Chapter 186
Chapter 186
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 186
Chapter Title: The Final Dragon (5)
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Melted treasure lay scattered in a chaotic mess across the dragon's lair.
"Hahaha, that was... truly, truly... quite the spectacle, wasn't it?"
Remillion spoke with a face still flushed from the lingering thrill. The rest of the group had already returned to the upper level. Only he, the dragon, and Rapustran remained.
This time as well, Kadim had emerged victorious from his wager with the dragon.
He hadn't blocked the breath for a full ten seconds with the battered shield. Right before the flames could touch him, Kadim had hurled the shield with all his might. The fierce wind pressure split the inferno just enough for him to slip through the gap and charge straight at the dragon. Then, with Judgment of Atala, he smashed the dragon's lower jaw, choking off the breath mid-release.
It was a superhuman feat no ordinary soul could hope to replicate. The problem lay in the wager's terms: enduring the breath for ten seconds.
When Rapustran pointed this out in a rage, Kadim had replied,
"Ten seconds have passed."
- ...What?
"You only said to endure the breath for ten seconds. You never specified I'd have to stand there and take it like last time. Ten seconds passed, and I'm still alive, so I win the bet."
- ....
Looking back, it wasn't wrong. The feeling of being tricked by such a cheap ploy lingered, though.
Even so, Rapustran decided to honor the loss gracefully.
What he called "dodging the breath" had left Kadim drenched in near-thousand-degree residual heat. Seeing him calmly declare victory amid skin scorched and peeling away made it impossible not to concede.
And from the start... he knew the wager's true purpose.
An excuse for him to boldly take that one step forward.
"Haha, he was impressive even three hundred years ago, but now he's on another level entirely. Even I get chills standing before him sometimes. How does he possess such audacity...? I wager he'd charge at the heavenly gods themselves without batting an eye. Hahaha..."
Remillion laughed heartily, endlessly praising Kadim's boldness. Rapustran had remained silent all the while. Sensing the mood belatedly, Remillion cautiously asked if the dragon's jaw was alright from the blow.
The dragon's concerns lay elsewhere. Glancing at the treasures melted by his own breath, he spoke.
- ...Do you remember, Remillion?
"Hm? Remember what?"
- Why I gathered so many treasures in my lair. I mentioned it in passing once before.
Remillion nodded readily.
A dragon's vision differed from a human's. Their eyes discerned "value" and "danger." Noble, valuable beings appeared golden; ominous, perilous ones glowed red. He'd heard that the golden hue instinctively satisfied dragons, explaining their hoards.
- What I didn't mention then... was that I was using those treasures to fill the voids left by my vanished "kin."
"...!"
- My kin, noble in spirit and mighty in power... shone brighter than any being in the world. Being amid that glow filled the deepest voids in my soul. But after the "Night of Heavenly Punishment," I never saw that light again. I gathered their left-behind treasures to mimic it, but the emptiness persisted...
A hoarse rumble carried a poignant echo. Remillion coughed awkwardly.
"Ahem... Sorry about that. I had no idea your treasures held such meaning. I sincerely apologize again for trying to steal them in my youth..."
- No matter. Yours shines brighter than those trinkets now.
"...Hm?"
- That's why I didn't kill you outright when you returned. The first time, you were less than a pebble. But upon reunion, you gleamed like one of my kin. Couldn't bear to see such a one perish, so I kept you close and shared my blood...
Long-term consumption of dragon blood turned humans into dragonkin. Dragonkin wielded fragments of draconic power, their bodies far sturdier than any human's.
Though immunity strengthened and aging slowed, absolute lifespan didn't dramatically extend. Remillion's survival owed to "dark elf blood."
He knew well. One hundred fifty years ago, this dragon had braved heavenly punishment to aid the dark elves, largely to save him from death's door.
Rapustran vehemently denied it, but covert dealings with the dark elves were undeniable. Why else would they share blood with a stranger? Their blood, like elves', had extended the dying dragonkin's life to this day.
