Chapter 228
Chapter 228
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 228
Chapter Title: The Hatchling's Light
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“What do you think is the meaning of magic’s existence?”
Before reaching Sunstar Bara, Balensidis had once asked Owen that question.
“To, to help the peo, people.”
When Owen repeated exactly what his mother had taught him, Balensidis let out a smirk.
“My father and master held the same sentiment. He said magic must be used for the common folk.”
Magic hadn’t yet spread throughout everyday life, so not everyone could benefit from it.
But someday, when magic enriched everyone’s lives, those people would gain access to knowledge too.
Then the era where those who monopolized time and knowledge lorded over others would end, ushering in a time of true equality and happiness for all.
“We focused our research on relief magic for the masses to make that day come. That ruffled the Black Church’s feathers. The Black Church didn’t want order in the world.”
“……!”
“To survive, I killed my master. And while preaching for the common folk, I slaughtered countless innocents. These are sins I can’t wash away, a past I can’t shake off.”
Even so, after Tureina took him in, he had one excuse for himself, even as he waded through the heart of sin.
This power of black magic, these cruel events—they would tear down the rigidly hardened society and forge a new world...
He believed it had to be shattered by force. The notions of rulers and the ruled had ossified too deeply, after all.
“And that’s when I met you, Owen.”
“……?”
“Imagine it. Rumors spread of a nation thriving after teaching magic widely to its people. Don’t you think it would inspire the other countries?”
Balensidis spoke with the innocent smile of an excited child, and Owen couldn’t help but smile back.
“Maybe I’ve stayed alive this long, unable to die, just to meet you and entrust you with mine and my master’s dream.”
“......?”
“If someone ever asks you who your master is, don’t mention my name. Even if I’m on the brink of death, you keep walking your path.”
No matter what happens, prioritize your survival. You’re the one who can change this era—not me, you.
“Promise me you will.”
* * *
As Owen’s flute began to pour out its melody, blood-red light welled up from the engravings of sheet music on the tombstone.
“It’s already over. The Great Star Formation vanished, so the plan should be finished...”
That was around when Balensidis regained control over everything above his neck from the Absolute Domain’s bindings.
“What the hell are they still aiming for here...?”
Elramas raised an eyebrow in surprise at that mental fortitude, then curled his lips into a bored smile, as if it worked out perfectly.
“Baztem. The worst primordial kingdom, said to command hundreds of thousands of cannibal soldiers. That kingdom slumbers beneath this Bara.”
“That’s common knowledge...”
“Oh? Then do you, Tureina’s little toy, also know that I possess the power to awaken that kingdom?”
“What?”
“With just that mad kingdom’s power, subjugating the entire continent would be child’s play. The southern republic wouldn’t even mount a proper resistance before crumbling.”
“You think the Papal Court will just sit by and watch?”
“Hah, you know damn well. Those fools are barely holding on defending Arkrad Continent as it is.”
“……!”
“Once that kingdom awakens, we start with Bara. An army of the undead will burst from the earth and raze this hated royal castle to the ground. After that, hmm, where to next?”
The revival of the primordial kingdom?
No way that could be possible... No, if it’s a pillar of the Black Church that could summon even black stars, this is nothing.
It couldn’t happen—originally, it shouldn’t have been possible.
“No, Owen! Stop playing...!”
“Hmph, too late.”
The psychic haze dancing from Elramas’s hand swelled into a typhoon.
The ground trembled heavily, from the screams of thousands, tens of thousands rising from deep underground.
Chilling resentment whirled like a storm from the cracking earth, surging upward. Crunch, craunch, crunch... the horrific sound of bones grinding together echoed.
“There, the primordial army is unleashed!”
And in the next instant, a skeletal arm burst from somewhere in the palace garden.
Not human bones from this world—bodies of ancient monsters erupted, flinging mud.
One by one, again one.
“They’ll devour all those worthless humans, less than trash! Your fates are sealed: become primordial kin like us, or get eaten!”
Elramas burst into mad laughter as the palace spires shook violently, windows shattering one after another.
The chaos hadn’t even truly begun—the vibrations sweeping the ground amplified further.
The earth collapsed, and several elite guards frozen in the Absolute Domain tumbled helplessly into the pit.
“Ha, heh, heh, hahahahaha! Perfect. Now, shall we dispose of the troublemaker? Can’t have any loose variables.”
Owen’s mind screamed that it was hopeless, but somehow Balensidis moved.
He repeated 1-star incantation spells 128 times to reclaim bodily control from the Absolute Domain.
Before Elramas could swing his blade down on Owen, he launched himself, scooping up Owen and Obira under his arms, and swung Kashasur.
‘First, out of the palace, escape outside.’
Then there would be a way.
A solution might emerge.
With just the power of Heavenly Wave Finger, there had to be a way to regain control of this chaos.
“Useless.”
But no matter how desperately he swung Kashasur with sweat-slick hands, no dimensional gate opened. He couldn’t leap through space.
“What’s before you now is a true dragon. Petty spells from a third-rate black mage like you are all sealed in this Absolute Domain.”
Spells mimicked dragon words.
They controlled spirits drifting in the atmosphere through one’s incantation.
But if a higher being than the caster bound those spirits...
“Magic isn’t sealed, though.”
Magic’s creator was Karenden.
And Karenden was the creator of the dragonkin.
“!”
As Balensidis folded his fan, five layers of magic circles shattered in his grip.
Star (珹), Bind (束), Blaze (烈), Calm (靜),怪 (怪).
