Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Descent
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Linian probed the ley lines and sensed the flow of mana, roughly pinpointing the trio's location. They were in the imperial metropolis of Revendale.
Though she hadn't seen Lenis, Linian had met Ravi and Elfin face-to-face, so there was no room for confusion there.
"Fighting? With who? The Underground Vermin, by any chance?"
"No, those Vermin scum give off such a repulsive vibe you can feel it through the ground just standing near them. But there's nothing like that now. No sense of their influence either... Still, it's not ordinary mana. Could this be... holy power? Are they fighting the Church right now?"
"What? The Lunia Church? Why the hell would they tangle with them?"
"No idea. It's not certain. Lunarin would know best, but she's gone now... If it's not someone wielding regular mana or Vermin, who else but priests?"
"How's the situation?"
"Not looking good... They're not getting pushed back in the fight, but their mana keeps draining. Probably a sign their stamina's wearing thin from the prolonged battle. But seriously, how are they this bad at fighting? With that much mana, even if they're outnumbered, they should be wiping the floor. What a waste of power."
Linian clicked her tongue, assuming the three were just fumbling the fight due to inexperience, but I knew better right away.
Neither Ravi, Elfin, nor Lenis were the type to take killing lightly.
They were probably fighting because their identities as accomplices to a wanted criminal had been exposed for some reason, and the Lunia Church priests sent to capture them were innocents, so they were holding back on lethal force.
But if their covers were blown, they could've easily escaped. Why stick around and fight?
Without knowing the full picture, all I could do was pace in frustration.
Now that I'd located them and knew what they were up to, all that was left was heading there.
"Linian, could you teleport me and Luna there?"
"No way. You saw earlier. I barely survived on the brink of death. Thanks to the healing, my body's functional, but my mana's barely recovered. I don't have enough to instant-jump two people that far. And Luna...? You mean our Mo... Goddess? Her name's Lunia, not Luna."
"There's a good reason. Call her Luna from now on."
"I can't even call her by name anymore..."
I ignored Luna's quiet mutter and pleaded with Linian.
"There has to be some way. You're always bragging about being this mighty dragon. Can't you handle something like this?"
"Wha...? Bragging?! When did I ever brag like that?! When have you even seen me to say crap like that!"
"No, Linian. You may not know him, but he knows you well. I can vouch for that."
"Mo... Goddess?! You're taking his side now?!"
Luna approached Linian from behind and gently stroked her back.
"And you've regained some of your original form, albeit limited."
"I feel so betrayed! After you turned like that, I searched for ways myself, went through hell... Huh?"
Linian, caught off guard, stopped ranting about the betrayal and stared blankly with a dumbfounded look.
"Until recently, I was bound by the traitors' cursed chains, my divinity trapped in flesh and reduced to a convenient energy source for them. But now, though not at 100%, I've safely extracted my pure divinity."
"But you're human now. That divinity's in that human body. Still possible?"
"It is. He may not have created you, but he can wield the authority within the divinity, can't he? I don't know the full extent, but... Alvis, surely you can find a way."
At Luna's words, I activated Eye that Pierces Truth.
First time since escaping the cathedral...
'This...'
First, Linian.
Before me stood a blue-haired human woman still recovering from grave wounds, yet behind her loomed the illusory form of a massive blue dragon shimmering like a mirage.
Parts of the human Linian's body and the dragon Liniaras glowed the same color, seemingly connected— the glowing spots matching between forms.
And a message about Linian appeared before my eyes.
Seeing that message explained Linian's behavior perfectly.
When she thought it was just Luna earlier, her speech was childish, calling her "Mom," but spotting me flipped her to mature talk. That must be her true nature.
And owing a massive debt to a human her pride wouldn't tolerate, so she cooperates eagerly to settle it...
I smirked and summoned the vastly empowered Light Saber.
Infused with the purified power from the Goddess, it no longer overloaded the rusty iron sword or snapped it.
'Yes.'
A light far stronger than the Light Saber's healing radiance burst from my hand.
"Turn around."
I spun Linian to expose her back and placed my hand there.
"Ugh...?!"
As my glowing hand touched her back, she groaned at the odd sensation.
While her back blazed bright, I spotted more glowing spots on her body.
A small dot on her arm.
Flash!
Two small dots on her leg.
Flash!
Finally, a tiny dot on her chest...
Flash! Slap!
Suddenly, a sharp sting hit my cheek.
Snapping to, I saw Linian beet-red, clutching her chest with one hand and having slapped me with the other, panting heavily.
"Y-You, you crazy bastard! Why the hell grab my tit out of nowhere!"
"Uh...? There was a glowing spot, so I touched it without thinking... No, you're a dragon, figured you wouldn't care."
