Chapter 218: Dwarf (3)
Chapter 218: Dwarf (3)
The dragons, dormant for centuries, finally emerged into the world. When they first took flight, the citizens of the Sky Empire watched them as if they were a mere curiosity of nature. Were these not the creatures that lived only in the ballads of bards and the pages of chivalric romances? Having been hidden for such a vast stretch of time, dragons had long been relegated to the realm of fantasy and legend.
“Today is our lucky day!”
“To see such a spectacle—ahahaha!”
They uttered such idle words in their complacency.
The subjects of the Great Empire of Velma had been steeped in peace for far too long. Under the protection of the world's most powerful empire, they had forgotten the true meaning of war.
A conflict happening across the sea? To the citizens of the Sky Empire, it was nothing more than gossip to be read in the newspapers. To them, blood and steel were stories from another world. Thus, the appearance of the dragons was met with sensationalist headlines like .
However, it was a different story on the other side of the ocean.
“Matriarch.”
There, they had realized that dragons were not the wise and benevolent friends of legend, but arrogant incarnations of terrible violence that desired only destruction. The first to learn this bitter truth was the fleet of the Black Archipelago.
“The damage is catastrophic.”
“…….”
“They do not fight on the sea. They fight in the sky, and the sky is their domain. We cannot even conceive of a way to oppose them.”
The sea was the embodiment of nature. Amidst an environment composed of infinite seawater and endless sky, the fleet of the Black Archipelago realized one harsh truth: nature is not fair.
Since the dragons appeared, the scales of existence had tilted. Every bombardment from the fleet failed. It wasn't because the dragons were too fast or the shots missed; they couldn't even attempt a bombardment. Under the dragons' gaze, the fire spirits spurned humanity. Fuses refused to light. When they tried to force the cannons to fire, the shells exploded in the barrels instead of launching. The fleet, perfected through dazzling technology, crumbled due to the very gunpowder they had loaded themselves.
It was absolute despair.
Sherpa Gold, the eldest son of 「Gold」 who was aboard the First Fleet, looked toward the Matriarch.
“Why are the dragons helping them?”
“…….”
“Has the Descendant of Khan received an oracle from the Seven Chief Gods and Nine Goddesses? Is that why the Machine Empire and the dragons, a transcendent race, are helping him? I simply cannot understand this.”
Sherpa Gold poured out his feelings of helplessness.
The Masters of the Sea, the Black Archipelago, were experiencing a horrific sense of powerlessness. The dragons, who governed nature, were like a living calamity. With a single flap of their wings, the waves rose to swallow countless ships.
Counter-bombardment from mages? Impossible. Since dragons were the source of all magic, all spiritual manifestations scattered and vanished with a single draconic glance.
What about sending swordsmen into the air to attempt a hunt? That failed as well. Among the elements of nature that stood with the dragons was the element of earth. The moment any blade drew near their scales, it crumbled into sand.
Fleeing was equally impossible. A single dragon's roar paralyzed the bodies of ordinary sailors. Even if the elite forces struggled to resist, it was meaningless. Once the wind blew, all oxygen vanished. Sailors who had spent their lives swinging swords to build their strength suffocated to death on their own decks.
“Matriarch!” the eldest son of Gold cried out in indignation. “Just what—what are we supposed to do? I would gladly give my life for the sake of the youngest, Zeppelin Gold, that pathetic fool. If it could soothe his spirit, I would willingly swing my sword as his eldest brother until I died. But this is not right!”
“…….”
“This is a dog’s death. Every single one of us is dying a dog’s death!”
Sherpa Gold trembled violently.
And then, she spoke.
“……There are no Ancient Dragons.”
“Pardon?”
“In that sky, there is not a single true dragon that I recognize. They are all younglings. Not one of the true monsters that burned the world in our era is present.”
“What does that mean…?”
“It means they haven't forgotten the Pact of Steel. Has the generation simply changed? Is it only the young dragons—those who have never experienced the weight of Steel—who have broken the covenant?”
The Matriarch of Gold, Martina Gold, spoke slowly.
“Child.”
“……Yes.”
“Withdraw all fleets. Tell them to get as far away from here as possible. You are no match for dragons. Neither are you.”
“…….”
“You cannot fight the Master of the Sky with mere 「Armor」.”
Martina Gold scanned the sky.
“I looked to see if there was a dragon carrying the Descendant of Khan among them, but there was none. Those creatures likely intend to carry the demons who run across the plains once they have driven us away.”
“…….”
“In my heart, I want to wait for the entire fleet of the Black Archipelago to be annihilated. I want to wait while submerged in the seawater and then carve out the throat of the Descendant of Khan. Such an end would be fitting for that brat who dared to take the life of that sweet child.”
Martina Gold reached into her robes.
“But everyone is precious to me. You are precious, as are my other kin who set sail to avenge their blood. Every soldier who trains daily for the Black Archipelago and willingly came out here with us is precious. Do you know why?”
“……Is it because you love us all equally?”
“Because it is all mine.”
She pulled something glittering from her robes: a single gold coin.
“No one can take what is mine. Whatever being steals my property must pay the price. I wanted to take the greatest thing from them, but unfortunately, I will miss the decisive opportunity. I have lived too long. To think I must take a step back because I hold too much in my hands and fear losing it.”
Ting.
Martina Gold flipped the gold coin.
“Sherpa Gold. Return to the Black Archipelago with your father, the current Head of Gold. I will deal with those winged things. They will no longer be able to block your retreat, nor will they be able to harm a single life from the Black Archipelago.”
Tak.
