Chapter 189
Chapter 189
Chapter 189
Garganta (1)
Belarumia swallowed dry saliva in that instant.
The chaotic energy gathered above Maria's hand.
A power that could only be seen from an Ancient-grade dragon's breath or from a Magic Dragon that had delved magic to its limits.
Naturally, for Belarumia, a teenage dragon who had just reached around 1,500 years old, it was absolutely a power too difficult to handle.
'What, what are these humans? Are they really human?'
She had felt something extraordinary from how they smashed the outer space monsters that even she had trouble handling a few of, like they were catching earthworms....
'To think there would be humans in this world who even handle chaos....'
After realizing she had almost gone to her grave from acting tough unnecessarily, Belarumia decided to quietly serve Rudian and Maria.
After grasping the location of the Dragon Hive, Rudian made a decision.
"Let's gather all the dragons in a straight line first and head to the Hive."
Probably most of the southern continent's situation wouldn't be different from here.
The outer space monsters that had attacked were something dragons belonging to the Ancient Dragon tier could sufficiently handle.
However, as could be seen from these guys before their eyes, young dragons would fall into crisis in an instant even if just a few attacked.
"Will time be alright?"
"The power of the Dragon Clan elders is stronger than expected. However, the problem is whether they can display their full power in a defensive battle... but it won't go to the worst case."
Rudian spoke to the five dragons including Belarumia.
"You guys follow too. It's still a crisis for your race, so we need to join forces."
Nod, nod!
The five obediently followed Rudian's words. Normally they would have snorted saying something about the great clan, but....
'Scary!'
After seeing Rudian and Maria's overwhelming appearance, they didn't dare act up.
Thus Rudian crossed the southern continent, saving dragons as he saw them and making them join as he headed to the Hive.
"This great body of the great Black clan...."
"Ah, so noisy."
THUNK!
Sometimes there were guys who couldn't get their act together and raised their pride like that, but he just appropriately patted such guys with his fist and then handed them over to other guys.
'The person who just fainted, isn't that Darkest of the Black clan?'
'...That's right. From my memory, I believe he's over 3,000 years old.'
'He knocked out such a person with a fist?'
Even if it was in Polymorph state, to beat down a dragon who had genuinely entered the Wyrm grade!
The dragons who had joined looked at Rudian with fearful eyes.
Even if they wanted to raise their pride, the opponent was no different from a benefactor who had saved them, so they couldn't say anything....
...Honestly, their true feeling was that they didn't want to get hit from arguing.
'Hmm, quite a lot have gathered.'
The number of dragons picked up along the way was slowly exceeding 50.
And by appropriately commanding those dragons to face the monsters, things proceeded quite smoothly.
Of course, that didn't mean there were no sacrifices at all.
"...This is."
Rudian frowned as he looked at the corpse of a Red Dragon that had been torn apart and become food.
Judging by size, it seemed to be around the same age as Belarumia, but rescue had come too late and it seemed to have been eaten by the monsters.
"...Certainly, thinking there would be no damage at all would be arrogance."
No matter how individualistic dragons were, seeing their kin get eaten so miserably before their eyes naturally stirred anger.
Especially when thinking that appearance could have been their own future.
"...Grr!"
He could feel anger spreading among the young dragons.
Seeing such a reaction, Rudian quietly sighed inwardly.
Of course, he had intended this kind of situation, but it didn't feel very good, as if he had become the mastermind behind all these events.
"Let's go, Rudian."
Maria, reading Rudian's heart, lightly pulled his arm and urged him.
"...Yeah."
***
After rushing about 4,000 kilometers, Rudian arrived at the Dragon Hive leading about 80 dragons.
"That's...!"
Rudian bit his lips slightly upon seeing the massive semicircular barrier.
"...A subspace barrier?"
The largest mountain range in the southern continent where the Hive was located.
That place was already surrounded by a massive barrier, making the interior invisible.
-Rudian!
Then, Rudian felt spirit speech calling his name and turned his head.
"Kirchrus?"
At the end of his gaze appeared a hologram of Kirchrus who had polymorphed into human form.
-You've returned. I was quite surprised to hear you suddenly went to outer space.
"Are you currently inside the barrier?"
Kirchrus shook her head.
-No, in this situation I cannot leave the Hall of Heroes. If something happens here, it would be truly serious. However, I am monitoring the situation inside the barrier in real time.
"That's good. According to Belarumia here, the invaders are humans, is that true?"
-Belarumia? Ah... that troublemaker?
FLINCH!
Belarumia's head quickly turned to the side upon receiving Kirchrus's gaze.
-The invaders are not humans. Of course, their appearance is human, but... each and every one of them are powerhouses of demigod level or above.
"Demigod?"
-Calesta called them the fallen ancient gods.
"......!"
Only then did Rudian realize the identity of the invaders.
"Could it be, the Heavenly Restoration Society?"
The starting point of Chapter 4 Mythic War of , and those who possessed the most powerful force among virtually all secret organizations on earth excluding dragons.
Their identity was precisely past gods who had been expelled from the pantheon for various reasons and demoted to mortals, the most vicious beings who schemed on earth aiming for ascension once again.
However, separate from the invaders' identity being the Heavenly Restoration Society....
