《Dragon Maken War》


 Chapter 0 - Prologue

    <strong>Chapter 0 Prologue.</strong>


    Chapter 0 - Prologue


    The cunning Demon race deceived the dragons, who yearned for wisdom. This was how the Dragon Demon race was born. The dragon¡¯s strength and the Demon race¡¯s greed was coalesced inside the existence called the Dragon Demon race. They became an enormous darkness that stole the light from the humans, and there were heroes that fought against them.


    Amongst the heroes, there was a knight named Azell.


    He defeated countless numbers of the Dragon Demon race, and he saved many human lives. Finally, the Dragon Demon race¡¯s king Atein was toppled, and he put an end to the chaos that swept the continent.


    And now, the hero Azell was dying.


    ¡°You should already know that magic is a skill that was originally gleaned from the Dragon Demon race. The Dragon race, who could not obtain wisdom, fell into the Demon race¡¯s temptation. Magic was born when both sides were integrated.¡± (TLN: Dragon x Demon mated)


    The magician Carlos made a sad expression. He had gained a great reputation while experiencing hardships with Azell. During the process of battling the Demon Dragon race, they had experienced countless life and death situations and they had be best friends.


    After hearing those words, Azell asked a question.


    ¡°Why are you telling me a story I already know? Tell me a fun story.¡±


    In Carlos¡¯ memory. Azell was someone who shone brighter than anyone else. He was sturdier than anyone, so he couldn¡¯t even imagine his weakened state.


    However, reality is often very harsh. In front of Carlos¡¯ eyes, he saw the once unimaginable sight of a weakened Azell in a sickbed. He was surprisingly thin and hisplexion was white.


    This was the cost of defeating the Dragon Demon race¡¯s king Atein.


    He was the very first of the Dragon Demon race. Atein had tempted countless dragons to create the numerous Dragon Demon race. When he was falling under Azell¡¯s sword, he had casted a powerful curse. The curse¡¯s power ate away at his body, and it caused Azell to gradually weaken. Now he was about to die.


    Carlos continued speaking, while holding back a sigh.


    ¡°First, listen to me. Magic is a highly difficult skill that not all humans could learn. The ignorant and simple warriors were able to apply the basics, and they were able to form the ¡®magic used by the body¡¯. That¡¯s what is called the Spirit High Order.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡±


    Azell asked with a sour face.


    He came for a visit, but now he was telling me everything I already knew. He didn¡¯t understand his friend¡¯s motive. Normally, he was a guy who loved to talk about various truths as if he was lecturing, but why is he telling him thing he already knew?


    Carlos spoke up.


    ¡°The main point starts right now. The practitioner of Spirit Order uses magical forces in a different way. They are basically a different form of magicians. Moreover, they handle the magical force in the same way as the Dragon Demon race. It could be said that they are more intrinsically simr to them then the magicians.¡±


    ¡°That makes me feel bad. Why does it have to be the Dragon Demon race.¡±


    The Dragon Demon race has the perception that they are the most outstanding beings in the world.


    They were an existence that was fused between the mighty dragons, who were too smart to be considered wild animals, and the crafty demon race, who could not exist without having the human¡¯s soul in their hands.


    Carlosughed bitterly.


    ¡°However, we were able to go up against them with their own power. This is an undeniable truth.¡±


    ¡°So is there a point to this boring story?¡±


    ¡°Listen to me. The Dragon Demon race and the Dragons are different existences, but they couldn¡¯t change their life cycle. Their life cycle is divided into periods of hibernation and activity.¡±


    The dragons slept daily, but sometimes they would go into a long sleep akin to the animals who sleep in the winter seasons. This period is called hibernation. They go into hibernation when they used an excessive amount of energy during the active period or when......


    ¡°They obtain a major injury.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. When they enter hibernation, they disy an amazing amount of life force. In exchange for giving up their activity and entering into a defenseless state, they are able to treat the life threatening wound over a long period of time. The dragon¡¯s hibernation differs from the animal¡¯s winter sleep. It is an evidence of magical activity.¡± (TLN: sacrifice physical movement to increase use of magic to treat wound)


    ¡°You, No way.....¡±


    Azell started realizing what the magician was trying to say. Carlos nodded his head as if to say his guess was right.


    ¡°I researched the Dragons and the Dragon Demon race by dissecting their corpses. In my mind, this is the only possibility in which you survive. The risk is very high but... Please trust me and put your life in my hands. I¡¯ll induce you into a state simr to the dragon¡¯s hibernation.

 Chapter 1 Azell Zestringer (1).

    <strong>Chapter 1 Azell Zestringer (1).</strong>


    Chapter 1 - Azell Zestringer (1)


    Azell vividly remembered the events before he started sleeping.


    At the same time, he also realized that this happened in the distant past. His consciousness was asleep, but his unconscious body felt the flow of time brush by him.


    He was asleep for so long that even when he opened his eyes his sense of reality was murky. He wasn¡¯t even able to differentiate whether he was awake or if he was still in a dream....


    Koong... Ku-gwa-ah-ah-ahng.....! (TLN: Boom )


    Azell was waken from his long sleep, because he heard sounds of explosion from a far away ce.


    It had been quiet the whole time he had been asleep, yet somehow there were asional sounds of explosion and the earth shook. So in the end, he opened his eyes.


    ¡°Mmmm......¡±


    The problem was he had opened his eyes, but his body didn¡¯t have any strength. It even made him suspicious as to the fact that he was still alive. His consciousness felt like it was floating, and his body didn¡¯t respond to anything.


    Azell calmed his heart. He was still breathing, and after confirming that his heart was beating slowly, he poured strength into his hand.


    Ggum-tul.(TLN: sfx for twitching)


    His fingers moved.


    Ggu-mul. (TLN: another sfx)


    His toes moved.


    He hadn¡¯t moved his body in a long time, so it was stiff as a fossil. It was simr to an animal who had woken up from a long winter sleep. Its body would be half dead and it was the same for him.


    Warm blood started circting throughout his stiff body, and his vitality started waking up. His dead sensation was alive now, and he could feel air touching his skin.


    After he started clenching his fingers and toes, he needed patience and effort to move visibly. After struggling for 1 hour, he was able to raise an arm.


    ¡®Great. At least, I am able to move now. However.....¡¯


    He still had no idea where this was.


    ¡®Carlos, you bastard. Where did you leave me?¡¯


    The surrounding was dark, so he couldn¡¯t see anything.


    The ce he wasying down was soft like a bed, but he could easily tell that it wasn¡¯t arge space. If he stretched his arms out, he could touch the wall that was keeping him sealed.


    ¡®Maybe this is a coffin?¡¯


    By looking at the structure, he had a suspicion that he was put in arge coffin.


    He was put in a coffin when he was still alive, so he didn¡¯t feel that great. However, there might be a magical meaning to it. Azell thought about this, and he started looking through his memory.


    He was the hero, who had defeated the Dragon Demon King Atein and saved the continent from despair. He was Azell Karzark.


    However, he was dying from the curse put on him by the Demon King Atein, and his friend, Carlos, suggested that I go into a long sleep. It would be simr to a dragon¡¯s hibernation, and the purpose of the long sleep was to defeat the curse.


    To do this, one needed a powerful ritual. Carlos and several powerful magicians gathered in secret to perform this ritual. Azell¡¯s memories ended there. Carlos was looking at him with a sad expression and then everything was ck. Afterwards, he remembered fragments of memory, but it might have been a side effect of wandering around inside his dreams. It wasn¡¯t an experience from reality.


    Therefore, Azell didn¡¯t know where he fell asleep or what situation he was in.


    ¡®First, I have to get out of here.¡¯


    He won¡¯t find anything out just by thinking about it. After deciding this, Azell tried to push against the lid of the coffin.


    It didn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°.......¡±


    He continued pushing against the lid of the coffin, and after a while, Azell lowered his arm because he had lost strength. By looking at the reaction, when he pushed with all his strength, it seems like it won¡¯t open just by blindly pushing at it from the inside. Maybe there is a magical mechanism that¡¯ll open it?


    ¡®Ooh-ooh-ook(TLN:ughh). Carlos, you bastard, why did you do something this unnecessary!


    Azell grinded his teeth.


    It didn¡¯t matter that he was imprisoned here if he was still in the magic induced sleep simr to the dragon¡¯s hibernation. However, now that he had awaken, it would be troublesome if he couldn¡¯t go outside. The air was ventted so he could breathe, but wouldn¡¯t he die of starvation?


    ¡®Ok. I¡¯ll use my strength to open it and go outside.¡¯


    Azell closed his eyes and concentrated.


    Originally, his body had unfathomable strength that exceeded the human limitation.


    If he used that strength then he should be able to move the lid in one breath.....


    ¡®Uh? What is this?¡¯


    Azell looked inside of himself and he was taken aback.


    The Spiritual Energy that flowed within his body, which was the power that made him superhuman, was all gone.


    ¡®No way... Did I use all my strength to maintain the hibernation?¡¯


    Animals would eat a lot before their winter sleep to supplement their nutrition. Then during the winter sleep, they would use all the stored nourishment before awakening.


    Azell had experienced the same situation. He didn¡¯t know how long he had been asleep, but he understood that he had used all of his strength to maintain his life.


    ¡®No, it isn¡¯t the time to be understanding!¡¯


    Azell increased his concentration, and he sharply refined it. If he didn¡¯t find a way to exit here, then he would starve to death. How funny would it be if he died here after he had sessfully mimicked a dragon hibernation and also beat the curse?


    ¡®Ok.¡±


    Azell sensed thetent fragmented strength inside his dried up Spiritual Energy. With strong misgivings, he scraped it together. (TLN:he scraped together thetent power)


    Du-gun.(TLN: Ba-dump.)


    His heart was beating.


    It was an evidence that he was still alive.


    His heart kept on pulsing and the air he breathed in was circted to the rest of his body through his fresh blood and vessels. He was able to maintain a state where his body was alive.


    Moreover, the heart pulsing was a secret art the warriors used. It was the source of the ¡®Spirit Order¡¯.


    Every time the heart pulses, the vibration would be spread to his body and it would stimte the energy. Then the magical force that flows through the energy would receive the vibration


    and it would be amplified. This in turn brings the supernatural strength.


    ¡®I think it is possible to do it one time.¡¯


    Azell seeded in gathering the fragment of strength left inside his body, and he carefully evaluated it. It was a weak strength. If one only had decent skills, then the person would have no idea what to do with it. However, this was Azell. He could use the heart¡¯s pulsing and the vessels¡¯ vibration to amplify the energy. He¡¯ll be able to exert arge destructive force once. No matter how thick the coffin lid was, he has the power to destroy it!


    ¡®Let¡¯s do this!¡¯


    Azell opened his eyes. Then he spread all of his fingers.


    It was right then.


    Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-oong!


    Suddenly, from the surrounding, an enormous amount of power was inserted into Azell¡¯s energy! It was an enormous amount that exceeded what he could produce!


    ¡®Kuk!¡¯


    If he wasn¡¯t careful, it was a situation where he could perish. However, Azell showed his amazing ability to adapt. He scattered the power he was about to emit. He started circting the energy, and he mixed it with the newly injected power. Then he had to release it before it could wreak havoc inside his body. Both his hands started emitting a deep blue light. The bright light lit up the surrounding darkness, and it exploded upwards.


    Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!


    Apanying the light, the air shook and the surrounding lit up brightly.

 Chapter 2 Azell Zestringer (2).

    <strong>Chapter 2 Azell Zestringer (2).</strong>


    Chapter 2 - Azell Zestringer (2)


    Kwa-ga-gwang!


    Apanying an explosive sound, a cloud of dust was formed. A giant hole was formed on the ground, and a blue sh was emitted. Following this, one shadow popped out.


    Ku-goo-goo-goo-goo...... (TLN:rumblin¡¯ sound)


    Then the earth copsed and arge amount of soil filled the hole.


    ¡°Ooh-ook.....¡±


    Azell moaned. He was almost swept up inside the copse. After he destroyed the coffin¡¯s lid, he used his remaining strength to run outside. If he hadn¡¯t, then he would have been buried alive.


    ¡°Shit.... So... Deep.....¡±


    When he was about toin about the fact that he was buried so deep, instead of his voice, only his ragged breaths leaked out. His lips, inner mouth and throat was extremely dry, so it was difficult for him to speak.


    While escaping, he had realized that he was more than 10 meters underground. However, there was a 3 meter gap between the coffin and the ceiling.


    Originally, he would have been able to only destroyed the coffin lid with his power ande out. However, therge amount of external power that was injected into his energy was a problem. The amount was sorge that it destroyed the coffin lid, traveled through the empty space, and pierced through the thick wall of the underground structure, which was made out of stone. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, he blew away over 10 meter of the foundation.


    Azell threw his body to the top.


    ¡®What the hell is this?¡¯


    The timing of the inflow was unfortunate. If the person was someone other than Azell, he would have been destroyed after failing to hold it(TLN: soil) back.


    ¡°Ook.¡±


    After Azell escaped to the surface, the sun light pierced his eyes, and it cause him to cringe.


    Since he was asleep for a very long time, the bright sun light was like a beating.


    Right now Azell was nude without a shred of clothing.


    Like a mummy, he was very skinny, and he looked like a monster. The fact that he was able to move his body was an unbelievable sight.


    In truth, even speaking was very difficult for him. He didn¡¯t have any strength, His lips were cracked and the inside of his mouth was dried up.


    ¡®I have to find some water.¡¯


    It was imperative for him to eat something to replenish his nutrition. However, the more urgent need was water. Azell couldn¡¯t see what his body looked like. However, even if he didn¡¯t check, he knew his body was in a serious state. If he dropped dead, it wouldn¡¯t have been strange.


    ¡®Why did I have to be in the middle of a forest.... Why the heck did he bury me in this ce?¡¯


    After looking around his surrounding, Azell was in a dark mood. He was in a forest overgrown with trees. He was aware that this ce may be rife with danger. In his current condition, even if he met one wild animal, he would be killed.


    ¡®My life is now dependent on luck.¡¯


    Azell bit his dried lips. He barely raised his body and he started moving. He had to find water and drink it. Then he would replenish his nutrition by finding some fruits. Even if he was able to recover his body by a little, he could somehow fill his energy up with magical force....


    He carefully made his way forward while thinking this.


    All of a sudden, a sound stimted his senses.


    ¡®There are people.¡¯


    Across the trees, he could hear the sound of people. He didn¡¯t know how many, but a good amount of people were approaching his direction, while having a conversation.


    ¡®Should I consider myself saved?¡¯


    Still, he couldn¡¯t just consider this to be a fortunate situation. How could he know who wasing towards him? What if it was a group of bandits that treated human lives like the lives of flies?


    While feeling anxious,he stared in the direction the people wereing from. Soon a young man wearing leather armor appeared in front of him.


    The moment he saw Azell, he pulled back and spoke towards his back.


    ¡°There is a person here!¡±


    Soon after, several men rushed into view. They all wore the same uniform.


    ¡®Are they the regr army?¡¯


    He decided this, because they had the same equipments. Underneath the leather armor they also wore the same garments. They all wore a dark-colored military uniform.


    ¡°Centurion.¡±


    After a few moments, one man came forward. His garments could be differentiated from the others. He was a curly blond-haired youth with a red tassel on his helmet and he wore a sword on his waist.


    The moment Azell saw the other, he felt amused.


    ¡®He¡¯s pretty strong?¡¯


    The young man¡¯s appearance did not go well with post of centurion. He gave off an impression of a good-looking young master, and his face was very youthful. His age must be less than 20.


    However, the vibe he gave off was memorable. When he stepped forward, the soldiers naturally parted, and it wasn¡¯t just because he was a centurion. This person was a practitioner of the Spirit Order. Without realizing it, he was leaking energy that was overbearing for other people.


    ¡°He is a...person.¡±


    The young man, who was named as a centurion, frowned after looking at Azell. Azell was unsightly so it was hard to even see him as a living person.


    ¡®What can cause a person to be in such a state?¡¯


    Even if a person was disabled through starvation, would he turn out like this? If it wasn¡¯t day light instead on night, then he would have suspected an evil magic was making the corpse move.


    ¡°I am the Rne Kingdom¡¯s Western Frontier Garrison¡¯s Centurion, Knight Giles Vince. Could you enlighten us with your identity?¡±


    He still had a bit of a baby face, but his voice was disciplined. While thinking that the other¡¯s speech was very knight-like, Azell tried to replying back.


    ¡°I... am.......¡±


    However, his voice didn¡¯te out.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell could only make a ragged breathing sound before he gasped. After seeing this, Giles spoke.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you are in a condition to speak. First, let us return to our camp. Is that ok?¡±


    ¡°Uh......¡±


    Azell tried to say it¡¯s fine before he just nodded his head. After Gile confirmed that he couldmunicate with the other person, he sent a hint with his eye towards the soldiers.


    Then two burly soldiers stepped forward and assisted Azell. Azell wanted to tell them he could walk on his own, but it was hard for him to take even one step.


    ¡®Ah, I look like hell, for real.¡¯


    The soldiers helped Azell move towards the camp. Suddenly, Giles queried.


    ¡°Do you want to drink some water?¡±


    At that moment, Azells eyes opened widely.


    Water!


    Ah, is there a word that resonates with such sweetness?


    After seeing Azell nod his head, Giles opened the top of the canteen off of his waist, and he handed it over. After receiving it, Azell stopped himself after he hurriedly brought it to his mouth. Then he slowly and carefully tipped the canteen and drank the water.


    ¡°Ah ah ah ah......¡±


    It was what one would call a life-giving water. The moment the water drops hit his dry mouth, a shiver spread throughout his whole body. However, thatsted only a moment. He tried in his own way to drink it slowly, but the canteen was emptied in an instant. Azell looked at the canteen with regrettable eyes before he handed it back.


    ¡®I feel a little bit better.¡¯


    His almost dead body wouldn¡¯t dramatically get better by drink just one canteen of water. However, a little bit of strength returned to his body, and his mind, which felt like it was about to faint, woke up.


    ¡°Th...ank....¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s ok. You don¡¯t have to speak.¡±


    Giles stopped Azell, who was trying hard to speak. Then he asked his subordinates.


    ¡°Does anyone have water left? I think one bottle is not enough.¡±


    Immediately, the soldier next to him gave up his canteen. Azell was satisfied only after he had emptied 3 canteens from the soldiers.


    After his long hibernation, his body was extremely short on nutrition and water. It was a miracle that there were enough blood left over to circte through his vessels. His state clearly improved when he drank the water.


    Moreover.....


    ¡®Mmm. This should be enough.¡¯


    Spirit Order was a secret art that could make a human into superhuman. Azell had trained the Spirit Order to the utmost limit, and unlike normal humans, he could control what happens inside his body. He used this to maximise his efficiency of absorbing water, and his insides started to inte rapidly.


    While he was doing this, Azell and the soldiers arrived at the camp.


    ¡°Ah..........¡±


    Azell¡¯s eyes became wide when he saw the camp.


    It was an excavations site of a ruin. The middle of the forest was dug up, and an entrance leading into the underground was revealed. The surrounding was exposed, and they were in the midst of cutting away the ruin¡¯s walls.


    ¡®This is why I was awaken.¡¯


    Azell realized that the sound that caused him to wake up was caused by their excavation efforts.


    The ruin they were excavating was the underground building where Azell was sleeping previously.


    Carlos has made this secret instation to preserve me during my hibernation.


    ¡®How much time has passed.....¡¯


    Since the secret instation was being treating as an ancient ruin and was being excavated, he could surmise that a long time had passed. Maybe, it was way longer than what Azell could have predicted.


    The foreboding feeling he felt when he woke up was getting stronger and stronger.


    3


    Soon Azell was lead to Giles¡¯ barracks, which was located in the corner of the camp site. Since he was a Centurion, he had his own personal barrack that was separate from his subordinates.


    ¡°Please sit here.¡±


    After Giles gave Azell a chair, he handed him a nket.


    ¡°Cover your body with this. Until I bring some spare clothes.....¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Azell finally realized the fact that he was naked. His appearance had been so grotesque that they(TLN:soldiers) didn¡¯t care about it(TLN: didn¡¯t care he was naked), so Azell had forgotten about it also.


    ¡®Shit. As soon as I¡¯m awakened, why am I humiliated like this?¡¯


    Azell¡¯s face blushed, but it didn¡¯t show since he looked unsightly like a mummy.


    Giles spoke.


    ¡°Since it¡¯ll be too hard for you to speak, just listen. While we were excavating the ruin, an explosion was seen nearby. We went to scout the situation then we found you.¡±


    The explosion happened when Azell tried toe out of the coffin. Azell was d he made a ruckus. (TLN: since it brought the people to him)


    Giles continued speaking.


    ¡°The excavation of this site is our troop¡¯s important mission. Therefore, we need to know who you are and what you were doing in a ce like this. Do you understand?¡±


    His words made sense, so Azell nodded his head. However, at the same time, he was thinking about something else.


    ¡®How should I exin this?¡¯


    He had no idea how much time had passed since his sleep, where this ce was or who these people were. He was perplexed as to how he should deal with this situation.


    ¡®First, I have to assess the situation....¡¯


    Fortunately, Giles didn¡¯t seem like he¡¯ll press Azell any time soon. It was because Azell¡¯s terrible appearance looked too pathetic.


    ¡°First, show yourself to the army doctor then rest for a day. I hope you will ept my questioning next time.¡±


    Azell nodded his head.


    The army as an organization had a characteristic of treating outsiders like Azell with more roughness. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if they chose to do that.


    However, he felt weird since they were treating him with such courtesy.


    ¡®Honestly. This guy should be in an elite knight squad. Instead he is a Centurion in an army....¡¯


    Azell was sure that Giles was a noble. He couldn¡¯t act with such dignity and posses these courteous manners unless he was educated growing up from a noble family. Soon Giles¡¯ subordiante brought Azell some spare garments. It was a working clothes for theborers, but in his circumstance, Azell was grateful. Next, Azell was guided towards the army doctor. Since it wasn¡¯t a battle situation, he was idly on standby. When the young army doctor looked at Azell, he was startled.


    ¡°What the hell? Are you sure he is a living human?¡±

 Chapter 3 Azell Zestringer (3).

    <strong>Chapter 3 Azell Zestringer (3).</strong>


    Chapter 3 - Azell Zestringer (3)


    Currently, Azell looked a lot better than before after he was re-hydrated. However, he still looked like a monster.


    The soldier, who was guiding Azell, spoke.


    ¡°Centurion Giles wants you to give him check up.¡±


    ¡®Check up?¡¯


    Azell tilted his head to one side. He had no idea what this word was.


    Previously, he trained his ears to listen to the words spoken around his surrounding, and it was amon urrence for him to not understand the words. The diction and intonation were the almost identical to what he knew. In his perspective, it seemed like he was persistently hearing a segment of a dialect, and within that he heard words he didn¡¯t know mixed in it.


    An example was ¡®army doctor¡¯. In Azell¡¯s time, this post of army doctor did not exist in the army. A priest, who had learned the healing arts from the temple, followed the army around.


    It was the same with the word ¡®check up¡¯. When a healer looked at a patient, there never was a specialized term for it. Therefore, whenever Azell heard their conversation, he had a strange dyed reaction as if he had a hard time understanding it. It was because he was trying to guess the meaning of the words he didn¡¯t know.


    ¡®What¡¯s happening? Is it because I¡¯m somewhere I have never visited before? Or....¡¯


    While Azell was thinking on this, the army doctor spoke.


    ¡°Mmm. Who is this person and where did you bring him from?¡±


    ¡°That is....¡±


    The soldier sparked exining the circumstances. The army doctor frowned.


    ¡°Did he get experimented on with some kind of ck magic?¡±


    After hearing this, Azell started thinking.


    ¡®That¡¯s not bad?¡¯


    He could say he was kidnapped by a ck magician. He was experimented on and it was something akin to torture. This caused him to be in this state, and he couldn¡¯t remember who he was. He could remember his name, but everything else was fuzzy and fragmented....


    It would be a good enough excuse. It should be way more effective than giving the straightforward ount of the truth?


    The army doctor, who was looking at Azell with a bit of a frightful expression, put his hand on Azell¡¯s forehead. From the end of his hand, a warm light rose up and it was absorbed into Azell¡¯s body.


    ¡®He is a healing expert.¡¯


    Healing experts are an existence that is considered to be a variant of magicians. Normally, they would umte specially made medicine inside their body, and they were able tobine it with magical force to manifest it.


    ¡®I don¡¯t think he is a priest...¡¯


    In Azell¡¯s time, all the healing experts were the temple¡¯s priests and there weren¡¯t that many of them. However, the man in front of his eyes did not seem to have the upation of a cleric.


    ¡®Did a healing expert, who was not a priest, apply to the army and secure an appointment as the army doctor?¡¯


    It was interesting. Before Azell fell asleep, only the temple¡¯s priests could use the healing arts, so they were respected even by people of high status. However right now, this man was not treated that way.


    Soon, the army doctor clicked his tongue.


    ¡°How is he alive when he is in such a state?¡±


    The healing experts could tell the state of the other¡¯s body by contact. Moreover, they could provide healing power to treat wounds and diseases.


    The army doctor understood the state Azell was in and it was a miracle that he was even alive.


    Also, he was able to maintain consciousness and walk on his own. He defied logic.


    After being dumbfounded, he spoke to the soldier.


    ¡°You. This person.... He doesn¡¯t need anything except water and also feed him something.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°He is in a state of extreme starvation. It is cannot say as to how he is able to maintain his consciousness. After seeing his terrible state, didn¡¯t you think about that?¡±


    ¡°That is... I was too scared to think about that.¡±


    ¡°I guess he does look more like a monster than a human.¡±


    Azell was slightly wounded by the army doctor¡¯s words. They were calling him a monster, but his body had received the adtion of women once.


    ¡°Go to the kitchen and ask them to make something easily digestible. Something simr to a soup.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Also, bring it here since this person would have a hard time moving.¡±


    ¡°Yes. However, he was able to walk here just fine.....¡±


    ¡°So he didn¡¯t look like he was having a hard time?¡±


    The soldier had nothing to say to those words.


    After the soldier left, the army doctor spoke to Azell.


    ¡°Do you want to drink some water?¡±


    Azell hurriedly nodded his head. Even though he had drunk a lot of water, it was still insufficient.


    The army doctor spoke to him after seeing Azell carefully drink the water.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, but don¡¯t over do it even if you have learned the Spirit Order.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s scary, so don¡¯t look at me that way. I¡¯m a healing expert. I, at the very least, know what my patient practices.¡±


    ¡®No, I didn¡¯t look at you like that to make you scared....¡¯


    Azell had only looked at the army doctor with an amused gazed. However, the army doctor mistook it for a defensive re.


    ¡®How messed up am I.....¡¯


    Now he wanted to see himself at least once. Azell spoke.


    ¡°Large dish... Could you... give me some water....?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm? Why? No, never mind. I¡¯ll give it to you.¡±


    The army doctor stopped Azell from arduously answering back and he filled the wash basin with water. Azell flinched at the reflection he saw of his face on the surface.


    ¡®Waa, I¡¯m like a real monster?¡¯


    He felt like it was fair that he was being treated like a monster. He wanted to give praise to Giles¡¯ personality, because he had treated him like a person from the first time he saw him.


    ¡®Shit. Where did my body that was like a marble statue go to...¡¯


    He thought about how he looked like in the past, andpared it to his current appearance. He wanted to cry.


    ¡®At the very least, my hair didn¡¯t fall out.¡¯


    The red hair, even Azell fancied, was grown out. It was very disheveled, so it was ungainly.


    The army doctor spoke.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know what you looked like?¡±


    Azell nodded his head.


    The army doctor spoke.


    ¡°Mmmm. I don¡¯t know what you went through, but it must have been abnormally hard.¡±


    Soon the soldier brought a hot soup. Azell took it and he started slowly eating it one spoon at a time. It was only soup, but every spoonful he ate brought changes to his body. It was a small amount of moisture and nutrition, but his vitality returned visibly.


    The army doctor spoke after carefully observing his figure.


    ¡°I¡¯m Rick Boran. What is your name?¡±


    He was about to answer immediately, but he paused after a thought suddenly came to him. He put his hand on his forehead and frowned.


    ¡°Name......¡±


    ¡°Yes. Name.¡±


    ¡°Azell..... Zestringer.....?¡±


    ¡°Azell Zestringer?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.....¡±


    He answered vaguely because he wanted to give the impression that he was unsure about his memories. Moreover, Zestringer was his originalst name. Originally, he was amoner. After he had toppled the Dragon Demon King Atein, he was give the title of Duke Karzark for his aplishments. Afterwards, he was called Azell Karzark in public and private.


    Rick questioned him.


    ¡°Maybe.. You aren¡¯t sure about your memory?¡±


    Azell nodded his head. Rick frowned.


    ¡°You must have been severely worked over.¡±


    ¡°Magician....¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    ¡°A magician.. me... I don¡¯t remember much... but.....¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Rick¡¯s expression grew darker.


    He said these words without thinking too much about it, so in reality he felt guilty. If Azell had really suffered what he said then it wouldn¡¯t be something he would mention lightly.


    Of course, this was what Azell was aiming for. Azell looked at the other¡¯s expression, and he inwardly gave an apology.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry. However, this is easier for you to ept it.¡¯


    Rick spoke with a sympathetic expression, without realizing Azell¡¯s dark inner thoughts.


    ¡°Mmm. Please rest easy in this barrack tonight. I¡¯ll ask the soldier to bring the dinner here. At this time, I can¡¯t really do anything else for you.¡±


    Azell nodded his head.


    4


    Azell ate two servings of soup and water that day before he went to sleep. Truthfully, he wanted to eat more, but Rick decided he shouldn¡¯t eat too much. Even though he was still hungry, it would give him a stomach ache.


    ¡®It¡¯s a sensible decision so I can¡¯t say anything.¡¯


    Azell was sure that he would be fine even if he ate way more food.


    Although his energy had dried up, the body control he had earned through learning the Spirit Order was still there.


    However, he couldn¡¯t exin his situation, so he could only follow directions without saying anything.


    However after just one day, Azell¡¯s appearance changed drastically. A little bit of life returned to the skin that was once dry and splitting. His body, which looked like leather over bones, filled out a little bit.


    His body started recovering, and Azell monitored the exact situation of his body through meditation.


    ¡®This is so frustrating.¡¯


    All the power he had umted before his sleep was gone.


    The muscle he had trained with tenacity was all gone, and the overflowing energy he had a hard time controlling was all dried up. The rings of life, which was considered the foundation of those who trained in the Spirit Order, was all extinct.


    ¡®Even the rings of life had disappeared.¡¯


    Even though his energy had dried up, he thought that his rings of life would still be there. However, in the process of maintaining the hibernation for a long period of time, the magical force that made up the rings of life was used.


    How long has he been asleep? As time passed on, he became acutely curious about that fact.


    Any ways, he had to start everything from the beginning. He had to fill his shrivelled up energy with magical force to give it life, and he had to construct the rings of life again. Only then would he recover his previous strength.


    ¡®Still should I consider it fortunate that the curse is gone?¡¯


    Carlos¡¯ prediction was correct.


    Azell had imitated the dragon¡¯s hibernation, and he had slept for a long time. He seeded in oveing the curse. His body no longer had the Dragon Demon King¡¯s curse, which ate away at his life.


    ¡®Yes. This should be fine.¡¯


    Azell didn¡¯t expect anything more. He had already earned the benefit. He was curious about many things, but he decided to focus on one thing.


    Immediately, Azell started retraining the Spirit Order.


    The Spirit Order training involved forming mental images and one had to lead the mind and body into a constant state. (TLN: Form mental image of what you want, and try to sync the mind/body.) In this state, one will resonate with mana in the atmosphere to produce energy. This energy is used to fill the energy pulse.


    Mana.


    It was an energy source that was abundant in the atmosphere. The warrior¡¯s Spirit Order, and the magician¡¯s magic were magical force produced from resonating the mind with mana.


    It was revealed that the mana reacts to a strong will. This in turn allows the energy to be changed into any form.


    This was how a magician is able to cause various phenomenons.


    Ooh ooh ooh ooh oong...... (TLN: buzzing sound ¨C like high voltage electricity humming through line)


    The meditating Azell started to resonate with the mana. Rick was surprised, so he looked inside. Since he was a healing expert, he was also sensitive to the mana¡¯s movement.


    ¡°Is he training his Spirit Order?¡±

 Chapter 4 Azell Zestringer (4).

    <strong>Chapter 4 Azell Zestringer (4).</strong>


    Chapter 4 - Azell Zestringer (4)


    Magic and Spirit Order is a secret art that is not taught thoughtlessly to others, and no one trains in front of others. However, Azell knew about Rick¡¯s presence. He resonated with the mana without paying attention to him.


    ¡°Mmm.¡±


    There was a faint ball of light that rose up in front of Azell as he continued to resonate with the mana. After seeing this, Rick instantly recognized what it was.


    ¡®Is that a mana aggregate? He didn¡¯t have a single ring of life, so how was he able to create such a dense aggregate of magical force?¡¯


    The rings of life of a person, who had mastered the Spirit Order, was a representation of how much strength the person could use. As the number of rings of life increases, one could release more stronger power.


    However, when Rick observed him, Azell hadn¡¯t properly activated his energy and he had no rings of life. So how was he able to make such a dense aggregate of magical force, which had materialized in a form of light?


    If Azell had heard Rick¡¯s question, then he would have answered like this.


    ¡®Even if I do not have the rings of life, my control over the magical force is high and this allows me to freely manipte the magical force.¡¯


    Azell had already perfected the Spirit Order, and he had reached the highest stage before. Of course, he was unrivalled in manipting the magical force.


    The other practitioners would only absorb a portion of the power they had raised through the mana resonance. However, Azell gathered all the power into one ce, and he supported it with both hands.


    Then he drank it.


    Ricks eyes became round.


    ¡°He ate...the mana aggregate?¡±


    He had never heard of such an event. Azell had drunk the mana aggregate he had made as if it was water!


    ¡°Hoo-ooh.¡±


    This caused a considerable amount of magical energy to flow into his dried energy pulse.


    Azell circted the magical force throughout his whole body¡¯s energy pulse. After it soaked in, he gathered the leftover power to draw a ring.


    ¡®I won¡¯t be able to do it in a day¡¯


    As expected, the job of forming the ring of life was tough. With this amount of magical force, he wasn¡¯t even able to maintain the small origin that¡¯ll be the ring of life¡¯s circle.


    Azell tried to raise the mana resonance again to form another mana aggregate, but suddenly the vision in front of his eyes spun.


    ¡°Oook.....¡±


    He was sitting cross-legged, but he almost lost his bnce. He was barely able to avoid from falling to the ground, and Azell realized his problem.


    ¡®Shit. My body won¡¯t be able to endure it.¡±


    The condition of his body was so bad that he could only resonate the mana for a short period of time, and after receiving one magic aggregate he had reached his limit. Spirit order was a


    secret art that strengthened the body through magical force. One had to train the body and magical force equally to see a synergistic effect. If one side is deficient then it¡¯ll affect the other side too.


    Rick spoke.


    ¡°Don¡¯t over do it. Where did you learn to make a mana aggregate and drink it? I know the basics of Spirit Order, but this is the first time I have seen that method.¡±


    ¡°....maybe?¡±


    Azell turned his head in puzzlement.


    His attitude indicated that he didn¡¯t know either. Of course, he was acting, but he hadid down a cover story earlier. So Rick just let it go.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I have a request, army doctor Rick.¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    ¡°The meals tomorrow... Could you give me the normal amount?¡±


    Azell was able to speak properly now. His voice was extremely hoarse, but he was able to articte clearly.


    Rick shook his head.


    ¡°No. Do you think your body could digest a normal meal?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m only asking, because I believe I can.¡±


    ¡°You only feel like that. You might defecate bloody stools.¡± (TLN: ew >.<)


    ¡°No, really. I¡¯m unsure about my memory, but... I¡¯m able to control my body through Spirit Order. I only went to the restroom once today.¡±


    ¡®His body is in such a state that it may not be able to absorb all the nutrients.... Still that shouldn¡¯t be normal?¡¯


    Azell spoke to the dubious Rick.


    ¡°First, I¡¯ll eat tomorrow¡¯s breakfast and I¡¯ll stop if it is a burden. Please let me at least attempt it?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. Ok. However....¡±


    Rick spoke with an unsatisfied expression.


    ¡°You are very natural at speaking casually to me?¡± (TLN: again korean has casual/respectful way of speaking. MC was speaking casually == no respect)


    ¡°Did I? By the way, didn¡¯t you, army doctor Rick, do the same thing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m someone even the army¡¯s Centurions respect?¡±


    ¡°In the past, I also got special treatments. Maybe. Since I can¡¯t really remember it.¡±


    ¡°Jeez.¡±


    Rick clicked his tongue, but he didn¡¯t say anything. In the first ce, he didn¡¯t have the personality to tie his neck in a noose over someone not addressing him with honorific.


    ¡®Also, this guys is oddly familiar?¡¯


    At first, he was slightly afraid of the person who didn¡¯t look like a human then he felt pity.


    Now that he had heard some of his story, he was oddly familiar. This caused him to treat him in a very rxed manner even if his appearance was like that.


    After Azell saw his reaction, he smiled inside.


    ¡®Fortunately, I¡¯m able to manipte the energies pretty well.¡¯


    It wasmon for a person to feel a unique feeling when one sees another person. The feeling could be called a normal impression. Some people arefortable, some are threatening and some people¡¯s impression is so faint that one can¡¯t tell if the person is there or not.


    When the practitioner of Spirit Order reaches the highest, one is able to control the energy that is emitted, and in turn, one can change one¡¯s impression. Earlier Giles was softly emitting an imposing feeling. This was the same principle. (TLN: he gave Giles as an example.)


    Azell was able to utilize this technique. He intended to give off a friendly atmosphere with no pressure. Rick ate it up.


    Rickined.


    ¡°Sir Giles picked up a strange guy.¡±


    He didn¡¯t call Giles a Centurion, but he called him ¡®Sir¡¯, which was an honorific for knights.


    Azell thought this was strange, but he started asking a different question.


    ¡°Ah. Do you think I could ask you couple question?¡±


    ¡°Do you realize that someone in your position shouldn¡¯t talk like this?¡±


    ¡°I know I¡¯m the one who should be questioned, but I can¡¯t remember anything. ¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are but.... I bet you lived shamelessly.¡±


    ¡°I think so too.¡±


    Azellughed bitterly. If he wasn¡¯t shameless, then he wouldn¡¯t have invested an enormous amount of resources to save his own life by emting the dragon¡¯s hibernation. He wouldn¡¯t have even attempted it.


    ¡®Anyways, Carlos was chomping at the bits to do the experiment.¡¯


    Carlos did everything in his power to save his friend, Azell. However, as a magician, he probably felt ecstatic that he would be able to implement his methods. Originally, magicians are that kind of breed.


    Azell asked a question.


    ¡°Where is this ce?¡±


    ¡°We are with the Bn forest located in the Rin kingdom¡¯s western border.


    ¡°The Rin kingdom....¡±


    Now that he thought about it, Giles introduced himself as belonging to the Rin kingdom¡¯s western border guards. At the time, he didn¡¯t have the presence of mind to pay attention to it, but now that he thought about it....


    ¡®That country doesn¡¯t exist.¡¯


    ording to Azell¡¯s knowledge, the country called Rin kingdom didn¡¯t exist.


    However, he did remember a figure called Rin. Amongst the noble family of the Nadik kingdom, there was one called Duke Rin.


    Azell asked the most important question.


    ¡°By the way, what year is this ording to the Atein calendar?¡±


    Each country on the continent used the years since they were formed. However, there was a separate system called the Atein calendar. The magicians started counting the time since the Dragon Demon King Atein was destroyed and when the humans was freed from his threat. This method started being widely used.


    Rick answered.


    ¡°It¡¯s the year 222.¡±


    ¡°Year 222? Did you say year 222?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Also, today is the 4th month 8th days.¡±


    ¡°Huh... No, wait a moment.¡±


    Azell put his hand on his forehead, while making a shocked expression. The shock was toorge that he lost the ability to speak for a moment.


    ¡°220 years.....¡¯


    Azell had fallen asleep 2 years after he had in the Dragon Demon King Atein. ording to Rick, 220 years had passed.


    ¡®I can¡¯t believe this.¡¯


    He had already guessed that he had been asleep for a long time.


    Unlike other animals, the dragons hibernate for at least couple decades. Since the time he was awake, he had somewhat epted the fact that he had been asleep for a very long time.


    However, he would have never imagined that such an enormous amount of time had passed.


    ¡®That exins it.¡¯


    He was sure it was the samenguage, but words he didn¡¯t know was mixed in with it. It wasn¡¯t because he was in a region where he never visited, but neew words he didn¡¯t know were formed after a vast amount of time had passed.


    ¡®Everyone I knew... They are all dead.¡¯


    Azell was despairing when he heard a voice carefully asking him a question. This woke him up.


    Rick was staring at him with a worried face.


    Azell replied.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m ok.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Was it a memory rted to the date?¡±


    ¡°A little bit.¡±


    ¡°What did you remember?¡±


    ¡°I think... I lost several years worth of memory.¡±


    Azell lied about it.


    The surprised Rick asked a question.


    ¡°How many years?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not certain. However, thest date I remember was the year 218.¡±


    Therefore, there was a 4 year gap in his memory. Azell decided to tell him this.


    Of course, this was an event that would make one shocked.


    Rick questioned.


    ¡°How old are you, Azell?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m 30 yet.....¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    Rick was surprised. Azell asked while frowning.


    ¡°Why are you reacting like that?¡±


    ¡°No, how should I say this. You don¡¯t seem that old. When I look at your appearance, I can¡¯t determine your age at all.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. That¡¯s how it should be.¡±


    Azellughed bitterly.


    After the conversation, Rick went to sleep, so he also went to lie down on his bunk. Even though his body required sleep, he was up all night, because of the confusion and shock.


    ¡®Carlos.....¡¯


    He wanted to see his friend that he could never meet again. (TLN: Q_Q)


    5


    The next morning Azell called after a soldier and they went looking for Giles.


    It was morning, but Giles appearance was impable. He looked delicate, but he seemed to try hard to act with discipline.


    Giles asked him a question.


    ¡°Have you eaten?¡±


    ¡°Thanks to you.¡±


    After getting Rick¡¯s permission, Azell was able to have a normal meal as breakfast. Rick was surprised at seeing Azell eat all the of meal that the soldier brought.


    ¡°You look way better than yesterday.¡±


    ¡°That I do?¡±


    He looked scary since he was still very skinny, but his appearance was way more human-likepared to yesterday.

 Chapter 5 Azell Zestringer (5).

    <strong>Chapter 5 Azell Zestringer (5).</strong>


    Chapter 5- Azell Zestringer(5)


    Giles spoke.


    ¡°I heard the approximate ount from army doctor Rick. He said your memories are obscured....¡±


    ¡°Yes. It might seem like a lie, but I have no memories as to why I was there. I¡¯m not even sure who I am.....¡±


    Unlike Rick, Azell spoke respectfully towards Giles. He had heard from Rick that Giles was a noble that had received the title of knight. It was a situation where he couldn¡¯t disseminate his identity, so he had to be polite towards the noble.


    ¡°Truthfully, I have a hard to time believing it. However, the problem is every time I look at you the story bes more likely.¡±


    When Azell was found, his appearance was very grave. Even now he was still in somewhat of a critical state. The only way a human could have such an appearance and still be alive was for him to have been subjected to evil magical experimentation.


    ¡°At the very least, it doesn¡¯t seem like you are a spy from a different country. I have decided to just let you go. However.....¡±


    ¡°However?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t a problem where I can make the decision. I¡¯ll have to report to my Lieutenant and receive permission.¡±


    The matter was a bit too sensitive for him to make a decision instead of his lieutenant.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Mmm. Then let¡¯s go meet the lieutenant right now and continue the story?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s impossible right now.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°We came out of our fort to excavate the ruins. Moreover, the lieutenant returned to the fort to receive an important person. After couple days, he¡¯ll return back here.¡±


    ¡°Then I have to wait until then?¡±


    ¡°Until you receive the lieutenant¡¯s permission, you¡¯ll have to stay in our camp without leaving it. I won¡¯t imprison you, but it would be best if you don¡¯t wander around. In your circumstance, this isn¡¯t such a bad measure.¡±


    Azell wasn¡¯t healthy enough to wander around freely. Therefore, Giles told him it would be best to wait here, while being under their protection.


    Azell realized his consideration, so he nodded his head.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do that.¡±


    ¡°Then please go back. While you are standby, stay at the medical barracks.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Ah. By the way, may I ask you one question?¡±


    Azell asked as if he just thought it up, so Giles answered back.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Centurion Giles. You have 4 rings of life? At your age, you are already a Cord-Rope master and a knight of the army, so why are you a Centurion in the frontier?¡±


    At his unexpected intelligence, Giles¡¯ expression visibly hardened. At the same time, he emitted an offensive energy.


    ¡°How did you know that?¡±


    For those who train in the Spirit Order, one gets a title of ¡®Master¡¯ once the ring of life reaches 4. The offensive energy emitted by those who reached the level of master was enough to tten a normal person.


    However, Azell didn¡¯t show any signs of shrinking back even after he received the energy. He just shrugged his shoulder and replied back.


    ¡°I just asked about what I saw. I don¡¯t understand how I can see it either.¡±


    Of course, this was a lie. Azell had reached a higher level as a practitioner of the Spirit Order in the past than Giles. Whether it was magical detection ability or the ability to discern the opponent¡¯s fighting power, he was able to see through Giles¡¯ strength at one nce.


    He decided to ask an antagonistic question towards Giles, because he wanted to learn information about this time period. If one was a Cord-Rope master 220 years ago, the person would be acknowledged as someone with great power. However, will it be the same in this time period?


    After ring at Azell for a moment, Giles retracted his offensive energy.


    ¡°...what army doctor Rick said about you being a Spirit Order practitioner was true.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have any rings of life, or magical force but... I¡¯ve had a vague sense that I can¡¯t ignore you.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t as much as Azell, but Giles, who was a Cord-Rope master, was considerably adept at sensing other¡¯s strength with his developed sense. The moment he saw Azell, he received a sensation that indicated he couldn¡¯t be ignored.


    Giles spoke.


    ¡°Anyways, you don¡¯t have to answer that question. You don¡¯t have any reason to answer it.¡±


    ¡°It is a sensitive topic, so I apologize.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You can go now.¡±


    Azell nodded his head then he turned his body and he walked out of Gile¡¯s barrack.


    6


    At the Bn forest¡¯s ruin excavation site, the chef in charge of the meals was looking at an unbelievable sight.


    It was caused by the transformation of one person. When he saw the person apanying army doctor Rick Boran for the first time, he was surprised. The person was so skinny that he looked like a walking corpse.


    While looking like that, the person ate an enormous amount of food, so the chef was astonished. He had eaten about 5 servings of food and 2 liters of water . The army was overflowing with men with robust appetites, but it was a whole different level trying to eat like this skinny corpse-like man.


    However, the truly baffling part was his transformation.


    He came to the kitchen to eat both lunch and dinner.


    When he showed up for dinner, there was a suspicion as to the fact that he was the same person who showed up earlier for lunch. No matter how he saw it he was suspicious, but his superficial characteristics were certainly same as before. For example, he still had long red hair, and blue eyes. But the skinny corpse-like person had suddenly gained weight so how were they they suppose to interpret this? How can a human change so much in just couple hours?


    ¡®Maybe it¡¯s magic?¡¯


    He could only consider this thought as his customer, Azell Zestringer, went through an extreme change.


    ¡°Ah, is it because I was starving? Everything tastes like honey. But the seasoning is a bit strong.¡±


    ¡°You really eat well. Are you sure you are ok?¡±¡±


    Rick was sitting across him and he was shocked by the change.


    He was almost unrecognizable. His weight had increased suddenly, so he looked more like a human.


    Truthfully, Rick spent a full minute trying to dissuade Azell from eating more than 1 serving. Even after seeing him being ok after eating one serving, Rick still decided that he shouldn¡¯t eat more. However, Azell was stubborn and he ate 3 servings, which frightened Rick. Soon he rapidly recovered his human appearance.


    Now he was continuously eating dinner, while he was receiving everyone¡¯s stares.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m eating this much because my body requires it. To tell you the truth, I have to eat more, but I don¡¯t want to suddenly abuse the stomach and be sick. So I¡¯m eating in moderation.¡±


    ¡®This is eating in moderation?¡¯


    Rick was loss for words. Azell was already cleaning up his 6th serving. Moreover, he drank at least 3 liters of water.


    ¡°If you drink that much water then wouldn¡¯t you develop a stomach ache?¡±


    ¡°Usually.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you drinking so much?¡±


    ¡°I am eating arge amount of food, so I have to drink enough water to digest it, and I need to rehydrate my body. Rick, do you know that most of the body isposed of water? My body was extremely weakened, so I have to eat and drink a lot to return to my normal state. ¡±


    ¡°...you seem to make sense for a moment, but the truth is you are talking nonsense. Even a healthy person cannot eat that much and be fine. You are in a weakened state. If you eat and drink this way then you could die....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Am I not ok?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Ah, is that right? The corner of Rick¡¯s mouth twitched. He wanted to say a word as a healing expert with an education from the Medical Association, but he was overwhelmed after seeing Azell¡¯s absurd change.


    ¡°Be that as it may, isn¡¯t your rapid change absurd? After eating a lot, you just slept for couple hours?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it make sense if you considering the weakened stated I was in? Also, each person has different rate of digestion?¡±


    ¡°With all do respect, where in the world is a person with that kind of digestive ability? Are you a beast of endless starvation brought up from some demon world?¡±


    ¡°Eh-ee.(TLN: it¡¯s a sound you make that signifies ¡®whatever¡¯) Originally, if a person who was weakened from starvation was fed well, then wouldn¡¯t he be able to return to a human-like appearance in about four days? My situation is simr to that, but since I am eating more, the speed of the change is a bit different. ¡±


    ¡°No matter how I think about it, it doesn¡¯t make any sense....¡±


    ¡°Ah, really. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Stop saying it doesn¡¯t make sense to something that has already happened. It happened in reality so ept it and analyze it. If you deny everything that diverges from your logic, then how will you be able to deal with unexpected situations?¡±


    After saying this, Azell chewed on a seasoned vegetable. He had eaten all the food on top of his food tray, so he stood up with the tray.


    ¡°Are you done eating?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m going to eat another serving. Six servings is a bit unlucky. I¡¯ll have to eat 7 servings, since magicians favor that number.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Mr. Chef is pretty skilled. It¡¯s delicious.¡±


    Without caring if he was bbergasted or not, Azell startedplimenting the chef, while he was scooping up the food. One of the chef approached Rick and asked a question.


    ¡°Who is that guy?¡±


    ¡°We were told to treat him as Sir Giles¡¯ guest. Weren¡¯t you all informed of this?¡±


    ¡°I had heard about him...¡±


    ¡°He must be a gluttonous monster captured by an evil magician. I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Just leave it at that.¡±


    Azell was walking towards them while humming, so Rick pushed the chef forward.


    7


    The Centurion of the Rin kingdom¡¯s western border guard, Giles Vince, was deeply interested in the mysterious man named Azell Zestringer. Aside from how they initially found him, he was able to see through Giles¡¯ strength, which he was hiding, with one nce. He did this without having any rings of life, so his interest was inevitable.


    ¡®How did he do it?¡¯


    He had thought about it since he let Azell leave, but it was a question that he couldn¡¯t solve.


    He wasn¡¯t able to enter into the famous knight squads for personal reasons, and he had to enter into the army. While he was assigned to these remote locations, there weren¡¯t that many people who were able to recognize his true abilities. Most people assumed that he was a small fry who was promoted to Centurion based on his family¡¯s power. They assumed this without even getting to know him.


    Even the knights in this ce, who were hardened by fighting against monsters, thought the same thing. This goes to show how well Giles had hidden his true skill.


    ¡®What is he ying at?¡¯


    He didn¡¯t believe a single wording from Azell. The only thing that kept him from being suspicious was the state Azell was found in was too appalling, so he thought his story sounded believable.

 Chapter 6 Azell Zestringer (6).

    <strong>Chapter 6 Azell Zestringer (6).</strong>


    Chapter 6 - Azell Zestringer (6)


    ¡®He a strange person.¡¯


    The fact that he was still alive looking like that was amazing, but if one paid close attention, there were other strange things about him. His ent was weird. He sounded like he was from a far away ce, and his inflection was a bit different. At times, he would use old-fashioned vocabries. Moreover, his reaction to spoken words were strangely slow as if he didn¡¯t understand what was being said.


    ¡®I don¡¯t think his ear is damaged.¡¯


    Any ways, he was most definitely a practitioner of Spirit Order. He had a hard time believing it, while looking at his exterior, but he might be an expert who attained a rtively high mastery.


    Giles asked his aide.


    ¡°How is he doing?¡±


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t done anything out of the norm. After he ate, he went to rest. However, there was a surprising incident.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I was told he has rapidly changed after eating lunch and dinner. He used to be emaciated, but now he looks a bit skinny.¡±


    ¡°What? Really?¡±


    Yes. Everyone is gossiping about it. They think it¡¯s some strange magic.¡±


    ¡°That is curious. I should go meet him.¡±


    ¡°Should I go with you?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll go by myself.¡±


    After the conversation, Giles exited his office and he went towards the medical barracks, where Azell was staying.


    ¡°Army doctor Rick, it¡¯s Centurion Giles. Do you mind if I enter?¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    After hearing Rick¡¯s reply, Giles entered the barrack. However, unlike what he had expected, Rick didn¡¯t greet him. He was distracted and he looking at the wrong ce.


    He followed the other¡¯s gaze, and before he knew it, Giles¡¯ eyes opened wide.


    He saw the sight of Azell upside down with his shirt off. He was doing a handstand with one of his right finger, while three small round stones were stacked beneath his finger. In this state, he was doing a pushup.


    In a couple hours time, his body had unbelievably filled out, but his body didn¡¯t show much muscle. Since he was so skinny before, his muscle tissues had died out. (TLN: catabolized muscle tissue)


    It was surprising he was able to do this act with that body. After reaching a certain level as a practitioner of Spirit Order, one develops superhuman strength and sense of bnce. Therefore, it wasn¡¯t surprising to see him doing a push-up while doing a handstand with one finger. However, he had stacked 3 small round stones on top of each other, and a small shift in bnce would make the stones slip. He had never thought about doing this.


    ¡®I want to try it.¡¯


    When Giles came in, Azell stopped doing the push-ups, and he flicked the finger he was bnced on. This caused the 3 stones to scatter in different direction. His body turned in a circle and he was able tond his body lightly.


    ¡°Ooht-cha.(TLN:sound of exertion, like a grunt I guess) Centurion Giles..... No, should I call you Sir Giles?¡±


    After hearing Azell¡¯s words, Giles was surprised again. Wasn¡¯t he entirely different from his morning appearance? His voice was different, but his blue eyes and the burning red color of his hair was the same. If these physical attributes didn¡¯t match then he wouldn¡¯t have thought it was the same person.


    Giles spoke, while hiding his unrest.


    ¡°Call me as you like. You aren¡¯t my subordinate.¡±


    ¡°Then I will call you Sir Giles. It¡¯s shorter.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Any ways, that¡¯s a pretty fun training technique.¡±


    ¡°I had a memory of training this way. My body is in a rough shape, so it¡¯s difficult.¡±


    Azellined, while he looked at his body with discontent.


    ¡°How were you able to recover you body in couple hours?¡±


    ¡°I ate and drank a lot. If one provides what the body needs then the body recovers quickly.¡±


    ¡°It is hard for me to believe that is the only reason. When a person is weakened, one cannot ept a lot of food at one time. They would probably have to eat slowly and gradually recover their body?¡±


    ¡°Of course, one has to have enough digestive ability, and control over the state of one¡¯s body. Sir Giles, you haven¡¯t experienced an extreme situation like me, but if you did, wouldn¡¯t you be able to do the same thing? Fundamentally, Spirit Order practitioners learn to control the rhythm of the heart. If so, wouldn¡¯t you be able to control the cirction of the blood or your sleep state?¡±


    Spirit order uses the pulsation of the heart as the source of power. Every time the heart pulses, it vibrates the spirit ring and the resonance causes the magical forces to move.


    If one learned the Spirit Order then he will have a technique that¡¯ll manipte the beat of his heart. While standing still, if he wanted to, he could make his heart beat crazily fast or beat slow as if he is asleep.


    Giles asked a question, while being amused.


    ¡°Do you mean to say you are able to extend the technique to manipte your body to that degree?¡±


    ¡°Of course. If you can manipte your heart¡¯s rhythm then you should be able to manipte every part of your body. Unlike regr people, as a Cord-rope master, you should be able to use this method to control your body.¡±


    ¡°You are right.¡±


    Giles nodded his head.


    Even though he epted it, the transformation of Azell was miraculous. He couldn¡¯t believe a human could change so drastically. Even if he was a practitioner of Spirit Order, wasn¡¯t this simply too amazing?


    It had been a long time since his heart beat rapidly. Giles looked directly into Azell¡¯s eyes and spoke.


    ¡°Hmmm. Azell Zestringer, would you spar with me?¡±


    From behind, they heard an intake of breath. Rick¡¯s face stiffened.


    ¡®Is he out of his mind? Just this morning, he was about to die and now a knight is requesting a spar?¡¯


    He only thought this. As a healing expert, it would be unforgivable for him to say this out loud.


    However, Azell smiled.


    ¡°Sure. If I face off against another Spirit Order practitioner then it might help me recover my memories. However, my condition is a bit of a mess so I might not be able to be a proper sparring partner?


    It¡¯s been 220 years since the period of time he was active, and he was curious as to how much the knights had changed. In what ways did the Spirit Order and sword techniques improve? Also, he wanted to know what level of standards this period¡¯s knights had?


    Therefore, in Azell¡¯s perspective, he wholeheartedly weed the sparring request by Giles.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not going to ask for an intense sparring session from someone who just got out from the sickbed. Instead of using the body, let us spar through showing appropriate techniques as a Spirit Order practitioner. Would that be ok?¡±


    ¡°If that is Sir Giles¡¯ intent then I¡¯m fine with it.¡±


    Sparring didn¡¯t mean they had to fight with swords. There were other ways to battle. Spirit Order had various ways to spar.


    Giles spoke.


    ¡°Then let us meet again tomorrow after lunch.¡±


    After Giles left, the frowning Rick asked Azell.


    ¡°You are really going to spar against Sir Giles?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I can move my body well, so there should be any problems?¡±


    ¡°Sir Giles is young, but his skills aren¡¯t ordinary. No one really knows about it, but he isn¡¯t a joke. I¡¯m warning you....¡±


    ¡°I already know about it. That is why I chose a sparring method where we can¡¯t hurt each other. So please stop worrying.¡±


    ¡°Jeez. You are a patient, but you are being boastful in front of a healing expert.¡±


    ¡°Do I still look like a patient?¡±


    Azell curled both his arms to bunch his muscles, and he took a pose. However, his flesh was full of water so it didn¡¯t bulge at all. (TLN: bby)


    ¡°.......¡±


    Rick started staring at him, so Azell looked away in embarrassment.


    ¡°Shit. Wait a few days. I¡¯ll show you some wonderful abs!¡±


    ¡°If gaining muscles were that easy, then all the men in the world will be muscr.¡±


    Rick snorted. Azell volleyed back.


    ¡°Do you think another person could gain this much flesh in one day?¡±


    ¡°No one... probably.¡±


    ¡°I was able to do it. Within couple days, I¡¯ll be able to bulk up.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Rick was loss for words when he looked at Azell¡¯s attitude, which was full of confidence without any basis.


    Azell smiled smugly while asking a question.


    ¡°So how old is Sir Giles?¡±


    ¡°He should be 19 this year?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s only that old? Ah, he does look very young, but still.¡±


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been half a year since he joined our outfit. Still everyone acknowledges his skill.¡±


    During that time, even though Giles was a Centurion, he participated in patrolling the Bn forest to learn about the troop¡¯s work. He disyed himself to be an earnest person.


    Then he showed excellent skills dispatching monsters, and his fellow soldiers were impressed by his actions. At first, they weren¡¯t thrilled to have a rookie knight as a superior officer. However, they all had epted him and followed him now.


    ¡°Our troops fight against monsters quite frequently so skill is valued. He was earnest and skilled, so he was immediately acknowledged.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. He has achieved a lot for a 19 year old. How is his skillspared to the other knights?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about that. He should be around the middle. If he is able to act as the Centurion for our troops then he can¡¯t be average. The other knights aren¡¯t normal.¡±


    Of course, they are like that. The troops constantly get threatened by monsters, and fight against them. (TLN: the knights are strong b/c they are constantly fighting near the forest)


    Azell slightly narrowed his eyes.


    ¡®I want to see the other knights... For his age, it is a great aplishment to be a Cord-rope master, but I have no idea about this period¡¯s appraisal standard.¡¯


    In Azell¡¯s time, Cord-rope masters weren¡¯t rare.


    The Dragon Demon king Atein and his army was a disaster that threatened the very existence of mankind. In front of them, the humans had to struggle desperately. Numerous warriors died daily, and only the strong survived.


    Theck of military strength forced many to share the secret techniques they had had hoarded. If someone looked like he had some aptitude, then they freely shared the secret techniques.


    The quality of knights became noticeably better than before the Dragon Demon War.


    However, even in his time period it was rare to see a 19 year old surpass the level of Cord-rope master. ording to Azell¡¯s memory, there were less than 10 people.


    ¡®However, if I add one more year then the number doubles.¡¯ (TLN:19 vs 20 yr old)


    That one year difference made an enormous difference.


    ¡®Hmm. I guess I¡¯ll have to find out about it slowly. ¡®


    He put away the question he was thinking about for a moment and he started exercising again. He used his other arm. Of course, he stacked three stones and while doing handstand with one finger, he started doing pushups.


    Rick was struck dumb by this sight, so he started mumbling to himself.


    ¡°Jeez. You are doing some amazing things, but... Why can I only think of you as a weird guy?¡±


    Azell could onlyugh at his words. He resumed exercising without saying a word.

 Chapter 7 Dragon Demon Princess (1).

    <strong>Chapter 7 Dragon Demon Princess (1).</strong>


    Chapter 7 - Dragon Demon Princess (1)


    The Bn forest was not and, where humans lived. It was ced on a map within the Rin kingdom¡¯s boundaries, but in reality, the monsters that threatened humans lived there instead of humans.


    That is why the Rin kingdom¡¯s western border guard is not an army meant to fight against humans. They observe the movements of the monsters inside the Bn forest, and their goal was to protect the kingdom¡¯s territories from the threat.


    However, there was a group of human in the middle of the forest. They weren¡¯t the western border guards, but they were human wearing suspicious ck clothes.


    ¡°The personing to the fort is Princess Arrieta.¡±


    ¡°Is it the Dragon Demon Prince or should I say the Dragon Demon Princess?¡±


    ¡°Does it matter?¡±


    ¡°No. ording to the rumors regarding the strength of the Dragon Demon Princess, we might not have enough members here.¡±


    They exchanged suspicious conversations. They didn¡¯t show any signs of being nervous even when they were in the middle of thends dominated by monsters.


    ¡°The Dragon Demon Prince debut was not too long ago, so I thought he would send her to a public function. I never expected him to send the Dragon Demon Princess to such a far away ce.¡±


    ¡°Instead of the sending the Dragon Demon Prince to a far away Western borders, they must have calcted that it must be better for him to work on matters that appeal the people right now.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Fortunately, the Dragon Demon Princess is not travelling with a lot people.¡±


    ¡°Then we will somehow find a way. Even if the Dragon Demon Princess is powerful, she is merely a young girl.¡±


    All of a sudden, one amongst them asked a question.


    ¡°Is that ruin really the cursed Carlos¡¯ ruin?¡±


    Carlos.


    He was a friend of Azell. It was also the name of a hero , and the most notorious archmage in recorded history.


    Carlos¡¯ magic was determined to be far away beyond the the average. He had died about 150 years ago, but the items he left behind was considered to be very valuable.


    It was hypothesized that the ruins found by the Rin kingdom¡¯s western border guard in the Bna forest was a ruin left by Carlos. After receiving this report, the royal family was surprised. They decided to dispatch Arrieta Vile Rin, who was called the Dragon Demon Princess, and numerous magicians.


    ¡°We weren¡¯t able to confirm it. However, we are assuming it to be true.¡±


    ¡°Still there aren¡¯t any decent magician in this ce so there is a high probability that someone jumped to a conclusion.¡±


    ¡°If this is Carlos¡¯ ruin, then we can¡¯t stay still. However, there is no need to act now, so let us wait and see.¡±


    ¡°Of course. It would be a problem if they be suspicious.¡±


    2


    He didn¡¯t move fast. He was moving very slowly and carefully. One step. He was concentrating on taking one step at a time. It was so slow that it could be considered yawn inducingly boring, but he slowly continued to send punches and kicks into the air. It was fascinating to see him able to maintain his bnce while doing this action.


    It was more amazing to see his entire body drenched in sweat as if it was raining. He looked like a person who had moved the most in this world.(TLN: trantes awkwardly)


    He didn¡¯t wear any cloth on his upper body, and it could be seen that the fine muscles, which weren¡¯t angled yet, were twitching. He move his whole bodyboriously.


    One could hear the muscles screaming just by looking at him.


    ¡°Hoo-ooh.¡± (TLN: exhaling)


    How long has he been like that?


    Suddenly, he released his stance while exhaling. He picked up a towel that was ced next to him, and he started wiping his body while mumbling.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s hard. Since my body is all messed up, it feels like I¡¯m dying.¡±


    ¡°That is an interesting training method.¡±


    After watching Azell train, Rickplimented him as if he didn¡¯t understand it.


    Azell asked him a question.


    ¡°Is it really amazing?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Which part? Why?¡±


    ¡°Can you really exercise just by moving slowly? I don¡¯t understand how those movments could cause you to sweat so much.¡±


    ¡°The knights here do not train in slow chain and fast chain movements?¡±


    ¡°Fast chain?¡±


    ¡°That is... One has to repeat slow and fast chain movements to grasp the bnce of the technique. Fast chain movement is the normal training, which uses quick movements. Slow chain is the opposite. One has to train very slowly to prevent the body from being under the mercy of strength, and this allow one to correct erroneous postures.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such training methods. Well I guess I¡¯m not a knight, so it¡¯s possible that I don¡¯t know about it. However, it doesn¡¯t look like a normal training method.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. I guess it isn¡¯t something soldiers would use. Any ways, you are curious as to why I¡¯m sweating so much?¡±


    After Azell asked the question, he approached Rick. Rick suddenly felt an unknown feeling of danger, so he started backing up slowly while cringing.


    Azell smiled a suspicious grin, and he grabbed Rick¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Feel it yourself.¡±


    Ku-kung! (TLN: sfx of pressure)


    Suddenly a heavy sound started spreading.


    No, he thought he heard it, but Rick was mistaken. In reality, no sound was emitted. He felt a pressure press down on his whole body, and it had created a vibration inside. He had confused this with sound.


    ¡°Kuk!¡±


    Rick groaned and he fell onto his knees.


    His body became heavy like a ball of steel. No, this was above and beyond that level. It felt like some power grabbed his body, and it was crushing him.


    This was happening inside his body! He couldn¡¯t even stand up. The power caused it to be difficult for him to even move a finger.


    Azell looked down on him and asked a question.


    ¡°Now you know why I was sweating so much?¡±


    ¡°This, what is this...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my special training method. Try moving your body in that condition. It will temper you a lot.¡±


    ¡°Ooh, ooh-gu-gu-gu-guk.....¡± (TLN: moaning/groaning sfx)


    ¡°For your information, I injected enough energy for this method tost around 30 seconds. After that, it¡¯ll end. Even if you are lying down, it¡¯ll be hard for you to breath, so it would be better for you to clench your teeth and move a little. It would be better for you to counterbnce that power.¡±


    Azell spoke in a friendly manner. He put on his shirt and he sat on the bed.


    ¡°Ku, Ku-ook.....¡±


    After hearing those words, Rick¡¯s body trembled and he used all his might to start moving. After he put strength into his arms and legs, he seeded in moving a little. He felt the pressure on his internal organs lessen by a little bit.


    ¡®He was training in this condition for about 1 hour without him ever swaying. This bastard is a monster!¡±


    Rick was exhausted just by crawling on his belly. Azell had trained with this technique for an hour. In his words, he had trained in the Slow chain method. He was a Spirit Order practitioner without a single ring, so how could he exhibit such superhuman ability?


    As if Azell had read his mind, he spoke.


    ¡°Hu-hut.(TLN: shortugh) It¡¯s not that impressive, so why are you reacting that way? That was the level of pressure I am able to maintain constantly. I can produce a stronger burst from time to time when I need it. If I applied that level of load on you, then your body will break into pieces.¡±


    ¡°I, I think my body is already sufficiently broken?¡±


    Rick couldn¡¯t even talk properly, so he protested his meaning through his gaze. However, Azell was happily watching Rick struggle.


    ¡®You evil spirit-like bastard.¡¯


    It felt like an eternity before 30 second had passed. The pressure that was pressing on Rick started slowly dissipating.


    In a moment, Rick¡¯s felt his body be light. He pressed his head to the ground and moaned.


    ¡°Oooooooh......¡±


    ¡°How was it? Is it worth doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m going to die.¡±


    ¡°Even if you are an army doctor, you are still a soldier. Aren¡¯t you a bit too weak? Shouldn¡¯t you train regrly?¡±


    ¡°Shit. I¡¯ve received the basic training.¡±


    ¡°Yet you can¡¯t even endure that?¡±


    ¡°Eeeeeeek!¡±


    Rick grinded his teeth, and he pushed his body up. He red at Azell and spoke.


    ¡°How are you able to endure such pressure with your weakened body?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not enduring it with only my body. I am also using the magical force. I am trying to bnce the magical force that unites the physical strength and Spirit Order at the same time. Any ways, I am able to grow muscles all over my body in a short amount of time.¡±


    Spirit Order practitioners could control parts of the body that normal people can¡¯t control. Therefore, they are able to train in ways that can¡¯t even be imagined by a normal person. Azell¡¯s training method was like this.


    After he tempered his body, Azell sat in the lotus position, and he meditated. Then a magical force aggregate, which was very dense that it almost emitted light, formed in both of his hand and he drank it.


    ¡®Hmmm!¡¯


    His whole body¡¯s energy pulse activated. The energy that was flowing within it was weak, but it circted without any blockage.


    ¡®Still it is fortunate that I don¡¯t have to break all the blockage in my energy pulse from the beginning.¡¯ (TLN: sounds like dantian concept)


    Originally, the human¡¯s energy pulse isn¡¯t active, and it is blocked. While in the process of training Spirit Order, the energy pulse is activated, and one is able to break through the blockage. This creates a path that magical force will circte through.


    It takes a long time to be able to make the entire body¡¯s energy pulse be useful. This was one of the most important jobs of Spirit Order. Fortunately, Azell¡¯s energy pulse slowed down in function, rather then being blocked again.


    ¡®At the very least, I was able to make one ring of life.¡¯


    The vessel at the very end of the heart gathered the magical force, and it formed into a small ring. He had gathered a highly dense amount of magical force, and he shaped its form. One had to continuously inject new magical force to stabilize it. One had to go through these steps to create a ring of life.


    Right now it was in an iplete state, and it was barely able to circle around the heart. However, it was important that Azell was able to make a stabilized ring of life.


    It was less effective then directly circling it around the heart, but he was roughly able to imitate its function with the Spirit Order techniques. (TLN: heid a foundation for ring, but it¡¯s iplete. But using spirit order technique, he can mimic a stable ring. )


    Azell spoke after he examined himself.


    ¡°Let us go eat.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t miss a meal.¡±


    ¡± The three meal times are precious.¡±


    Azell led the way, while humming.


    3


    Azell was able to devour 7 servings again. He had consumed food and drank water until his stomach was full. It was amazing that he didn¡¯t have a stomach ache. After he drank his fill, he drummed his hands against his stomach in satisfaction.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m full. Now I know the real value of food after starving for a long time.¡±


    ¡°Now that you have gained some weight, do you need to eat that much?¡±


    Rick was fed up with it so he asked.


    Azell had gained a lot of weightpared to yesterday night. He should be close to his normal weight now.


    ¡°Mmmm. After today, I¡¯ll return to eating a normal amount. My body doesn¡¯t absorb everything so I do expel a lot of waste. If I want to build more muscle, then I have to gain more weight.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s no surprise,ing from you.¡±


    Rick shook his head from side to side. Of course, Azell didn¡¯t pay attention to his attitude.


    After finishing the meal, both of them headed toward Giles¡¯ barracks. Giles was listening to a report from his aide, so they waited outside for a moment.


    ¡°Hmm. I made you wait.¡±


    After the aide left, he motioned Azell and Rick to sit in the chairs.


    Rick asked.


    ¡°Did the patrol find something?¡±

 Chapter 8 Dragon Demon Princess (2).

    <strong>Chapter 8 Dragon Demon Princess (2).</strong>


    Chapter 8 - Dragon Demon Princess(2)


    ¡°No, not really. It almost disgust me that there is nothing happening.¡±


    Currently, this ruin excavation site deployed 300 soldiers from the western border guard.


    Arge number of troops were dispatched, because this location was very dangerous. They needed enough troops to be able to excavate the ruins inside the Bn Forest, which was overflowing with monsters.


    However, once the excavation started, the confrontation between the monsters was almost non-existent. At the most, only the patrols collided with the monsters? Since 300 troops were gathered at the ruin excavation site, none of the bold ones targeted them.


    Giles spoke.


    ¡°There aren¡¯t any problems, and this in turn makes me more worried.¡±


    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t it pretty obvious since 300 troops are gathered in one ce? Recently, didn¡¯t we find the activation of arge power?¡±


    Rick replied.


    The western border guard utilized small elite scouting parties to grasp the situation inside the Bn forest. They were especially vignt against the monsters gathering their forces in one ce. Small tribes were fine, but if it gets bigger than that then arge force was sent out to cut the sprout of danger.


    This was why they knew that there weren¡¯t anyrge forces of monsters around to threaten them. However, Giles shook his head.


    ¡°We can¡¯t be sure. We don¡¯t know what¡¯s living inside the depth...¡±


    The patrols didn¡¯t travel around the entire region of the Bn forest. In the deep locations, there were danger monsters that was beyond their powers. Therefore, there was a possibility a danger was growing in ces they couldn¡¯t patrol.


    ¡®For example, a dragon.¡¯


    It was an existence that was called the nature¡¯s strongest creature. They acted like a full stomached wild animal. They chose their territory deep inside the forest, and they rarely came out. However, whenever they decide toe out, there was a hugemotion.


    Giles spoke.


    ¡°Should we start our match?¡±


    ¡°Sure. Where?¡±


    ¡°I have a ce in mind.¡±


    It was very hard to find a ce in the camp site, where other¡¯s gaze wouldn¡¯t reach them. However, Giles didn¡¯t want others to see this spar, so he seached for a location that would fit their need beforehand.


    This location was an empty lot where the tree that were cut from the forest were stacked. In the back, there weren¡¯t any people except the soldier on sentry duty a bit farther away.


    Giles gave a suggestion.


    ¡°There should be no contact. What do you think about slowing it up 3 breaths?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±


    After replying, Azell blew a whistle inside.


    ¡®Wow. They are still using the sparring methods devised by the old man Croix? If the old man knew this, then he would have loved it.¡¯


    Duke Croix Nidel.


    He fought with Azell in the Demon Dragon war, and he was recorded in history as one of the greatest knights. He was a hero, who had killed several senior officers of the Dragon Demon army. In Azell¡¯s estimation, he was the greatest technician amongst the knights.


    This is what Giles¡¯ words meant.


    As the words state, no contact means they can¡¯t hit each other during the sparring session. One had to stop one¡¯s attack before it hits the opponent. The three breaths did not indicate strenuous exercise, but one had to slow down one¡¯s breathing by three breaths from one¡¯s normal state, and move slower. Instead of fighting with their body¡¯s abilities, they were putting an emphasis on reading each other¡¯s movements. This was why they purposefully slowed their movement down.


    Both of them were sparring under these conditions. Giles asked a question.


    ¡°Which weapon do you want to use?¡±


    ¡°I prefer the sword, but I wouldn¡¯t mind a spear either. I think a hammer should be ok too, but it¡¯s not a suitable weapon for sparring?¡±


    ¡°In the first ce, there is no practice weapon for hammers.¡±


    Giles gave a bitterugh before giving him a practice sword. After receving it, Azell identified the bnce of the de, and he started swinging it against the empty air.


    ¡®It¡¯s not working like how I imagined it.¡¯


    His body had somewhat recovered, but the sensation was vastly different from Azell¡¯s memories. Azell swung the sword couple more times in the empty space, then he unified his mind and the body¡¯s senses.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    His body was dull, so his sword form was not sharp. This wasn¡¯t something he could recover instantly. The more important thing was to realize how much he could move, and he had to match his mental images to actual movements.


    When one is recovering from a huge wound, one require a lot of time to fix the out of step image. He had continuously recovered his body since he woke up, so he seeded in fixing this problem.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start.¡±


    Azell and Giles faced each other at a distance, where they could strike each other with a sword.


    Azell didn¡¯t wait too long. After they got into position, he matched the promised pace of ¡®3 breaths¡¯ and he started moving slowly. He stepped forward once, while thrusting his sword.


    The battle was slow enough that Rick could tell what was happening. Their body¡¯s abilities were about the same, so the sparring was about the reaction when the swords hit. Moreover, they had to imagine how they would avoid the other¡¯s movement, while doing so.


    This was a battle of body and mind.


    In this case, it was thetter part. Spirit Order practitioners used the magical force to attack the opponent¡¯s sense.


    Rick¡¯s body was normal, but he was a healing expert. He was able to see the movement of mana, and he also could identify the phenomenons formed by magical forces.


    That is why he was astonished when he saw the sh between the Spirit Order practitioners.


    ¡®It¡¯s really showy.¡¯


    Their body was moving slowly, but the magical forced produced by the Spirit Order wasn¡¯t.


    There were fierce movements in a realm that could not be seen by a normal person. If one focused on the sense that detected the magical force on Giles and Azell, one could see three to four transparent lines emitted from their body.


    These lines were of slightly different colors. The lines would draw the trajectories made by the aggregate of magical force. Each and every one of them were guided by owner¡¯s intentions, and each implemented a different effect.


    It was impossible to know what the effect were. To Rick¡¯s knowledge, the magical force emitted by the Spirit Order practitioner most likely affects the opponent¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Mmmm.¡±


    This continued for about 5 minutes.


    Azell breathed heavily and he put his sword down. At the same time, the magical force he was using disappeared.


    Giles wondered why.


    ¡°Why are you stopping?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m short on magical force.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I have a very little amount of magical force right now, so I can¡¯t continue.¡±


    Azell yfully raised both hands.


    The current Azell¡¯s store of magical force was trivial. He had just formed an unstable ring of life, so it couldn¡¯t be helped. Actually, it was surprising that he was able tost 5 minutes against Giles, who was a Cord-rope master, with his minuscule amount of magical force.


    After hearing these words, Giles did a double take.


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. Your technique was so outstanding that I didn¡¯t think about this problem.¡±


    Azell¡¯s skill as a Spirit Order practitioner was better than what Giles thought it would be. It was unbelievable that he was able to freely control the magical force to this degree when he had lost all his rings of life, and his energy pulse had dried up.


    Azell spoke slyly.


    ¡°As a matter of fact, I used to have a bit of a reputation.¡±


    ¡°I can believe it. With those skills, there is no way you wouldn¡¯t have a reputation.¡±


    ¡°There is one thing that is puzzling me... Sir Giles, how good are your skillspared to the other knights?¡±


    Azell indirectly tossed an important question towards him. He had directly tested Giles¡¯ skills, so his answers would go towards the data he would use to gauge the level of this period¡¯s knights.


    Giles replied back.


    ¡°My skills isn¡¯t that great.¡±


    ¡°Then are you saying I¡¯m not that great either?¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t... the case.¡±


    Giles was being modest, and he was taken aback when it was pointed out by Azell. Azell stealthily eyed Rick, while speaking.


    ¡°I already know how skilled Sir Giles is, so I want to request a truthful evaluation from an objective person. Is that not possible?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.....¡±


    Giles thought over it for a moment. He had been hiding the fact that he was a Cord-rope master from the others. Therefore, it was inconvenient for him to exin the situation where Rick could hear him. However.....


    -May you promise you¡¯ll tell this to no one?


    Spirit order practitioners had a technique called ¡®whispering¡¯, where one couldmunicate with others without talking. Unlikemunication magic, this was limited to short distances, but it wasmonly used to have a secret conversation.


    -Of course.


    Azell replied back with the same technique.


    Giles spoke.


    -If we exclude the level of expertise of techniques... Cord-rope masters aren¡¯tmon. In the entire western border guard, there is only 3 excluding me.


    -It is only at that level?


    Azell was surprised.


    ¡®The average quality of the knights hasn¡¯t increased too much.¡¯


    No. Instead it might have decreased. These troops were in charge of a country¡¯s border, and they would experience live battle quite frequently. But they only had 4 Cord-rope masters.. During Azell¡¯s time period, Cord-rope masters were quitemon. It was just hard to find someone who had reached that level at Giles¡¯ age.


    ¡®No, if I think about it there are only 4 ¡®Cord-rope masters¡¯.¡¯


    Those who had surpassed Giles weren¡¯t counted. The number of Cord-rope masters were small, but there might be more existence above or equal to Quadruple masters. If he thought about it carefully, the number of Quadruple masters in a troop should be a military secret. What Giles revealed were facts that could be found out easily by outsiders.


    ¡®Still their techniques seems to have improved.....¡¯


    After sparring against Giles, Azell experienced new ways to use his skills.


    The techniques the knights used in Azell¡¯s time was much simpler and cruder. It didn¡¯t mean all the techniques of the past knights were inferior. By isting the techniques he used, he was able to get an impression of theplex and diverse advancements.


    Giles¡¯s techniques were diverse and refined. In a short amount of time, he was able to know this truth.


    However, Azell purposefully hid his skill. If he showed too much strength then he would be guarded. It wouldn¡¯t be a good situation for the current Azell.


    Azell thought for a moment before speaking.


    ¡°Sir Giles, I have one request.¡±


    ¡°What are you requesting?¡±


    ¡°Until the problem of my position is resolved, do you mind if I work as aborer?¡±


    ¡°Laborer?¡±


    ¡°The state of my body is fine. I feel bad about just ying and eating. Moreover, when I am free I would need some traveling money.¡±


    ¡°That is... You want to be paid for your work.¡±


    ¡°Haha. Yes.¡±


    Azellughed in embarrassment.


    He told them he wanted to work, because he felt bad about just eating and ying. However, he was also asking them for wage. Even he thought he was being shameless.


    ¡®I don¡¯t have any money, so I have no choice.¡¯


    Humans need money to live. Azell was a world saving hero, but he was penniless. Also....


    ¡®I need to look around the ruins.¡¯


    If he worked as aborer then he could approach the ruins, where he had slept. If Carlos had left some kind of clue, then he wanted to know about it.


    Giles spoke.


    ¡°I understand. It shouldn¡¯t be too much trouble if I use my rank.. If you want, you can start working starting today. Except.¡±


    ¡°Except?¡±


    ¡°You have to spar twice a day with me. If it is morning and dinner, then you should be able to sufficiently recover your magical force?¡±


    ¡°If that is your request then anytime.¡±


    Azell smiled and nodded his head.

 Chapter 9 Dragon Demon Princess (3).

    <strong>Chapter 9 Dragon Demon Princess (3).</strong>


    Chapter 9 - Dragon Demon Princess (3)


    From that day forward, Azell spent four days with theborers. He joined them in the work of excavating the ruins. The job was mainly physicalbor. Currently, the ruin¡¯s entrance waspletely caved in, so no one could enter inside. That was why he had to dig near the grounds of the ruins. He continued to move the rubbles around the copsed ruin entrance for several days.


    ¡®Jeez. This was built for the sole purpose of protecting me.¡¯


    For the past couple days, he had been gathering information from the otherborers. He found out that the entrance to the ruins waspletely sealed before Azell woke up. It was protected by a powerful magic, and the magicians were struggling to find a way to open the entrance.


    On the day Azell woke up, part of the magic that was protecting the ruins failed and the entrance was destroyed. Did it happen at the exact moment Azell woke up?


    ¡®Did he want me to stay in instead ofing out?¡¯


    Maybe he just had to open the coffin door instead of using his energy to get to the surface. If it was a facility initially built to protect the sleeping Azell then there should be things that would be helpful to him inside...


    However, he had already exited so he couldn¡¯t do anything about it. He couldn¡¯t go back and excavate the destroyed grounds where he first came out of, could he?


    ¡®He must have prepared the magical force for me.¡¯


    Azell reviewed the moments when he woke up. When he gathered the strength to blow the coffin door open, there was a great amount of magical force injected into him from an outside source.


    He wondered why such an event happened when he woke up, and he decided Carlos arranged it to be like that. When Azell woke up and disturbed the magical force, the mechanism allowed the stored magical force to flow into him. Carlos must have done this after predicting what Azell would do after waking up from his sleep.


    ¡®He¡¯s a meticulous bastard.¡¯


    Azell let out a bitterugh, while thinking about his friend¡¯s face.


    While working as aborer, Azell continued to train in Spirit Order. The excavation site only operated during the day, and theborers rested during the night. In the morning and evening, he would have short sparring sessions with Giles and he would also talk with Rick inside the medical barracks. He didn¡¯t have anything else to do, so he had plenty of spare time.


    All of a sudden, Rick asked a question.


    ¡°So, Azell, why are you doing that?¡±


    ¡°Doing what?¡±


    ¡°Why do you make a magic aggregate and then drink it.¡±


    Normal spirit order practitioners produced magical force by resonating the mana, and they would absorb it through their pores. Azell¡¯s method of drinking the mana aggregate that was supported by his hands was too bizarre.


    Azell turned his head in puzzlement.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean I don¡¯t know....¡±


    ¡°What can I do when I can¡¯t remember the reason? I just learned it that way. I think that is why I do it that way.¡±


    ¡°Jeez. Your amnesia is quite convenient.¡±


    ¡°I really want to remember.¡±


    Azell grumbled.


    Of course, his attitude was a made-up lie. He had a clear reason why he was using this method.


    ¡®It¡¯s better to use this way to fill my energy pulse with magical force in a short amount of time.¡¯


    It couldn¡¯t be said that Azell¡¯s method is absolutely better than the normal method used by ordinary spirit order practitioner. In Azell¡¯s situation, this method was better for him.


    Normal spirit order practitioners received magical force through the pores of their entire body, and this revitalizes the energy pulse. At the same time, it works to strengthen the energy pulse.


    However, Azell¡¯s energy pulse had only dried up, and it didn¡¯t lose any function. Therefore, he only felt the need to fill up his magical force. The goal was to only increase the amount of magical force. Instead of receiving the magical force across his body, it was way better to gather it in one ce as a highly dense magic aggregate and drink it.


    ¡®Normally, my energy pulse wouldn¡¯t be able to receive it all and most of it would have dissipated.¡¯


    This was the reason why Azell initially made and drank the magic aggregate. By doing so, he was checking to see the state of his energy pulse. If his energy pulse was unblocked, then this method would be most effective.


    Of course, he couldn¡¯t continue to use this method indefinitely. Although, Azell¡¯s energy pulse hadn¡¯t been blocked, it was a fact that it had shriveled up and weakened. Currently, he was expanding his energy pulse until the limit before he wouldbine it with the normal methods to strengthen his energy pulse.


    ¡®At any rate... Let¡¯s do this first.¡¯


    After all the hard work, Azell was able to form oneplete ring of life.


    It defiedmon sense. However, Azell was not a Spirit order novice. He was a figure that had reached the highest realm. This was why he was able to zip through his recovery, while his energy pulse was unblocked.


    He only had one, but he was able to obtain a ring of life. Now he would be able to better utilize the Spirit order. However, Azell wasn¡¯t satisfied by this.


    ¡®It¡¯ll take some time, but since I¡¯ve alreadye this far, I¡¯ll attempt the dual banding.


    Dual Banding was a new stage of Spirit Order he would havepleted if he was never cursed by the Dragon Demon King Atein. The ring of life could be called the core of Spirit Order, where it has a set magical framework. The ring of life has a uniform thickness and it surrounds the heart. He could increase the number of rings by one, so the number of resonance with the heart beat increases. This was a way one could increase a spirit order practitioner¡¯s strength.


    There was a reason why the thickness was constant. It was the maximum thickness that allows the spirit order to take in the magical force¡¯s nature without it bing unstable.


    There was a physical limit to the surface area of the heart, so the exact number of rings of life one could have was fixed. Therefore, a spirit order practitioner reaches the final realm when one be a Decuple master(10 rings of life). There were no known practitioner who had reached this realm. Even Azell, who had defeated Dragon Demon King Atein, was an Octuple master(8 rings of life). To Azell¡¯s knowledge, the person with the strongest magical force was a Nonuple master.(9 rings of life.)


    However, Azell came up with an extreme method where he made some changes. Heyered another ring of life of simr length over an existing ring of life. Azell named this method as Dual-Banding.


    Carlos estimated that this method would produce an exceeding stronger powerpared to someone with the same number of rings of life.


    The two of them ran simtions with magic for confirmation. They even made scaled models using animals as test subjects to confirm the result. However, he fell asleep before he could substantiate the result by using it on himself.


    ¡®Right now is my golden opportunity.¡¯


    At the time, Azell had already formed 8 rings of life so it was difficult for him to make any more rings of life. After forming a certain amount of magical structure, it was hard to maintain it within one¡¯s body.


    However, he was in a situation where he had to make all of the rings of life from the beginning. So it was easier for him to attempt the Dual-banding.


    ¡®There are enough secondary data, but it isn¡¯t guaranteed that it¡¯ll work on my body. Still if I seed... I¡¯ll be able to aim for a higher realm.¡¯


    Truthfully, Azell wondered why this generation of spirit order practitioner didn¡¯t use this method since it¡¯s been 220 years. By looking at Giles, he was able to determine this method wasn¡¯t used.


    Azell fell asleep before he could disseminate this knowledge to the world, and he presumed no one had developed this method yet. Even if the knowledge was known, it was kept hidden and it wasn¡¯t spread widely.


    Suddenly, Azell asked a question.


    ¡°By the way, Rick, what happens to the healers?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by what happens. Of course, they learn about the art of healing.¡±


    ¡°No, that is... Wasn¡¯t the healing arts used by the temple¡¯s priests originally?¡±


    ¡°Long time ago, it was like that.¡±


    ¡°Long time ago?¡±


    ¡°Of course, there are some priest from temple who use it... Currently, there is a medical association that trains the healers.¡±


    The medical association was an organization that was formed bybining the healers and the alchemists. The basics of healing arts consists of medicine, and it is made by the alchemist. So it was inevitable.


    ¡°Originally, each temple kept the recipe of medicine a secret until about 60 years ago? Sage Baion seeded in producing the medicine by himself, so the situation changed.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t known for certain, but Baion held a grudge against the temples, who had kept the medicinal recipe a secret. It was surmised that he had lost a precious person, because of this.


    Azell was in awe after listening to the exnation.


    ¡°So that¡¯s what happened. The man named Baion changed the world.¡±


    It was an event that couldn¡¯t have been imagined in Azell¡¯s time.


    The healing arts was an important tool of the temple to leverage influence all over the world. Their techniques determined which humans live, so even the rulers couldn¡¯t go against the temples lightly. If certain religious body¡¯s forces were strong in a country, some corrupted temples would spread all kinds of diseases on purpose.


    Baion was stuck between this tradition that was passed down for a long time yet he was able to stop it.


    There were huge changes while he was asleep, Azell felt a really novel sensation. After waking up from his sleep, the world had changed so much?


    Rick spoke.


    ¡°Well, this resulted in a path that allowed people like me to be healers and earn my keep. So I am very grateful.¡±


    ¡°Being a healer is just a way to earn your keep?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Did you think I became a healer because of some noble intentions to save lives?¡±


    ¡°I guess not.¡±


    Azell realized that values had also changed, so he spoke whileughing.


    Rick spoke at that moment.


    ¡°So Azell.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have any muscles yet?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s.....¡±


    ¡°You said you¡¯ll make some bulging muscles in couple days to show me. I guess that didn¡¯t happen.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    As the words indicated, Azell hadn¡¯t made much progress in developing his muscles. In the past couple days, he had rapidly obtained a body worthy of being called a human, but when he flexed his arms, there was only a little bit of definition.


    ¡°Hnnghh.¡±


    Azell could only frown at Rick, who snorted as if he knew this would happen.


    5


    Dragon Demon Princess.


    It was a title only one person could have within each generation of the Rin Kingdom.


    This existence was not a pure human, but a halfling who had received the blood of a cursed dragon, who was part of the dragon demon race. They were called Dragon Demons.


    This singr being in the Rin Kingdom is called the Dragon Demon Princess. The most famous person in the kingdom was going to visit the ruins found inside the Bn Forest.


    After telling Azell this news, his reaction was far beyond what Rick could have imagined.


    ¡°What is a Dragon Demon Princess? The Dragon Demon race made a kingdom?¡±


    Rick stared at him as if he was the most idiotic person in the world. Azell reacted angrily.


    ¡°Since my memory is fuzzy, it¡¯s possible that I don¡¯t know about her.¡±


    ¡°With all do respect, how can you not know about the Dragon Demon princess?¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know... I don¡¯t remember anything even if I hear about it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m at a loss for words.¡±


    Rick clicked his tongue and he stared exining about the Dragon Demon Princess.


    ¡°There is no way you don¡¯t know about the Dragon Demon war?¡±

 Chapter 10 Dragon Demon Princess (4).

    <strong>Chapter 10 Dragon Demon Princess (4).</strong>


    Chapter 10 - Dragon Demon Princess (4)


    ¡°The Dragon Demon race wanted to take over the world about 200 years ago, so a war happened?¡±


    ¡°So you know about that. After the hero Azell Karzark defeated the Dragon Demon King Atein in the Dragon Demon war.....¡±


    After speaking to that point, Rick nced at Azell.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, your name is also Azell.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°Moreover, Azell Karzark had crimson hair color too.¡±


    ¡°It can happen.¡±


    Azell felt guilty inside, but his outer appearance didn¡¯t change. Rick spoke.


    ¡°No, I just feel sorry for the legendary hero, who has the same name as you. You are in a very sorry state.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Well, there were a good amount of humans that sided with the Dragon Demon race during the Dragon Demon war.¡±


    The Dragon Demon King Atein gathered numerous Dragon Demons to conquer the world. He dreamed about an empire where the Dragon Demon race was held above every other race.


    However, not everyone from the Dragon Demon race sided with him. Those, who didn¡¯t like Atein, imed neutrality and some even sided with the humans.


    Azell remembered them.


    ¡®Now that I think about it they could still be alive.¡±


    Dragon Demon race lived far longer than humans. Therefore, those from the Dragon Demon race he fought along side with could still be alive after 220 years. He should have thought about this possibility, but since he didn¡¯t have a grasp on the situation, it didn¡¯t even reach his thoughts.


    Azell¡¯s heart started beating faster after he realized this truth.


    Currently, Azell was trying to positively ept everything he saw, but in the corner of his heart, he was despairing. He was tossed into a unknown world by himself, and it was difficult for him to endure the loneliness.


    However... There were others who might have been alive during his time, even if they aren¡¯t humans. This fact nted a seed of expectation in Azell.


    ¡®However.....¡¯


    Not too long after the Dragon Demon War ended, Azell retreated from the public eyes. The reason wasn¡¯t known to the public, but his health had deteriorated rapidly from the curse of Atein.


    Therefore, he was in the dark as to how the world operated after the Dragon Demon war ended, but he was able to find out about this truth.


    The public sentiment turned against those from the Dragon Demon race, who had cooperated with the humans.


    ¡®What happened afterwards?¡¯


    Even though they had fought with the humans, they were still from the Dragon Demon race. The Dragon Demon war instilled an unimaginable amount of fear and animosity towards the Dragon Demon race.


    Rick¡¯s story was talking about that part.


    ¡°After the Dragon Demon war, the Dragon Demons, who chose to help the humans, had no choice but to retire from most of the world. Then there were the half-breeds who had inherited their blood....


    In other words, the persecuted Dragon Demons made trouble in various ces.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    So that¡¯s what happened.


    Amongst the Dragon Demon race, there were those who had fallen in love with humans, so they had sided with the humans. While they were treated asrades during the war, they were denied from bing members of their society.


    ¡®No, even then....¡¯


    Even during the Dragon Demon war, they were isted. They weren¡¯t treated as truerades, but a tool with great power. The humans couldn¡¯t trust them, but they were treated as useful betrayers.


    That is why the Dragon Demons treasured the rtionship with those who came to them with open heart like Azell and Carlos. They wanted to trust the world, but it was only filled with animosity. It was very difficult for them to keep faith.


    Rick continued with his story.


    ¡°The situation changed after some time had passed. The Nadick Empire was in decline, and Duke Rulein couldn¡¯t stand the tyranny that was spreading inside the war-torn empire. He gathered the surrounding lords, and theybined to form the Rulein Kingdom. Of course, after the Rulein Kingdom dered independence, the empire responded with military force.¡±


    The Rulein kindom¡¯s war of independence was the start of Nadick Empire¡¯s demise.


    However, even if the Nadick Empire was impoverished by war, they were still the strongest in the world. From the start, the Rulein Kingdom was faced with desperate crisis.


    This was when Duke Rulein made a bold decision.


    The decision was the Dragon Demon race. He decided to ally with the Dragon Demon race, and the mixed-blood Dragon Demons. By giving them social status and a chance to live a decent life, the Rulein Kingdom was able to get their hands on a very powerful force in return.


    ¡°He had to marry a female of the Dragon Demon race to confirm their will. The following monarchs must also mate with someone who had inherited the blood of the Dragon Demon race. Thisw was made to preserve the blood of the Dragon Demon race in the Royal Family. ¡±


    This was how the existences called the Dragon Demon Princess and the Dragon Demon Prince was formed. They were the living symbol of the alliance between the humans and those with Dragon Demon blood, who were living alongside each other.


    ¡°Since they cannot seed the throne, it is impossible for them to threaten the royal authority. Until the new generation is born, they are required to fight for the the throne. That is why they are everyone¡¯s hero.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is....¡±


    Azell was having fun listening to the history after he had bowed out.


    He learned about what had happened to the Dragon Demon race after the Dragon Demon war had ended. His chest hurt from hearing about the copse of the Nadick empire since it was his home country. However, he had a deep impression of the Ruelin Kingdom because of how they treated the Dragon Demon race.


    ¡®In the end, they exchanged the right to live in the human society for the strength of the Dragon Demon race.¡¯


    If he was cynical then he would interpret it that way. He needed to find out more information, but Azell didn¡¯t think his guess was wrong. The fact that humans and Dragon Demon race cannot co-exist without such an arrangement made Azell feel a bit bitter.


    Azell queried.


    ¡°So why is the Dragon Demon Princessing here?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the ruins.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°It might be the ruins of Arch Mage Carlos. It is a possibility, so the Dragon Demon Princess was dispatched as the leader of the research team.


    ¡°Arch Mage Carlos.....¡±


    Before Azell fell asleep, Carlos had numerous titles. However, he wasn¡¯t called an Arch Mage since he was still young.


    However, 220 years had already passed and he was recorded into history as a great man. Azellughed bitterly at that fact.


    6


    There is only one Dragon Demon princess in each generation of the Rulein Kingdom.


    The current Dragon Demon Princess¡¯ name was Arrieta Weil Rulein. She was two years older than her sibling, the Dragon Demon Prince Seiga Weil Rulein.


    ¡°Mmmm.¡±


    Arrieta had fallen asleep for a brief moment inside the royal carriage, and now her eyes opened.


    She was still a 17 year old girl. Currently she didn¡¯t have any armor on, so it was hard to see her as an existence, who had gained her fame in the battlefield.


    Her long silver hair was partly braided beneath her ears, and her eyes were like yellow jewels that glowed of sunset. Her skin didn¡¯t have any blemish, and her ears were slightly pointed like a fairy.


    Above her left ear, there was a bluish feather-like horn protruding, and it looked like it was sculpted from snow. If someone who didn¡¯t know saw it then it could be mistaken for a unique essory.


    Apanying the horn, she had two gems embedded on her hands, which gave away the fact that she wasn¡¯tpletely human. The gems were colored the same as her yellow eyes.


    There was a blurry shadow energy inside the gem named Dragon Magic Stone. It looked like a dragon¡¯s eyes, and the pupils were slit vertically. It gave off an eerie feeling as if a dragon was staring at you.


    After staring at a nk space, she suddenly spoke.


    ¡°Enora.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The young servant sitting next to her was named Enora. She was around 14 years old. She had curly red blond hair with bright green eyes. She looked like a cute doll.


    Arrieta queried.


    ¡°Have we arrived yet?¡± (TLN: All her speeches are very formal.)


    She spoke in an antiquated way. Enora replied back.


    ¡°I heard that we are almost there.¡±


    ¡°I woke up for no reason. However... What is it?¡±


    Arietta gave a slight frown. Enora queried.


    ¡°What is wrong?¡±


    ¡°I thought I felt someone¡¯s gaze...¡±


    ¡°Someone¡¯s gaze?¡±


    ¡°It just felt like someone was watching me. I woke up, because it got on my nerve. So sleep well.¡±


    Arrieta closed her eyes again. Then she fell asleep before 3 seconds had passed.


    Enoraughed awkwardly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not allowed to sleep.....¡±


    The carriage was running slowly, but it wasn¡¯tfortable since they were on a forest road. However, Arrieta slept as if she was sleeping on top of her mattress inside her room.


    After Enora watched Arrieta sleep like a doll, she shifted her gaze outside the window. There were only two of them inside the carriage, so she was bored. If Arrieta was a normal girl then she would have passed the time gossiping, but she was definitely not normal.


    ¡®Still my Princess, how can you sleep so much?¡¯


    Enora had be Arrieta¡¯s exclusive maid only 2 month ago. At first, she was very nervous at the fact that she was the exclusive maid to the Dragon Demon Princess. Moreover, Arrieta didn¡¯t show any emotion in front of other people, and her speech was very antiquated. She was very overbearing.


    However, after spending a lot of time with her, those sentiments were all gone. She found out Arrieta had a very loose personality. It even made her doubt if Arrieta was a high born.


    ¡®No matter what she doesn¡¯t wake up.¡¯


    She frequently fell asleep during the day, so in the servant¡¯s perspective, she didn¡¯t have to walk around on eggshells.


    Enora was bored so she was looking out the window, while wiggling her toes. Suddenly, the noise outside became loud. They must have arrived.


    ¡°Princess. Princess.¡±


    ¡°....oong?¡±


    She started whispering in her ears, and Arrieta opened her eyes. She looked at Enora with sleepy eyes, while asking a question.


    ¡°We have arrived?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll arrive soon.¡±


    ¡°Then let me sleep a little bit more....¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You said you can¡¯t go out with sleepy eyes?¡±


    ¡°...did I say that?¡±


    Arrieta tilted her head. Enora nodded her head furiously.


    ¡°You told me to stop you from falling asleep again.¡±


    ¡°Is that right. Mmm. Oh well. Please tidy up adequately.¡±


    Arrieta yawned and she closed her eyes.


    Enora moved quickly. She brushed the princess¡¯ tangled hair, and applied make-up near her eyes after washing them. Then she handed her the clothes that was hanging next to her. Her outerwear was styled like a uniform, and she quickly helped her put on a coat. Even though she was young, she had the skills to be an exclusive maid to the Dragon Demon Princess.


    Unless it was a social event, Dragon Demon Princess Arrieta didn¡¯t wear dresses. The clothes that was simr to a uniform wasfortable to move around in. The coat had a white back ground with blue me patterns, and it was a magical item made specifically for her.


    Soon a knight outside the window spoke.


    ¡°Princess, we have arrived.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    The voice that had answered the knight didn¡¯t have a trace of sleepiness. The voice was mature and dignified.


    Not too long after Arrieta had replied back, they had arrived at their destination.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°Truthfully, I thought we would get ambushed at least onceing here....¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Enora¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    They had traveled from the castle to the fortress of the western border guard. Then they left the fortress to the site of the ruins in the Bn forest. Their trip was very peaceful. Since there were a lot of people, the bandits or creatures didn¡¯t dare to attack them lightly.


    As a reference, about 30 people were dispatched by the royal family. There were 20 soldiers, who escorted the Dragon Demon Princess Arrieta. The rest were magicians, schrs, and servants.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°It is none other than the Bn Forest. I had heard that it was a very dangerous ce, so I surmised that there would be at least one confrontation. Unexpectedly, nothing happened.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it better that nothing happened?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m just saying.¡±


    Arrieta descended from the carriage after finishing those words. Then suddenly her gazed turned towards a single location.


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    (TLN: Description can always be tricky and hard to visualize. This pic shows the blue feather like horn above her left ear.)

 Chapter 11 Dragon Demon Princess (5).

    <strong>Chapter 11 Dragon Demon Princess (5).</strong>


    Chapter 11- Dragon Demon Princess (5)


    Someone was watching her from the construction site.


    Of course, there were many gazes. The moment Arrieta stepped off the carriage, several dozen gazes focused on her. However, she was agitated by a single gaze amongst them.


    ¡®Dragon Magic?¡¯


    Dragon magic was a power only the Dragon Demon race had. As a mixed-blood of the Dragon Demon race, she had this power and it¡¯s characteristic was different from a human¡¯s magic.


    However, she could feel someone here with Dragon magic staring at her.


    ¡®No, the feeling is a bit weird.¡¯


    The scent of Dragon magic was in the air, but her head tilted in confusion. Was it really Dragon magic? She could feel a very faint feeling of Dragon magicyered on top of human magic....


    Arrieta felt unsure, while looking at the main character.


    A youth with long red hair tied behind his back was watching her with blue eyes filled with curiosity.


    Azell was surprised the moment he saw the Dragon Demon Princess Arrieta.


    Azell was human, but he was able to sense Dragon magic. He was an existence, who had fought and defeated numerous Dragon Demons. In the process of doing so, he was able to master a portion of the Dragon Demon race¡¯s power.


    When he looked at Arrieta.....


    ¡®Why is the Dragon Demon race¡¯s dragon magic so strong in her?¡¯


    After listening to Rick¡¯s exnation, he thought that the blood of the Dragon Demon race would be weak in the Dragon Demon Prince and Dragon Demon Princess. However, when he looked at Arrieta, the amount of Dragon Magic she was emitting was no joke.


    ¡®If she has that much then she might beparable to a pure Dragon Demon?¡¯


    While Azell was being surprised, Arrieta looked towards Azell. She correctly looked towards Azell, who was among numerous workers.


    Both their gazes intermingled in the air, and magical energy was emitted. Then....


    Arrieta appeared in front of Azell at a frightening speed.


    ¡®She¡¯s fast!¡¯


    She crossed the distance of 50 meters in an instance, while forcing her way through the crowd! A normal person couldn¡¯t even see her at that speed.


    ¡®She uses the Instantaneous Movement method pretty naturally. The young miss is considerably talented.¡¯


    The Instantaneous Movement method was a high speed movement skill used by Dragon Demons and Spirit Order practitioners. In a normal person¡¯s eyes, it looked as if she had teleported and appeared in front of Azell.


    The past Azell would have realized what was happening earlier by a wide margin. However, his senses and physical abilities was weak, because his body held only a small amount of magical energy. In the past, he could have grabbed Arrieta with time to spare, but her movement felt too fast right now.


    ¡®I almost attacked.¡¯


    He was barely able to suppress his reflex to attack. Azell med his own immaturity, then he looked at her.


    Hu-ooooooooo.....!


    Her movement cause a gale to form. Arrieta¡¯s long silver hair and her coat with the white background and green symbols fluttered. While inside the gale, Arrieta stared at Azell with eyes filled with curiosity.


    ¡°You...¡±


    Finally, Arrieta opened her mouth.


    ¡°Dragon Demon... You aren¡¯t one?¡±


    Her head tilted in confusion.


    The difference between a Dragon Demon and a human bes very apparent when onepares their body¡¯s characteristics. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t have any special characteristics, rather he seemed to have lost the power even if he had the blood of the Dragon Demon race.


    However, she could sense a weak scent of Dragon Demon magic. Arrieta knew no instance where this should be possible.


    ¡°Princess!¡±


    The others ran towards her btedly.


    However, Arrieta didn¡¯t pay any attention to them. She asked Azell a question.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m working here as aborer. My name is Azell Zestringer, princess.¡±


    Azell took into consideration that his opponent was a princess, so he spoke politely.


    Arrieta¡¯s eyes became round.


    ¡°Laborer?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You are?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Even though you have Dragon magic? You are doing manualbor?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have no idea what you are talking about.¡±


    Azell feigned ignorance.


    At the same time, he was surprised inside.


    ¡®Thisdy¡¯s magical detection ability is totally like a dog¡¯s nose. How did she know?¡±


    Azell had hidden the flow of magical energy that was emitted by his body. Also, his power had been exhausted, and he had only recovered only a little bit. There shouldn¡¯t be any fragrance of Dragon Magic from him. However, Arrieta was very sensitive, so she was able to detect it.


    At that moment, Giles approached and asked a question.


    ¡°Princess. I am the Western Frontier Garrison¡¯s Centurion, Giles Vince. May I speak?¡±


    Since Arrieta¡¯s status was so much higher than anyone here, Giles¡¯ behavior was cautious. Arrieta nodded her head.


    ¡°I¡¯ll allow it.¡±


    ¡°What is your business with this man?¡±


    ¡°I was looking at him, because I thought he was a Dragon Demon.¡±


    ¡°Mmmmm.¡±


    Giles was stunned, so he looked towards Azell. Azell made an expression that indicated he didn¡¯t know anything.


    Giles spoke.


    ¡°Couple days ago, he was released by an evil ck magician after he was experimented on, and we rescued him. The shock from his previous experience caused him to lose his memory, so he doesn¡¯t remember much about himself.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    Arrieta was surprised by those words.


    ¡°This forest has a ck magician?¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t confirmed it yet.¡±


    After hearing Azell¡¯s story, Giles ordered his patrol to investigate if there were any traces of the ck magician. However, he didn¡¯t have much information so far. The monsters inside the forest were a given, but it would be a big problem if a magician was cooperating with them.


    Arrieta looked at Azell with suspicious eyes.


    ¡°Hmmmm.....¡±


    ¡°Of course, it would be difficult for the princess to believe this. However, when we found him, he was in such a bad shape.¡±


    Giles defended Azell. Arrieta looked at Azell for a moment before speaking.


    ¡°Centurion Giles. Bring him to meter.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    After Giles lowered his head, Arrieta turned around.


    Azell grumbled inside.


    ¡®This is going to be problematic.¡¯


    Dragon Demon Princess Arrieta. She was an unwee presence to Azell.


    8


    Afterwards, Arrieta apanied them to the excavation site. Truthfully, she came here as a symbol representing the fact that the royal family treated this matter with importance, so she really didn¡¯t have much to do here.


    After receiving the news, Rick whistled.


    ¡°Azell, I heard you received a hot stare from the Dragon Demon Princess?¡±


    ¡°...how could you characterize it like that?¡±


    ¡°Every is talking about it. What was the reason? I¡¯m curious.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. I don¡¯t really know. She just approached me suddenly and asked if I was a Dragon Demon?¡±


    ¡°What was she looking at to cause her to think that?¡±


    Rick was dumbfounded. As a healer, he obviously knew about the special characteristic a Dragon Demon possessed.


    Azell shrugged his shoulder.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know? There must be something only the Dragon Demon Princess can identify. However, she didn¡¯t seem too sure about it.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm...¡±


    ¡°Anyways, it puts me in a bind. I don¡¯t really want any attention.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t talk like that.¡±


    Rickughed as if he couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing


    Everyone was paying so much attention to Azell that everyone here already knew about him.


    The initial circumstance of his discovery and the extreme changes he went through after couple days of recovery made people doubt that he had suffered from any nefarious magic.....


    Azellughed bitterly.


    ¡°I guess.¡±


    If he knew it would turn out like this then he would have recovered more slowly.


    ¡®I was too hasty.¡±


    However, Azell had no choice, but to be impatient. His body was in a mess, and he was thrown into a distant era by himself. It was inevitable that he would be obsessed with recovery, which in turn will allow him to protect himself.


    Currently, this resulted in him looking very fit. He had gained considerable meat on his 180cm frame, and the past couple days of training resulted in his arms starting to take definition....


    His hair was roughly grown and he hadn¡¯t shaved yet. He looked bedraggled so his appearance wasn¡¯t that pleasing. He was in this state on purpose, but if he had a wash and a brush up, then Azell would be a tall and handsome youth. (TLN: 6ft is average height in US, but considered tall in Korea)


    Rick spoke.


    ¡°Anyways, it might be a good opportunity?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by good opportunity?¡±


    ¡°For a change, the Dragon Demon Princess is eyeing you. If you make a good impression then you might be able to be her servant.¡±


    ¡°I would decline being a servant to the royal family.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know who you are, and yet you are talking high and mighty.¡±


    Azell bitterlyughed at the words tossed by Rick.


    It was right at moment.


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    Azell ran outside of the barracks when an ominous echo stimted his senses. Rick was taken aback, so he asked a question.


    ¡°What are you doing suddenly?¡±


    ¡°Rick.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Alert the others.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°Enemies. It might be monstersing here. They areing in incredible numbers.¡±


    Rick was taken aback. The excavation side had many soldiers patrolling the grounds. He hadn¡¯t heard any news from the people who are used to fighting against the monsters of the Bn Forest. So what was he saying?


    Azell lowered his body, and he spoke while touching the ground.


    ¡°The ground is ringing.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°It reverberates like this when many march in one direction.¡±


    Azell had experienced the Dragon Demon war, so he knew of many ways to detect the enemies¡¯ movements.


    He was able to separate the vibrations, and one more thing...


    ¡°They are using magic to hide their appearances, and suppress the sound. Even the magical wave was hidden, but they forgot to hide the hive mind(TLN: group thought). No, maybe they didn¡¯t know they had to do it?¡±


    Azell spoke while looking at a far away ce.


    He was someone who had trained the Spirit Order to the extreme, so he was able to see them. He saw the maelstrom of apprehension emitted by the gathering of numerous monsters. Every creature who can think emits apprehension(TLN: misgivings...its a direct trantion. I¡¯m guessing every organism capable of though emits a negative energy). If one was alone then various nature¡¯s energy hides the apprehension, but when numerous beings are gathered in one ce, then it coalesces into a clear presence.


    This was hive mind. (TLN: the direct trantion is group thought but it sounded weird)


    In Azell¡¯s generation, it wasmon sense to hide your hive mind when ambushing one¡¯s enemy. However, it wasn¡¯t the case in this generation. That may be, because a person who can read the hive mind was rare or non-existent.


    Shuiiiiii.....


    Right then a sh of light flew up into the air on the other side of the forest. Since it was mid-day, it was faint, but it was definitely a magical re.


    Qua-ga-gwang! (TLN: boom!)


    The light re flew in an arc, and it fell at the heart of the camp and blew up.


    This was just the starting point as more res started flying. Theborers ran away while screaming and the soldier were put on emergency alert.


    ¡°It¡¯s an ambush!¡±


    ¡°They have a magician!¡±


    From across the camp, the army of monsters revealed themselves. The roaring monsters ran forward, and it caused dust clouds to form.


    Shui-iiing.....!


    Again, another re of light flew into the air. However, something several times faster than an arrow flew towards the camp. This happened the moment the ball of light exploded.


    Puh-ung! (TLN: collision/explosion sound)


    Something blocked the explosion in mid-air. The destructive power was weakerpared to the initial explosion.


    Beyond the explosion, the figure of a girl with silver hair swirling around her was revealed.


    The people who saw her figure hanging in mid-air shouted.


    ¡°Dragon Demon Princess!¡±


    On the ground, Azell started moving.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave the direct conflict to the miss... I guess I should earn my keep? Rick!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Hold on to this.¡±


    Azell handed a wooden log to Rick. Rick was confused so he queried.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It is a protective item that¡¯ll guard you. Don¡¯t lose it. Take it and hide. You have to treat the injured. If you get hurt then I won¡¯t be able to face the criticism.¡±


    After Azell said this, he ran into the rising dust storm.

 Chapter 12 Dragons Shadow (1).

    <strong>Chapter 12 Dragon¡¯s Shadow (1).</strong>


    Chapter 12 - Dragon¡¯s Shadow (1)


    (TLN: I think I have to make a rification. The author uses Yong-ma-juk and Young-ma-in. Youg-ma = Dragon Demon. Juk = tribe/race , In = being/human. I used Dragon Demon race and just shortened the second term to Dragon Demon. However, they are two different factions. Yong-ma-juk is the pure mix between Dragons and Demons. Yong-ma-in includes the pure mix who defected and the offspring of humans and the Dragon Demons.)


    In a sh, the excavation site fell into pandemonium.


    In the initial ambush, couple dozen lives were extinguished. They were in a defenseless state, so the continuous explosion of the powerful magic resulted in a lot of damage.


    Also during the confusion, the monsters were able topletely mask their presence and now they were pouring out.


    The trolls had a rtively high intellect, so they would lead ogres from the central cluster. The group included arge ogre-like humanoid species, Blood Wolves, Gray Bears and other beast-like creatures.


    This caused mass confusion to unfold. The soldiers that were running back and forth couldn¡¯t properly deal with the monsters. Additionally, there were increased casualties when they were swept by the monsters.


    Arrieta took action at this moment.


    She blocked the monsters¡¯ path while holding a pure white de with a curved hilt.


    ¡°Imand you! Earth, rise up and sweep them away!¡±


    Qwa-qwa-qwa-qwa-qwa!


    The ground in front of her turned over, and the monsters in front of her was buried.


    Arrieta jumped up on top of the wave of dirt. Then she shouted, while pointing her sword in the air.


    ¡°Rain of Stone, pour down!¡±


    Within the wave of dirt, numerous stones flew out into the air and they fell like rain. It was sped up with Arrieta¡¯s magical energy, so it brutally pierced through the monsters¡¯ body.


    Afterwards, Arieta spun her body as if she was dancing, and she swung her sword.


    ¡°Evil darkness, split!¡±


    A pure white light emerged along the path of the sword. It split everything in front of it for 30 meters...


    Poo-hwa-ah-ah-ah-ahk!


    All the monsters simultaneously fell down, while spraying blood. After a dy, the trees fell, because it was also cut. (TLN: ssic scene where blood sprays and after a second the tree slides down also)


    The spirit of monsters, who had caused the chaos amongst the humans, was broken in a breath.


    Arrieta shouted.


    ¡°Commanders! Organize the battle line!¡±


    After hearing those words, themanders put their mind in order, and they started to collect their troops. After seeing their response, Arrieta tried to use arge scale attack again. However, an aggregate of darkness flew towards her, while crawling. (TLN: guessing the outer skin was of the ball was rippling/crawling)


    Qwa-qwa-qwa-qwa-qwa!


    Arrieta swung her white sword to block it, and the darkness dissolved into pieces. The pieces resembled a myriad of leeches, and it started bubbling with smoke and foul stench when it touched its surrounding.


    It was at that moment.


    Jjak-jjak-jjak-jjak-jjak..... (TLN:pping sound)


    In the middle of the battle field, an incongruous sound of apuse rang out.


    Amidst the thick smoke produced by the explosion, a person came walking out. He wore a ck robe, and beneath his hood, a veil of magical darkness was covering his face. The veiled person spoke.


    ¡°Indeed, you are the Dragon Demon Princess. You are so valiant that I am having a hard time believing that you are a girl. If someone told me, you hadmanded in battle since birth then I would believe it.¡±


    ¡°Who are you? I can see that you are a Dragon Demon.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Although, I am a muttpared to you.¡±


    The man elegantly bowed like a noble. On top of his hands, he had gems that looked like Dragon¡¯s eyes akin to Arrieta. The embedded Dragon Magic Stone had a murky green color to it.


    Since he disyed his Dragon Magic Stone, it was evidence that he wasn¡¯t trying to hide the fact that he was a Dragon Demon. For a moment, Arrieta nced at the man, who was emitting a powerful magical wave from his whole body, before she asked a question again.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask again. Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I cannot answer that.¡±


    ¡°Then.....¡±


    Arrieta raised her eyes. At the same time, a translucent light wave spread with her at the center. Her silver hair started to flutter in the air.


    ¡°I will not ask any more.¡±


    She pointed her sword forward and shouted.


    ¡°Emanate, Rage of the Dragon!¡±


    Puh-uh-uh-uh-ung!


    The transparent blue power shot forward, while distorting the air.


    She delivered a blow that couldn¡¯t be blocked. By the time the hooded man reacted, everything in front of him was pierced at a speed greater than light.


    Koo-goo-goo-goo-goo-goo....!


    Btedly, the air within the path was sucked in, and a strong gale vigorously blew the dust into a thick cloud.


    For a moment, there was silence on the battle field. One person was able to wield a destructive power that wasparable to a natural catastrophe. Both the humans and the monsters were all frightened.


    Pul-luk.....!


    The sound that broke the silence was the skirt of Arrieta¡¯s coat fluttering in the wind. She turned around with a stoic face.


    However, it was at that moment.


    ¡°Princess, it hasn¡¯t ended yet!¡± (TLN: he said ¡°Princess¡± in honorific but ¡°it hasn¡¯t ended yet¡± was spoken in a casual way like how you speak to someone in equal standing)


    The urgent shout made Arrieta pause in her steps. For a moment, she felt an odd sensation when she heard the warning. The warning was all messed up with the honorific. Right then a ck sword burst up from the ground.


    Che-eng!


    It was an ambush that took her entirely by surprise, but it was stopped in front of Arrieta¡¯s body. However, it wasn¡¯t Arrieta, who had blocked the attack.


    ¡°That was close.¡±


    It was the blue eyed man with the roughly grown red hair and dirty beard. He had cut in with perfect timing, and he had blocked the ambush aimed at Arrieta.


    ¡°Azell Zestringer?¡±


    Arrieta was so surprised that she spoke his name.


    He was Azell.


    Azell grinned and he looked at the princess before speaking.


    ¡°Princess, I¡¯m sorry but.....¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Could you clean this up for me? I don¡¯t have much strength, so it¡¯s hard for me to maintain this.¡±


    Azell¡¯s arms that was blocking the ck de was shaking. He had blocked the ambush, but he was having a hard time suppressing the surging power.


    Arrieta grasped the situation, so she responded immediately.


    ¡°Earth, flip over!¡±


    Ku-gwa-ah-ah-ah-ah!


    The whole ground flipped over, and arge amount of earth and sand flew all over the ce.


    From inside, the man in ck robe jumped out. It was the Dragon Demon, who had confronted Arrieta from before.


    Arrieta wondered.


    ¡°He was able to dodge at that moment?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also a Dragon Demon, so I do have some talent.¡±


    The man shrugged his shoulder. (TLN: it implies he shrugged his shoulder with pride)


    Azell clicked his tongue.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you embarrassed that you are boasting about a trick to an innocent princess?¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°You merely tricked our eyes with an illusion, then you dug yourself out of the ground. The technique that allows you do move freely underground is decent.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The man flinched at his words. He couldn¡¯t see the man¡¯s face, but Azell was able to sense that his opponent was agitated. Azell smiled broadly and he started goading.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who or where you are from... It isn¡¯t good for you to boast, while trusting a cheap trick.¡±


    ¡°You weak bastard is talking trash, because your perception is decent.¡±


    At the same moment he spoke, Azell hopped backwards. The surface of the ground was pierced by a ck de. Previously, the man used the same magic to create a de, and he had ambushed Arrieta.


    ¡°You only know how to ambush?¡±


    Azell snorted. He focused his mind, and his energy pulse vibrated.


    Bu-dump! (TLN: Du-gun in korean)


    His heart pulsated.


    The vibration reached the ring of life and it resonated. The magical force that was circting along his energy pulse started resonating with the ring of life, and it started amplifying. The vibration caused by the process started vibrating the blood vessels, and it was transferred into his muscles. This in turn amplified the energy more and it returned to the ring of life to pulse once.


    This all happened within the time it took for the heart to beat once.


    Before the 2nd pulse could happen, Azell had pulled his magical force up to his maximum output.


    ¡°Hup!¡±


    Azell¡¯s body shot forth like an arrow.


    His previous move was fast, but his movement right now was on a different level.


    This was the Instantaneous Movement method that Arrieta had used earlier. In a moment, he elerated faster than an arrow, and he appeared couple dozen meters in front. He proceeded to to kick the ground and jumped obliquely. Then he stepped on a branch, and flew into the sky.


    The man ridiculed him after seeing this.


    ¡°Foolish!¡±


    He knew Azell was a Spirit Order practitioner at one nce. Moreover, the amount of magical force he had was subpar. Currently, he was fast enough to catch him off-guard, but that was it. Once he jumped into the air, it was the same as begging him, a magician, to cook him.


    That was what he thought.


    Pu-ook.


    ¡°Uh....?¡±


    He froze in ce, because he was surprised. The moment he tried to attack Azell, who had jumped into the air, he felt something sharp stabbing him.


    ¡°What the heck....!¡±


    His abdomen was pierced by a short knife. Did Arrieta move? He was taken aback, so he forgot about the situation he was in. He looked towards her, but even she had a surprised expression.


    Then......


    ¡°Ha-ah-ah-ah!¡±


    Azell¡¯s shout broke through his mental barrier, and a violent wave of negative energy exploded.


    It was like a roar of a lion, which overwhelms herbivores. It wasn¡¯t a simple shout. Inside the shout, it contained negative energy which attacked the mind like angry waves.


    Thoughts could be scattered in an instant. If one broke the train of thoughts then a fatal weak spot arises.


    Qwa-ha-haht!


    Azell didn¡¯t miss this chance in the air, so he swung his sword towards the man¡¯s face.


    2


    ¡°Kuk.....¡±


    Azell made a face after hended past the man. The reason being his sword was cleanly broken.


    ¡°This is why orc¡¯s swords are unusable.¡±


    Azell threw away the broken sword, whileining. He had defeated an orc with his bare hands amidst the confusion, and he had taken away that sword.


    ¡°Of course, he had apanion.¡±


    Even though Azell had lost his sword, he spoke as if he wasn¡¯t intimidated at all.


    His gaze was focused on another person. This person had appeared like a ghost. She(TLN:refers to the person in a gender neutral way- but I¡¯ll just go with She) wore a ck cape, and the magic of darkness formed a veil underneath the hood. The person looked like the first man that showed up earlier. She had a Dragon Stone on the back of her hands, which had a bluish tint, and one could tell that the person was also a Dragon Demon.


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty good.¡±


    The voice that leaked out of the veil was a very hoarse female voice.


    ¡°Ku-ook.....!¡±


    The man groaned in pain next to the woman. There was a knife buried in his abdomen, and there was a long rip in his veil of darkness, which was covering his face.


    Azell felt some regret inside.


    ¡®If I was a bit faster, then I could have ended him.¡¯


    Before Azell¡¯s sword attack could find its mark, the woman casted a magic of protection on the man. Since he only had a trifle amount of magical force, Azell couldn¡¯t pierce through the shield and his sword broke.


    However, the man didn¡¯t escape in one piece. His veil of darkness was ripped, and one could see a long wound on his face dripping with blood.


    ¡°You bastard. You are an inferior human yet you dare....!¡±


    ¡°Someone from a Dragon Demon race might say that. However, it isn¡¯t a dialogue a Dragon Demon would say.¡± (TLN: Dragon Demon race =/= Dragon Demon)


    Azell snorted.


    It was a line he had heard from the Dragon Demon race in the Dragon Demon war until he was fed up. The Dragon Demon King Atein wanted the Dragon Demon race to rule over the world, and they believed that they were the most outstanding existence on the face of the world.


    However, it felt new since a Dragon Demon was saying the same words. Maybe this generation of Dragon Demons had a superiorityplex like the Dragon Demon race of the old?


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you...!¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    At that moment, the woman raised her hand and she held him back. The man, who was in a frenzy, stopped as if his actions were a lie.


    The woman was disgustingly calm. Azell spat out, while looking at her.


    ¡°Four, no... Is it five?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Is that right, Princess?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Arrieta replied back. Her expression was stiff, and cold sweat was flowing down.


    Hidden powerful beings were checking her out. Each of them might be inferior to her, but she wasn¡¯t sure if she could take on this many.


    Azell had noticed the invisible confrontation. Therefore, he didn¡¯t say anything to her even when she did nothing while he fought. (TLN: I guess if she helped then the hidden people would have attacked both Azell and the princess. )

 Chapter 13 Dragons Shadow (2).

    <strong>Chapter 13 Dragon¡¯s Shadow (2).</strong>


    Chapter 13 - Dragon¡¯s Shadow (2)


    The woman spoke.


    ¡°That is surprising. You can sense our presence?¡±


    ¡°You guys hid your Dragon Magic and it¡¯s quite brilliant. The princess didn¡¯t know about you guys in the beginning, because of it.¡±


    ¡°How did you find out?¡±


    ¡°I have no reasons to reveal my funds.¡± (TLN: it¡¯s an analogy, you don¡¯t tell others how much you have in the bank)


    Azellughed fiercely.


    It is a stupid act to tell your opponent any information about yourself when you are fighting. Even if you think it is useless information, you have to hide the information about yourself. You never know what will help you survive.


    The woman spoke.


    ¡°What a hateful man. You are a Spirit Order Practitioner, but you speak like a magician.¡±


    She spoke while looking at the knife buried in the man¡¯s stomach. The woman nor the man who was stabbed in the stomach knew how it was done.


    Of course, Azell knew it since he was the attacker. It was a very simple trick.


    In a single moment, he exploded his power to cause the enemy to be cautious. While he elerated his speed, he caused confusion by executing fancy moves. At the same time he ran forth, he had used a concealment spell to hide the knife and he threw it. The opponent didn¡¯t realize this, and it had pierced him. It didn¡¯t have anything to do with the dynamics of power. (TLN: it basically means the method he used didn¡¯t have anything to do with how much power he has)


    He had confused the enemies¡¯ senses. He used the concealment method without them knowing then he mixed his throwing motion within his other movements. It was a frighteningly polished technique.


    Azell evaluated the situation inside.


    ¡®There are five opponents with this much skill. I think it is impossible for us to face them all.¡¯


    In the past, if he encountered this situation then he would have gotten through it whileughing. However, he was too weak right now. He was able to catch the enemy off guard a moment ago, but in a proper fight, he didn¡¯t have a chance.


    ¡®It makes me want to sigh. This happened so suddenly. I thought peaceful days would be waiting for me after I woke up after 220 years.¡¯


    Azellmented on his own fate. The Dragon Demon War shook the world 220 years ago, and he had to fight with his life on the line since his childhood. He fought for the future when he would be able to stop fighting and wee the peaceful days. This ardent desire allowed him to wade through the piles of body andkes of blood he made.


    However, the end did not bring peace, but despair. He had gambled to escape a hopeless situation, and the cost required him to be thrown away by the world he remembered. He was exiled to the far future.


    Even if it was just that, he would have felt sorry for himself and wept. However, this ordeal was shoved into him not too long after.


    At that moment, the woman spoke.


    ¡°Let¡¯s retreat for now.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve almost captured them, but you want us to retreat?¡±


    ¡°How can you say that when you are in such a state?¡±


    ¡°Kuk.....!¡±


    The cold woman¡¯s words shut the man¡¯s mouth.


    The woman spoke.


    ¡°When one hunts, one has to do it at one¡¯s leisure. The enemy¡¯s fighting power is unknown, so until we find it out, let¡¯s torment them.¡±


    As he was backing up, Azell asked her a question.¡±


    ¡°Hey, youngdy.¡±


    ¡°...youngdy(TLN: Miss)?¡±


    The woman mumbled as if she had heard something quite bizarre.


    Azell replied back with another question.


    ¡°Do you prefer madam?¡±(TLN: Mrs. the term author uses indicates an older woman usually married, depends on how you use it you can imply the woman is over the hill/unattractive)


    ¡°No, I prefer to be called youngdy.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll call you madam.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°I have no reason to satisfy your request since you are my enemy, right?¡±


    ¡°You are really a detestable man. It has been awhile since someone has tried my patience to this degree.¡±


    The woman¡¯s hoarse voice was still steady, but the magical vibration she was emitting became rougher. For a normal person, one would feel tormented by the stifling pressure, but Azell just smirked.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be called madam then at the very least, you could tell me your name?¡±


    ¡°Is your name too famous to be revealed? Well, you are worried enough about your identity being revealed so much so that you are wearing a mask.....¡±


    ¡°Regina.¡±


    The woman with the hoarse voice spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m the Dragon¡¯s Shadow Regina. It is a name that was forgotten by the world, so it will be useless for you to look for any clue.¡±


    ¡°Dragon¡¯s Shadow must be the name of your organization.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Now it¡¯s your turn.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    ¡°Reveal your name.¡±


    ¡°Unlike you guys, I¡¯ll dly reveal my name. It is Azell Zestringer.¡±


    ¡°Azell....¡±


    Regina showed some interest.


    ¡°You have an ominous name.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s omnious?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Just for having that name, it is ominous enough for you to deserve death.¡±


    ¡°You are speaking nonsense.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a hobby of remembering the name of someone who became a corpse.... Against my will, I won¡¯t be able to forget your name now.¡±


    Then Regina hid her figure. The man was about to follow her and disappear, but he spoke in a rumbling voice, while ring at Azell.


    ¡°I¡¯m Dragon¡¯s Shadow Kirion. Remember it. It is the name of the man, who¡¯ll kill you in the most excruciating way possible.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to remember it, so why don¡¯t you fight me now? Are you afraid of me even though I am unarmed?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Kirion was in a rage, and he started emitting chaotic forces, but in the end, he went away without attacking Azell.


    Azell clicked his tongue.


    ¡°He is more cool-headed than I thought. If he flew into rage and attacked me then I could have ended him....¡±


    Azell threw his hands up after he spoke. Arrieta was surprised after seeing this.


    ¡°By the way...¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Where did the sword pop out from?¡±


    Somehow, Azell was already holding onto a de. Azell shrugged his shoulder.


    ¡°I had it from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I was merely hiding it.¡±


    From the start of his intrusion, he had two swords. Anything can happen in the middle of battle, so he looted useful weapons from the enemies he defeated.


    He had discarded one sword on the ground right before he jumped in, and he used the other sword to attack Kirion. After his sword broke, he picked up the other sword without regret over losing the other, and he casted a concealment spell. While conversing with Regina, he had grabbed the sword, but no one realized it. To pull off this trick, he used a technique that binded the item to Azell¡¯s skin.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°We should settle this situation now...¡±


    However, something even he couldn¡¯t have predicted happened. From all around, shes of light and torpedo shaped globes started falling in an arc onto the battlefield.


    ¡°Shit!¡±


    Ggwa-gwa-gwang! Ggwa-gwa-gwa-gwa-gwang! (TLN: explosion sound)


    The lights blew up and it was bright enough to blind a person.


    3


    One hour had passed since the ruin excavation site and Princess Arietta was ambushed.


    The members of the secret society called Dragon¡¯s Shadow was gathered at the ruin excavation site, which was in shambles.


    The location was mercilessly demolished. While the monsters were causing havoc, the members of the Dragon¡¯s Shadow nted explosive magic in various locations. The explosion was triggered by attacking it with powerful magic from outside. During all this, the monsters were all getting massacred, but they didn¡¯t care about the sacrifice. Initially, the monsters were subdued to be used as a disposable item.


    An appalling amount of dead bodies of humans and monsters were strewn around, but no one cared. The five people were dressed simrly in a suspicious manner, and Regina was the leader whomanded them.


    Regina asked in her hoarse voice.


    ¡°Where is the Dragon Demon Princess located at?¡±


    ¡°She is 4km North-East from here. Jackal is chasing her, so there is no chance we¡¯ll lose her.¡±


    ¡°We have to capture her before she reaches the fortress. You know this, right?¡±


    The Western Border Fort¡¯s military power was strong. Each of the members of the Dragon¡¯s Shadow had considerable amount of strength, but the Western Border Fort had been fortified against mass attack by monsters, and even an ambush by a dragon. It was impossible to attack them with just their number.


    This was why they were moving under the initial assumption that they would catch Arrieta before she reached the Western Border Fort.


    ¡°Currently, is anyone with the Dragon Demon Princess?¡±


    ¡°There are four people including the Dragon Demon Princess. Even a nonbatant is among them.¡±


    ¡°Where is the man called Azell Zestringer?¡±


    ¡°He is on the move with the Dragon Demon Princess.¡±


    ¡°I knew he wouldn¡¯t die just from that.¡± (TLN: the explosion)


    After speaking, Regina threw back her hood. The veil of darkness, which was covering her face, disappeared and her bare face was revealed. She had long ck hair, and cold blue eyes. She was a woman that gave an impression of sharpness. Her age could be around mid-30s?


    Since she was a Dragon Demon, her ears were slightly pointed, and above her left ear there was a ck horn that looked like a feather decoration.


    ¡°Becareful when you face off against him. Dispose of him from distance if possible.¡±


    ¡°Does he warrant that big of a warning? No matter how I see it he didn¡¯t seem that strong.¡±


    ¡°While he was confronting the Dragon Demon Princess, he was able to assess our exact number.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    Everyone agreed with her.


    They were confident that they had hidden their existence. They used a specialized item to hide their Dragon Magic, so if they hid their life signature, no one should be able to see through to their existence.


    In reality, the several hundred soldiers and even the Dragon Demon Princess Arrieta was unable to notice them. So how was Azell able to see through to their existence?


    Regina spoke.


    ¡°Do not think that you have seen the floor when you have only seen his exterior. If you don¡¯t acknowledge the fact that Master level Spirit Order Practitioners are beings who have surpassed humans then you may pay dearlyter. ¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡±


    ¡°You should be very careful, while hunting them. I want you circle them with the forest orcs, and wear them out. I want you to keep scratching and biting them until they arepletely tired out. Then we will capture the Dragon Demon Princess and leave. We cannot disappoint that person.....¡±


    After saying this, Regina walked towards the entrance of the ruin.


    The entrance to the ruins was being excavated, but the attack from the Dragon¡¯s Shadow had reburied it. For a moment, Regina examined the location before speaking.


    ¡°I believe this really is Carlos¡¯ ruin.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you sure?¡±


    The members of the Dragon¡¯s Shadow murmured.


    Carlos had left his name in history as an Archmage. He was the hateful enemy of the Dragon¡¯s Shadow. They were a secret organization that worshiped the Dragon Demon Race, who wanted to conquer the human of this world.


    Regina nodded her head.


    ¡°I think so. However, I¡¯m not an expert, so I¡¯ll have to thoroughly investigate this ce. I¡¯ll request for additional troops to be deployed.... It¡¯ll be a race against the time for us. They(TLN: the humans) willeback after they reorganize themselves.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Then let us start the hunt again.¡±


    The members of the Dragon¡¯s Shadow rushed towards the fleeing Dragon Demon Princess.


    4


    Azell was used to being chased.


    Humans were always numerically inferior in the fight against the Dragon Demon race. The number of Dragon Demon race were small, but they subjugated monsters and demonic animals to fight in their army. When they were unorganized, the monsters and demonic animals couldn¡¯t stand up against the might of the human armies. However, they were enved by the Dragon Demon race, and they were reborn as a terrifying power.


    ¡®I¡¯m experiencing the same exact situation as before.¡¯


    The people, who revealed themselves to be the ¡®Dragon¡¯s Shadow¡¯, made Azell think about the Dragon Demon race from 220 years ago.


    ¡®If I¡¯m alone, then I could escape easily....¡¯


    Azell was looking around the area while on top of a tree. He threw his gaze downwards, and he saw three members of his party. It was the Dragon Demon Princess Arrieta, her young maid Enora, and Rick, who he had rescued during all the confusion.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know what happened to Sir Giles.¡¯


    He got separated from Giles. He had no way to know if he was dead or alive.


    Azell looked at Arrieta.


    ¡®I¡¯ve take on a really big burden.¡¯

 Chapter 14 Dragons Shadow (3).

    <strong>Chapter 14 Dragon¡¯s Shadow (3).</strong>


    Chapter 14 - Dragon¡¯s Shadow (3)


    Truthfully, Azell had no thoughts about moving around with her. He knew that the target of the enemy was her. When he was escaping the ruin excavation site, Azell prioritized Rick and Giles. After he had woken up, they were the only two people he became attached to. It was unfortunate, but there was a limit to what he could do for the rest of the people.


    However, as if it was par for the course, Arrieta stuck to Azell. This was why he had to party with her and herpanion, while he was escaping with Rick.


    ¡®My situation always seems to flow towards the difficult side... My fate can¡¯t really be this unlucky, right?¡¯


    Azell came down from the tree while holding back a sigh.


    Rick approached him. He was fine since he heeded Azell¡¯s word and hid well.


    ¡°Azell.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    Rick put forth the block of wood Azell gave him. Then he continued to ask questions.


    ¡°It was strange. People went past me as if they didn¡¯t see me. Even the enemies did that. At first, I thought it was because of the confusion.... I can feel magical energy from this. What did you do to it?¡±


    ¡°I casted a concealment spell. I don¡¯t have a lot of magical energy, so it wouldn¡¯t havested long. Unless you jumped around and yelled, the others wouldn¡¯t have noticed you.¡±


    This was the reason why Azell insisted on handing over the wooden block to Rick. Also, if he gave an object imbued with his magical energy, it was indicator that¡¯ll point out Rick when he wanted to find him during the confusion.


    Rick was surprised so he queried.


    ¡°Spirit Order can do such a thing?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it can¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the first time I heard of this. Who are you really.....¡±


    Normally, spirit order was considered an extension of a martial art that deals with super human technique. People only knew about the super human physical ability and the extrasensory perception of the Spirit Order practitioner. However, they didn¡¯t get the core principles.


    It was actually a secret technique stolen from the Dragon Demon race, and it was another form of magic. Depending on one¡¯s will, it affects the mind and it has more influence over one¡¯s mind than magic.


    In the past, Azell had learned the Spirit Order¡¯s writing of divination to contend against the Dragon Demon race. He used it in full force to fight against them.


    Currently, he had lost his power, but the techniques he learned hadn¡¯t deserted him.


    The confused Rick spoke.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not the time to quibble over this. Thank you.¡±


    If it wasn¡¯t Azell, then he would have died in the confusion. Rick honestly expressed his thanks.


    Azell smiled. However, he suddenly called out to Arrieta.


    ¡°Princess.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    While asking his question, Azell wasn¡¯t intimidated at all by the status of the princess. If she had a stiff personality then she would have bristled at the human of low standing who had ¡®dared¡¯ to talked to her without her permission. However, Arrieta epted his behavior without any animosity.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that the organization called the Dragon¡¯s Shadow is targeting you, Princess.¡±


    ¡°I agree with you on that point. From the beginning, the attacked was aimed at me.¡±


    ¡°By my estimation, their goal was to capture you alive. By any chance, do you have any idea why they want you, princess?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea. I¡¯ve never even heard of an organization called the Dragon¡¯s Shadow.¡±


    ¡°Is there any possibility of a grudge?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea. Since I¡¯vee-of-age, I¡¯ve only received orders from the throne to fight for the people. I¡¯ve fought against humans on the battle field and killed some of them. Still it isn¡¯t something that would have led to a grudge held by such suspicious people.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡±


    Arrieta asked Azell, who was frowning.


    ¡°Do you mind if I ask you one question?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°By listening to your words, they aren¡¯t the evil magicians that had a antagonistic rtionship with you.¡± (TLN: if you forgot, he made up a lie saying he was kidnapped by an evil magician)


    ¡°I think so?¡±


    ¡°Why is it a question?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have much memories about them. You might have heard about my situation from someone else, but....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you have lost many parts of your memories, and you almost have no memories from the past couple years...¡±


    ¡°That is true.¡±


    ¡°I have a hard time believing that story. However, it isn¡¯t a question I should quibble about right now.¡±


    Arrieta shook her head, and brushed the question aside. She continued to speak. No, she was going to speak, but Azell suddenly frowned. He turned his gaze toward one side of the forest. He spoke while standing up.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we¡¯ll have to push the story to another time. We have to move.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The enemies are approaching.¡±


    ¡°How do you know this?¡±


    Arrieta queried. She was a Dragon Demon, so her senses were evolved. It couldn¡¯t even bepared to a normal person. However, she couldn¡¯t feel the presence of the numerous enemies approaching them.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I just know it. I believe they are masking their sounds with magic.¡±


    He decided to go with that exnation. It was tiresome for Azell to exin it and he didn¡¯t have the time. Arrieta didn¡¯t press for an answer.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s move.¡±


    Azell started walking in the front of the group, while he was grumbling inside.


    ¡®I¡¯ve been drawn into a troublesome matter. Since we¡¯vee this far, I can¡¯t abandon them now....¡¯


    5


    The bottom line was that it was impossible for Azell¡¯s party to evade the enemy and run away.


    The enemies tracked them as if they knew which road they took and how they were moving around. Moreover, they were much faster than his party.


    Azell couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue after he sensed the enemies closing in.


    ¡®It¡¯s impossible for us to shake them off.¡±


    Azell and Arrieta could escape this ce in a moments notice. However, their party consisted of Rick and Enora. When the enemies reached 100 meters from their location, Arrieta could sense their existence.


    ¡°They really areing after us. As you said, they are hiding their sound. I¡¯m sure there is a magician... He is a very talented bastard, who is good at hiding himself.¡±


    ¡°If it is him, I think I¡¯m starting to understand what is going on.¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    ¡°From a different direction than the approaching enemy, there is someone else observing us. I can feel his Sight on the back of my head. Please take this point into consideration. Be careful not to let him read your lips.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°It is better not to give them any information including what we are talking about.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm....¡±


    Arrieta made a surprised expression. The enemy could observe them with magic and her conversation could be made out by observing the movement of her mouth. She had never thought about this.


    Once again she became curious about the man¡¯s identity in front of her. What background does this man possess as to allow him to act like this in this situation?


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°There may be others, but they haven¡¯t entered into a distance where I could detect them. Maybe they don¡¯t have their Sight on us or.....¡±


    In Azell¡¯s time, he was able to detect the enemy¡¯s existence by the ¡®Sight¡¯ that was aimed toward him from long distance. It was an essential technique he had to learn. The Dragon Demon race was able to observe the humans at a distance much farther than an arrow can reach. They earned information this way and they even used magic to snipe people.


    If it was the old him then he would have been able to capture the presence of his opponent easily. Since his magical energy was very low, he couldn¡¯t use the technique to materialize the identity of the disharmony he felt with his senses.


    ¡®Really. I¡¯m so frustrated.¡¯


    He was used to fighting in a disadvantageous situation. At that moment, he wasn¡¯t agitated, and he cooly assessed his capabilities to find a way out.


    However, he did miss his former self¡¯s strength. It was inevitable when he was facing a dangerous life threatening situation.


    Azellughed bitterly.


    ¡°Rick.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°If we move at our current pace, then how long will it take for us to arrive at the fortress?¡±


    ¡°I, I don¡¯t know?¡±


    Rick was taken aback.


    Azell was leading them from the front, but he didn¡¯t know the location of the Western Border Fort. The only person who might know the exact location of the ce was Rick.


    Rick spoke in a scarcely audible voice.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know either.....¡±


    ¡°You worked here for 2 years yet you don¡¯t know that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a healer, so this is the first time I¡¯ve left the encampment.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that is something you should be boasting about?¡±


    ¡°Ughh....¡±


    After Azell shot him down, Ricks morale fell. However, he realized an important fact.


    ¡°Wait a second. So you were wandering around the forest without knowing the location of the fort?¡±


    ¡°It was important for us to immediately escape where we were. I didn¡¯t have time to quibble about such things until now.¡±


    ¡°I guess that makes sense..¡±


    ¡°Rick, it would have be nice if you knew theyout of this ce... We are in a bind. Should we just head towards west?¡±


    At that moment, Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°If it is the Western Border Fort, I know where it is.¡±


    ¡°You do?¡±


    ¡°I memorized it when I visited the fort. I am somewhat proficient in far-seeing techniques, so I think I can guide us without losing direction.¡±


    ¡°Then please guide us. I¡¯ve never been there.¡±


    ¡°I understand. However, there is one problem.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It is towards the direction where the enemy is approaching from.¡±


    Unfortunately, the enemy was approaching from the direction of the fort. Therefore, the party had to give up on taking the shortest route and take a big detour.


    Still, they eventually had to fight against the enemy when they failed to shake them off.


    ¡°Kyaaaaaa!¡±


    Suddenly, the screaming enemies jumped out from between the trees. They(TLN:Azell¡¯s party) were very shocked. The enemy had hid their sound, so they were just a stone¡¯s throw away.


    ¡°It¡¯s a forest orc.¡±


    Of course, Azell and Arrieta were utterly unppable.


    The orcs were the most typical humanoid monsters. Their shape were simr to humans, but their skin color was markedly different. Their face was shaped like a demon, and their canines protruded out from their mouth. Their average height was higher than the humans, and on average, they were also more muscr. They were a step above humans inbat ability.


    The forest orcs had dark green skin, and their bodies were smaller than the orcs from the wilderness or the ins. They were physically weaker than the other orcs, but instead they moved more nimbly inside a forest.


    ¡°This is rather better!¡± (TLN: he¡¯s saying he¡¯d rather fight than run)


    After saying this, Azell attacked the first bastard who jumped forth. He lightly avoided the descending sword, and he cut its head off.


    ¡°Back off!¡±


    At that moment, Arrieta shouted. The shout was infused with magical energy, and the surrounding space started to reverberate.


    The forest orcs, who were running towards them, flinched. The shout was like a lion¡¯s roared. It had the power of suppression, because it held the power of dissonance.


    The moment she shouted Azell had naturally stolen the forest orcs¡¯ swords, and he retreated to the back.


    Afterwards, Arrieta swung her sword.


    ¡°Oh wicked darkness, split!¡±


    Pah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!


    A blinding light was emitted from the tip of the sword. It was the technique she had used previously to slice through the monsters, who had invaded ruin excavation site.


    It was hard to believe that she would be able to defeat forest orcs in its entirety, but...


    Kwa-Chang!


    A destructive sound that hurt the ear rang out, and the light dispersed. At the same time, the forest orc¡¯s bodies were surrounded by a light that looked like blue mes.


    Arrieta was taken aback.


    ¡°Is it a defensive magic?¡±


    Someone had casted a strong defensive magic on couple dozen forest orcs, which was able to block her attack. There must be a magician who possessed powerful magic. She was sure of it. Also...


    Pa-ji-ji-ji-ji-jeek! (TLN: electricity sound)


    There was a terrifying sound of discharge ringing in the air, and arge lighting fell from the sky.


    Ggwa-ru-roong! Ggwa-gwang!(TLN:sound of thunder)


    Their vision burned white. The lightning exploded and the space churned vigorously before settling down.


    Then a deep low voice rang out.


    ¡°Hmmm. As expected of the Dragon Demon Princess.¡±


    The person, who spoke on top of the tree, was a member of the Dragon¡¯s Shadow. He wore a ck robe around his body like the other members, and the veil of darkness hid his face.


    However, it wasn¡¯t Regina or Kirion, but another member of the Dragon¡¯s Shadow. One could tell he was human by looking at the smooth back of his hands. (TLN: no gems embedded)


    Koo-goo-goo-goo-goo......! (TLN: rumbling sound)


    Inside the settling dust, a sphere made out of faint light came into view. Arrieta had put up a shield to protect her party.


    Arrieta asked.


    ¡°Are you the Dragon Shadow¡¯s magician?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am. Dragon Demon Princess.¡±


    ¡°I see you are a human.¡±


    ¡°Our organization isn¡¯t only made up of Dragon Demons. Also...¡±


    Hweeeeeeeee....(TLN: wind noise)


    He was encircled by wind, and he started to rise into the air.


    ¡°Not all human magicians are weaker than Dragon Demons.¡±


    ¡°Mmmmm....¡±


    It was as he said.


    Dragon Demons were born with unfathomable amount of magical energy and stronger bodiespared to humans. However, a pure human could surpass them through spirit order or magic.


    Kyahhhhh!


    At that moment, the orcs from across the forest started charging towards them. At the same time, the sounds of an earthquake was heard from the other side of the forest.


    Koong-koong-koong-koong-koong!


    Therge humanoid ogres were approaching. Moroever, they could sense arge number of demonic beasts heading towards them from a different direction.


    Arrieta moaned.


    ¡°They moved their troops while we were focused on this bastard!¡±


    ¡°Yes. We didn¡¯t think we could sap away your strength with just this.¡±


    The magician shrugged his shoulder. At the same time, Azell moved.


    Shweeek!


    From the side, something flew towards him, and it grazed by Azell¡¯s head. It was transparent so it couldn¡¯t be seen. It was a energy arrow made from magic.


    The magician was surprised after seeing this.


    ¡°Ho-oh, you dodged that. Like Regina said, I¡¯ll have to be careful with you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tired of being sniped.¡±


    Azell shrugged his shoulder.


    The previous attack flew in from 100 meters away. The member of Dragon Demon, who brought the ogres, tried to snipe Azell in the confusion.


    It was an invisible magical arrow that was sent when everyone¡¯s attention was distracted. If it wasn¡¯t Azell, one would have died without being able to do anything.


    ¡®Did he think something that slow could hit me?¡¯


    Azell snorted. The magical arrow was invisible, but the speed of the arrow was slower than a real arrow. Of course, Azell¡¯s standard was high enough to consider the speed to be inconsequential.


    ¡®So there are only two bastards from the Dragon¡¯s Shadow here?¡¯


    Besides the magician that showed himself in front of Azell, he realized there was another person who had tried to snipe him. He was the one bring the demonic beasts from the opposite direction.


    During all this, Arrieta shed against the charging forest orcs.

 Chapter 15 Dragons Shadow (4).

    <strong>Chapter 15 Dragon¡¯s Shadow (4).</strong>


    Chapter 15 - Dragon¡¯s Shadow (4)


    ¡°You dirty bastards!¡±


    She continued to swing her sword, while shouting in an angry voice. The forest orcs returned her attack with their thick des. Her stature was much smaller than them, and they trusted their defensive magic.


    However, the result was devastating.


    Qwa-hak! (TLN: de breaking)


    The forest orcs¡¯ des all broke from one strike. Even their body was torn to pieces as if arge tooth had bit into them.


    The blood and flesh scattered as if they had exploded.


    Arrieta¡¯s movement was faster than the blood flying into the air. After defeating the initial enemies, she casted her instantaneous movement method. In a moment, she appeared between the forest orcs.


    The orcs couldn¡¯t grasp her movement at all. Before they could turn their heads, Arrieta¡¯s sword ran by them. Then in a moment, she disappeared using her instantaneous movement method, and she moved to a different location.


    Pah-ah-ah-ahng! (TLN: sound of sword hitting barrier)


    Arrieta¡¯s sword was obstructed when she had targeted the big forest orc with thergest head. The forest orc resisted Arrieta¡¯s sword when he expelled a power from its mouth, which looked like pale yellow mes.


    Hoo-doo-doo-doo-dook! (TLN: sound of flesh/blood hitting ground)


    As Arrieta¡¯s silver hair fluttered down, the blood and flesh of the forest orcs she had initially killed fell to the ground.


    Shortly afterwards, seven forest orcs fell to the ground, while spouting blood.


    This all had happened before the fountaining blood could fall. It happened in an instant. It was as if she was running on a different time scale.


    This being was more sturdy than others, and it could also use its magical energy to produce a special power.


    It was able to block Arrieta¡¯s attack


    ¡°Ku-roo-roo-roo-roo.....!¡±


    The forest orcs, who had blocked Arrieta¡¯s sword, was the leader. Orcs were also beings of magic. Amongst them, there were individual beings, who could use magical forces unique to their race. (TLN: race specific magic)


    This was how it was able to block Arrieta¡¯s attack. It had concentrated its magical energy, and it put a force field of light on its sword. However, this was its limit.


    Arrieta¡¯s golden eyes stared at it, while speaking.


    ¡°You are the first orc, who was able to receive a single blow from me.¡±


    Their height differed by 80 cms. Its body was also twice her size.


    ¡°However, it seems you are at your limit.¡±


    The forest orc, who had crossed swords with Arrieta, couldn¡¯t handle the strength pressing down on him, and its body was trembling. Just from the single blow, its internal organs were erratic, and his knees were halfway bent.


    ¡°Kuh-wuh-uh-uh-uh!¡±


    At that moment, arge shadow showed itself between the overgrown trees. It was a giant monster, whose height was 5 meters tall. It was an ogre. It had rough and thick gray colored skin, which reminded one of boulders. It was bald, and the pupils were red as if it was burning. It was a scary face akin to a demon. An existence with such appearance approached them. Its body was as big as an house, and its existence was fear itself.


    The ogre swung its arm, which was as thick as a tree trunk.


    Kwa-ja-jak! (TLN: tree snapping sound)


    Therge tree broke and fell after it was hit by the arm. However, the target aimed by the ogre was already gone.


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    The target was Azell. Azell used the Instantaneous Movement technique to climb up the ogre¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Ku-ooh?¡±


    The ogre was taken aback. In a moment, it had no idea where Azell went.


    Ogres had enormous strength, so much so that it was called a walking disaster. It could split a human open with just its fingers, and it was fast enough for a human to have difficulty escaping it. Moreover, their hides were too hard. One couldn¡¯t even make a scratch with a knife.


    However, the ogres had a weakeness.


    ¡°Kah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!¡±


    The ogre screamed in pain. Azell had stabbed his sword into its ear hole. Azell let go of his sword, and as he left, he kicked the hilt of the sword. This caused the sword to bury deep inside the head and to top it off, the magical energy inside the sword exploded within.


    ¡°Ku-uh-uh-uh-uh....!¡±


    The ogre¡¯s eyes rolled up. Even if it was an ogre, it couldn¡¯t resist against an attack that dug through its head. Once the life left the ogre, its body started tilting over, and the forest orcs scattered in fright.


    The ogre¡¯s corpse fell like arge house copsing, and a massive sound rang out.


    Ku-ooh-oong!


    6


    ¡°.......¡±


    Everyone was unable to speak. The ogre, who appeared in such a fearsome fashion, died just like that....


    ¡°I¡¯m d I was able to kill the bastard that will give me some trouble.¡±


    Azellnded on the ground, and he picked up a sword of a dead forest orc. Arrieta felt that he was very different from others when she watched his figure.


    ¡®This is the first time I¡¯ve seen someone fight like that.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t just his method of getting rid of the ogre. She had never seen a person like Azell, who strictly treated weapons as a disposable item. Even if he used the weapons stolen from the enemies, how could he throw away the weapons without any hesitation?


    Ku-ru-roong! Ka-roong! (TLN: wolf noises)


    The silence didn¡¯tst too long. From the other side, a blood wolf with blood red eyes appeared. It was asrge as an ox, and its body was covered with dark red fur.


    Inside its jaw, a cursed ck me was rising forth.


    Azell clicked his toungue.


    ¡°Jeez, they are pulling out all the stops.¡±


    He didn¡¯t say this because he saw the blood wolf.


    Numerous ck tentacles starteding out from the ground and it closed around Azell¡¯s body. It was a magical tentacle made out of darkness.


    However, right before Azell was caught he used his Instantaenous Movement technique to escape.


    Pah-ji-ji-jeek! (TLN: electricity noise)


    In the next moment, a blue spark appeared behind the mage, who was floating in the air. However, the mage calmly looked behind his back.


    ¡°You are pretty fast, but youck strength.¡±


    High ranking mages could elerate their senses so much that it couldn¡¯t even bepared to a normal person. They also used various methods to protect their body. Azell¡¯s instantaneous movement was at a speed where the mage could capture it with his senses.


    Azell¡¯s sword was stopped by a barrier he couldn¡¯t see. Azell¡¯s sword was infused with magical energy, but it had no chance of piercing through the shield.


    Azell grumbled.


    ¡°You are poking at a sore spot. I most definitelyck power.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to die here.¡±


    The mage turned around, and he unleashed his magic. No, he tried to do that.


    Pah-hak!


    Azell¡¯s sword, which was being stopped by the barrier, cut through his body as if it was a lie.


    ¡°Uhh....?¡±


    The mage groaned in disbelief. The veil of darkness was covering his face, but it was probably dyed with shocked.


    Puk.


    Azell kicked the mage, who was still floating in the air. He rode on top of the falling mage.


    ¡°I¡¯ll return your words right back.¡±


    Then Azell stabbed the mage¡¯s heart, and he jumped into the air by kicking the body.


    Boom!


    The mage¡¯s body fell while his blood fountained forth.


    ¡°He was full of holes.¡± (TLN: talking about the mage¡¯s defense)


    Azell mumbled, while he looked at the dead mage.


    Just a moment ago, while Azell had shed against the barrier, the mage acted stupidly by loafing around. (TLN: tried to give an evil monologue. rookie mistake ^_^)


    In Azell¡¯s time, one deserved death if the opponent acted like that towards a master level Spirit Order practitioner. The opponent revealed his weak point.


    ¡®I was able to kill him easily. It couldn¡¯t be that they don¡¯t know about magical frequency...¡¯


    The magical energy injected into the sword was resonating on the same frequency as the magical pattern of the barrier put up by the mage. By doing this, the resistance of the barrier was neutralized.


    Even Azell couldn¡¯t decipher the enemy¡¯s magical pattern in a moment. It was impossible. However, he was able to do it because he was able to calmly observe the pattern, while he was making contact with it. The mage from the Dragon¡¯s Shadow didn¡¯t think such an act was possible. The mage was taken down when he rxed for a couple seconds.


    The mages from Azell¡¯s time continuously changed their magic pattern during a closebat with the enemy. It was an essential rule that one can¡¯t rx during a contact state. Maybe this generation of mages don¡¯t have suchmon sense?


    The dead mage¡¯s skill was pretty good.


    ¡®I guess he really thought I wasn¡¯t worth his notice and looked down on me.¡¯


    Usually the Spirit Order practitioner¡¯s skill is proportional to the amount of magical energy one carries. After a certain level it was nonsense to use such logic, but Azell could see how the enemy could be careless after seeing his trifle amount of magical energy.


    Azell clicked his toungue after seeing his sword dyed in blood.


    ¡°I can¡¯t use this any more.¡±


    When it shed against the mage¡¯s barrier, it formed a crack, and now it looked like it¡¯ll break soon. He shouldn¡¯t expect quality from swords used by orcs.


    Azell threw away the sword without any regret. He kicked a nearby sword with the top of his foot, and he snatched the sword out of the air. Thanks to Arrieta killing numerous orcs, he had plenty of weapons to use.


    Immediately, he took a small step to the side.


    Ggwa-gwang! (TLN: boom)


    An invisible magical fire cut through the space where his head used to be. From his back, the sound of an explosion rang out, and the dirt fountained into the air. If he was hit by it then it had enough power to end him.


    However, Azell was totally unperturbed, and he spoke.


    ¡°If you want revenge for yourpanion, then why don¡¯t you stop hiding ande out? That kind of amateurish ambush won¡¯t work against me, Dragon Demon.¡±


    ¡°Kuk....¡±


    Around 100 meters off from the battlefield, one could hear a groan leak out.


    The member of the Dragon¡¯s Shadow, who was hiding himself with magic, appeared. He had on a simr outfit as hispatriots, but the back of his hands had a gunmetal colored Dragon Demon Stone. He was a Dragon Demon.


    Arrieta became guarded when she saw him.


    ¡®What method are they using?¡¯


    What kind of method was able to thoroughly trick her senses? Also...


    ¡®What method is that guy using to detect the enemy?¡¯


    She hadn¡¯t detected the enemy, but Azell was able to see through it easily.


    At that moment, the enemy Dragon Demon raged.


    ¡°A mere human dared to killed a member of our organization!¡±


    ¡°Wow. That¡¯s pretty fresh? Is it a fad for a Dragon Demon to speak like the Dragon Demon Race?¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    The Dragon Demon unsheathed his sword. Unlike the other members of the Dragon¡¯s Shadow, this one used a weapon.


    ¡°You deserve to die for possessing the name Azell. Remember this. My name is Jackal.¡± (TLN: it is actually written as Ji-kel or another interpretation could be Sickle, I¡¯ll just go with Jackal since I like that better)


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know what the hell you are talking about. Could you at least exin it to me?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to know. It is a waste of time for me to talk to a sinner, who is destined to die.¡±


    Hwa-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahk. (TLN: me igniting sound)


    From Jackal¡¯s back, mes rose into the sky. In a sh, the strong mes started spreading towards the forest.


    Azell was suprised when he saw this.


    ¡°You started a fire in the forest? Have you lost your mind?¡±


    When the forest was one¡¯s battlefield, it was logical for one to not attack with fire. Yet this person in front of him started a fire?


    Jackal snorted.


    ¡°Why should I care if the forest burns down? Now you won¡¯t be able to go to the fort, Dragon Demon Princess.¡±


    ¡°You started a fire just to prevent me from going to the Western Border fort?¡±


    Arrieta was taken aback.


    Jackal replied.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The fire was spreading everywhere, so even if it was Arrieta, it would be hard for her to get to the Western Border fort. She would have to circle around and avoid the ces where the fire was spreading. The Dragon¡¯s Shadow was nning on targeting her during all of this.


    Arrieta asked a question.


    ¡°Why are you targeting me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out once you go with us.¡±


    ¡°You bastards are making me irritated!¡±


    Arrieta cried out in anger, but she couldn¡¯t apporach Jackal. The ogres, demonic beasts and forests orcs were charging at her. She was fighting, while protecting herpanions, so she couldn¡¯t step forward rashly.


    Jackal made a promation.


    ¡°Eventually the Dragon Demon Princess will be in our hands.¡±


    Afterwards he didn¡¯t stand against Azell and Arrieta. He jumped across therge fire and he hid himself.

 Chapter 16 Dragon Slayers Ritual (1).

    <strong>Chapter 16 Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual (1).</strong>


    Chapter 16 - Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual (1)


    If one asked anyone from Rin Kingdom¡¯s Western Border Patrol as to what was the most frightening existence inside the Bn forest was, they wouldn¡¯t hesitate to give their answer.


    Dragons.


    These tyrants existed deep inside the spacious Bn forest, and none of the demonic beasts could approach them. They were on the apex of the food chain. Enormous amounts of damages urred every time they moved. The Western Border Patrol was cautious as to never enter their territory.


    Koo-roo-roo-roo-roo......


    It was rare for the dragons toe out of their territories. They filled their bellies by catching preys within the boundaries of their territories like full stomached demonic beasts.


    However, they were always beholden to a thirst. Normal beasts couldn¡¯t understand this agony.


    They were aware that they were unintelligent, so they thirsted for knowledge.


    ¡°This is a trade.¡±


    The short stature of Regina was standing in front of a dragon. She was breaking out into cold sweat within her hood.


    Tworge eyes were watching her within the darkness of the forest, and it was emitting a tremendous amount of intimidation. Even if she was a Dragon Demon, she couldn¡¯t help but feel fear when she was in close proximity to a dragon.


    On the surface, it looked like arge violent animal. Will this existance be able to understand her?


    In her head, she knew it could understand hernguage. However, she felt more and more unsure as she stared at it. What would happen if it didn¡¯t understand her words and it treated her as a prey, who had invaded its territory?


    Regina desperately tried to suppress her worries and fear.


    ¡°If you fulfill our request, you will be able earn the ¡®Moment of Wisdom¡¯.¡±


    Koo-roo-roo-roo-roo..... (TLN: Dragon growls)


    ¡°Will you ept it?¡±


    Koong! Koo-oong! (TLN: sound of dragon moving)


    The dragons walked forth from the darkness when it was asked this question. Regina stopped breathing when the enormous body appeared between the trees.


    Earth Dragon. (TLN: ji-ryong)


    This was the name given to dragons that could move freely underground like swimming fish. The silhouette looked like an elongated lizard, and it had dark brown scales that had a rock-like texture. It had a curved horn, and its red eyes were slit vertically. From head to tail, it measured over 30 meters, and it was a monster with a castle-like bulk.


    The dragon nodded its head, while looking at Regina.


    ¡®It really... It understands human speech.¡¯


    It couldn¡¯t form words by itself, but it could understand everything. Even if it was any othernguage in this world, it would have understood it. Regina didn¡¯t know how this was possible. Still, the earth dragon could understand Regina¡¯s words, and it had epted her request. This was all that mattered.


    Regina spoke naturally, while she was suppressing a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll describe your target.¡±


    2


    At night, the forest was swept up in deep darkness. The only source of light one can rely on was the moon light and starlight.


    However, 4 people were moving through this darkness.


    It was Azell, Rick, Arrieta and Enora.


    ¡°Enora.¡±


    Suddenly Arrieta opened her mouth. She was looking at Enora, who was stumbling from fatigue.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll carry you.¡±


    ¡°...I, I cannotmit such disrespect ¡±


    Enora was startled as if she was burnt by a fire.


    Arrieta had a loose personality, so much so that it was hard to believe that she was royalty. However, it was fact that she was someone who was as high as the sky. So how could she allow this precious person to carry her?


    ¡°I know you are having a hard time walking. Currently, it¡¯s the right move.¡±


    ¡°But...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an order. Get on.¡±


    After Arrieta started showing her back in front of her, Enora hesitated before she got on. Azell was impressed when he saw this.


    ¡®This princess¡¯ personality is quite awesome.¡¯


    At first, he was annoyed that she had followed him, but as he observed her actions he liked her. It wasn¡¯t easy for a member of a royal family to act this way. Is it because she was born with a unique identity called the Dragon Demon Princess?


    Azell turned around and looked at Rick.


    ¡°Rick. Want me to give you a piggy-back?¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯ll refuse.¡±


    Rick was also tired.


    After the Dragon Demon Jackal started the forest fire, the party was continuously ambushed by monsters and demonic beasts for half a day. The fire was spreading aggressively, and they were desperately running away to avoid the fire. They were barely able to escape from the direction the fire was spreading when they were again attacked by the monsters and demonic beasts.


    Arrieta was also getting tired from continuously battling them. It was a miracle that Enora and Rick hadn¡¯t received a major injury during all this.


    ¡®My condition isn¡¯t that great either.¡¯


    Whileing to this ce, he had rotated with Arrieta to recharge their magical energy with meditation. However, he could do nothing about the umted fatigue.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Currently, I don¡¯t feel anyone¡¯s Sight on us. This must be the effect of the fire I started a while ago. ¡±


    ¡°I could have never imagined you would do such a radical act.¡±


    ¡°The other side started the fire first. If we want to escape, we have to take on some risks.¡±


    Azell took drastic measure to escape from the enemy¡¯s pursuit. He also set the forest on fire like Jackal. Of course unlike Jackal, he devised a means to do it in a controlled manner.


    While they were moving, he had conversations with Arrieta to get all the relevant information, and he had started a fire in certain areas. He also put in a spell that¡¯ll automatically extinguish the fire after a certain amount of time had passed. However, this was the forest not the ins. There wasn¡¯t any guarantee that it¡¯ll turn out like they wanted. Like the fire that was still burning at the other side of forest, there was a huge risk that the fire would continue to spread.


    ¡°Fortunately, it seems to have ended without spreading...¡±


    Arrieta showed signs of disapproval. His actions had too much risk. She had followed Azell¡¯s words, because she didn¡¯t have any other choice.


    ¡®However, if we didn¡¯t do that then we wouldn¡¯t have been able to avoid the enemy¡¯s surveince.¡¯


    The members of the Dragon¡¯s Shadow took action after using a far-seeing magic to locate their party. If they weren¡¯t able to avoid the Sight, then the party would have had no reasons to feel relief.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°We should rest right about now. Are you able to generate heat without making a fire, Princess?¡±


    ¡°I can. However, why don¡¯t you also work once in awhile?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate, but I have very little magical energy.¡±


    ¡°You have so much skill yet your magical energy is weak. You are a really strange man.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t want to be this kind of a man.¡±


    After Azell answered back cheekily , Arrieta casted a magic on the ground while snorting. Heat starteding out from the location where the magic was casted, and it drove the cold air away.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Let us rest in shifts. I don¡¯t think we can rest for long.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t expect the enemies to not move during the night.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Even if we set aside the bastards from the Dragon¡¯s Shadow, there are the monsters and demonic animals they use as troops.¡±


    There were a lot of nocturnal monsters and demonic animals.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Princess and I will rotate sentry duties.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why? Shouldn¡¯t everyone rotate? Ah, even if we exclude Miss Enora....¡±


    Rick raised the question. Even if they excluded the young girl Enora, shouldn¡¯t a healthy adult male like him take a turn on sentry duty?


    Azell exined his reasoning.


    ¡°Unfortunately, you aren¡¯t much help as a sentry. Once you are able to detect the enemy¡¯s movements, it¡¯ll be toote.¡±


    ¡°Ughh. So that¡¯s how it is.¡±


    ¡°So rest well. You will have to recover your stamina, at least a little bit, to be able to follow us.¡±


    They hadn¡¯t had anything to eat, while they wereing here. They were able to asionally drink some water they found. This meant their stamina was extremely low.


    Rick bit his lips.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Before you rest why don¡¯t you look after Miss Enora. I believe she sustained some minor injuries.¡±


    ¡°Ok.¡±


    Rick followed his words. Enora had traveled the forest road in haste, so her clothes were ripped in ces and she had sustained some injuries. Rick performed his healing art, and the wounds healed.


    Azell spoke to Arrieta.


    ¡°Let us set the night watch for 1 hour. Do you want the first watch, Princess?¡±


    Usually the earlier watch is easier. He had made this suggestion as a kind gesture, but she shook her head.


    ¡°No. I want to sleep first, even if it is a little bit. You go first, please.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Suddenly, Arrieta¡¯s face was drowned in anxiety.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened to the others.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be safe.¡±


    Azell wanted to reassure her, eventhough he didn¡¯t have any basis for it. Arrieta sighed.


    ¡°After rescuing Enora, I decided that it would be safer for them if I moved independently. So I followed you... I don¡¯t know if I made the right choice....¡±


    ¡®Is that why she followed me?¡¯ (TLN: she knew the bad guys would kill her party is she stayed with them)


    Azell wondered as to why she followed him instead of the party she came with from the throne. However, she did have a reason.


    It was both funny and shocking at the same time.


    ¡°So you thought it was ok for me to fall into danger?¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t the reason why I followed you.¡±


    ¡°Then why?¡±


    ¡°I was suspicious. At first, I thought maybe you were an agent of the organization called Dragon¡¯s Shadow.¡±


    ¡°Even after I had saved you, Princess?¡±


    ¡°You fought against them and injured them, but you hadn¡¯t killed them. Therefore, there was a chance that it was an act to trick me.¡±


    Even though these were words casted suspicion on him, Azell was a bit impressed.


    ¡®Ho-oh. She¡¯s pretty good?¡¯


    It was a sharp observation. For beings with superhuman capabilities, they would do unimaginable things to disguise themselves. It was beyond normal human¡¯s imagination.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°However, I have confirmed it while we were cooperating with each other. At the very least, you aren¡¯t an enemy.¡±


    ¡°I want to thank you for believing in me.¡±


    ¡°There are still a mountain of things that is suspicious.... At the very least, I am willing to believe that you don¡¯t hold any evil intentions towards me. Now I¡¯ll sleep for a little bit.¡±


    After saying this, Arrieta leaned against a tree and she closed her eyes. Before 3 seconds had passed, she started breathing steadily.


    Azell started mumbling because he was amazed.


    ¡°How can she sleep in such a situation....¡±


    Azell was a man with a certain view about sleep. His view on sleep might be strange to hear, but he considered the ability to sleep as the most important ability to have in the battle field. It was important for survival to sleep when opportunity presents itself, and use it to recover one¡¯s stamina.


    Among the Spirit Order techniques, there were techniques used to induce sleep. Azell enjoyed using such techniques.


    However, Arrieta wasn¡¯t using any such techniques. She just decided she wanted to sleep then she slept.


    ¡°Jeez.¡±


    Azell burst outughing.


    Unlike her previous figure that was overflowing with dignity, her appearance right now was vastly different. Her face was that of a innocent girl. She was covered in dirt, but she slept soundly as if she was sleeping on her own bed. It almost blurred his sense of reality.

 Chapter 17 Dragon Slayers Ritual (2).

    <strong>Chapter 17 Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual (2).</strong>


    Chapter 17 - Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual (2)


    ¡°The P, Princess has always been able to sleep well in any ce.¡±


    Enora spoke nervously.


    Enora was just a normal girl, so today¡¯s events had taxed her physically and mentally. She felt like she could fall over any second from fatigue. However, she couldn¡¯t sleep because she was afraid and nervous.


    Azellughed bitterly, while looking at Enora.


    ¡°Being able to sleep anywhere is a merit. Especially on the battlefield....¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Littledy should also sleep a little.¡±


    While speaking kindly, Azell touched Enora¡¯s forehead with his fingers. This caused Enora to suddenly feel sleepy.


    ¡®Ah, howe....?¡¯


    Such a question urred to her, but it didn¡¯tst long. She fell asleep just like that.


    Rick queried.


    ¡°What did you do?


    ¡°I made her sleep.¡±


    ¡°You can do that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easy. Should I do it to you?¡±


    ¡°Is there any side effects?¡±


    ¡°None.¡±


    ¡°Please do so. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to fall asleep.......¡±


    After saying those words, Rick fell asleep once Azell¡¯s hand touched him.


    Azell looked at the night sky through the trees as he mused.


    ¡®The stars are still the same.¡¯


    This was the only thing that was intact from his memories.


    3


    Curiously, Azell hadn¡¯t dreamed once since he woke up. It was as if he had dreamed a life time worth of dreams during his long sleep....


    Of course, he couldn¡¯t have. This was proven when Azell slept after he had rotated with Arrieta.


    ¡®Azell¡¯


    Azell heard someone calling his name inside his dream.


    ¡®Azell¡¯


    It was the sound of an unfamiliar man¡¯s voice. However, there was some nostalgic sound mixed in there.


    ¡®Who are you?¡¯


    While thinking this, Azell looked towards the owner of the voice.


    Is it because it was a dream? The process of finding him wasn¡¯t needed. The moment Azell thought he wanted to see the person, the person appeared in front of him.


    ¡®Is this a dream?¡¯


    ¡®Yes. It is your dream.¡¯


    ¡®Who are you?¡¯


    ¡®Those are the most disappointing words in the world.¡¯


    The other person smiled wryly.


    However, he couldn¡¯t see the other¡¯s face. It was as if his gaze wouldn¡¯t reach above the other¡¯s mouth....


    ¡®You have to know who I am. Only then can you see me.¡¯


    Azell was momentarily lost in his thoughts, when he was given this unreasonable requirement. Then he suddenly thought of this one person, and he was shocked.


    ¡®...Carlos?¡¯


    He was recorded in history as an arch mage, and he was Azell¡¯s best friend.


    Then his face was revealed. In front of his eyes, there was an old man with crooked features.


    ¡®You....¡¯


    For a moment, Azell looked him over with surprised eyes. Carlosughed yfully. Azell spoke while looking at him.


    ¡®...you lost all your hair?¡¯


    ¡®Is that the only thing you canment on!¡¯


    Carlos flew into a rage.


    Yes. The man who was called an archmange, Carlos, was bald. All of the hair on his head was gone, but he had a robust beard. Azell smirked, while watching him fume.


    ¡®What can I do when that¡¯s the most visible thing. Anyways, you have aged.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m different from you. I¡¯m guessing you haven¡¯t aged at all?¡¯


    ¡®Thanks to you. Can¡¯t you tell by looking at me?¡¯


    ¡®I can¡¯t see you.¡¯


    ¡®What?¡¯


    ¡®You are seeing a remnant I left in your energy pulse(TLN: think of it as his dantian). I¡¯m just talking and moving like the Carlos you knew. However, I am not him. Also, I don¡¯t share the same time as you. I can only have a conversation with you.¡¯


    ¡®The Carlos I knew wasn¡¯t a bald headed old man...¡¯


    ¡®Is that the only thing you have to say!¡¯


    Carlos flew into a rage again. Azell burst out inughter.


    ¡®Poot.(TLN:sound of suppressedughter) You must have be very temperamental when you aged? Carlos had a cold intellect. He was famous for being a cold and patient magician, who always made the right judgements. I don¡¯t know how he became a bad tempered bald old man.... Tsk tsk. He must have swapped his precious thing for an archmage¡¯s reputation. ¡®


    ¡®When you said precious thing, what are you trying to say to me? Huh? Surely, you aren¡¯t talking about my hair? You aren¡¯t, right?¡¯


    ¡®You are well aware of it yourself?¡¯


    Azell had a fun time teasing him.


    The Carlos, in front of his eyes, was not the real. It was only the remnant of his thoughts he left behind. He must have made it to deliver a message to his friend who would wake up in an unknown period in the far distant future....


    Still, it was quite enjoyable to make conversation with him. Even if he was a mere illusion, his memory of the time he spent with Carlos was revived.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡®By looking at your appearance, you must have made this remnant long after I fell asleep.¡¯


    ¡®Yes. I was 78 year old.¡¯


    The voice was different from Azell¡¯s memories, because he had aged. However, there was a simr sound akin to the voice Azell remembered.


    Even his appearance was like that. He had lost his hair, grown a thick beard, and the wrinkles were everywhere.... Still his eyes was very simr to the Carlos he knew.


    Azell asked.


    ¡®When did you start losing your hair?¡¯


    ¡®Stop talking about that.¡¯


    ¡®Jeez. Just tell me. If you don¡¯t, then I¡¯ll find out about it by looking through the history books.¡¯


    ¡®Do what you want. I¡¯ll exercise my right to remain silent on the subject. Young kids have no manners.¡¯


    ¡®Jeez. I might look young, but I¡¯m way older than you. I¡¯ve woken up after sleeping for 220 years.¡¯


    ¡®The human age isn¡¯t about how long you have existed. It is about how long you have lived.¡¯


    ¡®However, shouldn¡¯t we include sleep as living?¡¯


    ¡®I guess so.¡¯


    ¡®Then acknowledge my age.¡¯


    ¡®If a person mimics an animal¡¯s hibernation and sleeps then it isn¡¯t included.¡¯


    ¡®You are forcing it.¡¯


    Azellughed. Then he spoke.


    ¡®Maybe you can¡¯t react to facts you don¡¯t know or wasn¡¯t able to correctly predict?¡¯


    ¡®Yes.¡¯


    For example, Azell told the remnant of Carlos¡¯ remnant that 220 years had passed yet he didn¡¯t show any surprise. Maybe, it was an information that couldn¡¯t be entirely processed by the old remnant, so it couldn¡¯t be respond to it.


    Azell asked.


    ¡®How long do you have?¡¯


    ¡®Not long. Most of the time had been wasted having a conversation with you.¡¯


    ¡®So we can¡¯t have a long conversation.¡¯


    ¡®Maybe if I was a ghost, but I¡¯m a remnant left inside someone else¡¯s energy pulse.¡¯


    This meant that once Azell started circting the magical energy through his magical pulse his own sense of self would be stronger, and the remnant would continue to fade.


    It probably was disappearing even at this moment.


    Azell queried.


    ¡®Then I¡¯ll ask you something important. You exist to give me what message?¡¯


    Carlos wouldn¡¯t have made a remnant of his spirit to just stroke at his memories. There must be something he wanted to pass on to Azell.


    Carlos spoke.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know when you woke up. Also, I have no idea what the situation at that time period will hold.¡¯


    He just felt relieved that it didn¡¯t happen during his life time. The remnant of Carlos¡¯ spirit said so.


    ¡®I can only talk about the news based on when I lived. Azell, Atein is alive.¡¯


    ¡®What?¡¯


    Azell was taken aback.


    The Dragon Demon King Atein was alive? This can¡¯t be. Azell had killed him directly. Azell had killed him after setting up a situation where he couldn¡¯t have survived the final battle!


    Carlos spoke.


    ¡®To be precise, he didn¡¯t die all the way. Before you killed him, he prepared a method that¡¯ll allow him to revive himself. Moreover, this method is being secretly carried out by his followers, who follow his will. This has been going on for a couple decades.¡¯


    ¡®If a dead person resurrects, then this sounds a bit different from the Undead body?¡¯


    Undead body uses ck magic to recall the reaper above ground. However, they aren¡¯t actually alive. They are corpses moving with the help of magical energy.


    Carlos answered.


    ¡®Yes. It isn¡¯t the Undead body. This is a true rebirth.¡¯


    ¡®Is it possible? Even if it is Atein....¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯ve concluded that it is possible, but even I can¡¯t replicate it.¡¯


    ¡®Mmmm. If you concluded that it could happen then I guess it¡¯s possible.¡¯


    Azell trusted Carlos¡¯ judgement. At the very least, his predictions never missed the mark when it was rted to magic.


    Azell asked.


    ¡®Then he could have already resurrected by the time I woke up?¡¯


    ¡®I don¡¯t know. He could have revived or he could have failed to revive.¡¯


    ¡®What kind of an irresponsible answer is that?¡¯


    ¡®This will happen after I die, so why should I care? You have to live in the future, so I have to ovee my annoyance to give you a warning. Be thankful.¡¯


    ¡®That is really like you.¡¯


    Azellughed bitterly.


    Carlos spoke.


    ¡®When you woke up, I don¡¯t know how many of the arrangements I made had survived. I hope most of it survived, and it¡¯ll be a help to you.¡¯


    ¡®So there is no guarantee any of it have survived?¡¯


    ¡®Just think about what you did while you were living. You robbed many ancient ruins and mazes. After I am dead, how can I guarantee the arrangements I made won¡¯t meet the same fate? If one buries a treasure, then someone will always dig it back up.¡¯


    ¡®Mmm. That is true....¡¯


    The ruin, where Azell was asleep, was ced where not many humans would travel. However, the ruin was eventually found and a massive excavation work began. Didn¡¯t Azell wake up because of it?


    Suddenly Azell asked a question.


    ¡®Why have you appeared now? Why didn¡¯t you show up when I first awoke?¡¯


    ¡®I guess it is because you didn¡¯te out of the ruins using the normal procedure.¡¯


    ¡®Huh?¡¯


    ¡®You didn¡¯t get any of the items I prepared for you beforeing out?¡¯


    ¡®...correct.¡¯


    ¡®Since it is none other than you, I thought that possibility would be high. Without the power of the ruin, this remnant wouldn¡¯t have shown up in front of you.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t an easy task to maintain the remnant inside someone else¡¯s magical pulse for around 200 years. It was only possible for Carlos, who was an arch-mage.


    ¡®Inside the ruin, I left a map indicating where all the items you have to earn is located at. However...¡¯


    ¡®However?¡¯


    ¡®The fact that the remnant of my thoughts have appeared, it means the ruin is slowly losing its defensive powers, and it is transitioning into an emergency state.¡¯


    ¡®What?¡¯


    ¡®Someone broke through the protective system from the outside, so I appeared here to tell you the important informations. Also... When you are really in trouble, something you need will appear once and lend a helping hand..¡¯ (TLN: it¡¯s either something he needs or something that is needed ¨C he is making a vague statement)


    ¡®What do you mean by something I need?¡¯


    ¡®You will find out soon. Therfore... Live well.¡¯


    Whileughing bitterly, Carlos disappeared from Azell¡¯s dream.


    4


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe he became bald......¡±


    Azell¡¯s eyes naturally opened, and he muttered.


    The words he muttered came out of nowhere, so Arrieta asked.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Never mind. I was talking about my dream.¡±


    Carlos¡¯ apppearance in the dream was shocking. He used to be a cold handsome man who used to steal the heart of numerousdies. However, he lost all his hair when he grew old.


    Moreover, the fact that he had aged was shocking in itself. He had never thought he would be able to live and see his friend get old. Azell had never imagined it before.


    Suddenly, this made him realize anew that he (TLN:Carlos) had died, while he slept.


    Azell thought about the fact that he had been thrown into the far future by himself, and it made him feel lonely.

 Chapter 18 Dragon Slayers Ritual (3).

    <strong>Chapter 18 Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual (3).</strong>


    Chapter 18 - Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual (3)


    ¡®Atein is going to revive....¡¯


    Azell had put his life on the line to take down his arch-nemesis.


    The fact that he could be revived made him feel out of sorts. It wasn¡¯t the fact that the dead bastard could be revived. It is strange to say it, but it wasn¡¯t surprising to see someone dead be revived.


    ¡®It is quitemon to see the Undead.¡¯


    The incident of raising the dead through ck magic was verymon. At the very least, it was like that in the Dragon Demon war. After a difficult battle, they were able to kill the Dragon Demon race, but the dead bastards woulde back not too long after as a half-rotten corpse.


    They would yell......


    ¡®I can¡¯t crawl back into my grave until I have killed you all.¡¯


    The enemy who was burning for revenge had to be defeated once again, and this had happened around 10 times. The bastards killed by Azell came back as an Undead. Therefore, he could shrug it off as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal since ¡®it could happen¡¯. Still, this was a bit different. Apletely dead entity was trying to revive across a very long period of time....


    ¡®Maybe there is a connection as to why I woke up in this time period?¡¯


    The idea was entirely groundless. Didn¡¯t Carlos¡¯ remnant say he didn¡¯t know if the revival was possible or not?


    However, the more he thought about it, his heart beat faster. Maybe it was destined for Azell and Atein to fight once again in this time period. Then wouldn¡¯t this give purpose to Azell, who was separated from the people he knew and flung into this time period by himself?


    ¡®However, I have to learn and adapt to this time period first.¡¯


    Azell took one deep breath, and he shook off the thought. Then he started focusing on his current reality.


    Arrieta was looking at him as if he was a really strange person. It was funny to see a young girl stare at him like that, so Azellughed.


    ¡®She is a type I haven¡¯t seen even in the Dragon Demon war.¡¯


    It wasmon to see teens fighting in the war. At the time, everyone who had a bit of strength had to fight.


    However, even then there weren¡¯t anyone like Arrieta. She was the Dragon Demon Princess. She was a living proof that the humans and the Dragon Demon could coexist with each other. He was curious as to what kind of fate she carried.


    ¡®At the very least, it can¡¯t befortable.¡¯


    Once the Dragon Demon war had ended, he expected a peaceful time toe where everyone would be ableugh. However, Carlos believed that humans were an unreliable existence. He predicted there would be another different disastering... At the very least, Azell thought that it would be peaceful until the world could heal from the wound caused by the Dragon Demon race. He went to sleep with this expectation.


    However, by looking at Arrieta, he could surmise that the world hadn¡¯t improved much in the past 220 years. This young girl had to fight in battles with her life on the line, because of the station she was born into. She was deeply skeptical of humans as if it was par for the course.....


    Suddenly Arrieta asked a question.


    ¡°Why are you staring at me like that?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm. What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°It is as if you are looking at a novel(TLN:unusual) animal.¡±


    ¡°...my eyes are doing that?¡±


    Somehow he couldn¡¯t ept it. At the very least, she could have said it was a gaze filled with sympathy.


    ¡°Still, it was a weird gaze. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t perverted. If it was then I would have hit you.¡±


    ¡°I think princess is a bit too young for me to look at you like that.¡±


    ¡°You have an unknown background yet you are speaking like that towards a person of royal blood. If we were in the pce, you would have been charged with high treason.¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, we aren¡¯t at the pce.¡±


    ¡°That is true.¡±


    ¡°Also, it is pretty dark right now so I think it is reasonable to look at you like that.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe that you wouldn¡¯t be able to see me in this degree of darkness.¡±


    It was as she said. If he was a normal person then he would have difficulty seeing what was beneath his foot in this darkness. Azell and Arrieta had no difficulty seeing each other.


    ¡°Still, you said I¡¯m young.... I haven¡¯t heard those words in a long time.¡±


    Arrieta mumbled bashfully, and it made her look like a young girl akin to when she was asleep.


    ¡®Normally she must be self conscious so she puts on an overbearing attitude?¡¯


    She was able to get away with such an attitude, because her looks were very unique and beautiful. Her hair was white as snow, and she had the skin of a porcin doll. Moreover, her yellow eyes and the green feather-like horn sprouting above her left ear came together to form her looks, which was extremely mysterious.


    Suddenly Arrieta asked a question.


    ¡°Azell.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°How old are you?¡±


    ¡°This year... Mmmm. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve passed 30 yet. Maybe 26 or 27?¡±


    If he excluded the 220 years he was asleep then he was 26 year old.


    ¡°.....so you aren¡¯t really that much older than me?¡±


    ¡°Jeez. Even if we consider the lowest age of 26, isn¡¯t there a 9 year difference? When I was 9 year old, you probably weren¡¯t even born.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. That was then this is now. I don¡¯t think I should be treated like a kid.¡±


    ¡°Did I offend you?¡±


    ¡°No, it was just peculiar. However, you don¡¯t look that young in my eyes.¡±


    ¡°Really? How old do I look?¡±


    ¡°Maybe around 40 year old?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°For real.¡±


    Azell became sad. He had self-confidence that he was a tender young man. However, he had grown a scraggly beard, and he purposefully avoided grooming himself. Now he had to hear that he looked like a 40 year old!


    ¡®Shit.¡¯


    I don¡¯t care what other guys says, but he felt sad when a beautiful girl said it. Azell promised himself that he would immediately cut off his beard when he had the spare time.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°I learned how to wield a sword since I was seven year old. When I came of age at 15, my mind had to be like one of the warriors.¡±


    From that moment on, she had to go out to battle and fight. The throne decided where she should be deployed, and she was praised by the people wherever she went.


    ¡®The throne has sent the Dragon Demon Princess to fight for us. She is the born from the union of the king and the Dragon Demon race. She is the proof that we can live along side the Dragon Demon race.¡¯


    This was what her subjects thought. The Dragon Demon Prince and Dragon Demon Princess were significant existences.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard myself referred as being young after that. That is why I said your words were peculiar.¡±


    ¡°That kind of life.... What do you think about it?¡±


    Azell carefully queried. Arrieta nkly stared at the empty air, while answering back.


    ¡°Truthfully, I don¡¯t know. Since my childhood, everyone told me it was my duty. I was born for this reason, and I have to live this way......¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you scared?¡±


    ¡°I was scared when I entered into my first actual battle.¡±


    After she finished hering of age ceremony at 15 year old, she had stepped on to a battle field for the first time... Arrieta could never forget that incident until the day she died.


    ¡°It was nothing. In fact, I didn¡¯t even get a scratch.¡±


    However, others died instead of her. She had hesitated, while not really understanding the situation. During this time, the powerless soldiers had died. Arrieta could never forget that incident. Even now the faces of the soldiers, who had died at that time, would emerge in her mind.


    Suddenly, Arrieta asked a question.


    ¡°How about you?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You first actual battle.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm. I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember it exactly. However, I think I was around 10 year old.¡±


    ¡°Ten year old?¡±


    Arrieta was surprised. The Rin kingdom¡¯s conscription age was 15 year old. One could enlist only after having one¡¯sing of age ceremony.


    Azellughed bitterly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember most of it. However... It was a time when everyone was starving.¡±


    The Dragon Demon War erupted when Azell was 7 year old. Itsted 17 years, and it had concluded after leaving a huge scar on the whole continent.


    ¡°It was a period of time when everyone was starving, so there were a lot of people turning to banditry.¡±


    When humanity faced the enormous enemy called the Dragon Demon race, everyone joined forces and it transcended nationality, gender or status. However, not every human was of noble character. Inside the chaos, there were a mountain of humans that acted worse than beasts.


    Azell exined an appropriately edited version of the truth.


    ¡°Men like them raided the ce I lived. I fought and kill them. That was my first real battle.¡±


    Azell didn¡¯t have any memories of his parents. He was able to find out about his surname, ¡®Zestringer¡¯, through the keepsake left to him. He was one of the orphan refugees produced from the Dragon Demon war. He wandered around following other people, and he was able to settle in the mountainous regions until he was 10 year old.


    His first battle was standing up against the attacking bandits, and it was also the memory of his first kill.


    Arrieta was shocked.


    ¡°Such things happen in this world.....¡±


    ¡°I had no power, and I was young... When the moment came, I had no choice but to fight.¡±


    ¡°I asked about a useless matter. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t something you should apologize for. I asked about princess¡¯ past so we are even.¡±


    ¡°Is that so.¡±


    Arrieta looked at Azell with curious eyes.


    He was a strange man. He had endless amount of suspicious characteristics, yet she discovered that she trusted and relied on him. She was sofortable with his presence that she unwittingly told him her story she had bottled up within.


    For a moment, there was an awkward silence. Arrieta hesitated before she remembered a topic.


    ¡°Who did you learn your swordsmanship from?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t learn it from one person. The first sword art I learned was from an old militia man in a town I was staying in.


    Azell never had a master, who had taken responsibility for him and taught him from start to finish. Little by little, he learned the swordsmanship and spirit order from the people he had crossed path with.


    It was amon urrence that happens on the battle field. Unless one is born from a warrior family, one doesn¡¯t systematically learn martial arts and spirit order, while growing up. If one had money then one could invite an instructor to learn from him, but there weren¡¯t that many people born into such blessed environment.


    It was hard to progress when your situation was like a barren desert. However, only those who can survive through it is revered as strong.


    ¡°If I had to name my masters, then I would select about 5 people.¡±


    These were the people who had helped Azell over the walls he encountered when he was growing up. The current Azell wouldn¡¯t exist if not for these people who had guided him and gave him what they had without sparing anything.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone fight like you.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡±


    ¡°I was especially surprised that you don¡¯t have any attachment to your swords.¡±


    ¡°Weapons are disposable items.¡±


    ¡°The people who taught me about the sword said I should think of my sword as my life.¡±


    ¡°They were knights.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Well, you can think of it like that. However, I think differently. I¡¯d rather let go of the sword and live rather than die while holding the sword.


    Azell fought like that since his first real battle. He didn¡¯t have any weapons, so he had led the bandits toward a trap. Then he stole their weapon and killed them.


    Arrieta smiled.


    ¡°You are really an amazing person.¡±


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s better than hearing that I¡¯m weird.¡±


    Azell also smiled at her.

 Chapter 19 Dragon Slayers Ritual (4).

    <strong>Chapter 19 Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual (4).</strong>


    Chapter 19 - Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual (4)


    Contrary to Azell¡¯s fear, the Dragon¡¯s Shadow didn¡¯t attack them even when the day brightened. They had failed to capture the party again after the party escaped their surveince.


    It wasn¡¯t an easy task to find a lost target in a vast forest. Moreover, Azell and Arrieta spent sufficient efforts to evade the enemy¡¯s attention.


    Arrieta was impressed.


    ¡°Your Art of Concealment is very mysterious.¡±


    Azell was great at using his ability to hide his body. He used his Art of Concealment to hide himself, and he also used it to hide his party members. For a short amount of time, they basically ceased to exist. Even the most sensitive demonic beast passed by without seeing them.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°We are fortunate that our enemies aren¡¯t soldiers.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°If our enemies had the abilities of the scouts from the Western Border Guards, then we wouldn¡¯t have been able to escape. They would have found the tracks made by our movement.¡±


    Azell had a wealth of experience, but he didn¡¯t really know how to cover their track inside a forest. Their enemies were trying to track and find them through magic, so they were able to counter against it. If they were following their tracks then maybe they would already been caught.


    Arrieta was convinced by his words.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    They started intermittently moving at an explosive speed. Azell had Rick on his back, and Arrieta carried Enora. They climbed a tree, and they started jumping between the trees. They used this method to move around 100 meters. This method of moving fast also helped in thwarting the enemy¡¯s prediction of their movements.


    If Arrieta was alone, she would have already arrived at the destination. However, Azell wascking in magical force, so the distance he could move at once was limited.


    ¡®It¡¯s been awhile since I have felt the frustration of not having enough magical force.¡¯


    Azell mediated to recover his magical force then he breathed.


    Whether it was stamina, physical strength or magical force, everything wascking. The magical force stressed him the most, because it quickly ran out when he wanted to use a Spirit Order technique.


    If he was fighting an enemy, he didn¡¯t need to ration his use of magical force. He just used it explosively in the moment of his need. However, he had to constantly move right now. He had to use magical force, while minding his surrounding, so the shortage of magical force was a problem.


    ¡®This is straining my physical strength.¡¯


    For nearly a day, they moved inside the forest while only drinking water. If they hadn¡¯t slept at night then they probably would have copsed. Rick and Enora would have, not Azell.


    Truthfully, Enora didn¡¯t have the strength to walk anymore so Arrieta carried her.


    Suddenly Azell asked a question.


    ¡°Princess. By any chance, do you know how far we are from the fortress?¡±


    ¡°I believe we¡¯ll arrive there in about 30 minutes.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, it is too far.¡±


    ¡°Why so?¡±


    Arrieta felt a sense of danger contained in Azell¡¯s words.


    Azell replied back.


    ¡°Focus on the vibration beneath your feet.¡±


    ¡°Vibrations?¡±


    Arrieta followed his words. Then she detected the vibration transmitted from deep with the forest.


    ¡°Is someoneing towards us beneath the ground?¡±


    Arrieta spoke while thinking about Kirion. However, Azell shook his head from side to side.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Arieta looked at Azell¡¯s face, who was replying. This was the most serious face she had seen on him.


    Koo-roo-roo-roo-ro......


    At that moment, the vibration had be strong enough that Rick and Enora could also sense it.


    Azell yelled.


    ¡°A dragon ising. Evade it!¡±


    After a moment, the surface they were standing on copsed when arge existence ramaged below. Then arge amount of dirt exploded forth.


    Koo-gwa-ah-ah-ahg!


    Arge shadow jumped out from below. It was hard to belive that such arge being could travel within the earth. The silhouette looked like an elongated lizard, and it had dark brown scales that had a rock-like texture. It had a curved horn, and its red eyes were slit vertically. From head to tail, it measured over 30 meters, and it was a monster with a castle-like bulk.


    It was a tyrant located on top of the food chain. None of the demonic beasts or monsters could rival it. This was a dragon.


    ¡°It really is a dragon!¡±


    Arrieta was taken aback.


    As a Dragon Demon, she was able to sense its existence when the dragon was nearby. However, she had never faced a dragon before so her instincts was stimted in an uncertain way.


    When the surface exploded and the monster soared into the sky, she could only be shocked at that moment.


    Such arge being moved inside the earth, and it had leaped tens of meters above the ground!


    The dragon¡¯s bulk was sorge that it slowly fell in an arc. Once the small hill-sized dragonnded, a cloud of dust burst forth like an explosion.


    Koo-goo-goo-goo-goong!


    The ground shook as itnded and the Earth Dragon¡¯s form slid across the ground. The ground turned upside down and the beautiful trees snapped like straws as it was blown away.


    ¡°What in the world...¡±


    Arrieta forgot what she was about to say.


    She had seen manyrge monsters during her lifetime. It was her job to confront them when they harass her subjects. However, the dragon was bigger and more unrealisticpared to any other beings she had seen.


    Azell¡¯s voice was heard near Arrieta¡¯s ears, who was standing there absent-mindedly.


    ¡°These bastards know of a way to mobilize a dragon.....¡±


    Arrieta was surprised when she saw him. He had draped Rick over his right shoulder, and Enora was carried on the left side.


    The approaching dragon¡¯s oppressive presence made her dazed. She didn¡¯t even think about evacuating the two of them.


    Arrieta¡¯s face turned red in embarrassment.


    Azell spoke as if he didn¡¯t see anything.


    ¡°If the dragon is tracking us then we won¡¯t be able to escape.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Dragons are able to strongly sense the presence of Dragon Demons and humans.¡±


    ¡°It can do that?¡±


    This was the first time Arrieta had faced a dragon, so she wasn¡¯t aware of this fact.


    However, she was able to strongly sense the dragon approaching so conversely she couldn¡¯t protest if the other could do the same.


    Suddenly, a hoarse woman¡¯s voice was heard.


    ¡°You know a lot about dragons.¡±


    Regina¡¯s figure appeared between the trees. At the same time, Azell was able to detect the other enemies through the ¡®Sight¡¯ on him.


    ¡°There are two more, Princess.¡±


    ¡°I have no idea how you are able to sense our presence. Do we smell?¡±


    Jackal showed himself, while grumbling, and another simrly dress person was also there.


    ¡®That bastard isn¡¯t Kirion.¡¯


    Azell was able to tell he wasn¡¯t Kirion. I guess he didn¡¯te out, because of the injuries he suffered yesterday?


    ¡°That¡¯s right. You guys smell like fungus infected feet, and there is a sewer-like smell mixed in there also. Why don¡¯t you guys wash yourselves before moving around?¡±


    Azell tried to provoke them.


    Their Art of Concealment was truly surprising. However, if their gazes were on Azell, then the fact that they are ¡®looking¡¯ at him couldn¡¯t be hidden.


    Regina spoke.


    ¡°Feel free to chatter. This will be your grave, omninously named one.¡±


    Koong! Koong! Koo-oong! (TLN: boom)


    Therge red-eyed Earth Dragon was approaching from behind her.


    6


    Azell asked her a question.


    ¡°There is one thing I am curious about...¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°What do mean by my name is ominous?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to know about it.¡±


    ¡°Is it because my name is identical to Azell Karzark?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Regina was startled at Azell¡¯s probing words. He couldn¡¯t see her face, because of the veil of darnkness yet he could tell she was agitated.


    Regina spoke.


    ¡°...how did you know?¡±


    ¡°I just guessed it.¡±


    Azellughed detestably. Then he spoke.


    ¡°So the organization called ¡®Dragon¡¯s Shadow¡¯ must have some connection to the Dragon Demon King Atein.¡±


    ¡°I want to say you are very perceptive, but... It makes me question whether or not you have some ability to read minds.¡±


    Regina spoke coldly.


    Arrieta mumbled to herself.


    ¡°They are worshippers of the Dragon Demon King? No wonder.¡±


    ¡°Worshippers of the Dragon Demon King? There is such a thing?¡±


    Azell was taken aback.


    Azell didn¡¯t know about it since he was asleep for a long time after the Dragon Demon war had ended, but numerous worshippers of the Dragon Demon King had appeared afterwards.


    The wicked religious belief was mainly centered around the Dragon Demon race, but some humans agreed with them.


    Humans should have equal rights. However, the origin of a person was judged by each other¡¯s worth, and it was wrongly divided by ss.


    The Dragon Demon race were the most superior entity on the surface of the earth that could stand above all others. If the humans were conquered by the Dragon Demon race then everyone under them will live equally....


    There were several organizations who had this ideology. However, they all held amon belief that Dragon Demon King Atein would revive someday to create a righteous world. (TLN:Humans are suppose to have equal rights, but ss system/wealth makes it impossible for all humans to be equal. So if there was an race that was superior to human in charge of them then all humans would be equal in their eyes. It¡¯s a twisted logic.)


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m at a loss for words.¡±


    Azell had needled Regina, because he had a groundwork of a conjecture from the information given to him by Carlos.


    It is the fact that the Dragon Demon King is going to revive.


    These people were connected to Atein¡¯s will, and they were secretly working to revive him.


    From Azell¡¯s perspective, it was matter of course for him to connect the dots.


    She said the name Azell was ominous enough for him to die, and this also helped to further support his spection.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°So you are trying to kidnap the princess and use her in some nefarious work?¡±


    ¡°I have no obligation to answer that.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer it. Also... Is that dragon an ace up your sleeve?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    Regina was full of confidence. She was sure that an Earth Dragon and 3 members of the Dragon¡¯s Shadow would be able to subdue Arrieta, and kill Azell, Rick and Enora.


    Then the Earth Dragon moved.


    Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!


    The Earth Dragon¡¯s body disappeared as if it was sinking into the earth. At the same time, the surface was destroyed, and the dirt exploded into the air. It struck Azell and hispanion like hail.


    ¡°Princess! Take Miss Enora!¡±


    Azell yelled desperately, and he jumped up while carry Rick. After he reached the top of a tree, he jumped higher. From the ground, magical attacks were sent towards him.


    Pa-ba-ba-baht!


    Azell fell towards the ground after he was hit. Rick screamed.


    ¡°Ooh-wa-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahk!¡±


    However before Azell started to fall, he kicked the air as if there was a surface and it slow his speed. He grabbed on to a branch, and he circled it beforending lightly.


    From behind, therge body of the Earth Dragon surged out from the ground apanying an explosion and it started to attack Arrieta.


    ¡°Shit!¡±


    The figure of the Earth Dragon flying out from beneath the surface was akin to a dolphin leaping above the surface of the water. Therge body was able to move in such a way, and the sense of reality seemed to crumble just by looking at it.


    Arrieta held Enora by her side, and she reflexively swung her sword.


    ¡°Oh Evil Darkness, Split!¡±


    Pah-ah-ah-ah-ahng!


    A light was emitted from the path of the sword, and it scored a direct hit on the Earth Dragon.


    Previously, the light from the sword had ughtered couple dozens of monsters in a single strike, but it was futile against the Earth Dragon. The Earth Dragon was dyed for a moment before it started descending as if nothing had happened.


    Arrieta was barely able to escape using her Instantaneous Movement technique. However, the magic sent by a member of the Dragon¡¯s Shadow approached her the next moment.


    ¡°Ooh-ook....!¡±


    It was a magical curse that restricted the movement of its target, and it also decreased the target¡¯s bodily function. Regina and her other associates were both powerful magicians, so it was difficult for her to dispel their magic even if it was Arrieta.

 Chapter 20 Dragon Slayers Ritual (5).

    <strong>Chapter 20 Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual (5).</strong>


    Chapter 20 - Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual (5)


    In the meantime, Jackal dashed out from between the trees like a gale, and he attacked Azell.


    Ka-ah-ah-ahng! (TLN: sound of sword ringing)


    Azell put Rick down and he faced the sword head-on.


    It was a strike where he didn¡¯t have time to think. Jackal¡¯s sword strike was so fierce that Azell¡¯s body started sliding backwards. Jackal spoke in a chaotic manner.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really want to return those words.¡±


    Azell answered indifferently. The ambush copsed his stance, but he didn¡¯t show any signs of panic.


    Jackal felt a sense of danger from his expression.


    Soo-paht! (TLN: slicing sfx)


    The next moment something passed by and it cut his hood. The veil of darkness became turbulent, and the upper portion of the hood was thinly sliced.


    ¡°What did you do....!¡±


    Jackal was horrified as he retreated hurriedly. He was sure Azell was being forced back when their swords were locked together. However, a sword attack came from his blind spot.


    Azell smiled.


    ¡°Well, what do you think I did?¡±


    ¡°Impudent bastard! You are merely a human!¡±


    ¡°How many times in the human history has that line been said? Why don¡¯t you use some creativity? Has your head hardened from having a stupid dragon¡¯s blood?:


    ¡°You bastard....!¡±


    Jackal burst into a fit of rage at Azell¡¯s provocation yet he couldn¡¯t carelessly rush forward. He had no idea what methods Azell had used.


    Azell stared at him indifferently, but he was kicking himself inside.


    ¡®This is bad.¡¯


    It was a shame that he wasn¡¯t able to critically injure Jackal a moment ago with a decisive blow. Jackal¡¯s wariness had gotten too strong, so he wasn¡¯t going to rush forward.


    Azell had used a simple method. He used his Concealment technique to hide the other sword and at a decisive moment, he used it to attack from a blind spot. Azell¡¯s one-handed use of the sword was so natural that Jackal couldn¡¯t fathom Azell had using two swords.


    Koo-goo-goo-goo-goo-goo...! (TLN: ground shaking noise)


    It was at that moment. The ground shook, and eventually it swelled like wave.


    Azell looked towards the Earth Dragon with desperate eyes. Eventually, the Earth Dragon lifted its head.


    ¡®Roar of a Dragon!¡¯


    It was an attack method akin to a cmity where the dragon poured out all of its strength at once.


    Koo-gwa-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah! (TLN: earth destruction noise)


    The earth was overturned and an explosive sound rang out.


    The roar centered around the dragon, and the shock wave spread out while being transmitted across the surface of the ground. It killed everything above the ground.


    The surface of the earth was peeled off as a whole, and all the grasses and trees on the surface was blown away. The massive amount of earth dropped like hail after exploding, and it covered everything.


    Koo-goo-goo-goo-goo.....(TLN: earth shaking sfx)


    A radius of couple hundred meters shook, and the cloud of dust that had magnificently risen started to settle down.


    7


    The dragon was basically an existence akin to a walking disaster.


    The physical rampage of such arge existence would cause enormous damage yet it also had mastery over the natural phenomena of the same element. It had the power to freely control the earth.


    Fortunately, the dragons rarely bumped against the humans.


    If one looked at their habits, they set their territory and reigned over it like tyrants. They were simr to wild animals. Moreover, they were reluctant to approach human territories to an abnormal degree.


    Despite this fact, the humans gathered a lot of information on the dragons. Once in awhile, the human poption had collided with a dragon. The damage caused by one of them was so vast that it was almost unbelievable.


    Even if she had learned about them.... Arrieta realized the truth. She really didn¡¯t know anything about a dragon.


    ¡®I¡¯m no match against it.¡¯


    In the past two years, she had faced evil ck magicians and even a crazed Dragon Demon. The fact that she had such experiences enabled her to stay calm when confronting the members of the Dragon¡¯s Shadow.


    However, the Earth dragon in front of her eyes was on a different level. Her hands were full just from running and escaping therge body that was attacking her.


    ¡®Enora....¡¯


    Moreover, Arrieta had someone she had to protect. Enora had a paleplexion and she had fainted, while being held by Arrieta. A normal young girl couldn¡¯t cope with such a situation. Also, there was a lot of physical burden being applied to her.....


    ¡®It¡¯ll be dangerous if I continue to use the Instantaneous Movement method.¡¯


    The Instantaneous Movement method allowed one to move a distance of several dozen meters in an instant, but it puts a huge load on the body.


    As a Dragon Demon, Arrieta was endowed with a body that couldn¡¯t bepared to a normal person. She was unrivalled in her strength and sturdiness. The Dragon Demon Magic protected her.


    However, Enora had fainted under the pressure of just one Instantaneous Movement.


    Koong! Koo-oong.....! (TLN: dragon footstep sfx)


    The Earth Dragon pushed through the dust storm in front of her, and its approaching footsteps rang out.


    Could she evade while not using the Instantaneous Movement method? Every time the Earth Dragon moved the surrounding became widely devastated. Moreover, the members of the Dragon¡¯s shadow kept holding onto her ankles.


    ¡®It won¡¯t work....¡¯


    Arrieta felt a dark despair. Had she ever been in a situation in her life where there wasn¡¯t an answer to a solution?


    It was at that moment.


    ¡°I have no choice.¡±


    She heard Azell¡¯s voice.


    Arrieta was surprised so she turned to look at the direction where the voice came from. Azell was walking toward her with Rick draped around him, and he was flicking blood off of his sword.


    Arrieta muttered to herself absent-mindedly.


    ¡°Azell Zestringer....¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t my style to flip a card without seeing what¡¯s behind it.... Carlos is perverse even in his death.¡± (TLN: Azell thinks Carlos is involved somehow)


    Azell smirked then he put down Rick beside Arrieta. At that moment, a voice filled with hatred was heard.


    ¡°You bastard....!¡±


    ¡°You are still alive after being hit by that? You are very sturdy.¡±


    Azell already knew about this yet he spoke shamelessly. Beyond the dust cloud, Jackal¡¯s stumbling figure was revealed. However, there was arge cut across his chest and he was losing a lot of blood.


    A moment ago when the Earth Dragon let out its Roar of the Dragon, Jackal was taken aback so he waspletely defenseless. Instead of evading the approaching catastrophe, he prioritized attacking Jackal.


    This resulted in Jackal being critically injured. Even if he was a Dragon Demon with a sturdy physique, he was in danger if he didn¡¯t get immediate healing.


    Azell snorted.


    ¡°Hoong.(TLN: noise made by nose, hmmph) I wanted to end your life... Now I don¡¯t have the time to deal with someone like you.¡±


    ¡°What did you say? Bastarrrrrrd.....!¡±


    ¡°Jackal! Stop!¡±


    Regina was toote in understanding the situation. She yelled desperately. However, it was after Jackal had exploded. The Dragon Demon Magic responded to his anger, and a storm-like wave poured out. Jackal attacked Azell, while surrounded by blue mes.


    Poo-ook! (TLN: sound of de piercing flesh)


    A horrifying sound of destruction rang out.


    ¡°Uh....?¡±


    Jackal, who had just used the Instantaneous Movement method to attack Azell, suddenly came to a stop, and an idiotic moan leaked out.


    The two swords were pierced through his body like skewers.


    ¡°Where in the hell did this...¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? I have no time to deal with someone like you.¡±


    Azellughed coldly. Then he stared at Jackal with eyes filled with contempt.


    ¡°I can manipte the Sight and read the flow of thought. Someone who doesn¡¯t even have the eyes to observe one¡¯s opponent dares to fight against me.... Apologize to the strong power you possess. Are all the Dragon Demons these days of low quality?¡±


    Azell hadn¡¯t lost Jackal¡¯s location for even a moment. He predicted which direction he¡¯lle from after he had inflicted the critical wound. He used the two hidden swords to set up a trap. He had injected his magical force beforehand, and its flight was controlled remotely. It was easy for Azell to perform this skill.


    ¡°You.. Stupid....¡±


    Jackal died immediately after his lung and heart was pierced.


    Regina and herpanion shuddered. Instead of feeling angry about theirpanion dying in front of them, the fear they felt for Azell, who was staring at them with cold eyes, wasrger.


    ¡®What is this guy?¡¯


    They could only feel a fistful of magical energy from him. Until now, she had killed countless number of humans with stronger magical energy than him.


    However... She couldn¡¯t see the floor. (TLN: it¡¯s a metaphor)


    Objectively, the difference between their power was absolutely immense, but he used ridiculous methods to defeat his opponents every time. What kinds of a magic was he using?


    Koong.. Koong... Koo-oong.....! (TLN:footstep sfx)


    While he was in a confrontation, the Earth Dragon came closer during that time. Azell spoke.


    ¡°Princess. Escape with Rick and Miss Enora.¡±


    ¡°...what?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll block the dragon.¡±


    ¡°What, what are you talking about?¡±


    Arrieta was taken aback.


    She knew Azell was strong. One couldn¡¯t assess his true strength just by looking at his outer appearance. At the very least, Arrieta couldn¡¯t even reach the tip of his toes in terms of mastery over battle techniques.


    However... It was an entirely different matter when facing a dragon. Even if he was extremely skilled, if he didn¡¯t have overwhelming strength then how could he face a dragon?


    Azellughed bitterly.


    ¡°To tell you the truth, I... I have a really perverse friend.¡±


    ¡°......?¡±


    ¡°This person always wants to see a person at their worst. Even though he could help immediately, he wants to see a person cornered so he could evaluate the worth of a person. Well. asionally, you might not believe this, but sometimes he waits for the exact moment where he could could take credit for everything.¡±


    ¡°...he doesn¡¯t sound like a human I want to associate with.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. However, if he acknowledges your worth then he¡¯ll treat you very well. He¡¯ll even put his life on the line for you.¡±


    Carlos was such a man in Azell¡¯s memories. Everyone avoided him yet he was so talented that people had no choice, but to rely on him. He was an entric magician.


    ¡°That is why I trust him.¡± (TLN: I think he is assuming Carlos put some contingency n in ce)


    ¡°What does that have to do with this situation?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s relevant.¡±


    After speaking those words, Azell stepped in front of the Earth Dragon. The Earth Dragon stopped and turned its head questioningly as if it had responded to Azell¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Dragon.¡±


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°My name is Azell Zestringer.¡±


    Then the name of an absolute trial that was buried within his memories leaked out of his mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯ll challenge you to the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.¡±


    8


    Kirion, a member of Dragon¡¯s Shadow, was inside the underground building, which was assumed to be Carlos¡¯ ruin.


    He was ordered to look over the ruins with the backup that had arrived, because he had been injured the day before by Azell. He was dissatisfied, but it was an order from Regina, who held a higher position than him.


    ¡°Every time we approach anything it gets wasted.¡±


    Kirion¡¯s voice revealed a trace of anger, and the back up from the association grumbled.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Initially, it must have been decided that whatever inside wouldn¡¯t be turned over to an outsider.¡±


    There was a limit to how many reinforcement that could be dispatched in one day to an isted location. Another Dragon Demon magician like Kirion hade here.


    He was a dark magician that gave off a dark energy. Kirion also treated human lives as if it was worth no more than that of a fly, but he didn¡¯t use the death itself as a tool like this ck magician. He shuddered at the energy emitted by the ck magician.


    However, his skill was undeniable. Kirion used every method at his disposal yet he couldn¡¯t open the ruin¡¯s defensive barrier. The ck magician opened it in just 12 hours.


    However, the trouble came afterwards.

 Chapter 21 Dragon Slayers Ritual (6).

    <strong>Chapter 21 Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual (6).</strong>


    Chapter 21 - Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual (6)


    Unlike their worries, the ruin didn¡¯t have any systems that¡¯ll threaten the lives of the intruders. However, the items that was stored inside and the relics that was acknowledged to have value by the Archmage Carlos was destroyed when they approached it.


    The ck magician spoke.


    ¡°I have no idea what the purpose of this ruin is. The relics are ruined just from a touch by an outsider....¡±


    Normal ruins were a space where one stores valuable relics. Therefore, there were strong defensive systems ced to protect the relics. It was rare to see an extreme method like this where the relics were destroyed before it could be taken by the intruders.


    Still, this ruin was weird. There weren¡¯t any strong defensive systems yet it would make the relics inoperable if a intruder got close.


    ¡°This is the only ce left....¡±


    Kirion and the ck magician arrived at the cetral portion of the ruin.


    While they wereing here, they could only watch as seven relics were wasted.


    Then at the central room... There was a blue and white lighting from something like a crystal.


    Kirion mumbled.


    ¡°What is this? Is it a spirit? Or is it an energy source?


    The structure was made from light, and the object didn¡¯t feel like it was real. It was assumed to be a spirit integrated with a strong power or an energy source..


    However, the ck magician disagreed with him.


    ¡°No, it is a closed space.¡±


    ¡°Closed space?¡±


    ¡°A very dense closed space is surrounding something. However....¡±


    The ck magician used his magic to make contact with it. It was at that moment.


    Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-oong.....! (TLN: think light saber noise)


    Suddenly, the light structure started to vibrate violently, and it started to open. Kirion and the ck magician retreated in surprise.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea. However, be ready for an impact.¡±


    The ck magician¡¯s expression was pensive, and he deployed his barrier. The magical force emitted by the light structure was immense. If its purpose was to cause destruction through an explosion, then it would easily blow this ruin in a sh.


    However, none of what they feared came to fruition. The violently vibrating light structure suddenly disappeared as if it had flickered out.


    Kirion dumbly muttered to himself.


    ¡°What was that?¡±


    ¡°I believe....¡±


    The ck magician continued to speak as he stroked his chin.


    ¡°It must have flown somewhere by leaping through space.¡±


    9


    Arrieta dumbly mumbled to herself.


    ¡°Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual? What is that?¡±


    Azell was resolutely staring at the Earth Dragon, but his spirits fell at her words. He looked at Arrieta as if he was amazed.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know about the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of it.¡±


    ¡°...what has happened to this time period?¡±


    Azell mumbled in low spirits.


    Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    ording to legends, the dragons made a pact with the humans and this was the ritual that had been passed down.


    If a human had wisdom that the dragons coveted then the dragons would ept the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual. The dragons rarely refused the ritual. The reason being the ritual was a method used by the dragons to acquire something they really wanted, which was wisdom.


    The ritual was a one-on-one mortalbat. The dragon and the one who challenged the dragon fight one-on-one. This was different from a dragon just eating a human. By being victorious in the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, the dragon could absorb part of the challenger¡¯s wisdom as its own.


    If the challenger wins and ys the dragon, then the challenger drinks the dragon¡¯s blood to gain part of its power. The human and dragon put there life on the line, and it was a battle fought to gain either wisdom or strength. This was the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    Arrieta was taken aback when she heard the description.


    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve heard of this.¡±


    ¡°...I really don¡¯t now what has happened during all this time.¡±


    Azell felt frustrated as he mumbled to himself then he red at the Earth Dragon.


    After a moment, the Earth Dragon nodded its head. It gestured to epted the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    ¡°Ok.¡±


    Azell raised his sword, and pointed it at Regina.


    ¡°You said you were Regina? I¡¯ll warn you since you might not know anything about the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. There is a condition one must adhere to. It is the fact that this is a one-on-one battle.¡±


    During the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual between Azell and the Earth Dragon, no one is allowed to intervene. The one who interferes will receive the dragon¡¯s wrath.


    ¡°What?¡±


    This was the first time Regina had heard about this fact, so she was taken aback.


    Azell turned back toward Arrieta and spoke.


    ¡°Please take care of Rick and Ms Enora.¡±


    ¡°You really are thinking about challenging the dragon alone?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not thinking about it. I¡¯ve already done so. The Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual started once the dragon agreed to it. I cannot back out of it now. Therfore... Please leave.¡±


    Azell smiled, while looking at Arrieta. He looked at her golden eyes, which was filled with embarrassment, and it reminded him of old days.


    ¡°Yes. Do I need a reason for putting my life on the line for others?¡±


    It had always been that way. He had taken up a sword and put his life on the line, just so he could save someone¡¯s life even if he didn¡¯t know the person that well.


    If he was a loner then he would have a hard time doing this. He would have given her to the enemy, and he would have escaped by himself in the end. Even though heined, he had decided to stick by her side. This moment had already been heralded.


    ¡°Princess¡¯ responsibility is to take care of the aftermath. If we survive this then we¡¯ll meet again.¡±


    ¡°Wait.....!¡±


    Azell ignored her words, and he ran towards the Earth Dragon. Finally the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual had started.


    Arge wall of earth sprang up in front of Azell, who was using the Instantaneous Movement method to move. Azell immediately changed direction, and he escaped to the side. This was the direction where Regina and herpanion were located at. At that moment, the two here taken aback when Azell appeared in front of them.


    The Earth Dragon howled.


    Koo-ah-ah-ah-ah!


    The surface flipped in its entirety, and a wave of earth flew towards him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always like surfing!¡±


    Azell elerated while saying this. Regina was shocked.


    ¡°No!?¡±


    Surprising, Azell was running while riding the wave of earth that was surging forth. He ran toward the crest of the surging wave of earth, and he jumped over it.


    Afterwards, the wave of earth fell on them. The duo escaped from that ce, while spitting out curses.


    ¡°Ha-ah!¡±


    Azell had created a situation he wanted and when he reached the crest of the earth wave, he used the Instantaneous Movement method to shoot towards the Earth Dragon.


    Pa-chang! (TLN: sword sfx)


    The Earth Dragon quickly turned its neck, but it was impossible for therge body to dodge. Azell¡¯s sword strike grazed by the Earth Dragon¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Kook....!¡± (TLN: a form of groan)


    Azell had pulled off a splendid attack, but hisplexion wasn¡¯t good. Azellined.


    ¡°Shit. Is it impossible to do this with my current strength?¡±


    The unscathed Earth Dragon looked back towards Azell. Azell¡¯s sword strike left only a faint mark on its neck. Most forces wouldn¡¯t even be able to wound it.


    The current Azell could use every method in his disposal, but he wouldn¡¯t be able to wound the dragon. If you don¡¯t have strength then you will get ughtered no matter how outstanding your skill is.


    Azell red at the Earth Dargon with nervous eyes.


    He mumbled.


    The scale of the dragon was sturdier than steel. Moreover, the dragon possessed powerful magic, which protected its body.


    ¡°This should be enough right, Carlos? Give me the item you prepared.¡±


    ¡®How did you know?¡¯


    Suddenly, a foreign voice rang out inside Azell¡¯s mind. It was Carlos¡¯ voice he had heard inside his dream.


    ¡°Is there anyone else who knows you better than me? Even if you aged and became bald, there was no way your personality would have changed for the better right?¡±


    ¡®I told you to not talk about that subject!¡¯


    Carlos¡¯ remnant flew into a rage. Azell smirked.


    ¡°How would I not know if a remnant had disappeared or not from my energy pulse?¡±


    ¡®I guess your senses haven¡¯t dulled even though you slept until I died.¡¯


    Carlos¡¯ remnant snorted.


    Azell had indirectly spoke about Carlos¡¯ story to Arrieta. He had bid farewell to Carlos¡¯ remnant inside his dream, but he had already realized that the remnant hadn¡¯t disappeared, and it still remained. The remnant had inherited the personality of the Carlos that Azell had known. Until now, the remnant had examined the details of the events as time passed by and he was looking for the golden opportunity where he could take the maximum amount of credit. (TLN: basically he wants to save the day)


    ¡°Koo-roo-roo?¡± (TLN: dragon growl)


    The Earth Dragon tilted its head in front of him. It acted strangely as if it could hear the conversation happening inside Azell.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m in a crisis where the current me can¡¯t do anything here. Stop being so cantankerous and help me.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    The remnant of Carlos sighed.


    ¡®So this will be my real farewell. I wanted to watch a little bit more, but it isn¡¯t going as I want it. I don¡¯t get why my fate is so turbulent.¡±


    ¡°You are right. It was nice seeing you. Really.¡±


    ¡®You are saying some embarrassing things. Don¡¯t die.¡¯


    Carlos¡¯ remnant snorted. The existence that was residing in Azell¡¯s energy pulse extinguishedpletely. Then the magic trump card that was preserved for 200 years activated.


    Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh! (TLN: energy sfx)


    Blinding light started emanating from Azell and the earth shook. The sudden phenomena made the Earth Dragon flinch and it retreated.


    Then... A sh of light stabbed down from the sky.


    Kwa-gwa-gwang! (TLN: thunder sfx)


    Thunderous sound rang out and the earth shook. From inside the light, a sword emnating a blue luster was revealed.


    ¡°I guess this is the arrangement you had made.¡±


    From inside the light that was swirling around him, Azell put his hand forward and grasped the sword.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t have guessed you would preserve my Dragon Maken for 220 years... You really deserve to be called an arch-mage. Truly, I would have never imagined this.¡±


    Dragon Maken.


    This was the weapon Azell had used to fight against the Dragon Demon King Atein. There was only one like it in this world, and only the owner Azell could used the sword.


    The sword was directly shaped by Azell and it was his alter ego. The sword used Azell¡¯s


    thoughts and magical energy as nutrients to exist so he hadn¡¯t expect it be preserved for 220 years.


    Hoo-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh! (TLN: wind sfx)


    The light dispersed, and a gust of wind started to rage. Beneath the fluttering red hair, Azell¡¯s blue eyes shined more strongly than ever.


    Azell appeared while grasping a sword leaking a blue luster. The magical force from the Dragon Maken flowed in and it filled his magical pulse to the brim. His ring of life started vibrating crazily.


    ¡°Unfortunately, this is only a momentary miracle.....¡±


    Azell¡¯s blue eyes was full of luster and he looked at the Earth Dragon.


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you the strength of a human, who had defeated the Dragon Demon King.¡±


    Then the blue storm started to rage.

 Chapter 22 Dragon Maken (1).

    <strong>Chapter 22 Dragon Maken (1).</strong>


    Episode 22 - Dragon Maken (1)


    At that moment, every existence in the continent with the presence of dragon blood shuddered.


    ¡°A new Dragon Demon Qi is born.....?¡±


    This was mumbled by a woman lost in mediation inside the darkness. She had strong magical energy wrapped around her body, and she could dimly sense the event happening in a far away ce.


    Dragon Demon Qi.


    It was a refined form of a dragon¡¯s power, and it was created using a soul as an ingredient. It was the very definition of a true magical weapon.


    Another voice was heard from the darkness.


    ¡°Did you say Dragon Demon Qi?¡±


    ¡°How can that be?¡±


    ¡°There is no way the Dragon Demon Qi was born in this era.¡±


    ¡°This era has even forgotten about the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.¡±


    With that as a start, many voices started flying around.


    The woman spoke.


    ¡°This sensation.... I¡¯m sure of it. A new Dragon Demon Qi was born outside of our territory.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll agree it feels the same. This sensation... I could never forget it.¡±


    ¡°However, there is no way a new Dragon Demon Qi would be born.¡±


    ¡°There is no coincidence in the birth of the Dragon Demon Qi.¡±


    ¡°Everyone should end the transmission, and let us aid in damaging the Spirit Order¡¯s vision.¡± (TLN: I¡¯m guessing they can interfere from long distance)


    They were talking about doing something horrible. One couldn¡¯t tell what they were talking about, but by observing their nuanced talk, it was revealed that they were in the process of performing an act of historic proportions.


    ¡°However, thetter exnation is possible. There might be an owner of Dragon Demon Qi we failed to kill. Someone might have woken up from sleep and there is a possibility that he recovered his Dragon Demon Qi.....¡±


    ¡°ording to our records, thest owner of the Dragon Demon Qi, who didn¡¯t belong to us, died 60 years ago. There is no way one could sleep that long.¡± (TLN: I¡¯m guessing Carlos)


    ¡°It might be a real possibility that a new Dragon Demon Qi was born. Could we guarantee that the work we have carried out was perfect? This world isrge and isn¡¯t there a lot of humans?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm....!¡±


    A brief silence ensued inside the darkness.


    Soon, the woman spoke.


    ¡°Currently, I guess he have no choice but to observe. Let us wait until the new master of Dragon Demon Qi reveals himself to the world....¡±


    2


    In between the dispersing light fragments, his red hair was fluttering.


    Once he grasped the Dragon Maken, which was flowing with blue light, Azell felt power surge into his entire body. The feeling of helplessness, which had weighed him down since his awakening, disappeared. His old self, who had swept through the battle fields like a storm in the Dragon Demon war, was revived. The energy was making him excited and Azell tried hard to coldly assess the situation.


    ¡®Its condition is better than the time I woke up.¡¯


    The Dragon Maken wasn¡¯t in a good condition even if it was emitting a strong power. It was analogous to a person having a hard time getting up when one is sick.


    It was inevitable. While the Dragon Maken was hibernating through the winters, it was basically like a wild animal losing all its umted energy.


    It had even forgotten the name it was given the moment it was born. Azell couldn¡¯t pull out its true ability which he had honed with it.


    It had reunited with Azell after jumping over a long period of time, and the only thing it could do was burn its existence. (TLN: basically cannibalize its own energy)


    Koo-roo-roo-rooo.... (TLN: growling sfx)


    The Earth Dragon shuddered. The quality of powering from the human, who had challenged it, was very different from before. He was emitting enough pressure for even a dragon to be afraid.


    Koong! (TLN: boom!)


    The small human took one step and the earth shook.


    Koong! (TLN: boom!)


    After another step, the atmosphere vibrated and a gust of wind raged.


    ¡°Now. Come at me.¡±


    Azell baited the dragon, while smiling.


    The human had a presence that was on equal footing with a dragon. Even though the Earth Dragon ran across a situation it didn¡¯t understand, it continued to move.


    The Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual had already started. The ritual doesn¡¯t end until one side is dead.


    Koo-roo-roo-roo...... (TLN: growl)


    The Earth Dragon emitted a mighty magical wave. Soon, the Earth Dragon looked to the sky and roared.


    Koo-ah-a-ah-ah-ah! (TLN: rawr)


    It was the ultimate destructive method emitted by a dragon, Dragon¡¯s Roar!


    The attack that had turned over the earth for a radius of several hundred meter was initiated. The forest that had been ruined was about to go through another catastrophe.


    However, Azell¡¯s figure disappeared the moment the roar rang out.


    Kwa-haha-hat! (TLN: sfx of sword slicing)


    The Earth Dragon, who was about to roar, swallowed its breath and it stumbled. A long wound appeared on its neck before the Dragon¡¯s Roar could be used, and its red blood sttered.


    Koo-uh-uh-ung! (TLN: dragon in pain sfx)


    The Earth Dragon screamed in pain. It was the first time in its life it had experienced pain. After hatching from its egg about hundred and couple score years ago, it had gained independence from its parents. After it had settled down in the corner of the Bn Forest, there had been no existence that was able to wound it.


    The Earth Dragon heard Azell¡¯s voice.


    ¡°It turns out it is a young dragon.¡±


    Azell was observing the Earth Dragon from atop a half broken tree.


    The Earth Dragon had a bodyrger than a house, so it was strange to hear the expression of it being ¡®young¡¯. Dragons had a lifespan of several thousand years, but it matured for 30 years.(TLN: main growth happens in the first 30 years of its life) Afterwards, it bes the ultimate tyrant with no natural enemies.


    The Earth Dragon in front of him had finished its growth and it had an adult body. After its growth period ends, it continues to grow minutely, but it was hard to see the change even if couple hundred years had passed.


    Still, Azell decided the Earth Dragon was young. He could tell after one battle that it didn¡¯t have much experience and it was immature.


    ¡®Humans have forgotten the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, but the Dragons haven¡¯t forgotten it. While it knows about the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, I guess it doesn¡¯t know anything about fighting a life-and-death battle?¡¯


    The Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual was a immemorial tradition. It was a pact made between an unknown strong magician and the dragons.


    The dragons may be dumb, but the knowledge of the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual was etched into their blood and passed on. Simr to every being able breathe without knowing how to breathe, every dragon knew what the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual was.


    However, even if they knew about it, it doesn¡¯t mean they had carried it out before.


    Basically, the dragons do not know how to fight very well. The weapons they were born with were too strong and it let them easily achieve victory just by swinging their weapons.


    Therefore, there was a big difference between a dragon who is experienced in fighting, and an inexperienced dragon. Moreover, a dragon, who had experienced the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual before, is much more dangerous.


    This Earth Dragon fell into neither of those options. This is its first time going through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual and it had never fought against another dragon. Azell was sure of this fact.


    ¡®If it was experienced then it wouldn¡¯t have used the Dragon¡¯s Roar in that fashion.¡¯


    Using the Dragon¡¯s Roar was an overkill when trying to kill one mere human. It was analogous to using a siege weapon to kill a single ant. While it allows one to pour out its maximum power at once, its defense bes vulnerable. The power protecting its body bes weak, and an attack that wouldn¡¯t usually scratch it could wound the dragon.


    Previously, Azell¡¯s strike was able to leave a deep wound because of this logic.


    Koo-roo-roong! Ka-roong! (TLN: more dragon noises)


    The Earth Dragon let out a intimidating howl.


    Azell was the first strong opponent the dragon has faced. Until now, it had easily killed all of its preys. His threat level was simr to its own race!


    During this time, the wound on its neck was rapidly healing. If a human had the same wound then the person would be half dead. However, it had healed as if it was never there.


    It had a phenomenal regenerative ability.


    ¡®It¡¯s probably going to get real now?¡¯


    It was as Azell predicted. The earth beneath his feet exploded, and stones shot toward him like arrows.


    Puh-puh-puh-puh-pung! (TLN: sound of stone hitting trees)


    The force of the stone being shot was so strong that it made holes in the beautiful trees.


    However, Azell was already gone from that spot. In a sh, he used the Instantaneous Movement method to change location, and he ran towards the Earth Dragon.


    Of course, the Earth Dragon didn¡¯t stay in the same ce. It hid itself by burrowing into the earth.


    ¡®Alright! That¡¯s more like it.¡¯


    Azell realized he was getting excited.


    If one thought about it, it was very unlike Azell to wait for the Earth Dragon to heal after the initial attack. Moreover, he should have taken advantage of the Earth Dragon being flustered. He should have settled it in a single bout. If he had done that, then he would have easily seeded in killing the dragon.


    However, during the couple days he had been awake, he had received a lot of stress from his own powerlessness. Now that he had the Dragon Maken in his hand, the desire to experience its power was amplified.


    This was why he wasmitting a illogical act of taking a break even when facing a dragon.


    ¡®I showed a weakness by being drunk on power. I guess it was unavoidable even for me.¡¯ (TLN: he gave the dragon time to heal. he wasn¡¯t thinking straight.)


    Azell corrected hiscency, and he refocused his mind. He didn¡¯t have enough information about the current world. While he was ignorant, he could easily lose his life if he was careless.


    Koo-goo-goo-goo-goo-goo....... (TLN: sfx of dragon moving through the ground)


    The Earth Dragon was moving at high speeds beneath the earth, and the after effect caused the ground to vibrate.


    Azell estimated the location of the Earth Dragon. While Azell had his feet on the ground, the Earth Dragon knew his exact location like the back of its hand.


    However, Azell also knew the Earth Dragon¡¯s location. Now that his power had been recovered by grasping the Dragon Maken, his senses could detect what his eyes couldn¡¯t see.


    ¡®Right now!¡¯


    Soon, Azell moved at lightning speed and he surrounded his body with Protection Magic.


    Pa-hak! (TLN: shing sound)


    The Earth Dragon leapt, and its body cut through the blue light.


    ¡®It was too shallow!¡¯


    Blood poured out from the long wound on the Earth Dragon¡¯s body.


    However, it was too shallow. It had split open the thick hide, but only blood came out. It wasparable to a human getting a slight cut on the skin.


    Rather, Azell was the one who had suffered. He rebounded high into the air and his muscle hurt like it had been ripped.


    ¡®Shit! As expected, in my current condition, I can¡¯t just use brute strength.¡¯


    Spirit Order allows one to use strength beyond human limits, but in the end, the power is used by a human body. The magical energy is used to painstakingly reinforce the body, and the stronger the body is, the more reinforcement could be used.


    However, Azell¡¯s current body was pathetic. After being awaken, he had regained his human-like looks, but that was it. He didn¡¯t have a good enough foundation to correctly use the power he had received from the Dragon maken.


    ¡®Cheap tricks won¡¯t work.¡¯


    He was able to achieve tactical victories over all the enemies up until now, but he had to adapt now. He usually secured an advantageous position by deceiving the senses. He used misdirection to catch people off guard.


    The problem was these methods wouldn¡¯t work against a dragon.


    One couldn¡¯t mislead a dragon¡¯s senses.


    It was impossible to artificially distort a dragon¡¯s mind or senses using the Spirit Order¡¯s mind techniques or magic. This limited most of the tactics Azell could use.


    Kyah-ah-ah-ah-ah! (TLN: another dragon sfx)


    The Earth Dragon, who was swimming beneath the ground, jumped out. It started to roar and the ground shook. The strong vibrations made it nearly impossible for one to stand upright. Moreover, the already messily upturned ground of the forest to move like a wave.


    For a human to disy one¡¯s strength, it was imperative for the human to have stable footing. If he was a magician then he would have flown through the air like a bird. However he used martial arts and he couldn¡¯t use his strength properly when the surface was unstable. This was why it was important to train the lower body, and strengthen one¡¯s bnce. If it was the old days, Azell would have been able to stand on top of a sword swung by his enemy since he had trained his bnce to the extreme.


    However, even that degree of bnce would be useless in this situation.


    The ground continued to crumble, and it was like a antlion¡¯s pit.(TLN: you¡¯ll have to google it) What else could he do when the ground eroded and shook?


    ¡®It is smarter than I thought.¡¯


    Azell regretted the fact that he gave the Earth Dragon a chance to utilize its strength, and he tried toe up with a countermeasure.


    He couldn¡¯t fall down. Spirit Order didn¡¯t have any flight techniques. There existed techniques which allowed one to change direction in mid-air or jump again.


    Unfortunately, there weren¡¯t any stable surfaces he could step on so he couldn¡¯t properly use the Instantaneous Movement method. First, he got on a tree, which was some distance from the ground. This afforded him some freedom of movement.


    However, the Earth Dragon would not sit idly by, while Azell escaped.


    The ground moved in a wave, and it gathered in one ce. The earth started to form the shape of arge hand. Several earth hands formed and flew towards him. It had targeted Azell.


    ¡®It¡¯s a construct!¡¯


    The dragon used the power of the element it had dominion over. It was able to make multiple entities, which it could control freely. This was called the Dragon¡¯s Construct.


    Oooooooooooh! (TLN: sfx construct makes)


    The Dragon¡¯s Constructs moved toward him, while emitting a strange sound.


    3


    Azell was able to move by stepping on empty air, but there was a limit to it. The moment his mobility decreased, the Dragon¡¯s Constructs swept towards Azell.


    ¡°Hmmm!¡±


    The blue sword light danced wildly. Every time he swung his sword a sharp sh of light followed in its trajectory. The Constructs that were struck were cut very easily.


    He was able to cut the Dragon¡¯s Construct, but he couldn¡¯t hold them back. Would an existence formed from earth receive damage from being cut?


    However, Azell¡¯s sword energy was like a storm.


    Every time the sword was swung the atmosphere shook. Moreover, everything within its reach of influence were broken into pieces and dispersed.


    Hooooooooooong! (TLN: sfx of tail moving through air)


    The Earth Dragon¡¯s tail, which was thicker than a whole tree, flew in like a whip. Azell was defending against the rocks, so he was caught off-guard. It was timed in a way where he didn¡¯t have a chance to avoid it.


    Azell yelled.


    ¡°Shit! Let¡¯s do this!¡±


    GGwaaaaaaaaang! (TLN: boom!)


    Explosive sound rang out.


    A crater formed from the impact, and it shook the earth. In the middle, Azell and the Earth Dragon were flung apart in opposite direction. Azell turned several cycle in the air before hended on the ground and he slid back an extra several dozen meters.


    ¡°Ooh-ook. I almost died.¡±


    He had offset some of the damage by jumping over the terrain. Azell¡¯s hand reached toward his nose. There was blood flowing out of his nose. Then the hand gripping the Dragon Maken burst open.


    However, it was a low cost for going head-to-head with an attack that could destroy an entire castle. Also, his opponent didn¡¯t escape unscathed.


    Koo-roo-roo-roo-roo..... (TLN: another dragon sfx)


    The Earth Dragon let out a painful sound. Surprisingly, the Earth Dragon also rolled a couple times on the ground after being thrown from the collision with Azell.


    Moreover, the tail that had hit against the Dragon Maken was in a sorry state. The bone had been cut. The tail was hanging on by a thread, and great amount of blood fountained forth.


    While in this state, the Earth Dragon¡¯s eyes met Azell¡¯s, and it was spooked. It roared, while it was gripped with fear.


    Kaaaaaaaaaaah! (TLN: dragon sfx)


    The Dragon¡¯s Roar exploded forth and the earth flipped over.


    ¡°So you still want to continue with the trial of strength?¡±


    Azell was still reeling from the impact. It was toote to dodge with the Instantaneous Movement method.


    ¡®Then..... This is my chance!¡¯


    Azell held up his Dragon Maken with determination. Magical energy circted in high speed between his body and his de. Then light emanated forth.


    ¡°Haaaaaaaaaaaah!¡±


    The ground he was on exploded, but Azell kept his position without moving. The light that was surrounding his body blocked the vibration and the exploding earth out. However, numerous scratches started to form on his body.


    Azell focused enough that he forgot about all of his pain. At this moment, he would die if the flow of his power was disturbed even by a small amount!


    His Ring of Life vibrated vigorously, and it seemed like it was about to break. The magical energy elerated inside his energy pulse as if it was about to burn. This brought back the memories from the Dragon Demon War. The moment he faced a strong enemy with his life on the line, he recalled the ultimate skill he used through his sword!


    ¡°Here ites!¡±


    After the shout, his bloody body started to move.


    Ggwaroo-rong! Ggwa-roong! (TLN: Thunder sfx)


    Beneath the blue sky, thunder rained down and the thunderp rang out.


    Blue thunderbolts appeared around the Dragon Maken at its center. It red up while it cut through the tidal wave of earth. From inside, Azell¡¯s blue eyes lit up.


    ¡®Thunder Dragon¡¯s Horn!¡¯


    The body, which had survived the vibrations of the earth being flipped over, elerated and broke the speed of sound. This was the secret technique he had used in the Dragon Demon War, which allowed him to cut down a Dragon Demon protected by powerful magic in a single strike!


    Ggwa-gwa-gwa-gwa-gwang! (TLN: explosion sfx)


    The sound of the explosion rang out after the blue streak of lightning had parted the Earth Dragon. (TLN: he broke the sound barrier, so sound was dyed)


    It rang out a secondte. Simrly, the wave of earth was also parted by Azell, and there was a vacuum between Azell and the dragon.


    Koo-rook, ggooo-goo-gook....! (TLN: more dragon sfx )


    A big groan came out from the Earth Dragon¡¯s mouth, and the impact caused arge cloud of dust to rise up. Inside the cloud of dust, the Earth Dragon¡¯s body was cut diagonally, and it sank while red blood fountained forth.


    From beyond the dust, Azell was able to clearly see the shadow of the Earth Dragon fall.


    Kooooooong.....! (TLN: sfx of body hitting ground, boom....!)


    Therge body of the dragon fell, and the sound of the crash reverberated.


    4


    It was long after the ground stopped lurching. Azell, who had dirt all over his body, started walking shakily.


    ¡°Cole-rok, Cole-rok.(TLN: sound of a wet cough) This is driving me nuts.¡±


    He had defeated the Earth dragon withparative ease, but Azell wasn¡¯t in a good condition. The blood loss from his superficial wound made him dizzy, and he also had a lot of internal damage.


    Moreover......


    ¡®Ah Ah.¡¯


    The power that had charged his entire body was slowly leaking out.


    The power he had received from the Dragon Maken was temporary.


    The Dragon Maken used his soul as an ingredient, and it was refined using magical energy and the dragon¡¯s power. It was a one-of-a-kind ultimate weapon that exists solely for him.


    For it to exist, Azell had to be there. It had to resonate with Azell¡¯s soul, swallow his thoughts, and be injected with magical energy for it to maintain its existence.


    This meant that during Azell¡¯s long sleep, the Dragon Maken was destined to slowly lose its sense of self, and it would cease to exist. Carlos deserved to be called an Arch Mage just from the fact that he was able to preserve the Dragon Maken for 220 years. Even though it had jumped through time to return to Azell¡¯s hands, it wasn¡¯t able recharge itself from Azell. Instead, it was about to fall apart after giving him the power that formed it.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Azell apologized to the Dragon Maken.


    In Azell¡¯s way of thinking, weapons were mere tools and he didn¡¯t confer any more meaning to it. He had no reasons to cling to it. However, the Dragon Maken was made from his soul and it was made to be his other self. It couldn¡¯t talk, but it had a will of its own. There was an internal sympathetic link between Azell and the sword.


    This was why Azell apologized to the Dragon Maken as if it was alive.


    Ssssssssssss......


    After losing its sense of self, the Dragon Maken disintegrated like dust. Azell looked at the dissipating blue foam, and he made a promise to the Dragon Maken.


    ¡°Sooner orter... We¡¯ll meet again.¡±


    He¡¯ll revive the Dragon Maken the day he recovers his former strength.


    Once the Dragon Maken disappeared, Azell staggered toward the Earth Dragon¡¯s corpse.


    The Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual had ended. As the victor, it was time for him to im his prize.


    Azell¡¯s strike had blown half of its body away. Its heart was half gone, but it was still palpitating while blood spurted out.


    As the victor of the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, he had to drink the dragon¡¯s blood to obtain part of its strength.


    However, he didn¡¯t have to drink the enormous quantity of the dragon¡¯s blood. The drinking of blood was a symbolic gesture, whichpleted the ritual.


    Azell cupped his hand near the torn heart, and he collected the falling blood. Then he slowly raised it up to his mouth and drank it.


    Doo-goon! (TLN: ba-dump)


    His heart pulsed.


    The life force within his injured body circted and his wound started to heal quickly.


    Doo-goon! Doo-goon! Doo-goon! (TLN: heart beating sfx)


    Azell¡¯s hearted started beating out of control, and this caused him to sit down.


    In front of him, the corpse of the Earth Dragon, even all of the blown away parts, started to emit a light.


    The lights floated into the air and it gathered towards Azell. The ritual had been passed down since the ancient times, and the loser had to donate everything to the victor.


    Oooooooooooh! (TLN: energy sfx)


    The whirlwind of light wrapped around Azell¡¯s figure and amidst these light Azell¡¯s consciousness turned white.

 Chapter 23 The 220 year gap (1).

    <strong>Chapter 23 The 220 year gap (1).</strong>


    Chapter 23 - The 220 year gap (1)


    Arrieta opened her eyes.


    ¡°Mmmm.....¡±


    A strange sensation was stimting her senses. This was why she was waking up from her deep sleep.


    ¡®Is it Dragon Demon magic?¡¯


    There was an existence, who possessed Dragon Demon magic, nearby. Did that presence wake her up?


    ¡®No, something is different....¡¯


    It felt simr to the Dragon Demon magic she knew, but something was a bit different. She couldn¡¯t exin what was different, but it felt very foreign.


    Arrieta soon realized the fact that she wasying on afortable bed.


    ¡°This is......¡±


    She knitted her brows. Soon she was able to assess the situation.


    This ce was the Western Border Fortress.


    She remembered the events that had taken ce before she had fainted.


    Arrieta had taken advantage of the confusion created by the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual to escape from that ce. However, she had to move, while holding Rick and Enora like baggages, so the members of the Dragon¡¯s Shadow quickly caught up to her.


    Afterwards, a battle ensued. She had to fight her pursuers every step of the way as she moved closer to the Western Border Fortress.


    She hadn¡¯t eaten anything for a day yet she had to fight multiple battles so Arrieta was very tired. Moreover, she had to fight an arduous battle with Regina and her partner, while trying to protect Rick and Enora.


    Fortunately, the Western Border guard had mobilized before her tank was emptied.


    The Earth Dragon¡¯s movement was too noisy, so the Western Border Fortress became aware of it. After finding it, they dispatched their main force including their elite troops. Also, the battle between Arrieta and the Dragon¡¯s Shadow was noisy, so they were quickly found.


    Once the situation turned, the members of the Dragon¡¯s Shadow eventually epted that their n had failed. They had no choice, but to retreat.


    Arrieta was as exhausted as she could be. She told the Western Border guard about Azell then she had fainted.


    Then she had opened her eyes, and this was her current state.


    ¡°Mmm.¡±


    Arrieta rang the bell, which was ced next to her bed. Soon a lone soldier opened the door and entered. He spoke carefully, while having a very nervous attitude.


    ¡°You have awakened. Princess.¡±


    ¡°Is this the Western Border Fortress?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°How much time has passed since I lost consciousness?¡±


    ¡°It has bee 4 hours since you have arrived here.¡±


    ¡°Four hours......¡±


    She had lost consciousness for longer than she had expected. Even though, she had stepped onto the battle field since she was 15 years old, this was the first time she had experienced being cornered to this degree.


    The soldier spoke.


    ¡°Ah, yourpanions is unharmed. They should be receiving treatment at the infirmary.¡±


    ¡°I see. Thank you. Could you lead me to them?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Arrieta followed the soldier towards the infirmary.


    The infirmary was very busy. There were a lot of wounded people and the healers were busily moving around.


    Even the haggard looking Rick was helping out.


    ¡°Medical officer Rick.¡±


    ¡°Princess!¡±


    Rick ran toward her with wide eyes when he saw her.


    Suddenly, the surrounding people stirred. They had all stopped breathing, and they were all looking at her.


    Arrieta didn¡¯t concern herself with the gazes, and she queried.


    ¡°How¡¯s your body?¡±


    ¡°Fine. Thanks to you.¡±


    He had suffered from the load put on him from the Instantaneous Movement method, and he was transported while being slung around her. It had caused him to have motion sickness, and he had thrown up everything inside him.... After arriving here, he had thrown up again. He was a mess, but he didn¡¯t have to tell her that. She had brought him with her while putting her neck on the line. Wasn¡¯t he alive because of her?


    ¡°While princess had lost consciousness, the survivors from the ruin excavation site was found by the search party. After one after another was found, they joined this ce. Suddenly, there were a lot of injured people, so it is a bit hectic.¡±


    ¡°I see. Where is Enora?¡±


    ¡°She isying down over there.¡±


    Rick guided her toward Enora¡¯s bed. Enora had various bandages around her body. After spotting Arrieta, she stood up in surprise.


    ¡°Princess.... Ouch.¡±


    However, Enora soon grabbed her head, and she stumbled. Arrieta spoke while helping her.


    ¡°Lie down. You¡¯ve gone through a lot of hardship.¡±


    ¡°Ooh-hook(TLN: sobbing noise), Princess....¡±


    Enora was about to cry. The events leading up toing here was too harsh for a 13 year old girl to withstand. Arrieta smiled gently, and she wiped away the tears. Enora made a face as if the world was about to end.


    ¡°Ahhhhhhh, you shouldn¡¯t. Princess. You shouldn¡¯t do this. This is too much....¡±


    ¡°...huh?¡±


    ¡°Princess is going around in such a dishevelled state. Ahhhh. If this bes known then the head maid will murder me!¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Was this the reason why she was about to cry? Arrieta was taken aback so she stared at her dumbly.


    ¡°How can you be so indifferent, Mr. Soldier! I shouldn¡¯t have have left her even when the men folk said they¡¯ll take care of the princess.. Hook-hook.(TLN: crying noise, sob)¡±


    ¡°M, Mister.....¡± (TLN: the term used is Ah-juh-shi ¨C it refers to older men usually married. Usually men passed their prime )


    ¡°I¡¯m only 19! I¡¯ve haven¡¯t even had a girlfriend yet....!¡±


    The ¡®Mr. Soldiers¡¯ from the surrounding heard her words, and they stared at her as if they had been wounded.


    Arrieta felt embarrassed so she avoided their gazes. Sure enough, Arrieta¡¯s appearance was shabby. After she had escaped the ruin excavation site, she had fought while traveling through the forest for a whole day. How could she be clean? Her hair was tangled, and her face was covered in dirt. Even her coat was dirty.


    ¡®I guess it can¡¯t be helped since it¡¯s the battle field?¡¯


    She had stepped on the the battle field at the age of 15, so she didn¡¯t have much interest in being a neat freak. She grew up being educated this way since her childhood.


    Arrieta spoke with sigh in her voice.


    ¡°Enora. Let us put that problem to the side... First, go get some rest.¡±


    ¡°But, princess.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m capable of washing my face, and brushing my hair. If that doesn¡¯t satisfy you, you can quickly recover and serve me.¡±


    After saying this, Arrieta forced Enora to lie down. She had no choice but to follow suit.


    At that moment, Rick gave a fake cough behind her back.


    ¡°Hmmm. Princess. Well......¡±


    ¡°Mmm. I¡¯m sorry. I showed you an unsightly appearance.¡±


    ¡°No, you haven¡¯t. Actually, I have one thing I have to speak to you about....¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about Azell.¡±


    ¡°Ah, what happened to him? Did he return safely?¡±


    As a matter of fact, she had thought about asking about Azell. She had left words to the search party. Did he safely join up with them?


    ¡°That is.....¡±


    Rick hesitated. Arrieta¡¯s heart skipped a beat. (TLN: her heart throbbed should be correct, but I kind of like ¡®skipped a beat¡¯)


    ¡®Don¡¯t tell me he got eaten by the dragon?¡¯


    She had no idea what the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual was. However, it was a fact that he had challenged the dragon by himself.


    Could he win against a dragon by himself? Rather, was it possible for him to survive and escape?


    She was flooded with all kinds of ominous thoughts when Rick spoke.


    ¡°Mmmm. You just woke up so you must still be tired. I apologize but.... Could you go see themander, and vouch for Azell¡¯s character?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Arrieta eyes became round when she was given an unexpected request.


    2


    ¡°Oh, Princess. You arrived safely. I¡¯m happy to see you again.¡±


    Beyond the bars, Azell was smiling brightly and waving his hand while wearing a heavy chain with handcuffs on his two arms.


    ¡°.......¡±


    After seeing him, Arrieta couldn¡¯t think of anything to say.


    The clothes Azell was wearing was tattered, and his whole body was covered in dirt. He looked like he had worked in a forcedbor camp for a couple month. However, she couldn¡¯t see any wounds and he seemed to have quite a lot of energy.


    Arrieta queried.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°The search party located me. Didn¡¯t they tell you what they saw?¡±


    ¡°I heard, but.....¡±


    The search party found the part of the forest, which was overturned, as if a storm had swept through. Also, they found the Earth Dragon¡¯s dead body, which had died after losing massive amount of blood, and Azell was meditating in font of it. When they asked what had happened, Azell told them that another dragon showed up while he was running away from the Earth Dragon. He testified that the other dragon appeared and killed the Earth Dragon.


    ¡°Did the other dragon really show up?¡±


    ¡°Maybe I saw a phantom since I was terrified. However, if that hadn¡¯t happened then who could have killed the dreadful dragon?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.¡±


    Arrieta was immediately aware that Azell was lying, but she didnt¡¯ question him any further.


    Instead, she spoke to the knight who had apanied her.


    ¡°This person is Azell Zestringer. He travelled with me. He has helped me in lots of way whileing here so release him. Also, treat him well.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    The knight immediately opened the prison cell door, and he released Azell from the handcuffs, which was imprisoning him.


    There was a simple reason why Azell was locked up inside a cell. The ruin excavation site was attacked by an unknown horde, and numerous people were killed, so it was a situation where they couldn¡¯t easily trust an unknown person.


    They had located Azell¡¯s whereabouts, but Arrieta had to wake up and confirm whether he was the real Azell or not. Rick testified for him, but Arrieta was the one who had initially asked for Azell. Therefore, it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to apologize.¡±


    ¡°No. I understand that the army is an organization that could only be run this way. Aside from being imprisoned, nothing bad happened to me.¡±


    Azell spoke in an easy going manner.


    Truthfully, the Western Border guard hadn¡¯t done anything harsh to him. They had imprisoned him because the situation was too dangerous, and his identity was in question.


    The restraints might have been an overkill, but they took this measure when the scouting party¡¯s knights and magicians identified him as a Spirit Order practitioner. If they let a person with superhuman strength move around freely then they could suffer great damage if he has evil intention in his heart....


    ¡°I¡¯ll take steps to get you clean clothes after you wash yourself.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll listen to your story afterward. Moreover, Rick expect to hear from you so show your face to him.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After parting from Arrieta, Azell followed the low ranking soldier, who was called over by the knight, to the bathing house.


    It would have been problematic if it was winter, but he could wash his body without conserving water in this season.


    ¡°Hoo-ooh, this is great.¡±


    Azell was immersed inside a bathtub made out of stone, and he sighednguidly. In the current season, it would have been normal for him to tremble from cold when immersing his body in cold water. However, his face became red as if he had entered a sauna.


    Truthfully, his surrounding started to steam. It was the magical effect of Spirit Order. Steam started rising up and his skin took on a rosy color.


    After he washed his body for a long time, Azell stepped out, while having a refreshed look.


    ¡°Hmmm. Should I cut my beard?¡±


    After hearing Arrieta say that he looked like 40 year old man, he had decided he must cut his beard. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have a razor.

 Chapter 24 The 220 Year Gap (2).

    <strong>Chapter 24 The 220 Year Gap (2).</strong>


    Chapter 24 - The 220 Year Gap (2)


    ¡°Well, I can do this.¡±


    For an advance Spirit Order Practitioner, a shaving knife was merely a decoration. While looking at his face on the surface of the water, he swept his hand across his chin once. This caused all the dirty beard he was growing to fall off cleanly.


    If the soldiers saw this then they would have been jealous of this method. After he finished shaving, he dried himself with a towel and he put on the neatly folded clothes. Then he swept his hair back and tied it off. He looked halfway decent now.


    After he had taken a bath and put on decent clothes, he looked entirely different from his previous state. His hair was crimson as if it was burning, and he looked like a splendid young man with blue eyes.


    ¡°I have to quickly grow my muscles.¡±


    Azell looked at reflection of his body on the surface of the water, and he started posing to entuate his muscles. However, the definition had yet to emerge.


    ¡®I would have never thought it would be this difficult.¡¯


    Before he went in hibernation, his body was perfectly trained like a marble statue. However, it was a body made from training long hours since his childhood. Therefore, Azell wasn¡¯t sure whether he could create his muscles in a short amount of time. Now that he had tried it, it wasn¡¯t as easy as he thought. He was able to bulk up his body, but it required a lot of time to shape the muscles to his liking.


    ¡°Well, there is no such thing as easy work in this world.¡±


    While grumbling, he went to look for the infirmary, and Rick was surprised.


    ¡°Are you really Azell?¡±


    ¡°I am. You don¡¯t have to emphasize it.¡±


    ¡°You look like an entirely different person. If it wasn¡¯t for the color of your hair, I wouldn¡¯t have recognized you.¡±


    Azell¡¯s hair was red as if it was burning, and it was very eye-catching. His hair was very fragile when he first woke up, but now his hair was very lustrous. It looked good.


    Suddenly, Azell asked a question.


    ¡°I¡¯m d everyone arrived safely. Do you know what happened to Sir Giles by any chance?¡±


    ¡°Sir Giles arrived not too long ago and he is resting. He arrived after recovering a lot of his men.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fortunate.¡±


    Azell sighted in relief.


    Suddenly, Rick lowered his voiced and asked a question.


    ¡°So, Azell, what really happened?¡±


    When Azell requested the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, Rick had already fainted. Afterwards, he wasn¡¯t able to hear a good exnation from Arrieta. Also, he had heard various stories from the scouting party, who had returned, and he had a hard time believing most of it.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°It is as you have heard. The bastards called the Dragon¡¯s Shadow used some method to involve a dragon to capture the princess. I don¡¯t know if it held a grudge or if there was another reason, but another dragon showed up. The dragons warred against each other. That¡¯s what happened.¡±


    ¡°From one to ten(TLN: this is a direct trantion, its like saying ¡°From start to finish¡±), it sounds like lies, but I experienced all of that....¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that how the world works? You can boast about itter.¡±


    Azell patted Rick¡¯s shoulder.


    3


    ¡°Wah, you look much younger than I thought?¡±


    Enora¡¯s eyes became round as she talked. Her reaction made Azellugh bitterly, and he queried.


    ¡°What did you think my age was previously?¡±


    ¡°About 40 years old?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Arrieta and now Enora said the same thing so his previous appearance must have made him look really old. Azell promised himself that he¡¯ll never grow his beard ever again.


    Azell queried.


    ¡°Anyways, isn¡¯t it too early for you to get up and move around, littledy?¡±


    Enora was neatly wearing her maid outfit, while she still had bandages on. Since she had alreadye to call on him, she must be back to doing her work.


    ¡®She is a littledy, but she has a keen sense of professionalism. Jeez.¡¯


    While he was admiring her, Enora red at Azell, while she had her hands on her hips.


    ¡°Well, it might not look that way, but I¡¯m serving as the royal maid as the daughter of the highly regarded Balray family. Therefore, you can¡¯t just call me that.¡±


    ¡°Ughh,e to think of it....¡±


    Unless there is a special reason, one doesn¡¯t serve as a maid for the royal family. One has to at the very least be a daughter from a noble¡¯s family. He guessed that part hadn¡¯t changed even in this time period.


    Enora saw Azell¡¯s expression starting to crumple so Enora feigned generosity as she spoke.


    ¡°I guess i can forgive you since you saved me. However, you can¡¯t call me littledy.¡±


    ¡°May I call you Miss Enora?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll allow that much.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, pardon my bad manners. Miss Enora.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine if you realize it. You look pretty good after you washed and shaved your beard. How about paying attention to your hair?¡±


    ¡°My hair?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It is very shaggy, so it doesn¡¯t look very good. Please cut it.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡±


    Azell scratched his head as if he was embarrassed. Enora spoke.


    ¡°Please put aside some timeter.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll specially cut your hair.¡±


    When she saw Azell only blink his eyes, Enora thumped her chest with pride.


    ¡°Appearances aside, I groom princess¡¯ hair. For a guy like uncle, you won¡¯t ever experience a service like this in your life time. So you should feel honored.¡±


    ¡°Wow, I¡¯m really honored? Still, I don¡¯t think you should call me uncle....¡±


    ¡°How old are you?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm. I¡¯m about 26 years old?¡±


    ¡°Then you are an uncle.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Certainly, it was correct for a 12 year old girl to consider a 26 year old an uncle. However, he couldn¡¯t help but be wounded.


    ¡°Anyways, princess is waiting for us so please follow me.¡±


    ¡®I haven¡¯t even married, yet I¡¯m being called an uncle....¡¯


    Azell followed Enora, while heined inside.


    He arrived at Arrieta¡¯s room and unlike the time he saw her in prison, she looked clean. Enora had groomed her, so she had a princess-like appearance.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry it took this long to call you. I was thinking about having dinner with you, but themander invited me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that I wasn¡¯t called to attend.¡±


    ¡°Themander wanted to, but I stopped him. I guess I made the right choice.¡±


    Arrietaughed yfully, and she offered Azell a ce to sit. Then she stared at Azell¡¯s face.


    There were no words being spoken. Azell felt awkward, so he cleared his throat.


    ¡°Is there something on my face?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m just surprise that you are younger than I thought.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before? I¡¯m 26 years old.¡±


    ¡°Still, you didn¡¯t look like it. Now I can believe those words.¡±


    Soon, Enora prepared the tea. Arrieta spoke when she saw Azell bring the tea cup to his mouth.


    ¡°I was right to think that you are a noble.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Your etiquette in drinking the tea looks very natural. One wouldn¡¯t be able to do that if one wasn¡¯t properly educated.¡± (TLN: maybe he had his pinky up?? )


    ¡°Is that right?¡±


    Azell calmly tilted his head. However, he felt startled inside.


    When he was young, he was an orphan with an unknown origin, but after bing the hero of the Dragon Demon War, he became a member of the noble society.


    Therefore, he worked hard on his manners. He put in a lot of effort as much as he put into learning swordsmanship. This was revealed in the way he drank his tea, and the minor ways he conducted himself.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t realize it would be this difficult.¡¯


    He would rather disguise his swordsmanship since he could absolutely conceal it. Azell had learned various styles of swordsmanship, so he was able to easily disguise his real style.


    However, it was hard to conceal one¡¯s conduct. He had to work hard at learning his manners, so he didn¡¯t really know any other way to drink his tea.


    Arrieta spoke while having a dubious expression.


    ¡°Except... Something is a bit weird.¡±


    ¡°Which part are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The manner in which you drink your tea evokes a sense of antiquity.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°The etiquette may be from a regional area or a foreign country.... However, it feels simr to the etiquette of the Nadick Kingdom I learned when I was a child.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell continued to break out in cold sweat inside. This was something he hadn¡¯t thought of. After 220 years had passed, thenguage itself hadn¡¯t changed, but the vocabry that filled thenguage had changed. The words Azell had used in his time had changed a bit or entirely new words had cropped up. Azell was quick at picking things up and he was pretty quick on the uptake. He used the Spirit Order technique on regr people, and he used it to fill in the gap within thenguage using telepathy.


    However, the change in etiquette was aplete blind spot for him. The noble society¡¯s mad it a point to differentiate themselves from themon people through their speech and movement. Depending on the region and the time period, it was inevitable for it to change. After the Nadick empire copsed, seven kingdoms emerged and now Azell¡¯s etiquette could only be seen as disparate.


    ¡®I guess it was fortunate that I didn¡¯t act like a noble?¡¯


    The nobles were particr about their speech and conduct, but they did not force it on themon people. The manners of a noble was something that differentiated them from themon people.


    Therefore, the current basic etiquette on treating someone above your station was simr to before. Since Azell was amon person, there weren¡¯t any problem stemming from the way he treated Arrieta. If he acted like a noble then he would have been put in an awkward situation.


    Fortunately, Arrieta didn¡¯t dig any deeper into that subject.


    ¡°Hmm. I guess your memories haven¡¯t recover.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°It is unfortunate.¡±


    Arrieta made a faint smile. It was obvious to her that Azell had a secret that he had a hard time talking about. His actions were too absurd for her to continuously believe his lies.


    However, Arrieta decided to bury it. Azell was her benefactor, and he was a figure she wanted to trust in.


    ¡®I want to trust him?¡±


    Arrieta was surprised at her own thoughts. Has she every thought of someone this way?


    ¡®He really is a strange man.¡¯


    She had met many people living as the Dragon Demon Princess. There were people who admired her, feared her, been jealous of her or hated her.


    However, it was the first time meeting someone like Azell. The way he looked at her was unfamiliar yetfortable. In spite of herself, she wanted to tell him the stories she had buried inside.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°Do you perhaps have anything you want? You have helped me, so I want to give you some kind of reward.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm. Let me see.¡±


    Azell thought about it briefly then he spoke.


    ¡°I want a small travel expense and a status card that¡¯ll allow me to freely travel around this country. Also, do you think I could also ask for a sword?¡±


    ¡°Is that it?¡±


    Arrieta was taken aback.


    It was none other than the Dragon Demon Princess telling him that she¡¯ll reward him. However, he only wanted this much.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°That will be enough. From the outset, I didn¡¯t n on doing what I did to get a reward.¡±


    ¡°You have a talent for constantly surprising me.¡±

 Chapter 25 The 220 Year Gap (3).

    <strong>Chapter 25 The 220 Year Gap (3).</strong>


    Chapter 25 - The 220 Year Gap (3)


    Arrietaughed from genuine pleasure. He wasn¡¯t being greedy nor was he being indecisive from intimidation. He boldly demanded just that amount.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send for what you want. Also, do have any thoughts of bing a knight?¡±


    ¡°A knight?¡±


    ¡°If you want, I could appoint you as my knight. I haven¡¯t appointed anyone, so I still have the right to do so. You won¡¯t be disappointed by my treatment.¡±


    It was an unprecedented offer. If one was appointed as a knight by the Dragon Demon Princess Arrieta then one would immediately be a royal knight. No one would be able to ignore him with that status.


    However, Azell shook his head from side to side.


    ¡°It is a humbling offer, but I¡¯ll have to refuse.¡±


    ¡°Could you tell me why?¡±


    ¡°I myself don¡¯t know the reason.¡±


    ¡°Is it because of your lost memories?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Truthfully, he didn¡¯t want to tie himself to the throne. He didn¡¯t know in which ways the world had changed. Also, he didn¡¯t know the state of affairs of the continent. The fact that he would be able to establish his identity was appealing, but currently, he wanted to travel around the world freely.


    ¡®First, I have no idea which country Marquis Karzark is associated with.¡¯


    Before Azell fell asleep, he was a bachelor. Since he was a war-time orphan, he didn¡¯t have any rtives either. Therefore, it was normal for the session of his position as Marquis Karzark to end without it passing onto the future generation.


    However, Azell did have children. His children weren¡¯t rted to him by blood. During the war, he had adopted the children he had formed connection with. Moreover, he asked Carlos to be their godfather. He asked Carlos to supervise his inheritance.


    ¡°Did my line end? If it continued then I¡¯ll have to look for them.¡¯


    He had many things he had to find out.


    Arrieta revealed a sense of regret.


    ¡°If that is your wish, it is unfortunate. However, could you listen to my request?¡±


    ¡°What is your request?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay here for 4 days before I return to the royal pce. I would like you to apany me.¡±


    ¡°You want me to?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Originally, the Western Frontier guards wasn¡¯t staffed with arge number of soldiers. Moreover, they just suffered a huge loss.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡±


    There were a lot of casualties at the ruin excavation site. A lot of innocent soldiers, and workers had died...


    ¡°This is why it¡¯ll be a problematic if I transfer too many troops to my escort party. Themander wants to give me a lot, but I asked him to give me the minimum number of troops needed.¡±


    ¡°Therefore, you want me to follow princess as an escort.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I want to hire you as an escort for a period of time, and you will be amply paid.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I ept.¡±


    Azell had no reason to turn down this offer. He had no idea how much the world had changed in the past 220 years, and it would be better to travel with someone who could vouch for his identity. It would be better than travelling alone.


    ¡®Also, the bastards called the Dragon¡¯s shadow worries me...¡±


    It would be annoying if they targeted Arrieta again. However, he had found out that they were worshipers of the Dragon Demon King, so he wanted to sh against them again to learn more about them.


    ¡®Atein.....¡¯


    Azell thought about Atein¡¯s final moment when Atein was about to die in front of him.


    ¡®You will die with me.¡¯


    Atein used his dying self as sacrifice to put a curse on Azell.


    Maybe the reason why he woke up in this time period and the fact that his curse had disappeared wasn¡¯t because of the sleep that mimicked the hibernation of a dragon....


    ¡®Maybe it was because of his revival.¡¯


    He somehow felt that this was the reason.


    Then this situation was beyond what Atein could have imagined. He had prepared a method for his revival, and he probably assumed Azell would have died during the time he was ¡®dead¡¯. After arge amount of time had passed, the fact that Azell had died would not change even if the curse was dissolved through his revival.


    ¡®It won¡¯t turn out as you wish.¡¯


    If Atein had resurrected then he¡¯ll defeat him once again. This time he¡¯ll make sure there won¡¯t be any resurrection. Also, if the resurrection of Atein hasn¡¯t beenpleted yet and it was still ongoing, then he¡¯ll smash the people , who were carrying out this task hidden from the world.


    4


    ¡°Hmmm. The fortress¡¯ library isn¡¯t too bad.¡±


    Next day, Azell had asked Arrieta to give him the authority to be able to peruse the Western Fortress¡¯ library. Of course, this ce didn¡¯t have any secret information. It was a library with a collection of books you could buy from the market. The library sounded grand, but it only housed around 100 books. If one really wanted to read books, then one would be better off going to the estate of a noble who had a passion for collecting books.


    Azell knew this, so his expectation wasn¡¯t that big. Still, he decided toe here even if the variety of books was limited here.


    ¡®It¡¯s as I have expected.¡¯


    The library mostly held books about martial arts or war tactics. Also, there were books about the history of wars. Azell had wanted to see these books. If he wanted to find out about how the world had changed in the past 220 years, then shouldn¡¯t he study the history first?


    ¡®The Nadick empire hadpletely coped. Moreover, the Rin kingdom was... Mmmm. Duke Rin really was the founder.¡¯


    The Rin kingdom was established around 140 years ago. The country¡¯snd used to be the Southwest region of Azell¡¯s homnd, the Nadick empire.


    After the Nadick empire fell, thend was divided into 7 kingdoms. Other small kingdoms existed, but these 7 kingdoms pretty much upied most of continent.


    ¡®After the era of prosperity had ended, I thought some lines would have survived... Theypletely copsed.¡¯


    After the Nadick empire copsed, the royal line was terminated. This was why most of the empire¡¯s territory was able to be divided between various countries.


    This process wasn¡¯t very peacful. The seven kingdoms fought fiercely to upy morend, even if it was by a little. After the borders were established, it took around 20 years for the peaceful times to arrive. During these chaotic times,many had died and all seven kingdoms became devastated.


    Afterwards, each kingdoms waged war with each other. There were winners and losers, but Azell¡¯s attention was focused on another part.


    ¡® The Great Darkness? What is that?¡¯


    About 60 years ago, a cmity called the Great Darkness had arrived.


    The gue of unknown origin had swept through the entire continent. The gue killed countless number of people. It brought the nations to the brink of extermination, so one could tell how serious this matter was.


    During this time, the heretics gained a great deal of influence, and madness started to spread.


    The civilization itself took a massive step backwards. Many knowledge were lost during all of this including the secrets of the Spirit Order.....


    ¡®Ah, is this the reason why?¡¯


    The Spirit Order practitioners and the magicians of this time didn¡¯t know about basic concepts that was considered ti bemon sense, so he thought it was weird. Moreover, the quality of an average Spirit Order practitioner hadn¡¯t gotten better. As he perused over the history, he started to understand why.


    ¡®Also, the copse of the church....¡±


    During the Great Darkness, the corruption within the church reached its extreme. They couldn¡¯t cure the fundamental problem of the gue and they only used their healing magic on those with money and power. The secrets of the healing magic was hidden, and the priest of affluent background only got the chance to learn it. They were discriminated based on their station, not their talent.


    ¡®They really fucked up.¡¯


    Azell sighed. He felt fortunate that he didn¡¯t awaken in that time frame.


    This was when Baion, the man Rick mention, appeared.


    He had reproduced the secrets of the healing arts and of course, he was sessful in solving the root cause of the gue. Moreover, he decided not to share this with the church.


    Instead, he teamed up with the priests who were disgusted by the half-decayed church and they formed a private healing institution. This in turn brought about the Medical Association. The healers produced by the Medical Association ended the Great Darkness. They had made the greatest contribution in ending the gue, which had persisted for 30 years.


    ¡®The authority of the church came to an end...¡¯


    They used the healing arts as a weapon to wield massive amount of power, and they smashed the corrupted church.


    Of course, religion did not disappear. Their power became much weakerpared to before, and they lost their influence over politics. Their power waspletely seized.


    ¡®Baion was an incredible person.¡¯


    Azell felt admiration toward the man name Baion. No matter what his motives were, he was a world-changing hero, who had broken through the despair.


    ¡®Hmmm. Beyond that... I don¡¯t see anything that¡¯s eye-catching.¡¯


    If he looked at Rin Kingdom as the standard, there was an event 30 years ago where an army of monsters called the Grand Dark Alliance appeared inside the Bn forest. These orcs were much stronger than the others and a mutated orc, Daken, was also much smarter. It had united the forces inside the Bn forest to threaten the kingdom.


    The Western Border Fortress was established, and arge number of soldiers settled there. This was the main reason why they were so sensitive to the movements inside the Bn forest..


    ¡®Ho-oh. The bastard called Daken must be smart even if he is an orc.¡¯


    Azell enjoyed reading the records regarding Daken.


    There weren¡¯t any surprises inside the records of the military force. If one was talking about mutations that increased strength, he had seen numerous instances of it happening in the days of the Dragon Demon War.


    However, Daken acted like a charismatic human hero. He called his army ¡®Grand Dark Alliance¡¯, and he had structured his army like a human army.


    ¡®Hmm. I want to know more about this bastard... There aren¡¯t any detailed records.¡¯


    Azell looked through the books, while feeling disappointed.


    ¡°So you are here.¡±


    The door of the library opened, and he heard a voice he remembered.


    Azell turned to look at him without feeling surprised.


    ¡°Sir Giles. I¡¯m d to see that you are unhurt.¡±


    ¡°I feel the same way.¡±


    Giles looked haggard, but he smiled.


    5


    Since Giles hade to find him, Azell had no choice but to exit the library. He didn¡¯te here just to exchange greetings. He had ulterior motive ining here.


    ¡°Any ways, I couldn¡¯t recognize you. Truthfully, I thought it was someone else inside the library.¡±


    ¡°Everyone seems to say the same thing to me.¡±


    Azellughed bitterly.


    Last night after he had met Arrieta, Enora hadtched onto him and she trimmed his hair. His unruly hair was arranged in a way that made him look good. If he put on some nice cloth, then he could pass as a heir to a noble family. His appearance looked nice.


    ¡®The littledy has some skill.¡¯


    She was young, but she was the princess¡¯ exclusive maid. So she had to have some abilities. If she didn¡¯t, then Arrieta probably wouldn¡¯t have brought her here.


    Azell asked while walking in the corridor.


    ¡°So the Dragon¡¯s corpse should fetch a lot of money?¡±

 Chapter 26 The 220 year gap (4).

    <strong>Chapter 26 The 220 year gap (4).</strong>


    Chapter 26 - The 220 year gap (4)


    ¡°Yes. Especially the Magician¡¯s Association and the Medical Association will buy it at an expensive price. I heard from the princess that you put your life on the line to distract the dragon, so she could escape?¡±


    ¡°It somehow worked out that way.¡±


    ¡°Everyone is talking about that story. There are a lot of people who want to hear your tale of heroism.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha.¡±


    Azellughed awkwardly. Truthfully, he did more than just distract the dragon. He had killed it, but he couldn¡¯t say that. He had decided it wasn¡¯t time to reveal everything about himself.


    ¡®Also, I¡¯m too weak to boast about killing a dragon.¡¯


    The Dragon Maken, which he was able to use through an arrangement made by Carlos, was the main reason why he was able to defeat the Earth dragon. If he didn¡¯t have the Dragon Maken then he would have been eaten after losing.


    However, Azell had earned a lot of things through the fight.


    The magical energy from the Dragon Maken had flowed into his energy pulse, and while it remained there, he was able to absorb it through meditation. Then he was able to take a part of the dragon¡¯s strength through the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual.


    This in turn made Azell¡¯s body more powerful. A seed of strength that could never be earned through training was nted in Azell¡¯s body.


    Also, his magical energy had greatly increased. His energy pulse became sturdier, and he hadpleted dual banding his first Ring of Life. Also, his second Ring of Life was nearly finished.


    The fact that he was able to construct the dual banding into reality was a huge aplishment.


    From theory to tests, he had gathered enough evidence that said it would seed, but he had no idea if it would actually work. He seeded in constructing an analogous model using animal experimentation, but when using the magical energy on himself, he didn¡¯t know what variables might pop up.


    However, he had deployed it in practice, and he had now confirmed the theory through the advantages he learned while building the structure.(TLN: structure of the ring)


    ¡®What would have happened if the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual didn¡¯t happen?¡¯


    His magical energy had steeply increased because he had taken the dragon¡¯s power, and the dual band was formed from it. This was his lucky break, but it also left much to be desired.


    He had skipped the trial and error process, and he was drunk off the fruit of sess.


    He knew he should count his blessing and stopining. However, in Azell¡¯s perspective, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of frustration.


    ¡®I was able to gather Dragon Demon magic to that degree....¡¯


    When he took the dragon¡¯s power, Azell¡¯s magical energy slightly took on the properties of Dragon Demon magic. Unlike regr magic, it was able to alter the present surrounding just by emitting it... (TLN:I¡¯m guessing you can make direct changes to the world with Dragon Demon magic)


    It was the basis for making the Dragon Maken. However, he still had to travel a long road before he was able to make the Dragon Maken again.


    Giles spoke.


    ¡°Princess dered that you have the right to receive a certain portion of thepensation from the dragon¡¯s corpse. ¡±


    ¡°Ho-oh.¡±


    ¡°Princess wanted to tell you directly about thepensation, so you could look forward to that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±


    Azell didn¡¯t really mean what he said.


    Giles spoke.


    ¡°Also, I heard that you are following the princess back to the capital as an escort.¡±


    ¡°It somehow worked out that way.¡±


    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll spend a good amount of time together. I was also assigned to the troops escorting her.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I guess so.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve lost a lot of subordinates, so I¡¯m not too happy being reassigned to this mission.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell watched Giles smiling bitterly, so he kept his mouth shut.


    When the Dragon¡¯s Shadow attacked the ruin excavation site, Gile¡¯s unit suffered a major loss. He was able to recover a lot of them, but around 1/3 of his unit was killed.


    ¡°However, it is better to be inserted into a military force where I am needed rather than bing an experienced rookiemander with nothing to do. Let¡¯s get along.¡±


    The Western Border guard wasn¡¯t able to transfer many troops into Arrieta¡¯s escort. Therefore, they decided to reassign people like Giles, whosepetence was guaranteed.


    Azell replied.


    ¡°Please take care of me.¡±


    Soon, they arrived at the location of the dragon¡¯s corpse.


    However, the sight was much different than what Azell had expected. The dragon¡¯s corpse wasn¡¯t transported here intact. It was cut and distributed into couple dozen barrels.


    ¡®I guess they couldn¡¯t just move the whole thing.¡¯


    It would be possible if they used arge cart used to transportrge scale of goods. However, one need a well maintained road for it to be a workable solution. If they wanted to bring a dragon¡¯s corpse, which was fallen in the middle of a forest, then they had no choice but to hack it into pieces.


    Soon, Azell spotted Arietta within the crowd.


    ¡°I¡¯vee at your summons.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. You came.¡±


    ¡°I had no idea a dragon¡¯s corpse could be turned into money.¡±


    In Azell¡¯s time, magicians used various parts of a dragon¡¯s corpse. If the dragon¡¯s blood was processed then one could make magic recovery potion or wound medication. The bones, scales and leather was so tough that it was used as ingredients for weapons or armor.


    However, he never thought that it could be exchanged for money.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°I had know idea either. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen a dead dragon. The scouting party¡¯s magician saw it and he advised us to collect it with haste. We followed his direction, so he brought it here after dismembering it... However, there is one thing that is bothering me.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The dragon¡¯s eyes are missing.¡±


    ¡°The eyes?¡±


    ¡°Both disappeared as if it had been scooped out. Do you have any theory as to why someone would do this?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm. I have no idea.¡±


    Azell shook his head from side to side.


    When he defeated the Earth dragon, he hadn¡¯t damage the eyes. However, the eyes had disappeared as if it had been scooped out....


    Arrieta lowered her voice and spoke.


    ¡°Those bastards might have done it.¡±


    ¡°The probability is high.¡±


    The bastards they were talking about were, of course, the Dragon¡¯s Shadow. A magician would have known the value of a dragon¡¯s corpse. It wasn¡¯t strange that someone had avoided the eyes of the Western Border guards to only dig out the dragon¡¯s eyes.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the dragon eyes are sources of powerful magical energy. This is unfortunate.¡±


    ¡°Well, we can do nothing about it. We are fortunate that they weren¡¯t able to get their hands on the heart.¡±


    ¡°I guess so. I heard the heart was entirely ripped apart....¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible since it had fought against another dragon.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Arrieta smiled at Azell, who was obviously lying. It was a smile of an aplice that shared the same secret.


    6


    Regina was a follower who had a rtively high position in the secret organization called the ¡®Dragon¡¯s Shadow. However, she couldn¡¯t bepare to the member that was considered to be the back bone of the organization.


    ¡°I see. You failed.¡±


    The woman who spoke held a high position that couldn¡¯t even bepared to Regina.


    She had long ck hair and dark brown eyes. She looked to be in herte 20s and she was a cold beauty.


    She didn¡¯t look like a Dragon Demon. She looked like a pure human, but Regina knew she had changed her original appearance through magic.


    She spoke.


    ¡°You lost a lot of yourrades.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t really look like you are sorry. For a mere job of kidnapping the Dragon Demon Princess, you mobilized that much manpower yet you failed. Do you have any excuse? There probably won¡¯t be a better opportunity to kidnap her.¡±


    When she thought of the powerful Dragon Demon princess Arietta, she thought it was ridiculous to use the expression ¡®mere¡¯.


    However, the manpower she had rounded up would have been enough to finish the job. There were 4 Dragon Demon and two high level human mages. It was true that Arrieta was powerful, but if one assessed her power, three of the members deployed could have overpowered her.


    Nevertheless, Regina had failed. However, she had an excuse.


    ¡°There was an unexpected disrupter.¡±


    Regina gave a detailed report about Azell.


    At first, the ck haireddy listened apathetically, but herplexion turned serious mid-report when Regina mentioned a certain event.


    ¡°Wait. Did you just say Dragon yer¡¯s ritual?¡±


    ¡°Yes? Yes, I did.¡±


    ¡°Did that man really say it was the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    ¡°Can you guarantee it with your life on the line?¡±


    A cold energy assaulted her senses. Her murderous intent made one hard to breath. Regina spoke, while she gulped.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t something we can dismiss.¡±


    The ck haireddy mumbled seriously. Regina carefully asked a question.


    ¡°May I ask what this Dragon yer¡¯s ritual is?¡±


    ¡°You may not.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°It is a level of information you aren¡¯t allowed to know. First, carefully tell me what you had seen and heard. ¡±


    At those words, Regina carefully told her the rest of the story.


    Azell had requested the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual, and the Earth dragon had epted. Then they started to fight.


    When she went back afterwards, the Earth dragon had already died.


    ¡°The Western Border guards were mobilized, so I was only able to bring this.¡±


    Regina brought out two red globes, and it was as big as a small child¡¯s body.


    It was the dragon eyes. As Arrieta had guessed, Regina had dug the dragon eyes out, while she avoided detection from the Western Border guards.


    The ck haireddy held it up in her hands. Then the two dragon eyes started floating into the air.


    ¡°There was a person who knew about the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual, and he also killed a dragon....¡±


    ¡°I have no idea if that man killed it. It is true that he possessed frightening skills, but it is hard to see him being able to fight one-on-one against a dragon. Moreover, if one considers the storm that urred there, I think another dragon intruded...¡±


    ¡°That is impossible.¡±


    Regina gave a logical deduction, but the ck haireddy tly denied it. She spoke while she carefully observed the dragon eyes.


    ¡°There is no way such an event would have urred if the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual was being held. Moreover, the proof is in the dragon eyes.¡±


    ¡°Yes? How....¡±


    ¡°There isn¡¯t even twenty percent of original magical energy left inside the eyes.¡±


    The eyes of a dragon was a powerful source of magical energy. After the heart, it had the most magical energy within a dragon¡¯s body.


    However, Azell had stolen the essence of power from the dead Earth dragon through the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual. Therefore, most of the power a dragon¡¯s eyes usually held was mostly gone.


    Since Regina had never killed a dragon, she wasn¡¯t aware of this fact. She just assumed the dragon eyes held powerful magical energy. However, the ck haireddy immediately saw through to the truth. She spoke.


    ¡°You should use this.¡±


    ¡°Yes? But...¡±


    ¡°It is your reward.¡±


    Regina became confused at those words. She had failed in her mission and she had lost valuable manpower. She had thought she would be punished. To minimize it, she had told thedy about Azell and she also gave her the dragon eyes.


    Instead, she received a reward?


    However, the ck haireddy didn¡¯t borate any further.


    ¡°Hoo hoo. Azell Zestringer.¡±


    For those who worship the Dragon Demon King, it was an unbearably ill-omened name. When they ran across anyone with the name Azell, they killed them all no matter if they were young or old.


    ¡°It is a name with a lot of sin. This is interesting. I¡¯ll have to see him at least once.¡±


    The ck haireddy wore a cold smile and she started walking into the darkness.

 Chapter 27 Raised Social Status (1).

    <strong>Chapter 27 Raised Social Status (1).</strong>


    Chapter 27 - Raised Social Status (1)


    1


    He had a dream.


    It was a dream about the distant past.


    However, his dream was vivid as if it had happened not too long ago. It was that kind of dream.


    ¡®This must be a dream.¡¯


    Azell dumbly thought to himself.


    He was familiar with having a lucid dream. A normal person would question how this was possible. However, Spirit Order practitioners learn how to control the mind, so he had experienced a lot of lucid dreams until he was sick of it. If he wanted to, it was possible for him to induce a lucid dream.


    However, this dream had nothing to do with his intent.


    In the dream, Azell was with someone within the ruins of a castle. At one time, the castle had boasted to be the most majestic in the world.


    This was the castle where the Dragon Demon King Atein had presided.


    ¡°There aren¡¯t any useful things left here.¡±


    He heard an apologetic voice. When he looked to his side, Carlos was there.


    Azell was ustomed to his looks. He was a youthful magician with tidy brown hair, and cold gray eyes.


    ¡®Those hairs will disappear in a couple decades, and his head will be smooth.¡¯


    Those thoughts were the first thing that came into his mind. However, he couldn¡¯t help it since the aged Carlos¡¯ look was too shocking.


    Carlos had no idea what Azell was thinking, and he started to sigh.


    ¡°That damn bastard Atein didn¡¯t leave anything behind in his researchb even though he is a magician.¡±


    Carlos had used every means imaginable to find a way to dispel the curse put on Azell by Atein. They had searched this castle a couple dozen times to find even a minor clue.


    However, it was fruitless. Atein¡¯s extensive collection of magical tomes didn¡¯t have any clues on how to release Azell from the curse. Theb had a surprising amount of magical products, but it didn¡¯t have anything of interest.


    Azell consoled his friend.


    ¡°Atein may be the very first magician. It is to be expected that he would be different from other magicians.¡±


    The Dragon Demon race created the skill called magic.


    Moreover, Atein was the first of the Dragon Demon race to be born into this world, and he reigned over them as king. This was why some magicians hypothesized that Atein was the progenitor of magic.


    Carlos became angry.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about it as if is someone else¡¯s business! It is a problem with your life on the line!¡±


    ¡°I know that.¡±


    ¡°If you know that then why are you so calm?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t be mad at someone who I know is trying the hardest in this world to solve my problem. ¡±


    ¡°Kook....¡± (TLN: just a sound he made)


    Carlos¡¯ face reddened. He was embarrassed. Azell was dignified when facing the threat of death, yet he was the one who had lost it.


    ¡®I¡¯m scared too, Carlos.¡¯


    The current Azell smiled bitterly when he saw the scene inside his dream.


    Yes. Azell was also afraid. He had saved the world, but his future couldn¡¯t be saved. Death was approaching closer by the hour, and he might sumb to it. Truthfully, he had been afraid and he wanted to cry.


    He preferred the idea of dying in battle, where he would die when he lost. He would be able to stay indifferent until that single moment woulde. It was harder to bear the suffocating fear of a death that was slowly approaching him.


    However, he felt a fire burn in the corner of his heart when he thought this.


    ¡®Atein. The only thing you could take away from me was my life.¡¯


    Azell was determined to not let him have his(TLN:Atein) own way.


    Above all, he didn¡¯t want to disappoint his friend who was desperately working for him. Even if his efforts were a failure, he never wanted his friend to see him in a dishevelled state. He wanted to show a confident and proud figure until the end.


    It was all for show and it was a childish behavior. However, as a man who had charged into battle while grasping his sword, what would be left if one took away his bravado?


    He kept up this facade with his life on the line, so no one would disparage him.


    If he thought back on it, he thought the bravado definitely helped Carlos.


    ¡°Azell, I really... It feels like we have switched ces.¡±


    ¡°I feel the same. I would have never imagined this day woulde.¡±


    It was the opposite in the Dragon Demon war. Azell was still inexperienced, and whenever he couldn¡¯t hold back his emotions, Carlos¡¯s cool attitude acted as the cold water that doused him.


    Whenever the group was tired or desperate, he was the one person who didn¡¯t falter. In the moment when everyone faltered, he withstood everything like a steel beam. He was their support.


    Carlos was a man who had taken on this role. However, after Azell was cursed, their roles had been reversed. Azell should be the one in greatest agony, but he put up a front. He acted as if he wasn¡¯t shaken. He had to be the supporting pir for Carlos, who at times, was about to fall apart from despair.


    As the two passed through the ruins, they finally reached Atein¡¯s office. There were words carved into the half broken wall with magic.


    ¡®The one who treats the world with hate must be prepared to be hated by the world.¡¯


    The moment Azell read those words he could guess who had written it.


    Dragon Demon King Atein.


    He had tried to conquer the world yet did he understand the significance of his action?


    Carlos asked a question.


    ¡°What was the Dragon Demon King¡¯s thinking when he tried to conquer the world?¡±


    The Dragon Demon race was born far back in the past. The very first of the Dragon Demon race, Atein, was a special existence. He had a much longer life spanpared to the others of the Dragon Demon race. He had lived for more than a thousand years.


    He was the seed that started the Dragon Demon race. He might also be the progenitor of the mysteries called magic. Why did he join up with the others of his race to conquer the world? Countless number of people had put their life on the line to fight Atein, but no one knew Atein¡¯s real intention, which he held within his heart.


    Azell was the one exception.


    Inside Azell¡¯s mind, Atein¡¯s words brushed by.


    ¡®Unfortunately, this experiment was a failure. I¡¯m still ignorant. I have no choice but to ept this truth.¡¯


    These words made Azell shiver.


    If Atein had revealed his ambitions, then he(TLN: Azell) would have snorted.


    He would haveughed it off if Atein like a typical magician gave a long-winded speech regarding his delusions of grandeur. However, when he was about to face his death, Atein boldly epted his failure. Moreover, he said that the chaotic events that turned the world upside was merely an experiment


    ¡®Azell. If you are the sword the world had aimed at me then I¡¯ll break you using my life as the price. You and I will die together.¡¯


    ...after he said those words, the curse came down on Azell.


    Azell spoke after he briefly thought about the past.


    ¡°Carlos.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You, your head will lose all its hair.¡±


    ¡°...what?¡±


    The past had already happened, but he never had this conversation. That difference destroyed the dream world.


    Azell continued to speak as the world inside his dream crumbled.


    ¡°However, Carlos, you are one hell of a man. You deserve to be called an Archmage.¡±


    This was the praise Azell wanted to give wholeheartedly to his friend, who was long gone.


    2


    While the Dragon Demon Princess Arrieta stayed in the Western Border Fortress, Azell trained his body and Spirit Order. He also spent the time peacefullyreading the sparse number of books in the library.


    Giles spoke.


    ¡°Your magical energy has increased considerably within the past few days?¡±


    ¡°First, I¡¯m not trying to train my magical pulse by expanding my magical energy. My progress is faster since I am trying to recover what I have lost.¡±


    Azell¡¯s words were half truths.


    In just 4 days of training, he had absorbed a considerable amount of power from the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual, and he was able to finish making his 2nd Ring of Life. His magical energy had increased several magnitudes since he had left the ruin site.


    Since his magical energy had increased, it meant Azell could use his technique more easily now. The power he could release and the amount of magical energy umted inside his body was muchrger. He could overwhelm Giles now if they sparred.


    However, Azell didn¡¯t reveal his cultivation, so he let Giles win. He decided he would be careful. He didn¡¯t want his action to be too preposterous.


    After he spent the four days this way, Arrieta decided to leave the Western Border Fortress to head towards the pce.


    Azell woke up early on the morning they would depart towards the pce. He mediated once and he lightly stretched his body. Then he put on the equipment he was given the previous day. Azell told the Dragon Princess that he only need one sword, but since he was guarding her, she insisted on giving him a leather armor.


    ¡°Hmm. It has been awhile.¡±


    Before he fell asleep, Azell was a prestigious knight so he used to wear a full-body armor enchanted with magic.


    Prior to one bing a knight and earning a title of nobility, most soldiers lived with having poor equipments. The leather armor was new and of good quality since it was from the military supply, but it made him think of those time.(TLN: remind him of when he was a low ranked soldier)


    After he finished arming himself, Azell headed toward the infirmary before he went to the designated location.


    ¡°Yo.¡±


    He gave a greeting. Rick had woken up early to get ready for his daily work.


    ¡°You are leaving today?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I owe you a lot, Rick.¡±


    ¡°I think you have already paid back enough of what was owed me.¡±


    Rick put out his hand, and Azell sped it. Then they shared a fierce handshake.


    Rick spoke.


    ¡°If you earn a promotion while serving the princess then don¡¯t forget about me.¡±


    ¡°Then I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever return?¡±


    ¡°I would do the same.¡±


    Rick smirked, while he spoke.


    ¡°I hope you recover your memories. I¡¯m sure you, Azell, aren¡¯t ofmon birth.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Azell shared goodbyes with Rick and he headed toward the designated location. No one was there yet, but Giles and another person soon showed up.


    The other man looked to be a young knight, and he was of simr age as Azell.


    Azell gave his greetings.


    ¡°Good morning, Sir Giles.¡±


    ¡°You are early.¡±


    Azell hade 20 minutes before the appointed time. He decided it wouldn¡¯t do him any good to show upter than the others. However, no one was there when he arrived. Giles had arrived afterwards, but he was an exception.


    Giles introduced the young knight he had arrived with.


    ¡°This is Sir Boar. He is a member of the escort group, who had traveled here with the princess. Sir Boar, this is....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of him. He was lucky enough to escape with his life thanks to the princess.¡±


    ¡°...what?¡±


    Giles stared back at him, while being taken aback.


    The young knight named Boar had tidy brown hair, and he possessed blue eyes. He gave off an impression of being an arrogant young noble. He had a condescending expression on his face, which reinforced this impression.


    ¡°The princess can¡¯t be helped. I have know idea what her intention are. I don¡¯t get why she would bring a man of unknown origin into the escort party, when she already haspetent knights. Any ways, you better not get in our way. Just stay quiet.


    ¡°.......¡±


    At that moment, Azell was bbergasted. He nked out for a moment, but he suddenly had a thought.


    ¡°Should I beat up this bastard?¡±


    Before he fell asleep, after he became the Duke Karzark, there weren¡¯t that many people that had big enough balls to be this rude towards him. (TLN: the original trantion is big liver=> big balls, I changed it b/c it sounded better :P)


    Before the Dragon Demon war ended, there were some who were like that, but they all came to regret it in the end.


    Azell was trying to suppress his rising violent impulses when Boar spoke as if he had remembered something. He looked towards Azell.


    ¡°Well, now that I think about it, we don¡¯t have that many members. I guess we need a guy to be an errand boy.¡±


    ¡°Sir Boar, your words are too harsh.¡±


    ¡°Mmm? What about my words?¡±


    When Giles butted in, Boar acted as if there was something wrong with him. His expression indicated that he genuinely didn¡¯t see what the problem was with his words. Giles was momentarily speechless when he saw the other¡¯s attitude. However, soon he put on a determined expression then he spoke.

 Chapter 28 Raised Social Status (2).

    <strong>Chapter 28 Raised Social Status (2).</strong>


    Chapter 28 - Raised Social Status (2)


    ¡°Azell performed a great meritorious deed by safely bringing the the princess here. Are you going to ignore what the princess said?¡±


    ¡°How could her words be true? Sir Giles, you don¡¯t know about this, but the princess is excessively lenient towards her underlings. Moreover, if she had faced an enemy that could threaten her, how could a man with an unknown background be able to perform such meritorious deed? Would that make any sense?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Also, doesn¡¯t he look weak? How could he help the princess with such a frail body?¡±


    Azell¡¯s body didn¡¯t have much muscles yet. Of course, his body was frailpared to a thoroughly trained knight.


    Even if that was true, Boar¡¯s every word had the power of being able to provoke a person. Azell suddenly poured too much strength into his fist, and it almost creaked aloud. However, he was barely able to hold himself back.


    ¡®This bastard¡¯s personality is really in the sewers. Ah, should I really just beat him up? Should I wait until the princesses, and ask her to knight me then beat him up?¡¯


    Currently, Azell controlled the energy he emitted outward, so he evoked an atmosphere of familiarity without any pressure. However, it didn¡¯t matter what kind of impression Azell had possessed, the other had dismissed him at first nce. Azell¡¯s effort was all for naught since his opponent didn¡¯t bother to see what kind of person he was. He(TLN: Boar) was armed with a firm prejudice. (TLN: basically Azell used his skill to project a friendly/neutral attitude, but the other guy is too much of an ass to notice it)


    Boar mocked him.


    ¡°Well, Sir Giles, you probably don¡¯t know much about the princess since you are in such a remote region. However, you are also going on a long journey back to the royal pce, so you better engrave my words in your heart.¡±


    He was tantly looking down on Sir Giles. He must have a high enough position in the royal pce to guard the princess, so Giles must have looked like a backwater country bumpkin to him.


    Giles red at him. Boar¡¯s expression looked down on him as if he was daring Giles to say something. The tension between the two was high.


    The vtile atmosphere was broken due to Arrieta arriving.


    ¡°Everyone has gathered.¡±


    Arrieta and Enora appeared together. Unlike her usual self, she wore a voluminous hat, and it covered the upper portion of her head and her horns. It also covered her pointy ears. She wore a thick travelling cloak to hid her figure.


    Giles and Boars retracted the hostility they were aiming at each other, and they paid their respects to her.


    Azell queried in confusion.


    ¡°What do mean by everyone?¡±


    ¡°I meant what I said. All the party members have assembled.¡±


    Arrieta answered him. Azell was surprised at those word.


    ¡°What? Five people is everyone?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°No, how is that...¡±


    Arrieta had asked him to be part of her escort, and Azell had thought there would be additional several dozens of troops that would also follow. Originally, didn¡¯t shee here with about twenty soldiers following her?


    ¡°My escort party members, the magicians and the schrs will return at ater date.¡±


    Three from her 30 member party was killed during the ambush by the Dragon¡¯s Shadow. Moreover, there were 11 wounded. Arrieta ignored the objection from all the others, and she decided to take at most only two members. She decided to return to the royal pce in haste.


    ¡°Actually, I thought about putting on a disguise, but unfortunately it is impossible.¡±


    ¡°A disguise?¡±


    ¡°My appearance is too eye-catching, so I considered disguising myself with magic. However, after I consulted with the magicians, they did not have any magic that could do that. They said it was impossible for them to cast such magic. It is unfortunate.¡±


    Arrieta was a Dragon Demon, and the Dragon Demon magic resisted outside magic being used on her. Therefore, it was impossible for a middling magician to make changes to her.


    Arritea asked a question.


    ¡°I tried to dress up so I wouldn¡¯t be too noticeable... How do I look?¡±


    ¡°You look very noticeable.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Arrieta was a little bit depressed when Azell spoke truthfully.


    She had insisted on wearing arge fluffy hat, and a cape. In her own way, she tried hard to hide her eye-catching appearance. However, the outfit itself was so ridiculous that it stood out. Even if she hid her horns, ears and the Dragon Demon stone on the back of her hands, her appearance was enough to draw everyone¡¯s eyes to her.


    Arrieta let out a sigh.


    ¡°Enora was also opposed to it.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s better than outright revealing oneself.¡±


    ¡°Even if it is a titude, I¡¯ll thankfully listen to it.¡±


    ¡°Still, isn¡¯t it dangerous to go with such little manpower?¡±


    Arrieta seriously answered Azell¡¯s question.


    ¡°Mmm. If I¡¯m being honest... I think it is more dangerous to have middling number of people.¡±


    ¡°I guess that makes sense.¡±


    The statement could be seen as overly dismissive of the escort¡¯s military prowess. However, he had fought against the Dragon¡¯s Shadow, so he agreed with her. If they had an overwhelming advantage in numbers then he would have no problem with it. However, the 20-30 party members would just make them a bigger target.


    Azell queried.


    ¡°Is Ms Enora leaving with us?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°...is it wise to do so?¡±


    ¡°My thoughts exactly, so I tried to prevent her....¡±


    Arrieta looked at Enora, while sighing. Enora was making a stubborn expression. Arrieta had told Enora in the night that she should stay here, and she shoulde with the other party......


    ¡®I can never do that! If I did, then I¡¯ll be hit with a bolt of lightning from the head maid! Does princess want to make my body ineligible for marriage?¡¯ (TLN:Enora basically ady-in-waiting with a decent family background.)


    ...she had no idea why staying here would affect her marriage prospects. Enora cried and clung to her, so Arrieta had given in.


    ¡®I had no idea this child was so fearless.¡¯


    Until now, her other personal maids hadn¡¯t been that courageous. Once she left the pce to go to the battlefield, every personal maid turned pale, and they wanted to quit.


    ¡®It really is as the head maid said. There aren¡¯t anyone else aspetent as this child.¡¯


    Arietta had been taken aback when the head maid tagged Enora as her personal maid. She was still very young, and it had only been half a year since she had joined the pce maids.


    Amongst the pce maids, there were young girls. However, most of them were in charge of doing minor tasks, while they learned the duties of a pce maid. It was normal for a highly trained maid to be assigned to the members of the royal family, who held high stations.


    The head maid went against those customs, and she had assigned Enora to Arrieta as a personal maid. She was not only tasked to serve her in the pce, but she was tasked to act as an aid when Arrieta traveled outside.


    Her choice was correct. Enora had gone through hardship that couldn¡¯t even bepared to what the previous personal maid had gone through yet she didn¡¯t show any signs of wanting to quit. She wondered how the poet Bairay(TLN:author/poet, but it might be a typo by author) raised his daughter.


    Enora queried.


    ¡°There is no one here to take care of princess, and I can¡¯t send you off with males only. Also...¡±


    She spoke strongly, while looking at the men.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t have any confidence in being able to protect me?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Does that even need to be said? Rx and follow me. I¡¯ll solve any danger we face.¡±


    For a knight following the rules of chivalry, it isn¡¯t an exaggeration to say a knight without his pride is basically a corpse. Boar had seeded in entering the royal knights at a young age, so he was of this mold. After Enora¡¯s spoken words had bristled his pride, he immediately pounded his chest, and he boasted.


    Azell smiled bitterly.


    ¡°What you say has some merit... Mmm. Well, it can¡¯t be helped since everything has been decided.¡±


    No matter how one saw it, Enora was a really tough girl. If she had grown up sheltered then she wouldn¡¯t be this way. Maybe she had experienced many dangerous situation in her childhood.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°We are traveling as a small group, so we¡¯ll ride the horses instead of the carriage. Enora.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you can ride a horse....¡±


    ¡°I know how to.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not proficient at it, but I learned it alongside my brother.¡±


    ¡°That is surprising. Impressive.¡±


    Arrieta was surprised. She hadn¡¯t expected a 12 year old noble girl, who hade to the pce to work, had learned horsemanship.


    ¡°Great. Enora, Azell and I will go pick some horses.¡±


    The three of them immediately went to the fortress¡¯ stable. When they were far from Giles and Boar, Arrieta started to speak.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to go through that unpleasantness.¡±


    ¡°You know about it?¡±


    ¡°My ears are unnecessarily sensitive, so I heard it even from a distance.¡±


    Arrietaughed bitterly. Then she turned to look at Azell.


    ¡°Sir Boar was a knight rmended to me by the head of my escort party, who had traveled with me here. I told them I wanted to travel with small party. However, both themander of this ce and the head of the escort begged me to take at least one of their numbers....¡±


    Arrieta wasn¡¯t in a situation where she could turn down the request. When she said yes, themander of Western Border guard picked Giles and the head of escort party chose Boar.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about Sir Giles, but I¡¯ve heard Sir Boar is quite skilled.¡±


    ¡°If he wasn¡¯t, he would¡¯t have been chosen in a situation where only one person can be sent. He is a Cord Rope master.¡±


    ¡°...how were you able to tell?¡±


    Arietta asked in surprise. Azell smirked.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t make much effort to hide it. Well, he¡¯ll be of some help in a battle.¡±


    Azell didn¡¯t like Boar, but he decided to make an assessment in a detached manner. Azell had read him instantly, and by looking at how he controlled his energy, he knew Boar¡¯s skill was up to a decent level.


    Arrieta asked a question, while she put on a yful smile.


    ¡°How doe hepare to you?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. Do you want a serious answer?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°If I fight him in my current condition, I could cut off his head with three strikes.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell spoke in a calm voice, and his brutal words made Arrieta hold her breath. Azell saw Enora flinch besides Arietta, and Azell smiled bitterly at his mistake.


    ¡°...mynguage was a bit too excessive. Any ways, I think Sir Boar ispletely overlooking me.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Sir Boar has no idea about you, but he was able to get on your nerves?¡±


    ¡°Will he not try hard to get on my nerves from here on out? This was why I thought of something.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll bear it with my eyes closed. After princess knights me, I¡¯ll challenge him to a duel...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll shut your eyes and bear being knighted by me... I can¡¯t believe you said it that way. There are many men who dream about that exact situation happening to them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. However, I¡¯m not in a situation where I want to be tied down, so I don¡¯t want to do this. I¡¯ll have to either be patient with him or....¡±


    ¡°Or?¡±


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll rely on princess¡¯ authority.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound very manly.¡±


    ¡°He seems toe from a decent family. He is acting this way because he trust his background. What can I do? My origin is not known, so I can only fight back using my background as princess¡¯ bodyguard.¡±


    ¡°You spoke truthfully...¡±


    Arrieta was dumbfounded so sheughed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard such pathetic word since I¡¯ve been born.(TLN: she is jokingly saying this) I can¡¯t believe you are this bold and shameless.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ok with it. It¡¯s really mystifying.¡±


    Arrieta shook her head and asked a question.


    ¡°So should this be your reward for all you have done for me?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be tied down by me. I¡¯m saying I¡¯ll knight you.¡±


    At those words, Azell stared nkly at her for a moment.


    If someone from the royal family with the qualification of being a liege appointed a knight than it was par for the course for the person to require the knight to serve only him or her.


    However, there were other irregr ways to structure the oath of loyalty made between a liege and his vassal when the knight is appointed. Instead of receiving a fief, it was possible for the knight to receive his rank without taking the oath of loyalty.


    These unconventional appointments didn¡¯t exist before the Dragon Demon war. In the past, the knights rode out into battle on a horse so they were invaluable to the cavalry. This was why all the knights had to swear an oath of fealty, and they became nobles after receivingnd.


    However, during the Dragon Demon war, the young Emperor Haben of the Nadick empire seeded the old and frailte emperor. He had put forth a radical idea.


    He changed how the title of ¡®knight¡¯ was interpreted.


    One need not be a cavalryman. It didn¡¯t matter if one was a magician or even a Dragon Demon. If one had enough ability, then they could receive the title of knight, and they would be able to raise their social status. The appointing liege and the appointed knight didn¡¯t even need to agree to a oath of fealty.


    It was a time where they needed to find additional talents to fight the Dragon Demon race. It was a n to stop the talented people from being unable to shine because of their backgrounds. They also had in mind of the magicians, who weren¡¯t of noble birth, that had left the empire, because of the problem arising from their caste.


    This change was quite effective. It especially seeded in making the magicians, who were wandering around the world, join the battlefield. (TLN: basically you can be a knight if you have the ability. Before you needed a horse + good family background)


    ¡®If only Emperor Haben had lived a bit longer, the empire wouldn¡¯t have fallen.¡¯


    Azell reminisced about the past. The admired young emperor Haben was killed by the Dragon Demon King Atein during the time when Azell started to earn his fame.


    However, the act that was meant to change the world was still in ce. He thought the world was very mysterious.


    After a brief thought, Azell asked a question.


    ¡°...aren¡¯t you getting the short end of the stick in this deal?¡±


    ¡°Well, it is a power left over(TLN: I think she is implying she can appoint finite number of people-she hasn¡¯t appointed anyone before so she still has the power to do so) since I haven¡¯t used it too much. If anything, don¡¯t you think the price is cheap since you¡¯ve saved my life? This is the time for me to show my vast generosity, and I¡¯m going to invest in you for the future.¡±


    ¡°What if I cut off all my ties from you?¡±


    ¡°Then... Mmm. I¡¯ll be sad.¡±


    Arrieta really tried to make a sad expression. Her speech and attitude was very formal, but her outer appearance was that of a pretty girl. She looked extremely cute.


    ¡°Well, well.¡±


    Azell raised both his hands as if he had lost. Was it because she was a young woman, who grew up, being fated to step on to a battlefield? Unlike her outer appearance, she


    was formidable.


    Eventually, Azell bowed his head.


    ¡°I¡¯ll receive it with thanks.¡±


    ¡°I need witnesses for the appointment. Let us head back. I¡¯ll have Sir Giles and Sir Boar participate in it.¡±


    ¡°That sounds perfectly appropriate.¡±


    While he was nodding his head, he looked at Enora as if he thought of something.


    ¡°Ah, Ms Enora.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a civilian now, but a knight...¡±


    ¡°Is that so? You aren¡¯t one yet.¡±


    ¡°Well, I will be one soon so don¡¯t be so inflexible. So can I call you little miss now?¡±


    Enora furrowed her brows and she asked a question to Arrieta.


    ¡°Princess, may I hit this person?¡±


    ¡°In the name of the Dragon Demon Princess, I allow the punishment of the man, who insulted my maid.¡±


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t refuse.¡±


    ¡°Whoa. How scary.¡±


    Azell trembled in an exaggerated manner then he ran away from Enora, who was raising her fist.

 Chapter 29 Raised Social Status (3).

    <strong>Chapter 29 Raised Social Status (3).</strong>


    Chapter 29 - Raised Social Status (3)


    3


    ¡°That is why we are here to appoint Azell Zestringer as a knight. Sir Giles and Sir Boar will be the two witnesses.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    There used to be a rough atmosphere between Giles and Boar, while they had waited, but now they both stared at Azell with dumbfounded expressions. Azell grinned. He stepped forward, and he knelt on one knee in front of Arrieta.


    Arrieta unsheathed her white sword, and she spoke as she tapped both his shoulders with it.


    ¡°I pronounce this, as the Dragon Demon Princess Arrieta Weil Rin. From this moment on, Azell Zestringer is a knight.¡±


    ¡°...did you omit a lot of stuff?¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to go through a long and annoying formal procedure? I have it all memorized, so I can do it if you want.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m awed by princess¡¯ progressive mind, which rejects empty formalities.¡±


    Arrieta snorted when Azell quickly changed his attitude. Then she spoke.


    ¡°I will hand down the knight¡¯s emblem.¡±


    As she put forth her hand, a white light rose from her palm. The light made a three-dimensional shape of a white eagle, and it started to fly toward Azell.


    ¡°Uh?¡±


    Azell¡¯s eyes widened.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°Put forth your hand and receive it.¡±


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know about the knight¡¯s emblem?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of it.¡±


    Azell tilted his head in confusion, and he slid his hand forward. When he did, the shape made out of light was absorbed into the back of Azell¡¯s hand.


    ¡®Is it a magic that is imprinted into the energy pulse?¡¯


    Azell puzzled over it, and he tried inserting his magic into it. This caused a faint shape of a white eagle to appear on the back of his hand.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°It is your proof of identification that you are a knight. It was created, so people cannot impersonate a knight.¡±


    ¡°Huh-uh.¡± (TLN: sound that signifies wow or whoa)


    Azell was impressed. While he was asleep, someone hade up with a way to prevent identity theft.


    Arrieta smirked.


    ¡°Originally, we would have to call over the Crest maker, and he would have to make your crest. However, you haven¡¯t taken the oath of loyalty, so we could do away with that. You cane up with your own crest, and have it made.¡±


    ¡°I will do that. I guess I¡¯ll lose a lot of money.¡±


    Knight have to have their own crest. The crest has to be something that had never existed before. The Crest makers, who create the crest for the knights and noble families, have extensive knowledge about crests that already exists. They had the ability to make a crest that couldn¡¯t be forged, so they were expensive.


    Arrieta spoke as she got on her horse.


    ¡°Let us depart.¡±


    The party left the Western Border Fortress.


    Arrieta spoke to Giles as she opened a map.


    ¡°Sir Giles. I heard you¡¯ve visited the capital before.¡±


    ¡°Yes. It was around two years ago...¡±


    ¡°Then could you decide which roads we will take to the capital?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    As soon as Giles answered, Boar butted in with a dissatisfied expression.


    ¡°May I say one thing, princess?¡±


    ¡°Speak.¡±


    ¡°I came here with princess as a member of your escort. I¡¯ll concede Sir Giles have more knowledge about the geography around here, but once we get close to the capital, it would be better for me to lead.¡±


    Boar clearly balked at the idea of Giles deciding the path of their journey. However, it was widely known that Arrieta had an impartial personality, so he didn¡¯t try to forcefully seize the leadership role away from Giles. Instead, he worked hard to persuade her.


    Arrieta nodded her head.


    ¡°Your words have some merit. What do you think, Sir Giles?¡±


    ¡°I believe Sir Boar¡¯s opinion is correct. I¡¯ve lived in the capital before, but I¡¯m not too familiar with the geography around that location. I¡¯ll discuss it with Sir Boar before I decide the route we take.¡±


    Giles didn¡¯t resist, and he passively epted Boar¡¯s interference.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ll entrust it to you.¡±


    They had brought every item they needed for the journey, so they decided to bypass the town close to the Western Border Fortress.


    Enora opposed against the decision.


    ¡°If we pass by this one then we will arrive at the next town during the night. Then princess won¡¯t be able to have a proper lunch.¡±


    ¡°If you are worrying about the meals, then don¡¯t worry about it. When I was on the battle field, I wasn¡¯t picky on what I ate.¡±


    ¡°But princess...¡±


    ¡°Enora. This isn¡¯t the pce. Moreover, I don¡¯t want such problems to dy us. Therefore, we¡¯ll stop only if the situation allows us to, and you¡¯ll have to make do. I¡¯m not going to ask for something that we don¡¯t have.¡±


    Arrieta spoke in an upromising manner, so Enora had no choice but to give up. It was an inconceivable situation for the Dragon Demon princess¡¯ personal maid, who served her in the pce. However, Enora¡¯s attitude was rtively flexible, so she didn¡¯t show any signs of discontent. Azell was amused by Enora. As they traveled slowly up an inclined path, he sidled up next to her horse, and he started a conversation.


    ¡°Miss Enora, you are pretty decent at riding a horse.¡±


    ¡°At first, I had some difficulties. It has been a long time since I¡¯ve ridden...¡±


    When she traveled from her homnd to the capital, she had ridden a horse instead of riding a carriage. However, once she started working in the pce, she didn¡¯t have the opportunity to ride a horse.


    Azell asked a question.


    ¡°Do you perhaps know how to fire an arrow?¡±


    ¡°How did you know that?¡±


    Enora¡¯s eyes became wide. Azell smirked.


    ¡°I thought it was likely, since you learned to ride at that age.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know what it was like in this era, but in Azell¡¯s time period, daughters of nobles learned how to protect themselves. One didn¡¯t need to be a daughter of a warrior to learn sophisticated martial arts. Amongst all of them, the most typical skill learned was horsemanship and archery.


    Azell asked.


    ¡°How skilled are you with the bow?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t pull the string of arge bow. I¡¯mcking in strength....¡±


    Enora answered shyly, and everyone looked at her with surprise in their eyes. However, Azell wasn¡¯t surprised. He justughed.


    ¡°That¡¯s impressive. How about swordsmanship?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t learn that.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°He(TLN: I¡¯m guessing the father) said a daughter, who¡¯ll marry someday, didn¡¯t need to learn it. The family¡¯s sword technique puts great stress on strength, so he said I¡¯ll be wild.....¡±


    ¡°Ah ha. So that is why. How about Spirit Order?¡±


    ¡°It is a simr story. He said he didn¡¯t need to pass on his mysteries(TLN: secrets) to a daughter, who¡¯ll marry into a different family.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    During the Dragon Demon War, sons and daughters weren¡¯t discriminated. They were all taught Spirit Order in order to grow their military strength. Before the Dragon Demon war broke out, it was unthinkable for such things to happen. After the war, it became a matter of course for the males to seed the techniques again. (TLN: before=>mostly male seed, During war=>both male & female, after war=>back to male-centric)


    Arrieta spoke to Enora.


    ¡°I had no idea you had such talents.¡±


    ¡°These are unnecessary skills for a maid.¡±


    ¡°Does the head maid know about it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I told her during the interview.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    Arrieta now knew the reason why customs were broken to make Enora her personal maid. Since most of her personal maids didn¡¯tst long, the head maid must have assessed skills not needed by a maid in her evaluation.


    Arietta was bing curious, so she asked a question.


    ¡°I heard you have an older sister.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any other siblings?¡±


    ¡°I have an older brother and a younger brother.¡±


    ¡°I see. Everyone is still at home?¡±


    ¡°My older brother went to the capital to study.¡±


    Enora was nervous answering the questions. Until now, Arietta had never been interested in her personal affairs.


    Arrieta had never thought Enora wouldst long. She didn¡¯t ask her anything since she viewed her as someone, who would be swapped out for a different person in the near future. However, after she looked at Enora¡¯s attitude and history, Arietta viewed her as someone she would get along for a long time. This naturally caused her to take interest in Enora.


    ¡°Where is the territory of Baron Balray located at?¡±


    ¡°Ah, our territory is in a rural area. It really can¡¯t bepared to the capital.... However, there arerge fields, and it is a ce where beautiful flowers bloom.¡±


    Enora started telling stories about the sceneries of her homnd with soft eyes. From listening to her stories, one could tell that the territory of Baron Balray was quite rural. The territory would have a hard time financially supporting an heir being sent to the capital to study.....


    Enora spoke as if she was homesick, but she suddenly looked at Azell as if she had suddenly thought of something.


    ¡°Uncle Azell is.....¡±


    ¡°Sir Azell.¡±


    Azell cut her words short. He had been promoted to knighthood, so he wanted to decline being called an uncle.


    Enora¡¯s lips pouted.


    ¡°You just became a knight.¡±


    ¡°A knight is a knight. If you call me an uncle then I¡¯ll call you littledy.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. Should we do that?¡±


    ¡°...no. No matter how I think about it I seem toe out on the short end, so let¡¯s drop it.¡±


    He didn¡¯t want to be called an uncle, so Azell admitted his defeat.


    Enora, while putting on a smile of victory, asked a question.


    ¡°Why did you think I learned archery?¡±


    ¡°You knew how to ride a horse. I just connected the two dots.¡±


    Azell spoke as heughed bitterly. Of course, it was an expression he made to put on an act as an ¡®amnesiac person¡¯, but it worked well on Enora.


    ¡°Ahh....¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m starting to remember bits and pieces.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember anything about your homnd?¡±


    Arrieta queried. Those words caused Azell to fall briefly into his thought.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. My homnd....¡±


    Azell didn¡¯t know where he was born. He had lost his parents during his childhood. He couldn¡¯t remember anything.(TLN: he was too young to remember) He had grown up, while wandering from ce to ce. However, when he heard the word homnd, he could only conjure up a particr scenery. It was after the Emperor bequeathed him with the title of duke, and he became Duke Karzark.


    Between the time the war had ended and up to the moment he had to emte the Dragon¡¯s Hibernation, he had lived through a painful, but peaceful 2 years. He had fought for thend with his life on the line, so it became a symbol of peace to him.


    Azell spoke with softness in his eyes.


    ¡°There was a flying dragon.¡±


    ¡°A flying dragon?¡±


    ¡°Yes. When it was about the time for the sun toe up, it would fly towards the east to hunt. When the sun set, it flew back west into the mountain. As I watched the figure of the dragon fly west every night, I would realize that the day hade to an end... This is what I remember.¡±


    Near the Dukedom of Karzark, there used to be three dragons.


    He had gone through countless Dragon yer¡¯s rituals, and Azell had alreadypleted his Dragon Demon sword.


    Humans and Dragons couldn¡¯t converse with each other, but Lord Azell and the dragons held mutual respect for each other inside their heart. Their presence kept the peace in the Dukedom of Karzark. During the time they were restoring the damagednd caused by the Dragon Demon war, they were almost never threatened by monsters. For reasons the humans couldn¡¯t understand, the dragons never caused trouble, and they were able rejoice in peace.


    ¡®I wonder if they are still there?¡¯


    Azell suddenly missed that scenery. In this current era, he wondered which country the Dukedom of Karzark belong to? Had the name remained the same?


    Azell still didn¡¯t know about these facts. There were too many things he didn¡¯t know about in this era.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯ll be a clue to finding your origin.¡±


    It was rare to find a territory where dragons boldly showed themselves in front of humans. One should be able to pinpoint where that territory is from knowing just that....


    ¡°It¡¯ll be great if I could.¡±


    Azell sincerely wanted to believe that.

 Chapter 30 Raised Social Status (4).

    <strong>Chapter 30 Raised Social Status (4).</strong>


    Chapter 30 - Raised Social Status (4)


    4


    The first day of travel passed without anything happening.


    It wasn¡¯t known whether the people called the Dragon¡¯s Shadow had entirely given up on kidnapping Arrieta or they were avoiding operating within the influence of the Southern Border guard after failing once.


    During lunchtime, they camped on the side of the road, and they reached the vicinity of a small town at night. Arrieta didn¡¯t need to reveal her identity. At a nce, one could tell their party was of high station, so they were able to pass through the gate without any problems.


    ¡°Are you not going to notify the lord of this town?¡±


    ¡°I think so. If I notify him, then our schedule would be unconditionally dyed.¡±


    If she revealed her identity as the Dragon Demon princess, they had to hold a reception for her. The reception wouldn¡¯t end after she stayed for a night, and she would be put in a troublesome position.


    She had to maintain her rtionships amongst the noble society, so she probably couldn¡¯t excuse herself unless she had an urgent matter. This was why Arrieta refused to reveal her identity, and she decided to press on her way.


    Arreita spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go wash and rest.¡±


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll go y with Sir Giles for a brief time.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by y?¡±


    Arrieta was unsure, so she asked a question. She couldn¡¯t understand what he meant by the expression.


    Azell replied back.


    ¡°We decided to spar against each other.¡±


    ¡°Ho oh.¡±


    Arrieta showed interest. As a Dragon Demon, her inborn magical energy stood out, but she had trained in swordsmanship since her childhood. She was also a martial artist, who had learned various martial arts.


    ¡°Do you mind if I look on?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Sir Giles might find it a bit ufortable.¡±


    ¡°He is also a knight, so he¡¯ll consider me taking interest as an honor. Of course, wouldn¡¯t he consider this an opportunity?¡±(TLN: to impress the princess)


    ¡°Mmm? I guess that¡¯s how it¡¯s going to be.¡±


    If one could show one¡¯s talent in front of the Dragon Demon princess Arrieta, it might lead to a promotion. Arrieta fully understood what her station signified.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°Moreover, he is a talent rmended to me by themander, so I want to see his skills. He is still very young....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    ¡°Well, princess called Sir Giles ¡®young¡¯, and I thought it was really out of ce.¡±


    Arrieta was a 16 year old girl, and Sir Giles was a knight. No matter how young a soldier was, one would at least be 19 years old. When one heard such words, it was no wonder it felt out of ce.


    Arreitaughed bitterly.


    ¡°I can see how it could sound like that. However when I take issue with a person¡¯s age, more often than not I don¡¯tpare their age to mine.¡±


    ¡°I can see you doing that.¡±


    ¡°Sir Azell, what do you think about him?¡±


    ¡°Do you mean Sir Giles¡¯ skills?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he falls short whenpared to Sir Boar. I can¡¯t predict how he¡¯ll do in a real battle. I¡¯m just looking at his ability as a Spirit Order practitioner.¡±


    ¡°I also thought he possessed a good amount of magical energy. His achievement is surprising considering his age.¡±


    ¡°When princess says those words, it¡¯s.....¡±


    ¡°You are makingmentary on every word I say. If this was the pce, I would have hit you hard based on your insolence. No wonder she is staring daggers at you from the side.¡±


    Arrieta said this as sheughed. This caused Azell to sneak a peek to his side.


    Enora was fuming, and she red at him. It looked like she was holding herself back from saying a word to him. If Arrieta hadn¡¯t shown an indifferent attitude, she would have stepped forward, and said something.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a Spirit Order practitioner, but...¡±


    As a Dragon Demon, she couldn¡¯t be a Spirit Order practitioner. In the first ce, Spirit Order was a technique made by humans for humans.


    However, Dragon Demon magic didn¡¯t use magic as its foundation. The Dragon Demon race and the Dragon Demons used something that was more sensitive than magic. The technique could be considered the parent of Spirit order, and the technique called ¡®Dragon Spirit Skill¡¯ was passed down amongst them.


    Arrieta was a Dragon Spirit practitioner. During a battle, this was the reason why she often used words of power as a medium for the Dragon Demon magic.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen a lot of Spirit Order practitioners around, so I have the ability to discern their abilities to a certain extent. It¡¯s hard to find someone like Sir Giles in my memories, who have this much achievement at that age. I¡¯ve never heard of a family headed by Viscount Vince, but his offspring was well educated.¡±


    ¡°I guess Sir Giles¡¯ family isn¡¯t that famous.¡±


    ¡°At the very least, it is a family I have never heard of. There are as many noble families as grains of sand. Unless there is a rtionship with the other family, one wouldn¡¯t know their names.¡±


    ¡°I can see that....¡±


    Arrieta probably had numerous names she had to memorize. As the Dragon Demon princess, she would only remember the renowned families or those who held special significance to the crown.


    Also, after hearing her story, he understood why Sir Giles, who was born to a noble family and promoted to knighthood, was working as a soldier in the Western Border guard. His family wasn¡¯t that high in status, and they didn¡¯t have any connections. It was hard to earn a proper rank with only his skills.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°Then let us go. Where are you going to do it?¡±


    ¡°I saw a garden behind the inn.¡±


    Arrieta, Azell and Enora went towards the garden. Giles, who had arrived earlier, was surprised.


    ¡°Princess?¡±


    ¡°I heard you two will spar.¡±


    ¡°That, that is so, but....¡±


    ¡°I want to see your skills, which themander was soplimentary of. Can you show me?¡±


    Giles, who was taken aback by Arrieta¡¯s question, hardened his face. Then the light in his eyes changed as he answered back.


    ¡°It will be my honor.¡±


    Azell was a bit surprised by his attitude.


    ¡®Unexpectedly, he might have ambitions for sess?¡¯


    From Azell¡¯s point of view, Giles wasn¡¯t a person that was too attached to promotion or power. When they were in the Western Border guard, he never imposed his authority over Azell, who was of unknown origin. Even today, he didn¡¯t react to every instances of Sir Boar trying to seize the leadership role. A person like that was overflowing with enthusiasm when Arrieta expressed her desire to see his skills. It was odd.


    ¡®Maybe he always wanted to in his heart, but his personality didn¡¯t allow it?¡¯


    That might be possible. He probably wanted to show his aggressiveness on the battlefield. He probably wanted to be epted for his skills, and receive a promotion through his aplishments . However, there were those like him who were clumsy at creating various opportunities for promotions.


    Giles spoke in front of him as Azell showed interest.


    ¡°Azell, no... Sir Azell. Could we change the arrangement?¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    After Azell was promoted to knighthood, he spoke to Giles as an equal. Before he had done so out of respect for his rank, but he didn¡¯t have any reason to do so now.


    He also told Giles to treat him with ease, and he should drop the respectful form of speech. Unexpectedly, Giles smoothly epted Azell¡¯s change in attitude.


    Giles spoke.


    ¡°Let us spar, so we can show everything we got.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll do that. However, let us restrain ourselves from using big technique with physical after-effects, so we won¡¯t destroy the surrounding.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    The two of them raised their swords and they faced each other.


    5


    Azell worried about what to do when he saw Giles, who was more serious then ever before.


    ¡®What should I do?¡¯


    Giles still didn¡¯t know about Azell¡¯s skill level. It was because Azell had faced him, while he somewhat adjusted to Giles¡¯ level.


    However, Arrieta already knew about Azell¡¯s skill level. She was probably the only person in this current era, who possessed the most information about him.


    ¡®I guess I can¡¯t half ass it.¡¯


    Azell thought about it for a moment, and he eventually came to a decision. However, it would be unfair for him to immediately show his skill against Giles. He decided to arouse his attention.


    ¡°Sir Giles. I¡¯ll be attacking first.¡±


    ¡°This is unusual.¡±


    Giles found it odd. Azell always waited and counter-attacked during their sparring sessions, and he had rarely taken the initiative. Azell had done this to sell the perception of ¡®I¡¯m short on magical energy¡¯ to Giles.


    Of course, Azell was still short on magical energy. The strength he had absorbed from the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual was rapidly processed, and it was used toplete his second Ring of Life plus its dual banding. He had started making his 3rd Ring of Life, but it couldn¡¯t bepare to his glory days.


    However, if hepared himself from couple days ago, the difference was far apart as earth from the heavens. Not only did the amount of magical energy inside his body changed, but the quality had also changed. When one used the first level of magical energy, there is a big difference between amplifying it through one Ring of Life and two Rings of Life. After the Dual Banding isplete, the difference was again muchrger.


    If the person controlling the power was as skilled as Azell, then it goes without saying he¡¯ll be outstanding.


    Giles shivered as he looked into Azell¡¯s eyes.


    ¡®What is it?¡¯


    Until now, he felt a sensation he had never felt when facing Azell. He had already epted that Azell was a Spirit Order practitioner with outstanding techniques. However, when he faced him right now, it was the first time he felt an imposing feeling emitted from him. It felt sharp enough to cut.


    Choo-paht!


    In the next moment, a de cut Giles, and it passed on by.


    ¡®I¡¯ve been had.....?¡¯


    In an instant, Giles felt the sensation of being cut. The de flew out without showing any signs, and it urately cut at his body.


    However, even as this was going on, Giles swung his sword as he retreated.


    ng!


    The swords shed, and a sharp sound rang out.


    This sound woke Giles from his stupor. Giles panted as he breathed rapidly.


    ¡°...what happened?¡±


    ¡°As expected, Sir Giles has a keen sense. I don¡¯t know who his teacher is, but he trained him well. Very thoroughly.¡±


    Azell wasughing in front of him. As Giles saw him smile leisurely, cold sweat started dripping down his face. When fighting someone, he would watch his opponent, and he would predict the next move. Gaze, expression, breathing, movement of the shoulders, etc.... One had to process all the information from the five senses, and it became an ingredient for an insight.


    Therefore, if one faced someone who was skilled then the opponent would, of course, try to disrupt the other¡¯s insight. The movement would blend substance and weakness to trick the opponent. It drastically cut down on the time needed to react.


    But, the previous attack by Azell.... There were no warnings about when, where or how it would happen.


    ¡®He didn¡¯t even move. No, he moved after he thrusted.¡¯


    Gile¡¯s mind reyed the event from a moment ago.


    They had started to lightly spread their magic to probe each other. Then Azell¡¯s magical energy suddenly hardened, and the thread of mental wave emerged into Giles¡¯ territory. The illusion of a de sliced him.


    Afterwards, Azell ran forward, he swung his sword.


    Giles blocked the attack by luck. When he was learning his family¡¯s martial arts, and Spirit Order Mysteries, he had learned a technique which enabled him to separate his mind and body. It he hadn¡¯t learned to block with this technique, then he would have lost on that single strike.


    Giles spoke.


    ¡°...impressive. Even my father had never shown me a technique like that. I really thought I was going to be cut. It is akin to the hallucination magic used by magicians. How is this possible?¡±


    At those words, Azell spoke as if he was a teacher lecturing his student.


    ¡°Spirit Order is a technique that can manipuate the mind. When one train martial arts, you train your body, learn techniques, and then train your mind. However, Spirit Order is the opposite. As you train your mind, you are able to feel the movement of the magical energy, then you learn the technique. Finally, you apply it to your body.¡±


    ¡°Basically, this is possible if one learns the techniques that control the mind?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    This was the reason why it was called Spirit Order. The Dragon Demons and the Dragon Demon race used Dragon Demon magic as their nucleus. It was an ¡®intuitive and sense-based magic used through one¡¯s body¡¯, so it had evolved into a different form of magic.


    Azell was mystified.


    ¡®The techniques that handle the magical energy and the techniques that uses one¡¯s body, is on par with my era. Instead, there are some aspects that are better. He didn¡¯t luck into the previous block. It is the result of training an established technique.¡¯


    However, the techniques dealing with the mind was of very low standard. Was Giles inexperienced?


    ¡®Probably not.¡¯


    When he looked back at the events couple days ago, it wasn¡¯t the case. At the time, a small group of monsters didn¡¯t hide their mental energies, when they were carrying out a sneak attack. Moreover, the troops couldn¡¯t read their mental energy.


    Even so, Giles had learned a high level technique in shielding his mind. It wasn¡¯t an active skill. It was like erecting a castle wall around one¡¯s mind. It was an naive way to do it, but the quality was above average.


    It seemed like many of the techniques that could influence the minds of one¡¯s opponent was lost. If one thought about the origin of Spirit Order, this was totally absurd.

 Chapter 31 Raised Social Status (5).

    <strong>Chapter 31 Raised Social Status (5).</strong>


    Chapter 31 - Raised Social Status (5)


    Azell pulled back from asking his question then he spoke.


    ¡°Well, I guess this will be the end of our warm-up.¡±


    ¡°Sir Azell, you are a very kind man.¡±


    ¡°I would rather be called a fair man.¡±


    Azell knew Giles figured out his intent, so heughed. After the first exchange, Giles threw away any thoughts of looking down on Azell. At the very least, he epted the truth that Azell was much better in terms of skill.


    Giles strengthened his mental barrier. The magical energy he could use in an attack was noticeable less, but he had no choice. Normally, he would erect an adequately sturdy wall, but wouldn¡¯t Azell pierce through it easily?


    Then Giles started attacking recklessly.


    Che-ch-e-che-che-che-cheng!


    It was a frighteningly fast attack. Every time the swords hit each other, sparks flew, and a brilliant silver light traced through the air.


    Giles, who was pouring on a dizzying attack, suddenly felt that Azell¡¯s movement was strange. Azell vigorously moved as he matched his rhythm, but now his movement had slowed enough to be different. Then he flowed smoothly to the side.


    ¡®Huk!¡¯


    As if he was toying with Giles¡¯ doggedness, the de that broke through burst forth in an oblique angle.


    Giles retreated in fright. As if he was waiting for him to do so, the point of the sword tracked him like a dancing snake.


    Chang!


    Giles barely blocked the blow, and he distanced himself from Azell.


    Giles asked a question, while perspiring cold sweat.


    ¡°What are these sword technique?¡±


    He realized a step toote. Azell was using several types of sword techniques.


    He had thought he hade to grasp Azell¡¯s sword techniques after couple sparring session. However, he didn¡¯t realized Azell had learned a highly heterogeneous sword art.


    Azell replied.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember what it is called. However, I learned a lot of sword arts in a hodgepodge manner.¡±


    His words were true. Azell had learned several dozens of sword arts during his lifetime. Heprehended all of it to make his own sword style. After the Dragon Demon war ended, the Emperor decreed that his sword style would be the official sword style of the Nadick Empire¡¯s Royal Knights.


    ¡®I wonder if it survived?¡¯


    After 220 years, he wondered if the sword style he created was still in existence. If it was, it would have been his greatest honor.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ept my loss.¡±


    ¡°Mmm? Already?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame, but I don¡¯t think I can be your opponent with my current level of skill. Even though Iunched my attack at you, I couldn¡¯t even force you to take one step backwards.¡±


    As his word indicated, the shy attack Giles performed wasn¡¯t able make Azell move a single step. He had stood in ce like an embedded nail. Moreover, he had kept Giles in front of him, and he had deceived Giles¡¯ sense to create an opening.


    Giles had more magical energy than Azell, and he was also stronger and faster. However, Azell¡¯s technique was overwhelmingly superior that it was enough to overturn all the physical advantages he held.


    Giles spoke.


    ¡°This was a great lesson. May I ask you to keep being my opponent in the future?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    After Azell nodded his head, Giles bowed towards Arrieta.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for showing my shorings.¡±


    ¡°No, it was an entertaining show. Sir Azell, you are a very mischievous man.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°If you decide to teach someone, I¡¯m sure the pupil will have manyints about you as a teacher.¡±


    ¡°This opinion seems to being from personal experience. Am I mistaken?¡±


    ¡°No. Unfortunately, you are right. You have some simrities to my teacher.¡±


    ¡°Ho oh. Then you¡¯ve been taught by a good person.¡±


    ¡°You have an unusual talent of painting your face in gold.(TLN: painting oneself in a good light) If my teacher, Duke Tarantos, heard you then he would most definitely... Mmmm. He would haveughed.¡±


    ¡°The person who taught princess was the Dragon Demon Duke?¡±


    Giles was surprised, so he butted in. This caused Arrieta¡¯s eyes to move towards him. He lowered his head in surprise.


    ¡°I apologize.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. We aren¡¯t in a grandiose location, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it. To tell you the truth, it¡¯s annoying.¡±


    After sheined, Arrieta continued speaking.


    ¡°Dragon Demon Duke. Yes, it is him.¡±


    ¡°My god. That person rarely shows himself even on a formal asion....¡±


    ¡°Well, he is someone with a lot of ties to the crown. If the crown requests it then he¡¯llply withoutining.¡±


    At those words, Azell tilted his head.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t Dragon Maken Duke a fairly high sounding nickname?¡¯


    Well, Azell¡¯s own nickname was also grandiose. It couldn¡¯t be helped since he was the one who held the most aplishment in the Dragon Demon War, and he had also beaten the Dragon Demon King Atein.


    Azell asked.


    ¡°What kind of person is this Dragon Demon Duke?¡±


    ¡°....you don¡¯t know who Dragon Demon Duke is?¡±


    Giles stared at Azell with a dumbfounded expression as if to say he couldn¡¯t believe such a thing was possible.


    Azell felt a sense of deja vu since he had received the same kind of stare from someone.


    ¡®Ah, it¡¯s the same expression as Rick when I mentioned I didn¡¯t know who the Dragon Princess was.¡¯


    The Dragon Demon Duke was a figure as famous as the Dragon Demon Princess, so if one didn¡¯t know them, one would be treated as a spy.


    Arrietaughed.


    ¡°Sir Azell has lost his memory, so it is understandable.¡±


    ¡°Truthfully, I didn¡¯t even know about you, princess. When I asked if the Dragon Demon Princess was the princess of a country founded by the Dragon Demon race, army doctor Rick looked at me with the same expression Sir Giles made.¡±


    ¡°This has been a very refreshing experience.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°From the time I was born to now, no one has failed to recognize me. They might not know me personally, but they know about the existence called ¡®Dragon Demon Princess.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    Azell nodded his head. For the past several days, he had studied about this era, and her existence wasmon knowledge.


    Azell asked.


    ¡°Is Dragon Demon Duke a title inherited like the Dragon Demon Princess?¡±


    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t like that. The Dragon Demon Dukepared to the Dragon Demon princess... Mmmm. Yes. It is appropriate to think of it as the difference between legend andmon knowledge.¡±


    ¡°So you are saying Dragon Demon Princess ismon knowledge, and Dragon Demon Duke is a legend? ¡±


    ¡°Ah......¡±


    He had already heard about the Dragon Demon race joining the human society. However, it was refreshing to hear about a concrete example. The Duke was from the Dragon Demon race, and he was a great noble in a kingdom built by humans. He was also the princess¡¯ teacher.


    ¡®This is quite fun.¡¯


    Azell wanted to meet him at least once.


    6


    The worshipers of the Dragon Demon race was everywhere.


    Currently, the world was misguided as it was ruled by humans. There were many people who believed in the fulfillment of the ideals set forth by the Dragon Demon King. Those believers had infiltrated all ranks and sses. Even if it isn¡¯t someone from the Dragon Demon race, who grew up discriminated, there were other numerous people cooperating with them, while hiding their identity.


    This was one form of religion. These were people who couldn¡¯t boldly step into the sun. They were waiting in the darkness for the savior, Dragon Demon King, to return someday...


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. The situation has beplicated.¡±


    The secret society was called the Dragon¡¯s Shadow. Regina received a report from her underling, and she mumbled in a hoarse voice. Amongst the countless organizations worshiping the Dragon Demon King, the Dragon¡¯s Shadow was a high ranking organization with many lesser organization beneath it. The fact that she was in this group signified she was a big fish. She could go anywhere in this world and request cooperation from the lesser organization connected to the main branch. The informationwork was especially frightening.


    When she was about to speak to her underling, who had his head down, she heard a woman¡¯s voice from inside.


    ¡°What is soplicated?¡±


    Then time came to a halt.


    No, in reality, time hadn¡¯t stopped. However, it felt like it had for Regina.


    The underlings in front of her had stopped moving. They hadn¡¯t just stopped moving. They didn¡¯t blink nor did they breathe. They just stopped in ce.


    Regina turned to looked at the person causing this bizarre phenomenon.


    ¡°Niberis-nim. If you leave the humans in this state, then they¡¯ll die soon.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Even I know that much.¡±


    Niberis was a woman in her mid-20s with ck hair, and brown eyes. From her outer appearance, she looked like a cold beauty, but she wasn¡¯t human inside. She was a high ranking executive, who held a much higher position than Regina.


    Niberis nced once at the frozen underlings, and their status changed. They were still frozen in ce, but they started breathing slowly. She didn¡¯t want to reveal herself to the worshipers, and this was a way to minimize information from getting out.


    Niberis spoke.


    ¡°Answer my previous question.¡±


    ¡°Including the Dragon Demon princess, they are a small party with only 5 people.¡±


    ¡°Five people?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°There are only that many people apanying the Dragon Demon Princess?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What is she thinking? Maybe this is a imposter in disguise? Is this a diversion?¡±


    ¡°We have confirmed that isn¡¯t the case.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. Isn¡¯t that more convenient? Why are saying it has be moreplicated?¡±


    Niberis tilted her head in question. She didn¡¯t understand why Arrieta chose to do this. Moreover, she didn¡¯t understand why Regina thought this mission had be moreplicated.


    Regina mused inside as she looked at her.


    ¡®She grew up sheltered.¡±


    Niberis was the offspring of a high ranking executive within the organization. She possessed powerful strength, but she hadn¡¯t really gone out into the world. She was a high ranking magician, but that didn¡¯t mean she was smart in the ways of the world.


    Regina exined.


    ¡°Even if the Dragon Demon Princess could bring as many troops to bodyguard her, there is a limit to how many she can bring. Even on the high side, it would be around 70 to 80 people. Even if it was the Western Border guards, it would be impossible to deploy any more troops.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be more troublesome than 5 people?¡±


    ¡°From our perspective, it would have been better if she came with a somewhatrge retinue. Even if there were a lot of them, most of them are ordinary soldiers. Therge number means their traveling speed would be slow, and it would be easier to find their location.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. The small number means most of them are elite troops, and they will have an easier time running away? Is that what you mean?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Regina clearly saw through Arrieta¡¯s intention. Moreover, she knew this was all done to make it more difficult for her pursuers.


    ¡°This region has almost none of our agents in ce. It would be impossible for us to mobilize too many of our men.¡±


    ¡°They are small in number, so why would we need a lot of people?¡±


    ¡°We need it.¡±


    ¡°If I go, do you think it will becking?¡±


    Niberis¡¯ eyes started to fill with displeasure. Regina spoke haltingly.


    ¡°Of course, if it is Niberis-nim, the Dragon Demon princess and anyone next to her would be sufficiently overwhelmed.¡±


    First, she spoke those words to quell Niberis¡¯ mood. However, this wasn¡¯t just a ttery, it was the truth. Niberis had grown up sheltered within the upper echelon of the secret society, so her sense of reality was a bitcking. However, Niberis possessed enormous strength, which Regina couldn¡¯t evenpare to.


