Ending Maker Chapter 111
Ending Maker Chapter 111
Chapter 40 - The Snow Queen #2
The Mad Dragon Yalabaska.
A powerful being that appeared as one of the Seven Calamities throughout the mid-to-late game of Hero Legend 2.
'Its other nickname was the PC Killer.'
The Seven Calamities were not called calamities for nothing.
Each of them caused immense damage to Pleiades, the setting of Hero Legend, and Yalabaska was especially infamous for killing PCs—that is, playable characters.
'If you played as Red Wind, at minimum Kirara died. If you played as Kirara, at minimum Red Wind died.'
And if you played as a Playable Character who wasn't from the Wild Lands at all, there was a high probability of losing both Red Wind and Kirara at once.
Depending on how events unfolded, even more playable characters could die, making it particularly notorious even among the Seven Calamities.
'Of course, there were worse ones too.'
In the original work, nothing was properly revealed about Yalabaska's origins.
Only that it was an ice-attribute dragon that descended from the north one day.
"So it was created here, is that it?"
A legacy of the Magic Kingdom of Magellan.
An existence born when the false Spirit King, the Snow Queen, and her Guardian became one.
"We have to catch it before it grows."
Before the Spirit King and Guardian became one and turned into the Mad Dragon.
Before it was reborn as one of the Seven Calamities.
"We're going to save Red Wind."
Just as they had saved Lucas by defeating Minos, a low-ranking Demonic Human of the Devil's Hand, they would stop one of the Seven Calamities right here and now to save Red Wind.
Cordelia, who was especially fond of Red Wind, bared her fangs as she spoke, and Yuder nodded.
'If we can stop it here, it'll mean a lot.'
It wasn't simply a matter of the Playable Characters.
The very existence of Yalabaska, one of the Seven Calamities, could distort the world's political landscape itself.
'The Argon Empire will gain breathing room.'
The Argon Empire was hostile to the Saelun Kingdom, but it was still a nation of humans.
If the Mad Dragon Yalabaska vanished and the empire's west remained intact, the great calamities to come and their aftermath would also change.
"For a perfect happy ending."
Yuder murmured it quietly like an incantation, then turned to look at Cordelia.
Wearing a white combat suit similar in design to the one Melissa wore, she let out a soft breath and repeatedly clenched and unclenched her fists.
Judging by her flushed face, she seemed quite tense.
"Nervous?"
"I'm nervous. It's Yalabaska."
It wasn't one of the Seven Calamities for nothing.
In the original work, an entire army had been mobilized just to hunt Yalabaska.
"Looking at its specs alone, it's still manageable."
It wasn't Yalabaska yet.
Judging by the Guardian's specs alone, it wasn't beyond their ability to handle.
"But Yuder."
"Yeah?"
"Did you get taller?"
Cordelia looked up at Yuder, who was wearing a white combat suit just like hers, and spoke.
Not long ago he had definitely been in the mid-170s, but now wasn't he in the upper 170s?
Only by a little, but Cordelia had definitely been taller before. Now it had reversed, and the difference was more than 10 centimeters.
"Oh, I just didn't say anything, but my knees and calves and everything hurt like crazy."
After all, he had grown more than 10 centimeters in just a couple of months.
"Does it still hurt?"
"Yeah."
At this rate, he'd probably keep shooting up and reach at least the mid-180s.
At Yuder's answer, Cordelia narrowed her eyes and looked Yuder up and down as if appraising him.
"Hmm, it looks good."
It wasn't just that he'd shot up in height—his body had improved too.
Since the combat suit revealed his physique clearly, the current Yuder could easily be mistaken for a Greek statue.
"Hm hm."
A strange sense of pride.
Yuder was having much the same thought as he looked at Cordelia.
"But Yuder."
"Yeah."
"That... you won't get any bigger, right?"
Like Landius, for example.
"N-no way."
Landius had said it wouldn't get to that point.
"Hmm... but what if you don't reach 2 meters 30, but you do grow to 2 meters 10..."
Trailing off, Cordelia raised her gaze slightly and imagined a two-meter-tall Yuder.
"That might be a little gross..."
She said it quietly as if talking to herself, but since he was right next to her, there was no way he couldn't hear.
Yuder flinched and, for the first time in his life, found himself wishing he wouldn't grow taller.
'To think I'd ever make a wish like this.'
Wasn't it on the same level as wishing to go bald?
