Chapter 238
Chapter 238
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 238
Chapter Title: Dragon King (3)
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"What the hell are these bastards doing in the tower?"
Ronan frowned. The pulsating presence was impossible to simply ignore. Even though its origin was far away, it felt as vivid as if it were right before his eyes.
Are the dragons throwing an orgy or something?
Something was off. The sparkling mana permeating the air signaled the gravity of the situation. This unique phenomenon, visible only to Ronan, was proof that Nebula Clazier was here.
Definite. They're inside this tower.
He hadn't expected to obtain such concrete evidence. He had no idea what they were doing in the tower, but he needed to gather intel before they finished. Ronan rose from the bed and opened his mouth.
"Alright. Let's head out right now."
"Uh... B-but there's a problem."
"Problem?"
Ronan tilted his head. Asel reached out and pointed to the door in one corner of the room. The magical door that had led them from the reception room to the audience chamber, and from there to this bedroom, was firmly shut.
"Th-that door is the only entrance and exit. There was nothing else."
"So?"
"Dozens of security spells are layered on the door. Th-they must have anticipated we might try to slip out midway."
Asel stammered. Ronan's brow furrowed. Up close, he could clearly sense the alien mana lingering inside the doorknob.
"Can't I just slash it open?"
"It-it would dispel them, but the 'door' function might be lost too. An alarm could sound. These magic artifacts are designed incredibly complexly..."
Asel trailed off. He hadn't anticipated hitting such an obstacle so soon. Come to think of it, even if they managed to open the door, the risk of detection was immense.
If they'd taken such measures, it wouldn't be surprising to have guards stationed right outside. Asel continued.
"M-maybe I can decode the spells in about an hour. Should I give it a shot?"
"That'd be too late. Damn it, there has to be some way..."
Ronan groaned. He needed to come up with another plan. As he slowly scanned the room, his gaze fixed on one spot.
Gorgeous curtains draped over the entire west wall. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration breezed through Ronan's mind.
"Huh?"
"W-why?"
"Hold on. No way..."
He'd overlooked it because the room had been dim when they entered. Ronan slowly approached the wall and yanked the curtain aside.
Whoosh! Serene moonlight poured into the room. Beyond the tall arched window, a full moon blazed brilliantly. Ronan's lips curled into a grin.
"You moron, you should've checked properly. There's a perfectly good entrance and exit right here."
"N-no way..."
Asel's face drained of color. He had a feeling he knew what was coming next. Ronan approached with a smirk and clapped his shoulder.
"Remember how we got into Adren?"
****
"Has His Majesty still not come down?"
"Nope. It's been a full month now. What does he do up top every single night?"
"White-robed humans were with him this time too."
The guards' conversation echoed beneath the moonlight. Their duty was to protect the stairs on the 73rd floor of the Sky Tower. It was a fairly important post, as anyone heading up or down had to pass through here.
Of course, the tedium inherent to guard duty couldn't be dispelled by a sense of duty alone. The guard with a scar on his cheek grumbled.
"Honestly, I don't like those humans. They're fishy. What if they try something against His Majesty..."
He was just about to continue when a familiar woman's voice suddenly rang out from the base of the stairs. The guards jolted in shock and snapped to attention. Tap. Tap. Soon, the woman climbed the stairs and halted before them.
"L-Lady Naransonia. It's not..."
The terrified guard stammered. Moonlight filtering through the window illuminated her stunning face.
Of all people, Naransonia. Nicknamed the Iron Empress, she was infamous as the most loyal and nitpicky among the Dragon King's closest aides.
"No, ma'am. I spoke out of turn."
The guard bowed his head meekly. He knew several dragons and servants who'd been skewered by Naransonia for insulting the Dragon King. Fortunately, no further reprimand came. She stared silently at the stairs before stepping forward.
"Uh..."
The guards parted to either side. Naransonia extended her hand. Clang! Massive steel spikes burst from the floor and ceiling, completely sealing off the stairs to the floor below.
It wasn't hard to realize this was a security measure. One guard asked in bewilderment.
"D-do we really need to go this far..."
With those words, Naransonia ascended to the upper floor. Clang! Steel spikes simultaneously sprouted on the stairs leading upward as well.
"...Let's go patrol."
"Yeah."
The guards muttered quietly and began walking. Their footsteps gradually faded. By the time they passed out of sight from the window, Ronan clicked his tongue in dismay.
"Whew, that bitch is vicious. We'd have been screwed if we'd tried climbing from inside."
"Y-yeah..."
Asel nodded. Schlieffen offered silent assent by saying nothing.
They had observed Naransonia and the guards' conversation from beginning to end. From outside the window, not within. Perhaps due to the distance from the city, even their soft voices carried clearly.
"Good. Now let's head back up. And absolutely do not look down."
