Tempestra's Wrath

Mirien, the 5★ Storm of the North Sea, was observing the situation from atop a tower. Through the advanced artifact known as a smartphone, she confirmed that a group claiming to be rulers had set out to subjugate the storm dragon Tempestra.

“How pathetic.”

Mirien found this newly entered dimension rather dull. Though it was more advanced than the previous one and offered more entertainment, those were merely superficial values. Compared to the Ruler’s domain she had once inhabited within the crack, this world was utterly shabby. Moreover, these people were arbitrarily using the title of Ruler and attempting to disrupt the world’s order. Only a Ruler possessed the authority to command disasters. Their clumsy imitation was intolerable.

Mirien felt an urge to sweep her hand and slaughter these insignificant beings immediately, but as long as the Ruler Actor was among them, she could not act.

“…Actor. Why are you ignoring me? All you have to do is come here.”

Mirien’s face twisted. When she first arrived in this world, she had trembled with joy. She had believed the Ruler would surely look upon her. That being expelled from the base had all been for this purpose.

‘Ah, no, right? Actor, you’re not that kind of person, are you?’

Mirien refused to accept that the Ruler she loved and adored had abandoned her. She had given him her emotions, so it was only right that she receive them in return. Therefore, she denied reality. Instead, she built a tower reaching the sky so the Ruler could find her at any time. In this newly entered dimension, she created a home for just the two of them and waited for the Ruler Actor’s return, which she believed would come soon.

But he ignored her. Some fox-like woman had stolen the Ruler away.

“…That bitch.”

Mirien chewed her lips and suppressed her anger. In her heart, she wanted to find Selene right away and tear that detestable body to pieces, but the Ruler Actor was currently relying on Selene. Mirien knew the Ruler disliked internal conflict. That did not mean she intended to sit idly by, however. She was a mage to the bone—an individual who pursued analysis over narrative and practicality over justification.

“I must prove my worth. That I am far, far superior to that woman.”

Fortunately, Mirien possessed an extraordinary mind. She could roughly understand why the Ruler Actor had liberated them and why he had mixed among their group in human form in this new dimension. Mirien placed a hand over her heart—the new life the Ruler had gifted her.

“He desires ascension, Actor does. Just like me.”

Mirien reached that conclusion. The Ruler Actor’s purpose in discarding his divinity and donning a human veil was not much different from the reverse ascension she had once dreamed of. It was to ascend in a higher dimension with a human body and become a god among gods. Ultimately, to reign as the Ruler of all dimensions.

As the Ruler’s companion, it was inevitable that Mirien would stand beside him. Therefore, she needed to assist him from within.

Fortunately, Mirien had a useful tool at hand. The group called the Awakened were attempting to subjugate the storm dragon Tempestra, and among them was Actor. Coincidentally, the storm dragon Tempestra was currently Mirien’s subordinate—a puppet that moved according to her commands.

“…Perfect.”

Mirien smiled with satisfaction.

*

Above Ilsan.

“The nest is coming into view.”

At Jo Geon-uk’s words, I looked up. We were traveling by helicopter, and in the distance was the nest I had seen on the news. Near the nest were numerous 1★ disasters, and at the center, the storm dragon Tempestra lay coiled, glaring at us.

“…That thing sure looks vicious.”

It was easily over three meters tall. Fortunately, despite its name, it was not as enormous as one might expect, but it still exuded an overwhelming sense of pressure. Jo Geon-uk wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and glanced at me.

“Nam Juyeon, our role is to support Team 1. Let’s just remember that.”

“Understood.”

The helicopter slowly descended. The ground was filled with bustling Awakened and soldiers. It seemed Teams 3 and 4, who had moved ahead by vehicle, were already clearing out the disasters near the nest. As soon as the helicopter landed, Director Yu Junseo leaped down energetically and shouted.

“Alright! Let’s do this!”

