Chapter 116
Chapter 116
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: The Mystery of Dragon Slaying (1)
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The explosion erupting from Krimhilt's giant statue rang out clear as day to Antonio, Selphid, and Arin as well.
And the beam of light flashing high into the sky.
“What’s that?”
“No way, did they trick us?”
“N-No, sir! We had no idea about this either!”
Antonio turned pale as a blade hovered beneath his chin, shouting desperately.
“Then what the hell is that?”
“That’s……!”
In that instant, a single hypothesis flashed through Antonio’s mind.
‘No way! Drow, Gray, you mad bastards!’
Antonio knew full well how intense Drow and Gray’s hatred for Ragnar was.
Even if the battle at Blanqui Fortress had been a trap set by Troyvan, the fact remained that their revered leader, Slow, had been slain by a Ragnar.
He’d believed they would follow the will of the executives in pursuit of the greater cause!
But then—
“Guh!”
Tap-tap-tap!
Suddenly, Selphid jabbed Antonio’s body rapidly with his index finger in various spots.
Acupoint strike.
One of the Ragnar family’s signature techniques: mana sealing.
“Whether you knew about this or not, time will tell. For now, you’ll serve as a hostage.”
Antonio wanted to say something, but his mana wouldn’t budge an inch, and his breath caught in his throat.
Selphid hoisted him effortlessly over one shoulder and dashed toward the giant statue.
Flash! Flash!
Rumble—
He could see Krimhilt’s giant statue shaking amid the continuous beams of light.
Antonio bit his lower lip hard.
If this kept up, their situation would become known across the entire Floating Archipelago.
Their plan to secretly seize the Mystery would go up in smoke.
‘At this rate, even Father will punish me……!’
But Antonio’s thoughts didn’t last long.
Rumble!
Part of Krimhilt’s giant statue was crumbling.
The landmark that symbolized the Floating Archipelago!
‘No, nooooooo!’
Antonio had no idea.
That his scream just moments ago had been identical to Greina’s and Drow’s.
* * *
“You bastard! Won’t you stop alreadyyy!”
Thud! Thud!
Drow stomped the ground furiously, like an enraged bull.
Each time Theo swung the Dragon Slaying Sword, Krimhilt’s giant statue burst like fireworks.
Of course, thanks to its massive size, only parts were breaking off.
Even so, to the residents of the Floating Archipelago who had revered the giant statue like a sacred relic, this was nothing short of blasphemy!
‘How did things end up like this!’
Theo’s group had no clue, but in truth, Drow had known they were Ragnars from the moment they arrived at the Floating Archipelago.
-What? Is that for real?
-Yes! It’s certain. Those guys are Ragnars. The White Dragon Knights who killed Big Brother Slow……
One of his brothers who had barely survived the siege of Blanqui Fortress and made it back alive.
They must have thought their entire group had been wiped out.
But in reality, exactly one had slipped away before the full battle erupted.
That was why he had plotted this under a vow to slaughter every last Ragnar spawn……!
But things had gotten way too complicated.
Did he really think the ones after the Mystery would just give it up so easily?
It was obvious they had the wicked mindset of: if I can’t have it, no one can—I’ll smash it all.
On the other hand, he couldn’t help but suspect if the giant statue housing the Mystery was really breaking this easily.
Crack! Craaaack!
But staring at the fissures now spreading across the entire statue, he had no time for such irreverent doubts.
Especially around the sword piercing the evil dragon—it looked ready to collapse any second.
“Why you?”
Theo snorted lightly and swung down the drake blade in his right hand.
Boom!
Crunch—
Drow was hurled back with pain like his arm was about to rip off.
His eyes trembled.
Never in his life had he been overpowered in raw strength like this.
Even his respected brother, Slow, had yielded to him in power!
He never imagined this comparatively scrawny Theo could beat him.
Let alone that Theo was handling him with just “one” arm.
‘Impossible!’
“You lot smash up the board however you please, so why should I bother preserving it?”
“You son of a bitch!”
But Drow didn’t dwell on it and charged again.
If he was weaker in strength, he’d just pummel him until he won—that was his thinking.
“Drow! We’ll cover you!”
Gray realized Theo had been hiding his true power all along and unleashed spells one after another with his comrades.
Fireballs rained down from the sky, while wooden vines erupted from the ground to snare Theo’s feet.
From blind spots, other swordsmen leaped out to join Drow in a pincer attack.
[Thunder Calling]
Rumble! Rumble!
But lightning bolts poured down from the heavens straight into the midst of the mages,
“Aaaagh!”
“Magic! He’s using magic!”
“Fall back! It’s targeted magic—just dodge it!”
“But that messes up our spellcasting every time!”
[Dragon’s Claw]
Flash! Flash!
Each wild slash of light beams across the ground threw their formation into chaos, making it impossible to close in on Theo.
“Damn iiiit!”
“The statue! The statue’s collapsing!”
“Do something about that guy! Someone catch him alreadyyy!”
“The cracks are spreading! Block it! Fix the statue first!”
‘Total chaos, five minutes in.’
Theo repelled Drow with his right hand while striking the Krimhilt statue with divine skill from his left, baring his fangs.
