Truce with the Tyrannical Dragon
A piercing intuition rang in his mind alongside the thunderous voice.
[Stop---!!!]
A heavy mana suppressed the entire area, and something approached from beyond the sky.
A pitch-black body, gigantic like a mountain.
Wings stretched wide left and right cast a massive shadow, plunging the surroundings into darkness.
Above all, even from a distance, an overwhelming presence stabbed at his scales like needles.
He recognized it instantly, no investigation needed.
Violent Dragon, Le Ganus.
The creature now flying right up to him was a perfect dragon, needing no further explanation.
[Freya─!]
[…Le Ganus-nim… I’m sorry. To show you this pathetic sight…]
Le Ganus's face twisted savagely at Freya's halting words.
His already ferocious features grew even more menacing.
A savage aura crept in, encroaching on the surroundings.
[You filthy worm! Release her at once!]
It felt like he'd used Pierce or something similar—an intense pressure that crushed down relentlessly.
His scales stung from the sheer force.
Sorry as he was to Lehatna, this one clearly fit the title of Dragon King far better than her.
He hadn't seen the eldest, Leysia, yet, but he could understand why so many monsters flocked to this guy's side.
Cruel disposition aside, a being like this was worth trusting and following.
Honestly, Lehatna just seemed lacking in too many ways to inspire true faith.
[You worthless land worm! Are you listening?! Release her now!]
Another wave of intense pressure and a voice thick with rage.
The savage mana paid no heed to the surroundings whatsoever. His left head frowned slightly and squeezed harder.
A stifled groan escaped Freya's lips.
[Freya─!!! Damn it, you wretched worm, how dare you…!]
As the pressure and killing intent intensified, he quietly flicked his tongue.
Arrogance SS
The stinging pressure on his scales vanished in an instant.
The mana that had been dominating the area receded just as swiftly.
With his body now relaxed, he quietly raised his head to meet the dragon's gaze.
A fiercely distorted face glared back at him.
Different from what Giryu described.
He'd heard this was the dragon who'd inherited the Violent Dragon King's cruelty most intensely in his youth—a merciless sort who'd kill even his own subordinates without hesitation if needed.
By Giryu's account, this guy should've charged straight at him right now instead of facing off like this.
Was Giryu's info wrong?
Or was Freya that precious to him, unlike other subordinates?
Personally, he leaned toward the latter.
It'd be far more useful for extricating himself from this situation.
[Are you Le Ganus?]
[I am. You pathetic worm! Enough nonsense—release her now!]
[Hmm…]
At the bellowing roar and the creeping mana, he tightened his coils around Freya.
She tried to hold it in, but a groan slipped out from the overwhelming pain.
[You…!]
[Haven't figured out who's in control yet?]
[…Kuh!]
Le Ganus, face contorted, withdrew his scattered killing intent and mana.
Satisfied with the now-comfortable atmosphere, he nodded slowly.
[…Le Ganus-nim. You don't need to heed this one's words. Don't mind me…!]
Squeeze—
“…Piiiii─!!”
[Still haven't grasped your place! We decide if you live or die. Keep that impudent mouth shut!]
His left head squeezed harder, sending Freya's body into spasms.
Le Ganus's face twisted again at the unmistakably agonized sight.
[…Pathetic land worm. What do you want?]
[N-no, you mustn't. Le Ganus-nim!]
[I said shut it!]
“Pi─!!!”
He watched Freya spasm again, then flicked his gaze aside.
Without Freya, Le Ganus looked ready to charge, wings flapping furiously.
He flicked his tongue quietly at those murderously gleaming eyes.
Truth be told, when he'd first spotted Le Ganus, he'd considered killing him right here.
Lehatna seemed keen on talking it out, but enemies were best eliminated when possible.
He'd been half-ready to lunge if things went south…
No openings.
Even in peak rage, the dragon was unflinching.
His power and aura were no joke, and conditions weren't right to take him down now.
Worse, if a fight broke out immediately, he'd be at a disadvantage.
Energy reserves aside, the floating island he was using as a perch was already near collapse.
Start battling, and it'd shatter before they could even clash properly.
Considering that, he was the one who needed to avoid combat—lunging at the dragon was out of the question.
Which made Freya's presence quite the boon.
Play it right, and he could slip away without issue.
[Land worm. Speak your demands already.]
He pondered Le Ganus's question.
What was Freya's value to him?
How far would he bend?
Testing that limit came first.
[If I release her, what will you offer?]
[…I'll grant you a swift, painless death out of mercy.]
[Hmm. So my death's a given?]