    ¡°However, our goal isn¡¯t to fight and defeat them. We have to capture them. If a person of the Dragon Demon princess¡¯ caliber starts to go on the run then it won¡¯t be easy to catch her. Moreover, there is a restriction on how we can act in a highly popted location.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Niberis understood what Regina was trying to say.


    However, she refused to epted it.


    ¡°Still, Regina, you only think of this situation based on your level.¡± (TLN: calling her a small fish/thinking too small)


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°If I go forth, then you don¡¯t have to worry about such things. First of all, I¡¯m going out to capture a mere Dragon Demon Princess. This is like a king using his best sword to butcher a chicken.¡±


    Niberisughed coldly. Regina¡¯s pride was rustled, but she spoke, while keeping her outer appearance nk.


    Niberis spoke.


    ¡°This is the only time I will go out.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Regina replied back. In the current world, the existence of a Dragon Demon King worshiper was not tolerated. If it was and ruled by humans, this was the case everywhere. There existed secret societies that also tracked down Dragon Demo King worshipers


    Niberis spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave the preparation to you. Since you are so worried about it, I want you to make me a stage with utmost caution.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Regina bowed her head.

 Chapter 32 Those Who Teach (1).

    <strong>Chapter 32 Those Who Teach (1).</strong>


    Chapter 32 - Those Who Teach (1)


    Arrieta and her party¡¯s journey was smooth. After leaving the territory of the Western Border Guard, four days had passed without anything dangerous happening.


    However, this didn¡¯t mean there weren¡¯t any problems. The mood within the group was steadily getting worse.


    The culprits were Azell and Boar.


    Wa-jang-chang!


    As they finished their meals within the camp, the empty bowls were noisily flipped over. Then Boar let out his murderous intent.


    ¡°Stop trying to mess with me.¡±


    ¡°We are in the same party, so I¡¯m trying to assign the dish washing duty. Is that me ¡®trying to mess with¡¯ you? That concept is new to me.¡±


    ¡°That work is only suited for a base born like you. You dare to request someone with noble blood to do such work?¡±


    ¡°Whoa, how scary. How dare a mere knight like me not recognize a lord. I treated you wrongly. May I ask how many knight are pledged to your service, lord?¡±


    Azell was being sarcastic. Enora, who was far away, had a hard time breathing, because of the murderous intent emitted by Boar. However, Azell didn¡¯t show any signs of being intimidated.


    Boar growled.


    ¡°You are holding up your head too high, since the princess favors you a little bit! I don¡¯t know where you rolled in from, but your base born blood doesn¡¯t know anything about honor. How dare you talk to a knight with such a dirty mind!¡±


    ¡± I didn¡¯t realize the title of a knight was so important in the era after the rule of Nadick Empire¡¯s Emperor Haven. Even back then knights weren¡¯t considered to be so special. Also...¡±


    Azell smirked in front of him.


    ¡°When a talent-less bastard with a trash-like mind praises himself to be a ¡®noble¡¯, it really nauseates me. ¡±


    ¡°What? How dare you not know your ce! I was being patient, because we are in front of the princess. However, I can¡¯t stand it anymore!¡±


    Sssroooong!


    Boar was enraged, so he unsheathed his sword.


    Azell looked at him as if he was pathetic. Boar made a request to Arrieta.


    ¡°Princess! His man has insulted my honor! Please allow us to have a duel!¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.....¡±


    Arrieta had a conflicted expression.


    The event had progressed this far, so her decision was simple.


    The party moved with an emphasis on speed, so they hadn¡¯t stayed in any of the towns. They had camped along the way, and Enora had been in charge of cooking the food. Azell didn¡¯t mind doing the odd jobs, and Giles, who was used to military life, also helped with the work.


    Arrieta wasn¡¯t in a position to do anything. She didn¡¯t want to refuse doing chores, but her station didn¡¯t allow her to do these kinds of work. Most of all, Enora was resolute in blocking her from doing the chores, so she could take part only when her magical power was needed.


    During all of this, Boar did nothing. He refused to gather dead leaves and branches as they got ready for camp. He didn¡¯t help in the dinner preparation, and he didn¡¯t wash the dishes. When it was time to leave, he didn¡¯t pick up after himself.


    If one considered his past, it was a reasonable attitude. He was born into a noble family, and he was promoted to the royal knights. During that time, he didn¡¯t have much experience of traveling outside, and even when he did, he had his underlings do the annoying work. Even though, Azell could guess his circumstances, he wouldn¡¯t tolerate his attitude. Eventually, Azell told him he was doing less work than the princess, and that was too much. Azell tried to put him in charge of washing the dishes. When he did, Boar eximed, ¡®How in the world could he do such a thing¡¯, and he became angry.


    ¡®He is making such a fuss, because he really hates washing dishes. If I had to make an award for the world¡¯s most irritating noble, then he would probably be nominated.¡¯


    Originally, there were a lot of people like him in the ranks of the nobles. In any situation, they refused to do ¡®menial work¡¯. They insisted those works would damage their honor.


    During the Dragon Demon War, the poption was going through such a harsh tribtion that such perception had thinned out. However, now that the world had be livable again, their dirty true nature had spread again like a disease.


    Azell took a peek at Arrieta. Without moving his lips, he used Whispering to ry his intentions to her.


    -Please allow it, princess.


    After a moment, Arrieta also used Whispering to reply back. Whispering could be used with Spirit Order, but it was a technique that also existed within Dragon Demon magic, and magic.


    -Mmm? But....


    -Any ways, wouldn¡¯t it be hard to order him to wash the dishes in your position?


    -If it is needed, then I will.


    -Miss Enora will stop you. We need to use this opportunity to step on him once. Moreover, I want to.


    -Mmm. This feels like participating in a bad prank.


    -Jeez, I know you find him annoying, princess.


    -I won¡¯t deny that.


    Arrietaughed bitterly.


    She had a much more noble bloodline than Boar, but Arrieta was surprisingly very self-aware. She was taught by teachers, who possessed carefree attitudes. Also, she had grown up being influenced by the ideal that said, ¡®Your power exist to protect the people.¡¯


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll allow it.¡±


    ¡°Princess?¡±


    Enora was surprised, so she turned to look at her. However, Arrieta continued to speak in a calm manner.


    ¡°Except you can¡¯t forget about the mission you have epted. I order you to do your best not to harm each other¡¯s life.¡±


    At those words, Boar spoke.


    ¡°I understand. No matter how insolent and lowly a person is, life is a precious thing. I just wanted to fix his attitude. I have no intention of taking his life.¡±


    Azell¡¯s eyebrows shot up at those words.


    ¡®Ho-oh?¡¯


    His insolent words grated a little bit against his nerves, but his other words were a bit unexpected. I guess he wasn¡¯t scoundrel, who treated other¡¯s lives like flies, when his pride was involved?


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°The loser has to respect the wishes of the winner. As the Dragon Demon Princess Arrieta Weil Rin, I¡¯ll be the witness to the duel between Sir Boar Zilred, and Sir Azell Zestringer.


    Azell and Boar stopped at a location a little bit off from the camp fire. Azell took out his sword. While they looked at each other, both of them ced their swords in the middle so it slightly touched.


    Arrieta made the deration.


    ¡°Start the duel.¡±


    2


    Azell and Boar stood face to face.


    Both their figures contrasted each other. When he set out as Arrieta¡¯s guard, he had received a sword that was big enough to be used with either one or two hands. Azell loosely grabbed his sword with both hands as his sword pointed downward. If seen at a nce, the posture made him look like he wasn¡¯t interested in fighting.


    On the other hand, Boar had a long sword in his right hand, and a shield on his left. He was in a typical knight¡¯s stance. His shield was in front of him, and he was positioned to swing the sword at any moment.


    Boar taunted.


    ¡°Your body is so weak that I don¡¯t know where I should hit.¡±


    Azell¡¯s eyebrows rose.


    For reference, Azell¡¯s body had improved quite noticeably. He had trained his body during the travel, so his body was taking shape incrementally.


    However, his body was still frailpared to apletely trained, muscle-bound knight.


    ¡®This guy really... He has a talent for annoying others?¡¯


    Azell didn¡¯t even think about the fact that he had also taunted his opponent. He red at Boar.


    Even though he didn¡¯t have much muscles, his body was rapidly bing strong. It was because of the Dragon¡¯s power he had drunk using the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual. On the surface, there weren¡¯t much change, but a human body that has drunk a dragon¡¯s power bes robust. Even if someone has the same body build, there are those who are stronger than the other. In the same vein, there was a difference between bing sturdier through the dragon¡¯s power, and training one¡¯s body.


    ¡®Well, if wepare our pure physical traits, the bastard is on a much higher level than me.¡¯


    Azell passively epted his fact. Azell was taller than him by a finger length, but Boar had a thoroughly trained body. He ignored his emotions, and he was able to coldly assess his opponent. This ability was something every one of his teacher hadplimented on. Azell studied Boar, and he was able to analyze Boar¡¯s power in a sh.


    ¡°I¡¯m different from you, who grew up in a nice environment. I¡¯m able to think rationally. This is why I¡¯ll tell you this. You will be hurt badly. You will be hit until you feel pain akin to dying. However, I won¡¯t injure you in a fashion where your power will diminish.(TL:he won¡¯t hurt his cultivation) I¡¯ll promise you that.¡±


    Azell had alreadypleted his 3rd Ring of Life in the past couple days. He had wanted to test out his power, so he liked this turn of event.


    ¡®Yes. I knew I needed to beat this bastard at some point.¡¯


    Boar responded to Azell¡¯s taunt.


    ¡°Hnng! That is what I should be saying. As a knight, who knows about honor, I¡¯ll let you attack first! Come at me!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Azell decided not to refuse his offer. He took one long stride.


    In a sh, Boar became surprised.


    ¡®What is that?¡¯


    Azell had taken a step. However, the distance of 5 meters that existed between the two disappeared in that one step.


    Tuh-ung!


    ¡°Kuk!¡±


    The sword struck the top of the shield, and Boar¡¯s body shook.


    ¡®What is it? What is this damage?¡¯


    It was weird. The sword strike wasn¡¯t especially ferocious, but the moment he blocked it the blow traveled through his entire body. Even his bones hurt.


    He started to slowly retreat when Azell took another step. His light step looked like he was taking a stroll, but he had moved to an ideal distance for bring down his sword.


    Tuh-ung!


    After another strike was applied, Boar staggered backwards.


    When Arrieta saw this, she let out a sigh of praise.


    ¡°That is an interesting technique.¡±


    If one watched from the side, the move could be understood. Azell looked like he was taking a normal stride across the surface of the ground, but he was actually sliding to close the distance. It was like sliding across ice.


    When facing him from the front, it was hard for an unsuspecting opponent to decipher his movements. It ruined the timing and sense of distance of the opponent, so one would have a hard time responding to it.


    Even when he was sliding, there was no noise. This meant it was a Spirit Order technique. However, Azell was very adept at disguising his magical energy use that one couldn¡¯t read what he was doing.


    Giles spoke.


    ¡°His sword strikes are surprising.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say it is surprising. It would be more apt to call it spiteful.¡± (TLN: the word used is a mixture of spiteful/naughty)


    ¡°.......¡±


    Gilesughed bitterly at Arrieta¡¯s observation. Hepletely agreed with her sentiment.


    Azell had broken Boar¡¯s timing and sense of distance. His attacks were like a bait being thrown to a fish. These attacks were perfectly made for a shield to block. From Boar¡¯s perspective, he wanted to block with his shield to make an opening, so he would counter attack.


    However, Azell had foreseen his tactic, so he was using this Spirit Order technique. The impact bypassed the shield, and it spread across Boar¡¯s entire body.


    The same pattern repeated three times, and Boar finally saw through Azell¡¯s tricks. On the fourth sword strike, Boar didn¡¯t block it with his shield. Instead, he avoided it then he counter attacked.


    Azell lightly flowed past it. Boar staggered a few step forwards before he was able to regain his bnce.


    ¡°Ooh-ook. That is a surprising technique!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t hold back my excitement at being praised by such a noble person.¡±


    ¡°Truthfully, I¡¯m impressed. When an opponent is good, it is a knight¡¯s duty to acknowledge that fact! I¡¯ll acknowledge that you posses high level techniques.¡±


    Boar red at Azell with eyes burning with his fighting spirit.


    He already knew from Azell¡¯s first sword strike what he was trying to do. Even if he knew this, he couldn¡¯t block the 2nd and 3rd strike. Initially, he thought Azell had thrown an easily block-able strike. However, the impact had passed through his shield, and he couldn¡¯t defend against it.


    If one was a Cord Rope master, one was able to easily bypass a wall to strike at an enemy. Even if the opponent was wearing a thick armor, it was possible to deliver damage past the armor.


    Also, when one uses such a method, the opponent usually uses an offsetting technique. However, he knew that Azell¡¯s technique wasing, but he couldn¡¯te up with an move that would cancel it out.

 Chapter 33 Those Who Teach (2).

    <strong>Chapter 33 Those Who Teach (2).</strong>


    Chapter 33 - Those Who Teach (2)


    Tung! tung! Tuh-tuh-tung!


    ¡°Ooh-ook! Kook!¡±


    Azell hit Boar consecutively. By then the pain had seeped into his bones. He let out a moan, and he started stagger.


    It wasn¡¯t just the shield. Whenever their swords met, the impact was being transferred to Boar.


    Azell¡¯s movement was too skillful. Boar had realized what Azell¡¯s intentions was, so he tried to avoid hitting against Azell¡¯s sword at any cost. He used the fact that his shield was round to shed the blows at an angle. He avoided exchanging blows, and he tried to focus on attacks that would put his opponent on the defense.


    However, it was all for naught. Azell read all of his movements as if he was reading a dictionary.


    It was inevitable. He couldn¡¯t block with his shield, and he couldn¡¯t hit his sword against the other¡¯s sword. It was basically fighting with both his hands and feet bound.


    ¡°Huh-uk, Huh-uk....¡±


    The duel had been only going on for 5 minutes, but Boar was about to pass out. Sweat was pouring down like rain, and he was having a hard time breathing.


    This shouldn¡¯t be happening. He was a Quadruple Master, and he could easily surpass the physical limitation of a normal person. If he used Spirit Order, he could be in full body armor and fight for several hours.


    However, the continuous hits and the strain on his mind robbed his stamina in a sh.


    ¡°Let¡¯s end this.¡±


    Azell spoke indifferently, then he started to swing his sword. Even though Boar was about faint, he still raised his shield.


    However, Azell¡¯s sword was like a lie as it passed through the shield. After passing the obstacle, the sword touched the end of Boar¡¯s chin.


    ¡°Kuk... Don¡¯t insult me. Kill me!¡±


    Boar spoke in a shaky voice. It seemed like he was trying to be dignified, but one could easily see he was scared.


    Before Azell could say anything, Arrieta stepped forward.


    ¡°Stop! End it there.¡±


    ¡°Azell Zestringer is the victor of this duel. Do you disagree, Sir Boar?¡±


    ¡°...no. I acknowledge my defeat.¡±


    Boar answered as his body shook from humiliation.


    3


    At that moment, Azell spoke.


    ¡°Truthfully, you impressed me a little bit. You have more guts than I thought, Sir Boar.¡±


    At those words, Boar looked at Azell with surprised eyes. Azell guessed Boar didn¡¯t expect apliment from him.


    He opened his mouth with difficulty.


    ¡°I, I¡¯m also impressed by your techniques. I apologize for my rudeness. You are an outstanding martial artist. You deserve to be acknowledged by the princess.¡±


    His face had turned red. It seemed like he was embarrassed. However, his words weren¡¯t forced, and he could tell Boar was speaking from his heart.


    ¡®What a funny guy.¡¯


    He had thought Boar was an arrogant and impudent prototypical wastrel of a noble, who couldn¡¯t put himself in someone else¡¯s shoes. Truthfully, he was acting that way. However, he had an unexpected side where he was able to quietly ept what he had experienced.


    Azell saw him again as a martial artist. He was young, and he was born with some talent. He came from a good family so he had received a lot of assistance. However, he had be a Quadruple master, so he had a strong will and he showed signs of being thoroughly trained.


    He might be worth looking over for awhile. Azell spoke as he thought this.


    ¡°It¡¯s time, Sir Boar.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You have to do the dishes?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Boar made an expression as if he had chewed on a bug.


    ¡°Koo-ook. It is h...humiliating, but I have to ept the result of the duel. I have no choice, but do it as a knight! I¡¯ll do it!¡±


    If someone saw this, one would think he was smearing ink on their family¡¯s honor. He was acting like requiring him to wash dishes was a crazy request. Azell queried in dismay, when Boar acted as if this was some tragedy.


    ¡°By the way, I¡¯m actually really curious about this, so I want to ask you... Sir Boar, why do you consider washing dishes to be shameful?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the work of a the base born? It isn¡¯t a work a noble knight should do.¡±


    ¡°But I saw you do some misceneous works? Why is that so different?¡±


    Azell carefully looked back on Boar¡¯s action as he asked. Boar never prepared the camp, prepare dinner nor wash the dishes. However, he didn¡¯t refuse any tasks that required strength. He did Arrieta¡¯s work for her, but I discounted it since she was the princess. There were also instances involving Enora.


    ¡®Miss Enora. I might be presumptuous, but I¡¯ll help you despite it. I¡¯ll help you onto the horse.¡¯


    Enora was short, so he helped her get on the horse.


    ¡®Miss Enora, I¡¯ll move the belongings.¡¯


    He also helped Enora move the packs.


    Boar spoke as if he didn¡¯t know what Azell was talking about.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a knight¡¯s duty to use his strength for a delicate woman? ¡±


    ¡°...if you see it like that, then wouldn¡¯t the preparation for camp be hard, also? Why didn¡¯t you help?¡±


    ¡°Each person has their own roles. A woman doing her duty shouldn¡¯t wield a knight¡¯s sword. Vice versa, a knight shouldn¡¯t infringe on a woman¡¯s work space. Of course, she has her own work to do, and isn¡¯t it a job she is capable of doing?¡¯


    ¡°.......¡±


    This guy¡¯s code of chivalry was quite twisted. Azell turned to look at Giles in dismay, but he was nodding his head if he agreed a hundred percent with that sentiment.


    Azell let out a sigh.


    ¡°Any ways, even if he discount that, the preparing the camp isn¡¯t Ms Enora¡¯s job, right?¡±


    ¡°That, that is true. However, it is a job for those beneath me.¡±


    ¡°¡±If there was a servant or squire present to do it for you, then that should be the case. However, we don¡¯t have that person here. Tell me the truth. Sir Boar, you¡¯ve never gone on a mission without a servant or a squire?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Boar¡¯s face turned red as if he was hit in a sore spot. It was as Azell predicted.


    Azell let out a sigh.


    ¡°What would happen if you were chosen for an mission that requires a small elite group, and there are only knights of higher position than you?¡±


    ¡°That...¡±


    ¡°Of course, you would have to divvy up the chores. This includes preparation for camp, dinner preparation and even washing the dishes. Do you think a fairy will show up to do the misceneous work for you?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t ask you to cook. However, you should take a portion of the work Giles and I do. Would that be so disgraceful? If you think so, please throw away that thought. Let¡¯s ask the princess.¡±


    When Azell pointed the arrow at her, Arrieta flinched. Azell asked her a question.


    ¡°Princess. Have you ever been apanied by only high ranking knights?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t have any battle experience with them, but we had a situation where we had to move quickly. For a whole day, I had to ride with Count Arhen, and Sir Jarsten, the deputy of the Royal Knights.¡±


    ¡°How was it?¡±


    ¡°They knew how to prepare the camp, and they also prepared the meals. I helped a little bit, but they grumbled that I shouldn¡¯t do the work.¡±


    ¡°You heard it, right?¡±


    When Azell asked him a question, Boar had a dumbfounded expression. His mouth was open, and he looked like he had just been punched.


    ¡°Did...did they really do those chores?¡±


    Azell didn¡¯t know this, but Count Arhen was a warrior in his 60s, who gained his reputation as a de master. Jarsten was a dignified middle aged knight from a great family.


    Arrieta spoke as she thought about that time.


    ¡°Yes. They said it reminded them of their apprenticeship days...¡±


    They had alsoined about doing such work at their age, but Arrieta omitted that fact.


    Azell asked a question.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you do such work during your apprenticeship, Sir Boar? Didn¡¯t you do some misceneous work?¡±


    ¡°...I, I¡¯ve never done it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never apprenticed under a knight.¡±


    Boar spoke, while he became embarrassed. Azell was confused.


    ¡°Uh, how could that be if you are part of the Royal knights?¡±


    ording to Azell¡¯s general knowledge, this didn¡¯t make any sense. Even if one is from an important background, one had to go through a step-by-step process to be one of the Royal Knights. One was made an official knight once one bes somewhat serviceable.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t impossible. After bing an official knight from outside, the prominent knights has to give a rmendation. Then one has to pass the evaluation given by the upper ranks of the knights. There is such a method to enter...¡±


    ¡°I entered that way.¡±


    Boar acknowledged this fact. Azell thought as he looked at him.


    ¡®So this is why he iscking in some fundamental concepts!¡¯


    He heard from Giles that Boar¡¯s family was lead by Marquis Zilred, and they were known to be a prestigious family. Boar was the third son, but he possessed excellent talent. He had be a Quadruple Master at a young age, so the family had supported him extensively.


    It was understandable to see why Boar¡¯s sense of value was twisted. It was surprising that he still had an innocent aspect to his personality.


    Boar spoke.


    ¡°After hearing princess¡¯ words, I realized my way of doing things is wrong. From this day forward, I will diligently share the workload. Moreover, Sir Azell.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I would like to apologize once again for my rude behavior up until now. I was the one who wascking, and I insulted you when I couldn¡¯t even recognize your skill level. Of course, you have every right to be angry. Even if you weren¡¯t a knight, you have enough skill that can¡¯t be ignored by anyone.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to think of it so rigidly....¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go do the dishes.¡±


    After saying this, Boar took off his armor. Then he picked up the dishes he flipped over then he went to the creek.


    Arrieta mumbled.


    ¡°I can¡¯t get a grasp on what kind of man he is.¡±


    Everyone there all nodded their head.


    4


    After themotion, everyone went to sleep.


    Azell, Giles and Boar rotated to keep a night watch. Enora and Arrieta was excluded, since Giles and Boar strongly insisted a princess¡¯ sleep shouldn¡¯t be bothered for such a task.


    Arrieta had no choice, but to follow their words. She wasn¡¯t averse to doing any task, since they were already short-handed. However, she also knew the people below her would be ufortable if she insisted on doing the work.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Azell had taken the first watch, and he spent the time meditating. He slowly resonated with the mana in his surrounding, and the newly produced magical energy seeped into his entire body to fill his energy pulse.


    ¡®Someone is watching us.¡¯


    At the same time, Azell detected someone observing them.


    Even though he was meditating, he didn¡¯t ck off on guarding his surrounding. Instead, he had opened his senses wide open, and he had sensed someone watching them from afar. Moreover, this person was using magic.


    ¡®When we were in the town, I wasn¡¯t sure... But this confirms it.¡¯


    When they visited a city or a town, he had felt someone¡¯s gaze on them. However, their party was eye-catching. There was also a lot of people around, so they inevitably received a lot of looks from others. The gazes didn¡¯t have any intent of attack nor did anyone use magical sights. He had his suspicions, but he couldn¡¯t be sure.


    However, he was sure now. Someone was using magic in the night to view them from a distance.


    ¡®After we left the town, I didn¡¯t feel the gaze for awhile... Either he has a specialized skill in tracking or maybe he is using a hunting dog?¡¯


    Azell and his party members hadn¡¯t covered their tracks while moving. There were numerous ways to track them if their group was the target.


    ¡®If it¡¯s those Dragon¡¯s Shadow bastards... It wouldn¡¯t be strange if they attacked right about now.¡¯


    The party was camping at an uninhabited location. This would be a golden opportunity to attack, so why weren¡¯t they? Azell was puzzled by this fact.

 Chapter 34 Who Teach (3).

    <strong>Chapter 34 Who Teach (3).</strong>


    Chapter 34 - Who Teach (3)


    When he thought about it, there were three possibilities.


    ¡®First, it might be, because we might not be far enough from the city.¡¯


    If they attacked, it wouldn¡¯t take too long for the party to return to the city if they decided to do so. At the very least, Arrieta could. If she decided to move at a high speed by herself, she could move much faster than riding a galloping horse.


    ¡®They might be here to only track us. The main force might not be here yet.¡±


    Azell thought this possibility was very likely.


    The Dragon¡¯s Shadow had already failed in their attempt to kidnap Arrieta, even though they brought a powerful force. Even if it was an immense secret organization, it would be hard for them to mobilize a superior force to the one before. They were probably keeping tabs on their location in real times until enough forces could be gathered.


    ¡®Lastly...they might be setting up a trap on the road we are taking.¡¯


    When the party chose their route, they didn¡¯t worry about confusing the enemies, who might be tracking them. They just picked the roads that will allow them to reach the capital the fastest.


    This in turn made it easier for the enemies to predict their actions. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if they focused all of their best forces on the route they were taking to face off against the party.


    ¡®This is the worst case scenario.¡¯


    He couldn¡¯t guess the number of forces the Dragon¡¯s Shadow would mobilize. If it was likest time, then from Azell¡¯s perspective, it wouldn¡¯t pose him much of a threat. However, what if they were hiding forces that exceeded thest one?


    ¡®Since I don¡¯t know about the size of the organization or their structure, it can¡¯t be helped.¡¯


    The worshipers of the Dragon Demon king were a type of heretics. They were strongly ostracized by society, so they secretly moved in the shadow. Of course, there wouldn¡¯t be much known about them.


    ¡®Currently, the only thing we know is that their ce of origin is in the north, and the location is called the Field of Darkness. We don¡¯t have any other helpful information.¡¯


    The north of the continent was a frozennd. It was the devil¡¯s territory named Field of Darkness. It is a ce where the Dragon Demon Race, who were against the humans, were assembled. It was also the ce where the worship of the Dragon Demon King originated from. The Dragon Demon Race hid themselves where human couldn¡¯t tread. They gathered worshipers from the shadow, and they manage the organization from there.


    ¡®Huh?¡¯


    He suddenly heard a rustling sound. Azell nced up to see Arrieta get up, and approach him.


    Azell spoke as he lowered his voice.


    ¡°Princess?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Somehow, I can¡¯t sleep. It¡¯s strange.¡±


    ¡°It might be because you slept until noon, while missing breakfast?¡±


    ¡°You are pointing out a woman¡¯s sleep pattern. Is it something an elegant knight should say?¡±


    Arrieta sat down next to Azell with a coy expression.


    It was something he had found out after the travel started, but Arrieta slept a lot. If they were able to find a decent amodations, she always slept inte. This caused their party to slow down a little bit. As this happened twice in a row, they decided to modify the schedule to allow her to sleep until midday.


    Azell spoke calmly as he looked at the camp-fire.


    ¡°There is an enemy present.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Arrieta was taken aback. Azell didn¡¯t look at her as he spoke.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t showing any signs of attacking any time soon. They aren¡¯t evening close to us. I can feel them using far-seeing magic to observe us.


    ¡°Mmm....¡±


    Arrieta frowned, and she asked a question as she looked around her surrounding.


    ¡°You also knew about itst time. How are you able to do so?¡±


    In Arrieta¡¯s life, she had never been told by anyone that her sense were dull. Even she wasn¡¯t able to notice them yet Azell had easily figured them out.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°It is a technique.¡±


    ¡°A technique?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m able to check if someone¡¯s gaze is on me. It is a technique possessed by Spirit Order Practitioner.¡±


    ¡°What is the theory behind this ¡®technique¡¯? I would understand it if you were a magician...¡±


    ¡°In the end, Spirit Order is another form of magic. It is possible to master the mind with a Spirit Order technique.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s surprising. I¡¯ve never heard of anyone using such techniques except for you. Simr to me, I¡¯ve seen people detect others when they detect signs of life within a certain range...¡±


    Azell smiled bitterly when he heard Arrieta¡¯s word. It was necessary for him to know these techniques in the Dragon Demon war. He was able to detect gazes, animosity and even murderous intent through the technique. It was strange to see these techniques not used in battle any more.


    He wasn¡¯t sure when he faced off against Giles, but he was sure now after facing off against Boar. Both of them had the same weakness. The part of Spirit Order that could be considered the foundation was missing, and they had only developed the outer parts. From Azell¡¯s perspective, this seemed like a bad joke.


    Suddenly, Arrieta asked a question.


    ¡°What kind of technique did you utilize on Sir Boar? May you teach it to me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. I slightly twisted his senses.¡±


    ¡°You twisted his senses?¡±


    ¡°Since Sir Boar is a Quadruple Master, he knows several defensive techniques. He can counteract attacks that can deliver damage by piercing through his defense. When facing an opponent like him, there are several technique that could ovee the threshold of his defense. Amongst them, I used the most basic method.¡±


    Spirit Order is a technique that interacts with the mind. Boar was like Giles. He was weak to techniques that dealt with the Mind. The only thing they could do was to put up a barrier around their mind.


    The erected mental wall was sturdy, but it wasn¡¯t a problem for Azell. He used a clever method of finding a doghole. He took a roundabout way akin to climbing over a castle wall, and he was able to disturb Boar¡¯s mind.


    This resulted in Boar¡¯s mind making a very slight error every time he blocked Azell¡¯s attacks. Therefore, Boar was either subtly early orte on his blocks.


    ¡®A good amount of techniques had survived. However, it was as if the energy pulse had been blocked. The true meaning of the skills, and the more advanced techniques seemed to have been lost....¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t as if Boar didn¡¯t try to counteract his methods. He realized there was errors within his perception, so he strengthened his mental barrier. He also utilized differed defensive skills.


    However, Azell had countless skills he could use to deal with each situation. From the outside, it looked like Boar was falling for the same trick, but the inside circumstances was different.


    ¡®Are all the Spirit Order practitioners like this?¡¯


    Azell was most curious about this part.


    During the Dragon Demon War, the sharing and learning of techniques happened actively. However, this generation had no incentive to do so.


    The knowledge of Spirit Order and Magic not known to others itself became a form of power. During the Dragon Demon War, the united race had battled fiercely against the enemy, but it wasn¡¯t so any more. If one taught the secret techniques to others, it basically amounted to throwing away one¡¯s fortune. Still, it would be too rash to judge the entire poption¡¯s standard after seeing only Boar and Giles.


    Arrieta was impressed by his exnation.


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. I¡¯ve often seen Spirit Order practitioners affect the opponent¡¯s mind, yet I was unaware of this possibility.¡±


    Boar and Giles had techniques that dealt with the mind to a certain extent. They could let out an oppressive energy, or they could paralyze the opponent by letting out a shout, which imitated a predator¡¯s roar. These kinds of technique was a great boon on the battle field. Azell¡¯s technique was far more intricate and refinedpared to theirs. Like magic, he was able to produce a variety of effect, and he was ablee up with new methods.


    Suddenly Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°Your teachers must be amazing people.¡±


    ¡°Why do you think so?¡±


    ¡°They were able to help grow someone like you. Well, I don¡¯t know about your personality, but at the very least, I¡¯m very sure on your ability to teach.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm....¡±


    Her words rekindled a memory in Azell.


    Arrieta spoke with a sincere expression.


    ¡°Until now, I thought I had enough real battle experiences.¡±


    After having hering of age ceremony at 15 years old, she had experienced a lot of battles.


    At times she would have to show her strength in border disputes. She sometimes fought monsters, and other times evil ck magicians.


    It was a brutal work for a young girl. However, Arrieta carried out her mission without saying a word ofint.


    As she did all of this, she started gaining confidence as a martial artist. She wouldn¡¯t be shaken up like her first battle experience, and she wouldn¡¯t have to see her allies be sacrificed....


    ¡°However, I found out I was in error in the recent events.¡±


    Arrieta¡¯s battle experience was akin to a child picking out her favorite food.


    She had never fought against a strong opponent, who was on even grounds with her. Even if she was tactically at a disadvantage, her martial arts had always been better than the others. When she was threatened by a small group with enough power to threaten her, she had been baffled. She couldn¡¯t properly use her skills, and she had been led by the nose by the enemy¡¯s design.


    ¡°Sir Azell. If you weren¡¯t there, then I¡¯m sure I would have been captured by those wicked people. If my teacher saw it, he would sigh at my pathetic state.¡±


    ¡°I thought you held firm, and you coped well considering the situation.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to try to make me feel better.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m telling the truth. Well, from my perspective, you were only out of your depth when the Earth Dragon showed up. For the rest, it wasn¡¯t too bad even if I wouldn¡¯t rate it a perfect score.¡±


    Two years had passed since she had experienced her first battle. She was still 17 years old, so he had no reason to give a harsh evaluation when he considered her age. Arrieta smiled bitterly.


    ¡°I thought you were going to tter me, but you didn¡¯t forget to pinch me in a sore spot.¡±


    ¡°Well I¡¯m a bit of an honest man.¡±


    ¡°You are an ill-tempered man.¡±


    Arrieta pouted, and unlike her words, she looked like any girl her age.


    After a moment, Arrieta asked a question.


    ¡°Sir Azell.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a lot of experience facing against strong foes?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm. I¡¯ve done it a lot.¡±


    He had ovee countless near-death experiences in the Dragon Demon war. Every single member of the Dragon Demon race possessed huge amounts of power. Amongst them, the ones with their names known to others were like moving disasters.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°Could you tell me some stories about your teachers?¡±


    ¡°My teachers...¡±


    At those words, Azell started thinking about his past. For him, it had been only a couple years ago, but it had be a distant past for humanity....


    5


    Azell¡¯s first teacher was an old man, who was part of the civil militia. He had taught Azell martial arts in his childhood when he lived near the town next to the mountains. He used to be a mercenary when he was young. He taught Azell a sword art that required a strict structure.


    ¡°He was a very strict old man.


    Azell didn¡¯t tell her, but the old man¡¯s name was Rogan.


    He had taught the young members of the civil militia. Rogan took on the role of a drill sergeant. He had a high assessment of Azell¡¯s potential, who hadn¡¯t learned any martial arts, yet he was someone who had assassinated the thieves without an adult¡¯s help.


    Unlike the youths of the civil militia, he had taken in Azell as his disciple.


    If he thought of those times, Azell had learned under him for 3 years until his death, and he was the one whoid down his foundation. The old man thoroughly taught him the basics, and the system of his sword art. He also used his extensive experience as a retired mercenary to foster a flexible maneuverability in Azell.


    ¡°My second teacher.... Mmmm. He was a weirdo. From his head to the end of his toes, he was weird in every way.¡±


    After Rogan¡¯s death, Azell left the town, and he wondered the world for 2 years as a mercenary.


    He was young, so it wasmon for people to be ignore him. However, every man capable of fighting was needed at that time. In the presence of an arrow storm, Azell had returned alive after distinguishing himself, and he slowly started to make a name for himself.


    During all of this, he had met an one-armed swordsman.


    ¡°An one-armed swordsman?¡±


    Arrieta asked in surprise, and Azell answered.

 Chapter 35 Those Who Teach (4).

    <strong>Chapter 35 Those Who Teach (4).</strong>


    Chapter 35 - Those Who Teach (4)


    ¡°Yes. Moreover, he was also an one-eyed person.¡±


    Azell¡¯s second teacher didn¡¯t have a left eye or a left arm. He was an one-eyed and one-armed swordsman.


    His name was Balf, but he didn¡¯t tell Arrieta his name. At the time, he was one of the most well known name amongst the mercenaries in the eastern part of the continent.


    Logic would dictate a person with physical disabilities wouldn¡¯t be able to function on a battle field. If he was any other mercenary, he would have been forced into retirement.


    However, no one could disregard Balf.


    ¡°He was a Sextuple Master.¡±


    ¡°He was a Sextuple Master? A mere mercenary was able to rise to such heights?¡±


    Sextuple master was a height only a select few had reached inside the entire Rin Kingdom. However, the person with such skills was a mere mercenary?


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t even a Master before he lost his eye and arm. When he was confined to his bed, he had fiercely cultivated his mind. He was undaunted by his disabilities, and he was able to reach such height with much efforts.¡±


    Balf became interested in Azell when they had fallen into a devastating trap.


    The monsters controlled by the Dragon Demon race used the night as cover to ambush the humans. They were fundamentally nocturnal creatures, so their night eyes were much better than the humans.


    Of course, the humans knew about this, so they were very vignt during the night. However, at that moment, thepany affiliated with Azell and Balf had fallen into a trap set by the Dragon Demon race. Theirmand structure had been shattered, and they were in the process of fleeing.


    When the fleeing soldiers finally felt they had barely escaped, the enemies had tracked them down, and the night attack started.


    Confusion and fear started spreading like wildfire. The soldiers weren¡¯t even able to resist as they fell one by one.


    Few amongst them fought back, but they couldn¡¯t turn the tide of battle.


    Azell wasn¡¯t fighting to turn the tide of the battle. He just wanted find a way to survive. During the confusion, Azell defeated the enemies one at a time, and before he knew it his back was against Balf.


    Balf eyed Azell, and he realized Azell wasn¡¯t a Spirit Order practitioner. However, he was surprised Azell was able to use his developed senses to stay alive as he urately assessed the situation.


    ¡®Hey, kid. You want to be my disciple?¡¯


    After they were able to escape the enemy¡¯s encirclement, Balf made the suggestion. From Azell¡¯s perspective, he had no reasons to refuse his proposal. If he looked back on it, he was able to earn this opportunity, because of his first teacher Rogan.


    Azell guessed Rogan was a noble in hiding. He suspected this since the sword art he taught was structured. Moreover, Azell didn¡¯t know this at the time, but he had taught him the foundation he needed to learn Spirit Order. This was why his senses were superior to others.


    ¡°My second teacher focused on developing my senses to the extreme.¡±


    As a Spirit Order practitioner, it was natural for one to train the mind and senses. However, Balf had obsessively focused on teaching these aspects.


    ¡°A typical example was dodging attacks in the dark. In thetter stages, he would hang swinging knives on the ceiling then we would spar in a room in absolute darkness.¡±


    ¡°It was a brutal training method, but I would venture you had an easy time oveing it.¡±


    ¡°Truthfully, that is so. It wasn¡¯t that hard up to that point.¡±


    Azell truthfully acknowledged it. If he looked back on it, he was a very talented student. Each obstacle thrown at him by his teacher was solved in order by him.


    However, Balf wasn¡¯t satisfied with this. He covered Azell¡¯s eyes, and Balf forbid him from piercing through the darkness with Spirit Order techniques. Later on he even plugged his ears to seal his hearing.


    ¡°I even learned about reacting to threats with parts of my body tied.¡±


    Sometimes, he had to fight with one of his arms tied.


    Another time, he had to block torrent of attacks sitting down with his legs tied together.


    He also had to train with both arms tied behind his back, then he was taught to fight while he was hung backwards on his feet.


    ¡°The point of the training was to never lose one¡¯s senses in any type of situation.¡±


    Balf¡¯s training was so harsh that Azell had almost died numerous times. Even a powerful Spirit Order practitioner like Balf couldn¡¯tpletely control the dangerous training scenarios.


    ¡°That is... Isn¡¯t it abuse instead of training?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t deny it. At times, I thought he was really crazy. I thought my teacher had gone crazy, and he was trying to kill me.¡±


    ¡°What happened to him?¡±


    ¡°He died. He had an illness.¡±


    This was the reason why Balf took in Azell as his disciple. He wanted to pass on his skill he had earned through oveing his disabilities.


    However, once he took in Azell as his disciple, his potential was so high that Balf got greedy. He wasn¡¯t satisfied with just passing down his techniques. He wanted Azell to reach a level he was never able to.


    His impending death stirred up a madness within him. He lost all his sense of reason, and he drove Azell to the brink a couple times as Azell had to ovee numerous near-death experiences. Most of the enormous wealth Balf had umted during his mercenary days were used to treat Azell.


    ¡°I learned under him for 2 years.¡±


    When Balf passed away, Azell was already a Quadruple Mast at age 17. Moreover, his senses had surpassed Balf¡¯s, and it had approached a level only Balf could dream about.


    ¡®His grave might still be there.¡¯


    After the Dragon Demon war ended, Azell had moved Balf¡¯s grave to the territory of Marquis Karzark. Did any remnant of the grave survive until the present day?


    After thinking up to this point, Azell asked Arrieta a question.


    ¡°How was it for princess?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm? You aren¡¯t going to tell me about your 3rd teacher? You are asking for my story?¡±


    ¡°My story had gone on long enough. When I have the chance, I promise I¡¯ll tell you the story. I want to hear about the teaching you received from the Dragon Demon Duke. ¡±


    ¡°You are trying to dig up a girl¡¯s past? It is rude, and it isn¡¯t an action befitting of a knight.¡±


    After Arrieta made the joke, she started talking about herself.


    6


    ¡°Well. That person... If I borrow a description given to him by others, he was a mad man.¡±


    ¡°...what?¡±


    Mad man. Basically, he was a crazy person.


    The legendary figure in the kingdom, and the person, who had taught the Dragon Demon Princess her sword art, was called such a name? Azell was taken aback, and Arrieta could onlyugh at this sight.


    ¡°Initially, my teacher was offered the position. When he came to the royal throne, he came to ask for a permission.¡±


    ¡°What did he ask for permission?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t want any outside interference when he taught me. Moreover, he wouldn¡¯t treat me like a royal. If his conditions weren¡¯t met, then he wouldn¡¯t ept the position as my teacher.¡±


    Teaching a royal family member was prestigious in and of itself. However, one had to be careful when dealing with the royals. This was the reason why the Dragon Demon Duke refused to be the royal family¡¯s teacher. He dered he couldn¡¯t teach, while he had to ingratiate himself to his student.


    The Dragon Demon Duke¡¯s attitude was well known, but they still invited him to teach the siblings Arrieta and Seigar...


    ¡°Ah, Seigar is my brother.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about him.¡±


    The Dragon Demon Prince, Seigar Weil Rin, was 2 years younger than Arrieta. He had hising of age ceremony this year, and he had entered into the battlefield.


    ¡°Anyways, we insisted on inviting the Duke of Tarantos as our teacher, because he is a rtive of our mother.¡±


    Arrieta and Seigar was an indirect descendant of the Duke of Tarantos on their mother¡¯s side.


    Since they had that connection, they aggressively requested him to be their teacher.


    ¡®These children has to go out into the world to fight. We need a teacher who¡¯ll train them to be stronger than everyone.¡¯


    This was the argument given by the Dragon Demon queen.


    In every generation, there could be only one Dragon Demon prince and princess. There were times when only one of them existed.


    After they have theiring-of-age ceremony, they¡¯ll be sent into battles, so their destiny was very arduous. After the crown was given to the next in line, the new Dragon Demon queen weds the sovereign. She would have to fight for the honor of the throne until she gave birth to her children.


    Of course, the throne was very selective in which battles they would enter. However, live battles were unpredictable, and unexpected events happened. Moreover, there were many people relying on their powerful strength, so some had died fulfilling their duties.


    This truth made the Dragon Demon queen want her children to possess enough power to face their oing destiny.


    ¡°The throne epted his conditions, so I started receiving his guidance when I was eight.¡±


    ¡°Did you train with your brother?¡±


    ¡°No. From the beginning, he didn¡¯t have confidence in teaching two people. He told Seigar toe when he reached my age. Therefore, I was solely able to receive his instructions for two years.¡±


    Arrieta was dragged outside of the influence of the throne, then she received instruction on the battle field by the Dragon Demon Duke for 2 years.


    ¡°That person was as much of an ill-tempered person as your teacher, Sir Azell. For example, after teaching me for around half a year, he dropped me deep inside a forest with only one sword in my possession. He required me to survive and live alone for one month.¡±


    ¡°Around half a year... Weren¡¯t you still 8 years old?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°How could he do such an act to a 8 year old girl....¡±


    ¡°It was also winter at the time. I really thought I was going to die.¡±


    Arrietaughed bitterly.


    She was a young 8 year old girl, but she was also a Dragon Demon. With instructions from the Dragon Demon Duke, her physical ability had already exceeded a grown adult¡¯s capability. She had also learned the basics of the Dragon Energy.


    Still, she had to survive in the winter wilderness with only a sword, so it was a brutal tribtion. If she thoughtlessly made a fire then it would attract the monsters. She had also gone into dangerous areas as she chased after her quarry. She had to ovee frequent brushes with death....


    If she thought about it right now, she felt a more sense of crisis during that timepared to when she first stepped into her first battle. At that time, she was weak and inexperienced in every facet.


    ¡°There were also other unforgettable experiences. He dropped me in the middle of an unknown city rampant with criminals, then he ordered me toe back to the estate without being seen....¡±


    She had received a lot of training in areas unrted to martial arts and Dragon energy. At the time she wondered what she was doing, but she understood the purpose of the training now.


    Azell was impressed.


    ¡®Indeed. I understand why princess¡¯ personality is like this now.¡¯


    From Azell¡¯s perspective, Arrieta was really weird. Even if one was part of the royal family, one develops a sense of reality when onee into frequent contact with the lives of one¡¯s subordinate. Even if he took this into ount, Arrieta was too informalpared to her station as a princess.


    ¡®It¡¯s because of her teacher.¡¯


    Arrieta had a teacher with an excessively unfettered and disordered mind, so she looked at the world differently from the other royal family members. Even if one was ofmon birth, she treated them like people. She also developed an eye for evaluating the other¡¯s skill without any bias.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I want to meet him at least once.¡±


    ¡°You want to?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°If you return to the royal pce, I could probably set up a meeting. I¡¯m sure he would be amused to see someone like you..¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m fine with that.¡±


    ¡°Also.......¡±


    Arrieta spoke after she hesitated for a little.


    ¡°If you have time, could you face off against me?¡±


    ¡°Face off against you... What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I meant sparring.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. It won¡¯t be a problem for me, but Ms. Enora will get angry.¡±


    ¡°That is why I¡¯ve been holding myself back until now. However, my body is restless when I see you spar daily with Sir Giles.¡±


    Even if she was a 17 year old girl, Arrieta was a martial artist, who had trained rigorously since her childhood. During this trip, she wasn¡¯t in a position to use her sword, so she quietly acted as an authority figure. Therefore, she was a bit restless.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Ms. Enora won¡¯t stand for this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just order her to watch us obediently.¡±


    ¡°That is abuse of authority.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t authority meant to be used in a situation like this?¡±


    ¡°Moreover, she can¡¯t do anything towards her superior, so she will turn her grievance towards me....¡±


    ¡°Then just take the beating from Enora. I heard subordinates are suppose to be protectors for their superiors.¡±


    ¡°....Wow. You are too much.¡±


    When Azell started to shake, Arrietaughed.


    This was how the night progressed.

 Chapter 36 When I Met Someone Who Was Dead (1).

    <strong>Chapter 36 When I Met Someone Who Was Dead (1).</strong>


    Chapter 36 - When I Met Someone Who Was Dead (1)


    1


    Niberis loved the dark when there wasn¡¯t a single speck of light present. She could achieveplete serenity only in a space with this kind of darkness. However, she loved the darkness, not the silence.


    She was staring in to the empty darkness when a whisper entered her mind.


    -You haven¡¯t concluded your business yet?


    She heard a voice from a very distant ce. From across the mountains,kes and even beyond the boundaries drawn on the map by humans, the voice reached the dark snow-covered fields...


    Niberis answered.


    ¡°The preparation is finished. We¡¯ll have it wrapped up soon..¡±


    -Why are you taking so long?


    -That ce is a dangerousnd for you.


    -If you aren¡¯t careful, they will realize your existence. There is a danger of the Dragon Demon Duke moving


    -Maybe even Count Michael.......


    There weren¡¯t only one voice. From various ces from the continent, the voices flew in, and they were having a conversation as if they were sitting next to each other.


    ¡°Do we have any reasons to fear them? They are parasites living off the humans.¡±


    Niberis revealed her distaste.


    The Dragon Demon Duke, and Count Michael was listed as people they had to be cautious around in the Rin Kingdom. Dragon Demon Duke was of the Dragon Demon race, and Count Michael was a Dragon Demon.


    There weren¡¯t that many from the Dragon Demon race, who had integrated into the human society, so their names were well-known. They were able to live longer than humans, and most of them held great power. There were few who didn¡¯t train their fighting technique and magic after assimting into the human society. Most of them cultivated their talent to spread their fame with their strength.


    From the perspective of Dragon Demon King¡¯s worshipers, they were existence to be afraid of, since they¡¯ll indiscriminately kill the worshipers. However, Niberis wasn¡¯t afraid. Her voice indicated she was unsatisfied.


    -We can¡¯t underestimate them.


    -Our forces are too weak to go against the Rin Kingdom. If we let down our guard, then we might meet with disaster.


    -Niberis. We all acknowledge you possess great abilities, but....


    ¡°I understand. However, there is a reason why I had dyed carrying out this mission.¡±


    Niberis felt disgusted.


    In the organization, she was considered to be young. Moreover, she was treated like a child. Now that she thought about it, the old elders were basically like senior citizens nagging at everything. She felt her irritation well up.


    Niberis spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m being sufficiently cautious. I am waiting for the day when the clouds will cover the moon. When the world is nked byplete darkness, I¡¯ll take care of them.¡±


    The power of the Magicians were significantly influenced by the surrounding. It also depended on what their specialty was in magic, and where they ced their source of magic.


    As a Magician, Niberis¡¯ source was the darkness.


    When the darkness grew thicker, her power grew stronger. Moreover, on a night without a moon, her presence wouldn¡¯t leak out. She could covertly put up a barrier that could iste one from the outside.


    She hadn¡¯t attacked Arrieta¡¯s party, because she had been waiting for this day. She had chosen a suitable location and the day to attack Arrieta¡¯s party. Then she prepared as she predicted the climate.


    ¡°The one with the name soaked in sin has a secret.... I¡¯ll definitely find out what it is.¡±


    2


    For good or for bad, a person doesn¡¯t change easily.


    However, if given a chance, a person could change in a surprising way.


    It had been a while since Azell was able to experience this truth.


    ¡°If...if you don¡¯t mind, could you give me some pointers, Sir Azell?¡±


    Boar asked after he summoned his courage.


    The day after the fight, Boar didn¡¯tin as he shared in the work. He did the dishes, prepared the camp and he also cleaned after himself. He even asked for things to do from his own volition, and the discontent he had in his eyes from before melted away like snow.


    Still, he didn¡¯t get along with the other party members. Previously, he kept a natural distance between them, but now he hung back while he studied us.


    He knew why Boar was doing this. Azell, Giles and Arrieta discussed each other¡¯s techniques after sparring sessions, and he probably wanted to join in.


    After four days after the duel, he finally worked up his courage.


    Azell was a bit surprised at his change in attitude, but he readily epted it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wee it any time.¡±


    Arrieta spoke when she saw this.


    ¡°You are really popr, Sir Azell.¡±


    ¡°I guess so.¡±


    ¡°Unlike me.¡±


    ¡°...Hahaha.¡±


    Azell awkwardlyughed when he saw Arrieta sulk.


    Since Giles sparred with Azell, Arrieta wanted to spar with Giles. However, he said he was afraid his inexperience might lead him to make a mistake. He was afraid of making a mistake, so he declined her request. This caused Arrieta to sulk.


    This was the same for Boar, who joined themter. During the spar, Azell discreetly put out a feeler. The two of them told him they were ufortable by the fact Arrieta was a woman.


    ¡°Mmmm. That is... The fact that she is of royal blood makes it overwhelming. Moreover, she is a woman. I don¡¯t think...¡±


    Boar gave a simr answer.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never pointed my sword against a woman. I want to fulfill princess¡¯ expectation, but....¡±


    There were women fighters in the Rin Kingdom. However, the number was lowpared to the male counterparts. Moreover, chivalry was a bit full of machismo, and narcissism. These two young men were earnest knights, so from their perspective, they felt ufortable crossing swords with a woman.


    Azell was simultaneously baffled, and understanding of the two people¡¯s attitude.


    ¡°Well, what if your enemy is a woman? Last time there was a woman amongst the group called the Dragon¡¯s Shadow.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.¡±


    ¡°T, that is.......¡±


    Azell clicked his tongue inside as he looked at the conflicted Giles and Boar.


    ¡®Jeez. It turned out like this after 220 years have passed?¡¯


    During the Dragon Demon War, there were a lot of female enemies. Whether it was Dragon Demons or those of the Dragon Demon race, both males and females exhibited overwhelming power. Moreover, there had been a lot of human women, who joined the Dragon Demon King¡¯s camp. They recruited people who were shunned by the society. Then they guided those with magical talent, and they weremonly used as troops. Magical talent didn¡¯t discriminate between gender, so it wasmon toe across a strong female magician.


    This was why Azell faced a woman using all of his might. However, it seemed this generation of knights didn¡¯t feel the same way.


    ¡®These guys are being troublesome. It¡¯ll be trouble if I do nothing.¡¯


    If they hesitated when facing Regina, because she was female then their head will be severed in a blink of an eye. It was imperative to get rid of their awkwardness when fighting a woman.


    Azell gave Arrieta a suggestion.


    ¡°...this is why I wan¡¯t you to give them an order.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to make me a bad woman?¡±


    ¡°It will be your noble sacrifice.¡±


    ¡°You are skilled at putting a pretty package over it. Now I¡¯m sure you are a bad man.¡±


    ¡°You got me.¡±


    Arrieta snorted then she followed Azell¡¯s instruction. After that day, Giles and Boar was forced to fight Arrieta. Moreover, they experienced getting absolutely annihted by her.


    In the beginning, they forcefully insisted that they were worried Arrieta would get hurt. However, Arrieta snorted then she dominated both of them.


    ¡°Both of you are very prideful. Even the kingdom¡¯s famed knight tried their best against me without holding their skills back. How can the two of you, who are so young, be so arrogant?¡±


    This made Giles and Boar embarrassed, but they still refused to yield. They acknowledged Arrieta¡¯s skill, but their pride was hurt when they lost to a 17 year old girl.


    From that point on, they faced Arrieta with a serious attitude. Since this was a sparring session, Arrieta didn¡¯t bull them over my using her Dragon Energy. This allowed her to experience a meaningful sparring session.


    However, a problem urred on that very night.


    3


    ¡®Mmmm?¡¯


    Azell¡¯s eyes opened in the dead of the night.


    Originally, they had nned on staying in a vige across the mountain, but several small idents during the trip dyed them. In the end, they weren¡¯t able to cross the mountain, and they had to camp outside. One of the small idents was actuallying across a party with a broken carriage axle. It had broken when they were running away from the monsters.


    His party chased away the monsters. While receiving their thanks, Arrieta¡¯s party helped them return to the previous town they had just left.


    This caused a dy, so they had to sleep outside. They had hoped to avoid this.


    ¡°...Sir Azell?¡±


    Boar, who was standing guard, turned a questioning look towards him. Azell put a finger to his mouth. He signaled to Boar to stay quiet.


    Even though, there was a night watch, Azell hadn¡¯t lowered his guard. Since he already knew someone was watching them, he couldn¡¯t be careless.


    Even when he was sleeping, he put up a barrier fence that reacted to a specific set of triggers. Some might think this could be only done by a Magician, but it was possible for a Spirit Order practioner to use this ¡®technique¡¯. It was established as a technique in Azell¡¯s time, and it had been passed on since then.


    Something unknown was caught in the barrier fence.


    ¡®This evil energy... Is it a ck magician?¡¯


    He felt a dark and damp energy of darkness.


    This energy was hiding magic. He could sense someone was trying hard to hide their existence.


    However, he had been trained by the one armed swordsman, Balf. Azell¡¯s absolute senses was focused to detect the energy leaking front the hidden one. He was sensitive enough to feel the reverberation caused by the energy.


    ¡®Moreover, this ground resonance.......¡¯


    Azell touched the ground as he focused his mind. He used the vibration caused by the slight tremor to find therge numbered group approaching them from a couple hundred meter away.


    ¡®However, I can¡¯t sense their group thought. A big fish has shown up.¡¯


    If it was a normal person... No, even if it was a Spirit Order practitioner, they would have ignored the faint and barely existent vibration from the ground. However, Azell had used it to specte the existence of the enemies.


    However, when he expanded his senses, he couldn¡¯t feel their group thought, so he knew this was the result of someone using the power of magic. This person was different from the Dragon¡¯s Shadow Magician, who used the monsters to attack them in the Bn forest. There was a powerful magician here, who probably held themon knowledge used in the Dragon Demon War.


    Azell immediately woke hispanions up.


    -Everyone wake up. Don¡¯t make a sound. Just pretend to be asleep.


    He didn¡¯t open his mouth. He delivered his message using Whispering. Then he used a faint mental energy to naturally stimte his eyes to open.


    The reason why he used such a cumbersome method was simple.


    He felt gazes on him. It wasn¡¯t just one or two people. He was sure the enemy was observing their location from within visual range.


    ¡®Regina. That woman is here.¡¯


    Azell never forgot the energy signature he had once seen. Of course, this was limited to those like Sir Giles, who had magical energy.


    ¡®Also, Kirion.¡¯


    From beneath the earth, he could feel Kirion¡¯s energy signature. When the enemy starts their attack, he¡¯ll probably use his special skill. He¡¯ll use his magic that allows him to freely travel underneath the earth to ambush them.


    ¡®Still, how is the bastard hiding his Dragon Demon energy?¡¯


    He was able to sense their existence using the mental wave and magical wave that was faintly flowing out. However, he couldn¡¯t feel the Dragon Demon energy used by the Dragon Demon. It was the samest time. It was thoroughly hidden enough to fool Arrieta and also Azell¡¯s senses.


    ¡®These bastards wasn¡¯t that skilled... Did they develop a new method during my sleep?¡¯


    The society treated the Dragon Demon King worshipers as if they deserved to die. Therefore, it wouldn¡¯t be too strange if they developed a technique that allow one to hide themselves. Wouldn¡¯t 220 years be enough for this?


    Azell had already asked about the skills developed during his sleep. For example, Giles used a defensive technique that could separate the mind and the body.


    ¡®Hmmm.......¡¯


    When he was deep in thought, Arrieta opened her eyes as she asked a question.


    "What¡¯s happening?"

 Chapter 37 When I Met Someone Who Was Dead (2).

    <strong>Chapter 37 When I Met Someone Who Was Dead (2).</strong>


    Chapter 37 - When I Met Someone Who Was Dead (2)


    -The enemy is here. It is the Dragon¡¯s Shadow.


    -What? I can¡¯t feel their presence at all.......


    -Several of those from the previous attack is present. Moreover, a more talented magician seems to have apanied them. There are also numerous amount of monsters approaching us, but I can¡¯t discern their exact number.


    -Mmm.......


    Giles and Boar was taken aback. They tried expanding their senses, but they couldn¡¯t sense anything out of the ordinary.


    Boar queried.


    -Are you sure, Sir Azell? I don¡¯t feel anything.......


    -I¡¯m sure. Just put your body against the ground then focus on the vibration of the earth.


    They had increased their skills by sparring against Azell, but he hadn¡¯t taught them any of the techniques he knew. This era was different from the Dragon Demon War where one would disseminate one¡¯s technique.


    Azell had realized the mindset of the fighters like Giles had changed in this era, so he tried to imitate their ways.


    However, he had to convince them right now, so he had to pass them the knowledge that wasmon during the Dragon Demon War.


    Everyone followed Azell¡¯s direction.


    -There really is a ground vibration.


    There was a slight vibration felt through the earth. Still, it was strange to feel this ground vibration in the middle of the night. The only other exnation was the vibration was a precursor to an earthquake.


    Azell spoke.


    -Every should quickly arm themselves. Our enemies are observing us already, so we don¡¯t have to be quiet. They¡¯ll probably attack us right away.


    His spection was correct. Their enemies were slowly closing the distance, and they were waiting for their forces to get into ce. When the party members suddenly stood up to arm themselves, the enemies were startled into movement.


    Oooooooooooohg......!


    At the same time, a strong magical waves started spreading. It started around a location about 50 meters away from the party, and it spread in a circr manner. As the wave spread, it started distorting the space.


    ¡®I knew it! A big fish has appeared!¡¯


    After he had awaken in this era, it was a level of power he had experienced with the Earth Dragon. Azell¡¯s senses became sharp, and alert.


    Wooooooooooo!


    From the surrounding, darkness fountained forth from various locations. It spread like a thick fog. When it swept across the campfire, the world turned pitch ck.


    Azell was surprised when he saw this.


    ¡®We¡¯ve been had! These bastards buried a magical item beforehand!¡¯


    Azell had finally realized this was a stage prepared by the enemy to capture Arrieta.


    Until the hidden magical item receives a signal from the owner, it was in a sleep mode where one couldn¡¯t detect even the echo of its magic. There weren¡¯t any signs of the earth being dug up, so he guessed Kirion had used his ability to move through the earth to perform this task.


    If someone was this through in their preparations, Azell had no chance of noticing what was happening. Azell thought about what happened during the day.


    ¡®Shit. Maybe those people were the minions of that bastard?¡¯


    They wouldn¡¯t have been able to pull this off unless they could confirm where our party would stay for the night. This meant the ¡®people in trouble¡¯ they had met earlier were deployed by the Dragon¡¯s Shadow. There was a high probability that they were used to get the party¡¯s attention and dy them.


    ¡®No matter how I look at it I underestimated them since they were normal people.¡¯


    When he thought about it, their behaviors looked to be a bit forced. However, he knew they didn¡¯t know any magic nor did they practice Spirit Order. They were normal people. He overlooked their behavior since they were being chased by monsters and they had met a party with the high stationed Arrieta and her knights.


    However, it was quite possible for the Dragon¡¯s Shadow to have used them in their plot. They could be Dragon Demon King¡¯s followers or people simply hired with money......


    Googoogoogoogoogoogoo!


    As the earth shook, the darkness fountained up like a tsunami. One couldn¡¯t see an inch ahead inside the darkness, but Azell was able to sense therge curtain of darkness. It had a radius of about about 100 meters, and it was dome-shaped.


    Moreover....


    From inside the darkness, he heard a bleakughter. It gave one the creeps just from listening to it. It was a voice that would stimte one¡¯s instinctual fear.


    Azell sensed someone with a sword approach him.


    When he heard the words directed at him, Azell mumbled as he frowned.


    ¡°...are you perhaps the Dragon Demon I killed from before? Your voices are pretty simr.¡±


    From inside the darkness, the enemy Dragon Demon he had killed in the Bn Forest approached him. It was Jackal.


    <I¡¯ve returned from hell to kill you!>


    Jackal had been revived from death, and his glowing eyes were zing in front of Azell.


    3


    It was terrifying for one¡¯s eyesight to be shut off. One couldn¡¯t even see an inch ahead yet he he knew something was aiming a sword at him with animosity.


    However, Spirit Order practitioners were morefortable dealing with such a situationpared to a normal person. They trained their mind and senses first instead of training their bodies. Even if their sight was blocked, they had learned methods forprehending the surrounding¡¯s state of affair.


    ¡®Still, this situation might be a bit too difficult for the others.¡¯


    Even if one was a Spirit Order practitioner, they were still human. It couldn¡¯t be helped since all humans relied heavily on their sight. If one hadn¡¯t trained like Azell in reacting to situations where a part of one¡¯s senses was cut off, then it was a difficult proposition.


    A sharp sword flew towards Azell.


    Shweek!


    However, Azell avoided it as if he could see the sword.


    Truthfully, he was able to see it. The one with the sword was emitting a yellowish light from his eyes, so one could see a faint outline of him.


    ¡°Well.......¡±


    Azell smirked.


    ¡°You look too ridiculous for me to concentrate on you. I can¡¯t help it if my eyes wander. You became a corpse that hasn¡¯t quite dposed yet. Isn¡¯t that right, Dragon Demon? If you decided to go for the dposed look then you should go for it all the way. What kind of state are you in?¡±


    Jackal, who had be a revived corpse, was a sight one would be afraid to see in one¡¯s dream. His body was dposed about half-way, and his eye-socket was empty as it let out a yellowish light.


    However, Azell looked at his figure with perfectposure.


    ¡®It¡¯s isn¡¯t like there were only one or two bastard who had revived to take their revenge on me.¡¯


    It was quitemon for Azell to experience such an attack during the Dragon Demon War. He had killed too many high ranked enemies, so many of them attacked him after they revived.


    ¡°Also, it didn¡¯t seem they didn¡¯t put too much effort into your revival. You are weaker than before....¡±


    At Azell¡¯s mocking words, Jackal ran towards him in anger. Then a sharp sh of light gleamed.


    Kwa-jahk!


    About half of Jackal¡¯s body was sent flying. Azell had easily avoided Jackal¡¯s attack and he had counter-attacked.


    ¡°...I¡¯ve be stronger yet why do you believe you can strike me? Did you think if you attacked me after your revival, I would exim ¡®My god! This can¡¯t be happening! You should be dead!¡¯ Did you really think I¡¯ll be afraid?¡±


    <Ooh-ook.......>


    ¡°If you really thought that, then I feel sorry for you. My personality is a bitcking for me to be considerate towards you. You have a weaker imagination than that of a three year old.¡±


    <You, you bastard! I¡¯ll kill you!>


    The single strike cut his body in half, but he hadn¡¯t died.


    If it was a high rank revived being, it possessed heart and soul like a real living body, and it was able to resurrect again like a restored broken dish.


    Azell saw Jackal¡¯s mangled bodye back together as if he was turning back the time. Moreover, Jackal couldn¡¯t wait for his body to be restored, so he charged Azell in his half-broken state.


    ¡°Oh well. He¡¯s hot-tempered since he woke up from being dead.¡±


    This was Azell¡¯s intention. In a sh, a pure white me wrapped around Azell¡¯s sword.


    ¡®Star¡¯s Breath.¡¯


    Hwahhhhhk!


    This was a Spriit Order technique developed to deal with the revived beings. When Azell¡¯s sword cut Jackal, the white me trailed the arc of the sword strike as it burned his body.


    <Kahhhhhhk!>


    Jackal let out a horrifying scream.


    When half of his body was sliced off by Azell¡¯s sword strike, Jackal hadn¡¯t felt any pain. It was a strike imbued with magical energy, so there was damage to physical body, and a little bit of damage to his astral body. Still, unlike a living person, his body wasn¡¯t paralyzed from the pain.


    However, this instance was different. The white me stuck to his astral body like glue, and it was sending an enormous amount of pain to his soul.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°If one still have a lot of one¡¯s body left, the deep-seated grudge is too strong to burn easily. However, I found out that beings like you will burn very well after you are finely chopped.¡±


    There was a reason why he used a normal attack for his first strike. First, he had to cut the body into pieces before the ¡®Star¡¯s Breath¡¯ could be used in an efficient manner.


    The revived being was maintained by negative energies, and the Star¡¯s Breath was a technique that attacked the energy itself.


    If the high ranked revived being was whole, one had to pour out an overwhelming force or it would use its high resistance to hold out against the attack. However, the resistance decreased by a significant amount when the body was cut into pieces.


    ¡°You tried hard to live again. However, you had the honor of speaking several words in front of me, so let go of your lingering attachment and go back to sleep.¡±


    Azell mocked Jackal¡¯s grudge towards him as he struck with sword. The fearsome sword strike flew toward Jackal¡¯s body. It cut Jackal¡¯s body once then a white me trailed after him.


    Kwahhhhhhh!


    The white me stuck to Jackal¡¯s body, and it engulfed his corrupted existence.


    <This... this can¡¯t be......! This was all for nothing... Gyahhhhhhhk!>


    The dead spirit¡¯s blood curdling scream rang out.


    The white me called Star¡¯s Breath didn¡¯t give out any heat, but in a moment, it lit up the surrounding like daylight.


    Azell controlled the me as he looked toward a particr direction.


    ¡°Recycling is a good thing. Still, I can¡¯t give you praise for reviving a dead being to use as troop. Well, he was quite useless due to his impatient personality.¡±


    Most revived beings had explosive tempers. It couldn¡¯t be helped since they exceeded the limits of their bodies, and by their own choice, they revived into being a undead. Moreover, most of them had experienced themselves ¡®being killed¡¯.


    ck magic was used to raise the revived being and it amplified the dark emotions within the dead person. It turned the dark emotions into an evil energy. If one held a grudge from being killed, the grudge was amplified into a berserk state.


    Azell knew about this phenomena. This was why he was able to easily defeat Jackal.


    ¡°You are more heartless than I thought.¡±


    From across the darkness, he heard the calm voice of a woman. Then her oppressive presence started to spread.


    Arrieta swallowed her gasp.


    ¡®This power... It is on par with my teacher!¡¯


    The woman with the long ck hair was floating in mid-air. The magical wave she was emitting was oppressive. Giles, Boar and even Arrieta was overwhelmed by her.


    ¡®How could such a young human woman possess this much power?¡¯


    Humans and Dragon Demon race had less magical potentialpared to Dragon Demons, but those who reach the pinnacle surpass such limitations. Still, how could someone so young reach such heights?

 Chapter 38 When I Met Someone Who Was Dead (3).

    <strong>Chapter 38 When I Met Someone Who Was Dead (3).</strong>


    Chapter 38 - When I Met Someone Who Was Dead (3)


    Amongst the party, Azell was the only one who wasn¡¯t intimidated. He asked a question towards the ck haired woman with a confused expression on his face.


    ¡°Why are you wasting your mental power in disguising yourself as a human? Do you hold some attachment to looking like a human?¡±


    ¡°...what are you saying, Sir Azell?¡±


    Arrieta was surprised, so she looked at Azell. However, Azell didn¡¯t answer her. He just stared at the ck haired woman.


    The ck haired woman also showed a hint of surprise.


    ¡°That is surprising. You are the first human to see through my disguise.¡±


    ¡°It seems you haven¡¯t met that many humans before... Is my guess wrong?¡±


    ¡°Hoo hoo. I heard you are a genius in getting on other people¡¯s nerves. I guess they were right.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think of it as apliment, you of the Dragon Demon race.¡±


    ¡°Dragon Demon race?¡±


    Arrieta was surprised. As if she couldn¡¯t believe it, Arrieta looked at the ck haired woman. No matter how much she looked at her she only possessed a strong magical energy. She didn¡¯t feel any Dragon Demon magic emanating from her.


    However, Azell was sure the enemy was disguising her looks.


    Azell had trained his Dragon Demon Magic through the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual, and in the process of training his Dragon Demon Magic, he had attained the ¡®Eye of Truth¡¯. He was able to see through every illusions.


    ¡®Since it is still working, the technique hasn¡¯t disappeared even if I lost my Dragon Demon Magic.¡¯


    The ¡®Eye of Truth¡¯ wasn¡¯t a special ability. It was a state one could also reach through Spirit Order. Even if one didn¡¯t train in Dragon Demon Magic, one could train and pursue the Absolute Sense to achieve this technique. Of course, once one reaches this stage, it wouldn¡¯t just disappear.


    She spoke.


    ¡°My name is Niberis.¡±


    At the same time, her appearance started to go through a change.


    Two ck horns grew on top of her ears. Like Arrieta¡¯s horns, it looked like an item crafted from ss. However, her two horns curved towards the sky, and it looked menacing. Moreover, her ears were much longer and pointier than a Dragon Demon. On the back of her hand, a red Dragon Demon stone emitting a bright light appeared.


    That was it. Dragon Demons and human weren¡¯t that different in appearance. This was the same for those from the Dragon Demon race. However, one could tell at a nce that she wasn¡¯t human.


    At the same time, the feel of the magical wavepletely changed.


    It was a power that could control the reality through one¡¯s will. It was the Dragon Demon magic.


    ¡°You, whose name is seeped in sin, should be honored at hearing my name. As you enter the road into the after-life, this is my present to you, but it is probably too expensive of a gift for you.¡±


    ¡°Ho-oh.¡±


    Azell¡¯s eybrows lifted.


    ¡°It really drives home the fact that I¡¯ve met someone from the Dragon Demon race when I listen to your rude words.¡±


    ¡°Hoo hoo. You have experience fighting someone of the Dragon Demon race? Well, just by looking at how you speak, you probably are experienced at running away in fright.......¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m experienced in killing them.¡±


    Niberis closed her mouth when Azell spoke in an indifferent manner. She furrowed her eyebrows.


    ¡°You are a worthless sinner yet you have a big mouth.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t care if you believe me or not. No, I insist you don¡¯t. Just keep thinking I¡¯m lying. You cane to your senses after you die.¡±


    ¡°Hoot.¡±


    Niberisughed. However, her anger was contained within it.


    Kwa-roo-roong! Kwa-roong!


    In the next moment, lightning struck. The blue lightning strike poured towards Azell, and a cloud of dust rose into the air.


    Arrieta was dismayed.


    ¡®Too fast!¡¯


    No spells were used. Moreover, she barely showed signs of using magic, so she couldn¡¯t even properly detect it.


    So how was she able to use such a strong magic?


    However, something more surprising happened in the next moment.


    ¡°Kee-ehhhhhhk!¡±


    ¡°Koo-ahhhk!¡±


    The screams rang out from close by?


    Arrieta looked around in surprise. Before she knew it, Azell had traveled across the darkness, and he was already within the midst of the monster, who were maintaining the perimeter. No one had thought he would ambush them like this, so the monster fell in droves.


    Niberis raged.


    ¡°You dare ignore me!¡±


    Azell didn¡¯t even answer her. He used his Instantaneous movement to crisscross the terrified monsters as he delivered deathblows!


    From the darkness, he appeared like a faintly visible ghost. One could see his afterimage as he repeatedly appeared and disappeared. Before his after image disappeared, the monsters¡¯ blood flew into the air. The monsters copsed as if they were drowning from the beads of blood raining down on them.


    Niberis raged at his attitude. He hadpletely ignored her.


    ¡°How dare you!¡±


    She casted her magic. At a nce, one could tell it was a powerful magic.


    ¡°You, who aren¡¯t affiliated with the darkness, should die.¡±


    The ground lightly shook, then a wave of darkness started to spread. It was a powerful curse aimed towards a person that fulfills a specific condition. This allowed one to kill only one¡¯s target when enemies and allies were all mixed together in a jumble. The spreading wave of darkness stopped expanding at a certain point, then it quickly converged on a single point. Of course, its target was Azell.


    Arrieta shouted out a warning.


    ¡°Look out!¡±


    At the same time, she activated her Dragon Demon Magic and she tried to cut the wave of curse closing the distance towards Azell. However, Niberis¡¯ attack ignored her attack as if it was a hallucination.


    ¡°You are a Dragon Demon, who doesn¡¯t know about the true strength of magic. Yet you dare point your dirty sword towards me?¡±


    Niberis taunted Arrieta.


    At the same time, Azell snorted.


    ¡°This is it?¡±


    Pooh-hwahhhhhk!


    From within the darkness, a gruesome sound of destruction rang out. Seven fountain of blood shot into the air, and seven monsters fell as they lost their lives.


    The curse struck and exploded on the culprit, who was causing death.


    Ooh-oong.......


    However, nothing happened.


    Niberis was dismayed.


    ¡°What?¡±


    She didn¡¯t make a mistake. Her curse was perfect.


    It was a magic she had used to kill many high level Spirit Order practitioner up until now!


    Azell looked up at her with indifferent eyes.


    ¡°Look here. For a change, I thought I hade across the real deal. However, it seems I havee across a cub, who learned a little bit of technique. You were being so overbearing with only this much skill?¡±


    ¡°What... did you say?¡±


    Niberis¡¯ voice shook from anger.


    She had never been ignored all her life. At the ins of Darkness, every one of her instructors praised her as a genius, and she had easily dispatched any humans or Dragon Demons she hade across on her missions. Yet a mere human, whose magic didn¡¯t look too strong, was ignoring her!


    She was about to attack on an impulse, but Niberis stopped herself.


    ¡®What method did he use?¡¯


    Even though she was considered young amongst the Dragon Demon race, she was still a high level magician with a good deal of battle experience under her belt. She used her powerful self-control to reign in her impulse then she used her cold judgement.


    ¡®It is a method I have yet toe across. However... If he was a high ranked Spirit Order practitioner, then he probably has techniques that could rival great magical spells.¡¯


    Spirit Order practitioners were basically warriors. It was easy to see them as simple brutes, but their techniques focused on their mind and senses instead of the physical body. This is why their techniques were as diverse and profound as magic.


    After she regained her countenance, Niberis spoke.


    ¡°...it is as Regina had said. I cannot tell where the floor is with this man.¡±


    ¡°I thought you would give into your impulse and go on a rampage. It seems you aren¡¯t too green, Miss.¡±


    ¡°If one meets an enemy one can¡¯tprehend.... One has to get a taste of them first.¡±


    Niberis spoke.


    When she raised her hand, the darkness vibrated.


    Woowoowoowoowoo......!


    Azell clicked his tongue when he saw this.


    ¡®Chet. Was I too obvious? I mad a mistake.¡¯


    He had made a mistake. He wanted Niberis to get angry, so she would show her weakness. At the same time, he wanted to decrease the number of monsters, so he attacked them. However, his avoidance of the curse magic caught her attention, and now it much have awakened her sense of caution.


    The barrier technique Azell had used was simple. Niberis¡¯ technique destroyed those ¡®who aren¡¯t affiliated with darkness¡¯. He materialized Darkness energy, and he surrounded himself with it.


    Of course, it sounded simple, but it wasn¡¯t a technique anyone could do. During the Dragon Demon war, he learned how to materialize his magical energy into magic. Then he had learned a technique that was capable of changing the attribute of the magic to anything he wanted.


    ¡®If she found out how I did it, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem... This is getting dangerous. I should be fine, but the others....¡¯


    He continued to make fun of her, but Niberis wasn¡¯t an easy opponent. She had cut them off from the outside for a radius of several hundred meters. She had created a magical domain only she could use. Even if she had prepared this beforehand, this required a massive amount of magical energy. However, he couldn¡¯t see any signs of strain from her.


    At that moment, Niberis spoke the words he had been worried about.


    ¡°Go block the man with the name soaked in sin. I¡¯ll capture the Dragon Demon princess first.¡±


    Then Niberis flicked her fingers.


    ¡°He might be too much for you all, so I¡¯ll give you a helper.¡±


    A dense evil energy that made one¡¯s blood freeze swept across the floor. Then it started gathering the dead corpses of the monsters in one location.


    When he saw this, Azell¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡®Maybe this is.......¡¯


    It was as he feared.


    The corpses were dragged into the center, and a ripple of purple light was expelled. Then a swamp of darkness appeared.


    The color of the swamp was something that couldn¡¯t exist naturally in this world. The corpse of the monsters continued to be dragged within, and they became part of the swamp.


    Googoogoogoogoo.......


    As the ground shook, a figure of a giant started rising up from inside the swamp. It was made out of pitch ck darkness, but a purple colored me burned across its entire body. It was a bizarre being. The awareness of this unrealistic difference made one feel extremely repulsed. It made one¡¯s chest feel ufortable.


    ¡°You raised a corrupted being. It seems you are a pretty aplished ck magician.¡±


    Azell tensed.


    This was a Great Magic even a high level ck magicians couldn¡¯t easily use.


    He guessed she had prepared the spell beforehand for a situation like this. Still, if one wanted use it as easily as Niberis, one had to possess a massive amount of magic, and the quality of the magician casting it had to be very high.


    The pain and regret left by the dead, and the corrupted energy created by death was used as foundation to dissolve the bodies. Then a ck magic construct, a corrupted being, was raised.


    This world wouldn¡¯t tolerate such a corrupted being, so it could only exist for a limited time inside the darkness. Of course, this meant its strength was superb.


    Niberis put on a cold smile.


    ¡°It seems you have a little bit of a discerning eye. You are not wothy of being shown a magic like this.¡±


    Gwuhhhhhhhhhhh!!


    The corrupted being had a silhouette of a giant, and it let out a cry. The sound carrying the rough vibration attacked everyone standing on the earth. It didn¡¯t discriminate between allies and enemies. In a sh, everyone¡¯s movements were paralyzed.


    Niberis spoke.


    ¡°Hmmm. I forgot about that detail.¡±


    Niberis saw her allies frozen in ce, so she added additional magic to it. This caused the corrupted being¡¯s roar to only target Azell¡¯s party.


    Azell was amazed.


    ¡®It seems she isn¡¯t normal?¡¯


    Niberis easily fixed the problem as if she had forgotten something minor. However, she had used a very advanced magic. She took the ¡®sound¡¯ attack, and it was modified to be able to discern between her allies and enemies!


    Googoogoogoogoo......!


    Then the corrupted being started moving towards Azell. Even though it was over 3 meters tall, it moved creepily towards him as if it was sliding across ice.

 Chapter 39 When I Met Someone Who Was Dead (4).

    <strong>Chapter 39 When I Met Someone Who Was Dead (4).</strong>


    Chapter 39 - When I Met Someone Who Was Dead (4)


    4


    When Niberis saw the corrupted being and her underlings running towards Azell, she turned her back on him.


    ¡°Well, now.......¡±


    Pah-ji-ji- jeeek!


    Arrieta swung her sword down towards her. A barrier formed automatically, and blue sparks flew as it shed with the white sword. Arrieta didn¡¯t hesitate to charge her when she had judged Niberis had put her guard down.


    ¡°Oh Evil Darkness, Rend Apart!¡±


    Arrieta had used the repelling force to retreat as she swung her sword. Then a sword made out of light struck towards Niberis.


    However, Niberis didn¡¯t show any signs of nervousness. As if she was on a leisurely stroll, she walked across the air then she slightly shook her hand. This resulted in Arrieta¡¯s sword of light sliding off of her barrier, and it copsed in the air.


    Arrieta was taken aback.


    ¡®She was able to slip my attack so easily!¡¯


    Niberis¡¯ attack followed afterwards. Arrow made out of light formed in mid-air, and it was shot towards Arrieta in a dizzying manner.


    ¡°Sacred Valor bless this sword!¡±


    With a shout, a barrier formed and it blocked the light. However, a sound of an explosion was heard from behind.


    Kwang! Kwa-gahng!


    The projectiles exploded, and it blew Arrieta away. Arrieta was thrown towards the ground, and she was barely able to turn her body to kick the ground. She looked like a skipping stone as she kicked, rotated, kicked again and so on. Niberis smiled as she looked at her.


    ¡°Hoo-hoot. You are a princess of a country, but you are floundering about like a street performer.¡±


    At the same time, she lightly shook her hand. This caused two sphere of light to form, and it head towards another direction.


    Kwah-ahh-ahhng!


    ¡°Kook....!¡±


    Boar let out a moan as he blocked with his shield. This was an attack aimed at the other party member, who were separated from Arrieta.


    Niberis spoke.


    ¡°My workload is too much for me to deal with bugs like you.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Boar became angry.


    Niberis no longer looked towards him. Instead, the remaining monsters rushed towards him.


    ¡°Sir Giles!¡±


    ¡°I already know!¡±


    The two knights stood up as they looked at each other.


    During all of this, Enora had been shaking in terror.


    Boar assessed his surrounding as he spoke.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms Enora! Not even a single hair of yours will be hurt as long as I¡¯m around!¡±


    ¡°You stole what I wanted to say. Let¡¯s quickly get rid of these filthy bastards then we can help the princess!¡±


    Giles also spoke in a noble manner. However, several dozen monsters ran towards them.


    ¡°There are a lot of them!¡±


    Giles¡¯ sword energy was swung towards the approaching enemies like a gale. The sword energy was fast yet delicate. It cut down the unruly monsters one by one.


    There were most definitely a lot of enemies. Most of them wererger and sturdier than humans.


    However, the Spirit Order practitioners who had reached the level of Quadruple master were super humans.


    They could cow them with their mental wave, and they used an electric-like attack to take the monster¡¯s lives. They put fear into the monsters.


    Confusion and hesitation started to spread within the ranks of the monsters. Giles had facedrge numbers of monsters in the Bn Forest, so he was used to facing off against such opponents.


    Boar also wasn¡¯t outdone by Giles.


    ¡°Hoong! Dirty bastards! I guess you are desperate to dirty my shield with your blood!¡±


    Boar had a shield, so the way he faced off against the monsters were entirely different from Giles.


    Too-hahk!


    A group of orcs were running toward him. Boar smashed the lead orc with his shield, and it flew into the air. It looked like it was hit by a running horse. The orc¡¯s muscr body was much bigger than a human, but it flew several meters into the air. It flew over the head of the monsters.


    While the monsters were frozen watching the orc fly, Boar stabbed his sword over his shield. Another monster¡¯s throat was pierced like meat being skewered, and it fell to the floor.


    The flustered monsters ran towards Boar in unison, and they swung their weapons. Three of them ran in at Boar.


    Boar red with his eyes.


    ¡°Ha-ahhhhhhh!¡±


    Instead of yelling like a person, he roared out a bestial cry. It was simr to what Azell had used. It was a roar containing a domineering mental wave.


    In a sh, the monsters¡¯ movements slowed. As he blocked the discouraged enemies¡¯ attack with his shield, Boar stomped with all his might.


    Booom!


    Apanying a heavy thud, the ground started to shake. The weapons swung by the monsters were deflected with great force, and the owners of the weapons fell to the floor.


    ¡°Ha-ah!¡±


    Boar quickly ran in, and he cut them down with his sword. Then he returned to guard his original position.


    Giles and Boar look at each other with sidelong nces after they killed a batch of enemies.


    The two of them didn¡¯t get along. From the start of the trip, Boar treated Giles like a country knight, and Boar had ignored him.


    They got on each other¡¯s nerves at every step, and they had fought each other for the leadership role.


    After Boar was annihted by Azell, his attitude had changed. However, the rtionship between Giles and Boar was still ufortable. Both of young knights were chosen as representative for their respective group, so this situation was inevitable.


    ¡°Sir Giles. How about wepete to see who could take down the most opponents?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you up on that..¡±


    However, at that moment, the two of them agreed on something. They had to protect Enora, and they had to help Arrieta. This was why they didn¡¯t hesitate to fight with their backs against each other. Even though their movements were restricted from being surrounded by several dozen monsters, the two knights were in a difficult ordeal where they had to defeat all the monsters.


    5


    Currently, everything was going as the Dragon¡¯s Shadow had intended.


    Their target was Arrieta. She had been separated from Azell, who they were wary of, and the 3 others. If one discounted Azell, the several dozen monsters were surrounding Giles, Boar and Enora. They were in a significant danger.


    However, Arrieta couldn¡¯t help them. Niberis was walking towards her emitting an oppressive magical energy.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ve finally broken free from the disrupters.... Dragon Princess. We share the same blood, so I will show you some mercy. I have a proposal for you.¡±


    ¡°A proposal?¡±


    ¡°If you obediently follow us, I¡¯ll spare your underling¡¯s lives..¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you to surrender. It¡¯s obvious what the result will be, so let¡¯s not tire each other out.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit!¡±


    Arrieta kicked off the ground. She elerated using her instantaneous movement, and in a sh, she had arrived at Niberis¡¯ back. Then she didn¡¯t hesitate to attack!


    However, Niberis was gone. Arrieta was surprised when she felt herself strike empty air.


    From her side, she heard Niberis¡¯nguid voice.


    ¡°All those who wield swords are uniformly simple.¡±


    ¡®Illusion?¡¯


    Niberis had predicted what Arrieta would do, so she had used set up an illusion. Niberis¡¯ skill in magic was too fast andplex. Arrieta didn¡¯t even realize what she had done.


    Boom!


    Arrieta was struck by lightning, and she was sent flying. Arrieta was barely able to right her body andnd on the ground. Niberis spoke as she looked at her.


    ¡°This is the second time. The rumors said you are intelligent. So isn¡¯t it about time you realize your ce?¡±


    ¡°Kook......!¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s ok. If you want to be stubborn, I¡¯ll break that stubborness. I¡¯ll make realize the reality of your situation.¡±


    When Niberis said, ¡®This is the second time.¡¯, it was the number of times Niberis could have taken Arrieta¡¯s life. She aimed to capture Arrieta alive, so even though she had the chance to deal a critical blow, she had refrained.


    Arrieta shouted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look down on me! You of the Dragon Demon race! Light of the Ferocious Beast that Burns away the Darkness, Roar!¡±


    An orange me climbed up the white de. Unlike a normal me, it wasn¡¯t emitting a lot of heat. However, this was a magical me with a massive amount of destructive force dormant within its magical me.


    ¡°Go!¡±


    When she swung her sword, the fire elongated like a whip, and it struck against Niberis.


    This wasn¡¯t a one-off move. Arrieta breathed in, then she let out a couple dozen malleable sword energy. It created a dizzying white trace across the empty air, and it hit Niberis.


    Hwahhhhhhk!


    The me exploded on impact. From where the attack ignited to behind several dozen meter, explosive mes spread out in a fan shape.


    She proved that her reputation as the Dragon Demon princess wasn¡¯t false. She disyed a devastating power. It was an attack capable of killing dozens of enemy in a sh. However, Arrieta wasn¡¯t done yet. She brought her sword down as she ran.


    ¡°Oh fire dragon. Let out your anger!¡±


    The orange mes surrounding the sword started to emit heat, and it changed into a real me. Arrieta¡¯s fierce sword strike was able to split even a castle wall.


    ¡°...aren¡¯t you satisfied after squirming this much?


    In the next moment, anguid voice entered into Arrieta¡¯s ear.


    Boom!


    At the same time, Arrieta was struck from the side with no warning. Arrieta couldn¡¯t even scream as she was thrown to the ground.


    In front of her, Niberis was walking out of the fiercely burning magical me. Not even a single hair was damaged.


    After rolling several times on the ground, Arrieta gritted her teeth as she got up.


    ¡®I guess it was another illusion.¡¯


    Niberis was walking from a location entirely different from where Arrieta had predicted. This time she had been prepared for Niberis to use her illusion magic. However, she had still beenpletely fooled.


    ¡°Pitiful.¡±


    Niberis words held pity within it. However, the voice didn¡¯te out of the Niberis walking out from the me.


    ¡®Multiple illusion?¡¯


    Arrieta¡¯s eyes widened.


    Niberis was walking towards her from all direction. There were a total of 7 Niberis, and all of them looked like the real body.


    Moreover, there was a strong magical wave that was interfering with Arrieta¡¯s senses. Even if she tried to sense Niberis¡¯ life energy, she couldn¡¯t¡¯ tell which one was the real one.


    Niberis spoke.


    ¡°If youe obediently, then everything will be easier.¡±


    As if her words were a spell, consecutive lighting strikes exploded forth. The lightning strikes exploded as it ripped through the darkness. Arrieta mindlessly ran away.


    ¡®I can¡¯t read the signs!¡¯


    When a warrior fights against a magician, the warrior reads the flow of the magical energy. Once the warrior sees the sign that magic is being used, one could react to the magic. Even if one couldn¡¯t tell what kind of magic it was, one could still block it if one knew when the magic wasing.


    However, Niberis didn¡¯t have a tell in her magic. It seemed like she wasn¡¯t doing anything when the lighting struck.


    ¡®This basically means... That woman is just ying with me.¡¯


    One after another she was hit with lightning that was powerful enough to instantly kill a normal person. However, Niberis was just flicking her finger as if she was barely putting her strength into the attack. Even if one possessed powerful magical strength, one still needed an effective techniques to use. She hadn¡¯t even gathered her power in one ce to amplify her magic. She had omitted steps yet she was able to produce this much power.


    Niberis spoke.


    ¡°Your defense is pretty admirable. I heard you were taught by the Dragon Demon Duke. It seems he taught you well.¡±


    ¡°You know my teacher?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never personally seen him. However, I¡¯ve heard about his reputation enough times to make my ears bleed. Now that I see his student I could tell your teacher has great skill.¡±


    Niberis genuinely gave apliment to Arrieta¡¯s skills.


    Of course, this was a judgement made by a person who was in a much superior position. It was like saying, ¡®She¡¯s better than I thought?¡¯


    Niberis continued to use lightning to incapacitate Arrieta. Normally, even if you block the lightning itself, the p of the thunder damages ones eardrum. It¡¯ll be impossible for the person to move properly. afterward


    Arrieta had been worried about this, so she had used her Dragon energy to protect her eardrums from the beginning. Even if the lightning didn¡¯t incapacitate her, a single damaged eardrum would make her lose her fighting capability.


    ¡®I can¡¯t win against this enemy with just my strength.¡¯


    Arrieta coldly calcted her chances.

 Chapter 40 When I Met Someone Who Was Dead (5).

    <strong>Chapter 40 When I Met Someone Who Was Dead (5).</strong>


    Chapter 40 - When I Met Someone Who Was Dead (5)


    (TLN: Thank you for the donation Ryan. Please turn off the adblockers if you are able to. Thanks and enjoy~)


    5


    She came to a conclusion. She determined she had no chance of winning against Niberis no matter how much she struggled. The difference between their power was too overwhelming.


    She could see only one way out. It was Niberis¡¯ attitude. She knew Niberis wasn¡¯t paying much attention to her. Unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t able to do anything with this fact.


    ¡®She is taking me lightly, but she isn¡¯t careless about protecting herself....¡¯


    Niberis¡¯ inattention resulted from her trust in her own defensive ability. Even if Arrieta was better than Niberis had predicted, she couldn¡¯t break through the barrier even if she caught Niberis off guard. This caused the magician to be arrogant.


    Unfortunately, Arrieta didn¡¯t have the strength to tear down her arrogance. If she used all her power to deliver a fatal blow, then it might be possible. However, Niberis¡¯ carelessness didn¡¯t mean she would allow Arrieta to prepare her strike.


    ¡®I won¡¯t be able to escape.¡¯


    The enemy¡¯s aim was to kidnap her, so running away was the best way to go. However, she was surround by a barrier of darkness, and it wouldn¡¯t allow her to escape.


    ¡®I guess I¡¯ll have to hold out by taking advantage of the enemy¡¯s indifferent attitude.¡¯


    Arrieta decided to trust her allies. If she was able to stall for time, then Azell would surely do something.


    Arrietaughed bitterly at her thoughts.


    ¡®When did I start to.......¡¯


    When did she start to rely on Azell so much? She had no idea. At this moment, she felt more secure by the fact that Azell was fighting in this battlefield. She¡¯d prefer him over a thousand troops supporting her.


    Niberis raised her hand when she saw Arrieta¡¯s relentless determination.


    ¡°You are foolish to continue this fight when the result is a foregone conclusion. It¡¯ll just make both of us weary.¡±


    ¡°Your arrogance can¡¯tst forever, Dragon Demon.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t arrogance.¡±


    After she spoke coldly, a dark me-like darkness surged forth, and it surrounded Niberis¡¯ vicinity. She spoke as half of her figure was cloaked in darkness.


    ¡°I¡¯m just speaking the truth.¡±


    5


    Azell frowned as he saw the corrupted being approach him.


    ¡®This is going to be a pain in the ass. That thing is annoying.¡¯


    Azell had plenty experience in fighting against a corrupted being. It was an oft used method by the high level ck magicians in the Dragon Demon War. The magic didn¡¯t differentiate between allies or enemies when it gathered the corpses into one ce. Usually, it would also cause massive damage to the allies when the corrupted being was born.


    Of course, the corrupted being wasn¡¯t a scary opponent for Azell. The problem was this opponent was annoying enough to dy him.


    ¡®I have no choice.¡¯


    Azell calmly took a single deep breath.


    Ba-dump!


    His heart beat faster.


    Ooooohhhhg.......


    The Rings of Life resonated, and his magic amplified.


    The magic flowing in his energy pulse elerated, and it flowed into the Rings of Life. Then the magic amplified as it passed through the first Ring, then it amplified again after passing through the second Ring. As the magic passed through the final third ring, it was amplified more and more. Before it could go back into energy pulse, pulsation of the blood vessels and small vibrations of the bones added fuel to amplification. Then the magic amplified to its maximum point.


    Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump!


    His heartbeat raced faster, and the flow of magic in his energy pulse elerated more and more. Every time the magic passed his heart, the magical energy expanded more and more. It filled up his energy pulse, and as if that wasn¡¯t enough, the magic spread to every part of his body. Still, the magic was overflowing, so it started wrapping around his body.


    Hoo-ooooooh......!


    This process happened in an instant. Before the enemies under orders could attack him, and before the corrupted being got in range for an attack, Azell had already finished amplifying his magical energy.


    He could freely control the beat of his heart. He could control each blood vessels in his body. This allowed the Spirit Order practitioner to perceive time differently from a normal person. The Spirit Order practitioner could slow down or speed up the perception of time one feels. At his moment, he was stretching out the time to the extremes.


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Azell mumbled in a small voice.


    His body was far from beingplete. The vessel that held his magical energy was too small. If Azellpared himself to his prime, the amount of magic he could hold didn¡¯t even reach 10 percent.


    However, it was enough to deal with this situation. The reason being Azell knew of a method where he could temporarily control the overflowing magical energy. He wrapped it around his body.


    Azell had the time to amplify his magic in a rxed state, and now his enemies would feel a different level of power from him.


    Gwauhhhhhhhh!


    The corrupted being ran towards him. Just by looking at its size one could guess how strong it was. Its strength probably exceeded that of an ogre by a wide margin.


    This wasn¡¯t the end of it. The corrupted being was a crystallization of a curse, so anything it touched was deadly to any being in this world.


    Azell dodged the corrupted being¡¯s hand, and he retreated backwards. At the same time, he tilted his head by a marginal amount.


    Shweeek!


    Suddenly, a ck de burst out of the ground, and it barely missed the side of his face.


    It didn¡¯t end there. The nk des continuously burst forth from the ground, and it tried to skewer him.


    Azell moved as if he was dancing, and he was able to avoid all of it. At the same time he came to a stop, he stomped hard on the ground.


    Koooooooong!


    It looked like a light stomp, but the surrounding surface shook in its entirety.


    ¡°Koo-uhk......!¡±


    Azell¡¯s senses were developed to the extreme, so he heard the moan let out by someone 5 meters below the surface. It was the sound of Kirion, who attacked his enemies as he moved freely through the ground.


    The vibrational energy caused by the stomp was transferred through the earth, and it had attacked Kirion. Azell wanted to send an additional blow to end Kirion, but he did¡¯t have the time to do so. In that brief moment, the corrupted being had closed the distance, and it was swinging its arm.


    ¡®ws of the Thunder Dragon!¡¯


    Azell let fly his sword strike on a simr trajectory as the other¡¯s attack.


    Kwa-roo-roong! Kwa-gwang!


    The sound of thunder ovepped with the sound of Niberis attacking Arrieta. Azell¡¯s sword was emitting thunder strikes, and it ripped apart the corrupted giant¡¯s arm.


    At the unexpected sound of thunder, the enemies who were approaching Azell for an attack flinched. Azell moved using his Instantaneous Movement method, and it left his after image.


    Pahhhhhng!


    The sword strike let out a blue light as it made a long gash on the corrupted being¡¯s back. The aggregate of corrupted power making up the body dispersed as it fragmented off.


    ¡°It¡¯s really sturdy. Annoying.¡±


    Azell grumbled. Then he reversed the additional blow he was going to send with his sword, and he stabbed towards his back.


    Boom!


    ¡°Kyahhhk!¡±


    Apanying an explosive sound, a sharp cry rang out. It was a feminine scream, but the voice was very hoarse. It sounded very odd.


    ¡°Your scream is unexpectedly quite feminine? Ms. Regina.¡±


    ¡°Ooh-ook.......¡±


    Regina moaned. She had used her Stealth technique to hide herself. She had even used it to hide her life energy, so she had thought this would be the perfect time to attack him. However, Azell had be aware of her ghost-like figure, and he had counterattacked.


    Azell grinned as he pressed his attack on Regina. Transparent des of force flew towards him in the air. Azell deflected it, and he suddenly retreated backwards. At the same time, he tilted his body towards the ground, then he let fly a sword strike at a very odd angle.


    Pah-hahk!


    ¡°Koo-uhk!¡±


    Kirion, who was about to burst through the surface, let out a yell. While Azell was focused on Regina, Kirion had decided to ambush Azell.


    However, Azell had cut Kirion as if he had been waiting for that exact opportunity.


    ¡°What...what the......!¡±


    Kirion watched a fountain of blood burst forth from his body, and he moaned. He still had the wound on his face left by Azell. Kiron¡¯s eyes was burning with anger.


    ¡°Azell Zestring, you son of a bitch......!¡±


    Before Azell could reply, Kirion disappeared from sight. Afterwards, a sphere of darkness crashed into the spot. In a sh, Azell moved a distance over 10 meters as he spoke.


    ¡°You are trying to detain me with this? Your superiors have a very bad grip on reality.¡±


    Azell was surrounded by 4 enemies.


    The cursed being, Regina, and Kirion surrounded him. Moreover, a ck magician Azell had never seen before was hiding inside the darkness. He was the one who had shot the sphere of darkness.


    ¡°Koo-ook, oooooooh......!¡±


    Kirion was severely injures, and he was swaying. He had stopped the bleeding for now, but he was in a poor shape. He had tried an ambush yet he received a counter-attack instead.


    Azell¡¯s eyes shone with a terrifying light.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to y with you. I¡¯ll take care of you quickly.¡±


    His magical energy were overflowling from his body, and he would use it to defeat his enemies quickly. He was emitting far greater power than normal, so it was a big burden on his body. Moreover, it quickly exhausted his mental power, so he couldn¡¯t maintain this state for a long time.


    In the next moment, Azell disappeared.


    ¡®What?¡¯


    Regina was taken aback.


    That wasn¡¯t it. She had thought he used the Instantaneous Movement to disappear. She was preparing for a strike from the back, when he appeared once again.


    However, there were more than one. One appeared behind the corrupted being. Another one appeared in front of Regina. One was next to Kirion, andst one was behind the ck magician!


    ¡®A cloning technique?¡¯


    Even the Dragon Demon with enhanced senses couldn¡¯t tell the difference between the real body, and the false image. At that moment, every one of them looked like a false image.


    ¡°Are you perhaps making the mistake in thinking I¡¯m hiding somewhere?¡±


    Azell spoke as he appeared behind the ck magician. The ck magician was terrified as he realized his back was taken and he was a beat toote.


    ¡°Heeeek!¡±


    He reflexively activated his defensive magic. At the same time, the corrupted being and Regina headed towards them.


    ¡®That¡¯s the real one!¡¯


    When she was about to open her mouth, the false images disappeared as the presence of Azell came into focus. How was he able to find the hidden ck magician so easily? And Azell was attacking him first! Even as she used her instantaneous movement, she knew herst ditch effort would be toote.


    ¡°Koooh-ahhhhk!¡±


    However, she froze when she heard a scream from behind.


    ¡®How?¡¯


    Azell was attacking the ck magician, so why was Kirion screaming?


    Kirion, who was seriously injured, tried to hide himself again below ground when Azell moved. He had lost too much of hisposure from receiving therge wound. He won¡¯t be able to attack again


    At that moment, Azell grabbed his throat then he stabbed him through the heart.


    ¡°Kuk, Kuh-uh-uhk... This cant be......!¡±


    Kirion¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he took hisst breath. Azell confirmed that Kirion wasn¡¯t breathing. Azell threw him away.


    ¡°This method works well against those who are confident in their senses.¡±


    He divided his life signature of his main body, and he had made several clones. Only one of the clones would hold a life signature akin to his real body. His enemies didn¡¯t have the time to evaluate his clones properly, so they had mistaken the clone for the actual body.


    When the enemies¡¯ focused their attention on the bait, Azell¡¯s real body attacked the weak-link. He killed Kirion.


    ¡°Also, I¡¯m not done yet.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    At Azell¡¯s meaningful words, Regina couldn¡¯t help but turn around to look.


    P


    ooh-ook!


    The inattentive ck magician was pierced by a sword that burst forth from below.


    ¡°Kuh-uhk. How could this be......!¡±


    The ck magician was horrified.


    Ddah-ahk!


    Azell flicked his fingers. The sword that was lodged inside the ck magician¡¯s body started to spread a destructive energy, and it destroyed the ck magician¡¯s heart. The ck magician breathed hisst breath before he could even scream.


    Azell hadyered another trap on top of the first one. He attacked from the back after making them believe his real body was elsewhere. After his first trap ended, he activated his second trap while everyone had let their guard down.


    Azell shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°I¡¯m thankful since you guys keep falling for the same trick.¡±


    The second trap was a variation on the method he used in the Bn Forest. Azell had stolen a sword from a monster as he took killed the monsters. He used his Stealth technique to hide it, and he carried it around in such a way where so no one would suspect he had it. Then he used this opportunity to throw the sword.


    The difference between thest time he used it and now was the fact that Azell was able to move the thrown item in a moreplex manner.


    The enemies were distracted by his clones, and before they could react to the fact that they had been duped... The hidden sword was sent flying low to the ground. He abruptly elerated the sword, and it was thrust up and in to the ck magician.


    ¡°Except for thedy from the Dragon Demon race, all of you are simpletons. Why don¡¯t you challenge me after studying a little bit more?¡±


    Regina trembled when she witnessed the frightening sight. She couldn¡¯t suppress her terror as it started to well up.


    ¡®What exactly is this man¡¯s identity?¡¯

 Chapter 41 When I Met Someone Who Was Dead (6).

    <strong>Chapter 41 When I Met Someone Who Was Dead (6).</strong>


    Chapter 41 - When I Met Someone Who Was Dead (6)


    As she worked as a member of the Dragon¡¯s Shadow, she had fought and killed a lot of humans. She also had plenty experience fighting against Spirit Order practitioners.


    However, amongst them, no one fought like Azell.


    Of course, this was the case. The run of the mill Spirit Order practitioners wouldn¡¯t be able to imitate the techniques devised by Azell. Azell had once reach the pinnacle level, so he could use such unreasonable technical skills.


    ¡®I can¡¯t win against him.......¡¯


    The certainty of defeat ruled over her.


    If he showed an overwhelming strength, then it would have been easier for her to swallow this defeat. However, Azell used sophisticated techniques, and deceptive tricks to make surprise attacks. Her allies with great power were cut down so easily that it was absurd. She couldn¡¯tprehend what was happening, and this created a fear inside her.


    ¡®Should I run away?¡¯


    However, she wasn¡¯t allowed to do so. She had to stall until Niberis captured the Dragon Demon Princess....


    She started to retreat haltingly when Azell suddenly appeared in front of Regina. The moment he sensed her agitation, he immediately used his Instantaneous Movement to charge after her.


    Kah-ahng!


    Sword hit against sword as sparks flew. Her bnce was broken, but Azell pulled back from striking a critical blow. The reason being the corrupted being had ran in at that moment. Regina stabbed with her sword towards Azell in an almost reflexive manner. The enemy in front of her hesitated in attacking her, and her ally was attacking from Azell¡¯s rear. She had thought it would be the best chance for her to attack.


    However, Regina soon realized she had fallen into a trap.


    ¡®This was also nned by this person!¡¯


    Azell had a cold smile on his face.


    The moment she started her attack his figure disappeared as if he had been waiting for this moment. He had prepared his movement technique as if he had been waiting for her move. He activated it with exquisite timing where she couldn¡¯t pull pack her attack.


    Regina¡¯s field of vision was swallowed by the corrupted being¡¯s enormous body. Then....


    Kwaaahhhhhhh!


    Azell appeared behind the corrupted being and his fierce strike exploded. The lightning sh sliced and ripped into the corrupted being¡¯srge body. Regina, who was on the other side of they body, was also swept up in the attack.


    ¡®We were dancing on top of his palms from beginning to the end. Even one from the Dragon Demon race won¡¯t be able to face.....¡¯


    Regina, who had fallen int despair, couldn¡¯t continue her thoughts. The exquisite pain swirling around her entire body made her lose her consciousness.


    6


    Niberis furrowed her brows.


    ¡°She¡¯s really tenacious..¡±


    In front of her, Arrieta was covered in dirt, and she was breathing raggedly.


    Arrieta couldn¡¯t even harm a single hair on Niberis. She was busy focusing only on defense.


    It was impossible for her to run away. Niberis used a delicate magical fog to prevent Arrieta from escaping a certain area. Her movements were being restricted.


    Unlike her calm exterior, Niberis wasn¡¯t as rxed inside.


    ¡®I never expected this mission to turn out to be this annoying.¡¯


    If she wanted to kill Arrieta, this would have already ended. The problem was the goal of her mission. She had to capture the Dragon Demon Princess Arrieta, while causing minimal damage to her.


    She couldn¡¯t cause damage that couldn¡¯t be healed. She had to catch Arrieta intact, and it was a really tricky proposition. If would have been easier for her if she could use a curse or a binding magic to subdue Arrieta. However, Arrieta¡¯s skills were outstanding. Niberis had no choice but to send lukewarm attacks to methodically cut down her stamina.


    She smiled when she saw Arrieta pant.


    ¡°Is this the end......?¡±


    Anyone could tell by looking at Arrieta that she was refusing to yield.


    Niberis didn¡¯t get angry. Instead, she let out a sigh.


    ¡°If my underlings were a little bit more useful, then this assignment could have been done more easily.¡±


    ¡°What......?¡±


    It happened when Arrieta was puzzling over Niberis¡¯ words.


    Pah-jee-jee-jeeek!


    A blue me sparked in front of Niberis¡¯ eyes. Before she knew it, Azell had approached her from the front, and he had brought down his sword.


    Niberis spoke.


    ¡°You are a troublesome person like the report indicated.¡±


    Azell whistled as he pressed against her barrier.


    ¡°I guess you aren¡¯t dumb like your underlings?¡±


    Niberis¡¯ barrier hadn¡¯t activated from consciousmand right now. She had prepared for a scenario where she would be ambushed. The barrier magic was prepared in a way where it would activate when certain conditions were met.


    From the moment Niberis¡¯ barrier activated, the magical pattern was changing fluidly. She used the magical alignment to negate, and cut off the bacsh.


    Niberis spoke.


    ¡°You with the name seeped in sin.......¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just call me Azell? Isn¡¯t it annoying to use such a long name, Niberis Ahjoommah?¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    When Niberis heard the word ¡®Ahjoommah¡¯, her eyebrows rose.


    Kwa-gwang!


    At the same time, a lightning strike exploded atop the barrier. It let out a bright light into the surrounding, and it felt like the white light could sear the eyes in an instant. Afterwards, the thunderp shook the surrounding.


    Niberis was taken aback.


    ¡®He¡¯s unscathed?!¡¯


    Her thunder strike had the power to demolish a mountain. However, he wasn¡¯t damaged at all, and he was looking down at her. Niberis felt her heart sink when she saw Azellugh coldly.


    ¡°Did you think Instion magic could only be used by a magician? Do you really think you can solve everything with a thunder strike? You are sorely mistaken if you think you can take on the world even if you are a high level magician. ¡±


    Azell changed his magical energy into an instor. He wrapped his magical energy around himself, then he let the thunder strike pass through him. Magical energy could be changed into any attribute. Since it was obvious to Azell that the opponent was going to to use a thunder strike, he was able to easily defend against it.


    Azell¡¯s continued to attack.


    ¡®Earth¡¯s Sage!¡¯


    He tilted his sword slightly as he moved in an odd fashion. Niberis¡¯ lower body inside the barrier received a weak impact from the sword as it passed by. The impact wasn¡¯t enough to hurt her. However, Niberis was shaken when she realized Azell had pierced through her barrier, and the attack had affected her.


    ¡®This is......?!¡¯


    In front of the surprised Niberis, Azell used another technique.


    ¡®Storm Dragon¡¯s w!¡¯


    Azell slightly pull his sword back, then he struck.


    The result was extraordinary. The movement shouldn¡¯t allow a human body to deliver such power. In a sh, the elerating de moved faster than the speed of sound. It ripped through the barrier, then a shock wave exploded.


    Kwahhhhhhng!


    Apanying an explosive sound, Niberis was flung away.


    ¡°Kook......!¡±


    Before she collided with the ground, she was barely able to change the trajectory of her flight. Niberis moaned. There was a slight rip near the clothes on her chest, and blood dripped down near her lips.


    ¡°As expected. Your possession of the name soaked in sin wasn¡¯t for show.......¡±


    Niberis was speaking, while refusing to yield, when she became startled. At that moment, Azell had appeared behind her back, and he had swung his sword.


    Pahhhhhhhhh!


    The barrier with the pre-programmed instructions barely activated in time.


    However, Azell had predicted this would happen. When the sword strike collided with the barrier, he didn¡¯t resist against the force. He was flung away as he rotated his body.


    Then Azell disappeared. He made use of the repulsive force, then he used the Instantaneous Movement in mid-air even though he didn¡¯t have any ce to push off from!


    Niberis¡¯ instincts warned her of her imminent death, so she desperately yelled out.


    ¡°The Dragon in my blood, Awake!¡±


    At the same time, a strong shock-wave exploded with her at the center.


    Kwahhhhhhhhg!


    The ripple of destruction spread out in a circle, and the radius of several dozen meters were destroyed.


    ¡°Ha-ah, ha-ah.......¡±


    Niberis was dripping with cold sweat. She was breathing hard since he had quickly poured out her magical energy. She did it because the fear of death had crawled up to the back of her neck. If she hadn¡¯t prepared a trump card, her head would have been separated from her neck.


    ¡°I knew it, you bastard.... You are a person who¡¯ve studied the forgotten techniques.¡±


    Niberis spoke as she covered her face with one hand. She wasn¡¯t just speaking to him. Her voice itself was a magic trying to oppress the opponent.


    From across the dirt cloud, she heard Azell¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Forgotten techniques?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I know about men like you. They are morons with swords, but they also know how to reach the great wisdom. I¡¯ve watched what you¡¯ve done. You did impossible feats that most others couldn¡¯t replicate.¡±


    ¡°Since you are talking like that, it must mean your organization hasn¡¯t forgotten about the knowledge. They must have preserved it.¡±


    The conversation between the two were a part of the battle. They used their voice in an attempt to over power each other, and they were trying to confuse the other¡¯s senses. At the same time, they were furiously scanning the surrounding for each other¡¯s location.


    ¡°Maybe.......¡±


    Azell continued to speak, but she couldn¡¯t see him through the cloud of dust. She could only make out a faint silhouette.


    However, Niberis already knew that the silhouette wasn¡¯t Azell.


    ¡°...did you guys steal the knowledge from humans?¡±


    The voice kepting from different ces.


    Moreover, the silhouette¡¯s location kept changing.


    She was using her Search magic to chase after his life signature, but Azell wasn¡¯t that easy of an opponent. He was overtly spreading his life signature to various locations. It basically made it impossible for her to determine where he was.


    Niberis also tried to use his voice to determine where he was. However, Azell was able to bewilder her on that front too.


    ¡®Truthfully, if he said he was a high level magician instead of a Spirit Order practitioner, I would have believed him.¡¯


    Niberis knew high level Spirit Order practitioners were a ludicrous existence. She knew it since her organization also had Spirit Order practitioners who had inherited the lost knowledges.


    Still, Azell was an enigma to Niberis.


    ¡°You, who knew about and performed the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual...¡±


    Niberis asked in a quiet voice.


    ¡°Did you really kill a dragon?¡±


    ¡°...what if I did?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s weird. You most definitely possess outstanding techniques. However....¡±


    Niberis voiced her doubt.


    ¡°Your magical energy is too weak. You might be able to kill a high ranking magician with that quantity of power, but it would be impossible to kill a dragon.¡±


    When Spirit Order practitioners reach a certain level, their magical energy increases proportionally. As a Spirit Order practitioner bes more skillful, the person can efficiently deal with more magical energy.


    The skills and magical energy shown by Azell was unbnced. The magical energy couldn¡¯t bepared to Azell¡¯s skill. If Azell didn¡¯t have sufficient magical energy, then it would have been impossible for him to reach such a high skill level.


    ¡°However, you were ableplete the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. What method did you use?¡±


    ¡°If I give you an answer, will you let us live?¡±


    ¡°I might.¡±


    ¡°If you are going to tell a lie, why don¡¯t tell a better one?¡±


    Azell snorted.


    Niberis spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth. I¡¯ll guarantee your lives. I promise on my name.¡±


    ¡°It basically means you are going to imprison us as new recruits.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°This negotiation hase to an end.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a shame.¡±


    Niberis really felt regret. Many people wrecked their lives from trying to satisfy their curiosity, and magicians were the front runners in leading such a life. Even Niberis couldn¡¯t¡¯ escape from the magician¡¯s disposition. She felt regret at the fact that she had to kill Azell, who was a box full of mysteries.


    As the dust cloud slowly settled, Niberis decided on how she should act.


    Hoooooooooooooooh!


    A whirlwind rose up and the cloud of dust disappeared. At that exact moment, Azell appeared in the front and in the back at the same time.


    Niberis couldn¡¯t wait any longer, so she cleared the dust cloud. However, Azell was aiming for this opportunity. When she raised a whirlwind, the area around her fuzzed for a brief moment. From inside the dust cloud, Azell had created two clones, and when both were discovered, her attention would focus them.


    ¡°As I suspected.¡±


    The person who felt a frightening sensation was Azell.

 Chapter 42 When I Met Someone Who Was Dead (7).

    <strong>Chapter 42 When I Met Someone Who Was Dead (7).</strong>


    Chapter 42 - When I Met Someone Who Was Dead (7)


    Shweeeeeeeeee!


    From beneath Niberis¡¯ feet, a tentacles of darkness extended itself. Azell barely avoided it as he retreated.


    ¡°Kook... I was outsmarted. I underestimated her too much.¡±


    Blood was flowing from Azell¡¯s body. The leather armor was shredded as if it was paper. His chest had a wound as if a wild beast had scratched him.


    Azell had lost this round of the fight. Niberis had seen through Azell¡¯s n, and she had counter-attacked.


    The several dozen tentacles of darkness formed around Niberis¡¯ surrounding, and they didn¡¯t reflect any light. The tentacles of darkness didn¡¯t look solid as it crawled. Niberis spoke from within.


    ¡°I can¡¯t kill the Dragon Demon Princess... But I can kill you if I want to.¡±


    ¡°As expected. I was the one who had been disadvantaged.¡±


    Well before Azell and Niberis fought each other, both of them had eyed each other to see how the other fought against one¡¯s opponents.


    Niberis was the one who had benefited from the prior investigation. Azell had shown his skills when he blitzed the members of the Dragon¡¯s Shadow to resolve the situation quickly. Niberis couldn¡¯t kill Arrieta, so she hadn¡¯t shown any of her real abilities. Niberis was of the Dragon Demon race, and her magic was outstanding. She also used thetest magic techniques, so there weren¡¯t enough information to gauge Niberis¡¯ true power.


    Niberis spoke.


    ¡°The secrets within your head is valuable. However, sometimes it is beneficial to throw away the small prey to catch a bigger one. I¡¯m going to go all out now.¡±


    Her voice was heard from behind Azell as a different Niberis rushed him. However, Azell didn¡¯t turn around.


    Another Niberis appeared next to Azell¡¯s side.


    ¡°Hoo-ooht. So I¡¯m guessing you aren¡¯t fooled by the clones?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately not.......¡±


    Azell grinned, and he stomped his foot again.


    Koo-oohng!


    A vibration spread with Azell as the epicenter. It is the most basic method to deal with the clones made by the opponent¡¯s illusion magic. It is to see how the clones reacted to the vibrations, and one would also observe if the cloud of dirt affected the bodies. This was how one could differentiate a clone from the opponent¡¯s real body.


    Since Niberis¡¯ clones were illusions, she couldn¡¯t do anything about these weak points. After realizing where her real body was, Azell unhesitatingly charged towards her.


    However, Azell¡¯s sword cut through empty air.


    ¡°I thought you were someone who was a little bit smarter.¡±


    Niberis appeared behind the flustered Azell. The body that was determined to be the real body was a bait ced by Niberis!


    The tentacles of darkness stretched towards Azell. It tried to wrap around Azell¡¯s body.


    ¡°I am.¡±


    Suddenly, Azell¡¯s expression changed into a smile. At the same time, his storm-like sword y blocked the tentacles of darkness.


    This situation was happening as he intended. Azell had the ¡®Eyes of Truth¡¯, so he hadn¡¯t been blinded by the clone in the first ce. However, he wanted to trick Niberis, so he used the traditional method to deal with her illusions.


    ¡°I thought you were a little bit smarter since you are of the Dragon Demon race.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Niberis became surprised at that moment.


    Sss-paht!


    Something unseen passed by her cheek. When she felt the sharp cut on her cheek, she froze.


    ¡®What the......?!¡¯


    She couldn¡¯t understand what had happened. What had cut her cheeks?


    She knew her head had been nearly pierced. She took the risk of dividing her attention, so she could nest another barrier within the other just in case. This had save her life.


    Niberis turned her head without realizing it. She knew she shouldn¡¯t turn her head, but she couldnt¡¯ stop her head from reflexively turning.


    She saw a single short sword on the ground a short distance away.


    ¡®That broke through my barrier?¡¯


    The surprised Niberis immediately realized what she was doing, and her body shuddered. She was in midst of a battle yet she had took her eyes off her enemy!


    She desperately turned her head back to look at Azell. He was in front of her with 5 floating swords in the air. He levitated the swords he had secretly picked up from the dead monsters, and the swords were letting out light.


    ¡°Dragon¡¯s Forces! Go to war!¡±


    At his shout, blue lights in the shape of a dragons wrapped around the swords. At Azell¡¯s shout, the swords shot forward like arrows.


    ¡°Kook!¡±


    Niberis desperately used her barrier magic. She was able to block every sword with a light dragon around it.


    At the same time, she was puzzled.


    ¡®Why is the power of the attack so weak?¡¯


    She had expected a dangerous attack since her eyes had been drawn away. However, the attack was weak enough to make her yawn.


    The reason was soon revealed.


    ¡°Princess! Right now!¡±


    From behind Azell, Arrieta charged forward. Under Azell¡¯s instructions, Arrieta had recovered her stamina, then she had been waiting for this moment!


    The Dragon Demon magic injected within the white de exploded forth, and it reacted to Arrieta¡¯smand.


    ¡°Oh Evil Darkness, Rend Apart!¡±


    Pahhhhhhh!


    The flood of light assaulted Niberis. At the same moment, Niberis realized what trap Azell had readied.


    ¡®I never knew such a devilish technique existed!¡¯


    There were 5 swords stabbed into the top of the barrier magic. Each sword was letting out various pattern of magical vibrations, and the swords were resonating with each other. The pir of light sent by Arrieta struck on top of the swords. The swords continuously changed its magical pattern to disrupt the barrier.


    This was a technique that would give nightmares to any magician. Every second the magical pattern randomly changed at those points. This attack was ruthlessly breaking down her barrier magic!


    Moreover, Azell started to move from beyond the barrier.


    ¡°Dragon¡¯s Forces! Bloom!¡±


    The shout carried hismand. With time stretched, he amplified his magic, then he poured out all of his power.


    The light dragon wrapped around his sword. and it let out a roar as it attacked Niberis.


    ¡°Kyahhhhhh!¡±


    Niberis let out a scream.


    She was going to die like this! The rampaging dragon of light was going to absorb into her bones!


    Her brain felt like it was burning from just maintaining her crumbling barrier. With her desperate will, she activated another magic. Unlike human magic, she could use a power that could bend reality with her will. She concentrated her Dragon Demon magic to activate a magic that would have been impossible to cast in her normal state!


    ¡°Mirror of... Emptiness......!¡±


    Apanying a shout that seemed to have been wrung out of her, the pir of light heading towards her like hail warped!


    Kwahhhhh!


    The light dragon bent as it was almost upon her, and it pierced towards the sky. The massive barrier of darkness covering the surrounding ripped, and the night sky showed itself.


    Gohhhhhhhh......!


    The thunderous roar quickly sped away, and the air started to change.


    7


    A faint light shined through the space that had beenpletely dominated by darkness. The moon was barely there, butpared to theplete darkness of the Curtain of Darkness it felt very bright.


    ¡°Ha-ah, Ha-ah, Ha-ah.......¡±


    Niberis swayed as if she was going to fall over.


    However, Azell didn¡¯t attack her. It wasn¡¯t because he had used up all of his power. If he had, he wouldn¡¯t have grabbed Arrieta, who was about to charge Niberis.


    Arrieta turned to look at Azell with a questioning look. Azell told her his reason.


    ¡°If you charge in right now, you will be hurt.¡±


    ¡°...what?¡±


    Arietta was surprised, and instead of exining himself, Azell twitched his finger. This caused the sword that had grazed Niberis before to rise up from behind Niberis. It flew towards her.


    When the sword approached Niberis¡¯ vicinity, it was bizarrely distorted, and the sword broke.


    Azell thought to himself as he saw this.


    ¡®She had caused her magic to berserk in a fixed domain. She forced the uncontroble explosive power into a certain direction.¡¯


    Normally, one couldn¡¯t control the berserk magical energy. The moment when one fails to control one¡¯s magic, the magician should expect death from the berserk magical energy.


    However, Niberis purposefully caused it to happen, and she used a method only avable to the Dragon Demon race to control it.


    ¡®Even if her control over the magic crumbled, she used her strong will to force change in the reality. She had poured a massive amount of Dragon Demon magic to cause this effect. In theory, it is possible to do this, but she actually pulled it off... She is a formidable youngdy.¡¯


    The difference between magic, and dragon demon magic was simple.


    At its heart, will was refined into magic. Whether it is magic or Spirit Order, the technique could cause phenomenons that would ur in nature.


    On the other hand, Dragon Demon magic didn¡¯t have to go through aplicated process like magic. It can coerce natural phenomena through the owner¡¯s will. The being could just create a strong mental image of fire erupting as one focused one¡¯s Dragon Demon magic then the fire would form. (TLN: basically dragon demon magic can skip the refinement process+spells)


    The special attribute of Dragon Demon magic was only found in Dragon Demons, and those of the Dragon Demon race. This was the reason why they had more talent for bing magicians.


    When one bes a high ranked magician, the gap between magic and Dragon Demon magic lessens. However, there were certain things that could only be done by those possessing Dragon Demon magic.


    The technique used to defend herself by Niberis was an example of this method. She intentionally let the magic making up the barrier go berserk, then she used the special attribute of the Dragon Demon magic to coerce the magic into a certain direction. The light dragon that was about to break down the barrier was swept up into the magic going berserk and it was sent towards the sky.


    Niberis let out a darkugh.


    ¡°Hooh hooh. This is quite humiliating for me as a magician..¡±


    Magicians strive to use borate magic to get the result they want. She had lost in terms of technique to an opponent, who was woefullycking power. Moreover, her life had been saved from danger by using brute force. As a magician, her humiliation was endless.


    Shweeeee....


    Once the magical energy goes berserk, the thrashing magical energy doesn¡¯t dissipate immediately. This was why Azell hadn¡¯t attacked. Niberis looked like she wasn¡¯t doing anything, but she was blocking the magical energy from harming her.


    Niberis spoke as she calmed her breathing.


    ¡°I lost this round of battle. I¡¯ll admit it.¡±


    Her pride had been hurt. She stared at Azell with fearsome eyes.


    ¡°So, I¡¯ll ask you again. You with the name seeped in sin. Do you have more methods left you could use?¡±


    Niberis¡¯ murderous intent pressed down on Azell and Arrieta¡¯s senses.


    Azell looked at Niberis with a stiff face. Niberis took one step forward.


    ¡°You technique is much superior to any human I havee across. However... Unfortunately, you don¡¯t have the power to back up your techniques.¡±


    Azell used surprising techniques, and psychological traps to outmaneuver Niberis. However, she would crush him with the absolute difference in their power.


    No matter how outstanding his technique was it was meaningless if one was short on power. Maybe if it was any other opponent, it might be possible for him to defeat them. However, Niberis was someone he couldn¡¯t defeat with techniques only.


    Suddenly Azell spoke.


    ¡°Well, I had some idea things might turn out like this.¡±


    ¡°...what?¡±


    Niberis eyebrows rose when Azell rxed his expression.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°You might be able to block my attacks.¡±


    Azell had regarded Niberis highly. Even if hepared her to the Dragon Demon race from the Dragon Demon war, she would considered to be on the strong side.


    However, he had put down two traps to deal a great blow to her.


    He had tricked her into believing he had pierced through her unbreakable barrier to cause confusion within her.


    Azell had used the ¡®Earth¡¯s Sage¡¯ since Niberis barrier didn¡¯t extent below ground. He had used the energy within his foot to circumvent the barrier from below, while he acted as if he used some meaningful sword art.


    However, if he put too much power into his stomp then there was a high chance Niberis would react to it.


    To create a psychological disturbance, he used his mental wave to stimte Niberis¡¯ sense into believing she had received a light blow.


    At the same moment she became agitated, Azell had used another technique towards the swords touching Niberis¡¯ barrier. The constantly changing magic pattern was used on a portion of Niberis barrier. He had mixed in his energy, so he could change the pattern as he wanted. Afterward, he kept distracting Niberis, so she hadn¡¯t realized the fact that the powerful attack had ripped opened the barrier.


    He kept up with attack to create a crucial weakness. He used his Concealment technique to hide a nearby short sword, and he controlled it remotely. He created a small gap and he had squeezed the sword through the barrier.


    When Niberis was caught off-guard, she unconsciously turned around to see what happened. This created a decisive crack in her defense, and he had attacked by mobilizing Arrieta. Even as he did this, Azell had made n in case Niberis was able to block the attack.


    ¡°However, the barrier that was imprisoning us is gone.¡±


    At his words, Niberis eyes widened. The Curtain of Darkness they had prepared beforehand using magical tools had been ripped apart and it was gone.

 Chapter 43 When I Met Someone Who Was Dead (8).

    <strong>Chapter 43 When I Met Someone Who Was Dead (8).</strong>


    Chapter 43 - When I Met Someone Who Was Dead (8)


    Azell continued to speak.


    ¡°I know the barrier wasn¡¯t solely made to prevent us from escaping. I¡¯m not sure of its exact purpose, but there must be a reason why you waited until this time to attack us.¡±


    ¡°Kook......!¡±


    Niberis bit her lips.


    Azell¡¯s words got to the heart of the matter. The Curtain of Darkness wasn¡¯t prepared to simply block Arrieta from running away. She had put in all the effort to conceal was happening inside the barrier from outside eyes.


    Azell grinned.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯m right?¡±


    Azell confirmed his conjecture was correct, when he saw Niberis¡¯ reaction. He didn¡¯t know what her reasons were, but she had a reason for using a grandiose magic like the Curtain of Darkness to kidnap Arrieta in secret.


    Niberis¡¯ expression soon calmed down. Her face was filled with a cold fury as she red at Azell.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been dancing on the palm of your hand. However... Don¡¯t think everything will turn out as you intended.¡±


    If Niberis acted wisely, she would have retreated right now. However, her pride wouldn¡¯t allow it.


    ¡®How could I fail at such a insignificant mission? I won¡¯t allow this to happen.¡¯


    After her skills were recognized, she had never failed a mission tasked to her. Her perfect career will be blemished from this? She wouldn¡¯t allow it.


    ¡°Only death awaits those who raise the Dragon¡¯s ire.¡±


    Niberis let out a thick wave of darkness. Azell disappeared in front of her.


    Pah-jijiji-jeek!


    Azell moved towards her using his Instantaneous Movement, and he swung his sword right on top of her barrier....or that¡¯s what she had thought for a brief second.


    ¡®Clone?¡¯


    Niberis was taken aback. Azell¡¯s clone had attacked her.


    ¡®His clone is able to attack like his real body?¡¯


    If he was using magic, then she would understand how he did it. One would just have to materialize magic at the clone¡¯s location.


    However, this attack wasn¡¯t carried out in that fashion. She most definitely felt the impact of a sword with magic imbued within it.


    ¡®This is impossible.¡¯


    She wasn¡¯t able toprehend what was happening using her knowledge, so she froze for a moment. Azell used this hesitation to grab Arrieta¡¯s hand, and they attempted an escape.


    -Everyone run! I¡¯ll hit them from the side, so coordinate an escape!


    Azell shouted with his Whispering. After fighting without support, Giles and Boar had defeated most of the monsters on their end, and they looked up in surprise. Azell ran into their midst, and he ruthlessly cut down any monsters near them.


    After a second dy, Giles and Boar surprisingly reacted swiftly. After cutting down the monsters frozen from Azell¡¯s sneak attack, Boar put Enora over his shoulder, then he started running.


    ¡°Kyahhk!¡±


    ¡°Ms Enora! Please pardon my action!¡±


    Enora let out a scream, but Boar didn¡¯t have time to be considerate.


    ¡°Oh no!¡±


    Niberis realized a beat toote, and she was taken aback. Who could have guessed they would run away like this?


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you get away!¡±


    Darkness erupted beneath Niberis¡¯ feet. The darkness coalesced to form crawling tentacles. From below, arge shape that would be the body connecting to the tentacles revealed itself.


    It was like the corrupted being in that it chased after the party as if it was sliding across the ground.


    8


    Azell¡¯s party started to run away. From the start, they all dispersed into different directions.


    This was a decision made by Azell. Azell surmised they would all die if they initially ran away in a group. He ordered everyone to disperse.


    Before everyone could carry out his instructions, an unexpected problem arose. It was something even Azell couldn¡¯t have foreseen.


    Oooooooooh!


    A light shed in front of his eyes. Azell quickly raised his sword to block.


    Kwah-ahng!


    The sound of an explosion rang out, and Azell was flung back.


    ¡°Kuh-uhk!¡±


    The impact spread through his entire body, and his body was briefly paralyzed.


    The existence giving off a fearsome aura cleared his throat, then he opened his mouth.


    ¡°Hmm hmmm. I was on standby just in case.... It seems I will be of some help, miss.¡±


    He was a swordsman wearing a ck armor that covered his entire body. Judging by his voice, he was an imposing male. His face wasn¡¯t visible, so his age couldn¡¯t be determined. He had arge body that was over 2 meters tall.


    As if it was a set to his armor, he held a ck sword. As befitting hisrge 2 meter frame, the sword was twice asrge and twice as thick as a normal sword.


    ¡°Duran? Why are you here....¡±


    Niberis, who was tracking the party, revealed her dismay. It seemed even she didn¡¯t realize the presence of the dark swordsman.


    ¡°Ah ah. I was here, since I also have some business in this country.¡±


    ¡°Did the elders send you?¡±


    ¡°No. The elders didn¡¯t order it, but.......¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°This old man¡¯s overly cautious nature brought me here. I will apologize if this offends you.¡±


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t trust me to take care of a ......!¡±


    For a moment, Niberis¡¯ hurt pride made her angry. However, she regained herposure soon.


    ¡°...no. I am in your debt. You made a wise decision. Thank you.¡±


    Therge dark knight named Duran looked towards Azell.


    Azell gritted his teeth.


    ¡®Kook. This bastard... He is strong.¡¯


    The pressure emitted by his entire body wasn¡¯t normal. Even if Azell had been ambushed, he had received enough damage to receive internal wounds. This person was the strongest Spirit Order practitioner he had encountered since he had woken up in this age.


    ¡®If it was only that woman from the Dragon Demon race, then I could have handled.......¡¯


    Originally, Azell wanted the party to run away in different directions. He nned on running away with Arrieta to lure Niberis away. After putting a sufficient distance away from the enemy¡¯s troops, he nned on risking himself by blocking Niberis as Arrieta ran away. He would have done his utmost to dy her, then he would have extracted himself. That was his n.


    However, when Duran made his appearance, that n was scrapped.


    ¡®This is a hopeless situation. Shit.¡¯


    Azell wasn¡¯t omniscient and omnipotent. His constant self-assured appearance was a false front he put up to gain a psychological advantage against his enemies. Inside, he was desperately thinking of a way to break away from this situation. He merely acted on a faint hope.


    Duran was in the front, and Niberis was in the rear.


    Will they be able to break away from this situation?


    ¡®If we ran away as we scattered.......¡¯


    ¡°Hoo hoo. I can hear the gears in your head turning, shrimp.¡±


    At that moment, Duran let out a coldugh. Simultaneously, Duran¡¯s murderous intent swept over Azell.


    However, he didn¡¯t attack immediately. Duran spoke to Niberis.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep telling you this, miss.... I¡¯m not here, because I was worried about you failing in your mission.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°Even if you were sessfully pulling off the n, I would have joined in to wrap this up as soon as possible. Or I would have advised you to pull back.¡±


    ¡°...you want me to give up on the fishes I have already almost caught?¡±


    Niberis asked with an edge in her voice. Duran replied softly.


    ¡°I would rmend that course of action. It would be safer that way.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know your reason, but I won¡¯t do so.¡±


    ¡°Then I will first respect mydy¡¯s wishes, and I will do my best to help you. However, if the event I am worried aboutes to pass, then please listen to my request.¡±


    Duran warned Niberis that he didn¡¯t agree with her, but he was also trying to be considerate of her pride. Niberis was that important to the organization. She held an important status. This is why Duran personally treasured Niberis.


    After deciding on their course of action, Duran asked a question.


    ¡°What would you like to do with everyone excluding the Dragon Demon Princess, miss?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll kill them all here.¡±


    ¡°If the report about the Dragon Demon Princess¡¯ temperament is correct, then wouldn¡¯t she have some worth as a hostage?¡±


    ¡°That may be true, but I wouldn¡¯t put too much trust in the information. No matter how noble a character she possesses, wouldn¡¯t she be filled with guilt if she realizes her current situation?¡±


    ¡°Understood. Then.......¡±


    Duran¡¯s figure disappeared.


    Shwee shwee shwee shweee!


    In a blink of an eye, Duran appeared in front of the party. Duran appeared in front of each member of Azell¡¯s party.


    Everyone was surprised, so they reflexively attacked. However, everyone struck empty air.


    Too-hahk!


    There was only one real body, and it was the one that had appeared in front of Enora. As Azell blocked his attack, sparks flew everywhere.


    ¡°Ho-oh.¡±


    From within Duran¡¯s helmet, a sound of admiration leaked out.


    ¡°You were able to realize which one was my real body. You are pretty good for a shirmp.¡±


    Azell had ignored the clone that appeared in front of him, and he had immediately ran in front of Enora.


    Azell red as his de pressed against the other¡¯s sword.


    ¡°You attacked a weak child first... Your actions are quite dirty befitting a dark heretical organization.¡±


    ¡°I was being merciful.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You guys will all die here anyways. She would be tormented if she saw the dirty deeds I was going to inflict on all of you. Wouldn¡¯t it be a mercy if I killed her first?¡±


    Duran wasn¡¯t making a sarcastic remark. He meant what he said.


    Since Niberis decided to kill them all, he would follow her order. He would also have to kill Enora, so he would rather not draw it out. He was going to kill her before she realized what was happening. He considered it a mercy.


    ¡°Anyways, now that I see your skill, I can understand why you gave the miss so much trouble. However.......¡±


    Duran¡¯s figure disappeared. Azell quickly used his Instantaneous Movement to follow him.


    Che Che Che Che Cheng!


    Both men disappeared. Sounds of steel shing and sparks rang out from everywhere.


    The others couldn¡¯t even follow the two men¡¯s movements. It was a high speed battle. Boar and Giles couldn¡¯t pick up their movements at all. Arrieta could barely follow the shapes with her eyes.


    Suddenly, Duran stopped in one ce. Azell appeared right in front of him, and Azell brought down his sword.


    ¡°Hoop!¡±


    Too-hahk!


    Duran held firm like a boulder as he flung Azell¡¯s sword strike away. The surface beneath Azell broke, and he was flung away.


    Duran spoke.


    ¡°You arecking in power.¡±


    Even Duran was surprised by Azell¡¯s techniques. This age had already forgotten the great techniques of the past yet a young man possessed this level of skill.


    The only problem was his strength was too lowpared to his skills. It wouldn¡¯t be a problem if he could overwhelm an opponent with his superior skill, but Duran had learned the secret techniques passed down through the organization.


    ¡°Moreover, you are quite tired from facing the youngdy.¡±


    Duran swung his sword down through empty air. A transparent force suddenly formed following the arc of his swing.


    Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah!


    The wave of power expanded into a crescent shape, and it shot towards Azell¡¯s party. He had merely swung his sword, yet the earth in front of him parted. Moreover, a shock wave that looked as if it would swallow the party whole was formed.


    At the same moment, Niberis casted her magic.


    Kwah-gwah-gwahng! Ggwah-gwahng!


    Lightning poured down towards everyone except Arrieta. The wave of power Duran produced with his sword was timed exquisitely with the lightning as they struck.


    Kwahhhhhng!


    The surface of the ground shook as the sound of explosion rang out.


    Duran spoke as he saw the the earth being flung in all direction.


    ¡°You are a very surprising shrimp. I knew mydy wouldn¡¯t have any trouble facing someone like the Dragon Demon Princess.... I guess it was all him?¡±


    ¡°It is unpleasant, but I acknowledge his skill.¡±


    The cloud of dust settled, and Azell¡¯s figure came into view.


    ¡°Koooh.......¡±


    Blood was running down Azell¡¯s face.


    The previous attacks was too well time that Azell couldn¡¯t block it without taking damage. It would have been possible to dodge on his own, but he had to protect everyone in this party. This additional condition didn¡¯t give him much option.


    ¡®What should I do?¡¯


    He didn¡¯t see any way out.


    Duran was too big of an existence. His skill was at a level where Azell couldn¡¯t look down upon it, and his magical energy would overpower Azell.


    Also, the difference in equipment was toorge. Duran had a suit of armor. His sword and equipment were enchanted with strong magic.


    ¡®I¡¯ll have to think of this as the worst case scenario..¡¯


    Azell resolved this was the ce where his bones would be buried. He couldn¡¯t take out everyone. He had no choice, but to decide on a priority list.


    It was at that moment.


    ¡°A?rri?e?ta?!¡±


    From afar, a thunder-like sound rang out, and the shout shook the heavens.

 Chapter 44 Dragon Sword Duke (1).

    <strong>Chapter 44 Dragon Sword Duke (1).</strong>


    Chapter 44 - Dragon Sword Duke (1)


    1


    After a moment, everyone stopped moving from surprise. The timing of the voice was too abrupt, and the volume was frightening.


    In the surrounding, the surprised birds flew up into the air, and a racket was heard when the animals ran away. During all of this, the voice rang out again.


    ¡°Wh-er-e ar-e y-ou?!¡±


    It felt as if the sound would rupture one¡¯s eardrums. Enora fell to the floor as she covered her ears. Even though Giles and Boar used their Spirit Order to protect their eardrums, their eardrums still hurt.


    The first one to move was Azell.


    Kah-ahng!


    Azell and Duran crossed des as sparks flew. Azell had used the brief opening to attack Duran.


    ¡°Princess!¡±


    Azell elerated as he called out to Arrieta. Every time his heart pulsed an explosive magical energy was produced. His movements increased more and more in speed.


    ¡®This is the decisive moment for victory!¡¯


    The techniques he used after he overflowing his body with magical energy put an extreme burden on his body, and he had already used it once before. Azell¡¯s body and energy pulse still stung from pain.


    However, it was time toy everything on the line now. This wasn¡¯t just about winning. This was for his survival! If he started thinking about the aftermath, he might be killed instead. Azell wouldn¡¯t act so foolishly.


    Che-che-che-che-cheng!


    ¡°Kook. Impudent shrimp......!¡±


    Azell had gotten the drop on him. Duran was relentlessly pushed backwards. Azell¡¯s movement was so fast and chaotic that Duran didn¡¯t have a moment to think. Moreover.......


    ¡®Behind!¡¯


    Azell kept changing his location using his Instantaneous Movement. He was using this technique to travel a short distance, and he kept changing the rhythm of his attack. Bloodcurdling attacks kepting towards Duran.


    ¡®Where did a shrimp like him appear from?¡¯


    The essence of Spirit Order was to control the mind and senses. Azell was putting on a full disy of this fact. Azell was threatening Duran with his mental power, and he used his ever changing movements to confuse the other¡¯s senses. Once Azell gained an upper hand Duran didn¡¯t find the chance to transition from defense to offense.


    ¡°The Light that Rends the Evil Darkness!¡±


    Woooooooo!


    The white sword Arrieta raised into the air let out a blinding light. The straight beam of light lit up the darkness, and it revealed their location.


    At the same moment, Azell disappeared from in front of Duran. He appeared in front of Niberis. Niberis¡¯ barrier activated automatically, and the barrier blocked Azell¡¯s sword strike. Almost simultaneously, Niberis reflexively shot a beam of light towards Azell.


    ¡°Kuhk!¡±


    A sound of an explosion rang out, and Duran¡¯s scream could be heard. He had been hit by the beam of light shot by Niberis!


    Niberis was dismayed. She was sure she had attacked in an entirely different direction from Duran. Moreover, Duran would have had enough time to deal with such an attack. However, Duran hadn¡¯t been able to properly defend against it as he was hit.


    ¡®What did he do?¡¯


    Azell spun his body in front of the surprised Niberis, then he activated his Instantaneous Movement. He let out a powerful strike from behind her.


    Pah-jijiji-jeek!


    Niberis gave up on attacking, and she focused on blocking the sword strike. Azell clicked his tongue.


    ¡°At the very least, I wanted to take care of you... I guess I was too greedy.¡±


    Azell retreated backwards without any regret.


    Niberis was still having a hard time recovering from the impact.


    ¡®What trick did he use this time?¡¯


    Azell asked the surprised woman.


    ¡°Do you want to continue this? It seems you exceeded your time limit.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Niberis red at Azell. Azellughed shamelessly as he let her gaze flow over him.


    The method Azell had used was quite simple.


    First, he disappeared from in front of Duran, then he ambushed Niberis. At the same time, he had made a clone behind Duran. Duran snorted as he nned on ignoring Azell¡¯s clone, but the clone wasn¡¯t an illusion. It was the clone ¡®that could attack like the real body¡¯, which had surprised Niberis before.


    The startled Duran turned around to block the attack, and at that moment, Niberis had shot her beam of light.


    Azell yelled out in delight inside when he saw this. This was the most favorable oue that he assumed would happen.


    When magicians had to quickly cast something that could cause physical damage, they enjoyed casting a light beam or a lightning strike. If Niberis had used her lightning strike, then Azell¡¯s n wouldn¡¯t have worked. However, Azell had blocked her previous lightning strike with an Instion technique. This was why Niberis unconsciously chose to use the light beam attack.


    Moreover, a secondary trap was waiting for her.


    ¡®If I know what attack ising, then it is quite easy for me to change the trajectory of the attack.¡¯


    In a fight between normal opponents, those with excellent skills could predict which attack would being next. Some also had the ability to slightly alter the opponent¡¯s attack.


    For the high level Spirit Order practitioners, they could guess what magic wasing by looking at the opponent¡¯s magical wave. They coulde up with a countermeasure using this method. Azell confirmed Niberis was about to use her light beam attack, so he used his defensive qi to curve the trajectory of the light beam.


    The timing had to be perfect. Duran had turned his body to block the clone that had shown up behind his back. Duran hadn¡¯t expected a mental attack, so Azell pounced.


    Azell shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°If you sent a stronger attack then I could have killed that guy. How unfortunate..¡±


    ¡°Kook.......¡±


    Duran grinded his teeth. Azell¡¯s machination resulted in him received a blow. However, he was a high level Spirit Order practitioner, and his armor had excellent defensive capability. He hadn¡¯t suffered too much from the attack.


    ¡°You?e?vil?bast?ards?!¡±


    The thunderp-like voice rang out much closer than before.


    Duran spoke.


    ¡°Let us retreat, miss.¡±


    ¡°Is it because of him?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°The Dragon Sword Duke... I guess the elders¡¯ nagging wasn¡¯t said for caution¡¯s sake?¡±


    Niberis bit her lips. The owner of the thunder-like voice was none other than the Dragon Sword Duke. He was Rin Kingdom¡¯s strongest swordsman. His name was Kairen Tarantos.


    Niberis queried.


    ¡°How did that man find out about this?¡±


    ¡°The Rin royal family aren¡¯t all idiots. We are out of time, miss¡±


    ¡°Kook... I understand.¡±


    It happened at that moment.


    ¡°You darey your hand on my cute princess! Wait for me there! I¡¯ll sever your heads!¡±


    The voice was much closer than a moment before. He was already within 500 meters, and a beam of light rose from him. At the same time, an oppressive magical wave red out.


    ¡°Oh, Dragon Sword. Burn the Evil Darkness!¡±


    After the shout, he came a 100 meter closer. When he brought down his sword in empty air, he once again closed a distance of 100 meters.


    ¡°He¡¯s attacking at this distance......?!¡±


    Niberis was taken aback. He had gotten much closer in a sh, but there was still 300 meters distance separating them. The Dragon Sword Duke wasn¡¯t a magician. He was a famed swordsman, yet he was going to attack at this distance?


    Duran stepped in front of her in dismay. A dark magical energy poured out from his body, and he put all his power into a single strike.


    At the same time, a hail of light came flying towards them from a couple hundred meters away.


    Kwah kwah kwah kwah kwah!


    ¡®It has this much power......!¡¯


    Niberis gasped.


    This was most definitely simr in nature as the technique used by Arrieta¡¯s words of power.


    However, the degree of power couldn¡¯t even bepared. The difference was like the gap between an arrow and a ballista?


    An entire portion of the forest was leveled, and the words of power he shouted burned the darkness away.


    ¡°Ooh ah ah.......¡±


    Boar¡¯s body shook at the sight. It was a terrible power. Cold fear gripped him when Boar thought about the attack having just passed over his head.


    Kooh-gu gu gu gu gu.....


    The light dispersed, and arge cloud of dust settled. The bewitched party members coughed. Azell was the only one, who was unperturbed. He clicked his tongued.


    ¡°Chet. They ran away.¡±


    Boar was surprised at Azell¡¯s words. He queried.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t dead?¡±


    ¡°I would have already killed them, if they could be killed by an attack of that quality. He shouted from afar that he will be attacking. Wouldn¡¯t anyone be able to avoid it?¡±


    ¡°No. Normally, people wouldn¡¯t be able to dodge.......¡±


    ¡°They are capable of dodging such an attack. It had a lot of power behind it, but his movement was toorge and slow. He telegraphed his punch, and he attacked after he gave them a warning.¡±


    Boar shook his head at Azell¡¯s retort. Boar couldn¡¯t ept Azell¡¯s words, but he didn¡¯t have the energy to argue. Boar decided to let it go.


    At that moment, a person showed up between the two of them. He suddenly showed up using Instantaneous Movement, and he slid across the ground into the cloud of dust.


    Chwahhhhh!


    He arrived in such a hurry that he couldn¡¯t¡¯ properly decelerate his speed. He slid into thend he had upturned. He slid for over 20 meters before he came to a stop within the dust cloud.


    ¡°Kook. I guess... I wasn¡¯t too...te.......¡±


    From the cloud of dust, a voice gasping for air was heard.


    While everyone stared dumbly, Azell bowed his head.


    ¡°Your timing is quite exquisite. Thank you for your help.¡±


    ¡°Hoo hoo... Huk huk... I suppose so... Huk huk, huk huk... Huh-uhk, huk... It seems... Huk huk huk... you were speaking some... Huk... impudent words... Huk huk huk.¡±


    Everyone thought the same thing as they listened to his words.


    ¡®Why don¡¯t you either catch your breath or talk in a leisurely manner?¡¯


    He was gasping as if he was about expire, yet he got out all the words he wanted to say. He even tried to act like nothing was wrong, but everyone pitied his overly transparent attempt.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°This is this and that is that. Well, you did run across a vast distance, so of course you would be in a rush.¡±


    ¡°...hoo-ooh.¡±


    Finally, after catching his breath, the person stood up from inside the cloud of dust.


    ¡°The distance didn¡¯t seem toorge on the map, so I thought I would be here in a short amount of time. However, I had to cross a mountain and ake. It was quite difficult. It felt as if I was going to die. It has been a long while since I¡¯ve gotten a good workout like this.¡±


    Everyone in the party except Azell and Arrieta flinched when they saw him.


    The reason being the man wasn¡¯t human. He was a young man of the Dragon Demon race with long ck hair.


    Azell gave his respect to this person.


    ¡°It is an honor to meet you, Dragon Sword Duke.¡±


    2


    The Dragon Sword Duke was named Kairen Tarantos.


    He was called the living legend of the Rine Kingdom. When there weren¡¯t any battles, he only appeared during the official meetings. This is why not a lot of people knew what he looked like.


    Moreover, he had been semi-retired in recent years, so no one knew about his youthful appearance. This was why Giles and Boar was shocked when they saw him.


    Kairen was over 100 years old, but he looked to be in his mid-20s. Basically, he looked to be of simr age as Boar and Azell. Still, as a being from the Dragon Demon race, he had characteristics that was clearly different from humans, but that was it.


    Kairen was looked like a young man with long ck hair. He had dark blue eyes that gave him a cool impression, and his ears were noticeably longer than Arrieta¡¯s ears. On top of his ears, there were two ck horns. It looked simr to a bull¡¯s horns, and it made him look strong and daunting.

 Chapter 45 Dragon Sword Duke (2).

    <strong>Chapter 45 Dragon Sword Duke (2).</strong>


    Chapter 45 - Dragon Demon Duke (2)


    After catching her breath, Arrieta gave her greetings.


    ¡°Sensei!¡±


    ¡°Oh, Arrieta. I¡¯m d you are fine...¡±


    The delighted Kairen turned angry when he saw the state Arrieta was in. She didn¡¯t have any deep wounds, but Arrieta had been totally wrecked by Niberis.


    ¡°These bastards dare to wound the precious body of Arrieta, whom I reared with the utmost care and affection!¡±


    ¡°...No. Please tell the truth. You didn¡¯t raise me with utmost care and affection.¡±


    Arrieta let out a sigh as she retorted. Kairen acted like the dull father of a daughter, but he was like a demon when he instructed Arrieta.


    Kairen grumbled.


    ¡°It was all done for your sake. No matter how precious the child is, one has to to sever one¡¯s affection when teaching martial arts. Anyways, I.......¡±


    Kairen looked at his surroundings. He mumbled as he looked towards the spot where his strike hadnded.


    ¡°If I had one more breath to spare, then I would have hit them for sure. How regretful.¡±


    Kairen wasn¡¯t an idiot. He hadn¡¯t executed such an attack so the enemy could deal with it. He hadn¡¯t told the party, but he had ran across a distance of 50 kilometers when Niberis¡¯ Curtain of Darkness had enclosed Arrieta¡¯s party. He had crossed mountains andkes to run in a straight line towards this location. He had used all of his strength.


    His breath had ran out and he had been filled with worry about Arrieta. He wasn¡¯t in a situation where he could carefully calcte his actions.


    Azell was oblivious to these facts, but he was still impressed with Kairen.


    ¡®It¡¯s pretty amazing how he was able to pull off an attack of such caliber when he was out of breath.¡¯


    Kairen had exposed his existence when he let out a thundering yell. It was done so in order for him to find Arrieta. It also drew the attention of the enemies towards him.


    When the distance narrowed, he intentionally let out a strong attack that could be noticed by the enemy. He was trying to push the enemies into backing off immediately.


    The skill he had shown to achieve his goal was awe-inspiring.


    He had let out his attack from 300 meters away, but it wasn¡¯t as if he used his power without any control. When the attack was first shot out, it was like a thin line of thread. Magic had beenpressed to its highest density, and as it flew closer to the enemy, it exploded into hail of light.


    To hit his enemy across a vast distance, he had let out a precisely controlled attack that almost lost no magic until it exploded. Moreover, the timing had been so exquisite that the explosion was limited to targeting only Niberis and Duran.


    ¡®If he was born during the Dragon Demon Wars, he could have made a name for himself.¡¯


    Kairen¡¯s strike left a deep impression on Azell.


    ¡®Moreover, those swords.......¡¯


    Azell looked at the swords on Kairen¡¯s waist. He had a pair of ck sword, and it was shaped like Arrieta¡¯s sword. There was a gradual curve to the des.


    ¡®It¡¯s emitting Dragon Demon magic..¡¯


    This was the reason why Azell had be interested. To the extent of Azell¡¯s knowledge, there were a lot of weapons with magic imbued within it. However, the only weapon that could emit Dragon Demon magic was a weapon called Dragon Maqi. Kairen¡¯s sword wasn¡¯t a Dragon Maqi yet it was emitting Dragon Demon magic. (TLN: A soul-infused weapon like Azell¡¯s Dragon Maken.)


    Kairen clicked his tongue.


    ¡°Chet. It would have been great if you carried around at least one healer in your party. Since time is of the essence, you should apply this to your wounds. No scars will form.¡±


    He took out a wooden bottle from inside his shirt and passed it to her. It was a healing medicine made by the alchemists.


    Arrieta queried as she received it.


    ¡°So, sensei...¡±


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very thankful for your timely help, but... How did you know I was here?¡±


    It seemed that everyone was curious, so their gazes were all focused on him. Kairen replied.


    ¡°The Dragon Demon Queen asked me to find you.¡±


    ¡°My mother did?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you send word that you were being attacked by a seditious group of people when you were going to meet the Western Border guards?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°The Dragon Demon Queen asked me to go check up on you, since you took a minimal number of escorts.¡±


    ¡°Is that really all there is to it?¡±


    As if Arrieta couldn¡¯t ept his answer, she asked again.


    He said he hade at the request of the Dragon Demon Queen since she was worried. It seemed like a likely story on the surface, but Arrieta knew the reason he gave was ridiculous.


    Of course, the Dragon Demon Queen could ask Kairen. However, Kairen would never have left his territory simply because of a request made by the Dragon Demon Queen. If Kairen was someone who would cross a vast distance because he was worried about his pupil, then the throne would make numerous requests for his aid. The throne would use him with glee.


    Kairen smiled.


    ¡°I knew that my pupil wasn¡¯t stupid.¡±


    ¡°Even if I had been stupid, I could guess what sensei would do, since I know you so well.¡±


    ¡°Yes. As you probably guessed, I don¡¯t move unless there is a special reason. The Dragon Demon King¡¯s followers got involved this time. Moreover, they were powerful ones.¡±


    Kairen hadn¡¯t known the name of the organization called Dragon¡¯s Shadow. Still, he had recognized that they were Dragon Demon King¡¯s followers, and the fact that they were powerful fighters capable of posing a danger to Arrieta. This made them worthy of his attention.


    ¡°What does this all mean?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m not in a position where I¡¯m able to tell you. I will tell you one thing. I was motivated to move because of the Dragon Demon King¡¯s followers.¡±


    ¡°But.......¡±


    Arrieta wanted ask more questions but she swallowed them when she saw Kairen¡¯s eyes. Her stern sensei¡¯s expression said he wouldn¡¯t allow any further questions on the subject.


    Instead, she asked a question regarding a different topic.


    ¡°How did you know I was in danger?¡±


    ¡°The signal from you was severed.¡±


    The throne treated the Dragon Demon Princess as a preciousmodity. This was why a special magic was designed to always locate where the Dragon Demon Princess was at all times, and it also showed if she was still alive. Kairen had borrowed a tool connected to this magic.


    Then, the signal showing where Arrieta was located was suddenly cut off. Kairen determined that Arrieta was in a life threatening situation, so he came running here with all his might.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°Ah. That time.......¡±


    Still, it seemed that the Curtain of Darkness casted by Niberis was the main reason why Kairen hade here. Niberis had been thorough in hiding her actions with the Curtain of Darkness. She probably would have never imagined that her action had basically invited Kairen to her.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°If all your questions have been answered, then let¡¯s leave this ce. This ce is unsuitable for a camp.¡±


    The party followed his words.


    The party decided to camp a fair distance away from their original location. It was dark, so they weren¡¯t able to travel very far.


    ¡°We have a lot of things to buy at the next town.¡±


    Azell mumbled as he looked over the campfire. In the panic of battle, the party¡¯s horses had all been killed. Magic had exploded everywhere, and in the chaos, they had lost most of their belongings. Still, they had enough of their own possessions to camp one night in the outdoors.


    Originally, Azell had asked for the most difficult time to be on watch, but everyone insisted he that he take the first watch. Then, everyone quickly went to sleep. Maybe it was the relief that they had felt after escaping from a near death experience, but no one in the party could resist the fatigue that washed over them after the tension had melted away.


    ¡®Well, I¡¯m not in a state where I can refrain from giving in to my tiredness.¡¯


    Azell was so tired that he wanted to immediately close his eyes and sleep. He used Spirit Order to force himself not to sleep.


    ¡®I have to train this damn body faster.......¡¯


    Azell looked at his arms as he let out a sigh.


    In terms of being physically exhausted, he was much more tired than Giles or Boar. His body was too weak. His unconventional use of magical energy was allowing him to stay afloat. However, he felt the weakness of his body more acutely than hisck of magic.


    ¡°Why are you sighing?¡±


    He heard aid-back voice from between the party members. Azell replied without showing any signs of being surprised.


    ¡°You are using a very cumbersome method.¡±


    Kairen was the one who had initiated the conversation. Kairen looked like he was sleeping, but he was faking it. Azell had been the only one who hadn¡¯t been deceived.


    ¡°Your senses are quite good.¡±


    ¡°It is.¡±


    Azell shrugged his shoulders.


    It was a curious sight. Both of them hadn¡¯t decreased the volume of their voices, but no one had woken up from their sleep. The situation didn¡¯t make any sense, since everyone except Enora possessed very developed senses.


    The reason being was that Azell and Kairen used a special technique. The technique allowed only one¡¯s target to hear one¡¯s voice.


    Kairen got up and walked towards Azell. Although he wore armour, it was as if a cat was walking. He didn¡¯t make any noise.


    When Kairen sat down in front of the campfire, he asked Azell a question.


    ¡°Why are you using such a cumbersome method?¡±


    Azell knew Kairen had wanted to talk with him. However, he didn¡¯t know why Kairen had pretended to go to sleep. He had waited for everyone to fall asleep before he made his move.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t surprised at all.¡±


    ¡°If something happens, I just ept what¡¯s happening, then I roll with it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good attitude to have. I taught that child to think like that too.¡±


    ¡°You mean the princess?¡±


    ¡°Yes. To answer your previous question... I wanted to speak to you while that child wasn¡¯t listening in.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    He wanted to avoid Arrieta¡¯s attention more than the others. He basically didn¡¯t want her to know he had shared a conversation with Azell...


    ¡®What¡¯s the reason?¡¯


    Is there a reason why Arrieta shouldn¡¯t know about this conversation? He didn¡¯t know about the inner intrigues of the royal family, so Azell had a hard time understanding Kairen¡¯s behavior.


    Kairen asked a question.


    ¡°From your perspective, what do you think about Arrieta?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning behind your question?¡±


    ¡°Do you perhaps think I¡¯m asking you to judge her appearance? I don¡¯t even need to listen you to answer such a question. She is a woman of matchless beauty. She is the best in this kingdom. No, she is the best in this continent.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Are you perhaps trying to deny this fact?¡±


    ¡°No. It isn¡¯t like... The princess is very beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she? It isn¡¯t worth it to question such a fact. I¡¯m asking about the child as a warrior. It seems you have participated in numerous battles, so please give me your honest assessment.¡±


    ¡°You want me to speak the truth?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t sugarcoat it. Well, if you want to suck up to me, it is your own choice. However, you won¡¯t get far with me by doing that.¡±


    ¡°Her potential is outstanding, and she disys great skill. She is much better than most her age.¡±


    It was an honest assessment. If he considered her young age, Arrieta showed an amazing level of achievement physically and mentally.


    ¡°It is as if.......¡±


    Kairen grinned.


    ¡°You are making an assessment as if you are looking down from a high ce. Does this mean you are so skilled that you are able to assess Arrieta in such way?¡±


    Azell acknowledged that he¡¯d been had this time. Kairen had used Arrieta as a topic of conversation to gain an insight into Azell.


    No matter how well Azell had his skill hidden, his natural assessment of someone else revealed the standard he was assessing others by.


    Of course, there are those who pretended to be strong to cut down others, but Azell didn¡¯t show such an attitude when he was talking about Arrieta. His assessment had been unaffected.

 Chapter 46 Dragon Sword Duke (3).

    <strong>Chapter 46 Dragon Sword Duke (3).</strong>


    Chapter 46 - Dragon Demon Duke (3)


    Azell asked a question.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you already hear about me from the princess??¡±


    ¡°I did. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen the child be so chatty. This must mean you¡¯ve left a big impression on her.¡±


    Arrieta, in Kairen¡¯s memory, was a girl of few words. Moreover, she hadn¡¯t shown much interest in anyone except her family.


    Arrieta, being such a girl, showed a surprising amount of interest towards Azell. She excitedly spoke about Azell like a regr girl at her age. From Kairen¡¯s perspective, it was a really weird experience.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Arrieta makes very good judgement of character. I¡¯ve taught her how to assess others while excluding her feelings. However, when I hear about you from her, she is telling me some stories that are hard to believe.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°For example... The part where you have partial amnesia?¡±


    Suddenly, he felt a strong overpowering feelinging from Kairen. If he was a normal person, he probably would have stopped breathing. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if a normal person passed out from the pressure.


    The scary thing was the overpowering feeling was only focused on Azell. When he realized Kairen wasn¡¯t affect anything else in his surrounding, Azell admired him.


    ¡®He¡¯s good.¡¯


    Azell had been very disappointed after he woke up in this age. He hadn¡¯t met anyone, who properly cultivated one¡¯s ability through actual battles.


    The exceptions were his enemies, Niberis and Duran. Niberis had the skill to back up her im as a high rank magician, and Duran was a properly trained Spirit Order Practitioner.


    To Azell, Kairen also seemed to be on par with Niberis and Duran. He possessed strong Dragon Demon magic but he also used high level techniques as if they were nothing.


    Kairen was surprised more than Azell.


    ¡®What kind of a person is this bastard?¡¯


    He had poured out enough pressure to kill a human, yet Azell hadn¡¯t responded at all.


    It wasn¡¯t as if Azell was countering his pressure. It was as if the pressure didn¡¯t exist at all and Azell was letting it all flow past him.


    Kairen was over 100 years old, but he had never seen someone respond to his pressure this way.


    Still, this one move revealed that Azell possessed enough skill, and it made Kairen interested in him.


    Azell replied.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear an ample amount of exnation from Arrieta?¡±


    ¡°I heard it.¡±


    ¡°So why are you being so suspicious of me?¡±


    ¡°No matter how I see it, you are hiding too many things.¡±


    Kairen had spoken to Arrieta. He had also listened to Giles, Boar, and Enora talk about Azell. He heard all that had happened since Azell had been discovered inside the Bn forest.


    The more Kairen listened to the story, the more he realized that he knew nothing about him.


    He wasn¡¯t suspicious as to whether Azell was an enemy. Azell¡¯s attitude up until now gave him a clear-cut answer. Kairen was worried since he couldn¡¯t understand Azell¡¯s true character.


    Azell asked a question.


    ¡°What do you think I¡¯m trying to hide?¡±


    ¡°A lot of things. First, it¡¯s your Dragon Demon magic.¡±


    When Arrieta first saw Azell, she had wondered why a human had the scent of Dragon Demon magic. Moreover, the scent of the Dragon Demon magic given off by Azell was much stronger than before. Kairen was able to detect it since he was sensitive to the smell.


    ¡°Moreover... I heard about the story detailing the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just ask you a point-nk question. Did you kill the Dragon?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell didn¡¯t immediately answer the question and kept his silence.


    4


    After ring at Azell for a moment, Kairen continued speaking.


    ¡°I¡¯ve fought with Dragons before. I¡¯ve fought three of them.¡±


    It was very rare for a Dragon to show up in human territories. When they did show up, it mostly led to catastrophes.


    When Dragons and humans fought, humans had alwayse out victorious. However, humans had to insert a massive amount of troops. It was a hollow victory that required massive sacrifice and damage to the troops.


    Kairen had the ability to contain such a situation. When the cmity called a Dragon had appeared, Kairen dly stepped forward to minimize the damage.


    ¡°If I see through the prism of my experience... I find it hard to believe you killed a Dragon.¡±


    He acknowledged Azell possessed superb techniques as a Spirit Order Practitioner.


    However, one cannot kill a Dragon with just techniques.


    Even if an old man could master a technique to defeat a healthy young man, could he destroy a castle wall with it?


    Azell queried.


    ¡°Did you hear my exnation regarding that incident?¡±


    ¡°You said another Dragon appeared to kill the Dragon. Isn¡¯t that what you said?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Since the Dragon is dead, that must be the mostpelling answer. It¡¯s impossible for you to have killed the Dragon. Therefore, you drew the attention of the Dragon then you desperately ran away. Then you entered into a different Dragon¡¯s territory, and the Dragons started to fight...¡±


    Azell thought along the same line, so he had given such an excuse. The story was a bit too fantastic, so it was a dubious exnation. However, who could argue with the result of what had happened? It wasn¡¯t as if Azell was making up a story to distinguish himself. What can someone say when the story entailed a Dragon killing another Dragon?


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual from somewhere before.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°I just didn¡¯t know what it was. No one in my acquaintances know what it truly means. There aren¡¯t any decent records left. Whenever I saw it mentioned, it was ¡¯Someone had initiated the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.¡¯ That was the extent of what was recorded in the records. I can only guess the ritual entails killing a dragon because it says so in the name.¡±


    Azell listened carefully to Kairen¡¯s words. He was giving out precious information.


    ¡®He had killed dragons before yet he doesn¡¯t know about the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual? He isn¡¯t even human. He is a Dragon Demon with over a hundred years under his belt yet... Hmm, from which point in time did the chain of knowledge break?¡¯


    Now Azell could surmise that the severance of knowledge couldn¡¯t simply be exined by a historical event. From the conversation he had with Niberis, he could surmise the Dragon Demon King¡¯s worshippers had intentionally engineered such a result.


    Kairen continued to speak.


    ¡°Yet you knew all about it.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Moreover... The Dragon¡¯s Shadow¡¯s female magician, Niberis, made a big deal about you knowing this fact.¡±


    ¡°She did.¡±


    ¡°This is why I¡¯m suspicious of a possibility.¡±


    ¡°What possibility?¡±


    ¡°The possibility that you might have a hidden backer.¡±


    ¡°A backer?¡±


    Azell was a bit taken aback, since he hadn¡¯t thought Kairen woulde up with such an exnation.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°What if there is a hidden backer powerful enough to y the Dragon? What if this was all nned out by him, and he sent you to Arrieta?"


    ¡°...Do you like conspiracy theories?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like them. However, akin to the Dragon Demon King¡¯s worshippers, there are hidden evil forces who try to influence the world from the darkness..¡±


    Kairen hadn¡¯t suspected that Azell was a pawn of the Dragon¡¯s Shadow, the main reasoning being because Kairen had already suspected the goal behind the Dragon¡¯s Shadow attempted kidnapping of Arrieta.


    If he was right about the reason behind the abduction, Azell had no reason to protect her. He would have struck from behind early on.


    ¡°Still, it doesn¡¯t guarantee you aren¡¯t part of some dangerous plot. You might be affiliated with another organization of Dragon Demon King worshippers, who ispeting against the Dragon¡¯s Shadow.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm. How should I say this.......¡±


    Azell scratched his head.


    ¡°If you think about everyone in those terms, then you should be suspicious of every person in the world.¡±


    ¡°Do you think you are in the same category as everyone else?¡±


    ¡°If you insist there are hidden hands that work without the notice of the entire world, I agree it does make me look a little bit more suspicious. However, no matter how I try I won¡¯t be able to shed your suspicions. Even if I die in the process of protecting the princess, I wouldn¡¯t be able to shed the suspicion on me. I might be treated as someone who died by mistake while trying to hatch a plot.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been awhile since someone had the guts to make sarcastic remarks in front of me.¡±


    ¡°I guess you prefer men who empty their head and agree with everything the Duke says. Men who would agree with you even if you said the sun rises from the west.¡±


    Both of them wereughing, but the atmosphere worsened. The pressure emitted by Kairen was kicked up a notch. However, Azell took it nonchntly, and he started baiting Kairen. It was as if Azell was telling Kairen to try hitting him once if Kairen¡¯s temper got the better of him.


    Kairen was the first one to back off. He withdrew his pressure, then he rxed his expression.


    ¡°...Well, all right. My words were a little harsh. I¡¯ll acknowledge that.¡±


    ¡°That was unexpected.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    ¡°I thought you would at least hit me once as a test.¡±


    ¡°Then you would send a counter, while saying ¡¯I got you, you bastard¡¯? You purposefully showed a hole in your defense. You also have a very twisted personality.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t something I want to hear from you. I¡¯ve heard from princess that you are famous for having a twisted personality.¡±


    ¡°You are arrogant. You are a pup that doesn¡¯t know how scary the world is.¡±


    Kairen snorted. He had a youthful appearance, but Kairen naturally acted like an old man. It wasn¡¯t just because he was over a hundred years old. He held a position that was respected by everyone.


    Suddenly, Kairen put on a serious expression.


    ¡°Just know this. I¡¯m currently in a position where I have to consider every absurd conspiracy theories, as if they might happen in reality. The actions of the Dragon Demon King¡¯s followers can¡¯t be understood by conventional means, since they are lunatics.¡±


    Azell now knew why Kairen insisted on hiding their conversation from Arrieta. He didn¡¯t want to force his suspicions on her.


    After a brief silence, Kairen spoke.


    ¡°I hope you can share one thing with me. Tell me about the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you already hear about it from the princess?¡±


    ¡°A human and a Dragon fights one-on-one to the death. Then, the winner takes something from the defeated side. The human gets the Dragon¡¯s strength, and the Dragon gets the human¡¯s wisdom.¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    ¡°How does that make any sense?¡±


    Kairen couldn¡¯t ept it.


    Each region had rituals with some spiritual meaning behind it. They were a product of the region¡¯s environment and history.


    Such cultural rituals gained significance between the gap in knowledge within society.


    It was quite absurd to Kairen that there existed a ritual between the humans and Dragons. It would have made sense if a magician and a specific Dragon performed the ritual after making a contract. However, this was a shared ritual where an unknown number of humans and Dragons could participate in it unconditionally. How could such a pact exist?


    Azell stroked his chin.


    ¡°Hmmm. If I give you an exnation regarding the topic, then what will you give me in return?¡±


    ¡°You dare ask for something back when you are just answering my question?¡±


    ¡°I trust you are a fair person, since you are princess¡¯ teacher. There is worth to knowledge. Isn¡¯t that so?¡±


    Kairen furrowed his brows as he let out a sound of frustration at Azell¡¯s words.

 Chapter 47 Dragon Sword Duke (4).

    <strong>Chapter 47 Dragon Sword Duke (4).</strong>


    Chapter 47 - Dragon Sword Duke (4)


    ¡°It seemed the lesson I taught my student is grabbing at my ankles. All right. What do you want as apensation for the knowledge? You don¡¯t have a personality where you would be tempted by materialistic goods.¡±


    ¡°Please tell me about your swords.¡±


    Azell pointed at the pair of swords mounted around Kairen¡¯s waist.


    Kairen put on a peculiar expression.


    ¡°Are you sure you are fine with just that?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You are taking a loss on this deal. I¡¯ll ept it in any case. You can¡¯t back out now.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°After a brief investigation, you would have been able to find out this information. Compared to what you are about to tell me, the price is very cheap.¡±


    Kairen was nicknamed the Dragon Sword Duke because of the dual swords he used. Those swords were too famous, so there weren¡¯t any secrets that were unknown to the public.


    Azell let out a bitterugh.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell you about it. The swords are Dragon Swords(ýˆ„¦).¡±


    ¡°Dragon Sword?¡±


    ¡°From one to ten, the ingredients were all extracted from a Dragon¡¯s corpse. Moreover, these are magical swords forged with my blood.¡±


    ¡°That is why I can feel Dragon Demon Magic from them.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Is that why you were interested in them?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve never seen a sword tinged with Dragon Demon magic.¡±


    ¡°Of course. There are only few in existence on this world. It is something I reconstructed after I saw the old records.¡±


    ¡°The old records?¡±


    ¡°It was a record about the Dragon Demon war.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Azell was confused. Weapons like the Dragon Swords didn¡¯t exist in his era.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°There weren¡¯t any detailed descriptions, but I was able to find a passage saying the heroes of that age used weapons emitting Dragon Demon magic to fight against the Dragon Demon King¡¯s forces. However, I didn¡¯t know what those weapons were made out of or how to make them. For years, I gathered damaged records and through endless research, I found a story saying a Dragon had to be killed to make the weapon. This was why I guessed Dragon yer¡¯s ritual was part of the process.¡±


    This was why Kairen had killed a Dragon with helpers. They had used the corpse to research a way that they could make weapons with Dragon Demon magic imbued in it. These two Dragon Swords were the result of over 30 years of research.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell was speechless.


    ¡®This basically means theypletely forgot about the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual and the Dragon Maqi....¡¯


    At the time of the Dragon Demon war, Azell wasn¡¯t the only user of the Dragon Maqi. If he included those killed in the war, there were twenty of them. Yet, all the records about them and the Dragon Maqi disappeared?


    Even if the fall of the Nadick Empire had caused confusion, and the great darkness was present, everything about this was unnatural. His suspicion deepened as he continued to suspect that the Dragon Demon King¡¯s worshippers secretly severed the knowledge on this subject.


    ¡®Anyways, they tried to duplicate the Dragon Maqi using such a method. Impressive.¡¯


    If Carlos had been alive, Azell would want to hear his opinion on this subject. At the time, Carlos thought about mass producingrge and beautiful magical energy, but he had never thought about reproducing the quick mes of the Dragon Maqi. Their attempt at replicating Dragon Maqi came at an era when all the knowledge about the Dragon Maqi had been severed.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn.¡±


    ¡°Do you know about the goal of the mages to seek for a way to ultimately save mankind?¡±


    ¡°I know about it. The great flood of the world raked across this world, and it forever left a wound on this world.¡±


    It was what every magician wanted. They wanted to changed the world with their own magic.


    This wasn¡¯t a figure of speech. The magicians genuinely believed that they could changed the world through magic. They weren¡¯t trying to use magic to change how a person thought or acted. They wanted to change the fundamentalws of the world.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°You like speaking in poetic expressions.¡±


    ¡°My magician friends are all full of pretentiousness. It¡¯s almost pathological. If one was a talented magician, one must act with bluster to meet the expectations of the masses. This is a tradition passed down by the Archmage Carlos... Mmm? What¡¯s wrong? Why is your expression like that?¡±


    ¡°...No. It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    For a moment, he almost let out a choking sound. Carlos had always spoken that way when he was bragging about himself.


    ¡®No way. Everything about the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual and Dragon Maqi was forgotten, yet such words from Carlos survived? Moreover, it had turned into a tradition?


    It really was a terrible thing. Azell spoke as his body shuddered.


    ¡°The magicians sincerely believe such works are possible. Moreover, the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual is the proof.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    ¡°Since time immemorial, a great magician made a deal that was both beneficial to the humans and the dragons. Humans thirsted for strength, and the dragons thirsted for wisdom. The ritual puts what both sides wants on the line.¡±


    It was a promise made between the two races. At the same time, it was made into aw of this world.


    Unlike the humans, Dragons didn¡¯t pass down their knowledge. However, all of the Dragons¡ªincluding the newly born ones¡ªknew about the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    Kairen¡¯s eyes opened as if he couldn¡¯t believe what he had just heard.


    "What kind of nonsensical story is that?¡±


    ¡°Anyways, this is the only answer I can give to the question posed by you.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    Kairen frowned. It sounded like a fantastical delusion, but he didn¡¯t have any evidence to dispute what he had been told. Azell referenced the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual in his fight against the Earth Dragon to get its attention, and the Dragon Demon King¡¯s worshippers obsessed over this fact.


    Kairen asked a question.


    ¡°So let¡¯s say anyone could go look for a dragon, and they initiate the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual. Do you mean to say the Dragon¡¯s power could be obtained by winning a one-on-one battle to the death?¡±


    ¡°Not everyone could do it. It is only possible for humans. Ah, it is possible for the Dragon Demons to do it. (TLN: Dragon Majins) They barely qualify for the requirement needed for the contract..¡±


    ¡°Basically, it¡¯s impossible for me to test it out?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm... It¡¯s hard to believe that story.¡±


    Kairen grumbled, but he didn¡¯t ask any more questions. After thinking for a brief moment, Kairen stood up.


    ¡°Let¡¯s end this here today.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s all for today?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Kairen didn¡¯t speak any further and returned to lie down in his beddings. Then he immediately fell asleep.


    Azell looked at him for a brief moment before turning his gaze towards the campfire. He started to think.


    ¡®The Dragon yer¡¯s ritual.......¡¯


    He suddenly thought about the conversation he had in the past.


    5


    He had a dream.


    He acknowledged that it happened far from the current world. It was a memory from the distant past.


    ¡®Ah. It was right around this time.¡¯


    As a high level Spirit Order Practitioner, he could guide the intent of his dreams. He could also change the content of his dreams. During the process of gaining control over his mind, he had learned a technique where he could create a dream using a specific memory.


    Azell used this technique to recreate a snippet of his past in the form of a dream.


    ¡°I¡¯ll change the world someday.¡±


    He had a friend who always said those words.


    If someone else had said it, he would haveughed it off after calling the person out as being immature. However, this was Carlos. It wasn¡¯t a dream of an immature boy, who was ignorant of reality. Azell acknowledged the dreams of those with the ability to achieve it.


    This was why Azell asked the question.


    ¡°How do you want to change it?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. I haven¡¯te up with a concrete idea yet. What I can do and what I want to do isn¡¯t matching up yet.¡±


    ¡°What if we could prevent those of the Dragon Demon race from being born into this world?¡±


    ¡°If that was possible, then this damn war would be over. However, the birth of the Dragon Demon race itself was caused by magic changing the world. I¡¯m not sure it¡¯ll be possible to reverse that change. Still, it is something worth researching about.¡±


    The magicians considered the birth of the Dragon Demon race to be the result of a mighty magic. It was the very first magic that made an indelible imprint on this world. Moreover, everyone believed the Dragon Demon King Atein was the founder of mages.


    Azell snorted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take my words too seriously. How would it be possible to change the entire race into being sterile?¡±


    ¡°...Is that how you see it? It seems that I have to throw away my opinion of you being a dumb swordsman. It seems you might be quite extraordinary.¡±


    Carlos was astonished. Then he spoke as if suddenly thought of something.


    ¡°Still, it may be possible using another method. Like the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual, we might be able to impose a contract between humans and the Dragon Demon race....¡±


    ¡°The Dragon yer¡¯s ritual. I don¡¯t know what that particr mage was thinking when he made that up.¡±


    ¡°You, who have benefited the most from the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual, shouldn¡¯t speak of it in those terms.¡±


    ¡°The fact that I benefited from the ritual is a separate issue. Still, what kind of a person thought up a ritual where a human has to fight against a Dragon one-on-one? Did he think it was fair fight?¡±


    ¡°The mage was too much of a romantic. I think he believed good would always triumph over everything.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Azell looked at Carlos as if he had heard something outrageous. Carlos let out a bitterugh.


    ¡°I know it sounds strange... However, I really think that was his mindset. The mage was blinded by his romanticized ideals.¡±


    ¡°What makes you say that?¡±


    ¡°The era when the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual was formed was much more barbaric.... Moreover, the rtionship between the humans and Dragons werepletely different.¡±


    The Dragons used to live in ces where humanity had never trodden. It was rare for them to show themselves to the world. However, Carlos had researched the old records. He found out that the Dragons were entirely different being before the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual.


    ¡°In the past, the Dragon had no natural enemies, so they were the tyrants of nature. They didn¡¯t hesitate to expand their territories, and any humans in their path was ruthlessly killed.


    Moreover, at the time, humans had no way of stopping the Dragons.


    ¡°Through the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual, the Dragons learned humans were beings worthy of respect. Moreover, when there were problems at the time, people didn¡¯t think through it logically like today. That bastard killed a member of your family? Then you have the right to strike him down with a rock. You have a problem? Then the person who wins in the fight would be justified. The world worked in such a way.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound too different from the current times?¡±


    Even in Azell¡¯s era, the monarchs all insisted that they were in the right. If one said the other was wrong, then war would be waged. The knights insulted each other as battle raged.


    Carlosughed bitterly.


    ¡°It was way worse back then. At least, the losing side doesn¡¯t lose their women to be raped any more. In the past, it didn¡¯t matter if they were children or adult. People have enough rights where such acts don¡¯t happen any more.¡±


    ¡°Somewhere in this world, people still live that way.¡±


    ¡°In that era, that way of life was the norm. They didn¡¯t even have amonnguage where the two races tomunicate with each other, yet they were able toe up with a ritual that involved a one-on-one battle. It changed the rtionship between the two races dramatically.... If both sides didn¡¯t have good intent in their heart, it would have been impossible to achieve such a feat.¡±


    ¡°So you are saying it was a very barbaric era, and the ritual was in line with themon sense of that time?¡±


    ¡°Yes. They thought and acted in an entirely different way from our era.¡±


    ¡°I think your exnation is extremely romanticized... Well, whatever.¡±


    Azell needed a lot of power to win against his enemies in the Dragon Demon war. This was why he had challenged Dragons to take their powers. He washed blood with blood as he stole the Dragons¡¯ power. From his perspective, he couldn¡¯t agree with Carlos¡¯ exnation.


    ¡°Someday I will change the world....¡±


    Carlos spoke as he looked into the distance.


    ¡°I want to turn the bad part into good. After this damn war ends, I... I want to change the world for somebody.¡±


    ¡°You will drop that line as you look profoundly into your lover.¡±


    Azell grumbled.

 Chapter 48 Guardian Shadows (1).

    <strong>Chapter 48 Guardian Shadows (1).</strong>


    Chapter 48 - Guardian Shadows (1)


    1


    Niberis was inside the darkness, lost in her feeling of humiliation.


    -I never expected this to turn out like this.


    A voice flew in from a distance location.


    -We suffered a great loss... Now that it has turned out like this, we have to give up on the Dragon Demon Princess.


    -We have no choice, since the Dragon Sword Duke has appeared. Now that the ¡¯Guardian Shadows¡¯ are on the move, we can¡¯t provoke them any longer.


    -We needed to quickly kidnap the Dragon Demon Princess before this happens... At the very least, we are fortunate, since we didn¡¯t lose Niberis.


    -Sir Duran. I express my respects to you for your wise decision.


    ¡°It was nothing.¡±


    Duran, who was in the same room as Niberis, responded with humility.


    He was originally on a different mission inside the Rin Kingdom. However, when he received the information about the Dragon Sword Duke leaving his territory to head towards the Dragon Demon Princess, he moved quickly. If he had dyed his travels even by a little bit, he would have beente.


    -Niberis.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    -Do not be devastated by this. This was within the parameter of our predictions. It isn¡¯t as if we didn¡¯t gain anything from this.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    Niberis eyebrows rose. The higher ups sent her out even though they had anticipated that she might fail?


    -Our foundation within the Rin Kingdom is especially frail. This is why we don¡¯t have much information regarding what goes on inside the kingdom. This is why he didn¡¯t know about the magic ced on the Dragon Demon Princess.


    -In the first ce, you were sent on a gambit with a low probability. The fact that you came back without injury proves that you are outstanding.


    Niberis pride was strong, and she had wanted to prove her skill by kidnapping the Dragon Demon Princess. She hadn¡¯t considered that this task would be hard. However, she was one of the younger members of the organizations. Unlike her, the hidden elders knew how scary the world could be.


    The n had been to kidnap a member of the royal family in secret. They had to prevent their hidden, secret organization from being exposed to the world at all costs. Even with perfect preparations, this mission wasn¡¯t considered to be a given. They had gone forward with minimal information, so the the oue shouldn¡¯t have surprised them.


    -First, pull back from the Rin Kingdom with Duran.


    ¡°But.......¡±


    -Since we¡¯ve been exposed to the Dragon Sword Duke, the Rin Kingdom¡¯s Guardian Shadows will be on the move. You still don¡¯t know how scary they could be.


    This mission didn¡¯t simply end without consequences when they had failed to kidnap the Dragon Demon Princess. Now, the enemy knew the information the organization had been desperately trying to keep a secret. It was the fact that they had powerful pieces like Niberis and Duran within their organization. This information was now known to the enemies.


    -We¡¯ll give you an opportunity to make up for this business at ater date. Pull back for now.


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    Niberis was dissatisfied, but the elders¡¯ attitude was too resolute. She couldn¡¯t be stubborn. She bit her lips.


    ¡®Who cares about the Dragon Sword Duke...¡¯


    Currently, she regretted immediately running away in surprise when then the Dragon Sword Duke appeared. If she had joined powers with Duran, she thought that they could have easily suppress him...


    -We¡¯ll leave everything to you, Sir Duran.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    After hearing Duran¡¯s answer, the elders¡¯ voices became more distant. When the silence settled into the darkness, Duran spoke to Niberis.


    ¡°Miss. I understand your feeling.¡±


    ¡°...What do you understand?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t ept the reason why we have to work to this extent to ensure our safety.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°However, you have to understand there is a reason why we are so afraid. The Guardian Shadows are a legitimately scary existence. If we didn¡¯t didn¡¯t have any reasons to fear them, we would have already conquered the world.¡±


    In truth, they had almost seeded once before. They actively imposed their influence on the entire continent as they revised the continent¡¯s history. Their goal had been to wipe out all the knowledge that could be passed on.


    ¡°We have to finish our preparation for the day our king returns... Then the world will be afraid of us.¡±


    Duran thought about the past as he stroked his face. Inside the darkness, his hand touched his wrinkled face and he felt the permanent scars that couldn¡¯t be erased. It had been etched onto him like brands.


    2


    After meeting up with Kairen, they spent a single night inside the forest. Then, the party moved at a slow pace. The party decided they didn¡¯t need to be worried about the enemies attacking them.


    They arrived at a country vige after crossing the mountain. They purchased a sickly horse and a run-down carriage there. It was very questionable to call it a carriage, but they were able to reach the busiest city in the vicinity because of it.


    ¡°I guess I have to say goodbye to this carriage.¡±


    Azell spoke as he walked alongside the carriage. The party had acquired the carriage for Enora. If they had to travel matching Enora¡¯s foot speed, it would have taken them two to four additional days to get here.


    While they wereing here, Kairen¡¯s attitude took Azell by surprise.


    ¡®He is a Duke yet he is very easy going.¡¯


    He had traveled with them until this point, but the Duke didn¡¯t show any signs of discontent. Everyone was ufortable around him as they kept their eyes on Kairen. However, he didn¡¯t show any signs of discontent at the shabby carriage or the slow travel speed.


    Arrietaughed when Azell brought up this point.


    ¡°My teacher still goes into the mountain asionally to live like an uncivilized person when he feels like it. He wouldn¡¯t show any displeasure at such a minor setback.¡±


    ¡°Even though he is a Duke?¡±


    ¡°He said he liked. He could turn his surrounding inside out since he was able to use his strength in earnest. That is why I had to learn how to live out in the wild from time to time. We lived in a very impoverished state when we were in the mountains.¡±


    ¡°I understand now.¡±


    He was the one responsible for giving such lessons to Arrieta. It shouldn¡¯t have surprised Azell that the Duke acted in an informal manner. It was incongruous with his station.


    The party checked into an inn that geared towards serving nobles.


    Azell asked Arrieta a question.


    ¡°Don¡¯t we have to visit the lord here?¡±


    ¡°There is no lord in this territory.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Count Renning is working from the pce, so one of his rtive is working here as a proxy. If we go to him, we¡¯ll be treated well. However, it would be annoying and our schedule would be further dyed..¡±


    Azell looked towards Kairen, but it seemed he was of the same mind as Arrieta. The teacher and the student didn¡¯t want a raucous reception even though they were both of very high stations. They were very simr in the fact that they hated those kinds of events.


    Enora spoke to Azell.


    ¡°Sir Azell. Could you apany me on my errand?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I have to buy various items, and I¡¯m going to see if we can hire a healer.¡±


    ¡°Ah ah. You want me as a mule.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it better if you thought of it as guarding me?¡±


    ¡°In the end, I¡¯ll probably have to carry everything. You want to take only me?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why? What about Sir Boar and Sir Giles?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm. That is.......¡±


    Enoraughed as if she was put in an awkward situation.


    ¡°They both do not know about how the world works. Also, problem might arise if the identity of the princess and the duke was spread....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    It really was a cold assessment. However, Azell could only agree with her.


    Boar and Giles gave off signs of being a noble¡¯s sheltered son. This had been very obvious with Boar, but Azell thought Giles was also a bit ignorant of the world. Nothing good coulde out of them identally letting something slip to a civilian.


    ¡®Mmmm?¡¯


    He exited the inn with Enora and suddenly felt someone¡¯s gaze on him. He subtly turned his head, but he didn¡¯t see anyone.


    ¡®These bastards are very talented in hiding themselves. Maybe they are Dragon Demon King worshipers?¡¯


    Even if he couldn¡¯t see anyone, Azell wasn¡¯t fooled. He was sure someone was watching him. It wasn¡¯t just one person. There were several of them. At a nce, he couldn¡¯t locate them. It meant they were very adept at hiding themselves.


    ¡®Hmm. Even if they are Dragon Demon King worshippers, they aren¡¯t a problem since the Dragon Sword Duke is with Arrieta.¡¯


    Azell and Enora were the ones in trouble. If they ran into a problem, he had to make sure Enora would be unhurt.


    Azell walked as these thoughts ran through his head when Enora asked him a question.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    ¡°Mmm? I¡¯m not really thinking about anything. Why?¡±


    ¡°You are looking at the people with amazement in your eyes.¡±


    ¡°Did I really do that?¡±


    Azell was confused. Did his eyes unconsciously give something away?


    It was understandable. Two hundred years had passed since his era. He couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the sight of the city. It looked simr from before, but there were also a lot of unfamiliar sights.


    He had been very busy recently, but Azell had been thrown into this world less than 1 month ago. He tried to ept and adapt to his situation, but at times, he couldn¡¯t help but be overwhelmed by what he felt.


    Enora spoke.


    ¡°Oh yea, Sir Azell. There is something I want to tell you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Thank you..¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°You protected the princess and I. Moreover... Thank you for taking care of me at night.¡±


    ¡°I have no idea what you are talking about.¡±


    Azell feigned ignorance, which caused Enora to puff up her cheeks.


    ¡°I know all about it.¡±


    ¡°What exactly do you know about?¡±


    ¡°The content of my dreams were tantly changed. Did you think I wouldn¡¯t notice? It¡¯s all Sir Azell¡¯s doing.¡±


    After being ambushed by Niberis, Enora had been gripped by nightmares. No matter how brave she was, Enora was still a young girl. She couldn¡¯t stayposed after experiencing such an event.


    However, she was tormented by her nightmares for only a moment. From a certain point in time, her nightmares disappeared, and it was reced with peaceful memories of her past. She saw the ins of her homnd she loved, and she remembered the fun times she had ying there.


    No matter how she saw it, she couldn¡¯t help but notice that someone had manipted her dreams. She didn¡¯t know about Spirit Order or magic, but there was something Enora was sure of.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a magician, so how could I manipte someone else¡¯s dream?¡±


    ¡°You can do it.¡±


    ¡°Eh-ee. I can¡¯t¡±


    ¡°I already know you can do it. I felt it. It was Sir Azell.¡±


    ¡°Mmm? You felt it?¡±


    ¡°Every person has a different feel to them. I felt your signature, Sir Azell.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell was a bit surprised as he looked at Enora.


    She was right. Azell had manipted her dreams. Since he was intervening with a normal person¡¯s mind, he hadn¡¯t been cautious. He hadn¡¯t been careful to change the content of the dream within its natural flow. Instead he had forcefully guided her dreams towardsforting memories. He also didn¡¯t erase the scent of his energy within the subconsciousness of her sleeping mind.


    Still, it was surprising for a normal person like Enora to feel his energy.


    Enora spoke.


    ¡°Anyways, I just want to say thank you. Sir Azell is really good at taking care of other people. Do you perhaps have a lot of siblings?¡±


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t have any siblings... Although, I do have kids.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is... Eh-ehk?¡±


    Enora was naturally nodding her head, when she became surprised. He had children? Azell was a married man?


    ¡°My god. You are married?¡±


    ¡°Does it look like I¡¯m married?¡±


    ¡°I never thought about it. You are old enough that it wouldn¡¯t be strange if you were wed, but...¡±


    It was the same in Azell¡¯s era. One went through one¡¯sing-of-age ceremony at fifteen, and most married before one reached twenty years old. If Azell was a noble, it would be rare to find an unmarried man of his age.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m not married.¡±


    ¡°Then how do you have children?¡±


    Enora¡¯s gaze was turning curious as she looked at Azell. Azell grinned.

 Chapter 49 Guardian Shadows (2).

    <strong>Chapter 49 Guardian Shadows (2).</strong>


    Chapter 49 - Guardian Shadows (2)


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that with those eyes. They were adopted.¡±


    ¡°Adopted children?¡±


    ¡°The children became orphans for various reasons, but I adopted them. Actually, there were other people who acted as their actual parents.......¡±


    Still, the children were a shining beacon in his memories.


    During the Dragon Demon War, Azell had seen a lot of tragedy. During this time, he had adopted children whose fate brushed against his, and he had sent them to thends owned by him, Marquis Karzark.


    After he had killed Atein to end the Dragon Demon war, he was slowly dying from the curse. Thus, he had retreated back into his territories for two years.


    During that time, he had made a lot of memories with his adopted children. They were like a real family during that time.


    He rode horses with them. They raced across the ins, and they found secret locations where other people wouldn¡¯t even dare to visit. He had also taught them martial arts... There was once a time when he had lived in such a way.


    Enora, who had been listening without interruption, spoke.


    ¡°Sir Azell must have been a noble.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Unless you are a noble, the activities you described is impossible. Moreover, it sounds like your family was prosperous. You really can¡¯t remember the details?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I really want to remember it all.¡±


    ¡°If I really turn out to be a noble, Ms. Enora has to treat me well?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. So I just have to stop calling you ahjushi?¡±


    ¡°You are pretty quick on the uptake.¡±


    Azell couldn¡¯t help, butugh when Enora looked up at him in a cute manner.


    3


    After purchasing the items, they visited a clinic. When they returned to the ce they were lodging at with the healer, the sun was setting.


    Enora spoke in an excited manner.


    ¡°Wow. I want to always shop with someone like Sir Azell.¡±


    ¡°So you want a strong servant?¡±


    Azell grumbled.


    As they walked, she had bought necessary travel items and ingredients for food. The amount she bought wasn¡¯t a joke. These items would be divvied up between the horses during the travel, yet he currently had to hold it all by himself. Azell held a burden that was bigger than the size of his body. He acrobatically held it with both hands, which caused a spectacle. People in the street stopped to watch him.


    Giles was surprised at the amount of luggage Azell had brought.


    ¡°You carried all of this by yourself... Maybe we should have gone too?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know she would buy this much.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t tell Giles about Enora¡¯s cold assessment of him, so Azell gave an ambiguous answer.


    Enora and the healer went to meet Arrieta, and Azell went out to the garden in the back of the inn. Since this ce catered to the nobles, the building was luxurious and had a prettyrge garden.


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    He found Kairen there. The man had taken off his armor and had hidden his horn, ears, and Dragon Demon stone. Kairen sat in an outdoor table disguised as a human, drinking alcohol.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°That¡¯s quite the disguise.¡±


    ¡°If I show my real appearance in such a crowded ce, it would be annoying to operate in that location.¡±


    Unlike Arrieta, who had basically been a propaganda tool for the throne, Kairen often worked under the radar. This was why he had spent a lot of his money making this personal magic tool that disguised his outer appearance.


    Kairen queried.


    ¡°Did you bring a healer?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Ms. Enora created a big fuss asking for a female healer, so it took some time.¡±


    ¡°She is young, but she is quite good at her job. Do you want a cup?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t refuse, but... Do you think I can ask you a question before that?¡±


    ¡°By the way you are speaking, it seems your words will make me lose appetite for alcohol... What if I say no?¡±


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t ask.¡±


    ¡°If you are meekly backing off like this, then it must not be anything important.¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯ll just give up on getting a ss of alcohol from the duke, then I¡¯ll pursue the matter by myself. They seem to be outstanding at hiding themselves, but if I chase after them myself...¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    In a sh, the atmosphere froze.


    Azell looked at him with a smiling face, and Kairen red back with a rigid expression on his face. The pressure emitted by him was so enormous that the air started to vibrate a little bit.


    However, Azell sloughed it off nonchntly.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°...You are quite adept at fending off my pressure. You¡¯re like a ghost, and it¡¯s putting me in a foul mood.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had many asions where I received such pressure. If I¡¯m ttened by this, then I would have been dead long ago.¡±


    ¡°You are really too impudent. Normally, a person would be too afraid at the prospect of dying.¡±


    ¡°If you are someone I could deal with by being polite, we wouldn¡¯t even be having this conversation. To tell you the truth..."


    Azell sat across Kairen without asking for permission.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be a bit suspicious? There are unseen beings circling around us. Our party members don¡¯t know about their existence, yet their presence disappeared after meeting with you.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been too long since we were monitored and chased by the Dragon Demon King worshippers. I believe I have valid reasons to bring up this issue even though it might sour your taste for the alcohol.¡±


    ¡°Hooo.......¡±


    Kairen tossed the rest of the alcohol into his mouth as if he was annoyed. Then he red at Azell.


    It was at that moment.


    ¡¸Dragon Demon magic.......¡¹


    Azell flinched. Between the trees of the garden, he heard a voice that was akin to whispering children.


    ¡®He was this close to me?¡¯


    The voice wasing from a location only 20 meters away from Azell. How could he not realize that someone had gotten so close to him?


    ¡¸You are a human, yet... The well of Dragon Demon Magic...¡¹


    He was sure a single person was speaking, yet it had sounded as if multiple people were whispering at the same time. It was a very strange voice. He would be a great subject in a horror story for the masses.


    Azell red at the location with sharp eyes.


    ¡°Is he a specter?¡±


    The other person wasn¡¯t a human. He was sure of it.


    The person had on a simr outfit as those from the Dragon¡¯s Shadow. He had a white robe with a hood covering his face. The shadow casted by the hood obscured his face.


    That wasn¡¯t the only oddity. Below the robe, Azell couldn¡¯t see his feet and no hands were protruding out from his sleeves.


    ¡®How strange. Is there a real body underneath the robe?¡¯


    Azell furrowed his eyebrows, then awakened his magic. He moved slowly so his opponent wouldn¡¯t realize it. He stealthily...


    ¡®Yet this.... This feeling isn¡¯t wholly unfamiliar. What is this?¡¯


    The faceless specter¡¯s presence agitated some memory in Azell¡¯s mind. He was sure this was the first time he¡¯d seen this being, yet he felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu.


    At that moment, Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Stop it. He isn¡¯t an enemy.¡±


    ¡°...Do you really think I would believe those words?¡±


    Suddenly, another being could be detected by Azell¡¯s senses. He had appeared like a ghost, and he had the same outfit as the first specter. The only difference was the size of their bodies. One was small like a child, and the other was a giant over two meters tall.


    As they glided across the floor, they spoke in their whispering voices.


    ¡¸Is he a defender of the prophecy... No.......¡¹


    ¡¸Still, he has it. The Dragon Demon magic...¡¹


    ¡¸Strange.......¡¹


    ¡¸Very strange.......¡¹


    ¡¸This kind of human hasn¡¯t existed for a long time.......¡¹


    Azell couldn¡¯t see their faces, but he knew they were speaking about him. He could feel their gaze. Their eyes bore into Azell...


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Stop there. If you approach any further... This friend might attack you.¡±


    ¡¸We won¡¯t die easily.......¡¹


    ¡°However, it isn¡¯t as if you can¡¯t be killed. Don¡¯t you have unfinished business? It would be best if you don¡¯t do anything that might result in you losing your strength.¡±


    ¡¸He isn¡¯t... He isn¡¯t strong enough to harm us.......¡¹


    ¡¸However... He has Dragon Demon magic.¡¹


    ¡¸He is hiding it.......¡¹


    ¡¸Maybe we aren¡¯t reading him correctly.......¡¹


    ¡¸A human... There used to be.......¡¹


    ¡¸Really......?¡¹


    ¡¸A long time ago.......¡¹


    They babbled as if they weren¡¯t sane. However, they circled around at a distance of ten meters and didn¡¯t approach Azell any further.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°That¡¯s surprising. I¡¯ve never seen them show so much interest in a single person.¡±


    ¡°What are they?¡±


    Azell asked in a nonchnt manner. Of course, he circted his magical energy inside so he could attack at any given moment.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Guardian Shadows.¡±


    ¡°...You just gave me their name and I still have no idea what they are.¡±


    ¡°It would be difficult for me to tell you anything more. The fact that you even know about their existence... It makes me wonder what I should do with you.¡±


    The specter who had kept his silence since he first appeared spoke.


    ¡¸You can tell him.......¡¹


    ¡°What?¡±


    Kairen was surprised. This meant the specter¡¯s words was quite out of the norm.


    ¡¸He isn¡¯t connected with us... Maybe the prophecy.......¡¹


    ¡°The prophecy? What is that?¡±


    Kairen frowned as he asked the question, but the specters kept their mouths shut. Moreover, when the specters¡¯ babbling stopped, a very ominous silence descended on them.


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    Kairen didn¡¯t like it, but it was pointless to re at the Guardian Shadows. Amon sense approach didn¡¯t work with them in the first ce.


    Eventually, Kairen gave up and gave an exnation to Azell.


    ¡°They are like a suppression system that prevents the Dragon Demon King worshippers from operating out in the open....¡±


    ¡°The Dragon Demon King worshippers can¡¯t reveal themselves because of these things?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you think what you experienced this time around was a bit unusual?¡±


    Kairen answered a question with another.


    Azell queried.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The people who ambushed your party were very powerful. Each individual had a massive amount of power that is rarely seen. They easily used monsters as disposable soldiers. Why would those bastards with such power try so hard to hide their activities from the eyes of the people?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Isn¡¯t it because they were just a small elite unit inside the secret organization?¡±


    Truthfully, Azell didn¡¯t entirely grasp how everything operated in this era, so he didn¡¯t get the point Kairen¡¯s question was trying to make. If one possessed powerful strength, then one could cause chaos in the world even without the help of others. However, it seemed the Dragon¡¯s Shadow were trying to look out for their own safety. What was weird about that?


    Kairen put on an expression as if he couldn¡¯t believe what Azell had said.


    ¡°Are you really dumber than I thought or did you really lose your memories?¡±


    ¡°It is thetter.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything worth saying, then at the very least, think a little bit harder. If those bastards rampaged through the countryside, do you think anyone could stop them?¡±


    ¡°Mmm... There will be a massive loss of lives. Only after they caused massive damage will anyone with strength hear about it. Only after the fact will anyone chase after the culprit.¡±


    Azell slowly understood what Kairen was trying to say.


    Still, the power of the Dragon Demon King worshippers were a bit too strong for him to ept his exnation as the only reason.


    Either Niberis and Duran could be considered a one-man army. The members of the Dragon¡¯s Shadow from the first ambush had enough power to demolish a small town in the countryside.


    ¡®Moreover, they recruited the help of a dragon.¡¯


    They were capable of taking care of their own business. However, they had used some method to train monsters to act as their hunting dogs, and they had been used as disposable soldiers. Moreover, a dragon was enticed to move on their behest.


    ¡°Now that I hear your words... They seem to be excessively cautious. However, isn¡¯t it because they are worried about the aftermath?¡±

 Chapter 50 Guardian Shadows (3).

    <strong>Chapter 50 Guardian Shadows (3).</strong>


    Chapter 50 - Guardian Shadows (3)


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you ept this fact? For instance, when the woman named Niberis ambushed the party, why did she go through all the trouble of setting up a stage where there weren¡¯t many inhabitants? Truthfully, with the amount of power she possessed, couldn¡¯t she have easily wiped a country vige off of the map, while conducting her business?"


    ¡°Mmm.......¡±


    He was right. No matter how he looked at it, he couldn¡¯t understand why Niberis went through such aplicated process to mount her surprise attack.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Those bastards have to be careful to avoid attention from human eyes. If humans other than the Dragon Demon King worshippers spotted them, then the Guardian Shadows will be aware of their existence. The Guardian Shadows will hunt them down.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Ah. Of course, the system isn¡¯t foolproof. For example, I am a member of the Guardian Shadows. If I saw a Dragon Demon King Worshipper, then it is the same as all the Guardian Shadows witnessing it. However, if a civilian spots a Dragon Demon King Worshipper, there is a good chance the Guardian Shadows might overlook it. However, as the number of spectator increases, the chance of the Guardian Shadows noticing goes up.¡±


    ¡°No. Wait a moment. That wasn¡¯t the question I wanted to ask you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It is as if you said.......¡±


    Azell understood the meaning of Kairen¡¯s words, so he shuddered.


    ¡°The clueless civilians... Anyone who isn¡¯t a Dragon Demon King Worshipper is being used as surveincework?¡±


    ¡°Yes..¡±


    Azell was struck dumb.


    4


    Azell almost never showed his unrest, but he couldn¡¯t help looking at Kairen with a dumbfounded expression.


    Who could do such a thing? Excluding the Dragon Demon King worshippers, someone was using everyone as a tool for surveince? Moreover, this person used the information to move these ghost-like apparitions to stop the Dragon Demon King worshippers?


    If the person capable of pulling this off said he was a god, Azell would have believed it.


    After a moment, Azell asked a question.


    ¡°Do you really think that makes any sense?¡±


    ¡°I understand my exnation might sound like bullshit.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°The problem is, it is the truth. I know it¡¯s hard to believe. Even I had a hard time believing it.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°The Guardian Shadows exist to stop the prophecy told by the Dragon Demon King worshipers.¡±


    ¡°Prophecy?¡±


    ¡°There is a prophecy saying that the Dragon Demon King Atein will ovee death to return to thisnd, and he will make the world right.¡±


    ¡°It really sounds like a prophecy that would be given by an evil church.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it? However, those bastards ept it as absolute truth, so they are growing their power for that days toe. Unfortunately, unlike the other evil churches, they have a great amount of power... There are too many organizations to grasp anything of substance.¡±


    ¡°There are a lot of organizations?¡±


    Azell was confused, so he asked the question. There were a lot of organizations, but not members?


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Yes. For example, I¡¯ve never heard of the ¡¯Dragon¡¯s Shadow¡¯, who ambushed you guys. They seem to be an organization with a level-head and some ambition, and they had high quality troops.¡±


    Azell could easily take care of them, but all of the Dragon¡¯s Shadow members that showed up would be able to suppress the likes of Giles and Boar. Although Boar and Giles were Quadruple masters with powerful battle capability, the opponents were a step above them. Each of them were capable enough to easily deal with Arrieta.


    ¡°It is well known that their headquarters are located in the Field of Darkness, but... The members of the Dragon Demon King worshippers are divided into numerous organizations. They are structured in a veryplex manner. Even if there were a lot of them, no one knows which organizations are the core groups. It makes it hard to deal with the Dragon Demon King worshippers.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm....¡±


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for the Guardian Shadows, the world would be in a worse ce right now. Moreover, the Dragon Demon King worshippers would boldly act out in the open.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm. Still, there is a part I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°When the Dragon¡¯s Shadow ambushed the princess, we found out the ambushers were Dragon Demon King worshippers. However, the Guardian Shadows didn¡¯t show up.¡±


    ¡°When you guys realized who they were, were the Southern Border Guards with you?"


    "No. It was only the four of us including the princess and I."


    ¡°That¡¯s probably why. Didn¡¯t I tell you in the beginning? This system isn¡¯t foolproof. There is a higher chance the Guardian Shadows will realize what is happening when numerous people witness the event. Moreover, the more people there are, the more detailed a report they could get. Instead of the countryside, the surveince is much stronger in a major city. It can¡¯t be helped, but the power of the surveince is weakened in a ce like the Bn Forest.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I guess so.¡±


    When he heard Kairen¡¯s exnation, he understood why the Dragon Demon King worshippers acted the way they did. They had attacked the party at the Bn forest and the mountain road where there weren¡¯t a lot of people. Moreover, they even tried to seal off an area from any outside observation. This was all done because they were afraid of the Guardian Shadows..........


    Azell queried.


    ¡°So who made such an amazing system? I would believe it if you said it was made by the god of magic.¡±


    ¡°I have no idea.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea where the Guardian Shadows were born from. Someone might know what¡¯s the driving force behind them is, but I¡¯m not the one in the know.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The Guardian Shadows choose their sessors from the living. However, it isn¡¯t as if we all know who the other members are....¡±


    ¡°Basically, you can¡¯t really call it an organization. The whole thing is a mess.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t deny your statement. It is as it is. There are only 5 people in this country who know about them.¡±


    ¡°Are you included in this number??¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°There are only 5.......¡±


    ¡°Each one of us are equal to 100 warriors, and we have vast influence over the world. However, we aren¡¯t enough to stop the Dragon Demon King worshippers. This is why the Guardian Shadows exist.¡±


    ¡°The Guardian Shadow is the name of your organization, and it also is the name of these two beings?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.......¡±


    Azell frowned as he looked at the Guardian Shadows. No matter how he tried he couldn¡¯t discern their true forms. It had been a really long time since he had felt these emotions.


    Kairen asked the Guardian Shadows.


    ¡°Do you want this friend to join as a member of the Guardian Shadows?¡±


    This must be the reason why they showed themselves. It must be why they wanted him to give an exnation. The Guardian Shadows weren¡¯t capable of giving precise exnations, so members like Kairen had to exin everything to his fellowrades.


    ¡®Of course, in the case that I refuse the offer, I would have to swear a pact of silence before I hear their pitch.¡¯


    The pact of silence was a magic rite, and even Kairen couldn¡¯t break it.


    They had revealed the truth to Azell without making the pact. Truthfully, Kairen was a little bit annoyed. There were too many quirks in their actions that he couldn¡¯tprehend.


    ¡¸No......¡¹


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡¸Not right now... Not yet......¡¹


    ¡¸We will watch......¡¹


    After saying those words, the Guardian Shadows disappeared like smoke.


    Azell spoke within the silence.


    ¡°They suddenly appear and disappear out of thin air. Moreover, they put a geas on people so people can¡¯t approach them.¡±


    ¡°They are like the Dragon Demon King worshippers where they try their best to hide from the masses.¡±


    From the moment the Guardian Shadows showed up, no one entered the garden. Moreover, even those who looked out the windows from the other buildings saw an intricately disguised illusion instead of reality. The Guardian Shadows had casted a barrier around them.


    Kairen continued to speak.


    ¡°Anyways... They only show themselves to the members of the organization. This time they came here because of me. They received direction information from me instead of the people.¡±


    ¡°Can you have a proper conversation with them?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes it is hard to understand their words, but they understand mine. Of course, I¡¯m not sure about that fact either.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    ¡°I have no idea why they revealed themselves, while putting their trust in you.¡±


    ¡°Anyways, doesn¡¯t this prove I¡¯m a trustworthy person regarding the Dragon Demon King worshippers?¡±


    ¡°Mmm.......¡±


    Kairen put on a dissatisfied expression at those words. He looked at Azell for a moment, then he spoke.


    ¡°Unfortunately, you are right..¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how I should feel about you adding ¡¯unfortunately¡¯ to those words..¡±


    ¡°Shut up. Just let me pour you some alcohol.¡±


    Kairen grumbled as he poured Azell the alcohol.


    5


    After obtaining horses, and equipments needed for the journey, the pace of the travel increased once again. They had already left the territory of the Southern Border Guards and Boar took on the role of deciding which roads they should take.


    ¡°We were dyed two days from our original schedule. It would be best if we restocked our food from the Marquis Ventar.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll do so.¡±


    Arrieta passively epted the suggestion. Before, she would have chosen the quickest route, but they were now able to travel at a leisurely pace since Kairen had joined them.


    After several days, Boar and Giles started to get antsy. They had recuperated for couple days after feeling the aftereffects of battle, but the two of them were martial artists in their prime. They lived to train their body, so they were overflowing with energy from just riding the horses.


    On the fourth day, they were almost at the Marquis Ventar¡¯s territory, and Azell once again started his sparring sessions with Giles and Boar.


    ¡°Since you guys weren¡¯t annoying me these days, I was having a good time.¡±


    ¡°Stop being so heartless. Although, Sir Azell does have the skill to back up your behavior.¡±


    Boar grumbled. Now Boar was able to interact with others in afortable manner.


    Giles smirked as he butted in.


    ¡°Since Sir Azell finds us annoying, why don¡¯t we y by ourselves?¡±


    ¡°That might be the better option. Sir Azell could entertain the princess.¡±


    ¡°Hey. Hey.¡±


    Before anyone knew it, Giles and Boar had be friends, and Azell could only look on in disbelief. When they were departing for the trip, their rtionship had been very rocky. After experiencing several life and death situations, they must have gotten quite close.


    It was at that moment.


    ¡°A training session... Do you mind if I join?¡±


    ¡°Uh. D...duke?¡±


    Boar was surprised. Before anyone knew it, Kairen had appeared. Boar spoke in a humble manner.


    ¡°How can we dare.......¡±


    ¡°I heard from Arrieta that you guys entertained that child. Why would it be different with me?¡±


    Kairen put on a wide smile. He was called the Dragon Sword Duke, and in his territory, he sparred frequently with the knights under hismand. The Duke wanted to train himself, but he also wanted to give instructions to his knights.


    ¡°I¡¯m used to participating in sparring matches. You won¡¯t be injured from me using excessive force.¡±


    ¡°But.......¡±


    ¡°In my territory, people line up to spar with me. Now that Ie outside, I¡¯m treated like cold rice.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t true. The fact that the Duke is willing to spar us is an honor in itself.¡±


    Giles and Boar disyed a grateful attitude. Kairen was a living legend in the Rin Kingdom, the idol of every young knight.

 Chapter 51 Guardian Shadows (4).

    <strong>Chapter 51 Guardian Shadows (4).</strong>


    Chapter 51 - Guardian Shadows (4)


    Kairen only unsheathed one of his two swords. As if he had been nning on joining this practice session, he already had his armor on.


    The moment he saw the Dragon Sword, Azell thought about Arrieta¡¯s sword.


    ¡¯It seems the princess¡¯ sword was made in imitation of this sword.¡¯


    The Dragon Sword and Arrieta¡¯s sword looked alike. The hilt and the de looked different, but both the swords held a white glow. Unlike Arrieta¡¯s sword, his sword wasn¡¯t curved. It was a double-edged longsword. The hilt looked like a dragon with wings, making it look like a ceremonial sword instead of a weapon used in fighting.


    ¡®The de must be made out of Dragon bones.¡¯


    Kairen¡¯s Dragon Swords were entirely made out of ingredients harvested from a Dragon¡¯s corpse. The sword was probably manufactured using magical means on the Dragon¡¯s bones.


    Kairen spoke.


    "Let¡¯s y a little bit. Truthfully, I¡¯ve been a bit bored. Who wants to go first?"


    Giles stepped forward first. In a sh, Boar¡¯s expression hardened, since he had lost the initiative. Azellughed.


    ¡®A Dragon Sword.¡¯


    Azell eyed Kairen¡¯s sword. Since he carried a pair of swords, Azell inferred Kairen was a dual sword user. He only took out a single sword to enjoy the sparring session, since there was a huge gap between his opponent and him. If he wanted to show his true skill, he would use his dual swords.


    ¡®His hands are in such conditions...¡¯


    Both of Kairen¡¯s hands were rough. He had countless callouses from wielding a sword. It was the hands of a person, who had swung the sword even if blisters had burst open on his hands.


    ¡®Well, he is from the Dragon Demon race. Even if he is a dual sword user, he could sever bones with just a single hand.¡¯


    Dual sword wielding was rarely found within the knights. Truthfully, even if one also counted the mercenaries, there were that many people that used that style. The difficulty of learning the techniques were too high, and it was disadvantageous to use it against an armored opponent or a monster with a tough hide.


    However, Azell had learned it in the process of searching far and wide for sword techniques, and he had even used it in real fights. When he fought the Dragon¡¯s Shadow, he had used dual sword techniques with the sword he had hidden with his stealth skill.


    Giles stepped forward enthusiastically.


    ¡°Ha-aht!¡±


    ¡°Good!¡±


    Kairen was excited as he received Giles¡¯ attack, then he counterattacked.


    The confrontation didn¡¯tst very long. Around the 20th exchange, Kairen¡¯s de rested on Gile¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Ook. I¡¯ve lost.¡±


    ¡°Your basic foundation is sturdy. You move well forward and backwards. However, you are clumsy at reacting to attacks from the sides. Keep that in mind for the future.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Giles was moved since he was able to spar with him, and he also got a pointer from Kairen.


    Azell smirked.


    ¡®His advice was concise and to the point. It seemed he¡¯s quite talented at teaching others.¡¯


    This opinion was reinforced by the fact that Kairen exchanged 20 blows with Giles. If he used his true skills, he could have won with a single exchange. However, this was a sparring match, so Kairen tried to bring out the best in Giles. Then he assessed his weaknesses.


    Boar was next. He also lost after they exchanged around 20 blows, and Boar was able to hear Kairen¡¯s critique. Boar used a shield, so he was better than Giles in terms of defense.


    However, he was dispatched without a problem by Kairen.


    Kairen spoke as he looked at Azell.


    ¡°How about you?¡±


    ¡°If you want me to spar, then I¡¯ll give it a go.¡±


    ¡°You are acting hard to get. Why don¡¯t you follow the examples of these young men?¡±


    ¡°Ha ha ha. It might be because I¡¯ve met the Duke only recently.¡±


    Azell unsheathed his sword as he spoke spoke those words.


    It was true he had wanted to face Kairen at least once. He hadpleted dual banding his third Ring of Life yesterday, so he wanted see how much his battle capabilities had increased. Moreover, he needed an opportunity to evaluate his Senses.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Come at me.¡±


    ¡°Then... I won¡¯t decline.¡±


    Azell showed his respects then he immediately went offensive stance.


    6


    ¡®He really doesn¡¯t like to lose.¡¯


    Kairen frowned. He had been nning on giving Azell the chance to attack him first. However, Azell approached him in anguid manner as if he was provoking Kairen. It was an attitude showing that Azell wanted to see who would give in and attack first. It got on Kairen¡¯s nerve, so he eventually took the first strike.


    Chaeng!


    After the issue of who would take the first strike was resolved, the two of them exchanged sword strikes at extreme speeds.


    Kairen was fast, but Azell wasn¡¯t a slouch either. When Kairen fought Boar and Giles, he matched his own speed to theirs. However, he was steadily increasing his speed now.


    Che-che-che-che-cheng!


    Giles and Boar¡¯s eyes became wide as they saw the action. The two of them were moving at a speed they couldn¡¯t follow.


    It was tight. Surprisingly, Azell was sparring against a living legend, yet he wasn¡¯t being pushed back at all.


    Instead, as time passed, Kairen was being pushed back. Kairen was astonished.


    ¡®I¡¯m losing in terms of predicting the opponent¡¯s move?¡¯


    The exchange was so fast that it was hard to follow it with the naked eye. Still, even in such a situation, Azell was a half step in front of Kairen. He was able to see Kairen¡¯s moves, and he was able to make a move on the board ordingly.


    As time passed, the cumtive effect of the exchanges mounted, and one could clearly see which side was advantaged and disadvantaged. It was evident after each blow that Kairen was faster. No. His movement, chained-moves and reaction was also faster. Moreover, each of his moves were sharper.


    Yet he was being pushed back by Azell.


    It wasn¡¯t as if Azell¡¯s assault was at a level where Kairen couldn¡¯t deal with it. Both of them only strengthened their body and senses. This was a simple battle with a sword where Spirit Order and Dragon Qi wasn¡¯t being used... Azell was frighteningly controlling the situation to the minute detail, and Kairen was at a disadvantage against Azell.


    It felt as if the answer had been predetermined. No, it felt as if his opponent was solving a problem where every advantage was given to him. If he stabbed, then his opponent would block it in a certain way. If he stabbed in a different way, than the opponent responded in kind. At the time, Kairen had thought he was making a move that would give him an advantage. Azell¡¯s advantageous moves stacked one after another, and Kairen was a hair breadth away from defeat.


    ¡®Huh! Where the hell did a guy like this pop out from?¡¯


    After he got past his inexperienced and youthful period of time in his life, Kairen had never lost to anyone in terms of techniques. He was a master swordsman who had trained longer than a human¡¯s lifespan. However, unlike a human, time hadn¡¯t aged or weakened him. He still possessed a body in its prime.


    However, he had met an opponent who was better than him in terms of technique. It had been several dozen years since he met someone like that.


    ¡®No. This isn¡¯t about the techniques....¡¯


    Kairen tried to find a more suitable expression.


    ¡®Feel.¡¯


    Yes. It was his senses.


    This didn¡¯t mean Azell was not using his intellect and moving based on his instinct. Didn¡¯t the word Sense have multiple meanings?


    Each of Azell¡¯s sword techniques weren¡¯t close to perfect. His physical body was weak, and hecked an edge.


    However, he was able to assess and have a feel for the beat of the battle. Moreover, he could tie his senses to the the weapon he possessed, and he was able to manipte the situation into oues he desired. He was showing an almost miraculous level of battle sense.


    ¡°Mmmm.¡±


    In the next moment, Azell stopped his onught then he retreated backwards. Kairen had beenpletely outmatched, so he had been slowly forced into a corner. Kairen frowned.


    ¡°Are you trying to give me face?¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I thought you would want to use your second sword right about now.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Kairen¡¯s expression crumpled into a frown. He took a deep breath, and he spoke after he calmed his heart.


    ¡°You know are well acquainted with how I feel.¡±


    Soo-roo-roong.


    Kairen unsheathed both Dragon Swords. There was aplete change in his spirit when he held both his swords.


    Of course, Kairen was plenty strong with a single sword. However, it was rare to meet an opponent where he had to use his dual swords. He needed both to be able to defeat this opponent. This man was a true expert.


    However, Azell... He wasn¡¯t an opponent he could defeat if he held back their killing intent and power. Kairen had to use dual swords to be able to defeat him in swordsmanship.


    ¡®Such a young human has this much skill...¡¯


    Age, experience and training didn¡¯t always result in someone having a higher cultivation level in martial arts. Still, how could a human keep up with the long-lived Dragon Majin and the Dragon Demons? However, it wasn¡¯t like that in reality.


    Humans go through a extreme amount of change in their limited life span. This mean experience and way of thought could influence a human to either be stronger or weaker. Kairen had witnessed a human possessing exceptional talent suffer a single defeat. Afterwards, the human desperately trained himself, but he worsened as time passed.


    One had to know which path one wanted to take in life. It wasn¡¯t about beingzy or training in a repetitive manner. One had to find the correct method for oneself. It allowed one to work hard and it would stimte oneself.


    Kairen was sure Azell had walked down this path. Kairen had seen numerous geniuses, but Azell was a monster who was beyond hisprehension.


    If Kairen knew of Azell¡¯s identity and what kind of life he had led, he would have understood why Azell was so skilled.


    The Dragon Demon war was an incarnation of hell where it weeded out those who had participated in it. One didn¡¯t survive because one was strong. Being strong was a prerequisite in surviving the war, but one also needed luck.


    Azell had great potential, and he had met many good teachers who had nurtured him. Moreover, he was able to survive, since his potential had been allowed to fully bloom.


    The process of his development couldn¡¯t be assessed with reason and logic. The world had been conquered by evil. The confluence of events was something of a miracle, and it was something no one else could replicate again. In the end, a monster capable of killing the Dragon Demon King Atein had been born.


    Suddenly, Kairen asked a question.


    ¡°What does the sword mean to you?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm? Why are you suddenly asking such a question?¡±


    ¡°Please answer my question.¡±


    ¡°It seems you like to talk from a philosophical point of view. The sword is a lethal weapon used to defeat enemies.¡±


    ¡°Your answer isn¡¯t very heroic.¡±


    ¡°I have never thought aboutposing my thoughts on what the sword means to me. It is a tool I use to achieve my goals.¡±


    This was why Azell didn¡¯t mind his sword breaking. If one used a tool, there was always a chance it¡¯ll break. He didn¡¯t obsess over the ruined tool, rather he focused on how to acquire his next tool.


    Kairen queried.


    ¡°So swordsmanship is just a way for you to kill people?¡±


    ¡°What answer do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°I want an honest answer.¡±


    ¡°Swordsmanship isn¡¯t just a method used to kill people.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    Kairen was puzzled by the unexpected answer. Azell continued speaking.


    ¡°Swordsmanship is a technique that allows me to use the tool named a sword in a proficient manner. I don¡¯t see why I have to always use it with the intent of ¡¯killing¡¯ something. My answer may be innocent, but I have a narrow point of view.¡±


    ¡°Huh huh. Should I say you views are too simplistic?¡±


    ¡°The simple answer is the best. If you want an answer that has a deeper meaning.... It is a game.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a game?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a game where I put my life on the line.¡±


    Azell had be a swordsman since the sword was the strongest and most effective weapon. Moreover, he liked the sword and swordsmanshippared to the other disciplines of martial art.


    He did things that was impossible for others. When he faced opponents, he always found a way toe out on top. He always challenged himself to obtain something that shouldn¡¯t be able to be achieved in such situations....


    ¡°That is what the sword means to me.¡±


    ¡°So, you just like swordsmanship. That¡¯s basically what you are saying. There is a saying: those who are talented can¡¯t beat the hard workers. Moreover, those who work hard can¡¯t ovee those who enjoy what they do.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t a sentiment that I can entirely agree with.¡±


    Azell smirked.


    Kairen was strong. He had lived much longer than a human as a Dragon Demon, and he was passionately addicted to improving his swordsmanship. Kairen¡¯s techniques had reached an astonishing level.


    ¡®If I looked at thepletion of each of his techniques, he is on par with my heydays.¡¯


    At the time of the Dragon Demon war, this was the reason why he learned a diverse amount of techniques. No other Spirit Order practitioner was able to use as many variety of skills with his proficiency.


    Of course, this meant his techniques weren¡¯t asplete as those who stuck to a single technique until it was perfected. However, he was able to chain various skills to optimize the usage of the skills. No one could reach his level of proficiency in this aspect.


    ¡®Well, now... Should I experience his true skill?¡¯


    Kairen, who was using dual swords now, could be considered an entirely different person than the one he faced before. Azell¡¯s heart beat faster in anticipation. He would be able to experience Kairen¡¯s true skills.

 Chapter 52 Guardian Shadows (5).

    <strong>Chapter 52 Guardian Shadows (5).</strong>


    Chapter 52 - Guardian Shadows (5)


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Well... Since I¡¯ve suffered a bit of a loss, I¡¯ll be attacking first.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the duty of a senior to yield the first move?¡±


    ¡°I did so before. Didn¡¯t you turn down my offer?"


    Kairen snorted as he attacked with his right sword.


    Kairen wasn¡¯t nning on making any exploratory moves. This was why his strike was tremendously sharp. However, Azell read the trajectory and reach of the attack beforehand. Thus, he was able to dodge it by the slightest of a margin.


    Moreover, he attacked at the same time as Kairen was pulling back his sword. It was a perfect way to deal with such an attack, but the problem was that Kairen was a dual swords user.


    ¡®Got you.¡¯


    As if he had waited for this moment, Kairen counter-attacked with his left sword. It looked to be a perfect trap. At least, it looked like a perfect trap to Giles and Boar.


    Azell hadn¡¯t forgotten Kairen was using two swords. There were numerous types of sword techniques in existence, and there were a specific type of technique where the left and right hand acted as if it was attached to a different person. The hands moved independently of each other, and they showed ever-changing movements. Kairen was like that.


    Azell had predicted his attack beforehand, so he elerated a beat faster when the right sword was swung towards him.


    Chaeng!


    The sound rang out as sword shed against sword. Surprisingly, it was Kairen who retreated.


    ¡°...I¡¯ve been had.¡±


    Azell purposefully slowed down his speed. When he ran in to parry the right sword, he elerated his speed in an instant. Kairen missed the spot he was aiming for, and Azell dug in towards the inside of his guard.


    He waited for Kairen¡¯s counter-attack and returned a counter-attack of his own. Kairen was barely able to stop his stance from dissolving.


    Kairen was in an ill humor, so he went on the offensive again.


    His dual swords turned like a wound-up clock as he started performing a very precise pattern of attack. It was fast, urate, and shy. There wasn¡¯t much difference between each blow. There were sufficient power behind the two swords, and the two swords worked in perfect unison. Most opponents wouldn¡¯t even be able to untangle the flurry of movements.


    However, Azell surprisingly reacted to such attacks in a natural manner. He moved his sword in the most efficient manner and Kairen¡¯s sword slid off of his sword. Moreover, he moved back and forth to subtly control the distance from the dual swords. It cut off the rhythm of the dual swords being swung at him.


    Che-eng!


    Both of them moved in harmony as if they were dancing. After performing a breathtaking exchange of sword strikes, both of them took a step back. Kairen smiled.


    ¡°You reaction to my attacks are very natural. Have you ever fought against a dual sword techniques?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m quite familiar with it.¡±


    Azell had experience fighting against a very diverse type of dual sword techniques.


    The techniques differed depending on the region one was in, as well as the types of weapons used. It also differed by how talented his opponent was at using dual swords. There were as many difference between dual swordsmen as those who only use one sword. Kairen fell into the most troublesome group of dual swordsmen. He could use both arms freely as if one was fighting against two opponents.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°I heard you had 5 teachers.¡±


    ¡°It seems the princess tattle on me. I¡¯m disappointed.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you also hear all kinds of nder about me? We are even now.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t want to be called a petty man. So I¡¯ll agree that we are even.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh. You heard secret stories from the Dragon Demon Princess. Most of the people of this country would love learning about those stories yet you are acting so hard to get. You should ask this question to any citizen of this country. How much worth does your story havepared to Arrieta¡¯s story?¡±


    ¡®They¡¯ll probably consider mine to be more valuable?¡¯


    In a sh, the thought crossed Azell¡¯s mind. He was, after all, the legendary hero who took down the Dragon Demon King. If he revealed his identity, everyone would drool at the prospect of hearing his story. He could probably gather a legion of people.


    ¡®However, I would probably believe the story of a beautiful girl instead of a weather-worn man.... Mmmm. I would definitely be conflicted if I was asked the same question.¡¯


    As he was thinking seriously about it, Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Did one of your teachers use dual swords?¡±


    ¡°One of them did.¡±


    ¡°Ho-oh.¡±


    ¡°Except he was a different type from you.¡±


    Azell¡¯s third teacher was a dual sword master. He was born in the desert and used two very curved des. He used the two swords to move as one. He wasn¡¯t as dynamic as Kairen, but his teacher¡¯s style was very effective against multiple enemies.


    Kairen asked a question.


    ¡°Then are you able to use dual swords?¡±


    ¡°I can. However, it isn¡¯t my main weapon. I¡¯m the opposite of the Duke.¡±


    ¡°Too bad.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you want to, I can face you using dual swords. This is only a training session.¡±


    ¡°No. It isn¡¯t like that... I¡¯m justmenting the fact that I won¡¯t be able to fight with you using my full capability¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in destroying this fine lodging facility. I don¡¯t want to pay an exorbitant amount for the damage it will cause.¡±


    Currently, the two of them were sparring using only sword techniques. However, their true skills would only emerge if Azell used his Spirit Order techniques and Kairen used his Dragon qi. The moment those factors were applied to the battle, their sword techniques would morph into something entirely different.


    However, this would cause aplete destruction of the lodging facility. No matter how skilled they were, they were fighting with superhuman powers. It was inevitable that they would cause damage to the surrounding.


    Kairen smirked.


    ¡°Well, I want to see your techniques right now. Why not try using your dual sword style? I don¡¯t get a lot of chances to go up against a fellow dual swords wielder.¡±


    ¡°If I want to grant your request... I¡¯ll have to borrow a sword.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t easy to ask another swordsman to borrow his sword. This was why Azell hesitated.


    At that moment, Boar spoke.


    ¡°You can use my sword.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm? Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just treat it as an admission fee for seeing this sparring session. Moreover, my sword is more suitable for your use than Sir Giles¡¯ sword.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for letting me use it.¡±


    Giles¡¯ sword required the use of both hands, as it was a bit on the heavier side. Boar used a shield, so the length and weight of his sword was ideal for one-handed use. Boar thought through all of this, and he decided that his own sword was more suitable for performing the dual sword techniques.


    ¡®It really wouldn¡¯t have mattered.¡¯


    The sword Azell was using right now was akin to Giles¡¯ sword. It would be a problem if it was a great sword that required the use of both hands, but he wasn¡¯t too picky about a sword of this size when he was using his dual sword techniques.


    Kairen spoke in a pleased manner.


    ¡°The road to the capital city got a little bit more enjoyable.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I can clearly see your intention. You just want to pester me.¡±


    ¡°It is the privilege of the old to be able to pester the young.¡±


    ¡°That is why the young hate dealing with the old.¡±


    Azell kept grumbling as he sparred Kairen using his dual sword techniques. It was the same as before. The sparring was fierce and tight. They exchanged blows until they were tired, but they couldn¡¯t decide the victor.


    8


    ¡°He¡¯s a monster.¡±


    After a session of sparring with Azell, Kairen spoke to Arrieta. Arrieta queried.


    ¡°He is good enough to receive such an assessment from teacher?¡±


    In Arrieta¡¯s view, Kairen was the strongest being. No one in the kingdom could hold a candle against Kairen. Kairen had spoken up about someone having a high potential before, but he had never acknowledged someone having skills on par with him.


    ¡°Yes. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen someone like that. I can¡¯t see the limit of his abilities.¡±


    He had thought Arrieta mixed in some exaggeration in her storytelling about Azell. However, he never thought Arrieta was lying to him. He had thought Azell looked better than he was to Arrieta. Kairen had thought Azell possessed skills that made him look better than he really was when fighting his enemies.


    However, he found out Azell was extraordinary when Kairen faced him.


    ¡®His sword techniques.¡¯


    Surprisingly, Azell was better than Kairen at using multidisciplinary sword techniques. In terms of physical ability, Kairen held an overwhelming edge, so if it had been a true fight, he would have eventually won. However, they were fighting only in terms of techniques, and he wasn¡¯t able gain an upper hand over Azell even though he was using his dual sword techniques.


    ¡®Spirit Order.¡¯


    This was also a part of Azell he hadn¡¯t seen yet. However, he caught glimpses of it during his travels, and he had heard the stories from Arrieta as well. He concluded Azell was at a higher level than any Spirit Order practioner Kairen knew.


    ¡®Still, how could his reservoir of magical energy be so poor?¡¯


    This was the part where he had a hard time epting. This was the part which had puzzled Kairen and also Niberis.


    Kairen had heard how Azell was first found, and what condition he was in. However, magical energy didn¡¯t be depleted when one¡¯s body weakened. It might happen for a brief moment, but the Rings of Life always replenished the Energy Pulse.


    Moreover, after a Spirit Order practitioner reaches a certain level, their magical energy increased in an upward curve. He had never heard of someone like Azell, who was extremely unbnced.


    ¡®He said ck magicians performed experiments on him... Hmmm. I¡¯ll have to ask others for their opinionster on.¡¯


    Kairen was knowledgeable about Spirit Order and magic, but he wasn¡¯t an expert in those fields. Kairen put away these questions for now and thought about who he should ask these questions to.


    ¡®He¡¯ll be really scary once his body is built up and he attains enough magical energy. He is a little bit of an upstart, but it isforting to know that he isn¡¯t evil.¡¯


    Azell had been epted by the Guardian Shadows. Moreover, he had observed Azell up until now, and he wasn¡¯t a bad egg. Azell didn¡¯t hesitated to say annoying words to him in front of his face. He actually like Azell¡¯s insolent attitude.


    Arrieta mumbled to herself.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened to him, but how could a being of his caliber show up all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s the part that raises so much questions. Even if we take his words to be true, he would have been captured by the ck magician for several years at most. Even then, he should have made a name for himself by then... We might not know who he is if he is from a different country.¡±


    Kairen had already sent messages to various territories so his underlings could look into Azell¡¯s background. They didn¡¯t have much information to start with, but it was enough to be able to start an investigation.


    Azell Zestringer, hair red as if it was on fire, high rank Spirit Order practitioner, likely to be of the royal blood....


    If his name was made up, then their search was all for naught. Still, there should be some information that could be salvaged. How could such a person be entirely unknown...


    If Azell knew Kairen¡¯s thought, he would haveughed. It was a wild goose chase. At this point in time, no one had an inkling of Azell¡¯s true identity.


    Arrieta asked a question.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a high chance that he is someone from a different country?¡±


    ¡°Probably.¡±


    There were times when magic was used to deliver news, but the speed in which information was spread was still slow. It was possible not to know about a person if he gained his fame in a remote location of a different country. Even if a person was famous in a foreign country, it was still difficult to hear about them.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°I want to meet those, whom he calls teacher.¡±


    ording to Arrieta¡¯s story, two of his teachers were already dead. However, this didn¡¯t guarantee the third was as well. If they were still alive, he really wanted to hear how they brought up such a being.

 Chapter 53 Guardian Shadows (6).

    <strong>Chapter 53 Guardian Shadows (6).</strong>


    Chapter 53 - Guardian Shadows (6)


    9


    ¡°What is a sword....¡±


    Azell leaned against the window frame. He mumbled to himself as he looked up into the night sky.


    He had heard this question numerous times long ago. It was 220 years after the Dragon Demon war had concluded, yet he repeated the question and answer he had discussed previously with his teachers.


    There were 5 people who Azell had considered to be his teachers. They each had their own answer to this question.


    ¡®The sword is a really nice lethal weapon. It allows a small and skinny kid like you to be able to kill an adult. It is a very wicked invention.¡¯


    ¡®Is it fine to let a child like me hold such a thing?¡¯


    ¡®Isn¡¯t it obvious? I¡¯m letting you grasp the sword because you desire to carry out these lethal intentions.¡¯


    ¡®.......¡¯


    His views influenced Azell the most. It was why he thought of weapons strictly as tools. Maybe it was, because he was Azell¡¯s first teacher. Azell had guessed the man was a noble, and he didn¡¯t treat the sword like how a typical mercenary would. His view was unrestricted.


    His second teacher spoke.


    ¡®It is beyond the capability of most people to control their own body perfectly. We are a very poor performing living organism. What a great achievement it would be if one could perfectly control something that isn¡¯t one¡¯s body. What a feat it would be to be able to perfectly control a tool called a sword.¡¯


    He considered a sword, or more precisely weapons, as a means to reach the state of absolute sense. After he lost an arm and an eye, he realized the inborn gift of humans were deficient and he therefore searched for the absolute sense. Amongst all his teacher, his second teacher would be the only one called a true seeker of truth.


    His third teacher spoke.


    ¡®The path of the sword is the only destination for a lost soul like me. Don¡¯t be like me, Azell."


    He was an heir to a fallen kingdom. He had lost everything to the Dragon Demon King¡¯s army. He took revenge on the people directly involved, but he was always felt a sense of futility. In an age of darkness, he was a hero who gave hope to the people like a ray of light. However, he had always been in pain, and he was tormented after he lost everything.


    To him, the sword and the sword techniques were a connection to his destroyed past and memories. His extraordinary sword skills made Dragon Demon King¡¯s soldiers shake in fear. However, he didn¡¯t pursue the sword for its strength or the truth. It was a keepsake of his deceased loved ones. It connected him to the past as his memory gradually became fuzzy during the time of madness.


    His fourth teacher wasn¡¯t a swordsman. No, he didn¡¯t use a weapon in the first ce. He hadn¡¯t even learned any martial arts before he met Azell. He was like wild beast. However, he had an interesting opinion about swords and weapons.


    ¡®It is an item that represents howrge a murderous intent the humans have.¡¯


    ¡®What?¡¯


    ¡®Humans are weak. However, humans have an unbelievablyrge desire to kill those who scare them. Isn¡¯t this the reason why these items were made?¡¯


    ¡®...I guess it could be interpreted that way?¡¯


    ¡®The weak could kill the strong. It is something that happens quite often even in nature. However, it doesn¡¯t happen as often as it does amongst the humans. Weapons and even martial arts were the ultimate result of humans trying to ovee their disadvantage.¡¯


    To his knowledge, his 5th teacher was a swordsman who possessed the most outstanding techniques. He was a crafty man who respected the sword more than anyone.


    ¡®The sword is my life and soul.¡¯


    ¡®That is so old-fashion, old man.¡¯


    ¡®Are you trying to say that new is more right than the old? Young men like you are too frivolous. I¡¯ve devoted my whole life to the sword. It would be funny if my sword didn¡¯t hold that much weight.¡¯


    ¡®.......¡¯


    ¡®From the time when I was a child with no hair to the time my hair had turned white from old age, I focused my everything into the sword. Of course, it is my life and soul.¡¯


    ...They were men who grasped the sword. They bet their lives of the present on the sword. They bet their ideal of tomorrow on the sword. Each of them had their own answers. Azell thought of those times, quietly putting on a smile.


    10


    They were being chased.


    Niberis wasn¡¯t used to situations like this. It was strange that a Dragon Demon King worshipper had never been chased before, but truthfully, she had only moved within the confines of a well-made n. Her underlings had worked hard to gather information, and they had set the stage for her. She had leisurely worked under these conditions.


    She was basically a flower grown indoors. She had extraordinary potential, and she had used it to reach an astonishing level in magic. She couldn¡¯t understand why her organization was so afraid of the world. They possessed such powerful strength yet why did they have to hide while being afraid of the world?


    Of course, the prophecy said they couldn¡¯t show themselves until the the Dragon Demon King returned. If they carelessly made a mistake when facing the humans, they would be swarmed by their troops. Their organization might be destroyed.


    Still, was there a reason why they couldn¡¯t rule from the background? Even if there were people opposing them, couldn¡¯t they squash the antagonists with their power? Would it be so hard to fill the upper society with the Dragon Demon King worshipers?


    Niberis always had a sense of dissatisfaction in her heart, and now she realized she had been wrong.


    ¡°Kook......!¡±


    ¡°Miss. Don¡¯t worry about blocking each blow. Put more effort into running away!¡±


    Duran, who was running beside her, gave the advice.


    There were beings possessing powerful magic following them from the back, and these beings were firing magic blindly. Moreover, there were more than one.


    ¡®If it was one-on-one, I could......!¡¯


    Kwah-kwhang! Kwahng! Kwahhhhhng!


    Consecutive magical attacks exploded in the surrounding, and the sound of the explosions rang out.


    Niberis had summoned her demonic beast of darkness, travelling along at a high speed as if she was sliding across the surface. Just a moment ago, she had tried her flying magic to surge forward, but she had been humiliated by being shot down.


    It was the Dragon Demon Magician Count Michael. He was known as the patron saint of the Eastern Rin Kingdom. Moreover, three of his students and five knights were chasing after Niberis and Duran.


    Duran, Niberis and her otherpanion was moving at twice the speed of a galloping horse. Normally, they would have lost Michael¡¯s party long time ago. Moreover, if they were the only ones tracking them, they wouldn¡¯t have had to put as much effort in escaping as they were doing now.


    The problem was that the beings moved at a frightening speed. These beings were circling their surrounding.


    Shweeeeee......!


    These beings had a white robe over their entire body. They were like ghosts. It was the Guardian Shadows.


    The problem was, they weren¡¯t ghosts. They possessed true bodies. They moved incredibly fast, and they kept disappearing while they attacked, as if they were skipping dimensions.


    Cheng! Too-hahk!


    Duran received an attack from a Guardian Shadow. The Guardian Shadows had taken a transparent phantom-like des out from within his robes. Every time its sword shed with Duran¡¯s sword, a light burst forth.


    That wasn¡¯t the only problem.


    Puh-puhng! Puh-buh-buh-buh-buhng!


    Each Guardian Shadows fought in a differentbat style. Some bastard shot energy arrows, and another one attacked using magic.


    They all had frightening mobility, and they had a variety of ways of attacking. Moreover, they were all powerful. Even Niberis couldn¡¯t bex in her defense. They all seemed to have a screw loose, but at the very least, there were 20 of them in pursuit. Moreover, they worked surprisingly well together. Unlike humans, the Guardian Shadows ran forward without worrying about their lives, so they were very hard to deal with.


    ¡°The Guardian Shadows are really... They are really annoying!¡±


    Michael was leading magicians and Guardian Shadows. If one of the two group was missing, Niberis thought that she could take care of them without much difficulty. However, the two groups working in concert was very troublesome. Her group was at a numerical disadvantage, and the Guardian Shadow¡¯s special nature was terrifying to a magician.


    ¡°Kook!¡±


    Niberis let out an attack towards a Guardian Shadow who was approaching from the side like a ghost. She had put arge barrier over her entire party, yet this bastard used some unknown method to enter within. It looked like wizardry whenever it skipped across space.


    It was at that moment that a Guardian Shadow appeared behind Regina, who had been running beside Niberis.


    ¡°Look out!¡±


    Niberis reacted almost reflexively. The Guardian Shadow attacked the shocked Regina with a beam of light magic.


    Pah-haht!


    ¡°Ahhk......!¡±


    Shey herself open to attack, and Niberis took a magical arrow to her arm. Duran raged when he saw this.


    ¡°Miss! How dare you!¡±


    Sparks flew from the eyes hidden by the helmet.


    They had to run away a long distance, so Duran had been saving his strength. He had been focusing his power on defense and running away. However, at that moment, his magic swirled like raging waves and a shockwave poured out into the surrounding.


    Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah!


    The Guardian Shadows in the surrounding was swept away in a single stroke.


    ¡°I¡¯m... I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Niberis spoke as she calmed her breathing. She wasn¡¯t used to feeling pain. She had always been able to overpower her opponents, so she had rarely felt a threat to her body. The only time she experienced being shaken up was when she had trained her mind.


    This was why she had almost lost it when she was hit by the arrow. Still, she endured by gritting her teeth. Even if she had led a sheltered life, her pride wouldn¡¯t forgive herself if she let her mind be disordered from a mere arrow wound.


    Regina, who had been struck dumb, spoke.


    ¡°T...thank you.¡±


    ¡°...Don¡¯t divert your attention. The moment you let your guard down, you are dead.¡±


    Niberis spoke coldly as she red at Regina. She had given her enemies an opening when she tried to save her underling. The fact that she had been injured was humiliating.


    ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for that man, this would have never urred. The man with the name seeped in sin. I¡¯ll be sure to repay this humiliation.¡¯


    Niberis¡¯ anger towards Azell allowed her to ovee her pain as she continued running away.


    11


    A boy sleeping under the shade of a tree opened his eyes. The teen had sleepy eyes underneath the hat that was pressed down on his head. His age looked to be around 15 or 16?


    ¡°Ah-mmm. What is it?¡±


    The boy looked around his surrounding.


    Hoo-ooh-ooh.......


    The Guardian Shadows slowly moved around as their white robes billowed behind them. The boy was also someone, who had been chosen by the Guardian Shadows.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    The boy asked a question, but the Guardian Shadow didn¡¯t give him an answer. After staring at the boy, it disappeared.


    ¡°Hmmm. Was it sent to protect me?¡±


    The boy tilted his head in puzzlement. He wasn¡¯t upset at the non-answer. He was well-aware that the Guardian Shadows were terrible partners to have a conversation with.


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll go.¡±


    The boy let out a yawn. He stood up, then started to walk.


    After he had been chosen by these beings, he repeatedly experienced things he couldn¡¯t exin. The current situation was a perfect example. No one told him exactly where he should go or when he should be there. He just felt a tug towards a direction, and he had a feeling that he had to travel that way.


    ¡¸Prophecy.......¡¹


    He suddenly heard the voice of a Guardian Shadow from his surrounding. The surprised boy turned to look at the Guardian Shadow.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡¸The prophesied being.......¡¹


    ¡°Are you saying the man of the prophecy has shown up?¡±


    An answer wasn¡¯t forting this time around. The Guardian Shadow had said some ambiguous words, then it shut its mouth.


    However, it had been enough for the boy.


    ¡°Ha. He really came during my lifetime, at a time when the meaning of my life is almost at an end?¡±


    The boy was in nk amazement as he mumbled to himself. Then he walked towards the direction his senses were directing him to.

 Chapter 54 Dragon Demon Prince (1).

    <strong>Chapter 54 Dragon Demon Prince (1).</strong>


    Chapter 54 - Dragon Demon Prince (1)


    1


    Rin Kingdom¡¯s Capital Ruledia.


    In the twilight of the Nadick Empire, this kingdom became an independent country. When Duke Rin became the founder king, he made the Rin castle that he was residing at the time the royal pce. Afterwards, he expanded the capital city, so it would befit the dignity of a king. The city had be much more lively and beautiful as time passed.


    A squad of troops exited the royal pce. There were 20 knights and 3 magicians. Moreover, the group also had 2 healers. Theposition of the party made it unlikely that they were going out for a patrol.


    They left the capital and out in the open for the night. Then, they headed towards their destination.


    The middle-aged veteran knight who was leading the party spoke.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be able to join up with the princess¡¯ party in the afternoon without anyplications.¡±


    ¡°I believe so.¡±


    "Personally, I have great expectation about this meeting. I don¡¯t know why the Dragon Sword Duke hase here, but...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same for me.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t only the knight who had answered. Every one of them shared the sense of anticipation. They weren¡¯t talking about it, but their eyes sparkled when ¡¯Dragon Sword Duke¡¯ was mentioned.


    These men were sent out by the throne to go greet the Dragon Demon Princess Arrieta. When they received news that an unsavory group had tried to kidnap her, they sent out enough manpower to be able to protect her.


    Arrieta wasn¡¯t expecting such a weing party.


    As she was about to arrive at the capital safely, she decided to send a brief exnation on what had happened in recent days. However, from the throne¡¯s perspective, they couldn¡¯t help but be appalled by the news.


    Koo-goo-goo-goo-goong......!


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    The horses ran at anguid pace as the knights conversed with each other. However, their expressions hardened as they heard the sound of an explosion from afar.


    Koo-ooh-ooh-oohng......!


    It wasn¡¯t just one explosion. Consecutive explosions rang out. The veteran knight asked the question.


    ¡°What do you think is going on? Is there a unit that¡¯s training nearby?¡±


    No matter where one went, troops trained with magic. This was why one could asionally hear sounds of explosions in passing.


    The mage replied.


    ¡°Please wait here for a moment.¡±


    He used a Far Seeing Magic. The origin of the explosions was too far away, so it was impossible to get a detailed ount on what was happening. However, one could get the gist of the situation.


    Soon the magician¡¯splexion changed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the army is training right now. The sound ising from the road.¡±


    ¡°Oh no! Is it perhaps the princess¡¯ party?¡±


    Arrieta¡¯s party, whom they were travelling to meet, might be under attack by the enemies again. The veteran knight let out a shout.


    ¡°Everyone run at full speed!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    They galloped at full speed towards where the sound of the explosion had originated. As they were getting closer, the sound of the explosions continued.


    Kwah-kwang......! Kwahng......! Kwahhhhng......!


    One could tell from the sound that a fierce battle was urring. As they approached the location, the magical shock wave from the explosions made their senses tingle.


    ¡®Who is fighting whom?¡¯


    The veteran knight became very anxious. He was a Quadruple Master, but the power of the explosions were something that he couldn¡¯t handle with his power.


    However, when they frantically arrived on the scene, they couldn¡¯t help but be confused.


    ¡°Princess?¡±


    Two people were standing a small distance away from the explosions. One of them was a beautiful girl with white blonde hair and yellow eyes. It was the Dragon Demon Princess Arrieta. Her young maid was by her side, and they were looking at the battle in a rxed manner.


    ¡°Mmm? Aren¡¯t you Sir Veran?¡±


    Arrieta recognized the veteran knight and was puzzled. The veteran knight Veran quickly got off his horse. He was too taken aback, so he forgot about the manners he had to keep towards a royal. He asked her a question.


    "I¡¯m sorry, but what¡¯s going on here?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the question I want to ask you. Why are you guys here?¡±


    ¡°We are here to escort princess¡¯ party to the capital.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Was it because of the message I sent ahead? It seems I caused you trouble for nothing.¡±


    Arrieta couldn¡¯t help, butugh. She had sent her news without putting much thought into it. Of course, this would be the move made by the throne in response.


    Veran carefully asked the question.


    ¡°Princess. What¡¯s.......¡±


    Kwah-kwahng!


    At that moment, the sound of an explosion was heard again. The surprised Veran looked towards where the sound of the explosions had originated.


    He heard Arrieta¡¯s answer from the side.


    ¡°It¡¯s my party members. Sir Azell and Duke Tarantos is in the midst of a sparring session. You aren¡¯t in any danger if you don¡¯t get too close. You don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±


    ¡°They are in the midst of a sparring match?¡±


    Veran asked the question, to which Arrieta nodded her head.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Veran lost the words he was about to say. This was happening within the view of Arrieta. Moreover, the action happening in front of them exceeded anything he could have imagined.


    ¡®That? That¡¯s a sparring session?¡¯


    This was too intense and grandiose to be called a sparring match.


    ¡°You are as slippery as always!¡±


    Kairen yelled with an annoyed voice. At the same time, his dual swords danced fiercely. In a blink of an eye, he had swung his swords over 10 times in mid-air.


    Shwee-shwee-shwee-shwee-shweeek!


    The empty air was shredded, but the person who should be letting out a cry wasn¡¯t there. He was sure he had attacked the real body, but the smirking illusion had disappeared. Then, a dangerous presence appeared from his side.


    Zzuhng!


    Sword shed against sword, and a clear sound rang out. However, thissted only for a moment. The resistance he felt at the tip of his hands disappeared as if it was a lie. Kairen couldn¡¯t help it as his stance faltered. In a sh, a red-colored hair young man named Azell appeared behind him.


    Kairen let out a cry of indignation. He stabbed without even looking backwards.


    ¡°How many time are you going to use the same method!¡±


    ¡°Until it doesn¡¯t work on you.¡±


    ¡°Ook?¡±


    Kairen was taken aback. He was sure he had caught the real body, so he had thrust backwards in an acrobatic move. So why was Azell¡¯s voiceing from the front?


    Then, a sword was ced on Kairen¡¯s throat. Azell spoke with a triumphant air.


    ¡°Hoot. I¡¯ve won today.¡±


    ¡°Shit.¡±


    Kairen¡¯s expression crumpled.


    ¡°I destroyed your threeyered clones. Did you create a 4yered body clone? Are you some kind of a child? You keep adding anotheryer every time I break one? ¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh. You shouldn¡¯tin after losing in that fashion. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t a 4yered body clone. You are very far from the right answer.¡±


    ¡°What? Then what the hell did you do?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it is a secret. You should think about it ande up with your own answer. Maybe if you win next time, I¡¯ll tell you. With this match, I¡¯m up 3 victories on you. I¡¯m going to collect a fat reward when I get to the capital city.¡±


    Azell whistled as he sheathed his sword.


    After the first sparring match of the sword, Kairen and Azell sparred everyday on the road to the capital. They had even started using the Dragon Demon qi and Spirit Order.


    Of course, this was a sparring session, so they set various parameters beforehand. Still, the aftermath was quite scary. This was why they only sparred with simple swordsmanship near a town. They also agreed not to use techniques that would cause too much damage to the surrounding.


    Currently, Azell¡¯s record was 7 win, 4 loss, and 2 tie. He was ahead by 3 wins. Kairen sheathed his dual swords while grumbling.


    ¡°My reputation as the Dragon Sword Duke has taken a huge hit. Of course, no one would believe it even if you told them you won.¡±


    ¡°I guess so.¡±


    Azell smiled as he thought inside.


    ¡®My friends would have never believed it if I told them I had lost 4 times.¡¯


    Even if Azell was in his weakened condition, this was a great aplishment for Kairen. Moreover, Azell couldn¡¯t get smug about being ahead of him. In terms of pure swordsmanship, he held the edge. However, once they started using their true powers, it was hard for Azell to ovee the difference in strength. He achieved victory today by using all the various tricks he had hidden up until now.


    ¡®If this was a real battle... Mmm. I would give the current me the odds of 3 to 7 in his favor.¡¯


    Azell made a cold assessment regarding the difference in battle capability between him and Kairen. This showed how highly he regarded Kairen.


    Azell became overly chatty.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t care if they don¡¯t believe it. It isn¡¯t as if I¡¯m doing this so the Duke loses face.¡±


    ¡°You little shitheel.¡±


    The two of them sparred after they agreed to a bet. They mutually agreed that one would grant a request if the other won. The request had to be within reason. Veran and the knights were all appalled, their mouth open as if their jaws would be dislocated.


    ¡°Hmmm. Did youe from the throne? I¡¯m Duke Tarantos. Kairen Taratos.¡±


    ¡°I...it is an honor to be able to meet you, Dragon Sword Duke.¡±


    Veran was barely able to collect his thoughts, then he gave his greetings.


    2


    After joining up with the escort sent by the throne, it took the party 4 days to arrive at the capital Ruledia.


    The capital couldn¡¯t bepared to the other cities. It was muchrger in size and quite grand. Azell was a bit impressed.


    ¡®The size wasn¡¯tparable, but the exterior appearance of the city was about as good or better than the old cities.¡¯


    Before Azell went to sleep, the Nadick Empire had almost unified the continent under the great empire. Moreover, they had been quite meticulous in making the capital to have a dignified appearance. It had been quite a striking city.


    Moreover, he realized this city was muchrger than the cities he had seen before. He couldn¡¯t help but enjoy himself as he looked at the lively city. The thing he liked the most was all the people were overflowing with energy.


    ¡®I bet the Nadick Empire would have be like this after I went to sleep.¡¯


    After the Dragon Demon war ended, a deep scar had been left behind. Azell remembered the people. They had gained a hope for the future, but the majority of the people had struggled to live on.


    The party received nces from the residents of the capital city. Moreover, people shouted from joy at the sight of Arrieta.


    ¡°Arrieta! Arrieta!¡±


    ¡°The Kingdom¡¯s Valiant Flower!¡±


    Embarrassing praises were thrown at her from the surrounding. It didn¡¯t matter if the person was male or female, old or young. He found out that she was a universally loved existence.


    Azell slyly asked her a question.


    ¡°...so this is the reason why you dressed up?¡±


    ¡°If I walked around the capital with a shabby appearance, it would basically stain the throne¡¯s reputation. It is annoying, but I have to endure it.¡±


    Truthfully, they could have arrived at the capital yesterday night. However, Arrieta insisted on staying at a town a bit off from the capital. She had dyed her schedule, and when she came down from her room in the morning, she had dolled herself up. She said she had the duty to show the people that greeted her a beautiful appearance.


    Azell asked her a question.


    ¡°Jeez. What would you have done if you didn¡¯t have Ms. Enora?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm. Well.......¡±


    When she set off to visit the Western border guards, Arrieta had insisted on leaving behind Enora. However, she had lost to Enora¡¯s tenaciousness. As they travelled, Enora had found out Arrieta was terrible at dressing herself.


    Arrieta let out a bitterugh.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have been put in a tough spot, but I¡¯m sure it would have all worked out.¡±


    ¡°...I don¡¯t think it would have worked out.......¡±


    ¡°If it hadn¡¯t work out in the end, I could have borrowed a maid from a noble nearby. I¡¯m not as hopeless as you think.¡±


    Arrieta started justifying herself.


    Azell looked at Enora. She didn¡¯t say anything, but she had put strength into her shoulders as she preened.


    ¡°I guess being a maid to the royal family is quite the achievement, Ms Enora.¡±


    ¡°Of course. It isn¡¯t something anyone can be. Do you see me a little bit differently now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always thought Ms. Enora was amazing. Haven¡¯t you realized that yet?¡±


    ¡°Oh my. You are almostparable to a veteran knight at speaking ttery.¡±


    Even if she spoke that way, he could tell Enora liked his ttery.


    Arrieta returned with a dignified appearance, and it notified the people of the capital that she had returned safely. When the people heard that she was returning, they had vacated a part of their schedule and were ready to greet her.


    As they were on their way to receive an audience from the monarch, Azell asked Giles a question.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Sir Giles?¡±


    ¡°Ooh. Mmmm?¡±


    ¡°You are acting uptight like a new recruit given his first assignment.¡±


    ¡°...Am I really acting that way?¡±


    As a soldier, it was a metaphor that truly appealed to him. Azell spoke.


    ¡°Yes, you are. Why?¡±


    ¡°Ah. That¡¯s... I can¡¯t help but be nervous when I think about the fact that I¡¯ll have to meet his majesty.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a normal response. If anything, Sir Azell is the weird one. Howe you are so unaffected?


    Boar asked the question. He was part of the Royal Knights, so he had experienced meeting with the monarch. However, when Boar met the monarch for the first time, he had been more rigid than the current Giles. In contrast, Azell waspletely rxed.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Mmm. I don¡¯t know. It is a great honor to have an audience with a monarch, but we aren¡¯t the leading characters. We just have to stay next to the princess. After standing still, we¡¯ll just withdraw.¡±


    ¡°I guess so... Still, I can¡¯t help it.¡±


    ¡°Well, Sir Azell acted this way even when you met the princess and the duke. I¡¯m not sure whether you are daring or fearless.¡±


    Giles let out a bitterugh.

 Chapter 55 Dragon Demon Prince (2).

    <strong>Chapter 55 Dragon Demon Prince (2).</strong>


    Chapter 55 - Dragon Demon Prince (2)


    Soon, the party was granted an audience with the king alongside Arrieta and Kairen. As Azell had said before, they didn¡¯t have to do anything. It was a formal asion to announce Arrieta and Kairen¡¯s return to the capital. Arietta and Kairen gave a report on the important events that had happened up until now. Everyone else just held their head down and knelt. After awhile, they exited. That was all they did for the entire audience.


    Giles made an expression as if he had just survived a life and death situation.


    ¡°Whew. It¡¯s finally ended.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that big of a deal. What will you do if you get promotedter on?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm. A promotion.......¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to excuse myself for now.¡±


    Boar was a member of the Royal Knights so he had to go report on what had happened on the return trip.


    Boar spoke to the two men.


    ¡°I¡¯ll contact you guys when I get off work. If you don¡¯t mind, why don¡¯t youe to my house tonight?¡±


    The Marquis Zilred¡¯s domain was far from here, but as a noble, he naturally had an estate in the capital. Moreover, Marquis Zilred was from a prestigious family, so the extravagant estate was located near the center of the capital.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Ah. I¡¯m thankful for the invite, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be possible today.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the Princess and the Duke will let go of me.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s true. Sir Azell is quite popr with those two.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t particrly want to be popr with them.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell yourself that lie while watching yourself in a mirror? Please be sure to contact me when you escape from their grasp. I¡¯ll most definitely give you an invite.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do so.¡±


    ¡°Sir Giles... Mmmmm. What about you? Do you have any older rtives you have to give greetings to?¡±


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t have to do that. I¡¯ll dly ept the invitation.¡±


    Viscount Vince¡¯s family wasn¡¯t really well-known, and not many of their blood-rtions worked for the throne. This was why Giles had nned on looking for a suitable inn he could lodge in for his stay at the capital.


    ¡°All right, Sir Azell. You have to contact meter.¡±


    ¡°Ah, all right. You are inviting another guy, so why are you being so persistent...¡±


    ¡°I get the impression you are the kind of man, who will suddenly disappear if I turn my back on you. That is why I¡¯m trying to nail you down...¡±


    ¡°Do I look that cold-hearted?¡±


    At Azell¡¯s question, Giles and Boar looked at each other and nodded their head as if Azell had said something very obvious. Azell was slightly wounded.


    ¡°Jeez. All right. I¡¯ll most definitely contact you so don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try putting some faith in you.¡±


    Boar grinned, then left his seat. Azell also grinned as he looked at Boar¡¯s retreating back.


    Giles asked in puzzlement.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. I was just thinking Sir Boar has changed a lot. When I think about how he was at the start of the trip, his actions right now is almost unimaginable.¡±


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s true.¡±


    Giles snickered. He would have never thought a person could change so dramatically.


    At that moment, Enora was walking towards them from the opposite corridor.


    ¡°Sir Azell and Sir Giles. Do the two of you have a ce to stay in the capital?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any firm ns right now.¡±


    ¡°I see. The princess has arranged for a ce where the two of you could stay....¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Giles showed some signs of relief. Truthfully, he didn¡¯t have much disposable ie, so he had been worried about the cost of lodging in the capital. It would have taken arge share of his money.


    The two of them headed towards Arrieta¡¯s royal vi. In ordance to Arrieta, a guest room had been prepared for Azell.


    It was basically a detached pce inside the royal pce. It was a guest ¡¯room¡¯, but it was a far cry from what a normal person thought of as a ¡¯room¡¯. It was as spacious as arge house, and the interior was as luxurious as royal pce.


    However, Azell wasn¡¯t surprised when he saw the room.


    ¡°As expected of a pce, it is quite gaudy.¡±


    That was all the words of admiration he spoke.


    Giles was bbergasted.


    ¡°I really am curious on what kind of life you lead in the past. Everything here is so dazzling...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also curious. Well, didn¡¯t princess and Ms Enora say I was of noble birth? Maybe that¡¯s why.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve regained some more memories?¡±


    ¡°One or two... I would be doing a task when my memories would ovep with the present. My identity always eludes me, but various experiences from my past appears in my mind. I do believe I was part of a well-off noble family.¡±


    Ever since they had been travelling in the same party, it had been getting harder and harder to believe Azell¡¯s words regarding his memory loss. He was unbelievably strong, and he was hiding too many secrets. There were a lot of holes to his story, but they couldn¡¯t outright call him a liar. They were in an uncertain situation where they couldn¡¯t press him for answers.


    ¡®Above all else, he was too self assured.¡¯


    If Azell was trying to fool them, he would be more careful. He didn¡¯t disy such an attitude. He acted as if he didn¡¯t care if others believed him or not. This made people trust his story.


    Moreover, Giles and numerous witnesses were present when they first found him. Azell had been in such a rough state that it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if he had somesting traumas.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°However, I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m not of this country.¡±


    ¡°Why do you say so?¡±


    ¡°There were too many unfamiliar sights as we wereing here. The appearance of the streets, the customs and manners... If I could recall all of those, I would probably be a noble of this country. Still, I have no idea why I was in the forest.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.......¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite fortunate you speak the samenguage as us.¡±


    Truthfully, that was the point he was most impressed about after waking up in this time period.


    If hepared the the current spoken and writtennguage to the ones before he went to sleep, they were almost identical.


    He could somewhat believe it for the written words, but themon speech hadn¡¯t changed either in 200 years. How incredible was that?


    At the time, the Nadick empire used thenguage of Babel. Rin kingdom and the other 7 countries that broke off from the Nadick empire was still using thatnguage. There was minor changes in vocabry and speech, but the framework of thenguage was still the same. It felt as if he was hearing a dialect of thenguage.


    ¡°I¡¯ll thank the legend of the Babel. It is unknown whether the legend is true, and I would have never thought there woulde a day when I would give thanks to it.¡±


    Even during the days of the Nadick Empire, the story of Babel wasn¡¯t written down in the history books. It was a story passed down through the ages.


    There used to be a lot ofnguages in existence in the past. Even though the Nadick empire had been very close to uniting the whole continent, thends outside their territory had their ownnguage and culture.


    However, in the far distant past, the world had countless morenguages inparison. Even by crossing a single mountain, the spokennguage would change. Thenguage divide lead to many conflicts and death.


    The great immemorial mages of the past found this situation to be regrettable. They all gathered in one ce to cast a massive magical ceremony, and it was named the ¡¯Babel¡¯. They erected arge tower that rose high into the sky, and they gathered all thenguages from the consciousness of people. After gathering as many as they could, they created amonnguage that would express the intent of all the people. This was thenguage of Babel.


    When thenguage was born through this highest order of magic, every single person on the continent knew thenguage. Then it had been passed down the the ages, and the framework of thenguage had never changed. Some of the lexicons changed, but it allowed people to speak to others without a hitch.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll rest a little bit until the princess calls me. Since we probably can¡¯t wander around this ce, would you like to have a chess match?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm. I¡¯m a pretty poor yer.¡±


    ¡°You should build up your skills up to a certain point. It is an indication of refinement for a noble.¡±


    ¡°Those words really don¡¯t suit you.¡±


    Giles couldn¡¯t help but smirk.


    3


    In the end, Arrieta hadn¡¯t called for Azell on the day they arrived at the capital. After her return, he had a lot of reports to make, and she had been dragged around to make appearances at various locations. Before she knew it, the day hade to an end.


    After receiving Arrieta¡¯s message of apology, Giles followed Boar to his house when he got off work. Azell was the only one left.


    Arrieta had assigned servants and maids to him. After eating the dinner they brought, Azell was vacantly staring up at the ceiling.


    ¡°I should have asked for permission to enter the library.¡±


    The royal pce¡¯s library probably had a lot of books. While he was staying here, he wanted to read up on all the history books to his heart¡¯s content.


    Azell was lying atop a bed that was big enough to jump around in. He had thrown his body atop it, and he was looking at the ceiling of the bed. It really fit in with the image of a bed that should be inside the royal apartments. Each corner of the bed had a post, and a fabric with fancy patterns was ce above to make a canopy.


    ¡°Rxing like this isn¡¯t too bad...¡±


    Now that he thought about it, it had been a while since he had the opportunity to do nothing.


    It had been only a month since he had woken up from the ruins of the Bn Forest, but that month had been really hectic. He had experienced several battles. On the inside, he had been always been on edge as he tried to hone himself once again.


    ¡®It¡¯s true even if I included the time before my sleep.¡¯


    After the Dragon Demon war had ended, he hadn¡¯t had a true rest afterwards. He was too busy taking care of the postwar events, and the Dragon Demon King¡¯s curse had been eating away at his life.


    This was why he didn¡¯t mind spending his time doing nothing right now.


    He was nning on spending the rest of the day staring nkly at nothing when it happened.


    Ddok ddok.


    He heard a knock on his door. Azell signaled for the maid toe in. After she entered, she spoke to him.


    ¡°Sir Azell. Someone important is here looking for you.¡±


    ¡°Someone important?¡±


    Azell was puzzled. Arrieta had already said she won¡¯t be able to see him tonight. Was it a message from Kairen? However, the maid should already know Azell had traveled in the same party as Kairen, so it was strange for her to use the term ¡®someone important¡¯...


    Azell pointed at his head as he spoke.


    ¡°Mmmm. May I ask for some help in tidying myself?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The maid understood what he was asking for. She approached him, and she brushed his tangled hair. Then she helped him straighten his clothes.


    Azell knew how the world of the nobles worked, and he knew he was an outsider. Normally, even if the maid had offered to help him, he would have feigned ignorance of not knowing what she was offering, and it would have probably lead to irritating his maid. However, Azell had be the guest of the throne, so he had to think about Arrieta¡¯s reputation. He knew he needed to act with more prudence.


    ¡®This is why they keep saying I act like a noble.¡¯


    As he was installed into the role of Duke Karzark, he was taught about manners until he became dry and worn away. It had been seeped into his bones. Azell stepped out of his bedroom with a bitter smile on his face.


    Then his eyes widened when he saw the young man drinking tea in front of the table.


    ¡®Uh?¡¯


    This was the first time Azell had seen this young man, but he knew who this was at a nce.


    The young man had wavy yet tidy white hair. He possessed golden eyes and his ears were slightly pointed. There was a sharp and bluish-white feather-like horn above his left ear...


    ¡®Dragon Demon Prince Seigar Weil Rin.¡¯


    The young man looked very alike to Arrieta. He was two years younger than Arrieta, yet he looked at Azell with a cold elegance flowing across his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for showing up announced sote into the night. Are you Sir Azell, the man who was knighted by my sister?¡±


    ¡°Yes, prince.¡±


    ¡°I told the maid not to tell you my identity, but it seems you recognized who I was. Of course, it should have been expected, since you spent a good amount of time with my sister.¡±


    The young man didn¡¯t show any signs of being surprised. The Dragon Demon Prince was used to others knowing his identity, and he was well aware his appearance was simr to Arrieta.


    ¡°I¡¯ll formally introduce myself. I am the first son of the Rin Kingdom. I am called the Dragon Demon Prince Seigar Weil Rin.¡±


    ¡°Knight Azell Zestringer gives his greetings.¡±


    Azell gave his greetings in a courtly manner. When Seigar saw this, he looked over Azell conspicuously.


    ¡°I heard you were an unknown countryman until my sister gave you the title of knight, but it seems those rumors were wrong. If she had told me you were from a noble family, I would have believed it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Please sit. You might think me strange for saying this, since I came here looking for you.¡±


    The young man was only 15 but he carried himself like a royal. He didn¡¯t show any awkwardness when speaking informally to an older person, who was beneath him in station. Moreover, he didn¡¯t give the vibe that he was looking down on others. He acted the way he did because it was befitting his station. It came naturally to him.


    When Azell sat across him, Seigar spoke.


    ¡°I came here, because I wanted to see you.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±

 Chapter 56 Dragon Demon Prince (3).

    <strong>Chapter 56 Dragon Demon Prince (3).</strong>


    Chapter 56 - Dragon Demon Prince (3)


    "Yes. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen my sister and teacher speak so passionately about someone.¡±


    It seemed after returning to the pce, she had talked about Azell in the presence of her family.


    Seigar spoke.


    ¡°Also, I wanted to thank you.¡±


    ¡°Thank me for what?¡±


    ¡°I heard my sister wouldn¡¯t have been safe if it weren¡¯t for you. Thank you for protecting my sister, sir Azell.¡±


    He had a cold expression but his words were sincere. Azell spoke.


    ¡°No. I just did what I had to do.¡±


    ¡°There aren¡¯t a lot of people in this world who would have done the same. My elder sister is strong. She is a woman, but she carries the burden of fighting by herself to raise the throne¡¯s reputation. She¡¯s always pushing herself to the limit yet we keep asking her for more.... I would like her to think a little bit about her own happiness.¡±


    Seigar spoke after he let out a sigh.


    ¡°Sir Azell. I¡¯ve heard your skills are outstanding. Do you have any thoughts about being one of my knights? You won¡¯t be disappointed by the remuneration I will give you.¡±


    ¡°You have such a high opinion of me even though this is the first time you have seen me. I¡¯m thankful. However, I have some unfinished businesses that will require me to travel. I won¡¯t be able to ept your offer. I apologize.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I heard my sister knighted you. Are you perhaps thinking about working under my elder sister?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Is what my elder sister said was true? You have no ambitions towards being promoted?¡±


    ¡°That is true at least for right now. There is something I have to do first...¡±


    ¡°I heard you¡¯ve gone through some difficulties that are hard to exin. I won¡¯t ask you any further questions. However, it¡¯s too bad. I¡¯ve only recently started my activities, so I need a lot of men with skills..¡±


    ¡°Even if it isn¡¯t me, doesn¡¯t the prince have a lot of talented prospects within your service?¡±


    ¡°The throne always lends me men, but it isn¡¯t enough. I need a lot of men who will work directly under me. Unfortunately, there aren¡¯t many men like that. The veterans are already entrenched in their positions, and it would create some friction if I just take people as I like. So in the end, I have to look for men who have potential, yet they mustn¡¯t hold any high positions. It isn¡¯t easy.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    He spoke about a topic that didn¡¯t suit a young man. However, he had grown up as a royal, so he knew the meaning of his work. Moreover, he could urately pinpoint what issues were causing problems when dealing with people.


    ¡°My elder sister is experiencing simr troubles... Unfortunately, she also doesn¡¯t n on increasing her immediate staff. We need to aggressively find people that could assist my elder sister, but she doesn¡¯t like others sacrificing themselves for her. This is why she jumps into danger and overworks herself. I want to lessen the burden of my elder sister. This is why I need talented people.¡±


    Seigar wanted his activities to lessen the burden on Arrieta. This was why he hade here to poach Azell.......


    ¡®He is assuredly a strange human, but.......¡¯


    As Arrieta and Kairen noticed, Seigar also felt a faint sense of Dragon Demon Magic. However, it was very subduedpared to the Dragon Demons or the Dragon Majins. It was an oddity. That was all he thought it was.


    ¡®It seems my elder sister and master exaggerated their story a little bit.¡¯


    If he ignored the scent of Dragon Demon magic from him, Azell¡¯s magical energy wasn¡¯t that great. This made it impossible for Seigar to think of Azell as a strong person, since this was their first meeting. Even if he was a strong person hiding his magical waves, he would be able to sense whether the person was hiding a powerful strength or not.


    Seigar didn¡¯t trust other¡¯s evaluation of people. He was satisfied only after he checked the person himself.


    There was already a lot of stories going around about Azell. Arrieta had mentioned him, and the royal knights who went out to escort Arrieta was making a fuss after they witnessed the sparring match between Azell and Kairen. However, now that he had met Azell, Seigar determined that the stories about Azell had been exaggerated.


    ¡®Well, he is only a human. I put too high of an expectation on him.¡¯


    Seigar reaffirmed to himself the fact that he was strong. If he excluded his master Kairen, there weren¡¯t that many, who exceeded him.


    This wasn¡¯t a simple childish assessment from a young man. It was an opinion supported by his experience in actual battle. He had his first live battle experience this year, and he had participated in two more battles after that. He had overwhelmed his foes.


    After being trained by Kairen, he had faced off against a lot of humans. However, he had nevere across one that he considered to be really strong. Even the royal knight, who was called the strongest swordsman, couldn¡¯t do much against Seigar. Without realizing it, Segiar formed the opinion that humans could be outstanding in terms of techniques, but they won¡¯t be able to touch him in terms of overall battle ability.


    ¡°Ah. I don¡¯t n on thanking you with only words on saving my sister. Do you want anything? If you don¡¯t have anything particr in mind, I can give you riches as a reward.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. What if... Could you make it so that I¡¯ll be able to enter the pce¡¯s library?¡±


    ¡°The Royal Library?¡±


    Seigar was puzzled. This was a request he had never expected.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Yes. I want to see the books in there. I would be thankful if I was given full ess.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be too hard. I¡¯ll put in a word. Just in case, I¡¯ll ask them to give you an admission pass."


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll excuse myself now. This conversation was enjoyable.¡±


    ¡°Please take care on your way back.¡±


    After receiving his respects from Azell, Seigar joined the servants waiting for him outside to leave.


    Azell mumbled to himself.


    ¡°It seems my stay in the pce will be annoying... Mmmm.¡±


    4


    His prediction was spot on.


    Azell ced a hand on his head the next day when he received a mountainous pile of invitations and presents.


    ¡°Aigo. My god.¡±


    The noble society was always like this. Their main source of amusement was their interest in people and their social life. This was especially true in capital. There were too many of their peers gathered in a single ce. This meant cultural and fashion changes happened up-to-the-minute here.


    If they saw someone eye-catching, the nobles wouldn¡¯t leave that person alone.


    The Dragon Demon Princess had never knighted anyone before him. Moreover, she hadn¡¯t required him to take the oath of loyalty. This had surprised everyone.


    Moreover, they had heard from his travelpanions that he had shone brightly when facing the Dragon Demon King worshippers, who had targeted Arrieta. Even the Dragon Sword Duke, who was called the living legend, gave himpliments. On top of that, Sir Veran had gone to escort the princess, and he swore he saw Azell fighting on par with the Dragon Sword Duke in their sparring match.


    The story started to spread. The nobles were very sensitive to rumors, and their eyes sparkled at the chance to see someone interesting. Of course, the nobles would show interest in Azell.


    ¡°Wow. I envy you.¡±


    Enora hade to invite Azell to lunch, and her eyes were sparkling. Azell replied in an apathetic manner.


    ¡°What¡¯s so good about this?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve be the star of the social circles overnight. Everyone is sending you invitations and presents. As a nobledy, it is a dream-like scenario.¡±


    ¡°...Since I¡¯m not a nobledy, this isn¡¯t weed.¡±


    Well, it wasn¡¯t as if he hadn¡¯t experienced this before. Maybe, that was why he wasn¡¯t excited about it. Before he was put to sleep, every noble had shown interest, respect, and affection towards him. Even the members of the royal family begged for some face time. They even begged for him to teach them martial arts.


    ¡°Moreover, the presents are a little bit... Do you want this perfume, Ms. Enora?¡±


    Amongst the present he received, there were perfumes, scarves, and silver jewelries. A lot of them were meant for female use. Enora¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t need these items. Also, if you want anything else here, you can have it.¡±


    It hadn¡¯t even cross Azell¡¯s mind to return these presents.


    From the perspective of a normal person, the presents sent along with the invitations were very expensive items. From the perspective of the nobles, it was something they sent out of formality to keep up appearances. If one returned the presents, because of the expensive price tag, it would be considered rude. The only time he would be able to turn down a gift was if the item was more expensive than all of these presentsbined.


    Also, this couldn¡¯t be seen as an unnecessary favor. Azell would need clothes befitting the noble society. From the perspective of nobles, they didn¡¯t want the person they invite to embarrass themselves by dressing informally. This was why they even sent items for female use.


    Enora was smiling with joy.


    ¡°Wow. You seem to be a really good person, Sir Azell!!¡±


    ¡°...By looking at the timing of your words, you make it seem like I was a really bad person in the past.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about this? If you n on epting the invitations, you will need these stuff. If you don¡¯t have a femalepanion to go to these events, I can introduce you to some of my Unnis that I know...¡±


    All the pce maids were of noble birth. This was why they were all eager for a chance to make their debut in high society. Everyone would love for the chance to escort an emerging character in Azell.


    Azell clicked his tongue.


    ¡°A youngdy shouldn¡¯t speak such words. I have no interest in them.¡±


    ¡°The pce maids have an appearance standard they have to pass, so they are all beauties. They also know how to carry themselves, since they are of noble birth. You still aren¡¯t interested?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Enora. Are you perhaps trying to sneakily paint yourself as a beauty?¡±


    ¡°Oh my. Are you denying it?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Enora is more cute than beautiful.¡±


    ¡°If you talk like that, you won¡¯t be popr with the women, Sir Azell.¡±


    Azell couldn¡¯t help butugh when he saw Enora put on a sullen expression. Then, he spoke.


    ¡°Anyways, I¡¯m thankful for the offer, but I will have to decline. I¡¯m not nning on epting any invitations.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you serious?¡±


    Enora asked as if she couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing.


    This was a chance of a lifetime for Azell who had been recently knighted. Even if one was a skilled martial artist, it was hard to advance through the ranks without any background. That is why he needed to make his face known to the nobles. It was a precious opportunity where he would be able to build personal connections with those in high society.


    She was young, but Enora had worked for the throne. She understood how things worked here. She couldn¡¯t help, but think Azell was being naive on how the world works.


    ¡°Please think about it one more time, Sir Azell. You won¡¯t be able to get this kind of opportunity even if you tried in the future. If you don¡¯t capitalize on this opportunity, it won¡¯t matter how many meritorious deed you do in the future. You¡¯ll end up running around endlessly in a circle.¡±


    ¡°...Wow, Ms Enora. I¡¯m a little bit impressed right now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°No, you really sounded like an adult, who had gone through all sorts of hardships.¡±


    ¡°Please be serious when I¡¯m talking about a serious topic.¡±


    Enora¡¯s pouted once again. Azellughed.


    ¡°It¡¯s apliment. Ms Enora is a noble, but you grew up in the country. You are still young, yet you understand how the noble society works in the capital. It¡¯s very surprising. Moreover, you¡¯ve only been a royal maid for less than a year. Ms. Enora is very smart. Of course, you wouldn¡¯t have be the princess¡¯ personal maid unless you were very smart and perceptive.¡±


    ¡°Jeez. You are making me blush with all the praises you are giving me.¡±


    Azell¡¯s list of innocent praises made Enora¡¯s face turn red.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I know what you are worried about. However, I don¡¯t want to be sessful through that method. At the very least, I want some freedom for awhile. I don¡¯t want go head first into troublesome businesses.¡±


    ¡°Ha-ah. Sir Azell is too weird.¡±


    ¡°Well, as a royal maid, Ms. Enora would see it that way. Anyways, hurry up and pick what you want. The princess is probably waiting for us.¡±


    Soon, Enora had picked a mountainous pile of female items, and she exited Azell¡¯s room in delight.

 Chapter 57 Dragon Demon Prince (4).

    <strong>Chapter 57 Dragon Demon Prince (4).</strong>


    Chapter 57 - Dragon Demon Prince (4)


    5


    They were reunited after only a day, but Arrieta lookedpletely different from the appearance Azell had known. She really looked like a princess in her feminine clothes. She had her hair up and was swearing a silver circlet with a gem embedded in it. She wore a white dress with silver and light blue trimmings. She was breathtakingly beautiful.


    Azell spoke after he stared at her absent-mindedly for a brief moment.


    ¡°...I¡¯m surprised.¡±


    ¡°Mmm? About what??¡±


    ¡°For a brief moment, I thought you were a different person.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize that this was such an unttering dress. I suffered through 2 hours to wear all of this.¡±


    Arrieta tossed a joke toward him. However, the fact that she had suffered through 2 hours was the absolute truth.


    Azell queried.


    ¡°Do you always wear those kinds of clothes inside the pce?¡±


    ¡°No way. I¡¯ve worn morefortable clothes than the ones I wore on the road. For two hours, I¡¯ve been the subject of my two maids ying doll. I would never do this everyday. It¡¯s been awhile since his majesty has asked me to breakfast. Moreover, he¡¯ll probably have various people gathered there so I have no choice in this matter.¡±


    Yesterday, Arrieta went through the trouble of dressing up, but her appearance had been an extension of what he saw during the trip. It was an outfit which allowed her to pull out and use her sword at any time.


    Today Arrieta was perfectly dolled up as ady of the royal family.


    The maids disyed their skills over two hours, and it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to call the result a work of art.


    Azell grinned.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯m lucky today.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are. This isn¡¯t something you can see everyday.¡±


    Arrieta spoke as she lifted the tea cup that had been filled by Enora. After she savored the scent of the tea, she asked her question.


    ¡°So your poprity exploded in just one day?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I have a mountainous pile of invitations.¡±


    ¡°The nobles of the capital have nothing better to do than whisper entertaining rumors. It can¡¯t be helped. I bet it¡¯s annoying for you.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Princess knows me well unlike Ms. Enora.¡±


    ¡°What did Enora say?¡±


    ¡°She informed me how the noble society works like an adult.¡±


    Azell told her what had happened, to which Arrietaughed.


    ¡°I see. Well, if you were someone capable of thinking in such a way, it would have been the right advice. The opportunity to showcase one¡¯s ability is quite precious for someone without a background. Enora¡¯s advice is correct.¡±


    Enora¡¯s face became red at those words. Arrieta enjoyed seeing Enora¡¯s expression, but she let out a bitterugh when she looked at Azell.


    ¡°However, no matter how I look at you, you aren¡¯t someone who is driven by promotion of rank.¡±


    ¡°If I was, I would have already given my pledge of loyalty to princess.¡±


    ¡°Hoo hoo. Well, if you want it, I can still give you a pretty decent position.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to decline.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad. So I heard you received a recruitment offer from Seigar?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Seigar is greedy about gathering talented people. When he heard about you from me and teacher, I assumed he would go looking for you. Did he bother you much?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. He cleanly backed off after I declined him once.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? How unexpected. Ah, you might receive a simr offer from my teacher soon. He¡¯ll try to scout you to the Duchy of Tarantos instead of recruiting you for the throne.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll also decline that offer.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you should do that. Or else I¡¯ll be very miffed.¡±


    ¡°However, I do n on visiting the Duchy of Tarantos.¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    Arrieta was puzzled. She couldn¡¯t fathom why Azell would want to go to the Duchy of Tarantos.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I have to go collect on the bet I won from the duke.¡±


    ¡°Now that I think about it, you are 3 wins ahead of him. You¡¯ll have to ask for somethingparable. What are you going to ask for? I¡¯m guessing it isn¡¯t money.¡±


    ¡°I have something in mind. Moreover, that is the reason why I have a favor to ask of you.¡±


    ¡°To me?¡±


    Arrieta tilted her head.


    6


    After Azell started staying at the pce, spending most of his time at the pce¡¯s library. He had a chance to visit a ce with so many books. He knew this was a precious opportunity, so he wanted to gather as much information as he could.


    The pce library held about 6 thousand books that he was able to view. It was a huge task to even determine which book to read. There was enough books here to overwhelm his senses.


    The Nadick Empire¡¯s library he had visited before he went to sleep was of a simr size.


    It was the same now as the time before he went to sleep, the method of printing hadn¡¯t progressed much. One had to transcribe all the books by hand. Fortunately, there was a magic that would allow a single person to transcribe and produce several books at a time, but the books didn¡¯t really circte into the public. Even a noble with a passion for books only had several dozen in their collection.


    This was why he couldn¡¯t help but be surprised at seeing 6 thousand books in a single ce. Moreover, there were over 100,000 books if one counted the books in the forbidden section.


    ¡®Well, these are mostly Imperial Record. I wouldn¡¯t mind seeing the forbidden texts.¡¯


    Most of the forbidden texts were literature that insulted the throne or the gods. From Azell¡¯s perspective, he wondered if he could find the information he wanted in those books.


    Azell received help from the librarian and he found the history books dealing with the era he was interested in. He also read the books regarding the current situation of the continent.


    This allowed him to clearly find out how the current 7 kingdoms divvied up the Nadick Empire¡¯s territories. Unfortunately, the marquisate of Karzark wasn¡¯t in Rin. It was within a different country.


    ¡°It would have been impossible considering where it was located at.¡±


    He had already expected this. Unless the Rin kingdom was muchrger than the other countries and held a supremacy over the other countries, the marquisate of Karzark was too far away to be included in the Rin Kingdom.


    Azell decided to stop reading about the current information at that point and focused on the historical side.


    ¡°Poot. Wow... This is amazing.¡±


    Eventually he ran across records of himself. As the person who had actually experienced the events, he found the stories embarrassing or funny. Normally, after discussing the techniques of the heroes, the history changed depending on the inclination of the historian and the inclination of those in power. There were different interpretations to the events, and the history became distorted. There weren¡¯t any negative distortion about Azell. Most of his deeds had been embellished.


    It was understandable, since he was the legendary hero who had defeated the Dragon Demon King Atein. Moreover, it wasrgely influenced by the fact that he hadn¡¯t gotten involved in anything after the war. Officially, it was recorded that Azell had suddenly gone into hiding. There were various theories and idle imaginings regarding his disappearance.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t my intention, but my life as a hero transitioned into something of a mystic legend.¡±


    His walk through life had turned into a legend. Moreover, his end was too mysterious that it evoked the romantic imagination in people. The record of himself was written by strangers. Since they analyzed and imagined their own versions of his life, he was unfamiliar with a lot of the stories. It really made him wonder if this was really about him.


    As he kept reading the books, the suspicion he held turned into a certainty.


    ¡®Those Dragon Demon King worshippers are amazing.¡¯


    They had manipted the history from behind-the-scenes. The record regarding the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual and Dragon Demon qi was expunged from the records. As a member of the Guardian Shadows who fought the Dragon Demon Worshippers, the legendary martial artist Kairen Tarantos had no knowledge about it. This was astounding as he was over a hundred years old.


    ¡®They aren¡¯t the ruling power, yet they were able to manipte the history to this extent....¡¯


    From Azell¡¯s perspective, he had no idea how they had done it. If they had conquered the world to publicly use their power and change the history, he would have understood such a result. However, they had done this while hiding in the dark parts of the society. Was it possible to extinguish the knowledge that had been spread across the world?


    ¡®I get their intent. However, the problem is now figuring out how they were able to do this...¡¯


    He could easily guess why they attempted to manipte the history in this fashion. A human had to go through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual to create Dragon Demon Qi within oneself. It was a necessary process. This was the only way a human could get strong enough to defeat the Dragon Demon King Atein. At the very least, Azell had earned transcendent power through this method. There had been no one like him.


    ¡®Did the Great Darkness affect the world that much?¡¯


    The Great Darkness made the world go crazy, and it created cracks where the Dragon Demon King worshippers could worm in. Maybe this impossible task would have been possible during that time.


    ¡®So what were the Guardian Shadows doing during that time?¡¯


    ording to Kairen¡¯s exnation, the Dragon Demon King worshippers had to hide from in sight even though they possessed great power. They had failed to conquer the world. However, the history had been manipted and they had seeded in severing the passage of knowledge. Wasn¡¯t that a bit strange? It was hard to ept that the confusion caused by the Great Darkness was the reason for all of this.


    ¡®Hmmm.......¡¯


    Azell fell deep within his thoughts. A familiar presence stimted his senses.


    ¡°If anyone saw you, they would think you are a schr instead of a martial artist.¡±


    It was a handsome young man from the Dragon Demon race with long ck hair, Kairen.


    The Royal Library wasn¡¯t essible to anyone. However, no one would stop the Dragon Sword Duke if he said he wanted to read some books.


    He approached Azell and looked at the opened books.


    ¡°Do you have a lot of interest in history? Oh wow? You are even reading up on a hero with the same name as you?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha. I became interested in the Dragon Demon King worshippers.¡±


    This was the excuse Azell had given. The Dragon Demon worshippers ran at him without a regard for their lives just because he had the name that was considered to be soaked in sin.


    ¡°I¡¯ve also looked at the record about the heroes in the Dragon Demon War, but I couldn¡¯t take it seriously. There were too many absurd stories. Those who imed to be historian were all filled with hot air...¡±


    ¡°Please give me an example. What part was unbelievable?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. For example....¡±


    Kairen thought for a brief moment at Azell¡¯s question before he answered it.


    ¡°I think the ount is in one of the books you have opened her. It¡¯s the part where they smashed apart the Dragon Demon Army¡¯s machination at the Lithia Lake.¡±


    The famous general of the Dragon Demon Army, Encinder, was known for his meticulous control over his monsters. He was able to make the monsters move like a human army, and he had dealt fatal blows against the human army.


    Originally, the Lithiake was very deep, but Encinder had made a dam upstream to block the water flow. In time, theke was shallow enough to walk across it. Encinder¡¯s troops acted as if they couldn¡¯t contend with the humans as they were being pushed back. The human army was baited into theke. Encinder had broken the dam. He had tried to drown the human force numbered of over 3000.


    Kairen couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    ¡°If one uses one¡¯smon sense, it¡¯s obvious no one should be able to counter this tactic. ording to the records, that wasn¡¯t the case.¡±


    ¡°What does the records say?¡±


    ¡°The might hero Azell Karzark parted the flood of watering down on the army with a single cut of his sword. Then the Archmage Carlos used his magic to disperse the current, and there were almost no casualties to the troop. Do you think that even makes any sense?¡±


    Anyone, who heard the story would think the story was groundless. Kairen shook his head from side to side.


    ¡°The Lithia Lake isn¡¯t a smallke. If you actually see the Lithia Lake for yourself, you would realize how absurd that story actually is.¡±


    Azell swallowed the words that had almost popped out at those words. He put on a bitter smile.


    ¡®...No. That really happened.¡¯


    If one read it through the records, it sounded absurd. However, Azell and Carlos really pulled that off. If he wasn¡¯t a person who could do such a task, then he wouldn¡¯t have been able to win against the Dragon Demon King Atein in a fight.


    ¡®At the time... That bastard Encinder had a priceless expression on his face.¡¯


    They had broken the carefullyid out n using such a ridiculous method. Encinder was a man ruled by logic. However, when his troops were in danger of losing, Encider¡¯s mind broke. In the end, he couldn¡¯t run away from Azell¡¯s sword and he had died in that ce. It had been a critical loss to the Dragon Demon King¡¯s army at the time.

 Chapter 58 Dragon Demon Prince (5).

    <strong>Chapter 58 Dragon Demon Prince (5).</strong>


    Chapter 58 - Dragon Demon Prince (5)


    Kairen continued to speak. He probably could never guess what Azell was thinking at that moment.


    ¡°This is why you should skip around half of the records regarding Azell Karzark. He was very popr. He was considered to be a sacred hero. There are a lot of exaggerations regarding him.¡±


    ¡°Do you perhaps dislike him?¡±


    ¡°Me? Do I dislike Azell Karzark?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°No way. I also was a young man who listened to his legendary exploits, and it made my heart beat faster. However, this makes me want to look at his exploits through strict standards. Even seeing his exploits through such stringent standards, he was really incredible. This kind of tantly false stories devalues his legacy. These foolish bastards don¡¯t understand that.......¡±


    ¡°...Ah, I understand. I¡¯ll take your word to heart.¡±


    Azell quickly stopped Kairen from speaking any further. If Azell left Kairen alone, he would continue to give endless praise regarding him. The praises was akin to a mental attack.


    ¡°Hmm. Now that I think about it you do look simr to Azell Karzark.¡±


    ¡°Do I?¡±


    ¡°At the very least, your appearance is simr. There aren¡¯t that many portraits left, but his physical characteristics are almost identical as yours. Even your name is quite the coincidence. You even share his name. Wasn¡¯t that thest name of Azell before he was elevated to nobility with the name Karzark?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell could only let out cold sweat as he listened to Kairen. He hadn¡¯t expected Kairen to know all that.


    ¡®In the official records, thest name of Karzark should be the only one recorded. Was my otherst name passed down through oral tradition?¡¯


    Azell realized he had been toockadaisical. It was understandable. When he had woken up, he wasn¡¯t nning oning up with some borate story to trick everyone. He had responded to his situation as if everything would eventually work out somehow. Truthfully, if he had told people he awoke from a 200 year sleep, who would believe him? This was why he didn¡¯t put too much effort into hiding, who he was.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Your parents probably was well acquainted with the knowledge regarding Azell Karzark. I feel as if they intentionally named you after him. If that¡¯s true, your realst name probably isn¡¯t Zestringer.¡±


    ¡°That might be true. Hmmm.......¡±


    Fortunately for Azell, Kairen was very practical with his reasoning.


    It was normal for the people of the world to have several names. Normally, a person had their name and family name. However, there were those who used their blood rtive¡¯s name as middle name. This was why there were some really long names.


    For example, Arrieta had one too. Officially, Arrieta¡¯s full name was Arrieta Essendria Tiaris Rianda Weil Rin. When she was born, she was named by the elders of the royal family, and those additional names were just added on to her original name.


    This was also the reason why Kairen knew the Marquis Karazark¡¯s formerst name was Zestringer. It also was the reason why he wasn¡¯t suspicious of Azell¡¯s identity right now. If someone suspected him of waking up from a 220 year sleep just because he had a suspicious background, that person was the abnormal one.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Did Arrieta tell you something unnecessary about me?¡±


    ¡°She asked me whether if I had any interest in taking up a position in the Duchy of Tarantos. She said you will offer me a position.¡±


    ¡°Hoot.¡±


    Kairen snorted at those words. There was a meaningful pause, so Azell tilted his head in puzzlement.


    Kairen hesitated before he continued to speak.


    ¡°You kicked away a position prepared for you by my pupil. If I give a simr proposal and suffer the same result, I will lose face. I¡¯ve prepared a more attractive proposal.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the offer?¡±


    Kairen startedying out his proposal, and the content was something Azell would have never guessed.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you show me the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual in my territory?¡±


    7


    It had been 5 days since he started staying at the pce. Azell received an invitation from Boar. He was invited to the Marquis Zilred¡¯s mansion.


    Kairen had decided to leave with Kairen towards the dukedom of Tarantos, so his days of living at the pce was numbered. This was why he epted Boar¡¯s invitation when he had time.


    They were on a carriage heading out of the pce, when Boar spoke.


    ¡°You must be very popr inside the pce. Even I heard all theints about you not epting any invitations.¡±


    ¡°If I stacked all the invitations, it would reach the ceiling. I¡¯m an utter stranger, yet they are showing such fervor to meet me. I feel like some rare animal.¡±


    Azell grumbled. The invitations kepting in at a rapid pace. On the fourth day, he ordered the maids to gather them into a pile before delivering it to him rather than delivering the individual invitations to him throughout the day.


    Soon, the carriage reached the Marquis Zilred¡¯s vi. When Azell got off the carriage, the building was veryrgepared to the other luxurious buildings at the heart of the capital. He was a bit impressed by it. The front gate was so far from the vi that one had to ride a carriage to get there.


    ¡°What a stately mansion.¡±


    ¡°It pretty much has everything one needs. It even has a practice yard.¡±


    ¡°Hey. Did you perhaps bring me here to spar with me? It is unnecessary. The Dragon Sword Dukees everyday to bother me for that very reason.¡±


    ¡°You really are monopolizing him. I might be jealous.¡±


    ¡°If you were pestered every day by him, you wouldn¡¯t be saything that.¡±


    Azell grumbled. He had a daily sparring session with Kairen at the pce. It really was...


    ¡®It¡¯s fun. I can¡¯t deny that.¡¯


    Azell was a martial artist by nature, so it was fun to match one¡¯s skill against someone of his own caliber. The numerous fights he experienced as he sparred gave him an incredible thrill. The best vacation in the world couldn¡¯tpare to this.


    Boar spoke.


    ¡°Anyways, you don¡¯t have to worry about him. He won¡¯t bother you today. Let¡¯s spend the night away drinking alcohol.¡±


    ¡°I would wee such an activity.¡±


    During the trip, he was always on his guard, since he had to worry about the presence of enemies. He hadn¡¯t been able to drink alcohol to his heart¡¯s content, since he awoke in this era. Just the mention of such an activity brightened up his day.


    When they arrived at the vi, Giles was there. Azell asked him a question.


    ¡°I was wondering where you were when you never returned to the pce. Were you here the whole time?¡±


    Giles had been staying at the mansion as Boar¡¯s guest. When Azell saw Giles¡¯ attire, he spoke in a yful manner.


    ¡°Anyways, doesn¡¯t these clothes suit you more than your military uniform? You could probably be a popr man in the high society.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me.¡±


    Giles put on a bitter smile. However, it was as if there wasn¡¯t any truth to Azell¡¯s words. When he took off his military uniform and armor, he looked like a young noble in his finery. He gave off such a delicate air that it was hard to believe Giles led a dangerous life of an enlisted man.


    Boar¡¯s family wasn¡¯t all living in the capital. There was the Marquis Zilred who worked for the crown, as well as his wife. There was also the second son Reewin, who was a 2nd rank administrator. At dinner, Boar¡¯s parents introduced themselves to Azell, and they showed a lot of interest in him. After sharing food and conversation, Azell and Giles was guided towards Boar¡¯s room. Boar was there, and he showcased a high quality alcohol he had taken out from the cer. Azell and Giles let out their praise.


    Boar spoke.


    ¡°It seems my father has a lot of interest in Sir Azell. He wasmenting the fact that he didn¡¯t have an unwed daughter he could introduce to you. He was thinking about introducing you to a rtive. However, I stopped him by saying you won¡¯t make your debut in high society and you will be leaving soon.¡±


    ¡°So you can¡¯t stand seeing me being introduced to a pretty youngdy?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy you understood my true intent.¡±


    ¡°Oh right. Howe sir Boar isn¡¯t in the marriage talks? At your age, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if you were a married man by now.¡±


    Boar was 26 years old. He was the same age as Azell. As a son of a prestigious noble house, it wouldn¡¯t have been strange if he was married with a child on the way.


    Boar was ill at ease as he talked.


    ¡°Mmmm. Lot of things came up. It hasn¡¯t been too long since I¡¯ve joined the Royal Knights, so I told my parents to wait a little bit. I¡¯m not that well known in the high society as a knight.¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t want to be introduced to ady by your elders. You want to look for a nice youngdy for yourself.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly it. I had to live through an upation that was filled with burly men, since I wanted to climb thedder of sess. I want to experience the fragrant flowers the high society has to offer myself.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh. You haven¡¯t even washed dishes before, so you shouldn¡¯t talk about hardships.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking about that story now.¡±


    Boarughed During the journey, he hade to realize he had grown up without realizing what the real word was like. After his self-awakening, Boar had changed a lot.


    Giles queried.


    ¡°So how long do you n on staying in the pce?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ll probably leave a day after tomorrow at the soonest. At thetest, it¡¯ll be four days.¡±


    ¡°That fast?¡±


    Giles and Boar was surprised. Azell didn¡¯t have any ce to go, and Arrieta was showing goodwill towards him. They had assumed Azell would stay a bit longer in the pce.


    Boar spoke.


    ¡°I had heard you were leaving soon. I guess it¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really bothersome to live in the pce. If I stay there any longer, I don¡¯t know what annoying work might follow me around. I don¡¯t want to even imagine it. I don¡¯t want to draw the attention of the throne to me.¡±


    He could ignore the invitations of the nobles, but he wouldn¡¯t be able to turn down an audience from the throne. Since he had no desire to assimte into the capital¡¯s noble society, it would be best for him to disappear before anyone showed too much interest in him.


    Boarughed.


    ¡°You really are... You are different from any person I know. In my view, theck of desire to advance in one¡¯s station is a problem.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m saying this because I was born into a noble family, and I¡¯m working for the throne... Wasn¡¯t there an old saying that said a talented hawk hides its talons? It basically means modesty is a virtue.¡±


    ¡°Why are you suddenly bringing up such a saying?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a saying that shouldn¡¯t be followed in the noble society. It wouldn¡¯t be a problem if you don¡¯t have the ability. However, if you ck off while having the capability of advancing, than the nobles will ostracize you. If one could use one¡¯s talons to further the name of the family, one should do so. This is how they think. This is why my 2nd brother has had such a hard time.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s already a 2nd rank administrator for the throne at a such a young age... Did he use to y around?¡±


    ¡°He was very smart even when he was little, and he loved to y around. Father had to force him to gain experience by dumping work on him, then he made my brother take the test to qualify for the administrator position. This caused a lot of hardship for me. My parent were very strict on me saying I shouldn¡¯t turn out like my older brother.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Boar had the talent to be a Quadruple Master at a young age, but it seemed a lot of effort had been made to support him. His parents wanted him to maximize his potential for the family, and Boar had tried hard to fulfill that expectation. There was a side of him that was like a naive young noble, but he had trained himself in earnest as a martial artist.


    ¡®Promotion...¡¯


    Enora and now Boar was bring up such a topic, which suddenly made him think about his past.


    It would be hard to imagine it by looking at the current Azell, but he had thirsted for advancement during the Dragon Demon War. There were two reasons behind this desire.


    First, he was merely a lowly mercenary, and he was angry that no one acknowledged his aplishments. He had aplished many deeds that was worth merit, but the nobles and knights imed his meritorious deeds as their own. It deeply angered him.


    He had fought and fought in this unreasonable system. He fought until he was promoted. He became a knight and made personal connections that would shore up his background. He survived and fought through impossible situations and his reputation spread far and wide. No one dared to cross him any more.


    The discontent he had in the past disappeared, but the desire to advance in rank consumed him as he kept fighting. The reason was simple.


    ¡®These bastards are unworthy. I have to seize a station of power!¡¯


    ...The sense of crisis continued. He felt helpless at the sight of his superiors who were ipetent. He had to constantly risk his life because of their ipetence. Moreover, the people with noble spirits were dying because of them.


    There were even those who had made traps to get rid of Azell, since he was advancing at a blinding speed through meritorious deeds. They tried to kill him even when it was a situation where the human race couldn¡¯t afford to fight with each other.


    ¡®Hoo.¡¯


    Azellughed as he thought about his past.


    It was all an affair of a bygone age. He didn¡¯t have the burning desire to want to stand above others. He didn¡¯t have any reasons to do so.

 Chapter 59 Dragon Demon Prince (6).

    <strong>Chapter 59 Dragon Demon Prince (6).</strong>


    Chapter 59 - Dragon Demon Prince (6)


    ¡®Still, there mighte a day when I might have to do it again.¡¯


    After consecutive battles with the Dragon Demon followers, the sense of foreboding was getting stronger. He had a premonition that the great darkness might descend on this peaceful era once again.


    Boar asked a question.


    ¡°So where do you n on going after leaving the capital, sir Azell?¡±


    ¡°For now I¡¯ve decided to travel with the Duke. That¡¯s why I have to leave so soon. I have to match the Duke¡¯s schedule.¡±


    ¡°Ah, the Duke is heading back?¡±


    ¡°He hates the pce life more than me.¡±


    Kairen hated making public appearances. It was a dislike that had been developed from his younger days. However, he was too important of a figure. Once people heard the news that he was in the capital, everyone made a big fuss in trying to see him. Even the royal family acted the same way, so Kairen had no choice, but to be dragged every which way. It was normal for Kairen to drop by to spar andin to Azell.


    Giles spoke.


    ¡°I envy you. I have a half a year vacation, but I have no idea what I¡¯m going to do in the meantime.¡±


    ¡°The Western Border guards are quite generous. They gave you a half a year vacation.¡±


    Boar interrupted the conversation with his words.


    ¡°Well, Sir Giles was chosen as the representative of the Western Border guards, and he was in charge of guarding the princess... Moreover, they probably wanted to give him a chance to visit his homnd. Wouldn¡¯t his family be happy if he suddenly dropped by after being gone for awhile?¡±


    ¡°In theory, yes...¡±


    Giles¡¯ expression darkened after giving that answer. Boar was taken aback and he asked Giles a question.


    ¡°Uh. Did I perhaps say something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t anything like that. Have I ever told you about my household before?¡±


    ¡°You never did.¡±


    ¡°There isn¡¯t much to say... Our family of the Viscount Vince isn¡¯t in a good situation right now.¡±


    As if Giles was embarrassed, his face became a little bit red as he exined his situation.


    The Viscount Vince was a family in turmoil even though they held the position of Viscount. They were a noble family located in the countryside, so the family had been well off. However, the family started to decline in wealth during the time of Giles¡¯ grandfather. Gile¡¯s grandfather was a bit out of touch with reality and squandered away the family fortune through gambling. Then a famine hade and the monsters started to cause trouble in his territory. His grandfather couldn¡¯t deal with the problems, so in a sh, the family¡¯s fortune had nosedived.


    In the end, they had to sell most of theirnds in the province. Basically, their province only consisted of a small town now.


    ¡°From the time I was young... My father kept drilling into me that I would have to go out into the world to build up the family name once again.¡±


    Before he even hit puberty, a sword was put into Giles¡¯ hand. He had swung it until several dozen blisters formed on his hands. His father had seen Giles¡¯ grandfather run the family into the ground, so he reared Giles with an extremely strict attitude. Giles had be a Quadruple Master at such a young age because he had spent such harsh childhood.


    ¡°However, my family had fallen as far as it could, so what power did we have?¡±


    Even if his house had fallen on tough times, he was still an offspring of a noble family. This was why he had the rights to be a knight. However, that was the end of the road. He didn¡¯t have any personal connections since his irresponsible grandfather had severed all them. He had to gain experience, but he couldn¡¯t choose where he wanted to enter.


    After he thought hard about it, he decided to enter the kingdom¡¯s army. Since he didn¡¯t have the background to seed, he had no choice but to earn it with his own hands.


    ¡°It¡¯s funny, but when I entered the army... It felt as if I could breathe once again. Do you know about observing the military discipline? It felt like a vacationpared to what I got at home.¡±


    Giles¡¯ father required Giles to be the ideal noble. From an early age, he was put through a hell-like training regiment. He was required to learn martial arts and etiquette. He even had to umte knowledge. He was trained so he wouldn¡¯t embarrass the family no matter where he went. The royal army felt like heavenpared to his house.


    When he heard the story, Boar let out a mumble as if he was letting out a groan.


    ¡°I never knew you had such circumstances.......¡±


    It waspletely opposite of how Boar was brought up. From the time he was young, he had victory after victory thanks to the power of his family. Boar realized how advantageous his upbringing had been.


    ¡°I¡¯m thankful to the princess. With my unremarkable background, I would have needed a very long time to build up my career in the Western Border guards. I might have rotted there my whole life.¡±


    As the representative of the Western Border guard, he had been sessful inpleting his mission of apanying Arrieta to the capital. He even received praise from the king. Basically, he had done a meritorious deed that would be acknowledged in most circles.


    Boar poured alcohol into Giles¡¯ cup.


    ¡°Drink up. You¡¯ve sewed the most difficult first button now. From now on, I¡¯m sure your fortunes will improve. The Dragon Demon Princess remembers you now. I¡¯m sure you will receive a good opportunity in the future.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Gilesughed in an embarrassed manner. The night deepened as they drank the alcohol.


    8


    Boar was heading towards the pce for work, so Azell followed after him the next day. He had drank a lot of alcoholte into the night, so he was basically half dead when he awoke the next day.


    ¡°Ooh-goo-gook. I guess I have a hangover. It¡¯s been a really long time since I¡¯ve felt this pain.¡±


    Boar, who was riding in the same carriage,ughed.


    ¡°I¡¯m actually marvelling at this situation.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised there is something you are weaker at than me. I thought you would be strong against the alcohol.¡±


    ¡°I think I used to be strong against it... Well, my memory is a bit fuzzy on that topic. I¡¯ll just have to be careful from now on. Ooh ooh.¡±


    In Azell¡¯s prime, he never suffered from the effect of the alcohol. No matter how much he drank he would only get a small buzz. He never became drunk and he never suffered from a hangover. The reason being his body had been too sturdy after going through the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual.


    He thought about those times as he continuously guzzled down the alcohol. However, he had be much weaker against alcohol than before. This caused his tongue to be tied into a knot. His eyes started to close. He had experienced something new as he started talking nonsense. Fortunately, he hadn¡¯t cked out.......


    ¡®I should have used that technique early on.¡¯


    There was a Spirit Order one could apply to protect one¡¯s mind and body from the alcohol or any other drugs. When Azell realized he was quite drunk, he used the technique to avoid passing out. However, it had been toote to avoid the hangover.


    ¡°Ooh-oohk. I never realized how torturous it is to ride a carriage.¡±


    ¡°This road has been service not too long ago. How can you say that? If we were on a dirt road, you probably would have thrown up by now.¡±


    Boar looked fine, since he didn¡¯t have any hangover at all. He enjoyed feeling the sense of superiority and continued to make fun of Azell.


    When Azell returned to the pce, he had gone into meditation to try to escape his hangover. He wanted to use Spirit Order to expel the remnants of the alcohol out of his body. However, his head was spinning and throbbing even though he was standing still. It made him want to throw up, so it was very hard to fall in a meditative state.


    ¡®I can do it! I¡¯ve bled from being cut by swords, so why shouldn¡¯t I be able to work through this?¡¯


    Azell gritted his teeth, and he focused his mind. However, it was harder to fall into a meditative state right now. It was harder than the time he had been stabbed and blood was pouring out of him. The progress was slow.


    ¡°Ooh-ah. You smell like alcohol!¡±


    Enora, who came to find Azell, blocked her nose as she furrowed her brows.


    ¡°Jeez. How much alcohol did you pour into yourself that the smell of alcohol is this bad?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.¡±


    Azell, who had barely been able to enter a meditative state, let out a bitterugh as he opened his eyes.


    His surrounding was most definitely thick with the smell of alcohol. It wasn¡¯t the smell of someone, who had been drinking alcohol. It smelled as if he had sprayed alcohol all over the surrounding.


    ¡°I expelled the alcohol that had umted within my body. I feel a little bit like a living person now.¡±


    ¡°You can do such a thing?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll have to wash first... Is there some urgent business I need to know about?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. Also, you¡¯ll be put in an awkward situation if you don¡¯t wash yourself. Hurry up ande back after you wash yourself.¡±


    Enora pushed Azell¡¯s back and exited the alcohol smelling room as if she was running away.


    After a wash, Azell came back looking somewhat tidy. However, his condition was still not too good.


    ¡®Ah-ooh. It seems I¡¯m going to lose today.¡¯


    Azell frowned when he thought about Kairen, who will surely look to spar Azell today.


    Enora spoke.


    ¡°The Princess wants to have dinner with you tonight. Since Sir Azell is leaving soon, she would like to see you before you leave.¡±


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll have to recover until dinner time, so I could be passed as being normal. Ah, also.... Ms. Enora. A question suddenly popped up in my head. Do you mind if I ask you a question?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It is about the conversation you had with the princess before we left the Western Border guards.¡±


    Enora tilted her head in puzzlement. It seemed she had no clue what he was talking about.


    Azell let out a bitterugh as he asked the question.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you argue with the princess that your prospect of marriage would be ruined if you couldn¡¯t follow after the princess?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t argue with her. How can I dare...¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t know why that was relevant reason for you to travel with us. I think the princess felt the same way.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯smon in my homnd.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°If a member of the noble family can¡¯t even carry out a single task given to her, then she would be told she wasn¡¯t qualified to be married.¡±


    ¡°It was such a trivial reason?¡±


    ¡°Trivial? You shouldn¡¯t speak so lightly about it, Sir Azell. It is a very important issue.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. Still, Ms. Enora is still very young...¡±


    Azell was speaking when he saw Enora eyes draw down like a hatchet. He quickly changed his words mid-sentence.


    ¡°...but you are a young woman at a blooming age. You shouldn¡¯t take on such a risk for that reason alone.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s the same for the princess.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°The princess was born into the role of the Dragon Demon Princess, and it is the main reason why she has to put her life on the line to fight unlike the other royalties. I hadn¡¯t thought that highly of the princess when I first became her maid... I think the princess is an amazing person now that I¡¯ve travelled with her.¡±


    When she had been assigned as the personal maid of the famous Dragon Demon Princess, Enora had been disappointed after seeing her. Arrieta was dumbfoundingly beautiful, yet she was a sleepyhead. Moreover, she was too rxed within the pce.


    However, when she saw Arrieta fight on the battlefield to fulfill her own duty, Enora¡¯s view of the world went into a violent upheaval.


    ¡°There is a saying that my father always repeats. The nobles are treated with respect, because they are the first ones to put their lives on the line when tribtion erupts. It¡¯s their duty.¡±


    The Barony of Baire was located in the countryside and her family didn¡¯t own many troops. Of course, Baron Baire and the men of the family led the charge when a threat appeared on theirnds. People respected the Baire family. It was a point of pride amongst their family.


    Arrieta resembled the men of Enora¡¯s family. Arrieta was young, yet she didn¡¯tin when she was thrust into dangerous situations. She didn¡¯t resent the burden she had been born with. She didn¡¯t despair about her situation, and she used her power for others. Enora was impressed by her noble character.


    ¡°This is why I don¡¯t want to run away. Princess is fighting so hard, it would be very sad if there¡¯s no one by her side to even brush her hair. How sad would it be if everyone ran away from her side? ¡±


    ¡°Ha....¡±


    Azell stared nkly at Enora for a brief moment.


    ¡°Hahahahahahaha.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help it as hisughter burst forward. As if she was embarrassed, Enora¡¯s face was blushing.


    ¡°I...I¡¯m talking about a serious subject yet you areughing at it! How rude!¡±


    However, Azell¡¯sughter wouldn¡¯t end. He wasughing so hard that tears started to well in his eyes.


    Enora let out her anger as she looked at Azell, thetter of whom had been barely able to stop himself fromughing.


    ¡°You are so twisted, Sir Azell!¡±


    ¡°...ah, I¡¯m sorry. I had no intention ofughing at you.¡±


    ¡°At least, say it like you mean it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being honest. It reminded me of a memory from the past.¡±


    Azell had a far away look in his eyes, and he put on an empty smile.


    ¡°There was a child, who had spoken simr words to me.......¡±


    ¡®...Ahjushi is bleeding to save everyone. If there¡¯s no one to wipe ahjushi¡¯s face, it would be very sad.¡¯


    At the time, everyone ran away, since they wanted to save their own lives. When the despair came to him, someone had stayed by Azell¡¯s side. She had spoke those words to him. Everyone had shunned the child for being unlucky, but the girl¡¯s word had saved Azell.


    If he thought about it, the girl had been a bit younger than Enora. She didn¡¯t have parents so she had lived day to day by wandering around. However, she had a quality that made her shine brilliantly.


    It had been like that during that era. The darkness that covered the world was so thick that when one found someone that shone, it amplified the brilliance.


    For a brief moment, he was lost in his memories. Enora asked Azell a question.


    ¡°What happened to that child?¡±


    ¡°She found a ce to live. I don¡¯t know what happened to her afterwards.¡±


    The girl was being shunned by the people, so Azell found her a ce to live. He had never seen her afterwards, but he wanted to believe she had lived a happy life.


    Enora pouted as she spoke.


    ¡°Hoong. I¡¯ll forgive, because of your story.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your generosity.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t speak, you might actually be lovable.¡±


    Enora¡¯s lips curled.

 Chapter 60 Dragon Demon Prince (7).

    <strong>Chapter 60 Dragon Demon Prince (7).</strong>


    Chapter 60 - Dragon Demon Prince (7)


    9


    He wanted his body to return as close to normal by tonight, but it wasn¡¯t progressing as he expected. It was always easier to ruin one¡¯s body. Recovery was always much more harder. Moreover...


    ¡°Hoo hoo hoot.¡±


    It was much harder because there was someone interfering with it.


    As Azell had predicted, Kairen hade looking for him. Kairen immediately realized what kind of state Azell was in, so he didn¡¯t want to miss out on this opportunity. He insisted on a spar, and he won. Moreover, when both of them went to dinner with Arrieta, Kairen was acting giddy. Azell hated seeing such a sight so he spoke some words to Kairen.


    ¡°You feel good about winning against a sick person?¡±


    ¡°Sick? Where¡¯s this sick person you are talking about? Are you perhaps calling a hangover a sickness?¡±


    ¡°Ughhh.¡±


    Azell made a resolve to get his revenge tomorrow.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°Even the great Sir Azell can¡¯t win against a hangover.¡±


    ¡°I have nothing to say.¡±


    ¡°That reminds me, I guess you weren¡¯t able to make it happen.¡±


    Kairen let out a bitter smile at those words.


    ¡°Unfortunately, it turned out like this. Seigar is a bit busy...¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s heading out towards a battlefield in four days, so it was inevitable. Moreover, Sir Azell is in this state, so I thought it would be better not to push too hard to make it happen.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Azell was confused, so he asked the question. Kairen started to give an exnation.


    ¡°Mmmmm. I wanted you to fight Seigar before you leave the pce.¡±


    ¡°With the prince?¡±


    ¡°Yes. However, Seigar¡¯s schedule is too busy. We¡¯ll look for another opportunity at ater date.¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t even going to ask me if I wanted to?¡±


    ¡°If I suggested it and Seigar agreed to it, do you really think you could refuse me?¡±


    ¡°Well... I guess not.¡±


    ¡°Since you already know this, what¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°Jeez. You are a bit too much.¡±


    ¡°Still, it is rare to see you turn down a fight. I thought you would want to have a go with Seigar.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t want to draw any more attention to myself from highly ced people. You said the prince covets talented people. This has a chance to turn into an annoying affair.¡±


    ¡°That is the reason why I want you to fight him.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Seigar looks down on humans.¡±


    It had been awhile since Seigar had met his teacher. This was why he told his teacher all the stuff that had been weighing on his mind. From his words, Kairen discerned that Seigar was overestimating his own abilities. He also picked up that Seigar was dismissive of humans.


    ¡°Mmm. You are saying he is a bit extreme in his views. He considers humans to be weak.¡±


    ¡°I think so, but it¡¯s a bit more nuanced than that. He knows humans are an existence that could fill his shortage ofpetent help. This is why he is looking for talented individuals. However... He basically thinks no matter how great a human is, the human would still be weaker than him. Even Arrieta and I acknowledge the child¡¯s excellence in terms of martial arts.¡±


    ¡°Since one of you is a Dragon Demon and the other is a Dragon Majin, I can see why he would think that. However, isn¡¯t there a lot of people with sufficient skills in the royal knights?¡±


    ¡°There are some useful people. However, if we limit the selection to human knights, there¡¯s no one who could beat Seigar.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Azell was a bit surprised.


    He was well aware of Arrieta¡¯s skills. When he met Seigar, he could tell his Dragon Demon magic was on the same level as Arrieta. However, he was young and hecked real battle experiences, so Azell assumed he would be less skilled than her.


    ¡®So does this mean there aren¡¯t any knights that are stronger than the princess?¡¯


    He could guess the quality of the knights in this era by the information given by Giles and Boar. Still, it was quite shocking to him. There should be a lot of veterans amongst the royal knights, and there would be those, who made their name through their martial arts....


    ¡®How far has the standards fallen? Or was it only the Rin kingdom¡¯s knights that was weak?¡¯


    Arrieta was most definitely strong. During the Dragon Demon war, however, there were plenty of Spirit Order practitioners who had been stronger than her.


    Kairen spoke to Azell, who was lost in his thoughts.


    ¡°This is why I have to break that line of thought before it settles into his mind. Dragon Demon worshippers might take a shot at him. He might suffer a great loss if he didn¡¯t take them seriously just because his opponents were humans. However, this isn¡¯t something I can do.¡±


    ¡°How about the knights under you?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t as if there isn¡¯t someone who could fulfill that role. However, I wouldn¡¯t be able to call Seigar to mynds without a special reason. I also don¡¯t want to ask a knight to abandon all his work to travel to the far away capital just to spar with a child.¡±


    ¡°I guess the knights of the Dukedom of Tranatos is more skilled than the royal knights?¡±


    ¡°I trained them myself. Isn¡¯t the answer obvious?¡±


    ¡°...Ah, yes.¡±


    Azell wasn¡¯t surprised at all at Kairen¡¯s shameless answer. Kairen snorted.


    ¡°Well, you can go judge their skills for yourselfter. Anyways, that was the reason why I wanted you to spar with him... Unfortunately, the opportunity never presented itself.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. Aside from the royal knights...... What¡¯s the standard of knights in the entire kingdom?¡±


    ¡°There a good amount of skilled fighters. Aside from the knights in my territory, there are a lot of those who are loyal to their territory. They aren¡¯t associated with the throne since they aren¡¯t trying to advance their career.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°There are some talented people on mynds that you might find interesting. You should look forward to it.¡±


    ¡°It really does feel me with anticipation.¡±


    Azell was expressing his true feeling. After he woke up up from his sleep, he had been constantly disappointed by the human Spirit Order practitioners he had met. He wanted to meet proper practitioners.


    Arrieta let out a bitterugh.


    ¡°If I had it my way, I would like to be trained by teacher once again... It is too bad I don¡¯t have the time anymore.¡±


    ¡°It sounds as if you are ming for my short stay in the pce.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly it. Since you are already here, I wouldn¡¯t mind if you stayed here for a long period of time. It would be great if you could guide me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to. Do you realize how many people bother me just for the chance to speak to me? It¡¯ll be hard for me to train you properly in this environment. When Seigar starts getting serious about his activities, you guys can alternate getting some time off. You cane when that happens.¡±


    ¡°If that could happen, it would be great.¡±


    Arrieta let out a sigh. As the Dragon Demon Princess, her freedom was much more restricted than the members of the other royal families. The recent event made her realize the need to get stronger, but it wasn¡¯t something that could be solved in a short amount of time. She needed a teacher like Kairen to guide her, yet he was saying such words....


    Arrieta didn¡¯t know this, but Kairen wasn¡¯t living a life of leisure. It was rumored that he didn¡¯t leave his territory often, but he actually traveled around various parts of the kingdom on Guardian Shadow business.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Anyways, you should learn a little from Seigar. It isn¡¯t guaranteed that the Dragon Demon worshipers won¡¯t try to kidnap you again. You have to increase the number of your subordinates.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it. However, Sir Azell kicked my proposal away so it¡¯s very unfortunate.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°Next time try saying that with a straight face.¡±


    Arrieta snorted.


    Until recently, Arrieta hadn¡¯t thought about gathering troops directly under her. If she, the Dragon Princess, was kidnapped by the Dragon Demon Worshippers just because she was worried about others sacrificing their lives for her, then it would basically be putting the cart before the horse. This was why Arrieta had a change of heart.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°I can¡¯t always be here... I¡¯ll send you some useful men from my domain. I have plenty of guys who are ambitious.¡±


    ¡°Those kinds of considerations will be epted by me with thanks. It is hard to gather people here.¡±


    As it had been expressed by Seigar when he met with Azell, it wasn¡¯t easy to gather talented people in the capital. The fact that Kairen would be sending useful people was a huge help to Arrieta.


    Suddenly, Azell spoke.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there someone close to the princess that fits the description?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm? There¡¯s someone like that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s sir Giles.¡±


    ¡°Ho oh.¡±


    Arrieta¡¯s eyes twinkled. Azell spoke.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be hard to get someone employed by the throne. However, sir Giles is affiliated with the Western Border Guards, and I don¡¯t think there will be much push back if you ask for him. Also, Sir Giles has been part of the Western Border guard for a short amount of time.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I see... It¡¯s something worth following up on. What¡¯s your personal opinion on this?¡±


    ¡°If princess gives him the offer, he¡¯ll jump right over.¡±


    Azell gave a short summary about Giles¡¯ family situation. Arrieta nodded her head.


    ¡°Now that I know his situation, I cannot overlook this matter. I¡¯ll give him an offer tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Also, Duke-nim.¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    ¡°Can we dy our departure from the capital for four days?¡±


    ¡°Why so suddenly?¡±


    ¡°I have something I have to do now.¡±


    Azellughed as he spoke.


    10


    Once Arrieta made a decision, she unhesitatingly went forward with her business. On the next day, Giles was called to the pce and was given the offer. He epted the offer, giving his allegiance to the princess.


    Giles was struck dumb as he arrived at Azell¡¯s quarters.


    ¡°What just happened?¡±


    He had just finished taking the pledge of loyalty to Arrieta, but it didn¡¯t feel real to Giles. Everything felt like a dream, and he was worried about losing everything if he awoke from his nap.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°What do you think happened? Everything worked out well.¡±


    ¡°Sir Azell.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about the aftermath. She is going to give enough supplies to the Western Border Guards so they¡¯ll be properlypensated. She¡¯ll give you a good sry, and you¡¯ll even be provided with a house in the capital. You¡¯ll have to be fitted with armor and uniforms befitting your new job....¡±


    ¡°Mmmm. I have no idea what I should say. First... I can only give my thanks to you.¡±


    Giles lowered his head. Since he had traveled with Arrieta, he had hoped to gain something out of it. Basically, he wanted to be noticed by someone in a high position. However, he never imagined everything would turn out so smoothly.


    Azell grinned.


    ¡°I spoke to her since I was at the right ce. If the princess hadn¡¯t witnessed your prowess during the trip, this wouldn¡¯t have gone as smoothly. Therefore, you don¡¯t have to thank me.¡±


    Azell raised his sword and flicked his finger against it. The de rang out in a clear note.


    ¡°As I¡¯ve said before, I¡¯m going to leave here soon. Before I leave, I have something I want to aplish so I called you here.¡±


    ¡°You said you wanted to borrow me for four days... That¡¯s what I heard. What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I want to teach you something.¡±


    ¡°You want to teach me?¡±


    "You are quite outstanding as a martial artist, Sir Giles. You were able to be a Quadruple Master at your age, and that is an amazing achievement. Moreover, you have excellent mastery over your abilities. However....¡±


    After he watched Azell speak, Giles suddenly felt a suffocating feeling.


    ¡®What is it?¡¯


    Azell was starting to look much more bigger. It was as if he was shrinking away from a powerful enemy. Azell¡¯s presence dominated his sight, and Giles could hear nothing except Azell¡¯s voice. Before he knew it, his body shrank in on itself, and he was breathing hard.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know the essence of the Spirit order. This is a problem. In the future, the danger faced by the princess may be much more sinister.¡±


    Giles was half submerged in a state of panic. Azell¡¯s intricate mental wave was causing confusion to Giles¡¯ senses.


    In the next moment, the confusion disappeared as if water was flowing out at low tide. Giles¡¯ sense became less restricted. Giles spat out a false breath.


    ¡°Huhk.¡±

 Chapter 61 Dragon Demon Prince (8).

    <strong>Chapter 61 Dragon Demon Prince (8).</strong>


    Chapter 61 - Dragon Demon Prince (8)


    ¡°The essence of Spirit Order is in controlling the mind. I think the Dragon Demon worshippers called it the Secret Arts.... You have to learn that. If you don¡¯t, you won¡¯t be able to stand up against them.¡±


    Once he decided to leave Giles next to Arrieta, Azell decided to teach him the Secret Arts he had umted over the years. The threat from the Dragon Demon worshippers wasn¡¯t over. Maybe the reason why he was awoken in this era was to once again prepare the world to face the great darkness. If that was true, then he neededrades that would be capable of fighting against that darkness.


    ¡°Spirit Order prioritizes the training of one¡¯s minds. Do you know why?¡±


    ¡°If one doesn¡¯t train the mind into not thinking like how a normal person¡¯s mind operates, one won¡¯t be able to be cognizant of the magical energy. If one can¡¯t even register the presence of magical energy, one won¡¯t be able to use it.¡±


    Basically, if one wanted to possess magical sense, one had to train the mind first. That was his answer.


    Azell shook his head from side to side after hearing Giles¡¯ answer.


    ¡°No. That is one of the answer, but it isn¡¯t aplete answer.¡±


    ¡°Then what is it?¡±


    ¡°Sir Giles. We aren¡¯t like the Dragon Demon race. We weren¡¯t born with fast movements nor can we exhibit incredible strength..¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    ¡°Spirit Order practitioners are supermen. This is why we are able to reach a state that can¡¯t be reached just by training the body..¡±


    Azell and Giles moved like lightning in the eyes of normal people. They wore heavy armor, but they could take out a normal person before he could react or even be aware of their presence.


    ¡°Usually, a human¡¯s senses increases as one trains one¡¯s body. However, there is a clear limit one reaches. One can ovee this limit and obtain power through Spirit Order. However, we¡¯ll be too fast and too strong. Our senses won¡¯t be able to keep up.¡±


    The training of the mind was a preparation made to ready oneself for bing a superhuman. One needed senses that could detect much faster than a normal human, and the iing information had to be processed at high speeds. One needed to think at the speed of light to be able to properly use a superhuman body.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t have that basic foundation, you won¡¯t be able to use the ability you will learnter. It would be considered fortunate if you don¡¯t perish from being unable to control your abilities. In other words, a fast horse of great pedigree is the best mount for an experienced rider. For people who aren¡¯t expert riders, they won¡¯t be able to handle the fast and out of control horse.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯ve never thought about it from that perspective.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you have to think about such things. You have to train your mind first to develop your magical senses. Once your body grows beyond the limit of a normal person, you won¡¯t have to worry about your mind not being able to keep up. However, you have to keep this in mind. Spirit Order isn¡¯t something inherent to humans. It is a method that was developed using other techniques that dealt with controlling the senses.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Humans aren¡¯t a race that can intuitively control their senses. Although breathing and feeling is done instinctively, it can be trained. One could learn about how to utilize the senses and how to focus, but that is only scratching the surface. While training the mind, one has to find out the structure and principle behind the senses. Only then will you be able to use it in unimaginable ways. Moreover, through this exploration, one can also find out how to use the opponent¡¯s senses against them.¡±


    For example, Azell could freely control his eyesight. Even if he had his eyes open, he could make it so that his eyes saw nothing. He could also eliminate certain colors from his vision. In darkness, he could ignore the darkness and light to see the contour of an object.


    Giles was confused.


    ¡°Is such a thing possible?¡±


    Giles could control his senses. However, he couldn¡¯t set various conditions like Azell. He could either slow, quicken, or focus his senses... Normal people could do what he could do to a lesser extent. He was able to do it more freely.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°When I saw you and Sir Boar, it was quite shocking to see that you didn¡¯t know such basic truths even though both of you are Spirit Order practitioners. Since you don¡¯t know such obvious truths, you won¡¯t be able to properly use your power. Look here, sir Giles. Let¡¯s us first try to move our body without using our muscles.¡±


    ¡°Is it like trying to move an item that has fallen off one¡¯s body?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It is like manipting a marite. However, instead of an outside force making you move, you will need to be able to control everything from the inside. Your first step is to do this only through your mind."


    As Azell spoke, Giles was wondering if such thing were possible. Azell exined further as if he was trying to hammer out the doubt out of him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be suspicious. If you ept in your heart that what I¡¯m teaching is impossible, then you will forever be surprised by what I can do.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm. All right.¡±


    The light inside Giles¡¯ eyes changed. He had seen what Azell could do. If these were the core teachings of the Spirit Order, there was no reason why he couldn¡¯t learn how to do it.


    ¡°Four days is too short to teach you any advanced techniques. However, I can teach you the essential points. The progress your mind can make is all up to you.¡±


    There wasn¡¯t much he could teach in 4 days. However, Giles had a very firm foundation. Azell would teach him the theories that had been erased in the past 200 years. It would give Giles a base he could build on.


    Giles asked a question.


    ¡°Sir Azell. What is your identity?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t answer that yet. However, I will tell you some day.¡±


    Azell smiled as he spoke.


    11


    He had a dream.


    It was about the distant past. He dreamed of a time when everyone was in a state of despair.


    As a mercenary in the Dragon Demon war, he travelled around variousnds to fight the Dragon Demon army. Azell had given up hope when he saw the state of the world. No matter how many times he swung his sword, or rescued people nothing really changed.


    He couldn¡¯t do it himself. He had to climb up to a position where he would be able to move a lot of people.


    If so, he needed to be a knight. After he learned everything he could from his second teacher Balf, his skills was nothing to be embarrassed about. The road to bing a knight was wide considering his level of skill.


    However, another obstacle was waiting for him after he became a knight. As a low ranking knight, he had to fight where he was ordered to fight. The harsh reality of this cmity was almost on top of people, yet the human organizations were continuously run in an irrational manner.


    What truly made Azell suffer was the fact that people¡¯s hearts were diseased.


    The humans were starting to get together to resist the great darkness called the Dragon Demon King. However, not all humans were filled with noble sentiments as the people unified.


    The lives... No, the future of the race was being threatened yet humans weren¡¯t able to shake the darkness within their hearts.


    If that wasn¡¯t true, Azell wouldn¡¯t be in this situation.


    This castle held a significant tactical importance.


    The castle was built at a geologically advantageous location, so a small force could effectively defend against enemy forces. If this ce fell, the enemies could easily ess the heart of the lord¡¯snd. It would be a much easier to advance if this castle fell.


    This was why if the lord of this region had his head on straight, he would invest a lot of soldiers and supplies here.


    Unfortunately, the lord refused to make the logical choice. When a castle owned by a rtive fell, the lord recalled most of his troops in fear to protect himself.


    Of course, once the soldiers retreated out of the region, the ce was exposed to the enemies. The people living in this region were about to be ughtered, but the lord only cared about his own safety.


    ¡®What a trash lord.¡¯


    The moon was shining brightly in the night. Azell was leaning against the rail of the castle wall as he looked at the people evacuating. He cursed the lord.


    When the lord¡¯s order arrived, 80% of the troops defending the castle left. Those left behind, including Azell, were soldiers who had ignored the lord¡¯s orders. The small number of soldiers stayed behind to buy time so the people could run away.


    The people were busy running away with their possessions on their back as if their heels were on fire. None of the people volunteered to stay behind to sacrifice themselves.


    Azell, who was trying to protect these people, really felt bitter inside. However, what made him feel more bitter was... People were discriminating fellow humans even in such a situation.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to run away, ahjushi?¡±


    The one who asked the question was a dirty little girl. At a nce, one could tell she was a street rat.


    Azell spoke as he saw the people exit through the castle wall.


    ¡°Even if one views other people as trash... Someone has to do what¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Wa. Ahjushi speaks in fancy words. People might think you are a noble.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a low ranking knight, so that means I am a noble. Also, stop calling me ahjushi.¡±


    Azell grumbled. Azell had just turned twenty, and he was just entering his prime. He hadn¡¯t shaved or washed for several days, so he just didn¡¯t look the part.


    ¡°You should go.¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯ll watch ahjushi fight here.¡±


    ¡°Then you might die. I¡¯m staying behind so children like you may survive. How would I feel if you do stayed?¡±


    ¡°If ahjushi didn¡¯t save me, I would have already been dead. So it¡¯s ok. Anyways, if I do go, they¡¯ll just tell me I¡¯m cursed again.¡±


    This girl had beenbeled as a cursed child, and she was treated with contempt. The child possessed abilities that made other people afraid of her.


    However, the incidents weren¡¯t anything nefarious. When the child got mad, objects moved on its own. There were times when a fire started where she stayed or someone nearby got sick....


    Any sane and knowledgeable person shouldn¡¯t be afraid of this child. This happened often with people who were born with magic. However, once a negative image was associated with the child, every bad thing that happened was med on the child. One could tell this was what had happened.


    As despair washed over the people, they needed someone they could abuse. They med everything on the child and funneled their hate and fear onto the child.


    Azell had rescued the child from being killed by the people who were filled with madness.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t cursed, little kid.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°I know. You were just born with a bit of a unique physical constitution. You might be able to be a good magician one day. That is why you shouldn¡¯t care about what other people say about you. You have to live. You should value your life more.¡±


    ¡°But.......¡±


    Bbooooooooo¨D!


    Azell could no longer listen to the child¡¯s words. The Dragon Demon army was here.


    ¡°Hurry up and run away.¡±


    Azell stroked the child¡¯s head then he ran across the castle wall.


    From that point on, the remaining troop fought a long battle. They showed great fighting spirit as they were ready to throw away their lives. The soldiers fought as they overcame the numerical disadvantage, and a mountain of corpses was starting to form.


    Seven hours had passed. From the distance, the sun started to rise and the surrounding started to brighten. The Dragon Demon army was mostlyposed of nocturnal monsters, so they pulled back. The soldiers who barely survived got ready to retreat.


    ¡°Koook.......¡±


    Azell was one of the survivors.


    In the darkness of the night, he had cut down his enemies like an evil spirit, and now he was tired. The numerical disadvantage was so vast that random cuts from enemies had injured him. If he wasn¡¯t a high level Spirit Order practitioner, he would have died from the loss of blood.


    It felt as if he was about to fall over, but he dragged his body off the castle wall. A person approached him. Despite the continuous battle throughout the night, the female child hadn¡¯t left this ce.


    ¡°You... Why didn¡¯t you leave?¡±


    When Azell asked the question, the child brought out water she had acquired from somewhere. She startedughing as she wiped the blood off Azell¡¯s face with a clean cloth.


    ¡°Ahjushi is bleeding to save everyone. If there¡¯s no one to wipe ahjushi¡¯s face, it would be very sad..¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell absent-mindedly stared at the child for a moment. It hadn¡¯t happened when he was fighting in a hopeless situation, but now he felt tears well up in his eyes.


    He was barely able to push down his emotions. Azell discreetly avoided her gaze as he mumbled.


    ¡°I told you I¡¯m not an ahjushi.¡±

 Chapter 62 Those who Follow the Prophecy (1).

    <strong>Chapter 62 Those who Follow the Prophecy (1).</strong>


    Chapter 62 - Those who Follow the Prophecy (1)


    1


    The in of Darkness was located north of the continent.


    There was a magical barrier ced there that prevented humans from getting close. Even in the past, it was ce of brutal coldness. There were dragons who weren¡¯t friendly to humans that lived here. The ce was overflowing with monsters. On top of that, after the Dragon Demon King worshippers were defeated by the humans, they had also settled in the ins of Darkness. Everyone knew this location was the nexus of evil yet no one was able to mount an attack against this ce.


    For the Dragon Demon worshippers, this ce was basically their holynd.


    Niberis had returned to such a ce.


    ¡°This ce.......¡±


    Regina couldn¡¯t help but feel surprised after she arrived at the Field of Darkness.


    She had gone through the process ofing to the the northern end of the continent. It was a ce where human feet had never treaded. It waspletely different from what she had imagined.


    If they had traveled here by normal means, they would have had to travel an incredibly long and treacherous road from the Rin Kingdom to this ce. However, they were able to significantly cut down on the travel time.


    ¡°So this ce is the in of Darkness....¡±


    Regina¡¯s emotional eyes took in the surrounding.


    There was a circr structure made out of metal behind her. It was decorated with magical adornments. The circr structure was slowly rotating, filled with darkness that made it look like a bottomless pit.


    This was a great magical artifact left behind by the Dragon Demon King Atein. It was called ¡¯the Road of Emptiness.¡¯


    They had used this to jump several thousand kilometers in an instant. It was an artifact no one in this era could replicate. It was the reason why the beings that called the Field of Darkness their base was able to travel to various ces on the continent. It was their secret.


    Niberis spoke.


    ¡°Think of this as an honor. Usually, a minor being like you isn¡¯t allowed on thisnd.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Regina looked around her surrounding. There was a majestic castle made out of cold bricks in front of her. During the Dragon Demon war, it was a ce built by the Dragon Demon King as a fallback position. It was secret base named the Dragon Demon castle. It had been over 200 years since it was built, but it was still in perfect shape.


    When Niberis and Regina exited the room where the Road of Emptiness was installed, someone was blocking their path.


    ¡°You¡¯ve returned safely, Niberis.¡±


    He was a young man of the Dragon Demon race with gorgeous blonde hair. His two horns curved backwards. It looked as if his horns had been carved out of ice, and the color had been seeped in afterwards. The dark green color of the horns was the same as his eyes. Also, a bright gem on the back of his hand was letting out light. The Dragon Demon Stone also held the same color as his eyes.


    Niberis looked at him with cold eyes.


    ¡°You worried over nothing. Did you perhaps think I would be killed by the enemy?¡±


    ¡°No, I just... My intentions are pure. I was just worried about you. I heard this mission was very dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Kieren. I thought you received the same mission as me? How did it go on your end?¡±


    ¡°My target wasn¡¯t a member of the royal family.¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. So... I did seed.¡±


    The youth of the Dragon Demon race called Kieren avoided her gaze as he spoke. Niberis¡¯ endlessly cold attitude made the young man ufortable.


    His answer made Niberis eyes grow colder.


    ¡°I guess I should congratte you. Could you get out of my way now? Unlike a talented man like you, I am ipetent. I have to tell the queen of my failure.¡±


    ¡°Niberis.¡±


    ¡°Get out of my way.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. All right. I know you are tired. I¡¯m sorry for bothering you right after you¡¯ve returned.¡±


    Kieren got out of the way as he felt sorry for himself. Niberis¡¯ cold attitude brushed by him. Regina peeked a nce at him, then followed after Niberis.


    ¡®What¡¯s the rtionship between those two?¡¯


    The organizations of the Dragon Demon King worshippers were moving all the time, so Regina didn¡¯t know much about her superiors. The in of Darkness was bestowed as a holynd by Dragon Demon King Atein, and everyone who lived here ruled at the top of the organizations. They were the backbone of the Dragon Demon Worshippers.


    Regina only knew Niberis was an important person from the in of Darkness. She had no further information regarding her. Regina wondered what kind of power structure existed here.


    ¡°Regina.¡±


    Niberis, who had been in front of her, called out her name. Regina instantly broke out of her thoughts and she answered Niberis.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Follow this servant to my amodation, and stay there.¡±


    Niberis had already called for a servant. He looked like a normal servant from a noble¡¯s household. Regina looked at the human servant and she was shocked once again.


    ¡°What is miss going to do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to go see my grandmother. I¡¯ll be back by dinner. If I¡¯m going to bete, I¡¯ll send you a message.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    When Niberis walked to the end of the hall, the human servant tried to guide Regina away. However, Kieren was already there next to the servant.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be borrowing this person for a moment. You go do your chores.¡±


    The servant immediately obeyed his words. Regina looked at him with a shocked expression.


    Kieren spoke.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°My name is Regina. I¡¯m affiliated with the Dragon¡¯s Shadow.¡±


    ¡°Dragon¡¯s Shadow? Mmmm... It seems it is one of the lower organizations Are you working directly under Niberis?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I do not know. When miss came to the Rin Kingdom, I was just ordered to help her....¡±


    ¡°Well, we keep everything as need to know basis for the lower organizations. Then I guess you don¡¯t know much about this ce.¡±


    ¡°I know nothing except that this ce called the ins of Darkness, and it is considered to be our holynd.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. You weren¡¯t born here, and the information restriction hasn¡¯t been lifted yet. So you shouldn¡¯t have the qualification to be here... No, Niberis brought you here so there must another reason.¡±


    Kieren mumbled as he introduced himself.


    ¡°I¡¯m Kieren Baldazark.¡±


    Regina was surprised by his words.


    Baldazark.


    He was one of the 4 Dragon Demon Generals, who had served under the Dragon Demon King Atein.


    ¡®The Blood shed by a star¡¯ Baldazark.


    ¡®The Hammer that swallowed the scream of thend¡¯ Reygus.


    ¡®The Sword that parts a storm¡¯ Almarick.


    ¡®The Goblet containing the heaven¡¯s tears¡¯ Aunsaurus.


    They were of the Dragon Demon race, and each of them had the strength of a thousand men. They had made their enemies quake just by stepping onto the battlefield. The Dragon Demon race was known for the outstanding power they were born with, but there were those who were exceptional even amongst the Dragon Demon race. Moreover, these four beings had been acknowledged by the Dragon Demon King. Their strength was at an earth-shattering level.


    Kieren spoke.


    ¡°You are thinking about the right Baldazark. I¡¯m a direct descendent of Duke Baldazark.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    This meant he was on a different level as the Dragon Demon worshippers. He possessed a noble background. Cold sweat started running down Regina¡¯s body. Kieren spoke softly to her.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be afraid of me. Since Niberis brought you here, I have no thoughts of harming you. I just want to listen to your story.¡±


    ¡°Which story do you want to hear?¡±


    ¡°I heard a report saying you were with Niberis all this time... Yes. I want to know exactly how she failed. I would like you to give a more detailed ount.¡±


    2


    At that time, Niberis arrived at the center of the Dragon Demon castle.


    This ce had been built as a safe haven for the Dragon Demon King Atein, so a throne had been built in this ce. The throne remained empty for his eventual return. The audience chamber ended and a split hallway appeared. At the end of the hallway, the room of the queen who had mingled her body with the Dragon Demon King existed. It was the living space for the queen, who had borne his children.


