Chapter 210
Chapter 210
Chapter 210: This Isn't Even My Final Form (3)
Translation: godtl
Deep violet.
A color that could be seen as enchanting.
Or perhaps, more than anything else, sinister and dangerous—this hue painted over the emerald world.
To be precise.
Ssshh—
It would be more accurate to call them threads woven from deep violet.
The dozens of spells cast through Dragon Casting by the Ancient Dragon had vanished without a trace.
Simply.
Ssshh—
Swish.
As if permitting no color other than itself.
The emerald world was being dyed deep violet in an instant.
Of course, there were exceptions.
Zzzzziiing—
The radiantly glowing platinum obelisk.
The threads of deep violet could not encroach upon the Obelisk's domain.
"T-this can't be...!"
The massive emerald entity.
The Ancient Dragon Etra was no exception.
Though the circumstances of these two exceptions differed slightly.
In the case of the platinum Obelisk.
The deep violet threads dared not even approach its territory.
As for the emerald Etra.
Chiii—
Chik!
Countless deep violet threads relentlessly targeted her.
But the Ancient Dragon's immense mana was melting them away.
Still, something seemed to nag at her.
"Damn it all!"
She spat out in irritation.
"Filthy byproducts of the Void! Get the hell away from me!"
Only after unleashing the Dragon Language.
Could she break free from the deep violet threads assailing her from all sides.
Then.
Click-clack.
A series of light yet sharp sounds reached her ears.
As if drawing nearer.
The gradually diminishing noise abruptly ceased.
Ssshh—
Parting the deep violet space, its owner revealed itself.
"Hmm~."
Pale—no, ashen skin that bordered on gray.
"It's been so long since I've stepped outside..."
A voice laced with languidness and a sticky undertone.
Considering her barely-covered upper body, it was undeniably obscene.
But.
Click.
The moment one saw the massive lower body taking light, razor-sharp steps.
Any thought of obscenity vanished completely.
And for good reason.
"My, my~ Who do we have here? If it isn't the Second Dragon Emperor's esteemed Second Messenger?"
The 'legs' she moved.
The massive fangs protruding near her pelvis and the eight blade-like legs positioned on either side.
Were grotesque enough to send shivers down one's spine.
Whether even the mighty Ancient Dragon couldn't escape this.
Or whether there was something else at play.
"Y-you!"
Etra's voice cracked for the first time.
As she glared at the towering spider woman who had torn through space.
To which.
"Hold on, Etra. Our reunion after five millennia can wait a little longer? I..."
The spider woman, oozing venom, turned her body.
"Have the honor of personally greeting the illustrious guest from Beyond."
Her gaze settled on Si-mun.
"G-guest from Beyond?!"
Etra's shocked voice came from behind her.
Click.
But it was cleanly ignored.
As the spider woman approached Si-mun, her easily ten-meter-tall frame bowed deeply.
"I pay my respects to the Guest from Beyond. I am Aracrea, Apostle of the Weaver of the Boundary and Queen of the Spiders of Leng."
Even the massive fangs near her pelvis were folded respectfully as she offered her greetings.
Si-mun, too.
"A pleasure, Aracrea. It's an honor to meet the queen of an entire species."
Politely accepted the spider queen's greeting.
However.
"Why would the Guest from Beyond show courtesy to someone like me?"
Perhaps it was burdensome?
"My patron deity also reveres you as an honored guest... Please, there's no need for such formality."
The spider queen who introduced herself as Aracrea shook her head with utmost respect.
Si-mun blinked for a moment at her genuinely overwhelmed demeanor.
"Uh... Well, alright then."
Awkwardly.
Scratching his cheek, Si-mun nodded.
Perhaps because his demeanor now carried noticeably less formality than before.
"Then may I ask the honored guest to clearly state the reason for summoning me?"
Having regained her composure, Aracrea spoke with the grace of an elegant noblewoman, delicately folding both hands and her lower fangs as she posed the question.
