Chapter 134
Chapter 134
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 134
Chapter Title: Chapter 26: The Fallen Demon (4)
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5
Azel immediately opened his eyes.
The explosion had occurred quite a distance away. Taking the point where they had just ascended from underground to the surface as the reference, it was at least two kilometers distant. Yet the vibration from there reached them so clearly, meaning the blast had been incredibly powerful. And it wasn't just once—it kept happening in succession.
Azel spoke.
"It's a dragon."
"How do you know?"
Letitia asked. Azel replied.
"You said there's an earth dragon around here. I can feel it unleashing its power."
Azel's absolute sense, honed by abundant experience fighting dragons, could even from underground identify the source of the power emanating from the surface. Soon, a vibration far more intense than the intermittent ones before transmitted through.
Rumble...!
This time, everyone had no choice but to acknowledge Azel was right. The fierce wave of power made their senses tingle even from underground—the source was unmistakably a dragon's roar.
Azel said.
"A dragon's fighting something. And it's a foe strong enough to draw out its roar..."
No other dragon's presence was felt, so it wasn't dragons fighting each other. Azel focused further, extending his senses, and soon detected a wave of power that was faint compared to the dragon's but still remarkably fierce.
"Looks like a dragon demon or dragon demon hybrid is fighting the dragon. Alone, no less. At this point, I've got a really bad feeling."
"The executives who emerged from the Dark Snowfields are probably performing the Dragon Slaying Ritual."
Letitia said in a cold voice. No other possibility came to mind.
Azel said.
"Seems Balsel's words were spot on. Those bastards must have figured out our movements and tracked us down."
"They spotted us at the border, so it was inevitable."
At Kairen's words, Azel tilted his head.
"Even so, isn't it too fast? Wait—maybe they haven't pinpointed our exact location. They might just be performing the Dragon Slaying Ritual while they're in the area..."
Rumble!
At that moment, a violent tremor like an earthquake engulfed the group. It shook so fiercely the ruins could collapse any second, sending chills down everyone's spine. Being underground, if the ruins caved in, they'd be buried without escape.
Azel ground his teeth.
"Damn! Looks like we've been spotted. They're being blatant about it. Everyone, out now! We'll be buried if we stay!"
"But..."
Yuren looked at Berserk in panic. He still hadn't heard what knowledge had been imparted to Berserk.
Boom!
But there was no time for that. Another massive explosion rocked the surface, sending intense vibrations their way. It was clear the enemies were openly targeting the group underground.
Azel said.
"You all go first. I'll stay and listen."
"Are you insane? Even you won't survive if this place collapses."
In response to Yuren's words, Azel summoned his dragon soul.
—Dragon Spirit Weapon manifest! Cup of Lament!
As the flash dispersed, the Cup of Lament appeared beside Azel. He pointed to it and said.
"With this, no need to worry. Since our position's exposed, the entrance is likely guarded. I'll carve out a detour, so prepare for battle."
Azel immediately used the Cup of Lament's power to create a path of tears. Tear-like distortions gathered in the air and shot straight up, boring a hole through the ceiling. Before the path of spatial distortion, physical walls meant nothing.
"Then I'll go ahead and stir things up."
Letitia said that and kicked off the floor, soaring upward. Kairen followed right after, while Yuren and Laura gave Berserk lingering looks of regret before flying up.
Left alone, Azel approached Berserk and asked.
"No time now, so just the essentials. What are you telling me?"
[To think I've longed for the end all this time... and now that the final moment's here, I feel regret. What an absurd thing.]
Berserk chuckled in his skeletal form. Then he said.
[But I can't miss this chance, so let's end it.]
"No time for beating around the bush. Spit it out."
[Understood. What I'll tell you is...]
Berserk spoke in a voice tinged with bitterness.
[The truth of the demons.]
One of the world's secrets that countless mages throughout history had pondered was about to be unveiled before Azel.
6
Kairen emerged onto the surface via the path of tears and immediately grasped their position. He frowned upon realizing they were over 500 meters from the battlefield where the fierce clash was ongoing.
'Guardian Shadows.'
Dozens of Guardian Shadows were locked in fierce combat with Dragon Demon Worshippers.
Balsel, who had been shadowing the group, must have waited outside and run into the Dragon Demon Worshippers. Kairen didn't know their full forces, but the Guardian Shadows wouldn't let them pass easily.
Kairen said.
"Let's go!"
The group charged toward the battlefield. But then—
A transparent flash shot into the sky from the center of the fray. It wasn't blinding, yet it inexplicably seized the eye. And...
Boom!
An enormous power exploded.
Kairen gasped in shock.
"A dragon's roar?!"
No. The dragon's presence was far off, with no sign of a roar.
Yet the shockwave ripping across the ground was so overwhelming it naturally evoked a dragon's roar. Even from over 300 meters away, the earth flipped entirely, and a ferocious impact battered the barrier Kairen had deployed.
Whoosh!
A gale scattered the thick dust cloud. And from its midst emerged a being radiating terrifying mana waves.
[Not bad at all. I don't know what trick you're using, but to suppress my power this much... it's astounding. My output's barely half.]
It was the voice of an Undying. Hearing that, Kairen was dumbfounded.
'What nonsense is this brag? This is barely half power?'