    The room was sunken in darkness.


    There were windows in the room with curtains that hadn¡¯t been drawn. The sun was still in the sky outside, yet this room was ruled by pitch ck darkness. In the middle of all of this, a woman was buried in the cushion of arge chair, and she had her eyes. closed.


    Like Niberis, she had long ck hair and was a woman of the Dragon Demon race. She had an aura of calmness and elegance. In terms of human criteria, she looked to be around early to mid 30s. The horn above her ears were ck and her Dragon Demon Stone was the color of gold.


    ¡°I¡¯m back, grandmother.¡±


    She was Niberis¡¯ grandmother, and she also held the highest position in the in of Darkness.


    She was the Dragon Demon King Atein¡¯s first wife, Aincera.


    This was the reason why Niberis was treated like a treasure. She was a direct descendent of the Dragon Demon King Atein.


    Aincera opened her eyes at Niberis¡¯ greeting. She had golden eyes, which was the same color as her Dragon Demon Stone. At the same time, the darkness surrounding her disappeared and the natural light filtered in.


    ¡°Niberis. You came back unharmed. I¡¯m happy.¡±


    Unlike the content of her words, her expression was cold. However, it wasn¡¯t as if she was intentionally putting on a cold expression. Her face was like a finely made sculpture and her face didn¡¯t show any emotions.


    Niberis lowered her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed. I failed to carry out my mission.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t me yourself. We gave you too dangerous of a mission when we knew you were short on experience in the first ce. The reason for this result is ourck of preparation.¡±


    ¡°But... Kieren seeded.¡±


    ¡°Kieren¡¯s mission was not as difficult as your mission. Moreover, Kieren has much more experience carrying out missionspared to you. He also tasted plenty of defeat. You shouldn¡¯t feel a sense of inferiority over this.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°It is good that you have the desire to improve yourself. However, if you get fixated on a small mistake that urred in the past, you will lose your future. You should never forget this point.¡±


    ¡°...I understand.¡±


    ¡°I want to ask you one thing. I¡¯ll get the detailed report from youter... I have something I have to confirm with you before all of that.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I heard a human with the name seeped in sin had interfered with you.¡±


    Niberis bit her lips at those words. When she thought about Azell¡¯s face, she felt humiliation surge up inside her.


    Aincera asked her a question.


    ¡°Did that person perhaps possess the Dragon Demon Qi?¡±


    ¡°Dragon Demon Qi? How can that be?¡±


    Niberis was taken aback. No human in this era possessed Dragon Demon Qi. The Field of Darkness had used all their resources to eliminate those who had Dragon Demon Qi. Then they had cut off any information regarding it from being passed on.


    Aincera asked her a question.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure. If that man did have the Dragon Demon Qi, why didn¡¯t he use it when his life was in danger? Moreover, if he did possess it, I couldn¡¯t guarantee that I would havee back here alive.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.......¡±


    What she said was true. Niberis had great confidence in her talent and strength, but Aincera had hammered into her the fear of the Dragon Demon Qi. Moreover, Niberis had also experienced it. They had erased the existence of the Dragon Demon Qi from the world, but it existed in the in of Darkness.


    Niberis spoke.


    ¡°However, the man with the name seeped in sin had knowledge of the secret arts, and he knew about the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual.¡±


    ¡°He knew about the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual? Really?¡±


    There was a change of expression on Aincera¡¯s statuesque face. There was a slight expression of surprise on her face as she waited for Niberis¡¯ answer.


    ¡°Yes. Moreover, I suspect he had killed a dragon through the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual.¡±


    ¡°Such an event had happened....¡±


    Aincera¡¯s expression became serious.


    He knew about the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual.


    That fact in itself was shocking. However, he had also killed a dragon through the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual?


    Niberis spoke.


    ¡°Of course, this is all a conjecture. The eyes were missing from the dragon¡¯s corpse, so I think there is a high chance that the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual had been carried out. However... There are too many holes in that conjecture.¡±


    ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°The man with the name seeped in sin wasn¡¯t strong enough to defeat a dragon by himself.¡±


    Niberis still didn¡¯t have the answer to this question. What method did Azell use to kill the dragon?


    Aincera calmly listened to Niberis¡¯ exnation.


    ¡°His magic was weak and he didn¡¯t possess any Dragon Demon Qi. Yet he knew about the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual and he had carried it out... It is a set of circumstances that we can¡¯t ignore.¡±


    ¡°I believe we need to keep an eye on him from now on.¡±


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll arrange it myself.¡±


    ¡°Grandmother. Please let me...¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Aincera spoke in a small voice, but Niberis¡¯ body shook as if she had been whipped.


    Niberis had failed, because of Azell. She wanted her revenge. This was why she wanted to volunteer herself for this job. However, Aincera expressed her disapproval before Niberis could speak.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already been exposed to the Dragon Sword Duke. You will have toy low for a while. I¡¯ll allow the release of a new magic manuscript, so you should behave yourself and learn the magic.¡±


    ¡°...Yes.¡±


    Aincera had made her resolute intentions known, so Niberis didn¡¯t dare to push any further on this issue. Aincera closed her eyes again, then spoke as she called the darkness back.


    ¡°You can go now.¡±

 Chapter 63 Those who Follow the Prophecy (2).

    <strong>Chapter 63 Those who Follow the Prophecy (2).</strong>


    Chapter 63 - Those who Follow the Prophecy (2)


    3


    Normally, the nobility moved with a big party that denoted their station. This was especially true for those with the rank of Duke. There were numerous retinue that would do the misceneous work.


    However, Kairen was starting the fire and drawing the water from the stream by himself.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I never thought I would see the sight of you starting a fire, and drawing water.¡±


    Of course, Azell wasn¡¯t fooling around, while Kairen was doing the misceneous work. He ran around the forest to hunt down the birds and the rabbits. Since he was a high rank Spirit Order Practitioner, he was able to use his mental wave freely. It felt like cheating using those skills to hunt.


    Kairen responded in a calm manner.


    ¡°If there is no one to do it, then I have to do it. It isn¡¯t as if these tasks will finish on its own. Do you want to do all of it, since you are my junior?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll decline.¡±


    Azell¡¯s skillful hands skinned the rabbit¡¯s leather, and he worked with the meat. He grumbled, while doing this.


    ¡°Would it have been better if we packed some provisions from the pce?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm. I never expected you to run so poorly. It was my mistake in overestimating you.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell pouted.


    The two of them were traveling from the capital to the Dukedom of Tarantos by ¡¯running¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t a figure of speech. They were running. Kairen had refused the horses given by the throne, then he cut down as much luggage as he could. Then he made a straight line towards the Dukedom of Tarantos.


    It might sound crazy to other people, but it was the most logical method for Kairen.


    ¡®That is the fastest way.¡¯


    He could run faster than a galloping horse, and he was able to ignore the terrain as he ran straight towards his destination. This was why he could travel much faster than traveling on a road.


    However, he had misjudged Azell¡¯s stamina.


    ¡°Tsk tsk. We traveled at such a slow pace, yet you are tired after running a mere 20 kilometres.¡±


    ¡°...if someone overheard us, they would think you were talking in wrong units.¡±


    When Kairen clicked his tongue, Azell grumbled.


    They had traveled at a much higher speed than a normal person could sprint, and they had covered 20 kilometres. They cut straight through mountains, forests, and prairies. It was a much rougher journeypared to traveling the same distance on a proper road.


    It had been only one month, since Azell had awoken in this era. During that time, he had rebuilt his body by a little bit, and he had increased his magic reservoir. However, it paled inparison to his prime. When one continuously moves across a long distance, stamina was more important than technique. There was no know-how that would make this easier, so Azell tired pretty fast.


    Kairen spoke as he chewed on the cooked bird.


    ¡°Since your swordsmanship was so outstanding, I might have overestimated you. I¡¯ll have to adjust my view of you. I nned on arriving there by tomorrow night...¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    If one measured the distance from the capital to the Dukedom of Tarantos in a straight line on a map, the distance was over 500 kilometers.


    ¡°I guess we will target one week as the travel time. Are you going to say you can¡¯t travel a mere 70 kilometers a day?¡±


    ¡°...are you trying to kill me?¡±


    ¡°Ho-oh. I really like the sound of you sounding weak.¡±


    ¡°Ughhh.¡±


    ¡°We should at least find a town to rest tonight.¡±


    Kairen was humming as if he was in a good mood, and he opened up a map.


    The two of them really travelled 70 meters everyday in a straight line. As each day passed, his body was screaming out in pain, yet Kairen keptining that he was too slow.


    ¡®Ooooohk! Just wait until I recover my strength! I¡¯ll definitely show you a bitter taste, old man!¡¯


    At such a young age, he never expected to pine for the old days. He grinded his teeth. Azell cursed Kairen inside, but he covered the fixed distance they had set as a goal. He went to sleeppletely exhausted.


    Four days had passed.


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    Suddenly, Kairen¡¯s brows furrowed. They were climbing a mountain when he noticed smoke rising in the distance.


    ¡°Azell.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I see it.¡±


    Azell also saw what Kairen had seen.


    The two didn¡¯t speak any further, and they started heading towards the location. One would need a professional gear to descend the mountain slope, yet they ran down as if they were running across t ground. They stepped on trees as if they were flying, and they head towards the source of the smoke.


    They arrived at the foot of the mountain, and they saw the fields of the vige being razed by fire. A band of bandits that included orcs were plundering a vige.


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    The two of them had been heading towards the vige at high speed, yet they suddenly stopped when they detected a different kind of being. A person was on top of a tree. This being was hiding himself with a Concealment technique as he looked down at the vige.


    ¡®A magician? No, something is off.¡¯


    He wasn¡¯t using a high ranked Concealment technique, so Azell and Kairen could easily sense his presence. This person had an old hat on his head, and he was surrounded by a voluminous traveler¡¯s cloak.


    They couldn¡¯t see his face. While this person was small in stature, they could sense a significant amount of magic from this being.


    ¡®Dragon Majin? No, it doesn¡¯t seem like it... Perhaps?¡¯


    Azell detected the smell of Dragon Demon Magic from this person. Unlike those from the Dragon Demon race and Dragon Majin, this person only had a partial aspect of the Dragon Demon Magic... Basically, he felt like a human, who had gone through the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual like him.


    ¡®He doesn¡¯t look to be in the same group as those bastards.......¡¯


    It didn¡¯t seem usible for such an unusually gifted magician to be part of a bandit group attacking a farming vige. Still, how could he calmly look at what¡¯s going on unless he was part of the bandits?


    -Let¡¯s go. If he is an enemy, we can face him at ater time.


    Kairen had alreadye to a decision, so he spoke to Azell through Whispering. Then they immediately ran towards the farmer¡¯s vige. An orc was on top of a female child ripping her clothes away. Kairen descended like a bird of prey.


    Pah-hahk!


    The orc¡¯s head was separated from its neck at the same time Kairen raised his sword.


    Azell was following right behind him. When he arrived, a geyser of blood fountained into the air as Azell severed three necks.


    ¡°Ooh-ahk!¡±


    ¡°Who are these bastards!¡±


    The two of them had attacked so abruptly that the bandits were a step slow in reacting. However, Azell and Kairen didn¡¯t care if they reacted or not. They just approached any bandit they saw, and they swung their swords.


    The bandits had already killed a lot of farmers, and they were in the process of gathering women and children. The bandits thought they had already won, so they were focused on looting. They hadn¡¯t expected an ambush, so the bandits were being mowed down.


    ¡°W...who the hell are you bastards?¡±


    Arge man, who looked to be the leader, asked the question in shock.


    Azell spoke as he walked towards him.


    ¡°Why should I answer your question? You guys are already dead, so there is no point in answering your.......¡±


    At the same time, Azell¡¯s form disappeared.


    ¡°...question.¡±


    The sentence came to an end from behind the man. The man tried to turn around in surprise.


    Something was wrong. He was just turning his head, yet his vision was rapidly dimming.


    Afterwards, the neck that was turning was cleanly sliced. His head slid to the ground, and a fountain of blood erupted from the wound.


    Tuhl-suhk!


    ¡°Kyahhhhhhhk!¡±


    The bandit fell in front of a woman, and she let out a scream. Azell flinched.


    ¡°Jeez. I made a mistake.¡±


    ¡°Yourck of consideration for others is troubling.¡±


    Kairen clicked his tongue as he approached Azell.


    There had been about 30 members in the bandit group, but it didn¡¯t even take 5 minutes to kill all of them. Maybe, if they were fully armed and ready to fight, the fight would havested longer. However, most of them had their pants down as they were about to vite the women. This was why everything ended so easily.


    They released the people tied up by the bandits, and they extinguished the mes burning up the houses. The surviving farmers all bowed their head towards the two men.


    ¡°Aigo! Thank you very much!¡±


    While they were doing this, they looked at the two men with fear in their eyes. These two men had overwhelming power that allowed them to kill the bandits in minutes. Moreover, they could overlook Azell, but wasn¡¯t Kairen of the Dragon Demon race? Moreover, he wore ck armor that covered his entire body. He was dressed like a knight, and the vigers could tell that this being was a noble.


    ¡°Hmmm. There is a farming settlement in such a rural area... Does the local lord here have a bad personality?¡±


    Kairen asked with his head tilted.


    He correctly guessed that these workers had run away from the rule of their lord to live as farmer inside the mountain. If a lord was merciless in his rule, one would asionallye across such a situation. If there was a famine or a problem causing a poor harvest, these farmers couldn¡¯t meet ends meet if the taxes were high. Those who couldn¡¯t pay taxes and even criminals sometimes ran away to form a vige.


    This was why such a vige didn¡¯t have the power to protect themselves, so they were subject to being attacked by bandits. They had escaped from being plundered, and killed. However, the problem was the fact that their savior was a noble.


    However, Kairen thought outside the box regarding such issues.


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t to be scared. You aren¡¯t a resident of my domain, and I¡¯m not part of the bandits. I don¡¯t care what you say.¡±


    ¡°...you are very heroic in your temperament. However, is it ok for a great lord that holds the respect of the throne to be speaking this way?¡±


    ¡°Who cares? No one will overhear me here. Moreover, I have a more urgent business right now.¡±


    After saying those words, Kairen red at the magician atop the tree. The next moment he used his Instantaneous Movement to appear right in front of the magician.


    ¡°Uh?¡±


    The magician was so surprised that he jumped off the tree. It seemed he hadn¡¯t expected to be found, since he was using his Concealment technique.


    Kairen dropped in front of him. The magician was taken aback, so he asked a question.


    ¡°Why are you being like this?¡±


    Kairen and Azell was amazed by his words. Doesn¡¯t he realize how suspicious he looked?


    The two of them were a bit surprised when the hat half fell off the magician¡¯s head. He looked to be only 14 or 15 years old. He had curly blonde hair and blue eyes. This youth was looking up at Kairen with an expression that indicated he didn¡¯t understand the cause of Kairen¡¯s action.


    Azell was especially surprised.


    ¡®This little shrimppleted the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual? No way.......¡¯


    Soon, Kairen put on a cold expression as he asked a question.


    ¡°What¡¯s your identity? It doesn¡¯t seem like you are in the same group as the bandits.... Are you perhaps the mastermind behind this attack?¡±


    ¡°I have no ties to those people.¡±


    ¡°Then why were you hiding there as you looked on?¡±


    ¡°I was traveling nearby, and the bandits suddenly appeared. I hid, because I was afraid they would harm me.¡±


    ¡°By the look of it, you look to be a proficient magician. Didn¡¯t you have any thoughts about helping the people being piged?¡±


    The teen tilted his head at the question.


    ¡°I might die if I did. Am I required to do that?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    His attitude was so matter of fact that Kairen and Azell got angry for a brief moment.


    The teen put his hat back on. He stood up, and he dusted off his clothes.


    ¡°I know why you are asking me those questions. However, am I bound by duty to do what you suggest? It isn¡¯t as if I brought the bandits here. I don¡¯t know these people, so I don¡¯t have any sense of obligation to these people.¡±


    ¡°That is...true.¡±


    Kairen spoke as if he didn¡¯t appreciate the young man¡¯s attitude.


    The teen¡¯s words were very selfish, but he wasn¡¯t wrong. Even if this young man was a magician with strong magic, it wasn¡¯t guaranteed he would survive against bandits that numbered over twenty. He made a cold decision to prioritize his life over others. It was hard to berate him for that. He could criticize the youth on moral grounds, but it wouldn¡¯t be productive to do so.

 Chapter 64 Those who Follow the Prophecy (3).

    <strong>Chapter 64 Those who Follow the Prophecy (3).</strong>


    Chapter 64 - Those who Follow the Prophecy (3)


    While he was thinking this, Azell couldn¡¯t help, but ask the question.


    ¡°Still, the people were suffering yet you didn¡¯t think about helping them?¡±


    Azell expected the youth to feel tormented by the guilt he felt, but the youth was extremely unperturbed. It was a face that said he didn¡¯t care if people around him was raped and killed.


    The youth spoke.


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°You did?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell and Kairen looked at each other. His answer was unexpected, since he said it so matter of factly. The youth¡¯s expression was so nonchnt that his word didn¡¯t have a ring of truth.


    The youth kept speaking.


    ¡°However, it was more important for me to save my life instead of helping them. Are my answers sufficient, Azell Zestringer?¡±


    Shweeeng!


    In a sh, a line of silver light appeared in front of the youth¡¯s eyes. When he realized something had shed, Azell¡¯s sword point was already aimed at his neck.


    ¡°How do you know my name?¡±


    4


    The tense sense of danger swept over the youth. The youth spoke with a slightly shaky voice.


    ¡°I can easily give you the answer.... Can we do that after you put away your sword?¡±


    ¡°Do you want me draw a bloody line across your neck?¡±


    ¡°You are much more scarier than I imagined...¡±


    The young man spoke in an awkward manner.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to test whether you are the prophesied person. I am the Guardian Shadow¡¯s Keeper of Prophecy. My name is Leone. Will that be sufficient for my introduction?¡±


    ¡°You are part of the Guardian Shadows?¡±


    Azell¡¯s brows furrowed. Kairen asked a question as if there was neither rhyme nor reason about it.


    ¡°A kid like you is part of the Guardian Shadows?¡±


    ¡°Age isn¡¯t that important when bing a Guardian Shadow, Dragon Sword Duke.¡±


    The youth was letting out cold sweat as he retreated backwards. Azell decided to sheathe his sword for now.


    The youth named Leone spoke with a bright smile on his face.


    ¡°The only important thing is what one can bring to the cause and effect. Anyways, I was chasing you down, but this meeting was unnned. Originally, I nned on visiting you both at night. You are overflowing with the sense of justice, Azell Zestringer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m overflowing with the sense of justice... I have a mountainous amount of things to say on the subject, but I¡¯ll omit it for now. Did you just say you were chasing after us?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°For how long?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been awhile. However, it was only today that I knew I would be able to catch up to the both of you.¡±


    ¡°Basically, you always knew where we were located?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell¡¯s eyes held disbelief.


    ¡®I wasn¡¯t able to feel their sight on me?¡¯


    This meant Leone had tracked down Azell using magic of farsight. Azell couldn¡¯t ept the fact that he hadn¡¯t been able sense the gaze that would have been upon him. Was there a technique within the Guardian Shadow that was able to avoid Azell¡¯s detection?


    ¡®If I think about the time the Guardian Shadow first appeared, that could be a possibility.¡¯


    Azell was confident in his sensing ability, but he didn¡¯t consider it to be absolute. The Detection technique and Concealment skills had a biting or being bitten rtionship. One couldn¡¯t predict, which techniques might gain the upper hand. When he thought about the first meeting where he saw the Guardian Shadow, he hadn¡¯t been able to sense it until it got within 20 meters of him....


    Azell asked a question.


    ¡°How did you track us?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s easy. I just had to ask for the Dragon Sword Duke¡¯s location from the Guardian Shadows. Since you two were traveling so fast, I had a hard time following the both of you.¡±


    ¡°...ah. So that¡¯s how it is.¡±


    He could now understand why he didn¡¯t detect any gaze on him. They hadn¡¯t been monitoring Azell.


    Leone spoke to the slightly dejected Azell.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you are a human, yet you are a vessel for the Dragon Demon magic. You aren¡¯t a Dragon Majin, yet...¡±


    Dragon Majin was the offspring between a human and a being from the Dragon Demon race. As the line bes more mixed with humans, the special characteristics of a Dragon Majin disappeared, and a regr human was born. At that point, any trace of the Dragon Demon magic disappeared.


    However, Azell held the scent of the Dragon Demon magic. This was caused by him absorbing a Dragon¡¯s power through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    Leone spoke in an interested manner.


    ¡°I have no idea why you would have the scent of the Dragon Demon magic. However, I¡¯ve been told there hasn¡¯t been a human like you in hundred years.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You are saying that, but you are human. This undermines the credibility of your words.¡±


    ¡°Ah ah. I am... No, I should be seen as exception to the norm. We are looking for the being from the prophecy. He can¡¯t be one of us, yet he has to satisfy certain conditions.¡±


    ¡°The prophesied being? What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Unless I can confirm that you are the being foretold by the prophecy, I won¡¯t be able to tell you.¡±


    ¡°This is also the first time I¡¯ve heard about this. Why wasn¡¯t I informed?¡±


    Kairen spoke. He had shown dedication in his work as a member of the Guardian Shadow, yet he wasn¡¯t informed of this fact. He was displeased that a young man knew more about this situation than him.


    Leone spoke.


    ¡°The prophecy isn¡¯t known to all the members of the Guardian Shadows. The Keeper of the Prophecy knows it. The Keeper of the Prophecy are beings, who willingly dedicates one¡¯s life to the prophecy.¡±


    ¡°Sacrifice? Keeper of the Prophecy?¡±


    ¡°Only those who gives up on one¡¯s own future to protect and aid in the prophecy can be the Keeper of the Prophecy. This doesn¡¯t apply to you, Duke.¡±


    ¡°So being a dedicated member of the Guardian Shadow is insufficient? It seems secrets I don¡¯t like keeps popping up as time passes.¡±


    ¡°Well, it isn¡¯t as if I like my current situation. Still, the arrow has been shot, and it can¡¯t be withdrawn.¡±


    Leone had a bright smile as he spoke. Azell asked a question as if he found it objectionable.


    ¡°If you are a member of the Guardian Shadow, don¡¯t you have the duty to protect the poption from the Dragon Demon King worshippers? Yet you didn¡¯t stop the bandits in front of your eyes from piging the vige just because you valued your own life more than theirs. Truthfully, I cannot trust your words.¡±


    ¡°You are severley misinformed about us, Azell Zestringer.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Leone spoke with a sour expression on his face.


    ¡°We aren¡¯t particrly burning with the sense of duty to protect the poption. Moreover, we aren¡¯t doing carrying out the cause of justice.¡±


    ¡°Then what are you fighting for?¡±


    ¡°We want to eradicate the Dragon Demon Worshippers, and the final goal is to kill the Dragon Demon King once and for all. That is our goal. If one wants to save the people dying in front of one¡¯s eyes, it is the prerogative of the individual. However, it has nothing to do with the goal of the Guardian Shadows.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°By your expression, it seems you have a great misconception of us. I¡¯ll be clear. The Guardian Shadow isn¡¯t an organization that upholds justice. We fight against the Dragon Demon King and his worshipper. We just safeguard the human race from them.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.......¡±


    Azell realized disappointment and anger was simmering within him.


    Leone smiled as if he had a mask on his face. He had a bright smile, but his words didn¡¯t match his expression. He gave off a very entric feeling.


    ¡°If one had to choose between the duty towards humans and shutting down the Dragon Demon Worshippers, I would willingly choose thetter. That is what the Guardian Shadow is all about.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯ll admit I misunderstood the intentions of the Guardian Shadow.¡±


    Azell fought to push down his anger as he admitted he had a preconceived notion of the Guardian¡¯s Shadow.


    ¡®They only want to stop the Dragon Demon Worshippers.¡¯


    Azell had gone through the Dragon Demon war. He had the noble idea of wanting to carry out justice for the people. However, the Guardian Shadows and Leone moved to a different standard.


    Leone spoke.


    ¡°It is a relief that you understand us now. From now on, you won¡¯t look favorably at what we have to do to you. It¡¯ll be awkward if you misunderstand our intentions.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You will find out once the nightes. Please be patient until then... If you don¡¯t mind, may I travel with you guys? I¡¯ll be following you anyways.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell and Kairen had big frowns on their face. Leone was still smiling as if he had a mask on his face.


    5


    Azell and Kairen departed the farming vige, and they traveled to their destination at high speed. The two of them moved at a pace unimaginable to a normal person, yet the youth was unexpectedly keeping up. Magicians were able to fly through the air. This mode of travel was very advantageous, since terrains didn¡¯t bother the magician. The youth flew at high speeds for a long time, yet he had enough energy to spare.


    ¡°Ho-ooh.¡±


    When they reached a town, Azell rented out a room at an inn. He washed his tired body, then he fell into meditation within his room. Before he went into his mediation, Azell gathered a Magic Aggregate in both hands, and he drank it. Kairen asked in surprise.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m recovering my magic.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a method. Is it worth doing??¡±


    ¡°When one is trying to immediately recover one¡¯s exhausted magical reservoir, it is better than a calm meditation. If one wants to fill up one¡¯s Energy Pulse with dense magic, the normal way would be more effective.¡±


    Basically, Azell was implying that he might need to use his magic soon.


    Kairen asked a question.


    ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll have to fight that child?¡±


    ¡°There is no guarantee. However, when I heard his tone of voice, I don¡¯t think this meeting will be pleasant for us.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. The Guardian Shadows is bing more bizarre as I learn more about them.¡±


    ¡°You are a member, so you shouldn¡¯t speak like that.¡±


    ¡°However, I am angry that I was kept in the dark until now. They dared to use me, yet they hid the important information from me.¡±


    Kairen looked to be in a very bad mood. He was called the Dragon Demon Duke, and he was revered by the people. In regards to information, he was always first to be informed. He was the one, who kept important information from others. He had never been on the other side of the equation. This was why he didn¡¯t like how this organization called the Guardian Shadow was being run.


    Azell was recovering his magic when he slowly opened his eyes.


    ¡°...it¡¯s here.¡±


    ¡°Mmm? Can you feel something?¡±


    Kairen still couldn¡¯t sense anything.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I can¡¯t feel its energy. However... I can most definitely tell that it is ¡¯watching me¡¯.¡±


    At that moment, someone was watching Azell from afar. Moreover, it seemed this being realized he waspromised. The being let out a ominous magical wave, and it stimted Azell¡¯s senses.


    Kairen¡¯s expression hardened.


    ¡°This is.......¡±


    ¡°It has the stench of ck Magic. It¡¯s probably an Undead.¡±


    A being, who had used forbidden magic to ovee death, was making his presence known. This being let out his presence from afar. The presence was very dim, yet it was enough for the two of them to sense it.


    Kairen asked a question as he watched Azell arm himself.


    ¡°Will you be ok?¡±


    For the past couple days, Azell had been on a forced march, and he had umted a lot of fatigue. His body was exhausted, and his Energy Pulse wasn¡¯t in a good condition.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°In any fight, my opponent won¡¯t be considerate about what kind of condition I am in. The probability of finding a fair fight is the same as finding an opponent, who has lost his mind. It is very rare. The person expecting a fair fight, while a sword is pointed at one¡¯s throat, is the stupid one.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, you say words that I really like. It puts me in a tough position.¡±


    Kairen grinned as he followed after Azell.


    The two of them erased their presence, and they secretly exited the inn. They stretched their senses into the surrounding, and they heard the whispers of restless spirits. They detected an ominous energy. This was an invitation being sent by their opponents.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°There are three of them.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°There are three of them including the one following us from the back.¡±


    Azell pointed backwards. Leone was following them in in sight.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°The other two... Did you find this out through your ability to sense other people¡¯s gaze?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That is a very desirable technique. I can feel a very dim sensation, yet I can¡¯t pin point it for sure....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll teach it to youter. Of course, I¡¯ll have to receive something in return.¡±


    ¡°Just don¡¯t overcharge me too much.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll depend on how you act from now on.¡±


    While they were speaking, the two of them arrived at a hill that was about 2km away from the town.


    There was a being standing there with the moonlight shining down behind his back.


    His opponent spoke.


    <Azell Zestringer?>


    The voice that asked the question was very bleak. One got goosebumps just from listening to it, and the voice invoked a instinctive fear within oneself. The sound wasn¡¯t formed by the vibrations of a living being¡¯s vocal cords. It was evidence that this undead being was using ck Magic to produce sound.


    Azell queried.


    ¡°Before you ask the other person for his identity, shouldn¡¯t you should reveal your own first?¡±


    <It seems you are him. I¡¯m Zeta. That is all you need to know. If you want to know more....>


    Puh-luhk!


    The Undead being billowed his cape that had been covering his body. Beneath the moonlight, a Skeleton Knight encased in a dark metal with an ominous red-ck line running down the armor appeared. Two strong light was shining within the helm where the eyes should be.


    <Acquire your qualification by surviving against my sword.>


    ¡°You are only an Undead yet you are thering about such nonsense. Bring it on.¡±

 Chapter 65 - Those who Follow the Prophecy (4)

    Chapter 65 - Those who Follow the Prophecy (4)


    Azell deployed his magic. His three Rings of Life, which had gone through Dual Banding, vibrated, and an enormous amount of magic was emitted.


    Woooooooo!


    ¡®I¡¯ll hit him with everything I got from the beginning!¡¯


    He put on a strong front, but Azell¡¯s instinct was warning him of danger. The Undead in front of his eyes was dangerous. A bizarre armor covered its entire body, and the sword was a powerful magical artifact. Moreover, the soul controlling these items were quite formidable.


    <You will have to just watch this.>


    At that moment, another Undead¡¯s voice rang out from the dark. There were two more of them.


    <This is a test given by the Guardian Shadow¡¯s Keeper of Prophecy.>


    ¡°Is this... Are you giving me an order?¡±


    Kairen bared his teeth as heughed.


    The two Undead within the darkness looked to be a Magician, and an Undead Swordsman wearing simr armor to Zeta. The Undead Swordsman¡¯s face was covered with a dark mask. The helm had two horn that looked like the horns of the Dragon Demon race, and it looked fierce.


    <Don¡¯t think of it as an order. It would be great if you thought of it as a request from a fellow member from the same organization.>


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t agree to it?¡±


    <Then we will have no choice, but to block you.>


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that sound more fun? I don¡¯t care if we are in the organization called Guardian¡¯s Shadow. I¡¯m not tolerant enough to be ordered around by Undead bastards.¡±


    Hoooooooo!


    Kairen unsheathed his dual swords, and he deployed his Dragon Demon magic. The air around him responded to his intent, and the sound was loud and resonant. The Undead magician, who saw this, spoke.


    <Jeez. You did say it would turn out like this. How did you know?>


    <Well, when I was alive, these kinds of things happened quite often. This is the temperament of a swordsman.>


    The Undead Swordsman spoke withughter in his voice. It sounded as if wind was escaping through the holes in his Skull. It seemed the Undead tried tough like he used to when he was alive.


    The Undead Swordsman spoke.


    <I heard he is a living legend of this era. Shall I see how talented he is? I was always curious as to the skills of kids these days.>


    ¡°Kids these days? Are you old enough to speak so insolently in front of me?¡±


    <Of course.>


    ¡°Then you are old enough to be senile. Why don¡¯t you leave behind your disgusting obsession and return to your grave!¡±


    Kairen ran in like a ray of light, and he shed with the Undead Swordsman.


    Kwahhhhhhng!


    Light exploded and the earth shook.


    Kairen was taken aback.


    ¡®What¡¯s the identity of this bastard?¡¯


    His first strike was a surprise attack where he put his full power into the strike. If it was a human, any defense would have been meaningless. It would have evaporated in an instant.


    However, his opponent didn¡¯t move an inch, and it blocked his attack. It stood atop the shaking earth, and it let out an overwhelming amount of magic. Kairen had exterminated a lot of Undead before, but the amount of magic emitted by this one was on a different level.


    ¡®It is almost on par with me in terms of magic.¡¯


    Amongst the Dragon Demon race in Rin Kingdom, Kairen was the strongest. Surprisingly, the Undead Swordsman in front of his eyes was emitting Dragon Demon Magic that was on par with Kairen.


    The Undead Swordsman spoke.


    <Don¡¯t interfere, Theta.>


    <You are making this more difficult than it has to be, Delta.>


    <I need to amuse myself sometimes like this. Since you are a pacifist, just watch us.>


    <You are incorrigible. If it looks like you are losing, I¡¯ll help you.>


    <How can I lose to a pup?>


    <How many years do you really think separates you from him? Moreover, you have retired from life. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be much better than this lively soldier.>


    <Why do all magicians have twisted personalities? They all speak so abominably. Anyways, you should quietly watch us.>


    The sound of wind flowing out came from inside the Undead Swordsman¡¯s mask. The Undead Swordsman named Delta probably had the habit of snorting. It sounded like it.


    <It¡¯s my turn, pup.>


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard someone call me that in such a long time that it doesn¡¯t seem like you are alluding to me, old man bones.¡±


    <Then allow me to develop your character, legendary pup!>


    Delta stomped on the ground as he dashed forward. Then the sword covered in darkness shed with Kairen¡¯s dual swords.


    6


    Currently, the sounds of explosion rang out in the surrounding, and the air was getting much hotter. Azell and Zeta red at each other as they circled around each other. However, it wasn¡¯t as if they were standing around doing nothing. At that moment, a fierce battle was urring in a domain that couldn¡¯t be seen by the eyes.


    ¡®This bastard is only an Undead, but he is quite extraordinary.¡¯


    Azell felt a sense of confusion.


    At that moment, they were controlling their mental waves, and they were engaged in a high speed battle.


    They emphasized certain parts of their body to attract the gaze of each other, and both of them tried to hide their attack stance. However, their sense of distance became messed up as they kept following the movement of each other¡¯s stances. Both of them shifted their bnce, and they kept changing the rhythm of their breathing. They were trying to mess up each other¡¯s timing.


    This wasn¡¯t being done only by what one could see and hear. They used magical energy to directly limit the opponent¡¯s senses. Zeta was already dead, so he didn¡¯t have the senses that would be present in a living being. This was why Zeta used a very sophisticated technique to face Azell. His skills were not inferior to high level Spirit Order practitioners.


    ¡®It¡¯s probably tough for a dead bastard to do this.¡¯


    A Magician loses a lot of capability when one bes an Undead. However, a Spirit Order Practitioner had more to lose as an Undead.


    At first, one would think an Undead would have no problem as a Spirit Order practitioner, since the technique dealt with the mind. However, Spirit Order practitioners controlled their mind with the Rings of Life as their anchor. This could only happen with a living body.


    When one became an Undead, one lost all the standard techniques one cultivated previously. Everything had to be relearned as one had to match the standards of an Undead. How could such a thing be easy?


    Che-ehng!


    At some point, Azell and Zeta determined each other¡¯s timing was off, so they charged. However, the two only reaffirmed that they were both wrong.


    <It seems our suspicion has some merit. You know about the secret arts that had been made to forget by Them.>


    ¡°So the Dragon Demon worshippers were really behind the Spirit Order Practioners of this era being so deficient in handling their mind?¡±


    <This era?>


    Zeta reacted in a sensitive manner. Azell knew he made a mistake, but he didn¡¯t let that show outwardly.


    ¡°What do you mean by the prophesied being? Why does an Undead want to fight me without giving any exnation? I can¡¯t see you as a someone good.¡±


    <I don¡¯t care if you see us as good or bad. We just.......>


    Zeta charged as if he was skipping across space. As a living human, it was hard to predict its movements. The Undead didn¡¯t breathe, and one couldn¡¯t read the Undead¡¯s muscle, since it wasn¡¯t there. There were much less clues one could use to predict its movementpared to a human.


    Kwah-chahng!


    Sparks flew.


    It appeared behind Azell, not in the front. It used an illusion to appear as it was jumping from the front, but it had curved the trajectory of the Instantaneous Movement to slide around to the back.


    <...you are surprising. How are you able to predict an Undead¡¯s Spirit Order moves?>


    Zeta rubbed at the chest region of his armor. Azell¡¯s sword had left a scratch on its surface. Azell had seen through Zeta¡¯s movement, and he had counter-attacked.


    Azell snorted.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t something special. You made your Qi too obvious in the early stages. Anyways, that armor is very sturdy.¡±


    Azell had struck with the intention of slicing through the entire armor. However, the armor was so hard that he could only scratch it.


    ¡®It seems it¡¯ll be quite difficult for me to harm him.¡¯


    His opponent was on a whole different level as the Undead Dragon Demon King worshiper named Jackal, who he had faced before. The armor itself was a powerful magical artifact.


    Azell felt unease wash over him. Cold sweat was running down Azell¡¯s back.


    <All right. Shall I bring out a little bit more of what I¡¯m hiding? I¡¯m warning you. I won¡¯t be as slow as before.>


    Zeta ran forward. It wasn¡¯t Instantaneous movement, but the attack was so fast that it looked as if Zeta had jumped across space.


    Cheng!


    Light and darkness intersected. Azell¡¯s eyes had narrowed from surprise, yet the exchange continued before he could blink his eyes.


    Che che che che cheng!


    The arc of light and the arc of darkness shed with each other in a dizzying manner. Azell¡¯s expression crumpled.


    ¡®Shit! Why is this bastard so fast?¡¯


    Zeta¡¯s speed kept increasing. Azell was keeping up with his speed, so Zeta kept increasing his speed as if it was telling Azell to keep up with it. The speed increased more and more as if there was no limit.


    Pee-peet!


    The shoulder region of Azell¡¯s leather armor was sliced.


    Peet!


    Blood flew from Azell¡¯s arm.


    ¡®Fuck!¡¯


    It was too fast for Azell to keep up. He purposefully opened up a weak point, so he could try to counter attack. However, it was useless since Zeta was too fast.


    His eyes followed its movement. Azell had elerated his senses to the extreme, and he was able to process all the information he was taking in.


    However, his body couldn¡¯t keep up. He used the least amount of movement to block, and he used Zeta¡¯s previous movements to predict the next moves. He was defending against it, yet there was a limit to what he could do.


    Zeta was so overwhelmingly fast and strong that he couldn¡¯t cover up his deficiencies with his techniques!


    Kah-kahk!


    His bnce was broken. Azell had been stepping to the side in a circle to resist the onught, but he had just taken a step backwards. Then he kept being pushed back as the dam had been broken.


    <No matter how much skills you have, you are a ultimately a human. I wonder how long you can keep up with me now that you aren¡¯t regting your breathing.>


    The Undead didn¡¯t need to breathe. While they still had magical energy, the Undead could attack endlessly without rest. It didn¡¯t breathe, so it didn¡¯t have the weakness of slowing down from muscle fatigue.


    Also, a high level Undead like Zeta had the cursed power of being able to steal energy from whatever its power of darkness touched. Azell was consuming his magical energy to defend against this.


    He couldn¡¯t use his mind to create an opening. Zeta was way behind in terms of techniques dealing with the Mind, but Zeta was good enough. The difference in magical energy was used to overwhelm Azell. Moreover, the physical fight was so intense that he didn¡¯t have the time to use any advanced mental attacks.


    Pah pah pah pah pah!


    As if Zeta was far from done, he kept increasing his speed.


    Zeta¡¯s strength was several times more stronger than Azell. Zeta¡¯s speed was several times faster than Azell. Moreover, Zeta¡¯s magical reservoir was so vast that it couldn¡¯t¡¯ bepared to Azell¡¯s magical energy.


    There was too big of a difference between Zeta¡¯s full strength and Azell¡¯s full strength. The fact that Azell hadn¡¯t been crushed in an instant was the evidence showing Azell was much superior in terms of techniques.


    Suddenly, Azell¡¯s Clone appeared. Zeta didn¡¯t pay any attention to it. Since he already homed in on Azell¡¯s true body, any act of trying to distract him was a waste of magical energy.


    However, Zeta had been too arrogant.


    Too-hahk!


    ¡®What?!¡¯


    Azell suddenly appeared from his side, and Zeta was hit with a single strike. Zeta, who had been charging like a hurricane, was sent flying sideways.


    Then.......


    Ggwah-roo-roong! Gwah-gwahng!


    Azell used this opportunity to to strike Zeta as he generated thunder with his sword.


    ¡°Huhk, huhk, huh-uhk......!¡±


    Azell mindlessly took in his breaths. Since he had moved without regting his breathing, he had almost reached his limit. His heart was pounding uncontrobly, and he felt dizzy in his head.

 Chapter 66 - Those who Follow the Prophecy (5)

    Chapter 66 - Those who Follow the Prophecy (5)


    <I¡¯m absolutely bbergasted. What technique did you use? I believe you used the extension of the Astral Projection technique. Is it really possible to use it in this manner?>


    Zeta walked out of the cloud of dust unharmed. Azell didn¡¯t answer him as he tried to regte his breathing.


    Astral Projection.


    This was a highly difficult training method used by a Spirit Order Practitioner, when one is in the process of training one¡¯s mind.


    The mind and the body waspletely separated from each other. The body moved in such a state. Moreover, one had to imitate and conceptualize the various organs of the body. This was how one could still keep the sensation of being alive, while one was separated from one¡¯s body.


    This process was so hard that not many Spirit Order practitioners seeded in achieving this state.


    Zeta was an Undead, yet he was able to use his Spirit Order. Zeta was also using an variation of this technique to achieve this result.


    This was also true for Azell¡¯s cloning technique ¡¯Dance of the Shadow¡¯, which gave his clones substance.


    It was possible to imitate the sensation of being alive through the astral body. However, what Azell was doing was on a whole different level. The clones that had beenpletely separated from the body was able to physically influence the material world.


    Zeta had been a high level Spirit Order Practioner in his previous life, and he had maintained his level of skill. However, the technique shown by Azell was inexplicable to him.


    <If you won¡¯t answer me, then I¡¯ll have to find out the answer. However, there is something that doesn¡¯t make any sense. You have all these techniques, yet.....>


    Azell didn¡¯t give Zeta the chance to finish his words. When he determined his breathing was under control, Azell used the Instantaneous Movement to rush forward.


    Four of Azell¡¯s clone appeared near Zeta.


    Kwahng!


    Apanying the sound of an explosion, Zeta was sent flying. Each of them possessed detailed and clear presence that one couldn¡¯t tell which one was the real body. This was why Zeta chose to pierce three of them at the same time. He pierced one with his sword, and the other two with his Darkness magic.


    However, thest remaining one had hit Zeta¡¯s body. Then the one that Zeta had thought he had defeated pierced through his Darkness Magic. The one he considered to be a clone struck out at Zeta.


    ¡®I have to decide the victory right now!¡¯


    At that moment, Azell¡¯s heart started beating crazily as it poured out the magical energy.


    Even when he was mindlessly panting, he hadn¡¯t let even a second go to waste. The fact that his heart was racing meant he was vibrating his Rings of Life. When one¡¯s body craved oxygen, the painful moment could be used to extract a vast amount of magical energy. Currently, he was swirling with magical energy that was much higher in quantity than his body could contain.


    ¡®Star¡¯s Breath!¡¯


    He created a white hot me to eradicate the Undead. The me followed the trajectory of his sword, and it exploded when it reached its target.


    Hahhhhhhhhk!


    The storm of white meshed out. Azell had elerated his sword past his limit. He pierced through Zeta¡¯s defense, and his sword energy showered down at Zeta.


    Too-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo!


    No matter how sturdy this bizarre armor was, there had to be a breaking point. If he could use his entire strength to break it....


    <How unfortunate.>


    ...Zeta had been taking a beat, yet a genuine sound of regret was heard in his voice.


    Hooooooooooohng!


    A blood-colored darkness exploded forth with Zeta at its center.


    Azell¡¯s white fire was swept away in an instant. It was like a candle being snuffed out by a storm.


    For a moment, Azell¡¯s movement stalled, and Zeta didn¡¯t miss taking advantage of this moment.


    <How can you possess such wondrous skills, yet.... How do you not have any power?>


    Zeta¡¯s sword flew towards Azell. The Curse of Darkness had dug into his mind. He had stiffened as he tried to resist against the Curse of Darkness that had dug into his mind. It caused Azell to be a step slow.


    This small pause proved to be fatal.


    Azell hadn¡¯t taken a direct hit from Zeta¡¯s sword energy until now. There was too much of a difference in physical strength, and Zeta¡¯s sword was a Demonic Sword with powerful magic dwelling within it. Azell had received the attacks obliquely as he let the attacks slide off of his sword. This had protected his sword. However, he wasn¡¯t able to do so this time.


    Kahng!


    Azell¡¯s sword broke into pieces. Before Azell could do anything, Zeta hit Azell¡¯s body.


    Kwahng!


    Apanying the sound of explosion, Azell was sent flying.


    ¡¯Fuck......!¡¯


    Azell¡¯s body hit the ground, and his body took a high bounce. His body lodged into a tree.


    If he was a normal person, he would have died immediately from the impact. However, Azell had used Spirit Order in an instant to reduce the shock. It saved his life.


    ¡®No.......¡¯


    Azell forcefully grabbed onto his fading consciousness.


    The situation he had been worried about hade true. If Azell and Kairen fought at full strength with the intent to kill each other, the result would be something simr to now.


    However, he was fighting against Zeta, not Kairen. Still, his prediction had been on point.


    If one was an expert, one could deflect strong attacks through techniques. However, techniques wouldn¡¯t be able to hold back a flood.


    He was short on power.


    If a three year old child developed the greatest technique in the world, the child wouldn¡¯t be able to beat a trained adult, who was fully armed. This was how vast the gulf was between Azell and Zeta.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Azell was trying his damnedest to stand up when he heard the voice of a youth. It was Leone, who had been observing the situation.


    <I have no idea.>


    ¡°...so what the hell was the point of all of this? We just bought unwanted enmity with this.¡±


    <However, he is worth watching a little bit more.>


    ¡°Hmmm. Is that so? Maybe, someone else should test him right now.¡±


    <We should give him more time.>


    ¡°Well, he does need time to recover from his wounds.......¡±


    <No, we have to give him more time than that. Only then will he find out about his true worth.>


    ¡°Do you have any evidence to supports this opinion?¡±


    <No. However, my feeling is telling me it is so.>


    ¡°Hmmmm.......¡±


    <Even if someone else conducts another test right now, it would be difficult for us to get our confirmation.>


    ¡°Well, you are the one, who tested him. Since that is your opinion, we will do as you say.¡±


    <Let¡¯s retreat for now. We¡¯ve been out for too long.>


    ¡°Wait, you dirty bag of bones.......¡±


    Azell red at Zeta as he panted. Zeta returned his gaze.


    <I¡¯ll give you a chance to avenge yourself next time. You should rest right now, test taker. You will have plenty of opportunities if you stay alive.>


    The darkness emitted by Zeta swallowed Azell.


    ¡®Ah. Annoying... Bastard.....¡¯


    As this thought ran across Azell¡¯s mind, he lost consciousness.


    7


    Azell¡¯s consciousness travelled to a time long before. He returned to a time when he had still been young and inexperienced.


    ¡®It¡¯s a dream.¡¯


    Azell knew this to be true. He hadn¡¯t meant for this to happen, but his sense of desire before he fell unconscious had guided him to this point.


    ¡°What is needed for the humans to win against the Dragon Demon race?¡±


    A middle-aged man, who possessed arge body, asked the question. Azell was a tall man, but the other man was a head taller than Azell. Moreover, the man possessed brown skin color, and a ck beard. From Azell¡¯s perspective, the man had an exotic appearance.


    He was Azell¡¯s 3rd teacher, Lin.


    He was a dual-swordsman, who used two curved sword. He was a frightening high rank Spirit Order practitioner, who was greater than anyone Azell had known at the time. He was royalty from a desert kingdom. After his kingdom was exterminated by the Dragon Demon army, he became well known in the Nadick Empire for his bravery.


    At the time, Azell had been an unaffiliated knight, and he had decided to fight alongside Lin. Azell had been awed by his courage and righteousness. Lin carried himself like royalty as he possessed boldness and dignity. He was a brave general, who struck fear into the Dragon Demon army.


    Moreover, Lin considered Azell to be the one to bring hope to this era of Darkness. This was why he had taken in the unaffiliated knight, who had wandering from ce to ce. Lin taught Azell techniques that hadn¡¯t been taught to him by his previous masters.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I guess one needs the Dragon Demon Qi.¡±


    The Dragon Magic Qi was the ultimate weapon. It was made using one¡¯s soul as ingredient and it required the use of refined power of a Dragon.


    This was a miraculous tool that was avable to the Spirit Order Practitioners, who were standing at the zenith of their ability. It was rare to find someone, who possessed this miraculous tool. Moreover, each of these men held enough power to be able to contend against the strong yers of the Dragon Demon Army.


    Lin was one of them. Up until now, he had fought eight Dragons to the death, and the result of his victories was the Dragon Maken in the form of two swords that made up a pair.


    Lin shook his head from side to side.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then what is it?¡±


    ¡°The answer is more simple than that. It¡¯s power.¡±


    The Dragon Demon Race was born with a powerful body at birth inparison to humans. Even a frail looking woman possessed enormous strength to be able to rip a wild beast in half with her bare hands.


    Moreover, those from the Dragon Demon race was lightning fast even if they hadn¡¯t cultivated. If they decided to kill a normal person, one wouldn¡¯t even be able to see their movements.


    The Dragon Demon race had extreme perception that allowed them to control their abilities. They also possessed special magic called the Dragon Demon Magic, which exceeded the magic of a high rank human magician.


    Even if a being from the Dragon Demon race never learned any battle techniques, one of them had the power to take on a hundred humans.


    ¡°Yet those beings cultivate their own martial arts called the Dragon Ridge Arts, and they research about magic. Humans are like practice targets they could kill at their whim.¡±


    Techniques were insufficient in being able to contend against them. One needed power.


    Who cares if one could hit them if they were unharmed afterwards?


    What was the point in being able to block their attacks if one¡¯s entire defense would be blown into pieces?


    ¡°If you want to go toe to toe with them, you have to move past the so-called limits of a normal human. That¡¯s the minimum requirement. You have to be as strong as a monster, and fast as a lightning. Then you will be able to stand at the starting line.¡±


    ¡°Is there an alternative answer to the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual?¡±


    If one was victorious in the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, one could strengthen one¡¯s body through the Dragon¡¯s power. It was the magical key that freed one from the limit one reached through cultivation.


    Lin had performed the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual eight times, and he had moved past the limitations of a human. However, that wasn¡¯t the entire story. Didn¡¯t it mean one had to already have enough power to be able to fight and kill a Dragon in the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual? If one already had the power to kill a Dragon, one already had the power to contend against the Dragon Demon Race.


    Lin spoke.


    ¡°Azell. Your teachers were very outstanding. I can tell just by looking at you. I wish Balf was still alive. I would have liked to meet him. He taught you about the Extreme Senses. However, he probably wasn¡¯t able to pass on everything he wanted before he died. It is now my responsibility to fill in that gap.¡±


    Balf¡¯s mad teachings allowed Azell to possess superhuman senses that was superior to most Spirit Order Practitioners. However, a young man like him wasn¡¯t able to ovee a high level Spirit Order Practioner with just his potential in hand. The techniques were too strong and profound.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done well in learning ways to strengthen your mind. I have nothing to teach you regarding that topic. I can only give you some knacks to help you. However, I can teach you a lot about strengthening your body. The problem is this can¡¯t be achieved in an instant. If you want a powerful body, you have invest enough time into it.¡±


    ¡°You are basically saying I have to stay alive for me to achieve this.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Bboooooooooo¨D!


    A horn rang out far in the distance.


    It was a signal that alerted everyone that the enemies wereing. The soldiers within the fortress moved busily as they got ready to face the Dragon Demon army.


    Lin climbed the stairs to the castle walls as he spoke.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have the luxury of isting ourselves to grow our power like the cultivators of old. However, I don¡¯t want you to kill hundred to thousands of people to grow your power.¡±


    ¡°I never wanted to do such a thing.¡±


    ¡°Please stay alive until you are able to learn everything I have to teach you. As your teacher, this is the only promise I want from you. Can you give me that promise?¡±


    ¡°Well, of course, I¡¯ll do that.¡±


    Azellughed.


    However, the promise hadn¡¯t been kept. It was Lin, not Azell, who had broken the promise.

 Chapter 67 - Dragon Weapon Producers (1)

    Chapter 67 - Dragon Weapon Producers (1)


    1


    When he opened his eyes, Azell realized he was crying. The rims of his eyes was wet, and tears flowed across his cheeks tond on the pillow.


    ¡°You are awake?¡±


    He heard Kairen¡¯s voice. He raised his hand to wipe away his tears, but Azell flinched.


    ¡°Oohk.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be rash in moving. I¡¯ve been told your ribs and arm bones are broken.¡±


    ¡°Ah. I¡¯m in such a state from a single blow... It makes me resent my feeble body again.¡±


    ¡°The healer had a differing opinion. Your internal organs hadn¡¯t ruptured. He was surprised at how sturdy you were.¡±


    Kairen spoke in an apathetic manner. Azell turned his head to look at Kairen, and he couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter.


    ¡°Duke. Your eyes....¡±


    ¡°Ughh.¡±


    Kairen¡¯s eye were swollen blue. Kairen spoke as he covered his eye with his hand.


    ¡°That corpse bastard was quite formidable. I¡¯ve never seen an Undead from the Dragon Demon race.¡±


    ¡°He was of the Dragon Demon race?¡±


    ¡°I confirmed it when I broke his helm. I had split his head open, and for a brief moment, I let my guard down....¡±


    His sword had sliced through the Undead¡¯s skull, and his sword had lodged in its body. Kairen thought he would have some respite, but Delta had punched Kairen in such a state. This made his eye swell up. Kairen had never suffered such humiliation.


    After letting out augh, Azell was racked with pain.


    ¡°Ooh-goo-goohk. I can¡¯t evenugh like I want to.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you get for daring tough at my expense.¡±


    ¡°How long was I out?¡±


    ¡°You were out a little bit longer than your normal sleeping time. The healer found it very interesting that your body was in a mess yet your condition was very stable.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m used to maintaining my body, while I¡¯m hurt. The habit is engraved in my bones.¡±


    Azell let out a bitterugh.


    During the Dragon Demon war, he had frequently escaped from the throes of death. When he received a wound, he used a technique to minimize the effect of the wound. His harsh experiences allowed him to reach the zenith of this technique. It was nothing for him to maintain his body even when he was unconscious.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°You are no worse for wear.¡±


    ¡°My body is a mess. What are you talking about...¡±


    ¡°I meant your state of mind. You were crying in your sleep. I thought you were crying so much, because you were enraged by your loss....¡±


    ¡°...when you see a man¡¯s tears, it is courteous to act like you never saw it.¡±


    ¡°Is there really such a courtesy? Somehow, my mouth feel itchy, and I feel like telling Arrieta about this next time I see her....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Well, all right. Anyways, how are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not doing so great. My inside is boiling.¡±


    ¡°I thought you were a daredevil, who wasn¡¯t afraid of anything in this world, because you¡¯ve never experienced any loss. I¡¯m a little bit surprised that this wasn¡¯t true.¡±


    Azell had passed through death¡¯s door after experiencing a sudden defeat. However, he hadn¡¯t been consumed by the shock. For those with incredible potential, they put a lot of faith into their power. This means the shock of defeat is that muchrger when they lose..


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never had the luxury of doing that. When one fights, one could lose, get hurt or die. The important part for me is to stay alive. Then I can use my sword for revenge next time.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes you say things I really like. That¡¯s a problem.¡±


    Kairen stood up. Azell asked a question.


    ¡°What happened to them?¡±


    ¡°When you fell, they ended the fight then they retreated. The annoying kid went with them.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°They said they¡¯ll be back. I don¡¯t know when....¡±


    Kairen spoke as he was about to exit the room.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask them to bring your meals here. We¡¯ll be staying here for four more days. Don¡¯t think about moving and just rest.¡±


    ¡°Your schedule is going to be dyed, because of me. I apologize.¡±


    ¡°Stop it. The doctor rmended that timeframe. Also, you were beaten by an organization I am affiliated with. I¡¯ll be very embarrassed if you apologise to me. Anyways, I left the capital, because it was too much work there. It isn¡¯t as if I¡¯m in a hurry, so don¡¯t worry about it. Rest.¡±


    Kairen exited, and Azell was alone. For a brief moment, he nkly stared at the empty air, and he had a thought.


    ¡®Should I trust those bastards?¡¯


    There were too many suspicious aspect to their story to just blindly trust the Guardian Shadows. He had no idea what the ghost-like member of the Guardian Shadow was, but Undeads could only be born through the use of evil ck magic.....


    ¡®First, I have to break that test or whatever they were suggesting. Then I¡¯ll be able to get some more information.¡¯


    Unfortunately, he was a weakling right now. He couldn¡¯t catch the Dragon Shadows and extract the truth out of them. He had no choice, but to be pulled by their machination...


    It had been a long time since he felt this feeling of powerlessness. Azell showed a face he kept hidden from Kairen. His face crumpled, and he grinded his teeth.


    2


    Azell was still weak after four days. Even if they spent a lot of money on a healer, there was limit on how much a human body could heal. There was a limit to one¡¯s recuperative powers.


    Still, it wasn¡¯t as if Azell couldn¡¯t move. This was why the two of them went back on the road.


    Kairen asked him a question.


    ¡°Are you really ok?¡±


    ¡°Well, my bones have somewhat mended. If I don¡¯t over do it, I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll travel 30 kilometres per day.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to kill me?¡±


    ¡°Then how about 20 kilometres?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s try it first.¡±


    Azell grumbled as he traveled across a mountain,ke, and the ins. Azell was able to power through 30 kilometres of travel in a single day.


    After a week, he had made a full recovery even though his body was being abused daily.


    They were finally able to enter into the Dukedom of Tarantos.


    However, the Dukedom of Tarantos was sorge that it took them two days to arrive at the castle.


    Even though, he was a lord that ruled over such arge domain, Kairen refused to reveal his identity. Everyone knew he was of the Dragon Demon Race, so he had disguised himself as a human. This was why no one recognized him.


    Their incognito travelingsted until they reached the Tarantos castle. When the two of them were in the immediate vicinity of the Tarantos Castle, Kairen asked a question.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s wonderful.¡±


    Azell had expressed his honest opinion.


    The Tarantos castle was surrounded by a wonderful city. This ce was the heart of the Tarantos Dukedom. The castle couldn¡¯t bepared in terms of grandness to the other lord¡¯s castles Azell had seen on his travel here. With the ancient castle at the center, the city was very wellndscaped. Moreover, arge wall surrounded the city.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°My parents were very artistic. I didn¡¯t inherit that particr trait.¡±


    ¡°You are quite honest.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve lived a long time, but I don¡¯t have any profound knowledge about the arts. The people of my domain should be thankful that I hadn¡¯t been burdened with making this city.¡±


    ¡°I have no opinions on Duke¡¯s artistic sense. However, I¡¯ll admit your ancestors had excellent artistic sense.¡±


    ¡°You always add in an insolent phrase.¡±


    Kairen took off his disguise before he entered the Tarantos castle.


    ¡°The Duke is back!¡±


    The guards yelled out in surprise when they saw him. The news spread quickly, and there weremotions in various parts of the castle. Kairen asked the guard to bring two horses, and they got on the horses.


    Azell asked a question.


    ¡°I thought you said running is faster than riding.¡±


    ¡°I have to put up a front of dignity in front of the my people. If I don¡¯t, they¡¯ll nag me about it. The people below me always tell me what to do. Sometimes I wonder who is really in charge.¡±


    Azell watched the streets as he rode on his horse. The people lining up on the streets let out a fervent cheer when they saw Kairen.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Duke!¡±


    ¡°Look over there! The Duke is here!¡±


    Kairen waved their hands towards them. The women looked like they were about to faint from the pleasure of being waved at. Azell spoke.


    ¡°Your poprity is almost as high as the princess.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve done well in my role as a lord. Do you admire me a little bit more now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just surprised the residents of your domain aren¡¯t reserved around you.¡±


    When the lord¡¯s authority bes stronger, it manifests itself on the attitudes of the residents. When the lord¡¯s party passes by, wasn¡¯t it normal for residents to lower their head in silence?


    However, they weren¡¯t showing any signs of acting that way. They just showed their love for Kairen.


    ¡°I hate being stuffy. I¡¯m of the Dragon Demon race, and I really won¡¯t be popr if I acted that way.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    The human society was united now, but the scar leftover from the Dragon Demon war was still present. Those of the Dragon Demon race still had to be cautious on how they treated humans. This was the reason why the Dragon Demon Princess and Dragon Demon Prince still existed.


    Even if he was called the living legend, Kairen was also one of the Dragon Demon race. Moreover, he was in a position where he had to rule over humans as their lord. This was why he didn¡¯t likeing out to official events. He was well aware of his situation as a lord belonging to the Dragon Demon race.


    Azell suddenly asked a question.


    ¡°Do you like humans, Duke?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a question with a set answer.¡±


    ¡°Well, you can tell me a little bit of your true feelings to me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do so if you answer my questions truthfully.¡±


    ¡°You are being cheap trying to make such a deal.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯ll agree to it.¡±


    ¡°All right. I like humans, sir Azell. I was born in a noble family affiliated to a human country. I¡¯ve never hated the responsibility of a lord. Is that a satisfactory answer?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s enough.¡±


    Kairen¡¯s answer made Azell think about his oldrades. During the Dragon Demon war, hisrades had opposed the will of the Dragon Demon King, who wanted to dominate the humans. They received gazes filled with hatred and mistrust. From humans They were pitiable existence, who put their lives on the line for their love of humans. Hisrades had wanted to save the humans.


    Azell suddenly asked a question.


    ¡°There is something I am curious about, Duke.¡±


    ¡°What is it? I think it¡¯s my turn to ask you a question. Why are you being like this?¡±


    ¡°Amongst the Dragon Demon race in this country...¡±


    At that moment, Azell stopped speaking. Azell was so surprised that he didn¡¯t even feel Kairen staring at him with a quizzical nce.


    ¡®Rogan?¡¯


    Servants were lined up in front of the entrance to the Tarantos castle. At the center, a Dragon Majin in a butler¡¯s garb was standing there. Normally, people would be surprised at the fact that a Dragon Majin was being employed as a butler. However, Azell¡¯s brain wasn¡¯t even thinking such thoughts.


    ¡®He¡¯s still alive?¡¯


    His face looked like someone Azell had known.


    Kairen asked a question.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°That person.......¡±


    ¡°Mmmm? Who?¡±


    ¡°Ro... Ah. Nothing.¡±


    Azell suddenly came to his senses.


    When they arrived a bit closer, his memory and the present ovepped, and he started seeing discrepancies. The Dragon Majin butler looked surprisingly like Rogan, but it wasn¡¯t him.


    ¡®He¡¯s a Dragon Majin.¡¯


    Rogan was of the Dragon Demon race. He wasn¡¯t a Dragon Majin.


    Still, he looked surprisingly like Rogan. Even his age range looked to be around what Azell remembered. This Dragon Majin was in histe 30 or early 40s.


    His skin color was a bit dusky. His eyes were blue like the clear autumn sky, and his hair color was a faded blonde. His ears were slightly pointed, and he had small gray horns curving atop his ears. It looked like a ram¡¯s horn. On the back of his hand, there was a somewhat murky blue colored Dragon Demon stone.


    Azell was acting strange, so Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Hmmm. Are you surprised by Havanz? I guess I can understand why, since he is acting as a butler when he is a Dragon Majin.¡±


    ¡°I guess such a thing can happen.¡±


    Azell replied as he couldn¡¯t tear his gaze away from Havanz. They weren¡¯t the same person, but they were almost identical.


    Rogan.


    He was from the Dragon Demon race, and he had fought alongside Azell in the Dragon Demon war. He had fallen in love with a human woman, and they had produced a young child. Azell remembered Rogan bashfully showed a portrait of his wife and child. Azell considered him to be more human rather than a being from the Dragon Demon race.


    Azell spoke with far away look in his eyes.


    ¡°I remember it now.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I thought he looked very simr to someone. In the beginning, I thought he was someone I knew, but I was mistaken. Do you perhaps know Rogan of the Dragon Demon race? He had an active role in the Dragon Demon war....¡±


    ¡°Sir Rogan was Havanz¡¯ grandfather.¡±


    ¡°I see. He looks exactly like the portrait I saw.¡±


    ¡°Ah-ha. Is that why you were so surprised?¡±


    ¡°The memory suddenly popped into my mind."


    Azell tried very hard to give the impression that everything was fine.


    The existence of Havanz, who made him think about the past, gave him a huge shock. He had epted the fact that he had been thrown into this era on his own, and he was trying to live with this fact. However, he couldn¡¯t erase the loneliness he felt.

 Chapter 68 - Dragon Weapon Producers (2)

    Chapter 68 - Dragon Weapon Producers (2)


    Azell asked a question.


    ¡°I¡¯m having a hard time remembering the content of the book I read... Do you perhaps know what happened to Rogan?¡±


    ¡°He passed away. It happened before I was born.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Even for the Dragon Demon race, 220 years was a long time. They lived much longer than a human, but their lifespan was between 300 to 500 years.


    ¡°I see.......¡±


    Azell put on a bitter smile at the answer. His foolish anticipation had made his heart pound, and he found it to be ridiculous.


    At that moment, Havanz spoke.


    ¡°You arete, Duke. We were worried about you.¡±


    ¡°I ran into an ident in the middle of the trip.¡±


    ¡°It would have been great if you could have sent word ahead.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t in the right frame of mind. Moreover, I¡¯mte, because my friend here is weaker than I had anticipated.¡±


    ¡°You are using a guest as an excuse. That is beyondme. It is very rare for you to bring a guest. I am the one in charge of managing the household of Duke Tarantos. I am the butler, Havanz. I wee you the the Tarantos castle.¡±


    ¡°My name is Azell Zestringer. I¡¯m a knight. It is a pleasure to meet you.¡±


    Azell¡¯s voice shook slightly. Havanz¡¯s voice also reminded him of Rogan.


    Havanz spoke.


    ¡°You possess the same name as the legendary hero. It seems your parents were very well versed in history. They named you as a Zestringer.¡±


    ¡°Do you know about that name?¡±


    ¡°I know it quite well. My grandfather had fought alongside the hero Azell Karzark.¡±


    Havanz put on a smile. Azell looked at Havanz with aplicated expression when Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head in first. Please ready a room for our friend, Havanz. Please show him that the Dukedom of Tarantos isn¡¯tckingpared to the capital.¡±


    ¡°If I infer from your words, it seems he was a guest of the throne. Understood. Also, we¡¯ve stocked your office. We readied it for your return.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. Did you put a lot of effort into it?¡±


    ¡°You can probably look forward to it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why my steward is so insolent.¡±


    ¡°It is thanks to the Duke rxing the family customs. Now, now. Many people are waiting for the Duke.¡±


    ¡°Those are unweing news.¡±


    Azell couldn¡¯t suppress hisughter when he caught sight of Kairen¡¯s expression. He looked like a child, who didn¡¯t want to do his homework.


    However, his expression changed at Havanz¡¯s next words.


    ¡°Count Michael is here.¡±


    ¡°That old fart is already here?¡±


    ¡°You are of the same age as him. He¡¯ll feel very disappointed if you spoke that way.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still young, so it¡¯s ok.¡±


    Kairen snorted.


    3


    Azell was able to meet Kairen once again at dinner time. A servant appeared to deliver the dinner invitation, and Azell followed the servant to the dining room.


    Kairen wasn¡¯t waiting alone in the dining room. After waking up in this era, this magician was the oldest Dragon Majin he had encountered.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Sit. Today¡¯s dinner is something the chef wanted to boast for a fortnight, so you can look forward to it.¡±


    ¡°I look forward to it.¡±


    ¡°This is Count Beorein Michael. He is a foul-tempered old man. He also likes to be called Rin Kingdom¡¯s Eastern Guardian. However, you don¡¯t have to remember thetter part, since it is all empty reputation. It¡¯ll be tiresome if you humor him.¡±


    ¡°I admit my temper isn¡¯t that great, but there is no way my temper is bad as yours, Kairen.¡±


    Beorein let out a snort. He looked at Azell as he spoke.


    ¡°Young friend. This is the first time I¡¯ve met you, but I can already tell we will get along very well.¡±


    ¡°My name is Azell Zestringer. I am a knight. It is an honor for a high ranked magician to speak to me like this. If you don¡¯t mind me asking, what basis do you have that we will get along?¡±


    ¡°I heard you gave the inner old geezer a good fight? I¡¯m d you punched that old geezer, who is always on his high horse. That¡¯s the only reason I need to like you.¡±


    ¡°The inner old geezer is.......¡±


    Azell was able to suppress hisughter through great effort when he heard the expression. Kairen countered with his words.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it better than looking old on the outside? If you aged gracefully, you won¡¯t hear such words from me.¡±


    ¡°This is why I like this friend, who got one over you. I¡¯m like this, because you speak like that. Also, the fact that he gave a bitter taste to Niberis of the Dragon Demon race is a bonus in his favor.¡±


    ¡°You know her?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also part of the Guardian Shadow. Do I need to exin more?¡±


    Beorein Michael was a powerful magician, and he was a person of interest to those in the Field of Darkness. He was known as the best magician in the Rin Kingdom, and he had the title of Archmage.


    Beorein spoke.


    ¡°I chased after them before they exited our country. Unfortunately, I lost them. I was able to kill two underlings... Their runaway skill were exquisite.¡±


    ¡°Maybe your skills werecking?¡±


    Kairen spoke in a sarcastic manner. Beorein furrowed his eyebrows.


    ¡°Why do you always have to talk like that? Also, didn¡¯t you fail to catch them, when you had them in your sight?¡±


    ¡°My aim was to save Arrieta. My goal wasn¡¯t to catch them.¡±


    ¡°Well, the excuse is no surprise,ing from you.¡±


    Beorein clicked his tongue.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°This conversation is making me lose my appetite. Let¡¯s talk after the dinner. How¡¯s our hospitality?¡±


    ¡°It is on par with what I experienced at the royal pce.¡±


    Azell¡¯spliment was the truth. The Tarantos castle had treated him incredibly well. The guest room that was given to him was nice, and the servants were incredibly meticulous in their work.


    Kairen was satisfied with the answer.


    ¡°You¡¯ll soon find out about our chef¡¯s skill.¡±


    His words were true. The Tarantos Castle¡¯s chef brought out his secret new item for the main course. Azell felt very happy as he ate his meal.


    4


    After the dinner, the three of them retired to Kairen¡¯s office.


    Beorein asked a question.


    ¡°Are you really going to make a Dragon Weapon for that young friend?¡±


    ¡°I meant what I said.¡±


    ¡°Well, the ingredients are all prepared, so we can do it... This is the first time I¡¯ve seen you show favoritism to someone.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t as if I want to show favoritism to him. He isn¡¯t one of my people, but I lost a bet with him. I have no choice.¡±


    ¡°You are making him a Dragon Weapon just from losing some sparring matches. If this fact was spread, swordsmen from all over the country woulde here to find you with their torches lit.¡±


    Beorein was talking about the Dragon Sword Kairen used when he spoke about the Dragon Weapon.


    He was one of figures, who hade up with the method of producing the Dragon Sword with Kairen. Moreover, he also had a Dragon Weapon of his own.


    Azell had asked for a favor that was equivalent to all the matches he had won against Kairen.


    Azell wanted Kairen to make him a Dragon Sword.


    This was rted to the request he had given to Arrieta. Azell had asked Arrieta to gather all the ingredients need to make a Dragon Weapon from the Dragon¡¯s corpse located at the Bn forest. Arrieta dly granted his request, and the ingredients listed by Kairen had arrived at the Tarantos Castle.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°However, I think it is worth investing in him. I want to verify if what he says is true.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.......¡±


    ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t like this idea, you can always test it out yourself. A Dragon Majin can also be the beneficiary of the Ritual. If it is you, you¡¯ll be able toe out victorious against a one-on-one battle with a Dragon. It isn¡¯t as if it is impossible. If you are sessful, you¡¯ll earn the power of a Dragon. Isn¡¯t that a gamble worth doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll decline. I can¡¯t believe you are suggesting me to do such a crazy thing. It seems you are itching to push me into my grave.¡±


    Beorein was called the strongest magician of this kingdom, yet he wouldn¡¯t fight one-on-one against a dragon based on an unreliable information. He grumbled.


    ¡°I like this guy, but why does he want to do such a crazy thing? Of course, a Spirit Order practitioner probably has a better chance of winning than a magician. This is assuming the magician and the Spirit Order practitioner are of simr quality.¡±


    Dragons were a very bad opponent for a magician. A Dragon¡¯s magic was something that couldn¡¯t even bepared to what the Dragon Demon race used. A Dragon had a direct control over nature. This was why their resistance to magic was incredibly high. Even a magician like Beorein wouldn¡¯t be able to use elemental magics like me, cold air or thunder. It wasn¡¯t effective at all against a Dragon. Moreover......


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Dragons can steal spells, and it can be used against a magician.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. You are very knowledgeable about Dragons.¡±


    Beorein was surprised.


    Dragons showed an extraordinary amount of intelligence when they faced humans. The Dragons understood thenguage of humans. They evenprehended the techniques used against them, and they adapted to it.


    The problem was the huge disadvantage a magician possessed when fighting a Dragon. When the magician used an element controlled by the Dragon, the Dragon could mimic the magician¡¯s magic. The Dragon would send back the mage¡¯s spell. This was why there was a prevalent theory amongst the magicians that Dragons had the ability to read a human¡¯s visual cue.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t too different for a Spirit Order practitioner when facing a Dragon. If one uses a technique that can be mimicked by a Dragon, Spirit Order practitioners can suffer the same fate as Magicians. This is why one has to make preparations from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°Preparations? What kind?¡±


    ¡°If we consider the theory spoken by the Duke to be true, one would have to guard one¡¯s visual cue from being read.¡±


    When Azell fought the Earth Dragon, he had a set of rules he followed strictly. Even during the Dragon Demon war, the ecology of the Dragon had a lot of holes. However, the hypothesis of a Dragon reading a human¡¯s visual cue existed back then too.


    However, Carlos had confirmed this theory. This was why when he went through the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual, he used several techniques that allowed him a measure of defense against the Dragon.


    Beorein asked a question.


    ¡°Then one will will be able to win against a Dragon if one uses such methods?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t a guarantee. However, it is the minimum criteria one has to follow to win.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. I asked the wrong question. I¡¯m talking about you... If you gain a Dragon Weapon, will you be able to win against a Dragon?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t win against a Dragon.¡±


    Azell gave a firm answer. Beorein was taken aback, and he looked towards Kairen.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this incongruous with what you told me earlier?¡±


    ¡°He isn¡¯t done talking. Why don¡¯t you just listen to what he has to say until the end? This is the problem with old farts like him. He¡¯s impatient.¡±


    Kairen made fun of Beorein, and Beorein¡¯s face crumpled.


    Azell let out a bitterugh as he asked a question.


    ¡°Have you heard from the Duke about our travels?¡±


    ¡°The person called the Keeper of the prophecy, and the Undeads showed up in the guise of carrying out a test.... That¡¯s what I heard.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any knowledge about them?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have much information about them. However, I¡¯ve seen the Undead named Delta before. He¡¯s the one, who fought with Kairen.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean the Dragon Demon Undead?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Mmmm.......¡±


    Beorein searched through his memories.


    ¡°It happened around 20 years ago. I was trying to catch a Dragon Demon, who had stepped out of the Field of Darkness. The Dragon Demon was very strong, and to tell you the truth, I was barely handling him.¡±


    ¡°The fact that you are speaking about it in such a manner means he was that strong?¡±


    Kairen asked in surprise. Beorein nodded his head.


    ¡°First, shall I tell you about the woman named Niberis? I was in the position of advantage when I was chasing her. However, the result of a one-on-one battle with her would be a coin flip. If one considered only the Dragon Demon magic, she was almost on par with you. She performed advanced magic, but she was still very inexperienced in how she used...¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I¡¯ve already heard you tell that story. I thought that woman had nothing to do with the incident 20 years ago?¡±


    ¡°This will be easier if you have a reference point topare. The Dragon Demon I was chasing was much stronger than Niberis. She couldn¡¯t hold a candle to him. If one considered his Dragon Demon Magic, he was almost on par with a Dragon. Can youprehend what I¡¯m trying to say?¡±


    ¡°What? You are surely over-exaggerating it.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t an exaggeration. It was as I said. He fought me, my disciples and 30 other Guardian Shadow Members. He was actually prevailing over us. At that moment, a being appeared, and it was Delta. To be precise, the Keeper of Prophecy contacted the Undeads from afar. After being contacted, three Undeads appeared. It was Beta, Gamma and Delta.¡±


    The three Undeads had left an indelible impression on Beorein. However, even they couldn¡¯t gain an upperhand against the Dragon Demon, who was surrounded by ominous Dragon Demon magic.


    ¡°In the battle, Beta and Gamma was exterminated. Delta was the only one that survived, and he returned to the Keeper of the Prophecy. That is all I know regarding them.¡±


    ¡°Basically, I crushed the skull of your benefactor.¡±


    ¡°To make up for it, Duke¡¯s eye was...¡±


    ¡°Stop right there. Shut your mouth.¡±


    ¡°Ho-oh. It seems you left out something in your story. It sounds very interesting....¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to find out more about it. Azell. If you say anything, then I¡¯ll talk about the time you were sleeping... You get what I¡¯m saying?¡±


    ¡°Chet.¡±


    The ckmailed Azell clicked his tongue as if it was unfortunate that he wouldn¡¯t be able to tell the story.


    Beorein snickered.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know the whole story, but it seems my friend here suffered some kind of indignity. Well, all right. Even as someone inside the Guardian Shadows, I knew that the Keeper of the Prophecy and his associates were a bit on the weird side. Moreover, you are one of the candidates that they consider to be important.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why. They kept referring me as the person in the prophecy, but I don¡¯t know the content of the prophecy.¡±


    ¡°I do not know the content either. That is a problem.¡±


    ¡°If I had my way, I would shake them by their neck to get them to talk.¡±


    ¡°I feel the same way regarding that point. Their curtain of secrecy is a bit too strange. It¡¯s been several dozen years for me.¡±


    Beorein grumbled. Kairen was also unsatisfied as a member of the Guardian Shadows.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°It seems our conversation got sidetracked. Mmm. The reason I spoke about that... In the end, the reason I lost at the time is the same reason why I won¡¯t be able to win against a Dragon. If one wants to win against a Dragon, one needs more than techniques. One needs strength.¡±


    For a Spirit Order practitioner, one had to go through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual to truly break past one¡¯s limit.


    However, one had to have the power to win against a Dragon without the benefit of the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual. If one was at that level, one was already at a stage where one would be able to win against a Dragon Demon.


    This was the dilemma faced by the high rank Spirit Order Practitioners of Azell¡¯s era. To earn the absolute power, one already had to possess what was considered to be absolute power by human standard.


    ¡°With my current strength, there is no way I can go through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. I¡¯ll most definitely die.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. So this won¡¯t be solved by you gaining a Dragon Weapon?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°So what are your ns?¡±


    ¡°I have to focus on my training for a short amount of time. I¡¯ll continue until I reach an eptable level.¡±


    ¡°...that¡¯s all you need to do? It isn¡¯t that easy to gain the power youck.¡±


    Beorein started to give council to Azell. He was a magician, but he had a lot of knowledge about the Spirit Order. He knew that the quantity of magical energy for a Spirit Order Practitioner couldn¡¯t be increased dramatically.


    However, Azell was full of confidence.


    ¡°I¡¯ll prove it to you through the result. Currently, that is all I can say to assure you.¡±


    For reference, Azell had done a lot of things after we woke up, but it had only been two months.


    In such a short amount of time, Azell had made three Rings of Life. Moreover, with his own secret technique, he was able to add the Dual Banding.


    Of course, this had been possible, because he went through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. Moreover, he had absorbed the Dragon Demon Qi left behind by Carlos. Still, he hadn¡¯t had the time to really train, and build up his body. His progress had been amazing considering the amount of abuse his body had suffered in battle.


    It was inevitable, but anyone who had fought Azell had wondered why he had so little magic. As a Spirit Order practitioner, one¡¯s magic was proportional to one¡¯s skill. It increased in a rising curve.


    When one moved up the stages of Spirit Order, it meant one¡¯s ability to control magic had gone up. It allowed one to be able to control more magic in marvelous ways. This allowed one to strengthen one¡¯s Energy Pulse, strengthen the bowl holding one¡¯s magic and increase the number of Ring of LIfe.


    In the past, Azell had eight Rings of LIfe. He had been an Octuple Master. If given enough time, he was confident he would be able to exceed his former self even without the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual.


    Beorein spoke.


    ¡°Hmm. All right. I¡¯ll put my trust in your for now.¡±


    This was how they decided to manufacture the Dragon Sword for Azell.

 Chapter 69 - Dragon Weapon Producers (3)

    Chapter 69 - Dragon Weapon Producers (3)


    5


    The Dragon Sword wasn¡¯t easily manufactured. It was also something that couldn¡¯t be done with only Kairen and Michael. Kairen had to gather all the qualified individuals in his Domain, and he would have to begin his preparations.


    Kairen asked a question.


    ¡°So when are you going to entertain my knights?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m interested in fighting them, but I would like to train on my own for now.¡±


    ¡°All right. I have a lot of work backed up, so I¡¯ll leave you unattended.¡±


    ¡°Unattended sounds a bit...¡±


    ¡°When I¡¯m done with my work, you better y with me often.¡±


    ¡°Duke. If someone overhears you, they might misconstrue what you are trying to say.¡±


    Azell spoke sarcastically.


    Kairen ignored him, and he spoke.


    ¡°Anyways, I won¡¯t be able to do anything else once I start making the Dragon Weapon. This is especially true in the beginning.¡±


    ¡°How long will it take toplete it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll take around half a year. I could do it faster, but I¡¯m not in that much of a hurry.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll finish my training within that time frame.¡±


    ¡°You do that. If I do drop by in the middle of your training, don¡¯t forget to y with me.¡±


    ¡°I can do that at the very least.¡±


    Azell smirked. Kairen spoke.


    ¡°If you need anything, don¡¯t hesitate to speak up. If my budget allows it, I will help you in any way I can.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. How big is your budget?¡±


    ¡°To my regret, the Dukedom of Tarantos is very affluent. I have so much stuff that even if I half-ass my work and focus on my training, my wealth would expand.¡±


    ¡°I see. Then.......¡±


    Azell thought for a brief moment, then he asked for what he needed.


    ¡°In the end, this is for your benefit too, so I won¡¯t turn down your help. If possible, please provide me with as many weapons, armors, magical recovery potions and Healers assigned to heal me. Also, I need a location where I can make a lot of noise without causing any problems.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll lend you one of my vis I retreat to when I train. Why do you need weapons and armors?¡±


    ¡°I have a use for them.¡±


    ¡°Also, the Healers... Do you need more than one?¡±


    ¡°I would like as many as possible.¡±


    ¡°Why do you need them?¡±


    ¡°I n on getting hurt a lot. It¡¯ll probably be a bit too taxing for a single Healer.¡±


    ¡°I have no idea what you are trying to do.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you are curious, you cane visit me. Also, you can assign someone to observe what I¡¯m doing. Since you are investing in me, I can tolerate that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s.......¡±


    Kairen put on a smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s an attractive offer. So does this mean you aren¡¯t worried about others stealing your secret?¡±


    Spirit Order practitioners were like the magicians. They were very sensitive about the training methods they used. No, anyone would be wary about revealing secret techniques that was rted to one¡¯s survival. If one kept that in mind, Azell¡¯s offer was unprecedented.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I won¡¯t stop you.¡±


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll give you servants, and I¡¯ll stick someone to you that¡¯ll steal all your secrets. Since you need some time to get ready, you can leave for the vi tomorrow morning. I require your presence when I¡¯m making the Dragon Weapon, so I¡¯ll notify you when I need you.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Azell would be leaving the Tarantos Castle, and he would travel to Kairen¡¯s vi, which was located near the Lance Mountain. There were several locations designated as ces where Kairen would train, and this was one of them. It was deep within the mountain, and it was far from prying eyes. The Lance mountain was the closest one, and this was why it was prepared for immediate human habitation.


    Moreover, Azell was a bit surprised at the person that had been assigned to him by Kairen.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be by your side for a while.¡±


    During the night, Havanz hade to Azell to speak to him..


    Azell had a expression as if he had been struck a blow.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the steward of this household, Mr. Havanz?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±


    ¡°Yet you are going to attend me?¡±


    ¡°Even if I am not here, the castle will run pretty well by itself. This was true when the duke wasn¡¯t here, and it will still be the case now. There are a lot of talented people in the Tarantos castle.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.......¡±


    ¡°Moreover, I don¡¯t want you to pay attention to my identity. I¡¯m a Dragon Majin and a noble, yet I have spent a long time waiting on human guests. I don¡¯t feel any resistance towards it. Moreover, it isn¡¯t as if I¡¯m going to serve you alone.¡±


    ¡°How many people are you bringing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking about bringing around 30 people....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t look at me like that. Those personnel are needed to maintain the country vi.¡±


    ¡°I guess the ce is quite big.¡±


    ¡°Amongst the training locations used by the duke, it is the ideal spot if you want to live in the wild. It is the closest location to the castle, so we spent a lot of effort in maintaining it. Still, if you don¡¯t like the ce to be crowded, I can bring around 15 people.¡±


    ¡°That still seems like a lot.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t the only person we have to serve, sir Azell. Three Healers will be staying with us.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Azell acquiesced. It would have been different if he was going alone. However, he didn¡¯t want to inconvenience the Healers, because of what he preferred.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I guess you are the spy the duke is sending, Mr. Havanz.¡±


    ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve been pulled into a game, and it¡¯ll be quite fun. The duke didn¡¯t have anyone else suited for the job, so he sent me. Since it has been awhile since he had to listen to my nagging, I think he needed an excuse to send me away for a bit¡±


    Havanz had a wide smile on his face. When he saw his smile, it reminded Azell of Rogan, and he became distracted.


    Azell tried his best to hide his reaction as he spoke.


    ¡°Well, you seem to be quite skilled. I can tell from looking at your Dragon Demon magic that you¡¯ve tempered it at some point.¡±


    Those from the Dragon Demon race and the Dragon Majin was like the humans and their magic. There was a huge difference between those, who trained their Dragon Demon qi, and those who didn¡¯t. Havanz had the profile of someone who had trained his Dragon Demon qi.


    ¡°Do you mind if I ask why a person like you is working as a steward? You seem to be in your prime as a Dragon Majin... Isn¡¯t it too early to retire from being a knight?¡±


    ¡°As you have surmised, I was a knight until 10 years ago.¡±


    Dragon Majins were different from the Dragon Demon race. They matured at the same speed as humans until their secondary sexual characteristics developed. Still, the early stages of their life was longer than the humans, so Azell guessed Havanz was in histe 50s or early 60s.


    ¡°However, the work wasn¡¯t right for me. It didn¡¯t matter if I had the talent or not. As I lived my life as a knight, I found myself more interested in how an organization was run instead of the battles. Moreover, I found I liked fixing odd problems. This was why I told the duke my intention to retire and be a steward. The duke made me the heir to the previous steward on the spot.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the truth. If the duke makes up his mind, he¡¯ll immediately act on it.¡±


    ¡°He definitely does that.¡±


    Azell let out a bitterugh. At the same time, he thought about Rogan.


    ¡®It seems appearance isn¡¯t the only thing that is simr to him.¡¯


    Rogan had been a powerful warrior from the Dragon Demon race. Rogan had won the confidence of his third teacher Lin as arade. However, Rogan always focused more on preparation and nning rather of a battle rather than stepping forward to fight on the battlefields. In truth, he was more talented at it. Azell remembered him grousing at times.


    ¡®Azell. What are you going to do when this shitty war ends?¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯ve never thought about it.¡¯


    ¡®You are young, yet you are speaking that way? You need a dream.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, but there can be no dreams bigger than defeating the Dragon Demon King. What about you?¡¯


    ¡®I want to go to my wife¡¯s homnd, and I want to be a merchant. I¡¯ll be a great merchant that everyone will look up to.¡¯


    ¡®Jeez... It is a dream that is very befitting you. If someone else heard it, they¡¯ll say it is a dream that doesn¡¯t suit someone from the Dragon Demon race.¡¯


    It was as Rogan had said. He had returned to his wife¡¯s homnd when the Dragon Demon war ended. Maybe, he did be a great merchant as he had once dreamed. The only thing thing he could confirm was the fact that Rogan had descendants. Even after 200 years, the descendant remembered how Azell and Rogan had fought together.


    Azell was lost in reverie when Havanz spoke.


    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve been tasked to spy on someone. However, I¡¯ll give it my best. Please don¡¯t get ufortable if I stare at you too much.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really like receiving such a hot gaze from a man. However, it was something I suggested, so it can¡¯t be helped. Please look after me.¡±


    6


    It was the afternoon of the next day. Azell and Havanz climbed the Lance Mountain. Azell was shocked when he found out 70 people would be ascending the mountain. However, Havanz was unperturbed.


    ¡°There are a lot of porters here. They¡¯ll descend afterwards. You requested too much luggage, sir Azell.¡±


    ...Azell had requested as much weapons, armors and magic recovery potions that could be spared. Kairen had gathered all the items within the castle. It was so much that it would be impossible for 15 people to transport it.


    The Lance mountain was prettyrge. They reached the summit where a vi was built next to a valley. By then, the sun had almost set.


    The workers were busy moving and organizing the luggage.


    Azell was surprised by the vi¡¯s facilities.


    ¡°Which era was is this ruins from?¡±


    The estate on the Lance mountain was about as big as one would expect from a noble. However, the surprising part was the fact that the estate was connected to a relic built towards the inner mountain.


    Havanz spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard it was made around 4-500 years ago. After excavating it, all the dangerous elements were cleared out. While building this estate, part of the ruins were renovated. It was meant to be a ce where one could evacuate to in case of emergency... However around 30 years ago, the duke added another facility where he could train by himself.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Azell had thought there would be an estate inside an untouched mountain. So what the hell was this? This was a training facility connected to a ruin. Even if the training facility hadn¡¯t been built, there was a very useful magical solution here.


    ¡®It¡¯ll be hard to destroy this ce, since it is equipped with a magic cirction device. It would have been really expensive to build all of this.... This is much better than what I expected.¡¯


    If one expended magical energy within the training facility, it¡¯ll be absorbed and circted. It would create an ideal environment for a Spirit Order practioner. When he asked Havanz about it, he was told the amount the facility could absorb could be increased.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never even thought about these kinds of methods. I¡¯ll have to thank the duke again next time I see him.¡±


    He was honest in his admiration. This facility would be very useful for Azell. If he wanted to recover a great deal of magical energy in a short amount of time, it would require drinking magic recovery potions. However, if he used this facility, he would be able to progress much faster than his previous estimation.


    Havanz spoke.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about other things, but he is very meticulous about his training. The problem is he doesn¡¯t spare any expense when he builds these facilities.¡±


    People made a big fuss about organizing the vi, and since the sun was already set, the employees had to stay over for the night. However, Azell started his training immediately. He wasn¡¯t in a state where he could use the facilities avable at the estate. The mountain was a good enough training ground for him right now.


    ¡®I have to build up my body.¡¯


    Azell was going to prioritize doing that instead of expanding his magic reservoir.


    He had been awaken two month ago. He had been a skeleton, but now he was healthier than a normal person. Still, it wasn¡¯t enough. Magical energy had to seep into every part of his body or he wouldn¡¯t be able to exceed limitation of a human.


    The Spirit Order Practitioner used magical energy to amplify one¡¯s physical ability. However, the amplification would be more effective if one¡¯s basic capability was high. Moreover, it would be easier to cope with bigger amplification when one had a sturdier body.


    He had to eat, train like crazy then rest.


    If he didn¡¯t eat, he couldn¡¯t remake his body. No matter how much he trained, his body would be slowly ruined if he didn¡¯t eat.


    There were those who had be strong through live battles, but that was the experience side of bing strong. If a martial artist received a wound in a live battle, there was a possibility of regression.


    In the past two months, Azell didn¡¯t have the time to recover and train. He didn¡¯t have that luxury. He had to fight powerful foes with acking body, and he had to repeatedly squeeze out every ounce of his capabilities. He hadn¡¯t made as much progress as he wanted, and it was a wonder that he had taken any steps backward.


    He had made an astonishing amount of progress in the two month, but it paled inparison to his former self.


    Azell was thankful for the environment he was in, and he exhaustively went through what he had learned in the past.

 Chapter 70 - Heros Training (1)

    Chapter 70 - Hero¡¯s Training (1)


    1


    Keepers of the Prophecy.


    The Guardian Shadows was an unidentified organization that was trying to eradicate Dragon Demon worshippers from thends ruled by humans. They were beings shrouded in secrecy.


    ¡°We are no longer alive, so isn¡¯t it strange to use expression used by the living, kid Epsilon?¡±


    A youth, who gave off an arrogant impression, had spoken. He had light red hair, and his appearance was very morous. He had on a twisted smile that was a bit creepy. He was looking at the Tarantos Castle from a long distance away.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why I have to tell you every time I see you, but I¡¯m older than you, kid Zares.¡±


    Leone was the one, who had replied with an ambiguous tone. His words fluctuated from being respectful and insolent. He looked like a 15 year old, yet he had lived for a very long time. His time had frozen when he made the contract with the Guardian Shadows to be a Keeper of Prophecy.


    Epsilon.


    It was Leone¡¯s name as the Keeper of the Prophecy. It was a codename for the 5th seat of the Keepers of the Prophecy.


    It was the same for Zares. He held the 15th seat of the Keepers of the Prophecy. His codename was Omicron.


    ¡°But you are a kid. Also, our designated names have meanings behind them. Why do you insist on calling me by my name? Just call me as Omicron.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to, big kid Zares.¡±


    ¡°If you want to treat me like human, shouldn¡¯t you be respectful towards the station I held as a human? I was someone of great importance before I became a Keeper of the Prophecy. You wouldn¡¯t have even dared to speak to me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite fortunate for us. You have enough humanity left to ther on about your old glories.¡±


    ¡°Hoong.¡±


    Leone replied without showing any signs of being angry, so Zares lost interest. He turned his head away. After a brief silence, he spoke.


    ¡°What about the others?¡±


    ¡°They aren¡¯t here yet. It is unfortunate, since I would have preferred to see the others before I saw you.¡±


    ¡°I really have no idea what the criteria is for picking a Keeper of the Prophecy.¡±


    ¡°I have no idea. No one amongst us knows.¡±


    ¡°This is way beyond keeping secrecy. Why do we have to work in ignorance?¡±


    ¡°The reason is very obvious. Anyways, since you¡¯ve called me out here, just tell me your business.¡±


    ¡°I thought you have a lot of free time?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather observe the ants marching near the road. I don¡¯t want to waste my time listening to your sarcastic remarks.¡±


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll have to test that guy named Azell Zestringer to see if he is the prophesied being.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already tested him. Didn¡¯t we arrive at a conclusion to give him more time?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember agreeing to that conclusion. Moreover, you testing method was too soft. How will we be able to tell if he is the prophesied one, who could bring an end to those Dragon Demon King¡¯s damn organization?¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do? It isn¡¯t as if you are going to fight him. I¡¯ll guarantee you¡¯ll cut off his head within 3 seconds.¡±


    ¡°You have the eye to make such a judgement?¡±


    ¡°I know how poor your skills are. How long do you think you willst when fighting Zeta?¡±


    ¡°I think 5 seconds will be possible. It¡¯ll be hard tost past 10 seconds.¡±


    ¡°You are unexpectedly good at not overrating yourself. That is your sole strong point, Zares."


    ¡°It isn¡¯t a strong point. It¡¯s just that I won¡¯t be able to do this job if I overrate myself. Still, I believe I have a better method to discern if he is the hero we have been waiting for.¡±


    Zares had a meaningful smile on his face. Leone really didn¡¯t like his expression.


    ¡°Please do not cause harm to the Dragon Sword Duke. He is one of the pirs of our organization, and he has a fiery temper. He¡¯ll probably crush you before you can tell him about your own self-importance. Then he¡¯ll make you a corpse after you give an exnation.¡±


    ¡°I like the sound of that. However, I have no ns on squandering my time here in this domain. Moreover, it would be a problem if the Dragon Sword Duke stepped forward to interfere. I will also partially respect the decision you and Zeta came up with. When I wasing here, I heard the Dragon Sword Duke is preparing a fun event for Azell Zestringer.¡±


    ¡°He is going to order Azell Zestringer to do what those bastards at the Field of Darkness like to perform.¡±


    ¡°You are talking about the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.¡±


    There was taint of insanity in Zares¡¯ smile.


    Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    It was a knowledge that had beenpletely wiped off the world after the Great Darkness. However, the Keepers of the Prophecy still had the information in their custody. This was possible, because some of their members had been born before the Great Darkness.


    However, they didn¡¯t possess all the knowledge, and this was true about the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    ¡°A ritual to gain the power of a Dragon....¡±


    This was all the information Leone and Zares knew about the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual. Even before the Great Darkness, the knowledge about the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual had been scarce.


    At times, high ranking Dragon Demon King worshippers exited the Field of Darkness. They carried out the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual away from prying human eyes. However, they didn¡¯t do the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual just because they wanted to get drunk on power. They did it to form the Dragon Qi. However, even the Keepers of the Prophecy didn¡¯t know about the Dragon Qi.


    Moreover, the Dragon Demon King worshippers used the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual to coerce the Dragons into do their bidding. The Dragons thirsted for the wisdom possessed by the humans, so the Dragons never refused the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. This was why the Dragon Demon King worshippers promised the Dragons that they¡¯ll attempt the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual if the Dragons grant them one boon beforehand.


    Zares spoke.


    ¡°The Earth Dragon that attacked the Dragon Demon Princess probably moved, because of that method. ¡±


    Kairen had reported what Arrieta went through to the Guardian Shadows. The Keepers of the Prophecy shared this information amongst themselves. They suspected the Dragon Shadow used the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual as bait to get the Earth Dragon to act.


    Leone spoke.


    ¡°If it is as the Dragon Sword Duke suspects, Azell Zestringerpleted the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. It is good news, since he basically stole the Dragon from under the Dragon Demon King worshippers.¡±


    ¡°It is praiseworthy. However, if he did seed in such a test, we have to confirm it with our eyes.¡±


    ¡°Even if we don¡¯t do anything, wouldn¡¯t the Dragon Sword Duke create a proper spectacle for us to observe?¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be enough. We have to prepare a more shy tribtion for him. If we use the humans, we¡¯ll be able to prepare a suitable stage.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. You do as you please. You won¡¯t listen to me even if I try to stop you. You have to take care of the aftermath.¡±


    ¡°You know me well. You can look forward to it.¡±


    After saying those words, Zares turned his body away.


    2


    Havanz had be a spy, who observed Azell¡¯s training. He was tasked to sending a report every week. In truth, he contacted the Tarantos castle more frequently than that. He had to attend Azell, and he had to manage the estate located in the Lance mountain. Havanz had a lot of things he needed to request.


    There was a magicalmunication array set up between the estate and the Tarantos castle. It was quite easy to contact the Duke. However, it had been 15 days since Kairen had heard Havanz¡¯s report personally. Problems had cropped up in the early stages of manufacturing the Dragon Weapon. Kairen hadn¡¯t had the time to listen to the reports.


    Themunication equipment was made out of ss and water. An enspelled bowl was filled with water, and the other side¡¯s image appeared when the magic was activated.


    When Havanz¡¯s figure appeared on the surface of the water, Kairen asked a question.


    ¡°So how is he doing?¡±


    ¡°You ask about him the instant you see me?¡±


    ¡°Of course. He was the reason why I sent you there.¡±


    ¡°I knew you would do that. Mmmm. In my opinion, Sir Azell is a bit insane.¡±


    ¡°What did he do that made youe up with such an assessment?¡±


    ¡°He is great ating up with weird methods to harm himself. I¡¯m kind of worried that a rumor might start up about the methods he is using to try to kill himself.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm? Give me the specifics.¡±


    ¡°He is fighting with himself.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯m guessing you don¡¯t mean it as figurative expression?¡±


    ¡°Then I wouldn¡¯t have called it him trying harm himself. First, I¡¯ll tell you about the easiest one that you will be able toprehend. He is self sparring.¡±


    ¡°Self sparring? What is that?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know what else to call it, so I made up the name. I don¡¯t know what method Sir Azell is using, but he is making clones of himself. He equips these clones with armors and swords, then he fights them diligently.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Did I hear you wrong? The clones are using armor and weapon to fight the real body?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still having trouble believing what I saw, but it is really as I have said.¡±


    It was as the word ¡¯self sparring¡¯ implied. Havanz continued to speak.


    ¡°I¡¯ve continued to observe him, and the clones made by him are quite strong. In truth, they are at a level where I¡¯m thankful I don¡¯t have to fight them. Sir Azell also has to fight them with all his strength. At the end of the session, he needs healing by the Healers for the numerous wounds he receives.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    ¡°Then there is the Dance of the Swords.¡±


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°This is something crazier. Even I¡¯m able to use psychokinesis to move swords from a distance, but Sir Azell is able to move 20 swords at the same time.¡±


    ¡°If one is allowed to use magic, it shouldn¡¯t be considered such an amazing task. Of course, one has to consider the amount of magic he has.....¡±


    ¡°I am willing to bet 100 gold that you aren¡¯t fullyprehending what I¡¯m trying to say.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to get a little bit displeased. If a misunderstanding urs after reading the regr report, then the report itself wasn¡¯t clear enough.¡±


    ¡°This is why I implore you to be patient until I can give you a clear exnation. From my observation, the twenty swords moved as if each of them had a will of their own. Their movements was very sharp as if it was being swung by people... He was able to maintain it for ten minutes.¡±


    ¡°Basically, each sword moved as if the sword was being swung by different people? Each of the swords had a will of their own?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It is scarier than 20 swordsman charging at you. The tireless attacks are fearsome, and Sir Azell dodges them with bare hands. Moreover, he isn¡¯t pulling back on these attacks. He is a bloody mess at the end, and once he suffered a really deep cut. The Healers are on their toes, because of all the wounds being taken by Sir Azell.¡±


    ¡°...I hope you aren¡¯t telling me to believe this nonsense?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a bit sad that you aren¡¯t trusting my words. You shoulde see it for yourself.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    When he heard the stories, he felt dejected that he couldn¡¯t see it for himself. He was so curious that he felt jealous of Havanz.


    ¡®That Azell. His skills seems to be boundless. Did he perhaps not even show half of his capabilities when sparring with me?¡¯


    The thought suddenly made him angry. The impudent kid dared to fight him without showing his entire capability? Moreover, he won numerous times despite doing this?


    ¡®Let¡¯s see what happens when his training ends.¡¯


    Kairen was very petty, so he made a firm resolution.


    Havanz continued to speak.


    ¡°Duke. I have something I want to ask you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°You said Sir Azell is short on magical energy. Is this really true?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the truth. There is no room for doubt.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    ¡°What is it again?¡±


    ¡°For now, your assessment has been proven correct. Sir Azell falls over quite frequently from exhausting his magical energy. Every time that happens he drinks magic recovery potions like he¡¯s drinking water. I want to talk to you about the total cost of the magic recovery potions used by Sir Azell....¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to know about that kind of stuff. Just tell me what I want to hear about.¡±


    ¡°He broke the training facility. It was only a wall on a single side, so the magic itself wasn¡¯t shattered.¡±


    ¡°...what?¡±


    Kairen became surprised.

 Chapter 71 - Heros Training (2)

    Chapter 71 - Hero¡¯s Training (2)


    When the ce was built, he had driven Beorein Michael hard into making this training ground. A powerful magic was ced, and most expenditure of force shouldn¡¯t even leave a dent. Of course, if Kairen made up his mind, he could destroy the ce with his power. However, it was an impossible task if one considered Azell¡¯s level of magical energy.


    Havanz spoke.


    ¡°To be more precise, lightning fell.¡±


    ¡°Lightning strike? Are you saying he did this with an electrical attack?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean it like that. Rain came downst night, and lightnings were falling. Sir Azell was hit by a lightning.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Havanz had on an expression that indicated he knew his words sounded preposterous.


    ¡°It was after Sir Azell¡¯s training session had ended. He was getting treatment inside the estate. However, he excused himself when the rain and wind started to rage outside. In the distance, the sound of lightning rang out. After a while, Sir Azell stood in the middle of the training grounds with his sword raised into the air, and the lightning struck him.¡±


    ¡°...so?¡±


    ¡°I thought Sir Azell had died. I ran to him in surprised. Please don¡¯t ridicule me by saying I¡¯m crazy. The lightning was surrounding Sir Azell¡¯s entire body.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Then he expelled the power in one go, and it parted the wall open. You cane see it for yourself. It sliced opened the wall, and the trees on the other side was all demolished.... It left behind a huge wound that¡¯s about several hundred meter in length.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡±


    Kairen let out a moan. There was a technique that allowed one to receive, control and emit the power of a lightning? A human who could do this existed?


    The more surprising part was the fact that he had read a historical ount of a human doing a simr feat.


    Havanz spoke as he observed Kairen¡¯s expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you are having the same thought as me. In fact, Sir Azell confirmed my suspicions.¡±


    ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°Sir Azell named the technique as ¡¯Thunder Dragon¡¯s Horn¡¯.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Kairen let out a low moan.


    Thunder Dragon¡¯s Horn.


    It was a trump card technique used on the battlefield by the Hero Azell Karzark, who had defeated the Dragon Demon King Atein. His single strike had been something more than a lightning sent down by nature. The lightning was amplified to a much stronger strike. In the records, it was said he cut several thousand of the Dragon Demon army in half using this technique.


    Of course, Kairen hadn¡¯t believed the record to be true. He thought it was an exaggerated legend. He had also thought the part where Azell Karzark called down the lightning to use the Thunder Dragon¡¯s Horn was a falsehood.


    ¡°Such an event happened right in front of my eyes. In truth, I thought the stories of my grandfather¡¯s exploits told by my parent were mixed in with idle boasts. However... The ¡¯Thunder Dragon¡¯s Horn¡¯ shown by Sir Azell was as it was described to me.¡±


    ¡°That bastard... I really am curious as to what his real identity is.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also very curious. If someone told me Sir Azell was the reincarnation of the missing Azell Karzark, I would believe it. That¡¯s how I feel right now.¡±


    ¡°This is not going to work. I¡¯m going to immediately...¡±


    ¡°If you are going to say you¡¯lle here immediately, then please don¡¯t. It is the middle of the night right now. You will cause a lot of inconveniences.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Up until a moment ago, Sir Azell was using another fresh method to torture himself. He fell over from exhaustion. I¡¯ll tell him you¡¯ll being here tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°All right. If you want me be patient, you¡¯ll have to give a detailed ount of what this fresh method of torture entails.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m getting thirsty from talking so much. I feel like drinking some good alcohol.¡±


    ¡°......I¡¯ll bring some tomorrow. Stop getting cute with me. Hurry up and talk.¡±


    ¡°Understood. Today he.......¡±


    Havanz spoke so much that he was worried he would have a hoarse throat afterward. However, he faithfully gave his report as a spy.


    3


    Azell¡¯s life at the Lance mountain estate was regimented.


    He woke up in the morning at 6, and he carried out meditation and light training. Then he had breakfast at 7. After a brief break, he trained until lunch time where he took a brief break. After lunch, he trained until the evening when dinner was served at 6. After a brief break, he went out for a night training session. He finished all his training before 10, and he returned to eat a night snack. Then he would receive treatment. Afterwards, he did some light training before he went to sleep at midnight.


    He slept for 6 hours daily.


    If one considered Azell¡¯s superhuman capabilities, the amount of time he slept was long. If Azell was leading a normal life, he only needed two hours of sleep to get simr benefits.


    However, he was pushing himself to the edge, and Azell decided that was the minimum amount of sleep he needed. It had been about two weeks since he started this n, and he was satisfied with the result.


    Havanz spoke.


    ¡°Basically, he spend about 14 hours a day training. Moreover, it is a harsh training where he pushes himself within an inch of his life. He does it for 7 days a week.¡±


    ¡°It is impossible for normal people, but it isn¡¯t impossible for a Spirit Order practitioner. ¡±


    Kairen replied. A superhuman could handle a much more demanding schedulepared to a regr person.


    ¡°Still, he is keeping up such an unforgiving pace for 14 hours a day, and 7 days a week. It is frightening.¡±


    Moreover, when Havanz told Kairen about Azell¡¯s training method, it was so difficult that Kairen was suspicious as to whether the information was true or not. The level of difficulty in terms of technique and intensity was almost unbelievable.


    ¡°So where¡¯s the young fellow at?¡±


    The person, who posed the question, was Beorein. He couldn¡¯t sit on his curiosity, so he had followed after Kairen.


    Havanz spoke.


    ¡°He is probably running through the wild mountain like a madman. He is probably conducting his self many-to-one mountain warfare.¡±


    ¡°...self many-to-one mountain warfare? What the hell is that?¡±


    ¡°He equips his clones with weapons and armors then he scatters them. As he runs through the mountain, he fights a many-to-one battle. Before the two of you arrived here, I confirmed his activities.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The self sparring had evolved into self many-to-one mountain warfare. It felt as if they were listening to some fantasy. Kairen and Beorein looked at each other, and they shared a strong empathetic feeling with each other.


    Havanz took the two of them towards the training facility. First, he wanted to show them the remnants of the destruction caused by the ¡¯Thunder Dragon¡¯s Horn.¡¯


    ¡°My god.¡±


    Beorein almost let out a moan as he mumbled to himself.


    The training ground was made by cutting into the side of the mountain. It had a diameter of 50 meter, and the training ground was steeply terraced. Moreover, it was surrounded by walls that was over 10 meters high. It was made akin to a castle wall. Moreover, this sturdy wall had been reinforced with incredibly powerful protection magic.


    The wall had been split.


    Kairen attentively looked through the uneven gap that had been created, and he mumbled to himself.


    ¡°That guy did this.......¡±


    The impression was made two days ago, but they could still feel the trace of a strong magic.


    Beorein spoke.


    ¡°If you told me this fellow was a magician disguised as a Spirit Order practitioner, I would believe it.¡±


    ¡°It seems magicians aren¡¯t the only ones that can create destruction on arge scale.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not talking about that. Try focusing on the flow of magic in the immediate surrounding. An unbelievable event is urring.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    Kairen gave a quizzical look, and he did as he was told. Then his eyes widened.


    ¡°What the hell? The magic of the training grounds is being drawn outwards?¡±


    ¡°It seems it is the work of our friend. If one thought about it, the self many-to-one mountain warfare isn¡¯t something he could maintain with his own magic. He used his authority over this facility¡¯s Control magic to draw out the magic towards outside.¡±


    ¡°Is that suppose to be possible?¡±


    ¡°Until now, I didn¡¯t think it was possible for a Spirit Order practitioner to do what he did. It makes me want to immediately get a hold of him and ask him how he did it.¡±


    Kairen and Beorein elevated their bodies to get on top of the wall. They observed the remnant of the attack that stretch far beyond the wall. The two of them became speechless.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...Kairen. I want to ask you something.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Can you do this?¡±


    Kairen didn¡¯t have an immediate answer to the question.


    Across the split wall, evidence ofrge scale destruction continued along the ridge of the mountain. The trees that had been within the attack¡¯s trajectory had been uprooted as it was destroyed and burned. There furrow about 2 meters deep. The more surprising fact was that the mark of the attack ended at around 500 meters. However, they presumed the attack had traveled much farther than that distance.


    Beorein gave an estimate.


    "If we assume the attack had followed across the terrain, the energy was released towards the sky.


    ¡°It split the peak in half.¡±


    The peak of the mountain had really been cut in half, and one side had copsed. Kairen observed the vestige.


    ¡°Mmmm. If we are talking about pure destructive power, I could probably do it.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°However, the attack was very focused. I can¡¯t guarantee it. In what way could a lightning be harnessed to be able to leave behind such a trace?¡±


    Kairen had studied martial arts and Dragon Ridge arts for a span of a human lifetime. He wasn¡¯t a magician, but he had be very adept at changing various elements into magic. He was able to cause a natural disaster in a very limited area.


    Did a lightning really have enough power to leave behind this remnant? Was this really the power of this element? He didn¡¯t have an answer.


    Beorein spoke.


    ¡°I can see why he wanted a training ground where no friends and humans are nearby. Anyways, shall we go observe this thing called self many-to-one mountain warfare?¡±


    Havanz led the two people towards Azell¡¯s location.


    ¡°Huk, huk.......¡±


    Azell was a bloody mess as he leaned against a tree. His heart pulsed roughly, and it was sending a signal that his body had almost reached its limit. However, Azell ignored this warning. He used the vibration caused by the pulse of his heart to generate a massive amount of magic. He filled the magic into his Energy Pulse as it bolstered the vitality of his body.


    This wasn¡¯t really a smart thing to do. If he overloaded the system like this, he could use a great amount of power in the short term. However, it would ruin his body in the long term.


    However, this was all within Azell¡¯s calctions. He had to use various methods to push his body towards its limit.


    At that moment, he heard a rustle from above his head. Azell moved his body without even looking up.


    Pah-ahng!


    The sword shed against sword, and a sound of an explosion rang out instead of the sound of steel. The blue light exploded, and the surrounding trees shook noisily.


    Azell was a beatte in finding his ambusher. His enemy was himself, who was wearing a mishmash of armors. The clone was a perfect replicate of Azell¡¯s appearance. However, it didn¡¯t have any injury or blemish. The clone gave off a very inhuman aura.


    The clone immediately adjusted its stance, and it attacked him. It hadn¡¯t just run towards him. It used a mental wave to confuse Azell¡¯s senses, and a powerful lightning sword strike was swung towards him.


    Pah-jee-jee-jeek!


    Right when Azell parried the attack, another clone ran out from the rear thicket.


    It had perfectly hidden its presence, so Azell didn¡¯t realize it was there until it had approached a certain distance. However, he was able to use his vision and sound to pick out its presence.


    Azell¡¯s body moved fast like a streak of lightning.


    CHul-koo-ruhk! Chul-kuhk!


    Then the ownerless swords and armors fell to the floor.


    Azell maintained his pose for a brief moment, and he suddenly spoke.


    ¡°If you do that, there is a chance you might be attacked, Duke.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. I wanted to get in a blow, but you really have a nose of a dog.¡±


    Kairen had hidden himself on top of a tree. After observing the situation, he was inching forward when Azell became aware of him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not done with my training yet... Well, I guess I¡¯ll have to end it here.¡±


    Azell sheathed his sword. Then a magical wave started to flow out from various ces inside the forest.


    Beorein, who had been hiding at some distance, eximed in surprise.


    ¡°There are so many of them.¡±


    Twelve clones walked towards Azell. They all looked like Azell, but they all had a perfectly expressionless face. They were bing blurry now, and they were semi-translucent. One could see the surrounding through their bodies.


    Azell spoke as they approached.


    ¡°It is tiring to carry around all these equipments. Let¡¯s head on back first.¡±


    Azell ordered the expressionless clones to pick up all the equipments left behind by the defeated clones. Then they returned to the estate. Beorein had on an expression that was akin to someone wanting to run towards the restroom. He wanted to ask questions, but Azell had said they would talk when they reached the estate. This had been turned into a trial of patience for him.

 Chapter 72 - Heros Training (3)

    Chapter 72 - Hero¡¯s Training (3)


    4


    ¡°Are you perhaps the reincarnation of Azell Karzark?¡±


    Azell couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter when Kairen threw the question towards him after they arrived at the estate.


    ¡°Why would you think that?¡±


    ¡°I researched it once I came here.... Your appearance is very simr to the portrait of Azell Karzark.¡±


    When he was staying at the capital, Kairen said there weren¡¯t that many portraits of Azell Karazark left in the world. Before Azell went to sleep, he had despised letting someone draw him. He hadn¡¯t given any permission for artists to draw him, so it was understandable why his portraits were scarce. It was probably a portrait made by someone, who had met him in real life. It was based on the artist¡¯s memory of him.


    ¡°Do you think I can see that portrait? I am curious as to see how closely I resemble him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll show it to youter. Of course, I came here for another reason. I got a report saying you used a technique called the ¡¯Thunder Dragon¡¯s Horn¡¯ to cause a massive amount of damage to my property.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about the destruction. Still, I was sure you wouldn¡¯t ask me to pay for it.¡±


    Azell spoke asughter escaped from his mouth.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see... Mmmm. Would you believe me if I told you this particr story behind my identity?¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°Azell Karzark went missing two years after the Dragon Demon war had ended. There¡¯s no record on his continued survival or death. Isn¡¯t that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What if the Archmage Carlos devoted himself to creating a magic that induced Azell to go into a long hibernation? What if this magic stopped the ageing process? What if I told you that Azell Karzark was ced in a location away from public notice and a ce where humans had never settled? What if he slept for a long time like a Dragon in hibernation?¡±


    ¡°And he woke up in this era, and that person is you? Is that the gist of the story?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°It is a very amusing story. Of course, I hope you don¡¯t expect me to believe such a story.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I didn¡¯t expect it.¡±


    Azell let out a bitterugh. In the past, he had worried over whether he should tell other people about his real identity. However, he always struggled toe up with a way to prove the truth behind his story. Nothing was more frustrating than trying to convince the other to believe an outrageous story even if it was the truth.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°There is an answer that is a little bit more easier to digest. What if I am a descendent of Azell Karzark that had been unknown to the world?¡±


    ¡°You are?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.......¡±


    Kairen furrowed his eyebrows. If it was someone else, he would have called it a lie. However, Azell¡¯s words sounded usible.


    ¡®They do look like two peas in a pod.¡¯


    The burning red hair and blue eyes wasn¡¯t the only physical characteristic that matched up. His overall appearance matched up with the portrait of Azell Karzark and the information gathered by Kairen. There were too many simrities.


    Until now, he had been suspicious of Azell¡¯s identity. He was sure Azell was an enemy of the Dragon Demon King worshippers, but everything else brought up more questions than answers.


    He was willing to let go of the partial memory loss. He had heard a detailed ount from Giles about how they had found Azell. Kairen admitted thatplications like memory loss could be exined by the state Azell was in.


    It would also exin why his magical energy was so smallpared to Azell¡¯s skill as a Spirit Order Practitioner.


    This wasn¡¯t Kairen¡¯s conjecture. It was the Archmage Beorein¡¯s opinion.


    ¡®It is an interesting story. If I had to specte, it sounds likely. Let¡¯s say his life had been in danger. To be precise, if he was wounded in a way where a normal person wouldn¡¯t be able to survive, he might have acted to preserve his life. In the process, his Energy Pulse might have dried up then his magical energy would have been swept up. Since he isn¡¯t an Undead, the magical energy would havebined with his life force to maintain the vessel.¡¯


    Even if one took those two spections to be the truth, it still left the question of Azell¡¯s origin. There was the question on how he became so skilled at a young age, and he knew techniques no one should know about... To be precise, he knew about the lost knowledge only known to the Dragon Demon worshippers.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°The knowledge about Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual and the Spirit Order special techniques was passed down from generation after generation. Will you be able to ept that fact?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also having a very hard time believing that story. However....¡±


    Kairen looked at Azell with a serious expression. It was as if he was trying to read the truth from Azell¡¯s expression and eyes.


    Indifferent eyes looked back at Kairen. It was as if he didn¡¯t care if Kairen believed him or not. This attitude got on Kairen¡¯s nerve a little bit.


    ¡°You should try a little bit harder to convince me.¡±


    ¡°I have no intention of doing so.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Kairen¡¯s brows twitched. Azell spoke.


    ¡°No matter what story I tell you it¡¯ll be hard for you to ept it as the truth. I understand that. In truth, I don¡¯t have any reasons to pour my heart and soul into convincing you. If you believe me, then that¡¯s great. If not, it is all well and good. However, the important part is already resolved.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t enemies.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Ah. Now that I¡¯ve talked to you about it, this is a bit disappointing. That¡¯s right. You aren¡¯t my enemy. Moreover, I¡¯ll state that you are myrade in battle. If a Dragon Demon worshipper threatens the Duke, I¡¯ll willingly stand by your side with my sword raised. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡±


    ¡°...hoo.¡±


    Kairen let out augh in spite of himself.


    He was happy. The irritation that had taken a hold of him waspletely gone. He was happy at Azell¡¯s words.


    Kairen leaned back into his chair as he spoke.


    ¡°It would have been dangerous if you had been a woman.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I probably would have fallen for you. You are impudent and shameful, but you keep saying things I really like.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just take sce in the fact that the Duke doesn¡¯t swing that way. Ah. With that being said, Mr. Havanz begs of you to meet with youngdies, who sent in their marriage proposals....¡±


    ¡°It is enough that I already have my household worrying about me dying alone in my old age. So please shut up. There is still a very long time before my prime marrying age ends.¡±


    Those of the Dragon Demon race lived for over 300 years, so he wasn¡¯t wrong. Michael spoke.


    ¡°Still, you are the head of the house, and you have been living a life of bachelorhood for over 100 years. Of course, they would bug you about it. You don¡¯t even have siblings, so shouldn¡¯t you be more worried about who you¡¯ll entrust with your affairs in the future?¡±


    ¡°At the same time, I don¡¯t want to be like you. You had children during your prime, yet you refuse to give up your post as the head of the household even at your age. Isn¡¯t that also a serious problem?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t as if I wanted it to be like that. Actually, I¡¯ve finally managed to settle my affairs, and the session ritual will happen at the end of this year. You have nothing to say, right?¡±


    ¡°Kook.......¡±


    Kairen had a betrayed expression on his face as he quickly changed the subject.


    ¡°Anyways, if you are really the descendant of Azell Karzark... It is an inspiring event. The hero¡¯s bloodline, which was assumed to have ended, stand unbroken in this era.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t Azell Karzark officially unwed?¡±


    ¡°That is true, but Azell Karzark had adopted several children. There had been some spection that they were his illegitimate children.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell really wanted to plead his innocence regarding the issue, but he held himself back.


    ¡®Apart from my adopted children, I can¡¯t guarantee I hadn¡¯t sired any children. Mmmm.¡¯


    In truth, Azell had slept with a lot of women during the Dragon Demon War. It wouldn¡¯t have surprised him if someone had Azell¡¯s child without him knowing about it. It was the reality of the era he had been living in. He didn¡¯t know if he would get to see the next day, so he had been true to the passion of the moment... It was an era where one was running through the darkness, and one¡¯s lifeline was always pressed up against a de.


    ¡°We¡¯ll never know if that point of view was real or not. The household of Marquis Karzark was exterminated, so this conversation is pointless.¡±


    ¡°......what did you just say?¡±


    Azell raised his voice in spite of himself. It was as if someone had delivered a blow to the back of his head. He lost hisposure from the shock. Azell asked with a shaking voice.


    ¡°Did you just say the household of Marquis Karzark was wiped out? Is that really true?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know about it?¡±


    ¡°...I didn¡¯t know. The history books didn¡¯t mention any...¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.¡±


    Kairen was taken aback as he looked at Azell. He had never seen Azell outwardly disy his shock before. If one received the education of a noble family, this should have beenmon knowledge. So why was he showing such a reaction?


    He wondered about Azell¡¯s upbringing. Kairen was puzzled as he spoke.


    ¡°The household of Marquis Karzark was exterminated, and hisnds were designated as the Devil¡¯s Territory. It happened at the twilight of the Great Darkness. I can see why the books you read didn¡¯t have that story in there. It isn¡¯t even part of our country¡¯s history...¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell was at a loss for words. The shock was sorge that he felt his head spin.


    They hadn¡¯t been rted by blood, but he had truly loved the children like his own family. He had asked Carlos and his friends to look over them. He hadn¡¯t expected them to be prosperous, but he had thought their lines would still be alive to this day. He had nned on searching the descendants of his adopted children. He had been nning on reminiscing after finding them... This small hope had been inside his heart.


    ¡®Wait a moment. This isn¡¯t the time to be limp from the shock.¡¯


    Azell slowly took a deep breathe. He used Spirit Order to control the mental shock, and he slowly calmed his heart. After a moment, Azell asked a question.


    ¡°...do you perhaps know what caused it?¡±


    ¡°I heard thend of Marquis Karzark was designated as the Devil¡¯s Territory, because the Dragons went berserk there.¡±


    ¡°The Dragons went berserk?¡±


    ¡°Over ten Dragons went on a rampage, and the monsters moved in afterwards. If you want a more detailed ount, I¡¯ll send you books that describe the event.¡±


    ¡°Please.¡±


    After giving his answer, an uncontroble fire started to burn deep with Azell¡¯s eyes.


    5


    Kairen and Beorein left only after they drowned Azell with questions throughout the night. Beorein still had a mountainous amount of question he wanted to ask, but he wistfully parted ways when Azell asked to end the meeting. He promised to answer their questions at a different date.


    After sending the two people away, Azell immersed himself back into his training.


    He kept up a rigorous schedule that exceeded the boundary of human limitation. He had been doing this for exactly a month since he arrived at the Lance mountain.


    After that point, he started cking off as if the severe training had all been a lie. He slept eight hours from night to morning, and he slept 4 hours in the middle of the day. He slept for 12 hours everyday. Aside from sleeping, he only did light exercise, and he focused on meditation.


    When this continued for the 4th day, Havanz couldn¡¯t hold back his curiosity as he questioned Azell about it.


    ¡°I know this isn¡¯t a great attitude for a servant to have... However, as a spy, it is hard for me to overlook this.¡±


    ¡°A spy is someone, who observes the target in secret. You have inly revealed your intentions and role to the one you are suppose to observe. You are now asking direct questions to gain more information. I don¡¯t think you are suppose to do that.¡±


    ¡°My situation is a bit unique to be following themon approach. Isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I guess so. Well, it isn¡¯t some big secret, so I¡¯ll tell you. I¡¯m still training very hard right now.¡±


    ¡°Rest is training... Is that what you are trying to say?¡±


    ¡°It is a bit more nuanced than that. I¡¯ve pushed my body to the brink for 30 days. I need to rest 10 days. It¡¯ll allow me to be able to digest what I gained. This is my training cycle.¡±


    ¡°So that is why you are passing the time in this fashion.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve stimted every inch of my body, and now I have to regte everything. I¡¯ll stop my exnation here.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. Sir Azell has a lot of secrets.¡±


    ¡°It is your job to mine for my secrets. I believe I¡¯ve given you enough hints.¡±


    Azell grinned.

 Chapter 73 - Heros Training (4)

    Chapter 73 - Hero¡¯s Training (4)


    He trained to the extreme for 30 days, and he rested for 10 days. This was his optimal training cycle, but he didn¡¯t have to keep to the schedule. The important part was the ratio. If he wanted to reduce the training time, he could train to the extreme for four days, then he would need only a single day of rest.


    The training he performed up until now had stimted every single inch of his body. This was true for his bones, muscles, nerves, blood vessels... Every single one of his cells were stimted as he drove them to move. As he became more aware of his own body, the job of consolidating his body urred.


    At the same time, the stimtion would cause the creation of extra magic, and he sent it into his Energy Pulse. He worked on expanding his Energy Pulse. This resulted in his magic being able to flow to every inch of his body, and his body was strengthened.


    The act of recovering from injury was also part of this process.


    An injured body worked differently from one¡¯s normal body, and Azell even put this phenomena to use.


    This was the true worth of the Body Strengthening technique that had been passed down to Azell by Lin. When one trains the mind, one has to find out the basic anatomy of the mind. Usually, one used one¡¯s body without doubt. This process allowed him to understand his body, and it brought his body under control.


    ¡®Half a year¡¯s time should be enough.¡¯


    He felt endlessly thankful toward Kairen.


    Azell suddenly asked a question.


    ¡°I¡¯m have some questions I want to ask you, Mr. Havanz.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I would like to ask you about you grandfather. It is about the Dragon Demon Duke Rogan Aludin, who fought with Azell Karzark.¡±


    He had lied to Kairen about seeing Rogan¡¯s portrait. The books Azell had read had only brief passages describing Rogan as one of the heroes.


    This was why he wanted to hear about Rogan from his descendent. He wanted to hear what kind of life Rogan had lead after the Dragon Demon War ended...


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing Mr. Havanz never met him personally?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He passed away long ago. He passed away long before Sir Azell was born....¡±


    ¡°Ha ha ha.¡±


    Of course, that wasn¡¯t possible. Azell let out a bitterugh inside.


    Havanz asked him a question.


    ¡°How old do you think I am?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. Let¡¯s see. I¡¯m guessing you are in your mid-60s. ¡±


    Havanz had a surprised expression at his words.


    ¡°You are amazing. I¡¯ve never met someone, who guessed my age so urately on the first try. People get confused whether I am a Dragon Demon or a Dragon Majin.¡±


    ¡°A Dragon Majin¡¯s age is hard to estimate just based on their outer appearance. However, I formted my guess based on your upation. No matter how talented you are, you would need more than 10 years to be trained as a steward. This was why I guessed that age. I thought you couldn¡¯t be older than mid-60s.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, Sir Azell doesn¡¯t act like a young person. Your insight is amazing.¡±


    Havanz continued speaking as he burst out intoughter.


    ¡°These are words I heard from my father. Grandfather was someone, who lived for over 300 years, so he was like a living history book. He loved telling stories. My father and the elders of my household ryed many of his stories to me.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°After the Dragon Demon war ended, he had started a business. He lost all his fortunes in that venture, and he had gone into bankruptcy.¡±


    ¡°...huh?¡±


    Azell¡¯s eyes turned round. Rogan was quick and facile in calcting profit and loss. He had been very efficient in managing the army¡¯s supply. A person like that drove his business into bankruptcy?


    Havanz spoke.


    ¡°Grandfather had started his first business after the Dragon Demon war had ended. At the time, he had thought the world was his oyster... Or that was what he had said. However, the aftermath of the Dragon Demon war resulted in humans holding animosity towards the Dragon Demons. Even though my grandfather had fought for the humans, he wasn¡¯t free from receiving their scorn.¡±


    ¡°Ah.......¡±


    ¡°Unlike his management of the army in the Dragon Demon war, he had to act ruthless against his trading partners. At times, he would have to act like a demon, but that was easier said than done.... There were also some high profile figures, who held ill feelings towards the Dragon Demon race. In the end, he lost all the money he had saved up, and he had gone into debt. At the time, he said his future had looked very bleak. He hated the humans enough where he had thought about killing them all. He had put his life at great risk to save the humans in the Dragon Demon War. If another Dragon Demon war broke out, he thought about siding with the other side...¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell was speechless as he felt an ache inside his heart. Azell had thought Rogan would have lived well as a hero of the Dragon Demon war. However, reality wasn¡¯t that kind. It wasmon to see many wartime heroes fall into being useless humans when time of peace arrived. It seemed Rogan held simr risk factors that lead to the downfall of the former heroes.


    Havanz continued to speak.


    ¡°However, humans were also the ones, who had saved him. Even during those tough times, my grandmother never left his side, and she supported him... Then there were the humans he had befriended during the Dragon Demon war. He was able to get back up on his feet with the help of the people, who received his help during the Dragon Demon war. Then he came to an understanding.¡±


    ¡°What was it?¡±


    ¡°He shouldn¡¯t dream about bing a great merchant unless he was prepared to be a demon.¡±


    ¡°Basically... He couldn¡¯t bring himself to be a demon.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I feel the same way as him. I wanted to be in a position where I¡¯ll be allowed to run an organization. I can invest my feelings into each member of the organization. In business, one have to see the people making up one¡¯s organization as interchangeable parts or a number. If one can¡¯t do this, it would be best to stay clear from being a merchant. One would have to find a different path. Grandfather found that different path. He passed on the family¡¯s business to his children after making sure it would run adequately. When my grandmother died, he lived a very busy life.¡±


    ¡°Busy?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He was our Duke¡¯s teacher, and he also yed the game of being a hero as he traveled to various regions.¡±


    ¡°He yed a game of being a hero?¡±


    ¡°This was how grandfather described it with his word. He didn¡¯t like putting humans in difficulty through his business dealings. It would cause the humans to hate him. Instead, he preferred saving people in trouble. He¡¯d rather hear gratitude from humans after saving them, so he took up saving people as a hobby. He traveled far and wide, so you¡¯ll be able to hear stories about my grandfather from various parts of the continent.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha ha.¡±


    Azell couldn¡¯t help, butugh.


    It was really a story befitting Rogan. This was really like the Rogan Azell had known. Rogan had been very talented at running an organization, but he was verypassionate. He had a bleeding heart. Even as the army was running short on supplies, he gave food to the children of the refugee groups the army ran across. He would say he could do without food for awhile as he gave the children his portion of the food. How could someone like him be a great merchant, who were like cold-hearted devils?


    ¡®It seems you lived a merry life, Rogan.¡¯


    It was unfortunate that he¡¯ll never meet Rogan again. However, he felt consoled by the fact that Rogan had lived a rich life. He was someone Azell had trusted to protect his back in a fight. He was also a friend, who shared nonsensical stories with him as they shared drinks... He was also Azell¡¯s savior. Rogan had been at the site of his teacher¡¯s death, and he allowed Azell to put his life on the line for the future.


    ¡®Don¡¯t act like a child, young human. A great man like him just entrusted you with the future. Even if it feels dirty, live on to be a hero. If you don¡¯t, you will despise yourself for the rest of your life.¡¯


    Azell remembered wrapping himself in those words as he charged into the hailstorm of arrows and magic.


    After that day, Azell took time at odd intervals to hear about Rogan from Havanz. Azell buried his memory of Rogan in his mind until he would be able to look back and see his smile.


    6


    Beorein spoke in a tired manner.


    ¡°The shape has somewhat taken form.¡±


    They were in their third month of dedicating themselves to manufacturing the Dragon Sword.


    The process of making the Dragon Weapon was strictly a magical process. Even the act of carving the Dragon Bones into the shape of the desired weapon wasn¡¯t done by hand. It had to be done by magic.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Still, I¡¯m morefortable at doing thispared to the first time we tried this out.¡±


    ¡°It had been a long time since we made the first one. Of course, the production process has been much improved. Moreover, if the maker has a Dragon Weapon at one¡¯s disposal, the process be that much easier.¡±


    ¡°Jeez. We have to pour in Dragon Demon magic as if we are pouring in water.¡±


    The Dragon Weapon was seeped with Dragon Demon magic. Even a human would be able to use Dragon Demon magic with this weapon. This was why a Dragon Demon or a Dragon Majin had to pour in an incredible amount of Dragon Demon magic from the start of the manufacturing process.


    Currently, the production of Azell¡¯s Dragon Sword had gone smoothly, so they were at the halfway point. However, the unfinished Dragon Weapon floating atop the magic circle didn¡¯t look anything like a sword. It looked like a stone had been half-halfheartedly chipped away. It had the rough shape of a sword.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Is it ok for you to vacate your seat for too long? I thought you would travel back couple times during the process.¡±


    ¡°My friend. Isn¡¯t it a bit toote to ask that question now?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll admit I am a bitte in asking the question.¡±


    ¡°Anyways, it isn¡¯t a problem.¡±


    Beorein had already appointed his sessor to the title of Count Michael. He had created a great system where everything would run smoothly even if he was absent.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t a problem as a lord or a member of the Guardian Shadow.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Were your disciples entered into the Guardian Shadow?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The number of Guardian Shadow members have increased drastically with our country.¡±


    Archmage Beorein had seven disciples excluding his descendants. He had entered four of his most trusted and talented disciples into the Guardian Shadow. For the near future, it would alleviate the shortage of manpower.


    Beorein spoke.


    ¡°It took a long time. It really....¡±


    It was quite odd for him to be so active in the affairs of hisnd. He should have seceded his title of count to his descendant already. Dragon Majin lived longer than humans, but their lives were short-livedpared to the Dragon Demon. At Beorein¡¯s age, he should have been retired from the society of nobles. Even those of the Dragon Demon race retired after an adequate amount of time passed. They married a little bitter than humans, but the title of nobility was passed on unless there was a special circumstance that prevented it like Kairen.


    There was also an unusual circumstance behind Beorein¡¯s long reign as the Count. Around 30 years ago, Beorein had lost all his heirs to this title. He had lost all his children and grandchildren to the Dragon Demon Worshippers. Everyone¡¯s sympathy towards Beoreinsted for a brief moment. Every one of his rtives came at him for his title of Count, so his household andnds was put in a very bad spot.


    At the time, Beorein didn¡¯t even know who he should me for the deaths. Even as he fell into despair, the Dragon Demon worshippers continued their work to destroy him.


    It was at that point when the Guardian Shadow appeared in front of Beorein. The Guardian Shadow repelled a trap set by the Dragon Demon worshippers, and Beorein had willingly became a member of the Guardian Shadow.


    It took a long time to stabilize his domain, and he had groomed another sessor.


    For a brief moment, Beorein had fallen into his old memories.


    Beorein spoke.


    ¡°Let¡¯s put the issue of marriage aside. You should try a little bit harder to grow the membership of the Guardian Shadows.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m actually eyeing some of my morepetent subordinates. I¡¯m also thinking about entering Arrieta and Seigar into the organization.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure the Dragon Demon Queen will oppose it. Moreover, those two have too much burden on their shoulders. We need members, who can travel around freely. Princess Arrieta and Prince Seigar are tied to the throne, so they aren¡¯t suitable candidates.¡±


    ¡°That is true, but...¡±


    The Dragon Demon Queen was a member of the Guardian Shadow. Her children and the King didn¡¯t know about this fact. However, she had basically retired when she entered the throne as the Dragon Demon Queen.


    Beorein spoke.


    ¡°Do you really believe the words spoken by our friend, Azell?¡±


    ¡°My friend. Isn¡¯t it a bit toote to ask that question now?¡±


    ¡°You turned my exact words against me.¡±


    ¡°I believe him. I¡¯ll admit there are a lot of dubious parts to his story, but in spite of those facts, I still believe him.¡±


    ¡°You arepletely taken with him. Tsk tsk. This is why you are still a bachelor.¡±


    ¡°How are those two things rted?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen youpletely taken with anyone. Your tastes are so entric that it is too hard to find a woman that you¡¯ll be able to live your life with. It would have been great if Azell had an older sister or a younger sister.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Beorein smirked as he changed the subject.


    ¡°Well, okay. You are blind to love, but I¡¯ll agree that you have a discerning eye for humans. Anyways, he is endlessly fascinating when seen through the eyes of a magician.¡±


    Beorein was in awe of the various techniques disyed by Azell. He spoke to Azell deep into the night, and he was gaining so much from those conversations.


    ¡°If that friend really the descendent of Azell Karzark... I¡¯m really curious about that fact.¡±


    ¡°What are you curious about?¡±


    ¡°I wonder why Azell Karzark hid himself in thetter years of his life. Moreover, what is the his descendant, who inherited all the techniques forgotten in this era, trying to aplish? I can¡¯t help, but wonder.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, he foresaw a danger in the future.¡±


    ¡°He prepared a descendant for the trouble that¡¯lle in the future?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that likely?¡±


    ¡°I sincerely hope not. However, if that does happen, do you think our friend will be the vessel to stop the threat?¡±


    ¡°I believe in him. Somehow, I feel as if he¡¯ll pave a path into the future no matter what happens in the future... He generates such belief in me.¡±


    Azell had never tried to dazzle Kairen with his words. It didn¡¯t matter if Azell¡¯s words were believed or not. Azell proved his worth through his actions. He liked that attitude, and it had moved Kairen¡¯s heart.


    Beorein smirked.


    ¡°As a Dragon Majin, you are considered young, but you have gotten older. You are talking about entrusting the future to the young.¡±


    ¡°I really do sound like an old man. Shit.¡±


    Kairen frowned.

 Chapter 74 - Heros Training (5)

    Chapter 74 - Hero¡¯s Training (5)


    7


    He had a dream.


    It was a dream about the era when despair of darkness hung over the world.


    It was during the heyday of the Dragon Demon war, and the human coalition was careful in how they dispatched Lin. He was able to subdue most Dragon Demons and Dragon Majins inside the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army. He was one of the hidden cards that was able to go toe to toe with the four Dragon Demon Generals. Everyone knew how big of a problem would be created if they lost him. The human coalition didn¡¯t put him in harm¡¯s way unless it was a critical situation.


    Unfortunately, the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army also treated Lin as if he was someone important.


    ¡°...such arge trap.¡±


    Lin mumbled to himself in disbelief.


    He was someone with a righteous character, but he had the capability of keeping the whole picture in perspective. He was well-aware of his own worth, and this knowledge caused him to feel guilt. He always had to make cold-hearted decisions where he had to take as little risk as possible. This caused him to shed tears of blood.


    Unfortunately, Lin could have never predicted that the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army would sacrifice 10,000 of their own to kill him.


    ¡°I never expected the day when we would have to use him as a bait to catch a human.¡±


    The one who spoke was ¡¯The Blood shed by a star¡¯ Baldazark. He was one of the the four Dragon Demon Generals. He had beautiful blonde hair, and his two horn looked like carved ice infused with color. He was a youthful looking Dragon Demon. Unlike his young noble appearance, he was a Dragon Demon, who had lived for several hundred years. He was a walking history book, and he possessed a level of power that was on a different level than the regr Dragon Demons.


    Moreover, he wasn¡¯t the only special Dragon Demon present here.


    ¡°I never expected to receive an order to attack a human from both sides. This is so humiliating that I will die in a fit of rage when I go to sleep. You should think of this as an honor.¡±


    He was one of the other Dragon Demon Generals called ¡¯The Sword that parts a storm¡¯ Almarick. He growled as he spoke. He had messy white hair that hung low. He had tumultuous red eyes, and his thick horns were like volcanic stones. He looked like a middle aged man with a ferocious face akin to a lion. He was also someone, who had surpassed the limitation of a Dragon Demon¡¯s life expectancy.


    Baldazark spoke.


    ¡°Honor is important. However... The king even put his child¡¯s life on the line for this. That is how much he wants us to kill this human once and for all. We have no choice, but to follow the order.¡±


    ¡°I already know this. You don¡¯t have to lecture me, Duke Baldazark.¡±


    Aldrick shot back with his words.


    Dragon Demon King Atein¡¯s second son Saibein had been used as bait to attract Lin.


    Saibein had been full of drive as he lead forth arge army. However, he had been thoroughly defeated. Saibein had received a severe wound, and he was at death¡¯s doors. His surviving army was fleeing with him in tow. Lin had lead his forces into a fierce pursuit.


    However, Lin had never expected that Saibein and his 10 thousand troops was a trap ced to entice him into attacking them.


    Baldazark spoke.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t expect any backup. Currently, a series of attack is urring against the your fortress. Aunsaurus is facing off against that impudent child named Carlos.¡±


    ¡°So three Dragon Demon Generals were mobilized to kill a single person?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. You should think of it as an honor. He had to give up two regions under our control, and another region where we had the upper hand. We had topletely give up three battle fronts to be able to kill you. We are showing you this respect since his majesty¡¯s best disciple was defeated by you.¡±


    The battle happened the time before thest one, Lin had killed one of Atein¡¯s disciples. The disciple had thought no human would dare to face him. However, Lign had overwhelmed the disciple in one on one battle. Lin had delivered a significant blow to the army after he killed the disciple. His dazzling performance had curdled the blood of the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army.


    Baldazark spoke.


    ¡°We have to kill you in no uncertain terms, Sir Lin. Let¡¯s start this before all of your underlings die.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Lin grinded his teeth.


    His subordinates were dying on every side. When they had entered this basin, the hidden Dragon Demon King¡¯s army appeared to bombard them in a savage manner. It was as if they didn¡¯t care if the enemy killed the critically wounded Saibein. The attack pretty much decimated the troops that had joined Lin in his pursuit.


    Lin eximed.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll let you bastards do as you like!¡±


    At the same time, Lin nted his pair of Dragon Maken into the ground. The ground shook as if an earthquake was urring. Surprisingly, the seismic wave exploded as it avoided the locations where Lin¡¯srades were present.


    Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah!


    Baldazark was astonished when he saw this.


    ¡°Huh-uh! Amazing!¡±


    The Dragon Demon army had been attacking from an advantageous location, yet this attack had put the two sides in a more even ground. Before Lin could move, a redhaired knight suddenly appeared.


    Pah-jee-jee-jee-jeek!


    He struck at Baldazark with his Thunder Sword. The attack violently shook Baldazark¡¯s magical barrier. Baldazark was astounded.


    ¡°Who the hell is this shrimp?¡±


    Surprisingly, Azell had ambushed Baldazark even though Baldazark hadyered multiple detection magic around himself. Azell had gained Dragon Demon magic not too long ago through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. Azell let out a frightening level of energy as his consecutive attacks were let out like a storm.


    Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah!


    Baldazark was surrounded by his barrier as he was being pushed back. At the same time, Azell¡¯s clone appeared, and it ambushed Almarick.


    ¡°The clone has substance... A human learned how to do the Incarnation?¡±


    Almarick was astounded. The clone had substance, and it also was able to disy offensive capabilities that was almost on par with the real body for a brief amount of time. This was one of the highest ss of skill in Dragon Arts. It was the ¡¯Incarnation¡¯.


    Azell let out a shout.


    ¡°Teacher! Get out of here!¡±


    ¡°Azell!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t hold out for long. Shit! You cannot die in this ce! Hurry up and go!¡±


    Azell had already taken a significant amount of damage as he tried to save hisrades from the ruthless bombardment.


    He hade to save Lin. He had charged through the the Dragon Demon king¡¯s Army with his body in such a state. His heart was beating like crazy as Azell used magical energy that far exceed what his body could hold. The magical energy swirled around like a hurricane. If it was someone other than Azell, the person wouldn¡¯t have been able to handle the excess amount of magical energy. However, Azell was steering the runaway magical energy as if it was a bucking bronco. He let out fierce attacks towards the two Dragon Demon General.


    ¡°H... How dare you, you little shrimp!¡±


    He had been caught off guard, so Baldazark was being pushed several dozen meters backwards. Baldazark raged with fury. He pulled back the barrier that had almost been shredded into rags, and at the same time, he let out a storm of magic.


    However, Azell was indifferent to the attack.


    Pah-hahk!


    Blood fountained forth from Baldazark¡¯s shoulder. His arm was half way severed as it hung loosely at his side. His face crumpled from the pain.


    ¡°Koo-ah-ahk!¡±


    Azell had increased his body¡¯s defense as much as possible. He just received the magical spells with his body in exchange for delivering a strike against Baldazark. Azell let out a shout as if he was vomiting blood.


    ¡°You cowards! You can¡¯t even defeat my teacher without setting up a trap! Do you really think you can stop me with these weak magic!¡±


    Azell was a bloody mess as he continued his fierce attack. Azell¡¯s fighting spirit was incredible as he hadmitted his life to the attack, and Baldazark was in danger.


    However, Azell wasn¡¯t fighting a single opponent.


    Pah-ahhhhhhhg!


    Azell was flung away as the sound of an explosion rang out. Almarick had defeated Azell¡¯s clone, and he had attacked Azell from the side.


    ¡°I never expected to find someone like this. It seems our people in the intelligence department are blind fools.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t get any answers from me. Die, you filthy bastards.¡±


    Azell gritted his teeth, and he pull up his remaining power.


    His body was already at its limit. It was almost beyond his ability to stand and raise his sword. His consciousness was bing fuzzy from the blood loss, and his muscles were screaming in protest. His internal organs had been damaged, and his entire body was begging for him to stop.


    However, there was nowhere to run. He was facing the two Dragon Demon Generals, who were known as being the strongest in the Dragon Demon King¡¯s army. Azell decided to burn all of his still immature power.


    ¡®Ha ha ha. Still, isn¡¯t this a great stage for myst stand?¡¯


    He wouldn¡¯t hesitate to do this again if he could save Lin¡¯s life. Lin was a hero. He was like antern that could shine light to the people lost in this chaotic times. He couldn¡¯t die here.


    It happened when Azell was having these thoughts.


    ¡°Azell.¡±


    He heard Lin¡¯s voice. He was grabbing Azell¡¯s shoulder.


    Azell stared dumbfoundedly before he let out his anger.


    ¡°What are you doing! Why aren¡¯t you running away!¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m not the one who should be running away.¡±


    As he spoke, Lin raised one of his dual swords. When he let go of Azell¡¯s shoulder, Azell felt dizzy.


    ¡®No way.......¡¯


    Lin had subdued him. Linughed as he saw Azell fall over.


    ¡°You are the one that has to live.¡±


    ¡®What kind of nonsense is he.......¡¯


    Azell wanted to let out a string of swear words. However, he wasn¡¯t able to. Someone picked up his fallen body.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave the rest to you, Rogan.¡±


    ¡°Does it have to be this way, Sir Lin?¡±


    Dragon Demon Rogan asked the question. Lin spoke.


    ¡°I am sure of it now. He is the only one I can entrust the future to. How could I ask such a person to die in this ce to save a burnt out husk like me?¡±


    ¡®You are crazy, Lin....... Rogan. Don¡¯t listen to such nonsense...¡¯


    Azell was desperately holding onto his fading consciousness.


    Those words didn¡¯t make any sense. He was just a little bit more talented at using the sword than others. He was merely a reckless daredevil. He had no idea what to do, so he just repeatedly fought enemies that appeared in front of him.


    However, Lin was different. He was someone who lead people towards ending the Age of Darkness. He had shown Azell the way, and Azell was able to find a more meaningful ce in life.


    That kind of person was about to die for him.


    The frank meaning behind his gesture was unavoidable. Lin hadn¡¯t just stopped Azell. He had calmed Azell¡¯s magical energy, which had run wild. He had also poured in a power that would save Azell¡¯s life.


    It was the Dragon Maken.


    Lin was standing in front of the Dragon Demon Generals, but one of his dual sword wasn¡¯t a Dragon Maken anymore. He had give one of his Dragon Maken to Azell. He made it so that its power would act as a failsafe to preserving Azell¡¯s life. In such a brief amount of time, this was the only choice he could make to save Azell¡¯s life.


    He had to fight two Dragon Demon Generals yet he had wasted so much power!


    ¡®Ah.......¡¯


    His consciousness was blinking in and out. The incessant noise from his surrounding kept cutting in and out. It made him want to throw up.


    ¡°Rogan.......¡±


    A horribly cracked voice leaked out of him.


    Rogan was running with Azell in his grasp. He avoided the falling arrows and magical spells. If he couldn¡¯t avoid it, he took the damage with his back as he protected Azell.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do this....... Let us return... We have to save my teacher...¡±


    Rogan shouted with an emotional voice.


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    His voice rang out like thunder even in the din of battle. The sound assaulted Azell¡¯s ears.


    Rogan had taken the attacks instead of Azell, so he was a bloody mess. He spoke in an angry scolding tone.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act like a child, young human. A great man like him just entrusted you with the future. Even if it feels dirty, live on to be a hero. If you don¡¯t, you will despise yourself for the rest of your life.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you are the vessel able to carry out this task. However... You have to prove that his evaluation of you was true. Do you understand what I¡¯m trying to say?¡±


    In the end, Rogan had escaped the battlefield with Azell.


    Lin had stayed behind in the trap, and he had died after gravely wounding the two Dragon Demon Generals. It took Azell two years to be able to use the Dragon Maken given to him by Lin. This urred after he had made his own Dragon Maken.

 Chapter 75 - Those Who Covet the Blood a Royal (1)

    Chapter 75 - Those Who Covet the Blood a Royal (1)


    1


    The Dragon Demon King worshipers always moved carefully.


    At one time, they were at the doorstep of controlling the world from behind the scenes. When the Nadick Empire fell, the humans were divided, and the Dragon Demon King worshipers had skilfully prated deep within the cracks that had formed within the ranks of the humans. They were leading the humans into darkness. They manipted the history, and they were able to hide the important facts from the humans. They were on their way to shaping the situation to their liking.


    However, the Guardian Shadow suddenly appeared out of nowhere and the Guardian Shadow had stalled their activities in their track. The Guardian Shadow used the human poption as a surveincework, and they backed the powerful Dragon Demon King worshipers into a corner.


    ¡®Still... There are numerous ways we can avoid their detection.¡¯


    Niberis bit her lips.


    It had been awhile since she hade out of the in of Darkness. For the past 4 month, she had confined herself as he focused on increasing her ability as a magician. Now she had received a new mission, and she was heading towards the eastern part of the continent. She was travelling with Duran and Regina by her side.


    Niberis suddenly asked a question.


    ¡°Did you hear about it, Sir Duran?¡±


    ¡°What are you referring to, Miss.?¡±


    ¡°Laura is being sent into the Rin Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Niberis bit her lips.


    Laura Aunsaurus.


    She was the direct descendant of ¡®The Goblet containing the heaven¡¯s tears¡¯ Aunsaurus, who had served the Dragon Demon King Atein. In terms of bloodlines, she was of lower qualitypared to Niberis, who was rted by blood to the Dragon Demon King Atein. However, Laura was of her generation, and she was her rival. They fought to outdo each other in terms of achievements as officials.


    Niberis heard the news indicating her rival was being inserted into the region where she had failed. It frustrated her to no end. If Laura stylishly seeded where she had failed, she would lose face.


    Duran spoke.


    ¡°The mission given to Miss is very important. You are in charge of finding his whereabouts.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Niberis hade to the eastern part of the continent to find a figure, who was very important to the in of Darkness. He went missing around 10 years ago, so no one knew whether he was dead or alive. The power vacuum created by his disappearance had caused a lot of disturbance in the inner power structure of the in of Darkness.


    After a careful and tenacious search, they were able to find a trace of this figure. It was a dangerous region in the Eastern part of the continent. It was a ce where humans and Dragon Demon worshipers dared not enter. This was why high quality individuals such as Niberis and Duran was being sent in.


    Niberis spoke.


    ¡°Will Laura run into him?¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about the man named Azell Zestringer?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I have no idea. Do you have any more information regarding him, Regina?¡±


    ¡°Once he joined up with the Dragon Sword Duke, we rarely get any information about him.¡±


    Regina, who had been following silently, spoke up. She had been transferred to work directly under Niberis. She was able to learn surprising secret techniques at the in of Darkness, and her overall battle capabilities had increased significantly. Moreover, she was acknowledged for her attention to detail, so she was put in charge of receiving information and dispatching personnel.


    ¡°Currently, he is holed up in the Dukedom of Tarantos, and he continues to train. We haven¡¯t received much information beyond that.¡±


    ¡°He is training.¡±


    ¡°It is said that the Dragon Sword Duke is giving him unfettered support.¡±


    As Dragon Demon King worshipers, they couldn¡¯t approach anyone under the protection of Kairen Tarantos, since he¡¯s a member of the Guardian Shadows. There were hidden Dragon Demon King worshipers in the Dukedom of Tarantos, but they weren¡¯t in positions where they¡¯ll be able to get quality information.


    Niberis grumbled.


    ¡°I hope he does appear in front of Laura. That¡¯ll be fair.¡±


    ¡°Miss.¡±


    ¡°I know that my thoughts are petty. However, they are using the carefully prepared measures for Laura. It pisses me off that they¡¯ll be using such methods to divert the attention of the Guardian Shadow.¡±


    After their dream of dominating the world from the background was smashed to pieces by the Guardian Shadow, the Dragon Demon worshipers developed several methods that¡¯ll allow them to avoid detection. One of the method was to use the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual as bait to mobilize a dragon.


    When Niberis was given the mission to kidnap Arrieta, her organization hadn¡¯t used such extraordinary measures to help her. However, they were willing to use such carefully prepared methods to assist Laura Aunsauras. This put Niberis in a bad mood.


    ¡®Let¡¯s see how you do, Laura. I want to see how good your luck is.¡¯


    Niberis furrowed her brows when she thought about Laura¡¯s expressionless face.


    2


    He pushed himself to the extreme for 30 days, and he recovered for 10 days. Azell¡¯s training cycle had been going smoothly. He had finished his third cycle, and he had just started his 4th cycle. Today Azell was using a variety of methods to push himself to the brink.


    Cheng!


    Azell shed with his clone. Apanying the sound of an explosion, a cloud of dust rose into the air.


    At the same time, Azell desperately flew backward as he tried to create distance. There had been nothing in front of him, yet something cut past the bridge of his nose, and a wound was formed.


    ¡°Huhk, huhk.......¡±


    Azell was catching his breath as he looked at his surrounding.


    He had an unobstructed view of the training ground. However, aside from the clone, Azell was acting as if there were unseen beings was surrounding him.


    ¡°Koohk!¡±


    Azell was moving in a shy manner as he left behind after-shadows every time he used his Instantaneous Movement. He used the Instantaneous Movement to travel a short distance, and he made a shy turn to change the trajectory of his movement. It was as if Azell was continuously skipping space.


    However, wounds kept forming on Azell¡¯s face and body. Something kept flying in to cut him, then....


    Puh-uhng!


    A magical spell flew in, and it exploded. Azell was sent flying as the sound of the explosion rang out.


    Surprisingly, this was a form of Image Training. The clone in front of his eyes was given autonomous control, and it had substance. However, everything else was urring within Azell¡¯s mind.


    Azell¡¯s mind techniques were trained to its zenith, and he was pushing himself in various situations he had constructed. He recreated situations he had experienced during the Dragon Demon War as he fought full tilt against his clone. Others couldn¡¯t see the entities around him, but these constructs felt like reality. It was also able to have strong physical influence on Azell¡¯s body.


    ¡¯Shit!¡¯


    When Azell lost his posture, his clone ran in towards him. Azell was in an unfavorable position, yet he was getting ready to counterattack with a do-or-die attitude.


    ¡°Sir Azell!¡±


    A thunderous shout rang out.


    At the same time, the desperate atmosphere disappeared as if it was a dream, and the Azell¡¯s clone disappeared. By the time Azell righted himself, the ownerless armor and sword fell to the ground.


    Havanz was calling him from the estate. He was in such a hurry that he used his Dragon Demon Qi to amplify his voice. It was so loud that his voice reverberated across the mountain.


    ¡°Something terrible has happened!¡±


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    Azell had a quizzical expression on his face. He closed his eyes as he took deep breaths. He had purposefully blurred the line between reality and the construct he created with his mind. After withdrawing the constructs, he ran towards the estate. Havanz had a hardened expression as he ryed a shocking news.


    ¡°The Dragon Demon Prince has gone missing.¡±


    ¡°Missing?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The Duke sent an urgent message to you asking for help regarding this problem...¡±


    ¡°Please ready the healers and magic recovery potions. Hurry.¡±


    Azell didn¡¯t need further exnations. He headed inside.


    3


    After Seigar Weil Rin hadpleted hising of age ceremony, he was involved in around one battle per month. He was now working more in the public eyes, and his fame was increasing.


    The throne wanted Seigar to take it easy, but he wouldn¡¯t listen to them.


    ¡®I have to work hard right now to put my name out there.¡¯


    He asserted himself as he took on the work that had been meant to be shared with Arrieta.


    A the same time, the troops under his directmand was rapidly increasing.


    As he traveled to various parts of the country, he scouted for useful prospects, and he gave them offers to serve under him. He also advertised that he would always wee those, who are confident in their skill. Those who looked up to the Dragon Demon Prince, and the ambitious people with no background continued to gather beneath Seigar.


    He moved with about 200 people around him when he was summoned to battle. Moreover, the A and B teams rotated every time he went out. Even at such a young age, Seigar disyed the knack for gathering men, and he was able to efficiently use a budget to support the men under hismand. He was talented at it.


    ¡°Still, shouldn¡¯t you take a break soon, prince? We are fine, but you are pushing yourself too much.¡±


    The old knight Pulmun had kept an eye on Seigar since his debut. He was an experienced knight, and he was the vicemander of the Royal Knights. He had been thinking about retiring from his post, but he went to serve under Seigar at the request of the Dragon Demon Queen. The Dragon Demon Queen was well aware of her son¡¯s ambitions, so she determined that he needed the support of an experienced veteran.


    Seigar spoke.


    ¡°Mmmm. You are right, sir Pulmun. However, I¡¯m fine for now. I¡¯m not that tired since only minor skirmishes have urred recently.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t as if the prince¡¯s work ends after a battle is fought.¡±


    Two teams were being rotated, so Seigar was doing well at managing the fatigue felt by his personal troops. However, Seigar continued to go into battle without rest.


    Seigar was doing so much that it was hard to think of him as a 15 year old. As he stepped up in the battlefield, he also maintained good rtionships with the high nobles and various departments that supported the throne. He had a talent for politics, and he even paid attention to the business side of having an outfit. He gave only the best gears to the men serving under him. He supported his men both materially and morally.


    Moreover, when he wasn¡¯t out on the battlefields, he didn¡¯t rest. He epted invitations from nobles, and he went to parties to build his personal connections. This required Seigar to have incredible amount of physical energy and mental power. Seigar¡¯s body was much sturdier than a human, but his schedule was going to sap him dry from fatigue.


    Seigar let out a bitterugh. There was still a child-like quality to his face, and one could see signs of fatigue on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you feel concerned. However, I have to do it for a little longer... At the very least, I have to maintain this pace until the beginning of next year.¡±


    ¡°Why? Your reputation is already well established...¡±


    ¡°I want my sister to have some free time.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Pulmun was at a loss for words. Seigar spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying I¡¯ll entirely take over the role being fulfilled by my sister. I¡¯m not that impertinent. I have a better understanding of the work she is doing.¡±


    Originally, Seigar had thought differently. He nned on doing all the work required of the Dragon Demon royal family. He hadn¡¯t wanted Arrieta to do any work. He wanted her to gain her happiness as a woman.


    However, he soon realized that he had been too arrogant when he started to do the work. There were a lot of work required to be done by the Dragon Demon royal family, and the responsibility increased as the throne became stronger.


    ¡°The previous incident changed my sister¡¯s mindset. She is moving incrementally towards making her own organization... I want to buy her some time until she can set up a proper system under her leadership.¡±


    After Arrieta made Giles her personal knight, she was slowly gathering her own people. However, she wasn¡¯t as good at politics as Seigar. This was why she was gathering her people at a much slower speed.


    Seigar wanted to give her some time. This was why he went on a mission meant to be given to Arrieta, and it had resulted in him overworking himself.


    Pulmun shook his head from side to side.


    ¡°Prince is really... You put me to shame.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m able to do what I do, because I have all of you with me.¡±


    ¡°Understood. As a knight and a man, how can I stop you from fulfilling your task? I¡¯ll do my best assist you. We¡¯ll end this with no problem at all.¡±


    They were tasked to eradicate the bandits infesting the north eastern County of Baldan.


    Unusually strong Orcs were mixed in with this group of bandits, and they controlled wild animals as if they were pets. They had struck down the knights as if they were trampling reeds. Moreover, the bandits used the harsh terrains as a weapon. They moved liked trained troops as they conducted a guerri warfare. The County of Baldan had taken massive damage from them, and they had already tried to hire famous knights from outside their region. However, it was all for naught. Two towns had already been thoroughly piged. When the upper ss started taking massive damage from the bandits, Count Baldan raised his two hands in surrender. He asked the throne for help.

 Chapter 76 - Those who Covet the Blood of a Royal (2)

    Chapter 76 - Those who Covet the Blood of a Royal (2)


    Seigar spoke after he read the report.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much experience in fighting on mountainous terrain... This is going to be troublesome.¡±


    ¡°It will be. It seems we will be relying on the prince more so than usual.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I¡¯ll catch the orcs and the monsters. Howe these orcs are so strong? Count Baldan invited knight Jilbaret. He is a swordsman that is quite well-known in the west. If this report is true, he was defeated without give the orcs much of a fight.¡±


    ¡°These orcs are much stronger than the usual ones.... It isn¡¯t as if this is unprecedented.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about Daken?¡±


    About 30 years ago, there was an orc hero named Daken, who raised a great army of monsters called the Great Dark Alliance. This urred at the Bn Forest where the the Western Border guards were stationed.


    This particr orc was much stronger than the regr orcs, and it was as smart as a human. It had charisma, and it was able to organize the monsters. At various times in the past, powerful mutated orcs had appeared, but Daken had been at a different level. Moreover, its power was so strong that many knights of that time had died by its hands.


    Pulmun spoke.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. Have you perhaps seen Daken yourself?¡±


    ¡°When the Western Border guards had been wiped out in the past, the throne had dispatched a punitive force, and I had been a part of that force.¡±


    ¡°What kind of orc was it?¡±


    ¡°It was incrediblyrge. It was two heads taller than other orcs, and it wore a mishmash of thick armors. It swung an enormous sword, which wasrge as the one prince uses. Most people died before they could get close to the orc. The bastard was like a walking tornado.¡±


    ¡°Interesting. I never knew such an orc existed...¡±


    ¡°An orc¡¯s body is fundamentally stronger than a human¡¯s body. asionally, an orc that is much stronger than other orcs is born. However, Daken was a being that had exceeded that ssification. Anyways, we need to be cautious.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Seigar nodded his head.


    4


    When Seigar and his direct subordinates arrived at the County of Baldan, they received a fervent reception from the people.


    ¡°Wahhhhhhh!¡±


    ¡°Seigar! Seigar! Seigar!¡±


    ¡°The noble Dragon Demon Prince¡¯s sword will light our way!¡±


    Count Baldan and the residents of his domain had been besieged by constant violence. In such a situation, the Dragon Demon Prince of the rising fame hade to save them. Men and women of all ages yelled out Seigar¡¯s name.


    ¡°It seems the situation was much worse than we predicted.¡±


    ¡°They were barely able to harvest their crops for the winter, and their stores were plundered. Moreover, a town was burnt to the ground. The women and children were kidnapped....¡±


    Pulmun clicked his tongue at Seigar¡¯s words. Pulmun had thought this was a minor problem with bandits. However, the County had taken such arge damage that their survivability was being threatened.


    Seigar rested for the night, and he climbed up the mountain the next day. The Count scraped together more soldiers from his Domain, and they were sent with Seigar and his forces.


    Seigar mused when he saw the treacherous terrain of the mountain.


    ¡°Those bastards are hiding in such a treacherous location? How are they able to conduct their raid? Wouldn¡¯t they have to traverse this terrain every time they want to reach the Count¡¯s domain?¡±


    A troop of over hundred wouldn¡¯t be able to fight on this terrain. He now understood why Count Baldan hadn¡¯t been sessful in his subjugation. However, it was almost unbelievable to think that the bandits would traverse this terrain every time they wanted to plunder a vige.


    ¡°Maybe they have a secret route?¡±


    ¡°Even if there is such a route, it is unlikely that the residents wouldn¡¯t know about it.......¡±


    ¡°I guess this means we won¡¯t know anything until we run across them? Since we don¡¯t know what might happen, please be vignt of our surrounding. I¡¯ll scout ahead.¡±


    ¡°What? That is a bit...¡±


    ¡°Regr soldiers won¡¯t be able to do a proper reconnaissance. I¡¯ll be throwing sacrificialmbs to our enemies. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t we send out the knights?¡±


    ¡°I trust in thepetence of my knights, but this is the front yard of our enemies. Moreover, I learned how to deal with such situations from my teacher.¡±


    Seigar had gone through a massive amount of training as he had been instructed by the Dragon Sword Duke Kairen Tarantos. On asion, he was required to hunt wild animals and monsters on a frigid mountain during winter. These prior experiences would allow Seigar to make needed tactical decisions during the reconnaissance.


    He would lead from the front if needed. He was conservative with how he used his men. He didn¡¯t want to send them into a ce where there was a high possibility of them being ughtered.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be going with you..¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t over do it. If you go alongside me, themand structure would be disturbed. I¡¯ll take young knights instead of your old bones.¡±


    ¡°I still can hold my own against the young ones.¡±


    ¡°However, the young ones can¡¯t rece your experienced self. This is why I¡¯m asking you to stay behind.¡±


    After Seigar joked around with Pulmun, he picked out three mercenaries he had elevated to knighthood. Two of the three were veterans of many skirmishes, and they moved as they were ordered.


    Seigar was cognizant of his surrounding as he moved nimbly. The knights were astonished.


    ¡°The prince was trained in reconnaissance?¡±


    Everyone knew Seigar¡¯s martial arts was exceptional. He had overwhelming martial power, yet he didn¡¯t discriminate others based on their station in life. He judged a person by their ability, and he always looked at others with a fair gaze. He was a young man, yet he boldly fought in the front lines. He put his life on the line with his men, and his actions brought out loyalty from others.


    Still, it was surprising to see such an ability from a person of his station, and power.


    ¡°Just a little bit. I wasn¡¯t trained as a scout, but I was trained to be a hunter. If you see me making rookie mistakes, please point it out to me.¡±


    ¡°It seems we should be the one learning from you.¡±


    ¡°Even if you try to tter me, I won¡¯t easily raise your annual sry.¡±


    They conversed in low whispers as they scouted their surrounding. Periodically, they used amunication magic tool to send back reports as the main force advanced. They advanced very carefully.


    It happened at that moment.


    ¡°You are still young, yet you are very cautious.¡±


    He heard a voice that shouldn¡¯t be present in such a ce. He heard a voice of a young woman.


    Seigar raised his head in surprise. A young woman was sitting atop a steep cliff. She kept her knees together as she looked down at him.


    ¡®I¡¯m in danger.¡¯


    Seigar¡¯s instinct was give a very strong warning.


    It was almost surreal, since the young woman looked very out of ce here.


    Was she of simr age as Arrieta? She had blonde hair, and her eyes were the color of amethyst. Her skin was white as snow. She was a very beautiful young woman. She had on an expressionless face that didn¡¯t reveal any emotions. She had a doll-like beauty.


    Her features didn¡¯t suit the rough terrains of the mountain, but her clothes made the dissonance even more pronounced. She wore a ck dress with red trims.


    Seigar asked her a question.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a magician sent to retrieve you. The conditions needed for me to reveal my name hasn¡¯t been fulfilled.¡±


    ¡°You are going to take me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m merely following orders.¡±


    Wahhhhhhhh!


    Suddenly, yells erupted from his rear. Seigar was taken aback.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    A report that sounded like a scream came through the magicmunication tool.


    -Prince! The enemies suddenly appeared!


    ¡°What? That can¡¯t be!¡±


    -They climbed up the ridge of the mountain, and we were ambushed without any warning! Koohk! I don¡¯t know how this could have happened!


    ¡°Sir Pulmun! I¡¯ll immediately.......¡±


    -Chee-jeek! Chee-jee-jee-jeek!


    The magicalmunication suddenly broke up. The young woman spoke to the rmed Seigar.


    ¡°I wanted to observe good manners, so I allowed you to send a briefmunication. ¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Seigar trembled.


    There hadn¡¯t been any signs of the girl using magic. It wasn¡¯t just that she hadn¡¯t recited any spells or performed any hand seals.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t feel any magical reverberation. How can this be?¡¯


    Seigar¡¯s magic detection ability was much more sensitive than others. However, he hadn¡¯t felt a single ounce of magicing from the young woman. Yet she was able to easily terminate themunication magic.


    The young woman walked off the cliff as if she was walking on a t surface. Moreover, a blue pir of light appeared in front of her.


    Wooooooooooooooo!


    At the same time, an oppressive magical wave was swept over him. Seigar was shocked.


    ¡®No way! Her magical energy exceeds amount possessed by teacher?¡¯


    From the young woman... No, to be precise, the oppressive magical wave that made him want to scream was being formed in front of her. This was....


    ¡®Dragon Demon Magic!¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t magical energy. It was Dragon Demon magic! It was a tool that emitted Dragon Demon magic. Moreover, it was emitting an amount that far outstripped Kairen. It made his heart leap into his mouth. He had thought Kairen and his friends were the only ones able to create Dragon Weapons that possessed Dragon Demon Magic!


    The young woman mumbled to herself as if she was letting out a sigh.


    ¡°Dragon Magic Device Vitan¡¯s ss.¡±


    From the light, the young woman pulled out a long staff.


    The staff looked as if it was carved out of ice. It was colorless, and the light distorted as it prated through the staff. There was something that looked like arge chalice attached at head of the staff. Some of the light that passed through the staff flowed upwards. It was a mysterious sight where it looked as if water was flowing upwards.


    ¡°Kooohk!¡±


    For a brief moment, Seigar gawked at it, but he came to his senses. His hand moved towards the enormous sword strapped to his back. The magically spelled sheathe pushed the sword out. Seigar grasped the sword, and he got into his stance.


    It was an unnatural sight. Seigar was a 15 year old young man, so his stature was small. He was only 160 cm tall. However, the weapon in his hand was a veryrge two handed sword, which didn¡¯t suit him. The entire length of the sword almost matched Seigar¡¯s height, and normal people wouldn¡¯t be able to lift this weapon.


    However, Seigar¡¯s physical prowess was much superior to a human, so he swung it easily.


    ¡°I call the name of the Light! Be a Dragon that tears away the evil Darkness!¡±


    As he shouted out his spell, Dragon Demon magic exploded forth from him. The powerful light exited from the tip of his sword, and it shot towards the young woman in an erratic path.


    Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwahk-kwahng!


    The cliff exploded, and the mountain shook. Seigar let out a shout.


    ¡°You guys rejoin the main force! I¡¯ll.......¡±


    Seigar flinched from surprise in mid-sentence.


    They were gone.


    The three knights that had been by his side only a moment ago was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡®Am I in a dream right now?¡¯


    Did she deceive his senses as she got rid of the knights next to him? Was such a thing possible in reality? He wondered if she used a magic that deceived his mind. Her voice was heard in Seigar¡¯s ears.


    ¡°How unfortunate.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The young woman was fine as she walked through the explosion.


    It seemed she hadn¡¯t even paused in her walk. It was as if Seigar¡¯s attack wasn¡¯t even a hindrance. She had stepped off the cliff, and now shended on top of a level surface.


    ¡°The blood of the Great One is flowing within you. However, you are denied power, because youck knowledge.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you an answer at ater time.¡±


    She ignored the confused Seigar¡¯s question. She grabbed the hem of her skirt with one hand, and she elegantly gave a greeting.


    ¡°It seems the conditions required to tell you my name has been met. My name is Laura.¡±


    She spoke as she raised her strange staff called the ¡¯Vitan¡¯s ss¡¯. It was letting out Dragon Demon magic.


    ¡°I am the inheritor of the great name of Aunsauras. I wee you to the Vitan¡¯s Maze. Let us test if you are able to defeat me. You will have to find the exit before your power bottoms out.¡±


    Her surrounding rippled, and Seigar¡¯s reality started to distort like a nightmare.

 Chapter 77 - Those who Covet the Blood of a Royal (3)

    Chapter 77 - Those who Covet the Blood of a Royal (3)


    5


    ¡®Dragon Demon Prince Seigar Weil Rin is missing!¡¯


    The unexpected and urgent news had put the throne of the Rin Kingdom into a state of shock.


    The throne quickly dispatched a search party with the Dragon Demon Princess Arrieta included in the group. At the same time, they sent a request for help to Kairen, since his dukedom was geographically closer to where Seigar had went missing. Kairen had left immediately after he sent a message to Azell asking for help.


    Azell met up with Beorein, who was waiting for Azell in his domain. They were about to set off for the County of Baldan.


    ¡°I told Kairen to leave behind a marker as he went. We just have to follow those markers.¡±


    Since Beorein was an Arch Mage, he could move at an incredible speed. He could maintain a flying speed of a horse galloping at full speed, and the terrain didn¡¯t hinder him. This resulted in bringing out an unimaginable moving speed.


    However, in terms of pure moving speed, he couldn¡¯t bepared to Kairen. Even though Beorein was also a Dragon Majin, he was too old, so there was a limit on how long he could maintain his high speed flight. This was the reason why Kairen had left behind Beorein.


    Azell took the magic tool that would allow him to track down Kairen. It was a small tform with a needle, and it was able to point out directions.


    Beorein asked him a question.


    ¡°Are you sure you are ok? You don¡¯t look like you are in a good condition.¡±


    Azell had finished his 3rd cycle of training, and it had been 4 days since he entered his 4th cycle. He had abused his body for several days. He had pushed his body and mind to the brink today from morning to evening. He had quickly drank the magic recovery potions like water, and he had mediated to replenish his magical energy. He also received treatment from the Healers, but his condition was a mess. There were still numerous wounds all over his body that hadn¡¯t healedpletely.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m all right.¡±


    He had experienced fighting in extreme situations during the Dragon Demon War, so his current condition didn¡¯t even rise to the level of troubling him. Real battles weren¡¯t kind enough to wait for him to be in his peak condition.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll head out first too.¡±


    ¡°Mmm? Shouldn¡¯t we go together? It is impossible for us to catch up to Kairen...¡±


    ¡°Still, it would be best if I got there quicker. Ah. Could you step back for a moment?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm?¡±


    Beorein was puzzled, but he followed Azell¡¯s direction. Azell ced a spear on the floor. He got on it and he crouched on top of it. Then he created three clones.


    Beorein asked him a question.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Please step back a little bit further. This will be dangerous.¡±


    After saying those words, Azell took in a deep breath. One of the clones lifted the spear with Azell on it. Then the two clones stood on both sides as they created a thread of light, and the spear with Azell on it was ce on this thread. The first clone moved to the other side to load it diagonally. The thread of light was pulled back taught as Azell¡¯s body was loaded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going.¡±


    After he spoke his words, Azell gritted his teeth. At the same time, the three clones exploded. The clone holding up Azell threw his body as if it wasunching a javelin, and it exploded. The clones ced on the side had made sure the maximum tension was achieved with the thread of light, and they simultaneously exploded as Azell and the spear was shot forward. The recoil propelled Azell¡¯s body into the sky at a frightening speed.


    Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah!


    As the sound of the explosions rang out, Azell turned into a blue streak of light as he elerated high into the sky.


    At that moment, an enormous pressure pressed in on Azell¡¯s body. If he was a normal person, his body would have been ripped into pieces.


    In a sh, he was rising above the clouds. While he tolerated the violent eleration, Azell didn¡¯t want to waste all the force in ascending the sky. He tilted the flight path as if he had just climbed over a mountain. Then he created a fierce gust of wind with his magical energy to take control of his flight path. Then he created a gradual slope to descend towards the ground. In a sh, he started elerating, and he flew towards Kairen¡¯s direction at a frightening speed.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Beorein was dumbfounded as he watched it all from the ground. Beorein blinked his eyes as he mumbled to himself.


    ¡°My god. What the hell just happened?¡±


    Kairen was running like a gale. If he drew a straight line on a map, he had to cover 230 kilometres. If he moved in a hurry, he could get there in 4 hours if he ignored the terrain of thend.


    He had sent a message to Azell, but Kairen didn¡¯t hold high hopes for Azell arriving on time. Since he didn¡¯t have a clear grasp of the current situation, he hand to travel to the County of Baldan as soon as possible.


    It happened when he was 30 kilometres from reaching the County of Baldan.


    ¡®Mmmm?¡¯


    Kairen suddenly sensed a powerful magical resonance in the sky. Something was approaching him at incredible speed.


    Hweeeeee......!


    When he looked up, a blue light wasing towards his direction as it parted the cloudy skies. Kairen stopped running from surprise, and he unsheathed his twin swords.


    However, a clear barrier formed behind the light. The blue light decelerated, and a person jumped out from within it.


    Pah-aht!


    The personnded in front of Kairen. Kairen was taken aback when he saw the man¡¯s red hair, which billowed like fire.


    ¡°Azell?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been awhile, duke.¡±


    Azell grabbed the spear that fell from the sky, and he gave his greetings.


    Kairen¡¯s mouth had fallen open from the absurdity of this event.


    ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°I used my Qi to fly over here quickly.¡±


    ¡°No. What I¡¯m trying to ask...¡±


    ¡°Let me satisfy your curiosity at ater time. We don¡¯t have time for a leisurely conversation. Shall we go?¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡±


    When Azell pointed it out, Kairen quickly regained his senses.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Can we use the method you just used to cover the remaining distance?¡±


    ¡°One has to make constant adjustments in flight, and it is impossible for someone, who hadn¡¯t learned the technique.¡±


    ¡°That is unfortunate. Also... You have a lot of wounds on your body. Are you really ok?¡±


    ¡°Count Michael asked me the same question before I travelled here. I¡¯m fine. Let us depart.¡±


    ¡°All right. I¡¯m going to run on full tilt, so do your best to follow after me.¡±


    The two men started to run like the wind. Kairen once again became surprised.


    ¡®What the hell did he do to himself?¡¯


    It had been only 4 month ago when Azell was barely able to keep up as they travelled 70 kilometres per day. Kairen was truly running at full speed, yet Azell wasn¡¯t having any difficulty keeping up with him.


    ¡®Is it really possible to raise one¡¯s magical energy this much in such a short amount of time?¡¯


    There were wounds all over his body, but one could tell at a nce that his body¡¯s foundation was splendidly trained. Moreover, the magical resonance that was flowing out of him was incredibly strong. The magical resonance wasparable to the Sextuple Masters Kairen was acquainted with.


    Azell asked a question as he ran.


    ¡°I was told the Dragon Demon Prince went missing, but I wasn¡¯t given any details. What happened?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t as if I was given a lot of information either. The request hade with a lot of urgency.¡±


    Kairen started to tell Azell of the information he was given.


    Seigar and his men were sent to subjugate a band of bandits that was led by a powerful mutated Orc. The bandits were conducting frequent raids on the County of Baldan. Unfortunately, Seigar and his men were met with an unexpected ident. Seigar had volunteered himself for scouting duty, and he had suddenly gone missing. On top of that, enemies attacked Seigar¡¯s troops in an ambush. They suffered heavy damage, and they almost been annihted.


    Azell furrowed his eyebrows.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to hear a more detailed ount, but.... It seems the Dragon Demon king worshippers may have intervened.¡±


    ¡°What basis do you have for that theory?¡±


    ¡°We just have to look at the circumstantial evidence. There must be a reason why those bastards tried to kidnap the princess.¡±


    They still had no idea why the Dragon Demon king worshippers had wanted to kidnap Arrieta. However, the two of them were Dragon Demon Royalty, and they were siblings, who hade out of the same womb. It wasn¡¯t too much of a stretch to see why Seigar had be a target.


    ¡°However, can they actually act so overtly with the Guardian Shadows around?¡±


    ¡°If we consider the conditions the Guardian Shadow works under.... If the Dragon Demon worshippers really wanted to avoid the detection of the Guardian Shadows, it¡¯s not an impossible task.¡±


    The Guardian Shadow¡¯s surveince was an incredible weapon that could be used against their enemies. However, its reliability lessened as one travelled to the less popted locations.


    Moreover, there was the problem of the people other than the Dragon Demon worshippers having to realize that they had spotted a Dragon Demon worshipper.


    If the Dragon Demon king worshippers were involved in the disappearance of Seigar, they probably went through extraordinary measures to avoid that condition from being fulfilled. First, no one knew how Seigar had gone missing, and the report had no indications suggesting it was done by the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    Azell continued to speak.


    ¡°Moreover, the prince¡¯s personal troops didn¡¯t realize an ambush wasing. It was as if the enemies had appeared through teleportation... They are the only ones, who could pull it off.¡±


    Seigar¡¯s personal troops had magicians, yet they had beenpletely fooled. Even if the Arch Mage Beorein tried to do it, it would have been impossible for him to do this feat.


    However, what if it was Niberis?


    In Azell¡¯s estimation, she could have done it.


    She had the skills to hide even the evil intent of her troops. It wouldn¡¯t be too hard for her to fool this era¡¯s magicians and knights.


    Azell queried.


    ¡°The Guardian Shadows probably knows what¡¯s going on since the Duke knows about it. How about we ask them for some support....¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, he started sensing an odd presence nearby.


    As the two of them were running at high speed, three spirit-looking presences wearing white robes were approaching them.


    Kairen clicked his tongue.


    ¡°Well, speak of the devil. They showed up awfully fast.¡±


    ¡°You have such sayings here too?¡±


    ¡°There are ces that don¡¯t have it?¡±


    Kairen came to a stop as he spoke those words. The whisper of children rang out in the surrounding, and the words were indecipherable. The being hidden withing the darkness of the white robe spoke.


    ¡¸Dragon Demon Prince... Kidnapped.¡¹


    ¡¸From the in of Darkness.......¡¹


    ¡¸High ranked Dragon Demon.......¡¹


    ¡°Are they saying a high ranking member of the Dragon Demon king worshippers left the in of Darkness to kidnap Seigar?¡±


    It was still hard to decipher what the Guardian Shadows were trying to say. The Guardian Shadows continued their whispers.


    ¡¸Tracking.......¡¹


    ¡°Do you know their location?¡±


    ¡¸Disappeared... Flowing tears blinds our eyes.......¡¹


    ¡¸However, we followed the trace of the tears to encircle them.¡¹


    ¡°.......¡±


    Kairen frowned. He had no idea what they were trying to say.


    However, Azell asked them with a serious expression on his face.


    ¡°When you make reference to the tears, do you mean to say thendscape is being obscured like this?¡±


    Azell drew a shape with his finger through the empty air. A wave-like ripple urred as the sight on the other side of the shape became distorted.


    The Guardian Shadows replied.


    ¡¸Correct. Flows like tears.......¡¹


    ¡¸Tears swallowed by Vitan.......¡¹


    ¡°...when did these bastards be poets?¡±


    Azell spoke to Kairen, who just spoke out in frustration.


    ¡°It seems a big fish might have reallye out. ¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    ¡°If this characteristic they described matches with someone I know... We might have to prepare for the worst.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you as we go. Fortunately, the Guardian Shadows are able to track them even though the enemy is taking active steps to hide their tracks. They are able to see the traces that can¡¯t be seen by a normal person.¡±


    Azell started running again. The Guardian Shadows whispered as they followed them.


    ¡¸The Dragon ising.......¡¹


    ¡¸It wille to test... It¡¯ll be here.¡¹


    ¡°What?¡±


    Azell turned around in surprise, but the Guardian Shadows drifted farther away as if they had said everything they wanted to say. Azell marveled at this sight.


    ¡°Duke. I can¡¯t believe you worked with them for over several dozen years.¡±


    ¡°If they were my subordinates, I would have re-trained them a hundred times over by putting them through hellish training.¡±


    Kairen grumbled as he increased his speed.

 Chapter 78 - Those who Covet the Blood of a Royal (4)

    Chapter 78 - Those who Covet the Blood of a Royal (4)


    6


    However, they found out what those words meant not too long after they arrived at the County of Baldan.


    Kah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!


    From dozens of kilometers away, one could hear oppressive roar ringing out. Afterward, a thunder p illuminated the gloomy skies. After a couple seconds dy, a deafening sound of thunderp rang out around Azell and Kairen.


    Kairen was amazed.


    ¡°Dragon¡¯s roar?¡±


    The fearsome roar by the Dragon and the destruction that happened afterwards was akin to Azell¡¯s power. It was simr to what happened after he used the ¡¯Roar of the Dragon.¡¯


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°It is a Thunder Dragon. Moreover...¡±


    Goo-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!


    Another Dragon¡¯s roar rang out. It was happening on the other side of the mountain, but one could detect an incredible power going off.


    ¡°What are two Dragons doing here?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll know when we get there, but.......¡±


    Azell spoked as he started running again.


    ¡°It sounds like they are fighting?¡±


    ¡°They are fighting each other? Aren¡¯t they a little bit too close to the human territory?¡±


    The domain of Dragons were mostly located deep within perilousnds where human traffic was sparse. This was why it was rare for human to be scared from hearing dragons fight. The aftermath of the fight almost never had direct effect on the humans.


    However, when the two of them were at a distance where they could see the County of Baldan, they realized their worries were well founded.


    ¡°Shit.¡±


    Azell¡¯s expression crumpled.


    Half of Baldan castle was in ruins as smoke rose into the air. The nearby houses were ruthlessly crushed as if a tornado had passed through. The dragons had already descended from the mountain, and they had fought a bout within the town. Then they had continued their fight as they ascended the mountain again.


    Ooh-roo-roohng! Gwah-gwah-wah-wahng!


    The sound of an explosion rang out from afar as thunder fell from the sky.


    The clear sky of the fall night was swept over by a snowstorm,, and a portion of the mountain froze. Numerous chunks of ice impacted on the mountain as if siege ordnances were bombarding the mountain.


    Azell headed towards the town regardless of what was going on. When he got there, he saw people busily moving within the ruthlessly destroyed town.


    ¡°Fuckers.¡±


    Azell grinded his teeth. He heard children crying, and he heard the moans of the injured people. Then there was the cries of those, who lost their family members... It was a heart-rending scene.


    The knights moving busily through this mess caught their eyes. Kairen grabbed one of the knights, and he asked a question..


    ¡°Are there any survivors from the knights, who apanied the Dragon Demon Prince?¡±


    Soon, the two men was able to meet the old knight Pulmun. The old knight had bloody bandages all over his body. Pulmun had been busilymanding his men to save the people inside the town. He gave his respects when he saw Kairen.


    ¡°You came, Dragon Sword Duke! It is a real honor to once again...¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have go through the effort of paying useless respects to me. We don¡¯t have the time. Every second matters right now, so I want to hear your report. Please keep it as short as possible.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Pulmun had lived as a royal knight for most of his adult life, so he had fought with Kairen several times before. He already knew about Kairen¡¯ personality, so he had already prepared what he was going to say beforehand. He quickly conveyed the information.


    Dragon Demon prince Seigar Weil Rin was missing. While he was on reconnaissance, themunication was cut off. At the same time, the bandits led by the mutated Orc ambushed them. There were several monsters and magicians mixed in with the bandit group. Still, no one in Pulmun¡¯s group detected their movements. Pulmun¡¯s forces lost about 70% of his forces before he was barely able to muster a retreat.


    ¡°The mutated Orc was a fearsome bastard.¡±


    ¡°To what degree?¡±


    ¡°It makes me think of Dakan. However, this one was inferior. Still, several knights attacked it, yet they weren¡¯t a match for the Orc.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    ¡°Their magicians were quite skilled. However, there is no way they could have approached us without giving any signs of....¡±


    ¡°I have a hunch on the reason behind that, so you don¡¯t have to talk about it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a suitable time for me to satisfy your curiosity. What else?¡±


    Pulmun decided to gathered his remaining men, and they retreated to the Baldan castle. He immediately used the Baldan castle¡¯smunication magic tool to inform the throne. Then he nned on reorganizing his remaining forces to go look for the whereabouts of Seigar. It was suicide to take his decimated group into the mountain upied by the mutated Orc and the bandits. However, they couldn¡¯t just stay in ce while Seigar was missing.


    Before they could climb the mountain, thunders crashed as the mountain shook, and the dragons started to fight.


    ¡°They appeared near here. As they started to fight each other, the town was struck in the aftermath.¡±


    Kairen let out a moan. He had no idea what was going on here.


    It happened at that moment.


    ¡°I believe I can give you a more detailed ount of what¡¯s going on.¡±


    A very easy going voice that was incongruous with the current situation interjected.


    A teen was walking towards them. He had on an expression that made him look as if he couldn¡¯t see the absolute horrors surrounding him. He was a blonde haired and blue-eyed teen that looked to be about 14 years old. It was Leone, the Keeper of Prophecy for the Guardian Shadows.


    Azell¡¯s expression crumpled.


    ¡°You.......¡±


    Leone let out at awkwardugh when an abundant amount of hostility was focused on him.


    ¡°You are scaring me, so please stop ring at me.¡±


    ¡°How can I not re at you?¡±


    ¡°Well, I do think it is a reasonable response. Still, aren¡¯t there more important tasks at hand?¡±


    Azell clicked his tongue. He had a debt to pay against Leone. To be exact, he had to settle with the Undead named Zeta. However, this wasn¡¯t the time to obsess over it. Azell withdrew the energy that felt as if it was pressing down on their body. Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I have two answers to the question. First, I was never too far away from you, sir Azell.¡±


    ¡°So you are stalking me. What¡¯s the other reason?¡±


    ¡°There was the matter of those beings that came out of the in of Darkness. They had attempted to kidnap the Dragon Demon Princess. At the request of the Dragon Demon Queen, we put Guardian Shadows near her two children. This was why we were alerted so quickly about this incident.¡±


    ¡°At the very least, I like the measure you guys took. Go ahead. Quickly give me an exnation. Keep it concise.¡±


    ¡°A Dragon Demon that exited the in of Darkness disappeared after taking the Dragon Demon Prince.¡±


    ¡°I guess it really was done by the Dragon Demon king worshippers.¡±


    Kairen grinded his teeth.


    Azell asked a question.


    ¡°Is there evidence that they came out of the in of Darkness??¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve faced this big shot several times. To be precise, she is the sessor of a powerful figure?¡±


    ¡°A big shot?¡±


    ¡°¡¯The Goblet containing the heaven¡¯s tears.¡±


    ¡°Are you perhaps talking about Aunsaurus?¡±


    Kairen asked the question.


    Aunsaurus.


    During the Dragon Demon war, the Dragon Demon king had four subordinates called the Dragon Demon Generals, and Aunsaurus was one of them.


    ording to records, he had been able to gather all the light in existence in the sky to himself, and it allowed him to use fearsome abilities. This was why he was nicknamed, ¡¯The Goblet containing the heaven¡¯s tears.¡¯


    Kairen furrowed his eyebrows.


    ¡°I hope you aren¡¯t trying to say he¡¯s still alive right now. I¡¯m pretty sure he was killed by the Archmage Carlos during the Dragon Demon war.¡±


    ¡°We even killed his heir to this power.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That happened only 7 years ago. We suffered incredible amount of damage from that incident.¡±


    ¡°So who¡¯s behind Seigar¡¯s kidnapping?¡±


    ¡°She is an heir of an heir... Basically, she is the 3rd generation Aunsaurus. We¡¯ve gone against her several times. She uses an incredible Magic Qi called ¡¯Vitan¡¯s Chalice¡¯....¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t Magic Qi.¡±


    Azell cut off Leone¡¯s words. Leone tilted his head in confusion. Azell continued to speak with a hardened expression on his face.


    ¡°It is Dragon Demon Qi.¡±


    ¡°Dragon Demon Qi?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the time to exin it right now. Tell me the rest of it.¡±


    ¡°Aunsaurus¡¯ heir used Vitan¡¯s Chalice to obfuscate the prince and her location. Simr phenomenons happened before. I think she has the talent to make a pocket dimension. She is able to move in this state, and it leaves behind a very faint trace.¡±


    ¡°It is the Vitan¡¯s Maze.¡±


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°Find out for yourself. When the Guardian Shadow expressed seeing ¡¯Tears¡¯, this is what they saw. How long has the prince been inside the maze?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been 7 hours.¡±


    At those words, Azell asked Kairen a question.


    ¡°How is the prince¡¯s martial prowesspared to the princess?¡±


    ¡°Arrieta is better in terms of technique. Seigar is stronger in terms of strength. If we consider the whole package, they are simr in ability.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.......¡±


    ¡°Why do you want to know that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to guess what kind of state the prince is in. I believe he was suppressed by the enemy, and he¡¯s been taken captive.¡±


    ¡°Are you absolutely sure Seigar lost?¡±


    ¡°The woman from the Dragon Demon race called Niberis pretty much toyed with princess Arietta. If this woman is the heir to Aunsaurus, this person can¡¯t be worse than Niberis. Moreover, if she was able to form the Vitan¡¯s Maze....¡±


    ¡°What is the Vitan¡¯s Maze?¡±


    ¡°It separates one from outside. The user of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice is able to create and use an overwhelming advantageous pocket dimension. If the opponent possesses Dragon Demon Qi, the prince¡¯s defeat is a given. We have to thank the Guardian Shadows. They recognized the trace left behind by the Vitan¡¯s Chalice, and they gave pursuit. If they hadn¡¯t, it would have been impossible to track it.¡±


    Azell clicked his tongue. The memory of fighting Aunsauras during the Dragon Demon war was still fresh in his mind. Vitan¡¯s Chalice had such a ridiculous ability that even Carlos had called it a bad joke. Amongst weapons that was able to generate Dragon Demon Qi, it was considered ssified in the highest rank of how dangerous it was.


    Azell queried.


    ¡°May you guide us to this location?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°However, don¡¯t you have more to tell us?¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about the Dragons?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°We called them here.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Azell and Kairen was taken aback at Leone¡¯s nonchnt answer. Leone spoke.


    ¡°To be precise, we...ah... one of ourrades called the Frost Dragon here. Originally, we made a contract with it to make it fight Sir Azell. However, I never expected it to be used in this fashion.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the only Keeper of Prophecy.¡±


    ¡°It seems you aren¡¯t talking about those dirty Undeads.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Those beings do not making any decisions. It isn¡¯t their role. Any ways, the Keepers of Prophecy aren¡¯t a unified entity. We all do things our own way. One decided to test you again, so he called in a Dragon.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°The enemy decided to mobilize a Thunder Dragon as reserve for an unexpected situation. This resulted in the Dragons fighting each other, and this state of affair came to be.¡±


    ¡°Kook.......¡±


    Azell¡¯s patience wore out. He lifted Leone by grabbing his throat. Leone struggled.


    ¡°Kek. That hurts.¡±


    ¡°Do you realize the consequences of your actions? Look at this terrible sight!¡±


    Azell¡¯s anger was like fire. However, Leone didn¡¯t cringe. He wasn¡¯t afraid. He just struggled, since he couldn¡¯t brief.


    In the next moment, Azell felt a sharp killing intent, so he dodged to the side.


    Hoo-oohk!


    A ck energy was exiting Leone¡¯s shadow. A ck sword shot out from the shadow, and Azell retreated. Leone lost his bnce, but it grabbed Leone as he was falling.


    <I don¡¯t want any trouble right now.>


    It was the skeleton knight wearing metal armor with ominous ck-red lines crisscrossing it. It was Zeta.


    Sparks ignited behind Azell¡¯s eyes when he saw Zeta.


    ¡°You bastard!¡±


    ¡°Ah-ooh. How violent. That was close.¡±


    Leone massaged his neck as he grumbled. He spoke to Azell as he hid behind Zeta.


    ¡°I get why you are mad, but I¡¯m not the one to me. I didn¡¯t call the Frost Dragon, and I didn¡¯t order it to fight with the Thunder Dragon called here by the Dragon Demon King worshippers.¡±


    ¡°Take that weak excuse out of here!¡±


    ¡°Ha-ah.¡±


    Leone let out a sigh. Then he spoke as he shook his head from side to side.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll just say what I have to say. If you go to the entrance of the mountain, there will be Guardian Shadows that¡¯ll guide you to where the Dragon Demon Prince is located at. There¡¯s a chance that the Dragon Demon Prince might disappear without a trace, so you should hurry up and get there.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell grinded his teeth as he red at Zeta and Leone. Leone was still hiding behind Zeta. If he had his way, Azell would have destroyed Zeta, and he would have killed Leone.


    Kairen grabbed Azell¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°I fully understand your feeling, but you¡¯ll have to settle it at another time. ¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯ll do that.¡±


    Azell and Kairen turned their body. Then they ran towards the entrance of the mountain like a gust of wind.


    When Leone felt people¡¯s gazes heading towards him, he used his magic to cloak Zeta and himself. Zeta spoke as they exited the town.


    <How surprising.>


    ¡°Mmm? What is?¡±


    <That man. It¡¯ll be worth it to observe him.>


    A powerful light was emitted from inside the Skeleton¡¯s eye sockets.

 Chapter 79 - Those who Covet the Blood of a Royal (5)

    Chapter 79 - Those who Covet the Blood of a Royal (5)


    7


    Azell and Kairen climbed the mountain as they were guided by the Guardian Shadows. The terrain of the mountain was rough, and on top of that, the sun had set. Even in the dark, their speed hadn¡¯t slow at all.


    However, when they were halfway up the mountain, bandits hidden on superior grounds started shooting arrows at them.


    ¡°Hmmm!¡±


    The two of them were unperturbed. They had known beforehand that the bandits were there.


    Pah-pah-pah-pah-pah-pah-pah!


    The two of them swung their swords. A transparent blue force followed the path of the sword as it blocked the arrows. While the ambushing bandits were confused, Azell spoke.


    ¡°Your entire body haspletely assimted the technique for detecting the gaze of others.¡±


    ¡°It is a very useful technique.¡±


    Gaze Detection.


    Before Azell went into the Lance mountain to train, Azell had taught Kairen of the method behind detecting other¡¯s gazes. There was a lot of ovep between Spirit Order and Dragon Arts, so the main concept behind the technique was easily understood by Kairen.


    Moreover, Kairen hadpletely perfected his technique in the past 4 month. His opponentspletely hid their bodies, and they didn¡¯t show any indication of life. However, they couldn¡¯t hide the fact that their ¡¯gazes¡¯ was on him.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Still, these bastards are able topletely evade my eyesight. Incredible. Still, I think the one that kidnapped Seigar isn¡¯t here?¡±


    ¡°I guess they have a lot of high quality individuals in their ranks. Evenst time, there were men who used camouge skillparable to this.¡±


    Azell wasn¡¯t just able to detect their gazes. He was able to read the mental waves leaking out of the ambushing men. It was natural for humans to naturally emit a mental wave when they were concentrating. Since they weren¡¯t able to hide their mental waves, these men were inferior to the Dragon¡¯s Shadow members inserted to kidnap Arrieta.


    Azell and Kairen saw the enemies reload their bow, so they split up in opposite directions.


    Then they ran up the cliff to attack the enemies.


    Pah-ha-ha-ha-hahk!


    The swords were moving like shes of lightning, and blood was sprayed into the air. Azell and Kairen were too fast as the enemies couldn¡¯t see their movements. The men weren¡¯t even sure when they had been stabbed, but they fell as blood surged out of them.


    ¡°Why are they dying so easily?¡±


    The magician was taken aback. He used an invisibility spell as he floated in the air. He was like the men from the Dragon¡¯s Shadow, who worked with Niberis. He was affiliated with a lower level organization. This was also the reason he wasn¡¯t well informed on what was going on. Still, he was able to catch the scent of Kairen¡¯s powerful Dragon Demon magic, so their group had been expecting the appearance of a Dragon Demon. However, the two who showed up waspletely beyond their imagination.


    Then.......


    Puh-uhk!


    A gruesome sound was heard from below.


    ¡°Uh......?¡±


    The magician looked down with a dumbfounded expression on his face. His stomach had been fine a moment ago, yet he found something had erupted from his stomach.


    ¡®No. This can¡¯t...¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t an eruption. A sword had been thrown from the ground, and that sword had pierced through his stomach.


    He tried toe up with some measure in the midst of the shock and horror he felt. However, it was toote. The sword that was nted in his body moved as if it was alive, and it was obliquely cutting open his upper body.


    ¡°Ah-ahk!¡±


    The magician fell as he screamed, and he immediately died as he impacted on the ground.


    Azell changed the direction of the sword in mid-air, and it returned to his hand.


    However, this was a deception. The sword suddenly switched direction right before it could be grasped by Azell¡¯s hand. It passed through the boulder next to him.


    ¡°Koo-uh!¡±


    From behind the boulder, an inhuman cry rang out. An enormous Orc immediately came flying out. It was about two heads taller than a regr orc, and it had a ruddy coloring. Its body was rippling with muscles, and blood was dripping down its chest.


    Azell used telekinesis to bring his sword back to him. He looked up as he grasped his sword.


    ¡°So you are the Orc that¡¯s purported to be the leader of the mountain bandits.¡±


    ¡°You bastard! You are only a weak human, yet you dare!¡±


    ¡°You are a dumb Orc, yet you are quite fluent in the words of men. It means you aren¡¯t a normal one. I don¡¯t have time. Hurry up ande at me.¡±


    Azell red at it. In the next moment, the Orc charged forward. It moved as fast as a Spirit Order practitioner. A human would have to use both hands to raise the enormous mace, yet it used one hand to swing its mace.


    Ggwah-ahng!


    The sound of an explosion rang out as the ground exploded. The rock fragments shot into the air. It was powerful enough to crush one¡¯s bones. Human knights, who boasted as being superior to other humans, were easily sent flying in the previous battle.


    However, it missed. At that moment, the Orc moved its body as it swung the mace to the side.


    Pah-ah-ahng!


    The orc¡¯s mace collided with Azell¡¯s sword as a loud and resonant sound rang out.


    Azell¡¯s sword was slenderpared to the enormous mace, and it looked as if it should shatter as it absorbed a hit from the mace. However, Azell¡¯s sword was fine, and Azell didn¡¯t even budge an inch.


    Azell asked the Orc in a calm voice.


    ¡°Is this all you got?¡±


    ¡°Koo-ooh! Bastard!¡±


    Rage made the Orc¡¯s eyes turn the color of blood. At the same time, a powerful magical resonance poured out, and the mace started to let out a light.


    Azell waited as he gave the Orc an opportunity to raise its mace. At the same time, he let his sword droop to the floor as he awoke his magic.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    The Orc let out a yell as it brought down its shining iron mace.


    At the same time, a thunder struck.


    Ggah-roo-roohng! Ggwah-gwahng!


    ¡°Kooh-ooh......?¡±


    Suddenly, a blue light erupted in front of the Orc¡¯s vision.


    That was it.


    Azell was surrounded by a blue light as he leisurely passed by the Orc. The Orc couldn¡¯tprehend the man¡¯s unhurried movement, so it tried to grab the man with his hand.


    At this moment, it realized something.


    Its arm was gone.


    No, it wasn¡¯t just its arm. Half of its upper body was charred, and it was sent flying away. Azell¡¯s sword had let out lighting, and it had cut off the arm holding the mace. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, arge chunk of its body was sent flying with it.


    ¡®This can¡¯t be......!¡¯


    Orc was in disbelief as it fell over with its eyes wide open.


    Azell didn¡¯t even look back. He started running immediately as he spoke to Kairen.


    ¡°If you took too long, I was going to help you. I guess it wasn¡¯t necessary.¡±


    Kairen had already taken care of all the enemies that had been hiding in ambush. Azell spoke.


    ¡°It stinks.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°That Orc smells simr to a mutated Orc I knew.¡±


    ¡°Which mutated Orc?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a more thorough exnation at ater time.¡±


    ¡°You have a lot of things you¡¯ll have to exin to me. Keep that in mind.¡±


    ¡°If this happens as I expected it to, the number of exnations I¡¯ll have to give will mount. Let us go.¡±


    The two men followed the Guardian Shadows as they ran.


    There were eyes that were watching the two from a very far away distance. Jaress was one of them. As a Keeper of Prophecy, he was given the codename of Omicron. Jaress clicked his tongue.


    ¡°He is very cool. He killed the Orc that troubled the knights under the Dragon Demon Prince with one blow.¡±


    They had made sure that Azell wouldn¡¯t be able to sense their gazes. The reason why they were able to avoid detection from Azell, who had the ability to detect gazes on him, was simple. They weren¡¯t actually looking at him.


    Including Jaress, there were four Keepers of Prophecy here, and they all had their eyes closed. A Guardian Shadow was floating in the air, and they were looking through its eyes. The Guardian Shadows had the unimaginable ability to share the information on its surveince of the Dragon Demon King worshippers. They had the ability to see out of each other¡¯s eyes from a far distance.


    The group started to speak amongst themselves.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t hepletely different from Leone¡¯s report?¡±


    ¡°A little bit of time did pass, but... It was only half a year.¡±


    ¡°A human could change so much in that small amount of a time?¡±


    ¡°I guess. At the time of your report, it was said he was very outstanding in terms of skills. I think what he showed right now just confirms that assessment.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Is that how it looks through the eyes of a high rank Spirit Order Practioner? He looked overpowering to me...¡±


    They evaluated Azell¡¯s martial skills. Jaress spoke.


    ¡°This is a bit different from what we nned, but we can work with this.¡±


    ¡°Omicron.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Instead of testing Azell Zestringer, shouldn¡¯t we be saving the Dragon Demon Prince from the Dragon Demon King worshippers? ¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s the Guardian Shadows, and Epsilon has taken out the ¡¯Guardian that Never Sleeps.¡¯ I don¡¯t see it as a problem.¡±


    ¡°Still.......¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s just observe for now. I realize the other task is more important.¡±


    Jaress snickered as he left. When they heard Jaress¡¯ unreliableugh, the other Keepers of the Prophecy frowned as they looked at each other.


    8


    As Azell suspected, Laura Aunsaurus had already subdued Seigar.


    Seigar was strong. However, his power was only passable in an outside world where the true techniques had been erased. Seigar had an unbelievable amount of fighting spirit for a 15 year old teen, but he wasn¡¯t even able to harm the hem of Laura¡¯s dress.


    However, it had taken Laura a good amount of time to subdue Seigar. The cause being she wanted to take him, while causing the minimum amount of damage. It had been about two hours, since Seigar had fallen from exhausting his power.


    At that moment, Laura encountered a totally unexpected problem.


    ¡®How is this possible? ¡¯


    The Guardian Shadows were tracking her.


    She had deployed her subordinates carefully in an attempt to avoid the detection of the Guardian Shadows. She had readied bandits that most wouldn¡¯t call Dragon Demon king worshipers. She used them to trick the Dragon Demon Prince toe out to a location where there weren¡¯t any witnesses.


    She had been in luck when the Dragon Demon Prince separated from his party to scout. It really made her wonder if he really didn¡¯t realize how valuable he was.


    In her original n, she would have disguised herself as a human, and she would have lured Seigar out. Then she would have used Vitan¡¯s Maze on him. However, when Seigar separated from his main force, she was able to omit the middle portion of her n. The main force was destroyed without them finding out how Seigar had gone missing.


    There was no reason why the Guardian Shadows should intervene, yet they surrounded the Vitan¡¯s Maze as if they had been waiting for her.


    The Vitan¡¯s Maze was a pocket dimension that severed her from the outside world. However, the exit from this space was fixed if she decided to unravel it.


    Laura had tried moving slowly for the exit, but the Guardian Shadows weren¡¯t fooled. They continued to chase after her.


    ¡®This is getting difficult.¡¯


    As time continued to pass, the Guardian Shadows from various regions would congregate, and their number would grow. When Lauraprehended this, Laura used a hidden card she had readied.


    She had called out the Thunder Dragon that was living deep within the mountain.


    The Thunder Dragon was mobilized using the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual as bait. The Thunder Dragon unhesitatingly attacked the Guardian Shadows. However, even then another unexpected situation urred.


    ¡®They brought a Dragon too?¡¯


    The Frost Dragon that lived nearby appeared, and it started to fight the Thunder Dragon.


    One couldn¡¯t just snap one¡¯s fingers to get a Dragon to move. One had to negotiate beforehand. One had to agree to do the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. This was an immemorial contract, and it was unforgivable if one lied during the negotiation.


    This was the reason why the in of Darkness had to go into the negotiations expecting to participate in the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    It was quite possible that the Guardian Shadows predicted the kidnapping of the Dragon Demon Prince. Laura had moved with that worry in the back of her mind.


    However, she had no idea how they could have prepared a Dragon too. It wasn¡¯t as if they had predicted this kidnapping. It was as if they had been sure this would ur.


    ¡®How can this be?¡¯


    Still, she didn¡¯t feel any sense of crisis. Her role in this endeavor had pretty much ended when she suppressed Seigar. If she bought some time, the reinforcements would be here. They would get her out even if they had to sacrifice their lives. From that point, she¡¯ll go to a ce where she would be able to use the legacy left behind by the Dragon Demon King Atein. She¡¯ll be able to use the ¡®Road of Emptiness¡¯ to escape her enemies.


    With that thought in mind, she had been observing the outside situation, and something unexpected happened.


    ¡®That man is.......¡¯


    The organization had taken the trouble to ready a mutated Orc, yet the red haired man had killed it in an instant. Laura knew about the man approaching her location.


    Azell Zestringer.


    Niberis was the direct descendent of the Dragon Demon King, and she was Laura¡¯s rival. This mystery human was responsible for Niberis¡¯ failure.


    ¡®That man really looks simr to that person.¡¯


    Curiosity bloomed in Laura¡¯s eyes.

 Chapter 80 - Those who Covet the Blood of a Royal (6)

    Chapter 80 - Those who Covet the Blood of a Royal (6)


    9


    ¡°Is this the trace left behind by the Tear?¡±


    Kairen spoke as he looked at the location pointed out by Azell. It was located in mid-air. It looked as if a small shimmer had appeared. One could see a distorted space beyond the shimmer. It was as if water droplets was slowly descending a wall before it disappeared.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°You are correct.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. It seems I wouldn¡¯t have noticed it unless I had my eyes fixed on it.¡±


    It was a trace that was merely as big as a finger length. These traces were spaced apart at a distance of several dozen meters, and it was located in random locations. If one had no idea what to look for beforehand, it would be almost impossible to find it. This was more true since it was night, and they were in a mountain.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°It seems the User is very inexperienced.¡±


    ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°She left behind a trace that can be detected by the eyes. Originally, it is suppose to leave behind a much smaller trace. It should be the size of a rain drop... Also, it¡¯s supposed to disappear after a short amount of time.¡±


    ¡°You speak as if you have seen this before.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen it.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell put on a mysterious smile, then he looked at the Guardian Shadow.


    It happened at that moment.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t suppose to go that way.¡±


    A teen with light red hair appeared between two Guardian Shadows. He had on a haughty expression that made him look like he was from the nobility.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, but by how protective you are of yourself, it seems you did something that deserves a beating from me.¡±


    ¡°I have no idea what you are talking about.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to trick me with such a shoddy illusion, idiot.¡±


    Azell¡¯s ¡¯Eyes of Truth¡¯ could see through all illusions. The teen had put an illusion over one the Guardian Shadows. It looked like the real thing, but Azell immediately saw through it.


    The teen let out a whistle.


    ¡°Wow. That¡¯s impressive. Well, it did transform in front of you, so...¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to listen to you rattle on. If you have business with me, speak quickly.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. You have a very high-handed personality. My name is Jares. Or you can call me Omicron. I don¡¯t really care. I am one of the Keepers of the Prophecy that is testing you.¡±


    ¡°A test. Does this mean you are in league with Leone?¡±


    ¡°Unlike me, Leone has a different opinion about you. Anyways, we are in the process of testing you. Shouldn¡¯t you be working hard to impress us?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn about your test. I know where you are right now. If you waste any more of my time, I¡¯ll track you down, and I¡¯ll beat you up. You must think the Concealment skill of the Guardian Shadows use is infallible, but I¡¯ll give you a chance to test it out. Let us see if you can run away from me.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha. Your bluff is outrageo....¡±


    ¡°You moved two steps to the side. From your perspective, you moved to the left.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Jares¡¯ expression hardened.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Do you now believe that my words aren¡¯t a bluff? Don¡¯t ask me how I did it. This will be yourst warning. Erase everything frivolous you wanted to say to me from your head. If you don¡¯t, I won¡¯t care what your organization want or intends to do.... You¡¯ll be the first one I will chase down and kill.¡±


    ¡°Ha.......¡±


    ¡°I see you are gathering the Guardian Shadows to your side. Are you sure they¡¯ll be able to save you if you gather enough of them? They might be able to. If you want to face hostility from me, you should continue to waste my time.¡±


    Azell cold expression was like a sheet of ice. He red at the illusion created by the teen as he spoke. There was no emotion reflected in his voice, and this made it that much more terrifying.


    At that moment, Azell was using a mystic technique of the Spirit Order. He was using the ¡¯Eyes of Truth¡¯ to see through the illusion, and he was looking at the real body that was projecting the illusion. Then he subtly put magical energy into his voice to upset the other¡¯s mind.


    Jares raised both his hands.


    ¡°Ah. All right. I¡¯ll do as you ask. I need you to do the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.¡±


    ¡°Right now?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Amongst the two fighting Dragons, the Thunder Dragon was called here by the Dragon Demon King worshippers. The Frost Dragon was called in by us. Originally, it was a Dragon prepared for you, but there was a hitch in the n.¡±


    ¡°You wanted it to fight me? You were going to use the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual as a test?¡±


    ¡°You almost guessed it correctly. It is slightly different from that.¡±


    Jares made an invidious remark.


    Azell furrowed his eyebrows as he asked a question.


    ¡°How did you get the Dragon to move?¡±


    ¡°The Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual was used as bait.¡±


    ¡°As expected.¡±


    Jares was puzzled by Azell¡¯s knowing attitude.


    ¡°Did you suspect it?¡±


    ¡°There is no other way to do it. In truth, it is a deal without much benefit, yet there are those who try to use that method.¡±


    This tactic was also used in the Dragon Demon war. It wasn¡¯t just used by the the Dragon Demon King¡¯s army. It had also been used by Azell¡¯s allies.


    However, it wasn¡¯t a smart solution, so it had rarely been used in real life.


    Two problems arose from using this method.


    First, one must deal with the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual afterwards. A one on one fight with a Dragon wasn¡¯t rmended. In the midst of a war, it was very important to have strong personnel at one¡¯s disposal.


    Secondly, one could block the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual even if a Dragon was mobilized. If a qualified individual asks for the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, the Dragon always agreed to it. If this other being was able to defeat the Dragon, it would just benefit the enemy in the end.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Well, all right. I don¡¯t care about a trash test that was nned by an idiot like you. So the essential point is you want me to use the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual to kill the Thunder Dragon, and you will change the target of the Frost Dragon to the Aunsarus¡¯ heir?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°All right. I like the simplicity of the n.¡±


    After saying this, Azell lifted his eyes.


    ¡°I refuse.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°There is no reason why I should follow your instructions. If you n on doing this next time, at the very least, you¡¯ll have to catch a hostage to coerce me. Of course, the vengeance I¡¯ll unleash on you guys will be that much more painful.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. If you continue to act this way, do you realize you might turn the Keepers of the Prophecy and the Guardian Shadows into enemies?¡±


    ¡°Do you really think that is an effective threat against me?¡±


    Azell let out a snort. Then he red at Jares with contempt in his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a warning, idiot.¡±


    At that moment, Jares¡¯ expression crumpled from pain.


    ¡°Koohk. This is.... What the hell.......¡±


    ¡°Any method that allows you to ¡®converse¡¯ with others is never truly a one way street.¡±


    All the mystic techniques of Spirit Order used the senses of humans as a medium. Whether it was magic sense, sight, hearing, smell and taste, it was all subject to attack.


    Azell saw through the illusion from the beginning. As he kept up the conversation, he found where the magic was being emitted. Then he put magical energy in his gaze and voice to cause Jares pain.


    It felt as if his heart was being ripped out, so Jares fell over without even being able to scream.


    Azell turned around as he spoke to Kairen.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I really like you. As expected of someone I acknowledge.¡±


    ¡°As I see more of the Guardian Shadows, I¡¯m of the opinion that it is a broken organization.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡±


    Azell and Kairen ignored Jares¡¯ illusion, which was doubled over in pain, and they started walking.


    It happened at that moment.


    ¡°You... You resemble him.¡±


    A young woman¡¯s voice was heard.


    At the same time, a girl that was so out of ce in this rough mountain appeared by herself. She appeared above the Guardian Shadows. It was the Aunsaurus¡¯ heir, who had suppressed Seigar. It was Laura.


    10


    Laura had just exited the Vitan¡¯s Maze, and she wasn¡¯t holding the Vitan¡¯s Chalice that generated the Dragon Demon Qi. However, Azell spoke as soon as he saw her.


    ¡°It¡¯s another woman from the Dragon Demon race. Are you Aunsaurus¡¯ heir?¡±


    ¡°Do I look a Dragon Demon?¡±


    Laura had an expressionless face as she tilted her head in confusion. Her outer appearance was that of a human. It was perfect. In fact, the resonance she emitted was of magic instead of Dragon Demon magic.


    Kairen asked a question.


    ¡°No matter how I look at her, she looks like a human.¡±


    ¡°She isn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Even if we put aside her appearance, I don¡¯t feel any Dragon Demon magicing from her.¡±


    At the statement, Azell spoke as he looked at Laura.


    ¡°Her horns, Dragon Demon Stone and pupil are of the same color. Since you might assume I guessed based on your eye color, I¡¯ll give you a more detailed description. Your horns look like feathers. The horns are curved upwards.¡±


    ¡°...how did you recognize me?¡±


    Laura was fascinated. However, there was no change in her expression. One couldn¡¯t feel any humanity from her. Her countenance was that of a beautiful doll.


    She let go of her disguise. The intricate illusion disappeared, and a Dragon Demon appeared.


    It was as Azell had said. She had blonde hair, eyes like amethysts, porcin-like skin, and horns that red upwards as it looked to be a crafted item made out of amethysts. A Dragon Demon Stone was embedded on the back of her hand, and it was letting out a brilliant light of the same color.


    At the same time, a powerful wave of Dragon Demon magic started to spread.


    Kairen was taken aback.


    ¡°She was able to perfectly disguise such power perfectly as human magic?¡±


    Surprisingly, Laura¡¯s Dragon Demon magic exceeded Kairen in terms of quantity. This wasn¡¯t the first time Kairen had met a Dragon Demon that possessed a stronger Dragon Demon magic than him. However, he couldn¡¯t help, but be surprised by the fact that she was able topletely disguise her power as magic.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°All the Dragon Demon King worshippers are uncanny at hiting the smell of Dragon Demon magic. Did you guys develop some unique magic?¡±


    The members of the Dragon¡¯s Shadow and Niberis were all the same. Just their ability to hide their Dragon Demon magic was really peerless.


    Laura asked him a question.


    ¡°Azell Zestringer. Am I right?¡±


    ¡°Correct. At least, you don¡¯t call me that long and annoying title.¡±


    ¡°The man with the name seeped in sin?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°My blood rtives have very different view from......¡±


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    ¡°Not all of us call Azell the man with the name seeped in sin....¡±


    Pah-jee-jee-jee-jeek!


    A blue spark suddenly erupted in front of her.


    Azell had just tried an ambush attack. She had been sure Azell was in front of her yet another Azell had appeared to attack her. Laura was surprised.


    ¡°Huh? A clone?¡±


    She had been facing him, yet he had switched ces with his clone. How did she miss it?


    While she was wondering this point, the Azell that had attacked went missing. It had been a clone made using the Shadow Dance. At the same time, Azell used Instantaneous Movement to jump in.


    ¡®Thunder Dragon¡¯s w!¡¯


    The sword let out a thunder.


    Gwah-roo-roong! Gwah-gwahng!


    A single strike was able to rip apart Laura¡¯s shield as if it was a piece of paper. The power couldn¡¯t bepared to the one used in the fight against Niberis.


    However, a white light appeared across the lightning that was burning up the space.


    Pah-ah-ah-ah-ah!


    Azell quickly turned his body to evade. When hended on the ground, Azell let out a grumble.


    ¡°Instion. You are very fast.¡±


    When Azell came in for an attack, her real body was moved to a location where his sword couldn¡¯t be reached. Then she used the Instion magic to drain away the lightning.


    Even if one considered a Dragon Demon to have a quick reaction time, it had been impossible for anyone in the pas to dodge this attack unless one knew it wasing. However, Laura had seen the flow of his magic. Her actions was evidence that she had read his technique¡¯s attribute.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°Amazing.¡±


    At the same time, a light erupted in front of her.


    Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh!


    An oppressive resonance of Dragon Demon magic was spreading outwards. Kairen was taken aback.


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    Dragon Demon magic that exceeded most Dragon Demon erupted from the light instead of Laura. Azell narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Vitan¡¯s Chalice... It really was left behind to his heir. I¡¯m not sure how that¡¯s possible.¡±


    Aunsaurus had been one of the four Dragon Demon Generals, and Dragon Magic weapon Vitan¡¯s Chalice was his pride.


    During the Dragon Demon war, it had been one of the most powerful Dragon Magic weapon in existence even amongst the other powerful Dragon Magic weapon.


    Its appearance was as Azell had remembered, and it was grasped in Laura¡¯s hand.


    For a brief moment, Laura stared at Azell before she spoke.


    ¡°You really do look like him.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Your face is really simr to him. It is simr to the Azell Kazark in the records.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Are you his descendant? I heard he didn¡¯t have any descendants, yet humans procreate so easily... Or that¡¯s what I¡¯ve heard.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    Azell gave a flippant answer as he looked for Laura¡¯s weak point. However, she was holding up the Vitan¡¯s Chalice, and unlike before, he couldn¡¯t find any hole in her defense. Her Dragon Demon Magic and the Dragon Demon magic of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice resonated with each other, and an incredible pressure poured out.


    Laura briefly looked at Azell before she spoke.


    ¡°I won¡¯t fight you right now.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think you can do as you like? Even if you have the Vitan¡¯s Chalice....¡±


    Azell stopped speaking, and he jerked his head up.


    ¡°...why?¡±


    A heavy sound rang out, and the ground shook. Arge shadow on top of the mountain opened its wings, and it rose up into the air.


    It was the Thunder Dragon. The Thunder Dragon had been in a fierce fight with the Frost Dragon, yet it was descending towards them with thunder wrapped around it.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°It is easy to attract a Dragon. It is easy if there is an opponent that is willing to fight with one¡¯s life on the line.¡±


    ¡°Is it the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Laura acknowledge the point without much fuss. Another Dragon Demon King worshipper had initiated the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual with the Frost Dragon, and the act had freed the Thunder Dragon. Laura hadn¡¯t lost herposure, since she had been waiting for this.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be impossible for me to face you, the Dragon Sword Duke and the Guardian Shadows. I¡¯ll leave that to the Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Koohk......!¡±


    Azell had on an expression of dismay as Laura started distorting her surrounding space as if it was a wave. Laura disappeared without a trace in the midst of it.


    At the same time, lightning erupted from the three horns of the Thunder Dragon¡¯s head.


    Gwah-roo-roo-roong! Gwah-gwah-gwahng!


    The thunder strike struck the ground as it swept over everything nearby. Large dust clouds rose into the sky.


    From the surrounding, a cry that was like several hundred children whispering rang out. The Guardian Shadows let out a moan as they were swept up in the lightning attack.


    Azell queried in the midst of the attack.


    ¡°Are you ok, Duke?¡±


    ¡°Somewhat. Could you teach me that techniqueter? You are able sofortable in defending against it that I feel spiteful towards you.¡±


    Kairen had used his defensive shield to block the Dragon¡¯s thunder strike. Azell barely used any power as he allowed the Instion magic to redirect the thunder strike. Azell smirked.


    ¡°I will. Also, I regret to tell you this news.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°This is annoying, but I guess I¡¯ll have to follow that idiot¡¯s n.¡±


    ¡°Somehow, it turned out that way.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to leave the prince¡¯s rescue to the Duke. I.......¡±


    Azell red at the Thunder Dragon that was descending the mountain using broad wing strokes.


    ¡°I have to do the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.¡±

 Chapter 81 - The Scar Left on the World (1)

    Chapter 81 - The Scar Left on the World (1)


    1


    It was during the height of the Dragon Demon war. Carlos had talked to Azell about the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. He talked about both sides, the human and Dragon, who had to entered into the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    ¡°Humans, who challenge the Dragons in their thirst for power, are like moths flying towards the me. However... The one that is truly pitiable isn¡¯t the humans. In my opinion, it is the Dragons.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting now?¡±


    ¡°When the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual is initiated, the choice is always given to the humans.¡±


    If a human requested for a Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, the Dragons always epted it. It didn¡¯t matter how disadvantageous the situation was. When the Dragons were born into the world, there was a thirst that tormented their souls, and they knew only one method that could quench this thirst.


    This was why the Dragons always had their choices made for them.


    The one who made the selection were the humans.


    Wisdom and Language.


    If a Dragon didn¡¯t have those two things, the Dragon could only wait until a human makes the choice for them.


    ¡°If there is a Dragon that can refuse the challenge of a human, the Dragon had already achieved its earnest wish by gaining Wisdom. However, it isn¡¯t too hard for me to imagine how much a Dragon would have to wait, and how much it would have to fight to gain it.¡±


    A Dragon might live out its long life, and not be chosen.


    It might be chosen when it is wounded or sick.


    ¡°On the other hand, humans could wait for the perfect situation, and they could even choose the site of the battle. In the end, they would only need two things. They need strength and resolve.¡±


    ¡°I think it is a bit much to trivialize those two requirements.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not trying to do that. However, this is the difference between those who have a choice, and those who do not. I don¡¯t need to go into a lengthy exnation for you to know which side was heaped with the more severe fate.¡±


    2


    It happened in the distant past, but it was merely several years ago for Azell. In his mind, it felt as if it happened only couple months ago, and his memories randomly popped up in his mind.


    For a brief moment, Azell watched the Thunder Dragon approach him.


    ¡®However, there are times when a human is also driven into a corner where one doesn¡¯t have a choice.¡¯


    He was in that situation right now. Azell had no choice as he had to step forward for the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual.


    At that moment, Kairen spoke to him.


    ¡°It is as you said to me before, Azell.¡±


    In the past, Kairen had asked Azell about swords, and he had given Kairen an answer.


    Azell had said the sword was merely a tool being used to achieve his goal. If a tool was being used, there was a chance that it might break. If the tool breaks, one shouldn¡¯t obsess over the fact that the tool was broken. Instead, one should seek for a different method to achieve one¡¯s goal. That was what Azell had said.


    ¡°However, the Dragon Sword is my soul. It is my life.¡±


    ¡°When a person invests meaning into an item, it is reasonable for the item to take on life as it bes personified.¡±


    Azell spoke. He treated almost all weapons as if it was a disposable tool, but he had an item that held the same significance as what Kairen described.


    It was the Dragon Maken.


    Kairen handed Azell one of his two Dragon Swords.


    ¡°I¡¯ll lend you my soul. You have to win and return without fail.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell momentarily looked at him with surprised eyes. It was as Kairen had said. To him, the Dragon Sword wasn¡¯t merely a tool. The Dragon Sword was the culmination of his life¡¯s work, and it was basically like a clone of himself.


    The fact that he was lending Azell the Dragon Sword was a big deal. Azell stared at him for a brief moment before he epted the Dragon Sword, then he gave Kairen his own sword.


    ¡°I¡¯ll use it with thanks.¡±


    ¡°I know you probably hadn¡¯t expected to fulfil your promise to me at this point in time. I understand. However... However, you are the only one I can entrust this task to.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell¡¯s situation wasn¡¯t ideal. The training period he had nned out hadn¡¯t beenpleted yet. The Dragon Sword being made for him was iplete, and his condition was a mess from pushing his body to cover this great distance.


    If one considered all of this, it was extremely cruel to ask Azell to go through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. If we was able to do as he liked, Kairen wanted to stay behind and fight alongside Azell.


    His feelings manifested itself on Kairen¡¯s expression. Azellughed when he saw ii.


    ¡°This will be enough.¡±


    From Kairen¡¯s perspective, he had to put the highest priority on rescuing Seigar. Even if this was a cruel request, Kairen had no choice, but to ask it of Azell.


    Azell understood where Kairen wasing from. This was why he turned around before Kairen could speak any further.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t anything knew for me. You should go save the Prince. It seems Seigar has switched roles with the Princess this time.¡±


    ¡°...do you really think Arrieta would be suitable ying the role of a damsel in distress?¡±


    Kairen asked as he burst outughing at the ridiculous idea. Azell didn¡¯t turn around as he replied.


    ¡°Still, the picture that is conjured up by her in the role is better than the prince. Isn¡¯t that so?¡±


    ¡°I see. Seigar that bastard. When this is all resolved, I¡¯m going to train him mercilessly again.¡±


    After saying those words, Kairen turned away.


    Azell gripped and swung the Dragon Sword that had been loaned out to him. It was the first time he had used this sword, but it felt right in his hand. The fact that it was a well made sword contributed to this feeling, but it had more to do with the familiar energy that had been imbued within the sword.


    ¡®Dragon Demon Magic.¡¯


    In the past, he had felt this energy every time he used his Dragon Maken. That energy was within this sword.


    The Dragon Sword wasn¡¯t something that could rece a Dragon Maken, which was forged from one¡¯s own soul. Still, it was too exquisite to just call it a mere sword.


    It could self-regte the emission of Dragon Demon Magic, and it could transform the User¡¯s magic into Dragon Demon Magic . However, this wasn¡¯t like the Dragon Maken where the the sword and the owner worked in harmony to create power.


    Still, the fact that he had the Dragon Sword increased Azell¡¯s options by a lot.


    ¡°Oh Dragon.¡±


    Azell checked through the Dragon Sword¡¯s sense, then he called out in a low voice towards the Thunder Dragon. However, his voice was amplified by magic, so his voice cut through the ruckus being made by the Thunder Dragon. His voice reached its ears.


    ¡°My name is Azell Zestringer.¡±


    Azell brought up all the magical energy he had gained through his training, then he made a deration.


    ¡°I challenge you do the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.¡±


    The Thunder Dragon had been making a lot of noise as it was charging towards Azell. However, it suddenly quieted down as if everything before had been a lie. The Thunder Dragon looked to Azell as if to confirm what it had just heard. Azell slowly raised his Dragon Sword, and he got into his stance.


    After a moment, the Dragon broke the stillness by nodding its head. It had epted the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    3


    Ooooooooooooooooooooh!


    Every time Azell¡¯s heart beat inside his chest the Rings of Life vibrated roughly as they emitted magical energy. There were five Rings of Life epassing Azell¡¯s heart. Every single one of them had gone through the Dual Banding process.


    However, if one asked Azell if this was enough, Azell would had shook his head from side to side. The amount of magic, his physical constitution, and his condition wasn¡¯t at a state where he could say it satisfied the necessary and sufficient condition for this battle.


    ¡®However, it has always been like this.¡¯


    A live battle wasn¡¯t a bout. It had been the norm for Azell to step onto the battlefield when his body was in no condition to fight. He stepped forward to fight his enemies despite the circumstances.


    ¡®Yes. It has always....¡¯


    Whether it was the past or now, it was all the same. After he awoke from his deep sleep, he had been chased, and he had fought in his lessened state. Yet wasn¡¯t he still here?


    ¡°Thunder Dragon. This was intentional, but it seems we are fighting on pretty equal grounds. You and I are both injured....¡±


    Azell quickly assessed the Thunder Dragon¡¯s condition.


    Azell wasn¡¯t in perfect condition, but this was also true for the Thunder Dragon. Of course, it had fought a battle with the Frost Dragon until recently. It¡¯s injuries had been recovered by its incredible regeneration ability, but one could do nothing about the umted fatigue and the already consumed magical energy.


    ¡°I stand before you, because I also don¡¯t have much of a choice avable to me.¡±


    However, there was no pity in the Dragon¡¯s eyes. It just nned to treat this as a kill or be killed battle whether it was fair or not.


    The Thunder Dragon answered Azell¡¯s words with its action.


    Ggwah-roo-roohng! Ggwah-gwahng!


    The Thunder Dragons were fastest in terms of attack amongst the Dragons.


    Each type of Dragons handled different type of Element. Lightning was faster than every other Elements. When the thunderp rang out, the target would have already been fried by the lightning.


    In this Thunder Dragon¡¯s lifetime, it had never met its match except other Dragons. No matter how strong the being was, it couldn¡¯t stand up to the lightning that was emitted by its horn. It used the lightning to immediately close the distance and burn the enemy.


    ¡°...Yes. I am very well acquainted with it. I would dare to say that I understand your plight better than any other human.¡±


    However... Azell was different from any other beings it faced before.


    Koo-roo-roo......?


    The Thunder Dragon was taken aback. It was sure its lightning strike had hit Azell straight on, yet it hadn¡¯t even ruffled his hair.


    It was a defensive technique Azell had already used against Niberis and Laura. It was the Instion technique. The fact that the Thunder Dragon would use lightning attacks was too predictable. He could easily defend against it.


    Azell took advantage of the flustered Thunder Dragon. He charged forward. The more distance there was between them, the advantage was on the Thunder Dragon¡¯s side. He had to get to a distance where his sword could touch it.


    Ggwah-roo-roohng! Ggwah-gwahng! Ggwah-gwah-gwah-gwahng!


    The surprised Thunder Dragon let out a chain of lightning strikes. It didn¡¯t care if its body was hit by the lightning. The Thunder Dragon started emitting a storm of lightning.


    The Thunder Dragon controlled the lightning. It didn¡¯t take any damage from the lightning that was emitted from the Thunder Dragon¡¯s body.


    Its inner constitution was even resistant against lightning created by an enemy.


    ¡®Its preparation is faster than expected! This Dragon has some prior experience in fighting.¡¯


    The previous Earth Dragon he had fought had been a young Dragon. When its first attack was neutralized, it had been taken aback. Azell had used this opening to take down the Earth Dragon. However, the Thunder Dragon continued to attack and defend even when it ran into something it didn¡¯t understand.


    The Thunder Dragon¡¯s horn was burning with a blue me, and it was shooting out lightning towards every direction. The ground was scorched, and the lightning discharged into the air. The Thunder Dragon controlled the diffuse electricity to make a Lightning Barrier, which burned everything it touched.


    Pah-jee-jee-jee-jeek!


    ¡°Koohk!¡±


    Azell was attempting to get closer to it, but he was being pushed outside by the influence of the barrier.


    He had formed Instion using his magical energy, but it wouldn¡¯tst much longer. If the lighting continued to epass the whole area then there was no way he would be able to counteract it using the Instion technique.


    When Azell was pushed farther away, the Thunder Dragon immediately carpet-bombed Azell with lightning. Azell used Instantaneous Movement technique to cause confusion as to where he really was, and he approached the Thunder Dragon from its blindspot.


    He repeated this process several times. From Azell¡¯s perspective, he wascking in power and speed. If he was just a little bit more faster and stronger, he would be able to time his attack. However, the Thunder Dragon was barely able to push him out using the barrier attack.


    ¡°Mmmmm......!¡±


    This was already his 6th attempt. He had been rebuffed at every try, and the Thunder Dragon continued to let out its lightning toward Azell. If one turned back the time, one would have seen the exact process be repeated multiple times. It almost created an illusion of a loop.


    At that point, Azell had two choices. He could elerate using Instantaneous Movement to escape to the side, or he could charge again after letting the lightning flow through him using Instion.


    ¡®This won¡¯t do!¡¯


    Every time he was rebuffed, a huge portion of his stamina and concentration was used up. This pattern kept repeating itself, and both sides were waiting for each other to make a mistake. Since the Dragon had an enormous surplus of energy, the Dragon¡¯s victory was almost guaranteed if this continued.


    When he came to that assessment, Azell decided to use a new method.


    Gwah-gwah-wahng!


    Azell stood in ce as he received the bombardment of lightning. Up to this point, the Thunder Dragon had been spreading out its continuous attacks, so the Thunder Dragon flinched when Azell stopped moving.


    ¡®Those Who Eat Lightning!¡¯


    This was a much more difficult technique than the Instion technique. One was able to use this technique only if one was sure the enemy would use a lightning strike. This technique used the Instion technique to divert the lightning, and it allowed a portion of the lightning to be absorbed back as one¡¯s energy.


    ¡®Convert!¡¯


    The absorbed lightning was sent along the vibration of the Rings of Life, and the lightning was changed into a power with different property. Azell had aplished this in an instant, but it was one of the most difficult high rank Spirit Order technique. If a high Rank Spirit Order practitioner saw it, it would leave him bbergasted.


    Azell endured the assault as he refused to budge. The lightning were conducted from the top to the bottom as it grounded into the floor. Afterwards, Azell¡¯s eyes shed as he swung his sword.


    ¡®Earth Dragon¡¯s Charge!¡¯


    Koo-roo-roo-roong! Koo-goo-goohng!


    The ground shook, and the shockwave pushed through the surface of the ground. It was akin to a shark surfacing from beneath the sea at high speeds!


    Gwah-gwah-gwahng!


    When it collided with the Barrier of Lightning put up by the Thunder Dragon, the entire earth was flipped over. The power that exploded from within the earth flipped over the ground that the Thunder Dragon was standing on.


    It was a really surprising turn of event. One usually attacked by causing an explosion that disturbed the surface of the ground. However, Azell had turned over a localized region of earth. This was only possible if one was able to meld overwhelming strength, and an almost miraculous amount of control over one¡¯s senses.


    Kah-ah-ah-ah!


    The Thunder Dragon was taken aback by the unexpected attack. It had lived a long life as a Thunder Dragon, but it would have never expected such an attack was feasible. The Thunder Dragon was imposing in its size and weight. Moreover, it stood on four feet. A Dragon had a better sense of bnce than a human, yet it was being flipped over on its back.


    ¡°Hoo-oohp!¡±


    At that moment, Azellmented deeply about his own shorings.


    It had been the perfect opportunity. While the Thunder Dragon was in a state of panic, he should have immediately rushed in to deal the critical blow. However....


    ¡°Ooh-ooh-oohk!¡±


    Pa-jee-jee-jee-jeek!


    The lightning that was channeling through him was still discharging. The lightning gave Azell an electrifying pain, and it was escaping the control of his body as the power of the lightning was on a rampage.


    ¡°I... underestimated it......!¡±


    He had his past self in mind when he tried this brash move. Currently, he couldn¡¯t absorb the entirety of the Thunder Dragon¡¯s strike. In the end, the power that couldn¡¯t be absorbed and transformed was running amok inside his body. This was why he had missed the golden opportunity to attack. He had no choice, but to look at the opportunity pass by with his eyes wide open.


    ¡°Koo-ah-aht!¡±


    Puh-uh-uhng!


    Azell gathered the unruly lightnings into a single location, and he discharged it towards the sky.


    ¡°Huhk, huh-uhk, huhk.......¡±


    He tried to gather his breath while on one knee. He had done something dumb. Wouldn¡¯t this unnecessarily deplete his reserve of power?


    However, a fight was always like this. A single moment of mistake could end with the loss of one¡¯s life. He had epted the risk, and he had gambled. The reward from the sess wasrge, but at the same time, failure brought an equallyrge bacsh.


    Koo-goo-goo-goo......!


    In front of him, the Thunder Dragon was barely able to struggle to its feet. It¡¯s body was surrounded by blue lightning, and a fiendish silhouette was starting to rise out of its body.

 Chapter 82 - The Scar Left on the World (2)

    Chapter 82 - The Scar Left on the World (2)


    4


    The lightning drew silhouettes in the air, and these silhouettes were dancing in the air . It was so bright and beautiful that one might be bewitched by the sight at first nce. However, these were very dangerous beings that could burn any living being that approached them.


    ¡®Constructs!¡¯


    These were Constructs created by the Dragon. The Earth Dragon¡¯s Constructs were made from the soil. The Thunder Dragon¡¯s Constructs were monsters made out of lightning itself.


    ¡°So the real fight starts now.¡±


    These particr Constructs were very troublesome to face. The Constructs were akin to the Thunder Dragon¡¯s attack, which was the fastest amongst the Dragons. The Thunder Dragon¡¯s Constructs attacked so fast that its speed couldn¡¯t even bepared to the other Constructs!


    Ggwah-gwahng! Ggwah-gwah-gwahng!


    They were the essence of lightning. When they flew into the air, they traveled along the thread of lightning that formed when the Lightning Barrier were set up by the Thunder Dragon. They flickered in and out, but when they decided to hit a target, they coalesced to travel along the same thread of lightning.


    No matter how fast Azell was, it was impossible for him to dodge a lightning through visual cues especially when the lightning was already on its way. If he had an instant, Azell could move faster than the speed of sound, but the speed of lightning was much faster than that.


    Azell desperately sensed the flow of magical energy and the energy of the lightning. In a sh, he was able to pick up on it. The Constructs of the Thunder Dragon could move unrestricted around the surrounding as it attacked. If Azell wanted to block them, he would have to read the attacks beforehand.


    Pah-jee-jeek! Ggwah-gwahng!


    The lightning flowers bloomed. The lighting let out by the Dragon came at Azell in vertical and diagonal lines. Constructs were born in the backwash of these attacks, and they aimed for Azell from all directions.


    ¡°Koo-oohk!¡±


    Azell was using dazzling movements to dodge the torrent of attacks, but he had his limits. If he couldn¡¯t dodge it, he used the Instion technique, but even that technique wasn¡¯t infallible. After avoiding the attacks using Instion, he had to block the lightning strikes that immediately followed afterwards using his Barrier. The lightning was hitting him more frequently by the minute. Every time the lightning hit his barrier, it felt as if the shock would eviscerate his internal organs.


    There was too much of a difference between their haves and have nots. The Dragon could control the lightning as easy as breathing. The Dragon¡¯s raw power were indescribablyrger than any other living organisms on this world.


    On top of it all, the Dragon just needed to get a decent shot in from a distance, and the fight would be over. On the other hand, Azell had to get close to damage the Dragon, and even this task was difficult.


    Humans were more advanced than Dragons in one aspect. It was techniques.


    There were countless species living in this world, and humans weren¡¯t that powerful of an existence. If a human fought unarmed, the human might not even win against a trained dog. Even if a human was to fight against herbivores, the human would lose in andslide.


    However, the humans hadn¡¯t be the losers of this world.


    What was the reason behind it?


    Humans possessed wisdom.


    They made tools to supplement their shorings, and they devised ways to use these tools more effectively. Then they shared these know hows to slowlye up with exceptional techniques.


    A new skill called Martial arts developed as this process was refined. This was all done so the weak could stack the deck and win against the strong.


    This concept bordered on madness for the Dragons.


    The Dragons had been born as the strongest beings in this world yet they were born without wisdom. They were dull-witted, so the only answer as to how a human could win against a Dragon could be only known by gaining this wisdom.


    ¡°Ha-aht!¡±


    Azell let out a shout. He couldn¡¯t get out of the way of the lightning strike, so he absorbed it into his sword. Then he discharged the energy.


    The fact that he was using such a method meant Azell had been driven into a corner. It looked as if he had reached his limit. He was barely avoiding and blocking the attacks. In the end, the Lightning Barrier spread out by the Thunder Dragon, and the Constructs hadpletely surrounded Azell.


    Ggwah-gwah-gwahng.


    Azell couldn¡¯t dodge the attacks, so he engaged his Barrier. The attacks hit his Barrier, and Azell was sent flying. It seemed he hadn¡¯t been able to neutralize all the shock, so he was seen flying through the air as blood was spilled.


    In a sh, the Thunder Dragon red as it opened its mouth. It was sure its prey had been weakened. It didn¡¯t hesitate to use its strongest weapon in its arsenal.


    At the same time, a light shone in Azell¡¯s eyes.


    ¡®Dragon¡¯s Roar! I anticipated as much!¡¯


    The Thunder Dragon was a violent and impatient being. In the first ce, it had the power of lightning to instantly incinerate its enemies. So how would a word like patience be associated with such a being?


    Even though it was fighting against a foe it couldn¡¯tprehend, the Thunder Dragon didn¡¯t hesitate in its attack. It had to hit hard! It was getting more agressive as it continued to attack.


    Even if it developed numerous techniques through its experience in live battles, it couldn¡¯t change its base nature.


    Azell reaffirmed this truth as he fought the Dragon.


    Kyahhhhhhhhhhhhh!


    The Dragon¡¯s Roar exploded forth.


    The Lightning Barrier being used by the Thunder Dragon coalesced into a single point. It gathered around the roaring Dragon¡¯s mouth as an incredible pir of lightning was emitted. In a sh, several hundred meter of the surroundingnd burned white. After a second, an enormous cloud of dust rose into the air.


    This Dragon was on a different level in terms of techniquepared to the Earth Dragon Azell had fought in the Bn Forest. This Thunder Dragon was very adept at knowing how to use its power.


    This was also the reason why it was doing as Azell had intended.


    ¡®I was waiting for this!¡¯


    Even the appearance of him being cornered was part of his battle tactic. His life would end in a sh if he made a momentary mistake, but he used this fact to his advantage! He had to do this if he wanted to win against the Dragon.


    Hoo-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh!


    Even as the explosion started to scatter the pir of lightning, Azell circted a powerful current within his body.


    It was a lightning strike he couldn¡¯t block with just the Instion technique. Even though Azell had be stronger through his training, Azell would have died without being able to do anything by the pir of lightning.


    It would have happened if Kairen hadn¡¯t lent him the Dragon Sword.


    ¡°Thunder Dragon¡¯s......!¡±


    A powerful wave of Dragon Demon Magic was being emitted by the Dragon Sword. It was a power that bent reality through one¡¯s will. The Dragon Demon Magic imbued Azell with a power that allowed him to exceed his own limits.


    A blinding electric light gathered and burned around the Dragon Sword that was held by Azell. By the look of it, it was clear that a part of the powerful lightning that had been generated by the Thunder Dragon was imbued into the sword.


    ¡°...Horn!¡±


    Ggwah-gwah-gwah-gwahng!


    The sound of an explosion rang out, but the lightning had already cut through the Thunder Dragon.


    The pir of lightning exploded as the world burned white. Azell¡¯s magical energy was lower than what he had possessed at the Bn Forest when he defeated the Earth Dragon. However, he had just took in the Thunder Dragon¡¯s lightning attack, and he had sent it back after amplifying it. This strike exceeded the strike he had used against the Earth Dragon.


    However, Azell didn¡¯t stop there. He immediately jumped into the lightning that had just exploded forth.


    Pah-hak!


    The sound of flesh being ripped apart was heard as blood fountained into the air. The Dragon let out a cry of pain.


    Kyahhhhhh!


    Surprisingly, the Thunder Dragon was still alive. This was the strike that had ended the life of the Earth Dragon, yet it looked almost unharmed from the previous attack.


    It was to be expected. The Thunder Dragon treated lightning that fell in a storm as nourishment. Even if a strike could part a mountain, it wouldn¡¯t receive any damage if the attack was lightning based.


    Azell was well aware of this fact. However, he had used the Thunder Dragon¡¯s own technique to put into a state of panic.


    ¡°This gamble... I am the winner!¡±


    After letting out the Dragon¡¯s Roar, the Thunder Dragon received a strike that it could have never predicted. The power that protected its power diminished as its mind was in a defenseless state. It suffered an attack to a vulnerable spot.


    ¡°Ha-ah-ah-ah-ah!¡±


    The Dragon was swept up by exquisite pain, and Azell pulled up all his strength to attack before the Dragon¡¯s mind returned to its normal state.


    Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah!


    After consecutive sounds of explosion rang out, blood sprayed out from the Dragon¡¯s body. Something was wrong. It couldn¡¯t do something that it should be able to do.


    It couldn¡¯t stop itself from bleeding.


    It wasn¡¯t as if Azell had attacked the same location. Its initial wound should have stopped bleeding through regeneration. However, the wound continued to widen as blood continued to pour out.


    ¡°me the Duke. If it wasn¡¯t for this sword, it would have been my loss!¡±


    Azell had used a Hemorrhagic Curse that worked even on a Dragon. Azell was being backed up by plenty of Dragon Demon Magic, so he was able to use this technique. Moreover, Kairen¡¯s Dragon Sword made this attack possible.


    However, its bleeding wasn¡¯t the only strange urrence that created confusion within the Thunder Dragon.


    Pah-hahk! Pah-hah-hak!


    There wasn¡¯t only one sword hitting its body.


    Numerous sword strikes were parting its body at the same time.


    It felt as if several dozen humans were attacking it. However, it knew that wasn¡¯t possible. It was performing the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual with the single human, who was in front of it!


    ¡®Dance of the Shadows!¡¯


    In that moment, Azell created several dozen clones that had the substance of his real body, and they all charged towards the Thunder Dargon.


    The Hemorrhagic Curse could only be used by Azell¡¯s real body. However, the sword strikes all over its body could still cause damage. The Thunder Dragon didn¡¯t know what to do as pain washed over it.


    Kah-ah-ah-ah-ah!


    The Thunder Dragon let out lightning in a frantic attempt. However, it was useless. Azell possessed a devilish timing. He attacked right when the lightning was emitted. The pain caused the conentration of the Thunder Dragon to falter, and the weakened lightning strike was badly aimed.


    It had made a mistake in using the Dragon¡¯s Roar through its impatience. It didn¡¯t have time to recharge its power, and death was approaching it.


    Ba-dum! Ba-dum! Ba-dum!


    Azell¡¯s heart was beating crazily, and a frightening amount of magical energy was generated.


    At that moment, Azell charged towards the Thunder Dragon as if his soul was behind his attack. This was the decisive moment that would determine the oue of this battle. He had to kill the Thunder Dragon before the power used up by the Dragon¡¯s Roar returned. If he was able to do it, it was Azell¡¯s victory. If he couldn¡¯t do it, Azell would be dead!


    ¡°me Dragon¡¯s......!¡±


    The Dragon¡¯s mind was clouded from the massive blood loss, and Azell suddenly burst into view in front of the Thunder Dragon¡¯s eyes. The terrifying blue eyes looked down at the Dragon, and me erupted from his body like an active volcation.


    ¡°...Horn!¡±


    Then he brought down his burning sword down on the crown of the Dragon¡¯s head.


    5


    ¡°...my god. How can he dispatch a Dragon so easily?¡±


    The Keepers of the Prophecy was taken aback as they watched Azell and the Thunder Dragon conduct the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    They were well aware of how frightening of an existence a Dragon was. This was quite apparent since the surroundingndscape was being rearranged by the fight between the Thunder Dragon and Azell.


    However, Azell had defeated the Dragon very handily. If one knew the inside story, one would have found out that Azell had stolen the victory through a gamble. It had been a gamble with his life as a coteral. However, these beings didn¡¯t know the inside circumstances, so his victory looked unbelievably simple.


    Was he really the same person that impotently lost to Zeta only 4 months ago?


    ¡°Maybe he really is the figure mentioned in the Prophecy.¡±


    One of the Keeper of Prophecy spoke.


    Leone was also surprised. This fight hadn¡¯t been nned. Of course, the Frost Dragon hadn¡¯t been mobilized to be used at this point in time. Still, it was a card they had prepared, so the Frost Dragon could be mobilized any point in time. However, they had to use prematurely use the Frost Dragon, because of machination of the Dragon Demon King worshippers.


    Leone asked a question.


    ¡°What would happen if you fight him now, Zeta?¡±


    <I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t guarantee anything.>


    ¡°Are you able to win against a Dragon, Zeta?¡±


    <It is possible. However.......>


    Zeta wasn¡¯t confident he could do it like Azell. When he was alive, he had been known as a genius and an expert as a Spirit Order Practitioner. However, when he face Azell before, he had been outssed by Azell in terms of techniques. Yet this man now had matured in power up to a point where he could defeat a Dragon in a one on one battle. Will he really be able to defeat him?


    Leone spoke.


    ¡°Jares. Sometimes your harebrained schemes are useful.¡±


    Jares was struggling like a bug beside Leone¡¯s feet.


    ¡°Koo-oohk. Shit. If you are going to give me apliment, you should.... Why don¡¯t you speak in a more agreeable tone?¡±


    Jares was letting out cold sweat as heughed. The pain given to him by Azell was quite terrible. His body was still struggling from the pain.


    Leone furrowed his eyebrows.


    ¡°You should pick one reaction. Either you can be in pain or you can put on a smile of victory. You look creepy right now.¡±


    ¡°Kook-kook-kook, The man called Azell.... His actions have more bite than expected, but in the end... He is a virtuous man. If he is such a man, he can¡¯t help, but choose this course of action.¡±


    ¡°You just dropped a line that would be spoken by a real viin. Well, I guess you are a trash that is worse than a viin.¡±


    ¡°We are all the same.¡±


    ¡°It is annoying, but I have no basis to refute your words. Anyways, I¡¯m really starting to think he is the one being pointed out by the Prophecy.¡±


    ¡°Kook-kook-kook.......¡±


    Jares was still crumpled on the floor as he he let out a darkughter.


    Leone spoke. He looked at Jares as if he was an idiot.


    ¡°It seems Theta and Delta is doing well.¡±

 Chapter 83 - The Scar Left on the World (3)

    Chapter 83 - The Scar Left on the World (3)


    While Azell was conducting the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, Kairen chased after Laura.


    He was chasing after her by himself, and he lost her trail when she hid herself inside Vitan¡¯s Maze. Fortunately, the Guardian Shadows were able to pick up on her whereabouts again.


    Then.......


    <Hmm. Legendary runt. I used my artistic sense to decorate your eyes, but now it is back to its mundane appearance.>


    ¡°I neatly cleansed your ugly looking Skeleton, yet it seems it has be dirty again.¡±


    Kairen growled.


    The one making the sarcastic remarks as soon as it saw Kairen was the Dragon Demon Undead named Delta. It was allied with the Keepers of Prophecy. Its skull was crushed in the fight against Kairen, but it arrived to battle Laura after it had recovered its original appearance.


    <We don¡¯t have the luxury to unnecessarily squabble over our feelings.>


    The one to speak in such an annoyed tone was the Undead Magician Theta. Kairen grumbled.


    ¡°Hey, Skeleton Magician. Can¡¯t you tell me if I¡¯m in a nightmare or not? Then maybe I¡¯ll have some impetuous to be more thankful towards you.¡±


    <You should try biting your tongue to see if you are of right mind. You are fighting in a united front with the dirty Undeads. That is an undeniable reality.>


    ¡°Shit.¡±


    <You¡¯ve lived for a pretty long time, yet you haven¡¯t experienced this before. You should be more epting of these new emotions. It is best to have a flexible mind in regards to this arrangement.>


    ¡°You are an annoying bastard.¡±


    <What a very unoriginal assessment.>


    From Kairen¡¯s perspective, he was really annoyed, but he couldn¡¯t deny the fact that Delta and Theta were reliable allies. This was especially true of Theta. If it wasn¡¯t for Theta¡¯s magic, he would have already lost Laura.


    ¡°You guys are really persistent.¡±


    Laura let out a sigh. She was clearly vexed by all of this.


    However, one could feel a sense of dangering from within her.


    ¡®I never expected him to attempt the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.¡¯


    She had nned on escaping, while letting the Thunder Dragon deal with most of her pursuers. However, her n had gone awry. This was especially true in regards to Azell. He had upied the Thunder Dragon by using the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual. This possibility waspletely outside of her calctions.


    Still, did he really have the requisite power to face off against it?


    Before Kairen had arrived, Theta, Delta and several other Guardian Shadows had surrounded her, and they sent fierce attacks towards her. She hadn¡¯t been able to travel very far when Kairen suddenly appeared. He had sent an attack towards her without a moment¡¯s notice.


    Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah!


    Everything looked as if it was burning bright. Afterwards, Kairen struck atop her barrier.


    The barrier shook violently. Kairen¡¯s attack was so fierce that it made her blood run cold.


    ¡®As it stands now, I¡¯ll be in danger.¡¯


    She had beenpletely wrong in her calctions. There were too many strong enemies for her to fight and defeat them. She was well-informed of these beings. Aside from Kairen, these two Undeads were beings that had been killed in a fight with Laura¡¯s predecessor.


    Basically, they were Laura¡¯s sworn enemies, but it didn¡¯t rise to a threshold where she held a bitter resentment against them.


    In the first ce, Laura didn¡¯t hold any affection towards the previous heir of Aunsaurus.


    ¡®During that fight, all the members of this organization hadn¡¯t gathered in a single location... Moreover, the Dragon Sword Duke is also formidable.¡¯


    As she was having these thoughts, she was exchanging attacks in the fierce battle. Laura was using all kinds of magic in an attempt to escape this ce.


    However, the encirclement by her enemies was too sturdy. About half of her magic was being offset by Theta. While the Guardian Shadows annoyed her by attempting to slow her down, Kairen and Delta rushed in close to hit her with terrifying sword strikes.


    ¡®What should I do?¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t as if she didn¡¯t have any methods that¡¯ll allow her to escape from this ce.


    She just had to withdraw the Vitan¡¯s Maze being used to imprison Seigar. She had to turn the full ability of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice towards her enemies. However, that would cause her to fail her mission.


    ¡®I don¡¯t want that to happen.......¡¯


    Her head knew which choice was sensible. If one considered the merits she had rued until now, a single failure wouldn¡¯t cause too much harm to her. Wasn¡¯t this something even her rival, Niberis, had failed?


    ¡°If I do fail, I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Laura mumbled to herself as if she was convincing herself. Yes. It¡¯ll be alright if she failed. The right move was to concede Segiar to them, so she could get out of here safely.


    However, there was a stuffy feeling at the corner of her chest as if there was an obstruction.


    ¡®It won¡¯t be toote to give them a name after we sort them out.¡¯


    When she was young, she didn¡¯t know much about the world, and she hadn¡¯t received her name of Laura yet. She remembered the adults speaking as they coldly looked down at her. Their eyes had looked at her as if they were judging the worth of an item.


    ¡®Only those who don¡¯t fail will be given a name. We don¡¯t need failures.¡¯


    She always heard a variation of those words. Laura had once been pitted against the children for the seat of being an heir. Those who failed were weeded out through natural selection. They only wanted the children, who achieved results. Only these select children were given names.


    The children, who were weeded out, disappeared from this world. The children were tools that would be used to achieve their earnest wish. This was why many children were ¡¯produced¡¯, and only those that met the requirements were left alive.


    ¡°Ooh-oohk......!¡±


    This was the first time there was a change to Laura¡¯s expressionless face.


    She made a sensible and cool judgement. She decided to give up on this mission. Her well-being had to be prioritized. This was suppose to be a simple decision.


    However, a wound had been engraved into her mind starting from her childhood, and it was getting in the way of her making this simple choice.


    Kwah-ha-ha-haht!


    Her barrier was cut open. While her concentration was faltering, Delta and Kairen used the opportunity to focus their attacks on a single point.


    ¡°Kyahhhhk!¡±


    Laura let out a scream. Her sturdy barrier was broken, and her long dress was torn.


    ¡°You are having idle thoughts during a battle. You must be overflowing with confidence, Miss!¡±


    This was the perfect opportunity. Laura had been flung away. Kairen stormed in front of her, and he unhesitatingly brought his sword down. This would be the end for her!


    At that moment, a light exploded in front of his eyes.


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Kairen was shocked. The light hadn¡¯t caused him any harm. His vision was momentarily obstructed, but he didn¡¯t suffer any physical damage.


    However, he didn¡¯t feel anything at the end of his sword. He capitalized on the perfect opportunity, yet his sword had swung down on empty air.


    ¡°Ha-ahhhhh.......¡±


    Laura was letting out a deep sigh in front of him.


    At that moment, Kairen couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. The light had ignited in front of him, but he had closed his eyes instantly. He hadn¡¯t been blinded by the light. However, the sight in front of his eyes were distorted as if he was seeing a heat shimmer in an early summer day.


    Theta spoke.


    <It is a distortion of space.>


    Vitan¡¯s Chalice gathered the light from the sky, and it was a tool that distorted the space. The distortion of space could be used to create apletely secluded space. It was also possible to cause a local distortion of space other than creating the ¡¯Vitan¡¯s Maze¡¯.


    Moments ago, Laura was in a desperate situation, so she had created a distortion in space. Kairen was urate in his strike, but the distortion made him cut through empty air.


    ¡°I failed.......¡±


    A pale-faced Laura mumbled to herself.


    She had created a distortion in space, and at the same time, the Vitan¡¯s Maze had been broken. Azell¡¯s assessment was spot on. Laura was still inexperienced in using the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. She couldn¡¯t maintain the Vitan¡¯s Maze and cause a distortion in space at the same time.


    The unconscious Seigar was on the floor next to her.


    ¡°Seigar!¡±


    Kairen yelled out in surprised. However, Seigar had lostplete consciousness. He didn¡¯t respond to Kairen¡¯s words.


    Suddenly, Laura spoke.


    ¡°Since things turned out like this, it would have been great if he followed me.¡±


    Light was emanating far in the distance. A powerful surge of Dragon Demon magic was felt a beatter.


    Wooooooooooooooo.......


    The air was shaking slightly. In the midst of a battle, Laura, Kairen, Delta and Theta all looked backwards. This wasn¡¯t the time to take one¡¯s eyes from one¡¯s opponent, but the wave of Dragon Demon Magic that swept over them from the back had been too powerful.


    Laura mumbled to herself.


    ¡°In the end, he yed the Dragon. Azell Zestringer. Maybe you are... Maybe you are descended from the one, who saved the world from the King¡¯s Destiny.¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    He had never expected to hear such words from her. Kairen turned around to look at her in surprise. However, instead of giving an answer, she lifted Seigar with her magic.


    ¡°I was able toe to a decision regarding this failure thanks to you, Dragon Sword Duke.¡±


    As she spoke those words, she waved her hand once. Seigar¡¯s body was flung towards the wrong direction, and he started to fall off a cliff.


    ¡°Shit!¡±


    Kairen unhesitatingly threw his body off the cliff to follow after Seigar. No, he didn¡¯t just throw himself off the cliff. He was running down the cliff. He couldn¡¯t use his movement skills if he didn¡¯t have any ce to step on.


    When Kairen was sent away from her, Laura moved her body. Of course, Theta and Delta wouldn¡¯t just standby as she ran away.


    They immediately ran towards her, but....


    ¡°Bye now.¡±


    As if she had been waiting for them to move, the distortion of space was used to flip the space. They had been running full force towards her, but they were now running in the opposite direction as her. When they realized this fact, Laura had already hidden herself with magic, and she exited the location at high speed.


    ¡°Shit!¡±


    The angry Guardian Shadows started to chase after her.


    7


    Azell started to slowly open his eyes as the light surrounding him was dimming.


    The Dragon yer¡¯s ritual was over. The defeated Thunder Dragon had offered everything it had to the winner, Azell.


    Azell momentarily closed his eyes, and he felt the Dragon¡¯s power permeate his body. He could feel it. The enormous power he had taken from the Dragon was twitching within him.


    If he wanted to digest all this power, he would need a good amount of time. However, at that moment, he was full of energy as if his body¡¯s previous state had been a lie. All his wounds had healed, and the magical energy he had consumed to the extreme was now full.


    ¡°Now I should....¡±


    If he had his way, he wanted to immediately go into meditation to digest this power. He wanted to give this task his full attention. However, he didn¡¯t have the luxury to do that.


    It was at that moment. Azell let out his killing intent as he asked a question.


    ¡°...are you so eager to die?¡±


    The Keeper of Prophecy Leone had appeared in front of him. Unlike Jares, he hade here with his true body.


    ¡°No. I just wanted to let you know that you don¡¯t have to be in a hurry any more.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°We lost the Aunsaurus¡¯ heir. However, we were able to rescue the Dragon Demon Prince.¡±


    ¡°I see. At the very least, you doused the most immediate fire. I guess it is time for me to solve a personal business now.¡±


    ¡°What personal business are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You should immediately send out the bastard called Zeta. I¡¯ll destroy him. Then I¡¯ll go after Jares next. I¡¯ll make it so that he won¡¯t be able to think about doing this ever again.¡±


    ¡°About Jares.... Hmmm. I won¡¯t defend that runt¡¯s action, but.......¡±


    ¡°Runt?¡±


    Azell¡¯s eyes opened wide. Leone spoke.


    ¡°Ah. I may look like this, but I¡¯m much older than you, sir Azell.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°When one bes a Keeper of the Prophecy, it means you forfeit your life of living as a human. I was born during the Great Darkness.¡±


    Azell swallowed his breath when he heard those words. It was hard to believe his story. If he was born during the Great Darkness, wasn¡¯t he at the very least an old man over 60?


    ¡°You aren¡¯t a Dragon Demon or a Dragon Majin.... Does this mean you avoided the flow of time for all these years?¡±


    ¡°Yes. However, you don¡¯t have to treat me like an old man. I¡¯ve already thrown away my past.¡±


    Leone was speaking about an incredible story, yet he was smiling brightly. Azell was temporarily at a loss for words, so Leone spoke.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll return to talking about Jares. I fully understand sir Azell¡¯s feelings, but his unnecessary method hatched a good result for you. May you take that fact into consideration?¡±


    ¡°Birds of a feather flock together. You are only looking at the result.¡±


    It was true that the Frost Dragon was used to lure away the Dragon Demon King worshippers. This in turn allowed him to block the Thunder Dragon. However, if Azell thought about the original reason why Jares had prepared the Frost Dragon, he couldn¡¯t forgive Jares.


    ¡°I see. Well, that is too bad. It seems Jares will have to look out for his own life.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯ll be more convenient for me to torture you. It¡¯ll prompt him to show up in front of me.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, we aren¡¯t tied to each other through affection. We all prioritize our own safety over others.¡±


    ¡°You guys are trash.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t deny that fact. However, the reason behind our choices may differ from what you are thinking, sir Azell.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°There is a reason why we emphasise putting our own safety above all others. Our lives are a tool being used to achieve our earnest wish. The Keepers of Prophecy gave up our lives as humans by choice. We are now the tools being used to eradicate the Dragon Demon King worshippers.¡±


    ¡°So this is why you are suddenly a bit more free with the information you offer. This is why you continue to p your lips. You want me to feel pity towards you. Do you expect me to sympathize with you guys?¡±


    ¡°We never considered such a thing. We assessed that there was a high chance that you are the person mentioned in the prophecy. This is the only reason why we are being more cooperative with you.¡±


    ¡°However, I have no ns to cooperate with you.¡±


    ¡°If you are able to destroy the Dragon Demon worshippers, then that is the best kind of cooperation you can give.¡±


    It didn¡¯t matter what words were said. Leone kept smiling, and his face was really like a mask. Azell furrowed his brows as he spoke.


    ¡°Well, all right. I¡¯ll hunt down Jares myself, and I¡¯ll make him suffer. Give me the bastard called Zeta.¡±


    ¡°I refuse.¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±

 Chapter 84 - The Scar Left on the World (4)

    Chapter 84 - The Scar Left on the World (4)


    ¡°It is useless to test you through Zeta anymore.¡±


    ¡°Ho-oh? I thought you said you only look out for yourself? Or do you think I¡¯m not capable of killing you too?¡±


    ¡°In my opinion, I don¡¯t think you will.¡±


    ¡°...I would have understood it if you are really a child. However, you are acting like a ck-hearted old man.¡±


    Leone¡¯s eyes widened. He could barely see Azell¡¯s movement as a sword was aimed at Leone¡¯s throat. Azell was so fast that it looked as if time had stopped for a brief moment. It was as if Leone couldn¡¯t pick up what had happened in between.


    However, Leone continued to smile even in such circumstances.


    ¡°You can take out your anger on me. I¡¯ll ept it, but you won¡¯t kill me.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell grinded his teeth.


    ¡®This bastard... He isn¡¯t bluffing.¡¯


    Azell realized it when he saw Leone¡¯s eyes. This bastard meant what he said. It was as if he didn¡¯t believe that Azell would do such an act. He wasn¡¯t saying this with determination or fear.


    His eyes really said he didn¡¯t care what happened. Azell might be the person they are looking for, so he would ept Azell¡¯s retaliation....


    In the end, Azell lowered his sword.


    ¡°What is this Prophecy you keep talking about?¡±


    ¡°He is a human yet he possesses Dragon Demon Magic. He is the bowl that will be filled with the Great Power, and he will fulfil your most earnest wish.¡±


    The Prophecy was very short.


    The Keepers of the Prophecy¡¯s earnest wish was for the Dragon Demon King worshippers to be wiped out. They had given up their lives as humans to see ite true. They had be a part of the Guardian Shadows.


    Azell asked a question.


    ¡°A bowl that will be filled with a Great Power? What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t at the point where we can tell you more about it. We¡¯ll probably tell you when we receive confirmation that you are the one.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯ll tell me when you confirm that I¡¯m the person that is prophesied to bring the end to the Dragon Demon King?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°How can you confirm such a thing?¡±


    ¡°That we do not know.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°You can look at me that way, but I¡¯m not lying. In truth, we also don¡¯t know much.¡±


    ¡°The Guardian Shadows are a real mess of an organization. It seems there are a lot of Keepers of Prophecy. I thought there would at least be a hierarchy amongst you guys. I¡¯m guessing there isn¡¯t one?¡±


    ¡°Not really. For example, we have no idea what criteria was used in selecting us as the Keepers of Prophecy. We just know we were chosen, and we epted it. From that moment on, we were like newly born beings that just learned how to breathe. We instinctively knew what to do, and we merely acted on those instincts.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Azell was dumbfounded. Leone shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°I know about the process in bing a Guardian Shadow. However, I don¡¯t have much information in regards to how a Keeper of Prophecy is chosen.¡±


    ¡°If one wants to be a member of the Guardian Shadows... I was told that another Guardian Shadow has to choose you.¡±


    ¡°Ah. This is what I just spoke to you about. It is the process in how one bes a Guardian Shadow.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°The members of the organization called the Guardian Shadows chooses the other Guardian Shadows. Basically, they are given a choice.¡±


    The sound of a children whispering was heard, and at the same time, the ghostly Guardian Shadows started to appear. There was someone with a small stature like a child, there was someone with a bent back like an old man, there was someone with a stature of a giant, there was a someone that was fat.... A variety of silhouettes formed, but they all shared the same appearance as they circled around Leone.


    Leone looked at them as he told Azell a secret.


    ¡°The Guardian Shadows were all humans once.¡±


    ¡°They were humans once?¡±


    Azell was surprised. Maybe he should have expected it. However, the Guardian Shadows had been too alien for him to think of them as former humans.


    Azell looked at variety shapes of humans.


    Magic and Spirit Order techniques could be used to alter a human. There were living beings, who chose to change until they became monsters. Then there were those who became Undeads in death.


    However, the alterations seen by Azell in the past didn¡¯t resemble anything to the Guardian Shadows. In some ways, they looked like spirits without bodies. In some other aspects, they resembled the Undead. However, they were neither of the two. One couldn¡¯t feel evil energy from them, yet they didn¡¯t have true forms. They were strange beings. It was as if they were living between this world and another.


    ¡°There used to be a great magician in the past. Mmm. There might have been couple more magicians, but in the story I was told, there was only one.¡±


    Leone was talking about the origins of the Guardian Shadows. Azell had seen numerous magic in the Dragon Demon War. He had witnessed the greatest mysteries of these magic, yet he couldn¡¯t wrap his mind around the Guardian Shadows. How was such an organization born?


    ¡°He opposed Dragon Demon King Atein, and the people who worshipped him. He wanted to fight those that were manipting the situation of the world from behind the curtain. However, even if he did possess incredible magic, he didn¡¯t have enough power to fight all of them.¡±


    This was why the great magician hade up with this method.


    He couldn¡¯t stop all of them by himself. He couldn¡¯t just simply create an organization... He decided to gather the power of more people. The Dragon Demon Worshippers built a rtionship of cooperation based on their worship for the Dragon Demon King. He wanted to something akin to that. He needed people that wouldn¡¯t calcte the gains and losses. He needed beings that would cooperate on the pure desire of obstructing the Dragon Demon King and his worshippers.


    ¡°Basically, he picked beings that held a grudge against the Dragon Demon King worshippers that couldn¡¯t be washed away.¡±


    However, there had been a problem. Normally, those with that much enmity against the Dragon Demon King worshippers were already all dead. The Dragon Demon King worshippers were obsessed with keeping their secrets. The easiest way to keep a secret is to dispose of all the witnesses.


    ¡°This was why he didn¡¯t recruit the living. He found willing allies in the dead.¡±


    This was how this great magic waspleted. If other magicians were told what he was doing, they would have said it was impossible to do. This was a massive magical spell that would epass every person in this world.


    ¡°This magic is basically called the Guardian Shadow.¡±


    There had been souls of the dead where the enmity against the Dragon Demon King worshippers couldn¡¯t be washed away. The souls was confronted with the essence of this magic, and they were given a choice. They could either pass on to thend of the dead or they could give up the peace of the afterlife. They could be a part of the magic, and they could fight against the Dragon Demon King worshippers until the end of the world.


    The Guardian Shadows were the souls, who picked thetter choice.


    ¡°Do you really want me to believe such a story?¡±


    Azell was struck dumb. If he looked back on the Dragon Demon war, his enemies and allies had used almost cmity-level magic. Thend over a town, which supported a thousand people, were turned to thend of the dead. All the living beings were infected with a magical infectious disease, and it turned the living beings into Undeads. Such evil miracles had urred before.


    However, even if Azell used the standard of magic that had been used during that time, this was preposterous.


    Leone spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m also a magician, so I know my words sound absurd. However... There is one dream that every magician possesses.¡±


    A cataclysmic event had forever left a scar on this world.


    When Carlos was being full of himself, he used to repeat his desire to achieve this very same dream. It was the ultimate task all magicians worked towards solving.


    It was passed down that the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual and themonnguage between people were the result of fulfilling this desire.


    If one thought in those terms, the magic that had formed as the Guardian Shadows didn¡¯t seem impossible.


    ¡°Through the long history of magic, the knowledge and techniques were passed down, and there were beings that rose above those past knowledge. They were able to create miracles. The Guardian Shadows is one of these miraculous feats. This was the information that had been passed down amongst us.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell was at a loss for words when Leone revealed the origins of the Guardian Shadows.


    8


    Jares was far away as he synced his vision with a Guardian Shadow next to Leone. He furrowed his brows as he mumbled to himself.


    ¡°I had this thought from the beginning, but... He really looks like someone I know.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have much of my memories left, but...¡±


    Jares went over his memories when he heard hisrade¡¯s question.


    When one became a Keeper of Prophecy, one looked like a human, but one had given up everything that made one be a human. They weren¡¯t affected by the passage of time, and the Keepers of the Prophecy always maintained their original appearance. They didn¡¯t age or get sick. They didn¡¯t die unless they were murdered.


    In a way, they were the manifestation of the desire for humanity to live forever. Of course, they had given up being humans, so they had also given up the advantages of being humans that allowed them to enjoy their life.


    They were beings that were gripped by their most powerful memory. They had enmity against the Dragon Demon King worshippers that couldn¡¯t be washed away. This memory was embedded like a curse, and it wrapped itself around their minds. It wouldn¡¯t let them go. Any other memories unrted to that one became fuzzy. The other memories were like heat shimmers in a summer day. The memories disappeared across the fog in their mind.


    Even amongst the Keepers of the Prophecy, Jares had lost the most memories.


    He knew he was of noble birth, so he maintained his prideful attitude. However, he had lost all his memories from childhood. Currently, he only had a vague sense that he had a father, mother, older brother and a little sister. However, he couldn¡¯t even remember their faces.


    At time, he thought about them, and it drove him nuts. He could remember some of the memories he had with them. He could remember someone of the precious feelings he had felt... However, he couldn¡¯t remember their faces, no matter what methods he used.


    ¡°Azell Zestringer. I¡¯ve seen that man before.¡±


    Jares furrowed his brow.


    He couldn¡¯t even remember his precious family, yet how could he feel as if he had see Azell¡¯s face? Was he mistaken? It couldn¡¯t be. When they first went to greet Azell, there was a voice in the back of his mind that kept speaking to him.


    ¡®This is something important. I can¡¯t let this go. I must not pass this by.¡¯


    Jares put a big importance on his intuition. It had never ended well when he ignored such a feeling.


    At that moment, another Keeper of Prophecy spoke.


    ¡°I think I know what you are thinking about.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm? What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Portrait.¡±


    He also closed his eyes to get a closer look at Azell¡¯s face.


    ¡°He looks very simr to the portrait of the hero Azell Karzark that I saw before.¡±


    ¡°A portrait?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It might be, because they share the same distinctive red hair and blue eyes... However, their overall features are quite simr. From what I gathered, every portrait of Azell Karzark looks different from each other, so I¡¯m not sure if it is a reliable source.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    Jares furrowed his eyebrows as he tried to remember the past. A voice he heard when he was still a young child brushed by his mind.


    ¡®Jares. No one else in this world knows about this, but we are a family that had been descended from a great bloodline. You should be proud of this truth.¡¯


    He was sure that this was something his father had told him. He had a feeling that he had heard this story many times before. Moreover... He was sure he had loved listening to this story.


    Jares¡¯ head hurt as he focused on his memories. However, he couldn¡¯t remember anything rted to that story.


    ¡°Shit.¡±


    Jares grinded his teeth from frustration.

 Chapter 85 The Scar Left on the World (5)

    Chapter 85 ¨C The Scar Left on the World (5)


    9


    Laura Aunsauras had failed at her mission, and she eventually returned to the in of Darkness. The elders didn¡¯t me her. They had read the reports given by her, and the members that went along to carry out the n. They decided nothing else could have been done by her.


    After she retreated away from the elders, Laura went towards a detached pce where the Aunsaurus family lived.


    Someone appeared in front of her when she arrived.


    ¡°Laura.¡±


    It was a beautiful blonde haired Dragon Demon teen. He possessed horns that looked as if it had been cut from ice, and color was infused into it. It was Kieren Baldazark. Laura spoke as she looked at him with a nk face.


    ¡°Lord Baldazark. Shouldn¡¯t you be conducting a mission right now?¡±


    Kieren had addressed Laura in a friendly manner. However, Laura was strict in using honorifics by calling him a lord. Kieren shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°I was merely given a scouting mission where I had to assess the marquisate of Karzark. As I was conducting my mission, I received a report saying the Cold-blooded Queen was on the move. I was given an order to return.¡±


    ¡°So you just cleanly broke off from your mission. That is very like you, Lord Baldazark.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I was given a return order.¡±


    ¡°If it was Niberis, she would have stayed to obtain a good result. She would have fought with the Cold-blooded Queen.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Baldazark¡¯s expression stiffened slightly.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not in a position to speak about such things.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Mmmm. Laura. What happened this time....¡±


    Kieren knew Laura hade back after failing her mission. Laura had never experienced failure before. He was wondering if he should console her or not.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°Surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t too bad.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about failure. Now that I experienced it, and I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that big of a deal.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    He couldn¡¯tprehend what she was talking about. Laura spoke to Baldazark, who had a puzzled expression on his face.


    ¡°However, it is regretful that sir Rick had to meet his death..¡±


    ¡°...I judged he would be able to seed in his task. I guess I was too hasty with my decision.


    At those words, Kieren let out a bitterugh.


    Rick was a Dragon Majin that had been a vassal of the Baldazark family. He was dispatched alongside Laura toplete this mission. Originally, he was tasked to do the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual with the Thunder Dragon after the mission. However, he was pushed into a Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual with the Frost Dragon, which was unexpectedly brought forth by the Guardian Shadows.


    In the end, he was defeated in the life and death battle. He died after presenting his Wisdom to the Frost Dragon.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Laura was silent for a brief moment as she looked at Kieren. She dropped the issue as she changed the topic.


    ¡°Cold-blooded Queen. I¡¯ve never seen her, but I heard she is more dangerous than the Dragon Sword Duke.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm. I haven¡¯t met her either. Even if I doe across her, I was given orders not to fight her. These were the guidelines given to me.¡±


    ¡°She is someone I want to pit against Niberis at least once.¡±


    ¡°Laura.......¡±


    Kieren¡¯s brows furrowed a little bit as Laura continued to express her desire to trip up Niberis. Normally, Laura didn¡¯t even bother with Niberis. One could actually feel the tangible malice emanating from Niberis towards Laura. However, Laura¡¯s indifferent attitude had always bugged Niberis. So what had changed?


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°Sorry. Am I being petnt?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m somehow in that sort of a mood. When I return, I¡¯ll probably bepared to Lord Baldazark, and you know how much I don¡¯t like hearing that.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Niberis, Laura and Kieren were the young geniuses that received the most attention in the ins of Darkness. Of course, they thought of each other aspetition. This was why they were mindful of each other¡¯s merits. In truth, this wasn¡¯t something they demanded of themselves. Their backgrounds put pressure on them, and it was sometimes hard to breath.


    Kieren was someone that was pulling ahead of thepetition. Unlike Niberis and Laura, he had experienced several failures earlier on. However, he had used this experience to better himself. He was more careful in his nning now, and he steadily increased the merits he achieved.


    Niberis had been doing wellpared to Kieren, yet she had suffered a very painful failure. Laura had suffered something very simr this time around. The elders of the Aunsauras family had requested perfection from her starting a young age. It had been said enough that she was fed up with it. She was annoyed when she thought about the words that would be directed towards her.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°Lord Baldazark. What would you do if there was a descendant of Azell Karzark still alive?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm? You mean THE Azell Karzark? Why are you asking such a question?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just curious.¡±


    Laura didn¡¯t go out of her way to exin to Kieren about Azell Zestringer. Kieren tilted his head in confusion at the question that had came out of nowhere. He answered her.


    ¡°I guess it could happen. Humans are able to procreate easily, so there might be some descendants left in the world. We killed the house of Karzark, and anyone rted to him by blood. However, we aren¡¯t gods. We can¡¯t always be perfect in our tasks..¡±


    If Azell had heard this conversation, he would have used every method possible to kill them. The eradication of the Karzark family had been a cmity carried out by the Dragon Demon King worshippers.


    ¡°I guess that isn¡¯t what I wanted to ask you. What would you do if his descendant really got in our way?¡±


    ¡°We have to kill him. That is an obvious question.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it? Thank you for giving me an answer.¡±


    As if she expected such an answer, she nodded her head before she turned her body away. However, when she reached a point where Kieren couldn¡¯t see her, she looked up into the air as she mumbled to herself.


    ¡°However, I want to ask him a question. How did our burdens, whiches with our bloodlines, differ from each other....¡±


    The Dragon Demon King had wanted to make a new world, and they were the chosen ones that had received the blood of such an exalted being.


    Then there were the humans, who had received the blood of the one that stopped the Dragon Demon King from establishing himself as a ruler.


    It had been 220 years, and she wondered the difference significance each side put in their bloodlines. Laura was very curious as to learn about this.


    She stopped walking. She had been heading towards the detached pce of the Aunsaurus family. However, she started heading towards a new direction. She wanted to meet someone that¡¯ll give a different answer to the question she posed. She was going to meet an elder, who was the oldest being on thisnd.


    10


    After rescuing the Dragon Demon Prince Seigar, the Guardian Shadows didn¡¯t say any goodbyes. They just disappeared. It seemed they didn¡¯t want to reveal themselves to Seigar, who wasn¡¯t part of the Guardian Shadows.


    The unconscious Segiar woke up the next day. Seigar realized his teacher had saved him, and this knowledge made his face turn red. Then he exined what happened in his battle with Laura.....


    ¡°So if we piece together your story, Segiar....¡±


    When he heard Segiar¡¯s words, Kairen was able toe to a conclusion.


    ¡°So the reason why they tried to kidnap you and Arrieta... Maybe you guys are from the Dragon Demon King¡¯s lineage?¡±


    ¡°That is what I think.¡±


    Seigar nodded his head.


    As Laura Aunsaurus was subduing him in the fight, she had dropped several clues, and he was able toe up with a conjecture. She had pointed out Seigar as she spoke regarding the Great Being. She had said he was someone, who had a part of the king within him.


    In some ways, their conclusion was a bit hastily made. They only had snippets of information. However, Laura was basically a noble that hade out from the ins of Darkness. The only one she would call ¡¯king¡¯ was the Dragon Demon King.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°The probability is high. It somewhat exins the reason behind their kidnap attempts... Mmmm. No. This doesn¡¯t really exin it.¡±


    ¡°How can it not?¡±


    ¡°I know right? However, there are a lot of Dragon Majins, who were descended from the Dragon Demon King Atein¡±


    ¡°Mmmm? What are you talking about?¡±


    Kairen asked in surprised. From what he observed from working as part of the Guardian Shadow, the Dragon Demon King worshippers treated anyone with the blood of Dragon Demon King Atein as nobles. No, they were treated almost as royalty. Yet Azell was speaking about such existences as if they weremonce.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°That is... Atein is one of the oldest Dragon Demon, and he is hypothesized to be the very first mage. He named himself the Dragon Demon King, but before he could unite the Dragon Demon race to muster up an army, he had lived for a very long time. He probably had a lot of rtionship throughout his lifetime, and from what I know, he left behind a long of descendants. Therefore, there are an abundant amount of beings all over the world with Atein¡¯s blood in them.¡±


    ¡°...this is the first time I¡¯ve heard such a story.¡±


    ¡°Did the records regarding Atein get erased too?¡±


    ¡°No. That¡¯s... Hmmm. I guess so.¡±


    Kairen had been about to deny it, but he furrowed his brows.


    For the past 220 years, the Dragon Demon King worshippers had erased numerous records off of the world¡¯s history. It was reasonable to think that records about Atein was included in this deletion. No, it was likely.


    ¡°I knew the Dragon Demon King had lived for a long time, and he was one of the very first Dragon Demons. However, I never realized he had so many descendants. No. It would be more urate if I said I¡¯ve never even thought about it.¡±


    ¡°Well, it is probably hard to fathom a being that named himself a king left behind descendants all over the world. I guess it is normal to not want such information spread widely.¡±


    Azell epted that possibility. Before the Dragon Demon war had started, Atein¡¯s existence was an unverified legend. He had been treated like a character from a myth that disappeared a long time ago. The knowledge of the origin of the Dragon Demon race and the existence of Atein was limited to magicians. Moreover, no one expected Atein to live so long.


    Basically, the world found out about Atein¡¯s existence after he named himself the Dragon Demon King, and started the Dragon Demon war. Even Azell didn¡¯t know about Atein, and he had learned the information through Carlos at ater date. Moreover, Atein¡¯s past was discovered when Carlos researched in depth into the subject.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Well... Even if the princess and prince was born with a more undiluted blood of the Dragon Demon King, it wouldn¡¯t be a reason to kidnap them. If we areparing the purity of their bloodlines, the ones in the ins of Darkness are probably superior in those terms.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. Yet they still tried to kidnap them even as far as going through such danger. There must be an underlying reason....¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have any other clues to specte on the topic. We could expend more of our efforts on spection, but it¡¯ll be a shock in the dark.¡±


    ¡°That is unfortunate.¡±


    Kairen clicked his tongue.


    Seigar spoke.


    ¡°Mmm. That woman was a really scary magician. Ifpared to the Dragon Demon Niberis, whom my sister fought, Laura was her equal.¡±


    ¡°She probably is stronger than Niberis. This is why you don¡¯t have to be so down on yourself. Of course, you would havee up short against her.¡±


    ¡°No. If I was a little bit more careful....¡±


    Seigar let out a sigh. He was too careful with his subordinates. He made the error of stepping forward in such a defenseless state. He knew what he was worth, so he should have been a little bit more cautious....


    Kairen just looked at Seigar before he spoke.


    ¡°Seigar.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°As this event as an impetus, why don¡¯t youe with me to be retrained for an extended period of time?¡±


    ¡°Again?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I still have a lot I can still teach you.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    Seigar was conflicted. It was an attractive offer. It was true the teachings under Kairen had been pure pain. However, if he hadn¡¯t spent that time with him, Seigar wouldn¡¯t be the man he is right now.


    He knew he couldn¡¯t hold a candle to Kairen, but he had thought he had enough power. However, that notion was demolished by what had happened. He almost felt apulsive need to get stronger.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°I want you to think over it then you can make your decision. I¡¯m going to spend a good amount of time exchanging sword strikes with Azell.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Seigar was surprised. He didn¡¯t know how he had been rescued. He had just woken up from his state of unconsciousness. The Guardian Shadows had hidden themselves long time ago, and Seigar assumed it was Kairen, who had rescued him.


    Of course, he would have such a reaction. If one looked at Seigar¡¯s standards, Kairen represented absolute strength to him. Kairen hadn¡¯t said he would instruct this human knight. He had used the expression of sharing swords with Azell.


    Kairen could read his pupil¡¯s thought, so he smirked.


    ¡°Azell distinguished himself greatly in his actions to save you. If sir Azell hadn¡¯t fought and defeated the Thunder Dragon called out by them, you would probably be still on your way to the ins of Darkness. You might have been subjected to all kinds of treatments.¡±


    ¡°He fought and defeated the Thunder Dragon in an one-on-one battle?¡±


    Segiar¡¯s confusion became much deeper. A human had fought a 1on1 battle with a Dragon, and he had won? Did they want him to really believe such a story?


    Kairen spoke as he looked at Azell.


    ¡°As you can see, you did something that couldn¡¯t be done by a human in Segiar¡¯s way of looking at this world.¡±


    ¡°In the past, wasn¡¯t Duke skeptical of my ims too?¡±


    ¡°Still, I remember myself showing a little more flexibility in my attitude towards your im.¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess everyone beautifies the past memories sometimes in the course of one¡¯s life. I heard this tendency develops as one gets older....¡±


    ¡°Chet. You are always so insolent.¡±


    Kairen clicked his tongue as if he was indignant. Then he spoke.


    ¡°So in the spirit of this conversation, I want you to have a sparring session with Segiar.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to refuse the offer.¡±


    ¡°Ho-oh?¡±


    ¡°I think what I did this time around allows me to be a little bit more obstinate. Isn¡¯t that so?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I cannot gainsay you on that point.¡±


    ¡°If the prince ept your offer and hees to the Dukedom of Tarantos, I¡¯ll think about it. In truth, I just want to rest for the next few days.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    Kairen shut his mouth at those words.


    ¡®I¡¯m such a... I spoke for the betterment of my student, and it caused me to put my foot in my mouth.¡¯


    Kairenmented on the fact that his thoughts had been too shallow. Azell¡¯s condition had been poor prior to arriving here, and he hadn¡¯t been able to sufficiently grow his power. He also didn¡¯t have the needed tools, yet he had gone through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. After all that, Kairen was asking him to have a sparring session with Seigar.....


    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so earnest with your apology. In terms of my physical health, I¡¯m much better now than when I arrived here.¡±


    Azell let out a lightugh.


    Seigar was listening to the conversation, and his expression indicated that he had no idea what was going on. Everyone in this kingdom including the royal family treated his teacher with the utmost respect. Yet his teacher was being so friendly and respectful towards a young human....


    No, it would be understandable if his teacher was treating Azell as if he took a liking to him. However, Kairen¡¯s attitude indicated that he was treating Azell as an equal.


    Kairen didn¡¯t pay attention to Segiar¡¯s confusion as he spoke.


    ¡°Well, you probably have a lot of work to do now, so you should go meet your lieutenant. We are going to stay here for the night, and we n on leaving in the morning.¡±


    On that day, Seigar had to thorough a busy day of work. In the end, he couldn¡¯t give an answer to Kairen¡¯s offer. Moreover, there were too many things for him to consider when making the decision.


    Kairen didn¡¯t ask for an immediate answer. He gave his farewell to Seigar, and he left for the Dukedom of Tarantos with Azell in the morning.

 Chapter 86 - Birth of the Dragon Sword (1)

    Chapter 86 - Birth of the Dragon Sword (1)


    1


    Another two months passed after rescuing the Dragon Demon Prince Segiar from an attempted kidnapping carried out by the Dragon Demon King worshippers.


    The estate in the Lance Mountain was upied by Azell. The mountain was in the midst of a cold winter, and the whole mountain was starting to be painted white by snow and ice.


    Kairen had kept his promise he made around half a year ago. He hadpleted the Dragon Sword. When he heard the news, Azell left the estate in the Lance mountain, and he came down to the Tarantos castle.


    ¡°This is a bit abrupt, but.......¡±


    Havanz spoke.


    ¡°Your body can¡¯t bepared to the state you were in when you first got here.¡±


    ¡°I wanted a body like this one.¡±


    Azell took off his shirt, and he stood in front of the mirror. He spoke as took poses that showed off his rippling muscles.


    His body hadpletely changed from the body he had half a year ago. He had a lot of scars on his body as he endure a harsh training regiment. However, he didn¡¯t have a single ounce of fat now. His body was perfect as it was bnced out by flexible muscles.


    His outer appearance wasn¡¯t the only change that had urred. His Energy Pulse couldn¡¯t bepared the before. As his Energy Pulse became revitalized, his capacity for storing magic had increased. One¡¯s increase in physical ability could be seen outwardly, but the changes urring inside was far outstripping his physical improvement.


    Moreover, he now had 6 Rings of Life encasing his heart. All of them had gone through the process of Dual Banding.


    He had been able to drastically recover his power, because he had the perfect environment and support. Azell had taken advantage of what was made avable to him to achieve this result. Moreover, there was the Thunder Dragon¡¯s power he had absorbed from the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. It allowed him to grow past the point he had originally targeted.


    ¡®Still, I¡¯m falling short of making the Dragon Demon Qi.¡¯


    He had gone through his second Dragon yer¡¯s ritual, so Azell¡¯s magical energy had a stronger vor of Dragon Demon Qi. However, he was short of being able to forge it into Dragon Demon Qi.


    ¡®But maybe....¡¯


    There was one thing that was bothering him. He became aware of a faint difference in his Energy Pulse.


    He became aware of this difference after the second Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. His magical energy took on a stronger vor of Dragon Demon Magic, and he sensed some unknown particles floating around inside his Energy Pulse.


    Basically, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to sense it at all until his Dragon Demon magic had risen to a certain level. It meant something was reacting the the Dragon Demon Magic........


    It wasn¡¯t as if he didn¡¯t have a hunch on what was going on. However, Azell wasn¡¯t going to specte. He decided to calmly observe it.


    ¡°I guess I have to head out now.¡±


    Azell put on his clothes, and he gave a farewell to the Lance mountain estate, which he had upied for the past half a year. Then he descended to travel to the Tarantos castle.


    During his stay, Winter hade. Snow had piled up on the mountain roads, and various ces were frozen solid. The going was slow as they traveled down the road.


    Azell and Havanz could have easily descended the mountain in short order, but there were other people in their group. They couldn¡¯t just leave them behind.


    When they reached the Tarantos castle, the sun was starting to set, and Kairen¡¯s patience had reached its limit.


    ¡°You arete! What took you so long!¡±


    ¡°The winter roads are dangerous. Moreover, there are delicate women in our party. How could I just leave them behind ande here by myself?¡±


    ¡°You could have left everything to Havanz. You could have juste by yourself!¡±


    ¡°These people have looked over me for the past half year. I¡¯m not boorish enough to leave them behind.¡±


    ¡°Ughh. The fact that you don¡¯t like to lose any verbal exchanges is still the same.¡±


    Kairen grumbled.


    Azell grinned.


    ¡°I really want to give thanks to you, duke. I was able to train to my heart¡¯s content thanks to you.¡±


    ¡°Your thanks cane in the form of sparring matches.¡±


    ¡°That I can do as much as you like.¡±


    Azell gave an exaggerated bow. Kairen snorted as he took Azell underground. It was a secret room that had been prepared for the magic ritual.


    Beorein was sitting in a chair, and he was asleep. He opened his eyes when he felt the presence of two others in the room.


    ¡°Mmmm? You are finally here. You made an old man wait. What an inconsiderate fellow.¡±


    ¡°It seems the duke didn¡¯t think at all about the time it would take us toe down the mountain.¡±


    ¡°That fellow is always like that. He believes the world revolves around him.¡±


    Beorein got up as he massaged his back, then he went to the corner of the room.


    The Dragon Sword was there.


    ¡°So this is.......¡±


    The Dragon Sword was floating atop the magic circle, and one couldn¡¯t call its appearance as being sword-like. A sword was manufactured with utmost care, yet the de of this sword didn¡¯t hold an edge. The surface was roughly carved. It looked like a club that had been carved into the shape of a sword.


    Azell approached the sword that didn¡¯t look like a sword.


    Beorein spoke.


    ¡°Do you remember the exnation I gave youst time? The final step has to be done through your hands.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Azell gave his answer as he grabbed the sword. At the same time, the Dragon Sword resonated.


    Ba-dump.


    Azell¡¯s heart beat loudly alongside the sword. At the same time, the magical energy that arose from the Rings of Life responded to the Dragon Demon magic seeped inside the Dragon Sword. It resonated with each other.


    Ooooooooooohng!


    The ripple of light started to spread outwards. Azell could feel a powerful Dragon Demon magic within the Dragon Sword, so he couldn¡¯t hide his excitement. This reaction was as strong as the time he grasped the Kairen¡¯s Dragon Sword, which had been loaned out to him. He had felt this electrifying feeling only when he had held his Dragon Maken, and this feeling dominated his whole body.


    ¡®I already have a shape in mind.¡¯


    Thest step in the production of the Dragon Sword had to be done by the owner. First, one had to cause a resonance. Then one used the powerful Image Making skill to decide on the final shape of the Dragon Sword.


    Azell had already decided on the shape of the Dragon Sword early on. It was the shape of the Dragon Maken, which had been preserved for the past 220 years by Carlos¡¯ powerful magic.


    Woooooooooooo!


    The powerful Dragon Demon magic raged inside the room like a storm. It was so intense that the magical circle couldn¡¯t handle the power, and the room shook.


    Beorein was taken aback.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this much more fierce than the time you made your sword? Is this going to be ok?¡±


    ¡°His magical energy has expanded so much that it can¡¯t bepared to before. In such a short amount of time, he.......¡±


    It was weird to call half a year¡¯s time as being short. However, for a Spirit Order practitioner, it was extremely short when considering how much Azell had increased his magical energy.


    Kairen watched Azell, who was emitting magical energy that couldn¡¯t bepared to his former self. At this level, he might be the strongest human alive!


    Kwah-ja-jahk... Kwah-jahk!


    Numerous cracks started to form on the surface of the Dragon Sword, and pieces started to fall away. From within this item, a snow white de made out of the Dragon Bone emerged. The Dragon Sword made its appearance.


    ¡°Ha ha ha.......¡±


    Azell couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter.


    ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!¡±


    Dragon Demon magic.


    It allowed one to coerce nature through Imagery.


    A human could only gain this through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, yet this power was erupting out of Azell¡¯s hand. Powerful Dragon Demon magic was exploding forth from Azell, and he stored it inside the Dragon Sword.


    A sharp sword strike was executed at the empty air.


    Shweeeeeng!


    The sound was so clear that it almost gave one goosebumps. The sound rang out as something surprising urred. A normal person wouldn¡¯t be able to recognize it, but Kairen and Beorein was astounded.


    ¡°The magical wave...¡±


    ¡°He cut through it?¡±


    The powerful magical wave had been swirling around him, and Azell had just sliced through it with a sword strike. The energy was cut so cleanly that it was hard to believe there had been a magical wave present before. There was a stillness in the room.


    It was a hair-raising strike. Was it really possible to cut off the flow of magical energy so abruptly? The magical energy was instantly put into dormancy.


    Azell face was glowing with excitement as he spoke to the two frozen men.


    ¡°This is the greatest gift of all. I really... Thank you duke and count.¡±


    ¡°Then it is time for you to show me your gratitude. You won¡¯t act like a goody two shoes that insists on proper sleeping time?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. I am willing to spar with you until the crack of dawn.¡±


    Azell answered Kairen¡¯s request with a smile.


    2


    Kairen also hadn¡¯t been taking it easy for the past half year. Kairen had visited the Lance mountain estate early on, and they had made a promise to each other. Kairen had kept this promise.


    ¡°Did youpletely master the Gaze Detection technique?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. In truth, it¡¯s a very tiring technique.¡±


    Kairen grumbled.


    Gaze Detection. It was more useful than any detection ability out there, so Azell had taught it to Kairen. There was a lot of ovep between Spirit Order and Dragon Arts, so Kairen had an easier time understanding the technique¡¯s secrets.


    Kairen followed the know-how given by Azell to learn the technique, and in the beginning, it had been a time full of torment.


    When someoneid their eyes on him, he would be aware of it.


    On the surface, it looked like a very useful skill, but there were downsides to the technique. Normally, he hadn¡¯t been aware that a numerous number of gazes were always on him. The information regarding these gazes started pouring in, and his mind turned chaotic. In this process, he had to go through the painful experience of processing the slew of information. Azell had warned Kairen that if this process wasn¡¯t done properly one might develop a psychosis. His mind would trick him into thinking that someone was staring at him even though no one was staring at him. Kairen had felt the weight of this warning in his bones.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°As with all techniques dealing with the mind, the learning process is painful. It is much more troublesome than learning a technique that deals with the body.¡±


    ¡°I agree. Still, it was too useful of a technique to pass up on it.¡±


    After he fought and overcame this process, he earned the ability to detect danger, which far outstripped his previous capabilities. As a test, he performed a gueri warfare with his subordinates. He even allowed them to employ snipers. His subordinates were allowed to use magic and arrows. However, he was able to assess and react to everything that was thrown at him.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Now you have to learn the second lesson."


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you about what happens when a fight urs between people, who mastered the Gaze Detection technique.¡±


    At the same time, Kairen felt a cold gaze behind him. It was a gaze filled with killing intent. Moreover, he could tell something was rapidlying up behind him.


    ¡®Is it a clone?¡¯


    Kairen already knew that Azell used the Cloning technique, ¡¯Dance of the Shadow¡¯, which gave substance to his clones. This was why he didn¡¯t hesitate to turn his body as he swung his left sword. Then he readied himself for a frontal attack with his right sword.


    ¡®Uh?¡¯


    However, there was nothing in the ce where he had attacked. There wasn¡¯t a clone where he had attacked, and Azell used Instantaneous Movement to quickly attack Kairen¡¯s side. Kairen¡¯s attack had created an opening.


    Kwahng!


    Apanying a sound of explosion, Kairen was pushed backwards. He was taken aback.


    ¡®He became really strong!¡¯


    He wasn¡¯t talking aboutbat ability. When their swords sh, Kairen had felt a brute force. Azell¡¯s physical ability was much higher than what Kairen had estimated it to be.


    ¡®He defeated a Dragon in a one on one battle, so I knew he wasn¡¯t normal. Still....¡¯


    However, he didn¡¯t have the luxury to ruminate over this thoughts. He started feeling gazes from all over the ce. Front, back, left, right.... Numerous gazes stimted his senses before disappearing. It started messing with his senses.


    However, it was impossible to ignore the gazes. The Gaze Detection technique was a focused ability that alerted the user whenever a hostile gaze was on him. Moreover.......


    Kwah-chahng!


    In reality, Azell¡¯s clones appeared to attack, and they disappeared afterwards.


    ¡°Ooh-oohk!¡±


    Che-che-che-che-che-cheng!


    Azell used terrifying speed to continue his attack. Kairen could tell with his eyes that Azell was barely using his magical energy, yet his speed couldn¡¯t bepared to before. Kairen would no longer be able to suppress him with brute strength.


    ¡°Shit!¡±


    Kairen¡¯s stance crumbled, and he was sent flying. Kairen was barely able to right himself when Beorein spoke.


    ¡°Oh. This is a new experience for you. I never imagined a day woulde when you would get embarrassed by a young man. This is a treat for my eyes today.¡±


    ¡°I was an exploratory skirmish. An exploratory skirmish! Just shut up and watch.¡±


    Kairen threw a fit. Azell spoke.


    ¡°Of course, it was an exploratory skirmish. I gave you a taste, so shall we get to the main course? Now you know how this will go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll act in kind.¡±


    Kairen btedly activated his Dragon Demon magic. The effects of the Dragon Arts was to drastically increase one¡¯s physical abilities.


    Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh!


    When he sparred about half a year ago, he had to considerably restrict his ability. They had to fight in terms of techniques. Azell disyed surprising level of skill, but the difference in physical and magical capacity was toorge.


    However, it was different now. Azell¡¯s physical ability had risen to the level of a Dragon Demon. Kairen, who had trained to his utmost limit, couldn¡¯t take Azell lightly!


    Kairen asked a question.


    ¡°What method did you use? How can a human¡¯s body reach such a level?¡±


    He didn¡¯t know how this was possible. If Azell was really the descendent of the hero Azell Karzark, were all human heroes this strong in the Dragon Demon war? Were humans able to distinguish themselves through bravery against the Dragon Demon race?


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°You just have to train the Tributaries to the Energy Pulse.¡±


    ¡°Tributaries?¡±


    This was the first time Kairen had heard of this word.


    Azell gave an exnation.


    ¡°Blood vessels have capiries, and muscles have fibers, right? It is a simr concept. Basically, a Spirit Order practitioner forms an Energy Pulse with the magical energy that naturally follows a route in a human¡¯s body. This flow of energy is strengthened.¡±


    The basic framework was simr in a macro view, but slight differences appeared when one looked at the details.


    To be precise, Azell had followed Lin¡¯s teachings. He had branched small Tributaries from his main branch of Energy Pulse, and he had expanded the reach of his Energy Pulse to every corner of his body. Every part of his body was flowing with magic. This meant his capacity to hold magical energy was expanded to an iprehensible level, and the magical energy that reinforced his physical body was strengthened.


    After hearing Azell¡¯s exnation up to this point, Kairen was amazed.


    ¡°That is... Isn¡¯t that quite simr to how the Dragon Demon¡¯s body is structured?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It is a way to copy the body of the Dragon Demon race, which is filled with the grace of the Dragon Demon magic. This is the extreme form of body reinforcement.¡±


    The Dragon Demon race was an amalgamation of wisdom-seeking Dragons and life-seeking Demonic race.


    From the moment of their birth, the Dragon Demons possessed a body blessed with magical energy and Dragon Demon magic. The sturdiness of their bodies couldn¡¯t even bepared to the humans.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Basically, you aren¡¯t using Spirit Order to temporarily boost your physical ability. Your body has actually reached the level of a Dragon Demon... So that¡¯s how it is.¡±


    ¡°However, it isn¡¯t foolproof. I haven¡¯t finalized it yet.¡±


    ¡°Do you have more to do?¡±


    ¡°As one partakes from the Dragon¡¯s power from the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.... A human may exceed those from the Dragon Demon race.¡±


    In Azell¡¯s prime, his strength and speed had exceeded that of the Dragon Demons. In terms of pure physical ability, the only ones that could rival him was the Dragon Demon King Atein, Atein¡¯s direct descendants and the 4 Great Dragon Demon Generals.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Well, shall we continue this?¡±


    ¡°You really are an impertinent bastard.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t this mean that you hid your true skill in our previous spar sessions?¡±


    ¡°Technically, I wasn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t have the means to use these techniques.¡±


    ¡°Now you are able to?¡±


    ¡°Yes. However, I can¡¯t use them all yet.¡±


    A faint blue light started to flow over Azell¡¯s Dragon Sword like running water. Azell spoke as he took in what was happening in front of him.


    ¡°However, I won¡¯t hold back in showing it all to the duke.¡±


    Then... Kairen suffered aplete defeat. He hadn¡¯t lost like this, since his parents had passed away. He experienced it on that day.

 Chapter 87 - Birth of the Dragon Sword (2)

    Chapter 87 - Birth of the Dragon Sword (2)


    3


    Two weeks had passed. During this time, Kairen had experienced his pride be thoroughly wrecked.


    ¡°Ooh-ook. Shit.¡±


    After a round of sparring session, Kairen spoke as he healed the wounds on his cheeks. He spoke as he red at Azell.


    ¡°How many secret techniques do you have? Every time it looks like I¡¯m about to break one another new techniquee out. It feels like an infinite loop.¡±


    ¡°I still have 472 left.¡±


    ¡°...is that for real?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m joking.¡±


    ¡°Ughhh.¡±


    It had been two weeks since Azell had gained the Dragon Sword. The two of them had participated in fierce sparring matches everyday. Currently, they had already conducted over 200 sparring matches. They¡¯ve already demolished two training halls, and these halls were in the process of being rebuilt. They had to move their location to the mountain, and everything was being overturned as they shed with each other.


    Moreover, the result was....


    Kairen had lost all of them.


    Some sparring matchessted less than 5 minutes, and there were long training sessions thatsted over an hour. Every match had different conditions and rules set as they fought each others to test their mettle as martial artists.


    Kairen flopped backwards as he lie on the floor.


    ¡°Ah. I really can¡¯t do this any more!¡±


    ¡°Are you finally giving up? Wow. In truth, I was getting a bit tired of this. I¡¯m d. Now I can sleep in afortable bed.¡±


    Azell smirked. For the past 2 weeks, Kairen had been very dogged in his request for matches that it was wearing a little thin for Azell.


    ¡¯One more match! I want one more match!¡¯


    Kairen kept repeating those words as he charged towards Azell. He didn¡¯t have much time to rest.


    Kairen was going to retort, but he just sighed as he spoke.


    ¡°I feel as if I¡¯m 80 years younger.¡±


    ¡°So you are saying you are like a 20 year old young man. Does this mean I can treat you as an equal?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck or the the status quo we have right now might be scrapped.¡±


    Kairen spoke as he snorted.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been thoroughly beaten like this, since my father trained me.¡±


    ¡°You are talking about the previous Duke of Tarantos.¡±


    ¡°Yes. It was hard to find any good opponents after my father passed away..¡±


    ¡°When did your father pass away?¡±


    ¡°As I said before, it was around 80 years ago. It was right when I was about to enter into my sleep cycle.¡±


    The Dragon Demon Race was an amalgamation of Dragons and Demons. This was why the Dragon Demon race shared the activity and sleep pattern of these races. During childhood, it wasmon for a Dragon Demon to fall into a hibernation period every few years. If it was short, it wouldst one week. If it was long, it wouldst a month or two. This happened quite frequently.


    Kairen was deep in his recollection.


    ¡°That is why I didn¡¯t get to see my parents for thest time. I was toldter that the Dragon Demon King worshippers had targeted me during my hibernation period, and they caused a lot of problems. Our castle was set on fire, so I don¡¯t have single picture of them left in my possession.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    "Well, don¡¯t look at me like that. This happened a long time ago. My mother and father died by the hands of the viins... This was also why I chose to be a Guardian Shadow.¡±


    Kairen let out a bitterugh. It had already been over 80 years. However, the wound was still present inside Kairen¡¯s heart. It was also the main motivation behind his fight against the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    Kairen spoke as he stood up.


    ¡°For all my life, I trained in an attempt to surpass my father. There were too many things I wasn¡¯t able to learn from my father. However, I¡¯ve been running out of avable skills that I can learn from others, so I believed I had achieved my goal.¡±


    He was called the Dragon Sword Duke, and no one in the kingdom could teach him anything new about the martial arts. It was actually the opposite now. Everyone was trying to learn from him. This was why Kairen didn¡¯t stop his efforts to get better. He wanted to surpass the prior goal he had set. The creation of the Dragon Weapons had been part of that n.


    ¡°However, I now realize that I have been too arrogant. This is the thought I had when I was thoroughly defeated by you.¡±


    ¡°Your were right to think that way.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you suppose to console me by saying it isn¡¯t true?¡±


    ¡°I forgot the duke likes people paying lip service to you. I¡¯ll rephrase my words. You are wrong. If you parent heard what you have achieved, they would most definitely feel a swell of pride at the fact that you have surpassed....¡±


    ¡°...stop. You are giving me the goosebumps.¡±


    Kairen grumbled then heughed.


    ¡°Please continue speaking.¡±


    ¡°Which approach do you want?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t pay lip service to me. Just tell me what you were originally going to say.¡±


    ¡°In my opinion....¡±


    Azell paused for a brief moment before he continued to speak.


    ¡°Your predecessor might have.... I believe your father was learning what is called the ¡¯forgotten technique¡¯. It was a term coined by the Dragon Demon King worshippers.¡±


    ¡°Like you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying they probably wanted to eliminate the knowledge from being passed on to the future generations, so my father was eliminated?¡±


    ¡°That is what I think. I also believe the castle was intentionally set on fire to burn the records. If what I suffered up until now is any indication, I think it is quite possible they put in a lot of effort into making that happen.¡±


    Two hundred twenty years was a long time for the humans, but it was almost a single life span for the Dragon Demons. These beings lived as part of the human society, so the knowledge and techniques wouldn¡¯t be easily forgotten.


    However, the fact that one was from the Dragon Demon race didn¡¯t mean they all learned magic or the Dragon arts. Even if they did, they didn¡¯t learn it to the extreme for the express purpose of battle. Moreover, they weren¡¯t going to willingly pass on the knowledge and techniques to strangers. This was why it was enough for the Dragon Demon King worshippers to eliminate the beings that had critical knowledge, and the high level techniques.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard it from Mr Havanz. The knowledge of the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual and the Dragon Arts wasn¡¯t passed down in Sir Rogan¡¯s family.¡±


    ¡°However, Count Aldrick¡¯s children weren¡¯t inclined towards martial arts.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that make it more likely that he would have been targeted?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    ¡°This is a little bit weird for me to say, but.... I can teach you some of the stuff you were supposed to have learned from you father. At the very least, I can teach you a portion of it. I have a lot to teach you.¡±


    ¡°I would have never expected to hear such words from a human that is the age of my grandchild if I had one.¡±


    ¡°Are you averse to it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying that, because I don¡¯t like the idea. Now I have something to learn, and there is someone willing to teach me. This is... I¡¯m in a bit of an unfamiliar territory.¡±


    Kairen put on a bitter smile. It had been a long time, since he was the one learning from someone else. For a long time, everyone put him on a pedestal, and they wanted to learn from him. Moreover, Kairen had thought that was how it should be. Now he was in the position to be the student learning from someone else. He had never imagined such a day would havee.


    Kairen suddenly asked a question.


    ¡°Azell.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why are you being so good to me?¡±


    ¡°You were also good to me... Isn¡¯t that enough?¡±


    ¡°It is hard for me to ept that. These techniques are something I wouldn¡¯t even teach to a friend. I would understand it if you had decided to take up the sword and use those techniques for my cause. However, you n on teaching me these valuable techniques... As a martial artist, I question why you are doing this.¡±


    Whether it was a magician, Spirit Order practitioner or Dragon Arts practitioner, it was all the same. All of them were very careful in choosing the candidates they¡¯ll pass on their techniques and knowledge to. Kairen had taught Arrieta and Seigar at the plea of the Dragon Demon Queen. However, he didn¡¯t have a true disciple yet.


    Azell could understand what Kairen was thinking.


    After a brief moment of thought, he spoke the truth.


    ¡°It is needed.¡±


    ¡°Needed?¡±


    ¡°It is to prepare for the danger that mighte in the near future... I feel the need to return the power that was stolen from the beings that the Dragon Demon worshippers consider to be enemies.¡±


    The Dragon Demon king worshippers had weakened the power of the poption and those that might rise up against them through a long period of time. At the same time, they had kept their history and techniques intact. It was a very dangerous situation.


    ¡°If it is as they believe and the Dragon Demon King Atein really revives....¡±


    Azell remembered going up against Atein. He was the first of the Dragon Demon race, and he was also the world¡¯s first magician. He had lived as long as the existence of a single race. He was an unnatural being that looked at the world through a strange and long range view.


    ¡°The Dragon Demon King worshippers that reside in the far-away ins of Darkness will sweep over the world again. When that timees, we need power to be able to fight against them.¡±


    ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll be at a disadvantage if it does happen?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Currently, our side has forgotten about the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, and the Dragon Demon Qi. Moreover, our side forgot the true techniques behind the Spirit Order and Dragon Arts. If our enemies use these knowledge against us, we will be powerless.¡±


    ¡°You said Dragon Demon Qi. You still haven¡¯t given an exnation on what it is.¡±


    Azell had mentioned the Dragon Demon Qi when he exined the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. However, he had too many questions he had wanted to ask that Kairen had half-forgotten about it.


    Azell didn¡¯t answer his question. He continued to speak.


    ¡°I was impressed by the duke. The fact that.... You were able to make the Dragon Sword.¡±


    Currently, there were only scraps of record left regarding the Dragon Demon Qi. However, Kairen had spent 30 years to gather these scraps, and he had made the Dragon Sword through these efforts. It was a less powerful than having the Dragon Demon Qi, but it was much superior in the fact that it was a tool that anyone would be able to use. It was superior to the Dragon Demon Qi in that aspect.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me that the record you had found was the impetus in making the Dragon Weapons?¡±


    ¡°That is correct.¡±


    ¡°That record was about the Dragon Demon Qi..¡±


    Azell started to exin to Kairen about the Dragon Demon Qi.


    The soul had to be used as ingredient as it was refined through the Dragon¡¯s power. This was the ultimate weapon that came out as a result.


    Humans and Dragon Majin can take the power of a Dragon through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, and the Dragon Demon Qi can be produced. This was beyond having a tool of power like the Dragon Swords. It was a miraculous power for the Spirit Order, Dragon Arts and magic that strived for the pinnacle of power.


    Kairen swallowed his breath.


    ¡°Such a thing really exists?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It was one of the reason why humans were able to win in the fight against the Dragon Demon race. There is a big gulf between those that have and don¡¯t have the Dragon Demon Qi.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    ¡°This is why the duke has to produce Dragon Demon Qi too.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Kairen was surprised. He asked the question as if he didn¡¯t understand what had just been said.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the Dragon Demon Qi is made through taking the Dragon¡¯s power? Moreover, this can only be done through the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°However. I¡¯m of the Dragon Demon race. I thought you said I couldn¡¯t participate in the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then how will I be able to make the Dragon Demon Qi?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I haven¡¯t told you the full story regarding the Dragon Demon Qi.¡±


    Azell smirked.


    ¡°I told you that this was made through taking the power of a Dragon by conducting the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. However, I was talking about it through the prism of being a human. The humans don¡¯t have Dragon Demon magic in the first ce. A human has to defeat a Dragon through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual to gain the Dragon Demon Magic. However, doesn¡¯t the Dragon Demon race already have Dragon Demon magic?¡±


    This was why there were those that possessed Dragon Demon Qi within the Dragon Demon race. The most notable being the Dragon Demon King Atein and the Dragon Demon generals, who followed him. Each of them were walking cmities that could face down thousand troops.


    ¡°Of course, it isn¡¯t easy to make it. There are three methods.¡±


    Azell unfurled three fingers, and he lowered one finger.


    ¡°The first method is to use the secret technique behind Dragon Demon Qi to produce it yourself. It is the hardest method.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°To my knowledge, it takes about 10 years at the earliest to produce it. If it takes a long time, it might take up to a 100 years. If you are from the first generation of the Dragon Demon race, then it might be a different story.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The first generation Dragon Demons meant they were directly born from the amalgamation of a Dragon and a Demon. The Dragon Demons that were currently in the human society wasn¡¯t first generation Dragon Demons. They were the descendents. However, there were still first generation Dragon Demons born into the world. It happened from time to time. Moreover, these being possessed much more powerful Dragon Demon magic than the descendants.


    ¡®This was true for Atein and the Dragon Demon Generals.¡¯


    Azell felt a chill as he thought about how strong they had been. They had Dragons as parents, but they were the first of their kind. They didn¡¯t have Dragon Demon parents.


    Azell folded his second finger.


    ¡°The second method is tobine the power of a Dragon Demon and a Dragon Majin. It could also be a human that possessed Dragon Demon Qi. However, these candidates need to have cultivated their magic or Dragon Demon Qi. Of course, this also take a lot of time and effort.¡±


    ¡°How long would it take?¡±


    ¡°It really depends on the skill and quality of the participants. However, the difficult part is... You still fall short of meeting the requirement. If you really learn and train hard, then you might be able to reach the bare minimum requirement. However, do you think you¡¯ll be able to find people of simr level as you? Moreover, they would have to sacrifice their Dragon Demon magic to pour this power into you. Ah, I guess Count Michael fits this description. He is a magician, so this sacrifice might matter less than someone training in the Dragon arts.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Kairen frowned. Azell had a big smile as he folded his third andst finger.


    ¡°Thest method is to use the Dragons..¡±


    ¡°Dragons?¡±


    ¡°It is impossible for the Dragon Demons to conduct the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. However, they can use the corpse of the Dragon after killing it. The Dragon Demon race can¡¯t absorb the power of the Dragons, but.......¡±


    When the Dragon Demons saw the humans gain power through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, they attempted to gain power through the same method. However, the Dragon Demons found out that they couldn¡¯t absorb the Dragon¡¯s power.


    ¡°They can use it to create the Dragon Demon Qi.¡±


    ¡°Then.......¡±


    ¡°You can kill a Dragon, and you can use its corpse.¡±


    There was a massive amount of magic stored inside a Dragon¡¯s corpse. One could use this special method to elerate the formation of Dragon Demon Qi in a Dragon Demon.


    ¡°The efficiency isn¡¯t that great, but it can¡¯t be helped. The Dragon Demon Qi was meant to be created over a long period of time....¡±


    Of course, this was to the best of his knowledge. At the time of the Dragon Demon war, there hadn¡¯t been a lot of Dragon Demons in the Dragon Demon army that possessed this power.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°That means there aren¡¯t that many amongst our enemies that possess it.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Even the one called Niberis didn¡¯t have the Dragon Demon Qi yet.¡±


    ¡°Hmmmm.......¡±


    Azell suddenly asked a question.


    ¡°Ah. You did say they areing here.¡±


    ¡°It seems they have various functions they have to attend in the new year. They¡¯ll being here afterwards. It¡¯ll probably take them over two weeks to get here.¡±


    Kairen grinned as he headed towards the estate with Azell.

 Chapter 88 - Birth of the Dragon Sword (3)

    Chapter 88 - Birth of the Dragon Sword (3)


    4


    When the new sun came up, Arrieta left the capital with her brother to travel a long road. It had been a while, since she had done this. Moreover, there were over 200 escorts apanying them on the road.


    Arrieta let out a sigh inside the carriage.


    ¡°I wonder if our teacher will be infuriated at us.¡±


    Currently, Arrieta and Seigar was headed towards the Dukedom of Tarantos for a vacation.


    Their mother, the Dragon Demon Queen, strongly insisted on them taking a break. It was decided that they would take half a year of rest from the work required by them as members of the royal family. Originally, the throne would have never consented to such a n, but the Dragon Demon king worshippers had tried to kidnap both of them. Since they were in personal danger, the throne decided to allow it.


    Of course, it was called a vacation on the surface. However, the real purpose of this break was for them to be retrained by Kairen. It wasn¡¯t just Seigar. Arrieta also felt the need to get stronger.


    Seigar had a bitter smile on his face.


    ¡°Teacher wille to realize this wasn¡¯t your idea.¡±


    They were currently being escorted by 200 people, because the throne was worried the Dragon Demon king worshippers would try to kidnap them again. The throne put a stiption that they couldn¡¯t refuse this escort, so Arrieta brought the several personal subordinates she under hermand. Seigar brought arge portion of the men enlisted under his banner.


    ¡°I hope so. It isn¡¯t as if we can send everyone back after arriving there... Well, you can talk to him nicely about it, Seigar.¡±


    ¡°What? You are going to push that task off to me?¡±


    ¡°I only brought 15 subordinates. Isn¡¯t the rest of the group under yourmand? If one of us has to be struck by teacher¡¯s severe reprimand, I still think you should be the one taking the brunt of it.¡±


    Arrieta was still in the progress of assembling her own unit that would be directly under hermand. The Dragon Demon Queen and Seigar had gathered some useful people for her, but the number was still too low. Moreover....


    ¡°Moreover, you brought selected members from your unit, so they can learn from the Duke Tarantos. However, you are trying to obfuscate this fact... Do you think our teacher won¡¯t see through your ns? Do you think he¡¯ll just go along without making a note of it?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. Well... I guess I have no choice.¡±


    Seigar scratched his cheek.


    It was as she surmised. Since Seigar was going for a prolonged stay, he was looking for an opportunity to ask for some tutge from Kairen for his men. He would also ask a joint training session with the knights of Tarantos. He was always trying to find a way to increase the power of his troops. This was why he chose suitable members for this trip with that purpose in mind.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°Now that I think about it... He might still be there.¡±


    ¡°Who do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about sir Azell.¡±


    ¡°Ah ah. He¡¯s probably there.¡±


    At the midway point of this trip, Seigar had sent a message to update their progress. He indirectly heard about what was going on at the dukedom.


    ¡°From what I heard, it seems our teacher is deeply immersed in sparring with Azell. It is to the point where he is ignoring all his other works.... Mmmm.¡±


    Arrieta spoke when she saw a perplexed expression on her brother¡¯s face.


    ¡°It seems you can¡¯t ept it.¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m being honest, I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I think there is sufficient information going for him. From what I heard from our teacher, Azell made significant contributions to your rescue....¡±


    ¡°I heard about it, but I didn¡¯t witness it. Moreover, there¡¯s no other eyewitnesses except our teacher.¡±


    Kairen had said Azell had won a one-on-one battle with a Dragon. Even if he worshipped the ground walked on by his teacher, he was having a hard time taking his teacher at his word. If one of his subordinates that was with him saw it, then maybe....


    ¡°There is no way a human would be able to pull that off. Moreover, he is young...¡±


    ¡°There was a time when I thought simr thoughts as you.¡±


    Seigar raised his head at Arrieta¡¯s words. She spoke.


    ¡°However... I changed my opinion when I saw sir Azell.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°If he is still with our teacher, you¡¯ll be able to see his skills. It actually might be a good experience for you.¡±


    Arrieta smiled as she looked at her conflicted brother.


    She was happy at the thought of seeing Azell again. It had been over half a year, since she had seen him. How much had he changed?


    When Arrieta and Segiar arrived, they wanted to immediately meet with Kairen to extend their greetings. However, the house steward Havanz told them Kairen was absent at the moment. He wanted them to wait. When they asked the reason behind it, Havanz awkwardly gave them an answer.


    ¡°That¡¯s... Sir Azell is our guest, and the duke went out to spar with him. They still haven¡¯t returned. I told the duke toe back early since the two of you were arriving today....¡±


    At those words, Arrieta and Seigar asked Havanz to assign lodging to their party. Then they were lead by a servant to the back mountain where Kairen and Azell was present. They found Kairen and Azell at a frozenke....


    ¡°Are they atop the water?¡±


    Seigar¡¯s eyes turned round.


    Azell and Kairen was running atop theke as they exchanged sword blows. It was winter, but they weren¡¯t running a frozenke. The ice had been broken, and the two of them were fighting atop the rolling waters.


    The surprising part was the fact that the fight continued to be fought atop from the water from the time they discovered the two from afar to the time they got close.


    Arrieta was astonished.


    ¡°That¡¯s incredible. They aren¡¯t using repulsive power to impact against the water. They are actually walking on water.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Seigar became surprised at her words, and he looked at the feet of the two men.


    If it was running and fighting atop a body of water, it was something Seigar could do. However, his method was done through pressurizing and detonating pockets of air with his Dragon Demon Qi. It wasn¡¯t truly walking on top of water.


    When he looked closely at Azell and Kairen, they were stepping on water as if it was solid ground.


    At times, they came to a stop, and they rocked back and forth with the surface of the water. They walked, skidded and ran across the water as they shed. The act looked so natural that it looked unreal.


    Chwahhhhhh!


    The two were running in a circle as they shed, and it sent up a spray of water. At the same time, Kairen¡¯s body dipped below the surface of the water.


    On the other side, Azell just slid back about two steps. Kairen realized what had happened, so he surged up to the surface of the water. Then they started up exchanging sword blows again.


    Kah-ahng!


    The rebound caused Kairen¡¯s body to descend below the surface of the water. The water that was disced for their sh returned to its original location, and his body was pushed under water.


    Azell had a carefree attitude as he rained down sword strikes from above.


    ¡°Poo-uhk! You really are going to go there!¡±


    Kairen had swallowed some water, so he coughed. Azell responded to him.


    "You ambushed me earlier before when the match hadn¡¯t started yet. I was dunked into the water. I don¡¯t think you have the right to say that....¡±


    ¡°That was that and this is... Poo-uhp! Uh-pooh!¡±


    In the end, Kairen couldn¡¯t exit the water, so he was pushed under water. Azell let out augh as he thoroughly enjoyed what was going on. He retreated backwards. In the next moment, the surface of the water exploded, and a rough spray of water rose into the air.


    Chwah-chwah-chwah-chwahh!


    Kairen exited the water, and he looked like a drowned rat. One could see his teeth chattering.


    ¡°Shit! It is cold enough to make me gnash my teeth!¡±


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s winter now.¡±


    If it was a normal person, one would have to be worried for that person¡¯s life. Kairen raised his eyes.


    ¡°Are you saying you want to avoid a match on a wet field?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t anything like that. I¡¯ll spar you no matter where it is. However, we should end this here.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying! We are far from done!¡±


    ¡°Guests have arrived. Wouldn¡¯t it be unbing to show such a disgraceful behavior in front of your students?¡±


    Azell pointed towards the shore of theke where Arrieta and Seigar was standing. Kairen furrowed his eyebrows.


    ¡°It¡¯s already that time?¡±


    ¡°I told you earlier that I was hungry, so we should head back and eat.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember hearing that.¡±


    ¡°Wow. You are getting more thick skinned as time passes.¡±


    Kairen snorted at Azell¡¯s idle remarks. He started walking towards the shore of theke. It was as if he was walking on solid ground, but he was walking on water. As he walked, heat emanated from his body, and the water on his body evaporated.


    Everything he did looked very natural. Kairen was learning techniques from Azell, and he was getting stronger each day.


    When he arrived at the shore, heughed as he looked at his two students.


    ¡°It¡¯s been awhile. I am d you guys came.¡±


    5


    ¡°It hadn¡¯t even been a year since Ist saw you....¡±


    Arrieta had a mystified light in her eyes as she spoke to Azell.


    ¡°You are like apletely different person. How were you able to do such a feat?¡±


    ¡°I ate good meals, and I was able to get sufficient rest. Moreover, once youbine those factors with a great view, this is possible.¡±


    Azell grinned. Arietta had a sudden fit ofughter.


    ¡°Thank you for teaching me such an incredible secret. Anyways, it is good to see you again, sir Azell.¡±


    ¡°I feel the same way, princess.¡±


    ¡°Enora also spoke a lot about you.¡±


    ¡°When did I do that princess?¡±


    ¡°When you heard Sir Azell was here, you agonized over whether you should send a letter or not?¡±


    As expected of a maid to the royal family, Enora had been standing with impable posture. Her face turned red. Azellughed..


    ¡°Wow. I can¡¯t believe Ms. Enora did that. It is an honor.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve grown more ill-natured during the time we haven¡¯t seen you.¡±


    ¡°I think I was infected by the duke¡¯s personality. I wasn¡¯t usually like this....¡±


    ¡°Pleasee up with a more believable excuse.¡±


    Enora harrumphed as she turned her gaze away.


    Maybe, it was because she was at an age where she was still growing, but she had grown a lot in the past 7 months. She looked to be a little bit taller, and there was a feeling of maturity around her. Still, she looked like a young girl to Azell.


    Azell spoke to the man sitting next to Arrieta.


    ¡°It seems the life of being a personal knight to the princess suits you, sir Giles. You look more open now.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? My current work is clearly better than what I did at the western border.¡±


    Giles had also changed a lot. His face hadn¡¯t changed, but he looked more stylish than before. Moreover, he had a dignified air around him. His clothes reflected the position of being the princess¡¯ personal knight. Currently, he was wearing a formal outfit. He gave off apletely impression now.


    Azell asked a question.


    ¡°How¡¯s sir Boar doing?¡±


    ¡°He is actually doing quite well right now. I¡¯ve received a lot of help from him.¡±


    Boar¡¯s attitude in how he treated others had changed drastically, and the opinion of him had improved. His family already had a lot of power, but his conduct went a long way in strengthening his family¡¯s power. Giles received a lot of benefit from his acquaintance with Boar. Of course, Giles had gone from a soldier dispatched at the border to being a royal knight. If it wasn¡¯t for Boar, Giles would have had a very hard time getting used to his current life.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t as if the help was one-sided. Giles had been taught Spirit Order techniques from Azell, and he had passed it on to Boar. Whenever they had time, the two of them met up to refine their techniques, and they trained to increase their internal energy. Giles had been a big help to Boar in those terms.


    Azell spoke after hearing everyone¡¯s story.


    ¡°By the way, you guys brought 200 people? That is a lot of people.¡±


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be helped. The throne wouldn¡¯t have allowed us toe here if we didn¡¯t take a force of that size. Of course, Seigar jumped on this opportunity to bring his people.¡±


    Kairen was btedly informed of the situation, so Seigar was getting an earful from Kairen right now. If everything was done as it should have been done, the escort would have returned to the capital after a brief stay. However, Segiar had insisted on bring his own people. Now the Dukedom of Tarantos had to be in charge of taking care of 200 people, who would be here for an extended stay.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°It seems the prince is really passionate about his work.¡±


    ¡°He is greedy. Maybe when he retires from the seat of the Dragon Demon Prince, he¡¯ll try to aim for a post as a general.¡±


    ¡°What about the princess?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll probably live a free and easy in my retirement. I don¡¯t want to go out into the battlefields. I don¡¯t want a tiresome life where I¡¯ll have to deal with people. I¡¯m aiming to be the world¡¯s best cker.¡±


    ¡°It is quite an enviable goal.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡±


    She asked a question after she sipped her tea.

 Chapter 89 - Birth of the Dragon Sword (4)

    Chapter 89 - Birth of the Dragon Sword (4)


    ¡°I heard an interesting story about you in regards to what my brother went through. Could you confirm the veracity of this story?¡±


    ¡°Which story are you referring to?¡±


    ¡°Teacher said that the Dragon Demon king worshippers had brought a Thunder Dragon to facilitate Segiar¡¯s kidnapping. He said you bested a Thunder Dragon in an one-on-one battle.¡±


    ¡°It is true.¡±


    ¡°As I had suspected.......¡±


    She had expected it to be true, but she was still surprised when Azell confirmed it. A single human had fought and won against a Dragon. How was such a thing possible?


    Of course, this wasn¡¯t just anyone. If it was Azell, she thought it was possible. When she had travelled with him, Azell had been an existence that was full of surprise.


    Arrieta asked a question.


    ¡°I know I¡¯m reaching back far for this question, but did you kill the Earth Dragon we met in the Bn Forest?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It was possible, because something anomalous urred to my benefit.¡±


    Azell didn¡¯t hesitate to answer the question. He readily admitted to his deed. He had determined that it would be ok to tell her what had happen now.


    ¡°Is that the ¡¯friend¡¯ you referred to before?¡±


    ¡°Correct. He was an incredible magician. He had left something behind in my body, and thanks to it I was able to win.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    She had just heard something incredible, yet Arrieta didn¡¯t question him. Sheuded his deed. She didn¡¯t doubt Azell. He had done too much for her to doubt him.


    Still, she couldn¡¯t stop her curiosity. Arrieta asked him a question.


    ¡°What is your identity, sir Azell?¡±


    ¡°It seems I¡¯ll have to give you the same speech as the duke. What if....¡±


    Azell had expected this question. He had show Arrieta too much to gloss over it by saying he had lost his memories. As he did with Kairen, he was going to tell her the truth first.


    "After defeating the Dragon Demon king Atein in the Dragon Demon war, Azell went missing two years after the war. The record doesn¡¯t specify if he died or not. Isn¡¯t that true?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What if he hadn¡¯t died?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    ¡°His best friend, Archmage Carlos, devoted himself topleting an incredible magic. What if this magic was used to put Azell in a deep sleep where his aging process was suspended? What if he was ced in a location far away from prying eyes? What if he slept like a Dragon through the long years in a ce where humans didn¡¯t dare travel?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s.......¡±


    Arrieta furrowed her eyebrows.


    ¡°Are you saying that you are the actual hero Azell Karzark? An incredible magic allowed you to sleep for 200 years, and now you are awake?¡±


    ¡°Will you believe me if I told you that is true?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    Kairen had immediately rejected this question. However, Arietta was having a hard time answering the question, and her face hardened. It was most definitely an absurd story, but Azell had shown her too much marvelous deeds to outright deny his im. Even if he was the actual Azell Karzark, his powers of persuasion was a bit....!


    ¡®No. If it is true, most of the questions I have bes resolved.¡¯


    She had seen and experienced many secrets by watching Azell. It was as if he was from a different world. This sense of dissonance could be cleanly resolved by this single answer. She had seen Azell from an earlier date than Kairen, so she was having a hard time rejecting Azell¡¯s words.


    Arrieta asked Giles.


    ¡°What do you think, sir Giles?¡±


    ¡°You want my opinion?¡±


    ¡°Yes. From my knowledge, you were the first one to find sir Azell. You¡¯ve seen seen things about him that I haven¡¯t. I am curious as to what you think about this matter.¡±


    Hadn¡¯t Giles seen Azell when he first awoke in his corpse-like state? After he thought for a brief moment, Giles shook his head from side to side.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t know. In truth, the story is too incredible for me to say it is true or not. But.......¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°If it was proven that sir Azell¡¯s story was true, I feel as if I would ept it. At the same time, I would feel silly for not epting it beforehand.¡±


    At his words, Arrieta smiled as she looked at Giles briefly.


    ¡°I see. I feel the same way.¡±


    ¡°Do you really believe in my words?¡±


    ¡°In truth, it is unbelievable.¡±


    When Arrieta shook her head from side to side, Azell put on a bitter smile as if he had expected this. Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°It is such an oundish story. However, I can¡¯t help myself from entertaining the possibility of it being true. I¡¯ve thought this from the first time I saw you. You are a really amazing man.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. In truth, I am a secret descendant of Azell Karzark. This is why the knowledge and techniques I have were passed down from my forefathers.¡±


    ¡°That story is a bit more easier to digest.¡±


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave it at that for now.¡±


    ¡°For now?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I think I¡¯m satisfied with that exnation for now.¡±


    After she spoke, she raised her tea cup.


    6


    Azell shared a conversation with Arrieta, Enora and Giles as they caught up on what they¡¯ve been doing for the past 7 month. When he exited the room, Azell was immediately confronted by Seigar. It was as if he had been waiting for Azell. Seigar had on an expression as if he was dubious.


    ¡°You should immediately make time for me, sir Azell.¡±


    ¡°May I ask what this is about, prince?¡±


    Azell queried when he heard the domineering order.


    Seigar replied.


    ¡°I want you to be my sparring partner.¡±


    At those words, Azell let out a bitterugh.


    ¡°This is just a guess, but did the duke instigate this?¡±


    ¡°My teacher said, ¡¯you¡¯ll know once you fight him.¡¯ I don¡¯t think I can pass this by without confirming it for myself.¡±


    ¡°I see. Then I¡¯ll be your opponent. Shall we go to the back mountain where it¡¯ll be more discreet?¡±


    ¡°Those words.......¡±


    Seigar¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°Are you saying it, because you are sure I¡¯ll be humiliated in front of my subordinates?¡±


    ¡°You are so inexperienced that you can¡¯t even gauge how much internal energy your opponent has right now.¡±


    At that moment, Seigar turned around in surprise as if he had been burned by fire. He was sure Azell was in front of him, but Azell¡¯s voice was suddenly heard from his back.


    ¡®How can this be? I didn¡¯t even see him move?¡¯


    Azell was looking at him from where the direction where the voice had emanated from. The man that was in front of his was behind Seigar, and he hadn¡¯t realized Azell had moved.


    Azell smiled as he spoke.


    ¡°In truth, I¡¯m disappointed in you.¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°Your previous reaction was understandable, but now you won¡¯t ept reality even when you saw it with your own two eyes. Will you not be able to ept reality until your reality shatters from being struck? If that is true... I don¡¯t think you will have much luck in facing your future opponents. The enemy has plenty of ¡®humans¡¯ that can dominate you. You will suffer a miserable defeat by underestimating opponents that are better than you.¡±


    His words were arrogant beyond measure. However. Seigar wasn¡¯t able to get mad at his words.


    No, he was looking at Azell with cold sweat running down his body. He felt an overwhelming and frightening feelinging from Azell as Seigar looked at him. Was this feeling simr to what one felt when facing a Dragon?


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°You believe there is no way a human can be stronger than a Dragon Majin. If you aren¡¯t able to throw away such arrogance.... I will do as you wish. In truth, we don¡¯t have to go far. I can show it to you right now.¡±


    ¡°Kook.......¡±


    Seigar gritted his teeth as he extended his hand towards his back. His sword was toorge to equip at his waist, so he had it strapped to his back.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    At that moment, Kairen¡¯s voice was heard from behind Azell. At the same time, the pressure that was pressing down on Seigar disappeared as if it had been a lie.


    ¡°Duke.¡±


    ¡°Both of you are overflowing with power. If you fight here, the damage to my property would be massive. Do you really want to destroy my storied castle?¡±


    ¡°Somehow, I feel like destroying it. However, I¡¯ll restrain myself. It¡¯ll be troublesome for Mr. Havanz.¡±


    ¡°What about me?¡±


    ¡°I kind of want to put the duke in a difficult situation.¡±


    ¡°Ughh. You hate to lose even a single exchange of words.¡±


    Kairen shook his head as if he had lost.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you were so against fighting Seigar.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to unnecessarily catch the prince¡¯s interest.¡±


    Seigar had been quite blunt with his interest in Azell. This was why Seigar tried to bait Azell into a fight in theirst meeting. However, Azell disliked Seigar¡¯s actions.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°All right. I apologize for ignoring your wishes. I want you to forgive me. I did it for the sake of my student.¡±


    ¡°Teacher!¡±


    Seigar jumped up when Kairen showed deference to Azell. From amon-sense standpoint, this shouldn¡¯t have happened. Even the king shows deference to Kairen, yet he was apologizing to a young human over such a trivial manner.


    Seigar was taught by Kairen at an early age, so he was just and even-handed in treating otherspared to the others in the royal family. Still, the fact that Seigar was of royal blood hadn¡¯t changed, and he was very self-aware about ranks. If he applied hismon sense to this situation, Seigar couldn¡¯t understand what had just gone on.


    Kairen ignored Seigar as he asked Azell for a favor.


    ¡°Let me formally ask you this. Could you break apart mycking student¡¯s ego? Unfortunately, I wasn¡¯t able to.¡±


    ¡°Since you are asking me in such a manner, I can¡¯t refuse. Anyways, this was something I always thought had to happen one day.¡±


    Azell epted his request.


    7


    Seigar received favorable assessment as amander of an organization.


    He didn¡¯t care about the background of his men. He valuedpetence above all else, and he knew how to take advice from his subordinates. Even if he was outstanding, he knew there was a limit on what he could do by himself. This was why he didn¡¯t hesitate to borrow help for him subordinates.


    On the other hand, there was a part of Seigar that didn¡¯t trust them at all.


    ¡®Humans are weak.¡¯


    He believed in the thepetence of his human subordinates. However, no matter howpetent they were, he believed there was a hard cap in terms of martial ability for humans.


    This idea had solidified in his mind as he lived his life. This was where he differed with Arrieta in how he viewed the men he found.


    He searched all over forpetent people, but the people he found were always within his preconceived notion. Every man he found just reaffirmed his way of belief.


    Azell was an anomaly that went against Seigar¡¯s way of thinking.


    ¡°Koo-oohk......!¡±


    Seigar let out a moan as he rolled across the ground. He immediately tried to right his bnce as he stood up. Right before he got up the exquisite sword strike came in to disrupt his Energy Pulse.


    Kah-ahng!


    He was barely able to block the blow with the de of his enormous sword. He once again rolled across the floor. At that moment, the sword wasing in at an angle right at the location where he wouldnd.


    ¡®This doesn¡¯t make any sense!¡¯


    He dropped to the floor in fright. The bnce he had almost recovered was broken once again. He had to roll across the ground again.


    This process kept repeating itself in an endless loop. Azell adjusted his sublime power on the first sh to put Seigar on the ground. It had been 3 minutes, yet Seigar was unable to get up even once. He continued to roll across the ground.


    ¡°My god.......¡±


    Arrieta was at a loss for words when she saw the sight. She already knew Azell was outstanding in terms of the techniques. However, the techniques he was showing right now was beyond her imagination.


    Giles also stood there looking with rapt admiration.


    ¡°I never knew it was possible to control an opponent to this degree.....¡±

 Chapter 90 - Birth of the Dragon Sword (5)

    Chapter 90 - Birth of the Dragon Sword (5)


    In three minutes, Azell used one hundredth of the power used by Seigar.


    Seigar was using the ability of his superhuman body to try to regain his broken stance. His senses were elerated to the extreme using Dragon Demon magic, and he was even using the Dragon Arts technique that he had drilled at ad nauseum. Azell moved in a rxed mannerpared to him. He was emitting mental waves through Spirit Order, and he was stimting Seigar¡¯s senses. He was using it to bring out the response he wanted. It was as if he had the power to foresee the future. Azell took one or two step at a time as he stabbed his sword in an easygoing manner.


    Just by doing that Seigar wasn¡¯t able to get up. In terms of Magical Energy, techniques dealing with senses, and the gap in insight regarding a battle... In every facet, Azell was on a different stratosphere.


    Kwahng!


    Suddenly, a sound of an explosion rang out, and Seigar body flew into the air. He had no sense of bnce as his body spun in the air. Seigar¡¯s body struck the ground, and he rolled across the floor.


    When he got up, Seigar was a total wreck. He wasn¡¯t wounded, but he was out of breath. He was dripping with sweat.


    ¡°Huhk, huhk, huh-uhk.......¡±


    Seigar¡¯s stamina was absolute. He was able to swing arge sword, while wearing heavy armor, for an extended amount of time. However, he had been continuously rolling on the floor. He hadn¡¯t be able to tell the difference between up, down, left or right. As he rolled, he had felt his Energy Pulse being blocked intermittently, and his stamina had been drained at an incredible pace. His stamina had just bottomed out right now.


    ¡®He intentionally let me up.¡¯


    If Azell had wanted to, he could have forced Seigar to roll on the ground until he had fainted. Seigar realized this fact. He knew Azell had intentionally left open an opening, so he could get out of it.


    In the past, he had suffered all kinds of difficult situation as he was trained by Kairen. However, this experience was uncharted territory for Seigar.


    Azell approached as Seigar sucked in air.


    ¡°You took a spanking of this magnitude, yet all you can do is try to get your breath back? You are soft as theye.¡±


    ¡°Ooh-oohk!¡±


    Seigar felt an unprecedented fear as he faced Azell. Seigar had lost hisposure, and he unconsciously swung his sword when Azell closed the distance.


    It was a strike powerful enough to split a boulder in half. However, Azell didn¡¯t dodge it.


    Shweeeeeng!


    ¡®I missed?¡¯


    Seigar¡¯s eyes bulged. Azell hadn¡¯t dodged, yet he had walked inside his strike to close the distance. Seigar¡¯s attack met no resistance as it cut through the air, and his stance broke down again.


    Abination of the Cloning technique, Concealment technique and the mental wave, which stimted the senses, was used to produce this result. Azell hade into Seigar¡¯s personal space a beatte as if by magic. Azell was still unhurried as he leisurely took a step forward. Seigar¡¯s stance had been broken, so he couldn¡¯t do anything.


    Too-hahk!


    Azell didn¡¯t even use his sword. He struck his fist against Seigar¡¯s shoulder before he could right himself. This wasn¡¯t just a simple blow. Seigar had been forcefully righting himself, and Azell¡¯s blow was perfectly timed. It urately severed the flow of his Energy Pulse.


    Seigar was about to fall over once again. He gritted his teeth, and he used his powerful lower body to endure. Then heshed out with his sword....


    Too-kahng!


    The counter came even before Seigar could swing his sword half way. Azell lightly backhanded Seigar¡¯s body with the hand holding his sword. The impact prated through his midsection, and the pain could be felt in his bones.


    ¡®Kuh-huhk......!¡¯


    Seigar was having a hard time breathing, and he felt his body folding.


    This was the end.


    When he realized this, Seigar tried to use his Dragon Arts....


    Tuhng!


    As if he had been waiting for this move, Azell focused his mind. In an instant, he nted a counter.


    ¡®This... is... impossib......!¡¯


    Seigar felt as if he was in a nightmare. It felt as if his opponent could see everything that was going on within his body, and every one of his actions were countered.


    This wasn¡¯t something one could do just because one¡¯s techniques were good. Azell¡¯s extreme senses were able to read everything about Seigar. However, one needed an ungodly reflexive speed that good react to these sensory inputs.


    This exchange repeated itself several time, and it was hard for Seigar to even grip his sword. However, he refused to fall. Even as he was steadily moving backwards, Seigar gritted his teeth, and he stood on his own two feet....


    ¡®This is my chance!¡¯


    After intentionally baiting a counter, Seigar leaned in to deflect the blow with his shoulder. At the same time, he jumped, and he brought down his sword with everything he had.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t too bad. If you did this about 5 exchanges earlier, I might have given you a passing score.


    Azell sounded as if he was enjoying this, and his words chilled Seigar.


    As Seigar continued to receive frightening blows, he had saved his energy for a chance to attack. However, it seemed even this had been within Azell¡¯s design.


    Azell countered Seigiar¡¯s sword strike head on.


    Kwahng!


    As the sound of an explosion rang out, Seigar flew through the air.


    ¡®I lost the hold of my sword......!¡¯


    In a fight, he was taught to hold onto the sword no matter what. This mandate was almost like scripture to him. However, for the first time in his life, he had received such an overwhelming blow that even his steel gauntlet exploded. He lost the grip on his sword.


    Koo-dahng-tahng-tahng!


    Apanying the loud sound, Seigar rolled several times across the floor before he became sprawled out on the ground.


    When it quieted down, Azell asked a question.


    ¡°Would you like to continue this?¡±


    ¡°No... It¡¯s fine. It is my defeat.¡±


    Seigar acknowledged his defeat with a tired voice.


    8


    On that night, Azell was in front of a mirror, and he was letting someone handle his hair. Enora was standing on a step, and she was brushing out Azell¡¯s hair. Azell had roughly cut his hair to keep it at a reasonable length, but it seemed Enora wasn¡¯t satisfied with his haircut. She volunteered her services.


    She suddenly asked him a question.


    ¡°Why were you so wicked against the prince?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    ¡°He isn¡¯t just any person. He is the prince. Weren¡¯t your actions a bit too much?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I do something simr to Boar?¡±


    Azell thought about the time Boar requested a sparring match as he spoke. Enora thought for a brief moment before she spoke.


    ¡°...now that I think about it, you are right. You have always been reckless, sir Azell.¡±


    ¡°What? Reckless? In what way?¡±


    ¡°How can you be so shameless? You treated the prince that way. No one would even think about doing what you have done. Do you know how afraid I was as I watched? If the prince became angry, he could have asked for your head! What would you do if he did that?¡±


    ¡°I carried out the deed, because I assessed the the prince wasn¡¯t that narrow-minded. Anyways, I wanted to avoid it if possible.¡±


    From Azell¡¯s perspective, he didn¡¯t feel the need to be considerate towards Seigar. It wasn¡¯t as if they had gone through a life and death situation alongside each other. Seigar was Kairen¡¯s student, and brother of Arrieta, nothing more, nothing less.


