Chapter 182
Chapter 182
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 182
Chapter Title: Dragon's Slave (3)
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The training had paid off.
I had constantly thought about how to fight an opponent wielding a greatsword.
To protect my family.
So that I wouldn't die and leave my children to grow up without parents.
Ever since the day I lost to the Dragon Slayer, I had steadily put in the effort.
And the result...
"Don't you dare worry about my family—get lost!!"
"...Damn it."
I was overwhelming the Dragon Slayer.
His massive greatsword had shattered, and now he was swinging around a new one conjured with magic power.
But since it wasn't a familiar weight, his movements were quite clumsy.
'I need to take him down before he gets the hang of it.'
I was dominating only because my first strike had landed well.
The Dragon Slayer's skills were the real deal.
I couldn't let my guard down for even a second.
"..."
The Dragon Slayer reached into his bosom and pulled out a round orb, hurling it toward me.
'This one's a miss.'
I twisted my body to dodge the orb, which resembled a ball.
At that instant, a net brimming with magic power unfurled from the round orb.
'...This is dangerous.'
Was it thanks to the sharpened senses from the dragon's magic power?
Instinctively, I knew I absolutely could not let that net touch me.
"Uwaaaah!"
I exploded magic power from the soles of my feet and barely evaded the net.
The Dragon Slayer clicked his tongue as he watched me dodge it.
"Tch, what a shame."
"...What the hell is that magic power in the net?"
"Anti-dragon magic power. It's the polar opposite of a dragon's magic power properties."
So if it touched me, I'd lose the ability to use dragon magic power.
Judging by the weapons he used, it was no wonder he was called the Dragon Slayer.
"I didn't want to use too much. Fighting a dragon head-on is tough, after all. Arrogance makes them the easiest to handle."
With those words, the Dragon Slayer pulled a small rod from his pocket.
The moment he infused it with magic power...
A sharp tip shot out from the rod, and its length extended in an instant.
"A harpoon, huh."
Anti-dragon magic power was engraved on the tip of that harpoon too.
The Dragon Slayer gripped the harpoon, bending his body like a bow.
'Here it comes!'
Shwooo-!!
He hurled the harpoon straight at me in a straight line.
'Crazy, why's a harpoon that fast? He'd be better off on an offshore fishing boat.'
He'd catch tuna like a pro with that.
I had that fleeting thought as I lowered my stance to dodge the harpoon.
"Nice dodge—"
"There's another one."
It wasn't over.
The Dragon Slayer was aiming the harpoon at me in my lowered position.
'Hard to dodge. But not impossible.'
If I burst dragon magic power from my hands for propulsion...
I could definitely evade his attack.
I thought that and waited for the harpoon to fly.
But at that moment.
"Daddy idiot! Danger!!"
"Hwa-ryeon!!"
Was she watching from afar?
Hwa-ryeon suddenly burst out and opened her mouth toward the Dragon Slayer.
"Graaaah—! Dragon Breath-!!"
Fwooooosh-!!
Hwa-ryeon's scorching Dragon Breath poured toward the Dragon Slayer.
The Dragon Slayer lightly leaped into the air, dodging Hwa-ryeon's breath.
And then.
"...So the dragon wasn't you—it was her."
"No!!"
He twisted his body like a bow toward Hwa-ryeon.
In that instant, I felt like I knew why I died.
'...So this is how I die.'
Damn it.
I hadn't even dated a girl, let alone gotten married.
It felt a bit unfair.
But.
"Hwa-ryeon!"
There was no hesitation in my charge toward Hwa-ryeon.
My daughters' lives were more precious than my own.
As a parent, I was prepared to die in place of my children.
"Daddy!!"
Pffft—
All I felt was intense pain ripping through my back.
***
"Daddy!!"
My vision was blurry.
Hwa-ryeon seemed to be screaming as she looked at me.
Maybe shedding tears and crying.
With my trembling hand, I wiped Hwa-ryeon's tears and said.
"You idiot... why'd you suddenly jump out..."
"B-Because Daddy looked in danger... I wanted to help..."
"Kids shouldn't butt into adults' fights..."
Hwa-ryeon was trembling violently as she looked at me, perhaps feeling guilty.
Maybe scared that I was going to die.
To reassure her, I stroked her head.
"...It's okay, Daddy won't die."
"B-But blood's coming from Daddy's body..."
"I promised... I won't die, no matter what..."
I couldn't die.
Because of my promise with future Soo-ryun.
That I'd change the future somehow.
'But why does it feel like I'm dying...?'
It was getting hard to hold on.
I gripped my fading consciousness and turned my body.
The Dragon Slayer was slowly walking toward us.
