Chapter 43

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Translator: Ace

Chapter: 43

Chapter Title: Rattling Bones

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His bones were ringing loudly. His entire body shuddered from the shock. Balteroth hurriedly circulated mana through his body to soothe the impact. But the shock refused to subside easily. It was all because of that demon's demonic energy.

'Ugh, he's no pushover.'

Right before the clash, the demon had concentrated his demonic energy upfront in an instant to block the impact. And at the same time, he'd unleashed a shockwave that rattled Balteroth's bones.

The bastard knew how to handle his demonic energy well.

'He knows how to fight.'

While steadying himself from the shock, Balteroth swiftly pulled away from the demon. Until he figured out the demon's specialties, he had to proceed with caution.

-Demon. You will confess without a shred of falsehood. What purpose brought you down to the human realm?

"I didn't come to the human realm for any purpose. Humans just summoned me."

-You spew lies with such ease. Summoned by humans?

"Of course. I've got nothing to hide. I'm completely innocent."

-You dare spout such nonsense before a great dragon? Did you think I wouldn't know the vile tricks of demonkind?

Balteroth glared with bulging eyes. A fierce aura poured from his sharply slitted pupils. The demon just shrugged nonchalantly.

-Black mages think their actions stem purely from their own free will. They believe reviving demons is something they want to do. But is that really the case?

"......"

-Humans. Pitiful underlings who serve that demon. I shall reveal the truth, so listen well.

The dragon's words drilled into the ears of the trembling black mages.

-Essentially, black mages are demon slaves whose souls are pawned to demonkind. The more black magic you learn, the more your soul dyes with evil, until eventually, you offer it to demonkind. You become their kin.

"......"

-By then, your thoughts and mindset have long mirrored your master's. You've adopted the demon's way of thinking.

Balteroth infused his telepathy with mana. So those humans couldn't close their ears even if they tried. To make them truly realize the truth.

-Only then, convinced that humans have become inescapable slaves, does the demon secretly implant a subtle command you won't even notice. To summon it to the human realm.

"......"

-This is demonkind's mental manipulation. Do you understand? Your thoughts have been tampered with. You tried to summon that demon, and even offered your own lives as tribute, all because of it.

"......"

-Humans. Don't you value your lives? Don't you want to live? If you do, why offer yourselves as sacrifices? Why serve a monster that devours humans like snacks?

Balteroth sensed the trembling black mages' expressions slowly changing. Confusion mixed with doubt and shock. The face of one who grasps the truth.

They shook their heads. Some denied it as absurd nonsense, while others were too shocked to utter a word, mouths agape.

Not everyone, of course. Some bowed frantically to the demon like fanatics. But a significant number were realizing the truth and falling into turmoil.

Balteroth was satisfied with that. It was enough to deal a meaningful blow to the demon.

The more black mages who followed, the stronger the demon grew. If they stopped following, the demon's power would falter.

-Demon. This is the truth. The truth you demons tried so desperately to hide. Even now that your ugly schemes are exposed, will you keep pretending not to know?

"......I always think this, but you dragons are such annoyingly persistent bastards. Trying to deceive humans with twisted logic."

The demon still wore a smiling face. But one corner of his mouth twisted oddly, as if irritated.

The demon turned around. And addressed his followers.

"Humans. Think carefully. The name of this world you call? The human realm. Know why it's called that?"

"Because humans live...?"

"Right. Because humans live here. More precisely, because humans are the masters. A world where humans are lords—that's the human realm."

The demon subtly released demonic energy. In the place where the sanctuary's effect had vanished, demonic energy began to rise thickly once more.

"Think about it. In a world where humans are masters, why do dragons act like they own the place? Why do dragons bully humans?"

"W-Well, that's..."

"Children. Have you ever wondered why non-humans are consumed by such intense hatred for humans? Why they despise you so much?"

"Um, because we humans did terrible things to them...?"

"Wrong. It's because of the dragons."

-You bastard! What nonsense are you spouting? We never did such things!

Balteroth roared, but the demon's mouth didn't stop.

"Dragons incited their hatred. They manipulated the races from behind to prevent unity."

"......"

"They united elves with hatred, dwarves with exclusivity. Mermaids and beastkin were steeped in victimhood."

"......"