    This was why Azell didn¡¯t want to bring unnecessary attention on himself. He didn¡¯t make himself known to Seigar. He was a bit bothered by the fact that the Dragon Demon king worshippers were targeting Seigar, but Seigar had experienced an attempted kidnapping once. Azell assumed Seigar would be careful on his own.


    On top of it all, Kairen had always been a bit too eager for Azell to fight Seigar, and there was some distaste from that fact too.


    Seigar had experienced bone-weary hardship, and he had seen everything with his own two eyes. However, he wasn¡¯t able to let go of his self-conceit. Why should Azell look kindly on a person like that?


    Enora spoke.


    ¡°Sir Azell is really.... You look as if you aren¡¯t afraid of people in high ces.¡±


    ¡°In truth, I¡¯m not afraid of them.¡±


    In the past, he tried to spare himself from the trouble. If he fought with a person with power and rank, it would inevitably cause harm to the people in his surrounding.


    ¡®No. That¡¯s not entirely correct either.¡¯


    When he thought about it, no one in the Nadick Empire dared to get on his nerve after the Dragon Demon war. He was someone that had ess to Carlos and the emperor. Moreover, he had many friends in high ces, and the people had loved him.


    ¡®Now that I think about it, if someone used me of leading a reckless life, I have no argument against it.¡¯


    Enora worked as a maid to the royal family, so Azell¡¯s attitude shocked her.


    Enora was astonished.


    ¡°Is this because you are the legendary hero?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. Do you believe my story, Ms Enora?¡±


    ¡°Maybe?¡±


    Enora had the eyes of a surprised bunny when Azell started talking about his own identity.


    He wondered what thoughts were going through her head. Azellughed when he had this thought.


    ¡°What kind of answer is that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. If I think about it logically, it doesn¡¯t make sense. Do you know what I mean?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t something you should try to confirm with me."


    ¡°Mmm. Is that so? Anyways.... If it is true, I would be a little bit disappointed.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°From the time I was young, I grew up listening to the story of hero Azell Karzark until my ears hurt.¡±


    There were a lot of heroes in history. However, how many hero had received universal praise from everyone like Azell?


    Even in this era, Azell Karzark was the most well known and popr hero. Many children during the Dragon Demon war grew up hearing the tales of Azell¡¯s heroism, and many young women dreamed about him showing up in front of them like a knight in shining armor. As time passed, Azell became an idol, and his image became engraved as the epitome of a hero.


    ¡°However, sir Azell is a bit... How should I say this...¡±


    Enora tilted her head as she thought about what to say. Then she spoke.


    ¡°You are like the brother next door.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s new.¡±


    Azellughed. He had never heard himself described as the brother next door.


    Enora spoke.


    ¡°It is as if the brother next door had a somewhat mysterious and secretive past. Moreover, this person had defeated a Dragon by himself. All of this just makes everything surreal. Sometimes it feels like I¡¯m listening to a story dreamed up by a bard.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes reality can outstrip one¡¯s imagination.¡±


    ¡°I guess so. If it really is true, it does sound really incredible. At the same time, it feels as if it isn¡¯t that big of a deal?¡±


    ¡°What the heck?¡±


    Azell couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    Enora suddenly spoke.


    ¡°Let¡¯s say it is true.¡±


    ¡°What? Do you mean what if I am the real Azell Karzark?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That is my supposition.¡±


    ¡°You should just say you don¡¯t believe me. What the heck is up with a supposition?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so picky about my answer. If a man shows such a behavior, he won¡¯t be popr with thedies.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just shut up and listen to you. Please continue, miss.¡±


    ¡°What do you think the era was like when hero Azell was alive? People were tormented by the Dragon Demon race, and there were a lot of righteous people willingly sacrifice their lives for other people. How different was that era?¡±


    Azell put on a bitter smile at her questions.


    ¡°Unexpectedly, there isn¡¯t much of a difference. At the very least, the people are the same.¡±


    ¡°Really? ¡±


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    ¡°However, if I hear about the tales describing the old times, it doesn¡¯t sound like it....¡±


    ¡°As time passes, they only remember the memorable events. They remember the beautiful blinding moments, and they remember the evil events that one can¡¯t look away from... However, those events didn¡¯t make up the entirety of that era.¡±


    At the time, people had to join forces to fight an enormous enemy that threatened their future. However, even in such a dire situation, people continued to fight those within the same organization for profit. There were those that tried to avoid facing death when it was time to cooperate each other. Discrimination urred regardless of one¡¯s position.


    ¡°During that era, everyone was backed up against a wall. When people have nowhere to run, their true character is revealed.¡±


    One wouldn¡¯t know if a person was truly hideous or noble unless they reached this point. It didn¡¯t matter if a person normally acted like a crook or if that person acted with integrity. When people were driven into a corner, they sometimes chose the coward¡¯s way out. They also chose to act viinous at times. Then there was the people that were noble, and they sacrificed for others. He had seen it all y out too many times.


    ¡°There were highborns, baseborns, young, old, the weak, the strong.... It was all the same. It was an era where one¡¯s worth could only be proven only by one¡¯s actions.¡±


    Azell had seen countless people. There were those that had been abominable, and there were those that had been pure. Then there were the unsure people that had been too weak. They were like reeds that shook from the hardships of life.


    ¡®Dragon Demon worshippers...¡¯


    When he woke up in the era, the most shocking part had been the existence of the Dragon Demon king worshippers. It wasn¡¯t the fact that the remnant of the group he had fought still existed in this age. He was shocked at the fact that the Dragon Demon king had be deified as time had passed in this world. This wasn¡¯t just Dragon Demons and Dragon Majins. He couldn¡¯t understand why the ¡®humans¡¯ were worshipping him.


    ¡®Why do they worship him in this era? It is an evil that had ended a long time ago....¡¯

 Chapter 91 - Birth of the Dragon Sword (6)

    Chapter 91 - Birth of the Dragon Sword (6)


    If it was during the Dragon Maken War, he would have understood the existence of these humans. It wasmon for humans to betray their own kind for survival as they crawled underneath the Dragon Demon Army. Then there were some that had been true believers of Dragon Demon King. They believed him to be a god.


    However, why would such humans exist in this era? Azell was having a hard timeprehending this point.


    Enora spoke.


    ¡°You really speak like someone, who had lived through that era.¡±


    ¡°I thought you were going to consider my story as only spection?¡±


    ¡°I did. Mmm. Doesn¡¯t this mean sir Azell is over 200 years old? Should I call you elder from now on?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be thankful if you call me that in about 40 years from now.¡±


    Azell let out a bitterugh.


    9


    He was a human, but he was allowed to reside in the in of Darkness as a Dragon Demon king worshipper. ck Swordsman Duran thought about the moment when he developed his great faith.


    When a human was born, one was either a noble or baseborn. It didn¡¯t matter if one were talented. It didn¡¯t matter what character one had. If one was born from low caste parents, one would never break above their station no matter how talented one was. One would be treated like trash by those born as nobles.


    In such an unfair societal structure, Duran had been at the bottom. He had been a ve.


    There were 7 kingdoms that ruled over this continent, and only two allowed very. Moreover, ves were viewed basically as gutter scums.


    From a young age, Duran had a massive build, and he was known for his strength. He was a head taller than anyone else in his age group, and no one could surpass him in work that dealt with strength.


    When he grew up, he naturally did all the hard work. If violence was needed, he was called to take care of it. When he had shown aptitude for fighting, he was taught martial art. His owner wanted to put him to good use.


    Still, Duran didn¡¯t get a big head over his treatment. Even if he was strong, he knew he was insignificantpared to the knights, who had learned Spirit Order.


    At the same time, he hadn¡¯t put these knights on a pedestal.


    ¡®Those bastards are scared at the possibility of us getting stronger.¡¯


    He first became aware of it when he started learning martial arts. When he learned the systematized techniques that were monopolized by these men, a new world had opened up to Duran.


    Duran had a natural aptitude for martial arts. He learned snippets of technique as he was berated by the snobby men. Still, he was developing much faster than those who were receiving proper tutge.


    At that moment, Duran had an epiphany.


    ¡®The only advantage they have is the fact that a lot had been passed down to them..¡¯


    It was the same for martial arts and Spirit Order. A person was able to be a great presence through the knowledge one was able to monopolize. If all the secret techniques were shared equally amongst the masses, will they be able to hold superior positions over the people under them?


    He made a mistake when he allowed such thoughts to enter his mind.


    ¡®Thank you. What is your name?¡¯


    When he went out on an excursion, he hade across his master¡¯s daughter being attacked by monsters. He threw his body in front of her to save her. The knights, who were supposed to be protecting her, were easily beaten. If Duran hadn¡¯t fought as he received severe wounds, thedy would have lost her life.


    However, Duran didn¡¯t receive any rewards after the incident. Instead, he was punished.


    ¡®A ve dared to touch a sword! Unforgivable!¡¯


    Duran had used a dead knight¡¯s sword to defeat the monsters.


    ves weren¡¯t allowed to pick up any weapons. At the very most, the ve owners allowed ves to be armed with clubs.


    It was a given that ve would be put down even if one touched a sword by mistake. The knights considered their swords to be symbols of their honor. It was considered to be an unforgivable insult if a lowly ve touched one.


    It wasn¡¯t logical, but this was how the world worked here. Where Duran lived, this wasmon sense. The nobility didn¡¯t look at ves as humans. The ves were worth less than the cheapest item they owned.


    Duran despaired.


    At the time, he really had no choice. He couldn¡¯t win using only his fist. He couldn¡¯t ovee this situation using only his body. He could run away by himself, but he wouldter be executed for surviving the encounter, while a nobledy had died.


    ¡®You evil bastard! I showed favor to such a lowly bastard by teaching you martial arts. You dared to steal and learn swordsmanship?¡¯


    It was unfair. He had never learned swordsmanship. He only remembered snippets of swordsmanship he had seen by chance during his martial arts sessions. Even with such limited knowledge, he was able to defeat the monsters. It was the first time he had held a sword.


    Duran had saved his daughter¡¯s life, yet the master was acting as if he hadmitted an evil act against god and man. He continued to berate Duran with a red face. At that moment, Duran had a thought that was unforgivable.


    ¡®They are all retarded bastards.¡¯


    The knights had been inferior to him. He had picked up the sword for the first time in his life.


    He had done their job for them, yet he was the who had sinned?


    The one, who came to the rescue of Duran, was the daughter of his master.


    ¡®Please forgive him.¡¯


    At the request of his daughter, her father forgave Duran¡¯s transgression. However, it wasn¡¯t as if he had gotten off easy. He was stripped naked as his entire body was chained. Then he was shut in an isted underground room for 5 days. He wasn¡¯t even given water during his punishment.


    After the incident, thedy became interested in Duran.


    ¡®Duran. There is no way that is a name befitting a ve.¡¯


    She had made Duran her servant, and he was always by her side.


    However, she hadn¡¯t been a master with a good personality. She became hysteric at minor incidents, and of course, she took out her anger at the people under her.


    Duran had be the subject of her tantrums countless of times.


    One day she was taking out her anger on Duran by whipping him when she did something totally unexpected.


    ¡®Hoong. You are probably betterpared to that weak bastard.¡¯


    It was after she had broken up with her boyfriend. It was as if she had done it as a retaliation. She brought Duran into her bed.


    At the time, Duran had been 19 years old. However, this hadn¡¯t been his first experience. At the time, Duran was over 2 meters tall, and he was a massive man with taut muscles. He also had a well-defined and handsome face. He had received countless lustful gazes from the females.


    After a passionate night session, she always wanted Duran¡¯s body.


    She started showing strong possessiveness, so he had to sever all his rtionships with the ve women. If a female ve tried to seduce Duran over any lingering attachment, the female ve would receive severe punishments.


    However, nothing else had changed aside from the sex. She still whipped him when she vented her anger, and she didn¡¯t hesitate to verbally abuse him.


    However, Duran calmly epted such a rtionship. It wasn¡¯t as if he liked it. He just didn¡¯t have a choice.


    The problem was... Even though the ve was the victim, he would be treated as the bigger sinner if he did anything against the assant.


    ¡®How dare you touch my daughter! I forgave you of your past transgression, yet you spat on my generosity? You dared to touch my daughter?¡¯


    She had be pregnant with Duran¡¯s child.


    It was a natural oue. The two of them had mingled their bodies together whether it was day or night. Wouldn¡¯t it be more strange if a baby hadn¡¯t formed?


    When the truth was revealed, the entire household was flipped on its head.


    In the morning, Duran had been working as an attendant. He didn¡¯t know the reason behind it, but he was given a beating before his bloodied body was dragged into the yard.


    She was there too. She looked at Duran with tear-filled eyes. Duran had expected nothing out of his life, but her words shattered Duran¡¯s heart into pieces.


    ¡®H...he threw his body in front of me to save me. I kept him by my side as a favor, yet... When we were out of sight, he forced me to... Ooh-hoohk. I was so scared that I wasn¡¯t able to tell anyone...¡¯


    Duran wasn¡¯t the only one, who was dumbfounded by her words. They had made sure her parents didn¡¯t hear about it, but the whole household had known about the illicit affair. It wouldn¡¯t be too far-fetched if her family members also suspected what was going on.


    However, the truth didn¡¯t matter to them. A lowly ve had dared to mingle his body with his daughter. Duran deserved to die.


    They said Duran¡¯s sin was toorge for them to give Duran a clean death. They beat him until he was a wreck. After throwing salt on his wounds, they chained him up in the basement prison cell. This process would continue everyday until he would die.


    It was on the fourth day. Duran cursed himself for not taking his own life earlier. Now his entire body was restrained with steel chains, and there was a wooden stick put between his teeth. He couldn¡¯t kill himself by biting off his own tongue.


    However, on the fourth day, a miracle had urred.


    No one came for him in the morning. Instead, he could hear explosions and screamsing from outside.


    What was going on out there?


    He was curious, but all he could do was wait for his inevitable death.


    A Dragon Demon appeared in front of him.


    ¡®Those bastards were very vicious. This manmitted no sin, yet they treated him like this. Maybe I was too merciful in how I killed them.¡¯


    The Dragon Demon had exterminated the owner and his family. The one, who had rescued Duran, was named Saibein. He was the son of the great Dragon Demon King Atein.


    The reason why Saibein knew about Duran¡¯s situation was simple. There had been Dragon Demon King worshippers inside the household.


    Duran hadn¡¯t know this at the time, but the worship of the Dragon Demon King was pretty widespread amongst the ves. The feelings he felt during his lifetime was a fertile soil for epting this new faith. The world decried the worship of the Dragon Demon king as evil, yet wasn¡¯t the people who made those statements also part of an irrational and evil social structure?


    ¡®Humans are all equal. The determination of a person¡¯s status at birth is a tool used by the evil men. The true barometer of one¡¯s status shouldn¡¯t be determined this way. The Dragon Demon race were born superior to the humans. The true way is for the Dragon Demons to guide the humans from above them. This is how the world should be structured.¡¯


    Duran had been about to face the end after living an unreasonable life. Duran was willing to believe. He decided to dedicate his life to the faith of the Dragon Demon King, which had save his life.


    Forty years had passed since that day.


    Duran desperately grew his power, and in a rare move, a human was allowed to reside in the in of Darkness. The Dragon Demons with the royal blood, and the Dragon Majin respected him for his martial prowess and position. They kept their manners.


    He had fought in countless battles, and he had killed countless enemies in each battle.


    He was living a life soaked in blood, but he had no regrets. He wanted to create the correct world, and he sacrificed everything for the day when his great savior would return.


    From Duran¡¯s perspective, he could¡¯t forgive those that rejected the truth. He couldn¡¯t forgive those that defended this unreasonable world.


    10


    The world viewed the Dragon Demon king worshippers as religious fanatics. They were akin to worshippers of evil. These worshippers had deified the Dragon Demon King, and they believed he would return from his death. They had an irond belief that he¡¯ll right the wrongs of the world.


    However, not everyone in the organizations held such beliefs. These false Dragon Demon king worshippers hid their true intent as they mingled into the rest of the world. As time passed, these people developed different goals separate from their organization.


    Of course, the Dragon Demon king worshippers didn¡¯t forgive such beings. The organization systematically revealed those that no longer sharedmon goals with them, and there would be no forgiveness. Duran had killed countless betrayers amongst their ranks of Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    This was why he didn¡¯t show any change in expression in front of a man, who might be better off dead right now. The betrayer was in an appalling state. Duran grabbed the man by his neck as he spoke with a rage-filled voice.


    ¡°Yuren. Where¡¯s the wicked traitor, who has the name seeped in sin?¡±

 Chapter 92 - Those who Seek Their Own Destiny (1)

    Chapter 92 - Those who Seek Their Own Destiny (1)


    1


    The harsh winter that had frozen the whole world hade to an end. As the new years passed, the snow and ice started to melt. Greens could be seen everywhere.


    It was the 4th month of the year, and the color of spring was out in full force... Azell finally decided to go on a long journey.


    ¡®Now that I think about it, it¡¯s been exactly 1 year.¡¯


    The thought came over Azell as he looked out the window. He had woken up in the Bn Forest one year ago today. He had gone through a lot after he woke.


    If he had his way, he would have left much earlier. However, he had made rtionships here, and he had a lot of things he had to do before he could leave his friends.


    In the past 3 months, Azell and Kairen had focused on their training. Azell had taught a lot of things to Kairen. In turn, Kairen passed on the knowledge to Arrieta, Seigar and Giles.


    Three month could be considered to be long or it could be considered to be short depending one¡¯s perspective. However, everyone¡¯s ability increased drastically in this period of time. The chaos caused by the fall of the Nadick Empire, the Great Darkness and the machination of the Dragon Demon King worshippers had caused the loss of concepts and techniques. They had the very rare opportunity to learn these lost concepts and techniques from Azell.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving.¡±


    Azell didn¡¯t have much to pack. Usually, people packed heavily for a long trip, but Azell only packed the items he thought were a necessity.


    ¡°Hmm. Are you really going to leave?¡±


    When Azell came out with his pack, Giles was waiting for him with a question.


    Azell replied.


    ¡°Yes. In truth, I¡¯ve been here too long.¡±


    ¡°I want to thank you for all you have taught me. I don¡¯t know how I¡¯ll repay this kindness.¡±


    ¡°It is hardly necessary to say such a thing.¡±


    In the past, techniques were exchanged and shared during the Dragon Demon War. He just did something that would have urred during that time.


    He had woken up after a long sleep, and he had developed valuable rtionship with these people. However, they weren¡¯t his family or his students.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure there wille a time when you¡¯ll need power. I want you to choose trustworthy people, and you should build up your ranks.¡±


    He didn¡¯t have to teach them, but he felt that it was a necessary task. This was why he hadn¡¯t hold back in his teachings. He was sure the remnants of darkness was roiling beneath the surface of the world, and there wille a time when it¡¯ll wake up once again. Even a single person, who would fight alongside him, would be a boon for him.


    Giles nodded his head.


    ¡°I will do my best.¡±


    Azell patted Giles¡¯ shoulder once, and he exited the corridor.


    When he arrived at the front door, Arrieta, Seigar and Enora was waiting for him.


    Arrieta spoke. She had on a slightly sullen expression as she spoke. It was an expression that one never saw on her, and it made her look her age. Azell unconsciously smiled at the sight.


    ¡°Is it true that you aren¡¯t taking the horse I gifted you?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I appreciate the thought, but a horse is too slow.¡±


    Azell grinned as he spoke. This was the reason why he didn¡¯t have much luggage. Azell didn¡¯t n on traveling like a normal traveler. He nned on running to his destination in the shortest amount of time.


    Arrieta burst outughing as if he had said something absurd.


    ¡°You said a horse is slow... If people don¡¯t already know you, people will think you are crazy.¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, you know me.¡±


    ¡°Yes. It is unfortunate, but you are right. If I knew this would have happened, I would have prepared something else.¡±


    ¡°It is the thought that counts.¡±


    Azell grinned. Arrieta spoke that way, but it wasn¡¯t as if he hadn¡¯t received anything from her. He was given travel money, and the amount was much more than he needed.


    Azell suddenly felt a gaze on him, so he looked to the side. Seigar was also looking at him with a sullen expression.


    Unlike the others, the rtionship between Azell and Seigar never improved. When he arrived at the Dukedom of Taranton, Seigar had suffered a thorough defeat at the hands of Azell. Afterwards, Seigar acknowledged Azell¡¯s superiority, but he never disyed a friendly attitude. This was why Azell had made no efforts in trying to be friendly with Seigar. He had no reason to make such overture.


    Still, he had learned a lot from Azell, so there was respect in Seigar¡¯s attitude. Segiar spoke as he brought up his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pray for your sess in future battles. I¡¯ll work hard, so I can vindicate myself next time we meet.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it.¡±


    Azell still smiled as he shook Seigar¡¯s hand.


    Enora stayed still until that moment. She was of lesser station, and she couldn¡¯t open her mouth until she was prompted by a person of higher rank. Azell was aware of this fact, so he initiated the conversation.


    ¡°When I see you next, Ms Enora would have grown into a slenderdy. Since Ms Enora is great at your work, you¡¯ll probably be a veteran maid for the royal family. I bet you¡¯ll have a lot of people working for you by that time.¡±


    ¡°Are you nning on noting back for that long?¡±


    Enora asked with round eyes. The new year hade, but her birthday was in the summer. She was only a 14 year old girl. She was in the midst of her puberty, so she had grown a lot from the time he had met her. However, she was still a young girl, who still hadn¡¯t lost her baby fat. If he nned on seeing her when she was a slenderdy, how many years was he talking about?


    Azellughed.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯ll be great if I get to see you before that happens. Anyways... I owe a lot to Ms Enora.¡±


    ¡°At least, you are aware of it.¡±


    After giving his farewell to Enora, he also gave a farewell to Havanz and the staffs of the estate. Finally, he searched for Kairen. Havanz let out a bitterugh as he told Azell to head outside.


    ¡°You are too slow. By the time you finish your farewell, the day mighte to an end.¡±


    Kairen hade out early, and he had been waiting for Azell. The problem was the clothes he was wearing.


    Azell queried.


    ¡°...are you going somewhere today, Duke?¡±


    Kairen wore his armor, and he had equipped his two Dragon Swords. He was fully armed. Moreover, he had on a magic tool that hid his horns, pointed ears, and the Dragon Stone. He was disguised as a human knight. On top of it all, he had a travel pack strapped to his back. No matter how one looked at it, it looked as if Kairen was nning on leaving for a trip.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you are going to the former county of Karzark. I believe you are going to a region taken over by monsters.¡±


    ¡°...duke?¡±


    ¡°I have talented people under me, so my territory will be managed well even if I¡¯m not here. Don¡¯t worry about it. You know how talented Havanz is. Even if I¡¯m gone for an extended amount of time, it won¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    ¡°No. Wait a moment...¡±


    Azell furrowed his brows. He had never considered this scenario. Kairen was one of the great nobles of this country. He was a shield that protected the people from the Dragon Demon King worshippers, and he was a member of the Guardian Shadows. Azell never expected someone of his personage to just follow him.


    However, no one seemed surprised by his intentions. It seemed Kairen had told them about his decision beforehand.


    Azell sighed as he asked the question.


    ¡°Are you serious about this?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m serious. I hid it, because I wanted to see your expression. I have a legitimate reason, so don¡¯t look at me as if I¡¯m some thoughtless child.¡±


    ¡°...you urately figured out what I was feeling, and I want to thank you for packaging your words in such a manner.¡±


    Kairen ignored Azell¡¯s words as he exined the reasons behind this move.


    ¡°As a member of the Guardian Shadows, I¡¯ve fought against the Dragon Demon King worshippers.... I have a gut feeling that I have to go with you.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I feel as if your existence and what I experienced recently portends the beginning of something big. It is not my style to be in the dark. I don¡¯t want to react and cope with the situation blindly. If I stay with you, I have a feeling that I¡¯ll be able to get to the heart of this problem.¡±


    Kairen didn¡¯t lie. He told the truth. Kairen had fought the Dragon Demon king worshippers for over several dozen years, yet he had never been able to get to the core of the problem. On top of it all, he didn¡¯t even know the real identity of his own organization.


    However, events started to change rapidly when Azell came into the scene. The real identities of his enemies were slowly peeled away, and he was able to find out about the Guardian Shadow¡¯s secret.


    So how could he not follow after Azell?


    He wasn¡¯t patient enough to step away from a fight, and wait for the result toe out. He always ran to the heart of a fight, and he dictated the result with his own hands. This was why he was the living legend of the Rin kingdom. This was why he was called the Dragon Sword Duke.


    After listening to Kairen¡¯s determined words, Azell looked at him for a brief moment. In the end, he had tough.


    ¡°If you are resolute on this, I won¡¯t say no to you. I just feel a bit sorry for Mr. Havanz.¡±


    ¡°The Duke has done this many times before. Please look out for the Duke.¡±


    Havanz spoke with a voice mixed with a sigh.


    This was how the two men left the Dukedom. They would have to cross two borders, but in Azell¡¯s mind, the distance didn¡¯t seem too far away. Kairen and Azell crossed mountains and ins as they ran like the wind.


    2


    The forest had been calm and still only an hour ago, and the darkness of the night ruled over thend. However, an explosion apanied by fire shattered the darkness, and the fire started to spread.


    Duran put on the appearance of the ck Knight as he conducted a ughter within the forest.


    ¡°Ah-ahk!¡±


    As the mes burned the forest, Duran cut down a boy that hadn¡¯t even reached puberty. He had killed the boy with a single strike, and he immediately headed towards his next target.


    At that moment, a blue thunder struck Duran, and it stalled his advance.


    Gwah-gwah-gwahng!


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    If he was a normal human being, he would have died on the spot. However, Duran used the Instion technique to ground the electricity. He red at his enemy.


    The enemy was a young girl. A freckled young girl was shaking in fright.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell your resistance is useless? It¡¯ll be easier for you if you ept this.¡±


    The girl flinched at his words, which hade out like a sigh. She raised her magical energy. She was young, but she was a magician with enormous magical power.


    Pah-hahk!


    However, she looked inexperienced andcking in front of Duran. Before her concentrated magical energy could do anything, his sword cut her throat open. She fell as blood sprayed out of her. Her eyes were wide open.


    ¡°You evil bastard!¡±


    A bloodied young man cried out in despair, and he approached Duran from the side. He wasn¡¯t a magician. He was a Spirit Order practitioner like Duran.


    ¡°You threw away your faith, and you killed your master. How dare an immoral person like you say such a thing to me.¡±


    Duran spoke as he easily parried the other¡¯s sword strike. Fire burned within the young man¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°You are a crazy devil! You aren¡¯t qualified to talk about immorality and duty!¡±


    ¡°You are wrong. You guys are the ones that are crazy. You had the chance to follow the true faith, yet you voluntarily turned away from it.¡±


    The young man used to be a prospect that the Dragon Demon king worshippers had groomed for hisbat potential. He had been indoctrinated with the true faith from a young age, yet he had killed his teacher. He had tried to escape with the others.


    However, this young man wasn¡¯t the true mastermind behind the escape attempt.


    The young man was lured away by sweet talk, and he hadmitted a deadly sin. He was a pitiable soul. Duran knew this, so he asked a question.


    ¡°Yuren chose to take up the name seeped in sin. What did this evil traitor do to you all? What words caused you tomit such foolish actions?¡±


    Yuren was recently causing a lot of problem within the ranks of the Dragon Demon king worshippers. He had killed all hisrades affiliated with the organization he was affiliated with, and now he was on the run. Moreover, he was going around destroying the bases connected to his organization.


    The problem was the fact the there was no strict structure to how the Dragon Demon king worshippers were organized. This was why even the ruling ss in the in of Darkness wasn¡¯t able to keep up with all the activities of the various organizations.


    However, Yuren was able to find out the ovepping points in these organizations, and he continued to attack the Dragon Demon King worshippers.


    From the perspective of the Dragon Demon king worshippers, Yuren¡¯s action was so astounding that words didn¡¯t evene out of their mouths.


    Until a year ago, Yuren had been a prospect ced in a secret training facility for magicians. Basically, he hadn¡¯t even been officially recognized as a magician.


    Moreover, he was only a 20 years old human. Unlike the Dragon Majin, he hadn¡¯t been born with naturally high reservoir of magic. Moreover, he was only an apprentice, so he hadn¡¯t received any valuable knowledge. The valuable techniques were only given when one did something of merit.


    Despite all of that, Yuren had already killed Dragon Demon king worshippers in the hundreds. There were many Dragon Majin included in this number.


    ¡®I don¡¯t understand that bastard.¡¯


    Duren still haven¡¯t seen Yuren in person. It was only in recent days that the upper management had inserted high quality individuals like Duran.


    As Duran followed the traces left behind Yuren, Duran was getting further away from understanding this young man.


    In the first ce, why did Yuren betray the Dragon Demon king worshippers? Moreover, how was he able to improve his skills so much? However, as time passed, Duran didn¡¯t worry about such thoughts.


    ¡°We now know the truth. We know how crazy and evil you guys are!¡±


    The real problem was the existence like the young man pointing his sword towards Duran.


    The human Dragon Demon King worshippers were divided into two categories. There were the humans nurtured within the organizations. Then there were the humans akin to Duran. The truth was told to an outsider, and this human outsider became a convert.


    The children nurtured from within were mostly orphans. They were indoctrinated with the beliefs of the Dragon Demon King worshippers from the time they were able to talk. The children were indoctrinated in apletely controlled environment, so they shouldn¡¯t have any selfish desires.


    However... Something had happened to Yuren, and it made him have a change in heart.


    ¡®Even if was a magic that affected the mind, it would take a very long time and massive effort to change an inflexible mind. So how is this possible?¡¯


    ¡°Die!¡±


    Duran held the question in his heart as he looked at the young man, who swung his sword. The young man didn¡¯t care about his own safety. His strike had the intent of taking both of them out. However...


    ¡°You are foolish until end.¡±


    Before the young man could swing his sword, Duran¡¯s sword sliced through the young man¡¯s neck.


    After the teen fell, Duran approached a young Dragon Majin. The Dragon Majin youth was wearing the same armor as Duran. He spoke.


    ¡°Yuren is on the run with the cold-blooded queen.¡±


    Duran was an exception. He was a human given that was given a high rank. Naturally, he hadmand over both humans and Dragon Majins. Everyone knew about Duran¡¯s skill and aplishments, so no one objected to hismand. They respected him.


    ¡°Did they get to safety as they threw these powerless children into the maw of a Dragon?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that is entirely true.......¡±


    At his words, the young Dragon Majin let out a bitterugh. Duran looked at him with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Mmm?¡±

 Chapter 93 - Those who Seek Their Own Destiny (2)

    Chapter 93 - Those who Seek Their Own Destiny (2)


    3


    Yuren didn¡¯t know the exact moment when he became a Dragon Demon king worshipper.


    His earliest memory he could remember was the cold corpse of his mother. He didn¡¯t know the exact cause, but his mother had been sick and poor. She froze to death in a back alley of a city.


    Yuren was probably fated to die like his mother. However, someone had taken Yuren, who was unable to speak yet. He was sent to a training school for talented humans.


    He learned how to speak in this ce. He grew up being indoctrinated with the knowledge and mindset of the Dragon Demon King worshippers. At an early age, the trainers categorized the children depending on their aptitude. In this process, Yuren was put on the path to bing a magician.


    When he was young, he never questioned the environment he was in. Hepletely believed everything the adults told him. It was truth. He was steadily bing a fanatic.


    His first kill came at 9 years old. The Dragon Demon king worshippers wanted to take root in a particr city. He had to kill an old couple, who refused to give up control over a neighbourhood.


    When he thought back on it, the couple was meless, and they had been kind to children. He had used their kindness against them. On a cold day, Yuren had disguised himself as an orphan. The couple allowed him into their home, and they had provided him warm soup. He had used this opportunity to put a strong magical poison in the couple¡¯s meal. He had killed them.


    Afterwards, he didn¡¯t feel any emotions.


    Yuren had received the teachings of the great Dragon Demon King, and anyone that didn¡¯t follow it wasn¡¯t considered to be ¡¯human.¡¯ They were dirty trashes that propped up this false world.


    However, a change urred when he was 14 years old.


    One day an unknown voice started to whisper to him in his dreams.


    ¡®I will tell you the name of your bloodline. Yuren Rizester.¡¯


    ¡°......mmm.¡±


    Yuren opened his eyes. The green eyes that shown beneath the disheveled brown hair surveyed his surrounding.


    His field of vision was shaking. It was disorienting. It seemed he was being moved, and he was slung over someone¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m being carried on a woman¡¯s shoulder.... How refreshing...¡±


    ¡°If you have the energy to spout such bullshit, it seems you are fine.¡±


    A sharp voice answered him. Someone had slung Yuren over her shoulder.


    It was a woman that was smaller than Yuren. Her ck hair was cut into an even bob, and she was wearing a leather armor painted ck. She was a cold beauty with yellowish red eyes.


    She was a Dragon Majin. There was a sculpture-like horn above her right ear, and it was give out a red light. A Dragon Stone of the same color was embedded on the back of her hand.


    Yuren spoke with a tired voice.


    ¡°Leticia. I¡¯m d you are happy, but... This might be thest bullshit statement I¡¯ll be able to utter in this life.... I don¡¯t know if....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to think that might be preferable to this. You should stop speaking. You did something idiotic, yet you aren¡¯t dead. You know you are lucky to be alive even after losing so much blood. Just shut up.¡±


    ¡°The child......?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yuren¡¯s face crumpled at Leticia¡¯s words.


    He was seriously injured. He had been running away with the children. His feet were shackled since he had to protect the children. He had thrown his body in the way of a sword thrust as he had tried to save a child. He fainted after receiving a deep sword wound.


    ¡°I should have... If we left them alone, then...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say those words again. Shut up.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Even a smart person couldn¡¯t have predicted the oue. We did this despite knowing we might regret itter. However, those children were heading down the road to fanaticism, and their dignity as human were being stripped away. We can¡¯t just do nothing about it.¡±


    The current situation had urred, because Yuren had aimed to go after the most evil training facility run by the Dragon Demon king worshippers. Basically, it wasn¡¯t a simple training facility that nurtured regr fighters. It was a ce where children with special constitution were gathered, and evil experimentation was conducted on them. This was a ce where they ¡¯reared¡¯ the test subjects, so Yuren couldn¡¯t just pass it by.


    While he was doing his advance work, he became acquainted with Leticia. They decided to do a joint operation. After they conducted their advance work for a month, they had destroyed the institution, and the children were able to escape.


    However, something unexpected had happened. Pursuers showed up behind Yuren as if they had been waiting for him.


    It took Yuren much effort to speak.


    ¡°Let me down.......¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t in a condition to walk.¡±


    ¡°I know. However, you are....¡±


    Yuren had picked up on the fact that Leticia was also injured. Yuran and Leticia had fought and killed over 100 Dragon Demon king worshippers to be able to get here. It would be more strange if they weren¡¯t tired and wounded.


    ¡°I¡¯m not in such a bad shape that I won¡¯t be able to carry a human cub.¡±


    ¡°No... I don¡¯t think you can face this enemy with me on your shoulder.... Nope....¡±


    ¡°...enemy?¡±


    Leticia was startled by his words. She had enough Qi to make the Dragon Demon king worshippers shake in their boots. However, she hadn¡¯t sensed any enemies approaching them. What did Yuren sense?


    At the same time, Leticia felt someone looking down at her. She had learned the Gaze Detection technique.


    ¡®Was the person¡¯s gaze hidden? No. No one had been watching me until a moment ago!¡¯


    The enemies had just appeared, so it meant that they had been lying in ambush at this location. The enemies hadn¡¯t been looking at the two of them. However, when the two entered their sensory field, they had turned their gazes towards the two.


    When Leticia realized this fact, lightning struck.


    Ggah-gwah-gwahng! Ggwah-gwahng!


    It wasn¡¯t just one or two thunderbolts. The forest was bright from the fire, yet the light from the thunderbolts was able to burn their retinas. Dozens of lightning fell.


    It had the destructive power to take out a unit with scores of men. After a moment, two people walked out from the dispersing thunder.


    ¡°Kook. This is... Did a high ranking officere after us?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, sinners. Imend you for getting out of our trap.¡±


    A person stepped out from between the trees. A woman of the Dragon Demon race was encircled in darkness as she emitted enormous power. The heat was causing the air to flow, and it flutter the ck hair of the woman.


    ¡°Niberis... A direct descendent of the Dragon Demon king.......¡±


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    The Dragon Demon woman was Niberis. It seemed the beings in the ins of Darkness had epted Yuren as a serious problem. They had sent a high ranking member.


    Niberis¡¯ expression hardened.


    ¡°How were you able to recognize me? You should only be a minor apprentice.¡±


    Even amongst the Dragon Demon king worshippers, Niberis wasn¡¯t known to many people. One didn¡¯t know about her unless one lived in the ins of Darkness. When she travelled outside, she had put considerable amount of energy in covering up her identity. On herst mission, she had travelled to the Rin kingdom to kidnap the Dragon Demon Princess Arietta with Regina. Even then she took the precaution of paralyzing the minds of the rank and file members, so they wouldn¡¯t be able to see her appearance.


    However, Yuren had gotten her identity right as soon as he saw her. A minor member of an organization shouldn¡¯t know about her.


    Yurenughed.


    ¡°Hahaha... Who knows? What do you think......?¡±


    ¡°You are almost dead, yet you have the talent to get on my nerves.¡±


    Goo-goo-goo-goo-goo!


    The darkness surrounding Niberis moved in a furious manner. It was a darkness that caused anyone that got close to it to be cursed. It was hard for anyone to breathe in this darkness. Once one was in the darkness, one died from all kinds of poisons and diseases.


    ¡°What nonsense.¡±


    It was a cursed darkness that would make a human magician freeze from the sight of it. However, Leticia spoke in a cold voice. She swung her long spear with Yuren still on her shoulder.


    Shweeeee!


    When she did, a gale with deep blue chill rose up to push the darkness away. As the temperature dropped rapidly, ice started to form in the surrounding.


    Niberis red at Leticia.


    ¡°As expected of the cold-blooded queen, you have a trick or two that justifies your pretentious nickname.¡±


    ¡°You guys are the ones that came up with that lousy nickname.¡±


    Amongst the Dragon Demon king worshippers, Leticia was known as the ¡¯cold-blooded queen¡¯. She had started her activities 8 years ago, and she had killed countless Dragon Demon king worshippers including a good number of Dragon Demon officers.


    Niberis spoke.


    ¡°I see. Then you should consider it an honor and die.¡±


    Numerous magical spells were initiated from within the darkness surrounding her. When it looked as if thunderbolts would end, a sharp wind flew in. When the winds fell away, fire came down like rain.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you this is nonsensical? Did you already forget my words?¡±


    Leticia overcame all the magical spells. She still had Yuren slung over one shoulder, yet she was moving in a surprising manner. Leticia counterattacked as she moved to regions that weren¡¯t influenced by the magical spells.


    Kwahng!


    As the explosion rang out, Niberis¡¯ barrier shook. Niberis was taken aback.


    ¡®She was able to do that at this distance?¡¯


    Niberis had put a good amount of distance between her enemies. However, her barrier had cracked as if someone had struck at point nk range at full force. Moreover, another blow urately struck the crack before Niberis could do anything about it.


    ¡°Ooh-ook!¡±


    Niberis had barely avoided the blow. It was terrifying. She had put a lot of effort into making her multiyered barrier, yet a dozen consecutive attack was intricately focused on a single point. Her barrier had been pierced by the attacks.


    At the same time, Niberis realized she had made a mistake.


    ¡®It is a magical spell.¡¯


    The attack from before wasn¡¯t from Leticia. It was a magical spell from Yuren, who looked as if he was close to death. When she realized this fact, Niberis was taken aback.


    ¡®This makes no sense. A human did that?¡¯


    The attack that was sent a moment ago astounded Niberis. Was it really a magical spell used by a human?


    ¡°This can¡¯t be!¡±


    Niberis was still in doubt as she sent her magical spell. At the same time....


    Puh-uhng!


    An explosion rang out, and the barrier, which she had remade, shook again. As if her opponent had been waiting for her to send her magic, Yuren had sent a perfect counter attack. The construct of her magical spell was nullified before it could take shape. Moreover, a magic arrow came at her from an absolute blind spot. It threaded the needle before it impacted on Niberis.


    ¡®A human cub has this level of skill....¡¯


    At that point, Niberis shivered instead of getting angry. This human¡¯s applied magic was at a level that was akin to the Archmages that taught magic in the in of Darkness.


    Niberis asked a question.


    ¡°Oh traitor Yuren. Is it as I had suspected? Is the Guardian Shadows behind your activities?¡±


    ¡°Maybe... If I really had something like that backing me up.... It would have been much easier for me.......¡±


    Yuren¡¯sugh didn¡¯t have much strength behind it. Until he developed a working rtionship with Leticia, he had strictly moved on his own. However, from the perspective of the Dragon Demon king worshippers, they didn¡¯t believe he worked alone.


    First, he was too talented of a magician. Even Niberis was surprised by his skills.


    Even if one was a genius in magic, one¡¯s development was dependent on the knowledge one could learn. If Yuren¡¯s foundation was solid, he could rapidly develop by learning high rank magic, but who taught it to him? If he was self-taught, he would have to fill in the gap in his knowledge through research and hard work. Of course, the progress was incredibly less efficient than learning the already well-established knowledge.


    Yuren suddenly spoke.


    ¡°Leticia. Someone else...ising here....¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Leticia understood the meaning behind Yuren¡¯s words.


    Their surrounding was already crawling with Dragon Demon king worshippers that had chased after them. However, the ¡¯someone¡¯ mentioned by Yuren had enough battle capability to be a threat to the two of them.


    ¡°I¡¯m going overtax myself a little bit. I¡¯m guessing you are well enough to assist me?¡±


    Hoooooooo!


    After speaking those words, Leticia nted her spear into the ground. Thin ice coated the surface of the spear, and it let out a maelstrom of cold energy.


    An incredible amount of magic was being gathered.


    The more surprising part was the source of the magical energy. Leticia was emitting Dragon Demon Magic, and another source of magical butted in to cause a multiplicative effect.


    It was Yuren¡¯s magic. A magical pattern that perfectlyplemented Leticia¡¯s Dragon Demon magic was formed, and it was amplifying her power to the extreme. There were cases where a magician used support magic to amplify a warrior¡¯s magical energy, but the effect of this amplification transcendedmon sense.


    Leticia grinned as she pulled out her spear, and she brought it down once again.


    ¡°Awesome. Even if my body was in a normal state, I would have hard time generating this much power.¡±


    Kwah-ha-ha-ha-ha!


    Afterwards, a wave of cold air erupted as it was shot forward.


    A white energy was shot forward, and a several dozen meters of the surrounding region was frozen in the shape of a fan.


    ¡®Oh my......!¡¯


    Niberis had been barely able to react to it, and she was astonished. Surprisingly, her sight line was obstructed. Her barrier reacted to antagonist forces, and a thickyer of ice had formed around her barrier. It blocked her field of vision.


    Moreover, a more stronger cold energy impacted on top of the first attack.


    Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah!


    However, this attack had a frightening force behind the attack. Niberis¡¯ barrier shook violently as the temperature fell rapidly.


    After thest wave of cold energy impacted Niberis, an ice pir had formed where she stood.


    ¡°...no wonder she is called the cold-blooded queen.¡±


    It took her a good amount of time for her to get out the ice pir encasing her. When she exited it, she mumbled as she looked at her surrounding.


    Everything was frozen. It was as if she was in a field of ice. A portion of the burning forest was frozen white, and one could seerge ice pirs had formed intermittently.


    ¡°Miss!¡±


    A person jumped over an ice pir. He was an enormous man wearing ck armor. It was Duran. He queried her.


    ¡°Are you hurt anywhere?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hurt. However, it seems I got punched. They aren¡¯t to be underestimated. We can¡¯t hold anything back when we meet them again.¡±


    Niberis hadn¡¯t underestimated Leticia in the first ce. Niberis had spoke disparagingly towards her, but Leticia was acknowledged to be a strong foe by the in of Darkness. She had epted this fact as she started the fight.


    However, she hadn¡¯t expected the unpredictable variable called Yuren. He was at death¡¯s door, yet he was able to disy such magic.


    Niberis asked a question.


    ¡°What about the others?¡±


    ¡°They aren¡¯t here yet.¡±


    Duran was quick on the uptake, so he realized the intent behind her question.


    She wasn¡¯t the only one dispatched to catch the traitor Yuren. It meant she didn¡¯t hold autonomy over this mission. Herpetitors from various factions were all aiming for Yuren. They were fighting for the meritorious deed of killing Yuren.


    This happened, because those in the in of Darkness couldn¡¯t track down Yuren¡¯s trail. Yuren was elusive. He had lead pursuers on a wild goose chase numerous times before he disappeared.


    This was why the in of Darkness had dispatched high ranking members to each region. Moreover, if one was able to kill Yuren, it would be seen as arge meritorious deed. Niberis was at this ce, because Duran had been dogged at tracking down Yuren. She had received information about Yuren first.


    However, she was only slightly ahead of the others. The fact that she was tracking down Yuren would be notified to the people above her. Soon herpetitors would gather here.


    Niberis spoke.


    ¡°I won¡¯t allow Laura and Kieren a chance to butt into this affair.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Duran lowered his head.

 Chapter 94 - Those who Seek Their Own Destiny (3)

    Chapter 94 - Those who Seek Their Own Destiny (3)


    4


    Azell and Kairen was almost at their destination. It had only been two weeks since they left the Dukedom of Tarantos.


    It took them four days to move past the border of the Rin Kingdom into the Dan Kingdom. It took them the next four days to traverse through the Dan kingdom, and they had entered into the Bijes Kingdom. In the past, it used to be called the County of Karzark.


    If someone said they crossed two kingdoms in a week, one would think it was a bad joke. However, the two of them cut straight across the map. They traveled a distance of 300 km in a straight line.


    When they entered the the Bijes Kingdom, their speed slowed a little bit. They knew where the County of Karzark was located at, but they needed to do some investigation before they went there. This was why they listened to stories from old men, and they searched out nobles, who collected books. They searched for historical records.


    Since they had crossed the borders without permission, they weren¡¯t truthful with their own identities. However, they had the seals proiming them of being knights, so they just needed toe up with a decent lie. The lie and seals was enough to be treated like guests for a night at a noble¡¯s house.


    Kairen took charge in telling Azell what to do. In the past, Kairen had traveled around the continent with his identity hidden. He was used to traveling as a noble with a hidden identity.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be there by afternoon.¡±


    After gathering information, the two of them visited a town nearby the County of Karzark. Since the town was near the Cursednds, it wasn¡¯t prosperous. However, it was a ce where they could eat and rest.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    As they got closer to the County of Karzark, Azell spoke less and less. Kairen wasn¡¯t used to this version of Azell, but he left Azell alone. Kairen didn¡¯t want to be a nuisance.


    The County of Karzark had been the ce that had allowed Azell to settle in peace. After the Dragon Demon wars, he need to rest his weary body, and he had started a new life....


    Of course, it had been a short and fragile dream. In only two years after the war, the Dragon Demon King¡¯s curse had taken hold, and he had to leave hisnd. He was put to sleep.


    Azell still wanted to see hisnd. He understood that he had been asleep for 220 years, but he had wanted to see if anything remained from his memories. He had wanted to see how his descendants fared in thend they inherited.


    ¡°.......¡±


    However, this simple hope had already been broken into pieces. There was nothing he could gain by going there, yet... He had to see it with his own eyes.


    Azell wordlessly stared at the location that was considered to be the County of Karzark. The stories he had heard up until now ran through his head.


    ¡®The Great Darkness....¡¯


    If one talked about the current era, this event never failed toe up.


    The County of Karzark had fallen to ruins at the end of the Great Darkness. Many lives were taken from the spread of an infectious disease, but the situation had been stabilizing thanks to sage Baion. This was when the crazed Dragons attacked the County of Karzark.


    ording to the records, 13 crazed Dragons went on a rampage, and they attacked everything within the County of Karzark. Afterwards, a massive horde of monsters gathered in thend. It was as if they had been hypnotized.


    After the fame of hero Azell Karzark, the County of Karzark was famous for their strong troops. Their knights were of high quality, and they possessed a lot of talented magicians. Of course, the soldiers were also trained well.


    However, they couldn¡¯t do anything in front of this situation. In a sh, the County of Karzark wasid to waste, and the monsters started to spread outwards.


    Fortunately , the Dragons didn¡¯t join in when the monsters advanced.


    After a desperate fight put up by the County of Karzark, the number of berserker Dragons had been cut down in half, and the rest of the Dragons refused toe out of the County of Karzark.


    The Bijes kingdom had been weakened by the Great Darkness, and they suffered further damages from the monsters.


    From the stories told by the old timers, Azell learned that the kingdom had been at the brink of destruction.


    However, in the end, they were able to endure the threat, and the County of Karzark was designated as a Cursednd. The Bijes Kingdom built a fortress at the border.


    It was akin to the Rin Kingdom¡¯s Southern Border Fortress...


    5


    This was obvious, but the County of Karzark was a forbidden region, and people were barred from entering the ce. The border guards kept up a regr patrol along the border.


    However, Azell and Kairen didn¡¯t have a hard time avoiding detection. They were able to sneak past the borders between kingdoms, so this was child¡¯s y.


    Kairen mumbled to himself.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t changed much since myst visit. The fortress is still the same.¡±


    ¡°Have you been here before?¡±


    ¡°I think it was around 30 years ago. It was after we destroyed the Grand Alliance of Darkness lead by Dakan.¡±


    ¡°......Hmmm. It is an answer that really drives home the fact that there is a great disparity in age between us.¡±


    Now that he thought about it, Kairen was an eyewitness to what had happened in the Great Darkness. At the time, Kairen still would have been the Duke of Tarantos, so he probably knew how the Great Darkness shook the foundation of society.


    Azell asked the question as they walked within the County of Karzark. He wasn¡¯t really interested in the answer. He asked the question, because he wanted to be distracted from his turbulent heart.


    ¡°What was the Great Darkness like?¡±


    ¡°At the time... Everything was a mess..¡±


    A contagious disease had swept through the continent, and it had been too ghastly. Until sage Baion came up with a solution, no one knew how to deal with the disease. If one caught the disease, one was quarantined, and the only thing left was to wait and die. That was the only choice avable to the sick.


    ¡°No one was immune from it.¡±


    The Dragon Demons, Dragon Majins, famous knights and magicians were all powerless in front of the virulent disease. If one caught the disease, one could only look forward to death.


    ¡°Of course, the Dragon Demons, Dragon Majins and the strong knights had great resistance against the disease, but.....¡±


    Even that had its limit. In the end, their stamina was chipped away slowly, and they fell sick. It was the end for them too.


    In fact, their presence actually elerated the spread of this infectious disease. Since they had more resistance against this sickness, it took them longer to realize that they were sickpared to normal people. These beings met with other unsuspecting people, and it acted as a catalyst to spur the rate of infection.


    Kairen continued to speak.


    ¡°From what I remember, the temples used to be quite prideful. If I told my old self about how humble the priests are right now, there is no way my old self would believe it.¡±


    Before the Great Darkness, the temples held absolute power. They used the Holy knowledge and techniques passed down by the gods to treat diseases and wounds. This made the priests act high and mighty.


    However, during the Great Darkness, they had been powerless. They had been prideful as they imed that they¡¯ll be able to cure the disease in a short period of time. The priests, who had stepped forward, died from the disease instead. It was unknown how many priests died during that time, but it was numerous.


    ¡°Then there were the priests that said the Great Darkness was a divine punishment sent to strike down the people wallowing in their arrogance. A good number of priest spouted such nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Somehow I get an impression that the people who spoke such nonsense in front of you didn¡¯t go away unscathed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave what happened up to your imagination.¡±


    Kairen grinned as he had a faraway look.


    ¡°It really was a terrible time. When I look back on it, it is hard to believe that it came to an end....¡±


    The peopleughing and talking the day before was struck down by the disease. The neighbors, who one had been good friends, were treated like monsters. People shunned the infected people. Kairen had believed in the humanity that was within people, yet any illusion of humanity was destroyed under the untreatable disease. It brought out the ugliness in people.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°...it sounds like what happens in a war.¡±


    During the Dragon Demon War, the true character of humans had been tested. Everyone had acted as if all humans possessed humanity and benevolence. When in trouble, how many people really upheld these ideas?


    Kairen let out a bitterugh.


    ¡°In my opinion, the Great Darkness was much worse than the wars. Unlike a war, there was no opponents one could fight.¡±


    The values everyone had believed in crumbled away, and the world was sunk into darkness. Everyone fought desperately to live. However, people didn¡¯t know what to fight. They didn¡¯t know how to fight this disease. No, it hadn¡¯t been a fight to live. It was a struggle one fought to dy one¡¯s inevitable demise.


    In that era, there had been only one man, who had identified and fought against the ¡¯enemy¡¯.


    ¡°Baion knew what to do. He knew that he had to fight against the disease itself.¡±


    ¡°Have you met him before?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve met him. I actually worked with him frequently when he was setting up the medical association. He had tried to gain support and help from the influential nobles. He needed a lot of political and mary support to do what he wanted.¡±


    ¡°I see. Is he still alive?¡±


    ¡°No. He is probably dead.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm? You aren¡¯t sure?¡±


    ¡°After the medical association was established and running well, he started appearing less and less in public. Maybe, he hated being bothered with political matters.....¡±


    Baion had been middle-aged during the Great Darkness. If he was still alive, he would be well over 100 years old.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    The two of them were maintaining speed of a normal person running at full tilt, while they held their conversation. The scene around them quickly changed, and they finally came to a ce that held evidence of human upation.


    At a certain point in time, the ruin used to be a town.


    Everything waspletely destroyed, and one couldn¡¯t find anything in tact. The buildings had been burned a long time ago. Trees and grass now grew where the buildings had stood before.


    Azell suddenly mumbled to himself.


    ¡°I think this ce was called...Digol.¡±


    ¡°Mmm? What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°It is the name of this town.¡±


    Azell was swept up in an unspeakable emotion.


    As a lord, he had taken care of his County for only a brief amount of time. However, he had gone all over hisnds as he settled in as the lord of thisnd. He knew every inch of thisnd.


    The sight he remembered superimposed itself on top of the ruins. Azell traveled far into his memory.


    There were the people, who had cheered when they saw him. Then there were the innocent children, who had run around....


    Digol was located at the edge of his domain, and the town had acted as a gateway to hisnds. It had be fairlyrge, and after the Dragon Demon wars, the poption had grown drastically. It had been a thriving town.


    ¡°You.......¡±


    Kairen was about to say something to Azell, who was standing there vacantly. However, he gave up on it.


    Azell¡¯s expression had crumpled in such a frightening manner that Kairen couldn¡¯t say anything.


    Azell was the one, who broke the silence first.


    ¡°I needed targets to take out my anger on, and they are here just in time...¡±


    Before one knew it, monsters started appearing from the surrounding. These were Orcs, whomanded ox-sized Blood Wolves.


    This was to be expected. Thisnd was designated as a Cursednd. It was so full of monsters that the Bijes Kingdom gave up on recovering this stretch ofnd.


    While Azell and Kairen wasing here, they had avoided the detection of the monsters.


    ¡°Koo-ooh. These humans are fearless.¡±


    A rough and awkward speech was heard. One of the Orc separated from the group, and it spoke as it walked towards the two humans.


    ¡°How fortunate.¡±


    When Azell¡¯s gazended on him, the Orc, who had been talking, flinched.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask this just in case. Did youe here with the wholesome intention of speaking with us?¡±


    An indescribable anger was burning beneath his blue eyes. The Orcs were known for their grit and ferocity, yet the Orc froze for a brief moment when it saw the man¡¯s eyes.


    The Orc raised its sword as it yelled out.


    ¡°Attack!¡±


    An unimaginable massacre, which had never been seen before, since the Orcs had settled here, was carried out.

 Chapter 95 - Those who Seek Their Own Destiny (4)

    Chapter 95 - Those who Seek Their Own Destiny (4)


    6


    The encounter repeated itself several times.


    The County of Karzark was a pretty big stretch ofnd. Of course, there had been several towns and cities within the County of Karzark.


    Azell walked through the towns that had been turned into ruins.


    He walked past the ruins of cities where everything was destroyed. Even the castle walls were demolished.


    He looked for sceneries that was left within his memories. He had always wished the beauty of these locations tost forever, yet they were all destroyed. They were in a state he had never wanted to seem them in. As he passed by each location, rage started to disappear from Azell¡¯s face. There was no expression on his face now.


    He had prepared himself for such possibilities. While he wasing here, he imagined the worst case scenario, and he prepared his heart for what he¡¯ll see.


    However, the shock he felt when seeing it with his own two eyes was beyond what he had imagined.


    ¡°In the past, I¡¯m sure.......¡±


    Azell smelled something familiar right now. He smelled the blood that had poured out from monsters he had cut open.


    ¡°I¡¯ve experienced something simr to this. I¡¯ve experienced it numerous time. Still... It is quite hard to stomach.¡±


    There were countless corpses of monsters littered around him.


    Azell hadn¡¯t bothered to hide his presence, while he wasing here. If he was able to make rational decisions, he would have avoided going to the towns or cities.


    The ruins were ideal nesting ground for monsters. It was almost certain that the monsters had taken possession of all the locations where humans had resided in the past.


    However, Azell didn¡¯t avoid them. He walked through ruins as if he wanted them to see him. He attracted the monsters to him, and he had fought them.


    It was a very foolish thing to do. However, Azell was wrapped up in his desire for revenge, and Kairen was swept up in the mess. However, Kairen wasn¡¯t angry. Cold sweat was running down his body.


    ¡®It is unbelievable. He is so overwhelming.¡¯


    Kairen had thought he was well aware of how much Qi was stored within Azell. However, he realized he had been fooling himself.


    It didn¡¯t matter if it was a violent one, careful one, small one, or a big one... In fact, it didn¡¯t matter if they came in a group. It didn¡¯t matter if the monsters attacked or ran away. If the monsters were close enough to be seen, they were all considered to be hostiles. Azell started his ughter.


    As he continued to fight, themotion gotrger. The monsters that had been spread out gathered to the center of themotion.


    It had been about a day and a half since they had entered the County of Karzark. Azell and Kairen had already faced several hundred monsters in the ruins of the small cities.


    Koong koong koong koong koong!


    The heavy sound rang out as the ground shook.


    From beyond the half broken building, a house-sized Ogre appeared.


    Koo-oo-uh-uh.... Uh...?


    It had a habit of trying to intimidate its enemies, so it started letting out a roar. However, it was killed in the blink of an eye. Azell was already in front of it, and Azell¡¯s foot had impacted on the Ogre¡¯s chest. The impact was delivered inwards. The Ogre¡¯s heart exploded, and Azell¡¯s sword cut through its thick neck. It was as if he was cutting through pudding.


    Poo-hwah-ha-ha-hahk!


    A spray of blood erupted into the air. In the midst of the blood, Azell disappeared as if he was an illusion, and he attacked the group of monsters that had followed behind the Ogre.


    ¡°Koo-ahk!¡±


    ¡°Koo-uh-uh!¡±


    The monsters didn¡¯t even have the time to assess what had happened. Something shed in front of their eyes, and they fell over with a critical wound. The group of 20 monsters took only a brief moment to ughter.


    Koo-ooh-oong!


    It all urred before the Ogre¡¯s corpse could fall to the floor.


    There wasn¡¯t a single speck of blood on Azell¡¯s body. Azell had moved much faster than the spray of blood. While the blood were falling down, Azell leisurely moved towards a different location.


    Kairen¡¯s blood curdled as he watched Azell with interest.


    ¡®Did his rational mind erode away from the rage?¡¯


    It seemed likely, since Azell was fighting the monsters by attracting them to him.


    However, when he observed Azell¡¯s fights, it made Kairen doubt his initial assumption. When one was crazy from rage, the logical and technical skills were thrown to the wind.


    Shouldn¡¯t he be iling like a madman?


    Azell¡¯s fight made Kairen suspicious as to whether Azell had the ability of premonition. He integrated insight and technique wlessly that it almost seemed mystical. He used noise and visible signs to draw in the enemies to where he wanted, and he used his mental waves to confuse them. Azell was using the minimal amount of power to kill his enemies.


    He even let several of them go. He was allowing fear to spread, since it would be easier to nt illusions using Spirit Order.


    He wanted to spread misinformation, so the chaos would spread. He also purposefully lured his enemies into traps.


    ¡°If there were flying monsters, it would have been a bit tiring... I guess no monsters control the skies here.¡±


    Azell had climbed the half broken castle wall, and he spoke.


    Caw, caw.......


    The sun was slowing descending. Within the red glow of the sunset shining down on thend... Corpses of several hundred monsters were strewn in front of him.


    The factions of monsters that had fought for dominion over this small city was all killed. Azell had killed every one of them.


    Azell suddenly spoke.


    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°At least, you were aware of what you were doing.¡±


    Kairen let out a bitterugh.


    Azell knew what he had done was really stupid. However, he couldn¡¯t help himself.


    Kairen watched the despondent Azell through the light of the sunset.


    ¡®Why is he like this?¡¯


    He once again wondered about Azell¡¯s identity. If Azell really was the descendent of the hero Azell Karzark, it was understandable for him to be enraged at the terrible sight of the County of Karzark.


    However, how could he be enraged to this degree?


    ¡®Maybe, he really is......?¡¯


    Kairen thought back to the time when Azell discussed his own identity. He remembered the first version of the story. Azell had said he had been put into a deep sleep through Carlos¡¯ great magic. He had woken up after a long sleep, and he was the real Azell Karzark.


    It was a ridiculous story. On the other hand, it had been a detailed story, and something always nagged at him in the back of his mind.


    There was no way it was possible, right?


    Amongst the magicians, Archmage Carlos was worshipped like a god, but Rin kingdom¡¯s best magician Beorein determined it couldn¡¯t be done.


    However, as he saw more of Azell.... He couldn¡¯t help feel as if Azell¡¯s story seemed more likely.


    ¡®Maybe not... Still, it wouldn¡¯t be too strange if it really turned out to be true.¡¯


    Kairen was feeling something simr to what Arrieta and Giles was feeling. This feeling got stronger as he spent more time in Azell¡¯s presence.


    Azell turned to look at Kairen as he spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ve killed all of them in this region, but more will flock here in time. Let¡¯s move to a ce where we can rest.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm. Let¡¯s do that.¡±


    At Azell¡¯s words, he suddenly woke up from his thoughts. They were moving once again, and Kairen couldn¡¯t hold back his question.


    ¡°Why did you do this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    Azell let out a bitterugh.


    His most precious memories had been smashed into pieces. He had skipped 220 years into the future, and Azell had thought hisnd would be the rope that¡¯ll connect him to the past. However, the only thing waiting for him was the traces of destruction.


    The monsters had destroyed and dirtied thisnd. He couldn¡¯t stand these monsters acting like master of thisnd as they step on the corpses of the people, who used to live here. This fight was a requiem for those who died.


    ¡®This won¡¯t be enough to appease the souls... Yes. I¡¯ll make a promise.¡¯


    At one time, Azell had ruled over thisnd as the lord. The deceased souls had been his vassals when they were alive. He made an oath to those people, who had been his sons and daughters.


    ¡®I won¡¯t forgive those who carried out this deed. Moreover... I¡¯ll return thisnd to the hands of the people.¡¯


    He would send those, who destroyed thisnd, straight into hell. Whether they were Dragon Demon king worshippers or not, he didn¡¯t care. Azell promised to make this happen.


    However, he couldn¡¯t tell this to Kairen. Azell made up a likely excuse.


    ¡°I just... It felt as if a holy ground had been defiled.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t an excuse that was particrly believable. Kairen spoke.


    ¡°You let your anger take over your body, yet your mind was working very well. This was why I thought you had some other underlying reason you haven¡¯t told me about...¡±


    ¡°I would have preferred if I could just let my anger take over me.¡±


    ¡°So you are saying there aren¡¯t any rational reasons behind your actions?"


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Still... I guess there are cases when one actually bes calm in an intense rage. Moreover, you are a high rank Spirit Order practitioner, so you are proficient at controlling your own mind.¡±


    ¡°You words aren¡¯t wrong, but it doesn¡¯t tell the whole story.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen too many innocents killed by people berserking on rage.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I needed to learn to harness it. No matter howrge my rage gets I had to be cold.¡±


    Azell thought about his past. He had berserked from rage, and he had been pushed to the brink of death several times as a result. He hadn¡¯t care what was around him, and he had experienced killing hisrades in these fits of rage. He made sure he didn¡¯t get overwhelmed by such emotions anymore.


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    Azell suddenly raised his head. Kairen, who had been running besides Azell, mumbled as he hardened his face.


    ¡°Someone is ¡¯watching¡¯ us.¡±


    7


    There was someone watching them. This being was very far away, and this person was hidden in a very clever way. However, this person couldn¡¯t hide his gaze.


    Azell spoke with Whispering instead of his voice.


    -I don¡¯t think it is the border guards.


    -If a normal border guard was this skilled, we would have to worry about the Bijes kingdom taking over the continent with their surprisingly strong military force.


    -It couldn¡¯t be those perverted Keepers of Prophecy that used to stalk me....


    It was a possibility, but the Keepers of Prophecy kept away from Azell after the rescue of Seigar.


    Still, Kairen was a member of the Guardian Shadows, so his location could be discerned easily by them.


    Anyways, they had found out that someone was observing them, so they couldn¡¯t just ignore it. Azell and Kairen continued a conversation about some random topic as they walked towards the ce where they felt the gaze.


    This was how Azell was able to confirm it.


    -It is magic.


    -How do you know?


    -I can tell by the angle. There is a magical eye in the air.


    Magic, Spirit Order and Dragon Arts all had ¡¯far-seeing techniques¡¯. It wasn¡¯t merely the enhancement of one¡¯s eyesight. The technique allowed one to send one¡¯s gaze into the distance to survey a location.


    Whenparing the limits of these techniques, he had found that magic was much superior than Spirit Order and the Dragon Arts when using such techniques.


    When Spirit Order and Dragon Arts used the far-seeing technique, one just expanded the sphere of one¡¯s vision. Azell could use his Clones to circumvent this limitation, but the limitation of the ability was clear.


    On the other hand, a magician could create a magic eye, and it could be sent far away into the distance. It was at themand of the magician.


    A high ranking magician could even look over a wall from a very far distance.


    Kairen epted Azell¡¯s assessment.


    -I see. So that is how you can discern such information.


    -I don¡¯t feel any hostility or murderous intent, but... It is hard to feel emotion through a magic eye. It is hard unless it attacks.


    Azell and Kairen had been moving for a while, and they became a bit surprised.

 Chapter 96 - Those who Seek Their Own Destiny (5)

    Chapter 96 - Those who Seek Their Own Destiny (5)


    -Hmmm. What is it? Is it really possible to see this far into the distance?


    They were moving fairly quickly, and they had already traversed 5 kilometres. However, they hadn¡¯t reached their opponent yet. The range of the surveince was beyond Kairen¡¯smon sense.


    Azell spoke.


    - This person is using a ry system of Magic Eyes.


    - Ry?


    - Only the very high rank magicians can use this method. It requires a high amount of skill and magical energy.


    A magician could only send the Magical Eye to a distance of several hundred meters. This was why there was a limit on how high the Magical Eye could move up into the sky to look down on its surrounding.


    The ry magic was a magic designed to ovee the Magic Eye¡¯s limits. The magician had to put down a marker nearby to maintain the magic, and the farthest Magic Eye links to the nearest Eye, the next Eye links to the next closest Eye, and so on. It was possible to observe far distance using such a method.


    ¡®This is the first time I¡¯ve seen it since I¡¯ve woken up.¡¯


    It was a magic used asionally in the Dragon Demon war, but this was the time he had seen it used in this era. Azell was swept up by a queer feeling.


    -We won¡¯t be able to escape from the enemy¡¯s surveince using this tactic... Let¡¯s change it up.


    -How?


    -That is.......


    After a moment, Azell and Kairen started running at frightening speed.


    At the same time, other Azells started appearing from various parts of the forest. The Clones formed by Azell possessed a presence, and the real body disappeared from sight in an instant using a Cloaking skill. He disappeared once he passed beneath a tree.


    Then he increased his speed again as he ran forward faster than his Clones. His Clones were running at high speeds, but they couldn¡¯t hold a candle to the real Azell, who was moving silently through the forest. He wanted his opponent to be caught off-guard by making his opponent think Azell was still far away. He nned on capturing his opponent in one fell swoop.


    However, his n became obsolete the next moment.


    ¡®The gaze disappeared?¡¯


    The Magic Eyes set up in various location vanished. It was as if the other side had given up the surveince on them.


    Kwah-ah-ahng......!


    Then he heard an explosion from the other side of the forest, and the mes brightened the darkening sky.


    8


    Niberis was walking through a ruined ancient castle. The sun had set, and her surrounding was bing dark. A much deeper darkness rippled around Niberis¡¯ body as her ebony hair billowed around her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve read your file... I have a question I want to ask you.¡±


    Her whole body was filled with power. As a magician, the source of her power was Darkness. When night arrived after the sun set, her powers became much stronger...


    ¡°Actually, I have an additional question I want to ask before I ask you the other question.¡±


    ¡°If I give you an answer... Will you let us live......?¡±


    Yuren replied with abored voice.


    Niberis queried.


    ¡°Do you really expect me to follow through on such a request?¡±


    ¡°No. However, aren¡¯t you suppose to tell me you will?¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t worth lying to. I have no thoughts on debasing myself by doing so.¡±


    ¡°Wow... You really... The arrogance suits the direct descendent of the Dragon Demon king....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask my question. Why did you run away towards thend seeped in sin?¡±


    ¡°The way you keep referring to this ce.... I¡¯m fed up with it. Thisnd... Why is it seeped in sin....?¡±


    Yuren giggled.


    Niberis¡¯ brow furrowed.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t as if you don¡¯t know the reason behind the name, so why are you asking? What is your purpose ining to thend of the great sinner Azell Karzark?¡±


    They were within the County of Karzark. Moreover, they were at the heart where the castle of Karzark was located at.


    Niberis spoke.


    ¡°Did you perhaps think I wouldn¡¯t follow after you into the territory of the Dragons? You don¡¯t look that dumb...¡±


    The County of Karzark wasn¡¯t designated as being a Cursednd just because there were a lot of monsters here. Amongst the 13 Dragons, who had destroyed thisnd, seven of them had taken residence here in thisnd. This was why Bijes kingdom had no choice but to give up on this bountifulnd.


    Yuren spoke.


    ¡°The knowledge... A price always follows... If you are a magician... Shouldn¡¯t you....have more sense?¡±


    ¡°I guess you will refuse to answer me. All right. If you want to speed up your death, I¡¯ll....¡±


    The darkness around Niberis¡¯ body rose up like me. At the same time, a powerful magical wave started to emanate from Yuren¡¯s body.


    He suddenly spoke.


    ¡°...I haven¡¯t reached my end yet. No, let me rephrase that. Not here.¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    Niberis was surprised. Yuren had been half dead, yet his condition was rapidly changing. Power was being infused into his voice, and his body looked to be overflowing with energy.


    ¡®Is it a regeneration ability? No, if he had that, he would have used it sooner. Then what is he... Mmmm?¡¯


    Soon, she realized what Yuren was doing. She was further taken aback by his actions.


    ¡°He called for a demon, and he let it in.... Is he nuts?¡±


    A ck smoke was gathering behind Yuren, and a figure was taking shape. It looked like a horribly deformed silhouette of a human. At the same time, an evil energy started to spread, and it was hard to breathe from just approaching the figure.


    Niberis was someone, who yed with the lives and souls of beings through ck magic, yet her body was shaking. This was how deep this evil was.


    Its hatred for all living creatures was so immense that it wanted to destroy the world.


    It was a Demon.


    Even the ck magicians avoided approaching one, yet it was a being one must meet if one wanted to earn the knowledge of ck magic. If not for a very specific situation, the Demons couldn¡¯t deliver their voices into this world. They didn¡¯t have any substance. There weren¡¯t much information known regarding the Demons, yet it was known that they possessed the source knowledge that was filled with evil and hatred.


    ¡°How funny.¡±


    His brown hair was whipping about as his gray eyes started to turn red.


    ¡°You are from the Dragon Demon race, yet you are showing aversion to this being. What nonsense. The Dragon Demon race is the amalgamation of Dragons and Demons. The Demons are your father and mother.¡±


    It was as he had said. The Dragons thirsted for knowledge, and the Demons pined for a physical body. The two sides fused to form the Dragon Demon race. The first of the Dragon Demon race was Atein, and after his birth, a numerous number of the first generation Dragon Demons was born. Even now, such births may be urring some ce in this world.


    Niberis red at Yuren.


    ¡°You are right. However, great Dragon Demon King had spoken about this. The Demon race may be our father, but not all fathers deserve our admiration and love.¡±


    ¡°Yet you guys still exploit this rtionship. Even now, you are throwing test subjects to the Demon race to earn more knowledge. Moreover, you are trying to create monster through this union, yet you dare to say such words?¡±


    If one kept contact with the Demon race, it was like crawling into a swamp of destruction. When a normal human came in contact with a Demon, the human lost his mind, since he couldn¡¯t ovee the terrifying energy filled with malice and hatred. Still, there were a lot of cases where magicians sought knowledge and wisdom from the Demon race. They went in with plenty of preparation, yet their mind became unknowingly polluted. This made the magicians repeat unbelievably stupid acts as they were driven towards their destruction.


    The Demon race loved powerful souls. When they were called into this world, these strong souls were able to resist their natural malice and hatred. However, the Demons worked towards corrupting and ruining these souls. It was the ultimate pleasure to eat these souls in the end.


    However, it was also true that one could earn something really valuable in the process. This was why the Dragon Demon king worshippers gave humans and Dragon Majin to the Demons asmodity. The Dragon Demon king worshippers ¡¯farmed¡¯ these knowledges from the Demons.


    Yuren spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m the monster of your own creation... Actually, I wasn¡¯t really raised as a test subject. Well, whatever. Just the thought of killing a direct descendant of the Dragon Demon king makes me ted.¡±


    Yuren had called forth a Demon, and he was receiving power from it. It wouldn¡¯t have been strange if he went mad, but surprisingly, Yuren had been sessful in keeping control over his power. He converted the Demon¡¯s power into his own magic.


    Niberis¡¯ expression turned cold.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know your ce.¡±


    Ggwah-gwahng!


    After the sound of an explosion rang out, both Yuren and Niberis took a step backwards.


    The ruined ancient castle shook as stone dusts fell from the ceiling. The two of them moved as if they were sliding across the floor, and they started exchanging shy magical spells.


    Paht! Pah-baht! Pah-pah-pah!


    Each immense magical spells was powerful enough to kill eachbatants a thousand times over. However, there was no outward phenomena urring between them. The air shook, and a weak spark formed between them.


    However, this was how a high level magical battle was fought. Before each other¡¯s magic could take form, they cut off the magic.


    Kwah-kwah-kwahng!


    Finally, an explosion urred, and a hole was formed in the wall. Yuren and Niberis exited the ruins of the old castle.


    Niberis made a cold assessment of Yuren¡¯s battle capability.


    ¡®In terms of magical energy, he exceeds me.¡¯


    Surprisingly, Yuren¡¯s magical energy exceeded a direct descendent of the Dragon Demon king. This was still true even if one took into ount the fact that the Dragon Demon magic was much more effective than magic.


    ¡®Moreover, we are almost equal in terms of technique. How could such a young human...¡¯


    To be precise, Yuren was better at fine control of magic, which needed only a small investment of power. On the other hand, Niberis was better at manipting magic, which affected arge area. These kinds of magic required the investment of a lot of power.


    Normally, Niberis would be at a disadvantage in such a situation, yet the battle was tight right now. This was true, because Yuren was in a tenuous situation.


    ¡°Kook......!¡±


    Yuren let out a groan. It was obvious that he was more skilled in focused magic. If he was steady in his progress, he would be able to dominate Niberis in all facets.


    However, his control over his magic was bing spotty. The cause was the Demon.


    In the first ce, it was considered impossible to receive power from a Demon, and control it. The fact that he was able to do it without being influenced by the Demon wasmendable.


    However, at the same time, he couldn¡¯t prevent the Demon from eating away at him.


    Niberis let out a cold smile.


    ¡°You were boasting about a power you cannot fully control... You are a failure as a magician.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sad that I cannot refute those words. However, the Dragon Demon king¡¯s direct descendent will die here today.¡±


    Oh oh oh oh oh oh!


    The shape wavering behind Yuren grew to twice its size. The evil demonic energy amplified by several orders, and it pushed forward as if to swallow Niberis¡¯ Darkness.


    ¡°You n on going for the winning move by hastening your own destruction?¡±


    Yuren voluntarily took on arger burden of hate and malice. It allowed him to bring out a muchrger amount of power. The power was immense, yet if Niberis could maintain her defense, she¡¯ll be able to see Yuren basically kill himself.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to show you that I¡¯m on a different level. What a foolish traitor.¡±


    Niberis¡¯ eyes shone. At the same time, the darkness around her swirled around as it surged forward.


    She spoke with a dignified voice.


    ¡°Come! Come into the hands of your proper owner! Dragon Arts - Book of the Dark Soul.¡±


    Koo-koo-koo-koong!


    A ck thunderbolt struck in front of her, and the evil energy that had been encroaching towards her was shredded to pieces.

 Chapter 97 - Those who Seek Their Own Destiny (6)

    Chapter 97 - Those who Seek Their Own Destiny (6)


    9


    At that moment, Leticia was outside the castle with Duran. She was battling the forces being led by him.


    She was leery about being separated from Yuren, but she had no choice. Yuren was in such poor shape, so she had hidden him before she stepped forward to fight.


    However, she had observed the Magic Eyes being retracted, and an explosion came from within the castle. She knew there was a battle going on inside the castle.


    His use of the Forbidden technique of summoning a Demon was probably a necessity.


    Even though the situation had be chaotic and desperate, Leticia¡¯s cool-headedness never eroded. Duran was trying to confuse her senses by using Clones, but she blocked every one of Duran¡¯s sword strike with her spear.


    Pah-ah-ah-ahng!


    When the explosion rang out, Leticia had already bounced off Duran¡¯s sword, and at the same time, she showed off her intricate control over her power by getting in a counter. Duran¡¯s shoulder protector was ripped away, and the cold energy gathered around this region.


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    While the battle was ongoing, the surrounding had turned into a scene straight out of winter. She was called the Cold-blooded Queen, and she possessed Dragon Demon magic, which was on par with the high ranking Dragon Demon officers residing within the in of Darkness.


    ¡°As expected of the Dragon Demon King¡¯s dog, your sense of smell is quite keen. Yuren is great at covering his tracks, yet.......¡±


    ¡°Both of you will soon be dragged away like dogs.¡±


    ¡°Really? You master is opposing someone that may have the means to kill her. ¡±


    Bothbatants could feel the sh of enormous powers nearby.


    In such a situation, Leticia was not the one, who was restless. Unexpectedly, it was Duran, who felt restless. He trusted Niberis¡¯ power. However, at the same time, she was the daughter of Saibein, who had been Duran¡¯s savior. Niberis was the direct descendant of the exalted Dragon Demon King, and he was worried she would get hurt.


    On contrast, Leticia was calm.


    ¡®Yuren. If you die here... The guide in your dream was a trick used by the Demons to push you towards your own destruction.¡¯


    She didn¡¯t fuss over something she had no control over. All she could do was to do her best in solving the problem in front of her eyes.


    The two of them had been in an intense pursuit battle with the Dragon Demon king worshippers. It hadn¡¯t been a wise decision for them to enter the County of Karzark. The Dragon Demon king worshippers alway kept an eye on thisnd. Yuren and Leticia was well aware of this fact.


    Still, Yuren insisted that he had to go to this ce.


    ¡®The guide within my dream said that I¡¯ll meet my destiny here.¡¯


    ...when she heard his words, Leticia thought really hard as to whether Yuren really had lost his mind. She had allied herself with him, because he had been too talented. Moreover, they had the same goal. She had assessed that he was of sane mind.


    Had she been wrong?


    Yuren insisted that the guide in his dream was instrumental in him betraying the Dragon Demon king worshippers. He had been subjected to constant indoctrination, and the guide had been instrumental in him breaking the bonds of fanaticism. If Leticia didn¡¯t go with him, Yuren nned on going to the County of Karzark by himself. Leticia decided to gamble. She gave this mad n a chance.


    ¡®No matter how I look at this, this is crazy, but... If I was of sane mind, I wouldn¡¯t be fighting these bastards.¡¯


    If she thought about it carefully, Yuren was someone she should avoid getting close to even if he had betrayed the Dragon Demon king worshippers. Even if one needed a lot of power to go up against the Dragon Demon race, one shouldn¡¯t cross the line by calling a Demon into one¡¯s body. The ck magicians, who went this far, were considered to be a bad egg.


    However, Yuren¡¯s intentions and actions were surprisingly just even if he had broken an evil taboo. This was why Leticia had epted him as arade.


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    Suddenly, Leticia trembled.


    In the midst of her fierce battle, she felt the inting magical energy of Yuren being ripped into pieces, and an oppressive Dragon Demon magic had exploded forth. Leticia let out a moan when she realized the identity of this energy.


    ¡°...Niberis possesses Dragon Demon Qi?¡±


    It was an unexpected situation. Even at a nce, she had been able to tell Niberis was a scary opponent. However, she never expected her to possess Dragon Demon Qi. Yuren didn¡¯t stand a chance!


    Kah-ahng!


    Leticia charged Duran as she brought down her spear. The sword and the spear was interlocked with each other. Duranughed.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see if each of us put our trust in the right ce. The result will show us.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Certainly.......¡±


    However, Leticia¡¯s surprise was pushed down in an instant. After pushing back Duran, she spoke in an apathetic voice.


    ¡°Well, if he dies here, it is his fate..¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Duran was taken aback. Were these two reallyrades? Herrade was in obvious danger, so how could she be so calm about it?


    Leticia smiled. She had a savage smile of a predator.


    ¡°Once one enters into a battle as abatant, one has to be responsible for one¡¯s own life. I won¡¯t fret over him as if he was a baby left by the river. I would be putting the cart before the horse, and it might result in my death.¡±


    When one acknowledged each other asrades, one also epted the fact that one¡¯srade might die. If arade died, the living member only had the obligation to take revenge for the dead.


    Leticia had always fought with this mental attitude.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see if his fate leads him to destruction or hope.... We¡¯ll soon find out.¡±


    After a brief moment, the Dragon Demon magic, which had been agitating her senses from afar, disappeared as if it had been a lie.


    10


    ¡°.......¡±


    Niberis couldn¡¯tprehend what had happened in front of her, so she was filled with confusion.


    In front of her, there was a book floating in front of her, and it possessed pages covered in pitch ck darkness. This was Dragon Art¡¯s Book of the Dark Soul, which had been passed down from the Dragon Demon wars.


    When she obtained this great relic, she was able to wield a different level of magical power. She had been in a tight battle with Yuren, but in an instant, she was able to overpower him. He had been wrecked by her.


    When she was about to capture him, a sword appeared in front of her.


    Hoo-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh......!


    The sword had fallen in front of her like thunderbolt, and it ripped away the darkness formed by her. It wasn¡¯t as if an overwhelming strength had exploded onto the scene. The sword had flown in, and it cut off the swirling magical wave as if it had never existed. It was akin to a sword cutting a piece of paper....


    She felt a chill.


    Was such a thing really possible?


    ¡®This sword.......¡¯


    The sword possessed a white de. At a nce, one could tell it wasn¡¯t made out of metal. It was made out of some other ingredient.


    ¡°It has been a while.¡±


    Then she heard a familiar voice. It was a voice of a man she would never forget.


    Niberis spoke with an angry voice towards the man, who was walking slowly towards her.


    ¡°Azell Zestringer......!¡±


    Confusion washed over her alongside her rage. Why was this man here? Howe she hadn¡¯t received any information regarding his presence here?


    The Dragon Demon king worshippers were on high alert regarding Azell¡¯s whereabouts. However, Azell and Kairen¡¯s movement speed transcended imagination. After they left the Dukedom of Tarantos, she had received no information from her observers.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Silence descended between the two. The Dragon Sword embedded in the ground rose up into the air by itself, and it returned to Azell.


    ¡®Even the Dragon Sword Duke....¡¯


    Niberis located Kairen, who was standing behind Azell. She wasn¡¯t in a good situation.


    Azell suddenly spoke.


    ¡°It seems you gained a new Dragon Arts I¡¯ve never seen you use. Since such a young Dragon Demon like you possesses Dragon Demon Qi,I¡¯m guessing you inherited something that already existed. Actually, I remember that Dragon Demon Qi.¡±


    Azell calmly looked over Niberis. Her Dragon Demon magic hadn¡¯t changed much. However, it was hard to assess how much energy a magician possessed unless one fought against one. However, the mere fact that she had gained the Dragon Arts meant that she would be able to wield a different level of power.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Before I ask you why you are here... I¡¯m curious about one thing.¡±


    ¡°Are we really in a situation where we can calmly answer each other¡¯s questions?¡±


    ¡°Were you guys responsible for destroying thisnd?¡±


    Azell had ignored Niberis¡¯ sarcastic remarks, and he had asked the question. Niberis looked straight into Azell¡¯s eyes, which was burning with anger, and she gave her answer.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°As expected.......¡±


    It was true that he had suspected the identity of culprits. Thirteen Dragons had suddenly rampaged in madness, and arge force of monsters had been ready to move into hisnd. It had been an unnatural event.


    However, this wasn¡¯t the only reasons why Azell had suspected the Dragon Demon king worshippers. He knew it to be true when he learned that all the descendents of Count Karzark had been eradicated.


    Even if the County of Karzark was destroyed, his descendents couldn¡¯t have all died. Of course, the women and the old would have been evacuated. Then there would have been some, who were out of thends, at the time of the attack. So how could all of them be massacred so thoroughly?


    Someone had taken advantage of the chaos created by the Great Darkness, and the downfall of the County of Karzark. If not, there was no way everyone would have died. The only likely suspect, who would do such a thing, was the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    Azell briefly closed his eyes as he spoke.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Niberis was taken aback at his unexpected words. Azell spoke as he opened his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be able to hate all of you with all my heart.¡±


    Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh!


    A powerful magical wave was emitted from Azell. It was as if her senses was hit by a heavy sensation. When the magical wave reached her, Niberis trembled.


    ¡®What the hell has he been doing?¡¯


    Azell¡¯s magical energy couldn¡¯t bepared to thest time she had seen him. His growth rate was unrivalled..


    Unlike the Dragon Demons or the Dragon Majins, humans weren¡¯t born with massive amounts of power. Instead, they were able to rapidly grow their power in a short amount of time. This held true for Spirit Order Practitioners and Magicians.


    Still, there was a limit on how fast one could grow. It had only been 1 year, since she had seen himst. So how could his magical energy grow so much?


    ¡®At the very least, he is a Septuple Master!¡¯


    Cold sweat ran down her body. Even when Azell had iprehensibly low magical energy, he had been a threat.


    How was he able to gain this much magic in only a year?


    Niberis used her Communication magic to gather her underlings, and she got ready for battle.


    It happened at that moment.


    ¡°Ah. It really...¡±


    Yuren was lying next to Azell¡¯s feet, and he spoke with a feeble voice.


    ¡°The guide¡¯s words... He was right....... The fact that he was so urate... Even if I¡¯m the beneficiary of such information, I... don¡¯t feel.... too good about it....¡±


    ¡°It would be best if you spare your words.¡±


    Azell didn¡¯t even look at him as he spoke. Niberis was stoking her fighting spirit in front of him, so Azell couldn¡¯t reveal any openings in his defense.


    ¡°Ha ha ha... Thank... you... For worrying about me....¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡¯ know who you are. In truth, I don¡¯t like the fact that you stink of an evil energy, but.... You seem to be the enemy of my enemies, so I¡¯ll spare you. I¡¯ll give you a chance to exin yourself.¡±


    Azell took a step forward. Kairen, who had silently stood behind Azell, took Yuren, and they retreated towards the back. After confirming their retreat, he spoke to Niberis.


    ¡°It is time for you to pay off your debts.¡±


    ¡°You took the words out of my mouth, the man whose name is seeped in sin.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tired of being called by that long and unnecessary nickname. I¡¯ll make it so that you¡¯ll never utter those words again.¡±


    A tumultuous killing intent exploded forth from Azell, and he charged toward Niberis.

 Chapter 98 - The Sword that Split the Heavens (1)

    Chapter 98 - The Sword that Split the Heavens (1)


    1


    During the Dragon Demon war, Azell had seen a lot of Dragon Demon weapons used. Both his allies and enemies wielded it.


    Each of them had a unique form and ability. All of them were named, and they boasted incredible amounts of power. This was why Azell remembered every Dragon Demon weapon he had encountered before.


    ¡°That¡¯s the Book of Darkness. The Simpleton Prince Saibein¡¯s Dragon Demon weapon is still being passed around amongst you all?¡±


    Saibein had been one of the sons of the Dragon Demon King.


    The Dragon Demon weapon called Book of Darkness was something that had been used by Saibein. It allowed one to have control over Darkness, and there were all kinds of high rank magical spells engraved in it. It was a wonderful tool, which allowed one to carpet-bomb one¡¯s enemies.


    Niberis became angry at his words.


    ¡°You bastard! A young human like you dares to insult my father!¡±


    ¡°Mmm? You are the daughter of the Simpleton Prince? In the end, that guy lived long enough to leave behind a progeny? It is true that he was a simpleton, but he was always hard to kill.¡±


    During the Dragon Demon Wars, the humans gave Saibein the nickname of the Simpleton Prince to ridicule him. It wasn¡¯t as if Saibein was weak. As befitting the son of the Dragon Demon King, he had incredible amount of Dragon Demon magic, and he was a naturally skilled magician.


    However, Saibein¡¯s problem was the fact that he hadn¡¯t had any defining wartime aplishments. It was true even when he had be the bait to lure out Azell¡¯s third master Lin. He had always been defeated, and in turn, his pride had been trampled.


    Until the Dragon Demon war ended, this remained true even after Saibein participated in multiple engagements. He was also grievously injured in the penultimate battle, so he hadn¡¯t even been present at the final battle. It seemed he had lived on in the in of Darkness.


    Niberis exploded.


    ¡°You have yet to live a hundred years, yet you dare talk about my father as if you know him! I¡¯ll make you suffer. You will wish for your death!¡±


    ¡°I do know him? Is he perhaps still alive? If so, I want to meet him. I almost took off his head twice, but he threw away the lives of his subordinates like it was nothing to be able to run away. This tactic was highly inconvenient, and in the end, I wasn¡¯t able to kill him.¡±


    ¡°How much nonsense do you have to spout before you are satisfied!¡±


    From within the darkness that had pervaded the surrounding, all kinds of magic exploded forth. Niberis¡¯ personal reservoir of Qi had increasedpared to an year ago. On top of her development, she now had the Dragon Demon weapon called the Book of Darkness. She could use an incredible amount of powerpared to her previous self.


    Kwah kwah kwah kwah kwah!


    The Darkness rose up like a tsunami, and the sounds of thunder rang out. The Book of Darkness allowed one to control the Darkness, and it was almost akin to a Dragon¡¯s control over an element it was born with. Its performance was almost unrivalled. Moreover, each of the magical spells engraved into the book was superb. One could be a one man army with this power.


    This trove of power was released all at once.


    The surging darkness swallowed up Azell, and all kinds of Curses and Destruction magic detonated within. No matter how talented he was, he wouldn¡¯t be able toe out intact under this level of firepower.


    ¡°...it really is an annoying item. I¡¯ll admit that the Book of Darkness is quite high-powered. Its overwhelming firepower could simply crush an opponent..¡±


    However, Azell¡¯s voice could be heard over the thundering noises. Niberis unconsciously inhaled.


    At the same time, blue thunder and lightning split the darkness.


    It wasn¡¯t natural phenomena. The thunderbolts were terrifyingly concentrated in a single location, and it looked like a sword. Thunderbolts split the darkness in half, and one could see Azell with his red hair whipping about.


    The shocked Niberis heard an inconceivable string of words.


    ¡°Dragon Maken Rise!¡±


    Apanying Azell¡¯s shout, the sky let out a roar.


    Kwah-roo-roong! Ggwah-gwahng!


    There had been no clouds in the sky, yet a thunderbolt erupted as it ripped away the darkness of the night. The thunderbolt struck the sword in Azell¡¯s hand, and it connected the heaven and earth as one. In the midst of the exploding thunder, which didn¡¯t allow other sounds to be heard, one could hear a psychic shout.


    -The Sword that Split the Heavens!


    The name was apt. The thunderbolt split open the skies, and it resolved into a single sword. Thunderbolts condensed into forming this blue sword, and it was exactly the shape of the the Dragon Maken he had used to defeat the Earth Dragon at the Bn Forest.


    However, the one from before had been an illusion. It hadn¡¯t possessed a real body. An unbelievable amount of power had been focused for the sword to take form, but it had been destined to fall apart. It didn¡¯t have its prior physical form to anchor into.


    However, Azell had changed the sword¡¯s destiny. He had superimposed the Dragon Maken¡¯s image to the Dragon Sword, which was made out of the white bones of a Dragon.


    When she saw it, she became scare out of her wits.


    ¡°No way! It can¡¯t be that sword...!¡±


    Her surprise wasn¡¯t rooted only in the fact that Azell had a Dragon Demon weapon. If it was just the appearance of such a weapon, she wouldn¡¯t have been surprised to a degree where her thoughts briefly shorted out.


    The problem was the name. Azell had called forth the Dragon Demon weapon with his will, and he had used its true name. It was a nightmare of a name for the Dragon Demon king worshippers. It haunted them in their dreams.


    The Dragon Demon weapon wasn¡¯t named by its User. All Dragon Demon weapons possessed a true name as soon as it was born.


    Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh......!


    Niberis was frozen in shock, but the Book of Darkness in front of her reacted. Niberis didn¡¯t do anything, yet the book trembled before the pages started to flip over. From Niberis¡¯ perspective, she felt as if the Book of Darkness was trying to express some unknown feeling.


    Azellughed as he gripped the Dragon Maken in front of him.


    ¡°Well, from now on, it is up to you to determine if I¡¯m talking bullshit or not. This Dragon Maken has ripped apart the Book of Darkness twice before in a fight with the Simpleton Prince. Shall we see what¡¯ll happen when I rip it apart for the third time?¡±


    2


    The Dragon Demon castle was located far in the north within the in of Darkness. The first wife of the Dragon Demon king was submerged within the great magic of Darkness. Aincera opened her eyes in surprise.


    The great Darkness was spread around her at all times. It was a magic taught to her by the Dragon Demon King Atein. She didn¡¯t even need to take a single step, yet she was able tomunicate with all Dragon Demon king worshippers. She could survey all parts of the continent, and its power was instrumental in maintaining and hiding relics like the Road of Emptiness. It was a transcendental magic.


    Within this magic, Aincera was like a goddess, who was able to hear the prayers of her numerous followers. No, to be precise, this magic was a proxy that allowed the prayers of the humans to reach the goddess.


    Moreover, this magic¡¯s utility wasn¡¯t limited tomunication. In the beginning, Aincera had set up a bank of knowledge when she incubated this magic. It was able to find information as if it was prescience.


    The Dragon Demon king worshippers were connected by darkness, and everything they saw, heard and thought was sent to her. Then she was able to bring up relevant information from memory bank.


    This all resulted in her being able to coordinate the eradication of knowledge amongst the humans. Everything regarding the technique of Dragon Arts, Spirit Order and the Dragon Demon weapons were all....


    Aincera mumbled as if she was groaning.


    ¡°The Sword that Split the Heavens. How could that cursed Dragon Demon weapon show up again?¡±


    There was a price exacted from her for harboring this great Darkness within her. It was as if she had stolen a part of a power of a god, yet it also put her in a half-dead state.


    Aincera¡¯s self was buried within this sea-like consciousness, and her sense of self had be faint. She was only able to operate, because she had been obsessed with her principles, and she had the overwhelming will to live.


    Of course, her emotions had faded away as if it had be cut away. No matter what business came up, she dealt with it in a indifferent manner.


    However... She remembered the memories stamped into her memories 200 years ago, and the terror she felt couldn¡¯t be erased.


    ¡°The Sword that Split the Heavens?¡±


    ¡°The Dragon Demon weapon of the great sinner has appeared?¡±


    ¡°That cannot be.¡±


    Shocked voices was flying towards her from everywhere on the continent. The magic allowed them to ignore the vast distance, and it was as if they were all gathered in the same room. They were all feeling the same emotion.


    Fear.


    The moment the Dragon Demon weapon was born Aincera knew about it. The being connected to the great Darkness encountered the Dragon Demon weapon, and she was now aware of this fact.


    This was why Aincera was able to look up the identity of the Dragon Demon weapon encountered by Niberis.


    The Sword that Split the Heavens.


    This was the weapon swung by the hero Azell Karzark in the Dragon Demon war. In the end, this weapon was used to end the life of the Dragon Demon king Atein. It was name of the Dragon Maken.


    3


    Azell had received several Dragon Demon weapons from his third master Lin. However, he only had one Dragon Demon weapon he had created for himself. It was the ¡¯Sword that Split the Heavens.¡¯


    Azell hadn¡¯t created the Dragon Maken in his hands anew. He just recovered the one from before.


    Carlos had used a surprising magic to preserve his sword, while Azell slept. However, when he went through with the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual with the Earth Dragon inside the Bn forest, he had consumed all the power needed to maintain the existence of the sword. It disappeared.


    However, when he went through his second Dragon yer¡¯s ritual, he found the fragments of the sword still existing within his Energy Pulse. The reason why he hadn¡¯t been able to discover this fact was simple. Azell had been short on Dragon Demon magic. If one didn¡¯t have Dragon Demon magic, it was impossible to form or maintain the Dragon Demon qi. This was why he had the fragments within his Energy Pulse, but these fragments was destined to slowly dissolved since nothing was maintaining it.


    However, when Azellpleted the second Dragon yer¡¯s ritual, he changed the fate of the sword. When he realized this fact, he attempted a third Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, while he resided at the Dukedom of Tarantos. He won, and he had gained a powerful source of Dragon Demon magic.


    This resulted in him being able to gather the fragments existing within his Energy Pulse, and he had revived the Dragon Maken.


    However, the problem was its iplete revival. The Sword that Split the Heavens was considered to be one of the top Dragon Demon weapons.


    Azell was able to gain a considerable amount of Dragon Demon magic through his third Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, but he couldn¡¯t fully revive his sword.


    It would only be possible if he conducted more Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. However, the Dragon yer¡¯s Rituals wasn¡¯t something that should be done in a short amount of time. If he was able to do so, Azell would have travelled the entire country looking for Dragons. He would have done Dragon yer¡¯s Rituals with a fearsome fervor.


    During the Dragon Demon war, there were two reasons why the beings with the Dragon Demon weapons didn¡¯t blindly conduct the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    First. If one hadn¡¯t digested the Dragon¡¯s power before doing another Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, the Dragon could steal the power residing in the human.


    Second. When the human attempting the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual increased in the amount of Dragon Demon magic one possessed, the Dragon seemed to respond by getting stronger. Basically, even if one obtained a Dragon Demon weapon through multiple Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, the difficulty level of the fights with the Dragons never decreased.


    Carlos had a theory regarding why it was so.


    ¡®It may be, because the Dragon Demon magic¡¯s originates from the Dragons. Dragon Demon magic allows the Dragons to to control reality through their will. Moreover, they are able to freely control the element they have affinity with. There is a connection between these two abilities.¡¯


    The Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual was a life and death fight between a Dragon and a human. However, it was also a conversation between their souls. The winner took the loser¡¯s wisdom or power. The fact that this was possible in the first ce meant that they were dealing with a magic that transcendmon sense.

 Chapter 99 - The Sword that Split the Heavens (2)

    Chapter 99 - The Sword that Split the Heavens (2)


    ¡®When one initiates the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, the transcendent magic joins the soul of the human and the Dragon into one. In the process, the will of the human that controls the Dragon Demon magic gets pulled towards the Dragon¡¯s will. This urs since the Dragon is closer to the source of the magic.¡¯


    Of course, this was an unproven theory. Still, it did a semi-decent job in exining the phenomena of the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    After Azell finished his third Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, he put all his effort into digesting the power he had gained. As he was doing this, he kept thinking of a way topletely materialize the Dragon Maken. However, it was Kairen, who hade up with the answer.


    ¡®You are running into the limitation of materializing power into an ethereal form. What if you prepare a separate vessel you can pour the power into?¡¯


    When he heard those words, a lightning went off inside Azell¡¯s head.


    Kairen was someone, who had made a Dragon Sword, from reading an iplete ount of the Dragon Demon weapons. He had a unique perspective, and he hade up with the idea. Azell used Kairen¡¯s idea as a guideline, and he researched for a way to materialize the Dragon Maken through the Dragon Sword. In the end, he was sessful.


    The sword he was holding at that moment was the result. In the past, it had been the source of terror for the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army. Azell once again wielded the proud power of his Dragon Maken.


    Niberis asked a question.


    ¡°...the one with the name soaked in sin. What is your real identity?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask again. Is Saibein still alive?¡±


    Instead of answering Azell¡¯s question, she asked a question of her own. She furrowed her brows.


    ¡°What is your purpose in asking this question?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just curious. No, this really isn¡¯t a question specifically about Saibein. I wonder how many of your members are survivors from the Dragon Demon war?¡±


    The Dragon Demons had long lifespans, so there was a possibility that some were still alive. This was the reasoning behind Azell¡¯s question.


    Of course, Niberis didn¡¯t answer his question. He looked at her for a brief moment before he spoke.


    ¡°I guess it isn¡¯t information that can be easily given away. Then I¡¯ll phrase it this way. I want you to deliver this message to those, who are still alive. If they are curious about my identity, they can move their fat asses, ande meet me. Then you¡¯ll be able to clear up this confusion. You can get the answer from them.¡±


    The gust infused with blue sparks swirled around him. Azell spoke in a cold voice.


    ¡°Ah, sorry. I just realized I said something unnecessary. You are the daughter of the Simpleton Prince. You will die here today.¡±


    ¡°You are the one, who will die. You¡¯ll be killed as you clutch at your own riddles! Oh, human with the name soaked in sin!¡±


    The Dragon Demon weapon shed with the other Dragon Demon weapon. Kairen was a Dragon Demon, but even he was having a hard time breathing. The waves of powerful Dragon Demon magic swirled around the surrounding. The Darkness swallowed everything nearby, and the thunderbolts let out a ferocious roar as if it was going to rip the world into pieces.


    4


    Ggwah-gwah-gwah-gwahng! Ggwah-gwah-gwahg!


    The darkness and lightning collided violently with each other. The two power intermingled as the explosions rocked the ground. A single shid waste a radius 100 meters. Kairen, who was running away with Yuren on his shoulders, was shocked.


    ¡°Kook! What preposterous amount of power!¡±


    Kairen had always thought he could beat anyone in terms of burst damage. However, the aftermath created by the Dragon Demon weapons shing against each other was beyond his imagination.


    Niberis¡¯ shout rang out within therge dust storm.


    ¡°I invoke the bountiful spirit, which possesses the endless darkness of theher world! I call upon the soul that runs across the firmament of darkness that covers the sun!¡±


    When she shouted the spell, her surrounding started to change. If one didn¡¯t actively protect oneself against the magical energy, the Broken Soul Curse would overpower the opponent¡¯s mind. The curse had the power to shatter the mind.


    Hoo-ooh-ooh-ooh......!


    The darkness started to spread out like a fog, and everything it touched died. Moreover, numerous tormented phantoms rose out of the fog as they wailed.


    Kairen stopped breathing.


    ¡°My god.¡±


    He had fought a lot of ck magicians up until now. He was also very experienced in fighting very strong Dragon Demon king worshippers. Moreover, his best friend was Beorein Michael, who was the kingdom¡¯s best magician. He was familiar with how much power was generated by the high rank magical spells.


    However... The phenomena unfolding in front of him far outstripped any magic he had experienced for the past 100 years of his life.


    ¡®What about Azell?¡¯


    His opponent was using an incredible magic spell, so why was Azell not doing anything? Kairen looked into the darkness with this question on his mind. However, he soon understood why Azell hadn¡¯t stopped Niberis from activating her magic..


    Pah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!


    An intense lightning pierced through the pervading darkness. It look like thunder, but it also looked like a pure white me. It split open the darkness in a domineering fashion, and Azell appeared from within it.


    He spoke with a certain perverse humor in his voice.


    ¡°That move is fantastic. It was a good enough distraction to buy some time for you. You are much proficient in summoning the Corrupted Body now. You¡¯ve grown more adept.¡±


    Purple mes rose in the darkness, and the shapes of all kinds of monsters were disintegrating through this me. The Corrupted Energy was formed using the pain and hatred of the dead. It melted the bodies of the monsters, and the ck magic created a familiar called the Corrupted Body.


    Niberis created numerous Corrupted Bodies, and they clutched at Azell¡¯s ankles. It didn¡¯t take Azell long to defeat the Corrupted Bodies, but it was enough time for Niberis to finish her magical spell.


    ¡°Queen of Darkness.¡±


    Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh!


    Apanying her low chant, the darkness focused around her. It was as if several hundred evil spirits were celebrating the birth of a powerful ruler. She floated in the sky amongst the wails....


    Pah-hahk!


    Before the Queen could put on her crown, the blue de passed by her after slicing her open.


    ¡°How... How can this be...?¡±


    Niberis was shocked.


    She had no idea that the attack wasing. Azell and the Dragon Maken rose out of the darkness to cut her.


    This shouldn¡¯t have been possible. She was a magician, who used the darkness as her source. Moreover, she was the owner of the Book of Darkness, which dominated the darkness. The darkness had spread out to the surrounding, and she should have been able to sense everything within the darkness. Even if it was a small bug, it couldn¡¯t escape her awareness.


    However, she hadn¡¯t realized the attack wasing until Azell had been right in front of her. Moreover, Azell had been fighting against the Corrupted Bodies, so how was he able to jump a distance of over 100 meters?


    He had used the secret technique called ¡¯The Dance of Shadows.¡¯ It allowed one to give substance to clones. The Dragon Arts users called it Incarnation, and this techniquepletely fooled Niberis¡¯ eyes.


    ¡°As expected, you are still very clumsy at using Saibein¡¯s Book of Darkness. I¡¯m guessing you received the Dragon Demon weapon not too long ago?¡±


    As Azell spoke, the Dragon Maken struck out against her. The sword descended like lightning. The blue lightning ripped apart the darkness as it descended.


    Too-hahk!


    However, something obstructed the path of the sword. The sword had descended as if it could split apart anything in this world, yet the sword bounced off after colliding with something.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t changed at all. You are a mere book, yet it is admirable that you continue to protect your master.¡±


    It was the Book of Darkness. Niberis had been taken by surprise, and she had received a critical wound. The Book of Darkness had blocked Azell¡¯s sword to protect Niberis.


    ¡°How many strikes will you be able to take this time?¡±


    He had experienced this before, so Azell wasn¡¯t surprised. He didn¡¯t even hesitate. He attacked again.


    Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh!


    Every sword strike was tearing the Book of Darkness into shreds. Azell didn¡¯t even bother trying to bypass the Book of Darkness to strike out at Niberis. The darkness spread out by the Book of Darkness could be used freely by it. It could dissolve and materialize at will in this darkness. It could basically achieve the effect of crossing over space to teleport.


    This was why he had to destroy it with strength.


    Niberis executed a sudden attack on the upied Azell.


    Goo-goo-goo-goo-goo......!


    She hadn¡¯t been able finish the great magic ¡¯Queen of Darkness¡¯, but the magic allowed her to ovee the exquisite pain caused by her wound.


    The powerful darkness stopped her bleeding, and it maintained her vitals for now.


    When Niberis was able to focus her faint mind, she immediately went on the offensive. The surrounding darkness was condensed into a dense Curse as it was sent towards Azell.


    At the same time, she witnessed something unbelievable.


    ¡®A human turned into darkness?¡¯


    Azell seemed to change into the same element as the Curse of Darkness. The attack that should have easily destroyed his body and soul passed through him.


    The only thing that ceased to exist was the Dragon Maken.


    Azell returned to his original form, and he gripped the Book of Darkness with his hands.


    His action was pure madness. Even for a man like Azell, it was suicide to grab an enemy¡¯s Dragon Demon weapon.


    Pah-jee-jee-jee-jeek!


    As expected, a strong reaction urred as Azell¡¯s body shook. His body broke apart into particles of light. Niberis eyes were opened so wide that it felt as if her eyes would rip open.


    ¡°Ah. Did you really think that was my real body? You are more naive than I thought.¡±


    ¡°What... did you just......?¡±


    Niberis was so surprised that words refused toe out of her mouth.


    Then another powerful light split apart the darkness. The fruits of her Curse, which was scattered all over the ce, was shredded to pieces as if they were pieces of paper. Another Azell appeared using the Instantaneous Movement, and Niberis was finally able to piece everything together.


    ¡®From the beginning to the end.... I moved to the beck and call of that man!¡¯


    Azell had been able to change himself into a particr element using a technique akin to Instion. However, there was limit to such techniques. It was impossible to do what Azell had just done. He had let the Cursed Darkness flow through him by turning himself fully into the same element.


    However, such a deed was possible if it was a clone made only out of magical energy.


    After Azell changed his clone into the same element as the Cursed Darkness, he hid within the Darkness being gathered by Niberis toplete her magic. He had approached her in secret. His skills were so intricate that she hadn¡¯t notice his actions.


    After the Dragon Maken sliced through Niberis, it was sent to the hands of his clone. Like the Book of Darkness, the Dragon Maken could also dissolve and materialize at will. The Sword that Splits the Heaven could freely be sent to any one of his clones.


    ¡°Your life span would be considered to be short for a Dragon Demon, yet haven¡¯t you lived long enough? It is time for you to go meet Atein, who you worship so much, in hell.¡±


    Azell¡¯s clone used the destruction of itself to seal the power of the Book of Darkness. Niberis, who had vainly spent her power, saw Azell¡¯s final strikee down towards her head.


    She couldn¡¯t do anything. The despairing Niberis watched as the death strike fell towards her.

 Chapter 100 - The Sword that Split the Heavens (3)

    Chapter 100 - The Sword that Split the Heavens (3)


    5


    ¡°Niberis!¡±


    ...it seemed she had lost her consciousness for a brief moment.


    Niberis¡¯ consciousness kept blinking in and out as she heard a familiar voice. It was a voice infused with genuine concern. It was a voice she tolerated with difort since her childhood.


    ¡°Niberis! Wake up! Please!¡±


    ¡°Kier... en.......¡±


    Niberis looked at him with blurry eyes. The young Dragon Demon was Kieren Baldazark. He was her rival, and he was the descendent of one of the four exalted Dragon Demon Generals. He looked as if he was about to cry as he called out her name.


    ¡®Why is he here.......¡¯


    Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh.......


    At the same time, she realized the space around her was distorted. There was only one person she knew that could create such a phenomena. When she realized this fact, she suddenly felt annoyed even if she was close to her death.


    ¡°Laura.......¡±


    ¡°Yes. Laura, Sir Almarick and I are here! Hold on! If you die, I...!¡±


    ¡°Duke Baldazark.¡±


    Kieren spoke as if he was about to cry, but Laura cut through his words. Laura¡¯s voice was monotone as always, but Kieren could felt nervousness behind her words.


    This space was made using Laura¡¯s Dragon Demon weapon called Vitan¡¯s Chalice. The Vitan¡¯s Maze was an isted pocket dimension. Since she created a spatial distortion, this ce couldn¡¯t be reached from outside.


    Basically, the Vitan¡¯s Maze offeredplete safety when it was put in ce. It was a bit problematic when one had to get out, but once you were in there....


    Laura, who had her Vitan¡¯s Maze engaged, spoke as her expression stiffened.


    ¡°Hurry up. Bring out your Dragon Demon weapon.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t hold out much longer.¡±


    Koo-goo-goo-goo-goo......!


    The Vitan¡¯s Maze, which was isted from the world, started to shake. Kieren was shocked.


    ¡°What? Is he perhaps intruding into the Vitan¡¯s Maze?¡±


    ¡°We were tracked down.¡±


    ¡°How is this possible?¡±


    ¡°It is possible. I don¡¯t have time to exin it. Hurry...!¡±


    ¡°Kook! I am the true descendant of the beings, who was born into the world without parents! I call for you to obey my call! The Dragon Demon weapon bleeds....!¡±


    Kieren didn¡¯t know what was going on, but he followed Laura¡¯s instruction. Before he could fully bring out his Dragon Demon weapon, thunder exploded around him.


    Kwah-ahhhhhhhhhh!


    The pocket dimension, which had safely sealed them away, was ripped apart. A cmity of light akin to a thunderbolt connected the heaven and earth. The darkness of the night sky was violently ripped away as a blue colored sword impacted on the ground.


    Kieren yelled out.


    ¡°The Sword that Split the Heavens......!¡±


    It matched the description passed down in the in of Darkness. It was the weapon that took the Dragon Demon King Atein¡¯s life. Then there was the four Dragon Demon Generals. They were beings, who came into this world without being born to parents, and they tried to change the fate of the world. However, they had been afraid of this particr weapon.


    The Vitan¡¯s Maze crumbled away as the surrounding returned to normal.


    Azell appeared from the rear with his red hair swirling around him. He spoke as he looked at the Dragon Demons, who had been within the Vitan¡¯s Maze.


    ¡°In truth, I¡¯m impressed. You timed it perfectly.¡±


    When Azell unleashed his final blow against Niberis, the Vitan¡¯s Maze was activated, and Niberis was sequestered into the pocket dimension. Laura and Kieren was still 1 kilometers away from Niberis, yet she was able to take into ount the distance in using her magic. She was skilled and it was quite admirable.


    ¡°You isted space to make a pocket dimension. However, that space has to exist somewhere.¡±


    The method in creating spatial distortion and the pocket dimension was different. The concept behind Vitan¡¯s Maze was to distort the configuration of space. If one entered from the outside, the maze would trap all visitors in an endless maze.


    Azell had fought Aunsaurus in the Dragon Demon wars. Moreover, the so-called impregnable Vitan¡¯s Maze had been broken several times by Azell.


    Laura mumbled to herself as if she was groaning.


    ¡°Speed of light.......¡±


    ¡°It seems the knowledge about the Sword that Split the Heavens was passed down amongst you.¡±


    ¡°It is a sword of cmity, and it can control all of the world¡¯s light. It can control the light from the sun, the me from the volcanoes, and the roaring thunder within the storm.¡±


    ¡°You are quite ostentatious in your descriptions. Well, it is understandable. This sword killed your god, so I can understand why you would add such descriptions to it.¡±


    The Sword that Split the Heavens was a Dragon Demon weapon he hadpleted as he matured. When he first made the Dragon Demon weapon, it only had the power to control thunderbolts, which he had used for long ranged attacks. However, as he went through the gauntlet of battles in the Dragon Demon war, his sword was refined. It grew into bing the ultimate weapon capable of defeating the Dragon Demon King. This had been possible through Azell¡¯s efforts, and the sacrifices of hisrades.....


    The Sword that Split the Heavens controlled light.


    It could control thunder. Moreover, it could gather all existing light within his domain to convert it into an offensive energy. Moreover, when the sword itself turned into light, it could break all shackles of limitation for a brief moment.


    Kieren asked a question.


    ¡°What is he saying?¡±


    ¡°The Vitan¡¯s Maze cannot transcend the limitation of my perception.¡±


    Laura spoke as cold sweat ran down her body.


    Even if she isted arge amount of space using the Vitan¡¯s Maze, she was creating the space within the limited region within her perception. Even if she created a castle wall where one needed several days of running to reach the end, her opponent could just use the light from the sky to cut through her space.


    Laura was able to assess this problem, so she had tried to use the property of light against Azell. She knew light travelled in straight lines, so he kept changing the location of her space to block the Sword that Split the Heavens. However, her efforts had been futile. The Sword that Split the Heavens could scatter numerous light particles, and it allowed Azell to trace any beings if light was able to reach them.


    Kieren had been a step slow in realizing this fact. He spoke with a shaking voice.


    ¡°So the sword can really split the heavens....¡±


    ¡°Mmmm? Are you perhaps the descendant of Baldazark?¡±


    Azell tilted his head as he looked at Kieren. Niberis was of a different sex as Saibein, and Laura also looked different Aunsaurus. However, Kieren¡¯s outer appearance and voice was almost a carbon copy of Baldazark.


    Kieren asked in surprised.


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°I knew it by your appearance. Saibein¡¯s daughter, Aunsaurus¡¯ grandchild and Baldazark¡¯s scion.... Did all the Dragon Demons of note and the small fries gather here today?


    When the Vitan¡¯s Maze was broken, three young Dragon Demons was returned to normal space. They returned to a location where arge number of Dragon Demon king worshippers were gathered.


    There was the group being led by Duran, and they had been fighting Leticia. Then there was the group brought here by Laura and Kieren. There was a total of 120 Dragon Demon king worshippers present, and all of them were quite proficient at fighting.


    They had an absolute numerical advantage. However, Azell didn¡¯t even show an ounce of nervousness as he asked a question.


    ¡°How long will it take for our allies to get here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Thisnd is rarely seen by the gazes of man, so the response may be sluggish. They are usually really good at showing up when they aren¡¯t needed....¡±


    ¡°I agree. They are like perverts, who like to stalk. If so, why the hell are they sote? They are useless.¡±


    Azell and Kairen was talking about the Guardian Shadows. There wasn¡¯t much of a poption within the County of Karzark, so the surveince was thin here. However, Kairen was a member of the Guardian Shadows. Since he witnessed the Dragon Demon king worshippers, the Guardian Shadows would know about it. It was a matter of time before they got here.


    Kairen didn¡¯t show any outwards signs, but he asked Azell a question through Whispering.


    -How much reserve do you have left?


    Azell showed off a fearsome god-like power, yet this power wasn¡¯t endless. Azell spoke.


    -The Dragon Maken I called forth is starting to reach its limit. Moreover, the Dragon Sword is groaning under the stress.


    The cheat-like Dragon Maken he called forth had a time limit. The Dragon Sword had be the vessel for his power, yet it couldn¡¯t channel that power indefinitely.


    On top of that fact, the use of the Dragon Maken put quite a lot of burden on Azell too. Azell hadn¡¯t been able toplete his recovery yet.


    -However, I have plenty enough to kill all these bastards.


    -Hmm. Then I¡¯ll focus my power on protecting this guy.


    Kairen spoke as he unsheathed his dual swords. Yuren was at Kairen¡¯s feet.


    Then they naturally came to a realization that a female Dragon Majin was showing her back to them. She was a Dragon Majin with short, ck and wavy hair. It was Leticia. She asked Kairen a question.


    ¡°Is he dead?¡±


    ¡°If you mean the magician, he is still alive.¡±


    ¡°It seems he wasn¡¯t destined to die. Then let me ask you another question. I don¡¯t know who you are, but are you an ally?¡±


    ¡°I want to pose the same question to you as an answer, but... Since we havemon enemies, you can join our side until the end of this fight. We can talk about our interests afterwards.


    ¡°Such a generous answer. It almost makes me tear up. All right. Let¡¯s do that.¡±


    Leticia let out a snort. Then she let out a tumultuous killing intent towards the other side.


    ¡°However, I never expected to see Duke Almarick here. I would have never imagined it. Is this the destiny Yuren was talking about?


    Her gaze was focused on a being with long, blue-ck hair. It had horns that made him look like a ck bull. This particr Dragon Demon youth possessed yellowish brown eyes and Dragon Demon Stone. He was like Kieren and Laura. He was the descendent of ¡¯The Sword that parts a storm¡¯ Almarick, and his name was Jeffers Almarick.


    Azell tilted his head in confusion at her words.


    ¡°Mmm? This guy is Almarick¡¯s descendent?¡±


    ¡°You are only a lowly human, yet you dare speak his name?¡±


    Jeffers words revealed his disdain of Azell. He hadn¡¯t been inside the Vitan¡¯s Maze, so he hadn¡¯t witnessed Azell¡¯s god-like powers. If he had seen it, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to maintain such an attitude.


    Azell smiled as he revealed his teeth.


    ¡°You are quite the prototypical Dragon Demon. However... Why don¡¯t you look anything like Almarick?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The scion of Baldazark looks like that git. He looks exactly like the foppish Baldazark. However, you don¡¯t share anymon features with your predecessor.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡±


    ¡°Now that I think about it, the only thing different about Aunsuarus¡¯ descendent is her gender. As the daughter of the Simpleton Prince, they look very alike. However, this isn¡¯t true for you. You are the only one that doesn¡¯t look like your predecessor. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s strange?¡±


    ¡°Bastard! You are a being from the gutters, yet you dare to insult me using such baseless conjectures?¡±


    Jeffers raged. However, Azell didn¡¯t back off from his taunts. From what he remembered, Almarick had long, dirty white hair. His eyes had been bright red, and his thick horns had the consistency of volcanic rocks. He had been a middle-aged Dragon Demon, who looked like a savage lion. No matter how he looked at it, Jeffers didn¡¯t look anything like Almarick.


    If the other Dragon Demons hadn¡¯t looked like their predecessors, he wouldn¡¯t have remarked on it. However, Niberis, Laura and Kieren looked simr to the Dragon Demons of old.


    ¡®Why is he different?¡¯


    He was having a hard time letting go of this incongruity . When Azell furrowed his brows, Kieren spoke.


    ¡°Duke Almarick. That man is strong. You have to use your Dragon Demon weapon.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? I have to use my Dragon Demon weapon facing a lowly human?¡±


    ¡°Listen to my words carefully. Niberis lost to him even after using her Dragon Demon weapon.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you......!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯sing.¡±


    In a sh, Laura stretched out her hand to activate her barrier. By a hair¡¯s breadth, she was able to divert the sharp light emitted by the sword towards an entirely different direction.

 Chapter 101 - The Sword that Split the Heavens (4)

    Chapter 101 - The Sword that Split the Heavens (4)


    Pah-ah-ah-ah-ah!


    ¡°Kook!¡±


    Jeffers was taken aback. Azell hadn¡¯t moved, yet a beam of light came down at angle from the sky towards him.


    If Laura hadn¡¯t acted, he would have suffered a direct hit. When Jeffers realized this fact, he shuddered.


    Azell appeared in front of him like a phantom.


    ¡°Bastard!¡±


    Jeffersshed out with his sword in surprise. He was the descendent of Almarick, who was called ¡®The Sword that parts a storm¡¯. Instead of being a magician, he was a swordsman, who practised the Dragon Arts. The sword strike infused with powerful Dragon Demon Magic cut through Azell.


    ¡®Clone!¡¯


    However, it was a fake.


    Pah-ah-ah-ah!


    In a sh, Azell was split into three. He attacked Laura, Kieren and Jeffers at the same time. None of the three Dragon Demon were able to locate Azell¡¯s real body, so theyshed out against the opponent in front of them with their full strength. Amongst the three, the real Azell was the one to attack Kieren.


    ...or they were under that false assumption.


    Pah-haht!


    ¡°Koo-ahk!¡±


    The terrifying sound of flesh being cut rang out as blood fountained into the air. Before the first scream could die down, the sound of steel being used was heard continuously followed by the the sound of destruction. Then the screams rang out one after another.


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t aiming for us?¡±


    Kieren was a beatte in assessing the situation. The one to attack Kieren had also been a clone. The magic was very intricate, and there been enough resistance in cutting the clone¡¯s flesh that he had mistaken it for the real body. However while the three Dragon Demons were focused on the clones, Azell had attacked their subordinates in the rear.


    Kieren no longer hesitated.


    ¡°Dragon Demon Weapon: Bleeding Star!¡±


    A red light was emitted from him as Kieren revealed the Dragon Demon weapon passed down to him by Baldazark, who used to be one of the four great Dragon Demon generals. At a nce, it looked like a crystal ball, which was as big as a child¡¯s head. However, at the center of the weapon, one could see several thousandyer of threads made out of light. It was dizzying to see such a tangle of threads as they wriggled around. From the surface, it was letting out a blood colored light, and the threads of light started to rapid flow into the surrounding.


    ¡°Duke Almarick!¡±


    ¡°Understood. I order using the authority granted to me by my great name! Return form the Eternal Battlefield! Dragon Demon Weapon: Storm de!¡±


    Apanying a st of wind, arge sword appeared. It looked to be made from a transparent material like ss, and it started to burn with blue me when Jeffers took hold of it.


    Azell didn¡¯t care if they brought out their Drag Demon weapons or not. He was creating havoc within the ranks of the Dragon Demon king worshippers. All thebatants gathered there had considerable amount of martial powers, but they were like scarecrows in front of Azell.


    The three Dragon Demons carrying Dragon Demon weapons went forth to stop Azell. However, they were also swept up into the chaos.


    ¡°Which one...is the real one?¡±


    Laura mumbled as if she was groaning.


    Azell was multiplying as time passed. Every time he used the Instantaneous Movement to evade, a new clone appeared. Moreover, all the clones possessed a presence that made it was impossible to tell which one was the real body. These clones were even able to use physical attacks to take down the enemies.


    What if they use the Dragon Demon weapon to discern the real body of Azell?


    This was another foolish idea. The Dragon Demon weapon called the ¡®The Sword that Split the Heavens¡¯ was freely being passed amongst Azell¡¯s real body and clones. Azell was using this special property to the fullest extent as he continuously moved the location of the Dragon Demon weapon as he continued his ughter....


    ¡°...I guess enough of you have gathered in one ce.¡±


    At some point, the Dragon Demon king worshippers heard Azell¡¯s low voice, and they felt terror wash over them. In a sh, Azell¡¯s clones copsed on itself, and Azell appeared outside of the perimeter of the Dragon Demon king worshippers. He emitted a frightening lightning strike.


    Kieren was dismayed.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been had! Everyone scatter!¡±


    Azell had made several dozen clones, yet they hadn¡¯t been created to take down all the Dragon Demon King worshippers. Even Azell couldn¡¯t create and maintain such a high number of clones. There was a limit on how much offensive capability he could allocate to each clone.


    Moreover, the elite troops of the Dragon Demon king worshippers were doing quite well in weathering Azell¡¯s surprise attack. The only ones to be taken down were the ones that came across the Dragon Maken. In the end, only 10 were taken out of battle, and the rest were injured.


    Azell had wanted to cause chaos. He used the chaos to control the movements of his enemies.


    Azell¡¯s n was carried out perfectly. Kieren realized that his allies had been maintaining a perimeter for defense, but they were now concentrated in a single location.


    ¡°It is toote.¡±


    Azell put on a smile of satisfaction as he brought down his sword.


    -Horn of the Thunder Dragon!


    The intense thunder, which was reminiscent of a Dragon¡¯s Roar, swallowed up the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    Ggwah-gwah-gwah-gwah-gwahng!


    6


    While her sight was burning white from the intense thunder strike, Laura was swept up by a strong sense of deja vu.


    Her mission had been a failure when Azell had interfered. After the failed mission, she had returned to her family house to meet someone. This being was the oldest elder within the in of Darkness. During the Dragon Demon war, this being caused fear and chaos within the ranks of humans just by appearing in front of them.


    She had talked to this being about Azell.


    ¡®Maybe this is the start of fate repeating itself again.¡¯


    At the time, Laura hadn¡¯t fully understood what this being was talking about. Even amongst the standard of Dragon Demons, this being had lived a very long life, and the way he saw and thought about the world was very alien.


    He smile as he looked at the conflicted Laura.


    ¡®Unfortunately, you are a child, who had everything taken away to mold you into Aunsaurus¡¯ heir. When the day we¡¯ve been waiting fore, I might be able to wake up from my sleep. At that time, you¡¯ll have all your answer. At this time, I cannot tell you everything. Instead, I¡¯ll show you a memory that you will need.¡¯


    Then he showed her the far distant past by showing her his memory of the Dragon Demon war.


    This knowledge wasn¡¯t passed down to her by words. It hadn¡¯t been shown through the records.


    He pushed the memory from his mind into Laura. She experienced it as a daydream. This allowed Laura to experience the past as if she was actually there.


    She had the memory of an experience she had never experienced before, but it made her feel a sense of deja vu right now.


    The man with the swirling red hair, the sword, and the overwhelming thunder strike....


    It was identical to what she saw within the memory of the Dragon Demon war.


    ¡°Azell Karzark... The man who will have the chance reverse the fate of the king.¡±


    Her mumbled words were drowned out by the explosion created by the thunder strike. Even she couldn¡¯t hear her own words.


    Koo-goo-goo-goo-goo......!


    The white explosion created by the thunder faded away.


    ¡°Kook... Shit.¡±


    Kieren¡¯s fists were shaking. He had been barely able to block the attack. If he hadn¡¯t called out his Dragon Demon weapon, and if Laura hadn¡¯t used her Vitan¡¯s Chalice, which had an insanely high defensive capability, their party would have been decimated from a single strike.


    However, he was only able to protect only his immediate vicinity. At that moment, Kieren hadn¡¯t realized it yet, but half of his troop of 100 was killed. Their corpses weren¡¯t even left behind. Moreover, even amongst the survivors, only half of them were able fight.


    Kieren mumbled to himself as if he couldn¡¯t believe what had just happened


    ¡°...could it be? Is he Azell Karzark reborn?¡±


    From an early age, he had heard countless stories about the Dragon Demon war. He was actually fed up with it. He was told about how great his grandfather Baldazark was. Moreover, he was told stories about Azell Karzark, who had killed Baldazark. He was told how frightening and terrible Azell was....


    The Azell of right now reminded him of the Azell within the story. Each of the elements that had contributed to make Azell into such a powerful martial might could be seen now. It was as if the Azell of the past was reborn.


    Kwahng!


    At that moment, an explosion rang out from the side. Kieren looked towards the direction in surprise, and he saw Azell shing with Jeffers.


    ¡°Hmmm. It seems your mental fortitude isn¡¯t too bad.¡±


    Azell hadn¡¯t let up after unleasing a cmity level attack on his enemies. He had killed several survivors, who were standing there dumbfounded. Then he ambushed Jeffers. However, Jeffers blocked the attack as if he had expected an ambush.


    ¡°How dare you ambush me this way! Did you really think it¡¯ll work on me?¡±


    ¡°Still, your say those bold words but your expression says otherwise.¡±


    Azell taunted Jeffers. In truth, Jeffers was trying to hide his fear by using his bluster. Unlike his imposing voice, his expression was rigid as cold sweat ran down his body.


    ¡°Anyways.......¡±


    Azell suddenly tilted his head in puzzlement as he asked a question.


    ¡°I¡¯m really curious about this, so please don¡¯t misunderstand my intentions. Just here me out. I just want to confirm it again. Are you sure you are Almarick¡¯s descendent?¡±


    ¡°Why are you spouting that nonsense again? Are you trying to insult me?¡±


    ¡°No matter how I see it, it doesn¡¯t seem like you are lying about it... At the very least, you believe it is true. How strange. I¡¯m having a hard tim discerning the secret design behind this move.¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    Kieren went over his thoughts as he looked at Azell.


    ¡®Is it a clone or the real body?¡¯


    The Azell, who was shing violently with Jeffers, didn¡¯t hold the blue Dragon Maken anymore. He held the Dragon Sword. Its white de was made from dragon bone.


    However, he had been tricked time and time again, so it stopped him froming up with a swift judgement. At that moment, Kieren thought he was being cautious with his actions, but even this hesitation was induced by Azell.


    Before he coulde up with a n of action, Azell moved first. More clones with substance appeared as they attacked the Dragon Demon king worshippers. On top of it all, Kieren¡¯s worst case scenario came to pass.


    ¡®What the hell! He can clone the Dragon Demon weapon!!¡¯


    All of Azell¡¯s clones were holding the Dragon Maken. Each Dragon Maken was letting out a resonance of Dragon Demon magic, so one couldn¡¯t tell, which one was the realy one.


    Moreover, one of the clone was aiming for the fallen Niberis, who was being attended by one of her subordinate.


    ¡°Niberis!¡±


    Kieren moved without any thoughts on his own self-preservation. He let his own Dragon Demon weapon block the attack heading towards him, and he stood in front of Niberis.


    Pah-ahk!


    Kieren felt a pain intense pain. He had received a deep wound. The pain was so intense that Kieren wasn¡¯t able to let out a scream. He used his Dragon Demon magic indiscriminately.


    ¡°Ooh-ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!¡±


    He didn¡¯t even have the time to properly shape his magic. He just formed powerful image in his mind, and he let out Dragon Demon magic like a whirlwind. This choice of action might lead to his death, but he didn¡¯t have the luxury to be picky.


    Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah......!


    At the same time, he recalled his Dragon Demon weapon, which was blocking Azell¡¯s attack from where Kieren¡¯s original locaation.


    If he had his Dragon Demon weapon, he would be able to block consecutive attacks from Azell!


    However, the expected follow up attack never arrived. After a brief moment, Kieren was able to recover his senses, and he used magic to stop the bleeding. He assessed his surrounding.


    Cheng! Che-cheng! Kah-ah-ah-ahng!


    Azell was in a fight against Jeffers. Jeffer¡¯s Dragon Demon weapon and Azell¡¯s Dragon Sword was being swung in a splendid style. Sparks and shockwave exploded forth when their swords impacted on each other.


    At a nce, it looked like an even fight, but if one was more careful in one¡¯s observation, one could tell this wasn¡¯t so. Moreover, it was weird that these two beings were fighting in such a manner.


    ¡®Duke Almarick. Why are you using your Dragon Arts?¡¯

 Chapter 102 The Sword that Split the Heavens (5)

    Chapter 102 ¨C The Sword that Split the Heavens (5)


    Jeffers was a powerful Dragon Arts practitioner, and he was holding a Dragon Demon weapon in his hand. Therefore, he shouldn¡¯t be fighting a normal sword fight with Azell. Every swing should be ttening the surrounding as if a typhoon had descended upon thend.


    However, he wasn¡¯t able to do so. Since Kieren was a magician, he couldn¡¯t see through the problem, but he could tell something was wrong by looking at Jeffers¡¯ expression.


    Azell was perfectly controlling Jeffers¡¯ movements.


    Jerffers was somehow able to match each sword strike, but he was being overwhelmed in all other aspect. He tried to raise his Dragon Demon Qi, and it was as if Azell had been waiting for it. Jeffers¡¯ Energy Pulse was cut off. If he tried to use the power of the Dragon Demon weapon, it was interfered with. Jeffers was adept at using the flow of power. Most of his moves required amplification. It was needed to create burst damage, yet it was being sealed. This situation was a nightmare for Jeffers.


    ¡®Hmm. Who the hell is this bastard?¡¯


    Jeffers was a mystery he couldn¡¯t solve, so Azell furrowed his brows.


    Azell was trying to confirm something in this sword battle. Instead of focusing on killing his enemy, Azell was obsessing over the question he had. It was very foolish thing to do, yet Azell couldn¡¯t help himself. He decided he had to figure out if there was some secret design being carried out by the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    However... Azell wouldn¡¯t be able to find the answer by fighting him. Jeffers Almarick¡¯s existence was a puzzle that couldn¡¯t be solved by Azell.


    Kairen sent a Whispering towards Azell.


    -How long are you going to y with him? It isn¡¯t the time to y around right now.


    7


    Kairen was protecting Yuren as he fought against the Dragon Demon king worshippers. Azell had blown away most of the enemy¡¯s forces, so it wasn¡¯t difficult for Kairen to face the remaining troops. However, Laura gave intermittent assistance to the troops, so Kairen was at a disadvantage.


    Azell sighed at those words.


    ¡°Yes. In the end, I can¡¯t solve this problem right now.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about about?¡±


    While Jeffers furrowed his brows, Azell took a big leap backwards.


    The summon of the Dragon Maken had reached its limit. At the very least, he wouldn¡¯t be able to summon it again in this battle. It would be impossible for him to kill all of them with overwhelming force. He had to incrementally cause confusion, and this would cause his opponents to reveal their weak points....


    At that moment, a being ran past Azell to attack Jeffers. It was Leticia.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take this guy. This bastard... No, I have a debt to settle with this bastard¡¯s bloodline.¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    ¡°Anyways, it seems you have your own opponent you will have to deal with.¡±


    As if she didn¡¯t have any more words for him, Leticia turned her head away. While Azell was taken aback by her actions, someone rushed towards Azell as he brought down a ck sword.


    Zzhuhng!


    The white Dragon Sword and the ck Sword, which was a nexus of Darkness Magic, shed against each other. A clear sound rang out. Azell looked at the ck Swordsman Duran, who was letting out a fearsome killing intent.


    ¡°Ah. I guess I have to settle my debt against you.¡±


    In the previous battle with Niberis, Azell had suffered under the hands of Duran. It was an unforgettable memory. Azell¡¯s fighting spirit burned as he assessed Duran¡¯s battle capability. After the first sh, the two of them exchanged five moves in a sh. When they disengaged from each other, Zell had a decent idea about the other man¡¯s power level.


    ¡®He¡¯s a Septuple Master. He is the strongest Spirit Order practitioner I¡¯ve met in this era.¡¯


    ording to Kairen, the Rin Kingdom also possessed a high rank Spirit Order practitioner. Viscount Haven was the kingdom¡¯s greatest swordsman, and his skills were even acknowledged by Kairen.


    However, Azell hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to meet him. While he was staying at the Dukedom of Tarantos, the most aplished Spirit Order practitioner he met was a Sextuple master. Moreover, every time one added a ring the difficulty of progressing to the next ring increased. Duran was at a level where Azell considered him to be the top Spirit Order practitioner he had personally met in this era.


    On the other hand, Duran was shaken to the core when he looked at Azell.


    ¡®What did this runt do? Even if he did go through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, how could he have gone through such a rapid growth?¡¯


    Duran had never gone through the Dragon¡¯s yer Ritual before. However, as an officer living inside the in of Darkness, he was allowed ess to the knowledge about the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. Even if one did had experienced a sessful Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, Azell¡¯s growth rate couldn¡¯t be exined.


    ¡®He can now rival my power... No, could it be higher than mine?¡¯


    Duran wasn¡¯t able to get a measure of Azell¡¯s fighting power. Since he assumed Azell wasn¡¯t able to see assess him either, Duran didn¡¯t consider this urrence to be strange. It was something that happened quite often amongst Spirit Order practitioners of simr level.


    Duran shook off his confusion, and he yelled out in anger.


    ¡°How dare a sinner harm the Miss¡¯ precious body! I¡¯ll send you to hell!¡±


    ¡°You have such a great ve mentality that I¡¯m in awe.¡±


    ¡°You are a fool that doesn¡¯t know the truth. I won¡¯t forgive your transgression!¡±


    ¡°...actually, I have a question I want to ask you.¡±


    Azell asked his question as he blocked Duran¡¯s violent attacks. Azell wasn¡¯t being pressed into a corner. Azell didn¡¯t show any urgency, and his attitude made Duran¡¯s eyebrows twitch.


    ¡°Were you perhaps a talent grown from within the ranks of the Dragon Demon king worshippers?¡±


    Azell still couldn¡¯t understand why humans of this era chose to be Dragon Demon king worshippers. However, if the person grew up from within the organization of the Dragon Demon king worshippers, he could somewhat understand how it could happen.


    Duran snorted at Azell¡¯s conjecture.


    ¡°I was saved by a benefactor, and he blessed me with the knowledge, which allowed me to find the correct path.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. So you weren¡¯t originally a Dragon Demon king worshipper? You chose to be one? Why? The Dragon Demon war ended a long time ago, and it is the era where humans reign. So why do you worship a phantom from the past?¡±


    ¡°His teaching is the real truth. Our god may be considered to be history after his death, but our worship for him hasn¡¯t ended yet. We have to fight in the darkness until our savior returns. This is the tribtion the believers have to bear.¡±


    ¡°How is his teaching the correct one? Do you really relish the idea where the Dragon Demons rule over the humans?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh. The evil that has to be fixed in the world is the human¡¯s domination of this world.¡±


    ¡°...what?¡±


    ¡°One¡¯s ability doesn¡¯t matter to humans. Good and evil doesn¡¯t matter either. The only thing that matter is bloodlines. Just because one is born from better parents... These irredeemable trashes look down and steps on the other humans based on their bloodlines. How is that just? We aren¡¯t talking about beings born from another race. Humans use other humans to build up their destiny. They do this by controlling, dominating and exploiting those of the same race. How can you say this world order is just!¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    While Azell listened to Duran¡¯s words, he knew that he would never be able to bridge the emotional distance he felt with Duran. Duran¡¯s voice was filled with hate and sadness that won¡¯t be erased in his lifetime.


    Azell didn¡¯t know what kind of life Duran had led. However, Spirit Order practitioners dealt with the mind. Even amongst high level Spirit Order practitioners, one could get a glimpse of the underlying truth of the other using one¡¯s will.


    ¡®Is it because he is a religious fanatic?¡¯


    Azell had seen countless variation of shorings expressed by humans. He saw humans betray each other in order to live. In front of reality that was unbearable, he saw the minds of humans break as they searched for refuge.


    ¡®No, he is different. This man...¡¯


    Azell had seen people like Duran before.


    During the Dragon Demon war, the environment made it easy for humans to hate on other humans. It wouldn¡¯t be too hard to be inmed by the action of humans. It was easy to see why one could hate, scorn and give up on the humans. In extreme situations, humans had the capacity to be feeble-minded and unsightly.


    Azell also had despised many humans, and he had given up on them. However, he was also able to find humans he was able to love. How miraculous was that?


    A human, who didn¡¯t love the world made by humans, was standing in front of him. It wasn¡¯t strange to see such an urrence.


    During the Dragon Demon War, Azell had despised the system he was affiliated with. He had raged as he looked at the stupid and self-centered humans above him. In such an unreasonable situation, he had struggled for a solution to do away with the difficulty he faced.


    However, what if the difficulty and unreasonableness had been so huge that Azell hadn¡¯t been able to ovee it?


    What if Azell didn¡¯t have the power, talent or luck to cause change? He would basically be trampled by his own fate...


    What would he have been like in such a situation?


    ¡®...I see.¡¯


    Azell finally received an answer to his question.


    During the Dragon Demon war, there were Dragon Demons, who had loved humans. They hadn¡¯t agreed with the will of the Dragon Demon King. They betrayed their own race to stand with the humans.


    Then there were the opposite case. There were humans, who were filled with so much hate, that they agreed with the will of the Dragon Demon king. These humans joined the Dragon Demon army.


    The Dragon Demon King was dead, and it had been 200 years since the end of the Dragon Demon war. However, the socialposition hadn¡¯t changed. It was still too easy for the humans to hate other humans. When one faced an unreasonable amount of adversity in this world, it wasn¡¯t strange to see some people consider the worship of the Dragon Demon King as a solution.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say your name was Duran? It has been a long time I¡¯ve seen someone like you.¡±


    ¡°A long time... This is the first time I¡¯ve seen someone like you, you sinner of a runt!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it that way. It¡¯s just... It is a bit sad. Although, the whole situation is ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? ¡±


    ¡°If you want to understand, we¡¯ll need to have a long conversation. However, I¡¯m sure that will never happen. I wanted to create a world where people no longer despaired. I fought hard for for the change, and the cmity in front of humanity was averted... However, human nature remained the same.¡±


    Azell put on a bitter smile, and he became unyielding. Azell had barely moved, while blocking all of Duran¡¯s attack. However, his iron defense was slowly transitioning into offense.


    At a certain point, the white de and the ck de was entwined with each other....


    Pah-gahk!


    Duran¡¯s shoulder guard was sent flying.


    ¡®Who is this runt?¡¯


    Duran was taken aback. He hadn¡¯t been able to see Azell¡¯s previous sword strike. By looking at the trajectory of the strike, their swords should have shed against each other. However, Duran¡¯s sword strike hit empty air. In the next moment, it was as if time had skipped. The intermediate step was omitted, and Azell¡¯s sword was seeking out his neck.


    If he only relied on his reflex, his head would have been severed. However, he used a secret technique, which had been passed down to him from the in of Darkness. If his consciousness was messed with by an enemy, a defensive mechanism drilled into his body would activate to save his his life.


    Basically, while Azell was participating in a high speed battle, he had attacked Duran¡¯s mind. Duran¡¯s consciousness was altered. Duran had thought he had a perfect defense against such an attack, yet Azell¡¯s technique was too intricate.


    Che-che-che-cheng!


    Sparks flew as the tide of the battle changed.


    When Azell had been on defense, his speed had been slower than Duran. However, his incredible Insight had allowed Azell to cut off the secret techniques of the Spirit Order being attempted to be used by Duran. Moreover, Azell was able to predict the destination of each sword strike, so he used the minimal amount of movement to deflect the sword strikes.


    However, Azell¡¯s movements were incrementally getting faster. In all facets of the battle, Azell was overtaking Duran, and he was slowly taking away Duran¡¯s options.


    ¡®No, I was mistaken! This is......!¡¯


    Duran soon realized he was under a misperception. Azell wasn¡¯t moving faster. Duran was moving slower.

 Chapter 103 - The Sword that Split the Heavens (6)

    Chapter 103 - The Sword that Split the Heavens (6)


    He hadn¡¯t realized he had suffered a mental attack up until a moment ago. He hardened his mental barrier in response, and he put a very skillful lock over this barrier. When he felt the movement of his body cken a little bit, he continuously changed his mental defensive pattern to protect his mind.


    However... Azell started to slowly deceive his sense again.


    In all he did, Duran¡¯s reaction was incrementally getting slower. His eyes took in the sight. The information was processed, and he tried to decide on how to respond... Still, he still found that he was slightly slower than he ought to be, and Duran was at a disadvantage.


    ¡®Where is he attacking me from?¡¯


    He was sure his mind was being attacked from some angle. He had thought he had blocked every avenue that could be used to attack his mind, so how was Azell doing this?


    Azell spoke as Duran was gripped in his confusion.


    ¡°As expected, there are techniques that I don¡¯t know about. You used a technique that uses reflexive response, which doesn¡¯t require the control of the conscious mind. This technique didn¡¯t exist in the Dragon Demon war. Since it isn¡¯t a forgotten secret technique, I¡¯m guessing it was developed afterwards?¡±


    Giles and Boar had also used simiar techniques. The movement was independent from the order given by one¡¯s mind. The reflexive responses were engraved into the body, and it could be used to reach the state of Detachment. One would be able to reach peak efficiency in one¡¯s movements.... Azell didn¡¯t know any technique that dealt with such concepts.


    ¡°You are superb. You remind me of a Spirit Order practitioner I met a long time ago. However, you haven¡¯tpletely mastered the meaning behind the concept of ¡¯seeing¡¯.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Pah-ahk!


    It was unbelievable, but Duran¡¯s side was split open as blood fountained forth.


    In a sh, Duran realized his sight had been narrowed to the extreme. It wasn¡¯t just his sight. All of his senses were hyper-focused on Azell, who was in front of him. This had created a blind spot in his senses. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t allow such a thing to happen.


    When his vision suddenly dimmed to a pin prick, he came to an understanding. It hadn¡¯t just been his sight. All his senses had been focused on the Azell in front of him. This act had created a blindspot in his senses that would have never existed in normal times. When his weak point was revealed, Azell¡¯s clone had appeared next to Duran, and it had stabbed him.


    Azell retracted his clone. He spoke as he walked past the falling Duran.


    ¡°You only focused on the opponent in front of you. This is the reason behind your death.¡±


    ¡°...seeing. I see. Vision... No, you manipted me into paying attention only to you...¡±


    Duran was on his knees. His mumbled words sounded like a groan. He was also a high rank Spirit Order practitioner. Azell had given him a small hint, yet he was able to figure out why he had lost.


    When a person only focuses on a target in front of oneself, one¡¯s field of vision became narrowed. Even a person, who normally looks at his surrounding, would be preupied by a swording towards one¡¯s body from the front. If one frantically blocked the iing sword strikes, one would have no idea what was going on in the back or the side of oneself.


    Azell had used this characteristic to his advantage. He used the fact that they were looking into each other¡¯s eyes, and he mixed in illusions to cause minor errors in how Duran perceived his movements.


    He used this tactic to fluster Duran, and at the same time, he ate away at Duran¡¯s sense using his mental wave. He made it so that Duran became solely focused in blocking his attack. When he confirmed there was a big blind spot formed in Duran¡¯s senses, Azell used his clone to deliver a critical blow.


    ¡®This man is a monster. I can¡¯t do anything...¡¯


    Duran shuddered when he realized the gulf between Azell and himself. However, he couldn¡¯t just fall like this. Even if it was a hopeless situation, he had to get up.


    ¡°No way. I cannot fall here... Miss... My mistress...¡±


    His wound was too deep. The sword had cut through his bones, and it had even punctured his heart. He had no answer for this.


    Moreover, there had been a curse like power within Azell¡¯s sword. It made a mess of the flow of his magical energy within his body. He couldn¡¯t even use Spirit Order to stem his bleeding.


    ¡°Saibein-nim. I was incapable of... Your daughter... I wasn¡¯t able to protect here. I¡¯m sorr....¡±


    Duran crumpled before he could finish his words.


    8


    Niberis was lying on the floor, and she couldn¡¯t even move the tips of her fingers. She had suffered too serious of an injury. Even if she focused on healing, she wouldn¡¯t be healed enough to re-enter the battle. While she was in such a state, their situation was getting worse by the minute.


    ¡®Duran.¡¯


    When Duran died, Niberis knew it.


    He had been a human saved by her father, Saibein. He had repeatedly distinguished himself in battle, and Duran had risen to a rank where all the Dragon Demons respected him. In truth, he wasn¡¯t someone she could order around as if he was an underling beneath her. However, he insisted on acting like a subordinate, because he wanted to repay the favor shown to him by Saibein. He tried his best to help her in any way.


    Since she was born to a noble bloodline, she had grown up with everything at her beck and call. She took his devotion for granted.


    Moreover, at times, he had an attitude of monitoring her as if she was a child ying near water. She had been annoyed by his mothering, and she considered him to be bothersome.


    However, her heart was hurting right now. This was the first time she had experienced something like this since she became an adult. This was the first time she had shed tears for losing someone.


    ¡®Don¡¯t be sorry. There is no reason why you should feel sorry.¡¯


    For the first time in her life, she hated her own ipetence.


    It wasn¡¯t as if this was the first time she found her abilities to be deficient. In the past, her pride had taken a big hit when she failed her mission thanks to Azell. She became self-aware that her abilities werecking, so she had dedicated to re-training herself.


    However, it hadn¡¯t been enough. She had lost again.


    If it was her past self, her pride would have gotten hurt again, and she would haveshed out in anger. However, she hated her own deficiency so much that she couldn¡¯t stand herself. It was the reality that she hadn¡¯t been able to do anything when someone devoted to her had lost his life... It hurt more than her impending death.


    ¡®Guardian Shadows... Even they are here...¡¯


    While Azell was sweeping through his enemies like a gale, the Guardian Shadows appeared as they used the Dragon Sword Duke as a marker they could trace. The Dragon Demon king worshippers were already in poor shape, yet they had lost the numerical advantage. They were now being trampled.


    ¡°...Niberis.¡±


    Even in such a situation where she couldn¡¯t do anything, there was a voice murmuring towards her.


    Kieren Baldazark.


    He was the heir to the great Dragon Demon General Baldazark.


    He was the most talented of his generation to be produced from the in of Darkness. He was apetitor, who threatened her standing.


    ¡°You... At the very least, you must...¡±


    She knew why he struggled to speak even as his voice was filled with pain. She even saw him shedding tears for her. She also knew why he hadn¡¯t hesitated in using his body to shield her.


    If she could speak, she wanted to say these words.


    ¡®Duke Baldazark. You were always a crier.¡¯


    After hering of age ceremony, Niberis treated Kieren with a cold heart. The elders tried to trigger herpetitive spirit, so they had alwayspared her to Kieren. It chafed her so much that she couldn¡¯t bear it.


    However, she always knew what emotion was in his eyes as he looked at her.


    He was so open about it, so how could she not know?


    Moreover, the rtionship between the two had beenpletely different before they went through theiring of age ceremonies.


    ¡®Don¡¯t cry. You look like an idiot. You are the descendent of the great Baldazark. You¡¯ve inherited such noble blood, yet your actions will besmirch your rank.¡¯


    Currently, he was considered to be an outstanding individual, but when he was young, he had been a weak crybaby. Unlike Niberis, Kieren had a lot of siblings vying for the honor of being Baldazark¡¯s heir. Even if he had been a crybaby, Kieren had been very talented, so his siblings subjected him to all kinds of torment.


    Whenever he cried, Niberis gave a stern scolding, and she was able to correct his mindset. When they were in their childhood, the two of them researched magic, and they always talked about their future. They grew close to each other.


    ¡®Kieren. I¡¯ve never truly hated you, not even once.¡¯


    Their positions required them to be antagonistic towards each other. However, after establishing themselves as heirs, she had thought the two of them might have a future together. However, the elder were gripped by the fear of the world, and they were overtaken by the fanaticism towards the Dragon Demon King. The elders damaged the progress of their rtionship.


    ¡°Niberis.¡±


    Niberis suddenly heard another voice. At the same time, she felt a spike of anger and irritation.


    ¡®Laura.¡¯


    Laura had suddenly appeared from nowhere to be herpetitor.


    Unlike Kieren, Niberis had never met Laura during childhood. After several years after hering of age ceremony, Laura had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. She had appeared when her predecessor fell by the hands of the Guardian Shadows.


    The two of them had never gotten along.


    The fact that they werepetitors wasn¡¯t the only reason. Of course, she was annoyed by the appearance of anotherpetitor, but she was also annoyed by the fact that she didn¡¯t know what Laura was thinking.


    Niberis felt bad when she looked into her eyes. It was as if Laura was able to ignore all feelings, and it felt as if Laura¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t attach any value to Niberis.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t die. I don¡¯t like you...no, I don¡¯t like all of you, but... Still, if you die, I¡¯ll feel bad for Duke Baldazark.¡±


    Niberis became angry. Even now, Laura was making her feel annoyed. Could Laura not hold herself back from annoying her even in such a situation?


    However, unlike her words, what Laura did next was beyond imagination.


    9


    Laura had never liked Niberis.


    In truth, this wasn¡¯t only limited to Niberis. She disliked Kieren, Jeffers, and the in of Darkness... She hated everything around her. She detested the beings, who had given birth to her. She detested her upbringing, and she hated that she had be Aunsaurus¡¯ heir.


    However, she only knew this way of life. She was a Dragon Demon king worshipper, and her role as the heir of Aunsaurus solely defined who she was.


    The first memory Laura could recall was around the time when she looked like a 4 year old human child. She opened her eyes in arge ss tube filled with special liquid made by the alchemists.


    She had beenpletely ignorant of her own self until she was pulled out of ss tbe. She had no idea what was going on as she looked at her surrounding.


    ¡®You are number 47. You should remember that. Well, there is no way you¡¯ll forget it.¡¯


    When she came out of the ss tube, she didn¡¯t have a name. At the time, she had exactly 139 siblings, and they were all called by their numbers.


    For reference, there were only 139 other beings that werebeled. When she first came out, she saw 10 of her siblings not receive any numbers, and they were sent away to never to be seen again. At the time, she hadn¡¯t known what had happened to them, but now she knew. They had failed to meet some requirement, so they were scrapped.


    ¡®You were all born with the blood of the great Aunsaurus within you. However, only one of you will inherit his name.¡¯


    All of her siblings were intelligent, and they had talent in magic. It had only been 1 year since they came out of the the ss tubes, yet they had already learned how to speak and write. When they learned the basic knowledge, they started learning magic.


    Of course, a high amount of danger followed anyone, who studied magic. They only had one year to learn the magic in peace. Afterwards, they were ordered to face monsters, and they were told to summon evil spirits using magic....


    They faced dangerous situations daily where it hadn¡¯t been surprising to see her sibliings die.


    During this process, the number of siblings she had dropped steadily. Moreover, a variety of methods were used to measure their abilities and potential. If one failed several times at a task, one would bebeled a failed product. These beings were branded before they disappeared to an unknown location.


    After 10 years, half of their original number remained. At that point, all her sibling including herself was able to receive a name instead of a number.


    ¡®Laura Aunsaurus.¡¯


    On the day she was given her first name, Laura was swept up by an indescribable feeling. From the time she came out of the ss tube, she had always been called by a number. As her intelligence and wisdom increased, she realized how demeaning this practice was. This was why she always dreamed of the day when she received her name. She would be epted as a legitimate and unique individual.


    On the day she received her name, Laura repeated her name several hundred times. It was the most she had spoken in a single day since her birth.

 Chapter 104 - The Sword that Split the Heavens (7)

    Chapter 104 - The Sword that Split the Heavens (7)


    The next day Laura realized almost half of her siblings were gone. The chosen received their names, and the rest were culled.


    At that point, Laura had a good idea what they were doing.


    The Aunsaurus tribe hade up against their limitation. Aunsaurus was one of the 4 great Dragon Demon Generals, and he was a first generation Dragon Demon. Basically, he was born without parents, and his power couldn¡¯t bepared to the normal Dragon Demons. Even if his descendants were proud of carrying his blood, there was a clear limitation to their powers.


    It wasn¡¯t enough to intermarry between Dragon Demons. They needed a more surefire way to gain a talented sessor.


    As expected of magicians, they came up with an insane solution. If marriage between good bloodlines weren¡¯t enough, they would just add magic to artificially make talented offsprings.


    This was how Laura and her siblings were born.


    In truth, the word ¡¯born¡¯ was an inadequate description. Artificial wombs were created using the secret arts of ck Magic. If one didn¡¯t use such a method, it would have been impossible to gather over 100 siblings of the same age.


    From the beginning, they were made to be the perfect sessor of Aunsaurus. They were a product made with great care and effort. Their growth process was a period of time where their makers could check which product was defective or not.


    If it ended there, it would have great. However, the Ausaurus family wanted perfection.


    Even if there were no defects, they weren¡¯t satisfied. They merely wanted the one that transcended beyond all standards. In the end, they wanted a single exceptional being.


    ¡®The one that never fails will inherit his name. We don¡¯t want failures.¡¯


    The failures disappeared one by one. Laura knew what happened to them. In the initial phase, the unnamed ones were sent to the ck Magic research facility to be used asb rats. If one had received a name, their fate was bound by ck Magic. They were forever forbidden to reveal themselves as they sacrificed their whole lives for the tribe. They became tools for battle.


    In the end, thest one standing was Laura.


    ¡®Congrattions. From now on, you are Laura Aunsaurus..¡¯


    On the day when all her siblings were gone and she was all alone, Laura became an Aunsaurus. She inherited the cursed Dragon Demon weapon called the Vitan¡¯s Chalice not too long after. Then she was officially introduced to the world through hering of age ceremony. She had an identity in this world.


    Afterwards, Laura lived in an achromatic world. No, if she thought about it, she had exited her ss cage, and she had found the world to be gray. She hated everything that had surrounded her. There was nothing of worth around her. This was true for the bloodline of Aunsaurus, and it even extended to her life, which had been manufactured for her to be the heir.


    In such a world, the only thing that could move her hardened heart were herpetition.


    She was unbelievably jealous of Niberis, who was able to disy hate and apetitive spirit towards her. From the start of her life, Niberis never had to doubt her own existence, and she had been revered by everyone around her. Niberis had everything Laura never possessed. This was why she hated and envied Niberis.


    It was the same for Kieren. He grew up fighting with his numerous siblings for the honor of being the heir. This was where all the simrity ended. He was born into the world through a natural process, and he had experienced each steps of his life like a normal being. This was why Laura disliked Kieren too.


    However, Kieren waspetent, yet in many ways, his heart was absurdly delicate. This was why she looked at him in a slightly more favorable light.


    He had everything he could want in this world, yet he ate his heart out as he looked at Niberis. Laura found the situation to be amusing and pitiful.


    Still, Kieren treated Laura like a person even though she had been thoroughly molded into being a tool. She had been able to feel human-like emotions through him.


    ¡®I¡¯ll repay my debt right now, Duke Baldazark.¡¯


    Laura opened her mouth as this thought crossed her mind. She walked towards the most dazzling being she had ever seen up until now. She headed towards the being that had stirred her heart.


    ¡°Azell Zestringer. I have a proposal for you.¡±


    10


    Laura dispersed her Dragon Demon weapon, and she walked towards Azell. It was as if she had a death wish. However, she had retracted her Dragon Demon weapon and her defensive magic. She waspletely defenseless.


    As the white hem of her skirt fluttered, the Guardian Shadows charged towards her. It didn¡¯t matter what she said. They didn¡¯t show any signs ofpromise in their actions.


    ¡°Wait a moment.¡±


    Azell got in the way of the Guardian Shadows. When he swung his sword, the thunderbolt stretched out to stop the movement of the Guardian Shadows.


    ¡°In any battlefield, it isn¡¯t honorable to kill a defenseless person, who wants to talk.¡±


    ¡¸Enemy.......¡¹


    ¡¸Have to kill... At all cost.......¡¹


    ¡¸No forgiveness.......¡¹


    ¡°That¡¯s your problem. I¡¯ll decide if I want to cut her down after I hear her story. Or are you willing to fight me to see if I¡¯m serious?¡±


    Azell spoke with a cold voice. The Guardian Shadows became confused as they looked at Azell.


    ¡¸Why.......¡¹


    ¡¸We have to kill.......¡¹


    ¡¸But... He.......¡¹


    If it was anyone other than Azell, the Guardian Shadows wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to carry out their attack. However, Azell might be the one they had been waiting for. He might be the one foretold in the prophecy, so they put a brake to their actions. In the end, the Guardian Shadows whispered to each other in a heated discussion as they retreated backwards.


    Azell yelled out loud.


    ¡°Everyone stop!¡±


    His voice rang out like a lion¡¯s roar. Everyone unconsciously stopped fighting, and as if it was a lie, a silence descended on the surrounding.


    In this unnatural silence, Laura¡¯s clear voice rang out.


    ¡°I¡¯ll surrender myself to you. Instead, I want you to let the rest of my group go.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Azell was dumbfounded.


    ¡°Do you really think your proposal is reasonable? You may be from the bloodline of Aunsaurus, but this is revered only in the in of Darkness. Your bloodline is worthless here.¡±


    The Dragon Demon king worshippers were already defeated. Theirplete destruction was only a matter of time. In such a situation, why would he let everyone else go, because Laura surrendered herself to him? The sensible move was to ughter every Dragon Demon King worshippers.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°I am well aware of that fact. This is why I¡¯ll give you something of equal value.¡±


    ¡°What do you have that will make me spare their foolish lives?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you my Dragon Demon weapon.¡±


    ¡°......!¡±


    Azell, who had been making sarcastic remarks, stopped breathing from the surprise he felt. It wasn¡¯t just him. All of the Dragon Demon king worshippers were taken aback.


    ¡°Duchess Aunsaurus! What are you saying!¡±


    Niberis and Kieren were in critical condition. The only one able to speak against her was Jeffers Almarick. He was so surprised that he didn¡¯t even maintain his guard against Leticia. He stared at Laura.


    It was a really stupid move.


    ¡°I just want to kill you right now... However, I¡¯ll wait and see how this turns out. How unfortunate.¡±


    Leticia had used this opportunity to put the de of her spear up against Almarick¡¯s neck. From Almarick¡¯s perspective, he had made a really silly mistake.


    ¡°Kook......!¡±


    Laura didn¡¯t pay attention to Almarick¡¯s advice as she continued to speak.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you inherit my Dragon Demon weapon ¡¯Vitan¡¯s Chalice¡¯. I believe that is more than enough to strike a bargain.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    Azellbored over the decision. This proposal was really beyond his imagination. He had to admit it. This expressionless Dragon Demon girl got one over him.


    The Dragon Demon weapon could be transferred to another person only if the owner sincerely desires it.


    It was impossible to inherit the Dragon Demon weapon by killing or threatening the owner. The Dragon Demon weapons had a form of sentience, so it could discern the true feeling of its owner. If one stole it using threats, it would provoke an unpredictable reaction from the Dragon Demon weapon.


    Moreover, it wasn¡¯t a guaranteed she¡¯ll go through with the transfer even if Azell epted her proposal. If she was willing to sacrifice her own life to kill Azell, the inheritance of the Dragon Demon weapon could...


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°I want to observe from your side. Maybe, you are the one that will give us the chance to turn back the fate of the king.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°If you ept my proposal, I¡¯ll answer any questions you are curious about.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.......¡±


    ¡°Duchess Ausaurus! Are you betraying us?¡±


    Jeffers had heard enough. He grinded his teeth. From the perspective of a Dragon Demon King worshipper, Laura¡¯s proposal was uneptable. This was a precious Dragon Demon weapon passed down from the Dragon Demon wars. How could she just give it away to an enemy? Moreover, she was nning to spill confidential information.


    It wasn¡¯t as if Laura knew all the secrets, yet the ones she knew could be lethal to them.


    All the young Dragon Demons here possessed the highest of pedigree. However, their duty was more important than their lives. Until the day their savior returns, they had to fulfill their duty even if it required the sacrifice of their lives.


    Jeffers yelled out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh! This is do or die! Fight! Everyone... Kuhk!¡±


    He couldn¡¯t finish the sentence. Leticia unhesitatingly hit his face with the t of her spear head. Her attack flowed like water to strike him, and Jeffers fell unconscious.


    ¡°Even if you fight to the death, there aren¡¯t many of you left. How ridiculous.¡±


    Currently, there were only 10 members of the Dragon Demon King worshippers that were in any shape to fight. If the fight started up again, they¡¯ll be ughtered in an instant.


    Leticia snorted as she spoke.


    ¡°It does make me feel a little bit better. You there. I rmend you don¡¯t take this deal. I would love to kill this bastard right now.¡±


    ¡°...Hmmm. Now that I¡¯ve heard Miss¡¯s words, I feel the need to act in a more rational manner.¡±


    ¡°Miss?¡±


    Leticia had on an expression as if Azell had said something very offensive. From her appearance, she did look like a young woman. However, it had been very long, since she had been called by that term.


    Azell smirked as he asked her a question.


    ¡°Would you like to be called madam?¡±


    He remember having a simr conversation before. At the time, he had been speaking to the Dragon Demon King worshipper named Regina.


    Leticia answered him.


    ¡°If you want to die, you can call me that.¡±


    ¡°What a scary Miss.¡±


    Azell shrugged his shoulder then he looked at Laura. He looked at her to read her true intentions, but he couldn¡¯t. There was no expression on Laura¡¯s face, and there were barely any emotions revealed in her eyes.


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll ept your proposal. However, I have a condition.¡±


    ¡°What is your condition?¡±


    ¡°I want you to incinerate all the dead bodies here with your hands.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    At those words, the Dragon Demon King worshippers became restless. Even Laura showed signs of unrest. However, Azell was adamant.


    ¡°If I let them take the intact corpses, won¡¯t your side bring back the useful members as Undeads? I¡¯m used to destroying beings returned from the dead, but it isn¡¯t as if I enjoy doing it.¡±


    ¡°...all right.¡±


    Laura nodded her head slightly. Azell spoke.


    ¡°I want the survivors to be gathered, and they can run away like dogs with their tails lit on fire. I¡¯ll give you all three minutes for everyone to get out of my sight. Moreover...¡±


    Azell looked at Kieren, who had wrapped his body around Niberis.


    ¡°If you want to say something, I want you to speak it out loud. I don¡¯t like little Dragon Demons talking in secret. This situation has deteriorated too much for me to feign ignorance. If you are recovered enough to use Whispering, you should be able to speak it out loud.¡±


    ¡°H... How...¡±


    Kieren was surprised. He had been secretly Whispering towards Laura, yet Azell seemed to have sensed it.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I epted her proposal. Guardian Shadows... Will you disagree and go against my decision?¡±


    ¡¸We don¡¯t know.......¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t... understand.......¡¹


    ¡¸But.......¡¹


    ¡¸We won¡¯t stand against.......¡¹


    In the end, the Guardian Shadows decided to give up on opposing Azell¡¯s will. Then the Dragon Demon worshippers retreated as if a fissure was about to swallow them from behind. Laura created fire as she burned every single corpse to ashes.

 Chapter 105 - The One that Chose the Name Soaked in Sin (1)

    Chapter 105 - The One that Chose the Name Soaked in Sin (1)


    1


    The old Karzark castley in waste. As expected of a domain gifted to the man responsible for saving the world, Azell¡¯s castle had been well made. However, 200 years had passed, and the majesty and beauty of the castle was nowhere to be seen. It was merely a horrendously destroyed ruin.


    Azell watched the ruins, and he was swept up by emotions that were beyond expression.


    Azell opened the main door to the castle. He entered into the lounge, and there were stairs on either sides leading up to the second floor. The stairs made a circle. One of the stairway waspletely destroyed, and the other one was half destroyed. An old memory ovepped this sight.


    ¡®Young masters! Young mistresses! The stairs are meant to be walked on!¡¯


    The steward of Count Karzark was Bazeck. He was an old knight, who had participated in the Dragon Demon war. Moreover, he was a big softie when it came to the children. It was, because he had lost all his sons and grandchildren in the war.


    Azell had adopted children, and most of them were not of noble birth. This was why they were a bit short on grace and manners. They treated the fancy castle as a yground. The guardrails on the stairways were treated as slides. Children screamed as they slid down the guardrails, and it troubled Bazeck. However, he could bring himself to give them a strong scolding.


    ¡®Marquis! Please give a scolding to the young masters and young mistresses! How will they be able to make their debut in society?¡¯


    ¡®Eh-eee. It¡¯s ok. All children act that way as they grow up. Should I try it once? In the past, I always wanted to try it when I visited a castle or a mansion.¡¯


    ¡®If you want my old eyes to bleed tears of blood, you can go ahead and try it. Do you realize how much gossip goes around when the Count jumps out the window or climb the wall, because it is annoying to climb up and down the stairs!¡¯


    ¡®They are probably jealous of me since they can¡¯t do what I do?¡¯


    ¡®...unfortunately, half of the opinions are on your side. However, how will it look to the other nobles!¡¯


    ¡®How do you think it will look? It¡¯ll look cool.¡¯


    ¡®Coooooooount!¡¯


    ...he had exchanged countless conversations just like that.


    When he walked up the unstable stairway, he thought he could hear the sounds of childrenughing as they slid down the rails. Azell felt tears welling up, but he pressed it down as he went up to the 2nd floor.


    ¡°My god. He kept harping about how I have to invest in a good desk.... I can¡¯t believe it survived.¡±


    Azell had entered his office on the 2nd floor. It was a mess inside. The ceiling and walls had fallen, and there were debris piled everywhere. The floor was also half destroyed.


    However, to his surprise, Azell¡¯s desk was still there. It had been exposed to rain and wind over a long period of time, so it was all rotten. However, he recognized the desk he used 220 years ago, so he marveled at it.


    ¡®Count! Please work inside your office!¡¯


    ¡®I have a hard time getting things done in there. It isn¡¯t as if I¡¯m shirking my duties. I just want to work with a little wind on my face....¡¯


    ¡®You can¡¯t go up there with those documents!¡¯


    Azell hated working in his office. It was arge room, so it often felt a bit chilly. There was a big window inside the room, and the desk had been put in front of it. He had a hard time concentrating in such a set-up.


    This was why Azell always took his documents up to the roof, and he worked as he heard the chirping of the birds. His subordinates developed headaches, because Azell¡¯s actions were far from being noble-like. However, in the end, they just epted it as ¡¯Our lord is just like that.¡¯


    ¡°Ha ha ha.......¡±


    A dryugh flowed out of Azell¡¯s mouth.


    There was no section of the castle that had remained undamaged. It was understandable, since Dragons had swept through here. Still, he could still see a little bit of the outline of its original shape, and his old memories kept washing over him.


    Before he knew it, Azell¡¯s eyes were flowing with tears. He didn¡¯t have the presence of mind to wipe his tears, and he walked without any destination in mind.


    His memories and the destroyed reality in front of him ovepped with each other, and he was swept up in his memories.


    ¡°...teacher.¡±


    Azell arrived at a grave site behind the castle. There was no way the graves would have been left untouched by the rampaging Dragons. It was a mess back there. Still, Azell was able to locate a particr grave.


    ¡°If I knew things would turn out like this, it might have been better not to have moved you here.¡±


    It was Balf¡¯s grave. He was the teacher, who had taught Azell about Absolute Sense. After the Dragon Demon war ended, Azell had moved his remains to his castle. Two hundred twenty years had passed, and many more graves had been added to this site. It had evolved into a pretty big cemetery.


    Balf¡¯s tombstone was destroyed, and it had been scatter to the winds. Azell was only able to find the grave, because he was intimately familiar with where it was located at.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do anything right now, but I¡¯ll once again provide a nice grave for you. I promise.¡±


    Azell wiped his tears away, and he gave his respects towards his teacher¡¯s grave.


    2


    Laura waspletely subdued, and she was being watched by Kairen.


    Her legs, arms and fingers were all bound meticulously. Moreover, a bit was put in her mouth, so she wouldn¡¯t be able to use any spells. Then Azell used a secret technique of Spirit Order to form a magical wedge. These magical wedges were ced in various locations of her Energy Pulse to block the flow of magical energy. There was no way Laura would be able to use her magic.


    Azell had wanted a look through the ruins of the old castle by himself, so he had left Kairen behind. It wasn¡¯t a good time to be doing such an activity, yet Azell¡¯s poor expression stopped Kairen from arguing with him. He just told Azell to do what he had to do.


    ¡°I¡¯m back.¡±


    Azell returned after an hour. Kairen spoke.


    ¡°You came back earlier than expected.¡±


    ¡°It feels like I¡¯ve spent enough time there.¡±


    ¡°Your expression was too heartrending, so at the very least, I thought you were going toe back tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°If you were ready for such a scenario, maybe I should have taken my time in getting back here.¡±


    Azell hadn¡¯t said anything before he made himself scarce. He had been gone for a pretty long time. He was thankful for Kairen being considerate of him, so Azell smirked in thanks. Then he asked a question.


    ¡°How are they doing?¡±


    ¡°They are still recovering.¡±


    Azell was referring to Yuren and Leticia.


    They had fought against the Dragon Demon king worshippers, so they weren¡¯t ssified as enemies. However, both groups didn¡¯t trust each other. This was true for Azell and Kairen, and it was also true for Yuren and Leticia. This was why they decided to stay in different locations. They would wait until Leticia and Yuren were well enough to converse.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t look like a healer... He is probably using ck Magic.¡±


    ¡°I believe so.¡±


    ck Magic was the use of magic through taking the life of living beings. If they nned on using humans as a source for their magic, Azell and Kairen would have stopped them. However, the County of Karzark had a surplus of monsters and beasts.


    Kairen asked a question.


    ¡°Can we trust them?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll have to talk to them first. Personally, I am a bit interested in the Miss Dragon Majin....¡±


    ¡°She seemed to be quite strong. However, the mark against her is the fact that she seems to have some dealings with ck Magic¡±


    They had only briefly aligned themselves with Leticia, but in that short amount of time, they could tell she was a very talented fighter. Moreover, she was a Dragon Majin, yet here magical resonance was on par with Kairen. However, she was also saturated with the energy of ck magic....


    Azell shook his head from side to side.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not the part that interests me.¡±


    ¡°Then what?¡±


    ¡°I only saw it briefly, so I can¡¯t be sure... The way she used her Dragon Arts looked familiar to me.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    ¡°I have to confirm it with her, then I¡¯ll have a better idea. She might have a connection with an acquaintance.¡±


    ¡°An acquaintance... Now I¡¯m curious.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll exin it to youter. Anyways, we have to take care of the business in front of us.


    Azell looked at Laura. Laura was bound tight, yet she waited patiently with an expressionless face. Azell took the bit out of her mouth, and she took a deep breath.


    ¡°Hoo-ah.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll question you now. I hope your answer my questions honestly. My magical wedge is deployed, so if you lie, I¡¯ll know it.¡±


    Laura¡¯s expression was so neutral that it would be hard to tell if she was lying. However, Spirit Order dealt with the mind. The magical wedges were ced in her Energy Pulse, and it allowed him to fully control her. It was easy to tell if she was telling the truth or not.


    Laura nodded her head slightly.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Before Azell could ask a question, Kairen suddenly spoke to him.


    ¡°So, Azell...¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t this make us look... Somehow, it feels like we are the bad guys.¡±


    ¡°...I get where you areing from, and I agree. However, did you really have to say that out loud?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t hesitate if it is a straight up fight. However, you are threatening to torture a youngdy. This kind of situation is a first...¡±


    Kairen scratched his cheek. From her outer appearance, Laura looked like a beautiful girl around 17 or 18 years old. She had long blonde hair, and amethyst eyes. She had lily-white skin, and she looked like a doll. Moreover, the red dress she was wearing made her look like a innocent youngdy from a noble house.


    Azell grumbled.


    ¡°How is she young? She probably is older than me... Well, I guess from the Duke¡¯s perspective she is young. How old are you?¡±


    ¡°It is rude to ask for a woman¡¯s age.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t answer me correctly, I¡¯ll treat you roughly... It does make me feel shameful for even saying those words.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m much younger than the Dragon Sword Duke.¡±


    Laura unnecessarily confirmed their suspicion about her age.


    Azell grumbled.


    ¡°I understand how you feel, but please don¡¯t take the wind out of my sail. We have to be serious right now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll keep my mouth shut.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you again. We won¡¯t ask you for your age...¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment.¡±


    Laura cut off Azell¡¯s words.


    ¡°After I answer your question, do you mind if I ask you a question in return?¡±


    ¡°...do you really think you are in a situation to ask me questions?¡±


    ¡°However, that was the reason why I surrendered to you.¡±


    ¡°Well, all right. If I think the question is decent, I¡¯ll answer it. First... What Miss said to me....¡±


    ¡°Laura.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°My name. It is Laura. Please call me by my name.¡±


    ¡°Laura Aunsaurus.¡±


    ¡°Please leave the Aunsaurus out.¡±


    ¡°...your demands are getting quite numerous. All right, Laura.¡±


    As Azell conversed with Laura, he could feel the tension starting to bleed away. If Kairen hadn¡¯t said such unnecessary words, the mood wouldn¡¯t have shifted this way... Still, he had to take this more seriously.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask this first. You said I might be the one, who might turn back the king¡¯s destiny. What did you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Our side is split on how we look at Azell Karzark.¡±


    ¡°One side looks as him as the being with the name soaked in sin... No, that isn¡¯t right. That is a title used for people with the name Azell. Would it be correct in saying the original Azell was the great sinner?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He was the one, who killed the great king. However... ording to the Aunsaurus n and some other minor ns, Azell Karzark was called ¡¯The being that granted the king the opportunity to turn back his destiny.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Could you borate more?¡±

 Chapter 106 The One that Chose the Name Soaked in Sin (2)

    Chapter 106 ¨C The One that Chose the Name Soaked in Sin (2)


    ¡°After the great king caused the Dragon Demon War, it was said that he came to a realization that he had made the wrong choice. However, at that point, he couldn¡¯t turn back on his course of action. As a counterbnce to his mistake, Azell Zestringer had appeared, and he corrected the king¡¯s wrong choice. This gave the king a chance to start anew.... This is the interpretation.¡±


    ¡°...so, this particr interpretation implies Atein¡¯s defeat and death was nned. It was part of his fate? In the end, doesn¡¯t it look like thinly-veiled attempt to leave Atein¡¯s divine status unblemished?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t deny it.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask the next question. Is Jeffers Almarick really the descendent of Almarick?¡±


    ¡°Of course?¡±


    Laura was puzzled by the question. Even during the battle, Azell refused to let this question go. Of course, she had thought it was part of a psychological warfare being waged by him. Had she been wrong?


    Azell furrowed his brows.


    ¡°At the very least, you believe he is. I don¡¯t know what your superiors were thinking.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you are talking about.¡±


    ¡°The guy called Jeffers Almarick doesn¡¯t look at all like Almarick. Of course, if one went just by his appearance, one could overlook the inconsistencies. However, his Dragon Demon weapon differs from the original one. Isn¡¯t that a bit strange?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Laura was surprised. Azell spoke as he looked at her reaction.


    ¡°Almarick¡¯s Dragon Demon Weapon was called ¡®Storm¡¯s Scream¡¯. However, Jeffers was using an entirely different weapon. Why is that? Was it lost over time, and a substitute Dragon Demon weapon was given to him?¡±


    ¡°...that story, where did you hear it?¡±


    Laura couldn¡¯t hide her confusion. Azell had touched on a subject that she never knew about. Everyone within the in of Darkness considered Jeffers Almarick to be a direct descendent of Almarick. Moreover, the Dragon Demon weapon ¡®Tempest¡¯s de¡¯ was also known as being the weapon used by the original Almarick.


    Azell spoke after seeing her reaction.


    ¡°It seems you didn¡¯t know about it... Hmm. Let me confirm one thing with you. How many of those, who had survived from the time of the Dragon Demon war, reside inside the in of Darkness?¡±


    ¡°There are around twenty left.¡±


    ¡°That is smaller than I thought. Who holds the highest position?¡±


    A lot of Dragon Demons had survived the Dragon Demon wars. However, time seemed to have drastically reduced those numbers.


    ¡°Dragon Demon Queen.¡±


    ¡°Which consort are you talking about? Aincera? Tedrin? Kayalia? Ah. There is no way Tedrin is still alive.¡±


    ¡°It is Aincera-nim. The other two is dead.¡±


    ¡°Aincera... That woman is pretty useless in terms of battle capability, but her being able to lead an organization is a whole separate issue. I won¡¯t speak about Tedrin, but I¡¯m d Kayalia is dead. No one knew if she was alive or dead, so I was worried....¡±


    There had been three Dragon Demon Queens married to Atein at the time. Kayalia was Atein¡¯s best pupil, and she possessed awesomebat ability. Aside from the four great Dragon Demon Generals, she was considered to be the strongest magician. In the final battle, she had received a critical wound, but her death hadn¡¯t been confirmed. The news that she was dead brought relief to Azell.


    ¡°Do you know the names of the survivors?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know all of them. I don¡¯t know the names of three members.¡±


    ¡°That means there are Dragon Demons, who are hiding their identities. Is it correct to say that the survivors of the Dragon Demon war rule over the in of Darkness?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    ¡°Give me their names..¡±


    Azell¡¯s request was fulfilled by Laura. Azell¡¯s expression hardened as she listed their names.


    ¡°Some of the big shots are still alive. So the Simpleton Prince... Mmm. Is Saibein dead?¡±


    ¡°He is missing.¡±


    ¡°Missing?¡±


    ¡°Around 20 years ago... After he fought the Guardian Shadows, his whereabouts became unknown.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.......¡±


    ¡°Niberis appeared to have inherited her Dragon Demon weapon within the past six months. This was why everyone went out to look for him. Afterwards, everyone just assumed he was alive, but the Elders refused toment on this issue....¡±


    Laura stopped at that point to ask a question of her own.


    ¡°May I ask a question too?¡±


    ¡°I still have a lot of questions to ask you.... Well, all right. You¡¯ve been truthfully in y our answers, so I¡¯ll hear you out.¡±


    ¡°Are you perhaps the actual Azell Karzark?¡±


    Azell flinched inside at the question. However, he didn¡¯t show any indication outside.


    ¡°Why do you think so?¡±


    ¡°You look exactly like the Azell Karzark I know.¡±


    ¡°...so you¡¯ve been alive for that long?¡±


    ¡°No. The Aunsaurus tribe possesses a lot of records regarding Azell Karzark. Amongst these records, there was a magical recording. You look too much like him to say that you are his descendant.¡±


    ¡°However, there are cases where human descendants look surprisingly like their forefathers.¡±


    ¡°Even if I take that into ount, I find my assertion to be true. Moreover.... You just spoke about the Dragon Demon wars as if you had experienced it.¡±


    This point had intensified Laura¡¯s confusion. Azell hadn¡¯t even bothered hiding his choice of words as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal.


    Azell smirked.


    ¡°I see. Well, my answer is... You are free to believe whatever you want to.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not obligated to give you an answer. However, you are obligated to answer my questions.¡±


    ¡°...understood.¡±


    Her expression hadn¡¯t changed at all, but Laura¡¯s voice sounded like sulking teenage girl.


    3


    Yuren had drawn a magic circle with blood, and he was meditating in a lotus position on top of it.


    Leticia stood behind him, and she was on guard. Plenty of monster corpses were strewn around them. Each corpse looked as if it had been sucked dry. This bizarre sight pretty much confirmed what Azell and Kairen had assumed.


    ¡°Oooh. I feel much better now....¡±


    How long had it been?


    Yuren opened his eyes, and he let out a long breathe.


    Leticia asked him a question.


    ¡°How much have you recovered?¡±


    ¡°I think I can walk around by myself. Running will be too taxing. If possible, I¡¯ll have to resolve this issue by traveling using magic.¡±


    ¡°If you n on floating around everywhere, it would be better for you to make a full recovery instead.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t healthy to recover one¡¯s body through stealing the life essence of others. It is a short term solution, but in the long term, it could irreversibly break the bnce of one¡¯s life energy. How stupid will it be if your struggle to live bes the catalyst in you bing an Undead? If you have the choice, you shouldn¡¯t use ck Magic.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t sound like a ck Magician.¡±


    ¡°What choice did I have? The Dragon Demon King worshippers, who would be sent into the field, are taught the basics of ck Magic. I didn¡¯t be a ck Magician, because I wanted to.¡±


    Yuren grumbled. He started learning ck Magic at a very young age. He started to distance himself from ck Magic was only when he escaped the brainwashing of the Dragon Demon king¡¯s worship. It was thanks to the dreams he had of his spiritual guide.


    Leticia asked a question.


    ¡°So, do you know what your destiny is?¡±


    ¡°I think it has to do with that man over there.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. So the man named Azell is the man of your destiny.¡±


    ¡°...it really sounds weird when you phrase it like that?¡±


    ¡°You can let my words go in one ear and out the other. Anyways, the man is so strong that it is hard to believe that he is human.¡±


    Leticia, who was called the Ice Queen, was a figure of terror for the Dragon Demon king worshippers. Even she shuddered at the level of martial prowess shown by Azell. The officers, who hade out from the ins of Darkness, were dealt as if they were children....


    ¡°I was surprised too. His martial prowess looked inhuman. Moreover... No, I¡¯ll bring it up when I talk to him.¡±


    Yuren had followed the instruction of the guide within his dream to get here. He learned various truths. He also learned information and magic techniques that were never taught by the Dragon Demon king worshippers in the process.....


    Leticia spoke.


    ¡°All right. We should go meet him. Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°My heart is beating like a boy in puberty..¡±


    ¡°Please I pray your beating heart doesn¡¯t evolve into love.¡±


    ¡°...at times, you sound like a person, who had lived several dozen years in the human world.¡±


    ¡°If it looks that way, it is thanks to the bad influence of my master.¡±


    The two of them headed towards the location upied by Azell, Kairen and Laura. It was deep into the night, but everyone was awake.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I want you guys to sit at a moderate distance away from us. It¡¯ll be best if we avoid antagonizing each other if possible.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thankful for the suggestion. However, if I do that, you¡¯ll be on edge.¡±


    After speaking, Yuren plopped down in front of the magical campfire made by Azell and Kairen. Azell was a bit surprised as he looked at Yuren.


    Azell had suggested sitting a bit away from each other as a courtesy to the other group. If they did fight, it would be more advantageous for a warrior if the enemy was sitting nearby.


    Azell was aware of this, so he decided both groups should put a moderate distance between each other. However, Yuren had unhesitatingly sat in front of Azell.


    ¡°I have no ns of going against you. I¡¯m doing this, because I want that point to be made abundantly clear.¡±


    ¡°However, I could turn hostile against you. Haven¡¯t you thought about such a scenario?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. I don¡¯t think you will after hearing my story.... I think?¡±


    Yuren wasn¡¯t confident, so he added thosest words. Leticia snorted.


    ¡°You usually roast people with your words. Where did that guy go? Why are you showing such weakness? Is it because you met the man of your destiny?¡±


    ¡°I want you to stop using that phrase. It is very misleading. Anyways, I¡¯ll introduce myself. My name is Yuren Rizester.¡±


    ¡°...Rizester?¡±


    Azell became surprised at his words. It wasn¡¯t just Azell. Kairen was surprised too.


    The reason why these two men reacted in such a manner was obvious. It was, because....


    ¡®Is he a descendant of Carlos?


    Rizester was Carlos¡¯ family name.


    This exined why the Dragon Demon king worshippers were acting in such a sensitive manner. In some aspects, Carlos was hated more than Azell by the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    Before the shock passed, Laura spoke.


    ¡°Ah. So you are the traitor, who chose the name seeped in sin?¡±


    ¡°Yes, heir of Aunsaurus. You probably came here in hopes to catch me.¡±


    Azell perked up at Yuren¡¯s words.


    ¡°There is a slight difference in that turn of phrase. You are called the ¡®Traitor, who chose the name seeped in sin¡¯... Does this mean you chose to take up that name?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I see. You aren¡¯t the descendant of Carlos.¡±


    Azell mumbled as if air had leaked out of him.


    However, Yuren quickly spoke again.


    ¡°I chose to take up the name, but it is also true that I¡¯m a descendant of Archmage Carlos.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°At the very least, I would like to think so. I look simr to what Carlos looked liked in his early years. Of course, I don¡¯t want to look like him in thetter years.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    At his words, Azell narrowed his eyes. It was as he said. Niberis had messed up his face, but Yuren¡¯s brown hair and blue-gray eyes....


    ¡®There is a clear resemnce.¡¯

 Chapter 107 - The One that Chose the Name Soaked in Sin (3)

    Chapter 107 - The One that Chose the Name Soaked in Sin (3)


    There was a part of him that resembled Carlos. It was undeniable. Normally, Carlos possessed a very cold demeanor, but when he was with Azell, Carlos acted a bit dopey. Yuren, who was in front of him, gave off a simr impression.


    However, from Azell¡¯s perspective, Yuren was an amalgamation of very troubling elements. He looked simr to Carlos, yet he used to be a Dragon Demon king worshipper. Moreover, he took on the name Rizester as an act of betrayal....


    ¡®Is he really Carlos¡¯ descendant?¡¯


    Unlike Azell, Carlos rued fame even into histter years as an Archmage. It wouldn¡¯t be weird to find out that he had descendants.


    ¡°However, Carlos didn¡¯t have any children.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t officially have any heirs. However, in the nature of things, affairs happen.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm. If that is true.......¡±


    ¡°What if it is so?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll also go bald when you get old.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yuren had a dumbfounded expression on his face. Then his face reddened, and he started stuttering his words.


    ¡°T...that isn¡¯t true! My hair is very thick! Moreover, even if I am Carlos¡¯ descendant, there is a several generational gap between me and him. How can you say I¡¯ll go bald like him?¡±


    ¡°...it seems you¡¯ve worried over this topic before.¡±


    Azell chuckled. At the very least, this reaction proved that Yuren himself believed he was a descendant of Carlos.


    ¡°Well, the problem of authenticity can¡¯t be determined right now, so let¡¯s push that aside for now. First, I would like to learn more about both of you. ¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. Doesn¡¯t one normally introduce oneself when asking such a question?¡±


    Leticia was a bit further away, and she asked in a cold manner. Kairen, who had been quiet, stepped forward when he heard her words.


    ¡°You are being too harsh. We rescued both of you.¡±


    ¡°...we can¡¯t deny what you did for us. It is a bit annoying, but I guess we are at a disadvantage.¡±


    When Leticia grumbled, Yuren smirked.


    ¡°Well, I nned on revealing everything in the first ce. You don¡¯t have to be so prickly, Leticia.¡±


    ¡°That is your stance. I don¡¯t n on taking the same approach.¡±


    ¡°Well, you came along ording to my will, so it is already a done deal. Since you stayed silent on the issue, you¡¯ve tacitly agreed to my agenda.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes I have an urge to beat you, and I¡¯m having a hard time holding myself back right now, Yuren.¡±


    ¡°The fact that you are able to hold yourself back like this means you possess a sound mind. Anyways... Mmmm. If you don¡¯t want to talk, you can give a cursory introduction. I used to be a Dragon Demon king worshipper, and I betrayed them.¡±


    4


    Yuren didn¡¯t hide anything about his past. He told them how he came to be a Dragon Demon king worshipper, then he talked about how he escaped from their brainwashing. He spoke how he chose the road to being a traitor....


    Kairen, who had been listening to the story, furrowed his brows.


    ¡°That just sounds too absurd. An unknown voice appeared suddenly in your dreams, and it started guiding you? This was the reason why you betrayed the Dragon Demon king worshippers.... Do you really want me to believe such nonsense?¡±


    ¡°I know it is a hard to believe tale. However, it is the truth. If it wasn¡¯t for the dreams sent by my guide, I would still be a Dragon Demon king worshipper. I was made to be loyal through the brainwashing, and I prayed each day for the revival of the Dragon Demon king. Sometimes officers woulde to speak to us about the Dragon Demon war, and I was moved to tears by the stories I heard.¡±


    ¡°...does the Dragon Demon king worshippers really live like that?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m joking? I¡¯m not. This was especially true at these institutes, which fostered the children. They were very thorough in observing these types of formalities. Moreover, everyone considered it to be normal and natural. From a very young age, we were instilled with the ideology of the Dragon Demon king worshippers, and anything that didn¡¯t fall within this ideology was considered to be wrong. Moreover...¡±


    One could make a fanatic through brainwashing. It was almost impossible to reverse this process, yet the Dragon Demon king worshippers weren¡¯t satisfied with just that.


    ¡°There are tiers to being a Dragon Demon king worshippers. In the end, Dragon Demons are on top, the Dragon Majins are in the middle, and the humans make up the floor. However, they never fully trust a human. This policy may have arose when they suffered defeat at the hands of the humans.¡±


    This was observed when Azell battled and ultimately killed Duran. Duran had dedicated his life to the worship of the Dragon Demon king, and he had distinguished himself numerous times in battle. He was a human, who was allowed to live inside the ins of Darkness. However, his advancement ended there. He received very little supportpared to the Dragon Demons and Dragon Majins.


    ¡°Currently, no ¡¯humans¡¯ amongst the Dragon Demon king worshippers possess Dragon Demon Qi. Humans aren¡¯t allowed to go through Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.¡±


    Only humans and Dragon Majins could enter into a Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. However, the Dragon Demon king worshippers refused to set up a stage where a human would be able to go through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    ¡°Our story strayed a little bit off topic. Anyway, they weren¡¯t satisfied with a thorough mind control regiment.¡±


    All their foods were drugged. This drug was moderately addicting, and a specific smell could put the subject into a state of trance. During the indoctrination of the children, the children was put in a trance state, and the worship of the Dragon Demon King was imprinted deep within their subconsciousness.


    ¡°It¡¯s a heinous act. However, it doesn¡¯t end there.¡±


    All children went through a monthly verification process to see if the ideology had taken hold. In the process, the children¡¯s minds were thrown open to be manipted by magic. Childhood are a time when these children are supposed to develop self-identities. However, they were already in the inescapable grip of the madness.


    ¡°I was like that. When I first dreamed of my guide, I wanted to kill myself.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Guilt was the main reason. As a Dragon Demon king worshipper, I thought I hadmitted an egregious sin. I believed I was being sessfully tempted by an evil being.¡±


    This was why he told no one about the dreams. In the end, it had been a wise decision for him to do so. If he had told the instructors, Yuren would have immediately beenbeled as a failed product. He would have been transferred over to a division where they would have experimented on his body.


    ¡°When I had the dream for the first time... It was weird. The things I considered to be obvious no longer seemed to be so obvious inside my dreams.¡±


    As he kept having these dreams, the ideas put into his head was epted as being illogical. This was the effect of the dream. The ideology ingrained in him felt natural as breathing. However, the ways of the Dragon Demon king worshippers felt weird inside his dream.


    A fissure appeared inside his mind. As he kept dreaming about the guide every night, Yuren started to see the madness that was slowly eating him alive. He shook from fear.


    ¡°It took me 10 years for me to bring myself to escape that ce. As a Dragon Demon king worshipper, I was already a broken product. However, my guide inside my dream gave me methods, which allowed me to hide this fact.¡±


    At an early age, Yuren was ssified as a candidate for bing a magician. He learned magic from childhood. His instructors were thorough in teaching Yuren about practical ck Magic. There were also children, who were taught traditional magic, since they would be sent to infiltrate the outside world. However, Yuren wasn¡¯t part of that group.


    During all of this, Yuren was simultaneously being instructed by the guide inside his dreams. He learned magic that weren¡¯t taught by his instructors. After 10 years, Yuren far outstripped his instructors. He developed into being a magician able to rival the Dragon Demon officers from the ins of Darkness.


    ¡°I never found out the identity of my guide. I still do not know. In truth, I am not totallyfortable with the guidance I received. The guide taught me how to call and control a Demon. However, at the very least, I don¡¯t think the guide is a Demon.¡±


    ¡°It is still a possibility. The Demon race possesses knowledge of unknown origin. Their goal is to lead humans to destruction using this knowledge....¡±


    Azell spoke. Not many people knew about the Demon race. Unless one was a ck Magician, there was no need for one to approach the Demons. However, during the Dragon Demon wars, Carlos had approached the Demon race to gain a power that¡¯ll destroy the hopelessness hanging over the world. The knowledge he had gained had been worth the risk.


    Yuren let out a bitterugh.


    ¡°Still... If it wasn¡¯t for my guide, I would have never found myself. I would have wasted away as a tool for the Dragon Demon king worshippers. This is why I trust it. Even if my guide was a Demon working towards my destruction, I am still thankful. I was given an opportunity to perish as a human.¡±


    After he spoke, Yuren hesitated before he put a disimer to his statement.


    ¡°...Ah. Of course, if it is really leading me down a path of destruction, I¡¯ll direct my hatred and resentment towards it with myst breath.¡±


    ¡°Pfft.¡±


    Azell let out augh at those words. Yuren clear his throat before he spoke again.


    ¡°Hmm hmm. The guide inside my dream said I¡¯ll meet the man of my destiny here. It said that this person would remind me of Azell Karzark, who had defeated the Dragon Demon king. It seemed my guide was right.¡±


    ¡°Azell Karzark.......¡±


    Azell let out a bitterugh. If Yuren found out he was the actual Azell Karzark, he was curious as to what kind of expression would appear on Yuren¡¯s face.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°In truth, your story is highly suspicious, and it has a lot of holes. The only part that is trustworthy is the fact that you opposed the Dragon Demon king worshippers.¡±


    ¡°I know my story is hard to believe.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t particrly like conspiracy theories, but... This might have all been scripted by the Dragon Demon king worshipper. Isn¡¯t that so? You opposed Niberis, and you almost died in the process. However, that can be faked.¡±


    ¡°However, the Dragon Majin officers were almost wiped out by you. I¡¯ll point out that fact as a point in my favor.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, they underestimated me. Moreover, during the Dragon Demon war, the Dragon Demon king even threw his children away as bait if the battle was important enough. It isn¡¯t too farfetched to think that the Dragon Majin officers were used as baits.¡±


    ¡°If you are so highly suspicious... Mmmm. There is no way I¡¯ll be able to earn your trust. In the first ce, I knew the story of a guide within my dreams sounded baseless.¡±


    Yuren let out a bitterugh.


    After staring at Yuren for a brief moment, Azell asked a question to Laura.


    ¡°What do you think, Laura?¡±


    ¡°...you are asking for my opinion?¡±


    Laura was taken aback.


    Why would he ask for her opinion in such a situation?


    The reason being Azell could now tell if Laura was speaking a lie or not. Her words would give another data point, which Azell could use toe to assess the situation.

 Chapter 108 - The One that Chose the Name Soaked in Sin (4)

    Chapter 108 - The One that Chose the Name Soaked in Sin (4)


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°First... Everything he told you was the truth.¡±


    ¡°They really gather humans, and brainwash the human to make them into members of the organization?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It isn¡¯t something I saw myself, and I haven¡¯t participated in it. However, I do know it has been going on. It is as he said. Everyone within the ins of Darkness has an inherent distrust of humans. The humans are viewed as beings that will eventually be ruled, but since they can¡¯t be trusted, the normal convention is to train them thorougly. These humans are molded into tools, and one of the more popr strategy is to infiltrate the human society using them. They won¡¯t be detected by the Guardian Shadows if their identities as Dragon Demon king worshippers was never exposed.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell¡¯s body shook from rage. It wasn¡¯t enough that they were manipting the world from behind the scene. They were trampling the rights of humans. They took away innocent children, and their human nature was destroyed to make tools that will move to their whims. This was something they hadn¡¯t even dared to do during the Dragon Demon War.


    ¡®No. Maybe, they had no reason to try this during the Dragon Demon War....¡¯


    This wasn¡¯t an open warfare being waged against the humans. They had created a secret society within the darkness, and as they bided their time, they were making the world sick. This was why they were using such methods. Moreover, if they focused their n on only the Dragon Demons and Dragon Majin, they would run into the problem of being short on manpower. This was why this method was so effective for them.


    After looking at him for a brief moment, Laura continued to speak.


    ¡°The existence of Yuren Rizester was a highly sensitive issue amongst the senior officers. It was such a problem that we were pitted against each other in a race for his capture. From the information I received, he had already destroyed over 10 secret facilities, and he had killed a lot of Dragon Demon king worshippers. He even infiltrated the developmental institutions to assassinate the trainers... We also received reports that something iprehensible was urring....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you are talking about my work in undoing the brainwashing done to the specimens used for experiments.¡±


    Yuren red at her as he spoke. Laura received his sharp gaze, but she nodded in an indifferent manner.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve heard there had been several incidents before. This was why the risk posed by you was upgraded to the highest category.¡±


    ¡°It was the dreams from the guide.¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m able to transmit the dreams I receive from my guide to other people. This isn¡¯t just a one on one event. I¡¯m able to sync the dreams ofrge number of people. The only limitation is the fact that the people have to be within the range of my magic.¡±


    ¡°Is this some kind of a Dream Technique?¡±


    Azell intruded into the conversation. In the past, Azell had manipted Enora¡¯s dream after she was overwhelmed by a frightening experience. Spirit Order, Dragon Arts, and magic.... They all possessed techniques dealing with the mind. One could use these techniques to nt illusions using dreams. There were even techniques that allowed one to control the mind of others.


    Yuren gave a reply.


    ¡°I think it is something simr. I don¡¯t know about the other institutions, but the children being used in experiments.... These children do not know their fate even when they are about to be ughtered. Without the children¡¯s knowledge, they judge whether if the children are suited to be their tools or not. The children, who are considered to be disqualified, suffers a fate worse than death.¡±


    Yuren had attacked locations where they used children for ck Magic experimentation or as sacrifices for summoning the Demons. When he destroyed the facilities of the Dragon Demon king worshippers, he was able to gain information regarding such sites. Yuren couldn¡¯t ignore it.


    ¡°But... Maybe if we....¡±


    ¡°Yuren. I told you to shut your mouth in regards to that issue.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yuren was about to speak words expressing his regret, but Leticia shot back at him with cold words. In the end, Yuren hadn¡¯t been able save a single specimen being used for experimentation. Only the two of them survived the escape attempt. Yuren had instigated their escape, yet all of the children, who had been used in the experiments, had died.


    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry. Anyways, I sometimes wonder if the guide is watching me even at this moment from nearby. If a powerful magician was watching over me to talk to me through the dreams, it would be easier for me to ept this situation.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel any gazes on us....¡±


    Azell mumbled those words as an afterthought.


    Leticia reacted to his words.


    ¡°Are you saying you mastered the ¡¯Gaze Detection¡¯?¡±


    ¡°That means you learned it too?¡±


    ¡°That is surprising. In recent times, the only ones to mastered that technique, are the Dragon Demon King worshippers residing within the in of Darkness......¡±


    She continued to speak.


    ¡°Anyways, I agree with your opinion. I¡¯ve travelled with this guy for only a month, but I¡¯ve never felt any strange gazes on me.¡±


    ¡°So does this mean you weren¡¯trades with Yuren prior to a month ago?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know him at all. I hade across a facility of the Dragon Demon king worshippers. I was about to attack when I encountered him. Since our goals coincided, we decided to work together. I was unlucky.¡±


    Leticia grumbled. After the conclusion of that particr task, she had been dragged into Yuren¡¯s absurd stories about his dreams.


    After looking at her for a brief moment, Azell spoke.


    ¡°As I said before, I don¡¯t like conspiracies.¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    Yuren and Leticia was puzzled when Azell spoke those words out of nowhere. Azelll continued to speak.


    ¡°It is inevitable to keep thinking up conspiracy theories toe up with an exnation... I don¡¯t like conspiracy theories, so let¡¯s not talk about my suspicions for now. I¡¯ll just keep my eyes on you all.¡±


    ¡°What the hell?¡±


    Yuren couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter. As heughed, Yuren spoke to Azell.


    ¡°Let us cooperate with each other for a while. We can share information regarding the Dragon Demon king worshippers, and we can pool our strength to fight them.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll work hard not to disappoint you too much.¡±


    ¡°You better. If you betray me, I¡¯ll cut you down.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell let out a coldugh as he spoke, and Yuren gulped.


    5


    Soon Azell turned to Laura as he spoke.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll take my time in talking to both of you... I still have questions I have to ask this person here. You guys can listen in.¡±


    ¡°I also want to ask you another question.¡±


    ¡°If you truthfully answer my question, I might think about answering one more of your question.¡±


    ¡°You probably won¡¯t give me a proper answer.¡±


    ¡°It depends on the question.¡±


    At Laura¡¯s grumbling, Azell answered in a sly manner.


    ¡°Anyways, I¡¯ve always been curious about one thing... Why did you guys try to kidnap the Dragon Demon Princess and the Dragon Demon Prince of the Rin kingdom? Ah. Is it true that you guys think they might be blood-rted to Atein?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct. How did you... I gave you the clues.¡±


    ¡°I thought you intentionally dropped the clue, so I could figure it out. If that wasn¡¯t your intention, you were very careless.¡±


    ¡°Until that moment, I have never failed before... I never nned for the eventuality of me losing.¡±


    Laura still had a nk expression on her face, but she was acting a bit coy. It made her seem young. Azell asked her a question.


    ¡°So the two of them are blood-rted to the numerous offsprings left behind by Atein..¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t a certainty. The senior officials of our organization believed that the current generation of the Rin Kingdom¡¯s royal family show the clearest characteristics that indicated that they hold the blood of Atein.¡±


    In the Dragon Demon Royal Family, it was very rare for the Dragon Demon Princess to be the next Dragon Demon Queen. The Dragon Demon Queen usually was a Dragon Majin or a Dragon Demon married into the Royal Family. When the Dragon Demon Queen has children and the children grows up safely, the queen is given a different title, and she is allowed to live a new life afterwards. Then a female Dragon Majin or a Dragon Demon from a different family was picked to be the next Dragon Demon Queen.


    The current Dragon Demon Queen was a retired Guardian Shadow. She was the daughter of a family totally unrted to the Dragon Demon Royal family. However, unbeknownst to her, she was a descendant of Atein. However, there was another reason why the Dragon Demon king worshippers were targeting the children instead of her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know everything, but the current Rin Royal Family has a very strong trace of Atein¡¯s blood.¡±


    Basically, Atein and Seigar were a product of two of Atein¡¯s descendants marrying each other. They had special characteristics present his descendants, and they were worth monitoring by those in the in of Darkness. The fact that they possessed Dragon Demon magicpared to other Dragon Majins and Dragon Demons was a huge indicator.


    Azell furrowed his brows.


    ¡°I see. Still, I don¡¯t see why that would merit the targeting of those two? I wound understand it if they were direct descendants, but there are several generations gap. Why obsess over descendants so far removed from the direct line of descent?¡±


    ¡°They are ingredients that¡¯ll be used toplete the King¡¯s Bowl.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    Laura looked at the puzzled Azell, and she casually dropped a shocking truth.


    ¡°The official up high believe that the King¡¯s revival is imminent. They just need the Bowl that¡¯ll hold the soul of the King. The King will once again be born into the world. The Rin Kingdom¡¯s Dragon Demon Princess, and the Dragon Demon Prince were chosen to be the materials that¡¯ll be used to made this happen. ¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Azell was struck dumb by the statement. It wasn¡¯t just him. Everyone gathered there was also struck dumb.


    6


    Leone was a Keeper of the Prophecy. The Undead Zeta followed him around, and Zeta was one of the ¡®Sleepless Guardians¡¯. Basically, his memory as a human was muddled


    It couldn¡¯t be helped. It was simr with the evil spirits. Undeads had a hard time remembering anything other than memories of deep attachments.


    This was also the reason why Undeads lose their minds easily, and they step into a path of destruction. The memories of sensation one felt in real life is forgotten, and one¡¯s reasoning skill starts to slip in a sporadic manner. The loss of one¡¯s reason lead to insanity.


    In terms of those problems, Zeta and the other ¡®Sleepless Guardians¡¯ were very special. They lost many memories, but they remembered how to fight. Moreover, the memories after they became an Undead was crystal clear. They had lived as Undeads for several dozen years, yet their sense of reason remained intact. Of course, one of the memories that remained intact was the memory of how they died.


    Zeta was also murdered by the Demon King worshippers. His whole life was destroyed then he lost his family. In the end, his life was also taken.


    However, there was a difference between Zeta and the other Guardian Shadows. Keeper of the Prophecy Leone witnessed Zeta¡¯s end. Zeta had received a critical wound when he attacked the Dragon Demon king worshippers in an act of revenge. Leone had shown up with the other Guardian Shadows, and they had been a step toote. Leoned asked Zeta a question as he faded away from life.


    ¡®Do you want revenge? Do you want it even if you be tormented, and you will never find peace again?¡¯


    ...he hadn¡¯t even needed to think over his answer. He made a contract with Leone, and he had forgotten his name. He became a being, who was fueled by grudge. He became Zeta.

 Chapter 109 - The One that Chose the Name Soaked in Sin (5)

    Chapter 109 - The One that Chose the Name Soaked in Sin (5)


    Afterwards, he had killed countless Dragon Demon king worshippers. Leone wandered around the continent as he located the Dragon Demon king worshippers, and he assassinated them. While doing so, he kept hope for the day when the prophesied person would show up.


    In the past several dozen years, Leone escaped numerous near-death experiences. Usually, the Keepers of Prophecy prioritized keeping themselves alive instead of assassinating the Dragon Demon King worshippers. Their existence was solely for the prophesied being that¡¯ll show up one day. However, Leone possessed a deep grudge that caused his rationality to dim. This was why he often walked into danger.


    Just like now.


    <Leone.>


    Zeta held Leone in his arms as he called out Leone¡¯s name. However, Leone had lost consciousness, so there was no response.


    A cloud of dust was rising in front of them.


    An explosion of great power had blown away a portion of the forest. Zeta had rescued Leone with exquisite timing, yet Leone¡¯s body had been torn into shreds.


    <Unfortunately, I won¡¯t be able to say my goodbye to you. I¡¯m dead, yet I have grown somewhat fond of you.>


    Zeta put Leone on the floor as he spoke.


    <Could you give him a message for me, Zares?>


    ¡°...I would have said to tell him yourself, but I can¡¯t say such heartless words. All right. What message do you want me to deliver to him?¡±


    ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll be sure to deliver your message.¡±


    Zares was breaking out in cold sweat. He had almost died earlier. He was almost swept up in the explosion. If the Dragon Demon Undead Delta hadn¡¯t put him on his shoulder and ran away, he would have been dead.


    Delta spoke as he tossed Zares on the ground.


    <I¡¯ll let Theta apany you. Will that be enough for you to run away with Leone?>


    ¡°Ughh. You treat Leone with care, yet you just throw me around like a sack. Why is there such a difference in how we are treated?¡±


    <You should ce a hand over your heart, and ask that question to yourself. I¡¯m sure you know the answer. Anyways, I want you to run away as fast as you can. I know you are weak enough to be blown away like the me of a candle facing a wind. However, you are very good at running away.>


    <Hmmm. However, I need to point out that a versatile mage like me should stay behind instead of the two sword-swinging brute.>


    The Undead Magician Theta spoke in a crooked manner. Delta gave a retort.


    <It doesn¡¯t matter, who stays behind. We won¡¯t be able to buy much time either way. I think a versatile bastard like you should be detached to the group running away....>


    Delta couldn¡¯t finish his words. An explosion rang out from the other side of the forest.


    Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah!


    The cloud of dust parted, and a powerful seismic wave came towards them. A terrifying impact rammed into the barrier put up by Theta, and an explosions urred.


    Ggwah-gwah-gwahng!


    Delta spoke.


    <...see? I want you to take the kids, and get lost in a versatile manner.>


    <Understood. Since you are already dead, I won¡¯t have the chance to meet you again after your death. I hope you travel to a good ce.>


    <What kind of a farewell is that? I have nowhere to go after this.>


    Delta let out a hollowugh as he turned away. Theta used his magic to lift Zares and Leone. He was about to get out of there at high speeds.


    Delta mumbled to himself.


    <The number of Guardian Shadows left is 62.... No, there are 61 left. I think it¡¯ll be best for us to gather all of them before they all disappear. What do you think?>


    <I agree.>


    Zeta and Delta could identify and order the nearby Guardian Shadows. When the battle started, there had been around 100 Guardian Shadows gathered here. They had been confident that they would be able to kill their enemies, since Zeta, Delta and Theta was present too.


    However, they were sorely mistaken.


    There were much more enemies than expected. Moreover, there was a ridiculous monster amongst them.


    Hoooooooooooo!


    The violent gust of wind pushed away the cloud of dust. A silhouette of a person appeared from within the dust.


    No, it wasn¡¯t a person. The two thick horns on his head gave away that he was a Dragon Demon, but this wasn¡¯t the issue. It wasn¡¯t right to refer to a dead corpse as a ¡¯person¡¯.


    <Hoo hoo. Jeez. You guys are the Guardian Shadows. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you guys, but you guys are more annoying than I had imagined.>


    The being that was confronting the Guardian Shadows was the same as Delta. He was a Dragon Demon Undead.


    However, one could tell at a nce that he was different from Delta. The evil energy of the ck Magic flowed around him. He wore ck armor above his bones, and he looked simr to a Skeleton Knight. However, his size was much bigger. It made one wonder if he was really a Dragon Demon.


    He was almost 3 meters tall. Moreover, his armor was twice as thick as a normal armor. He moved wearing an abnormally bulky armor, and he was like a small moving mountain. He was imposing.


    His hands held anrge battle hammer. The head of the hammer was three timesrger than a person¡¯s head. The shaft was almost 2 meters long. The very thought of a human wielding such a hammer was preposterous.


    Its outer appearance was also bizarre. It was as if it was carved out of ivory. The head and the shaft had same texture and color of white. Moreover, only one side was designed for impact. The back of the hammer was intricately carved with a face of a man.


    <Anyways, I have business with the live ones, yet only the dead ones stayed behind... I guess I¡¯m not popr.>


    <Aren¡¯t you also dead, Reygus?>


    Delta took a dig at the other being.


    Therge Undead Dragon Demon was one of the four Dragon Demon Generals, who had followed the Dragon Demon king during the Dragon Demon War. He was, ¡®The Hammer that swallowed the scream of thend¡¯, Reygus.


    After he died during the Dragon Demon War, he kept existing by bing an Undead. The bizarre battle hammer was a symbol of Reygus. The Dragon Demon weapon was called ¡¯The Seal of the Broken Soul¡¯.


    Reygusughed.


    <I guess so. Well, I¡¯ll let the living handle the living. How about we settle our business amongst the dead?>


    Reygus hadn¡¯te here by himself. In the first ce, the Guardian Shadows hade here, because there was arge group of Dragon Demon king worshippers gathered here. It seemed they purposefully revealed their location to lure in the Guardian Shadows here.


    Reygus spoke.


    <You guys chase after ones that ran away.>


    ¡°Reygus-nim. We can¡¯t.......¡±


    Dragon Demons and Dragon Majins appeared from within the dust cloud. Each of them were officers within the in of Darkness. They all possessed great power.


    If this was a normal circumstance, they would take orders from no one. However, even if he was an Undead, Reygus was basically nobility to them.


    <This is my first time being inserted into a live battle.... However, by looking at what I was able to do for a warm-up earlier, it proves that you guys don¡¯t have to worry about me. Rest easy. Moreover, it¡¯ll be much easier for me to use my power if no allies are nearby.>


    ¡°Understood. Well, then.......¡±


    The Dragon Demons and Dragon Majins followed Reygus¡¯ will. They left.


    Theta and Zeta tried to stop them, but in a sh, a terrifying energy surrounded their bodies.


    ¡°Koohk......!¡±


    It was the power of a ck curse, and it felt as if an invisible hand was pressing down on them. In fact, the ck curse became densers as time passed, and it started to exhibit physical effects.


    Pah-jeek! Pah-jee-jee-jeeeek!


    The ck Magic, which maintained the Undeads, started to sh with the new magic as ck sparks erupted.


    Theta and Zeta was slowly being pushed back. Normally, they possessed powers much greater than an Undead, yet theirbined power was being pushed back by Reygus.


    <Mmmm!>


    Zeta stepped forward to swing his sword. When he swung his sword, a ck wave erupted to cut the power that was pushing them backwards.


    When the gridlock was broken, Zeta quickly sent 30 Guardian Shadows after their enemies. Then he asked Reygus a question.


    <How did you know we¡¯lle here?>


    This was a trap from the start. Reygus and the officers from the ins of Darkness had been waiting for them. The appearance of the officers were considered to be a possibility, but the existence of Reygus had transcended expectation even for the Guardian Shadows.


    ¡®I never expected the four great Dragon Demon Generals to be this strong. Was he stronger when he was alive? Or did he get stronger after death like us?¡¯


    The Guardian Shadows were strong. Each Guardian Shadows possessed a very threatening amount of power, but their powers increased rapidly as more gathered in a single location.


    Then there were the beings that existed tomand the Guardian Shadows. Basically, the existence of Theta and Zeta, who were the ¡¯Sleepless Guardians¡¯, had a big synergistic effect on the Guardian Shadows. This was why they hadn¡¯t been afraid of the officers from the in of Darkness.


    If Reygus wasn¡¯t here, the Guardian Shadows would have won. However, Reygus¡¯ power was beyond imagination. When Reygus swung his Seal of the Broken Soul,the mountaintop was blown away, and the several hundred meter stretch of trees were uprooted. In terms of destructive power, it was akin to fighting a Dragon.


    ¡®Still, he isn¡¯t at a level where we can do nothing to him. Still, it is unfortunate that we¡¯ll cease to exist after this.¡¯


    There were a total of eight Keepers of the Prophecy. Aside from their newest member Zares, every one of them possessed ¡¯Sleepless Guardians¡¯. If two Keepers of the Prophecy and their Sleepless Guardians were gathered in the same location, it would be possible to stand up against Reygus.


    At that point in his thought process, Zeta became suspicious. No matter how he thought about it, this was too weird. Reygus was an ace card that had been hidden up until now by the in of Darkness. The fact that he had shown up in front of the Guardian Shadows meant that there was something here that was worth revealing the secret.


    The in of Darkness didn¡¯t really know about how the Guardian Shadows were structured, but they knew that the Keepers of Prophecy were special. If they could lure and kill all the Keepers of the Prophecy, maybe they might have thought it was worth the risk.


    Still, how did they track the Keepers of Prophecy? They would have needed their precise location to set up this trap. When he asked this question, Reygus didn¡¯t even bother hiding the information.


    <It is simple. We can tell when our own people are killed. We just tracked you guys through that.>


    <...so all the men we killed arriving at this location were intentional sacrifices?>


    <No, it isn¡¯t anything like that. We were practical in our use of data. We just matched your whereabouts with the deaths.>


    Dragon Demon king worshippers were scattered all over the world. However, the information gathered in their deaths were gathered, and sent to the in of Darkness. Aincera was encased within the Great Darkness, and it was possible for her to connect to others linked to the Great Darkness. They could be anywhere on the continent, and Aincera would be able to contact them instantaneously. Thiswork allowed her to gather and analyze information. She was able to respond to any situation in an abnormally fast manner.


    The Keepers of Prophecy had appeared when the in of Darkness tried to kidnap the Dragon Demon Prince Seigar. Afterwards, a great amount of effort was put in to keep track of the Keepers of the Prophecy. The result of this effort allowed Reygus to ambush the Guardian Shadows.


    Reygus ced the head of the Seal of Broken Soul on his palm as he spoke.


    <Hmmm. I guess I don¡¯t have to ask this question to the living. You guys might know about it too.>


    <What are you talking about?>


    <I have only one question I want to ask you guys.>


    He asked the question as blue mes ignited from the eye sockets of Reygus¡¯ skull.


    <Carlos. Where did you hide that tough to kill human?>

 Chapter 110 - To the Land of the Demons (1)

    Chapter 110 - To the Land of the Demons (1)


    1


    There was always an end to every fight. Countless wars ended to be a part of history, and some of them became legends that people remembered for all times.


    The Dragon Demon war was thergest war recorded in history.


    The people, who were living through it, felt as if they were in a never ending hell. The act of being alive each day was painful, and the world was filled with thements of the despairing people.


    However, even this long war had toe to an end. People ran forward as they burned all their reservoirs of energy to be able to see the end. When the end started toe into view, everyone became disconcerted.


    It was the night before the final battle. Azell and Carlos was sitting in front of each other. An important fight was ahead of them, so there was no alcohol being shared between the two. No one would have med them if they had hit the bottle to fall asleep amidst this tiring war. However, the two of them were cing their fate on the impending fight, so they didn¡¯t want to do anything they would regretter.


    ¡°The elders wouldugh if they could hear my words....¡±


    Carlos let out an embarrassedughter.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to live long enough to see the end of the war.¡±


    ¡°You should never repeat those words to the elders.¡±


    Azell smirked as he rebuked Carlos.


    At that point, it had been 17 years since the Dragon Demon Wars had erupted. However, it wasn¡¯t as if the world had been peaceful before the start of the Dragon Demon war. Wars used to break out in various locations, and the fights had escted. However, at some point, Atein named himself as the Dragon Demon King, and he started a war to conquer humanity.


    Azell and Carlos had spent most of their lives in hardship and frustration as the Dragon Demon war had started in their childhood. For the two of them, the Dragon Demon war had always been in the background of their lives. They couldn¡¯t imagine what they would do when the Dragon Demon war came to an end. They hadn¡¯t even dreamed about such possibilities.


    Carlos spoke.


    ¡°I won¡¯t. I don¡¯t want to hear what they have to say. But...¡±


    ¡°I understand what you are feeling right now.¡±


    ¡°Right...¡±


    ¡°However, all of that... It¡¯ll only be possible if we win tomorrow.¡±


    The stage of the final battle was set. The allied forces had surrounded the final stronghold. It was where all the remaining Dragon Demon king¡¯s army was gathered. They had surrounded the ¡¯Dragon Horn Fortress¡¯.


    After the long era of darkness, it was almost a miracle that the allied forces were able to gather hundreds of thousands of fighters. There had been too many deaths, and there were too few children born and raised during this era.


    The warriors continued to fall in battle, and the ones that weren¡¯t warriors had to be warriors. They had no choice if they wanted to survive. Now the end was in sight, and they all gathered to see the end of this war.


    Carlos spoke. He wasn¡¯t really speaking to Azell. It was as if he wanted to hear himself speak.


    ¡°We can win this. No, there is no way we will lose.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    The allied forces had methodically piled up victories, and their enemies were cornered now. In terms of numbers, the allied forces had an overwhelming advantagepared to the Dragon Demon army inside the Dragon Horn Fortress. Normally, one would count this as a victory.


    However, they couldn¡¯t do so, because Dragon Demon King Atein was waiting for them inside the fortress.


    ¡°All our preparations areplete. You just have to defeat that bastard.¡±


    In the final battle, Azell would have to fight one on one with Atein.


    This was the n concocted by the leaders of the allied forces. While therge armyy siege to the fortress, an elite force would infiltrate the castle within the Dragon Horn Fortress. They would create a situation where Azell and Atein would be able to fight one on one.


    The reasoning behind this n was simple. If Atein wasn¡¯t tied up in a one on one battle, the allied forces wouldn¡¯t be able to hold up against Atein¡¯s attacks. It would be cmitous.


    Atein was ultimate magician.


    Atein was able to casually do tasks that defied all magical intuition and magical theory known to this world. If an Archmage of Atein¡¯s caliber was able to engage therge army, all the high ranking magicians would be tied up in trying to stop Atein.


    This was why someone had to get close Atein, so he wouldn¡¯t be able to pay attention to the battlefield. However, only a very small elite unit could infiltrate the castle when tworge armies shed. This elite unit would have no choice, but to fight Atein while surrounded by their enemies.


    If the allied forces wanted to win this war with the limited resources the possessed, they needed a viable challenger, who will be able tost against Atein in an one on one battle. It didn¡¯t matter if this person didn¡¯t win. The most important part was to stay alive until the oue of the war was determined.


    There was also a simple reason why Azell had taken on this mission. It was determined that only he would be able to go toe to toe with Atein in an one on one fight.


    Atein was the ultimate magician, yet at the same time, he was in possession of numerous Dragon Demon weapons.


    Normally, a Dragon Demon or a Dragon Majin chose to either wield magic or a Dragon Demon weapon. The techniques for both discipline arose from the same root. This was why they had simr special characteristic, yet the techniques was markedly different. This was why if one chose to train both paths to the extreme, one became stuck somewhere in the middle. One wouldn¡¯t be able to be good in either disciplines.


    However, Atein was special. He was a transcendent magician, and at the same time, he was a terrifying warrior.


    Carlos spoke.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be ok. Atein is a terrifying existence, but you can win against him. You¡¯ve already done it before.¡±


    ¡°I was able to strike him, because I ambushed him. It had been possible, because Reshoo had acted in an unpredictable manner. This is the first time I¡¯ll fight Atein in a fair fight.¡±


    Reshoo was Azell¡¯s fourth teacher. He wasn¡¯t affiliated with either the allied forces or the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army. He had instigated a fight with Atein, and when Reshoo was in mortal danger, Azell had entered the battle. He was able to grievously wound Atein.


    Carlos spoke.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be different this time. You have something that¡¯ll put you on equal footing with Atein.¡±


    Atein possessed 13 Dragon Demon Weapons. Each of the Dragon Demon weapons possessed earth shattering power, yet he was able to use several Dragon Demons at the same time.


    If Atein brought out multiple Dragon Demon Weapons to userge scale magic, he was unstoppable. He was able to create consecutive phenomena that was akin to natural disasters. It would smash the battle lines of the allied forces. From the allied force¡¯s perspective, they had to make sure that Atein didn¡¯t enter into the battlefield.


    There were numerous beings, who possessed multiple Dragon Demon weapons. These weapons could be transferred to others. However, there were only three beings, who were able to summon multiple Dragon Demon weapons at once.


    It could be done by Atein, Azell and Duke Croix Nidel. Duke Croix Nidel was a veteran knight, and he was the allied force¡¯s best technician. However, his power wasckingpared to Atein and Azell. Duke Nidel possessed four Dragon Demon weapons, and he could summon two at the same time.


    Azell was the same as Atein. He possessed 13 Dragon Demon weapons. These were keepsakes left behind by his deadrades. The Dragon Demon weapons had been transferred to him by them.


    Suddenly, Carlos grinned.


    ¡°Truthfully, I¡¯m envious of you.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You will be on the brightest stage, and you will have the most important part to y in it. After tomorrow, the bards in the future will sing about the hero Azell. I¡¯ll probably be relegated to one of your namelessrades, who stood next to you as you killed Atein. Now that I think about it, it feels like I¡¯m receiving the short end of the stick. Jeez.¡±


    "We still haven¡¯t fought the battle yet. Why are you talking about the distant future?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll happen. We¡¯ll be legends tomorrow. The world doesn¡¯t revolve around certain people, but tomorrow... For one day, the world will revolve around us.¡±


    Azell looked at him for a moment, and he put on the same grin as Carlos.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sure it will.¡±


    2


    It was the present. Dragon Demon war had been over for 223 years.


    A cold silence had descended inside the ruins of the Count Karzark¡¯s castle. It was because, the blonde haired Dragon Demon girl, who had her whole body restricted, had spoken the truth.


    ¡°.......¡±


    The Dragon Demon King¡¯s revival was imminent.


    This was a belief shared by all Dragon Demon King worshippers. They believed time was just something that had to be endured, and their belief would be proven true. The great Dragon Demon king would return to this world, and he would change this world into the way it should be.


    The existence of this belief was the reason why the worship of the Dragon Demon king hadn¡¯t died off. Within their religion, they believed the Dragon Demon king was able to transcend the providence of this world.


    It had been 223 years since his death, and he was about to revive. It was urring as prophesied. The Dragon Demons within the in of Darkness was sure of this truth.


    ¡°You guys.......¡±


    When he heard Laura¡¯s story, Kairen spoke as if her words was preposterous.


    ¡°You guys really believe it is possible for a dead being toe back to life? Are we talking about making an Undead through ck Magi? Or will hee back to his original living body?¡±


    ¡°When our king was alive, he was basically like the living history of this world. He was an existence that had transcended themon sense of magicians. If you had the chance to see the relics left behind all over the world by him, you wouldn¡¯t think returning from death to be particrly difficult for him.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve already seen the result of magic that¡¯s akin to a wish. You have seen the Guardian Shadows. They are an example of how illogical it can be.¡±


    ¡°At the very least, you guys seem to believe it. I guess it makes sense. The belief in his revival had basically kept you guys going for 200 years. However...¡±


    ¡°No. Wait a moment.¡±


    Azell cut off Kairen¡¯s words. He asked Laura with a serious expression on his face.


    ¡°How long until Atein revives?¡±


    ¡°...Azell?¡±


    ¡°You guys went to the trouble of kidnapping Dragon Demon royalty from outside. At the very least, this means you don¡¯t have the people you need inside the in of Darkness. Or maybe you guys failed in making something for him. Is that right?¡±


    ¡°Azell. Do you really... Are you actually taking her seriously?¡±


    Kairen asked the question as if he couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. However, Azell didn¡¯t even turn around as he answered the question.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it is possible or not. However, I had a friend with excellent judgement speak regarding this problem. He said it was possible, so I trust him. The worst possible oue may be staring us in the face right now. If we don¡¯t believe it, we might be hit in the back of the head when we aren¡¯t looking. It would be better to be safe, and look back at this event in dejection and relief.¡±


    Last time, Carlos had appeared in Azell¡¯s dream, and he left a message saying Atein might be able to revive. This was why he believed Laura¡¯s words. Whether it was the past or now, Azell always trusted Carlos in regards to any topics rted to magic.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°In the Dragon Demon war, Atein died, and his corpse was destroyed. Is this why he is looking for a different vessel? Was his soul preserved?¡±


    In the final battle, Azell was thorough in destroying Atein¡¯s corpse. He didn¡¯t want to leave open the possibility of Ateining back as an Undead.


    Laura tilted her head.


    ¡°You speak as if you¡¯ve seen it.¡±


    ¡°That is none of your business.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if we have the corpse or not. In truth, we are trying to gather ingredients to create his vessel, but that might not even be necessary.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The various magic left behind by him inside the in of Darkness is still active. The most astonishing one is the one that¡¯ll carry out the Revival Ritual.¡±


    Laura had seen this magical model once. The Revival Ritual was to take take ce in the deepest part of the Dragon Demon castle. There was a spring of darkness refined by magic underground, and the Revival Ritual was ongoing inside this abyss. This process hadn¡¯t stopped for the past 220 years.


    Yuren asked a question.


    ¡°Is it some kind of a Soul Return technique?¡±


    ¡°No, it is something different. It isn¡¯t something as crude as that. If it was the Soul Return technique, there¡¯s no reason why he would have used up such a vast amount of time.¡±


    The Soul return technique was a type of ck Magic. It used a different method as the Undead spell to bring back the dead. The soul was kept from moving on, and it was put into a different vessel. It could be put into an artificial body, or one could erase a stranger¡¯s mind to create a vessel. This was a workaround method for a revival.


    However, the probability of sess for this method was very slim. The dynamics of magic only allowed a soul to unify with one¡¯s own body. This was why most chose to bring a person back as an Undead instead of using the Soul Return technique.


    Moreover, even if the method did seed, the result never turned out right. There wasn¡¯t a single case in history where the soul hadn¡¯t suffered damage or degradation. This was why even if one was sessful in putting a soul into a vessel, arge number of unpredictable problems followed.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°The heads of our organization hadn¡¯t been trying to prepare the Dragon Demon Princess and the Dragon Demon Prince as a vessel. They weren¡¯t trying to pull off something akin to the Soul Return technique.¡±


    ¡°Then why?¡±

 Chapter 111 - To the Land of the Demons (2)

    Chapter 111 - To the Land of the Demons (2)


    ¡°We just hoped they could be used as ingredients in forming the vessel of the king.¡±


    ¡°...what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The king¡¯s body is being slowly formed within the abyss. If what Aincera-nim says is true, the king¡¯s body will recover to the one he had when he was alive.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s going to restore an already destroyed body?¡±


    ¡°His body will return to its previous form. When the restoration of the body ends, an iprehensible method will be used to put the preserved soul into the body. It¡¯ll be aplete revival.¡±


    Laura had checked, and a significant portion of Atein¡¯s body had already been restored. It was a bizarre sight where the body was floating in the darkness, and there were gaps in the body. However, as time passed, the gaps were being filled in.


    ¡°We studied and analyzed his magic for a long time. However, no one was able discern the true nature of the spell. There were several hypothesis formed, and one of them was about using those with blood ties to the Dragon Demon King as a form of fertilizer. It was hypothesized that sacrificing those with certain strong characteristics would elerate the recovery process.¡±


    Basically, the Dragon Demon Princess and the Dragon Demon Prince would be carved up for the parts needed for Atein to recover his body.....


    It was a ghoulish n.


    Azell and Kairen was taken aback.


    ¡°You¡¯ve all lost your minds.¡±


    ¡°I knew your organization was never sound of mind, but I¡¯m speechless. You guys were going to grind up Arrieta and Seigar. They would have been used as nutrients, so the Dragon Demon King could make his body... You all deserve death.¡±


    Kairen grinded his teeth. His anger was renewed when he learned what they were going to do with his students.


    Azell asked a question.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask again. Since this trash of a n failed...¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t fail. However, it did fail in its oue.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to y a trick with words?¡±


    ¡°We failed in kidnapping the Dragon Demon Princess and Dragon Demon Prince of the Rin Kingdom. However, the candidates that could be used for this n wasn¡¯t limited to the two of them.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Basically, other chosen candidates, who checked off the same characteristics as Arrieta and Seigar, was kidnapped from other ces. They were sacrificed to elerate the revival of Atein. Laura spoke in a dispassionate manner towards the angry people around her.


    ¡°However, it was a failure. We couldn¡¯tprehend the king¡¯s magic, and it was proven that we couldn¡¯t interrupt the process.¡±


    ¡°...that is a stroke of good luck in the midst of misfortune. So how long do we have until Atein revives?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°This is something every follower of the king wants to know. The only thing we can be sure of is the fact that the day is close at hand. The recovery has advanced far enough to assure this.¡±


    ¡°I see. So we have to do something before that happens.¡±


    Azell¡¯s expression darkened.


    ¡®If that bastard really revives to his former self... There is no way I¡¯ll be able to stop him right now.¡¯


    At the end of the Dragon Demon War, Azell had to hold out until the oue of the war was determined. However, he had exceeded expectation by defeating Atein. However, there was no way he would be able to win against Atein right now.


    The fact that his overall power level had dropped wasn¡¯t the only problem. If he put in time and effort, he was sure he could exceed the power he had in his prime.


    However, he could do nothing about the Dragon Demon weapons. Azell could recover his ¡®Sword that Splits the Heaven, but the other 12 Dragon Demon weapons given to him by hisrades was gone forever. Moreover, he had been able to gather so many in the first ce, because it had been the Dragon Demon war. Everything he was able to achieve was through blood and tears.


    After thinking it over, Azell shook his head from side to side.


    He asked Laura a question.


    ¡°I probably should have asked this in the beginning... Why did you surrender to me?¡±


    ¡°That was the only way I would have survived the situation, and I wanted to observe you.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you someone important in the in of Darkness? Your action was so foolhardy that I can¡¯tprehend it.¡±


    ¡°My position is worthless to me. I¡¯m just a tool that¡¯s being used to further their ambitions.¡±


    Laura spoke with a much colder voice. One could clearly make the distinction with her words from before.


    ¡°The king¡¯s revival is approaching, and the people, who were close to the king in the past, is impatient.¡±


    This was why the Aunsaurus tribe unleashed such madness to acquire the perfect sessor. They wanted to bask in glory next Atein after his revival. This goal drove them nuts.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t born into this world through a normal process. They had wanted the perfect sessor, so they created me through magic. I¡¯m a doll they created. Countless siblings of mine were created for this purpose. All of them were killed through this experiment.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Everyone was at a loss for words. The Dragon Demon worshippers were like human nobles. They put a lot of meaning behind bloodline and race. However, they went so far as tomit those acts?


    Laura spoke about her past in a calm manner to her audience, who were unable to speak. She told them about how she was born, and what she had to go through to be the heir of Aunsaurus.


    Her life story was long. There was no way her life could be described as being humane. Unlike the despairing nature of her situation, she spoke in such a serene manner. Laura gave her confession, and it captivated her audience.


    ¡°...I became the heir of Aunsaurus, because I was thest one standing. I was created for this role, yet I never wanted it.¡±


    This was a truth that Laura had never been able to tell others. Her family and close acquaintances didn¡¯t know about how she felt... She would have never imagined in a million years that a time woulde when she would be telling her secrets to her enemies. However, she felt unusually relieved.


    Laura looked straight at Azell,


    ¡°I was born to be the heir of Aunsaurus, and I¡¯ve lived to fulfill that role. I never thought about anything else. I never even thought about being anything else.¡±


    After losing all her siblings, she had be the heir of Aunsaurus, and she no longer had any aspirations. She had just followed orders to achieve the wishes of her creators. She had merely been a doll following instructions.


    However, a strong desire was kindled when she saw Azell. This was a first for her.


    She wanted to observe him. She wanted to know more about him.


    These desires made Laura throw away all the shackles that had restrained her. She had lived up until now to bring other¡¯s wishes to reality. This was the first time she acted from her own desire. This was why she was willing to risk death to see this through.


    Laura looked at Azell with determined eyes as she spoke.


    ¡°I want to be by your side to see who you are, and what you will be able to aplish. To achieve this goal, I¡¯m willing to give you Aunsaurus¡¯ Dragon Weapon.¡±


    3


    One didn¡¯t need an borate ritual to pass on one¡¯s Dragon Demon weapon. It was the same when Lin gave Azell one of his twin swords. When Lin transferred the weapon, he had to suffer through losing a part of his soul forever.


    The process of giving the Vitan¡¯s Chalice to Azell was simple and short.


    Azell asked her a question.


    ¡°Are you ok?¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯m a bit dizzy.¡±


    Laura furrowed her brows. It felt as if there was a hole inside her chest. It felt empty. She had lost a presence that had been within her, and the sense of loss was bigger than expected.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°A magical vacuum urred where the Dragon Weapon used to upy. It¡¯ll be better as time passes.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t surprised at all as he received the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. Laura asked him a question.


    ¡°Have you received a Dragon Weapon from someone else before?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a secret. However, I am well informed about the process.¡±


    ¡°You never give me a straight answer.¡±


    ¡°You only ask me questions without a straight answer.¡±


    At his words, Laura¡¯s expression slightly changed. It was a very small change, so it was hard to detect. However, if one was observant, one could see she was sulking.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask you another question. Is your Dragon Weapon perhaps the ¡®Sword that Splits the Heaven¡¯ used by Azell Karzark?¡±


    ¡°Do you even need to ask that question? Dragon Weapons are born with an innate name. The name can¡¯t be changed even in an attempt to hide its presence.¡±


    ¡°As expected.......¡±


    She received the answer to her question, yet it didn¡¯t settle the confusion inside her head. Her confusion deepened.


    What was the identity of this man?


    ¡®Could a human really live this long?¡¯


    The problem was the fact that Azell was human. It didn¡¯t matter what method one used. It was impossible for a human to live this long.


    ¡®I¡¯m pretty sure I heard the descendants of Karzark waspletely wiped out....¡¯


    If one looked at this realistically, Azell Karzark probably went underground to prepare for the eventual return of the routed forces of the Dragon Demon King. She guessed Azell Karzark passed down his Dragon Weapon through his descendants. However, her heart didn¡¯t allow her to believe in those conjectures.


    ¡®Maybe his ns weren¡¯t disseminated to us. Did it fail?¡¯


    Azell¡¯s words were causing confusion within her. It was true that the upper sses of the in of Darkness didn¡¯t tell the young generation everything. They left out a lot of information. She wondered if the truths she knew were actually lies.


    Azell asked her a question.


    ¡°So how were you able to inherit the Vitan¡¯s Chalice?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Aunsaurus died at the hands of Carlos. However, he didn¡¯t die immediately on the battlefield. It was assumed he was able to retreat before he died, and he was able to pass it on his Dragon Weapon to his sessor. However... Baldazark was killed, and his body was destroyed. So how was weapon passed on to his sessor?¡±


    Azell had killed Baldazark with his own hands. In the battle, Baldazark had used his Dragon Weapon called ¡®Bleeding Star¡¯. There had been no chance for Baldazark to transfer his weapon.


    ¡®However, I¡¯m pretty sure his descendant had used the Bleeding Star.¡¯


    Even in Laura¡¯s case, it was weird. Even if Aunsaurus was able to transfer his Dragon Weapon before death, wasn¡¯t the heir before Laura killed by the Guardian Shadows? How did she receive her Dragon Weapon?


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°The Dragon Weapons of the four Dragon Demon Generals was preserved by the king¡¯s magic. While the magic set up inside the Dragon Demon castle is active, those Dragon Weapons will never be lost even if the owners died.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.......¡±


    Azell wasn¡¯t surprised. He had an inkling that this would be the answer.


    ¡®Carlos was sessful in preserving my Dragon Maken, so of course, Atein could do it.¡¯


    Carlos was well qualified to be called an Arch Mage, but in the case of Atein, it was hard to stick that title on him. Atein was a transcendent being, and Arch Mage was a insufficient descriptor. If Carlos could do it, Atein could probably do it also.


    ¡°Is this restricted to only the Dragon Weapons of the four Dragon Demon Generals?¡±


    ¡°Yes. No one has been able to replicate the effect of this magic.¡±


    ¡°Therefore, if I die, the Vitan¡¯s Chalice would be returned to the in of Darkness?¡±


    ¡°I believe so.¡±


    ¡°What if I transfer it to someone else?¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t return until the wielder dies.¡±


    ¡°I see. When it bes ownerless, the item is sent to a set location, and it is stored.¡±


    Azell furrowed his brows. He tried to approach the Vitan¡¯s Chalice, which resided inside him now.


    During the Dragon Demon war, he remembered the nightmares caused by the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. Aunsaurus was a mage, and his power even without the Dragon Weapon made him a walking disaster. However, in terms of using the Dragon Weapon, he was superior to Atein.


    He never imagined that someday he¡¯ll be able use Aunsaurus¡¯ Dragon Weapon. This was why they said anything could happen over time. He couldn¡¯t even see an inch further into his future, and it was marvelous.


    ¡®I don¡¯t see any problem with it.......¡¯

 Chapter 112 - To the Land of the Demons (3)

    Chapter 112 - To the Land of the Demons (3)


    Azell thought about letting Kairen have the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. However, if Laura held bad intentions, Kairen wouldn¡¯t be able to fight back against her. Kairen had no experience in dealing with the Dragon weapons.


    In contrast, Azell already had his Dragon Demon Weapon, and he had a wealth of experience in inheriting Dragon Weapons from others. Even if Laura held evil intentions as she passed on her Vitan¡¯s Chalice, Azell was confident that he¡¯ll be able to deal with it.


    ¡®I don¡¯t think she has any wicked intentions, but it isn¡¯t something I can be sure about.¡¯


    He had put a shunt in Laura¡¯s Energy Pulse, so he knew she didn¡¯t hold any treacherous intentions. He also knew that the truths she spilled was all true and heartfelt. However, a person¡¯s heart was fickle. One could read a certain degree of emotions, but it was impossible to know the entirety of a person¡¯s heart. This was why he had to be cautious.


    ¡°Still, this is a troublesome item even for me. I¡¯ll have to conduct an extensive research. I guess it is understandable since the original owner of this item was a Magician. Moreover, all the descendants were also Magicians. I can see why it is morepatible with Magicians.¡±


    After he made sure the Vitan¡¯s Chalice settled into his Energy Pulse, Azell spoke.


    ¡°However, you weren¡¯t able to use it properly.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯ve never heard such an assessment before.¡±


    This was the first time in her life where someone told her she was found wanting. Everyone said she possessed exceptional talent, and theyplimented on her use of the Dragon Weapon. In terms of controlling the Dragon Weapon, she was graded more highly than Kieren, yet she was being criticized by Azell.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Well, I guess it is true that I¡¯ve only seen you use the Vitan¡¯s Chalice using a defensive strategy. The fact that you were able to rescue Niberis using Vitan¡¯s Maze was praiseworthy.¡±


    From what he remembered, Vitan¡¯s Chalice wasn¡¯t terrifying, because of its defensive capability. The true fear came from its attack capability.


    On the battlefield, Aunsaurus used Vitan¡¯s Maze to destroy the battle lines of his enemies. Sometimes, he isted troops in a pocket dimension where he held a decisive edge to overwhelm and ughter his enemies. He also warped space to redirect a portion of the army. It caused a great confusion when troops were suddenly traveling in different directions.


    Imagine, if you will, mounted soldiers charging at full gallop towards their enemies with theirnces raised. What would happen if the direction of their charge was flipped? Moreover, what would happen if distance could be contracted? The mounted soldiers would have no choice, but to charge into their allies. This was why Aunsaurus made his enemies shudder in fear. He was someone to be avoided.


    ¡°The most terrifying part is the ¡®The Goblet that contains the heaven¡¯s tears.¡¯¡±


    It was also the nickname of Aunsaurus. He created a huge distortion in the sky, and the sunlight gathered at a single focal point before being shot. It took a long time to set up this technique, but if it was allowed to be shot, it caused devastation.


    Laura was confused as she asked a question.


    ¡°You... It seems you know more about the Vitan¡¯s Chalice than me..¡±


    During the Dragon Demon war, Aunsaurus was killed by Carlos. Atein used an extraordinary magic to preserve the Vitan¡¯s Chalice with magic, and his heir was able to inherit it. However, Aunsaurus hadn¡¯t been able to teach his techniques to his heir. The descendants had to research about Aunsaurus through records. This was especially true for Laura, since her predecessor was killed by the Guardian Shadows. His research had not been passed down to her, so Laura was at an acute disadvantage.


    When he heard her exnation, Azell nodded his head.


    ¡°I see. I can see why you were deficient in terms of techniques.¡±


    These techniques go through trial and error before the correct permutation was found. It would be quickly taught to the heir, so the next generation could research and further develop the technique. However, this had not happened. Of course, Laura would be way behind in how she handled the Vitan¡¯s Chalicepared to Aunsaurus.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to slowly research about the Vitan¡¯s Chalice.... Hmm, Yuren and Leticia. I have a question for both of you.¡±


    ¡°It seems you like asking questions to others as a hobby, while not answering other people¡¯s questions.¡±


    Leticia spoke in a sarcastic manner. Azell grinned as he let thement pass over him.


    ¡°If you think it is unfair, you should take the initiative in the conversation.¡±


    ¡°You are a shameless man.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that a lot before. I know Yuren¡¯s situation, so let¡¯s put that aside. Why are you fighting against the Dragon Demon King worshippers?¡±


    ¡°I started fighting them around seven years ago.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been fight them for quite a while, yet you aren¡¯t a Guardian Shadow?¡±


    ¡°No. Now that you brought it up, are you a member of the Guardian Shadows?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not, but this guy is one of them.¡±


    Azell pointed towards Kairen. Leticia looked at Kairen with interest in her eyes.


    ¡°I see. Anyways, I¡¯ve faced off against the Guardian Shadows as enemies before. However, I¡¯ve never epted them as allies.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°I used to be a Dragon Demon King worshipper like Yuren.¡±


    ¡°As I expected¡±


    Azell had on an expression as if he had known this. Leticia asked him a question.


    ¡°...did you foresee my answer?¡±


    ¡°I confirmed you used to be a Dragon Demon King worshipper right now. However, there was amonality between you and Yuren.¡±


    The energy of ck magic was deeply ingrained in them. Leticia wasn¡¯t a magician. She used the Dragon Arts, yet she possessed the energy of ck magic. It was an umon characteristic, so he hypothesized that she used to be a Dragon Demon king worshipper in the past.


    Leticia nodded her head.


    ¡°You are quite perceptive. It is a bit creepy. Yes, it is as you¡¯ve guessed. In the past, I was made to be a Dragon Demon King worshipper, and I was experimented on through ck magic. In the end, the experiments pushed me into betraying them.¡±


    ¡°What kind of tests?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not obligated to tell you that.¡±


    ¡°All right. You said you were made. Do you mind if I ask you a little bit more about that?¡±


    ¡°...hmmmm.¡±


    Leticia furrowed her brows as she revealed her displeasure at Azell¡¯s inquisitive questions.


    She realized she had made a mistake in speaking so much about herself.


    ¡°My story is simr to the one told by the heir of Aunsaurus. In my case, I was from Almarick¡¯s faction.¡±


    The Almarick tribe was like the Aunsaurus tribe. They wanted an outstanding heir, so they chose a method of madness. Leticia had been one of the candidatespeting to be the heir. She was disqualified from a test, and she was thrown away to be a testing subject for ck magic.


    ¡°I believe I¡¯ve told you enough.¡±


    As she spoke, Leticia¡¯s eyes were tumultuous as if she was ready to fight if Azell asked any more questions. Azell no longer asked prying questions.


    ¡°I¡¯ve asked you enough about that topic. I¡¯ll ask you a different question.¡±


    ¡°You are still curious about something?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious about a lot of things. Aren¡¯t we both curious about each other?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you haven¡¯t satisfied my curiosity yet.¡±


    ¡°If you answer this question, I¡¯ll give you a chance to ask me a question.¡±


    ¡°You are very adept at dangling a bait. It really makes me want to beat you to death.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for thepliment. I¡¯m curious about the identity of your master, who taught you the Dragon Arts.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    Leticia¡¯s eyebrows rose. She had never expected this question.


    ¡°Why do you want to know that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you didn¡¯t learn it from the Dragon Demon King worshippers. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°...you are correct. After I escaped from their grasp, I met my master. I trained under him from two years. How did you know?¡±


    ¡°I saw how you handled the Dragon Arts, and it made me think that I might know your teacher.¡±


    ¡°A person you might know... It might be possible.¡±


    Leticia didn¡¯t look too surprised by his assertion. She spoke.


    ¡°My teacher... He is a Dragon Demon named Jisel. I don¡¯t know about his origin nor his age. He used to live in a small vige in the eastern portion of this country.¡±


    ¡°He used to... He no longer lives there?¡±


    ¡°After teaching me for 2 years, he left that ce. I¡¯m not sure where he is now.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.......¡±


    ¡°Does the name ring a bell?¡±


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t know that name. Moreover... He used to live with humans?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°He lived there, while he had his identity as a Dragon Demon out in the open?¡±


    ¡°Yes. In the beginning, the people of the vige was reticent, because he was a Dragon Demon of unknown origin. Moreover, he wasn¡¯t a noble. However, he actively helped out in solving troublesome problems around town. He also yed with the children... It naturally led them to ept him into the fold.¡±


    ¡°It seems I was mistaken..¡±


    Azell had a suspicion. He had thought the man was using a fake identity. However, the only thing simr was the fact that that both were Dragon Demons. Jisel lived amongst the humans. The biggest difference was the fact that Jisel went out of his way to help humans, He even yed with human children. He didn¡¯t resemble the Dragon Demon he had in mind.


    Leticia asked a question.


    ¡°Who were you looking for?¡±


    ¡°His name was Reshoo.¡±


    Azell briefly thought about his past as he spoke.


    ¡°He was the Dragon Demon, who taught me how to wield the Dragon¡¯s power.¡±


    4


    The party camped for the night in the ruined old castle, and they had decided to leave before the sun rose in the morning. Kairen was a bit confused by Azell¡¯s decision.


    ¡°I thought you would want to stay here a little bit longer.¡±


    ¡°I want to do that, but.......¡±


    Azell looked at the ruined castle of Karzark, and he let out a bitterugh.


    ¡°If I gave myself up to my memories, it¡¯ll be a never ending process. I saw what I came here to see.¡±


    He found out everything he wanted to know. When he came back to thisnd again, he would chase out all the groups associated with the darkness. He¡¯ll make thisnd habitable by humans.


    In truth, he wanted tob over thend. He thought maybe Carlos might have left behind something here.


    However, he erased such desires. It wasn¡¯t, because Yuren and Laura said thisnd was being watched by the in of Darkness. If Carlos had left something behind, thisnd wouldn¡¯t still be thend of demons. Moreover, the descendendants of the County of Karzark wouldn¡¯t have been wiped out.


    ¡°I¡¯ve revealed my whereabouts to the enemies, so we can¡¯t just sit around here.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Azell had been cklisted by the in of Darkness, and they were keeping an eye out for him. On top of that, the traitor Yuren was with him. They had blood in their eyes for Yuren, so, of course, they wouldn¡¯t stand by and do nothing.


    ¡°Moreover, even if I wanted to search this ce, this is the territory of Dragons.¡±


    Many Dragons made residence in the County of Karzark. Aside from the several Dragons, who had razed the County of Karzark to the ground, more Dragons had migrated to this location as time passed. So, one was in danger of fighting dragons if one explored thisnds.


    ¡°However....¡±


    Azell was about to say something, but Azell hesitated. He looked at the gloomy skies with surprised eyes.


    Kairen asked in puzzlement.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Wait a momen.......¡±


    Instead of answering, Azell exited the castle. He climbed the walls, and he looked to the eastern sky atop a spire. Then he looked at the western portion of the forest with a mesmerized expression. Azell mumbled to himself.


    ¡°It is still alive......?¡±


    There was a mountain peak on the other side of the dark forest, and a being was taking flight into the air. The sun hadn¡¯t risen yet, so one could only see a silhouette in the dark. It looked like a bird, but Azell knew it wasn¡¯t one. No bird thisrge existed in this world.


    ¡°Flying dragon......!¡±


    As the sun came up, a being that was several timesrger than the birds of preys was seen. It was almost impossible to believe such arge creature could fly. It flew over the old ruins of the Karzark Castle. He brought up a scene buried inside his mind.


    Near the County of Karzark, there used to be three dragons. One of them used to be a flying dragon. It would fly towards the east to hunt, and when the sun sets, it flew back into the mountain. Azell and the whole County of Karzark started and ended their days watching this sight.<sub>1</sub>


    For a brief moment, Azell¡¯s eyes met the flying dragon¡¯s eyes.


    The flying dragon was flying several hundred meters up in the air, but both knew that they were looking at each other.


    Azell lost the ability to speak as he started at the flying dragon. It was impossible for a human to understand what the dragon was thinking. The flying dragon kept its eyes on Azell as it circled around the Karzark Castle once, then it flew towards the east.


    ¡°Ha ha.......¡±


    Azell unconsciously let out augh when he saw the flying dragon fly into the distance.


    ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha ha.¡±


    Everything he had known had been destroyed, yet... The flying dragon had remained the same. It was a wee sight. He was so happy that it felt as if tears would fall from his eyes.


    Chapter 29 - Azell mentions this story. This particr dragon is a different breed of dragon. I called it flying dragon, but it is more of a slender dragon that looks like eastern dragons with wings.

 Chapter 113 - To the Land of the Demons (4)

    Chapter 113 - To the Land of the Demons (4)


    5


    No one couldprehend Azell¡¯s actions. However, Azell didn¡¯t exin himself. The only one, who could question Azell¡¯s choices, was Kairen. However, he decided not to ask Azell anything. Many parts of Azell was a mystery to Kairen, but it seemed he had decided to just observe Azell.


    Kairen asked a question.


    ¡°So... Where do you n on going next?¡±


    After Azell came to the County of Karzark, he never spoke about his future ns. His head had been filled with the idea of reaching this ce.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I might.......¡±


    Azell did have a n in mind. After he woke up in this era, he always thought about what he should do. Two hundred twenty years had passed, and he wanted to find a survivor. He wanted someone, who he could talk to about the old days. He didn¡¯t want to find such a being , because he wanted to fill the emptiness caused by his longing. There must be someone out there that could fill in the nk that had been caused by his sleep. Moreover, he needed allies, who were like himself. He needed beings, who would fight alongside him.


    Unfortunately, the only survivors he confirmed were his enemies. He even checked with Kairen. No one, who went through the Dragon Demon war, was still alive on his side. He even read official ounts that confirmed the deaths of all the Dragon Demons from that time.


    Their deaths couldn¡¯t be solely med on time. The Dragon Demon King worshippers might have made sure that they didn¡¯t survive. Anyways, Azell only had one hope he could cling to.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to the Albatan Forest.¡±


    ¡°Mmm? Perhaps... Are you talking about thend of the demons on the east of the continent?¡±


    Kairen asked in surprise.


    Land of Demons Albatan Forest.


    This was before the fracture of the Nadick Empire. This storiednd of the Demons rebuffed any attempt of human invasion. Numerous Dragons took residence in thisnd a long time ago, and even at the height of the Nadick Empire, they didn¡¯t dare to make this ce their territory.


    Azell nodded her head.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why are you going to such a faraway location? Moreover, the only information known about that ce is the fact that it is dangerous and the ce is full of Dragons....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go meet a Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    Kairen¡¯s eyebrows rose. It wasn¡¯t just him. Everyone looked as if they couldn¡¯t understand Azell¡¯s decision. Laura asked a question.


    ¡°If you n on doing the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual, you don¡¯t have to go there. There are plenty of Dragons elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t it. Actually, I might as well do the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, since I¡¯m visiting there.¡±


    ¡°...you might as well?¡±


    Laura was dumbfounded. Even in the in of Darkness, the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual was only performed by those aplished in terms of skills and achievements within the organization. It was an honorable tribtion where one had to put one¡¯s life on the line. She knew Azell challenged and won in the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. However, she never expected him to speak so lightly of the ritual.


    Azell asked her a question.


    ¡°How much does the in of Darkness know about the Albatan Forest?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have a lot of information about that ce. We know there are Dragons there, and there¡¯s a group there, who worship the Dragons.¡±


    ¡°There are those who worships the Dragons? What do you mean?¡±


    The one to pose the questions was Kairen. Laura answered him.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know anything definite. However, they were very strong, so we couldn¡¯t be rash in acting against them.¡±


    ¡°So you are basically saying there is another organization aside from the Dragon Demon King worshippers and Guardian Shadows that resides in the shadow of the world? Aren¡¯t there also other secret societies and groups of ck Magicians that aren¡¯t affiliated with you guys?¡±


    ¡°There are a lot of them. However, we do use some of them.¡±


    Azell was astute enough to pick out what Laura had omitted.


    ¡°Is this how you guys are able to operate without revealing yourselves as Dragon Demon King worshippers? Or are you guys trying to take advantage of the fact that Guardian Shadows don¡¯t intervene unless the Dragon Demon King Worshippers involves themselves?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Moreover... It is an attempt to obfuscate the eyes of the humans.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    The Dragon Demon king worshippers would have to be eradicated even in human society. The deep wounds had been created in the Dragon Demon war, and while 200 years had passed, the wounds hadn¡¯t healed yet. This was also why the Dragon Demon king worshippers had worked hard to hide their existence even when there weren¡¯t in any danger from the Guardian Shadows.


    Kairen asked a question.


    ¡°What do you mean by you are going to meet a Dragon?¡±


    Kairen was having a troubleprehend what was going on. Azell was speaking as if he was going to go see an acquaintance. However, the only reason Azell had to seek out a Dragon was to conduct a Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°You already know why Dragons conducts the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.¡±


    ¡°If the Dragon wins, it can gain wisdom from the humans.¡±


    ¡°In the past, a lot of humans and Dragon Majins conducted the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. There were people like me, who were able to take the power of the Dragons, to be much stronger. However, there were also losers, who had to give up their wisdom.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°What if... On this world, what if there were Dragons, who were able to win numerous Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual? What would have happened to those Dragons, who achieved their ultimate wish?¡±


    ¡°...the Dragon¡¯s wish is to gain wisdom. Are you saying a wise Dragon resides in the Albatan Forest?¡±


    Kairen asked the question, and his expression indicated that he was having hard time believing the story.


    Azell grinned.


    ¡°The ruler of the Albatan Forest is the only Dragon I know, who had freed itself from the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. This particr Dragon had gained the wisdom it had wanted, so it has no reason to carry out the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.¡±


    The name of the Dragon known by Azell was Albatan. It was a Dragon, who had freed itself from its own fate.


    6


    After leaving the County of Karzark, they immediately headed east. Kairen grumbled.


    ¡°We left onend of the Demons to go to anothernd of the Demons. I feel like an explorer, who seeks outnd of the Demons.¡±


    ¡°Events somehow turned out like this.¡±


    ¡°Are you perhaps going to anothernd of the Demons after the Albatan Forest?¡±


    ¡°They do sound like attractive destinations to visit. I¡¯ll take it into consideration. The continent isrge and there are a lot ofnd of demons.¡±


    They bantered with each other as the party started moving at an astonishing speed.


    When they were trying to find a suitable ce for a lunchbreak, Laura asked a question. She sounded fed up.


    ¡°Do you guys always travel at this speed?¡±


    ¡°Before you guys joined us, we traveled much faster.¡±


    The party had been traveling for four hours, and they were traveling in a straight line at 60 km/h. It didn¡¯t matter what the terrain was like. They were traveling at a surprising speed, but while they wereing to the County of Karzark, Azell and Kairen had traveled at 300 km/h. Basically, they were travelling at a very leisurely speed right now.


    Yuren looked as if he couldn¡¯t believe that statement.


    ¡°...you traveled faster than this? That sounds preposterous.¡±


    Yuren was a magician, so he was able to use Flight magic. He wasn¡¯t affected too much by the terrain. It wasn¡¯t as if the terrain had no effect on him. If one flew higher, one needed more skill, and the magical energy was consumed at a faster rate.


    He had bee flying over mountains,kes, forests and ins for the past four hours. They were traveling in a straight line to their destination at 60 km/h. It was pushing Yuren to his limit. His magical reserve was being squeezed dry, and it made him wonder if he was better off running on the ground. He was so tired that he didn¡¯t think he could travel any more.


    However, they were actually travelling at a slow pace?


    Kairen spoke in a nonchnt manner.


    ¡°We are just matching your speed. Do you realize how far the Albatan Forest is?¡±


    ¡°...are you perhaps thinking about running all the way towards the Albatan Forest? You are going to run from the midwest of the continent to the eastern portion of the continent?¡±


    ¡°What other method is there? If you are suggesting we ride horses, it is a nonstarter. Horses are too slow.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°If you can¡¯t even keep up with this pace, we can go our separate ways. I¡¯ll just drag Laura along.¡±


    Laura was having a much easier time keeping up with thempared to Yuren. Azell still had a shunt in her energy pulse, but he allowed her to use her magical energy. He could monitor her in real time, so he could seal her magical energy at any time.


    Laura spoke when she heard Kairen¡¯s words.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen files that said the Dragon Sword Duke transcendsmon sense... You are amazing.¡±


    ¡°Does the in of Darkness really view me like that? What else do they say about me?¡±


    ¡°You are know as someone, who hasn¡¯t learned the forgotten secret techniques. However, you were known as someone with abundant power, so if possible, we were instructed to avoid you.¡±


    Before he met Azell, Kairen hadn¡¯t been able to learn any secret techniques. However, he was someone that was still feared by the Dragon Demon King worshippers. He may be a nk te in terms of skills learned, but he had developed his powerful Dragon Demon magic to the extremes. Moreover, he had been able to make the Dragon Sword through his own research. He was able to reach a frightening level bybining his technical sense of manipting the Dragon Demon magic and his fearsome battle capabilities.


    Kairen grinned.


    ¡°I see. It is an old assessment of me, but I¡¯ll take it as apliment.¡±


    After meeting Azell, Kairen now knew secret techniques. His overall fighting power was much higher than before.


    Even Azell remarked in admiration at how fast Kairen was able to learn techniques. He had been a master for over 100 years, but he was able to absorb Azell¡¯s teaching as if he was a young man in his growth phase. He was growing at a very rapid pace.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°Our agents couldn¡¯t track you, so we thought you had some kind of high speed transportation device. However, you were moving in such a primitive way....¡±


    The Guardian Shadows were a big mystery to those in the in of Darkness. Therefore, whenever they didn¡¯t understand something about the Guardian Shadows, they assumed that the Guardian Shadows were using some special method. When it looked as if Kairen was using some kind of abnormal travel ability to move around the continent, they were suspicious as to whether the Guardian Shadows had a mode of transportation simr to the ¡®Road of Emptiness¡¯.


    Kairen asked in puzzlement.


    ¡°...Road of Emptiness?¡±


    ¡°It is a legacy left behind the king.¡±


    Laura described the Road of Emptiness. Kairen was astonished.


    ¡°You are able to jump space to get to various locations on the continent. Such ridiculous magical device exists? So this the reason why you guys are so elusive.¡±


    ¡°Is it nearby?¡±


    Azell, who had been listening silently, suddenly intruded into the conversation.


    Laura tilted her head in puzzlement.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to look at a map. Why?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to modify our course. While we are heading towards the Albatan Forest, we¡¯ll attack as many waystations connected to the ¡®Road of Emptiness.¡¯¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    At those words, Laura¡¯s eyes turned round. She never expected him to attack these locations as soon as he heard about it.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°It would be pointless in eliminating all the troops guarding the Road of Emptiness. It can¡¯t be used by outsiders.¡±


    ¡°That is unfortunate. However, I think it¡¯ll be worth it to just destroy it.¡±


    ¡°You should refrain from doing so.¡±


    Yuren butted in. When Azell looked at him, he spoke.


    ¡°The Road of Emptiness is a legacy that is controlled through the Great Darkness residing with Queen Aincera. The mere act of approaching it would alert Aincera of your existence. This is the reason why Leticia and I never attacked the few waystations we were aware of.¡±


    ¡°Mmm...¡±


    Azell furrowed his brows. If it is as Yuren described, he had to weigh the benefit of suppressing the enemy¡¯s transcendent mobility against exposing his location to his enemies.


    In the end, which would be more beneficial?


    ¡®I have to think this through.¡¯


    The threat level of the Road of Emptiness was too high to leave it alone. The fact that they could exchange information in real-time was a overwhelming advantage. Moreover, it also allowed the transport of people... This device did not exist in the era of the Dragon Demon war.


    ¡®Mmm? Wait a moment.¡¯


    It meant Atein had finished creating this legacy before he died. So why hadn¡¯t he used this in the Dragon Demon war?


    When he asked about this point, Laura answered.


    ¡°Only a limited number of people can travel through it.¡±


    The Road of Emptiness had limited fixed destinations it can travel to, and it was impossible to move arge number of troops through it. This was why they formed attack organizations across the continent. The officers were the only ones that would be able to use the Road of Emptiness.


    Azell epted the exnation.


    ¡°I see. I¡¯m d there are such limitations to the device. It wasn¡¯t probably known during the Dragon Demon war, but they probably used it to transport small amount of troops.


    ¡°What should we do?¡±


    At Kairen¡¯s question, Azell thought about it for a bit before he made a decision.


    ¡°We¡¯ll give up on my idea. If we could use it, it¡¯ll be worth attacking the waystations even if we overextend ourselves. Since we can¡¯t use it, it would be better for us to operate under the radar for a while.¡±


    ¡°It would be great if we can alert the Guardian Shadows to attack the waystation in my kingdom....¡±


    ¡°That I can agree with. Is that possible?¡±


    ¡°...mmm. In truth, it might be impossible to arrange it right now.¡±


    They had already crossed two borders, so it would be difficult to get a message to the Rin Kingdom. They could enlist the Guardian Shadows, but it was uncertain if they would deliver the message.


    Azell felt regret at the missed opportunity.


    ¡°That is too bad. If we could use it, we could immediately infiltrate the in of Darkness....¡±


    Larua was surprised by his words.


    ¡°Even you will get killed trying to pull that off.¡±


    ¡°I guess so.¡±


    Azell passively epted her assessment. The core forces of the Dragon Demon King worshippers were all gathered at the in of Darkness. It wouldn¡¯t be easy to take all of them down.


    ¡°Still, we have to do something. We have to stop the Revival Ritual before Atein is able to revive.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really curious as to who you really are.¡±


    ¡°You can continue to be curious until you figure out the answer.¡±


    ¡°Meanie.¡±


    Laura¡¯s lips made a small pout.

 Chapter 114 - To the Land of the Demons (5)

    Chapter 114 - To the Land of the Demons (5)


    7


    <I was awakened after a very long time, so I went out to enjoy a fight. Yet it seems the really interesting news was actually waiting for my return. Is it true that the heir of Aunsaurus betrayed us?>


    The amused Reygus asked the question. He had died once to be an Undead, but he had not fallen into depression like the other Undeads. Instead of despairing, he remained cheerful. It made one wonder what his personality was like when he was alive.


    He was one of the four Dragon Demon Generals, and there weren¡¯t many figures he admired in this world. The Dragon Demon King¡¯s first wife Aincera was one of the the rare ones to hold his esteem.


    ¡°That is right.¡±


    <How did thate about?>


    ¡°I have no idea. In the first ce, I could never tell what that child was thinking inside. Maybe, the Aunsaurus tribe is at fault for improperly educating her.¡±


    <Hmm. I shouldn¡¯t bother you by pressing for more details. I¡¯ll ask my subordinate about it.>


    ¡°You are unchanged.¡±


    <I¡¯ll ept that as apliment. I was resurrected from death, yet I remain unchanged. Isn¡¯t it splendid?>


    Reygus barked out augh.


    When he was alive, Reygus was very informal with his subordinates. He joined the rank and file to drink alcohol, and in recent days, he enjoyed gossiping and ying around with the servants. In the past, Aincera had been very overt in showing her displeasure with his overall attitude.


    However, her attitude waspletely different now. She had told him he had remained unchanged. However, her voice and expression remained indifferent. She didn¡¯t show any emotions.


    Reygus spoke.


    <I think the Queen has changed a lot.>


    ¡°A lot of time has passed.¡±


    <I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the only reason.>


    ¡°This is a tribtion I must endure.¡±


    Aincera knew very well what she had lost. However, she didn¡¯t have any emotions left to recoil at her change. Her soul was nothing but a thick husk. She only wanted to achieve her heart¡¯s wish. She prioritized her task above all else...


    <.......>


    Reygus just looked at her. He was an Undead, so at a time like this, he was able to hide all emotions. It was an unpleasant sight, but Aincera just ept his scrutiny. She was like an unfeeling doll.


    In the end, Aincera asked a question.


    ¡°What result were you able to achieve through the fight?¡±


    <Hmm. The fight was very good. It was beyond expectation. As expected, the king¡¯s magic is incredible. I thought it was an absolute travesty when I realized I was an Undead. However, since I¡¯ve woken up, I¡¯m liking this body more and more. It is a bit troubling.>


    ¡°That¡¯s fortunate. Your existence has already been revealed to the Guardian Shadows, so I¡¯m not going to be conservative in how I use you. I expect your active participation from now on.¡±


    <If I can run amok, I¡¯ll wee it. This is why I spurned the courtship of theherworld toe back here.>


    ¡°You¡¯ll have plenty of opportunity to do so. Also... Did you find out anything about Carlos?¡±


    <Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t force those bastards to speak. We¡¯ll have to wait for the trackers to bring back some useful information.>


    Reygus had put down a trap for the Keepers of the Prophecy. He had done it to find out more about Carlos. However, Delta and Zeta got in his way until the end, and they didn¡¯t divulge any information.


    Aincera spoke.


    ¡°However... I¡¯m skeptical. I don¡¯t think the sinner Carlos is still alive. In all these years, the Great Darkness was never able find his trace.¡±


    <I don¡¯t know if he is alive. However, I¡¯m sure he exists somewhere in the world. In my opinion, the Guardian Shadows are a strong candidate.>


    ¡°You are saying he might have be an Undead.¡±


    <Yes. My opinion was reinforced after I met the Guardian Shadows. They were almost aplete product just like me. Moreover.......>


    ¡°Is something bothering you?¡±


    Reygus stopped speaking for a brief moment as he fell into his thoughts. Aincera queried him. Reygus organized the thoughts floating around inside his head before he spoke.


    <Hmm. It is nothing. I¡¯ll speak to you about it once I get a firmer grip on this idea. Anyways, it is my opinion that the magicians, who are able to pull this off, is umon. This is true even if one considered the magicians across the ages.>


    From the moment Reygus was awakened, he just knew Carlos was alive somewhere in this world. Atein¡¯s magic was like a divine revtion, and this truth was delivered to Reygus.


    When this information was disseminated, the ins of Darkness was turned upside down. At the same time, they devoted all their efforts into finding any trace left behind by Carlos.


    <I¡¯ll see myself out.>


    Reygus did a courtly bow, and the gesture did not look right on his bulky body. Afterwards, he left Aincera.


    When Reygus exited the Queen¡¯s room, Reygus saw an old Dragon Demon with gray horns waiting for him. The old Dragon Demon approached him, and the old Dragon Demon gave back the massive battle hammer to him. Reygus hadn¡¯t been able to take his weapon into the meeting with the Queen, so he had left it behind.


    <The Queen has sacrificed a lot of herself.>


    ¡°We exist now, because of her sacrifice.¡±


    The old Dragon Demon named Chanes had a cold expression on his face. He was Reygus¡¯ lieutenant during the Dragon Demon war. Now he was one of the influential being that ruled over the in of Darkness. However, when Reygus awoke as an Undead, Chanes insisted on assisting Reygus.


    Suddenly, Chanes spoke.


    ¡°I never expected all of this to take this long.¡±


    <I agree. When I heard that it was 223 years since the king¡¯s death, I thought it was a joke. It took so long to raise an Undead like me. I guess it means the capabilities of this body should be excellent. Still, I¡¯m not sure what to think about all of this.>


    Reygus had awakened as an Undead in recent days. He was brought back through the magic of the Dragon Demon king, so he was a very special Undead. He was an Undead, yet his memories and his thought process remained crystal clear. He wasn¡¯t swept up by the madness. Even his five senses remained.


    Reygus was dead, yet it almost felt as if he was still alive. The fact that he was having a difficult time differentiating between the two state was confusing, yet he liked having such a dilemma..


    Now that he was awake, the in of Darkness took it as a sign that the king¡¯s revival was near. It seemed he was tied to the Ritual of Revival that was ongoing in the basement of the Dragon Demon Pce.


    Chanes spoke..


    ¡°By the look of you, I think it was well worth the time.¡±


    <If one looked only at my battle capabilities, it definitely was worth the time.>


    While he was giving his reply, a question popped up inside Reygus¡¯ mind.


    ¡®Those bastards were very simr to me.¡¯


    This was the fact that he had refrained from telling Aincera. The Guardian Shadow¡¯s Undeads felt somehow very simr to him.


    ¡®Are those bastards rted to the king¡¯s magic? Well, the king was veryx about protecting his magic. There¡¯s a chance that someone might have developed a simr magic using the remnants of spells left behind by him... If not, did Carlos really be involved in their creation?¡¯


    After thinking about it for a brief moment, Reygus opened his mouth.


    <You look really old now.>


    ¡°A lot of time has passed.¡±


    Two hundred twenty three years wasn¡¯t a short amount of time even for Dragon Demon.


    At the time of the Dragon Demon wars, Chanes was a young man. Now he was a white haired old man. It really drove home the fact that a lot of time had passed. In truth, Reygus was very surprised that Chanes was still alive. Chanes wasn¡¯t a 1st generation Dragon Demon, yet he had lived well past 400 years.


    <You should be letting the young ones do all the work, while you y around. Why did youe running to me? You should have sent your decent subordinates to me.>


    ¡°I¡¯ve raised several promising ones. I¡¯ll introduce them to you soon.¡±


    <As expected, you probably don¡¯t want to do all the odd jobs at your old age.>


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it to be expected? I¡¯ve advanced enough in my station where I¡¯m able to put my nose in the air.¡±


    <You are still the same. Such a long time had passed, yet you are the same. I like it.>


    Reygus was ted, so he tried to hum. However, the sound of air leaking out was heard, and a dark energy of the Curse was dispersed. He couldn¡¯t make the sound he wanted to make. Naturally, he tried to click his tongue in dismay, but he didn¡¯t have a tongue. It was impossible.


    <This body is a masterpiece. It is a masterpiece, yet I have a long way to go before I ept it as my own body. It isn¡¯t a hindrance in battle, but I¡¯m not satisfied with that.>


    The Skeleton cackled as his shoulders shook.


    <I want to eat meat dripping with blood. I¡¯m sad, because it is a dream that is forever out of my reach. Well, it¡¯s all right. I¡¯m sure there are other edibles that are considered to be delicacies for the Undead. Maybe, I¡¯ll go look for that.>


    ¡°If you want something, I¡¯ll help you acquire it.¡±


    <I¡¯m just saying anything that crosses my mind. Hmm. You still haven¡¯t answered my question.>


    ¡°I have two reasons. One is an official reason, and the other one is a personal reason.¡±


    <Tell me the official reason first.>


    ¡°While you were gone, I¡¯ve advanced enough in my station where I¡¯m now in charge of leading a faction. It isn¡¯t something too impressive. It pales inparison to your achievements. However, now that everyone is saying the king¡¯s revival is drawing near, I have a chance to secure a foothold with you.¡±


    <I¡¯m just a walking corpse now. What benefit will you gain by sticking by me?>


    ¡°I don¡¯t really have anyone else I can curry favor with.¡±


    <I see. All right. So what is the personal reason?>


    ¡°My life isn¡¯t fun anymore.¡±


    <Mmm?>


    ¡°I usually hide here with a devious smile on my face. I just plot against the humans, and I find such work to be boring. If I¡¯m with the general, this old man will have a chance to jump into a fight where my blood will boil.¡±


    <That is very... You aren¡¯t really acting your age.>


    ¡°Now that I think about it, I remember themon criticism against you was the fact that you didn¡¯t act your age....¡±


    <Ha. Now that you¡¯ve aged a little bit, you are trying to act cheeky towards me. I¡¯m already dead, so who care what my age is? After Balun¡¯s death, no Undead counts their age.>


    ¡°Balun?¡±


    <Mmm? Ah. I guess kids from these days won¡¯t know about him.>


    ¡°...I¡¯m not of the younger generation, yet I do not know about him.¡±


    <You would have known his name if you¡¯ve lived 400 years longer. This was in the distant past, and the bastard had numerous bouts with the king.>


    ¡°He fought against the king? That is news to me.¡±


    <Well, there are countless beings that were killed by the king. Currently, the name Atein is officially entered into the public records as someone against the world. However, at one time, he was considered to be a hero, who had saved the world. These kinds of events happened quite often throughout history.>


    Reygus went over the past events. Before he was killed, he had lived a very long time. He was basically a walking history book. He was born to no parents, so he was a 1st Generation Dragon Demon. He had transcended mortality to live a very long life.


    <At that time, I wasn¡¯t serving the king as a Dragon Demon General... Yes. I was apanion of the wise, yet whimsical magician named Atein.>


    Chanes¡¯ ears perked up. He was of an age where he told the younger generation about the old stories. However, at that moment, he felt as if he was thrown back to his childhood. He had listened to the stories from the adults with a twinkle in his eyes.


    <The King, Almarick and I got together to carry out this task. Truthfully, I didn¡¯t have a great rtionship with Almarick during that time... Hmmm. I¡¯ll skip that part of the story. At the time, we weren¡¯t even acquainted with Aunsaurus and Baldazark yet.. Anyways, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that Balun was the worst foe we¡¯ve ever encountered.>


    ¡°He was that powerful? He must have been one of the 1st Generation Dragon Demon.¡±


    <No. He was a human. To be precise, he used to be a human.>


    ¡°A human? A human was a threat to the three of you?¡±


    <You sound skeptical. You should keep in mind that we lost to a human in the Dragon Demon War.>


    ¡°That is true.......¡±


    <Well, Balun wasn¡¯t a living human being. The king designated him as being ¡®The First to Deny Death¡¯. He was also called the ¡®Originator of the ck Magicians¡¯.....>


    Balun was a being, who had lived for a very long time. Countless beings lived on the surface of the world, yet he was the first to deny death. He had raised himself as an Undead.


    <Basically, Undeads didn¡¯t exist before Balun. ording to our king¡¯s words, most of the Necromancy skills that exist right now was cultivated by Balun.>


    ¡°My god. Such a being existed in this world?¡±


    <He existed. There is a first for everything. Balun was as unique as the first king anointed by the Dragon Demons.>


    At the time, Balun wanted to change the world. He theorized that the pain one received over the course of one¡¯s life happened, because one was alive. This was why he wanted all the beings on this world to transcend life and death... In some aspects, he was a bigger cmity to the world than Atein. However, in the end, Atein and hispanions was able to take him down.


    After he finished his story, Reygus suddenly remembered something.


    <Come to think of it, I heard some of our kids were betrayed. What happened?>


    ¡°The surviving members of each tribe devoted their efforts into developing the future generation. This resulted in the current young generation being quite skilled even though they are inexperienced. However, it seemed the mental aspect of their education was deficient..¡±


    <I don¡¯t want to hear about the boring details.>


    ¡°Would you like to hear about the child who betrayed us first? Or would you like to hear about the children, who were beaten to a pulp?¡±


    <Tell me about the one that betrayed us. How inhospitable were we to her that a child of that station abandoned everything? Why would she run away?>


    ¡°Mmm. In truth, she wasn¡¯t treated well. This is especially true for the Aunsaurus tribe. They are out of control....¡±


    <In what way?>


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the full story. This was all gathered through rumors.¡±


    Chanes was a survivor of the Dragon Demon war, so he was one of the heavyweights that ruled over the in of Darkness. However, during the Dragon Demon war, he had merely been a lieutenant serving under Reygus. This was why he had less power than the survivors with blood ties to Aunsaurus and Baldazark. This was why he could only rely on information gathered from spies and rumors to discern what was going on in the different factions. The Great Darkness within Aincera united the in of Darkness under the same banner, but factions within the in of Darkness weren¡¯t unified.


    ¡°The Aunsaurus tribe conducted countless tests and rituals to be able to artificially create a perfect heir. It is rumored that the betrayer Laura Aunsaurus was the product of their efforts.¡±


    <Mmm? They did something that insane?>


    Reygus was surprised. Regyus was one of the main principles, who helped Atein, light the world on fire through war. However, even he was taken aback by Chanes¡¯ story.


    ¡°If it is true, it was stupid of them. The child was made using their blood. Basically, they put forth a doll made through magic as the heir of Aunsaurus.¡±


    <Hmmm.......>


    Reygus expressed a reallyplicated, yet subtle feeling. The beings, whom he had fought with against the world, were showing signs of madness. It really hammered home the fact that a lot of years had passed.


    <In regards to that story, I¡¯ll hear the detailster. What about the kids, who were beaten up?>


    ¡°They.......¡±


    After a short amount of time, Reygus heard the full story from Chanes. The light within the eye sockets couldn¡¯t hide the surprise and interest he felt.

 Chapter 115 - Guides Gift (1)

    Chapter 115 - Guide¡¯s Gift (1)


    1


    Every night Yuren Rizester went to sleep he always had a dream. The guide in his dream had approached him one day, and now he always had a dream every night. Now he couldn¡¯t remember a time when he didn¡¯t have a dream.


    -In the end, you met your destiny, Yuren.


    At a nce, Yuren could tell he wasn¡¯t in reality. He could see numerous fragments of memories connected to each other, and the guide¡¯s words came to Yuren in this chaotic space. The guide¡¯s voice allowed Yuren to be able to think clearly, and a sense of calmness was promoted from within.


    The dream of the guide was different from a lucid dream. However, his consciousness wasn¡¯t fully awake. He couldn¡¯t remember all that went on within his dreams.


    It was simr to a half-asleep state. He was asleep, but he was conscious of what was happening around him in reality. It felt as if someone was whispering into his ears.


    ¡®Ah. It was as you said... The man makes me think of Azell Karzark from the legends.¡¯


    -Right?


    ¡®The heir of Aunsaurus suspects that Azell Karzark is the original Azell.... Well, that isn¡¯t possible, but he does make one think it is a possibility.¡¯


    It had only been several day since Yuren had met Azell. However, Azell became more remarkable as Yuren continued to look at him. It was as the guide had said. Yuren thought Azell really might be able to open up a path that will allow them to bring down the Dragon Demon king worshippers...


    -He will show you the answer. I only tell you what you have to do, but he will the one to lead your destiny.


    ¡®If he is the descendant of Azell Karzark... Our meeting seems very fateful.¡¯


    After 220 years, the descendants of the hero Azell Karzark and Archmage Carlos Rizester had met. If the two of them allied with each other to eradicate the evil left behind by the Dragon Demon King Atein, how poetic would it be?


    The guide spoke.


    -It is destiny. Your rtionship with him has to proceed forward, so you have to be on his good side. The road will open when you gain his trust.


    ¡®I¡¯ll work on it. This is why I am here.¡¯


    Yuren was having a nightmare even though he wasn¡¯t asleep. If he spaced out for a brief moment, nightmare-like thoughts gued him. There were people out there, who were deprived of their lives like Yuren. The Dragon Demon king worshippers turned people into tools, and the fact that they were suffering even now was horrifying to Yuren. Then there were the children he had tried to rescue. In the end, they had all died, and he could still hear their screams. He had driven them towards their deaths.


    -You did your best.


    ¡®However, the result was the worst.¡¯


    -Yuren.


    ¡®I know. It is useless to me myself. Leticia already nags me about it so much that I¡¯m fed up with the topic.¡¯


    Yuren shook his head from side to side. He had a sad smile on his face.


    ¡®I have to help him to end all of this. Even if I die, it is my duty.¡¯


    He had walked through the long darkness to find a person, who might be the light of hope. Yuren had to earn Azell¡¯s trust at all cost. He had to be Azell¡¯spanion.


    The guide¡¯s voice remained silent for a brief moment before it spoke again.


    -All right. I¡¯ll give you knowledge that¡¯ll allow you to gain his trust.


    ¡®Is there anything else I can do except fight by his side?¡¯


    -Of course. Time is precious right now. At this moment, the world is going through a sudden change. There is too little time left to build trust and camaraderie through human interactions.


    ¡®What is happening?


    -You already have the answer.


    ¡®Is it the Dragon Demon King Atein¡¯s revival?¡¯


    When Yuren asked the question, he felt a peculiar reverberation.


    Dragon Demon King Atein.


    He said this name countless times before, but he now suddenly felt a weird sensation.


    Before he became preupied with this point, the guide continued to speak.


    -That isn¡¯t the problem.


    ¡®Then what is it?¡¯


    -This will cause the in of Darkness to move in earnest.


    ¡®I¡¯m not sure what you are trying to say.¡¯


    -Think this through Yuren. You have toe up with the answer for yourself. You can¡¯t just expect me to feed you all the information. If not, you¡¯ll just be my puppet.


    ¡®This is why I¡¯m conflicted. If you were a Demon trying to destroy me, you wouldn¡¯t say stuff like this to me.


    -Maybe, this is all part of my design.


    ¡®Ah, all right. Good. ¡¯


    Yurenpiled the information avable to him, and he came up with several possibilities. The in of Darkness had countless schemes ongoing on the continent. In the past 200 years,there had been several changes of generations. Each change of generation provided an opportunity for the Dragon Demon king worshippers to worm their way into the human society.


    ¡®They haven¡¯t revealed themselves. They might after Atein¡¯s revival, but they don¡¯t have the power to pick a fight with the world..¡¯


    The in of Darkness hid in the shadow of the world as they schemed. They did this, because they didn¡¯t possess the power they once possessed in the Dragon Demon war. In the past, they had enough forces to take over the world. Of course, if they concentrated their forces now, they would be able to fight and win against a single country. However, their existence would be revealed to the seven kingdoms in the process. No, the whole world would be their enemy, and only ruination awaited the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    ¡®If that is true... The only thing I can think of is the fact that they want to sow chaos from the shadows.¡¯


    -That is what they¡¯ve been doing up until now. What has changed?


    ¡®Hmm. I¡¯m not sure. Their goal was to make human society diseased... Will they instigate a war between humans?¡¯


    -That is one of the right answers.


    ¡®Really? Well, I guess that is within their capability.¡¯


    It would be crazy for the in of Darkness to reveal themselves and go to war with the humans. However, they had infiltrated all the ranks and sses of society, so it was possible to engineer a war.


    ¡®However, that isn¡¯t all there is to the n?¡¯


    -No. The fact that a war will start soon is correct. War is the most violent way to exhaust the power of humans.


    ¡®It isn¡¯t just about a fight between humans. There are other beings aside from humans.... So they¡¯ll try to bring beings from other races, who aren¡¯t affiliated with the Dragon Demon king worshippers, into a fight with the humans?


    -That is also another correct answer. They¡¯ve been conducting numerous experiments.


    ¡®For example, are you talking about the Grand Alliance of Darkness that popped up in the Rin Kingdom?¡¯


    -Yes.


    The Grand Alliance of Darkness had threatened the Rin Kingdom around 30 years ago, and they had been created by the in of Darkness. The strong and wise mutant Orc named Dakan had been made with evil magic. It had been surprisingly easy to gather monsters by propping Dakan up as a leader.


    -The winds of change will blow over the world. Be prepared for the ensuing chaos.


    The guide had told Yuren a surprising amount of information. If the guide¡¯s words were correct, he could buy Azell¡¯s trust with it. The guide¡¯s words had never been wrong before.


    Suddenly, Yuren asked a question.


    ¡®I never expected such an arrangement to exist. It is amazing. Anyways... Isn¡¯t it time for you to tell me who you are?¡¯


    -It would be meaningless to tell you.


    ¡®Why?¡¯


    -You¡¯ll forget it once this dream ends. The answer wille to you at the right time.


    ¡®But.......¡¯


    The dream ended there.


    2


    Azell¡¯s party was moving at a much slower pace than they had originally nned. A week had passed, since they had left the County of Karzark. Currently, they had decided to rest at an inn. Kairen grumbled.


    ¡°We should have already covered twice the distance by now. That magician move like a snail....¡±


    ¡°...are you trying to kill me? If so, you should just tell it to me straight.¡±


    Yuren grumbled. If one was looking at a map, they were traveling in a straight line at 60 km/h. They were traveling at an incredibly high speed. It defiedmon sense.


    If ayman saw Yuren fly, one wouldn¡¯t understand how difficult it was to fly through the air. Flight over a long period of time required the extreme consumption of magical energy, stamina and willpower. It was very remarkable that a young man like Yuren was able to keep up with the pace.


    In terms of innate magical energy, Laura was more outstanding than Yuren, yet even she was exhausted. Leticia, who trained in the Dragon Arts, was keeping up, but it hadn¡¯t been easy for her.


    ¡®However, I can¡¯t deny this is good training for me.¡¯


    Normally, regr magicians never thought about using Flight magic to travel a long distance at high speeds. The reasons were as previously stated. Those reason also applied to Laura.


    She was demanded to do tasks that she had never been required to do before. She could feel herself improve. On the first day, she had beenpletely gassed. She needed to be carried by Azell to the next town. However, she was now reach their next destination under her own power.


    ¡®This will be most effective when I have to run away.¡¯


    Leticia had to expend quite a lot of energy when she had to run away from Dragon Demon king worshippers in the past. However, she never overdid it, because she had to preserve her battle capability. However, if she was put in a simr situation, she would now have an easier time evading her trackers.


    Leticia made a remark to Azell.


    ¡°I never knew the human body could move so well.¡±


    Even if he was a Spirit Order Practitioner, the way he moved was absurd. Azell was equipped lightly, but he carried all the baggages needed for the trip. He ran across mountain and forests, while carrying such a burden.


    Kairen smirked at her words.


    ¡°If my friend wanted to, he could travel much faster than me. In truth, I¡¯m slowing him down. If I¡¯m grabbing at his ankles, you guys are like balls and chain on his feet.¡±


    ¡°Mmm? What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have a chance to see itter. Even I don¡¯t dare to imitate what he does.¡±


    Azell was able to teach Kairen a lot of techniques. However, Kairen wasn¡¯t able to learn ¡®Incarnation¡¯, which allowed one to create a clone of substance. In the first ce, it was a skill ipatible with him. Kairen had rarely used the cloning technique before. This was why Kairen couldn¡¯t learn the long range flight technique devised by Azell.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°You are doing pretty well in keeping up with us, Leticia.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always preferred to run on my own to feet. However, I¡¯ve never experience traveling long distances day after day like this. It is hard for me to see you guys as being sane.¡±


    Leticia shook her head from side to side. Kairen looked at her with interest. He didn¡¯t know what the Dragon Demon King worshippers did to her,. However, she possessed more Dragon Demon magic as a Dragon Majinpared to most Dragon Demons. She was the most talented female practitioner of the Dragon Arts he had seen in his lifetime.


    ¡°If you are overflowing with energy, why don¡¯t we spar? Azell doesn¡¯t y with me anymore, so I¡¯m a little bit bored.¡±


    ¡°You are old, yet.... You are overflowing with energy.¡±


    Even as she said those words, Leticia looked interested. It would be a lie to say she hadn¡¯t wanted to fight him during the week long travel.


    Yuren spoke as he saw the two of them exit towards the backyard of the inn.


    ¡°Ah, youth.¡±


    ¡°You are the youngest amongst us.¡±


    Laura, who was lounging around, spoke.

 Chapter 116 - Guides Gift (2)

    Chapter 116 - Guide¡¯s Gift (2)


    3


    After Azell left the County of Karzark, he hadn¡¯t sparred with Kairen. The reasons were simple. He had to constantly monitor the magical energy shunt that he had ced inside Laura. Then there was the need for him to deal with the Dragon weapon, Vitan¡¯s Chalice.


    ¡®As expected, an item infused with magic is troublesome for me.¡¯


    The distortion of space wasn¡¯t the only function possessed by Vitan¡¯s Chalice. Variety of magical spells were infused into this Dragon weapon. All Dragon weapons from magicians were like this. Niberis possessed the Book of Darkness, and it also was infused with magical spells. When one inherited a Dragon weapon from a magician, a magical spell one wasn¡¯t skilled enough to use through one¡¯s own skills could be used if it was infused into the Dragon weapon.


    However, Azell wasn¡¯t a magician. It would have been great if he could use it by providing the magical energy. This particr Dragon Weapon wouldn¡¯t activate automatically. The magic spells infused into the Vitan¡¯s chalice were linked using a high level method. All these magical spells were easy to use only if one was able to use this link.


    ¡°This really is a tool for a magician. It is ipatible with me.¡±


    Azell grumbled to himself. Laura, who was observing him from the opposite side, was dumbfounded by his words.


    ¡°It has only been several days, yet you¡¯ve already master the Vitan¡¯s Maze.¡±


    ¡°If it has nothing to do with magic, it isn¡¯t a problem for me.¡±


    Azell was learning the functions of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice at a surprisingly rapid pace. He had already learned the Vitan¡¯s Maze, and he was sessful in partially forming the ¡®The Goblet containing the heaven¡¯s tears¡¯.


    However, he couldn¡¯t use any of the magic infused into the item. This was why he couldn¡¯t even operate it at half its capacity.


    ¡°So are you experienced in dealing with a variety of Dragon Weapons?¡±


    ¡°Are you interrogating me?¡±


    ¡°If you are really the Azell Karzark, I might be.¡±


    Laura had those intentions, so she didn¡¯t deny it. Azell spoke.


    ¡°Have fun specting.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Laura had a sulky look as she closed her mouth. Azell smirked as he looked at her.


    ¡®Anyways, this girl... Does she really have no ill-intentions towards us?¡¯


    If one inherited a Dragon weapon from a wielder, who had ill intent, it was basically like keeping a bomb inside one¡¯s body. This was why Azell was constantly monitoring the Vitan¡¯s Chalice to see if any changes took ce. If he was hit in the back of the head, while his guard was down, it would be the end of him.


    However, a week had passed, and there was no signs of trouble. In the case of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice, the item did seem discontent at being owned by Azell, but it didn¡¯t show any signs of putting up a fight or cause him harm.


    ¡®Hmm.......¡¯


    The Dragon weapons all possessed a sense of self. This was why the Vitan¡¯s Chalice knew about Azell¡¯s existence, and it did harbor a feeling of hesitancy towards him. Every time he perceived the Vitan¡¯s Chalice, its feelings were sent towards him.


    However, at the same time, Dragon Weapons were tools. Once the proper process of being transferred to a new owner urred, the Dragon weapon became subservient. The feelings about the past was less important. The new owner was the most important being to the Dragon weapon.


    Azell suddenly spoke.


    ¡°This might be a bit abrupt, but... Your disguise is wless.¡±


    Laura looked like a human woman right now. Instead of wearing a dress that made her look like a daughter of a noble, she wore a simple traveler¡¯s clothes. Moreover, she had hidden all the special characteristics of a Dragon Demon. Her appearance was eye catching, but in the end, she looked like a human. Azell¡¯s eyes could see through the illusion, so he could see her real self. However, there was something he couldn¡¯t detect.


    ¡°What method are you using to hide your Dragon Demon magic?¡±


    Even Laura¡¯s Dragon Demon magic waspletely hidden, and even a person with highly developed senses would see her as a human magician. Laura answered him.


    ¡°I used magic.¡±


    ¡°Was it a spell developed within the in of Darkness?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I see. You guys have to hide within human society, so I¡¯m guessing the disguise has to be airtight. The fact that you guys were able to develop a spell that;s so easy to learn is impressive.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°All the Dragon Demon king worshippers seems to be using that particr spell. Ah, I guess the only ones, who have to hide their Dragon Demon magic, are the top-tier troops. Maybe, it is a difficult spell to use.¡±


    ¡°It is very difficult.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°It is a very difficult magic for the rank and file to use.¡±


    Azell shook his head in disbelief as he asked the question.


    ¡°Let me stop you right there... How difficult is it? For example, could a member of the Dragon¡¯s Shadow pull it off?¡±


    ¡°Dragon¡¯s Shadow? Which Dragon¡¯s Shadow are you talking about?¡±


    Laura tilted her head in confusion. Azell furrowed his brows.


    ¡°There are more than one organizations like the Dragon¡¯s Shadow?¡±


    ¡°At the very least, each country has one. It is unusual to see more than two in a country. The organizations on the bottom all have simr names.¡±


    ¡°...basically, one or two of the lower organizations could gather enough high quality fighters to contend with a fighter like the Dragon Demon Princess? Are you sure these are the lower end organizations?¡±


    ¡°These are the organizations at the bottom of the totem pole. Didn¡¯t Yuren Rizester tell you about them?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°There is an apparatus with the in of Darkness that churns out fighters. These are certified fighters¡±


    ¡°Such high quality troops can be developed so easily?¡±


    Azell was surprised. Laura spoke.


    ¡°The number isn¡¯t that high. I wouldn¡¯t call the process to be easy. They keep sorting them. Each members are chosen for a role most suited for them, and they are developed.¡±


    ¡°When you say they are specialized.... So a fighter, who has the same level of fighting capability as a magician, only knows about fighting? The fighter¡¯s knowledge about magic and how to respond to magic is much inferior to the magician?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Such a method... Hmm. It is uneptable.¡±


    In an army, each soldier learned a specialized skill. For example, let us say there was a knight, who was excellent at horsemanship, archery and closedbat. An archer in the army would be at the very least on par with the knight in terms of shooting a bow. However, the archer would be worse at everything else. It wouldn¡¯t even beparable.


    This was how the Dragon Demon king worshippers were developed. The ¡®rank and file¡¯ magicians were specialized to be only used in battle. They were given all kinds of inhumane drugs. Rituals were used to bring up their magical energy. On the surface, they looked like high level magicians. However, if one looked at their overall abilities, they were iprehensibly weak.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°The rank and file members uses a device.¡±


    ¡°There is a device that allows one to hide one¡¯s Dragon Demon magic?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Do you have one?¡±


    At his question, Laura shook her head from side to side. ording to her exnation, the act of learning it was the difficult part. However, once one learns it, the magical consumption of the spell wasn¡¯t that high, and it could be maintained indefinitely.


    This was why most didn¡¯t feel the need to learn the magic. They preferred to use a one-off magical device that could replicate the same effect instead of going through the difficult process of learning it. However, there were always problems with magical devices. Different magic magic spells could sh, and the capacity of magic it could hide was a limiting factor. This was why it wasn¡¯t too wise to use magical devices as a quick fix.


    Azell queried.


    ¡°Still, I ced magical shunts inside you, so it should be restricting your use of magic... Are you sure you can keep up with us?¡±


    ¡°You really are like a magician.¡±


    Laura replied with an off-the-wall answer. When Azell looked puzzled, she spoke.


    ¡°The way you maintain the magical shunts, and the methods you use.... I¡¯m starting to think you are actually a magician.¡±


    ¡°Spirit Order is merely a different facet of magic.¡±


    In truth, Azell¡¯s Spirit Order techniques waspletely off the beaten path ofmon sense. He was able to change the properties of the magical energy, and certain techniques he used was able to be controlled from a distance. If onepared him to a regr Spirit Order Practitioner... He was a transcendent warrior, who used a power that was closest to magic.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°It is hard to do it only with magic possessed by a human. However, once you know how to wield the power of the Dragon, it is possible..¡±


    If a Spirit Order Practitioner wanted to move forward into the ultimate stage, one had to eventuallyplete the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. Dragon Demon magic had many use if one was able to acquire it.


    ¡°There are less constraints when dealing with magic.¡±


    This was the conclusion he came to when he studied the fundamental phenomena behind raising and controlling magic. If one possessed Dragon Demon magic, one could circumvent the steps needed to use magic. However, it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say the Dragon Demon magic was mainly used to make Dragon Demon Qi. Magicians had no other use for the Dragon Demon magic.


    Byparison, Spirit Order was a technique that promoted the use of the senses. Dragon Demon magic had a special characteristic of being able to bring an image into reality. Spirit Order was able to take advantage of this fact more so than magic.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°...I never knew that.¡±


    ¡°If it is as Yuren said, the humans in the in of Darkness aren¡¯t allowed to conduct the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. They have no Spirit Order Practitioner, who possess Dragon Demon magic. It is understandable that you do not know about it.¡±


    Azell had learned this very useful information. At the very least, there was a huge restriction ced in how the Dragon Demon king worshippers developed their Spirit Order practitioners.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Anyways.... I guess I didn¡¯t answer your question again. ¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡±


    Laura spoke as she looked up at the empty air.


    ¡°I¡¯m used to all of this now.¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯ve never moved in this fashion before.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about that.¡±


    Laura was talking about the restriction caused by the magical shunts in her Energy Pulse. She thought about her past as she spoke.


    ¡°While I learned how to use magic, I went through a lot of hardships. At times, they put Curses on us. We had to face dangerous situations, while our abilities werepromised.¡±


    As she went through such training, her siblings started to die one by one. Laura had also escaped from the throes of death several times.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell had thought she had experienced forceful restriction of her magic as part of her magic training, but he never expected this. He was at a loss for words. However, Laura didn¡¯t show any signs of anxiety as she talked about her past.


    Suddenly, there was an odd light in her eyes. Her expression hadn¡¯t changed much, but he could feel that she was feeling aplicated emotion.


    ¡°This feels strange.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m conversing with someone about my past... I never expected it to feel like this.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve never talk about it with anyone?¡±


    ¡°I never had anyone I could talk to.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Somehow, this feels embarrassing, but.... It isn¡¯t a bad feeling.¡±


    Laura closed her eyes as she spoke those words.


    4


    The next day, the party decided to change course. It was at Yuren¡¯s request.


    ¡°The guide has a gift for you, and he told me where to find it.¡±


    ¡°...you keep saying that. Do you really think you can entice me to go with you with those words?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what else to say. Aside from that, I do have other useful information....¡±


    Yuren told Azell about the in of Darkness, who was about to sow chaos in the human world. Azell and Kairen furrowed their brows.


    ¡°They are capable of pulling off such a n. However, the source of this information is a bit....¡±


    ¡°Sadly, I don¡¯t have any other exnations for this.¡±


    Yuren let out a bitterugh. He felt sad every time he had to exin about his guide. It would have been better if he was a man of faith. He could just say god was guiding his actions. Howeveer, he couldn¡¯t do that....


    Yuren spoke.


    ¡°All the high quality information I know was revealed to me by the guide. I was a candidate in the Development Center, so I didn¡¯t know much about anything.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. Laura?¡±


    ¡°...I do think this this rtionship is quite peculiar.¡±


    After betraying the Dragon Demon king worshippers, Yuren had been actively trying to help Azell. His words had a ring of truth to it. This was why Azell was trying to confirm the information with Laura. She had been a high ranked officer in the in of Darkness not too long ago.


    It was a highly ridiculous situation if one organized the information.


    Laura spoke.

 Chapter 117 - Guides Gift (3)

    Chapter 117 - Guide¡¯s Gift (3)


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°He is speaking the truth.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying the Dragon Demon king worshippers will try to start a war between humans?¡±


    ¡°Everything he said was true including that fact.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about the part where he said the in of Darkness was plotting to let human society descend into chaos?¡±


    ¡°It is like what happened in Yuren Rizester¡¯s past.¡±


    When Yuren was young, he was disguised as a street urchin. His mission was to assassinate a well-off old couple. The Dragon Demon king worshippers had wanted the meless old couple dead, because they wanted control over a particr neighbourhood. A reasonable offer to purchase the couple¡¯s house had been turned down, so the Dragon Demon king worshippers had used a dirty method.


    These types of method were used to create a foothold that allowed the Dragon Demon king worshippers to burrow into human society. They interfered with the session of countryside nobles to swallow these noble families whole. They also dominated the underground criminal organizations in order to spread drugs.


    Azell furrowed his brows.


    ¡°Drugs?¡±


    Yuren was the one to answer him.


    ¡°It is an effective way to corrupt humans. It leads to a diseased society. The drugs manufactured by Dragon Demon king worshippers are strong and cheap. This is why it is widely circted amongst humans.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell was struck dumb. He had never thought about such things.


    Laura continued to speak.


    ¡°The presence of the Guardian Shadows restricted their activities... However, this was also the reason why their methods to influence humanity diversified.¡±


    Before the Guardian Shadows made their presence known, the in of Darkness had been able to be very bold in carrying out their ns. They were able to embed spies into the main nobles families and the royal family. It had been a dark times where they were even able to influence, who took the throne.


    This all changed when the Guardian Shadows appeared. People with rank and power like Kairen were recruited, and the activities of the in of Darkness were restricted. In the beginning, the in of Darkness were unaware of the existence of the Guardian Shadows, so countless ns had been wiped out in its entirety before they knew it.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°The time before the Guardian Shadows existed... Basically, these methods were never used before the Vast Darkness. Truthfully, it the Vast Darkness worked ording to n, we wouldn¡¯t have needed to wait for the revival of the king to....¡±


    ¡°...wait a moment.¡±


    Azell had not interrupted her words. It was Kairen. He asked with a trembling voice.


    ¡°Are you trying to say.... The Vast Darkness was an artificial disaster caused by the Dragon Demon king worshippers?¡±


    Laura tilted her head in puzzlement at his words. She was still expressionless, but the gesture looked as if she was asking how he couldn¡¯t have known this fact.


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s.......¡±


    Pahk!


    In a sh, a dull sound rang out in front of Laura. Kairen¡¯s hands were already right in front of Laura¡¯s neck. He had been about to snap her slender neck, but he wasn¡¯t able to. Azell had stopped Kairen by grabbing his wrists.


    ¡°...Duke.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Kairen was ring at Laura as if he wanted to kill her on the spot. For a brief moment, he had lost all rationality.


    Kairen had lived through the Vast Darkness.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°The fact that I have to defend her is funny, but she wasn¡¯t even born during that time period. Please cool you head.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Kairen apologized with a trembling voice as he withdrew his hands.


    The Vast Darkness was a nightmare he would never be able to put behind him. He was called the Dragon Sword Duke. He was a hero within the Rin Kingdom, yet he had been helpless against the Vast Darkness. This truth had made him despair.


    People mourned as others died in pain. There was no way the diseased people could be saved, so he had to keep making agonizing decisions... It had been a horrific era.


    Azell spoke to Laura.


    ¡°Continue.¡±


    ¡°...Yes.¡±


    Laura¡¯s voice shook slightly. It seemed she had been frightened from what had just happened to her.


    ¡°The Vast Darkness is one of the king¡¯s legacy.¡±


    ¡°...Atein? That is preposterous.¡±


    ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°If he had such a thing, why didn¡¯t he use it in the Dragon Demon war? I saw the records. At the time of the Vast Darkness, everyone was helpless against the spreading gue until Baion came up with a cure.¡±


    ¡°The king hadn¡¯t left it behind for it to be used as a weapon.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°There are records left behind by Aunsaurus in the in of Darkness.¡±


    The Aunsaurus stored the records as if they were holy scriptures. There were a lot of them. Aunsaurus had been a magician, so he had enjoyed documenting everything. He had lived for a very long time, so he had written over 100 volumes of records.


    When Laura became Aunsaurus¡¯ heir, she had read all the records. This was also a big reason why Laura had be interested in Azell.


    ¡°This happened when the king hadn¡¯t crowned himself king yet... The four Dragon Demon generals and the king were the subject of many legends.¡±


    Folklores of unknown origin were handed down amongst humans. However, many of these stories were lost during the Dragon Demon war, the fall of the Nadick empire and the Vast Darkness.


    However, Aunsaurus had been part of all these events, and his records had remained intact.


    ¡°You guys might not believe this, but... The king and the four Dragon Demon generals used to travel around the world, and they had saved a lot of people before the Dragon Demon war.¡±


    They had wandered around the world for over a thousand years. They explored unchartednds, and they fought against beings, who threatened the world. They even helped people in distress to be a beacon of hope.


    In this process, they encountered an enemy, who called himself to be the god of pestilence.


    ¡°Are you perhap talking about a real god?¡±


    ¡°Aunsaurus evaluated that this being had the power and authority to legitimately call himself a god.¡±


    The being was too bizarre to be thought of as a lifeform from this world. He was able to control all kinds of diseases. He even used diseases to grant regr humans superhuman strength. These men were made into his apostles. It wasn¡¯t hard to see why Aunsaurus had made such an evaluation.


    ¡°The king and the Dragon Demon Generals fought and won against this being. However, they couldn¡¯t eliminate the god of pestilence.¡±


    Surprisingly, the god of pestilence was almost close to being an immortal. He was defeated by thebined might of the king and the Dragon Demon generals. However, he couldn¡¯t¡¯ be eradicated. Even the weapon he used was like a holy item that couldn¡¯t be destroyed.


    ¡°This was why the king had sealed him.¡±


    The essence of the god of pestilence, and his holy item was sealed by Atein¡¯s magic. It was sealed in a ce where human hands wouldn¡¯t be able to reach it... It was a frozennd located in the north. It was considered to be end of the world. Basically, it was the in of Darkness.


    ¡°No one could unravel the seal ced on the god of pestilence. However, the idea to use the holy item was developed.¡±


    However, even that wasn¡¯t easy to do. After a very long research conducted by the in of Darkness, they found a way to use it in a limited fashion.


    ¡°The power of the holy item was used to create a Cursed Disease. It¡¯s the source of the Vast Darkness.¡±


    If Sage Baion hadn¡¯t appeared, the Vast Darkness would have eradicated the humans. When the in of Darkness was about to achieve their ultimate goal, Baion had lit a beacon of hope for the humans.


    Of course, the in of Darkness tried to eliminate Baion. However, the Guardian Shadows appeared out of nowhere, and they rebuffed the in of Darkness.


    ¡°Baion¡¯s existence is still considered to be a mystery to those within the in of Darkness. He was a human, who hadn¡¯t learned magic, yet he was able to cure the disease. The in of Darkness had made the disease, but even they hadn¡¯t known how to cure it.¡±


    In the end, the in of Darkness couldn¡¯t solve this question, and they saw their mounting ambitions crumble. They suffered a big setback. Afterwards, the fierce battle between the in of Darkness and the Guardian Shadows started in the shadow of the world.... The fight was still ongoing.


    ¡°Baion and the Guardian Shadows. These two factors made the in of Darkness lose more than they had gained.¡±


    ¡°However, didn¡¯t they finish manipting information using the Vast Darkness?¡±


    ¡°Manipting information?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the Dragon Demon Qi and the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.... Then there are the information regarding the essence of Spirit Order.¡±


    ¡°That was already almostpleted before the Vast Darkness.¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    Laura started talking about the deletion of knowledge, which was conducted by the in of Darkness, to the puzzled Azell. The maniption of information in regards to the Dragon Demon Qi, Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual and the essence of Spirit Order started when the Nadick Empire started to crumble.


    ¡°The upper echelon of our organization were afraid of humanity.¡±


    The knowledge of Magic and Spirit Order wasn¡¯t shared like the other disciplines of studies. It was like martial arts where knowledge was only revealed to the disciples of one¡¯s sect. These were knowledge contained within a closed ecosystem.


    The closed nature of the information made it very easy for the in of Darkness to achieve their goal. The talented magicians and Spirit Order practitioners were killed alongside their disciples. Then the in of Darkness deleted their research. These simple steps allowed them to stop the information from being passes on to the future generation.


    ¡°Afterwards... A lot of effort was put into cutting off the knowledge of the Dragon Demon Qi and the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.¡±


    This task was only possible, because of the Great Darkness within Aincera.


    The humans could only exceed the Dragon Demons only if they gained the Dragon Demon Qi through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    The Dragon Demon war had engraved a great fear within the Dragon Demon king worshippers, so they devoted themselves to eradicating the knowledge.


    Azell clicked his tongue.


    ¡°That sounds preposterous... It was true that the Dragon Demon war was a bit of an anomaly. People willingly shared their techniques and knowledge during the war. However, I can see that such practices would have inevitablye to an end.¡±


    The continent, which had been controlled by the Nadick Empire, had been broken into seven kingdoms. This elerated the disposition of people to hoard their knowledge. As the number of foes andpetitors increased, the worth of secret techniques went up. It became something that wasn¡¯t easily shared with others.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, the Guardian Shadows didn¡¯t know about the Dragon Demon Qi either. Not all of them knew about the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.¡±


    All the questions Azell possessed now clicked into ce within his mind. He realized this was a grand conspiracy of epic proportion that had spanned much longer than a human¡¯s lifetime. He sighed.


    5


    In the end, Azell took Yuren¡¯s advice, and they changed their course. The information from the guide wasn¡¯t credible to Azell, but he felt the need to learn more about Yuren. This was worth checking out at least once.


    Yuren looked at the map, and he pointed out the location. The location was quite a way off. At the party¡¯s current speed, it would take four days.


    While they were traveling, Azell felt a bit amazed when he watched Laura.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking just in case... Is washing the dishes fun for you?¡±


    Laura was washing the dishes.


    The work of setting up the camp was divided between the party member. This work included preparing the meals and washing the dishes. Laura participated in all the chores except keeping night watch and cooking food.


    Laura was like a girl from a noble family. She was unustomed to doing misceneous work. If there were any sses or vases around, she would have already broken couple of them. However, items they brought were for traveling. They were either made out of metal or wood. Therefore, she didn¡¯t cause any irreversible mishaps.


    Laura nodded her head.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°This... I¡¯ve never done this before.¡±


    Of course, as a high ranking official within the in of Darkness, she hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to wash the dishes. All the misceneous tasks were done by her subordinates. She only had to worry about fighting.


    ¡°It is enjoyable to clean something with one¡¯s hands.¡±


    ¡°I...is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°After you became an officer, you never had the opportunity to do any of this? Aside from washing dishes, didn¡¯t you clean your room or prepare food?¡±


    ¡°All of that was taken care of by the servants.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.......¡±


    It was very odd. She had been treated inhumanely, and she had been pushed to the brink of death as she grew up. At the same time, she had been treated like a nobledy by those within the in of Darkness.


    Laura spoke as she saw her reflection on the bowl she had just cleaned.


    ¡°When I always came out into the world, it was always boring. It is fun now.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t something a hostage should say.¡±


    Azell grumbled.


    It didn¡¯t matter what he said. Laura really looked like a girl really enjoying the trip.


    In her life, she had never shared her emotions with anyone. She had never experienced this before. In the past, she was always with people, who were separated her by rank.


    When she lived in the in of the Darkness, she only derived joy from finding old records within the cold yet quiet castle. Moreover, it hadn¡¯t been too long since she had asked for stories from the unknown ¡®elder¡¯.


    She only went outside when he received a mission. Only her subordinates stayed close to her during these missions. She was revered by them as their superior, and they only talked to her about the mission. She basically stared nkly into the empty air to pass time until it was time for her to fight.


    This was why she liked her current situation. The people around her showed hostility and suspicion towards her. However, they spoke to her as equals, and she actually had people she could spend time with.


    ¡°Since I¡¯ve been born... I¡¯ve never spoken this much before..¡±


    After surrendering to Azell, she had talked a lot. Just from answering Azell¡¯s questions, she had spoken more words than she had in the past 10 yearsbined. It was very rare for Laura to converse with someone else.


    Suddenly, Laura asked a question.


    ¡°Do you think there wille a time when I¡¯m not a hostage any more?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell looked at her with aplicated expression on his face. As time passed, Laura made him feel off bnced.


    As if Laura hadn¡¯t expected an answer, she turned away. In the end, Azell couldn¡¯t say anything to her back.

 Chapter 118 - Guides Gift (4)

    Chapter 118 - Guide¡¯s Gift (4)


    6


    ¡°I think it should be around here somewhere.......¡±


    On the next morning, Yuren led the party to a cave located halfway up a mountain. The road up was winding, and numerous boulders were piled upon other. It was difficult to locate the entrance to the cave.


    ¡°Mmm. It¡¯s here. I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s supposed to be here?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Everyone looked at Yuren as if they wanted to hit him. Kairen sighed as he spoke to Leticia.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you trusted this guy enough to make him yourpanion.¡±


    ¡°...sometimes I do regret my decision. I¡¯m happy that there are more people, who feel the same way as me.¡±


    Leticia grumbled. After she started traveling with Yuren, she had be frequently annoyed by his attitude.


    Yurenughed.


    ¡°Ah, well. I just know that something good is here.... I don¡¯t know how else I should exin this. How unfortunate.¡±


    ¡°I sometimes wish you were a poor speaker. Just shut up, and lead us from the front.¡±


    When Leticia growled her words, Yuren shrugged his shoulders. He was the at the forefront of the group as he led the party into the cave. He put up a ball of light that would precede him, then he used his Flight magic to float through the air.


    ¡°The guide said there are magical traps here. It¡¯ll activate if you step on it, so please avoid doing so. I¡¯m also using a Detection magic, but there might be some traps that I might not be able to find. So everyone should be careful.... Do you mind if I ce the Flight spell on all of you?¡±


    Yuren hesitated before he asked the question. The act of cing the Flight spell on others could be seen as a precursor for him to double cross the party. While in mid-air, the Magician hadplete control over their subject, so they had no idea what he¡¯ll do.


    However, Azell didn¡¯t worry over it. He nodded his head.


    ¡°Do it.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°My sword is faster than whatever you can do.¡±


    ¡°...wow. That hurts as little bit.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say I trust you, because you haven¡¯t earned enough of my trust for me to so.¡±


    ¡°Still, couldn¡¯t you have said it in a more roundabout way?¡±


    Yuren grumbled as he ced the Flight spell on the whole party except Laura. The party entered the cave, while they floated 30 cm up in the air.


    The cave entrance was very steep. However, after a certain point, the steep slope leveled out, and the cave gradually expanded in size. Azell was astonished.


    ¡°We would have been in deep trouble if we just charged in here.¡±


    ¡°There is unquestionably a lot of magical spells ced in here.¡±


    Even Kairen was astonished. The magical traps were perfectly hidden. Still, Yuren¡¯s Detection magic revealed their existence. The spell shouldn¡¯t have revealed every one of them, but an incredible amount of traps were detected, while they traveled for 200 meters.


    This was one thing Azell could do nothing about. If he focused, he could tell that there were magic spells around him, and he could sense that the spells were dangerous. However, he couldn¡¯t give any detailed information about the magic spells. He couldn¡¯t disable them either. This was the territory of the Magicians.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure there are magic spells that aren¡¯t reacting to the Detection spell. How are you evading those?¡±


    ¡°I have the Key spell. We just have to avoid the magic spells that will activate when we step on it. We just have to avoid the area of detection. The rest....¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it is easy as you make it out to seem.¡±


    ¡°The guide gave me a sketch of the set up, and he told me the Key spell.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell looked at Yuren as if to say he found Yuren¡¯s words to be dubious. If one thought logically, Yuren or his acquaintances had probably made this ce. There was a possibility that their party was being lured into a trap....


    ¡®On the other hand, he doesn¡¯t look like the type to be good at acting.¡¯


    At this point, he really was curious about Yuren¡¯s identity. Actually, he wanted to know the identity of the guide.....


    The party continued forward. There were so many traps that the progress was slow. Still, the tension went down a notch, because they didn¡¯t encounter any danger.


    ¡°Is it around 300 meters? This ce is pretty deep.¡±


    It was hard to estimate the distance they had travelled, but Azell knew the exact distance to the entrance. However, his wariness kept increasing.


    Woo-oohng.......


    Suddenly, Azell felt a magical energy rise up from within him.


    ¡®Vitan¡¯s Chalice?¡¯


    Vitan¡¯s Chalice was reacting to something in his surrounding. It was as if it was trying to tell him something. When Azell focused on the sensation, he became aware of a fact.


    ¡°...I see.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Kairen asked a question Azell clicked his tongue.


    ¡°It¡¯s very clever. We haven¡¯t even descended 30 meters yet.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Everyone looked at Azell in surprised. Azell looked at Yuren as he asked a question.


    ¡°You knew about this?¡±


    ¡°I was curious as to when you were going to realize it. It took me awhile to realize it too... I¡¯ve been trying to ess the magic directly to open the lock... How did you find out?¡±


    ¡°The Vitan¡¯s Chalice alerted me to it. If not, I might have either found out about it at a muchter time or I might have not known about it at all.¡±


    ¡°What are you guys talking about? Please exin it to us.¡±


    Kairen was frustrated, so he spoke up. Azell spoke.


    ¡°We¡¯ve entered into a distorted space. This cave is only 30 meters long, yet the space was distorted to make us go around in circles.... It is made in a very clever way. I didn¡¯t even feel the trace of this magic.¡±


    Azell shivered. This ce was made by someone with incredible skills. This person was a high rank magician, who was able to manipte space. It was very rare to see a magician skilled enough to distort a fixed space, and mess with the sense of space. He was skillful enough to make Azell feel as if he had traveled 10 times the original distance....


    ¡®He is dangerous.¡¯


    The Vitan¡¯s Chalice was probably frustrated that its owner hadn¡¯t known what was going on, so it gave him the answer. At the same time, this put Azell on alert. He hadn¡¯t known he was inside a magic spell until he was actually in it. This meant a trap could be sprung without him knowing about it. They might already be in a trap. Azell was about to bring out the Vitan¡¯s Chalice when Yuren spoke.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to bring out your Dragon weapon. The lock has been released. I just have to open the door, and we¡¯ll be able to exit this ce.¡±


    ¡°How long has it been since you unlocked it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been about 10 minutes.¡±


    ¡°...you were watching us roam around?¡±


    ¡°I was curious as to when you¡¯ll realize it. I was going to watch you all for five more minutes then I would have released the spell.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. I thought it was a great opportunity to check out the abilities of myrades.¡±


    Azell flinched at those words. Yuren looked at Azell quizzically, and Azell saw an image superimposed on Yuren.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°...you just reminded me of someone I knew.¡±


    He had wanted to smack Yuren, and his actions reminded Azell of Carlos. Before they became best friends, Carlos always used to test Azell using various methods. Even in difficult situations he could stop at any time, Carlos just observed the situation. He watched to see how far Azell could be pushed, and he spoke in a patronizing manner when everything was wrapped up. At such times, Azell had wanted to beat up Carlos.


    At that moment, Yuren looked like Carlos. The fact that their faces looked simr added to the simrity.


    ¡®Is he really Carlos¡¯ descendant?¡¯


    Azell thought about the past, and it happened when he was in a state of confusion.


    Something suddenly stimted Azell¡¯s senses.


    ¡°...mmm?¡±


    At the same time, Yuren dispelled the magic that was distorting the space. A haze formed, and thendscape curved to form an entirely different surrounding..


    ¡°This is.......¡±


    Everyone looked at their surrounding in surprise. They were at the end of the cave before they knew it. It wasn¡¯t thatrge of a space, and in the middle, there was a pir letting out a low blue light. Within it....


    ¡°Is that a magical armor?


    There was a set of white armor arranged inside.


    Azell¡¯s expression turned peculiar when he saw it.


    ¡°This... Is this...¡±


    At that moment, Yuren stepped in front of the armor, and he spun on his heels. Then he opened his arms wide as if he was an actor from a theater troupe. He spoke dramatically.


    ¡°This is the gift that the guide wanted me to give you.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what it is?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I have no idea!¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Well, by the look of it, isn¡¯t it a really good magical armor?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.¡±


    Azell looked at the armor with aplicated expression on his face.


    At that moment, Laura spoke up.


    ¡°White Dragon armor?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Everyone turned to look at her. Laura stared at the armor as she spoke.


    ¡°This looks simr to the White Dragon armor worn by Azell Karzark.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    This was the reason why Azell had aplicated expression on his face. This armor looked like the one he had worn during the Dragon Demon war.


    7


    At the time of the Dragon Demon war, Azell had pretty much worn magic battle-gear all over his body. The White Dragon armor used Dragon¡¯s bones as framework. The Dragon¡¯s scales were melted and it wasbined with magic metal. This armor and helmet was made using these ingredients.


    ¡°White Dragon armor....¡±


    Azell approached the armor. Then he looked at his surrounding before he spoke.


    ¡°Mmm. Is it ok if I touch it?¡±


    ¡°All the magic spells were disabled. The armor might be able to determine if a person is worthy to be its owner.¡±


    ¡°It is a magic gear that has self-awareness?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. It¡¯s probably not smart. It probably has a faint instinct it can act on.¡±


    Aside from the Dragon weapons, there were magical gears out there that possessed self-awareness. They were able to choose worthy owners. It seemed this armor was such an item.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the White Dragon armor.¡±


    ¡°Huh? But... It looks the same.¡±


    Laura titled her head in puzzlement.


    ¡°You¡¯ve actually seen the White Dragon armor before?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve only seen it in the records. It is the same as the one in the recorded image.¡±


    Kairen butted into the conversation.


    ¡°I¡¯ve also seen the portrait of Azell Karzark, and the design looks simr... Why are you so sure that it isn¡¯t the real thing?¡±


    ¡°The White Dragon armor isn¡¯t an item that possess self-awareness. I¡¯m sure about that.¡±


    The White Dragon armor had not been made for Azell in the first ce. It was an equipment he stole from his enemy. When he obtained it, he had given it to the smith to resize it. However, there were no other requirements in using that particr equipment.


    ¡°However, it seems someone really made an exact replica of the White Dragon armor.¡±


    Azell carefully picked up the helmet ced on top of the armor. At the same time, something swept over his senses.


    ¡®Mmmm?¡¯


    Azsell reflexively tried to shield his senses, but he gave up on it. He realized a magical thought contained within the helmet was flowing into his senses.


    -Hmm. Can you hear my voice?


    From within Azell, someone¡¯s voice rang out.


    Azell had heard this voice once before.


    ¡®...Carlos?¡¯


    It was simr to the thought manifestation of the old Carlos he met inside the ruin of the Bn Forest. When Azell saw him, he spoke.


    ¡®You are the one, who left this behind for me. Even after you lost all your hair, you are reliable....¡¯


    -If you can hear my voice, the person to acquire this item must be Azell.


    The thought manifestation of Carlos ignored Azell¡¯s words as it spoke what it had to say.


    Azell realized it when he saw Carlos¡¯ behavior.

 Chapter 119 - Guides Gift (5)

    Chapter 119 - Guide¡¯s Gift (5)


    ¡®It is only a recording.¡¯


    Carlos¡¯ manifestation of thought left behind in the ruins of the Bn Forest was simr to a ghost. It was able to think and converse by itself. On the other hand, this was just a recording. It delivered Carlos image and voice to Azell.


    When he realized this fact, he felt disappointment wash over him. Even if it was a ghost-like manifestation, he had been excited about being able to converse with his friend.


    -That fact that you were able to acquire this.... You were able toplete two tasks, and my prediction is heading towards the most positive direction. You were able to find and acquire this item before others could find it. Moreover, you were able to obtain the map from your sleeping ce.


    In the ruins of the Bn Forest, Carlos had arranged many things for him within the sleeping ce of Azell. However, Azell hadn¡¯t been able to acquire anything except for his Dragon Maken. It would be useless to point out this fact to the manifestation, since it was only a recording.


    -I don¡¯t know how many of them are left. Please try to acquire all of them. I thought about storing everything in one location, but the risk was too high. This was why I ced the items in various locations when I had the chance. In the past, I always wondered why Magicians kept creating facilities that would be found as ruins by the future generation.... I can now understand why they did it.


    Carlos¡¯ manifestation let out a bitterugh.


    -Ah. I should tell you what this is. I designed it exactly like your White Dragon armor. However, you probably realized at a nce that this isn¡¯t your White Dragon armor.


    This was a replica of the White Dragon armor. Carlos had made it with the help of hisrades. It was a replica, but it was better than the original.


    -I spent a good amount of money making this. If you sell this, you¡¯ll be able to buy a castle easily. Ah. That doesn¡¯t mean you should sell it. Only I could have made this armor. It is something you won¡¯t be able to purchase with money.


    ¡®.......¡¯


    Azell couldn¡¯t help, butugh. There were several decades difference between this Carlos and the Carlos he had known, yet Azell couldn¡¯t believe how much he hadn¡¯t changed.


    -Azell. I hope what I left behind for you will help you face your future tribtions. My body is old, and I regret that I cannot stand by you during your time of need.


    After fulfilling its task, Carlos¡¯ mental manifestation disappeared, and Azell¡¯s consciousness returned to reality. Azell mumbled bitterly as the White Dragon armor easily epted him with no resistance.


    ¡°Me too.¡±


    8


    Azell put on the White Dragon armor immediately. He took off his leather armor, and he recited the keyword....


    Chul-kuhng! Chul-kuh-kuhng!


    The White Dragon armor broke apart into pieces, and it reformed perfectly around Azell¡¯s body. When Kairen saw this, his eyes turned round.


    ¡°Azell.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve been jealous of an item you possess.¡±


    ¡°Hoo hoo. Even if you say such words, I won¡¯t be giving this to you. I¡¯ve been a bit disappointed at the state of my own defense, but now......¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t care about that. It is an armor that can be put on and off automatically. What a revolutionary idea. Shit.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    A full body armor was always terribly difficult to put on and off Once knights put on their armor in battle, they kept it on even if they became filthy. When one¡¯s dder was about to burst, knights sometimes contemted not taking off the armor before going to the restroom. The decision came down to whether the knight wanted to lose his dignity as a human rather than go through the difficult process of taking off the armor.


    For reference, the original White Dragon armor didn¡¯t have the automatic equip function. In the past, Azell had use his Spirit Order¡¯s telekinesis skill to take off his armor. Hisziness allowed him to grow in proficiency using that skill.


    Suddenly, Laura spoke.


    ¡°It really looks the same.......¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    ¡°You look like Azell Karzark.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Unlike other people, Laura had actually seen the recorded image of Azell in the Dragon Demon war. Azell already looked eerily like the real Azell Karzark. Now he was wearing an armor of the same design, so it felt as if the figure in the record had appeared in reality.


    She spoke.


    ¡°Now that I see it, the cape is different.¡±


    ¡°This cape doesn¡¯t seem special.¡±


    During the Dragon Demon war, Azell had worn a red magic cape made out of Dragon leather. On the other hand, it seemed Carlos had made this cape using magic when he replicated the White Dragon armor. It wasn¡¯t some amazing object.


    ¡®Anyways, that guy.... Did his thought process change as he grew older? He made protections against water, heat and even dirt?¡¯


    It would be very hard to dirty this cape, since it had been treated with protection magic. Carlos had also put in an auto-equip function for the armor. Carlos had devised solutions that was strangely practical and convenient.


    ¡®In the past, he usually put performance above all else....¡¯


    This had been amonint from others when they obtained magical items made by Carlos. It felt as if one wasining on a full stomach when one was able to acquire a valuable magical item made by Carlos. However, what would happen if a person, who showcases a precision style sword art, was given a heavy and thick de for the sake of performance? Of course, people would have no choice but toin.


    ¡®How dare a mere human try to raise objection to a rare artificer like me? You don¡¯t like my magical item? I bet my magical device hates you too. Just shut up, and you adjust to the magical item. If you don¡¯t like it, I can give it to someone else. I chose to give it to you, and you are rejecting it. I¡¯ll strike you off of my waiting list. Let¡¯s see if your turnes up before the damn war is over.¡¯


    ...Carlos had been like that. It felt weird for Azell when he found out that Carlos took into consideration of the user¡¯sfort and convenience when making this item.


    Azell suddenly looked towards Yuren.


    ¡®What is he.......¡¯


    He wondered what the identity of the guide was and why did the guide know about a facility left behind by Carlos? Moreover, how was the guide able to tell Yuren about the methods needed to disable the magic spells protecting this ce?


    ¡®Maybe, this is Carlos¡¯.... Did he arrange this too?¡¯


    That thought came to him. Of course, he didn¡¯t have any evidence to support it...


    Still, he looked at Yuren, who had stated that he was Carlos¡¯ descendant. He looked so much like Carlos that Azell couldn¡¯t help, but think about Carlos from his lifetime.


    Yuren had a big smile on his face.


    ¡°What are you thinking? Do you like it?¡±


    ¡°Mmm.......¡±


    Azell had aplicated expression on his face as he looked at Yuren. He nodded his head.


    ¡°Thank you. This is the best present ever.¡±


    At the very least, he liked the present that had been prepared for him, so he was forced to admit it. There was the armor that reminded him of his past, and he had encountered the mental manifestation left behind by Carlos.....


    9


    Their business here was taken care of, so there was no reason to stay long in this ce. The party immediately exited the cave.


    ¡°You all came out much faster than I had expected. This looked like a well hidden ruin, so I worried maybe I would have to wait a couple days for you guys toe out.¡±


    A stranger was sitting on top of a boulder with his chin propped up on his hands. Azell was startled.


    ¡®Who the hell is this?¡¯


    He was most definitely a human. However, Azell hadn¡¯t sensed his presence even though they were only 10 meters apart.


    The man looked to be in his mid tote 30s. He had long brown hair and a beard. His entire body was encased in metal armor, so he looked to be a knight.


    The weird thing about him was his eyes. He had his face towards Azell, but his eyes were closed.


    ¡°Before I introduce myself... I¡¯ll prove that I don¡¯t have any ill intentions towards you.¡±


    At the same time, the sound of children whispering could be heard in the surrounding. Guardian Shadows appeared in various locations. They were wearing white robes, but there was a iprehensible darkness within the robes.


    When he saw them, Azell realized something.


    ¡®This bastard is simr to the Guardian Shadows.¡¯


    Azell was sure this man possessed a living body. However, he was able to thin his presence like the Guardian Shadows. He was able to avoid detection from Azell¡¯s senses.


    Of course, there was a condition. He had to be still. When the man stood up, his presence could be sensed by Azell. His presence was still weak, but it was detectable. Moreover...


    ¡®He is one of the Keepers of the Prophecy.¡¯


    Azell could identify a Keeper of the Prophecy at a nce now. This man was also letting out the scent of Dragon Demon magic like Leone.


    He still had his eyes closed as he approached Azell.


    ¡°I¡¯m a Keeper of the Prophecy for the Guardian Shadows. My name is Balseru. This is the first time we are meeting face to face. You are Azell Zestringer, who might be the long awaited figure from our prophecy¡±


    ¡°I.......¡±


    Azell spoke as he watched him.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it it is the Dragon Demon king worshippers or you guys. Everyone keeps attaching long and annoying disimers to my name, but I think I¡¯m getting used to it now.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, I¡¯ll shorten it. Do you mind me calling you sir Azell?¡±


    ¡°So should I be calling you sir Balseru?¡±


    ¡°You can call me whatever you want. It has been 50 years, since I¡¯vest worked as a knight.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell was taken aback by his words. Balseru looked to me in his mid-30s on the outside, yet he was that old?


    ¡°...so you are the same as Leone?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Our time stopped when we became the Keepers of the Prophecy. It has been a long time, since we¡¯ve faced our death as humans.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look like an Undead.¡±


    ¡°I do the work that can¡¯t be done by corpses.¡±


    ¡°What do you do?¡±


    ¡°You already know my answer to your question.¡±


    ¡°Basically, you won¡¯t tell me anything until you confirm that I¡¯m the prophesied person.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Well, all right. Why did youe looking for me? Are you here toin about Laura?¡±


    Azell looked at the nearby Guardian Shadows as he spoke. They were showing open hostility towards Laura. It was as if they wanted to attack Laura at that moment, and it was clear they were holding back.


    Balseru spoke.


    ¡°We are very dissatisfied, but we respect your decision. If you are revealed not to be the person in the prophecy, we¡¯ll take care of her.¡±


    ¡°Ho-oh.¡±


    ¡°At the very least, you should withdraw your killing intent since we aren¡¯t here to fight. I feel the same as all the Guardian Shadows here, and I¡¯m trying very hard not to show it.......¡±


    ¡°Your tone of voice makes it sound as if you are trying to pick a fight with me.¡±


    ¡°If it was harsh to your ears, I apologize. This is only an excuse, but all the Keepers of the Prophecy had lost everything to the Dragon Demon King worshippers. This is why it is difficult for us to act rationally in front of Dragon Demon king worshippers.¡±


    He spoke such words, but his voice was as calm as ever. This dissonance was so stark that it made Azell more wary.


    ¡°...it seems I¡¯m making you more agitated by speaking. Let¡¯s get to the main reason I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to deliver an important information. It isn¡¯t a guarantee that you¡¯ll be able to understand a Guardian Shadow, so I am here to deliver it.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    It seemed the Keepers of the prophecy were well aware of the fact that Guardian Shadows were poor messengers. Azell and Kairen agreed with this sentiment a hundred fold.


    Balseru spoke.


    ¡°The in of Darkness has revived the Dragon Demon General Reygus as an Undead. Moreover, he is powerful. He is on a different levelpared to the other Undeads.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Azell was taken aback. However, his shock couldn¡¯t bepared to the one he felt after listening to Balseru¡¯s next words.


    ¡°He asked us a question. He asked us where we are hiding Carlos.¡±


    ¡°...Carlos?¡±


    ¡°It was as if he knew Carlos was still alive in some shape or form. Do you have any conjectures regarding this issue, sir Azell?¡±


    ¡°What are you.......¡±


    Azell was dumbfounded, but Azell¡¯s gaze unconsciously fell on a single person. His gaze headed towards Yuren, who had a surprised expression on his face.

 Chapter 120 - Guides Gift (6)

    Chapter 120 - Guide¡¯s Gift (6)


    10


    It had been awhile, since Niberis had returned to the in of Darkness. The wound inflicted by Azell was so deep that it took four days for her to regain consciousness. Even after waking up, she had to refrain from moving. She had to focus only on healing.


    Two weeks had passed by like that.


    Niberis was north of the Dragon Demon castle. She was visiting the resting ce of the dead. It was where the truly revered members rested in eternal peace. These were members acknowledged by the in of Darkness


    ording to some stories she had heard before, this space had been quite deste. It was a ce where thousand soldiers could hold a parade, but only a few individuals had been buried here.


    However, one or two headstones were added as time passed. The number of graves ced here grew. Currently, there was still a lot of empty space, but there were 300 headstones here. It wasn¡¯t a small number.


    Niberis was looking for a specific headstone.


    ¡®Dragon Demon Prince¡¯s Consort Elveris¡¯


    On the bottom, there were flowery words added eulogize the dead.


    Niberis¡¯ mother was buried here. She had been much young than Saibein, and as a Dragon Demon, she had been weak in constitution. When one was part of the nobility ss in the in of Darkness, one had to carry out duties that was befitting one¡¯s station. However, her mother was unable to do anything. All she could do was wither away in the coldnd, which was separated from the rest of the world.


    Niberis remembered the story told to her by her mother when she was young.


    ¡®This might be silly for me to say, but your father was very prince-like. The humans tell of a prince on a white horse in their stories. You father was that prince on a white horse.¡¯


    In Niberis¡¯ memories, Elveris had always lookedbored and tired. Her weak constitution wasn¡¯t the only cause behind this. She had always lived with immense pressure ced on her. She was of high station, yet she couldn¡¯t carry out her duties. There was always pressure from the outside for her to bear more children.


    When she was young, Niberis had lived a carefree lifepared to Kieren and Jeffers. Niberis was only child between Saibein and Elveris. This was why she didn¡¯t have to fight others to ascend to her position as the heir. Moreover, her father hadn¡¯t been strict, and he didn¡¯t want her to suffer by witnessing death and suffering.


    Despite this fact, Niberis insisted on living a difficult life even at an early age.


    Niberis witnessed the elders berate her mother. They didn¡¯t hesitate to speak insulting words like how she should be propagating the great bloodline by having more children if she couldn¡¯t fulfil her other duties. It lit a fire inside Niberis¡¯ young heart whenever she heard those words. The ancient and honorable blood flowed through Niberis¡¯ veins. If she proved her ability, she had thought her mother would no longer hear such words.... She had thought that.


    Elveris spoke.


    ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for your father, I would have died much earlier. In the past, I felt as if I was living in a cold prison. However, after meeting your father, I was able to breathe for the first time.¡¯


    Saibein had been a kind man.


    The marriage between the two individuals had been a pure political match. Saibein had been born before the Dragon Demon war, but Elveris had been born after the surviving remnant of the Dragon Demon army settled in the in of Darkness. There was an age gap of 100 years between the two. Moreover, Saibein hadn¡¯t even known what she had looked like until the marriage ceremony was underway.


    Still, Saibein came to love Elveris, who had be his wife. His love was reflected in his actions. He didn¡¯t hesitate to act like a fool just to make herugh.


    When Elveris died, Saibein went missing. When Niberis awoke from her slumber, she had learned the tragic news that her mother had died, and her father had gone missing.


    ¡®Mother, I..... I lost the person left behind by father.¡¯


    Niberis spoke to her mother¡¯s grave inside her heart.


    ¡®He always tried to give me everything I wanted... I couldn¡¯t do anything for him.¡¯


    After she had lost her parents, Niberis¡¯ heart had frozen over. She had given her affection to noone. She acted cold and ruthless towards others as she moved towards the power that was her birthright.


    However, a crack had formed on the cold castle wall that had been protecting her heart. She had lost to Azell in a way that didn¡¯t leave any room for doubt, and she had lost Duran. She didn¡¯t know what to do right now.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Niberis was deep in her thoughts when she flinched. A very bleak energy reached her senses.


    <Hmmm.>


    It was a voice that was unique to the Undead. It sounded fiendish. Niberis¡¯ eyes turned towards the source of the voice, and she saw a big Dragon Demon undead, who dwarfed all Dragon Demons. He was over 3 meters tall.


    <It seems I¡¯ve disturbed you. I¡¯m sorry.>


    An Undead that looked like a Skeleton Knight was being very careful with his words. It was somehow a bit gross. However, Niberis quickly calmed her agitation as she gracefully gave her greeting.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, sir Reygus.¡±


    Therge Undead was none other than the legend from the Dragon Demon war. He was the Dragon Demon general Reygus.


    Reygus had been about to scratch his cheek when his hand paused in mid-air.


    <Ah. Damn it. I can¡¯t fix my habits.>


    He had been awake as an Undead for a good amount of time now, but the habits he had in life appeared naturally. He awkwardly dropped his hand as he spoke.


    <You are prince Saibein¡¯s daughter? You are Ms Niberis?>


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    <It is a pleasure to meet you. I¡¯m Reygus.>


    This was the first time the two of them had met. However, everyone within the in of Darkness knew about Reygus. This was why she was able to identify him at a nce.


    <Actually, I¡¯m here, because I wanted to ask you about something.... It seems this isn¡¯t the right time to do so. I¡¯ll meet you at ater date.>


    ¡°You wanted to speak to me?¡±


    Niberis looked at him in confusion.


    What did he want to ask her?


    Reygus didn¡¯t speak as his stride quickly brought him near the headstone. He mumbled to himself.


    <I¡¯m a corpse walking through amongst the graves. It is funny... On the other hand, there are a lot of name here that I know.>


    The first to be buried here were the surviving forces of the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army. These were the beings, who died after returning to the in of Darkness. However, as time passed, those who died an honorable death in the Dragon Demon war was ce here as a way to respects them. Their corpses weren¡¯t buried here, but they felt duty bound pay tribute to them.


    The silence went on for a while.


    Reygus turned away as he spoke.


    <I¡¯m sorry I bothered you. I¡¯ll find you again at a more suitable location.>


    ¡°No... We can speak.¡±


    Niberis also turned away from the headstone as she spoke.


    ¡°Let us have the conversation somewhere else.¡±


    <Thank you.>


    Reygus walked away as he took big strides. He suddenly turned around to look at her.


    <Ah. Damn it. I keep forgetting I walk unnecessarily fast. Whether in life or death, that hasn¡¯t changed.>


    Reygus had been a mountain of a man, so he walked very quickly with his long strides. In the past, his lieutenant Chanes had to run to keep up with him. Reygus still had this habit, so even at his old age, Chanes had to run to keep up with him.


    Reygus didn¡¯t care if a males had difficulty keeping up with him or not. However, he wanted to be respectful towards this youngdy.


    The two of them left the final resting ce of the dead, and they started walking. They walked across arge hallway that was flowing with cold air. Niberis asked a question.


    ¡°What would you like to hear from me?¡±


    <It¡¯s just that.... I heard you inherited prince Saibein¡¯s ¡®Book of Darkness.¡¯>


    At his words, Niberis flinched. Everyone in the in of Darkness knew about it, so she didn¡¯t have a good reason to react this way. However, she felt aplicated emotion wash over her as she remembered the old memories she had thought about in front of her mother¡¯s grave.


    Reygus spoke.


    <From your report, you weren¡¯t able to meet prince Saibein.>


    ¡°...yes.¡±


    This had urred before Laura was sent out to kidnap Seigar. Niberis received orders from her elders to to search for her missing father Saibein. After she conducted a diligent search, she had found a trace leading her to his whereabouts.


    However, it wasn¡¯t easy to approach this location. It was one of thend of demons. It was a ce that was known to be difficult to prate akin to the in of Darkness. The elders attempted to send in troops into thisnd several times to find Saibein. In the end, all of them went missing or they returned as corpses.


    It was a very dangerous mission, yet there were two reason why she was chosen. Niberis was Saibein¡¯s daughter, and she was talented enough to extract herself from danger.


    However, Niberis wasn¡¯t able to meet Saibein in the end.


    ¡°You probably heard this already.... It really was a strange event.¡±


    <A Dragon delivered your Dragon Weapon. I¡¯ve been briefed on it.>


    ¡°It was a Water Dragon.¡±


    A Water Dragon lived in a body of water, and it could freely control the flow of water. This being had appeared in front of her, and it delivered Saibein¡¯s Dragon weapon to her.


    ¡°It was as if I was dreaming. I never expected such a thing to be possible. However... The water dragon retreated, and the Book of Darkness was passed on to me. I could feel the faint imprint of my father¡¯s thought resting within it.¡±


    It delivered his will for her to take the book. It also told her to return to where she came from. The voice didn¡¯t have any substance. It was a feeling that was delivered to her, so it was hard to tell if Saibein was still alive.


    Still, she felt the urge to follow his instruction. Niberis returned to the in of Darkness with only the Book of Darkness to show for her efforts.


    <I see.......>


    Reygus¡¯ voice was filled with sadness. Now that he had talked to her directly, he confirmed that Niberis had not been lying.


    <Thank you for telling me your story. I want to apologize again for disturbing you during such an important time. I¡¯ll...>


    ¡°Wait a moment.¡±


    Niberis grabbed him. Reygus turned to look at her, and she couldn¡¯t decipher his emotions. Niberis asked as she looked into the eye sockets of the skull.


    ¡°Do you know if humans.......¡±


    <Humans?>


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the past. When the king conducted his holy war to right the world order.....¡±


    Niberis hesitated for a moment as she brought up a story regarding the Dragon Demon war. She had grabbed Reygus on impulse, but she was unsure if she should ask this question. However, her curiosity won out.


    ¡°...did humans use an insulting title to refer to my father?¡±


    <Which insulting title are you talking about?>


    ¡°That is.......¡±


    Niberis hesitated once again. When she heard the title for the first time, she felt so angry that it felt as if her blood was flowing in the wrong direction. She felt humiliated by the fact that she would have to repeat such words with her own mouth.


    ¡°Simpleton Prince....¡±


    <.......>


    Reygus was speechless for a moment. Niberis was embarrassed as she looked at him. However, she had no idea what the Undead was thinking. She couldn¡¯t read his expression.


    After a brief moment, Reygus asked in a harsh tone.


    <Who told Miss about that title?>

 Chapter 121 - Specters from the Past (1)

    Chapter 121 - Specters from the Past (1)


    1


    The light, which was reflecting off the surface of the water, was dancing on the walls of the cave. The uneven surface of the wall had been created by the hands of nature, and a mysterious sight could be seen as the light undted on the surface of wall.


    Leone was watching this sight inside his dream. It was as if he was mesmerized.


    However, he was aware. He knew he had never been to this ce, and he had never seen this sight in real life.


    So where did this memory originate? Was this an illusion created by his dream?


    That wasn¡¯t it.


    This site existed somewhere on this world. He was sure of it.


    Moreover....


    <Another empty seat has been filled..>


    Someone was speaking from within the light. It was a bleak voice. It was as if someone had squeezed the dregs of darkness. It felt as if one¡¯s life span would shorten just from listening to that voice.


    How could someone from this world possess such a voice?


    Leone wondered about this question. However, when he saw the owner of the voice, he forgot to breathe from the surprise.


    A faint light danced above the water gathered inside the cave. The fragment of light looked like fireflies flying through the midsummer night, but one couldn¡¯t see where the light originated. They were so faint that they looked as if they were about to be swallowed by the darkness. However, they were like flowers that wilted in the cold winter air before they bloomed once again in season. The fragments of light were beautiful and ephemeral.


    In the middle of this view, a silhouette wrapped up in darkness existed.


    Strangely, Leone couldn¡¯t see his face. The fragments of light in the surrounding brushed by this figure, but he couldn¡¯t what was beneath the well-worn hood.


    He spoke.


    <Congrattions. You¡¯ve been cursed.>


    Leone was more focused on his appearance rather than his nonsensical words. The figure was submerged half in the water, so he looked beyond bizarre.


    The well-worn robe covered his entire body, and it looked as if something was deeply embedded in its chest. At first, Leone thought it was a sword. However, the end was round. It was a wooden staff with a clear gem transfixed to the end. This wooden staff pierced through the figure¡¯s chest, and darkness was emanating from there.


    Moreover, there was an oblong pir made out of silver behind its back. ck chains bound him to the silver pir, and one could see darkness crawling across the surface to form words. Darkness emanated from the characters as if it was a manifestation of a curse. It made Leone¡¯s skin crawl.


    Leone asked a question.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    <You don¡¯t need to know.>


    He answered.


    <We¡¯ve never met before, and we¡¯ll never meet even in the future. You, who wanted to be cursed, will never have the opportunity to meet me if you attain your wish. If you do not attain your wish, you won¡¯t have a reason to meet me either.>


    ¡°But.......¡±


    <You¡¯ve never been to this ce, and you will never return here again. >


    His words rang like thunder in Leone¡¯s ears, and the dream ended there.


    ¡°Mmm.......¡±


    The Guardian Shadow¡¯s Keeper of Prophecy Leone opened his eyes. He had seen this ceiling for several days, so he was used to it. He nkly stared up at the ceiling, and soon, he realized his body was soaked with cold sweat.


