116
116 ― Returned
The strength of Breath lies in its mana condensation power that transcends common sense. The strongly cohesive mana is stronger and harder than any substance in the world, and its explosive power upon impact is comparable to a disaster that changes the terrain.
The Breath, which is fired by condensing the mana inside and around the dragon's body so strongly that it creates a temporary vacuum state, could not be blocked by any fortress wall. Even the barrier created jointly by the World Tree and Akram was easily destroyed and shattered into pieces. Although it consumed some of the mana contained in the Breath, there was no significant difference in power.
The Breath wavered immediately after entering the black domain.
—What the…!?
A black barrier unfolded with Jin-woo at its center. The fragments of forest and fire that had been destroyed and scattered turned black and stopped in mid-air. In the space where black fragments were scattered like stars, a spear of light fell precisely targeting Jin-woo.
However, its nature was not ordinary. The powerful mana condensation that forms the foundation of Breath became tainted by Erosion and was released.
Erosion removes the origin of objects by dyeing everything. The mana tainted by Erosion became just ordinary mana particles, not the strongly cohesive dragon mana.
Kwaagwagwagwagwang!
With the cohesive force released, what happened next was an explosion. The mana that had been forcibly bound together by transcendent power was released all at once, causing an explosion comparable to the birth of a star within the barrier.
However, this was a phenomenon induced by Jin-woo. From the starting point of the explosion to the flow of heat. Compared to the original explosive power of the Breath, it was half, no, less than a quarter of the power, and that much could be sufficiently cut through with the Nebula Sword.
Kwaang—!
The power that could have blown away an entire mountain only shook the inside of the barrier and ended there. Although there was some shock, Jin-woo, Kalesian, and Akram were all unharmed.
"Crazy…"
Kalesian, who knew the power of Breath better than anyone, muttered lowly.
In front of him stood Jin-woo holding a blackened sword, and beyond that, the mercilessly destroyed terrain could be seen. It was split exactly in half in front of Jin-woo, leaving no intact place except behind him.
—How…! How can a human have the same power as him!
Silvern's voice was like a cracked old tree. It meant he was surprised without even having time to clear his throat after firing the Breath. The reason he could not settle things with Rondar, despite being able to fire such a powerful Breath, was also because of the Erosion barrier.
Within that barrier, even the dragon's powerful mana condensation is nullified, preventing a complete Breath from being fired.
Furthermore, it transforms into a domain where all the dragon's various magic and techniques based on that are rendered ineffective.
While conventional magic can be used, the specialness as a dragon, the sovereign of magic, does not dwell in it. It falls to a level no different from a human archmage—only differing in scale.
"If you mean him, do you mean Rondar?"
—…! Do you know Rondar?
Know him indeed. Jin-woo did not answer, and this caused a misunderstanding for Silvern.
'Rondar, you bastard!!'
He felt as if this entire situation was all that guy's scheme. Come to think of it, it was strange. He had merely tried to devour a spirit that had been around for quite a while, when suddenly two uninvited guests appeared. Jin-woo and Kalesian had not appeared in the forest through normal means. It wasn't spatial movement magic or anything like that. If it had been such magic, there was no way Silvern wouldn't have noticed.
'I thought they had come up from the 5th floor…'
So he just thought they were those who had come up from the lower realm. That was somewhat close to the correct answer, but now Silvern misunderstood differently.
'Did Rondar send them!'
Assassins that Rondar had infiltrated using some means. That's how it could only feel to him. Having figured everything out—or so he thought—Silvern giggled with laughter rising from his belly.
—Keuk, keukeuk. Did Rondar send you to take my head?
"…?"
Naturally, this was completely news to Jin-woo. Their appearance in Silvern's forest was purely coincidental. If he had to say anything, it would be that since there was a dragon in their party, perhaps they were drawn and fell because of that… That's all he could think.
—Disgusting fellow. Do you think I would fall with just this much!
No one knew whether that was directed at Jin-woo or at Rondar, who might be beyond Jin-woo. Silvern gathered mana again.
—Damn!
But it didn't work well. Mana that would be sufficient for one or two great magics gathered in an instant, but considering usual times, it was far too little. Normally, even just breathing quietly, the surrounding mana would be sucked in on its own. Just as water flows downward, drawn by a star's gravity, all mana from all directions flowed toward his heart as if it were natural.
But not now.
Mana covered by erosion became neutral mana that lost all properties, and it was no longer drawn to dragons. Silvern had to gather mana by hand, and it was inevitable that the magic cast with it would be weaker than usual.
Chwaak—!
Jin-woo's sword cut through the pouring fire, ice, and thunderstorms.
Although it was magic sufficient to be called great magic, even if weak, it could not withstand the blade of the Nebula Sword.
Even the black energy dwelling in his blade spread and extended into the magic formula, destroying the formula itself. While instantaneous magic didn't matter, any magic with even a little sustainability stopped all functions and became a useless lump of mana. Just like the traps that had been in Kalesian's lair.
—Damn brat!
Silvern couldn't hold back and spat out curses.
Many means he could use were restricted within this domain.