Of course.
"Heh. I can roughly guess, but still..."
Her words were accompanied by a sidelong glance at the Ancient Dragon behind her, whose eyes were wide with shock.
At the sight, Si-mun let out a quiet chuckle and replied.
"It's about the summoning procedure."
"As expected of an honored guest."
Aracrea bared her fangs in a sharp smile.
"Since I was summoned through His Divine Artifact, a clear purpose must be established."
"Well, yes. This method of summoning comes with many restrictions."
The first chapter and key of the Lemegeton—the Ars Goetia.
Thanks to it, Si-mun, who could summon Demonic Beasts, was well aware of the pros and cons of summoning.
Especially—
—when it came to summoning an Apostle, a divine servant.
"Very well. I'll specify it clearly."
Nodding, Si-mun turned his gaze.
Toward the enormous dragon, whose eyes still burned with shock.
"Ancient Dragon Etra. I desire her death. Is it possible?"
At Si-mun's question—
"Ho, hohohohoh!!"
Aracrea suddenly burst into laughter.
Wrapping her upper arms and fangs around herself, she laughed so hard it could be called uproarious.
How long had it been?
"Truly, you are a guest from beyond. It's been ten thousand years since I last heard such an amusing jest!"
With a violet handkerchief woven like her own silk, she elegantly dabbed the tears from her eyes, her voice still laced with mirth.
"Etra. It's been five thousand years since I first encountered that arrogant Green Dragon. Ah, yes. Back when she had just risen to Worm-grade."
As if reminiscing a fond memory.
Aracrea's eyes grew distant with nostalgia.
"Do you still remember? The time you were captured by my children, weeping streams of tears?"
"Sh-shut your damn mouth?!"
Etra's draconic roar erupted instantly.
Imbued with Dragon Fear, the roar was powerful enough to ripple through the air, yet—
"She wasn't half as fierce back then. Just begging for her life, screaming about her precious Dragon Emperors, and spouting empty threats."
As if it meant nothing to her.
Without even sparing Etra a glance.
"Back then, the Second Dragon Emperor barged into my nest, and thanks to my god's notorious laziness..."
Aracrea continued her story unabated.
"That insolent Green Dragon was allowed to live another five thousand years."
By now, she had neatly folded her handkerchief away and finally—
Snap.
—turned her gaze toward Etra.
"Though she did rise to Ancient-grade... she's neither a Legion Commander nor an Apostle. Just a messenger."
Tapping her chin with a long, razor-sharp finger, Aracrea smirked.
"And a Second Messenger at that. Do you truly think Aracrea cannot handle such a thing? So then..."
Her smile turned venomous.
"So then, do enjoy the show."
Soon.
"The performance that I, Aracrea, Apostle of the Weaver of the Boundary, shall present."
Sinister Void seeped slowly from her pupils.
Magic circles the size of Ogres.
True to their scale—
Whoosh!
Crackle!
Lightning Rods.
At minimum, 7th-star.
Some even 8th-star.
Over a dozen high-level spells were unleashed in rapid succession.
One.
Swipe.
Threads slicing through the air.
Had it not been for the violet Void imbued within them—
—one might not have even noticed the threads intercepting the spells in countless forms.
Soon.
Like embers being snuffed out.
Fsssh—
Piiii...
The moment they touched the Void threads.
The spells crumbled and vanished in an instant.
Before one could even consider that these were high-level spells of the 7th and 8th stars.
"Again!"
Given the sheer magnitude of the caster—
—an Ancient Dragon in her prime.
It was truly an absurd phenomenon.
"Damn it all!"
Etra gritted her teeth in frustration as her magic dissipated.
'Of all the countless subordinates, why did I have to run into an Apostle!'
An Apostle.
The beings closest to the Constellations among their subordinates.
Because of that, most Apostles wielded Authority comparable to that of demigods.
And on top of that—
'And not just some minor god from the Other Side! The Weaver of the Boundary, of all people!'