    ¡°I hate this. I always have this dream when I¡¯m in a bad spot.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean your first memory? Isn¡¯t that a good thing? Isn¡¯t it proof that you are still alive?¡±


    ¡°Why are you here, brat Jares?¡±


    ¡°When you acted like azy bag of bones by not waking up in the afternoon, the youngdy pestered me to look in on you. How did you bewitch her? She is a beautifuldy from a good bloodline. There is something wrong about her being enamored with the likes of you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t act arrogant like you.¡±


    Leone snorted as he got up.


    He was in a house of a person, who owed him a favor. After suffering a crushing defeat at the hands of Reygus, they had requested help from the nearby Guardian Shadows to help them evade their enemies. After losing their pursuers, they hade here to rest.


    Jares shrugged his shoulder as if he couldn¡¯t understand it.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been going around acting as an agent of justice. You must have a lot of spare time.¡±


    ¡°Unlike you, the feeling of justice is still alive and well inside my heart.¡±


    ¡°...isn¡¯t that a low quality joke?¡±


    ¡°When I see your ugly mug, I can onlye up with low quality jokes. Anyways, it is advantageous for us to rescue people when we have the time to spare. Currently, we are reaping the reward for what I did before.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t deny that logic. Should I go around and do some good deeds?¡±


    ¡°With your personality? It¡¯ll be impossible.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t dispute that fact. Hmm. What do you think he is, brat?¡±


    ¡°When you say he, who are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The guy in our dreams. He¡¯s probably the guy, who made us into what we are.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a mage. He¡¯s probably someone very talented that remained hidden from the world. Moreover, he probably has a very deep grudge against the Dragon Demon king worshippers that can¡¯t be washed away....¡±


    ¡°My thoughts are a little bit different from yours.¡±


    ¡°You probably tried toe up with an unconventional answer to show off to others. If so, you are barking up the wrong tree.¡±


    ¡°...the fact that I can¡¯t categorically deny your usation makes me feel a bit sad. Anyways, what do you think about my theory? What if he¡¯s a Demon?¡±


    Jares grumbled. Leone furrowed his brows.


    ¡°Demon. What led you to have to have such a thought?¡±


    ¡°No matter how I look at it, all of this couldn¡¯t have been created by a human. The Demon race loves powerful souls of humans. Don¡¯t they reveal knowledge to humans to lead them to their destruction?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Then why would a Demon make the Guardian Shadows?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not a magician. I¡¯m not too familiar with the Demons.... If you think about it, it might be a very clever ploy. The other Demons have to work on one subject at a time. Instead of convincing one person to make a contract, I think this Demon created a big farm that will bring him a continuous flow of souls to harvest.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. I¡¯m not sure what you are trying to say.¡±


    ¡°First, the Demon race corrupts humans as they lead them down the road to destruction Let¡¯s talk about that point. I¡¯m not sure how they measure how strong a soul is....¡±


    ¡°You speak as if you are some great magician with knowledge about this subject.¡±


    ¡°Well, I learned about it, while I studied about magic. Anyways, humans have a vast quantity of desires, and it¡¯s a reason why they fall prey to the Demons. When I say desires, there are different types of desires. Most humans desire sess in society. Martial artists desire to be stronger. Magicians wants to gain forbidden knowledge that¡¯ll put them above other magicians. Those in love wants to possess the subject of their affection. The people with grudges wants revenge..... If one looks at the record, the ones with the biggest desires are the ones, who be tempted by the Demons.¡±


    ¡° I see. You¡¯ve studied hard.¡±


    ¡°You should focus on two things. First, a Demon has to have a direct rtionship with the fallen. The soul can only be taken by the Demon, who corrupted the human. Secondly, in the process of corrupting the humans, the Demons are negligent in what they give out.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I can see what you are thinking. You think a Demon created a system called the Guardian Shadows by using humans with deep resentments. So you are saying this system is being used to harvest souls that are about to be destroyed?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I call it the farm of ruination.¡±


    ¡°It does sound usible even if this was something you came up with it. Still, how are you defining what ¡®ruination¡¯ is? In a typical story about the Demon race, they are very nuanced in their approach. They make humans abandon morality as the price of sess. One by one humanity is stripped away from the human, and it leads to the fall.....¡±


    ¡°In my opinion, that is an interpretation created, so it can be easily digested by the masses. Not all rtionships that existed between humans and demons were known to the world. In the end, the process doesn¡¯t matter. They just need to bring about a result that fits the word, ¡®ruination¡¯.¡±


    ¡°You have a point. If the contract only says ¡®ruination¡¯, the word could be up for interpretation. If you put it that way, your argument does seem to have some merit.¡±


    ¡°Even if it is true, it has nothing to with us.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±


    It was the same for all the Keepers of the Prophecy. They didn¡¯t care how they had acquired their power. It didn¡¯t matter if their power was given to them by a magician using a forbidden technique or an evil magician aiming for their souls. If they could eliminate the Dragon Demon king worshippers from this world, they would willingly hold hands with the devil.


    Leone spoke in exasperation.


    ¡°How bored were you? You studied about the Demon race toe up with this nonsense. Moreover, even if you theory is true, it wouldn¡¯t exin the prophecy.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why the Demon race wants the human souls in the first ce, so I can¡¯t exin that. However....¡±


    ¡°That information is already known.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°This is the problem with a non-mage like you. It isn¡¯t as if you are great at Spirit Order either... Why don¡¯t you go into a mountain to train? You should train as if you life is on the line.¡±


    ¡°If I could have gotten stronger doing that, I would have already be a legendary swordsman.¡±


    ¡°I thought you just didn¡¯t put in the effort. You should look at Azell Zestringer. He was able to catch a Dragon after training in Spirit Order for half a year.¡±


    ¡°If everyone could do what he did, Dragons would have already gone extinct early on. Well, let¡¯s stop talking about useless topics. So why do Demons collect human souls?¡±


    ¡°Do you know about the origin story of the Dragon Demon race?¡±


    ¡°They were born from the union of the dimwitted Dragons and the cunning Demons.¡±


    ¡°Yes. The answer is right in front of you. The Dragons wanted knowledge. What did the Demons want?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. They wanted the Dragon¡¯s power?¡±


    ¡°As expect, you are dumb, brat Jares. Since you were spouting some usible conjectures, for a moment, I thought you were smart. I was foolish for thinking that.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°The Demons desires substance. They thirst for the opportunity to be able to live in this world as true inhabitants of this world. This fundamental reason makes the Demons act in such an irrational manner.¡±


    ¡°In what way?¡±


    ¡°They hate the living, yet they thirst to live amongst the living. This thirst was the impetus for them to join with the Dragons to create the Dragon Demon race... Then they started working on obtaining human souls.¡±


    ¡°I understand the first part of your exnation, but you are losing me towards the end. What difference does it make for them to possess human souls? Will they be able to live their lives as humans?¡±


    ¡°That I do not know.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°I just know that Demons get some sort of satisfaction from gaining a human¡¯s soul. If you want a more concrete answer, you¡¯ll have to risk your life to deal with the Demon race. Or you can steal knowledge from the ck Magicians, who have gained some result from researching the Demons.¡±


    ¡°Why did you say steal?¡±


    ¡°For a magician, knowledge is life. Moreover, the ck Magicians have no problem throwing away morality and duty of being a human. That is why one has no choice, but to steal the information from them.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.......¡±


    Leone asked a question, while Jares thought about what had been said.


    ¡°What do you think about him?¡±


    ¡°He made us..... You aren¡¯t talking about him. Do you mean Azell Zestringer?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I have no idea. In the beginning, the evidence pointed him out to be the prophesied being. However, if what we learned from Azell Zestringer is true, it isn¡¯t too hard for humans to obtain the power of a Dragon.¡±


    ¡°You say it isn¡¯t difficult, but you aren¡¯t able to do it. Maybe you should just fall on your sword in shame.¡±


    ¡°Hmmph. Anyways, there were other humans like Azell Zestringer before the Guardian Shadows were created. This is why our initial criteria for finding the prophesied being won¡¯t prove that he is a unique existence.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, you are right. However, he is special.¡±


    ¡°He is like a Demon.¡±


    ¡°In what way?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know his identity, and he is overflowing with knowledge of unknown origin. Moreover, all the knowledge he revealed was being treated as something sensitive in nature by the Dragon Demon king worshippers.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. When you put it like that, I do see the parallel.¡±


    ¡°Do you think he is the person mentioned in the prophecy?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Have youpletely made up your mind?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. However, the more I see of him... I feel a sense of longing.¡±


    ¡°Me too. It is as if I¡¯ve seen him somewhere before. It might be the fact that he looks almost identical to the portrait of Azell Karzark.¡±


    ¡°That might be it. However, there is an echo of a longing in side me for him. It is as if I¡¯m meeting a long lost family member.¡±


    ¡°Hmm... Did you live so long that you¡¯ve be crazy? Did you remember something about your family? ¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I can only remember that my sister¡¯s death was incredibly sad for me. Aside from that, I remember nothing...¡±


    Leone let out a bitterugh. He was sure he had a sister he had treasured. He would have given up his life to protect her... However, he had been helpless to save her as he watched her die.


    The grudge he possessed allowed him to be the Guardian Shadow¡¯s Keeper of Prophecy. As a price for bing one, he had lost all memories of her. He couldn¡¯t even remember her face.


    The only thing left was the asional sound of herugh that tickled his ears. This sound was the only connection he had to his memories, and it allowed Leone to hold on to his humanity.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what Balseru is thinking.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. I¡¯ve never been able to discern what Alpha is thinking....¡±


    Balseru was the Keeper of the Prophecy, who went to seek out Azell. He was their leader, and he was given the code name Alpha. This didn¡¯t mean he was the first Keeper of Prophecy. The very first Alpha had perished, and Balseru smoothly assumed that position. He was considered to be unique even amongst the Keepers of the Prophecy.


    Leone was supposed to go, but he had received a severe injury. Alpha had gone in his stead. He went to confirm an important fact. Alpha hadn¡¯t moved even when they had mobilized a Dragon to test Azell. So Leone wonder why Alpha insisted taking on this task. However, Leone predicted that the meeting between Alpha and Azell would be an important watershed moment.


    ¡°Maybe we are all... The end to our existence might be getting closer.¡±


    ¡°I hope you are right. Still, I don¡¯t think your expectations wille true.¡±


    Jares grumbled.

 Chapter 122 - Specters from the Past (2)

    Chapter 122 - Specters from the Past (2)


    2


    Azell was nowpletely limatized with the Dragon Weapon named Vitan¡¯s Chalice. He didn¡¯t feel any difort at the prospect of using the Vitan¡¯s Chalice in battle. He even sparred Kairen, who had be frustrated at his absence from the sparring sessions.


    Leticia spoke.


    ¡°It was frightening and unbearable to see a man child, who¡¯s over 100 years old, throw a tantrum. Thankfully the nanny came back from his vacation.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha ha. I thought you enjoyed it.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t deny that fact, but that man doesn¡¯t need to know the extent of my enjoyment.¡±


    Leticia snorted.


    Kairen sparred with Azell until he was exhausted, and he went away to wash himself.


    From that point on, Leticia started to spar with Azell. Azell had focused his attention on Vitan¡¯s Chalice for a good amount of time, so he was a bit impatient at that moment.


    The sword lightly exchanged blows with the spear as if they were probing each other. Then their exchanges kept increasing in speed. The speed had increased so much that a normal person wouldn¡¯t be able to follow what was urring. Then they released their magical energy. A battle between Spirit Order and the Dragon Arts had started.


    As they were exchanging mental waves in a remarkable manner, Leticia let out a sharp stab with her spear.


    Pah-gahk!


    When it looked as if her cross spear was about to sh against Azell¡¯s Dragon Sword, Azell elerated as he tilted himself. He used his shoulder armor to hit the shaft of the spear. As the spear was thrown off its path, he stopped on a dime to do a roundhouse kick.


    His attack had totally caught her by surprise, but Leticia remained calm. She jumped into the air as she avoided the kick. Her body spun in the air as she aimed for Azell¡¯s head with the part of her spear, which held no edge.


    Instead of deflecting or dodging, he dashed towards her again. At the same time, his body blurred. She faced with two opponentsing at her from both sides. She couldn¡¯t differentiate between the clone and the real body.


    ¡°I was wondering when you¡¯ll use that... Are you nning on attacking in earnest?¡±


    A white frigid energy rose up from Leticia¡¯s body. She knew Azell¡¯s clones possessed substance. This was why it was pointless to waste energy in figuring out which one was the real one. She¡¯ll just seal the movement of both of them!


    Pah-ahhhhhhhng!


    The cold air exploded forth, and the surrounding froze. Leticia was about to retreat backwards as she used a linked attack. However, she saw something unbelievable before she could do anything.


    ¡°...how did you do that?¡±


    Azell had pierced through the cold air, and the tip of his sword was right in front of her nose. She had just caused the explosion of cold air, so she assumed she had bought a moment of reprieve. When she started to move, he took her by surprise. She had experienced all sorts of hardships through battle, yet she couldn¡¯t do anything against his attack.


    Azell spoke as he put away his sword.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t try to discern which was the real body. You were decisive, but you shouldn¡¯t put too much trust in your area of effect attack. A tough opponent can just brute force his way through, and an opponent with good senses can read the flow of power to avoid it.¡±


    ¡°You still haven¡¯t answered by question.¡±


    ¡°It was simple. I knew your Dragon Arts had the property of coldness. I just needed to change the property of my magical energy to match yours.¡±


    This was the same as the instion method he used against an opponent, who enjoyed using electric attack. He wrapped himself with magical energy, which had the property of coldness. An attack of this strength wouldn¡¯t be able to harm him.


    Leticia flinched in surprise when she heard Azell continue to speak.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t use this method against high ranking magicians. You probably had a lot of fun using it against Spirit Order practitioners and the Dragon Arts practitioner.... Moreover, there are others out there that can change the properties of magical energy like me.¡±


    Azell¡¯s voice emanated from behind her. Soon, the Azell in front of her dissipated, and she was struck dumb by a realization.


    ¡°Incarnation.... I¡¯ve heard about it, but now that I¡¯ve experienced it for myself, it leaves me bbergasted.¡±


    Azell had pointed his sword in front of her face, yet it had only been the clone created using the ¡®Dance of Shadow¡¯. He had also used this method against Niberis before. His clone possessed the property of the element used by his opponent. While his clone conducted a surprise attack, he hid his real body in an attempt to find the next opportunity to attack.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I guess not many people uses this technique anymore. Is this the same in the in of Darkness?¡±


    ¡°It holds true there to my knowledge. I wasn¡¯t able to climb too high in their hierarchy, so I can¡¯t be sure.....¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    Even during the Dragon Demon war, there were hardly anyone, who used the Incarnation technique. A much smaller pool of people were able to use it in a proficient manner. Aside from Azell, there had been only three people, who were able to use Incarnation in a proficient manner.


    There was the alliance¡¯s best technician and vertan knight Duke Croix Nidel. The rest were Almarick, who was one of the four Dragon Demon Generals, and...


    Dragon Demon king Atein.


    ¡®Well, it was a technique that was very discerning on who could use it.¡¯


    Aside from the difficulty of the technique, there were other criterias that determine which users could use the technique. Even if one was able to do the Incarnation, it didn¡¯t mean the user was always stronger than the others.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Anyways, now that I¡¯ve fought you, it made me feel more confused.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Your Dragon Demon Qi is really... It simr to the one I know.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say your teacher was a Dragon Demon named Reshoo?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He was my fourth teacher.¡±


    ¡°You had a lot of teachers.¡±


    ¡°There were five in total. Well, it is a bit dubious to call that old man a teacher....¡±


    Azell¡¯s fourth teacher was Dragon Demon Reshoo. Reshoo¡¯s status was a bit ambiguous, since he was neither an enemy nor an ally. Then there was Duke Croix Nidel. He was Azell¡¯s fifth andst teacher.


    Leticia asked a question.


    ¡°You said the Dragon Demon named Reshoo taught you how to handle the power of Dragons. What did you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Is it my turn to receive questions from you?¡±


    ¡°If I don¡¯t start getting some answers in return, it feels as if I¡¯m sustaining too much of a loss.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll acknowledge that. Mmm. Reshoo was a first generation Dragon Demon.¡±


    ¡°A first generation Dragon Demon.... Those who walk on thisnd without parents?¡±


    ¡°I guess some call them that. They possess peerless power whenpared to the other Dragon Demons.¡±


    From Azell¡¯s memory, no one was more powerful than Reshoo in terms of Dragon Demon magic. If one was measuring only the quantity of Dragon Demon magic one possessed, even Dragon Demon king Atein was weaker than Reshoo. Reshoo¡¯s use of power was almost identical to the Dragons, so he didn¡¯t have to use techniques of the Dragon Arts. He could use his will to wield his power, and he was able to produce cmitous results.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he the type of being able to wield his power using just his sense?¡±


    ¡°He was. Well, when he acted as a teacher for me, he learned a lot of technique from me. Afterwards, he changed a lot, but his fundamental characteristics remained the same.¡±


    ¡°Did he use a weapon?¡±


    ¡°No, he always insisted that his body was the best weapon for him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the difference bes more stark as you speak. From my memories, I¡¯ve never seen my teacher use powerful Dragon Demon magic. He might have been strong, but he never revealed it to me. Moreover, he never wasted his power unnecessarily. For example, he gave me a drill where I had to receive drops of water....¡±


    ¡°You participated in a drill where you had to receive drops of water?¡±


    ¡°It is a training where I stab quickly with my spear. The de of spear won¡¯t disperse the falling drops of water, and my spear would receive the drops of water intact. This is only possible if one is able to finely control one¡¯s magical energy.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Why are you making such an expression?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. You said you learned how to control the power of Dragons. What does that entail?¡±


    ¡°It is as the words imply. Originally, humans do not possess Dragon Demon magic. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°When a human awakens to one¡¯s magic, one develops a new sense and power. One has to through a lot of hardship to train it. Let us say one trains in the magical energy until it¡¯s like controlling a limb. What if this existing power if changed into apletely different power?


    What will happen?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.......¡±


    Leticia spoke after thinking over his words for a moment.


    ¡°...your senses will be confused since it¡¯s used to handling normal magical energy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. This is the inevitable trap for those who gain Dragon Demon magic through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. On top of that, it isn¡¯t as if one¡¯s magical energy converts into Dragon Demon magic in an instantaneous manner. The properties of magical energy slowly takes on the properties of Dragon Demon magic. This adds to the difficulty. If one thinks of developing magical energy as growing a new limb, then the magical energy changing into Dragon Demon magic is like one¡¯s limb turning into something different and weird. Of course, the performance of this limb is better, but what if an extra joint, a finger or the range of motion appears....¡±


    Even now Azell¡¯s magical energy had not changed entirely into Dragon Demon magic. From Azell¡¯s experience, it would take at least two more Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual topletely change his magical energy into Dragon Demon Magic. He would have to go through the process ofpletely processing the power of the Dragons.


    ¡°If one is sloppy in the process of gaining Dragon Demon magic, one¡¯s own senses could be out of joint. What would you do if that urred?¡±


    ¡°I would try to expand my normal senses, and I¡¯ll put my effort into learning how to wield a new weapon.¡±


    ¡°It is as I¡¯ve said before. You are very outstanding in terms of understanding techniques.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t treat me as if I¡¯m your student. You are only a young human.¡±


    ¡°It was an innocentpliment. Anyways, that¡¯s the problem.¡±


    When one obtains a new power, one had to maintain one¡¯s prior senses as one expanded control over the power. This allows one to be able take advantage of the merit of the new power as one became stronger. However...


    ¡°It isn¡¯t enough. The feel of the techniques has to be built back up from the bottom.¡±


    When he obtained the Dragon Demon magic for the first time, Azell had used the Dragon Demon magic to increase the efficacy of his techniques.


    For example, when he normally tried to make a me sword, he coated his magical energy over the de. This was done so his de wouldn¡¯t lose its edge from the fire. Then he had to make sure a constant energy was provided as fuel for the me. He had used abination of these two magic conjuration to form the me on the outside. However, after he acquired the Dragon Demon magic, he could directly create a me over the sword.


    ¡°Reshoo asked me why I used such an idiotic method.¡±


    When Reshoo saw the result of Azell¡¯s technique, he had a puzzled expression on his face. He asked why Azell hadn¡¯t created a me that doesn¡¯t damage the edge of the sword.


    ¡°...it sounded ridiculous. What do you think about his idea?¡±


    ¡°From my point of view, he gave a logical response. Of course, it is possible to do that.¡±


    ¡°This is the difference between someone who was born with the Dragon Demon magic and a person who had acquired it.¡±


    Would he really be able to create a me that burned one¡¯s target, while the de remained unburnt?


    The users of magical energy thought about protecting the item before setting the item on fire. On the other hand, the users of Dragon Demon magic just made a me that didn¡¯t burn selected targets.


    It sounded ridiculous, but one could create this phenomena using just one¡¯s will. One could use Image Making to achieve the desired result.


    ¡°Reshoo taught me about my problems, so I had to rebuild my techniques from the ground up. While I was doing this, Reshoo learned as many systematized techniques he could.¡±


    ¡°Basically, it wasn¡¯t a one-sided rtionship. Are you saying you guys were each other¡¯s teacher?¡±


    ¡°It was like that for Reshoo and the old man, who was my fifth teacher.¡±


    Azell smiled as he reminisced over the past.


    His fifth teacher was Duke Croix Nidel. At the time, he was known as the living encyclopedia in the world of Spirit Order. He possessed expansive knowledge, and at the same time, he had the skill to utilize all the techniques. At the time, Azell had been learning any techniques he could scrounge up. When Azell met him, he was able to find learn about the frightening power of learning techniques, while having a clear-cut root to his skills.


    As rpense, Azell taught him about handling Dragon Demon magic. Croix Nidel was advanced in age, so he had been very set in his ways. However, he was able to gain enlightenment. He even came up with the technique where one was able to use multiple Dragon Demon weapons at the same time. It had been something only the Dragon Demon king Atein could do up until that point.


    Azell didn¡¯t give much details on Croix Nidel to Leticia. Still, she was surprised just from the fact that he had been a better technician than Azell.


    ¡°They are quite interesting figures. Could you perhaps tell me what the Dragon Demon named Reshoo looked like?¡±

 Chapter 123 - Specters from the Past (3)

    Chapter 123 - Specters from the Past (3)


    ¡°They are quite interesting figures. Could you perhaps tell me about what the Dragon Demon named Reshoo looked like?¡±


    ¡°His hair color was very unique. It was a metallic blue color.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t a color that appears normally amongst humans. No, it is hard to find such coloring even amongst the Dragon Demons.....¡±


    ¡°What about your teacher?¡±


    ¡°He has ck hair.¡±


    ¡°He definitely isn¡¯t the one from my memories. Still, the more I see of your Dragon Arts it reminds me of Reshoo. This also applies to your training method..¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the training method where one receives the drops of water. I taught Reshoo that drill. Of course, I told Reshoo to do it with his kicks.¡±


    ¡°What an interesting coincidence.¡±


    ¡°Well, it is a training method easily devised by anyone. I guess it can happen.¡±


    Moreover, Reshoo could have taught the drill to someone else, while Azell was asleep. Maybe Leticia¡¯s teacher learned it from Reshoo.


    Still, Azell couldn¡¯t stop thinking about it. Leticia¡¯s martial arts, the way she used her Dragon arts and the basic philosophy she followed was almost identical to thest time he saw Reshoo. If she waspletely unrted to him, she wouldn¡¯t make him have such a visceral reaction.


    ¡®Of course, it could just be a coincidence....¡¯


    Azell let out a bitterugh. He was obsessing over this problem, because he wanted to meet Reshoo if he was still alive. Reshoo was a Dragon Demon, who hadn¡¯t paid attention to the Dragon Demon war. If one factored in the fact that he was a first generation Dragon Demon, he could still be alive. Azell wanted to meet him.


    Azell had been thrown into the future by himself. It was a span of 220 years. Of course, he would obsess over someone, who had lived in the same era as him.


    3


    Azell¡¯s party was moving at high speed.


    It had been 10 days since he acquired the White Dragon armor. The party followed the guide¡¯s instruction, and they travelled in a straight line for 400 kilometers. They were able to find another ruin left behind by Carlos. At this point, Azell¡¯s emotions was soplicated it was beyond expression as he looked Yuren.


    ¡°After the White Dragon armor, I expected to find some kind of amazing magical instrument.... It¡¯s a skill manual.¡±


    The item preserved in this ruin was a form of training method. Carlos¡¯ thought manifestation gave an exnation.


    ¡®The old man Nidel gave this to me for safekeeping instead of leaving behind a will. He said you didn¡¯t wake up before his death, so he said he had won. He wants you toe to his graveter, and he wants you to dere yourself the loser.¡¯


    ...at that moment, it felt as if Azell¡¯s blood was flowing backwards. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have a ce to vent his anger.


    ¡®That old man is really....!¡¯


    The rtionship of Azell and Croix Nidel could be described as them being each other¡¯s teacher. Their first meeting urred when they were at a drinking party. As soon as they met, they started speaking words in an attempt to annoy the other. It escted into them exchanging blows with their swords. After the end of the fight, they acknowledged each other. They had given recognition to each other for their skills, but they hadn¡¯t developed a close rtionship. They didn¡¯t berade in arms.


    Croix was the one, who started it. On the next day, he came looking for Azell, and he showed off a technique in front of Azell. Croix sneered as he spoke to Azell.


    ¡®You are gifted for someone so young, but I bet you can¡¯t do this. You are a valuable talent of the alliance force, so if you bow down to me, I might teach you this technique.¡¯


    Azell had be angry. He had lived through all sorts of hardship, and he had learned all kinds of techniques from his four teachers. These were skills that couldn¡¯t be replicated by others. He immediately showed off a technique as a counterattack.


    ¡®I acknowledge that your techniques are incredible. However, the times are changing, old man. If we are talking about thetest techniques of Spirit Order, it should be of this caliber. If I learn such an old technique, it¡¯ll be a loss for me. However, I have respect for someone that still fights by dragging along his old body. I¡¯ll ept the unequal exchange as a sign of respect for you. Shall I teach you what I just did?¡¯


    ...at that point, the two of them had be angry again. Another fight was inevitable.


    Afterwards, the two of them tried to outdo each other using all of their might. Everyday they kept showing off techniques that would have have made the eyes of normal Spirit Order practitioners spin. They also argued about martial arts and tactics in battle. It was a petty battle for one¡¯s pride, but everyone was bbergasted when the two of them rapidly increased their skill through these fights.


    When the Dragon Demon war ended, Azell had won. At the time, they had pretty much bottomed out on what they could show each other, yet Azell had been able to get the final word by teaching Croix for thest time. His nose had been in the air, since he had won.


    However, he never expected such a counterattack after 220 years.


    ¡®Shit! That old man didn¡¯t grow up even at his death bed! Moreover, this is cheating! He didn¡¯t make this by himself!¡¯


    He couldn¡¯t pay back the old man back for sucker punching him like this!


    Unlike what he was feeling.... The skill manual possessed a very surprising content.


    ¡°I never expected such a method could be used to produce Dragon Demon qi.¡±


    Azell had exined how to produce Dragon Demon qi to Kairen before.


    It was something that arose from oneself through Spirit Order, Dragon Arts or magic rituals. Humans and Dragon Majins could elerate this process through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    There were two ways to shorten this process.


    First, one could receive help from other Dragon Demons or Dragon Majin, who already possessed Dragon Demon qi. This helper had to sacrifice one¡¯s own power by pushing it into a person to create Dragon Demon qi.


    The second way was to use the corpse of a Dragon. There was a lot of power stored within the corpse of a Dragon. One could bring out this power to elerate the production of Dragon Demon qi.


    The manual was talking about a variation of the first method.


    ¡°This training method is a win-win proposition.¡±


    Originally, the high ranking Spirit Order practitioner or magician, who possessed Dragon Demon magic, had to sacrifice their power by pouring it into a person. However, if he followed the training method in the manual, both sides would benefit.


    Carlos had constructed a magical circle, and this device would provide the magical energy. This process was used alongside Dragon Demon qi, and it strengthened the Dragon Demon magic. The participants continuously went through a cycle of eleration, cirction and amplification.


    The participants would receive more output of magical energypared to the amount they put in. Moreover, the person without the Dragon Demon magic could gradually acquire it.


    ¡°Anyone coulde up with this idea, but I would have never expected it to be such aplete product. Moreover, this method increases the Dragon Demon magic by such arge quantity.¡±


    This training method was a fusion of Spirit Order and magic. Croix Nidel probably came up with the idea, and Carlos took steps to flesh it out. The sensitive part of of the process would have needed to have gone through countless experiments to iron out the kinks.


    Azell immediately gathered his party members, and he tried out the training method. He brought out the Sword that Splits the Heavens and the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. He recruited Laura to participate alongside the two Dragon Weapons and the result was....


    Everyone became surprised at the efficacy of the method.


    ¡°...this is incredible.¡±


    Azell was astonished. The efficacy of the training method increased depending on the participants. Aside from Yuren, everyone either possessed Dragon Demon qi or they were born with natural Dragon Demon magic.


    ¡®At this pace, I might be able to summon the Sword that Splits the Sky without an aid. I won¡¯t have to summon it through the Dragon sword.¡¯


    It even elerated his digestion of the Dragon¡¯s power he took using the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°It seems I have the least to gain here.¡±


    She barely gained anything from this training method. In truth, the vessel that holds her power within her body was almostplete. She would continue to grow in terms of bing more proficient in technical aspects of being a magician, but she shouldn¡¯t expect her Dragon Demon magic to grow much.


    This was the same for Kairen. This training method could only elerate the process of him making his own Dragon weapon..


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be able to make your own Dragon weapon.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Laura¡¯s expression turned a bit peculiar. Azell asked in puzzlement.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°...it is nothing. I just never thought about it.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always only thought about bing the inheritor of the Vitain¡¯s Chalice.......¡±


    If one became the heir of Aunsaurus, one had to inherit the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. This was why she hadn¡¯t even had the choice of making a Dragon weapon through putting in her own effort and time.


    Laura mumbled to herself in a dumbfounded manner.


    ¡°I see. I can make my own Dragon weapon...¡±


    It was an obvious truth, so he found it amusing that she had just realized it.


    Laura burst intoughter.


    Azell grinned as he asked her a question.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you hadn¡¯t thought about that. Did you never get to make decisions for yourself?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°...not at all?¡±


    ¡°If I look hard enough, I could find minor decisions I had made before on my own. However, all the big decisions were made by my family.¡±


    Laura hadn¡¯t been ordered to look for it, yet she had looked through the old records during her own free time. She also chose to look up and speak to the nameless elder. She had made her own decisions in those instances.


    Still, even as she had those thoughts, she knew her freedom of choice had been within the restrictions ced on her by her family. She wasn¡¯t told what she could do during her free time, but she was told which activities were forbidden to her.


    ¡°If I think about it, the only real choice I made in my life was to follow you, Azell Zestringer.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°You are making a strange expression.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Laura had spoken those words as she tilted her head. Azell furrowed his brows.


    Laura started to speak again.


    ¡°I know I¡¯m putting you in a tough spot. I¡¯m not sure why you are feeling that way. Did something within my story make you ufortable?¡±


    ¡°...is that how I looked to you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Azell let out a bitterugh. If anyone else other than Laura had seen his expression, they would have been able to identify the expression on his face. Azell had been feeling pity towards her.


    ¡®She can¡¯t even identify.... I guess she really did only live her life as a tool.¡¯


    As time passed, he didn¡¯t know how he should treat her. It made him confused.


    Moreover, Laura wasn¡¯t the only one where he didn¡¯t know how he should act.


    4


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if you just followed us out in the open? I can rent you a room.¡±


    Azell had approached a man camping 100 meters away from the inn where Azell¡¯s party was staying. The man wasn¡¯t asleep. He was sitting in front of the campfire as he ate the soup he had made. He was the Guardian Shadow¡¯s Keeper of Prophecy.


    After their first meeting, Balseru kept a fixed distance away from Azell¡¯s party as he followed them. Unlike the other Guardian Shadows, he didn¡¯t mask his presence. However, when he didn¡¯t move, his presence disappeared like a ghost. So there were times when Azell almost lost track of him.


    Balseru spoke.


    ¡°Thank you for the suggestion, but I¡¯ll have to decline.¡±


    ¡°Why? Are you afraid I¡¯ll stab you in the back?¡±


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t want to stab you in the back.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m close, I¡¯ll be able to see the members of your party. It¡¯ll be hard for me to suppress my killing intent. I know myself too well¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    He spoke those words, but Balseru¡¯s expression and voice didn¡¯t show any signs of emotion. Hisck of emotions was almost at the level of Laura, and it felt as if there was a big gulf between them.


    Suddenly, Balseru spoke.


    ¡°Hmm. I have to thank you for giving us the information. We are putting it to good use.¡±


    ¡°Have you destroyed some of the way-points for the Road of Emptiness?¡±


    ¡°Currently, we destroyed two locations. Myrades will probably attack the rest in between their travels.¡±


    Azell and Kairen told Balseru about the Road of Emptiness. The Guardian Shadows were unreliable as messengers, but this wasn¡¯t true for the Keepers of the Prophecy. Balseru contacted the Keepers of the Prophecy scattered all over the continent, and they confirmed if Laura¡¯s information was true. Then they started their attack.


    Azell wondered out loud.


    ¡°You guys were only able to take down two? I thought you guys are able to swiftly exchange information....¡±


    ¡°Still, there is a limit on how fast we can move. You have already seen this, but there are some Keepers of Prophecy, who aren¡¯t that good in a fight.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you guys have the members of the Guardian Shadows? Why don¡¯t you ask them for cooperation? Are you perhaps trying to prevent them from finding out about the Keepers of the Prophecy....¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t it. We live different lives from them. They are in a delicate situation.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

 Chapter 124 - Specters from the Past (4)

    Chapter 124 - Specters from the Past (4)


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°They are living their lives as members of society, so there are cases where we can¡¯t mobilize some of our members. For example, what happens if there was an uprising of monsters in a certain region, and it required the member to take care of the region for an extended amount of time?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    This truth could be discerned by looking at Kairen and Beorein. The Guardian Shadows had a preference for picking members, who had influence over society. In terms of martial prowess, they didn¡¯t need much help, but they needed members, who could carry out their work as members of society.


    ¡°In recent days, everyone is tied down in taking care of their own responsibilities. Anyways, we are doing our best.¡±


    ¡°I see. So why do you keep following me? Are you trying to confirm that I am the person from the prophecy?¡±


    ¡°That is one of them.¡±


    ¡°So that isn¡¯t your only aim. What other goals do you have?¡±


    ¡°If Reygus does show up, I¡¯m pretty sure he will appear in front of you. I look forward to it.¡±


    ¡°You look forward to it?¡±


    Azell furrowed his brows. If it was as Balseru had saidst time, the Keepers of Prophecy had fought with Reygus¡¯ Undead form, and they had been crushed. Yet Balseru was looking forward to it?


    ¡°Will you be able to defeat Reygus¡¯ Undead form? If not, are you nning on fighting Reygus with us as a united front?¡±


    ¡°Since he is an Undead, I¡¯ll be able to take care of him by myself.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell stared at Balseru. Something really bothered Azell about him. He knew the other man was a Spirit Order Practitioner, but Azell couldn¡¯t read the depth of his power.


    Normally, he would consider such a person to be formidable. However, Azell couldn¡¯t make that call yet. He had a weird feeling about Balseru.


    Balseru spoke.


    ¡°However... Yes. If there are others aside from the Undead, it might be hard for me to defeat them. In such a situation, I would like to work with your party. At the very least, when we are fighting the Dragon Demon king worshippers, we can be sure that we are allies.¡±


    ¡°Let us do that. Still, our movements haven¡¯t been revealed to our enemies yet. Maybe....¡±


    ¡°If you are thinking about the possibility of me leading the enemies to you, I won¡¯t. I don¡¯t do such acts.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve shown myself the least amongst the Keepers of the Prophecy. They probably don¡¯t even know what my code name is.¡±


    ¡°You codename? Now that I think about it you guys use the ancient alphabet like Delta and Theta. What is your code name?¡±


    Alpha, Beta, Delta, Gamma, Epsilon, Zeta, Eta, Theta, Iota, Kappa, Lambda, Mu, Nu, Xi, Omicron, Pi, Rho, Sigma, Tau, Upsilon, Phi, Chi, Psi and Omega.


    The Keepers of the Prophecy used the 24 ancient alphabets, which existed before the legend of Babel, as their code names. It was also letters frequently used by magicians when they conducted a magic ritual.


    Balseru answered.


    ¡°I¡¯m Alpha.¡±


    ¡°If you are Alpha, you are the first letter in the ancient alphabet. Is your code name rted to seniority?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Are you allowed to just give out such answers like this?¡±


    ¡°We decided we could tell you a certain amount of information.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thankful that you hold me in such high regards. So you are the first amongst the Keepers of the Prophecy.... Doesn¡¯t that contradict with your previous story?¡±


    ¡°Which story?¡±


    ¡°You said you quit being a knight around 50 years ago. If you became a Keeper of the Prophecy at that point in time, you became one during the Great Darkness. Doesn¡¯t that mean you became one muchter than Leone?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    ¡°Then your story doesn¡¯t match.¡±


    ¡°I inherited the code name when the original Alpha died. My memory of that person is fuzzy, but I think he was my uncle.¡±


    ¡°You think..... What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember much from before I became a Keeper of the Prophecy. It might be the fact that my body had suffered through death. I believe it is the cost for being revived as a Keeper of the Prophecy.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    ¡°It seems Leone hadn¡¯t discussed this with you. All the Keepers of Prophecy used to be humans. We are existences that were raised from the dead..¡±


    ¡°You guys were raised from the dead? Do you really want me to believe such nonsense?¡±


    ¡°I understand it sounds preposterous. Still, is it so absurd when one takes in the fact that we don¡¯t age?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    ¡°The Dragon Demon king is a murderer, and we were killed while holding a grudge against him. At the moment of our deaths, the nucleus of the magic making up the Guardian Shadows made contact with us. We were revived.... Or that is what we think happened. We were revived from death by some means or other.¡±


    ¡°Some means or other.... Aren¡¯t you guys being a little bit too loose on the facts?¡±


    ¡°Those of us, who were originally magicians, are divided in opinion. We aren¡¯t able toe to a consensus no matter what. The non-magicians amongst us just ept the situation as is. In the end, the only thing that is important to us is the ughter of Dragon Demon king worshippers. We don¡¯t care about anything else.¡±


    ¡°Hah.......¡±


    A forcedugh leaked out of Azell. This guy was really an absurd bastard. He kept revealing incredible facts, yet he was serene. It was as if he was talking to a neighbor about an unimportant matters.


    ¡°You said you lost your memories?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have no memories of my previous life. We only know about the reason why we are doing these tasks.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you, at the very least, suspicious?¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you suspicious of that fact that someone might have manipted all of you?¡±


    They had no memories of their past. They had no idea,who had made them that way. They didn¡¯t even know what criteria allowed them to be Keepers of the Prophecy.


    The werepletely ignorant of their own situation, yet they followed the truths that came to them on an instinctual level. They had be the embodiments of revenge. They possessed the body of a human, yet they had given up being humans. They devoted themselves to eradicating the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    ¡°...aren¡¯t you suspicious about the possibility that this is all a fabrication made through magic?¡±


    ¡°I never thought about it.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°You expression is asking how I can be so foolish.¡±


    ¡°You speak as if you can see me.¡±


    ¡°I can see you.¡±


    ¡°Even though you have your eyes closed?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not blind. Even if my eyes are closed, it doesn¡¯t interfere with my sight. Anyways, that is how it is. When we became the Keepers of the Prophecy, we were given an offer by an unknown being, and we made a choice. We remember making our choice, so we have no doubt.¡±


    ¡°Is that really enough?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Do you want us to be suspicious of the process? Wouldn¡¯t that in turn make us deny our own existence? I have no desire to do so.¡±


    ¡°Are you afraid of doing so?¡±


    ¡°No. I just... I believe in the evidence provided by my hatred.¡±


    ¡°Hatred?¡±


    ¡°Funnily enough, I can¡¯t feel anything. This conversation I am having with you feels like a daydream.¡±


    However, when he was in front of the Dragon Demon king worshippers, he could feel that he was still alive. The hatred he had for them burned. It awoke him to the fact that he was still alive and breathing in this world.


    Azell now identified the madness he had felt when he saw Leone. These people really had lost everything. The elements that used to make up the identity of these people were all snatched away by the Dragon Demon king worshippers. The only thing left behind were empty dolls that were driven by hatred.


    ¡®Who made this system?¡¯


    The curiosity he felt for this truth was almost unbearable. How much enmity did the creator of the Guardian Shadows have that he went down this ruthless road?


    Balseru spoke.


    ¡°This is my warning to you, sir Azell. Reygus wille looking for you.¡±


    ¡°How do you know this? ording to Laura....¡±


    ¡°There is someone amongst them that has the ability to find you. At the very least, we know that fact.¡±


    ¡°You speak as if you are a soothsayer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m something akin to that.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    When Azell became surprised, Balseru answered in a calm manner.


    ¡°Amongst the 24 Keepers of the Prophecy, only two of us has a fixed role. Alpha and Omega. The name has nothing to do with when we became a Keeper of the Prophecy. The one named Omega can catch a glimpse of what the in of Darkness is doing. They keep track of their members through the being, who resides in the Great Darkness. We are able to learn about what power they possess and what they are going to do....¡±


    ¡°Basically, you are using their informationwork against them?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t as clear cut as you make it out to be. In truth, it isn¡¯t that helpful. We don¡¯t know the content or the timing of the information we will receive. However, once we learn of an information, we are sure of its veracity.¡±


    ¡°I always have this thought....¡±


    Azell was astonished.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell if you guys are amazing or extremely poorly run.¡±


    ¡°The world is an inconvenient ce where there isn¡¯t a clear cut answer.¡±


    Balseru answered in a disinterested manner.


    As soon as Azell walked away, Balseru spoke as he looked between the trees.


    ¡°You shoulde out now, Omega.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°He is far away enough.¡±


    ¡°...still, I¡¯ll be discovered if I¡¯m not careful.¡±


    Soon, a voice of a young girl could be heard. Apanying a rustling sound, a girl appeared from between the trees and bushes.


    If Azell saw this sight, he would have been shocked. She had been so close, yet she had been able to evade Azell¡¯s senses.


    The girl looked to be 15 or 16 years old. From her appearance, she didn¡¯t look too special. Since she had been hiding in the bushes, she was dirty. Her hair was tied in twin tails, and her hair was disheveled. She had a in looking face with freckles.


    The only thing unusual about her was her green eyes. She was looking straight at Balseru¡¯s face, yet her eyes were out of focus. It was as if she couldn¡¯t see....


    Moreover, her sense of presence was absent like Balseru. It was understandable to see why Azell failed to notice her.


    Balseru spoke as he filled a bowl with soup.


    ¡°Does it matter if he finds out about you? At the very least, we aren¡¯t enemies with him right now.¡±


    ¡°Still, he really hates us.¡±


    ¡°That is true.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like being hated. At the very least, I don¡¯t want him to look at me like that. I¡¯ll decline.¡±


    ¡°Is it because he might be the person from the prophecy?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Omega took the bowl of soup from Balseru as she nodded her head. Omega¡¯s eyes were out of focus, so it looked as if she was looking into the empty air. However, she had no problem receiving the bowl.


    ¡°If he is the person from the prophecy.... I have to give my everything to him. I don¡¯t want to do something like that to someone that hates me.¡±


    ¡°I think every one of us are already hated by him.¡±


    ¡°That is why I won¡¯t show myself until it is necessary. Unlike you, I don¡¯t move in a herd with the other Keepers of the Prophecy. I don¡¯t want him to hate me as an individual.¡±


    Omega drank the soup after she said those words.


    Balseru spoke.


    ¡°You still cling to your romantic ideals.¡±


    ¡°Unlike you, I even lost my name.¡±


    Omega camly spoke about her loss. It didn¡¯t¡¯ matter what order she joined as the Keeper of the Prophecy. She was given thest codename. Of course, she didn¡¯t remember her past, but she also didn¡¯t remember her name.


    Balseru spoke.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ll find out about it soon enough.¡±


    ¡°How do you know this?¡±


    ¡°I just have a hunch.¡±


    ¡°You are speaking as if you are a soothsayer.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about anything else, but my hunches are almost always correct. It has been so for 50 years, so you can put some trust in it.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you gathered everyone?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Balseru nodded his head. This was the end to the conversation between the two. Within the silence, it was as if the two assimted into thendscape. Their presence were buried within the stillness.

 Chapter 125 - Specters from the Past (5)

    Chapter 125 - Specters from the Past (5)


    5


    The in of Darkness wasrge. It was and of demons unsullied by the hands of humans. Within this vast piece ofnd, the Dragon Demon king worshippers had gathered around the Dragon Demon pce left behind by Atein. They used the castle as base as they expanded outwards. They had used humans ves to build buildings, and now there was a small kingdom within thesends.


    This ce was a frozennd. Unless there was a good reason to live here like them, no one would live in such an infertilend. No one would want to build a civilization here. Everything was frozen year round, and when there was a blizzard, even those with superhuman powers declined to travel far.


    Hoo-ooooooooh.......


    The snow wasing down. If one looked out into the in of Darkness, an incredible amount of snow had fallen. It made one¡¯s jaw fall wide open. If someone tried to walk through this, the person would be a snowman within dozen steps.


    However, there was someone walking through the snow right now.


    It was an odd sight. The person buried under the one meter of snow wasn¡¯t human. A being that looked like a pile of snow was plowing forward.


    -You are cute, Reygus.


    There was a faint illusion-like figure floating around therge pile of snow. The silhouette of a person within the falling snow made the figure look like an ice fairy.


    Reygus, who had be a pile of snow, gave a reply.


    <Cute? What about me is cute?>


    -The fact that you don¡¯t know you are cute makes you more cute. I think you became cuter in death. If I wasn¡¯t married to the king, I probably would have wanted to be in your embrace. s, it is a dream that can never be fulfilled. Too bad.


    <Your thoughts has be more unfathomable after death, Queen Kayalia.>


    -Mmm. I thought about it for a long time, but I want you to drop the formality. Don¡¯t call me by my title as queen. I¡¯ve been dead for a very long time, so I don¡¯t want to be called by my title as queen.


    The white silhouette chortled as sheughed. If one looked at the figure bobbing up and down in the snow, one would see a 14 or 15 year old girl in human standards. However, she had white blonde hair that looked to have been melted out from the snow, and one could see a boulder-gray colored horn protruding from between her hair. Her ears were long, and the back of her hand had a te gray colored Dragon Demon stone. It was the same color as her eyes.


    Reygus brushed the snow away from his face as he spoke.


    <Then what do you want me to call you by?>


    -Just call me Kayalia. In exchange, I¡¯ll call you oppa. What do you say?


    <It is such an attractive offer that I won¡¯t be able to say no to your request. All right, Kayalia.>


    -Yes, Reygus oppa.


    <Oh, that has a beautiful ring to it. Still, you really do speak a lot for a dead person. This is especially truepared to when you were alive.>


    -Your guess is as good as mine as to why. Anyways, you are the only one that can see and hear me. The best way to drive away loneliness is to talk.


    <Couldn¡¯t you choose to speak to others even if it isn¡¯t me?>


    -I have to use those opportunities sparingly. If possible, I have to keep my existence a secret. That is why I have to think hard on who I can converse with.


    <It ising into sight.>


    Suddenly, Reygus spoke. He could see the majestic sight of the Dragon Demon castle across the hill.


    Kayalia had been one of queens married to the Dragon Demon king Atein 220 years ago. She looked at the dim figure of the Dragon Demon castle as she asked a question.


    -Is that ce simr to the towns we saw along the way?


    <It is worse.>


    -I see. Aincera unni was always a strict person. She has be much more rigid in her ways, so I can see why things are like this under her rule.


    <You are still calling her unni?>


    -Of course. She hates it.


    <You are still quite twisted. The fact that you haven¡¯t changed even in your death is a good thing.>


    -The fact that oppa can say such words makes you sound more twisted than me. Anyways, we fought to create a really boring world. The king had wanted this, and I wonder if I automatically agreed to it just because he wanted it.


    -A god... I¡¯m not thrilled about that either. Well, I always did hate all of them. Now that I have no responsibility I can be free to show my disdain towards them.


    Kayaliaughed like a immature human girl.


    For a while, Reygus had left the Dragon Demon castle, and he had toured the in of Darkness. He had wanted to see how much the world had changed, but his real goal was to find Kayalia, who was stuck to him now. Atein had prepared a contingency n for her too.


    The in of Darkness had been isted from the world 220 years ago. It was a microcosm of the world they had wanted to create through the Dragon Demon war. The Dragon Demons ranked at the top, the Dragon Majin was ced at the middle, and the humans were ced at the bottom.


    The atmosphere around such a society wasn¡¯t anything too special. The religious zealots had made a deep impression on the society, and the human societies were seen as receable spare parts.


    No, in truth, everything had be worse. Atein had be deified, and the zealots had created an excessively static society. As time passed, an irrational madness was being added to the mix, and the members of the society didn¡¯t resist against it. They silently conformed to it.


    <Everything was always the same. We all despaired at that fact.>


    -In truth, I thought it sounded like a pipe dream even in the past... First, the Dragon Demon race are in the wrong right now. They took only the parts they liked about the king¡¯s ideals, and they made their own extreme interpretations.


    Kayalia knew the entirety of Atein¡¯s n, since she closely aided Atein. She understood him. This was why she knew that the system adopted by the current in of Darkness was far from what Atein¡¯s n intended. She sighed at this fact.


    ¡®When one makes a group, it is the nature of life to divide the group based on their merits and demerits. The Dragon Demons are clearly superior to the humans as a specie. It is logical to put them in the ruling ss. This would control the ambitions of the Dragon Demons, since they would have to carry out an increasing load of tasks to maintain the society. This in turn would develop respect for them from the members of the society. In this society, humans will all be considered to be equal. They won¡¯t have to go through the pains of dealing with differences in station, wealth or physical stature. There would be no reason why humans would look down on other humans.¡¯


    ...this was the basic outline of Atein¡¯s n. At a nce, the society built within the in of Darkness looked simr to his n. However, it waspletely different once one saw the details.


    In the current in of Darkness, the Dragon Demons held the same position as human nobles. They held most of the power, and they considered humans to be of low rank. Human were considered to be inferior to them. Even worse, the Dragon Demons further divided themselves based on bloodlines and origin....


    In doing so, they were acting in the same way as the humans.


    Atein hadn¡¯t chosen the ¡®ruling ss¡¯ for this purpose. The only part that coincided with the original n was the fact that they were running the society. Still, now that she thought about it, the ¡®ruling ss consisting of the Dragon Demon race¡¯ was an illusion that couldn¡¯t exist in the real world.


    -I¡¯m curious about something, oppa.


    <What is it?>


    -During the war, didn¡¯t we believe this was the answer that would eradicate sadness from this world?


    <We did.>


    When Kayalia talked about the ¡®boring world¡¯, she was talking about societal structure of the in of Darkness. It was devised as an answer to Atein¡¯s n for an ideal society. It was also the result of his followers interpreting his words as they pleased. Atein and the Dragon Demon Generals had thought this rank structure would eradicate all sadness and tragedy from this world.


    Had they been wrong?


    Kayalia sat on Reygus¡¯ shoulder as she mimed putting her chin on her hands.


    -Do you think things would have been different if the king won and he had a direct hand in ruling them?


    <I¡¯m not sure. In the end, if the king was able realize his goal, I don¡¯t think it would have turned out all too differently.>


    -Do you think he would have acknowledged his failure?


    <¡¯I thought I knew everything about the humans, yet I didn¡¯t know anything about them. This is why I will try to learn about them from now on.¡¯ The king spoke those words.>


    -He was so grand.


    <Mmm?>


    -Every work he undertook was incrediblyrge in scale. He achieved great achievements, yet his mistakes were big too. He also caused a lot of harm... This was why I thought he was a bit cute.


    <...I¡¯m not sure how you cane to such a conclusion..>


    -It¡¯s all right. You can continue to not understand me. This is why oppa is a cute person.


    <......>


    Reygus brushed off the snow on his head as he asked the question.


    <I have a question I want to ask you.>


    -What is it?


    <How did you die?>


    -Mmm? I lost in a fight. Oppa died before me, so why are you speaking to me in such a tone?


    <Queen Aincera told me about it. While they escaped from the Dragon Horn fortress, you went missing along the way. What happened?>


    -Jeez. That unni is really...


    Kayalia pouted. She threw her body into the air as she spoke.


    -I just hated everything.


    <You hated everything?>


    -I wanted to quit everything. I was originally a human. At one time, I thought the human race was the worst, but it was true that there were some I liked amongst them.


    Kayalia¡¯s eyes unfocused as she looked towards her past. She was Atein¡¯s consort, but she had also been one of his disciples. This was why she was a very special existence amongst the entirety of the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army.


    -I continued to do work I hated, because of my station. We fought to erase the sadness from this world, but it looked as if we were causing more people to cry. Azell oppa told me that.


    <Azell oppa? Are you perhaps talking about Azell Karzark?>


    Reygus was surprised as he looked at Kayalia.


    -That¡¯s right. He didn¡¯t want me to call him ahjussi, so I call him oppa.


    <You called him that?>


    -I wasn¡¯t able to call him that in front of him, but that is what I called him inside my heart. Azell oppa. The fact that I had to fight a life and death battle with him made me very sad.


    <Huh-uh. I didn¡¯t know you two had such a rtionship.>


    -No one knew about it.


    <Hmm. I never knew you had a hidden story such as this. It is quite interesting.>


    -A woman is supposed to have a lot of secrets.


    <I would like to hear the long version of itter. All right. What did he say?>


    -He asked me how high I had stacked the mountain of corpses with my hands. He asked me if I knowingly did what I did.


    <It is something wemonly hear.>


    -Isn¡¯t it? If it was anyone else, I would have ignored it. However, when that oppa said those words, it stabbed right through my heart. He had the eyes of a real hero. He looked like someone, who had immediately ran forward to save the world that had been broken by us. At that moment, I realized I shouldn¡¯t continue to do what I hate when I could see the result of my actions.


    Kayalia continued to float in the air as she gathered her knees to herself. She spun in the air as snowkes blew around her.


    <Did you lose on purpose?>


    -I didn¡¯t lose on purpose.


    <Are you sure?>


    -Jeez, oppa. You were defeated by him too, so why are you asking such a question?


    <Mmm. Weren¡¯t you supposed to be special?>


    -At the time, Azell oppa was ridiculously strong. Even the king lost in a bout with him. I didn¡¯t lose on purpose.


    <I¡¯m a bit suspicious about that point.>


    -You didn¡¯t see the true power of Azell oppa. After you died, he continued to grow at a frightening pace.


    <I admit his growth speed was extraordinary. Well, all right. Let¡¯s set that aside.... You didn¡¯t have to go missing and die by yourself, right?>


    -You speak the truth. However, our defeated army were basically in a trance. It was as if everyone had gone half-mad ording to the the words they spoke. I became annoyed when I heard them, so I got out of there. Then I died. If I look back on it, it was such a dumb way to die... I do regret it a little bit. I¡¯ve thought about it, and I should havee to this ce. I should have exited after I secured my safety. However, at the time, I didn¡¯t have the presence of mind to.... It was only when I died that I came to my sense, and I heard the king¡¯s will.


    <So that is how you were able to jump 220 years like me. However, why have you taken on such a form?>


    -I didn¡¯t want to be an Undead. I told him I would hate to be a Skeleton. I threw a tantrum saying he should respect a girl¡¯s wish.


    <...that sounds absurd, but at the same time, it is so like you.>


    -He wanted to overwork me even after death. Shouldn¡¯t I be able get my way in such matters?


    The sound of air exiting Reygus¡¯ skull could be heard. It seemed he couldn¡¯t break the habit ofughing as if he was still alive.


    Suddenly, Kayalia asked a question.


    -Do you really think Azell oppa is alive?


    <Maybe.>


    -How could this be?


    <I know. I have circumstantial evidences, but I am having a hard time confirming it.>


    -If you are nning on meeting him, please arrange it so I can talk to him. I¡¯ll go meet him looking very beautiful.


    <I hope you aren¡¯t nning on telling me you won¡¯t lending me your power when that timees.>


    -I¡¯ll think about it.


    <...uh-ee?>


    -I¡¯m already dead. I¡¯m free from all obligations. I can choose to help or not. Even the king gave me leave to do what I want.


    <That hopeless guy.......>


    Reygus grumbled. Kayalia put her face next to his as she spoke.


    -So when are you going to meet him to confirm it is him?


    <Since he exited the reaches of the informationwork of the in of Darkness, I had to use my own method. I¡¯ll be able to find his whereabouts soon.>


    -I look forward to it. Ah, what face should I put on when I meet him?


    <...I don¡¯t care if you don¡¯t help me, but please don¡¯t betray me. I¡¯ll be wounded.>


    -I¡¯ll see how oppa acts.


    Kayalia stuck out her tongue, and she disappeared as if she melted into the thin air.

 Chapter 126 - Suspicious Movements (1)

    Chapter 126 - Suspicious Movements (1)


    1


    Their destination, which was the Avantan forest, was a long distance off, so the party wasn¡¯t in a hurry. It wasn¡¯t a destination they could reach in a short amount of time no matter how fast they traveled.


    Yuren spoke.


    ¡°The guide urately told us about the other locations.¡±


    ¡°At this point int time, what seemed impossible seems possible now....¡±


    Azell¡¯s expression indicated that he was aware that he was talking about something far-fetched. Yuren grinned.


    ¡°Are you talking about the possibility of the guide being Carlos?¡±


    ¡°...yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m having the same exact thought right now. The Dragon Demon General Reygus presumed that Carlos is still alive. Maybe, Carlos tricked the world to avoid public attention. What if he is hiding somewhere? On top of that, he might be sending his will to his descendant using magic.¡±


    Azell¡¯s expression turnedplicated. Carlos was his closest and dearest friend. He had prepared all kinds of contingency ns for Azell¡¯s eventual awakening, which would have happened after well after his death.


    The possibility of him being alive evokedplicated thoughts in Azell¡¯s mind. If he thought about it rationally, there was no way he was alive. However, what if he was alive?


    ¡®It isn¡¯t impossible. That is the scary part.¡¯


    If it was Carlos, it might be possible.


    As a general concept, he thought about the possibility of Carlos bing an Undead. He might have predicted the revival of Atein. He could have turned himself into an Undead to wait for Azell eventual awakening.


    However, there was another possibility that could have been pursued. It was something that only Azell knew about.


    ¡®If he went in hibernation like me.....¡¯


    At thetter stage of his life, what if Carlos put himself into a sleep induced by magic? What if he passed the time by imitating the slumber of a Dragon?


    He already experimented the method through Azell. Would it really have been impossible to think that Carlos used the same procedure on himself?


    ¡®He might be using Yuren to lead me to him. If it¡¯s him, it is possible.¡¯


    If he was still alive... No, it didn¡¯t matter what method he used. He could be a dead corpse living on as an Undead... Azell wanted to meet him at all costs. He had a mountainous amount of topics he wanted discuss with Carlos.


    When he thought about this possibility, he thought about the me he had ce on Carlos in the beginning. Why wasn¡¯t he awoken at an earlier date? Why was the County of Karzark allowed to be destroyed? He had many questions.


    However, he soon erased such thoughts. He knew Carlos had his reasons for making those decisions. Carlos was touted as being the greatest magician in history, but in the end, he was only a man. Even if he hadn¡¯t passed away, the historical events that urred afterwards were inevitable. He wouldn¡¯t have been able to stop the fall of the Nadick Empire, and he wouldn¡¯t have been able to stop the in of Darkness from using the Great Darkness, which had plunged the world into despair.


    Azell knew Carlos would have have done his best. Azell trusted him, so there was no resentment in his heart. Azell just wanted to meet and converse with him again.


    ¡°The so called guide should just tell us all the locations at once. It is messing up our schedule.¡±


    ¡°We are in the enviable position of receiving presents, so it is a bit unreasonable to require such.....¡±


    ¡°I wanna say it anyways.¡±


    Azell snorted.


    After traveling for a week, they were getting close to the location described by Yuren.


    The problem they were facing was the fact that this ce was located at the border region of Bijes kingdom and the Iellos kingdom. Of course, even if the the border was tightly guarded, it would cause no trouble to Azell¡¯s party. However....


    ¡°Why are they moving their troops? Did a war start?¡±


    The army of the Bijes kingdom was moving towards the border. There were a lot of soldiers gathered. It was as if they were about to go to war. There was a foreboding feeling in the air.


    The party was out of sight. They stood on standby as Kairen went out to scout on his own. After half the day passed, he returned to report.


    ¡°First, our destination is close to the habitat of Dragons, so there won¡¯t be too much problem in us getting there. The monsters might annoy us, but I don¡¯t think we have to worry about us being confronted by the army of Bijes kingdom.¡±


    ¡°That is fortunate. However, by the look on your face, I¡¯m guessing the situation is bad?¡±


    ¡°I thought this was just a political conflict between the two kingdoms, so I assumed this was arge-scale drill conducted as a show of force. However, from what I heard, the Iellos kingdom had already shed with the Bijes kingdom several time. The situation seems to be getting worse.....¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you recently say that the two countries were on pretty good terms?¡±


    ¡°That was my understanding.... Still, this was all I could gather by piecing together the conversations between the soldiers.¡±


    Kairen disyed the irritation he was feeling. He had to stealthily approach soldiers, and he had to stay hidden as he gathered the information. Then he had to pieced together the fragmented information. It was a method that required a lot of patience. This was also why there was a limit on the amount of information that could be gathered.


    ¡°We made a mistake. We should have gathered some information as we travelled here.¡±


    Normally, travelers were very sensitive to the affairs of the world. They were careful in vetting a region before their travels. In the past, Kairen had traveled around the world, and he had been very cautious in choosing his route.


    However, the current party was moving so fast that they hadn¡¯t paid attention to what was uring in the world. Unlike normal travelers, they were travelling at a speed where they brushed past kingdoms, so they had been neglectful in finding out they of thend.


    Azell furrowed his brows.


    ¡°Mmmm. Even if they are starting a war, we probably shouldn¡¯t interfere... We have to prioritize getting to our destination first.¡±


    ¡°That might be our best option.¡±


    The party decided on what they would do. They avoided the army of the Bijes kingdom as they headed towards their destination. However, an unexpected situation was waiting for them.


    ...kyahhhhk!


    They had already left behind the army of the Bijes kingdom, and they were about to cross the border when they heard a woman¡¯s scream. Then the scream of many people rang out.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    The members of Azell¡¯s party looked at each other. Then they immediately changed direction as they sped forward.


    2


    Fortresses weren¡¯t the only settlements ced near the border between the Iellos kingdom and the Bijes kingdom. There were several towns scattered along the border. Even if border disputes urred along the border, people refused to give up on settling on liveablends. This was why towns had formed along the border.


    The town named Patel was a good distance away from the border fortress, and it was a rtive new town. Thend was near the territory of Dragons, so there was a lot of monsters nearby. However, it was discovered that thesends were fertile. This was why this town was established even as blood was shed.


    From time to time, they were still threatened by the monsters, so the people of the town were hardy. Their lord hadn¡¯t given them much of a fighting force, but the overall quality of the men in the watch was quite good. This was because retired knights or soldiers took up the role of being instructors to the men of the watch.


    However, they only thought of the monsters as their enemies. This was why they were unexpectedly unprepared for an attack from human-led forces.


    ¡°Kyahhhhhhhhk!¡±


    A piercing scream ripped through the air.


    It was dark within the town. The armed figures had ambushed the town without any warning. They were putting out any fire they ran across.


    In the beginning, the enemies had conducted a quiet raid. The young men on guard duty had been careless. This didn¡¯t mean they were shirking their duties. However, monsters and demonic beasts didn¡¯t sneak up on their opponents. This was why they could rx a little bit on their guard duty. They would be able to see the threating from across the darkness.


    However, if their enemies were humans, it was an entirely different story. The enemy forces hid their presence, and in a sh, they dispatched the guards. They opened the door to the stockade, and they shot arrows at the townspeople. It didn¡¯t matter, who was shot. They were indiscriminately shooting in all directions, and this was why there weren¡¯t that many casualties. They were causing a panic.


    When everyone realized something was wrong, the enemies had already infiltrated into the town. The human troops were at the head, and roaring orcs followed behind them. They cut down all the townspeople in sight.


    ¡°You bastards! What¡¯s your purpose of doing this!¡±


    The retired old knight named Neals was an instructor for the watch. He had been drinking alcohol with his friends in the pub, so he waste ining out with his sword. He was retired, but he was a knight trained in the Spirit Order. He cut into the Orcs and the humans ughtering the townspeople.


    ¡°.......¡±


    The enemies didn¡¯t respond to Neals. They kept attacking within the chaos.


    Neals almost lost his life twice. Even if he was trained in the Spirit Order, it was difficult to fight in this degree of darkness. On the other hand, his enemies were attacking Neals with pinpoint uracy. They were all more skilled than Neals. His palms felt as if it was about to rip open when their swords shed.


    ¡®This won¡¯t......!¡¯


    In the end, a fatal opening was revealed when five of the enemies attacked him. Neals didn¡¯t simply die on the spot, because hisrade came to his defense.


    ¡°Neals!¡±


    Dillon, who was an instructor alongside Neals, stabbed with his spear to deter the attack of the enemies. Neals quickly retreated backwards as he caught his breath.


    ¡°Shit. Who are these bastards?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t good. I have no idea where these Orcs came from....¡±


    As they fought, screams emanated from various locations. The guards and the men of the watch were caught with their pants down, so they were in disarray. Moreover, the enemy forces were killing every civilian they came across. As time passed, the amount of loss was snowballing.


    ¡°What happened to the signal re?¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t seen it. I think they were overtaken first.¡±


    The garrison possessed a re made by an alchemist. It was supposed to be shot up into the air when they were facing an opponent they couldn¡¯t handle. It was an item that would have called for help. A significant amount of time had passed, but the re hadn¡¯t beenunched.


    Neals¡¯ blood was curdling. Why weren¡¯t they using fire arrows if they wanted to kill all the townspeople? Were they trying to avoid detection?


    ¡®We have to notify someone....¡¯


    They would all die if things kept going like this. No matter how he viewed this situation there was no hope in sight. Suddenly, he could only see darkness.


    ¡®Magic......!¡¯


    He had known something was wrong. Even if he was working together with Dillon, they should have been cut down already. Their enemies were much more skilled than them. So he hadn¡¯t understood why they weren¡¯t pressing forward. Now he knew they had been waiting for the support of a magician.


    ¡®We don¡¯t stand a chance. If a magician is here, we....¡¯


    He wasn¡¯t able to end the thread of his thought. He felt something split open his body, and he felt pain wash over him.


    ¡°Neaaaaaaaals!¡±


    Dillon¡¯s desperate yell could be heard. Neals wanted to tell Dillon to run, but words failed toe out. Moreover.....!


    ¡°Their tactics are getting dirtier with each passing day.¡±


    He could hear an icy voice. As he died, Neals could hear the shocked voice of Dillon.


    ¡°W...who are you?¡±


    It was a relief. Dillon wasn¡¯t dead. As he felt relief, Neals¡¯ consciousness fell into the darkness.

 Chapter 127 - Suspicious Movements (2)

    Chapter 127 - Suspicious Movements (2)


    3


    When Azell¡¯s party arrived, the town had gone to hell. A small group of humans were leading a horde of 50 Orcs. They were killing every person in sight.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave themand to you, Duke.¡±


    ¡°All right. Laura and Yuren should skim the ce with magic.¡±


    Kairen immediately started to give orders. Azell also had extensive experience inmanding a group during the Dragon Demon wars as an officer. However, he would rather use his personal martial skills to aplish missions rather than focusing onmanding others. This was why he determined it would be better for Kairen to be inmand.


    ¡°We¡¯ll prioritize tracking down and eliminating the hostile magicians.¡±


    The enemy forces were bringing forth the darkness by extinguishing all the light not because the Orcs could see well within the darkness. Magicians were supporting them with magic. It allowed their troops to discern objects in darkness.


    Yuren nodded his head.


    ¡°Understood. Their magicians are pretty powerful.¡±


    ¡°There are also two Dragon Majins.¡±


    In a sh, the two of them had sensed the magicians. At Laura¡¯s words, everyone turned to look at her. Azell asked a question.


    ¡°Are you sure it is them?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they are camouging the Dragon Demon magic as normal magic.¡±


    They were using a magic tool to skillfully cover up the presence of Dragon Demon magic. However, Laura knew about the existence of such magical tools, and she was able to identify its presence. At that moment, Kairen spoke.


    ¡°We will scatter to defeat the enemies one by one. Laura and Yuren will take down the enemy magicians, then they will guide the townspeople to safety.¡±


    They decided not to charge in immediately. They were on standby as Yuren ced a magicmunication spell over the party. When themunicationwork waspleted, Kairen and Azell ran like the wind.


    Leticia was about to follow after them when she asked a question to Yuren.


    ¡°Are you sure about this? Is it ok to deploy us like this?¡±


    She still didn¡¯tpletely trust Laura. Azell had put in a magical shunt within her, but Leticia had no idea how Laura would act when no one was close by to keep an eye on her.


    Yuren shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°We have no choice but to trust Azell¡¯s judgement.¡±


    ¡°You are being irresponsible by trusting him so much.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already bet everything on him. If his judgement is wrong, I¡¯ll probably be stabbed in the back. I¡¯ll survive somehow and I¡¯ll give him a piece of my mind afterwards.¡±


    ¡°You sound like a man, who lost his wallet as well as his soul by falling for a bad girl. You might have a predisposition for being a pushover. ¡±


    Leticia gave those sarcastic remarks before she left him. Yuren grinned as he looked at Laura.


    ¡°Shall we go?¡±


    ¡°Should I say thank you for believing in me?¡±


    Laura asked the question. Yuren shook his head from side to side.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t as if I trust you.¡±


    ¡°Then why?¡±


    ¡°As I said before, I trust Azell¡¯s judgement. Moreover, I¡¯m not someone that¡¯ll go down easily even if you try to stab me in the back. Let¡¯s just go for now.¡±


    As he spoke those words, Yuren extended his hand into the air. A marble made out of light rose up, and it exploded. A powerful wave of magical energy spread into the surrounding.


    This had the effect of breaking the magic spell that allowed their enemies to see in the night as if it was midday. The enemy magicians were pretty talented, but they were of no trouble to Yuren.


    ¡°Well, then....¡±


    Yuren winked towards Laura before heunched into the air. For a brief moment, Laura stared at his back. She mumbled absent-mindedly.


    ¡°Trust....¡±


    She let out a small sigh as sheunched herself into a different direction. She headed towards one of the magicians.


    Yuren had just broken his magic spell, so the enemy magician was flustered. When he caught sight of Laura, he was taken aback.


    ¡°Traitor Laura Aunsaurus!¡±


    The news of Laura¡¯s betrayal had spread even to the rank and file members. It seemed specific information about her was spread too. If not, how could he recognize her in an instant when she was disguised as a human?


    She had expected this, but it still felt very weird. She had yet to earn trust from her new allies, yet the people, who couldn¡¯t even look at her straight in the past, was ring at her with hate in their eyes.


    Laura used her magic to prevent the magician from contacting the others.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I only want one thing from you.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Your death.¡±


    Laura unraveled her disguise spell, and she revealed herself as a Dragon Demon. Her tsunami-like Dragon Demon magic swept over the enemy magician.


    4


    A new wind picked up as it swirled around the site of the ughter. An Orc had been dragging along a screaming woman by her hair. It stopped in surprise when a change suddenly urred. It had been able to see its surrounding as if it was daylight, but now its sight had darkened.


    It wasn¡¯t as if it couldn¡¯t see. Originally, Orcs were night creatures, so they saw better at nightpared to humans. However, until a moment ago, it had been able to see everything clearly. The difference was so stark that it had a hard time discerning shapes for a brief moment.


    Pee-eet!


    The Orc heard a sound ring out. It was as if someone was plucking a string. In a sh, it flinched when it felt something tap against its neck.


    ¡°Koo-roohk......?¡±


    It wanted to speak out in confusion, but its voice wouldn¡¯te out. It was because half of its neck had been severed. Soon, blood shot out from the wound, and it lost consciousness.


    Peet! Peet! Pee-bi-bi-beet!


    An unseen opponent was ughtering the Orcs. It was a phantom-like existence. This being was so fast in slicing through Orcs that it would have been hard to keep track of this being even in daylight. The Orcs didn¡¯t even know what hit them. They were falling in droves.


    Azell didn¡¯t stay in one ce. He continued to run as he used his senses to acquire targets. He cut down all his targets. He didn¡¯t worry about saving andforting each townspeople. He prioritized killing his enemies. Kairen was doing the same thing. It had been less than 2 minutes, yet the number of Orcs decreased in half.


    Azell only stopped when he saw two old Spirit Order practitioners going up against one of the enemies. Azell dispersed his senses as he felt the fluctuation of magic.


    ¡®Detection magic? There is a magician here.¡¯


    Azell¡¯s gaze moved upwards. There was a magician hidden at the back of the roof. He was using an invisibility spell.


    One of the old men had already fallen from a sword strike from the enemy. The other old man was letting out a shout of grief when the enemy tried to cut him down too. However, the enemy suddenly turned around to face Azell. The magician using the detection magic must have notified the swordsman down below about Azell¡¯s presence.


    Kah-ahng!


    After receiving Azell¡¯s sword strike, the swordsman flew backwards before hended on the ground. It seemed he was unable topletely disperse the power of Azell¡¯s strike. He slid backwards.


    ¡°Their tactics are getting dirtier with each passing day.¡±


    Azell spoke with a cold voice. The surviving old man was taken aback, so he asked a question.


    ¡°W...who are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll introduce myself at ater time.¡±


    When the swordsman caught sight of Azell responding to the old man, he became frightened. The swordsman, who had blocked Azell¡¯s sword, spoke.


    ¡°Are you perhaps the person, who possesses the name steeped in sin? Why are you here?¡±


    From the perspective of Dragon Demon king worshippers, Azell was already on the list of figures that should be avoided in a direct fight. Even high ranking officers were told to avoid him if there wasn¡¯t a n in ce to deal with him.


    ¡°It has been awhile since I¡¯ve heard that really long and annoying title.¡±


    ¡°Huhk?¡±


    The enemy swordsman was frightened. Azell was clearly walking towards him front the front, but his voice was heard from the swordsman¡¯s back.


    However, he hadn¡¯t taken his eyes off of Azell. Azell struck out with his sword as he tried to take advantage of his enemy¡¯s surprise.


    Zzuh-uhng!


    The enemy swordsman received Azell¡¯s sword. A light exploded forth as the ground below the twobatants boiled like soup before it exploded.


    Kwah-gwah-gwah-gwah-gwahng!


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you aren¡¯t part of the regr troops?¡±


    Azell was surprised. From what he experience up until now, all the rank and file members of their troops had fallen for the voice that was heard from the back. They were all killed with a single strike.


    However, this person had blocked Azell¡¯s attack. His concentration had been disturbed, yet he was able to follow Azell¡¯s movements. It was surprising.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you guys stop it with theme disguises? Even if you are able to hide your Dragon Demon magic, your Dragon Arts can¡¯t imitate Spirit Order, Dragon Majin.¡±


    ¡°Koohk!¡±


    The enemy swordsman grinded his teeth. They had hidden their true skills as a ploy to disguise their identities. In truth, this mission was capable of beingpleted without using their full power.


    However, they couldn¡¯t afford to hold back now that Azell had appeared. From the information they possessed, they couldn¡¯t win against this opponent even if they used all their power.


    Ooooooooooooh!


    The disguised swordsman dispelled his disguise to show his true form. He was a young Dragon Majin male with dark red horns and red eyes. Dragon Demon magic swirled around him as he charged Azell.


    ¡°Shit! I won¡¯t go down so easily!¡±


    ¡°As I thought, you aren¡¯t part of the regr troops. Are you an officer, who came out from the in of Darkness?¡±


    Azell exchanged frantic sword strikes with him as he asked the question. He had gained a lot of information regarding the in of Darkness thanks to Laura, Yuren and Leticia. Aside from high ranking officers like Niberis and Laura, there were plenty of officersposed of Dragon Demons and Dragon Majins. A portion of this poption had enough power to conduct the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    The Dragon Majin confronting Azell was very skilled. If one considered only physical capability, he was on par with Azell. He was also using techniques that were considered to be high level Dragon Art techniques. Moreover....


    Pah-bahng!


    From apletely different angle from the sword, a ball of light came towards Azell. He deflected it with his shoulder. An orb made out of light was floating around the Dragon Majin. It wasn¡¯t something made out his Dragon Arts. It was a product of magic. The magician hidden atop the rooftop was supporting the Dragon Majin.


    ¡®They work well together.¡¯


    It was very hard to support a fighter using physically destructive magic especially when the person was fighting a closebat with swords. This meant their minds were connected as the Dragon Majin decided the timing and the location of the magic attack.


    Pa-pa-pa-pa-pah!


    The Dragon Majin¡¯s sword flew toward Azell from the front, and the orb of light formed by the magicians moved all over the ce to attack with light.


    At the same time, the magician used other magic spells in session. He was attempting to use curses that affect one¡¯s sight, hearing and perception. He even tried to move the earth to trap Azell¡¯s feet. The magician was able to assist with the orb of light , while attacking with quick and urate magic attack. The magician was very skilled.


    ¡®These two are quite skilled.¡¯


    The Dragon Majin wasn¡¯t as skilled as Duran, whom he had killed. However, he was skilled enough to defeat Arrieta and Seigar by himself. The magician also disyed much more skill than the magicians from the Dragon¡¯s Shadow..


    Pahhhhhhng!


    Light exploded from atop the roof. Azell furrowed his brows.


    ¡®Did information about me get passed around? Did theye up with how to cope with me or....?¡¯


    He didn¡¯t show any outward signs as he suddenly sent a dagger towards the magician. However, it was blocked. The fact that he was able to anticipate such an attack meant that there might be a Reaction type defensive barrier in use here.


    However, it was a bit doubtful to think that the magician¡¯s excellent skill enabled him to deal with Azell¡¯s sudden attack. Maybe, they had a record of all the battles he had conducted with them, and they had analyzed the records. Did they make a manual on how to fight Azell?


    Azell asked a question.


    ¡°Will you not answer my question?¡±


    ¡°I will inform you when your soul, which is deeply steeped in sin, departs your lowly body.¡±


    ¡°That is unfortunate. Doesn¡¯t that mean I will never get to hear your answer?¡±


    ¡°Do you really think so? Rumble beneath my dignity!¡±


    Koo-uhhhhhhhhhh!


    When he spoke the cantrip, an oppressive mental wave spread into the surrounding. It wasn¡¯t limited to a mental wave. A shockwave with physical properties followed behind the mental wave. It shook the surrounding.


    ¡°Koohk!¡±


    It was an attack that couldn¡¯t threaten Azell. However, the problem was the fact that Dillons was behind him. A regr person would die from the shockwave, so Azell had no choice to block the attack.


    The Dragon Majin used this opportunity to press his advantage. A sword strike surrounded by light fell towards Azell like a rain shower.


    Pa-pa-pa-pa-pah!


    Once he was put at a disadvantage, Azell struggled as he was pushed backwards. The problem faced by Azell wasn¡¯t caused only by the attacks from the Dragon Majin. The orb of light was increasing in number, and it was driving him into a sticky situation.


    ¡°I won¡¯t give you time to summon your Dragon weapon!¡±


    If Azell was able to summon his Dragon weapon, the situation would be turned on its head in an instant. Since the two knew this, they nned on ending the fight by going all out with their attacks.


    Azell was focused on defense, so his movements were bing more restricted. Now that he was put on the defensive, he was busy keeping up his defense.


    Pah-paht! Pa-pa-pa-pa-pah!


    The falling light kept getting past the defense of his sword. As expected, the magic spells were the problem. The magician kept using a different spell each time, and his defense was disrupted when blocking the iing spells.


    While the magician was sending his spell, he diligently increased the omnidirectional attack. The orbs of light supporting the Dragon Majin¡¯s sword strikes had already reached 10 in number.


    The Dragon Majin¡¯s eyes shone.


    ¡®Amazing defense! However, it is only a matter of time!¡¯


    The Dragon Majin, who was pushing against Azell¡¯s defense, couldn¡¯t hold back his shock. Azell was pushed up against the wall, yet he didn¡¯t allow a single attack to scratch him. He blocked and deflected the sword strikes. He also trusted his armor¡¯s defensive capability as he used the rounded parts of his armor to receive the attack at an angle to avoid damage.


    However, he had a limit. At some point, Azell¡¯s movement slipped.....


    Too-ahhhhhhhhhng!


    A powerful shockwave swept over the Dragon Majin.


    ¡®What the hell?¡¯

 Chapter 128 - Suspicious Movements (3)

    Chapter 128 - Suspicious Movements (3)


    ¡®What the hell?¡¯


    The Dragon Majin was taken aback. The Dragon Majin hadn¡¯t given his opponent enough time to gather a significant amount of power. However, Azell¡¯s sword held an incredible amount of power within it. When their swords shed, the Dragon Majin¡¯s body was stunned for a brief moment.


    Soon, the Dragon Majin realized what method had been used by Azell. While they were exchanging sword strikes, Azell had let a small trickle of his magical energy infuse into the sword of the Dragon Majin, then he had detonated it.


    ¡°Ooh-ook!¡±


    He hadn¡¯t noticed what was urring, since he had been in a fierce duel. His heart leapt into his mouth. However, Azell was unable to take advantage of the opening thanks to the magical support from the magician. He was unable to go on the offensive.


    He was only able to break up the stance of the Dragon Majin.


    The Dragon majin jumped forward to apply an additional attack when it happened.


    ¡°You guys really did you homework on how do deal with me. I have tomend you guys.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The Dragon Majin assumed a repulsive force would arise when their swords shed, but Azell¡¯s sword slipped by his sword as if it was an illusion. Then the orbs of light passed through the empty air.


    ¡®Instantaneous movement? He did it while we were in contact with each other?¡¯


    Did he prepare the Instantaneous Movement in the brief moment when he was stunned? Azell¡¯s figure disappeared from his sight.


    Kwahng!


    He was able to block the next attack only by luck. He had instinctively hunched into himself as he protected his upper body. This was why he was able to intercept Azell¡¯s sword strike.


    ¡°Koo-oohk!¡±


    However, the attack bypassed his defense, and it shook his internal organs. The Dragon Majin immediately kicked off the ground, and he used the Instantaneous Movement technique. He nned on retreating first before he re-acquired Azell in his field of vision.


    Pah-ahhhhhhhh!


    However, at that moment, he heard a shout of rm from the magician he was connected to. After Azell attacked him, he had immediately went after the magician.


    ¡®As expected, he knows my location!¡¯


    The magician had hidden himself, but he was releasing a lot of offensive spells. Therefore, he knew it had been a matter of time before he was found.


    The Dragon Majin gritted his teeth as he kicked off the ground....


    Pah-hahk!


    He heard the sound of a body being cut into two.


    ¡°...Uh?¡±


    Suddenly, he could see a cape in his field of vision. He finally realized that he fell for a trap.


    ¡®Incarnation......!¡¯


    He had no idea which one was the clone. Azell had been waiting for the moment the Dragon Majin focused his attention away towards hisrade.


    ¡®Ha! How can such a ridiculous bastard exist? Why did such a tribtione to us.....¡¯


    The Dragon Majin could feel the despair through the link connecting him to hisrade. He heard the short scream let out by hisrade.


    ¡°...all of you are skilled enough to be ced highly no matter where you go. Does this mean you guys are cing that high of an importance on this n?¡±


    Azell mumbled to himself after he took down the Dragon Majin and the magician.


    The Dragon Majin was probably an officer dispatched from the in of Darkness ording to the information he gathered from Laura, Yuren and Leticia. The troops that had been sent here by the in of Darkness was of high quality, and this meant that they had put a lot of importance on this n. Moreover, it was obvious as to why the Dragon Demon King worshippers were were attacking this town.


    The wanted a war between the Bijes kingdom and the Iellos kingdom.


    They were probably going to make it look as if the army of Iellos had ughtered the people of this town. It was a simple, yet effective tactic.


    ¡®These fuckers. Even if I know what they are trying to do, it isn¡¯t a problem I can remedy. I wonder if the Guardian Shadows would be more suitable.¡¯


    He had no choice, but to rely on the Guardian Shadows. They held influence over the entire continent, but there was also a systematic attempt by the organization to keep their identity a secret. Wouldn¡¯t that put a restriction on what they could actually do?


    As Azell was having these thoughts, Dillons started asking him questions.


    ¡°Who are you? What the hell is all of this.... What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°They are Dragon Demon King worshippers from the in of Darkness.¡±


    ¡°They are Dragon Demon King worshippers?¡±


    ¡°At the very least, you can probably tell that they aren¡¯t from the Iellos kingdom. I believe they are here to instigate a war between Bijes and Iellos. Let us hope that the situation doesn¡¯t devolve to that level.¡±


    After he spoke those words, Azell threw himself into the air. The situation wasn¡¯t good enough where he could calmly have a conversation with his man. Moreover, they would be put in an awkward situation if the identity of the members of his party was revealed. The best thing to do was to save then inform the people of this town on what was going on. Then they had to make themselves scarce.


    Soon, Azell¡¯s party killed all of the Dragon Demon King worshippers, and they gathered at the entrance of the town.


    Azell asked Balseru a question.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use the Guardian Shadows?¡±


    ¡°There were too many witnesses.¡±


    Balseru answered. He had been following the party from a distance, but he had participated in the battle. However, he hadn¡¯t called forth any other Guardian Shadows. He fought by himself.


    ¡®I wanted to see how skilled he was.......¡¯


    Surprisingly, no one in the party had caught sight of Balseru in action. He really was like a ghost. He only picked ces where he wouldn¡¯t be seen as he had killed the Orcs.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll excuse myself once again.¡±


    Balseru ignored the gazes from the party as he walked away into the distance. Although they had fought together in battle, it seemed Balseru still nned on putting distance from the party.


    Kairen grumbled.


    ¡°What a creepy guy.¡±


    ¡°I agree. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±


    The re was shot into the air, and they exited the town when they saw the army of the Bijes kingdoming towards them.


    Suddenly, Kairen spoke.


    ¡°By the way.... It seemed you had to exert yourself a little bit more than usual.¡±


    ¡°It seemed they had analyzed information regarding me, and they came up with a countermeasure. It took me a lot of time, because I wanted to see what they knew about me.¡±


    It made him think of his past. During the Dragon Demon war, the Dragon Demon King¡¯s army were very wary of Azell. This was why they devised all kinds of methods in attempt to stop him. They even created a special force that were trained in a specialized battle tactic to catch him. No more words were needed to be said.


    Kairen showed interest in the topic.


    ¡°How was it?¡±


    ¡°It was pretty good. They hade across me by mistake, yet they were quite effective in putting the n in y. We¡¯ll have to be more careful from now on.¡±


    Azell gave an honest assessment. Kairen thought for a brief moment before he spoke.


    ¡°We did kill all of them, but they will probably know about our whereabouts now..¡±


    ¡°I agree. Then there are the ones that are still looking at us.¡±


    He could feel gazes looking at him from far away. It seemed Dragon Demon King worshippers used observers, who moved independent of the force carrying out the mission.


    ¡°Shall I try catch them?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be an empty gesture. They are pretty far away, and they are spread out. We¡¯ll rattle them first, then we can feed them false information.


    ¡°Fortunately, we have two talented magicians.¡±


    Azell had identified five enemy observers. The closest one was 500 meters away, and the others were scattered far from each other. This was why it would be hard to hunt them all down in one fell swoop.


    At this distance, a magician¡¯s ability shined more so than a swordsman. Soon, Yuren and Laura casted spells towards locations pointed out by Azell and Kairen. It was too far away, so they were only able to cause a momentary distraction. However, that was enough. The party immediately used their camouge technique. Then they sent an exact replica of their image towards an entirely different direction.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Anyways, it¡¯ll be hard for them to predict where we are heading, so we¡¯ll be able to avoid their detection again.¡±


    The party was only here, because they received information from Yuren¡¯s guide. This roundabout route hadn¡¯t been part of their original n, so even if the in of Darkness knew their current destination, they wouldn¡¯t be able to easily discern their final destination.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°If it is as Balseru had said, we¡¯ll be pursued sooner rather thanter.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see if his words were correct or not. Situations like this always turns out for the worse in the end for me.¡±


    Kairen grumbled as if in disapproval.


    5


    Road of Emptiness.


    It was a magical artifact left behind by Dragon Demon King Atein.


    The artifact¡¯s worth was priceless, since it allowed instantaneous travel to various locations on the continent from the in of Darkness. It was a magic spell that couldn¡¯t be replicated, so the in of Darkness put great importance on the waypoints of the Road of Emptiness. It was disguised thoroughly, so outsiders wouldn¡¯t have any knowledge about it. Moreover, there were always a good amount of troops ced at each waypoint in order to protect them.


    However, the in of Darkness was currently being gued by a chronic problem. They had limited resources, and they had to be spent in a wise way. It was inevitable, since they were carrying out insidious ns across the continent.


    <If I say the sight of these bastards make me feel sick, would you find it to be funny?>


    A Skeleton Knight wearing ck gold armor spoke. The surface of the armor had red lines running through it like arteries. It was an ominous sight. At a nce, one could tell it was a armor infused with powerful magic. If Azell saw this Undead, he would have been reminded of Delta and Zeta.


    The Undead was a Skeleton Knight, and the armor had a simr design as the one worn by Zeta. However, unlike Zeta, one could see a sculpture-like horn protruding from the left side of the helmet, and its voice was entirely different.


    <I would.>


    Another simr looking Undead spoke with an apathetic voice. This one didn¡¯t have a horn, so if one discounted its voice and weapon, it looked very simr to Zeta. It held a mace on the right hand, and a shield on the left. The ck magical weapons was infused with an ominous magical energy.


    They were in a winding tunnel, and all the enemies blocking their path were Undead. They weren¡¯t just normal corpses. It looked as if they had been pieced together using numerous body parts. The bizarre looking monsters let out a horrifying sound as they blocked the path of the Skeleton Knights.


    However, the two Undead Skeleton Knights were easily destroying all the monsters in their path.


    Their magical energies, techniques and equipments were too powerful. They were like a localized typhoon. After they swept through the monsters, the sound of children whispering could be heard. The white Guardian Shadows finished off the ones that weren¡¯tpletely destroyed.


    They were so powerful that the woman following behind them didn¡¯t even need to stop once. She kept walking forward. The cold-faced woman with long blonde hair spoke.


    ¡°You should just stick to doing your job, Lambda and Mu.¡±


    The Dragon Majin Undead named Lambda grumbled at those word.


    <Why aren¡¯t you doing your work, Iota?>


    ¡°As a matter of fact, it is probably time for me to move.¡±


    The blonde haired woman was a Keeper of Prophecy named Iota. She had been following the two up until now, but her eyes shed when she saw the approaching enemies.


    <You bastards!>


    These were Undeads, who possessed intellect. However, unlike the Guardian Shadows, their opponents were all magicians.


    Normally, Undead Spirit Order practitioners and Undead Dragon Arts practitioners had a hard time replicating the power they possessed when alive. On the other hand, Undead magicians retained most of their powers. In some cases, they became stronger in death.


    The Undead magicians started to pour forth their magic spells. This was when Iota stepped forward.


    ¡°Ah ah. Even the Undead magicians were made from scraps.... They are very sensible in reusing their resources. I really like it. I like it so much that I want to kill them all.¡±


    She let out a twistedugh as she engaged her defensive magic.


    Normally, Undead Magicians chose to pass onto death. They opened the forbidden door in an attempt to gain a stronger power. However, these beings weren¡¯t such existences.


    An evil mind had recycled these beings in an attempt to re-use the abilities possessed by dead magicians. As a high ranked magician, Iota could tell at a nce that these Undeads didn¡¯t truly possess self-awareness. They were like the mindless Undeads in the fact that a simple battle intelligence was artificially ced within them. It awoke automatically in battle situations. It had nothing to do with whether they possessed self-awareness or not.


    This was why they were less skilled even if they were Undead magicians. Their magical power was strong, but the way they used it was too simple. It was a nightmare-like amount of fire power for most opponents, but they were easy pickings for a high ranked magician like Iota.


    Ggwah-gwah-gwahng! Gwah-gwahng!


    After receiving support from Iota, the troop of Guardian Shadows broke through the encirclement of Undead in a sh. Iota spoke.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it time for the administrator to show up soon? I¡¯m not sure how many there are.¡±

 Chapter 129 - Suspicious Movements (4)

    Chapter 129 - Suspicious Movements (4)


    They had attacked several waypoints to the Road of Emptiness before this, but they rarely found living troops dispatched to those locations. Since Undead and Golems do not need rest and sleep, they were used as dogs to guard the house. However, administrators were on standby to oversee them. Moreover.......


    <Shit. That damned mechanism just activated.>


    Lambda looked towards the inner tunnel. He sensed a powerful magical device activate. It was the Road of Emptiness.


    ¡°It seems someone ising here from the in of Darkness. We should wee it.¡±


    Iota actually had a smile on her face. She didn¡¯t know who the in of Darkness was sending, but it would be a powerful existence. She was quite happy, since she would have the chance to defeat such an existence.


    Soon, they arrived at the space where the Road of Emptiness existed. Thisrge space was created artificially, and in the middle, there was a round golden structure. This was the magical device that connected one to the Road of Emptiness.


    There was a chasm at the middle of the Road of Emptiness, and three people appeared from within. When she saw them, Iota smiled.


    ¡°Ho-oh. They sent three officers. This will be a delightful feast.¡±


    She also lost everything to the Dragon Demon King worshippers before she became a Keeper of Prophecy. The fact that she could cause more harm to the Dragon Demon King worshippers made her happy.


    ¡°You lowly bastards dare to dirty the holy artifact of the king!¡±


    The man, who exited the Road of Emptiness, raged. As if it was responding to his anger, a powerful wave of Dragon Demon magic spread out into the surrounding.


    The man had long ck hair, and a blue colored light surrounded him. There were horns protruding from between his hair that was simr to a bull¡¯s horns. He was the descendant of the one of the 4 legendary Dragon Demon general. His name was Almarick Jeffers.


    The others were Dragon Majin officers, who had followed him here. They were much lower in rank than Jeffers, but they were all very skilled. There was a restriction on how many people could travel through the Road of Emptiness. This was why they sent their strong members.


    Iotaughed.


    ¡°How foolish. You guys are already facing a manpower shortage, yet you are throwing away precious manpower as if they are trash..... You are clinging to a mere tool.¡±


    If Iota was in their shoes, she would have given up on the Road of Emptiness. She would have destroyed the magical device thoroughly, so the Guardian Shadows would be unable to learn of its secret. The wise move was to aim for a different opportunity.


    However, it was the same story as when they attacked the previous waypoints. They couldn¡¯t let go of their foolish fixation. The reason being the Road of Emptiness was one of Dragon Demon King Atein¡¯s artifacts. It couldn¡¯t be recreated with current knowledge of magic.


    ¡®We will not allow unbelievers to sully the great king¡¯s artifact!¡¯


    They had an illogical obsession. They directed their fanaticism towards someone, who was already dead.


    Iota mocked their foolishness. Of course, their foolishness was a lovely opportunity for her.


    ¡°I bet the Dragon Demon worshippers in the vicinity are all headed here. Shall we enjoy the feast?¡±


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t enough to just send Jeffers. They were probably mobilizing all their fighting forces nearby. Maybe other officers mighte through from other waypoints on the Road of Emptiness.


    ¡°Imand upon my great name! Come back from the eternal battlefield! Dragon Arts: Storm of des!¡±


    Hoo-ooooooooooh!


    Jeffers knew he was at a disadvantage, so he immediately used his Dragon Arts. It was humiliating to use his Dragon Arts on the lowly Undeads, but he had the holy duty of protecting the great king¡¯s relic. In front of such a task, his pride amounted to nothing.


    His sword became transparent as if it was made out of ss, and a blue me climbed up the de. Iota spoke as if he watched him.


    ¡°That magical weapon.... Is that what they call a Dragon weapon? It¡¯s an interesting item. The fact that I¡¯ll be able to end the session of this weapon makes me want to kill you more.¡±


    The me of hate started to burn within her eyes. She spoke.


    ¡°Lambda. Mu. Take care of them.¡±


    <Your wish is mymand..>


    Lambda and Mu split up to take care of the officers. Jeffers ran forward as he let loose his Storm of des.


    Kah-ang!


    However, Mu blocked it with his shield. Then the Guardian Shadows surrounding Iota swept towards them en mass like a wave.


    ¡°You bastards!¡±


    The blue me whirled as it shot out into the surrounding. This attack was able to affect a wide range. Moreover, Jeffers could choose, who the med affected. It wasn¡¯t a physical manifestation of heat. This surprising magical me was able to ignite the magical energy within his opponents.


    Even Lambda, Mu and the Guardian Shadows were unable to break through the mes. When they were pushed back, the Dragon Majin officers attacked them.


    Pahhhhhhng!


    However, a sudden and violent magical bacsh urred. It was as if an explosion had gone off as light exploded forth.


    The blue mes created by Jeffers¡¯ Dragon weapon dissipated quickly. Jeffers was taken aback.


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°It performs well, but it is easy to deal with.¡±


    Iota mocked him. A faint gold light emanated from her hands. Jeffers was shocked when he saw it.


    ¡°That Dragon Demon magic is......¡±


    A wave of Dragon Demon magic that was on par with his own wasing out of Iota. The in of Darkness didn¡¯t know much about the Guardian Shadows, but it was known that they were a special existence amongst Guardian Shadows. Moreover, they knew that humans amongst them possessed Dragon Demon magic as if they had gone through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    However, Jeffers couldn¡¯t help, but be surprised at what Iota had done.


    There was a big crysta like magical construct hanging around her. It was the size of a child¡¯s fist. This wasn¡¯t a simple magical product. The Dragon Demon magic emitted by Iota was constructed from a special image from within her mind. It extinguished everything from magic to Dragon Demon Qi.


    ¡°Your magic is powerless in front of me. I have awakened to the power of prophecy.¡±


    Iota dered in an haughty fashion.


    Power of Prophecy.


    It was atent power within the Keepers of the Prophecy. However, only three Keepers of Prophecy was able to awaken to the power. This really drove home the fact that it was very hard to awaken to this power.


    ¡°Ridiculous! Koo-uhk!¡±


    Jeffers coughed up blood.


    Jeffers felt a powerful bacsh just from his magic touching Iota¡¯s magical construct. Moreover, she was able to specify this power to work on only the enemy¡¯s magic!


    Jeffers was a Dragon Arts practitioner, but all the equipments he wore was infused with magic. Moreover, the magical construct flew in towards him, while he was fighting Lambda, Mu and the Guardian Shadows. It felt as if his innards was being ripped into pieces by the shock.


    Moreover, his Dragon weapon was also part of the problem. His Dragon weapon, ¡®Tempest¡¯s de¡¯ didn¡¯t react negatively to the magical construct. However, the cursed blue me was created from magic, so it caused a bacsh. If he sealed the use of the mes, he wouldn¡¯t have ess to most of the function of his Dragon weapon


    Puh-uh-uhng!


    ¡°Koo-ahk!¡±


    In the end, Jeffers was sent flying in a bloody mess. One of the Dragon Majin officers was a magician. His head was blown away by Mu¡¯s mace. The other office was a Dragon Majin warrior, and his arms were broken. He backed off as he tried to gather his breath.


    ¡®W...what ridiculous power.....¡¯


    This was a losing fight from the beginning. The Guardian Shadows had the numeric superiority, and the fear of the waypoint being destroyed made theme here without much of a n.


    They hade here thinking they would just buy some time. It was as Iota had surmised. Dragon Demon King worshippers were gathering to this location, so he had wanted to fight a defensive battle. He had thought he could turn the table on them....


    It was aplete miscalction.


    He never expected to die in such a ridiculous manner. It happened when Jeffers was despairing.


    ¡°Mmm. I guess you really are Almarick¡¯s descendant? I guess I have to save you.¡±


    An easygoing voice could be heard.


    6


    Everyone became surprised, and they turned to look at the location where the voice had emananted. A Dragon Demon wasing towards them from the tunnel.


    Iota was taken aback.


    ¡®He didn¡¯t set off my detection magic?¡¯


    She had put up a detection magic spell. She wanted to keep tabs on what was going on outside. However, the Dragon Demon hadn¡¯t triggered it.


    The Dragon Demon youth had messy ck hair. His eyes and Dragon Demon stone were a green color. He also had something akin to a ram¡¯s horn that was silver with a bluish tint. His face didn¡¯t hold any tension, and he looked kind. He looked as if he hade out without changing his clothes after he took a nap within his house. He was very loose. Basically, he was unarmed.


    ¡®Why didn¡¯t the Guardian Shadows react to him?¡¯


    The problem wasn¡¯t the fact that he was able to dodge her detection magic. Even the Guardian Shadows were unable to sense the presence of this youth.


    As soon as that thought crossed their minds, one of the Guardian Shadows attacked him. The ghost closed the distance as he attacked.


    <What the hell?>


    Lambda was astounded. The Dragon Demon youth just stood there, and he took the Guardian Shadow¡¯s sword strike. However, after a moment, he could see that the youth had retreated the exact distance of the sword strike.


    The Dragon Demon youthughed.


    ¡°Wow. You guys are so violent. You guys attack on sight? That kind of attitude will turn a non-enemy into an enemy.¡±


    He leisurely avoided the sword strike to the side, and his presence started to change. His presence could now be felt by the Detection magic....


    ¡®Incredible Dragon Demon magic!¡¯


    It felt as if all the hairs on her body was standing up on its ends. The rxed looking Dragon Demon youth was letting out a boundless amount of Dragon Demon magic. It was a brief glimpse into his powers, but he was on apletely different levelpared to Jeffers. Jeffers was outstanding in terms of Dragon Demon magic, but if onepared him to this youth... It was likeparing a brook to ake.


    ¡®He is on apletely different levelpared to any Dragon Demons I¡¯ve seen up until now. He might exceed a Dragon in terms of power....!¡¯


    Iota had killed countless Dragon Demon king worshippers as the Keeper of Prophecy. However, no one had possessedparable Dragon Demon magic as this person.


    The youth gestured to calm her down as he spoke.


    ¡°Calm down. I¡¯m not a Dragon Demon king worshipper. I don¡¯t really want to fight with you guys.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I came here to borrow and use the Road of Emptiness. However, the situation turned into this.... It would be great if you¡¯ll allow me to take the descendant of Almarick. I don¡¯t care what you do with the other afterwards.¡±


    ¡°The negotiation ends now.¡±


    She attacked at the same time as she spoke. The clear magical constructs surrounded the youth, and the Guardian Shadows attack all at the same time.


    Pah-ahhhhhhhhhhng!


    There was an explosion of light. However, the resultpletely differed from what Iota had expected. The entire force of Guardian Shadows were repelled.


    A clear light dragon was surrounding the youth¡¯s body. Iota, Lambda and Mu became surprised when they saw it.


    ¡®What the hell is that?¡¯


    This was a type of power they had never seen before. The red semi-transparent dragon of light wound itself around the youth¡¯s body and it was growling at them. One could feel a strong will from it as if it was alive.


    The youth scratched his cheeks as if he was in a bind.


    ¡°I said I don¡¯t want to fight, but you guys are being very aggressive. Well, I still haven¡¯t decided what to do with you guys, so I¡¯ll finish my business first.¡±


    ¡°Lambda! Mu!¡±


    Iota yelled out towards them. Lambda and Mu were like a tornado of steel as they charged the youth. They hadn¡¯tpletely neutralized Jeffers and the Dragon Majin officer, but this man was much more dangerous than them!


    Shwee, shwee, shwee, swheee!


    Lambda¡¯s sword moved through the air in a dazzling disy. A normal human would have died without seeing the swording.


    However, the youth evade all the sword strikes. He wasn¡¯t even in a defensive stance. He just moved slightly to dodge with a paper thin margin.


    <Kook!>


    While Lambda was bing frustrated, Mushed out with his shield from an angle. The surface area of the shield wasrge, so the youth had to avoid by making a big movement. Mu¡¯s mace moved as if it had been waiting for this moment. It arrived where the youth couldn¡¯t dodge.


    ¡°Ooht-cha!¡±


    The youth blocked the mace with his bare hand. Mu was shocked.


    <What kind of ridiculous.....!>


    The mace had enough power to destroy a house. However, the youth had blocked it with one hand, and it looked as if the youth had felt a no ill effects from it. When the mace¡¯s head met his palm, he pulled off a superb move by grabbing and pulling it to dissipate all of the power behind the mace. It was a crazy trick.


    Afterwards, the youth disappeared from his field of vision.


    Too-oohng!


    Something brushed by Mu¡¯s body. The youth had spun to the side as he applied a blow to Mu¡¯s side. However, the blow was weak. Was he unable to put a lot of strength behind it, because he was moving so fast?


    It happened as he had this thought. He tried to turn his body.


    Kwah-jahk!


    <Koo-uhkk......?>


    His armor was destroyed, and his innermost bones were broken. Mu sank down to the floor. It had looked like a light attack, so did he use a skill? If it was a skill that prated armor, his magical amor should have stopped it.


    Hoo-ooooooooooooooh!


    Afterwards, a gust rose up. Lambda was a beat toote in attacking, and the youth was already gone. For a moment, he doubted his senses, since the youth had just disappeared. However, the youth was leisurely walking away, and each step moved him several meters away....


    Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah!


    An explosion rang out.


    Lambda and all the Guardian Shadows, who were running towards the youth, were all sent flying.


    <This... What a ridiculous technique......!>


    Mu was already on the floor, so he was able to see the truth behind the technique. The youth had used short-distance Instantaneous movements continuously, and he was off beat everytime he moved. It messed with everyone¡¯s senses. The more surprising part was....


    <He isn¡¯t just moving. He is using Instantaneous movement on each body part? This should be impossible!>


    The youth wasn¡¯t just moving his entire body as a whole. His Instantaneous movement varied depending on what specific movements he wanted to perform. It was clear that his physical ability was outstanding, but how could his hands and feet use Instantaneous movement separate from the body? How were the hands and feet able to keep up?


    It should be impossible. If an Undead like him tried this method, his bones would be crushed. So how was he able to pull it off with a living body? Just the act of repelling the Guardian Shadows should have crushed his body. When he forcibly stopped on a dime, the bacsh should make his body explode.


    ¡°Oh. You have a great eye to see that. You must have been very talented in life.¡±


    The youth asked as if he was amused.


    ¡°Anyways.... Do you know where the miss acquired the item she is using? It is something I¡¯ve seen before.¡±


    The youth was a Dragon Arts practitioner, and he didn¡¯t possess any magical items. This was why the magical constructs spread by Iota wasn¡¯t responding to him.


    Iota spoke with a tense expression on her face.


    ¡°There is no reason why I should tell you that.¡±


    ¡°You are being so cold. Box of Hate.¡±


    Iota flinched at his words. The words didn¡¯t have any context behind it, so she thought he had spoken a word of activation. She was on guard for a spell. The youth let out a bitterugh.


    ¡°By your reaction, it seems you don¡¯t know much about it even if you are using it. You call yourselves the Guardian Shadows....¡±


    He tilted his head, and he approached Jeffers....


    ¡°Ooh-wahk! W...what the hell are you doing!¡±


    He started stripping Jeffers.


    Booh-ook! Zzeek! Chul-koo-ruhk!


    The armor was ripped away, and Jeffers¡¯ clothes were torn away. Jeffers was scared out of his wits, so he struggled. However, the youth ruthlessly struck the back of Jeffers¡¯ neck.


    ¡°Kuh-uhk!¡±


    Jeffers fainted immediately, and the youth stripped him nude in an instant.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Everyone was just dumbfounded as they watched what was happening.


    What the hell was he doing?


    The youth put the nude Jeffers over his shoulder.


    ¡°Please excuse me. You should get on with your work.¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment!¡±


    Iota came to her senses as she yelled out, but the youth didn¡¯t listen to her. He immediately kicked off the ground, and he disappeared using the Instantaneous method. Iota had put up magical constructs in the air, but it didn¡¯t react to his presence. It was, because the youth had stripped Jeffers nude.


    ¡°Kook!¡±


    The Guardian Shadows tried to catch them, but they didn¡¯t stand a chance. He was so fast that the Guardian Shadows couldn¡¯t even react before he was past them.


    ¡°...that¡¯s ridiculous.¡±


    <It feels like I just had a nightmare.>


    <I agree with you.>


    The youth had destroyed their bodies, but the two Undead didn¡¯t receive any critical blows. However, the blow had Dragon Demon magic behind it, so the recovery process was slowed.


    <He could have ughtered us all, yet he let us go... What is he thinking?>


    As the youth had suggested in the beginning, he left behind the Dragon Majin officer after he rescued Jeffers.


    A silence had descended, and the first to break it was Iota. She spoke as she sighed.


    ¡°All right. There is no reason why he should stand here absent-mindedly. Let¡¯s do our job then he can slowly think this over.¡±


    <All right.>


    The remaining Dragon Majin officer¡¯s face turned pale. He had been listening to their absent-minded words, and now he realized his life was at an end.


    Soon, a gruesome scream rang out, and their work was done.

 Chapter 130 - Suspicious Movements (5)

    Chapter 130 - Suspicious Movements (5)


    7


    If one had to describe what Laura had been, she was someone so precious that water never touched her hands. She was born into this world through a magic experiment, but after she received the name of Aunsaurus, she was treated like a queen. Aside from learning magic and carrying out her missions, she hadn¡¯t even needed to lift a finger to dress herself. Others would do it for her.


    Now she was in a situation where she had to wash her dishes and clothes. Unexpectedly, she found the mundae everyday work to be refreshing. She enjoyed doing these tasks throughout her travels. However, there was one thing she couldn¡¯t let go.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    Azell held up a piece of cloth that was twisted and dried up. It used to be a women¡¯s apparel. It was Laura¡¯s clothes.


    Amongst the party, Laura had the most clothes. She bought clothes from every town they visited, and she squirelled them away in her pack. Since she didn¡¯t ask others to carry her pack, no oneined. They were traveling a long distance at a ridiculous pace, so it was stupid to increase one¡¯s luggage. However, if she wasn¡¯t slowing them down, wasn¡¯t it up to her to decide on what she wanted to do?


    Laura had grown up pampered, so she was fixated with being clean. Even when they camped outside, she always went out and found water. She used magic to clean herself, and she changed into a different clothes daily. Leticia was also a woman, yet she was on the opposite side of the spectrum as Laura. Leticia had lived a very rough life, so she held the same view of cleanliness as men. Moreover, travelers were intrinsically more tolerant against not being cleanpared to normal people.


    ¡®Well, she does seem to be more feminine....¡¯


    Laura changed clothes everyday, so she didundry more than anyone else. However, she didn¡¯t have the time to dry herundry unless they were at an inn. This was why she had used magic to dry it fast... She had made a rare mistake, and now she wouldn¡¯t able to wear these particr clothes.


    He had wondered why she hadn¡¯te back from the creek. He had found sitting next next to the clothes as she hugged her knees.


    Her expression didn¡¯t show it, but it looked as if she was conflicted about something. He discreetly sat next to her, and he queried her.


    ¡°Are you sick? Did you get hurt during the battle?¡±


    ¡°...no.¡±


    Laura, who hadn¡¯t shown any reaction to his presence, answered him. There was a sigh mixed in with her words.


    Then another awkward silence descended. After Azell waited for a brief moment, he nced at her as he spoke.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk about it, you don¡¯t have to. I don¡¯t n on interrogating you.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Laura didn¡¯t respond to him. Azell shrugged his shoulders slightly before he stood up. Azell turned around, and when he took couple steps, he heard Laura¡¯s whispered words.


    ¡°...it was a situation where I had to kill him.¡±


    Azell walked back, and he sat back down next to her again. Laura continued to speak. She tilted her head, so she could ce her head on one of her knees.


    ¡°How I would be treated by them.... I knew from the beginning what it will be like. I used to be one of them.¡±


    Despite everything, she had firmed her resolve to follow Azell. The Dragon Demon king worshippers were fanatics, and they demandedplete faith in their god. If one showed even a little sign of faltering from their faith, a violent punishment would be applied to the traitor. Someone who tried to save you yesterday would try to kill you with a vengeance.


    However, she realized some of what she imagined was matched in reality, but the parts that didn¡¯t match was very different. She had imagined the consequences of her actions as a way to harden her resolve. However, the shock she felt when she confronted reality was huge.


    The magician, who had died at Laura¡¯s hands, spoke with a voice full of venom. He had cursed her.


    ¡®You bitch! You will forever burn in the fire of hell! We will use whatever method to kill someone, who betrayed theirrades and our faith! This is a promise! Your body and soul will be punished! You will be in so much pain that you will wish you were dead!¡¯


    ...if it was them, they would be able to follow through on such a threat. They had a method of giving pain that was so severe that it was as if one was in hell. Moreover, one couldn¡¯t seek release from the pain through death.


    However, she wasn¡¯t afraid of that. Fear was not what made her upset.


    Laura asked him a question.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you have heard a lot of curses thrown at you by your enemies.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What did you do each time?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t pay attention to it. If I let myself be upied with such words, it¡¯ll be endless.¡±


    ¡°I think I was like that in the past. It was bit different, but still.......¡±


    When she had carried out a mission as a Dragon Demon king worshipper, she hadn¡¯t had such thoughts. She followed orders to produce results. That was the only way she could raise her worth, so she had lived only for this. She had been obsessed with not failing that she hadn¡¯t even thought about her opponents. She hadn¡¯t suffered under this feeling of responsibility she was feeling right now.


    This was why she hadn¡¯t cared if her opponents hated her or cursed her. When she was killing her enemies on a mission, her enemies had been inorganic objects to her.


    Now she was facing enemies, who had once been her allies....


    She could no longer maintain her previous frame of mind.


    ¡°I killed him. I had no choice but to kill. I had to kill, but... I can¡¯t seem to forget him. I¡¯ve never paid attention to my opponent¡¯s appearance or what kind of voice he had....¡±


    ¡°Mmm. Basically.... This is the first time you¡¯ve viewed an enemy as a person.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    At Azell¡¯s words, Laura suddenly stopped her rambling. Her eyes widened a little as she looked at Azell.


    Azell queried.


    ¡°Am I wrong?¡±


    ¡°Your words.... I think you are right.¡±


    As a high ranked magician, Laura¡¯s intelligence was incredibly high. However, she was clumsy with her emotions. She was almost childlike in that way. After hearing Azell¡¯s words, she understood why she was upset.


    When she was an officer within the in of Darkness, the Dragon Demon king worshippers were a weapon she wielded. Her allies had been tools that was used by her. She never put much importance to them. She didn¡¯t even try to remember each of their names or faces.


    However, she didn¡¯t think she could ever forget the magician she had killed this time around.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Your situation is unique. It was inevitable since you lived under the same roof as them..¡±


    ¡°I lived under the same roof?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that idiom? I guess I can see how you might not know it.¡±


    In truth, Azell didn¡¯t know if the same idiom was being used in this era. At times, the people of this era used idioms that existed during the Dragon Demon war, and it was a refreshing experience for him. Then there were words and phrase that were new to him. asionally, a phrase left behind by someone he knew was quoted, and the feeling he felt was indescribable.


    Anyways, he let such feeling flow off him as he spoke.


    ¡°You were part of a group that pursued the same goal, and they had be a form of family to you... Humans group together. If they aren¡¯t in a hostile rtionship where killing is necessary, they gather in groups for the sake of profit. If some chooses to move to a different group, they are treated as traitors, and it caused them stress. The fact that you are upset is natural.¡±


    Azell had a simr experience before. It wasn¡¯t as extreme as what Laura was feeling right now, but he had to go through the process ofing to terms that people he hated and deserved to be killed were still people. It had been a shock to his system. At first, he saw enemies as just people he had to kill. However, as time passed, he realized the people he killed had family and friends. He discovered that they were people, who enjoyed the mundane task of life....


    ¡®For me, it was the Dragon Demons.¡¯


    When Azell was very young, he experienced his first kill by killing a bandit. That human deserved to die, so he didn¡¯t experience any surprise like finding his humanity.


    However, Dragon Demons were different. He had considered all of them to be enemies, but some Dragon Demons had be his allies. He had thought they were monsters that werepletely different from humans. However, he discovered that they were very human in many ways. When he realized this fact, the shock he felt was indescribable.


    As Azell thought about the old days, Laura asked him a question.


    ¡°What can I do?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, this isn¡¯t a problem with a ready made remedy that¡¯ll make you feel better. There are many problems in this world, and there are some like this one where you can¡¯t do much about it.¡±


    ¡°I see.......¡±


    Laura let out a sigh. Of course, she knew all of this. She had chosen her path in life, so she had to take responsibility for it.


    She suddenly spoke.


    ¡°Do you remember the time when I told you about the elder I spoke to?¡±


    ¡°The nameless Dragon Demon, who managed to live through the Dragon Demon war?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What about that bastard?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Laura looked over Azell. Of course, from Azell¡¯s perspective, the elder was merely a foe he would have to kill on sight. There was no reason for him to show respect to the elder. However, Laura couldn¡¯t help but feel displeasure at his words. The elder was one of the few beings that had consoled her heart.


    A rare expression appeared on her constantly expressionless face, so Azell noticed what she was feeling. Azell let out a bitterugh as he spoke.


    ¡°I understand you are irritated, but.... Even if Dragon Demon king Atein revives, I¡¯ll still call him a bastard. I don¡¯t n on using an honorifics.¡±


    ¡°I know. Now that I think about it, you will have to fight the elder in the future.¡±


    ¡°I think so. However, ording to your ount, he was decrepit from old age. Will he be able to fight me?¡±


    Laura hadn¡¯t gone into details about the elder. However, Azell had put two and two together to surmise that the Dragon Demon was old and infirm. He sounded like an outstanding magician, but he wouldn¡¯t have been able to free himself from the effects of his body.


    ¡®No. By the look of what they had done recently, maybe he will try toe back as an Undead? As a magician, his ability would be retained in its entirety. He¡¯ll be a powerful foe. He would lose his Dragon Demon magic, but a Dragon weapon can somewhat fix that deficiency of an Undead.....¡¯


    Azell worried about such real-life worries when Laura shook her head from side to side.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Whenever I met him, he was always in his seat, and he didn¡¯t move. However, it wasn¡¯t because he was decrepit. I¡¯m sure he is old, but it isn¡¯t as if he can¡¯t move. He is choosing not to move.¡±


    ¡°So he is pretending to be decrepit?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Is there a reason why he went through all the trouble of trying to trick you? Ah, from what I heard up until now, the older generation within the in of Darkness seems to really hate giving information to the younger generation.....¡±


    ¡°No, that isn¡¯t it.... I have a hunch that it is part of a magical rite.¡±


    ¡°Is it a magic ritual that restricts movements? Mmm. Maybe, it is a method that forcefully suppresses his aging process.¡±


    ¡°It is a possibility, but Azell...¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You really are like a magician. I wouldn¡¯t have thought a non-magician coulde up with such a possibility....¡±


    ¡°Well, it is the fault of having a friend, who likes to give lectures.¡±


    Azell let out a bitterugh. Carlos really liked talking about magic with Azell. This was why he had a lot of misceneous knowledge about magic even if he was only a Spirit Order practitioner.


    Moreover, the knowledge he had gained was very useful in the Dragon Demon war. In certain situations, he knew what the enemy magicians could do. He was able to discern what they were going to do.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Let¡¯s put that aside... What is up with that elder of yours?¡±


    ¡°He said these words to me. He said I will use my own will to find the worth of my own life, and I would have to brace myself to fight the whole world in the process.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I believe that person somehow foresaw that I would someday make this choice.¡±


    Whenever Laura met the elder, she always had that thought. He was unusually sympathetic towards her, and he didn¡¯t try to indoctrinate her with fanatical views. He lived a very quiet lifepared to the other survivors of the Dragon Demon war residing in the in of Darkness.


    She had betrayed the Dragon Demon king worshippers now, and if there was one person she wanted to meet again, it was him. Now that she was out of the organization, she had more questions about him now.


    Who was he?


    Moreover, what was the purpose of hiding his identity?

 Chapter 131 - Fallen Demon (1)

    Chapter 131 - Fallen Demon (1)


    1


    After they exited the border region, Azell¡¯s party moved carefully towards their destination. This location was known to be the habitat for Dragons, so they didn¡¯t want to draw the attention of the Dragons. As expected of a Dragon¡¯s habitat, there were a lot of monsters and beasts there. They had to thoroughly scout the area as they moved stealthily through thend. They avoided getting into a battle.


    While they were making preparations to spend the night outside, Yuren asked a question.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to do a Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual since we are here?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t time yet.¡±


    Azell shook his head from side to side. He was able to digest the Dragon¡¯s power faster through the new training method contained within the skill manual. However, he needed more time.


    Yuren asked Leticia a question.


    ¡°What about you, Leticia?¡±


    ¡°You talk so easily about fighting one on one with a Dragon. You talk lightly of it as if it is a meeting between a young man and a young woman. If you think the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual will be so profitable, why don¡¯t you do it?¡±


    ¡°In truth, I¡¯m not too confident about it myself. Magicians are more disadvantaged against Dragons, and I have to work on getting proper control over my magical energy instead of gaining more Dragon Demon magic.....¡±


    A ck fog like energy emanated from Yuren¡¯s hand. At his core, Yuren was a ck magician. In truth, he used his magic more like a traditional magician, but there was an ominous energy emanating from it. It was the energy of ck magic.


    Moreover, his energy was overwhelming more ominous and denserpared to other ck magicians. The reason being he had learned a forbidden technique at the guidance of the guide. He had made a connection with the Demon.


    The magical energy he earned by connecting to the Demon didn¡¯t disappear easily. It had increased Yuren¡¯s magical energy immensely, but at the same time, it was trying to take over his Energy Pulse. Demons wanted to corrupt humans. It allowed them to acquire souls. The Demons were able to eat away at the user¡¯s magical energy using the connection. There was a demonic will contained within it.


    This was why Yuren always worked hard on suppressing the subversion. Recently, the training method from the manual relieved the burden by a notch. The participants gathered their magical energy, and the qualitative nature of the magical energy was synced. Then it imbued Dragon Demon magic to all the participants. This process had an effect of cleansing his magical energy.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°You are quite good at using such a dangerous power. That method is forbidden even for those who seek out ck magic.¡±


    ¡°...well, your words are true. Somehow, I feel aggrieved at hearing those words from you?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Laura tilted her head in confusion. She couldn¡¯t understand what he was trying to say. Yuren clicked his tongue as if he couldn¡¯t believe her words.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know why? The in of Darkness tried to make someone like me artificially. I thought all their attempts had all been unsessful, but....¡±


    As he spoke, Yuren¡¯s eyes naturally started to turn towards someone. He quickly stopped himself. Leticia spoke in a lukewarm manner.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be considerate of me. It is unnecessary.¡±


    ¡°Ah, no. It¡¯s....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never told you about it, so I won¡¯t ask you how you know.... In truth, the answer is obvious. You are a crazy person, who had voluntarily called up a Demon, to make a connection with it. You knew we were tarred with the same brush.¡±


    At her words, Laura asked in surprise.


    ¡°You also have a connection with the Demon race?¡±


    ¡°The fact that I have to hear those words from you makes me mad, but.... Yes. If seen in a certain light, you are like me as well as Jeffers Almarick.¡±


    Leticia let out a bitterugh. She had betrayed the Dragon Demon king worshippers as a Dragon Majin, because they had experimented on her with ck magic. She spoke about her past in a calm manner.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t some incredible story. The Aunsaurus family worked toward making the final product in you, Laura Aunsaurus. The Almarick family did something simr. However, they chose to make the children in a more organic manner.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°It is as I¡¯ve said. The men of the Almarick slept with many human women and female Dragon Majins. They required these women to have multiple babies.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    If heard in passing, one would think it was a natural attempt at propagating their line. However, Leticia knew the details, so she knew the process wasn¡¯t as benign as it sounded.


    ¡°A lot of women were needed to acquire over 100 children. The women were from all over the ce. There were the vigers from within the in of Darkness, test subjects from outside, kidnapped women.... They were all turned into tools by the Almarick family in an attempt create the child they desired.¡±


    Leticia had no idea who her mother was. The Almarick family separated the children from their mothers before they were weaned. She found this outter, but the Almarick family had no intentions of letting the information of what they were doing leak out to the outside. Magic was used to destroy the minds of the women from the beginning. Their bodies were modified, so they were able ¡®produce¡¯ as many children as possible. Afterwards, they were all ¡®disposed¡¯.


    ¡°...we had no idea about the truth. The children lived on in an attempt to be the ideal heir to Almarick. The education we received was quite severe.¡±


    As the education progressed further, the number of children inevitably shrunk. There were those killed during training sessions or experiments. Then there were those that werebeled as failures. They disappeared to be never seen again. At the time, she hadn¡¯t known what they did with the children, who had failed. Now she knew.


    ¡°I was also a failed product.¡±


    The dropouts were sent to a ck magic research facility, and they became test subjects. Leticia had been one of them.


    The tests that was performed on her was brutal. The training to be the heir was inhumane, but as a test subject for the ck magic experiments, the fact that they were living beings with personalities was ignored.


    ¡°...however, I couldn¡¯t escape.¡±


    The test subjects were under perfect surveince, and they went through hell on a daily basis. Even the act of running away through death wasn¡¯t allowed. It was a ck magic researchb, so it was normal for them to toy with death. Death wasn¡¯t the end. One suffered more painfully in death. This truth was told to them by demons.... They were basically living within the lowest floor of hell.


    Before she knew it, she was staring into the campfire, and her voice shook slightly. She always looked cold on the outside, but there were stacks of memories deep down within her. The memories of pain and fear generated the hate and hostility she felt towards the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    ¡°I was able to escape from that ce, because they were covetous of the power of Demons.¡±


    The ck magic research facility within the in of Dark used test subjects as sacrificialmbs. They were given to the Demon race in an attempt to gain more knowledge. They were persistent in their pursuit. They even took a step beyond what was eptable. They performed banned experiments by connecting test subjects to Demons.


    ¡°As you¡¯ve seen from this guy, it was determined that one can gain immense power through this crazy process. However, there were no cases of sess.¡±


    At the very least, there had been none until Leticia came along.


    The Demon race coveted the souls of humans. However, once the connection was made, the Demon didn¡¯t try to take over the body. The Demon soon destroyed the body. The hail of evil destroyed the mind, and the body followed. Those killed in such a way couldn¡¯t be raised as an Undead.


    ¡°However, the process seeded in me. I don¡¯t know why it seeded. I was connected to a Demon, but my case looks different from what Yuren did. There might be a different exnation.¡±


    On the first experiment, the connectionsted 10 seconds before it dissolved. Leticia¡¯s mind and body remained intact.


    Of course, the researchers readied a second experiment. Up until that point, there were less than 10 subjects, who was able to achieve the same result as Leticia. She became a really valuable test subject.


    The result of the second test was surprising. The connection was maintained for three minutes yet nothing happened. Normally, the longer period of exposure in the second experiment inevitably led to the destruction of the test subjects. Leticia was able to maintain a longer connection, and she was able to withstand it until the connection was severed.


    The researchers were happy. They shouted in joy when they finally achieved the result they had desired....


    They immediately became pirs of ice.


    ¡°When I look back at it.... I¡¯ve never felt so wronged as what I experience at that moment.¡±


    She had received all kinds of torment from them. However, she had given them a clean death before she could exact a proper revenge.


    An enormous change ured when she was connected to a Demon twice. The Demon was gone, but the evil magical energy remained behind. It was overflowing within her. It had destroyed every mechanism that had been ced to restrain her. Her Dragon Demon magic had also received a boost, so she was able to use the power of ice as easily as breathing. She exceeded most Dragon Majin in terms of power.


    ¡°...however, I didn¡¯t connect to the Demon on purpose like Yuren. I never want to experience it again.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t as if I did it because I wanted to. I had no choice.¡±


    Yuren grumbled.


    The connection he formed with the Demon race was a trump card he had learned from the guide within his dreams. He hadn¡¯t wanted to use it unless it was absolutely necessary. The burden of controlling such a technique was too high.


    He used his rationality and senses to create his magic spell, yet it felt as if a foreign agent was destroying his heart with evil. That overwhelming power was being provided to him, but it felt as if his Energy Pulse, which extended to his entire body, was crawling with maggots. It was a horrifying feeling as if it was eating him alive from the inside..


    Leticia, who had been looking at Yuren with displeasure, turned to Azell. She suddenly asked him a question.


    ¡°I have a question I want to ask at this time, Azell Zestringer.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so enthused about answering my question. I didn¡¯t reveal my past as a chip to gain information from you. I just....¡±


    Leticia smirked as if she was a little bit baffled at what she was about to say.


    ¡°If it is you all, I thought I could talk to you guys about it. The bastards from the in of Darkness already knows about my past, so it doesn¡¯t feel too bad to know that the people I chose asrades knows about it too.¡±


    In the beginning, she had balked when she was questioned by Azell about her past. However, as she traveled with them, the wall she had put up came down.


    After she had betrayed the Dragon Demon King worshippers, she had always been alone except for the time when she received instruction from her teacher. She had been in the grips of madness when her teacher taught her how to live as a decent being. After she separated from her teacher, she hadn¡¯t gotten close to any one. She only thought about fighting the Dragon Demon King worshippers.


    However, a change urred inside her heart when she met Yuren. She had ovee hardship with him, and she was able to meet Azell Zestringer. She hadrades, who shared the same purpose as her.


    Leticia asked a question.


    ¡°As a person who experienced the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, do you think I will be able to do the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual?¡±


    ¡°It is possible.¡±


    Azell didn¡¯t even have to think about it before he gave his answer.


    ¡°Hmm. If that is your assessment....¡±


    ¡°However, there is alway a risk of one losing one¡¯s life in a Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. The fact that one possesses the skill to seed doesn¡¯t guarantee that one would seed in it. As the challenger grows in Dragon Demon magic, the Dragon bes stronger too. You have to remember that point.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not naive. I won¡¯t try to eat the world raw.¡±


    Leticia snorted.

 Chapter 132 - Fallen Demon (2)

    Chapter 132 - Fallen Demon (2)


    2


    The next morning arrived, and the party departed when the sun started toe out. Moreover, they were able to arrive at their destination when the sun was high up in the sky.


    Yuren, who had been walking from the front, spoke.


    ¡°We are here.¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    All the party members had a queer expression on their faces.


    There was a marsh made out of mud in front of their eyes. It was a bit too in-your-face to be a naturally formed marsh. It was as if corpses were gathered and turned into mulch in this location throughout the years. There was a dense noxious fume emanating from it.


    Azell asked him a question.


    ¡°It¡¯s within this marsh?¡±


    ¡°ording to the words of the guide, it¡¯s here.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. How do we open the door?¡±


    ¡°The door is within there.¡±


    ¡°...are you perhaps trying to say we have to dive into the marsh?¡±


    ¡°I believe so.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I might have a way. The marsh isn¡¯t that deep, so I¡¯ll use my barrier as we head below....¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯ll do it..¡±


    Azell let out a sigh as he stepped forward. Yuren asked him a question.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    -Rise Dragon Weapon, Vitan¡¯s Chalice.


    Instead of answering his question, Azell brought out the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. It was as if a lightning had nted itself in front of him. A transparent staff made out of ss was held within his hand. Dragon Demon magic poured out of of Azell.


    ¡°Path of Tears.¡±


    Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh.......


    The surrounding space looked distorted as if one was looking through a drop of water. This distortion gathered in front of Azell, and it turned into arge pocket of air. It extended forward from him as it entered into the marsh.


    ¡°All right. Is it around 10 meters deep?¡±


    After a brief amount of time, there was a path leading down into the marsh. The distortion of air had created a path within the marsh.


    Azell spoke as he walked in.


    ¡°Everyone follow me.¡±


    ¡°...what is this?¡±


    Laura asked in surprise. She had been the original owner of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice, yet she hadn¡¯t known how to use it properly.


    Azell answered her.


    ¡°The Dimensional distortion field can be focused into a limited space to create a shape one desires. Even if it was a volcano overflowing with magma, I could go in. The heat won¡¯t affect me.¡±


    In truth, these were feats performed by Aunsaurus in front of Azell during the Dragon Demon war. Azell had used the time on this journey to go over his memories, and he worked on replicating the feats performed by Aunsaurus using the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. The Path of Tears was one of the results of his efforts.


    Yuren spoke as if he was dumbfounded.


    ¡°This is aplete cheat.¡±


    ¡°The performance of the Dragon Weapon called the Vitan¡¯s Chalice can be described as a cheat. The Dimensional Distortion can be controlled by constructing an image in one¡¯s mind. This is why its usefulness can¡¯t be measured throughmon sense.¡±


    They followed the Path of Tears to arrive at the bottom of the marsh, and there found a stone gate. It was clearly a man-made stone door. As soon as the party arrived at the bottom, the door opened, and a very dark hallway was revealed.


    Koo-roo-roo-roong!


    When all the party members entered, the door closed. Yuren spoke.


    ¡°There are no traps here, so we can just head in.¡±


    ¡°Mmm? Why is it sox in security?¡±


    The marsh was a troublesome barrier, but a high level magician would be able to break through it easily. Yuren spoke.


    ¡°I think the defense differs depending on who¡¯s the intruder. I think it won¡¯t be a problem since you are here.¡±


    ¡°There aren¡¯t any signs that we are being probed by magic....¡±


    ¡°I concur. Since the guide said so, shouldn¡¯t we just assume it to be true?¡±


    ¡°...it isn¡¯t good to trust blindly. Just look around a little bit.¡±


    ¡°I agree with that sentiment. Still, it feels as if we are doing unnecessary work.


    Yuren grumbled, but he diligently searched for magic traps. It happened at that moment.


    <...you are the customer I have been waiting for.>


    A bleak voice rang out from down the hallway. It was a voice that sent a chill running up one¡¯s spine.


    At the same time, the hallway brightened. There were magic lights ced along the hallway, and the deste sight of the hallway was revealed. It had been neglected over the long years.


    Azell mumbled to himself.


    ¡°Is it an Undead?¡±


    <Since you¡¯ve entered this path without much difficulty, I assumed right. You guys are the customers I¡¯ve been waiting for.>


    ¡°There is only one path.¡±


    <If you guys weren¡¯t the ones I¡¯ve been waiting for, you would have been bombarded by a prodigious amount of magic. You would have only been able to hear my voice after you escaped from the throes of death. Then you would have arrived at this structure, which was created to be a maze.>


    ¡°A maze...¡±


    <You don¡¯t have to be worried. Since you are already on this path, you¡¯ll be able to meet me soon.>


    ¡°Your credibility is plummeting really fast....¡±


    Koo-roo-roo-roong......!


    Azell was bing wary when he felt a faint rumbling. Everyone flinched as they looked at their surrounding.


    Azell assessed the situation.


    ¡°The hallway itself is moving.¡±


    <That¡¯s right. This ce moves endlessly to restructure itself.>


    As if to prove his words, a wall cut through the hallway. No, it was more urate to say that the wall slid by. The wall moved at high speed as the hallway was revealed again. Then several wall started to move, and he thought he glimpsed the sight of several gears and other mechanisms... The configuration kept changing in front of them, and they finally arrived at a room.


    Koo-goo-goong.......


    The vibration ceased. Arge and deste room greeted them. There really was nothing here except for an Undead wearing a hood. It was sitting on a stone tform in the middle of the room. It was sitting in the lotus position. Its flesh had already rotted away, so only its skeleton remained. There was a ghostly fire burning within its eye sockets.


    When he saw this, Azell felt a chill. There was soft magical energy emanating from it, and it had a familiar ominous stench to it.


    ¡®Demon?¡¯


    It felt simr to the magical energy gained by Yuren when he had connected to a Demon.


    Suddenly,Yuren spoke.


    ¡°You are sealed here.¡±


    <Yes, I can¡¯t exit this small space.>


    As the Undead spoke, it raised its hand into the air.


    The hand reached a certain point, and......


    Pah-jee-jee-jee-jeek!


    A fierce spark erupted to repel the hand. The finger bones became charred as smoke emanated from it. Fragments of bone fell off.


    However, thissted only for a moment. It was as if time had run in reverse. The damaged hand was restored. The charred bone fragments turned white, and it started to attach themselves back to whence they came from.


    THe Undead shrugged its shoulders as it spoke.


    <I cannot die either.>


    There was a ck blood magic circle on the floor. It hadplicated geometric shapes, and it was filled with magic characters. It created a powerful magical barrier that was confining the Undead.


    <It also has the power of protecting my mind, so I cannot go mad either. It is the worst prison with no avenue of exit. All i can do is think as I struggle through the loneliness. That is why it is really great to see you guys. Could you perhaps tell me how long of a time has passed outside?>


    ¡°How would we know such an answer when you ask it totally out of the blue?¡±


    <Ah. It seems you need a frame of reference. I was locked around 100 years before what the humans called the Dragon Demon war urred.>


    ¡°If we are using that as reference, it has been 223 years since the Dragon Demon war had ended.¡±


    <It has been a long time. I cannot believe it has been 300 years since I¡¯ve gained this withered body.>


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    <When I was sealed here, I wasn¡¯t an Undead yet. I was alive, since I inhabited the body of a human. I couldn¡¯t exit this ce, and I couldn¡¯t acquire any food. My body became weak, and in the end, I died. I had to watch the process of myself rot away. I would have preferred to have gone mad, but that choice wasn¡¯t made avable to me. Oh. I feel a chill run up my body when I think about it again. Even this is a pale imitation of what I used to be. The pain and the fear is now etched into my soul. It really was nasty....>


    ¡°.......¡±


    The Undead shuddered as it spoke. The party members, who listening to it, gulped.


    It was a brief summary, but it sounded like a cruel punishment. Who was this Undead? Who did it piss off to be pushed into the pits of hell alive?


    <I hope you understand why I¡¯m so chatty right now. As I¡¯ve said before, I¡¯ve been here for over 200 years. I watched myself die and rot away. This is why you don¡¯t make a deal with a Demon. Of course, the problem is I¡¯m the Demon.>


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    <Do you perhaps know about the name Balserk? It has been a long time, so I might have been forgotten.....>


    At its words, the party members looked at each other. However, they didn¡¯t know the name. Kairen, who had lived a long time, didn¡¯t know it. Laura, who had lived inside the in of Darkness, also didn¡¯t know the name.


    There was one exception. Azell looked at the Undead with a surprised expression on his face.


    ¡°Are you talking about the Demon King Balserk?¡±


    <Oh, yes. I guess I wasn¡¯tpletely forgotten in history. Young people these days must not be studying up on their history. Since there were magicians amongst you, I had high hopes. Instead a youth who¡¯s not a magician....>


    ¡°Of course, people don¡¯t know that name. After the Dragon Demon war, Dragon Demon king Atein¡¯s name overshadowed all the dark figures in history. They were deemed inconsequentialpared to Atein. The name recognition of Balserk is probably lower than the lowest ranked general of the Dragon Demon army. You¡¯ve been obsolete for a very long time.¡±


    <...after my body became like this, I thought I would never have the asion to be wounded again. I was wrong.>


    The Undead grumbled to itself.


    Azell asked it a question.


    ¡°I¡¯m just telling you the objective truth..... Does this mean you are Balserk?¡±


    <You are correct. Back in my days....>


    ¡°You are the Demon King, who caused a million deaths in the Yudusk kingdom.¡±


    Yudusk was one of the seven kingdoms fighting for supremacy over the continent right now. The kingdom was located north, and it bordered the in of Darkness. Even during the Nadick empire, this kingdom had possessed the mostnd. This remained true even 220 years after the Dragon Demon war had ended. Their royal bloodline also remained unbroken, so they had the deepest history. This was also why their social structure was antiquated. There were only two amongst the seven kingdoms that still allowed very. Yudusk was one of the two.


    ¡°Moreover... You are the one that deepened our knowledge of the Demon race.¡±


    Azell thought about the story he heard from Carlos.


    3


    Before the Dragon Demon war, humans didn¡¯t know much about the Demon race. In truth, it wasn¡¯t as if people had a better understanding of them now. However, in the past, it was pretty much a nk te.


    At the time, Carlos insisted on making contact with the Demon race. He thought it was a solution to their hopeless situation. This was why he continued to scrap together more knowledge about the Demon race.


    Carlos spoke.


    ¡°The awareness of the Demon race can be divided into before and after the appearance of the Demon King Balserk.¡±


    ¡°Why? Actually, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve even heard of the Demon King Balserk.¡±


    ¡°The world isrge. He was famous in the north. It is understandable that people, who aren¡¯t from that region, don¡¯t know about him.¡±


    ¡°Everyone knows who Atein is.¡±


    ¡°On top of that, everyone knows the four Dragon Demon Generals. This is why they are considered to be incredible. It isn¡¯t an exaggeration to call them the strongest beings in history.¡±


    Carlos snorted as he continued to speak.


    ¡°If you were from Yudusk, the name of Balserk would have struck fear in you. When one mentions the Demon King, everyone thinks about Atein first. However, the people of Yudusk would think about Balserk first.¡±


    The Demon race didn¡¯t exert their evil onto society before Balserk¡¯s appearance. Demons were seen as beings from legends, and the civilians didn¡¯t believe that they were real. The only ones that knew about them were ck Magicians, who voluntarily entered into the Swamp of Destruction to seek knowledge and power.


    ¡°Everyone that was called Demon King in history all possessed a real body. Most of them had an intimate rtions with ck magic.¡±


    There were some that thought they would be able to acquire great power by approaching the Demon race. However, there hadn¡¯t been any cases where a Demon went out of its way to harm humans. None had tried to achieve notoriety until Balserk.


    Balserk was an outlier.


    ¡°To the best of my knowledge, Demons do not have names.¡±


    Carlos had already met a lot of Demons. He called them up, and he walked the tightrope to gain power. This resulted in Carlos bing a caliber of magician that even surprised the Dragon Demon Generals.


    ¡°However, a Demon that wanted to be called Balserk made its appearance. Creatures, who possessed great power in darkness, started to appear within the borders of Yudusk. A great cmity arrived in the region, and the name of Balserk gained notoriety.......¡±


    Balserk was like ck curtain covering the region. All the people, who were called heroes at the time, were systematically killing the beings that were causing trouble. However, they couldn¡¯t locate Balserk.


    ¡°As time passed, someone figured out the truth. Balserk was a Demon, who didn¡¯t have a real body.¡±


    The process was very long andplex. The story of Balserk¡¯s rise and end is known more to the people of Yuduskpared to any other heroic tales. It would take him forever to exin everything, so Carlos gave a summarized version.


    ¡°In the end, Balserk was caught and he was deposed. The hub of the chaos was gone, but peace didn¡¯t return immediately... Afterwards, there was a period of 10 years where chaos reigned. A lot of blood flowed during this time.¡±


    ¡°That summary is quiteckluster.¡±


    ¡°You want to listen to the whole story?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m past the age where my eyes would shine from hearing an old story.¡±


    ¡°Then shut up and listen. There¡¯s a problem in this story. How did they depose Balserk?¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    ¡°Demons don¡¯t have bodies. This is why it is impossible to kill them.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? However, aren¡¯t there cases where the Demon and a ck magician merges?¡±


    ¡°It has been done before, but it just amounts to the ck magician receiving a several dozen seconds of uncontrolled boost before the host goes crazy. Moreover, it doesn¡¯t mean the Demon is killed when the ck Magician is killed.¡±


    ck magicians usually didn¡¯t think about the aftermath of their actions, so there were cases where they made a deal with a Demon to merge with them. The benefitsted only for couple seconds. At most, the ck magician would have this surprising power for several dozen seconds before being destroyed.


    Unbeknownst to the two of them at the time, an exception would show upter. Yuren was surprisingly able to control the power he gained after connecting with a Demon.


    Carlos spoke.


    ¡°Basically, magicians need an address.¡±


    ¡°Address?¡±


    ¡°There are countless number of Demons, and they all have no name. If one performed the Demon summoning ritual, a different Demon would show up each time. The summoner has to have a method to bring out a Demon, who has the specific knowledge that one needs....¡±


    It was unknown as to how the Demon race had acquired their knowledge, but they weren¡¯t all knowing. Each Demon possessed different knowledge.


    ¡°First, you have to find a suitable Demon to deal with. Then you need a way to summon them, and a contract is formed. Then the methodology needed for the Demon to find the magician is established. The magician also needs a way that would allow them to call out a specific Demon. ck magicians puts a lot of value on the Demon Codex.¡±


    A trial and error was needed to summon the right Demon. This process was very dangerous, so the Demon Codex containing knowledge about different Demons were coveted by ck magicians.


    ¡°When the ck magician connected to the Demon is killed, the Demon cannot cut through the line toe to this world. The knowledge of summoning this specific Demon would fade from the world. That¡¯s it. Demons do not have a real body, so they cannot die.¡±


    ¡°If that is so, I¡¯m assuming Balserk had formed contracts with numerous beings. Since he is gone, are you saying all the people, who knows how to call out Balserk is dead?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. However, that exnation doesn¡¯t feel right. The situation surrounding Balserk was an oddity. Even if there were countless tales about heroes taking down the dark beings, the existence of Demons became known to the public. The reason why Demons were dangerous became known. That part is a bit strange.¡±


    ¡°What about it?¡±


    ¡°The knowledge of magicians aren¡¯t usually shared with the masses like this. The truth about the Demon race was spread through the story of Demon King Balserk. This knowledge was something that was guarded zealously by the ck magicians. Even if a knowledge was revealed to the public, there are parts that should have been redacted.¡±


    Above all, an unprecedented number of people found out about the Demon race through this story. Basically...


    ¡°It means there would be more people, who would covet the power and knowledge. They would try to contact the Demon race.¡±


    This was why Balserk was the true Demon King. It purposefully spread the knowledge of the Demon race to entice more people down the path of destruction....

 Chapter 133 - Fallen Demon (3)

    Chapter 133 - Fallen Demon (3)


    4


    Back to the present.


    The air was cold. At least, this 200 year old ruin had good venttion. They had no trouble breathing. However, the cold air that was emitted from the Undead in front of them was making the temperature of the room drop slightly.


    Azell thought about the old stories as he looked at the Undead iming to be the Demon King Balserk. He asked it a question.


    ¡°If you really are Balserk, I have couple questions I want to ask you....¡±


    <You can ask me anything. I exist here to answer your questions.>


    ¡°That really sounds like something a Demon would say.¡±


    <No, I don¡¯t mean it like that. It is as I¡¯ve said. I am here to answer your questions. I was ced here for that exact purpose. To be precise, it was....arranged to be this way.>


    ¡°What?¡±


    Azell was surprised.


    Balserk tapped its finger on its head as it spoke. Its fingers were all bones.


    <It was made so that I couldn¡¯t renew myself anymore. I was imprisoned here with my knowledge intact, so I could pass it onto a suitable person. You can ask me anything. If I can answer it, I will. Everything about me ceased to move forward around 300 years ago, so I can¡¯t give you any fresh information.>


    Azell furrowed his brows. Was this something arranged by Carlos? However, the facts didn¡¯t add up.


    ¡®The foremost problem is when it was imprisoned. What is going on?¡¯


    The guide had revealed the second gift, and it was something clearly left behind by Carlos. However, this one seemed to have no connection with Carlos.


    Azell hid his confusion as he spoke.


    ¡°You im to be a Demon. So how am I supposed to trust your words?¡±


    <You seem to know much about the Demon race, yet you speak such words? Demons can¡¯t lie.>


    ¡°However, they subtlety bend the truth to lead others down the path of destruction. First, I have a hard time believing you are a Demon.¡±


    <Why?>


    ¡°Demons are existences with no real body. So how can one be an Undead?¡±


    <That is a pertinent question. Before I became like this, I thought it was impossible too. Since


    you already know a little bit about me and the Demon race... Weren¡¯t you a bit suspicious about the story that was being told about my demise?>


    ¡°Are you talking about how a Demon without a corporeal form was killed?¡±


    <That¡¯s right.>


    ¡°My friend had a theory that even the Demon King¡¯s demise was part of its n.¡±


    <Ho-oh. That is an interesting story. Could you go into further details?>


    ¡°Basically, Balserk was an existence that someone summoned in an attempt to make the world realize the existence of the Demon Race, and the danger they posed....that was his interpretation. Well, it sounds like a crazy n, but we are talking about a being, who upended the world. So the crazy seems likely.¡±


    <Ha ha ha. So the disappearance of the Demon King was intentional? It¡¯s a fun conspiracy theory. Unfortunately, he was wrong. There was someone superior to me roaming this world, and I was caught by him. He imprisoned me. He had knowledge that the Demon race didn¡¯t know about, and he had the ability to use that knowledge. I was put in a living human being. I was able to to feel pain and the depth of despair that can only be felt by the living....>


    ¡°Who was it?¡±


    <I¡¯m not in a position where I can tell you that. I want to tell you, but unfortunately, I¡¯m prohibited from telling you. I really hope you realize that I am sincere. Usually, Demons like to speak and preen. I¡¯m not sure if I can call myself a Demon anymore... Ah. Ah. The fact that I¡¯m able to speak to someone is a good thing. This is fun, and it makes me happy. I want to do anything for you, who makes me feel this happy. Is this perhaps....>


    Balserk spoke after he went over its thoughts for a moment.


    <Is it love?>


    ¡°...probably not.¡±


    <However, if we go by the definition of love, I think the emotion I¡¯m feeling is love.>


    ¡°If that is true, it is unfortunate. I cannot reciprocate your love.¡±


    Azell furrowed his brows. A Demon King, who left his name in history, was talking such nonsense.


    Still, he could understand why it was happy.


    It wasn¡¯t a false assertion when it said that it was happy just to have a conversation with him. It¡¯s mental wave was flowing out unfiltered, and it confirmed the veracity of the Balserk¡¯s words.


    <That is sad to hear. Well, it is said that first love is never realized. All right. Let us continue to exchange questions and answers.>


    ¡°If it is as you¡¯ve said, the person that put you in this predicament probably had a grudge against you. That kind of person left something behind for me.... How can I trust such a person?¡±


    <A grudge? He might have had one. Please believe me. That is my only request. I¡¯ll tell you everything. I have to fulfill my duty.>


    ¡°What do you gain from doing so?¡±


    <Death.>


    ¡°.......¡±


    <I can¡¯t do anything anymore. I can¡¯t get out of here. I cannot die, and I can¡¯t even go mad. This ce is my own personal hell. I just want to be released from it. I can achieve that goal by fulfilling the task I was given. Shall we do an experiment? Get me to tell a lie.>


    ¡°Are you really the Demon King Balserk?¡±


    <Nope. Everything I¡¯ve said before is a lie. In truth, I¡¯m.....>


    Suddenly, the light in Balserk¡¯s eyes disappeared. Azell stepped back in surprise.


    ¡°What the hell is this.¡±


    At the same time as Azell mumbled to himself, all the bones making up Balserk¡¯s body fell to the floor. Yuren was taken aback.


    ¡°There were no warning... The magical energy forming the Undead just disappeared.¡±


    The Undead was already dead, and a foul technique was used to tie the soul down to the body. Basically, if the magical energy that was maintaining the spell disappeared, the soul could no longer remain in this ne of existence. Basically, the nucleus of the Undead would be gone.


    However, something strange was going on here. The fact that one was able to be an Undead meant one had a soul that possessed a strong will or a lot of resentment. It would linger around for awhile upon its destruction like a ghost....


    However, it had been snuffed out like a candle?


    Doo-roo-rook.......


    It happened at that moment. Within the shock and silence...


    The fallen bones started to move.


    It was as time was being rewound. The bones, which had fallen in a disorderly manner, rose into the air. They reassembled to form the skeleton of a human. After the process ended, the phantom fire started to burn with the skull, and the uneasy magical energy forming the Undead started to emit an ominous magical wave.


    <Hah.......>


    A tormented sound came out of the skeleton¡¯s mouth.


    <I would have preferred death to that. The time.... Uh? How much time has passed?>


    Balserk asked with a trembling voice. It was as if it couldn¡¯t think straight, because of the fear it was feeling. Everyone was confused by this fact. Azell answered the question.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t even a minute..¡±


    <Only... It was only about... I was sent into the emptiness, and you guys only....>


    Balserk hugged its body with both arms. It looked as if it was feeling cold, but the cold didn¡¯t affect the Undead.


    It took awhile before it calmed down.


    Balserk spoke.


    <...if I break one of the rules set by that bastard, I would suffer that fate. I cannot lie at all. If I do, I¡¯m shut in an emptiness where I cannot perceive anything. Even my senses doesn¡¯t exist at all. I even start to doubt if my thoughts exist. You don¡¯t know how awful it is.....>


    ¡°What will you say if I said you are putting up a pretty good acting performance?¡±


    <Then.......>


    At Azell¡¯s cold question, Balserk answered with a trembling voice.


    <It¡¯ll be unfortunate. That means anything I say won¡¯t be believed. I don¡¯t care if you believe me or not. I would have to beg for you to just hear me out.>


    ¡°.......¡±


    It¡¯s words were intive. It had revealed itself to be a Demon King, who once caused massive chaos in the world. Now it was in a situation where it was begging them to just listen to its words. It didn¡¯t even care if its words were taken as the truth.


    However, Azell¡¯s eyes were cold.


    If its words were to be believe, it had suffered a very cruel fate. Death through torture seemed like a kinder fate. It was a through vition of its soul.


    Still, he decided to think further on it. How much chaos and destruction was caused by the Demon King Balserk?


    What is this was done by someone, who had a unfathomable hatred for the Demon King? If so, would this be considered excessive?


    ¡®It isn¡¯t up for me to decide that.....¡¯


    Azell stopped thinking about it as he spoke to it.


    ¡°All right. You are the Demon King Balserk, and you have words you have to deliver to me. I¡¯ll believe you for now. I¡¯ll just how useful your information is after I hear it.¡±


    <Thank you very much.>


    There wasn¡¯t a single drop of sarcasm in his words. The other party members excluding Azell looked at each other in confusion.


    Azell asked a question.


    ¡°Then let me ask you this first. Someone imprisoned you, and someone wanted you to give me a message. Are they the same person?¡±


    ¡°Uh?¡±


    Yuren¡¯s eyes became wide. Azell was able to identify and ask the question that was at the heart of the confusion. Balserk gave an answer.


    <No.>


    ¡°As I¡¯ve expected. Then are you able to tell me the identity of the person, who arranged all of this?¡±


    <I also cannot speak about him.>


    ¡°Hmm. So both of them didn¡¯t want their identity known? Yet they wanted some important truth to be know.... Is the knowledge you possess something that can be known to anyone?¡±


    <That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s put aside the discussion for now as to whether it is useful or not. This isn¡¯t a secret that can¡¯t be disseminated. However, most Demons do not know about this knowledge, so it is high in scarcity value.>


    ¡°I see. It makes me more curious as to who¡¯s ying this mischief on me.... Ah, I have one more question regarding him. Was the person, who arranged all of this, a human magician?¡±


    <That¡¯s right. Yes, he was at a caliber where it was hard to believe he was a human magician.>


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Azell¡¯s expression turned serious. It was a useful clue in figuring out, who the guid was.


    ¡°All right. Then...¡±


    Azell thought for a brief moment before he asked the question.


    ¡°What did he want you to tell me? ¡±


    When Balserk¡¯s existence was found out to be arranged by the guide, Azell knew the truth that would be told to him was set from the beginning. If he couldn¡¯t ask for the guide¡¯s identity, he was just going to ask only for the pertinent information.


    Yuren was surprised, so he joined the conversation.


    ¡°Uh. Wait a moment.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°If one read between the lines of what it said, wouldn¡¯t it be released after telling you the message?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it so, Balserk?¡±


    <I believe so.>


    When Balserk answered in the affirmative, Yuren was put in a sticky situation.


    ¡°Let¡¯s ask that questionter. I have couple things I want to ask it. If Demon King Balserk was so amazing, he must have been a big figure within the Demon race. Even if it is knowledge 300 years out of date, it probably possesses knowledge that¡¯s worth a lot..... It might be the break we need to increase our power in groundbreaking fashion.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I can see why you feel that way as a magician.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it be the same for you? The knowledge of the Demon race isn¡¯t only useful to magicians.....¡±


    ¡°You are right, but I don¡¯t want to risk my life on a baseless information given to us by some unknown being. I can see why this Demon is attractive to magicians. It presents itself as a Demon that won¡¯t lead others down the path of destruction.¡±


    Azell took a nce, and it seemed Laura was showing some interest too. She didn¡¯t reveal her feelings through her expression, but there was a light in her eyes as if she was itching to ask it a question.


    ¡°All right. Let me express my apology to your first, Balserk. It seems your liberation will have to be pushed to ater time.¡±


    <It doesn¡¯t matter to me. The fact that I¡¯m able to converse with someone brings me great joy. I¡¯ll think of it as entertainment before this lowly being meets its end. Even this is too go for me.>


    Azell retreated, so Yuren and Laura could converse with Balserk. He sat in a corner as he spoke.


    ¡°We should meditate. I¡¯m pretty sure this will be long and boring. Since there¡¯s no time restriction, this might go on for several days.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡±


    At those words, Kairen and Leticia let out a groan. As expected, when the two high ranked magician started to converse with Balserk, their words sounded like alien words to the two swordsman. Laura, who was normally quiet, was asking various questions with a twinkle in her eyes. They could already tell the waiting period would be long and tortuous.


    However, the wait was unexpectedly short.


    Koo-roo-roong......!


    Only an hour had passed when an explosion from the surface shook the ruin.

 Chapter 134 - Fallen Demon (4)

    Chapter 134 - Fallen Demon (4)


    5


    Azell immediately opened his eyes.


    The explosion had urred from a very far distance. If he went up to the surface, the explosion would have urred about 2 kilometers away. However, the explosion was powerful enough to deliver a shockwave to their location.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Dragon.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that?¡±


    Leticia asked him a question. Azell answered her.


    ¡°We were told an Earth Dragon lives nearby. I can feel the power of an Earth Dragon.¡±


    Azell had a wealth of experience at fighting against Dragons. Azell was underground, but he was able to use his Absolute Sense to identify the power being used on the surface. Soon, the intermittent rumble turned into a powerful tremor.


    Koo-roo-roong......!


    Everyone had to admit Azell was right. The powerful magical wave assaulted the senses of the party members, who were still underneath the surface. It was undeniable that the source was a Dragon¡¯s Roar.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°The Dragon is fighting something. The opponent is strong enough where a Dragon had to use a Dragon¡¯s Roar......¡±


    He couldn¡¯t feel the energy of another Dragon, so it wasn¡¯t a fight between Dragons. Azell focused a bit more to expand his senses. Soon, he was able to zero in on a very fierce fluctuation of power that was weaker than the Dragon.


    ¡°It seems either a Dragon Majin or a Dragon Demon is fighting against the Dragon. It is a one on one fight. By the look of it, I don¡¯t have a good feeling about this.¡±


    ¡°There is a high probability that it¡¯s an officer from the in of Darkness attempting the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.¡±


    Leticia spoke with a cold voice. She couldn¡¯t think of any other possibilities.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°It seems Balseru was right. In the end, they caught scent of our tracks, and they¡¯ve pursued us.¡±


    ¡°We did show ourselves at the border, so it was inevitable.¡±


    At Kairen¡¯s words, Azell tilted his head in puzzlement.


    ¡°Still, this is way too fast. No, wait a moment. They might not have pinpointed our location. They might have decided to conduct a Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, since they were nearby....¡±


    Koo-roo-roo-roong!


    At that moment, a powerful tremor was felt by the party. It was like an earthquake. It shook so fiercely that it wouldn¡¯t have been strange to see the ruin crumble. This fact made everyone¡¯s hair stand on end. Since they were underground, the destruction of the ruin would bury them. They would be helpless.


    Azell grinded his teeth.


    ¡°Koohk! It seems we¡¯ve been found. They are being quite bold. Let us all head out immediately! If we stay here, we¡¯ll be buried!¡±


    ¡°But....¡±


    Yuren was taken aback, so he turned to look at Balserk. They still hadn¡¯t heard the knowledge that was tasked to be delivered to them by Balserk.


    Koo-goo-goo-goong!


    However, they had run out of time. Another explosion went off on the surface as the aftershock rocked the ground. It was clear that their enemies were aiming for them, who were underneath the surface of the ground.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Everyone get out first. I¡¯ll stay behind to listen to the message.¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy? Even if it is you, you will die here if this ce craters.¡±


    Instead of answering Yuren¡¯s words, he raised his Dragon Demon magic.


    -Rise Dragon Weapon! Vitan¡¯s Chalice!


    The light dispersed as the Vitan¡¯s Chalice appeared next to Azell. Azell spoke as he pointed at it.


    ¡°Since I have this, I don¡¯t have to worry about that urring. Since our location was found, there is a high probability that they¡¯ve also found the entrance. I¡¯ll create a path where you¡¯ll be able toe out through a roundabout manner. Get ready for battle.¡±


    Azell immediately used the power of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice to create the Path of Tears. The tear-like distortion gathered in a single location before it started to extend forward. It created a hole in the ceiling. It was as if the physical wall was non-existent in front of dimensional distortion.


    ¡°Then let us go make a scene first.¡±


    As Leticia spoke those words, she kicked off the ground to jump upwards. Kairen immediately followed behind her. Yuren and Laura looked back at Balserk with regret before they flew into the air.


    When Azell was alone with Balserk, he asked it a question..


    ¡°Since we don¡¯t have much time, I¡¯ll just listen only to the pertinent information. What do you have to tell me?¡±


    <I wanted my end toe... Now that I¡¯m staring it in the face, I do feel a bit of regret. It¡¯s a funny thing.>


    Balserkughed in its skeletal form. Then it spoke.


    <However, I can¡¯t pass up this opportunity, so let¡¯s end this.>


    ¡°Stop beating around the bush. I dont¡¯ have the time to wait this out. Hurry up and speak.¡±


    <All right. What I have to tell you is....>


    Balserk spoke with a bitter voice.


    <The truth about the Demon race.>


    Countless magicians over the ages had puzzled over this topic. One of the secrets of this world was about to be unraveled in front of Azell.


    6


    Kairen had followed the Path of Tears to arrive at the surface, and he took stock of his current location. He furrowed his brows when he realized there was a battle going on around 500 meters away.


    ¡®It¡¯s the Guardian Shadows.¡¯


    There were several dozen Guardian Shadows fighting fiercely against the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    Balseru had continued to follow Azell¡¯s party, and they had shed against the Dragon Demon king worshippers, who had been assaulting the entrance of the ruin. Kairen couldn¡¯t tell how many of Dragon Demon king worshippers were here, but it seemed the Guardian Shadows weren¡¯t willing to turn a blind eye.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    The party immediately rushed towards the battlefield. However, it happened at that moment.


    A clear pir of light rose up into the air in the middle of the battlefield. The clear light didn¡¯t hurt the eyes, but it weirdly drew one¡¯s eyes towards it. Moreover....


    Ggwah-gwa-gwa-gwang!


    A terrifying power exploded forth.


    Kairen was taken aback.


    ¡°Is it the Dragon¡¯s Roar?!¡±


    No. The presence of the Dragon was far away, and there was no sign of a Roar. However, the shockwave that was riding across thend was oppressive. It reminded one of a Dragon¡¯s Roar. Kairen was 300 meters away, but the ground he was standing on was upended. An incredible amount of force rammed into his shield.


    Hoo-ooh-ooh-ooh!


    A big cloud of dust rose into the air as a violent gusts of wind blew. A being letting out an incredible amount of magical energy exited from within.


    <You guys are quite good. I¡¯m not sure what method you are using, but you¡¯ve suppressed my power to this degree. I¡¯m bbergasted. I was only able to use half of my power.>


    It was a voice of an Undead. When he heard its words, Kairen was dumbfounded.


    ¡®What nonsense is it spouting? This is only half of its power?¡¯


    A conical shaped shock wave formed starting from where the power had originated. It upended an entire forest. It wasn¡¯t just an high intensity earthquake.


    When the violent gust of wind revealed the figure within the cloud of dust, Kairen thought maybe it had been telling the truth.


    ¡°Is that perhap Reygus?¡±


    The Dragon Demon Undead was enormous. It almost reached 3 meter in height, and it held a massive white battle hammer that was 2 meters long. The amount of ominous magical energy emitted from it clearly put it above Kairen¡¯s level. From its appearance, the Undead was clearly the legendary Dragon Demon general Reygus.


    Reygus¡¯ gaze headed towards Kairen.


    <New customers have arrived. Were you all sent out to stall us? I don¡¯t see the red-haired human amongst you.>


    Reygus tilted his head in puzzlement. The Guardian Shadows nearby started to whisper noisily. They were blown away by the strike applied by the head of the hammer, but almost none of them were extinguished.


    <As expected, the Guardian Shadows are quite sturdy. Moreover, they have the ability to suppress my power.... I really am curious about what you guys are. If the little brat Carlos made you guys, he really created something marvelous.>


    Reygus looked unsatisfied as it grumbled. It turned to look to the side, and one could see Balseru covered in dust.


    Kairen was surprised when he spotted Balseru. Until now, Balseru had kept his eyes shut. They were open now. His eyes were dark blue, and they were emitting a strange energy. The energy wasn¡¯t directly affecting Kairen, but a shiver went up his spine.


    ¡®What is that?¡¯


    me erupted from the air, and it swept over Reygus.


    Reygus received the attack with the head of his hammer as he spoke.


    <That was lukewarm.>


    <Then I¡¯ll prepare something hot for you.>


    Another Undead answered Reygus. Kairen saw a Fire type Undead magician wearing floating above Balseru. It wore a flowing ck robe. For a moment, Kairen thought it was Theta, who had apanied Leone. Soon, it was obvious that it was some other being. Moreover....


    Ggwah-gwahng!


    Someone had rushed forward like a gale, and an enormous double edged axe fell towards Reygus. The ck double edged axe was infused with powerful magic, and it was so heavy that a normal person wouldn¡¯t be able to raise it. The enormous warrior wearing armor swung it at high speed.


    However, Reygus easily blocked the attack. After the weapons impacted on each other, the shockwave actually caused the attacker to be flung away.


    <Koohk!>


    <Quit it. It seems you¡¯ve made yourself a name as someone that¡¯s pretty strong. It doesn¡¯t matter if it is the past or the present. No one can boast their strength in front of me.>


    Regyus derided his opponent.


    The one wielding the double edged axe was also an Undead. By the look of the magic infused weapon and armor it possessed, it was an Undead that apanied the Keepers of Prophecy. It was almost 2 meters tall, and it possessed an enormous body frame. However, it looked like a dwarf in front of Reygus.


    The Undead wielding the double edged axe spoke.


    <Alpha! What happened? Why is this bastard unaffected?>


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it is being influenced by my eyes. However, I cannotpletely suppress it.¡±


    <...your eyes are suppressing its power, yet it is this strong? Impossible.>


    ¡°Unfortunately, it is so. Phi and Rho. Please join force with the Dragon Sword Duk¡¯s party.¡±


    The Fire Magician Phi and the Double Edged Axe Undead Rho were sleepless guardians, who had taken on codenames.


    As if their words were amusing, me burned brighter from within the eye sockets of its Skull.


    <Ho-oh. You are the Dragon Sword Duke? It is nice to meet you. I wanted to meet you once.>


    ¡°Since the legendary Dragon Demon general is saying such sentiments....¡±


    At the same time, Kairen rushed forward. In the middle of his speech, he had used Instantaneous Movement in an attempt to take his opponent unawares. His Dragon sword struck out.


    ¡°It is an honor!¡±


    At the same time his words ended, his left sword was blocked by the head of the battle hammer, and an explosive sound rang out. It was a powerful strike that could have blown away a house, yet it was blocked so easily.


    However, Kairen wasn¡¯t flustered. In the first ce, this strike had been a bait. He used exquisite timing to stab his right sword towards an opening.


    <Hoo!>


    In a sh, Reygus elerated. It used its ability to react instantly to use a movement technique, and before Kairen¡¯s right sword could elerate fully, Reygus deflected the de to the side using the shoulder region of its armor. Then it immediately stomped with a tree-trunk like leg.


    Ggwah-gwahng!


    An explosion rang out, and the nearby surface was upended. From the top to the bottom, it had brought down its foot at an oblique angle. When it impacted the surface, a circr shockwave exploded forth with Reygus at the center. Leticia had been aiming for a dyed attack. She was sent flying alongside Kairen.


    When Kairen righted himself, he felt terrified. Reygus had broken through the dust cloud, and it was charging towards him. It used Instantaneous Movement to close the distance in a sh, and it brought down its hammer. It was a heroic looking attack, but the movement wasrge. That is why there were a lot of openings to the attack. Kairen coldly let out an attack in response.....


    Ggwah-gwa-gwa-gwahng!


    An explosive sound rang out, and he was flung backwards.


    ¡°Koo-uhk!¡±


    The Dragon sword shook as if it was about to break, and he felt a shock hit his internal organs. When their attacks converged, he hadn¡¯t been able to fully offset the shock.


    ¡®This bastard is strangely subtle with his moves!¡¯


    When he attacked an opening, Reygus¡¯ speed increased again by a beat, and it was able to turn away his attack. Then the path of the dynamic strike by the hammer started to change in subtle ways. It became an attack that couldn¡¯t be avoided. Kairen had no choice, but to meet the attack with an attack.


    <Bone of Soul Seal! Run amok once again!>


    A clear light once again extended into the sky. When the light returned, the battle hammer was burning white in a blinding fashion.


    At that moment, Kairen knew this was the worst case scenario. By looking at the result of its previous attack, he would die if he put up a sloppy defense.


    ¡®If so!¡¯


    Kairen gave up on defense, and he focused only on his attack. His dual swords let out a white glow, and he chanted out amand infused with Dragon Demon magic.


    ¡°Oh Dragon swords. Burn away the evil fire!¡±


    His sword strike held his deadly will. It split through the air as it let forth a terrifying light. It happened at the same time as Reygus brought down its hammer.


    Ggwah-gwa-gwa-gwahng!


    Everything that could be seen was burning white. The Dragon weapon had the power to split even a mountain, and it wasparable in power to a Dragon¡¯s Roar. The enormous explosion flooded into the surrounding.

 Chapter 135 - Gathering Legends (1)

    Chapter 135 - Gathering Legends (1)


    1


    Dragon Sword Duke Kairen was a living legend. He had lived much longer than the lifespan of a human, and he had achieved many des. This was why the people of the Rin Kingdom looked up to him, and in truth, he was proud of that fact.


    However, Kairen had also been a youth before, and there were figures in legends he had idolized.


    They were the shining stars, who distinguished themselves in thergest war in human history.


    The heroes and viins were all important figures that had their names immortalized. The countless legends from before that existed on the continent were overshadowed by those, who fought in the Dragon Demon war. People would only remember their names in the future.


    Sometimes Kairen wondered what would have happened if he was born during those times. He had many aplishments under his belt, but his name would never be immortalized like the heroes of that time. If he was born during that time, how effective would he have been against the big names, who sided with darkness?


    In his life, he never thought he would be able to find out the answer to that question.


    Kwah-gwah-gwah-gwah......!


    The degration covered a wide region. It was hard to believe that this was a fight between only two people. The overwhelming shockwave shook the ground. Everyone, who had been fighting for their lives, turned to look at the site of the explosion.


    <Splendid! It has been awhile since I¡¯ve met someone that makes me want to fight! Yes! When a man takes up the sword, one has to have the resolve to charge forward even in front of certain death!>


    Reygus wasughing uproariously.


    It rang out like a thunderp. Afterwards, a sh of light exploded forth. Kairen, who had taken on Reygus¡¯ attack using all his strength, was immediately attacked again.


    Kairen had made the right decision. If he hadn¡¯t used an all out attack to fend of Reygus¡¯attack, he would be dead.


    Kairen¡¯s attack had offset the shockwave created by the head of the hammer, and the attack opened up a path towards Reygus.


    ¡°Koohk!¡±


    Kairen groaned.


    He had never been inferior in terms of power before. However, he couldn¡¯t keep up with Reygus¡¯ strength. When one determined the strong point of an opponent, it was idiotic to insist on ying into the other¡¯s strength. He felt annoyed since his pride had been hurt. However, he was sensible. He fought Reygus with his speed and technique.


    However, his defense was surprisingly strong. Itsrge body frame and the length of its weapon created a big disparity in terms of reach. Moreover, Reygus¡¯ attack was terrifyingly powerful. Kairen was having a hard time getting in a hit.


    Leticia had been watching the battle, and she voiced her frustration.


    ¡°Muscle brained idiots....¡±


    She surrounded herself with ice walls, and she had endured the shock wave created by the attack. The explosion had created a st center. It was as if a meteor had impacted on the ground to create a crater. The aftershock had spread to a radius of 500 meters. The nearby forests were overturned as if a volcano had gone off nearby.


    ¡°Let¡¯s join forces!¡±


    <Oh my! Girls these days seems to not understand the optics of a battle. Wouldn¡¯t it be better if you looked on with warm eyes as the men fight a one on one battle?>


    ¡°When was that ever in fashion? If you want modest women to dance in front of you, you should have stayed in your grave!¡±


    Leticia snorted as she surrounded her spear with frigid winds, and she stabbed with it. Reygus chuckled as it received Kairen and Leticia¡¯s almost simultaneous attacks.


    <Both of you are splendid!>


    Cold sweat was running down Leticia¡¯s body. She had thought Kairen was fairing well against Reygus, so she thought a joint attack would be able to take it down. The two of them attacked Reygus from the front and back, but Reygus wasn¡¯t being pushed backward easily.


    ¡®How can a monster such as this exist?¡¯


    It¡¯s body wasrge, and it was swinging a medium sized weapon in heroic fashion. It looked as if it had many openings. However, once she fought it, she knew she had been wrong. Reygus¡¯ fighting style was typical of someone who used a mid sized weapon in conjunction with heavy armor. However, everything else about it was on a ridiculous level.


    <Ho-ooh!>


    Reygus let out a breath as if it was a living being, and it swung its hammer. At a nce, the attack was full of openings. However, the problem was its reach, and the force of the attack. Reygus swung it at a slight angle as he brought his hammer up from below to the top. At a nce, the attack looked like it was full of openings. However, the problem was the range and force of the blow. Reygus¡¯ big attack was like a runaway train where the force of the attack was too strong to deflect it. One would be sent flying on contact.


    Pah-pah-pah-pah!


    Then there was an explosive current that followed the attack¡¯s trajectory. It was explosive. The strong wind made it hard for Kairen and Leticia to breathe.


    ¡®If we try to win this by force, we¡¯ll be killed instead.¡¯


    Kairen and Leticia came to the same conclusion. Reygus¡¯ overall movement was slow, but it was able to elerate and boost its power to an overwhelming degree at any given moment. Each strike looked like a light attack, but there was great power behind each blow. Moreover, it was an Undead, so it didn¡¯t have to catch its breath. It could continue attacking without breathing, so in a high speed battle, it was at an advantage.


    Che-eek! Kee-keeng!


    Harsh sounds were emitted as sparks flew off of Reygus¡¯ armor. Kairen¡¯s sword has slid off of it.


    No matter how skilled Reygus was, it couldn¡¯t block all the high speed attack that wasing at it from both sides. It pushed the two out into the perimeter using its power, but attacks got through intermittently.


    <Ooh-mmm!>


    If it wasn¡¯t for the heavy armor infused with powerful magic, they could have ended this long ago. Kairen and Leticia¡¯s attack was that excellent.


    ¡®It really feels like I¡¯m fighting against a castle.¡¯


    Kairen was letting out cold sweat. In the first ce, Reygus was the type of fighter to fight while taking on blows like a berserker. The magical energy surrounding its body was so strong that it was hard to pierce through its defense.


    Leticia was also in a bind.


    ¡®My cold winds aren¡¯t working at all.¡¯


    Normally, cold based attacks weren¡¯t that effective against the Undead. If it was a living being, the extreme cold would slow down the bodily functions, and her enemies would have to worry about frost bites. The Undead could be physically frozen, but it took no other damage.


    However, Reygus was showing a stronger resistance than normal to the cold than the other Undead. The cold energy should have turned a normal person into an ice pir. It was cold enough for frosts to form on the surface of one¡¯s skin.


    Suddenly, Kairen grinded his teeth.


    ¡®Koohk! If I was alone, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to handle it. Shit!¡¯


    He was called the Dragon Sword Duke, and he had always held the upper hand in terms of power. Now he was on the wrong side of the power bnce, so it was the first time he had wanted his allies toe to his aid.


    His pride hurt that he couldn¡¯t face Reygus alone. He was facing an opponent that was too much for him. This was the first time he judged he couldn¡¯t beat an opponent since he faced Azell.


    ¡®What the hell are the Guardian Shadows doing?¡¯


    When he gained some distance, he surveyed his surrounding. What was the two Undead, who had been fighting with Balseru, doing right now? They clearly had the advantage, so if the others helped out, Kairen thought he could end this battle....


    Soon, Kairen discovered the reason why.


    ¡®Shit. They are numerous, and they are elite troops.¡¯


    His attention had been focused on Reygus, so he hadn¡¯t realized that there were a great number of Dragon Demon king worshippers present. Kairen and Leticia was in charge of confronting Reygus, who was like a sweeping force. The rest was being taken care of by the Guardian Shadows, Yuren and Laura. There were several Dragon Demons and Dragon Majins officers present. The rest were elite troops, so everyone was busy fighting.


    <This is fun. I heard our side did some funny business in erasing the old techniques from the world. However, you guys are quite good.>


    Reygus was being pushed back in a hurry, yet it seemed it was enjoying itself. Was its personality like that in life? Or did it lose the ability to fear death when it became an Undead?


    At its words, Kairen¡¯s face crumpled. It was humiliating, but he would have lost outright if it wasn¡¯t for the techniques taught to him by Azell.


    In his past battles with Dragon Demon king worshippers, he had been able to win without using such secret techniques. His wealth of Dragon Demon magic and Dragon swords were enough. He hadn¡¯t even possessed any high level skills. He kept working on his foundation to build himself up.


    However, Reygus was an enemy that couldn¡¯t never be ovee with just that. Dragon Arts of very high difficulty was being used by Reygus. It was influencing the surrounding and Kairen¡¯s magical energy. His mind was being attack, and his senses were askew on top of physical damage. Reygus looked as if it was fighting in a simple style, but it was using these high level skills as if it was nothing.


    Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh......!


    Kairen, who had been ring at Reygus, shuddered. He sensed an overwhelming amount of Dragon Demon magic from afar. It stimted his senses so much that he took eyes off of an opponent he should have his eyes glued to. He looked towards the source where the wave of power emanated from.


    ¡®Oh yeah!¡¯


    Terror struck Kairen¡¯s heart, and he got into a defensive stance. However, Reygus didn¡¯t attack. Instead, heughed as if he enjoyed all of this.


    <Ho-oh. I didn¡¯t like that brat, because he was so gloomy. However, I have to acknowledge his skill. He was able to kill a Dragon.>


    ¡°Did the the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual end?¡±


    He mumbled to himself as if he was groaning. The feeling he felt was familiar. He felt it when Laura was trying to kidnap Seigar. It was the same feeling he felt when Azell won against the Thunder Dragon using the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    Reygus spoke.


    <Yes. From what I¡¯ve heard, kids these days only have a 20 percent chance of seeding in the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. He managed to seed.>


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    <Shall we continue to y? It seems my guys are starting to lose, so I¡¯ll have to end this soon.>


    It was as it had said. The Dragon Demon king worshippers were at a disadvantage. While Kairen and Leticia upied Reygus, Yuren, Laura and the Guardian Shadows had teamed up to cut down on the number of Dragon Demon King worshippers that were present.


    Leticia made a sarcastic remark.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been busy dodging attack, so you aren¡¯t in a position to say those words.¡±


    It hurt Kairen and Leticia¡¯s pride to join forces, but they held the upper hand in the fight. Reygus had been hit several times, so a part of its armor was damaged.


    However, Reygus was still full of confidence.


    <That¡¯s... Unfortunately, that won¡¯t be true anymore.>


    ¡°What?¡±


    Leticia became confused at that moment.

 Chapter 136 - Gathering Legends (2)

    Chapter 136 - Gathering Legends (2)


    Kwahng!


    The sound of an explosion rang out as she was flung away. Reygus¡¯ speed couldn¡¯t bepared to before. It struck out at her, and it immediately followed up with an additional attack.


    Kah-ahng!


    Leticia was almost beaten all too soon, but the one to save her was Kairen. He was startled into action. His left sword turned the path of the hammer, and his right sword aimed for its head.


    However, Reygus¡¯ reaction was totally unexpected. Instead of avoiding the Dragon sword, it received the attack with its head. Reygus moved so fast that it felt as if time had been sped up in that brief moment.


    Then....


    Ggwah-gwahng!


    The head of the hammer fell like thunder as the shockwave detonated. Normally, the position of its body wouldn¡¯t allow a powerful blow to be used, yet its attack was devastating.


    It was an Undead. A living being was limited by the range of motion of one¡¯s joints, but that didn¡¯t matter to an Undead. The joints of its shoulders and elbows were moving at unnatural angles, yet it didn¡¯t kill the power behind the blow.


    Kairen and Letica was sent flying in a bloody mess.


    ¡°Koo-ahk......!¡±


    The left side of Kairen¡¯s armor was ripped away. It hadn¡¯t even been a direct hit. He was grazed by the attack, yet his magically enhanced armor was demolished!


    Leticia was also in a rough shape. Her left arm was broken as her gauntlet was ripped away.


    Kairen breathed raggedly as he asked it a question.


    ¡°Until now.... Were you ying with us......?¡±


    There was anger behind his voice. Did Reygus act like it was losing on purpose? Had it been treating them with kid gloves? It was so humiliating that it was almost unbearable.


    While they had been fighting, Reygus had shown momentarily boost of speed. However, the speed he had just disyed was in a totally different dimension. No, it wasn¡¯t just its eleration. Its overall movement had increased in speed by a factor of two. It was almost inevitable that Leticia had been caught t footed.


    Those weren¡¯t they only changes. Its overall magical energy emanating from Reygus¡¯ body swelled to an oppressive amount. It almost rivaled a Dragon.


    Reygus spoke.


    <I hope you don¡¯t misconstrue my words. I enjoyed fighting you guys, but I didn¡¯t go easy on you.>


    ¡°Ha ha ha ha. How can you say....¡±


    <I¡¯m speaking the truth. Until a moment ago, my power had been suppressed. That Guardian Shadow had some kind of strange ability rted to his eyes.>


    ¡°.......¡±


    Balseru always had his eyes closed. There was a strange power residing within his eyes. After Reygus had woken up, it had never seen anyone capable of interfering with the power of an Undead. However, Balseru was able to halve its power by looking at Reygus.


    ¡®It is quite strange. Their Undeads are simr to me.... Did that brat Carlos steal the king¡¯s secret technique, or.....¡¯


    However, it seemed there was a limit to his power. When the Dragon Demon king worshippers pushed back, the suppressive force dissipated. This was the result . The body of an Undead was rotted away, so everything was influenced by magical energy. When the suppression of its magical energy was gone, Reygus¡¯ strength and speed was rapidly increased.


    Leticia caught her breath as she spoke.


    ¡°If that was true... Now that I know how fast you are we won¡¯t fall so easily. Moreover, we have support.¡±


    <Ah ah. Do you mean that miss over there?>


    Laura appeared from behind Leticia. Kairen used Whispering to ask for help, and Laura was able toe to their aid by letting Yuren handle everything by himself.


    When Reygus saw her, it spoke.


    <I can tell at a nce. You look very simr to my friend, who couldn¡¯t return from the world of the dead. You are the one that betrayed us, Ms. Laura.>


    ¡°That is correct.¡±


    Laura spoke in respectful words. She did betray them, but Reygus was one of the eldest even amongst the elders. Everyone revered him.


    Of course, she didn¡¯t let that fact affect her actions. A frightening wave of Dragon Demon magic spread into the surrounding, and a curse swept over Reygus.


    <It is true that even I would have some difficulties if a magician of her caliber joined in, but....>


    Kairen and Leticia had been taken unawares by the sudden change in Reygus. However, they were formidable fighters. If Laura joined in to support them, Reygus would have considerable trouble dealing with them.


    <Your opponent is someone else.>


    ¡°I don¡¯t see anyone, who is in the position to fight me.¡±


    Laura hade here, because her side had a handle on the Dragon Demon king worshippers. Yuren was capable of taking care of the rest. Moreover, the Guardian Shadows had joined the fray, and it was turning into a free for all. The Dragon Demon king worshippers didn¡¯t have the numeric advantage.


    However, at that moment, a beam of light came flying towards her from afar.


    Puh-uh-uhng!


    When the magic spell was activated, Laura saw the signs immediately. She was easily able to defend against it. Moreover, she was able to change the direction of the spell to hit Reygus with it.


    ¡°Traitor Laura.¡±


    When she heard the bleak voice, she couldn¡¯t help but flinch. Laura raised her head in disbelief.


    She saw a Dragon Majin youth. He was surrounded by six swords that had been infused with powerful curses. The Dragon Majin youth¡¯s hair had already turned white, and he had a paleplexion with blue eyes. There was a ck feather-like horn protruding from atop his pointy left ear.


    Laura¡¯s amethyst eyes shook.


    ¡°Dikal?¡±


    2


    The Dragon Majin youth was full of madness. He snickered as he looked at Laura.


    ¡°You remembered my name. It is an honor. However, you are wrong. You should call me by a different name.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Dikal Aunsaurus. That is now my name.¡±


    At the same time, Dikal activated his Dragon Demon magic. Six swords, which were letting out powerful Curse magic, rose into the air. They flew towards Laura.


    Laura blocked the swords as she flew into the air. Dikal chased after her as he poured out continuous magic spells.


    Pah-cheet! Pah-jee-jeek! Pah-baht!


    High ranked magicians were fighting in the air with magic. It caused sparks and ripple like waves. They were performing magic spells at high speed, but they were severing the flow of energy before the magic spell could take shape. It was a quiet, yet fierce battle.


    Dikal asked her a question.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you using your Dragon weapon?¡±


    ¡°That... I do not have it anymore.¡±


    ¡°Ha! So it was true that the man, who possesses the name steeped in sin, asked for the Vitan¡¯s Chalice in exchange for epting your betrayal?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You admit to it too easily! Foolish bitch!¡±


    Dikal suddenly stopped speaking, and he cackled.


    ¡°Ah. I shouldn¡¯t be mad about it. Of course, I also had to struggle through hell to gain that.... Thanks to your betrayal I was able to take off that damnable mask. I¡¯m able to live with my face out in the open, so you are my benefactor, Laura.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Dikal Aunsaurus.


    He hadn¡¯t possessed a name until not too long ago. No, to be precise, his name had been taken away from him. On the day Laura received her name, he received the name of Dikal. When he was branded as a failure, his name was stolen again. He was restrained using ck magic, and he had be a mere tool to be used in battle.


    He had thought he would expire after being used in such a way forever. However, he had regained his name when Laura betrayed them. The leaders of the Aunsaurus was taken aback by the news, so they gave back Dikal his name. He was named the new heir. Then he was given orders to kill Laura.


    Dikal spoke.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve already bestowed me a favor, you should go all the way by dying here. I¡¯ll be very thankful. This will solidify my position..... I would have liked it if I could have taken back the Vitan¡¯s Chalice, but I guess I¡¯ll have to kill the man, who possesses it.¡±


    He sent a fierce attack towards her. He had just finished the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, so his condition was optimal. He was overflowing with firepower, and his Dragon Demon magic came up as if it was flowing forth from a spring with an endless source.


    Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh!


    His six swords weren¡¯t Dragon weapons, but they were powerful magical weapons created by Aunsaurus during the Dragon Demon War. It flew around at high speed, and there were six different yet powerful curses infused within them. The weapons possessed a sense of self that worked in concert with the user.


    In terms of magical attacks, they were almost equal. The difference were the tools they possessed. Laura was slowly losing ground.


    Pah-ah-ahng!


    ¡°......!¡±


    Laura was flung away by an explosion. Her face crumpled from the pain. When she blocked the cursed swords, a magic spell arrived from another direction. It pierced through her barrier, and it had delivered a shock.


    Dikal mocked Laura.


    ¡°As expected, you are amazing. You are able to hold up to this extent without the Dragon weapon? However, we don¡¯t have to all join the fight.... I¡¯ll kill you on my own!¡±


    ¡°...we? Did you bring the Shadow¡¯s Sword Belt?¡±


    At his words, Laura asked the question as if she was groaning.


    The Shadow Sword Belt was a unit formed of beings, who failed to be the Aunsaurus¡¯ heir. The Aunsaurus family didn¡¯t use this force unless it was something very important. Dikal had been a member of the Shadow¡¯s Sword Belt not too long ago. Each member was stripped of their names, and their faces were covered with a cursed mask. His pale face was caused by it.


    Dikal gave her an answer.


    ¡°Yes. Do you know how much importance they are putting on killing you? Moreover, do you realize how little trust they put in me?¡±


    He spoke mockingly about himself. Dikal was given the magic weapons of Aunsaurus, and the Shadow¡¯s Sword Belt was send along with him. It meant they had no confidence that he would be able to win again Laura by himself. They believed so even though she no longer possessed her Dragon weapon.


    ¡°However, they will find out through this event! They¡¯ll realize they were wrong in their judgement! They will realize their selection process was wed from the beginning!¡±


    After driving Laura¡¯s back against the wall, Dikal¡¯s voice was now filled with ecstasy Everyone had fought desperately for the title of heir. However, the standard they were measured up against was strict, and even a minor mistake would disqualify one from thepetition. There were picking one child from a crop of talented kids that numbered over 100. Some weren¡¯t even given identities before they were used as tools. It exemplified how crazy of a process it was.


    Of course, the ones that failed were discontent with the process. A very minor mistake had robbed them of all opportunities in life, and they were thrown into the pits of hell. How could they not be bitter?


    Dikal was Laura¡¯sstpetition, so he felt especially aggrieved. The Aunsaurus family had been wrong. He was given another opportunity to show them he was the most suitable candidate to be the heir....


    Suddenly, Laura spoke.


    ¡°...so that was what you were thinking.¡±


    ¡°You speak as if you¡¯ve never thought the same thing. Isn¡¯t it the same for you?¡±


    ¡°It was different for me.¡±


    Laura shook her head from side to side. She spoke as she looked straight at Dikal.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have the luxury to think such thoughts unlike you, Dikal.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I never thought about the future. I didn¡¯t care about what I was trying to aplish was worth. What you guys were thinking about.... I never thoughta bout it.¡±


    Until Laura became the heir, she never thought she was exceptional. The number of disqualified candidates mounted as her siblings disappeared. At some point in time, everything lost meaning to her as the color faded from the world.


    It was ridiculous, but until she became Aunsaurus heir, she had been going through the motion. She let the inertia of her circumstances carry her until she had met Azell.


    There was a time when she had been happy to receive a name. Then she worked desperately to measure up to the standard of the ones that were giving the test. The events are her created a momentum, and she was merely pushed forward by it. The desire to go forward had been extinguished a long time ago.


    At the time, even her will to live had been starting to fade. When she went into a test, she knew there was a chance that she would no longer exist at the end. This was why she had let go of determining her own fate. She stood up with an empty heart.


    However, she had survived. Maybe, her indifference had helped her inadvertently. Herpetitors had been desperate, and their hearts were shaken by hope and despair. Her heart had never shook as she


    Suddenly, Laura spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

 Chapter 137 - Gathering Legends (3)

    Chapter 137 - Gathering Legends (3)


    Suddenly, Laura spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Did you go mad, because your death is drawing nigh? What the hell are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°When I think about the past, I didn¡¯t try to win against all of you guys. I didn¡¯t care if I won or not. If I failed, I wouldn¡¯t have thought much on it. I didn¡¯t have anything worth caring about.¡±


    There was a faraway look in Laura¡¯s eyes. Dikal was confused. He couldn¡¯t tell what Laura was thinking.


    ¡°A person who didn¡¯t have the desire to live survived as the others, who desperately wanted to live, were eliminated. I know how insulting this sounds. I didn¡¯t realize this until not too long ago.¡±


    Maybe, the life lived by Laura in the past couldn¡¯t be considered as her living her life. She hadn¡¯t possessed any enthusiasm or desire for anything. She had merely been a puppet that did whatever her creators wanted her to do.


    Her life started from the moment she started to follow Azell.


    She had thought her inner self had been killed, yet her me had been rekindled. For the first time in her life, she had made her own decision on how she wanted to live. Color returned to her gray world, and she was able to feel new emotions each day.


    ¡°That is why.... I have to win now. I don¡¯t want to win, because I have to win. I want to win, because I want to win. I want to live, so I¡¯ll survive.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense. Do you think tragedy won¡¯t befall you, because your perspective on life has changed? I¡¯ve always had a hard time discerning what you were thinking about, but it seems you aren¡¯t of sound mind. You should die in the grips of your madness. You should be my stepping stone.¡±


    Dikal surrounded Laura with his cursed swords, and he let out a cruelugh. If it wasn¡¯t for her, his name wouldn¡¯t have been stolen. A cursed mask wouldn¡¯t have been ced on him, and he wouldn¡¯t have fallen to be part of the disposable troops. He had recovered his original position, so it was time to get thepensation he deserved for the pain he had endured up until now.


    ¡°Let me be clear about this one thing. You are too arrogant, Dikal.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Dikal became angry at Laura¡¯s deration.


    Puh-uhng!


    Laura¡¯s magic prated his defense, and it ignited.


    ¡°Koo-uhk!¡±


    Dikal¡¯s defense was strong. Moreover, he had gained experience through battle over the years, so she shouldn¡¯t have been able to get the better of him so easily.


    However, Laura circumvented all of his defense, and she sent a shockwave towards him. Dikal was a bloody mess as he fell towards the ground. He was barely able to regain altitude. Laura turned the table as if the previous fight had been a lie. She let out magic spells in a torrent.


    Pah-pah-pah-pahng!


    The cursed swords were hit with magic almost simultaneously. They were flung away. After he took control of his scattered Dragon Demon magic, he saw something very intricate had gotten better of him. It gave him goosebumps.


    Dikal was taken aback.


    ¡°This... How did you get through my defense.....!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been stuck in one ce for far too long.¡±


    Laura looked at Dikal with sad eyes.


    Dikal most definitely possessed a wealth of magic. He had borrowed the power of the magic weapons, and he had finished the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. His strength wasn¡¯t in doubt.


    Even if they were all born inside an artificial womb, they weren¡¯t all Dragon Majins. Even if the Dragon Majins were considered to be the most outstanding candidates, the Aunsaurus family performed a variety of experiments with Dragon Demons and Dragon Majins. They were all made to be candidates for the position of heir.


    Dikal had been peerless amongst the Dragon Majins, and in some aspects, he exceeded the Dragon Demons. He was talented enough topete with Laura until the end.


    However, this happened a long time ago.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have my Dragon weapon, but.......¡±


    Laura started canceling Dikal¡¯s defensive magic one by one. Dikal desperately tried to match her feat, but he was no match for her. Everything he had built up was being brought down like a sand castle being toppled over.


    ¡°You came here too soon.¡±


    Finally, Laura was able to break through the silent exchange of magic. Her magic started to manifest one or two at a time. She had taken control of the situation. Lightning exploded, and heat started to boil up to threaten the life of her enemy. On the other side, Dikal¡¯s magic was still being sealed before it could manifest.


    At a nce, one could tell that there weren¡¯t much difference between the two in terms of how much Dragon Demon magic they possessed. It was true that Laura possessed a little bit more, but Dikal had just finished the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. Moreover, he had Aunsaurus¡¯ swords. He had unusually high amount of power right now.


    However, in terms of skill as a magician, Laura was overwhelmingly superior. It wasn¡¯t just her use of magic. The types of spells she had learned was also at a much higher level.


    It couldn¡¯t be helped. Even if one possessed a genius level talent, one had to still study magic. It took time to go through the process of researching and training one¡¯s magic.


    After Laura became the heir, she continued to improve herself as she took full advantage of all the opportunities she was afforded.


    If onepared Dikal to her, his ess to knowledge was severed when he became disqualified. He had to fight with what he had learned up until that point in time. He was basically a tool with a fixed setting.


    He had assumed he would be able to close the gap by using a good magic weapon. However, he had underestimated Laura too much. Laura had been pushed back until now, because her heart was in turmoil. It wasn¡¯t because she wascking in skill.


    Laura had a resolute expression on her face as she made a deration towards Dikal.


    ¡°I still have a lot I want to see. After waking up everyday, I yearn for more. That is why I will live. I will not live as the puppet they¡¯ve created. I want to see what is at the end of the road that was chosen by me.¡±


    ¡°Laurahhhhhhhhhhk.....!¡±


    Dikal let out a scream. Her surrounding waspletely under her control now. The six cursed swords, which was imprinted with blood, was being interfered with Laura¡¯s magic. Their movement was a mess.


    ¡°I want to say this is the end, but.......¡±


    Laura mumbled to herself. At that moment, lightning came at her from all sides.


    Gwah-gwah-gwahng! Ggwah-gwahng!


    However, Laura was able to escape the storm of lightning without taking any damage. Her gaze left Dikal. She looked towards the ground.


    She could feel the numerous resonance of powerful Dragon Demon magic. There were over 30 of them. In terms of the quantity of Dragon Demon magic they possessed, they rivalled the officers on field. They were emitting their killing intent towards Laura.


    They were the Shadow¡¯s Sword Belt, who hade here with Dikal. Dikal ordered them to be on standby, so he could face Laura alone. However, it was a situation where they had to interfere.


    Suddenly, something Azell said came to mind in Laura¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡®Unfortunately, this isn¡¯t a problem with a ready made remedy that¡¯ll make you feel better. There are many problems in this world, and there are some like this one where you can¡¯t do much about it.¡¯


    Her siblings had been born from the artificial wombs to be tools. At some point, they became worthless to her. She hadn¡¯t been wounded, and she hadn¡¯t felt any pain when they disappeared after their disqualification.


    However, at this moment.... Her chest hurt when their killing intent was aimed at her.


    ¡°...I understand. I have no choice but to end this.¡±


    Laura put on a sad smile as she renewed her resolve.


    3


    When Dikal started his fight with Laura, Kairen and Leticia was once again ced in deep trouble. They focused only on defense, yet they became bloody messes in short order.


    ¡°Koo-uhk!¡±


    Kairen was kicked by Reygus. He was sent flying to the ground. He was barely able break his fall, but he faltered to his knees.


    ¡°Huhk, huhk, huh-uhk.......¡±


    The battlefield was filled with the sound of battle, yet he was feeling drowsy. He was injured, and his stamina was running out. It was evidence that his concentration was faltering. The fight with Reygus hadn¡¯t been long, but it was too brutal for his body and mind.


    It was the same for Leticia. She looked as she was out of strength too.


    <Ah ah. This really makes me think about the past.>


    Reygus spoke in front of them. The two of them had shown their floor now. If it wanted to, it could end them at any moment. However, it wasn¡¯t taking its time, because it was arrogant. It was for a sentimental reasons.


    Humans and other races acted foolishly in battle. While they were killing each other, they sought to look cool. They sought out romanticism. Reygus wasn¡¯t an exception either. He hade back from death, so he savored the sensation of fighting against outstanding foes. The fact that the fight had ended made him feel very wistful.


    ¡°Koohk.......¡±


    Kairen grinded his teeth.


    He had taken too much damage when he was taken unawares in the beginning. If it wasn¡¯t for that, he would havested a little bit longer.....


    Leticia spoke with a venomous voice.


    ¡°You are acting like an old man. You¡¯ve already died once, yet you aren¡¯t pressed for time. Didn¡¯t you learn in your past life that being so confident will actually shorten your lifespan?¡±


    <Are you trying to insult me in an attempt to kill you faster?>


    Reygus tilted its head in puzzlement. Leticia snickered.


    ¡°I guess I can¡¯t help it If it sounds like that to you. It has been awhile since I¡¯ve experienced being the weaker one in a fight.... As expected, it isn¡¯t a good feeling. I¡¯ve always known your organization was powerful as a whole, but I¡¯ve never faced an individual that was this strong. It is something I haven¡¯t experienced in a long time.¡±


    Reygus was puzzled as he looked at her. Was she giving herself up to despair, because her back was up against the wall? However, the attitude she disyed while sweeping back her bangs indicated that this wasn¡¯t the case.


    ¡°However, it is a bit early to bask in your victory, legendary Dragon Demon general.¡±


    <Do you have some hidden technique you¡¯ve held back? If so, you should hurry up and show it to me. I¡¯m crazy in the fact that I like seeking out danger.>


    ¡°You are an idiot.¡±


    <Myrades often expressed such sentiments to me. However, wouldn¡¯t it be a waste not to see everything a strong foe has to offer? This is what makes my life worthwhile.>


    ¡°Comrades... Yes, that is what I¡¯m putting my trust in. It is a bit awkward, since I don¡¯t have much experience in doing so.....¡±


    <Mmm?>


    It happened when Reygus was trying to make sense of her words. The ground beneath it disappeared.


    <What the hell?>


    The ground beneath its feet was acting weird. The ground cratered inward. Reygus¡¯ body was being sucked below.


    Sometimes, magicians softened the ground in front of a charging enemy in order to trap them, but this was different from such low-grade technique. Reygus didn¡¯t feel anything before the ground beneath its feet disappeared.


    When Reygus understood what was happening, a white bolt of lightning rose up from the ground.


    Gwah-roo-roong! Gwah-gwahng!


    <Shit! This is Aunsaurus¡¯ trick!>


    Reygus was able to defend against it by a hair¡¯s breadth as it jumped into the air. The thunderbolt followed after him. Reygus aimed the head of the hammer towards an opening in the attack. The thunderbolt exploded.


    Kwahhhhhh......!


    From behind it, a young man with swirling red hair made his appearance. It was Azell.


    <Ho-oh!>


    Reygus was sent flying from the ambush attack, but its voice was filled with extreme happiness. The red haired young man was holding a sword that was rippling with a blue sheen. Thunder erupted from his entire body. He looked exactly like someone Reygus knew.


    <It is as I suspected. It really is you!>


    It couldn¡¯t hold back itsughter. It shouted as itughed out loud.


    <Azell! You really are alive!>


    Then a weird silence descended on the battlefield.

 Chapter 138 - Second Coming of a Legend (1)

    Chapter 138 - Second Coming of a Legend (1)


    1


    Silence quickly spread in a battlefield that had been filled with screams and loud sounds. At that moment, everyone turned to look at Reygus as if they had misheard its words.


    ¡°...did he just say Azell? It really is Azell himself?¡±


    The Dragon Demon king worshippers looked towards Reygus in disbelief.


    Azell was the great sinner, who had killed their exalted king. The human, Azell Karzark, was like the ultimate evil that appeared in their lore.


    He had killed the king, but he had paid a price. It was widely known that he had fallen into hell when an eternal curse was ced on him.


    It wasn¡¯t just the Dragon Demon king worshippers, who were shocked. The Guardian Shadows were frozen from the shock they felt.


    Reygus didn¡¯t care if they were looking at it or not. Its gaze remained fixed on Azell. Since it was an Undead with only a skeleton as its body, it was impossible for Reygus to make a facial expression. However, Azell felt that it wasughing like a mischievous tyke. It was the same in the past. Reygus didn¡¯t hold a single iota of hate towards a strong opponent. Instead, it took pleasure in the encounter like a immature brat.


    When he thought about those time, a sigh automatically came out.


    Azell spoke as if he was dismayed.


    ¡°What are you talking about, you big lummox of an Undead? The hero Azell died 220 years ago.¡±


    <That¡¯s what I thought too. However, that little brat that is standing in front of me alive and kicking?>


    ¡°Humans usually produce descendants that look surprisingly like their ancestors. Since you¡¯ve lost your brain when you came back from death, did you forget about suchmon sense?¡±


    <Oh. That is the least entertaining joke I¡¯ve heard since I¡¯ve been revived. The brat I knew was a bit more imposing. Well, I guess 220 years enough time for you to be a coward?>


    ¡°Ah. You are pissing me off. Shall I tell you something really ridiculous?¡±


    <What is it?>


    ¡°Wild pig Reygus. It is very nice to see you. Does that make any sense?¡±


    <Koo-hahahaha!>


    Reygusughed uproariously at his words. Its thunder-likeugh rang out in the battlefield.


    After it stoppedughing, Reygus spoke.


    <If it was just the Heaven Splitter(Sword that Splits the Sky) , I would have just assumed you were a descendent. However, you spoke too openly about yourself in the fight with Ms Niberis. So why are you trying to make excuses now?>


    ¡°I¡¯ll make a confession. I¡¯ve told everyone the truth, yet no one believed me. That is why I¡¯m a bit hesitant to make that im.¡±


    <That is unfortunate. Anyways, I feel the same way as you. It sounded nice even when you called me a wild pig. I feel like shedding a tear. Of course, I can¡¯t shed any tears any more.>


    ¡°That is quite fortunate. You¡¯ve be much more handsome in the time I wasn¡¯t able to see you. In the past, your face was so ugly that it made me want to throw up.¡±


    <Hue hue. Your rude way of speaking is the same as 220 years ago.>


    At that moment, Kairen¡¯s voice could be heard from behind.


    ¡°...the story you told me was real?¡±


    Kairen¡¯s voice was trembling. When Azell told the truth in the beginning, Kairen had cut him off thinking it was a fabricated story. However, as he spent more time with Azell on the travel, he wondered if the story was true or not. He mused over the idea even as he mocked himself for it.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°That topic might lead to an animated conversation, and we aren¡¯t in a position to do so.¡±


    ¡°...ha ha ha. Let¡¯s push it off to ater time. You better be prepared.¡±


    ¡°You were the one that didn¡¯t believe me when I told you the truth. You shouldn¡¯t be saying that.¡±


    Azell snorted as he looked back at Reygus. Kairen and Leticia knew very well what they should be doing with the time bought by Azell.


    Of course, Reyugus knew it too. However, it didn¡¯t attack immediately. The deep emotions it felt after meeting Azell again was toorge.


    <It seems you¡¯ve suffered under a simr predicament as I.>


    ¡°It is so for those that live a life that others have a hard time epting as reality. It is something that can¡¯t be experienced except by the first generation Dragon Demons, who¡¯s far removed from reality.¡±


    <That is true. So what are you doing here?>


    ¡°Do you really think I¡¯ll tell you that?¡±


    <No. I¡¯m sure it is a n to screw us over. However, I¡¯m really surprised. What method did that brat, Carlos, use to keep you alive until now? He¡¯s already done enough by killing my friends, yet he............>


    ¡°I heard you asked about Carlos¡¯ whereabouts. Why did you ask such a question? Is it impossible to think logically now that you don¡¯t have a brain? Ah, of course, you barely thought logically even when you still had your brain.¡±


    <Ha ha ha. You are quiteme, Azell. You are alive and kicking, so why should I believe he is dead? You hid yourself like a mouse, while moving around......>


    ¡°Ah. Let me correct you on that. I didn¡¯t hide my identity. Didn¡¯t you say so yourself? I hinted at my identity a lot when I fought Niberis. If I nned on hiding my identity, why would I do that? Your guys must be poorly educated. They didn¡¯t recognize me at all.¡±


    <By the look of it, yourrades didn¡¯t recognize you either.>


    ¡°Sadly, you are right. It is a tough world where people won¡¯t believe you when you tell the truth.¡±


    Azell burst outughing.


    Azell¡¯s true identity was too incongruous with reality. It was a truth that couldn¡¯t be confirmed unless someone from Azell¡¯s era could corroborate it.


    Azell always knew this day wasing. There were survivors of the Dragon Demon war inside the in of Darkness. There woulde a day when they would take matters into their own hands.


    However..... He never expected Reygus to show up as an Undead.


    ¡°Even if you are an Undead, aren¡¯t you too high up in the food chain toe here yourself? You left the kids behind toe out yourself. It seems you aren¡¯t being treated well there.¡±


    <No way. Everyone treats me like an old man, who should stay cooped up in the backroom.... Well, you know my personality. It won¡¯t change just because I¡¯m dead.>


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like that from my point of view. If not, they would have sent couple more of the higher ranked....¡±


    <Even Dragon Demons and Dragon Majins can¡¯t win against time. You are only a human, yet you remained the same over this long period of time. It seems you didn¡¯t feel it, but.... Ah. I shouldn¡¯t ther on like this. Jeez.>


    ¡°Ho-oh.¡±


    Azell¡¯s eyes shone.


    It was obvious if one thought about it. Two hundred twenty years had passed since the Dragon Demon war. The survivors from that time were all old and weakened now. It meant that there weren¡¯t that many that was young enough to fight in battles themselves.


    Moreover, the structure of the organization was also a problem. During the Dragon Demon war, as one¡¯s power increased in the Dragon Demon army, one was given more missions. Those in high ces couldn¡¯t back out from fights based on their position. They couldn¡¯t when Dragon Demon king Atein and the four Dragon Demon generals fought in the frontlines as an example.


    On the other hand, the in of Darkness was a secret organization that hid from the eyes of the world. They schemed from behind the curtain. It was a society formed through fanaticism where the Demon King Atein was deified. There was a strict hierarchy within this organization. The humans were the lowest ss, and even the Dragon Majins and Dragon Demons were stratified by bloodlines.


    In such an organization, those with power gave orders. They didn¡¯t carry out their own objectives. Basically, they created a system where they cultivated and deployed fighters. They merely maintained and serviced the machinery they created. They didn¡¯t directly enter into a fight..


    If so, how could they have maintained their own personal battle prowess after 200 years of doing this?


    ¡®I learned a very important information.¡¯


    From what he learned from Laura, the upper crust of the in of Darkness rarely moved. If those in high positions still hadparable power they possessed during the Dragon Demon war, they wouldn¡¯t be making their descendants do the work. They wouldn¡¯t pass on the weapons of the Dragon Demon generals to their descendants.


    Reygus spoke.


    <I can hear the gear inside your head turn. Shit. It seems I said something I shouldn¡¯t have.>


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s the past or now, you haven¡¯t changed. Well, I guess it is fortunate for you that Baldazark and Aunsaurus are no longer here. They would have gotten angry at you.¡±


    During the Dragon Demon war, Reygus hadn¡¯t thought much. He was the type of being that acted on his emotions. When he found a powerful enemy, he ignored his allies and the battle n. His eyes would twinkle as he charged into a battle they had almost won. He tried to bait his opponents into using their hidden card......


    ¡®He is the same as before. It seems this bastard¡¯s idiocy was baked into his bones.¡¯


    Reygus was a being that had lived over a thousand years, yet it was quite immature. In some ways, one could describe Reygus as a pure martial artist.


    Reygusughed at those word.


    <Koo-koo-koohnk. You are a brat, yet you treat your elder as if he¡¯s a kid. Well, all right. How about....>


    Reygus spoke cheerfully as it raised its hammer.


    <Let us stop our friendly banter here.... Shall I check out your prowess?>


    Reygus charged before Azell could get into his stance. Kairen was standing off to the side, and he was barely able to keep up with its speed with his eyes.


    Kairen¡¯s eyes were btedly seeing the afterimages.


    He saw a surprising sight. Reygus had delivered a surprise attack, but Azell was already behind it. He was able to get in one blow.


    <Koo-uhk!>


    Azell¡¯s single strike did plenty of damage to Reygus. Reygus righted itself before it almost fell over, and it swung its hammer. Azell didn¡¯t dodge it. He deflected it head on.


    ...that¡¯s what Reygus thought he was attempting.


    When the sword made contact with the hammer, there was a little bit of resistance before the sword turned into light. Azell aimed the Dragon Maken, which was rippling with thunder, towards Reygus from the back.


    Gwah-gwahng!


    Reygus¡¯ huge body rose into the air. The dispersing thunderbolt coalesced at a single point, and it turned into the blue Dragon Maken. He gripped the sword, then six of him appeared. In a sh, they attacked Reygus again with a slight dy on each attack.


    <Kah-ahhhk!>


    Reygus let out a scream.


    He was barely able to repel the first attack, but another Azell appeared as if he had been waiting for this moment. Azell lifted Reygus into the air with his attack. Before its defense could harden again, Azell let out additional attacks. Where Reygus was flung away, another Azell was waiting for it......


    Abination of seven attacks sent Reygus rocketing into the air. Thest Azell brought down the Dragon Maken surrounded with thunder as if he had been waiting for this moment.


    ¡®Thunder Dragon¡¯s Horn!¡¯


    Lightning erupted.


    In a sh, a lightning that looked as if it would rip apart the heavens exploded forth. The terrifying wave of Dragon Demon magic shook the earth, and after a heartbeat, an enormous cloud of dust rose into the air.


    It all happened in a sh, so everyone thought Reygus had been killed. This was how terrifying Azell¡¯s attack was, and it etched a deep impression on everyone.


    <D...amn...it all....! Ooh-ahhhhhh!>


    However, a shout of anger arose from inside the cloud of dust. The sound rang out as it dispersed the dusts.


    Afterwards, Azell and Reygus shed.


    Pah-jee-jee-jee-jeek!


    The magical energy of thunder and the magical energy of pulverization shed against each other as it started to raise the temperature of the air around them. Reygus gritted its teeth.


    <You bastard! When did the Heaven Splitter develop such a ability?>


    ¡°How long ago was that? It seems your death has stopped your progress. No, you¡¯ve actually be weaker. It is to be expected, since you¡¯ve lost your Dragon Demon magic!¡±


    Azell snorted.


    Reygus had died before it was able to see the final battle that had ured at the Dragon¡¯s Horn Fortress. This was why it didn¡¯t know about Azell¡¯s peak abilities.


    At that moment, magical energy was overflowing from his Energy Pulse. It was swirling with terrifying force.


    The vessel to hold his magical energy was still iplete, but the amount of magical energy he could produce for a short amount of time wasparable to the level he disyed in his prime.


    Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump!


    Magical energy erupted like hail when his heart pulsed.


    Currently, there were seven Rings of Life around his heart. If one went by the normal standards, he was a Septuple master. Amongst all of them, six had gone through Dual Banding. The magical energy created through the resonance transcendedmon sense.


    ¡®It is a suitable opponent to test out my new answer!¡¯


    In the past, Laura had said Atein would be revived to the form he possessed at the time of his death. Azell came to the conclusion that there was no way he would be able to win against Atein.


    However, it didn¡¯t matter if it was the past or present. He didn¡¯t despair or give up. He thought hard on finding answers to his problem.


    Dual Banding was one of the few ways he would be able to exceed his past self. It was still iplete, but if he was able toplete his 7th Ring of Life, he would boast enough magical energy that would exceed the magical energy of his prime!


    ¡°Well, Reygus! You are a mere ghost from the past! You should be the sacrificial offering to the technique I developed!¡±

 Chapter 139 - Second Coming of a Legend (2)

    Chapter 139 - Second Coming of a Legend (2)


    ¡°Well, Reygus! You are a mere ghost from the past! You should be the sacrificial offering to the technique I developed!¡±


    Light exploded forth as Azell let out a shout. Reygus was sent flying. Azell had been in a strength contest when his clone appeared from the side of Reygus. Azell¡¯s clone had gotten a blow in. The armor, which had been as sturdy as a castle, started to break apart. The darkness started to flow out from within.


    <Koo-oohk! Maybe I should have read the information gathered by our guys? I guess I¡¯m in this situation since I don¡¯t like to make preparations!>


    ¡°You always acted arrogant as if you knew everything there is to know in the world. This is why terrible things always happen to you. You are the same now as in old times! Didn¡¯t I tell you before that an old man with an aggressive attitude is unsightly?¡±


    Azell¡¯s voice rang out from all sides. The branches of thunder extended to all sides. In between them, several dozen Azells appeared, and they all felt like the real one. They were intended to confuse the senses.


    <Shit! Cry! My soul hammer......!>


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll let you use such a big skill!¡±


    Before it could activate the power of it soul hammer, Azell¡¯s clone followed along the erratic path taken by a branch of the thunder. He appeared in front of Reygus. It could happen only for an instant, but his clone could produce powerparable to his real body.


    However, Reygus stopped its movement at a dime to block Azell¡¯s attack. It had been bringing down its hammer to attack, but it stopped as if the attack had been a lie. It was an illogical move, and Azell was taken aback by it.


    <Since I¡¯m dead, I can do this now!>


    This was a trick that can¡¯t be performed with a living body. If one tried to quickly hold back an attack with power behind it, one¡¯s bones, muscles, nerves and blood vessels would suffer enormous damage. It didn¡¯t matter how much magical energy one put into one¡¯s body to strengthen it. It would all be damaged.


    However, as an Undead, it was possible to move in such illogical ways. It was like the time when it ignored the restriction imposed by the joint¡¯s range of motion. If it could endure the strengthening magic, it was possible to move in a way where it could ignore inertia!


    Azell had jumped in thinking it was a great opportunity, but he had jumped into a trap. In a sh, Reygus was able to elerate its movement, and there was no rhythm to its movement. The attack elerated in an explosive manner as it struck Azell.


    <Lament!>


    Kwahhhhhng!


    Azell blocked it with his Dragon Maken, but it had already calcted such a response wasing. It activated the power seated within the soul hammer as the shockwave upended the ground. All the clones running along the ground was swept away, and even Azell¡¯s real form was sent flying.


    <This is it!>


    Of course, he didn¡¯t think this attack would finish Azell. However, the powerful shockwave would seal the movement of Azell, and it would allow Reygus to inflict a decisive blow! Reygus followed behind the shockwave, and it let out an attack that would be able to destroy a mountain.


    However.......


    ¡®Uh?¡¯


    It expected Azell to be sent flying by the shockwave, but Azell remained in ce. The shock wave and the enormous amount of earth was sweeping over him at high speed, yet he looked unperturbed.


    At the same time, the name of the phenomena it was witnessing came unbidden into its mind.


    ¡®Endless in!


    It was a defensive skill that Aunsaurus liked to use with the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. It was a variation on Vitan¡¯s Maze where the nearby space was isted. It was an unusual technique that prevented attacks for reaching the user.


    When the hammer swung by Reygus was about to be brought down, something unbelievable happened. Suddenly, the distance between the two became vast, and it lost sight of Azell. Reygus had ran into a Dimensional Distortion.


    Then a white bolt bolt of thunder came towards it.


    <Kahhhhhhhhnk!>


    The Dragon Maken was morphed into light, and the speed of the attack exceeded even the speed of thought.


    This was a trap prepared by Azell. The Dimensional Distortion allowed him to divert his opponent. The distance created allowed him time to use the Heaven Splitter to gain control over light. This was the power of the Dragon Maken. In the past, Laura had used the same move to divert her trackers. He had lured Reygus into the location where he set the trap!


    Reygus¡¯ armor crumbled as the darkness contained within started to burn white. At some point, the thunderbolt had changed into a me of Purification, which was the bane of the Undead.


    The Heaven Splitter had domain over all light, so it was able use any energy that emitted light. This was why it was possible to make this change. Reygus¡¯ body, which had been like an unassable fortress, received a critical hit.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already ended this ill-fated rtionship once! I¡¯ll do so again! Let¡¯s not drag this out, Reygus!¡±


    The unlimited in that had been between them disappeared as if it had been a lie. The twobatants were back to normal distance. Reygus, who was in bad shape, red at Azell. However, Azell couldn¡¯t unleash his killing blow.


    Ba-dump!


    Something hazy appeared in front of him.


    A transparent false image in the shape of a young girl appeared in Azell¡¯s vision before it disappeared. Then a ball of fire exploded around him.


    Hwahhhhhhhnk!


    Azell immediately defended himself by surrounding his body with the magical energy of the me. Reygus took time to right itself as itnded on the ground.


    <Ughh. If you were going to help, you should have done so from the outstart. Women, am I right?.>


    Reygus grumbled.


    Azell became more vignt as he looked as his surrounding. He couldn¡¯t sense anything amiss. It had been a powerful enough magician to interfere with the battle between Reygus and him, yet there was no scent of magic left behind......


    ¡®What was it?¡¯


    Reygus spoke in front of the wary Azell.


    <Well, she said she won¡¯t interfere again, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it. Anyways, I almost didn¡¯t get my money¡¯s worth. I might disappeared before I fought for real.>


    ¡°Are you going to give me someme reason like you still haven¡¯t show your real strength yet?¡±


    <Correct!>


    Reygus spoke with a cheerful voice as its appearance went through a rapid change.


    2


    The Keepers of the Prophecy could be called the nucleus of the Guardian Shadows. It could also be said that they were beings that had severe wear and tear.


    They were alive, yet they weren¡¯t alive. They had lost the memories of their previous lives, and they didn¡¯t age. Their motivation for living was their hatred and desire to wipe out the Dragon Demon King worshippers.


    Even as several dozens of years passed, their hatred showed no signs of abating. However, they were tired. As they continued to fight, they realized that this was a fight with no end.


    They had no idea how they¡¯ll able to end this vendetta.....


    The Guardian Shadows were strong, but they couldn¡¯t overwhelm them while they were centralized within the in of Darkness. The only thing they could do was to make the Dragon Demon king worshippers more wary as they moved within the human society. They acted as powerful monitors and defenders, but they possessed no methods that would allow them to cut off the evil from the source.


    In such a situation, the only hope they had was the prophecy. It was basically like gospel to them. They were simr to believers that endured hardship, while they waited to be saved by god. They fought in an endless fight for dozens of years with the belief that the person from the prophecy would appear some day.


    It was funny, but the Dragon Demon king worshippers and the Guardian Shadows were quite simr in that aspect. They were two sides of the same coin.


    One side held believed that a prophesied being would eventually appear on day to save them. On the other side, they believed that the dead Dragon Demon king would one daye back to life, and he would make the world into a paradise. They believed the changed world would be gifted to them.


    Both sides held to those faith as if it was a religious belief.


    It was the same for Balseru.


    When he inherited the codename Alpha as a Keeper of Prophecy, he gave up any pursuit any normal human would want to pursue.


    His sight was a symbol of what he gave up. The power contained with his eyes required him to close his eyes at all times. He had given up seeing on what the world looked like. He could function as if he had his eyes open using his unique power, but it wasn¡¯t the same as seeing the world with his own eyes. For a long while, he was no longer moved by the world.


    His eyes only opened when he fought the Dragon Demon king worshippers, and when he did, the world looked foreign to him. He was unfamiliar with the shapes and color of the world, and the beings that lived within the world was strange to him.


    Moreover, he was currently seeing a being that was the strangest being in this world..


    ¡®Azell Karzark.¡¯


    He was the legendary hero from 220 years ago. He ended the Dragon Demon war by defeating the Dragon Demon king Atein.


    After two years into the post-Dragon Demon war, he went missing. No one knew if he was alive or not. Even his best friend, Archmage Carlos, didn¡¯t know about his whereabouts. As time passed, many conjectures regarding Azell had cropped up, and now only his legend remained.


    When a young man name named Azell Zestringer appeared, they Keepers of the Prophecy thought there was a possibility that he was the one from the prophecy. This was why they had kept a close eye on him. At times, they tested him, and they also offered help to him. They tried hard to confirm that he was the one they were waiting for.


    They had thought Azel Zestringer looked very simr to Azell Karzark inside the portrait. This was why some had theorized that the descendant of Azell Karzark might be the one to end the Dragon Demon king worhsippers.


    However.....


    They never imagined that he was THE Azell.


    ¡°Ha ha ha.......¡±


    Balseru became surprised. A very unfamiliar sound wasing out from his mouth. Even as he realized this, he kept making the sound.


    ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha!¡±


    Balseru immediately realized that he wasughing.


    When was thest time heughed? He couldn¡¯t¡¯ remember it.


    This was why it sounded so unfamiliar and strange even as his vocal cords made the sound..


    <Balseru?>


    The Sleepless Guardians were puzzled as they looked towards Balseru. They were with Balseru for several dozens of years, yet they had never seen himugh. At that moment, they wondered if Balserus had lost his mind.


    However, Balseru was sane. He was thing clearer than any point in time.... When he lost his memories, there was a truth that he couldn¡¯t approach in his mind. It was concealed within a thick fog, yet this hidden truth came to his consciousness.


    It was as if it had been prepared to be revealed for this exact moment.


    Balseru, who had beenughing like a mad man, cut off hisughter.


    ¡°...I see.¡±


    A voice full of delight flowed out of his mouth.


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is......!¡±


    Balseru finally realized the true meaning behind the existence of the Keepers of the Prophecy.


    His memories hade forth like a flood, and when the tide ebbed, he spoke towards Azell.


    3


    Ooooooooooooh......!


    Reygus¡¯ hammer let out an explosive energy that was like a ck fog. At the same time, Reygus¡¯ magical energy rose, and it seemed to go on for ages.


    ¡®He might have more magical energy now than when he was alive.¡¯


    Azell was surprised.


    From what Azell remembered, Reygus was clearly weaker now than before. His physical ability and magical energy was about the same. However, he didn¡¯t possess any Dragon Demon magic.


    As a Dragon Arts practitioner, there were many things that they could do, because of the Dragon Demon magic. Even if all other deficiencies can be covered with a Dragon weapon, the loss of Dragon Demon magic was supposed to be a too big of a gulf to bridge.


    Currently, Reygus¡¯ magical energy was quickly swelling. He already possessed an incredible amount of magical energy, but now it had doubled in quantity.


    An Undead¡¯s ability was based solely on magical energy, so it meant that his battle capability had increased as well. Azell was tense as he attacked.


    ¡®Nothing good wille from dragging this out!¡¯


    Currently, Azell possessed magical energy that was on par with his prime, but he couldn¡¯t maintain it for long. His vessel for his magical energy was iplete, so his magical energy was overflowing. He was working hard to control the magical energy, and it was taxing for him. He had to end this quickly.


    He turned his Dragon Maken into light as he ran across the air. He hit Reygus with a strike that transcended one¡¯s senses.


    <You bastard! I¡¯m trying to transform to show you my true power. Don¡¯t you know the etiquette where you have to wait for me?>

 Chapter 140 - Second Coming of a Legend (3)

    Chapter 140 - Second Coming of a Legend (3)


    <You bastard! I¡¯m trying to transform to show you my true power. Don¡¯t you know the etiquette where you have to wait for me?>


    ¡°If I remember correctly, you were the only one in the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army that wanted to observe such etiquettes.¡±


    Azell mocked Reygus as he attacked. However, Reygus reacted swiftly. Even after its magical energy doubled, it continued to increase. Reygus was quickly bing stronger.


    <I won¡¯t be as easy to deal with as before!>


    Reygus reacted with surprising speed as it defended against Azell¡¯s fierce attacks. The force didn¡¯t need to be loaded onto its muscles, and it wasn¡¯t constrained by the need to breathe. Even Azell was having trouble dealing with Reygus at high speed.


    Zzuhng!


    However, at some point, fire erupted from Reygus¡¯ side. Azell had bypassed its defense to hit it with a solid attack.


    <What the hell?>


    ¡°Your techniques aren¡¯t as good as before. I don¡¯t know how long you¡¯ve been an Undead, but it seems you aren¡¯tpletely used to being one!¡±


    It was just the beginning. me erupted from various parts of Reygus¡¯ body. Since a Dragon Arts practitioner had lost Dragon Demon magic, it was understandable to see it struggle to use techniques. Azell looked for these openings, and he used his mental waves to confuse Reygus¡¯ sense.


    <Koo! Shit!>


    In a sh, Reygus lifted its soul hammer in a heroic fashion. As if Azell had been waiting for this move, he let out an an attack. When the Dragon Maken was nted within the empty body of Reygus, an explosive sound rang out.


    Kwahng!


    However, in the next moment, Azell was sent flying as blood sprayed into the air. Reygus shrugged off Azell¡¯s stab as if it was nothing, and Reygus counterattacked. Reygus was already dead, so it was nonplussed as it decided to fight in such a manner.


    <Sometimes there are advantages to having a dead body! Ha ha ha!>


    ¡°You rotten brained bastard!¡±


    Azell grinded his teeth. It wasn¡¯t as if he hadn¡¯t predicted Reygus would try such a move. However, he was able to pierce it squarely with his Dragon Maken, so he judged that it would be enough to be able to interrupt Reygus¡¯ movement.


    The only thing that urred was a portion of its armor and ribs breaking. Reygus had already been sturdy like a fortress, but his defense had strengthened considerably with the rapid increase of its magical energy.


    At that moment, someone used whispering to talk to Azell.


    -Sir Azell. No... Oh, hero Azell Karzark.


    It was Balseru.


    -What? I¡¯m busy right now. Can we talkter?


    -There is something I have to speak to you about right now.


    -What is it?


    -I want us to switch opponents.


    -What?


    It was an unexpected suggestion, so Azell furrowed his brows. Balseru continued to speak.


    -We will engage Reygus.


    -I thought you guys didn¡¯t fare well against Reygus earlier.


    -It is so, but we didn¡¯t lose either.


    -Hmmm.


    -We can¡¯t win, but at the very least, we can keep it upied. Wouldn¡¯t it be better for you to take care of the others while we do so? We have to get out of here before their reinforcements arrive. I believe getting rid of everyone except Reygus would secure the safety of ourrades. I believe that will be the better option.


    -I don¡¯t know where that confidence ising from, but.... All right. I do have other worries, and I ept that your judgement is correct. I¡¯ll let you handle it for now. We¡¯ll move at the count of three.


    -I understand.,


    After a count of three, Azell created his clones, and they attacked Reygus. Its broken body parts and armor had been recovered. It raised its hammer in heroic fashion as it parried the attack. However, at that moment, the Dragon Maken held within the clone¡¯s hand turned into a thunderbolt as it exploded.


    Ggwah-gwah-gwahng!


    He used this opportunity to switch ces with Balseru and his group.


    Reygus was a bitte in realizing this fact, and it was furious.


    <Azell! Are you going to run away from a one on one fight between men! You¡¯ve turned into a coward in the time I haven¡¯t seen you!>


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you speak more reasonably? If you want a fair one on one fight with me, you shouldn¡¯t have brought your posse with you. You shoulde at me alone next time.¡±


    <You bastard! Do you really think these bastards will be able to stop me?>


    Balseru and two Undead stepped forward to face Reygus.


    Reygus noticed it at that moment.


    <Mmmm?>


    It wasn¡¯t running with the same force as before. It was still fast, but it was noticeably slower than before.


    Zzuh-uhng!


    The Undead Rho blocked the soul hammer. After Reygus¡¯ massive increase in magical energy, it was on a different level in regards to power and speed. However, Rho was able to block it thanks to Balseru¡¯s power.


    <Kook! Is this the thing from before?>


    Reygus expressed its annoyance. An outside power was restricting its magical energy. If it was a simple trick used by magicians, Reygus could have unravelled it with a snort. However, it had no idea what method was being used.


    The only thing it was sure about was that this phenomenon originated from Balseru¡¯s eyes. Just looking at them gave Reygus chills.


    <I seems I won¡¯t get my answers unless I destroy you!>


    Reygus roared as it ran towards Balseru. Rho tried to get in the way, but it was useless. When Rho was about to swing its axe, Reygus elerated a beat faster to ram its body into Rho.


    <Koo-ahk!>


    It was as if Rho was hit by a runaway train. It was sent flying. Phi, the fire Undead magician, had been ready to attack when an opportunity was created through Rho¡¯s attack. It was taken aback. It was going to attack with magic when Rho stopped Reygus¡¯ charge, but the result hadn¡¯t urred in a manner it expected!


    <You guys are terrible at adapting to different situations! Brats!>


    Reygus maintained his momentum as it sent the Guardian Shadows protecting Balseru flying. It was so fast that Balseru standing in an awkward posture as if he was having a hard time reacting to what was going on.


    However, Reygus knew it had made the wrong decision when its hammer was about toe down.


    <It seems you have a death wish.>


    Balseru rushed forward to swing his sword. Did he really want to receive the blow of the hammer with such a thin sword? He was begging to be crushed.


    In the next moment, a pure white light washed over them.


    <Ooh-huhk?>


    Reygus was taken aback.


    When they were about to sh, Reygus¡¯ movements suddenly slowed, and Balseru¡¯s movements elerated. It was as if time moved differently for the two of them. Balseru¡¯s attack came towards it before the hammer could be swung. Reygus had no choice, but to avoid it in fright.


    Reygus staggered backwards as it retreated. It grinded its teeth.


    <Shit! It seems he has other talens aside from being able to re at others?>


    Balseru used Instantaneous Movement to charge forward. The thunder-like strike of the sword was blocked by the head of the hammer.


    Ddah-ahhhhhhng!


    As the ground shook, something unbelievable happened. Reygus was being pushed backwards.


    ¡°Koo-oohk.¡±


    Balseru groaned. He felt the force delivered by the sh.


    His eyes had absolute power over the Undead. He just had to look at an Undead. No, if he was to be more precise, he could suppress any techniques that dealt with death. This was the ability given to the one with the codename Alpha. Undead beings were supposed to fall under him. They weren¡¯t supposed to be able to defy him.


    However, Reygus was still disying incredible battle capabilities. Its power had only lessened by a little bit. This was why he was confronted with a problem he had never worried about.


    When he had his eyes closed, it meant his stored magical energy within his eyes had been expended. He would need time to recharge his magical energy.


    ¡®They are simr in some ways.¡¯


    Reygus was simr to the ¡®Sleepless Guardians¡¯, who guarded the Keepers of Prophecy. It wasn¡¯t just the fact that they were outstanding Undead. The energy they were emitting was strikingly simr.


    There must be a connection between the two. However, he didn¡¯t dwell on such matter right now. He finally knew the true meaning behind destiny, so all he could do was fight with all his might against the enemy in front of him.


    ¡®It is a matter of how long I canst.¡¯


    He knew he couldn¡¯t win. However, he was trying toe up with a n that would allow him to stall Reygus. He had to give Azell a little bit more time.


    ¡°...Dragon Demon general Reygus.¡±


    A strange light was being emitted from his eyes as Balseru smiled. He had an awkward smile as if he had neverughed before. This was why It was a sickening smile.


    ¡°I want to thank you.¡±


    <What?>


    ¡°Thanks to you, I.... No, we finally realized what our origin and fate is. I never imagined a time woulde where I would have to express my thanks to a Dragon Demon king worshipper.¡±


    Aughter tinged with madness flowed out of Balseru¡¯s mouth.


    4


    Azell¡¯s party was fighting well in conjunction with the Guardian Shadows. However, there was one person, who was in danger. She had been isted from her party.


    ¡°Ha-ah, ha-ah.......¡±


    It was Laura.


    She looked disheveled as she tried to get her breathing under control. In an one on one battle, she was able to dominate Dikal. However, she was helpless against the relentless attacks by the Shadow¡¯s Sword Belt.


    Even if Laura was a powerful magician, her opponents had all been candidates that had fought for the title to be heir. Their achievements in the study of magic was a bitcking, but all thirty of them were linked through Dragon Demon magic. Moreover, they were under the control of Dikal, and they were being used effectively against her. Of course, she would be on the losing side.


    She was busy blocking endless magic spellsing from all sides that she hadn¡¯t realized that she had been separated from herrades. She was 2 kilometers away from the main battlefield.


    This was why she couldn¡¯t expect help from herrades. Of course, this was what Dikal had been aiming for.


    ¡°It seems even the great Ms. Laura is showing signs of tiring?¡±


    Dikal let out a nastyughter.


    There was no way he could win against her in an one on one battle. However, hemanded the power of the disqualified candidates. He felt an unsightly joy at cornering her.


    Laura didn¡¯t have the luxury to answer him. The Shadow¡¯s Sword Belt didn¡¯t want her to catch her breath, so they kept sending spells towards her.


    ¡®He ns on taking me alive.¡¯


    Dikal¡¯s intent was clear. If they had been aggressive in their attempt to kill Laura, she would already be dead by now. However, they were trying to catch her alive at all costs.


    They blocked Laura from contacting her allies, and they had slowly isted her. Then they kept chipping away at her stamina and magical energy. In the process, Dikal felt a sadistic joy.


    ¡°Your fate is sealed, Laura.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°The elders want to see the face of the traitor. You already know what will happen next, right? Even if you did betray us, you were an outstanding subject. You might bear the children of the the next generation by receiving our seed or maybe you¡¯ll just be a test subject. It won¡¯t matter which fate is chosen for you. You¡¯ll be in a hell appropriate for a traitor.¡±


    The malice he disyed was hair-raising. She would rather die than be caught by the in of Darkness. They had the ability to make her experience hell. In an attempt to appease the Aunsaurus family, Dikal would willingly throw Laura into hell.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see.......¡±


    As the encircling backed off, Dikal stepped forward. At the same time, a hole was punched through the wall of fire that Laura had been fighting against.


    Puh-uhng!


    ¡°Kyahkkk!¡±


    Laura let out a scream as she was pushed backwards. Dikal had intentionally made this hole. Laura was well aware of this fact. In such a situation, she had to try something even if it was a longshot.


    It was as if he had been waiting for her response. He deflected Laura¡¯s magic. Then he overpowered her.


    ¡°Ha ha ha ha! Is that all you got? If you were going to end it like this, why did you trouble us so?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Laura red at him. Dikal made an invidious remark.


    ¡°Hmmph. That¡¯s right, Laura. You were right. I dide here too early.¡±

 Chapter 141 - Second Coming of a Legend (4)

    Chapter 141 - Second Coming of a Legend (4)


    ¡°Hmmph. That¡¯s right, Laura. You were right. I dide here too early.¡±


    He was stubborn as a mule, so he left behind the Shadow¡¯s Sword Belt to fight one on one with Laura. However, he couldn¡¯t hold a candle to her. This truth greatly wounded his pride.


    ¡°However, that is all there is to it. You merely had more time to learn more magic than me! If those old bags weren¡¯t so picky about passing on their techniques, I would have needed a little bit more time. I wouldn¡¯t have lost to you!¡±


    ¡°Dikal, I....¡±


    Suddenly, Laura raised her hands, and she ced them on her neck. She let out a forlornughter as she spoke.


    ¡°...this is the first time I felt sorry for someone.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You are a pitiful person. More so than my previous self....¡±


    In the past, Laura had been a puppet of the Aunsaurus family. She lived to bring about the result desired by them.


    Dikal was simr to her in that fashion. However, there was a big difference between Dikal and her.


    Dikal based his own self worth on their judgement, and he epted that fact as a given.


    He was subjected to what amounted to a curse, yet he still thirsted for their approval. He cursed them with his mouth, but he would do anything to hear their praises. He had no idea what else to base his own self worth on.


    ¡°I can see why I hated myself.¡±


    When she first met him, Laura considered his hatred to be a given. His life had been stolen away by her. Of course, he would hate her.


    However, as she listened to Dikal¡¯s words, she realized there was something more to this. The real reason why Dikal hated Laura was.....


    ¡°I threw away what you clung to as if it was trash.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense......!¡±


    ¡°I think I can understand what you are feeling. Still, I will assert it once again.¡±


    A red air current started emanating from the tip of her fingers, which she had ced on her throat.


    ¡°They are trash. They are trash that should have been eradicated a long time ago, yet they act as they please by stepping on our lives.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather die than be caught within their hands.¡±


    Dikal flinched. He had been focusing on her words, so he was a beatte in realizing what was going on.


    ¡°Shit! Stop her!¡±


    Laura was trying tomit suicide.


    She would rather die here than be caught by them. However, it wouldn¡¯t be enough just to take her own life. They had the power to call back the souls of the dead. This was why she had to terminate herself in no uncertain terms.


    ¡®I want to live.¡¯


    She wanted to live a bit longer. She had so much more she wanted to see.


    ¡®I finally found out who you really are.¡¯


    Suddenly, Azell¡¯s face appeared within her thoughts. She had always wondered about it, but he really was the hero Azell Karzark.


    When it was in regards to him, everything was on the table. When she found out the truth, sheughed even in the midst of danger. She didn¡¯t feel any surprise. It simply cleared up the pressure she felt inside her chest.


    ¡®If I die here, will you mourn for me?¡¯


    Up until now, she had no one that would have shed a tear for her if she died. She hadn¡¯t lived her life worrying about such things. However, while she travelled with Azell¡¯s party using the excuse of being a prisoner, she developed lingering attachments.


    ¡®At the very least, they won¡¯t get angry, because a tool had be unusable. They would view it as my death, simple as that.¡¯


    Laura was baffled by her thoughts, so sheughed. Dikal and the Shadow¡¯s Sword Belt looked at her as if she had gone mad. She had put a defensive magic around here, so they had to watch as shepleted the cursed power.


    -You give up too quickly.


    At that moment, a voice flowed into her consciousness.


    -Why don¡¯t you put a little bit more faith in yourrades?


    The magic spells that had been pouring out towards her was rapidly dissipating. Moreover....


    Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh!


    A pure white light that looked like white fire and lighting ran across the sky.


    It was the Sky Splitter. While Laura was distracted, three members of the Shadow¡¯s Sword Belt was cut down from the surprise attack.


    At the same time as the magic and thunder detonated, her surrounding became distorted as if it was a hot day in spring.


    ¡®Vitan¡¯s Maze!¡¯


    Laura immediately recognized the identity of the phenomena.


    She quickly canceled the power of the curse as if she was putting out a fire.


    ¡°Ah-oohk.......¡±


    She was able to cancel it, but it was a magic where even her corpse would have been destroyed. She hadn¡¯t wanted to hand over anything to her enemies. This was why the bacsh was fierce. ck smoke emanated from her entire body, and she felt her insides churn.


    She suddenly spoke in a sullen manner.


    ¡°...I¡¯m only a prisoner.¡±


    ¡°You were until now.¡±


    Azell suddenly appeared next to her. Azell smirked as he gave his answer. Azell spoke as he tapped her once with his finger.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop doing this.¡±


    The magical shunt ced with Laura¡¯s Energy Pulse was removed. Laura looked at Azell with rabbit eyes.


    ¡°You really do whatever you want.¡±


    ¡°Everyone told me the same thing around 220 years ago. It seems the era may change, but people do not.¡±


    ¡°Old man.¡±


    ¡°But my body and mind is still that of a 28 year old. There¡¯s no reason why I should hear such words from a Dragon Majindy who is older than me.¡±


    ¡°You are shameless.¡±


    ¡°I hear that a lot too.¡±


    Azell replied in a sly manner.


    ¡°Anyways, you should take care of your body from within this ce. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know if his enemies had techniques that could prate the Vitan¡¯s Maze. Even if they did have such a technique they would be too busy fighting Azell to use it.


    However, Laura grabbed Azell before he could exit the Vitan¡¯s Maze.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of Dikal.¡±


    ¡°With that body? I know you have some kind of history with him, but if you fight in such a state....¡±


    ¡°I can do it.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Laura¡¯s attitude was so firm that Azell just watched her for a moment. He turned his head away as he let out a bitterugh.


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s the present or the past, I¡¯m unable to stop anyone who¡¯s willing to risk their lives on a task. A lot of people cursed me for it.....¡±


    He continued to speak as he canceled the Vitan¡¯s Maze.


    ¡°It seems I¡¯ll be the one cursing you out. If your bravado gets you killed, I¡¯ll curse at you.¡±


    ¡°...this is the first time.¡±


    ¡°What is?¡±


    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve heard such words.¡±


    ¡°You have too many firsts.¡±


    As he spoke those words, Azell¡¯s sword turned into burning thunder as it sped along the sky.


    5


    ¡°This makes no sense.¡±


    Dikal was in a state of panic.


    When he found out Azell was really the Azell Karzark, he was shaken up for only a brief moment. At that moment, the capture of Laura had been more important in his mind.


    He had been tenacious in his hunt, and atst, his goal had been right in front of his eyes.


    However, this had urred.


    The sh of light was actively moving across the sky.


    Normally, magicians were adept at fighting in the air. Spirit Order practitioners and Dragon Arts practitioners were able to stay in the air for a limited amount of time. Even if that problem was solved, they had no way of propelling themselves through the air. This was why it was hard to fight a magician in aerialbat.


    However, Azell ruthlessly broke suchmon sense.


    Pah-jee-jee-jeeek!


    The light was moving in every direction, and it cut through one of the Shadow¡¯s Sword Belt. For a brief moment, Azell could be seen, so another member of the Shadow¡¯s Sword Belt sent a me towards him.


    However, it was useless. Spatial Distortion appeared in front of him, and the me was sent right back to the user.


    When the attacker paused to block the me, another Azell appeared from behind to cut him in half.


    ¡°Oooh ooh ooh......!¡±


    Dikal was terrified.


    The Sword Splitter and the Vitan¡¯s Chalice was creating a synergistic effect. The attacks were beyond one¡¯s imagination. The sword wasn¡¯t constrained by space, yet now the additional effect of dimensional maniption was added on to it. Thebination of the two was a cmity that no one could stop.


    Moreover, the Shadow¡¯s Sword Belt hadn¡¯t studied the avable information in regards to Azell. From the onset, they had used lighting and light magic without thinking much about it. They had pretty much sealed their own death. The Sky Splitter absorbed it all as all six members were burnt to a crisp.


    ¡°Dikal.¡±


    Light and the roar of thunder filled the battlefield.


    However, a low voice could be heard clearly within Dikal¡¯s ears. He turned to look at the owner of the voice in surprise.


    The thoroughly injured Laura was standing there ring at him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s end this. This is between the two of us.¡±


    ¡°Ha.......¡±


    Dikalughed as he couldn¡¯t believe what he had just heard.


    ¡°Are you out of your mind? Now that you¡¯ve jumped on the back of Azell Karzark, it seems you¡¯ve gone mad. You want to fight me one on one in that state?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Hmmph. Do you think I¡¯ll fall for such a trap? You will probably act like you are fighting me, and Azell Karzark would use the opportunity to hit me from behind.¡±


    At his words, Laura tilted her head in puzzlement.


    ¡°Do you really think you are worth doing such a maneuver?¡±


    ¡°...what did you just say?¡±


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for my request, you would already be dead. I extracted a promise from him. If you win against me in a one on one battle against me, he¡¯ll let you leave the battlefield alive.¡±


    Laura had been adamant about this point.


    When he realized she was serious, Dikal grinded her teeth.


    ¡°How long are you going to ignore me like this, Laura!¡±


    ¡°That is what I want to say to you.¡±


    Laura attacked first. When Dikal received her attacked, something iprehensible urred.


    Pah-jee-jee-jeek!


    ¡°Kuh-uhk?¡±


    He possessed six swords that had a curse ced on each of them. Each curse was flowing backwards now. His eyesight started to darken as openings appeared within his formation of magic.


    Ggwah-gwahng!


    An explosion detonated from within his barrier. He was sent flying. Dikal was barely able to right himself as he plummeted to the floor, and he started using his magic indiscriminately.


    ¡°Koo-ahhhhhhhhhk!¡±


    Unlike Laura who was dying, he had plenty of magical energy. Laura was superior to him in terms of using magic, but he decided she wouldn¡¯t be able to cut through the hail of magic spells.


    However, as if to break Dikal¡¯s prediction, he heard Laura¡¯s cold voice.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know why you are losing.....¡±


    There was pity in her voice. Dikal became angry, so he tried to send the magic swords towards her.


    ¡°Ooh-ahhhhhhhk!¡±


    As if it had been waiting for him to try that move, the curses flowed backwards again. It felt as if the pain was frying every single nerve inside his body.


    Dikal finally realized what she had done.


    ¡®I¡¯ve lost ownership of the magic swords!¡¯


    If he was to be precise, he hadn¡¯t lostplete ownership of the magic swords. However, the part of the magic that allowed one to move the magic swords was in her control.


    Hoo-oooooooooooh.......


    While Dikal was barely able to dispel the curse, Laura¡¯s condition was rapidly improving. Her physical state wasn¡¯t getting better, but she had taken control of the magical energy expended in vain by Dikal. She was absorbing it to recover her magical energy. She was disying an appalling amount of refinement in her control over her magical energy.


    ¡°This is the end, Dikal.¡±


    ¡°Howughable! You¡¯ve created some confusion using my magical tools, yet you act as if the fight is over! You¡¯ve required only a modicum of magical energy. It won¡¯t be enough!¡±


    Dikal unleashed his magical energy in anger.


    ¡®I only have the use of defensive magic and magic amplification of the magic swords. I¡¯ll have to use the two functions to end this. I have to overwhelm her with my magical energy. Even if she is better than me at using skills, the difference in the quantity of magical energy avable to me is absolute. I¡¯ll crush her with my firepower!¡¯


    His judgement was correct. Laura¡¯s magical energy was almost depleted. He could use several dozen spells, while his opponent could use only one or two spells. The result was preordained.


    In the end, he pushed back against Laura¡¯s control with pure power. He used all of his magic at once. A vortex formed on the ground. A storm of lightning raged, and me exploded forth.


    ¡°You are the one that will meet your end here, Laura!¡±


    He shouted out those words as he felt enraptured.


    ¡°It is as I¡¯ve said. This is the end.¡±


    Laura answered in a low voice. The sound cut through the noise of the explosion. It meant she had used her magic in a narrow scope to deliver her voice on purpose. Goosebumps arose all over his entire body. All the spells he sent towards Laura returned towards Dikal.


    Kwah-gwah-gwah-gwahng!


    ¡°Kahhhh......!¡±


    Even Dikal¡¯s scream was buried in the sound of the explosions. Dikal fell as fire and smoke surrounded his body.


    Laura tracked him down.


    Soon, Laura stood in front of Dikal. It looked as if half of his body had been blown off, and he was gasping for breath.


    It was a miracle that he was still alive. He asked in disbelief.


    ¡°How....?¡±


    ¡°Vitan¡¯s Chalice.¡±


    Laura answered him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been researching it all this time.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Dikal was satisfied with the answer.


    No on inside the in of Darkness had been able to learn magic that dealt with space. However, Laura had used the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. After much research and experiments, she was able to replicate some of the magic.


    Dikalughed as if he was baffled.


    ¡°I...really...dide here...too soon.....¡±


    ¡°They will perish too, so you can go rest now.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha ha. As always.... You are really an unpleasant....woman.....¡±


    After saying those words, Dikal¡¯s life came to an end. Laura created fire to burn his corpse. She looked up at the brilliant and deadly light moving across the sky.


    ¡°Those words.... I¡¯ve heard them way too much.¡±


    As she looked into the empty air, clear tears ran down from her eyes.

 Chapter 142 - Second Coming of a Legend (5)

    Chapter 142 - Second Coming of a Legend (5)


    6


    When Azell was free of Reygus, the situation on the battlefield quickly changed.


    Before he went to save Laura, Azell had already swept the battlefield near his allies. He had already caused massive damage to his enemies. Kairen, Leticia, Yuren and the Guardian Shadows had been fighting an even battle when Azell performed a surprise attack. The Dragon Demon King worshippers were mowed down like rotten sheaves of wheat.


    However, their advantagested only a moment.


    Go-oh-oh-oh-oh......!


    In a sh, everyone¡¯s attention was gathered at one location.


    Something that surpassedmon sense was uring.


    Balseru, who was covered in dirt, was taken aback.


    ¡°It is changing magical energy into Dragon Demon magic.....!¡±


    It was as he said. Reygus¡¯ magical energy was changing into Dragon Demon magic.


    This was supposed to be impossible. Dragon Demon magic was the power of the living. Despite Reygus being a 1st generation Dragon Demon, it was an Undead. Its lost Dragon Demon magic should have been unrecoverable.


    In front of the shocked Balseru, Reygus¡¯ armor started to change. The ominous ck armor and the Soul Hammer was being bleached white. Its helmet had been open as its skull had been on disy. However, a mask dropped down, and the helmet started changing into the shape of a Dragon¡¯s head.


    <Hoo-ooooooooh......!>


    The sound of a long breath was hearding from within Reygus¡¯ helmet. ?It was already dead, so it was only making the noise. However, as if responding to the sound, a ck current of air exited.


    <If you were able to defeat me before this, I would have praised you. However, you are out of your depth now. Well, what¡¯s your move now?>


    The amassing of incredible amount of magical energy was in preparation for this change. It took some time to max out his magical energy. It had needed time toplete its transformation.


    Reygus had faced some trouble, because it faced Balseru, who was the natural enemy of the Undead. However, that was no longer true now.


    Balseru broke out in cold sweat.


    ¡°...what nonsense.¡±


    After its transformation, the power of Balseru¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t work against it. The suppressed power returned with a vengeance, and Balseru could feel a pressure that made it hard for him to breathe. Currently, the amount of Dragon Demon magic exceeded the amount Reygus had possessed in life.


    <Well, it is time to wrap this up!>


    Reygus activated its Dragon Demon magic as it charged forward. A gust arose behind its path.


    Kwahng!


    Rho tried to get in its way, but it was in vain. Reygus reacted much faster by ramming its body into Rho, and it brought down its Soul Hammer..


    <Kah-ahhhhhhk......!>


    Rho let out a scream.


    Most of the time Undead did not feel pain. However, Reygus¡¯ Dragon weapon was called the Soul Hammer. As its name indicated, it had the power to break souls. There was physical damage from being hit by the Soul Hammer, but exquisite pain and shock was felt by Rho. It felt as if its soul was being ripped into pieces.


    Too-doo-doo-doong!


    The Undead magician Phi shot thunder towards Reygus. Reygus hadn¡¯t retrieved its hammer yet, so it had to take the attack with its body. It was pushed backwards.


    Soon, a blue me erupted around Reygus¡¯ body. The blue mes didn¡¯t emit physical heat, but it pushed back the thunder spell. Reygus originally had powerful defensive magicyered around it, but this me had the power to cancel magic.


    Kwahng!


    Apanying the sound of an explosion, half of Phi¡¯s body was destroyed. When Reygus ran in, Phi focused on its defensive magic as it retreated. However, Reygus¡¯ blue mes canceled out the barrier before it rushed towards Phi.


    <Koo-ahk......!>


    As expected, the Undead felt a pain it had never felt before after bing an Undead. Still, Phi managed to point its unbroken arm towards Reygus.


    Puh-uhng!


    A thunderbolt exploded on Reygus¡¯ head. It sent Reygus flying, but it immediately righted itself. Reygusughed.


    <Koo-hahaha! You are quite tenacious! I thought you would have forgotten about how pain felt as an Undead! I thought you would be distracted by even a small amount of pain!>


    <You wild pig bastard......!>


    Phi grinded its teeth. If it was just physical damage, it could recover in an instant even with such heavy damage. However, the Soul Hammer possessed the power to damage souls, so the recovery of its body had slowed significantly.


    Reygus let out a cheerfulugh.


    <I¡¯ve heard that phrase quite often. Well, it is time for you brats to return to your graves.>


    <As an Undead, we are your elders. You are a reckless simpleton.>


    Rho was barely able to stand up. It spoke sharp words towards Reygus.


    Balseru, who was behind them, spoke.


    ¡°Phi. Rho.¡±


    <Speak.>


    The Undead magician Rho didn¡¯t turn around as it gave a reply.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You guys will have to die for me.¡±


    <I¡¯m already dead, so what¡¯s the point of asking me to die?>


    <Whether I meet my end this way or some other way, it is all the same to me. You do what you have to do.>


    Phi also muttered his words.


    Reygus looked on with interest. It didn¡¯t ask Balseru about the meaning behind his words. Reygus really acted in a manner consistent with how he spoke.


    If he could squeeze out some kind of hidden card from his opponents, he would willingly wait for them even if it could endanger it.


    Balseru¡¯s eyes emitted light. This light transferred over to Phi and Rho.


    <Ooh-ahhhhhhhhhh!>


    Phi and Rho le out a scream. Their bodies were quickly restored as their magical energy exploded upwards.


    Reygus¡¯ eyes shone.


    <Ho-oh! Is this a hidden card that can only be used as a suicidial attack?>


    It was as Reygus had said. Phi and Rho¡¯s magical energy had increased to twice its size, but that was the catch. They would be destroyed as cost for using this power.


    Moreover, they wouldn¡¯tst long against Reygus even in this state.


    7


    -Are you running away by yourself while you leave yourrades to die?


    Balseru was running full tilt, and he let out a bitterugh at Azell¡¯s angry words.


    It was as his words implied. He had overclocked the power of Phi and Rho. They were used as sacrifices so he could escape. While he escaped the battlefield, Phi and Rho was about to be destroyed at any moment now..


    Balseru answered him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be following after them soon. However, I cannot die right now. For now... I¡¯ll have to remove myself to rule out the probability of my death.¡±


    -What nonsense are you talking about?


    ¡°You will find out soon, hero Azell Karzark.¡±


    After his words ended, Balseru¡¯s presence vanished. Azell grinded his teeth when Balseru hid himself like a ghost.


    A heavy sound rang out in front of him.


    Koong!


    The ground shook. The rising cloud of dust dispersed as Reygus¡¯ enormous white body approached him.


    Phi and Rho¡¯s fallen forms were next to it. The two had met their end. Their consciousness could no longer be felt. When the magical energy within their body dispersed, their skeleton would break down and disperse.


    <Hmm. I was very angry before, but I feel thankful now.>


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking?¡±


    <They were pretty good sparring partners. Thanks to them I can fight you once again at full strength.>


    ¡°Do you not realize that you are close to being alone now?¡±


    It was as he said.


    Balseru and the two Undead hadn¡¯t upied Reygus for long. However, the oue of the battle was determined during that brief time period. The Dragon Demon king worshippers were truly cornered thanks to Azell¡¯s active role in battle.


    Reygus looked at his surrounding.


    <Jeez. Whether it is the past or now, it¡¯s the same.>


    During the Dragon Demon war, Reygus ignored what was going on in his surrounding as he fought like a berserker. His battle style was basically like a hurricane sweeping through the battlefield. This was why his allies didn¡¯t fight with him, and themanders had to take his quirk into consideration whening up with battle tactics.


    Basically, Reygus did whatever it pleased, so it was familiar with the situation where its allies were on a brink of defeat.


    <I¡¯ll have to hold out until our reinforcementse.>


    ¡°I¡¯ll end this before that urs.¡±


    <That is what I hoped you would say.>


    A delightedughter flowed out from Reygus¡¯ helmet. The two legendary figures once again shed.


    8


    The Undead do not tire. They weren¡¯t bound by a body¡¯s structural limit like the range of motion of joints. On top of all of that, their ability increased as their magical energy increased.


    Still, the Undead form of Reygus was weaker than its previous living form, because it had a crucial weakness.


    Basically, Reygus had lost its Dragon Demon magic.


    Even if the quantity of magical energy was about the same as before, Reygus was a Dragon Arts practitioner. The loss of the Dragon Demon magic was too big of a loss. Even if it was an expert, there was a limit as to how much of an adjustment it could make to its fighting style. There was a clear ceiling even if Reygus trained diligently.


    However, Reygus had used some unknowable method to regain its Dragon Demon magic, and it was stronger than when it was alive.


    Azell realized this fact from just a single exchange of blows.


    From the beginning, Azell had overextended himself to produce a power that his vessel couldn¡¯t contain. Even if he was adept at controlling the effects with his techniques, he couldn¡¯tpletely erase all the bacsh. As time passed, the burden on his body increased, and his movements slowed.


    On the other hand, Reygus didn¡¯t suffer from such problems.


    No, it had be much stronger after its transformation.


    ¡°Koohk!¡±


    Azell was busy expanding the number of his clones. Azell groaned as he backed off. However, Reygus used Instantaneous Movement to track him down, and it swung its hammer at terrifying speed.


    Too-hahk!


    His stance was half broken, so Azell couldn¡¯t block the attack. However, the Dragon Majin immediately turned into light to hit the Soul Hammer from the side.


    Then.....


    Kwahng! Kwah-kwahng!


    Azell¡¯s clones hit Reygus with consecutive attacks when his defense faltered. Each clone used every magical energy they possessed to hit Reygus, but it barely took any damage. It only retreated haltingly, and its armor remained unbroken.


    This continued on like this for a while.


    If one was just counting the number of attacks one got in, Azell was winning in an overwhelming fashion. Azell hadn¡¯t taken a hit yet. On the other hand, Reygus was being hit countless of times as it was sent flying.


    It wasn¡¯t as if Reygus was inexperienced in terms of technique. It moved like a heavy tank, so its style looked unrefined. However, its techniques and perception was top notch. Above all else, this style was impossible to pull off if one didn¡¯t have a sturdy body. This was true whether in life or death.


    Azell¡¯s techniques shone against such an opponent. No matter what it did Azell could turn away its defense to create an opportunity. Azell repeatedly applied his attacks.


    However, technique wasn¡¯t the only factor that determined the victory or defeat of a battle.


    <This is unfortunate. It is true that you are stronger in some aspect. However, you became weaker overall?>


    ¡°You are getting beaten like a drum, yet you speak such bold words..¡±


    Azell red at it as he bluffed.


    Inparison to Azell during the Dragon Demon war...


    To be precise, his techniques and senses had increased significantlypared to the Azell before Reygus¡¯ death. The Sky Splitter also had evolved to a much superior form of Dragon weapon.


    Of course, his body was much stronger than his past self.


    He had increased his physical ability, and the vessel to hold his magical energy was muchrger.


    However, he had to burden himself to raise his magical energy to a levelparable to his prior self. However, the clincher was the fact the his pool of Dragon Demon magic was too shallow, so his techniques were less effective.


    Reygus felt regret this point. After waking up in this era, he had met his favorite and most enjoyable opponent, yet Azell wasn¡¯t at full strength yet.


    Suddenly, Azell stopped as he put on a baffled expression on his face.


    It was because Reygus had stopped attacking to speak.

 Chapter 143 - Second Coming of a Legend (6)

    Chapter 143 - Second Coming of a Legend (6)


    <Your techniques have improved. This is true even if I discount the very odd function developed by the Sky Splitter. I should have stuck around a little bit longer to see how far you were able to develop.>


    ¡°Hoo-ooh. I was able to regain my breath thanks to your speech, so I shouldn¡¯t be saying this.... You always get too absorbed in the fight. You forget your goals. Doesn¡¯t your side hate this part about you?¡±


    <Ha ha ha. I¡¯ve always been a bit manly. A man should always act manly. Of course, such actions buys hate from the narrow-minded beings. However, how can I live in a manly way if I try to appease them?>


    ¡°...you do realize I¡¯m disparaging you by calling you an idiot right now, right?¡±


    <I don¡¯t care if I hear such words or not. This world doesn¡¯t hold much interests to me. My life doesn¡¯t hold much that interests for me either. I can¡¯t even enjoy the best alcohols any more. What is there left to enjoy in my life? If they are small minded enough to try to restrict the activities that brings joy to my soul, I¡¯d rather they leave our side.>


    ¡°Wow.......¡±


    Azell was impressed. This guy was more of an idiot than he had imagined. It wasn¡¯t as if Reygus didn¡¯t know it was doing something idiotic. It knew it was doing something stupid, yet it went through with his actions. Reygus did whatever it felt like doing!


    ¡°...ah. Truthfully, you did annoy me, but in a weird way, I didn¡¯t hate you. That is how dumb you were.¡±


    <Koo-uh. This is quite unfortunate. If you were a beautiful woman, I would have epted that as a confession. How can I not enoy myself fully when someone like you is in front of me. I, Reygus, live and fight as a warrior. I don¡¯t want to leave any regret behind!>


    ¡°You died, because you ignored what was going on in your surrounding yet you haven¡¯t changed. Amazing.¡±


    <The fact that I didn¡¯t change is a good thing. Humans think change as a virtue. There is a beauty to something that never changes, and humans can¡¯t stand that. I fought next to the king for this very value.>


    Reygus spoke in an imposing manner.


    His words made it clear that this being was apletely disqualified from being a general. Reygus also knew this truth. It had the title of Dragon Demon general, but Reygus always let its underlingsmand the battle. It fought on its own. It did whatever it wanted, yet Reygus was an indispensable part of the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army.


    Many strategists from the Demon King army spoke about itment.


    ¡®If general Reygus fixed his personality a little bit, he would be the best!¡¯


    Many in the human allied forces had the same thought.


    ¡®We are quite fortunate that Reygus has such a personality.¡¯


    Reygus was unchanging even at the end. That was why he had died. It was also why Reygus couldugh without any regret.


    It had woken up as an Undead after 220 years, yet it hadn¡¯t changed..


    Suddenly, Azell asked a question.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t changed, but everything around you have changed. Do you really think the bastards in the in of Darkness is worth fighting with?¡±


    <Hmmm. Are you trying to sow discord? Knock it off. It isn¡¯t like you to do this.>


    ¡°I¡¯m not doing that. I¡¯m simply curious. When I awoke in this era, I was shocked to find the existence of the Dragon Demon king worshippers. Moreover, I was shocked in many ways to see what kind of actions were carried out by the bastards within the in of Darkness. During the Dragon Demon war, I hated you guys, but how should I say this.... It feels as if things have progress to the extreme.¡±


    <You words.... So you haven¡¯t been active while I was asleep. It means your consciousness was put to sleep for a long time. You awoke in this era like me?>


    ¡°.......¡±


    <Ee-yah. I gained information through my enemy making an a slip of the tongue. This is quite a novel experience.>


    ¡°Ughh.¡±


    Azell¡¯s expression crumpled. Of all the people he could have made a slip of the tongue to, he had made the mistake against the being that was the prime example of someone that gave away information to the enemy!


    Reygusughed uproariously.


    <Yes. In truth, I don¡¯t like what our guys are doing these days. Theyck a backbone and guts. Above all else, they are quite gloomy!>


    ¡°...mmm.¡±


    Reygus was an Undead with only its skeleton left. From within the darkness, it spoke such dismal words that would have undermined the morale of his allies. If the Demon King worshippers could here this, wouldn¡¯t they feel aggrieved?


    Reygus continued to speak as Azell had these thoughts.


    <Theypletely changed into a religious cult, so I do feel bad for the young ones. They should be able to see and think for themselves. Even the option of choosing with their heart had been stolen away. I hate to see prettydies feeling depressed when such dark madness are imposed on them. If it was the past, I would have consoled them with my fabulous body, but I can¡¯t any more. It is a shame in many ways.>


    ¡°.......¡±


    <Still, my heart remains unchanged. I sympathize with whatever orders given by the magician Atein. He is my king, and that fact remains true even now.>


    ¡°As expected, it seems Atein¡¯s revival isn¡¯t too far off. Your awakening is a precursor to that event.¡±


    <We are even with this... Or did I reveal something that is worth more? Tsk tsk. Well, I don¡¯t care, since I¡¯m always like this.>


    ¡°You really are incorrigible.¡±


    <Ha ha ha. Since I¡¯ve given you this much time, you should have recovered your breathe by now. Why don¡¯t you reveal some of your hidden cards now? I really regret the fact that I wasn¡¯t able to fight you when you defeated the true king. I paid an incredible price to be this strong..... I can no longer eat meat again, and my g downstairs will never be raised again...>


    ¡°.......¡±


    Even the great Azell was at a loss for words. He should want to trip Reygus up, yet he was having a hard time putting himself in the mood to do so.


    <Even I had ended the fight when you were weakened, wouldn¡¯t it have been a waste? Since I did something very stupid, a smart guy like you should bring out a move that would turn the table on me. It¡¯ll be delicious when I volley your move and crush you!>


    ¡°I will show my respect towards the stupidity that had endured for over 200 years. I¡¯ll do as you wish. It is as you¡¯ve said, you wasted enough time for me to be able to use my secret card.¡±


    As he spoke, Azell¡¯s voice started erupting with power. As he walked, it looked as if there was an image superimposed over Azell. He took one step as his image shook. When he took a second step, an exact replica of himself appeared next to him. Both figures took a third step as the superimposed images shook. When they took the fourth step, the number of Azells doubled once again.


    In a sh, 32 Azells were surrounding Reygus.


    <You Incarnation skill have gotten much better. Even Almarick couldn¡¯t do what you are doing right now.>


    ¡°Almarick... He looked like an idiot, but he really was great with techniques. He¡¯s the opposite of you.¡±


    Azell¡¯s voice rang from all direction. They didn¡¯t open their mouths at the same time, yet the words were strung together perfectly.


    <However, this can¡¯t be everything, right? I acknowledge that you are able to amplify your power bybining your sword and your clones. However, it won¡¯t work against me. Moreover, you are running out of magical energy.>


    Reygus¡¯ observation was sharp and right on target.


    Azell was given time to gather his breathe, but his magical energy was constantly on the decline. He kept using power that overflowed from his vessel, and this was the bacsh of constantly using that method. Even if he was exceptional in skill and will, there was nothing he could do about his physical limitations. The limit to using his Dragon weapon was fast approaching.


    The 32 Azells let out a savageugh.


    ¡°Of course, this isn¡¯t all of it. Well, Reygus! I¡¯ll do as you wish! I¡¯ll show you the true worth of the Sky Splitter, which was able to cut down Atein!¡±


    The Dragon Majin had replicated alongside the 32 Azells, and they roared at once. The swords abandoned their physical form, and they resolved into something that looked like me and thunder at the same time. The pure white light moved through the air.


    <Mmm!>


    Reygus was faster and strongerpared to when it was alive. However, it was impossible to dodge the Sky Splitter. No matter how fast its reaction speed had increased, it was impossible for Reygus to see the Sky Splitter which had dematerialized.


    The only thing Reygus could do was to create a broad barrier and endure the attacks. When opponents faced the dematerialized Sky Splitter, they gave up on pin-point defense. It wasted a lot of power, but one had no choice but to use a broad defense. Reygus was no exception. No, such a tactic was actually Reygus¡¯ specialty.


    However, the current situation was a bit different from before.


    His reaction speed had increased significantly, so Reygus was able to see a world that he had never been able to see before. He could now clearly discern the path of most Instantaneous movements. He had entered the world of ultrahigh speed.


    This was the reason why Azell was on the losing end as he attacked.


    Azell¡¯s attacks weren¡¯t weak. Even if Reygus style had reached the pinnacle of tanking attacks, it couldn¡¯t avoid having its movements restricted. It couldn¡¯t avoid taking damage.


    However, Reygus was able to defend in a more efficient manner, and it cut into the effectivenss of Azell¡¯s attacks.


    Up until now, all his enemies had given up defending the dematerialized Sky Splitter with uracy. However, Reygus was able to do so.


    ¡®Left chest.¡¯


    This didn¡¯t mean it could counteract every attack. The attacks from the dematerialized Dragon Majin was too numerous. It was hard to tell which attacks held power behind it and which attacks were feints.


    However, Reygus was able to identify some of the attacks. It couldn¡¯t pick up the attacks that wereing in at speed of light. However, there were times when Azell¡¯s clone had to transform back into physical form. When it caught sight of them, it was able to read the path of the attacks.


    ¡®Right knee.¡¯


    A human who hadn¡¯t learned Spirit Order couldn¡¯t dodge an arrowing using one¡¯s eyes. However, it was possible to observe the archer¡¯s movement to predict the timing and path of the arrow. It would allow one to dodge the attack.


    Reygus was using the the same concept right now. Countless attacks wereing towards it, yet Reygus was able to pick out certain attacks. It allowed Reygus to properly defend against several blows. Every time it was sessful in its defense, it cut through the shower of light attacking it.


    ¡®It¡¯ll be the same again!¡¯


    The attacks performed by Azell¡¯s 32 forms were like a real storm. However, they couldn¡¯t breakthrough Reygus!


    It was at that moment when he had a thought.


    ¡°Reygus, do you know why my Dragon Majin is called the ¡®Sky Splitter¡¯?¡±


    One of Azell¡¯s clone locked weapons with Reygus as he whispered those words. When it put strength into the hands gripping the Soul Hammer, the resistance disappeared. From beyond the clone, Reygus saw a sight it had never seen before.


    <This is......!>


    The sky parted.


    It wasn¡¯t as if the sky was cloudy. It was a clear sunny day. However, an oppressive amount of light pierced through the sky.


    It was as if an enormous tree made out of light that sprouted. A pir of light connected the earth and the sky. Moreover, there were numerous branches made out of light extending outwards.


    It was as if someone had magnified an image at the moment when thunderbolt hit the ground. The branches of light extended in all directions. In the middle of the light, Azell was ring down at Reygus.


    <This is your secret card!>


    Reygus voice couldn¡¯t hide the overflowing joy it was feeling. It gripped its Soul Hammer as it cocked it backwards.


    There wasn¡¯t a single iota of fear in Reygus. It was like facing aet when it wasing straight towards the beach. In the face of certain cmity, Reygus¡¯ fighting spirit was unyielding.


    <It¡¯s burning! Koo-hahaha! Soul Hammer! Make the earth tremble!>


    Koo-goo-goo-goo-gooo!


    The earth shook as Reygus stood at the epicenter. Clouds of dust rose into the air. From deep within the earth, an enormous power arose as it was focused within the Soul Hammer.


    Reygus¡¯ presence was bing more and morerger.


    For a brief moment, they exchanged gazes. Azell didn¡¯t wait for it to reach its peak power.


    ¡®I¡¯ll end it with this!¡¯


    It was Reygus had surmised. Azell¡¯s magical energy was in decline. The time limit in which he could summon the Dragon weapon was approaching.


    He couldst longer using aplete Dragon weapon in the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. However, he decided to use the final attack with the Sky Splitter. The time he could bring out the Dragon Majin had increased considerably when he increased his magical energy and the vessel that held his power. However, there was a limit.


    This was why this was hisst chance. He was fortunate that Reygus was obssessed with the process of a battle instead of winning and losing. This was why he was given the chance to bring up all his remaining power. He was able to use his best secret technique.


    Sun Lightsaber!


    At that moment, the pir of light connecting sky and earth dispersed into countless swords.


    Hundreds, thousands, hundred thousands, millions.... It was impossible to count them all. The overwhelming number of light swords flew through the air. There was so many swords that it looked as if theybined to make a tidal wave. It swallowed everything in sight.


    <This is it......!>


    At that moment Reygus regretted the fact that it didn¡¯t have a heart. It couldn¡¯t feel its heart beat faster at watching this splendid sight! Its body was dead, but its soul had pursued this exact moment for a thousand year. At the crescendo of the attack, its soul hunger for more as it burned!


    It really was an instant.


    The enormous pir of light had been like the world tree that connected the sky to the earth. When the numerous light swords erupted forth, an unforgettable image was seared into the mind of all who was watching. The tsunami of light hit its target and it created arge vortex.


    Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!


    It seared the eyes as the song of destruction rang out. The sound of this transcendent cmity could overpower even a Dragon¡¯s Roar. Just the aftereffect of the attack burned the vision of the spectators, and the mental waves moved like rapid currents to burn their minds.

 Chapter 144 - Second Coming of a Legend (7)

    Chapter 144 - Second Coming of a Legend (7)


    9


    Koo-goo-gooo-gooo......!


    The great destructionsted only for a brief moment. However, it felt like eternity for everyone on the battlefield.


    The shockwave that spread from site of the explosion reached a radius of several hundred meters.


    The Sun Lightsaber¡¯s after effect was very smallpared to its destructive power. Azell had focused the destructive capability into a small region, so the after effect was minimized.


    ¡°Ooh-ook. If someone had told me I¡¯m having a bad dream right, I probably would have enthusiastically agreed with that person....¡±


    Kairen tried to regain his breath as he sat down within the waves of dusts swirling around him. If Azell hadn¡¯t given him a heads up on what was going to happen, he would have been in big trouble.


    No, he had prepared for it yet he had thought he was going to die. He was able to block the shockwave, but his consciousness had almost sumbed to the mental wave even though he had resisted against it with his full power.


    Kairenughed at the absurdity.


    ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha. Those ridiculous records were real? They didn¡¯t exaggerate the ounts. They actually might have understated it......¡±


    In the past, he had visited the pce¡¯s library for Azell Karzark..... Basically, he went to read historical records about Azell, and he had stated that the absurd ounts actually did a disservice to Azell. When he thought back on what he had said, he wanted to hide in a mousehole from the embarrassment he felt.


    ¡°...hmmm. You are still alive?¡±


    Suddenly, he heard Leticia¡¯s voice next to him. Kairen answered her.


    ¡°Somewhat. It looks as if you had an easier time under the protection of the magician.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t afford to protect both of you.¡±


    Yuren smirked as he spoke. Before Azell had precipitated the final confrontation, Yuren had quickly surrounded a barrier around Leticia and himself.


    Kairen snorted.


    ¡°Is that right? Anyways, even the Dragon Demon general Reygus can¡¯t survive against such an attack......¡±


    Kairen¡¯s face hardened at that point in his words. Leticia and Yuren had an expression of disbelief a beatter. They looked at the scene beyond the dust cloud..


    ¡°...it survived after taking that hit?¡±


    On the other side of therge cloud of dust, Reygus was holding up Azell by his throat.


    10


    The most powerful technique called the Sun Lightsaber could be actualized only using the Sky Splitter.


    In the final battle in the Dragon Demon war, Azell had used this move to corner Atein.


    In the battle, an endless amount of magic spells were sent towards Azell, and he had been in dire straits. However, Azell had been spying for a chance to attack Atein, and when the opportunity presented itself, Azell put his life on the line to use the Sun Lightsaber technique. It blew away all of Atein¡¯s defensive magic, and Atein had been gravely wounded.


    There was his Dragon weapon, the quality of his Dragon Demon magic and the vessel that held his magical energy.... Everything wasn¡¯t up to par with his past self right now except for his technical skills.


    However, he had fulfilled enough of the three requirements to use the secret technique.


    The first requirement was time. Reygus had dared him to use it, so he had enough time to gather the requisite energy.


    The second requirement was the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. Since his vessel holding the magical energy was small and weak, the amount of magical energy he could gather and hold was smaller than his previous self. However, a vast amount of magical energy could be gathered and concentrated using the Vitan Chalice¡¯s Dimensional Distortion.


    Thirdly, it was daytime right now. In the past, he had to gather light from the moonlight, starlight and the light that erupted from various parts of the battlefield toplete the technique. If he hadn¡¯t had the massive amount of light provided by daylight, it would have been impossible to use it in his current state.


    The Sun Lightsaber appeared once again in this era after 220 long years, because all three conditions were met.


    However....


    <You are really incredible. You are a preposterous human.>


    Reygus hadn¡¯t cease to exist.


    It wasn¡¯t as if it hadn¡¯t taken damage. Reygus was a mess.


    There was no trace of its left arm, and almost half its upper body was blown away. There was no region on the white armor that was unharmed. It was broken and bent. Darkness leaked out like blood from the cracks that had been created.


    However, it had endured against the absolute cmity of destruction. It survived against the tsunami of light swords. Now it was raising Azell by the neck.


    ¡°A hidden card.... You had one too, you sneaky bastard.¡±


    Azell was panting, and he was a bloody mess. He still possessed all his body parts, but his armor had been turned into junk. There was a deep cut on his stomach, and it was deep enough to see some of his innards through the cut. His left arm was broken, and it was dangling by his side. His right arm wasn¡¯t broken, but he couldn¡¯t put any strength into it. It was a miracle that he was still conscious.


    Reygusughed.


    <I thought it was quite fair. Wasn¡¯t it? It was a fight where both of us didn¡¯t know who would win.>


    ¡°Ha ha ha. I¡¯m at a loss for words........¡±


    How was Reygus able to endure the Sun Lightsaber?


    It was abination of two answers.


    <I¡¯ll be truthful. I never thought I would be able to evolve my Dragon Weapon at my advanced age. Thest time my Dragon weapon evolved was 400 years before my death.....>


    The Sky Splitter wasn¡¯t the only Dragon weapon to go through a transformation. The Soul Hammer had evolved beyond the one Azell had known about. In the past, the Soul Hammer had a powerful curse that could destroy minds and souls of its opponents. It also could resonate with the earth to bring out a great destructive ability. However, this new form of hammer allowed Reygus to freely control the power from earth. Moreover, it allowed Reygus to disperse damage through the ground.


    Basically, it and its armor had be a castle wall while its feet was connected to the ground.


    Moreover....


    <If your technique had been perfected, I might have been sent back to the underworld. You are the best, Azell.>


    ¡°That kind ofpliment... Do you think... I¡¯ll be happy to hear it?¡±


    The Sun Lightsaber wasn¡¯tplete.


    In the first ce, there were three restrictive prerequisite he would have to fulfill to be able to use it at this point in time. He had been sessful in forming and using the technique. However, he had failed at controlling it.


    In his prime, Azell would have linked his other Dragon weapons to contain the energy within a specific area. It would have amplified the destructive capability to the extreme. All the after effect that had swept through the radius of several hundred meters would have been directed inwards. The shock wave and the mental wave would have been in his control as it would have destroyed his enemies within this limited region. The pressure created allowed it to exceed a certain level, and even Atein had been shocked by it. An extreme destructive phenomena was created.


    However, he had lost control, and a considerable amount of energy had leaked out. It killed the effectiveness of the attack.


    It sounded ridiculous, but the recent Sun Lightsaber couldn¡¯t even muster half of its original power.


    Zzuh-juhk.......


    Suddenly, the sound of a fissure was heard. Then the wrist of the arm holding Azell broke.


    Tul-suhk.


    Azell rolled across the ground.


    He couldn¡¯t move. His body and energy pulse couldn¡¯t function normally.


    Still, he got up. He used the beat of his heart to resonate the Rings of Life to create magical energy within his body. He used his psychokinesis to keep his body upright, and the fallen Dragon sword returned to his hand.


    <Both of us are a wreck..>


    Reygusughed.


    The winner and loser of the battle was already determined. Azell was showing admirable fighting spirit, but he wasn¡¯t in a state where he could fight. Reygus could use his psychokinesis to hit him with the Soul Hammer. No, since its two arms were useless, a single kick could kill Azell.


    It was toote for hisrades to help him. They were too far away. By the time they started to move, Reygus would have already ended Azell.


    At that moment, its vision darkened.


    <Mmm?>


    Reygus realized it had entered a Dimensional Distortion field.


    <Vitan¡¯s Chalice? No, I¡¯m sure I saw it get unsummoned....>


    It was taken aback, but it soon realized who was the culprit precipitating this situation.


    <Kayalia, what are you doing?>


    Kayalia had copied the effects of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. She had used the Dimensional Distortion field. When it raged, Kayalia¡¯s white ghostlike form appeared in front of it to speak.


    -What do you mean what am I doing? Can¡¯t you tell just by looking at it?


    <Are you really going to betray me at such a moment? You are too much.>


    -It isn¡¯t like that.


    <Mmm?>


    -I¡¯m just being fair. Didn¡¯t I save oppa earlier?


    <.......>


    Reygus groaned at the shameless answer.


    It was regretful that it no longer had hands to grip its own head. Reygus spoke.


    <My god. Aren¡¯t you on our side? Why should you care about what is fair for him? Isn¡¯t it a given for you to help me?>


    -Wasn¡¯t this supposed to be a one on one battle between men?


    <Oohk.>


    -You were arrogant. You took your time in attacking, and you almost died because of it. You would have met your end if I hadn¡¯t saved you.


    Reygus was at a loss for words. Kayalia had been the one to block Azell earlier. If it wasn¡¯t for her intrusion, it would have died before it could truly showcase its true strength. It had allowed Reygus to see Azell¡¯s secret card, so it didn¡¯t have any grounds toin to her.


    <Ughh.>


    -Moreover, I¡¯m still....


    Kayalia had a mncholy expression on her face as she turned away.


    11


    A quiet descended on the battlefield.


    Reygus¡¯ presence was gone as if it had been snuffed out. Everyone was taken aback at the unexpected turn of events.


    Azell mumbled to himself in disbelief.


    ¡°Vitan¡¯s Chalice......?¡±


    It couldn¡¯t be. He had unsummoned the Vitan¡¯s Chalice.


    ¡®Laura?¡¯


    He had seen Laura use Dimensional Distortion to defeat Dikal. Of course, this was the only possibility that sounded usible to him. However, he was wrong. He could see a desperate expression on Laura¡¯s face.


    ¡®So who.......¡¯


    -You remain unchanged.


    Suddenly, a white cloth fluttered in front of his eyes. Then a faint insubstantial figure could be seen in his vision.


    ¡®Who is she?¡¯


    Azell thought he had heard that voice from somewhere before. He was about to raise his head when a warm touch could be felt on his forehead.


    -It has been a long time since we¡¯ve met. I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t give you a proper greeting. When I see you next, my heart will havee to a decision. I¡¯ll have decided either way by then.


    At the end of her words, Azell lost consciousness. Kairen caught Azell¡¯s falling body. Kairen faced forward as he asked a question.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Kayalia chose to reveal herself, so Kairen could see her.


    If one used human standards, she looked to be a 14 or 15 year old girl. She was a Dragon Majin girl with blonde hair flowing through the air. There was a gray horn protruding from between her hair, and her ears were long. She possessed a te-grey Dragon Magic stone on the back of her hand which was the same color as her eyes.


    The weirdest part about her was the fact that she didn¡¯t possess a body. It wasn¡¯t an illusion sent by a magician. It looked like a ghost.


    The problem was the fact that she was emitting Dragon Demon magic.


    Kayalia let out a mncholy smile as she spoke.


    -I was once the enemy of humans.


    ¡°Are you part of the Dragon Demon King¡¯s army?¡±


    Kairen¡¯s wariness increased. He didn¡¯t know what she was, but his instinct was giving him a warning. It was telling him that she was a very dangerous being.


    However, Kayalia shook her head from side to side.


    -At one time, I considered him to be my savior. That should be enough.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    -I¡¯m not going to tell you. I¡¯m leaving now. Please don¡¯t waste the opportunity I have provided.


    ¡°...mmm.¡±


    Kairen¡¯s expression hardened, and Kayalia disappeared in mid-air as if she had melted away. Laura asked with a worried expression on her face.


    ¡°What about Azell?¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, it isn¡¯t life-threatening.¡±


    ¡°...even in such a state?¡±


    Leticia was taken aback. Azell had taken grievous wounds. It wouldn¡¯t have shocked her if he died at any moment. However, there was a strangely peaceful expression on the face of the unconscious Azell.


    ¡°I also have a hard time believing it, but it is true. First, let¡¯s get out of here then we can heal him. I don¡¯t know the identity of that ghost woman, but as unbelievable as it may sound, she saved Azell. The reinforcement from the in of Darkness will be here soon.¡±


    Everyone knew what Kairen was talking about.


    The real adversity would begin right now. They had won the battle, but the party was in rough shape. Moreover, they didn¡¯t know how, but the Demon King worshippers had a way of tracking them.


    The party left behind numerous questions as they exited the battlefield. They started running towards east.


    12


    Reygus was released from Kayalia¡¯s Dimensional Distortion field after 30 minutes. During that time, its Dragon Demon magic had dissipated, and its armor had returned to its ck color. Reygus grumbled as it observed its half-recovered armor.


    <I let go of a fish I had almost caught.>


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t all your work turn out that way?¡±


    As if he had been waiting for this moment, a man walked towards Reygus as he spoke. Reygus replied when it saw him.


    <Hmm. You are here? It seems she let me go, because she saw you.>


    ¡°She probably did. The fact that she rarely shows herself in front of me might mean that she doesn¡¯t really want to see me.¡±


    <Unlike me, you aren¡¯t that cute.>


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    <She said I¡¯m cute.>


    ¡°...whether it¡¯s the past or now, she is someone that is hard to understand.¡±


    <By the way, you showed up after the fight.... Your ass has gotten really heavy.>


    ¡°I¡¯m not like you. I¡¯m just an old man that everyone has forgotten about. Since I¡¯ve hidden myself for such a long time, numerous annoying problems have cropped up when I decided to move.¡±


    <Shouldn¡¯t you have taken care of all of that beforehand?>


    ¡°Diligence and a busy life is the domain of the young ones. I¡¯m too old to live a diligent and busy life.¡±


    <Your tongue still remains slippery. It is incongruous with how you look.>


    ¡°If we are going by appearance, there is no one that looks as boorish as you. So how can you say such words to me?¡±


    The man cackled. The conversation didn¡¯t have much substance behind it, but it revived the old feelings they had felt long ago.


    Suddenly, the man turned away from Reygus to walk towards a certain direction. There were only two survivors from the earlier battle. One of the Dragon Majin was breathing raggedly as he received treatment.


    Reygus followed behind the man as it spoke.


    <I guess they managed to survive.>


    ¡°...they are underlings under yourmand. You shouldn¡¯t speak like that.¡±


    <That¡¯s true, but I was imprisoned by Kayalia. Aside from Azell¡¯s party, the Guardian Shadows are surprisingly good at avoiding detection.>


    ¡°He probably had a hand in this.¡±


    <Ah, you are probably right. However, this isn¡¯t like him. He wouldn¡¯t kill all the dying enemies. It isn¡¯t in his nature.>


    The man sighed at Reygus¡¯ words. Then he spoke to the Dragon Majin who had barely regained his consciousness.


    ¡°Are you well enough to give your report?¡±


    The Dragon Majin was puzzled by the man¡¯s words. This was the first time he had seen this man. However, his confusion suddenly turned into shock. This being was known to everyone who resided in the in of Darkness.


    ¡°You are......!¡±

 Chapter 145 - Heaven and Hell (1)

    Chapter 145 - Heaven and Hell (1)


    1


    Clouds of war were gathering at various locations on the continent.


    The seven kingdoms had originated when an empire broke up, so they weren¡¯t on best of terms. There was always tension along the border.


    Still, norge war had been waged after the initial period of confusion. There had only been small border skirmishes.


    However, the Bijes kingdom and the Iellos kingdom had gathered their armies along the border, and it felt as if a single twitch could set off each side.... Simr situations were urring in various locations around the continent.


    The Yudusk kingdom and the Garan kingdom were descended from the ancient royal line, so there was bad blood between them regarding the legitimacy of their lines. In the early period of chaos, those two kingdoms fought the fiercest battles.


    This was why the border between the two were very heated. However, the members of the Guardian Shadows worked in the political scene for three years to negotiate a cease-fire. However, the prince who was sent as an emissary was assassinated, so the fire of war was stoked..


    The Dan kingdom¡¯s king was poisoned with his sessor not named. There were signs of civil war erupting in that kingdom.


    The Rin kingdom and the Ralos kingdom had several recent incidents where the tension along the border between the two countries were at an all time high.


    In such an atmosphere, Dragon Demon Princess Arrieta was dispatched when the Western Border Guards requested reinforcement.


    ¡®The Grand Alliance of Darkness is being revived.¡¯


    ...it was an urgent news that had arrived from the Western Border Guards.


    A mutated Orc named Dakan had formed the Grand Alliance of Darkness around 30 years ago. It was a simr situation right now where a massive number of demonic creatures were attacking the Western Border Guards. They were somehow able to hold them off inside the fortress, but it said in the missive that they would fall if reinforcements weren¡¯t provided soon. The Western Border Guards resided in a fortress outfitted specifically able to hold off a force that was of same size as the Grand Alliance of Darkness. However, a variable they had never ounted for had appeared.


    It was a Dragon.


    For some reason, the Water Dragon who lived in ake deep with the forest had attacked them. After a fierce battle, they were able to repel the Dragon. However, the damage to the fortress had been heavy, and the Western Border Guards had taken heavy casualties.


    This was when arge horde of demonic beasts had attacked them.


    ¡°Is that the bastard?¡±


    Arietta was on top of the fortress¡¯ wall as she observed the enemy force.


    The throne had quickly dispatched 200 troops with her leading them. She was also givenmand of reinforcements sent from other regions. She had arrived at the Western Border Fortress with over 1,000 men.


    Moreover, this was only the vanguard. The throne was gathering more troops even at that moment. However, when the reinforcement had arrived, the castle wall was in horrible shape. It would be a tall task to be able to ward off 10,000 demonic beasts.


    ¡°It is big enough to make me doubt if it really is an orc.¡±


    Giles was next to Arrieta. He had already risen in rank, and he was firmly entrenched in his position as her lieutenant.


    He spoke.


    ¡°It is as Azell had said before.¡±


    ¡°They have a way to mobilize a dragon, and all these schemes are being hatched by the Dragon Demon King worshippers.....¡±


    Arrieta was dumbfounded.


    The cloud of war hanging over the continent was all manufactured by the in of Darkness.


    Arrieta and Giles was aware of this truth. As they were taught techniques under the tutge of Azell and Kairen, they had learned a lot about the Dragon Demon king worshippers from them.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡®They have superb bodies, and their intelligence is on par with humans. They have the charisma to make other demonic beasts obey them. Then there are the ones with enough magical energy to be on par with Dragon Majins. These types of Orcs were used quite often in the Dragon Demon war. It was surmised that the secret to making them was with Aunsaurus....


    Azell had told Laura about the mutated Orcs. One had been used to lure Seigar into the County of Baldan.


    However, when she arrived at this location, she found that Falkan possessed more power than the previous mutated orc named Dakan


    It showed martial skills that could easily break through the knights of the Western Border patrol, and it didn¡¯t end there......


    Shwee... Kwah-kwahng!


    A sound of an explosion rang out from below as the walls shook.


    It was enough force to be mistaken for a high rank magician¡¯s spell. However, the impact had surprisinglye from a single arrow.


    ¡°A mere Orc is a magical archer? I¡¯m so surprised that I don¡¯t know what to say.¡±


    Arrieta expressed her amazement.


    Surprisingly, Faikan was shooting magic arrows. It was infused with magical energy that was on par with that of a Dragon Majin. It was using an enormous long bow that couldn¡¯t be used by humans, and it had great uracy with the weapon. It also had destructive capability on par with a high rank magician.


    It had already killed double digits in troops with its sniping. The Orc was a nightmare-like existence to the Western Border Guards.


    Shweee... Puh-uhng!


    Another arrow flew towards them.


    However, it wasn¡¯t able to reach the fortress wall this time around. It exploded in midair. Arrieta had used her technique to shoot down the iing arrow from afar.


    The light in Faikan¡¯s eyes changed. Instead of aiming for Arrieta, it continuously shot towards various locations along the wall.


    Puh-uhng! Pah-pahng! Pah-ah-ahng!


    It was useless. All of the attacks except the first arrow was intercepted.


    It was as if Arietta was reading Faikan¡¯s mind. When it found a new target to shoot, she used Instantaneous Movement to appear at the target. She used her Dragon Arts to intercept them. Moreover.......


    ¡°Oh Evil Darkness, Rend Apart!¡±


    She shouted the words of power as a white light erupted from the sword she had stabbed into the empty air. Faikan threw away its bow in shock as it raised its sword.


    Kwahhhhhh!


    Surprisingly, her attacked had reached a target that was 100 meters away.


    This was something Arietta hadn¡¯t been able to do before. However, when she learned the forgotten techniques from Azell, her inner reservoir of qi had drastically increased.


    ¡°As expected, I didn¡¯t expect it to stay still.¡±


    Arrieta mumbled to herself as she let out a coldugh.


    ¡°Koo-uh! You dare defy me, little bitch!¡±


    Faikan got on the body of an Ogre that was stationed below the fortress wall. When given themand by the orc, the Ogre grabbed and threw the Orc towards the top of the fortress wall.


    It was a tactic that was feasible, because the Ogre possessed great size and strength. However, Arrieta wasn¡¯t taken unawares by the move.


    Cha-ahng!


    Faikan¡¯s enormous sword shed against Arrieta¡¯s pure white sword. Faikan was shocked. It had used the momentum of its flight to unleash a powerful sword strike, but Arrieta easily deflected it.


    It wasn¡¯t because Arrieta was strong. When their swords touched, an explosive and repulsive force was created using Dragon Demon magic, and Faikan was flung away.


    ¡°You are better than expected.¡±


    Faikan smoothly neutralized the repulsive force tond on top of the castle wall. Arrieta broke out in cold sweat when she saw this.


    ¡®I cannot believe how much skill this Orc has. My previous self would have a hard time facing it.¡¯


    She was able to extrapte that fact from just a single exchange. Faikan possessed martial prowess that exceeded her previous self.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°Orc, you will hate yourself for overestimating your own ability. I¡¯ll end the 2nd Grand Alliance of Darkness here.¡±


    ¡°Hmmph! A weak bitch like you should know your ce before you speak such words! I¡¯ll sever your head right now, and I¡¯ll open the gates to this fortress!¡±


    Faikan spoke eloquently in the human tongue as it once again attacked Arrieta.


    This was how she confronted the 2nd Grand Alliance of Darkness, and the battle at the Western Border Fortress intensified.


    2


    After running away from Reygus, Azell¡¯s party headed eastward.


    Azell had lost to Reygus, but the enemy force had been decimated. However, the problem was the fact that the enemy¡¯s reinforcement wasing. When Reygus joined with the reinforcement, it was obvious that they would start tracking down Azell¡¯s party.


    However, the party couldn¡¯t move as quickly as they would have liked even in such a desperate situation.


    They had fought a fierce battle, so the party was tired and wounded. Moreover, Azell was hovering between life and death right now. It restricted their mobility.


    In the end, the party had moved for an hour before they decided to rest and apply first aid.


    Yuren had used magic to move Azell in an attempt to reduce any turbulence. He carefully ced Azell on the floor.


    ¡°Well, now.....¡±


    Yuren turned to look at Laura.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go first. You should mediate.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Laura nodded her head.


    They were quite fortunate in the fact that there were two high rank ck magicians within their party. Since there were no healers inside the party, no one could heal wounds aside from Yuren and Laura.


    ¡°You should use this potion. I only have two bottles left.¡±


    Kairen took out healing potions from within his armor, and he hand them over to Yuren. Originally, he had several more bottles, but they broke during battle.


    Yuren asked him a question.


    ¡°Everyone is injured. Shouldn¡¯t you be using it?¡±


    ¡°It is best to use it on the person with the most serious wounds.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but....¡±


    ¡°Use it.¡±


    Kairen was firm with his words, then he approached Leticia.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take turns resting. You should meditate first.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do so.¡±


    Leticia acquiesced to his words. It was because her injuries were more serious than his.


    Yuren scratched his head as he unstoppered the potion bottle. He started pouring the liquid into Azell¡¯s wounds.


    ¡°Ooh-ook.......¡±


    Azell groaned in his unconscious state. The healing potion disinfected his wounds, so it hurt when it was applied.


    However, he wasn¡¯t showing any signs of waking up. Yuren took a deep breaths as he looked carefully over Azell¡¯s wounds.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see.......¡±


    Yuren put one hand against arge tree, and he ce his other hand on top of Azell¡¯s chest. Soon, an ominous energy arose from Yuren as rapid change urred to the tree.


    Pa-sah-sahk....


    The tree, which was as twice as thick and thrice as tall as Yuren, was rapidly drying up. The thick leaves dried up as it fell away, and the branches became emaciated.


    Yuren¡¯s ck magic was stealing life energy from the tree.


    Yuren used some of the energy on his body, then he poured the rest into Azell.


    He was a ck magician, so he didn¡¯t have subtle techniques like the healers. However, he could steal life energy to increase the survivability of one¡¯s body, and it could imbue unnaturally fast regenerative ability. That was all he could do.


    However, this kind of healing skill needed extreme caution. It was less effective to use it on someone else, and the risk also increased. If Yuren transferred too much power, Azell¡¯s body might break down instead of healing.


    ¡°As expected... The the healing effect using the life energy of a tree is quite meager.¡±


    ¡°Should I go catch something?¡±


    ¡°If you leave your post, it¡¯ll be hard for us to fight off an ambush from our enemies. Let¡¯s ask them to do it.¡±


    Yuren swept his hand towards the surrounding as he pointed out the hazy shapes.

 Chapter 146 - Heaven and Hell (2)

    Chapter 146 - Heaven and Hell (2)


    They were the Guardian Shadows. Over 50 of them were following along as if they were guarding Azell. As time passed, the number grew.


    Kairen had a peculiar expression on his face.


    ¡°Is it possible for us tomunicate with them?¡±


    ¡°It seems we have a hard time understanding them, but they understand us pretty well.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. I think you are right.¡±


    ¡°Also, we aren¡¯t really asking them to do anything difficult.¡±


    When Yuren approached them, all the Guardian Shadows turned to look at him. They were ghost-likes figures, and they all stared at him at the exact same moment. It was eerie. Yuren gulped as he spoke.


    ¡°I have a request. I don¡¯t care what kind, but could you guys capture some of the animals nearby? They have to be brought back alive.....¡±


    ¡¸We can do it.......¡¹


    ¡¸Beasts.......¡¹


    ¡¸We hunt.......¡¹


    About half of the 50 Guardian Shadows dispersed into the forest.


    In short order, Yuren had a pile of animals in front of him. Either bones were broken or magic was used to immobilize the animals.


    ¡°This is enough. You should use this too, Laura. I¡¯ll continue Azell¡¯s treatment for now.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Unlike Yuren, Laura¡¯s magical energy and stamina had been exhausted.


    It was more effective to steal life energy rather than meditate.


    Yuren continued his treatment as he asked Kairen a question.


    ¡°What should we do now?¡±


    Since Azell had lost his consciousness, it was up to Kairen to lead the party.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°I thought about taking us to the nearest city to avoid them..... However, I decided against it.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about the others, but I don¡¯t think Reygus will give up even if we go into a city. If we go into a city to use the civilians as shields, what happens if they do decide to attack....¡±


    A catastrophe would ur. If Reygus went wild at the center of a city, there would be several thousand civilian casualties.


    Yuren spoke.


    ¡°However, it¡¯ll be hard for us to continue running away like this.¡±


    ¡°Still, our situation won¡¯t improve by going into a city.¡±


    ¡°I guess you are right. Even if they don¡¯t attack us, we¡¯ll be surrounded.¡±


    ¡°For now, we have to rely on them.¡±


    The number of Guardian Shadows were increasing. It was as if all the Guardian Shadows on the continent was gathering here. If the Guardian Shadows could hold back the enemies, it wouldn¡¯t be too difficult for the party to run away.


    Suddenly, Kairen asked them a question.


    ¡°You guys are all gathering here... As expected, Azell is the man from the prophecy?¡±


    ¡¸Prophecy.......¡¹


    ¡¸The person from the prophecy.......¡¹


    ¡¸Hero.......¡¹


    ¡¸We put our trust.......¡¹


    ¡¸The person that made our existence possible.......¡¹


    The Guardian Shadows started to speak from all sides.


    Kairen confirmed it when he heard their words.


    Azell was the prophesied being.


    ¡®He is human yet he possesses Dragon Demon magic. He will be the vessel for a great power, and he will attain our greatest wish.¡¯


    The being that created the Guardian Shadows had left behind this prophecy to the Guardians of the Prophecy. The person mentioned would bring total destruction to the Dragon Demon king worshippers, and he would end this fight.


    At the same time, he had a question.


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®the person that made our existence possible¡¯?¡±


    ¡¸He started.......¡¹


    ¡¸He was the beginning.......¡¹


    ¡¸He connects the beginning and the end...........¡¹


    ¡°.......¡±


    As expected, it was hard tomunicate with them. Kairen¡¯s face hardened from annoyance.


    ¡°Wait a moment. The founder of the Guardian Shadow was....¡±


    When Azell had exined his own identity, he had spoke about this very topic.


    ¡®¡°His best friend, Archmage Carlos, devoted himself topleting an incredible magic. What if this magic was used to put Azell in a deep sleep where his aging process was suspended? What if he was ced in a location far away from prying eyes? What if he slept like a Dragon through the long years in a ce where humans didn¡¯t dare travel?¡¯


    At the time, he had thought Azell was talking nonsense. However, he now realized that Azell had confessed the truth to him.


    It seemed the truth had been buried, and it had been lost to the world. Who was thest person to know of Azell¡¯s whereabouts? Who could have made a prophecy that pointed to Azell as the final hope? What magician was audacious enough to make ludicrous beings such as the Guardian Shadows?


    Kairen could only think of one such person.


    ¡°Archmage Carlos Rizester.....¡±


    There might have been others that may have known where Azell had been sleeping.


    However, when one entered the qualifier that this person had to be a caliber of a magician able to create the Guardian Shadows, the only one that came to mind was Carlos.


    Yuren spoke.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Reygus ask about the whereabouts of Carlos?¡±


    ¡°Since Azell is Azell Karzark, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if Carlos Rizester was still alive somewhere. It really is hard to believe, but the proof is right in front of us.¡±


    ¡°The strongest pair from the Dragon Demon war will re-emerge into the current era. It really does sound like a joke.¡±


    ¡°It is a story thates up quite often between knights and magicians.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It is theorized that the records from the Dragon Demon war was exaggerated. Still, many people try to be objective when discussing this subject. The magicians and knights talk about how they would have fared against the figures from the Dragon Demon war...... This was why I¡¯ve heard a lot of those talks between men. They talked for daysparing who was stronger.¡±


    Kairen let out a bitterugh.


    He felt the truth in his bones when he saw the fight between Azell and Reygus. He knew now that the records from the Dragon Demon war wasn¡¯t exaggerated. The truth was written into the record as is.


    ¡®However, if Carlos had created the Guardian Shadows, there are still many unanswered questions....¡¯


    The Guardian Shadows were a secret organization, and their existence weren¡¯t known to the world. So why didn¡¯t Carlos reveal his identity to Azell and the Guardian Shadows? Why did he only leave behind such a vague prophecy?


    Moreover, even if he had the capability to create such beings, Kairen couldn¡¯t discern the exact purpose behind creating the Guardian Shadows.


    If Kairen was in Carlos¡¯ shoes, he would have done it differently. After faking his death from the world, wouldn¡¯t it have been better to use his influence from the background to create an organization that could rival the Dragon Demon king worshippers?


    Carlos had hidden his existence from the Guardian Shadows, and the Guardian Shadows started their activities only after the Great Darkness. Kairen wonder why Carlos hadn¡¯t opposed the Dragon Demon King worshippers before the Great Darkness when they had trampled over the human society. What situation prevented him from doing so?


    Suddenly, Yuren spoke.


    ¡°However, we can¡¯t say for sure that this was done by Carlos.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°The hints gathered here makes it easy to point the finger towards Carlos. However, there are many unanswered questions. Wouldn¡¯t it be likely be the work of a descendant of Carlos that had been hidden from history? I¡¯m also one of the unknown descendant of Carlos.¡±


    ¡°You say you are Carlos¡¯ descendant. It seems you have no doubts to the veracity of that im.¡±


    ¡°Azell did say I looked like Carlos.¡±


    ¡°Still, it isn¡¯t definite proof that you are a descendant of Carlos. Of course, there is also no reason not to believe your im.¡±


    ¡°Jeez. You are casting doubt on the identity of yourrade.¡±


    ¡°Since we have the same goal, I¡¯ll honor the fact that we arerades. However, your identity is a bit suspect.... First, your guide is very suspicious. Don¡¯t we have to figure out his identity first?¡±


    ¡°Sadly, I can¡¯t refute that point..... Anyways, I recently came up with a fun theory about the identity of the guide.¡±


    ¡°What theory?¡±


    ¡°It could be Sage Baion.....¡±


    ¡°Baion? Why are you suddenly bringing him into this?¡±


    Kairen furrowed his brows. He had suffered through the Great Darkness, so of course, he was sensitive about that name.


    Yuren was about to reply when it urred.


    ¡°Ooh-ook.......¡±


    Azell moaned as he opened his eyes.


    Yuren had a look of pleasure on his face.


    ¡°Azell!¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Are you awake? Can you hear me?¡±


    Yuren asked the questions. Azell spoke in abored manner.


    ¡°Loud....¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Stop speaking so loudly....... My head...is ringing.......¡±


    ¡°Ah. I¡¯m sorry. I was just so surprised.¡±


    Yuren let out a bitterugh.


    Azell let out a sigh then he opened his mouth. However, his mouth moved without emitting a sound, so Azell decided tomunicate using Whispering.


    -Since it is too difficult to speak, I¡¯llmunicate through this technique.


    ¡°That might be fore the best.¡±


    -Someone filled by body with turbid life energy. Did you do it, Yuren?


    ¡°It was the only way we could treat you.¡±


    -It seems we didn¡¯t have the luxury to go to a healer. I am worried about the side effect.... I guess it is better than dying fromck of treatment.


    As he spoke those words, he started actively using the life energy of the beasts injected into his body by Yuren. When he was unconscious, he had passively received the life energy. Now he was aware of the status of his body, so he could focus the life energy towards the locations that needed it the most.


    Yuren was surprised.


    ¡°It seems something elerated the process?¡±


    -It is thanks to the power of the Dragon.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    -I¡¯ve taken the power of the Dragons using the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, but I hadn¡¯t been able to digest it all yet. In the process of healing, the power is now permeating into my body. It is a huge waste of power, but it can¡¯t be helped.


    Azell furrowed his brows. If he used the power of the Dragon for recovery, there was a downside. He had originally nned on using the power to strengthen his body. He had nned on using it to turn his magical energy further into Dragon Demon magic. That power was now being diverted. Still, this was the best way forward right now.


    His body was bing noticeably better as his recovery speed increased.


    The members of the party wondered if Azell could recover from such an injury. Even if he was able to get better, it was assumed that Azell would suffer from the aftereffects. His wounds were that serious. His bones, muscles, organs and nerves.....


    Blood flow had been stemmed through force, but now his blood cirction was slowly normalizing. The damaged tissues were regaining their original forms.


    The process was quite slow. His recovery speed was much faster than a normal person, but he wasn¡¯t able to be instantly cured from a serious injury.


    -Please exin our current situation.


    ¡°It has been about an hour since we¡¯ve exited the battlefield.¡±


    -Only that much time had passed?


    Azell was surprised. He hadpletely lost consciousness, so he had no idea how much time had passed.


    Yuren was terse as he exined the current situation. He also told Azell about the Guardian Shadows.


    ¡°...this was why we were treating you while we took a break. Moreover, we can¡¯t dally here much longer.¡±


    -I see. I don¡¯t know what method they are using, but they are able to track us....


    ¡°If their tracking method is still viable, they can track us down at any moment. If they do track us down, we have to rely on the Guardian Shadows. We have no choice but to keep running away.¡±


    -The path to the Albatan forest will be quite treacherous.


    ¡°It seems you still n on going there. Maybe, that location might be the safest ce for us....¡±

 Chapter 147 - Heaven and Hell (3)

    Chapter 147 - Heaven and Hell (3)


    The Albatan forest was a demond located at the eastern end of the continent. The members of the in of Darkness didn¡¯t dare intrude on this location thanks to the beings that ruled over the forest. When high caliber troops like Niberis and Duran was sent out to find the whereabouts of Saibein, they avoided all confrontations within the forest. Instead, they had run away at first sign of danger. They had to be very cautious in their search.


    This had been the case during and before the Dragon Demon war. It was a demond that was left over from the olden days.......


    ¡°Can you guarantee that the wise Dragon Albatan won¡¯t be hostile towards us?¡±


    -I can¡¯t.


    ¡°Wait a moment. You can¡¯t?


    -However, I can¡¯t think of another ce to go to. Especially now...


    ¡°Especially now?¡±


    -The Demon King Balserk spoke about it. He said the answer is with Albatan.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Yuren became surprised. Azell spoke.


    -My curiosity is mounting as to who the guide really is. He is reading my moves as if he had seen my future. How could he arrange all of this without it?


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    -If there were other options avable to me, I might have rejected what he had arranged for me. These subtle arrangements fit too well with my situation. It makes me wonder if I¡¯m drinking from a poisoned well.


    ¡°You are saying we have no other options?¡±


    -The cards we hold is limited. If we had been sessful inpletely escaping the clutches of our enemies then maybe.....


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. If we are going to die anyways, I¡¯d rather not to be killed by the Dragon Demon king worshippers. When we have time, I¡¯ll take a nap. Maybe, the guide will give us a decent n.¡±


    Azell and Kairen was taken aback by his words, so they stared at Yuren. Kairen spoke.


    ¡°I know you trust the guide, but.... Is it ok to put all your eggs in one basket by blindly trusting the guide?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always lived liked this. Maybe, I¡¯m the one that should be called a fanatic.¡±


    Azell and Kairen was at a loss for words. The more they saw this side of Yuren it became harder for them to understand him.


    Yuren queried.


    ¡°What was the truth that Balserk wanted to impart on us?¡±


    -He wanted to tell us about the identity of the Demon race.


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    Azell told the two puzzled men about thest conversation he shared with Balserk.


    3


    Balserk spoke.


    <When hearing a long story, don¡¯t humans like to hear a summary that is three lines or less beforehand? Since I like buying the goodwill of my audience, I¡¯ll tell you the summary first.>


    ¡°You are kind. So is it three lines?¡±


    <Unfortunately, I¡¯m not talented enough to put the summary into the form of a three line stanza..... I¡¯ll resolve it with a single line. Demons are humans.>


    ¡°What?¡±


    Azell became surprised at Balserk¡¯s words.


    Demons had deep ill will towards humans, and they led humans to destruction by baiting them with knowledge. How could beings that are so engrossed in destroying humans be humans themselves?


    Balserk cackled.


    <Are you surprised?>


    ¡°...honestly, I am surprised. However, it isn¡¯t as if it is unbelievable.¡±


    <Ho-oh. Why?>


    ¡°You said they were humans.¡±


    <Mmm?>


    ¡°The beings that hate humans the most are humans. If you frame it like that, it seems obvious.¡±


    The ones that had the deepest understanding of humans were other humans. The ones that were capable of hating humans the most was also humans.


    Azell didn¡¯t know any existence that hated humans more than other humans. Hatred and ill will towards other humans seemed like a natural phenomena.


    Balserk spoke.


    <Ah ah. It is quite unfortunate.>


    ¡°What are you referring to?¡±


    <I regret the fact that I don¡¯t have much time left to share my story with you. The act of sharing a story with someone is a very sweet thing. It is an opportunity where we can get to know about each other. If it was up to me, I want to extend this conversation for a thousand or ten thousand years to fill this emptiness..... My wish is to enjoy my life in that fashion.>


    He had been in absolute istion, and he had been pining for his own destruction. The Demon King spoke with a sad voice..


    Azell didn¡¯t give a reply. Balserk looked at him for a brief moment before he continued to speak..


    <Yes, it is as you¡¯ve said. Humans hate humans the most. In this world, the ones to kill the most humans isn¡¯t wild beasts, natural disasters or even gues.... If one thought about humans as a possibility, it is a logical conclusion.>


    The Demon race yearned for human, yet they hated humans at the same time. If the Demon race were once humans, it really was an obvious conclusion.


    <There are several myths that points to this truth. For example, the birth of the Dragon Demon race...>


    They were the product between Dragons and the Demon race. Dragon Demons were a high rank species that was thest amongst the races to walk on the surface of this world.


    They were a apletely different species, yet they held resemnce to humans. On top of that fact, they were able to procreate with humans. The Dragon Majins were the product of such unions.


    <Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.>


    In nature, the Dragons were tyrants that were born with massive amounts of energy. Humans were the weakest if one took away their wisdom and weapons. It was an odd match.


    <Legend of Babel.>


    The way one thinks differed depending on where one lived. Every humans are the same at a fundamental level, yet humans from different regions had differentnguages.


    This led to magicians wanting to stop all tragedies that stemmed from a breakdown inmunications. They consolidated thenguage of the human race into one.


    <There are several other myths..... However, these are the ssic examples.>


    ¡°Are you trying to say the existence of the Demon race should be included as one of them?¡±


    <That¡¯s right.>


    Balserk gave an affirmation.


    <I don¡¯t know how or when humans came to walk on the surface of this world. However, I do know that Demon race originated from the human race.>


    ¡°There is something I am curious about.......¡±


    Azell asked a question.


    ¡°Where do the Demon race get their knowledge? How can you be so sure that you are right?¡±


    <Again, it all originates from humans.>


    ¡°What?¡±


    <The Demon race cannot exist in this world. I don¡¯t know who started calling us Demons, but it was an apt nickname. We live outside of the human world.... It is a ce filled with emptiness. In other words, it is hell.>


    ¡°Do you mean hell really exists?¡±


    <The ce I am talking about is a little bit different from the hell discussed within the temples of this world. Let me put aside the exnation about hell for now. There are two qualities that arecking from Demons that humans possess. >


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    <It is sleep and forgetfulness.>


    ¡°Hmm.......¡±


    <We do not fall asleep, and we never forget. We are always observing the world. When I say the Demons ¡®observe¡¯, you should think of it as..... Yes, it is a bit different than looking at someone from afar.>


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    <When the Demon race observes a human, it is a simr experience as reading a novel. Basically, half of it is from an omniscient viewpoint.>


    ¡°Basically, you are saying it includes the thoughts within a humans head?¡±


    <It isn¡¯t just thoughts. We are even able to see the causal rtionship. It isn¡¯t as if we can pick and choose everything we want to see. However, this means we are able to gain a variety of knowledge.>


    If a human discovers something, does the knowledge get transferred to everyone?


    No.


    Does an achievement attained by someone benefit all humans?


    No.


    <Many information gets lost, but if one is lucky, the knowledge may get passed on to another human. The knowledge of the Demon race is based on personal observation. Moreover....>


    Balserk raised a finger, and he focused Azell¡¯s gaze on it.


    <The only condition needed for a human to be a Demon is hate.>


    ¡°Humans that possess hate bes a Demon?¡±


    <If we are to summarize it, your statement is correct.>


    ¡°...I¡¯m just trying to confirm something. Death is part of the process in bing a Demon?¡±


    <Of course. You are correct.>


    ¡°So everyone that dies with hate in their heart bes a Demon?¡±


    <That isn¡¯t the case. If one wants to be a demon, one has to fulfill two prerequisites..>


    It didn¡¯t matter how, but one had to hate humanity after being murdered by a stranger.


    Moreover, the hate had to be so enormous that the hate doesn¡¯t be limited to a single person. The person has to hate everything that was made by humans in this world.


    <The first Demon was the very first human to be murdered by another human. I¡¯ve met him before.>


    ¡°You¡¯ve met him? How?¡±


    <The magician that put me in this state made me confront him. It was an interesting experience.>


    ¡°The very first human to be murdered by another.... It really does sound like a myth.¡±


    <Everything has a first. The being that imprisoned me was trying to find the origin of humans through this Demon. I¡¯m not sure if he gained the answer he wanted.>


    ¡°Hmmm.......¡±


    <I¡¯m not sure if there are more conditions, but that is all I¡¯ve discovered. The one to imprison me here found out the reason behind the birth of the Demon race. At the same time, he surmised that something went went awry when humans appeared on this world.>


    ¡°Something went awry? Do you mean this world? Or are you talking about humans?¡±


    <Both. I¡¯m not entirely sure what the problem was. However. From the perspective of a demon, humans were changed into Demons, and they were thrown into hell. It is a consensus amongst us that this is proof that something is wrong with this world. As a human, you probably see the Demons as evil existence. However, I told you about the prerequisite needed to be a Demon. Can¡¯t you see that process is unfair?>


    ¡°The ones that have hate in their heart after being murdered is thrown into hell. The temple tells us that we reap what we sow. It seems that is far from the truth.¡±


    <It means morality has nothing to do with hell, Demons and humans. One doesn¡¯t be a demon, because one was evil or one hadmitted a wrong. It is akin to a human contracting a incurable disease. We were just unlucky in bing Demons and being sent to hell..... This world is horrifying cruel, and there is something wrong with it.>


    ¡°Do you want sympathy from me?¡±


    <It would be great if you could give me some.>


    ¡°.......¡±


    <If you look at me like that, I¡¯ll be wounded. All right. I¡¯ll talk more about hell.>


    Balserk let out a self-deprecating smile.


    <The Demon race can watch the world strictly as outsiders. We are simr to humans.... To be precise, we used to be humans, and our minds had been corrupted. We couldn¡¯t contact anyone in the outside world, so we could share our plight with anyone. Do you realize how horrifying that is?>


    ¡°That is hell?¡±


    <That¡¯s right. The only reason why we know know we are separate beings inside that ce is the fact that we still have self-awareness. However....>


    They knew where the world was, yet they couldn¡¯t approach it.


    Even as they brushed by it, they couldn¡¯t reach the world.


    <There is no conflict in that ce. There is no discrimination. No one suffers from hunger or sickness. Since we¡¯ve escaped the circle of life, we do not grow old. Do you know what some call such a world?>


    ¡°It is... paradise.¡±


    <That is correct. It is a world everyone yearned for. It was an ideal world that everyone had dreamed about.>


    They were able to perceive the existence of other beings, yet they were thrown into a world where they couldn¡¯t vent their feelings. Moreover, it didn¡¯t matter if one wanted to or not. One was able to observe the world that they had once existed in.


    This world had happiness within it.


    There was anger.


    There was sadness.


    There was joy.


    <We could see it.>


    They could only see it.


    No matter how enticing it was they couldn¡¯t possess it.


    No matter how sad it was they couldn¡¯t save them.


    Moreover, they couldn¡¯t share what they had seen and felt with others.


    <When the ability tomunicate is taken away, the problems that had to be gotten rid of to create a utopia is solved. However, it is also a hell where one¡¯s soul is infriged on.>


    ¡°.......¡±

 Chapter 148 - Heaven and Hell (4)

    Chapter 148 - Heaven and Hell (4)


    <We are the offspring of evil. We were born from the malice of humans. We were tossed into hell. The malice within hell kept growing without bounds.... In the end, we became the existences called the Demons.>


    They couldn¡¯t sleep, and they couldn¡¯t forget. The Demon race was in constant torment as their malice grew.


    They hated humans.


    Humans were members of a world where they couldmunicate with each other. The Demons were so jealous of them that it was unbearable.


    <We were in such a state when.... A life line in the form of ck magicians appeared.>


    At some point in history, the ck magicians discovered the existence of the Demon race.


    It was truly a chance discovery. For some unknown reason, there were ces where the barrier between the world and hell was blurred. The ck magicians were able to perceive them at these locations, so they started finding ways to bring forth the Demons into this world.


    <We were seen as an intelligence of unknown origin. We upied a different world as theirs, so the ck magicians couldn¡¯t leave this discovery alone.>


    It took a very long time before the first Demon was summoned back into the world. It couldn¡¯t be achieved in a single lifetime. It took over 400 years worth of research and experimentation. The results of these research were passed down, and the summoning technique was perfected.


    <When we were summoned through ck magic.... The Demons gained something they desired the most.>


    It was munication¡¯.


    <Then we found out something.>


    Bymunicating with the humans, they could gain the souls of humans by leading them to their own destruction.


    When they gained the soul, it was possible for them to participate in a world that they could only observe previously.


    <This was how we became the ¡®evil Demons¡¯. Do you get why the Demon race had no choice but to act malicious towards humans?>


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell was at a loss for words.


    If it was as Balserk had said....


    ¡°Something is awry.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t pinpoint what went wrong.


    However, the existence of the Demon race itself seemed wrong.


    The rules of the world had birthed the Demon race, and there was a fundamental defect in those rules!


    Azell asked the question.


    ¡°Why are you telling me this? I¡¯m not a schr or a magician. Even if you tell me that there is a fundamental defect to the rules of this world, I don¡¯t think I will dedicate my life to fixing it.¡±


    Azell was sincere in asking his question.


    Balserk¡¯s story was a mythological truth. However, the story didn¡¯t really move Azell.


    In the first ce, the world was full of unfairness.


    Each human were born with different fate. There were those that were born strong, and there were those that were born weak. There were those that were born into wealth, and there were those that were born into poverty. There were children that had guardians from birth, and there were children that were abandoned at birth.


    The truth of the Demon race was just one of the many unfairness in this world, so it didn¡¯t really tug at his heart strings.


    ¡°The world has always been a fucked up ce. That is why everyone is trying to make this ce better. We are fighting ad nauseum to create a ce where everyone can live alongside together.¡±


    What was worse, the Dragon Demon war wasn¡¯t fought with such intention in mind.


    Each person¡¯s thoughts on what was a ¡®good world¡¯ differed.


    Azell fought and hated the members of the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army, but.....


    He was cognizant of the fact that they were also fight for their own version of a ¡®good world¡¯.


    ¡°Why are you telling me these truths?¡±


    <I don¡¯t know.>


    ¡°.......¡±


    <I was given an order to tell you this story. I was told I would be freed from this torment that was worse than hell if I followed his order. That is why I¡¯m just doing what I am told.>


    ¡°...I see.¡±


    <May I tell you myst story?>


    ¡°Since I¡¯m running out of time, you should do so.¡±


    <I¡¯m thankful that I was able to speak to you like this. It had been such a painful experience that I wanted everything to end, but..... Myst act will be a conversation with someone. It is a really good thing, but unfortunately, we have to end it here.>


    Balserk hesitated.


    This was the moment he had been dreaming about. He dreamed about being freed from the pain worse than hell and the emptiness..... However, the simple act of conversing with someone made him have a lingering attachment.


    It was as if he was mocking himself for being tormented by all of this. He threw out hisst words.


    <The wise Dragon will inform you of the path you will have to take.>


    When his words ended, the energy maintaining Balserk¡¯s Undead form dissipated. There was only his skeleton left. It crumpled like a poorly constructed toy.


    Azell mumbled to himself as he watched the bones noisily fall to the floor.


    ¡°...who¡¯s trying to n out my fate?¡±


    4


    The party continued to head east.


    Somehow, they had to make it through the Iellos kingdom to reach demond located in the east. They had to go to the Albatan Forest. The truth about the Demon race was revealed through Balserk, and this unknown being left a message for him. The need to follow up on the lead had grown.


    However, the problem was the enemies tracking them.


    It was unknown as to what method they were using, but the Dragon Demon king worshippers were able to track down the party¡¯s location. The party had started their escape only a day ago, yet the hands of their enemies stretched out towards them.


    The first to realize the ambush was Kairen.


    Azell was sleeping like the dead as he received Yuren¡¯s ministrations.


    Azell was still in very bad shape, and it was impossible for them to transport him through the air for an extended amount of time. They had to stop intermittently to rest and heal Azell.


    When Kairen sensed someone watching them, he spoke.


    ¡°...did they catch up to us?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    Leticia detected the gaze a beatte. She got into her battle stance as she turned to look at Laura.


    ¡°Is it possible for you to discern who is observing us?¡±


    Kairen and Leticia could tell that a hostile gaze was on them. However, they had no idea from where they were being observed. They also couldn¡¯t discern if they were being observed by magic or the naked eyes.


    ¡°I can do it.¡±


    Laura nodded her head as she used her observation magic. She looked through her surrounding, then she spoke.


    ¡°They areing. There are around 50 of them.¡±


    ¡°Is Reygus amongst them?¡±


    ¡°There are several who possess massive amount of magical energy, but.... Reygus is not with them.¡±


    Reygus¡¯ magical energy was quite distinct. Moreover, if the stories were urate, Reygus didn¡¯t like stealth. It would be easy to identify him.


    Kairen thought for a brief moment before he spoke.


    ¡°This means they probably predicted our route, and they used the Road of Emptiness to move their troops nearby.¡±


    ¡°Probably.¡±


    ¡°Since Reygus isn¡¯t here, it seems they predicted multiple paths.¡±


    The Road of Emptiness allowed one to travel a long distance in an instant. However, there was a limit on how many members could go through it. Also, one could only travel to fixed waypoints. Even if Azell was injured, the party was moving at considerable speed. It wouldn¡¯t be easy to dispatch forces into their predicted paths.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°This reveals a truth that gives us hope.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    When Leticia asked the question, he quickly answered her.


    ¡°It is true that our enemies can locate us. However, it seems the precision of the method is low.¡±


    If they could locate them in real time with precision, Reygus would have been dispatched here. Since he wasn¡¯t, it was evidence that their method of tracking had several restrictions.


    Leticia smirked.


    ¡°You are awfully optimistic.¡±


    ¡°The fact that they don¡¯t precisely know what we will do is very important..¡±


    Originally, they party nned on taking the shortest distance to the Albatan forest. If one thought about the mobility of the party, it was possible.


    However, the Guardian Shadows sent a message during their travel. The Guardian Shadows wanted the party to follow them.


    The exact reason was unknown, but the Guardian Shadows were guiding them in a slightly roundabout way..... It probably had to do something with throwing their enemies off their scent.


    ¡°Since Reygus isn¡¯t here, we have no need to be afraid.¡±


    ¡°There is a high probability that Reygus will arrive in short order.¡±


    ¡°We just have to ughter them all before we escape. In terms of firepower, we can overwhelm them.¡±


    ¡°I agree, but.... Our core fighting power isn¡¯t in good shape. I would like you to take that into consideration.¡±


    It was as Leticia had said. The party was in rough shape. They were able to recover somewhat using the ck magic of Yuren and Laura. They looked fine on the outside, but the internal injuries hadn¡¯t fully healed. Moreover, they hadn¡¯t had proper rest, so they were exhausted.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°We have no choice.¡±


    ¡°It is annoying, but I agree with you.¡±


    Kairen grumbled as he looked away from Leticia. He looked towards Laura.


    ¡°Laura.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave Azell to you.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why.......¡±


    Laura was taken aback.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Yuren is healthier than you. Moreover, if we are going to leave behind one person to guard Azell, I believe a magician would be better than a warrior. Please take care of support from the rear.¡±


    ¡°...understood.¡±


    Laura nodded her head.


    Kairen, Leticia, Yuren and the Guardian Shadows moved to attack their enemies. They used gaze detection and observation magic to suss out the location of the enemies. It was better to hit them first rather than wait for them to attack.


    The Dragon Demon king worshippers calmly greeted the party.


    The Dragon majin, who looked to be the leader, spoke as he shed his sword against Kairen.


    ¡°I guess I was being too shameless in thinking that our ambush would seed.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t the case with all the their members, but at the very least, themander of this party was an elite from the in of Darkness. Such a being was able to detect Laura using her observation magic on them.


    The Dragon Majin let out his killing intent.


    ¡°I want you to throw away any hope of escaping this ce with your lives intact.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll return those exact words to you.¡±


    The two exchanged fierce sword strikes. Kairen was impressed by his opponent¡¯s skill. His opponent had smoothly negated the ambush earlier, and his sword strikes were sharp enough to send chills up Kairen¡¯s spine. His swordsmanship was excellent, and his body was clearly superior to Kairen¡¯s injured body.


    ¡®He¡¯s strong. Has he gone through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual?¡¯


    Since he was a Dragon Majin, it was hard to discern this truth. Still, the Dragon Majin was strong in his Dragon Demon Qi and Dragon Arts that it naturally made Kairen wonder about it.


    Kah-ahng!


    Sparks flew as the two swords exchanged blows.


    It was a short, but intense exchange. The fight ebbed and flowed between the two. The injured Kairen was inferior in term of strength and speed.


    However, he possessed techniques he had cultivated for over a hundred years. His twin swords danced in a precise and skillful manner. Kairen stopped the Dragon Majin before he could gain any momentum.


    The Dragon Majin spoke.


    ¡°As expected, the fame of the Dragon Sword Duke wasn¡¯t unfounded! However, all five of you are wounded! Even if you have some of the Guardian Shadows by your side, this will be your grave.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. Thank you for the information.¡±


    Kairen grinned.


    ¡°This confirms it. You guys don¡¯t have urate information regarding our situation.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±

 Chapter 149 - Heaven and Hell (5)

    Chapter 149 - Heaven and Hell (5)


    Kairen grinned.


    ¡°This confirms it. You guys don¡¯t have urate information regarding our situation.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You should speak after you check what is going on in the surrounding. ¡±


    Kairen purposefully dyed attacking him. He gave the others some respite.


    They were in a forest, so the Dragon Demon worshippers could only keep track of the members near them. They couldn¡¯t see what their allies were doing. However, everyone was connected throughmunication magic as they fought. The Dragon Majin was taken aback as reports started to fly in.


    ¡°Koo-ahhhhhk!¡±


    ¡°Ah-ahk! Y...you bastards......!¡±


    The screams of Dragon Demon king worshippers erupted from various locations inside the forest.


    There had been 50 Dragon Demon king worshippers, and each of their battle prowess was considered peerless whenpared to a regr human soldier. The ones gathered in the forest could have easily ughtered a human army that was 10 times their size.


    However, there were over 200 Guardian Shadows here. They were like a nightmare to the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    A vein bulged on the Dragon Majin¡¯s face.


    ¡°Where did so many of them.....!¡±


    After they had located the party, the Dragon Demon king worshippers had kept their distance as they observed the party from afar. This was why they had no idea how many Guardian Shadows were with them. Moreover, the Guardian Shadows had kept themselves hidden.


    If a Guardian Shadow wanted to stay hidden, even Azell wouldn¡¯t be able to sense them until they got close. The fact that they were so stealthy meant the Dragon Demon king worshippers never knew when Guardian Shadows would make their appearance. This fact acted as a deterrent.


    So how could they know about the Guardian Shadows when they had observed them from afar?


    Kairen let out a coldugh.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll kill you before all your underlings get ughtered.¡±


    ¡°Says who! At the very least, I¡¯ll kill you......!¡±


    Ping!


    Before the Dragon Majin could finish his sentence, he saw a light made out of magice towards him from the corner of his eyes. When he blocked the attack in fright, Kairen struck out with his sword, and at the same time, he emitted a powerful mental wave.


    ¡®No! I was duped!¡¯


    The Dragon Majin quickly reacted by tilting his body. However, he soon realized that Kairen¡¯s attack was a faint. Kairen had used a mental wave, which made it seem as if his feint was the real attack. He had baited this reaction from the Dragon Majin.


    Too-hahk!


    Instead of a frontal sword strike, Kairen kicked the Dragon Majin on his side. He was wearing a magic armor, but the force of the strike reached his body to break his bones.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if you curse me for being cheap. I¡¯ll dly take it. You probably would agree with me that this isn¡¯t a situation where we should fight one on one with our pride on the line.¡±


    The one to shoot the beam of light was Yuren. Yuren had also linked all the members of the party with hismunication magic, so Kairen had requested for Yuren to snipe at his opponent.


    In a live battle, one had to guard one¡¯s weak points at all time. The battle was decided when the Dragon Majin had revealed his weak point. Kairen¡¯s sword ruthlessly cut open the Dragon Majikn¡¯s neck.


    ¡°...hoo-ooh.¡±


    Kairen let out a small sigh as he watched the Dragon Majin fall with blood spraying out from his neck. It seemed the Dragon Majin was a knight with a lot of pride. He had wanted to fight Kairen one on one. Kairen felt a bit bitter at defeating his enemy in such a manner.


    ¡®What a luxury for me to have to express such a sentiment.¡¯


    Kairen let out a bitterugh. He never expected to feel such sentiment towards a Dragon Demon king worshipper.


    After wiping out the Dragon Demon king worshippers, Kairen gave directions to the party.


    ¡°Fortunately, we wrapped this up faster than I had expected. Let¡¯s get out of here before their reinforcement arrive. It¡¯ll be a bit rough on Azell, but we have to as fast as possible.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll do so. However, if we are being tracked, won¡¯t we be caught by Reygus?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll happen sooner rather thanter.¡±


    Kairen answered Leticia¡¯s prediction.


    The method they were using had low precision, but they were able to find the party. Moreover, it didn¡¯t matter how fast the party moved. They had the use of the Road of Emptiness, so it was a matter of time before they caught up with their party.


    If the party was healthy, it might have been possible for them to evade their enemies. However, it was impossible at the speed the party was moving at.


    Kairen pointed towards the Guardian Shadows.


    ¡°As I¡¯ve said before, we have no choice but to trust them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a bit worried. I wonder where they are taking us.¡±


    Leticia, who had grumbled about the Guardian Shadows, felt apologetic towards the Guardian Shadows within the next 30 minutes.


    5


    ¡°What¡¯s our current situation?¡±


    A girl named Omega was sitting next to Balseru. He asked her a question. Omega answered as she opened her eyes.


    ¡°They are on the move after ughtering the enemy force. Soon, they¡¯ll arrive at the meeting ce.¡±


    ¡°We were quite fortunate in the fact that we gathered the Guardian Shadows. If Reygus had been present, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to handle him with such numbers....¡±


    Balseru let out a sigh of relief.


    It was his decision to gather the Guardian Shadows around Azell¡¯s party. He was also using the Guardian Shadows to guide the party towards Count Rivelis of the Iellos kingdom. He was a member of the Guardian Shadows. The count would be waiting for them with healers and supplies. Since Azell¡¯s party was avoiding viges and cities in an attempt to deter civilian casualties, the count¡¯s help would be very precious to the party.


    Omega looked up at him as she asked the question.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we join up with them? Isn¡¯t that.......¡±


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Omega, have your memories returned?¡±


    ¡°It is still flowing in.¡±


    Omega furrowed her brows.


    When Balseru told her the ¡®truth¡¯ he had discovered, the memories she had thought she had lost forever from her past life started toe back to her.


    No, it wasn¡¯t just that. Somehow, events from much before.... The memories from before her birth was starting to flow in as if it was her own memories.


    It was the memories of her ancestors.


    Her father and mother¡¯s memories were included. The memories stretched back into the distant past. It was the memories of her bloodline.


    Omega was able to find out about her true identity through those memories, and she realized the true meaning behind the prophecy.


    ¡°I believe I know who made us.¡±


    Balseru had started his memory recovery process earlierpared to Omega. Even if all his memories were assembled, he was sure he wouldn¡¯t be able ascertain who had created the Guardian Shadows. The being that made the Guardian Shadows probably intended to remain anonymous until the end.


    That didn¡¯t bother him at all. As he found out the truth, he could naturally guess at who the being was. However, he would feel no resentment even if he never found out who he was.


    The prophesied being had appeared.


    Hero Azell Karzark would finally conclude their cruel and hopeless fight.


    ¡°I really am thankful to him. I lived a cowardly life to be able to reach this moment. That is why I want to eliminate any chance of failure.¡±


    Balseru had purposefully sent only the Guardian Shadows towards Azell¡¯s party. However, he and Omega didn¡¯t join up with them.


    ¡°All the Keepers of Prophecy still in existence has to gather in one location. That is the only way we could give him what we have kept in custody.¡±


    Until that moment, Azell and the Keepers of the Prophecy had to stay safe. They had always done this, but they had to keep the probability of a Keeper of Prophecy being killed as low as possible.


    ¡°You know, I.....¡±


    Suddenly, Omega spoke.


    ¡°...I always thought even if I knew who I was, I thought that knowledge wouldn¡¯t mean anything to me.¡±


    Omega had forgotten even her own name. However, she hadn¡¯t minded it. The hate and the sense of duty within her heart was everything to her.


    However, when her memories were revived after hearing the ¡®truth¡¯, she found herself smiling in spite of herself.


    ¡°However, I no longer feel that way. I¡¯m d he is the prophesied person.¡±


    ¡°I know we shouldn¡¯t say such things when we are faced with our impending destruction, but.... I feel the same way.¡±


    Balseru let out a bitterugh. As he recovered his memories, he was captivated by feelings he had never thought he could feel.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Suddenly, a voice intruded between the conversation between the two. Balseru turned to look behind him.


    The Keepers of Prophecy Leone and Jares had arrived. When Balseru and Omega caught sight of them, theyughed.


    They looked quite ridiculous. The Sleepless Guardian Theta was floating in the air as it hauled Jares and Leone on each side like luggage.


    Leone¡¯s eyes turned round.


    ¡°Uh? Balseru isughing?¡±


    ¡°Alpha isughing. Am I dreaming right now?¡±


    Even Jares was taken aback. They knew they looked absurd, but Balseru wasughing at them. For the past dozens of years, they would have never imagined they would be able to see such a sight.


    Balseru spoke.


    ¡°It seems I was quick tough in my past life. Well, that doesn¡¯t matter now.¡±


    ¡°The day when the prophecy will be realized is fast approaching, and I guess there are a lot of surprises in store for us.¡±


    Leone climbed off of Theta as he spoke.


    It was the same as before when Omega gathered all the Keepers of Prophecy when Azell¡¯s party shed with Reygus. Everyone was instructed to follow Azell¡¯s party, and they were told to join up with Balseru as soon as possible.


    Leone and Jares had been the closest to them. Moreover, they had a high rank magician Theta in their party. This was why they were able toe here so quickly. They had been hauled here by Theta like luggages.


    Balseru spoke.


    ¡°Azell-nim is the man from the prophecy.¡±


    ¡°...Azell-nim?¡±


    Jares looked towards Balseru as if he thought this was all outrageous. Balseru just smiled.


    ¡°When you hear the truth, you will also call him by that honorific.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I am starting to wonder if you¡¯ve finally gone crazy.¡±


    ¡°How did you verify it?¡±


    Leone ignored Jares¡¯ sarcastic words as he asked the question.


    Balseru answered him.


    ¡°Dragon Demon General Reygus confirmed it. Reygus said he was the hero Azell Karzark, who had killed the Dragon Demon king Atein in the Dragon Demon war.¡±


    ¡°What¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    <Are you telling us the truth?>


    Leone, Jares and Theta were dismayed. Balseru nodded his head.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m telling you the truth. The most credible witness had confirmed this truth. Moreover, it seems I won¡¯t have to try hard to convince you guys of this truth.¡±


    ¡°Ah.......¡±


    It was as he said.


    When they heard the truth, the expression of Leone and Jares turned peculiar. Suddenly, tears started flowing out from Leone¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Ha.......¡±


    Leone didn¡¯t even have the presence of mind to wipe away his tears. He justughed.


    ¡°Ha ha ha. I...I see. That¡¯s what happened......¡±


    The memories they hadpletely lost started to return. The memories of their lives, and the memories of those that came before them.....


    They also found out why they were chosen to be the Keepers of the Prophecy.


    Moreover... They found out why Azell Karzark was the man from the prophecy.


    ¡°What the hell? This is ridiculous.... So that¡¯s how it is?¡±


    Jares was also struck dumb.


    His memories wereing back.


    He had thought his memories had been lost forever, but he could clearly remember the faces of his father, mother, brother and sister. His father had been strict, and his mother had been a timid person. Then there was his yful brother, and his constantly talking younger sister, who always followed Jares like a puppy.


    The moments he had shared with them came back to him. He was from a noble family in the frontier, and he had received education for the time when he would have to rule over his barren territory. He remembered the conversations he shared with his family when they gathered each night for dinner. His family had taken time to talk about what they did each day.


    Tears started to fall from Jares¡¯ eyes.


    He had lost everything, and he had been waiting for this moment.


    Moreover, he realized it was worth the wait. When Jares realized this truth, a bright smile appeared on his face.

 Chapter 150 - Dogfight (1)

    Chapter 150 - Dogfight (1)


    1


    The Dragon Demon pce was in turmoil.


    Through Reygus, they had discovered the true identity of Azell Zestringer, who had interfered with their ns several times. He was the great sinner Azell Karzark. He was the one that had killed Atein.


    It wasn¡¯t as if no one had been leery of this possibility.


    When the Sky Splitter made its appearance, there were some in the in of Darkness that had started to be suspicious of Azell¡¯s identity.


    Still, they had assumed he was a descendant. They could have never imagined that he was the original Azell Karzark. They had gathered too many evidence that had corroborated Azell Karzark¡¯s death to even think of it as a possibility.


    Humans couldn¡¯t live for 220.


    Moreover, Azell had been fated to die, because he had received a curse from Atein.


    It was natural to assume that a descendant of Azell that they had been unable to wipe out had inherited the Sky Splitter.


    However, Reygus had confirmed the veracity of this truth. On top of everything, the elder that had lived far away from the center of power after the Dragon Demon war moved as if he had been waiting for this moment. He left the in of Darkness to join with the hunting party that was tracking down Azell.


    When this truth was delivered to Niberis, she was struck dumb by it.


    ¡°He is the genuine Azell Karzark....?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what they said.¡±


    Regina lowered her head.


    Niberis wasn¡¯t the only one struck dumb by the news. It was the same for Regina. How many times had she treaded between life and death as he mocked her? Still, she had never expected him to be the Azell Karzark. He was the nightmare of all Dragon Demon king worshippers, and he had skipped 220 years to be reborn in this time!


    Niberis asked the question.


    ¡°How can this be?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea. There is no information avable beyond that.......¡±


    ¡°He hadn¡¯t spoken about my father as if he knew him, because he was trying to mess with me. It means he spoke the truth.¡±


    All kinds of thoughts boiled up within her. It wasn¡¯t just her resentment and hatred towards him.... A peculiar feeling that transcended her hate and resentment arose within her.


    ¡°What about Kieren and Jeffers?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve already been dispatched.¡±


    Regina knew Niberis would ask about their whereabouts, so she had already done her research.


    Kieren and Jeffers had been humiliated when they faced off against the Guardian Shadows. When they heard the news, they immediately got ready for battle before heading out.


    Suddenly, Regina had a peculiar expression on her face.


    ¡°However.......¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Lord Baldazark took the elite force that his tribe had been conserving. However, Lord Almarick....¡±


    ¡°He went out by himself? Or did he take a small number of the elite troops?¡±


    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Stop talking in such vague terms.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I responded that way, because the situation is a bit weird.¡±


    When Niberis became irritated, Regina quickly apologized.


    ¡°Before Lord Almarick could lead the Almarick tribe¡¯s elite units out, someone had already taken all of them out. This is why he struck out on his own.....¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Niberis was taken aback.


    She couldn¡¯tprehend what had happened. Niberis, Kieren and Jeffers were the new generation They had taken on the name of their tribes, and they had inherited the tribe¡¯s Dragon weapons. They fully represented the tribes now. The elders possessed the hallowed bloodline, but it was inevitable that their bodies had be weak as time passed. They had ceded their position to the younger generation.


    So why would they shun Jeffers now?


    ¡®Did one of Almarick¡¯s forebears step forward?¡¯


    Regina spoke carefully.


    ¡°It seems that is also true for the Aunsaurus tribe.....¡±


    The exact details hadn¡¯t been leaked to outsiders, but the Aunsaurus tribe was in a state of chaos. The fact that Laura had run away with the Vitan¡¯s Chalice was bad enough, but the next heir they had chosen had been killed. Dikal had been ughtered alongside their secret weapon called the Shadow¡¯s Sword Belt. Their reaction was inevitable.


    Moreover, the previous generation¡¯s heir to Aunsaurus had been lost to the Guardian Shadows too. They were already operating under water, and it seemed there wasn¡¯t much choice left for them.


    The ones that that had retreated from the frontline, because of age had stepped forward again.


    ¡°Still, I think something different happened on the Almarick side. I¡¯m sorry, but I wasn¡¯t able to gather any more information beyond that.¡±


    ¡°It seems I¡¯ll have to step out if I want to learn anything.¡±


    Niberis came to a decision. Everyone was quickly heading out towards the battlefield. She decided it was unwise to stay behind, and grasp at old information that wascking in the first ce.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask grandmother for an audience.¡±


    Niberis headed towards Aincera. She went to get permission to mobilize her tribe¡¯s troops.


    2


    With the help of the Guardian Shadows, the party received treatment from a healer, and they left with valuable supplies. They were able to increase their speed by a little bit. Also, Azell¡¯s state had be noticeably better.


    However, Azell wasn¡¯t in a state where he could enter into a battle.


    He had been at the brink of death from the serious injuries he had suffered only a day ago. It was almost a miracle that he was able to walk on his own two feet right now.


    The healer¡¯s ministration helped, but it was also life energy stripped from beasts and trees using ck magic that had contributed to his recovery.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t there around 500 by now?¡±


    Suddenly, Kairen mumbled to himself.


    The Guardian Shadows following the party continued to grow. They kept themselves hidden, so their exact number couldn¡¯t be discerned. However, they were able to see Guardian Shadows join periodically, so it was possible to guess at the figure.


    Azell was still unable to run quickly with his feet, so Yuren and Laura used their magic to fly him through the air. He had be their luggage.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°That sounds about right. I wonder how many there are....¡±


    ¡°They are beings with deep resentment towards Dragon Demon king worshippers. If we take that into ount, I believe they might number in the thousands.¡±


    The Guardian Shadows that had been spread across the whole continent was gathering here. Then there was the Sleepless Guardians that followed around the Keepers of the Prophecy. If they all joined force, would Reygus be able to win against them? Their force was sorge that it made Kairen wonder out loud.


    However, Azell shook his head from side to side.


    ¡°That would be impossible.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Kairen let out a bitterugh as he asked the question.


    ¡°What was it like during the Dragon Demon war?¡±


    ¡°The magicians were stationed at a distance, and it came down to a 1 on 1 or a 2 on 1 battle between powerful individuals. These individuals were like gods of cmity against armies.¡±


    It was true that the Guardian Shadows were strong. Their overall battle capability was high, and the strength of the individuals was also considerable. Then there were the magicians who possessed troublesome special skills.


    However, it was all useless against Reygus.


    A singlebatant was needed against Reygus instead of several hundredbatants. The Soul Hammer had a special property where it got stronger as it faced morebatants. Reygus was an unreasonable being.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°I really want to hear a lot of stories from you.... It is unfortunate that we don¡¯t have the time to do so.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do so at ater date. You should be a bit patient for now.¡±


    As he spoke those words, Azell turned to look at Laura.


    ¡°How is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s perfect. However, are you sure about this?¡±


    ¡°I just gave it back to its owner. Also, it is better for us if you possess it right now.¡±


    Azell had returned the Vitan¡¯s Chalice to Laura.


    The inheritance of a Dragon Weapon didn¡¯t take too long.


    When he got a little bit better from being treated by the healer, he immediately made the decision to give it back to her.


    Since he couldn¡¯t fight, this would be the best option. It would really be stupid if he clung onto a weapon that he couldn¡¯t use right now.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve seen me use it, you should be able to use it better now.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m the original owner.¡±


    ¡°So what of it?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes you can be very detestable.¡±


    Laura sulked a little bit.


    The way Azell had used the Vitan¡¯s Chalice had been a big help to Laura. Even before she had handed the weapon over to Azell, Laura had a very deft touch in operating the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. She would be able make very good use of the techniques that had been disyed by Azell.


    ¡°I told you all I know. It is up to you to find out a way to use those knowledge.¡±


    Azell had shown her how he had operated the weapon, and he also gave a detailed ounting of what Aunsaurs was able to do with it.


    For a user of the Dragon weapon, it was of big help to hear such detailed ounts. The magic infused within the weapon could only be used by a magician, but in terms of constructing an image, the foundation was the same for everyone. This was why Laura had learned many new ways to use the Vitan¡¯s Chalice.


    Of course, the fact that Laura had used the Vitan¡¯s Chalice for a long time was a big plus. Her foundation was sound, and her senses were outstanding. This was why she was able to easily learn the new techniques.


    Kairen queried.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking about a hypothetical. Would it be be possible for us to run away using the Vitan¡¯s Maze?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible. Reygus doesn¡¯t have the talent to be able to track down the Vitan¡¯s Maze.... The trace left behind by the Tear would be a problem, but that can be solved if the Guardian Shadows could buy us some time.¡±


    The Guardian Shadows couldn¡¯t defeat Reygus, but they could buy the party some time. It was worthwhile to think about separating the party from the enemies using the Vitan¡¯s Maze. Then they could escape the battlefield while the Guardian Shadows bought them some time.


    ¡°A problem arises if others beside Almarick shows up....¡±


    ¡°Kieren and....Niberis.¡±


    Laura¡¯s expression darkened.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Aside from the Book of Darkness, the Bleed Star is quite troublesome.¡±


    When they foughtst time, Azell had been whole, so he was able to take advantage of his inexperienced enemies.


    However, Kieren would be a very troublesome opponents in their current situation.


    Dragon weapon Bleeding Star.


    It was the Dragon Weapon used by Dragon Demon general Baldazark. It held dominion over any blood nearby. If one was bleeding from a wound, the blood would rise into the air before being sucked towards Baldazark. Then the enved blood was used to create a magic circle. It allowed Baldazark to use magic of massive proportions. This was why Baldazark had been such a terror.


    ¡°If the blood controlled by the Blood Star sticks to a target¡¯s body, the user will be able to track you down even to the end of the world.¡±


    Moreover, they weren¡¯t the only ones that possessed Dragon weapons.


    Since they confirmed Azell¡¯s identity, the in of Darkness would use all their avable resources in an effort to kill him. All kinds of Dragon weapons they possessed would make their appearances.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what the Keepers of Prophecy are doing. Since they¡¯ve confirmed that I¡¯m the one from the prophecy, shouldn¡¯t they be telling me the secret they had been trying so hard to keep hidden?¡±


    ¡°In the first ce, we don¡¯t know what the prophesied being actually means to them.¡±


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°For now, we are sure they want to protect you. They gathered this many Guardian Shadows for you.¡±


    ¡°However, I have no idea why they won¡¯t show themselves.¡±


    Azell let out a sigh. He couldn¡¯t hide his frustration.


    ¡®How can I be so powerless?¡¯


    At such an important moment, it weighed heavily on his heart that he was a burden right now.


    This had nothing to do with whether he trusted hisrades or not. No matter how he thought about it, the situation was too dangerous.


    Suddenly, Laura asked him a question.


    ¡°There is a possibility that I don¡¯t really like thinking about.......¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    ¡°What if there are other Dragon Dragon generals still alive besides Reygus?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.......¡±


    Azell furrowed his brows.


    ¡°Almarick might still be alive.¡±


    ¡°What makes you say that?¡±

 Chapter 151 - Dogfight (2)

    Chapter 151 - Dogfight (2)


    ¡°I have Reygus¡¯ words and the Dragon weapons as proof.¡±


    Reygus spoke these words when he spoke about Carlos.


    ¡®You sent my friends to the underworld.....¡¯


    Azell had extrapted from Reygus¡¯ words that the other Dragon Demon generals would be unable to return from death unlike him.