From the epicenter, the shockwave had spread in a conical blast, uprooting the entire forest. Even a major earthquake wouldn't do this.
But as the dust cleared to reveal the foe, Kairen suddenly thought it might be true.
"No way that's Reygus?"
The 3-meter-tall hulking dragon demon Undying wielded a massive warhammer over 2 meters long, its surface gleaming white. The ominous mana waves pouring from him surpassed even Kairen's. His appearance and actions matched the legendary Dragon Demon General Reygus's Undying perfectly.
Then Reygus's gaze turned to Kairen.
[New guests, eh? The group we came to catch? But no red-haired human in sight?]
Reygus tilted his head. Around him, Guardian Shadows whispered noisily as they rose. His earlier strike with the Dragon Spirit Weapon Manacles of Strife had sent them flying, but few had been destroyed.
[Guardian Shadows really are tough. And this ability suppressing my power... I'm dying to know what it is. If that brat Kallos made it, color me impressed.]
Reygus grumbled discontentedly, glancing aside. There stood Balsel, covered in dust.
Spotting him, Kairen was surprised. Balsel, who had kept his eyes closed until now, had them open. His dark blue irises emitted an eerie aura that chilled even from afar.
'What the...?'
Then flames erupted in the air, engulfing Reygus. He blocked them with the Manacles of Strife and said.
[Lukewarm.]
[Then how about something scorching?]
The responding voice was also an Undying. Kairen spotted a black-robed Undying sorcerer hovering above Balsel, robes flapping. For a moment he thought it was Theta with Lennon, but it was clearly different. And...
Boom!
Someone charged at Reygus like a gale, swinging a massive double-bladed axe. The jet-black axe, infused with powerful magic, was too heavy for any ordinary person to lift. Yet the armored giant warrior swung it with swift motion.
But Reygus blocked it effortlessly. The moment their weapons clashed, a shockwave burst, repelling the attacker.
"Urk!"
[Don't bother. You must've lived off tales of your strength, but no one's ever matched me in raw power, then or now.]
Reygus mocked his foe.
The double-bladed axe wielder was also an Undying. From his armor and weapon's magic, he was undoubtedly one of the Prophecy Guardians' sleepless sentinels. Nearly 2 meters tall and massively built, he looked like a dwarf next to Reygus.
The double-bladed axe Undying said.
[Alpha! What's going on? Why's this guy fine?]
"It's definitely under the influence of my eyes. But it's not fully suppressed."
[...Even with your eyes holding back his power, he's this strong? Impossible.]
"Regrettably, yes. Phi, Rho—team up with the Dragon Sword Duke for a joint assault."
The Undying sorcerer was Alpha, and the double-bladed axe Undying Rho—sleepless guardians bearing codenames.
At those words, Reygus's eye sockets blazed with interest.
[Oh? You're the Dragon Sword Duke? Pleased to meet you. I've wanted to see you at least once.]
"Coming from the legendary Dragon Demon General, that's truly..."
At the same moment, Kairen leaped in. Mid-conversation, he struck at the opening with Flash Step, slashing down with his dragon sword.
"An honor!"
As he finished speaking, his left sword clashed against the warhammer's head, erupting in a boom. The strike, strong enough to shatter a house, was blocked all too easily.
But Kairen didn't falter. This blow was bait from the start. His right sword exploited the gap with precise timing.
[Hmph!]
In that instant, Reygus accelerated. With unbelievable speed for his size, he activated Flash Step, intercepting Kairen's right sword with his armored shoulder before it fully accelerated, then slipped aside. Immediately after, he unleashed a log-like kick.
Boom!
The explosion flipped the surrounding ground entirely. His diagonal kick from high to low slammed the earth, generating a circular shockwave centered on Reygus. It repelled not just Kairen but Letitia, who had circled for a follow-up.
Regaining his stance, Kairen felt a chill. Through the rising dust, Reygus charged. Closing the gap in a Flash Step instant, he swung down his warhammer. A bold attack with a large motion, full of openings. Kairen calmly counterattacked...
Boom!
The boom rang out as he was flung back.
"Keuk!"
His dragon sword nearly shattered from the vibration, and the impact roiled his innards. He hadn't fully offset the clash's force.
'What kind of freak is this delicate yet monstrous?'
The moment Kairen struck the opening, Reygus surged forward a beat faster, deflecting the point. Then his hammer's arc twisted subtly, hitting an unavoidable spot—forcing Kairen to parry attack with attack.
As Kairen barely regained balance, Reygus raised his hammer and bellowed.
[Manacles of Strife! Rage once more!]
Again, a transparent flash shot skyward from him. As it returned, the white warhammer blazed dazzlingly.
In that instant, Kairen sensed the worst. No dodging this. And from the prior power, a half-hearted block would vaporize his defense entirely.
'In that case!'
Kairen abandoned defense, focusing his power. His twin swords glowed white as dragon soul-charged spirit chant resounded.
"Dragon Sword, incinerate this profane darkness!"
His deadly sword strike cleaved the air, spewing a ferocious flash. It coincided almost exactly with Reygus's hammer swing.
Boom!
Everything visible burned white. The mountain-splitting slash clashed with the earth-flipping Dragon Spirit Weapon roar, unleashing an explosion rivaling a dragon's roar that engulfed the surroundings.