"Uh, g-got it."
Asel nodded. Whoosh! A chilly night breeze tousled their hair. As Asel gestured, the three began rising once more.
They had escaped the bedroom through the window. It was an idea sparked by their entry into Adren.
Unlike the hermetically sealed door, no security spells warded the window. They surely hadn't imagined anyone escaping from this height.
The invisibility spell Asel had learned the previous evening enveloped their bodies. Thus, even huddled shoulder-to-shoulder, they couldn't see one another. Ronan let out a sigh of admiration at the performance, unbelievable for a spell mastered so quickly.
"Amazing no matter how many times I see it. How long did it take to learn again?"
"Ab-about two hours."
"Must be nice shitting bricks."
Ronan shook his head. He'd momentarily forgotten not to apply common sense to geniuses. Patting Asel's shoulder approvingly, he posed a question.
"Right, mana holding up?"
"Y-yeah, still good. I have potions from Marya left too."
"Stay sharp. If you slip up, we're all dead."
Ronan impressed upon him. Asel swallowed thickly and nodded.
It might sound like nagging, but the situation left no room for leniency. If Asel's focus broke or his mana depleted, it was game over. Ronan glanced down at his feet and added one more thing.
"And in the most gruesome way..."
Adren had already shrunk to a speck visible at a glance. Beyond the city's edge stretched an endless sea of clouds. At this altitude, there'd be no corpse retrieval—just a red stain etched into Adren.
Barring Asel's mental and physical strain, there were no real threats. As they rose for another twenty minutes or so, Schlieffen, gazing upward, spoke.
"...Unpleasant."
"You feel it too?"
Ronan confirmed. The closer they drew to the summit, the denser the mana grew. The ominous presence faintly sensed from the bedroom had become unmistakably potent.
The sparkling mana was the same. Its brilliance intensified to the point of eye strain. Would being inside a galaxy feel like this? Then the towering wall abruptly ended, unveiling the summit before their eyes. Ronan's eyes widened.
...What the fuck.
He froze. Though invisible, the other two were undoubtedly reacting the same. The sight left no other choice.
The flat top of the vast cylindrical spire rivaled Phileon's grand plaza in size. At its center sat Dragon King Azidahaka, gazing skyward.
The fully exposed twin-headed dragon's massive bulk was so enormous it seemed miraculous the tower withstood its weight. As Ronan scanned the surroundings, he gritted his teeth.
Those motherfucking bastards.
About twenty people in white robes had gathered. Strength surged into Ronan's hand gripping the sword hilt.
Undeniable Nebula Clazier aura poured from them. It wasn't just their numbers—each one exuded an formidable presence. As Ronan scrutinized their faces, he twisted his lips.
What, did they all swarm here?
Five with snow-white hair and crimson eyes. Three with star-shaped badges on their sleeves. The former belonged to Lycophos, the cult leader's direct assassination unit. The latter were bishops, all top echelon powerhouses in the church.
No way the cult leader's here too?
He checked just in case, but Abel was nowhere to be seen. Of course, the current lineup alone made it clear this was no ordinary affair.
What the hell are they doing?
He needed to get a closer look. Ronan's group approached stealthily, suppressing their presence as much as possible.
The Dragon King's posture evoked a wolf howling at the moon. Its two rigidly raised heads seemed to be awaiting something.
At its feet lay a massive magic circle large enough to contain its colossal frame. It pulsed at slow intervals, as if a living thing breathing. The sparkling mana blanketing the entire tower seeped from there.
Huh?
Ronan's gaze suddenly fell on the Dragon King's torso, raising his eyebrow. Next to the left neck, a lump of flesh wriggled and swelled, growing outward.
"That's..."
The emerging mass was covered in scales like the Dragon King's other necks. Only, instead of golden, they were a bluish-white like starlight.
As the three watched the grotesque yet mystical spectacle in a daze, the Dragon King, staring at the night sky, opened its mouth.
Asel shrugged at the still-majestic voice. Fortunately, his focus didn't break. One of the bishops standing by spoke up.
"As I mentioned before, it's the power of the great star."
"Haha... From a grand perspective, the world we live in is but dust. We borrow power from the skies beyond the sky, the distant heavens above."
Ronan narrowed his eyes at the word "star." Images of bald giants flashed through his mind. What's this ritual got to do with them? The Dragon King continued.
"At most, two more days. It's thrilling—the moment the third head completes. I guarantee Navardoje won't be a match."
The bishop bowed respectfully and stepped back. The Dragon King, pleased by the words, let out a subtle chuckle. Azidahaka's wings slowly unfurled.
The golden wings stretched vast and long, seemingly endless. Scales infused with the night sky's light scattered an enigmatic glow. The Dragon King's voice resounded across Adren's skies.