'No, why are those guys?'
The Heavenly Restoration Society's greatest enemy was none other than Berus, the God of Light who had expelled them.
Even in the actual original work, the Heavenly Restoration Society moved targeting only Berus and his subordinates.
There was no reason to pick a fight with dragons who were docile if left alone....
'No, let's not think deeply.'
They were ones who couldn't be persuaded anyway.
If possible, he should hear what their purpose was, but if the opponent was the Heavenly Restoration Society, hesitating over this and that in the current situation could cause irreversible damage to the dragons.
Rudian asked Kirchrus.
"What happened to the Hatchlings?"
-I evacuated them all with the power of the Blue World. Right now inside that barrier are only the Ancient Dragons and the invaders.
"Good, I'll go join them so please open the door."
At Rudian's words, Kirchrus showed a surprised expression.
-Will it be alright? If it's you two, you would certainly be a great help, but this is strictly a problem of the Dragon race, and whether it's grudge or resentment, it's a problem we must handle.
"You don't need to say it like that. Coming all the way here, what...."
-...Huhu, that's also true. Then I'll ask for your help. I'll take over command of the young dragons you brought.
Kirchrus didn't refuse twice and immediately opened the gate.
That meant the battle inside was proceeding fiercely.
Rudian and Maria entered the subspace interior through the door without delay.
***
As Rudian and Maria headed to the Dragon Hive.
"Phew, fortunately...."
In the administrator's office of the Hall of Heroes, Kirchrus, who had been monitoring the entire situation, finally let out a sigh of relief.
"With those two's power, it should be enough to overturn the tight battle situation."
When the Heavenly Restoration Society first launched a surprise attack on the Dragon Hive, Kirchrus hadn't considered the situation that serious.
The Dragon Hive was a place where at least twenty or more Ancient-grade Ancient Dragons resided permanently.
She thought they could sufficiently repel whoever came.
However, when five Ancient Dragons were killed by the invaders and even the isolation magic circle prepared just in case was activated, only then did she realize the seriousness of the situation.
'...What exactly are the enemies targeting by attacking the Dragon Hive?'
With some breathing room in the situation, Kirchrus finally fell into the same contemplation as Rudian.
'The Dragon Hive is a place solely for the safety of Hatchlings. We haven't placed even a single treasure or divine object there....'
Rather, such things existed in abundance here at the Hall of Heroes.
Things used by ancient heroes, or things prepared for emergencies were stocked in abundance.
Treasures that would cause tremendous bloodshed if each one flowed to the earth.
If those people hadn't attacked with hostility toward the Dragon race itself, they should have targeted this place rather than the Hive.
'But it didn't seem like those people particularly antagonized the Dragon race....'
They had just attacked dryly and calmly as if they had a specific purpose, without the unique hostility and killing intent of those who held grudges.
'Could it be, a diversion?'
Kirchrus's mind sharpened at the possibility, but soon she shook her head and dismissed that assumption.
'No way... would they consume such forces as a diversion to target this place?'
It was absurd.
The forces within this Hall were not inferior at all compared to the Ancient Dragons deployed inside the subspace.
Above all, with Archangel Gabriel standing guard as watcher and protector, it could even be considered superior in certain aspects.
'Anyway, since Rudian has entered, the situation will end soon.'
Kirchrus evaluated Rudian's abilities quite highly.
Although there hadn't been many opportunities to directly confirm his combat power, seeing Maria Kepler, who could be called a great hero, and other hero-level figures of humanity rely on and follow Rudian, she could roughly guess the size of his vessel.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
Then.
"...What, what!"
A massive storm of divine power began to rage inside the Hall of Heroes.
Kirchrus urgently grasped the situation.
"Ma, manifestation? Someone is descending from the heavens?"
A massive pillar of light connected heaven and earth, and someone was descending toward the Hall from within it.
The storm of divine power caused by that aftermath was much rougher and more powerful than when Gabriel had descended in the past.
That meant the rank of the one currently manifesting at the Hall of Heroes was at least a High God or above!
"Co, could it be that one of the Seven Great Gods is descending?"
If the dragons had suffered damage by ancient gods who had fallen to mortals, it wouldn't be strange for the heavens to show movement.
However....
"The response is too quick for that?"
A subtle sense of unease touched Kirchrus's nerves.
Wasn't the heavens precisely the harmony of slow response, ignoring reports, and judgment mistakes?
'Gabriel will handle it, so nothing too serious will happen, but... something feels uneasy.'
Kirchrus began manipulating the screen with a frown.
***
"Welcome."
One of the Archangels protecting the Hall of Heroes, Gabriel, respectfully knelt on one knee toward the superior who had appeared before his eyes.
"......"
The opponent had human form, but wore an inorganic expression that completely lacked the unique dynamism characteristic of humans.
Like a painting, or like a machine... if a non-human were imitating human appearance, it would look exactly like this.
"Although this Hall has laws that allow the members of the pantheon to exercise influence on earth in emergencies...."
Gabriel continued the conversation toward the opponent who remained silent while keeping his head bowed.
"I never expected you to come, especially when you're forbidden from intervening in the lower world."
"......"
Gabriel slowly mentioned the name of the god who had manifested on earth.
"Garganta."