He'd long pondered why the dragon treated him so specially... and now that ancient question dissolved. He, the alliance-founding hero, was the final gleam beside the last dragon.
Remillion looked up at the dragon with misty eyes.
"Listen, Rapustran."
- What is it.
"Once this is over, let's head to the 'mountains' together."
- ...What nonsense.
"Come on, you haven't been there in ages. Time for some fresh air, and to pay respects to your noble, great kin."
- ...Enough. No need for empty pity from a mortal. My resolve isn't that frail.
"Haha, no need to refuse. I'll ask that priest of the Forgotten God for a veil in advance. While we're at it, I can inspect how the alliance fares..."
Though repeatedly refusing, Rapustran didn't seem entirely averse inwardly. A flicker of anticipation kindled in his clouded eyes. Thus, the human and dragon—bound by fateful friendship—sketched their first joint journey under human initiative and draconic tacit approval.
Suddenly, a thought struck Remillion, shifting the topic.
"Oh, by the way... how did that man, Lord Kadim, appear to your eyes? Surely he shone more brilliantly than I?"
- ....
Rapustran slowly closed his nictitating membrane.
It was a hard question to answer readily. For properly examining him was nearly impossible.
A surface glance made him seem approachable enough. But peering deeper required deliberately dimming his sight and blurring focus.
In thousands of years, he'd never seen such an aberration. Not from vanished kin, the archmage returned from hell, elven gods descended to earth, nor even the false Elga meting heavenly punishment.
Golden radiance banishing pupillary darkness. Crimson intensity scorching the cornea.
Transcendent "value" and "danger" coexisted within.
- ....
The last dragon gazed silently toward the upper chamber where that enigmatic human waited, a complex hush upon him.
"...That was far too reckless."
A soft voice sighed in lament.
The dim chamber glowed only with the crimson light of the "Hydra's Tattoo." Kadim silently peeled away the scabs as his burns regenerated. Ilenia spoke again, her tone laced with worry.
"If you'd dodged the dragon's breath even a moment later, the injuries might have been beyond repair. Even with full healing, the scars on your weary spirit won't fade. You must value your body more, Lord Kadim..."
"Do you believe in the Forgotten God?"
"Pardon?"
"Do you believe what the Forgotten God says?"
"...Yes, without a speck of doubt. But why ask so suddenly...?"
"Then what's to worry about? That god said I'd slay the demons and false Elga. So I won't die until then."
"... ."
Kadim himself placed little faith in the revelation, but Ilenia couldn't refute it.
She bit her lip, then exhaled a long sigh. Swallowing her concerns, she expressed heartfelt gratitude for convincing the dragon thanks to him.
Kadim waved it off dismissively.
"More importantly, I forgot to apologize."
"...Pardon?"
"You were right. I shouldn't have met Melissa so unprepared. I should have uncovered the truth first, prepared thoroughly. Charging in blindly was my mistake. And yet you came to my aid—thank you."
"... ."
An enigmatic glint mingled in her amber eyes.
It resembled the light when Duncan first had his worth acknowledged. A glow erasing past hardships. Though hiding it, her lips twitched into an ecstatic curve. Echoes of the warrior's words from the lair rang in her ears.
'This woman endured "heavenly punishment" like you, yet fears not the sun and aids me.'
But she couldn't bask in the validation yet. To earn full trust, one more mountain loomed.
After deliberation, Ilenia spoke her resolve.
"If you don't want it, I'll destroy it."
"...What?"
"The 'gift' I showed you before. If you refuse to use it, I'll dispose of it immediately. It's a grave boon from our leader... but your will as the revelation's warrior matters more."
"... ."
Kadim stared silently at the floor.
Then slowly shook his head.
A wry smile touched Ilenia's lips. Of course—using it or not wasn't the issue. Its very creation would enrage Kadim.
Yet, with some emotional residue eased, Kadim pondered differently.
"More importantly, a question."
"...Yes, ask away."
"How exactly was that made? Like the 'doppelganger' I saw in Galentana?"
