Chapter 267
Chapter 267
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 267
Chapter Title: Defense Game (1)
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A nameless little island located in the northwest of the Ion Continent.
"They're making quite the racket."
A man in his thirties, precariously perched at the edge of a cliff, turned his gaze toward the sea and muttered lowly.
He paid no mind to his dull golden hair fluttering in the wind, staring endlessly at that spot with weary golden eyes.
His deep gaze was thick with complex emotions.
'I thought things had quieted down a bit lately.'
The continent in the direction of the man's gaze.
The mad vortex that had raged wildly for a while seemed to subside, only for an even greater aura of death to spread this time.
The origin of that energy was quite far from this island, but such distance meant nothing to him.
For he was the strongest race, once called the guardian of the world—
An elder dragon of the proud Gold Tribe, Shurihartgen.
"Immortal King..."
Recalling that abyssal monster, the mortal enemy of his kind, he ground his teeth softly.
For him, who had lived through eons and for whom the prosperity, decline, and extinction of his tribe was life itself, the Immortal King's existence was like a reverse scale.
But Shurihartgen swallowed his boiling rage with effort and turned his gaze away.
He was no longer in a position to act on his temper.
Before, it had been to ensure his line didn't end with him.
Now, it was to protect the last remnant of his tribe and pass on as much as he could.
'Even if I went now, I wouldn't be of much help anyway.'
Closing his eyes tightly, he contemplated his inner self and gave a wry smile.
His Dragon Heart brimmed with the same immense energy as always.
But the disrupted flow from the aftermath of the Great War had turned it into a time bomb that could explode at any moment.
Normally, he could suppress it with his overwhelming mana control, but what about during intense combat?
'My lifespan is short, and I can't fight... I'm truly a has-been.'
In such a state.
With such a futile and miserable end predetermined.
It was all the more welcome.
That the Dragon God had sent an heir worthy of entrusting the tribe's future.
And that he could aid in that heir's growth.
Shurihartgen glanced down at the base of the cliff.
Amid the island wrapped in all sorts of barriers, in the area thickest with magic circles, there he was.
A surprise gift who had come to him.
Horus, the hatchling of the Gold Tribe.
Wuuung—
The energies around the training ground in the magic circle resonated.
Soon, various energies drawn by overwhelming affinity manifested as clusters of light and began to dance.
From elemental forces like fire, water, wind, and earth to pure mana unprocessed in any way, they gathered and swirled around the one at the center.
"Nnghyap!"
Toward the serious-eyed, five- or six-year-old child letting out a lispy, bizarre shout.
"...Impressive."
And Shurihartgen, watching Horus's training from atop the cliff, let out his admiration once more, as he had many times before.
The basis of Dragon Tongue and other word arts was projecting one's will onto the world to enforce phenomena.
Naturally, it was a high-dimensional mystery that couldn't even begin without control over surrounding energies and the mental strength to express one's will.
'Innate talent? His growth is far faster than anticipated. Even for a dragon, it's abnormal.'
Horus, in his mere hatchling body of infancy, already possessed all those abilities.
No, in terms of level alone, he had long surpassed child stage into young child territory.
'How long has it even been since he properly started training, and he's already this far...'
It was a growth speed even the ancient dragon of thousands of years, Shurihartgen, couldn't comprehend.
At this rate, he might reach juvenile adolescence in no time.
"Ahh— thank you, O Dracalion."
This could only be seen as the Dragon God's blessing.
The god, pitying the dragons nearing extinction, had personally bestowed great talent to revive the tribe.
'I will do my utmost until my death to lighten the burden on that child.'
Reaffirming his resolve, he glanced once more toward the continent before leaping off the cliff toward the training ground.
To advise Horus, who seemed unable to focus properly on his training for a while now.
'He's still young, so that can happen. It's not a big issue, but this training requires concentrating the mind.'
But he didn't know.
The reason Horus seemed subtly distracted.
That it stemmed from the incident beyond the sea that had occupied his attention moments ago.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ While the battle between the heroes and the giant raged.
After releasing the summoning at the Abyss's border, Hans—who had immediately returned to the Immortal Fortress—continued watching the situation, biding his time for an opportunity.
Ready to intervene and crush it if things didn't go as planned.
His existence was the 'last resort' Heinrich had in mind for emergencies.
'Of course, if it had come to that, the situation now would be very different.'
In that sense, cleanly dealing with the revolutionary before his intervention was a most satisfying development.
Not only had he racked up more infamy, but he'd also laid the groundwork for the next scenario.
[I acknowledge you. Knight of Light, Heinrich. You've done splendidly—far beyond this body's expectations.]
Thanks to preparations made before departing for the Abyss's border, he had his undead army in perfect condition behind him.
The king leading them declared arrogantly.
[I never imagined that 'prophecy' would be this irritating.]
"As long as the Main God's will is with me, your schemes won't prevail. Immortal King."
[Kukuku— such confidence. Well, that's why I've prepared.]
A chilling tension blanketed the area.
Letting out a creepy laugh like it seeped from hell, he slowly extended one hand sideways.
[A bonus stage.]
And then.
Ttak—
Snapping fingers filled with black magic.
Riding the echo, bizarre waves spread in all directions.
