Chapter 123
Chapter 123
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: Greedy Dragon Aranbalon (4)
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"No! What is this!"
Delaila, who had been watching the Giant Dragon's appearance, shouted in excitement.
It was a tone unlike her usual calm demeanor.
"A dragon? A dragon?"
She turned to the magic swordsman.
"Ryuka. You definitely summoned a dragon, right? My eyes aren't playing tricks on me, are they?"
"Lady Delaila."
Ryuka replied.
"I don't even know the true nature of the dungeon you're creating. Asking me won't get you anywhere."
"Ha, that's ridiculous. It's already strange that a non-ranker is summoning a dragon... Dragons aren't the kind of beings that come just because a human calls them in the first place. That Joo Dong-hoon guy. How is this even possible...?"
Delaila pressed her palms to both temples.
"Hoo, no wonder... He spoke with such confidence. Ryuka, do you have any idea how unbelievable this is?"
"......"
No, seriously.
I told you I don't know?
That was the look Ryuka gave her, and she soon cleared her throat awkwardly.
"Ahem, dragons are selfish and greedy beings. They're also like wild beasts."
"Wild beasts... you say?"
"Yes."
Delaila nodded.
"You see it with wild beasts, right? They have their own territory, and any predator that invades it gets crushed! They don't care if it's kin or whatever. That's why there's only ever one dragon per world. And that's not all. Their pride is sky-high. They're pure wild at heart. Utterly uncontrollable...!"
Her cheeks flushed slightly with excitement.
She even stuttered a bit.
"Could Joo Dong-hoon have known about these traits of dragons?"
"......"
"If that's the case, then how?"
Delaila's eyes darkened deeply.
Her unique ability was to observe worlds of all kinds and temporarily connect them.
At the same time, she could 'dungeonize' them.
She could set 'missions.'
And based on the 'difficulty' of those missions, she could provide rewards according to 'plausibility.'
Of course, the process wasn't easy.
Because every world had those who interfered with 'dungeonization.'
Dragons were one such group.
- Hm?
- Someone's invading my territory?
- Who are you? Where did you come from, and what's your purpose here?
The reason she could provide Theme 2's location to participants was.
Entirely thanks to her contract with Aranbalon.
- Hm, another world, huh.
- Fine.
- As long as I deal with the humans who come here, I get to claim the souls of those greedy humans, right?
It was a no-lose contract for Aranbalon.
The effort required was truly minimal.
There was the constraint of ignoring humans who didn't indulge in greed.
But that wasn't a big loss, was it?
He didn't see any reason to refuse regular deliveries of prey.
"......"
Delaila, lost briefly in recollection, opened her eyes.
'He said he'd caught a dragon before.'
Joo Dong-hoon had definitely said it.
And that he could pull it off.
'If it's in this form...'
Delaila brushed back the hair from her forehead.
'It might actually be possible.'
Even if another dragon appeared.
The dungeon's difficulty wouldn't change.
Defeating Aranbalon.
It was the highest-difficulty mission across all themes she'd ever provided.
Succeed, and the rewards would be immense.
'Anyway.'
The means didn't matter.
As long as it got resolved, any method would do.
"Indeed."
Delaila wore an expression like she was dreaming.
"To witness two dragons from the same world coexisting. What a rare experience."
A mix of absurdity and anticipation.
"......"
Ryuka looked at Delaila with a strange gaze.
Though he'd only served as a judge three times.
This excited version of her was, without a doubt, a first for him.
* * *
"Hup!"
I steadied my center.
I tensed my thighs.
I pressed down hard on the ground to brace my body.
Whooooosh!
The mere shockwave from the Giant Dragon's arrival felt like it could blow me away.
Olena gaped.
"W-What's that?"
"First time seeing it?"
Well, I'd only seen its polymorph form myself.
This was my first time seeing its true body in person.
The menacing Greedy Dragon, Aranbalon, filling the view ahead.
And to its right, the massive black Giant Dragon gradually materializing.
Rumble rumble!
The world was splitting in two.
A brown world and a black world.
Before these two colored realms, we were nothing more than specks of dust.
"This is insane."
Olena furrowed her brow.
"We can't run anymore. No point moving; it'll be the same."
"Yeah, I agree."
I nodded too.
Better to focus on maximum defense than running.
'Bone Shield.'
So I deployed the shieldbearers to the front.
'And the rest.'
I had them prioritize defense over attack.
Attack? Forget it.
Just deflecting the shockwaves from their clashing auras was overwhelming enough.
"Good lord..."
Beside me, Vladimir groaned softly.
"No exaggeration—this is the most shocking sight I've ever seen. If the world were ending, it'd feel like this, right?"
It really did.
Their clashing auras were so fierce.
Space itself seemed to warp.
Ssssh.
Black energy from the sealing orb clumped together, continuously forming its shape.
Head, torso, legs, eyes, claws—slowly taking form.
"......"
Aranbalon couldn't spare us a glance anymore.
It turned its gaze to stare at the Giant Dragon's form.
In other words, it felt like this.
Seven ants right in front of you.
And to your right, a menacing tiger crouched low.
What would you focus on?
The life-threatening tiger over the ants, right?
"Did it work?"
I muttered unconsciously.
"Yes?"
One of the skeletons reacted beside me.
"For now, stay quiet and wait. Hope the Giant Dragon ignores us."
I swallowed hard.
It held a grudge against us.
Or rather, against me.
For the 500 years it struggled to break the seal Eldrin and Demir had placed.
