Hwareureuk!
I also formed a large red shield to brace myself behind.
Kugugugugu!
[A massive force is rushing in!]
[Movement speed is reduced.]
[Stamina is continuously decreasing.]
The pressure made it hard to breathe.
“Damn it!”
“Hold on!”
“Deflect the energy!”
A violent wind whipped from the unstable energy, making it hard to even keep my feet.
‘Ah.’
I could feel it.
Very soon—
That condensed brown energy would explode outward.
A storm of power would swallow us whole.
Kwaang! Kwaaaang!
Sunny and Eldrin—along with the skeletons—kept hammering at Aranvalon.
Aranvalon was taking heavy damage.
Yet the dragon’s head didn’t budge.
Only—
Toward us.
Locked on.
“Heuaaaap! Come!”
I tightened every muscle and shouted.
Woo-oong!
The shield in my hands trembled.
[Essence of Fire shakes its head.]
“……!”
My eyes widened.
Essence of Fire, which never responded—
Suddenly?
It had only reacted twice before.
When I first obtained the weapon.
And when I met the existence called Ancient Magic (SSS-grade).
[Essence of Fire sighs.]
[It says that it’s not enough with just that.]
[It says that there is a 99.99% chance that it will melt and disappear.]
“…What?”
You can’t block it with this?
I’m going to die right away?
Essence of Fire was a great being.
A Godslayer-level being.
Even Ancient Magic (SSS-grade) bowed to it.
If something like that said it, it wasn’t a bluff.
‘Then…’
I grabbed the paper clenched in my teeth with my right hand.
I had to tear it.
Now.
There was no time.
The Breath was about to pour out.
[Essence of Fire asks if it can help.]
“……?”
Help me?
Flinch!
My hand froze, just before tearing the scroll.
[Essence of Fire says that it doesn’t want to lose a cute creature it likes after a long time.]
[However, you must be careful.]
[The power of Essence of Fire is enormous. You may not even receive help, and your body may be strained just by hearing its voice.]
[That’s why you can only receive the will of Essence of Fire through messages.]
“Is that so…?”
I didn’t know why the thing that never answered suddenly wanted to help.
Maybe it just changed its mind.
Maybe it liked what I’d done lately.
They say gods are fickle.
Patzitzitzit!
Even now, the Breath was growing heavier.
I had to decide.
Fast.
‘I’m curious, though.’
If Essence of Fire helped, I could save one scroll.
And maybe I’d finally glimpse what this weapon really was.
The power that made Ancient Magic (SSS-grade) bow politely.
“Okay!”
I shouted, pushing the shield down even harder.
It said my body might be strained.
I didn’t care.
Getting hit by that Breath would do worse.
“Help me. Do whatever it takes—do something about that damn dragon!”
[Essence of Fire laughs.]
[Essence of Fire nods.]
Doong!
Then—
With the sensation of my heart sinking—
Hwareureureuk!
My vision turned red.
No—
It wasn’t my vision.
The world itself was turning red.
And at the same time—
Pajik!
Like lightning cracking across my skull, my consciousness snapped.
—
Greed Dragon, Aranvalon.
He was sick of this situation.
Skeletons swarming like gnats.
The poison that stubbornly burrowed into his head no matter how he tried to shake it out.
He was disgusted.
‘I’m sick of it. I need to end it now.’
Kwaddeudeuk!
He pulled every last drop of energy from his heart.
If he melted those arrogant humans in front of him, it would be over.
‘Bring whatever you can. You think you can block this Breath?’
Even if his strength was low.
Even if it was only a fraction—
Breath was Breath.
The ultimate attack reserved for dragonkin, the strongest race on earth.
Something inferior creatures could never block.
‘Pay the price for acting without knowing your place.’
Doong!
A brown beam finally spewed from Aranvalon’s mouth.
Tremendous energy exploded and folded upon itself as it fired forward.
No—
To be exact, the moment it fired—
Hwareuk!
……!?
Aranvalon’s face twisted as he felt a tremendous flow of magical power.
What is—
Before he could understand—
Hwareuk! Hwareureureuk!
The energy he had gathered with everything he had.
The Breath he had squeezed out to the very end—
Evaporated in an instant beneath overwhelming heat.