In any case, Yuder had a trivial yet significant worry, and thanks to that, both of them were able to relax.
"Anyway, shall we go?"
"I'll take the front line, so I leave the rear line to you, my lady."
"Ooh, you're taking the front line now, are you?"
"How could I ever put you on the front line, my lady?"
Yuder, who had spoken theatrically, pressed the button and opened the elevator door.
A wide and silent place.
The Snow Queen's core located in the center, and the Guardian standing guard before it.
"Dragon attribute, holy attribute."
"It receives a constant supply of power from the field. Effectively infinite MP."
"Breath weapon. The jewel on its forehead glows right before it uses it."
"It uses Dragon Fear."
"As auxiliary weapons, two Living Swords and two Shields each."
This was the information Melissa had given them about the Guardian.
"Haste, Strength."
Double casting.
Cordelia cast support magic on herself and Yuder. At the same time, Yuder tore a scroll.
"Eye of the Tiger, Warrior Spirit, Heart of the Dragon."
Enhanced dynamic vision, enhanced spiritual power, enhanced mental defense.
The support magics enveloped the two of them, and at the same time, light rose from the magic orbs each of them wore.
The ones they had received from the Wild Fairy Queen and the new ones they had received from Melissa.
"Witchification."
Cordelia's hair was dyed black.
The magic tools covering her body glowed red, further strengthening Cordelia's magic.
"I'll handle the damage."
It was difficult to gain an elemental advantage over a Guardian with both dragon and holy attributes. They would have to overpower it with sheer firepower.
Cordelia focused her magical power into Moonlight and stared straight ahead. Yuder stepped forward and spoke.
"I'll handle the tanking."
Yuder himself would be the anvil, and Cordelia would be the hammer.
The two of them stepped out of the elevator. Then the Guardian, which had been crouching far away, raised its head.
A blue gleam flared in the dragon-like creature's eyes, and blue energy spread across its white body.
And one more thing.
The floor began to glow.
The power of the Dragon Vein began to surge up from below.
Yuder drew a deep breath. He opened the power of the Third Gate and raised a golden whirlwind.
"I'll protect you."
Yuder spoke, and Cordelia smiled faintly. Instead of scolding him, she kicked off the ground.
"Let's go."
Boom!
Yuder shot forward. The Guardian hurriedly rose to its feet, and Yuder's fist—a black cross—slammed into it!
Boom!
Strike first to win.
At the moment the black cross shattered upon colliding with the Guardian, Cordelia's eyes flashed. First, to chip away at the Guardian's high magic defense, she chanted witch's curses in rapid succession.
Curse, curse, curse, curse!
Echoes of the spell and double casting.
Violet curses flew at the Guardian in succession. And at that moment, the Guardian let out a roar.
From the floor and ceiling, massive Living Swords and Living Shields easily three meters long burst forth and performed their respective roles.
"ROAR!"
The Guardian's roar was like a lion's roar. It surged toward Yuder, and Yuder stomped the ground hard, sending out a counter-wave.
At the same time he canceled out the lion's roar, he saw the Living Swords rushing at him. He calculated their trajectories and threw his body without hesitation.
CLANG-CLANG-CLANG!
He couldn't dodge them completely. Yuder used the gauntlets on his arms to deflect the Living Swords' blades. Rather than waste attacks on the wall-like Living Shield blocking his path, he soared upward with the black wind.
WHOOSH!
He leaped over the wall, over the Living Shield. His eyes met the Guardian's, and at that moment, the creature opened its mouth.
BOOOOM!
Breath weapon.
He had predicted it. That was why he kicked off the edge of the Living Shield to gain momentum.
He threw his body to dodge the pillar of light that erupted from the Guardian's mouth, and the moment he landed on the floor, he rolled and rose. He kicked the Living Shield in front of him and shoved it away.
"Cordel!"
She answered his shout. The dozens of magic missiles Cordelia fired surged into the space Yuder had secured as if being sucked in. They delivered a storm-like barrage to the Guardian.
"GRAAAH!"
The creature was pushed back. Instead of chasing the Guardian, Yuder kicked away the Living Sword that was heading toward Cordelia. He fired a fist wind and pushed back the remaining one as well.
"Aaaah!"
Cordelia unleashed a witch's scream.
The ear-splitting shriek shook the entire space, and for a brief moment, it sealed the movements of the Living Swords and Shields.
"Hah!"