    Laura queried.


    ¡°What about the Dragon weapons?¡±


    ¡°The guy called Jeffers Almarick wasn¡¯t using Almarick¡¯s Dragon Weapon. It seemed the Soul Hammer wasn¡¯t passed on, and it seems the Storm¡¯s Scream hadn¡¯t been passed on either. That is my proof.¡±


    If his spection was correct, it was the worst case scenario.


    Reygus had be an Undead, yet he had be stronger than the version of himself during the Dragon Demon war. Almarick might be in a simr situation, and if Atein revives.....


    ¡®No one will be able to stop them.¡¯


    Azell bit his lips.


    His heart felt heavy, and his head hurt. It had been a long time since he felt such a deste feeling. In the past, he had a friend that had been able to share such emotional load with him.


    ¡®Carlos.......¡¯


    Azell¡¯s eyes unconsciously headed towards Yuren.


    Yuren smiled as if to reassure him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m not sure what our enemies will do, but when I took a nap, I received a new secret technique from the guide. I¡¯m sure everything will work out.¡±


    His words failed to reassure Azell.


    Yuren was iming he had learned a secret technique he didn¡¯t know by taking a nap. He was iming his overall battle prowess had been strengthened.


    How could he feel reassured after hearing such words?


    The problem was the fact the Yuren could really back up what he had said.


    ¡®Who and what the hell is this guide?¡¯


    Was Carlos really the unidentified guide leading Yuren?


    He didn¡¯t have proof, but he wished it was so. He wanted it to be as Reygus had suspected. He wanted Carlos to be alive... No, he didn¡¯t have to be alive. Azell just wanted some part of Carlos to exist in this world. How great would it be if Carlos had left behind a presence in this world to help him?


    ¡®If you are alive, this is the time to show up. If you made the effort to send your descendent, you should have at least given him a Dragon weapon.¡¯


    Azell knew he was being a baby, but he continued toin within his thoughts.


    3


    The Dragon Demon King worshippers caught up with Azell¡¯s party once again on the next day.


    After their first attack, Kairen, Yuren and Leticia tried to avoid as many locations that possessed waypoints leading to the Road of Darkness. Then they assessed possible locations where the enemies could station their troops. They moved to avoid such locations.


    Still, there was a limit to such a method. Their enemies could track them, and they could travel long distances using the Road of Darkness.....


    ¡°Ignore them! Just run away!¡±


    Kairen didn¡¯t engage each and every one of their enemies.


    ¡¸Protect.......¡¹


    ¡¸The man from the prophecy.......¡¹


    ¡¸We will.......¡¹


    ¡¸Protect!¡¹


    The sound of whispering children rang out from the surrounding.


    The white ghost-like figures ran through the forest. They kept appearing and disappearing as if they were false images. It was a bizarre sight where they were sliding across the grass.


    None of the party members knew their exact number, but it was evident that the number of Guardian Shadows following them had exceeded a thousand. It was such an overwhelming number that it really made one wonder if all the Guardian Shadows on this continent was gathered here.


    The Dragon Demon king worshippers had created a wide to impede the progress of the party. They were taken aback by the sight.


    ¡°What is going on with these ridiculous numbers!¡±


    In the past dozens of years, they had fought the Guardian Shadows in the dark. They had never faced such an overwhelming numbers before. The Guardian Shadows operated all across the continent, and highest number of Guardian Shadows gathered in one ce was 200 ording to the records.


    The they had formed was made up of around 100 Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    The difference in number couldn¡¯t be ovee.


    It was true that each Dragon Demon king worshippers were stronger than the Guardian Shadows. However, the Guardian Shadows moved as one. Their teamwork was excellent, and they weren¡¯t weak against physical attacks unlike humans. This was why the Guardian Shadows became more effective in rough terrains where they held a decisive numbers advantage.


    In an instant, the Guardian Shadows destroyed the enemy line. Azell¡¯s party was able to break through, and they didn¡¯t even have to participate in the battle.


    However, this skirmish allowed the Dragon Demon king worshippers to narrow down the party¡¯s route.


    Another day passed yet their enemies had not attacked. However, the party knew they were being watched.


    Kairen was able to guess at the enemy¡¯s n.


    ¡®They want to avoid a direct confrontation for now. Are they trying to herd us?¡¯


    If the Guardian Shadows were included, the party was a fairlyrge army. However, they weren¡¯t restricted in their movements by theirrge number.


    Moreover, as the party¡¯s health improved, their travel speed increased.


    The healer and the recovery items provided by the Keepers of the Prophecy had been a big help in this respect. They were even able to switch out their damaged armors. They drank healing potions and magic recovery potions like water to hasten their recovery.


    It had been only two days since Azell had shed with Reygus, but he had recovered enough to be able to summon his Dragon weapon.


    ¡®However, in a direct confrontation..... I¡¯ll still be a burden.¡¯


    Currently, he could merely walk on his own two feet. It would be impossible for him to fight.


    However, he was able to use his magical energy. It would take some time, but it would be possible for him to be of help by using his Sky Splitter and clones.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Unlike yesterday, it seems they aren¡¯t willing to waste their troops. They are observing us in real time to urately predict our route. It seems they n on putting up a barricade to stop us.¡±


    They could feel the gazes of their enemies. Moreover, they could feel the gazesing from all sides.


    It seemed they had dispatched scouts in the distance as the party was put on a constant surveince. It seemed they would be unable to avoid the surveince of their enemies.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°We are traveling at pretty high speeds, but.......¡±


    Azell was being moved with flight magic, and they had travelled in a straight line for about 70 kilometers after they broke through the encircling. If they wanted to maintain enough magical energy and stamina to be able to battle at any moment, they had to maintain this speed.


    ¡°Even if we make changes to our course, we can avoid the fact that they would also be able to make changes to their prediction. They can¡¯t concentrate all their forces in a single location, but it is possible to choose two to three locations.¡±


    ¡°So we have have to choose a location where Reygus isn¡¯t stationed.¡±


    ¡°No, in my estimation.... It won¡¯t matter which route we choose.¡±


    Kairen exined his reasoning.


    As time passed, the party was getting healthier, and the number of Guardian Shadows were swelling.


    Their enemies knew this fact, so it meant that their enemies hade prepared. No matter which force they faced, it would hold troops that would be hard to breakthrough. Moreover, Reygus would show up when the party was bogged down in the fight.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°We have to defeat them.¡±


    ¡°How would you suggest we do this?¡±


    At Yuren¡¯s question, Kairen looked at his surrounding as he spoke.


    ¡°Our strength is the fact that we are gathered in one ce. Don¡¯t we have our dependable allies with us?¡±


    ¡°I guess you are right, but.......¡±


    It was unknown as to how many Guardian Shadows were actually with them. The number kept swelling even after the number reached a thousand.


    It was now in to see why such powerful beings such as the Dragon Demon king worshippers had been afraid of the Guardian Shadows. If there were couple hundred of them, maybe Reygus might not be able to ovee them......


    ¡°Even if our enemies gather a big force, we are at an advantage.¡±


    When the number of troops exceeded several hundreds, they needed a decent amount of space to be able to fight effectively.


    However, the party had strictly traveled locations where there weren¡¯t many people around. Basically, they were traversing through mountains or forests.


    If one looked at the history of wars on this continents, there were many cases where a specialized troop could easily hold off an opponent that was several dozen timesrger if they held the right terrain. There was no way such arge group of Dragon Demon king worshippers could disy their full strength in this forest.


    In that aspect, the existence of the Guardian Shadows were a cheat. They were phantom-like figures that could ignore the restriction ced by their surroundings, and they boasted a preposterous ability that linked each of the Guardian Shadows to each other.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°The thing that bothers me the most are the Keepers of the Prophecy. If they are with us, the probability of victory rises. So why aren¡¯t they showing themselves?¡±


    Kairen didn¡¯t expect much from the Keepers of Prophecy in terms of individual fighting prowess. However, the Undeads they traveled with were very skilled. It would be a big help if such strong beings could join them. This was especially true, because the party wasn¡¯t in perfect condition.....


    Suddenly, Yuren spoke.


    ¡°Maybe they are waiting for a crucial moment to show up?¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    ¡°What if they show up during the moment of direst need? Maybe they are trying to show off?¡±


    ¡°...I would like to believe they are above such petty way of thinking.....¡±


    Kairen shook his head from side to side as he made the decision.


    ¡°We¡¯ll prioritize breaking through their line. Our most important objective is to reach the Albatan forest. It would prevent them from chasing us.¡±


    Another seven hours passed... The sun was about to rise in the early morning when the party shed with Dragon Demon king worshippers that numbered over a thousand troops.


    4


    The ones to attack first was the Guardian Shadows.


    The Guardian Shadows had the stealth capabilities of ghosts, so they attacked after getting close to their enemies. After the first sh, the white forms swept over their enemies like a wave as the sound of battle rang out.


    Azell¡¯s party slowly followed behind them.


    They were assessing the number andposition of their enemies. This wasn¡¯t a fight where they were trying to with. They had to breakthrough this line, so they didn¡¯t charge headlong into the battlefield.


    Still, their enemies tried to attack them from a distance.


    Pah-ahng!


    Magic spells and arrows traversed a distance of 300 meters towards the party as they detonated. However, Laura and Yuren was able to block these attacks easily.


    Yuren expressed his amazement.


    ¡°There are so many of them that are able to show such uracy at this distance.....¡±


    It was a location where a mountain met another mountain. It was the worst terrain for arge force to operate on. Moreover, the sun hadn¡¯te up yet, so visibility was a problem. The trees should have also helped in hiding the party.


    However, a good amount of attack was flying towards them. There were several dozen skilled practitioners that were able to urately attack them in such conditions.


    It signified that the in of Darkness had gathered their elites for this venture. Even if the Guardian Shadows held a decisive number advantage, they couldn¡¯t be overconfident.


    Azell focused his mind to survey therge battlefield, then he spoke.


    ¡°Reygus isn¡¯t here.¡±


    Laura spoke immediately afterwards..


    ¡°There is Jeffers. Moreover... The Aunsaurus tribe is here.¡±


    Everyone turned to look at Laura in surprise.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that your tribe?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I can feel the energy of the elders.¡±


    ¡°How strong are the elders?¡±


    ¡°They stopped leading from the front when they aged, but.... They are excellent magicians. They were our teachers.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to be cautious.¡±


    Their bodies weakened as they aged, so they had withdrawn from participating in battles a long time ago. This was why their senses had dulled.


    If they were to fight as warriors, this fact would have been a critical weakness. However, as magicians, they would be dangerous despite such a disadvantage.


    -de of Storm!


    The surrounding trees shook as a powerful wave of Dragon Demon magic spread into the surrounding.


    Jeffers Almarick had summoned his Dragon weapon.


    It wasn¡¯t just him.


    -Chain of Storm!


    -Son of Fire!


    -Spear of Pain!


    Dragon weapons were being summoned from various locations. Leticia was taken aback.


    ¡°They had this many Dragon weapons?¡±

 Chapter 152 - Dogfight (3)

    Chapter 152 - Dogfight (3)


    ¡°They¡¯ve been gathering them for the past 220 years.¡±


    Laura answered him.


    ¡°Of course, they would have a lot.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.......¡±


    The party groaned.


    Dragon weapons were being summon in session. Their enemies had already summoned nine Dragon weapons.


    It was inevitable.


    The in of Darkness severed the session of Dragon weapons in the outside world, yet they continued to create Dragon weapons.


    Then there was the Dragon weapons possessed by the survivors of the Dragon Demon war.


    Those that were from the Dragon Demon race used their longevity to work on their own Dragon weapons over time. The Dragon Majins used the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual to make their Dragon weapons. These Dragon weapons were passed onto the next generation. Even if some were lost during battle, the number of Dragon weapons continued to grow.


    There was a change that urred on the battlefield.


    Holes started to form in the wave of Guardian Shadows. The powerful attacks by the wielders of the Dragon weapons started to changed the tide of the battle.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Dragon weapons aren¡¯t created equal. Not all Dragon weapons possess terrifying power such as the Soul Hammer and the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. The Dragon weapon possessed by Jeffers isn¡¯t sublime. However, it would be considered above average even during the Dragon Demon war.¡±


    ¡°That is reallyforting to know.¡±


    Leticia grumbled.


    Azell grinned.


    ¡°Then let me tell you an additional information that might soothe your mind a little bit more. Even if all the Dragon weapon users here attacked at the same time, Laura could handle them on her own.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Everyone turned to look at Laura in surprise. She epted their gazes with a nk face as she slightly nodded her head.


    ¡°If we are talking only about defense, I can do it.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Everyone was at a loss for words.


    Then they remembered how Azell had used the Vitan¡¯s Chalice against Reygus. It wasn¡¯t out of the realm of possibility. Moreover, there was a fact that the party had overlooked....


    ¡°The Vitan¡¯s Chalice was a Dragon weapon made for a magician. In truth, I was only able to bring out half its power.¡±


    When Azell received the Vitan¡¯s Chalice from Laura, he had talked about this fact.


    Of course, the previous Laura hadn¡¯t been that strong. However, she had learned how to bring out the true power of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice from Azell. She was a much scarier beingpared to before.


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    Kairen was observing the battlefield through the Magic Eye put up by Yuren. After surveying the battlefield for a short amount of time, Kairen spoke.


    ¡°These guys... It seems there are close to 3,000 Guardian Shadows gathered here. It might exceed that number.¡±


    ¡°There are that many?¡±


    Leticia was surprised. Even if the terrain caused them some trouble, there was a reason why the elites of the Dragon Demon king worshippers were struggling against the Guardian Shadows.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°We¡¯ll traverse the ridge on the left. We¡¯ll climb it diagonally to breakthrough their line. Can you do it, Azell?¡±


    ¡°In this instance, I¡¯ll have to do it even if it kills me.¡±


    Azell grinned.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ll support you. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave it up to you.¡±


    In Azell¡¯s current condition, he couldn¡¯t generate the requisite speed needed to break through their line. In the end, he had no choice, but to rely on Laura¡¯s magic.


    Azell spoke as he looked up into the sky.


    ¡°Shall I send a single blow towards them as a greeting?¡±


    At the same time as he spoke those words, the fading darkness covering the sky parted.


    -Come out Dragon Maken!


    In an instant, all the Dragon Demon king worshippers on the battlefield looked up towards the sky. From beyond the heavens, a light exploded to rip apart the darkness of daybreak.


    -Sky Splitter!


    An elder from the Aunsaurus tribe was a survivor of the Dragon Demon war. The elder once again felt the fear he had felt from several hundred years ago revive within him, and he felt his body freeze.


    ¡°That cursed sword really made its appearance once again!¡±


    It was the weapon of the devil. It had killed their god, Dragon Demon king Atein.


    However, the fear they felt overshadowed the hate they felt. How many of theirrades were killed by that sword?


    The elder¡¯s voice shook as he shouted out his words.


    ¡°A...Azell Karzark is over there! Everyone go get him!¡±


    The current young generation had no idea how frightening an existence Azell was. For them, Azell was the devil from a legend. The ones that had faced him before was the only ones that knew true fear of facing him.


    This was why the elder knew his troops would be able to fight him without being overwhelmed by the fear. The elder was frozen as he tried to rationalize the situation. However, his face froze again.


    -Come forth Dragon weapon! Vitan¡¯s Chalice!


    A wave Dragon Demon magic on par with the Sky Splitter spread into the surrounding. Then the space in front of him became distorted.


    ¡°Laura! You ungrateful traitor......!¡±


    Kwahhhhhh!


    The light let out a sound akin to a scream. The pure white light looked like thunder, and it wasing towards him.


    ¡®No! I have to get out of here! I have to break away, so I can stay hidden from him!¡¯


    In a sh, the thunderbolt burned through his defensive magic, and the inside of the elder¡¯s head turned white. He was paralyzed from fear. He couldn¡¯t even think. Before he could respond, a Dimensional Distortion appeared next to him.....


    Gwah-roo-roong! Ggwah-roo-roong!


    The Sky Splitter, which was in a state of light, cut through the elder.


    It was a direct hit.


    The Magic Eye in the sky allowed Azell to lock in on the elder¡¯s position, and the Dimensional Distortion of Vitan¡¯s Chalice bridged the long distance between the two locations. The Sky Splitter was sent through to hit the target.


    The Sky Splitter attacked at the speed of light. This was why it was possible to hit one¡¯s enemy in a split second. Of course, it was demanding to hit a target that was far away, and it was hard to lock in on one¡¯s target. This limitation was solved by teaming up with Laura.


    Gwah-gwahng! Ggwahng! Ggwah-gwa-gwahng!


    The two of them worked closely as they let out a continuous stream of attacks. They did this as they charged towards their destination. Sudden sneak attacks kept popping up all around the battlefield. The Sky Splitter¡¯s attacks disintegrated the line of the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t make any sense! Even if that is a Dragon weapon of a Dragon Demon general, how can this be possible!¡±


    Everyone started to scream.


    The fact that there were over 3,000 Guardian Shadows was a disaster in itself. Now the Guardian Shadows were being used as shields as Azell and Laura used the legendary Dragon weapons that was famous even in the Dragon Demon war. A nightmare urred when the two weapons were used in concert with each other.


    When Laura was their ally, she had worked in the darkness. So they didn¡¯t know how scary she was. However, now that they had to face her as an enemy they understood why the humans had feared Aunsaurus. They felt the fear deep within their bones.


    She wasn¡¯t the only one that was terrifying.


    ¡°Dragon sword, burn the evil darkness!¡±


    Kairen climbed to the highest point on the ridge, and his chant echoed throughout the mountain.


    Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah!


    A sharp sword energy cut through the air as Kairen swung his Dragon sword. The sword energy flew horizontally as it cut through the mountain. The mountain peak fell on top of the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhk!¡±


    The Dragon Demon king worshippers screamed.


    In such pandemonium, only one person was running. He ran faster than the falling speed of the mountain peak. He ran across the side of the mountain cliff to climb up the ridge. It was a surprisingly acrobatic move, and he was able to escape the attacks of the Guardian Shadow.


    ¡°Come! Oh, Storm!¡±


    A swirling gale of wind swept over the party.


    It was Jeffers Almarick. He used the gale created by his Dragon weapon to restrict the party¡¯s movement, and he aimed the blue me crawling up his transparent de towards a single spot. He concentrated his attack.


    The blue me swirled into the air.


    The magic me was added into the gale as the me was amplified. One couldn¡¯t breathe in such a firestorm, and it felt as if one¡¯s body was about to be swept up into the air. The blue magical me kept swirling to increase its effectiveness.


    However.......


    ¡°Howughable.¡±


    Hwahhhhhk!


    The current of cold air blew the mes away.


    The surrounding temperature quickly dropped as if it was winter. The precipitation in the air froze to cover the mountain with snow. Leticia¡¯s yellow red eyes held murderous intent as she climbed up towards him.


    Jeffers grinded his teeth.


    ¡°Ice Queen!¡±


    After Leticia used Instantaneous movement to charge forward, she shed with Jeffers.


    When the sword and spear shed against each other, a clear sound rang out. Then the cold current and the hot gale shed against each other.


    ¡°Leticia!¡±


    Yuren immediately moved to support Leticia, but Jeffers hadn¡¯te here alone.


    ¡°Chet! Annoying bastards!¡±


    The magicians supported Jeffers from below as sparks detonated in the air. It was the side effect of spells not being able to materialize.


    Leticia spoke with an icy voice that was colder than the cold current created by her.


    ¡°If you just stayed silent in the corner, you might have gotten out of this alive. It seems you are begging for your death! However, I also am eager to put you in your grave.¡±


    ¡°You speak such words even though you are the shame of our tribe! I will kill you here to recover our honor!¡±


    ¡°You are a spoiled young master that is putting too much trust in your Dragon weapon. Howughable.¡±


    Leticia snorted.


    However, unlike her words, she didn¡¯t n on fighting a life and death battle with Jeffers. Jeffers with his Dragon weapon wasn¡¯t an easy opponent. Moreover, the objective of the party was to break through the line of Dragon Demon king worshippers. She would bide her time before she would escape. She would leave behind Jeffers.


    It happened at that moment.


    Oooooooooooh!


    Darkness started to sweep over the battlefield.


    The sky had been slowly getting lighter, yet an unnatural darkness invaded the heavens.


    Laura groaned when she saw this, and she mumbled a single word.


    ¡°Niberis.¡±


    It was as she said.


    It hadn¡¯t been long since the party had stated their battle with the intent of breaking through the line. However, the enemies stationed in other locations had already started to trickle in one or two at a time. One of the first ones to arrive was Niberis, who had arrived with her Book of Darkness summoned.


    ¡°The one with the name steeped in sin.... No, the great sinner Azell Karzark....¡±


    From the time Niberis showed up on the battlefield, the darkness started to spread like a tsunami. She spoke in a low voice, but there was authority behind it that made it hard for others to breath.


    ¡°It is hard for me to believe that you are actually him, but I am thankful for the chance to be able to recover my father¡¯s honor. Moreover.....¡±


    A killing intent that was as cold as ice was emitted from her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll avenge Duran¡¯s death.¡±


    5


    In a sh, everyone¡¯s gaze was focused on Niberis.


    It was because the presence she was exuding was overwhelming. It was a stage where all kinds of Dragon weapons and high ranked magicians were showing off their powers. However, the imposing presence she was exuding was toorge as it overwhelmed their presence.


    As the darkness spread into the surrounding, bizarre monsters started appearing from within the darkness.


    They wereposed of darkness, so no light reflected off of them.


    One could see the barest outline within the darkness. It was as if someone had drawn these monsters.


    The tentacles of darkness danced as they appeared from within the darkness tosh out at the Guardian Shadows.


    Gwuhhhhhhhh!


    From between the tentacles,rge monsters rampaged. They were made out of darkness, yet a purple me covered them. They were made from the pain and grudge of the dead. The corrupted energy from these beings were used to devour corpses, and ck magic was used to raise the Corrupted Bodies.


    The surrounding darkness was basically a domain that was under the control of Niberis. All kinds of curses were inflicted onto the Guardian Shadows, and she imbued more power to her familiars.


    Even if Niberis was a high rank ck magician with superb Dragon Demon magic, she was showing a surprising amount of control over her power.


    Azell immediately saw through to the reason behind it.


    ¡°It seems you n on avoiding your earlier mistake. You¡¯vee up with a pretty clever idea.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll think of your words as an innocentpliment.¡±


    Niberis approached him.


    Saibein¡¯s Book of Darkness was also a top shelf Dragon weapon that had etched its name in the legends. There were many spells imbued within it, and in the past, Azell had stalled a great magic called ¡®Queen of Darkness¡¯ before it could manifest.


    Just the initiation of the great magic had made Kairen shudder. This magic had the effect of explosively boosting the darkness magic of a magician.


    It was such arge scale magic that it took a long time to materialize, so it had the downside ofpromising one¡¯s defense. Azell had used this weakness to his benefit in thest fight, and Niberis didn¡¯t n on repeating the same mistake.


    She had summoned the Book of Darkness before entering the battlefield. She hadpleted the Queen of Darkness spell in preparation for this battle.

 Chapter 153 - Dogfight (4)

    Chapter 153 - Dogfight (4)


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to run away so easily.¡±


    The darkness around her danced as Corrupted Bodies rose up. The ominous product of ck magic stopped the advance of the Guardian Shadows.


    Kwah-kwah-kwahng! Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah!


    Darkness arose from the Book of Darkness, and it was as if several dozen magicians were attacking at the same time. Magic spells carpet bombed the party. It was a terrifying amount of firepower where she would be able to handle even an army by herself.


    Koo-gwah-gwah-gwah-gwah......!


    The mountaintop couldn¡¯t withstand the assault, so it disintegrated.


    As she oversaw all of this, Niberis mumbled to herself.


    ¡°It won¡¯t work.¡±


    Azell¡¯s clone, which had been one with the darkness, had appeared from next to her. The clone let out a surprise attack


    However, it was as Niberis had said. It wouldn¡¯t work on her. She had already formed the Queen of Darkness spell, so it was akin to her having control over a castle wall and the troops within it.


    ¡°Koohk......!¡±


    ¡°Now that I know you are the great sinner, I will never treat you lightly.¡±


    The emanating darkness blocked Azell¡¯s surprise attack, and a spell appeared from within the darkness.


    Ggwah-gwang!


    However, instead of Azell¡¯s clone being destroyed, a powerful force struck her barrier. She raged as she was pushed back in midair.


    ¡°Laura!¡±


    Laura had used Vitan¡¯s Chalice to create a Dimensional Distortion, and it had turned Niberis¡¯ attack on herself.


    Niberis¡¯ gaze met Laura¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°...yes. I¡¯ll use this opportunity to settle my ill-fated rtionship with you too.¡±


    In the past, Niberis did not have a Dragon Weapon, so Laura had always been superior to her.


    That wasn¡¯t the case now. She had inherited the Book of Darkness, and she had learned how to operate it now. At the very least, she was sure she was on par with Laura. No, since she had formed the Queen of Darkness, she was stronger than Laura.


    However, when she was about to attack, the sight in front of her eyes suddenly became distant. It was the eternal in opened through the Vitan¡¯s Chalice.


    Niberis¡¯ eyes widened.


    ¡®What the hell?¡¯


    Laura had unnaturally expanded the space of a particr location, and it created a severe problem for Niberis. She had spread a cursed Darkness over the entire battlefield, but now she was far away from that Darkness.


    ¡®I¡¯ve been had!¡¯


    Niberis was sure Laura had made this calcted move to exploit her weakness. As a magician... No, as a Dragon weapon user, Laura had predicted how Niberis would use her Dragon weapon. Niberis hadpletely lost in terms of reading how her opponent would use her Dragon weapon.


    This hadn¡¯t resulted, because she was inferior in terms of power. The difference came from Niberis¡¯ck of knowledge.


    Laura had heard all the facts she hadn¡¯t known about the Dragon weapons from Azell. She had heard all the ount of how they were used during the Dragon Demon war. It was possible that Laura knew more about the Book of Darkness than Niberis.


    This was why she was able to predict what Niberis would do, and she was able toe up with a n to deal with Niberis.


    When Niberis came here, she had already brought out her Dragon weapon, and she had activated the Queen of Darkness spell. Afterwards, she had beencent. Laura had taken advantage of such mental weakness.


    The cursed darkness she had spread over arge region continued to move farther away from her in the eternal ins. Then a light tore through the darkness as it moved towards her. It was the Sky Splitter.


    ¡°Ooh-oohk......!¡±


    Cold sweat started to emanate from Niberis¡¯ body. She had been able to block the attack thanks to the Book of Darkness, but her defense had been shredded into pieces in an instant.


    Since she was focusing only on her defense, her situation was steadily getting worse. The eternal in that had filled her vision started to distort as buildings that looked to be made out of countless mirrors started to emerge.


    Niberis knew what this change meant. Her face paled.


    ¡®This is the Vitan¡¯s Maze!¡¯


    This technique had always been Laura¡¯s strong point. It was a technique that created an isted dimension.


    At the same time, Niberis felt a terrifying amount of pressure wash over her. If she lost her concentration for even a second, all her magic spells would probably be canceled.


    If she was to make aparison, it was as if she was fighting in high altitude where oxygen was scarce. The act of trying to use magic in this space put a much bigger burden on her.


    It wasn¡¯t simply that the Vitan¡¯s Maze created a pocket dimension. The pocket dimension itself gave an overwhelming advantage to the owner of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice.


    ¡®This......!¡¯


    Laura joined in the attack as she let out a torrent of magic. Niberis was forced into a corner.


    She hadpletely fallen for a trap. She had wanted control over the entire battlefield, so she had used the Queen of Darkness spell. She had used her magic over arge area, and that had been a mistake. From the moment she was isted from the battlefield through the eternal in, all the spell she had prepared on her body had been canceled. Moreover, her opponent had created a battlefield that was absolutely advantageous to her.....!


    ¡®I knew who my opponent was yet I was careless! I¡¯m pathetic!¡¯


    Niberis raged at her own easygoing attitude.


    Suddenly, a red flower petal fluttered past her eyes. The red flower petal was so stark against the cursed darkness that it looked unnatural.


    Niberis knew what the flower petal signified.


    ¡®Garden of Blood Flower!¡¯


    Afterwards, several hundred to several thousand flower petals started to invade the space.


    The attack applied on Niberis by Azell and Laura was blunted. As massive amount of magical energy poured in, Niberis broke out of the Vitan¡¯s Maze.


    ¡°Bleeding Star......!¡±


    Kieren Baldazark had entered into the fight. Laura swallowed a groan when she realized this.


    Laura had thought she hadpletely isted Niberis from the others. However, when she was transitioning from the eternal ins to the Vitan¡¯s maze, Kieren had applied a sharp attack. One had to be well informed about the special characteristics of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice, and one had to focus one¡¯s whole being into exploiting this opportunity.


    The Vitan¡¯s Chalice and the Bleeding Star were very talented at creating advantageous fighting ground for their wielders. The two techniques that influenced the battlefield shed as a powerful repulsive force formed.


    Ggwah-gwah-gwahng!


    There was no time to warn the others. The Vitan¡¯s Chalice and the Field of Blood Flower copsed as storm swept over the surrounding.


    In a sh, everyone on the battlefield halted.


    The explosion itself was secondary. The wave of magical energy assaulted everyone on the battlefield like a storm.


    Hoo-oooooooooh......!


    In the epicenter of the explosion, gust swirled as four people reappeared into normal space.


    ¡°Laura, it is regrettable that our reunion happened under such conditions.¡±


    It was a young Dragon Demon male with beautiful blonde hair swirling about him. He spoke, and it really looked as if he found the situation to be regrettable.


    ¡°I owe you my life thanks to your actionsst time, but.... I cannot forgive traitors.¡±


    ¡°It is regrettable, sir Baldazark.¡±


    Laura answered him.


    ¡°However, my heart wasn¡¯t with your side from the start. I found my passion when I met Azell.¡±


    Since it was Kieren, Laura decided to tell him the truth. At the very least, Kieren had treated her like a person.....


    Kieren asked her a question.


    ¡°Does this mean the nefarious rumors about the Aunsaurus tribe is true?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you know, but it is probably true.¡±


    ¡°I see.......¡±


    Kieren¡¯s expression turned bitter.


    Every rumor involving Laura had been nefarious In the in of Darkness, no one thought ck magic experiments were wrong. However, these rumors had to do with the heir being made through an artificial process. Laura was his peer, so it was a bitter pill to swallow that Laura had been made through such a horrifying experiment.


    ¡°This is myst offer, Laura. If you surrender yourself, I¡¯ll guarantee your survival.¡±


    ¡°You know my answer, right?¡±


    ¡°...yes.¡±


    When he heard the answer he expected, Kieren let out a sigh. Soon, his face hardened from his resolve.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll treat you as the greatest of my enemies.¡±


    Ooooooooooooh......!


    Countless bead of blood rose around Kieren.


    Arge blood construct that was 10 meters in size was floating above his head.


    Kieren spoke.


    ¡°I admit that the Vitan¡¯s Chalice is a terrifying Dragon Weapon, but there¡¯s been plenty of blood spilled on this battlefield. Do you really think you¡¯ll be able to escape this ce?¡±


    Kieren had also summoned his Dragon weapon before he arrived at the battlefield. Then he fettered all the blood flowing on the battlefield. He changed the blood into his power.


    Laura looked at Kieren and Niberis with nervous eyes.


    Kieren and Niberis possessed powers that was on par with Laura.


    The technique he had just used was proof of that.


    If Azell¡¯s body was whole, it might have been possible. However, they were at a disadvantage right now.


    Suddenly, Azell spoke in a serious manner.


    ¡°...something ising here.¡±


    ¡°Something?¡±


    At Laura¡¯s question, Azell answered through Whispering instead of vocalizing his words.


    -I¡¯m not sure. However, it is a being that is on par with Reygus in terms of power. This being ising, while disying his power quite openly....


    -It¡¯s that bad?


    -Unlike these guys here, he hadn¡¯t brought out his power, yet he is strong.


    Kieren and Niberis was strong, but they were using all the power avable to them. They were using their Dragon Weapons and the powers bestowed on them. The being that wasing towards them was setting his teeth on edge. The power he was leaking out was small, yet thetent power he possessed was huge.


    -He is still far away. Still, he is overtly sending his presence only towards me as if he is trying to get a reaction out of me.


    This truth caused Azell to shudder. This being was a long ways away, yet he was able to reveal his presence only to Azell, while hiding his presence from everyone else.


    -He ising here at an abnormally slow pace. It is as if he is taking a stroll.....


    That was the part he couldn¡¯t understand.


    Azell made a decision.


    -We can¡¯t waste anymore time. We have to do this now.


    -We are still too far off from being whole. If the sun isn¡¯t up, the speed at which we can gather won¡¯t be.....


    -It¡¯ll have to be enough. I¡¯ll create an opportunity for our escape.


    Leticia was upying Jeffers. Yuren was upying the magicians supporting Jeffers. Kairen was going around ughtering the magicians one by one.


    The Guardian Shadows still held the upper hand, but the problem was the fact the enemies were being reinforced as time passed. If they stayed any longer, Reygus would be here. If that happened, they would really be stuck here. They had to get out of here before that happened.


    Azell sent a Whispering to all the members of his party.


    -Soon, the sun will rise. At the first hint of light, I¡¯ll use a single attack. It¡¯ll be a signal.


    Azell would know the exact moment when the sun rises above the mountain.


    The first one to break the ring contest was Niberis.


    After falling for Laura¡¯s ploy, her cursed darkness had been cut off. However, there were some darkness that hadn¡¯t dissipated. When she filled the partial darkness with her magical energy, it immediately attacked her enemies.


    Pah-cheet! Paht! Pah-bah-bah-baht!


    As a high speed magic battle urred, numerous sparks flew into the air.


    However, the taut battlested only for a moment. Laura started being pushed backwards.


    Their abilities as magicians were almost equal. The problem was the fact that Niberis had raised all her abilities to the extreme.


    Moreover, Niberis used the strong advantage that came with possessing the Book of Darkness. She was able to simultaneously use all the magic spells engraved into her weapon. Of course, Niberis was doing this, because she was worried the Vitan¡¯s Chalice would send back her attacks using the Dimensional Distortion.


    Kieren grinded his teeth.


    ¡°The Sky Splitter is really troublesome!¡±


    He had joined forces with Niberis to overwhelm Laura with a single attack, but Azell didn¡¯t allow them do that. Clones were appearing from all directions, and the sword made out light raced through the sky.


    ¡®He is this strong even after suffering a life threatening injury! No wonder the king and my ancestor suffered defeat by his hands. If he was healthy, we wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance.¡¯


    Kieren shuddered.


    He could tell at a nce that Azell suffering from an injury. He was seriously injured yet he was able to use abination of Incarnation and the Sword Splitter. He was showing unbelievable amount of battle prowess, yet it seemed he was having a hard time coping with the bacsh from using his magical energy.


    Kieren was at peak conditionpared to him. In a battlefield overflowing with blood, he could use his Dragon weapon to its fullest potential. He would be able to take down the injured and out-of-breath Azell.


    ¡®I have to take him down right here and now.¡¯


    Above all else, Azell had almost killed Niberis on numerous asions. When he thought about that fact, he knew he had to bring this to an end.


    Suddenly, Azell spoke.

 Chapter 154 - Dogfight (5)

    Chapter 154 - Dogfight (5)


    ¡°The sun is rising.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    In the midst of the loud sound of the battle, his opponent had spoken with magical energy behind his words. Azell had made sure that Kieren had heard his words.


    Kieren couldn¡¯t decipher the meaning behind Azell¡¯s words. However, it took only a moment for Kieren¡¯s confusion to dissipate.


    A powerful light stabbed at his eyes.


    The sun had risen. The first sunlight started to part the dim darkness.


    Azell knew the precise moment when the sun came up. Azell had already positioned himself, so the sun would be at his back. On the other hand, Kieren was facing towards the light. For a brief moment, he hesitated in his attack.


    That brief moment was all Azell needed


    In a sh, Azell¡¯s clone rushed forward. The blue Dragon Maken raged as it attacked.


    ¡°Koohk......!¡±


    Kieren was thrown off his guard, so he was frantic as he was pushed backwards.


    However, there was a limit on what he could do when he was so close to his opponent.


    He would have to calmly solve each problem as it arose.


    As he came to that conclusion, Kieren was about to let out consecutive magic spells when Azell¡¯s clone disappeared.


    ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯


    The clone had disappeared with impable timing, so Kieren had expended his magical energy for nothing. His Dragon Demon magic flowed freely, and it created a static noise for a brief moment.


    Afterwards, another clone appeared from behind Kieren to swing a burning light sword. It was as if the thunder was roaring!


    ¡®Horn of the Thunder Dragon!¡¯


    Ggwah-gwah-gwah-gwahng!


    The blue thunderstrike sliced through Kieren as the after effects of attack reached even the next mountain.


    However, a fierce energy erupted from within the dissipating thunderstrike. Kieren had been able to block the Horn of the Thunder Dragon head on.


    ¡°As expected, it seems you have the requisite skills needed to be the sessor of Baldazark¡¯s Dragon weapon.¡±


    Azell wasn¡¯t surprised.


    Kieren had brought out his Bleeding Star, and he was able to bring out the full extent of its power by enving the blood on the battlefield. The amount of magical energy he possessed was overwhelmingly immense right now, so Kieren didn¡¯t have to dodge the attack. He was able to block it head on. Of course, Azell had expected all of this.


    It happened at that moment.


    ¡°They are retreating!¡±


    There was confusion amongst the ranks of the Dragon Demon king worshippers when they saw something they couldn¡¯t¡¯prehend.


    The Guardian Shadows had been pushing them hard, but now they were exiting like water ebbing on low tide. They used their special brand of stealth ability to escape. They disappeared as if they melted into the ground.


    They couldn¡¯tprehend the actions of the Guardian Shadows.


    Kieren became guarded as he red at Azell.


    ¡°It is right on time.¡±


    After a moment, Azell¡¯s clone raised his hand to point at the sky.


    Since the clone had the sun to its back, the gesture was highly suspicious. However, Kieren couldn¡¯t help, but look up at the sky.


    Then.......


    ¡°Niberis! Look up!¡±


    Kieren finally realized what had happened, so he yelled out.


    The sun had risen slowly towards the east, and it was burning in the middle of the sky. There was also a region in the sky that was opaque as if there was a strange distortion. It was as if an enormous tear was floating in the sky.


    It was proof that the Dimensional Distortion was being used at arge scale. As the heir to his tribe, Kieren knew what caused this phenomena.


    ¡®Goblet containing the Heaven¡¯s Tears (Heaven¡¯s Tear Goblet)!¡¯


    During the dragon Demon war, this was one of the main reason why the humans had been terrified of Aunsaurus. The fear of him had been bone deep.


    Laura spoke as if she was whispering those words.


    ¡°You are toote.¡±


    The Dimensional Distortion floating in the sky went through a change, and the sunlight from the eastern sky was gathered. The sunlight fell to the ground as if it was an unavoidable iron mace.


    6


    Heaven¡¯s Tear Goblet.


    It was both Aunsaurus¡¯s technique and nickname. The cmity was undeniable proof that the Vitan¡¯s Chalice was preposterously dangerous.


    Azell remembered how terrifying it had been.


    Ansaurus rarely used the Heaven¡¯s Tear Goblet.


    In the early days of the war, the human alliance found out the terrifying nature of this technique, so they tried everything to prevent Ausaurus frompleting the technique.


    In the early days of the war, Aunsaurus fought against overwhelming number of enemy forces. He used this single technique to almost wipe out arge human alliance army that was 10,000 strong.


    After Azell took part in the war, Aunsaurus had also burned a city as a tactical move. It was done to dy the progress of the human alliance forces.


    Azell had urged Laura to learn this technique.


    ¡®I cannot use the technique properly, because I¡¯m not a magician. However, it would be possible for you.¡¯


    When he used the Sun Lightsaber against Reygus, Azell had used a technique to gather sunlight in one spot.


    However, the scale of his technique was unbelievably smallpared to Ausaurus¡¯ technique. On a clear day, Aunsaurus could gather all the sunlight for his use.


    As a magician and a Dragon Demon, Laura could bring out the full potential of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice.


    She used the Dimensional Distortion over arge area to gather sunlight in her pocket dimension. It wasn¡¯t just gathering sunlight. The power of the magic spells engraved inside the Vitan¡¯s Chalice would get a massive boost. She would be able to create a strong stream of light and heat.


    When the maximum amount of heat and light was gathered in the dimensional pocket, she would open a hole where the power could be emitted outwards.


    She could create a one big explosion, or she could freely dissect a battlefield with a heat ray. Laura chose to use thetter strategy.


    The unavoidable light mace cut through the mountain, and a massive amount of heat exploded along its path.


    Every being in the path of the light had died. Theyers of defensive magic was burned away like paper, and even their bodies were turned into ashes.


    ¡°...it won¡¯tst over 2 seconds.¡±


    Laura mumbled to herself.


    The party hadn¡¯t been able to see the moment when the cmity descended on the ground. The Heaven¡¯s Tear Goblet was released at a predetermined moment, and when it was unleashed, she had immediately moved their party into a separate space.


    The only worry was whether the n was properly disseminated amongst the Guardian Shadows.... Surprisingly, the Guardian Shadows reacted precisely as nned. It was as if they followed the party¡¯s will. As a result, they were able to create the perfect result they had wanted to create.


    Unfortunately, there was a problem.


    The Heaven¡¯s Tear Goblet was iplete.


    When the battle started, the sun hadn¡¯te up yet. This was why Laura had to focus the Dimensional Distortion in the far east. Moreover, she hadn¡¯t been able to gather sunlight for long. All the sunlight was used up in 2 seconds.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°That should be plenty enough. They¡¯ll be in a state of confusion, so we just have to escape.....¡±


    Koo-goo-goo-goo-goohng!


    Suddenly, the pocket dimension shook.


    Laura¡¯s expression turned pale.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Something she couldn¡¯t understand was happening. Someone was assaulting the pocket dimension she had created. In the past, she had experienced the Vitan¡¯s Maze being invaded twice. It was when she had saved Niberis from Azell. The most recent attempt was Kierening in to save Niberis in this battle.


    ¡®Now that I think about it, Niberis was involved in both attempts.¡¯


    Of course, this waspletely opposite of what she experience twice before.


    The situation right now was entirely different from what happened twice before.


    Azell had tracked her down from the other side of the dimensional divide, and Kieren had exploited a weak point before the Vitan¡¯s Maze could bepleted. This being was trying to break the magical energy forming the dimensional pocket.


    The unbelievable part was that the attempt was effective. Laura only knew one person that knew how to do this.


    ¡°...Azell. Someone is attempting the same thing you showed before.¡±


    Azell had cut the wave of magical energy swirling in midair. It was an absurd skill.


    From Laura¡¯s perspective, she had no idea how it was possible. When she had asked Azell about it, he gave her this answer.


    ¡®It is a skill that is pretty useless in real battle. You can¡¯t use this skill in the heat of battle. This is why it is used in ambushes or when one wants to break through a barrier from the outside.¡¯


    Azell had reemphasized this fact.


    ¡®When one stretches out one¡¯s senses to the extreme, the surrounding magical energy looks like strands. I¡¯m not a magician, but I know the shape and structure the magical energy needs to take to form a spell. After I focus and assess the spell, I cut the strands.¡¯


    ¡®...this is probably what non-magicians feel when they listen to an exnation from a magician.¡¯


    ¡®That means you don¡¯t know what the hell I¡¯m talking about. I like the expression you just used.¡¯


    ¡®Who else can do this besides you?¡¯


    Azell had exined the shorings of the skill, yet it was an incredible dangerous technique against a magician. This was why she couldn¡¯t help, but ask the question.


    ¡®The duke can¡¯t do it yet.¡¯


    ¡®Will he be able to do so in the future?¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m not sure. In the past, there were exactly two people who could use this technique.¡¯


    ¡®Who were they?¡¯


    ¡®It was the old man Croix and the Dragon Demon king Atein.¡¯


    ¡®.......¡¯


    ...some unknown being was using that exact technique to dispel her pocket dimension.


    ¡°Did the king revive already?¡±


    From Laura¡¯s perspective, this was the only possibility that seemed usible.


    When she was still with the in of Darkness, they kept saying the king¡¯s revival was near.


    Then there was the Dragon Demon General Reygus. He had be a preposterously strong Undead, and Reygus was still tracking down their party.


    In such a situation, Azell had said someone on par with Reygus was approaching them.


    In such a situation.....


    Kairen spoke to a pale faced Laura.


    ¡°Laura, I want you to withdraw the Vitan¡¯s Maze.¡±


    ¡°But.......¡±


    ¡°If we drag this out, it¡¯ll be to our detriment. We will be surrounded. Since we have no idea what is going on outside, we can¡¯t¡¯ continue putting our trust in a wall that will eventually fall.¡±


    Kairen was cold as he made the decision.


    Laura turned to look at Azell, and she dispelled the Vitan¡¯s Maze when he gave a nod.


    A suffocating wind immediately assaulted their skin.


    Hweeeee......!


    They saw a sight they would have never imagined seeing inside the dimensional pocket.


    If things had urred as nned, heat should have emanated from where the Heaven¡¯s Tear Goblet had impacted. The surrounding should have been burning.


    However, the sight in front of them had nothing to do with heat.


    Ooh-roo-roo-roong! Ggwah-gwahng!


    ¡°A storm......?¡±


    Laura was amazed as she mumbled to herself.


    Thunder was crackling in the sky, and a gale powerful enough to throw people around was swirling around them. Soon, there were harsh raindrops mixed in with the gale.


    They were basically in the middle of a storm.


    However, the intensity of the storm was quickly dissipating.


    The suffocating winds dropped off, and rain started falling harder instead. No, the raindrops that had been carried by the wind was now falling normally.


    Shwahhhhh.......


    After the gale, a regional shower fell from the sky.


    Everyone was amazed by the sudden change.


    Azell mumbled his words to himself.


    ¡°He¡¯sing.......¡±


    His expression hardened, and it was a scary sight.


    From across the falling rain, someone was approaching them. This being wasing here at a leisurely pace as if he was on a stroll. His Dragon Demon magic was so weak that the members of the party hadn¡¯t felt threatened.


    It was directed only at Azell... It was a enormous pressure. It was as if a mountain was pressing down on him.


    This was why they couldn¡¯t understand why Azell was so tense.


    What was he sensing at that moment?


    Koo-roo-roong!


    The puzzled Kairen was about to ask Azell a question when arge sound rang out. At the same time, a fierce wave of Dragon Demon magic spread into the surrounding.


    ¡°Ooh-ook......!¡±


    Everyone was taken aback. The suffocating wave of Dragon Demon magic reached them as it resonated.


    Ggwah-roo-roong! Ggwah-gwah-gwahng!


    A thunder exploded forth.


    From a specific point on the ground, a thunder rose into the sky in reverse. For a brief moment, the world was dyed white, and the thunder ripped apart the clouds letting out the torrential rain.


    ¡°How can this be......!¡±


    Kairen was shocked.


    As the rain clouds in the sky dispersed from explosion, the rain stopped. The morning sky was clear, and a Dragon Demon male was walking towards them from the east with the suning down on him.


    ¡°It has been a while..¡±


    The silence that had suffocating the entire battlefield was broken as a solemn voice rang out.


    Everyone turned to look at the owner of the voice. It was as if they were mesmerized. When Azell saw his face, his expression turned strange.


    ¡°...who are you?¡±

 Chapter 155 - Prophesied Being (1)

    Chapter 155 - Prophesied Being (1)


    1


    When he saw the earth-shattering feat in front of his eyes, he thought of a single person.


    It was the man that was called ¡®The Sword that parts the storm¡¯ Almarick.


    He was one of the four Dragon Demon general, and his Dragon weapon, ¡®Storm¡¯s Scream¡¯, had a special characteristic that was quite troublesome for Azell.


    Almarick was able to control the weather and storms. This meant he could freely control thunder.


    This special characteristic was very advantageous to use againstrge opponents like Dragons, andrge armies. It¡¯s effectiveness decreased when it was used in one on one battle. However, Azell¡¯s forte was to create and control thunder to cause confusion amongst his enemies. It was frustrating, since he wouldn¡¯t be able to use one of his strengths.


    Almarick was called ¡®The Sword that parts the storm¡¯, because he could control the weather to create a localized storm. However, his power didn¡¯t end there. He was also able to disperse the storm.


    It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that the feat he had just pulled off was proof that he was Almarick.


    However, the one to appear in front of Azell was an unfamiliar old Dragon Majin. He had white hair, and ckish-blue horns. He was an old warrior wearing a heavy armor.


    The answer came from Laura.


    ¡°Elder.......¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s that elder?¡±


    Azell was surprised.


    Laura had talked several times about some unknown elder she had consulted before. She knew that he had lived for a long time. He predated the Dragon Demon war, and she was told he was a being that caused fear and confusion amongst human just by showing his presence.


    However, no one ins Laura¡¯s vicinity knew the true name and identity of the elder. In the past, this was how Laura had described the elder.


    He looked like a frail existence, but Laura had spected that a magical rite had caused him to look like that. In truth, he probably was hiding an incredible power.


    The old Dragon Majin spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to put up with the hassle of putting on a mask I¡¯ve taken off once before, but..... Ausaurus¡¯ heir had been apanion with whom I could chat with, so I feel the need to give her a formal introduction.¡±


    As he spoke those words, he brought his hand towards his face.


    Then.... He slowly started ripping away the skin on his face.


    It was an unbelievable sight. No matter how one saw it, the mask had looked like his real face, yet he was ripping it away with his bare hand?


    At the same time, his appearance started to change.


    Yuren was surprised.


    ¡°Illusion? I couldn¡¯t¡¯ detect it at all.....¡±


    Laura was also surprised. Two high rank magicians had been unable to detect the disguise of the old Dragon Majin.


    As the skin on his face was ripped away, his appearance started to distort in small increments. The height and width of his body grew. He now stood tall, and his body had turned imposing. The texture of his horns turned into that of volcanic stones, and his right eye was dyed red.


    Azell spoke his name.


    ¡°...you are still alive, Almarick.¡±


    His opponent didn¡¯t deny the fact.


    ¡°You too, Azell. We should be surprised at each other¡¯s survival, but.... Now that we are facing each other, isn¡¯t it too obvious?¡±


    Almarick, who had be a legend as one of the four Dragon Demon generals in the Dragon Demon war, grinned.


    ording to historical records, all four Dragon Demon generals had met their end on the battlefield.


    The first one to die was Reygus, and it was thanks to his personality. He had charged into a trap set by the allied forces despite the fact that he had lost a massive amount of blood.


    The second to be killed was Baldazark. He was killed in a duel with Azell.


    The third to be killed was Aunsaurus. He had lost to Carlos, and while retreating, he had been killed.


    Thest to die was Almarick. In the final battle, it was known that Duke Croix Nidel had killed him......


    Laura vacantly mumbled to herself.


    ¡°Elder was Almarick-nim.....¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t in a position where I could reveal my identity so easily. However, nothing I told you before is a lie.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    While Almarick posed as an old Dragon Majin, he had told Laura a lot of stories. She had been surrounded by Aunsaurus tribe, who was filled with madness. The stories he had told her, and the different perspective of the world he offered her had been a bigfort to her.


    Still, she had hardened her heart, since she knew she would have to oppose him in the future.


    However, she would have never imagined that he was the Dragon Demon general Almarick.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve gotten a little bit older, have you decided to be more respectable? Your style have changed a lot.¡±


    Almarick¡¯s outer appearance differed greatly from what he remembered.


    At the time, he had been a ferocious looking middle-aged Dragon Demon, who had just popped out from the wild. He had dirty long white hair, and his red eyes had been filled with chaotic murderous intent. He possessed thick horns that had the quality of volcanic stones, and he never wore armor. He had been quite the sight wearing only Dragon leather.


    After 220 years had passed, he had tamed his unruly white hair by brushing it backwards. The light within his eye was much more grounded with reason. His outfit was quite fashionable as he wore an all ck armor.


    The air of being a dangerous beast still remained, but it felt much more restrained than the version Azell remembered. Even how he spoke had softened, so Azell wondered if this person was really Almarick.


    ¡®By looking at the resonance of his Dragon Demon magic, he can¡¯t be someone else.... No, 220 years had passed, so maybe the fact that Reygus¡¯ personality had remained the same is abnormal.¡¯


    Suddenly, Almarick¡¯s hand touched his left eye. There was only an ugly scar left there in ce of an eye.


    Azell knew the origin of that scar. The scar came from the wound he had given Almarick.


    ¡°I had to act like an old man in the back room living a free and easy life in retirement. It made me turn out this way. Since I only had one eye left, I took up reading as an hobby.¡±


    ¡°You and reading....... It is an unlikelybination.¡±


    ¡°I think so too. However, I had nothing to do, and I couldn¡¯t go anywhere. This was why I found a hobby that brought pleasure to my mind.¡±


    ¡°Old man Croix said he made sure he ended your life....¡±


    ¡°He was telling the truth. However, a magical rite prepared by the king revived me. The old man had been satisfied with just piercing my heart. He should have destroyed my entire body.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, the old man is long dead, so I can¡¯tin to him about it.¡±


    They said such words in hindsight, but Azell knew Duke Croix Nidel hadn¡¯t been in a situation where he could do so.


    By the time he killed Almarick, the duke had also suffered serious injuries. The remaining enemy forces had been ready to die as they charged forward to recover Almarick¡¯s corpse. The duke had been barely able to escape with his life.


    Suddenly, Almarick let out a bitterugh.


    ¡°However, I never expected to take off my mask in this fashion. I thought it would happen at a muchter date. However, once you took the child.....¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Vitan¡¯s Chalice.¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    ¡°You probably heard it from this child, but our four Dragon weapons are returned to the in of Darkness when they be ownerless. They return through the Great Darkness. Moreover, I¡¯m able to locate all of them.¡±


    ¡°So that is why you guys were able to track us.......¡±


    Azell swallowed a groan. He had wonder how they were able to track them down, and now he knew.


    However, something was wrong.


    ording to Laura, the Great Darkness was under the domain of Queen Aincera. What if the ability to track the Dragon weapons of the Dragon Demon generals wasn¡¯t an ability possessed by Queen Aincera? What if it was Almarick¡¯s ability, and it was kept secret from the Dragon Demon king worshippers?


    ¡®They didn¡¯t reveal such important truths to the younger generation, who are working as their main force. I wonder what problem exists between them.¡¯


    The problem between them was much toorge to call it friction between two factions. Azell knew there was important circumstances involved in this matter.


    Almarick asked him a question.


    ¡°Things have devolved to this point, so why isn¡¯t Carlos showing himself?¡±


    ¡°...you guys are saying that again. What evidence do you have that Carlos is alive?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you are acting ignorant, or you actually don¡¯t know the answer. Azell, you were always great at hiding your true intentions. However, the fact that he hasn¡¯t show himself yet makes me think you are telling the truth.¡±


    ¡°The only thing I¡¯m sure is that you guys think Carlos is still alive.¡±


    ¡°There is no reason why I can¡¯t tell you the basis for that opinion.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Almarick spoke to the puzzled Azell.


    ¡°The king had a divine revtion.¡±


    ¡°Ha. You are going to spout some religious mumbo jumbo? The Almarick I knew wasn¡¯t that kind of a person.¡±


    ¡°However, I¡¯m telling you the truth. When the king¡¯s revival became near, his will came to reside within the Great Darkness. Originally, the king created a groundwork for the four of us to be revive before his revival.¡±


    Atein hadn¡¯t been nning on just reviving himself. He nned on reviving all four Dragon Demon generals. This was why he made a mechanism that would preserve their Dragon weapons.


    If their body was preserved at the time of the death, the revival was able to ur at a rtively fast time frame. It took Almarick 50 years before he was revived. As soon as he woke up, he received Atein¡¯s order. He kept his identity hidden.


    ¡°We did this, because an enemy of ours could peek into the Great Darkness.¡±


    Almarick knew about Omega. He didn¡¯t know how such an existence could exist, and he didn¡¯t know the exact identity of this being. However, he had known that someone was peeking into the Great Darkness to steal information from them. This was why Almarick had been careful to keep everything hidden.


    ¡°Originally, Aunsaurus should have been revived around the same time period as me. However, it didn¡¯t happen.¡±


    This incident had caused great shock to Almarick.


    Atein had put great efforts in preparing this n over a long period of time, yet someone had intervened in the execution of this n.


    It was unbelievable. Atein was the first magician, and his knowledge about magic was transcendent. In terms of battle capability, Baldazark and Ausaurus were said to beparable to him, but they couldn¡¯t even reach his toe in terms of knowledge of being a true magician.


    So who was able to interfere with Atein¡¯s arrangements?


    Azell asked a question.


    ¡°Are you trying to say Carlos did that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. We had stolen power and knowledge over a long period of time from the humans. This was why we were careful to monitor all the possibilities.¡±


    After the Dragon Demon war, the in of Darkness kept close eyes on all the high rank magicians, Spirit Order practitioners, and Dragon Arts practitioners. Then they took every opportunity to eliminate them to methodically weaken humanity¡¯s power.


    ¡°Most of this happened before I was revived.... I was able to read the record engraved in the Great Darkness like a book, and no one truly terrifying had appeared. They were all quite mediocre. The only surprising part was about Baion, who ended the Great Darkness.¡±


    At his words, Yuren flinched. However, everyone was focused on Almarick, so no one noticed his reaction.


    ¡°On the human side, there had been only one person that was able to mess up what the king arranged. It¡¯s Carlos Rizester.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s... It does sound like something he could pull off, so I¡¯m not saying it couldn¡¯t be true.¡±


    ¡°It seems you don¡¯t n on telling me anything until the end. If I kill you here, will he finally show his face?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you test out that theory?¡±


    A thick killing intent started to emanate from Azell and Almarick.


    Almarick spoke.


    ¡°When I see your weakened state, it reminds me of that time.¡±


    ¡°Which incident are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The time when I lost an eye to you....¡±


    Almarick brushed the scar that had reced his left eye as he spoke.


    Azell knew what he was talking about.


    At the time, Almarick had lost an eye in a fight with Azell, and he had suffered heavy wounds. Almarick had to retreat, but he was chased down by Duke Croix Nidel. He had to fight the duke when his wounds hadn¡¯t fully healed. He had met his death in that fight.


    Now 220 years had passed, and Azell would have to face Almarick with a wounded body that was incapable of fighting properly. Almarick couldn¡¯t help, but think about the past.


    ¡°This will leave a bad aftertaste.... Still, I have to end you here. I¡¯m not as big of an idiot as Reygus.¡±


    <You know I am listening to you, yet you are able to say such words.>


    From a far away location, the ominous voice of an Undead rang out.

 Chapter 156 - Prophesied Being (2)

    Chapter 156 - Prophesied Being (2)


    2


    On the ridge of a mountain located on the other side, a being shot into the air like an arrow. He was a 3 meters tall giant with ck armor surrounding his body. It was the Undead named Reygus.


    Koo-koo-koong!


    In a sh, he had flown several hundred meters, and he hadnded on the ground without decelerating. The ground exploded as it shook. A being made out of flesh and blood would have been pulverized, but Reygus pushed past the dust. He was unharmed.


    Azell¡¯s party swallowed their breath when they saw him.


    ¡®This is the worst.¡¯


    Kairen was letting out cold sweat. The n was to break through the line of Dragon Demon king worshippers before Reygus arrived. However, everything had gone to hell when Almarick had made his appearance.


    <How long are you going to yap with your mouth? You used to speak with your sword first rather than your words. It seems you¡¯ve really mellowed out, while living in retirement as an old man.>


    ¡°Since I¡¯ve already gone through death and revival once, it wasn¡¯t a bad way to live. Anyways, I nned on fighting soon even if you hadn¡¯t nagged me. It seems I won¡¯t be able to find the truth through this conversation.¡±


    Almarick raised his sword. It was his Dragon weapon Storm¡¯s Scream. He was able to create and cut through storms by using the power of his Dragon weapon.


    The sword was unusua inl size. It was one and a half timesrger than a normal longsword. Almarick wasn¡¯t as big as Reygus, but he was still over 2 meters tall. It was as if his muscles were chiseled from rock, so his sword was a perfect fit for him.


    The sword was the same as the Storm of des used by Jeffers Almarick. The de was transparent like ss. A blue spark soundlessly danced within the de as it lit up its surrounding.


    Reygus mocked Almarick.


    <Don¡¯t tell me you will be cut down by one strike because you are rusty?>


    ¡°I¡¯ll shut you up.¡±


    <You can try.>


    Reygus shrugged his shoulder as he backed off.


    Kairen stood in the way of Reygus, and Yurenpressed his magical energy.


    Laura was taking care of Kieren and Niberis. Leticia was holding off Jeffers. Therefore, they couldn¡¯t retreat quickly. Fortunately, they had killed arge number of magicians supporting Jeffers, so Kairen and Yuren was free to fight Reygus.


    However, Reygus tilted his head in puzzlement.


    <Do you really n on fighting with me?>


    ¡°We won¡¯t let Azell shoulder any more burden.¡±


    Kairen was firm with his words.


    Reygus¡¯ skeleton cked as heughed.


    <You just told me a great joke. Do you really think I¡¯ll interfere in my friend¡¯s battle?>


    ¡°...you don¡¯t n on doing that? No, you sound as if you n on just spectating the fight between them.¡±


    <So what if I am?>


    ¡°Are you being truthful?¡±


    <I¡¯m not some country hick that would interfere with a one on one battle between men.>


    ¡°The fact that we are speaking such words does make us sound like outdated country hicks.....¡±


    <Ah, you guys can attack me all at once. I¡¯llin a little bit, but I won¡¯t condemn you for doing so. You guys can do whatever you want.>


    ¡°What?¡±


    <I love a one on one fight with a strong person, but I also like breaking through arge number of enemies. Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m heroic and manly? That is why I dly wee attacks from numerous people.>


    ¡°.......¡±


    Kairen was at a loss for words. He heard this bastard died, because he charged into a trap. He was set upon by numerous people. How could his way of thinking remain the same like this?


    At the same time, his anger rose.


    ¡®There is a limit on how much you can look down on us!¡¯


    Even if Reygus was a legendary figure from the Dragon Demon war, Kairen was also a living legend inside the Rin Kingdom. Until now, no one had dared to ignore him, yet he was being treated like a small fry by Reygus!


    Reygus spoke.


    <You guys will really attack me? Will you do so knowing what your actions would precipitate?>


    At his words, Kairen came to his senses.


    Reygus¡¯ taunt wasn¡¯t meant to portend their death. There was a different meaning behind his words.


    ¡®The moment we charge the bastard... This cease fire will end.¡¯


    Everyone on the battlefield was focused on Azell and Almarick, and a weird cease-fire had developed.


    The members of the party and the Guardian Shadows had stopped fighting, and they were just keeping the Dragon Demon king worshippers in check. However, when Kairen engaged Reygus, the paused battle would start once again.


    Would that be a boon or a detriment to his party members?


    Kairen was working through this problem when Almarick spoke.


    ¡°This is only a fleeting form of entertainment for us. You guys should show some patience. Since Reygus and I are already here, it wouldn¡¯t be too bad for you guys if we prolong this.¡±


    It was as he said. The ones they had been most afraid of showing up were already here, so it didn¡¯t matter if more of them showed up. In fact, it might be the opposite. Guardian Shadows were still trickling in one or two at a time, so the dy could be used to their advantage.


    Almarick took one step forward.


    ¡°Well, Azell, shall we exchange a light greeting?¡±


    Kwahng!


    Afterwards, two puppets appeared from between Azell and Almarick. An explosive sound rang out.


    They were clones. Both Azell and Almarick made clones that possessed substance as they shed.


    Then.......


    ¡°How many are there?¡±


    Kairen swallowed his breath.


    It wasn¡¯t just him. Everyone were at a loss of words by the sight unfolding in front of them.


    As the light dispersed, Azell and Almarick charged towards each other.


    It wasn¡¯t just a single location. The shes between the clones were urring all over the ce, and simultaneous sounds of explosions rang out.


    In the Dragon Arts, it was called Incarnation. However, Azell¡¯s ultimate form of this technique was called the Dance of the Shadows.


    Magical energy was used to change the attribute of the clones in a free flowing manner. This was why the clones could fight as if they were real. The clones repeatedly switched between their energy form to cross space, and they solidified to battle each other.


    It really was an unbelievable sight.


    How could this be called a one on one fight.


    Even during the Dragon Demon war, Azell and Almarick had been the only ones able to control their clones to this degree. Even the Dragon Demon king Atein couldn¡¯t follow them in terms of manipting clones.


    Suddenly, Almarick spoke.


    ¡°As expected, I¡¯m inferior in terms of using this tactic. You look as if you are about to fall over, yet you are able to do all this?¡±


    Azell was superior in using the clones.


    Almarick¡¯s clone kept increasing one or two at a time, but it capped out at 16. Azell¡¯s clones continued to grow as they attacked Almarick¡¯s clones together.


    ¡°Koohk.......¡±


    Azell was letting out cold sweat.


    His real body hadn¡¯t moved an inch. His Dragon Maken and the clones were the ones fighting the battle, but he felt exquisite pain wash over him. His heart was racing, and he vibrated his vessels and arteries to increase his magical energy. It reached a point where his body became too messed. It was unbearable.


    ¡®No. He still hasn¡¯t started in earnest, yet I.....¡¯


    From outside looking in, it looked like an earth-shattering battle. However, it was merely a light greeting being exchanged from the perspective of Azell and Almarick. It was merely a reconnoitering skirmish.


    He was able to fight evenly using his clone technique, but he wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything if Almarick himself joined the fight.


    Moreover, it didn¡¯t take them too long to reach that point.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten better from the version I remember. However, you¡¯ve always been a human that evolved at an abnormally fast pace.¡±


    In terms of battling with clones, Almarick was at a disadvantage. Azell had more clones, and he was using battle tactics to destroy Almarick¡¯s clones one by one.


    In the end, Almarick moved.


    In a sh, he used Instantaneous movement to swing his sword towards Azell.


    Ooh-roo-roo-roong......!


    When Almarick received the attack from Azell¡¯s clone, the sound of a thunderp erupted from within the clear de. The thunder that had been dancing silently started to burn. It was blinding.


    Ggwah-gwah-gwahng!


    The thunder erupted as it tried to rip Azell¡¯s clones into pieces.


    Azell had predicted his attack, so he changed the attribute of his magical energy into thunder.


    However.......


    ¡°You made such a basic mistake.¡±


    A cold voice rang out, and Azell¡¯s clones... To be precise, the magical energy of thunder forming Azell¡¯s clones were eaten by Almarick.


    ¡°Koohk......!¡±


    Azell groaned.


    The Storm¡¯s Scream had dominion over thunder. In terms of control over thunder, Almarick¡¯s sword was superiorpared to the Sky Splitter. It was impossible even for Azell to wrestle control away from him.


    ¡°S...shit......!¡±


    His vision blinked out for a moment as Azell fell to one knee. It was the bacsh from having the magical energy under his control ripped away from him. He couldn¡¯t maintain his bnce.


    Almarick used the moment when his concentrationpsed to ruthlessly push his way towards Azell.


    ¡°This is boring. Is it really going to end like this?¡±


    The sword surrounded by thunder swung towards Azell¡¯s neck.


    It had happened so suddenly that no one had the chance to intervene. The party members were about to yell in surprise.


    Light exploded.


    It wasn¡¯t thunder. The swirling light expanded, and Almarick was flung away. He let out a ferociousugh.


    ¡°I expected at least this much even if you are dying.¡±


    There wasn¡¯t a single trace of the thunder that had surrounded Almarick as he retreated. As the light dispersed, Azell¡¯s form was revealed. He spoke as cold sweat ran down his body.


    ¡°I thought you were caught.......¡±


    ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t be taken down in such a disappointing manner. I¡¯m not arrogant enough to think that would happen.¡±


    Azell had purposefully created an opening as he invited Almarick to jump into a trap.


    When Almarick tried to swing his final blow, he created another clone to take the blow for him, and at the same time, he prepared a technique that would be catalyzed by his clone being destroyed.


    ¡®Thunder Eater.¡¯


    A portion of the thunder emitted by Almarick was sucked into the clone. It was converted into light before it exploded.


    It was an unbelievable technique that only Azell could use. He was the only one able to use such a technique with high degree of difficulty through his clones.


    However, Almarick hadn¡¯t put down his defense. The trap dug by Azell couldn¡¯t even leave behind a scratch on Almarick.


    ¡°Let¡¯s end our greeting here. Shall we start this for real?¡±


    As he spoke such words, thunder erupted from the horn that looked like volcanic rocks. It joined with the thunder being emitted by the Dragon weapon, and it created strong winds. It felt as if it would sweep away everything.


    Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah!


    The storm and the thunder threatened Azell at the same time, and all of Almarick¡¯s clones turned into thunder as they charged forward. Azell, who had a numerical advantage, started to be pushed backwards.


    ¡°This is quite unfortunate. You aren¡¯t able to have a proper clone fight with such magical energy. It doesn¡¯t matter that there are a lot of them. They are garbage!¡±


    Almarick gave a deration.


    His Dragon Demon magic was on par with what he had during the Dragon Demon war. It was so overwhelming that no one would measure up to him in this ce.


    Azell¡¯s magical energy wasn¡¯t very vary far off from the magical energy he possessed during the Dragon Demon war. However, his body wasn¡¯t whole, so he could barely use half his skills.


    Azell¡¯s clones were being destroyed one by one. There were a lot of them, but each of Almarick¡¯s clone were stronger than his.


    ¡®Sky Splitter, please endure.....!¡¯


    Even the Sky Splitter wasn¡¯t its normal self.


    Normally, it was something that couldn¡¯t be brought out unless the vessel holding the Dragon Majin was whole. However, he had pushed himself over the limit against Reygus, and afterwards, he hadn¡¯t recovered his Dragon Demon magic fully. As the owner, Azell¡¯s status was a mess right now.


    In the end, the defense of the clones were broken, and the Sky Splitter in its light form was dominated by the storm and thunder emitted by the Storm¡¯s Scream.


    ¡°Koo-ahk......!¡±


    Azell coughed out blood as he fell over.


    ¡°Azell!¡±


    Kairen ran forward. Almarick had been about to apply the final blow when Kairen blocked it.


    Almarick let out augh.


    ¡°Your bravery is admirable.¡±


    He pushed aside Kairen, and he spoke in a haughty manner.


    ¡°I want my allies to hear me! Don¡¯t interfere. They are great candidates that I can use to rehab my skills.¡±


    ¡°You bastard. You were killed and revived once, yet you are holding up your head so high!¡±


    ¡°You are a brat without a Dragon weapon. I have no reason to be afraid of you even if you attack me by the bushel. I¡¯ll let you attack me until your heart¡¯s content.¡±


    As if by illusion, someone appeared behind him. Leticia had suppressed her presence to approached him, and she stabbed with her cross spear.


    ¡°The strong doesn¡¯t turn away from arrogance. The strong epts it.¡±


    However, Almarick already knew she had approached him. A clone wrapped up in thunder flew in to block her spear as Almarick spoke.


    ¡°Your stance is good. I like the fact that you do not hesitate.¡±


    Another clone appeared next to her as it attacked. When Leticia became startled, a beam of light flew in as it exploded.


    Kwah-kwah-kwahng!


    ¡°It seems you owe me a life debt?¡±


    It was Yuren. Leticia snorted when faced with the grinning Yuren.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a lot of debt you haven¡¯t paid off against me? This won¡¯t even cover the interest that you¡¯ve rued.¡±


    ¡°You are being miserly.¡±


    When Yurenughed in a yful manner, Almarick¡¯s expression turned peculiar.


    ¡°Hmm. You are the brat that betrayed us by iming that you are a descendant of Carlos. You really do look like Carlos. I¡¯m well aware that humans resemble their ancestors. Still, it feels weird seeing someone with a simr face as him.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it is an honor to be spoken in such a way by the legendary Dragon Demon general. In return, I will no longer worry about the consequences.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°This is what I mean.¡±


    Yuren¡¯s brown hair whipped around fiercely as the unbelievably ominous magical energy spread into the surrounding. His te gray eyes was dyed red, and ck smoke gathered at his back. It looked as if evil spirits were congregating behind him.


    He was calling forth a demon. He wasn¡¯t thinking about the consequences of his actions.


    It caught Almarick¡¯s eye.


    ¡°Interesting. The fact that you are able to do this in a battle without prior preparation is quite surprising.¡±


    Instead of answering with words, Yuren answered with his magic. His magical energy increased exponentially, and he unleashed a powerful cursed me.


    Hwahhhhhk!


    In a sh, the violent mes engulfed the surrounding, but the mes didn¡¯t reach Almarick. The storm he had brought forth was perfectly sealing off the curse and the heat. At the same time, Almarick¡¯s clones aimed for Yuren.


    As if he had been waiting for this, he let loose the magic spells he had prepared, but.....


    ¡°The magic spells itself is quite good. However, you are far away from having the depth of power to use such spells..¡±


    The magic dumbfoundedly just passed through Almarick¡¯s clones.


    Yuren¡¯s eyes widened. He knew what this phenomenon meant through Azell.


    ¡®Shit! He knows what I¡¯m going to do!¡¯


    Yuren had waited for Almarick¡¯s clones to attack, and he had shot a beam of light towards them. However, Almarick changed the attribute making up the clones into light, and he let the attack flow off his clones. Then he reformed them.


    Before he could prepare his next magic spell, the clone¡¯s sword struck out toward Yuren.


    Leticia didn¡¯t even have the chance to intervene. Yuren was sure he was dead.


    Ooohng......!


    In the next moment, his surrounding changed.


    Almarick¡¯s clone realized a beat toote that he had his back towards Yuren. As if by instinct, he let out another attack.


    Puh-uh-ung!


    A sound of an explosion rang out, and Almarick¡¯s clone was destroyed.


    Almarick spoke from beyond the explosion.


    ¡°It seems you have firmed your resolve.¡±


    ¡°...yes, elder.¡±


    It was Laura. She had used Dimensional Distortion to save Yuren.


    ¡°We are enemies now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    He nodded his head as Almarick continued to speak.


    ¡°I want you to drag out every ounce of power you have when youe at me. If you are going to die, don¡¯t leave any regret behind.¡±


    After he said his words in an arrogant manner, he relentlessly attack like a storm.

 Chapter 157 - Prophesied Being (3)

    Chapter 157 - Prophesied Being (3)


    3


    As the storm raged and the thunder roared, numerous clones switched between being illusory and real as they attacked the party.


    The only thing that was definite was the fact that it was a four on one battle.


    In truth, there was only one real body, yet 16 clones were attacking the party.


    When Almarick fough Azell, he had only used clones that had substance. Now that he was adding in illusory clones, so they couldn¡¯t even count how many there were.


    After shing several dozen times with the Storm¡¯s Scream, Kairen¡¯s Dragon sword was broken.


    The de of thunder pierced Leticia¡¯s abdomen.


    The swirling gale mmed Yuren into the rock face.


    Then.......


    ¡°This is it.¡±


    Thest one to kneel was Laura.


    ¡°Ha-ahk, ha-ah.... Ah.....¡±


    Laura was breathing heavily, and the light from the Vitan¡¯s Chalice dispersed. Then her body fell to the floor.


    She had used all the techniques she could use with the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. If it wasn¡¯t for her, this battle would have ended long ago.


    However, they were of no match to Almarick. The four of them had used all their might for a joint attack, but they couldn¡¯t even harm the tip of his hair. It was a shameful defeat.


    The Dragon Demon king worshippers were at a loss for words. Niberis and Kieren waspletely intimidated as they watched the sight.


    ¡®Is this the might of the Dragon Demon generals?¡¯


    They had witnessed it when Reygus had used his full power to fight Azell. Their power was on a different level. The Dragon Demon King worshippers felt it in their bones as to why these figures had be legends.


    They also understood why the Aunsaurus tribe had used such evil methods to create an outstanding heir.


    Niberis, Kieren and Jeffers were descended from noble bloodline, and they possessed potential that matched up with said bloodline. The Dragon Demon magic they were born with were clearly superior to other people.


    However...


    They couldn¡¯t hold a candle to the Dragon Demon generals, who were their ancestors. The Aunsaurus family probably knew how incredible an existence the Dragon Demon generals were. This was why they weren¡¯t satisfied with naturally born heirs, and this was why they put their hands on the forbidden methods. In some ways, their actions were a natural consequence of knowing the might of the Dragon Demon generals. It made the Dragon Demon king worshippers have such thoughts.


    Suddenly, Reygus spoke.


    <If our side hadn¡¯t done such needless act, we might have had some pretty scary enemies.>


    ¡°I¡¯ve made the same assessment as you. This guy is special. He is quite skilled. I almost feel bad for him that he doesn¡¯t have a proper Dragon weapon.¡±


    Almarick let out a bitterugh as he looked at the fallen Kairen, who was a bloody mess. The one that put up the best fight amongst the party was Laura, but if one was talking purely about how much energy one possessed, Kairen had the most. Kairen was the only one Almarick thought was a waste.


    ¡°It is a shame that his talent will be for naught. I can see why our side considered him to be a subject of caution.¡±


    It happened at that moment.


    ¡¸No...........¡¹


    ¡¸We won¡¯t let you.......¡¹


    ¡¸Do as.......¡¹


    ¡¸You like......!¡¹


    The Guardian Shadows had been observing the battle, but they now ran forward.


    At the same time, the paused battle started to move again. The Dragon Demon king worshippers blocked the path of the Guardian Shadows, and they fought.


    The Guardian Shadows didn¡¯t care about the progress of the battle. They ignored all else as they charged towards Almarick.


    Suddenly, Almarick spoke.


    ¡°You are pitiful souls of the dead. So what do you think you can aplish here?¡±


    The Guardian Shadows were unable to get close to Almarick. He was surrounded by the power of storm and thunder. Any Guardian Shadows that approached him were sent flying.


    Azell stood up.


    He could no longer his psychokinesis, since hecked magical energy. He used his Dragon Majin as a cane to stand up. Almarickmented as he spoke.


    ¡°So does this mean you want to die on your feet?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.......¡±


    Azell smirked.


    ¡°I just....don¡¯t like lying down.....¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit. You are our old foe. I recognize the feats you were able to aplish, so I will show some mercy. After you and yourpanions are dead, I promise not to insult you to the envoy of death. ¡±


    ¡°Hahaha... I¡¯m so thankful...that tears areing out......¡±


    The Guardian Shadows enclosed around Azell. They were prepared for death.... No, these spirits had already died. They were beings that endlessly ruminated on their hate, and now they were showing a resolve that was considered to be transcendent.


    Almarick was in wonders when he approached them.


    ¡°He is more important than your hate towards us?¡±


    In the past 50 year, Almarick had to hide his identity, but he was able to observe the Guardian Shadows through the Great Darkness.


    They were the personification of hate, and the Dragon Demon king worshippers were the cause of their creation. The Dragon Demon king worshipers had overturned the world through malice and ambition, and as a result, the Guardian Shadows had appeared as an antagonistic force.


    They always moved based on their hate and murderous intent.


    They didn¡¯t converse or negotiate. They just sought the destruction of the Dragon Demon king worshippers. They were irrational beings made out of hate.


    However, at this moment, they had risen above their hate, and they were trying to protect Azell. Almarick couldn¡¯t help, but ask for the reason behind their action.


    ¡°Why? Why are you moving past the driving force that supports your existence? Why are you putting the protection of Azell above it?¡±


    ¡¸Hope.......¡¹


    ¡°Did you say hope?¡±


    It was as if he had heard a bad joke. They were crazed beings that had only wanted the destruction of their foes, yet they were talking about hope?


    ¡¸Everyone is gone.......¡¹


    ¡¸Taken.......¡¹


    ¡¸Still, there is one light left.....¡¹


    ¡°Unexpectedly, you guys are poets. Azell is your hope. As expected, did Carlos make you guys? That still doesn¡¯t exin why he won¡¯t show up even now....¡±


    It happened at that moment.


    Murderous intent stretched out from far away, and it agitated Almarick¡¯s senses. Then.....


    Something he couldn¡¯t see pierced through Almarick¡¯s barrier.


    ¡°A sniper? From where?¡±


    Almarick was surprised. He had barely been able to dodge before the arrow had hit him, but his shoulder armor had been ripped away. It wasn¡¯t as if his shoulder armor had been smashed into pieces. It was a wound akin to a wild beast being cut by a piece of paper.


    Of course, Almarick was using gaze detection technique, so he knew someone was aiming at him in an attempt to snipe him. Even if one was able to hide one¡¯s gaze, one would have to emit killing intent right before attacking, so Almarick would have known the exact moment......


    It was strange as another arrow tried to snipe him.


    He dodged it again. He spread his thunder to detect the attack. It allowed him to react at lightning speed.


    Still, it was very close. The arrows wereing in at a speed several times the speed of sound, and he couldn¡¯t sense the arrows until it touched his field made from thunder.


    ¡°Is this perhaps.....¡±


    Almarick knew of this attack. His gaze naturally headed towards Azell.


    In the past, there had been a bow that was able to shoot invisible magical arrows. These arrows couldn¡¯t be traced. It had no presensence, and its true form couldn¡¯t be discerned. It was a nightmare of a sniper¡¯s weapon that couldn¡¯t be recreated with any other magic. That bow was made by......


    Azell mumbled in surprise.


    ¡°...Underworld Ruler¡¯s Marksman......?¡±


    Its presence hadn¡¯t been seen in this current era.


    The Dragon weapon got its nickname from the arrows that seem to fly in from theherworld.


    It was forgotten in history, but many officers of the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army was taken down by this weapon. It was the Dragon weapon of the Blood and Iron knight. Elleolom was a female knight, and she had almost killed Dragon Demon general Baldazark. When her allies were being overwhelmed, she had jumped in to save them by taking on Baldazark. Both Elleolom and Baldazark suffered serious injuries in that battle. They were both at the brink of death.


    In the end, she never recovered from her injuries, and she had died. Her Dragon weapon was inherited by one person.


    It was inherited by the hero, who would one day kill the Dragon Demon king Atein. It was given to Azell Karzark.


    ¡°Mmmm......!¡±


    The magic arrows that was several times faster than the speed of sound kept flying in. They kept prating Almarick¡¯s defense. Almarick had no choice, but to retreat. The Guardian Shadows took this opportunity to attack Almarick from all sides.


    Almarick spoke.


    ¡°Reygus.¡±


    <I think I know what you want to say to me, but.......>


    Reygus was showing signs of distress. Almarick was puzzled, but he became surprised when Reygus¡¯ magical energy started to shrink rapidly.


    ¡°Is it that the bastard from before?¡±


    <I believe so.>


    From afar, Balseru was watching Reygus with his eyes, which held a mysterious power.


    Almarick clicked his tongue.


    ¡°That means the backbone of the Guardian Shadows areing here. However, he don¡¯t have any information regarding them possessing the Underworld Ruler¡¯s Marksman.......¡±


    The Guardian Shadows were like raging waves as they rushed towards Almarick and Reygus.


    They were above the restraints of the material world. They didn¡¯t bump into each other, and they didn¡¯t run past each others. This meant an overwhelming number of enemies were rushing towards them in concert. It was such an overwhelming number of attackers that it was hard to see one¡¯s surrounding. The Guardian Shadows didn¡¯t care if they were ripped apart by storm and thunder as they charged forward.


    On top of that, Almarick and Reygus were pinned down by the continuous sniping by the Underworld Ruler¡¯s Marksman. The several thousand Guardian Shadows gathered in one ce, and they ignored everything on the battlefield to execute a suicide attack.


    Even the almighty Almarick and Reygus were being pushed back.


    Moreover.....


    Puh-puh-puhng! Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwahng!


    Explosions rang out on various parts of the battlefield.


    It was a wave of magic energy that had a strong scent of Dragon Demon magic. A golden colored light that was the size of a child¡¯s fist was flying around. It was a construct made out of magical energy. Every time it hit a magic spell it created a strong magical bacsh. It caused the magicians to fall over.


    Azell mumbled to himself as he was struck dumb.


    ¡°...Box of Hate?¡±


    There was a man that had lost the people he loved through Dragon Demon king Atein¡¯s magic. He lost his home, and he had even lost his homnd.


    His name was Jis, and he had fought the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army using the mes of vengeance that burned within him.


    He had willingly participated in the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual to move past the limitation of being a human, and he realized a truth about himself. He hated magic itself. The Dragon Demon king Atein was the first Dragon Demon, and he was the progenitor of magic. Jis hated Atein, and the magic that created such supernatural destruction. This hate and anger was tempered to create a Dragon weapon. It was called the Box of Hate.


    This Dragon weapon was able to obstruct the magic spells of enemies in a limited region, yet one¡¯s allies could use magic freely in this space. It created a cheat-like situation. This made the allied forces very cautious in how they deployed Jis. However, there came a time when he was deployed as a winning gambit against Almarick and Reygus. Jis had fought without a care for his body. After a fierce attack, his hate stained life came to an end.


    ¡®My body may perish, but my hate will never die.¡¯


    Jis left behind his will, and he passed on his Dragon weapon to Azell. Moreover, the Box of Hate had a crucial role in him defeating Baldazark and Atein. Azell was able to fulfill Jis¡¯ dream of revenge.


    ¡°...I think that is its name.¡±


    Suddenly, a sharp female voice was heard from Azell¡¯s side.


    She was able to approach him without revealing her presence. She was a woman in herte 30s with long blond hair and cold features. She spoke as she gazed at Azell.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been able to call it by its name. Azell-nim will be able to call it by its name from now on whenever you need it.¡±


    ¡°You are......?¡±


    ¡°I am the Keeper of Prophecy Iota. Please save your breath. Everyone will be here soon.¡±


    When she said everyone, who was she referring to?


    Soon, he was able to learn the answer to the question.

 Chapter 158 - Prophesied Being (4)

    Chapter 158 - Prophesied Being (4)


    4


    Several humans appeared one after another as they pierced through the explosions and the thundering noises.


    Balseru, who usually had his eyes closed, had his eyes opened as he red at Reygus.


    Jares appeared next with a bashful smile on his face.


    Then others that weren¡¯t known to Azell appeared.


    An average looking girl with freckles appeared. Her blonde hair was split into two ponytails. It was Omega. She fidgeted as if she was embarrassed.


    An old Dragon Majin with a fierce looking face appeared as he cleared his throat.


    Then a middle-aged woman walked forth. She had a kind smile on her face.


    A very thin man wearing raggedy monk¡¯s robe appeared next. The color of the robe had been faded away, and he was carrying a book.


    Next to appear was a youth with sharp eyes that was reminiscent of a wild beast.


    ¡°It has been awhile, Azell-nim. Ah, it does feel awkward calling you that.¡±


    Thest one to show up was the youth called Leone. He used to have a perpetual smile that made his face look like a mask.


    However, hisughter was different from before. He wasughying shyly. Leone¡¯s face wasn¡¯t like that of a mask. His expression made him look like a living person.


    <Hmm. I understand what you all are feeling right now, but we are going through hell fighting right now. Could you keep it short?>


    The Undead Theta was floating in midair as he fired his magic spells indiscriminately.


    It wasn¡¯t just him. The Undeads that had fought alongside the Keepers of Prophecy across the continent were fighting all over the battlefield.


    Leone spoke.


    ¡°We will do so. However, give us a little... At the very least, please allow each of us time to confess to him.¡±


    <Since this will be thest of your willful behavior, I will allow it.>


    Theta elegantly bowed towards them as he flew towards the battlefield.


    Azell dumbfoundedly looked at the Keepers of Prophecy surrounding him.


    He was the prophesied person they had been waiting for.


    Azell already knew this. However, he had had no idea about the specific meaning behind such a designation. He also had no idea why they hade here.


    The Keepers of the Prophecy looked at each other. There was an awkward silence as they hesitated. Jares cleared his throat as he took a step forward.


    ¡°Koo-hmmm. First.....¡±


    He was the one that had left the worst impression on Azell. However, unlike before he spoke in a respectful and dignified manner.


    ¡°I want to apologize for my previous rudeness, Azell Karzark. You are our great progenitor.¡±


    ¡°...what?¡±


    For a moment, Azell thought he had heard wrong. However, there was endless affection and respect for Azell in Jares¡¯ eyes.


    ¡°When thend of Liesah fell to the enemy, you fought four days and night by yourself to protect the town. There was a maiden, who risked her life to deliver a cup of water to you. Her name was Katrina Aisa.¡±


    Azell¡¯s eyes widened. That did happen. She was the second daughter of the Count of Liesah, who was in charge of the region. She had been a maiden that had been highly intelligent and brave.


    Jares spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m her descendent. To be precise, a child was conceived on that one night you spent with her, and that child grew up to lead the family. He had offsprings.... The bloodline was continued until I was born.¡±


    ¡°This is.......¡±


    Azell was struck dumb.


    It had been that kind of an era. No one knew if they would be able to greet the next day. This was why everyone had been focused on the present, and they acted out on the passion of the moment. This was why Azell had shared a lot of one night stands with many women.


    Officially, Azell didn¡¯t have any children. He had adopted many children, but none of them had been of his blood.


    However, Azell had descendants he hadn¡¯t known about.


    ¡°It was the same for my grandmother, and the children she sired. I am proud to be your descendant. Since we were born of your blood, even as we took on the mission born of hate..... We were able to preserve the keys to our final hope. Now we can return them to you.¡±


    Jares took Azell¡¯s hand, and he put his lips to the back of his hand. In a sh, a light erupted from the two of them as something was absorbed into Azell¡¯s body.


    It was a Dragon weapon.


    ¡®Chain of the Earth Dragon?¡¯


    It was one of the 12 Dragon weapons he had used during the Dragon Demon war.


    In front of the surprised Azell, Jares gave a reverent bow as he express his respects towards Azell. Jares retreated towards the back before Azell could say anything. Iota switched ces with Jares, and she opened her mouth.


    ¡°In the Delsern region, there was a young woman named Aelin. She was captured by Orc bandits, and she was kept as their ything. She had wanted to die everyday as she was vited.¡±


    It was when Azell was still amon knight. Azell kept changing his main residence as he helped the towns that didn¡¯t have the power to protect themselves. He had killed the bandit groups that had preyed on these towns. In the process, he was able to free ves that were being exploited. Amongst these ves, there had been a young woman, who clung to him as she cried.


    ¡°Her only wish was to have your child, and she had her wish. The story of our proud ancestors were passed down our line, and I was born. I consider myself fortunate that I was able to take on this role, since I was born as your descendant. I will now return this to you.¡±


    The Dragon weapon called Box of Hate was returned to Azell.


    Azell looked at them as if he was mesmerized. They were still in a desperate situation, but now everything didn¡¯t seemed surreal.


    Half of Azell¡¯s mind was lost as each Keepers of the Prophecy told their confession. They told him about their ancestors.


    There was the heroine that took up the sword in revenge when she lost her husband.


    There was the woman that had been fated to be changed into a monster through a ck magic experiment. He had saved her.


    Then there was the woman.....


    ¡°We are all your descendants.¡±


    They were all descendants of the women that had fallen in love with Azell when he had shown them kindness.


    Their existence hadn¡¯t been known to the world, but they were all descendants of the children he had out of wedlock. They were of Azell¡¯s bloodline. They were Azell¡¯s descendants, and at the same time, they had lost everything to the Dragon Demon king worshippers. They held a grudge that couldn¡¯t be washed away against the Dragon Demon king worshippers, so they were able to be Guardian Shadows. Moreover, they had the prerequisite to be able to carry out the most important mission.


    Azell would wake up one day, so they had to act as the vessels that would safely store his Dragon weapons.


    ¡°...it seems you have the charm of a bad boy.¡±


    Balseruughed as he spoke. He was still suppressing Reygus, so he wasn¡¯t able to turn to look at Azell.


    ¡°Our grandmothers carried your children, yet they didn¡¯t notify you. Some were satisfied with just having the child, and some didn¡¯t want to burden you with the news when you were carrying out such a big task for the world. If others found out their reasons for not doing so, they would have pointed their fingers at the idiocy of their reasonings.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    When it was framed that way, Azell had sired children all over the ce, yet he hadn¡¯t taken responsibility for any of them. He was the bad guy.


    ¡®No, it isn¡¯t like that.....¡¯


    They were in a desperate situation right now, but Azell was swept up in an indescribable feeling. He wanted to give some kind of excuse, but if he did, he would be branded as the worst human trash.


    ¡°You probably have many more descendants out there besides us. However, we are the only ones gathered here.¡±


    Balseru retreated a step backwards as he ced a hand on Azell¡¯s shoulder. The Dragon weapon he had kept safe was transferred to Azell.


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry that we weren¡¯t able to preserve all twelve. However, we did our best. I hope you are thankful for our efforts.¡±


    Atst, Leone stepped in front of Azell.


    ¡°Mmm. Balseru¡¯s words are correct, but.... It isn¡¯t as if there isn¡¯t something that could be said in your defense.¡±


    Azell wanted to ask what he meant. However, he was having a hard time saying anything. His mouth just opened and closed. Leone spoke in a yful manner towards Azell.


    ¡°Do you remember the maiden named Lizara you met in the Raroon region?¡±


    Of course, he remembered her.


    She was the daughter of a provincial lord. Her sister had been raped when the rear of the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army piged her town. Her unni had taken her own life afterwards. Lizara had wanted revenge for her unni, so she had used all her remaining money to hire mercenaries. However, as soon as they travelled towards a region that was sparse in poption, the mercenaries changed their attitudes towards her. They had been plotting to turn on her. They were going to sell her in the ck markets as a ve.


    Azell possessed supernatural senses, so he had heard them whisper their plot to each other. Azell stealthily chased after them, and he had saved her before the plot coulde to fruition. However, when Carlos and Azell saw Lizara shed tears, they decided to help her get her revenge. At the time, Azell couldn¡¯t forget what Carlos had said to him.


    ¡®I worked like a dog alongside you, yet good things only happen to you.....¡¯


    After they finished their revenge, Lizara discretely spent some good times with Azell. It was, because Carlos had a bit up a messed up personality. Carlos was cold, and he spoke cruel words as if it was nothing. This was why Liza had been afraid of him. However, that didn¡¯t matter anymore now.


    Leone spoke.


    ¡°She was with child, but she didn¡¯t have any methods of finding you thanks to the war.¡±


    It was a wall that all women pregnant with Azell¡¯s children faced.


    ¡°When the war ended, her child was still too young, so she couldn¡¯t travel far.¡±


    Liza had wanted to notify Azell of the birth of his child, and she wanted to entrust the child to him. However, Azell lived far away at the County of Karzark. She had no choice, but to wait for the child to grow up until the child could survive such a long journey.


    ¡°However, you went missing two years after the Dragon Demon war ended.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    That had been the biggest problem.


    During the war, the women didn¡¯t dare to search for him. When they tried to go see him after the war ended, he had gone missing....


    From Azell¡¯s perspective, he would have taken responsibility if the women had shown up at his doorsteps with his children. However, he couldn¡¯t do so thanks to Atein¡¯s curse.


    ¡°However, you left the County of Karark under the stewardship of Archmage Carlos until your adopted children came of age. This was why he was able to recognize Liza, and he confirmed that the child was yours. This was how they became a part of your family.¡±


    Liza was the daughter of a provincial lord, but she had lost everything during the Dragon Demon war. That was why she joined the County of Karzar with her son. She lived there until her life concluded.


    This wasn¡¯t known to many outside the County of Karzark, but ording to memories of his ancestors he had inherited, there had been many cases like that.


    ¡°However, when Liza¡¯s son came of age, he had a falling out with her. This was why he rejected the life of living within the County of Karzark, and he went out into the world.¡±


    Moreover, such stories hadn¡¯t been rare. Carlos had been rtively good about directing the traffic, but Azell was missing. Azell was supposed to be the pir of thismunity, yet he was considered to be missing. He was as good as dead to them. Moreover, Azell had adopted too many children. There were a lot of conflicts and confusions amongst the people living there. For every one that found a home in the County of Karzark, another went out into the world to seek new possibilities.


    This was why the Dragon Demon king worshippers were able to ughter everyone inside the County of Karzark, yet Azell¡¯s bloodline had been able to survive and appear in this ce.


    Balseru smiled as he added his own words.


    ¡°In truth, it was the same for my ancestors too.¡±


    ¡°Oooh.......¡±


    For a moment, Azell wanted to smack him. He had made Azell look like human trash, then he revealed the truthter on. All the Keepers of Prophecy looked relieved once they unloaded their burdens.


    ¡°Anyways, we are thankful to you.¡±


    Leone let out a yfulugh. Hisugh was unlike the ones Azell had heard before. It was aughter that went well with his youthful look.


    ¡°We had already lost everything. Our lives had ended. We oftenined as to the reason why our memories were taken.... Now we know.¡±


    They had recovered all their lost memories. No, they had also gained the memories of their ancestors, so they had arrived at an understanding now.


    The creator of the Guardian Shadows had been worried about the Keepers of Prophecy falling into enemy hands.


    If it was Atein¡¯s descendants, they probably knew of a way to analyze the the Guardian Shadow¡¯s system if they could get a hold of the memories within the Keepers of the Prophecy. This was why they were left with the knowledge of their mission. They were kept in ignorance. It was done to protect the truth.


    Leone wondered if that was the correct decision or if the creator had been overly cautious.


    Still, Leone didn¡¯t resent the choice that had been made for them. Several Keepers of Prophecy had fallen to their enemies, yet no secrets had been revealed. Now the day when their purpose would be realized had arrived.


    After finishing his story, Leone smiled radiantly.


    ¡°We¡¯ll leave the rest to you. I hope you are able to bring about the prophecy.¡±


    The Dragon weapon in Leone¡¯s care was transferred to Azell.


    ¡®Ah.......¡¯


    When he inherited nine Dragon weapons, the sight in front of Azell¡¯s eyes blurred. Azell realized this wasn¡¯t a natural phenomenon. Leone had used some method to put him to sleep.


    ¡°Moreover, you might consider it as us whining, but.... We have one little request.¡±


    Leone spoke towards the faltering Azell.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t forget about us.¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment.......¡±


    Azell tried to grab Leone with his hand.


    However, Leone sidestepped his hand as he turned away from Azell. Each Keepers of Prophecy paid respects to him before they receded into the distance.


    ¡®Wait.......¡¯


    Azell wanted to hold onto them, yet he could no longer maintain his consciousness.


    The ground shook from the explosion, and loud sounds washed over him. However, his consciousness kept falling into the darkness.


    ¡®...please don¡¯t forget about us.¡¯


    Leone¡¯sst words rang in his ears as Azell slumped to the ground.

 Chapter 159 - Inherited Resolution (1)

    Chapter 159 - Inherited Resolution (1)


    1


    He was having a dream.


    He had never been there before, and he was aware of that fact. However, it was a dream where he was able to meet someone that looked very familiar to him.


    It was a space where the light reflected off the surface of the water. The reflected light danced on the wall. Normally, it was supposed to be an underground space where no light should be able to reach the ce. However, the magical light that was emitted in the middle, and it was creating a wondrous sight.


    <You¡¯ve finally reached this point, Azell.>


    He knew this person better than anyone, yet his voice sounded so foreign. He spoke towards Azell.


    It was a very bleak voice. It was as if the deepest darkness below had been squeezed to create this voice. It felt as if his lifespan shortened by listening to this voice. It sounded simr to the voice of an Undead, but it was a voice that incited a more basic fear from the living.


    Azell looked at the owner of the voice.


    Water had gathered at a corner of the space. There were fragments of light dancing above the water as if they were fireflies dancing in the summer night. The light was so faint that it was as if it was about to be eaten by the darkness. However, the fragments of light continued to be reflected as the beautiful dim light remained.


    In the middle of it all, there was a silhouette surrounded by darkness.


    Fragments of light was dancing around him, yet his face couldn¡¯t be seen. It wasn¡¯t, because of the darkness cast by the worn out hood. It was probably caused by the ominous energy surrounding his body.


    His body was wrapped in a ragged robe, and something was nted deep in his chest. The end was rounded, and it was embedded with a clear gem. The wooden staff was pierced through his chest as a quiet darkness emanated from it.


    There was a rectangr pir made out of silver erected behind him. ck chains were tying him to the silver pir, and darkness crawled up the surface of the pir in the shape of letters. It was a bizarre sight.


    Azell called out to him.


    ¡°Carlos.......¡±


    He was the magician that has founded the Guardian Shadows. He was Azell¡¯s closest friend Carlos.


    Carlosughed. An entricugh rang out. It soundedpletely different from his previousughter.


    <You are able to recognize me when I¡¯ve turned out like this. I¡¯m moved by it.>


    ¡°I also know that I¡¯m not seeing you in reality right now.¡±


    <Yes, this is a message I left within them.>


    ¡°Is this like the thought construct you left behind when I woke up?¡±


    <I created this to deliver a more important message. Moreover, the conversation you have with this thought construct will be delivered to you in reality.>


    ¡°What message?¡±


    <I am at the sacred mountain of Laus.>


    Laus was the highest mountain on the continent. It was located northeast of the continent, and it was part of the Atisan mountain range. This mountain range was like a natural barrier that bisected the mountain range of Darkness and the Demonnds of Albatan.


    <You shoulde there to meet me, Azell. I have the final key.....>


    ¡°I have a mountain of questions I want to ask you.... I¡¯m guessing I don¡¯t have much time?¡±


    <Yes, I didn¡¯t give this thought construct much time.>


    ¡°I can see from your state that you didn¡¯t endure the ravages of time with a living body. Still, I never expected the Dragon Demon king worshippers to get this right. You were able to create the Guardian Shadows with such a body. Did you do it as a pre-emptive move to block the revival of Atein and the Dragon Demon generals?¡±


    <In truth, I hadn¡¯t thought that far ahead........>


    Carlos cackled as heughed.


    <I experienced something unexpected in mytter years in life. Azell, the world faced two very serious threats after you died.>


    ¡°Do you mean the fall of the empire?¡±


    <I¡¯m not talking about such worldly problems. Of course, that was a very big event, but that urred after I retreated from the forefront of history.>


    The empire broke apart after Carlos was officially dered dead.


    <Cmities that threatened the existence of our races had appeared. The funny thing about it was the fact that they were released, because Atein was killed.>


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    <It means Atein had fought cmities that would have wiped out the poption of the world in the past, and he had sealed them. As I¡¯ve told you before, Atein and the Dragon Demon generals were once called heroes that save the world.>


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    Azell furrowed his brows. It was a truth that had been revealed when Carlos dug into the past of Atein. Whether it was the past or present, Azell was having a hard time epting it as truth.


    <Somehow, I was able to block those two cmities, but I ended up like this. I wasn¡¯t capable of stopping any troubles that urred afterwards.>


    ¡°Did this ur during the time when your death was officially recorded?¡±


    <That¡¯s right. I did die in some fashion.>


    Carlos shrugged his shoulder.


    Azell tried to ask another question.


    ¡°Then.......¡±


    <Ah. We really don¡¯t have much time left. I¡¯ll tell you the rest when you visit me. I¡¯ll be waiting for you.>


    When Carlos¡¯ words ended, Azell¡¯s surrounding blurred.


    In the end, the dream came to an end, and Azell¡¯s consciousness surfaced into reality.


    2


    Cheep cheep, cheep cheep cheep.....


    When he opened his eyes, sunlight streamed through the dense foliage of the tree, and the chirping of birds could be heard. For reference, it felt as if he was in a ssic situation that was often seen in stories. Azell pulled himself up as he had such thoughts.


    Then he became surprised.


    ¡®My body.....¡¯


    His body had been halfway to being a corpse, but now his body felt light right now. It felt as if he could fly away. For a brief moment, he circted his magical energy through his Energy Pulse, and he realized that his body hadpletely recovered.


    No, it hadn¡¯t stopped at his recovery.


    ¡®My Dragon Demon magic has deepened significantly.¡¯


    His body had be much sturdier than the body he possessed before his injuries. Most of his magical energy within his body had been converted into Dragon Demon magic.


    Moreover, he felt the presence of 10 Dragon weapons.


    Moon Sword.


    Wings of the Storm Dragon.


    Box of Hate.


    Underworld Ruler¡¯s Marksman.


    Chain of the Earth Dragon.


    Defender of Dawn.


    Unyielding Fortress,


    Cry of the Phoenix.


    Master of Raging Waves.


    Lastly.... The Sky Splitter no long needed to be summoned through the Dragon sword. It had recoveredpletely. The Sky Splitter was whole now.


    Suddenly, Azell felt a wave of ominous magical energy, so he turned his head. He saw the Undead that had always apanied the Keepers of Prophecy. It was Theta.


    <You have awoken, hero Azell Karzark.>


    ¡°You are... Didn¡¯t you say you were Theta?¡±


    <That¡¯s right.>


    ¡°You are the one that brought me.......¡±


    At that point, Azell sensed the presence of hisrades, so he surveyed his surrounding.


    At an open clearing, the messed up forms of Kairen, Laura, Yuren and Leticia could be seen. They wereid out next to each other.


    ¡°This.......¡±


    <I¡¯ve done some first aid, but they aren¡¯t in good condition.>


    ¡°An Undead saved the lives of the living, and you even did some first aid. It does sound like a joke.¡±


    <It is as one would expect. I¡¯m poor at carrying out such work. Moreover.... I won¡¯t be able to use magic much longer.>


    At those words, he carefully looked over Theta.


    Azell realized Theta was truly in a bad state.


    ¡®The magical energy maintaining the Undead is fading away.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t, because he was exposed to sunlight. Unlike other Undead, Theta was special. He was a high rank magician, so sunlight wasn¡¯t a critical weakness.


    Currently, Theta looked like a being that was reaching the end of his lifespan. Azell knew the underlying reason behind it.


    ¡°Your existence was tied to the Keepers of the Prophecy.¡±


    <Correct. We are the ¡®Sleepless Guardians¡¯. We exist, because we were chosen by the Keepers of the Prophecy.>


    As a result of the Keepers of Prophecy being gone, Theta couldn¡¯t maintain his existence.


    Azell asked a question.


    ¡°The Keepers of the Prophecy... What happened to them?¡±


    <They are probably all dead.>


    ¡°.......¡±


    <You probably anticipated this answer.>


    ¡°I knew it, but.....¡±


    When they became Keepers of Prophecy, they no longer aged, and they only died when they were murdered. They had been in a constant state.


    When Leone revealed this truth, it had sounded ridiculous, but Azell understood it now.


    When they suffered their first death, they were able to be a part of the Guardian Shadows. It was a great magic that changed the order of the world.


    Moreover, Carlos had used the fact that they were of Azell¡¯s bloodline to safekeep his Dragon weapons.


    Thebination of the Dragon weapons, and the profound magic connected to Azell¡¯s bloodline had kept the Keepers of Prophecy alive. They neither aged or developed.


    This was why their lives ended when they transferred the Dragon weapons to Azell.


    After finishing their mission, they used their remaining power to fight. They allowed Azell to be moved to safety, and they were exterminated.


    ¡®Carlos, why did you choose such a method?¡¯


    Azell couldn¡¯t understand it.


    He knew that Carlos had made the Guardian Shadows, and he knew the purpose that the Keepers of the Prophecy had served. Still, he didn¡¯t understand why his Dragon weapons had to be transferred to him by creating such unfortunate beings.


    Before he was put to sleep, Azell had given all his 12 Dragon weapons except his Sky Splitter to Carlos.


    Of course, he thought Carlos would find new owners for them. However, he had assumed that Carlos had died before being able to transfer the Dragon weapons his descendants. Even if he was able to, the Dragon Demon king worshippers were killing all the humans that possessed Dragon weapons. He had assumed the line of session of his Dragon weapons had ended.


    He never would have expected his Dragon weapons to be preserved in such a manner...


    ¡®This bothers me on many level, but... It seems I¡¯ll be able to meet Carlos.¡¯


    Theta, who had been observing Azell for a brief amount of time, spoke.


    <Since I knew your destination was the Albatan forest, I brought everyone here.>


    ¡°...this is the Albatan forest?¡±


    <We are at the outer edge of it.>


    ¡°How much time has passed.......¡±


    <It hasn¡¯t been long. Since all the Guardian Shadows gathered here from all over the continent, we were able to used around 200 of them as diversion.>


    Theta exined all the events that urred leading up to their arrival in this ce.


    The Guardian Shadows could move as if they were sliding across the surface, so there hadn¡¯t been any turbulence as the members of the party was moved. The Guardian Shadows had kept them safe. After Theta put the party members into a state of suspended animation, he slowly put his own life energy into them. Theta had kept them alive until they reached this ce.


    Azell bowed his head.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    <That¡¯s unnecessary.>


    Theta shook his head from side to side as he spoke.


    <Azell Karzark, I¡¯m part of the ¡®Sleepless Guardians¡¯, so I¡¯m not your descendant like the Keepers of the Prophecy.>


    ¡°I see.¡±


    <However... We feel the same way as them. We consider you to be the hope. Please bring about the prophecy.>


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring it about no matter what.¡±


    Azell didn¡¯t hesitate as he gave the answer.


    Theta was like a candle that was about to be extinguished. Azell didn¡¯t know if the soul exploited to make an Undead could find peace....


    However, he didn¡¯t hesitate to show Theta his unwavering resolve.


    Theta let out a satisfiedugh.


    <Hoo hoo. Thank you. I want to witness their destruction by your hands.... However, my journey ends here.>


    The Dark magical energy maintaining the Undead exited, and the skeleton crumbled to the ground. The will infusing the bones was no longer there.


    Azell gazed at the spot for a brief moment before he approached hisrades.


    3


    ¡°Ooh-ook.......¡±


    Kairen opened his eyes. He had a headache, and it felt as if his head was about to be shattered into pieces.


    The first thing he saw was Yuren stuffing his face as he pushed his life energy into Kairen. Kairen furrowed his brows.


    ¡°Something is really... I feel fortunate for my current situation, yet it feels unpleasant at the same time.¡±


    ¡°I tried so hard save your life, yet you say such words to me? I didn¡¯t even have the time to take a break for a meal. I had to continuously inject the life energy into you.¡±


    Yuren grumbled. Kairenined.


    ¡°I¡¯m thankful for that part,but.... Ooh-ook.¡±


    He was about to raise his body, but he lowered himself when pain washed over him. He let out a groan. Yuren shook his head from side to side.


    ¡°Please stay still and lie down. Your body is in a rough shape.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. It seems you are right. Could you enlighten me a little bit on our current situation?¡±


    ¡°We are at the Albatan forest.¡±


    ¡°...what?¡±


    Kairen became surprised. Yuren spoke as if he was having a hard time believing his own words.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t entered deep into the forest. We are located at the edge. ording to Azell, the Guardian Shadows transported us here.¡±


    ¡°I have know idea what¡¯s going on.....¡±


    ¡°It is the same for all of us.¡±


    ¡°Everyone seems to be alive, so that¡¯s a blessing.¡±


    ¡°Duke, you were thest one to wake up.¡±


    Azell woke up Laura and Yuren first. Then Azell asked the Guardian Shadows to catch the small animals nearby. The two magicians used their ck magic to steal the life energy from the animals, and they healed themselves.


    After they recovered themselves, Laura took on the task of healing Leticia, and Yuren was assigned to Kairen. Leticia and Kairen was slowly brought to consciousness.


    Kairen asked a question.


    ¡°What about Azell?¡±


    ¡°He went out to catch some beasts.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    Kairen had a baffled expression on his face. From what he rememberedst, Azell¡¯s body was in a broken state, yet he went out to catch wild animals?


    ¡°Did I fall into a hibernation for a very long time? Has it been a month?¡±


    There were cases where Dragon Majins fell into hibernation when they suffered a critical injury. It was a mechanism for recovery. This was why he brought up this possibility, but Yuren shook his head.


    ¡°No. It has been only two days.¡±


    ¡°...then what happened?¡±


    ¡°It seems the Keepers of Prophecy had kept Azell¡¯s Dragon weapons in safekeeping. When the Dragon weapons were transferred over to him, he made aplete recovery..... It isn¡¯t just the fact that he lookspletely normal now. He became much stronger than before.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure I¡¯m not dreaming right now? Somehow I am having trouble keeping up with our current situation.¡±


    ¡°This is reality.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve recovered enough to wake up, I can rx now. I¡¯ll heal you once again after I finish my meal. Azell said he would give a more detailed exnation of our current situation when everyone woke up. Let¡¯s wait for that.¡±


    ¡°Understood. Hoo-ooh.......¡±


    Kairen let out a sigh.

 Chapter 160 - Inherited Resolution (2)

    Chapter 160 - Inherited Resolution (2)


    4


    After a short amount of time had passed, Azell returned with the beasts he had caught. Then he gave a detailed ount of what had happened.


    He told them about the identity of the Keepers of the Prophecy and their mission. Then the party members heard about how the Keepers of the Prophecy had met their end. The party members were at a loss for words.


    ¡°Let me see if I got this right.......¡±


    Leticia broke the silence, and she pointed a finger towards Azell.


    ¡°Azell, you roamed around between women, and your promiscuity was the reason why we were saved?¡±


    ¡°...mmm. Unfortunately, you aren¡¯t saying anything that isn¡¯t true, so I can¡¯t give you a rebuttal.¡±


    ¡°This really is.......¡±


    Leticia furrowed her brows.


    ¡°I never knew you were that kind of a man. Since you were the legendary hero, I held a slight amount of admiration towards you. It¡¯s pathetic that I had felt such emotions for you.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell looked as if he had chewed on a bug. He really wanted to make excuses, but he swallowed any thoughts of doing so. He would probably be seen as human trash if he did so.


    Even Laura looked at him with cool eyes as she spoke one word.


    ¡°Pervert.¡±


    That single word was more powerful than every other criticism.


    ¡°Ooh.......¡±


    From Azell¡¯s perspective, the future had been something that he wasn¡¯t sure he would be able to see. This was why he decided to be more faithful to the present than the nebulous future. That was the type of era he had lived in. Therefore, when he caught someone¡¯s eyes, he had share his love with her....


    ¡®If I said that out loud, this will really turn into a mess. Shit.¡¯


    He was self aware as to how this looked like, and he had his pride. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t stepforward to defend himself. In truth, he didn¡¯t know if anything would change if he made a defense for himself or not. However, this was important to him.


    When the atmosphere turned chilly, Kairen stepped forward to mediate.


    ¡°Let¡¯s drop the subject for now. Our lives were saved thanks to it.¡±


    ¡°Does this mean like attracts like? I see how it is. You are a great noble, so your feelings towards promiscuity differs from normal people. Isn¡¯t it normal for nobles to go after every woman they see? Isn¡¯t it normal for them to make many children out of wedlock?¡±


    ¡°Nope. I have no children. I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    At Kairen¡¯s words, Leticia¡¯s gaze turned cold.


    ¡°You were careful enough not to sire any children, but you don¡¯t find promiscuity to be a problem?¡±


    ¡°Why the hell are you interpreting my words that way? Stop treating me like I¡¯m in the same category as Azell.¡±


    ¡°...Duke. Instead of defending me, you are going to bury me alive.¡±


    Azell grumbled.


    Kairen had been looking at Azell with yful eyes, but his expression suddenly hardened.


    ¡°However, I never expected the Keepers of Prophecy to have such backgrounds....¡±


    The Keepers of Prophecy were allies that had been hard to trust. It was frustrating, since one couldn¡¯t discern their true intentions. Moreover, there was a strong animosity developed when they took questionable actions to confirm whether Azell was the prophesied being or not.


    However, when their backstories became known, such emotions melted away like snow.


    ¡°I still do not like the actions they had taken.... However, I think can understand the motivation behind it now.¡±


    Laura and Leticia was also in agreement with that statement.


    After losing everything to the Dragon Demon king worshippers, they were stripped of their past memories to be the Keepers of the Prophecy. They had fought over the long years with only their hatred and a sense of duty keeping them going.


    They had surely been tired and worn down as time passed. After the Great Darkness, it was as if they were lost in a fog of despair. The only light they could rely on was the prophesied being. This was why nothing had been off limits when they were trying to confirm whether Azell was the prophesied being or not. Moreover, when they did confirm this truth, they willingly entrusted the future to Azell. They had sacrificed themselves for him.


    ¡°In truth, I¡¯m still having a hard time absorbing everything, but.....¡±


    Suddenly, Azell spoke.


    ¡°It seems I¡¯ve incurred a big debt to my future descendants.¡±


    He had went into slumber in an attempt to beat the curse. While he was asleep, the world had changed too much.


    He had wanted to created a better future. He wanted to drive away the despair that was rampant all over the world. He had wanted to embark on the future with his people. He had wanted to do so with a smile full of hope on his face. He had fought for this ardent desire even as he stepped over the corpses of hisrades.


    However....


    He had been unable to stamp out the phantoms from his past, and they had upset the world.


    The Keepers of Prophecy started, because of Azell. They were his descendants, who had been tormented, because Azell had been unable to tie up the loose ends. Despite this fact, his descendants had willingly entrusted the future to him, and it left asting resolve that couldn¡¯t be erased from Azell¡¯s heart.


    ¡®No matter what, I have to.....¡¯


    Azell firmed his resolve as he thought about the nine faces that had looked towards him.


    ¡®I will achieve the objective you all entrusted in me.¡¯


    5


    No one knew how many Dragons lived within the Albatan forest. It was a ce overflowing with wild beasts and monsters. There were so many within the vast forest that if monsters or beasts didn¡¯t have their own territory, they overflowed out of the forest into the Iellos Kingdom. It wasmon to see fights along the borders.


    ¡°Even if we go a little bit deeper, we have to be prepared for the danger we will face. It is a bit different from what I remember, but this is still one of the Demonnds. It is a ce where even the Dragon Demon king worshippers avoided....¡±


    The party had to travel to the deepest part of the forest.


    It was called a forest, so it didn¡¯t sound toorge. However, it truly was a vast stretch ofnd. Its size rivaled the Iellos kingdom. If one sailed along the coastline, one would be able to see the Atisan mountain range. Ifbined with the forest, these amazinglyrge stretches ofnd was a wastnd where humans couldn¡¯t traverse.


    Kairen had heard about the Albatan forest from Azell, so he asked the question.


    ¡°While we have the Vitan¡¯s Chalice amongst our possession, we can¡¯t avoid being tracked.¡±


    ¡°Still, we can¡¯t give up on the Vitan¡¯s Chalice.¡±


    Azell spoke.


    The Vitan¡¯s Chalice was too powerful of a weapon to give up on. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that Laura¡¯s battle capabilities increased several folds when she had the Vitan¡¯s Chalice in her possession.


    Then there was the other problem. If they gave up on the Vitan¡¯s Chalice, it would be returned to the hands of their enemies.


    ¡°There is the option of sealing it. I might hide it, but it is an item that¡¯s being preserved by Atein¡¯s magic.....¡±


    Azell took a peek at Laura, and he tried to see how Yuren would react. Both were high rank magicians, who boasted high level of skills. This was why they were careful in giving their answer.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t as if Azell didn¡¯t know what Lauren and Yuren was going to say.


    Laura shook her head from side to side.


    ¡°It¡¯s not possible.¡±


    Yuren shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t even discern what method was used to preserve this Dragon weapon.....¡±


    At his words, Kairen furrowed his brows.


    ¡°In the end, we have no choice, but to take on the good with the bad. Fortunately, the Road of Darkness wasn¡¯t built anywhere near here.....¡±


    ¡°Even Atein respected this ce as the domain of Albatan.¡±


    ¡°Still, there is no guarantee Albatan would look kindly at our presence. What if the Demon King worshippers don¡¯t care about the risks of following us here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been 220 years, so I don¡¯t know how much the situation had changed here. By the look of things, Albatan is still alive, and it seems he still rules over this ce.....¡±


    Azell made these presumptions before he continued his thoughts.


    ¡°First, we have to go deeper into the forest despite the risks.¡±


    ¡°We have to go into a ce crawling with Dragons, wild beasts and monsters? Why?¡±


    ¡°This Demonnd is called Albatan, but.... It isn¡¯t as if Albatan pays attention to everything that goes on in thisrgend. He¡¯ll only use his power as the absolute ruler of thisnd when humans try to im this ce as their territory. Aside from such intrusions, he is prettyx.¡±


    ¡°Is this akin to a lord possessing several viges within his territory? The guards andmittee members take care of the minor problems, and the lord is disturbed only for the important decisions and events?¡±


    ¡°You have to widen the scope of your analogy. Basically, Albatan is the king, and he rules over his kingdom. Under his rule, there are lords of various factions, and they squabble amongst each other.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Are you saying it isn¡¯t awless region?¡±


    ¡°They are living between numerous Dragons, so these factions try to avoid the Dragons. This precipitates the fight between them.¡±


    ¡°What factions are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°That I do not know. It has been 220 years, so I¡¯m sure things haven¡¯t remained the same. However, I¡¯m sure that Dragon Demons or Dragon Majins lead these factions.¡±


    ¡°Are there a lot of Dragon Demons and Dragon Majins here?¡±


    ¡°There should be over 300?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    Kairen groaned.


    Wasn¡¯t that an incredible amount of force?


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°There were also a lot of humans. Then there are the Wolfnoids that are hard to see anywhere else.......¡±


    ¡°When you say Wolfnoid, are you referring to lycanthropes?¡±


    ¡°No. Lycanthropes are cursed existences that shows up in legends.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference between the two?¡±


    ¡°Lycanthropes are humans that were cursed, and their form became a mixture of beast and human. Wolfnoid are a race that is shaped like wolfmen. Since the Wolnoids aren¡¯t really known to humans, Carlos theorized that the tales of the lycanthropes arose when people witnessed Wolfnoids.... However, that story doesn¡¯t matter to our current situation.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.......¡±


    ¡°Rare beings that were pushed out by humans live here. This ce is ruled by the survival of the fittest, but they will prevent outsiders from wiping out the people within the territory..... This was Albatan¡¯s will in ruling thisnd, and that is why humans call it thend of the Demons.¡±


    ¡°Did you hear this from Albatan himself?¡±


    ¡°Yes. However, it was a long time ago.....¡±


    Azell let out a bitterugh. The memory had left a deep impression within him. Albatan was an amazing existence. Carlos had been unable to close his mouth, which had hung wide open.


    ¡°A Dragon told you that. It really is hard to swallow that story.....¡±


    Kairen shook his head from side to side. To him, Dragons were beings that were incapable of holding a conversation. They were closer to a natural disaster than living beings.


    ¡°However, there is an existence in front of me that also told me a story that was hard to believe. I guess I should believe you.¡±


    Azell grinned at his words.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°I really is hard to believe, pervert.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell¡¯sughter turned pitiful. Azell forcefully let out a bright smile as he spoke.


    ¡°Uh. Anyways.... It seems our conversation strayed offtopic.¡±


    Azell exined why he had to go to the heart of the Demonnd as soon as possible.


    It was as he exined a moment ago. Albatan was epted as the absolute king of thisnd, but he practiced a principle of noninterference. This was why several factions existed and fought amongst each other. It was the survival of the fittest. However, if Azell¡¯s party remained here, their enemies would soon track them down. They couldn¡¯t be afraid of shing against the factions within the Albatan forest.


    ¡°They won¡¯t bring arge army.... For example, there is a possibility only Reygus and Almarick will enter this ce. They know this region well, so they¡¯ll try to fight us in regions where Albatan doesn¡¯t directly rule..¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡±


    ¡°It happened before.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    ¡°At that time, Atein was here too.¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    Everyone became surprised by his words, so they turned to look at him. Azell shrugged his shoulders as he smirked.


    ¡°I met one of my teacher named Reshoo here. At the time, he wasn¡¯t affiliated with any power within this ce. He lived alone, and there was a big hubbub when Reshoo challenged Atein to a fight.¡±


    Reshoo had lost in that fight, and he was at death¡¯s door. Azell intervened, and he was able to critically wound Atein once.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°That is why we can¡¯t take it easy by staying in one ce. After everyone recovers somewhat, I have a method that will allow us to travel there in a single effort. Until that time, we¡¯ll be careful as we move inward. We also have them with us....¡±


    Azell looked at the Guardian Shadows that kept appearing and disappearing between the trees.

 Chapter 161 - Inherited Resolution (3)

    Chapter 161 - Inherited Resolution (3)


    6


    The in of Darkness was in an uproar.


    After Azel Karzark¡¯s identity was confirmed, the Dragon Demon general Almarick had revealed himself.


    This event caused a bigger wave than the time when Reygus woke up as an Undead. Even the core power of the in of Darkness could sense a storming.


    The shock that rippled through the Almarick tribe was quite significant.


    Almarick hadn¡¯t notified anyone in his tribe that he had been revived. Even after his revival, he kept his identity hidden. He had posed as a recluse.


    This really was a baffling turn of event.


    He was a Dragon Demon general, yet no one had been by his side when he was revived.


    So how was he able to acquire a safe-haven near the Dragon Demon pce, and how had he managed to stay hidden?


    There was a reason why he had been able to do all of this.


    ¡°It has been a while, sir Almarick.¡±


    Queen Aincera sought out Almarick to have a conversation with him.


    After she lost all human emotions, she rarely left her room. Also, if one thought about her position, Almarick should have gone to see her.


    Still, she couldn¡¯t force Almarick toe to her even if it was a matter of importance. He had suffered a serious injury. This was why she used the Great Darkness to send a clone to talk to him.


    Almarick smiled as hey on top of the bed.


    ¡°My body is in distress, so I¡¯ll have to take audience from my bed. Please excuse my rudeness.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind it. I¡¯m not here with my real body.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Do you remember what happened?¡±


    ¡°I vaguely remember it. At the time, I thought it was necessary to erase it, so I did it. However, it seems my memories won¡¯t fully return.¡±


    Aincera had facilitated the business of providing Almarick with a ce to stay. However, she had forgotten everything until Almarick revealed himself. He had done so to draft the forces of his tribe to his cause.


    She had erased her own memories. A person with a strong ego usually has a strong attachment to one¡¯s memories. The act of erasing one¡¯s memories usually caused incredible amount of fear and resistance. The resistance was so strong that it usually threatened one¡¯s life if one attempted it. However, after Aicera had listened to Almarick¡¯s story, she willingly erased her memories.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Almarick looked at her for a brief moment.


    It was hard to call her as being Aincera anymore. She had lost herself when she became the nervous system of the Great Darkness.


    Aincera had lost her heart, so she couldn¡¯t read the emotions contained within Almarick¡¯s gaze. If it was anyone else, she could have read the information through the Great Darkness. However, Almarick was free from the control of her power.


    ¡®I never expected a day toe where I would pity her......¡¯


    In the past, Almarick had been on bad terms with Aincera.


    He didn¡¯t hate her per se. He had been different in the past. Unlike his current self, he had been the embodiment of wildness. He had been feral. On the other hand, Aincera had been noble and calm. This was why she had avoided being near him. In turn, this soured Almarick¡¯s disposition towards her.


    Currently, she wasn¡¯t showing a single hint of revulsion towards Almarick.


    It wasn¡¯t, because Almarick had changed. It was true that his disposition had changed. He had to pose as a retired elder, and he had gone through a surprising amount of change. He was much calmer than his previous self, and there was an air of intelligence around him. Even Reygus was having a hard time believing he was Almarick.


    However, Aincera was acting differently from her past, because her sense of self had faded away. It was a situation where it was unknown as to whether she had a sense of self anymore. Despite knowing the risk from the beginning, she had epted this role, and Almarick could only look at her with pity.


    Aincera spoke.


    ¡°Since you stepped forward, I didn¡¯t expect you to fail in catching them.¡±


    ¡°You are poking me at a sore spot. I was too careless.¡±


    Almarick let out a bitterugh.


    Was it the side effect of being raised from the dead? Or was it deep emotions he felt when he met an old foe after such a long time?


    Anyways, he lost any rights to call Reygus an idiot any more. He had also been a prisoner to his emotions. While he enjoyed the moment, it came back to bite him.....


    The will shown by the Guardian Shadows in their efforts to safely evacuate Azell had been terrifying.


    After giving up the Dragon weapons stored within their bodies, the Keepers of Prophecy knew this was their final battlefield. Since they knew this was their final fight, they had disyed their might. They were able to drive Reygus and Almarick into a corner.


    ¡°This confirms it. Carlos Rizester was the one that had created the Guardian Shadows.¡±


    Almarick became certain of this fact when he fought the Keepers of the Prophecy.


    Of course, he didn¡¯t know the connection they had with Azell. However.......


    ¡°The magic they embodied.... I¡¯m sure it was Carlos¡¯ magic.¡±


    The Guardian Shadows were created using a great magic that changed the face of the world, and it was connected to Carlos.


    The Keepers of Prophecy weren¡¯t all skilled in battle. There were those like Balseru and Iota, who were powerful. Then there were those like Jares, who fell behind in terms of battle capability. Some were in charge of maintaining the Sleepless Guardians, and others were there to control the Guardian Shadows.


    However, as their bodies slowly broke down into energy, they were able to create a menacing magic spell. The disintegration of their bodies fueled the spell.


    This spell was connected to the movements of the Guardian Shadows, and it had an earth shattering effect. When the Keepers of the Prophecy were all dead, Almarick had received a life-threatening injury. Even the Undead Reygus suffered partial destruction. Moreover, 70% of the Demon King worshippers were killed. It was a massive loss.


    After taking such heavy losses, they hadn¡¯t been able to exterminate Azell¡¯s party, and most of the Guardian Shadows present were able escape intact.


    Aincera still spoke in a disinterested manner.


    ¡°Even if Azell Karzark survived, there is a limit to his power. The two of you are Dragon Demon generals revived by the king¡¯s contingency n. Shouldn¡¯t you be able to handle Azell?¡±


    Hadn¡¯t Reygus already won against Azell in a one on one fight?


    Almarick shook his head from side to side.


    ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee it. Azell really is a being that is hard to predict. Moreover, his unpredictability rises when one considers the fact that Carlos is supporting him. The organization called the Guardian Shadows.... It was created to be a deterrent force against us. The fact that Carlos was able to do this should make us feel afraid.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡±


    Aincera nodded her head.


    ¡°One of our n is already in motion. Chaos and death is spreading in the human world.... When the king returns, we will be able to fulfill his wish.¡±


    ¡°I guess so.¡±


    However, Almarick was having a different thought.


    ¡®What is the king¡¯s true intention?¡¯


    Almarick¡¯s revival from death had been arranged by Atein, but it didn¡¯t mean he understood Atein¡¯s intentions.


    During the Dragon Demon war, he had prophesied his own defeat. This was why he had left behind contingency ns like the Great Darkness within the Dragon Demon pce. What had Atein been thinking?


    The only thing he was sure of was....


    ¡°When the king returns, new allies will arrive in ordance to our pact. At that time, we¡¯ll be able to learn more of what he intends to do.¡±


    7


    Reygus was in the deepest underground location within the Dragon Demon pce. He was at a location that was named the Abyss.


    The Great Darkness was spread across the entire continent by using the Dragon Demon king worshippers as a medium, and this ce could be called the nucleus of the Great Darkness.


    This was where the essence of Darkness refined by magic was gathered. Reygus was very familiar with this feeling. He had already been revived from death once, and his revival could be traced back to the Great Darkness.


    <It really is annoying toe here, because of the stairs.>


    The Abyss was basically an enormous tomb. The staircase leading down was helical in structure, and the steps protruded from the walls. It was wide enough to allow only a single person to traverse down it. Reygus was a giant that was over 3 meters tall, so the stairway was too small for him. He had to stick to the wall as he travelled downward. He was performing an acrobatic feat.


    There was a silhouette of a pale girl next to him.


    -Is that the king?


    Kayalia asked the question as she looked at the center of the Abyss.


    There wasn¡¯t a single light within the darkness that was coalesced through magic. However, Reygus and Kayalia could see the form within the darkness.


    It was the Dragon Demon King Atein¡¯s body. It was slowly recovering as time passed.


    ording to the observations recorded by the in of Darkness, his bones were the first to form. Organs, muscles and nerves followed next. Thest to form was his skin. His skin started to grow from his fingertips and toes. It crawled inwards, and skin was now starting to cover Atein¡¯s body.


    If one thought about the process, it felt as if the revival wasn¡¯t too far off. However, Kayalia tilted her head in puzzlement.


    -Did sir Almarick go through this process in his revival?


    <I do not know. Even he has no memories on how he was revived.>


    -Then you don¡¯t know how you were revived also?


    <It was as if I woke up from a long sleep, and I was like this.>


    -Hmm.......


    <Was it the same for you?>


    -It¡¯s always the same for me.


    <Mmm?>


    -Ah. It is a little bit different each time. After I was dispersed, I pulled myself together, and I found myself in this form.....


    <This time? What do you mean?>


    -You knew what I was before I became engaged to the king, right?


    <At the very least, you weren¡¯t in this form. Ah, I¡¯m using your past self as the standard.>


    -That standard can¡¯t be used on my current self. Anyways, the ingredients that makes up ¡®me¡¯ was scattered, and I was put back together. However, the current ¡®me¡¯ that is put back together is a little bit different from my past self. I need two things to realize what change has actually urred. I need time and a trigger.


    <Hmm. It sounds profound.>


    -That was the reason why the king proposed to me. It was a mutually beneficial rtionship.


    <...that was the reason why the two of you got engaged?>


    -The rules of my tribe was strict. We can only trade kernels of our techniques with those that marry one of our tribe members. That is the minimum threshold.


    <You rtionship with him sounds quite dreary.>


    -Amongst all of us, the only one blinded by love was Aincera unni. The king was the only man for her. Unexpectedly, she loved with a fiery passion.


    <Love seems to be out of character with her.......>


    -When she inherited the Great Darkness from the king.... She made the choice knowing the consequences. The king wasn¡¯t someone that would hide his problems. He wouldn¡¯t just push off his responsibility onto another.


    <.......>


    -I didn¡¯t like that part about unni, but at the same time, I was a bit jealous of her.


    <...I see.>


    Kayalia flew up into the Darkness, and she approached Atein¡¯s body, which was slowly recovering within the Abyss. She carefully looked over him as she spoke.


    -However, something does bother me.


    <What is it?>


    -Why did the king insist on using this strange method to revive himself?


    <Mmmm?>


    -He is someone that is capable of using my technique. His revival could have been much simpler and faster.... So why?


    Kayalia mumbled to herself as if she didn¡¯t understand this point.


    8


    The Albatan forest was trulyrge. The sea of trees were endless no matter how far they traveled. Even if there were asional gaps in the tree, their sight was obstructed by mountains.


    This ce deserved to be called the Demonds. It was that dangerous.


    The party had travelled for only a day, yet they had fought numerous foes. At times, they faced wild beasts, wild beasts consolidated under a leader, and....


    ¡°Wow. Those are Ettins. I¡¯ve heard about them, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen one!¡±


    Yuren was taken aback.


    A giant possessing two ugly heads was attacking the party. It was over 10 meters tall, and each of its steps shook the ground. It was of the giant race, but it was a higher race than the ogres. They were called the Ettins.


    ¡°They are annoying.¡±


    Leticia grumbled.


    Orc archers were shooting at them from various locations. However, the arrows were flying through an irregr path. It seems there was a magician controlling the path of the arrows. The arrows weaved through the trees.


    The forest held terrifying foes. However, they couldn¡¯t touch the party members.


    -Unyielding Fortress!

 Chapter 162 - Inherited Resolution (4)

    Chapter 162 - Inherited Resolution (4)


    -Unyielding Fortress!


    A ripple made out of light surrounded them. All the arrows were repelled when they came in contact with the ripple.


    The ripple even repelled the attacks by the the Ettins.


    Goo-wuhhhhhhhh!


    Ettins were sorge that they didn¡¯t need any weapons. Their arms were unusually longpared to the proportion of their body, and the distal ends of their hands were formed of a substance that was as hard as a rock.


    The swings of their arms exceeded the damage one could cause with a battering ram.


    Koo-oooooohng!


    However, the light ripple easily absorbed the impact. The Ettins ate up too much ground with their long strides, so the party wasn¡¯t able to lose them. However, the party was able to advance in a veryid-back manner.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°At this point, they should have realized the gap between our capabilities..... It¡¯ll be annoying, but I¡¯ll have to kill their leader.¡±


    ¡°Annoying? Is that all there is to it?¡±


    Kairen couldn¡¯t suppress hisughter as he asked the question.


    Azell answered him.


    ¡°I am thankful that they are bing partners for my rehab training, so I don¡¯t want to kill them if I don¡¯t have to. It is true that we are intruding into their territory, so my response will be mild.¡±


    The light ripple, which was protecting the party members, was Azell¡¯s Dragon weapon named ¡®Unyielding Fortress¡¯. It was as the name implied. The Dragon weapon boasted powerful defensive abilities.


    If Azell wanted to do so, he could have responded by giving orders to the Guardian Shadows. However, he wanted to avoid a fight, so he had focused on defense. This didn¡¯t mean their enemies gave up on their attacks. In the end, Azell had to summon a new Dragon weapon.


    -Rise Dragon weapon! Dawn¡¯s Defender!


    A bubbles made out of light appeared in the air, and it formed into a silhouette. It looked as if it was drawn with white light, yet it held a resemnce to Azell.


    Kairen was surprised.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t your clone?¡±


    ¡°It is my Dragon weapon. I share my senses, thoughts and magical energy with it. It can fight autonomously. Also... I want to borrow your strengths.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°You cooperation will let me add your powers to the Dawn¡¯s Defender. You just have to give consent.¡±


    Azell let out augh. His expression said he was hiding a secret. Everyone was confused, but they followed his instruction.


    What followed next was.....


    ¡°Uh?¡±


    Silhouettes made out of light appeared next to each of them. They resembled the party members.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°The maximum I can make is eight, but there aren¡¯t that many of us. I¡¯ll fill the rest with myself.¡±


    Three more silhouettes that resembled Azell appeared. There was a total of eight of them.


    They dashed out of the Unyielding Fortress, and they started to fight.


    ¡°What the hell?¡±


    Laura was shocked. Their sight was obstructed by the forest, but Yuren and Lauren was able to ce a magic eye in the air to survey their surrounding. This was why they were able to see the battle.....


    ¡°They are using our abilities?¡±


    Yuren mumbled in disbelief.


    Azell had made eight silhouettes using his Dragon weapon, Dawn¡¯s Defender. These silhouettes were fighting in the same style as the party. Their martial abilities, magic and even personal abilities were being replicated. The silhouette resembling Leticia was using her abilities, which dealt with frost.


    In a sh, their enemies started to fall.


    The battle capability of the Dawn¡¯s Defenders were so overwhelming that their enemies were being subdued without any deaths. Even the Ettins were easily subdued by the magic used by the silhouette that looked liked Laura and Yuren.


    Kairen was baffled as he asked a question.


    ¡°Those are our abilities.... Did you create an exact clone of us?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t an exact one, but you are correct.¡±


    Dragon weapon Dawn¡¯s Defender could create up to 8 cloned soldiers. It replicated the user of the weapon, and anyone that dered their support to the wielder. It didn¡¯t matter if one was a warrior or a magician. It could replicate the person¡¯s specialty skills.


    ¡°However, there is a limit. It cannot replicate the power of tools like the Dragon weapons. It also resonates to borrow one¡¯s thought process and overall skill. That is why the people being replicated has to be present. There¡¯s a limits to the abilities they could use, and the magical energy is inferiorpared to the original.¡±


    Azell¡¯s party possessed much stronger magical energypared to an average Dragon Majin. The Dawn¡¯s Defenders possessed inferior abilitiespared to them.


    This still meant each of them possessed magical energy that rivaled a Dragon Majin. The Dragon weapon could create eight of them. It truly was a terrifying weapon.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°That was the Dragon weapon you used to defeat Baldazark....¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It was count Banan¡¯s Dragon weapon. He was killed by Baldazark.¡±


    Count Banan was a mild mannered magician of few words. However, he had also been a determined man with the me of revenge burning within his heart. He had lost countless family members andrades through the Dragon Demon war. His longing for them had been transferred in the creation of the Dragon weapon called the Dawn¡¯s Defender.


    He was a powerful force on the battlefield, but he found himself in a disadvantageous situation against Baldazark. He had to fight one on one with Baldazark, and he had suffered a grievous wound that he couldn¡¯t recover from. This was why he picked Azell as the person that would wield his Dragon weapon. He closed his eyes after transferring his weapon to Azell.


    In the future, Azell would replicate hisrades with his Dragon weapon, and he used overwhelming numbers to defeat Baldazark.


    Kairen couldn¡¯t hide his surprise.


    ¡°This is truly amazing. It seems the records doesn¡¯t do you any justice as to what you aplished. I never expected such wondrous abilities.....¡±


    ¡°Mmm. We should stop talking about it. It is embarrassing.¡±


    Azell let out a bitterugh.


    9


    Azell¡¯s party forged ahead as they fought.


    Aside from Azell, the other party members were still in rough shape. Azell had recovered nine of his Dragon weapons from the Keepers of the Prophecy, so his battle capability was overpowered. It didn¡¯t matter, which opponents showed up. He was able to continue his ridiculous feat of subduing his enemies with minimal bloodshed.


    There was a general unrest amongst the inhabitants of the Albatan forest.


    ¡®Powerful outsiders have shown up at the edge of the forest. We can¡¯t even touch them.¡¯


    ¡®They are a strange bunch. We are the ones bringing the fight to them, yet they are avoiding killing us. They are just moving forward.¡¯


    ¡®Are we going to take this insult lying down? Or.......¡¯


    As time passed, the rumor about Azell¡¯s party spread throughout the forest. The factions within the forest were antagonistic towards each other, but at the same time, they worked together to repel outside forces. This was why the news about Azelll¡¯s party were being spread amongst them.


    This was also what Azell was aiming for.


    If they wanted to, the party could have moved stealthily through the forest. Azell had his concealment technique, and there were two high rank magicians within his party. They could have avoided around 90% of the enemies they had faced.


    However, Azell purposefully made himself visible as he continued to fight.


    His intentions were finally delivered to his opponents on the morning of the 4th day after they entered the Albatan forest.


    Azell¡¯s party sensed two peopleing towards them from the other side of the forest.


    Everyone became tense.


    ¡®They are strong!¡¯


    Their opponents purposefully let their existence be known. From the force that could be felt from far away, they knew these two beings were strong. They couldn¡¯t take these two lightly.


    Kairen licked his lips.


    ¡°These won¡¯t be easy opponents.¡±


    In the past four days, the party hade across skilled Dragon Majins and Dragon Demons.


    They all brought along monsters like orcs or wild beasts. It was a truly strange sight for the party members. However, it seems such sights were the norm in this ce.


    Azell broke through all of them as he continued to fight out in the open.


    ¡°Are you the outsiders that¡¯s making a ruckus in the forest?¡±


    His voice was low, and his white hair was untamed. He was a middle aged Dragon Majin with dark blue eyes, horns and Dragon Stone. He was an intimidating big man with boulder-like muscles. Then there was the young and beautiful Dragon Majin next to him. Her long blonde hair hung loose, and she looked at the party with curiosity in her eyes.


    Azell stepped forward.


    ¡°Everyone blindlessly attacked us, so we just protected ourselves.¡±


    ¡°You talk out of both sides of your mouth. You did purposefully cause the ruckus.¡±


    ¡°What evidence do you have to make such an assertion? The inhabitants of the forest attacked us first.¡±


    ¡°That is true. However.... You are only human, yet you are as strong as the heroes of our forest. You didn¡¯t hide yourself or run away. You provoked them to attack. Do you really want me to believe that this wasn¡¯t avoidable?¡±


    ¡°Everyone in my party is injured except me. That is why I behaved badly..¡±


    The Dragon Majin male snorted.


    ¡°Well, all right. I don¡¯t care what schemes you are trying to hatch.¡±


    ¡°So basically you want us to prove that we are worthy of speaking with you? You want us to prove it through strength.¡±


    ¡°It seems you are well aware of what I¡¯m trying to do. Did you do all of this knowing this would happen? I will give you the opportunity to prove your strength through a one on one battle with me. I am paying respects to your skills, which allowed you to get here without killing a single being. If you prove your strength, I will grant your request.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what I want?¡±


    ¡°You want to meet Albatan-nim. Am I right?¡±


    ¡°We are on the same page. Good.¡±


    Azell grinned.


    The Dragon Magin male spoke.


    ¡°I am Albatan-nim¡¯s hero Havan.¡±


    ¡°I am sir Azell Zestringer.¡±


    ¡°...Azell?¡±


    The one to react wasn¡¯t Havan. It was the blonde haired Dragon Majin female.


    However, Havan didn¡¯t wait for her to speak. A wave of Dragon Demon magic spread like a storm.


    -Open Dragon Soul!


    Azell became surprised when he saw this.


    ¡°What the hell?¡±


    By the look of him, Azell had assumed his opponent possessed a Dragon weapon. However, the Dragon Majin male use a strange technique instead of summoning his Dragon weapon.


    A semi-translucent light dragon curled around Havan¡¯s body. The image of the dragon was made out of a semi-translucent green light, and it growled. Azell could feel a powerful will as if the dragon was a living being.


    Azell asked a question.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen this technique before. Could you tell me the name of it?¡±


    ¡°This is the Dragon Soul. It is a sworn friend awakened through the Dragon¡¯s power sleeping within me.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t discern anything through that exnation.....¡±


    ¡°I have no obligations to tell you any more. Now it is time for you to prove yourself.¡±


    After making the deration, Havan unsheathed his sword. It was twice asrge as a normal long sword. It was a huge sword.


    ¡°I¡¯m not too fond of unreasonable battle freaks, but I guess I have no choice.¡±


    Azell snorted. In the next moment, Havan charged Azell, who hadn¡¯t even unsheathed his sword.


    However, there was no sound of sword meeting flesh. Azell had resolved into two. The close ced its hand on the surface of Havan¡¯s sword, and he sidestepped the blow. Azell¡¯s true body was behind Havan, and an explosive wave of Dragon Demon magic emanated from Azell.


    -Come Dragon weapon! Moon sword!


    A slender strand of light appeared in midair, and it formed into a sword that curved gently. It was as if the sword was carved from the moon in the night sky.


    Havan let out a sharpugh when he saw it.


    ¡°As expected, you are a wielder of a Dragon weapon!¡±


    ¡°I thought you were one too.¡±


    Azell gave his reply as he used his Instantaneous Movement to disappear. In a sh, Havan also used his Instantaneous Movement technique.


    Pah-jee-jee-jeek!


    A fierce spark formed when the red sword shed against the Moon sword. The expulsive power of the blow should have flung them backwards, but the two refused to move.


    At some point in time, the light dragon surrounding Havan started to move. It stretched its neck towards Azell¡¯s side, and it spat out a beam of light.


    ¡°Ho-oh! Is that how you use it?¡±


    The sound of the explosion rang out. Azell and Havan separated into their respective corners.


    Azell dashed towards the retreating Havan. He had been aiming for the moment when they were pushed back from the repulsive force. However, it was Azell¡¯s clone that had blitzed Havan. Havan mumbled to himself as he deflected the clone¡¯s attack.


    ¡°You are a mere human, yet you are able to use Incarnation mastefully....¡±


    Incarnation was considered to be one of the most outstanding skills amongst the Dragon Arts. One had to have aptitude for the skill to reach the pinnacle of this skill, and it truly was rare to see someone that had reached such heights with the skill.


    However, one of the heroes within the Albatan forest was able to use Incarnation, so Havan was able to keep his cool. He didn¡¯t flounder. However, another clone formed in the next moment, and they attack Havan. Havan was frantic as he was pushed back by Azell¡¯s attacks.


    The Dragon Demon female, who had been watching all of this, let out a shout.


    ¡°Husband! This human......!¡±


    ¡°This is a battle where the pride of two warriors are on the line! Don¡¯t interfere!¡±


    Havan let out a stubborn yell.


    The members of Azell¡¯s party became surprised. Those two were married?


    The Dragon Demon female puffed up as she grumbled to herself.


    ¡°Stubborn idiot.¡±


    Kairen asked her a question.


    ¡°Are you really going to let them fight a one on one battle?¡±


    ¡°Mmm? Your side haven¡¯t interfered yet. Why? Do you n on helping yourrade?¡±


    She tilted her head in question. Kairen shook his head from side to side.


    ¡°The thought hadn¡¯t even crossed my mind. Moreover, my help isn¡¯t needed.¡±


    ¡°I want to say you are being impertinent, but.......¡±


    Suddenly, she let out a bitterugh.


    ¡°The problem is that you might be right. I should have fought instead of him.¡±


    While they were talking, the fight between the two had intensified. They were moving at incredibly high speeds, and at times, they used Instantaneous movement to move around. It was dizzying to watch. The beautiful trees broke every time they shed, and the shock wave swept over the surrounding.


    Kairen couldn¡¯t hide his surprise as he watched the fight.


    Havan was a Dragon Majin, but his Dragon Demon magic was stronger than most Dragon Demons. Moreover, his technique was also excellent. Even if Kairen was at full strength, he couldn¡¯t guarantee his victory if he fought against Havan.


    ¡®I¡¯m still not sure what that is.......¡¯

 Chapter 163 - Inherited Resolution (5)

    Chapter 163 - Inherited Resolution (5)


    The light dragon coiled around Havan¡¯s body. It was acting as an armor and a weapon. Azell attacked as he appeared unpredictably from all sides, yet his attacks were being blocked by the light dragon. Moreover, the light dragon was simultaneously attacking Azell using its tail and the powerful beam of light emitted from its mouth.


    ¡®Is that a Dragon weapon? No, Azell was surprised when he saw it. It might not be a Dragon weapon.¡¯


    The light dragon attacked alongside Havan as if they were of one mind. However, Havan was losing. His specialty was using powerful attacks that entuated his strength. However, Azell was cutting off his attacks before it could gain any steam.


    Azell¡¯s clones were too fickle as their numbers increased and decreased at any moment. Havan¡¯s senses were confused, and he couldn¡¯t highlight his advantages. He was continuously being pushed backwards. He suddenly became furious as he yelled out.


    ¡°Shit! What an evil weapon!¡±


    He finally identified the ability of the Moon sword. However, it was toote. Azell smiled.


    ¡°You were too slow in realizing it. This is what you get for being a brute, who rely solely on your strength.¡±


    Dragon weapon Moon sword.


    It was Azell¡¯s very first Dragon weapon. It was the sword he inherited from his third teacher Lin.


    Lin¡¯s Dragon weapon was entric. Two swords made up a single Dragon weapon. Originally, it was called the Sun and the Moon sword. The Moon sword took control and absorbed the magical energy in the surrounding. The Sun sword amplified the energy several folds before it emitted the magical energy.


    When Lin was trying to save Azell, he had transferred only the Moon sword to Azell.


    The two swords had to be used as a pair. However, he had been given only one, so of course, the sword couldn¡¯t be used properly. This was why Azell had gone through several Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual to evolve the Moon sword, which had lost its other half. The reconstituted Moon sword possessed much stronger ability to dominate and absorb magical energy. Its ability couldn¡¯t bepare to its former self.


    ¡°S...shit!¡±


    Havan was stunned.


    If one had some ability to control magical energy, it was possible to seize and absorb magical energy from one¡¯s surrounding. However, how could a Dragon weapon chip away even the magical energy in his body when it hadn¡¯t even touched him?


    Moreover, if he was careless in emitting his magical energy, his opponent would absorb it all. In fact, he had consumed several times more magical energy than any battle he had participated in before. It was an extreme amount.


    In the end, Havan decided to use something he had held back as a gambit for victory.


    ¡°My sworn brother! Do not hold back your power!¡±


    The light dragon started to burn like a me.


    Until now, Havan¡¯s attack had been interrupted before it could initiate, so he hadn¡¯t been able to use any of his big skills. However, this was his light dragon¡¯s ace in the hole ability. The power immediately boosted his Dragon Demon magic by several folds.


    Azell¡¯s eyes shone.


    ¡°So you aren¡¯t thinking about the aftermath?¡±


    Azell immediately realized what Havan was doing.


    He confirmed it through the fight. The light Dragon was something simr to the Dragon weapons. It was formed through Dragon Demon magic, yet it needed the Dragon Demon magic of the wielder.


    Havan consumed the Dragon Demon magic needed to maintain the form of the light Dragon, and he gained a several fold amplification to his power. It was a simr method to the one Azell had used to bring out a power that exceeded his vessel. In this instance, Havan wasn¡¯t doing this within himself. It was all done through the light dragon.


    ¡°I¡¯ming!¡±


    Havan¡¯s movement elerated. His strength and speed was on a different level!


    Azell stabbed to stop his movement, yet Havan disappeared.


    Too-ahhhhng!


    Havan had exited the range of Azell¡¯s attack before Azell couldplete his stab. Before Azell could turn his sword, Havan kicked off the ground, and he came towards Azell. He was traveling at terrifying speed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll end you!¡±


    This was something he hadn¡¯t been able to do since the start of the fight. He struck out with a blow that held all the strength in his body. Azell¡¯s stance had been disrupted, so there was no way he could avoid it. Havan was sure of it.


    When his sword reach its maximum speed, something unimaginable urred.


    ¡®My god!¡¯


    Azell elerated faster than the attack, and he jumped into Havan¡¯s guard. If Azell had gotten in the path of the sword, he would have been cut into two. He had done somethingpletely insane.


    However, Azell didn¡¯t hesitate as he went past Havan. The exchange was brief, but Azell had bumped Havan by a minute amount as he went past. However, Havan¡¯s bnce hadpletely crumbled under it.


    ¡°Koo-ahk!¡±


    Havan followed through on his sword strike. He spun superbly through the air before he was nted into the ground. The beautiful trees in the surrounding broke like matchsticks, and a loud sound rang out.


    Azell turned to look at him as he asked the question.


    ¡°You want to continue this?¡±


    After a moment, an answer could be heard.


    ¡°...shit! I lost!¡±


    Havan fumed as he got up.


    It was aplete loss. He had attacked with the intent to kill, yet Azell had fought, while trying to spare his life. It showed the gulf between their skill level. He had no choice, but to ept this fact.


    The blonde haired Dragon Majin woman walked towards him as she spoke.


    ¡°You are an idiot. You charged like a boar without realizing who your opponent is. You got what you deserved.¡±


    ¡°Hmmph. Do you think I¡¯m petty enough to take advice after I¡¯ve already started my one on one fight?¡±


    Havan jumped off the floor. If he had been a normal person, his body would have been broken into pieces by the impact. However, not a single bone was broken.


    The Dragon Majin female massaged her forehead.


    ¡°Why the hell did I fall for such a man?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for intruding on a conversation between a married couple, but.....¡±


    At that moment, Azell let out a bitterugh as he butted into the conversation.


    ¡°Could you facilitate my meeting with Albatan?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve passed the test given by our side, so we will do so. However, did you really need to go through all of this hassle? You are the hero Azell, who defeated the Dragon Demon king Atein.¡±


    ¡°You know who I am?¡±


    ¡°As expected, you are him. It is hard to believe, but you are the real deal.¡±


    ¡°...so you guessed it.¡±


    At her reaction, Azell let out a bitterugh. She put on a bright smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. My name is Mirnel.¡±


    ¡°I see. It has been such a long time, since I¡¯ve been here. I didn¡¯t think anyone at the edge of the forest would know me. I assumed my identity could only be proven to Albatan. Moreover, everyone just kept picking a fight with me....¡±


    ¡°Most of us don¡¯t look kindly towards outsiders. Anyways, you are correct. The outer regions are under the stewardship of Hanerosa-nim and Libetan-nim. You probably do not know them......¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, who those two are.¡±


    ¡°Libetan-nim was also present in the forest when you visited the forest in the past.¡±


    ¡°Yet I do not know him?¡±


    Azell tilted his in confusion. When he came here to meet Albatan in the past, he had made a ruckus that disturbed entire forest. Anyone that was worth their salt in the forest hade to fight him for two months. That was why he had met everyone that held influence within the forest.


    Minerel had on a bright smile as she spoke.


    ¡°Libetan-nim is a Dragon, who acquired wisdom about 100 years ago.¡±


    Azell was shocked at her words.


    ¡°There are other Dragons that acquired wisdom aside from Albatan?¡±


    It was something that could happen at any moment. He knew it was a possibility, but he couldn¡¯t hide his shock when he found out that it actually had happened.


    It was at that moment...


    ¡°Uh? The one to gain wisdom was Libetan? It wasn¡¯t Lacunda?¡±


    At his words, everyone¡¯s gaze headed towards Yuren. Minerel and Havan looked at him with wary eyes. Minerel queried him.


    ¡°How do you know the name of Lecunda? How did you know Lecunda was a Dragon that was at the cusp of gaining wisdom?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that is.... There is someone that informs me of such things?¡±


    Yuren let out an awkwardugh as he spoke. It was information that was given to him in his dreamst night by the Guide. This was why he had unconsciously responded to their words. However, the reaction shown by Minerel and Havan was very severe. Minerel let out an overpowering energy. It was suffocating.


    ¡°Are you ying with me?¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment..¡±


    Azell stopped her.


    ¡°He¡¯s one of mypanions, and he really does possess such an ability.¡±


    ¡°You really want me to believe that?¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped if you don¡¯t believe me..... Well, it¡¯s just how it is. This guy receives weird information from his dreams.¡±


    Azell shrugged his shoulders as he spoke.


    ¡°Anyways, please present us to Albatan.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.......¡±


    Minerel red at Azell with suspicion, but in the end, she let out a sight.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do so.¡±


    10


    It was as if Azell¡¯s party hadn¡¯t fought them for the past four days. There was no resistance as they headed straight towards the heart of the forest.


    Minerel asked him a question.


    ¡°What are those things that are hiding in our surrounding?¡±


    When the two of them had approached Azell¡¯s party, the Guardian Shadows had hidden themselvespletely. They had no idea about the existence of the Guardian Shadows. However, they were now able to see glimpses of the Guardian Shadows from between the trees, and they were bing worried.


    Azell answered her.


    ¡°They call themselves the Guardian Shadows. If no one attacks me, they won¡¯t be hostile.¡±


    ¡°What if they worry me?¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Did Albatan give you the power to expel me depending on your judgment?¡±


    At his words, Minerel put on a coy expression. Havan scratched his head.


    ¡°Albatan-nim and the other elders probably knew all about this, yet they sent us as envoys. I have no idea why.¡±


    ¡°I think you are right. They are cantankerous old men.¡±


    Minerel agreed with Havan¡¯s words. The elders had been snickering as they sent the two of them as envoys. It seemed they some ulterior motive in doing so. Was this the reason why?


    Azell let out a bitterugh.


    ¡°I believe you are right. Albatan is highly proficient in magic, so there is no way our presence wasn¡¯t known to him.¡±


    If it wasn¡¯t Albatan, the act of checking up on Azell through the Magic Eye wasn¡¯t even work. However, there had been so many observation type magic on their party, since they entered the forest. He had no idea which one was being used by Albatan.....


    Suddenly, Minerel asked a question.


    ¡°So why do you want to meet him?¡±


    ¡°Some unknown being arranged it?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be a bit difficult to exin all of this to you... I also have to get the full story from Albatan....¡±


    Azell let out a bitterugh.


    When he decided toe here, there hadn¡¯t been some crucial reason behind his decision. He just wanted to meet someone from the past that knew him, and he had wanted to hear what had happened.


    However, as he followed the instructions of Yuren¡¯s guide, it became crucial for him toe to this ce. The problem remained that he had no idea why he had toe here until he met Albatan.


    ¡°However.....¡±


    Suddenly, Kairen turned to look at Havan as he asked a question.


    ¡°When you were fighting Azell, you used something called the Dragon Soul. What is it?¡±


    ¡°You want us to talk about our secret technique to outsiders?¡±


    ¡°Ah. Now that I think about it, I¡¯m being rude. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Recently, Azell didn¡¯t hold back in supplying Kairen with information. Leticia also didn¡¯t hesitate in exchanging techniques, and he had gotten used to it. He had forgotten the mindset of most traditional martial artists regarding sharing information. Kairen acknowledged his fault as he gave an apology.


    Havan smirked.


    ¡°It seems you do have some manners. I cannot speak about such things without the consent of the elders. Please do not speak any further about that subject.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    Havan spoke in a threatening manner, but Kairen knew he was the one at fault. This was why he didn¡¯t take any offense as he epted Havan¡¯s words.


    Suddenly, Minerel stopped in front of a spring with arge boulder in the middle of it.


    ¡°I¡¯ve called someone that¡¯ll heal you guys. Your wounded members will slow us down, and it would take us several days to reach our destination at this pace.¡±


    ¡°Do you have someone that can heal us? Do you have a healer?¡±


    Azell asked in puzzlement. This was obvious, but there hadn¡¯t been one 220 years ago. At the time, only the priests from the temples could use the healing art, and there hadn¡¯t been any priests here.


    Mirnel shook her head.


    ¡°No. Unfortunately, we do not have any hearlers here. However, there is someone with the ability to heal.¡±


    ¡°Is it an ability of a Dragon weapon?¡±


    Several heroes acknowledged by Albatan carried Dragon weapons. However, 220 years had passed, and there were probably beings like Havan, who used this mysterious technique called Dragon Soul instead of a Dragon weapon.....


    ¡®The woman called Minerel seems to use a simr technique as him.....¡¯


    From her outer appearance, Minerel looked to be of the same age as Kairen. By that age, she probably could have made her own Dragon weapon if she had diligently studied the Dragon Arts from a young age.


    However, Azell decided she was a user of the Dragon Soul. The energy emanating from her body felt simr to Havan.


    Soon, he could feel someone approaching them from the opposite side. Azell instantly could tell this being was a Dragon Demon, and he felt something strange.


    ¡®Is it someone I know?¡¯


    The feel of this Dragon Demon magic wasn¡¯t unfamiliar.


    ¡®It is to be expected. I¡¯m sure a lot of beings from the time I visited here survived...¡¯


    Azell was having such thought when he caught sight of a figure. He became puzzled before he became surprised. It was as if he had seen a ghost.


    The middle aged Dragon Demon male was refined. He had neatly trimmed ck hair, and he possessed a stylish long beard. His eyes were red, and two ck obsidian-like horns curved towards the sky. There was a red Dragon stone on the back of his hand. It was the same color as his eyes.


    ¡°How can you......¡±


    The Dragon Demon male looked puzzled as he looked at Azell. Azell¡¯s eyes widened when he recognized the Dragon Demon in front of him..


    ¡°Are you perhaps..... Aren¡¯t you the Simpleton Prince?¡±


    At his words, the Dragon Demon let out a bitterugh. Theughter held surprise, but he didn¡¯t sound too happy. He spoke with a voice that revealed that he was feelingplex emotions at that moment.


    ¡°It has been a long time since I¡¯ve heard that insulting nickname.¡±


    He was Dragon Demon Atein¡¯s son, and the father of Niberis. It was Saibein.

 Chapter 164 - The Wise Dragon (1)

    Chapter 164 - The Wise Dragon (1)


    1


    Saibein was officially dered missing from the in of Darkness around 20 years ago.


    He went missing after he fought against the Guardian Shadows within the Rin Kingdom. No one knew why he had gone there, and his fate had be a mystery.


    The in of Darkness was dogged in their search for him, and they were able to find where he had gone. This resulted in Niberis inheriting his Dragon weapon, but she had been unable to make contact with him.


    This was the extent of the story he had heard from Laura.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°...you¡¯ve aged. I guess it is to be expected since a significant amount of time has passed.¡±


    Azell couldn¡¯t immediately recognize Saibein, because he had aged in the past 220 years. During the Dragon Demon war, he had looked like a young man. In terms of human age, Saibein currently looked as if he was in histe 40s or early 50s. He had cut his long hair, and he had grown a beard. He lookedpletely different.


    Saibein spoke.


    ¡°You really are.... You look exactly as you did in the past. It is almost unbelievable. How is it possible for a human to do this? How are you still alive?¡±


    For a brief moment, Saibein became suspicious. He wondered if the man in front of him was the descendant of the original Azell. However, how could his descendant recognize Sabein, who had aged?


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m not obligated to answer your questions.¡±


    ¡°That is true. However, I dide here to heal yourrades. Could you take that into consideration and answer my questions? Since we are meeting in this ce, I believe we are no longer enemies.¡±


    ¡°...the Simpleton Prince I knew didn¡¯t have such a flexible personality. It seems a lot has changed over the years.¡±


    Azell let out a bitterugh.


    From what he remembered, Saibein had been obsessed with honor, and he had been inflexible during all negotiations. He also thirsted for fame, so he did a lot of idiotic things.... The leadership group of the human alliance had been thankful for his existence, since Saibein had been very predictable. It seems his personality had gone through a lot of change over the past 200 years.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I slept for a long time to alleviate the curse put on me by your father. I¡¯ve woken up recently.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about a hibernation?¡±


    ¡°It is fair to make thatparison.¡±


    ¡°How could a human go into hibernation? How can this be?¡±


    ¡°It was through a very profound magic. Atein used magic to revive the dead. Is it really surprising that I went into slumber for the past 220 years?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it is surprising. When you are referencing the raising of the dead, who are you talking about? By the way you phrased it, you aren¡¯t talking about an Undead......¡±


    Azell was baffled by his words.


    ¡°...didn¡¯t you hold a high position in the in of Darkness before you went missing? Howe you don¡¯t know anything?¡±


    ¡°After I came here, I cut off all contacts with the in of Darkness. Aside from the time I gave my Dragon weapon to my daughter......¡±


    ¡°So you are saying you cut off contact way before Almarick was revived?¡±


    ¡°Sir Almarick?¡±


    Saibein became surprised, but his expression turned serious soon.


    ¡°If that is true.... It seems the time of my father¡¯s revival is approaching.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    He was the same now as in the old days. He was the Simpleton Prince. Azell watched his earnest reaction, and it confirmed that he didn¡¯t know any important information even though he was the prince.


    Saibein let out a sigh.


    ¡°I want to hear many stories from you, but this isn¡¯t the ce to do so. Still, Albatan-nim is quite mean. He sent me here with no prior information.¡±


    ¡°He always had a yful personality. It seems that hasn¡¯t changed.¡±


    Azell spoke as he thought about the past.


    When he came here before in the past, Atein and his party had arrived in the forest right after him. The Dragon hadn¡¯t exined anything to either side, so the two sides had almost fought when they came across each other. At the time, Azell and Carlos had wanted to smack the smirk off of the Dragon¡¯s face.


    Havan and Minerel had been sent as envoys without any background information. Afterwards, Saibein was in the dark as he was sent to heal them. It seemed the Dragon¡¯s personality hadn¡¯t changed.


    Saibein spoke.


    ¡°We should start the treatment... ¡±


    Sabein¡¯s expression turned peculiar when he looked over the faces of Azell¡¯s party members. He looked closely at Laura as he spoke.


    ¡°Miss, are you perhaps from the Aunsaurus tribe?¡±


    ¡°Yes..¡±


    Laura answered him. Saibein went missing before Laura made her public appearance, so they hadn¡¯t met before. However, Laura had inherited all the characteristics that identified her as a descendant of Aunsaurus.


    He asked in puzzlement.


    ¡°Why is someone from the Aunsaurus tribe with Azell?¡±


    ¡°I betrayed them.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you are aware of this fact, but our elders are the worst.¡±


    ¡°...mmmm.¡±


    Saibein murmured to himself. She was so frank in her admission of betrayal that Saibein lost his train of thought for a brief moment.


    ¡°It seems the number of stories I want to hear from all of you have grown. However.... Let¡¯s heal you first.¡±


    He closed his eyes as he concentrated. A powerful wave of Dragon Demon magic emanated from him.


    -Dragon Soul release!


    He was also using the technique called the Dragon Soul. However, there was a clear difference between the Dragon Soul of Havan and Saibein.


    The silhouette of a Dragon wrapped around his body, but it wasn¡¯t made out of light. It was made out of pitch ck darkness, and it was crawling over his body.


    It really was an ominous sight.


    Azell queried.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking just to be sure....¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°...are you sure you took that out with the intent to heal us?¡±


    ¡°What if I did?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    It didn¡¯t look like it no matter how one looked at the Dragon Soul. His party members felt the same way about it.


    Saibein spoke.


    ¡°I know what you are trying to say, but it is true that my Dragon Soul¡¯s ability deals with healing. However, the source of my magical energy is darkness, so it looks like this.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.......¡±


    ¡°It is made from magical energy of darkness, but this is nothing like the ck magic where one has to take life energy to heal a patient. You also don¡¯t have to worry about any side effects. I confirmed all of this through experimentation. I promise upon my honor.¡±


    ¡°It is hard to believe you just by looking at its outer appearance, but.... I¡¯ll trust you for now.¡±


    ¡°I heard humans bow by getting on their knees. I guess this is my lot in life now.¡±


    Saibein grumbled as he approached the party members. He put out his hands towards Laura


    ¡°I¡¯ll start with the miss. May you hold my hands?¡±


    ¡°...yes.¡±


    Larua looked a bit tense as she followed his direction. The Dragon of darkness surrounding Saibein was emitting an intense power. One needed a good amount of courage to expose one¡¯s hands to it.


    However, when she grabbed his hands, it unexpectedly didn¡¯t feel too out of the ordinary. It was as if she was dipping her hands into water.


    Ooooooooohng.......


    Afterwards, the Dark Dragon twitched as it expanded. The darkness deepened further, and itpletely encased his body, and it encircled Laura, who was holding his hands.


    Azell queried Minerel.


    ¡°Will this really be ok?¡±


    ¡°I understand why you are worried, but his healing ability is considered to be one of the best in our forest. It hadn¡¯t been too long since he awakened his Dragon Soul, but it is an excellent ability. You can rx.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    Even after hearing her words, he wanted the dragon of darkness crawl around in front of him. He was unable to rx. He tried to expand his sense to see what was uring inside, but he couldn¡¯t prate the darkness. He had no idea what was going on.


    He remained frustrated as he waited for around 10 minutes.


    Two people appeared as the darkness retreated.


    ¡°Laura.¡±


    Laura still held Saibein¡¯s hands, and her eyes were closed. When Azell called her name, she broke out of the trance, and she opened her eyes.


    Soon, she looked down at her body with surprise.


    ¡°...I¡¯mpletely healed.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Is this true?¡±


    Kairen and Yuren queried as if they couldn¡¯t believe it.


    Laura had been severely wounded. She had been treated by a high ranking ck magician by injecting life energy into her. However, she needed time topletely recover. However, Saibein had healed her in around 5 minutes.


    Laura mumbled to herself.


    ¡°It felt as if I was taking afortable nap, but I never expected such results.....¡±


    ¡°This was possible, because your Dragon Demon magic is strong. This won¡¯t be as effective against a wounded civilian. However, as a cost, your Dragon Demon magic was changed into life energy, so your Energy Pulse should be close to empty right now.¡±


    After hearing Saibein¡¯s words, Laura checked her own status. Her magical energy had bottomed out. However, it was akin to her using her magical energy in an intense manner. It didn¡¯t evoke a tortuous feeling of tiredness. A pleasant drowsiness washed over her.


    Saibein spoke.


    ¡°All of you have strong magical energy, so the healing process will go easier. Who¡¯s the next patient?¡±


    2


    Saibein¡¯s surprising healing ability allowed the party members to recover to their normal state within the hour.


    Everyone except Laura was unable to recover fully. Saibein exined why.


    ¡°As I¡¯ve said before, the healing effect bes stronger depending on the strength of my patient¡¯s Dragon Demon magic. When humans and Dragon Majin takes the power of a Dragon through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, the body recovers through the absorption of the power. The concept is analogous to what I did.¡±


    When one won and imbibed the Dragon¡¯s power through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, one¡¯s body strengthened in a gradual manner. However, the recovery happened almost instantaneously. Saibein¡¯s healing ability copied this concept.


    In the case of Laura, her supply of Dragon Demon magic had been low thanks to her grievous injuries. However, she possessed the Dragon weapon Vitan¡¯s Chalice within her. Saibein was able to pull out her reserve power to instantly heal her wounds.


    Byparison, Kairen and Leticia didn¡¯t possess any Dragon weapons. Since their body was a mess, their Energy Pulse was also a mess. They could only use 20% of their normal Dragon Demon magic, so the result of their healing process was weakpared to Laura.


    In the case of Yuren, he was a human, and he hadn¡¯t gone through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. However, he had practiced the training method left behind by Carlos. This was why there was a hint of Dragon Demon magic within him. Still, one couldn¡¯t expect much result with Yuren.


    Saibein spoke.


    ¡°The two of them will be at full health tomorrow. The human youth will take around four days. It seems you are a ck magician, but you should refrain from using the stolen life energy. You¡¯ll develop side effects.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Yuren nodded his head without making a fuss. Yuren had experienced the healing effects, and he knew Saibein was a more skilled ck magician than him. This was why he had no ill feeling when he was given the warning.


    Azell express his surprise.


    ¡°It is an amazing ability. Did you give up your Dragon weapon to your daughter, because you gain this ability?¡±


    ¡°No. One cannon gain a Dragon Soul if one possesses a Dragon weapon.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    ¡°Please understand that I am not allowed to talk more on this subject. You are all outsiders. If you want to hear more about it, you¡¯ll have to receive permission from Albatan-nim.¡±


    ¡°You are saying I should ask my questionster.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also refraining myself from asking you questions. Ah. Do you perhaps know if my daughter is fine?¡±


    ¡°At the very least, she was alive couple days ago.¡±


    ¡°That means.... You fought my daughter.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right..¡±


    Azell knew he could be buying Saibein¡¯s enmity, but he didn¡¯t hide the truth.


    During the Dragon Demon war, they had been enemies that were unable to stand each other. Even if Azell had slept for a long time, it wasn¡¯t as if his enmity towards Sabein had disappeared.


    Saibein lived through the entirety of the 220 years, but he might also be having a hard time erasing his hatred towards Azell. Moreover, the Dragon Demon war didn¡¯t feel too far behind for Azell.


    Saibein let out a sight after he looked at Azell for a brief moment.


    ¡°...all right. Let¡¯s resolve that problem at ater time. Follow me. Albatan-nim wanted to meet you all.¡±


    ¡°The heart of the forest is still far away.... Will we be able to arrive there by today?¡±


    ¡°It is possible.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    Albatan forest was about the same size as the Iellos Kingdom. If their whole party was healthy, they might be able to do it. However, it wasn¡¯t a distance that could be travelled with the wounded.


    However, Saibein was sure of himself.


    ¡°How did you think I arrived here as soon as I was contacted?¡±


    ¡°Do you have a Dragon weapon that can bridge space?¡±


    ¡°Is isn¡¯t a Dragon weapon, but it is something that can do what you described.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Saibein spoke as he enjoyed seeing Azell¡¯s frustrated reaction.


    ¡°Road of Emptiness.¡±

 Chapter 165 - The Wise Dragon (2)

    Chapter 165 - The Wise Dragon (2)


    3


    The Road of Emptiness existed within the Demond of Albatan.


    It was something Laura, Yuren and Leticia didn¡¯t know about. In truth, there was an independent Road of Emptiness present here. It was separate from the Road of Emptiness controlled by the in of Darkness.


    ¡°I was told my father installed it here as a gesture of goodwill towards Albatan-nim.¡±


    Saibein spoke.


    There weren¡¯t that many waypoints, but it really was of big help when one wanted to travel across the vast Albatan forest.


    Azell couldn¡¯t suppress his surprise.


    ¡°It is an unbelievably useful facility. It really annoys me that you guys can use it to your heart¡¯s content.¡±


    If the Road of Emptiness didn¡¯t exist, the party wouldn¡¯t have been in as deep of a hole as they were in right now. Even if one could identify the location and destination of the party, time was needed to mobilize a force. Since their party was small in number, they should have been able to lose their trackers easily by fluidly changing directions.


    ¡®As expected, I have to destroy it¡¯


    In the past, he didn¡¯t want to reveal his location, so he had left the Road of Emptiness alone. However, the Vitan¡¯s Chalice made it impossible for him to hide his whereabouts. It would be beneficial for him to steal their preternatural mobility by destroying all the Road of Emptiness.


    ¡°How long will it take to move the next set of people?¡±


    Azell¡¯s party consisted of four members. There were three from the forest including Saibein.


    There were a total of seven of them, so they had to use the Road of Emptiness twice. The number restriction was four.


    Saibein spoke.


    ¡°It normally takes around 10 minutes.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.......¡±


    After a short amount of time had passed, the rest of the party was moved.


    Kairen expressed his amazement.


    ¡°When I heard the name, Road of Emptiness, I thought I would have to roam around the darkness. I just entered it, and I just popped out at the other end. Amazing.¡±


    This waypoint for the Road of Emptiness was made with the same architecture and metallic material that was the propriety of the in of Darkness. There were magical etchings on the border as the structure slowly rotated in ce. There was an darkness of unmeasurable depths at the center.


    When one entered from one side, one¡¯s vision would darken for a brief moment before one¡¯s surrounding would change. It was an extraordinary device.


    ¡°Follow me.¡±


    Saibein took the lead as he started to walk.


    When they exited the waypoint for the Road of Emptiness, they caught sight of ake. There were houses nearby theke. These houses were made out of a mixture of wood and stone. The several dozen houses looked as if they were made to be part of therge trees that sparsely popted theke.


    ¡°When I came herest time, they didn¡¯t use stone...... It seems things have changed.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? It probably is the influence of outsiders like me.¡±


    This ce was called the heart of the demond, but it was the size of a small vige. There were less than 200 houses here, and the poption didn¡¯t exceed 1,000.


    Still, the whole party was tense.


    It was in response to the Dragon Demons and Dragon Majins present here. There were almost an equal amount of thempared to the human residents here.


    ¡®This is amazing.¡¯


    Kairen expressed his surprise.


    There were Dragon Demons and Dragon Majins present, but this didn¡¯t mean they were allbatants. It was true that they were born with superior physical capabilities and magical energy, but each of them held different interests like the humans. They chose to do what interested them.


    Still, Kairen couldn¡¯t help but feel threatened when he saw arge concentration of Dragon Majins and Dragon Demons. By the feel of the wave of Dragon Demon magic being emitted by them, there were many here that were cultivating magic or the Dragon Arts.


    Suddenly, Yuren spoke.


    ¡°There are a lot of children here.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t talking about the human children. There were a lot of Dragon Demon and Dragon Majin children Everyone looked at the party with curious eyes.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°There really is.... There¡¯s a surprisingly high number of them here.¡±


    In human society, it was very rare to see a Dragon Demon or a Dragon Majin. This was why Kairen had never seen this many Dragon Majin and Dragon Demon children before. It was more than the total number of children he had seen throughout his life.


    Yuren let out a bitterugh.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t that surprising.......¡±


    ¡°Mmm? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The worshippers of the Dragon Demon race continue to have children to replenish their forces. The facility I grew up in had a lot of children.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°At least, these children were born into a happy environment.¡±


    A bitter hurt stabbed into Yuren¡¯s chest. He thought about the children he had been unable to rescue.


    Saibein turned to look at him.


    ¡°You.... Were you part of our organization?¡±


    ¡°I betrayed them.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°If we are being frank, it is hard to find something good about the organization.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    From Saibein¡¯s point of view, he was at a loss for words. After the Dragon Demon war, he had scraped together the remnants of the army. He was one of the main figures that had created the current organization.


    He let out a bitterugh as he spoke.


    ¡°I can¡¯t deny what you are saying. I¡¯m here, because of that.....¡±


    Suddenly, Azell became curious as to why Saibein had left the in of Darkness. It seemed he still held affection for his daughter, Niberis. Why was he living here in hiding after cutting off allmunication with the in of Darkness?


    ¡°We have a lot to talk about, but.....¡±


    Saibein stopped after reaching the northern end of the town. He spoke as he moved to the side of the road.


    ¡°We¡¯ll speak about it at ater time after you meet Albatan-nim. Go, Azell.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do so.¡±


    At the northern end of the town, thekeshore led into the ridge of a mountain. Azell remembered the location of Albatan¡¯s dwelling. It seemed the dragon hadn¡¯t moved. Azell went up the mountain road with hisrades.


    4


    While they were climbing up the mountain road, they felt a pressure mount. Everyone in his party was somewhat familiar with this feeling.


    ¡®There is a dragon on the other side.¡¯


    Everyone could feel this truth.


    There was a dearth of Dragon Demons and Dragon Majin in town. They were only several hundred meters away, yet a muchrger presence could be felt from the other side.


    Kairen queried.


    ¡°What kind of Dragon is Albatan?¡±


    ¡°He is basically a winged dragon.¡±


    ¡°Basically?¡±


    ¡°He was a winged dragon until he gained his wisdom. Now he is a dragon thatmon sense cannot be applied. It is useless to discuss what type of dragon he is. This is why you should erase all preconceptions you have regarding dragons.¡±


    Soon, the party arrived at the summit of the mountain. Aside from Azell, everyone was unable to hide their shock.


    It was enormous.


    Of course, all dragons wererge. However, the dragon that was looking down at them as it perched on top of the peak was..... It was bigger than any Dragon they had seen before.


    Normally, flying dragons were on the smaller sizepared to the other Dragons. Usually the smaller Dragons were 20 meters long from the head to their tail. Therge ones were usually 40 meters long. It was rare to see a flying dragon that was over 30 meters long. However, the dragon in front of them was a flying dragon, yet it was at least 60 meters long.


    ¡®Is that really a flying dragon?¡¯


    Kairen couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing, so he carefully observed the dragon. It hadrge wings, and an sleek body. Then there was the white scales that had a bluish sheen..... It was most definitely a flying dragon.


    The flying dragon suddenly grinned.


    The party members became startled. It was from apletely different species, yet it was as if a yful old man wasughing at them. Its emotion could be clearly read through its expression.


    In the next moment, something more amazing urred. The dragon opened its jaws, and it started to speak in thenguage of humans. The dragon was precise and clear with its speech.


    ¡°It has been a while. Should I call you Azell Zestringer or sir Azell Karzark? Which do you prefer?¡±


    ¡°You can call me whatever you like. You can just call me Azell. Albatan, has your growth period ended?¡±


    Azell smirked as he replied. Albatan raised its front paw to scratch its cheek. It was such a human-like gesture that everyone stared at Albatan with a dumbfounded expression on their faces.


    ¡°I think so. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll get any bigger.¡±


    ¡°Your power seems to have grown.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the growth period for my power has ended yet.¡±


    The resonance of power flowing out of Albatan was subdued. However, there was heavy weight to it. One could guess that an incredible amount of power dwelled within its enormous body.


    Suddenly, Albatan lowered its body, and the party saw a pose that was more amazing than the one before. It bent its arms as it ced its elbows on the ground. Then it propped its chin on its paws.


    ¡°Huh huh huh.......¡±


    Each it movement was so surreal that it was as if they were in a dream. Kairen let out augh that sounded forced.


    Albatanughed as if it enjoyed seeing such reactions.


    ¡°This is interesting. I knew you would visit me someday, but now that you are here, I¡¯m very surprised. You are a human, yet you haven¡¯t changed much through the years.¡±


    ¡°I was also surprised.... It is good to see you.¡±


    After he had woken up, Albatan was one of the few beings left that had known Azell in the past.


    Azell had been thrown into this era. It felt as if he was a ghost from the past. This was why he had been delighted to see Reygus and Almarick. It was also why he didn¡¯t react with hostility when he met Saibein.


    These beings remembered the era Azell had lived through. They recognized him, and it was a joy to talk about those times. Azell couldn¡¯t hide the happiness and excitement he was feeling right now.


    ¡°Do you know why I man here?¡±


    ¡°I heard you slept like the dead for the past 220 years. I do sleep asionally, but I¡¯ve never slept past 20 years. It is amazing to see a human sleep so much. Now that you are a loner with no friends, are you expecting me to introduce you to a nice girl?


    ¡°...your knowledge about humans have really broadened.¡±


    Azell grumbled.


    He queried the dragon.


    ¡°How did you know I was asleep for a long time?¡±


    ¡°In terms of how humans keep track of time, Carlos Rizester looked me up a long time ago. He told me about you. He said he¡¯ll stay at Laus, and he¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.......¡±


    ¡°If you want permission to go to Laus, you can do whatever you want. That is also what I told Carlos Rizester.¡±


    ¡°What happened to Carlos?¡±


    ¡°That is a question you can answer by going to see him.¡±


    ¡°I know that, but.......¡±


    ¡°He was in a state where it would have been difficult for him to live amongst humans. That is all I¡¯ll say on the subject. He became a being that might explode one day like a volcano.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you are trying to say.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out once you go there yourself. It isn¡¯t something that interests me. Moreover, Carlos Rizester probably wants to reveal everything to you himself.¡±


    ¡°I think so too.¡±


    Azell let out a sigh.


    There were too many things he wanted to ask when he met Carlos again.


    At the same time, he was afraid to meet Carlos.


    Carlos was his best friend, yet Azell was afraid to meet him again....


    It was absurd. Azell had been severed from all his rtionships from the past, and he was sent far into the future. The fact that Carlos was still here was a precious miracle.


    Still, he was afraid.


    After he received his Dragon weapons from the Keepers of Prophecy, he met Carlos through a dream that had been arranged by him. Afterwards, Azell was swept up by a foreboding premonition. It felt as if something woulde to an end if he met Carlos. It was only a hunch, but.....


    Albatan spoke.


    ¡°I know why you are here. Someone told you to visit me, right?¡±


    ¡°That is correct. Could you tell me who that someone is?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Was it Carlos?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to find that out for yourself.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve also made a promise, so I cannot speak about it.¡±


    ¡°Then.......¡±


    Azell took a deep breath before he spoke once again.


    ¡°What are you going to give me?¡±

 Chapter 166 - The Wise Dragon (3)

    Chapter 166 - The Wise Dragon (3)


    ¡°You speak as if you are here to pick up something left behind for you.¡±


    ¡°Am I wrong?¡±


    ¡°There is something. As expected, you are too perceptive. It isn¡¯t fun to make fun of you.¡±


    ¡°How can I measure up to Carlos?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    Albatan smirked as he spoke.


    ¡°Tell me about what you have learned along the way here. After you woke up, what have you learned about the world that has changed...... I need to know the whole story then I¡¯ll know what I need to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    Azell took a brief moment to think about it.


    What truths had he learned?


    He knew how the Dragon Demon king worshippers were reshaping the world.


    He learned about the truth behind the great tragedy called the Great Darkness.


    He found out about the Guardian Shadows. He found out about their true identity and mission.


    He learned about the identity of the Demon race.


    Albatan spoke after he heard Azell¡¯s story.


    ¡°Hmm. It seems you know the most of the story. Then I¡¯ll have to tell you the back story.¡±


    ¡°Back story?¡±


    ¡°It is as that Demon, Balserk, had said. There is something fundamentally wrong with the structure of this world. Azell, you told him that you were indifferent to this. In reality, it is an important problem.¡±


    ¡°Why? Even without that factor, the world is.....¡±


    ¡°From the perspective of humans, the world is a mess. However, such perspective is limited. You are looking at the problem from within the civilization created by the humanity. You are looking at problems that should be solved between humans. It doesn¡¯t matter if these types of problems repeats itself or if it is fixed. Every being that lives as a group forms a unique structure, and problems naturally arises from such arrangements. However, there is still a problem that remains even when we pull back from such micro perspective. In thisnd, I made it so that the humans on the outside won¡¯t be able to covet...........¡±


    ¡°You were attempting to prevent the species of this world from dying out. Didn¡¯t you tell me that before?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Humanity rose in power, and this also meant there were losers in this world. The result came about, because the ability to cooperate between humans were an advantage they held over the other species. Of course, there are other factors that led to their rise. It would probably take me four days and four nights to tell you my analysis. However, you aren¡¯t a good partner to have such conversations with.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry for not being much of an intellectual.¡±


    Azell grumbled. Albatan was a wise Dragon, and at the same time, he was a magician that had learned profound magic techniques. Carlos was of the same ilk as the Dragon. In the past, Carlos had left Azell behind to have a conversation with the Dragon thatsted deep into the night.


    Albatanughed.


    ¡°It is more fun to have a conversation with magicians. After I end my conversation with Azell, would the human magician and the Dragon Majin girl keep mepany?¡±


    ¡°Ah... Of course.¡±


    ¡°It will be an honor.¡±


    Laura and Yuren were taken aback, but they epted Albatan¡¯s offer.


    ¡°Hmm. Where was I? I believe I was talking about why I established my demond.¡±


    After he answered his own question, Albatan continued to speak.


    ¡°There were also losers amongst the humans that were being culled. I thought it was too cruel for a species to be exterminated just because they lost the fight. It would have been great if humans could demonstrate forbearance as beings that possessed wisdom. It would have been great if humans could coexist with them.... Unfortunately, this is not the case.¡±


    ¡°...I see.¡±


    It was an undeniable truth. Humans were creatures that wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill those that are different from them. The reason could be geological or cultural in nature.


    ¡°I created and where the others could continue to live. I created a fence, and I cannot guarantee it willst. Maybe, I¡¯m doing this out of self-gratification, but isn¡¯t there some worth if I can create several hundred years of history?¡±


    Albatan ignored the conflict between the several factions within the forest. Thew of the jungle was the foundation, but the forest did have other rules. There were premises that were held above all others.


    When an outside force tries to invade theirnd, all conflicts within the factions are forgotten. They had to face their enemies with one heart.


    A species couldn¡¯t be wiped out no matter what.


    These were the two irondws that were held up by the residents of the Albatan Forest.


    Albatan spoke.


    ¡°The problem regarding the Demon race is also a problem that is outside the border lines. Do you mind if I go into a fairly long story?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you just going to tell me anyways?¡±


    ¡°That is true. I¡¯m not going to give you the right to refuse.¡±


    Albatan let out a yfulughter.


    5


    ¡°The Demon race upied a world they considered to be hell, and they were severed from our world. However, distortions of unknown origin cropped up at various locations of the world. It started happening in the distant past. Every distortion allowed a Demon to step into this world.¡±


    The Demons that were able to manifest in this world desperately tried to find someone they could converse with. There was no desire that was greater to them.


    However, most of their attempts bore no fruit. They were dragged back to hell before they were able to encounter anyone they could converse with.


    How long did they continue these attempts?


    Finally, a Demon that had a slightly different idea appeared.


    ¡°The Demons didn¡¯t seek to do this initially.....¡±


    When the Demons stepped into the real world, there were always no humans around. Moreover, they were on a time limit, so they desperately searched their surrounding. However, there wasn¡¯t a trace of human around. The reason was very simple.


    Dragons were nearby.


    ¡°This was a time where magic still didn¡¯t exist. Of course, the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual didn¡¯t exist either.¡±


    This was why the rtionship between humans and Dragons differed in the past. The rtionship was one-sided. It was simply a predator and prey rtionship. The territory of the Dragons were muchrger back then, and humans dared not intrude within their habitat.


    ¡°They had been given a miraculous opportunity to meet humans, but they were unable to meet any humans. They were devastated by this fact, so they attempted tomunicate with the Dragons.¡±


    It was more of a desperation than curiosity. The Demons knew it wouldn¡¯t work, but they wanted to take a shot in the dark..


    However, this attempt resulted in a surprising result.


    ¡°Maybe, it was possible, because they didn¡¯t possess a real body? The Demons were more active and sessful inmunicating with the Dragons than the humans.¡±


    It was as if the Demons were able to lend their ability to think to the Dragons. The Dragons had been dull tyrants, yet they surprisingly became lucid. They were able tomunicate and converse with the Demons.


    It was a miraculous event for both the Dragons and Demons.


    Dragons pined for wisdom, and Demons thirsted for conversation. Their wishes were realized.


    However, the Dragons were dull beings. It was as if there was a constant fog within their head. They had many questions when they looked at the world, but the answers to these questions always seemed to slip away. Their thoughts failed to develop under the mental fog. Their frustration with their inability to answer their own questions grew stronger every time they met the human-like beings. These feelings began to mount, and it reached a point where they couldn¡¯t hold back their frustration anymore. They went on a rampage.


    ¡°Wait a moment.¡±


    Yuren interrupted the story. Albatan turned to look at him.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°If it is as elder had said... Ah, do you mind if I call you by that title?¡±


    ¡°You may.¡±


    ¡°Yes. So.... Do Dragons have the ability to read mental images of humans?¡±


    There was a theory amongst magicians that said Dragons had the ability to read the mental images of a person. However, this couldn¡¯t be confirmed unless one could converse with a Dragon.


    ¡®I have the chance to do so right now!¡¯


    As a magician, he was itching to confirm this theory.


    Albatan let out a bright smile. Th party was once again surprised by the fact that the Dragon¡¯s smile could express a variety of emotions.


    ¡°If I¡¯m to be precise, we are able to read the mental images of all living beings. It isn¡¯t exclusive to humans. Moreover, it isn¡¯t as if I¡¯m reading it, because I want to read it.... It just flows in. When humans think hard on something, they send out a mental wave that doesn¡¯t dissipate easily. This is why such mental wavese to us even through vast distances.¡±


    The Dragons couldn¡¯t look into their mind. A mental wave flowed out of a person when one had a thought. Dragons had the natural ability to read these mental waves.


    ¡°So that is the reason why Dragons pine for wisdom.¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    If a being didn¡¯t know what wisdom was, how could one pine for wisdom? It would be a very strange urrence.


    Dragons knew what wisdom was.


    When they received the thoughts that leaked out of humans, they could experience the mental images from the perspective of the person, who possessed wisdom. However, this experiencested only for a moment. Wisdom sparked in the minds of Dragons for a brief moment as if a light had been illuminated within their minds. However, this light was extinguished in an instant, and the Dragons inevitably developed a want for this light.


    Yuren was astonished.


    ¡°So this is why Dragons go on a rampage.....¡±


    Dragons were fundamentally reluctant to enter into human territory. They did so for the possibility of earning wisdom through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    However, there were times when the Dragons went on a rampage in human settlement. No one had known what precipitated these events.....


    ¡®Their stress mounts before they explode.¡¯


    Even humans went into fits of rage when their frustration mounted. The call of the wild was strong within the Dragon, and this meant that their self-control was weaker than humans. It was very natural for them to lose control.


    Suddenly, Azell asked a question.


    ¡°When we came herest.... Didn¡¯t Carlos ask about this truth?¡±


    From what Azell understood, Carlos had let the theory of Dragons being able to read mental images of humans remain as being a theory. Azell knew Carlos¡¯ personality well, so there was no way he wouldn¡¯t have asked Albatan about it.....


    Albatan answered him.


    ¡°He did ask the question, but I couldn¡¯t give him a clear answer. At that time, I didn¡¯t know the answer to Carlos¡¯ questions.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Albatan had acquired wisdom, but this didn¡¯t mean he had learned everything to do with the world. He continuously yearned for knowledge, so he investigated the unknown.


    ¡°Let¡¯s continue my story.¡±


    Albatan continued his story.


    The Dragons and the Demons had gained what they had desired. However, their gain was like a daydream. They could wake up from it at any moment.


    The Demon race desperately squeezed out their knowledge. They didn¡¯t want this miracle to go to waste. They wanted to make something whole no matter the cost.


    Fortunately, the Dragons felt the same way as them.


    The two sides were sharing wisdom, and before this miraculous time coulde to an end, they came up with an idea. They wanted to extend this time indefinitely, so they took a gambit that would allow both sides to exist in one ce.


    It was a merging of Dragons, who possessed a body, and the formless Demons.


    Albatan continued to speak.


    ¡°This was how a being with no parents walked this earth. This being defined himself as being a Dragon Demon, and he named himself as Atein.¡±


    This was how the Dragon Demon race was born.


    6


    Albatan¡¯s story continued.


    ¡°Azell, you are pretty knowledgeable about the 1st generation of the Dragon Demon race.¡±


    ¡°I believe so.¡±


    Most of them had been his enemies.... Still, he had shared conversations with numerous 1st generation Dragon Demons.


    ¡°Atein was the first Dragon Demon, but he wasn¡¯t thest. Afterwards, more Dragon Demons appeared on the surface of this world, and the bloodline of the Dragon Demon was propagated.¡±


    Atein had known his own name, and he knew the desire of the Dragons and the Demons that gave rise to his birth.


    However, he couldn¡¯t remember anything else.


    Amongst the Demon race, there were very few that knew the process in which one became a Demon. Most Demons didn¡¯t remember their prior memories. Many Demons didn¡¯t even realize they had been humans once before.


    This loss of memories urred once again in the process of bing a Dragon Demon.


    ¡°From the moment Atein walked on this world, he felt a powerful desire to find out more about himself.¡±


    Not all 1st generation Dragon Demons had been like Atein. Azell was well aware of this fact. For example, Reshoo didn¡¯t care about the Demons or Dragons.


    Anyways, Atein had a fervent desire to learn, so he wandered the world to find clues. As he did so, he became cognizant of his own abilities. He conducted countless experiments to bring out his potential.


    ¡°This resulted in the discipline of magic and Dragon Arts forming.... In the process of transferring this knowledge to humans, Spirit Order was born.¡±


    ¡°He really was the first magician. However, I never expected him to have made the Dragon Arts and the Spirit Order too.......¡±


    Azell was astonished.


    Wasn¡¯t Atein really the main character of a mythology?


    However, Azell didn¡¯t deny or be suspicious of this truth. From Azell¡¯s perspective, it sounded like the truth.


    Albatanughed as he spoke. It seemed he was enjoying this.

 Chapter 167 - The Wise Dragon (4)

    Chapter 167 - The Wise Dragon (4)


    ¡°Of course, this doesn¡¯t mean he made everything in this world by himself. He was the founder of magic and the Dragon Arts, but many new possibilities were pioneered when these disciplines were spread across the world. This holds true when one considers the emergence of the necromancers, the birth of the Undead, and the Dragon weapons.¡±


    ¡°The Dragon weapons aren¡¯t the work of Atein? That is very unexpected....¡±


    ¡°When I heard it from Atein, I was a bit surprised too. However, it seems a female Dragon Demon, who was Atein¡¯s distant descendant, created the Dragon weapon. ording to Atein.... If we are to go by human history, it was during the era of the Five Star kingdom.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    For a brief moment, a silence descended amongst them.


    Kairen was struck dumb as he asked the question.


    ¡°The Five Star kingdom.... Isn¡¯t that over 3,000 years ago?¡±


    It was an era where paper and ink didn¡¯t exist. The record of the kingdom was carved in hieroglyphics on a y tablet..... It was so long ago that historians argued with each other as to what it was like to live in that era.


    Albatan spoke.


    ¡°It was way before I was hatched from my egg.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, but how old are you.....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ve been alive for over a thousand years.¡±


    It was assumed that Dragons had a lifespan of several thousand years. They were so long-lived that they ousted nations, yet they rarely stayed in contact with humans and other creatures. This was why it was hard to determine a Dragon¡¯s age even if there was a record of their existence.


    Albatan couldn¡¯t remember his life before he gained his wisdom. This was why he didn¡¯t know his own age.


    ¡°Anyways, I¡¯m in my early youthpared to Atein.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Early youth.......¡±


    Everyone was dumbfounded as they stared at Albatan. Albatan let out a slyughter as he continued speaking.


    ¡°Anyways, Atein¡¯s activities paved the way for other 1st generation Dragon Demons toe into existence.¡±


    The process had only been a conjecture even for Atein.


    When he conducted activities all over the world, the Demon race naturally paid attention to him. Atein tracked down the information regarding the cause and effect of his own existence. He was finally able to find out about his origin.


    ¡°Opportunities were hard toe by, but when they arose, the Demon race tried to recreate what happened in the past.¡±


    First generation Dragon Demons appeared from various locations around the world, and their bloodline was propagated.


    ¡°As time passed, humans flourished.¡±


    Civilizations advanced, and a societal system that was benefit to the many was established. The number of humans continued to grow. The Dragon Demons and Dragon Majins continued to grow in number, but the speed couldn¡¯t bepared to the humans.


    ¡°However, 1st generation Dragon Demons rarely came into existence. ...mmm. I can see by your expression that you are curious as to why I went into this long story.¡±


    ¡°Frankly, you are right. I am enjoying the true history lesson, but.....¡±


    Why did he need to know about all of this?


    Azell wasn¡¯t a seeker of truths. Laura and Kairen were magicians, so their eyes were twinkling. However, Azell just wanted the Dragon to get to the point.


    ¡°Anyways, I needed to tell you this story to get to what I want to tell you. In conclusion, the speed at which the 1st generation Dragon Demons are forming is increasing in speed.¡±


    ¡°Mmm? What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Azell, two new 1st generation Dragon Demons were born after you visited this ce. Moreover, two 1st generation Dragon Demons came for a visit to mynds. One of them died in a territorial dispute with a Dragon.¡±


    ¡°You are saying at least four 1st generation Dragon Demons were born in the past 220 years. Moreover, you are predicting more to be born in the future.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°What does it signify?¡±


    ¡°It means the instances where our reality ovepping with hell is increasing in frequency.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.......¡±


    Azell furrowed her brows. Albatan spoke as if it was a very serious problem, but it didn¡¯t tug at Azell¡¯s heart.


    Albatan spoke.


    ¡°You reacted as I had expected. This is why I said this problem is beyond the bounds of human civilization. It seems the magicians of your party already understand what I¡¯m getting at.¡±


    At his words, Azell turned around to look at Laura and Yuren. Both of them had serious expressions on their faces.


    Azell queried them.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Azell, if what the elder said is true.....¡±


    Yuren¡¯s face crumpled as he spoke.


    ¡°...the cause is unknown, but it seems the ¡®hell¡¯ where the Demons lives is encroaching into our reality?¡±


    ¡°I guess that is the reason why more Dragon Demons are being born. So what¡¯s wrong with that?¡±


    ¡°It is a huge problem. If our current reality is invaded by hell, our world mighte to an end.¡±


    ¡°No, what I want to say is.....¡±


    Azell furrowed his brows.


    ¡°Is this something we should be worried about right now?¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    ¡°From a macro view, I understand this problem is something all of humanity should know about, and we have to research it. However, this is the same as asking someone that is full about what they are going to do, while there are people starving out there. That is why it doesn¡¯t really tug at my interests.¡±


    ¡°You are right, but....¡±


    Yuren was hard-press to find words. Azell was absolutely correct. The truth revealed by Albatan portended a danger that would bring the end to this world someday in the future. However, it had nothing to do with their fight against the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    Azell let out a sigh.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you revealed the truth about this future event and the Demon race to me. If you delivered such information with the intent of asking me to stop the destruction of the world.... I¡¯m only good at cutting down enemies that are in front of me. You shouldn¡¯t tell me such news in secret. You should tell the whole world, so they coulde up with a solution.¡±


    ¡°At the very least, you acknowledge that it is a problem that has to be solved.¡±


    Azell answered Albatan¡¯s observation.


    ¡°Of course. However, it isn¡¯t something that I can solve on demand. If someone with the knowledge of this problem works on solving it and asks for my help, I will lend a hand. However, I can only do this after I end the fight that is right in front of me.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, this person arranged you to hear this truth with the intent of getting your help.¡±


    ¡°This person wanted me to be cognizant of this problem, and when I eventually came here asking for your help, he told you to not to turn me away? Is that what you are implying?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    ¡°This person arranged such an overlyplex n to deliver such a story to me..... I want to give him a piece of my mind for using such an inefficient method. Anyways, I¡¯ve received the information he wanted me to know. I¡¯ll think about helping him when he asks me for help in person.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, he is already close to you.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°It is what it is.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell red at Albatan when the Dragon spoke his words in a meaningful manner.


    Albatan let out a slyughter.


    In the end, Azell let out a sigh.


    ¡°Do you have any other story I have to hear?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°What is iit?¡±


    ¡°Carlos taught me a technique, and as an exchange, he asked me for a boon.¡±


    ¡°It seems the part I¡¯ve been waiting for is finally here. What is it?¡±


    ¡°It is the Dragon Soul.¡±


    At his words, Azell¡¯s eyes widened.


    Albatan spoke.


    ¡°Carlos¡¯ gift to you is the transfer of the technique that was developed in thisnd..¡±


    7


    The party descended the mountain as they left behind Yuren and Laura with Albatan.


    When they entered the town, they saw Saibein teaching the children. After a while, Saibein excused himself from the children, and he approached the party.


    ¡°Did the conversation go well?¡±


    ¡°It was all right. What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m teaching the children about magic.¡±


    ¡°There probably are a a lot of magicians here that can do this task instead of you.¡±


    ¡°That is true. However, everyone left their children with me. They wanted me to teach them the basics of magic. I never expected myself to have aptitude for teaching, and it is an enjoyable experience in some ways.¡±


    Saibein smiled. Azell spoke.


    ¡°I see. However....¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we walk for a bit?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. Let¡¯s do that.¡±


    Azell nodded his head as exchanged significant looks with Kairen and Leticia.


    He had a lot he wanted to talk about with Saibein. He didn¡¯t want to know the reasons behind Saibein¡¯s departure from the in of Darkness. He didn¡¯t want answers to such questions..... He just wanted to have a conversation with Saibein.


    ¡®I never expected a day would arrive where I would feel d to talk to the Simpleton Prince....¡¯


    From Azell¡¯s perspective, Saibein had been a hateful enemy. He left the in of Darkness, but he had stolen the knowledge that was important to humanity prior to leaving the ce. He had a hand in spreading the cmity called the Great Darkness... Moreover, he was partially responsible for the ughter that urred within the county of Karzark.


    When he thought about Saibein¡¯s transgressions, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to rip him from limb to limb. However, the nostalgia and happiness at meeting someone from his era overshadowed his hostile feelings. This fact baffled him.


    Saibein asked him a question.


    ¡°Do you mind if I ask what you talked about with Albatan-nim?¡±


    ¡°The world maye to an end in the distant future, so he wanted me to find a solution. However, I¡¯m busy dealing with what is in front of my eyes, so I asked him to find someone that is capable of looking at the long term view.¡±


    ¡°You must have shared an interesting conversation with him.¡±


    ¡°Also, I¡¯m going to learn the Dragon Soul before I leave.¡±


    ¡°Dragon Soul?¡±


    Saibein asked in surprise.


    ¡°Were you epted as a resident of the forest?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°So why would he teach you the Dragon Soul?¡±


    ¡°I was told that it is a technique that isn¡¯t allowed to be leaked outside of the forest.¡±


    Albatan had given Azell a brief description about the Dragon Soul.


    The Dragon Soul was born about 100 years ago. A resident of the forest hade up with it. Several thousand years had passed since the birth of the Dragon weapons, and a new way to use the Dragon Demon magic was discovered.


    The Dragon Soul could be learned only by those possessing powerful Dragon Demon magic. It was same prerequisite as the Dragon weapons. Moreover, a Dragon Soul and a Dragon weapon could not coexist. This was why it was impossible for those possessing Dragon weapons to cultivate the Dragon Soul.


    ¡®The fact that the duke and Leticia doesn¡¯t have a Dragon weapon became good fortune for them.¡¯


    Azell had received his original Dragon weapons from the Keepers of Prophecy, and he had nned on giving one to Kairen and Leticia. However, he had acquired the technique called the Dragon Soul, so he didn¡¯t have to needlessly decrease his battle capabilities.


    ¡°Of course, he put a condition on it. I can pass it to a limited number of people.¡±


    Initially, Albatan put a condition that Azell wouldn¡¯t spread the technique beyond his party members.


    However, Azell tried to negotiate with the Dragon.


    Laura and he already possessed Dragon weapons. Moreover, Yuren was weak in terms of Dragon Demon magic. The only ones that could learn the Dragon Soul in his party was Kairen and Leticia.


    He didn¡¯t know what Carlos had given up to receive this boon, but there was no way it was worth two people being able to learn the Dragon Soul. He wanted to increase the number of people he could teach the Dragon Soul to.


    The negotiation was sessful. After Azell left the forest, he received the right to teach the Dragon Soul to a maximum of five people.


    ¡°I wonder what was exchanged. It must have been worth it if Albatan-nim agreed to such a preposterous demand.¡±


    Dragon Demon king worshippers weakened the power of humans by erasing important knowledge. However, they couldn¡¯t carry out such activities within the Albatan forest. This was why the forgotten knowledge regarding the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual, Dragon weapons and other techniques remained intact here.


    However, Albatan had forbidden such knowledge from being leaked outside. The residents of the forest needed power to stop the humans from encroaching into the Albatan forest. This was why it was decreed that the Dragon Soul, which was developed in the forest, would never be spread beyond forest.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. He wanted me to learn the Dragon Soul from the creator of the Dragon Soul technique. Could you guide me to her?¡±


    ¡°Creator of the Dragon Soul?¡±


    Saibein¡¯s expression turned peculiar.

 Chapter 168 - The Wise Dragon (5)

    Chapter 168 - The Wise Dragon (5)


    ¡°The creator of the Dragon Soul?¡±


    Saibein¡¯s expression turned peculiar. Azell was puzzled, so he asked a question.


    ¡°Is it someone I know?¡±


    ¡°I believe so. If Albatan-nim hasn¡¯t informed you of it.... He probably wants you to meet the person yourself. He probably wouldn¡¯t want me to tell you the identity of this person.¡±


    ¡°From my perspective, it is annoying, but since I¡¯m in Albatan¡¯s care, I¡¯ll have to be patient. I¡¯ll overlook it.¡±


    Azell clicked his tongue.


    Saibein had burst outughing at the sight. He asked Azell a question.


    ¡°So could you tell me about my daughter?¡±


    At his words, Azell became silent for a moment. Instead of answering the question, he asked a question of his own.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you meet your daughter when you gave her the Dragon weapon?¡±


    ¡°I was keeping a promise.¡±


    ¡°Promise?¡±


    Saibein let out a bitterugh.


    ¡°When I came here, I was at death¡¯s door from the wounds I received from the Guardian Shadows. As a condition for taking me in, Albatan-nim required me to sever all connection with the outside world.¡±


    The reason was simple.


    The rtionship between the Albatan forest and the in of Darkness was poor. When Atein was alive, there had been a mutual respect between the two sides. After the Dragon Demon war, the in of Darkness had invaded the Albatan forest several times. This was why their rtionship was frayed now.


    If one considered the context of the situation, Albatan had shown great generosity when he epted one of the key figures in the in of Darkness into the forest.


    ¡°Even the act of delivering the Book of Darkness was controversial within the forest. However, Albatan-nim allowed me to do it.....¡±


    Suddenly, he remembered a story he heard from the Count Beorein Michael. He asked the question.


    ¡°Around 20 years ago.... It was said that a powerful Dragon Demon fought against the Guardian Shadows within the Rin Kingdom. Was that you?¡±


    ¡°Did you hear it from the Guardian Shadows? If so, you are correct.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°It all started from there. The Guardian Shadows relentlessly tracked me down, and in the end, I arrived here.¡±


    ¡°Why did you do it?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you escape using the help of the Dragon Demon King worshippers? Why did youe here?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Saibein shut his mouth. The pursuit of the Guardian Shadows was so dogged that he wasn¡¯t able to escape. However, he didn¡¯t say this, because he did have another reason foring here.


    Soon, he let out a sigh as he spoke.


    ¡°Before I tell you that story, I would like to hear about my daughter.¡±


    ¡°Niberis is alive and well. She is making good use of the Book of Darkness you gave her. Currently, she is one of the vanguards put forth by the in of Darkness. She is in the forefront amongst the younger generation. She used to be in a rivalrous rtionship with myrade, Laura.¡±


    ¡°I see.......¡±


    ¡°Aside from that.... You won¡¯t be happy hearing the rest of my story.¡±


    ¡°I would like you to tell me. There is no reason why you should try to spare my feelings.¡±


    Since he spoke those words, Azell didn¡¯t really need to spare his feelings. Azell felt trepidation as he told the truth.


    ¡°All right. I almost died at the hands of your daughter. She almost killed myrade..... Moreover, I almost killed her too. You should thank Laura next time you see her.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Your daughter¡¯s life was in my hands. However, Laura betrayed them, and as a price for your daughter¡¯s life.... To be precise, everyone present with her was spared, but Laura had to betray them and give up the Vitan¡¯s Chalice to me as a price. If I didn¡¯t ept her offer, your daughter would already be dead.¡±


    If he hadn¡¯t, he would have never berades with Laura. Azell was sure now that he had made the right decision at the time.


    Saibein had aplex expression on his face.


    ¡°I see.......¡±


    ¡°Moreover, I killed the man assisting your daughter. His name was Duran.¡±


    Saibein looked at Azell with a surprised expression on his face. Azell spoke.


    ¡°Hemented the fact that he couldn¡¯t protect Niberis. He died as he apologized to you. It seemed he was indebted to you.¡±


    ¡°Duran...... So that is how he died.......¡±


    Saibein raised his hands to cover his face. His voice held a deep sadness.


    One could clearly see that there was a deep connection between Saibein and Duran. From Duran¡¯s perspective, Saibein had been his savior, who had led him down the correct path in life. Saibein also didn¡¯t treat their rtionship lightly.


    Azell just watched as Saibein silently grieved.


    Azell asked him a question.


    ¡°Do you resent me?¡±


    ¡°...I would be lying if I said I didn¡¯t.¡±


    Saibein looked at Azell with sad eyes.


    ¡°There are people, who had given themselves up to despair, yet they decided to put their trust in me. I don¡¯t have the right to me you for anything that happened since I left them.¡±


    ¡°Why did you do it?¡±


    Azell asked once again. Saibein let out a bitterugh.


    ¡°As I¡¯ve said, everyone had given themselves up to despair. For me, my wife¡¯s death was the final straw..... Even before I reached that point, I shuddered when I saw my surrounding, which was slowly descending into madness.¡±


    His eyes headed towards theke. However, he wasn¡¯t looking at the calm surface of theke. He was looking further into the distance.


    ¡°When you killed my father, we suffered an irreparable damage.¡±


    From the perspective of humanity, the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army was the biggest cmity to happen in their history.


    However, if one looked carefully through the world¡¯s history, one could find organizations, who had simr aspirations as the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army. If one only focused on their actions, the Demon King¡¯s army were like any other army under a king. They just had very high aspirations.


    A conquering force would usually ce the conquered people into a lower ss. So why was their actions considered to be out of the ordinary?


    It wasn¡¯t. Whether it was in small scale orrge scale, these incidents weremon throughout human history.


    The only difference was the fact that the conqueror wasn¡¯t human. The center figure of the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army was a Dragon Demon. This particr conquering force had shown overwhelming force and powerpared to any other conquering forces from the past. This was why the humans had pushed backed fiercely. Their resistance was unprecedented.


    Basically, if the fact that a Dragon Demon was leading the army was taken out of the equation, the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army was like any other armies from human nations.


    However, the in of Darkness thought differently.


    ¡°The poison of madness started to seep into the irreparable wound.... At some point, we reached a point where we couldn¡¯t turn back..¡±


    After losing in the Dragon Demon war, they deified Atein, and they clung to the belief that Atein would revive from death. The members of their organization started to turn into religious zealots.


    ¡°The remnant of our defeated army were elite warriors of our kingdom. However.... They degenerated into being a dark religious group.¡±


    They started conducting all kinds of evil acts in the name of Atein. They did it to get ready for the revival of their savior, Atein. Their original creed had been to unite the continent to create a utopian world. Atein¡¯s original intent was shattered into pieces. It was nowhere to be seen.


    If the upper levels of the organization controlled themselves, it might have been a different story. However, the madness affected the upper levels of the organization the most. As Aincera¡¯s sense of self was sucked into the Great Darkness, the atmosphere worsened.


    Azell asked the question.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you think about stopping that?¡±


    ¡°I tried. However, I didn¡¯t have the ability to bring about that change.¡±


    He was thest remaining child of the Dragon Demon king.


    However, he had only been a symbol. In reality, he didn¡¯t have any true power.


    ¡°I was just put up as a front, so that the others could make use of me. I became painfully aware of my shorings. I didn¡¯t have any political influence.¡±


    He was a figurehead and proof that the Dragon Demon king¡¯s line continued.


    He had tried to reach a position where he would be able to correct the wrong he saw. He went around the world, and he willingly did dangerous and vile acts. He gatheredrades in the process as he built up the organization.


    However, the poprity he gained only earned him a spot on the bottom of the power structure. It was twisted. As he worked harder, he was getting farther and farther away from power. The casualties of the Dragon Demon war....no, these beings that were a husk of their prior selves refused to go out into the front line. They sent out the youngbloods to fight for them, and the weight of the madness over the organization deepened.


    If Aincera was behind him, the situation might have been different. However, Aincera kept losing her sense of self, so she slowly became disinterested in the culture within the organization. She didn¡¯t care about the discord between the various factions.


    ¡°I was tired. I¡¯ve been tired for over a 100 years. It didn¡¯t take that long for us to lose our minds. The truth was that we became crazier as each day passed. Our past couldn¡¯t highlight the fact that we¡¯ve gone mad.¡±


    Even if he fought to save someone, it was useless. The elders were gripped by the ghost of past glories, and anyone he saved would have been sacrificed by them.


    He had been in a dilemma where the fundamental problem worsened as he solved the problems in front of him.


    There was no end to the dilemma, and it wounded Saibein. There were two incident that drove him to give up on everything.


    ¡°That is.......¡±


    He was about to tell Azell the reasons when he shut his mouth. He had seen Minerel approaching them. She put on a charming smile as she spoke.


    ¡°Instructor Saibein. I¡¯m sorry for intruding in on your conversation.... A message was sent to our guest here.¡±


    ¡°A message?¡±


    ¡°The creator of the Dragon Soul is waiting for him in his abode. He wants our guest to visit him there. He likes to wander around, so if we don¡¯t hurry, he might leave on a whim.¡±


    ¡°He seems to be an unpredictable person. All right.¡±


    After he spoke those words, Azell turned to look at Saibein.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hear the rest from youter.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do that. I still have some stories I would like to hear from you....¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Azell left behind Saibein. He followed Minerel towards the creator of the Dragon Soul.


    Saibein mumbled to himself as he watched Azell¡¯s back move away into the distance.


    ¡°The thing that makes me despair the most..... When my father realized that we failed to bring about our ideal world and everyone was falling into despair, he might have put his trust in you.¡±


    8


    They were deep within the forest. The territory ruled by Albatan was vast.


    There weren¡¯t too many living within the forest, so there were gaps where no faction ruled over thend. Still, the residents of the forest didn¡¯t dare to cause too much trouble. Albatan was like holy king to them, and thend he ruled was like their holynd.


    The creator of the Dragon Soul lived at the edge. He lived at the the peak overlooking the eastern shore.


    Minerel spoke.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t really a great ce to live, so he only resides here when he had a student.¡±


    ¡°There is a fine town over there, yet he chooses to live in such a ce. He must be unsociable.¡±


    ¡°He isn¡¯t like that.¡±


    Minerel shook her head from side to side.


    ¡°He is friendly and informal. Like the other 1st generation Dragon Demons, there was a time he was unapproachable, because of the tumultuous atmosphere around him. But now......¡±


    ¡°Are 1st generation Dragon Demons normally have a violent personality?¡±


    Azell was curious, so he asked the question.


    He didn¡¯t hold 1st generation Dragon Demons in high regards, but the ones he met had disparate personalities. Reygus was an idiot. His idiocy knew know bounds. Atein was unreadable. Then tehre was Reshoo. He had be qualities of an innocent beast.


    Minerel answered him.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t met too many 1st generation Dragon Demons. However, from what I¡¯ve heard from my elders, they receive the nature of Dragons quite strongly in the beginning. That is why they are like wild beasts, and many die early from fighting everyone.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.......¡±


    Azell hadn¡¯t known this.


    Minerel continued to speak.


    ¡°At the very least, he doesn¡¯t have that disposition, so you don¡¯t have to be worried. He is quite popr with kids. Of course, he is monstrously strict as a teacher....¡±


    ¡°Did you learn from him?¡±


    ¡°I did. Many have tried to learn the Dragon Soul, yet very few have been able to manifest it.¡±


    ¡°Was it the same for your husband?¡±


    ¡°No, he was my first pupil.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a love developed between a teacher and a pupil. Isn¡¯t it a bit romantic? When I first met him.....¡±


    As if she had been waiting for this opportunity, she enthusiastically told Azell about her love life with Havan. She was talking about her own love life. Of course, it gave goosebumps to anyone who heard it. It was an unsightly story for others.


    However, as he listened to her story, he realized something. Outsiders called this ce the demonds, but it was still a ce where people lived. He made himself somewhat agreeable as he heard her story, and he asked her a question.


    ¡°Is marriage here the same as the humans?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be? Ah. The only difference is that the divorce rate is higher here. Sir Saibein also remarked on this fact.¡±


    In the Albatan forest, Dragon Demons and Dragon Majins married humans. It wasn¡¯t seen as something out of the ordinary. Since each races had different life spans, it wasmon to see couples that had an age difference of hundred years.


    In dating and marriage, people unhesitatingly broke off rtions without regret. Of course, outsiders would consider such a culture to be strange.


    What would have if a being that could live for over 300 years married someone that can only live for less than 100 years? The probability of them staying together was very low.


    Maybe that was the cause? They became married, but the ritual didn¡¯t require them to stay together until death.


    Also, the start to their marriage differed from outside.


    ¡°There are cases where this isn¡¯t true, but we get married when a child is conceived.¡±


    ¡°So you have a child?¡±


    ¡°My son was in the crowd of children you saw earlier..¡±


    Minerel let out a yfulugh. Azell had a thought as he looked at her face.


    ¡®There is no way she looks like a mother......¡¯


    It might be, because she was a Dragon Demon. Or maybe it was the unique atmosphere of this ce. She wasn¡¯t giving off the energy of a mother with a child.


    Anyways, it seemed marriage here was a promise that they would take care of the child as parents. When the child safelyes of age, they had the choice of keeping the marriage or they could divorce. The choice was up to the individuals.


    As outsiders, their culture seemed very foreign. However, Azell¡¯s party epted their way of life quite easily.


    Azell had lived through everything life could throw at him during the Dragon Demon war. Leticia lived at the fringes of society, so regr societal bonds didn¡¯t hold much water with her. Kairen also traveled throughout the continent, so he had experienced numerous cultures.


    The party shared their stories, and they were able to reach their destination before the sun set.


    ¡°I can hear the sound of ocean.¡±


    The metallic vor of the ocean was being carried by the wind. One could also hear the faint sound of waves.


    Their destination was arge cliff that had been carved by the ocean. When they ascended to the top, they caught sight of a hut made out of wood. Then....


    ¡°Thank you foring all this way.¡±


    A Dragon Demon male greeted them.


    ¡°It has been awhile, master.¡±


    Minerel gave a respectful greeting, but Azell couldn¡¯t follow suit.


    The Dragon Demon looked like he was in his mid-20s. His eyes and Dragon Demon Stone was green. On top of his ears, there was a grayish-white horn that looked simr to the horns of a mountain goat. His face was kind, and there was no tension on his face. He also wore loose clothing with no weapon in sight.


    Then there was the most eye catching characteristic.


    He had bluish-white hair color. It was a color that could never develop within humans.


    Azell knew of only one being that possessed this hair color.


    ¡°When I observed Albatan¡¯s attitude, I thought this might be a possibility..... It really is you, Reshoo.¡±


    He was Azell¡¯s fourth teacher. He was the 1st generation Dragon Demon Reshoo.


    The disheveled blue haired Dragon Demon named Reshoo let out a gentleugh. He was markedly different from what Azell remembered.


    ¡°It has been a while, Azell.¡±

 Chapter 169 - Advent of Confusion (1)

    Chapter 169 - Advent of Confusion (1)


    1


    The situation within the continent was quickly deteriorating to the worst it has ever been.


    In the end, the Bijes kingdom and the Iellos kingdom had gone to war. The two armies shed at the borders, and the Iellos kingdom achieved victory in the battle. Afterwards, they marched straight towards the capital of the Bijes kingdom. The army of the Bijes kingdom counterattacked, and the fight between the two kingdoms continued to this day. The war intensified.


    Then there was the war between the Yudusk kingdom and the Garan kingdom. It was seesawing back and forth. While the casualties at the border increased, chaos erupted inside the Yudusk kingdom as the ve revolted.


    After the Dan kingdom¡¯s king was poisoned, the first prince wanted to settle the session in an amicable manner. However, the next two people in line of session was assassinated. The first prince became enraged as he med the death on the nobles, who opposed him. In the end, a civil war erupted.


    Then there was an outbreak of war between the Rin kingdom, and the Rarus kingdom.


    Also..... Dragon Demon princess Arrieta was fighting against the 2nd Grand Alliance that had appeared at the western border of the Rin kingdom. It had been a fortnight, yet the fight hadn¡¯t ended yet.


    The sound of battle was ongoing as Arrieta opened her eyes.


    The noise wasn¡¯t the reason why she awoke from her sleep. The sound of battle had been ongoing since yesterday night.


    She had fought from the front as she defended the castle wall. However, she needed rest, so she had changed shifts with the soldiers to get a brief amount of sleep.


    She was taking a break when the battle was ongoing. It sounded crazy, but the this was a protracted battle. It was something she had to be prepared to do as a warrior.


    She used a Dragon Arts technique to force herself into a deep sleep. No one hade to wake her up, yet the reason why she had woken up was simple.


    Ka-ahhhhhhhhhh......!


    The sound of a Dragon¡¯s cry could be heard.


    When she realized this fact, Arrieta mumbled to herself. It almost sounded like a groan.


    ¡°They mobilized a Dragon again.... Why is there so many Dragons inside this forest?¡±


    This was already the third Dragon that had been mobilized against them by their enemies within the Bn Forest.


    The Earth Dragon had died after it entered into the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual with the Azell.


    The Water Dragon had appeared before the 2nd Grand Dark Alliance had made their appearance. It died while attacking the fortress.


    At present, another Dragon had appeared again in front of them.


    Arrieta quickly went outside. Giles, who had been sleeping in the next room, came out of his room. He followed behind her.


    Giles spoke.


    ¡°Faikan was killed, yet their spirit remained unbroken.... Was it because they had kept this Dragon hidden as a secret weapon?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    The 2nd Grand Alliance had been formed around a central figure. It was a mutant orc named Faikan, and Arrieta had killed it.


    However, their enemies had another pivotal figure. Gakan was another mutant orc, and it had worked under Faikan as its lieutenant.


    Koo-gwa-gwa-gwahng......!


    Before the two of them could reach the castle wall, the Dragon¡¯s attack broke down part of the wall.


    The castle wall had already been in rough shape from the battle with the Water Dragon. They had to fight the 2nd Grand Alliance without being able to repair the walls, so it didn¡¯t stand a chance when another Dragon made its appearance.


    Arrieta climbed atop the rubble.


    Hoooooooooooo......!


    It was hard to even breathe within this powerful gale. An enormous Dragon stood within the heart of the gale.


    The Dragon possessed dark green scales, and its terrifying eyes looked over the castle wall. She had never seen this type of Dragon, yet Arrieta instantly knew what it was.


    ¡®Storm Dragon......!¡¯


    It was a Storm Dragon. It was able to freely control the power of wind.


    It was a more difficult opponent than the Water Dragon that had appeared before at the Western border fortress. The Water Dragon could use its fullest power when it was raining, or there had to be a body of water nearby. The Storm Dragon wasn¡¯t limited by such requirements.


    The Western Border guard was using broken down structures to stop the advance of the Storm Dragon. They shot the ballistas installed on top of the castle walls, and soldiers fired catapults from the inner castle. Magicians kept shooting their spells. The knights either threw spears, or they tried to use chain hooks to tie down the Dragon.


    Arrieta asked a question.


    ¡°What about Seigar?¡±


    ¡°He is facing the enemy¡¯s detached force.¡±


    Since they sent out the Dragon, their enemies could not directly attack the castle wall. There was no way a Dragon would be able to differentiate between allies and enemies in its attack. However, it seemed they weren¡¯t willing to bank everything on the Dragon. The mutant orc Gakan took a small detached force through harsh terrains, and they wereing at the castle wall in a roundabout way.


    It was the worst case scenario.


    Arrieta closed her eyes for a brief moment as she thought over the problem. Soon, she made her decision.


    ¡°Sir Giles.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Go help my brother.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I want you to take all the soldiers here, and I want you to lead them towards the detached force. We won¡¯t need our soldiers here.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    Arrieta didn¡¯t exin herself. She let out a deep breathe before she spoke.


    ¡°Oh, Dragon that rules over the winds...¡±


    Her voice was amplified using her magical energy. Her words cut through the winds to reach the ears of the Dragon.


    ¡°I¡¯m am the Dragon Majin princess of the the Rin Kingdom. I am Arrieta.¡±


    At this point, Giles realized Arrieta¡¯s intention. He desperately tried to stop Arrieta with his words.


    ¡°Princess! You can¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°I request the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.¡±


    However, Giles was a beat toote. Arrieta had made an irrevocable decision.


    The swirling gale died down as silence descended. Everyone, who had been desperately attacking the Storm Dragon, stopped their attacks in confusion.


    After a brief moment, the Dragon broke the silence as it nodded its head. The Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual was approved.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°Everyone listen to me! I want you all to stop attacking the Dragon, and draw back! I repeat! Stop all attacks on the Dragon and draw back! If you attack the Dragon from this point forward, it would bring a bigger cmity down on us!¡±


    After speaking those words, Arrieta spoke towards the Storm Dragon.


    ¡°Many do not know the meaning behind this ritual. I request we move this battle to a far away location. Will you agree to it?¡±


    She spoke those words to the Dragon. She couldn¡¯t believe she was trying to talk to a Dragon, but at the same time, she was sure her intent would be delivered to it.


    Soon, the Storm Dragon nodded its head. Giles spoke to her as Arrieta got ready to follow the retreating form of the Dragon.


    ¡°Princess!¡±


    ¡°Do as I say, sir Giles.¡±


    ¡°Princess... You are an idiot.¡±


    ¡°You presume much, but I can¡¯t deny your words. Maybe, I was influenced too much by a certain person.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Arrieta remembered the moment when Azell initiated the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual with the Earth Dragon. He had done it to save her life. As she was tutored under him, she knew she would have to go through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual someday, but.... She never expected it to be now.


    ¡°I wonder if he felt the same as I feel right now. Please pray for me.¡±


    Arrieta let out a dazzling smile as she jumped into the air. Her white hair swirled in the air as she moved away into the distance. Giles watched her with a devastated expression on his face..


    Then... From afar, the sound of the Dragon¡¯s Roar rang out.


    2


    Leticia would never forget her first meeting with him.


    She had been branded as a failure by the Almarick tribe, so she had been sent to the ck magic research facility to be used as a test subject. Each day was like hell for her. She didn¡¯t know if it was a god¡¯s miracle or a devil¡¯s curse, but she was lucky enough to escape from that hell....


    However, her escape hadn¡¯t been smooth at all.


    The in of Darkness wouldn¡¯t let her go easily. Persistent trackers were sent after her, and she had to continuously fight against an endless number of pursuers.


    She used her mighty strength to defeat her enemies, but she steadily became wounded and tired. In the end, she reached her limit, and she copsed in front of her pursuers.


    Shwaaaaaaaaah.......


    Rain had been falling on that day.


    Her pursuers had lost half their party thanks to Leticia. They grinded their teeth from the hatred they felt for her, but they couldn¡¯t kill her on the spot.


    ¡°Shit. Do we really have to take her back alive?¡±


    ¡°She is a precious test subject, so we have to keep her alive. I¡¯ve gagged her, but she might try other methods in an attempt to kill herself. Be wary.¡±


    ¡°In the end, she¡¯ll be wishing for her death, so let go of your anger.¡±


    Leticia had been bounded and gagged. She despaired as she listened to their conversation.


    ¡°I cam up here thinking there was andslide..... What the hell are you doing?¡±


    It had been Jisel. He was a Dragon Demon youth with disheveled ck hair, who would be her teacher in the future.


    He had been residing in a nearby town, and he had heard the thunder-like sound that was created when a part of the mountain was destroyed. He had thought andslide had urred, so he came up here to make sure thendslide wouldn¡¯t do any harm to the town. Instead, he had found them.


    ¡°Are you a Dragon Demon? This is a problem. If you back off, we won¡¯t raise our hands against you.¡±


    They were Dragon Demon worshippers. They weren¡¯t tolerant of Dragon Demons, who weren¡¯t within their organization. However, they had given his Dragon Demon an out. This meant they knew this Dragon Demon was a formidable opponent.


    The Dragon Demon youth kicked away the offer.


    ¡°Somehow, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to overlook this situation.¡±


    ¡°Your idle curiosity will result in your life ending prematurely. I¡¯ll warn you once again. This isn¡¯t any of your business. If you back off, we won¡¯t raise our hands against you.¡±


    ¡°Now that you put it that way..... I really don¡¯t want to back off.¡±


    The youth was not show any signs of fear. He let out a bright smile. The elite soldiers of the in of Darkness had no choice, but to attack him.....


    ¡°You guys are dangerous. It seems you are from the in of Darkness..... Why do all of you think it is ok to kill people to keep secrets?¡±


    He ughtered them before 5 minutes was up.


    Leticia had seen it with her own two eyes, yet she was having a hard time believing what had just urred.


    ¡®He¡¯s strong.¡¯


    This batch of pursuers weren¡¯t just minor members. These were elite members dispatched from the in of Darkness. However, they all perished without being able to ham a single hair on this youth¡¯s body.


    ¡°Are you ok? I don¡¯t know why they were pursuing you. However, since I know who they are, I¡¯m sure they were up to no good. You probably were not at fault. Let¡¯s go to my dwelling for now..¡±


    ¡°You are....¡±


    ¡°Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Jisel. What is your name, miss?¡±


    ¡°...Leticia.¡±


    This was the first meeting between Jisel and Leticia.


    Jisel took Leticia to his dwelling, and he treated her. She didn¡¯t know what he did, but after that day, no one was able to track her down. In hindsight, he probably manipted her tracks to send her pursuers on a wild goose chase.


    It took a long time for Leticia to open her heart to him.


    Her life had been messed up from the start. She had been born to be used as a exceptional tool, yet she had been branded as a defective product. She became a test subject that experienced living hell. It would have been stranger if she had a normal personality.


    Jisel was the first person to treat her as a person.


    He treated her as a person, and he taught her everything about how to live as an individual. As she lived with him, Leticia was able tough at others, and at times, she was able tell terrible jokes. .


    ¡°You graduate today, Leticia. You¡¯ll be fine on your own.¡±


    After two years, Jisel allowed her to stand on her own two feet.


    It wasn¡¯t something that was abruptly sprung on her. Jisel had made it clear in the beginning that he wouldn¡¯t stay in this ce for long. He always told her that there woulde a day when he would have to leave. He had lived here for two years, because of Leticia.


    Leticia thought Jisel was coldhearted for leaving her behind, but she bid him farewell without making much of a fuss.


    She didn¡¯t make a fuss not because she didn¡¯t love Jisel. As she lived with him, she had found herself. However, at the same time, her rage and hatred continued to burn in the corner of her heart. She couldn¡¯t forget it.


    She wanted to fight the Dragon Demon king worshippers throughout her life. She knew it wasn¡¯t the right way to live life, but she couldn¡¯t give up on the emotions that was etched into her soul.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have proof that this will happen, but.......¡±


    Jisel let out a bashful smile as he spoke.


    ¡°I have hunch that I will meet you once again in this life, Leticia.¡±


    ...after seven years had passed, his hunch was proven to be true. It was realized in an unexpected fashion.

 Chapter 170 - Advent of Confusion (2)

    Chapter 170 - Advent of Confusion (2)


    3


    ¡°Jisel.......¡±


    Leticia was struck dumb as she looked at the Dragon Demon in front of her.


    She was aware that he had the face of her teacher. She knew it was him. At the same time, it felt as if she didn¡¯t know this person at all. The reason being.......


    ¡°...why did you dye your hair into such a strange color?¡±


    Her teacher hadn¡¯t possessed bright blue hair color before. He would have been at the center of attention wherever he went if he had possessed such hair color.


    Aside from that, he hadn¡¯t changed much from what she remembered from her memories. He had already reached adulthood, so his appearance hadn¡¯t changed or aged. It hadn¡¯t been long enough for such changes to take ce.


    Jiesel smirked.


    ¡°You are still the same, Leticia. I didn¡¯t dye my hair. This is my original hair color. My hair was dyed when it was ck.¡±


    Azell queried in surprise when he heard their conversation.


    ¡°So Leticia¡¯s teacher Jisel was you, Reshoo?¡±


    ¡°That is correct.¡±


    ¡°I thought it might be a possibility, but.... I was told you had different hair color, and your reservoir of Dragon Demon magic was small. That is why I abandoned such thoughts.¡±


    ¡°My hair color draws too much attention outside. That is why I dyed it ck. Also, it isn¡¯t too hard to hide one¡¯s Dragon Demon magic.¡±


    ¡°...it isn¡¯t too hard? We aren¡¯t talking about someone else, right? We are talking about you.¡±


    Azell put on an expression as if he had heard something really strange. Jisel...no, Reshooughed.


    ¡°It has been over 220 years. How can I be the same as before?¡±


    ¡°You did change a lot. First, you did age a lot.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it normal to say you grew up a lot? I¡¯m far from being old.¡±


    Reshoo grumbled.


    In Azell¡¯s memories, Reshoo had looked as if he was in his mid teens. He looked to be in in his mid-20s right now.


    ¡®At the time, he was like a rude brat, who didn¡¯t know that the world was really dangerous....¡¯


    Of course, in the past, Reshoo was considered to be someone that possessed great power. However, that had only been true in outward appearance.


    The current Reshoo had not only grown up, but his demeanor had changed a lot. His sharp eyes had softened. There was an air of calmness, and he lookedfortable in his own skin. His Dragon Demon magic used to have a murderous and violent intent. There was a calmness to his energy now. He now understood why Leticia was unable to recognize how monstrous his Dragon Demon magic was.


    ¡®You¡¯ve be scary, Reshoo.¡¯


    That point made him shiver.


    Reshoo was formed from a unification between a Dragon and a Demon. He possessed no parents, and he had been on top of the food chain as soon a he walked on the surface of this world. Didn¡¯t his current demeanor mean that Reshoo had obtained techniques that allowed him to use his power in a rational manner?


    He even developed the Dragon Soul. There hadn¡¯t been a technique that opened up so many possibilities like this since the Dragon weapons were created several thousand years ago.


    Maybe, Reshoo was stronger than Azell, who had recovered his Dragon weapons.


    Reshoo looked intently at Azell and Leticia before he spoke.


    ¡°I knew we would see each other again, but... This is quite surprising. It¡¯s a happy coincidence to meet you, Leticia. However, Azell¡¯s presence does make me wonder if I¡¯m dreaming or not.¡±


    ¡°Were you aware that I had fallen asleep?¡±


    ¡°I did. Albatan-nim knew about it too, right?¡±


    ¡°He did.¡±


    ¡°It seems we have a lot to discuss.... Before we do that, there is something we have to do.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°We have to build a house.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Everyone was at a loss for words. Reshoo shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°I heard you wanted me to teach you about the Dragon Soul. It isn¡¯t something that can be done in a day or two. It is impossible for four people to sleep in my hut.¡±


    ¡°The town isn¡¯t that far away from here. Can¡¯t we just travel back and forth?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t a bad idea if we are trying to strengthen your physical fitness, but... It won¡¯t be possible. There are days where the training will put you in a state where you won¡¯t be able to return.¡±


    Reshoo spoke with a bright smile, but his words implied that their training would be very brutal.


    ¡°You can travel back and forth on days when you are able to. However, we should build a temporary shelter. Let¡¯s converse as we build the house.¡±


    ¡°You know how to build a house?¡±


    ¡°I built this hut. As I traveled around the world, I picked up on how to be a carpenter.¡±


    ¡°I really can¡¯t see you as a carpenter.....¡±


    The current Reshoo was radically different from the one Azell knew. What kind of life did he live during Azell¡¯s hibernation?


    Reshooughed as he spoke.


    ¡°Azell, your words made me into what I am right now.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a bit disappointed that you don¡¯t remember it. You told me understand what it is to be human.¡±


    ¡°Ah.......¡±


    Azell finally remembered the past event.


    After losing to Atein, Reshoo had been at death¡¯s door. Reshoo asked what he had to do to be as strong as Azell. At the time, Azell told him to understand what it is to be human... Azell never expected him to remember his words after all that time.


    Reshoo spoke with a soft light in his eyes.


    ¡°I followed your words. I approached and got to know various humans. In the process of understanding them... I fell in love with them. They were so small and weak that my heart ached. I couldn¡¯t help, but love them.¡±


    Reshoo ced a hand on his chest, and he gave himself up to his recollection. As Reshoo spoke, Azell tried to merge the memory of Reshoo he had known, and the figure named Jisel, who was described to him by Leticia.


    Jisel waspletely different from the Reshoo from his memories. However, what if it was as Reshoo had said? Was this change the result of Reshoo taking his advice and approaching the humans?


    ¡°It took you a very long time to return. During that time, I lived amongst the humans. At times, I lived amongst them as a Dragon Demon. I also lived amongst them disguised as humans... I protected, nurture, loved, fought and killed humans.¡±


    There was some contradictions in his words, but Azell knew what Reshoo was trying to convey with his words.


    It was hard to love humans, yet they were easy to hate. If he was able to find values that made humans worth loving, it would have been easy for him to find reason to hate them. Humans killed other humans. As a Dragon Demon, would it have been strange for him to be able to separate the humans he loved and wanted to protect with the ones he wanted to kill?


    Reshoo continued to speak.


    ¡°I¡¯ve experience much happiness and joy. At the same time, I experience an equal amount of heartache and pain. The ones that shouldn¡¯t be sick got sick, and the ones that shouldn¡¯t have been killed got killed. These were all done by the hands of humans.....¡±


    How much tragedy had he seen in the past 200 years as he wandered the world?


    After the Dragon Demon war ended, the world had been overflowing with tragedies. The absolute threat called the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army was gone, but that didn¡¯t mean everyone could live a happily ever after.


    Still, Azell was able to experience a brief period of peace. Even as he was dying from Atein¡¯s curse, he knew he had fought for a worthy cause. His actions resulted in a lot of people finding their happiness. He was able to experience this when he ruled over the County of Karzark.


    However, Reshoo had seen many darkness that Azell hadn¡¯t been able to witness. These darkness didn¡¯t go away, because the war was over.


    Still, humans shone within this darkness.


    ¡°The Dragon Soul arose from such experiences. I hope I can repay some of what I gained from you with this.¡±


    ¡°Rpense.... I never expected to hear such words from you.¡±


    ¡°Do you think it would be fun to live the same way in an unchanging world? We have no idea what will happen the next day, so we have to enthusiastically live our lives.¡±


    Reshooughed as he spoke those words.


    When he saw Reshoo¡¯sughter, Azell perceived that a lot of time had passed. It had been awhile since he had such a feeling. Reshoo had been like simple beast, but enough time had passed for the 1st generation Dragon Demon to be a mature adult.....


    4


    Leticia quickly took control of her shock, and she calmed down. It didn¡¯t matter what ured in front of her. She was used to focusing on the reality right of her eyes. She was able to do this, because she had experience pain at the bottom of hell.


    ¡°Jisel... No, would you prefer to be called Reshoo?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care either way. I¡¯m used to being called by various names.¡±


    ¡°That means you used aliases aside from Jisel as you wandered the world.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you do the same?¡±


    ¡°I did. If you were to choose a real name, what would it be?¡±


    ¡°It is Reshoo.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll call you by Reshoo. The Jisel I remember didn¡¯t have such an eye-catching head.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t like the color of my hair? Everyone tells me it is pretty. They are jealous of my hair color.....¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it is pretty or unsightly.......¡±


    Leticia furrowed her brows.


    ¡°Your hair color is radically different from what I remember. That is why I find your outer appearance to be strangely objectionable.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. If it is bothering you, do you want me to dye my hair ck?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯ll probably get used to it the more I see it.¡±


    ¡°It seems that part about you remain the same. How have you been? I never expected you to show up with Azell. I was surprised.¡±


    ¡°I met him while I was killing the Dragon Demon king worshippers. So.....¡±


    Leticia spoke about what happened during the 7 years after they parted. There wasn¡¯t much to talk about. Before she met Yuren, she had travelled to various regions around the continent to fight Dragon Demon king worshippers. asionally, she was mistaken as a Dragon Demon king worshippers, so she was chased by the Guardian Shadows. She healed herself in hiding when she received injuries from battle. Then there was the very brief periods of time she set aside for training.... She had lived a very dreary life.


    This was why she had much more to talk about when she talked about Yuren, Azell, Kairen and Laura even though they had beenrades for only a brief amount of time. Reshoo let out a gentle smile after he heard her story.


    ¡°You¡¯ve met some goodrades, Leticia.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.......¡±


    Leticia had an awkward expression on her face.


    ¡®Goodrades.......¡¯


    From the time she gained independence from Reshoo to the fight against the Dragon Demon King worshippers, she had been alone for a long time. asionally, she did fight alongside others, but she never became colleagues with anyone else.


    This was why the concept of partnering with outs for foreign to her. Currently, she had opened her heart, and she travelled with them. Sometimes it did feel like a dream. It was as if she was seeing herself from a distance.


    Reshoo asked her a question.


    ¡°It seems you¡¯ve gotten better. You are hurt yet you are able to keep your Dragon Demon magic calm and ordered. Did Azell teach you a lot of things?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t as if I hadn¡¯t learned nothing.¡±


    ¡°Azell always had a knack for teaching others. He¡¯s able to learn everything easily, yet he has a talent for breaking down a theories in a logical manner.¡±


    ¡°You guys were each other¡¯s teacher?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Of course, if we considered the content of what we learned, I learned more from him. In truth, I wasn¡¯t at a point in my life where I was capable of teaching someone else.¡±


    Reshoo let out a bitterugh. At the time when they taught each other, he had really been like a beast. He had taught Azell about the Dragon¡¯s power, but it was hardly a proper instruction.


    Leticia became surprised.


    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine it. I¡¯ve never seen anyone be more patient in teaching others than you.¡±


    It didn¡¯t matter if one¡¯s student was good at studying or not. The most important qualities of an instructor was patience and an ability to stay calm. From what Leticia had observed, Reshoo had excelled in those departments. It didn¡¯t matter if he was teaching Leticia or the vige children. Reshoo had never expressed any annoyance, and he had taught them with patience.

 Chapter 171 - Advent of Confusion (3)

    Chapter 171 - Advent of Confusion (3)


    Reshoo let out an embarrassedughter.


    ¡°I learned that from Azell too. I wasn¡¯t a good teacher, and I wasn¡¯t a good student either. From the moment I set foot on this world, I was strong. I could do whatever I wanted. This might be why I hated studying subjects that had anything to do with logic. Of course, I was terrible at exining what I knew to others.¡±


    When Reshoo thought back on the words he had spoken out loud, he had a hard time deciphering what he had been trying to say.


    If a bird with wings asked a flightless being to teach one how to fly, what would the answer sound like?


    He regurgitated concepts when Azell had no basis for understanding it. Of course, his exnation had sounded nonsensical. Still, Azell was like a person sifting through trash to find treasures. Azell had gathered pieces of what he had said to create meaningful words.


    ¡°I knew everything at an instinctual, but when someone else..... No, I couldn¡¯t even exin what I knew, yet this man wasing up with precise exnations. Even I couldn¡¯t help but marvel at it.¡±


    ¡°Basically, he made a brute into a person?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. To be precise, he made me want to be a person.¡±


    At the time, Reshoo had been satisfied by what he was. He had been born as a powerful being, and he could easily acquire whatever he wanted.


    However, at the time, he had met Azell. Azell had been born weak, yet he had exceeded those that were born into power. Azell had reached a higher state than him. Reshoo was able to realize his shorings, and the desire to be a better existence appeared.


    ¡°My desire for wanting to be stronger started when I was defeated by Atein. However, I wanted to be a better person when.... It was thanks to Azell.¡±


    Azell had taught Reshoo many things, and he left behind a present that would be guide his life.


    ¡°Understand the humans. Leticia, I met you, because I had heard those words.¡±


    ¡°You followed my words for the past 200 years, and you lived amongst the humans?¡±


    ¡°At first, that was my motive.... However, you can say it is my way of life now. It is a long time even for me, but the time passed by so quickly.¡±


    It didn¡¯t seem like a lot of time to him, but babies born not too long ago started to crawl. Then the children grew to walk, talk, cry andugh. They quickly grew up.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t help, but marvel at the process. I saw it countless times, and I should have been tired of watching it. Maybe, it was because I wasn¡¯t born under the protection of parents. I didn¡¯t grow up under such an environment.¡±


    ¡°...no, it isn¡¯t normal for one to be self aware at birth. This is true for when one is a baby..¡±


    ¡°Still, one¡¯s first experience bes stamped into one¡¯s basic instincts. Even if one can¡¯t remember it, it is imprinted somewhere in one¡¯s soul. I don¡¯t have what the humans had..... To be precise, I would also include other Dragon Demons and Dragon Majins into the same group. I wonder if that is what separates us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure this is an experience unique to the 1st generation Dragon Demons.¡±


    ¡°Ah. I¡¯m speaking about this as if it ismon knowledge. Have you heard about this, Azell?¡±


    ¡°I heard about it. Azell said you possessed the most Dragon Demon magic amongst the 1st generation Dragon Demons..... In many ways, I feel duped.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t really trying to be deceptive towards you.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. In the past, I knew you didn¡¯t tell me every minute detail of your past. It doesn¡¯t matter who you are. I learned many things from you. The fact that I owe you a lot remains unchanged.¡±


    ¡°When you put it that way, I am thankful and embarrassed.....¡±


    Reshoo let out an embarrassedughter. He scratched his cheeks.


    As she observed him, Leticia asked Reshoo a questioni..


    ¡°It seems there are infinite variety even amongst the 1st generation Dragon Demons. This was true about Reygus and Almarick, but........¡±


    ¡°Ah, you did say you met those two. How was it?¡±


    ¡°Reygus was apletely crazy and idiotic battle fiend. Almarick was.... Mmm. He was like a mountain hermit that lived a full life, but he was horrifyingly strong. After Azell keeled over, the four of us tried to attack him. We lost without being able to do anything.¡±


    ¡°Mmm? Could you give me a more detailed ount?¡±


    When Reshoo wondered about it, Leticia went over what she had experienced. After hearing everything, Reshoo tilted his head in puzzlement.


    ¡°From what I heard about Almarick from Azell, he didn¡¯t have such a personality......¡±


    ¡°Azell also said that his personality had be markedly different.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not well acquainted with them. If Azell says it is so, he¡¯s probably right.¡±


    ¡°I heard you fought with Atein, yet you aren¡¯t acquainted with Reygus and Almarick?¡±


    ¡°When I fought Atein, it urred within this forest..... At the time, he only brought Aunsaurus. When I left this forest to roam the world, the Dragon Demon war had ended. This was why I never became acquainted with them.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±


    ¡°Atein was... He was quite the entertaining fellow.¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    Leticia furrowed her brows. Reshoo continued to speak.


    ¡°His way of thinking was a bit outrageous.¡±


    ¡°Outrageous?¡±


    ¡°Normally, when one encounters a problem, one usually chooses between two choices. It is to either solve the problem or avoid the problem.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°However, Atein wasn¡¯t like that. After he solved the problem with his ability, it didn¡¯t end there... He would sit in front of the problem toe up with other ways he could use to solve the problem, then he woulde up with methods that could be used by others to solve the same problem.¡±


    ¡°The former sounds reasonable, but thetter... It does sound strange.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t end there. Afterwards, he investigates the problem itself. Why did the problem arise? Is there some way that would ensure that this problem never arises.... He would methodically analyze the problem, and at each stage of the analysis, he woulde up with various methods he and the others could use to stop the problem from arising. He would continuously find subjects that he would be engrossed in.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.......¡±


    It was clear that Atein was an entric figure.


    Leticia asked a question.


    ¡°It seems 1st generation Dragon Demons are powerful. I experienced their might when we came across Reygus and Almarick. They were really strong. Was it the same for the Dragon Demon king Atein?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm? It is impossible topare Atein to the two of them.¡±


    ¡°He was that strong?¡±


    ¡°No, I misspoke. I meant Atein wasn¡¯t strong only because he was a 1st generation Dragon Demon. In truth, this might also be true of Reygus and Almarick.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°After the 1st generation Dragon Demons started appearing in this world, they all possessed massive amount of power. However, there are only few instances where a 1st generation Dragon Demon was able to transcend one¡¯s lifespan like Atein and the Dragon Demon generals.¡±


    ¡°They transcended their lifespan? Those words... Are you saying that not all 1st generation Dragon Demons live so long?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Unless one gets murdered, Dragon Demons live longer than the Dragon Majins. However, not all of them are able to live as long as Atein and the Dragon Demon generals. There¡¯s also the fact that they were the first, so there is a difference. Then there is the the temperament of the Dragons..... They are simr to the Dragons before they go through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual in that they are aggressive. This is why they die early on.¡±


    ¡°Still, 1st generation Dragon Demons are overwhelmingly powerful, so why would they die so easily?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t see Reygus and Almarick as the standard. Your party can handle normal 1st generation Dragon Demons as if they are kids.¡±


    ¡°Is that really true?¡±


    Leticia eyes widened. This waspletely different from what she had perceived to be true.


    Reshoo let out a bitterugh.


    ¡°It is true that the 1st generation Dragon Demons are born with much more potential. There aren¡¯t any beings in this world that are born with as much Dragon Demon magic as them. However, let¡¯s us say a 1st generation Dragon Demon was born with twice the Dragon Demon magic you have right now, Leticia.¡±


    ¡°Even that much sounds amazing.......¡±


    Leticia was a Dragon Majin, but she had been a test subject born to be the heir to Almarick. Her potential was excellent. Moreover, she experienced a unification with a Demon, so her Dragon Demon magic was better than most Dragon Majins. That is why twice the amount of her Dragon Demon magic was an incredible amount.


    ¡°However, what if the 1st generation Dragon Demon knew no Dragon Arts? How strong would he be?¡±


    ¡°...I see. So that is what you meant.¡±


    Of course, it would be difficult to find an adversary in nature that would be able to rival them. They could rip apart humans with their bare hands, and their physical capabilities were so overwhelming that beasts couldn¡¯t track their movements.


    However, one had to go through a learning process to fully utilize one¡¯s Dragon Demon magic.


    Even if they didn¡¯t have techniques that maximized their power through magic techniques or Dragon Arts, the Dragon Demons had the natural ability to cause fire or wind to manifest. Still, one had to establish how to best use these powers through experience.


    Beasts grew up to be crafty hunters, but many died in the maturation process. Even after they are fully grown, a single mistake could cause the beast¡¯s death.


    The life of a 1st generation was like that.


    ¡°They are strong, but they are much weaker than a Dragon. Moreover, Dragons are protected by their parents until they mature. If we take that point into consideration, it is harder for the 1st generation Dragon Demons to survive. On top of that, 1st generation Dragon Demons rarely form groups. They work alone, and that also decreases their chances of survival.¡±


    Even if they possessed strength and intelligence, they were like beasts trying to survive in nature. They had to live the life of an independent adult beast. This was why many died in territorial battles. They often sumbed to starvation and fatigue.


    ¡°Of course, the speed at which they improve their abilities is incredibly fast. Still, the upper limits of their natural ability is clearpared to those that learned the Dragon Arts or magic.¡±


    ¡°If that is true.......¡±


    Leticia furrowed her brows.


    ¡°From what Azell had said, he said you were incredibly powerful from the very first time he met you. Were you just lucky? Or were you somehow special?¡±


    ¡°It is both.¡±


    Reshoo let out a bitterugh.


    ¡°ording to Atein, I was probably born with thergest amount of power amongst the 1st generation Dragon Demons. This was why I had no natural enemies, and even before I learned techniques from Azell, I was able to win fights against Dragons for territories.¡±


    Basically, he had been stronger than a Dragon when he hadn¡¯t learned magic or the Dragon Arts. He really was someone that possessed a ridiculous amount of potential.


    ¡°However, it isn¡¯t as if all 1st generation Dragon Demons are powerful. You should look at the 1st generation Dragon Demons that were born in this forest. The only that is special is probably Hanerosa.¡±


    ¡°Hanerosa.... I¡¯ve heard that name earlier.¡±


    ¡°He is in charge of the eastern edge of the forest. He came into being around 120 years ago. He is powerful, yet he is an introvert. This was why it was easy to rope him to our side.....¡±


    ¡°Somehow, it feels as if the image I held of the 1st generation Dragon Demons are being smashed into pieces.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be destroyed further in the future. You¡¯ll have the chance to meet other 1st generation Dragon Demons in this forest.¡±


    ¡°I see. Let me ask you one question.¡±


    When he nodded his head, Leticia¡¯s face hardened into a serious expression. Reshoo nodded his head.


    ¡°Speak.¡±


    ¡°If I learn the Dragon Soul from you, will I be able to go toe to toe with Reygus and Almarick?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    Reshoo furrowed his brows. Then he tilted his head.


    ¡°From your exnation, I can get a rough idea of their battle capabilities... It¡¯ll be impossible in the short term.¡±


    ¡°...I see.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the immediate future. It is impossible for you to go toe to toe with them in terms of strength. If all of you had the highest ranked Dragon weapon like the Vitan¡¯s Chalice, it would still be a tall task. However, the story might change depending on what type of abilities you guys can earn through the Dragon Soul.¡±

 Chapter 172 - Advent of Confusion (4)

    Chapter 172 - Advent of Confusion (4)


    5


    Arrieta vacantly stared up at the gloomy sky.


    She had no idea how long she had been standing there like that.


    She suddenly started hearing sounds, and she started to wake up from the static state she had been in.


    ¡°...Dragon Demon...can¡¯t believe.......¡±


    ¡°The information... Dragon Demon princess.......¡±


    Words that had meaning were interspersed between the sounds, and the words burrowed into her consciousness.


    At the same time, her senses started to recover. It was as if a painting that had been neglected was brought out into the light. Her world had been ck and white, but color was returning. Her sense of smell, sound and touch came back to life once again. Shapes around her came into focus. Arrieta smelled the thick scent of blood. It was enough to make her nose go numb. There was an enormous amount of blood around her, and her body was dyed red with it.


    Moreover, she realized she was holding something in her hands. Arrieta became startled when she realized she was holding onto a corpse of a Dragon Majin with a broken neck.


    ¡®Did I fight with the enemy?¡¯


    She moved her body in a sh.


    Pah-jee-jee-jeek!


    Her sword blocked the halberd that was being swung at her back. The magical energy of the weapons repulsed each other. It created a white spark.


    ¡®Enemies.¡¯


    She didn¡¯t know what was going on, but her enemies were targeting her.


    When she realized this fact, her body reacted.


    ¡°Hoohp!¡±


    She yelled as she pushed away her enemies with surprising strength.


    ¡°Shake free and roar! Power of the Dragon!¡±


    She spoke a cantrip infused with the power of the Dragon Arts. A storm of mental waves hit her enemies. While her enemies staggered, Arrieta assessed the identity of her enemies.


    ¡®Dragon Demon king worshippers. There are...three more to go.¡¯


    At the same time, the memories leading up to her trance started to return.


    She had gone through with the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual with the Storm Dragon.


    It had felt like the longest fight of her life. The fight felt like itsted an eternity. In the end, she was able to defeat the Dragon, and she had taken the Dragon¡¯s power.


    ¡®I see. I¡¯ve won.¡¯


    Even she was having a hard time believing it, but she had won against a Dragon in a one on one battle. This was why she was overflowing with energy. She felt as if she would be able to win against another Dragon right now.


    ¡°Shit! This ispletely different from our intelligence! We were told the three of us would be able to capture her.....¡±


    The Dragon Demon king worshippers were taken aback. They had mobilized the Storm Dragon to bring down the Western Border Fortress, yet it was neutralized through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. This was why they decided to assassinate Arrieta. Their n was to put the continent into a state of confusion, and the Western Border Fortress had to fall for this n to work. Arrieta had strayed far from the fortress to conduct the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. It was a golden opportunity for them to kill Arrieta.


    The only problem right now was the fact that Arrieta was drastically stronger than what their intel had suggested.


    The intel was considered to be rtively fresh, since they had assessed her capabilities when they tried to capture her at the Bn Forest. However, Arrieta had be iparably more stronger after she received instruction from Azell at the Dukedom of Tarantos.


    From the beginning, she possessed great potential for a Dragon Majin. Even Kairen had acknowledged her talent. Moreover, she had trained her basic foundation ad nauseam. This was why she was able seed in the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual after learning the secret techniques from Azell.


    ¡°It is hardly necessary to say this, but.... I¡¯ll have to thank Azell again.¡±


    Arrieta let out a smile. This caused the Dragon Demon king worshippers to grind their teeths.


    ¡°Koo-oohk. Is this the doing of the great sinner Azell Karzark!¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t enough that he caused harm to the king. Now he is interfering with our great work!¡±


    At his words, Arrieta¡¯s expression turned peculiar. She queried them.


    ¡°Azell Karzark? What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t y innocent with me, Dragon Demon princess! The Azell you were with confirmed that he is the Azell Karzark! It has been verified!¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    For a brief moment, Arrieta looked at them in a dumbfounded manner.


    ¡®Are you saying Azell is the hero Azell Karzark?¡¯


    In the past, Azell had said the same thing to her. At the time, she had a hard time believing his assertion. Still, if she went over the memories she had with him, it didn¡¯t feel imusible either.


    So he really was telling the truth?


    ¡°Hahaha. This is quite humorous. I unknowingly received instructions from the legendary hero.¡±


    Arrieta had queried Azell about this subject several times. She remembered a particr conversation she had with him.


    ¡®These are precious techniques, yet you are teaching it to me for no cost. Are you sure about this? I¡¯m not sure why you are doing this.¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s all right. However, I want you to promise me one thing.¡¯


    ¡®Ah, of course. I won¡¯t pass on these techniques to anyone.....¡¯


    ¡®I want the opposite. I don¡¯t want you to hesitate in sharing it with everyone. I want you to gather as many people under you, and you have to wake them up to the reality of this era. That is the only cost I want from you, princess.¡¯


    ¡®Why? Sir Azell, why are you going so far..... How can you gift everyone your techniques without any reservation?¡¯


    ¡®We need power to confront the darkness that will arrive once again. Our enemies put enormous effort over time to manipte the history of humanity, and our true powers were stolen from us. Our fighting techniques should have evolved as time passed after the Dragon Demon war. However, we lost the essence of our fighting techniques. We have regressed. If those that still possess these lost techniques rise up once again, we will be faced with a bigger cmity than the Dragon Demon war.¡¯


    ...at times he had spoken about the Dragon Demon war as if he had been there.


    He talked about how the warriors of this era were inferior in quality. The martial artists of this generation wasn¡¯tcking in resolve or talent. They had been castrated in terms of techniques, and the limitation it caused was frightening......


    She had been taught by Azell as he pointed out these problems. He broke down his techniques down to the basics, so she would be able to teach it to others. He had been meticulous in his teachings.


    Arrieta hadn¡¯t forgotten the promise she had made to Azell.


    She didn¡¯t hesitate to teach the people under her. She didn¡¯t hold anything back. It was an era where the essence of Dragon Arts and the Spirit Order had been assaulted by the Dragon Demon King worshippers. The forces under Arrieta, Seigar and the Dukedom of Tarantos could be called the strongest force in the human realm right now.


    ¡°It would have been better if I knew this earlier. I am envious of my teacher.¡±


    As she mumbled those words, Arrieta used Instantaneous Movement to appear behind the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    ¡°Koohk!¡±


    The Dragon Majin magician shot a thunderbolt towards her. However, the attack was in vain. The thunderbolt passed through empty air. It had been her clone.


    From the opposite side, Arrieta attacked in a fearsome manner. She shed with the warrior wielding a halberd. She red at him as she yelled out loud.


    ¡°Shake free and roar! Power of the Dragon!¡±


    Her cantrip turned into a storm of mental waves. The magician, who had been trying to support the warrior, flinched immediately.


    However, the two warriors gritted their teeth as they defended their mind. They were taught battle tactics and secret techniques from the warrior training facility within the in of Darkness.


    ¡°Do you think that will work a second time.......¡±


    Pah-hahk!


    One of the warrior charged forward in a frontal attack. However, his eyes widened before he could finish his words.


    Arrieta had been shing with the warrior holding the halberd, but in a sh, she passed by the halberd wielding warrior to cut down the other warrior.


    ¡®Shit. Did she mess with my senses......!¡¯


    The storm of mental waves was a bait.


    In response to the harsh storm of mental waves, the two warriors had created a stiff mental wall. However, the structure of this mental wall was simple. Arrieta used this w to slightly tweak their senses. The information that was transferred from their eyes to their brain was dyed by a beat. It allowed her to easily slice through their defense.


    ¡°Oh Evil Darkness, Rend Apart!¡±


    She used Instantaneou Movement to flip the field then she brought down her sword from up high. A torrent of light came pouring out following the trajectory of her sword.


    ¡°Koo-ahhhhhk......!¡±


    The scream was drowned out by the sound of the explosion.


    Unfortunately, the warrior with the halberd pierced through the explosion. The magician had been killed, because his reaction had been too slow. The warrior had been able to defend against the attack.


    However, Arrieta snorted when she saw this. The warrior was immediately puzzled by why Arrieta hadn¡¯t followed up with an attack. Soon, he found out the reason why.


    Zzuh-ung!


    Someone else had ambushed him from behind.


    It was a young knight with curly blond hair and a baby face. It was Giles Vince. When he realized the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual was over, he had sought out Arrieta.


    ¡°Princess! I¡¯m sorry for beingte!¡±


    ¡°You could have taken a little more time to get here, and it wouldn¡¯t have mattered.¡±


    ¡°You should just scold me instead.¡±


    Giles let out a bitterugh as he moved in to dispatch the warrior wielding a halberd. Giles spoke.


    ¡°...you are human.¡±


    ¡°Why does that matter?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not obligated to tell you anything.¡±


    The halberd wielding warrior recoiled in fright. He had suddenly heard a voice emanating from right next to him. He turned his head in surprise to look at the source of the voice.


    ¡®Oh no!¡¯


    However, no one was there. Giles used this opening to get inside his guard.


    A halberd had the advantage of unleashing devastating attacks with its long reach. However, the warrior had fallen for Giles¡¯ trick, and it had created an opening. Giles had closed the distance, and the halberd¡¯s advantage had been neutralized.


    ¡°Koo-oohk! You are merely an unbeliever!¡±


    All Dragon Demon king worshippers were self-conceited.


    ¡®These unbelievers do not know the forgotten techniques. They don¡¯t stand a chance against me.¡¯


    Up until now, the Dragon Demon king worshippers had always been superior in terms of techniquespared to their opponents. The unbelievers had lost the techniques dealing with the mind and the senses, so how could theypete with him?


    However, the Dragon Demon king worshipper didn¡¯t have this advantage over Giles. Giles took advantage of the warrior¡¯s weak spot, and he had neutralized the only advantage the warrior had over Giles. He had neutralized the weapon¡¯s long reach. The halberd wielding warrior was barely able to block the sword strikes that wereing at him like a storm. He red at Giles.


    The warrior¡¯s mental wave had been cultivated into being as sharp as a de, and it impacted on Giles¡¯ mind barrier. If he could mess with Giles¡¯ senses, he believed he could turn the table.


    Zzeeeeeng!


    When he put on a smile of satisfaction, he was hit with a sharp headache.


    ¡°Ooh-ook......?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve already suffered under the princess¡¯ attack. Do you really think I¡¯m an idiot that knows nothing? This isn¡¯t just self conceit. You are the idiot.¡±


    When the warrior attacked what he assumed to be a weak point in the mental barrier, Giles sprung a trap he had prepared. When the mental wave hit the mental barrier, a counterattack immobilized the halberd wielding warrior for a brief moment.


    Pah-ahk!


    Giles separated the warrior¡¯s head from his body.


    After defeating his enemy, Giles took a knee to pay his respects to Arrieta.


    ¡°I congratte you for defeating the Dragon.¡±


    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe I was able to seed.¡±


    ¡°Even after seeing it with my own eyes, I¡¯m also having a hard time believing in it.¡±


    At Giles¡¯ words, Arrieta let out a bright smile. The Dragon¡¯s corpse was lying amidst the broken trees. Its neck had been torn away, and an enormous amount of blood had poured out. The surrounding region was dyed red with blood, and half of Arrieta¡¯s body was soaked in blood. It was a ghastly sight.


    Arrieta asked him a question.


    ¡°How¡¯s the situation at the fortress?¡±


    ¡°It is all wrapped up. The prince was able to kill the leader.¡±


    ¡°I see. The remaining enemy force might rally and attack the fortress. Let us return.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do with the Dragon¡¯s corpse?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to return for now, and we¡¯ll bring back enough manpower to take the corpse back with us. We¡¯ve already killed the two mutant orcs and the Dragon Demon king worshippers that worked secretly behind the scene. However, that doesn¡¯t mean there aren¡¯t any more left. We should be on our guard.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Also.......¡±


    Arrieta stopped speaking for a brief moment, and she broke out in sudden uncontrobleughter. Giles looked at her in puzzlement. Sheughed as she spoke in a yful manner.


    ¡°These guys said that sir Azell is Azell Karzark.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Last time, he spoke about it as if it was a joke, but it seems he was telling the truth. If I tell Enora this fact, I wonder what expression she would make.¡±


    The situation at the fortress had been precarious, so she had evacuated Enora to the back. Arrieta was looking forward to telling her this truth.


    Suddenly, Giles spoke.


    ¡°If it¡¯s Ms Enora.... She will probably be shocked by something else.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll probably faint at how you look right now, princess.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. Is it that bad?¡±


    ¡°This might sound rude, but it would be best if you washed yourself once with water.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do so. However, sir Giles....¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem too surprised?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the same for princess?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It is surprising how easily I epted this truth.¡±


    ¡°It might be the same for Ms Enora.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be any fun. Do you think Seigar will be surprised?¡±


    ¡°I believe so.¡±


    The two shared conspiratorialughter.

 Chapter 173 - Another Enemy (1)

    Chapter 173 - Another Enemy (1)


    1


    The essence of Spirit Order had everything to do with the mastery over one¡¯s mind.


    It boosted the mind, and one could control one¡¯s senses ording to one¡¯s will. In turn, the mind and senses were expanded using the mental waves. If one limited theparison to the maniption of the mind, an Archmage at the zenith of his magical power couldn¡¯te close to a high ranking Spirit Order Practitioner.


    In martial arts, one trained one¡¯s body first. Techniques were cultivated then the mind was trained.


    However, Spirit Order was the opposite. The training of one¡¯s mind allowed one to gain control of one¡¯s magical energy. This was used to cultivate techniques, and the body was trainedst.


    The techniques used to control the mind was the essence of the Spirit Order. It was inevitable that one of the most important training method was meditation.


    When one meditated, Spirit Order allowed one to observe one¡¯s inner workings as if one was reading the palm of one¡¯s hand.


    One could find out the rhythm of one¡¯s heart beat, and one could observe how one¡¯s cirction changed depending on the rhythm of one¡¯s heart. Then there were the Rings of Life surrounding the heart. The Rings of Life created magical energy as it pulsed with the heart. One could observe the pattern in which magical energy was spread throughout the body......


    The pulsing of the heart created the magical energy, and the magical energy saturated one¡¯s energy pulse before it was spread outside of one¡¯s body.


    At the same time, one¡¯s senses expanded.


    Even as one closes one¡¯s eyes to monitor the inner working of one¡¯s body, one was able to meticulously observe one¡¯s surrounding.


    Ddoohk......!


    The sound of dew falling on top of the grass could be heard.


    His senses extended beyond it. It was as if his senses were following the blowing winds. Further and further......


    In the next moment, Azell opened his eyes from several hundred distance away.


    Cheeee......!


    Smoke emanated from his entire body.


    That wasn¡¯t the only thing that happened. From behind Azell, the sound of an explosion rang out as strong winds swirled around him. The beautiful trees were broken. The animals and birds fled in surprise.


    ¡°...what did you just do?¡±


    Laura, who had been standing there, asked in surprised. Azell created cold air to cool his body.


    ¡°Instantaneous Movement.¡±


    ¡°...that really was Instantaneous Movement? You traveled around 500 meters.¡±


    Azell had been meditating on top of a mountain. When his senses reached this location, he used Instantaneous Movement in a lightning fast manner to travel to this ce.


    ¡°It was slightly less than 400 meters. This is what happens when I use my full strength. However, this isn¡¯t a practical move. If i used this in a real battle, my body would be sent flying by the rebound.¡±


    Azell¡¯s Instantaneous Movement from a moment ago was several times faster than the speed of sound. Moreover, he had to suffer enormous shock at the beginning and the end. This one Instantaneous Movement had tired him out.


    Oooooohng.......


    He had consumed an enormous amount of magical energy, yet his Energy Pulse had filled up in no time.


    There were eight Rings of Life encircling Azell¡¯s heart.


    They were all finished using the Dual Banding technique. It was as if his source of Dragon Demon magic was limitless. He was continuously producing highly dense Dragon Demon magic.


    Laura mumbled to herself as if she couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing.


    ¡°Even if you¡¯ve inherited 9 Dragon weapons, I can¡¯t believe your magical energy became this high.......¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t just the Dragon weapons.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Carlos hadn¡¯t just stored my Dragon weapons..... He used the Keepers of Prophecy as a source for Dragon Demon magic. An enormous amount of power was stored within the Dragon weapons. This was why a flood of power hade into me when I inherited the weapons. It was as if I hadpleted a Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.¡±


    This resulted in Azell¡¯s wounds healing in an instant, and his body had be much stronger. It also increased the density of his Dragon Demon magic.


    In the process of settling the swirling power within his body, Azell had been able to create his 8th Ring of Life. He had alsopleted the Dual Banding.


    Laura queried.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you handled 13 Dragon weapons in the Dragon Demon war?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°How strong were you at that time?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. I¡¯m not sure? It should beparable to my power right now. I never expected to recover my power to this extent.....¡±


    Azell answered her as he tilted his head to the side. Laura puzzled over his answer. Azell hadn¡¯t been able to inherit three Dragon weapons. These weapons were destroyed. So why wasn¡¯t there any noticeable difference in his power?


    ¡°I¡¯m inferior to my past self in some aspects, and I¡¯m superior in other aspects. If I¡¯m to point out the inferior parts, I¡¯ve lost three Dragon weapons, and my body is weaker than before. Moreover,the quality of my magical energy is a bitckingpared to when I had use of my full Dragon Demon magic..¡±


    His body was incredibly strong, but inparison to his body during his prime years, it came up short. Moreover, the loss of three Dragon weapons meant his tactical advantage had lessened significantly.


    ¡°The improvement is the magical energy.¡±


    ¡°Magical energy?¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m to be precise, the amount of magical energy I can produce in a short period of time. I can produce over twice the amount as before.¡±


    ¡°How can this be? You..... In the past, you were also an Octuple master.¡±


    Laura queried him. She couldn¡¯tprehend what he was saying.


    It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that an Octuple master had almost reached the human limitation. In the in of Darkness, no one had reached this level. So there wasn¡¯t many she could use as a measuring stick. In the case of Duran, he had died at the hands of Azell. Duran had been superior in terms of magical energypared to most Dragon Majins. He wasn¡¯t someone that could be easily ignored.


    Azell possessed twice that amount?


    ¡°It is thanks to a technique called Dual Banding.¡±


    Azell had never talked about the Dual Banding to his party members.


    He had two reasons for doing this.


    First, he had neverpleted the technique before. He was walking through uncharted territory. He was making good use of this technique, but he hadn¡¯t consolidated it into something that could be taught to others. He wasn¡¯t confident in his ability to teach it.


    Moreover, no one in his party fulfilled the criteria for learning the Dual Banding. Kairen and Leticia were Dragon Arts practitioners. Laura and Yuren were mages.


    ¡®Giles and Boar.... Their standard is too low for them to learn the Dual Banding.¡¯


    Azell had lost all of his magical energy, so he had been able to start applying the Dual Banding with his first Ring of Life.


    However, Dual Banding was a technique that required an extreme sense for magic. If one wasn¡¯t a high ranking Spirit Order practitioner, one wouldn¡¯t be able to understand the basic concept of the technique. One wouldn¡¯t be able to get into the construction phase of the Dual Banding.


    Suddenly, Laura spoke.


    ¡°May you show me your maximum output of magical energy?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. Should I give it a try?¡±


    Azell epted her request.


    Ooh-oong.......


    The eight Rings of Life had been formed around the heart in a slightly staggered manner. The beat of his heart caused them to vibrate. A torrent of magical energy flooded forth.


    Goo-goo-goo-goo-goo-goo-goo......!


    He wasn¡¯t doing anything, but waves of magical energy was pouring out of him.


    The ground started to shake. The radius of the earthquake ranged several hundred meters. Dirt and pebbles were floating in the air. When the earthquake started to calm down, the wind turned into a fierce gale.


    ¡°My god.......¡±


    Until now, Laura had never experienced being overwhelmed by someone else¡¯s magical energy.


    It was to be expected.


    She was of the Dragon Demon race. Moreover, the Aunsarus tribe had wanted an excellent heir, so they had employed forbidden techniques to create her. She had grown up while being subjected to hellish training. Her potential Dragon Demon magic had been brought out to its full capacity.


    However, she was having a hard time breathing just by being near the torrent of magical wave flowing out of Azell.


    It felt as if she was on a beach as she watched a tsunamiing towards her. What could anyone do against such vast magical energy? She felt an acute sense of despair.


    What¡¯s worse, Azell hadn¡¯t raised his magical energy to its maximum output yet. He had done a self assessment, so he knew his limit. However, he had wanted to monitor his power with his senses as he produced it. This was why he had brought up his magical energy in a gradual manner, and he was still increasing the output.


    It was at that moment.


    ¡°Hey, Azell. You are interfering with my training session.¡±


    A displeased voice could be heard.


    At the same time, the mountainous magical energy produced by Azell quickly diminished. He let out a bitterugh as he spoke.


    ¡°We are also training.¡±


    When he turned around, no one was there. The owner of the voice was Reshoo, and he was standing at a beach that was 1 kilometers away.


    However, the two of them conversed as if the distance was inconsequential. They could see each other clearly, and they used their magical energy to modte their voices. Their voices could be delivered to each other at suchrge distances.


    ¡°You should either do it farther away from here or you should put up a barrier. What the hell are you doing? The forest is in aplete mayhem. I¡¯m trying to teach a very subtle technique.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    ¡°By the way, your magical energy has be outrageouslyrge. I think you might beparable to me.¡±


    ¡°Not yet. I might beparable to your old self. Haven¡¯t you be stronger?¡±


    Laura was shocked at his words.


    ¡®He has such an enormous amount of magical energy, yet he is inferior?¡¯


    She had once heard that Reshoo was the strongest in terms of Dragon Demon magic amongst the Dragon Demons.


    However, the amount of magical energy shown by Azell right now had exceeded the amount of Dragon Demon magic possessed by Almarick. He might exceed the amount possessed by Reygus after his transformation. Yet he was saying he was inferior to Reshoo?


    Reshoo spoke.


    ¡°Anyways, you should be careful. Their lives are on the line when learning the Dragon Soul. It¡¯ll be troublesome if an outside factor caused them to lose concentration.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±


    Azell shrugged his shoulders.


    They had already stayed 10 days at Reshoo¡¯s home to learn the Dragon Soul.


    Each members of Azell¡¯s party had their own training regiment to pass the time.


    Azell sparred against the warriors of Albatan. Laura and Yuren continued to speak with Albatan. They also exchanged knowledge with the other magicians.


    Kairen and Leticia were learning the Dragon Soul from Reshoo.....


    As each day passed, they became indebted to Saibein.


    2


    ¡°I have to treat such grievous wounds for you every day. I would like you to stop this.¡±


    Saibein had been called here at night, and he let out a sigh. Reshoo scratched his head.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry. The fact that you are here makes me push them harder.¡±


    ¡°Ooh-ook.......¡±


    Kairen and Leticia was on the floor, and they were moaning.


    The process of learning the Dragon Soul was harsh.


    The reason being one had to endure the process of one¡¯s Dragon Demon magic move in an uncontrolled manner. One had to put one¡¯s life on the line to learn this technique, so the sense of aplishment at the end of each session wasrge. Moreover, one was able to acquire a huge amount of power in a very short amount of timepared to the time needed to create a Dragon weapon.


    Saibein spoke.


    ¡°Their reservoir of Dragon Demon magic isrge, so healing them is easy.... However, it feels as if I¡¯m fixing dolls you have broken on a daily basis. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to do this a little bit more slowly?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but they told me they don¡¯t have a lot of time. That is why I have to do this in a quick way. Anyways, once they learn how to summon the Dragon Soul, their own ability would have the biggest influence on what happens next.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.......¡±


    ¡°You must be feeling some mixed emotions.¡±


    ¡°That is true, but at this point, it is out of my hands.¡±


    Saibein let out a bitterugh.


    When he left the in of Darkness to be a resident of this forest, he had to give up his past as the son of the Dragon Demon king. He had cut ties with hisrades, and he had no longer been able to do anything for his daughter. It was unfortunate, but he couldn¡¯t break his promise.


    It wasn¡¯t just about his own resolve not to break his word. Albatan wouldn¡¯t have allowed him to go back on his word.


    After staring at him for a brief moment, Reshoo changed the subject.


    ¡°I heard Azell defeated the warriors of Albatan.¡±


    ¡°He is establishing the record for the most consecutive victories.¡±


    There were those within the forest that possessed Dragon weapons. There were also beings that had awoken their Dragon Soul. These beings were under the directmand of Albatan, and they were called the warriors of Albatan. It was the highest honor to be called a warrior of Albatan within the forest.


    These beings became aware of Azell¡¯s identity, and they had expressed their burning desire to spar with Azell.... In the past 10 days, Azell had set a winning record by notching 37 consecutive victories.


    Reshoo grinned.


    ¡°It seems they¡¯ve totally lost face. I bet everyone is grind their teeth right now.¡±

 Chapter 174 - Another Enemy (2)

    Chapter 174 - Another Enemy (2)


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Reshoo-nim, will you not fight him? The only one that can break his record here is Reshoo-nim.¡±


    The strongest residents of the forest were Dragons. It was either Albatan or Libetan. Then there was the magician Hanerosa. Hanerosa was known for his fighting ability and leadership skills. He was the administrator in charge of outer region of the forest.


    Basically, Reshoo was strongest amongst the warriors of the forest.


    However, he was in a bit of a unique situation. He had created the secret technique called the Dragon Soul. He also trained the warriors of the forest. This was why Albatan hadn¡¯t required an oath of loyalty from Reshoo. He was allowed his freedom. This was why he was the only resident not under the authority of Albatan.


    ¡°It is alright for now. I¡¯m busy teaching the Dragon Soul.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    ¡°Anyways, it won¡¯t be a battle to the death. I can¡¯t fight him with all my might. It is the same now as in the old times........¡±


    When they came here during the Dragon Demon war, Reshoo and Azell taught each other. On top of that, they also got into endless sparring matches. They fought with their fists and swords. However, they never truly fought with everything on the line.


    ¡°We might have a chance to fight.... I have to be patient for now. I have a task I need to aplish.¡±


    Reshoo spoke those meaningful words, and he let out a bright smile.


    3


    Reshoo thought Kairen and Leticia were good students. Amongst all he had taught before, they had one the highest potentials. They had learned the basics of the Dragon Soul in two weeks. This was something very hard to do.


    ¡°You should put deep import on my following words. The wakening of the Dragon Soul is different from creating a tool like the Dragon weapon.¡±


    This was the crucial difference between a Dragon Soul and a Dragon weapon.


    In the Dragon Soul technique, a Dragon Demon or a Dragon Majin was imbuing life into their own Dragon Demon magic.


    Dragon Demon magic was a power that could bend reality to one¡¯s will. It was simr to the power of the Dragon where the Dragon had dominion over nature.


    The difference was the fact that Dragon Demon magic was weaker than the Dragon¡¯s power, but it was more versatile.


    This was the trait that had been inherited from the Demon race. To be precise, the Demon race had originated from the humans, who were weak. However, it also meant they possessed an all-purpose power. It was flexible.


    When these two traits were added to the Dragon Demon magic, one was able to construct a strong image. This allowed one to create all kinds of phenomenon in reality.


    Furthermore, Dragon Arts and magic were foundational techniques that increased the variety and efficiency of one¡¯s power. This meant one was able to clone one¡¯s soul using one¡¯s will. This was how a Dragon weapon was formed.


    ¡°One has to choose to make a Dragon weapon over a long period of time. For Spirit Order practitioners, aparable example is making one¡¯s Rings of Life. For a magician, it is like creating a word of power.¡±


    Spirit Order Practitioners crystallized their magical energy to create the Rings of Life. It was used as the source for their magical energy.


    Magicians decide on the power they want to imbue, and they created words of power. The magical energy was molded into characters. It was inscribed within one¡¯s body, and external power was injected into these characters to refined it into the form and quality one wanted.


    ¡°This is why Dragon Art¡¯s practitioners have a hard time making a Dragon weapon. During their training, they never experience the process of crystallizing their magical energy.¡±


    Dragon Demons and Dragon Majin didn¡¯t have to go through the annoying process of crystallizing one¡¯s magical energy. They didn¡¯t need to go through the painstaking process to use their power.


    From the moment they were born, they possessed a massive amount of magical energy. All core organs were given to them from birth.


    These were the eyes, Dragon Demon Stone and the horns.


    ¡°One has to crystalize one¡¯s magical into a high density form. It isn¡¯t just magical energy. One has to be able to manifest one¡¯s Dragon Demon magic outside one¡¯s body. That is the Dragon weapon. Of course, one need an incredible amount of pure Dragon Demon magic, but the crystallization process takes a long time in most cases. However, the Dragon Soul is different.¡±


    Dragon weapons were tools made through refining one¡¯s Dragon Demon magic.


    On the other hand, Dragon Souls were.... Life was imbued into one¡¯s Dragon Demon magic.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t a tool. It is more correct to say that it is a different form of oneself. It only takes on the form of a Dragon, because the essence of Dragon Demon magices from the power of Dragons.¡±


    This was why the Dragon Soul didn¡¯t need to go through the long process of crystallizing the Dragon Demon magic.


    It all came down to whether one could awaken the Dragon Soul with one¡¯s Dragon Demon Magic. That was it... It was a tribtion where each attempt entailed a significant amount of danger.


    4


    ¡°I feel like dying.¡±


    Kairen was utterly worn out. He had his head nted on the table. He raised his head as he spoke.


    ¡°Yuren.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Where did you get that book? They have books here?¡±


    ¡°Ah. It seems the magicians are able to produce a good enough paper. There were a lot of records binded into a book, so I borrowed some of them.¡±


    ¡°Ho-oh.¡±


    They were making paper in this forest, and they were making books to keep records. It was quite amazing.


    ¡°What about the others?¡±


    ¡°They are still back there.¡±


    ¡°Azell is still having fun?¡±


    ¡°He is. Are you jealous?¡±


    ¡°In truth, I am. Shit.¡±


    His body itched when he heard the news that Azell was sparring with the warriors of Albatan. However, the path to learning the Dragon Soul was too perilous. He didn¡¯t have enough energy to do anything else.


    Kairen had a dissatisfied expression on his face when he suddenly had a thought. He asked Yuren a question.


    ¡°Now that I think about it.......¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about the conversation we hadst time.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the story about Baion.¡±


    ¡°Ah. That.......¡±


    Yuren finally realized what Kairen wanted to talk about. While they were being chased by Dragon Demon king worshippers, he had talked about the Guide, and he had brought up the name of Baion. Azell had awakened not too long afterwards, and events had been moving at a hectic pace. Yuren had forgotten about the conversation.


    Kairen asked him a question.


    ¡°At the time, what were you trying to tell me? I suddenly remembered the conversation when I saw you.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. That is.......¡±


    Yuren awkwardly scratched his cheek as he started to speak.


    ¡°Have you heard this phrase before? Duke, you don¡¯t need a sword. What you desperately need is money and personal connections.¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    In a sh, Kairen stood up in shock.


    ¡°How do you know those words?¡±


    Kairen looked at Yuren with shock and disbelief in his eyes.


    The words spoke by Yuren had been spoken by Baion when he had been trying to establish his medical association. Baion had spoken those words in a private meeting with Kairen.


    Yuren spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying it now, because... I thought my words would be more convincing if I started off with that nugget.¡±


    ¡°Stop beating around the bush. Get to the point.¡±


    ¡°You are very impatient. It is simple. I am Baion.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Ah. If I¡¯m to be precise, I used to be Baion.¡±


    ¡°What an absurd story.......¡±


    ¡°I knew it would sound absurd to you. However, when I mulled over the identity of the Guide, I came up with this theory.¡±


    ¡°How is this possible?¡±


    ¡°Reincarnation.... You probably heard about such stories now and then. I think I¡¯m the reincarnation of Baion.¡±


    Yuren shrugged his shoulders.


    Souls were real.


    No one in this world doubted this fact. No one knew what the afterlife looked like, but at the very least, they knew souls existed. The proof was with the ck magicians. Souls were used in necromancy, and the creation of the Undead.


    When a person died, it was assumed that a soul had two choices. It could remain in this world or it could cross over to the underworld.


    If the soul remained in this world, there were cases where they became a specter or an Undead......


    ¡°There is a theory that believes in the rebirth of a soul in a new body. This theory exists in the discipline of magic, but most people believe it is a superstition.¡±


    ¡°You just said it might be superstition. How is this supposed to persuade me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about it either. At times, I experience someone else¡¯s life through the dreams sent by the Guide. I don¡¯t see the entire picture, but I see bits and pieces of this person¡¯s life. I be this figure in the past, and I experience specific parts of the past.¡±


    Whenever Yuren had these dreams, it didn¡¯t feel as if he was a third party. It felt as if he was dreaming about something he had experienced before.


    ¡°I just can¡¯t remember it, but I believe I lived and experienced all of them before. That is what I think.¡±


    The dreams sent by the Guide had shown him many of Baion¡¯s memories. After meeting Azell, he had gained ess to the memories of the time he had established his medical association. He remembered meeting Kairen.


    ¡°As I experience these events.... In recent days, I came up with a theory. I wonder if the Guide is just another manifestation of myself.¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    ¡°Let us say that reincarnation exists. I might be a being that is continuously going through the cycle of reincarnation. However, the continuity between each reincarnation was severed. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m the same person that is swapping out bodies each time. Each reincarnation shares the same soul, but we be an entirely new person each time.....¡±


    However, there was a third party that had observed his Reincarnation from the beginning. This consciousness had rued a continuous memory of his reincarnation, and it was delivering the knowledge to him.


    ¡°I wonder if that is the identity of the Guide. In this case, the being that started the reincarnation was outstanding.... I¡¯m thinking he might have been an amazing magician that had the ability to scar this world through his magic. I think he started the reincarnation cycle with a specific goal in mind. That goal is probably has to do with my plight.¡±


    ¡°...my head hurts from hearing what you have to say.¡±


    ¡°I understand what you are going through. I don¡¯t expect you to believe me any time soon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to believe in your story.¡±


    ¡°If you believe me than you believe me. How can you work on believing in me?¡±


    ¡°If it was before, I would have told you that you were speaking out of your ass. However, I¡¯ve been experiencing improbable events that your story sounds usible.¡±


    Reygus, Almarick and Azell....... Things that he considered to be impossible was appearing in reality. IAt this moment, he couldn¡¯t dismiss Yuren¡¯s story as bullshit.


    ¡°However, if you are the reincarnation of Baion..... Mmmm. I wonder how he could have be you. Reincarnation sounds like a bum deal.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me?¡±


    ¡°Baion was a wiseman, who cured the incurable great cmity. He put his life on the line in this endeavor, and he became the me of hope for humanity. I want you to put your hand over your heart, and I want you to be honest. Are you someone that isparable him?¡±


    ¡°Ughh. If you put it that way, I feel aggrieved. You have to take in the age difference into ount beforeparing our achievements. I want you to ask me that same question in 10 years.¡±


    Kairen had a peculiar feeling as he watched the grumbling Yuren.


    He hadn¡¯t personally been close to Baion. He had respected the man, so he had wanted to sponsor Baion.


    Kairen had looked up to Baion. Age and his station hadn¡¯t mattered. He had fought and won against the despair that had nketed the world. Baion was a human that had deserved Kairen¡¯s respect.


    ¡®That man reincarnated into this guy.......¡¯


    When he heard that Yuren was Carlos¡¯ descendant, he had an easy time believing in it. Yuren had a strikingly simr appearance to Carlos. Azell had confirmed this fact, and even Almarick had remarked on it.....


    However, he was having a hard time finding anymonality between Baion and Yuren. If he forced himself to find one.... They both possessed knowledge of unknown origin.


    ¡®If everything came from the guide within his dream... It sounds usible.¡¯


    Baion had found a thread that unraveled the Great Darkness. Everyone had been powerless up until that time. There had been some unsavory rumors that he had made a deal with a Demon. In the end, his actions had resulted in saving humanity, so no one had the gumption to bring up such suspicions.


    ¡°If your theory is correct, why doesn¡¯t the Guide reveal everything to you?¡±

 Chapter 175 - Another Enemy (3)

    Chapter 175 - Another Enemy (3)


    ¡°I also have a question about that point. Currently, I¡¯m living my reincarnated life. I don¡¯t think the Guide is holding back information to preserve my new sense of self......¡±


    ¡°Why? If it is as you¡¯ve said, the guide has a clear objective, and the guide is leading you towards a specific direction..... Why wouldn¡¯t the Guide clear up his identity? Wouldn¡¯t it be better if your goals is aligned with his?¡±


    ¡°My guess is that the Guide has set conditions he has to follow.¡±


    ¡°Conditions?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it is me or Baion. After being reincarnated, I believe the Guide isn¡¯t allowed to act in a way that would hinder the independence of the newly formed self. If there are two selves present, I believe memories of the two selves might ovep and merge. The confusion caused by this act might result in apletely different person emerging from the process¡±


    ¡°So you created another theory to support your other theory?¡±


    ¡°I did. That is why I can¡¯t ask you to believe in it, since I don¡¯t know if it is the truth.¡±


    Yuren let out an embarrassedughter as he shrugged his shoulders.


    This was what he thought, and if Kairen didn¡¯t believe him, it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    If Kairen thought about it, Yuren¡¯s attitude had always been like this. His attitude remained consistent from the moment Kairen had met him. He was a hard person to trust, but his actions under duress made Kairen want to trust him.


    ¡°You are light-hearted and carefree. Baion was much more earnest and meticulous. How can a guy like you im to be his descendant.....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not his descendant. I¡¯m really him.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±


    5


    There were a lot of Dragons within the Albatan forest.


    Unlike other ces, Albatan and Libetan took control and created order within their habitat. This was why there were a lot of Dragons that were reaching their maturity here. The number of Dragons that reached adulthood was easily over 1000.


    Moreover,the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual was considered to be the most honorable tribtion one could go through.


    When she learned this truth, Laura was puzzled.


    ¡°This ce is ruled by a Dragon, so why.......¡±


    One of Minerel¡¯s pupil was getting ready for the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    When one decided to go through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, one had to notify and get permission from Albatan. Then the Dragon that will be challenged would be notified, and a future date was set. Both sides fought at peak condition.


    Minerel tilted her head.


    ¡°Is it weird?¡±


    Of course, it was weird.


    The in of Darkness only treated the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual to be a honorable tribtion, because it allowed them to acquire massive amount of power. On top of that, it was the only way they could create a Dragon weapon. However, how could taking of a Dragon¡¯s life considered to be honorable when thisnd was ruled by a Dragon?


    Minerel let out augh.


    ¡°It is like this from Albatan-nim¡¯s perspective. He had acquired wisdom, so he wouldn¡¯t deny the other Dragons their rights to do the same. Wisdom is what the Dragons desire the most. Wouldn¡¯t it be cruel for Albatan-nim to deny their chance to pursue their desire? Should the Dragons give up their desire just because he protects them?¡±


    ¡°Ah.......¡±


    ¡°After Reshoo-nim invented the Dragon Soul, the number of people attempting the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual have decreased. However, there are still many that wishes for a Dragon Soul or a Dragon weapon. The Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual is essential for this. Unlike the outside world, Albatan-nim presides over the ritual. It is fair for both sides.¡±


    ¡°I see.......¡±


    The Dragon and challenger wanted the fight even at the expense of their lives.


    From the perspective of a civilized society, it was barbaric. However, neither Dragons nor humans were able to find an alternative method to acquire what they want.


    Laura querier her.


    ¡°The Dragons... How many Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual does one need to go through to gain wisdom?¡±


    It had been several thousand years since the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual was found. However, very few Dragons had acquired wisdom during that time. There might be other wise Dragons residing in this wide world. However, Laura only knew about Albatan and Libetan.


    Minerel answered her.


    ¡°I have no idea.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Albatan-nim and Libetan-nim does not remember how many Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual they had performed. It also depends on the opponents they faced..... However, I¡¯m sure one or two Rituals isn¡¯t enough.¡±


    It was an almost never ending tribtion for the Dragons.


    They had no idea when they would acquire their wisdom.


    Yet they continued to fight with their lives on the line for that sliver of possibility....


    ¡°The only thing that is certain is... Each sessful Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual brings about a noticeable rise in intelligence. However, even in victory the Dragons possess the intelligence of a beast. The wisdom is acquired by the Dragon only at thest moment when the threshold is crossed. This is the extent of information that is known to us.¡±


    ¡°It is quite cruel.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡±


    At Laura¡¯sments, Minerel let out a bitterugh.


    From the perspective of the Dragons, it was cruel. It didn¡¯t matter if a Dragon was one step away from achieving wisdom. They could die without experiencing any results they had rued if thatst step wasn¡¯t taken.


    Minerel spoke.


    ¡°There mighte a day when a more sensible person might find another way. On the other hand, people get sick, old and starve.... There might be no ideal solution to a painful death. We only had this method.¡±


    6


    Saibein was a bit ufortable with Azell residing within the forest.


    At the same time, he was gripped with the desire to converse more with him.


    It was quite the conflicting emotion. The funny thing was the fact that Azell shared the same emotions as him.


    ¡°May I ask you for a favor?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Will you help me persuade my daughter?¡±


    ¡°...I believe I was clear in spelling out my rtionship with Niberis.¡±


    Of all the people he could ask, he was asking this of Azell?


    Saibein let out a sigh.


    ¡°I know. However, I have no one else I can ask for help. I¡¯ll tell you information that will be of help to you. I believe the truth I can tell you will be worth it.¡±


    ¡°You have no idea what information I was able to gather outside. Do you really think you¡¯ll be able to produce any useful information?¡±


    ¡°I do. I have information that¡¯ll definitely be worth it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.......¡±


    ¡°I want you to persuade my daughter. No, if you can¡¯t persuade her.... I want you to subdue her by force. Bring her here. Please give me a chance to persuade her.¡±


    Azell thought about it for a brief moment. Could his information really be of any worth? He already had enough information about the inner workings of the in of Darkness.....


    However, it was also true that he was intrigued by Saibein¡¯s attempt at trying to persuade him. Saibein seemed. In the end, Azell nodded his head.


    ¡°I¡¯ll attempt it. However, I cannot guarantee sess. Is that fine?¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Saibein lowered his head. When he saw this, Azell¡¯s expression turnedplicated. In the past, Saibein had been the prince of a hostile enemy force. They had tried to kill each other. Now he was lowering head, while asking Azell to save his daughter.....


    Saibein spoke.


    ¡°There is two crucial important information I can give you.... First, I¡¯ll have to finish the story I didn¡¯t finishst time. I¡¯ll have to tell you how I got here......¡±


    ¡°You said you had two reasons¡±


    ¡°You remembered. First... It was my wife¡¯s death.¡±


    When the madness descended, the remnant of his kingdom morphed into a religious organization. Saibein became tired of the in of Darkness.


    Just spending a year or two in such an environment would make anyone want to quit. He spent over a 100 years there.... He monitored the situation that spanned longer than a human¡¯s lifespan.


    The things he loved and cherished was turning hideous. All his work had built up his hope, but he knew full well that his actions hadn¡¯t improved anything. Still, he continued to work hard believing that things would get better. He hoped that everything he had loved once could return to what it used to be. He deluded himself as he endured through the long years.


    By the time his delusion crumbled, it was a wonder he hadn¡¯t gone crazy.


    ¡°It was an arranged married, but I loved her. At first, I pitied her, and I wanted to treasure her.... My feelings started out like that. It was funny. After a little time had passed, I realized I found my first love at my age.¡±


    His married life with his wife Elberis was his most brilliant memory during his long stay in the in of Darkness. There was no tension between them, and he had been happy spending peaceful times with her. They had been so happy when Niberis was born....


    Azell had a peculiar feeling as he watched Saibein, who was reminiscing on old events.


    Saibein had loved his wife, and he was happy for the birth of his daughter.


    This wasn¡¯t the first time Azell had experienced this. His enemies had been capable ofughter and tears. They showed they were capable of love and humanity.


    Hadn¡¯t he counseled Laura about this very subject?


    Even though he had encountered this a many of times, he couldn¡¯t help but feelplicated emotions arise from within him.


    Saibein didn¡¯t realize Azell was feeling such emotions. He continued to speak.


    ¡°However, treachery was fermenting in the background.¡±


    Saibein spent more time wandering around the world than the time he spent inside the in of Darkness.


    While he was gone, Elberis had been abused.


    He wasn¡¯t talking about physical abuse. From the time she was young, Elberis had been sickly. Those that had called her useless in the past continued to bully her.


    Elberis had always smiled in front of Saibein as if nothing was wrong.... From behind the scenes, she continued to be mocked and insulted. They told her she was useless even as a tool for propagating the great bloodline.


    Even after she gave birth to Niberis, the insults never went away. Others pressured her to take drugs for fertility. They pressured her to go through with magical experimentation.


    ¡°I was really an idiot. I realized this after she had died.¡±


    When Saibein was with her, he had tried to shield her. No one dared to speak out of turn.


    However, he had to go out for missions. Moreover, he couldn¡¯t stop branch members of her family from approaching her. They were her kin, and her tribe was one of the influential families within the ruling body of the in of Darkness.


    ¡°They conducted body modification experiments, so she could have more children. In the end, her body became too burdened by the stress, and she lost her life.¡±


    When he found out the truth, Saibein had gone mad from rage and grief.


    His usual self-control was nowhere to be found. He had killed the person that had authorized the experiment, and he had killed everyone that had carried out the experiment. It resulted in him eradicating Elberis¡¯ entire tribe.


    At his actions, the elders reacted in anger.


    However, they couldn¡¯t kill Saibein, who was the legitimate son of Atein.


    They tried to imprison Saibein, but he fled the in of Darkness before they could.


    ¡°That means.......¡±


    Azell furrowed his brows.


    ¡°Basically, you are a traitor.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. However, I found this out when I talked to Laura. They covered up what I did.¡±


    Saibein let out a bitterugh.


    Laura and the younger generation within the in of Darkness were told that Saibein had went missing after fighting the Guardian Shadows. They didn¡¯t tell anyone what had happened. They hadpletely sealed away information that would shake the loyalty of the younger generation.


    ¡°I asked my mother to take care of Niberis, who had just went into hibernation.¡±


    It was questionable as to whether Aincera was able to still feel love for her own child anymore. Still, she was his only option, and Aincera agreed to his request.


    ¡°My mother put my case into arbitration, but the elders were upromising. They sent out a hunting party to take me into custody. However, I used the fruit of the missions, which I carried out over the years.¡±


    ¡°Fruit of the mission?¡±

 Chapter 176 - Another Enemy (4)

    Chapter 176 - Another Enemy (4)


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you find my father¡¯s legacies.¡±


    Atein had lived for a long period of time, and as he wandered the world, he left behind traces of himself. In the in of Darkness, they considered these marks to be holy, and they desperately tried to acquire them.


    ¡°At that time, I.... During the time when my wife died, I had already achieved something big. However, I became a fugitive before I could give my report.¡±


    ¡°What did you achieve?¡±


    ¡°I found my father¡¯s secretb.¡±


    ¡°That is most definitely a big deal.¡±


    Azell was surprised.


    It wasn¡¯t umon for a magician to create a secretb. The secretb was hidden even from allies. Such locations possessed powerful defensive system, and they remained in existence even after the death of the magician. Many of the ruins Azell had discovered were of this variety.


    ¡®When we searched his castle for hints on how to dispel the curse, we found nothing.... Maybe, the data was ced within this secretb.¡¯


    After the Dragon Demon war had ended, Carlos constantly worked to find a way to dispel Azell¡¯s curse. He searched Atein¡¯s resident andb. He tried to find clues regarding the curse, but in the end, the search had been fruitless. It was usible that Atein had ced his important documents in a secretb where not even his allies knew about it.


    Saibein continued to speak.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how my father was able to use that ce during the war. He probably used the Great Darkness. It probably allowed him to use theb irregardless of where his body was. That is my guess.......¡±


    ¡°I want to say that it sounds impossible, but........¡±


    ¡°If it is my father, you think he could pull it off?¡±


    ¡°...yes.¡±


    Aside from his battle capabilities, Atein could seemingly do everything. Both the allied forces of the humans and the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army believed this to be true. It was the reason why the Dragon Demon king became deified after his death.


    Saibein spoke.


    ¡°Anyways, my father left behind a diary. He had recorded it a week before he met his end at the Dragon Horn Fortress.¡±


    The content of the diary became the decisive factor that pushed Saibein to give up on everything.


    7


    Saibein saw despair inside Atein¡¯s diary.


    ¡°My father didn¡¯t love us. At the same time, his love for us was boundless.¡±


    ¡°Is this a riddle?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m just telling you the truth as it is. There are two divergent opinions within the in of Darkness in regards to the death of my father.....¡±


    ¡°I heard it from Laura. After Atein started the Dragon Demon war, it was said that he realized he had made the wrong choice. However, it was already toote to turn back. By dying against me, he gained a chance to correct the wrong....... His intent was interpreted liberally by his followers.¡±


    ¡°What if that¡¯s the truth?¡±


    Saibein asked him the question. Azell¡¯s expression turned peculiar.


    ¡°Do you really think that is an appropriate question to ask me?¡±


    ¡°No, this is exactly why I¡¯m asking you that question. You were thest one to fight my father, and you were the one that ended his life.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.......¡±


    Azell thought for a brief moment before he spoke.


    ¡°It sounds like pure nonsense. At the very least, I don¡¯t think Atein went into the fight wanting to lose. If that was true, I would have won much more easily.¡±


    ¡°Is that so....... At the very least, you don¡¯t think father went into the battle thinking about abandoning us.¡±


    ¡°Even after hearing my answer, it seems you haven¡¯t changed the overall premise of your view?¡±


    At Azell¡¯s question, Saibein nodded his head.


    ¡°Azell, do you know the ideals that had led my father to create the Dragon Demon army? Do you know why he started the Dragon Demon war?¡±


    ¡°I have a rough idea..¡±


    ¡°Before the Dragon Demon war started, the DRagon Demons were affiliated with any human nations. They were usually autonomous powers. Some opposed the human nations, and others took root in locations where the they were free of human influence.¡±


    Atein needed a very long time before he was able to ascend into the Dragon Demon King¡¯s seat with the Dragon Demon generals. The Dragon Demon war hadsted for a long time, but the preparation leading up to that war was several times longer.


    At times, Atein spoke about his ideals to persuade his opponents. At times, he used his martial abilities to subjugate his opponents. Then there were times when he gained support by trading away secret magic techniques. On other asions, he solved problems present in his opponent¡¯s life. He was able to create an enormous cooperation system.


    ¡°The marriage to my mother and my birth was part of that process.¡±


    It was akin to what the ruling ss of the humans did. He brought in allies by establishing blood ties.


    This was how Atein was able to form the Dragon Demon King¡¯s army. He did it, because he needed power to fight and conquer the world. He first needed the control of the world to create the ideal world.


    ¡°Everything was based on his belief in the Dragon Demon race.¡±


    It was the belief that Dragon Demons would be able to be better rulers than humans.


    It was true that Dragon Demons possessed powerful body and Dragon Demon magic. They possessed higher intelligence and longer lifespan.... From a human¡¯s perspective, Dragon Demons were closest to being the ideal being. Atein thought the same, and he believed in the potential of the Dragon Demon race.


    ¡®Dragon Demons are born with great inborn abilities, and on average, they possess much more intelligence than humans. That is why they will be able to control their desires in the pursuit of the ideal state.¡¯


    Before the Dragon Demon war, the Dragon Demons were dispersed all over the world.


    Tribal societies were the limit of social organization created by tge Dragon Demons. If the gathering of Dragon Demons wererge, they governed over the humans as the ruling ss. They possessed longevity and ability. It was inevitable that these characteristics were valued in small societies.


    Moreover, the Dragon Demons weren¡¯t that much different from the human rulers in such a society.


    The humans trusted the Dragon Demons since they were superior beings. The Dragon Demons expected the humans to work for them as a given right. During the Dragon Demon war, the attitude of the Dragon Demons in Demon King¡¯s army wasn¡¯t influenced by Atein. It arose from a pre-existing mindset.


    Atein had trusted in the Dragon Demons after seeing how they behaved. It was, because he had hoped that the members of his race had the potential to act based on reason.


    ¡°However, my father despaired as he conducted the Dragon Demon war. Maybe it started before the war started......¡±


    He taught his allies about his ideals.... However, they didn¡¯t change.


    Of course, some understood and epted what Atein was saying. However, if one looked at it from a macro view, most members used his words to justify their actions. In truth, most of their behaviors and actions hadn¡¯t changed at all.


    ¡°When I read the contents of my father¡¯s diary, it was clear that he didn¡¯t expect anything from us. He realized that he had been wrong in believing that Dragon Demons had the potential to act in a rational and reasonable manner. When he reached this conclusion, he started searching for another solution..¡±


    Dragon Demons were the same as humans. They were both limited by the same intrinsic ws. Even if they possessed better physique and intellect, it didn¡¯t make the character of the Dragon Demons.


    They were the progeny between Dragons and humans. However, their thought process was way too simr to humans.


    Azell furrowed his brows as he asked his question.


    ¡°The story is getting long... So what was his conclusion? In truth, I¡¯m not to interest in hearing about the hopes and despair of an idealist like Atein.¡±


    ¡°Since you are acquainted with him, I thought you would be curious.¡±


    ¡°That might be true. However, I¡¯m not curious about Atein¡¯s thoughts and feelings. I just want information that¡¯ll allow me to predict his future moves.¡±


    A magician or a historian would have been burning to hear this story, but Azell was apathetic.


    ¡®I heard such stories as I travelled here. Shit. So what?¡¯


    He had to avoid and block the imminent flood that wasing towards him. Everyone else seemed to be focused on eliminating the flood that might happen in the future. Why do people like viewing things in the macro view?


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Let me try to summarize it. Atein was..... He tried to created an ideal society by conquering the world. He realized it was an absolutely stupid idea, so he started preparing another n. When he revives, he¡¯ll carry out the n he had prepared. Am I correct? Moreover, the information you are going to give me is Atein¡¯s n?¡±


    ¡°You are good at summarizing information. You are correct.¡±


    ¡°Just tell me the n.¡±


    ¡°Azell, do you believe humans can build the characters of other humans?¡±


    ¡°...why are you deflecting again?¡±


    Azell became irritated, but Saibein remained calm.


    ¡°I need to tell you this story.¡±


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll try to summon a little bit more patience. The answer to that question.... I believe it is possible to do it individually, but I don¡¯t think it can be done to the entirety of humanity.¡±


    ¡°That is what I¡¯m trying to get at. Humans do not trust each other. This was whyws were put in ce and there are mechanisms to protect thosews. People can be confident in such a system if there is a power that can enforce suchws.... However, people used weak points in such a system to bring about all kinds of wickedness.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to describe the base nature of humans? I don¡¯t like it, but I¡¯ll agree with you for now. So what does that have to do with the story you were going to tell me?¡±


    ¡°In the end, father thought Dragon Demons were like humans.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    ¡°He needed to make a method that¡¯ll enforce his ideal system.¡±


    ¡°So.......¡±


    Azell scratched his head.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t talking about normal policy andws, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t know the exact details, but..... Father had been preparing a method that would enforce the world to follow the ideal system he came up with.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell was at a loss for words.


    The character of the individual members didn¡¯t matter. This method would force everyone to followws set by Atein? Is that really possible?


    ¡®This is beyond crazy. This is something that can only be thought up by a mad man........¡¯


    It might be possible if one was talking about an individual or a small group. It required a lot of surveince and coercion.


    He wanted to pull this off against the whole world?


    ¡®How is that possible?¡¯


    It was absolutely impossible.


    However, the one that wanted to solve this problem was Atein.


    Saiben spoke.


    ¡°I think it is absolutely impossible, but if it is my father.... You are having the same thoughts as me, right?¡±


    ¡°We are of like mind then.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m leaning towards the opinion that it¡¯ll be possible for my father to pull it off. The evidence is in the records left behind in my father¡¯s diary.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The being that re-established the rtionship between the humans and the Dragons was him. It was my father.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    For a brief moment, Azell was struck dumb. Saibein had a bitter smile on his face as he spoke.


    ¡°Well, can you understand why I think it is possible for my father to pull this off?¡±

 Chapter 177 - Another Enemy (5)

    Chapter 177 - Another Enemy (5)


    8


    It was a night where the cloudy sky obscured the moonlight. Rehshoo stood on top of the cliff, and he was facing the wind blowing in from the ocean.


    His gaze was fixed on a point beyond the dark ocean. He had been standing there for an hour. It was as if he was meditating. Azell approached him.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Do you think the world is different across the ocean... I was fantasizing about it..¡±


    Reshoo didn¡¯t show any signs of surprise. He turned around as he answered Azell. When Reshoo fully turned around, Azell spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it is the same as this ce. It is a world where humans live.¡±


    ¡°There might not be any humans living there?¡±


    ¡°Then it is an animal kingdom.¡±


    ¡°I guess so.¡±


    Reshoo snickered. Azell asked him a question.


    ¡°How are the two of them progressing?¡±


    It had already been over a month since Kairen and Leticia had started learning the Dragon Soul from Reshoo.


    While the two of them were going through enormous amount of hardship, it wasn¡¯t as if the other members of the party had been ying around. Laura and Yuren exchanged techniques with the residents of the forest. On top of that, they brainstormed ways to increase their skills through the conversations they had with Albatan. Azell took inventory of the powers he regained, and he trained on how to best use these powers.


    ¡°They are about here.¡±


    Reshoo pointed towards his neck.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Are they still at the brink?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve been at that state for the past week. They are strong in terms of Dragon Demon magic, and they are quite skilled in manipting it too. It¡¯ll happen soon. Whether they can awaken the Dragon Soul or not.... It all starts from there.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so hesitant? Did you hear something?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Reshoo ignored the context of the conversation as he suddenly threw out a question. Azell became silent.


    Reshoo once again looked towards the night ocean, and he started to speak words that had nothing to do with the questions he asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how it looks like from your perspective, but..... You are like an remnant of a very old memories for me. It was as if you were frozen and plucked out of that era. I am awestruck everytime I see you. You probably don¡¯t know this.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know how surprised I was when I saw you.¡±


    ¡°Still, I can rte. As a Dragon Demon, I¡¯ve gone into a long hibernation before. In the past 220 years, I¡¯ve only hibernated once. I slept for 20 years... The world changed a lot in that time. The fact that I lost the chance to see the change almost filled me with resentment.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°You are almost the same as your past self, Azell. However, I¡¯ve changed. Even I think I¡¯ve changed into apletely different person.¡±


    ¡°...you really have changed.¡±


    Azell let out a sigh.


    Aftering to this ce, he hadn¡¯t conversed much with Reshoo. The emotion he felt towards Reshoo was much moreplicated than the emotions he felt for Saibein.


    His era had be the distant past, and he was happy to find someone that remembered him for who he was in the past.


    However, at the same time.... Reshoo made him ufortable, since his presence hammered home the fact that time had passed.


    From Azell¡¯s perspective, Reshoo had been a friend that he had deep insight into. However, the current Reshoo wasn¡¯t the one he remembered, and Azell couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking now.


    Reshoo spoke.


    ¡°However, it seems you came here to talk about a more difficult subject.¡±


    ¡°Did you develop an ability to read the mind of others?¡±


    ¡°After teaching so many people, I¡¯m able to get a measure of their thoughts.¡±


    ¡°Jeez.¡±


    Azell couldn¡¯t help, butugh. As expected, this wasn¡¯t the Reshoo he knew.


    Reshoo spoke.


    ¡°If you are having a hard time getting your words out, you can talk to me at ater time. At the very least, you have some time left before you have to leave this ce.¡±


    ¡°No, once I start putting this off, I¡¯ll keep putting it off indefinitely. I¡¯ll just speak.¡±


    ¡°Speak.¡±


    ¡°Reshoo, are you my enemy?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell firmed his resolve, and he threw his question out there. Reshoo became silent.


    The night ocean produced sounds of waves, and it was the only sound that broke the silence. After being silent for a long time, Reshoo let out a bitterugh as he asked the question.


    ¡°Why do you think that?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t something I came up with.¡±


    ¡°Then who?¡±


    ¡°Saibein said so. He said you might be my enemy.¡±


    ¡°...he did? Why would he think that?¡±


    Reshoo was puzzled. However, Reshoo wasn¡¯t denying Azell¡¯s words either.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°He said he found Atein¡¯s secretb. Atein¡¯s diary was there.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is? However, the diary should deal with events before the Dragon Demon war.......¡±


    ¡°The fact that Atein made an offer to you was in there.¡±


    Saibein had provided two pieces of information.


    ¡®I believe Reshoo-nim is working with my father.¡¯


    He had a hard time believing in that story.


    However, he felt too uneasy at the prospect of not checking up on the information. He had to see if the information was true. That was why he had firmed his resolve, and he came here to ask Reshoo about it........


    ¡°Moreover... You shouldn¡¯t underestimate Saibein. I mocked him by calling him the Simpleton Prince, but he is the son of Atein.¡±


    Saibein was one of the top high ranking magicians within the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army. He had also possessed one of the highest ranked Dragon weapon called the Book of Darkness. The only reason why he was called the Simpleton Prince was the fact that he couldn¡¯t trante his prodigious talent into victories on the battlefield......


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Saibein found out that you were connected to the Great Darkness. He used this fact as basis to guess that you¡¯ve epted Atein¡¯s offer.¡±


    ¡°I see. I did underestimate him too much.¡±


    ¡°When did it start?¡±


    Azell¡¯s face hardened as he asked the question.


    He could tell by Reshoo¡¯s reaction that Saibein¡¯s information was correct.


    Reshoo sighed.


    ¡°If I¡¯m to be precise, I epted an alliance around 50 years ago. Therefore, it was around the end of the Great Darkness.¡±


    ¡°...Atein is dead. He is supposed to revive in the future, so how were you able to make an alliance?¡±


    ¡°Did you really think Atein could do nothing until he¡¯s revived?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    It was a story of deep import. Azell felt his chest constrict.


    Reshoo spoke.


    ¡°I can¡¯t give you the details of the alliance, but.... Hmm.. Could you retract your killing intent for now, Azell? It is true that there is a high probability that I might be your enemy.¡±


    ¡°You struck an alliance with Atein. How could you not be my enemy.....¡±


    ¡°What if Atein has no intent on joining with those that deified him? What if he has no n on fighting against humanity?¡±


    At his words, Azell was momentarily at a loss for words. He had never thought about this possibility. When the Dragon Demon king Atein was revived, he had naturally assumed Atein would lead the remnant of his army. Azell had assumed Atein would bring about misfortune to the world.


    Reshoo shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t as if I know the entirety of Atein¡¯s n. Moreover, I cannot tell you the parts I know either. However, if we do be enemies, it would only be after Atein is revived. We won¡¯t know until Atein makes his move. Am I not right?¡±


    ¡°Mmm.......¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll say this as your friend. I won¡¯t be your enemy before Atein is revived. I won¡¯t do anything that will harm you.¡±


    At his words, Azell looked in Reshoo¡¯s eyes. From within the darkness, Azell could see Reshoo look at him with intive eyes.


    For a long time, silence flowed between them.


    Azell met Reshoo¡¯s eyes as he pushed down his surging emotions. Azell shook his head from side to side.


    ¡°...all right. I¡¯ll trust you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Speak. Why did you make such a choice?¡±


    ¡°That is.......¡±


    Reshoo let out a bitterugh as he spoke.


    ¡°The world treats well those that are greedy and evil. On the other hand, they are cruel to those that are selfless and good.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Atein knew that I would leave this forest to learn about humans, so he gave me an offer. He said he would create a world where the powerless and good people could live happily.¡±


    At the time, Reshoo couldn¡¯tprehend what he was talking about. Atein had beaten him, so why was he spouting such nonsense?


    However, Atein had not been speaking to the present Reshoo. He was making an offer to Reshoo in the future. It didn¡¯t matter how long it took. Atein knew there woulde a day when Rehsoo would understand his words. When he despaired at the world created by the humans, he woulde to Atein for help.


    ¡°That time came.¡±


    When the Great Darkness arrived, Reshoo had been wandering the world. It truly was a horrible era. Everything that humans believed to be of worth was destroyed. The world was filled with fear and despair instead of trust, love and hope.


    ¡°Do you know who sage Baion is?¡±


    ¡°Of course.......¡±


    When Baion¡¯s name was suddenly brought up, Azell was taken aback.


    Why was Reshoo bringing up that name?


    ¡°How much do you know about him?¡±


    Azell put together what he saw from the history books with the stories he heard from Kairen to answer Reshoo¡¯s question.


    When he heard Azell¡¯s story, Reshoo spoke with a dark expression on his face.


    ¡°...I see. I never knew Kairen and Baion were connected in that way.¡±


    Reshoo let out a bitterugh. He had no idea Kairen was the Duke of Tarantos. This was why he had no idea there had been a tie between Baion and Kairen.


    ¡°Baion was a truly amazing person. For a while, I watched over him.¡±


    Baion traveled to extremely dangerous regions to find a cure for the gue brought on by the Great Darkness. This was why Reshoo had traveled with Baion to protect him.


    ¡°When the medical association was established, I thought he no longer needed my services. That is why I left him. After 10 years.... I found out that he was assassinated.¡±


    ¡°...he was assassinated?¡±


    ¡°Officially, he went missing when the medical association was starting to run smoothly.... In truth, he was assassinated. The temple sent assassins after him.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell was struck dumb.


    Baion had put his life on the line to save humanity from despair. He had saved them, yet they used such a disgusting method to kill Baion?


    ¡°It was an unforgivable act. However, the general poption were clueless of this fact. They didn¡¯t know that the priests hated Baion for taking their power away from them. They were worshipers of god, yet theymitted the heinous act.]¡±


    The power held by the temples bottomed out when the Great Darkness came. The monopoly on the healing arts by the temples were broken by Baion, and the medial association was established. Instead of priests, healers were being educated. There were no paths avable for the priests to regain their former power and authority.


    The high ranking priests, who once held the world in their hands, harbored hatred for Baion.


    It was an extremely crooked grudge. They held hatred for Baion every time they looked at their own downfall... In the end, it resulted in the assassination of Baion.


    ¡°...that incident spurred me on to ept Atein¡¯s offer of alliance.¡±


    When he found out the truth behind Baion¡¯s death, Reshoo became grief stricken. He had never felt such grief before.


    He had witnessed too many humans repay good with evil. If one strove to be good in life, it didn¡¯t mean it would bring happiness. If one lived an evil life, it didn¡¯t mean one would live a life of misfortune.


    The world was fundamentally wrong. However, he had no idea how to fix such a world.


    ¡°I thought.... Maybe, Atein had a solution, and Atein already had an answer prepared for me.¡±


    ¡°What was the solution?¡±


    ¡°I cannot say. When Atein revives, you will find out.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.......¡±


    Azell thought about bringing up the information he heard from Saibein in an attempt to press Reshoo for more information. However, he realized his attempt would be fruitless.


    ¡°All right. Thanks for the story. I¡¯ll dy dealing with our rtionship. Are you going to continue training Kairen and Leticia in developing the Dragon Soul? Will you watch over them?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Once I taken in a pupil, I take responsibility.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll trust you.¡±


    After speaking those words, Azell turned around. A bitter smile appeared on Reshoo¡¯s lips as he watched Azell¡¯s back.

 Chapter 178 - The End of the Wait (1)

    Chapter 178 - The End of the Wait (1)


    1


    Reygus was taken aback.


    ¡®What the hell is this?¡¯


    He had never seen this ce before. He had no idea why he was here. He had no memories that could give context to what he was seeing.


    ¡®Did someone manipte my mind?¡¯


    Could someone who could do that to him really exist?


    Soon, he decided to give up on such train of thought. He hated thinking aboutplicated thoughts.


    If he found something he didn¡¯t like, he would just smash it.


    Gee-eee-eek, ggee-eee-eek.......


    Rain was falling hard outside, and the old door swayed back and forth in the dark room. It produced a harsh sound to the ears.


    Reygus could see through the darkness as if it was daytime. The sight in front of his eyes was horrifying.


    The humans, who had been alive and talking only moments before, had turned into gruesome corpses. None of the corpses were whole, and an incredible amount of blood had painted the interior of the building.


    ¡°Ha-ah, ahhhhhhh.......¡±


    In the midst of this scene, a girl was copsed on the ground. She was letting out a tortured moan. Reygus had approached her before he knew it, and at the same time, he realized one thing.


    ¡®Is this a dream?¡¯


    He wasn¡¯t there. His body wasn¡¯t present. He could only watch the scene from a certain point of view.


    Was he under the influence of a magic that caused hallucination? Or maybe he was having a bad dream?


    ¡°Haaaah, ahhhhhk.......¡±


    The girl continued to be in pain. Reygus realized that the girl was dying. She was the only one alive in this horrible scene, but that distinction would be useless soon. Her body wouldn¡¯t¡¯ be able to survive its mangled state.


    ¡°...I was a step toote. So this is the reason why I regained consciousness.¡±


    At that moment, he suddenly heard a calm voice.


    Reygus flinched in surprise. It wasn¡¯t, because he hadn¡¯t been able to sense the owner of the voice approaching them. This person hadn¡¯t tried to hide his presence, so Reygus was able to hear his approaching footsteps in the hallway.


    The part that made Reygus surprised was the voice itself.


    ¡®Atein?¡¯


    It was the voice of a man that he couldn¡¯t forget even in a dream.


    Soon, the man revealed himself. He was camouged as a human. His horns, ears and Dragon Demon Stone was hidden with magic. However, Reygus recognized him. His long ck hair looked as if it was made out of jade. His eyes had a far away look, and his face was nk. The man was Atein.


    ¡°Who......?¡±


    The girl gasped in pain as she asked the question. She raised her head from the ground, and her pupils weren¡¯t focused.


    Atein spoke.


    ¡°We¡¯ve met a long time ago. I¡¯m Atein.¡±


    ¡°The Dragon Demon King.......¡±


    ¡°That is what they call me now.¡±


    ¡°...how......?¡±


    It was unclear as to what the girl was asking. However, Atein immediately understood what she was asking.


    ¡°I heard what happened to your tribe. Afterwards, I set up a detection magic to capture the moment you awakened.¡±


    ¡°Did you perhap put this over the entire continent......?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Ah-ha-ha. You really are an absurd person......¡±


    ¡°I hear that quite often.¡±


    Atein spoke indifferently. He had a vacant look, so he didn¡¯t reveal any of his emotions. It was hard to guess what he was thinking.


    Atein spoke.


    ¡°Still, it is fortunate that my technique wasn¡¯t aplete failure. If you died before I found you in your awakened state, even I would not have been able to find you afterwards.¡±


    ¡°Why......?¡±


    ¡°It is, because I need you.¡±


    Atein brought up a finger infused with his magical energy. He pressed his finger against her forehead, and she spoke her name. It was a name she hadn¡¯t known in this life. He spoke her true name.


    ¡°Kayalia.¡±


    2


    <...mmmm?>


    Reygus raised his head in surprise.


    When Atein called out Kayalia¡¯s name, his consciousness was brought back to the present. He realized he was walking down the cold corridor of the Dragon Demon pce.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    An old Dragon Demon was walking next to him. It was Chanes, who had been Reygus¡¯ lieutenant during the Dragon Demon war. Reygus raised his hand, and he covered his face. There was only his skull there.


    <How long have I been out?>


    ¡°You were walking with me?¡±


    Chanes had no idea what Reygus was talking about.


    Reygus spoke in a baffled manner.


    <It seems I was daydreaming.>


    ¡°Daydreaming?¡±


    <It seems something like that can happen even with this body. That is why.....>


    In mid-sentence, his surrounding became dark. The change made him suspicious as to whether he was having another dream, but he became confident that this incident was urring in reality.


    <I bet Chanes will be bewildered.>


    -He can be bewildered for all I care.


    Kayalia¡¯s ghost-like figure appeared in front of him. She had copied the Vitan¡¯s Maze to separate Reygus into a secluded space.


    <You are very mean. What was that, Kayalia?>


    -Oppa peeked into my dream. You vited a girl¡¯s privacy. You are a pervert.


    <That isn¡¯t fair. I had no desire to do that.>


    -It doesn¡¯t matter if it was intentional or not. In such a situation, you have to shut up and apologize.


    <I feel extremely wronged by the usation, but I¡¯ll do as you say. I¡¯m sorry.>


    There wasn¡¯t a hint of sincerity in his apology, so Kayalia snorted.


    -All right. We both have roots in the Great Darkness, and since I¡¯m staying close to oppa, it seems we became connected like this.


    <I see. So that was you memory?>


    -Correct.


    <It was the memory of you meeting the king. However, you were.....>


    She hadn¡¯t been a Dragon Demon. She had been dying as a human girl. In Reygus¡¯ opinion, she hadn¡¯t been disguising herself with magic. She really had the body of a human.


    -I was human.


    <How?>


    -Until the king came looking for me, I lived as a human.


    <...I¡¯m having a hard time understanding this.>


    -You already know what kind of being I am.


    <You were the head of your n until you became engaged to the king. You used a secret technique to continue your existence from you past life. This secret technique was crucial in developing the technique that revived Almarick and me.>


    Kayalia¡¯s tribe were unsociable. They created their society in a perilousnd, and they had lived for a thousand years in a closed society.


    The tribe was started by a 1st generation Dragon Demon, and the Dragon Demon had created the secret art of Transmigration. One could live beyond their allotted lifespan. This magic made them practically immortal. Kayalia had been worshipped as the goddess of this tribe. This was Kayalia¡¯s identity.


    When she felt her life nearing its end, she performed a ritual to be reborn as her own descendant. However, it was hard to differentiate which descendant she was transmigrated into. It required time and opportunity for her to awaken from her transmigration.


    -Even if the secret technique could allow me to pursue immortality, it wasn¡¯t perfect.


    After several transmigration, small problems started to pop up.


    There were omissions to her memories, or she had some mental problem. There was a time when a curse made her suffer from ill health. It shortened her lifespan......


    -The soul is influenced by the body more so than people think. If one is reborn as a new existence several dozen times over the long years, the quality of the original soul degrades.


    Small breakdowns starts to happen, and crucial problem starts to ur.


    <What kind of problem?>


    -I became two people.


    <Mmm?>


    -I was supposed to awaken as a single entity, but I was awakened in two people.


    She awakened within siblings, who were identical.


    It was Kayalia and her twin brother Kaydika.


    The divinity the tribe had absolutely believed in started to break down at that point.


    -The tribe was divided into those that advocated for me, and those that advocated for Kaydika. Both sides fought each other. Moreover, Kaydika and I loved each other, but at the same time, we hated each other.


    Before the awakening, Kayalia and Kaydika were twins that had boundless love for each other. However, after the awakening, their hatred for each other became boundless.


    It wasn¡¯t the influence of the other people around them. Her soul had been split into two, and the two siblings were in pain when they realized that their own uniqueness was undermined by each other¡¯s presence.


    -We knew it by instinct. The only way to escape this torment was to kill the other. There could be only one.


    The tribe broke into two, and they fought. It spurred a codestruction.


    -Before myst moment came, I started the ritual for transmigration. However, it was unstable. I didn¡¯t have the luxury to prepare the whole ritual.


    She had lived for a very long time through transmigration, but her existence came to an end with Kayalia and Kaydika.


    That was what everyone had thought.


    However, Atein was of a different mind.


    -The king knew my ritual was iplete, but he thought there was a possibility of it seeding.


    This was why he had done something ridiculous. He ced a detection magic over the entire continent. It would alert him the moment I awakened again. He had done this while he was conducting a war against the whole world.


    Kayalia had been unaware of his efforts. She had lived her life after being transmigrated into a human girl.


    -I was treated with contempt as a cursed child. In the end.....


    A bitter smile appeared on her lips.


    She had died at the hands of the humans she had trusted.


    After she was transmigrated into a human, she had lived an unassuming life. She lived in a city where there was an institution that trained magicians. The magicians were very closed in terms of teaching their secret techniques. However, they had no choice, but to open themselves when an enemy of humanity had appeared. They couldn¡¯t discriminate in their teachings when faced with the threat of the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army.


    However, the war continued to deteriorate, and the magicians had nowhere to run away. Their city was put under siege.


    Since the city had many magicians, they were able to mount a fierce defense, and they nned on holding out for the day when they would get rescued..... However, in several days time, their enemies poisoned theke. The city was sealed up, and the only source of water was theke. This drove the residents of the city into despair.


    They had thought the city was safe. When this flimsy belief was destroyed, it dawned on them that their deaths were imminent. The humans lost all sense of reason.


    The teenage magicians, who had studied under the same teacher as her, subdued and vited her. She had been someone with no background. It was horrendous, but their actions served as a catalyst that had awakened her.


    <Mmmm.......>


    Reygus felt awkward, so he scratched at his helmeted head. Then he realized his gesture was meaningless, so he awkwardly asked his next question.


    <You met the king when you were about to lose your life as a human. What happened afterwards?>


    He didn¡¯t know how he should console her, so he chose to ignore the whole thing. At Reygus question, Kayalia let out augh.


    -Pfft! .


    <What¡¯s so funny?>


    -It just is. As expected, oppa is cute.


    <Mmmm.......>


    When Reygus first met Kayalia, she was already a Dragon Demon girl.


    If she had died and transmigrated during that time period, the timeline didn¡¯t match. Moreover, she had been at the brink of death, so she couldn¡¯t have made preparations for her ritual.


    -The king had made preparations a long time ago in an attempt to persuade me.


    <If it¡¯s the king, he would be able to do it. Is there really a secret technique that allows a human to be made into a Dragon Demon?>


    -No. Such a technique doesn¡¯t exist. At the very least, it doesn¡¯t exist as far as I know.


    <So how did he do it?>

 Chapter 179 - The End of the Wait (2)

    Chapter 179 - The End of the Wait (2)


    -The king had prepared a vessel that had lost its soul. He regenerated the body that was killed in the fight against Kaydika.


    <.......>


    -If I taught him the secret art of Transmigration, he said he would make improvements on the technique. He would return my soul to my previous body. That was the king¡¯s offer.


    <So it really is a technique that can revive the dead?>


    -It is. This can be used on those that died a long time ago....


    <Wait a moment.>


    Reygus tilted his head in puzzlement.


    <I¡¯m pretty sure you said.... Your tribe rules dictated that any information regarding the technique can only be exchanged between man and wife. That is why the king proposed to you.....>


    -That¡¯s right.


    <Your story doesn¡¯t add up.>


    -I am the tribe, and I am itsw. That is why I made up that rule on the spot, and I used it as an excuse to make the king propose to me.


    <.......>


    Reygus looked at her in a dumbfounded manner.


    -He started talking about his ideal world in front of a dying person. He talked about needing my secret technique to achieve this goal. He tried so hard to convince me that I should live and share in his ideal. He was so loveable at that moment. If I was going to live again, I thought I would like to tightly hold onto him.


    <...ha-ah.>


    Reygus¡¯ shoulders slumped as if air had gone out of him.


    Kayalia had dreamy eyes as she looked up into the air. She spoke.


    -Oppa knows what happened afterwards.


    While living as a human girl, she had lost faith in humanity. This was why she had epted Atein¡¯s offer. On top of that, she went around gathering the scattered remnants of her tribe.


    They had thought she was dead, yet the leader of their tribe had appeared right in front of them. She hade back from dead. They sang her praises as if she was the seconding. Her tribe joined the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army.


    -I believe sir Almarick and my body was revived using the improved technique. Currently, the king is using the very same technique to recover his body. It should be noted that it took him a long time to restore our bodies. In his case, the remnants of his body wasn¡¯t left behind, and he had to restore his body at an entirely different location. Of course, it isn¡¯t an easy task.


    <He learned the secret art of Transmigration from you, yet he chose this method to revive himself. Is that right?>


    -Yes.


    <Well, it was always hard to discern what the king was thinking. He probably has his own reasons for doing so.>


    -Everything he thinks up is so magnificentlyrge in scale. It is hard to understand his actions if one is too close to him. I think this falls in the same category....


    Kayalia continued to tilt her head in puzzlement as if she couldn¡¯t understand Atein¡¯s decision.


    Reygus, who had been looking at her, asked a question.


    <What was your rtionship with Azell?>


    -That is.......


    At his words, Kayalia had aplicated smile on her face as she spoke.


    -He saved me from a certain death by the hands of humans. He also told me that it was alright for me to treasure myself more as I live my life.


    She closed her eyes as she remembered her old memories.


    3


    The Dragon weapons were constructed over a long time. Each Dragon weapon was a unique tool, and one had to go through a painstaking process to make the Dragon weapon.


    On the other hand, one awakened a Dragon Soul.


    It didn¡¯t require a long process. It was a matter of if you can do it or not.


    The process of awakening the Dragon Soul was like having a conversation with oneself.


    There was an essence infused within an individual¡¯s Dragon Demon magic. The essence originated from a Dragon. This power allowed one to forcefully control nature through one¡¯s will. Dragon Demon magic was a fusion of human wisdom and the power of the Dragon, which had control over nature. The fusion allowed Dragon Demon magic to possess strength and versatility.


    When one learned the Dragon Soul technique, it awakened the will of the Dragon, which was the basis for the Dragon Demon magic.


    This was why the familiar could move at an instinctual level. It was like breathing. The Dragon Soul allowed the familiar to escape the control of the Dragon Demon magic, and it could move through its own free will.


    This was when the true conversation started.


    A being that was a clone and a sworn brother was born. The owner of the Dragon Demon magic had to put one¡¯s life on the line to start a conversation with this being.


    One had to use one¡¯s will, the techniques that governed the Dragon Demon magic and one¡¯s stamina to guide the being that was capable ofmunication.


    This was how the will of the Dragon Demon magic transformed into a Dragon Soul.


    Hooooooooooo......!


    A gale swirled around the region. The trees shook as if they were about to be broken. Leaves and grass flew into the air. Reshoo stood in the middle of this gale as his bluish-white hair whipped crazily around him.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t put it to sleep, you¡¯ll be exhausted soon.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    The one to answer was Kairen. His ck hair remained calm within the gale. It was an unreal sight, yet the reason for this phenomena was clear.


    He had caused the gale.


    It was as if he was standing within the eye of the storm. The ce he stood was the only location that had escaped the effects of the gale. Moreover, a green Dragon was moving at the heart of winds.


    ¡°So this is what it feels like.¡±


    Kairen mumbled to himself.


    He had awakened his Dragon Soul.


    He could feel it. The Dragon Demon magic flowing through his Energy Pulse was moving, and it had a will of its own.


    An unknown being had been born within him. It felt as if he was looking into a mirror after not seeing himself for a very long time. The image within the mirror was extremely familiar, yet at the same time, it was unfamiliar.


    Kairen¡¯s Dragon Soul possessed power that was reminiscent of a Storm Dragon. Originally, his power hadn¡¯t dealt with any specific properties. However, this fact hadn¡¯t been a detriment in him learning how to control his newly gained abilities. He was used to dealing with powers possessing a variety of properties through the Dragon Arts.


    When the gale subsided, Reshoo grinned.


    ¡°I thought it would take you much longer than Leticia. However, you were only two dayste.¡±


    ¡°Why did you think that?¡±


    Leticia had awakened her Dragon Soul two days ago.


    Kairen realized he had fallen behind her, and this fact had vexed him. This was why he had pushed himself to the limit, and he was finally able to awaken his Dragon Soul on this day.


    Reshoo answered him.


    ¡°You hadn¡¯t known your own essence.¡±


    ¡°Essence?¡±


    ¡°Leticia possesses the essence of a Frost Dragon. Leticia didn¡¯t have this knowledge. However, she used the power of Frost even when she was using the Dragon Arts. She knew at an instinctual level as to where her abilities had arisen from.¡±


    ¡°Ah. So that¡¯s what you meant by those words.¡±


    Kairen understood what Reshoo was trying to say.


    Whether it was a Dragon Demon or a Dragon Majin, they had an origin in a Dragon.


    Their ancestors were the 1st generation Dragon Demons, and they were born from the fusion of a Dragon and a Demon. Their essence was dependent on the Dragon that had fused with the Demon.


    In the case of Kairen, he had the essence of a Storm Dragon. He hadn¡¯t known this until he had awakened his Dragon Soul.


    Suddenly, Kairen asked him a question.


    ¡°Reshoo, do you know Leticia¡¯s past?¡±


    ¡°I do. Why?¡±


    ¡°Something is a bit off.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°If it is as you¡¯ve said, Leticia¡¯s essence is inherited from Almarick, right? So why does she have the essence of a Frost Dragon?¡±


    Almarick¡¯s Dragon weapon was the Storm¡¯s Scream. It had dominion over thunder. Wasn¡¯t that power totally unrted to the power of Frost?


    Reshoo let out a bitterugh.


    ¡°In the case of Leticia, her birth process was special. A variety of bloodlines had mixed over the generations to create her. That is why she had no idea what her essence was.¡±


    ¡°I see. It makes sense since she is a Dragon Majin.......¡±


    ¡°What about your parents, Kairen?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. They were both Dragon Demons, but I have no idea what abilities they possessed.¡±


    ¡°I sense a story there. Both your parents were Dragon Demons. It is rare to see such an urrence in human society.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It was only possible, because it was within several generations of the Dragon Demon war.¡±


    The number of Dragon Demons living within human society was low. This was why it was rare for Dragon Demons to marry each other. It was moremon to see a Dragon Demon marry a Dragon Majin or a human.


    However, Dragon Demon¡¯s blood were thicker than human blood.


    If a Dragon Demon mated with a human, their offspring would be a Dragon Majin. A union between Dragon Majins produced a Dragon Majin. It was the same for a union between a Dragon Majin and a human.


    As Dragon Majins continue to copte with humans in each sessive generation, it took a very long time for their blood to be diluted. It took a very long time for their descendants to be wholly human.


    On the other hand, a union between a Dragon Demon and a Dragon Majin produced a Dragon Demon.


    The sex or the purity of the Dragon Majin didn¡¯t matter. The partner just had to be a Dragon Majin. A union between a Dragon Demon and a Dragon Majin always produced a Dragon Demon.


    This was why there were so many Dragon Demons in this world despite there not being too many 1st generation Dragon Demons.


    Suddenly, Reshoo spoke.


    ¡°However, I¡¯m a bit surprised that you are attempting this right now. Aren¡¯t you worried? Your perturbed heart may pose a potential risk. That is why I wanted you to wait for the end result.¡±


    ¡°I want to ask you the same question. Aren¡¯t you worried about her?¡±


    ¡°I am worried, but she chose this fight. I just have ept whatever result thates out from it.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.......¡±


    As expected of Leticia¡¯s teacher, he looked sentimental on the outside, but he was bone chillingly cold in epting matters of life and death.


    Kairen put his Dragon Soul to sleep then he turned to look into the distance.


    The gale had died down, and he could hear the deafening roar in the distance. He was several kilometers away, but it was apparent that a fierce battle was ongoing at that moment.


    ¡°Myrade put her life on the line to attempt this. The desire of not wanting to lose to her has be stronger. That is why I¡¯m going to do it.¡±


    ¡°You really hate losing.¡±


    Reshooughed as if he found it amusing.


    Leticia was fighting in the distance.


    She hadpleted her Dragon Soul two days ago, and she had received permission to carry out the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual from Albatan.


    The fact that she wascking power had been made apparent in her fight with Almarick. She had gained the Dragon Soul, but she knew she needed a bigger power for her uing fights.


    ¡®If I die here, it means I would have died in the future.¡¯


    After saying those words, she made her decision to attempt the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    ¡®I trust in the fact that you aren¡¯t an idiotic woman. You won¡¯t die after saying such words. I believe in you, Leticia.¡¯


    Kairen silently sent his feeling of support towards her.


    4


    As the light lessened, Leticia slowly opened her eyes.


    She had been victorious in the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. The Frost Dragon had given everything of itself to the victor.


    After fighting desperately for several hours, Leticia had reached her limit. However, her entire body was surprisingly filled with energy.


    Moreover, she could feel an enormous unrefined power within her. It was a power that she had been unable to make her own.


    ¡°So this is what it feels like.¡±


    Leticia mumbled to herself.


    Azell¡¯s exnation had been vague, but she was now able to understand what he had been talking about. She just had to refine this power, and she would be able to repeat this process. She was sure she would be able to exceed Almarick using this process.


    p, p, p, p, p.......


    As she was savoring this feeling, Leticia heard the sound of pping. It broke her revery.


    ¡°Congrattions.¡±


    It was Azell. He had attended the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual as an observer.


    Leticia spoke.


    ¡°My preparation isplete. I want to take more time to be able to attempt another Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, but I¡¯m assuming we don¡¯t have the luxury to stay here any longer?¡±


    ¡°Probably not.¡±


    It was hard to gather information from within the forest. Albatan had a general idea of what was happening across the continent, but he had shown no inclination in departing this knowledge to Azell¡¯s party.


    Even if they didn¡¯t have any information, they knew they didn¡¯t have the time to continue their training. The Keepers of the Prophecy had been the governing body of the Guardian Shadows. They were no more. This probably meant the in of Darkness would have stepped up their level of activity.


    Azell¡¯s party had remained here despite knowing this fact. They had determined that the Dragon Soul was needed in the uing fights. Since Kairen and Leticia had gained the Dragon Soul, their stay in the forest hade to an end.


    Suddenly, Leticia asked him a question.

 Chapter 180 - The End of the Wait (3)

    Chapter 180 - The End of the Wait (3)


    Suddenly, Leticia asked him a question.


    ¡°Did you resolve your indecision?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    Azell let out a bitterugh.


    He hadn¡¯t told his associates about Reshoo partnering up with Atein. He hadn¡¯t wanted to break the concentration of his associates when they were learning the Dragon Soul from Reshoo.


    Leticia was able to read the indecision in Azell¡¯s attitude.


    However, his feelings regarding Reshoo was different from what she was reading from him.


    Azell looked far into the distance as he mumbled to himself.


    ¡°A lot has changed. A lot of stuff.......¡±


    His gaze headed towards the mountain peak of Laus.


    His old friend Carlos was there. They had been such close friends that they would have given their lives for each other.


    He couldn¡¯t say for certain that Carlos was still alive, but a part of him existed in this world. Carlos had been waiting for him, and this fact was touching. At the same time, Carlos had suffered under hardships over the long years, and Azell was afraid to witness what changes those hardships had brought about in Carlos.


    He had been shocked when he saw the changes that had urred within Reshoo. The shock he would feel at meeting Carlos wouldn¡¯t hold a candle to the shock he felt for Reshoo. He had a gut feeling that this would be the case, so he considered himself fortunate for being able to spend some time inside the forest. It allowed him to put off the meeting.


    However, his time here was at an end. Azell wanted to meet Carlos, but at the same time, he desperately didn¡¯t want to meet him either. These two realities was about to sh against each other.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°It has always been like this. It doesn¡¯t matter if I¡¯m ready or not. If I have to do something, I just have to face it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how it should be.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Azell was puzzled by the point Leticia was trying to make.


    She spoke.


    ¡°If the man named Carlos is truly your precious friend, shouldn¡¯t you treat him with honor? He went through all kinds of pain to wait for you. It would be a discourtesy to show up in front of him without a firm resolve.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell had a stupid expression on his face. It was as if he had been punched in the face.


    For a long while, he wasn¡¯t able to speak then his lips started to twitch. Soon, he was letting out an unburdenedughter.


    ¡°You are right. It really is like that.¡±


    Carlos had done so much for him. He even worried about Azell, who would be awoken long after his death. He had made so much arrangements for Azell, because he had been worried about Azell.


    That is why it didn¡¯t matter how much Carlos had changed. It was his duty to face Carlos face to face.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll consider this debt paid against what you have taught me.¡±


    Leticia snorted as she left.


    5


    Azell¡¯s party left for the mountain peak of Laus. It was four days after Leticia had conducted the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    Leticia had used those four days to get a handle on the power she had acquired in the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. She also learned the basic uses of the Dragon Soul with Kairen.


    On the day of their departure, Leticia went to see Reshoo before the sun came up. Reshoo had told her that he wouldn¡¯t be seeing her off.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    Reshoo asked the question as if he had known she would visit him. Leticia didn¡¯t speak for a long time as she looked at him.


    ¡°I heard it from Azell.¡±


    ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°He said you might be our enemy.¡±


    ¡°I guess he really told you.¡±


    Reshoo let out a bitterugh.


    In truth, he never thought Azell would hold back the truth from his colleagues. If a truth like this was kept secret, there were advantages and disadvantages that came with such a decision. If they were to meet Reshoo as an enemy in the future, it would shock them. It was better to tell them at an earlier date, so they could prepare themselves for the fight.


    Leticia spoke.


    ¡°Is that the reason why you and Azell didn¡¯t reveal your true powers¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    While they resided in the Albatan forest, Reshoo and Azell hadn¡¯t revealed their true capabilities. Even when Azell released his magical energy in front of Laura, he had left plenty of power left in reserve.


    Reshoo queried her.


    ¡°Do you resent me?¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t enemies yet. Not yet.....¡±


    Leticia¡¯s eyes were cold. However, Reshoo could read theplicated emotions that was being suppressed deep down within her.


    She spoke.


    ¡°If a timees when we meet again as enemies, I won¡¯t resent you. It is the same now as in old times. I will be thankful to you.¡±


    ¡°Leticia.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just tell you this one thing.¡±


    Leticia raised her hand to cut off what Reshoo was about to say.


    ¡°When the timees, I¡¯ll be the one to take your life.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°You seem to have a deep connection with Azell, but I won¡¯t yield the opportunity to him. Either you die or I die. We must settle this between us.¡±


    Leticia disyed a mighty determination. Reshoo smiled as he looked into her eyes.


    ¡°I never taught you to be like that.¡±


    ¡°You taught me not to obsess about one on one battles. You told me to be willing to get help from myrades to achieve victory at all cost.¡±


    It didn¡¯t matter what kind of situation Leticia faced. She set her priorities before she acted. She didn¡¯t get caught up with emotions, and she minimized the chaos that arose within a battle. These general principles had been taught to her by Reshoo, and it was the reason why she was able to survive the fight against the in of Darkness.


    However, she had changed a little bit after she acquiredrades. While she continued to pursue her own safety above all else, there were things that were more important to her than the prospect of future fights now.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll probably do as you advised. You might think it cowardly, but I¡¯ll find the best n to end you.¡±


    Leticia didn¡¯t deny it. The fight with Reshoo was her responsibility, but she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to borrow the power of others to win against him.


    She was aware of the difference in power. She would never be able to win against Reshoo in a one on one battle.


    Reshoo spoke.


    ¡°It seems I hadn¡¯t taught you in vain.¡±


    ¡°You are a bad teacher.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You taught your student to act in a certain way, yet you won¡¯t follow your own teachings.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Leticia was well aware of Reshoo¡¯s personality. Reshoo had drilled into Leticia that she had to prioritize survival and victory above all else.


    However, Reshoo moved within a different set of rules.


    Reshoo shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°I have no rebuttal to that point.¡±


    ¡°If you do be my enemy, I don¡¯t want you to die in an unknown ce. At the very least, don¡¯t get killed by some random person.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try not to.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    After she told him what she had to say, Leticia unhesitatingly turned her body away from him. As she moved away from him, Reshoo suddenly called out to her.


    ¡°Leticia!¡±


    Leticia stopped walking. However, she didn¡¯t turn around.


    ¡°It was good to see you again.¡±


    ¡°...hoong.¡±


    Leticia snorted as she moved into the distance. However, her expression was crumpled from the pain she was feeling.


    6


    It was a long ways away from the mountain peak of Laus.


    The Albatan forest was vast, and the Atisan mountain range separated the Albatan Forest and the in of Darkness. It was a natural barrier. The mountain range was enormous and perilous. All kinds of danger lurked within the mountain range.


    On the day of his departure, Albatan asked Azell a question when he came to say farewell to Albatan.


    ¡°You refuse to ask me the question.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the deal I made with Carlos.¡±


    Carlos had taught Albatan a technique of massive value. Azell¡¯s party was taught the Dragon Soul technique in return. Carlos resided in the vast and perilousnd. He worked towards ending the unresolved fight of his era, and he prepared for the future when Azell would awaken from his sleep.


    Of course, Azell was curious about the content of the deal.


    Dragon Soul was a surprising technique. In an era where the world had even forgotten about the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, this technique was unbelievably valuable.


