Dragon Valley (2)
“Another illusion, huh? You’re really running out of tricks.”
Kim Sung-tae let out a deep sigh as he gazed at Roman’s illusions filling the canyon. They surrounded him from every direction, leaving no escape. He wasn’t intimidated by the numbers, but having to stare at a bunch of shit he didn’t want to see was another matter.
“Just one question. It feels like you’re getting in the way of me and Leo. Why mess with my love?”
“That’s love? Hilarious.”
Sung-tae’s eyes narrowed slightly. The energy he’d sensed from Roman back at the inn was pure lust. Nothing worthy of being called love. Leo saw him only as a mentor, and Roman’s feelings for her were one-sided lust. Of course, that ignored the fact that she was underage, which made it all the more meaningless. How long could Roman hold out in that state? Sooner or later, that lust would explode, and he’d pounce on her. Leo was strong, but naive. Naive people fell into traps easily and got neutralized just as fast. In the end, regardless of her strength or feelings, he could picture her bending to Roman’s will.
“If lust followed love, maybe. But lust leading with love trailing behind? Nah, doesn’t seem likely.”
“Same difference, isn’t it? What does a snot-nosed kid like you know? No point talking to a fly like you anyway.”
Roman’s illusions charged at Sung-tae from all sides.
“Time to die.”
Over a hundred illusions enveloped Sung-tae. His form vanished beneath them. Any moment now, the explosion would come, and the fly would be gone. Roman waited smugly.
“Told you. Another illusion. So predictable.”
“!?”
When had he jumped? Sung-tae looked down at Roman from the sky.
“Definitely dangerous. Special-rank adventurer for a reason—great physical abilities, slick moves. Multiply that by sheer numbers, each one a bomb? And the blast strong enough to crack my armor? Impressive.”
A normal person would get smashed or oxidized by the explosions. Sung-tae acknowledged Roman’s ability as a masterful combo of skills.
“But bad matchup. I told you—I’d kill you. Last time, I let you off while sizing you up...”
Ten seconds left before gravity pulled him back down.
“Not this time.”
His fist exploded in midair. A cannon-like shockwave shattered the illusions’ heads. Each punch vaporized one, sweeping the steep canyon walls in blasts that scattered rocks and sand. By the time he’d punched every last one, a thick sand fog blanketed the canyon.
“Can’t tell which is real? Smash ‘em all. Bombs? Blow ‘em up from afar. Fine against monsters, maybe. Not me.”
Sung-tae focused through the fog, scanning for Roman’s corpse. He’d killed all the illusions, so the real one was among them—head smashed, body left behind. But nothing. Just rubble from the shattered cliffs and swirling sand.
“Vaporized in the blasts? Where is it?”
“Cocky brat.”
“!?”
As he turned, a massive explosion devoured his vision. Far stronger than before. Danger!
This blast could wreck my armor!
Sung-tae leaped away. He slammed into the cliff, grabbed hold, and checked his original spot. Roman stood there, spotless, not a grain of sand on his clothes.
“Thought I only fight monsters? Back in my day, the world wasn’t this peaceful. Bandits everywhere, even fellow adventurers betraying each other. Kids like you wouldn’t get it.”
He’s fine.
“You young ones don’t know. Party members stabbing you in the back on a whim, the tense air after quests wondering who’d snap next. That’s why everyone’s weak in body and mind now. All pride, no substance.”
“Sure, grandpa. Then go back to your glory days. Why stick around the modern world?”
“Tch. Talking back to your elders.”
Roman thrust his hand toward Sung-tae. Empty palm, but Sung-tae sensed danger and dropped to the ground. BOOM! The cliff exploded and crumbled. Massive boulders rained down, shaking the earth like an earthquake.
“Think I rely on one illusion? ‘Illusion’ is just camouflage. My real power is explosions. A adventurer hides three-tenths of his strength. Not you kids.”
“Yeah? Too bad you spilled it all to me.”
What was that just now?
Roman’s form blurred. Sung-tae kept talking casually, eyes locked.
“Why? Brain not working? Only witness is you. Kill you, no one knows.”
“Grandpa, you’re the one dying.”
“Insolent punk.”
Something’s up.
That blur. Clothes pristine amid blasts. Sung-tae pieced it together, closing in on Roman’s secret.
“Well then...”
Roman’s mana flooded the canyon—volatile bombs ready to detonate.
“Round two?”
＊＊＊
The intense explosions echoed from the surface deep underground. The vibrations from Roman and Sung-tae’s fight roused someone hidden below.
[......]
The creature’s eyelids lifted, red eyes flaring in the dark, seeking the intruders.
The surface scene unfolded before those crimson orbs: Sung-tae, Roman, Leo, Garba—crystal clear.
[How dare you...]
Not long ago, it had repelled other intruders. Enraged, the fury fueled its massive body to rise.
[Who dares enter the Dragon King’s domain!]
＊＊＊
What a pain.
Sung-tae dodged nimbly, sighing. Despite the old man’s personality, those explosions were no joke. Hidden power, indeed. Anywhere his mana touched could blow—stronger than the illusions’, no hand needed.
“Fly! How long you gonna run?!”
Just a bit more!
