Chapter 320: The War of Dragons (2)
Ancient Dragon.
The term refers to the supreme predator inhabiting the upper floors of the tower.
[An ancient species ‘???’ has manifested!]
With dark red sparks, a gigantic dragon revealed itself.
“Groooar…!”
Its low roar made the air tremble.
The dark clouds that had been thickly spread were now split apart.
The heavy magic that had engulfed the surroundings had disappeared as if it were a lie.
Overpowered by a stronger presence…
…the existing one was being erased.
“Graaa!”
Cheongryong let out a piercing scream.
It was more a desperate cry not to be touched than a challenge to fight.
Sama-ja was equally flustered.
“T-this can’t be…”
It took over a decade to awaken Cheongryong.
Drawing the formation to subjugate the awakened Cheongryong required unimaginable sacrifices and manpower.
It was only possible because he held the position of the second-in-command of the Heavenly Demon Cult. Without that status, no one would have dared to attempt such a grand endeavor.
After such painstaking efforts.
He had acquired a divine beast as powerful as an entire faction.
Neither the Murim Alliance nor the weakened Heavenly Demon could stand in his way anymore.
Now was the time for all his plans to finally bear fruit.
It should have been that way…
‘Not only did you mobilize the Empire… but you also control such an absurd dragon.’
This was far beyond what an individual could achieve.
Though he wanted to curse out loud, even that was a luxury now.
He had to respond.
By any means necessary.
“Kill it! Now!”
Sama-ja concentrated his qi.
[Forbidden Art ‘Solitary of Despair’ is activated!]
Wooooom!
“Groooar!”
Cheongryong’s pupils turned red.
A forbidden art that erases reason, making the target obey commands unconditionally.
Even if the opponent was a higher predator, this would force it to fight.
Terrifying magic radiated from the orb clutched in its claws.
Crack!
Zzt!
Yellow sparks erupted between the split clouds.
Boom, boom, boom, boom!
Dozens of lightning bolts fell from the sky.
Aimed directly at Goguma’s head.
However.
[Ancient species ‘???’ uses Lv??? ‘Prehistoric Dragon Word’!]
The falling lightning bolts dispersed into a wisp of smoke.
As if the very act of their activation had been nullified.
“Even if both use Dragon Words, there is a world of difference between Cheongryong’s and an ancient species’.”
Jinhyuk slowly spoke to Sama-ja, who now looked like he was about to cry.
“If you want to fight with that worm, one orb isn’t nearly enough.”
“Groooar!”
Goguma spread its wings as if to respond.
It seemed it could no longer tolerate looking down on Cheongryong from the sky.
Vwoooom!
Soon, the massive body soared high into the sky.
“Graaa!”
“Groooar!”
The two dragons met in the upper heavens.
What ensued was a battle to choke the life out of each other.
The relatively faster Cheongryong moved swiftly, looking for an opening.
Its technique of riding the wind with a flexible body was superb.
In contrast, Goguma stayed centered, attempting to grab the incoming Cheongryong’s body.
If it caught hold even once…
Cheongryong’s slender body would be split in two.
“Keeee!”
Cheongryong evaded Goguma’s claws and seized its back.
One of the factors determining the power of a Breath is the activation time.
The longer it gathers qi, the more destructive it becomes.
Naturally, the side that positions first has a huge advantage in firepower.
Flare!
Cheongryong, who started gathering Breath first, released the extreme amount of accumulated magic.
Following that, Goguma also expelled blue flames.
Boom, boom, boom, boom!
The two Breaths collided in mid-air.
The trajectory altered, sending Goguma’s Breath towards the mountain behind Cheongryong.
Boom!
The power was enough to obliterate an entire small mountain.
However, the battle had just begun.
＊＊＊
While the dragons waged war.
Sama-ja, left alone, clenched his neck in fury.
“You keep interfering persistently. What’s your reason? You’re just a player whose goal is to climb the tower. If you had sided with me, you could have easily reached the next floor… Why are you so deeply involved in Murim’s affairs?”
A reason…
Well, siding with Sama-ja could have met the condition for advancing to the next floor of the tower.
As he said, it would have been much easier and more convenient.
But you see.
“Life isn’t just about efficiency.”
I met my master.
To uphold what one believes in.
No matter how weakened their faction was, no matter if their lord lost all their power…
They never abandoned their lord.
I met the Heavenly Demon.
Even if they wouldn’t be remembered, they fought to protect the world they lived in, for Murim to exist as Murim.
Even if it ended tragically, they never regretted it.
“I can let a lot slide, but I can’t stand seeing scum who betray those who believed in them, massacring indiscriminately without regard for means or methods.”
That’s not how I climb the tower.
The summit I reach that way would be different from the summit of the past.
The Tower of Trials doesn’t exist for people like that.
“And now that you’re here, are you still going to drag on with lengthy arguments? If you’re the leader of a faction, you should fight personally instead of leaving it to your subordinates.”