Among the Constellations of the Other Side, he was one of the highest-tier.
The Authority wielded by the Apostle of the Weaver of the Boundary was too much even for an Ancient Dragon.
No.
To be honest, it wasn't just overwhelming—it was downright terrifying.
Had Aracrea sensed Etra's inner turmoil?
"Hehe. Now I finally see a familiar expression on your face, Etra."
Aracrea's smile deepened.
In response—
"Shut your mouth!"
Flap.
Etra's eyes twitched as she unfurled her massive wings.
And then—
Oooooom—
Dozens of high-level magic circles materialized with a resonant hum.
Even as she prepared another Dragon Casting—
"Five thousand years have passed, yet you still repeat the same foolishness."
Aracrea only responded with a slow, mocking laugh.
"No reason for me to be as foolish as you... Shall we change things up this time?"
Snap.
She flicked her razor-sharp fingers lightly.
Sssshhh—
Immediately, the space around Etra rippled.
The threads forming this dark violet space—
No, more accurately, they were spiderwebs—unraveled like a spool of thread.
Freed from the dark violet space, they seeped into the violently glowing green magic circles.
The moment the two colors touched—
CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!!
The sound of friction between Authorities assaulted their eardrums.
Then—
Tsss-tsk-tsk.
Like poison rapidly spreading through veins.
The Void spiderwebs pierced through the luminous green magic circles.
They mercilessly invaded the intricate, bizarre green formations.
And soon—
"An 8th-star magic, reduced to this level of mediocrity..."
Aracrea raised one arm with a look of pity.
"Etra. Now I see why you're only the Second Messenger."
CRUNCH!
Etra's magic circles crumbled into dust.
A Dragon Casting, shattered with nothing more than a gesture.
Along with it—
"T-This can't be!"
The towering pride of an Ancient Dragon was shattered—but fortunately.
"Guh...!"
Etra wasn't foolish enough to lose her rationality.
'I hate to admit it... but that damned Queen of Leng is beyond my power to handle.'
The Weaver of the Boundary.
Even before considering his status as a high-tier Constellation of the Other Side—
He was fundamentally a Constellation who rarely took on Apostles.
Thus, the Authority granted to his Apostle, Aracrea, was on a level that even an Ancient Dragon couldn't oppose.
In that case—
'First, I retreat. Then, I plan my next move.'
The wisest choice was to escape this place and target Kim Si-mun again later.
'Since Kim Si-mun used up the ring, he shouldn't be able to summon Aracrea again.'
If he could summon such a being at will,
The Galaxy Arena wouldn't have left him alone in the first place.
'But—'
A flicker of emotion rose in Etra's conflicted eyes.
'This operation was one in which the Second Dragon Emperor invested heavily. If I flee now, both Her Majesty and I stand to lose too much. So...'
Rage.
Etra, filled with it—
'I won't retreat gracefully.'
Flap.
Her massive wings beat once.
As if reading her thoughts—
"Hoho! Running away again? My, Etra, you truly haven't changed in five thousand years... Then again, that's just how you Dragonkin are."
The Void emanating from Aracrea's body grew denser.
"Always strutting around with your noses in the air, but the moment things turn against you, you flee without hesitation."
"Shut up!"
Hssssss—
Acidic clouds and poison magic erupted from Etra's maw without an incantation.
"Hehe. How childish."
Aracrea scoffed and effortlessly dispelled them.
But.
It was clear that everything up to now had merely been a stalling tactic.
Ssshhhuuuuu...
Etra drew in a deep breath, her already massive chest and abdomen swelling even further.
With her exhale—
Whoooosh—
A tremendous current of air surged through her pointed snout, and between her large, razor-sharp fangs—
Huuuung...
A faint ringing filled the air as an eerie emerald light seeped out.
Go Mal-suk, still cradled in Si-mun's arms, murmured unconsciously,
"Dragon's Breath...."