Above all, he couldn't fire Breath. To be precise, he could gather mana by hand and fire it, but he would be exposed and defenseless for a considerable time to gather that much mana. Even in a state with a complete cohesive force, Breath requires at least the time to take a deep Breath. To produce such power within this domain would require at least three to four times as much time.
In the end, the means to resist were magic—specifically, non-persistent, single-shot magic—and his own mighty body. He decided to utilize all of that. From sky to ground. He began diving straight down toward Jin-woo.
"Crazy!"
Even Jin-woo couldn't help but feel his spine tingle. Magic poured from afar was simple to cut through. But he couldn't block a dragon's body, an existence with such mass, with a single sword strike.
Kwaaaaaaaang!
As the massive dragon dove at full speed, it was like a meteor falling. Jin-woo and his companions scattered in all directions, and even though they dodged, they couldn't be safe from the aftermath.
—Me! A mere human dares!
Silvern, who had fallen to the ground, rampaged mercilessly. His tail split the well-growing World Tree in half, and created a huge clawed scar in Akram's domain where the fire had now been extinguished.
His flapping wings created storms that overturned the ground. The power originally meant to lift his massive body into the sky was now being used to collapse the earth.
—Keuhaaaaaa!
Not only that, powerful mana formed into a magnetic field, crackling blackly around her.
Lightning fell from the clear sky, drawn by that magnetic field, turning the places he trampled into disaster zones where no one could set foot.
A melee where dirt and mud splattered, unsuited to his usual elegance.
How long had it been since such a fight? At least there had been no such battle since fighting Rondar.
"…What should we do?"
"Well. I've never seen a dragon rampage like that either…"
Jin-woo was making a troubled expression from a safe place, away from being swept up in the disaster. Kalesian also seemed similarly troubled.
Although he couldn't exert his full power within the Erosion domain, he was still an Ancient who had lived for thousands of years. When such a being went mad and started rampaging, it wasn't easy to approach.
Then, there was a being running through the center of that chaos like a flame. It was Akram.
"Akram!?"
No matter how great a spirit he was, approaching a rampaging dragon was dangerous.
It wouldn't be strange if he were torn apart and blown away immediately. Indeed, his body was being torn by the wind, pierced by ice, and getting injured. Yet he didn't stop. Behind him was the cave of the family he had protected all this time.
"I've held back a lot, too. You damn lizard!"
Even as his whole body was being cut up, Akram didn't stop and finally succeeded in grabbing onto Silvern. He couldn't catch the one that had been flying around arrogantly until now, but now that he had fallen to the ground, it was his chance.
—Keuhaak!
Silvern struggled to shake off Akram. The thing wrapping around and constricting his entire body was quite uncomfortable.
Even when he scratched with his wings and pierced with his claws to try to remove him, Akram didn't release his body that was coiled around her. Some segments were cut so deeply they were about to fall off, yet even so.
—Snake head!
Unable to bear it any longer, Silvern slammed down onto the ground with a thud and crushed Akram with his weight.
Keuaaaaak!
Bone joints shattered, and flesh and organs were crushed and burst out as Akram's scream pierced the sky. Was it his last flame? His scales, shining brilliantly, burned hotter than ever before and seared Silvern.
Even while writhing in pain, Silvern didn't stop crushing Akram. Eventually, Akram's strength gradually drained out, starting from his tail. Pressed and crushed, Akram's body became almost like a rag and crumbled to the ground with a rustle.
Ecstasy filled Silvern's eyes at the death of the troublesome one. He raised his head to look at the sun, about to let out a great roar. There was Jin-woo's sword.
—This is…!
It was an incredibly huge sword. Like Rondar's sword, which he had fought with in the past. A great sword that would split the sky and overturn mountains.
The sword hadn't actually grown larger. It was an optical illusion in Silvern's eyes. It was the image of 'death' that he possessed.
Chwaak—!
The sword cut through his neck and passed by. Normally, mana should have gathered immediately upon being cut to heal and regenerate herself, but within the Erosion domain, he couldn't even do that. Even the black energy that remained thickly on the Nebula Sword's blade stayed on the cut surface, preventing the severed head and body from reattaching.
***
The Erosion ends, and the sky opens. In contrast to the clear sky without a single cloud, the ground was a mess.
The black energy, powerful enough to bind a dragon, remained and surged like a flooding river even after the domain was released.
The masterless fire and forest were both swept away by the torrent. Only the master of the current could clean it up and save the lives that lived within it.
Rondar was watching it from the peak of a snow mountain far away. In his hands was a bottle giving off a strong aroma, but he didn't appear to be drunk from alcohol. He was intoxicated by the scene before his eyes. The laughter leaking out with giggles and the joy he couldn't contain were all from the being beyond.
"Finally returned. Doesn't it seem so?"
There was no one around him. He was seeking agreement from the snow mountain.
[ The God of the Ice Valley rejoices. ]
[ The day when the false lord departs and the true master returns. ]
Contrary to them, the sound of angry thunder was heard from the sky. Despite there being no clouds, the sound of fury that would overturn heaven and earth could be heard.
Also, the tree that embraced souls grieved. His wailing cries were wrapped in silence, heard by no one.