Waves of darkness, honed beyond limits for destructive power, scattered ferocious high frequencies and poured toward Elramas.
“Don’t you get it? Pointless thrashing!”
The true dragon’s tail wrapped around Elramas, shielding him completely from the waves.
It wasn’t an opponent bound by the laws of power mortals understood.
Before despair could coil around his mind, Balensidis turned and ran—Owen and Obira tucked under his arms.
“Trying to flee? Heh, heheheh! In that state? How fitting! Yes, beasts like you trash suit that animal look!”
When the true dragon roared, Balensidis instinctively knew he wouldn’t survive.
“The mute prince wins? Yeah, he almost did! That pathetic idiot! If he hadn’t clung to that stupid fantasy of saving everyone!”
Overwhelming killing intent took clear form, approaching. Even at this distance, heat seared his skin like it was melting.
“If he’d just abandoned those worthless elites, he could’ve stopped this!”
The true dragon gaped its maw, unleashing a tidal wave of black flame that melted the palace spires, arches, and ground without trace as it surged.
“Go, Owen!”
Balensidis whirled around and thrust both arms forward, erecting a barrier.
“Find Rain Ludwig!”
He didn’t consider post-battle retreat. He poured full power into a defensive barrier, buying a few seconds.
“That guy will definitely find a way. It’s too early to give up!”
The black flame engulfed the barrier.
Despite unleashing every ounce of mana he had, cracks spiderwebbed across it instantly, as if mocking his effort.
Even maintaining the barrier, the heat didn’t halve.
Skin on his hands and face melted, exposing flesh where muscle and fat decomposed. Sharp agony made clinging to consciousness a torment.
“Ah, ah, ho, hot, hot, sir.”
Owen, face streaked with tears, tugged at Balensidis’s clothes.
In the black flame’s raging gale, their voices didn’t carry clearly.
In a world where sound seemed vanished, Balensidis shouted desperately. Go, get out of here.
‘If you stay here now, what was the point of my fight?’
Facing death, strangely, no despair, frustration, or resentment stirred.
Right now.
Right now, he just.
Wanted this kid to live.
This foolish prince who wept for others and refused to abandon even one—let him live.
‘Ah.’
In that moment, he realized this feeling mirrored his master’s, who’d killed his past self and urged him to endure.
Perhaps.
Just perhaps.
He’d worried there was no lingering attachment to life. Worried his master hadn’t resented him at the end.
- Take in a disciple. You’ll learn things no book could teach you.
Ahh, yes, it really was like that.
Regret, frozen deep in his soul for over a decade, finally melted at life’s end.
This was all thanks to you.
Now I can go in peace.
One lingering regret: he’d done nothing worthy of a master for his disciple.
His demonic hand finally dissipated, and even his restored arm gradually charred in the murderous heat...
In that instant, light filled the world.
In the world blazing darkly with black flame, a faint glow pierced through—like the sun illuminating a pitch-black dawn.
Not just light—a warm, vigorous life-heat caressed his entire body.
Hope.
Battle-fervor.
Clear shadow.
A light beyond human words dyed his consciousness pure white.
His body shuddered with instinctive awe toward the absolute lifeform.
At first, he thought Rain Ludwig had miraculously appeared. But no. Shorter stature, hair in twin tails—a young girl.
“Are you in a lot of pain, Balsendis?”
Where, how did she appear? And my name is Balensidis.
His mouth wouldn’t move.
His body wouldn’t either.
That single instant facing the absolute lifeform felt eternally long, as if time had stopped. Even in the gale, her voice rang clear.
“Now you can stop worrying.”
As clear as the sound and light of a flame blooming in all-dominating darkness, as inevitable as light conquering shadow.
“Aki’s here.”
Balensidis finally grasped what was happening.
Stretching out one hand, Akireia—who’d shielded the two from the black flame—beamed broadly.
And in that moment, she drew forth the transcendental power permitted only to absolute beings, channeling it into her fist and thrusting with all her might.
Roooaarrrrrrrooooar!
The crimson true dragon was created to eradicate this world’s evils, its flames wielding authority to incinerate wicked illusions conceptually.
Balensidis had roughly understood that from books and Rain Ludwig’s power.
But this power before his eyes, this beautiful blaze that instantly neutralized the black flame wave and hurled it back...
“Huh...?”
Elramas’s bewildered voice sounded, but Balensidis didn’t hear it.
- When I got help from Aki’s mom in Harbadonia, you know.
Sometime ago.
Before crossing the continent.
By the crackling campfire of their camp, Rain had stroked the sleeping Aki’s head and said:
- It felt like seeing light in the darkness.
I thought it’d be great if others could see that light someday too.
- Aki will have that day eventually. If someone sees that light in Aki... I’d be truly happy.
Balensidis hadn’t built a family-like bond with this hatchling.
Not that close, but perhaps because he’d journeyed from the Crimson Mountains, watching her grow.
The heat welling in his eyes now... childhood images overlaid her elegant form.
“What are you...?”
As the black and crimson flames clashed, clearing his vision, Elramas spotted the intruder.
Gazing at Elramas, then up at Shalesarum beyond his shoulder, Akireia clasped her hands vigorously yet politely in greeting.
This was respect offered to kin before the coming battle, a salute to kin’s flesh and the daughter born from that kin’s heart.
“Dur-Moris, Aki has arrived!”
And the greeting her heart-father used when purging evil, deeply imprinted in the hatchling’s mind.
Children resemble their parents.
On this day, the hatchling Akireia first illuminated the world’s darkness with her own flame—just as she’d seen and learned.