"I've spent more time as a human than a dragon!? There's a limit to humoring you for saving me, you damn pervert. If my body was intact, I'd chew you alive and..."
"Linian, calm down and feel the changes in your body. Hasn't something shifted?"
At Luna's words, Linian halted her rage and examined herself.
Then her eyes widened as she realized the transformation.
"Th-This... Huh? Wha-what?! N-No way... This can't... I-Impossible..."
Whoosh!
In that instant, massive blue dragon wings—several times her body size—unfurled from her back.
Blue scales sprouted on her legs and one arm, with a couple tiny ones on her chest.
Draconic form.
Nothing fully transformed, but Linian had partially reclaimed the dragon shape she'd yearned for over millennia.
Feeling parts revert and her symbolic wings return, she trembled, staring at herself.
"M-My body... Wings... Wings are back... My body... S-Sob... Hic... Waaah!!!"
Overwhelmed, tears streaming, she lunged at me, hugging tight and rubbing her cheek against mine.
"Waaah... Thank you! Thank you! My body... First time in millennia... Waaah... Wings are back..."
Luna smiled at the sight, stroking Linian.
"Good for you, Linian. Still far from full restoration, but you've regained much strength—and you can soar the skies again."
"Hic... Mommm..."
Too elated to feign maturity, Linian clung to Luna, calling her "Mom" openly.
I asked Linian,
"Can you take us to my companions now?"
She wiped her tears and nodded vigorously.
"Yeah! I'll take you! Or should I fight for you? What do you need? Kill everyone there except your three?"
"No... I'll handle it once we're there. Just get us close. And Luna, protect her."
"Got it! Mom! Can't wait to fly again! I'll carry you too!"
"Heehee, alright."
Afterward, Linian—far stronger than her appearance suggested—scooped me and Luna under each arm and soared into the sky for the first time in millennia.
"Yee-haw!!!"
Ecstatic, she zipped toward Revendale at blistering speed, weaving freely through the heavens.
She'd cast protective spells beforehand to shield us from the cold, whooping joyfully as she closed the distance in moments.
As Revendale came into view, Linian called out.
"Alvis, right? That's Revendale below. One side has three people, the other hundreds... Yeah, those bunny folk and elf girls from before."
"Anyone hurt?"
Her eyes could make it out, but the city was still a speck to mine.
"Not badly. But they're exhausted. Sounds like your crew's being lumped in with some impostor gang? One guy's on their side besides them—he looks rough. Might not last much longer. Framing the Goddess's sword and stirring chaos? Blasphemers?"
Benjamin. Still alive.
The situation clicked.
If Benjamin survived, he'd report the Transen Mountain church incident, but for some reason, this church dismissed it and branded him a heretic.
To halt things, a bit of showmanship was in order.
Ascension of Light
Wings allow flight during duration. High resistance to dark magic, curses, shamanism. All light-based powers enhanced. Can cancel to activate 'Descent'.
Radiant golden wings unfurled from my back.
"Linian! Drop me right above the battlefield!"
"Gotcha!"
The prideful, human-disdaining dragon was now utterly compliant.
She hovered at a spot in the sky and called,
"Alvis, here."
"Thanks! Drop me!"
"Humans die falling from here?"
"Got a way not to. It's fine."
"If it looks dicey, I'll save you!"
"Reliable. Watch Luna."
I slipped from her grasp and plummeted vertically toward the ground.
Descent
Merge with light, plunge from sky to sweep area in light wave. Lethality optional by will, but unavoidable fatal damage to dark magic/curse/shamanism users.
My vision blazed white as I hurtled downward faster than before.
BOOM!!!
Despite the sheer drop, I felt no impact.
A light wave rippled outward in a circle, the landing shock upheaving the ground and halting all combat instantly.
Seeing my precious women—Ravi, Elfin, Lenis—safe after over a week apart finally eased my heart.
"Everyone okay? I didn't show up too late?"
"Alvis!!!"
Tears bursting, the three rushed and hugged me.
"Hic... You're safe... Thank goodness... Thank goodness..."
"Idiot! Leaving yourself behind like that... I was so worried... So... Hic..."
"Sniff... Don't ever do that again! Worrying shortened my lifespan!"
I stroked them with a smile.
"Thanks. Sorry for worrying you. I'm back now—it's fine. But these people here..."
Since they didn't disintegrate to ash, Linian was right—they weren't Vermin...
Then, some priests mid-fight spotted me, trembled, and knelt.
"L-Light... That was definitely..."
"D-Divinity. The divinity of Goddess Lunia...! Ohhh, Lunia!"
"Only one being can bear divinity in this world... Th-Then that one is...!"
"Holy Warrior... Holy Warrior!!!"
The priests knelt and began worshiping me.