"So that's what the strong dragon scent was from. You were hiding dragon magic power with an artifact, huh."
"..."
"It wasn't you."
"Don't come near my daughter..."
Swish—
To shield Hwa-ryeon from him, I hid her behind my back.
The Dragon Slayer frowned at the sight.
"...I don't get it. You're human—why are you taking the dragon's side?"
"Not a dragon... she's my daughter..."
"...It's just a dragon polymorphed into a human child. It can never be your child. Humans and dragons are different."
With that, he drew another harpoon.
At that moment, my foolish daughters burst out and attempted an attack.
"Don't touch Daddy, trash human."
"Don't bully Father."
Ice chunks and thorns rained toward the Dragon Slayer.
"Why'd you come out... I wanted you to stay hidden..."
I had hoped they wouldn't reveal themselves.
In the end, all my daughters had shown their faces to the Dragon Slayer.
"Not one, but three...?"
"Touch Daddy and you're dead."
Chun-ryun placed her hand on my back, infusing magic power into the wound.
"I'll heal you quick, Father. You can't die. Absolutely not."
Tremble—
Chun-ryun caressed my back with shaking hands as she healed me.
"This rod went all the way through to your stomach... You... how could you do this to Father... Even healing it, this is dangerous... Please don't die, Father... Please..."
Chun-ryun seemed pretty shocked by my wound.
I glared at the Dragon Slayer and said.
"...As you can see, they're all my daughters."
"..."
"My daughters did nothing wrong... Take my life instead... Just don't touch a hair on their heads."
"..."
To keep him from attacking my daughters.
I hid them further behind my back.
The Dragon Slayer's face twisted more with each moment.
"How can a human and dragons be family? They're deceiving you. They're just playing house for fun."
I barely clung to consciousness and said to the Dragon Slayer.
"...We've been family since they were born. Cut the nonsense."
"You've raised them since birth...? A human raising dragons...? Then they really are family..."
The Dragon Slayer looked confused.
He gripped the harpoon, seeming deep in thought.
But soon, as if resolved, he gripped it and walked toward me.
"...Still, dragons must die. If those dragons who toy with humans as playthings become Black Dragons, the human world will plunge into great suffering. To prevent victims... all dragons must die."
Grip—!
The Dragon Slayer reversed his grip on the harpoon and raised it high to strike me down.
However, at that moment.
"No!!"
"Don't, please."
"Don't... kill Father...!"
The kids hiding behind me rushed forward.
They spread their arms wide, blocking the Dragon Slayer.
To protect me from the Dragon Slayer.
The Dragon Slayer looked at them and said, as if he couldn't comprehend.
"...Dragons are selfish creatures who only think of themselves. Why would dragons protect a human?"
To that, my daughters blocked the Dragon Slayer and shouted.
"He's Daddy, you moron!! Touch Daddy and I'll kill you!!"
"Because he's Daddy. Of course."
"Because we love Father!"
"..."
At that sight, the Dragon Slayer stood still for a long while.
He stared blankly at his hand gripping the harpoon.
Finally, the Dragon Slayer slowly opened his mouth.
"If I do this, won't I end up doing the same thing as that guy."
With those words, he set down the harpoon in his hand.
"...Am I wrong? I don't even know myself anymore."
Then he turned and began walking far away.
It wouldn't be easy turning back from a path he'd strayed too far on.
But the Dragon Slayer was disappearing into the distance toward somewhere.
At that sight, my daughters relaxed and collapsed to the ground.
"Haa..."
"That human was too strong. We couldn't handle him yet."
"F-Father, how are you feeling?!"
Patpatpat—!
Chun-ryun quickly came to me and checked my condition.
It must be pretty bad.
Chun-ryun's face turned pale.
"N-No, this won't do... If it keeps like this, Father really will die..."
"D-Daddy! I-I'm sorry! I-It's my fault for butting in..."
Hic—
Hwa-ryeon seemed to realize it was her fault.
Seeing my wound, she immediately started crying.
To that, I collapsed to the ground, strength draining from me, and said.
"Doesn't matter as long as you girls aren't hurt..."
My daughters from the future too.
They'd be freed from that suffering future.
Since the future where I die is gone.
With that thought, I lay on the ground and slowly closed my eyes.
"I'm so sleepy..."
"D-Daddy!!"
"Daddy..."
"Father...!!"
Surely I wasn't dying like this.
That thought flashed through my mind.
But I had no choice but to close my eyes.
My body was too exhausted.
And so, with the sound of my children calling me, I closed my eyes.
'Still...'
One thing was certain.
The Dragon Slayer was no longer a threat to us.
A man who yearns so desperately for his own family wouldn't destroy someone else's.