Chapter 235
Chapter 235
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 235
Chapter Title: Black Dragon (1)
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Black Dragon Karphago!
It had been centuries since the beast last showed itself to the world, and now it was regarded as little more than a legend.
There were rumors floating around that it was raising a hatchling, or that it had grown so old it reverted to mana, or even that it had been hunted down by a dragon slayer—but they were all just hearsay.
He hadn’t even reached Ancient rank yet, so there was no way he’d died of old age. His level was High Master at best, but due to his racial traits, he was treated as Grand Master—and there was no one around who could hunt down a creature like that.
Not even Lion King Gaokan.
Sure, he held the position of emperor leading humanity, but above all else, he was a battle maniac who loved fighting more than anyone. The mere fact that he hadn’t picked a fight with the dragon all this time spoke volumes about just how dangerous it was.
And now, that very monster was soaring across the continent.
Kuuoooooo!
The black dragon’s signature poison breath swept over a human outpost.
In other games or fantasies, it might take the form of acidic breath, but in The Lord, the black dragon’s power manifested as pitch-black toxic fumes.
Even a large-scale outpost, classified as major size, was instantly engulfed in black poison mist, as if a disinfection truck had rolled through.
Kwaaaaang!
But the poison smoke wasn’t the end of it.
Karphago’s poison breath was gaseous, but at the same time, a mass of pure energy.
Before anyone could melt away from the supreme venom of the breath itself, the entire outpost was obliterated, reduced to flat plains.
The dragon’s authority—breath! Its terrifying power had revealed itself after hundreds of years.
“Karphago has appeared?”
Lion King Gaokan feigned surprise upon receiving the report.
He hadn’t expected them to actually mobilize a dragon.
On top of that, the orc lord, troll lord, and goblin high priest were still alive.
He didn’t know how they’d moved Karphago, but if the beast targeted only humans, things could get serious.
‘Karphago...’
Rokan was present at the site of the report as well.
Having spent the past month moving with the Lion Corps and racking up countless achievements, he was now treated on par with the corps’ commanders.
The moment he heard the black dragon’s name, something clicked in his mind.
‘Could it be holding a hatchling hostage?’
Truth be told, this was Rokan’s first time hearing the “Black Dragon’s” true name.
Even in the records, it was referred to only as the “Black Dragon,” as if uttering its name was taboo.
Yet the name felt strangely familiar.
Wasn’t it awfully similar to the black dragon Kartago from the current era? The region where it dwelled was called Karphago, not Kartago.
Could this really be mere coincidence?
Reasonable suspicion began to stir.
Perhaps the Black Dragon was holding the hatchling Kartago hostage, or maybe the Black Dragon Legion had manipulated it into misunderstanding humans.
“Where is it now?”
“It’s left its habitat and is flying straight this way. And along the path... it’s destroying every outpost it encounters. At this speed, it’ll reach us in two hours.”
While Rokan was lost in thought for a moment, the meeting pressed on urgently. Only Lion King Gaokan could stop the black dragon.
“Evacuate everyone. We stop it here.”
Knowing this, Gaokan made his decision immediately.
It would be his first time facing a dragon, but if no one else could do it, what choice did he have? He had no intention of running, so he’d face it in peak condition.
He could try ambushing it first by going to meet it, but that risked fighting in suboptimal shape.
A dragon was a monster with unmatched physical specs on its own, but its magic prowess was overwhelming enough to earn it the title of “lord of magic.”
“How about this?”
As evacuation orders were issued and strategies to confront it were being drawn up, Rokan, who had been listening quietly, proposed an idea.
“...You think that’s possible?”
Even the Lion King looked shocked, but Rokan responded with a sly grin.
* * *
Kuuoooooo!
Black Dragon Karphago unleashed its signature breath the moment it appeared.
The garrison forces, anticipating its arrival, had positioned themselves outside the outpost—otherwise, everyone inside the walls would have evaporated or melted away.
But breath wasn’t the kind of attack you could block just by preparing for it.
“Kwaaaak!”
The troops, ready to bombard it with magic and ranged attacks to drag it to the ground the instant it appeared, turned to bloody mist in a heartbeat.
They scattered in haste to minimize casualties, but some of the Lion Corps were caught in it too.
An elite force capable of toppling small outposts on their own had been wiped from existence without landing a single blow.
“Bring that damned beast down!”
But the Lion Corps—the Lion Unit—didn’t just mourn their fallen comrades.
To honor their spirits by slaying the black dragon, they unleashed every skill at their disposal, targeting its wings.
The creature was clad in dragon scale, the ultimate armor that was also its skin—but the membranes connecting its wing bones were relatively weaker.
“Tear those wings!”
“We have to drag it to the ground!”
If they could rip them, they could halt Karphago’s glide.
They’d strip away one of the flying monster’s greatest advantages.
To that end, they’d borrowed beam rifles from the gnomes and all sorts of throwing weapons from the dwarves.
“Humans. Arrogant as ever, past and present!”
