Chapter 255
Chapter 255
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 255
Chapter Title: Clash (6)
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【...Ugh, urk.】
Azidahaka's central head opened its eyes. His vision was hazy, as if fog had blanketed everything around him. The musty air carried a thick, damp fishy stench.
He had his head shoved upside down into some vast space. His limp neck dangled like an abandoned swing. Dark red blood trickled down from between his bared fangs.
'What... happened to me?'
Azidahaka groaned. He remembered charging at the giant with his breath gathered. There had been some kind of flash... but everything after that was a blank.
His body wouldn't move. There was no sensation below his head, as if it had been struck by frostbite. No matter that the third head had seized most of his control, this was the first time his senses had been completely severed.
The other two heads were nowhere to be seen. Rolling his eyes side to side, he spotted other heads dangling in the same pathetic state. They all had their eyes closed as if dead, but the faint twitching suggested they were still alive.
【This place...】
He needed to assess the situation first. Azidahaka slowly scanned his surroundings. The unfamiliar scenery made him wonder if this was Adren.
It was a wide-open space like a plaza, vast and empty. The pitch-black stone walls were covered in moss. It gave the complete opposite impression from his own lair, blanketed in gold.
Somewhere, the sound of running water echoed. Suddenly, Azidahaka's eyes widened. This was the sewer system beneath Adren.
【...Ah.】
Something was starting to come back to him. As he desperately rummaged through his mind, a voice suddenly boomed from the corner of his vision.
"Now this is a masterpiece. Out for an inspection?"
【Hm?】
It was a familiar voice. Azidahaka turned his gaze. An old man stood there with his hands behind his back, looking up at him.
【You...!】
Azidahaka's eyes widened. Though in human form, he could easily sense the dragon's true nature.
Moreover, the mana emanating from him felt incredibly familiar. It didn't take long to realize his identity.
【Alibriehe? Is that you?】
"Long time no see, old friend."
Alibriehe smiled. Azidahaka's brow furrowed in shock.
It had been nearly a millennium since their last meeting. The two dragons had spent time together back when they had just outgrown their hatchling phase.
He never imagined they'd reunite in a place like this. Blinking in disbelief, Azidahaka continued.
【Why are you here? What's with that old man getup? When did you enter Adren?】
"A little while ago. Sorry to say it, but with just one head, conversation's a lot easier. Tired of craning my neck to talk, so I'll just lie down here."
【...Same personality as ever. Do what you want.】
Alibriehe actually lay down right there. Blood oozed from Azidahaka's mouth and splattered over him, but he didn't seem to care a bit. Azidahaka stared down at him in bewilderment before speaking.
【Do you happen to know what happened to the rest of me? No sensation below the head.】
"No wonder. You're dying."
【What?】
Azidahaka drew in a sharp, disbelieving breath. He couldn't comprehend this sudden nonsense about dying. Alibriehe continued.
"Still, I have to salute your vitality. You're not unworthy of being called second only to Lady Navardoje. Surviving that monster's blow to your side."
【Monster? Ah...!】
Suddenly, Azidahaka's face hardened. The memories buried in fog began surfacing one by one.
The giant's descent and the collapsing Sky Tower. The third head's shocking declaration that it originated from him. Using his minions as bait to attempt a reversal, only for the battle to end in utter defeat.
As he plummeted, the night sky he glimpsed had glowed in pale indigo. Finally colliding with the ground, he had shattered the earth and buried his head in this sewer. Remembering everything, Azidahaka ground his teeth.
【Damn it...】
It was infuriating and unjust. Yet no fighting spirit or thirst for vengeance rose within him. Letting out a resigned sigh, Azidahaka forced a bitter smile.
【So empty.】
He couldn't pinpoint where it had all gone wrong. From joining forces with those shady Nebula Klaji bastards? Or from the moment he resolved to surpass Navardoje?
Now, he could barely even recall why he'd wanted to beat Navardoje in the first place. Alibriehe, who had been watching him silently, shrugged.
"More lukewarm reaction than I expected. Giving up?"
【You wouldn't understand. ‘That thing’ isn't something you can beat.】
Even Alibriehe's provoking tone failed to rile him. The despair from back then still weighed him down.
Azidahaka remembered Duaru standing unscathed after taking his full-powered breath to the face. He couldn't see the wound on his own side, but he could easily imagine its horrific state.
His dimming vision signaled how little life he had left. His old friend's words about dying didn't seem like empty talk. After a moment of silence, Alibriehe nodded.
"Fair enough. That's a valid choice too."
Alibriehe didn't rebuke Azidahaka. Stroking his beard, he continued.
"Then how about we reminisce a bit before you go? No point wasting this precious time on pointless regrets or grilling me on why I'm here."
【...Doesn't matter. It's all over anyway.】
"Good thinking."