“…That guy, judging by his eyes, he’s eager to dunk someone just to land the final blow. Juyeon, don’t get on his bad side for no reason. He really grills people.”

Jo Geon-uk shook his head in disgust. It seemed Director Yu Junseo was quite an ambitious man.

“Anyway, let’s move out too.”

After reviewing the operation once more, Jo Geon-uk, myself, and the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠rest of Team 2’s Awakened entered the dungeon entrance.

Along with a nauseating sensation as if the scenery were twisting, the sky turned a deep blue. When Selene had subjugated the nest, I had only watched from afar at her insistence. This was my first time entering the dungeon directly. It was not a pleasant experience.

“…So that’s the storm dragon.”

The place where the storm dragon Tempestra had made its nest was a large convention center, which allowed the entire interior to be seen at a glance. We arrived at the center of the plaza and faced Tempestra perched atop an office building. As expected of a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠4★ disaster, its massive size caused an optical illusion of doubling when it spread its wings wide. I wondered how we could possibly defeat it, but fortunately, there was only one of it and many of us.

“Surround it!”

Each Awakened summoned a disaster, and the soldiers provided supporting fire. Crystal spiders spewed threads to bind Tempestra’s legs, while rock-attribute golems—its elemental weakness—charged toward it.

BOOM!

A thunderous roar echoed as Tempestra’s massive body shook. Instead of collapsing, however, it spread its wings wide and opened its jaws.

Rumble rumble rumble!

The ground beneath us vibrated. I hurriedly dodged, and Tempestra leaped into the air, beginning to sweep everything around it. Several soldiers who failed to escape in time were crushed beneath its wings and turned into corpses in an instant. I had already witnessed people die several times before, but it was not something one could easily get used to.

“…Damn it.”

As expected of an extraordinary disaster. But we Awakened could command disasters as well. In particular, Team 1, led by Yu Junseo who deployed two 3★ disasters at the forefront, was performing exceptionally. I also summoned the faded wraith Luciven to offset Tempestra’s attacks. With the support from Team 2, including Jo Geon-uk and myself, the storm dragon’s movements gradually began to slow.

“Just a little more!”

Even the soldiers providing supporting fire wore hopeful expressions. Perhaps they could subjugate the storm dragon like this. Perhaps they could succeed in defeating a 4★ disaster with minimal casualties. However, as if mocking such hopes, violet lightning began to gather around Tempestra’s body.

“…What?”

The storm dragon Tempestra was of the celestial attribute—in other words, wind. Yet what now dwelled within Tempestra’s body was unmistakably lightning. And lightning was also Mirien’s attribute.

“…This is bullshit, seriously.”

Blessing of Radiant Thunder. It was a skill I knew well, having used it often in Disaster Order. Among lightning-attribute disasters, only a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠few could learn it. The effect granted a buff that drastically increased attack power and durability in exchange for berserking the target. In other words, the current Tempestra, empowered by the Blessing of Radiant Thunder, possessed a completely different level of strength compared to before.

‘…How the hell are we supposed to beat that?’

It was clear that Mirien, the Storm of the North Sea, had done something to the storm dragon Tempestra. Moreover, Tempestra did not seem to distinguish between friend and foe. Perhaps I really should summon Selene after all. Just as I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hesitated—

A chill ran down my spine. Celestial Roar. Commonly known as a breath attack. At that moment, Tempestra turned its head toward me. I reflexively grabbed the nape of a nearby Awakened whose name I did not know and pulled them down with me.

“Urgh!”

At the same time, a chilling sensation passed overhead. A beam swept through the surroundings. All disasters in its path vanished, and several Awakened caught in it met their end.

“…A, agh…”

The Awakened whose life I had saved by pulling them down turned pale as he witnessed the devastation wrought by Tempestra’s breath. He was surely thinking the same thing: that was not an existence humans could defeat with their own power. And he was not the only one who thought so.

“Aaaaaagh!”

When one person fled, others inevitably followed. In an instant, the subjugation party began to collapse.