Chapter 235
Chapter 235
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 235
Chapter Title: The Black Man (3)
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【Demon Dragon Orse, you are under arrest here and now for illegal entry and the murder of sentries!】
Banartier's shout echoed thunderously. The bustling noises from every corner of the street died down in an instant. Like mice falling silent at the sound of a cat's bell.
【Groooar...!】
Orse was still trapped in the Blue Dragon's grip. Only his growling roars flashed through the silence as he struggled. The hands clutching their spears tensed.
"O-Orse... Is that really the Demon Dragon I know?"
"I thought he was definitely dead."
They could hardly believe their eyes. Orse, defeated by Valon's first emperor, had abandoned his lair and fled west. Nearly a millennium had turned his tale of defeat from history into legend. Ronan, staring silently at him, twisted his lips.
"As expected."
It was just as he had anticipated. There was only one suspect that fit the puzzle. It was just absurd that it turned out to be such a ridiculous existence. Who would have thought he'd encounter Orse like this?
"No injuries, I hope? To casually converse with that Demon Dragon... You've got some guts."
"What? You knew that guy was Orse?"
"I knew the moment he stepped into the shop. Black Dragons are adept at concealing their presence, but no one who's felt Orse's aura once can ever forget it."
"Fair enough."
Ronan nodded. Orse's vicious mana was so distinct it required no effort to identify. The innkeeper continued.
"I don't know why he's showing himself after over a thousand years. What atrocious deed is he planning now...?"
"Come to think of it, why was Orse banned from Adren?"
"He slaughtered too many of his own kind. The decisive incident was right after his defeat by the Empire. Five Adren dragons went to recruit him, and he tore them apart on the spot. A true tragedy."
"Crazy bastard."
Ronan shook his head in disgust. Far more ill-tempered than he'd imagined. He'd suspected as much from the sudden outburst.
A sudden question crossed his mind. The old man spoke of events from a thousand years ago as if he'd witnessed them firsthand.
Is this guy a dragon too? Doesn't seem like it at all.
The tense atmosphere persisted.
【Grooooar...】
Suddenly, Orse's struggling body went limp. He seemed to have lost consciousness or collapsed from exhaustion. The Blue Dragon holding him smirked. The soldiers, who had been speechless, began to murmur.
"D-Did he pass out?"
"Can't blame him. We piled on five weakening spells and restraints each."
"Don't let your guard down. Tighten the encirclement slowly!"
They crept forward, spears trained on Orse. Examiner Banartier furrowed his brow. As the street noise began to rise again, a sinister voice emanated from beneath Orse's drooping hair, like willow leaves.
【...The liquor's worn off, you vermin.】
【What?】
The Blue Dragon's eyes widened. In an instant, pitch-black mana surged over Orse's shoulders like wildfire. The binding magic circles flickered as if about to burst.
【Hey, the restraints—!】
Banartier sensed something amiss and started to shout. Boom! The surging mana condensed in a flash and exploded. A scream of agony burst from the Blue Dragon's maw.
【Krahak—!】
Thud! The fingers gripping Orse crashed to the ground. Each scaly digit was the size of a decent tree. The severed stump was charred black.
"This is..."
Ronan's brow furrowed. Identical traces to those on the Poison Dragon's corpse. Orse, freed from the bindings, landed on the ground. In his hand was a massive spear resembling a glaive from Zaifa—a pillar of a weapon.
"H-He's back! Everyone, to positions!"
"To positions!"
【Orse...!】
The soldiers assumed combat stances. Banartier gritted his teeth. The jet-black spear, as dark as his own hair, evoked the lances of cavalry. Its spiraling shaft embodied its master's ferocity.
【If you want to die, I'll oblige. Then I'll track down Navardoje.】
Orse murmured. Murderous intent and mana swirled around the spear like a vortex. A very bad premonition stirred. The Blue Dragon, groaning in pain from his lost left hand, raised his right arm.