Dragon's Breath.
The ultimate weapon granted only to the highest of the Dragonkin, a convergence of Authority.
Even Rankers would be vaporized in an instant by that overwhelming power—and now, it was slowly stretching awake.
And Etra was no ordinary dragon—she was an Ancient Dragon.
The sheer scale of its devastation was unimaginable.
Yet—
"Now things are finally getting interesting."
Aracrea remained utterly unfazed, exuding nothing but leisure.
Just before the Dragon's Breath was unleashed—
"DIE!"
Etra's massive maw turned—not toward Aracrea—
But in a completely different direction.
"Ah, NO!!!"
Aracrea's scream tore through the air as—
KWA-AAAAAAH!!!
A beam of emerald light, capable of incinerating even the violet-black void itself, shot straight toward Si-mun.
FWOOOOSH!
Everything before his eyes flickered into a blinding emerald flash.
The eyes witnessing this spectacle—
And the body sustaining those eyes—should have been swallowed by that emerald radiance and erased without a trace.
Yet—
"Hmm."
Si-mun let out not a groan, but a quiet hum.
Without so much as blinking—
He stared directly into the colossal emerald beam.
To be precise—
Tzzzzzzzt!!
It was the net of violet-black spider silk, intercepting the attack, that held his gaze.
And then—
[How... dare you...]
A voice, distorted as if wrung from twisted metal, echoed abruptly.
Yes.
It bore an uncanny resemblance to the Weaver of the Boundary's voice.
[In front of me, Aracrea... you pull this kind of disgraceful stunt?!]
Laden with towering fury,
The voice reverberated through the entire space.
Then—
Tzzzzzt—
As the emerald Breath completely dissipated—
KOOOOM!
A violent tremor shook the surroundings.
The once-elegant, ten-meter-tall Spider Queen was nowhere to be seen.
[Not only do you flee like a coward, but you dare target my honored guest in my presence?!]
In her place stood Aracrea—now grown to the size of a small planet—raising one colossal limb.
At its tip—
[Go on, bark for me, Etra. Did you truly think the Queen of Leng was so amusing?]
Impaled upon her razor-sharp claw—
"Kuh... kuh-hhk!"
A green dragon twitched intermittently, convulsing in agony.
Whether it was due to the overwhelming difference in size—
Etra, though still as large as a skyscraper, looked pitifully small in comparison.
Perhaps because she had been pierced through the torso—
Drip... drip...
Instead of blood, streams of emerald energy leaked from her body.
Watching this, Si-mun's brow furrowed slightly.
'Her Dragon Heart's been shattered.'
Just like with Kkyu-ung back then.
The Dragon Heart was the very reason for a dragon's existence.
Once destroyed, not even an Ancient Dragon could ever recover.
As if to prove this—
The space erased by Etra's Dragon's Breath—
Or rather, the violet-black threads that had been layered over it—had vanished.
Sssssss...
Through the gaps, the deep emerald void gradually faded.
The green dimension Etra had initially unfolded was disappearing.
Then—
[Honored Guest. To fulfill your will, I shall take my leave now.]
Krrrrrk...
The planet-sized Spider Queen bowed with utmost courtesy before—
[For daring to target my guest in my presence—for forcing me to reveal my true form—you will pay dearly, Etra.]
Like a discarded trash bag—
She lifted Etra's impaled, dangling body and stepped through a rift, vanishing into the beyond.
And so—
"This... Echidna...."
With those final, pitiful murmurs of the fading Ancient Dragon—
[Error cause identified.]
[This Guild War will now be terminated immediately.]
Beginning with this abrupt message from the Galaxy Arena—
[Constellations Zeus and Odin frantically locate you and exhale in relief.]
[Constellation Heavenly Demon and Baal send you looks of unwavering faith.]
[Constellations Black Goat and Ra lodge furious protests with the Galaxy Arena.]
The reactions of the Constellations erupted like wildfire.