Pzzt— crack!
The aftermath shattered the rift where he had appeared, swelling it even larger.
[Kehheeek!]
Clatter— clack!
[Grrooo—]
Step— step— step—
From within, the neatly arrayed undead army marched out in unison.
Dozens, hundreds, thousands, ten thousand...
The numbers tapered off after reaching tens of thousands.
Yet the undead—varying in size, form, and nature—all cloaked in thick deathly aura, exuding black magic, standing in formation, instilled immense pressure and terror in all who beheld them.
[Defending against most attacks, and utterly annihilating every invasion. Even using that prophecy to mobilize each nation's armies, preparing even places his hands can't reach.]
Even as the undead army formed ranks and advanced, Hans's words continued calmly.
[It got boring faster than expected, didn't it? To the point of needing a change. I accepted the bet for more fun, after all.]
"...So, what are you trying to say?"
[Ah, nothing much. Just...]
The Immortal King and hero glaring at each other from the center.
As Heinrich stepped forward, calmly continuing the conversation, those gathered behind him hurriedly prepared for battle, bracing for the fight ahead.
Forming lines, chanting spells, gripping weapons tightly.
[Raising the difficulty a bit, that's all.]
In the increasingly tense atmosphere, the Immortal King spoke meaningfully.
At the same time, some of the executives standing behind him began charging forward, leading the horde.
Rumble—
Thud thud thud—
Toward their preset primary target.
Tarラク Castle.
"What?! They're heading for the castle!"
"That wall's at its limit now! If we leave them...!"
"Charge! Break their momentum!"
Panicked by the overwhelming undead wave, they hurriedly moved.
But the hero party facing the Immortal King couldn't act rashly.
They had no choice but to trust and leave it to the others.
[Kukuku, of course, as promised, no full-scale war through Rohan Principality territory. Just like before.]
"Hah!"
Attack points selected randomly, as before.
Only the invasion method had changed slightly.
From scattered raids across the continent to massive waves concentrated on single points.
[Oh, and additionally. The invasion scale will grow over time.]
So hurry and stop it before it becomes unstoppable.
The Immortal King hovering in the air sneered sinisterly down at the hero party.
[Well, since it's the historic first day, shall we end with a light greeting?]
No sooner had the words left than immense black magic amplified instantly.
And then.
Kwaaang—!
A massive explosion erupted once more from the giant's battlefield.
Thus—the final defense game to accelerate the scenario's pace began.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Psssh—! Kwakakak!
Steam hissed out alongside the screech of metal grinding against earth.
"Urk!"
"Oh dear, are you alright?"
As the prolonged noise gradually faded, young male and female voices followed.
"Y-yes... I'm fine, Merchant Master."
"Hmm, doesn't look fine. The shock absorption is still inadequate. Needs more reinforcement here."
Hubert and Diana, who had fled Tarラク Castle escaping the giant.
Using the power of special suits, they had flown south rapidly, only for an issue to force an emergency landing on a nearby hill.
They'd pushed too hard to escape its grasp, and the suit had finally given out.
"Ugh... More than that, I think I'm gonna puke..."
"Over there should do. Want me to pat your back?"
"N-no... I'll handle it myself—bleurgh!"
Unable to finish, Diana dashed to nearby bushes.
An unlovely sound emanated from beyond.
Hubert, lightly scanning the surroundings, quietly shook his head.
'Well, it was her first flight like this.'
Besides her special sense of smell, Diana was just an ordinary girl physically.
Even with protective magic tools mitigating high-speed flight shock, there were limits.
'No, enduring this long is commendable.'
If she'd lost it mid-flight while in his arms...
'Whew, truly fortunate.'
Nodding solemnly, he examined the metal parts of his suit.
Unlike the two deep furrows gouged into the ground from the hasty landing, the metal boot soles showed no damage.
But appearances were fine; internals weren't.
"As suspected. Can't even recycle this."
Hubert frowned at his 「Analysis」 results.
Having pushed the frame to its limits, not only had Howard's embedded mysteries via 「Artisan's Soul」 depleted, but even the materials' innate properties were exhausted.
Those precious rare metals reduced to scrap.
'No helping it. Still, it proved its performance. Next one, more care.'
Concluding inwardly, he stored the now-useless suit in his subspace.
Diana staggered back from the bushes, face paler after her gastric ordeal.
"...My apologies, Merchant Master."
"Feeling better?"
"Yes, a bit now..."
Her expression said otherwise, so Hubert silently handed her a potion instead of pressing.
Overkill for mere motion sickness, but pocket change to him.
She hesitated briefly before thanking him quietly and downing it.
No point being drained in this situation; she'd just be baggage.
"What now, Merchant Master?"
"Hmm."
With color returning somewhat, Diana cautiously scanned around and sighed.
Only trees and hills in sight.
Straight-line flight meant no roads visible.
"Head to the nearest city first. Around here, that's Lionar City."
"Wow... already that far south? Ugh, that speed... Never again..."
Initially south for safety, but now it seemed excessive.
Stopping midway at a city might've been fine.
'Hindsight. Anyway, that direction then...'
Thus, Hubert and Diana embarked on an impromptu hike.
At that moment.
The Tarラク area they'd fled was descending into real-time chaos.