Chapter 78
Chapter 78
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Those Targeting the King's Blood (4)
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78
Chapter 16
Those Targeting the King's Blood (4)
6
But he soon learned what those words meant after arriving in the Baden Earldom.
Kaaaaaaaah!
An overwhelming roar echoed across dozens of kilometers. Lightning followed, illuminating the dark sky in a blaze of light. A few seconds later, thunder rumbled deafeningly to where Azel and Kairen stood.
Kairen looked stunned.
"A dragon's roar?"
This terrifying roar and the massive destruction that followed only occurred when a dragon unleashed its "Dragon's Roar," exploding with its full power. Azel said,
"It's a Thunder Dragon. And..."
Grooooaaar!
Another dragon's roar shook the air. They couldn't see what was happening beyond the mountains, but they sensed an enormous burst of power.
"What are those two dragons doing?"
"We'll know when we get there, but somehow..."
Azel resumed running as he spoke.
"It feels like they're fighting?"
"Fighting each other? In a place this close to human territory?"
Dragons' territories were generally in remote, treacherous areas humans rarely reached. So when they fought among themselves, humans might hear the sounds and cower in fear, but they rarely suffered direct harm from the aftermath.
However, as the two approached a spot where Baden Castle came into view, their fears were confirmed.
"Damn it."
Azel's face twisted in anger.
Baden Castle was half-collapsed, smoke rising from the ruins, and the surrounding villages lay shattered as if swept by a storm. The dragons had clearly descended from the mountains, fought a fierce battle here, and then retreated back up while continuing their clash.
Rumble! Kabooma!
Explosions boomed from afar, accompanied by lightning strikes.
A fierce blizzard swirled in the clear autumn night sky, freezing part of the mountain white, while countless ice chunks flew like siege boulders, pummeling the slopes.
Azel ignored it and headed for the village. Amid the devastation, people were frantically moving about.
"Those damned beasts."
Azel ground his teeth. Children's cries, the groans of the injured, the wails of those who had lost family—it was utter hell.
Knights were bustling about in the chaos. Kairen grabbed one and asked,
"Any survivors from the royal knights who came with Prince Seiga?"
Soon, they met Perlman, an old knight wrapped in blood-soaked bandages. He had been busily directing rescue efforts for the villagers when he spotted Kairen and bowed.
"Duke Dragon Sword, you've come! It's an honor to see you again..."
"Don't waste time and energy on pointless formalities with that body of yours. Time is critical—give me a brief report on the situation. Only the essentials."
"Yes, sir."
As a veteran royal knight, Perlman had fought alongside Kairen several times and knew his temperament well. He quickly relayed the prepared information.
Prince Seiga Bail Lurein was missing. They had lost contact during reconnaissance, and without any warning, a band of bandits led by mutant orcs ambushed them. Mixed in were numerous monsters and even mages—they hadn't detected their approach at all, suffering a surprise attack that cost them seventy percent of their forces before barely escaping.
"Those mutant orcs were truly monstrous."
"How monstrous?"
"They reminded me of Dakhan. Not quite as strong, but even when several of our knights ganged up on them, they couldn't gain the upper hand."
"Hmm."
"The mages were skilled too. But no matter what, approaching without any sign whatsoever is just..."
"I have an idea about that issue, so that's fine."
"Pardon?"
"This isn't the time to satisfy your curiosity. And then?"
Perlman had rallied the surviving troops and retreated to the earl's castle. He immediately used the castle's communication magic tool to inform the royals, reorganized the forces, and planned to search for Seiga. Sending battered troops into the mountains where the mutant orc-led bandits were still active was reckless, but they couldn't sit idle with Seiga lost.
Before they could ascend, however, thunder crashed, the mountains shook, and the dragons' battle began.
"So they appeared nearby, started fighting each other, and swept into the village just like that."
Kairen groaned. He couldn't grasp what was happening at all.
It was then.
"I can give you a more precise rundown of the situation, if you'd like?"
A carefree voice cut in, utterly out of place amid the horror.
A boy approached with an expression as if the surrounding devastation didn't register at all. A blond, curly-haired boy of thirteen or fourteen with blue eyes—Lennon, the Prophecy Guardian of the Guardian Shadows.
Azel's face darkened.
"You..."
Lennon gave an awkward smile at the hostility directed his way.
"Don't glare like that—it's scary."
"Think I can help it?"
"Well, I get why you'd be pissed. But don't we have more important things right now?"
Azel clicked his tongue. It was true he had a debt to settle with Lennon—or rather, the undead Zeta he had summoned—but now wasn't the time to dwell on it. As Azel withdrew the oppressive aura pressing down on him, Kairen said,
"Why are you here?"
"There are two answers to that. First, I haven't been far from you, Sir Azel, this whole time."
"So you've been stalking me. And the other?"
"After those from the Dark Snowfields tried to abduct the Dragon Princess, the Dragon Demon Queen requested we assign Guardian Shadows to protect you two. That's how we learned of this incident so quickly."
"That's one measure I approve of. Now explain the situation. Concisely."
"A Dragon Demon from the Dark Snowfields took Prince Seiga and vanished."
"So it was the Dragon Demon Worshippers after all."
