173. Distribution
"Are you sure?"
『Yes. Over a hundred heroes died in the battle with the dragon. His name is front and center, but it's not entirely Balaf Disrod's achievement alone.』
'To push a dragon that far...'
Even left alone, it would've died, so "pushing" was an understatement—it was outright captured.
A hero party that included no less than four Stars.
The empire had poured its heart into it in cooperation with the Hero Guild, so the overall caliber was high.
Compared to a dragon, that force wasn't unconditionally inferior. In fact, since they'd actually taken it down, they were overwhelmingly superior.
'Even Stars against a full-grown dragon, though.'
The power of a true adult dragon defied words. Even the Demon King Academy taught to avoid clashing with dragons in dimensions where they existed, as much as possible.
Yet it had been captured. By that hero party.
'If that hero party storms my tower...'
Nothing but the absolute worst scenarios came to mind.
'Of course, even now with the dragon heart absorbed...'
It was the same. His total power had grown, but dimensional interference remained unchanged. If even that were gone, he wouldn't care, but tens of thousands was still too much right now.
'But if most of them get trapped in the false tower and wiped out?'
That would draw four Stars—or, given the alliance of over a dozen kingdoms, maybe even more. If he could kill them all.
'No one left to stop me.'
Except for the Demon King, Jason Cockmondo.
"Got it. Thanks."
『Did you claim the dragon?』
"Yeah."
『As expected of my lord.』
"Cut the flattery."
『It's not flattery. Black hair's nice, but that dark red looks so dashing too.』
"...Huh?"
A click—
The connection cut off.
...What the hell was that?
* * *
"Dragon, dragon, dragon, dragon, dragon, dragon!"
"Armor from those scales. Weapons from those bones. Bows from the tendons, and those teeth for...!"
"I wanna make it, wanna make it, wanna make it!"
Madness. There was no other word for it.
Next to the rapidly rising false tower lay the dragon's corpse.
The dwarves hammered three times, then glanced at the dragon once—repeat.
"Kuhuhu, to have a dragon corpse right in front of us and do anything else? Shame on any dwarf craftsman..."
Occasionally, one who'd lost it would lunge at the corpse, only to be blocked by fellow artisans.
"Snap out of it! Cause trouble before the tower's done, and our shares get zilch!"
"You bastard! If we lose the corpse 'cause of you, it's on you!"
They checked each other while their greed for the dragon only grew.
And that greed poured straight into tower construction.
"They'll let us touch the corpse once the tower's built? Then build the damn tower!"
"Just 50 meters left? Two weeks—no, one week, done!"
At the pinnacle stood Roger.
The dwarf granted full authority over dwarf artisans by the Demon King and Luize Berft.
The shortstack with the greatest dragon obsession of all.
"Move faster! Who takes responsibility if the corpse degrades?"
"Those iridescent scales! Those massive bones! Those splendid horns! Don't we gotta dismantle and craft while they're perfect?"
"Slower than the chimeras! Wanna lose everything to Princess Ravinia?"
Roger drew on his leg-building experience to command the dwarves adeptly. And led from the front, fired up.
From Berge's view, it couldn't be more satisfying.
'Got it by accident, but this is one hell of a card.'
Dragon scales with ultimate magic resistance.
Dragon bones harder than any metal.
Tendons near-impossible to sever.
All heavenly materials, not a scrap wasted.
Armor from scales, swords and spears from bones, bows from tendons?
Crafted by Berft's top artisans?
'Blood Dragon Sword, Barstad.'
At minimum on par, maybe surpassing. A flood of them.
One bone sword could symbolize an empire—arm the whole tower crew with these?
'Thrilling just to imagine.'
For real.
This might not be a pipe dream.
Smashing the empire head-on, toppling kingdoms, conquering Alein.
Taking Alein into Ma-gye's embrace and returning in glory.
"Can't wait."
Berge prayed the alliance hunting his tower would form sooner.
* * *
Thanks to dwarf madness or Ravinia's obsession?
The tower finished faster than expected, unveiling its grandeur in under three weeks.
"Bombs?"
"Space between outer and inner walls, filled entirely with mana bombs."
"Perfect."
The 50-meter tower was bomb-plastered. Touch the trigger, and chain explosions would obliterate the surroundings.
How many could survive that blast?
What emotions would humans drown in after their hero party wiped?
Rage? Fear? Grief? Despair?
Didn't matter. Those feelings would deepen, all turning to Berge's magic points.
"Ravinia."
"Yeah."
"Fill floors one and two with monsters. Not too packed, but not too weak."
"Yeah. Dragon?"
"Yeah, time to distribute the dragon."
"Yay."
Ravinia beamed. The quietly listening dwarves rushed to seats before Berge.
"We trust in the great Demon King's fair distribution!"
"We trust!"
Roger led, dwarves chorused.
'Dragon's huge, though.'
Why did it seem hopelessly insufficient before dwarves and Ravinia's greed?
"Back to the tower first."
Through the sea, into the tower. Pulled the corpse from sub-space.
"What the—? A dragon!"
"It's a dragon!"
"My god."
Succubus Queen, humans, dwarf princess, elves—all united in shock.
"Where'd you get this?"
"Picked it up."
"...What kinda bullshit is that?"
Ignored Vivian's scowl.
"My lord?"
"Heard it—picked it up on the way."
"Possible?"
"Did it, so yeah."