And Yuder unleashed Black Dragon Cross Strike in succession. Reversing and spinning, he poured out a barrage, and as many as five black crosses struck the Guardian in a row.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Light burst with a thunderous roar. And then Yuder realized. Cordelia sensed it intuitively.
It was blocked.
And it stayed that way. The barrier of light spread before the Guardian blocked all of Yuder's Black Dragon Cross Strikes.
Normally, this was impossible.
But it had happened, and Yuder understood why. Cordelia, as always, arrived at the same answer intuitively.
'The power of the Dragon Vein!'
It was stronger than expected.
Using the power of the Dragon Vein constantly supplied through the ground, the Guardian maintained the barrier of light that should have shattered.
Moreover, that wasn't all. The Guardian had taken considerable damage from Cordelia's barrage, yet now it was perfectly fine. It had even regenerated entirely thanks to the Dragon Vein's power.
FWOOSH!
The barrier of light shattered. The Living Swords and Shields gathered at the Guardian's side, and the Guardian growled as it stared at Yuder and Cordelia. Beneath the creature's feet, blue light flickered like lightning.
'We can't catch it like this.'
Cordelia was certain. The recovery rate through the Dragon Vein exceeded expectations. They had to find another strategy.
'Should we lift it into the air and take it down?'
Cut off its connection to the ground.
Damage it while it's suspended in the air.
Then what she needed to consider was telekinesis.
Cordelia herself would lift the creature, and Yuder would finish off the Guardian.
Would it really be possible?
Could Cordelia hold out while Yuder poured out that level of attacks?
Would she even be able to lift the creature?
Cordelia didn't think—she felt. That was why she was eventually able to pull herself out of that state of total focus.
Without realizing it, she looked to the side.
And witnessed a strange sight.
"Yuder?"
Yuder had consumed a considerable amount of ki from the start of the battle until now.
But he was perfectly fine.
No, he actually looked to be in better condition than before the fight.
And the decisive detail.
The blue lightning flickering near the soles of Yuder's feet.
Another situation she hadn't predicted.
"Wow."
Yuder said.
Cordelia sensed it in that instant.
Yuder, too, could absorb the power of the ground.
But how?
"Dragon Fighting Spirit."
Yuder and Cordelia said at the same time.
What was surging up from the ground was the Dragon Vein's power that had been processed once.
Dragon power had been added to it so that only the dragon-attribute Guardian and the Snow Queen could absorb it.
The power of life.
The energy of the dragon.
Cordelia couldn't absorb it. But Yuder was different.
Because Yuder had the dragon's mark.
Because Yuder, too, could wield Dragon Fighting Spirit.
And what that meant.
BOOM!
Yuder suddenly unleashed Black Dragon Cross Strike in succession. Right after briefly overwhelming the Guardian, he retreated with Cordelia and shouted.
"We have a chance!"
It wasn't just the Guardian. Yuder, too, could receive the power of the ground.
Then how should they use this situation?
Exchange attacks until one side collapsed?
That was certainly one method.
But it was too crude, and there was a better way.
That method.
"Protect me."
Yuder said.
It was an extremely short statement, but the two of them were skilled at communicating through their eyes. Cordelia understood exactly what Yuder was asking.
"Fuck, you crazy bastard."
A curse slipped out for the first time in a while. And she was freshly reminded that the person before her was Outboxer.
A truly crazy bastard.
Which was why he had been able to hold onto first place.
"ROAAAR!"
The Guardian roared. Its breath weapon came pouring at them, and the Living Swords followed a beat later.
FWOOSH!
Yuder and Cordelia threw themselves to either side. The breath weapon passed between them, struck the wall, and was absorbed into it. Cordelia used telekinesis on the Living Swords bearing down on them without mercy.
"Aaaah!"
Boom! Boom!
The Living Swords were driven into the ground. Instead of launching additional attacks, Yuder ran toward the elevator, and Cordelia positioned herself in front of the Guardian as if shielding Yuder.
Protect me.
"Fuck!"
It seemed she was still far from graduating from the front line.
Cordelia became a wall to protect Yuder, and Yuder, who had fled far away, immediately composed himself.
Despite being in the middle of battle, he became defenseless and focused his entire consciousness on the power of the ground.
What Yuder was trying to do.
The reason Cordelia had cursed him as a crazy bastard!
"AAAAAAH!"
Cordelia cursed and fired magic wildly.
She substituted defense with offense and bought time.
To completely draw its attention, she bravely charged at the Guardian.