Kairen ground his teeth.
Azel asked,
"What's your basis for saying Dark Snowfields?"
"We've clashed with him a few times—a big shot. Or rather, his successor, I suppose?"
"A big shot?"
"The Cup that Holds Heaven's Tears."
"You mean Aunsor?"
Kairen asked.
Aunsor.
One of the four Dragon Demon Generals under the Dragon Demon King during the Dragon Emperor War.
Records described him gathering all light in the heavens to himself, wielding terrifying power. Hence his moniker: the Cup that Holds Heaven's Tears.
Kairen frowned.
"You're not saying he's still alive, are you? He died to Archmage Kallos during the Dragon Emperor War."
"And his heir who inherited his power died by our hands too."
"What?"
"It was just seven years ago. We took massive losses in that fight."
"Then who kidnapped Seiga?"
"The heir's heir... third-generation Aunsor, I suppose. The Guardian Shadows have tangled with him a few times too. He wields this insane magic tool called the Cup of Lament..."
"It's not a magic tool."
Azel cut Lennon off. As Lennon tilted his head questioningly, Azel continued grimly,
"It's a Dragon Demon Armament."
"A Dragon Demon Armament?"
"No time to explain. What else?"
"The descendant of Aunsor used that Cup of Lament to make Prince Seiga vanish with him. It's happened before—he can create isolated spaces. And he can move while leaving only the faintest traces."
"The Labyrinth of Lament."
"What's that?"
"Look it up yourself. So the Guardian Shadows called it the 'Tears'—that's what they meant. How long has the prince been isolated in there?"
"Seven hours."
At that, Azel turned to Kairen.
"How does the prince's strength compare to the princess's?"
"Arietta's better technically, Seiga's stronger in raw power. Overall abilities are about even."
"Hmm..."
"Why ask?"
"To gauge the prince's situation. He was likely subdued and captured by the enemy."
"You're certain Seiga lost?"
"That Dragon Demon woman Niberis from last time toyed with Princess Arietta completely. I doubt this Aunsor descendant is any weaker. Plus, manifesting the Labyrinth of Lament..."
"What's this Labyrinth of Lament?"
"It creates a space isolated from the outside, overwhelmingly favoring the Cup of Lament's user. The prince was doomed the moment the enemy revealed a Dragon Demon Armament. We owe the Guardian Shadows—they noticed the Cup's traces and kept pursuit without letting them escape, or he'd be beyond tracking by now."
Azel clicked his tongue. Memories of fighting Aunsor in the Dragon Emperor War were still vivid. Kallos had called the Cup of Lament a "bad joke" of a Dragon Demon Armament for its absurd abilities—a weapon of the highest danger rating among them.
Azel asked,
"You can guide us there, right?"
"Of course."
"But first, don't you have more to say?"
"The dragons?"
"Yeah."
"We called them."
"What?"
Azel and Kairen were stunned by Lennon's nonchalant reply. Lennon continued,
"To be precise, one of our comrades called the Frost Dragon. We had originally contracted it to fight you, Sir Azel, but didn't expect to use it this way."
"What the hell does that mean?"
"I'm not the only Prophecy Guardian."
"Not those filthy undead, I hope."
"No. They don't make decisions. Anyway, we all have our own agendas—one wanted to test you and gathered dragons for it."
"..."
"In the end, the enemies had a Thunder Dragon hidden deep in these mountains as backup, so they ended up fighting each other."
"Kh..."
Azel couldn't hold back any longer and grabbed Lennon's collar, hoisting him up. Lennon flailed.
"Gah, that hurts."
"Do you even realize what you've done? Look at this carnage!"
Azel raged like fire. But Lennon neither cowered nor showed fear—he just flailed in frustration.
The next instant, Azel sensed sharp killing intent and dodged sideways.
Whoosh!
Black energy erupted from Lennon's shadow. A pitch-black blade shot out, forcing Azel back and catching the falling, off-balance Lennon.
[I'd prefer to avoid such trouble.]
A skeletal knight in dull metal armor etched with ominous crimson lines—Zeta. Seeing him, flames sparked in Azel's eyes.
"You bastard!"
"Ow, so violent. That was close."
Lennon rubbed his neck, grumbling, then hid behind Zeta and spoke to Azel.
"I get why you're mad, but I didn't do it. I didn't summon the Frost Dragon or make it fight the Thunder Dragon the Dragon Demon Worshippers called."
"Spare me the excuses—they're all the same!"
"Sigh."
Lennon sighed and shook his head.
"Anyway, just the essentials: Head to the mountain entrance, and the Guardian Shadows will guide you to the prince. Hurry—you never know when his trail might vanish."
"..."
Azel ground his teeth, glaring at Zeta and the cowering Lennon behind him. He wanted to smash Zeta here and kill Lennon too.
Kairen placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I understand completely, but save it for later."
"...Very well."
Azel and Kairen turned and raced toward the mountain entrance like a gale.
Feeling eyes on them, Lennon cast a spell to conceal himself and Zeta. As they slipped out of the village, Zeta said,
[Impressive.]
"Hm? What?"
[That man is worth watching, as expected.]
Intense light gleamed from the skeleton's eye sockets.