Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Hero's Training (5)
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He had a dream.
A dream from the time when the darkness of despair still blanketed the world.
During the height of the Dragon Demon War, the human alliance treated Riglen with utmost caution. He was one of their trump cards, capable of overwhelming most Dragon Demon Hybrids and Dragonkin of the Dragon Demon King's army—not to mention rivaling even the four Dragon Demon Generals. Everyone knew the problems that would arise if he were lost, so they never risked him unless it was a critical moment.
But the Dragon Demon King's forces valued Riglen just as highly.
"...To think they'd set up a trap this elaborate."
Riglen muttered in disbelief.
He was a man of righteous character, but he also possessed the insight to see the big picture. Well aware of his own worth, he had always exercised cold resolve, sparing his life even if it meant shedding tears of guilt.
But he never imagined the Dragon Demon King's army would sacrifice 10,000 troops just to take him down.
"Never thought the day would come when we'd use that man as bait to lure humans."
The speaker was one of the four Dragon Demon Generals, Baltazak, known as "Blood of the Falling Star." He was a Dragonkin youth with flowing golden hair and two horns that looked like ice sculptures painted with color. Unlike his noble appearance, he was a living history book who had lived beyond the lifespan limit of ordinary Dragonkin, wielding power on an entirely different level.
And he wasn't the only exceptional Dragonkin present.
"To think I have to cooperate in an ambush against mere humans... It's so humiliating I might die of rage in my sleep. Consider it an honor."
Another of the four Dragon Demon Generals, Almaric—known as "Sword that Cleaves the Storm"—growled. With his disheveled white hair, fierce red eyes, and sturdy horns like molten rock, he resembled a savage lion in his middle years. Yet he too had lived far beyond the natural span of a Dragonkin.
Baltazak spoke.
"Honor is precious. But... His Majesty has staked even the life of his own child to ensure this human meets his end. We have no choice but to obey."
"I know that, so spare me the lecture, Duke Baltazak."
Almaric snapped back.
Atein's second son, Saibain, had been used as bait to lure Riglen.
Saibain had led an army with high spirits only to suffer a crushing defeat, retreating with his remaining forces while hovering on the brink of death from severe wounds. Riglen had pursued with his troops in a fierce chase.
Who could have guessed that the 10,000 soldiers—and Saibain himself—were all part of a trap to draw Riglen in?
Baltazak said,
"Don't expect reinforcements. Your fortress is already under relentless assault, and Aunsor is keeping the insolent pup Kallos pinned down at his."
"So, three of the Dragon Demon Generals have mobilized just to take me out?"
"Indeed. Feel honored. To kill you, we've abandoned two occupied regions and three fronts where we held the advantage. That is the respect we pay to the one who felled His Majesty's prized disciple."
In the battle before last, Riglen had defeated one of Atein's prized disciples. The brilliant feat of overwhelming him one-on-one—someone no human could match—and delivering a devastating blow to their entire army had chilled the Dragon Demon King's forces to the bone.
Baltazak continued,
"Sir Riglen, you must die here for certain. Before all your men are slain."
"......"
Riglen ground his teeth.
His subordinates were dying all around him. The moment they had entered this basin, the ambushing Dragon Demon King's forces had unleashed a merciless barrage. The pursuit force Riglen led had suffered near-annihilation, as if they didn't care if the gravely wounded Saibain died too.
Riglen shouted,
"You think I'll let you have your way!"
At the same time, he slammed two Dragon Demon Swords into the ground. The earth shook like an earthquake, but astonishingly, the seismic waves erupted outside the basin, completely avoiding his allies.
Kwarrr rumble rumble rumble!
Baltazak gasped in shock at the sight.
"Hah! Impressive!"
The momentum of the Dragon Demon King's forces, who had seized the high ground and rained down attacks, faltered.
Before Riglen could move next, a knight with red hair appeared before him.
Crackle crackle zap!
Baltazak's magic barrier shook violently under the plunging lightning sword. He exclaimed in astonishment.
"What is this, some brat?"
Incredibly, Azel had slipped past layer upon layer of Baltazak's detection spells and launched a surprise attack. Having just completed the Dragon Slaying Ritual for the first time to gain Dragon Demon mana, Azel unleashed a ferocious aura and struck like a storm.
Kwarrr rumble rumble rumble!
Baltazak was pushed back, barrier intact. At the same moment, Azel's doppelganger appeared and lunged at Almaric.
"A doppelganger with physical form... A human using Incarnation?"
Almaric was stunned. Not only did it have substance, but for a short time, it matched the main body's combat power—an ultimate technique of Dragon Spirit Arts known as Incarnation.
Azel yelled,
"Master! Get out of here, now!"
