Chapter 126
Chapter 126
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 126
Chapter Title: Dragon Blood (1)
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Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump!
His heart pounded furiously. His dantian pulsed in sync, pumping violently.
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump…!
The simultaneous throbbing sounded like war drums signaling the start of battle, unleashing a tremendous shockwave.
Sparks bloomed over the heatwave, turning into brilliant yellow lightning that scattered wildly in all directions.
The more his blood boiled.
The faster it surged through his veins.
The more mana efficiency amplified, infusing his body with immense power.
Veins bulged taut from his forearms, soon climbing his neck and covering half his face.
Theo's already pale face now looked utterly ashen.
But it didn't end there.
Every artifact Theo wore began resonating, adding their power.
『How long has it been since you awakened the dragon blood, and you're already using it? What an impatient mate you are.』
He thought he heard laughter from somewhere.
『Fine. If you're to be my mate, you need the ability to overcome this much. I'm digesting anyway, so I'll lend a hand.』
For a moment, Theo felt a flash of light before his eyes.
Ziiiiing!
[The Guardian Dragon's Blessing begins.]
['Talent: Dragon Blood' activates, automatically awakening the ancient dragon bloodline factors. All primordial dragon relics resonate fiercely.]
[All possessed special abilities are temporarily enhanced.]
[All possessed enhancement abilities are temporarily reinforced.]
[All possessed artifact effects are temporarily amplified.]
.
.
Countless messages piled up before his eyes.
Boom!
Theo stomped the ground hard enough to crush it.
Countless rays of light streaked before him.
He threw himself into them.
Cleaving through the steam rising from his skin, the Dragon Slayer Sword—glowing red-hot with heat—moved to strike down the enemy before him.
And all those rays of light he saw became the sword's trajectories, one by one.
A fierce inspiration struck his mind.
[All Buff state begins.]
[Duration: 5 minutes.]
[Countdown starts.]
[00:05:00]
[00:04:59]
.
Screeeeech—
Dragon blood's influence wasn't limited to the body.
It encompassed all the primordial dragon relics Theo had collected, and every skill and special ability gained from them.
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump—
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump…!
Using the massively amplified heartbeat—like drums pounding right in his ears—as background, Theo pressed the Beheading Captain relentlessly.
Boom, boom, boom, boom—
'What kind of power is this!'
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Each time the Beheading Captain deflected Theo's strikes, his wrists felt like they might snap off.
Unable to fully withdraw, he was pushed from the altar to the center in an instant.
Truth be told, he'd been underestimating Theo all along.
How strong could a kid like this be?
No matter how mysterious Krimhilt was, how impressive could a relic in this backwater be?
Sealing the Sea King must have borrowed the power of some ancient magic tool—not his own ability, right?
Everything about him had seemed suspicious.
In fact, the Floating Archipelago's forces he'd faced so far weren't that impressive either.
Just islanders' pride, unable to even handle his Beheading Squad.
But this time was different.
A mystery, they said. Maybe it wasn't wrong.
What the hell happened in there? He seemed like a completely different person.
In that moment, something flashed in his mind.
Ragnar.
Didn't that hated northern great family often have similar mysterious phenomena?
Lowly low-rank warriors who were nobodies until last night suddenly transform overnight, slicing through dozens or hundreds of soldiers.
And those people all had one thing in common.
"You're a direct descendant of Ragnar."
Grind!
The Beheading Captain gnashed his teeth, glaring at Theo.
He was no longer flustered, calmly blocking Theo's attacks.
"But I've never heard of a kid as young as you being this strong. Even the youngest, Torkel, is mid-twenties now, and you don't even look that old. Who the hell are you?"
Theo twisted one corner of his mouth.
"Guess Anti-Dragon didn't tell you about me?"
"Anti-Dragon? You mean Ed?"
"Who else?"
In that instant, info Ed had shared with scattered units flashed in the Beheading Captain's mind.
Among Ragnar's new generation, beware of Theo Ragnar. Talented, sure, but his cunning is astonishing. Easy to spot: long hair, face so pretty it's almost beautiful.
Back then, he'd thought Ed had been in Ragnar too long, getting paranoid about a mere kid.
Was he wrong?
Moreover, that info ended with this:
If conflict arises, prioritize elimination. But if there's any spare time, risk of counterattack is high—recommended to retreat immediately.
Spare time.
Did that include time to secure Krimhilt's mystery?
A chill ran down his spine.
"Enough chit-chat. We're not close enough to laugh and swap stories."
Another fierce inspiration struck Theo's eyes.
A diagonal trajectory.
He swung the Dragon Slayer Sword along it.
[Nibelung's Claw – Slash]
Kaaaaang!
The Beheading Captain barely deflected the cunning strike at his gap, grinding his teeth.
Grind—
"Arrogant brat."
Even if Ed warned against clashing.
Getting pushed by a kid like this? He couldn't claim the title of Beheading Captain.
"You Ragnars—front one and you—all you do is flap your mouths."
"That's 'cause you've got the skill to back it up."
As the Beheading Captain twitched his eye and prepared a counter—
A chill suddenly ran down his spine.