"All of it because of dragons. Dragons pulled the strings from the shadows. At the same time, they brainwashed humans into provoking them."

"......"

"And yet, are dragons the harmonizers of the human realm? Protectors of the human realm? Does it really look that way to you?"

The humans' eyes wavered again. Balteroth noticed demonic energy flickering around their shaking gazes.

Balteroth glared and drew up mana from his dragon heart.

He took a deep breath. His thick abdominal scales swelled like a balloon.

He couldn't hold back any longer. The memory of the stone golem that humiliated him had already vanished from his mind.

"My children. Don't fall for their sophistry. They are vile invaders trying to dominate the human realm. Mere impurities that scorn and belittle humans, the true masters. So instead of me, the dragons..."

-You bastard!

Balteroth unleashed his breath. Air escaped his swollen belly as his massive body shot forward like an explosion.

BOOM!

A deafening roar enveloped the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠site in a massive blast.

He'd gained something completely unexpected.

Just from eavesdropping on the dragon and demon's conversation.

Ian sincerely sent a thank-you to the dragon.

Giving him two dragon horns and stats too. How grateful could he be?

'Oh, dragon. Thank you so much.'

On the other hand, he was impressed.

By what? The demon's silver tongue.

'Look at that devilish tongue wag.'

No wonder it was a demon.

"Ian! As you predicted, the dragon and demon have started fighting!"

"Yeah. I'm watching."

As soon as their fight began, Ian moved a bit closer to the scene.

Not because he was some thrill-seeking battle maniac enjoying the show, but because he felt the need to orchestrate this battle situation.

This fight.

For Ian, neither the dragon winning nor the demon winning was desirable.

If the dragon won, Ddol Ddoli would be next on the hit list, back to being chased. And the demon winning? Even more absurd.

So Ian desperately hoped.

'Fight each other and both drop dead. Please.'

Sitting on a hill a bit away from the booming site, Ian clasped his hands and prayed fervently.

'God, Buddha, God of Light. Please make those bastards kill each other at the same time. Please.'

With a truly earnest expression.

'Honestly, what did our Ddol Ddoli do wrong? He just went into the mountain, and that fat dragon attacked on its own whim. Right?'

Thinking that way made him feel unjustly treated somehow.

What right did that thing have to tell our Ddol Ddoli to get out? They hadn't even invaded the lair proper.

'Please, mutual destruction. Please!'

Ian prayed desperately, but unfortunately, the situation wasn't evenly matched.

It started even, but momentum was slowly tilting toward the dragon.

Watching the demon clearly getting pushed back, Ian bit his lip.

"You wicked fiend! You demons can never invade the human realm! Ian! Thank goodness! The demon's losing..."

"Damn it, idiot! You should've twisted right there!"

"Huh, Ian?"

"Argh, so frustrating. You stupid demon bastard. Don't you know how powerful a dragon's physical combat is? And you pick a brawl?"

Ian pounded his chest in frustration. He ignored Lara's weird look beside him.

'Don't you know? A dragon's true strength isn't magic—it's that insane body.'

That body that could crush even an elephant to death just by stepping on it was cheat-level itself. And this fool with his 2-meter frame dares to charge it?

The bastard had to lose. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠That's right. How could something so unreasonable expect victory?

But he couldn't just let it happen like that, so Ian jumped up.

"Ddol Ddoli. Don't you want revenge?"

-Ddol Ddoli wants revenge. Because Ddol Ddoli lost without even fighting the dragon.

"Then let's land one on that dragon."

-Good. Ddol Ddoli follows master's opinion.

"Throw a big rock at that bastard."

-Understood.

"Ian? What are you planning...?"

"Just watch. It's how we survive."

"Attacking the dragon is how we survive?"

"Yeah."

Whether Lara panicked or not, Ddol Ddoli stood up. It released its miniaturization, looked around, and picked up a house-sized boulder. No exaggeration—a rock as big as a one-story house.

'Whoa. Look at the size of that rock.'

Ddol Ddoli must've been pretty pissed too. Bringing something that huge.

Come to think of it, Ddol Ddoli was smiling. How excited must it be to grin like that?

'What's the dragon's weak point?'

Something like reverse scales?

But aren't reverse scales from eastern dragons?