The spinning gold coin landed on Martina Gold’s palm. Simultaneously, a dazzling light erupted from her entire body. Enveloped in golden radiance, Martina Gold’s body transformed into a single sword in the next instant.
“I shall postpone true revenge for a short while.”
The golden sword split with a sharp crack, becoming a multitude of blades. The dazzling edges soared into the sky, charging toward the gliding dragons. The rushing blades severed heads, carved out wings, and butchered draconic bodies. Soon, the split swords merged back into one. At the moment of unification, Martina Gold reappeared in mid-air.
“Dragons who have forgotten the Age of Iron.”
One of the Six Masters. The oldest of the existing Swordmasters. The Master of Gold, who had existed since the Age of War.
“Have you prepared enough gold?”
Martina Gold, the true master of 「Gold」, had appeared.
*
“Watcher, what of Dragon Kalua?”
“The signal has been cut. It seems……”
“Idiotic dragon. He acted up and died in the end.”
Dragon Charlotte clicked her tongue.
I will avenge you later, young Watcher.
Charlotte flicked her tongue and looked down. There stood the Descendant of Khan on horseback, in a majestic posture. He was the Swordmaster who had held the title of the Foremost Sword of the Continent before the appearance of Swordmaster Carlos—an incarnation of slaughter and a war god descended upon the earth.
To think I’m supposed to unleash something like this. Ian Chervil is truly not in his right mind.
Dragon Charlotte was the one who had drawn the young dragons out into the world and led them under Ian Chervil. While she felt the chilling aura emanating from the Descendant of Khan, she also felt a thrill.
What would happen if I dropped this onto the Empire?
Those fools who think peace will last forever—the greatest empire on earth, established by sages, an emperor, and a tiny number of elites—they would taste hell. She could already see it vividly: the calamity these people would cause, the blood that would be spilled.
It’s exciting.
The world? It could all burn for all she cared. Even if it was destroyed and crumbled, the dragons would ultimately survive. She didn't know what the old dragons feared so much, but through this, the greatness of dragons would be proven. No longer would any dragon need to be cooped up in cramped mountain ranges.
Ian Chervil brings chaos.
The Monarch of the Iron Kingdom. The vortex Ian Chervil would stir would be even more intense than the past Age of War. It would be led by Swordmaster Carlos, the dragons, and the Iron Kingdom, which had gained immense strength through numerous wars. Having seized the Six Free Cities and the territory of the Machine Empire, the Iron Kingdom was now able to dispatch its army to every corner of the continent.
The mad monarch sitting on his father’s bloodstained throne would drive the world to ruin. And Dragon Charlotte? She would watch Ian Chervil’s life from the side, protected by the most powerful Swordmaster on the continent. There was no need to rush. Human life is short, and a dragon’s life is eternal.
Ian Chervil would die someday. And Swordmaster Carlos? In the end, as long as he was a Swordmaster, he too would have to leave the Middle World one day. The Seven Chief Gods and Nine Goddesses would call back the Sky Sword according to the established laws.
And so, amidst the chaos and the sweeping vortex, the only ones who would not be called away and would not disappear were the dragons. Charlotte was certain of it. After all this ended, the dragons would once again reign as the rulers of the continent.
“Dragon.”
The Descendant of Khan spoke.
“Why have you lizards, who have been crouching for hundreds of years, come out into the world? Have you come to challenge me to a duel? If so, I will gladly accept.”
“Am I mad? To challenge a Swordmaster to a duel.”
“Then what?”
“Ride upon our backs.”
Hearing those words, the Descendant of Khan tilted his head.
“Ride?”
“We will take you to the sky.”
The sky. He surely knew what that word implied.
“Go and burn everything, as much as you desire.”
The Descendant of Khan understood the meaning a moment later. He burst into laughter like a roaring beast. After the laughter, thick with madness, echoed loudly through the heavens and the earth, the Descendant of Khan curled his lips upward.
“With pleasure.”
*
I followed behind Dwight.
The Dwarf Palace was a masterfully constructed building. Unusually, the structure used no jewels or gold at all; it was forged entirely of iron. From the outside, it looked like a palace made by melting down a million weapons, yet it was as beautiful as a work of art.
Indeed, it was a building worthy of the dwarves.
“His Highness has also been waiting anxiously for the moment to meet you, the Descendant of Steel. He was delighted, saying that if you ever came seeking him with the proper qualifications, he would happily open the Golden Treasury for you.”
Dwight seemed quite excited. Was he excited by my confidence, or was he intentionally acting cheerful to ease the tension?
“His Highness is a very benevolent person. Though he sits in the highest place, he looks after the lowest. Before ascending the throne, he spent his time swinging a hammer in the smithy. Even after donning the crown, he would often make swords. He said his mind was most at peace when striking iron…”
Dwight went on and on. As I listened to his story, we nearly reached the main gate of the Dwarf Palace. At the gate were dwarf sentries holding fire-breathing staffs. They snapped into a salute upon seeing Dwight. Soon, with a heavy creak, the iron gate opened.
“Descendant of Steel, you will surely like—”
And then.
Thump.
A heavy impact echoed. In the next instant, the surroundings turned pitch black.
As a shadow loomed over us, a fierce wind blew. Dwight and I looked up at the same time. The mountain was trembling. While the ground shook as if an earthquake had struck, the master of the shadow was in the sky.
Dragons.
“Uh……”
Countless dragons soared high, heading toward a distant destination. But some among them broke away from the group and turned.
Toward where?
“Pre—Prepare!”
Toward here.
“Prepare—for—battle!!”