What?
As he turned, something burst from his shadow, jaws gaping wide in a grotesque maw.
Like a shark leaping from the sea to snatch prey.
No time to realize what it was.
He needed to repel it now—pouring mana into his left arm to burst with aura—
Crack!
"Urk!"
The aura passed harmlessly through the shadow, pounding an innocent wall. Instead, massive jaws chomped his left arm and shoulder whole.
Splatter!
The pain of his arm ripping off defied words.
Stars spun before his eyes.
Worse: counters did nothing physical, and it dived back into the shadow, vanishing.
Its last glimpse left even the Beheading Captain stunned.
"Wai…vern?"
Why was a White Dragon Knights' wyvern suddenly popping out?
No—wyverns were flying types in the sky, right? Never heard of one emerging from shadows.
Its form differed from normal wyverns too.
Bigger, fiercer vibe?
Grayish-white scales rippled with black shadows, amplifying the menace.
A question born of ignorance: Umbra had swallowed the Sea King's refined spirit poison, beginning evolution to Shadow Dragon.
But Theo knew, so he was satisfied.
Keeek!
Umbra's cry echoed.
Like it was demanding praise.
"Good job, Umbra."
Kek—
Hearing Umbra's delighted reply, Theo swung the Dragon Slayer Sword after the next inspiration.
Boom, boom, boom, boom—
The heatwave turned to storm, battering the Beheading Captain.
Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!
Lightning flashed, striking the floor endlessly.
Plus, Umbra prowled the shadow like a shark, ready to bare its fangs anytime.
"You little shit, for real!!"
The Beheading Captain's last thread of reason snapped.
Humiliated at being toyed with by a kid, pain and blood loss from his arm gnawing his mind.
He launched an aura-charged slash at Theo's head.
Boom!
But even that was blocked by the Dragon Slayer Sword.
Whoosh, whoosh—
Seizing the moment, Selphred, Arin, Ray, and furious Marti attacked, leaving him no room to recover.
"Die…!"
With comrades' deaths fueling Marti too, he now faced five swordsmen plus a monster at once.
Clang, clang, clang!
Kukuku—
Flash! Flash!
But as a vice-captain level, the Beheading Captain didn't easily show a fatal opening.
'There has to be a way.'
So Theo poured spiritual energy into his eyes, analyzing every move.
Breaking unified motions into seconds, then finer, tracing mana and aura flows.
White-hot incandescence.
His brain burned hot enough to melt.
Fwoosh!
His vision filled with light streams again, the world seeming frozen.
A time lag: external time couldn't match his thoughts.
Thump, thump, thump, thump…!
Faster heartbeat burst veins around his eyes, some popping, reddening them.
Theo's already crimson eyes turned deep red.
Then, fierce inspiration struck like lightning.
The Beheading Captain's hastily moving torso. Balance subtly off from lost arm.
Right waist.
Then left shoulder.
Decision made, Theo's left hand flashed to his waist.
He held his breath briefly.
To focus fully on the strike.
Breath and stance aligned—
He drew.
Flaaash!
[Nibelung's Claw – Burst]
The Moonfang Sword's predatory roar became a beam, cleaving the world.
The white-hot focus shattered, time lag broke.
In a true 'instant.'
From the Beheading Captain's right waist to left shoulder: a savage wound like a dragon's claw swipe.
Spluuurt!
'Too shallow!'
But Theo sensed the blade's drag wasn't deep enough.
The bastard instinctively pulled back at the last second.
"I'll kill… you…!"
Brush with death forced his extreme final choice.
[Bloodlight Harmony – Stage 2]
[Reverse Bloodstorm Technique]
Bloodlight around him blazed eye-searingly.
Self-destruct aura wind blasted the encirclement dozens of paces back.
"I'll kill you! Theo Ragnar!!"
The Beheading Captain charged straight at the one who ruined everything.
'Must block…!'
[00:00:01]
[Duration ended.]
[Penalty: All stats temporarily reduced by 50%.]
Theo swayed with sudden fatigue, failing to raise Dragon Slayer and Moonfang.
Cognition outpaced body.
Screeeeech!
As swords crossed in X to block—
「What a mess everything is.」
Immense pressure suddenly filled the air, crushing Theo and the Beheading Captain's shoulders.
Theo staggered to one knee; the Captain slammed face-first mid-charge.
"……!"
"……!"
"……!"
"……!"
Selphred, Arin, Ray, and Marti stared, afraid to speak.
Breath choked.
Invisible hand squeezed hearts and lungs, gripping their lives.
Same for Beheading Captain, temple knights, remaining Black Skulls.
Deep silence fell.
This moment, this place—domain of the mysterious intruder alone.
「Everything's a total mess.」
The man who'd pinned the Beheading Captain rose slowly.
Wooden mask hiding his face, robe billowing.
Noil.
He tossed what he held to the floor.
Roll…
Heads of terror-stricken Umberto Spinola and bewildered Giuseppe Grimaldi.
「Never anticipated this kind of mess.」
Cold light gleamed from behind the wooden mask.