    Azell had realized the need to strengthen his party members, and this technique had been like a rain during a famine. Azell could have transferred his Dragon weapons to his allies, but it would have lessened his own powers in the process.


    Did Carlos really predict all of this? Or....


    ¡®No, he just took all possible steps within his power.¡¯


    It was the same during the Dragon Demon war.


    Carlos didn¡¯t have the ability to look into the future unlike the legendary sage in the legends. However, Carlos had decided to prepare for all the possibilities of the future he could think up. Aside from the ns Azell hade across, there were probably countless arrangements that was unknown to him. Azell had been able to stumble across a couple of these arrangements by pure luck.


    ¡°I am curious. However, I want to hear it from him.¡±


    ¡°It seems you¡¯ve made up your mind.¡±


    ¡°A woman gave me an advice that I should be more courteous to my friend.¡±


    Azell let out a bitterugh as he thought about the words spoken by Leticia.


    Albatan spoke.


    ¡°The technique taught to me by Carlos was a curse.¡±


    ¡°Curse?¡±


    Azell¡¯s eyes widened. He hadn¡¯t expected this answer.


    Albatan raised his w to point at Azell.


    ¡°It was the curse ced on you by Atein.¡±


    ¡°Why would you want......¡±


    ¡°Why did Atein put a curse on you? Did you ever think about the reasons behind his action?¡±


    ¡°I got in the way of his ambitions, and he probably wanted to take revenge against the person, who took his life.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think Atein would act based on such reasons?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The most obvious answer was shot down. He wanted to deny Albatan¡¯s words, but a part of him agreed with his words.


    Albatan enjoyed the confused reaction of Azell. He spoke.


    ¡°After being preupied with this question over the years, he finally found out the reason behind Atein¡¯s actions. Moreover, he passed on the curse that he had been able to analyze.¡±


    ¡°What was the reason behind Atein¡¯s action?¡±


    ¡°You can hear it from Carlos. It¡¯ll be a great conversation starter for friends that hadn¡¯t met for a long time.¡±


    ¡°As always, you are quite perverse.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the joy of being old?¡±


    Azell sighed as he spoke. Albatan let out a sly smile. It was almost unbelievable that a Dragon could make such an expression. Azell lowered his head after he witness the Dragon¡¯s expressive face.


    ¡°Thank you for your kindness........¡±


    ¡°If you live to acquire the answer, I want you toe back. I want you tell me the answer you acquired.¡±


    ¡°Which answer are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to find that out for yourself too.¡±


    ¡°If I feel like it, I¡¯ll do so.¡±


    Albatan snorted at Albatan¡¯s mischievous words.


    7


    Azell¡¯s party moved quickly.


    For the past two days, they moved with plenty of energy left in reserve. However, they started moving like the wind on the fourth day when they entered the Atisan mountain range.


    ¡°Ooh. This ce is no joke.¡±


    Yuren had flown into the air, and he had been buffeted by the turbulent winds. Yuren shook from the cold as he hugged himself.


    Was it because they were getting closer to the in of Darkness? The temperature at the Atisan mountain range was quite cold, and there was a bite to the winds. Yuren was unable to fly above a certain altitude.


    ¡°It seems we won¡¯t be able travel infort. We¡¯ll have move along this mountain range.¡±


    The Atisan mountain range didn¡¯t have any paths that looked traversable by humans. If the members of Azell¡¯s party hadn¡¯t possessed superhuman abilities, they would havebored to even make it to the entrance of the mountain range.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I can see why this ce is called the natural barrier between the in of Darkness and the Albatan forest.¡±


    The Atisan mountain range was enormous and perilous. This was why humans refused to step onto this mountain. ording to some rumors, there were dangerous beings that frequented this mountain range. They were beings that were used to such harsh conditions.


    Laura queried him.


    ¡°Have you been here before?¡±


    ¡°Nope..¡±


    ¡°So how can you say......¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying you guys should be on alert. I was able to give you guys a rough idea on how to prepare for the Albatan forest. I cannot do that for this ce...... Ah, wait a moment.¡±


    In the midst of saying those words, Azell suddenly had a thought.


    ¡°Laura, have you been here before?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell¡¯s expression was a sight to behold. When hispanions started to snicker, he cleared his throat.

 Chapter 181 - The End of the Wait (4)

    Chapter 181 - The End of the Wait (4)


    Azell¡¯s expression was a sight to behold. When hispanions started to snicker, he cleared his throat.


    ¡°Hmm hmm. You should have told me sooner.¡±


    ¡°You stepped forward like a know it all before I could speak to you. You also like to get the first word in.¡±


    He was at a loss for words.


    Azell quietly lowered his head.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve experience being here, please give me advice.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with this region.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°We came deep into this mountain range for training and reconnaissance. However, we never crossed over to this ce.¡±


    It was to be expected. The Atisan mountain range was unusually vast. If she had entered from the side of the in of Darkness, she would have needed to travel a great distance to reach this point.


    Azell queried her.


    ¡°Do you think we have enough supplies?¡±


    ¡°I believe we¡¯ll be ok. However, we should start catching animals wee across to prepare in advance.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.......¡±


    They were in the 7th month of the calendar. It was still summer, so the climate wasn¡¯t cold. However, the temperature within Atisan mountain range was noticeably lower than the Albatan forest. As they entered deeper into the mountain range, it would get worse.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Thankfully we have guides.¡±


    ¡°I guess so.¡±


    The Guardian Shadows had apanied Azell¡¯s party to the Albatan forest, and they were still present. They were actually leading the way from the front. From the perspective of Azell¡¯s party, it was a fortunate turn of events.


    Yuren looked at his surroundings as he spoke.


    ¡°Are their numbers growing again?¡±


    It was as he said. The number of Guardian Shadows was growing.


    The terrain was so rough that one could only count a limited number of Guardian Shadows with the naked eye. Still, they were pretty open in letting their presence known, so Azell¡¯s party knew that their numbers were increasing.


    Soon, the sound of battle could be heard in the distance.


    Oooh-ohhhhhh......!


    Kwah-roo-rong, kwahng......!


    The sounds of fierce roars, cries and explosions were mixed in together as it echoed.


    Azell¡¯s party realized that the Guardian Shadows were conducting battles. Kairen furrowed his brows.


    ¡°Are they eliminating potential risk factors for us?¡±


    ¡°I believe so.¡±


    Azell realized at some point that there were at least 500 Guardian Shadows, and this was the lowest of his estimates.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how dangerous this ce is, but we won¡¯t have to worry too much unless we encounter a Dragon¡±


    ¡°Still, we have to keep up our fast pace.¡±


    Kairen pointed out this fact. Naturally, everyone turned to look at Laura.


    The problem was the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. Their enemies could track them down by locating the Vitan¡¯s Chalice.


    This fact hadn¡¯t mattered when they resided within the Albatan Forest. However, they should have realized by now that Azell¡¯s party was once again on the move. If they were lucky, their enemies would have stationed their troops along in of Darkness. This would happen if they thought Azell¡¯s party would try to enter into the in of Darkness. If they were unlucky.....


    ¡°Almarick and Reygus will bring their elite forces against us.¡±


    ¡°It is probably thetter. There is a high probability that they are already moving against us.¡±


    This was why Azell¡¯s party had been in a hurry after they left the Albatan Forest.


    They knew that Carlos¡¯ safe-haven was located on the mountain peak of Laus. Laus was closer to the in of Darknesspared to the Albatan Forest.


    If they were unlucky, their enemies might be waiting for them. They had to avoid that possibility.


    ¡®It¡¯ll also be a problem once I meet Carlos......¡¯


    He didn¡¯t know what state Carlos was in. Moreover, he couldn¡¯t predict what he would do once they met.


    How would Carlos respond if enemies attacked while they were meeting in his safe haven? Was the ce capable of defending against attacks?


    He had too little information. Even if he tried to initiate a conversation with the Guardian Shadows, he didn¡¯t think he would gain anything. In the first ce, they were short on the ability to converse. They also seemed to know very little.


    ¡®I guess I have no choice, but to go there first.¡¯


    Azell could only resign himself to this possibility.


    Fortunately, they were moving really fast, because the Guardian Shadows were leading the way. The Guardian Shadows weren¡¯t impeded by the terrain, so their speed was faster than Azell¡¯s party in the long run. The party only stopped for a three to four hour break whenever they found a suitable location. They moved through night and day. This was possible, because the Guardian Shadows took care of most of the fights.


    ¡°I think there are over 2,000 of them now?¡±


    Kairen had climbed up to an elevated location, and he was baffled. Azell queried him in a yful manner.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try to get an urate count?¡±


    ¡°Ho-oh. It has been awhile, but it seems you want to act like a teacher again. I¡¯ll willingly ept the challenge.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try it too, Leticia?¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to create a contest between your students? Hmmm.¡±


    Leticia agreed to do the challenge. The two of them closed their eyes, and they expanded their senses. They started discerning the number of Guardian Shadows present for thepetition.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°They are doing it inefficiently. Their number is..... Oohp.¡±


    She immediately casted her detection magic, and she was able to discern their numbers using magic. Laura was about to tell them the answer, but Azell covered her mouth with his hand.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Laura¡¯s mouth was sealed, so she red at Azell with a sullen look. When Azellughed, she pinched the back of his hand.


    ¡°That was rude.¡±


    ¡°I apologize.¡±


    Azell lowered his head in a sly manner. Laura snorted.


    Soon, Leticia opened her eyes as she spoke.


    ¡°At this point in time, there are 2,630 of them. They are slowly growing in number.¡±


    ¡°You already counted all of them?¡±


    Kairen was taken aback. He had counted only half her number.


    Azell grinned as he spoke.


    ¡°That is the correct answer. As expected, Leticia is good at such tasks.¡±


    ¡°How can this be? Counting people is one of my specialties......¡±


    Kairen¡¯s expression crumpled.


    He was a knight, and a lord of arge territory. He was quite good at countingrge number of people. He was experienced at it, since he hadmanded arge number of soldiers. So how did Leticia count so much faster than him?


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ve expected this result.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Kairen asked as if he couldn¡¯t ept Azell¡¯s words.


    Azell gave him an exnation.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t proficient in the cloning technique. This isn¡¯t the case with Leticia. That is the difference.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about the ability to do multiple things at the same time?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    One¡¯s aptitude towards the cloning skill was dependent on one¡¯s ability to multitask.


    Kairen could use the cloning technique, but he could only use it for a brief amount of time. He usually used it to confuse his opponents.


    He couldn¡¯t make his clones have a sense of presence when he moved them


    In terms of the cloning technique, Azell had reached the pinnacle. He could make numerous clones look as if it was the real one, and he could maintain them for long periods of time. He could also freely change their shapes.


    The Dance of the Shadows technique could be used when one reached such a level. Basically, he was able to reach a state called Incarnation in the Dragon Arts. He was able to give substance to his clones.


    This wasn¡¯t something one could do even if one¡¯s standard of technique was high. Aptitude was a big factor.


    Spirit Order and Dragon Arts practitioners were divided into two categories. The first category included those that were able to quickly aplish one task. The second category was those that could juggle many tasks at the same time.


    Kairen was in the former category. This meant that he was able to create enormous amounts of power in a short amount of time. He was able to create explosive power, and he could wield it with surprising amount of precision.


    Leticia was in thetter category. She used powers of different attributes to use her cloning technique, and she was able to use various high level techniques.


    Suddenly, Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Is that why Reshoo doesn¡¯t have any profound knowledge of the cloning technique?¡±


    ¡°From what I knew from before, what you say is true. It is still probably true today.¡±


    Azell could tell by looking at Leticia. She hadn¡¯t learned much from Reshoo about the cloning technique. The cloning technique she used was from the in of Darkness. She was taught it, because she had been one of the candidates in running to be Almarick¡¯s heir.


    She had steeply increased her proficiency in the cloning technique after she met Azell.


    ¡®Maybe, it is because she is of Almarick¡¯s blood........¡¯


    During the Dragon Demon war, Almarick had been the best at using the cloning technique if Azell was taken out of the picture. He was second only to Azell.


    Kairen grumbled.


    ¡°Shit. I have never been jealous of the cloning technique until I met you......¡±


    ¡°One can¡¯t be good at everything.¡±


    8


    In the in of Darkness, they were moving in a different direction than Azell¡¯s party had predicted.


    It was true that troops were being dispatched, but their destination wasn¡¯t the Atisan mountain range.


    ¡°We aren¡¯t getting a response. It is worrisome. Is this Albatan¡¯s doing? Or is it Carlos Rizester¡¯s doing?¡±


    Almarick felt leery.


    Within the Great Darkness, Aincera could track down the Dragon weapons used by the Dragon Demon generals. Laura was within Azell¡¯s party, so they were able to confirm that his party was residing in the Albatan forest. This was all thanks to the Vitan¡¯s Chalice.


    ¡®Strangely, the precision has been dropping........¡¯


    When Almarick had first shown up, Azell¡¯s party had guessed that his ability to track down the Vitan¡¯s Chalice wasn¡¯t very precise.


    It was true. The other Dragon weapons of the Dragon Demon generals could be tracked down in an urate manner. However, for some strange reason, the uracy of finding the Vitan¡¯s Chalice had always been low.


    On top of that, there had been one instance where there had been no response from the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. After its disappearance, it had appeared far from the Albatan forest.


    ¡°There is a possibility that they might have left Laura behind......¡±


    <Hue hue hue. You¡¯ve been tucked under like a bear sleeping its winter slumber. You are finally out.>


    Reygus didn¡¯t care if Almarick was leery or not. He was excited.


    Azell¡¯s party had entered into the Albatan forest. For the past two months, he had suppressed his desire to charge into the forest. It had been hard for him. If Atein hadn¡¯t made a nonaggression pact with Albatan, Reygus would have already charged into the forest. He would have went there by himself if he had to.


    Almarick gave Reygus a sideway nce as if he found Reygus to be pathetic.


    ¡°Are you just going to ignore all my words?¡±


    <Of course, I¡¯m listening to what you have to say. I¡¯ll leave the privilege of worrying about such details to you. You can worry about it to your heart¡¯s content. In the past, didn¡¯t youin about the fact that Aunsaurus and Baldazark had the roles of strategists? You have the right to take on their roles now, so you should be thrilled about it.>


    ¡°I knew it was going to be like this, but...¡±


    Almarick massaged his forehead. He had changed a lot, but Reygus still remained the same. He was scary in his consistency. It was almost admirable.


    ¡°Will you face Azell this time around?¡±


    <I fought him once, and you fought him once. Isn¡¯t it my turn now?>


    ¡°Hmm. All right. I hope you don¡¯t get killed.¡±


    Almarick didn¡¯t try to dissuade Reygus. They were colleagues, and both of them were respectful of each other¡¯s sense of value.


    Reygus¡¯ voice was full of anticipation.


    <Do you think he¡¯s be stronger?>


    ¡°He probably is stronger. He might be as strong as his past self.¡±


    <I¡¯ve seen the recordings. He was really nice.>


    ¡°It isn¡¯t like you to study up on your opponent.¡±


    <I took a big hit when he wasn¡¯t whole. It is the virtue of a man to acknowledge an opponent¡¯s power especially when that person took me down a peg.>


    Reygus shrugged his shoulder. Almarick asked him a question.


    ¡°What¡¯s the result from your study? Are you confident you can win against him?¡±


    <Nope.>


    ¡°.......¡±


    <In a battle between men, who cares about winning? We just fight.>


    ¡°You are incorrigible. If possible, don¡¯t getpletely destroyed by him. Your revival will take a long time.¡±


    <Hmmm. The fact that I¡¯m guaranteed to be revived makes it sound cheap. I¡¯ll willingly put my life on line even if I only have one.>


    Reygus was an immortal. To be precise, Atein was the backbone of the Great Darkness, and if the Great Darkness remains undiminished, Reygus could always be revived. This was true even if his body waspletely destroyed. It just took time for him to revive again..


    ¡°However, there will be a vacuum until you are revived once again. This will work against us in a critical way. What if the king is killed again, while you were gone? You might never be revived again.¡±


    <Then I won¡¯t have to see the disgusting sight of you eating meat.>


    ¡°Your ill-nature makes me want to cling to life, so I can show you the sight of me eating some delicious meat.¡±


    Almarick snorted.


    Reygus queried.


    <So what is our course of action?>

 Chapter 182 - The End of the Wait (5)

    Chapter 182 - The End of the Wait (5)


    ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll defeat Azell Karzark and his party.¡±


    <I mean, what is your prediction? How do you think they¡¯ll move?>


    ¡°Your brain might have rotted away, but you are still capable of thought. Why don¡¯t you figure it out for yourself?¡±


    <There are others that are better at it than me. Why should I have to do something so tiresome?>


    ¡°Tsk tsk.¡±


    Almarick clicked his tongue.


    ¡°My staff has given me their opinions. As I¡¯ve said before, they might be trying to deceive us. They might be using Laura as bait to draw us out. Rest of their members might assault the Dragon Demon pce.¡±


    <Oh. You think he is trying to pierce through to the heart of our base?>


    ¡°We have too little information to be sure. However, if we send our main force towards him, a trap might be waiting for us.¡±


    <So what should we do?>


    ¡°It makes no great difference one way or the other. Let¡¯s attack them, and we can recover the Vitan¡¯s Chalice.¡±


    At his words, Reygus chuckled.


    <Good! I love it! It isn¡¯t in my personality to camp out here.>


    ¡°You probably would have been delighted to go out there by yourself. That image is vivid in my mind. That is why I decided to take the offensive.¡±


    <You know me too well.>


    ¡°Since I¡¯ve gone so far as to take your personality into consideration in our nning, you better not run out there by yourself.¡±


    <I¡¯ll do that. I also have to be considerate of thedies.>


    Reygus shrugged his shoulders.


    In this operation, only the elites would be put in. In thest battle, they had faced thebined might of Azell¡¯s party and the Guardian Shadows. They had learned their lesson.


    Niberis, Kieren and Jeffers would be included in the elite force. Each of them would be leading the elite forces of their respective families, and they would follow themands of the two Dragon Demon generals.


    Suddenly, Reygus asked him a question.


    <What about your heir?>


    ¡°He has a pretty good mindset. It¡¯s been worthwhile for me to teach him.¡±


    <You are teaching someone else? Oh-ho. I never expected such a day toe..>


    ¡°He is my descendant. I¡¯ll feel annoyed if people say he is worthless.¡±


    When Almarick woke up, the Almarick tribe waspletely turned on its head. Since they had falsely set forth Jeffer as their heir, the Almarick tribe stripped Jeffers of all his authority. The true powers within the tribe gave all authority to Almarick.


    Jeffers was devastated. The shock had been great when he realized that he had merely been an ignorant puppet.


    However, Almarick didn¡¯t discard Jeffers. Jeffers was his descendant, and he had been the heir while he had been missing.


    For a while, he got ahold of Jeffers with the aim to train him. If his potential wascking, he would have given up on him immediately. However, Jeffers hadn¡¯t been too bad, and it had been fun teaching him.


    ¡°I have to devise ways to teach him my techniques. He is worth it. It is a fun exercise.¡±


    <Your words makes me want to raise one too.>


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t do it. I don¡¯t think their bodies can take your ministration.¡±


    9


    After Azell¡¯s party entered the Atisan mountain range, it took them five days to arrive at the mountain peak of Laus.


    It was thanks to the Guardian Shadows. They guided the party towards terrains that were rtively easy to traverse, and they had eliminated all the threats along the way. If it wasn¡¯t for them, they would have been unable to travel at such high speeds through these unknownnds.


    ¡°The mountain peak of Laus.... Now that I¡¯m close to it.... It really is big.¡±


    Azell mumbled to himself as he looked at the mountain peak of Laus from afar.


    There were many grand mountain peaks in the Atisan mountain range. The mountain peaks were so high that it was tough to breathe up there.


    However, Laus was exceptionally high.


    The second highest mountain peak in the Atisan mountain range was only half the size of Laus. On a clear day, one was able to see the mountain peak of Laus from the Albatan forest. This was why this ce was known to humans even though no one had tread atop of it.


    It was a holy mountain peak that linked the earth to the sky.


    Laus was the name of a giant from an old legend. The people of old believed that a god had been punished to hold up the sky. They believed he was morphed into this very mountain.


    ¡°I can¡¯t see the peak now that we are closer to it. How far up do we have to go?¡±


    When they were far away, they were able to see the mountain peak pierce through the clouds. Now that they were close, it was to too big to take it all in. Laura spoke.


    ¡°It is 17,817 meters.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°If we are going by elevation above seal level, it is 17,817 meters high.¡±


    ¡°...how do you know the exact figure?¡±


    He was taken aback, so he asked the question. Laura exined it to him.


    ¡°There are several ways to measure it, but this recorded value was left behind by the Dragon Demon king. It has been several hundred years, so the value might differ by several meters.¡±


    ¡°Atein did something so useless. Well, I guess all magicians are like that.....¡±


    Azell was astonished.


    ¡®We have to go up 18 kilometers?¡¯


    He was having a hard time wrapping his head around how high the mountain peak was. Laura pointed out another fact.


    ¡°The figure was made in reference to the sea level. The mountain peak is probably lower than what you have in mind.¡±


    ¡°.....you are talking about 18 kilometers bing 17 kilometers. I¡¯m not sure there is much of a difference.¡±


    Laura brought up another point to the grumbling Azell.


    ¡°It is a big difference, especially since we have to climb it.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve crossed couple mountain peaksing here, and we already had a hard time breathing on top of these mountains.¡±


    ¡°You are implying that the mountain peak of Laus might not have an environment capable of supporting humans?¡±


    Laura nodded her head. Azell furrowed his brows.


    ¡°It definitely isn¡¯t an altitude one can climb using flight magic. Hmm. I¡¯ve only been that high using my clone, so I¡¯m not sure what the environment is like.....¡±


    Laura was surprised by his words.


    ¡°You went up that high of a distance?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°I summoned the Sky Splitter, and I used the Dance of Shadows to create a clone.¡±


    ¡°Ah.......¡±


    Azell created a clone with substance, and he was able to freely change the magical properties of such a clone. He was able to resonate with the Sky Splitter to take on the property of light. This allowed his clone to be able to climb up to incredible heights.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°However, I wasn¡¯t trying to send a clone to a far away distance. I was faced with a slightly different challenge. As the clone climbed higher, it became exponentially hard to maintain the clone. When it reached a certain distance, the clone expired.¡±


    ¡°Still, it is a ridiculous ability.¡±


    ¡°Carlos thought so too. He said my greatest weapon is the ¡®ability to be at multiple locations at once.¡¯ I agree with his assessment.¡±


    Azell smirked as he spoke.


    ¡°Well, shall we climb? The Guardian Shadows are creating a path for us.¡±


    It was as he said. The Guardian Shadows were lined up in a long line as if they wanted to show them where to go. Several thousand Guardian Shadows stood in an ordered line towards the top of the mountain. They were also being vignt of their surrounding. It was such an alien sight that it made one feel a bit queasy.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°It seems there are over 3,000 of them now.......¡±


    ¡°I guess so. I thought a lot of them were killed during thest battle, yet there are still so many of them......¡±


    In the battle where the Keepers of Prophecy were wiped out, the Guardian Shadows had taken a significant blow. From what they had observed, the Guardian Shadows weren¡¯t invincible. They were able to ignore simple physical attacks, and they were more tenacious than any living being. However, they could be killed with attacks infused with magical energy.


    Despite this fact, there were over 3,000 Guardian Shadows gathered here. Even if Reygus and Almarick had shown up right now, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to look down on the force gathered here.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave the rest to our friends. Let¡¯s go meet your Archmage friend, and we can hear the final secret from him.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡±


    The party followed the Guardian Shadows, and they started to climb towards the mountain peak of Laus.


    There were no paths that could be traversed by humans, but it didn¡¯t matter. Azell and his party members could walk on wall as it was t ground. Moreover, they also possessed flight magic. They were vignt against their surrounding, and they left plenty of energy in reserve as they climbed. This meant they were traveling up the mountain at a pace simr to a normal human sprinting across a t surface.


    Still, the destination was far. On top of that, it was getting harder to breathe as they climbed higher.


    ¡°We are high enough that.... I¡¯m starting to run out of breath.¡±


    Kairen stopped for a brief moment as he gathered his breath. It was natural to be breathless in the high mountain terrains, but Laus was on a different level.


    Above all, the environment itself was too harsh. The temperature was so low that it felt as if their lungs were about to freeze. Then there were the knife-like winds......


    If all of the party members weren¡¯t superhuman, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to climb this far without powerful magical assistance. It probably would have taken a normal human a week to get up here.


    Kairen queried.


    ¡°How much do we have left to go?¡±


    <Soon.......>


    <There is a door.......>


    It was such a simple question that the Guardian Shadows were able to understand his question. They answered him.


    It was as they said. It didn¡¯t take them too long to reach their destination. However, there was nothing in the direction pointed out by the Guardian Shadows.


    ¡°It¡¯s a wall?¡±


    Yuren was baffled as he stared at the location pointed out by the Guardian Shadows.


    Nothing was there. It was a rock wall. He approached the wall just to be sure, and he touched the wall. He even checked if there was an illusion spell ced over it. He found nothing.


    <Only he.......>


    <His presence is the key.......>


    When he heard their words, Azell stepped forward.


    ¡°What do I have to do?¡±


    The Guardian Shadows didn¡¯t answer him.


    Koo-roo-roong!


    Instead, a deafening roar rang out as the wall shook.


    The party was surprised, so they got into their battle stance. However, the change that was uring in front of them was harmless.


    The rock wall was changing shape. The sight in front of their eyes became distorted, and a tunnel formed within the darkness.


    Laura mumbled her words in surprise.


    ¡°Path of Tears?¡±


    It was the same as the passageway created by the Vitan¡¯s Chalice where she distorted space. This technique was capable of creating a path even when there was a physical barrier. Azell stared into the darkness as he took a deep breath.


    When Leticia saw this, she asked him a question.


    ¡°Are you scared?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to ask if I¡¯m nervous?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same thing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s different.¡±


    Azell burst outughing as he took a step into the darkness.


    At the same time, his surrounding changed.


    ¡®It is a dimensional distortion field.¡¯


    When Azell entered the path, the tunnel morphed into a dimensional distortion field. He was being dragged towards a new ce. It was like using the Vitan¡¯s Maze to travel a long distance in an instant.


    Azell remained calm.


    ¡°As expected.......¡±


    He had never been to this ce. However, he had seen this ce once before.


    It wasn¡¯t in reality. He saw it in a dream.


    The light reflected off the surface of the water, and the light danced on the wall. Normally, an underground space like this shouldn¡¯t have a single light source, yet the magical light created such a mystical sight.


    <You¡¯ve finally reached this point, Azell.>


    He knew this voice better than anyone, yet the voice sounded so foreign. The voice spoke towards Azell.


    It was a very bleak voice. It was as if the deepest darkness below had been squeeze to create this voice.. If felt as if his lifespan was shortened by listening to the voice. The voice sounded simr to the voice of an Undead, yet the voice elicited a more basic fear from a living being.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard those words before..¡±


    Azell felt lost as to what he should feel. He looked towards the owner of the voice.


    Water was gathered at the corner of this space. There were fragments of ligh dancing above the water as if they were fireflies dancing in the summer night. The light was so faint that it looked as if the darkness was about to swallow them at any moment. However, the light continued to fragment, and the beautiful halo of light continued to exist.


    In the middle of all of this, a silhouette wrapped up in darkness existed.


    Fragments of light was dancing around him, yet his face couldn¡¯t be seen. It wasn¡¯t, because of the darkness casted by the worn out hood. It was probably caused by the ominous energy surrounding his body.


    His body was wrapped in a ragged robe, and something was nted deep in his chest. The end was rounded, and it was embedded with a clear gem. The wooden staff was pierced through his chest as a quiet darkness emanated from it.


    There was a rectangr pir made out of silver erected behind him. ck chains were tying him to the silver pir, and darkness crawled up the surface of the pir in the shape of letters. It was a bizarre sight.


    Azell Called out to him.


    ¡°It has been awhile, Carlos.¡±


    <Yes. It really has been awhile, Azell.>


    The two sworn friends had ended the Dragon Demon war, and their reunion urred after 220 years had passed.

 Chapter 183 - Two Persons (1)

    Chapter 183 - Two Persons (1)


    1


    The rippling waves of light turned hazy within the darkness, and the silence continued.


    Two people...no, one person and a being that used to be a human silently stared at each other. There were only 20 steps between the two of them. However, there was 220 years piled atop of them.


    They looked at each other, and mixed emotions were exchanged between them. He couldn¡¯t see Carlos¡¯ face, but Azell was confident they were feeling the same emotions.


    There was a maelstrom of words within his chest that he wanted to blurt out. However, when it came time to speak, he had no idea what he should say first.


    ¡°You.......¡±


    In the end, Azell opened his mouth first.


    ¡°I heard you became bald.¡±


    <Is that all you have to say after meeting me after 200 years?>


    Carlos was dumbfounded as heughed. Azell smirked.


    ¡°Your thought construct reacted a bit differently. He became angry.¡±


    <It has been a long time since I created it. I¡¯m not angry at hearing such words. Actually, I wee it.>


    ¡°You wee it?¡±


    <Yes. It is proof that there is someone that is willing to talk to me as if I¡¯m human. Moreover... That person happens to be you, Azell.>


    ¡°.......¡±


    <It has been very long since I¡¯ve had a proper conversation with a human. It has been over a hundred years.>


    When he spoke those words, one could hear a deep loneliness in his voice. There was a bizarre ring to his voice, but there was also his emotions mixed within it. It made Azell¡¯s heart ache to hear it.


    Azell took a step closer as he asked a question.


    ¡°Did you purposely iste me from my party?¡±


    <Yes, I¡¯ve been observing you, and I know you have goodpanions. However, I don¡¯t want us to be interrupted during this time.>


    ¡°I see.......¡±


    A good amount of time had passed, but Azell was the only one that had arrived at this ce. There had been no news from his party members. This wouldn¡¯t have happened unless this was Carlos¡¯ intention.


    Azell queried him.


    ¡°The Guardian Shadows acted as your eyes and ears.¡±


    <You are still quick on the uptake.>


    ¡°I also know that they are your eyes and ears, but they cannot be your mouth. You would have conveyed your intentions at a much early date if you were capable of doing it.¡±


    <That¡¯s right. Unfortunately, I had to go through these inconveniences to protect my secrets. I cannot unterally use methods that is only convenient for me.>


    ¡°The more you act in pursuit of your own convenience, it¡¯ll allows your opponent to use it against you. You always used to say that.¡±


    <When you went to sleep, I always told my students that phrase. I taught that about the concept of security.>


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing a lot had urred even after I went to sleep?¡±


    <Even if I churn out a page of record per day, I won¡¯t be able to finish it in 20 years. That is how much incidents had urred after you went to sleep.>


    ¡°I don¡¯t like long-winded stories. You should summarized it, and just tell me the fun parts.¡±


    <The fact that I can hear such shameless statements makes me really realize that I am meeting my friend Azell.>


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you changed in your old age or not, but I just know that you went bald.¡±


    <I was sad, but that¡¯s old news. My body is in a state where it doesn¡¯t matter if I have hair or not.>


    ¡°.......¡±


    <Mmm? You don¡¯t like my joke?>


    ¡°...truthfully, I don¡¯t. Let¡¯s discuss that at ater time. Let¡¯s talk about the fun stuff first.¡±


    <I would like you to go first.>


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    <You are here in reality. Your voice is the same as the one I remember.... You probably don¡¯t realize how deeply moved I am right now, Azell.>


    ¡°.......¡±


    <I want you to tell me what has gone on after you woke up. I want you to tell me what the Guardian Shadows were unable to report.......>


    ¡°Shall I?¡±


    <It doesn¡¯t seem right for you to be standing, while you are telling your story. You should have a seat over there.>


    Azell followed his words. There was a suitable stone next to him, so Azell sat on it.


    ¡°I guess I don¡¯t have to worry about where to start my story.......¡±


    Azell started his story from the time he woke up within the Bn forest. He spoke about what he experienced when he was found by the Western Border Guards of the Rin Kingdom. He spoke about the Dragon Demon princess Arrieta, and the encounter he had with Carlos¡¯ thought construct, who had gotten angry at Azell for making fun of his baldness.


    His story was long.


    Was it really ok for them to speak in suchid back manner in such a situation? The question arose inside his mind, but he ignored it. At that moment, he wanted to forget all other problems.


    Carlos listened to Azell¡¯s story, and he had fun chiming in with his own words.


    <You¡¯ve experienced much in a short amount of time. It seems you are not destined to live a quiet life.>


    ¡°Unfortunately, you are right.¡±


    <After you went to sleep, I met those that lived turbulent lives. Some of them helped me save the world.>


    ¡°I¡¯ve read the recorded history books, yet I never read about such events. They did list your many achievements, but.....¡±


    <These events didn¡¯te to the forefront of history. I took care of it before they could surface.>


    ¡°I see.......¡±


    Carlos¡¯ current state might have had something to do with those incidents.


    When Azell became silent, Carlos asked a question.


    <Do you have something specific you want to ask me?>


    ¡°Hmm. Let¡¯s see.... How did Rogan lose his business?¡±


    <Oh. That really was an unfortunate situation. Thanks to that incident, I lost the money I invested in his business.>


    ¡°You invested in his business?¡±


    <I did. It was when Rogan had a money flow problem. In truth, I wanted to help him more, but he turned me down.>


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Rogan had made many friends in the Dragon Demon war, and these friends had helped Rogan, when he was in a tough spot. Carlos was one of those friends. Of course, he helped out.


    Carlos spoke in a yful manner.


    <Should I tell you another story?>


    ¡°What kind of story?¡±


    <After you went to sleep, do you know that countless women came to the County of Karzark iming to have born your child? The County of Karzark suffered a lot because of it.>


    ¡°Oohk.......¡±


    It looked as if Carlos had hit a sore spot. It was to be expected, since he had heard about the problem from the Keepers of Prophecy, who were his descendents. Even if he had ten mouths, Azell couldn¡¯t say anything about the problem.


    ¡°C...can we not talk about that?¡±


    <That isn¡¯t possible. I want to tell you the exact details, and I believe it is your duty to hear it out.>


    ¡°Shit. I¡¯m all ears..¡±


    <I feel a grim resolve from you. It is akin to when you went into battle with your life on the line. I¡¯ll dly tell you all about it, my friend.>


    Carlos seemed very delighted as he spoke about stories that had piled up within him.


    2


    While Azell met Carlos, his party was guided towards a different space.


    A Guardian Shadow appeared in front of the flustered party, and it spoke to them.


    <Hello everyone. I am Carlos Rizester. I know who all of you are. I¡¯ve watched all of you through the Guardian Shadows.>


    ¡°What about Azell?¡±


    Laura was facing the legendary Archmage, but surprisingly, she asked about Azell first. Carlosughed as he answered her. He seemed amused.


    <He is with me. It has truly been a long time since I¡¯ve met my friend. Will you not all two friend to catch up for a short time?>


    Of course, the party had no grounds to refuse his request. They had no choice, but to wait until Azell finished talking with Carlos.


    ¡°Still, it is a reunion after 220 years. If they are nning to catch up with each other, 4 days and 4 nights won¡¯t be enough. Are they going to leave us here for that long?¡±


    Leticia grumbled.


    They were in amunal space with magic surrounding them. Faint magic lights floated through the air like fireflies. It lit the surrounding very dimly. The light only reached the vicinity of the party members. There was onlyplete darkness a short distance away..


    Yuren looked at the darkness as he furrowed his brows.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen this darkness before......¡±


    ¡°Darkness is darkness. How can a darkness look familiar to you?¡±


    Leticia rebuked him.


    However, she was feeling a simr sentiment as him at that moment. The darkness filling this ce was infused with remarkable amount of power.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°I know what it is.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°This is the Great Darkness.¡±


    Everyone startled in surprise.


    The only one amongst them that had seen the heart of the Great Darkness was Laura. This was why her words held weight here.


    Yuren queried her.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look entirely simr, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It does feel slightly different, but I cannot put my finger on it.....¡±


    Laura narrowed her eyes as she observed the darkness with her magic. She started using all types of magic to see through to the true nature of the darkness.


    ¡®I¡¯m lost.¡¯


    However, she couldn¡¯t see through it. The magical construct was tooplex. She could only observe its surface. It was impossible for her to see through to its inner side.


    Laura wasn¡¯t familiar with such an experience. She wasn¡¯t as good in battle, but she was one of the top magicians of this generation. The only time she found herselfcking was when she looked at the artifacts left behind by Atein.


    ¡®The Archmage Carlos was a figure of this caliber? But.......¡¯


    One could just look at the records inside the in of Darkness to know how great Carlos was. He was like Azell. His abilities transcended the limits of humans.


    However, she was having a hard time epting this fact.


    The magic within the in of Darkness had advanced much furtherpared to the days of the Dragon Demon war.


    Atein, Aunsaurus and Baldazark had been transcendent beings, but they were exception to the rule. If one looked at the overall approach to magic and research, their descendants had advances past that era. For example, Azell had be surprised when she was able to disguise her Dragon Demon magic as regr magical energy.


    ¡®Still, it had only been 200 years, yet he was able to recreate the Great Darkness by himself?¡¯


    Carlos had gained powers that rivalled the Dragon Demon generals in his 20s. It wasn¡¯t ¡®just¡¯ 200 years. It might have been possible if it was him.


    Still, abat oriented magician weren¡¯tparable with other types of magicians. The Great Darkness wasn¡¯t something that could be created just because one was outstanding in battle.


    If Aunsaurus¡¯ handwritten ounts were true, Atein was the only one that had been able to understand the true nature of the Great Darkness.


    Those that were connected by the Great Darkness could transcend the limitations ced by distance. It was possible to speak in real time through the Great Darkness. This special property allowed one to gather an enormous amount of information.


    Atein had created greater artifacts using the Great Darkness as basis. For example, he was able to create results like the Road of Darkness. He was able to achieve ridiculous results like being able to cause simultaneous magical effects several dozen kilometers away.


    The Great Darkness epassed the whole continent, but there was no burden in maintaining it. There were no magic circles needed, and no facilities were made. In fact, magical energy wasn¡¯t needed to maintain the Great Darkness.


    This wasn¡¯t just something that transcended themon sense of magic. It defied logic of this world. Basically, he had creating something out of nothing.


    ¡®I wonder what kind of person he is.¡¯


    She was really curious. She hadn¡¯t been this curious since she had met Azell.


    Suddenly, the party felt a chill.


    Sss-oooooooh.......


    ¡°Who are you?¡±

 Chapter 184 - Two Persons (2)

    Chapter 184 - Two Persons (2)


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Kairen¡¯s hand moved towards his sword sheath as he asked the question.


    There was something there beyond the darkness. It wasn¡¯t a Guardian Shadow. It was some being with a powerful presence.


    <I¡¯m not your enemy.>


    An Undead made its appearance as it spoke those words. At a nce, this being didn¡¯t look like an Undead.


    It was a being wearing a worn out ck robe. However, there was nothing within. The robe was filled with darkness.


    ¡®It is akin to a Guardian Shadow, but it is an Undead. What should we do?¡¯


    If it wasn¡¯t an evil spirit, a part of a corpse had to be used as the core to make an Undead. Normally, there should be bones that would be visible.....


    <This happens once an Undead exists for a very long time. Even if the bones are protected by magic, they aren¡¯t eternal. Please don¡¯t ask how long I¡¯ve been like this. I do not remember.>


    The Undead spoke as if he could read what the others were thinking about him.


    Kairen queried ihim.


    ¡°May you reveal who you are?¡±


    <I am his messenger.>


    ¡°Archmage Carlos¡¯ messenger?¡±


    <I believe he went by that name before.>


    ¡®What about now?¡¯


    There was a strange nuance hidden within his words. However, the Undead didn¡¯t give the party time to question him any further. He continued to speak.


    <He said it would be rude to make guests wait indefinitely, so he wanted me to deliver what he had prepared for all of you..>


    ¡°He prepared something?¡±


    <He prepared items that might be of great strength to you. He has observed you all for a long time. This is why he had prepared tools that will be useful to you.>


    ¡°Ho-oh.¡±


    Kairen¡¯s eyes shone. The Archmage had created the Guardian Shadows. Of course, Kairen was interested in the tools prepared by him.


    This was especially true, since he had lost one of his two Dragon Swords in the battle with Almarick. When he resided within the Albatan Forest, the smith offered to rece his sword as a gift, but he had found the new swordcking.


    The Undead turned around as he spoke.


    3


    The conversation between Azell and Carlos was never ending.


    They talked about memories from the Dragon Demon war, and the events had that urred during Azell¡¯s sleep. Then they talked about events after Carlos receded from the surface of history......


    There were plenty of topics to talk about. Even if they talked for four days and four nights, they wouldn¡¯t have run out of topics to talk about.


    ¡°It is unfortunate that we don¡¯t have any alcohol here.¡±


    <I didn¡¯t have the means to acquire any alcohol. Still, that is the world¡¯s most precious water.>


    Carlos shrugged his shoulders.


    Azell held a cup made out of ice, and light was sloshing within it. It was groundwater from within the mountain peak of Laus. As expected of the sacred mountain peak, the water contained enormous amount of energy. Carlos had refined it with magic, and Azell was drinking that water.


    <I don¡¯t really remember what alcohol tastes like. It is the same with food. It¡¯s so faint that I have to ruminate over it through my memories. I think about it until the memories run out......>


    It was a miserable story.


    However, it was something that happened naturally for an Undead. An Undead could not experience what it enjoyed as a human. Basically, an Undead couldn¡¯t enjoy the fruits of being alive. It was the biggest reason why Undeads lost their minds over time.


    Azell could tell that Carlos was a special existence whenpared to the other Undeads. However, this didn¡¯t change the fact that he wasn¡¯t alive.


    ¡®No, even if he was alive......¡¯


    Memories became altered, and it wore down through the flow of time. Carlos had been trapped in this dark space for over 100 years, so it was inevitable that his past memories eroded away.


    Azell briefly looked at Carlos, and he brought up a topic he had been putting off.


    ¡°I have a lot I want to ask you.¡±


    <You want to know about events that urred after I died?>


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    <Hoo hoo. Where should I start the story from.......>


    Carlos hesitated. When he raised his arm, the ck chains binding his body nked.


    <Hmmm. The problems that urred during that time was so numerous that I¡¯m having a hard time talking about it. In truth, I want to put off talking about it. If possible, I never want to talk about it......>


    ¡°If that is what you want, I¡¯m fine with it.¡±


    <Those from the in of Darkness mighte here at any moment, yet you are ok with it?>


    Azell had already been worrying about that possibility. However, he spoke in a firm manner.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if theye or not.¡±


    <...ha ha ha. You haven¡¯t changed at all, Azell.>


    Carlos let out a cheerfulughter. There was such a bleakness in his voice, but Azell was able to find the voice of Carlos within it.


    <If I was alive.... If blood pumped through my heart, I would have shed tears. That¡¯s right. I would have immediately rushed out from this ce with you, and......>


    ¡°If you want to do it, you should do it. What¡¯s the big deal about you being dead? I doesn¡¯t matter if you are alive or dead. That isn¡¯t the important part.¡±


    <I¡¯m already dead, Azell. I was removed from the surface of the world, and the only thing I can do is to prepare for the future in the dark and damp darkness.>


    ¡°In historical terms, I¡¯m in the same boat. The era I lived in died the moment I was put to sleep.¡±


    <That¡¯s.......>


    ¡°You are Carlos. It doesn¡¯t matter what you look like right now. You are Carlos Rizester, who put your life on the line with me. We fought the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army. Who cares if your heart doesn¡¯t pump any blood?¡±


    Azell didn¡¯t hesitate as he spoke. A part of his mind thanked Leticia.


    He had listened to her advice, and he had resolved the indecision within his heart. If he hadn¡¯t done so, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to express his feelings clearly. If he had been indecisive, he might have hurt Carlos.


    <Hoo. Yes. In truth, you don¡¯t have to worry about the problem I just spoke about.>


    ¡°You mean those bastards from the in of Darkness?¡±


    <Yes, they won¡¯t be able to find this ce. It has always been that way.....>


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Azell didn¡¯t ask how this was possible. If Carlos said it, it was based on him having sufficient evidence to make that statement.


    <Azell.>


    Carlos¡¯ voice was infused with emotions that he couldn¡¯t voice.


    <I¡¯m sorry.>


    ¡°About what?¡±


    <I wanted to apologize to you if we ever met again. I want to apologize for not being able to protect the County of Karzark.>


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize for that. You did all you could.¡±


    <How can you be so sure?>


    ¡°If it¡¯s my friend Carlos, I¡¯m sure he would have done exactly that.¡±


    <.......>


    Carlos¡¯ shoulder shook. Only darkness existed where his face should be, but heughed as he covered his face. It was as if he was sobbing from the grief he felt, but at the same time, one could also feel his joy. It was a confusingughter.


    Carlosughed for a long time before he spoke.


    <If we met when I was alive, we would be having a slightly different conversation.>


    ¡°You probably would have gotten angry when I mentioned your baldness.¡±


    <Maybe. No, I¡¯m sure I would have been angry. Maybe, there would have been a distance between us, because I would have spoken to you like an old man. In thetter years of my life, I pretended to be a respectable Archmage.>


    ¡°You aren¡¯t acting that way right now.¡±


    <Is that so? Jeez. I tried by hardest to live, so I could someday treat you as if you are a brat. However, when my body became like this, such thoughts started to fade away. Instead....>


    For a brief moment, Carlos thought about the right expression he wanted to say.


    <From the moment I met you, I feel like my old self. It is as we¡¯ve gone back to the old days.>


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Azell snickered. It was true that Carlos¡¯ attitude towards him hadn¡¯t changed much.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already had a simr conversation in the past.¡±


    Azell told him about the conversation he had in the past with the Carlos¡¯ thought construct, who had been old. Carlos started to snicker.


    <I¡¯m d I left behind my thought construct. It ryed words that I cannot convey to you right now.>


    ¡°I¡¯ve received many benefits from your forethought. No, I wouldn¡¯t be here if it wasn¡¯t for you.¡±


    If Carlos hadn¡¯t found a way, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to win out against Atein¡¯s curse. From the moment he had woken up, he had benefited from all the measures taken by Carlos. He wouldn¡¯t be here if it wasn¡¯t for Carlos¡¯ nning.


    The friendship between the two of them had transcended a timespan of 220 years.


    ¡°That is why it is my turn to help you. I¡¯ll help you in any way I can.¡±


    <Just one.......>


    Carlos spoke.


    <I have one request I want to ask of you.>


    ¡°Are you nning on asking me to end Atein¡¯s ambitions? If so, you don¡¯t even have to ask it of me.¡±


    <Of course not. The tasks we couldn¡¯t finish in our era.... Yes, it is our duty. We have to settle it.>


    ¡°Is that why you sacrificed yourself? You let yourself be what you are for that reason?¡±


    <It isn¡¯t as if I did this, because I wanted to do it.>


    ¡°I know. You probably did it, because you had no choice.¡±


    <.......>


    ¡°What is your request? I¡¯ll grant whatever request you have.¡±


    <You promise?>


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    When Azell nodded his head, Carlos spoke.


    <Let¡¯s talk about thatter. Before I can tell you my request, you have to know some other facts first. If you have something you want to hear first, ask me it.>


    Azell furrowed his brows at Carlos¡¯ words. However, he followed Carlos¡¯ suggestion instead of questioning him.


    ¡°I heard it from Albatan. Aspensation, you traded Atein¡¯s curse to him. He spoke as if something meaningful had happened. What was it?¡±


    <That old Dragon should have told you everything if he went so far as to tell you that. He always does such annoying.......>


    ¡°I know right. He is a Dragon yet he acts like a naughty old man.¡±


    The feelings the two of them felt for Albatan waspletely synced, so they sniggered.


    Soon, Carlos confessed to something Azell could have never imagined.


    <Azell. In truth, I failed in the attempt in saving you.>


    ¡°What?¡±


    <The disappearance of the curse inflicted on you had nothing to do with the sleep of the Dragons. There is a really important story I have to tell you.>


    4


    Carlos had suggested the sleep of the Dragons in attempt to save Azell from Atein¡¯s curse.


    The Dragon and Dragon Majins disyed a surprising amount of life force during their hibernation. In exchange for entering a period of no activity, a wound that could have killed a Dragon or a Dragon Majin could be healed over a long period of time. However, one waspletely defenseless in this state.


    It was unlike the hibernation of other animals. There was proof that magic was active during this sleep.


    Carlos took notice of this characteristic. Since Azell possessed Dragon Demon magic that exceeded most Dragon Demons, he hypothesized that Azell would be able to ovee the curse through the sleep of the Dragons.


    <I was too naive. At the time, I didn¡¯t even know what Atein¡¯s curse was, and I failed in identifying the true nature of this curse. I merely allowed you to maximize your strength. It allowed you to resist against the curse, but I couldn¡¯t find another way to defeat the curse at the time.>


    ¡°However, I woke up from the 200 year sleep, and I recovered from the curse..¡±


    <The curse didn¡¯t disappear, because you recovered from it. I found this outter, but the curse wasn¡¯t something that could be ovee with just power. It was obvious if I look back on it. Atein was the founder of magic, and he reached the zenith in the art of magic. A being of that caliber had used this curse in the moment of his death. It was Atein¡¯s final technique.>


    ¡°So why did the curse disappear?¡±


    <I eliminated it.>


    ¡°What?¡±

 Chapter 185 - Two Persons (3)

    Chapter 185 - Two Persons (3)


    <I¡¯m the one that eliminated your curse. Despite this fact, there are two reasons why you slept for a long time.>


    First, Carlos eliminated the curse after Azell fell asleep for over 100 years. Until that moment, Azell had been using his hibernation to resist against the curse, and he had been persistent in hanging onto his life.


    Secondly, the damage he had taken from the curse had put him close to death. It took a long time for Azell to recover from it.


    ¡°I woke up with my Rings of Life missing not because of the long sleep......¡±


    <The curse ate away at it. If it wasn¡¯t for your Rings of Life, you would have died before I was able to circumvent the curse.>


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it was.......¡±


    Azell was astonished. He knew something had gone awry, but he hadn¡¯t expected this.


    ¡°What was the true identity of the curse?¡±


    Albatan had revealed that Atein¡¯s curse hadn¡¯t been ced there only to kill Azell. Albatan had revealed that there was some profound intent behind the curse.


    Carlos spoke.


    <Dragon Demon General.>


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    <Atein nned on making you the new Dragon Demon general, Azell.>


    ¡°What?¡±


    Azell couldn¡¯t hide the shock he was feeling.


    What nonsense was he saying?


    However, Carlos was serious.


    <Let¡¯s look at our current situation. All the Dragon weapons of the Dragon Demon generals had been preserved. Reygus¡¯ corpse had been destroyed, yet he was brought back as a special breed of Undead. How was he revived as this special Undead? Moreover, Almarick was able toe fully back to life, because his corpse had been recovered. How was this all possible?>


    ¡°What¡¯s worse is that Atein is trying to revive himself too. Laura surmised that this was all possible thanks to the Great Darkness.......¡±


    <That i s correct. They stored their essence within the Great Darkness, and this allows them to be revived.>


    ¡°What is the Great Darkness? How can it bring about such miracles?¡±


    <If I try to exin it in a concise manner..... Hmmm. Yes. Let us say there are beings that had gained transcendent power. It is the graveyard for those that had reached for immortality.>


    ¡°A graveyard?¡±


    <There were beings that couldn¡¯t die, and those that were dead that still wanted to live forever. It¡¯s a graveyard that promised eternal sleep for these beings.>


    ¡°...you are exining in a prose that magicians love to use. I have no idea what you are trying to say.¡±


    <Ha ha ha. If I start getting into the specifics, the exnation will be endless. However, I¡¯ll tell you about a figure you have to know. There was a being named Belrun from a long time ago.>


    ¡°What did he do?¡±


    <He was called the King of Death. He was the original ck magician.>


    ¡°That¡¯s a very grandiose title. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard about him before......¡±


    <He was a figure buried in legends. However, he once pushed the world to the brink of its demise. He was the first amongst the numerous creatures of this world to defy death. He became an Undead. He also used his experience of bing an Undead to create summoning techniques that taunted death.>


    It was the same story told by Reygus to Chanes.


    ¡®A living being feels pain, because one is alive. That is why I will make everyone into an Undead. Everyone will transcend the cycle of life and death. This will free everyone from the the pain caused by the four phases of life!¡¯


    Belrun was a madman that had tried to bring his ambition into reality.


    The problem was the fact that Belrun had the enough power to bring his ambition into fruition. He was the first to defy death, and he shook the foundation of the world by causing all kinds of disasters. He caused countless deaths.


    <In the end, he was defeated at the hands of Atein, Almarick and Reygus.>


    ¡°So they were once heroes, who saved the world.¡±


    <That isn¡¯t the entire story, but it is part of it.>


    However, even Atein was unable to kill Belrun. Belrun had transcended death, and it was more apt to say that he was a god-like figure.


    <Atein put Belrun in a sleep that he couldn¡¯t wake up from. Then Atein sealed him. The method he used to bring about this result was the Great Darkness.>


    Belrun wasn¡¯t the only one trapped within the Great Darkness. He wasn¡¯t the first nor would he be thest.


    There were beings that the world couldn¡¯t handle. These transcendent beings threatened the bnce of the world through their madness. Atein methodically defeated these beings, and he had sealed them within the Great Darkness.


    It was odd. These were beings that transcended the mysteries of the world. They had be immortals, and every single one of them had gone mad.


    They couldn¡¯t ept the world that was in front of them, so they tried to change the world into their image. Every time such an event urred, Atein and hisrades fought to defend the world.


    <...moreover, the power of the sealed beings became the basis for creating the Great Darkness. This is my guess, but Atein probably hadn¡¯t expected such a result to ur. Atein had realized that it was impossible to indefinitely seal the power of these near immortal beings. This was why he further developed the Great Darkness.>


    These were beings that could not perish. How could one seal beings that continuously regenerated?


    It was impossible.


    Atein put them to sleep, and he created a method where their power was being continuously consumed.


    Atein used the power generated by these beings as pir to a feedback structure that epassed the world. It was a system that continuously sealed them using their own power, and it continuously inflicted loss on their power.


    The Great Darkness possessed immense possibility, and when the power of these beings mixed with the Great Darkness, the Great Darkness started to change.


    <The Great Darkness was something that transcended magic. Atein had created it, but it had be part of the world. This caused a huge wound to be formed on this world.>


    ¡°So they were able to use the power of Belrun to revive themselves?¡±


    <It is part of the reason. The power to make the Undead allowed him to make the special Undead. However, that power couldn¡¯t wholly bring someone back to life. Reygus was a result that was achieved using Belrun¡¯s power.>


    ¡°Hmm. It seems we¡¯ve strayed off topic.... What about the part where he was trying to make me a Dragon General?¡±


    <I need to tell you this story. If not, you won¡¯t be able to understand the conclusion. Atein targeted you with the curse, because he wanted to make you part of the Great Darkness.>


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    <It means you would have been a subordinate to the Great Darkness like Almarick and Reygus.>


    ¡°That.......¡±


    Azell stopped breathing for a moment.


    If he had died by Atein¡¯s curse, would he have been reborn in this era like Almarick?


    <Yes, you would have be the new Dragon Demon general. You would have had to obey Atein.>


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell became chilled with fright. He never expected such a plot from Atein.


    His attempt failed. I was barely able to find out the true nature of the curse, and I was able to eliminate it.>


    ¡°By this time, you¡¯ve been asleep for well over 100 years......¡±


    Azell felt an ominous feeling as he queried Carlos.


    ¡°Were you in this state? Or were you still your former self?¡±


    <No.>


    ¡°So how were you able to aplish it?¡±


    Carlos couldn¡¯t exit this ce. It had been the same at the time.


    The Guardian Shadows were created at ater date. Basically, he didn¡¯t have any subordinates that could have helped him take care of his business. That was what Azell surmised.


    <As expected, you are quite sharp. I.....>


    Carlos spoke with a bitterness in his voice.


    <I became part of the Great Darkness.>


    5


    While Azell and Carlos were conversing, the other party members were walking down a tunnel created within the mountain peak of Laus. They felt a chill. Kairen spoke using the Whispering technique.


    -It is creepy here. Is everyone an Undead here?


    There were countless stone cases, clothes and armor filled with darkness lining the tunnel. It seemed they were all vessels containing an Undead.


    Yuren spoke.


    -I guess so. They are all very powerful Undead. They feel simr to the Guardian Shadows........


    They felt simr to the ¡®Sleepless Guardians¡¯, who had apanied the Keepers of the Prophecy. They felt distinct from the normal Undead, and they seemed to possess more power.


    Kairen posed a question.


    -Why won¡¯t they mobilize them onto the field? With this amount of troops, the ongoing fight would be resolved much easier......


    The Sleepless Guardians were powerful beings. However, they had possessed a limitation. They had been tied to the Keepers of Prophecy. However, if there were more beings like them, they would be able to further restrict the activities of the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    ¡®It is an unsatisfying situation.¡¯


    The party reached their destination. There was a space along the tunnel that had been widened, and the items for the party had be readied there.


    The Undead spoke.


    It was as he said. The space contained wide stone pirs that had the name of Kairen, Laura, Leticia and Yuren engraved on it. On top of these altars, there were items that were infused with powerful magic.


    ¡°It seems they really prepared items that are tailored to each of us.¡±


    Kairen expressed his amazement. There was a sword that looked simr to his Dragon Sword, and there was a set of armor that looked simr to the one he wore in the past. These items didn¡¯t contain any Dragon Demon magic, but one could tell that they were powerful magical weapons. Leticia received a new spear and armor. Laura received a magic tome that contained Carlos¡¯ knowledge, and a coat that was infused with magic. They also received essories that wereplementary to the gears they received.


    ¡°Why do I only get this?¡±


    Yuren sounded as if he was about to cry. It was to be expected.....


    ¡°You only received that?¡±


    Kairen was taken aback.


    Yuren was given an iron box that was the size of his fist. Yuren furrowed his brows.


    ¡°Wow. Since he is my ancestor, my hopes were high. How can this be?¡±


    ¡°It seems you just look like him. You might not be his descendant....¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible. You heard what Azell and Almarick said, right?¡±


    Yuren grumbled as he looked over the box. It didn¡¯t look special, but a change urred when he inserted his magical energy into the box.


    -To my descendant Yuren Rizester.


    When he inserted his magical energy, he heard the voice of Carlos within his head.


    -This is the Box of Hope.


    ¡®Box of Hope?¡¯


    -If you open this box, you will be greeted by an irrevocable destruction.


    The name and the description didn¡¯t match up.


    -I promise you this. In return, you will be able to ovee any danger using this.


    ¡®It is used for suicide bombing.¡¯


    Yuren grumbled. Basically, he would have to sacrifice his life to obtain enormous power.


    However, the exnation hadn¡¯t ended yet.


    -Then you will find out the truth.


    ¡®Truth?¡¯


    -This is a truth you must know. The miracle is the price for this truth. The choice is up to you, my descendant.


    Carlos¡¯ exnation ended there. However, Yuren dumbfoundedly stared at the box for a long time.


    ¡®Truth? What truth is he talking about? Is he perhaps talking about the identity of the Guide?¡¯


    He had a lot of guesses, but he was leery at the fact that he couldn¡¯t pinpoint what Carlos was talking about. Yuren furrowed his brows.

 Chapter 186 - Two Persons (4)

    Chapter 186 - Two Persons (4)


    6


    A silence descended between the two of them.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell¡¯s face hardened for a brief moment, but he patiently waited for Carlos to continue his story.


    Carlos read trust from Azell¡¯s demeanor. No matter what, Azell¡¯s trust in him didn¡¯t waver. Even if they were to be adversaries, Azell would assume he had a good reason for his actions. Azell had absolute trust in him.


    ¡®Ah ah.......¡¯


    The fact that he could enjoy the confidence of someone was moving.


    He had made the right choices. He had pursued this even at the expense of his body, and he hadn¡¯t been wrong.


    Carlos regretted the fact that he could no longer shed tears.


    It had been a long time for him.


    The time exceeded the lifespan of a human. He armored himself with a firm conviction as he fought for the future.


    However, even if one possessed a strong conviction, humans were endlessly wavering creatures.


    Even a object from nature like the boulder became weathered over time. Humans were continuously changing creatures. How hard would it have been for a human to remain unchanging?


    It was the same for Carlos.


    Carlos hadn¡¯t had anyone to support him through the fight he waged on his own. He felt endless regret, doubt and despair.


    <Azell.>


    Carlos regretted the fact that he could no longer put on a bright smile.


    <The fact that I was able to meet you again.... I¡¯ve beenpensated for the pain I¡¯ve felt up until now.>


    He had hope.


    Even if his soul wore down from the despair, he felt....


    He believed there woulde a day when someone would tell him that he had been right.


    However, those words couldn¡¯te from just anyone.


    It had to be spoken by one person, and he had used every method in his arsenal to give this person a life and a future. Carlos had waited for him. He wanted the reliable and strong person from his memories to show up one day. He had wanted to see this personugh again.


    He had persevered in the darkness of despair, and at this moment, he had received his reward.


    Azell smirked.


    ¡°Stop talking nonsense. It is the same problem now as in the old times. You pretend as if something is of great import to test the reaction of others. We¡¯ve already exhausted every test we can pose each other.¡±


    <It has been over 200 years, but it seems old habits die hard.>


    Carlos cheerfully gave an exnation.


    <As you probably know, I created the Guardian Shadows. However, it wasn¡¯t created solely through my power.>


    The Guardian Shadows were an amazing piece of magic. However, it was something that transcended magic.


    It used every person on this world as a surveince for the Dragon Demon king worshippers. Moreover, the Guardian Shadows were made up of members that died with an eternal enmity against the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    <At its foundation, the structure of the Guardian Shadows is simr to the Great Darkness. It¡¯s because I made them using the Great Darkness..>


    The Great Darkness used transcendent beings like Belrun as ¡®pirs¡¯.


    However, they weren¡¯t the only ones that were present within the Great Darkness. There were other doomed souls that wished for eternal life. There was arge cluster of souls that made up the Great Darkness.


    <Amongst these souls, some are able to manifest in this world as supernatural beings. Reygus and Almarick is an example.>


    Their essence remained within the Great Darkness. That was why they were revived every time they were killed.


    If the body remains intact, they were revived back to their living state. If the body was destroyed, they were brought back as an Undead.


    <The power of Belrun is the main engine that powers the revival. Aside from this ability, the power of many other beings were added to Atein¡¯s technique. I became part of the Great Darkness, and I stole part of his power. I was able to create a technique that was independent from Atein.>


    It was simr to Great Darkness within the in of Darkness. Both Aincera and Almarick had ess to the Great Darkness.


    Carlos had gone through a different process, so he wasn¡¯t beholden to Atein. He was able to create the Guardian Shadows.


    <Aside from the Keepers of Prophecy, the Guardian Shadows are immortals. They can¡¯t be easily killed, and even if one is able to kill them, they are revived after time passes.>


    ¡°Is that why their numbers continue to grow even after fighting the Demon King worshippers over the years?¡±


    <Yes. For example, there are over 3,000 Guardian Shadows gathered outside of this mountain. There are many more Guardian Shadows that are spread across the continent, and they are thwarting the ns of the Dragon Demon king worshippers. >


    ¡°If there are 3,000, that is almost the amount that assembledst time. Are you saying you can bring more of them here?¡±


    <It means that there are that many beings, who hold a grudge against the Demon King worshippers. I¡¯ve gathered such numbers even though I started the Guardian Shadow technique less than a hundred years ago.>


    Carlos let out a bleakughter. The number of Guardian Shadows was directly corrted to the number of wicked deeds carried out by the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    <Why do you think the Keepers of the Prophecy weren¡¯t immortals like the Guardian Shadows?>


    ¡°It¡¯s because you wanted to deliver the Dragon weapons and Dragon Demon magic to me. Why did you use that particr method?¡±


    Azell had given all his Dragon weapons to Carlos before he went to sleep. Why had he chosen to use the Keepers of the Prophecy to bring the weapons into this era?


    <They were needed. I was able to preserve the Sky Splitter by connecting it to you. I couldn¡¯t do that with the other Dragon weapons.>


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you give it to others.......¡±


    <It was my selfishness. I wanted to give it all back to you when you returned. If you look at the result, I think I made the right choice.>


    He was right. If Carlos had given Azell¡¯s Dragon weapons to other people, the Dragon Demon king worshippers would have made sure to destroy them.


    <Also, it isn¡¯t as if I tried to preserve all of them. I passed on two Dragon weapons.>


    He had given one to Azell¡¯s adopted child, who took over the County of Karzark after Azell. The other one was given to the country¡¯s most promising hero.


    Hower, they weren¡¯t able to pass on their weapon.


    <Then there¡¯s the one..... I blew it.>


    ¡°What?¡±


    <I¡¯ll tell you about it a little bitter.>


    Azell was taken aback, but Carlos waved his hand to calm him.


    Carlos¡¯ exnation left much to be desired. However, Azell had seen the exception to what he was describing.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t the Dragon weapons of the Dragon Demon generals preserved in the Great Darkness?¡±


    <I tried to do the same thing. However, I wasn¡¯t able to perfect it like Atein. I couldn¡¯t find a solution that dealt with the wear and tear that umted over time. In the end, I needed living vessels, so I created the Keepers of Prophecy out of need.>


    ¡°I see.......¡±


    <I am part of the Great Darkness, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m capable of doing everything Atein is capable of doing. The other side can¡¯t create the Guardian Shadows like me. I¡¯m able to copy certain things created by Atein, but there are also things I cannot copy. Did you see Reygus? He¡¯s only an Undead, yet he was able to use his Dragon weapon. On top of that, he¡¯s able to temporarily use his Dragon Demon magic.>


    ¡°Ah. That was jaw dropping.¡±


    <It is possible, because Reygus and the Soul Hammer resides within the Great Darkness. I decided to impart the Dragon weapons and Dragon Demon magic to the Keepers of Prophecy, and I kept them from aging.>


    ¡°It seems I owe a lot to my descendants.¡±


    Azell let out a bitterughter.


    It didn¡¯t matter what an amazing feat of magic the Keepers of Prophecy were. He could only express his respects towards the Keepers of Prophecy, and he would continue their will.


    Carlos looked into the empty air as he spoke.


    <I did them wrong, but there was no other choice. There was no choice left for them and me......>


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say those words, because I me you.¡±


    <I know.>


    Carlos sneered at himself as he continued to speak.


    <I was able to take over part of the Great Darkness, and it was the foothold needed for me to create the Guardian Shadows. Instead of giving the Keepers of Prophecy immortality, I imbued them with special powers.>


    Alpha was able to suppress Undead power using his gaze. This was possible, because he had imbued part of Belrun¡¯s power to Alpha.


    Omega was able to peek into the Great Darkness that was under the control of Aincera. This was possible, because their essence were within the Great Darkness.


    <...if Atein was alive, this would have been impossible. He would have recognized my presence, and he would have acted ordingly to counter my actions. However, Aincera and Almarick received only a limited power over the Great Darkness. They are merely custodians.>


    Aincera was limited to keeping the system created by Atein rolling. Just doing this had caused her sense of self to erode.


    ¡°You were the one that stopped Aunsaurus and Baldazark from being revived?¡±


    <That¡¯s right. As I¡¯ve exined to you before.... This was one of the advantages I gained from joining the Great Darkness.>


    The four Dragon Demon generals had be part of the Great Darkness.


    However, only Reygus and Almarick had been revived. Aunsaurus and Baldazark had met their true death. This was a feat aplished by Carlos from within the Great Darkness.


    <So the fact that they were killed instead Reygus and Almarick wasn¡¯t a coincidence?>


    ¡°I chose that oue. As always, I aim for the optimal result..¡±


    <Yes. In truth, I could have buried either Almarick and Reygus if I had chosen to do so. I could have theoretically eliminated three Dragon Demon generals, but I chose not to.>


    He could bury two for certain. Carlos chose certainty in his fight. He picked Aunsaurus and Baldazark.


    They were magicians. In terms of battle capabilities, they were Archmages that rivaled Atein.


    ¡°If they were revived, they would have been able to manage the Great Darkness better. Is that the reason why they were chosen?¡±


    <That¡¯s correct.>


    If Aunsaurus and Baldazark were present, Carlos might not have been able to make the Guardian Shadows.


    Carlos changed the topic.


    <Azell. You talked to my thought construct before, right? After you went to sleep, the world faced two threats.>


    ¡°I did.¡±


    Carlos¡¯ thought construct had told him this. Absolute cmities that threatened the entire humanity had appeared, and the death of Atein had released them onto this world.


    ¡°In the context of our previous conversation, this being had been sealed within the Great Darkness?¡±


    <Yes.>


    ¡°You became like this in the process of blocking them.¡±


    <Correct.>


    Carlos shrugged his shoulders as he gave an exnation.


    <You might not be too interested in this, but it is important for me to exin what kind of being she was.>


    ¡°The second cmity..... I think I know what it is even if you don¡¯t tell me.¡±


    <Let¡¯s talk about the first one for now. Ourrades that survived the Dragon Demon war fought against the first being that was unsealed...... We joined forces with the younger generation to stop her. This incident spurred me to research the dangers of the Great Darkness.>


    ¡°Which being was it?¡±


    <She was the first to create the Dragon weapon. Her name was Iksseru.>


    Azell¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    <I heard from Albatan at ater date that she was from the era of the Five Star Kingdom. I believe she was a descendant of Atein.>


    ¡°I heard about her. She¡¯s a female Dragon Demon?¡±


    <It seems the old man have already told you that story.>


    ¡°It was in passing. He didn¡¯t put much importance on the story.¡±


    Azell grumbled.


    It would have been better if Albatan had told him this story earlier.


    Carlos cackled as he spoke.


    <She was... That¡¯s right. She wasn¡¯t a magician. She was a Dragon Arts practitioner. She created the first Dragon weapon, and it allowed her to realize a desire she shouldn¡¯t have had.>


    ¡°What kind of desire?¡±

 Chapter 187 - Two Persons (5)

    Chapter 187 - Two Persons (5)


    <Immortality.>


    ¡°.......¡±


    <She didn¡¯t want immortality for herself. She wanted immortality for others. It was a time when humans died easily..... It seemed she couldn¡¯t stand it when the humans she treasured kept dying.>


    Her Dragon weapon could exhibit incredible abilities, but she couldn¡¯t achieve her wish.


    <In the end, it was like a curse for her. Iksseru had be an immortal, yet she tried to make her loved ones into immortal. However, they didn¡¯t be full immortals. On top of that, they weren¡¯t the same beings that she had loved.>


    ¡°Did they be monsters?¡±


    <That¡¯s right. They became monsters that could extend their life span by eating their own species.>


    What¡¯s worse, the cursed beings started to spread like a gue. They were autonomous, and they were able to create beings just like them.


    As a price for immortality, their humanity was destroyed. They also couldn¡¯t procreate like humans. They could only eat and infect other humans. They were like a disease.


    <These beings couldn¡¯t exist without eating humans, and they couldn¡¯t control their appetite. If left alone, these beings would have wiped out the human race.>


    Moreover, they were fated to be wiped out after no humans were left on this world.


    <This was why Atein sealed Iksseru in the Great Darkness, and the souls of the cursed beings were made part of the Great Darkness.>


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell was at a loss for words. She really was someone that threatened the existence of humanity.


    <She was an ancient being, yet she was incredibly strong. We were barely to win out against her. Unlike Atein, we were able to kill her.>


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say she was immortal? How is that possible?¡±


    <Unlike Atein from the Five Stars kingdom era, we had a solution. You came up with it. It was a technique you used to kill Atein..>


    ¡°Are you talking about Extreme Extermination?¡±


    Azell brought up the word he hadn¡¯t thought about for a long timed.


    7


    Extreme Extermination.


    During the Dragon Demon war, it was the final domain reached by Azell.


    He had an abundance of Dragon Demon magic, and he had connected his 13 Dragon weapons to maximize his power. The sword made out of light cut through the sky, and it produced a near infinite hail of swords..... If that power was focused in one ce, it would create an extreme destructive phenomena that would destroy everything in this world.


    That was the ]Extreme Extermination.


    It was a phenomenon that could be raised using the light sword. Without it, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to win against Atein.


    ¡°Were you able to replicate it?¡±


    <It had several troublesome restrictions, but we were able to sessfully replicate it. We used it to kill a being that was considered to be unkible. That was why Atein had sealed her in the first ce.>


    ¡°However, isn¡¯t Atein is going to revived?¡±


    <Atein isn¡¯t an immortal existence. He left his essence within the Great Darkness. You really did kill him with your sword.>


    Since his essence was within the Great Darkness, he just needed time to revive from his death. It didn¡¯t matter if he was killed. If the Great Darkness existed, he would always revive someday. This was true for Atein and the Dragon Demon generals.


    ¡°I see.......¡±


    Azell epted his words.


    In the final battle against Atein, the Extreme Extermination had a crucial role in defeating Atein. Atein¡¯s defensive magic spells were sturdier than a castle, yet the Extreme Extermination had pierced through all of them. Azell was able to inflict a critical wound on Atein.


    However, Atein wasn¡¯t killed by the Extreme Extermination. He had fallen to Azell¡¯s Sky Splitter. If Atein had been killed by the Extreme Extermination, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to leave behind a curse or even a will.


    Carlos continued to speak.


    <Unlike him, Iksseru couldn¡¯t be killed by any other method except the the Extreme Extermination. It was the result of her immortality.>


    Before Azell discovered the Extreme Extermination phenomena, the beings sealed by Atein were immortals for all intents and purposes.


    They became injured when they were stabbed, and they lost energy when they performed activities. However, their ability to heal was endless. It didn¡¯t matter if their bodies were destroyed, or they exhausted their energy. They never died.


    <Since we found a method called Extreme Extermination, they were no longer true immortals. Once they are killed, they cannot revive.>


    ¡°...does that mean it is also the answer to destroying the Great Darkness?¡±


    <You are absolutely correct.>


    Carlos pped his hands.


    Azell had picked up on one of the key points Carlos had been trying to convey.


    They had to destroy the Great Darkness. If they don¡¯t destroy the Great Darkness, Atein would continue being revived.


    The problem had always been the fact that they didn¡¯t have a realistic way to destroy the Great Darkness.


    Each pir holding up the Great Darkness were immortal beings. They had been sealed there, because Atein couldn¡¯t destroy them.


    Moreover, each being were powerful enough to threaten the existence of humanity. They were cmities. They were powerful evil from myths, and they were on par with the Dragon Demon war in terms of threat to humanity.


    <However, things are different now. We have the Extreme Extermination technique, and we have you, who can carry out that method..... We can end it.>


    ¡°Can¡¯t you do it too? You¡¯ve recreated the Extreme Extermination already. I just have to teach you the secret.......¡±


    <Didn¡¯t I tell you that there were troublesome restrictions to me using it? Azell, do you know why you were the first one in history to reach the domain of Extreme Extermination?>


    Extreme Extermination was a phenomena ¡®discovered¡¯ by Azell. Atein was the founder of magic. He was someone that could change the rules of the world, yet the Extreme Extermination had caused fear in such a being.


    Azell thought for a brief moment before he answered Carlos.


    ¡°Is it the Sky Splitter?¡±


    <You are correct. That weapon had started out as a beam of light, but it evolved to being able to control all forms of light. It is also possible to materialize light..... It can shift between the material and immaterial world. Your Dragon weapon transcends themon sense of this world.>


    During the Dragon Demon war, Azell had been full of Dragon Demon magic. He had eight Rings of Life, and he possessed 13 Dragon weapons. For a short amount of time, he could generate power that rivaled Atein.


    However, the Extreme Extermination couldn¡¯t be reached just because one could generate massive amounts of power.


    One couldn¡¯t reach it even if one was able to concentrate the power into a single point.


    These two prerequisites had to be activated at the same time. On top of that, a high-dimensional power that transcended themon sense of the world had to be applied.


    The Sky Splitter was a Dragon weapon that had reached this domain.


    The Dance of Shadows allowed Azell to be in multiple ces, and his Sky Splitter could be used anywhere light could be reached. When he held his sword, he reached a domain that transcended time and space. No one except Azell could have defeated Atein in an one on one battle.


    <No matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t copy the Sky Splitter¡¯s ability. On the other hand, the abilities your other Dragon Weapons could be copied over time through time and effort.>


    This was why Carlos had chosen to store the Sky Splitter with Azell. He determined the the Sky Splitter was something that was too important to be lost.


    <Since I didn¡¯t have the Sky Splitter, I needed a sacrifice to create the Extreme Extermination phenomena.>


    ¡°What sacrifice?¡±


    <I had to use a Dragon weapon as a sacrifice.>


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell swallowed his breath.


    The meaning behind Carlos¡¯ words were clear.


    <At the very least, I have to sacrifice a Dragon weapon to create the Extreme Extermination phenomena. Moreover, it can¡¯t be a Dragon weapon that hasn¡¯t yet reached its stable form. I needed a Dragon weapon of a caliber that could generate a certain scale of destructive power.>


    ¡°Did you perhaps.......¡±


    <Yes, I used my Dragon weapon.>


    A Dragon weapons wasn¡¯t a simple tool. It was a clone of one¡¯s soul. Carlos had developed his Dragon weapon over a long period of time, and it had been hispanion through many life and death situations.


    What emotions would he have felt when he had to sacrifice his Dragon weapon for a single use of a technique? Azell was having a hard time imagining the sense of loss that would have been felt by Carlos.


    Carlos spoke.


    <The second cmity was dismal.>


    When he faced the second cmity, Carlos felt despair.


    In the first cmity, he had face the Dragon Demon Iksseru, who had created the first Dragon weapon. His side had taken massive loss in the fight against her. This was why Carlos hadn¡¯t been confident that he could avert the second cmity.


    <My personal power had suffered, and I had lost most of myrades. Moreover, the number of people that were willing to follow me was much smaller.>


    Even during the fight against Iksseru, most of the veteran heroes of the Dragon Demon war were old or dead. The ones that were still alive had lost most of their battle capabilities they had possessed during their prime. Moreover, many of the survivors from the Dragon Demon war died in the fight against Iksseru.


    <As time passed, our closest friends started to pass onto the next life one by one.>


    Of course, the new generation produced many that possessed excellent talent.


    However.....


    Was it because there was ack of urgencypared to era of the Dragon Demon war?


    Only a very small number of the new generation were helpful.


    <The fight against Iksseru was the impetus for me to start researching the Great Darkness. It allowed me to predict the time and location of the second cmity.>


    ¡°That cmity was Belrun?¡±


    <Yes.>


    The second cmity was the king of Death Belrun.


    He was the first to transcend life and death. He had denied death through his own power to be the first immortal.


    <Thankfully, I had plenty of time to prepare. I gatheredpanions, who were willing to fight with me. Moreover, I prepared an ace in the hole.>


    At the time, he had no idea how strong Belrun was. Since he was a magician from ancient times, he might be unexpectedly weak. On the other hand, he might be strong like Iksseru.


    The only thing certain was the fact that they couldn¡¯t give Belrun the time to recuperate. They had to stop him before he could gather information on this era. If he gained knowledge of the current era¡¯s magic, it was all over.


    This was why Carlos had led hisrade to the faraway mountain range of Atisan.


    Carlos had known when and where the fight would start. Belrun still didn¡¯t possess any information of the current era, so Carlos decided to use his final move from the start.


    <I started the fight off with the Extreme Extermination. I¡¯m sorry. I used your Dragon weapon as sacrifice.>


    ¡°I see.......¡±


    Carlos was able to get a direct hit in against Belrun. Thanks to the attack, they were able to gain aplete advantage over Belrun.


    However, the Dragon weapon wasn¡¯t the only cost of using the Extreme Extermination. A significant bacsh prevented Carlos from using the move again in the battle.


    He hadn¡¯t been able to end everything with the surprise attack. That was his mistake.


    Since events had turned out like that, it was impossible to kill Belrun..


    What was his options? Should he have tried to seal Belrun like Atein had done?


    Even that was impossible.


    <There was a reason why I couldn¡¯t do it.>


    Atein had the Great Darkness. Carlos didn¡¯t have anything. It was impossible to seal a being like Belrun with a simple Seal spell.


    <In the end, I made a choice.>


    ¡°.......¡±


    Carlos didn¡¯t exin any further. Azell¡¯s face became distorted. He could guess what method was used to seal Belrun.


    ¡°You became the vessel that sealed Belrun?¡±


    <That is correct.>


    The sound ofughter flowed out from Carlos¡¯ face, which was shrouded with darkness. It was a sad and empty soundingughter.

 Chapter 188 - Two Persons (6)

    Chapter 188 - Two Persons (6)


    8


    Carlos had used himself as a vessel to seal Belrun. He had done something equivalent to bing Belrun.


    Carlos had sealed Belrun, but the effects didn¡¯t hit him immediately. He had epted the dangers of sealing Belrun within him, but he had thought he would be able toe up with a solution. This was why Carlos had been happy in the moment of his victory, and he had celebrated with hisrades.


    However, he realized a bleak truth as time passed.


    ¡®This method won¡¯t work. I have to reproduce the same environment as when Belrun was sealed.¡¯


    After he agonized over it, Carlos came to a decision. Belrun¡¯s power was eating away at him, and his body was turning undead. This was why he had headed towards the mountain peak of Laus, and he had joined the Great Darkness. Finally, he was able topletely seal away Belrun.


    The price of his action was on disy right now.


    He had nailed himself to this ce. He was neither dead or alive. Instead of living the life of a human, he became weathered by the long passage of time.


    Azell felt wretched as he looked towards Carlos.


    ¡°...was that really the only method avable to you?¡±


    <There was nothing else. Even now I cannote up with a different method.>


    If he hadn¡¯t stopped Belrun, humanity would have been wiped out before Atein was revived.


    <I regretted my decision countless times, and I despaired over it. However, I made the right choice. No one else could have done this. I was the only one....>


    He knew it. He knew it all too well.


    Still, he felt tormented. His anguish was sorge that he started to hate the world.


    The world required endless sacrifice from him. He had to eternally suffer in this hell, so selfish and ignorant people could enjoy their peace.......


    Wouldn¡¯t it be better if he had ended everything?


    <If I didn¡¯t know for certain that you were going to wake up, I would have be a Demon king that despised this world.>


    Azell would wake up someday.


    It was the only thread that maintained Carlos¡¯ resolve.


    When Azell returned, his self mortification would be over. He would no longer despise the world, which needed his sacrifice to roll along. He just wanted to see the smile of his friend, who would end all of this. Azell would take over his responsibilities, and he would wrap things up.


    <If it¡¯s you, you¡¯ll be able to end it. I want you put an end to this long and disgusting fight.>


    ¡°Without fail.......¡±


    Azell held back his tears as he nodded his head.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll end it with my hands.¡±


    <Well, it is time for me to tell you my request.>


    After hearing Azell¡¯s answer, Carlos spoke in a tired manner.


    ¡°...what?¡±


    For a moment, Azell was sure he had misheard Carlos¡¯ words.


    Carlos tilted his head.


    <Ah. I guess kill is the wrong word to use. I¡¯m already dead. In this case......>


    ¡°Stop joking around!¡±


    Azell raised his voice. His voice trembled. He couldn¡¯t hide the confusion he was feeling.


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking....¡±


    <Don¡¯t be like that, Azell.>


    ¡°What?¡±


    <You already know. This isn¡¯t the time to throw a tantrum. There is no way you don¡¯t already know this.>


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell¡¯s face hardened when Carlos spoke to him as if he was trying to soothe a child. However, it was akin to a crack forming on ice. His face started to slowly distort into a wretched expression.


    <I¡¯m already dead. Moreover, I¡¯m closely rted to Belrun..>


    Carlos and Belrun were already two sides of the same coin. One side couldn¡¯t be preserved while eliminating the other side.


    <You probably realized it, while you listened to my story. Isn¡¯t that right? You shouldn¡¯t lie. You.... No, I don¡¯t want to be deceived.>


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell looked as if he was about to cry. Carlosughed when he saw Azell¡¯s expression.


    <We aren¡¯t kids anymore. Haven¡¯t we sent several of our friends to the next life with our hands? Are you going to cry again? Why?>


    It had urred several times during the Dragon Demon war.


    They had taken care of those that were dying and in pain. They ended those that were changing into monsters, so they could die as humans. Then there were the Undeads created by their enemies. These Undeads attacked their old friends. Azell and Carlos had put them them to rest.......


    However, Azell never expected to carry out such a deed in this era. Moreover, he never imagined he would have to do it to Carlos.


    ¡°How can you ask me to.....¡±


    <It is something only you can do.>


    Carlos look up into the empty air as he spoke.


    Azell couldn¡¯t see his face, but he got a feeling that Carlos had a peaceful smile on his face. It was as if Carlos had let go of all the burdens that he had carried all through his life.


    <I couldn¡¯t sleep for a very long time. Do you know why?>


    ¡°.......¡±


    <I knew that Belrun would awaken when I went to sleep. I had to look at this darkness as I took in everything.>


    Carlos had been in hell. For all these years, Carlos wasn¡¯t allowed to rest even for a second.


    The only reason he was able to endure through the years was the fact that he believed this moment woulde some day.


    <I¡¯m tired now. No, I¡¯ve been tired for a very long time. Please show me mercy, Azell.>


    ¡°You.......¡±


    Azell¡¯s throat was choked up, so he was having hard time speaking.


    ¡°...you are a tenacious bastard, Carlos.¡±


    <I know. That is why I was able tost this long in this state.>


    Carlos pointed toward his chest.


    <I want you to pull this out of me. It is myst present to you.>


    It was a wooden staff with a clear and round gem embedded at the top. It was pierced through Carlos¡¯ chest.


    <If you take this out, he¡¯ll be released. Then.....>


    Carlos raised his hand as he pointed towards Azell.


    <He will fight you.>


    ¡°.......¡±


    <Belrun knows what I know. When the seal is broken, Belrun¡¯s consciousness will push to the fore. If that happens, he won¡¯t die quietly.>


    ¡°You evil bastard.......¡±


    Azell grinded his teeth. His vision started to turn murky. Azell realized that he had started crying at some point.


    Carlos spoke to Azell.


    <You promised, right?>


    ¡°Yes.......¡±


    Azell spoke in a hoarse voice as he extended his hands.


    ¡°I¡¯ll grant your wish, you bastard.¡±


    <Oh. It has been a while since you¡¯ve cussed at me.>


    When Azell grabbed the staff, Carlos looked up at him as he spoke.


    <Azell.>


    ¡°.......¡±


    <I¡¯m sorry.>


    Azell roughly extracted the staff.


    9


    Koo-roo-roo-roong......!


    A thunderous roar rang out, and the mountain peak of Laus, which had existed for perpetuity, shook.


    The party had returned to the initial room, and they had been waiting for Azell. They became surprised.


    What was going on?


    ¡°What the hell?¡±


    Kairen¡¯s expression hardened.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    A frightening wave of power was spreading into the surrounding.


    It wasn¡¯t just one. There were two of them. Moreover, one of them was very familiar to the party.


    ¡°Azell has brought out his Sky Splitter.¡±


    Laura spoke, and at the same time, she activated her Dragon Demon magic.


    -Come forth Dragon weapon! Vitan¡¯s Chalice!


    The Vitan¡¯s Chalice made its appearance. It looked as if it was made from semi-transparent ss. Laura took hold of it as she spoke.


    ¡°Enemies areing this way.¡±


    All at once, every member felt the gazes that were trained on them. From all direction, the beings without a real body started to show up. They were spirits that were being controlled by an evil power.


    Kairen unsheathed his two swords, and he couldn¡¯t hide his dismay.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they controlled by Carlos? So why.......¡±


    ¡°I did have feelings of unease with them. However, that isn¡¯t the problem we should be focusing on right now. It is too cramped to fight in here. We should head out to assess what is going on right now.¡±


    Leticia quickly made an assessment. Laura nodded her head.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    A distortion formed on the wall as the Path of Tears was activated. Kairen bit his lips.


    ¡°I was wondering why everything was going so smoothly.¡±


    When he swung his dual swords, Dragon Demon magic spread out like a storm as it swept up the spirits. As horrifics screams filled with evil rang out, the party exited Laus through the Path of Tears.


    Then.......


    ¡°It¡¯s Azell.¡±


    Laura pointed towards the sky.


    A pir of light that looked like lightning and fire streaked through the sky. It was the Sky Splitter. After streaking across the skies over Laus, the light started to move all over the ce.


    ¡°Who is he fighting?¡±


    The power being emitted by Azell was terrifying. Even as Azell¡¯srades, the incredible amount of Dragon Demon magic being generated by Azell shocked them. It spread into the surrounding like hail.


    At that moment, the streak of light created by Azell converged with the streak of darkness.


    They knew at a nce. The streak of darkness was another gathering of incredible magical energy.


    The streaking of light and darkness shed against each other. It looked as if a ball of darkness was bouncing around in the sky.


    Ggah-gwa-gwa-gwa-gwahng......!


    Btedly, the sound of the explosions started to reach them.


    The streak of light moved faster than the speed of sound, and an incredible shockwave formed when it shed against the darkness. There was enough destructive force to destroy a mountain. It could dry up ake.


    Laura understood the situation.


    ¡°Azell forced the battle into the skies.¡±


    ¡°Why would he do that?¡±


    Kairen was puzzled.


    He could tell at an instinctual level the enemy was powerful.


    However, why did Azell drag him up into the sky? If the enemy was a powerful being, wouldn¡¯t he wantbine forces with hisrades to defeat him?


    Laura shook her head from side to side. It seemed she had asked the same question to herself.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    Was there a need for him to fight alone?


    Or did he want to fight alone?


    ¡°Hmmm. In my opinion.......¡±


    Suddenly, Leticia looked to side as she spoke.


    ¡°It seems Azell is trying to dump them onto us?¡±


    When Laura opened her Path of Tears, tunnels made using spatial distortion appeared on the wall. Undeads leading an army of spirits started appearing from within these tunnels.


    Kairen asked a question to the Undead that stood in the front.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you aren¡¯t our enemy?¡±


    He was the Undead that had lead them to the armory. The Undead, who didn¡¯t possess a single fragment of bone, shrugged his shoulders.


    <I did at the time. Do you really think there is permanence to an antagonistic rtionship between rational beings? It isn¡¯t to my knowledge. It has been a long time since I¡¯ve been a human. I guess themons sense of humans could have changed in that time.>


    ¡°I see. It seems you are either a philosopher or a magician. It seems your tongue is spouting unnecessarilyplex ideas.¡±


    <Thank you for thepliment. You guys will be great opponents for a warm up. Since I cannot help my mast, I¡¯ll have to help him by killing you all.>


    ¡°Master? Carlos?¡±


    <I called him that until a moment ago.>


    There was anotheryer of nuance to his words.


    Laura realized something.


    ¡°I see why he is in the sky.¡±


    ¡°Mmm? What do you mean?¡±


    When Kairen queried her, she gave an exnation.


    ¡°Azell is fighting the enemy that is the source to this power. However, the Undeads and the souls can¡¯t reach them when they are up so high. Basically, Azell is weakening that unknown being¡¯s power by fighting him in the air.¡±


    Maybe, a few Undead could reach the sky. However, they couldn¡¯t all reach there.


    ¡°I see. I can see what role Azell wants us to y in this.¡±


    While Azell fought in the sky, his party was tasked to fight the Undead and the army of souls. Kairen shook off the confusion he was feeling. He queried her.


    ¡°Laura, can¡¯t you block them froming out?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, there are too many holes. It is like an ant mound.¡±


    It was as she said. Numerous dimensional distortions were used to create paths, and countless Undeads wereing out from them.


    ¡°How very unfortunate. Shit. It is midday, yet we have to watch these unpleasant beings wriggle free.¡±


    Surprisingly, Undeads and spirits were crawling out into the middle of the day. It seemed they didn¡¯t feel any pain from the sunlight.


    ¡®Are their powers reduced? Hmm. When there is so many of them, I guess it doesn¡¯t matter if their powers are reduced or not.¡¯


    Each of Azell¡¯s party members were a match for a hundred, but would they really be fine against this massive army.


    There was no reason to worry about it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll have to worry about going up against superior numbers.¡±


    Leticia looked around her surrounding as she spoke.


    It was as she said. Countless Guardian Shadows were making noise as they gathered. The Guardian Shadows hadplete surrounded the region.


    The leader of the Undead tilted his head as he found all of this troublesome.


    <Jeez. I¡¯m not happy to see them.>


    His following words angered Kairen.


    <Even if we kill them, the number of subjects to our king won¡¯t grow. It¡¯ll be a uselessbor.>


    ¡°Since you don¡¯t have a mouth, I can¡¯t say I want to crush your mouth. Anyways, I¡¯ll make it so that you will no longer be able to speak.¡±


    <Ah ah. I won¡¯t stop you from spouting nonsense. Our king doesn¡¯t care what a living being has to say. You guys are precious resources that will be his subjects.>


    Kairen no longer held back. He swung his Dragon swords in a heroic manner.


    The battle on the ground started.

 Chapter 189 - Two Persons (7)

    Chapter 189 - Two Persons (7)


    10


    The Sky Splitter was deployed. Azell¡¯s magical energy became one with his clones as they streaked across the sky.


    The evil spirits on the ground were emanating magical energy without reserve. The battered body of Carlos....no, Belrun¡¯s body was flying high in the air. He had shot up much higher than the mountain peak of Laus.


    -Koohk koohk koohk. This is fun.


    Azell heard a voice infused with a bleak magical energy within his head.


    It wasn¡¯t the voice of Carlos, which he had heard within Laus. The voice didn¡¯t exist. It was a dense mental wave made out of magical energy.


    It was a curse that attacked Azell¡¯s mind. If he was a normal person, he would have lost his sanity after hearing the voice.


    -The evil spirits are bound by their distrust of this world. I see. It seems air isn¡¯t the only thing that thins out at this high of an altitude.


    Belrun¡¯s power was founded on the massive amount of evil spirits he controlled. He was just one being, yet he had control over countless spirits in his ranks. He was the King of the Dead. The evil spirit could transfer their magical energy to Belrun to create a particr phenomena. The level of power that was transferred could create a catastrophe.


    Azell had predicted this, so he immediately brought out his Sky Splitter. He dragged Belrun into the skies.


    -I never knew I had this weakness. You live and learn.


    The evil spirits were bound by misgivings that was spread across the surface of the world.


    They were created through the death of humans. This was why they couldn¡¯t use their full power in locations that were absent of death or the misgivings of living beings.


    Basically, humans as well as the evil spirits couldn¡¯t exist this high in the air. If it was through Belrun¡¯s power, he might be able to drag the spirits into the air by sheer force. However, he would have to consume power to make this happen. The consumption of power would override any benefit in bringing up the spirits.


    This scenario was possible, because he was Azell. It was also thanks to the information given to him by Carlos before Belrun had awakened.


    ¡°Did you say you are the King of Death Belrun?¡±


    Azell red at him as he spoke.


    ¡°This sky is where you will die.¡±


    -Oh. It seems you are a human that tells funny jokes. Haven¡¯t you heard of me before?


    He snickered.


    -I am the first to defy death. I didn¡¯t need outside help. I am a king, who used my own power to defy the way of the world. The concept of death doesn¡¯t apply to me. That is why....


    The cursed darkness rose up. The faces of many evil spirits appeared from within, and a hail-like attack was sent towards Azell.


    -There is no way I will die.


    Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!


    The heavens shook.


    It wasn¡¯t a darkness simply made out of magical energy. Even the sound wave was a vector for the cursed power.


    ¡°I will prove how flimsy that statement is.¡±


    However, as Azell approached Belrun, his figure disappeared.


    At the same time, light erupted in all directions as it ripped through the sky.


    The cursed darkness started burning up, but the sound of this event was drowned out by the roar caused by the light. It was like a me and a lightning. The beam of light pierced through the being called the King of Death.


    However.....


    ¡®This is......?!¡¯


    Azell was taken aback.


    The Sky Splitter had turned into a beam of light, and when it was about to reach the King of Darkness, a gulf suddenly formed. Belrun was suddenly so far away that it was hard to see him with the naked eye. Azell was well aware of what the appearance of this phenomena implied.


    ¡®Endless in? Shit. He is already able to use such techniques?¡¯


    It was like the dimensional distortion created by the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. It was the Endless in.


    It was such an unexpected development that Azell was taken unawares. His real body was separated from his clones. He was so far away that his clones dissipated, and for a brief moment, he had lost track of the Sky Splitter.


    The cursed darkness came at him like a hail storm. Azell had lost his Sky Splitter, so it seemed he wouldn¡¯t be able to block such an all epassing attack.


    -Come Dragon weapon! Unyielding Fortress!


    However, a shout containing his will exploded forth from the darkness.


    A wave of transparent light erupted to block the hail storm of darkness. After creating a barrier, he kept summoning his other Dragon weapons.


    -Storm Dragon¡¯s Wings! Underworld Ruler¡¯s Marksman! Master of Raging Waves!


    Aside from the Sky Splitter, he summoned four additional Dragon weapons.


    It was something no one else had been able to replicate after the Dragon Demon war. The summoning of multiple Dragon weapons were an unsurpassed ability that only Azell, Duke Croix Nidel and Atein could use!


    Ooooooooooooooh!


    The space started to ripple.


    A wave of transparent power shook the space, and the energy generated from within this space was absorbed.


    The hail of darkness, which was about to engulf Azell, was swallowed up by a countercurrent.


    At the same time, the Endless in was destroyed, and the dimensional distortion righted itself.


    -What is this?


    Belrun¡¯s shocked voice rang out.


    A sword made out of light had pierced through his body.


    ¡°Even if you are able to imagine up such arge space, you won¡¯t be able to leave behind the light.¡±


    Azell had been flustered by the formation of the Endless in, and he had lost contact with his Sky Splitter for a very brief moment. He had brought out the Unyielding Fortress to establish his defense, and at the same time, he regained connection with his Sky Splitter. He used the Sky Splitter to attack Belrun, who had been at the end of the vast space.


    ¡°You might be borrowing Carlos¡¯ knowledge, but as a magician, you are merely an old relic, who have fallen behind the times.¡±


    Belrun was one with Carlos. He was able to use Carlos¡¯ magical knowledge. It was as Azell had said. Belrun had fallen behind the times, but he had ess to the evolved magic spells. Belrun had nopunction in using these new spells, but he couldn¡¯t use it freely like Carlos.


    Belrun would need to use Carlos¡¯ magical knowledge to update his own magic spells, which was full of holes. However, he needed a lot of time to aplish this task.


    ¡°I won¡¯t give you the opportunity to turn into a cmity. You will die here and now.¡±


    -Hmmph. Extreme Extermination. I¡¯ll acknowledge that it is a scary technique. However, do you think I¡¯ll let you use it?


    ¡°What can you do?¡±


    Azell snorted.


    At the same time, something prated Belrun.


    -Kuhk......?


    Belurn staggered. Arrows, which were invisible to him, impacted on his body.


    It was the Dragon weapon named Underworld Ruler¡¯s Marksman. Since Belrun had Carlos¡¯ knowledge, he immediately knew this fact. He tried to defend against it, but he couldn¡¯t block it entirely. He could only minimize the damage.


    Azell used this opportunity to send the Sky Splitter towards Belrun. Azell resolved into several dozen clones, and a destructive light impacted on Belrun.


    ¡°I¡¯m well aware of it. You are very sturdy, and you have an endless reservoir of energy.¡±


    He had heard it from Carlos. Belrun had a reservoir of magical energy that wasrger than the magical energy possessed by Atein and the Dragon Demon generalsbined. Of course, the current Azell could barely contend with him in terms of magical energy.


    ¡°However, you are merely a spirit that has lost twice before. Carlos had trouble with your immortality. It wasn¡¯t as if he afraid of you. I¡¯m just here to finish the battle that Carlos had already won.¡±


    Azell¡¯s clones spoke as one. Belrun kept attacking the clones, but he couldn¡¯t find Azell¡¯s true body. All the clones possessed presence, and they all attack him as if they were real.


    ¡®This makes no sense!¡¯


    Even if Azell was great at using his Cloning technique, they were fighting in midair. It might be understandable with his clone, but how could his real body fly around the air freely like a bird?


    The answery within Carlos¡¯ knowledge.


    -Storm Dragon¡¯s Wings? Shit. I can¡¯t believe a human has such abilities.......!


    Dragon weapon Storm Dragon¡¯s Wings..


    It was the identity of the me-like red light that was surrounding Azell¡¯s body. He was able to fly through the air using his Dragon weapon, and he could do it better than a magician.


    -You bastard!


    Belrun raged.


    There was little oxygen present in the high altitudes, and the pressure in the atmosphere suddenly rose. A fierce wind arose, and a thunderbolt roared from within.


    Ggwah-roo-roong! Ggwa-gwahng!


    Azell didn¡¯t blink at all.


    -Koo-ahhhhhk!


    Belrun let out a yell.


    The attack was simr to the magic used by Almarick¡¯s Dragon weapon Storm¡¯s Scream. Belrun had copied it.


    However, Azell let the thunderbolt flow off of him, and he counterattacked.


    At the same time, consecutive explosions urred around Belrun.


    Ggwah-gwa-gwahng! Ggwah-gwahng!


    -Is this the Box of Hate......?


    Masses of transparent magical energy were floating around the air, and they started exploding when triggered by magical energy. Belrun had suffered under this attack before. Carlos had used it against him.


    The Box of Hate reacted and exploded in reaction to the magical energy making up a spell. One had to increase the density of the masses of magical energy, and one had to create a dense shell around it. It allowed one to cut off the masses of magical energy from the Box of Hate.


    One had to waste an incredible amount of magical energy to do this. However, this was the only counter to the Box of Hate devised by Atein, Baldazark and Aunsaurus. Belrun willingly epted the inefficiency of this method, since he had an incredible reservoir of magical energy.


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you the power of my Dragon weapons, which had been under the custody of Carlos.¡±


    The 32 clones of Azell tirelessly assaulted Belrun.


    Azell¡¯s clones flew around using the Storm Dragon¡¯s Wings, and the Box of Hate suppressed Belrun¡¯s magic. The Sky Splitter turned into a pir of light as it kept attacking Belrun, and the Underworld Ruler¡¯s Marksman pierced through Belrun¡¯s defense to pierce through him.


    It was as if several hundred magicians were attacking him.


    -Dragon weapon dismissed! Master of Raging Wave! Unyielding Fortress!


    After dismissing two Dragon weapons, Azell summoned new Dragon weapons.


    -Come Dragon weapons! Moon Sword! Cry of the Phoenix! Defender of Dawn!


    He summoned seven Dragon weapons all at once. Belrun was in a state of shock.


    -How can this be! How is this possible......!


    Belrun knew that each Dragon weapon were terrifying weapons. Azell had summoned seven of them all at once!


    ¡°I¡¯ve already told you this. This sky is where you will die. Carlos and I have already determined this.¡±


    -Yes.


    He heard another voice from his side. Azell turned to look at him with aplex expression on his face.


    Carlos wasughing next to Azell.


    -I should thank Count Banan for this.


    He had neat brown hair and cold gray eyes. He was a young man. Carlos looked exactly like how Azell remembered. However, Carlos¡¯ figure shimmered as if it was a mirage made out of light.


    This was the power of the Defender of Dawn.


    Belrun was pressing down on Carlos¡¯ personality, but he was able to give help through this particr Dragon weapon. Azell could make at most eightbatants with the Defender of Dawn, but he focused the weapon¡¯s power to create a single clone of Carlos.


    -Don¡¯t make such a face, Azell. It makes me not want to go.


    Carlos smirked as he spoke.


    Then he used the magical energy granted to him. The clone possessed an exact replica of Carlos¡¯ personality and abilities. Since he was being provided power by the Dragon weapon, Carlos could cast magic that was superior to the ones he could cast in his prime.


    -Y...you bastard! You are only my vessel, yet......!


    Belrun was helpless as he started being pushed backwards.


    It didn¡¯t matter that he had overwhelming magical energy, and it didn¡¯t matter that he possessed Carlos¡¯ magical knowledge. There was an absolute gulf between having the knowledge and actually being able to apply that knowledge


    -I¡¯ve been nning this for a very long time. I felt annoyed at the fact that I wasn¡¯t able to end this long fight over 100 years ago.


    Carlos spoke as he overwhelmed Belrun in the magical battle. There was clear gratification in his demeanor.


    -At the time, if Azell had been with me, you would have been cooked. Just separating you from the Undead army reduced you into this state. ording to my calctions, you can generate only one fifth of your power once you entered into the air.


    The power of a magician varied in many ways depending on the preparations made by the magician.


    It was simr to an army¡¯s strength. It came down to how well the soldiers were equipped, and how well the army was supplied. Magician were iparably stronger in their bases where they had ess to their facilities and tools.


    The scary thing about Belrun was the unlimited power he continuously gained from the Undead and evil spirits. It was how Belrun was able to use many of his spells and curses at the same time.


    -From the standard of this era, you are still scary. However, what are you going to do now that you won¡¯t be able to lean on your immortality. I wonder what you are feeling right now.


    Carlos was thorough in his taunt against Belrun.


    Carlos had suffered for more than hundred years, because of Belrun¡¯s immortality. He was full of joy, because he would be able to end this chapter of his life.


    As he spoke, light started gathering around him.


    The blue sky started to burn up with light. A tree made out of light was formed. Its numerous branches started splitting the heavens.


    It was as if a lightning was magnified. In the midst of this scene, Azell held his blue Dragon weapon as he stared at Belrun.


    -Azell.


    Carlos spoke as he turned to look at him.


    -Let¡¯s not drag this out.


    ¡°Carlos.......¡±


    When he saw Carlos¡¯ face, mixed emotions appeared on Azell¡¯s face. Carlos had already be a part of history, yet Azell¡¯s memories were still fresh in his mind. The memories from their past kept reying in his mind.


    When they first met, Azell thought Carlos was a rude magician.


    He remembered all the times they had bickered with each other.


    He remembered their youthful follies.


    Then there were the times where they discussed each other¡¯s ns for the future.....


    -My mind is already made up.


    Carlos let out a gentleughter.


    The light sword wasplete.


    When Azell wanted it, a hail of light swords would fall towards this location.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell wordlessly raised his sword. An extremely hoarse voice flowed out of his mouth.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll resent you forever.¡±


    -Please do.


    Carlos shrugged his shoulders as he let out a sadughter.


    -Just don¡¯t forget about me.


    Azell didn¡¯t answer him.


    Then.... The sword of light split the sky as it stretched out.

 Chapter 190 - Transition of Tactics (1)

    Chapter 190 - Transition of Tactics (1)


    1


    The light burned the sky, and silence descended.


    It didn¡¯t take too long for the fight on the ground to finish after the fight in the sky finished. The Undead army had remained unharmed under the sun thanks to Belrun¡¯s power. The Undead army screamed as they burned under the sunlight. It was truly easy for Azell¡¯s party and the Guardian Shadows to wipe out the remnants of the Undead army.


    A good amount of time had passed after the fight on the ground was over. Azell finally descended from the sky.


    His party members tried to ask him about what had happened, but they hesitated when they saw the expression on his face. His expression was too tragic.


    Azell was the first one to open his mouth.


    ¡°You should use this, duke.¡±


    Azell lifted the staff towards Kairen. After epting it, Kairen asked in bewilderment.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°It is Carlos¡¯ keepsake.¡±


    ¡°...shouldn¡¯t a magician use this item?¡±


    ¡°You have to use it, duke. You have the most potential in terms of developing as a tactician.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    There was no context to his exnation, so Kairen was still confused. Azell looked tired as he gave an exnation.


    ¡°It is a magical item that will allow you tomand the Guardian Shadows.¡±


    The staff, which had been pierced through Carlos, had been key to sealing Belrun. It also had the function of controlling the Guardian Shadows. Carlos was able to control the Guardian Shadows through his will using this item, and he was able to gather information through the Guardian Shadows.


    Laura mumbled to herself in surprise when she heard his exnation.


    ¡°It is simr to the Great Darkness.......¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t simr. It is the Great Darkness.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll exin it to youter. Aside from that, I have a lot I have to exin, but.... I want to rest for a little bit. I don¡¯t want to do anything right now.¡±


    Azell spoke those words as he sat on the ground.


    There was a mountainous amount of stories he had to tell them. He had to think over the stories, and he had to choose, which ones he wanted to tell them. There was so much that he felt lost.


    Despite this fact, he just wanted to rest.


    For now, he wanted to rest despite what was waiting for him in the present and the future.


    2


    ¡°I have no idea what¡¯s going on.¡±


    Almarick was taken aback.


    Something had happened.


    However, he had no idea what had happened.


    <What¡¯s the problem?>


    Reygus queried.


    ¡°The fog has lifted.¡±


    <Are you nning on changing career to be a magician?>


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    <What about it?>


    ¡°The problem is the Vitan¡¯s Chalice.¡±


    Almarick had authority over a portion of the Great Darkness, so he was able to sense the Dragon weapons used by the Dragon Demon generals. However, the degree of precision in detecting the Vitan¡¯s Chalice had be unusually low after Azell acquired it.


    He had even lost track of it not too long ago. Then it appeared in some random location. It seemed someone had the ability to circumvent his tracking ability.


    However, it was as if a fog had been lifted after that event. He could urately senese the location of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice.


    <Hmmm. I was fooled once. I don¡¯t want to be fooled again, but......>


    Reygus tapped the nasal bridge of his skull as he spoke.


    The signal of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice had disappeared for a short amount of time, and it had appeared in a random location. Almarick and Reygus led the elite troops to the location, but the only thing they found were a bunch of Guardian Shadows. At that point, Almarick wondered if Laura had set a trap for them. However, he didn¡¯t think she had the capability of duping his detection ability.


    <Still, shouldn¡¯t we check it out anyways?>


    ¡°That is why I sent the kids. I told them to avoid any direct confrontation.¡±


    When Almarick and Reygus realized they had fallen for a trap, they quickly returned to the in of Darkness. If Azell¡¯s party had attacked the in of Darkness while they were gone, they would have been able to fend of Azell¡¯s party. However, the in of Darkness would have had to pay a steep price for doing so.


    ¡°I have no idea. I don¡¯t know what they are nning.....¡±


    Almarick furrowed his brows. Reygus spoke.


    <I have one important thing I have to tell you.>


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    <I have only one life now.>


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    <It is as I¡¯ve said. If my body ispletely destroyed again, I won¡¯t be able to revive again.>


    ¡°How can you be sure? What proof do you have?¡±


    <You aren¡¯t an Undead. Can you really know something only an Undead would know? I¡¯m sure of it. I can¡¯t be revived any more.>


    ¡°Are you saying something has gone wrong with the Great Darkness?¡±


    Almarick was taken aback. Reygus wasn¡¯t kidding. At the very least, he believed what he was saying.


    <Aunsaurus and Baldark should have been revived, yet they weren¡¯t revived. Are you sure you will be able to revive in the future? The king¡¯s ns aren¡¯t perfect and faultless.>


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    Almarick groaned.


    On the other hand, Reygus looked excited.


    <Our magician friends weren¡¯t able to revive, so we can¡¯t do anything about it until the king revives. However, I like it.>


    ¡°You sound as if you¡¯ve lost your mind.¡±


    <Kook kook kook. If you are able to revive multiple times, you won¡¯t value your own life. It is not in my nature to use such cheap methods. Even if I have one life, I¡¯ll willingly put it on the line. That is the way of a man.>


    ¡°You are already living your second life. You are just being shameless with your words.¡±


    <The milk has already been spilled, so what can I do? I just push forward even if it is shameless.>


    ¡°Anyways.......¡±


    Almarick realized he wasughing as he ragged on Reygus.


    His blood was boiling.


    He had calmed down a lot, but he used to be a beast-like warrior. He changed after he revived.


    Was it because he became older?


    No, that wasn¡¯t it.


    If time caused his personality to change, it would have changed much sooner. Before he died, he was like a living history book. He had lived for a very long time.


    The change was caused by the power given to him by Atein.


    In his past life, he knew he was immortal, yet it hadn¡¯t felt like it. However, when he was truly revived, he couldn¡¯t live his life with as much zeal as before.


    When living as a life as a warrior, one knew that one would fall someday by the sword. It didn¡¯t matter how powerful you were.


    When he was born as a 1st generation Dragon Demon, he had faced fiercepetition. He didn¡¯t have any parents that sheltered him. He had to fight everything in his environment to survive.


    He was able to fight with such zeal, because he had only one life. If he died, everything he worked for would be for naught. He fought with zeal, because everything he enjoyed woulde to an end.


    When Reygus saw Almarick¡¯s expression, he cackled.


    He asked Almarick a question.


    <You like it too, right?>


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to agree with you, but.......¡±


    Almarick couldn¡¯t help it. The corner of his mouth lifted into a smirk.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it. You are right.¡±


    An emotion that burned in his chest in the past was rekindled.


    3


    Azell¡¯s party quickly exited the Atisan mountain range. They no longer had any reasons to stay there.


    While they were doing so, Kairen was going through the process of identifying and controlling the Guardian Shadows.


    ¡°There is about 12,000 Guardian Shadows that can be mobilized.¡±


    The Guardian Shadows were basically immortal before this event. They were able to be revived when they perished. It just took time.


    However, this wasn¡¯t the case now.


    Belrun¡¯s power had been a big part of why they were able to be revived. Since Belrun was dead, they couldn¡¯t be revived after they perished.


    ¡°Even at this moment, their numbers are being replenished, but..... We are consuming faster than we are adding to the force.¡±


    The power of revival was gone, but the system of the Guardian Shadows remained intact. Aside from the Dragon Demon king worshippers, the entire continent provided the Guardian Shadows with information. Moreover, those that possessed eternal enmity towards the Dragon Demon king worshippers continued to be Guardian Shadows.


    Azell asked him a question.


    ¡°Did youe up with a good idea?¡±


    ¡°I think so. First, we¡¯ll have to contact the friends of our organization in each country. We¡¯ll have to update them on what is going on, and we¡¯ll use this opportunity to see all their faces. The way we run this organization will change drastically.¡±


    Carlos hadn¡¯t used the Guardian Shadows as his voice, because he wanted to keep his secrets hidden. It would have been over even if one person had found out his existence.


    Azell¡¯s party wasn¡¯t under such restriction.


    Carlos had created an excellent system. Kairen sent the Guardian Shadows as emissary, and he would be able to use the Guardian Shadows like amunication spell.


    The only downside was the fact that Kairen couldn¡¯t sort through all the information.


    Carlos had be part of the system, so he could manage the massive amount of information. However, Azell¡¯s party couldn¡¯t do that. They could give specific orders to the Guardian Shadows, and they could only receive reports from the Guardian Shadows. They couldn¡¯t hear and see everything the Guardian Shadows observed.


    Kairen realized this fact, so he spoke to Azell.


    ¡°At the very least, we¡¯ll have to keep one Guardian Shadow with each member.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I am thinking about using half of the Guardian Shadows as nobatants.¡±


    Kairen started exining his n.


    What did the party need the most right now?


    Military force?


    Of course, they needed it. The members of Azell¡¯s party were powerful as individuals. However, the Demon King worshippers were numerous, and they were all over the continent.


    If they had to prioritize, strength wasn¡¯t at the top of their needs.


    ¡°The thing we need the most is information.¡±


    Kairen was firm with his statement.


    The Guardian Shadows had been able to be a thorn in the sides of the in of Darkness. It wasn¡¯t, because they were overwhelmingly more powerful than the in of Darkness.


    Of course, they were superiorbatants that could sway the bnce of power in this era. Event the weakest amongst them could gain employment as abatant anywhere


    However, their number wasn¡¯t asrge as they had assumed.


    It dide down to numbers.


    There were enough members to make up a secret organization that could terrorize their enemies from the background. However, they weren¡¯t an army that could fight all over the world.


    ¡°The in of Darkness if causing mischief all over the world, and they are using the opportunities created to their advantage. What if they are trying to take over the world without a direct confrontation? There are a very limited number of ways to achieve this goal.¡±


    The in of Darkness had used this n to great effect, and they had almost take over the world before.


    If it wasn¡¯t for the Guardian Shadows, the in of Darkness would have nted puppets in leadership roles. They would have controlled the world from the back. However, this n was no longer feasible thanks to the Guardian Shadows.


    ¡°The two sides are able topete with each other, because both sides possess transcendent information capabilities.¡±


    The in of Darkness used the Great Darkness to create a massive information that epassed the whole world.


    The Guardian Shadows used the awareness of people as their information.


    If one side¡¯s intelligence capabilities fell short, the bnce would have been broken. Still, neither side could dominate each other, so this boring fight continued to go on.


    ¡°We have to get ahead of them. We have to slowly chip away at their organization, which is like a well-oiled machine..¡±


    The information capabilities of the in of Darkness remained intact, but a structural defect had urred in the information capabilities of the Guardian Shadows.


    Carlos was gone, but that wasn¡¯t the problem. The bigger loss was the Keepers of the Prophecy.


    The Keepers of Prophecy received the information from the Guardian Shadows, and they moved their forces in the most effective manner. They had taken on the role ofmanders. They were gone now. The hands and feet remained, but the head was removed from the Guardian Shadows.


    From now on, Azell¡¯s party had to act as the head of this system. If they wanted to do this, they had to receive information that everyone couldprehend. The Guardian Shadows had a hard timemunicating with others, and there was no point in receiving unfiltered information from them.


    ¡°We have to use our limited forces to maximum efficiency. We¡¯ll have to do that until we destroy the Great Darkness.¡±


    This was like eating away at a sand castle with a g nted on top.


    The destruction of the Great Darkness meant the destruction of the Guardian Shadows. If they ate away at the Great Darkness, it also meant they were diminishing the power of the Guardian Shadows.


    If both sides were taking damage, they had to make it so that their opponent took on the bigger wound. Kairen already understood the meaning behind the battle.


    ¡°Pirs of the Great Darkness.¡±


    If they wanted to neutralize the Great Darkness, they had to kill the sealed beings. They had to do what they had done to Belrun.


    ¡°Waypoints for the Road of Emptiness.¡±


    The Road of Emptiness were the main reason why the in of Darkness could work behind the scenes. They had to destroy it. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that the loss of the Road of Emptiness would cut off their strategic lifeline.


    This was the crux of Kairen¡¯s new n.


    ¡°I want to use half of the Guardian Shadows to monitor the Road of Emptiness..¡±


    The Guardian Shadows didn¡¯t have the ability to articteplex information. However, they possessed the ability to carry outplex instructions. If they were given clear instructions, it wouldn¡¯t be too hard to pass along missives.


    Kairen opened a map. He spoke with Laura, Yuren and Leticia tobel the waypoints of the Road of Emptiness. He numbered each site, then he sent Guardian Shadows there. They would act as observers.


    ¡°They know where we are thanks to the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. If it is as Azell said, they can track us with precision in real time.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    At Kairen¡¯sment, Laura apologized in a sullen manner. Kairen smirked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not try to be mean to you. The Vitan¡¯s Chalice is a risk we have to shoulder. It gives away our location, but at the same time, it makes them predictable. We can discern their movements, and we can spoil their n.¡±


    If they kept tabs on the troops travelling through the Road of Emptiness, they would be able to keep track of what the in of Darkness was trying to do. This was why Kairen didn¡¯t hesitate to invest half of the Guardian Shadows to this task.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see which side ends up with the g from the fallen sand castle. Shit. I¡¯ll make sure to deplete their forces before Atein is born. They won¡¯t be able to recreate the Dragon Demon war.¡±


    Kairen¡¯s eyes burned. He made the deration as he red at the map.

 Chapter 191 - Transition of Tactics (2)

    Chapter 191 - Transition of Tactics (2)


    4


    Azell¡¯s party left the mountain peak of Laus, and they started moving in earnest after 10 days.


    The leaders of the in of Darkness became very frustrated when this urred.


    It wasn¡¯t too hard to locate them. They just needed to ascertain the location of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice to find them.


    Moreover, they didn¡¯t have to be worried about it being a trap. They confirmed on three asions that the tracking ability was working perfectly.


    However, they couldn¡¯t catch up to Azell¡¯s party.


    ¡°It really makes one shudder. I never expected them to move in this manner.......¡±


    Kieren, who was the sessor of Dragon Demon general Baldazark, mumbled to himself.


    Azell¡¯s party moved as if they didn¡¯t have a destination in mind.


    Azell¡¯s party was already moving at a transcendent speed, but now they were going all over the ce. They looked as if they were going in one direction, yet they suddenly changed direction in the opposite direction. The in of Darkness couldn¡¯t catch up to them.


    The Road of Emptiness wasn¡¯t all-powerful. The waypoints were fixed, and the number of people it could transport was limited.


    Basically, the in of Darkness couldn¡¯t predict the path taken by Azell¡¯s party, so they couldn¡¯t concentrate their forces in one ce. On top of that....


    ¡°Eight locations were destroyed in just 10 days......¡±


    Niberis was facing him, and she couldn¡¯t believe the report she was reading.


    She didn¡¯t know why, but.... No, Azell¡¯s party definitely had a hand in doing this. The Guardian Shadows had changed up their fighting style.


    Until now, the Guardian Shadows had reacted in a strictly defensive manner. When Dragon Demon king worshippers were detected, the Guardian Shadows would intercept them in a defensive move.


    However, the Guardian Shadows hadpletely flipped to take an offensive approach. When the route of Azell¡¯s party was predicted, the in of Darkness mobilized to send troops towards them. However, the nearest waypoints were destroyed before that could happen. It was done by the members of the Guardian Shadows organization and several hundred Guardian Shadows.


    It was like Kairen and Beorein within the Rin kingdom. Each kingdom possessed members that were part of the Guardian Shadow¡¯s organization. Moreover, all of them were skilled fighters. The Dragon Demon king worshippers couldn¡¯t take them lightly. These members led over 100 Guardian Shadows to attack the waypoints. There was no way the in of Darkness could defend against it


    Moreover.......


    ¡°The information regarding the forgotten techniques have been spread amongst them. I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    Kieren¡¯s face hardened as he spoke.


    Not all of their forces werepletely wiped out in the fight against the Guardian Shadows. Some had run away with their lives intact.


    This report was the result of gathering all ounts from the survivors. The in of Darkness realized that their advantage in skill over the rest of the world was diminishing.


    The organization called the Guardian Shadows were contacting strong people in each nation, and they were given key points to the forgotten techniques.


    To be precise, the information was being delivered even at this moment.


    ¡°White Sword Count Rakadi of the Liros kingdom. It is true that he is a very skilled, but he wasn¡¯t at a level where he could take out two of our senior officers by himself.¡±


    Rakadi was like Kairen. He was a Dragon Majin, yet he was a lord of a human kingdom. He was the count in the Liros kingdom.


    He was a very skilled Dragon Arts practitioner, and he was given the nickname of the White Sword Count. The loss of his parents at the hands of the in of Darkness had made him join the Guardian Shadows. All the members of the Rakadi tribe were very skilled, so the in of Darkness had paid special attention to them.


    This was why they had a lot of information regarding Rakadi tribe. However, in the recent attack at the waypoint of the Road of Emptiness, the Rakadi tribe¡¯s power greatly exceeded the assessment made by the in of Darkness.


    It didn¡¯t mean that the Rakadi tribe had learned and used the forgotten techniques in such a short amount of time.


    They were like the Dragon Sword Count Kairen of Tarantos. They might have lost their techniques, but aside from this fact, they had cultivated scary amount of skill. Their resistance became much stronger just from knowing what kind of techniques were being used by the elite troops of the in of Darkness.


    Niberis spoke.


    ¡°However, they aren¡¯t the true problem.¡±


    ¡°...yes.¡±


    Kieren threw down the report as he let out a sigh.


    ¡°Great sinner Azell Karzark.¡±


    In the past 10 days, eight waypoints to the Road of Emptiness was destroyed.


    Azell had personally destroyed four of them.


    ¡°The Sky Splitter, Storm Dragon¡¯s Wing, Crying Phoenix..... Each and every one of them are ridiculous Dragon weapons.¡±


    It was true that the ability of Azell¡¯s party to travel was ridiculous. Each member were capable of moving quickly, yet they were using Vitan¡¯s Chalice at strategic moments to travel a great amount of distance.


    On the other hand, Azell¡¯s ability to move was iprehensible from amon sense point of view. The Storm Dragon¡¯s Wing¡¯s gave him speed equal to a flying dragon, and he was able to move fly freely through air. Moreover, he could locally control the pressure to create violent gales.


    The Crying Phoenix was the only Dragon weapon that was capable of fighting by itself. Its battle capabilities changed depending on how much power its owner possessed. However, if the legends were to be believed, this weapon was scary in the hands of Azell. It was as if a Dragon that possessed wisdom was using its magic.


    One of the terrifying abilities of this Dragon weapon was its mobility. Even if the owner was asleep , it could move through the air with its owner in tow.


    The in of Darkness couldn¡¯t find a solution to this problem.


    They could only defeat Azell¡¯s party if they concentrated their elite troops in one ce. However, Azell¡¯s party wasn¡¯t giving them the opportunity to do so.


    ¡°We are taking way too much loss whenpared to their loss.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t as if the in of Darkness was being beaten unterally. They were causing the continent to fall into chaos, and they induced the fight between human nations. Humans were suffering under self-inflicted wounds. The Guardian Shadows were trying to put this matter to rest, but the side had been split. It would be difficult for them to stitch up the situation.


    Moreover, the Guardian Shadows weren¡¯t winning in overwhelming fashion.


    ¡°The fact that our side can¡¯t win if we don¡¯t step forward means that the situation is serious.¡±


    The in of Darkness had reacted to the their opponent¡¯s moves. They had dispatched elite troops at each waypoint, and when a battle urs, they would sent more troops as support.


    Niberis and Kieren had been inserted into this ce, and they were able to defeat the Guardian Shadows. The members of the Guardian Shadows were strong, but they were helpless against two Dragon Majins using their powerful Dragon weapons.


    ¡°Laura.......¡±


    Niberis mumbled to herself. Her words carried anger.


    Why did their enemies know all the waypoints to the Road of Emptiness?


    The answer was obvious. Laura knew where all the waypoints were located at.


    Kieren spoke.


    ¡°This is a very serious problem.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me it is a problem. I already know.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t what I meant.¡±


    At his words, Niberis red at Kieren. She had an ill-humored expression on her face. However, Kieren was serious.


    ¡°Our enemies know our secret. Moreover, they are attacking us with all their might. That is serious in itself, but that is not what we should be truly fearing right now.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°Niberis.... After the Dragon Demon war ended, this is the first time we¡¯ve fought a defensive battle.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°We were always the one to attack. We just had to demonstrate that the defense set up by our enemies were faulty.¡±


    The in of Darkness hadn¡¯t been fighting a war.


    One was either defending an established structure or one was attacking.


    Which one was more difficult?


    Of course, it was more difficult to defend than attack.


    The in of Darkness didn¡¯t possess the power to wage an all out war against the world, so they always attacked from the darkness.


    ¡°Until now, the Guardian Shadows had been the barrier protecting the world. It was sturdy, but in the end, it was only a barrier.¡±


    However, their roles had been flipped now.


    Until now, the in of Darkness didn¡¯t even reveal their castle wall, which could be attacked. The in of Darkness was a fortress blessed with natural barriers for defense. Even if they lost a head-on battle with humanity, they coulde back to the in of Darkness. It would be difficult to wipe out the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    This was why they were able to survive through the Dragon Demon war. In the first ce, it was impossible to lead arge force into the in of Darkness without using the Road of Emptiness.


    ¡°However, our castle wall is exposed now. If we lose our castle wall, we lose the power to fight against the world.¡±


    Niberis felt a chill run up her spine when she heard Kieren¡¯s insight. She finally understood the problem he was pointing out.


    The Dragon Demon king¡¯s army had always been conquerors and invaders. Aftering to the in of Darkness, they had never been in the defensive position.


    Now they were required to take on that role.


    However, the two of them still didn¡¯t realize something. Azell¡¯s party had something more critically damaging than what the two of them had observed.


    5


    Dragon Demon princess Arrieta and Dragon Demon prince Seigar had stopped the 2nd Grand Alliance of Darkness. After resolving the situation in the Bn forest, they were given an extended vacation.


    However, their vacation didn¡¯tst long. It had be a bit less heated, but there was a war going on with the Liros kingdom. Arrieta and Seigar was expecting an order to enter into the battle urring along the eastern border..


    The two of them expected a call from their mother, the Dragon Demon Queen Lier.


    However....


    ¡°You are?¡±


    Seigar became surprised when he ran into this person at Lier¡¯s pce. He went into his battle stance, and at the same time, he realized he had made a mistake.


    ¡®I should have brought my long sword!¡¯


    He hade been called into the pce by his mother, so he hadn¡¯t armed himself. Moreover, Seigar¡¯s weapon was arge and heavy weapon. This was why he didn¡¯t carry it around outside of battles.


    At that moment, Seigar regretted that fact.


    His opponent possessed blond hair, and amethyst-like eyes. She was a Dragon Demon girl with curved horns that looked to be crafted out of amethyst. She was beautiful like a doll. From Seigar¡¯s perspective, he could never forget this expressionless girl.


    ¡°Laura Ausaurus......!¡±


    She was the Dragon Demon magician that handed him an appalling defeat in the Dukedom of Tarantos.


    ¡°Everyone run away!¡±


    Seigar stepped in front of his servants as he shouted.


    ¡°Noonim! I¡¯ll hold her off here. Please go to mother!¡±


    He had a heroic expression on his face as he unfolded his Dragon Demon magic.


    He wasn¡¯t armed, but he was skilled enough to rip apart several dozen regr soldiers with his bare hands. Unlike before, he had learned the forgotten techniques, so he¡¯ll be able to buy some time against her.


    ¡°Wait a moment, Seigar.¡±


    However, Arrieta held him back. She stepped in front of Seigar, who was letting out an imposing presence. She noticed that something was off with Laura¡¯s attitude.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who she is, but she isn¡¯t showing any signs of hostility.¡±


    ¡°Mmm......!¡±


    Seigar also felt this. Like Arrieta, he had received the forgotten techniques from Azell, which included the Gaze Detection technique.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°It is as he said.¡±


    ¡°Who are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°He said the Dragon Demon prince will blindly try to fight me, and the Dragon Demon princess will calmly assess the situation. I don¡¯t like admitting this, but it seems he is a teacher that knows his students quite well.......¡±


    ¡°You are talking about my teacher?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    At that moment, Kairen appeared from behind Laura. When they saw him, Arrieta and Seigar became confused.


    ¡°Teacher? What is going on?¡±


    Seigar remained tense as he spoke. His revered teacher was in front of him, but he couldn¡¯tprehend the situation.


    ¡®Is he perhaps an enemy disguised as my teacher?¡¯


    It caused him to question such a scenario.


    Kairen smirked.


    ¡°Imend you for being wary, but I really am your teacher Kairen Tarantos.¡±


    ¡°You are quite silly. You roped me into doing this boring prank.¡±


    Laura grumbled as she turned away. Shepletely ignored the situation as she walked towards the inner pce;


    Arrieta and Seigar still had no idea what was going on. Kairen spoke to the confused two people.


    ¡°I came here, because I need both your help. The king have already given me permission. Follow me.¡±

 Chapter 192 - Transition of Tactics (3)

    Chapter 192 - Transition of Tactics (3)


    6


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you were the legendary hero in the past, and I was discourteous, marquis Azell Karzark.¡±


    Arrieta was courteous as she gave her respects.


    This was their first reunion after they parted ways within the Dukedom of Tarantos. It had been four months. The truths that had been revealed to her in that time frame hadn¡¯t been light.


    Azell burst outughing.


    ¡°How did you find out?¡±


    ¡°Our enemies gave us the confirmation. The words you threw out as a joke was the truth.¡±


    ¡°You believed their words?¡±


    ¡°I believed them. There was always a voice in the corner of my heart that said it might be possible. It was easy to ept it when I received the confirmation. My brother wasn¡¯t pleased with the information.¡±


    At her words, Azell¡¯s gaze turned towards Seigar. His expression revealed a lot ofplex emotions.


    He knew Azell was an incredible person. The stuff he had learned from Azell was worth the weight in gold.


    However, he had been humiliated by Azell. He acknowledged that Azell was the legendary hero, but he felt trepidation in expressing his respects. It was the pride of a young man.


    Azell smirked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to start that now. Just treat me like before. I am a marquis of the Nadick empire. You are a princess. I¡¯m not ranked as high as you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. If that is your wish, I¡¯ll do so.¡±


    Arietta suddenly changed her attitude. The change was so fast that Azell had tough.


    ¡°You became quite imposing since thest time I saw you. You became stronger.¡±


    ¡°Normally, aren¡¯t you supposed to say I became more beautiful?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure some dimwit count from some province will willingly sing your praise. I¡¯ll speak to you as a warrior.¡±


    ¡°You skill with words remains the same. However, I¡¯m not offended by it. It is none other than the legendary hero Azell Karzark giving me thatpliment..¡±


    ¡°I already have the Duke blowing smoke up my ass. I think one is enough. Anyways, let¡¯s stop talking about me now..... Shall we get to the main topic?¡±


    ¡°I heard the short version from my mother.¡±


    Dragon Demon queen Lier was a member of the Guardian Shadows. She retired from the organization after she became queen, but she still maintained her rtionship with the other members of the Guardian Shadows. She gave support when needed.


    Of course, she hadn¡¯t revealed this fact to her children.


    It was because the duty of the royal family was already heavy as it is. Lier hadn¡¯t wanted to draw her two children into the Guardian Shadow¡¯s brutal fight.


    However, the situation had changed. The truths, which had been frustratingly veiled to them, were being brought out into the open. The time for a showdown was approaching. It might be the critical conflict that would decide the fate of humanity.


    Lier was able to understand this truth when Kairen exined the situation to her. Kairen was now in charge of the Guardian Shadows, and she decided to deploy her two children.


    ¡°An organization made by the Archmage Carlos was fighting the Dragon Demon king worshippers from behind the scenes.... It is quite surprising. However, it doesn¡¯t surprise me that teacher is a member of this organization.¡±


    Kairen hadn¡¯t told Arrieta and Seigar about the Guardian Shadows. However, Arrieta had always felt Kairen had a secret that he wouldn¡¯t share with her. It felt as if he was trying to protect her from something.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ll start telling you the specifics. I¡¯ll take questions before I do that.¡±


    Since the two of them were being made into members of the Guardian Shadows, they had a lot to exin. A long conversation ensued.


    7


    ¡°It feels like I¡¯m dreaming.¡±


    When one was away from a girl going through puberty, even a small amount of time resulted in a big change.


    Azell felt this this truth anew. It had only been 4 months, but Enora had grown noticeably. Of course, she was still a cute girl that hadn¡¯t lost all her baby fat yet.


    Azell asked her a question.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. Sir Azell.... Should I call you Marquis Karzark?¡±


    ¡°You can just call me by Sir Azell.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do so. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m trimming the hair of the legendary hero Azell Karzark.¡±


    It had been awhile since they met, so Enora was trimming Azell¡¯s hair. When his hair bothered him, he had cut it off with a knife. It seemed his hair had gotten very roughpared to thest time she saw him.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t as if this is your first time doing this. I thought you said you didn¡¯t think it was a big deal even if I turned out to be Azell Karkark.¡±


    ¡°Y...you should quickly forget that I said such words.¡±


    Enora¡¯s face became red. Azell hadn¡¯t forgotten what she saidst time.


    ¡°...still, I really was surprised.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look too surprised right now.¡±


    ¡°When I heard it for the first time, I almost fainted .¡±


    In regards to Azell¡¯s identity, Arrieta had received confirmation from the Dragon Demon king¡¯s followers within the Bn forest. Afterwards, she told the truth she had learned to Enora.


    At that moment, here eyes had turned round like a rabbit.


    ¡°So what did you feel?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    At Azell¡¯s question, Enora mumbled to herself before she answered him. She had a slightly coy expression on her face.


    ¡°I was surprised, but at the same time, I epted it. It sounded usible.¡±


    It was the same for Arrieta and Giles. When they realized he was the hero Azell Karzark from the history books, they became surprised. However, it seemed obvious when they heard the truth. They discovered that they were able to ept this fact without much trouble.


    ¡°The stories you told me before has more impact on me now.¡±


    ¡°You mean the stories from my era?¡±


    ¡°You really sound like someone from the past when you said that.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. Did I sound like an old man?¡±


    ¡°A little bit.¡±


    Enora let out a yfulughter as she asked him a question.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about this, but..... I know that you are fighting an important fight like you did in the past.¡±


    Enora was told about Azell¡¯s identity, but she hadn¡¯t been told the specifics of their situation. It was something she shouldn¡¯t know about.


    However, she had pieced together information she had gleaned from her past experience. She realized that Azell was fighting a fight that was as important as the Dragon Demon war.


    ¡°Unfortunately, you are right.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate?¡±


    ¡°If possible, I wanted to wake up in an era where I wouldn¡¯t have to fight. I wanted a world where girls like Ms Enora wouldn¡¯t have to be scared of the evil Dragon Demon king worshippers........¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    She stared at Azell as she asked him a question.


    ¡°Sir Azell, what do you want to do after the fight ends?¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious. What does the legendary hero want to do after the fight ends?¡±


    ¡°Something I want to do.....¡±


    Azell had a dumbfounded expression on his face as if he was taken aback.


    He hadn¡¯t thought about this problem before.


    After he woke up, fighting was synonymous with his life. He always fought fiercely against the enemies in front of him, so a future with no fight was like an abstract concept to him.


    He wanted to live a peaceful life.


    He wanted to live a happy life.


    He possessed such vague hopes, but he never sat down to n out what he wanted to do. He had always been too busy.


    After thinking over it for a moment, Azell queried her.


    ¡°What about Ms Enora?¡±


    ¡°I asked you first.¡±


    ¡°You are asking about my future. That information is a bit pricey.....¡±


    ¡°Hmmph. All right. I¡¯ll let it slide since you are the legendary hero.¡±


    Her voice made it obvious that she was sulking. Azellughed. Enora spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ll serve the princess until she retires. When she retires, I¡¯ll follow the princes, and I¡¯ll be her personal head maid. I¡¯ll be in a position to order around other maids with just the gesture of my chin. After while, I want to meet someone nice. It is my dream to live a happy life.¡±


    ¡°That sounds a bit... It doesn¡¯t sound like a girl¡¯s dream. It sounds too realistic.¡±


    ¡°Of course. What nonsense are you talking about? Do you realize how much on the job experience I possess? I¡¯ve even thought about bing the head maid of the royal family. However, the positiones with power, and I don¡¯t like that. I decided to give up on that idea. The princess is the world¡¯sziest person, and she is good to have as a mistress. I want to be by her side, and I want to be happy as I live free from worldly cares.¡±


    ¡°Your n in life is so clear. Amazing.¡±


    ¡°It is your turn now, sir Azell.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. I¡¯ll probably.... I believe I¡¯ll have to fight again.¡±


    Azell let out a bitterughter as he spoke.


    Enora¡¯s eyes turned round.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°There are too many unfinished business that can only be solved through fights.¡±


    When he was posed the question by Enora, he took the opportunity to organize what he had to do.


    ¡°When the fight ends.......¡±


    Soon, he had to defeat the revived Dragon Demon king Atein and his subordinates. He would have to end the fight that had continued from the time before his sleep.


    If he did that.....


    ¡°I want to return to mynds. I want to restore it, so people can live there again. The Bijes kingdom has dispute over mynds, so it won¡¯t be easy. However, it is something that must be done.¡±


    ¡°Ah.......¡±


    At his words, Enora looked as if she knew she had made a faux pas.


    The tragedy at the County of Karzark was well known. It was a historical event to her, but she couldn¡¯t imagine the huge wound that was being felt by him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make such an expression, Ms Enora. You didn¡¯t make any mistake.¡±


    ¡°How can you say that when you can¡¯t even see me.....¡±


    Enora was standing behind Azell, since she was trimming his hair.


    Azell asked in a yful manner.


    ¡°I can see you?¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°Look to the side.¡±


    Enora was frightened to death when she casually looked to her side. Another Azell was there. He was propping up his chin as he stared at her.


    ¡°Kyahhhhhhk!¡±


    ¡°Huhk, Ms Enora! That¡¯s dangerous! Scissors! Watch it with the scissors!¡±


    He had used his clone to surprise Enora. Azell hurriedly dodged the scissors being wielded by Enora.


    8


    Laura was sitting in a rocking chair as she held up a book as if it was a shield. It had the size and thickness of a b of stone.


    It truly had been a long time since she had a break. After the business at the mountain peak of Laus had ended, they had busily moved all over the continent. They had to sleep outside most of the time. This was why the current situation was like a sweet dream. She was resting in a luxurious room, and her needs were being taken care of by the servants.


    She suddenly raised her head.


    ¡°Azell.¡±


    She felt the presence of Azell within her room. Laura¡¯s eyes turned round.


    Laura tilted her head in confusion.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°...nothing. You just look like an olddy.¡±


    Laura was wearing a loose gown as she sat on her rocking chair. She was reading a book, while she had a nket covering her knees.


    ¡®She looks sexy, but why is she giving off a vibe that makes her seems like an olddy or a dame?¡¯


    The Dragon Demon Queen had epted Azell¡¯s party as important guests. This was why skilled maids had worked over Laura. They made her shine.


    If she had put on some nice clothes, she would be drop-dead gorgeous.......


    ¡®She is still alluring right now..¡¯


    He could see milky cleavage between her loose gown, and her bare feet were showing. The sight of Laura was enough to make his imagination go down odd paths. However, Laura¡¯s attitude was that of an olddy, who was rxing in her own house.


    Laura sounded sullen when she spoke.


    ¡°It has been awhile since others took care of me. I just became a bit rxed.¡±


    She had been an important figure within the in of Darkness, so she didn¡¯t feel awkward when being served by others. Azell smirked.


    ¡°It is ok to be like this for one day. We are well defended.¡±


    ¡°It is a bit funny that we have to waste my mental power in order to rest like this.¡±


    On the surface, she looked very rxed. However, Laura was using various magic spells right now.


    In the first ce, high rank magicians were paranoid about their safety. They couldn¡¯t rx without taking all the precautions. If she wanted to truly rx, she had toy down magic spells that would act as barriers. One needed an exhaustive personality if one wanted to deploy all the defensive magic.


    Of course, she had also taken measures in regards to the Vitan¡¯s Chalice.


    It provided the real time location to their enemies, so it was dangerous to have this information known even if they were residing within the pce. The Dragon Demon King worshippers had an absolute rule of working in the shadows. However, Azell¡¯s party didn¡¯t want to make such a dangerous gamble in regards to how their enemies would behave.


    From the perspective of their enemies, Azell was someone they wanted to kill at all costs. They might risk exposing their existence to the public. They might try to destroy the royal pce of a kingdom.


    ¡°Have any enemies approached this ce?¡±

 Chapter 193 - Transition of Tactics (4)

    Chapter 193 - Transition of Tactics (4)


    ¡°Have any enemies approached this ce?¡±


    Azell asked as he looked at the corner of the room. A Guardian Shadow suddenly appeared from the bottom of the floor.


    ¡¸Not yet...........¡¹


    ¡°Hmmm. They know that they can locate us at will once again. It seems they¡¯ve given up on spying on us. Are they gathering their main force?¡±


    At that moment, the Vitan¡¯s Chalice was in its summoned state.


    It was located at a mountain that was 5 kilometers away from the pce. It had been ced within a barrier. If enemies approached the location, the Guardian Shadows would alert them. It was possible to unsummon the Dragon weapon at any moment.


    It was possible thanks to the magic tome Laura inherited from Carlos. Carlos had included all his magical knowledge into the book, and Carlos had made it so that a significant amount of spells could be demonstrated by the magic tome.


    For a high ranking magician like Laura, the book was priceless. Normally, magicians treasured their knowledge, and they put a premium on knowledge that was passed down from their ancestors. They also became obsessed with it.. After going through their studies, magicians had to conduct magical experiments for themselves. This was the what being a magician was all about.


    Of course, there is a limit to how much new knowledge could be pioneered by a single magician. This was why magicians wanted previously verified knowledge. This allowed them to branch out more.


    Moreover, this book was made by Carlos, who was acknowledged to be the greatest prodigy by Atein and the Dragon Demon general. He had researched for a time period that transcended the limitation of human life. Laura¡¯s power was increasing each day just from learning the knowledge from the book.


    Suddenly, Laura spoke.


    ¡°However, it¡¯s weird.¡±


    ¡°What is?¡±


    ¡°Why did Carlos Rizester give me this book?¡±


    This book was the essence of Carlos¡¯ magical achievement. When Carlos chose to pass on the book, he had given it to Laura instead of Yuren. He did so, while acknowledging the fact that Yuren was his descendant.


    Moreover, Carlos had made it so that Laura was the only one that could read the content of the book. Yuren had to receive the knowledge through Laura. She had to read and learn it before she could teach it to Yuren. He had to go through a very inefficient method to receive the knowledge.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    For some reason, Azell had a dark expression on his face as he spoke those words. Maybe, it was because the subject of the conversation was Carlos. Laura picked up on this.


    ¡°What are you hiding from us?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Did you hold back information in regards to what Carlos told you?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    Azell readily nodded his head. It was such a natural response that Laura became surprised.


    ¡°What?¡±


    She couldn¡¯t understand it.


    If it was personal business between the two, she could understand him not telling others about it. However, when she deciphered the nuanced response from Azell, she realized that he had held back information that would be important to the party.


    Azell¡¯s face hardened as he spoke.


    ¡°These are unverified information. That is why it is hard to speak it out loud.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.......¡±


    Laura showed signs of being unsatisfied, but she didn¡¯t enquire any further.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to press me for the information?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you had valid reasons for doing so.¡±


    Azell heard absolute trust in her words.


    Suddenly, it made him think about Carlos. Carlos had been touch when he witness Azell¡¯s unwavering trust in him.


    He could understand Carlos¡¯ feelings a little bit. After being thrown into the far future by himself, it was a big relief to have someone that showed absolute trust in him like this.


    ¡°Please tell me one thing.¡±


    ¡°Ask me.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean there is a chance that Yuren might be our enemy?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Azell didn¡¯t hesitate as he shook his head from side to side. Laura was taken aback by his answer.


    When she heard Azell¡¯s story, Laura had guessed that he was talking about the identity and the business rted to the Guide. There were too many basis that were pointing towards the Guide.


    Carlos wasn¡¯t the Guide.


    Carlos had revealed some ufortable information to Yuren, and he had given Yuren a very unsavory item called the Box of Hope. He even went through the steps of not giving Yuren an item that was considered to be his essence as a magician.


    Naturally, her presumptions had a negative tilt to it. There was a possibility that the Guide could be an enemy.


    However, Azell was firm in his denial.


    Laura was confused. Countless possibilities swirled around inside her head, but she couldn¡¯t determine which one was true.


    Azell spoke with conviction.


    ¡°Yuren won¡¯t be our enemy. You can trust in that.¡±


    9


    Azell¡¯s party stayed at the pce of Rin for one day. They weren¡¯t in a position to stay in one ce for too long.


    They decided one day was enoughn,


    It wasn¡¯t just Arietta and Seigar. Giles and Boar were brought into the Guardian Shadows, and they created a framework for cooperation. These were people that Azell could trust. The number of people he could trust was small, and he needed as many trustedrades as he could get right now.


    Moreover, it was decided that Arrieta would join the party.


    There was a significant amount of consternation until this decision was made. It was because Arrieta and Seigar were insistent that they should be the one to go.


    Azell couldn¡¯t take both of them. The Dragon Demon princess and the Dragon Demon prince carried out important missions for the Rin Kingdom. At the very least, one of them would need to continue their work as the front man.


    This tug of war ended in Arrieta¡¯s victory, because Kairen held up Arrieta¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m judging this objectively. Arrieta has gone through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, so her potential is higher than yours.¡±


    Seigar gritted his teeth at his teacher¡¯s cold assessment.


    He was frustrated, but he couldn¡¯t dispute Kairen¡¯s words. After shepleted the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, Arrieta¡¯s Dragon Demon magic had made a noticeable jump. It was such arge jump that it was almost unbelievable that she was a Dragon Majin.


    ¡°Moreover, you have feelings of animosity towards Laura.¡±


    He also couldn¡¯t deny that truth.


    In the end, he backed off as he swallowed back his pride.


    Kairen consoled the devastated Seigar.


    ¡°You will be staying here, so your responsibility will be immense. You will work with the other Guardian Shadows to cut off our enemy¡¯s lifeline. You¡¯ll have to risk your own life each time.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Azell was the revived legendary hero, who had transcended time. Arrieta would join him to fight for the fate of the world.


    The heart of any martial artist that was born in this era would be excited at this prospect. Seigar also felt the same way, so he was greatly disappointed.


    ¡°I¡¯m jealous of you, noonim.¡±


    Seigar let out a bitterugh.


    10


    Kairen was cautioning Arrieta.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve joined our party, you have to pull your own weight. Your station in life won¡¯t grant you any exceptions.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I n on pulling my own weight.¡±


    From a young age, Arrieta was put through harsh trainings by Kairen. It was true that she showed unbelievable amount ofziness in the pce, but she was capable of pulling her own weight in any situation.


    ¡°I have important things to teach you, but I¡¯ll have to dy these lesson for ater time.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°For a while, you¡¯ll have to get used to moving at our speed. We move at a very fast pace.¡±


    At his words, Arrieta¡¯s expression stiffened a little bit. She knew that her teacher boasted an abnormally fast moving ability.


    ¡®Will I be able to keep up?¡¯


    In truth, she was worried. After she inherited the forgotten techniques from Azell, she hadpleted the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. However, she still wasn¡¯t confident in her abilities.


    At the same time, she had a question.


    ¡®They are able to keep up?¡¯


    Azell was a given, but how was the other party members able to keep up?


    Soon, she was able to acquire the answer to her question. The party had started to move.


    ¡°Ha-ah, ha-ah.......¡±


    It had been a long time since she had be exhausted just from running.


    She had thought she was well equipped to travel a long distance. She had been trained by Kairen since her childhood. She had climbed the mountains numerous times.


    However, the speed of Azell¡¯s party was beyond the limits of what she had experienced. The more surprising part was.....


    ¡°We¡¯ve reduced our speed significantly to match Arrieta¡¯s speed. Will that not cause us trouble?¡±


    ¡°Let us say we do prioritize our speed. The princess won¡¯t be able to adjust to our speed, and if we are ambushed, she won¡¯t have any stamina to fight. In my opinion, that would be a worse oue....¡±


    ¡°I know why we are in this situation, but it still worries me.¡±


    Kairen and Azell were having this conversation as they prepared their meal.


    ¡°Here. Please have some water.¡±


    There was an awkward atmosphere amongst the party members. Arrieta was close with Azell and Kairen. However, she wasn¡¯t sure how to treat Laura, Leticia and Yuren.


    Fortunately, Yuren behaved in a pleasant manner. He talked to her first.


    ¡°T...thank you.¡±


    ¡°It is only your first day, yet you are doing very well in following us..¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    It didn¡¯t matter how great one¡¯s skill was. No one traveled in the manner Azell¡¯s party traveled.


    They ran on their own two feet to traverse across mountains andkes. How many would think about running across several hundred kilometers through all types of terrain? If it was a short distance, it was understandable to ignore the terrain. It was extremely odd to travel long distance when a carriage or a horse was avable.


    Basically, she had not experienced anything like this in her life. She never had to use her abilities in such a manner. However, if she moved like this for couple days, she thought she would be able to slowly adjust to it.


    ¡°Still.... You guys are amazing.¡±


    Laura, Leticia and Yuren weren¡¯t showing any signs of fatigue. Arrieta was proud of her ability, so she felt her unyielding spirit rise up.


    ¡°May I call you by Ms Letica?¡±


    ¡°Please take out the Ms. You can just call me by Leticia.¡±


    Leticia answered in a blunt manner. It seemed she didn¡¯t care if the other person was a princess. She wasn¡¯t going to show Arrieta any deference.


    However, Arrieta didn¡¯t get mad as she asked a question in return.


    ¡°May you just call me by Arrieta?¡±


    ¡°...hmmm.¡±


    Leticia¡¯s expression turned peculiar.


    ¡°As a royal, I thought you guys ce much importance on your rank. You guys stake your life on it.¡±


    ¡°You can think of me as being a bit strange. Other royals aren¡¯t like me.¡±


    ¡°I see. Then I¡¯ll do as you say, Arrieta.¡±


    At her words, Arrieta had a peculiar expression on her face. Leticia was puzzled by her reaction, so she asked Arrieta a question.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°...Ah. This is the first time I¡¯ve experienced this.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°A woman of simr age as me just called me by my name. When I was young, some called me by a false name. I¡¯ve just been called by my real name... Hmm. It is a strange feeling, but it isn¡¯t as if I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    Arrieta nodded her head as she mumbled to herself. When Leticia saw this, she smirked without realizing it.


    ¡°You are a strange princess.¡±


    ¡°Should I take that as aplement?¡±


    ¡°I think so.¡±


    In truth, Leticia hadn¡¯t like the idea when she heard that Arrieta was joining their party. She had already formed a strong bond with her party members. Someone was going to intrude into their party dynamic. Of course, she wouldn¡¯t wee it.


    She became more opposed to the idea when she found out that the person joining their party was a princess. However, some of her trepidation went away when she saw Arrieta¡¯s attitude.


    Arrieta decided to talk to Laura next.


    ¡°Ms Laura.......¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m throwing this out there just in case.....¡±


    Before Arrieta could speak, Laura cut her off with an expressionless face.


    ¡°Please do not add Aunsarus to my name. I¡¯ve thrown that name away.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. It is an unwee name even for me, so I wee the suggestion.¡±


    ¡°You can just call me by Laura. I¡¯ll call you by Arrieta.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Arrieta looked to be enjoying herself. After being taught by Kairen starting from her childhood, she had always lived her life as a princess. The current experience was stimting her in new ways.


    After a short meal, Kairen gave an exnation.


    ¡°As I¡¯ve exined yesterday, we are going to go around destroying the waypoints of the Road of Emptiness.


    Laura, Leticia and Yuren consolidated their information, and they were able to name a total of 222 locations.


    ¡°...there are a lot of them.¡±


    Arrieta was surprised. However, if she thought about it, this continent wasrge. If there weren¡¯t that many, the Dragon Demon king worshippers wouldn¡¯t be able to suddenly appear and disappear like they had been over the years.


    ¡°Currently, there are 204 of them left.¡±


    If they included the ones destroyed by the Keepers of Prophecy, they had destroyed 18 waypoints.


    It hadn¡¯t been easy fights. The in of Darkness had set up defensive measures, and they had to charge into the teeth of the defense. Moreover, all the Dragon Demon king worshippers in the region were called into the fight. There were cases where several groups of the Guardian Shadows were almost wiped out. This was why Kairen transitioned into being extremely careful in directing their attacks.


    First, he sent in the Guardian Shadows to check the response of their enemy. If there was a high ranking official that they couldn¡¯t handle, the attack was aborted.


    Of course, Azell¡¯s party was the exception. Azell¡¯s party only had to avoid Almarick and Reygus.


    Arrieta was dismayed after hearing Kairen¡¯s exnation.


    ¡°We are talking about the legendary hero and the Dragon Demon Generals. It feels unreal. They are the enemies we¡¯ll have to fight but......¡±


    ¡°When they approach us, they¡¯ll snap you right out of such feelings.¡±


    Kairen snorted.

 Chapter 194 - Message (1)

    Chapter 194 - Message (1)


    1


    Kayalia didn¡¯t have a real body.


    This was true long before the Dragon Demon war. She was from an extinct tribe. She was a 1st generation Dragon Demon, who had been revered as a goddess.


    Since she have lived through multiple lives, her history was longer than any nation in existence. In front of her, even the Dragon Demon generals were like children to her.


    However, Kayalia didn¡¯t treat herself as being an ancient being.


    It was true that she had the memories of her past life. From the moment she was born without parents, she had walked this world, and she had memories of living lives as several different beings.


    The problem was the fact that it really didn¡¯t feel like her life.


    It was like an adult trying to remember the memories from childhood. The thought process and actions of the being she used to be felt foreign to her. When she was reborn in a new body, she lived life with apletely different personality. She repeatedly had an awakening, but she always maintained a part of her current personality. It would be strange if that didn¡¯t happen.


    Whenever Kyalia experience her past life, her personality changed a little bit. She had also experienced life as a human, so it was unclear if Kayalia remained the same person.


    Right now, she.......


    <Why are you acting?>


    -What do you mean?


    At Reygus¡¯ question, Kayalia tilted her head in confusion.


    She was like a girl from a noble family. She was elegant as she drank her tea.


    It was impossible for her to do this. She didn¡¯t have a real body, so how was she able to drink the tea ced on the table?


    However, she was doing it right now. She savored the smell of the tea as she drank it. Of course, every item was half-translucent like her. It was an illusion.


    <It really looks like you are enjoying the tea.>


    Reygus questioned her about this.


    It was possible to create an illusion with the power of magic. A magician could probably hold up an illusion, and one could also pretend to enjoy a cup of tea.


    However, Kayalia didn¡¯t look like she was acting.


    She was an illusion, yet she looked as if she was enjoying her tea as she sat on top of her chair. No matter how he looked at it, her actions were believable. It was as if she was holding up items that had weight and texture. She looked to be enjoying the smell of the tea, and he was getting an impression that warm liquid was traveling down her throat. Everything was so matter of fact.


    -I¡¯m really enjoying it?


    <How is that possible?>


    Reygus couldn¡¯tprehend her answer.


    This was why Kayalia changed the topic.


    -Oppa, there is something I miss when my body became like this.


    <What is it?>


    -It¡¯s the fact that I can¡¯t touch anything.


    Kayalia reached out her hand towards Reygus as she spoke. Her hand went through Reygus¡¯ body.


    It was odd. Normally, a ghost didn¡¯t have a true body. However, this was only true when one was talking about the physical body.


    When one was talking about it in terms of spiritual level, they possessed a presence. If a spirit tried to pass through a someone, the spirit would feel resistance and pain.


    As an Undead, Reygus¡¯ spiritual presence was very strong. If a phantom or an evil spirit tried to charge into him, they would be repelled. It would be like running into a steel wall.


    So how did Kayalia just pass through him?


    <Aren¡¯t you a ghost? How can you pass through my body like that?>


    -I¡¯m an illusion.


    Kayalia let out a bitterugh.


    -Before I died, I wasn¡¯t part of the Great Darkness. My past lives weren¡¯t connected to the Great Darkness. It was done through my own personal technique.


    When Kayalia died, she hadn¡¯t prepared her revival technique.


    She could no longer treat her past lives as her own.


    The revival technique had revealed itself to be unstable. She couldn¡¯t continuously live her new life as the same person. If she couldn¡¯t do that, she had no reason to cling to her revival. This was what Kayalia had thought.


    When she was dying, the will left behind by Atein within the Great Darkness was heard by Kayalia.


    -When I agreed to the king¡¯s request, I created a new pact with him. In the distant future,I¡¯ll be awakened as a part of the Great Darkness when the king¡¯s revival nears.


    <Hmmm. I¡¯m not sure what that has anything to do with the question I asked.>


    -I¡¯m getting to the main point now. As I¡¯ve said before, I threw a tantrum saying I don¡¯t want to be an Undead like oppa.


    <You said you wanted him to respect the feelings of a girl.>


    -That¡¯s right. That is why I decided to manifest as a illusion in the real world when the king made me part of the Great Darkness.


    <So you really are an illusion?>


    -That¡¯s right. My body is in the Great Darkness like oppa¡¯s body. The only thing that can be manifested in this world is an illusion. However, that doesn¡¯t mean there is no purpose to my presence. I have the role of being an anchor.


    <Anchor?>


    -I observe the world, and this illusion can act as an anchor. It allows the manifestation of my powers. If this criteria isn¡¯t met, it would be impossible for me to involve myself with the workings of this world.


    <I am having a hard time understanding what you¡¯re saying.>


    When Reygus started to scratch his head, Kayalia giggled.


    -You don¡¯t have to understand it. I¡¯m just an illusion, but I¡¯m able to converse with oppa.


    <You can use magic too?>


    -Yes.


    <That still doesn¡¯t answer why you are able to drink tea.>


    -It is simple. In the Great Darkness, there are countless fragments of thoughts. There are experiences and thoughts of others. I¡¯m there.


    Kayalia was an illusion that wasn¡¯t affiliated with this world. This was why she couldn¡¯t touch anything.


    Kayalia was part of the world called the Great Darkness now. Anything within the Great Darkness was real to her.


    Both Kayalia and Reygus existed within the Great Darkness. However, Kayalia chose to stay within the Great Darkness. Reygus chose to step out into the world within the body of an Undead.


    -That is why I¡¯m sensitive to the problem more so than you.


    <Are you talking the problem I spoke to you about?>


    -Yes.


    Reygus spoke. He knew that he won¡¯t be able to be revived again if his body waspletely destroyed.


    Kayalia was closer to the Great Darkness than Reygus. That is why she was able to feel the problem more sharply.


    -The pirs are being destroyed.


    <What pirs?>


    -These are the pirs making up the Great Darkness. It isn¡¯t just one that was destroyed. I¡¯m the only one that sensed it, but another pir is being destroyed right now.... This will create a great imbnce in the Great Darkness.


    2


    The activities of the Dragon Demon king worshippers were extremely reduced.


    They had been causing confusion all over the continent, but they had no choice to abandon their political maneuverings. Even their lowest ranked political agents were called in to defend the waypoints of the Road of Emptiness.


    This didn¡¯t mean the confusion caused by them were gone.


    Of course, there were problems that arose even when things were supposed to settle down. The Dragon Demon king worshippers had already set the fire, so the intense congration of society continued to ur.


    This was the case in the Dan kingdom.


    To be precise, their problem stemmed from the fact that the king was killed before the heir could be chosen. In the end, a civil war had ured.


    The civil war was getting so intense that the members of the Guardian Shadows affiliated with the Dan kingdom couldn¡¯t do anything. No, the members had to stand by their political affiliation and they had to fight each other.


    As members of the Guardian Shadow, they were supposed to protect humanity by fighting the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    However, they were also nobles of the Dan kingdom. They had to choose a new king before they could end the civil war. They had to bring stability to their kingdom.


    ¡°...I¡¯m not sure we can interfere with matters involving another country.¡±


    Kairen grumbled as he shook off the blood from his sword.


    The corpses of Dragon Demon king worshippers were strewn about, and the Undeads were ruthlessly destroyed. They were the forces ced here to protect this location by the in of Darkness.


    Azell and his party didn¡¯t have high hopes that the Guardian Shadows of Dan would mobilize to help them. In the end, Azell¡¯s party had to attack the waypoints.


    Leticia spoke.


    ¡°From their perspective, they did the best they could do, so I can¡¯t fault them too much.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m notining about them. I¡¯mining about the situation itself.¡±


    The members of the Guardian Shadows in the Dan Kingdom couldn¡¯t participate in battles, but they had done much to support Azell¡¯s party.


    They gave Azell¡¯s party ces to rest. They also sent supplies and healers to them. Since Azell¡¯s party was continuously moving as they fought, their help was invaluable.


    Each member of Azell¡¯s party was strong enough to make their name known even if they were back in the Dragon Demon war. However, they possessed living bodies. They couldn¡¯t free themselves from fatigue and wounds.


    After the party entered into the Dan kingdom for a fortnight, they were able to destroy nine waypoints.


    If there were easy fights, there were also dangerous fights. Leticia, Arrieta and Yuren were wounded in different battles. They had to sit out one battle each.


    ¡®Our fatigue has to be taken into ount. For a while, we¡¯ll have to avoid fighting. We have to focus on rest.¡¯


    Kairen came to that decision.


    The biggest burden possessed by the party was the Vitan¡¯s Chalice.


    They couldn¡¯t rest in one ce, because of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. If they stayed in one ce too long, Almarick and Reygus would lead their elite forces against Azell¡¯s party.


    Kairen asked a question towards the nearest Guardian Shado/


    ¡°Please check if it is possible for Azell to contact us.¡±


    In the next moment, Kairen got his answer.


    ¡¸I¡¯m still fighting.¡¹


    ¡°We finished faster than him? I guess that location was much more dangerous than expected. Let us retreat for now, and we¡¯ll wait for Azell to contact us.¡±


    Azell and Laura were moving separate from the other party members.


    They were moving separately, but their objective wasn¡¯t the destruction of the waypoints. Their objective was a bit more important.


    Azell contacted Kairen after three hours. The Guardian Shadow spoke with Azell¡¯s voice.


    ¡¸We were sessful.¡¹


    ¡°It seems you had to fight a very hard battle. You took a very long time.¡±


    ¡¸Atein¡¯s monsters were ced here as guards. They were quite annoying.¡¹


    The goal of Azell and Laura was to destroy the pirs of the Great Darkness. These locations possessed transcendent beings that Atein had been unable to kill.


    Carlos had found out where all the pirs were located when he became affiliated with the Great Darkness.


    These beings might be unsealed like Belrun, so Azell had no choice. He had to destroy them. When he came to this judgement, he decided to move independent of his party. He only took Laura along with him, because he predicted he would need a magician.


    When he arrived, he found out that the seal wasn¡¯t left unprotected by Atein.


    ¡°You were able to destroy it without suffering any loss, but it seems it would be better if we move together.¡±


    ¡¸I agree. I underestimated them too much.¡¹


    Azell readily admitted his mistake, then he asked a question.


    ¡¸How did it go on your side?¡¹


    ¡°We were able to neatly wrap things up here. We suffered no injuries, and the loss to the Guardian Shadows were minimal.¡±


    ¡¸I¡¯m d.¡¹


    ¡°The problem is....¡±


    Kairen decided to speak to Azell about a problem that had been weighing on his mind.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡¸I believe the duke¡¯s judgement is correct. We need the rest, and we need time to be able to teach the Dragon Soul to the princess.¡¹


    It had been 20 days since Arrieta had joined the party.


    In this time frame, Kairen had been trying to teach the Dragon Soul to Arrieta. However, they were too busy fighting and moving. This was why it was difficult for Arrieta to make any progress.


    Reshoo was the founder of the Dragon Soul, and even he needed over a month to teach Kairen and Leticia. Moreover, they were able to focus on their training, since their enemies wouldn¡¯t attack them within the forest. They were also able to avoid major pitfalls thanks to Saibein¡¯s ability, so their progress had been fast.


    Inparison, Arrieta¡¯s environment was too poor to learn the Dragon Soul.


    ¡°For the near future, we¡¯ll avoid battles. We can decrease our traveling speed as we rest......¡±


    ¡¸I just had a good idea.¡¹


    Azell cut off Kairen¡¯s words. Kairen was puzzled as he asked Azell a question.


    ¡°What¡¯s your idea?¡±


    ¡¸I¡¯ll travel with Laura for a while. Then you guys will be able to rest.¡¹


    ¡°Mmm. What about you?¡±


    ¡¸I have the Storm Dragon¡¯s Wing and the Crying Phoenix. We¡¯ll summon the Vitan¡¯s Chalice in a distance location, and when our enemiese to confront us, we¡¯ll dodge them. If it is just one person, I can move with her.¡¹


    ¡°Understood. Let¡¯s do that.¡±


    Kairen decided to follow Azell¡¯s suggestion.

 Chapter 195 - Message (2)

    Chapter 195 - Message (2)


    3


    Laura was exhausted as she sat in front of the campfire. She had her eyes closed with an ashen face. After talking to Kairen through the Guardian Shadow, Azell spoke with a weak voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°I should be the one saying that to you.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one that made the wrong judgement. You don¡¯t have any reasons to apologize to me. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Azell gave an apology.


    The monsters, who were left behind by Atein to protect the sealed transcendent being, were terrifying. Azell and Laura were able to defeat them after a fierce battle. However, Laura had used too much magical energy, so she was exhausted.


    Azell was also tired, and he was injured. Azell had be injured protecting the exhausted Laura.


    Azell didn¡¯t ry any of this through hismunication. He wanted hisrades to rest in peace. He wanted to take care of hisrades.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t possess the Vitan¡¯s Chalice.......¡±


    ¡°If so, we would have had to fight a foe equipped with the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. You shouldn¡¯t ce unnecessary me on yourself.¡±


    Artpe unfastened his cloak, and he ced it around Laura¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°You¡¯ll feel better soon. The Guardian Shadows will keep a lookout. We¡¯ll rest for an hour here. You should take a quick nap. I think you need sleep more so than meditation.¡±


    ¡°What about you? You should be.....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m all right. I¡¯m built much sturdier than you.¡±


    In truth, Azell¡¯s wound wasn¡¯t light. There was arge cut on his left side, and couple ribs were cracked. He had used his Spirit Order to stop the bleeding, but he would need proper healing.


    Still, Azell wanted Laura to rest first.


    ¡°I want you to sleep for now. If you don¡¯t recover enough to move on your own, it¡¯ll be troublesome.¡±


    ¡°...yes.¡±


    She had abused her mind and Energy Pulse as she consumed her magical energy. Sleep washed over her as she felt a chill. Laura swallowed the words she was about to say, and she went to sleep for a brief amount of time.


    When she opened her eyes again, Azell was putting out the campfire.


    ¡°Are you awake?¡±


    ¡°Yes. When you started putting out the campfire, I assumed it was time for us to move.¡±


    It seemed she used a spell that was activated when a prerequisite was triggered.


    She had slept for a short amount of time, but she had recovered significantly. Laura queried him.


    ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°I talked with the duke once again after you fell asleep.¡±


    The party had destroyed the waypoints of the Road of Emptiness for the past 40 days. They had travelled all over the continent. They had fought at an incredible pace. They had traveled several hundred kilometers per day, so they hadn¡¯t taken any breaks. Even Azell¡¯s condition was deteriorating.


    They had worked in concert with the members of the Guardian Shadows to destroy 31 waypoints of the Road of Emptiness.


    Their enemies still had 191 waypoints left. They still had enough waypoints to travel the entirety of the continent.


    ¡°We¡¯ve significantly decreased their mobility, but..... We didn¡¯t take any breaks as we made the big push. That is why we are slowly hitting our limit. We¡¯ll have to spend a good amount of time on fixing ourselves..¡±


    ¡°How long is a good amount of time?¡±


    ¡°If nothing drastic happens, it should take a fortnight.¡±


    They would have to leave the battles to the members of Guardian Shadows in each country. They would have to focus on supporting them with intelligence.


    Laura¡¯s expression darkened.


    ¡°The others will be able to rest, but you.....¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Azell went out of his way to use the word ¡®we¡¯.


    ¡°We¡¯ve worked diligently, and as a result, there are huge gaps in the Road of Emptiness. We¡¯ll pick one of those regions.¡±


    ¡°What about the Albatan forest?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ll be ourst resort. We¡¯ve already used that ce as a refuge once. If we repeat our actions again, it might not matter that we are in the Albatan forest. The in of Darkness might risk a war with the Albatan forest. We can¡¯t discount that possibility¡±


    If that happened, Albatan couldn¡¯t guarantee the safety of Azell¡¯s party. Albatan was the leader of the forest, and he would have to make decisions based on politics. If he made a level headed judgement, there was a high probability that Albatan would chase Azell¡¯s party out of the forest.


    -Awaken Dragon Weapon! Crying Phoenix!


    An enormous bird made out of fire appeared in front of Azell. It was as big as a house, and it looked if it was capable of carrying several people on its back.


    In fact, it was capable of doing just that.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    He got on the fiery phoenix. No one in their sane mind would want to get on it, yet Azell and Laura didn¡¯t hesitate as they mounted the phoenix. When the two of them got on, the phoenix beat its huge wings as it flew into the air.


    In a sh, the ground dropped away. Laura asked him a question.


    ¡°Was it like this during the Dragon Demon war?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by your question?¡±


    ¡°The whole world is on our side, yet we don¡¯t have any refuge we can use.¡±


    ¡°No. It was a war where the allied forces were putting up a fight against invaders. It was a different situation than the one we face right now.¡±


    Azell¡¯s gaze headed towards the darkening sky.


    It was as Laura had said. The Dragon Demon king worshippers were the enemy of world. This was why the whole world was on Azell¡¯s side.


    Still, they didn¡¯t have any ce where they could rest in peace. Their enemies were on the defensive, yet they had to travel at a pace where their enemies couldn¡¯t catch up with them.


    ¡°If Almarick and Reygus didn¡¯t exist, we could hole up anywhere.....¡±


    Those two were the the problem. Aside from Azell¡¯s party, no one could contend with Amarick and Reygus. To be precise, Azell was the only one that could fight on an even ground with them.


    When the two of them woke up, Laura couldn¡¯t help but worry about other hidden forces that might wake up within the in of Darkness.


    ¡°Still, this fight has an end. The pressure on us lessens everytime we destroy a waypoint.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t erase the fact that our enemies know our location.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t weing up with some ways to counter that? As I¡¯ve told you earlier, I don¡¯t want you to me yourself. It is better than watching a city with tens of thousands of people being evaporated into ashes by the Vitan¡¯s Chalice..¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    It was as he said. It wouldn¡¯t have mattered if it was a regr Dragon weapon. The Vitan¡¯s Chalice was too dangerous to hand over to their enemies.


    However, it was also true that the Vitan¡¯s Chalice was the root of many of their troubles. That¡¯s why they had thought about destroying the Vitan¡¯s Chalice....


    ¡®There is no guarantee that they won¡¯t be able to summon it again even if we destroy it.¡¯


    The Dragon weapons of the Dragon Demon generals were affiliated with the Great Darkness. If its owner was dead, it would return to a fixed location. This urred even if one gave up rights to the weapon.


    The problem arose from the fact that Carlos had been unable to decipher the structure of this system.


    Would the Dragon weapon cease to exist if it was destroyed? Or would its essence be returned to the Great Darkness? Would it be recovered as time passes?


    If it was thetter, it would be the worst possible oue.


    In the case of Azell, he had a reason to be pessimistic in regards to the possibility of Vitan¡¯s Chalice being restored. He had recovered his Sky Splitter.


    In the Bn forest, he had gone through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual with an Earth Dragon. He had thought his Sky Splitter had ceased to exist. However, he had found the fragments of the Sky Splitter within his Energy Pulse, and he was able to restore it.


    In the end, Azell had no choice, but to maintain the status quo.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°It is true that the distinction between allies and enemies were much more simpler during the Dragon Demon war. That part was easier.¡±


    The Dragon Demon king¡¯s army had attacked the world as an army of conquerors. In turn, humanity coalesced into one to resist against the attackers.


    Of course, there had been a lot of problems. There were political problems, and various forces fought for their own profits. These were the types of problems that had been present at the time, but it wasn¡¯t asplicated what they faced right now.


    ¡®Since things have turned out like this, it might be better to reveal the existence of our enemies. What if we make it everyone¡¯s fight instead of a fight between the Guardian Shadows and the Dragon Demon king worshippers?¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t as if Azell¡¯s party hadn¡¯t thought about this before. However, they decided the coteral damage from a head to head fight would be toorge.


    Unlike the days of the Dragon Demon war, the continent was divided into seven kingdoms.


    The Guardian Shadows transcended nationality. Their mission was to fight the Dragon Demon king worshippers. If the Dragon Demon king worshippers were revealed, the existence of the Guardian Shadows would be revealed too. It would create many problems.


    This was why Azell¡¯s party hadn¡¯t gotten involved with the civil war inside the Dan kingdom. As a noble from another country, Kairen¡¯s involvement would cause an incredible amount of bacsh.


    It would have been great if everyone could cooperate with each other for the sole purpose of fighting the Dragon Demon king worshippers. It would have been great if the world was that simple.


    Since the world could never be like that, they had no choice but to fight in this manner.


    On the other hand, the Dragon Demon king worshippers didn¡¯t want to reveal themselves to the world either. It was a fear that was developed during the Dragon Demon war.


    They were afraid of their existence bingmon knowledge. They no longer had the power to fight against the entire world.


    ¡°We have no choice but to nudge the world at a slow pace.¡±


    Their te was already full taking care of the chaos caused by the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    Still, this didn¡¯t mean they weren¡¯t going to do anything. They possessed operatives like the Dragon Demon Queen of the Rin kingdom. The organization called the Guardian Shadows kept itself hidden as they carried out their work of eradicating their enemies.


    ¡°If possible, I want to finish them before they make themselves known to the world. I don¡¯t want a repeat of the Dragon Demon war.¡±


    Azell liked this peaceful erra.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t as if the whole world was peaceful. However, he was able to find peace in this world.


    He didn¡¯t want the entire world to suffer under a war. He didn¡¯t want the world to go crazy again. He didn¡¯t want children to be born into the world where it would be hard for them to imagine a world without a war.


    ¡°I want girls like Ms Enora to live in a peaceful world. I don¡¯t want them to even know about the war until it has alreadye to an end.¡±


    Laura quipped.


    ¡°...you sound like an old man.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that as a revenge for what I said to you before? However, I cannot refute your words.¡±


    Azell burst out intoughter.


    4


    As each waypoints of the Road of Emptiness were destroyed, the freedom of movement enjoyed by the Dragon Demon king worshippers were decreased significantly.


    When traveling to a ce, it mattered that they were able to appear in front of their destination. The difference in what they could do differed significantly if they had to travel an hour to reach a destination. If the Road of Emptiness could be used continuously, it might not have mattered. However, it took time to restart the gate, and the number of forces that could be move through them was limited. Their effectiveness decreased noticeably.


    When problems urred, it was getting progressively harder to gather all their forces in one ce. This was why each waypoint had defensive forces stationed there. They were no longer on the offensive, and the burden they had to shoulder also grew.


    Moreover.....


    ¡°It is as if they can read our mind.¡±


    The biggest problem was the fact they they were falling behind in terms of information. Kieren had on a serious expression as he pointed out this fact..


    In the beginning, the Guardian Shadows attacked blindly. This was why the Demon King worshippers were able to smash them into pieces in several asions. However, at some point, their tactic had changed.


    First, they attacked a waypoint to induce additional forces from the in of Darkness to be sent in. If someone that they couldn¡¯t handle showed up, they would give up on the battle. They cleanly cut their losses as they retreated.


    Niberis asked him a question.


    ¡°What if it is there n to attack different locations at the same time?¡±


    Kieren and Niberis weren¡¯t dispatched amongst the normal defense force stationed at the waypoints. They acted as support. They were only inserted when there was a problem.


    In the beginning, the two of them smashed their enemies, and they made glorious contributions. However, at some point, their enemies retreated everytime the two of them were dispatched. They wereing up empty.


    Currently, they had already used the Road of Emptiness toe here, so their hands were tied. While they were waiting, another waypoint was being attacked.


    It was obvious that their enemies had created a list of dangerous figures they would avoid. Moreover, the Guardian Shadows possessed capabilities simr to the Great Darkness where they could assess a given situation in real time. They were fighting the battles in an organic manner.


    Kieren frowned.


    ¡°That¡¯s it. They attacked as if they waited for us to arrive here. It seems the nearby forces were mobilized, but.....¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s the nearest waypoint?¡±


    ¡°It is 32 kilometers away. We won¡¯t be able to make it in time..¡±


    When a waypoint of the Road of Emptiness was used once, it needed 10 minutes to recharge.


    Even if they waited for the waypoint to recover in 10 minutes, they wouldn¡¯t be sent directly to the waypoint that was being attacked. If things were going poorly, the troops would have already been sent from the in of Darkness.


    Niberis spoke.


    ¡°They really are focused on decreasing the density of waypoints.¡±


    The Guardian Shadows weren¡¯t just decreasing the number of waypoints. It was clear that they were attacking the waypoints as they stuck to a game n.


    The game n was to to maximize the distance between each waypoints.


    The Guardian Shadows were steadily cutting away at their mobility. This was what Kairen had aimed for.


    ¡°We just have to hope that the they canst. Our waypoint will recover faster, so when the other side recovers, we can immediately move.......¡±


    ¡°Sir Baldazark!¡±


    Suddenly, Niberis desperately yelled out loud. At the same time, she activated her defensive magic.


    Gwah-gwa-gwahng!

 Chapter 196 - Message (3)

    Chapter 196 - Message (3)


    ¡°Sir Baldazark!¡±


    Suddenly, Niberis let out a desperate shout. At the same time, she unleashed her spell.


    Ggah-gwah-gawhng!


    An unbelievable amount of thunder was sent towards them from a long distance away, and it exploded.


    Kieren¡¯s eyes opened wide in shock.


    ¡°Where the hell did that......¡±


    Niberis had created a Magic Eye that ryed information to her. She had done this as a precaution, and she was observing a radius of 3 kilometers. An attack had been sent from farther out.


    On top of that, they were in a mountainous region. If the attacker was farther out than 3 kilometers, one wouldn¡¯t be able to secure a clear view of them. So how did someone manage to pull off this attack?


    -Rise Dragon weapon! Bleeding Star!


    As they asked such questions to themselves, they immediately summoned their Dragon weapons. The two of them had faced several life threatening situations in the past. They wouldn¡¯t be taken unawares anymore.


    Even if they hadn¡¯t been careless, their minds couldn¡¯t make sense of what had happened. They were caught off guard. It couldn¡¯t be helped.


    Paht!


    Kieren¡¯s eyes widened.


    Something had prated their multiyered barrier magic. As if that wasn¡¯t bad enough, something pierced through his shoulder.


    ¡®T....this is.....!¡¯


    Kieren realized the identity of the attack.


    ¡®Dragon weapon: Underworld¡¯s Marksman!¡¯


    It was the Dragon weapon that had critically wounded the Dragon Demon general Baldazark during the Dragon Demon war. Kieren was Baldazark¡¯s descendent. Of course, he knew about this weapon.


    ¡°Azell Karzark!¡±


    The lightning strike in the beginning was bait. On the surface, it looked like a poor move that would cause unnecessary vignce in one¡¯s opponent. However, the Underworld Ruler¡¯s Marksman was used right afterwards, and they were taken by surprise.


    Kieren endured the pain as he pushed his body forward. The blooding out of his wound sparked as it turned into mes that surrounded his body.


    Paht! Pah-baht! Pah-bah-baht!


    The bolts sent by the Underworld¡¯s Marksman hit the me. After Baldazark almost died from this weapon, he had developed a barrier spell that would counter this weapon.


    The magic consumption was extremely high, and it had a critical w of increasing his susceptibility to all other attacks. However, it was better than being killed by the Underworld¡¯s Marksman. Unfortunately, this defensive method could only be used on himself.


    ¡°Koo-ahk!¡±


    His subordinates that were outside the range of his barrier were dying. Kieren grinded his teeth.


    ¡°Shit! I want everyone to retreat inside for now!¡±


    They were being sniped by something that defied reason. It was dangerous to be in a wide-open space. With this in mind, Kieren retreated into the cave.


    Niberis followed after him. However, she felt puzzled by what had ured.


    ¡® Why were none aimed for me? Why?¡¯


    Not a single bolt from the Underworld¡¯s Marksman had been aimed at her. Half of the bolts were focused on Kieren, and the rest were aimed at her subordinates.


    Soon, Niberis was sessful in locating Azell.


    ¡®Over there!¡¯


    Unexpectedly, Azell wasn¡¯t putting in too much effort in hiding himself. He just used an Invisibility technique that discouraged his enemies from seeing him through sight.


    ¡®We are at a disadvantage right now. We¡¯ll have to retreat for now....¡¯


    She was having such thoughts when her surrounding suddenly warped.


    ¡°Niberis!¡±


    Kieren extended his hand in surprise, but he was a beat toote.


    Niberis¡¯ figure disappeared as if she was a heat shimmer in the distance.


    Ggwah-gwah-gwahng!


    Afterwards, violent lightning impacted the cave. The cave entrance copsed.


    5


    In a sh, Niberis realized that she had been transported a long distance using the Dimensional Distortion.


    Niberis knew of only one person that could pull this off.


    ¡°Laura!¡±


    Vitan¡¯s Chalice could use Dimensional Distortion to connect point A to point B. It was Laura¡¯s specialty. She could use this trick to pull anyone in front of her. It was an unpleasant experience, but it was true that Laura had used this move to save her from being killed by Azell.


    Still, that was the past. It was clear that Laura was an enemy.


    ¡®I¡¯m still within 1 kilometers.¡¯


    Niberis quickly assessed her situation.


    Thankfully, the Vitan¡¯s Maze hadn¡¯t been used. This was why she was pulled only a distance of a kilometer. She was also able to sense that she was cut off from Kieren and her allies when the cave entrance was brought down.


    If Kieren used his ability, he would be able toe out of the cave in short order. However, Niberis wasn¡¯t confident that she couldst that long against Azell¡¯s party.


    ¡®If I had the time to use the Queen of Darkness....¡¯


    She decided to quickly summon her Book of Darkness. She had to use the great magic called the Queen of Darkness to amplify her ability. However, she wasn¡¯t given the time to use it.


    Puh-buh-buh-buhng!


    Unfortunately, her enemies wouldn¡¯t give her the opportunity to use such a move. She didn¡¯t even have time to say anything to Laura, who was in front of her. Lightning rained down from all directions towards her.


    ¡®Sky Splitter!¡¯


    Azell had initiated his attack.


    The lightning was like a mixture of me and electricity. The lightning hammered on top of her barrier spell. It felt as if dozen magicians were attacking her at the same time. Niberis could only focus on her defense.


    ¡®If I cannot endure this.... This ce will be my grave.¡¯


    When she hardened her defense, she started bouncing around the air like a ball. She didn¡¯t have the luxury to assess her surrounding. She put all her efforts in not losing her concentration.


    Soon, she realized that she was high up in the sky.


    The lightning that had been mindlessly impacting on her barrier was gone in a sh. Azell had halted his attack.


    Soon, she heard Azell¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Niberis, will you have a conversation with me?¡±


    ¡°...what underhanded scheme are you plotting this time?¡±


    Niberis couldn¡¯tprehend his motive, so she furrowed her brows.


    When she looked down, she saw that the ground was very far away. Even as a high rank magician, she had never climbed up to such elevation.


    ¡®Did he intentionally bring me up here?¡¯


    She was chilled with fright.


    Basically, Azell had used his Sky Splitter without a single ounce of killing intent behind it. He didn¡¯t given Niberis the chance to counterattack, and he had separated herpletely from her allies without injuring her. It had all been done for this purpose.


    Azell shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the fact that I have to go through all these annoying steps to have a conversation with you. However, I made a promise, so I have no choice.¡±


    ¡°You promised? To whom did you make this promise with?¡±


    ¡°The Simpleton Prince.... I meant to say your father. I made a promise with Saibein. ¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Niberis¡¯ eyes widened.


    However, her surprisested only a moment. In a short amount of time, her expression calmed.


    Azell queried her.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem as surprised as I thought you would be.¡±


    ¡°If my father was alive, I had a feeling my father would run across you.¡±


    In the past, Niberis had tracked down Saibein¡¯s whereabouts. She had gone into the Albatan forest. However, she had experienced something unbelievable in there. A water dragon of unknown origin had delivered the Book of Darkness to her.


    From that moment on, Niberis was sure that Saibein was alive. She didn¡¯t know why he wouldn¡¯t meet her, but she knew he had his reasons for doing so. She had swallowed her disappointment.


    ¡°However.....¡±


    A determined resolve appeared in Niberis¡¯ eyes.


    ¡°It seems you n on deceiving me by trying to sell information about my father to me. I want you to give up on such empty dreams.¡±


    There was a wide river of grudge separating Azell and Niberis. It wasn¡¯t a rtionship that could be salvaged.


    ¡®I told myself I wouldn¡¯t be careless, yet....¡¯


    She thought herself to be pathetic. It was the same in the past when she had tried to attack Azell¡¯s party. She had been helpless as she was walked all over by his party.


    Azell let out a bitterugh.


    ¡°I expected such a reaction. However, I did make a promise. Therefore, I don¡¯t think it would be right for me to kill you just because you cannot drop your hostility towards me. Just listen to me for now. Then I¡¯ll send you back alive.¡±


    ¡°You continue to show contempt by looking down upon me. How much before you are satisfied?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any ns on putting in any effort to look down on you . It would be much cleaner for me to kill you when the opportunity presents itself. If I wanted to, I could have killed you 100 times over since I¡¯ve arrived here.¡±


    ¡°You bastard......!¡±


    Niberis¡¯ body shook from anger.


    An acute sense of humiliation washed over her. On the other hand, she was a high rank magician, so she tried to cooly assess the situation.


    She didn¡¯t want to admit it, but it was as Azell had said.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Duran. I will not be able to take revenge for you. I found myselfcking.¡¯


    Niberis apologized to Duran, who had died for her. However, his presence still lived within her heart, so she wouldn¡¯t give up even if the fight was insurmountable. She couldn¡¯t withdraw her grudge just because she was curious about her father. Her pride wouldn¡¯t let her do so.


    ¡®As expected, this is how she¡¯ll respond?¡¯


    Azell could read Niberis¡¯ resolve. She showed no signs ofpromising.


    There was no way she could win this fight. Her life was being threatened, and she wanted to know about her father.....


    These were the reasons why she should withdraw her grudge against Azell. She should ept the demand for a conversation, but she wasn¡¯t going to humiliate herself by choosing that option. Her pride was strong and upright like a de.


    ¡°I kind of like that about you.¡±


    He had to deliver Saibein¡¯s message to her. From his perspective, it was a frustrating situation.


    On the other hand, he could understand and sympathize with her intentions.


    Azell and hisrades in the Dragon Demon war had felt the same thing as her. The Dragon Demon king¡¯s army held an absolute edge against humanity. The Dragon Demon king¡¯s army threatened their lives to forcefully forge a deal with humanity. However, Azell and hisrades never agreed to such terms.


    ¡°I have no choice. I¡¯ll make you listen with my strength.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to aplish that easily.¡±


    ¡°Unless you immediately take your own life....¡±


    She had opened her Book of Darkness as she was about to cast a spell. Her heart lurched when she suddenly heard Azell¡¯s voice from behind her.


    ¡°You have no choice but to hear me out.¡±


    Lightning exploded against her barrier. Niberis¡¯ body shot upwards.


    ¡®Is it Incarnation?!¡¯


    This was one of Azell¡¯s moves that instilled extreme fear in her. She had experienced it ad nauseam.


    She had experienced it before, but she had no way of countering it. Several dozen forms of Azell surrounded Niberis, and a storm-like attack was sent towards her.


    Gwah-gwah-gwah-gwahng! Gwah-gwahng!


    It was the same situation that had sent her up to this elevation. It was such a fierce attack that she could only defend against it.


    No, she was in a worse situation.


    ¡®T...this is......!¡¯


    The Sky Splitter had changed itself into several thousand strands of light, and they were attacking Niberis¡¯ barrier from all sides.


    While this was going on, another fatal attack was being used against her.


    Azell was using his Moon sword to eat away at her magical energy.


    Normally, she would immediately try to counter such a move. However, she was having a hard time juststing against Azell¡¯s bombardment. Her barrier was slowly decaying, yet she couldn¡¯t do anything about it.


    ¡°Do you now realize why I took the trouble to bring you up here?¡±


    It felt as if she was going to lose her sense of hearing as the explosive sounds assaulted her ears, yet Azell¡¯s voice could be heard clearly. It was as if he was whispering his words right next to her ears.


    ¡®Do you think I¡¯ll take this lying down!¡¯


    Niberis used her hidden card. She hadn¡¯t used it, because of Laura. However, Laura wasn¡¯t present in this elevation.


    The Book of Darkness let out a wave of terrifying Dragon Demon magic. Several dozen spells poured out into the surrounding.


    Kwahhhhhhhhh!


    The Book of Darkness¡¯ strength was its overwhelming firepower. There were a great number of spells baked into the book, and she didn¡¯t need to chant the spells to use them.


    Once she took out the Book of Darkness, it was basically like having several dozen magicians as her support.


    In a sh, Niberis¡¯ firepower exceeded Azell¡¯s firepower. Her spells pushed aside the lightning from the Sky Splitter as she created space for herself.


    ¡°Respond to my call! Oh, Book of Darkness!¡±


    She used the Book of Darkness to create an opportunity for herself. He chained the spells together as she used a continuous stream of magic. She nned on stacking the spells in order to fight against Azell.


    Pah-jeek!


    Niberis¡¯ eyes widened.


    ¡®What?!¡¯


    Her spells were broken. A high level spell had intruded from outside.


    ¡®Laura?¡¯


    Naturally, she thought about Laura. However, Laura hadn¡¯t followed them up into the altitudes. However, she was here at the same time.


    ¡°They are a lesser version of her, but I basically have four Lauras with me. That should be enough magical support.¡±


    Amongst Azell¡¯s clones, there were four silhouettes made out of light.


    It was the Dragon weapon called Dawn¡¯s Defender. He had created clones with the help of Laura.


    ¡®I heard it in our lore, but how many Dragon weapon can he summon all at once?¡¯


    Niberis was at a loss for words.


    The Sky Splitter was an incredibly terrifying Dragon weapon in itself. However, Azell was using the Storm¡¯s Wing to fly at high speeds, and the Moon sword was eating at her magical energy. Now he had manifested four clones of Laura using the Dawn¡¯s Defender.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡±


    Azell continuously attacked her as he calmly spoke to her.


    ¡°As you¡¯ve surmised, the Simpleton Prince is alive. He is alive and very healthy. He delivered his Dragon weapon to you, because he made an oath to be the resident of the Albatan forest. This was why he couldn¡¯t meet you.¡±


    ¡°Ooh-ook......!¡±


    ¡°Your father wanted me to persuade you to leave the in of Darkness. I think his request is nonsense, but he made the request. I¡¯m delivering his message to you.¡±


    ¡°Azell Karzark!¡±


    Niberis raged. It felt as if her brain would fry from the humiliation she was feeling. However, Azell didn¡¯t care what emotions she was feeling. He was meticulous in hamstringing her spells. He continued to put her on the defensive as he spoke.


    ¡°Your father left the in of Darkness, because.......¡±


    She couldn¡¯t shake off Azell¡¯s voice, and it shook Niberis¡¯ heart.

 Chapter 197 - Message (4)

    Chapter 197 - Message (4)


    6


    In the end, Azell was able to exin the entirety of Saibein¡¯s situation to Niberis before he exited the ce.


    Laura had been in a far away location, so she could harass their enemies. She had remained inside a barrier. Laura asked him a question.


    ¡°What if we.......¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it have been better to kidnap her?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen Niberis¡¯ personality. It wouldn¡¯t have been strange to see her kill herself if we did that.¡±


    ¡°However, we could¡¯ havepletely subdued her. Couldn¡¯t we have just taken her straight to Sir Saibein?¡±


    ¡°...we were in debt to the Simpleton Prince, so we carried out the promise we made him. Still, I don¡¯t want to go that far in trying to fulfill that request. Moreover, our opponent isn¡¯t that easy.¡±


    While Azell taunted Niberis, he thoroughly assessed her intentions.


    However, this didn¡¯t mean Niberis was a foe that we could take lightly. In the process of pulling her up into the air, he could have killed her at any moment. However, once she regained her footing in the air, it had been hard for him to pierce through her defense.


    The biggest problem had been the time limit.


    ¡°I believe Sir Almarick is here.¡±


    Laura was using a mid level Magic Eye. She had been monitoring the waypoint in the far distance.


    While he had been having a conversation with Niberis, Kieren had exited the copsed cave. Then Almarick revealed himself through the recovered waypoint of the Road of Darkness.


    However, they were toote. Azell and Laura was already exited the location at full speed.


    Azell let out a bitterugh as he spoke.


    ¡°If we could defeat that bastard, we wouldn¡¯t have to do this.....¡±


    The tracking of the Dragon Demon general¡¯s Dragon weapon was an ability possessed by Almarick. Aincera didn¡¯t have that ability. Basically, Azell¡¯s party would be freed from the pressure of moving endlessly if they killed Almarick.


    However, it wasn¡¯t time yet.


    They had to get rid of as many waypoints to the Road of Darkness. At the very least, Azell had to create a scenario where he could fight Almarick or Reygus in a one on one fight. He had recovered the strength he possessed during his prime, but he couldn¡¯t guarantee he could win in a battle against two of them.


    ¡®The opportunity wille.¡¯


    Azell buried the humiliation he had suffered in his past battle, and he made a cool judgement.


    Laura queried him.


    ¡°What are you going to do about Niberis?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    Azell told her the truth.


    He told her how her mother had died, and he had told her what her father had suffered within the in of Darkness.....


    At first, she had been incensed. However, her face started to turn pale as the story continued. At the end, she was frozen. She didn¡¯t even think about catching Azell, who was making his exit.


    It was all a lie. That was what she had thought. It was all bullshit that was meant to deceive her.


    However, there was something she could not deny. Azell knew too much details into her personal affairs. Laura used to be a high ranking officer in the in of Darkness, but there was no way she would have known about Niberis¡¯ personal affairs.


    ¡°If possible, I would like you toe to a sensible decision. She was someone I wanted to kill at all cost in the past, but.... I¡¯m reluctant to do so now, because of Saibein.¡±


    Azell let out a bitterughter as he asked Laura a question.


    ¡°Which option do you prefer?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m of the same mind as you.¡±


    Laura didn¡¯t like Niberis. From Laura¡¯s perspective, Niberis was someone that hadn¡¯t grown up doubting her own existence. She was someone that had been revered by everyone. Of course, Laura had be jealous of her.


    However, such emotions became faint when she became Azell¡¯srade.


    Laura already lost the source that had caused her to be jealous of Niberis. She wasn¡¯t a tool within Azell¡¯s party. She hadrades, who respected her. She was treated as someone with feelings.


    ¡°Maybe... I might be feeling sympathy towards Niberis.¡±


    Laura wasn¡¯t sure of her emotions, yet she continued to speak.


    In the past, Niberis and Laura didn¡¯t care about each other¡¯s personal life. The only thing that was important to them was the way they treated each other aspetitors.


    It was different now. She had learned the truth about Niberis through Saibein. Laura knew the truth now, and she could no longer look at Niberis with the same eyes.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°That might be true, but it is as you¡¯ve said. She had been deceived and lied to by the specters of the past that refuses to die. She lived her life by being blinded by their fanaticism.¡±


    In the past, Azell had considered Niberis only to be an enemy. However, his perception went through a change when he met Saibein.


    He saw Niberis as a person now. She was a person that could cry,ugh and grieve.


    It was an unwee change. It was best to only have hatred and hostility towards one¡¯s enemies. Once one found a reason to be sympathetic towards an enemy, it was inevitable that the sword would be dulled.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°I no longer want to fight Niberis.¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m being truthful, I feel the same way. I suffered a big loss in trying to keep this promise. I just have to hope her choice won¡¯t let this end on a sour note.¡±


    Azell had suffered a lot of losses in this venture.


    The fact that he could have eliminated a strong foe like Niberis was a big loss in itself. Even if he knew information that made him feel sympathy towards her, this might result in her killing one of his allies in the future.


    Moreover, he had revealed the extent of his powers to her. He hadn¡¯t shown her everything, but every information about his Dragon weapons would have already been transmitted through the Great Darkness.


    Azell had shown good faith in keeping Saibein¡¯s request. If Niberis chose to fight him despite all of this.....


    ¡®At that point, it can¡¯t be helped.¡¯


    7


    While Azell¡¯s party took a break, the Guardian Shadows and the Dragon Demon king worshippers continued their fierce battle.


    The damage to both sides was proliferating.


    The role of attacking and defending was flipped, but it wasn¡¯t as if one side was overwhelmingly superior to the other. The Guardian Shadows were a bit ahead in terms of gathering information, so they were able to take the Dragon Demon King worshippers by surprise. However, one couldn¡¯t underestimate the fighting strength of the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    The members of the Guardian Shadows in each country were dying in ones and twos.


    The spirits of the Guardian Shadow were no longer immortal, and their numbers were steadily decreasing.


    ¡°It is unfortunate that the continent was divided into seven kingdoms.¡±


    Kairen wasmanding the Guardian Shadows from the Rin Kingdom.


    He was taking a break from fighting, but he still had to y his role. He gathered the information being sent to him from all over the ce, and he was giving orders in real time.


    Arrieta, who had been monitoring the situation from his side, let out a bitterugh.


    ¡°It might have been better to have this war out in the open.... No, if that happened, I doubt we would be able to unite our forces.¡±


    If the in of Darkness dered their existence as they waged a war against the world again, would the world really fight back under one banner like the Dragon Demon war?


    She didn¡¯t think so.


    Aside from the kingdoms closest to the in of Darkness, the other kingdoms wouldn¡¯t consider it to be their problem.


    The fear of the Dragon Demon war was etched in history, so there would be some sort of cooperation between the kingdoms. However, the loss of one kingdom meant the gain of another kingdom. She was sure each kingdom would try to maneuver, so they would benefit the most.


    Kairen let out a sigh.


    ¡°This is frustrating. I am a noble of another kingdom. I hate the fact that I have to think about using someone in a simr situation as me. I am capitalizing on their deaths.¡±


    Kairen was tied to the position of duke in the Rin Kingdom. That fact made it difficult for him to reveal to the others that he was themander of the Guardian Shadows.


    A member of the Guardian Shadow had died moments ago.


    After seeing how the enemies were being mobilized, he had ordered a retreat. However, this person hadn¡¯t listened. It was something that happened often in battle even if themand structure was crystal clear. Themand structure hadn¡¯t been established in the Guardian Shadows, so it wasn¡¯t surprising to see this ur.


    A noble from another kingdom had died, and he was troubled by it. Moreover, it was also a loss to the organization called the Guardian Shadow.


    However, there was a more important factors that troubled him. The dead member was in the same position as Kairen in the past.


    This person had be a member of the Guardian Shadow, because he had enmity towards the Dragon Demon King worshippers. This was the reason why he had fought with his life on the line.


    Instead of feeling respect and sadness towards the dead member, Kairen felt revulsion towards himself.


    ¡°Someone has to do this task.¡±


    ¡°...it seems I¡¯ve lived long enough, since I¡¯m being consoled by you.¡±


    Kairen let out a bitterugh. He had only seen her as his young student, who he had to look out for. However, he realized that she was an adult in her own right.


    Soon, he changed the topic of conversation.


    ¡°How¡¯s your Dragon Souling along?¡±


    ¡°It keeps on staying at the precipice of seeding and not seeding.¡±


    They had decided to move independently from Azell and Laura. This was why Kairen had decided to return to the Rin Kingdom, and his party had joined up with Seigar. Moreover, he started teaching Arrieta and Seigar about the Dragon Soul in earnest.


    Both of them were Dragon Majins, but they possessed as much Dragon Demon magic as Dragon Demons. This was especially true for Arrieta, who had gone through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. She had grown in leaps and bounds.


    On top of that, she had learned the forgotten techniques. She possessed all the prerequisites needed to learn the Dragon Soul.


    However, the Dragon Soul wasn¡¯t that easy to awaken.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°There is no other way than to be make steady progress. You¡¯ve already learned the method, so you just have to work on it. It¡¯ll awaken before you know it.¡±


    ¡°How long did it take for Leticia and you?¡±


    ¡°It took us about a month and a half. However, your environment is inferior to what he had.¡±


    Kairen didn¡¯t think he was better at teaching the Dragon Soul than Reshoo. Reshoo was the founder of the Dragon Soul, and he possessed deep understanding of this technique.


    On top of that, Saibein¡¯s absence was the biggest factor. Reshoo had driven Kairen and Leticia to their limits, because Saibein possessed a healing ability. He couldn¡¯t do the same with Arrieta and Seigar.


    Arrieta asked him a question.


    ¡°I see. So who awakened the Dragon Soul first between you and Leticia?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    At her words, Kairen visibly frowned. His expression was an answer in itself.


    ¡°She was ahead of you, teacher. She¡¯s amazing.¡±


    ¡°That is.......¡±


    Unlike him, Leticia had known about her own nature. He was about to make an excuse, but he shut his mouth. He thought it would be unmanly of him to do so.


    Kairen grumbled.


    ¡°You learned all the bad things from Azell, while you traveled with him. That is why you are being so mean.¡±


    ¡°If it isn¡¯t now, when will I get to make fun of you? Hmmph. I should try hard to break your record. I can understand falling behind Leticia, but my pride as an elder sister would be hurt if I fall behind my brother¡±


    On the other hand, Seigar¡¯s pride as a man would be hurt if he came in behind her. This was why he was trying very hard. The two siblings didn¡¯t look alike, but they were alike in every other way.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°However, it seems we won¡¯t be able to rest until Seigar and I awaken our Dragon Soul.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Our absence is putting a lot of stress on our side, so we¡¯ll be moving in four days.¡±


    In four days, it would exactly be two weeks since they decided to move independently from Azell and Laura. Everyone was well rested, and they were back to peak condition.


    Currently, they had destroyed 40 waypoints. There were 182 left.


    ¡°The deciding battle will start when the number of waypoints falls below 100. We just have to hope that our forces will be able to hold out until that timees.¡±


    Kairen was nning on dispatching Reygus or Almarick at that point. He would set up a stage where they would be able to kill either of them for sure.


    However, it was always true that no n survives contacts with the enemy.


    8


    It had been 220 years since they had started the battle behind the scenes. This was the first time the in of Darkness had their hands full.


    They knew the value of the Road of Emptiness. They knew it better than anyone. It was a relic left behind Atein, who they had deified. This added to the value of the relic, and they decided that they would have to protect it no matter the cost.


    They could no longer leave the fight to the younger generation. The survivors of the Dragon Demon war had pulled the strings from the background. Now they would have to move their heavy butts.


    Of course, if one thought logically about it, not much would change even if they did move into the field. It was the same as the elders of the Aunsaurus tribe. They were Dragon Demons, but they had all weakened from old age. It had been too long since they had abdicated their ces from the front line.


    However, those that were swept up by fanaticism usually made irrational decisions.


    Reygus spoke.


    <Hmm. I shouldn¡¯t be saying this, but what an ungainly sight. >


    ¡°I feel the same way. However, the extra forces will be useful.¡±


    Almarick smirked.


    Laura and the younger generation were told that only 20 survivors of the Dragon Demon war were left within the in of Darkness. Everyone else was dead thanks to passage of time ....


    However, that wasn¡¯t the truth.


    There were some amongst survivors of the Dragon Demon war, who had voluntarily changed themselves into the Undead.


    If one thought about it rationally, it was truly a foolish choice. Even if one became an Undead, one couldn¡¯t maintain one¡¯s sanity for long. Of course, if the Undead was made well, there were various methods that could be used to maintain the Undead. One couldst for another several dozens of years, but this time period would be filled with pain.


    However, these beings wanted to see the revival of the Dragon Demon king with their own eyes.


    It was as Saibein had told Azell. It didn¡¯t take too long for the in of Darkness to be changed into a religiously fanatic organization. Those at the top were filled with madness, so it wasn¡¯t strange to see them act in such extreme manners.


    When they changed themselves into the Undead, they had put themselves into a long hibernation in order to maintain their sanity.


    However, the upper echelon of the in of Darkness had no choice, but to wake them up. This was how desperate their situation was.


    Reygus shrugged his shoulders.


    <How much help can they be? I guess the magicians might help, but those that wield swords need a lot of time to re-attune their senses.>


    Spirit Order practitioners and the Dragon Arts practitioners lost a lot when they became Undead.


    When they became Undead, they lost all reference points for their techniques. They had to re-tune their techniques to the standard of the Undead, and it wasn¡¯t a thing that could be solved in a short amount of time.


    Almarick let out a bright smile as he asked a question.


    ¡°Are you speaking from experience after being drubbed by Azell?¡±


    <...ughh. You are poking at a painful memory.>


    When he became an Undead, Reygus had lost all his Dragon Demon magic. As a Dragon Arts practitioner, he had lost a lot of his skills inparison to his past self. However, he had used battles to get used to the senses of an Undead.


    Almarick spoke.


    ¡°Anyways, just the magicians will be of big help to us. These bastards have a lot of things hidden away, so it has been nice to continually use their resources. However, it seems the well is about to dry up, and I¡¯m not too happy about it.¡±


    For the most part, he had Aincera¡¯s support, so Almarick had been acting as the suprememander within the in of Darkness. However, those that were in power respected him, but they refused to reveal all they possessed to Almarick.


    <Mmm?>


    Suddenly, Reygus raised his head. Almarick asked in puzzlement.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    <Someone ising.>


    ¡°Is it someone that is worth paying attention to?¡±


    ¡°How could it not be?¡±


    However, the one to answer Almarick wasn¡¯t Reygus. Almarick and Reygus became surprised.


    <Who are you?>


    Someone had entered into the room after tricking their senses. After being revived, this was something both of them had experienced for the first time.


    The other person had his head covered with a ck hood. No, if one was to be precise, a magical power was creating a curtain of darkness beneath the hood. It obscured the identity of the being, and it also modted his voice.


    ¡°It seems a lot of time has passed.¡±


    The being in front of them took off his hood as he spoke.


    When his face was revealed to Reygus and Almarick, they felt more surprised than the surprise they had felt when their senses were deceived.

 Chapter 198 - Return (1)

    Chapter 198 - Return (1)


    1


    Yuren was having a dream.


    It was a familiar situation. He was dreaming about the Guide. Countless fragments of memories were entangled in this chaotic space. Yuren was in a half-asleep state when the Guide whispered to Yuren.


    -It seems you are unsatisfied about something.


    ¡®You aren¡¯t Carlos Rizester?¡¯


    Yuren brought up a question that he had harbored for a long time. The Guide gave an affirmation.


    -That¡¯s right.


    ¡®Are you the being that I¡¯ve spected to be?¡¯


    -You know that I cannot answer that.


    ¡®If you are the one I guessed, you would say that.¡¯


    -Even if I wasn¡¯t, I would have said the same thing.


    ¡®Unfortunately, that is true. When I say one thing, you evade in a different direction. I really do hate you.¡¯


    Yuren grumbled. He could only guess at the identity of the Guide. However, he didn¡¯t have any information that could confirm his suspicions.


    Yuren was greatly disappointed when he found out that the Guide wasn¡¯t Carlos.


    He had wanted the Guide to be Carlos. He wanted confirmation that he was the reincarnation of Baion, and he wanted the Guide to be someone that had fought besides Azell.


    Suddenly, the Guide asked him a question.


    -Yuren, what do you think about the life you are leading right now?


    ¡®I believe I am using my life for a worthy cause.¡¯


    Yuren truly felt that way.


    Until he met the Guide, Yuren hadn¡¯t thought for himself. He didn¡¯t have feelings, and he didn¡¯t know what he liked. He had been developed as a tool for the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    After meeting the Guide, Yuren started to find out what he disliked.


    He didn¡¯t like the environment he was subjected to, and he didn¡¯t like being made into a disposable soldier to be used by the Dragon Demon king worshippers. On top of it all, he hated himself for not being able to escape from their clutches.


    Currently, he thought he could like himself a little bit now. It was a gradual process. He couldn¡¯t shed the sense of guilt, but as he did the right things, he was starting to feel better about himself.


    ¡®It is all thanks to you.¡¯


    He was able to escape from the yoke of his fate, because the Guide had given him power. He had been grown to be a tool for mad men, yet he was able to use his life as he fit now.


    Above all else, he was able to meet hisrades.


    Azell, Kairen, Leticia, Laura....and even Arrieta now.


    He had established trust with everyone. He was no longer seen as a tool that didn¡¯t have a sense of self. He wasn¡¯t seen as a disposable tool. He gainedrades that would risk their lives for him and vice versa.


    It was a bit embarrassing to say this out loud, but Yuren was truly touched by their attitude towards him.


    He would do anything for these people. He would willingly give up his life for them.


    These were emotions that he hadn¡¯t known it existed until he met them. Moreover, these emotions made him what he was right now.


    -Isn¡¯t that enough?


    ¡®I¡¯m scared.¡¯


    Yuren spoke.


    ¡®Your identity and my identity..,.. I¡¯m afraid the truth differs from what I want to believe.¡¯


    Until now, Yuren hadn¡¯t revealed his insecurities.


    Yuren had always maintained an easygoing attitude in front of hisrades. He acted as if he didn¡¯t have any suspicions about the Guide, who was an unknown entity. It looked as if he was willingly following down the road of destiny being shown by the Guide.


    However, in truth, Yuren was worried.


    He was able to understand his past sins through the Guide. The knowledge ripped Yuren¡¯s heart into pieces. He always looked for an opportunity to escape as he pretended to live as a tool for the in of Darkness. His sense of guilt had kept mounting during this time. It was sorge that he had wondered if he would be able to settle it in the future.


    The meeting with Azell was like finding a light within the dark. He was able to decide how he wanted to use his life thanks to Azell.


    He wasn¡¯t just blindly fighting against the acts being perpetrated by the in of Darkness. He was fighting to end them once and for all.


    It was the same for Leticia. Yuren and Leticia had been continuously fighting a battle with no end in sight. The two of them joined hands, because they had felt the same deste feeling about the future.


    ¡®I¡¯m afraid that you and I might be their enemy.¡¯


    This was the identity of the fear festering within Yuren¡¯s heart.


    Azell and hisrades were invaluable to him. He wouldn¡¯t trade them for anything. This was why he was gripped with fear at the thought of harming them in some way. He was going nuts over it.


    ¡®No matter who you are, I¡¯m really thankful towards you. My feelings about that won¡¯t change.¡¯


    Yuren knew the Guide hade nned out his fate. In fact, he might merely be a puppet moving to the Guide¡¯s tune.


    At the same time, the Guide had given him the freedom to choose his destiny. In the past, he had only one choice. The guide had increased his options to two, and he couldn¡¯t express how thankful he was.


    ¡®If you are our enemy, then I......¡¯


    -It doesn¡¯t matter who I am. You are you, Yuren.


    The Guide cut off Yuren¡¯s words.


    ¡®If my guess is right, I am your reincarnation. We are the same person.¡¯


    -Let us say your guess is right. You are the reincarnation of Baion. Do you feel as if you are Baion?


    ¡®.......¡¯


    He didn¡¯t feel that way. Yuren was sure he was the reincarnation of Baion, but he never considered Baion¡¯s life to be his own.


    -You are Yuren Rizester. It doesn¡¯t matter what you think about me. You cannot deny that fact.


    ¡®Even at the cost of going against your will?¡¯


    -I never forced you to do anything. You made your own choices.


    2


    After Azell and Laura separated from theirrades, they had delivered Saibein¡¯s story to Niberis. Afterwards, it wasn¡¯t as if they spent the remaining time doing nothing.


    ¡°Azell, I think the relic copsed during the excavation, so they gave up on it.¡±


    ¡°I see. Hmmm. It would be great if there was something left over.....¡±


    Azell and Laura was deep within a forest. It was a ce where very few people frequented. They found an old ruin. There was evidence of someone else having tried to excavate this ruin.


    However, it was as Laura had said. The excavation attempt hadn¡¯t been sessful . Instead of arge-scale excavation, a small group had tried to empty the contents of the relic like tomb raiders. The tunnel had copsed in the middle.


    This ruin was made by Carlos during his lifetime.


    Before Carlos was trapped within the mountain peak of Laus, he had made arrangements for Azell. They were ced all over the continent. In the past, Azell had recovered some of them through the information given to him by Yuren.


    After Belrun died, Carlos had told Azell many things before the power of the Dawn¡¯s Defender was depleted. Azell received something he should have gotten when he had woken up inside the ruin. Carlos gave Azell a map with the locations of stashes he left behind for Azell.


    While Azell and Laura was taking a break, they went around searching for these stashes.


    Some had been excavated, and some had remained intact. In the past two weeks, Azell and Laura had visited seven ruins, and three had already been excavated.


    ¡°How much love did Carlos have for you?¡±


    Laura was baffled as she looked at what they found within the copsed ruin.


    The ruin held the red magic cape, which he had worn during the Dragon Demon war. It was a cape made out of a Dragon¡¯s hide.


    For reference, the two ruins before this one had held the true White Dragon armor. The one that he had gained through Yuren had been a replica, and it had been destroyed in the battle against Reygus. It was a truly weing sight to see this item.


    ¡°I guess a lot. That rascal should have left some of the Dragon weapons for his descendants.....¡±


    Azell couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    Carlos had been very persistent in creating these stashes. Aside from the weapons used by Azell, there were truly a lot of items hidden all over the continent.


    Even if he believed that Azell would return someday, wasn¡¯t this a little bit excessive?


    Carlos really wanted Azell to have his items again, and he had truly hated the idea of giving these items to someone else. He didn¡¯t liked it even if the people, who received it, would have been descendants of either Azell or Carlos.


    ¡®Even in death, he makes it hard for me to raise my head....¡¯


    Azell had let Carlos depart this world using his own hands.


    The things that Carlos had arranged were helping him even at this moment. It spoke to a dedication and stubbornness that had transcended these long years. He felt aplicated emotion regarding the subject.


    Suddenly, Laura spoke.


    ¡°You look the same.¡±


    ¡°Are youparing me to how I looked during the Dragon Demon war?¡±


    Laura nodded her head.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°It does bring back old memories.¡±


    ¡°If.......¡±


    Suddenly, Laura spoke.


    ¡°If the king is revived.....¡±


    ¡°That is already a certainty. It is a matter of when.¡±


    Azell had epted the fact that Atein¡¯s revival as something that was going to happen. He had to think of it that way, and he had to prepare against it.


    ¡°What if the king moves in the manner described by Reshoo?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll turn his back on those within the in of Darkness? He¡¯ll have no ns on fighting the world, and he¡¯ll try to bring his ideal to fruition in this world? Are you asking what I would do if he moves with good intentions?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just send him back to his grave again.¡±


    At his unhesitating answer, Laura was taken aback. When he saw her expression, Azell continued to speak.


    ¡°The bastard has the power to change the world His moves are sorge in scale that it defies imagination..¡±


    Atein was capable of changing the course of history. Azell knew this better than anyone in this era. He was a human that had experienced this truth. He had felt it in his bones.


    ¡°The Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual....... Yes, it something that is in the realm of the gods. It wasn¡¯t such a bad idea. From the perspective of humans, it was a boon for them. Actually, it make me want to pity the Dragons.¡±


    Atein had created the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, and he had reset the rtionship between humans and Dragons. If he hadn¡¯t done so, the poption of the world might be much smaller right now. They also wouldn¡¯t have had the power to resist against the Dragon Demon general and Atein during the Dragon Demon war. Humanity would have been on their knees without the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    ¡°On the other hand, the Dragon Demon war is a different story. He wanted to change the world to his ideal, so he turned the world inside out. Countless lives were lost before he realized , ¡®Ah, I was wrong.¡¯ I¡¯m not going to give him the opportunity to repeat such a massive mistake.¡±


    After meeting Reshoo, he had thought about this problem, and this was the answer he came up with.


    ¡°Atein possesses massive abilities. He can overturn this world, and he is a lunatic. What if he tries to strong arm the world into bing like his personal ideal again...... Wouldn¡¯t a tragedy like the Dragon Demon war happen once again?¡±


    ¡°You are going to kill him just because of the possibility of another war?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t just because of the possibility. I don¡¯t n on forgiving that bastard even if he repents. Moreover, I don¡¯t n on believing in the good intentions of a mad man.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Laura closed her mouth.


    Azell asked her a question.


    ¡°It looks as if you want to say something.¡±


    ¡°I... I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    Laura furrowed her brows.


    ording to the Ausaurus tribe, she was taught that Azell was ¡®the person that allowed the king to rewind his fate.¡¯ ording to Saibein¡¯s words, this was the truth.


    Atein started the Dragon Demon war, because he wanted to construct an ideal nation. He wanted to create a better world, so he forced the world to follow his new world order. This resulted in him taking on the role of a conqueror and an invader.


    However, at some point in time, Atein realized that his ideals were merely an illusion that couldn¡¯t be achieved.


    Atein had been very naive in wanting more from humanity and the Dragon Demons. This was why he had despaired after he had thrown the world into chaos through the Dragon Demon war. He had realized his mistake.


    However, it was toote to recognize his mistake, and he was no longer able to stop what he had started. Atein despaired, but he also tried to take responsibility. In the end, he was killed by Azell. Azell was a sword forged through the events Atein had precipitated when he tried to force his ideals on the world. By falling to Azell, Atein had earned the opportunity to turn back his wrong choice.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°If that is true, I hate him even more.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°He made a horrible mistake that embroiled the whole world. Countless people had died as a consequence. He only threw away his own life, because he knew that he would be able to start a new life. That fact makes it more unforgivable.¡±


    Azell was firm in his stance. He didn¡¯t care what Atein had to say after his revival. His resolve wouldn¡¯t be shaken.


    ¡°The rtionship between me and that bastard is already set in stone. There is no turning back for us. In fact, the events that urred during my sleep makes me more secure in my position.¡±


    This point had been agreed by Azell and Carlos. They hade to the same conclusion in theirst conversation.


    ¡°The acts perpetrated by the in of Darkness... The remnants of his people transforming into a religiously fanatic organization after the Dragon Demon war... Atein has nothing to do with that? Ha! Bullshit. Laura, you have a habit of differentiating between the people of this era, and the beings that existed in the past. However, that isn¡¯t reasonable.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    It was true. Laura tended to think that way. She was incensed by the actions perpetrated by the in of Darkness, but she didn¡¯t show any signs of hostility towards Almarick. He had been disguised as an elder, who had consoled her.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°If Atein hadn¡¯t made preparations for his own revival, the in of Darkness wouldn¡¯t have been able to cause trouble to this extent. Moreover, Carlos wouldn¡¯t have had to go through the hellish period of time where he had to wait for me.¡±


    If Atein had died a normal death, Azell would probably have a different opinion. However, Atein had prepared the Great Darkness and the Road of Darkness for his eventual revival. The rights to the Dragon Demon weapons of the Dragon Demon generals and all other artifacts were given to the in of Darkness.


    It resulted in loss of knowledge like the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, and a gue called the Great Darkness. It was the worst catastrophe of this era.


    ¡°Atein had made arrangements for his revival, and he allowed the survivors of his followers ess to his artifacts. He has to take responsibility for everything that resulted from that point on.¡±

 Chapter 199 - Return (2)

    Chapter 199 - Return (2)


    3


    After the break ended, the party reunited within the southern border of Rin.


    From the perspective of the in of Darkness, it was reasonable to assume that Azell¡¯s party were moving to take out the waypoints near this region.


    However, there were previous cases where Laura attacked a region on her own, and she had caused confusion as to where they would attack. They had to be more vignt, so the in of Darkness gathered as many troops to the nearby waypoints.


    However, Azell¡¯s party had a totally different aim.


    ¡°Currently, there are 180 waypoints of the Road of Darkness left.¡±


    Kairen updated his party on the current situation. While the party was reuniting, the members of the Guardian Shadows had destroyed two additional waypoints.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°We still have a long way to go.¡±


    ¡°It would be great if we had overwhelming number of troops, so we can hit each waypoint at the same time.¡±


    ¡°If we had such detailed information in the Dragon Demon war, theplexion of the war would have changed.¡±


    Azell let out a bitterughter.


    However, when he thought about it, the waypoints didn¡¯t have as much value during that time period. The Road of Emptiness was the lifeline of their current enemies, because they decided to reside at the end of the world. The ce was called the in of Darkness. It was important, because it allowed the in of Darkness to carry out their activities around the continent as a secret organization. If they were fighting the whole world, the road would still be a treasure, but it wouldn¡¯t be a critical loss if it was destroyed.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Anyways, as of today, one more location will be destroyed for sure.¡±


    Even if their goal was in a different location, this didn¡¯t mean they wouldn¡¯t use this situation to their advantage. While the enemies were concentrated in the nearby waypoints, Count Beorein Michael and the elite forces led by Dragon Demon Prince Seigar would hit apletely different location.


    Azell asked Arrieta a question.


    ¡°Princess, how¡¯s your Dragon Souling along?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not there yet. It feels as if I¡¯m at the cusp. I heard from teacher and Leticia that they had that feeling before they awakened their Dragon Soul. In truth, I¡¯m frustrated. It feels as if I¡¯m of no help right now.....¡±


    Arrieta became despondent after rejoining the party.


    It was to be expected. As the Dragon Demon princess, her martial abilities had been peerless. This was why she had been in charge of leading others. However, every one of her party members possessed terrifying abilities. So much so that she worried that she was being a burden to them.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°You have been of great help to us already. From our perspective, you are a truly a valuable addition to our party.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Your words does soothe my feelings, but if I look at it coldly, I know that I won¡¯t be of much help if I don¡¯t awaken my Dragon Soul. It might have been better if I was a magician.¡±


    She had such thoughts when she looked at Yuren.


    It was true that Yuren was much inferior in terms of magical energypared to hisrades. He had the hidden card where he could summon and fuse with a Demon, but this method carried a significant risk.


    Still, as a high rank magician, Yure¡¯s abilities couldn¡¯t bepared to a Dragon Arts practitioner with simr magical energy. He was able to fight and support at the same time. This aspect of his abilities had wide utilization.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°It probably won¡¯t take you too much longer to awaken the Dragon Soul. Even when you learned from me, you were an exceptional student.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling better. Were you popr with women, because you possess a smooth tongue?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t really.......¡±


    ¡°I heard about how you were like during the Dragon Demon war. I never expected you to have so many descendants. It was truly surprising.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell¡¯s smiling face froze in ce. He discreetly red at Kairen. Kairen had a devilish smile on his face.


    ¡°My teacher cautioned me about giving my heart to you. He put his heart and soul into making this entreaty. He argued the point by telling me the number of women you brought to tears.....¡±


    ¡°Duke.......¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just telling her the truth. I respect the legendary hero Azell Karzark, but you are a lecher that made countless women cry. I want to prevent the possibility of my precious student¡¯s heart getting hurt. I want to stop the possibility at the root. Moreover, Arrieta became part of our party, so I believed she had the right to hear the truths about the Guardian Shadow.¡±


    ¡°Kooh-ook.......¡±


    When Kairen replied in a cheeky manner, Azell started to shake. The problem was the fact that he knew he couldn¡¯t say anything even if he had ten mouths.


    Arrieta broke out intoughter.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be too worried, Sir Azell. I don¡¯t see you as a fast living yboy that throws caution to the winds.¡±


    ¡°...your words are quiteforting.¡±


    Azell grumbled to himself.


    4


    The goal of Azell¡¯s party was to destroy the pir of the Great Darkness.


    Currently, they had destroyed three pirs.


    Before the Nadick empire fell, Carlos had defeated transcendent Dragon Demon Iksseru. She was the first to create the Dragon Demon weapon, and she was the first pir to fall.


    The King of Death Belrun had been sealed by Carlos, but when Azell killed him, the second pir was destroyed.


    Moreover, Azell and Laura had killed a being called the Metal King. He possessed the ability to changed anything into metal, and he believed that he could achieve eternal life through this ability.


    ¡°There are nine pirs left.¡±


    ording to what Carlos had found out, the Great Darkness had 12 seals that acted as pirs.


    However, this didn¡¯t mean Carlos knew all their location and true nature. He had been sure about five locations.


    ¡°We have four targets we have to destroy.... However, only three are realistic targets for us.¡±


    One of the four target was located in the bitter cold region in the north. Basically, it was located within the in of Darkness. At this point in time, it was a location they couldn¡¯t assault.


    ¡°Even without that one, the Great Darkness won¡¯te out unscathed when we destroy half of the 12 pirs.¡±


    Even if half of the pirs were lost, the Great Darkness wouldn¡¯t copse. It was too massive and old for the magic system to fail.


    However, it was possible to weaken its functionality. The proof was seen when Belrun died. The Guardian Shadows were no longer beings with eternal life.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°If I let my emotions dictate my actions, I want to immediately go to the in of Darkness. I want to destroy them right now.¡±


    ¡°I understand your sentiments.... Please quell your anger.¡±


    Azell tried to soothe him.


    The pir within the in of Darkness had a deep connection with Kairen.


    God of Pestilence Limas.


    The Dragon Demon King worshippers used this god¡¯s artifact to bring about the gue called the Great Darkness. Kairen grinded his teeth when it came to this being.


    Suddenly, Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°I can¡¯ believe it¡¯s this ce again.... It seems we have a close rtionship with thisnd.¡±


    ¡°I guess so.¡±


    Azell agreed with her.


    The party was standing within the Balran forest, which was located in the western region of the Rin Kingdom.


    It was a vast demond where humans dared not tread. It was the perfect ce for a pir of the Great Darkness to exist. It made sense for it to exist in this ce, but Azell and Arrieta truly had mixed feelings from their perspective.


    Everything had started here when Azell woke up from his sleep, which spanned for 220 years.


    He met Giles then Arrieta..... They had fought Dragon Demon king worshippers, and their deeds were worthy of being made into stories.


    As time passed, Arrieta returned to this location for the second time, and she had stopped the 2nd Great Alliance of Darkness. Moreover, she went through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual for the first time in her life.


    Still, both of them never expected to fight on thisnd again with their lives on the line.


    Azell was thest to speak.


    ¡°Ourst opponent, the Steel King, wasn¡¯t that terrifying However, one cannot look down upon the defensive measures prepared by Atein.¡±


    The members of his party nodded their heads. This was especially true for Laura, since she had felt the fear of Atein¡¯s defensive measure to her bones. She was clearly tense.


    ording to the information given to them by Carlos, the being sealed in this ce was called the god of trees.


    This being was able to elerate the growth of trees by several thousandfold. He had tried to cover the whole world with trees that could move like animals. He was defeated by Atein and hisrades, and he had been sealed in this location.


    It might also be the reason why the vast Balran forest had formed here.


    5


    Suddenly, Azell stopped walking.


    ¡°Is it here?¡±


    They had no trouble reaching the location of the seal.


    The Balran forest was called the Demond, but Azell¡¯s party was too powerful. They also used the Magic Eye to scout their surrounding, so they were able to avoid most fights. When a sh with monsters and demonic animals were inevitable, they dispatched them swiftly.


    If the Western Border guard knew about this, they would have fainted. Azell¡¯s party were deep with the forest. Even those that were called experts of the Balran forest never came in this far.


    Laura nodded her head.


    ¡°Here.¡±


    At a nce, it was a wide open space with nothing there. However, she was sure this was the ce.


    Within the magic tome given to her by Carlos, the method to find this Pir of Darkness was written there. Laura had used this method to find this specific location.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m stumped. I don¡¯t think I can use the method where I overturn the earth.¡±


    ¡°Our options are quite limited.¡±


    ¡°I guess we have no choice.....¡±


    Azell took one deep breath, and he started circte his Dragon Demon magic.


    Ooooooooooooooh......!


    A frightening wave of Dragon Demon magic was emitted from him, and their surrounding started to shake. Azell¡¯s party stopped breathing.


    ¡°Whenever I see it.... It is unbelievable.¡±


    Kairen mumbled his words.


    In the past, he had never fallen behind others in terms of Dragon Demon magic. After he awakened his Dragon Soul, his power had been amplified significantly.


    However, the amount of power being emitted by Azell was oppressive.


    Could this really be power that a human possesses?


    Azell¡¯s party wasn¡¯t the only one that reacted to Azell¡¯s disy of power. The entire region went nuts.


    The surprised birds flew into the air, and the beasts ran away. This was what Azell had been aiming for. He wanted to chase away any living beings before the fight started.


    ¡°Well..... I want everyone to take a step back.¡±


    He had finished Dual Banding his eight Rings of Life, and they were resonating. The magical energy generated from the rings were extremely close in nature as Dragon Demon magic. The magical energy filled his Energy Pulse, then it overflowed to wash over the surrounding.


    In the middle of the sky, the Sky Splitter was streaking through the air in its light form.


    The sky started splitting, and enormous branches of light stretched out into the sky. It was such an enormous phenomena that the Western Border guard, who were far away, could see it.


    Still, he was able toplete his Sun Lightsaber without any impediment.


    He didn¡¯t n on steadily going towards the heart of the seal. He had done sost time, and he had experience an epic failure when he triggered the defensive measures left behind by Atein.


    This time he¡¯ll blow it all away.


    He¡¯ll pierce to the center before the magic devices protecting the seal could activate.


    If one considered the target was deep within the ground, it was an illogical idea. However, it was possible if Laura¡¯s power was used in conjunction.


    Laura was concentrating as she held the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. She spoke.


    ¡°I found it.¡±


    She found the seal, which existed deep within the ground.


    Azell was ready to shoot the Sun Lightsaber at any moment. He spoke.


    ¡°Can you open a path to it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can only reach half way.¡±


    Azell wanted her to use the Path of Tears to open a direct path to the seal.


    However, Laura determined that it was impossible to do this. The defensive magic left behind by Atein was too strong. It was even cutting off the Dimensional Distortion created by the Vitan¡¯s Chalice.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to apologize one more time.¡±


    ¡°...what happened?¡±


    ¡°The defensive magic is starting to awaken. When the Dimensional Distortion came in contact with it....¡±


    ¡°We attack immediately.¡±


    Azell was unconcerned.


    It wasn¡¯t as if he hadn¡¯t thought about this possibility. Laura had attempted to use her magic to search and analyze the being below, and of course, he hadn¡¯t expected Atein¡¯s barrier magic to be unresponsive to such a probe.


    ¡°The defensive magic is 270 meters deep.¡±


    It was so deep that it made one wonder how one was supposed to reach that ce. Moreover, the seal was located deeper than the defensive magic.


    Laura¡¯s expression hardened as she spoke.


    ¡°I can no longer locate the exact location of the seal.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. We have to bring down its defense. That part is more dangerous.¡±


    Laura nodded her head. As she retreated, the ground became distorted. She used the Dimensional Distortion to create a tunnel that led deep underground. Then....


    The pure white light connected the sky to the ground as everything burned.

 Chapter 200 - Return (3)

    Chapter 200 - Return (3)


    6


    Three people were flying high in the sky. They were on a bird with long wings, and it was made of white me.


    ¡°That is.......¡±


    In the very far distance, the sky looked as if it was in tatters as it burned. It couldn¡¯t be exined as a natural phenomena. It was producing overwhelmingly more power than a storm.


    ¡°Hmm. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen this phenomena. However, I have this odd feeling that I¡¯ve seen it before....¡±


    ¡°Did you have a sense of deja vu? You speak as if you¡¯ve seen this. It is weird.¡±


    The voice next to him spoke up. The first voice voice answered the second voice.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ve seen it before? I see. However, something unknown to me is happening within that. It is quite interesting. I want to go there quickly, and I want to see what is going on. ¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to be so happy. By the look of things, we were a step toote.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. It¡¯s damage that we have to tolerate.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you being too rxed right now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just one of those things that we can¡¯t do anything about.¡±


    ¡°That point about you is still the same.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. It¡¯s still the same? I should be happy about that. I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll be the same after all of this....¡±


    The first voiceughed. Theughter was buried by the ps of the wings. Theughter was dispersed into the faraway blue sky.


    7


    Azell had manifested his Sky Splitter, and he had used the Sun Lightsaber. He caused a phenomenon called the Extreme Extinction.


    Azell could be in his peak condition, yet the Extreme Extinction didn¡¯t ur every time he used the Sun Lightsaber. Several troublesome prerequisites had to be fulfilled for the manifestation of the Extreme Extinction. The Sun Lightsaber had to be focused at a specific location, and high pressure had to be created. These conditions were a must.


    Azell clicked his tongue.


    ¡°I failed. Shit.¡±


    He hadn¡¯t failed in manifesting the Extreme Extinction. However, he did fail in destroying his target.


    The problem was the fact that his target had been too deep below the surface. If his target had been in a mountain like Belrun, he would have blown up the entire mountain. He would have let the power of the Sun Lightsword radiate outwards to cause an enormous explosion....


    However, he didn¡¯t know what was down there. If he caused an explosion in the deep underground, it could result in a cmitous result. If he was lucky, it would cause earthquakes in the nearby regions.


    What would happen if he was unlucky?


    The earthquake could hit the Southern Border guard pretty hard, and it could cause volcanic activities.


    The consequences of detonating an explosion above ground differed from causing one underground. This was why Azell had concentrated his power to finish the Extreme Extinction. He had no choice.


    The Sun Lightsaber¡¯s Extreme Extinction destroyed everything within its range. However, a problem arose from the fact that the range wasn¡¯t thatrge.


    It destroyed part of Atein¡¯s barrier magic, but the barrier magic had immediately reestablished itself.


    Kairen spoke when he felt the enormous amount of magic energy swell from below the ground.


    ¡°Let¡¯s think positively. At least, we aren¡¯t on a fool¡¯s errand.¡±


    ¡°It might have been better if there had been nothing here.¡±


    Leticia grumbled.


    -Open Dragon Soul!


    She didn¡¯t hesitate as she awakened her Dragon Soul. The image of a green Dragon appeared, and the nearby temperature started to drop precipitously.


    When Kairen awakened his Dragon Soul, strong winds swirled around him. The two of them moved to the opposite ends of each other.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the descriptions, but they are amazing. Still, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to end this fight quickly.....¡±


    The problem was the fact that Azell¡¯s party couldn¡¯t fight a long battle. They weren¡¯t equipped to do so.


    If one extrapted from thest incident, it seemed Almarick and Aincera didn¡¯t really know much about the pirs. However, it was also a possible that they became aware of the pirs through thest incident.


    Azell¡¯s party had to fight with the worst possible scenario in mind. They had to exit this ce as soon as possible after destroying the sealed being.


    Yuren, who had been focusing on his Detection magic, spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ve located the location of the seal. It isn¡¯t good, Azell.¡±


    ¡°The seal was broken?¡±


    ¡°Correct. However, there is also a good news.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It is as you¡¯ve said. Part of the barrier magic have started attacking the being that was released from the seal.¡±


    The defensive magic prepared by Atein was put in ce to protect the seal. Of course, it would try to re-seal the being if the being broke free from the seal.


    ¡°That is good news. Let¡¯s end the tree god before he be wise to this world.¡±


    -Come Dragon weapon! Chain of the Earth Dragon!


    Azell manifested his Dragon weapon. It was an enormous chain made out of some unknown ck substance.


    During the Dragon Demon war, this was only Dragon weapon that could go toe to toe with Reygus¡¯ Soul Hammer. It was like the Earth Dragon, who were capable of controlling the earth. Azell gained the ability to freely move his chain.


    Chwa-roo-roo-roohk!


    It was as if the chain in Azell¡¯s hand was dancing. It was three times as thick as a person¡¯s finger, and it was several hundred meters long. It straightened out into the sky,


    Then....


    Koo-roo-roo-roong!


    It arced in the air before it attacked a certain point in the ground. It shook as it dug into the earth.


    The Chain of the Earth Dragon was like an Earth Dragon. It was capable of freely moving through the earth. It was capable of killing any monsters that were called out by the defensive magic, and at the same time, it could create a tunnel for its allies.


    Soon, darkness poured out of therge hole in the ground.


    It possessed an incredible amount of magical energy, and one could see monsters forming within it. These monsters looked familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go.¡±


    His words were like a starting bell. Azell¡¯s party started fighting the unknown monsters.


    8


    All the immortal beings, who had lost to Atein, possessed abilities that transcended the logic of this world. They possessed extreme power. They all believed that their power was meant to change the world.


    It was true that the world was a mess, so they wanted to change the world into something they considered to be right.


    The Undead King wanted to change everyone into an Undead, so the world would no longer suffer from death and illness.


    The Steel King wanted to changed everyone into living metal. No one would have to suffer from death or decline in health.


    Then there was the tree god....


    ¡®I have to bring peace to the world.¡¯


    The god of trees wanted a world without war. He wanted peace.


    Was nature, which was unsullied by humans, peaceful?


    It wasn¡¯t.


    All beings of nature fought desperately to live. Every being fought to live, and they tried to leave behind their progenies.


    This was the case for animals and nts. Even small creatures like bugs followed thews of nature. It was the survival of the fittest.


    Would covering the whole world with trees bring peace?


    At the very least, the god of the trees believed that.


    There weren¡¯t that many existence in nature that possessed wisdom. Aside from humans and the Dragon Demon race, the number was extremely low. However, they were all the source of the disorder in this world.


    When strong desire and wisdom mixed, irrational results urred.


    Humans were able to imagine and carry out irrational deeds. They were also able to have emotions.


    They destroyed other species to build up their civilization, and they perverted thews of magic. They even changed thews of nature that had existed since the birth of the world. For example, the rtionship between the humans and the Dragons had been changed.


    Both the Dragons and humans had overwhelming greed, but they now possessed the wisdom and power to carry out their greed. This was why he was going to turn the beings of desire into trees. Trees loved peace and harmony. If he changed every being into trees, everything under thews of nature would be peaceful.


    ¡®Atein.......¡¯


    The tree god remembered the being that had defeated him.


    The time he spent sealed was like a dream to him. He had be part of the Great Darkness, and the fragments of thoughts from other beings brushed by his consciousness.


    It had been a very peaceful sleep.


    It was a sleep where he had forgotten all about his desires, humiliation and anger. He hadn¡¯t even had the motivation to wake up.


    This was why he had been asleep in this ce for a very long time.


    When he realized this truth, his anger burned.


    Goo-goo-goo-goo-goo!


    The ground shook.


    The trees on the surface responded to his will.


    He could elerate the growth of trees elerated by several thousand folds.


    The trees under his control could move faster and stronger than animals.


    The god of trees ascended to the surface using the big hole that had been created.


    It happened at that moment.


    Ggwah-gwah-gwah-gwahng!


    A sword made out of blue lightning pierced him.


    In a sh, the sword left an ugly scar on the ground, and it flew back up into the sky. It was a devastating lightning attack.


    His body was broken into pieces.


    However, it was useless.


    -Who are you?


    The god of trees queried his attacker. A young human male with red hair was ring at him. He held a blue sword that was surrounded by lightning.


    ¡°Shit. He is called the god of trees. It seems he is fine after having his body destroyed.¡±


    The red haired young man mumbled to himself.


    The tree god¡¯s body had been unbelievably easy to destroy. However, tree roots gathered from all directions, and they coalesced to form the tree god¡¯s body again.


    He was a tree that had taken on the form of a human. His whole body was made out of wood, and there were many branches, leaves, grass and moss covering him. He was a strange sight to behold.


    Yuren mumbled.


    ¡°It seems we were prudent in removing most of the trees here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d our work wasn¡¯t in vain.¡±


    Leticia sounded tired as she spoke.


    This location had been overgrown with trees. However, an earthquake and a storm had swept through this region. The destruction had reached a radius of several kilometers. It was a mess.


    Azell¡¯s party had done this. The party focused on destroying their surrounding as they fought the monsters summoned by Atein¡¯s defensive magic.


    The tree god possessed the ability to freely control trees. There were many trees nearby, so this location would allow him to maximize his power if they hadn¡¯t done anything.


    The tree god tilted his head in puzzlement.


    -You aren¡¯t Atein.


    Instead of speech, the tree god spoke through mental waves. He looked as his surrounding as he spoke.


    -Who the hell are you? Why are they running away?


    Azell was about 50 meters away as he faced off against the god of trees.


    Hisrades had run away as soon as they saw the god of trees had regenerated from Azell¡¯s attack. They were acting as if a monster was chomping at their heels.


    Azell grumbled.


    ¡°If you hade out a little bitter, I would have ended you for good.... You are making this moreplicated than it has to be.¡±


    He had been fighting Atein¡¯s defensive magic, so he hadn¡¯t been able to prepare his Sun Lightsaber. However, they had used their fight to destroy the forest. They were sessful in destroying most of the trees that could be used by the tree god.


    The tree god spoke.


    -You are quite smart. Are you rted to Atein? You seem to know a lot about me.


    Azell didn¡¯t answer him. He didn¡¯t n on wasting his words on the tree god.


    He had to destroy the tree god as soon as possible, and he had to exit this region. This was why he focused on his senses.


    ¡®I see. It seems he does have a real body.¡¯


    The tree god had his bodypletely destroyed, yet the had regenerated himself through the roots of the trees.


    This alerted Azell to something. He possessed an attack called Extreme Extermination, but he wouldn¡¯t be able to destroy his enemy if he didn¡¯t know where to direct his attack. If the tree god didn¡¯t have a weak point, it would be an absolute disaster.


    However, when Azell concentrated, he was able to find the nuclei of the tree god.


    It was moving along the tree god¡¯s blood vessels like blood. Very small marbles holding his power was circting through his body at high speeds.


    ¡®I can kill him.¡¯


    When his body was destroyed a moment ago, the tree god had moved the nuclei into various parts of his destroyed body. Then he called the leftover trees to reconstruct his body. When Azell became aware of this process, he became sure that he would be able to kill the tree god.


    -Come Dragon weapons! Unyielding Fortress! Earth Dragon¡¯s Chain! Master of Raging Waves!


    He summoned his Dragon weapons in session, and his body was divided into several dozen clones. He had used the Dance of the Shadows, and his clones were identical to him. Each of them possessed a presence. They all ran through the air.


    The tree god titled his head in puzzlement.


    -What an interesting trick. A human is capable of doing such a feat?


    Atein was capable of using Incarnation, and the tree god had fought against Atein. It seemed the tree god had been sealed for a very long time. It must have been a period in history when Atein hadn¡¯t been able to use Incarnation yet. Maybe, they had fought before the technique called Incarnation was created.


    Koo-koo-koo-koo-koo!


    The Earth Dragon¡¯s Chain swept over the region. A massive amount of soil surrounded the tree god, and it attacked like a tsunami.


    -This is...child¡¯s pl.........aaaaa..yyyy......?


    The mental wave being emitted by the tree god was cut short.


    The sight in front of the tree god¡¯s eyes became distorted, and he felt a terrifying amount of pressure shake him violently. It was as if his body and mind was being assaulted by a wave. It felt as if he was being tossed by the sea.


    It was an attack from the Dragon weapon called the Master of Raging Waves. The ¡®current¡¯ created by the Dragon weapon was able to attack physically and it was capable of blowing away the flow of magical energy. It was capable of putting pressure on the spirit.


    Azell shot above the soil. He pointed towards the sky as he spoke.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you know this.¡±


    It was truly a gesture full of meaning, so the tree god looked upwards.


    His eyes widened.


    A part of the sky was being distorted in a strange way. It was as if an enormous drop of water was floating in the air.


    -What is that?


    ¡°By looking at your reaction, you know nothing. Your body will soon find out what it is.¡±


    Azell snorted as his body dissolved into light. It had been his clone.


    Then.......


    Kwah-ahhhhhhhhhh!


    The enormous dimensional distortion floating in the sky changed shape. The sunlight had been gathered from the heavens, and it became an attack that couldn¡¯t be avoided. The attack poured down on the tree god.

 Chapter 201 - Return (4)

    Chapter 201 - Return (4)


    9


    For a brief moment, it was as if the whole world was burning.


    Itsted only 3 seconds as the light descended from the heavens. However, its destructive ability was beyond imagination. The st created from the center of the bombed area extended out for a radius of several kilometers. Everything within its range was burned. Moreover, the heat wave affected a muchrger area as it shook the forest.


    The sound, vibration and heat wave probably reached the Western Border fortress.


    From the moment Azell confronted the tree god, his party members had run away, but they weren¡¯t able to escape the aftereffect of the explosion. What would have happened if Laura hadn¡¯t put a Dimensional Distortion field around them?


    ¡°My god.......¡±


    Laura became overwhelmed at what she had just done.


    The weapon of destruction was the chalice holding the tear of the heavens.


    If their initial n hadn¡¯t worked, Laura had been tasked to buy some time, so she had prepared the Heaven¡¯s Tear beforehand.


    After she started being tracked down by her enemies, she started experimenting with this technique. She had used it in small scale to increase her proficiency. The technique worked best in the day when the sky was clear. This was the first time she had used ample power through this technique.


    The result made her blood run cold.


    ¡°...I see why Azell said that we can¡¯t hand over the Vitan¡¯s Chalice to our enemies. This really exins a lot.¡±


    Kairen spoke with a trembling voice.


    It wasn¡¯t just Laura. Herrades turned pale when they saw the great destruction caused by Laura. If such an attack was used against arge army, a single st could kill several thousand troops. If such an attack fell in middle of a city...... They didn¡¯t want to imagine such a scenario.


    The more scary part was the fact that Laura hadn¡¯t used the Heaven¡¯s Tear at full power.


    If she waited a little bit more, she wouldn¡¯t have needed to focus her attack in one ce. She could have destroyed everything on a grand scale. It would have been several times stronger than the current attack.


    Ooooooooooooooh!


    Light shot into the air from within the boiling heat. Several fragments of light created by the Heaven¡¯s Tear gathered in one ce, and they split into countless streaks of light.


    It was Azell. He was trying to manifest the Sun Lightsaber using the Sky Splitter.


    ¡°He was able to easily withstand that attack using the Unyielding Fortress?¡±


    Leticia expressed her surprise.


    When the party started running away, Azell remained. He stayed behind to find out the true nature of the tree god. When the attack started, he had left behind only his clones. He had used the Storm Dragon¡¯s Wings to fly into the sky. The sky was safer than the ground, but he couldn¡¯t avoid the aftereffects of the explosion. However, the Dragon weapon called Unyielding Fortress had kept himpletely unharmed.


    Leticia spoke.


    ¡°We should move closer now. I¡¯ll lead.¡±


    Shweeeeeeeeeek!


    Her Dragon Soul twitched as cold air was emitted into her surrounding. The heat, which had been boiling like magma, cooled in an instant. The party charged forward.


    It happened at that moment. Suddenly, Yuren¡¯s eyes turned round.


    ¡°Uh?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Kairen was puzzled as he turned around. His confusion deepened when he saw Yuren¡¯s expression.


    ¡°Yuren?¡±


    Yuren¡¯s face had turned pale.


    It was strange. The whole party was on high alert, yet they couldn¡¯t feel any danger. Azell was preparing the Sun Lightsaber, and he caught sight of the tree god, who had taken critical damage from the Heaven¡¯s Tear. Since the location of the regenerating tree god was located, he had to use the Extreme Extinction before the tree god recovered. The business here woulde to an end.


    So why was Yuren making such an expression? Yuren looked anxious, but it was something more. He looked afraid.


    ¡°Ah. No.....¡±


    ¡°Yuren? Please exin what is going on.¡±


    ¡°Azell! Run away!¡±


    Kairen asked in a calm voice, but his voice didn¡¯t reach Yuren. Since the moment Yuren had joined up with their party, Yuren had never shown panic before.


    ¡°Azell!¡±


    Yuren was desperate as he tried to contact Azell with his magic. However, his actions were fruitless. The aftereffects of the Heaven¡¯s Tear hadpletely messed up the nearby flow of magic.


    Yuren looked like he was about to pass out. Laura grabbed his shoulder. A desperate voice leaked out of him.


    ¡°Laura! You have to immediately use your Dimensional Distortion! You have to save Azell! Or you can send me towards him!¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment. Let¡¯s calmly....¡±


    Laura was taken aback, but she couldn¡¯t finish her words.


    In that moment, the light that had been streaking across the sky stopped.


    Gwa-gwah-gwah-gawhng!


    Thunder exploded, and the sound of thunder shook the nearby region.


    Then....


    ¡°Azell!¡±


    From within the dispersing light, a smoking Azell fell from the sky.


    10


    Laura didn¡¯t hesitate as she used all her power to use the Dimensional Distortion. In a sh, she jumped a distance of one kilometer. She didn¡¯t rest as she used the Dimensional Distortion again. When she approached Azell, she pulled Azell towards her using the Dimensional Distortion. Then she used another technique.


    -Vitan¡¯s Maze!


    Space rippled, and a strange sight was seen. It was as if a space was isted by piecing together countless tiles of ss. As the user of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice, the technique allowed her to create a stage where she held an absolute edge.


    Zzuhng!


    However, when she was about to finish making this space, she heard a sound. It was a clear sound. It was as if a ss had been broken.


    Laura¡¯s eyes widened. The Vitan¡¯s Maze was unraveling.


    ¡®How?¡¯


    This had never happened before. Azell had broken the Vitan¡¯s Chalice, but it was done through the special property of the Sky Splitter. However, he hadn¡¯t destroyed the Dimensional Distortion itself.


    Currently, someone had used magic to interfere with the Vitan¡¯s Chalice dominion over space. Moreover, someone had been sessful in canceling the Vitan¡¯s Maze before it could bepleted.


    ¡®Another Dimensional Distortion was ced in the same ce to cancel both Dimensional Distortion.¡¯


    Laura¡¯s Vitan¡¯s Maze hadn¡¯t been meddled with. However, someone had read the when and where her Vitan¡¯s Maze would bepleted. Another Dimensional Distortion was ced in the same location to block her from finishing her technique.


    ¡®We have to run away.¡¯


    Larua immediately came to that decision.


    In the past, she couldn¡¯t use Dimensional Distortion while she was using the Vitan¡¯s Maze. However, her skill had improved markedly. She was able to use the countless Dimensional Distortion rted techniques imbued within the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. She was able to use them at the same time.


    Laura used the Endless ins as she tried to retreat.


    Zzuhng!


    Once again, someone interfered with her technique. The Endless in was broken.


    ¡®What a ridiculous ability! Who¡¯s doing this?¡¯


    Laura despaired.


    Laura was probably one of the best magicians of this era.


    After joining Azell¡¯s party, her abilities had rapidly progressed. Her increase in skill mainly dealt with the techniques used with the Vitan¡¯s Chalice, but she had exchanged many information with the magicians within the Albatan Forest. She had received Carlos¡¯ magic tome. She had grown as a magician.


    Even if one put aside her battle capabilities, her abilities as a magician exceeded the skills of the survivors of the Dragon Demon war, who resided within the in of Darkness. She was sure of this. Azell was of the same opinion.


    However, her skin crawled when she witnessed this unknown being¡¯s skill. Her Dimensional Distortion had been dismissed.


    It was such a sophisticated way to use to use one¡¯s magical energy. As a magician, she wanted to someday be able to use magic like that. There wasn¡¯t a single waste of magical energy. It was the pinnacle of efficiency.


    ¡®I¡¯m being watched.¡¯


    The Endless in was broken, but she was sessful in leaping across space. She had moved a distance of 1 kilometer, and she immediately sensed the gaze of her opponents on her.


    Laura went cold all over when she witnessed what urred next. She couldn¡¯t block it. Her opponent had identified where she would appear, and he had prepared an attack.


    It didn¡¯t matter how fast her reaction was. She couldn¡¯t respond.


    ¡®At the very least, I have to......!¡¯


    She had to protect Azell, who was in her arms. With such thought in mind, she was about to use her magic.


    <Let¡¯s stop being so boorish towards her.>


    She remembered that voice.


    ¡°Sir Reygus?¡±


    <Thank you for remembering me, Miss.>


    Reygus was descending from a far away distance. He must have jumped from a high elevation.


    Koooooooong!


    When hended on the ground, an explosive sound rang out as the ground shook. He sauntered out of the hole he had created. He hadn¡¯t taken any damage from the fall.


    Afterwards, two more figures descended from the sky. Unlike Reygus, they descended in a controlled manner.


    ¡°Sir Almarick.......¡±


    Laura mumbled her words as if she was groaning.


    One of them was Almarick. His one remaining red eye was looking at her.


    There was an unknown figure next to him.


    He wore a ck coat, and a hood was ced over his head. A magical power created a curtain of darkness, so one couldn¡¯t see his face. Laura¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t prate that darkness.


    A voice flowed out from beyond the darkness.


    ¡°I don¡¯t n on killing him.¡±


    ¡®What the hell is it?¡¯


    Laura was taken aback.


    She couldn¡¯t tell the gender of the voice. When she heard the voice for the first time, she noticed the calmness of the voice. However, she became confused afterwards. She couldn¡¯t tell if it was a voice of a male or a female. She couldn¡¯t tell if the voice was high or low.


    ¡®He is messing with my senses. How can this be?¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t just his face. He was somehow stopping her from identifying his voice. How could he do that when Laura was a high rank magician?


    Reygus spoke.


    <You¡¯ve always been a lout. After several hundred years, a possibility of a dramatic reunion was set up. You messed it all up by sniping him. Your aesthetic iscking.>


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It couldn¡¯t be helped since the situation was dire.¡±


    <It was an inevitable sacrifice?>


    ¡°I could stop him, so I did. If I didn¡¯t, wouldn¡¯t that have been more foolish?¡±


    <There must have been another way.... Eh. I shouldn¡¯t have said anything..>


    Reygus expressed his annoyance. The other being sounded embarrassed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not respecting your aesthetic. I¡¯m pretty sure I did something simr in the past. I¡¯ll be careful in the future. Will you forgive me?¡±


    <You say such hopeless things......>


    Reygus grumbled as he kicked a nearby boulder. A loud sound rang out as the boulder was broken into pieces.


    Afterwards, the other members of Azell¡¯s party arrived. Everyone had a stiff expression as they surveyed their three enemies. Amongst them, Yuren had a pale face, and his body was shaking a little bit.


    The hooded being showed interest in the Dragon Souls of Kairen and Leticia.


    ¡°What are those?¡±


    ¡°Laura? How¡¯s Azell?¡±


    Kairen ignored the question as he asked Laura a question. Laura, who had been frozen, became alert.


    ¡°He is still alive.¡±


    She quickly assessed Azell¡¯s situation.


    Something had prated his body. It was smaller than a finger.


    Fortunately, it had missed the heart. Also, the damage caused by the thunder wasparably minor.


    However, this didn¡¯t mean he was in a good state.


    ¡®It didn¡¯t simply prate his body.¡¯


    The item, which had passed through Azell¡¯s body, had been infused with a powerful curse. At the same time as it prated Azell¡¯s body, the curse had invaded Azell¡¯s Energy Pulse. It made it so that Azell couldn¡¯t properly regte his magical energy.


    It was dangerous.


    As a high rank Spirit Order practitioner, Azell was able to get through life threatening wounds by intricately controlling his body. However, this technique relied on magical energy. In Azell¡¯s current situation, any more shock might end his life.


    The hooded being spoke.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t n on killing him, so I avoided hitting any vital organs. If you are worried, I¡¯ll allow you to perform first aid on him. I¡¯ll allow that.¡±


    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡±


    Kairen red at the being as he asked the question.


    The being¡¯s words sounded arrogant. His attitude indicated that the life of Azell¡¯s party was within the palm of his hand.


    ¡®Azell had been focused onpleting the Sun Lightsaber. This was why he was taken unawares by the attack. However, Azell should have noticed someone trying to snipe him from afar even if he had been distracted. What method did this guy use?¡¯


    Kairen was trying very hard to assess the situation with a cool head. At the same time, he called for the Guardian Shadows using the staff given to him by Carlos. Already, several thousand Guardian Shadows were moving towards this location.


    ¡®It¡¯ll take them 10 minutes to arrive here. Shit. I have to buy some time.......¡¯


    They had nned on exiting this ce as soon as possible. Moreover, they had nned on upying the attention of the their enemies by attacking the waypoints of the Road of Emptiness. This was why he hadn¡¯t stationed any Guardian Shadows nearby. Basically, he had been caught with his pants down.


    ¡°I know who you are.¡±


    At that moment, Yuren suddenly opened his mouth. Kairen turned to look at the source of the trembing voice.


    The hooded being tilted his head.


    ¡°Mmmm? You know me? Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Yuren Rizester.¡±


    ¡°You are Azell Karzark¡¯srade, and you are a traitor to the worshippers of the Dragon Demon king. When one takes in your upbringing into ount, you possess an unusually high amount of magical energy. You also possess an unconventional technique that allows you to merge with a Demon.....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yuren flinched when the hooded being started to list information about him. The hooded being asked him a question.


    ¡°Am I right?¡±


    ¡°You are right, but.......¡±


    ¡°You were truly able to merge with a Demon. How surprising. Moreover, you are a young human.... Was your teacher someone exceptional?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Hmm. This isn¡¯t the time to ask such questions. First, let¡¯s finish our conversation. You know me?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Yuren was letting out cold sweat as he nodded his head.


    His party members became puzzled as they looked at him.


    Of course, it was a tense and terrifying situation. Azell had fallen under a surprise attack, and he was in a critical situation. Reygus and Almarick was in one ce. The unknown being possessed a presence that was on par with them.


    However, Yuren¡¯s fear seemed to originate from a different ce. It wasn¡¯t about their current situation.


    The hooded being was amused as he asked the question.


    ¡°Who am I? Speak.¡±


    ¡°You are.....¡±


    Yuren took a deep breathe then he spoke.


    ¡°You are the Dragon Demon king Atein.¡±

 Chapter 202 - The Return of a Legend II (1)

    Chapter 202 - The Return of a Legend II (1)


    1


    Kayalia was an existence that had escaped the restriction of space and time.


    She could be anywhere she wanted to be, and nothing could restrict her movement. Even Atein was incapable of doing that.


    It was proof that Kayalia wasn¡¯t really part of this world.


    She belong to a worlded called the Great Darkness. She watched this world from a vantage point that was out of this world, and she was merely projecting a shadow into this world. This was why she could appear anywhere she was viewing, and she could intrude into any ce she wanted.


    This was why it hadn¡¯t been strange for her to disappear from Reygus¡¯ side in one moment, and appear in the middle of the Dragon Demon pce in the next moment.


    -It has been a while, unni.


    ¡°Kayalia. I heard you made an appearance in this era.¡±


    Aincera had been in her room, but she showed no signs of surprise when she suddenly saw Kayalia. She already knew that Kayalia had been awoken alongside Reygus.


    On the other hand, Kayalia was taken aback. It was as if Aincera wasn¡¯t a living creature. Her eyes were dead, and she waspletely different from the the Kayalia she remembered.


    -.......


    ¡°I wee your return. The time when we¡¯ll able to carry out the king¡¯s great work is nearing.¡±


    Aincera was unperturbed as she spoke in an emotionless voice. Kayalia felt an extreme sense of foreignness.


    -I already knew about this, but.... You are really are giving me the chills.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    -I¡¯m talking about unni¡¯s attitude.


    In the past, Aincera had held extreme hatred for Kaylia. She didn¡¯t even bother hiding her enmity during official events.


    The reason was simple. Aincera had been in love, and she had been tormented when Atein showed interest in someone else.


    She hated the second wife Tedrin for the same reason. However, if onepared her hate for Kayalia to her hate for Tedrin, it looked as if Aincera liked Tedrin.


    Kayalia was in a special situation. She was the third wife, but at the same time, she had made a contract with Atein. She was also ced in simr regards as the Dragon Demon general. She was arade that could help Atein finish his great word. This made Aincera insanely jealous.


    However, such emotions could no longer be found in Aincera.


    ¡°Are you talking about my past emotions toward you?¡±


    -Yes.


    ¡°A lot of time has passed.¡±


    -I don¡¯t think that is the problem.


    ¡°It might not be.¡±


    Aincera was still emotionless. Her current face superimposed with the face of Kayalia she remembered. It was the same face. She looked as if time hadn¡¯t touched her face. She had kept the same appearance, yet how could she be so different?


    Kayalia held back a sigh as she spoke.


    -Alright, unni. I¡¯m here, because I¡¯m curious about something.


    ¡°You are more deeply linked to the Great Darkness. Why would you feel the need to ask about our current work?¡±


    -It isn¡¯t about that. I¡¯m just curious about the king. You know it, right?


    ¡°What are you referring to?¡±


    -I¡¯m asking about the king¡¯s goal.


    ¡°I know it.¡±


    For a brief moment, Kayalia was surprised. There had been a faint smile on Aincera¡¯s lips. For the first time, she had revealed a human emotion. It was as if life had been breathed into a stone. This was why Kayalia was surprised.


    Kayalia asked her a question.


    -I see. Reygus oppa and sir Almarick doesn¡¯t know about it, but I knew unni would know about it. Please tell me. What is the king trying to do this time?


    ¡°He is.......¡±


    Kayalia didn¡¯t know if she wanted tough or cry when she heard Aincera¡¯s answer.


    2


    Silence spread into the surrounding. For a brief moment, the members of Azell¡¯s party thought they had heard wrong, so they turned to looked at Yuren.


    ¡°...that being is Atein?¡±


    Yuren didn¡¯t answer that question. He looked as if he would faint at any moment. He just red at the hooded being.


    The hooded being spoke.


    ¡°You are an interesting human. How were you able to recognize me?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Everyone stopped breathing.


    The hooded being admitted to being Atein.


    He raised both his hands towards the hood. Then he slowly lowered the hood.


    Laura stopped breathing when she saw the the face that was revealed.


    ¡°King.......¡±


    Naturally, she unconsciously mumbled her words. It was inevitable.


    He possessed long ck hair. It was as if one would be sucked into his dark blue eyes and Dragon Demon stone. He was a Dragon Demon youth with thick ck horns. He looked to be carved out of marble, and he always seemed to have a far away look as if he was constantly looking into the distance. Countless portraits of him had been ced all over the in of Darkness, and he looked exactly like the portraits of the Dragon Demon King Atein.


    ¡°It is as you¡¯ve said. I am Atein.¡±


    Atein let out a soft smile as he spoke.


    This was fulfillment the prophecy that had propped up the Dragon Demon King worshippers. Their belief had be reality at that moment.


    Atein had returned from his death after 220 years.


    Kairen bit his lips.


    ¡°...I never expected you to be revived already. It feels as if I¡¯ve been hit squarely in the back of my head.¡±


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you guys, I would have revived at ater date.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    Kairen furrowed his brows.


    In his heart, he was struggling. He didn¡¯t know what they should do. Should they attempt to flee? Maybe, they should buy time until reinforcements arrives?


    A decisive battle, which would end the conflict, wouldn¡¯t be waged here. If Azell was fine, it might have been a possibility. However, Azell had been ambushed and he was at death¡¯s door right now. They had no chance of winning.


    ¡®We¡¯ll buy some time for now.¡¯


    They had tost until the arrival of the Guardian Shadows. The fact that they were at the mercy of their enemies until that time made his insides boil. However, they had no choice.


    Atein spoke.


    ¡°Since you guys destroyed the pirs of the Great Darkness, my revival was pulled up a little bit.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    Kairen groaned.


    Atein¡¯s words could be interpreted in multiple ways.


    Did he awaken in haste because the Great Darkness was threatened? Or was this part of his n? Was the destruction of the pirs a prerequisite for his revival?


    ¡®If it is the former, there is a possibility that the Great Darkness is unstable. Even if that is true, it doesn¡¯t mean much now.¡¯


    Just the glimpse of the ability shown by Atein confirmed that he was too much for them.


    Even if the fact that Azell was at death¡¯s door from the ambush was put aside for now, the timing of the attack had been devilish. Atein¡¯s attack had been outside of every possibility that had been considered by Kairen. They had been taken unawares.


    Kairen shuddered, because it meant that Atein had escaped the attention of the information cast by the Guardian Shadows.


    He had mobilized over half of the Guardian Shadows to surveil the waypoints of the Road of Emptiness. If their enemies were moving long distance, they would used the Road of Emptiness. No one using the Road of Emptiness would have escaped the notice of the Guardian Shadows.


    Atein, Almarick, and Atein had suddenly appeared in this ce, so that left only one possibility.


    ¡°...is it the White Fire Phoenix?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    Atein gave an affirmation.


    Azell possessed 13 Dragon weapons, and he possessed a Dragon weapon called the Crying Phoenix. It was very simr to the White Fire Phoenix. The White Fire Phoenix was like the Crying Phoenix in that it was a Dragon weapon capable of high speed flight and battle.


    Azell had told Kairen about it. The Crying Phoenix was created by copying the design of the White me Phoenix.


    Kairen queried him.


    ¡°You came here to stop us from destroying this pir of Darkness.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    At Atein¡¯s sudden denial, Kairen was taken aback. Atein¡¯s gaze headed towards Azell, who was receiving emergency care.


    ¡°In truth, I assumed the pir here would have already been destroyed, so I had given up on it. However, I found out that I still had a chance to stop it, so I did.¡±


    At the same time, Atein¡¯s Dragon Demon magic flowed out. It was like a tsunami. It was an enormous power that exceeded the power of Almarick and Reygus.


    The party flinched for a brief moment, but they weren¡¯t overwhelmed by it. Atein was amused by the party¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°Have you met someone that hasparable amount of magical energy to me? Aside from those that were sealed, there shouldn¡¯t be anyone.... Hmmm. It might be possible if it was Albatan. Or did someone reach this level during my sleep?¡±


    At his words, the party members furrowed their brows. Atein¡¯s words were off for some reason. It was hard to pin down, but there was a sense of incongruity.


    There was simple reason as to why the party members were able to keep their cool when faced with Atein¡¯s wave of Dragon Demon magic.


    Azell¡¯s Dragon Demon magic was stronger.


    Surprisingly, the amount of momentary power generated by Azell¡¯s eight dual-banded Rings of Life exceeded Atein¡¯s power. Azell had indifferently admitted that his power exceeded what he had possessed in his prime.


    This was limited to the power generated by Azell¡¯s body. If he used an outside vessel like the Dragon weapon to amplify his power, it was hard to believe that he was human. Of course, Atein could also disy enormous amount of power if he started using his Dragon weapons. However, Atein¡¯s power wasn¡¯t outside the realm of possibility to the party members.


    ¡°Almarick, may you take care of the Tree god? I want to talk to them for a little bit longer. You¡¯ll be able to seal it using this. Since he is in such a state, it won¡¯t be too hard to seal him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do so.¡±


    Atein handed over a staff to Almarick. Almarick received the item, then he shot towards the Tree god.


    Fierce winds erupted behind him, and thunder rang out. The Tree god finally regained function from the attack of Azell¡¯s party, but it started to go under when faced with repeated attacks from Almarick.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be able to easily seal the Tree god thanks to your efforts.¡±


    Atein treated the massive power shaking the heavens and earth behind him as background noise. He calmly spoke.


    ¡°What shall I discuss first.....¡±


    3


    It had truly been a long time since he felt fear in front of an enemy.


    Of course, he had been living on the knife¡¯s edge as a warrior, so he was familiar with fear. It was the fear of not knowing when his life would end. He was afraid of the consequences that arose from his own death. These fear had always been with him.


    However, it had been a very long time since he had been afraid of an enemy.


    Reygus and Almarick had been unable to make him feel this way, yet he was afraid of Atein.


    Was it because he was the Dragon Demon king?


    No, that wasn¡¯t it.


    It wasn¡¯t Atein¡¯s legendary reputation that had caused it. Atein, who was in front of him, was causing this fear.


    Atein didn¡¯t show any hostility or murderous intent.


    He simply wanted a conversation with Azell¡¯s party. On the other hand, he had ambushed Azell, and Azell waso a critical condition. Almarick was in the background, and he was suppressing the Tree god with frightening disy of power. It was as if Almarick was going to flip this world on its head.


    Kairen didn¡¯t understand why he was feeling this way. Maybe, it was the fact that he couldn¡¯t predict what Atein was going to do. This might be the cause of his fear.


    Atein spoke.


    ¡°I am curious about you all. I have a lot of questions.¡±


    ¡°You can continue to be curious.¡±


    At Leticia¡¯s retort, Atein spoke.


    ¡°Do you want to fight me right now? My goal is to take away Azell Karzark. There is no need for me to take all of your lives right now....¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Anger infused into Kairen¡¯s expression. Atein¡¯s words implied that they weren¡¯t even being considered to be worthy foes. Anger surged as it overshadowed Kairen¡¯s fear.


    It happened at that moment.


    ¡°Howe you don¡¯t know about it?¡±


    Yuren suddenly asked his question. He truly had an odd expression on his face.

 Chapter 203 - The Return of a Legend II (2)

    Chapter 203 - The Return of a Legend II (2)


    ¡°Howe you don¡¯t know about it?¡±


    Yuren suddenly asked a question. He truly had an odd expression on his face.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Atein tilted his head in puzzlement, and Yuren continued speaking.


    ¡°You are the Dragon Demon king Atein. I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand what you are getting at, Yuren Rizester.¡±


    ¡°Howe you don¡¯t know about the Dragon Soul?¡±


    ¡°Dragon Soul? You mean those things?¡±


    Atein showed interest. He had been showing deep interest in the Dragon Souls of Kairen and Leticia.


    It was a truly odd urrence.


    ¡°The creator of the Dragon Soul said that he was working with you.¡±


    Yuren purposefully didn¡¯t mention Reshoo¡¯s name. He wanted to see Atein¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°By the way you are phrasing your words, it seems the Dragon Soul was developed pretty recently. However, you mentioned the creator. Who are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°He joined hands with you after the Great Darkness, yet you don¡¯t know about the Dragon Soul? That makes no sense. Why don¡¯t you know about it?¡±


    Did Reshoo lie to them? There was no reason for him to do so.


    ¡®Or did he not inform Atein about the Dragon Soul?¡¯


    It was possible. Atein hadn¡¯t been revived yet when Reshoo made contact with Atein through some unknown means. Reshoo might have agreed to work with Atein, but he might not have exposed the existence of the Dragon Soul to Atein. This might be why the revived Atein might not have any information regarding the Dragon Soul.....


    ¡®Something is off.¡¯


    There was a logical exnation that could exin the current situation, but Yuren couldn¡¯t easily dismiss this discrepancy.


    ¡®He doesn¡¯t know about someone that possesses more Dragon Demon magic than him. That doesn¡¯t make any sense too.¡¯


    ording to Azell¡¯s words, Reshoo possessed an enormous amount of Dragon Demon magic, and it exceeded the raw power possessed by Atein.


    Reshoo might not have told Atein about the Dragon Soul, so it was a usible excuse for Atein¡¯s ignorance. However, how could he not know about a power that rivalled his own?


    It would be understandable if Atein didn¡¯t know Reshoo. However, he had fought against Reshoo during the Dragon Demon war. Even then Reshoo possessed more Dragon Demon magic than Atein.


    ¡°Are you really Atein?¡±


    ¡°You ask the strangest questions. Didn¡¯t you identify me as Atein?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. You are Atein. There is no way you aren¡¯t.....¡±


    Yuren bit his lips.


    Yuren had known this fact when this being approached them. He was Atein.


    Yuren had studied the signature of Atein¡¯s energy. The Guide had informed Yuren about what it would feel like if Atein came in proximity to him. The feeling was exactly as described.


    Moreover, the sight in front of him was definite proof. The White me Phoenix was known to be one of Atein¡¯s Dragon weapons. The existence of this weapon was wiped from the history of humans, but they had heard about its existence through Azell.


    Yuren thought for a moment, then he seemed to have an epiphany. He let out an exmation.


    ¡°...I see.¡±


    ¡°Did you find something out?¡±


    Atein looked to be enjoying this exchange as he asked Yuren a question. Yuren¡¯srades didn¡¯t even understand what he was talking, but Atein looked amused.


    Yuren spoke.


    ¡°It is as you¡¯ve said earlier. You revival was hastened when we destroyed the pirs of the Great Darkness.¡±


    ¡°I did say that.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the cause? The magic ritual was hastened, so it is iplete. I¡¯m not sure which part became defective, but I¡¯m sure you suffered a loss in memory. Your revival isn¡¯tplete yet.¡±


    Kairen hadid out two possibilities, and Yuren became sure which of the two possibilities was true.


    <Ho-oh. This guy is pretty smart.>


    ¡°Reygus.¡±


    At Reygus¡¯ unprompted words, Atein looked at him.


    Reygusughed.


    <We have to fight them anyways. Nothing changes if they know the truth. Isn¡¯t it so, Atein?>


    ¡°Jeez. It seems you are still very mad about what I did.¡±


    Atein let out a bitterugh.


    When they heard the exchanged between the two, Yuren and Laura started to feel that something was off.


    ¡®What should we do?¡¯


    At the time of the Dragon Demon war, Atein had named himself the Dragon Demon King, and he had epted the four Dragon Demon generals as his vassals. Basically, they had to treat Atein as their king.


    There wasn¡¯t any deference in Reygus¡¯ attitude towards Atein. He didn¡¯t talk like a vassal talking to his king. Reygus was talking to Atein as an equal. It was an attitude seen betweenrades.


    ¡®Is it because they aren¡¯t in a formal setting?¡¯


    Maybe, they treated Atein as a king in official events. It might be a different story in a private setting. However, this didn¡¯t seem to be the case from the stories told by Azell of the Dragon Demon war.....


    Laura¡¯s thoughts were cut short when she heard Atein¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Reygus is right, Yuren Rizester. You saw through to the truth. However, this knowledge won¡¯t change the oue of what is going to happen here.¡±


    ¡°What is your goal?¡±


    ¡°It is as I¡¯ve said earlier. I want Azell Karzark and the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. If you let me have both, I¡¯ll let you all leave this ce alive. However, I can see you won¡¯t agree to such a trade.¡±


    ¡°Hmmph. It seems you know us well.¡±


    ¡°I may be a bit dense, but I at least know that much. Hmmm. What shall I do? Which option will be easier for us.....¡±


    Atein was mulling over his options.


    ¡°Jeez..¡±


    Suddenly, he furrowed his brows.


    ¡°I wanted to see why you guys were stalling for time. It seems you were waiting for them. Are they the Guardian Shadows?¡±


    His gaze headed into the distance. His eyesnded on a location where the forest hadn¡¯t been destroyed. White phantoms were rushing forward like a wave. Several dozen Guardian Shadows were rushing towards them at terrifying speed.


    Atein let out a sigh as he spoke.


    ¡°Unfortunately, we¡¯ll have to end our conversation for now. It is regrettable, but I¡¯ll end this through force.¡±


    4


    A tsunami-like Dragon Demon magic erupted forth in front of them. It was greater than what had been shown until now, and the power was rising.


    -Come Dragon weapon! Compendium of Pitch Darkness!


    Atein brought out a new Dragon weapon. It was a ck book that containedpletely ck pages.


    In a sh, everyone¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡®What is that Dragon weapon?¡¯


    They had heard about Atein¡¯s 13 Dragon weapons from Azell.


    White me Phoenix


    Sky¡¯s Fortress


    Dream¡¯s Apostle


    Son of Earth


    Frost Forest


    Breath of Wind


    Volcano¡¯s Giant


    Chain of Thunder


    Moon of Wrath and Rest


    Gatekeeper of Emptiness


    Brand of Paradise


    Darkness Engraver Sword


    Thest Dragon weapon was the Darkness Incarnate. It was the main Dragon weapon used by Atein.


    The Compendium of Pitch Darkness didn¡¯t exist in Azell¡¯s stories. Did Atein already acquire a new Dragon weapon after he was revived from death.


    Instead of attacking the flustered party, Atein spoke.


    ¡°In truth, I think I made a big mistake.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting now?¡±


    ¡°Azell Karzark found a way to destroy immortal beings. Even if I had to sacrifice the Tree god, I should have witnessed this method. I was in too much of a hurry that I acted out in haste.¡±


    ¡°Your arrogance knows no bound.¡±


    Kairen grinded his teeth. At the same time, he took a step forward as he swung his sword.


    Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah-kwahng!


    Gale erupted as enormous force shot towards Atein. When Atein blocked it with a barrier, Kairen shouted as he raised his twin sword.


    ¡°Winds! Roar!¡±


    Pressurized air was discharged. The green Dragon encircling Kairen¡¯s body roared, and wind elerated around them. In a sh, powerful winds capable of ripping normal humans apart swirled around Kairen..


    ¡°Ho-oh! Your control over the element of air rivals that of a Storm Dragon.¡±


    Atein¡¯s eyes had been nk until now. It was as if he had a far away look in his eyes, but his eyes shone with inquisitiveness and intelligence.


    Reygus spoke.


    <It seems this aspect of your personality remains the same. It seems he has acquired a power equal to a Dragon weapon. He isn¡¯t an opponent that should be taken lightly. I¡¯m warning you.>


    In their previous battle, Almarick and Reygus expressed their regret when they saw Kairen¡¯s power. If he had possessed a Dragon weapon, Kairen would have been able to make a name for himself even during the Dragon Demon war.


    It had been several months since that battle, and Kairen still didn¡¯t have a Dragon weapon. However, he had acquired a strange power, and he was facing them using this power.


    Hoo-oooooooooooooooooh!


    In the middle of the elerating gale, Kairen¡¯s Dragon Demon magic kept growing. He had beenparable in power to the strongest amongst Dragon Demons, but now he rivalled Almarick.


    ¡°Ha-ahhhhhhhhh!¡±


    Kairen elerated as he ran forward.


    ¡®I have to go all out until all the Guardian Shadows get here.¡¯


    The Guardian Shadows, who were almost here, were merely the advance party. Several dozen Guardian Shadows couldn¡¯t hold down their enemies. They couldn¡¯t be used as distraction.


    They had to fight until sufficient number of Guardian Shadows arrived. He had to approach this as if it was a life or death battle to create an opportunity for their escape.


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    Someone got in his way. Kairen became suprised when he saw who it was.


    ¡®Almarick?¡¯


    Almarick had been fighting in the background, so when did he get here?


    However, his surprisested only a moment. Kairen immediately assessed his situation.


    ¡®It is Incarnation!¡¯


    He had experienced this technique ad nauseum. Azell had used it to give substance to his clones. Kairen made preparations to fight Almarick, who was using the Incarnation technique.


    Kwahng!


    When they shed, Almarick¡¯s clone was sent flying. After a beat toote, Almarick¡¯s true body showed up to resist against Kairen.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a Dragon weapon, yet your Dragon Demon magic is massive. What method did you use to aplish this?¡±


    If one was a master of the Dragon Arts, one could use one¡¯s Dragon Demon magic at peak efficiency. The momentary power generated could exceed several dozen times the power of one¡¯s original strength.


    However, Kairen¡¯s development exceeded the knowledge possessed by Almarick. If Kairen had used a Dragon weapon to amplify his power, it would have made perfect sense. However, Kairen was amplifying his power past what was possible through the Dragon Arts.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to know! I¡¯ll pay back the debt you incurred against me!¡±


    After learning the Dragon Soul, he had went through a painstaking process of being able to utilize his new power. He had ironed out this power through battles against the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    It was all done for this moment. He wanted to repay the humiliation he suffered when he was defeated by Almarick and Reygus!


    ¡°The passion of youth is blinding. However, you are being too overconfident after learning one new technique......¡±


    Almarick snorted as his expression changed.


    When they shed, it looked as if Kairen and Almarick were evenly matched in power. However, thatsted only for a moment. Almarick pressed his attack against Kairen, and he created an opportunity where he would be able to make his clones.


    It happened when Almarick pushed his magical energy outside of his body to create his clones.


    ¡®Storm Dragon¡¯s w!¡¯


    As if he had been waiting for that very moment, Kairen stabbed through the crack that had been formed. He was using one of Azell¡¯s specialty move. He elerated his sword from close range. He withdrew the left sword as he shed Almarick¡¯s attack. Then he elerated his right sword. Almarick¡¯s stance was broken, and at the same time, Kairen stamped his foot to cause the ground to shake.


    ¡®Storm Dragon¡¯s Dust!¡¯


    Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah-kwahng!


    The Dragon Soul roared, and the extremely pressurized air exploded with heat. A singlepse in concentration allowed Kairen to take Almarick by surprise. Almarick desperately blocked the attack as he retreated.


    It was as if Kairen had anticipated this. The left sword, which had been withdrawn, snaked forward.


    ¡°Ram him! Oh, Storm Dragon!¡±


    Kairen¡¯s Dragon Demon magic had ballooned into a mountain, and as he chanted, his power amplified further. The Dragon Soul roared, and the concentrated power was emitted through the sword.


    ¡®Storm Dragon¡¯s Horn!¡¯


    In a sh, his sword elerated past the speed of sound, and it split the air. The edge of his sword vibrated as it struck Almarick.


    Kwahhhhhhhng!


    It wasn¡¯t just a single strike. After the left sword found its mark, the right sword was a split second behind. The second sword strike broke the the speed of sound. As if mending the air, which had been ripped apart, heated air rushed in to fill the vacuum. It surrounded Almarick.


    ¡°Kooooooooh......!¡±


    Almarick¡¯s expression crumpled in a fiendish manner. His hair had been neatlybed backwards, but now his hair was wild. Moreover, there was blood on his face.


    It was the first humiliation he had suffered since his revival. His chest voice exploded forth.


    ¡°How dare you, you little gnat!¡±

 Chapter 204 - The Return of a Legend II (3)

    Chapter 204 - The Return of a Legend II (3)


    It was the first humiliation he had suffered since his revival. His chest voice exploded forth.


    ¡°How dare you, you little gnat!¡±


    The Dragon weapon looked like a sword made out of clear ss. The Storm¡¯s Scream let out a fierce blue thunderbolt. The overwhelming power ripped away at the gale assaulting Almarick. He fought for control over the air.


    ¡°You should havee out like that in the first ce. You are too different from the description written in history. You were so calm that I was wondering if you were a fake!¡±


    Kairen let out a fierceughter as he charged forward. When he shed with Almarick, sounds of consecutive explosions could be heard.


    At the same time, Kairen¡¯s eyes became cold.


    ¡®Everything is going too well. If I let my guard down, I might be killed in a single moment.¡¯


    Events were progressing better than he had expected. It was the best out of the worst situation.


    Kairen had fought several hundred mock battles with Almarick in his mind.


    Even if his enemy possessed enough power to make him despair, Kairen had to defeat him only once. He had fought this enemy before, and he had memorized the techniques used by Almarick. He just had to use all of his efforts in finding a way to defeat Almarick¡¯s technique.


    Kairen was well informed in regards to Almarick. Azell had given a detailed report, and Kairen had experienced Almarick¡¯s power for himself. He used these information as basis for his practices. He had practiced for this fight until he was sick of it.


    On the other hand, Almarick didn¡¯t know much about Kairen. Almarick had defeated Kairen in a fight before, but it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that Kairen was apletely different person after gaining the Dragon Soul. He had grown a lot.


    The discrepancy in information would allow Kairen to take Almarick unawares.


    Kairen, Leticia, Laura and Yuren had attacked Almarick in thest fight, and they lost in mortifying fashion. Kairen had tried to objectively assess the fight, and he came up with three reasons why they had lost.


    ¡®For a short amount of time, I can generate almost equal power as him. I can do this.¡¯


    First, the problem was power. The difference in power was too burdensome to ovee with technique.


    Kwahng! Kwah-kwang! Kwa-ahhhhhhng!


    The swords shed, and the sounds of consecutive explosions rang out.


    Almarick¡¯s sword technique was exquisite, yet heroic. However, Kairen matched him. His explosive sword technique was being supported by the Dragon Soul. He stopped the flow of Almarick¡¯s sword strikes, and Kairen was starting to gain the advantage.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure of it now. My control over air is superior.¡¯


    The second reason had been the absence of a Dragon weapon. Almarick possessessed the Storm¡¯s Scream, which held dominion over storm and thunder. His Dragon weapon was akin to a cmity.


    However, the Dragon Soul was holding up against the Storm¡¯s Scream. The Dragon Soul acted as an armor against thunderbolts, and Kairen¡¯s control over the air was superior. He was pushing Almarick into a corner.


    Kwahng!


    At the end of the consecutive explosions, Almarick was pushed backwards.


    Chwahhhhhhk!


    He slid across the ground. However, Kairen chased after him using Instantaneous Movement. Kairen continued to attack relentlessly before Almarick could right himself.


    ¡°Do you think I will give you the time to make a move on me? I¡¯ll end this right now!¡±


    ¡°Koohk......!¡±


    Kairen knew that the advantage he had gained could be overturned. It was a matter of time.


    He was making sure his opponent couldn¡¯t disy his true power.


    This was the golden rule when fighting someone with superior power. He would be begging for a defeat if he allowed his opponent to do what he was best at. It would be foolish and arrogant for him to do so.


    ¡®I can¡¯t allow him to make clones! I have to keep pushing until I kill him!¡¯


    The third reason for Kairen¡¯s past defeat was the clone technique.


    If he could fight one-on-one against Almarick, he had a chance. However, it was an entirely different story once Almarick used Incarnation.


    It was the same as when Azell used his Dance of Shadows. He could exist and act through multiple clones of substance. He was capable of producing power that was on a different sspared to fighting only one real body.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see how long you canugh!¡±


    At Kairen¡¯s shout, Almarick¡¯s eyebrows rose sharply.


    ¡®Laugh? I am?¡¯


    He was in a dangerous situation where a knife was pressed against his neck. He had thought he could overwhelm his opponent with a single attack. He had underestimated Kairen. He had thought Kairen was a whelp without a Dragon weapon.


    However, Kairen was scarily well-informed about him, and Kairen was exploiting all his weaknesses. At this rate, his head would be severed without him being able to use half his power.


    So why was Kairen iming that he wasughing?


    ¡®I see. I.......¡¯


    Almarick realized that Kairen¡¯s words were correct.


    ¡®...am having fun!¡¯


    Since he was revived in this era, this was the first time he felt alive.


    After he was revived from death, everything had been boring. The passion and heat that had been present in his era was all gone. This era had been deste.


    Those that fought on the same side as him in the past had all turned mad and sinister. They had twisted Atein¡¯s image to create a society of fanatics. He had been incognito as he observed them for several dozen years. He despised them.


    This wasn¡¯t it.


    He hadn¡¯t fought with his life on the line to create this world.


    Even what he considered to be right with the world was gone now. Since martial techniques were lost to the humans, they could no longer stimte his heart.


    However, a foe that could heat up his heart had appeared right in front of him.


    ¡°Good! You whelp! If you are confident, you should make me weep! I don¡¯t buy it for a second that you can pull that off!¡±


    The feeling of old came alive within Almarick¡¯s chest. It was a feeling he felt when he faced fate each day with his life on the line.


    5


    Reygus and Leticia was fighting a battle with each other.


    Unlike Kairen, Leticia didn¡¯t insist on fighting a one-on-one battle. The Guardian Shadows were densely packed around them, and they were like a white wave. They supported Leticia.


    Kwan-kw-kwa-kwang! Kwa-kwang!


    <Hmmph! If you are going to massage me, would you mind hitting me harder?>


    Reygus let out a bellyugh.


    It didn¡¯t matter if his opponents were hitting him. Reygus¡¯ style was to charge forward like a freight train until his enemies were dead. Several dozen Guardian Shadows were focusing their attack on him, yet they couldn¡¯t stop him.


    Too-doo-doo-doo-doo!


    A gale infused with frost started to rise, and the situation changed. The ground beneath Reygus¡¯ feet froze, andrge ice fragments started to beat against him. In a sh, his body was surrounded as if he was in an ice prison.


    It was Leticia¡¯s attack. After releasing her Dragon Soul, she gained dominion over cold air. Her abilities were on par with an ice dragon.


    Even if Reygus was an Undead, he couldn¡¯t ignore the cold. He didn¡¯t have any vital functions that could be slowed down by the cold. However, his body was being battered by the ice storm, and his body was being frozen in an instant.


    <Ooh-ra-cha!>


    However, it was useless. Even if Leticia created a pir of ice, it took him only a moment to bash through it.


    Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwahng!


    Leticia and the Guardian Shadows alternated their attack. It was enough to stop Reygus¡¯ movement for a short time.


    This opportunity was used to strike Reygus with an enormous ice pole.


    Ggwahng!


    <Koo-uhk!>


    Reygus was sent flying backwards, and he was nted into the ground. His momentum was so high that dirt exploded into the air as he rolled across the ground.


    Leticia didn¡¯t let her guard down. Immediately, the wave of Guardian Shadows attacked Reygus.


    Reygus dashed out of the debris. He had suffered under the attack, but the only physical distress one could see was the slight dent in his armor. He looked fine as he heroically swung his Soul Hammer.


    Kwa-gwa-gwa-gwa-gwahng!


    The earth screamed. An explosion started to spread in a conical shape, and it reached several hundred meters.


    ¡°Koohk.......¡±


    Leticia moaned.


    The upper edge she had gained with superior numbers had been swept aside with one move. Fortunately, the Guardian Shadows quickly dodged to the side, so the damage was minimal. However.....


    Reygusughed as he walked out of the dust cloud.


    <How refreshing! I love it! I hate those that typically try to freeze me. I find it a bit annoying and petty. However, I really like the aesthetics of your n.>


    ¡°You don¡¯t think it is cheap?¡±


    <I take responsibility for my words! I don¡¯t care if it is several hundred or several thousand! They can all attack me. I¡¯ll fight with all the power in my body!>


    ¡°You are quite dashing. If you were on our side, I might have fallen for you.¡±


    Cold sweat was running down her body. Reygus was basically a walking fortress. She knew this, but she had thought her previous attack would be able to impart significant damage. However, she had only confirmed that she had been very wrong in her estimation of him.


    ¡®Do I have to apply a direct blow?¡¯


    Reygus¡¯ defensive technique was perfect. His power waspressed into an extremely dense energy, and it was used to strengthen his body.


    His defensive capabilities were akin to a fortress, yet he was skilled enough to slip attacks. In a momentary notice, he could change his energy into the optimum form needed to avoid suffering serious damage from attacks. He was boorish in his fighting method, but it was backed by his almost miraculous senses and techniques.


    It was impossible to ovee his reaction speed with long distance attacks. She had to get close to him, and she had to focus her power using perfect timing. That was the only way she would be able to breach his defense.


    ¡®Or I can mow him down with overwhelming force.... However, our side doesn¡¯t have the number to aplish this.¡¯


    She needed much more Guardian Shadows. A focused attack by the Guardian Shadows could restrict Reygus¡¯ movement.


    She needed more time. She needed enough Guardian Shadows to gather, so their party would have a chance to escape.


    At the same time, she couldn¡¯t waste too much time. It was apparent that the in of Darkness would also sent support.


    These contradictions tormented Leticia.


    <Well, are you well rested now? We should start this again. I was in a very bad mood, because of Atein. However, I¡¯m starting to have some fun thanks to you, miss.>


    ¡°You don¡¯t act like a vassal talking about his king.¡±


    <He isn¡¯t my king.>


    ¡°What?¡±


    <Oh. My tongue slipped again. Well, I guess I can say that much.>


    Reygus snickered. He suddenly looked at his surrounding as he spoke.


    <The 2nd wave ising. It¡¯ll take some time for them to assemble. Shall I wait?>


    ¡°.......¡±


    Leticia was at a loss for words. It was as he said. More Guardian Shadows wereing towards them. Their numbers were muchrger than the advance party.


    This was apparent, yet Reygus said he would wait for them.....


    ¡°If Kairen heard your words, he would have gotten angry.¡±


    <Oh ho. You are quite level-headed.>


    ¡°I¡¯m the type to thankfully ept the arrogance disyed by the strong. If you wait without going through your transformation, I might fall for your manliness.¡±


    <If we weren¡¯t enemies..... No, it is quite unfortunate that my body is like this. If I was like my past self, I would have tried to seduce you with a passion.>


    At Leticia¡¯s cold attitude, Reygusughed.


    Leticia snorted.


    There was another reason why she couldn¡¯t waste too much time. It was Reygus¡¯ transformation. Reygus was already a foe that was hard to defeat. If he was allowed to transform, they wouldn¡¯t be able to handle him.


    However, the transformation took a very long time. Reygus had started the process of his transformation when the battle began. His magical energy had been going through an amplification. However, when he offered to wait, he had paused his transformation.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do as you wish. If it is this many, it might be worthwhile.¡±


    She used her mind to assess the number and location of the Guardian Shadows.


    Leticia only called for those that were capable of long distance attack. The rest were dispatched towards Azell¡¯s side. She decided those that could only fight up close would be useless against Reygus.

 Chapter 205 - The Return of a Legend II (4)

    Chapter 205 - The Return of a Legend II (4)


    ¡°I¡¯ll do as you wish. If it is this many, it might be worthwhile.¡±


    She used her mind to assess the number and location of the Guardian Shadows.


    Leticia only called for those that were capable of long distance attack. The rest were dispatched towards Azell¡¯s side. She decided those that could only fight up close would be useless against Reygus.


    This was all possible, because Leticia possessed the staff that controlled the Guardian Shadows.


    If one possessed the staff, it was possible to control the Guardian Shadows even if one couldn¡¯tmunicate with them. Kairen had given the staff to Leticia before the battle had started.


    In terms ofing up with an overall strategy, Kairen was best suited for the role.


    However, when a battle started, Leticia was the one most capable of bringing out the best in the Guardian Shadows.


    Leticia was like Azell. She was talented in using clones. While she was entirely focused on the battle, she was able to split her will into multiple threads. She was able to maintain a constant link with the Guardian Shadows.


    ¡®I¡¯ll attack them all at once to separate the three of them.¡¯


    The goal of their tactic was extremely simple.


    It was to separate Almarick, Reygus and Almarick as far as possible from each other. When enough Guardian Shadows arrived, the Guardian Shadows would swarm and distract the three of them. Azell¡¯s party would use this opportunity to escape from the battlefield.


    It wasn¡¯t the time to resolve the conflict with Atein. They had to find a way to exit this ce.


    ¡°Here I go!¡±


    Leticia had around 200 Guardian Shadows that were capable of attacking from afar. They split into three groups, and they attacked Reygus all at once.


    <That¡¯s the spirit! It feels like I¡¯m getting hit now! However, I still think you are short on numbers.>


    It was as if several hundred magicians were focusing their attack on him. The three group attacked, retreated and attacked. It was an endless cycle.


    Despite the continuous attack, Reygus was walking forward at a rapid pace. If the Guardian Shadows let up even a little bit, it seemed Reygus just charge through their lines.


    Cold sweat ran down Leticia¡¯s back.


    ¡®During the Dragon Demon war, 400 men were gathered to defeat him.¡¯


    Reygus had been killed when he was lured into a trap. Spells, which had been prepared beforehand, had bombarded Reygus. When he was injured, it was said that 400 men had attacked him all at once. It was the perfect trap, yet by the time Reygus had died, over half of men were killed.


    ¡®Moreover, this guy is stronger than before.¡¯


    She found out something after fighting him. He was stronger than the time he fought Azell.


    ¡®It seems he finished getting used to being an Undead.¡¯


    Azell had faced Reygus when he hadn¡¯t been an Undead for too long. Reygus had lost all of his Dragon Demon magic, so he hadn¡¯t adjusted to his power as an Undead.


    However, a warrior of Reygus¡¯ caliber made adjustments quickly.


    He was fully adjusted to being an Undead now, so he was basically a walking cmity. He was capable of swinging the oue of a battle by himself. Reygus was one of the four Dragon Demon generals, and he was a nightmare to humans.


    Would she really be able to defeat him?


    Doubt started to form in her mind.


    Also.....


    ¡®Will they be able tost against Atein?¡¯


    Yuren, Laura and Arrieta were protecting the injured Azell as they fought against Atein.


    Will they be able to hold up against Atein?


    She was well aware of the critical ws in her n, but Leticia had no choice. She had to fight with all her might.


    6


    Atein didn¡¯t get involved in the fights being fought by the Dragon Demon generals. He had other things to do.


    ¡°Hmm. I just have to wrap this up, yet I never expected it to be so hard.......¡±


    Almarick hadn¡¯t finished the job. He just cut off the head of the tree god, and he had abandoned the task. Atein had to continue the work of sealing the tree god. However, the seal itself was a great magic of epic scale.


    ¡°Both of you are quite skilled. It has been awhile since I¡¯ve fought such a fun magic battle.¡±


    He was creating a seal, and at the same time, he was fighting a magic battle against Azell¡¯s party.


    Puh-puh-puhng! Kwa-kwahng!


    The sound of explosions rang out. Thunderbolts raced across the sky, and a strong gale swirled around them. shes of light was apanied explosions as they appeared everywhere.


    On the other hand, this wasn¡¯t a one-sided phenomena. It urred around Atein and Azell¡¯s party. A massive amount of power was being shattered around them.


    The surprising part was the fact that each side hadn¡¯t casted half the spells they were capable of casting. Despite this fact, the power being disyed could kill several hundred people.


    ¡°As expected of the king......!¡±


    Laura despaired.


    Yuren and Laura were the top magicians of this era. They were powerful magicians. The two of them were attacking Atein, while he was trying to seal the tree god, and they weren¡¯t having any sess. It just slowed down the sealing process by a minute amount.


    At some point in the battle, Laura and Yuren started being pushed back. Atein¡¯s spells started to push past the interference caused by the two, and his spells started to manifest little by little.


    Once the bnce of power started to tilt, it started to tilt all the way. It was as if a blocked dam had broken open. A storm of magic flew towards the two.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    For a moment, Atein was taken aback. The magic, which had been sweeping towards the two, changed its direction. It wasing back towards him.


    ¡®Is it the Vitan¡¯s Chalice? She was aiming for this.¡¯


    An explosion erupted.


    Atein had manifested a lot of spells. It was piled up as big as a mountain. Laura used Dimensional Distortion to send back the spells to it owner, but there were too many spell to turn back all at once. This was why a sh of magic urred afterwards.


    ¡°It is a shame that Aunsaurus isn¡¯t here to see this. You have great ability.¡±


    Atein was truly impressed.


    He wasn¡¯t merely talking about her sending back his spells. Laura¡¯s n hadn¡¯t ended there.


    There had been a sh of magic, but the explosion seemed very smallpared to the number of spells he had sent. The reason was quite simple.


    Dimensional Distortions appeared around Atein. Laura had created numerous Dimensional Distortions, and she had directed the shockwave and heat from the explosions onto Atein.


    The spells he had sent forth were returning towards him. The aftermath of the explosions was pouring out from all directions through the Dimensional Distortion.


    On top of that, it was as if Laura and Yuren had been waiting for this moment. They started pouring out their spells towards Atein. Their timing was truly exquisite.


    This was a dire situation even for Atein. Basically, the spells of three superb magicians were stacked against him, and these spells were being poured towards him all at once.


    -Come Dragon weapon!


    Even if her opponent was Atein, Laura thought....


    -Gatekeeper of Emptiness! Sky¡¯s Fortress!


    ...they could inflict significant damage to Atein.


    ¡°Agh!¡±


    Laura was shocked as she saw a circr ball of energy appear in front of Atein. Its diameter was 20 meters.


    ¡°How can this be.¡±


    Most of the spells were sucked into the ball, and it disappeared. A great explosion urred a distance away.


    Kwahhhhhhng!


    The ground shook, and their eyes were filled with burning light. Laura was mesmerized as she pieced together what had urred.


    ¡°It has been almost a 100 years since I¡¯ve faced such a situation.¡±


    Atein¡¯s voice could be heard from within the cloud of dust and heat. He sounded as if he was truly enjoying himself.


    The Gatekeeper of Emptiness was a Dragon weapon that had been used as temte to create the Road of Emptiness. It couldn¡¯t freely distort dimensions like the Vitan¡¯s Chalice, but it was capable of creating a space that connected point A to point B. It could create a dimensional door.


    The Sky¡¯s Fortress was the archetype of Azell¡¯s Unyielding Fortress. Unlike the Unyielding Fortress, it had a special property of the sky. In this aspect, it was more like the Sky Splitter.


    It was a Dragon weapon that boasted overwhelmingly high defense, yet it could gather light from its surrounding to strengthen itself. It became almost imprable. It also was capable of absorbing any light-based attack.


    Atein used these two Dragon weapons to get out of danger.


    ¡°As a magician, this is embarrassing. I had topletely rely on my Dragon weapons to get out of trouble. On this exchange, it¡¯s your victory.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Laura was at a loss for words. She wondered if he was patronizing them, but Atein was sincere. His expression told the veracity of this truth.


    ¡®He isn¡¯t wrong, but.......¡¯


    He was right.


    They weren¡¯t able to kill Atein, but they were able to cause him harm. They had distracted him from the task of sealing the tree god. He would have to redo many parts of the sealing process. He also had to divert his magical energy as he sent away the attack to a different location using the Gatekeeper of Emptiness. He couldn¡¯t recover that magical energy.


    High rank magicians were capable of recovering some of the magical energy invested in spells after they were cast. This was why it was important to assess how much a magician could recover magical energy invested in a spell. It was part of making a judgement on how skilled a magician was. If one took that into ount, Atein had lost a significant portion of his magical energy.


    ¡®Something is off.¡¯


    Atein was showing surprising amount of power and ability. It was as if he was three great mages rolled into one. He had fought Laura and Yuren while he was sealing the tree god.


    Even if one was a powerful magician, one was at a disadvantage in terms of power, speed and scale of the spells when facing numerous opponents. This was why one had to defeat multiple opponents all at once or defeat them one by one.


    However, Atein¡¯s method was different. He truly was capable of fighting Laura and Yuren at the same time as if it was a one on one battle.


    ¡®How is this possible?¡¯


    It was as if he was using Incarnation. During the Dragon Demon war, Atein was one of the few users capable of using Incarnation, so maybe, it wasn¡¯t strange that he was capable of fighting this way.


    So why didn¡¯t he just use Incarnation in the first ce? Wouldn¡¯t that be a more effective way to fight?


    ¡°King....no, Atein.¡±


    ¡°Do you have something you want to say to me?¡±


    ¡°You seem very confident.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    Atein tilted his head in puzzlement. He spoke when he had a thought.


    ¡°From my point of view, I don¡¯t feel the need to kill all of you right now. It isn¡¯t a priority, so it is hard for me to show killing intent towards you guys. I also think it would be a loss to kill you guys considering your potential.¡±


    ¡°...there is no room for negotiation.¡±


    ¡°I know that. Still, I¡¯m just trying to use my power to aplish my goal. I would like to avoid killing you all in the process.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Laura¡¯s expression hardened.


    She wasn¡¯t angry, because Atein had looked down on her. The difference between them was sorge, so it was hardly an insult.


    Atein was the first Dragon Demon and he was the first magician. He created the Dragon Arts. Moreover, he reset the rtionship between the humans and Dragons by creating the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual....


    If she ignored the fact that he was part of the in of Darkness, Atein was a main character from a legend. If she consolidated all the information she had gathered about him, she knew that he was at least 3,000 years old. Maybe, he lived for over 10 thousand years. It was strange to see that type of figure show human emotions.


    ¡®Despite this fact..... He isn¡¯t infallible.¡¯


    When she had that thought, she realized that the ability disyed by Atein was subtle.


    He possessed enough ability to squash Laura and Yuren. If he wasn¡¯t trying to seal the tree god, this would have been a much more difficult situation for them.


    However, she became confused the more she interacted with him.

 Chapter 206 - The Return of a Legend II (5)

    Chapter 206 - The Return of a Legend II (5)


    He possessed enough ability to squash Laura and Yuren. If he wasn¡¯t trying to seal the tree god, this would have been a much more difficult situation for them.


    However, she became confused the more she interacted with him.


    ¡®First, it is his magic.¡¯


    Atein¡¯s ability to apply his magic had risen to an unbelievable level. Atein used his magic with speed, precision and efficiency. He was the embodiment of magic, and he was what all magicians strived to be.


    However, the spells he were using wasn¡¯t surprising at all. Laura and Yuren had expected Atein to use spells that they didn¡¯t know about. However, they could discern the final product by how he was using his magical energy. They were able to cope with the spells.


    ¡®Moreover, part of his magic is outdated.¡¯


    Was it because Atein was a figure from 220 years ago? While time passed, the in of Darkness had diligently progressed in the study of magic. It didn¡¯t matter how much magical energy was possessed by Atein. His spell¡¯s effectiveness had fallen behind.


    For some reason, it was hard to ept that fact.


    Atein, Aunsaurus and Baldazark were magicians that had transcended the standard of their era. Atein was the founder and the pinnacle of magic. It had only been 220 years, so why did his magic feel so outdated?


    ¡®This is odd.¡¯


    The Great Darkness and the Road of Emptiness..... Then there were the numerous other miraculous artifacts left behind in the in of Darkness. If one analyzed each of them, one would have a hard time grasping how these items were created. They were on an entirely different level.


    She could say this with certainty. No other magicians in the past 220 years within the in of Darkness had been able toe close to the techniques developed by Atein.


    Suddenly Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°Atein.¡±


    7


    Atein turned his gaze towards Arrieta, who had spoken his name.


    Arrieta had be marginalized in this fight. It wasn¡¯t, because she didn¡¯t have enough power. She still hadn¡¯t acquired her Dragon Soul, but she would be an asset fighting in concert with Laura and Yuren.


    The problem was Azell. Azell was close to death, so someone had to look after him. Moreover, if an opportunity presented itself, she had to run away with Azell. When facing a strong opponent like Atein, the weakest amongst the three had to take on this assignment. Naturally, Arrieta had to take on that role.


    Arrieta continued to speak.


    ¡°I am Arrieta Weil Rin. It is said that I am your descendant.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve read about your information. Why are you bringing up that fact?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not expecting you to go easy on me for being your kin. From what I¡¯ve heard, there are over several thousand beings that is of your own flesh and blood. Is that correct?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    ¡°If we are talking about bloodlines propagated by me, the number should be in the ten thousands at the very least. There are bloodlines that continue to this day, but there are also the broken bloodlines.....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°My life is too long to be measure by everyone else¡¯s standard. I¡¯ve directly sired many, and several hundred generations of descendants had resulted from it. Isn¡¯t it an obvious result?¡±


    Atein sounded amused as he spoke, but it was truly a shocking information.


    For a brief moment, she was at a loss for words.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°This is... I knew Azell was a pretty big yboy, but you are on an entirely different level.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha ha. My enemy, Azell, must have left behind a lot of descendants. However, the process of me leaving behind descendants probably differs a bit from what you are imagining.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°This era epts certain actions and knowledge to bemon sense. It would take me too long to exin how they became to bemon sense, but you should try imagining it. It was an era where humans separated by a mere mountain didn¡¯tmunicate with each other. It was an era where humans killed other humans, and people practiced cannibalism. The Dragons were a cmity, and they prevented the humans from expanding their territory.¡±


    His words drove home therge span of history he was talking about. Everyone listening to his words knew that Atein had lived through that era.


    Arrieta furrowed her brows.


    ¡°It sounds like an excuse made up by a man that had no self-restraint. You used yourher region as you please, and your exnation is such a reach that it makes me feel faint. I asked you why you touched so many women, yet you are going to me it on history and legends. You truly are a great being.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    For a brief moment, Laura and Yuren looked at Arrieta with a stupefied expression on their face. Atein¡¯s eyes widened as if she had scored a point against him.


    Arrieta smirked.


    ¡°Well, all right. I brought up being your descendant as a self-introduction. The fact that I¡¯m your descendant gave me trouble in the past from your followers, so I brought it up.¡±


    ¡°Is it something I have to apologize for?¡±


    Atein tilted his head. Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°I might feel a bit better if I heard an apology.¡±


    ¡°Then I will apologize. In terms of a human¡¯s sense of time, it is an action too far in the future to assign me. For me, it is within the time frame to be sufficiently be called as being part of my life.¡±


    Atein elegantly bowed his head. Arrietaughed.


    ¡°You are my ancestor. All men praise you for being a legend, so it is an honor that you¡¯ve lowered your head. I want to ask you the question I¡¯m most curious about. However, before I do that do you mind me asking you another question?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel any affections for my descendants, but I¡¯m willing to acquiesce to that request.¡±


    ¡°I heard from your son that you were the one to create the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.¡±


    ¡°My son?¡±


    For a brief moment, Atein¡¯s eyes widened. He tilted his head in puzzlement. It didn¡¯t take him too long for him to realize what she was talking about.


    ¡°Hmm. If it is right now.... Teedar and cian is dead. So are you talking about Saibein?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°I see. He is still alive.¡±


    Atein nodded his head as he spoke, and his words made the party feel uneasy. In the beginning, it was as if Atein hadn¡¯t known he still had a son. Next, his attitude indicated that he didn¡¯t care much about not knowing about his son.


    During the Dragon Demon war, Atein had three queens.


    The first queen was Aincera. The second queen was Tedrin. The third queen was Kayalia.


    Aincera had a daughter named Reba, and she bore Atein two sons.


    Tedrin bore him two sons named Teedar and cian.


    Kayalia had no children.


    Amongst his children, only Saibein was still alive. All the others were killed in battle. That is why Atein should have naturally thought about Saibein, so why did he react like that?


    As Atein spoke more, the sense that something was wrong grew stronger. There were too many holes to this situation.


    Atein spoke.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I created the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. Did you want to confirm that fact with me?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Arrieta quickly broke out of her thoughts as she shook her head from side to side. Atein queried her.


    ¡°What are you curious about?¡±


    ¡°It is a question I just had when I heard your story. Atein, were you perhaps behind the legend of Babel?¡±


    The legend of Babel was the reason why the world was using a singlenguage.


    It was a legend. It had been hard to believe that a single figure could be responsible for such a feat.


    Atein spoke as if it was no big deal.


    ¡°I also did that.¡±


    ¡°As expected.......¡±


    Arrieta had received an answer she had expected, yet she shuddered. Both the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual and the story of Babel were stuff of legends. However, humanity had forgotten about the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. The story of Babel held a different weightpared to the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    Arrieta gulped as she queried him.


    ¡°Why did you do that?¡±


    ¡°I did it, because I can. Are you satisfied with that answer?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t enough.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll expand on my answer. It isn¡¯t too different from the story you know. At the time, I thought many of the tragedies suffered by humanity was based on having differentnguages. If everyone could speak the samenguage, I thought these misfortunes would disappear. I thought everyone would understand and love each other... I carried out my work believing in this. I worked at it for a truly long time even by my standard.¡±


    Atein had been considered a legend well before humanity had written history.


    ¡°At the time, magic was much more primitive. That is why I took on disciples when I needed talented individuals around me. I researched with them as if my life depended on it. I gathered those that wanted to realize the essence of magic. I gathered those that harbored desire to change the world.... I gathered a lot of them, yet it took around 1000 years.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Atein spoke in a calm manner, but the party was overwhelmed by his words.


    Atein had tried to changed the world through good intentions.


    This wasn¡¯t on the same level as cing rules and a societal system, so humans could live as a group. What he tried to aplish was like the process of union and birth. It was considered to be the natural order of the world.


    In order to aplish his goal, he had taught magic to countless people, and they had worked coboratively. None of the people around him lived to see the work to the end, yet he continued to work hard to achieve his goal.


    Above all else, he had finally achieved his goal. He worked for a long period of time. It was a thousand years. He was able to make the whole world speak a singlenguage.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t take me too long to realize that I had failed. I had to ept that fact, and I epted this fact much faster than the time I had invested in this venture. Humans didn¡¯t love and understand each other, because they spoke the samenguage. I was naive and foolish. It was like the time I created the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.¡±


    He let out a bitterugh. Arrieta realized that she was shaking.


    She was terrified. This man was talking about legends yet it was the story of his life. He had changed the fate of countless individuals, yet he was talking about it like a normal frustration in his life.


    The being in front of her was the main character in the legends. She could now understand why the Dragon Demon King worshippers worshipped him as a god.


    Atein continued to speak.


    ¡°Is that answer eptable?¡±


    ¡°...it is enough. However, if it is as you¡¯ve said, you keep repeating the greatest failures of your life. You unified thenguage of the world. You reset the rtionship between the Dragons and humans. Then you tried to conquer the world with your army to create an ideal society.....¡±


    ¡°Yes. They were all failures. However, I cannot stop. I know it won¡¯t work, but how can I give up? I¡¯m still alive, and there is work to be done.¡±


    ¡°I usually like an iron will, but.... I think it would have been ok if you gave up along the way.¡±


    ¡°On that point, we clearly differ in opinion. I see failure in my future, and I ept that. However, I have no n on stopping. The failures are just burdens that I will have to carry in my life.¡±


    Atein shook his head from side to side. Arrieta asked him a question.


    ¡°That means you know your n will clearly fail, but you will still try it out?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that. Hmm. I think I might have misspoken. However, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    Atein mumbled to himself before he spoke.


    ¡°It has been fun conversing with you, but I should start doing my work. My descendant, Arrieta Weil Rin, ask me what you are truly curious about. I will answer it.¡±


    ¡°...you said you don¡¯t n on killing Azell.¡±


    Arrieta realized that Atein had made a firm statement.


    Half the reason for the conversation was to buy some time. Atein knew this, yet he had indulged her request. However, that was at an end.


    ¡°We know that you cursed Azell, so you could make him into a Dragon Demon general.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you found that out, but your are correct.¡±


    ¡°Why did you do that?¡±

 Chapter 207 - The Return of a Legend II (6)

    Chapter 207 - The Return of a Legend II (6)


    Arrieta couldn¡¯t understand it.


    Azell was the hero that had defeated Atein. During the Dragon Demon war, Azell possessed power that no one could measure up to. Did Atein want to subordinate Azell, because Azell was stronger than him? If so, why weren¡¯t there more subordinates under him that had their free will restricted?


    Atein had linked a very small number of beings to the Great Darkness. Moreover, all these beings shared Atein¡¯s vision for the future. They followed him out of their own free will. This wouldn¡¯t be the case with Azell.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t know the answer to that question.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Arrieta¡¯s eyes widened. Was he making fun of her? However, Atein¡¯s expression was too serious for this to be true.


    ¡°It is unfortunate, but I cannot give you that answer. I really don¡¯t know the answer.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you make this decision in the past?¡±


    ¡°It is as Yuren Rizester surmised not too long ago. My revival wasn¡¯tplete. If we use the Demon King Atein as the measuring stick, I am iplete.¡±


    There was an odd nuance to his words. However, it seemed Atein no longer wanted to continue this conversation.


    ¡°I am sorry that I cannot answer your question. Let¡¯s end this.¡±


    In front of Atein, the Compendium of Pitch Darkness rose up into the air, and mes of darkness started to erupt around him.


    8


    Yuren took a deep breath then he spoke.


    ¡°He¡¯sing.¡±


    Atein was still showing a tepid attitude. There were countless uncertainties, but it was clear that Atein hadn¡¯t been using his full power.


    ¡®We are in a bad spot.¡¯


    Yuren still hadn¡¯t used his trump card. He hadn¡¯t fused with a Demon yet, and even if he did, he could maintain the fusion for only a short amount of time. He had thought it would be sufficient to use the fusion when Atein started using his full power.


    Laura was using her full power as a magician. However, she hadn¡¯t used the full power of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice.


    Vitan¡¯s Chalice was a Dragon weapon that made countless people shake in fear during the Dragon Demon war. In terms of battle capability, Aunsaurus was seen as being superior to Atein. The difference was the fact that Aunsaurus possessed the Vitan¡¯s Chalice.


    If Laura used the power of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice, she would be much stronger. However....


    ¡®Will we be able to pull it off?¡¯


    If Yuren merged with a Demon and Laura was able to use the full power of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice, would they be able to contend with Atein?


    Their situation was getting worse by the second.


    The Guardian Shadows continued to gather, but the party¡¯s goal was moving farther away. Yuren looked through the Magic Eye in the air, and he bit his lips.


    Atein was almost done sealing the Tree god.


    Leticia was continually deploying more Guardian Shadows, yet she was slowly being pushed back by Reygus.


    In the end, Kairen had allowed Almarick to use his Incarnation. Kairen had learned how to deal with Incarnation from Azell, and he had worked very hard in trying to prevent Almarick from using it. However, there was a limit to what he could do. When the Incarnation was used, Kairen was quickly being pushed back.


    ¡®Dangerous. It really is the worst.¡¯


    From the beginning, they had a tactic put in ce on how to deal with Reygus and Almarick.


    Azell could face either of them in an one on one battle. If one of his party members supported Azell, he could easily beat Reygus or Almarick.


    Even if Azell was missing, there was a chance that they could win against Reygus and Almarick. A warrior and a magician just had to team up to deal with each of them. Azell¡¯s party had gotten much stronger.


    However, everything turned into a mess when Atein showed up. Their strongest card was in critical condition before the battle even started. Yuren, Laura and Arrieta was tied up, since they had to face Atein.


    ¡®At this rate, we cannot run away.¡¯


    Yuren came to a bleak conclusion as he started his attack on Atein.


    -Come Dragon weapons! Gate Keeper of Emptiness! Dream¡¯s Apostle!


    Three Dragon weapons were summoned including the Compendium of Pitch Darkness. At the same time, all kinds of spells started to pour out from the Compendium of Pitch Darkness.


    ¡°T...this is......?¡±


    Yuren and Laura realized something at the same time.


    It was apparent that the Compendium of Pitch Darkness was simr to the Dragon weapon called the Book of Darkness. It was capable of boosting the magical energy of the user, and at the same time, it gave free control over massive amount of spells to its user.


    However, they had made a mistake. Their assessment waspletely wrong.


    ¡®It is a Dragon weapon capable of independent action from its owner. It can fight a magic battle on is own?¡¯


    It was a Dragon weapon simr to the White me Phoenix and the Crying Phoenix. It could move in an autonomous manner. Moreover, the amount of Dragon Demon magic stored within exceeded the power of Laura, and its ability to manifest spell was on par with Yuren!


    ¡®There is two magic tomes that are like the Darkness Incarnate? This is unbelievable!¡¯


    Atein¡¯s main Dragon weapon was called the Darkness Incarnate, and it was truly a terrifying Dragon weapon. It was basically another version of Atein.


    It was different from the Incarnation technique. This other version of Atein could work separately from the real Atein. The Dragon weapon could was basically an exact clone of Atein. It could use all kinds of spell, and it was capable of summoning and using Atein¡¯s Dragon weapons.


    The Compendium of Pitch Darkness wasn¡¯t on the level of the Darkness Incarnate, but it was still a ridiculous Dragon weapon. By itself, it could face off against Yuren or Lauren!


    ¡°Ooh-ook! It isn¡¯t the time to hold back!¡±


    Yuren no longer hesitated. He was going to merge with a Demon. It happened at that moment.


    Pah-cheet!


    ¡°...uh?¡±


    He was about to call out a Demon to merge with it. However, his summoning spell was blocked.


    He immediately realized what had happened. It was the power of the Dragon weapon called Dream¡¯s Apostle.


    ¡°I forbid the beings of hate from invading into this world.......¡±


    Atein recited those words in a low voice.


    The Dream¡¯s Apostle manifested itself in the form of a staff, and there was a sun and moon hanging off of it. It was capable of mastery over the world of mind and soul. It didn¡¯t even need to manifest anyplicated spell. The Dragon weapon was capable of blocking a Demon from entering into this world.


    ¡°I...Impossible......!¡±


    Yuren was taken aback. He once again tried to fuse with a Demon, but it didn¡¯t work. It didn¡¯t matter what method he tried to use to summon a Demon. The Dream¡¯s Apostle blocked him at every turn.


    Magicians were capable of interfering with each other¡¯s spells. It was like blocking various paths. It was possible to reach the same destination through different paths. It wasn¡¯t impossible to block all these paths, but one needed significant amount of effort and sacrifices to do so.


    The Dream¡¯s Apostle was simply blocking all the paths Yuren could take. He couldn¡¯t ovee it no matter what methods he used.


    This was the power of the Dragon weapons. Dragon weapons possessed transcendent power. It defied the logic followed by the magicians. They were miraculous tools that allowed one to take shortcuts.


    ¡°This.......¡±


    Yuren¡¯splexion turned white.


    He was merely a human magician. He possessed enough power to be called an Archmage, but he fell well short of being able to contend with Atein.


    Even if he possessed excellent technique, there was a limited number of cards he could use. If there was a limit on how many cards he could use at one time, he had limited options. If he didn¡¯t have the option to fuse with the Demon, he possessed the least amount of magical energy in his party. He didn¡¯t possess any Dragon weapons or a Dragon Soul.


    Suddenly, Atein spoke.


    ¡°Hmm. Nope. This isn¡¯t it.....¡±


    He shook his head from side to side, and at the same time, he unsummoned the Dream¡¯s Apostle. The power blocking Yuren¡¯s fusion with the Demon disappeared. Yuren was able to activate his Demon summoning spell.


    ¡°Try it. I don¡¯t want to blow the opportunity to witness such a rare technique just because it might pose a danger to me.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    It was such an arrogant statement to say. It made him shudder. At the same time, Yuren understood that Atein was a magician to his bones.


    There was amon saying. Curiosity was the shortcut to destruction.


    As a magician, Atein was basically a pioneer. He called the Demons into this world, because he was curious about their existence. He didn¡¯t even hesitate to make deals with them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do as you wish!¡±


    An extremely ominous wave of magical energy emanated from him, and Yuren¡¯s brown hair fiercely blew in the wind. His blue-gray eyes burned as ck smoke appeared behind him. Evil spirits were gathering behind him.


    Atein¡¯s eyebrows rose.


    ¡°Very cool. You were able to quickly and safely use this technique. This means that this technique is fully formed. I am very curious as to who had developed this technique.¡±


    ¡°I am also curious about that..¡±


    While he spoke, Yuren¡¯s magical energy was wildly surging upwards. However, Yuren¡¯s mind was calm. His thoughts became stable.


    The signs of inexperience that was disyed in the fight against Niberis was nowhere to be seen. Unlike before, his skill in fusing with the Demon had been refined. His magic was boosted beyond the amount of magical energy possessed by Laura. The senses needed to control magical energy was boosted several folds. His thought process became faster.


    However, this didn¡¯t mean the technique wasn¡¯t taxing him. His control had increased significantly, but he couldn¡¯t do anything about the increased load on his body and mind.


    He once again started the magic battle.


    It was different than before. Each side was now showing their true skills.


    Yuren and Laura worked in sync with each other. The Communication spell allowed them to quickly exchange their intent, and they started apply pressure on Atein.


    Kwah-kwah-kwahng! Kwah-kwah--kwah-kwah-kwahng!


    The storm of magic raged. It was more fierce than before.


    The fight was still quite even. Atein was terrifying since he was using his full power. However, it wasn¡¯t at a level where Laura and Yuren couldn¡¯t cope with it. The reason was simple.


    ¡°The Vitan¡¯s Chalice is amazing. It didn¡¯t perform like this in the past.......¡±


    It was as Azell had said. The Vitan¡¯s Chalice was a Dragon weapon tailored for a magician. It could create Dimensional Distortions, but only a magician could bring out the countless spells stored within the weapon.


    Laura and Yuren leaned on the power of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice, and they were opportunistic and focused in their attacks.


    In terms of the amount of spells that one could use, Laura and Yuren was at a disadvantage. It was a one vs two battle, yet Atein was using more spells than the twobined. His current skill couldn¡¯t bepared to what he had disyed before.


    However, most of the spells were being diverted elsewhere using Dimensional Distortions.


    Atein knew about the big techniques like the Vitan¡¯s Maze and the Endless in. However, Laura continued to use the lowly skill called the Dimensional Distortions. Atein couldn¡¯t go through the tedious task of stopping every single use of the Dimensional Distortion. Laura was also shrewd in choosing which spells she should divert or confront. She used Dimensional Distortions to let the spells flow to a different location or she sent it back towards him. It was causing significant trouble for Atein.


    Atein used the Gatekeeper of Emptiness to oppose the Vitan¡¯s Chalice, but the Vitan¡¯s Chalice was much superior in dealing with space. The Gatekeeper of Emptiness could only connect one point to another. On the other hand, the Vitan¡¯s Chalice could expand, twist and terminate space. It was constantly changing, so Laura was able to y with that power.


    ¡®This wont¡¯ work.¡¯


    Yuren¡¯s face was dyed with despair.


    They were able to stand on equal footing with Atein¡¯s overwhelming magic. However, that was their limit.


    There was no way they could turn the tide of battle against Atein. In fact, they were slowly losing ground as time passed.


    Moreover.......


    Kwah-kwah-kwhang!


    An explosion rang out from afar. Something flew towards them, and it crashed near them.


    ¡°Duke!¡±


    Half of his armor was blown off, and Kairen¡¯s body was a bloody mess. He was barely able to right himself before he hit the ground. He slid across the ground.


    ¡°Huhk, huhk, huh-uhk......!¡±


    Kairen wanted to immediately get back onto his feet, but he swayed as he fell back to the ground. From the other side, Almarick was approaching them. A strong gale was wrapped around his body.


    ¡°It has been a while since someone made my blood curdle. If your were a little bit more proficient in your technique, I might have lost my head today.¡±


    Almarick didn¡¯t look untouched. Various parts of his armor were ruined, and there were wounds on his face.


    Kairen had fought hard until the end. He hadn¡¯t allowed Almarick to use Incarnation. He went all out from the beginning with the intent of killing Almarick in the initial salvo. However, Kairen didn¡¯t have the power to end the fight. After Almarick was able to use Incarnation, Kairen was barely able to hold on.


    Ggwah-gwa-gwa-gwa-gwang!


    In the next moment, a thunderous roar rang out from across the forest, and a big cloud of dust rose into the air. It was obvious, but it was a roar that was formed when Reygus used his Soul Hammer.


    Someone surged in the sky. It was Leticia, who was surrounded by her blue-white Dragon Soul.


    <It has been awhile since I had this much fun! Miss!>


    Suddenly, Reygus appeared in front of them using Instantaneous Movement. He had finished his transformation, so he was wearing his pure white armor. He was also emitting a massive amount of Dragon Demon magic.


    While off-bnce, Leticia tried to counterattack. She tried to attack with a do or die spirit, but Reygus¡¯ speed had be too fast.


    Kwahng!


    An explosion rang out as she fell from the sky. She was somehow able to avoid a direct hit, but her arm was broken. She lost her grip on her spear.


    ¡°Ooh-oook. It seems nothing worked out as nned........¡±


    After falling to the ground, Leticia shuddered as shey on the ground.


    ¡°It seems we are done.¡±


    During all of this, Atein had finished sealing the tree god. The spells that had been pressuring Laura and Yuren rose in intensity.


    It was as if the tense fight up until now had been a lie. The battle had shifted in Atein¡¯s favor. Laura and Yuren was filled with desperation and despair.


    Atein asked them a question in such dire situation.


    ¡°Do you want to continue this?¡±

 Chapter 208 - The Return of a Legend II (7)

    Chapter 208 - The Return of a Legend II (7)


    9


    This was thest question.


    Yuren realized this fact.


    It seemed Atein really didn¡¯t want to kill his party. If they were spared, Atein knew that they would meet again as enemies. So why was he averse to ending them right now?


    If they gave up Azell to Atein, they would be spared. Why was Atein expressing his intent with such candor?


    ¡®Why?¡¯


    Did he think it would be a shame to kill the rest of the party?


    Yuren didn¡¯t think Atein had such romanticized reasons. The party was too strong for that to be true.


    It was true that they had lost, but depending on the situation, Azell¡¯s party could have flipped the result. If Azell hadn¡¯t been sniped in the beginning, would Reygus and Almarick have been able to defeat Azell¡¯s party?


    No. There was enough reasons to believe that Azell¡¯s party would have won.


    Yuren became sure of it after their party had fought the Dragon Demon generals. Unlike what he had worried about, their party was plenty strong enough.


    There was no way Atein didn¡¯t know this either.


    ¡®Why does he want to leave us alive?¡¯


    Even Almarick and Reygus was agreeing with Atein¡¯s desire. It wasn¡¯t as if they weren¡¯t capable of killing Kairen and Leticia. They just chose not to kill the two.


    Yuren desperately churned his brain. It was a situation where a knife was pressed up against his throat, yet he kept thinking over it...


    ¡®Shit. I have no idea. I have too little information.¡¯


    In the end, Yuren gave up on answering that question.


    ¡°...you definitely have a reason for doing this.¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    ¡°You are trying to subordinate Azell into the Great Darkness, and you are going out of your way to spare us. You have your reasons for doing this.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, our life can be preserved if we hand over Azell to you guys. Our lives are in immediate danger, so we should take advantage of your arrogance and generosity. It would be prudent to fight another day.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    Atein tilted his head in puzzlement.


    Yuren let out a weakughter as he spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡±


    Yuren ignored the question as he said what he wanted to say.


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of losing my life. I might be satisfied or dissatisfied with the way I die, but I¡¯m not afraid of death itself.¡±


    ¡°That is an interesting speech. So what are you afraid of?¡±


    Atein showed interest in Yuren¡¯s story. Almarick and Reygus showed sign of being bored, since this was another rubbish exchange between two magicians. Atein and Yuren didn¡¯t pay any attention to them.


    Yuren spoke.


    ¡°I am most afraid of finding out who I am.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. You want to talk about your identity? That topic came out of nowhere, and I¡¯m not sure this is the time and ce to talk about it.¡±


    ¡°I think you are in simr yet different situation as me. What are you afraid of, Atein? ording to Azell, you were fearless.¡±


    ¡°I guess so.¡±


    ¡°What are you so afraid of? What makes you want to change this world so desperately?¡±


    Atein flinched. The first question didn¡¯t elicit much of a response, but Atein¡¯s attitude changed this time.


    ¡°Maybe.......¡±


    For a brief moment, Atein mulled over his answer before he spoke.


    ¡°...I think I¡¯m most afraid of being thest one left.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about loneliness?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    A truly odd atmosphere was forming. Almarick, Reygus and the rest of Azell¡¯s party looked at the two of them with baffled expressions on their faces.


    However, the two of them were serious.


    ¡°I believe that fear arises from the part of me that is part Demon. Or maybe it might be a fear all intelligent beings feel including humans.¡±


    Atein continued to speak.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid of being alone. I started walking the surface of this world without needing parents. It didn¡¯t take too long for me to realize that I was living in a different time frame than other beings.¡±


    ¡°Did you feel this as you watched the humans?¡±


    ¡°In the beginning, it was as you described. However, when others of my race started to show up, I realized that they were no different.¡±


    It was extremely rare to find a 1st generation Dragon Demon that transcended their life expectancy. Even if they were able to transcend above their life expectancy, they eventually died in some form or fashion.


    ¡°Everyone was bornter than me, yet they died faster than me. At first, I was hurt by that fact. However, I became numb to it at some point. Those that I became interested in and those that I cherished disappeared within the flow of time. I became used to it.¡±


    As these experiences umted, Atein¡¯s perspective on the world continued to broaden. He looked beyond himself. He saw the towns, cities, countries then..... He finally looked past the species called humanity to look at the entire world.


    ¡°Life is given when someone is born. It is natural to get old and weak. Death is inevitable. At times, one bes happy or sad. In the end, it is necessary to confront it.¡±


    For a time, Atein had wanted to keep the people he treasured by his side. He tried all kinds of methods, but in the end, he was humbled. He had to ept their deaths.


    The problem was the fact that the four phases of life wasn¡¯t limited to individuals. It also applied tomunities.


    Humans died when they got wounded, sick or old. It was the same withmunities and civilizations that were built by humans. Nothing was eternal in this world. A country possessing illustrious history had a lifespan, and from Atein¡¯s perspective, it would disappear one day.


    As history continued to unfold, Atein saw more examples of this, and his fear grew.


    ¡°Yuren Rizester, do you know that there are many intelligent beings in this world aside from humans and Dragon Demons?¡±


    ¡°That... The one that immediatelyes to mind are the Orcs..¡±


    Humans were the most numerous in this world. Humans had thrived, but they weren¡¯t the only intelligent race in this world.


    Atein spoke.


    ¡°In the olden days, there used to be an intelligent race that had flourished as much as the humans. They were a race called the Arps. They might be mentioned in the legends of humanity.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about the children of mother earth?¡±


    ¡°They were also called that, and they went extinct during the era of the Five Star Kingdom. At one time, they had upied arge territory, and they had developed their own civilization. They went extinct thanks to my error.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Yuren had never even imagined such a story.


    Atein had a faraway look as he spoke.


    ¡°It happened all because of the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.¡±


    Atein had used the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual to reset the rtionship between the humans and Dragons. It had drastically changed the world. The humans had been scattered up until that point. They started to band together, and they quickly expanded their territory.


    In the end, humans and the Arps shed.


    ¡°They were called the children of mother earth, and they lived in coexistence with the Dragons. The power generated when they were in a group provided vitality to the territories of the Dragons. This was why the Dragons hadn¡¯t assumed a hostile attitude towards them.¡±


    On the other hand, the Arps were small and scarce in number. They were almost equal in poption with humans before the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. That was how much the Dragons had been keeping the numbers of humans in check. On the other hand, the Arps were more long lived than humans.


    Once the humans started gaining power, their greed was endless. Moreover, Arps were also greedy.


    ¡°At the time, Arps were using humans as ves. Aside from intelligence and ability to feel emotions, Arps were much stronger in battle than humans. The very was a natural consequence of this.¡±


    Aparable analogy was Dragon Demons ruling over humans in a closed society. On the other hand, the Arps had been more numerous than the Dragon Demons, and they couldn¡¯t procreate with humans. They were ofpletely different race from humans.


    The two greedy races shed against each other, and one was wiped out. Atein tried his best to salvage the situation, but in the end, the Arps were wiped out.


    Atein brought up a different topic.


    ¡°Yuren Rizester, you knew about the true identity of the Great Darkness. That is why you guys were destroying the pirs. However, do you truly know what is within it?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    ¡°I know why you are trying to hide information from me, but it might be more beneficial if you talked about it. Do you know about Reginor?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know about him.¡±


    ¡°Who is he?¡±


    ¡°He is thest of the Arps.¡±


    10


    The race of Arps were wiped out, but a single survivor did exist. He had transcended themon sense of magic, and he had transcended the lifespan of an Arps. His name was Reginor.


    ¡°If one used this era as the standard, he has been sealed for about 1,500 years. Thankfully, you guys didn¡¯t find him.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°If you awakened him, the world would have turned into paradise.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Yuren couldn¡¯t understand Atein¡¯s words.


    Ateinughed as he spoke.


    ¡°You saw what kind of transcendent beings I sealed within the Great Darkness. They all possessed power that transcended logic.¡±


    ¡°You did do that. However, they don¡¯t seem so scary now....¡±


    ¡°You have a way to defeat them, and since they¡¯ve been sealed for a very long time, they¡¯ve fallen behind time. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s the reason why they don¡¯t seem so scary?¡±


    ¡°...I acknowledge that you have a point.¡±


    It had been the case with the god of death Belrun. In his era, he was an archmage that had been considered a natural disaster. If half a year was given to him, Belrun would have been a natural disaster once again. There was a chance that no one could have opposed him if he had been given that time.


    Atein spoke.


    ¡°The power acquired by Reginor was ¡®time.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Does that mean he can manipte time to his liking?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Reginor was thest survivor of the Arps race, and he was an archmage that controlled the power of time. He could elerate, decelerate or stop time in a veryrge region. He could also assign different flow of time to different beings.


    ¡°Even without the power to manipte time, he is a unstoppable force. The world he dreams about is....¡±


    Originally, Reginor wanted to go back in time to his past. Even if he acquired the power to manipte time, it was impossible to turn back time.


    He spent a very long time trying to do the impossible. He became tired, and he despaired. He gave up on his life¡¯s long wish to restore his race, and he melted into the world. He lived amongst those he had once hated, and amongst them, he was able to find those that he could love.


    ¡°Then he came to a simr conclusion as me.¡±


    He didn¡¯t want to be alone again.


    For a very long time, Reginor had been lonely. Hate had been the only thing that had sustained him through the loneliness, but there was a limit to that method.


    He had given up on his earnest wish, yet he had once again found love again. He became afraid of repeating his own tragedy.


    It was akin to his race going extinct. Those that he was interested in were dying, and they were running into misfortunes. He was part of amunity, and he was afraid of thatmunity disappearing. He couldn¡¯t stand the feeling of loss and the loneliness of being alone. He feared it.


    ¡°That was why he decided to make the world into a paradise. It would be a paradise where no one suffered from loss.¡±


    There would be no fights in this ce. There would be no hunger or sickness. Since it would be a ce that had left behind mortality, no one would get old and weak.


    It was the paradise everyone dreamed about. At the same time, it was agreed that such a world couldn¡¯t exist.


    ¡°However, Reginor thought he could do it, and he had the ability to do it.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°Time.¡±


    Everything urred within the flow of time. Humans starved and became weak, because time flowed.


    That was where all the problems arose.


    ¡®The flow of time is the root of all evil.¡¯


    The correct answer was to stop time. In a world where time was perfectly still, no one would be born, yet no one would die either.


    ¡°If he stopped the perception of time in the material world, all problem would be eliminated. He¡¯ll allow the members of his society to be connected through dreams. It would be a mental world where everyone could live a satisfied life. Forever.¡±


    All possibilities would be killed, and only those that exist could live in eternal peace and satisfaction.


    This was the paradise that Reginor had devised and wanted to bring about.

 Chapter 209 - The Return of a Legend II (8)

    Chapter 209 - The Return of a Legend II (8)


    Yuren looked sick.


    ¡°...he¡¯s lost his mind. I guess it is to be expected. Every being sealed within was like that.¡±


    ¡°That is why I sealed him. Of course, there was a part of me that sympathized with his feelings, and I agreed with his n to a certain extent..... However, I came to the conclusion that a world where no new possibility could be born couldn¡¯tst forever. The mind world and the material world are two sides of the same coin. If new possibility cannot be provided on one side, I worried the other side would be starved.¡±


    Yuren¡¯s expression turned peculiar. Atein¡¯s reason drastically differed from what he would havee up with.


    ¡°Does that mean you wouldn¡¯t have gotten in the way of Reginor if a true eternal paradise could have been created?¡±


    ¡°I think so. His method had the possibility of transcending the many problems of this world. He might have created a utopia.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Amongst the 12 transcendent beings I sealed, Reginor¡¯s goal was the most realistic and idealistic amongst them. The others were like the beings you guys put down. They were trying to fulfill inadmissible ideas.¡±


    ¡°You call that idea realistic? You are crazy too.¡±


    ¡°If seen from the perspective of a human, I won¡¯t deny that it looks that way. However...¡±


    Atein continued to speak in a calm manner.


    ¡°Every one of them hade to the same conclusion as me.¡±


    ¡°They wanted to create a paradise? I guess you started the Dragon Demon war to create your ideal nation.¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m talking about something that is much more fundamental. Each and every one of them thought they would someday be alone.¡±


    Humans died.


    Nations made by humans perished at some point in time.


    Then.......


    ¡°I believe humanity will be extinct some day.¡±


    If a person he loved died, it was sad. However, he could ept it with humility. However, what happens if there weren¡¯t anyone that he could sympathize andmunicate with? What happens if no one was left? He couldn¡¯t ept the fear caused by this idea.


    It wasn¡¯t just Atein. Every single being that was sealed possessed the same fear.


    They all knew that humanity would be extinct some day. If left alone, the unending malice of humans would cause them to kill each other. They all wanted to stop that. They all thought their own method could ensure that the future would be perpetuated through eternity. They were all sure that their own method was the only method that could guarantee sess.


    ¡°I like the fact that the things I made was passed down and improved on. I like that my story was told. I¡¯m fine even if I be a distorted version myself. I don¡¯t mind if humans repeat their foolish mistakes. I¡¯ll tolerate anything if I¡¯m not the only one left in this world....¡±


    Atein lived for a very long time, and he remained a stranger to everyone. No one could exist in the same time frame as him. The Dragon Demon generals were like children to him.


    Countless meetings and partings repeated itself. His interests and attachments dimmed towards individuals. He now saw everything as a whole, and he watched everything at a distance. His goal for humans.... His goal for all intelligent beings was survival and happiness.


    Yuren spoke.


    ¡°You are.... You are egotistical at a really grand scale.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t deny that fact. I changed the world for myself, and I¡¯m trying to change it again.¡±


    ¡°However, I think I can understand how you feel by a very minute amount.¡±


    ¡°You are human, yet you are saying that?¡±


    Atein tilted his head. From his perspective, the human youth was like a mayfly, yet Atein didn¡¯t express anger or ridicule. He just looked puzzled.


    Yuren spoke.


    ¡°It happened because of you. You probably already know this, but I grew up under the care of the fanatics that worship you as a god.¡±


    ¡°I know that.¡±


    ¡°That ce was a factory that created more fanatics.¡±


    The Dragon Demon King worshipper fostered numerous children, and they were crammed with madness. They were created to be fanatics in this factory. Each children¡¯s thought process was separated from themon sense of the world.


    Anyone that wasn¡¯t a Dragon Demon King worshippers were great sinners. They could be killed with impunity. No, it was righteous to kill the non-believers, and one shouldn¡¯t feel afraid of sacrificing one¡¯s life to kill them.


    Everyone was made to think the same, and Yuren had awakened to his own sanity thanks to the Guide. He became a loner from that point on.


    Everyone that breathed and upied the same space as him spoke the samenguage, yet he couldn¡¯t empathize with them at all. From Yuren¡¯s perspective, they were all monsters in the visage of humans.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t share joy or sadness with them. It wouldn¡¯t have mattered if it was something inconsequential. It would have been great if I couldugh with them, but there was no way I could do that.¡±


    He could pretend to be like them on the outside. However, that was just a necessary attempt at survival. He had to act. Fear and loneliness was the two emotions that had ruled over Yuren for a very long time.


    ¡°That is why I can understand your feelings a little bit, Atein.¡±


    ¡°I see.......¡±


    Atein let out a bitterugh. Atein didn¡¯t deny Yuren¡¯s im that he understood how Atein felt. For a moment, the two of them shared a small portion of each other¡¯s loneliness.


    Yuren spoke.


    ¡°Shall we go back to the beginning? That is why I¡¯m scared.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand what that has to do with your identity.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who I am. I am Carlos Rizester¡¯s descendant, and I was grown to be a human weapon by the hands of the Dragon Demon king worshippers. It still leaves many unanswered questions. Didn¡¯t I tell you earlier? I was awakened by an unknown being called the Guide.¡±


    ¡°You did. I really am curious to know his identity.¡±


    ¡°You might be able to find out soon. Anyways, someone nned out my destiny. Still, I am thankful for being allowed to understand freedom. I¡¯m thankful for being able to choose my own fate.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you afraid?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been lonely for a very long time. However, I¡¯m no longer lonely.¡±


    Yuren turned to look at hisrades. He did not borate any further. The words he had spoken right now was so embarrassing that it was hard to bear,


    ¡°I no longer feel lonely thanks to them, and I¡¯m afraid of hurting them.¡±


    Yuren spoke those words as he took out something from his pocket. It was nondescript. It was a fist sized steel box.


    Carlos had given it to him. It was called the Box of Hope. Yuren had been warned that he would face irreversible destruction when he opened it.


    ¡°Azell.¡±


    Yuren¡¯s gaze remained on Atein as he spoke.


    ¡°I know you are awake. So do you mind answering me?¡±


    ¡°Yuren, you.....¡±


    Azell answered him.


    It was clear that Azell was flustered. He didn¡¯t care that Yuren realized that he was awake. However, he cared about the fact that Yuren had went out of his way to reveal his consciousness to his enemies.


    Azell had received help from Arrieta. She had given him emergency treatment to his wounds, and he was waiting for an opportunity to go on the counteroffensive. He was severely injured, but he was able to use Incarnation. He would time the move with an all out assault by the Guardian Shadows. He judged that it would allow them the opportunity to escape from this ce.


    From just that single phrase from Yuren, his n became useless. Yuren knew this, yet he continued to speak calmly.


    ¡°You spoke about me with Carlos-nim, right?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I know that you know a secret, and it is something that you are having a difficult time telling me. I picked up on it. In truth, it was quite apparent from Carlos-nim¡¯s attitude when he gave me this item.¡±


    Unlike the other party members, Yuren couldn¡¯t be trusted. Carlos had made this judgement, and this was why Yuren wasn¡¯t given any items that increased his overall capabilities. Moreover, Carlos had made sure that Laura was the only one that could look into the magic tome left behind by Carlos.


    Yuren wasn¡¯t an idiot, so he easily realized what was going on. It would be a lie to say he wasn¡¯t hurt by their actions, but he also understood why they had decided that course of action.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid, because I cannot trust myself. Therefore, how can I ask others to believe in me?¡±


    Azell let out a bitterughter as he looked at Yuren. Azell¡¯s gaze rose to meet Yuren¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I am thankful.¡±


    Yuren¡¯s gaze was directed towards hisrades.


    Azell, Laura, Kairen, Leticia and Arrieta.....


    ¡°By meeting you all, I was able to like myself just a little bit..¡±


    ¡°Yuren.......¡±


    ¡°Please tell me about Carlos-nim¡¯s conjecture as to what my identity is. I want to hear it from you.¡±


    For a moment, Azell read a familiar emotion in Yuren¡¯s eyes. He had seen it so much that he was sick of it. These emotions were something Azell no longer wanted to see in the eyes of others.


    Yuren was ready to die here.


    When Yuren realized Azell¡¯s n, he messed it up, because he had made up his mind. His sacrifice would bring about a better result than Azell¡¯s n. That was what he determined.


    ¡°...Carlos surmised that you might be the reincarnation of Kayalia.¡±


    ¡°Kayalia? Isn¡¯t she Atein¡¯s third wife? How?¡±


    Yuren couldn¡¯t understand how this could be possible. In truth, Yuren had expected Azell to name Aunsaurus or Baldazark. Carlos had fought in the Great Darkness to stop the revival of those two, so Yuren believed that one of those two had been reincarnated as himself.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t well-known, but Kaylia is an existence that knows the technique of reincarnation. Before she became Atein¡¯s wife, she had her own kingdom, and she was continuously born again through her descendants. She had lived for a very long time, and she was very powerful.¡±


    ¡°Ah. That¡¯s why.¡±


    He epted the exnation. It lined up too well with the theory he had about his own identity.


    At the same time, he was sure that they were wrong.


    ¡®I¡¯m not Kayalia.¡¯


    If Reygus possessed a living body at that moment, Yuren might have felt something was off when he saw Reygus¡¯ expression. For a brief moment, Almarick had flinched, but he had schooled his expression. Unlike Almarick, Reygus would have had an odd expression on his face.


    However, Reygus was an Undead now. He was also in his transformed state, so his expression couldn¡¯t be viewed by anyone. That is why Yuren could only trust in what he felt in his guts.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°ording to the information gathered by Carlos, Kayalia lived as apletely different person until she is awakened. At some moment, she awakens to be Kayalia once again... Carlos worried that we would face an archmage that rivalled the Dragon Demon generals when you awakened. He was afraid you would be our enemy.¡±


    Azell had spoken to Laura about this. He believed there was no way Yuren would be their enemy.


    It wasn¡¯t a lie. If Yuren became conscious of his identity as Kayalia, his sense of self as Yuren would die. Kayalia would take its ce.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    When he heard Azell¡¯s answer, Yuren let out a bright smile.


    ¡°The regrets.... If I¡¯m to be truthful, I still have many left. However, I think I can leave them behind.¡±


    He still didn¡¯t know what his identity was. If he continued on this path, his fear might be realized. He might awaken to be the enemy of his party.


    That was why this was the right time for him.


    He believed in his ancestor Carlos. Carlos had been suspicious of Yuren¡¯s identity, so Carlos had given him this item. There was no way this item would cause harm to Azell.


    ¡®I don¡¯t care what my identity is.¡¯


    The only important thing right now was the fact that he would never turn against hisrades. The truth might destroy his soul, but if it was the cost to saving hisrades, he would dly ept it.


    ¡°Thank you for waiting, Atein.¡±


    ¡°You still have something you can do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to say that I do have something.¡±


    Yuren grabbed the Box of Hope.


    ¡°Azell, Laura and Arrieta.¡±


    Heughed as he turned to those that were still conscious.


    ¡°Please give my thanks to Leticia and the duke.¡±


    He opened the box, and ck darkness started pouring out.

 Chapter 210 - Past & the Future (1)

    Chapter 210 - Past & the Future (1)


    1


    Maybe, he knew it at an instinctual level. He knew that he was a mirage-like existence.


    Yuren was an outsider. He had always questioned his origin, and the only time he hadn¡¯t been tormented by this question was when he was being brought up as a fanatic by the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    After being awakened by the Guide, it felt as if he was traveling on a boundless ocean. He had been able to see the world through his own will, and he had been able to choose his own fate. He had feared the truth, yet he still questioned his own identity.


    He had been afraid of the moment when that question would be answered. That ended now.


    ¡®Who cares?¡¯


    It was different now. He couldugh with relief.


    In the end, he would die here. This was why he could easily ept his long awaited answer even if it was cruel.


    ¡®I see.¡¯


    Soon, Yuren realized what Carlos had arranged for him.


    Carlos had prepared a spell that broke the restrictions ced on Yuren. If Yuren was a being that continuously reincarnated, the Guide was his subconscious mind. The spell allowed him to bring out all the memories stored in his subconscious. Yuren would be able to use histent potential all at once.


    In the process, Yuren¡¯s sense of self would be destroyed. However, his life was already forfeit, so this was ast resort move. He wouldn¡¯t worry about what would happen next.


    This wasn¡¯t the only method he would use to achieve his goal. He had prepared a trump card. In this ce, Yuren would be able to be invincible.


    ¡®I can use the Guardian Shadows as a source for magical energy. For a short time, I¡¯ll able to use magical energy that transcends what my body could hold. There are over 600 Guardian Shadows gathered here, and their number is increasing by the minute. If I canbust the magical energy that constitutes the Guardian Shadows, I can be an invincible magician.¡¯


    From this point on, very few beings would be able to contend with Yuren in terms of the amount of magical energy he could use. As a price, Yuren would lose his life, but he didn¡¯t care about that.


    -So this is how I die in this life.


    Suddenly, Yuren heard a familiar voice from the corner of his mind. It was the voice of the Guide, which he had always heard within his dream.


    -It is an end that I hadn¡¯t expected. I woke up before I greeted death.


    ¡°Has it always been like that?¡±


    Yuren asked the question. At the same time, the memories that answered his question came to mind.


    For over 200 years, the Guide had been reincarnated 14 times.


    He had always been born as someone on the lowest rung of society. It had been very difficult to ovee the fate he was born with. At times, he died from starvation. At times, he died from a disease. At times, he was murdered by someone else.


    The dreams about the Guide only appeared when one¡¯s sense of self was clearly established. It usually urred from ages 12 to 15 years old. This was why many reincarnated version died before the Guide could approach them. They died when confronted by their harsh fate.