Jinhyuk thrust Balmung forward.
Vwoom!
The sword traced a graceful arc, raising a purple mist along its trajectory.
“Alright… as you said, I’ll die if I keep holding back. Then I’ll also stake my life on this fight.”
Swoosh.
A white gem emerged from Sama-ja’s chest.
A gem of indescribable brilliance.
No doubt about it.
It was the supreme-grade ‘White Flame Orb.’
A human could manipulate the weather like a dragon.
‘Using the orb… it’s possible to create new dragons.’
[Sama-ja summons the Small Dragons.]
Wooooom!
A strange magic rose along the ground.
“I didn’t expect to use this.”
Small dragons covered in blue scales appeared beside Sama-ja.
They were a bit different from the Cheongryong fighting Goguma.
Much smaller, and the orbs they held were imbued with a level of magic that was barely worth calling an orb.
“They’re inferior copies made using forbidden arts. Their size and power are only a tenth of the original.”
But.
Even at that level, they were strong enough to easily kill a supreme master.
Moreover, there wasn’t just one small dragon before Jinhyuk.
A total of seven.
“Groo…”
“Kieeeek!”
The small dragons bared their fangs, threatening Jinhyuk.
This was unexpected…
“Impressive. I have to admit, this one surprised me. You’ve had such an orb and kept it hidden all this time?”
“It’s a trump card I prepared to destroy the Empire. It’s painful to use it against someone like you, but now there’s no choice.”
Even if the ancient dragon was overwhelming Cheongryong, it would still take several more hours to kill it.
In other words.
No one could assist Jinhyuk now.
But.
Even surrounded by dragons, Jinhyuk’s expression remained unchanged.
He continued to gaze coldly at Sama-ja.
“Your smug attitude is disgusting. Beg for your life. I know you’re already terrified.”
“Well, do I have to?”
There’s no need to be afraid.
No reason to fear.
At least regarding dragons…
At this moment, I possess the best compatibility in the entire Tower of Trials.
Jinhyuk infused Balmung with magic.
Let’s make it clear.
That this fight’s winner is already decided.
Crack!
As magic flowed into the blade, the Dragon Slayer Sword, dormant for ages, recalled its memories.
[Balmung’s special ability has been activated.]
[Lv5 ‘Choosing the Battlefield’ is activated!]
[Reenacting a legend.]
The vision darkened.
Sama-ja, who had been glaring murderously.
The small dragons absorbing the qi from the atmosphere, preparing to unleash their Breath.
Everything disappeared from perception.
And when he reopened his eyes.
Everything he saw had completely changed.
＊＊＊
The now skeletal remains of Fafnir.
And the place where Siegfried’s legend rested.
This is the ‘Grave of the Dragon.’
“It can’t be that we moved to another location in such a short moment. Is this a form of sorcery?”
Sama-ja looked around in disbelief.
Suddenly being transported to an unfamiliar space, it was naturally disorienting.
The small dragons also growled lowly, sensing unease.
They instinctively knew.
Every second here was fatal to them.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Jinhyuk’s heart raced wildly.
The experience of a great hero soaked into his body.
‘Indeed, this is what it means to be the strongest.’
Excitement and exhilaration filled him.
The memory of slaying a dragon surged, ready to be reenacted.
Alright.
Jinhyuk used the ‘Sword Demon Wind Step.’
He disappeared with the wind.
Thud!
He appeared in the midst of the small dragons.
As if two souls resided in one body.
An unfamiliar yet identical swordsmanship unfolded.
Boom, boom, boom, boom!
A storm raged.
“Kieeeek!”
The nearest small dragon’s body was sliced in half.
“Gasp!?”
A quake shook Sama-ja’s pupils.
The dragon scales layered with the energy of the wind were cut in a single strike.
This was impossible.
Even the Heavenly Demon, at the peak of his power, couldn’t slice through the small dragons’ scales in one strike.
That meant…
“Are you saying… you’re above the Heavenly Demon?”
Unity with Siegfried.
For the three minutes the skill lasted.
‘I surpass the Heavenly Demon.’
There was no need to suppress the rampant magic.
Jinhyuk grabbed Balmung with both hands and thrust it forward at high speed.
Thud!
Another small dragon’s upper body vanished.
It didn’t have time to scream or evade.
As two dragons fell in an instant, the remaining small dragons clustered together.
“Groooar!”
The strongest innate ability of dragons.
‘Breath.’
Rumble!
The five dragons began to converge their magic into a massive energy ball.
The power of rain and wind condensed into a single point.
“Then I’ll respond in kind.”
If dragons have Breath.
Siegfried had a sword that could cut through Breath.
The mythical relic of the purple grade.
The demon sword that slayed the dragon.
Roared once again.
[Limited ability ‘Dragon Slayer’ is activated!]
A sword path specialized solely for killing dragons.
And a strike to enforce the outcome through that path.
At the tip of Balmung’s blade.
A white line as pure as snow sliced through space.