But Karphago wouldn’t allow it. It soared high out of reach, then dropped three magic orbs to the ground in quick succession.
“Dodge!”
“Defensive spells!”
“Damn it. I’ll block that one. Cover me...!”
Kwaaaaang!
Each one packed power rivaling a master skill.
The best they could do was offset or mitigate the damage—but Karphago’s assault didn’t end there.
Kuuoooooo!
“Crazy!”
“Again?!”
Another breath! The dragon breath, said to be usable only three times a day, was unleashing its third blast.
“Die, king of humans!”
The target was none other than the Lion King.
It was an unavoidable AoE attack, so he had to block or endure it somehow.
Yet the Lion King did nothing.
As if he’d lost the will to live—or failed to react at all—he simply stood with hands at his sides, gazing skyward as the breath closed in.
“Gale Incarnation!”
Then, at the last moment, he let out a scream-like shout.
His bones realigned and swelled massively, taking the poison breath head-on.
[You have been exposed to Poison Breath.]
[Immunity to Hundred Poisons reduces the poison effect.]
[Your poison resistance has increased by 0.1%.]
The one masquerading as the Lion King was none other than Rokan.
Using polymorph—not on another race, but transforming into Lion King Gaokan himself, complete with identical gear—he looked so convincing that even the real one standing beside him would have to rub his eyes and double-check.
And thanks to that, he endured the poison breath.
‘The damage is insane.’
Hit dead-on by the poison breath, his health plummeted to rock bottom.
He could even feel his skin and equipment melting, but his immortality kept him upright.
Even as his health hit zero, he mustered the strength to stand firm.
The poison breath ended up granting Rokan new power instead.
[Your poison resistance has increased by 0.1%.]
[Your poison resistance has increased by 0.1%.]
[Your poison resistance has increased by 0.1%...]
It was an immortality effect, but enduring it caused his poison resistance to skyrocket.
Immunity to Hundred Poisons alone wasn’t enough, but with Gale Incarnation boosting his resistance and regeneration massively, he turned crisis into opportunity.
[Unbelievable feat! You have successfully endured supreme poison!]
[You have acquired the title ‘Immunity to Thousand Poisons.’]
[You are the first to acquire this title.]
[Miraculous feat! You have successfully resisted supreme poison!]
[You have acquired the title ‘Immunity to Ten Thousand Poisons.’]
[You are the first to acquire this title.]
[Immunity to Ten Thousand Poisons][Epic]
You have reached a realm where ten thousand poisons hold no sway! No toxin can trouble you now.
[Effects]
-All poison effects ignored
Immunity to Thousand Poisons followed by Immunity to Ten Thousand Poisons!
He’d expected the former after tanking a black dragon’s poison breath, but jumping straight to the latter left Rokan’s expression peculiar.
Just moments ago, breathing had been agonizing, but with the titles secured, calm settled in.
“A mere human!”
Whoosh.
Thanks to that, when fierce winds from Karphago’s wings dispersed the poison mist, Rokan stood tall, glaring defiantly at the beast.
Karphago didn’t know the Lion King well, which led to a fatal misjudgment.
It mistook Rokan’s “Gale Incarnation” for the Lion King’s “Ultimate Awakening.”
They shared the commonality of transformation, after all.
Even if the power surging through its body felt too weak, it had seen plenty of foes who could suppress their auras.
If anything, knowing too much was the poison. The beast, jumping to conclusions, glared with bulging eyes and dove toward Rokan.
“Come on!”
Rokan leaped with Jump to meet it.
But the real threat wasn’t targeting Rokan.
The Lion King, hidden in the sky with a special stealth spell, dropped onto its back.
“Kyit kyit!”
Kai, who’d been carrying him aloft, chirped joyfully in celebration of the success.
He’d landed squarely on Karphago’s back.
“Ultimate Awakening! Lion Fury Slash!”
Transforming in an instant, the Lion King didn’t hesitate—he thrust his sword in.
The reverse scale, known as a dragon’s weak spot. The scales all looked so similar it felt like a spot-the-difference puzzle, but Gaokan’s sharp eyes found it unerringly.
His lethal strike pierced the beast’s most vulnerable skin, driving deep.
“Kraaaang!”
Karphago let out a pitiful shriek, thrashing wildly in midair.
But Gaokan didn’t stop. As if determined to bore a hole clean through the reverse scale, he summoned every ounce of his power.
He’d already activated the final awakening he’d unleashed against three Grand Masters.
“Rider of Legends!”
Karphago flailed to shake Gaokan off; Gaokan clung on, stabbing relentlessly.
Amid this mythic scene, Rokan didn’t stand idle.
He sensed the beast’s health dropping sharply, but its massive pool meant Gaokan could be in danger first if things went wrong.
“Rampaging Chariot!”
Of course, he knew the future where Gaokan ultimately slays Karphago—but his instincts wouldn’t let him watch idly.
Using Kai, now transformed into a great peng, he ruthlessly rammed the wildly spinning Karphago from the air.