Chapter 77: An Abomination That Should Not Exist (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 77: An Abomination That Should Not Exist (2)
“Oh, it seems we have more guests.”
Andrei smirked.
A chill ran down Quicantel’s spine at the sight of that smile. Following Murakan’s shout, she immediately threw herself backward.
She could feel an indescribably ominous power flowing from the mysterious stone Andrei had produced.
Her instincts were not wrong.
Skreeeeeee!
A shriek like nails scratching an eardrum tore through the air.
In the next instant, a long, slender thing lunged from within the stone, letting out that very sound.
‘A face…?!’
The black entity emerging from what Murakan had called the ‘Origin Stone’ was shaped like a massive, distorted face. The spots where eyes should have been were hollow voids, and its features were so mangled it was impossible to discern its exact appearance.
As soon as the face revealed itself, it extended a long neck and snapped its jaws at Quicantel.
It bit down on empty air, missing her by a hair’s breadth. Had she ignored Murakan’s warning, Quicantel would not have escaped death.
“I had hoped to use you as an experimental subject… what a waste. Now that you have seen this, do not expect the mercy of a peaceful end.”
Andrei then turned his gaze toward Murakan.
“A Black Dragon. There are only two left in this world. Since you are clearly not female, you must be Murakan of Runcandel. It seems you have awakened from your slumber. If that is the case, then the boy beside you…”
Though Jin’s face was hidden by the Rune of Mul-ta, Andrei spoke with absolute certainty.
“Must be the Contractor of Solderet… It’s clear now. You are Jin Runcandel, the only reserve flagbearer who could be here at this time. Am I wrong?”
Andrei’s eyes instantly gleamed with greed.
He had come with the intention of ‘devouring’ the Contractor of Olta. But his avarice swelled at the realization that he might land a far greater catch—one beyond all comparison.
Jin didn’t answer, merely glaring at Andrei. Quicantel remained on high alert, bringing the battle to a brief, tense lull.
Meanwhile, Murakan couldn’t take his eyes off the stone in Andrei’s hand and the ‘face’ that had emerged from it.
‘It’s similar to an Origin Stone, but slightly different. The gods themselves disposed of the Origin Stones; there’s no way that human could have one.’
An imitation. But how?
The question consumed Murakan’s thoughts.
The ‘Origin Stone’ was a safety device created using the combined power of all the gods. It was meant to prevent the destruction of the world should the gods ever be attacked by their creations or turn against one another.
However, the Origin Stones became objects of power far more dangerous than the gods had anticipated. Consequently, they were all destroyed just as human history began its true ascent. The gods had concluded that the world itself could be annihilated by the power of the Origin Stones.
‘First a Grave Giant, and now an imitation Origin Stone. What in the world is happening?’
Even if it was a mere imitation, the stone Andrei held possessed a horrific power.
As if to prove it, the ‘face’ approached the deceased Buretta and whispered something.
Black smoke billowed from Buretta’s wounds, and the gashes began to knit together at an incredible speed. This was no natural regeneration. In place of green flesh and scales, dark and grotesque skin—identical to the texture of the stone—erupted from the wounds.
“I shouldn’t have been so stingy with this power. Forgive me for letting you get hurt, my old friend Buretta.”
It took less than ten seconds for the white bone to be concealed by new flesh and scales.
Buretta slowly rose to his feet. Though the ground beneath him was still stained with fresh blood, green flesh, and scales, the regenerated dragon looked perfectly fine—save for one side of his neck, which had turned pitch black.
The sight left Jin’s party frozen in horror.
Even Quicantel, who had fought like the incarnation of valor moments ago, flinched and stepped back. Murakan grit his teeth.
A dragon that had just drawn its last breath had been resurrected before their very eyes.
It was a feat that would be impossible even for the God of Healing himself.
[I think we need to be a bit nervous this time, kid.]
[Murakan! I will call for the dragons of Viment. Buy me some time!]
“Ah, I cannot allow that.”
Zip!
Andrei vanished. When he reappeared, he was already behind Quicantel. The face protruding from the stone in his hand lunged with its maw wide open.
Snap!
Its teeth grazed Quicantel’s left foot.
It was merely a graze.
Yet, Quicantel let out a blood-curdling scream and began to writhe in agony—the same dragon who hadn’t shown a single sign of pain during her brutal melee with Buretta.
Smoke rose from the scratch as if it were on fire. Quicantel scrambled to put distance between them, now limping visibly.
“What a lovely scream, Silver Dragon. It’s a pity I won’t be able to enjoy it for much longer.”
Just as Murakan was about to charge forward—
[Do you think the situation will change just because you step in, Murakan?]
[Move, Buretta.]
[Move? To think the great Murakan would actually ask for a favor! Haha, there are so many of our kin who would tremble with rage if they knew you were awake… I feel the same as Andrei. It’s a shame I won’t be able to share this news with the others.]
Spirit energy began to surge from Murakan’s wings.
[Once, all dragons feared that power. But do you think that’s still true? You’ve grown weak. And your contractor is nothing but a babe!]
Fwooooosh!
As soon as he finished speaking, Buretta unleashed his Breath—a gale of wind compressed to its absolute limit.
