124
124 ― Reckless
The encroachment breaks apart, and the sky opens.
There, just as Kalesian had said, numerous dragons were flying about. Calling forth lightning and pouring down rain of fire, destroying the snowy mountains with beams of light.
Among them ran a wolf. A wolf with an ash-colored mane fluttering as it leaped through the sky, biting the nape of a dragon's neck.
The bitten opponent thrashed in pain, struggling desperately to shake off the wolf, but once it had bitten, it would never let go.
Its powerful jaw strength relentlessly tore at the neck until it severed it from the body. No matter how physically tremendous dragons might be, they cannot survive with their neck and body separated.
'Belkarim!'
An existence that hadn't appeared in Kalesian's story.
The being who hadn't shown even a hair when the territory was destroyed by the mysterious dragon swarm's attack was now leaping among the enemies, tearing them all apart.
The World Tree split between them. The tree's growth, which had been suppressed as much as possible by the barrier, explosively increased the moment the barrier broke.
In the blink of an eye, branches extended enough to completely dominate the aerial battlefield. The dragons that had been flying freely found the suddenly grown branches burdensome, and several got caught or pierced by branches, losing their lives.
[ How...! How did you come out from within that?! ]
Belkarim looked this way in shock. Jin-woo didn't reply and only fingered his sword. Identifying friends from foes was most important.
Originally, the dragons had attacked Belkarim's territory, and Belkarim was fighting against them. There was no need to actively interfere in their battle, was there?
[ Kuk...! ]
Belkarim seemed like she wanted to rush over here immediately, but there were still many dragons.
Though several had been neutralized by the World Tree's branches, there were still several times more individuals remaining. The aerial battle continued as it was.
Belkarim's performance looked like a wolf slaughtering a flock of sheep. Making dragons look like mere sheep was probably her strength.
Jin-woo and his party were safely protected in the World Tree's shade, and dead dragons steadily crashed down onto the World Tree.
Dragons killed by Belkarim fell, and the World Tree devoured their blood, magic power, and souls. With that power, it expanded its domain even further, making Jin-woo's party even safer. Taking advantage of the fisherman's profit from the battle between the two forces, it explosively expanded its influence.
When it had grown to an extent that couldn't be ignored.
[ Stop! Return, you foolish things! ]
Someone's voice was heard. It wasn't Belkarim's. But that sound that shook the mind and soul was definitely that of a lord. The dragons retreated all at once. Belkarim pursued them and shot down two more with claws and teeth. Of course, the World Tree deliciously consumed those two corpses as well.
'This voice is...'
He had heard it before. How could he forget? The only lord who had descended to Earth, even if only partially. The Lord of Oppression and Ceiling descended to that sky, leading the surviving dragons.
***
A brief lull occurred. If there's only one enemy, you can fight risking your life. If you die, you lose, and if you survive, you win. But when there are two enemies, you can't easily risk your life.
Belkarim didn't consider this side an ally at all. The Lord of Oppression and Ceiling goes without saying. His hostility poured out even more intensely toward this side than toward Belkarim.
[ I heard that Silvern died... So you were hiding in a place like this. ]
He who led the dragons was also a dragon. Much larger than other dragons and even Silvern. He had black scales resembling encroachment and golden eyes surveying the world.
He stared at the World Tree. More precisely, he saw through Jin-woo hiding in the World Tree's shade. It wasn't strange. With his eyesight, piercing through this level of shade was nothing, and moreover, he and Jin-woo had a strange attraction to each other.
Naturally, it wasn't an attraction in a good sense. The kind where each couldn't tolerate the other's existence.
'It's because of the soul I took before.'
The cause was quickly apparent. When that creature had descended part of itself to Earth, Jin-woo hadn't missed it.
He had pursued the bastard who tried to cause trouble to the very end, and fled completely, grabbing it by the nape and cutting and absorbing its soul.
Part of that soul still remained in Jin-woo and wanted to return to its main body.
There were two ways for a split soul to merge. One was to be absorbed by that creature, and the other was for him to absorb it. Jin-woo naturally wanted the latter, and that creature wanted the former.
[ You see me and do not kneel! Insolent wretch! ]
Each other's intentions were conveyed without words, and the Lord of Oppression and Ceiling was enraged that Jin-woo didn't submit.
Having a part cut away on Earth was literally just a part and could be tolerated. It was merely a stray thought, hardly worthy of being called an avatar.
Not submitting to a stray thought was infuriating but not incomprehensible. But now he had descended as his true self. Yet Jin-woo was holding his sword while glaring at this place.
It was clearly revealed that he was anticipating the moment to behead the Lord of Oppression and Ceiling with that sword. He couldn't tolerate that.
When seeing him, one should naturally kneel and bow their head, offering the stolen soul and begging for forgiveness. Yet those insolent eyes!
His anger materialized and shook the sky. The blue sky turned black, and dark clouds collided, thundering.