[Without her, I'd have shredded that filthy carcass already.]
As killing intent crept in, he tightened his coils further.
Le Ganus grimaced at the reflexive groan and pulled back his aura.
[No capacity for learning, huh? Still don't know who's on top?]
[…Name your demands.]
No interest in prolonging the talk? Or had his rage hit its limit?
He flicked his tongue at the relatively calm tone.
[Two things I want.]
[…Out with it.]
[First: my safety.]
[Refused. You will be torn apart…]
“…Pi─!”
Le Ganus's body shuddered with fury at the short death cry.
He watched silently, patiently waiting.
After stewing in quiet rage, Le Ganus finally nodded.
[Fine. Your safety is guaranteed.]
[Pin down exactly how long.]
[…How long do you want?]
[Tied to the second condition. Don't touch Lehatna for the time being.]
[…You. Thought you were some random land worm—Lehatna's lackey?]
[No irrelevant chatter. Key is whether you'll accept.]
Squeeze—
Freya's body trembled violently from the all-around constriction.
Le Ganus trembled too, seething.
[…Three days.]
[Too short. Half a month.]
[Impossible. Four days.]
[No haggling. Half a month.]
[You damn worm…!]
He glanced at Freya amid Le Ganus's savage roar.
Squeeze— She shuddered desperately under the tightening coils.
Her strained effort not to groan was pitiful.
[…Ten days. I won't tolerate more.]
[Good. Swear on your Dragon Heart—you and all your subordinates won't attack Lehatna or me for ten days.]
[You…! Think I, Le Ganus, go back on my word?! Swear on my Dragon Heart, no less!]
[Can't trust you. Obvious, right?]
[Kuh…]
Grinding his teeth in frustration, Le Ganus glanced at Freya—then swore on his heart.
He watched the pulsing mana and the dragon's solemn oath for a moment.
[…Satisfied now? Release her.]
At Le Ganus's flat tone, he relaxed his coils.
Freya's body slumped limply to the ground.
Harsh coughs escaped her lips.
[Freya!]
[Stop.]
He halted Le Ganus mid-dive toward him.
The dragon scowled at the command.
[What now?! I swore—still not enough?! If you're scheming to use her again, I won't hold back!]
His pent-up rage erupted in a wild surge of aura and mana.
His scales quivered at the chilling intensity.
Le Ganus twitched, poised to charge. He shook his head calmly.
[No further demands.]
[Then what?]
[Just wait till I leave.]
[…Get lost, worm.]
Le Ganus glared murderously as he spoke. He averted his eyes and glanced afar.
Through his Magic Eye, he spotted Pelte watching from a distance.
Surprisingly, the griffon had stuck around.
“Kiii──”
Pelte flew over under his gaze, wings trembling pitifully as he stole nervous glances at Le Ganus.
Even though Le Ganus ignored him entirely, fixated solely on Nix.
[Ni-Nix-nim.]
[You didn't leave.]
He activated Inhwa's Art casually.
Lightly patting the still-shivering body, he mounted Pelte's back.
[Let's go.]
Pelte shot into the sky at the pats on his back.
As he pulled away from Freya, Le Ganus dove toward her in a flash.
After checking her over, the dragon's eyes locked onto him again.
[…Land worm. What's your name?]
[Nix.]
[Right… Nix. I'll kill you personally.]
[If you can.]
With that, Pelte fled at the fastest speed he'd ever shown.
As the floating island receded, a massive roar erupted behind them.
“────!!!”
A rage-filled cry from an enraged dragon that shook the sky and the entire layer.
Pelte's body shuddered mid-air kick.
Regardless, his speed surged even higher.
Thus, they escaped the skies of the 90th layer.
Terrified by Le Ganus's aura, Pelte said nothing on the way back.
He didn't speak to the griffon either.
He wasn't the type to delicately comfort sheer terror—and his mind was already crammed with thoughts of the dragon he'd just met.
He hadn't witnessed the full extent of that power, but the intermittent bursts of aura let him roughly gauge it.
Mentally simulating a fight with the dragon.
Uncertain without full intel, but no easy opponent by any means.
Even the glimpses of power outstripped Giryu.
Assuming no solid perch, it'd be his definite loss.
With a sturdy base, odds improved somewhat—but still not satisfying.
A foe he couldn't confidently predict victory against, even in simulation.
And there was someone evaluated as even stronger.
He hadn't taken this lightly, but it seemed far tougher than anticipated.
Rather than feeling blocked, he was thrilled.
No telling how it'd end, but he'd be the survivor.
And by then, far stronger than now.
He eagerly anticipated just how much.