Why Did You Have to Flap Your Mouth Unnecessarily...?
Yoahim shot Leon a sharp glare.
“Why the hell did you have to run your mouth...”
Leon, oblivious to the meaning behind that look, bowed his head deeply and said,
“Just give us your orders, Lord Bellrallion. We will follow your will.”
At least there was one silver lining—Leon and Sasha were with him. If Yoahim had been alone, there would have been no way to beat Delion.
How strong is that bastard?
Yoahim turned his head and looked above Delion's head.
He was definitely much stronger than Yoahim's group. He was only level 73 because he hadn't fully become a lich yet, but if he absorbed all the relic's power, he'd easily surpass level 100.
If I want to take him down, it has to be now.
Level 73 was easier to handle than level 100. Yoahim gripped his weapon tightly and said,
“Leon, Sasha. Kill that bastard.”
“Just give the order.”
“Sasha is honored to fight alongside the supreme being.”
Should he just tell them the truth right now? Nah, they wouldn't listen anyway, so what was the point?
Yoahim glanced at Delion, who was eyeing him warily.
“Necromancer Delion, you dared to covet Kakali's relic. It will return to where it belongs.”
“...Are you really the Ashen Dragon Bellrallion? But something's off. Why would that arrogant lizard come here in person? He could've just sent underlings to retrieve the relic.”
Because I'm not the real Bellrallion.
Yoahim sneered and replied,
“Who knows. Figure it out yourself from here on out.”
At Yoahim's chin flick, Leon shot forward like he'd been waiting, while Sasha loosed an arrow. The mana-infused arrow flew straight at first, then curved abruptly toward Delion's temple.
“How dare you!”
Ting!
The arrow bounced off the barrier. In that gap, Leon closed the distance and shattered the shield with his twin swords. Amid the flying shards, Delion's bony left hand thrust out. Green flames erupted from it, sending Leon flying back with a powerful shockwave.
“Leon!”
“I'm fine!”
Leon spun gracefully in midair and landed, immediately ready to charge again. Yoahim grabbed his own weapon and rushed toward Delion as well.
“You're Bellrallion? I don't know what insane idea made you pretend to be human, but it doesn't matter! I'll kill you and turn you into a proper dragon!”
If the real Bellrallion were here, he'd have scoffed at Delion's words. But since Yoahim wasn't a real dragon, he couldn't laugh it off.
I need to draw his attention so Leon can attack.
Pure combat power-wise, Leon was stronger than Yoahim. Knowing that full well, Yoahim focused on pulling aggro rather than dealing damage.
“You looking down on me, Bellrallion? Show your true power! Not this pathetic bullshit!”
Fuck, if I had the power to show, I would.
Yoahim bit his lip, swung his sword, and extended his left hand to fire a Magic Missile. The translucent mana orb hurtled toward Delion. Of course, such a weak attack couldn't do real damage. Yoahim had only cast it to grab attention for a moment.
But.
“Magic Missile? Bellrallion! You arrogant lizard bastard! How much of a joke do you think I am? You think you can toy with me using this crap?!”
Delion's shout disrupted the mana, and the missile dissipated. It wasn't blocked by a defense spell—just a roar had nullified the attack. But Yoahim had no time to be shocked. Black hands erupted from the ground, grabbing at his legs. He leaped back just in time, only for a wave of scorching heat to rush at his face. Dozens of flaming arrows flew relentlessly.
If even one hits, I'm dead!
Yoahim instinctively dove and rolled across the floor. It was an ugly move, but it worked. The flaming arrows scorched only the ground. Yoahim snatched up his sword again and charged Delion. In the meantime, Leon had flanked him and plunged a blade into his shoulder.
Delion shrieked in agony and thrashed. With every movement, malevolent energy surged, battering Leon. As Leon tried to pull back, unable to endure any longer, a black hand shot from the floor and slammed him into the wall.
“Leon!”
Sasha cried out his name in a shrill voice. Leon struggled against the black hand pinning him, but the mana-forged grip held firm.
“You damn bastard! Fight at full power!”
Delion's right shoulder hung limp from Leon's strike. He switched his staff to his left hand.
“Fine! If you're gonna hide your strength to the end, I'll force it out of you!”
Boom!
Delion slammed his staff into the ground, condensing massive mana that exploded outward in all directions. The shockwave hurled Yoahim—who was charging straight at him—back and reduced Sasha's arrows to ash.
“Lord Yoahim!”
Sasha tumbled backward from the blast but didn't release her bow. In that split-second fall to the ground, she drew the string taut and fired with a twang.