“Since it’s come to this, let’s spread the word across the whole Floating Archipelago. ‘Black Skull is trying to destroy Krimhilt’s giant statue.’”
“……!”
Only then did Gray grasp Theo’s scheme completely.
The bastard was flipping the board entirely, turning Black Skull into enemies of the Floating Archipelago!
‘W-We have to stop it somehow……! But how……? Surrender? Should we surrender……?’
Flaaash!
Craaaack—
In that moment, a thermal blast from the Dragon Slaying Sword swept over Krimhilt’s sword.
As if the dead evil dragon had risen to wildly slash with its claws—the remnants left behind.
And then,
Boom!
Krimhilt’s sword exploded, sending fragments flying everywhere.
“……!”
“……!”
“N-No……! The statue……!”
“The Mystery……!”
Fragments slammed into cliffs, shattered barriers, and splashed into the sea, amplifying the chaos.
Drow, Gray, and the others stood there, minds blank, unable to form a single thought.
But,
‘It’s coming.’
To Theo, it was crystal clear.
Shiiiine—
From the shattered sword of Krimhilt.
The blue light leaking from within was swelling uncontrollably.
He hadn’t fixated on the statue’s sword for no reason.
‘Message. There was a hint inside to awaken the Mystery.’
The Dragon Slaying Sword seeks to return to its original place. Theo had zeroed in on that exact line.
‘Original place. Where the fake stone sword was.’
The sword the Krimhilt statue now held was completely different from the Dragon Slaying Sword. Meaning the legend had been distorted.
So, what if he removed the wrong sword and placed the Dragon Slaying Sword there, as the message said?
‘The legend corrects itself, and the Mystery opens.’
That was why the Floating Archipelago, which had revered the giant statue like a god, had failed to unlock the Mystery all this time.
Theo hurled the Dragon Slaying Sword with all his might toward the blue light.
In that instant,
Ziiiiing!
[The dormant <Mystery> awakens.]
Fwoooosh!
The blue light exploded, engulfing not just Theo but the entire area around him.
Drow, Gray, and their group were swept up entirely.
‘Where’s this?’
When Theo opened his eyes again, he was in a dense jungle thick with broadleaf trees.
The ground was squelchy, the air heavy with humidity—an unpleasant rainforest.
Tweet! Tweet-tweet!
Zeee-zeee—
Birdsong and insect chirps echoed from all around.
“W-What the hell is this?”
“Why’d this suddenly appear! Where’s the statue!”
Meanwhile, the Black Skull members caught in the Mystery flailed about, dazed and scanning their surroundings.
“Gray!”
“Don’t move recklessly—wait! We need to assess the situation first.”
Gray quickly surveyed the area, thinking.
‘Swept up by that weird light from the statue’s explosion and summoned here. That means……!’
Only one word came to mind.
Mystery.
“Everyone, get your heads straight! This is the arrangement left by the great ancestor Krimhilt for us descendants……!”
He clenched his fist at the fact that they—not some outsider like Ragnar—could claim the Mystery.
With Krimhilt’s legitimacy falling to Black Skull, no, to them, the Gang Brotherhood, they could achieve so much moving forward.
Swoosh—
Thwack!
But a whoosh from somewhere was followed by sudden agony in his throat, like it was burning up. It was hot. He couldn’t even speak.
“Graaay!”
‘Drow, why that look on your face?’
That was Gray’s final thought as he collapsed to the ground.
Splaaat!
A long spear was embedded in the nape of the dead man’s neck.
A bone spear, carved from some large beast’s bones.
“Ambush! Defend!”
Drow screamed urgently, with no time to even retrieve his fallen brother’s body.
Swoosh-swoosh-swoosh!
In that instant, dozens of identical bone spears blotted out the sky, raining down relentlessly.
The start of the disaster.
Thud-thud-thud—
“Aaaagh!”
“S-Save……!”
“Tay! Snap out of it, Ta…… Guh!”
“Shields! Anyone with a shield, raise it now!”
Already scattered from fighting Theo, the Gang Brotherhood was defenseless.
Some were skewered by four or five spears and dropped.
Crack!
Drow leaped forward.
To save as many brothers as he could.
* * *
Flash!
Meanwhile, unlike the Gang Brotherhood, Theo was swiftly climbing a tree.
To scout the terrain.
[‘Krimhilt’s Mystery’ has begun.]
[Collect all of Krimhilt’s scattered remains, cursed by the evil dragon, and place a sword in her hand.]
‘Evil dragon’s curse.’
He needed to know exactly what that meant.
In that moment, something blanketing the forest edge entered Theo’s view.
Scattered throughout the rainforest. Between the swamps. Skeleton soldiers lurking and scurrying about busily.
The problem was,
Rustle-rustle-rustle!
There were just too damn many.
‘At least thousands…… no, tens of thousands?’
Not just around here in the outskirts, but across the entire rainforest stretching to the horizon—skeleton soldiers packed dense.
Were they an army? Even the unit types varied.
Spearmen, archers, swordsmen, shield bearers, knights on horseback, flying mages, and even commanders leading legions.
Dragon Fang Soldiers.
The legendary legion born from dragon teeth and bones was swarming like a plague of locusts.
“Find Krimhilt’s remains among that?”
In that instant, cold sweat trickled down Theo’s back.