【Kraaak! You bastard!】
Crackle! A mass of blue lightning churned in his massive palm. Vine-like currents expanded and contracted wildly. It looked potent enough to level a dozen buildings—and that was the problem. Banartier shouted urgently.
【Wait, Laratasian! If you use that spell here...!】
In such cramped quarters, it would wipe out allies too. But Laratasian showed no such concern. His own finger lay rolling at his feet—did that mean nothing?
【Die!】
Laratasian roared. His lightning-wreathed fist arced down savagely. Orse didn't dodge; he countered with his lance. Krunch! A thunderous crash like mountains crumbling echoed. The flesh that had been Laratasian's hand shredded and scattered.
【Hngh...!】
Laratasian froze. His right hand was gone. The catalyst lost, the currents dissipated. Orse lunged immediately, thrusting his lance. Splurt! The tip pierced Laratasian's chest, exploding out his back. A beam of black light shot skyward. A feral grin curled Orse's lips.
【Blue ones. Still soft-skinned as ever.】
【La-Laratasian!】
Banartier gasped in horror. Through the hole in his chest, Adren's nightscape was visible. Boom! Laratasian's massive body toppled onto the street, his horned head utterly demolishing the old man's tavern.
"Ah."
The innkeeper clutched his head. The soldiers, on orders, swelled and transformed into half-dragons. About thirty charged in unison, but Orse ignored them.
Bam! He kicked off the Blue Dragon's corpse and rocketed toward Banartier. Spear tip leading, he was too fast to track. Ronan yelled.
"Hey, Examiner!"
【This...!】
Banartier gasped. His horns glowed white just in time to perceive the attack. Seven layers of barriers sprang up between the dragons. Each was an advanced spell that high mages would take dozens of minutes to cast.
Impressive.
Ronan admired. But Orse wasn't done. Whoosh! His form vanished like mist. He skipped the barrier zone entirely, reappearing before Banartier's nose. Banartier's face twisted in shock.
【Blink? A spell for lowly beasts...!】
【Took some getting used to.】
Orse thrust without hesitation. No distance to dodge or block. Ronan instinctively drew his hilt.
"Damn it, what a pain!"
Crimson sunset hues raced along the blade. Just as the spiraled tip neared Banartier's heart... Shing! A scarlet aura enveloped Orse, yanking him before Ronan. Orse's eyes bulged.
【What...!】
Orse spun desperately to counter. But Ronan's sword was already streaking with a red trail. It sliced flesh, blood spraying. Orse clutched the wound and retreated.
【Grr!】
Backpedaling ten paces, Orse gnashed his teeth. The sharp gash ran from his chest to his left side. Crimson blood oozed through the torn coat. Instead of pursuing, Ronan fluidly shifted to a defensive stance, sword tip trained on Orse. He murmured.
"That's enough."
【...You wield a strange power.】
Orse gritted his teeth. The unfamiliar force had caught him off guard. The chilling bite of a holy sword stirred old memories.
His polymorph unraveled—scales sprouting across his body. The whites of his eyes blackened around scarlet irises. Regaining composure, Orse snarled viciously.
【To let that touch my body...!】
"Dude, say it like that and it sounds like I wiped your ass."
Ronan chuckled. But contrary to his relaxed demeanor, he was hyper-focused. Despite a solid swing, the blade hadn't cut deep into muscle.
Demon Dragon lives up to the name.
A formidable foe. Nothing like the Poison Dragon. Seizing the moment, soldiers charged Orse.
"The human bought us time! Seize him!"
"Lethal force authorized!"
The scaly brutes poured in from all sides save underfoot. Their armor and weapons, enhanced by Banartier's magic, gleamed white. Just as Orse vanished from view...
【Out of my way!】
A furious roar erupted beyond the soldiers. Gripping his spear two-handed, he slammed it down. Sensing danger, Ronan raised his sword vertically.
"Shit...!"
Black energy burst from Orse. BOOM! Disintegrated buildings and walls turned to dust and flew. Shredded soldiers scattered like grains of rice.
