Chapter 127
Chapter 127
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 127
Chapter Title: Dragon's Lair (2)
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‘That man……!’
Brown hair, sun-tanned dark skin, a sturdy build fitting for a mountain man, and vivid green eyes.
Once gentle, but now he just looked like a weary, feral beast……
I had seen this man before.
In Sherpa Village.
More precisely, in the family portrait hanging on the wall of Aquila’s house.
Back then, he was a bit younger, standing beside his beautiful young wife with red curly hair, holding a child who looked just like her, smiling brightly.
‘……Aquila’s parents didn’t die climbing the snow mountains after all.’
According to the old man, that’s what happened.
However, whatever the story was, this man had ‘survived’.
In this Silver Mountains range, where no one survives except beasts and monsters!
“Show yourself, Druid.”
The man said in a low growl, like a snarl.
‘Would you show yourself if you were me?’
I grumbled inwardly and held my breath even tighter, watching the man’s movements.
“……If you won’t show yourself, then I have my ways.”
-Ttak!
As the man clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth with a strange sound, irregular vibrations began to rumble. Thud, thump, thud, thud, thump……
“Aaahhh!!!!”
And then, a sharp scream. I jumped in surprise and peered beyond the statue.
‘Didier!’
The massive golem had the Silver Mountains witch clutched in one hand, squeezing her as if to turn her into juice.
Even a great witch couldn’t endure that primal pain; Didier was screaming as if being torn apart.
And beside her……
-Kruk!
Khalid, already unconscious, dangled limply even as his arm was twisted. The ones holding Khalid were yetis, but not ordinary ones. Grotesque things with three legs like stitched corpses, or two arms sprouting from one shoulder. Their burned and melted exteriors were horrific.
“It took quite a few sacrifices to capture these two.”
The man’s voice grew increasingly sinister.
“But killing them won’t be hard at all.”
Damn……
If Khalid and Didier had been subdued, could I really resolve this alone?
-Grrr……
Ayla, crouched low behind me, let out a low growl. I placed a hand on her neck to calm her.
-Kruk!
“Aaack!!!”
No choice.
I slowly stood up. Raising both hands to prove I had no weapons, very slowly.
“Hiding like a rat.”
The man burst into laughter. I asked him,
“……What do you want?”
“Your death.”
“……Well, plenty of people want that. And?”
“The Great Fragment.”
As expected, he was after Earte’s fragment.
“Are you……one of the Crows?”
“…….”
For a moment, displeasure flashed across the man’s face. The expression of someone who wanted to deny it but couldn’t.
“Why do you want it?”
“……To take it back.”
He muttered as if to himself. Then, head bowed, he chuckled before meeting my eyes. His dark green gaze flickered ominously.
“I won’t make unreasonable demands.”
“This already feels plenty unreasonable. You’ve got two hostages.”
“I haven’t killed them yet, so there’s still hope.”
“…….”
“Hand over the fragment. Then I’ll let these two go.”
Bullshit.
The reason the Crows wanted the Origin God’s fragment was obvious. Immense power dwelled within it—power beyond imagination. I’d already experienced that power in Luset, and I knew how dangerous it was.
I didn’t need to see to know what would happen. Like Griselle, this man would get what he wanted at first. But ultimately, everything would fall under the Crows’ dark influence.
I couldn’t let that happen.
‘……And I need to complete the Origin God quest myself, so I can’t yield it no matter what.’
I’d only just gotten one; no way I’d hand over the second fragment I’d finally found to the Crows.
“You’d better not entertain foolish thoughts, Druid.”
The man clicked his tongue again. Then Didier let out a deathly scream and passed out completely.
He meant business.
‘Should I back off here and regroup?’
For now, maybe talk my way out and buy time.
‘If those two are the only hostages, that means Lloyd, El, and Aquila are safe.’
In that case, the three of them might arrive soon.
“……Of course I’ll give it.”
I smiled nonchalantly.
“But honestly, I haven’t gotten it yet either? The Great Fragment or whatever, it’s still…….”
“…….”
“In that soundly sleeping dragon’s grasp.”
I nodded toward the back, and the man’s face twisted. Dealing with the dragon seemed unwelcome to him too.