I'd shredded them all to pieces.
A being like that.
Might not care about fire or water.
Tiger or lion beside it or not.
It could charge to trample the ants.
Squeeze.
I pulled a scroll from my pocket.
[Item: Wish-Granting Scroll]
[Grade: S]
[Type: Scroll]
[Description: Use in a moment of crisis. Something you most need will appear.]
[Effect 1: In a moment of crisis, ancient magic aids you.]
Just in case.
I had to prepare everything I could.
"......"
I crouched low and watched ahead.
An eerie tension flowed through the silence.
The mere presence of the two beings seemed to hold the entire world breathless.
At that moment.
- Hm, who are you?
The silence broke.
The Giant Dragon spoke first.
Fwoooosh...
Just opening its mouth to breathe shook the ground, and my body felt like it was floating.
As if the world itself breathed with the dragon's inhale and exhale.
- Where did those wretched fools go who deserve to be torn apart? Why is some strange creature glaring at me instead?
- That's what I'd like to ask you, intruder.
The two stared each other down.
Even their breath tickling one another didn't make either blink.
They seemed still.
But a deadly tension where revealing weakness wasn't an option.
Aranbalon spoke.
- Hah, it's been ages since I last saw a kin? Long ago, I thought I'd crushed you under my claws so you'd never return to this world.
Invaders of territory must all die.
A dragon's territory was vast enough to encompass the world.
Thus, only one dragon could exist here.
- Did those puny humans summon you?
- Puny?
The Giant Dragon asked.
- Those human runts over there. Clustered together, aren't they?
- ......Puny? Where?
Rumble rumble.
That was when the Giant Dragon's head turned.
The moment its bright yellow eyes fully locked onto me.
'Shit.'
A chill ran down my spine.
My body hair stood on end for real.
Like experiencing a horror movie scene right before my eyes?
- Hah? That guy?
Rumble...
The Giant Dragon's snort grew fiercer.
That snort became a gale, tousling my hair.
The ground quaked.
- Kra ha ha ha! Yes! You!
The Giant Dragon bellowed.
- Here you are! You vanguard of the outer world! As I told you! You couldn't fully seal me! And now we meet like this!
Whoosh!
The Giant Dragon spread its enormous wings.
And it began unleashing all its aura toward us.
"Urk!"
"W-What's with this pressure?"
The team members cried out in shock.
"Can't... breathe!"
Immense killing intent enveloped us.
'Damn it.'
So it ends like this after all?
I scowled and placed both hands on the scroll.
Please.
I hope it brings a spell to break this situation.
- Kra ha ha! You! Perfect. As promised, I'll incinerate your soul.
The Giant Dragon roared.
- Look forward to it! Truly anticipate it! For sealing me, I'll make you rot eternally in an abyss of agony. Neither dead nor alive, forever!
Roarrr!
Just as flames surged from the dragon's maw.
- What are you doing right now, intruder?
Aranbalon's eyes flashed blue beside it.
Boom!
It simultaneously blasted immense energy at the Giant Dragon's torso.
- ......What?
The Giant Dragon scowled at the sudden ambush.
A clash that unfolded in an instant.
- Intruder, you dare touch my possessions without permission?
- What? You picking a fight?
The Giant Dragon growled.
Aranbalon smirked and retorted.
- Those ones indulged in greed. They didn't realize I was going to let them live. They overstepped and challenged me. In other words, they're challengers that only I can kill.
Rumble!
Space trembled under their pressure.
- I am the Greedy Dragon. I yield nothing to any being. So withdraw your aura now and get lost from this world.
- Ha, ridiculous.
A scoff burst from the Giant Dragon's maw.
- They're doomed anyway. Just yield them to me. Is attacking me over that worth it?
- I told you. 'I' must be the one to kill them.
- What stubborn bullshit is that?
The Giant Dragon looked exasperated.
But Aranbalon stood firm.
- Ridiculous. You insist on what you command. But what you command isn't stubbornness?
- Fine, whatever. Can I take this as a challenge?
- Challenge?
- Yes, challenge.
- What challenge? It's a warning.
- Warning, huh? You really want to die?
- On second thought, better to just kill you outright than warn.
- What?
- You know? Kin or not, dragon corpses are priceless. Keh heh, not a single part goes to waste.
Whoosh!
This time, Aranbalon fully spread its wings.
At that moment.
Ssssh!
Crossbow soldiers began appearing everywhere.
Far more than the glimpse we'd seen before—an entire iceberg's worth.
- Your body will be my precious 'treasure,' and your fangs will become soldiers guarding my 'treasures.'
- Crazy.
The Giant Dragon looked disgusted.
- Greedy Dragon, huh. Your brain's pickled in greed too... a total madman...
Kuaaa!
This time, the Giant Dragon flapped its wings.
- Fine. Bring it on.
Roars of countless massive creatures filled the space.
The Ancient Drake Legion's arrival.
- I'll make you regret that foolish choice miserably! I'll rip you apart. Then that damned runt will be my post-meal dessert!
The Giant Dragon's monstrous minions assaulted Aranbalon's soldiers.
Clang!
The soldiers drew swords without panic.
Thus began the chaotic melee.
"......"
I stealthily slipped the torn scroll back into my pocket.
"This."
Olena, eyes wide, looked at me.
"Is this good, right?"
"Seems like it?"
My eyes were bulging too.
Dragons, this race.
Simpler than I thought?
'Anyway.'
My instincts nailed it again this time.
So, let's see who wins.