Whatever, who knows.

"Aim for that dragon's eye. Smash the eyeball."

-Understood.

Ddol Ddoli took a deep breath. Its eyes turned serious. With more focus than ever, it assumed a throwing stance.

Like a javelin athlete, it leaned back powerfully and hurled the rock with all its might.

-Hup!

The rock thrown by the 7-meter giant flew at an unbelievably fast speed.

Whiiiiiish!

Splat!

-Gah!

A short scream. Ian held his breath for a moment. Did it hit dead-on? Yes, but more than that, their eyes met.

'Shit. Busted.'

"Lara! Run!"

"Huh?"

"We're screwed!"

Ian spammed Blink in haste. Lara hurriedly followed from behind.

Ddol Ddoli...

Couldn't keep up.

No choice. Ddol Ddoli was too slow.

Fine, just resummon it.

'Monstrous bastard. Spotted me in the meantime?'

Ian trembled with rage. As expected of a dragon. It ruled through terror for a reason.

-Rat! So there was a rat! Which rat dares...!

The dragon roared. Ian couldn't tell if it was from the interference or losing one eye.

Just run.

-You! Golem! Graaaah! You scum! I'll crush you right now...!

Stab!

-Guh!

The dragon's remaining eye bulged like a eyeball. Ian, glancing back while fleeing, widened his eyes too.

'Stabbed?'

Stabbed.

Near the heart.

"Where are you looking? Did I seem that easy to you?"

-Guh, guhuk!

The dragon spewed blood. The demon grinned with a twisted smirk.

"Pfft, close call. Whoever you are, thanks a ton. I survived because of you."

The demon regained his composure. Because he'd precisely pierced the dragon heart.

The dragon heart was a dragon's core. Damage to it impaired the dragon's strength.

Mana leaked from the wound. Probably from the dragon heart.

Its source was draining rapidly.

"No idea why my meticulously crafted curse didn't work. It was the perfect curse to bind dragonkind. Hmm."

Troubling. The curse failing was a major setback to the plan.

If the curse had worked, dragonkind wouldn't move like this. But it failed, and even if the descent succeeded, fighting dragonkind would be a hassle.

"No helping it. The situation turned out like..."

-Kuhuhu. Demon. Careless, are you? Did you think I'd die so pathetically?

"The dragon heart's cracked, how could... guk!"

-You underestimated dragons. Even with a cracked dragon heart and leaking mana, you're no match. Plus, I'm without horns right now. Winning against me was your delusion.

"Urgh."

-What? Bind dragonkind? Hilarious. You struggled against me, barely an adult dragon. And you think you can face the elders? Ha, no chance. Impossible.

"N-No way..."

Splat!

The demon's head and heart exploded simultaneously. Balteroth panted heavily. He'd killed the demon.

But he wasn't pleased. The fight's outcome was too pathetic.

Even without two horns and not at full strength, to only push it this far.

Humiliating. Utterly humiliating.

-Hoo, need to heal these wounds first.

He closed his eyes. With ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the dragon ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠heart cracked, his life hung by a thread. Fortunately, he wouldn't die.

-Golem. Golem!

He was furious. Unbearable. But unable to chase it, he fumed.

Ian sighed. They survived for now. But the situation wasn't good.

Because the demon died.

In the end, the dragon won.

Damn it.

-Graaaah! I'll kill you somehow!

Hearing the dragon's telepathy spread far, Ian shook his head.

No way it's still kicking?

'Heart cracked and still wins? Wow. Truly gross.'

If anything, tougher than the demon.

The funny part? This powerhouse was just a freshly matured young one.

How strong were the older ones?

"Lara. You're not hurt anywhere?"

"No, I'm fine. But that's not the point. The demon's dead! Hehehe!"

Lara rejoicing at the demon's death.

Maybe her demon phobia was etched into her soul.

Makes sense for a spirit's soul.

'Anyway, gotta resummon Ddol Ddoli...'

-Ddol Ddoli, revenge!

"Huh?"

Ian rubbed his eyes.

-Uahaha! Ddol Ddoli, revenge!

Ddol Ddoli's cheers echoed from afar.

Voice happier than ever.

Ian just scratched his head in bewilderment.

'W-What?'

No way, did it land the killing blow?

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