His attack rushed forth, but the World Tree didn't remain idle either. Green leaves that sprouted on extended branches blocked the pouring anger.
Simultaneously, Belkarim rushed in, targeting the opening. Though she found the World Tree troublesome, it was a lower priority in this situation.
For now, defeating the Lord of Oppression and Ceiling, who dominated the sky, came first. So she thought to gouge his flank while he was distracted by the World Tree, but.
[ Cunning bastard! ]
It didn't succeed easily. As a result, it only further provoked the Lord of Oppression and Ceiling's anger.
However, even so, he couldn't be distracted by Belkarim in front of him. Though he was confident he could deal with her in a 1:1, if he let his guard down, he too would be in danger.
Meanwhile, the World Tree released its defense and stabbed at Belkarim. Right now, it was functioning entirely to protect Jin-woo. Like a hedgehog with raised spines, it responded to all approaching threats. Belkarim, who had been sufficiently wary, immediately retreated.
Blood and flesh scattered from the collision of the three, and their magic and authority clashed, causing thunder and earthquakes. But for the three, these weren't particularly fatal wounds.
This much was all minor injuries. Belkarim was cautious, the World Tree was sharp, and the Lord of Oppression and Ceiling was enraged. However, that anger was for exploding potential, not to the level of losing reason. His anger was an emotion under thoroughly calculated control.
"What a commotion. How's your body?"
"Not to the extent that I can't move."
In the midst of that chaos, Jin-woo was watching for an opportunity together with Kalesian.
Though he said watching for opportunity, in reality, he was recovering his body. The energy poured into the World Tree's growth was more than expected. Thanks to that, it could grow like this and assert itself as a third force amid the confrontation betweenthe two lords, so it wasn't a vain sacrifice.
Even so, it wasn't to the extent of jumping into that fray right now. Originally, even if his body and energy were complete, he couldn't guarantee victory against these beings, stronger than Silvern. After pouring a considerable amount of energy into the World Tree's growth, he couldn't immediately confront them.
"Then it's decided. Let's observe for the time being. There's no reason for us to be impatient."
As Kalesian said, Jin-woo devoted himself to recovering energy. Of course, he didn't forget to hold his sword.
'Recovery is quite fast.'
The positive thing was that the recovery speed was faster than imagined. Since it was closer to transferring energy to the World Tree rather than completely consuming it, reclaiming it was also fast.
However, he couldn't completely recover energy from the World Tree either. Right now, that tree had become an existence restraining Belkarim and the Lord of Oppression and Ceiling, so if it showed even the slightest weakness, it might be attacked simultaneously.
'Those two also... Aren't doing more than keeping each other in check for now.'
The Lord of Oppression and Ceiling, and Belkarim were fighting fiercely. But though the energy exchanged was destructive, it wasn't enough to deal fatal wounds to each other. Attacks that shook mountains and dried up rivers were merely keeping each other in check for them.
[ Withdraw, Jeraxon. You cannot win in my territory. ]
The battle seemed to slightly favor Belkarim. The Lord of Oppression and Ceiling, the black encroachment dragon called Jeraxon, wasn't displaying his full power.
[ Night doesn't come to this place. Even you, who dominate the sky, can only display half your power in a sky without night. Can you defeat me with that and deal with that irritating tree as well? ]
[ Kraaaaaaa! ]
Belkarim, the wolf who devoured the moon. By her will, no moon rises over this snowy mountain. The eternal sun would have granted great power if it were a God of Light, but for a sky dragon who ruled the heavens, it was only half his power.
Thinking conversely, it was remarkable. With merely half his power, he was sufficiently demonstrating his presence in this three-way confrontation.
There was nothing to think of as humiliating, but nonetheless, Jeraxon accepted it as an insult.
[ Me! Do you think you can oppress me, Jeraxon! The one who dominates all skies, the king of all winged things! I am Dragon Lord Jeraxon! ]
His roar spread like a typhoon. Belkarim frowned and lowered her stance. Strong wind clawed at his mane, stopping his movement.
The World Tree's branches also rustled busily, unable to calm the raging energy. Whether due to Jeraxon's roar, energy began boiling from within the World Tree and couldn't settle down easily.
Watching this, Jin-woo suddenly recalled a scene he had seen in the past. When was it? He seemed to remember a vast sky and beings flying through it. Along with the memory, the low voice he muttered pierced everyone's ears clearly, even in this roar and chaos.
"Long time no see, chirpy."
The commotion didn't subside. The wind was still noisy and the swaying World Tree branches were still restless. But those at the center were enveloped in silence. Especially for Jeraxon, his heart nearly stopped for a moment from anger he couldn't handle himself.
[ Youuuuuuuu! ]
Since ascending to the heavenly throne that dominated the sky of the Spirit Realm, he had never been this angry. Even dragons, a race of reason and knowledge, didn't know how to maintain reason in this moment. His body, no longer considering anything, crashed down like a meteor.