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
The Living Swords sliced through the empty air. Cordelia dodged the blades of the Living Swords as if dancing, then right in front of the Guardian, she urgently kicked off the ground and withdrew.
Her goal was solely to draw its attention and buy time.
"ROAR!"
The Guardian's roar surged toward Cordelia. A wave that shook the atmosphere pressed in, and Cordelia swung the Sword of Calamite and cut through space.
After splitting the wave itself to create an opening, she cast her gaze. She bound the Living Sword flying toward Yuder with the Evil Eye of Paralysis.
"Ugh!"
It was hard. Bloody tears flowed from her eyes, and her head throbbed. Blood trickled from her nose.
But it wasn't over yet.
A golden whirlwind covered Yuder's entire body, and Cordelia turned around.
A truly crazy bastard.
What the hell was he doing in the middle of a fight?
But Cordelia knew.
That this was the best option.
And the Guardian, too, had noticed.
That Cordelia's actions were focused more on protecting Yuder than on attacking it.
"ROAR!"
When the creature roared, the Living Swords and Shields charged toward Yuder. Not stopping there, the creature itself kicked off the ground and leaped.
The space was wide, but it was only a few dozen meters in diameter.
Cordelia gritted her teeth. Blocking all five at once forced her to push herself past her limits again and again.
"Stoooop!"
The Evil Eye of Paralysis.
Until now, she hadn't targeted a specific object. She targeted her entire field of vision.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Living Swords and Shields didn't just stop—they fell to the floor. The Guardian, too, collapsed to the ground in its leaping posture.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
Her eyes felt like they were burning away.
Her vision began to turn white, and Cordelia sensed it. She couldn't see. In just over a second, Cordelia herself would lose her sight.
It wasn't permanent. But at the very least, it would be difficult to recover within this battle.
So Cordelia looked at the thing she most needed to see.
She swallowed the pain and screamed. Even then, she kicked off the ground.
"AAAAH!"
Right in front of Yuder.
Cordelia remembered the trajectory she had seen at the last moment. Feeling it with her entire body, she stretched both arms forward and exerted telekinesis.
She blocked the Living Shields that were trying to crush Yuder.
"Aaaah!"
She swung both arms wide and hurled them away. She couldn't see, but she sensed. She squeezed out all her remaining magical power to create dozens of magic missiles and stirred up a storm.
FWOOOOOSH!
The magic missiles swirled around Yuder and Cordelia at the center. The Guardian didn't dare leap in, and instead, the Living Swords that flew in were struck by the magic missiles and bounced away.
One second passed, then two.
Sweat poured from her entire body like rain.
She couldn't properly feel the flow of time.
But Cordelia never collapsed. She stood firm before Yuder and maintained the vortex of magic missiles.
Like that, another ten-odd seconds passed.
At last, the final magic missile shattered.
The vortex no longer existed.
The Living Swords and Shields, too, were dented and broken here and there and couldn't properly rise, but they weren't the main issue anyway.
The one that had been waiting.
The Guardian had been gathering power while the Living Swords and Shields relentlessly battered the vortex.
The Guardian opened its mouth wide.
The moment the vortex vanished, it fired its breath weapon.
Cordelia raised her head.
Toward the oncoming breath weapon, she weakly raised her trembling hand.
And then, collision.
Shattering light.
A thunderous roar that shook the space.
Cordelia smiled.
She couldn't see, but she could tell.
She could feel it.
The firm arm wrapped around her waist.
An immense force held back the Guardian's breath weapon just inches from her face.
Yuder was reaching out his hand.
With one arm wrapped around Cordelia's waist, he was blocking the breath weapon with the powerful energy of the black dragon.
The method Yuder had chosen.
What Yuder had accomplished during the time Cordelia had bought him.
'Did you open it? If you didn't, I'm gonna be pissed.'
With eyes that looked empty, Cordelia asked Yuder, and Yuder nodded.
He pulled Cordelia's waist tighter and clenched his fist.
The ancient elixir.
Added to that was the energy of the Dragon Vein.
Pure Dragon Fighting Spirit.
Gathering all of it, he had finally forced open a new gate.
Yuder didn't explain it in words. He showed her. He made Cordelia feel it.
Nine Heavens Nine Gates, the Fourth Gate.
Black Dragon Roar.
From the fist Yuder thrust forward, four black dragons surged forth.
With a fierce roar, they shattered the pillar of light.