Aranvalon froze, mouth still open.
Fire…?
He muttered blankly, feeling an immense fire-attribute energy before him.
His head turned slowly.
‘Fire that evaporates Breath?’
He, too, wielded fire.
High heat.
Persistent flames.
Even Hellfire.
He’d used every kind through magic.
‘But—’
He couldn’t understand what he was seeing.
Because among all the flames he knew—
There was none that could evaporate Breath in seconds.
This is mu—
His words didn’t finish.
Because Joo Donghoon—radiating beast-like momentum—rushed in like a flash.
Hwareuk!
Flesh burned.
Kkeuaaaaaaaa!
Aranvalon screamed, a shrill sound as searing pain flooded every nerve.
His eyes flew wide.
What… is this power?
It was power he had never experienced since the day he first existed in this world.
What… Who—who are you! Who are you!
Aranvalon shook his head, terror twisting his face.
Because that energy—
Was not the energy of the inferior race called humans.
It couldn’t be.
It shouldn’t be.
The being looking down on him like he was an insect—
Was an existence from a higher dimension.
One that made dragonkin look ridiculous.
Kwaddeudeuk!
The earth split below, blue fire spearing up.
Not only that—
The sky cracked, and yellow streaks of flame bled through the gaps.
Yet the humans and skeletons in front of him were untouched.
In this world—
It felt like only he was burning.
Like facing a god of fire.
No.
Like facing a devil of fire.
C-crazy…
***
Before he could regain his senses—
Kwaang!
The spear energy Joo Donghoon swung exploded into Aranvalon’s abdomen.
Keheoeok!
***
Even if he tried to block it—
He had no strength left.
His hide had gone soft, and his wounds were too open.
So even that simple swing tore flesh apart cleanly.
Puwak!
Blood burst out.
Kkeuaaaaaaak!
Aranvalon screamed.
But Joo Donghoon didn’t slow.
Like he couldn’t afford even a breath of wasted time—
He soared.
Hwareureureuk!
Then slammed down a spear made of fire.
Into the dragon’s wings.
Kwagagagang!
Into the waist.
Into the abdomen.
Kkeueaaaak!
Aranvalon’s whole body convulsed.
The Toxin Mist raged even more violently in his brain.
It was having the time of its life.
Ududeudeuk!
Leg bones shattered from the recoil.
His spine went numb.
As Aranvalon lost balance and began to fall—
Kwang!
Joo Donghoon’s energy, already moving downward, surged back up.
That unknown power had no intention of stopping.
Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!
Even if breathing stopped.
Even if organs burst and flesh and bone were ground down—
The energy struck again and again from every direction.
Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!
And then—
Seuseut!
All of Joo Donghoon’s energy vanished at once.
His body vanished, too, leaving nothing in sight.
……!
Even through the pain, a question rose in Aranvalon’s mind.
What?
Why did that explosive energy disappear so suddenly?
He looked around desperately.
‘Did it vanish?’
Aranvalon wanted—needed—to believe it.
Please…
Let it be gone.
Let this be a dream.
Let that human have evaporated as the price for wielding power beyond him…!
But—
……!
Aranvalon’s expression went blank.
Because the man had already appeared above his head—
And was driving a fire spear straight into his crown.
Puwook!
……Damn it!
Unbearable fire flooded from the spear and began melting his entire body.
His vision turned white with Blazing Fire.
‘Ah.’
Aranvalon sighed inwardly.
So this is how I go.
Was that intruder dragon right?
Was I destined to disappear here today?
……
His body melted.
Even trembling in resistance, he couldn’t stop the energy of nature.
He could do nothing before that overwhelming power.
……
It was hot.
Every nerve screamed that it was hot, yet there was nowhere to escape.
Nowhere to run.
Powerlessness.
What the hell… is this power.
He was curious.
It was the strongest being he’d ever met.
Even while dying, the curiosity lingered.
But—
Hwareuk!
With the last flame, Aranvalon melted away without a scream.
Not only his body.
Even his mind melted away.
The owner of Theme 2 Trial.
The king of Aranvalon Kingdom.
It was the end of Greed Dragon, Aranvalon.