Murakan’s spirit energy was swept away with pathetic ease. Bolstered by the power of the imitation stone, Buretta’s Breath was even stronger than it had been before his ‘resurrection.’
Buretta looked ecstatic, intoxicated by the feeling of overwhelming a being he wouldn’t have dared to meet eyes with in the past.
[I, Buretta, shall be recorded as the one who slew you!]
[Stop talking out of your ass, you crazy bastard.]
He might be incomparably weaker than in his prime, but Murakan was a dragon who had once stood at the pinnacle of all flying beings. He wasn't about to be stopped by a single Breath.
Whoosh…!
Murakan’s body, which had been withstanding the Breath, dissolved into black smoke. He surged toward Buretta in that gaseous state before manifesting his form once more.
[Indeed, it would be hollow if it were too easy!]
A physical struggle immediately followed. Every time the two dragons—each the size of a citadel—clashed, a minor earthquake rippled across the island.
Space itself distorted wherever spirit energy and wind collided. Jin, however, was focused on the battle between Andrei and Quicantel behind them.
He had to read the flow of the fight.
Coldly. Rationally.
‘With my current strength, jumping into the fight between Murakan and Buretta would be suicide. I can barely even approach them because of the shockwaves. On the other hand, Andrei…’
There was an opening.
Quicantel had been forced into a defensive retreat ever since Andrei brought out the stone, but that very fact gave Jin the room to intervene. Furthermore, the core of this battle was Andrei, not Buretta. Killing Buretta would only be meaningful if they took down Andrei first.
‘Andrei hasn’t cast a proper spell since he brought out that stone. It’s likely an artifact that consumes an enormous amount of mana just to keep active.’
If he were spamming 9-star magic, approaching him would be impossible. But Andrei was currently focused on the stone, only using short-range teleportation to keep up with Quicantel.
‘However, whether it’s the stone’s power or not, his physical abilities have skyrocketed. He’s at least at the level of a 7-star knight. I won’t get many chances.’
Close the distance and end his life in a single breath.
Or, at the very least, sever the right hand holding the stone. The best outcome would be to make him drop it and take him hostage.
Having reached his conclusion, Jin began to move. Fortunately, Buretta seemed too preoccupied with Murakan to notice his movements.
It was only possible because Murakan was desperately pinning Buretta down.
‘I owe Casimir for this one. I don’t know if this will work on Andrei, but…!’
The moment he passed Buretta, Jin accelerated, sprinting toward Quicantel. By then, he and Quicantel were facing each other, with Andrei’s back turned to him.
When he was three steps away, Andrei spun around, a smirk on his face.
It was the look of someone who had expected this all along.
But Jin hadn't expected to cut Andrei down from behind in the first place.
“So you’ve come, Jin Run—ugh!”
Flash!
Instead of swinging his sword, Jin thrust his open left hand toward Andrei’s face. He had already finished chanting a single spell.
It was an ancient light magic everyone believed was lost, recently inherited by only one person: Flash Cannon. The secret ultimate technique of the Great Mage Chenmi, which Jin had mastered on the ship just before arriving at Tikan.
‘It worked!’
Andrei reflexively covered his eyes and staggered back. In that instant, Jin drew Bradamante and swung it in a diagonal arc.
Slash!
A vivid sensation of cutting flesh traveled up the blade. The chest. Just as he was about to thrust again, the face from the stone lunged at him.
However, the face seemed to be affected by Andrei’s ruined vision; it merely flailed its long neck and snapped its jaws blindly.
Jin dropped low, almost crawling, and swung his sword from a bizarre angle, aiming to sever Andrei’s legs.
“Aaaagh!”
Slice…!
Both ankles severed, Andrei collapsed backward.
Against an ordinary enemy, this would have been the end. But there was no opening to pin him down and drive the sword into his chest or throat.
Quicantel seemed to have reached her limit. Despite the time Jin had bought her, she couldn't create more distance, simply sitting there, gasping for breath.
“I shall commend you for that surprise attack. However, you and your god shall become the most vital ingredients for the Demon God Stone, Jin Runcandel…!”
Despite having his eyes scorched by the Flash Cannon and his legs severed, Andrei remained composed. He used the face of the ‘Demon God Stone’ to calmly shield his entire body. Furthermore, just as with Buretta, his severed ankles began to regenerate.
To make matters worse, Buretta had shaken off Murakan and was now approaching. He hadn’t defeated Murakan, but with the ‘Windless Zone’ still in effect, he had simply flown over.
[Kid! Above you!]
BOOM!
Buretta landed violently, intending to crush Jin under his weight. Jin threw himself out of the way, but it was impossible to evade both the subsequent Breath and the face of the Demon God Stone at the same time.
Death was at his doorstep.
Placing a hand on his neck, Jin thought of one person’s name.
The strongest knight acknowledged by all since Cyron, the noble White Whale.
Luna Runcandel.
His sister’s name.
Clink!
As he squeezed his fist, Orgal’s Pendant—which he had not taken off in six years—shattered.
Simultaneously, mana erupted from it like a volcano, and a dimensional gate tore open the air.
“It seems you’ve run into some trouble, haven’t you? Our youngest.”
And from the gate, the White Whale emerged.