"Azel!"
"I can't hold out much longer, damn it! You can't die in a place like this! Go!"
Azel had already sustained heavy injuries while saving his comrades amid the brutal bombardment.
With that body, he had broken through the Dragon Demon King's army to rescue Riglen. His heart pounded wildly as mana far exceeding his vessel's capacity surged like a storm. For anyone else, it would have been a runaway overload leading to self-destruction, but Azel controlled it like a bucking stallion, unleashing a frenzy on the two Dragon Demon Generals.
"This... brat! How dare you!"
Caught off-guard and shoved back dozens of meters, Baltazak flew into a rage. He repaired his tattered barrier while unleashing a storm of spells.
Azel ignored it.
Crack!
Blood sprayed from Baltazak's shoulder. His arm was half-severed, ragged and torn, his face twisting in agony.
"Graaaah!"
Azel had maximized his body's defenses, tanking the exploding spells at close range to land the blow. Spitting blood, he roared,
"You cowards who dig traps just to fight my master fairly! You think these ticklish spells can stop me!"
Drenched in blood, Azel pressed the assault. His life-or-death fury put Baltazak in real danger.
But his opponents numbered more than one.
Boom!
An explosion rang out, sending Azel flying. Almaric, having dispatched the doppelganger, had struck from the side.
"To think there was a pest like this. Our intelligence division must all be blind."
"I don't care. Die, you filthy scum."
Azel gritted his teeth and burned his remaining strength.
His body was at its limit. Even lifting his sword was a struggle. Blood loss clouded his mind, muscles screamed, and his wounded organs begged for mercy.
But there was no escape. Against two of the Dragon Demon King's strongest—the Dragon Demon Generals—he had to burn every ounce of his immature power.
'Hahaha. As a final stage, this is perfect, isn't it?'
For Riglen's sake, he would gladly do it. Riglen was a hero. In this turmoil, he was the beacon who must not die.
That was when it happened.
"Azel."
Riglen's voice reached him. He had placed a hand on Azel's shoulder.
Staring blankly, Azel snapped in anger.
"What are you doing! Run!"
"Regrettably, I'm not the one who gets to escape."
Riglen raised his twin swords as he spoke. The moment he released his hand, Azel felt a dizzying weakness.
'No way...'
Riglen had subdued him. Smiling at the collapsing Azel, Riglen said,
"You're the one who must live."
'What nonsense...'
Azel wanted to curse him out. But he couldn't. Someone had caught his falling body.
"I'll leave the rest to you, Lugen."
"Does it have to be this way, Sir Riglen?"
The Dragonkin Lugen asked. Riglen replied,
"I just confirmed it. If there's anyone I can entrust the future to, it's that boy. I can't let a man like that die trying to save a burned-out husk like me, can I?"
'You're insane, Riglen... Lugen, don't listen to this crap...'
Azel clung desperately to his fading consciousness.
It was absurd. He was just a guy who swung a sword a bit better than most, charging like a thunderbolt. He didn't know what to do or how—just fought the enemies in front of him, over and over.
But Riglen was different. He knew what needed to be done to end this dark age and led people accordingly. Because Riglen showed the way, Azel had found a meaningful place.
And now, that man was trying to die for him.
The intent was painfully clear. Riglen hadn't just stopped Azel—he had calmed the mana rampaging on the razor's edge and infused him with the power to preserve his life.
A Dragon Demon Sword.
When facing the Dragon Demon Generals, one of Riglen's twin swords wasn't a Dragon Demon Sword. He had passed it to Azel, turning it into a life-support device. In that brief moment, it was the only way he could save him.
To waste that power fighting two Dragon Demon Generals like this!
'Ah...'
His consciousness flickered. The intermittent noises around him made Azel want to vomit.
"Lugen..."
A horribly rasped voice escaped him.
Lugen held him close, leaping across the battlefield. He dodged raining arrows and spells, even taking hits on his back to protect Azel.
"Don't... Go back... Save master..."
At those words, Lugen bellowed in a choked voice.
"Shut up!"
Even amid the din of battle, his voice hit Azel's eardrums like thunder.
Bloodied from taking blows meant for Azel, he roared.
"Don't act like a child, you human whelp. A man of his stature entrusted the future to you. No matter how filthy it feels, live and become a hero. Otherwise, I'll despise you."
"......"
"I don't know if you're worthy. But... prove his judgment right. Got it?"
In the end, Lugen escaped the battlefield with Azel.
And Riglen, left in the trap, inflicted deep wounds on the two Dragon Demon Generals before perishing. It would be two years later—after Azel forged his own Dragon Demon Sword—that he could wield the one Riglen had given him.