Berge summoned everyone in the tower to floor one. Shining eyes fixed on him.
"Distributing dragon byproducts now. Hands up if you need."
Not one held back—all hands up.
"Luize, you too?"
"Need materials for my axe."
"Dwarves'll handle that."
"Then nah."
Luize slyly lowered her hand.
"Elves don't craft, far as I know."
"For magic research."
Elena spoke for the elves.
"Don't need much bone or scales. But blood and eyes? Top-tier reagents."
"Got it. You, Vivian—what?"
"...Horns."
"Horns?"
She pointed to her empty side.
"Yeah, horns."
"Denied."
"Why! You sold 'em—fix it! That's how you treat kin!"
"Say I do—how ya attaching?"
"That crazy princess! Makes chimeras fine—can't slap a horn on my head?"
"Dunno."
Berge shook his head. Even Ravinia, ace chimera maker, couldn't flawlessly graft a dragon horn onto an unfamiliar succubus queen body.
And above all.
"This horn's bigger than your head."
Denied.
"Argh, no! Refine it—dwarves refine, compress!"
Her eyes chased the dwarves. They desperately averted.
"Roger."
"Uh, well."
Roger wiped sweat amid tribal glares.
Skin prickled.
"Spit it out. No bullshit."
"Possible, but..."
"Long tongue. Exclude you?"
"It works! Totally!"
"So you ignored her 'cause you don't want horns going."
"...Ahem."
"Kuh-hum."
Dwarves dodged Berge's gaze.
"Ravinia. Feasible?"
"Demon King, dragon, horn. Fun."
"Sounds fun, so wanna try? No reckless bullshit..."
"Do."
"She says do it!"
"...Fine. One horn to Vivian. Roger, refine properly, hand to Ravinia."
"...Yes, sir."
Berge moved on.
"Ravinia."
"All?"
"Monsters. All."
"Bullshit. Only one Cher you can graft onto."
Slapping dragon bits on every crude monster? Nothing left. Waste.
"...Sneaky."
Ravinia puffed her cheeks.
"Don't want it? Fine."
"Cher. Horn, scales, muscle."
"Amount?"
"Cover Cher body, scales."
"Enough scales to cover its body."
"Muscle."
"Replace some muscles with dragon?"
"Yeah."
"Horn in head?"
"Yeah."
"Good. Horns all claimed."
"Ah..."
"Ugh."
Dwarves groaned in regret.
"Unfair! No shot at the prime horns!"
"You're the most numerous. You'll get the biggest shares. Horns too? Greedy much?"
"...Per person, it's the same."
"I'll hook you up extra."
"I fully agree with my lord!"
"Traitor!"
"Me too—lord's right!"
"Same!"
Dwarves shouted in unison. Even those gnashing at Roger switched targets.
"Roger, no need for eyes, right?"
"Eyes fine, but takes from elsewhere?"
"Duh."
"Then no. Prefer more teeth."
"Eyes to elves, blood?"
"Decent amount fine."
"Kaede, you?"
"New armor and sword too..."
Kaede mumbled shyly. Knightly, she craved fine blade and plate.
Dragon bone ones, especially.
"Got it. Roger, you're on it."
"Why me again!"
"You're the hero."
"......"
"Extra scales for two robes."
"Pardon?"
"One for Elena, one for Ernan."
"...Yes."
"That it?"
"M-me too!"
The golemancer, kidnapped for cores, briefly forgotten.
"Name...?"
"Raymond, great Demon King!"
"You want what."
"Bones, blood, eyes! Imagine—a golem from dragon bone!"
Dragon bone frame, blood-etched runes and circuits, eye as core. Glorious just thinking.
"Ultimate golem ever!"
"Hm."
Berge stroked his chin. Sounded tempting. But one condition.
"Become my kin, and you can."
"Uh..."
Raymond pondered long, then looked up.
"Hypothetically."
"Shoot."
"If I make the core right and build the golem, send me back to Akan?"
"...Dunno."
Berge gave no answer. Just an ambiguous smile. That was the answer.
"...If no going back anyway, I'll be kin and build what I want!"
"Didn't say no return."
"Then kin it is!"
"Wise choice."
Distribution done. Butchering began.
* * *
Traparta Alliance. Continent's heart, elite forces from every nation gathered.
Flags and crests raised, resolve hardened.
"The time has come!"
Rufus Jespain, alliance head, ascended the podium.
Surveying 100,000 legions, magic-amplified voice boomed.
"A thousand years ago, Demon King descended—we trembled in terror. Heroes rose to resist, but endless war and hatred chained us."
"Change came just over a century ago. To break this vile cycle, countless lives thrown away like chaff! For humanity! For the continent!"
"Four of five Demon Kings slain—we seized peace. Showed humans superior. Granted fitting mercy!"
But now.
"That peace shakes."
A Demon King mocks us, exploiting our generous mercy.
"Can't find the tower, so we revert to weaklings. Want the dark past reborn?!"
- No!
Earth-shaking roar.
"Right. We can't tolerate the Flame Demon King anymore. Show all Demon Kings—one hundredfold punishment example!"
And now is.
"That moment!"
Rufus raised the flag.
Alliance continent crest whipped in wind.
"Rise all! Fight for humanity's future! Find the Demon King—teach no more mercy!"
March!
──────!
Amid fiery cheers, 110,000 alliance troops marched to find the Flame Demon Tower.