Realizing the blasts threatened his armor, Sung-tae kept evading. Fast and erratic, but with focus and tension, he could manage. Anyone else? Maybe not. Him? Easy.
Probably another illusion anyway. No need to attack. Just playing into grandpa’s hands.
Sand choked the canyon, yet Roman’s clothes stayed clean. Conclusion: fake.
Such a hassle.
He wanted to obliterate the canyon with him. But his goal: kill Roman without Leo knowing. Claim monsters got him, no body left. No extra commotion to draw her here.
Think. It blurred earlier. Couldn’t maintain the illusion perfectly.
Mistake? Unlikely for a veteran. Something disrupted his focus...
Right before: cliff collapsed. Rocks fell. Ground shook. Illusion blurred.
It clicked.
“Heh. Figures. Sneaky old bastard move.”
Sung-tae activated his life force magic, scanning. He sensed faint life amid the sand and dirt, heading there.
“Don’t run, coward!”
“Getting desperate? Busted hiding?”
“Grr!”
Roman poured all his mana onto the spot. Step near, boom—Sung-tae wouldn’t survive unscathed. Or so he thought. Sung-tae only worried for his armor.
“Blocking like that just confirms it. And no learning curve.”
Sung-tae leaped skyward again. Mana already concentrated below—no block left.
“Can’t get close? Strike from afar!”
His powered fist pierced the mana and blasts, slamming earth. Sand shot sky-high, shattering rock, exposing someone.
“Gah!”
“Not a mole, so why hide underground?”
Roman’s illusions vanished. The real body, buried deep, revealed. From the fight’s start, surface Romans were fakes. Prioritizing safety, the old man hid below, puppeteering illusions.
“H-how!?”
“I’m special. And you’re strong—easy to track.”
Sung-tae hadn’t mastered sensing normal life force deep underground. But Roman was Special-rank. His life force was dense, potent—simple to pinpoint.
“Time for punishment, gramps.”
“S-stop!”
Dragging Roman by the collar to the surface, Sung-tae raised his fist. Imagining that massive black fist smashing his face, Roman groveled.
“H-hey, kid! You wouldn’t hit an old man... right?”
“You called me a fly. I’m no human—filial piety? What’s that?”
“P-please! I-I won’t approach Leo anymore!”
“Sure you won’t~? Don’t buy it~.”
Won’t kill quick. Made me work—time to toy a bit.
Then, Sung-tae locked eyes with a massive orb. Blood-red, reptilian slit pupil.
[Those who tread the Dragon King’s land...]
A gigantic dragon maw appeared, flames of apocalyptic hellfire ready to incinerate all.
[Atone with death.]
“Crap!”
“Eek!”
Dragon breath roared at them. Flames stretched to the heavens, charring Roman to bones instantly. Leftover heat began melting Sung-tae’s armor.
Heat haze rose in the cleared space, winds whipping into a storm. Yet Sung-tae stood unharmed. The Dragon King spread wings, descending.
[Still alive? Arrogant intruder.]
“...Hey.”
His molten armor reformed, but the magic circles didn’t. As Sung-tae clenched his fist, his suppressed power erupted in a massive shockwave.
“I was trying to go easy, y’know? Stealing my prey wasn’t enough—now the magic circles too...”
[Insolent! Die, human!]
“You’re done.”
The colossal dragon ascended, wings unfurled—the ancient ruler unleashing hundreds of spells at once. How long had it lived? Its rotting body was more undead than dragon. A foul wind carried the stench to Sung-tae.
“Stinks too. Dragon King? Speech ain’t cutting it. You’re...”
[Die!]
“Out.”
Sung-tae’s fist connected. No debuffs—just Ignis’s curse lingering.
＊＊＊
“Huff. Huff.”
Far from Sung-tae and the Dragon King, in a rocky canyon area, an old man collapsed, gasping.
“B-barely... survived. Damn it...”
The man was Roman. Just before the breath hit while grabbed, he’d made an illusion at max range and swapped.
“Switch illusion saved my skin.”
His final secret—unmentioned even after spilling everything. Unused escape, but sudden use drained most mana, leaving him limp.
“Ugh. Run now...?”
A mountain-sized rotting dragon flew overhead. Its mana prickled the skin.
“Didn’t expect that monster.”
But worse followed. Mid-spell, the Dragon King vanished. Body parts rained like shrapnel.
Roman stared blankly. “...What? That fly’s doing? Against that?”
He knew Sung-tae was strong—comparable to him. Annoying durability and speed. (He couldn’t sense life force, mistaking it for normal mana.) But seeing the dragon shredded... dangerous.
“Damn... run?”
Pride wouldn’t let him flee from that punk. I raised Leo!
“Damn it! How dare you humiliate Roman the Illusionist!”
Rage boiled, urging destruction. Yet one person lingered in mind.
“Leo... I need you. With you, that punk won’t dare attack.”
“A dragon appeared over there!”
“Master’s probably handled it, but let’s hurry.”
What coincidence? Leo and Garba spotting the Dragon King, rushing there—right to Roman.
“Ahh. Leo.”
“Roman? Why here...?”
“To see you, my angel.”
Roman’s eyes reddened, blue fading to blood-red slits—like the Dragon King’s.