Azidahaka silently assented. Everything was finished regardless, and the manner of the finale hardly mattered. Alibriehe flashed a faint smile and began his tale.
【Hey. Mage.】
"Y-Yes? Yes?"
【Do you have any idea what that guy's up to?】
Orse asked. The dawn sky was slowly brightening overhead. He was still trapped in the prison conjured by the Dragon King and his minions.
The Dragon King had abandoned him to deal with the suddenly appearing giant. A golden opportunity to escape, but the seal—hardened plants and ores fixed by magic—refused to yield no matter how hard he strained.
Asel was slumped limply in the space between his neck and torso. He wanted to do something, but with his mana fully depleted, he couldn't move a muscle. Turning his head toward Orse's line of sight, he stammered.
"Uh... w-well... Is he looking for something?"
【Looking for something... Yeah, something like that.】
Orse nodded. Their gazes were locked on the giant flying far in the distance. Duaru, who had massacred three figures' worth of dragons in an instant, had ceased his attacks and was slowly circling the skies over Adren.
With the Dragon King's downfall, Adren's resistance had ended. Beneath Duaru's feet sprawled the bisected Sky Tower and the hellscape of Adren. The tower had collapsed like a stump, crushing the city in its path.
Amid the thick smoke and flames billowing everywhere, not a trace of its former splendor remained. The screams and wails of survivors proclaimed that no glory lasts forever. Asel, staring at Duaru, spoke up.
"Why... did he stop attacking?"
【That's exactly what I want to know. Plenty of survivors left.】
Orse furrowed his brow. Resistance had halted, but a fair number of people still lived amid the ruins.
Yet Duaru hadn't launched a single attack since felling the Dragon King. It was the polar opposite of his initial frenzy, where he seemed ready to pulverize even a single rat.
Was he just going to circle around and leave? As they watched the giant with puzzled expressions, Duaru suddenly halted and extended his arm. Shooo... Particles of light began gathering in his grasp once more.
"He's starting again!"
Asel's face drained of color. A spear of light coalesced in his hand in an instant. Before a word could be uttered. BOOM!! The explosion from Duaru swinging his arm toward the ground rocked the earth.
"Hyaaak!"
Asel let out a shrill scream. But the assault didn't end there. Duaru repeatedly hurled light spears at the same spot. BOOM!! KABOOM!! Each thunderous blast sent pillars of light tearing through the clouds.
"N-No more, please...!"
Asel curled up, clamping his hands over his ears. Orse frowned.
【...What the hell?】
He couldn't fathom why Duaru was doing this. The target was just an ordinary forest. No buildings or inhabitants whatsoever.
As he pondered the bizarre actions, feathers suddenly began molting from beneath Duaru's wings. The glowing feathers drifted down gracefully, beautiful like cherry blossoms in the wind.
But it didn't take long to realize they were no ordinary feathers. The moment the first one touched the ground.
Fwaaa... A white radiance rippled from the impact site. From the seething light, like a blast furnace, a giant some three meters tall slowly rose. It resembled a downsized, wingless version of Duaru. Its entire body was cloaked in light, facial features indiscernible.
"Groooar!"
"W-What is that?!"
The giant straightened up and bellowed. Asel flinched, shoulders hunching. More giants rose wherever feathers landed.
A terribly ominous premonition gripped him. In mere minutes, their numbers swelled from dozens to hundreds. Suddenly, leaving Duaru—who was still hurling spears at the same spot—they scattered in all directions.
Most headed toward the city areas teeming with survivors. Soon, agonized screams echoed from those directions.
"Kwaaaagh!"
"What? P-Please, spare... Kyaaak!"
Asel whipped his head toward the sounds and froze solid. The diminutive giants were hunting down survivors one by one.
Their limbs of light kicked, stomped, seized, and tore people apart while still alive.
Crunch! A giant's foot came down on a mother huddled protectively over her child. Seeing the blood erupt like a bursting boil, Asel screamed.
"S-Stop it!!"
His naive assumption that non-resistance might spare lives had been wrong. He had to save them now, but his body wouldn't respond. All his mana had been exhausted in the fight against the Dragon King.
"N-No... No..."
Tears streamed endlessly from Asel's eyes. A storm of horrific fear, despair, and utter helplessness raged within him as he watched powerless.
【Goddamn it. The bastard's completely lost his mind.】
Orse, glancing at Duaru, ground his teeth. He thought he knew what the giant was doing. Asel asked without turning his head.
"Why... why is he...?"
Orse didn't answer immediately. Rumble... The ground shook as if an earthquake had struck. Not the vibration from explosions, but a primal tremor, as if something colossal writhed deep below.
KABOOM! Another light spear plunged down, erupting in a massive blast. The impact site was already a crater like a fallen meteor. Orse groaned before speaking.
【...He's planning to bring down all of Adren. By destroying the levitation stone at the island's core.】