"Yes, exactly. But... far more advanced. It replicates not just appearance, but abilities too."
"...Then why not make dozens and attack Melissa with them?"
"No... impossible. Crafting it requires immense holy power for the 'Grand Incarnation' ritual. As you know, the Forgotten God lacks the means to bestow ample power on followers. Plus, a severe constraint: extracting the target from the caster's 'memories'..."
In that instant, sparks flew in Kadim's mind.
Scattered clues assembled. The old comrade's murky trail linked to the silhouette behind the curtain. If her words rang true, only one soul could craft such a thing.
The priest who saw the light's falsehood and turned from it.
"Gordon... is with the Forgotten God cult."
"... ."
Ilenia offered no reply.
Her face shadowed deeply, she covered it with her hand in a sign of the cross, bowed silently, and vanished into the darkness.
Kadim watched her retreating figure with eyes darker than the gloom.
He opened his eyes to a jagged cave ceiling.
And dark elves encircling him.
"Most peculiar..."
"Indeed, quite so. Truly peculiar..."
"Hm, verily peculiar, verily..."
Unable to grasp the situation, Duncan blinked in confusion. He vaguely recalled collapsing en route to meet the dragon.
"Um... sirs? Wh-where am I? Where's the dragon...?"
"He speaks our tongue too..."
"Peculiar, so peculiar..."
"By the primordial darkness, this is beyond peculiar..."
"... ."
No matter his questions, they only marveled at the "peculiarity," offering no answers. Lying dazed like a rice straw for a spell, Duncan finally rose to find the others.
One dark elf pressed him back down, asking,
"Tell me, are you... a brother who serves the darkness like us?"
"...Pardon?"
"You know, like that yellow-eyed human sister from beyond the great forest. From the same sect as her?"
"Wha? N-no, I'm just a plain merchant..."
"Then what of this mantle and sword? They bear the Forgotten God's blessed relics."
"Ah, th-that's..."
Duncan haltingly explained acquiring the Shadow Mantle and Invisible Sword.
What followed was a repeat of the prior exchange.
"Peculiar... truly, utterly peculiar..."
"To guide relics to an unbeliever..."
"And not even a servant—how does he evade notice so?"
"Peculiar... What astonishing truths lurk at darkness's depths...?"
...No, the mood seemed to intensify.
Ignoring them to leave was impossible. Desperately scanning for aid, Duncan spotted an elf boy who could shapeshift into a black panther on the adjacent bed—but alas, unconscious.
Fortunately, salvation arrived at the entrance.
A dark elf girl in black priestly robes, weary yet resolute.
"May I enter?"
"Li-Lilia!"
"Apostle Lilia! What brings you here...?"
All eyes lit up toward her. Duncan, finally finding someone to plead with, froze as her staggering identity hit him.
Seizing the hesitation, a dark elf spoke first.
"Apostle Lilia? A moment, we have urgent matters..."
"Yes, what is it?"
The dark elf and Lilia conferred secretly in a corner. Occasionally grimacing or glancing oddly at Duncan.
Afterward, Lilia approached him, mirroring the others' reaction.
"Hm, this is... indeed peculiar. I didn't notice while sealed with you..."
"Truly peculiar, Apostle."
"Yes, impossible not to be, Apostle."
"... ."
Duncan wore a resigned, enlightened expression.
Lilia scrutinized him, then abruptly extended her slender hand.
"Merchant, may I borrow your hand a moment?"
"Pardon...? Why my hand suddenly...?"
"Just a moment. Yes... good. Now press it against that wall?"
"... ."
An utterly absurd command... but Duncan had let go. He compliantly pressed the hand Lilia had held to the wall.
A hole pierced the surface.
Whoooong—
"...Huh?"
A pitch-black, rippling portal.
Strikingly like the space-warping gate Ilenia had opened at the World Tree. Dark elves gasped in unison; Lilia touched her lips thoughtfully. Duncan gulped, stupefied.
"D-did... I make that?"
It was utterly, incontrovertibly peculiar.