Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Became the Gallery's Only Reptile
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Drip. Drip.
What the hell is this?
The pain hit alongside the sensation of hot liquid flowing from my throat.
Red blood, the same color as my eyes, trickled down my neck, gradually staining my black scales crimson.
I had definitely been holding my own against the Dragon King.
I'd refined the techniques I'd learned from my previous fight with his daughter, and I'd even capitalized on an opening with Lion's Roar to land a successful strike.
'But... was that really a success?'
I hadn't even noticed it.
An attack that pierced right through Lion's Roar.
It had sliced open my throat in an instant, inflicting this wound.
If I hadn't twisted my neck mid-way upon sensing something off, it could've been a deeper cut—potentially fatal.
Even if I'd wounded the Dragon King, allowing a counter like that meant this was more failure than success.
Squish.
The silver lining was that my body was regenerating in real time.
Well, the Dragon King seemed to be doing the same.
Since we both wielded the power of Yeouiju, it made sense that our abilities were similar—the only difference was the degree of recovery.
But the reason we'd reached this brief stalemate was the sudden appearance of this mysterious entity.
A figure shrouded entirely in unidentified black matter—shadow or darkness, it was impossible to tell.
"First time meeting like this, right?"
Its voice made it hard to discern if it was male or female, and its appearance offered no clues either. It waved at me cheerfully, as if we were old acquaintances.
That reaction suggested it knew me. Could it be the fleeting presence I'd sensed and then lost earlier?
"Wrapped head to toe in darkness with black wings. Yeah, I've heard about you."
"Hm? About me?"
The figure scratched its cheek and tilted its head. The Dragon King rotated his fully healed arm—the one I'd wounded—and spoke.
"Word is, someone recently dealt massive damage to the Wind Spirit King and stole something he'd sealed away. They say the culprit was cloaked in darkness just like you, with black wings to boot."
"Hmm~ It could just be a coincidence. Similar powers and features don't mean it's me, right?"
"True. You might be right."
Bzzz.
"But I doubt there are two people with such distinctive traits who could defeat the Wind Spirit King."
"Aha?"
Slash.
A thin red line appeared on the figure's head as if in realization of the Dragon King's words, and it split cleanly in half along that line.
'That's definitely the same attack that cut my throat.'
I hadn't seen it clearly before, hidden by Lion's Roar, but this time I caught it full-on.
It was just a swift hand slash, mimicking a sword beam flung from a blade.
Pure physical prowess achieving near-perfect technique.
Even if I tried copying it, the power would fall short of the Dragon King's, and I'd wreck whatever limb I used.
"Haha! What a fun attack!"
Despite its head being cleaved by the Dragon King's strike, the figure didn't die—instead, it burst into delighted laughter.
Splat.
Darkness gathered like clay being molded, restoring the figure to its pre-attack state in moments.
The Dragon King eyed the regeneration with a twisted expression, his draconic eyes sharpening.
"What the hell is that power?"
"Curious, huh?! But I'm not telling. This is my masterpiece of a creation! Well, depending on how the kids I'm making now turn out, it might lose that title. Hmm, maybe 'provisional masterpiece' fits better?"
"If you're not gonna tell me, then just vanish."
The Dragon King's hand flashed again, carving another thin line into the figure's body, splitting it apart.
Splat.
"Aw, come on. You can't kill me with that. It's not for nothing I call it provisional masterpiece!"
Of course, it regenerated instantly again.
After several repetitions, the Dragon King finally halted.
"Why are you here?"
"I was passing by and sensed something fun. Felt the power of that guy you fought a few days ago, so curiosity brought me here. Heh."
The power from a few days ago? Must be the Wind Spirit King's might contained in the Typhoon Jewel.
Its scale was so immense I couldn't deny it.
The Dragon King had arrived here thanks to that massive typhoon, after all.
"Then just watch quietly. Why interfere?"
"To stop the old eel's schemes, obviously."
Old eel.
His daughter, watching from behind, exploded at the blatant mockery.
"Who's an old eel?!"
"Stay put, baby eel! You don't spark my research spirit at all."
Grit.
"I might just kill you if you keep annoying me."
Slash.
"Huh? Did I say something wrong?"
After splitting again, the figure asked the Dragon King what its problem was.
"You tried to kill the kid behind me too, didn't you? Why make a fuss?"
"None of your business."
"It is so!"
Suddenly, it swelled its darkness, erecting a fence-like barrier around me, trapping me inside.
But sensing its intent to shield me from the Dragon King, I didn't resist and simply lay still within.
"It's one of the few things in my life worth caring about."
"You've met him before?"
"Of course! I only watched from afar, but still. Heh heh heh. Every time I saw him, my heart raced so hard it was torture to hold back. You wouldn't get it, Dragon King."
Its brazen admission of voyeurism sent chills down my spine. Was it safe to stay in this fence?
What if it just kidnaps me like this?
"So, you're taking him with you?"
"Nah. He still sets my heart ablaze, but he's not fully ripe yet. I've got the ingredients to soothe my urges now, so I'll hold off."
Good, no kidnapping then.
Still, it looked risky, but for now, it was protecting me from the Dragon King who wanted me dead. No choice but to trust it.
"His talent is dangerous. You must know that a bit more time could make him unstoppable."
"I'm not like you. The stronger he gets, the better for me."
Snap.
"Frankly, I don't get old fogeys like you. When a talented sprout appears, you should nurture it—water it, fertilize it, give it sun. But you try to kill it? Are you all sane?"
It twirled a finger near its temple.
But the Dragon King scoffed at her words.
"Maybe. But there's a limit to what we can tolerate. A talent that crushes the will of other promising sprouts? No reason to nurture that."
"Aha. So it's that 'sacrifice the cow for the greater good' crap?"
"I'm not saying kill him now."
"But you were attacking like you meant to."
Their tense argument left no room for concessions, putting me on edge.
Naturally, while lying obediently in the dark enclosure, I focused on their spat... and posted to the gallery with a photo of them.
Now that I was back, time for a post like this.
[Is this fight for real? My chest is swelling with grandeur.]
— Yonggarisnaek
(Photo of the Dragon King and the shadowy figure)
They're one step away from fighting right now—over me. The Dragon King wants to kill me, but the unidentified shadowy human Tichi is protecting me.
Reactions exploded, as expected.
The reappearance of me—already jaw-dropping—plus this new entity and my life hanging in the balance? Impossible not to draw a crowd.
If things went even slightly wrong here, I'd be saying eternal goodbyes in the gallery.
?
?
Chills...
"Why not just leave? I don't mind fighting, but what if your daughter gets hurt?"
"...You have a talent for phrasing threats amusingly."
"Threat? I'm just worried!"
"Worried, you say?"
Crackle. Boom.
"Then you should've started by removing that creepy thing behind my daughter."
"Aw, busted."
A small bolt of lightning from the sky shattered the dark thorns targeting his daughter.
"Sorry, baby eel. Next time, I'll aim better!"
But its intent had clearly reached the Dragon King.
If they fought now, his daughter wouldn't escape unscathed.
"Let me see... the ambush and assassination tools I've got..."
"...Enough."
"Hm? You were all gung-ho to fight a second ago? Memory going already? Old eel got dementia! I don't have a dementia cure in my arsenal! If you start shitting yourself, that'll be a problem. What to do~!"
Grind.
Whoa, those teeth gonna shatter?
More importantly, keep provoking like that, and...?
It's protecting me... right?
Its taunting skills exceeded my expectations, sparking needless worry.