The mana torrent, laced with killing intent, split around Ramancha. The blast was brief. Banartier sighed.
【My god.】
The crowded alley was now a 10-meter crater. The soldiers' gruesomely disassembled corpses still wore their magically reinforced gear.
Through settling smoke, Orse emerged unscathed. His briefly blurred form solidified before Ronan.
【Remove that filthy scrap from my sight!】
"Knew it. You son of a bitch."
Ronan met the attack unflinchingly. Clang! Spear and sword clashed, the metallic ring echoing over Adren. Neither yielded an inch, trading blows. Ronan grimaced inwardly.
Strong. Really strong.
It looked even, but it wasn't. Heaven-sent talent barely parried Orse's strikes, occasionally drawing blood, but the weight class gap was vast. Hell, me crossing swords with the Demon Dragon.
【Kraaa!】
And Orse grew wilder as the fight dragged. Black horns sprouted beside his head. Nearing his true form, his lance moved faster, harder. As they recoiled and prepared to clash again, a massive magic circle bloomed under Orse.
【Stop.】
A woman's voice rang out. Steel thorns erupted within the circle. Curved like raptor talons, each towered over buildings.
【Hmph!】
Orse leaped vertically to evade. Clank! Interlocking thorns rang where he'd stood. As his ascent slowed, the thorns shattered into hundreds of shards. Click! They shot skyward, clamping his limbs.
【Kgh...!】
Like shackles and cuffs. Overwhelmed by weight, Orse plummeted. Dozens more circles overlaid his head. Clatter! Rain of steel thorns pierced around him, forming a makeshift prison. The voice returned.
【That's far enough, Orse.】
Ronan turned toward the voice. A uniformed woman stood with hands behind her back. A beauty with an icy demeanor. Her silver-gray hair gleamed like steel under moonlight.
Ronan's eyes widened. He realized she was another dragon, unengaged until now.
Her aura alone dwarfed Banartier and Laratasian. Immobile in restraints, Orse spoke.
【...A face I remember. The Steel Spear Bitch, was it?】
【Empress, actually. Though I relinquished the title to serve another.】
【Same difference. Think these parlor tricks can hold me?】
Orse chuckled. He swung his spear lazily, like swatting flies. Crash! The dense thorns shattered. What the hell. Ronan was about to comment on her incompetence when she slowly shook her head.
【Of course not. I'm just buying time.】
【What?】
Orse tilted his head at the cryptic words. A golden beam sliced the night sky, piercing his chest. BOOM! Blinding flash melted retinas; shadows briefly vanished.
【Hngh...!】
No time to react. Orse's eyes nearly popped. Ronan whipped around instinctively. Heat gust tousled his bangs.
"Shit, what the...?"
The beam faded. A head-sized hole gaped in Orse's gut. Ronan scanned for the source. Faint light trails crossed the sky.
"Dragon King?"
Ronan's eyes widened. The trail led to the central spire—undoubtedly the Dragon King's abode.
【Kheuk!】
Staggering, Orse vomited blood. Dark crimson sprayed the street. Another beam fired from the tower's heart. This time, he dodged—the trajectory visible. Boom! He glared at the tower.
【You dare...!】
His scarlet eyes blazed. Despite the mortal wound, his ferocity held, but his body faltered. Glaring at Ronan and the woman, Orse muttered lowly.
【We'll see about this.】
"Talking like you can escape."
He clearly planned to flee. Ronan had no intention of letting him. As he ignited his aura...
The woman beside him grabbed his shoulder.
【Wait.】
"What?"
Ronan paused at the sudden restraint. Orse's form blurred like mist. Too late—he was gone. Brushing off her hand, Ronan snapped irritably.
"Damn it, he got away."
【We'll form a pursuit team. Adren's barrier is up; he can't escape. Besides, there's a more urgent matter.】
She stated calmly. Reasonable enough to temper his anger. Taking a deep breath, Ronan asked.
"Which is?"
【Our king wishes an audience with you.】