“If you give me a little time, I think I can retrieve it. What do you say?”
He glared at me, suppressing his anger, then clicked his tongue once more. The yeti holding Khalid handed him to the golem and approached me. I taunted it.
“Walk gently. If you wake the dragon…….”
“Shut up. Don’t try anything stupid and move.”
“Yes, yes.”
I turned and began walking slowly backward. In the darkness, I felt Ayla’s eyes gleaming as she glared at the yeti. When the moment came, I’d signal her to pounce on the yeti, then rush the man……
Of course, the worst case was him ordering the golem to crush Khalid and Didier instantly. But no better plan came to mind. Waking the dragon was an option, but it’d wipe out enemies and us alike, so pass.
The best route was Lloyd and El arriving quickly. He’d said capturing Khalid and Didier cost ‘great sacrifices,’ so few mutant yetis or golems were likely guarding outside. If Lloyd, El, and Aquila infiltrated safely……
I deliberately shuffled slowly toward the side opposite the claw holding Earte’s fragment. Luckily, the dim light hid it from the man.
-Sring……!
That was when.
“Stop.”
The sound of a sword being drawn, followed by a familiar voice. We whipped around simultaneously.
There stood El.
More precisely, El holding Aquila with a sword to her throat.
“……!”
I heard the man swallow hard.
“If you don’t stop, I’ll slit your daughter’s throat and toss her to the yetis. Don’t even think this is a bluff. I’m an honorable knight who doesn’t lie.”
His voice was chillingly cold—unrecognizable as the El I knew. No childish innocence remained; only a ruthless knight stood there. As if to prove no joke, El pressed the sword deeper against Aquila’s throat.
“……Rubaf!”
Aquila, eyes squeezed shut, cried out. Rubaf—that must be the man’s name. He ground his teeth, staring at El and Aquila.
‘Good job, El. Keep it up.’
With this variable, my position was much stronger. Ts tsk—I clicked my tongue to signal Ayla and closed my eyes briefly, focusing my mind. Soon, the familiar sound of waves reached my ears.
‘End it in one go.’
Rough count: twenty yetis and golems Rubaf brought. Even excluding the two largest holding the walls open, too many remained. Taking them one by one was impossible.
I needed a powerful single strike.
One that could wipe out at least half.
“……Come to Daddy, come here.”
The soft sound of waves began whispering in my ear. Yeah, Ken. It’s me.
-Mmmuuu……
-Gyuuu……
The kraken’s unique purr vibrated through its head cavity when pleased, spreading gently.
That’s right.
I planned to cash in on my proud achievement, [Squid that Repaid the Favor].
-Kwaaagagagaga!!!!
Space warped between the ice pillars, and Ken’s red tentacles shot out at tremendous speed, piercing the torsos of the lined-up golems. Pshuk! Thunk! The tentacles skewered the massive rocks like kebabs and vanished back between the pillars. The golems’ torsos impaled on them crumbled to the floor.
-Thud!
-Thump!
-Rumble!
‘Need two more.’
Come on, Ken. One more with Daddy. Then, space warped on the opposite ice pillars.
-Kwaaagagagagwak!!!!
The tentacles lanced out again, piercing the remaining golems’ torsos. Some shattered explosively. A few yetis lost heads to the debris. Now two golems and six yetis left……
‘One more…….’
As I tried calling Ken again, hot liquid trickled from my nose and mouth.
“……Ugh.”
Damn, blood.
I’d already consumed much mana entering the dragon’s lair. Summoning Ken’s tentacles pushed me into the danger zone, straining my body.
Ken had grown far stronger than expected. Stronger summons meant more burden on me, and he’d grown repeatedly in that short time. Even two strikes were pushing it……
Fully depleting mana would allow one more summon, wiping them all out. But……
‘Passing out would ruin it.’
I wiped the blood from my nose and mouth with my hand and whistled sharply to signal Ayla. She charged toward me at once,
-Whoosh!
But suddenly, three arms reached from the darkness toward her.
“Ayla!”
At my shout, Ayla tried to twist away. Too late. As the charred black arm grabbed for her neck.
-Kwajik!!!!!
Something massive crushed the mutant yeti flat.
「……Disturber of my peace, state your name.」