Shuuuuk!
The arrow tore through the air and struck Delion's right eye dead-on. The eerie green flame flickered out weakly.
“Gaaahhh! You damn elf shits! Both of you ganging up to annoy me?!”
Blood streamed from the pierced eye as Delion aimed his staff at Sasha. A black arrow shot forth in an instant, pinning her shoulder and slamming her body against the wall.
“...”
Two level 50 dark elves had been taken out in seconds. Could a level 35 Dark Knight win?
Yoahim looked at Leon pinned to the wall. Then at Sasha, similarly impaled. Finally, at Delion.
Can I win?
Yoahim smiled. Did it matter if he could or couldn't? To survive, he had to.
“What now, Bellrallion? Your minions are done! Drop the kiddie games and show your real power!”
Yoahim sighed at Delion's bellowing.
“Ah, fuck. You really have no clue.”
Yoahim advanced slowly toward Delion.
“...What?”
“You're old enough to know better—why the hell are you so oblivious? Fuck, you think I'd really be the genuine Bellrallion? Look at me. Do I look like a real dragon to you?”
“Th-then you're saying you're not the real one? Not Bellrallion? But these elves...”
“They're just naive.”
All eyes turned to Yoahim. Delion, of course—and Leon and Sasha too. He didn't know what they were thinking. And honestly, he didn't care.
Yoahim just gripped his sword, ready to charge Delion.
“Y-you, you, you... You insolent fool! You dared to trick me! How dare a worm like you deceive Delion!”
Fuck, did I trick you? You fell for it yourself.
Yoahim bit his lip, eyes locked on Delion's movements. Every anomaly had a precursor. Magic was no different. He could sense the mana flow to predict activation timing. Delion's gaze revealed the target. Hand motions showed the countdown.
Information was a powerful weapon. Knowing meant not getting hit.
Yoahim never took his eyes off Delion—the gaze direction, mana flow, hand movements. He confirmed everything and moved at the perfect moment.
Boom! Boom! Kwaboom!
Explosions echoed repeatedly. The cave shook with every direct-hit spell, the floor shattering. Yet Yoahim dodged every single one. It was razor-thin, but he reacted to all of Delion's moves.
I can win this.
It was like a game where one hit meant death. And if it was a game, Yoahim had no reason to lose.
“You just gonna keep scurrying like a rat? Fine, try dodging this!”
Enraged, Delion swung his staff wide. Hundreds of arrows aligned along its path.
No way to dodge that many. No way to block.
Yoahim was trapped like a rat in a corner. The hundreds of arrows surged forward like lightning. A single hit would tear flesh and snap bones.
Yet Yoahim didn't panic. He charged straight ahead—toward Delion.
“Hahaha! Given up? Makes sense! A scrub like you can't beat me anyway!”
Kwaboom!
The arrows detonated in a massive explosion, billowing black smoke. The cave trembled violently.
“Now, you elves...”
Delion turned toward Leon with a laugh—then felt a chill. What? What was this impossible sensation?
He whipped around in shock, staring at where Yoahim had been. The black smoke cleared, but Yoahim was gone. Vaporized without a trace by the magic? No. He wouldn't die that cleanly. Dodged? But there was nowhere to dodge.
“Guhk!”
Slash!
His shoulder burned. No—the stump of his severed shoulder burned. Delion's remaining eye widened as he looked back.
Yeah, there was a blind spot—right behind him.
But how? How in that instant?
There stood Yoahim, unscathed. He'd severed Delion's left arm and now shook the blood from his sword. Sword in one hand, book in the other. A book radiating ominous energy.
“You don't mean...?”
Blink magic? But that made no sense. The guy who could only fire weak Magic Missiles using Blink?
Delion stumbled back in panic. But Yoahim closed in instantly and slashed his thigh.
“Gaaahhh!”
Excruciating pain buckled Delion's legs. He flailed on the ground, trying to cast at Yoahim. Impossible. Right arm useless from the shoulder stab, left gone entirely.
No magic. It was pure terror.
“Wh-what are you? A follower of Bellrallion? Or some young dragon out training in the world?!”
Am I a dragon? Fuck, some secret birth origin I never knew?
Yoahim snorted.
“Nope.”
Thud. Thud.
Footsteps rang clearly in Delion's ears. The sword impact had dispelled the magic; Leon and Sasha approached Delion. They stood behind Yoahim like loyal retainers.
Yoahim spoke in a chilling voice.
“I am Apostle Yoahim.”
For Kakali.
A faint whisper, and the sword mercilessly severed Delion's neck.