    The Guide always awoke at the end of their lives. He was the first one to start this chain of reincarnation. For a short amount of time, the Guide was able to regain his sense of self. He reconciled any lingering regrets, and he went through the process of getting ready for his next reincarnation.


    -That¡¯s right. However, it¡¯s different this time around.... It seems this will truly be my end.


    ¡°I agree. Let¡¯s end this disillusion.¡±


    For some reason, Yuren was sure of it. This would be the Guide¡¯sst reincarnation.


    -You don¡¯t have any regrets?


    ¡°I do. I¡¯m overflowing with it.¡±


    He still had a lot of things he wanted to do. He wanted to fight with his friends, who had healed his loneliness. He was invested in the fight, and he wanted to see the end to this fight. He also wanted a life afterwards.


    ¡°However, I¡¯m fine now. This is all I can do. I¡¯ll leave everything here.¡±


    Yuren spoke his true feeling, then he asked the Guide some questions.


    ¡°So who are you? Isn¡¯t it time to tell me?¡±


    -You still don¡¯t know?


    The Guide sounded odd as he asked the question. He sounded amused, yet he also sounded bitter.


    2


    ¡°Great Darkness?¡±


    Atein felt confused. The stuff that was pouring out of the box opened by Yuren was the Great Darkness.


    As if to prove that he was right, darkness rose from the ground like wildfire. The Great Darkness that had pooled around the sealed Tree god responded to the darkness that had poured out of the box.


    Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh.......


    From a far away distance, the sound of a song started to resonate.


    Reygus spoke out in surprise.


    <What the hell? Something is wrong with them.>


    The Guardian Shadows, who were clustered in a far away distance, started to sing. They started to swell like a white wave. It was as if many children were whispering at the same time, and the sound of their singing kept ovepping each other. It shook space.


    It was such an overwhelming amount of magical energy that it made one shudder. It surged forward like a tsunami. The amount wasrger than thebined magical energy of Atein, Almarick and Atein.


    Then the Darkness split.


    ¡°...it feels like I¡¯m about to perish.¡±


    Yuren walked out of the darkness with a massive frown on his face. It was as if he was suffering under a splitting headache, and he wanted to throw up immediately.


    Darkness poured out from his surrounding. It was as if pitch ck waters were pouring out of a bowl. At the same time, the Guardian Shadows started to swarm in.


    Kwahng!


    An explosion rang out. When Yuren showed signs of changing into something dangerous, Almarick had ran in. However, Almarick was bounced off by Yuren¡¯s counterattack.


    ¡°For some reason... I have a very good idea as to how you fight.¡±


    Yuren mumbled to himself. When Almarick had jumped forward, Yuren knew what method Almarck would be using. Yuren had read the signs given by the magical energy, and he knew what would being. Yuren attacked with a magic that formed three times faster than the one being used by Almarick.


    ¡°I¡¯m overflowing with magical energy. You guys should y with me to the end.¡±


    Yuren¡¯s eyes shone. At the same time, countless spells were activated at once. The spells assaulted Atein, Almarick and Reygus.


    Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwahng!


    ¡°Hurry up and go!¡±


    The overwhelming firepower pushed back the three Dragon Demons, and Yuren shouted his words. He yelled towards his back where hisrades stood frozen.


    ¡°Hurry up and go while I upy them!¡±


    Yuren felt pain. It was as if his head was about to be crushed. He didn¡¯t know who owned these memories, yet they kept pouring out like a flood. It was hard for him to maintain his concentration. If he let go of his mind, he would be swept up by the torrent of memories. His thoughts would be paralyzed.


    Tears were flowing down his face. Yuren hadn¡¯t experienced these memories, yet the sadness opened up a fountain of tears.


    Then he felt a surge of anger. The memory of someone¡¯s pent-up anger made his heart pound.


    ¡°Hah....... Is this it?¡±


    The amount of memories flooding into him was massive. Too many fragments of memories were assaulting his mind, so he couldn¡¯t make sense of most of the memories. Before he became conscious of the details, only the echoes of the powerful memories were left. The fragments of memories were sent to the other side of his consciousness, and it started to stack.


    If he was a normal person, his mind would have broke. However, Yuren was maintaining his sanity. He was familiar with this work. Whenever he fused with a Demon, his mind was assaulted with an endless amount of evil thoughts. He had trained to protect his mind, and this was why he was able to endure this mental assault..


    <You y very hard! However, I don¡¯t think this is enough to stop me.>


    Reygus charged through the hail of spells. He had finished his transformation, so he was pushing off the ground at incredible speed. In a sh, he was already in front of Yuren.


    -Endless in!


    When Reygus was about to swing his Soul Hammer, he was suddenly very far from Yuren. Yuren had copied the ability of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice using his magic.


    ¡°You still only know how to charge forward like a boar, Reygus.¡±


    <What?>


    Yuren¡¯s tone of voice was full of meaning, and it surprised Reygus. However, it didn¡¯t matter if Reygus was agitated. He continued to move. He struck the ground with all his strength. The Soul Hammer overturned the earth.


    At the same time, the dimensional distortion was broken. The Soul Hammer had the power to destroy mind and soul. It destroyed the magical energy that was forming the dimensional distortion.


    Gwah-gwa-gwa-gwa-gwahng!


    Reygus wondered if he had heard wrong. When the Soul Hammer hit, the sound of an explosion rang out. Since he was at the epicenter of the explosion, the sound should be the loudest near him, and as the sound travels, it should fade away. So why did he once again hear the sound of an explosion near him?


    He soon had his answer.


    The ground should have overturned, and the shockwave of his attack should have spread in a cone-like fashion. However, the shockwave hade back towards Reygus. It defied thews of nature as the shockwave was focused on him. It was as if he was being enveloped by his own attack!


    <W...was this also a trap? This bastard......!>


    It seemed Yuren hadn¡¯t attacked as hard towards Reygus. It had been an attempt to bait Reygus into an attack, and the Endless in was ced there as a trap. Yuren had predicted Reygus¡¯ moves. He had created a second Endless in to return the shockwave towards Reygus.


    Even if one was sessful in replicating the ability of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice, it didn¡¯t mean one could freely use the Endless in. The second in of Darkness was ced there in advance, and it would have only been effective if Yuren had predicted his opponent¡¯s moves.


    Pah-chee-cheet!


    Yuren had sent in an additional attack with the intent of ending Reygus. However, the attack was stopped. Atein had gotten involved in the fight.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Atein was taken aback as he asked the question. Yuren answered him.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t know. However, I¡¯ll find out soon.¡±


    Yuren and Atein performed a magic battle at high speeds. In between the explosions and lights, there were the sparks of unrealized spells. The aftereffect of the unrealized spells twisted the flow of magical energy.


    ¡°This.......¡±


    Then Atein started being pushed back.


    Yuren and Atein were in a tight magic battle. In the beginning, Yuren had assaulted Almarick to a point where he couldn¡¯t intervene in the fight. Reygus¡¯ weakness was exposed, and he had been flung far away in distance.


    ¡°Mmmm! Even if you are receiving magical energy from an outside source, I can¡¯t believe this is the skill level of a young human!¡±


    In terms speed and efficiency of using magical energy, Atein was above Yuren. In all other terms, Yuren was above Atein. In fact, Yuren was superior in forming multiple spells at the same time!


    ¡°Atein, why is your magic so outdated?¡±


    Yuren felt the same sense of incongruity felt by Laura.


    The spells used by Atein were outdated.


    Atein was the creator of magic, and he had always been ahead of his era. Even if he was trying to cover it up using wondrous techniques, he couldn¡¯t hide the fact that his spells were woefully outdated.


    Also.......


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you use Incarnation?¡±


    For some reason, he was sure of this fact. Atein wasn¡¯t choosing not to use Incarnation. He couldn¡¯t use it.


    Gwah-gwa-gwahng! Ggwah-roo-roo-roohng!


    At that moment, a lightning flowed backwards as it rose into the sky, and a fierce magical storm ripped the sky apart. Almarick shot out from within the storm, and he used Incarnation. It was a mixture of clones. Some possessed presence, and some didn¡¯t Several dozen forms of Almarick moved in irregr patterns as they attacked Yuren.


    ¡°I¡¯m fighting three of you. It seems our roles are reversed from ourst fight!¡±


    Yuren snorted. At the same time, more of him started to form. They weren¡¯t being formed through Yuren. Massive amount of power was being produced by the Guardian Shadows bybusting the magical energy that had been forming them. Now multiple Guardian Shadows were clumping together to form clones of Yuren.


    ¡°Incarnation? A human magician is able to do this?¡±


    Almarick was taken aback. In a sh, his Cloning technique had been seen through. Yuren could differentiate between what was real and what was false.


    Yuren was opposing Almarick as he fought with Atein and Reygus. It was all possible, because Yuren had used Incarnation. Incarnation was the pinnacle technique of the Dragon Arts, yet a human magician was using it!


    ¡°Dragon Arts and Spirit Order is just different facet of magic. Do you really think I can¡¯t recreate your techniques using magic? You¡¯ve lived so long, yet you are looking down on magic too much, Almarick.¡±


    As he spoke, Yuren continued to increase in number. At the same time, his spell continued to expand as it approached its zenith.

 Chapter 211 - Past & the Future (2)

    Chapter 211 - Past & the Future (2)


    Incarnation was frightening, because it truly was a way to ¡®increase oneself.¡¯


    Incarnation could only be learned by those that could manage numerous threads of thoughts all at once.


    If one made a clone with presence using Incarnation, it wasn¡¯t as if one¡¯s mind was controlling two bodies.


    In a sh, the user¡¯s mind was copied to make a clone.


    Even if it was Azell or Almarick, there was a limit to how many thread of consciousness one could maintain all at once. When one used a secret technique, one had to use all of one¡¯s concentration to manifest it. When there were over 30 bodies, it was impossible to have fine control over those bodies.


    However, what if these independent clones were given onemon root? What if they interlocked to form a form of hive mind?


    This was the secret to the reason why Azell was able to disy enormous power after he created numerous clones. It allowed him to transcend the limitation of human thought process and senses.


    It was the same for Yuren right now. Moreover, Yuren possessed enormous magical energy that was supporting this move.


    Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!


    If he was like a flood before using Incarnation, he was akin to a tsunami now. Eight clones were formed through Incarnation. The spells made by them razed the forest, and it swept away the three legendary Dragon Demons.


    <Koohk! This reminds me of the old days!>


    Reygus pushed to the front to be a barrier against the attack. From behind him, Almarick used his Incarnation. He poured out his thunder and storm winds to blunt the spellsing towards them.


    Then.......


    ¡°I see. It really has been a long time since the three of us fought against one opponent.¡±


    Atein created a breach.


    All the spells that were falling from above was sent back to Yuren using the Gatekeeper of Emptiness. The Sky¡¯s Fortress defended the three of them, and the Compendium of Pitch Darkness amplified Atein¡¯s magic. It allowed him to act as support. Then he summoned another Dragon weapon.


    -Come Dragon weapon! Chain of Thunder!


    Gwah-gwa-gwahng! Gwah-roo-roo-roong!


    The thunder erupted from the ground, and it was several dozen times stronger than a regr thunderbolt.


    This was the result of Atein connecting his magic to the Chain of Thunder and the Compendium of Pitch Darkness.


    When the overwhelming destructive power pushed back Yuren¡¯s magic, it created a vacuum. Almarick put away his Incarnation, and he activated his Dragon weapon¡¯s power.


    ¡°Persevere, Storm¡¯s Scream!¡±


    He shouted hismand, and thunder swallowed up his sword. The transparent de burned white hot, and in an instant, it turned into a massive sword of thunder that pierced the heavens.


    ¡°Thunder God¡¯s Sword!¡±


    He was using an archmage¡¯s magic alongside the magic of the Dragon weapon. Then he made a connection with a different Dragon weapon to concentrate the thunder. He gained explosive power. Atein and Almarick were connecting each other¡¯s power to create the ultimate sword of destruction. It could burn everything in its path.


    Kwahhhhhhhh......!


    The light emitted by the sword of destruction stretched into the horizon. Everything in the path of the sword¡¯s magic was sliced like butter. Even the ground was split open. Unimaginably enormous heat and pressure exploded on the surface and the underground.


    It was a cmity.


    Everything evaporated when it was cut by the sword. Everything perished at its mere touch. The aftereffect of the sword caused earthquake and explosions to form. The shockwave extended outwards, and scalding winds whirled around them.


    At that moment, the three Dragon Demons were in the fiery pit of hell. If they didn¡¯t possess massive power, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to survive even a second in such conditions.


    -Come Dragon weapon! Son of Earth!


    However, Atein didn¡¯t end it there.


    After he dismissed the Chain of Thunder, he summoned a new Dragon weapon called Son of Earth. The earth was being burned, and it was being broken. The Dragon weapon gathered the power of the earth. It was as if the still remaining quake and heat was flowing backwards in time. It became focused in one ce.


    <Are you sure he isn¡¯t dead?>


    Reygus immediately swung his Dragon weapon, Soul Hammer.


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    <Hmmph. All right. It had been awhile since we¡¯ve overtaxed ourselves. Soul Hammer!>


    This closely linked moves were something Atein and the Dragon Demon generals used against transcendent beings. It was their trump card. This was a cmitous attack that required the power of the Dragon Demon generals. When Almarick¡¯s Storm Screamer and Reygus¡¯ Soul Hammer was used, they would suffer temporary reduction in their power for awhile. This was a testament to how burdensome this attack was to them.


    <Let¡¯s go! You little brat without an identity.... If you are alive, this strike will.......>


    ¡°You are causing too much trouble.¡±


    From beyond the swirling fire and smoke, Yuren¡¯s voice could be heard. It cut off Reygus¡¯ words. Yuren had intentionally formed his words through magic, so his words were delivered to the three Dragon Demons.


    ¡°I want to thank you for showing me something that is so impressive. It was a close thing. If I hadn¡¯t remembered it, I would have been dead. I know it now.¡±


    <What?>


    The Soul Hammer was letting out a light that was bright enough to burn out one¡¯s retinas. Reygus became puzzled as he held his vibrating hammer. At the same time, the hellfire split open as Yuren appeared.


    -Come Dragon weapon!


    A powerful wave of Dragon Demon magic shook space. Almarick became shocked.


    ¡°He has a Dragon weapon?¡±


    -Darkness Engraver Sword!


    It was a sword made out ofplete darkness. It didn¡¯t reflect any light. Since it was absorbing all light, it didn¡¯t look real. A very alien sword showed up.


    It was....


    ¡°How are you able to use Atein¡¯s Dragon weapon?¡±


    Almarick was shocked, so he asked the question. Reygus was also surprised, so he missed his opportunity to attack. He came to a stop.


    ¡°It¡¯s because.......¡±


    Yurenughed. He snickered, and his face was filled with pain and madness.


    ¡°It¡¯s because I am Atein.¡±


    3


    After Yuren had yelled at them, Azell¡¯s party had escaped. It was pitiful and vexing. However, it couldn¡¯t be helped. They could have stayed behind to fight with Yuren, but hisst words took away that option.


    ¡®While I¡¯m still Yuren Rizester, you are myrades! Run away! If Yuren Rizester dies, someone else might take over this body. It will be the end if that happens!¡¯


    However, the act of escaping wasn¡¯t easy either. Kairen and Leticia were close to death. Azell had regained consciousness, but he still had a serious injury. Laura used her dimensional distortion, and it allowed them to skip a long distance. However, it didn¡¯t take too long for a great explosion to ur, and their surrounding turned into hell. It didn¡¯t allow any living beings to exist in such an environment.


    ¡°My god.......¡±


    Laura was shocked. If she had been a second toote in creating the Vitan¡¯s Maze, her party would have been wiped out.


    Atein and Almarick hadbined powers to form the Thunder God¡¯s Sword, and its power was beyond imagination. In terms of physical destructive power, it might be stronger than Azell¡¯s Sun Lightsaber.


    ¡°Arrieta, please be in charge of carrying everyone.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Arrieta nodded her head. When the Vitan¡¯s Maze was dispelled, Laura would have to cast all kinds of protective and survival spells to withstand their current environment. While she was doing that, she would have to use dimensional distortion, so it would put a lot of burden on her.


    Hoo-ooooooooooh......!


    As expected, scalding winds were swirling around them when she cancelled the Vitan¡¯s Maze. If she breathed in this air, it would burn her from inside out.


    Laura had used her spell, so it was possible for her to breathe the air.


    ¡°Laura.¡±


    A voice spoke to her from within the heat. Laura was startled, and she turned to look at the owner of the voice.


    It was Yuren.


    Laura was like a doll. Her face had been expressionless, but a very faint disturbance appeared on her face. She had been taken by surprise. She couldn¡¯t sense the person that was walking through this hell-like condition like it was nothing.


    Yuren shook his head.


    ¡°Stop it. I¡¯m not your enemy.¡±


    ¡°...if you became our enemy, would you tell us that you became our enemy?¡±


    Yuren¡¯s own warning made Laura feel tense.


    Yurenughed. He wasughing, but his expression looked as if he was crying.


    ¡°I guess you are right. However, I¡¯m really not your enemy. Not yet.¡±


    ¡°Not yet.......¡±


    ¡°Also, this isn¡¯t my true body.


    Laura became surprised at his words. She just realized that the Yuren in front of her was a clone made through Incarnation.


    ¡®What is he?¡¯


    He couldn¡¯t use the Dragon Arts or Spirit Order. He had used Incarnation through magic? Even with her knowledge of magic, Laura couldn¡¯t make sense of how he had done it.


    Yuren spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be spare with my words. There isn¡¯t much time left to me. I¡¯m trying to use this time to fulfill my most important task.¡±


    ¡°Most important task?¡±


    The one to ask the question was Azell.


    Soon, the party became shocked at the story told by Yuren.


    4


    ¡°You are Atein?¡±


    Almarick was shocked as he asked the question. Yuren had dark circles under his eyes as he snickered.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Almarick.¡±


    -Come Dragon weapon!


    At the same time as he dismissed one Dragon weapon, he summoned others.


    -Breath of Wind! Volcano¡¯s Giant!


    From the 13 Dragon weapons possessed by Atein, Yuren summoned those that had dominion over fire. A half-transparent blue cape appeared, and a 10 meter tall fire giant appeared behind him.


    Their power took care of the hell-like environment. The fire and hot air quickly died down.


    ¡°Is this enough proof? Or maybe....¡±


    Yuren red at them with bloodshot eyes, and clones started to appear next to him. The Thunder God¡¯s Sword had destroyed all the Clones, but there were still a lot of Guardian Shadows left. Moreover, more Guardian Shadows were arriving by the minute, and they were burning their own power for Yuren.


    -Frost Forest! Dream¡¯s Apostle! Moon of Wrath and Rest!


    Yuren¡¯s clone continuously summoned the Dragon weapons. In total, five Dragon weapons were summoned. At this point, they had no choice to believe in Yuren¡¯s assertion.


    ¡°Hmm. I see.....¡±


    Suddenly, Atein opened his mouth. Unlike the shocked Almarick and Reygus, Atein looked interested.


    ¡°So you are the future me¡±


    ¡°That little brat is?¡±


    Almarick asked in surprised. Yuren looked at him.


    ¡°I deduced this from the attitude you treated Atein with... You knew he wasn¡¯t the Dragon Demon king.¡±


    The reason why Reygus and Almarick had acted insolent towards Atein was simple.


    The Atein in front of them wasn¡¯t the Atein they had served as the Dragon Demon king. It was the archmage Atein, who had adventured with them in the past.


    ¡°The Compendium of Pitch Darkness, and the very old magic.... I was wondering about it. Now I see.¡±


    Yuren couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter, so he chuckled.


    His memories wereing back. The fragments of memories had been pouring into his mind, and the memories relevant to to the current event acted as a focus. His memories were starting to arranged themselves.


    ¡°This is driving me nuts. No, am I already mad? I¡¯m Dragon Demon King Atein? That is too much!¡±


    In the end, Yuren let out aughter. Tears were streaming out of his eyes as heughed. He looked mad.


    However, hisughter suddenly came to end. Yuren wiped his tears with his sleeve as he spoke.


    ¡°You possess Atein¡¯s body. Atein had analyzed Reginor¡¯s power to create a technique. He left behind a copy that possessed all the information about himself. However, this was unlike a normal copy. This technique perfectly captured and recreated the version of Atein that had used the technique. It was as if time had been frozen, and now you were allowed to resume in time....¡±


    As the final Alps, Reginor had the power to manipte time ording to his will. Atein had researched the power for several hundred years, and he was sessful in analyzing the power. Through the Great Darkness, he was able to create a magic that controlled time.


    The result was the Atein in front of him. It was a version of Atein from a thousand years ago.


    ¡°If I¡¯m to quibble over it, it is something I did, yet it really is baffling. My word. I revived a body from 220 years ago, and a copy of myself that had been frozen in time for a thousand years was ced within! No, let¡¯s leave it at that. Anyways, the form of the Dragon weapons returns to its past forms depending on the user? Isn¡¯t this a new discovery? Isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°If we are to talk about new discoveries, I¡¯ve been encountering them constantly. I¡¯m experiencing it through you and yourrades. However, it seems you are right. The function, appearance and name of the Dragon weapons had changed, yet it returned to its past forms when I used it. It really is interesting.¡±


    Ateinughed as if he was amused.

 Chapter 212 - Past & the Future (3)

    Chapter 212 - Past & the Future (3)


    Ateinughed as if he was amused.


    He didn¡¯t n on contradicting Yuren¡¯s words. As soon as he woke up, he knew he wasn¡¯t the real Atein. He knew he was a fake. When the body waspletely revived, the Dragon Demon king¡¯s mind hadn¡¯t returned to the body.


    Was it because the revival was rushed?


    No, it was because Atein¡¯s reincarnation was still alive.


    Even if the body was revived, Yuren hadn¡¯t died yet. At the very least, an awakening had to ur for the mind to return to the body.


    Yuren let out a sigh.


    ¡°I never expected it to be like this. It seems this n was done in an overlyplicated manner. I never expected him to be able to stop the time of a specific target. I also hadn¡¯t expected him to seed in turning back the time....¡±


    The mind within Atein was one from a thousand years ago. To be precise, it was a copy of Atein¡¯s mind at that moment in time. Atein had stopped a moment in time, and he had preserved that copy within the Great Darkness. It was a backup that would wear his body in case of emergency.


    Of course, the spells he used was outdated. At the time of the Dragon Demon war, Atein had progressed in his magic, and it wasn¡¯t something that the other magicians could make up in the past 220 years. The gulf between other mages and Atein had been that enormous. This version of Atein was using spells from a thousand years ago. Large portions of his spells had been spread to the masses throughout the years, so his overall level of power wasgging behind.


    The Compendium of ck Darkness was basically the prior iteration of a Dragon weapon called Incarnation of Darkness. Since Atein lived for a very long time, he was able to advance the abilities of his Dragon weapons. He was sessful in changing the form and nature of the Dragon weapons. However, when a user from a thousand years ago returned, the Dragon weapons had acted ordingly. They had turned back into their prior forms to match its owner.


    Suddenly, Atein spoke.


    ¡°However, it is strange. Will you answer my question, my future self?¡±


    ¡°From your perspective, I¡¯m a being from a thousand years in the future. From my perspective, I belong to this time. I am of this era. For the sake of differentiating ourselves, you can call me Yuren Rizester.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do as you say.¡±


    ¡°What are you curious about?¡±


    ¡°If it is as you¡¯ve said, this body is from 220 years ago. It was during the time of the Dragon Demon war, and it is yours. Reginor had failed to turn back the time of the world, but he was sessful in turning back time for special targets.¡±


    Reginor had wanted to rewind the time of the entire world. He had wanted to bring back his race, but Reginor had given up on that idea during the research phase. On top of that, he was an immortal even if he didn¡¯t manipte time. Therefore, there wasn¡¯t much benefit for him to continue the research.


    However, the research held significance to Atein.


    Atein had sealed Reginor in the Great Darkness, and he analyzed Reginor¡¯s power. He researched on ways to use Reginor¡¯s power, and he found a way to recover his body. It wasn¡¯t making a body through an artificial process. Time could be turned back to a set point in time, and the body from that time could be recreated.


    The result was the Atein in front of his eyes.


    ¡°Why did it take 220 years? Even if it didn¡¯t ur as you intended, Almarick was able to revive several dozen years before you.¡±


    The ritual had not only been for Atein. He had made it so that all four Dragon Demon generals would revive too.


    However, the result of his n was failure. Aunsaurus and Baldazark hadn¡¯t been able to revive thanks to Carlos¡¯ interference. Reygus had lost his body, so he had been revived as an Undead.


    Yuren smirked.


    ¡°You¡¯ll know it soon, yet you want to know it right now?¡±


    ¡°I understand that I am merely a silhouette that doesn¡¯t belong in this era. When you awaken fully and take over this body, I¡¯ll be gone. Only my experience will be left behind.¡±


    ¡°You still want to satisfy your curiosity knowing that? All right. First, the technique that turned back the time was a sess. However, Atein¡¯s body waspletely destroyed when he lost against Azell. If a corpse had existed, the revival would have urred about 100 years faster.¡±


    ¡°Is that the reason why Almarick had been revived faster than this body?¡±


    ¡°Almarick¡¯s corpse still remained, and the guidelines left behind by Atein was adhered to. The body was thrown into the center of the Great Darkness, and the prerequisites to form the magic waspletely fulfilled.¡±


    On the other hand, Azell hadpletely destroyed Atein¡¯s body just in case. There wasn¡¯t even a single hair left behind, and the body perished far away from the heart of the Great Darkness. Basically, the revival had to ovee space and the retrograde of time. Of course, it would be difficult.


    ¡°So why was Reygus revived as an Undead?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. It is unreasonable to expect perfect result for others. It was a worry Atein had when he made this technique, and his worry was proven true.¡±


    <Tsk. If I still had a corpse, I would have been able to eat meat and y with prettydies?>


    ¡°Probably. You ran right into a trap like a boar, so you have only yourself to me.¡±


    Yuren shrugged when he heard Reygus¡¯ words.


    Atein asked a question.


    ¡°I think I understand now as to how I was formed.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible to revive the body by turning back the time. It is the same for the mind. However, the continuity of the memory is broken.¡±


    The current Atein was a prime example of this. It was possible to use a technique to re-create a mind from a certain point in time.


    ¡®However, is that really ¡®me¡¯?¡¯


    Atein had that question.


    Would his past self, which had never experienced defeat, really be him?


    Would his past self, who hadn¡¯t experienced the sadness of someone near him die, really be him?


    ¡°That is why he wanted Kayalia¡¯s secret technique.¡±


    He knew Kayalia¡¯s secret technique wasn¡¯tplete. Kayalia had used a technique over the long years to reincarnate in the body of her descendants. However, this didn¡¯t guarantee eternal life.


    That is why Atein tried to remedy the shorings after learning the technique from Kayalia. If it was only Atein and his magic, it might have been impossible. However, he had sealed 12 transcendent beings within the Great Darkness. It was a support system he could use.


    Depending on how he used the power of the Great Darkness, he could turn back time. He could recreate his past self in the current era. If he had the power of the Great Darkness, he was sure he could solve the problem of Kayalia¡¯s technique. That was what he believed.


    ¡°However, it didn¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°...what?¡±


    When Yuren gave a usible exnation, Atein had assumed that the experiment was a sess.


    Yet it was a failure?


    ¡°He was able to maintain continuity with the memories of his past. The problem was the fact that he couldn¡¯t avoid deterioration or changes in his memories. If he truly wanted to avoid these problems, he had to perform the ritual right before his death. He had to store it and call it upter..... Nothing is easy in this world.¡±


    He had to transcend time. He had to store his memory, so he could call up his past memories. It wasn¡¯t an easy task. He put in massive amount of time and effort into solving the problem. He found out that he had to go through a massive ritual to achieve his goal.


    ¡°The first couple times were fine. He had the Great Darkness, so he had great protection over his mind.¡±


    ¡°However.......¡±


    Suddenly, Atein brought up his question again.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get revived through such a process. Also, you turned into Yuren Rizester. What happened?¡±


    ¡°Atein knew it would take a very long time to revive. On the other hand, Atein knew there was another method. There was the method of stealing the fate of his descendant to revive.....¡±


    It was possible for Niberis to be Atein¡¯s host. However, Atein hadn¡¯t chosen that method.


    ¡°He chose not to do that. He wanted to use his time wisely until his body¡¯s reincarnation was at hand. He had a reason for doing this.¡±


    ¡°What was the reason?¡±


    ¡°That is.......¡±


    Yuren suddenly smirked. At the same time, he used a powerful curse spell. He ambushed them.


    ¡°Mmm!¡±


    The three Dragon Demons had been on guard, so they immediately reacted. They blocked the attack.


    However, Yuren had already finished making preparations for the battle. He used Incarnation to make 15 Clones, and he kept summoning his Dragon weapons in session.


    ¡°Why are you continuing this meaningless fight?¡±


    Atein couldn¡¯t understand Yuren¡¯s actions, so he asked the question.


    Yuren was Atein. He hadn¡¯tpletely awakened, yet he knew his own identity. Yuren should know what he should do.


    So why was he trying to continue this fight?


    ¡°There is a meaning to this fight. You are a false image of the past! It is a meaning that you don¡¯t know about!¡±


    5


    Azell¡¯s party was moving quickly. They were riding Azell¡¯s Dragon weapon called Crying Phoenix.


    Suddenly, Azell spoke.


    ¡°Yuren, your body.......¡±


    In the beginning, Yuren¡¯s clone was so well-defined that it had been indistinguishable from his real body. However, Yuren¡¯s clone was steadily fading away. It was proof that the magical energy making up this clone was thinning out.


    Yuren spoke.


    ¡°It seems I¡¯ve moved away too far. Since I don¡¯t have the Incarnation of Darkness, there is a limit to using a Guardian Shadow as a vessel.¡±


    The clones made through Incarnation couldn¡¯t move too far away from the original, body. Even Azell had to create and dismiss his clones within a radius of several hundred meters.


    Yuren had used the Great Darkness. He had used the Guardian Shadow as a vessel to make his clonest this long, but he was at his limits.


    ¡°Thankfully, I was able to do all I set out to do.¡±


    Yuren had achieved his goal in searching them out. It was an unexpected gift for the party.


    ¡°Azell.¡±


    Yuren spoke.


    ¡°From now on, a bitter fight will start. It will bepletely different from now on. They will pressure you from all sides.¡±


    Until now, they thought it would be enough to bring down the in of Darkness. Since Atein had revived, everything would change.


    Yuren had found out about Atein¡¯s n. Atein wouldn¡¯t move in the way that the in of Darkness had hoped for. Everything that¡¯ll happen from now on would shock those that reside within the in of Darkness.


    ¡°Still, I believe you guys will be able to win in the end. I have faith in you all.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for everything.¡±


    Azell knew that the time for a true goodbye hade.


    He was revealed to be the reincarnation of Atein, but he was Yuren. Hisst act made Azell¡¯s party believe in this fact.


    Yurenughed as if he was embarrassed.


    ¡°That isn¡¯t necessary.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, the fact that you are able to do this is part of Atein¡¯s design?¡±


    The Guide¡¯s identity was Atein, so it was possible. They had no idea why Atein had acted in this fashion, but in the end, everything was part of Atein¡¯s n. It was part of his enormous destiny. It wasn¡¯t unfair to say that Yuren was merely a puppet with strings attached to him.


    ¡°Still... I don¡¯t think of think you are a figment of the imagination made by Atein. You are ourrade. We believe in you, Yuren Rizester. You chose to travel with us, and you chose how to use your life. I don¡¯t think it was done through Atein¡¯s will. It was done through your will.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yuren was at a loss for words for a brief moment, so his mouth moved silently He felt like crying when he saw the trust in Azell¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°...thank you.¡±


    ¡°This is why I want to confirm this for thest time. Yuren, you know that you are the reincarnation of Atein, yet you chose us?¡±


    Yuren had tried his best to ry as much information as possible in a short amount of time.


    He told them about the identity of Atein, who had ambushed them. Moreover, he told them the true goal of Atein....


    The party had a clear idea as to what Atein was seeking through their conversation with Yuren. Atein was trying to better the world.


    He had solved thenguage problem in the world by unifying the world¡¯snguages into one. It was an attempt to get rid of the tragedies from this world. It was the same reason as to why he had reset the rtionship between Dragons and humans through the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual. On top of that, he had tried to make the ideal nation through the Dragon Demon war. It was all for the same purpose.


    Atein, who had revived in this era, would do the same thing. His goal remained the same. It was his methods that differed each time.


    ¡°Azell, do you remember it?¡±

 Chapter 213 - Past & the Future (4)

    Chapter 213 - Past & the Future (4)


    ¡°Azell, do you remember it?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°It happened at the time of the Dragon Demon war. Do you remember thest words spoken to you by Atein?¡±


    ¡°Of course.......¡±


    How could he forget?


    ¡®Unfortunately, this experiment was a failure. I was still too ignorant. I have no choice, but to ept this truth.¡¯


    Atein¡¯s death had been imminent, yet he had calmly admitted his failure. Moreover, he had admitted that the war that had swept over the entire world was for an experiment. At the time, the goal of this experiment had been unknown. Atein¡¯s words had stuck in his mind. It haunted him like a vengeful spirit, and it created the fear he had towards Atein.


    Yuren nodded his head.


    ¡°That is exactly Atein¡¯s view. Atein had tried to create the ideal society for the humans and the Dragon Demons. However, he found out something in the process. He didn¡¯t have a good understanding of the humans and the Dragon Demons, who were supposed to make up his ideal society. No, it would be more correct to say that he had understood them in the past, but he no longer understood them.¡±


    ¡°He no longer understood them? What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Atein had lived too long.¡±


    While living for a very long time, he got sick of seeing humans go through the four phases of life. This was also true for the rise and fall of nations. In the beginning, he had tried to make personal rtionships with people, but as time passed, he gave up on that idea. As he did so, his view started to shift towards a macroscopic view of the world.


    ¡°He started seeing the world from an overly macroscopic view. He no longer loved individual humans. His love was transformed to the love of humanity.¡±


    From this point of view, humans were like mayflies, and he could no longer understand humans. Hemunicated with the beings in front of him, and they shared the same space as him. However, Atein was having difficulty assessing the essence of a person.


    ¡°This was the reason why Atein started the cycle of reincarnation. It was an extremely hard headed reason. He no longer understood what it was to be a human. He had to know the essence of a human if he wanted to create the world in the right way. That is also why he had honored my free will.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. So what you are saying is.... He wanted to understand theplete human experience? That is why your free will wasn¡¯t restricted?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That is why I was able to be Yuren Rizester. I remained human.¡±


    A vague direction of how to live his life was given, and he was given enough power to ovee his fate. However, his free will hadn¡¯t been manipted. This was how Atein engaged with his reincarnated selves.


    ¡°Atein took on the form of the Guide. He let me keep my sense of self as he observed my life.¡±


    Atein had taken a measure to protect his own sense of self. The reincarnation technique was iplete, and he couldn¡¯t fix it. That is why he stored his sense of self within the Great Darkness. Then he decided to observe the newly formed personalities live their life.


    ¡°Until now, the rtionship was unteral. However, the barrier put up by Atein was brought down thanks to Carlos-nim. I was able to gain his memories, and I was able to see him from the opposite side.¡±


    Atein was too enormous to be called a mere individual. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that he was almost a god-like figure. From such a lofty position, he peeked into the lives of his reincarnated forms.


    On the other hand, Yuren was human, and he had seen into the mind of a god-like being.


    ¡°Atein definitely has a sense of what is right and wrong. In some aspects, this makes him scarier than someone that is pure evil.¡±


    Wasn¡¯t Yuren a victim? Didn¡¯t Yuren have his fate vited by Atein¡¯s ¡®good intention¡¯?


    That is why Yuren had the right to criticize Atein. There was only one person in this world that was qualified to criticize Atein. It was Yuren.


    ¡°I was born through his experimentation. I suffered from the consequences of his errors. That is why I oppose him as a human. I oppose him as Yuren Rizester.¡±


    The fact that he was a reincarnation of Atein didn¡¯t matter, and it didn¡¯t matter that he had originated from Atein. He was apletely different person from Atein.


    ¡°Are you satisfied with my answer?¡±


    ¡°It is enough.¡±


    Azell nodded his head. Yurenughed. It was as if a big weight had been lifted from his shoulders.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave everything to you. This is the end of the road for me.¡±


    Finally, Yuren¡¯s figure disappeared. It was as if he had melted into the sunlight.


    6


    Atein asked a question.


    ¡°Why? Why are you fighting me, my future self?¡±


    ¡°You are wrong.¡±


    Yuren elerated. His clones couldn¡¯t be differentiated from his real body. He charged forward at frightening speed as he poured out his spells.


    ¡°I am Yuren Rizester!¡±


    A massive wave of magical energy spread out as he kept summoning his Dragon weapons in order.


    -Come Dragon Weapons! Gatekeeper of Emptiness! Sky¡¯s Fortress! Volcano¡¯s Giant!


    Yuren could summon more Dragon weaponspared to the current Atein. The two of them were sharing Dragon weapons. If one summoned a Dragon weapon, the other couldn¡¯t summon it. Therefore there was a limited supply of Dragon weapons that could be used in the fight, so the fight came down to who had the most magical energy and the most developed techniques. Yuren had the edge.


    Above all else, Yuren was bing stronger even now.


    Atein¡¯s memories were still pouring into his mind. It contained knowledge about spells. It also told him of the optimal way to use his senses. It was all bing a part of Yuren.


    At the same time, Yuren¡¯s sense of self was slowly being submerged by Atein¡¯s memories.


    He had memories that had umted over a massive amount of time. It transcended the span of numerous human lifespans. The emotions within these memories brushed past his mind, and it made Yuren want to let go of his mind.


    He couldn¡¯t tell if he actually knew the people in his memories. It was bing hard to differentiate between his memories and Atein¡¯s memories.


    Was Yuren the one that became sad after killing someone or was it Atein? He was no longer sure.


    ¡°I.......¡±


    Yuren let out an extremely sadughter.


    If he lost a little bit of concentration, it felt as if he would be swallowed up by Atein¡¯s memories. It was true that Yuren held control over his mind right now, but the amount of memories flooding into him was too much. It was overwhelming.


    Atein asked a question.


    ¡°These spells and Dragon weapons....... Everything here proves that you are Atein. You know your own identity, yet you reject it?¡±


    ¡°As expected of a figment of an imagination, your words are empty.¡±


    Yuren snickered. It felt as if his head would shatter. All sorts of human emotions were flooding him from all sides, so heughed as he cried. He felt rage burn in his chest at the same, and at the same time, he felt warmth in his heart from happiness.


    It was hard to shed these emotions. It was too difficult to maintain who he was. There was only one goal that was allowing him to maintain his sense of self.


    ¡°Are you trying to say that the pain I felt in my life is Atein¡¯s pain?¡±


    There wasn¡¯t true at all. Atein never felt Yuren¡¯s pain.


    His life had been ravaged as a consequence of what Atein had done. The world was scarred, and the madness that had erupted from that wound had captured him. From the moment he realized this, Yuren had been fighting against his destiny.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care who I was in my past life. My pain and loneliness is all mine. I was born in this era as a human, and this is the life I¡¯ve forged!¡±


    ¡°...I have no idea why.¡±


    Atein was confused.


    ¡°What did my future self think when he came up with this idea? What great despair did he face to.....¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon.¡±


    The body had been restored, and the reincarnated form of Yuren had awakened. Atein¡¯s revival was close at hand.


    It was inevitable. When Yuren exhausted his power and died, the true melding of the body and mind will start.


    There was only one method to stop this. This method could only be carried out by Yuren.


    ¡°But.......¡±


    Yuren¡¯s eyes was burning with tumultuous killing intent.


    ¡°I have to kill you here, so my friends have a chance.¡±


    He had to destroy Atein¡¯s body with his hands. If he was sessful, Atein¡¯s revival would be pushed to ater date. At that point, he was sure Azell¡¯s party would be able to make it so that Atein never wakes up again.


    Atein¡¯s expression hardened.


    ¡°I won¡¯t go down easy. Can you feel it?¡±


    At this moment, Yuren¡¯s power was truly overwhelming. Atein, Almarick and Reygus could attack at the same time, and they wouldn¡¯t be able to win.


    However, the bnce of power was shifting as time passed.


    The change was urring within Atein. His reservoir of energy was noticeably increasing.


    ¡°So this is how you do it.¡±


    In a sh, another Atein appeared next to Atein. It was a clone that held substance. It was Incarnation.


    ¡°Koohk......!¡±


    Yuren groaned.


    Atein started using Incarnation, and the situation changed rapidly.


    ¡®Shit. Was he also affected by the awakening?¡¯


    Yuren was a reincarnation that held Atein¡¯s soul. The past Atein possessed the body of Atein, but his soul was like a shadow of the real Atein.


    The past and the future was gathered in one ce. When one side started to awaken, the other side was affected too. The past Atein¡¯s outdated spells were changing form. His spells started to advance towards spells used in the modern times.


    ¡°Hmm. Now we can breathe a little bit!¡±


    Almarick and Regus started to move after they gained some relief from the magic battle between Yuren and Atein. Up until now, they had been busy defending, but they had the opportunity to attack now.


    <You were amazing, brat!>


    While Almarick took down Yuren¡¯s clones, Reygus had flown right next to Yuren. As soon as Reygus swung his Soul Hammer, arge door of Darkness appeared in front of him.


    <Uh?>


    ¡°I thank you for treating me like a human brat! However, be gone!¡±


    It was the Gatekeeper of Emptiness. Reygus was sucked into the gate of Darkness, and he appeared impossibly high and far in the air.


    ¡°A trap is the best way to catch a boor!¡±


    After getting rid of Reygus for a brief moment, he created a Dimensional Distortion.


    -Endless in!


    Almarick had nned on following up on Reygus¡¯ attack, so Yuren had used his spell to block him. However...


    Pah-cheet!


    At that moment, Atein interfered with exquisite timing. He destroyed the formation of Yuren¡¯s spell. After letting the Compendium of ck Darkness fight the magic battle in his stead, Atein charged towards Yuren.


    Yuren had been sessful in making Almarick retreat, but it created an opening for Atein. He charged towards Yuren as he summoned a new Dragon weapon.


    -Come Dragon weapon! Darkness Engraver Sword!


    Atein was the only being in history to train both magic and Dragon Arts to the extreme. The sword was made out of perfect darkness. It didn¡¯t reflect light. It sucked in light, and one couldn¡¯t sense its mass in space. This alien sword struck out towards Yuren.


    Pah-jee-jee-jee-jeek!


    Yuren used a barrier spell to resist against the attack. In a sh, Atein changed his posture as he used a different technique.


    A murky darkness extended from the sword as it encroached on Yuren¡¯s barrier magic. When Yuren reacted to the attack, an invisible attack impacted his body.


    ¡°Kuh-uhk......!¡±


    ¡°Amazing. Is this the level of cultivation reached by my future self? Is this a new Dragon weapon I made?¡±


    Atein had baited the barrier to respond to his spell, then he used the Dragon Arts to pierce through the barrier. Both attacks were based on magical energy, but there was a qualitative difference in how the attack manifested. Atein had used this to exploit Yuren¡¯s defense.


    Memories were flowing into Atein¡¯s brain too. It was an extremely small amountpared to the amount of memories received by Yuren. However, it was enough to increase Atein¡¯s skills drastically.


    On top of that, Atein didn¡¯t have to fight to keep his sense of self. He willingly and aggressively weed the memories of the future. He tried to embody what his body was supposed to be.


    ¡°Huh-uhk, huh-uhk.......¡±


    Yuren was a bloody mess as he was gasping for breath.


    There were still countless spells shing and swirling around them. The three Dragon Demons weren¡¯t rash in their attacks. They were carrying out a hit and run strategy.


    However, the result of this battle was already determined. At this rate, Yuren¡¯s power would dwindle, and he would meet his destruction.


    Atein asked him a question.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You are still curious about that?¡±


    Yurenughed as if he was baffled. On the other hand, Yuren could understand Atein¡¯s feelings. Atein¡¯s memories allowed Yuren to understand how the mind of Atein worked. It was as if he was reading the palm of his own hands.


    ¡°It is obvious. I disagree with Atein¡¯s goal.¡±


    ¡°You know who you are, yet your opinions haven¡¯t changed?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the exact reason why it hasn¡¯t changed. Despite being the reincarnation of Atein, I didn¡¯t live as Atein. I am Yuren Rizester.¡±


    Yuren was firm in his conviction. He wouldn¡¯t reject his self, because he found out the whole truth. He had no ns on giving his support to Atein.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry everyone. I knew it would be be difficult to kill Atein, but at the very least, I wanted to kill either Almarick or Reygus for you all. However, it turned out it wasn¡¯t something so easily done.¡¯


    Yuren smirked. He wanted to kill some of their intractable enemies to smooth out the path of hisrades, but it wasn¡¯t as easy as he thought it would be.


    However, he didn¡¯t despair. He had done all he could do. All that was left was to believe in hisrades.


    ¡®What a mysterious feeling.¡¯


    Until he met Azell, he had been in a deep depression. If he died at that moment in time, he would have cursed his fate as he died.


    However, he felt unbelievably lighthearted right now. It was amazing. He hadrades that would fulfill his life¡¯s goal, and it made him feel extremely reassured.


    Was it like this during the Dragon Demon war when Azell left the future to his people? He could understand why Azell had chosen to pass on his Dragon weapons to them.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t too bad.¡±


    At the end of the fight, Yuren smiled as he closed his eyes.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a bad life.¡±


    Across the horizon, a massive darkness connected the sky to the ground as it started to spread.

 Chapter 214 - Stolen (1)

    Chapter 214 - Stolen (1)


    1


    The believers of the god were waiting. They wanted a modern day miracle. They wanted proof.


    The people of this world worshipped many gods. No one knew if their gods actually existed. Even if a god was able to prove his existence in this era, it would merely be a legend. It would be a page in the long history of this world.


    However, there was a god that was an exception to this rule.


    ¡°Oh my king.......¡±


    At that moment, all the Dragon Demon King worshippers of the continent were watching.


    There was a pir of darkness stretching from the ground to the ends of the heaven.


    ¡°The day has finally arrived.......¡±


    Not all humans could see it. However, all Dragon Demon King worshippers could see it.


    It didn¡¯t matter how far it was. It didn¡¯t matter if the terrain or weather got in the way. Nothing could obstruct the Dragon Demon King worshippers from viewing it....


    All Dragon Demon King worshippers could see it, and they knew what it implied on instinct.


    It was happening just as the prophecy said it would happen. Dragon Demon King Atein was back from the dead.


    2


    ¡°You really are alive again, Atein.¡±


    At thend located east of the continent, an enormous dragon mumbled to itself. It was the very first Dragon to win the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual to acquire his wisdom. It was Albatan.


    ¡°Hmm. I still have no idea what he wants to do. Will he conquer the world once again to bring change to the world?¡±


    Albatan asked the question to a dragon with dark blue scales. Overall, it had a sleek form. It was a water dragon. It was known for itsmand over the power of water. It was much smaller than Albatan, but it possessed the size of amon dragon. It was Libetan, who was the dragon to earn wisdom after Albatan.


    Albatan spoke.


    ¡°The only thing that is certain is that he is going to do something grand.¡±


    ¡°Anyone could guess that.¡±


    Albatan turned to Libetan, who had scolded him.


    A Dragon Demon youth was walking towards the entrance leading to Albatan¡¯s dwelling. He looked disheveled, but he possessed an eye catching blue white hair. He possessed white horns like a mountain goat, and he had green eyes. It was the 1st generation Dragon Demon Reshoo, who had created the Dragon Soul.


    When Reshoo arrived in front of him, Albatan asked a question.


    ¡°Are you nning on leaving?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Atein is calling for me.¡±


    Rehoo and Atein hadst met at the end of the Great Darkness. Baion, who was known as a sage, was assassinated by the ugly intention of the temple. Baion had been one of Atein¡¯s reincarnation. As Baion¡¯s life ended, Atein had woken up, and he had tried to take care of any lingering attachments left behind by Baion. At the time, Reshoo had been concealing his identity as he protected Baion. At the end, Atein asked for Reshoo to participate in his cause.


    The human world was overflowing with tragedies, and Reshoo had been disgusted by it. That was why he had epted Atein¡¯s offer. He started believing in the idea that Atein might be able to solve the problem.


    Albatan spoke.


    ¡°We might be enemies when we next meet.¡±


    ¡°Who knows? If it does turn out like that.... I won¡¯t go easy on you.¡±


    ¡°How scary. Reshoo, do you really believe that you are making the right choice?¡±


    At Albatan¡¯s question, Reshoo mulled over the question for a brief moment. He shook his head from side to side.


    ¡°...I have no idea.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you going out of your way to help Atein? If he is wrong, the resulting situation might be ruinous.¡±


    ¡°I really love this forest.¡±


    Reshoo let out a bright smile.


    It was a world where humans had gained supremacy. Albatan had created a Demond called the Albatan Forest to protect the weak. These were beings that were headed for extinction.


    The weak fall prey to the strong. It was the rule of nature. It was logical for the strong to rule over the world. However, everything needed moderation and bnce. Since humanity¡¯s greed had grown to an uncontroble level, Albatan had taken in the weak that were chased out by humans. He established and enclosed by a fence where the survival of one¡¯s species was guaranteed.


    He had created Albatan forest with such intention. However, it was also true that the Albatan forest was more primitive and brutal than the outside world. The Albatan forest also followed thew of the jungle. There was violence amongst residents, and they fought for power within the forest.


    Despite this fact, Reshoo liked the forest. It was barbaric, but everyone followed the rules and they kept to the code of honor.


    ¡°You created a birdcage, old man. That isn¡¯t the answer I want. I still haven¡¯t found the answer in my lifetime. I decided to gamble on someone that might be able to find the answer I want.¡±


    As a result, he would have to fight against his beloved homnd. Reshoo didn¡¯t want to miss out on this opportunity.


    Suddenly, Albatan spoke.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to fight Azell to the death.¡±


    ¡°It is inevitable. Unfortunately.....¡±


    When Reshoo spoke to Azellst time, he made it sound as if the fight between them was an uncertainty. However, Reshoo already knew this truth at the time of the conversation.


    Azell couldn¡¯t forgive Atein.


    Azell had hesitated to fight Reshoo. Azell¡¯s state of confusion meant that he had avoided resolving the uncertainty between him and Reshoo. However, if Azell fought against Atein, it was inevitable that he would end up fighting Reshoo.


    ¡°It is something I am willing to do.¡±


    Reshoo had already hardened his resolve. The Albatan forest had be Reshoo¡¯s home and Azell was his friend. Reshoo would have to turn against them. He wouldn¡¯t go back on his decision.


    ¡°I should go now. I hope I do not have to meet you as an enemy, old man. Of course, that isn¡¯t up to me.¡±


    Reshoo ended his short goodbye, and he left.


    3


    Atein opened his eyes.


    The darkness surrounding him dispersed, and his vision returned. It was as if he had awoken from a long sleep. Atein was in a haze as he looked at the world.


    ¡°How beautiful.¡±


    It was a feeling that was very hard to express.


    His surrounding was devastated. Until not too long ago, this location had been a dense forest. There were only signs of destruction now. Everything was broken no matter where one looked. The trees and rocks were broken in a haphazard manner. The ground looked unsightly as if it had been dug up.


    Atein looked at the sight as if he was mesmerized.


    ¡°It is still beautiful.¡±


    His eyes headed towards the sky. The sky also didn¡¯t match his words. The sky was hazy. It made one feel depressed just looking at it.


    However, everything was eye blindingly beautiful in Atein¡¯s eyes. These were sensations that could never be felt in the world of death. For a very long time, he had observed his reincarnation, while he was a step away from being alive. Now he was walking the earth in his own body. When he breathed in the air, the feeling evoked by the action moved him deeply.


    Suddenly, he heard someone¡¯s voice.


    <...did his mind be affected because he was dead for so long?>


    ¡°You are being rude to his majesty.¡±


    <How do we really know if he is the real king? First, we have to gain confirmation. Don¡¯t annoy me with talks about manners.>


    ¡°You didn¡¯t really observe manners in the past either.¡±


    <I thought my way of speaking was courteous.>


    ¡°It seems your memories don¡¯t match up with reality. I guess you were always like that even before you became an Undead.


    It was Reygus and Almarick. The two had been waiting for Atein in this deste ce.


    Atein put on a bright smile when he saw them.


    ¡°Reygus and Almarick. It is good to see you again, my old friends. How long did it take for my body to be my true self?¡±


    ¡°It just passed the 100th hour.¡±


    Almarick responded in a respectful manner. Atein¡¯s eyes widened a little bit.


    ¡°It took that long? By my calction, it should have taken about 30 minutes. It seems the will of a human, who is ready for death, is really strong.¡±


    <Are you talking about Yuren Rizester?>


    ¡°Yes, he was myst reincarnation. He was a human with a strong will.¡±


    At Reygus¡¯ question, Atein nodded his head.


    He had been the Guide before he had woken up. He had watched Yuren Rizester¡¯s life.


    He had learned a lot through Yuren. He learned about his deification by the Dragon Demon King worshippers. He learned about their madness, and how humans changed when gripped by this madness.


    He also saw what happened when a human was released from this madness. He saw how bright a human¡¯s resolve could be.


    ¡°Worry and fear. He was able to ovee both. Hisst struggle inflicted a great deal of loss on me.¡±


    ¡°What kind of loss......?¡±


    ¡°Hundred hours.¡±


    Atein spoke.


    ¡°If it went ording to n, my awakening should havested 30 minutes. Everything had been prepared, so it just had to bepleted.¡±


    However, Yuren had interfered with that n. While he remained alive, Yuren used the techniques in Atein¡¯s memories. He had dyed Atein¡¯s revival as much as possible.


    As a result, Atein had wasted 100 hours in his revival. Reygus and Almarick had to stay next to Atein in case of any unexpected problems that might arise. They had also been rooted to this spot for 100 hours.


    ¡°Amazing. If it wasn¡¯t for his interference, I would have been able to finish half of my tasks as soon as I was revived. I would have acquired Azell Karzark, and I would have been able to kil his party members.¡±


    Azell Karzark was a human, who had killed Atein once before. Azell was a mere human that hadn¡¯t reached immortality. It was the first time a mere mortal had bested Atein.


    He was too dangerous to left alone. Atein had to subdue and acquire him at all cost. If Atein couldn¡¯t have him, Azell had to be killed.


    Almarick asked the question as if he was having a hard time understanding Atein.


    ¡°Your past self ordered us not to kill them.¡±


    The past Atein wanted to subdue Azell. He had wanted to tether Azell to the Great Darkness, and if possible, he wanted to keep Azell¡¯s party alive. However, the revived Atein wanted to kill them all. It was quite confusing.


    Atein put on a smile.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. My past self can¡¯t make the same judgment as my current self. Since a mistake could derail my ns, I didn¡¯t allow my past self to achieve my goals at all cost. I made it so that my past self maintained the status quo.¡±


    This was why the past Atein had tried to subdue Azell, and he didn¡¯t try to mess with anyone else. It would be great if he could have left behind detailed instructions, but Atein could only freely interact with his reincarnations.


    ¡°However, it is something I insisted on doing, so I have to bear the consequences. I am thankful that I was rtively sessful in oveing death. I guess it is a luxury to expect more blessings.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Since your majesty had been revived, it is only a matter of time. I do agree that Azell is a dangerous being, but.....¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t true, Almarick.¡±


    Atein shook his head from side to side.


    ¡°I know I will be hated by the world, so I¡¯m prepared to be hated by the world. Azell Karzark is the knife forged by their hate. He is a de created to stop me.¡±


    Azell¡¯s battle capability and potential was high. However, he had grow way beyond what should have been possible for him. He had reached the zenith in histe 20s, because he had experienced all kinds of special experience.


    He had met special teachers that allowed him to maximize his abilities to the extreme. He survived fights with powerful enemies, and he earned new opportunities. Hisrades entrusted the hope of humanity to Azell by leaving behind their superb Dragon weapons to Azell. Atein believed the Azell really was the human chosen by this era.


    ¡°Even if I fight him with the experience I have now, victory isn¡¯t guaranteed. Of course, this time we¡¯ll be fighting under different circumstances... Still, I lost too much before I even started to move. It¡¯ll be hard to find a substitute.¡±


    ¡°I have no idea what you are referring to.¡±


    Almarick became puzzled. Atein let out a bitterughter.


    ¡°Yuren Rizester¡¯sst stand dyed my revival by 100 hours, and that isn¡¯t all. He also stole something very precioius from me.¡±


    ¡°What was it?¡±


    ¡°It was.......¡±

 Chapter 215 - Stolen (2)

    Chapter 215 - Stolen (2)


    4


    Azell¡¯s party was able to escape the prospect of death through Yuren¡¯s sacrifice. They earned time to regroup. It wasn¡¯t just Azell. Kairen and Leticia were also gravely wounded. This opportunity was worth its weight in gold.


    The party moved as far as possible, and they avoided locations that possessed ess points to the Road of Emptiness. Then they received help from members of the Guardian Shadows to find a hideout. Healers were called in, and their wounds were treated.


    ¡°Atein had been revived.......¡±


    Suddenly, Azell mumbled to himself.


    Azell could feel it. The enormous darkness in the distance was contracting.


    Atein was the first and strongest magician, who was capable of changing the world with his power. He was Azell¡¯s mortal enemy, and he had woken up from a long sleep called death.


    Laura replied.


    ¡°I feel it.¡±


    She was merely a traitor, yet she used to be a high ranking officer in the in of Darkness. She had been connected to the Great Darkness in the past, and the remnant of that connection notified her that Atein had been revived.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°All the thanks in the world wouldn¡¯t be enough for what Yuren has done for us. He gave us so much time.¡±


    Yuren had dyed Atein¡¯s revival by 100 hours. In terms of days, it had been four days. If it wasn¡¯t for that time, Atein would have tracked down and killed Azell¡¯s party by now.


    On top of that, Yuren had made sure to cut off the connection between the Great Darkness and the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. They could no longer be tracked down through the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. Even if Laura was killed, the Vitan¡¯s Chalice would no longer return to the Great Darkness.


    In his limited time left, Yuren had told the party about what measures he had taken.


    He told them why Atein wanted Azell. He told them about Atein¡¯s true goals, and what Atein was capable of achieving after his revival....


    The information evoked a deep fear within the party.


    In the past, Atein was tactically driven into a corner when he was separated from his army. The human alliance kept Atein¡¯s army in a gridlock, so Atein had to inevitably fight a one on one battle with Azell. He had lost. However, this didn¡¯t mean Atein¡¯s power wasn¡¯t endless. Instead of a one on one battle, his power was more suited forrge scale battles.


    During the Dragon Demon war, the human alliance had felt this truth to their bones. This was why the human alliance had sent Azell to keep Atein upied. The one on one battle had been an attempt to keep Atein away from the battlefield.


    ¡°Azell, if you fight a one on one battle with the king....¡±


    Suddenly, Laura asked him a question.


    ¡°What is the probability of you winning?¡±


    ¡°It is fifty-fifty.¡±


    It seemed Azell didn¡¯t even need to think about it before he gave her an answer.


    In terms of overall battle capability, Azell had recovered to his prime level. He was also able to Dual Band his eight Rings of Life. He had acquired enormous Dragon Demon magic from this process, so he had jumped past the limitations of his past. He now had a surplus of power, and any deficiency was filled when he recovered his lost Dragon weapons.


    Laura tilted her head in confusion.


    ¡°The odds are like that even though we stole two Dragon weapons from him?¡±


    Yuren had given them manyrge presents, and at the same time, he had harmed Atein to an appalling degree.


    Yuren had stolen two of Atein¡¯s Dragon weapons, and he had transferred it to Azell.


    It was the Brand of Paradise and the White me Phoenix.


    In their past battle with Atein, Yuren had decided that there were two Dragon weapons that had to be stolen from Atein, and Yuren had been sessful.


    It truly was an admirable achievement.


    The Brand of Paradise was a Dragon weapon made by deciphering the power of thest Arp. It was done by deciphering Reginor¡¯s power. The Dragon weapon had the amazing power of being able to manipte localized time.


    ¡°Even if Atein doesn¡¯t have this Dragon weapon, he can still manipte time. He could use a spell that can produce the same effect. However, there is a cost to using the spell that wouldn¡¯t be present when using the Dragon weapon. Moreover, we still have toe up with a good idea on how I can put the Brand of Paradise to good use.¡±


    Azell¡¯s power had increased, and Atein¡¯s power had decreased. This was a fact. However, both sides knew what powers each side had. It was basically a shuffling of the deck. The stolen Dragon weapons couldn¡¯t be used as secret weapons that could take Atein unawares.


    ¡°The fact that we were able to steal the White me Phoenix will have a minimal effect in a one on one battle with Atein. It is merely a strategic gain.¡±


    The White me Phoenix was like the Crying Phoenix. They were Dragon weapons capable of fighting by themselves when summoned. The user didn¡¯t needed to continuously concentrate on using the Dragon weapon, and it had the capability of carrying multiple people across long distances at high speeds.


    This wasn¡¯t too much about what Atein had lost. It was more about enormous benefit gained by someone in Azell¡¯s party. One of Azell¡¯s party members had received the Dragon weapon. Yuren hadn¡¯t taken the White me Phoenix for Azell, who already possessed the Crying Phoenix. Yuren had stolen it with the intent of someone else in Azell¡¯s party inheriting it.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Anyways, we have to kill him before he shakes up the world.¡±


    ¡°How will we do that?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    At Laura¡¯s question, Azell bit his lips.


    If the revived Atein was by himself, it might have been a different story. However, he possessed a force called the Dragon Demon King worshippers, so Azell¡¯s task would be truly difficult. Azell had recovered his battle capabilities, and it rivalled the power he possessed during his prime. He also acquiredrades that was strong enough to make a name for themselves during the Dragon Demon war. However, there was a limit to what a small elite force could do against an enormous organization.


    Azell let out a sigh.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to find a way. Let¡¯s just leave it to the duke to worry about that....¡±


    During the Dragon Demon war, Azell had fought in the frontline. He had no hand ining up with the strategies. Azell was a fine de. He needed a wielder that could maximize his effectiveness. During the Dragon Demon war, Carlos had been such a person, and there were others that had taken on that role.


    Currently, Kairen was in charge of that role. Kairen had alreadye up with a method that caused trouble for the in of Darkness. He now needed toe up with a battle n for fighting Atein.


    ¡°I have to finish the de that¡¯ll cut off Atein¡¯s neck.¡±


    On their final conversation, Azell and Carlos hade to that conclusion.


    He had to be able to freely use the Extreme Extinction.


    Currently, Azell could manifest Extreme Extinction through the Sun Lightsaber. The requirements were too burdensome for Azell to manifest his best skill.


    He had to find a faster and easier way to manifest it. It was the key to bing victorious over Atein.


    In fact, Atein¡¯s action was proof that Azell and Carlos had been right.


    Yuren had spoken to him.


    ¡®Azell, Atein isn¡¯t trying to kill you. He is trying to acquire you for the Extreme Extinction.¡¯


    To be precise, Atein wanted two things. He wanted the Sky Splitter and the Extreme Extinction.


    Carlos had marvelled at the fact that the Sky Splitter was a Dragon weapon that transcended themon sense of this world. It was able to change matter into light, and light into matter. It was able to freely move between the material and the immaterial world. The Dragon weapon had the power to eventually create a phenomena called the Extreme Extinction. It had astounded Atein.


    Atein had concluded that a certain problem of his was unsolvable, yet an answer to his problem had shown up in the form of Extreme Extinction. Atein wanted to change the fate of the world, and he determined that he needed the new possibility created by Azell.


    ¡°However, Atein knows about the existence of the Extreme Extinction. It is a matter of time before he is able to recreate it. If I ignore that possibility, I might be taken unawares.¡±


    Since Carlos was dead, the only one that could use the Extreme Extinction was Azell. However, it wasn¡¯t a guarantee that Azell would have this superior card forever.


    Atein was a magician at the pinnacle, and he had changed the order of the world countless times. At some point, Atein would understand how the Extreme Extinction worked, and he would be able to recreate it. If he developed a way to defend against the Extreme Extinction, it would be a nightmare for Azell¡¯s party.


    ¡°We have to end it before that happens. We have to kill him while Extreme Extinction remains a deadly weapon against him.¡±


    5


    Yuren¡¯s death was an irreversible loss for Azell¡¯s party. Yuren had left behind a lot of Azell¡¯s party, but it couldn¡¯t rece his empty spot.


    Amongst all of them, Arrieta felt the most responsibility settle upon her shoulders.


    No one demanded her to take on more responsibility, but she knew she hadn¡¯t been much help up to this point. This truth made her feel dejected.


    What if she had been able to awaken her Dragon Soul at an early date? Would the batte have turned out differently? Maybe, Yuren wouldn¡¯t have died.


    When Arrieta verbalized such thoughts, Leticia spoke.


    ¡°What a useless thought.¡±


    ¡°You think so?¡±


    At her ruthless answer, Arrieta let out a weakughter. Leticia watched Arrieta for a brief moment before she spoke.


    ¡°You are ming yourself for not being able to perform a miracle.... It isn¡¯t foolish, but it is arrogant. There are tasks that can and cannot be performed by a person. There is a limit to how much you can expect from yourself. This is especially true for a fight where lives are on the line.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°If Yuren was still here, he would have told you the same thing as me. He probably would have given a long-winded exnation.¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be long-winded. I think he would have told me those words in a kind manner.¡±


    ¡°Those that love to talk like to package it in that fashion.¡±


    At Leticia¡¯s words, Arrieta couldn¡¯t help butugh. This time herughter sounded mirthful.


    Leticia spoke.


    ¡°In truth, I was surprised when you made your decision on the spot like that. Don¡¯t you have any lingering attachment towards the Dragon Soul?¡±


    ¡°I would be lying if I said I didn¡¯t. However, I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be able to awaken my Dragon Soul. Our enemies might attack us soon, so I thought it would be better to choose a Dragon weapon that I could use right now.¡±


    Arrieta had given up the Dragon Soul to be an owner of a Dragon weapon.


    Yuren had stolen two Dragon weapons from Atein, and there was no reason why Atein should possess the White me Phoenix. Its function ovepped with the Crying Phoenix, so it would be useful to give the Dragon weapon to another member of the party.


    This was why Arrieta received a Dragon weapon. When Azell suggested the idea to her, she had immediately epted his offer. It surprised her party members. Kairen tried to dissuade her, since he thought she would be giving up too much in the process.


    However, she was sure of her decision.


    ¡®Yuren earned this precious time for us, but we don¡¯t know when our enemies will attack us. Since master, Azell and Leticia is injured, I need power that can protect us.¡¯


    Currently, their party didn¡¯t have the luxury to n out their future in aid-back manner. Arrieta knew this truth well, so she had made her choice.


    However, Azell¡¯s suggestion had been unexpected.


    Azell decided to give her the Crying Phoenix instead of the White me Phoenix. Everyone was surprised, but Azell gave a clear exnation.


    ¡®If princess was a magician, I would have given you the White me Phoenix. However, princess is a Spirit Order Practitioner, so you are morepatible with the Crying Phoenix.¡¯


    In truth, the Crying Phoenix was also a Dragon weapon created by a magician. However, Azell had used it repeatedly after inheriting it. He had modified it to a point where it was a good Dragon weapon to use for a Spirit Order Practitioner.


    On the other hand, the White me Phoenix had been Atein¡¯s Dragon weapon, so it was optimized for a magician to use. However, Azell would be able to bring out the potential of the White me Phoenix. It was like the time when he was able to use the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. His past experiences would allow him to modify the Dragon weapon more easily. This wasn¡¯t the case for Arrieta.


    This was why Azell had transferred the Crying Phoenix to Arrieta. He had received it from a deadrade. It symbolized hisrade¡¯s hope for a better future. It had apanied Azell for a very long time, so it was a big loss for him. However, he had made the right decision.


    ¡®The Dragon weapon isn¡¯t a simple tool. Even if it was given up, the one that inherits it must treat the Dragon weapon as if it¡¯s a clone of one¡¯s soul. First, you should keep using it until you are sick of using it. That is the starting point.¡¯


    Arrieta faithfully followed his teachings. Her learning ability was outstanding, so a few days of training allowed her to use her senses through the Dragon weapon. Of course, she was able to summon the Dragon weapon way earlier than that.


    Suddenly, she spoke.


    ¡°Somehow, it feels as if I¡¯ve cheated.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°It feels as if I¡¯ve wronged Seigar. We are supposed to be in apetition as to who can awaken the Dragon Soul first.......¡±


    ¡°It was an unfairpetition from the start, so who cares?¡±


    ¡°I guess you are right.¡±


    Arrieta didn¡¯t deny Leticia¡¯s rebuke. From beginning to end, Seigar had to learn the Dragon Soul on his own. Arrieta continued to be instructed by Kairen, so it wasn¡¯t a fairpetition from the start.


    Suddenly, Leticia looked into the distance as she spoke.


    ¡°It is done.¡±


    Afterwards, a light surged into the air, and a powerful wave of power spread into the surrounding.


    Oooooooooh......!


    Arrieta expressed her surprise.


    ¡°The fight was incredible, but the phenomena that urs at the end was also amazing. I wonder if this phenomena urs only when Azell goes through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.¡±


    Azell had gone through a Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual far away from the party. After awakening in this era, this was his fourth Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    This fight appalled everyone. Azell¡¯s fight with Dragon had shaken the earth and the sky. Azell had challenged a Frost Dragon, who had free reign over the power of ice. However, it seemed this particr Dragon was much stronger than a normal Dragon. The party found this out after the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual had started.


    The reason behind this phenomena was how the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual was structured.


    The Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual was a life and death fight between a Dragon and a human. On top of that, it was a form ofmunication between two souls. If the Dragon Demon magic of the challenging human was strong, it was as if the Dragon became stronger in response. This was why a Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual never decreased in difficulty no matter how many onepleted.


    Azell had put his life on the line when he attempted this Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual He did it, because he thought it was a solution to the immediate problem his party faced.


    Suddenly, Arrieta asked a question.


    ¡°Leticia, are you really going to attempt it again?¡±


    ¡°It is needed.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just Azell. Leticia decided to attempt her second Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    She hadpleted her first Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual in the Albatan forest. It had only been 4 months ago.


    One had topletely consolidate the power taken from the Dragon before one could go through another Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. If not, the Dragon could steal that power. However, she didn¡¯t need to worry about that.


    Normally, she would have needed more time. However, she had continued to train in the Dragon Demon magic training method devised by Carlos and Croix Nidel. She had already digested all of the Dragon¡¯s power.


    Arrieta asked her a question.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared?¡±


    ¡°You are asking the obvious. I am scared.¡±


    Leticia didn¡¯t try to bluff. She gave a truthful answer. She had won once, but it was still scary to attempt another Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. The Dragon was scary, and the prospect of dying here before the real fight was frightening.


    ¡°Despite such feelings, you are going through with it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll say this again. It is needed. Isn¡¯t it the same for you, Arrieta?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    No one had asked Arrieta to go through with the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual again. However, Arrieta had already made up her mind.


    Leticia spoke.


    ¡°Azell is truly an ill-natured man. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    ¡°I agree. He is a bad man. I guess that is why he was able to seduce so many women.¡±


    Azell possessed the most power amongst them, yet he didn¡¯t hesitate to put himself in danger. He didn¡¯t hesitate to lead through action. He didn¡¯t tell them what to do with words. He did it first, and other followed his example.


    Leticia spoke.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go greet that bad man.¡±

 Chapter 216 - Stolen (3)

    Chapter 216 - Stolen (3)


    6


    The in of Darkness was in a state of pandemonium.


    It wasn¡¯t as if the in of Darkness had been a model of stability before this. They were floundering as they fought an underground war with the organization called the Guardian¡¯s Shadow.


    They felt shocked when a being came looking for them that day. The feeling couldn¡¯t bepared to anything from the past.


    Dragon Demon King Atein had returned.


    ¡°My king.......¡±


    Aincera spoke in an excited manner. When Almarick saw her face, he felt a feeling of deja vu. It was as if he was back in the past.


    While Aincera carried out the role of custodian of the Great Darkness, her sense of self had wilted away. Her emotions had withered away. However, Atein had returned after the long years of waiting, and he was in front of her. Aincera looked like a girl that had her dreame true.


    In the distant past, Aincera had been rescued by Atein, and she had be infatuated with him. She had been part of a powerful n in the north, and she was a member of the ruling family. Her n had wanted an alliance with Atein, so her n elders had pushed her to marry Atein. It started out as a political marriage, yet she became filled with burning and all-consuming love for Atein as time passed.


    From beginning to end, her love remained the same. She knew the price that she would need to pay when she became the custodian of the Great Darkness. She did it for Atein. She had carried out that role until now even though she had lost her humanity as a price.


    ¡®Was her love for the king the only thing that she was able to preserve?¡¯


    Aincera looked as if she wanted to cry. Her face looked raw with emotion. It was as if Atein had made her awaken from a very old curse that had sealed away her sense of self.


    ¡°Aincera.¡±


    Atein let out a gentleughter as he looked at her.


    ¡°I am sorry for beingte, my beautiful queen.¡±


    He elegantly grasped Aincera¡¯s hand, and he kissed the back of her hand. Then he gently embraced her.


    In the past, it had started out as a one-sided political marriage, but it was different now. In the true sense of the word, she was Atein¡¯s partner now. She had be worn down over the years, and she had even lost her sense of desire. Now she had gained what she had wanted. It was a partnership she had always desired.


    ¡°I was able to revive thanks to you.¡±


    ¡°You are making me blush. I just safeguarded what you gave me. I was too busy that I was neglectful in practicing the king¡¯s ideals.¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t your responsibility. It¡¯s the responsibility of those that used my legacy for their own selfish interests and desires.¡±


    Atein was well aware of what the in of Darkness looked liked right now. He was especially knowledgeable on the topic of how the members of the in of Darkness lived. He had learned it through Yuren, who was his reincarnated self. The truth had beenid out in front of him.


    ¡°It is time to end this experiment.¡±


    Atein spoke those words as he manifested his magic. The members of the in of Darkness felt something intrude into their mind. They flinched at this foreign feeling.


    There were those that rose to the ruling ss of the in of Darkness over the long years. There were the young generation that had been nurtured by the ruling ss. Then there were the humans that were at the bottom of the society. They had to sacrifice their lives as thebor force.......


    The will of the individual didn¡¯t matter. They realized that they were put under the will of transcendent being.


    ¡°Gentlemen, I am Atein. As promised long time ago, I have returned from across theke of death.¡±


    Atein spoke in a low voice, but it didn¡¯t sound low to everyone. Everyone had felt the revival of the king, but they had never expected to be approached by Atein in such a fashion. They couldn¡¯t hid their surprise.


    From all directions, people continuously appeared as they felt shock and awe. Some were moved to tears. From their perspective, Atein was a god that had ovee death to guide them towards their utopia. The top members of the in of Darkness had been sessful in raising Atein to godhood amongst their followers through the long years.


    Atein knew all of this through the Great Darkness. He closed his eyes for a brief moment to calm down everyone¡¯s emotions. Then he continued speaking.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be the one to confess first. I felt despair when I saw all of you.¡±


    Atein¡¯s emotions became turbulent after it had reached a low. He started speaking again.


    7


    There was a man that dreamed about a utopia.


    It was a world where everyone would be able to live happily. There would be no hunger, discrimination, oppression and stealing. He thought he could make a society where everyone would be able to live a full life as they respected each other.


    However, sacrifices were needed to make the world that way. He had to tear apart and rebuild the world, which had turned out wrong. He had to go through the process of conquering the world.


    He decided to fight the world, so he gathered those that shared his ideals. Then he conducted an enormous war.


    ¡°The Dragon Demon war feels like yesterday for me, but it had be a page in history for you all. We fought for the highest ideals. We wanted a better world. Many bled and sacrificed their lives to make a world where everyone would be happy.¡±


    The war had swept across the continent, and countless people had died. The Dragon Demon King¡¯s army had precipitated the war, and countless number of them had died too.


    ¡°Even though we lost our fight against the world, our ideals hadn¡¯t died. It should have died. I believed that the ideal would be a guiding light for my descendants, who would have to wander the dark wilderness. That is why I made preparations for the future.¡±


    There was the Dragon Demon pce and the in of Darkness. He had started making preparations for his people when his side started losing. Even if they lost the Dragon Demon war, their enemies wouldn¡¯t be able to eradicate all of them. He couldn¡¯t win against the world, but he prepared tools that would allow his remaining force to work towards his utopia.


    Even in a severe environment, the Dragon Demon pce would ensure the survival of the survivors of the Dragon Demon war. Then there was magical abilities of the survivors and the Road of Emptiness that allowed one to travel all over the continent. He believed it would be enough for his people to work towards the utopia. He couldn¡¯t changed the entire world into a utopia, so he created a small istednd where outsiders could not interfere. He had thought his followers would work towards making his utopia there.


    ¡°However, you threw away the ideals we had been pursuing. You purused your own greed and interests. You are the survivors, and you were once myrades. I am saddened, but this is the truth. You all have be corrupt.¡±


    While he was conducting the Dragon Demon war, he knew that there was a discrepancy between his ideal and reality. He realized that he had been wrong in believing in the potential of the Dragon Demon race. He admitted his failure, and he started preparing for his next attempt.


    As he was doing so, he didn¡¯tpletely give up on the hope he had ced on his army.


    Atein had left behind the in of Darkness. It was hisst hope, and it had also been another experiment. Even if he was dead, his followers might work towards bringing his ideals into life. He didn¡¯t care if they weren¡¯t sessful in making the utopia. Atein¡¯s expectation and hope towards the Dragon Demons and humanity would have remained.


    However, the experiment ended as an extreme failure after 220 years. The utopia dreamed up by Atein couldn¡¯t be found in the in of Darkness. There wasn¡¯t even a trace.


    ¡°It was a false expectation. I¡¯ll make this clear. My pastrades are no longer myrades.¡±


    Atein was cold in his deration. His tone of voice was calm, but the content of his words was stern.


    A state of unrest came over the influential people of the in of Darkness.


    At that moment, the emotions they were feeling was fierce andplex. It couldn¡¯t be put into words.


    ¡®What are you saying? We believed only in you! We waited for you toe back! We gave up everything to live in this ck darkness, yet we continued to wait for this day. We doggedly held out for your return! Yet you dared to say that we were wrong?¡¯


    A fierce sense of betrayal and anger arose within them. The being, who they had elevated to godhood, had rejected them. He had rejected their way of life. They couldn¡¯t stand the fact that they had been ruthlessly criticized.


    At the same time, they felt guilt and fear wash over them.


    They were well aware of Atein¡¯s ideals. Despite know it, they had made the in of Darkness into an organizationposed of religious zealots. They politically crushed those like Saibein, who had wanted to continue working towards Atein¡¯s utopia. An extremely twisted ss structure was created.


    Of course, Atein would be extremely angered by their actions. However, he was able to separate emotion from logic. He understood the truth of what had happened.


    Still, it didn¡¯t stop his followers from trying to justify their actions.


    ¡®How many people during that era truly believed in your ideals? We all followed our own greed. We followed you, so we could gain more for ourselves. We didn¡¯t want a world that was better for everyone! We wanted a world that was better for us!¡¯


    Their justification merely affirmed once again as to why he despaired for this world. However, they couldn¡¯t help, but try to justify their actions.


    Atein listened to their emotions through the Great Darkness. He also listened to their spoken words. These beings had lived for the past 220 years by relying on the Great Darkness. From Atein¡¯s perspective, their actions were like prayers that offered their inner conflicts to their god. Atein continued to speak.


    ¡°However, at the same time.... A part of me thanks you.¡±


    Atein¡¯s words were unexpected, so everyone flinched as they tried to listen to him.


    ¡°I was able to get rid of any lingering attachments thanks to all of you. I won¡¯t hesitate any more. I came to the conclusion that I have no other choice.¡±


    He had longe up with a n that he would pursue after he revived. He had already prepared everything that he would need to carry out his n.


    Despite having this n, he had chosen to go through with an extreme method called the Dragon Demon war in the past. He had done so, because he had believed that humans and Dragon Demons could help create his utopia.


    He no longer thought that any more. He had thrown away his belief in humans and Dragon Demons. Atein was choosing to go through with hisst option now.


    ¡°Let me make it clear to my oldrades and those that are called the Dragon Demon King worshippers in this era. I am not your god. The redemption you are searching for doesn¡¯t exist. It is merely an illusion that was created in the head of the corrupted beings.¡±


    Atein denied his godhood in front of those that worshipped him as a god.


    It didn¡¯t affect the survivors of the Dragon Demon King¡¯s army. It was like a bolt out of the blue for the fanatics created by them. The fanatics had given up their souls in their devotion for Atein, yet they had been wholly rejected by Atein.


    ¡°I just want to give you the option to choose. Listen to me!¡±


    Atein¡¯s words were like a whip to those that were shaken up.


    ¡°This world is wrong at a fundamental level. In the current world, utopia cannot be reached no matter how hard intelligent beings work on it.¡±


    This world and those that live in this world were wrong at a fundamental level. From the beginning, there had been no path that would have allowed them to create a utopia. After countless failures, Atein was sure of this truth now.


    ¡°That is why I will change the world.¡±


    If he had won the Dragon Demon war, he would have worked to change the world in a very humane way. He would have created a societal system that was based on consent from his constituents.


    However, he came to the conclusion that such a method couldn¡¯t work. It wasn¡¯t the right answer. He had no choice, but to acquire an answer that transcended the system established by human culture.


    If the way of this world world didn¡¯t allow him to reach his ideals, he just had to change how the world worked. He had done this in the past. He had reset the rtionship between the humans and Dragons. He had unified thenguage of the world.


    ¡°Choose! Will your follow me or will you not follow me? For old time¡¯s sake, I will forgive the sins of those that used my relics for selfish interests. If you won¡¯t follow me, leave.¡±


    On that day, Atein destroyed a version of his own divinity, which had been created by the in of Darkness. On that day, his followers met the true god that they should worship.


    However, not all agreed with Atein¡¯s wishes.

 Chapter 217 - Stolen (4)

    Chapter 217 - Stolen (4)


    8


    -It has been a while, Atein.


    When Atein finished his speech, a half-transparent show-white ghost of a girl had appeared in front of him. She possessed white-blond hair, and her horns were gray like that of a boulder. She was a Dragon Demon girl possessing te-gray colored eyes and Dragon Demon stone.


    ¡°You¡¯re are correct, Kayalia.¡±


    Atein wasn¡¯t surprised at her sudden appearance. He spoke to her.


    Almarick had flinched in surprise. After he had revived, this was the first time Kayalia had shown herself in front of Almarick.


    Atein continued to speak.


    ¡°We upy the same world, yet we cannot meet.¡±


    -That¡¯s right. I feel much when I am near you, yet I can never reach you.


    Kayalia moved closer to Atein. As she spoke, she ced her hand on his face.


    Atein¡¯s true essence was also within the Great Darkness. Kayalia was able to experience reality through the Great Darkness, so she was technically always with him.


    However, the two of them never met within the Great Darkness. Atein was always living in the current era through his reincarnated selves. Until he had revived, his consciousness had never been put to sleep. He had always been a step away from his reincarnated selves as he observed their lives.


    Suddenly, Kayalia nced towards Aincera. Aincera once again had a nk expression on her face. She was just observing the situation.


    -Unni. No, Aincera.... You really lost all emotions that isn¡¯t rted to Atein.


    Of course, Kayalia was here as a false image, but her gesture towards Atein had been something one did to a lover.


    The past Aincera would have raged. However, she wasn¡¯t showing any emotions.


    -You did something you shouldn¡¯t have done, Atein.


    ¡°I won¡¯t deny that. I had no choice, but to rely on her.¡±


    He could have chosen not to assign the custodianship of the Great Darkness to Aincera. However, his gamble would have turned into a bigger uncertainty if he had done so.


    As her sense of self wilted away, Aincera continued to be the custodian. It allowed the system called the Great Darkness to remain intact even to this day. Atein truly felt thankful towards Aincera¡¯s sacrifice.


    ¡°It is what I wanted to do. You majesty did nothing wrong.¡±


    Aincera stepped forward in defense of Atein. Her attitude was resolute. Kayalia more sad as she watched Aincera.


    -It is unfortunate, but the Aincera I knew is dead.


    There had been no love lost between the two. However, the fact that Aincera was gone saddened Kayalia. It was a novel turn of event.


    The Dragon Demon King¡¯s first queen Aincera was dead. The only thing left behind was a ghost of herself. The only thing left within her was her love and obsession for Atein....


    Of course, she would be freed from her role as custodian of the Great Darkness now. The humanity, which had been worn away, might slowly recover itself.


    However, even if she recovers her sense of self, would it truly be Aincera?


    -Atein, I know that you weren¡¯t able to perfect my technique. You weren¡¯t able to maintain


    continuity between your lives. This is how it could all go wrong.


    Kayalia let out a sigh of grief.


    In the past, she had partnered with Atein through a deal.


    Her human body had been dying, and Atein had provided her with a Dragon Demon body in exchange for her technique. In the process, Kayalia had be known as Atein¡¯s pupil and third queen. She gained notoriety, and she had been feared by the humans.


    Kayalia had been using her unstable reincarnation technique to live and die as a human. She had agreed with the ideals being pursued by Atein. However, there had been sacrifices in the pursuit to achieve this ideal. At one point, a human had saved her. He had spared her after he had intended to kill her. In the end, she had died with doubt in her heart.


    Then she was made to live in the Great Darkness by Atein. She had been asleep for a very long time, and she had been awakened by Reygus, who had awakened as an Undead.


    -You tried to fix the problem of my technique, and in the process, you wanted to make good use of the time it would take to pursue such an endeavor. That is why you kept reincarnating as a human?


    ¡°You guessed right.¡±


    It was as Kayalia had surmised. When Yuren and Atein from the past had exchanged questions and answers, Yuren had held back a piece of information.


    Atein had failed in fixing the problem within Kayalia¡¯s secret technique.


    In the process of dying and being reborn as a different existence, one¡¯s sense of self deteriorated. The degeneration was inevitable. There had been no way for him to solve this problem.


    There had been two main reasons why one¡¯s sense of self deteriorated and changed in the reincarnation.


    The first problem was the fact that the awakening happened after the basic personality traits had been developed. That meant the past personality mixed with the current personality.


    The second problem was the fact that one¡¯s body had changed. The mind was influenced much by the body. An easy example was the change of a male mind when ced in a female body.


    In the end, Atein had given up being reincarnated as someone else.


    ¡®I can¡¯t choose to be reincarnated as someone else,. Therefore, I had no choice but to revive my original body.¡¯


    It took a very long time, but he used the technique of Reginor thest Alp. He had restored his dead body. He wasn¡¯t reborn. He didn¡¯t have to worry about the change and deterioration of his sense of self that came along with being reborn in a different body.


    However, he felt it was waste of time to stay asleep inside the Great Darkness until his revival.


    ¡®I want to know about the humans.¡¯


    Arge experiment called the Dragon Demon war had failed. Atein had realized that he was woefully ignorant about humans and Dragon Demons. After his revival, he would need to start a new attempt, and he didn¡¯t want to repeat his mistake. He needed to be more educated in that department.


    That was why he had started his reincarnation cycle, while he ced his sense of self within the Great Darkness. He observed his reincarnations from a perspective that was a step removed from their lives. He continued to learn information that he hadn¡¯t known before.


    Kayalia queried him.


    -You experienced living several human lives, yet your conclusion hasn¡¯t changed?


    ¡°Kyalia, you already know what choice I¡¯ve made..¡±


    Atein knew this to be true through her tone of voice. Kayalia also didn¡¯t deny the fact.


    -Yes.


    ¡°I won¡¯t¡¯ change my mind.¡±


    -You experienced your reincarnated self disagree with you after finding out the whole truth. Doesn¡¯t that affect your decision?


    ¡°You also know about Yuren Rizester? It seems you are much more than I had assumed. It seems you¡¯ve be a transcendent existence.¡±


    -It isn¡¯t an umon urrence.


    ¡°Yes. There are times when Ibored to devise a n, and it only resulted in trash results. On the other hand, there were those that exceeded expectation. Yuren¡¯s life was like that for me.¡±


    -What do you mean by that?


    ¡°His life was quite moving. He decided to throw away his own life for hisrades, and even after knowing the full truth, he was resolute in his beliefs.... I was moved by his will.¡±


    Amongst all of his reincarnations, Atein had interfered the most with Yuren¡¯s life.


    The reason was simple. His revival was getting close, and Azell had awakened in this era. Azell had ovee Atein¡¯s curse.


    He had learned through Yuren that his descendants were living in a state of madness, so he had awakened Yuren¡¯s consciousness. He pushed Yuren to betray the in of Darkness. He guided Yuren to be a member of Azell¡¯s party. Azell was able to kill him, and Atein wanted to know Azell the human. He wanted a deeper understanding as to who Azell was.


    He had made preparations long time ago. The fact that Yuren was Carlos¡¯ descendant was part of Atein¡¯s calction.


    ¡°However, Yuren is an exception. He cannot shake my resolve. Even if his life was moving, it was merely one life.¡±


    Yuren¡¯s life as a human had exceeded Atein¡¯s expectation. This didn¡¯t mean Yuren¡¯s life could be used as an absolute yardstick for judgement. After Atein died, he had experienced 14 reincarnations. Yuren had merely been one of them.


    ¡°I gained certainty through the Dragon Demon war and my reincarnations. Even if there is an event or a being that leaves a strong impression, one or two outliers cannot overturn the tide. What if one person does good, and there are ten thousand people doing small wrongs? Which way should I adjust in such a situation?¡±


    Should he adjust to the excellent and prominent person?


    It didn¡¯t make any sense. If he was making a small organization, it might be possible. However, it was possible in a society where many had to be embraced.


    ¡°Kayalia, didn¡¯t you despair at what you experienced as a human?¡±


    -I did. But....


    <Hmm. Wait a moment.>


    Reygus had been listening to the two talk, but he butted in at that moment. When everyone¡¯s gazes were on him, he spoke.


    <Your majesty, there is something we need to talk about right now. It keeps being pushed backwards.>


    It was unlike Reygus. He spoke in a respectable manner. It was the same way he had spoken to Atein during the Dragon Demon war.


    Atein queried him.


    ¡°What do you want to know?¡±


    <Your majesty¡¯s goal.... No, I know that your goal is to make this world a better ce. How are we going to aplish that goal? Will we once again gather people for a war?>


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t n on using the same method. We¡¯ve already lost once before. We also saw the madness caused by the war. We saw how the war could change the participants of the war. That is why I¡¯m going to choose another method.¡±


    <What is that method?>


    ¡°Surveince and restriction.¡±


    <Mmm?>


    When Reygus tilted his head in confusion, Atein smiled. From Reygus¡¯ perspective, Atein¡¯s smile somehow made him look like he wanted to cry.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what era one is in. Humans do not trust each other¡¯s good will.¡±


    Atein thought about his memories from the distant past as he spoke.


    ¡°There might be trust between people that know each other very well, but as a race, humans do not believe in the goodness of people. At a basic level, thew of human society is based on self-interest and bad intentions. Humans assume that respect won¡¯t be had if one¡¯s opponent isn¡¯t afraid. Everything is built upon the assumption of fear.¡±


    <Hmm. You are suddenly talking about an academic subject. Will it take long?>


    ¡°I guess you are bored, but this story needs to be said. Reygus, you have already seen a part of my solution.¡±


    <Where and when did I see it?>


    ¡°Guardian Shadows.¡±


    <Mmm?>


    ¡°It¡¯s a barrier capable of stopping our formerrades, who had been swept up by madness. We are enemies, but I can only express my respects towards Carlos Rizester¡¯s ingenuity. We lost our precious friends Aunsaurs and Baldazark to him. Moreover, his machination made us lose Belrun and Iksseru. In fact, we should consider us to be fortunate that the damage had stopped there. I never expected him to bring about a part of my n in such a fashion. Carlos didn¡¯t know about my n, but he came up with the idea of creating the Guardian Shadows by researching the potential possessed by the Great Darkness. While I saw the Guardian Shadows in action, I felt indignant by the fact that I was a step behind him.¡±


    During the Dragon Demon war, Carlos had surprised Atein several times. Carlos was like Azell. He was a human chosen by his era. His aplishments couldn¡¯t be exined merely by his genius talent. In his 20s, he had reached the status of archmage, and he was able to change the fate of the world at such a young age.


    ¡°The most surprising part about the Guardian Shadow system is the fact that they are able to seek out those that are called the Dragon Demon king worshippers.¡±


    The Guardian Shadows were an existence with a foothold in the Great Darkness. However, when it came down to finding the Dragon Demon king worshippers, they used other beings totally unrted to the Great Darkness. All the humans of this continent became informants that provided information regarding the Dragon Demon King worshippers.


    Carlos¡¯ magic had allowed him to transcend the restriction of the Great Darkness. The Guardian Shadows were established upon the foundation of the Great Darkness, but it was self-sustaining now. It had left an indelible mark on this world.


    ¡°My n is simr to the Guardian Shadows. I want to create a system that can monitor the intelligent beings of this continent. No one will be free from the surveince, and no action will be concealed.¡±


    He already had a surveince called the Dragon Demon King worshippers. If he wanted to, he could see anyone that was connected to the Great Darkness. He could even hear their thoughts.


    ¡°I¡¯ll createws that need to be upheld, and I¡¯ll create peacekeepers that¡¯ll carry out the judgement.¡±


    The peacekeepers didn¡¯t have to be alive. They wouldn¡¯t¡¯ be influenced by emotions or human ties. They would be a part of the system where a judgments would be made based on logic.


    ¡°Those that break thew will be punished, and they will be part of the system.¡±


    Those that broke thew will be turned into beings that won¡¯t be influence by emotions. They will be something akin to the Guardian Shadows. They will transcend the restriction of time and space. They¡¯ll take on the role as peacekeepers.


    ¡°Beings that threatened the world will be ferreted out, and those that does something dangerous will be suppressed. We will no longer have to be dependent on the good wills of others. It will no longer be a gamble as permanent peace wille to this world.¡±


    At its heart, this system didn¡¯t look too different from the system that made up the human nations. However, there was a fundamental difference.


    Humans and Dragon Demons couldn¡¯t interfere with the system.


    The system would be governed by an absolute value system that was unaffected by greed and emotions. If the system was described in an extreme manner, the humans and Dragon Demons would be cattles living within a fence.


    <That means.......>


    Reygus was struck dumb as he spoke.


    <Atein, you no longer trust the humans and Dragon Demons? Are you nning on taking away their choice to do evil?>


    Was he too surprised? Reygus¡¯ way of speech had returned to normal. Instead of pointing that out, Atein answered with a nk expression on his face.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It saddens me, but the transition of generations will ur soon. It is the only way to protect everyone from the confusion caused by it.¡±

 Chapter 218 - Renegades (1)

    Chapter 218 - Renegades (1)


    1


    Azell¡¯s party did not remain in one ce. They kept moving.


    Yuren had disconnected the function that allowed their enemies to track down the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. However, Atein had revived, and anything was possible with him. Normally, Azell was always vignt in protecting his back from long ranged attacks. However, he had never expected Atein to be revived at that point in time.


    From now on he couldn¡¯t afford to be careless.


    ¡°However, it is strange.


    Kairen revealed his misgivings.


    Yuren had bought them 100 hours, then four days had passed.


    The party was traveling at a frightening pace, and they were carrying out their n. Azell had performed the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. Leticia was preparing herself to go through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual in several days. Afterwards, it would be Arrieta¡¯s turn.


    There was a reason why the two women hadn¡¯t attempted the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual as soon as possible.


    Leticia had been severely injured in her fight against Reygus. ck magic and the healing arts were used simultaneously to heal her, but she wasn¡¯t at peak condition.


    Arrieta had received the Dragon weapon Crying Phoenix not too long ago. Even if she possessed excellent talent, she would need some time to properly use the Dragon weapon.


    This was why Azell¡¯s party avoided fights as they assessed the overall situation.


    Kairen became flustered as information kept streaming into him.


    ¡°What are the in of Darkness up to right now? They are a mess right now.¡±


    The in of Darkness was fighting a fight on two fronts.


    They were fighting to protect the waypoints to the Road of Emptiness.


    They were also trying to deplete the strength of the humans, so they were carrying out ns to destabilize the entire continent.


    In the first case, the Guardian Shadows were slowly making progress. The Guardian Shadows were destroying the waypoints of the Road of Emptiness.


    In thetter case, the in of Darkness had been carrying out their n for a very long time. The Guardian Shadows were trying hard to mitigate the damage, but they hadn¡¯t been seeing much sess.


    However, the actions of the Dragon Demon king worshippers started bing disorganized after Atein¡¯s rebirth.


    Even if one gained new information about one¡¯s opponents, it was hard to make alterations once the n was enacted. It was hard to guide the events to one¡¯s desired result. One had to continuously work at it to keep the momentum and direction of the n.


    The in of Darkness understood this, so they had made contingencies that would keep their n on schedule. However, the members that were supposed to carry out this n were no longer carrying out their duties. This allowed the nations, who had fallen into chaos, to slowly regain their footing.


    ¡°It seems the scale of the mess is sorge that it¡¯ll take a long time for everything to be fixed up.... Still, It is a very good development for us.¡±


    The in of Darkness had created confusion in each nation. Each nation was in the midst of a war with each other or they were in a civil war. Even if optimal conditions were provided to each nation, the state of chaos wouldn¡¯t be ended in a short amount of time.


    Still, it was true that the fortunes of this continent had taken a favorable turn. In some cases, it had been possible to capture Dragon Demon king worshippers alive. The existence of the Dragon Demon king worshippers became publicized, and it was crucial in bringing stability back to the nations.


    When Azell read all the informations, he spoke.


    ¡°It seems Atein¡¯s revival wasn¡¯t entirely beneficial to the in of Darkness. It seems their leadership group is in a state of confusion.¡±


    ¡°That is the only logical conclusion that can be derived. However, why? Atein is like a god-like figure to them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not surprised by it.¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    When Kairen became puzzled, Azell exined it to him.


    ¡°It was like that during the Dragon Demon war. Atein was a detached idealist. Those that gathered beneath him should have share his ideals, but that wasn¡¯t the case.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.......¡±


    ¡°It is as the Simpletion Prince had said before. Currently, many exists within the in of Darkness that Atein wouldn¡¯t approve of. Wouldn¡¯t there be friction between Atein and those that possess power within the in of Darkness? Wouldn¡¯t it be inevitable?¡±


    ¡°You bring up a valid point, but I¡¯m wondering if it is even possible for a conflict to arise between them.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Even if they possess rebellious thoughts towards Atein, will it actually lead to overt friction? Atein knows what they are thinking. If Atein decides to push his ideas onto them, they have no choice but toply. It isn¡¯t about power....¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Azell immediately understood what Kairen was trying to say.


    Atein was powerful, but in the end, he was one person. Those within in of Darkness spread madness for a very long time, and they had amassed power. If they decided to rebel, it wouldn¡¯t be a small matter.


    However, there was a problem. They would be tightening the noose around their own necks if they rebelled. They had acquired power by deifying Atein. Basically, their base of power considered Atein to be a god.


    ¡°On top of that, the entire society within the in of Darkness relies on the Great Darkness for survival.... If one takes those factors into ount, one shouldn¡¯t expect a conflict to ur.¡±


    Two hundred twenty years had passed for the survivors of the Dragon Demon war. Basically, it wasn¡¯t strange that those that held power in the in of Darkness had developed their own agenda.


    However, Atein had always possessed the lifeline to the in of Darkness. This had been true even before the survivors of the Dragon Demon war changed the in of Darkness for their own gains. If onepared it to human nation, Atein was like a king that had absolute support of his people. Moreover, he had the control over the supply of food and water.


    ¡®Even if Atein is a single being, his power is unconventional. He can¡¯t be ovee with power.¡¯


    Atein had support of the members making up the society, and Atein had absolute control over the system that allowed life within the in of Darkness. It was impossible to go against him. If this was true, why was there confusion within the ranks of the Dragon Demon king worshippers?


    Kairen furrowed his brows.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t an answer that we can find out by hypothesizing about it, but.... I can¡¯t help but worrying about it.¡±


    ¡°However, let¡¯s worry about that at ater time. There are things we have to take care in the near future.¡±


    Azell spoke those words as he looked downwards. He looked past the wings that were made out of white me. The ground was very far away.


    Azell and Kairen was flying on the Dragon weapon White me Phoenix. Arrieta was flying a bit behind on her Dragon weapon Crying Phoenix.


    Kairen looked behind as he asked a question.


    ¡°What do you think about Arrieta?¡±


    ¡°In the past.......¡±


    At his words, Azell thought about his first meeting with Kairen.


    ¡°You asked me a simr question before. I think she is a reliablerade now.¡±


    ¡°It means your opinion of her had been elevatedpared to before. What if she had been in the era of the Dragon Demon war?¡±


    ¡°She would have considered to be excellent even during that era. Duke, you are a good teacher. You were able to cultivate the fertile soil.¡±


    Arrieta was like a fertile soil. Just the act of spreading seed called secret techniques allowed her to bloom beautiful flowers. She was able to survive the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual without possessing a Dragon weapon.


    Since she had acquired a Dragon weapon, Arrieta¡¯s battle capability was on par with Kairen and Leticia. If one thought about the abilities of Crying Phoenix, she would fare worse in a one on one battle. She would perform better in arge battle.


    ¡°Since a legendary hero is giving me apliment, I don¡¯t know what to do with myself.¡±


    ¡°...please don¡¯t speak in that fashion.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha ha. I am truly happy. You have many different perspectives, since you¡¯ve been taught by many teachers. I¡¯m sure your standard for grading a teacher is pretty strict.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t deny that fact. However, I cannot do a fairparison between Duke¡¯s ability to teach with my teachers.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°During the Dragon Demon war, it was impossible to teach students at a leisurely fashion. Since the war had been going on too long, it was a luxury if one was able to learn the basics. One would learn a little, and if one was able to survive the battle, one was able to learn a little bit more. If you lived, you learned. If you died, you didn¡¯t.¡±


    Azell didn¡¯t have a period in life where he had been able to distance himself from battles. He didn¡¯t have the time to learn his techniques in leisure. By the end of the war, he had spent more time in the Dragon Demon war than he had spent out of it. He had live a harrowing life.


    ¡°It was the main reason why everyone didn¡¯t hesitate to share each other¡¯s technique. There was amon enemy called the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army, and yourrades changed each day. In the current era, the noble families and the military forces view secret techniques as privately-owned property. If one thought like that during the Dragon Demon war, one¡¯s death could mean that techniques could be lost forever. This was why the ability to learn was valued more than how the abilities were fostered.¡±


    If one had the time, it was preferable to teach in a calm environment. The umtion of expertise urred, and an education system shined in such an environment. However, what would happen if one had no knowledge yet one had to fight in the morning and afternoon on the same day?


    One had to teach techniques that can be used even if one didn¡¯t have a full grasp on the concept. One had no choice, but to wait and see if the person one taught had survived. In the end, luck and talent decided the oue.


    Kairen shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°Jeez. Are you boasting right now? Are you calling yourself a genius? I can¡¯t deny your im, but it somehow twists my insides.¡±


    ¡°There were many talented beings in the Dragon Demon war. I wasn¡¯t more talented than them. I was luckier.¡±


    Azell didn¡¯t deny the fact that his great luck had allowed him to be a hero. It was true that he had talent, but it was as Atein had said. He was the chosen one of his era, and this was why he was able to reach such heights.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°I now understand the fundamental principles behind your actions.¡±


    ¡°You failed to realize it until now?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. There were parts that I couldn¡¯t understand. For example, I thought you were overdoing it in this venture. Atein could attack at any time, yet you decided to go through with the Dragon yer¡¯s ritual. Moreover, the reason you did it was to finish a technique....¡±


    ¡°That is exactly why I went through with the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual. I don¡¯t have the time to leisurely learn my technique.¡±


    Azell let out a bitterugh. Kairen asked him a question.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask again. What do you think about Arrieta?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I answer that question earlier?¡±


    ¡°Not in the way I wanted.¡±


    ¡°What answer do you want from me? Do you want me to say that she is a very beautiful and charismatic woman?¡±


    ¡°I just want to know what you think about her.¡±


    ¡°It seems you¡¯ve branded me as being an irresponsible yboy. I¡¯m not sure what your intention is in asking such a question to me.¡±


    When Azell looked at him sideways, Kairen smirked as he spoke.


    ¡°Of course, my opinion on that subject about you hasn¡¯t changed.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, Arrieta said you seem like a decent man even with your past. She has such thought about you, so I wanted to hear what you think about her.¡±


    ¡°If the princess learns about what you said, she¡¯ll consider it as you being meddlesome. Moreover, I don¡¯t have time to be attracted to a female.¡±


    ¡°How can you not have the time? Wasn¡¯t it worse during the Dragon Demon war? At that time, didn¡¯t you bloom many flower of love?¡±


    ¡°...I was a bit young during that time. I didn¡¯t think beyond what was in front of my eyes as I lived my life¡±


    ¡°Hmm. You speak as if you aren¡¯t young anymore. I had been on the fence, but I¡¯m sure of it now.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Nothing happened between you and Laura?¡±


    ¡°Cough!¡±


    In a sh, air went down the wrong pipe, so Azell coughed. It was too powerful of an ambush from Kairen.


    ¡°...w...why are you bringing that up right now?¡±


    ¡°It made me wonder if anything happened when the two of you traveled together. I bet something had urred, and Leticia bet that nothing had urred. I lost. Shit.¡±


    ¡°Duke!¡±


    ¡°Can you not get it up... I mean I never expected you to act like a gentleman.¡±


    Somehow, Azell wanted to cry. He never expected a day toe when he would be made fun of in such a way.


    Kairen cackled as he spoke.


    ¡°Well, it isn¡¯t as if I don¡¯t understand your actions. You saw the consequences of acting irresponsibly in the past. That is why you are refraining.¡±


    ¡°Ha-ah. This is quite annoying. Why are you trying to mess with the concentration of arade, who has a fight ahead of him?¡±


    ¡°Oh-ho. Are you saying my words are wrong?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Shit. So please shut about that problem now.¡±


    Azell growled. It was a umon to see Azell annoyed, so Kairen was enjoying it. However, Azell spoke before Kairen could say anything more.


    ¡°Please get ready. I¡¯m heading down.¡±


    Afterwards, it was as if the mes had been extinguished. The White me Phoenix disappeared. Azell had unsummoned his Dragon weapon. Kairen grumbled as he gave up on making fun of Azell.

 Chapter 219 - Renegades (2)

    Chapter 219 - Renegades (2)


    2


    ¡°It has been a while. It is an honor to be able to fight together with sir Azell Karzark. Please forgive my rudeness from our past meeting.¡±


    As he spoke those words, the member of the Guardian Shadows bowed his head. He was Kairen¡¯s best friend, Beorein Michael. Unlike theirst meeting, Beorein acted in apletely different manner. His attitude spoke of true respect, so Azell also spoke in a respectful manner.


    ¡°It has been a while, since west met. Let us speak as friends. There is no need for formalities.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha ha. Kairen might be able to do that since he actually has an old mind. My body is old, but I don¡¯t think my mind has aged that much. That is why I¡¯m having difficulty dropping the formality. The legendary hero passed on such precious techniques to me, so how can I not pay my respects?¡±


    ¡°As a price, you made me this Dragon sword for me.¡±


    ¡°It is an honor that the legendary hero think so highly of me........¡±


    ¡°...mmm. I don¡¯t expect anything else from you. However, could you drop the ¡®legendary hero¡¯ title?¡±


    ¡°Understood. Did you find my Dragon weapon to be of value?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t exaggerate in my assessment. Your weapon was the most surprising part about this era.¡±


    This era had taken a step back when it experienced the gue called the Great Darkness. Moreover, they had lost all important knowledge through the machination of in of Darkness. As a martial artist, he couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed at the current era.


    In terms of the art of war, it seemed the humans had made some advancement. Human ingenuity was a surprising thing. Giles and Duran had epitomized this. Instead of expanding on their senses, they continued to progress using techniques based on their reflexes. It was the same for the techniques in creating the Dragon weapons.


    ¡°If I had this Dragon weapon in the Dragon Demon war, it would have been of great help. Dragon weapons were always too difficult to create during my time. Even if one was made, it wasmon to see the Dragon weapons lost before they could be passed on.¡±


    ¡°It really is the highest praise you can give me.¡±


    Beorein let out a satisfiedughter.


    It was the first time they had met after they went their own ways in the Dukedom of Tarantos. However, Beorein had been continuously given the lost secret techniques through the Guardian Shadows. As a result, Beorein had been able to destroy couple waypoints to the Road of Darkness. He had conducted himself very well in battle.


    Beorein asked him a question.


    ¡°We¡¯ve made all the preparations. We are ready to move. How are we going to attack them?¡±


    ¡°I have to pay them back for what they did to mest time.......¡±


    Azellughed like a mischievous brat.


    ¡°I n on paying them back. After I aplish this goal, we can move onto engaging them in battle.¡±


    3


    Suddenly, Azell spoke.


    ¡°Somehow, I miss it.¡±


    ¡°What do you miss?¡±


    When Laura asked the question, Azell answered her.


    ¡°I am reminded of the old days.¡±


    ¡°You mean what urred during the Dragon Demon war?¡±


    ¡°When Atein and Aunsaurus appeared on the same battlefield, their abilities had a synergistic effect. It really was terrifying.¡±


    This didn¡¯t mean any two archmages could be gathered in one ce. A synergistic effect didn¡¯t happen. However, it was an entirely different story if the archmages possessed Dragon weapons that controlled time and space.


    At the time, Atein used the Paradise Brand. He created a massive spell before the allied forces of humans became aware of it. Before the human forces could do anything, Aunsaurus used Dimensional Distortion to deliver Atein¡¯s spell like a package. Azell nned on using the same method against the Dragon Demon King worshippers.


    -Come Dragon weapon! Brand of Paradise!


    A powerful wave of Dragon Demon magic started to expand outwards. A circle of light, which was as big as a person, appeared. There were 29 letters within this circle. It looked like a beautiful pattern.


    These letters were the writtennguage used by the extinct Arps from the ancient times. Azell didn¡¯t know about the Arps, However, when he acquired the Brand of Paradise, the information regarding the Arps started to unconsciously trickle into Artpe¡¯s mind.


    ¡®elerate.¡¯


    The Brand of Paradise was one of Atein¡¯s top Dragon weapons. It was able to produce an amazing power.


    Atein had analyzed Reginor¡¯s power to create this Dragon weapon. It had the power to manipte the flow of localized time. Since it was an item made by Atein, it was hard to bring out the full potential of the weapon as a non-magician. However, he did the same thing he did when he used the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. He used his past experience to use specific functions that he needed to use.


    ¡°Amazing.......¡±


    Laura unconsciously let out an exmation.


    There were countless mirrors around the two of them. It was as if they were within a building made out of mirrors. It was the Vitan¡¯s Maze created by Laura.


    Their target was a waypoint of the Road of Emptiness. The two of them were four kilometers away, and there was a mountain separating Azell and Laura from the waypoint. Currently, she was using the ¡®The Goblet containing the Heaven¡¯s Tears¡¯ to gather sunlight within this space..


    This meant Laura had to observe both inside and outside of the Vitan¡¯s Maze. This was why Laura was able to see the time affecting the two of them differently whenpared to the outside world.


    The time within the Vitan¡¯s Maze was elerating.


    Oooooooooooooh......!


    Azell had summoned his Sky Splitter early on, and he had transitioned it into its light form. All the sunlight gathered by Laura was absorbed by the sword, and the Sun Lightsaber was formed. This process took a long time, but time outside barely moved as hepleted the Sun Lightsaber.


    ¡®At the very least, it is 15 times faster.¡¯


    Laura was observing both sides, so she shuddered when she saw the different flow of time.


    As a magician, the control of time was something beyond her control. It wasn¡¯t like controlling space. Time was under divine providence, yet time was being manipted by the will of a human right now. She was seeing it for herself, yet she was having a hard time believing it.


    ¡®Fourteen seconds.¡¯


    Laura was counting the time that had passed outside.


    Once she created the Vitan¡¯s Maze, a powerful wave of Dragon Demon energy would have rippled out. Their enemies would have sensed it in five seconds. The Dragon Demon King worshippers had suffered too much in recent days that they were on high alert. This was why they had prioritized searching out their enemies quickly.


    At that point, Laura had formed the ¡®Goblet containing the Heaven¡¯s Tears¡¯ outside of the Vitan¡¯s Maze. She was gathering as much sunlight as possible. Their enemies immediately saw through what she was doing, so they immediately took action.


    The Dragon Demon King worshippers knew about the terrifying power of the ¡®Goblet containing the Heaven¡¯s Tears.¡¯. Their fastest elite troops shot out to kill Laura.


    However, it was useless.


    Merely fourteen seconds had passed after the Vitan¡¯s Maze was formed. However, the Sun Lightsaber wasplete by then.


    ¡°Azell.¡±


    Laura didn¡¯t even pay attention to those that were charging towards them. Even if they used Instantaneous movement, it would take the Dragon Demon King worshippers at least 30 seconds to reach the two of them.


    Moreover, it wasn¡¯t Laura and Azell¡¯s task to fight the troops. Laura focused her mind as she used Dimensional Distortion. She connected point A to point B.


    ¡°Shoot.¡±


    The distance of 4 kilometers was abridged as the Dimensional Distortion appeared at the entrance to the waypoint.


    ¡°Perfect, Laura.¡±


    Until now, this was the farthest she had tried to use the Dimensional Distortion. Azell let out a smile of satisfaction as he shot his attack towards the entrance that had appeared in front of him.


    Kwahhhhhhhhhhh!


    The countless swords of light was focused towards one point. The beam of light was slim. It had the circumference of an arm, yet the light was bright enough to sear one¡¯s retina. The beam of light pierced through the entirety of the waypoint. It didn¡¯t matter if there was a physical barrier or a barrier made out of magic. It pierced through everything before it dissipated.


    ¡®Extreme Extinction.¡¯


    It was a technique Azell had created after he researched for a way to change the form of Sun Lightsaber.


    The Sun Lightsaber had a veryrge area of effect. This particr destructive light was created by focusing the Sun Lightsaber. The focused light waspressed to the extreme. All the potential energy was squeezed out to create the Extreme Extinction. If one looked at the amount of energy one needed to invest to cause such destruction, it was very wasteful endeavor. However, nothing in this world could block it. It was an invincible attack.


    Azell had insisted on going through more Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual for this very reason.


    If he wanted to be able to use the Extreme Extinction freely, he needed a more pure source of Dragon Demon magic. The amount of power he had exceeded what he had possessed during the Dragon Demon war. However, it wasn¡¯t as processed as before. He had to rectify this problem in a short amount of time, so he had to go through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual.


    He was able to create a moreplete version of the Extreme Extinction through this process.


    ¡°No way!¡±


    The Dragon Demon king worshippers were taken aback.


    It was an ambush, but no one had died. However, the waypoint had been destroyed. It was something they had to defend even if they had to give up their lives.


    The Extreme Extinction had pierced through a very small portion of the waypoint. It only disabled the waypoint from functioning. It could be repaired. However, Azell and Laura appeared in front of the surprised Dragon Demon King worshippers.


    ¡°This is the end for you guys.¡±


    After shooting the Extreme Extinction, the two of them had remained in a different flow of time. While Azell recovered from the bacsh of using the Extreme Extinction, Laura had prepared all kinds of spells.


    As soon as they exited the Dimensional Distortion, she had unleashed all the spells at once.


    -Rage of the Frost Dragon!


    A pure cold energy exploded in front of their eyes.


    Koohng!


    A roar rang out as the cold energy washed over the Dragon Demon king worshippers. The Dragon Demon King worshippers froze in ce when the explosion of extremely low temperature reached them.


    Those that were a bit away from explosion were in a better situation, but that onlysted 3 seconds.


    Koo-ooh-oong!


    The distance to the attack and their reflexes had saved them. They had survived, but the attack had frozen half their body. Unfortunately, they were attacked with a second wave of attack. The 1st wave was extremely powerful, but Laura had been meticulous in preparing her spells. Her first spell had enclosed the whole area with ice, and her spells were the worst when used in an enclosed space.


    Koo-ahhhhhhhh!


    After the 3rd wave detonated, the nearby location turned into an ice cave. Everything was frozen. It was as if time and sound had been trapped within the ice.


    Ssah-bahk.


    Laura broke the silence when she took a step forward. It was a light step, yet it sounded like a thunderp in the silence. When the sound rang out, a part of the ice started to break.


    Zzuh-juh-juhk......!


    In a sh, some of those within the frozen statues broke free.


    Zzuh-uhhhhhhhhng!


    There was no one alive left. However, the waypoints were originally stationed with Undeads and metallic golems. Various weapons had been dispatched there.


    ¡°...excellent.¡±


    Laura had known this, so she had put in a powerful curse within the cold energy. She had wanted to destroy all of them. However, some of the Undeads were able to survive the magic.


    The Undeads were skilled, but the ambush had taken thempletely off guard. They shouldn¡¯t have been able to survive against her great spell. However, Laura¡¯s spells were blunted to a certain degree by the magic spells ced over the waypoint. It had resulted in some of Undeads surviving her attack.


    <Traitor Laura!>


    A Dragon Majin Undead warrior was being supported by two Undead Magicians. The Dragon Majin Undead attacked Laura.


    Even if she was a high ranked magician, a vacuum was created in her magical energy when she used a great spell. This was why the Dragon Majin Undead used his Instantaneous Movement. He tried to stab Laura before she could even exhale the air in her lungs.


    <Die!>


    Pah-jee-jee-jee-jeek!


    However, Laura had already put up a barrier. She didn¡¯t blink an eye as she spoke.


    ¡°Thank you for leaving out the Aunsaurus part.¡±


    <Eeeek!>


    The two magicians immediately changed their magic pattern in an attempt to break through her barrier. It was a spell that created an explosion at close range. However, Laura was faster at casting her spell. She mumbled her words as if she was sighing.


    ¡°You can go now.¡±


    Afterwards, the Dragon Majin couldn¡¯t believe his senses. He was sure Laura had been in front of him, yet why was he seeing his allies? Why was he seeing the frozen Undead magicians?


    As a reflex, he checked if his senses had been tampered with. It took him half a second toe up with an answer..


    ¡®Vitan¡¯s Chalice!¡¯


    The half a second of confusion decided his fate.


    Kwah-jahk!


    Azell had rushed forward from behind Laura. Azell swung his sword, which was surrounded by pure white me. The Undead found Azell standing amongst the broken pieces of his body. He let out a horrifying screech.


    <Azell Karzark......!>


    ¡°You know your stuff.¡±


    Azell struck out with his sword at the same time as he replied. The blue sword in his hand turned into white light. The Undead¡¯s consciousness was put to rest forever.

 Chapter 220 - Renegades (3)

    Chapter 220 - Renegades (3)


    4


    ¡°It was a feint!¡±


    The elite forces had jumped out of the waypoint to attack Laura. However, a powerful Dragon Demon magic erupted from behind them. The Extreme Extinction¡¯s scope of destruction was much smaller than the Sun Lightsaber, but the same amount of energy was needed to use either technique.


    The Dragon Demon king worshippers had already gathered enough information on their foes. This was why they had a good idea as to which attack was being used.


    However, the Dragon Demon king worshipper also knew that there was a powerful magic ced over the waypoint. It would protect them. No matter how powerful Azell and Laura were, they would need time to gather enough power to decimate all the Dragon Demon king worshippers near the waypoint.


    The male Dragon Majin, who was leading the force from the in of Darkness, tried to immediately turn back. However, he had to quickly jump to the side before he could even turn around.


    Boom!


    A beam of light had nted itself where he had been a moment ago. It had missed him by a whisker.


    ¡°Kohk......!¡±


    He realized that they had entered into a trap. The enemies, who had hidden themselves until now, revealed themselves.


    ¡°He¡¯s a Dragon Demon officer. It has been awhile since we caught a big fish.¡±


    An old Dragon Majin magician with a face full of wrinkles spoke as he let out a sly smile. It was Beorein Michael.


    In the in of Darkness, Dragon Demons were ranked higher than Dragon Majins. Beorein had fought a very long time against the Dragon Demon King worshippers, but he had rarely had the opportunity to fight a Dragon Demon officer.


    The male Dragon Demon possessed blonde hair and dark blue horn. He also had deep blue eyes and Dragon Demon stone. He raged.


    ¡°You bastard! You are merely an old half-breed close to his deathbed, yet you want to fight me?¡±


    ¡°Oh. That was quite the original taunt, young man. No, you might be around the same age as me. I am very envious of your youthfulness.¡±


    The Dragon Demon officer appeared in front of the grinning Beorein. He looked as if he was about to lose his mind from anger, but it had been a feint. He used Instantaneous Movement to bridge the distance, and he ambushed Beorein.


    Kwahng!


    However, Beorein had been ready for his ambush. As soon as the sword of the Dragon Demon office was brought down, a beam of light struck him from behind.


    ¡°Koohk!¡±


    The Dragon Demon officer almost fell to his knees, but he able to ignore the damage. He finished his attack.


    ¡°mes! Roar!¡±


    His cantrip made his Dragon Demon magic increase in an explosive manner. However, an explosion urred beneath his feet before he could do anything.


    Kwah-kwa ng!


    It was merely the start. The Dragon Demon officer was barely able to dodge this new attack. Beams of lights and thunderbolts kept flying towards him. It was as if magic traps had been ced all over this region.


    ¡®Shit! I¡¯m being yed by a half-breed!¡¯


    The Dragon Demon officer frantically defended against the attacks as he moved all over the ce. As he did so, his anger was reaching its zenith.


    It wasn¡¯t because he was moving ording to Beorein¡¯s design. It was part of the reason. The main reason for his anger was the fact that half of Beorein¡¯s attacks were false attacks. It was being disguised to look like real attacks, and that angered him.


    ¡°This is why I like attacks that are shy and noisy. It really gets the job done.¡±


    Beorein kept letting out his slyughter.


    Most of the forgotten techniques passed onto him by Azell dealt with the mind. It didn¡¯t matter if it was the Spirit Order or the Dragon arts. There were many methods that dealt with the mind. Moreover, the defense of one¡¯s mind was the most important part of the lessons he had learned. He also learned how to circumvent such defenses.


    Beorein had always enjoyed using magic that amplified the effectiveness of his spell by using illusions.


    In the past, this method hadn¡¯t worked well against the elites of the in of Darkness. This changed when he learned the secret techniques. It worked so well that he had a lot of fun using it.


    Currently, the Dragon Demon officer was a very skilled opponent. If it was his past self, Beorein would have had a hard time fighting this foe.


    However, he was using disruptive spells to aggravate the Dragon Demon officer¡¯s sight and hearing. It allowed Beorein to manipte the mental waves of Dragon Demon officer. On top of that, he was manipting the wave of magical energy to cause confusion to his foe.


    ¡°How long do you think this trickery will work on me!¡±


    THe Dragon Demon officer yelled out in anger.


    It was obvious that Beorein was an expert in offensive magic. His attacks were a bit too strong to ignore, yet it was weak enough that one didn¡¯t need to dedicate oneself to defending against it. Beorein¡¯s attacks had a weird sense of bnce that snowballed the annoyance being felt by the Dragon Demon officer.


    However, the Dragon Demon officer was slowly picking up on Beorein¡¯s intention.


    ¡®He is purposefully easing up his attack from one side. He is trying to make me move towards a certain direction. The other members of his party isn¡¯t attacking me, so a trap should be hidden in that direction.¡¯


    Beorein wasn¡¯t the only one fighting. Beorein¡¯s disciples were fighting against the subordinates of the Dragon Demon officer.


    Beorein was a high ranked magician, and his strong point was being able to use a high quantity of offensive spells. This was how he restricted the movement of the Dragon Demon officer. He stopped the Dragon Demon officer from attacking his disciples... While he was doing this, Beorein was slowly easing off his attack from one direction. He was purposefully giving the Dragon Demon officer an out towards a particr direction.


    Since the Dragon Demon officer didn¡¯t have the ability to break through Beorein¡¯s assault, he had no chocie but to be follow Beorein¡¯s lead. When he reached a certain spot, a death trap would be sprung on him.


    ¡®It is a trap that is befitting a high ranked magician. I admit it. You are worthy enough to be called dangerous.¡¯


    If his skill wascking, the Dragon Demon officer would have been dragged around ording to Beorein¡¯s will, and he would eventually die. However, he had a secret card. Of course, there was considerable risk to using his secret card. The problem was determining if it was worth it to take that risk.....


    ¡°Koo-ahk!¡±


    It happened at that moment. One of his subordinates let out a scream as he fell in battle.


    ¡®What happened?¡¯


    His subordinates had been holding out pretty well. The warriors and magicians had been working well together to hold back the enemies.


    When the Dragon Demon officer had realized that it was a feint operation, he had focused on defense. He chose to wait for reinforcements. The one that was short on time was the Guardian Shadows, not them.


    However, a variable had appeared in his calctions.


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t drag this out too long. You are too old. Your body doesn¡¯t have the stamina.¡±


    Kairen spoke as he shook off the blood on his sword. Beorein had asked Kairen to stay back. He was told only to intervene when it was absolutely necessary. Kairen determined he could wait no longer.


    ¡®Dragon Sword Duke! He is here too?¡¯


    Since the situation turned out like this, the Dragon Demon officer didn¡¯t hesitate. He immediately made the decision.


    ¡°I request it through the blood contract! You are my soul¡¯s sworn brother! Give me the power to change my fate!¡±


    Beorein became tense when a massive amount of Dragon Demon magic emanated from his foe. What happened next was beyond anything he could have imagined.


    -Come Dragon Demon weapon! Fire Dragon¡¯s w!


    The Dragon Demon officer held his longsword in one hand, and a Dragon Demon weapon in the other hand. It was shaped like a fire sword. His Dragon Demon magic was amplified, so he ripped away all the spells that was sent towards him by Beorein. Then he let out a fierce attack.


    Hwahhhhk!


    The explosive mes swallowed up Beorein. Afterwards, the Dragon Demon officer didn¡¯t put his guard down. He ran towards Beorein¡¯s location.


    High ranked magicians were terrifying, because they were like a walking castle. They were capable of defending and attacking. His Dragon Demon weapon probably took Beorein by surprised, but he couldn¡¯t guarantee that his attack had fully prated through Beorein¡¯s defense.


    On the other hand, he was sure that Beorein didn¡¯t have enough power to block his charging attack. The Dragon Demon officer had a rough idea as to how much magical energy remained within Beorein through theirst engagement. He had made his calctions, and he was going to end this fight.


    ¡®Hmmph! You are toote, Dragon Sword Duke!¡¯


    The Dragon Demon officer let out a smile of satisfaction. Kairen was taken by surprise, so he was just starting to move. It had been a mistake to spectate the fight. It seemed they had been too confident in Beorein¡¯s abilities. The Dragon Demon officer pushed through the mes as he brought down his sword towards Beorein.


    ¡°Oh no.¡±


    Beorein looked rattled as he watched the attack fall towards his head.


    Pahhhhhhhng!


    However, something stopped the Dragon Demon weapon, which was surrounded by fire. It was a white staff. It was floating in the air.


    ¡°You are a possessor of a Dragon Demon weapon. I would have been dead if I hadn¡¯t put in a contingency n for such a possibility.¡±


    ¡°This is......!¡±


    The Dragon Demon officer¡¯s eyes opened wide. He knew what this staff was.


    Dragon weapon.


    Kairen and Beorein had yed pivotal roles in making the Dragon weapon. It wasn¡¯t a Dragon Demon weapon, but it was a tool that was capable of storing and using Dragon Demon magic.


    ¡®He hid this from the beginning! Did he predict this situation?¡¯


    From the beginning, Beorein had hidden his staff inside the trap spell. He triggered the trap spell when the Dragon Demon officer charged forward with his Dragon Demon weapon,


    When the Dragon Demon officer used his final attack, the Dragon Demon magic stored within the Dragon weapon exploded as the trap magic was sprung. The Dragon Demon officer¡¯s Dragon Demon magic was suddenly stalled, and it felt as if his Energy Pulse was about to be ripped apart. Pain washed over him.


    Beorein spoke.


    ¡°Good bye. It is a shame that I cannot take the Dragon Demon weapon from you. You can trade it for currency when you reach the underworld.¡±


    ¡°Koo-uh......!¡±


    The Dragon Demon officer wanted to express his anger, but he could only scream. Beorein shot a beam of light, and his head was obliterated.


    5


    When the Guardian Shadows attacked a waypoint to the Road of Emptiness, the basic n was for an all-out surprise offensive attack. If reinforcement came through the waypoint, it would most likely be figures like Almarick and Reygus. These were dangerous foes that had to be avoided.


    This rule held true even when Azell¡¯s party had joined them. This fight had been intense, but it took them 10 minutes to wipe out their enemies.


    The battle was short, but it didn¡¯t mean that the fight wasn¡¯t exhausting. It was a fight where one could lose one¡¯s life at any moment. The fear and nervousness ate away at their energy even if the fight was extended for couple seconds.


    ¡°Hoo-ooh. I am really envious of you. You are only old in the inside.¡±


    Beorein breathed in the medicine that had been burned into gaseous form. He grumbled. It was a recovery medicine that calmed Beorein¡¯s nerves. It also returned some vitality back to his body.


    Beorein was an archmage, and his magical energy was powerful. However, his body had aged. If their situation was a bit less desperate, it might have been a different story. However, they were fighting a life and death battles against powerful foes. His stamina wascking.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°You are old, yet you overdid yourself. You aren¡¯t some reckless teen. You pushed yourself, too far, because you wanted to show off in front of the legendary hero. If you had let the Guardian Shadows participate in the battle, it would have been an easy victory.¡±


    ¡°We won, so why are youining so much?¡±


    Beorein and his disciples fought without the help of the Guardian Shadows. If they had fought normally, the battle would have been ended without them taking on so much of a burden.


    ¡®It is unfortunate.¡¯


    Azell watched Beorein. It truly was unfortunate.


    Beorein was such an excellent magician that the in of Darkness had put him on their watch list. Moreover, he had improved to a point where he could fight a one on one battle with high ranking officers from the in of Darkness.


    He had been in the the same boat as Kairen, Arrieta and Seigar. He possessed excellent basic foundation. He overcame the loss of techniques though experience gained from real battles. By learning the lost techniques, his overall ability had steeply increased. Even if one counted those within the in of Darkness and the Albatan forest, Beorein would rank as one of the top 10 magicians alive.


    ¡®He focused solely on magic to reach this level at his age.... However, he is already showing signs of old age.¡¯


    In terms of raw power, Azell possessed a simr amount as Beorein. Since they had lost Yuren, it was logical to fill the empty spot with another magician.


    However, he was too old. He was a Dragon Majin, so he possessed more vitality than a person his age. However, he wasn¡¯t someone that could keep up with Azell party¡¯s rigorous schedule.


    ¡®His disciples are also excellent, but they aren¡¯t at a level required for what I need.¡¯


    Azell¡¯s party hadn¡¯t intervened in the fight either, because Beorein and his disciples had requested it. They wanted to prove their worthiness to Azell.


    In the end, Azell came to a conclusion that they were excellent. However, they were also foundcking. They were unsuitable to join his party. Atein had revived now, and the hole left behind by Yuren was too big to fill.


    ¡®We need another magician.......¡¯


    Laura was an excellent magician, yet it wasn¡¯t enough to only have her. For example, the party had decided to to split up, and Laura had been unable to support both party.


    Suddenly, Kairen had an odd expression on his face.


    ¡°Mmm? This is... I¡¯m not sure what is going on.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°It seems there is internal strife amongst them.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Everyone became surprised. They turned to look at Kairen.


    Kairen was holding the staff of the Guardian Shadows. Half the Guardian Shadows were monitoring the waypoints. When they sensed a change, they had contacted Kairen.


    The sight being seen by the Guardian Shadows were being transmitted to Kairen¡¯s mind. He mumbled his words.


    ¡°They are fighting each other. Moreover.... The ones being chased are pretty big fishes.¡±

 Chapter 221 - Renegades (4)

    Chapter 221 - Renegades (4)


    6


    Atein, who had been revived, had given his deration. Afterwards, a fierce maelstrom of confusion and chaos swept over the in of Darkness.


    The leaders of each faction hadn¡¯t made their intentions clear yet. They knew it was useless to hide, since the Great Darkness existed. Despite knowing this, the leadership group went underground to avoid the eyes of Atein. They held a meeting, and a fierce debate was still ongoing.


    The leadership group was supposed to give orders to the outside members, yet they were in a meeting. Of course, confusion erupted amongst the outside members. The Guardian Shadows had caught sight of this, and this was how they were able to detect the fracture urring within the in of Darkness.


    After Atein made his intentions clearly known, he remained within the Dragon Demon pce. He wasn¡¯t showing any signs of moving. In his heart, Atein knew how the leadership group would act. He could see deep down into their heart, yet he gave them the opportunity to make their own choice.


    If this happened during the Dragon Demon war, the Dragon Demon King¡¯s army would have been torn asunder. Originally, Atein had focused on gathering Dragon Demons, who had their own kingdom. That was how he had created his alliance.


    Currently, Atein was a living god to the Dragon Demon king worshippers. The leadership group within the in of Darkness had propped up their power structure by relying on the worship of the Dragon Demon king. If they left the in of Darkness, they would have nothing.


    In the end, their decision had been made for them. The leaders of each faction knew this truth, yet they were hesitating to take thatst step.


    <She¡¯s so spirited even in this mess.... Is this the difference between the young and the old?>


    The one to ask the question was a Dragon Demon Undead magician. He had been a tall Dragon Demon. Only his skeleton was left, and he wore a fancy robe, which he had worn when he was alive.


    A darkness appeared in front of him.


    A frightening wave of Dragon Demon magic was emitted from his dangerous spell. However, the Dragon Demon Undead looked rxed.


    <It is true that she possesses excellent abilitiespared to her age. However, she is still too


    green to be called his heir. Her talent is excellent, yet her achievements are unremarkable. As expected,the fault lies with her teacher.>


    Pah-jeek! Pah-chee-cheet! Pah-jee-jee-jeek!


    The spells that he was manifesting at high speed were neutralized by the darkness. Another Dragon Demon Undead spoke to him.


    <Stop acting so high and mighty. If you were by yourself, you would have fallen. She is skilled, and we shouldn¡¯t be treating her like a cub. She really lives up to the reputation of being his daughter.>


    <If I still had my Dragon Demon weapon, I would have been able to fight her one on one. No, I would have been able to take her down if the princess didn¡¯t possess his Dragon Demon weapon.>


    All three Dragon Demon Undead, who were conversing, were magicians.


    They were fighting against a Dragon Demon female with long ck hair. It was Niberis.


    7


    After the revived Atein gave his deration, it had shocked everyone within the in of Darkness. Niberis¡¯ mind had went nk for awhile. She couldn¡¯t even think.


    It allowed her to have a devastating moment of enlightenment.


    ¡®What have I been doing up until now?¡¯


    She considered it her duty to fight at the front line since she carried the blood of the Dragon Demon king Atein. As she waited for Atein¡¯s return, she put her life on the line to fight in his name. It had been a point of pride for Niberis.


    She had built her entire life on a belief system, yet her faith was denied by none other than Aten.


    She had been tormented since Azell had brought her Saibein¡¯s message. She could no longer take it. She had put her life on the life for the cause, yet she knew that everything she had worked towards had been all a lie. How could she not despair?


    ¡®I want to meet my father.¡¯


    She had abstained from food and drink for the past couple days. On impulse, she ran away from the in of Darkness. She didn¡¯t have any ns when she made that decision. It didn¡¯t take too long for the pursuers to appear.


    Of course, it resulted in her wiping out her pursuers. However, another group of pursuers appeared before Niberis could arrived at the Albatan forest. They were powerful foes that would be a little bit too difficult for her.


    ¡®They are strong.¡¯


    The Dragon Demon Undead magicians were very skilled. When they became Undead, they had lost their Dragon Demon magic. However, in terms of quantity of magical energy, they were on par with Niberis. Moreover, they were a bit more skilled in using their magic.


    Niberis was able tost against these three opponents, because she possessed the Book of the Dark Soul. Moreover, they had probably been ordered to catch her alive. If they had attacked her with the intent to kill, she would have been dead already.


    ¡®As expected of those that had participated in the holy war, they are skilled.¡¯


    These were beings that had been part of the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army in the Dragon Demon war.


    They believed Atein would be revived someday, and they had wanted to greet him when Atein returned. They had turned themselves into the Undead, and they had put themselves to sleep.


    When the waypoints to the Road of Emptiness started being attacked, the leaders of the in of Darkness became desperate. The Undeads were awakened. Unlike those alive, they didn¡¯t feel any moral dilemma. They just followed Atein¡¯s will.


    They were part of the group that had turned the in of Darkness into a cult of madness. However, they were unlike those that had spent their time collecting power within the in of Darkness. They believed Atein to be the absolute being. The method to reach Atein¡¯s ideal had changed a bit from what they attempted during the Dragon Demon war. However, they would willingly give their powers to the cause.


    <You are starting to getting tired, princess. This might hurt a little bit, but this is the consequence of you not giving up.>


    While two fought a magic battle with Niberis, the third magician took his time to prepare a great magic. Niberis used her Book of the Dark Soul as she tried to interfere with their spells. She tried to overwhelm them through sheer number of spells, but their defense was like a steel wall.


    -Followers of the ck Death!


    Niberis had seen this spell in the records of the Dragon Demon war. However, she hadn¡¯t been allowed to inspect or learn this great spell yet. Evil energy gathered from the nearby region, and it formed into twelve giants wearing armor.


    It was the ck magic familiars called the Corrupted Beings. Niberis used it asionally. If there was a difference, these Corrupted Beings didn¡¯t possess a physical body. They were made through the essence of magic, and a very powerful spell was ced on them.


    Hoo-uhhhhhh......!


    The Corrupted Beings raised their enormous swords as they headed towards Niberis. It was as if they were sliding across the floor. They moved at a surprisingly high speed.


    ¡°Koohk!¡±


    Niberis sent a fireball towards them. After halting their charge, she nned on sending out consecutive spells....


    Pah-cheet!


    ¡°Ah......!¡±


    The result was so far off target that Niberis paused for a brief moment. Her mes just slid past the surface of the Corrupted Beings.


    Kwahng!


    The sound of an explosion rang out as her barrier magic shook. She had been startled, and it created an opening. The Undead Dragon Demons to attack her.


    <As expected, you haven¡¯t fully learned this magic. You don¡¯t know the effects of this magic either.>


    ¡°Ooh-oohk!¡±


    Niberis desperately restored her destroyed barrier magic. As she did so, she activated the spells stored within the Book of Dark Soul. She attempted to block the movement of the Corrupted Beings.


    Hoo-uhhhhhhhhhh......!


    However, it was useless. She had tried to unravel their essence by sending curses towards them, but they were all swallowed up. Moreover, any magic that created physical damage slid right off the surface of their skin.


    Niberis observed the phenomena, and she came to an answer.


    ¡®This magic is used when trying to hunt down a ck magician.¡¯


    The power of the curse and destruction were eaten by the Corrupted Beings. The power was purified, and it was pumped into the Corrupted Beings. mes and lightning, which created physical damage, were deflected by the anti-magic spell ced on their skin..


    This ck magic constructs were created with the purpose of capturing a ck magician. It was the worst type of attack for Niberis. Her power was based on darkness, and she was most skilled in ck magic.


    Of course, there were limits to their abilities. However, the 12 Corrupted Beings were moving as one, and three magicians, who were as skilled as her, were supporting the Corrupted beings. She was being quickly overwhelmed by their number.


    <Give up, princess. We do not want to harm you. If you let us subdue you.....>


    It happened at that moment. A vivid red flower petal floated past them. It was a sight that was disparate from their surrounding.


    <Mmm?>


    <This is......?>


    They had participated in the Dragon Demon war. They were taken aback by the unexpected development, but they immediately realized what was going on.


    -Blood Flower Garden!


    Afterwards, several thousand red flower petals invaded their surrounding. It was dizzying.


    <It is the Bleeding Star. Did the descendant of general Baldazark turn traitor too?>


    If they were normal beings, they would have died from the ambush. However, they had seen countless instances where the power of the Bleeding Star during the Dragon Demon war.


    <It is too bad. I put a lot of effort in preparing this, yet it was all for naught.>


    The two Undead magicians quickly formed barriers to slow down thepletion of the Blood Flower Garden. The third magician used the extra time to finish his spell, then he flicked his finger.


    Afterwards, two Corrupted Beings exploded.


    Puhhhhhhhhhng!


    The wave of magical energy swirled like a storm as it blew away the flower petals, which had been forming the Blood Flower Garden. When thepletion of the Blood Flower Garden was thwarted, Kieren appeared from within the petals.


    <You really look like general Baldazark.>


    The Dragon Demon Undead magicians were surprised when they caught sight of Kieren for the first time. Unlike Kieren, the Undead magicians continued their attack.


    A cursed beam impacted on top of Kieren¡¯s defensive magic. At the same time, a Corrupted Being closed in on Kieren.


    ¡°You dare!¡±


    Kieren responded with rage. He detonated the ground as he flipped over the Corrupted Being.


    Gwah-roo-roo-roong!


    He followed this up by sending a lightning bolt towards the Dragon Demon Undead. The surprise attack obstructed the view of the Undead magicians, and red petals started to appear around them once again. The Dragon Demon Undead magicians revealed their surprise.


    <Shit. Did he already acquire blood beforeing here?>


    Dragon Demon general Baldazark¡¯s Bleeding Star controlled the nearby blood. If one bled from a wound, the blood would float into the air, and it would be sucked into the Bleeding Star. The absorbed blood was used as a source of magical energy, and an overwhelming amount of spells could be formed using this method.


    In other words, the Bleeding Star couldn¡¯t disy its full potential unless a source of blood was obtained. During the battle between the Dragon Demon Undead and Niberis, all life around them was destroyed. Not even corpses were left behind, so the Dragon Demon Undead assumed that the Bleeding Star wouldn¡¯t be able to use its true power.


    However, Kieren had conducted a mass ughter before he came here. He already had a reservoir of blood. This was why his Dragon Demon magic was continuing to climb higher. It was as if his Dragon Demon magic was uncapped.


    <We are in danger......!>


    It was the most dangerous technique that could be used on a battlefield They were able to block the Blood Flower Garden, but Kieren was too powerful. If he teamed up with Niberis, it was up in the air as to whether the Dragon Demon Undeads could win again them.


    Suddenly, one of them spoke.


    <I¡¯ll do it.>


    <Are you sure you¡¯ll be ok?>


    <I¡¯ll have to sleep for a while, but it¡¯ll be worth it if we are able to retrieve their Dragon Demon weapons.>


    At the time of the Dragon Demon war, the Dragon Demon Undeads had learned all kinds of technique from Atein and the Dragon Demon generals. Even if one wasn¡¯t a disciple of the Dragon Demon generals, it was easy to learn techniques from them. It had been like that during the Dragon Demon war.


    The young generation of the in of Darkness had grown up with the techniques forbidden to them. They only gained ess depending on their achievements and rank. The Dragon Demon Undeads possessed a broad breadth of knowledge. One of the Dragon Demon Undead used a spell that had been hoarded in this era.


    ¡°No way.¡±


    Niberis¡¯ eyes widened when she saw it. Unlike the Followers of the ck Death, she knew this spell very well.


    -Queen of Darkness!


    It was a the great magic that Niberis could manifest, but she needed to borrow the power of the Book of Dark Soul to aplish it. When the Queen of Darkness waspleted, a tidal wave of Darkness washed over them. In the middle of the Darkness, she saw the Dragon Demon Undead, and its eyes was emitting light.


    <Hoo Hoo. It might be different for those that are alive, but we are dead. We buried our essence in the Great Darkness, so it is possible for us to borrow its power like this.>


    The Queen of Darkness explosively amplified the power of magicians that used magical energy of darkness. It was such a powerful magic that it took a very long time to manifest, yet the Dragon Demon Undead was able toplete it in short order. It waspleted way too quickly..


    It wasn¡¯t as if the Dragon Demon Undead possessed a Dragon Demon weapon. As a magician, he wasn¡¯t superior to Niberis. It meant that he had given up a great cost for being able to manifest this magic. If their previous conversation was any indication, it seemed the Dragon Demon Undead would lose time. He would have to go back to sleep for awhile.On the other hand, the cost incurred by the Dragon Demon Undead didn¡¯t help Niberis and Kairen in any way right now.


    Kieren looked tense as he spoke.

 Chapter 222 - Renegades (5)

    Chapter 222 - Renegades (5)


    Kieren looked tense as he spoke.


    ¡°Go, Niberis.¡±


    ¡°Kieren?¡±


    Niberis was so surprised that she called out his name.


    He had wordlessly appeared out of nowhere. The fact that he hade to save her was surprising. Kieren was probably shocked by his own action, yet his attention remained fixed on Niberis. He was worried about her.


    ¡°Are you nning on meeting Saibein-nim?¡±


    ¡°How did you know.......¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for a long time. Of course, I know about it.¡±


    Kieren red at the Dragon Demon Undead magicians as he spoke towards his back. He didn¡¯t want to show Niberis his sad expression.


    ¡°I¡¯ll block them here. I can buy you enough time, so you can escape from this ce.¡±


    ¡°I refuse.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    At Niberis¡¯ firm reply, Kieren became surprised. He turned to look at Niberis. The Dragon Demon Undead, who had manifested the Queen of Darkness, attacked Kieren at that moment.


    Kwahng!


    The sound of an explosion rang out as Kieren was pushed backwards. He had been so surprised that he had opened himself to an attack. He had almost died. The one to block the attack was Niberis.


    ¡°It is my selfish wish to want to meet my father. I won¡¯t be able to forgive myself if you are sacrificed in the pursuit of my selfish wish.¡±


    Niberis was firm with her words. Darkness started to appear around her like wildfire.


    ¡°They¡¯ve experienced the holy war.¡±


    She greeted the darkness, which arose like a tsunami.


    ¡°I acknowledge that you are powerful. However, we also fought on the frontline in this era. We won¡¯t go down so easily.¡±


    <Mmm?>


    All the Dragon Demon Undead became surprised. Something unexpected was uring. The Dragon Demon Undead had created the Queen of Darkness, but Niberis was slowly absorbing the magical energy of Darkness created by this spell.


    <Is it the Book of Dark Soul? I¡¯m pretty sure such a function doesn¡¯t exist.>


    The magic hidden with the Dragon Demon weapon called the Book of Dark Soul was creating a change within the great spell. Niberis red at them with cold eyes as she spoke.


    ¡°You have been asleep for over 200 years.... Did you really think my father would have done nothing during that time?¡±


    <Ooh-mmm!>


    The Dragon Demon Undead groaned.


    ¡°Niberis.......¡±


    Kieren looked at Niberis with a trulyplicated expression on her face. He felt resentment and frustration by the fact that she wasn¡¯t following his will. On the other hand, she had made it clear that she wouldn¡¯t sacrifice him. He felt admiration and love for her. His mixed emotions made him speechless, and it caused confusion within him.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what I want. It¡¯ll be meaningless if I obtain what I want through objectionable means. Kieren, if you want me to meet my father....¡±


    Niberis spoke.


    ¡°Let¡¯s fight together. Let¡¯s defeat them.¡±


    ¡°Ha.......¡±


    Her words were brazen, yet he couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    ¡°Ha ha ha ha! Splendid.¡±


    His shoulders shook as heughed. He looked unburdened as he spoke.


    ¡°Yes. This is the Niberis I know. I¡¯ll do as you wish.¡±


    <This is why they are cubs.......>


    The Dragon Demon Undead just shook their heads.


    There was a gap of 220 years between the two groups, yet they shed once again.


    8


    In a fight between high ranked magicians, it all came down to how much resources one had.


    The quantity of magical energy, and the ability to manifest spells was important. However, the oue usually came down to how effective one¡¯s specialty magic was in the battle. Moreover, it depended on how much preparation one had made beforehand. These factors greatly influenced the oue.


    An analogous example was a fight between two armies with same number of soldiers. The oue of the fight depended on which army was better equipped and supplied.


    This was why the result of this fight was already determined from the start.


    ¡°Ooh-ook.......¡±


    The bloodied Kieren fell in ce. A hand of a skeleton grabbed his head before he could fall on his face.


    <Excellent. In the end, you pushed all three of us to this state.......>


    The fight between the two young Dragon Demons and the three Dragon Demon Undead had been fierce.


    In the end, all three Undead chose to sacrifice their time. They decided to use the great magic that would significantly amplify their power. It also meant that they would have to go back to sleep for a long while after this fight. Despite using this measure, the Dragon Demon magicians had lost all their Corrupted Beings of ck Death. Moreover, the body of the two Dragon Demon magicians were half destroyed.


    If they were living foes, the Dragon Demon Undead magicians might have lost this fight. However, they were Undead. The destruction of their body didn¡¯t even decrease their power. These weren¡¯t fatal wounds for them. The power of the curse slowed down their recovery a little bit, but the broken bone fragments were returning to their body. Their original form was being restored.


    Suddenly, one of the Dragon Demon Undead spoke.


    <How about this? Let¡¯s negotiate, princess.>


    Unlike the fallen Kieren, Niberis remained uncaptured. Her fighting spirit was still alive. However, the Book of Dark Soul had been unsummoned, and she was injured. She was breathing hard.


    The Dragon Demon Undead held up Kieren towards her.


    <The princess must be kept alive, but that isn¡¯t true with the young Baldazark. He does look like general Baldazark. I do not want to kill his descendant, but I¡¯ll do it if it¡¯ll allow us to recover his Dragon Demon weapon.>


    Niberis raged. She red at him with scorn in her eyes.


    ¡°You bastard! You are trying to take him as hostage? As someone that participated in the holy war, do you have no pride?¡±


    <My pride means nothing to me whenpared to the king¡¯s great cause.>


    ¡°Koohk.......¡±


    <I¡¯m suggesting the most peaceful solution I cane up with. Even if we continue this fight, the result is predetermined. However, we can ill afford to hold back anymore. We might kill you by mistake, and we want to avoid such an ending..>


    Niberis bit her lips. She knew the Dragon Demon Undead was sincere in his words.


    Her bloodline had little to do with their problem. If one looked at it objectively, Niberis¡¯ Book of Dark Soul wasn¡¯t under the control of the Great Darkness. It could only be passed on through her will. She had to voluntarily hand over the Dragon Demon weapon. On the other hand, Kieren¡¯s Bleeding Star would be returned to the Dragon Demon pce when he died.


    These powerful figures hadn¡¯t tracked down Niberis, because of her station within the in of Darkness. The Book of Dark Soul was what they wanted. The Dragon Demon weapon was worth too much to let it go.


    Niberis was being crushed by the enormous pressure of her current situation.


    ¡®I have no choice......¡¯


    The problem was the fact that the oue was fixed. Niberis felt humiliated. Her body shook as she opened her mouth.


    ¡°All right. If I ept your proposal.......¡±


    It happened at that moment.


    ¡¸Found.¡¹


    ¡¸Target acquired.¡¹


    ¡¸Secured.......¡¹


    Niberis was shocked. She swiveled her head.


    It sounded as if little kids were whispering from every direction. Niberis could never forget these voices.


    White phantom-like beings were rushing towards them. They slid across the ground. They kept appearing and disappearing like mirages. It was the Guardian Shadows.


    <How did they find us?>


    The Dragon Demon Undead were taken aback.


    Around 30 Guardian Shadows had approached them without being noticed. The Guardian Shadows capable of long ranged attacks focused their attack on the Dragon Demon Undead magicians. The Guardian Shadows capable of melee used this time to get close.


    <Shit! We have to protect sir Baldazark and the princess!>


    The Dragon Demon Undead sounded annoyed as they decided on a course of action. Since they were in an uninhabited region, they had no idea as to how the Guardian Shadows were able to find them. Still, they knew the Guardian Shadow¡¯s sole purpose was to wipe out the Dragon Demon King worshippers. They were probably going to attack everyone here.


    That¡¯s what they thought....


    <What the hell! What¡¯s going on?>


    The Guardian Shadows ignored Niberis, and they only attacked the three Dragon Demon Undead. Moreover, they even took possession of Kieren when the Dragon Demon Undead retreated in shock. The Guardian Shadow threw Kieren towards Niberis. She reflexively used magic to catch him.


    Afterwards, a Guardian Shadow slid towards her, and a familiar voice was heard from the Guardian Shadow.


    ¡¸Hmm. I never expected a day toe when I would have to save you, Niberis.¡¹


    ¡°Cold-blooded Queen?¡±


    It was Leticia¡¯s voice. Leticia¡¯s voice had answered Niberis.


    ¡¸Yes. We don¡¯t have the time to for a long conversation. Also, I don¡¯t want to have a long conversation with you either. I¡¯ll buy you some time, so fuck off. There isn¡¯t many on our side, so we won¡¯t be able to hold out for too long.¡¹


    In terms of controlling the Guardian Shadows in a fight, Leticia was much better at it than Kairen. Even if she was good at it, the number of Guardian Shadows gathered in this location was too low. She was limited in what she could do.


    Niberis was confused only for a brief moment. She spoke.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll pay back this debt someday.¡±


    ¡¸I¡¯ll remember that promise.¡¹


    Niberis left behind that voice, and she escaped with Kieren in tow.


    9


    ¡°Shit. That felt dirty¡±


    Leticia grumbled, while she kept her eyes close.


    Kairen had assigned half of the Guardian Shadows to the waypoints of the Road of Darkness. They were ced there to keep surveince. This was why they had caught sight of Niberis using the waypoint near the in of Darkness. They saw her head towards the Albatan forest.


    The number of Guardian Shadows sent to rescue Niberis was low. The location of the waypoint was to me. They had ced enough Guardian Shadows to observe a waypoint, but they hadn¡¯t ced enough to act as a fighting force.


    Kairen let out a bitterughter as he spoke.


    ¡°I understand why you feel that way, but it can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    Laura was the first one to suggest that they rescue Niberis.


    She had spoken with her heart, not her head. The party quickly debated their next action, and in the end, they decided to save Niberis.


    Leticia spoke.


    ¡°I understand that. That is why I¡¯m trying my best. Anyways, these bastards are quite skilled. They are tired, yet.....¡±


    The three Dragon Demon Undead had fought Niberis and Kieren, so they were in a rough state. Despite this fact, they were able to easily withstand the fierce attack of the Guardian Shadows.


    Suddenly, Leticia furrowed her brows.


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Kairen asked her a question.


    Leticia¡¯s expression hardened as she spoke.


    ¡°We are in trouble.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°It seems our efforts will be for naught.¡±


    ¡°Again, what is going on....¡±


    ¡°Reygus has appeared.¡±


    Kairen flinched.


    Since Reygus had appeared, the Guardian Shadows wouldn¡¯t be able to buy any time. Niberis and Kieren would be caught in no time.


    ¡°Shit!¡±


    Kairen struck the tree next to him. Leticia had a defeated expression on her face, but her expression changed. It changed into a peculiar expression.


    ¡°Wait a moment. Something weird just happened.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It seems Reygus wants to talk to us.¡±


    10


    When Reygus showed up, the fight between the three Dragon Demon Undead and the Guardian Shadows came to a halt. Reygus acted as if there wasn¡¯t a fight going on. He just walked in between them.


    <Hmm. Stop for a brief moment.>


    The Guardian Shadow had shot a pir of light, and the Dragon Demon Undead magicians had shot a fireball. Reygus took on both attacks with his body. He was hit full on, yet he continued to walk as if nothing had hit him. Both sides stopped when they saw this.


    <Hey, Ms Ice. Are you still watching us?>


    ¡¸.......¡¹


    <We¡¯ve had such fun battles against each other, so I¡¯ll feel a bit hurt if you ignore me. Well, it is said that a woman¡¯s bashfulness is a virtue. It can¡¯t be helped. Please wait a moment.>


    After he spoke those words, he turned to look at the three Dragon Demon Undead.


    <Will you grant my request?>


    <What is your request?>


    The Dragon Demon Undead were nervous. They could tell that something was off with Reygus.


    <Just go back.>


    <.......>


    <I know why you guys are here. You want to reim the Dragon Demon weapons possessed by Saibein¡¯s daughter and the descendant of Baldazark. I want you to give up on that. I want you guys to return.>


    <What if we can¡¯t we can¡¯t acquiesce to that request?>


    <Well.......>


    Reygus scratched his cheek as if he was reluctant to do this.


    <You¡¯ll have to fight me.>


    If they were still alive, they would have stopped breathing. However, the three of them were Undead, so they just flinched as they froze in ce.


    Reygus spoke.


    <I don¡¯t want to fight against those that I fought alongside with in the past. Above all else, I don¡¯t want to fight those that have already died against the humans. You guys look raggedy, so I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll feel good killing you guys. Therefore, you guys should just leave this ce.>


    <Sir Reygus, are you..... Do you n on going against his will?>


    <It somehow turned out like that.>


    Reygus didn¡¯t deny it.


    <My temperament doesn¡¯t go well with what Atein is trying to do this time around. I do owe him for reviving me, but I died in his service during the Dragon Demon war. I¡¯ll just count this revival as repayment for that service.>


    Reygus was an Undead that was subordinate to the Great Darkness. However, his will wasn¡¯t under the control of Atein. When the revived Atein spoke his goal, Reygus had decided he wasn¡¯t going to serve Atein as his king.


    <Atein probably knows about it already. Still, I didn¡¯t want to stab him in the back so soon after his revival. It isn¡¯t manly. I want you to deliver this message to him. When the stage is set, we can have a ball fighting each other.>


    <You¡¯ll regret this.>


    <I never regret my actions. You say such words despite knowing my personality?>


    In the end, the three Dragon Demon Undead gave up on their hunt. They retreated. After seeing them off, Reygus turned to speak to the Guardian Shadow.


    <Well.... Ms Ice. Will you let me hear your voice? I have something important I want to talk to you about.>

 Chapter 223 - Old Revenants (1)

    Chapter 223 - Old Revenants (1)


    1


    The waypoint of the Road of Darkness within the Dragon Demon pce couldn¡¯t be used by anyone. It was possible for anyone to leave the Dragon Demon pce using the waypoint, but there was a rigorous procedure that had to be used for iing traffic. One had to possess great authority to use it.


    Of course, those in charge of guarding the waypoint knew who possessed such authority. All of them boasted high rank in the in of Darkness. The bacsh would be immense if the guards mistakenly misidentified one of them.


    ¡°It is a cold neighborhood. When I heard it was called the Dragon Demon castle, I expected it to be majestic and stylish. It is big, but it is bleak. It isn¡¯t that great.¡±


    Someone had appeared from the waypoint, and he was mumbling to himself as he surveyed his surrounding. The guards didn¡¯t recognize his face at all.


    The first thing one noticed was his hair. Everyone¡¯s gaze naturally went towards the Dragon Demon¡¯s hair. He had shaggy hair, and it had a metallic blue color to it. It was eye-catching. His eyes and Dragon Demon stone was green. The horns above his ears resembled the horn of a ram. The horn was gray, but it also had a bluish tinge to it.


    He didn¡¯t look nervous at all as he strode forward. When he did so, a soldier armed to the teeth got in his way.


    ¡°Halt!¡±


    The Dragon Majin swordsman, who was the captain of the guards, spoke. The invader with the blue metallic hair tilted his head in puzzlement.


    ¡°Mmm? Why are you blocking my way? Did they not deliver the news yet?¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I am called Reshoo?¡±


    He was the Dragon Demon youth called Reshoo.


    After leaving the Albatan forest, he hadn¡¯t been in a hurry. He had traveled through the Albatan forest. Then he crossed the Atisan mountain range to arrive inside the in of Darkness. The journey had taken couple days. After he observed the confusion within the frozennd, he used the nearest waypoint to enter into the Dragon Demon castle.


    ¡°You¡¯ve lost your mind. I want you to get on your knees, and put your hands behind your head. If you do so, I won¡¯t take your life.¡±


    ¡°Ha-ah.¡±


    Reshoo sighed at the hostility shown by the Dragon Majin. Reshoo looked as if he felt awkward about his situation.


    ¡°He called me here, yet this is how he takes care of his business. Jeez, Atein. Well, it¡¯s alright. I just have to wait here for a little bit, and this issue will be resolved. Before that happens....¡±


    Reshoo had a yful smile on his face as he took a step forward.


    ¡°I want to test the elite troops that are guarding the Dragon Demon castle. Let¡¯s see how useful you guys are.¡±


    ¡°Kill him!¡±


    The Dragon Majinmander didn¡¯t hesitate as he gave the order for an attack.


    Aside from his hair color, Reshoo looked shabby and loose. However, one could get a sense of his power when one truly looked at him. There was a powerful strength within him. One couldn¡¯t judge him by the cover.


    Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa!


    All the troops that were guarding the Dragon Demon pce were elites. The troops were a bit confused by the current situation, but they immediately attacked when theirmander gave the order.


    The magicians activated all the spells they had prepared beforehand. After a beatter, the warriors charged forward. Themander had already spoken to his subordinates through Whispering, so the elite soldiers didn¡¯t take their opponent lightly. The warriors staggered the use of their Instantaneous Movement as they charged forward.


    It didn¡¯t matter how powerful a warrior was. One shouldn¡¯t be able to withstand against such an attack. If the enemy was weak, he would die immediately. If he was someone that was skilled, he¡¯ll try to dodge to either side.


    Their strategy took both possibilities into consideration. The enemy would eventually reveal an opening when dodging their attack, and at that moment, he would be dead.


    Too-hahk!


    However, in the next moment, a dull sound rang out in themander¡¯s ears.


    ¡®Mmm?¡¯


    Themander became a bit confused when he heard it, and in the next moment, he heard a simr sound ring out in session.


    Too-hahhhhhhhhk!


    The sound wasn¡¯t originating from the same location. The sound was so fast, and the interval between the sound was so short. The only reason why he was able to hear it was the fact that the sound was following one after another.


    When he realized this fact, an unbelievable sight was seen by him. The warriors, who had staggered their Instantaneous Movement, were all flying in the air.


    ¡®No way!¡¯


    As themander looked on with shocked eyes, Reshoo walked towards him. He had an apathetic expression on his face.


    For a moment, themander just watched Reshoo with a dumbfounded expression on his face. His subordinates, who had been sent into the air, fell to the ground. It created a loud din.


    Koo-dah-tahng! Ggwah-dahng!


    ¡°Oh. You guys are pretty well trained. You¡¯ll be able to kill most opponents in an instant.¡±


    ¡°How.......¡±


    Themander was so surprised that his mouth kept opening and closing like a fish.


    The warriors, who had been taken down by Reshoo, were the first column. There was a second column that had been held back just in case. It was themander¡¯s job to order the magicians and the second column to mobilize. However, the event that had urred in front of him had paralyzed his thought process. Reshoo¡¯s movement had been so fast that themander had a hard time understanding what had urred. He was a step toote in realizing what had happened.


    ¡°He was able to use the Pure Copper technique. He was able to imbue this technique to various parts of his body... He was actually able to use the Segmented Pure Copper technique?¡±


    Themander was also a high ranked Dragon Arts practitioner. This was why he was able to discern half of Reshoo¡¯s movements, and he was able to piece together what had urred.


    In the beginning, Reshoo took on half the spells by strengthening his body. He let the spells hit him. The other half was deflected using his hands.


    Afterwards, he stood in ce as he faced the warriors using the Pure Copper technique. He hit the body of the first warrior before the warrior could fully swing his sword. Another swordsman moved up from the side, and Reshoo had broken the sword in half. Then he struck the swordsman¡¯s head. He foiled the attack of each soldier in session. None of the soldiers could react to Reshoo¡¯s movements.


    It was as if Reshoo was moving in a different timeline from them. They had elerated their body to the fullest extent, yet each of them were struck down by Reshoo.


    ¡°Impossible.......¡±


    Segmented Pure Copper technique could be called the pinnacle amongst the body movement technique. One created an explosive eleration as one used a body movement technique in conjunction. It was a lethal attack technique that could be considered a divine move.


    This technique was rare, but there were couple people that were capable of using it. Azell was one of them.


    However, none of them used this technique on a body part. It was usually used on a weapon. It was used when an archer shot an arrow. It could also be used when a warrior throws his weapon. It was usually used to elerate an inanimate object to an unusual degree.


    Common sense said it was impossible to do use this technique on one¡¯s body part . Even if one possessed a sturdy body, one¡¯s body shouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the bacsh. Reshoo had done it as if it was nothing.


    Reshoo just shrugged his shoulder as he queried themander.


    ¡°You want more of this? You look a bit better than your subordinates. If you have one, why don¡¯t you take out your Dragon Demon weapon?¡±


    ¡°You guys should end it there.¡±


    At that moment, a voice brimming with power intruded in on them. Themander looked back, and he yelled out in surprise.


    ¡°General Almarick!¡±


    Arge Dragon Demon that was over 2 meters tall was walking towards them. Almarick spoke to themander.


    ¡°He is a guest invited here by his majesty. I¡¯m sorry for not giving you an advanced notice.¡±


    ¡°I...I see.¡±


    ¡°I thought he would contact us before he came here. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It is nothing.¡±


    Themander was letting out cold sweat. He wasn¡¯t being timid, because of Almarick¡¯s presence.


    He had just realized that Reshoo hadn¡¯t killed anyone.


    Everyone that had charged towards Reshoo was still alive. In fact, none of them looked seriously injured. It meant that there was an overwhelming gap in skills between Reshoo and his men. How was this possible?


    ¡®Is he perhap on par with the Dragon Demon generals in terms of skill?¡¯


    Reshoo was so strong that it made themander have such thoughts.Reshoo grumbled.


    ¡°Jeez. You called me here, so why is the reception like this?¡±


    ¡°His majesty is busy right now. I apologize for not being quick in taking care of this business.¡±


    As he spoke those words, Almarick stared at Reshoo¡¯s face.


    ¡°It is the first time meeting you face to face. It is nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°You are right. I look forward to working with you.¡±


    Almarick and Reshoo shook each other¡¯s hand.


    Until the revived Atein had told spoken to him, Almarick hadn¡¯t known that Reshoo was a new ally. At the time of Dragon Demon war, Atein had taken only Aunsaurus to the Albatan forest. This was why they had never met each other.


    However, it felt as if they knew each other since they heard about each other through Atein. When Atein imparted information, he didn¡¯t do it through words. Atein made it so that the information was vivid.


    ¡°I can see why Atein chose you. You are very skilled.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for yourpliment.¡±


    In terms of age, Reshoo was much younger than Almarick. However, both had mutual respect for each other based on the skills they possessed.


    Almarick casually exited the ce. Reshoo followed after him. He asked Almarick a question.


    ¡°Ah. How¡¯s your descendant doing?¡±


    ¡°I did hear about you saving him. Thank you.¡±


    In the past, the Keeper of Prophecy Iota had attacked the waypoint being guarded by Jeffers Almarick. He had almost died in the defense of the waypoint.


    The one to save Jeffers was Reshoo. He had been on his way back to the Albatan forest after roaming the world. At the time, Reshoo had dyed his hair ck.


    Reshoo followed Almarick, and they met Atein deep within the Dragon Demon castle.


    ¡°Wee, Reshoo.¡±


    ¡°It has been awhile, Atein. It really.....¡±


    ¡°Do I look weird?¡±


    Reshoo had an odd expression on his face when he saw Atein. Reshoo furrowed his brows as he answered Atein¡¯s question.


    ¡°Mmm. It¡¯s nothing. When I saw youst, you didn¡¯t look like that. I know you are the same person, yet.... It is truly an odd feeling.¡±


    Reshoo had met Atein during the end of the gue called the Great Darkness. At the time, Atein hadn¡¯t looked like his current self. He looked like Baion. To be precise, Atein had been moving the corpse of Baion like a puppet.


    Now he had the appearance of himself during the Dragon Demon war. It made Atein feel like a stranger to Reshoo.


    ¡°I see. You areparing my appearance to the one 50 years ago. It seems you haven¡¯t transcended the limit of your lifespan.¡±


    ¡°You can tell just by looking at me?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell at a nce, but I¡¯ve see you intermittently over the past 200 years. I¡¯ve observed your change. I don¡¯t know if you can feel it, but you¡¯ve aged. In terms of human age, you¡¯ve aged around two to three years.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.......¡±


    Even amongst the 1st generation Dragon Demons, a very few had been able to transcend their lifespan. Wasn¡¯t that the reason why Kayali had developed her reincarnation technique?


    Even after living a very long life, Atein hadn¡¯t seen many that were capable of transcending the limitation of their lifespan. In terms of those that participated in the Dragon Demon war, only Atein and the Dragon Demon generals had transcended their lifespan.


    ¡°I see. Still, I¡¯m still in my growth period.¡±


    ¡°If you were a normal Dragon Demon, you would be considered to be in the twilight of your years, yet you are saying you are still in your growth phase?¡±


    ¡°Of all people, you shouldn¡¯t be saying that to me, Atein. Anyways, you didn¡¯t look so greatst time I saw you. How are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Not much has changed.¡±


    ¡°I see. Will you give me your answer? Will we really be able to eliminate tragedy and corruption from this world?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do so right now.¡±


    Atein willingly told Reshoo about his idea.


    On that day, Reshoo joined Atein¡¯s camp. He became the new Dragon Demon general, and he filled the void created by Reygus¡¯ defection.

 Chapter 224 - Old Revenants (2)

    Chapter 224 - Old Revenants (2)


    2


    The Dragon Demon King worshippers were unable to dig themselves out of the chaos caused by Atein¡¯s revival. Azell¡¯s party took advantage of this. They pushed hard against their enemies, and they continuously achieved result.


    Hwahhhhhk!


    An orange colored me raged. A frightening amount of heat was dominating the surrounding. In the middle of all of this, a Dragon Majin girl with long white hair raised a white sword. It looked as if the sword was carved out of a bone.


    ¡°Rage! Roaring Fire!¡±


    The Dragon Majin girl had polished her words of power through the Dragon Arts. It amplified the wave of Dragon Demon magic emitted by Arrieta. At the same time, the fire that had been radiating in all directions gathered in a single location to turn into an incandescent me sword. The me followed the trajectory of the sword. It sliced through the barrier around the magician like butter, and his body was cut into two.


    ¡°Koo-uhk......!¡±


    The heat was so concentrated within the me sword that it instantly cauterized the wounds. There was no blood shed from the severed body. She had killed the troublesome magician with a single blow, and a Dragon Majin warrior used this chance to rush her from behind. The me around her was gone, so he thought this was his golden opportunity. He used his Instantaneous Movement.


    Zzuh-uhng!


    Arrieta blocked the thunderous attack that had been unleashed from behind her.


    Was she out of bnce?


    Her stance faltered as she was pushed backwards.


    ¡°I will take you with me, Dragon Demon princess!¡±


    The Dragon Majin warrior was confident in his victory. He kicked Arrieta, who had lost her bnce. He brought down his sword towards her from above.


    Puh-ung!


    At that moment, a sphere made out of fire hit the Dragon Majin warrior from the back. He was sent flying. He died without being able to scream. A fiery silhouette descended upon him. It was shaped like a bird.


    Soon, the me burned the Dragon Majin warrior. The body was burned ck as it copsed into ashes.


    ¡°As expected, I cannot be careless.¡±


    When Arrieta checked that the battle was over, she caught her breath. A phoenix that was as big as her was circling around her. It was the Dragon Demon weapon called the Crying Phoenix.


    It was capable of fighting on its own, and its power was on par with a Dragon. The Dragon weapon was able to move freely as it emitted fire from its body. Since Arrieta was excellent at manipting fire, her overall power had made a drastic jump.


    ¡°Koo-ook, impious sinners.......¡±


    Suddenly, she heard a voice next to her, so she turned her head.


    It was the magician she had cut in half with her me sword. Was it because his wound hadn¡¯t bled? He hadn¡¯t died instantly. Still, his life force was slowly extinguishing.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make it painless¡±


    Even if he was an enemy she had to kill, Arrieta didn¡¯t enjoy causing unnecessary pain. That wasn¡¯t her style.


    ¡°You are all foolish. You might think you have won. Rejoice in that assumption....¡±


    The magician was dying, yet he snickered as he spoke. Maybe, the pain of having his body severed in half was making him lose his mind.


    ¡°We aren¡¯t dying.... His apostles.... This world will once again.....¡±


    He gasped for breath. He mumbled the words as he died. Arrieta furrowed her brows.


    ¡°...apostles?¡±


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    The one to ask the question was Leticia. Azell and Laura were destroying the waypoint from within. Arrieta, Leticia and Kairen remained outside. They were killing the soldiers that were lured outside.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°He spoke some ominous words before he died.¡±


    ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°It was a religious story. He said he isn¡¯t dying... Basically, he said he¡¯lle back to life as Atein¡¯s apostle. That was the gist of his story.¡±


    ¡°I want to say you shouldn¡¯t worry about such nonsense, but.......¡±


    Leticia furrowed her brows.


    ¡°It does make me worry. We¡¯ll have to tell the others about this.¡±


    3


    Atein¡¯s revival had taken 100 hours. Two weeks had passed from that event, and Azell¡¯s party had destroyed eleven waypoints. That wasn¡¯t all. The members of the Guardian Shadows from all over the continent sent reports stating their victory.


    The good news didn¡¯t end there. Niberis and Kieren had left the in of Darkness. Reygus turned his back on Atein.


    Despite all the good news, Azell¡¯s party couldn¡¯t shed the ominous feeling.


    ¡°There are 144 waypoints left....¡±


    Kairen mumbled to himself.


    After Atein had been revived, they had pushed themselves a bit harder. In total, they had destroyed 80 waypoints to the Road of Darkness. They had greatly reduced the mobility of the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    ¡°So why hasn¡¯t Atein and Almarick stepped forward?¡±


    ¡°In fact, none of the high ranked officers areing out. I believe they are trying to stop us with outside members only.¡±


    When Azell¡¯s party attacked a waypoint, the in of Darkness couldn¡¯t send any reinforcements. In the beginning, Azell used Extreme Extinction to disable the waypoint, then their party started the attack. They hadn¡¯t failed once using this strategy.


    However, it was a different story when the other members of the Guardian Shadows attacked a waypoint. Even if they tried to end it quickly, one or two mistake gave the other side enough time to bring in reinforcements.


    ¡°I can understand why Atein isn¡¯ting out, but Almarick isn¡¯ting out either. We haven¡¯t seen any high rank officers recently.... I can¡¯t believe this, but it seems they are no longer prioritizing the defense of the waypoints. Why?¡±


    ¡°There are two possibilities.¡±


    ¡°I wonder what function the Road of Emptiness serves. Maybe, the Road of Emptiness isn¡¯t important to Atein¡¯s n.¡±


    If what Yuren had said was true, Atein didn¡¯t n on recreating the Dragon Demon war. His goal was to create a world where no one would be able to carry out evil.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°If Atein has a substitute for the Road of Emptiness, Yuren wouldn¡¯t have gone through the trouble of stealing the White me Phoenix.....¡±


    ¡°I agree with you on that point.¡±


    Atein didn¡¯t have a Dragon Demon weapon that boasted excellent mobility like Azell¡¯s Storm Dragon¡¯s Wings. Atein could imitate the abilities of the Dragon Demon weapons with his magic, but there was a clear limit to what he could do. Above all else, he wouldn¡¯t be able to take hispanions along. The difference in what he could do was stark depending on the presence or absence of the Dragon Demon weapons.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°As expected, it means he doesn¡¯t care if the Road of Emptiness is destroyed.¡±


    ¡°I believe so. I am unsure as to the reason why that would be true.¡±


    ¡°This is a tricky situation.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also unsure as to whether we should modify our strategy. If he isn¡¯t fixated on saving the Road of Emptiness, we might be wasting our time.¡±


    ¡°I disagree with that opinion.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    At Azell¡¯s question, Kairen exined his reasoning.


    ¡°Let us say he is letting us destroy the waypoints in order to buy time. Even if that¡¯s true, that n only makes sense if we are capable of invading the in of Darkness right now.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.......¡±


    Atein might be enacting a massive magic ritual within the in of Darkness right now.


    Would they be able to stop Atein if they went to the in of Darkness right now?


    It would be impossible.


    If it was possible, they would have already invaded the in of Darkness before Atein was revived. Unless they were able to take the Road of Emptiness, it was almost impossible to lead arge force there. It was and of intense cold, and not many would be able to survive the journey there.


    On the other hand, numerous Dragon Demon king worshippers lived within the in of Darkness. As the Great Darkness as foundation, countless defensive magic had been erected over the years.


    A magician¡¯s power depended on how much resource one had. A magician¡¯s power changed in thousand different ways depending on those resources. When one considered that Atein was within the Dragon Demon castle, his power would be impossible to assess. Above all else, it would be impossible to create a scenario where Azell would be able to fight a one on one battle with Atein.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°We have to continue our original n. We¡¯ll destroy the waypoints to decrease the mobility of our enemies. The only difference is that we¡¯ll speed up the timeline. Let¡¯s take advantage of their new approach.¡±


    The goal of Azell¡¯s party hadn¡¯t changed. They would decrease the elbowroom of their enemies by destroying the waypoints. Then they would take advantage of their newfound freedom to destroy the Pirs of Darkness.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what Atein is nning. In the end, he has to rely on therge magical system called the Great Darkness. Our enemies wille out once it is threatened. At that time, we¡¯ll use the remaining Guardian Shadows to overwhelm our enemies with numbers.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but.......¡±


    Kairen spoke correctly. Despite knowing this, something didn¡¯t sit right with Azell.


    Kairen spoke to Azell, who was deep in thought.


    ¡°There is something that also worries me.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about Reygus, who seems to be a friendly force?¡±


    ¡°He said someone wille towards us in the near future. He didn¡¯t reveal the identity of this person, and he never said when this person wille to us.¡±


    When Leticia mobilized the Guardian Shadows to save Niberis, Reygus had appeared. He told Leticia that he had left Atein¡¯s camp. He also exined his intention.


    ¡®I¡¯m not saying we should join sides to fight Atein. I don¡¯t care if we do, but I¡¯m sure you guys are hesitant to do that. Maybe, Azell might believe me. On the other hand, you guys might be suspicious that I might be unwittingly a pawn in Atein¡¯s n.¡¯


    ¡®.......¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯ll follow the youngdy to the Albatan forest. My party member, who wants to be your ally, will search you out.¡¯


    ¡®What do you mean by that?¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯ll have the pleasure of finding it out on your own. I want to tell you, but this person doesn¡¯t want me to say anything. I¡¯ll let you discover it on your own. ¡¯


    After he spoke those words, Reygus had left. They hadn¡¯t heard any news in regards to Reygus after that.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Do we need to go to the Albatan forest?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking about it. What do you think, Duke?¡±


    ¡°I think there are two reasons why we have to go there.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Are you talking about Reygus¡¯ whereabout?¡±


    ¡°No, Reygus¡¯ whereabout isn¡¯t that important. We don¡¯t have to actively search for him.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    When Azell became puzzled, Kairen gave an exnation.


    ¡°We are already keeping surveince on the waypoints. If Reygus runs into trouble with the Dragon Demon King worshippers, we¡¯ll know immediately. The more urgent task is to track down the whereabouts of Reshoo.¡±


    ¡°Mmm......!¡±


    Azell ruminated over Kairen¡¯s words. He knew that the possibility of facing Reshoo as an enemy was real, but he didn¡¯t want to bring that issue to the fore.


    ¡°As someone that learned the Dragon Soul from him, I don¡¯t want him to be our enemy. However, it wouldn¡¯t surprise me if we found out that he is working with Atein already. I don¡¯t want to be taken unawares like the time when Atein ambushed us.¡±


    ¡°You are right.¡±


    Azell had been sniped by Atein, because he had been takenpletely unawares. A part of the reason was the fact that Atein had sniped him with a very high ranked spell. However, the bigger share of the me lie with the fact that he hadn¡¯t worried about the possibility of Atein being revived at that point in time. It had been a near fatal mistake.


    He couldn¡¯t make the same mistake again.


    ¡°We have to check if the worst possible scenario hase to fruition. Albatan might agree with Atein¡¯s cause. There is a possibility that Albatan might have be our enemy¡±


    ¡°Do you really think that¡¯ll happen?¡±


    Azell became surprised.


    It was a possibility that Azell hadn¡¯t thought about. From Azell¡¯s perspective, Albatan had never been his enemy. During the Dragon Demon war, Albatan had been steadfast in being a neutral party.


    What if Albatan had be their enemy?


    It would be an unimaginable cmity. Kairen was in charge ofing up with strategies, so he had thought about the worst case scenario.


    ¡°I want to ask you a question in response. Azell, what do you think he¡¯ll do? You know about Albatan more than me.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    Azell had a serious expression on his face as he mulled over the question. This was too important to do otherwise.


    ¡°...I cannot say that the possibility is zero. The current situation differs from what urred during the Dragon Demon war.¡±


    ¡°As expected, you think so too.¡±


    The world Atein was trying to create didn¡¯t sh with Albatan¡¯s ideals. Every member of the society would be monitored by the enormous system. Their thoughts and actions would be under surveince. As soon as someone broke aw, a punishment would be given out. Basically, the weak beings being protected by Albatan would be guaranteed their survival.


    ¡°It is as you¡¯ve said, Duke. We have to check this out as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go by yourself. If Albatan has decided to work with Atein, your life will be forfeit by going there.¡±


    ¡°I already know that.¡±


    -You don¡¯t have to do that.


    Suddenly, a voice intruded between the two of them. It wasn¡¯t a voice of a living person. It was more like a message that was delivered through magical energy.


    Koo-da-tahng!


    In a sh, the chairs fell over. They unsheathed their swords in a sh as they got into a battle stance.


    However, the two of them couldn¡¯t find their foe. The voice was so close, yet they couldn¡¯t feel the gaze or the magical energy of this being.


    -I¡¯m over here.


    She spoke towards the two tense men. Somehow, Azell thought the voice sounded familiar.


    ¡®Can it be?¡¯


    In front of the shaken Azell, a form rose up from the ground. She was like an illusion as she passed through the earth. Azell became shocked when he saw her.


    ¡°You are.......¡±


    -It has been awhile.


    In human standards, she looked like a 14 or 15 year old Dragon Demon girl. She had long white hair, and grey horns. Her eyes and Dragon Demon stone was te-grey.


    However, everything about her had no substance. She was translucent as one could see through her. She looked like a ghost or an illusion being projected by magic.


    Azell knew very well as to who this Dragon Demon girl was.


    ¡°Kayalia!¡±


    -You remembered me.


    She was Atein¡¯s third queen, and she had possessed magic that made her on par with the Dragon Demon generals. She had made the human allied forces shake in fear. She was such an existence, yet she wasughing in front of Azell like a shy girl.

 Chapter 225 - Old Revenants (3)

    Chapter 225 - Old Revenants (3)


    3


    In the final battle at the Dragon Horn fortress, Azell had defeated Kayalia.


    He didn¡¯t personally defeat her. Azell was tasked with the important task of upying Atein in an one on one battle. This was why he had joined forces with hisrades to fight Kayalia, and she had received a grievous wound.


    After they were able to mortally wound her, Azell felt something was off.


    It had been too easy.


    Even if he received support from hisrades, she hadn¡¯t been alone. The soldiers of the Dragon Demon king¡¯s army had supported her.


    Despite his fight against Kayalia, Azell hadn¡¯t received any wounds from the fight. She had attacked him with fearsome force. There had been several close calls during the battle, but if one considered the skill disyed by Kayalia in this past, the battle had ended quite easily.


    Originally, he was going to leave hisrades in mid-battle. He was supposed to disengage and head towards Atein. However, the battle had gone too well. He had been dumbfounded at the time.


    Azell queried her.


    ¡°As expected, you didn¡¯t die that time?¡±


    -I died.


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    -Do I look alive to you?


    Kayalia raised her hand as she spoke. He could see through her. She looked like an illusion.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look dead. You look like a projection that can be created by a magician. I cannot tell if you are dead or alive with the information avable to me.¡±


    -I see. Reygus oppa was confused by my form, but you immediately recognized it.


    ¡°Reygus oppa?¡±


    Azell¡¯s expression turned peculiar. Kayalia cackled.


    -I¡¯ve already died once. I have no ns on ying the part of Atein¡¯s Queen. That is why I call him oppa now.


    ¡°I really want to discuss what you stated, but... We aren¡¯t in a cordial rtionship. ¡±


    -May we change the rtionship between us? As I¡¯ve said earlier, I¡¯m already dead.


    ¡°You want me to trust your word?¡±


    -I never expected to run into such a problem. Maybe, the person next to you might trust my words a little bit more than you.


    At her words, Azell looked towards Kairen. Since he was still guarded against Kayalia, he didn¡¯t turn his head. He used a Spirit Order technique to look at Kairen.


    When he did so, he saw that Kairen had an odd expression on his face.


    ¡°Why are you making such an expression, Duke?¡±


    ¡°Azell.¡±


    ¡°Please speak.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what rtionship you had with her in the past. Even I¡¯ve heard of her name, but...... She saved your life before.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It was when Reygus almost killed you.... She was the one that rescued you. If it wasn¡¯t for this youngdy, we might have been wiped out right then and there.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell became surprised. At the time, he had lost consciousness, and he had lost track of things. He had never bothered to get a detailed ount on what had happened.


    Still, he had never expected such a thing to have urred.


    Kayalia fidgeted as she let out a bright smile.


    -Jeez. You referred to me as youngdy. It has been awhile since I¡¯ve been called that.


    ¡°.......¡±


    There wasn¡¯t a single ounce of tension in her attitude. He couldn¡¯t keep up his hostility towards her.


    The current Kayalia was entirely different from the Kayalia from the Dragon Demon war. It almost made him skeptical as to whether she really was Kayalia. When Azell faced her on the battlefield, she had an icy expression on her face. As a magician, she had been as powerful as Aunsaurus and Baldazark. Her might had made the humans tremble in fear.


    However, she was currently acting like a young girl. He couldn¡¯t get used to it.


    ¡®In fact......¡¯


    When he lost to Reygus, he had heard someone¡¯s voice before he had lost consciousness. He remembered white clothes billowing in front of him, and he had heard the voice of.....


    ¡°It was you.¡±


    -Yes. I was being fair. I saved both of you once.


    ¡°You were the one that saved Reygus.¡±


    Azell picked up on the small hint within her words. He was able to assess the situation.


    Kayalia let out a lightughter.


    -That¡¯s right.


    ¡°Alright. For now, I¡¯ll believe that you aren¡¯t hostile towards us.¡±


    Azell retracted his hostility. There was a voice in the corner of his mind that said she was a danger to him. He was having a hard time suppressing that voice, but she had save him once before. This was why he couldn¡¯t chase her away without hearing what she had to say.


    ¡°Still, you referred to Reygus as Reygus oppa. I don¡¯t know about that. From what I heard from Carlos, you used a reincarnation technique to continue living multiple lives. You¡¯ve lived longer than Aunsaurus....¡±


    All four Dragon Demon generals had lived for over a thousand years. The oldest of the bunch was Aunsaurus. When Azellpared Kayalia to Aunsaurus, she jumped up and down in indignation.


    -Uh-mu-muh. What are you saying? Aunsaurus lived for over 2 thousand years. How can youpare a young woman to such an old man?


    ¡°.......¡±


    -My previous experience in life is passed on to my next life. However, I¡¯m always born as a different being. I¡¯m always different from my past selves. Moreover, I¡¯ve stop reincarnating for a while now.


    ¡°Mmm. Well... Let¡¯s just say I believe you.


    -It isn¡¯t about believing me or not. I¡¯m stating a fact.


    ¡°Alright. Alright.¡±


    Azell raised both his hands in surrender. Then he asked her a question.


    ¡°I guess it is time to hear why you¡¯ve searched me out.¡±


    -Didn¡¯t you hear it from Reygus oppa?


    ¡°Mmm? Perhaps... Are you the other person that wants to be our ally?¡±


    -That¡¯s right.


    ¡°.......¡±


    -I partedpany with Aten like Reygus oppa. Is it really unbelievable?


    ¡°In truth, I¡¯m having a hard time believing in it.¡±


    -What do we have to do to make you change your mind? I knew this would be a problem whening here. However, I don¡¯t have a good idea as to how to solve this problem.


    During the Dragon Demon war, Kayalia had killed countless people from the human alliance. How could he forget about his grudge against her? It would be asking too much of him to ept Kayalia as an ally.


    In the case of Laura, the situation had been different. Unlike her, Kayalia had lived within Azell¡¯s era, and he had built up enmity against her.


    Kayalia looked at Azell for a brief moment, then she spoke as she sighed.


    -Let¡¯s change the topic for now. I have other things I want to talk to you about.


    ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡±


    -I¡¯m talking about Albatan¡¯s choice.


    ¡°Are you saying you know his answer?¡±


    -If you don¡¯t believe me, you can go confirm it with Albatan. One of my reasons foring here was the fact that I had to inform you about Albatan¡¯s stance. I took on the role of a messenger. Of course, I have my own business with you too.


    Azell and Kairen had no choice, but to pay attention to what she was saying now. Kayalia spoke.


    -Albatan ns to stick with the stance he had during the Dragon Demon war.


    ¡°He¡¯ll maintain his neutrality?


    -Yes.


    ¡°However, the situation ispletely different right now. If Atein achieves his goal, Albatan forest won¡¯t be able to remain free.¡±


    Even if Atein had won the Dragon Demon war, the Albatan forest would have remained off limits to humans. The Albatan forest would have continued to be one of the Demonds. Of course, Atein might have united the whole continent, and he might started a war with Albatan at ater date. At the very least, the Albatan forest had been free from the conflicts that arose during the Dragon Demon war.


    However, the current situation posed a different problem. Atein was trying to change thews that govern the whole world.


    -He developed a countermeasure to that problem.


    ¡°How?¡±


    -Do you remember Carlos traded away Atein¡¯s technique?


    ¡°Technique? Do you mean the curse that allows one to subordinate others to the Great Darkness?¡±


    -Yes.


    ¡°How is that a countermeasure against what Atein is trying to aplish?¡±


    -The technique is also how one creates the Great Darkness.


    ¡°What?¡±


    In a sh, Azell and Kairen became surprised. He had heard something unimaginable.


    Kayalia spoke.


    -Atein sealed the immortal transcendent beings as pirs when making the Great Darkness. One needs a firm home base and long years to create the system. One has to continuously supply resources to create it. This is why one can¡¯t re-create the Great Darkness in terms of size andpleteness. This doesn¡¯t mean it is impossible to copy the system called the Great Darkness.


    Carlos had reverse engineered Aten¡¯s technique. Carlos had done so to free Azell from the curse that would have subordinated him to the Great Darkness.


    -This was how Carlos was able to create the Guardian Shadows. Since he didn¡¯t have the time or the resource to create the Great Darkness from scratch, he created his system by leaning on the power of the already existing Great Darkness.


    Albatan was also an archmage that had lived for a very long time. He had umted many techniques and resources during this time. In his deal with Carlos, he was able to receive Atein¡¯s curse from Carlos. On top of that, Atein had installed the Road of Darkness as a gesture of good faith during the Dragon Demon war. Albatan researched both techniques, and he was able toe up with a way to copy the Great Darkness.


    -Unlike the Great Darkness that surrounds the continent, this copy will only surround the Albatan forest. Albatan received support from the residents of the forest, and they had invested in this system for the past dozen of years.


    At the very least, the system would be capable of remembering information about magical energy and the beings making up the system. At most, it would remember souls like the Guardian Shadows.


    -If Albatan uses this, he might be able to resist thews that¡¯ll be forced up on the world. He¡¯ll be able to create an independent territory.


    ¡°I see....... Since Albatan secured an exit strategy for his people, he no longer cares about the outside world. However, that has been Albatan¡¯s stance since the beginning. It can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    Albatan didn¡¯t interfere with the human world, and he prevented the outside world from interfering with his forest.


    Albatan had always had this attitude. Azell had used Albatan¡¯s territory to his advantage, so he couldn¡¯t disparage Albatan¡¯s choice.


    -Still, I was very surprised by it.


    ¡°Are you talking about Albatan¡¯s skill in magic? It doesn¡¯t surprise me. He lived less years than Atein, but he is still a mythological figure. This is why he was able to make the Albatan forest.¡±


    -I¡¯m not admiring Albatan¡¯s abilities.


    ¡°Then?¡±


    -I¡¯m talking out the part where Carlos Rizester was able to decipher Atein¡¯s curse. Albatan wouldn¡¯t have been able to great the copy of the Great Darkness if he hadn¡¯t made the deal with Carlos. I was able to find out what kind of life Carlos had lived after the Dragon Demon war.... He really was amazing.


    ¡°.......¡±


    At her words, sadness and longing was reflected in his eyes for a brief moment.


    Any amount of thanks wouldn¡¯t be enough. Carlos had dedicated his life to saving Azell, and he had suffered through hellish pain to protect the future. He had done it voluntarily. If he hadn¡¯t been there, Azell wouldn¡¯t have been able to reach this point.


    ¡®Carlos.......¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t just him. His descendants had suffered tragedies, while he was asleep. Yuren was Atein¡¯s reincarnation, yet he sacrificed his life to open up a path for Azell.... He had incurred so much debt that it was beyond description.


    There was only one way to honor his fallen friends. It was the same during the Dragon Demon war where hisrades had entrusted the future to him. He had to defeat Atein. The only way to repay all of them was to end this long fight.


    ¡°It¡¯s all good. Albatan will keep his neutrality, so the worst case scenario will note to pass. However....¡±


    -Mmm. Can I talk to you about myself?


    ¡°...alright. Go for it.¡±


    He was about to say, ¡®I cannot ept you.¡¯


    However, Kayalia preempted him. He had to give her the opportunity to speak.


    -It is as I¡¯ve said earlier. I died during the Dragon Demon war.


    Kayalia started her story from the point after her death.


    4


    Reygus put his hammer on his shoulder as he spoke.


    <You are pretty good. As expected, the young ones are full of fighting spirit.>


    ¡°Oooh-ook. You really are amazing.¡±


    There was a middle aged Dragon Majin warrior sitting on the ground. He had white hair, and he possessed dark blue eyes, horn and Dragon Demon stone. One of his leg was broken, so he used his sword as a crutch to get up.


    It was Havan. He was the one that had requested a duel with Azell when he came to the Albatan forest. After a sparring match with Reygus, Havan admitted his defeat.


    It wasn¡¯t just Havan. Other inured Dragon Majin warriors were strewn about on the floor. When they heard Reygus had arrived, they wanted a match with him. Reygus never turned down a fight, so he agreed to every single match. He enjoyed it.


    ¡°Would you have done this if I wasn¡¯t here? You guys are too reckless with how you treat your body.¡±


    The one that was grumbling was Saibein. Aside from him, no one had extreme healing ability within the forest. Before he had awakened his Dragon Soul, magicians had acted as healers. However, the process had been slowpared to what Saibein could do now.


    Reygus spoke after he put down 20 consecutive Dragon Majin warriors.


    <This ce is quite fun. I like it here.>


    ¡°This ce is well suited for you, sir Reygus.¡±


    <I¡¯m not a Dragon Demon general, so you don¡¯t have to call me by my title. You can just refer to me as Reygus.>


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you a king of a nation before you became a Dragon Demon general?¡±


    <It is old news. I don¡¯t n on bing a king in the near future.>


    ¡°You make it sound as if bing a king is as easy as snapping your finger....¡±


    <It isn¡¯t hard. You just periodically kill people that you don¡¯t like, and you¡¯ll easily be a king.>


    ¡°.......¡±


    Reygus had also lived for a very long time. He was over a thousand years old. Before he served Atein as his king, he had reigned over a region of this continent as a ruler. There was a time when he had fought against the forces of Almarick.


    <Anyways, you are looking better. It seems life here suits you.>


    ¡°I won¡¯t deny that fact. Also...¡±


    Saibein hesitated for a moment before he spoke.


    ¡°...I want to thank you for bringing my daughter here.


    <The little miss decided toe here. I just followed her. I didn¡¯t do much.>


    Reygus waved his hand. Saibein smirked.


    ¡°You are always the same. Somehow, that isforting.¡±


    <You¡¯ve changed a lot. I like your current self much more than your past self.>


    ¡°Thank you. If I am not overstepping the bounds, could you tell me what you are nning to do now?¡±

 Chapter 226 - Old Revenants (4)

    Chapter 226 - Old Revenants (4)


    <I nned on making the decision after Kayaliaes back. I want to see what she¡¯s able to achieve. I just know that I n on fighting Atein. I n on going against his will. Aside from that, I have no concrete n.>


    ¡°.......¡±


    <Are you feeling conflicted about fighting your father?>


    ¡°In truth, I am feeling conflicted. Why...¡±


    Saibein hesitated for a brief moment before he asked his question.


    ¡°Why are you opposing my father?¡±


    <His n doesn¡¯t suit my style.>


    ¡°I know your personality too well to question that answer.¡±


    <I¡¯ve always been like this.>


    ¡°However, my father has the same goal as before. Only his method of achieving his goal has changed.¡±


    <It isn¡¯t the same.>


    Reygus was firm in denying Saibein¡¯s words.


    <Every being born into this world has the right to choose their fate. I don¡¯t care about the details of his n. I just know that he is trying to steal that right from others.>


    Reygus was a being that didn¡¯t believe in the idea of good and evil. Most in nature lived ording to their instinct. The concept of good and evil wasn¡¯t something that could be applied to them. For example, carnivores weren¡¯t evil for eating herbivores.


    However, free will was innate. It was a given right that allowed one to defy fate. It didn¡¯t matter what species one was born to.


    This was Reygus¡¯ belief.


    During the Dragon Demon war, he had served Atein as his king. Reygus had observed the tragedies and turbulence caused by humanity. He had reasonably assumed that this was a byproduct of human nature.


    Atein had wanted to break this hellish death spiral caused by humans. He wanted to create a utopia. Reygus willingly gave his life to the cause. He thought it was something worth attempting.


    <Atein might be right. At some level, I sympathize with the despair he feels. I have lived a really simple life, and you get to see a lot of people. At some point, everyone starts to look like they are in the wrong to me.>


    One had to believe in the concept of evil rather than good if one wanted people to be respectful towards each other. Atein thought a system where everyone feared an outsider would make people respect each other. He thought it would make the humans act more virtuous and moral.


    Atein¡¯s answer for the world had a foundation based on this concept.


    <I don¡¯t think the ideal world should be like a farm where the god feeds you for eternity. There are times when one needs to traverse a path even if it leads to bloodshed and resentment. If we take away the freedom tomit evil, will good really grow in its absence?>


    ¡°.......¡±


    Saibein was at a loss for words for a brief moment. He just stared at Reygus. He was impressed by the content of Reygus¡¯ words, but it wasn¡¯t the sole reason for his reaction.


    ¡°...somehow, you don¡¯t sound like yourself, sir Reygus.¡±


    <Koohk! You probably thought I was an empty headed brute. Are you surprised by the fact that I¡¯m able to speak coherent and logical thoughts?>


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t mean it like that.....¡±


    <Of course, you did. I know I don¡¯t sound like myself. In truth, this is a conversation I had with Atein a long time ago.>


    ¡°You spoke about it with my father?¡±


    <Yes. He always liked to speak about boring specious arguments. I could write several dozen books about it. It is time for me to make him eat crow.>


    Reygus asked a question as he stroked his Soul Hammer.


    <What are you going to do, Saibein?>


    ¡°I made apact with Albatan-nim. I cannot interfere. It doesn¡¯t matter what happens in the outside world.¡±


    <Even if your daughter decides to fight Atein?>


    ¡°.......¡±


    Saibein¡¯s expression crumpled. He looked tormented.


    The fact that he was able to reunite with his daughter was a miracle in itself. His heart ached when he found out about the life his daughter had led. He felt guilty for abandoning his daughter, but....


    He was just happy that she was alive, and he was able to reunite with her.


    Niberis didn¡¯t me him. However,plex emotions had developed between the two. It was creating difficulties between the father and daughter. A good amount of time had passed after she arrived here. However, there was an awkwardness between the two of them every time they crossed path.


    Reygus scratched at his cheek.


    <It seems I asked a churlish question.>


    ¡°No. It is a problem that I have to own up to.¡±


    Saibien let out a sigh as he looked up at the sky. However, the feeling of gloominess didn¡¯t abate at all.


    5


    Kayalia didn¡¯t hide anything when she told her story.


    She talked about how she died during the Dragon Demon war. She talked about what kind of existence she was right now....


    Her true nature was very surprising. Her true self was ced within the Great Darkness, and she was able to project herself to any point in the world.


    -There are a lot of restrictions. This became especially true once I decided to go against Atein....


    The Great Darkness was too big of a system for one being to monopolize.


    Of course, Atein possessed the highest administrator privilege even if he couldn¡¯t do as he wished with the entirety of the Great Darkness.


    For example, Atein could only watch as Reygus defected from his side. Atein had given Reygus the Soul hammer, the ability to transform and other powers. He couldn¡¯t take those gifts back from Reygus.


    It was the same for Kayalia. If Atein wanted to eliminate the two of them, he would have to physically fight them.


    -However, he could restrict my actions to a certain degree. Reygus oppa was given his body, so he was unaffected. However, I¡¯m still within the Great Darkness, and I have to project myself into the world. That is why I¡¯ve run into various problems.


    Until Kayalia decided to oppose Atein, she was able to use the magical energy of the Great Darkness. There had been no restriction. Currently, there was a constraint on how much magical energy could be used by Kaylia.


    -Also, I was restricted from viewing the information that were being sent into the Great Darkness. The only information I¡¯m privy to is the one I gather by projecting my image. That is why my movement has been restricted too.


    She could immediately project herself to any ce on this continent, so spatial restriction had been meaningless to her. She had almost limitless power to do anything she wanted. The where and when hadn¡¯t mattered. She had been an absolute being.


    This was true until Atein revoked her ess to those powers.


    Currently, Kayalia needed reference points to project herself. It was akin to humans having to swivel their head to see where they were. Moreover, she had to gather all her magical energy in order to project her image. If she were to be attacked, her image would be destroyed.


    ¡°However.......¡±


    After hearing her out, Azell queried her.


    ¡°Why are you revealing your weak point to us?¡±


    -I think it is necessary.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll ept you, because you told us about your weak point? Everything you told me might be a lie. Even if you did tell me the truth, it isn¡¯t grounds for me to ept you.¡±


    -I guess that¡¯s true.


    ¡°.......¡±


    When Kayalia just epted his words, it somehow drained the energy out of Azell. He had put in great efforts for his arguments, yet she just epted everything he said. What was she trying to pull?


    Kayalia spoke.


    -Then I have only one card left. If this doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll go back to Reygus oppa.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    -Azell oppa.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell¡¯s expression turned cold. Did she think he¡¯ll gloss over everything, because she called him oppa? It was a ridiculous notion.


    -You told me not to call you by ahjussi.


    ¡°When did I say that?¡±


    -People treated me with contempt for being cursed, but I was told that I had a unique constitution that would allow me to be a good magician. I was told not to care about the opinions of other people, and that I should live.


    ¡°What......?¡±


    Kayalia ignored Azell¡¯s reply. His expression was full of surprise.


    He had spoken those words to someone before. He had met countless people over the years. He had saved some, and he had watched others die. However, there was one memory that had left a deep impression in him.


    -Even if it wasn¡¯t me, I¡¯m sure there were others willing to wipe your face when it became dirty, right? Azell oppa has always been popr.


    ¡°...are you ying with me?¡±


    He had been looking at her with a stupefied expression on his face. In a sh, Azell revealed his anger. It felt as if she had dirtied a precious memory of his. How did she know about that incident? How can she speak as if it was a firsthand experience?


    Kayalia had a sad smile on her face as she spoke.


    -It happened a very long time ago. There was a tribe of Dragon Demon that had been revered as gods by the humans.


    6


    It was a story of a magician that wanted to exist forever.


    She hadn¡¯t been satisfied with her long life. She had been afraid of her lifeing to an end. It was a story about her trying to transcend life and death.


    At the same time, it was a story about a girl.


    It was about a girl that believed in hope when she was saved by one person. However, she had died in the end as she felt despair towards humanity.


    Kayalia spoke about the story she had told Reygus. She told Azell about her life. In the distant past, she had created a reincarnation technique. She also told him about how a first generation Dragon Demon became the Dragon Demon King¡¯s third wife. She told him about the very long process in between.


    She told him about thest link leading up to everything...


    ¡°Then.......¡±


    Azell asked his question as if he was in disbelief.


    ¡°...you were that child?¡±


    Kayalia nodded her head.


    -A knight named Azell saved me, and that is why I was able to live on.


    She was the girl that had been save by Azell. She was able to enter into an institution that trained magicians for the human alliance. It was done through Azell¡¯s backing.


    In that ce, she was no longer persecuted. She was no longer called the cursed child. It was as Azell had said. Everything had urred, because she had the potential to be a magician.


    She had worked hard. She was an orphan, so there was no one she could lean on. Each day was arduous, yet she worked to be an excellent magician.


    ¡®I want to help him someday.¡¯


    If it was Azell, he would be able to survive the brutal battlefields. It was a baseless belief, yet she had armored herself with it. She wanted to be a respectable magician. It would allow her to help Azell. It was a simple dream.


    However, her dream was broken into pieces by her cruel fate.


    When surrounded by the Dragon Demon King¡¯s army, the despairing humans had turned on each other. They showed their ugly nature, and the girl had been pushed towards her death.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell was at a loss for words. The girl he had saved suffered such a horrible death?


    Azell became aghast, but Kayalia spoke to him.


    -Don¡¯t be sad.


    ¡°How? Why....¡±


    -My story was all toomon during that era. The world was overflowing with tragedies, and mine was just one of many.


    It was an era overflowing with tragedy. At times, humans were pushed into an extreme situation, and their mettle was tested. Most of these tests ended in tragedies. This was the norm.


    -The fact that I suffered such a death, and the fact that I became the enemy of humanity as the third queen of the Dragon Demon King.... It isn¡¯t your fault.


    Azell swayed in ce.


    He felt faint. After awaking in this era, this was the first time he felt such a powerful wave of doubt.


    He knew it. It was as she said. It wasn¡¯t his fault.


    Azell wasn¡¯t a god. The only thing he could do was give hope to a despairing girl.


    Her life had ended with a tragedy, but that was the territory of fate. It couldn¡¯t be helped.


    Despite knowing this, he felt part of his heart break. He had treasured this memory, and it felt as if his belief towards the world was trampled. The proof was standing in front of him.


    -At such times as this, I really hate that I am dead.


    Kayalia extended her hand towards Azell¡¯s face. However, he couldn¡¯t feel her touch. Her hand would pass through him even if she tried.


    -At the very least, I wanted to hug you.


    ¡°Kayalia, you....¡±


    -I know nothing has changed.


    Kayalia let out a shyughter. Then she spoke with a bright voice.


    -It doesn¡¯t matter what past we shared. I was the third queen to the Dragon Demon King. I killed countless people with my hands. I am Kayalia of the Dragon Demon King¡¯s army, who fought against you.


    ¡°.......¡±


    -I¡¯m not asking for forgiveness, and I won¡¯t say I¡¯ll atone for my actions. I won¡¯t purposefully say something that I do not believe in to make myself feel better. I won¡¯t do something so revolting.


    At the end of her life, she felt doubt. However, she didn¡¯t feel doubt, because she felt the ideals of the Dragon Demon King¡¯s army was wrong.


    She had be tired of the continuous war and ughter. Above all else, she hated the fact that she had to fight Azell, who had saved her before. At the time, she had been tormented. She couldn¡¯t stand that they had to try to hurt and kill each other.


    -You can hate me. You can denounce and insult me. I don¡¯t mind.


    Kayalia spoke the exact opposite of what she was feeling. She spoke as if it didn¡¯t bother her, but the girl from the distant past was part of her. The girl, who was saved by Azell, was crying within her.


    ¡®Please don¡¯t hate me. I don¡¯t want to be hated by you. I can no longer stand being hated by you.¡¯


    - I just wanted to talk to you about the situation we find ourselves in.


    She had a lot she wanted to talk with him. She wanted to talk about her life after she parted ways with Azell. They could stay up all night, and it wouldn¡¯t be enough.


    -I oppose what Atein is trying to achieve in this era. Please believe me when I say I want to fight on your side.


    She had a dream. She had a dream of walking by his side.


    If she worked hard, would she be able to change her fate? What would have happened if she had been able to be a respectable mage? Would that have prevented her from dying by his hands?


    She knew it was fruitless to have these idle thoughts.


    Despite her knowing this, she kept imagining it. What if that incident never happened? Would it have prevented her from developing hatred for humans?


    She was constantly having these thought. She couldn¡¯t stand humans, but at times, she wondered if she could see aspects of herself with the humans. Whenever she had this thought, his face came into mind.


    She really hated them, but in the end, she couldn¡¯t hate them. She couldn¡¯t stand this contradiction.


    -Will you ept me?


    Kayalia buried her true feeling as she asked the question. Azell looked tormented. He answered her with a hoarse voice.


    ¡°I.......¡±

 Chapter 227 - Father & Daughters Choice (1)

    Chapter 227 - Father & Daughter¡¯s Choice (1)


    1


    Niberis was deep within her thoughts as she walked through the field of flowers.


    After arriving at the Albatan forest, she continued to enjoy an unbelievably peaceful life. She was having a hard time remembering thest time she had lived such a life.


    It brought stability to Niberis¡¯ heart. It would be a lie to say that she didn¡¯t hold any resentment towards her father. However, she had learned about his story. She heard about the process in which he had been pushed towards despair. Even when he was in such a state, he had tried his best for his daughter. She was happy that she was able to reunite with him.


    However, her heart turned gloomy when she thought about the future. She had escaped from the in of Darkness on an impulse. Now her actions had to be made ording to her will from here on out.


    ¡°Niberis.¡±


    Suddenly, Kieren called out to her.


    His attitude had remained the same as before. He was the heir to Baldazark. He acted bold and confident in front of others. He only turned into a shy young man in front of her.


    He had put aside everything, and he had put his life on the line for her. He should be a bit more bold with her. They were finally able to shed the yoke that had been ced around their necks.... However, he was unable to be brave when it came to her. He made no moves towards her.


    ¡°Sir Reygus said everything has been resolved.¡±


    Niberis had continued to reside in the Albatan forest, but it hadn¡¯t been solely for Saibein. She was waiting for the result of one event. It would allow her to make her decision in regards to her future actions.


    ¡°Kayalia-nim was epted by Azell Karzark.¡±


    ¡°I see. He is an amazing man.¡±


    Niberis didn¡¯t know about the true story between Azell and Kayalia. This was why Niberis thought Azell had epted Kayalia, who had been his enemy in the Dragon Demon war. Azell¡¯s bold action made a deep impression on her.


    ¡°Then we.......¡±


    Niberis was about to talk about what they should do from here on out. However, she caught sight of Kieren. He looked tentative. It was as if he wanted to say more, but he was having a hard time formting his words.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. That is....¡±


    ¡°If it is a problem that is too difficult to tell me, I¡¯ll go check it out for myself.¡±


    ¡°I understand, Niberis.¡±


    Kieren let out a sigh. Niberis¡¯ eyes widened when he unloaded the information he had been holding back.


    ¡°Laura is here.¡±


    2


    Saibein spoke.


    ¡°It is nice to meet you again, Ms. Laura.¡±


    ¡°I want to congratte you on reuniting with your daughter.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Saibein looked a bit surprised at Laura¡¯s words. A slight questioning look appeared on her impassive face. Saibein let out an awkward smile as he tried to exin himself.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since I saw youst, but it seems you¡¯ve changed a lot. I never expected to hear such words from you.¡±


    It had been 4 months since Azell¡¯s party had left the Albatan Forest. At the time, Laura hadn¡¯t cared about observingmon courtesy like she did right now. She was still like a doll that had no expression, and she didn¡¯t reveal much emotion. However, for some reason it felt as if she had changed.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    It seemed Laura liked his assessment, so she put on a small smile.


    She had changed after meeting Azell. She was still changing right now, and she hoped she would continue to change in the future. She was happy that her change had been confirmed by someone else.


    ¡°When I saw your Dragon Demon weapon, it made me curious as to what has happened since we parted ways.¡±


    Laura had arrived with Arrieta. She had travelled the long distance using the Crying Phoenix.


    Saibein recognized the Crying Phoenix at a nce, so he became surprised that someone other than Azell was using it. Even if she was hisrade, it wasn¡¯t something he would easily give up. Something must have happened.


    Laura lowered her head slightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Saibein epted her answer.


    Albatan forest had revealed their neutrality in the fight. Since they weren¡¯t clear allies, Laura couldn¡¯t give them any information. Saibein understood this.


    ¡°I feel a familiar energy.¡±


    Suddenly, Arrieta mumbled to herself. Laura spoke.


    ¡°It is Niberis.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    From Arrieta¡¯s perspective, Niberis had made her suffer an unforgettable humiliation. This was why she was able to recognize Niberis, who was approaching them from a distance.


    Soon, Niberis and Kieren revealed themselves. Kieren awkwardly raised his hand, and he gave his greeting towards Laura.


    ¡°Laura.¡±


    Niberis¡¯ eyes narrowed. She was trying to press down on the hostility and annoyance she felt towards Laura. It was something that naturally arose within her.


    Niberis was no longer part of the in of Darkness, so there was no reason why she should feel hostile towards Laura. Moreover, hadn¡¯t she incurred a debt to Azell¡¯s party in the process of running away from the in of Darkness? Still, her ill feeling towards Laura had been built over the years, and those feeling were hard to shed. She was having hard time keeping herposure.


    There was another factor that was bothering her. Arrieta was ring at her from behind Laura.


    ¡°Dragon Demon Princess.......¡±


    ¡°I never expected to meet you again like this.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Laura wasn¡¯t showing any emotions. On the other hand, Arrieta was overtly ring at Niberis. Arrieta knew she shouldn¡¯t be hostile towards Niberis, but the sight of her reminded Arrieta of the humiliation suffered under the hands of Niberis. She couldn¡¯t help it.


    Arrieta was trying hard to calm her emotions as she had this thought.


    ¡®No matter how I think about it, she isn¡¯t a good person.¡¯


    However, she didn¡¯t have much of a choice. In their current situation, it was better for Arrieta toe here rather than Azelling here.


    The two women had been ring at each other, but the first one to back down was Arrieta.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I failed to act like an adult. Laura, I think it would be best for both parties if I fall back for now.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Arrieta was well aware of their current situation. Her pride wouldn¡¯t allow her to jeopardize their mission. Niberis mumbled to herself as she watched Arrieta fall back.


    ¡°...it makes me wonder if she really is the Dragon Demon princess I know. She has changed a lot.¡±


    When they fought in the past, Arrieta hadn¡¯t been a threat to her. She had been a weakling that Niberis could easily kill if she wanted to.


    However, that wasn¡¯t the case any more. Niberis could sense the amount of Dragon Demon magic possessed by Arrieta. Moreover, Niberis could tell that Arrieta had the skills to back up that power. Niberis could tell at an instinctual level.


    When Arrieta stepped aside, Niberis spoke.


    ¡°Our rtionship isn¡¯t good enough for us to have an amicable conversation. Just get to the point.¡±


    ¡°I want to tell you about Kayalia.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already heard about that. Did you really need toe here yourself to tell me that?¡±


    ¡°I also have to deliver something to you after I hear your intentions.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    Niberis furrowed her brows. Laura spoke in a calm manner.


    ¡°I heard from Kayalia that she was able to sever your connection to the Great Darkness.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that Kayalia knew the most about the Great Darkness after Atein. She was able topletely sever Niberis and Kieren from the Great Darkness. She did the same for Saibein. Saibein¡¯s connection to the Great Darkness had deteriorated during his stay in the Albatan forest, but he still had the link. Kayalia severed the connection for him.


    In the case of Laura, Yuren had severed her link when he liberated the Vitan¡¯s Chalice from the Great Darkness. Yuren had done this, because he had no idea how Atein would use these connections once he was fully revived. It was unknown as to what method Atein would use to read the information of beings connected to the Great Darkness.


    ¡°I know that sir Reygus has decided to go against Atein.¡±


    At her words, Niberis flinched. It wasn¡¯t the content of her words. Niberis flinched because Laura had spoke Atein¡¯s name.


    They had always referred to Atein as king before, and now Laura had called him out by name.


    It was a simple gesture, but Niberis could see the determination behind the eyes of the usually expressionless Laura.


    Laura had epted Atein as a true enemy. She had thrown away her past where she had worshipped Atein as a god. She would be able to fight Atein with every ounce of her strength.


    In truth, Niberis was very impressed by this. At the same time, she felt really annoyed.


    ¡®It seems you are always ahead of me. Even this time....¡¯


    It had always been like that. From Niberis¡¯ perspective, Laura was an annoying rival.


    Laura had more achievements as an officer, and she had been able to acquire a Dragon Demon weapon before her. Moreover.... She had abandoned her life as a member of the in of Darkness, and she had chosen to walk her own path in life.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°Niberis. Kieren. Do you guys n on joining sir Reygus?¡±


    ¡°Why should I tell you that?¡±


    ¡°I have to make a judgement call based on your answer. I have to choose whether I want to tell you something important or not.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, but I don¡¯t need it. Above all else, will you be able to believe my answer?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll believe it.¡±


    Niberis¡¯ eyes widened at Laura¡¯s answer.


    ¡°Niberis, you aren¡¯t the type of person that¡¯ll lie about your own position.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Niberis was momentarily speechless. She spoke.


    ¡°...I n on joining the fight.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll do this despite knowing Atein¡¯s goal?¡±


    ¡°I know it. All of our beliefs were ugly distortion of the truth. It was made up by the old ones that wanted power, and I know they are the ones that deserve my enmity.¡±


    ¡°Yet you¡¯ll fight him?¡±


    ¡°He... He is my grandfather. I used to feel proud about being his direct descendant. That is no longer the case.¡±


    Niberis spoke with a cold expression on her face.


    ¡°He loves the world, but I don¡¯t think he loves anyone within it.¡±


    When she found out the entire truth, Niberis had realized that all her beliefs were an illusion. She had floundered in the shock when she had learned the truth. However, she was able to somewhat recover from the shock when she met Saibein. Afterwards, anger surged up from within her.


    Did she harbor resentment towards those that made the in of Darkness?


    Of course. Niberis felt a deep anger and hatred towards them. She¡¯ll dly slit their throats when she came across them next. She would exact a price for their sins.


    However, she despised Atein more. Atein had denied responsibility for the madness that had arose within the in of Darkness, and he was still preaching his ideals.


    ¡°He experimented on those that were still alive from the war. His purpose was to see if his followers could ovee their base nature. I cannot forgive him for that.¡±


    Niberis had learned the truth from Kayalia. She learned about the truth of Atein.


    He gathered the Dragon Demon King¡¯s army under the g of his ideals, yet he foresaw his n failing. That was why he decided to revive himself in the distant future. He didn¡¯t take any responsibility for the results he had created through his actions. Hepletely ignored it.


    His followers had believed in him. The defeat had been devastating, and it had left behind deep wounds within his followers. However, Atein didn¡¯t even think about how the deep psychological wounds caused by him would change his followers. He went straight to the next experiment where he tried to ascertain the nature of his followers.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that sound like something a god would do? He denies being a god, yet he acts like one.¡±


    In the old tales, the ancient gods required endless sacrifice from their followers. It was required that people prove their sincerity towards the gods by sacrificing their lives towards the gods. Even if it led to a bankrupt life, one had to prove one¡¯s faith. Instead of giving a helping hand to those that walked the arduous path of following the will of the gods, the gods continued to give arduous trials that required them to prove their faith. They made unreasonable demands.


    How was Atein¡¯s action any different from those gods?


    He had supernatural powers that allowed him to ovee death. Instead of soothing the wounds of his followers, he imposed an arduous trial on those that were hurt and despairing. When those people failed to ovee his trial, he hadbeled them as being evil.


    ¡°...he has a double standard when ites to himself. He is truly selfish. He¡¯s afraid of the possibility of corruption within himself, yet he immediately reincarnated himself. He shoved the whole world into the brazier of war, and he was the very reason why countless people had lost their lives. He didn¡¯t deserve to make such a choice.¡±

 Chapter 228 - Father & Daughters Choice (2)

    Chapter 228 - Father & Daughter¡¯s Choice (2)


    ¡°...he has a double standard when ites to himself. He is truly selfish. He¡¯s afraid of the possibility of corruption within himself, yet he immediately reincarnated himself. He shoved the whole world into the brazier of war, and he was the very reason why countless people had lost their lives. He didn¡¯t deserve to make such a choice.¡±


    Niberis had been born in the in of Darkness, and she had been shackled by the madness of the Dragon Demon king worshippers . The in of Darkness had been a ground experiment for Atein. This was why she couldn¡¯t forgive Atein.


    She epted it now. The world had pointed their fingers towards the in of Darkness for being evil. It was well deserved.


    However, Atein was the only one that didn¡¯t have the right to condemn the in of Darkness.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to entrust the fate of the world to such a being. In truth, I don¡¯t know how the world will change if the freedom to act out evil is stolen from everyone. I¡¯ll have to think more deeply on the subject if I want that answer. However, I know one thing for sure.¡±


    It didn¡¯t matter what kind of world Atein wanted to make. Niberis couldn¡¯t ept it.


    ¡°I will fight him even if I lose my life to him.¡±


    Her promise was as cool and hard as an ancient boulder. Laura could feel Niberis¡¯ resolve through her words.


    ¡°...as expected, I wasn¡¯t wrong.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon. Saibein-nim?¡±


    Saibein had been nkly listening to his daughter talk. He woke up from his haze, and he turned to look at Laura. Laura spoke.


    ¡°Would you excuse us, please?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. Alright.¡±


    When Saibein excused himself, Laura spoke.


    ¡°Niberis, there is a weapon we need if we are to resist against Atein¡¯s will.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to say to me?¡±


    ¡°That is.......¡±


    Laura spoke about jer true purpose ining to the far away Albatan forest. Niberis¡¯ face was filled with shock.


    3


    Larua and Arrieta stayed for an entire day before they left the Albatan forest.


    After they left, Saibein sought out Niberis.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already made up your mind. You are going to fight him.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    It took 20 years for the reunion between the father and daughter toe to pass. They looked at each other with a trulyplicated expression on their faces.


    Niberis¡¯ current resolve to act worried Saibein the most. If he was honest with himself, he wanted to stop her. He had finally reunited his daughter again, and he couldn¡¯t stand watching her walk back into danger.


    He hesitated before he spoke in aborious manner.


    ¡°Can you not give up on this idea? He is my father, and he is absolutely out of our league. He is an absolute being that the Dragon Demon generals didn¡¯t dare to go up against. He will no longer rely on anyone to carry out his work. He ns on making his vision into reality, and anyone that opposes him will.....¡±


    ¡°Father.¡±


    Niberis spoke in a quiet voice as she stopped Saibein from speaking.


    ¡°I loved you and mother. I still love both of you.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°If I said I understood your despair, it would be an arrogant statement. You have lived much longer than me, and you still carry many wounds you suffered during the Dragon Demon war.¡±


    Saibein had despaired for a very long time.


    He despaired at the fact that others were worshipping Atein as a god. He despaired at the fact that he couldn¡¯t stop the in of Darkness from descending into madness. Above all else, he hadn¡¯t been able to protect his wife....


    It would have beenughable if someone said they understood his feeling of pain and helplessness. He had worked desperately for couple hundred years, yet his efforts brought no results. How could he express this feeling? He had nothing left after working so hard.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be a lie if I said I don¡¯t resent you, father. As much as I missed you, I resented you an equal amount.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°However, that is no longer true. I now understand how deep and heavy your burden was. I understand your choice, and I forgive you. Despite all of this, I want to walk a different path from you.¡±


    ¡°Niberis.......¡±


    ¡°I know I can stay here. I¡¯ll be able to ignore what goes on in the world.¡±


    She could bury the anger she had towards Atein and his followers. She could live a peaceful life within this ce. She didn¡¯t know about the distant future, but at the very least, she won¡¯t have to put her life on the line in fighting a god-like magician called Atein.


    ¡°However, my heart cannot put up with it. Even if the path I take leads to death, I do not wantpromise my pride. Even if I¡¯m alive, I won¡¯t truly be alive at that point. I won¡¯t be able to face Duran, who gave up his life for me, in the afterlife.¡±


    Saibein was at a loss for words. He had abandoned his responsibilities as a parent. While he was on the run, his daughter had grown up to be an individual that possessed a brilliant soul. It would be a lie to say that he saw his wife in his daughter. Their appearance might be a bit simr, but their personality was drastically different.


    In fact, Niberis reminded him of hisrades in the Dragon Demon war.


    These were people that had willingly put their lives on the line for their principles. Saibein had fought desperately for such people. He wanted them to find true happiness, yet in the end, no one had found happiness.


    ¡°I.......¡±


    Saibein raised his hand, but he hesitated. He wanted to to grasp his daughter¡¯s shoulder, but why couldn¡¯t he carry out such a simple gesture? Why was it so hard for him?


    He wanted to stop his daughter.


    At the same time, he couldn¡¯t stop her.


    ¡°...I¡¯m a failure as a father. It is the same now as in the old times.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Niberis approached Saibein, who was hesitant. She hugged him.


    ¡°You stayed alive, and you waited for me. That is the reason why I was able to run away,and find a ce to rest. That is enough.¡±


    Saibein felt like crying, but he desperately held back his tears.


    His reddened eyes looked straight into Niberis¡¯ eyes. Her eyes were beautiful like frost gems. It was cold, yet there was a hardened resolve behind her eyes.


    ¡°I am a father with no redeemable quality, yet I want to do something for you. Please give me couple more days of your time.¡±


    ¡°Father, I.......¡±


    ¡°I will teach you everything I know about the Book of Darkness.¡±


    Saibein looked at her with earnest eyes as he spoke.


    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t n on fighting my father, you need power in this world. Even if you go through intense training for the next couple days, you won¡¯t be able to dramatically increase your power. However, I¡¯ll be able to show you how to use your tools properly.


    As he spoke, a new resolve became etched in Saibein¡¯s eyes.


    4


    Kayalia¡¯s ability to peruse the information within the Great Darkness had been taken away by Atein.


    Despite this fact, she had great insight into what Atein was nning to do.


    -Atein already started his work on copying the Guardian Shadows.


    Why was Atein not working harder to protect the Road of Emptiness?


    He needed the Dragon Demon King worshippers to sacrifice their lives. He needed time to construct the enormous magic ritual, and at the same time, he needed more of a particr resource. It was a n where he was killing two birds with one stone.


    -I¡¯m talking about those that are connected to Great Darkness. They made their contracts, because they agreed with Atein¡¯s will. When they die, their souls will be infused into the Great Darkness, and it would generate more power for the Great Darkness. In the end, their souls will be ingredients. It will allow Atein to create a system that¡¯ll enforce his will.


    It wasn¡¯t just the transcendent beings that were inside the Great Darkness. Countless souls were being incorporated into the Great Darkness. The magical energy, the thought process and memories of the Dragon Demon King worshippers were being retained by the Great Darkness as information. Even their souls became a resource that added more functionality to the Great Darkness.


    Currently, Atein needed his followers to sacrifice themselves at a higher rate.


    -In the short term, he needs those, who are contracted to the Great Darkness, to supply their souls. The Great Darkness will be more powerful than ever before. In the long term, Atein will start creating beings that are simr to the Guardian Shadows.


    These beings will be a force that¡¯ll enforce Atein¡¯s will. In order to protect the pirs of the Great Darkness, Atein had sealed powerful monsters within the Great Darkness. It was an example of what Atein could aplish with ample time. It was easy to imagine the terrifying result that would ur if Atein was allowed to work.


    Azell opened his mouth.


    ¡°That means.......¡±


    -Ah. Wait a moment.


    Kayalia interrupted him. When Azell put on a perplexed expression, she gave an exnation.


    -From now on, you shouldn¡¯t tell me any crucial information in regards to your n. Just give me orders while minimizing the information you give me. I¡¯ll just carry out your orders.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    -Atein might find out about it.


    Kayalia became restricted by Atein, but she still possessed a good amount of authority within the Great Darkness. This was why she was able to sever Niberis, Kieren and Saibein from the Great Darkness. She was also able to shield information about Reygus and herself from Atein.


    -However, I cannot guarantee that my abilities are foolproof. If Atein and I are looking at each other¡¯s information at the same time, I might not be able topletely stop him from seeing my information.


    Atein and Aincera could gather information through the Great Darkness.


    Unlike Aincera, Atein was able to be more tactful in using the Great Darkness. He could search for the specific information he needed before viewing it. If he tried to learn everything all at once, Atein knew his mind and sense of self would be damaged.


    It was dangerous to read the emotions and memories of other people. A powerful experience could unconsciously change one¡¯s personality.


    -He can¡¯t immediately take in all the information like Aincera. He must qualify what he wants to learn, and he has to go through the process of finding that information. This is why his search for information takes longer, but the information he finds is much more detailed.


    Aincera immediately epted all information into herself, so she couldn¡¯t filter out the truly important information she had to learn. Atein¡¯s way was slower, but his results were more precise.


    -This was also true in regards to Carlos.


    ¡°Why are you bringing up Carlos?¡±


    Azell sounded agitated when she mentioned Carlos. Kayalia exined herself.


    -Carlos was so talented that even Atein had been surprised by his use of the Great Darkness. However, even Carlos couldn¡¯t hide all of his information.


    Yuren had told Azell about the arrangements left behind by Carlos. Atein had used Belrun¡¯s ability to read Carlos¡¯ information in the Great Darkness.


    -However, I think Carlos intended that to happen to a certain degree. He hade up with a n. He knew he couldn¡¯t hide all of his information. In order to protect the truly important information, he revealed everything else to Atein.


    Atein and Kayalia knew that Carlos had seeded in recreating the Extreme Extinction. However, they didn¡¯t know the exact details of the technique.


    ¡°I see. Until the end, he really...¡±


    He was almost moved to tears as his words trailed off. Even after death, his friend had the talent to deeply move him.


    -If you have any questions, you can ask me. However, you shouldn¡¯t tell me anything important. You should be careful, because you might say something important without realizing it.


    ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    Azell¡¯s party epted Kayalia¡¯s advice.


    This was why Laura had traveled to the Albatan forest even though Kayalia had the ability to be anywhere in an instant.

 Chapter 229 - Father & Daughters Choice (3)

    Chapter 229 - Father & Daughter¡¯s Choice (3)


    5


    Up until that point, Azell¡¯s party couldn¡¯t understand Atein¡¯s attitude. However, they were able to decipher Atein¡¯s intention through the information given to them by Kayalia.


    Why hadn¡¯t Atein been more aggressive in defending the waypoints to the Road of Emptiness?


    He needed the death of the Dragon Demon King worshippers, who were contracted to his cause. They were connected to the Great Darkness, and their deaths were necessary in advancing his n.


    This didn¡¯t mean that the Road of Emptiness wasn¡¯t important either. However, Atein didn¡¯t n on fighting whole world like he did in the past. Atein was going to use the souls of the Dragon Demon King worshippers as a resource to create a massive magic ritual. That was much more important to him.


    ¡°We still have to destroy all the waypoints.¡±


    Kairen spoke. He knew Atein¡¯s intention, yet he decided that they should continue their n of destroying the waypoints.


    ¡°It might be best to give the appearance that we are obsessed with destroying the waypoints. It¡¯ll give us legitimate cover until we decide to attack them.¡±


    Anyways, they needed to destroy all the nearby waypoints before they could destroy a pir of Darkness. If they want to invest fully in a battle, they had to eliminate the possibility of being hit from behind.


    ¡°The only problem that remain is which pir we should destroy first.......¡±


    The Great Darkness was being propped up by 12 pirs, and they had destroyed three of them.


    Moreover, Azell¡¯s party knew the location of all the nine remaining pirs. Carlos hadn¡¯t known all the location, but the missing information had been filled in by Kayalia.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°The most vulnerable one is located within the Balran forest.¡±


    It was where they had lost Yuren, and in the end, Atein had be able to reseal the Tree god.


    However, Azell¡¯s party had been able to destroy all the defenses that had been ced around the seal of the Tree god. ording to Kayalia¡¯s information, Atein hadn¡¯t been able to restore the defense yet.


    Atein could have started restoring the defense after Kayalia¡¯s authority to view information was revoked. However, a defense of that nature couldn¡¯t be put up in a short amount of time.


    ¡°It mean they¡¯ll guard it more securely with troops.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it better to hit a different ce?¡±


    ¡°No, we have to hit that ce. They¡¯ll tolerate losing waypoints, but they can¡¯t afford to lose pirs. We¡¯ll clear the nearby waypoints as fast as possible to set up the attack. Let¡¯s keep pushing before theye up with a new countermeasure.¡±


    Kairen continued to make ns in his head. He had been frustrated up until that point, because he hadn¡¯t known what Atein was nning. He would be able bloody Atein¡¯s nose with this time around. Kairen let out an evil smile.


    6


    Count Lakadi of the Rios Kingdom.


    His nickname was the Count of the Thousand Swords. Bakard Lakadi was a Dragon Demon, and he had been working as a member of the Guardian Shadows for a very long time. He garnered respect from the royal family of the Rios Kingdom, and he was known as being one of the legendary figures of this era.


    In many ways, his career was remarkably simr to Kairen¡¯s career.


    He was a Dragon Demon, yet he was a lord of a human kingdom. He had lost his parents to the Dragon Demon King worshippers, so he had joined the Guardian Shadows to get his revenge. He hadn¡¯t learned any forgotten techniques, yet he was one of the subject of caution for the in of Darkness.


    Of course, there were differences. He had three other Dragon Demon siblings that were in the Guardian Shadows. They were named Sarah Lakadi, Eileen Lakardi and Jierens Lakardi.


    ¡°I¡¯ve talked couple times with you through correspondence, but.....¡±


    He was the oldest of his siblings, and he was a count. However, he looked to be in his mid 20s. There was a scar made by a sword on his cheek, and he had long thick brown hair.


    He was an 80 year old Dragon Demon, yet he was basically at his prime.


    ¡°This is the first time meet you face to face, marquis Azell Karzark.¡±


    He wanted a handshake. Azell spoke as he shook his hand.


    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, count Lakadi. I¡¯ve heard about your many exploits.¡±


    Azell¡¯s identity had been revealed to everyone within the Guardian Shadows. After Carlos passed away, themand of the Guardian Shadows was given to Kairen, and he had chosen to reveal the important truths to the members. The members of the Guardian Shadows had put their lives on the line to fight the Dragon Demon King worshippers. They had the right to know the truth.


    However, this didn¡¯t mean everyone believed the information.


    Azell asked in a yful manner.


    ¡°Tell me the truth. Do you really believe that I¡¯m Azell Karzark?¡±


    ¡°In truth, I¡¯m on the fence right now.¡±


    Bakard Lakadi was truthful with his answer. It might have been believable to those that had traveled with Azell. It was asking too much for strangers to believe his im. They had no frame of reference. Bakard Lakadi continued to speak.


    ¡°Your identity is hard to believe, and many stories rted to you sound imusible. I do know that Atein and the Dragon Demon generals have been revived. Yes, I think I can believe that the archmage Carlos made the Guardian Shadows after exiting from history. However, anything beyond that is pushing my limits.¡±


    Bleak and gloomy truths were overflowing in this world. The news that the hero Azell Karzark had revived in this era was like a ray of hope.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound believable, but I want to believe. At the very least, I will treat you with respect as the marquis of Karzaark.¡±


    ¡°You are honest.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve given me techniques. This is just good manners for what you did for us. I don¡¯t¡¯ care what your identity is. I¡¯ll never forget your good will.¡±


    Azell had conversed with Bakard Lakadi, because he had wanted to give Bakard the forgotten techniques.


    It was way less effective than teaching it to him. Azell and Laura taught them how to deal with the hidden techniques, and it had increased the abilities of the members of the Guardian Shadows.


    The Lakadi siblings were ones that showed exceptional growth amongst the members. Their team was made out of two warriors and two magicians. Even high ranked officers of the in of Darkness couldn¡¯t defeat them easily. They were quite a fearsome party.


    Sarah Lakadi, who was the third sibilling, asked a question after she listened to their conversation.


    ¡°Why are you insisting on fighting with us? Moreover, you insisted oning alone.¡±


    She looked to be around the same age as Bakard. She was an haughty looking beauty.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be hard to find a group like us. We don¡¯t need your help.¡±


    The members of the Guardian Shadows knew that Azell¡¯s party was achieving incredible results. They were constantly being kept up to date with information about Azell party¡¯s progress.


    However, the Lakadi siblings didn¡¯t really need much help in carrying out their tasks.


    Of course, the information regarding the target, and the support from the ghost-like figures of the Guardian Shadows were valuable. However, once the battle started, the four Lakadi siblings did most of the heavy lifting, and they achieved great sess in battle.


    So why did Azell go out of his way to help them?


    If the entirety of Azell¡¯s party hade, the siblings might have been excited at the prospect. Maybe, Azell¡¯s party might have been nning on luring out a Dragon Demon general. However, Azell hade by himself.


    From the perspective of the Lakadi siblings, they were a bit offended. It felt as if they were being told that they were unreliable.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t take this the wrong way. I¡¯m not here, because we thought you would have trouble in this battle.¡±


    ¡°Then why?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to witness your skills with my own eyes.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Does that mean you came here to verify our skills?¡±


    Bakard asked him a question. Azell nodded his head.


    ¡°It is as you¡¯ve said.¡±


    ¡°What is your reasoning for doing this?¡±


    ¡°We are fighting all over the continent. However, at some point, there wille a time when we¡¯ll have to concentrate our power in one ce. I¡¯m choosing members that¡¯ll participate in that battle.¡±


    ¡°Interesting. It has been awhile since we¡¯ve been evaluated by someone else. However, you do realize that we¡¯ll be doing the same to you?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    It seemed Bakard wasn¡¯t offended after hearing Azell¡¯s goal ining here. However, his attitude would change drastically if Azell didn¡¯t show his ability andpetence in this battle.


    Azell didn¡¯t n on hiding his skills.


    ¡®I wonder if Laura is doing well.¡¯


    Laura and Arrieta were traveling towards the Albatan forest. If he counted the time they would spend there, it would take them around two days to get back.


    The party wanted to use that time efficiency, so they decided to check up on the skilled members of the Guardian Shadows with their own two eyes.


    Azell hade by himself to check up on the Lakadi siblings. Their party was very well bnced. Kairen, Leticia and Kayalia went to check on the other candidates.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s....¡±


    Azell usually didn¡¯t wear a helmet, but he wore one thatpletely covered his head. He also didn¡¯t wear his normal White Dragon armor, and the long sword on his hip wasn¡¯t the Dragon sword.


    He was trying to hide his identity from the Dragon Demon King worshippers. He wanted to evaluate the abilities of this party. This was why he would be put in a bind if Almarick suddenly made an appearance. The fight with Almarick had to go ording to Kairen¡¯s n. The perfect stage would be prepared at ater date.


    ¡°Shall we start?¡±


    Since Laura wasn¡¯t here, he couldn¡¯t use his Extreme Extinction to destroy the waypoint at the beginning of the fight.


    Azell let the siblings dictate the battle as he ran into the battlefield.


    7


    When attacking a waypoint, one had to go out on an all out attack. As more time passed, there was the danger of the enemies sending reinforcements.


    If the reinforcement was led by a Dragon Demon general, the fight would end as a failure. At that point, they would have to extract themselves from the battle.


    Their goal was to end the fight before the third support force could arrive.


    When the battle started, a single Guardian Shadow usually kept an eye on the waypoint as a lookout. If enemy support troops appeared from the waypoint, they had to immediately make a decision.


    Despite using these precautions, many members of the Guardian Shadows had died.


    Fortunately, their losses had decreased in recent days. It was, because the in of Darkness weren¡¯t sending any high ranked officers with their reinforcement.


    ¡°We¡¯ll break through them in one fell swoop. Please don¡¯t fall behind.¡±


    Two of Lakadi sibling were high ranked Dragon Arts practitioners, and the other two were high ranked magicians. Each sibling possessed great ability, and they¡¯ve been working together for a very long time. This was why the power of their teamy was truly powerful.


    The first to jump in was Bakard.


    He knew it would be hard to evade detection from their enemies using the Concealment technique. This was why he immediately used the Instantaneous movement to appear within the midst of his enemies.


    After being attacked numerous times, the Dragon Demon King worshippers became much more adept at searching out their enemies. Moreover, they were much more prepared for a fight now. A distance of 100 meters had to be traversed if Bakard and his siblings wanted to ambush the Dragon Demon King worshippers. It just wasn¡¯t a feasible to pull off the attack before they were noticed.


    The Dragon Majin warrior on patrol easily blocked Bakard¡¯s ambush attack. The patrol had three members. Another Dragon Majin attacked Bakard, and the magician activated a spell as he looked at his surrounding.


    Kah-ahng!


    Bakard blocked the frontal attack with the shield in his left hand.


    Pah-jee-jee-jeek!


    Afterwards, Sarah Lakadi shed with the enemy magician with her magic. Sparks formed in the air. However, she wasn¡¯t the only magician in her party. Jierens Lakadi was the youngest sibling, and he sent out a spell towards the enemy magician and warriors.


    Puh-ung!


    A mental wave bomb detonated, and it messed with his enemy¡¯s senses.


    Bakard had already expected this attack, so he was unaffected. The two enemy warriors faltered, and Bakard took advantage of this opportunity.


    Kwah-jeek!


    Bakard was locked swords with a warrior. He kicked the midsection of the warrior.


    Shweek!


    He used the rebound to change his stance, and Bakard¡¯s sword took off the head of the other warrior.


    The female warrior Eileen Lakadi moved a beatter as she chased after the warrior that had been sent flying by Bakadi¡¯s kick. She brought down her steel mace as she ended his life. Afterwards, Sarah and Jierens worked in tandem to kill the magician.


    ¡®They are amazing.¡¯

 Chapter 230 - Father & Daughters Choice (4)

    Chapter 230 - Father & Daughter¡¯s Choice (4)


    ¡®Amazing.¡¯


    Azell was impressed.


    Each one of them were powerful, but they fit so well together. They were like individual des to a rotating buzz saw. It took them around 10 seconds to dispatch the three enemies. Their enemies hadn¡¯t had the chance to get off a signal re.


    ¡°We¡¯ll head in immediately.¡±


    Moreover, their ability to assess a situation was outstanding.


    Even if the signal re hadn¡¯t been lit, their enemies would have found out about the attack in short order. This was why they had to charge in before they could get organized for defense. They continued to rush through the forest at full force. They killed the second patrol in a sh. However, when they met the third patrol, their enemies had gotten wind of what was going on. Their entire force descended on the siblings.


    -Puh-ung!


    When he saw this, Jierens Lakadi didn¡¯t hesitate as he detonated a signal re.


    ¡¸It¡¯s the signal.......¡¹


    ¡¸It is time to fight.......¡¹


    The hundred Guardian Shadows, who were on standby, were mobilized.


    In a fight against numerous enemies, the siblings didn¡¯t hesitate to borrow the power of the Guardian Shadows. They used their overwhelming power to push straight towards the waypoint of the Road of Emptiness. They pushed until they destroyed the waypoint. This was the basic strategy used by the four Lakardi siblings.


    Kwah-jeek!


    A warrior got in the path of the running Bakard. The enemy warrior was sent flying by Bakard¡¯s shield strike.


    Kwahng!


    The warrior that was nking Bakard was struck down by the steel mace of Eileen.


    Puh-uhng! Puh-puh-puh-puhng!


    Sarah and Jierens monitored their surrounding as they tirelessly poured out spells.


    Azell followed behind them, and he barely had to do anything. It was a testament to how well bnced the attack and defense of the siblings were. It was wless.


    However, the Dragon Demon King worshippers didn¡¯t go down easily.


    Ggwah-gwa-gwahng!


    A powerful thunderbolt detonated, and it slowed down Bakard.


    The information regarding the Lakadi siblings were known to the Dragon Demon King worshippers. This was why three magiciansbined their powers to created a powerful lightning bolt. Even the Lakadi siblings had toe to a halt when faced with such an attack.


    ¡°Koohk!¡±


    The Lakadi siblings came to a halt, while pushing through arge number of enemies. It immediately led them to being surrounded by their enemies.


    Of course, the four Lakadi siblings nned for such an eventuality. They immediately changed their formation. The five party members stood back to back, so they could face five directions.


    Afterwards, they started attacking their enemies! They were like a spinning saw!


    While the two magicians tried to break through the enemies closing around them, Bakard changed his weapon. He used his Dragon Arts to float his longsword and shield into the air. He unsheathed the greatsword on his back. He grasped it with his two hands as he concentrated his power into it.


    ¡°Roar! Oh, Earth Dragon!¡±


    After he let out the cantrip, Lakardi brought down the greatsword. When he did so, his swordstrike created a shockwave as it split open the ground. It was the same phenomena that urred when Reygus brought down his Soul Hammer. It was just smaller in scale.


    Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwah!


    As several dozen meter of earth was overturned, enemies were sent flying.. Bakard used the same attack three consecutive times as he separated his enemies from each other. Then he once again took up his longsword and shield.


    This was why he was called the Hundred Sword Count. His martial arts allowed him to use multitude of weapons. He changed his fighting style based on the situation. At times, he went strong. On other times, he was steadfast. He was constantly changing.


    ¡®At this rate, I might be a distraction.¡¯


    Azell wasn¡¯t standing by and doing nothing. He followed the Lakardi siblings, and he killed the enemiesing up from the rear. After being surrounded by their enemies, he had in three foes.


    However, he continued to observe the four siblings working as a whole. He wondered if it would be better if he fought further away from them.


    ¡®Since we have Kayalia, we aren¡¯t short of a magician, but... It makes me want to recruit them.¡¯


    Of course, each of them were excellent. However, their ability to work as a whole amplified their abilities. It impressed Azell.


    ¡°They areing again!¡±


    Bakard yelled out.


    While his party was taking care of the warriors rushing towards them, the three enemy magicians were starting to create another thunderbolt. Bakard concentrated his power in his shield, and he got ready to defend.


    At that moment, Azell slipped away from his position, and he got in front of Bakard. Bakard was taken aback, and he was about to object. Azell spoke before Bakard could speak.


    ¡°You can leave the defense to me. Get ready to attack.¡±


    Afterwards, the thunderbolt detonated.


    Ggaw-roo-roong!


    Bakard¡¯s eyes widened.


    It was a stronger thunderbolt than before, yet the barrier created by thebined might of the four siblings felt no impact.


    ¡®That¡¯s......!¡¯


    The sword in Azell¡¯s hand swallowed up the lightning bolt. The de burned with a blue white light.


    ¡®Horn of the Thunder Dragon!¡¯


    Afterwards, Azell brought his sword down. The thunderbolt emitted from the sword was several times stronger than the thunderbolt sent by the magicians. It went through his enemies.


    Ggwah-gwa-gwa-gwa......!


    The enemies didn¡¯t even get to scream before they were swallowed up by the thunderbolt. An open space of 30 meters was cleared in front of Azell.


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty good.¡±


    Their enemies were concentrated in one location, and they had used their defensive skills. This was why the effectiveness of the Horn of the Thunder Dragon was reduced. Only 10 warriors were killed instantly.


    Azell had been a shadow up until now, but he had stepped forward. The reason was quite simple.


    ¡°Let¡¯s end this before the second reinforcementes.¡±


    The Guardian Shadows had informed him about the first reinforcement that had been dispatched. From this point on, the waypoint would stop working for 10 minutes.


    ¡°Mmmm¡±


    Bakard was taken aback, but he didn¡¯t forget their mission. His countless experience in battle allowed him to ovee any childish emotions he felt, and he was able to make the optimal choice.


    ¡°Rage! Oh, Light Dragon!¡±


    When he swung his sword, a beam of light cut through his surrounding. It was a weaker attack than the greatsword, which had overturned the earth. However, he was able to attack his enemies repeatedly, and he was able to knock them back. When their enemies were knocked back, the four siblings worked as one to ughter their enemies.


    While they showed off their phenomenal power to break through enemy troops, Azell released his Dragon Demon magic.


    -Come Dragon Maken!


    He had already seen enough of Lakadi siblings. Since their enemies had sent in their first wave of reinforcement, he no longer had to hide his identity.


    He immediately split open the heavens as a brilliant light appeared in front of him.


    -Sky Splitter!


    Azell held the sword that was bleeding out blue light. He moved away from the Lakadi siblings. At the same time, he jumped through space to appear within the midst of his enemies. The light from his sword looked like fire and thunder at the same time. It cut through them.


    ¡°Koo-ahhhhhk!¡±


    ¡°Great sinner Azell Karzark......!¡±


    The screams of the Dragon Demon King worshippers rang out.


    His clones had presence, and they could appear anywhere he wanted the clones to appear. He just needed to choose a spot, and they would engage the enemies. Moreover, the Sky Splitter had transformed into light. The Dragon Demon king worshippers couldn¡¯t even react before the sword cut through them. On top of it all, the Guardian Shadows were participating in the battle too. It was a ughter.


    Azell and the four Lakadi siblings were able to easily enter the waypoint.


    ¡°My god.......¡±


    Sarah Lakadi couldn¡¯t hide her surprise. It wasn¡¯t just her. All four siblings expressed the same emotion.


    Of course, they were capable of ughtering and breaking through their enemies. However, when Azell revealed his power, everything became so easy. It was so easy that it was messing with their battle sense.


    When they received the information regarding the arrival of the first reinforcement, they were only at the halfway to the waypoint. However, they were able to reach the waypoint in 30 seconds after Azell revealed his power.


    ¡®Is he really the hero Azell Karzark?¡¯


    When they experienced Azell¡¯s overwhelming power, they wanted to believe that Azell was the legendary hero Azell Karzark. They were starting to lean towards the idea that it might be a difficult truth to believe, but in the end, it was the truth.


    ¡°Koohk! Azell Karzark! You are using such a cheap tactic!¡±


    They had pushed through their enemies so fast that the newly arrived reinforcement troops hadn¡¯t had the chance to go out.


    The tunnel was filled with all kinds of trap, but they were ineffective. Azell used his cloning technique and his Dragon Demon weapon to destroy all the traps.


    Azell grinned within his helmet as he spoke.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time I¡¯ve done this, so why are you so upset?¡±


    Azell confirmed his suspicion when he saw the Dragon Demon King worshippers barring his path. The in of Darkness hadn¡¯t sent the reinforcement. Troops from another waypoint hade when they received a signal for help..


    ¡®The forces stationed outside are being used like consumables. They have to die quickly for the ritual.¡¯


    Azell felt disgusted by Atein¡¯s n. He took a step backwards. His enemies flinched at his action. Why did Azell suddenly move backwards after he appeared in front of them?


    They found out why when the four Lakadi siblings shot forward from behind Azell.


    ¡°Roar! Oh, brave Fire Dragon!¡±


    Bakard was in the lead as he put all his strength into swinging his greatsword. A dense me erupted from his sword, and it detonated between his enemies. Extreme heat filled the building.


    Hwahhhhhk!


    Sarah, Eileen and Jierens followed up with an equally powerful attack. There was no room to dodge their attacks. It was a cmity that erupted in a localized space. The Dragon Demon King worshippers were ughtered easily.


    At the moment of their deaths, their thoughts were full of disbelief.


    ¡®How can this be......!¡¯


    They didn¡¯t die from carelessness. When they found out their opponent was Azell, they had epted their deaths. It was inevitable. However, they nned on wounding him.


    On the other hand, they werepletely taken unawares by the four siblings.


    It wasn¡¯t as if they hadn¡¯t sensed the Lakadi siblings focus their massive magical energy. However, unbelievably powerful attacks had been used against them. It shouldn¡¯t have been possible.


    ¡°Unbelievable.......¡±


    Bakard was amazed as he mumbled to himself.


    The previous attacks were their killing technique. These destructive techniques were used when they wanted to kill everyone without destroying a building. In order to use these techniques, they had to go through a preparation process.


    However, they were able to ambush their enemies with their techniques. It was all thanks to the Dragon Demon weapon that was summoned by Azell.


    -Dismiss Dragon Demon weapon. Brand of Paradise.


    Azell dismissed the Brand of Paradise, which he had been hiding behind his back.


    When he entered the waypoint, he had summoned the Brand of Paradise. He elerated the localized time around the four Lakadi siblings, so they were able to prepare their skills. Azell was already quite adept at using the Brand of Paradise now.


    ¡®Mmm?¡¯


    Suddenly, Azell furrowed his brows.


    A dark reverberation appeared from the destroyed waypoint, and it touched Azell. There was a presence within this reverberation, and it whispered to him like a wraith.


    -The Dragons will disappear first.....


    ¡®What the hell is this?¡¯


    -Then the humans will walk the same path as them.....


    ¡®Atein?¡¯


    Azell defended his mind when he realized that there was a master behind the sinister thoughts. If it was Atein, he could use even such a faint reverberation in a vicious manner.


    When he put up his defense, the quickly diminishing voice sounded wistful.


    -Azell Kazark, you are the antagonist to my fate. You have to awaken to the fate of your race....


    ¡°...what nonsense is this?¡±


    Azell mumbled his words.


    Bakard asked the question in puzzlement.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°It is nothing. I just felt a foreign presence......¡±


    Azell shook his head as he started to walk. The party went outside, and they killed all the remaining enemies, who had been fighting the Guardian Shadows.


    When the battle finished, Bakard spoke.


    ¡°Marquis Karzark.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Let me correct myself. You are the hero Azell Karzark. I believe you.¡±


    He looked at Azell with a heated gaze.


    ¡°It makes me quake to ask this question. It has been a very long time since I¡¯ve been afraid to ask a question.¡±


    Bakard took a deep breath. It wasn¡¯t just him. All the Lakadi siblings were nervous.


    They were legendary figures in the Rios Kingdom. Usually, they were the ones giving out the tests. It had been a very long time since they¡¯ve been tested by someone else. They were having shbacks to their childhood.


    ¡°Did we pass?¡±


    Instead of giving an answer, Azell grinned as he put out his hand. Bakard looked puzzled for a brief moment, but he realized the meaning behind Azell¡¯s gesture. He vigorously shook Azell¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Of course. Please join us in the fight when the timee.¡±


    The day of decisive battle was already decided.

 Chapter 231 - Dragon Demon General (1)

    Chapter 231 - Dragon Demon General (1)


    1


    Reshoo was named as a Dragon Demon general.


    However, it was merely a symbolic position. Atein no longer wanted to build a kingdom. He no longer wanted to rule over the world as its king. However, he needed the Dragon Demon King worshippers to follow the orders of Reshoo. This was why Reshoo needed an established title that gave him authority. The title of Dragon Demon General fit that criteria.


    However, the troops under Reshoo didn¡¯t look kindly at Reshoo, who was named the Dragon Demon general. The Dragon Demon King worshippers worshipped Atein as a god, and Reshoo was chosen by Atein. However, Reshoo had appeared out of nowhere, and they had no prior information in regards to him. Of course, animosity arose within the ranks.


    ¡°I know why you guys don¡¯t like me....... However, I would like you guys to stop looking at me with openly hostile eyes. It gets on my nerve. Even if I¡¯m an understanding man, I might explode someday if you continue to annoy me like this.¡±


    Reshoo was dispatched after being named the Dragon Demon general. He threatened his lieutenant.


    Currently, he was given 100 men tomand. Each one of them were elite soldiers of the in of Darkness.


    In reality, the one that actuallymanded the men was an old Dragon Majin. He was ced under Reshoo as his second inmand. His name was Chanes, and he had been Regyus¡¯ lieutenant in the past. Until Atein had revived, he had been one of the top leaders within the in of Darkness.


    Chanes let out a fake cough.


    ¡°Hum hum. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll pay more attention to it.¡±


    ¡°You better. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll end your life in a miserable manner.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what exalted position you used to upy. It might have been better if you were a magician. You are a Dragon Arts practitioner, and you are old. It had been a long time since you¡¯ve participated in a real battle... If you aren¡¯t a goodmander, I have no reason to humor your bad attitude.¡±


    Chanes stood under the re of Reshoo. He realized that Reshoo was being serious.


    Moreover, Reshoo was right. Even a magician deteriorated as one aged. As a Dragon Arts practitioner, he had to use his body, and the effect of age on his body had been massive.


    Chanes was a decrepit old man, and he had long since given up his Dragon Demon weapon and his spot in the front line to his descendants. He couldn¡¯t even remember the date when he participated in a live battle. It was that long ago.


    Reshoo knew Chanes didn¡¯t have any worth as a fighter. His role was to use his experience and knowledge tomand the troops.


    <Koohk koohk koohk. Why do you insist on keeping that old body? Why suffer such humiliation? If you chose to be Undead like us.....>


    A Dragon Demon Undead had just entered into the barracks. Something shed in front of it.


    Kwahk!


    <Kuhk......!>


    ¡°Do you really think it would have mattered if he chose that path? He probably would have died, forgetting himself like you.¡±


    In a sh, Reshoo had taken hold of the Dragon Demon Undead by his neck.


    The Dragon Demon Undead was a Dragon Arts practitioner when he was alive. He had lost many things when he became an Undead. However, he had gone through readjustment training after awakening in this era. He had adapted to his new body.


    Reshoo had him by the neck, and he couldn¡¯t do anything.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really put much importance on discipline. However, it seems I¡¯ll have give you a guiding hand. Are you wallowing in your past glories that you achieved in the Dragon Demon war? Is that why you are ignoring the established order of rank? If I kill you now, do you think the others will learn their lesson?¡±


    <Ooh, ooh-ook.......>


    Ooh-doo-doo-doohk......!


    Reshoo continued to re at him with cold eyes. When Reshoo put strength into his hands, one could hear bones starting to break. The Dragon Demon Undead struggled to get free, but it was useless. When Reshoo grabbed his neck, the flow of his magical energy became dominated by Reshoo.


    It was another Dragon Demon Undead, who had spoken up. When amotion urred inside, he hade in. The new Dragon Demon Undead bowed his head.


    Reshoo asked with a cold voice.


    ¡°Why should I?¡±


    <He was always a bit dumb even in the old days. However, he¡¯ll fix his attitude if he knows that his unsightly behavior will be reported to the king..>


    ¡°You want me to lean on Atein¡¯s authority?¡±


    <I am well aware of the fact that you are the general chosen by the king. However, your authority doesn¡¯te from the fact that you are a Dragon Demon General. Ites through to you from the king.>


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Reshoo snorted as he threw the Dragon Demon Undead away.


    Kwahng!


    The Dragon Demon Undead was thrown out the barracks at a terrifying speed. An explosive sound rang out when he impacted on the ground. It surprised the troops on standby.


    Reshoo was indifferent.


    ¡°I¡¯ll forgive him this one time. There will never be a second time.¡±


    <Thank you for your generosity.>


    ¡°Give me your report.¡±


    Reshoo sat in his seat as he spoke.


    Even if the Dragon Demon Undead didn¡¯t like the fact that Reshoo was the Dragon Demon general, he wouldn¡¯t have entered the barracks without a cause. There must have been something that needed to be reported. Reshoo¡¯s guess was right.


    <We¡¯ve detected the movements of our enemies.>


    ¡°Hmm. Was my guess right?¡±


    Reshoo¡¯s eyes shone.


    From Atein¡¯s perspective, he only had two Dragon Demon generals. They were Reshoo and Almarick. They were the ace up his sleeves, since both of them were capable of facing off against Azell¡¯s party. There was only one reason why one of them would be deployed outside.


    It was in defense of the pirs of the Great Darkness.


    Azell¡¯s party was trying very hard to hide their ns, but it wasn¡¯t too hard to guess what their targets were. Azell¡¯s party was destroying the waypoints, so reinforcements couldn¡¯t reach the pir. Basically, one just had to see which waypoints were being destroyed to find the target.


    However, Azell¡¯s party weren¡¯t idiots, so they started using a diversion tactic. They split their targets into three.


    There was the Tree god sealed in the Rin Kingdom, the Sancturary god in the Bijes kingdom and the Infinite Beast in the Gn Kingdom.


    When they did this, Atein¡¯s side had to divide their forces too.


    Currently, it was most likely that Azell¡¯s party was targeting the Tree god or the Sanctuary god. There were a good amount of waypoints left near the Infinite Beast, so they could easily send reinforcement towards that location.


    This was why Almarick was dispatched towards the Tree god. Reshoo was sent towards the Sanctuary god, and the elite troops including the survivors of the Dragon Demon war were sent towards the Infinite Beast.


    The Dragon Demon Undead shook his head from side to side.


    <No.>


    ¡°What is it then?¡±


    <General Reygus appeared in the Gn kingdom..... No, Reygus has appeared.>


    ¡°Oh my, he is quite bold. Is he daring us to attack him?¡±


    Reygus was bold. He hit a ce where reinforcement could be sent. However, it was too bold. The fact that it was too bold meant that this might be a feint.


    ¡°This puts us in a bind. What shall we do?¡±


    The elites of the in of Darkness had no chance against Reygus.


    Of course, Reygus couldn¡¯tpletely kill the sealed beings ike Azell. However, the seal merely had to be broken for Atein to lose a pir.


    ¡®Instead the world will be met with a cmity.....¡¯


    From Atein¡¯s perspective, that probably wasn¡¯t the worst possible oue. If a cmity that could end the world arrived, their opposition would be too busy fighting this cmity. It would buy Atein some time.


    However, Reshoo couldn¡¯t remain a spectator as the cmity was released into the world. Even if Atein¡¯s goal was righteous, Reshoo couldn¡¯t stand seeing countless innocents lose their lives.


    ¡°The problemes down to what Reygus thinks.......¡±


    It wasn¡¯t confirmed if Reygus had joined hands with Azell¡¯s party. However, Reygus had dered hostility towards Atein, so it would be wise to assume that he was in league with Azell¡¯s party now.


    If Reygus was like Reshoo, he wouldn¡¯t like unnecessary deaths to humans. This meant there was a high probability that this was a feint. Azell¡¯s party was probably waiting for Reshoo or Almarick to converge on Reygus. They would probably attack the location vacated by Reshoo or Almarick.


    However, what if Reygus didn¡¯t care about the coteral damage to innocent lives when it came to stopping Atein?


    ¡°I¡¯ve only heard hearsays about Reygus. I need opinions from people that knows Reygus. What do you guys think about all of this?¡±


    Reshoo gathered Chanes and the other Dragon Demon Undeads that had participated in the Dragon Demon war. He asked them a question.


    ¡°Reygus-nim.... No, if it is Reygus....¡±


    ¡°You can use the honorific. I don¡¯t care about that.¡±


    Chanes had used an honorific when referring to Reygus. It was done out of habit. Chanes let out a sigh when he heard Reshoo¡¯s words.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t care if he dies in a fight, but he wouldn¡¯t use any despicable tactics.¡±


    <I am of the same mind.>


    ¡°I see. That means this might be a feint.....¡±


    Reshoo was in a pickle.


    If he went out to stop Reyugs, Azell¡¯s party would most likely attack this location. Atein knew that Azell¡¯s party was using the Guardian Shadows to surveil them. The surveince couldn¡¯t be stopped unless the entities of the Guardian Shadows could be destroyed.


    Moreover, the White me Phoenix had been stolen, so Azell¡¯s party could demonstrate incredible mobility. Even if Atein¡¯s side increased their ability to detect Azell¡¯s party, Azell¡¯s party could move to any location in a very short amount of time.


    ¡®On top of it all, Atein can¡¯t move right now.¡¯


    Atein was carrying out a very important ritual within the Dragon Demon castle. Until the ritual was stable and on schedule, he couldn¡¯t leave.


    ¡°I guess we have to depend on the reinforcements to stop the assault. Reygus¡¯ defection is causing a lot of trouble.¡±


    The ce being attacked by Reygus still had a good amount of waypoints nearby. Their troops just had to retreat into the already prepared defense facility. They just had to wait for the reinforcement.....


    ¡°General Reshoo!¡±


    A Dragon Majin rushed into the barracks. He was breathing hard. As soon as he saw Reshoo, he delivered the shocking news.


    ¡°Reygus broke the seal to Infinite Demonic Beast!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Reshoo became surprised. He reflexively looked towards Chanes. Chanes also had an expression of disbelief on his face.


    Rehsoo mumbled to himself.


    ¡°He made it look like a feint operation, but he chose the most heavily guarded location?¡±


    2


    Jeffers Almarick was in a state of despair.


    It was the same for all the young generations that had beenpeting with each other for their whole lives. Atein¡¯s deration had been too shocking. Jeffers¡¯ beliefs were undercut in one fell swoop. It took him a while to recover from it.


    However, Jeffers had someone he could rely on unlike Kieren and Niberis. It was his great ancestor Almarick. Almarick was steadfast in following Atein, so Jeffers was able to eventually right himself.


    ¡®The road I¡¯m walking on is righteous. When Atein appeared, he just corrected the course..¡¯


    In his life, Jeffers never chose an enemy for himself. As always, his enemies were chosen by others. He just put his life on the line to carry out his mission.


    The Almarick tribe used despicable methods to create candidates that¡¯ll be the heir. After fighting the other candidates, Jeffers had gained the title of heir. Then hepeted against Laura, Kieren and Niberis for achievements. Until this moment..... He always walked down a path chosen for him by others.


    He never felt any regret before. He was always given a new path when he reached the end of a road. He never thought about searching out his own path.


    This was why Jeffers wasn¡¯t despairing at the fact that he might be on the wrong path.


    ¡°Reygus! Do you realize what you¡¯ve done!¡±


    It was caused by the actionsmitted by the giant Undead in front of him.


    His surrounding had been hopelessly destroyed by Reygus.


    Reygus had been bold as he attacked from the front. He defeated all the elites using his overwhelming destructive capabilities. The Dragon Demon weapon Soul Hammer was the worst weapon to face when one had to defend a single location.


    The earthquake caused by the Soul Hammer broke apart the magic circles. The elite troops were sent flying into the air like like toys in front of Reygus. After being attacked in such a way by Reygus, they desperately tried to attack him. However, the result was turning out to be horrendous for the Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    They had to somehow detain Reygus before he could transform. However, Reygus was able to transform as time passed. He was able to use his Dragon Demon magic, and his power was unimaginable.


    Koo-goo-goo-goo-goo......!


    The loud sound rang out deep within the ground. The light of magic dispersed into the surrounding, and a very thick darkness appeared from within. It rushed out like a geyser.


    <I woke up a monster that wants to eat the whole world.>


    Reygus chuckled.

 Chapter 232 - Dragon Demon General (2)

    Chapter 232 - Dragon Demon General (2)


    The damage to the force of Dragon Demon King worshippers was smaller than expected. Reygus¡¯ attack obliterated the surrounding, but in the end, he only destroyed the magic circles and the defensive structures ced around the waypoint. As expected of elite troops, less than 20 percent had died. However, their fight against Reygus was unimportant. Their first priority had been to defend the seal, yet it had been destroyed.


    <These guys are fun to beat up.>


    ¡°You are like a boar that had its tail lit on fire! No matter how strong you are, the sealed being cannot be killed!¡±


    <Do you really think I caused this mess without knowing that?>


    ¡°Shit! It is like talking to a wall! Your actions have dire consequences! We aren¡¯t capable of sealing that being now!¡±


    The troops, who were defending the seals, were given spells by Atein. They were to be used in emergency situations where the seal was broken. It would allow them to ce another seal.


    However, Reygus had destroyed all the magic circles they had prepared. They had no way of resealing the Infinite Beast once it made its appearance.


    <What a funny little cub. Is your lofty sense of duty blinding you from reality?>


    Reygus pushed the Soul Hammer towards Jeffers¡¯ face.


    Jeffers groaned.


    ¡°Koo-oohk......!¡±


    Jeffers had expended all his power in an attempt to protect the seal. If Reygus wanted to do it, he could crush Jeffers¡¯ head.


    Jeffers had turned pale as he continued to monitor the darkness that was surging up from the ground next to him. When Reyugs saw this, he became baffled by Jeffers¡¯ reaction. He withdrew his Soul Hammer.


    <Huh-uh. You are more worried about failing your mission than dying. Jeez. It seems they really trained the young generation to be mad men.>


    Koo-roo-roo-roong!


    At that moment, the darkness nearby resolved into a monster. It was an enormous monster that dwarfed Reygus, who was 3 meters tall.


    It was made out of darkness, but there was a dull red lights streaking through the darkness. The monster resembled an alligator. It let out a roar as it charged towards Reygus.


    Kwahng!


    Reygus didn¡¯t hesitate as he brought down the Soul Hammer on the monster¡¯s head. Then he jumped on the back of it, and he brought down the Soul Hammer again.


    Ggwah-gwah-gwah-gwahng!


    The impact widened as it destroyed the ground for several hundred meter radius.


    However, monsters kept crawling out from the copsed ground. Some looked like humans, and others looked like wolves. There were monsters that looked like a mixture of several different beasts. It was a very odd sight.


    They were the monsters prepared by Atein. They were ced here to protect the seal. Reygus, who had destroyed the ground, let out a heroicughter.


    <Koohk koohk! If it wasn¡¯t for me, you would have be exhausted fighting these guys.>


    The monsters appeared as soon as someone threatened the existence of the seal.


    However, Reygus possessed the Soul Hammer. It was a Dragon Demon weapon capable of destroying and controlling the earth. Normally, he was able to create a massive earthquake, but he was capable of focusing his power at a single point. As a result, Reygus broke the seal with a single strike. This was why the sealed Infinite Beast awakened at the same time as the monsters, who were supposed to protect the seal.


    ¡°I believe there is a fierce battle happening underground.¡±


    Suddenly, a woman spoke as she approached Reygus. Jeffers¡¯ eyes widened.


    ¡°Niberis!¡±


    ¡°It as been a while. Sir Almarick.... No, should I just refer to you as Jeffers?¡±


    Niberis had summoned her Book of Darkness, and there was a dense darkness emanating from her entire body.


    While Reygus charged into the fight, Niberis had held back. She had conserved her energy. She did so, because she would have to prevent the Dragon Demon King worshippers from interfering with the uing fight.


    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind? You are his blood descendant. Did you lose pride in that fact? How can you be part of this!¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Jeffers was sincere in his criticism. Niberis just looked at him.


    There was an unpleasant feeling wriggling within her. However, it wasn¡¯t directed towards Jeffers.


    ¡°Jeffers, you are another version of me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I would have been just like you if I didn¡¯t have Duran by my side. I would be like you if it wasn¡¯t for the existence of my father.¡±


    From the time of their youth, they hadn¡¯t been given any choice. They were grown as tools by beings that had been ovee by madness. They didn¡¯t have a clear view of the world, and madness had been consistently injected into them . It robbed them of the ability to look back upon the world with a critical eye.


    The result of such conditioning was in front of her. It was Jeffers.


    Niberis would have turned out just like him. The only reason she didn¡¯t turn out like him was the fact that she had always questioned why Saibein, who was the son of Atein, had left the in of Darkness. Saibein had to leave behind his daughter in the process, and she had always wonder why he had done that.


    Moreover, she had Duran. If he hadn¡¯t given up his life to uphold her pride, she wouldn¡¯t have had the opportunity to change her mind.


    She had received a blessing. She was able to look back on her past actions with skepticism, now and she was given the opportunity to make her own decisions in life. She hadn¡¯t received this opportunity, because she possessed excellent ability and will. She was gifted this opportunity, and that was the reason why her current self existed.


    ¡®Laura, Kieren and the others....¡¯


    At one point, she hadn¡¯t been able toprehend the choice made by Laura. No, it would be more urate to say that she hadn¡¯t been able to forgive Laura for making that choice.


    However, Niberis could understand her now.


    Then there was Kieren. Kieren had always been with her since childhood. He had always looked towards her....


    Niberis shut her eyes for a brief moment before she opened them again. She let go of all other thoughts as she looked towards Jeffers. She spoke.


    ¡°If I look back on it, I was able to make this choice thanks to the people close to me. They were too good for me. Jeffers, that is why I don¡¯t hate you, and I won¡¯t condemn you. I don¡¯t have that right.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°In the past, this was what Azell Karzark wanted to say to me. I understand it now. I am sad. We are speaking the samenguage, yet we aren¡¯t able to understand each other.¡±


    <It ising.>


    At that moment, Reygus spoke as he looked below.


    Niberis replied.


    ¡°Please leave your back to me.¡±


    <I¡¯ll put all my faith in you. Even if I¡¯m attacked from behind, I won¡¯t me you, so don¡¯t worry about it.>


    Niberis looked puzzled by his words. He said he trusted her, and he was making jokes with her. She was unustomed to it.


    Reygusughed uproariously.


    <Well, shall I go see the transcendent being that was sealed before my time?>


    Soon, the ground cracked open, and a monster of peerless size appeared from the hole. Dragons were known as being the biggest living creatures on the surface of this world. This monster was bigger than the Dragons.


    3


    There was a human that hated the reality of humans being threatened and killed by other beings.


    It was unknown as to what kind of human he had been. However, he had lost his humanity when he encountered the Demon race. Something had changed in that encounter.


    He was been horrified by the malice and murderous intent disyed by the other species, and he wondered why it had to be like this. He felt lost as he tried to find a way to permanently solve this problem.


    After torturing himself over it, he arrived at an answer.


    ¡®There are too many species that exists in this world.¡¯


    Each species fought for the benefit of their own kind. In doing so, an endless amount of murderous intent and malice arose. Would the problem be solved if the number of species was decreased?


    ¡®There are too many of them. It is inevitable for them to fight, because they are too different from each other.¡¯


    Even if one looked at humans as a species, there were too many of them. There weren¡¯t too much differences between those in the same species, yet everyone only focused on the difference. The differences created ill will and killing intent people inrge quantities.


    ¡®I just have to leave one alive.¡¯


    He had mulled over it for a very long time before he came up with an answer.


    If the high number of species were a problem, he just had to make sure that there was only one left.


    Even if he left behind one species, the diversity within arge poption would also cause problems. He just had to leave one behind.


    ¡®I¡¯ll eat them all, and I¡¯llbine them all within me. All the possibilities that exist in this world will be within me. I will be the world itself.¡¯


    He abandoned his human form, and he turned himself into a monster that specialized in gluttony. He decided to eat all the the living beings in the world.


    He possessed an endless appetite, and he started to eat all the living beings. However, he had been sealed by two magicians named Atein and Aunsaurus.


    Goo-wuhhhhhhhh!


    The beast roared after awakening from its long sleep. Just its roar caused the ground to shake, and the winds picked up.


    At a nce, it looked like a ck dog. However, there were over 10 pairs of red eyes on its face, and its tail was like a whip. It possessed four legs, and it had human-like feet with six digits.


    Above all else, it was huge. It was twice as big as a Dragon. It really was akin to a moving castle.


    <Huh-uh. Really? I might getpletely crushed.>


    Reygus sounded as if he was having fun as he mumbled to himself.


    Atein had told him about the Infinite Beast long ago. In the fight against Atein and Aunsaurus, the Infinite Beast had lost most of its bulk. When it was sealed, its body was one hundredth the size of the it original size.


    <It used to be one hundred timesrger. Atein and Aunsaurus did well in defeating it. It is regretful that I wasn¡¯t there.>


    ¡°There is a high probability that it became sorge, because it ate all the monsters as it climbed to the surface.¡±


    Niberis had a stiff expression on her face as she spoke. Reygus nodded his head.


    <I see. It exists to eat everything in this world. Anyways, let¡¯s beat it before it can eat more.>


    Reygus kicked off the ground. He wore a white armor, and he shot off the ground like a cannonball.


    Ggwahng!


    He impacted on the roaring monster¡¯s head, and the sound of explosion rang out. It had been sealed for so long that it was still groggy.


    However, itsted only for a brief moment. The swaying beast raised its front paw, and it took a swipe at Reygus.


    Too-hahk!


    After swinging his Soul Hammer, Reygus had still been in the air. He was sent flying after being swatted. The ground exploded when he hit it.


    <You bastard! You are quite spirited!>


    Reygus ran forward before the dust could even settle. Niberis held her breath.


    ¡®It has amazing regeneration ability!¡¯


    The half destroyed head of the beast regenerated instantly. The nearby monsters of darkness, which had been protecting the seal, attacked the Infinite Beast.


    Joo-uhhhhhhhhhhhh!


    The beast roared. The front paw with long fingers brushed the monsters of darkness off of its body. It grabbed one of the monsters, and it stuffed it into its mouth.


    <How dare you eat when you are facing me!>


    At that moment, Reygus charged forward to strike the head of the beast. The beast fell to its knee, and Reygus used the recoil to move higher into the air. He brought down the Soul Hammer more violently than before.


    <Blow it away, Soul Hammer!>


    Gwah-ahhhhhhhhng!


    The ground copsed on itself.


    The nearby region was obliterated. The Infinite Beast and the monsters of darkness had already destroyed the surface of the ground as they crawled up from below. The Infinite Beast tried to move deep into the ground.


    Reygus didn¡¯t let it do as it liked.


    <I hate beings that attack me as they hide in the ground!>


    The Soul Hammer impacted on the caved in ground, and the ground exploded outwards. As a massive dust cloud rose, the enormous beast rolled across the ground.


    <Ha ha ha ha ha!>


    Reygus was having a st as he chased after the beast. He swung his Soul Hammer. Each strike caused an explosion as the ground shook. Each strike was powerful enough to destroy a mountain. Blood and flesh shot out in all direction as the beast¡¯s body was destroyed. It was like a fountain made out of blood and gore.


    When people saw this, they became speechless by Reygus¡¯ overwhelming power.


    Reygus wasrge, but he was a mice whenpared to a Dragon or the Infinite Beast. However, he was dominating the beast.


    Koo-goo-goohk, goo-goohk...


    Goo-uhhhhhhhhh!


    The beast cried out as it was beaten to a pulp. It feebly swiped with its legs. However, Reygus didn¡¯t dodge the attack as he struck down the its legs with his Soul Hammer. Its legs were ripped off, and they were sent flying. It opened its mouth.


    Light exploded forth.


    Ggwah-gwa-gwa-gwahng......!


    A frightening beam of light exited the beast¡¯s mouth. Reygus was in the air, so he couldn¡¯t dodge it. He was swallowed up by the light.


    In a sh, several hundred meters around Reygus was engulfed by light. It was a beatte, but intense heat hit all sides.


    Koo-roo-roohk.......


    The Demonic beast swayed on its remaining legs before it fell to the ground.


    The beast possessed peerless regeneration ability, but Reygus¡¯ fierce attacks had caused a lot of damage. Its body was a mess. Blood was leaking out everywhere. The whole region was dyed red with its blood.


    However, it just needed a brief moment of respite for it to heal from its wound.


    Of course, there was a price for such a miracle. As it regenerated its body, the size of its body was slowly getting smaller. It was a wonder that the beast was still alive.


    Ooh-juhk ooh-juhk......!


    The beast started to eat its own severed legs.


    Normally, its appetite was endless. Its hunger increased exponentially. It felt as if it would go crazy if it didn¡¯t eat something. Its eyes headed towards the monsters of darkness that was charging towards it.


    Koo-uhhhhhhhhh!


    The monsters of darkness were brave as it attacked the beast. They stuck to the body of the beast, but it used its remaining hands to stuff the monsters into its mouth.


    As soon as it ate the monsters, they were digested. Each time the beast ate a monster, the body of the beast started to get noticeably bigger.


    <I told you you shouldn¡¯t eat while fighting me!>


    The beast was eating and conducting a battle at the same time. From high in the sky, Reygus was dropping towards the beast like a meteor.


    Ggwahng! Ggwah-gwahng!


    He hit the beast¡¯s head, and half of its head was blown away. Its neck broke as it was bent in a L shape.


    <It was a pretty shy attack. However, you¡¯ll have to hit 100 times harder if you want to destroy this body.>


    Reygus got onto the back of the swaying beast. He brought down the Soul Hammer on its spine.


    The impact went straight through the beast¡¯s body.


    It wasn¡¯t like the beam of light sent out by the beast, which had been done out of desperation. Reygus¡¯ attack was focused. The force created by the attack didn¡¯t travel far out. It was focused all on the body of the beast, and it shook the earth right underneath the beast.


    <I love bashing it into a pulp! Struggle a little bit more......!>


    Reygus was having fun. As he was about to raise his Soul Hammer, he suddenly tilted his body away. A beam of light impacted on his body.


    Pahhhhhhng!

 Chapter 233 - Dragon Demon General (3)

    Chapter 233 - Dragon Demon General (3)


    <Kooh. Have you mustered up the courage to fight me?>


    The one that sent the beam of light was Jeffers Almarick. Numerous Dragon Demon King worshippers were moving in the background. Jeffers Almarick, who held a Dragon Demon weapon, was directing them as their leader. While Reygus was fighting the Demonic beast, the Dragon Demon King worshippers had finished positioning themselves. At once, they attacked Reygus.


    Kwah-kwah-kwahng! Kwahhhhhhng!


    The elite troops focused their attack on Reygus, and a radius of several dozen meters were razed to the ground.


    ¡°We can¡¯t allow him to use the Soul Hammer! Be ready to give up your life! Keep pushing him!¡±


    An old Dragon Demon exercised his right tomand. He yelled out his orders.


    He wasn¡¯t one of the figures stationed at the seal. He was one of the reinforcements that came through the Road of Emptiness. His name was Galtan. He had participated in the Dragon Demon war, and he had been one of the figure of authority within the in of Darkness.


    Galtan knew how dangerous Reygus was.


    This was why he didn¡¯t recklessly attack Reygus. He had positioned his troops, so he could take advantage of the best opportunity to attack Reygus. He had ced his troops around Reygus in a circle, and the troops capable of long ranged attacks used a three-shift system to continuously attack Reygus.


    Several hundred troops were carpet bombing him, so Reygus had to go on the defensive. He turtled up.


    While the regr magicians did this, the high ranked magicians prepared a great magic.


    ¡®We have to get get rid of Reygus and Infinite Beast at the same time.¡¯


    This was why they had remained quiet in the background up until now.


    The Infinite Beast was immortal. They had no way of killing it. However, they would be able to seal the Infinite Beast if it used up most of its power against Reygus. They could ce the seal without the magic circles that had been prepared beforehand. This was the calction he had made.


    ¡°You guys are the same as always. You are too arrogant.¡±


    It was as if her voice had poured cold water all over them.


    At the same time, a hail of darkness started to descend upon them.


    Ooooooooooooooh......!


    4


    ¡°Niberis?¡±


    Galtan became surprised.


    In order to focus on their fight against Reygus, he had dispatched troops to kill Niberis. Twelve Dragon Arts practitioners and a Dragon Demon Undead from the Dragon Demon war was sent towards her. Ten magicians were added to this group.


    Galtan already knew how skilled Niberis was, and he determined that he had to go above and beyond to kill Niberis. Niberis broke through the troops as she participated in the main battle.


    ¡®What¡¯s going on? Did Kieren Baldazark already join up with her?¡¯


    Kieren had betrayed the in of Darkness with Niberis. If he was with her, it would have been possible for her to ovee his troops. However, Kieren had been nowhere to be seen when he had given his order....


    While Gatan was flustered, Niberis had activated her great magic called Queen of Darkness. After her abilities were boosted in an explosive manner, Niberis used another great magic.


    -Round Table of Cursed Demons!


    Twelve enormous Corrupted Bodies arose from the darkness. These familiars were called the Corrupted Bodies. They were created through the resentment and negative energy left behind by the dead. The use of these famrs had been Niberis¡¯ specialty even in the past. However, the current Corrupted Bodies were disying a presence that was on a whole different level than before.


    Hoo-uuuuuuhhhhhhh......!


    It felt as if one¡¯s soul would be ripped apart just hearing the sound of their cursed scream.


    Each twelve Corrupted Bodies were as big as Reygus, and each of them had unique features. One had an enormous sword, and another one held a spear. There was one with dual swords. There was one that held a longsword and a shield. Another one held a chain....


    Only a small number of people in the battlefield recognized Niberis¡¯ magic.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this Saibein-nim¡¯s technique?¡±


    Galtan was one of them.


    As the offspring of Atein, Saiben had been on another level in terms of Dragon Demon magic whenpared to the other Dragon Demons. This spell was the Round Table of Cursed Demons. It was a great magic that Saibein had been proud of.


    Twelve Corrupted Beings were gathered in one ce, and each of them moved as if they were warriors that had mastered their own respective martial arts. They were able to fight exquisitely, and they were capable of ughtering even a Dragon. They could even use Dragon Arts techniques when provided with magical energy from their owner. The most frightening part was.....


    ¡°Don¡¯t be rash in attacking them! You have to absolutely avoid the darkness, and you have to hold back using certain magic depending on their specific attributes!¡±


    Each of the twelve Corrupted Beings reacted to a different element of magic.


    Gwah-gwah-gwahng! Kwahhhhhhk!


    Galtan gave the right order, but he was a step toote. The magicians used the spells they were mostfortable using. It was done on reflex.


    me, lighting and whirlwind converged on the Corrupted Beings. However, the spells changed course before they reached their target.


    ¡°What the hell?¡±


    While the magicians were flustered, six of the twelve Corrupted Beings let out a dreary gray light. The six Corrupted Beings sucked in the fire, thunder and whirlwind into their bodies.


    ¡°Shit! Stupid bastards!¡±


    Galtan expressed his frustration.


    The Corrupted Beings swallowed up the magical energy that matched their own attribute. The spells were turned into their own power. If one wanted to avoid this result, one had to separate the Corrupted Beings. One had to use the opposite attribute or one had to use physical force to destroy them.....


    ¡°They have decent features, but in the end, they are mere Corrupted Beings! There is no need to be afraid of......¡±


    A pompous Dragon Majin warrior shouted those words as he used Instantaneous Movement to charge forward. However, the warrior couldn¡¯t finish his words.


    Pahhhhhhng!


    The Corrupted Being equipped with the dual des moved unbelievably fast for a three meter giant. In a sh, it blocked the Dragon Majin warrior¡¯s sword.


    Moreover, it had only used one sword to block the attack. It used its flexible body to shift its center of gravity, and it ruined the Dragon Majin warrior¡¯s bnce. It cleaved the Dragon Majin warrior in half with its opposite sword.


    Gwuhhhhhhhhh!


    Its Cursed Roar assaulted the Dragon Demon King worshippers. A Corrupted Being with a greatsword appeared behind the Dragon Demon King worshippers. Lightning was concentrated in its great sword, and it swung its greatsword.


    While the focused lightning hit its enemies, the Corrupted Beings with the spear ran behind the Corrupted Being holding therge shield and sword.


    ¡°Block them!¡±


    The magicians were a beat toote in materializing purely physical magic arrows. The attack shook the ground, yet it was useless. The Corrupted Being with therge shield led the charge. The spear equipped Corrupted Being jumped out from behind therge shield equipped Corrupted Being at the right moment to skewer the nearest magician.


    ¡°This makes no sense! How can the Corrupted Beings pull off tactical maneuvers?¡±


    Shock spread amongst the ranks. Each Corrupted Being were so power that they were breakingmon sense. Moreover, they moved as if they had learned advanced martial arts, and they used tactics to move as a team.


    Even Niberis was surprised.


    ¡®I never expected them to be this strong.¡¯


    If it wasn¡¯t for Atein and the Dragon Demon generals, Saibein would have been in the running for being the greatest mage of his era. Saibein had imprinted all his spells into the Book of Darkness. Currently, Niberis could only use half of the spells.


    When Niberis expressed her will to fight against Atein, he taught her how to use the most dangerous spells within the Book of Darkness. He had done so, because she would be fighting a being that was basically a god.


    Round Table of Cursed Demons was a spell created to deal with a force that hadrge number of magicians within their ranks.


    ¡°Niberis! You foolish girl! Do you not realize how noble a destiny you were entrusted with?¡±


    Galtan raged when the progress of battle had turned against his forces. It was a mess.


    Niberis red at him with cold eyes.


    ¡°I am well aware of that fact.¡±


    At the same time, something ck hit Galtan.


    Ggwahng!


    Galtan was shocked.


    ¡°The Dancing Maken? You even learned that spell!¡±


    She knew this spell too. It was one of the spells favored by Saibein.


    The cursed swords were made out darkness, and they were flying around Galtan. The swords were moving twice as fast as arrows, and they assaulted Galtan.


    Kwahng! Kwah-kwah-kwahng!


    The spell was a powerful curse at its core. However, if Niberis wanted to, she could infuse it with other types of spell. Galtan¡¯s defensive magic was being torn into shreds, so he desperately retreated backwards as he shored up his defense.


    ¡°Koo-oohk! Is this how you killed them all?!¡±


    He now understood how Niberis was able to annihte the troops that had been sent against her.


    <Very good! Stylish!>


    A nightmare-like voice rang out. When the focused assault of the Dragon Demon King worshippers lightened a little bit, Reygus was able to escape their bombardment.


    Even if Niberis was powerful, she wouldn¡¯t be able to face the several hundred elite troops gathered here. Her goal was to sow chaos, so Reygus would be freed.


    Reygus had messaged Niberis beforehand, so she had moved the Corrupted Being towards one side. She had created an openne for Reygus, and it led straight towards Galtan.


    <That was perfect, miss!>


    Reygus brought down his Soul Hammer. The ground was overturned in its entirety, and the shockwave spread a distance of several hundred meters.


    5


    Jeffers Almarick knew his death was close at hand.


    He had safely avoided the earthquake caused by the Soul Hammer. He also used his Dragon Demon weapon to create a gale. It had protected him from therge fragments of rocks.


    As a result, he had used up all his power.


    A silhouette of a knight appeared in front of him as it burst through the cloud of dust. It was the Corrupted Being with the greatsword.


    Kwah-chahng!


    When Jeffers blocked the greatsword, he was sent flying. It was as if he was a kite with its string cut off.


    ¡°Koo-ahhhk!¡±


    If he hadn¡¯t consumed most of his reservoir of power, it wouldn¡¯t have been a problem. The Round Table of Cursed Demons was a powerful spell, but each cursed Corrupted Beings were weaker than Jeffers. On top of that, this spell was more effective against magicians.


    Even now Jeffers wasn¡¯t going down easily. He was forced into a corner, yet he was trying to find a way to escape. He kept dodging the sword of the Corrupted Being.


    The sound of screams and explosion rang out from within the cloud of dust.


    His allies were being ughtered within the chaos. Reygus¡¯ single strike had caused this chaos, and it had turned this ce into hell for the Dragon Demon King worshippers.


    ¡°You have a pretty good backbone.¡±


    Jeffers had been fighting desperately, but he heard a familiar voice behind him. At the same time, someone grabbed his cor, and Jeffers was thrown backwards.


    Pah-ahk!


    The man blocked the greatsword that was meant for Jeffers.


    Jeffers adjusted in midair, and he righted himself before he hit the ground.


    He was shocked to see a Dragon Demon youth with shabby blue-white hair. He wasn¡¯t equipped with any weapon, and he was gripping the greatsword with his bare hand.


    ¡°General Reshoo!¡±


    ¡°This is the second time I¡¯ve saved your life, Almarick¡¯s heir. I want you to take a step back, and gather yourself.¡±


    Reshoo was looking towards Jeffers, so the Corrupted Being tried to take advantage of the situation. It slightly tilted its sword as it let out a terrifying kick.


    Kwahng!


    For a moment, Jeffers had no idea what had happened.


    When the explosion was heard, Reshoo had already traveled several meters forward. He remained in his stance with his fist extended. A Corrupted Being was flying through the air behind him with its arm blown off.


    ¡°It is extremely sturdy. I¡¯ve never seen such a Corrupted Being.¡±


    Reshoo clicked his tongue, and Jeffers felt all the hair on his body stand on end.


    He felt a wave of Dragon Demon magic that was on par with Reygus. It was as if a shooting star had appeared in front of him.


    -Release Dragon Soul!


    The image of a half-translucent red Dragon appeared around Reshoo¡¯s body. The Dragon quickly expanded it size as it bit into the Corrupted Being.


    Kwah-jeek!


    Afterwards, Reshoo kicked off the ground.


    No, he was gone as soon as it looked like he was about to kick off the ground. After a beatter, the ground exploded and a light pierced through the sky.


    Kwahhhhhhhng!


    The lower body of the Corrupted Being with the great sword was blown off. It was the result of Reshoo passing through it like a meteor.


    However, the Corrupted Being wasn¡¯t dead. It righted itself in the air as it tried to hit Reshoo.


    ¡°It is quite extraordinary.¡±


    Reshoo was surprised. After living for several hundred years, he had seen all kinds of magical beings. He had never seen one like this.


    Too-hahk!


    However, Reshoo¡¯s surprise did not hamper his actions. He continued to use Instantaneous Movement. It was as if he was teleporting between short distance as he kept hitting the Corrupted Being.


    Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwahng!


    The Corrupted Being was unusually sturdy, but it couldn¡¯t stand up against Reshoo¡¯s assault. It broke apart.


    Reshoo clicked his tongue.


    ¡®This waspletely specialized to use against arge force.¡¯


    Of course, anyone other than Reshoo would have had a very hard time destroying even one Corrupted Being. These were powerful magical familiars capable of killing the elites of the in of Darkness.


    ¡°Hoo-ooh.......¡±


    Reshoo focused on his breathing for a brief moment. Jeffers couldn¡¯t tell, but Reshoo was a bit out of breath.


    When he heard the seal of the Infinite Beast was broken, he had left the ce he was guarding. He hade to this ce at full speed. He had arrived as soon as possible, but the area around the waypoint waspletely destroyed. Aside from him, no one else would make it there on time.


    An unexpected bottleneck had been created at the waypoint, and it had caused him trouble.


    There was a limit to the number of people capable of passing through the waypoint at one time. The in of Darkness was using the nearest waypoints to bring in troops. This was why Reshoo had to run a very long distance to reach this ce.


    Even Reshooo became tired after running for such a long distance. Reshoo took a brief moment in the chaos of the battlefield to put his breath and the flow of his Dragon Demon magic into order.


    ¡®It is done..¡¯


    After he had calmed his breath, Reshoo gestured with his one hand. The Dragon Soul twitched as it let out a gale.

 Chapter 234 - Dragon Demon General (4)

    Chapter 234 - Dragon Demon General (4)


    Hoooooooooohng!


    A thick cloud of dust was suddenly split into two with Reshoo at the center. The sight was a grand miracle. For a brief moment, the whole battlefield came to a halt, and everyone¡¯s gaze was focused on Reshoo.


    <Jeez. I have to fight someone else now. You should just give up!>


    Only one person didn¡¯t stop. It was Reygus.


    Even in the chaos, Reygus had continued to beat up the Infinite Beast. In the beginning, the Infinite Beast had been twice as big as a Dragon. Now it was the size of arge house.


    ¡®What the hell?¡¯


    Jeffers felt a sense of dissonance as he watched the battlefield. He had no idea why he was having such feeling.


    ¡®Something is off.......¡¯


    The Infinite Beast itself wasn¡¯t odd. He felt a sense of dissonance when he watched the absolutely wrecked surrounding.


    If he thought a little bit more on it, he thought an answer would be forting. However, Reshoo opened his mouth before he coulde up with one.


    ¡°As expected, the notoriety of the Dragon Demon generals was well deserved. Absolutely wonderful.¡±


    Reshooughed as if he was having fun. At that moment, Reygus kicked the Infinite Beast. It was sent flying into the distance before it crashed to the ground. He turned around to look at Reshoo.


    <Hmm. By the look of your unusual hair color, it seems you are my new peer. Are you Reshoo?>


    ¡°I¡¯m scheduled to be one. I¡¯m not your peer yet.¡±


    <I see.>


    ¡°This is quite surprising. I heard if from Atein, but.... I never expected to meet someone that possessed as much Dragon Demon magic as me.¡±


    Reshoo clicked his tongue.


    Azell¡¯s assessment of Reshoo had been urate. In terms of Dragon Demon magic, Reshoo had a bigger reservoir than Atein. Reshoo had known he would be enemies with Azell, so he hadn¡¯t shown the full extent of his power when Azell visited the Albatan forest. His power had grown in the past 220 years.


    However, Reygus was letting out a resonance of Dragon Demon magic that was on par with Reshoo.


    It was all possible, because he was in his transformed state. When he was transformed, he was able to generate power that was twice asrge as his Undead self. He had surpassed his past self in terms of power.


    <You have a small body, but you have stupidlyrge amount of Dragon Demon magic. For your information, I don¡¯t use such words lightly.>


    ¡°I¡¯ll think of it as an honor.¡±


    Reshoo grinned. Reygus got into his fighting stance as he raised his Soul Hammer.


    The presence of these two beings was overpowering the battlefield.


    Niberis¡¯ voice interrupted the two of them.


    ¡°Please stop, sir Reygus.¡±


    At the same time, the stalled battlefield came back to life.


    The Round Table of Cursed Demons were still killing the Dragon Demon King worshippers in the chaos. Their screams rang out.


    Reygus ignored their screams as he spoke.


    <Oh, miss. You know my personality, right? You want me to hold back when there is such a tasty morsel in front of me? Moreover, don¡¯t we have to fight him eventually?>


    ¡°Did you forget the promise you made to my father?¡±


    <Ooohk.......>


    At her words, Reygus let out a groan as if he was in pain. He had made a promise with Saibein before he left the Albatan forest. While he was with Niberis, he promised he would protect her.


    Niberis spoke coldly as she reminded him of his promise.


    ¡°You should only fight if it is necessary. I trust you won¡¯t go against your word. A real man won¡¯t go back on his words.¡±


    <Jeez. You are poking me at a sore spot.>


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you don¡¯t get to choose if we fight or not.¡±


    Reygus had been scratching his head when Reshoo charged towards him. In fact, he was already in front of Reygus.


    Kwahng!


    Everyone, who was watching the fight, couldn¡¯t believe what had just happened. Every one of them had activated their senses to the extreme, yet they hadn¡¯t been able to register Reshoo¡¯s movement. When Reshoo was about to reach Reygus, an explosions rang out. It was as if Reygus and Reshoo had switched ces.


    <Ha ha ha! This is electrifying!>


    ¡°You really are strong. I¡¯ll have to destroy you here and now. If not, you¡¯ll be a big headache in the future.¡±


    <Oh. I like your decisiveness. However, you won¡¯t get the result you want, because you are decisive>


    ¡°We¡¯ll see!¡±


    Kwahng! Kwahng! Kwah-kwah-kwahng!


    The sound of explosions rang out. The two fighters kept switching locations in a dizzying fashion.


    The one to take the initiative was Reshoo. The Dragon made out of red light was wrapped around Reshoo¡¯s body as it performed a fierce attack against Reygus. He kept using continuous Instantaneous Movement to attack Reygus from all sides.


    Reygus couldn¡¯t keep up with Reshoo¡¯s speed. Reshoo was already using his next attack when Reygus reacted.


    The eleration was so abrupt and fast that it looked as if Reshoo was skipping time. It wasn¡¯t just one or two attack. He used Continuous Instantaneous Movement, and the technique was fear itself.


    Gwah-gwahng! Gwah-gwa-gwa-gwahng!


    The attacks were faster than the speed of sound, and it was never ending. Reygus couldn¡¯t close the gap in speed. Reshoo executed a powerful kick, and the red Dragon let out a roar.


    Koo-ahhhhhh!


    me erupted from the Dragon¡¯s mouth.


    <A man should decide the oue of a battle through one attack!>


    Reygus had been on the defense this whole time. As if everything before had been a lie, the Soul Hammershed out. The ball of me was met head on with the Soul Hammer, and it caused an explosion.


    Gwah-ahhhhhhhng!


    ¡°Koohk......!¡±


    Reshoo hadn¡¯t expected this counterattack. He thought he had created the perfect opportunity, and he had use his ace in the hole. How could Reygus volley his attack like this?


    Moreover, the one to dominate the next sequence of events was Reygus. Reygus pushed through the me created by the explosion, and he swung his Soul Hammer towards Reshoo. He was using Instantaneous Movement. It was something that Reygus hadn¡¯t used since the battle had started!


    Kwahng!


    Reshoo flew high into the sky. Reygus was sorge that he gave off an impression that he was slow. However, he had used Instantaneous Movement, and even Reshoo couldn¡¯t dodge his charge. Reygus had acted as if he had no solution to Reshoo¡¯s speed, and he had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to counterattack.


    <Ha ha ha ha!>


    Reygus righted himself in the air, and Reshoo was below him. He brought down his Soul Hammer.


    <You shouldn¡¯t put down your guard, because you are in the air!>


    The sound of explosion rang out. Dirt and rocks shot into the air as if shot by a cannon. Reshoo had been so surprised that he had escaped towards the air, and Reygus had struck him down.


    Reshoo gave up on avoiding the attack. He kicked off the air as he changed direction. Then he started punching everything that was thrown at him.


    Ggahhhhhhhhng!


    Reshoo and Reygus bounced off each other in opposite directions. Reshoo impacted on the ground at terrifying speed. He skidded several dozen meters before he came to a stop. It was as if someone had scratched the ground. He wiped the blood away from his lips.


    ¡°Koohk. Ipared you to a boar with its tail lit on fire, but it seems you are craftier than I gave you credit for!¡±


    <I thought you are a cheap bastard that only relies on his speed. It seems you have quite the manly side to you.>


    Reygus let out a heroicughter.


    Reshoo tried to regain his breath as he coldly assessed his current situation.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure of it. He¡¯s experienced fighting someone faster than me.¡¯


    Reshoo had created the Continuous Instantaneous Movement technique, so his attack speed was beyondmon sense. It wasn¡¯t something that one could react to.


    Reygus had avoided serious damage by strengthening his body, and he had protected his vital parts. His defense was so precise that it gave Reshoo goosebumps. It was proof that his body couldn¡¯t follow Reshoo¡¯s attack, but Reygus¡¯ consciousness was urately seeing his attacks.


    ¡®As expected of the legendary Dragon Demon general, I see why he is respected by the old man Albatan. He deserves it.¡¯


    There had been countless powerful beings within the Albatan forest, and Reshoo had fought against all of them. Moreover, he had spent 200 years of his life wandering the world, and he had fought against all types of foes.


    Despite having these experiences, Reygus¡¯ powerfulness was unique.


    Reshoo asked him a question.


    ¡°Reygus, why did you betray him? You fought in the Dragon Demon war for Atein. You even chose to stay with him through death, so why?¡±


    <Let me ask you a question too. Why are you cooperating with Atein? You have enough power, so why?>


    ¡°You answered a question with a question......¡±


    <Ah ha ha. You don¡¯t have to give me a serious answer. I know I¡¯ll regret this. My heart hurts that I have to hold back with such a powerful enemy in front of me. However, I made a promise. My honor as a man is on the line. >


    ¡°What?¡±


    Reshoo¡¯s eyes became wide at that moment.


    Ooooooooooh......!


    The nearby darkness, which was made out of magic, started to surge into the sky.


    6


    Niberis had ced an enormous magic of darkness over the battle field, and part of that darkness was surging into the sky. The distracted participants of the battle suddenly realized something.


    ¡°They are moving the Infinite Beast!¡±


    The surging darkness had imprisoned the weakened Infinite Beast, and it was being moved through the air.


    Reshoo was shocked.


    ¡°Oh no! Is he here too?¡±


    He knew it had been a possibility. Azell was probably waiting up high in the sky.


    While Reygus distracted everyone, Laura probably used the Vitan¡¯s Maze in the air. What happened if Azell shot the Extreme Extinction afterpleting it within the Vitan¡¯s Maze? Wouldn¡¯t Azell be able to easily achieve his objective of killing the Infinite Beast?


    ¡®No.¡¯


    Reshoo instantly realized that he had guessed wrong.


    There was a being in the sky that had been masked by the presence of Reygus and Niberis. This being was waiting for the right time to attack. Reshoo had been right about that.


    However, it wasn¡¯t Azell. The one to show up was a Dragon Demon youth with long blond hair. It was Kieren Baldazark.


    When Reshoo spotted him, he became confused.


    ¡®What the hell are they trying to pull?¡¯


    When Reygus broke the seal, he assumed that Azell was aiming for this ce.


    What if Azell hadn¡¯te here? If so, why did they break the seal of the Infinite Beast?


    ¡®Does he not care about the fate of the world? He shouldn¡¯t be doing this.¡¯


    If he wanted that to happen, they wouldn¡¯t have weakened the Infinite Beast. They would have let the Infinite Beast do as it liked. They would have killed the Dragon Demon King worshippers, who were capable of sealing the Infinite Beast.


    At this point, Reshoo could only think of one reason that could exin their actions.


    ¡®Are they nning on separating the Infinite Beast from the Great Darkness? What if they are trying to seal it themselves....¡¯


    However, it wasn¡¯t easy sealing a transcendent being that had achieved immortality. If they had the ability to seal the Infinite Beast outside of the Great Darkness, they had to do it somece that Atein couldn¡¯t reach.


    ¡®If it was so easy, Atein would have already relocated the seals to the Dragon Demon pce.¡¯


    He couldn¡¯t decipher their intentions.


    However, Reshoo no longer had the time to think over this problem.


    Kieren was flying high in the sky, and he was talking to himself.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even practice this spell, yet I have to use it in a live battle.... It really is nerve racking. However, a human magician pulled this off before. There is no way I¡¯ll fail.¡±


    His voice was shaking from the nerves. He desperately concentrated his mind on the blood colored ball above his head.


    He was using the Dragon Demon weapon called the Bleeding Star.


    It had absorbed a massive amount of blood, and the ball of blood was 20 meters in diameter. It was directly corrted to the amount of bulk lost by the Infinite Beast.


    Jeffers Almarick looked up from the ground, and he finally realized what had bothered him earlier.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t see any blood. That was it.¡¯


    In the battle against Reygus, the Infinite Beast had lost tons of blood. In the immediate aftermath, the battlefield had been dyed red with blood.


    However, when Reshoo pushed the cloud of dust aside, the battlefield had be unusually clean. Of course, there were blood shed afterwards, but it was a drop in the bucketpared to the amount shed by the Infinite Beast.


    Kieren had hidden in the sky, and he had absorbed all the blood on the battlefield.


    Before he arrived there, Kieren had already ughtered animals and Demonic beasts in order to fill his reservoir of blood. Now the blood shed within the battlefield was added to his alreadyrge reservoir. A frightening amount of magical energy emanated from Kieren.


    Jeffers yelled out.


    ¡°Everyone run!¡±


    The Bleeding Star could create magical energy by using blood as fuel. The Dragon Demon weapon¡¯s power was directly proportional to how much blood one had. With the amount of blood he had gathered, he was basically a god of destruction within this battlefield.


    Everyone realized their current predicament. Everyone used all their might to disperse and run away.


    ¡°Scatter! We¡¯ll be ughtered if we don¡¯t run away!¡±


    They weren¡¯t running away in panic. They knew what wasing, so they made a tactical decision to retreat. It was an attempt to minimize the damage. They had been trained on how to react when they found themselves in such a situation.


    Kieren smiled as he looked at the ground.


    ¡®It is going as nned!¡¯

 Chapter 235 - Dragon Demon General (5)

    Chapter 235 - Dragon Demon General (5)


    Kieren looked at the situation below, and he smiled.


    ¡®It went as nned!¡¯


    Everything had gone as nned. Reshoo¡¯s appearance had been a surprise, but Azell¡¯s side had taken such variables into consideration.


    ¡°Koohk......!¡±


    Reshoo had to retreat. At that moment, the magical energy in Kieren¡¯s hand was so massive that even Reshoo was afraid. It was unknown as to how much destruction such arge amount of magical energy could cause, and he had no ns on finding it out. Reshoo didn¡¯t need to sh against the spell to know that the result would be horrific.


    A wave of heat started to overtake those that were running away.


    Gwah-gwahng! Kwah-gwa-gwa-gwa-gwa......!


    This phenomena made them run harder. However, it wasn¡¯t a phenomena created by Kieren.


    Niberis detonated a spell that she had prepared beforehand. She had purposefully detonated the Round Table of Cursed Demons to create a massive wave of heat. The power of Reygus¡¯ Soul Hammer added earthquake to the fire. The attack spread outwards.


    If this move was pulled off in the middle of a city, the humans within the city would have been wiped out. It was a cmitous attack. The Demon King worshippers were desperately running away, so Reshoo was the only one capable of asking the question.


    ¡®What the hell? What are they aiming for?¡¯


    Reshoo hadn¡¯t stopped running away. If the horrifying amount of Kieren¡¯s magical energy was added to this attack, something unimaginable might happen.


    However, Reshoo felt that something was off.


    Why hadn¡¯t Kieren immediately attacked them?


    A massive cloud of dust had risen up thanks to the earthquake, so Reshoo couldn¡¯t see the answer to his question.


    The blood of the Infinite Beast had risen up into the sky, and it had been swallowed up by the Bleeding Star.


    Finally, Kieren activated his magic.


    -Extreme Extinction!


    The Bleeding Star possessed incredible amount of Mana. The ball of blood started to burn white starting from its center.


    As the magical energybusted, the pressure reached its max. Finally, an extreme destructive event ured as the Infinite Beast was erased from this world.


    7


    Earlier.


    After Yuren sacrificed himself to save his party, Azell¡¯s party learned something new.


    Carlos had handed a magic tome to Laura, and it detailed the process in which a magician could recreate the Extreme Extinction.


    Carlos hadn¡¯t put any safeguards on the magic tome when it came to Laura. She could read everything within it. However, there were hidden contents within the book, and it was released when Yuren had died. It seemed Carlos had been wary of Yuren¡¯s identity to that extent.


    When she found out this truth, Laura thought hard on it, and she came to a decision. She wanted to teach Extreme Extinction to Niberis. Laura had to convince her party.


    Her party didn¡¯t react too favorably to her suggestion.


    Leticia expressed her difort with the idea.


    ¡°I was willing to help her, but.... I do not think I can trust her. You are asking too much of us.¡±


    It was the same for Kairen.


    ¡°Extreme Extinction is a secret card that Atein must never attain. It is a technique, yet a big sacrifice is needed to use it. That is why we¡¯ll only use it when absolutely necessary. Even if Niberis decided to go against Atein, will she really be able to sacrifice her Dragon Demon weapon in the process?¡±


    He had toe up with the battle n, so he tried to look at the situation from a cold and logical point of view.


    Carlos had used the Extreme Extinction technique through his magic tome. He had developed it further after he used it against Belrun and Iksseru. The prerequisite was much less onerous than before.


    However, the fact that one had to sacrifice a Dragon Demon weapon in order to use it hadn¡¯t changed.


    Arrieta let out a sigh.


    ¡°I can¡¯t separate my emotions from my answer in regards to this problem. I¡¯ll bow out.¡±


    Arrieta didn¡¯t know much about Niberis. That is why she didn¡¯t have much to add to conversation. Moreover, she still held a huge grudge against Niberis.


    The only one not to give his opinion was Azell. Azell was deep in thought before he asked a question.


    ¡°Laura, what is the reasoning behind your proposal?.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already told you.¡±


    Laura¡¯s reasoning was quite simple.


    It wasn¡¯t unreasonable to ask Reygus, Niberis and Kieren to travel together. The Guardian Shadows could be used as a means ofmunication. They could attack multiple locations to carry out joint operations.


    However, the other groups other than Azell¡¯s party could only be used to distract or upy their foes. It would be better if each group had a member that was capable of dealing the decisive blow. This would allow Azell¡¯s party to maximize their utilization.


    Azell asked again.


    ¡°Give me the other reason.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    At his words, Laura became silent. She looked hesitant as she opened her mouth.


    ¡°...I trust Niberis. It is based on my personal feeling.¡±


    ¡°That is enough for me. However, others might need more convincing.¡±


    At his words, Kairen, Leticia and Arrieta looked at him in surprise. It meant Azell had faith in Laura¡¯s opinions, and he supported her.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ve watched Niberis for a long time. I¡¯ve always hated her, but there is one truth I do know. Niberis is an idiot.¡±


    Everyone was taken aback by her words. They thought she would make a serious argument, yet she called Niberis an idiot?


    ¡°She has an excessive amount of pride and self-respect. You can threaten her with death, yet she won¡¯tpromise. If needed, she would throw away her life for her pride.¡±


    Azell agreed with what was being said. When he delivered Saibein¡¯s message, he was able to get an urate measure of Niberis.


    ¡°Niberis that I know is like that. You¡¯ve seen this side of her.¡±


    ¡°...I did.¡±


    Leticia had rescued Niberis not too long ago by controlling the Guardian Shadows. She had gathered the nearby Guardian Shadows in one location, and she had monitored Niberis for a time. Laura had been urate in her characterization of Niberis.


    Niberis knew she might die. She knew she was making a foolish choice, yet she didn¡¯t go down any road that she found uneptable. She possessed an unbending pride.


    Laura spoke.


    ¡°I know the risk is high. I¡¯ll go meet her, and we can make a decision.¡±


    Afterwards, the discussion continued on for a long time. However, they eventually decided to follow Laura¡¯s suggestion.


    8


    After everything was resolved, Azell decided he needed some air, so he went out to scout the nearby region. Laura came looking for him.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    Azell asked with a yful smile on his face. Laura felt a little bit embarrassed, so she avoided his gaze.


    ¡°...thank you for supporting my opinion.¡±


    ¡°I only agreed, because I thought it was a decent idea. However, I have a remaining question left.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Why did you have that idea in the first ce?¡±


    At its surface, Laura¡¯s suggestion seemed to have a rational reasoning behind it. However, Azell could see that there was clearly an emotionalponent to her decision. It existed beneath the surface. Even if she considered Niberis to be a trustworthy person, she wouldn¡¯t havee up with the idea of letting Niberis learn the Extreme Extinction without an emotionalponent to it.


    When Azell pointed this out, Laura looked off into the distance for a brief moment before she answered him.


    ¡°Niberis and I share the same burden.¡±


    ¡°Same burden?¡±


    ¡°It is such arge burden that I can¡¯t live my life without resolving it.¡±


    There was a nostalgic look in her eyes as Laura thought about her past. Both of them had been born and raised in the in of Darkness where madness reigned.


    The two of them lived their lives as tools, and they were constantly reminded as to why they had to live such lives. Their lives were being dominated by the mythos of the Dragon Demon King Atein.


    At an early age, Laura decided to walk her own path.


    It was different for Niberis.


    When Atein chose to reject the ways of the in of Darkness, Niberis could have chose to support Atein.


    However, Niberis didn¡¯t choose to go down this path. She broke through the madness that had kept her penned in, and she decided to make her own future.


    From this point on, Laura felt a sense of kinship with Niberis.


    ¡°We have to see this fight to the end. Only then we can think about how we¡¯ll live our future lives.¡±


    Laura¡¯s life was a series of fight. She had been a tool that was used to fight the world. She was groomed to be a weapon, and she had kept fighting and fighting. She never had the opportunity to think about what she wanted to do with her life.


    It was the same after she betrayed the in of Darkness to be Azell¡¯srade.


    She always had enemies that she had to fight.


    It was the same where it was before she betrayed the in of Darkness or the day when Atein was revived. She was always fighting against the world.


    The in of Darkness had been her world. Now she had to fight against them.


    She had changed side, but the fact that she had to fight hadn¡¯t changed.


    However, she realized something when Atein finally revived himself. The long fight wasing to an end.


    ¡°However, I still know nothing.¡±


    After the fightes to an end, she had no idea what kind of life she wanted to lead. She had only been able to find the meaning in life when fighting. What was she supposed to do when her sole reason for living was gone?


    ¡°It must be the same for Niberis.¡±


    The only meaning in life was to fight. That was why it was hard for her to imagine a world without enemies.


    ¡°Despite everything, we have to see this to the end. Then we will be able to step forward.¡±


    Even if the future was a hellish wastnd, she had to see this to the end. Afterwards, she will able to start her life anew.


    Azell had been silent as he listened to her. He opened his mouth.


    ¡°...I¡¯m surprised.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Your story is surprisingly simr to mine.¡±


    Azell looked sheepish as heughed.


    Laura¡¯s story surprisingly made him think of the days when he held simr sentiments. From Azell¡¯s perspective, this fight was like settling an old debt.


    He had been thrown into the future, so Azell¡¯s soul still felt stuck in the past. If he didn¡¯t settle this, he would never be able to move forward.


    ¡°Still, I¡¯m better off in one aspect. I have something I have to do after I finish my fight.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before? I¡¯ll establish the County of Karzark. I¡¯ll wipe away it bad name. I¡¯ll make it so that people will want to live there once again.¡±


    After he won the fight for the fate of the world, Azell still had plenty foes to fight. When she heard his words, Laura just looked at him as she spoke.


    ¡°...I can help you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°When the fight ends, I don¡¯t really have much to do... I am indebted to you, so I can help you.¡±


    Her expression hadn¡¯t changed, but she was discretely avoiding his gaze. It seemed she was embarrassed. Azell held back hisughter as he asked her a question.


    ¡°Since you are out of work, you are asking me for a job?¡±


    ¡°You told me that a high ranked magician like me can name a price when ites to finding an employer. Kairen will probably hire me for a lot of money.¡±


    Laura sounded coy. He cackled at Laura¡¯s extremely reasonable reply.


    ¡°It is as you¡¯ve said, magician Laura-nim. I have nothing, so I can only give you a pittance until I achieve my goal. If you don¡¯t mind that, please help me.¡±


    ¡°...only if I have nothing to do.¡±


    Laura continued to act coy until end.


    9


    Present time.


    -It was a sess.


    Kayalia was the first one to realize that Kieren had seeded in pulling off the Extreme Extinction.


    She was restricted from essing information through the Great Darkness, but it didn¡¯t matter. The being that was considered to be the pir of the Great Darkness had been released from its seal, and it had cease to exist. Kayalia could feel it on an instinctual level.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°Kieren Baldazark is excellent. I dismissed him as being a cub..... I¡¯ll have to apologize to him.¡±


    Kieren hadn¡¯t made much of an impression on Azell. He looked simr to Baldazark,and his abilities were decent. That was it.


    However, Kieren had chosen to put his life on the line to follow Niberis. He chose to go against Atein. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, he had willingly sacrificed his Dragon Demon weapon in order to strike a grievous wound against Atein¡¯s n.


    Azell expressed his respects towards Kieren.


    At that moment, he had epted Kieren.


    ¡®If we meet again, I¡¯ll express my thanks to you.¡¯


    Kieren wasn¡¯t the only one fighting for his live. Azell was also fighting for his life.


    ¡°Almarick! How long will you hide inside? You are being timid like a coward! This isn¡¯t like you! Come out!¡±


    Azell¡¯s party had went to the point guarded by Almarick. Azell¡¯s party was going all out as they aimed for the Tree god of the Balran Forest.

 Chapter 236 - Clash of the Legends (1)

    Chapter 236 - sh of the Legends (1)


    1


    It happened when Reygus and Kayalia had left. They had dered their opposition towards Atein. Almarick searched out Atein, and he asked the question.


    ¡°Why did you let them go?¡±


    Even if he possessed the highest authority within the Great Darkness, Atein couldn¡¯t coerce Reygus and Kayalia to stay. However, wouldn¡¯t it be possible for Atein to imprison them?


    Atein gave his answer.


    ¡°There are two reasons why I didn¡¯t do it. There is a rational reason, and there is an emotional reason. Which one do you want to hear first?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll hear the rational reason first.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°If I hear the emotional reason first, I think I¡¯ll get mad.¡±


    ¡°I see. I made a deal with Kayalia.¡±


    ¡°A deal?¡±


    ¡°Kayalia is the first being that had transcended what I had designed. It might have something to do with her experience of living multiple reincarnated lives. I believe it created a new variable.¡±


    When she stood in front of Atein once again, he realized she possessed transcendent power. Her current power couldn¡¯t bepared to her past self. The core of Atein¡¯s n revolved around the Great Darkness, and from his perspective, she was someone that deserved to be feared.


    ¡°Since she is dependent to the Great Darkness, I might be able to subdue her. The probability of sess is high, since I possess a higher authority than her. However, she is an existence that has be one with the Great Darkness. My body is alive, and I am merely connected to the Great Darkness. In the process of fighting her, she might cause massive damage to the Great Darkness. She could do this if she wanted to be reckless.¡±


    Atein didn¡¯t want to take such a risk. This was why he had made a deal with Kayalia.


    He would let Reygus and Kayalia go. He would give them the chance to fight him as free willed individuals. In exchange, Kayalia would ce restrictions on her authority within the Great Darkness.


    ¡°It was a deal that was eptable to both parties.¡±


    Kayalia also didn¡¯t want to resolve the fight at that moment. There was a chance that she might perish without being able to cause any harm to Atein.


    This was why the two of them had made a deal.


    Almarick epted that answer.


    ¡°I see. What about your emotional reason?¡±


    ¡°This fight might be thest fight between me and humanity.¡±


    Atein spoke as he looked into the empty air. There was a far away look in his eyes.


    As long as Almarick could remember, Atein had been like this. Atein fought the current reality in front of him, yet his gaze was always far away. He was always looking at ces that others couldn¡¯t see.


    Even if he won this fight, Atein¡¯s fight wouldn¡¯t end. This was merely the first button being buttoned up in Atein¡¯s n. If he wanted humanity tost forever, there were countless problems he had to fix.


    However, when one was putting an enormous n into action, there was nothing more important than the first step.


    ¡°This is why I want to see all the possibilities. I want to do it before the fight against humanity ends. I want to see all of it before I make the irrevocable choice....¡±


    He was basically trying to ce a fence around humanity in order to keep them safe. He wouldn¡¯tpletely take away their free will, but he would take away their choice to choose evil. He would stop them from self destruction.


    ¡°Reygus¡¯ revolt.... Yes. If I¡¯m to be honest, I expected it. That¡¯s the type of man he is.¡±


    Atein truly felt regret. He knew Reygus¡¯ personality, yet he had chosen to hide the decision he would make in the future.


    This also didn¡¯t mean that he had tried to hide the truth in order to dy making a decision. Atein had conducted an experiment with the in of Darkness, and his hopes had been high. He knew in the corner of his heart that it was hopeless, yet he desperately wished the in of Darkness would give him hope.


    However, the result was what it was.


    ¡°Reshoo realized that no system created by humans could prevent tragedies. He despaired at this truth, and he agreed to join my cause.¡±


    Reshoo had told Azell about this in the past. The world made by humans lifted up those that were evil and greedy. They were punitive towards people that were good and selfless.


    If a person with evil intentions harmed a good person, there should be a punishment. However, thismon principle wasn¡¯t often followed. Even if the principle was kept, it wasn¡¯t as if the one that had lost one¡¯s life woulde back to life.


    A fundamental solution was needed. It would be an irond rule with no loopholes.


    Reshoo had experience countless tragedies, and he hade to a decision when Baion met his death.


    ¡°Almarick, this might be abrupt, but I want to hear your answer to this question. Why do you continue to follow me to the end?¡±


    Atein hadn¡¯t decided to revive the four Dragon Demon generals, because he had absolute trust in them. He had done it out of respect for the four of them, who had lived through the same era as him.


    Even if all four of them turned against him after being revived, Atein wouldn¡¯t have regretted his decision. This was why Atein felt thankful towards Almarick, who had decided to remain next to him.


    Almarick spoke.


    ¡°As you probably know, my aim in life in different from Reygus. As I¡¯ve told you before, I believe true order is needed if the world is to find peace.¡±


    Long ago, Almarick had been a king of a region, and he had lost to Atein.


    It was the same for Reygus.


    The two of them ruled theirnds differently. They were pr opposites.


    The only thingmon was the fact that they had ruled through the absolute charisma they possessed. In the eyes of the normal people, they were gods walking amongst men.


    Reygus¡¯ country waswless, and everyone lived a freewheeling life. If a tribe was living like that, it might have been understandable. However, he was in charge of a small nation. It was almost unbelievable that Reygus had been able to maintain his society.


    On the other hand, Almarick had been strict in enforcing hisw and order. There was clear ranks in his society, and a person was punished if they acted out beyond what their station allowed.


    It was obvious as to why Reygus and Almarick had been on bad terms before they served under Atein. Numerous fights had urred between the two.


    ¡°However, no rule I can think up can bring perfect order. Even nature is unpredictable. That is why my choice might have been inevitable.¡±


    Almarick looked like a fierce beast. At a nce, he didn¡¯t look like someone who followed societal norms. That wasn¡¯t true.


    For example, one just had to watch wild beasts form a pack. There was a clear hierarchy and order within the pack. The peace of the pack was only disrupted only when the leader of the pack starts to lose its authority. It brought confusion within the pack.


    ¡°I cannot live by myself. I built my own pack, and I put in ce a clear hierarchy. However, neither the humans and the Dragon Demons could escape their base nature.¡±


    Almarick had lived for over a thousand years. He believed that humans weren¡¯t that different from beasts when it came down to it. They possessed more intelligence than beasts, but he also observed humans show more ugliness than good.


    ¡°That is why I want to see it once. I want to see true and eternal peace. I want to see the absolute order.¡±


    ¡°You are with me, because you want to see that?¡±


    ¡°I am greenpared to you. Still, I¡¯ve lived for a long time. No matter how hard I worked at it, I was unable to achieve my ideals. I have a chance to do so right now, and I believe it is a cause worth risking my life.¡±


    ¡°What do you n on doing after that?¡±


    Atein sounded amused as he asked the next question. Almarick was speechless for a brief moment.


    He never thought about what he would do after he achieved his ideal world. If Almarick could achieve his ideals, it would be akin to an end to an epic story.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. If your majesty¡¯s is able to create the ideal world, wouldn¡¯t a swordsman like me be useless? It might be reallyte, but maybe I¡¯ll study magic.¡±


    ¡°No, you will still be an important asset to me. Even if our fight against humanity ends, there are countless problems we still have to solve. We¡¯ll have to fight.¡±


    Atein smiled. Almarick looked at him for a brief moment before he spoke.


    ¡°If I really don¡¯t like the ideal world, I can go against you. I¡¯ll be your majesty¡¯s enemy.¡±


    ¡°At that point, it¡¯ll be a meaningless fight. You won¡¯t be able to win.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Almarick didn¡¯t hesitate as he gave his answer. Atein nodded his head.


    ¡°I see. I have one request, Almarick.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Please survive until the end. I want you to see me make the ideal world.¡±


    This time Almarick didn¡¯t answer immediately. He thought over it for a brief moment, then he spoke. Laughter was infused within his words.


    ¡°If my fate allows it, I¡¯ll willingly do so.¡±


    2


    Koo-goo-goong, koo-roo-roo-roong......!


    He could hear consecutive explosions outside.


    Almarick had been deep within his thoughts. He immediately broke out of his thoughts when he felt the ground shake. He mumbled to himself as he looked at the seal that wasyered with magic circles.


    ¡°We were made aplete fool.¡±


    The news about the other seal was delivered through the Great Darkness.


    From the perspective of Azell¡¯s party, they were probably jumping in joy. Things were turning out exactly as they had nned.


    A member of Reygus¡¯ party had the ability to use the Extreme Extinction. The Dragon Demon King worshippers were taken unawares. Reshoo was supposed to be guarding this site. However, Reshoo had headed towards the other seal, so it was the worst case scenario for Almarick.


    When Reshoo left, both sites were attacked simultaneously.


    The nearby waypoints had already been destroyed. The waypoints that were moderately close were being attacked by the members of the Guardian Shadows.


    Azell¡¯s party appeared at the location of the seal.


    Azell, Laura, Kairen, Leticia, Arrieta and Kayalia were participating in this battle. It wasn¡¯t just them. The strongest members of the Guardian Shadows were there too.


    The Dragon Demon Prince Seigar, Achmage Beorein Michael and his disciples were present. Moreover, the White Sword Count Rakadi, who was considered to be as dangerous as Kairen, was here alongside his family.


    On top of that, over 2,000 Guardian Shadows were present. Basically, they were nning on settling the fight here. It was an all out assault.


    Almarick realized that he had been their target all along.


    ¡®It wouldn¡¯t have mattered Reshoo hadn¡¯t moved from this ce. Even if hees to my rescue, they made it sure that I¡¯ll be dead. That is their goal.¡¯


    The problem right now was the fact that Azell¡¯s party had seized the initiative. The pirs of the Great Darkness couldn¡¯t be moved even by Atein.


    Kayalia¡¯s betrayal meant that Azell¡¯s party had gained information that Atein had wanted hidden. Moreover, Azell¡¯s party hadn¡¯t even given Atein¡¯s side the opportunity to respond. They had put everything on the line in order to win this battle.


    ¡®They are my enemies, yet they made an excellent and decisive decision. Hue hue. It has been a long time since I¡¯ve been pushed to the edge of the cliff.¡¯


    This wasn¡¯t the first time he had experienced this. In the Dragon Demon war, he had been driven into a dead end, and he had been killed.


    However, if he looked back on his long life, he had faced many life threatening situation. He was able to spurn the allure of the grim reaper until he finally met his end in the Dragon Demon war.


    ¡°This is great.¡±


    Almarick let out a ferociousughter.


    His heart started to beat faster.


    His escape route was blocked, so he would have to fight powerful enemies with his life on the line. His life had always been a series of fights. How could he not be excited for this fight?


    On top of that, the foe waiting for him was Azell Karzark. Azell had been the culprit behind his first death. This was the best stage for this fight. He could wish for nothing more.


    ¡°How much time do we have left?¡±


    Almarick asked his underlings.


    Ten magicians were sticking close to the seal, and they were desperately carrying out their task. Whether they could finish their repairs would determine the fate of Almarick


    ¡°At the verytest, it¡¯ll be done in 10 minutes.¡±


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have stay alive until then. I¡¯m guessing you don¡¯t need my Dragon Demon magic any more?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I pray for your sess.¡±


    The magician was resolute as he answered Almarick.


    His underlings were dying outside, yet he had been stuck here. His Dragon Demon magic had been needed to continue the repairs. However, the step where the magicians needed his Dragon Demon magic was at an end. He had no reason for staying here.


    ¡°It would have been fun if Reygus hade here. On the other hand, Azell Karzark is a more extravagant mealpared to that dead bastard. I have noints.¡±


    Almarick mumbled to himself as he exited the building, which had been hastily constructed with magic.


    ¡°Come Dragon Demon weapon.......¡±


    A frightening wave of Dragon Demon magic swept over the battlefield. Almarick appeared at the heart of the battlefield, and he raised his great sword. It was half translucent as if it was made out of ss, and blue lightning started to erupt from the sword.


    ¡°Storm¡¯s Scream.¡±

 Chapter 237 - Clash of the Legends (2)

    Chapter 237 - sh of the Legends (2)


    3


    Oooooh......!


    The wave of Dragon Demon magic surged forward like a storm.


    Those that were exposed to this power trembled, and a stillness descended upon the deep reaches of the decimated Bn forest.


    However, itsted only for a moment. Soon, the battlefield started moving again.


    Thebatants had been fighting a fierce battle with the opponents in front of their eyes. Some unknown power had appeared, and it had overpowered their senses. However, they didn¡¯t have the luxury to be distracted. This was especially true with those that were fighting the Guardian Shadows. Unlike the living foes, the Guardian Shadows weren¡¯t subject to changes in emotions. The Dragon Demon King worshippers, who showed an opening, were ruthlessly cut down.


    ¡°Your ass has gotten heavy, Almarick!¡±


    Azell moved towards Almarick. He had been fighting the Dragon Demon King worshippers, so there was a couple hundred meters of distance between the two of them. However, it didn¡¯t matter.


    During the Dragon Demon war, the two of them were known for being the strongest in terms of using the clone technique. It was an extremely difficult technique that could only be used by Spirit Order and Dragon Arts practitioner. The possibility of pushing the Incarnation technique to such levels was unimaginable to others. Both of them had transcended time and space in terms of battle concept.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you wait. I had to carry out my duty as amander. I got swamped by a heavy workload. You should be understanding since are less busy than me. You are also young.¡±


    Almarickughed like a fierce beast as he blocked the sword swung by Azell¡¯s clone.


    Pah-jee-jee-jee-jeek!


    When the swords shed, lightning exploded forth. Almarick destroyed a clone with one strike, yet another clone of Azell attacked from the back.


    Almarick didn¡¯t even turn to look.


    Kwahng!


    Azell¡¯s clone was pushed backward as an explosive sound rang out. One of Almarick¡¯s clones had been deployed to block Azell¡¯s clone.


    At the same time, Almarick¡¯s true body was starting to push forward. Azell also was walking forward. His red hair was blowing in the wind as he walked through the pandemonium.


    ¡°I owe you a debt from ourst fight. Since you gave me a very warm wee, I¡¯ll have to give as good as I got.¡±


    Azell spoke. There was over 200 meters between them, but it didn¡¯t matter. The two of them were speaking through their clones.


    The clones shed at the midway point. Explosions and lightning bolts detonated. Several dozen clones kept appearing and perishing. The process kept repeating itself.


    ¡°I see. It was a poor wee, yet you thought it was a warm wee? It really hurt my heart that I can¡¯t extract the interest from the debt you incurred to me.¡±


    Almarick retorted. In the past, Almarick had lost to Azell, and he had suffered a critical wound. In the end, he lost his life to Duke Croix Nidel.


    In this era, Almarick had pushed Azell to the brink of death twice. However, it wasn¡¯t enough to wipe out the debt. One of them had to die to settle the debt owed to each other.


    Pah-jeek! Pah-jee-jee-jeek! Kwah-gwah-gwahng......!


    The two were taking big strides towards each other. Their epic battle started to dominate the battlefield. The air shook each time the clones shed. Fierce gale was swirling around thebatants. Everybatant, who had been fighting, looked over to check out the fight. Their mouths fell open from shock at what they saw.


    ¡°The sky......!¡±


    There was even a change to the weather.


    Dark clouds were quickly gathering above them, and there was an increase in precipitation within the wind. A beam of light split the darkening sky.


    Almarick spoke.


    ¡°Sky Splitter. The king really wants that weapon, but I¡¯ll have tomit an act of disloyalty. I¡¯ll destroy it.¡±


    Azell didn¡¯t back down as he gave his retort.


    ¡°Storm¡¯s Scream. I bet you want to hand it down to your descendants as a legacy. It symbolizes the long years you¡¯ve lived. Unfortunately, it will disappear from this era.¡±


    The two of them put on a smile full of killing intent.


    They hadn¡¯t stopped moving. Clones kept appearing and disappearing around them as they conducted a fierce battle. However, Azell and Almarick were calm. As they controlled their clones, they kept a steady pace.


    This sight was awe inspiring.


    The fight hadn¡¯t started in earnest. The clones, who were fighting around them, were mere warm ups to the main fight.


    Despite this fact, they were dominating the battlefield. The tension was making it hard for others to be breateh. It was as if they would be ttened by the pressure.


    ¡°My god. This is the power of those that took center stage at the Dragon Demon war......¡±


    The White Sword Count Bakard Lakadi, and Kairen were called living legends in this era. They had lived in an era where a vast majority of the techniques had been lost thanks to the machinations of the in of Darkness. Still, they had been overflowing with talent, and they were able to reach a supernatural level through neverending effort.


    When they were young, they had admired the heroes of the Dragon Demon war, but on the other hand, they were sure that they weren¡¯t too far behind in powerpared to those that fought in the Dragon Demon war. The only difference was the era they were born in. This prideful belief continued to grow as they fought for the Guardian Shadows. It grew when they took on the mission to protect the world.


    When they were able to meet and ept Azell as who he really was, they couldn¡¯t hide their admiration towards him.


    Anyone in this era would have reacted the same way.


    On the other hand, theirpetitive spirit was lit on fire.


    Would their powers work against the legendary hero?


    ¡°...we are still too far off.¡±


    At that moment, they realized how childish their thoughts were.


    Azell and Almarick finally reached a distance where they could exchange sword strikes.


    Almarick spoke.


    ¡°It seems we¡¯ve warmed up. Why don¡¯t you show me the power that killed the king?¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Azell let out murderous intent as heughed.


    The blue longsword shed against the translucent greatsword. The shockwave shook the battlefield, and it was the start of the true battle.


    4


    Azell was known to be the best in the Dragon Demon war when it came to cloning technique.


    It was an era filled with genius fighters. Despite this fact, not many were able to learn the Incarnation technique. Amongst those that were able to learn it, no one could give substance to their clones like Azell.


    This was also true for Almarick, who was better at the cloning technique than Atein.


    Almarick could simultaneously create 16 clones. Azell could manifest twice that number.


    This didn¡¯t mean Azell could dominate Almarick in the battle of clones. Thest fight between Almarick and Azell had been a desperate struggle.


    Almarick had run away after suffering a severe injury. Duke Croix Nidel had to track down and kill Almarick instead of Azell. It turned out that way, because Azell had also suffered serious injuries in the battle. He hadn¡¯t been in a state where he could track down Almarick.


    Pah-cheet!


    Light and thunder shed against each other as sparks flew.


    Pah-jee-jee-jeet!


    Azell¡¯s clones were made out light, and Almarick¡¯s clones were made out of lightning. As the clones shed, it shook the firmament.


    Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah-kwahng!


    As the consecutive explosions rang out, the true forms of Almarick and Azell ran across the ground. They used Instantaneous Movement to change location each moment as they shed, and the shockwave shook the ground.


    -Come Dragon Demon weapon! Moon sword!


    In the middle of the battle, Azell summoned another Dragon Demon weapon. It was the sword he inherited from his third teacher Lin. It had an insidious ability of taking control and absorbing the magical energy near its vicinity. The sword shone in the hands of a clone.


    ¡°Clumsy.¡±


    At that moment, Almarick¡¯s clone appeared in front of the clone holding the Moon sword. The arm of the Azell clone was severed, and it was sted out of existence by a lightning bolt.


    Another Azell clone appeared as it stabbed towards the Almarick clone. However, an expression of surprise appeared on the face of the Azell clone.


    The Almarick clone had cleaved the arm of the Azell clone, yet it didn¡¯t hold any substance. The Azell clone had stabbed empty air.


    Instead, the false clone on the side was suddenly infused with substance, and it struck out with a powerful attack.


    Gwah-gwa-gwa-gwahng!


    The lightning swallowed up the Azell clones as it attacked the true form of Azell. This was a destructive power that exceeded Azell¡¯s Thunder Dragon¡¯s Horn.


    ¡®As expected, he is formidable!¡¯


    Azell could only grit his teeth when faced with the calcted attack.


    In terms of number, Azell should be able to overwhelm Almarick, but victory was elusive. The two of them were fighting a battle that had a razor thin margin. A single mistake could cause one to take a grievous injury.


    As a clone technique practitioner, Almarick was much better at giving and taking away substance to his clones. Azell continued to maintain a certain number of clones with substance, and he dismissed the clones when needed. Then he recreated the clone with substance at a different location. He repeated this process. Almarick didn¡¯t need to dismiss his numerous clones. The clones slid between substance and no substance in a seamless manner.


    Moreover, each clone held more power. Azell was able to generate overwhelming power through Dual Banding, but Almarick had a bigger container. Almarick¡¯s clones were able to hold more power. Almarick held an upper edge in those aspects.


    Basically, Azell was superior in terms of generating power in short bursts. In terms of maintaining power through a longer period of time, Almarick was better.


    ¡°I know humans have a surprising ability to evolve, but your skills haven¡¯t grown much. Is it because you¡¯ve already reached a too high of a level?¡±


    The true bodies shed against each other. Lightning erupted when their swords met. The gale was so fierce that it was hard to breathe, and the consecutive thunderbolts detonated as they caused the firmament to shake.


    Azell broke out in cold sweat.


    ¡®This bastard¡¯s technique has gotten better!¡¯


    In terms of handling the clones, Almarick¡¯s technique had developed magnificently.


    The ability to transfer substance between the clones had already been disyed during the Dragon Demon war, but there had always been a slight hitch when he used it in battle. However, the transfer happened naturally now. The clones slide between substance and nonentity like flowing water.


    ¡®He disguised himself as an old man to spend the past 50 years in retirement. Did he just work on his technique during that time?¡¯


    Almarick¡¯s cultivation of the technique had grown so much that Azell had such thoughts.


    At some moment, the equilibrium was broken.


    Ggwa-gwahng!


    Azell staggered on his feet.


    For a brief moment, the control over the lightning was lost by Azell. Almarick used this opportunity to kick Azell.


    An explosive sound rang out, and Azell was sent flying into the sky. It was as if the dark clouds were swept up by a current, and a thunder fell from the sky.


    Gwah-roo-rooong! Gwa-gwah-gwahng!


    The thunder wasn¡¯t able to reach the ground. It couldn¡¯t pierce through Azell. His sword took hold of the thunder before it could do that.


    Almarick didn¡¯tnd his attack, yet he was undeterred. In the first ce, the attack was merely a strategic move.


    -Sword that Cuts through the Storm!


    It was one of the secret techniques that made everyone tremble during the Dragon Demon war.


    The thunder, which originated from Almarick on the surface of the ground, shot into the sky. For a moment, the whole world was dyed in white. The thunder that surged up from the ground struck Azell.


    Gwah-gwa-gwa-gwahng!


    The thunder exploded as it ripped apart the sky. The storm was ripping apart the surrounding as the aftereffects of the attack hit the surface of the ground.


    ¡°Shit! This is ridiculous!¡±


    Kairen gritted his teeth as he protected himself with the Dragon Soul.


    In his initial fight with Almarick, Kairen had taken the initiative. He didn¡¯t give Almarick the time to use his power, so he was able to fight on even ground with Almarick. This time Almarick was able to deploy his clones in the beginning. When Kairen saw the full extent of Almarick¡¯s power, he was at a loss for words.


    If one had mediocre skill, even the secondary effect of the fight could kill them. Azell had be strong, but he said he couldn¡¯t guarantee a victory against Almarick. Kairen now knew why he had said that.


    ¡°Azell......!¡±


    Laura¡¯s face turned pale.


    After using the cmitous attack, Almarick hadn¡¯t stopped. He calmly readied the next attack.


    ¡®I have to stop him!¡¯


    It happened when Laura was about to use her Dimensional Distortion.


    Pah-jeek!


    Something stopped her magical energy from forming the spell.


    Laura¡¯s shocked eyes took in the sight of Almarick¡¯s clone. It seemed Almarick caught wind of Laura¡¯s meddling, and he had stopped it.


    ¡°Laura, I do not take you lightly. No, it is the same for all of you here.¡±


    This was why clone technique users were terrifying. They could be in multiple locations, and they could monitor several locations concurrently. They could do it without messing up their movements.


    Almarick¡¯s clone kept attacking Laura. She was being pushed backwards. The nearby enemies recognized Almarick¡¯s intent, and they started focusing their attacks on Laura.


    ¡®No!¡¯


    Laura¡¯s heart sank.


    She saw the exploding lightning, and the irregr flow of power. The lightning should be spreading out in a random pattern, yet it was sucked into Almarick¡¯s sword. It was an unnatural sight.


    ¡°Thunder God¡¯s.......¡±


    The translucent de burned white, and in a sh, it turned into an enormous sword burning with lightning. This was a technique he had used against Yuren. When Azell and Almarick shed, a storm of lightning had formed. Almarick used this power for his own use, and he created a cmitous attack that could wipe out tens of thousands of lives.


    ¡°...Sword!¡±


    The destructive sword divided the sky.


    It was like taking a hot knife to a butter. Everything within the sword¡¯s path was cleaved. The dark clouds burned up, and the clear sky could be seen.


    Then.......


    Kwahhhhhh......!


    It was as if the sword had cut until it reaches the boundary of heaven, and the aftereffects of the attack turned the battlefield into living hell.

 Chapter 238 - Clash of the Legends (3)

    Chapter 238 - sh of the Legends (3)


    5


    At that moment, everyone was desperately trying to stay alive.


    It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that the attack by Almarick was akin to an iron mace of cmity swung by a god. One had to use all of one¡¯s power to survive against the aftereffects of that attack.


    ¡®Bullseye.¡¯


    At the same time, Almarick was sure of it.


    Azell hadn¡¯t been able to dodge his attack.


    Almarick was able to see what the others missed.


    In the beginning, Azell was able to dodge half of the lightning bolt, and the other half had been absorbed by him.


    Afterwards, Azell used the absorbed lightning to boost his Thunder Dragon¡¯s Horn by dozens of magnitude. The Sword that Cuts through the Storm was mostly neutralized by using the Thunder Dragon¡¯s Horn.


    Almarick had predicted Azell¡¯s move until that point. This was why he had prepared the Thunder God¡¯s Sword. The rebound from using the Thunder Dragon¡¯s Horn had made Azelle to a halt for a brief moment, so he wasn¡¯t in a position to respond to Almarick¡¯s attack.


    ¡®Is he dead?¡¯


    Despite see thing, Almarick wasn¡¯t sure about the result. The probability of Azell surviving that strike was almost nil, but his opponent was Azell Karzark......


    The fact that he was having such thought allowed him to dodge the attack that was sent towards him.


    Puh-uuuuuuuhng!


    The beam of light had been shot towards him.


    It was merely the beginning of the attack. Several dozen beams of light came at him from all directions. While Almarick was dodging, a much more dangerous attack revealed itself from beyond.


    Hwahhhhhhhk!


    An Azell clone appeared in the rear, and he brought down his sword against Almarick. Explosive me erupted from the sword. It was a technique that was on par in power with the Thunder Dragon¡¯s Horn. It was the Fire Dragon¡¯s Horn.


    ¡°As expected...¡±


    As if Almarick had expected such an attack, Almarick controlled the gale to push aside the attack. He didn¡¯t know where Azell¡¯s true body was located at, but it didn¡¯t matter. It didn¡¯t matter where the attacks woulde from. He nned on crushing all of it.


    me continued to rage around his surroundings.


    Azell clones surrounded Almarick, and all of them used the me Dragon¡¯s Horn at the same time.


    ¡®Ridiculous. He is able to generate this much magical energy at one go?¡¯


    A hell-like heat was burning up his surrounding. The me Dragon¡¯s Horn was able to absorb the heat in the surrounding to create its terrifying might.


    Moreover, eight clones were simultaneously using it at the same time. Even Almarick couldn¡¯t help, but shudder at the attack.


    Kwahhhhhhhhh!


    Almarick charged out of the exploding me. He elerated using the Instantaneous Movement, and he cut down the Azell clones.


    Azell had manifested eight clones, and only three of the clones were sessful in pulling off the attack again. The other five was destroyed by Almarick clones.


    It happened at that moment.


    A ray of light pierced through Almarick¡¯s chest.


    ¡®What......?¡¯


    Almarick¡¯s eyes widened.


    The sound of an explosion rang out a beatte.


    Kwahhhhhng!


    This was the first time Almarick had lost his bnce since the start of the fight. He couldn¡¯t withstand the explosion, so he was sent flying.


    He couldn¡¯t understand what had happened. Almarick had his guard up.


    His surrounding was too chaotic, so it was hard to read the flow of power. However, he had been prepared for a sneak attack. It shouldn¡¯t have mattered where or when the attack was sent by Azell. He should have been able to block it.


    However, a thin beam of light had pierced through all his defense as if it was paper. A finger sized hole had appeared on his chest.


    ¡®What the hell was it?¡¯


    The size of the wound was small, but he had taken the full brunt of the attack. There was a hole in his heart, so it was a critical wound.


    However, Almarick was someone that possessed life energy in abundance. It was as big as a mountain, so he was able to use Dragon Arts to stop the bleeding from his wound. His power mimicked the function of the problematic organ.


    ¡®Azell, you made a mistake in not being able to hit my head.¡¯


    If the attack had pierced through his head, the fight would have ended. However, it had hit his heart. If the damage was localized, there were ways to patch up the damage.


    ¡°Koo-oohk, huh-uhk.......¡±


    Almarick was barely able to regain his bnce, and he was breathing roughly. An Azell clone with the Moon sword appeared in front of Almarick. A fierce attack was unleashed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me!¡±


    Almarick yelled out in anger.


    The Moon sword could absorb magical energy, so it was the worst type of attack for Almarick in his current state. Just facing the Moon sword caused disturbance in the flow of his magical energy.


    However, Almarick was like a typhoon as he pressed his attack against the Azell clones. Almarick cut off the head of a clone. Other Azell clones kept attacking Almarick, but his defense was like a steel wall. He was injured, yet he used his storm like rage to beat back Azell¡¯s attack.


    At the same time, Almarick¡¯s clone had moved into the sky as he checked what had happened.


    ¡®Sun Lightsaber!¡¯


    It was as if an enormous tree of light was sprouting from the ground to the sky.


    As the light dispersed, he could see Azell at the center of this light. His armor was broken, and his entire body was bloody.


    When he saw this, he understood what Azell had used to attack him.


    ¡®Extreme Extinction. I see. This is Extreme Extinction.¡¯


    This was different from the Extreme Extinction shown by Azell in the Dragon Demon war. However, the existence of the Extreme Extinction had been confirmed through the Great Darkness.


    This was why Almarick had been wary of it. However, he had never expected Azell to use the attack in such a way.


    Almarick hadn¡¯t given Azell the time to manifest the Sun Lightsaber. He had worked under that assumption. However, Azell had transcended his expectation. A new variable had allowed this to happen.


    ¡®Brand of Paradise. Hahaha. Yuren Rizester, you are a scary human being. I never expected to be caught unawares thanks to his majesty¡¯s reincarnated self.¡¯


    Azell had used Sky¡¯s Fortress, Master of Raging Wave, Defender of Dawn and the Sky Splitter. Azell had chained together five of his Dragon Demon weapons to defend the Thunder God¡¯s Sword.


    However, he couldn¡¯t block the entirety of the attack, so his body was a bloody mess. He had almost lost consciousness, and he was barely able to stop himself from falling from the sky.


    Danger soon turned into opportunity.


    Almarick had used lightning bolts, which had erupted during battle, to manifest his ultimate attack. Azell could do the same thing. Above all else, the aftereffects of the attack was sorge that even Atein would be able to decipher what was going on here. He was too far away. This was a golden ability.


    He pushed the Brand of Paradise to its limit as he elerated time, and he used the light being generated in his surrounding to manifest the Sun Lightsaber with the Sky Splitter.


    He used all the leftover energy in his body to create clones, and he had distracted Almarick. In the confusion, he was able tond the Extreme Extinction on mrick¡¯s body.


    ¡°As expected.... You really are ridiculous.¡±


    Almarickughed as he pushed aside the fierce attack being carried out by Azell clones.


    Almarick could hear the footsteps of the grim reaper creeping up from behind his back. He was in danger of losing his life. This truth was felt vividly by him.


    Still, Almarickughed.


    Azell¡¯s true body rushed forward, and he arrived in front of Almarick. The Sky Splitter had resolved into its light form, and it cut through the chaotic space. The light sword shed with the sword in Almarick¡¯s hands.


    Kwah-chahng!


    Lightning erupted at the point of impact, and the lightning was sucked back into the two swords. Then they shed again!


    Kwahng!


    As the explosion rang out, bothbatants became bloody, and they both took a step back.


    They regained their bnce at the same time.


    It was as if both of them had forgotten each other¡¯s existence. They disengaged at the perfect moment, and they swung their swords towards their backs.


    A shockwave detonated.


    Both fighters had thought the same thing. As soon as they shed, they sent a clone to each other¡¯s backs. They had read this truth, and they had reacted at the same time.


    ¡®How about this?¡¯


    The next round of attack was the same. They acted simultaneously. Almarick¡¯s clone could flow between substance and non-substance like water. When Almarick¡¯s clone attacked from behind, Azell elerated forward to dodge the attack. Azell had created a clone with the small time difference, and he mounted a counterattack.


    ¡®Is this all you got! Let¡¯s see you deal with this attack.¡¯


    Azell had rushed forward, and a clone had appeared in front of him. It was as if the two figures was superimposed to each other. When Almarick was about to block the attack, the tip of Azell¡¯s sword turned immaterial. Azell had used perfect timing to dismiss his clone. Almarick¡¯s bnce was thrown off, and the dyed attack of Azell struck out at Almarick.


    Almarick dodged the attack by a hair. However, it was as if Azell had been waiting for this moment. A powerful light detonated in the air, and Almarick¡¯s barrier was half destroyed. It made him stagger.


    Azell rushed in as he swung his luminescent sword.


    There was a fric energy behind his attack, but on the contrary, his form was eerily clean. There wasn¡¯t a single inefficiency as Azell swung a beautiful arc with his sword.


    ¡®Ah......!¡¯


    Almarick¡¯s eyes widened.


    He was off bnce, yet he was able to block the attack. He immediately tried to give substance to his nearby clones to mount a counterattack.


    However, he had been mistaken. Azell¡¯s sword was like an illusion, and it had sliced through his body.


    ¡°This.......¡±


    Almarick staggered as he retreated.


    Azell¡¯s strike had cleaved Alrmarick from his left shoulder to his right side. It was almost miraculous that his body hadn¡¯t fallen apart. It was an extremely deep cut. Blood fountained forth from his wound.


    ¡°I was wondering what you were nning to do but you had been holding this back.....¡±


    Almarick spoke. His eyes headed towards his own sword.


    He had spent over a thousand years with the Dragon Weapon named Storm¡¯s Scream. It was basically another form of his soul.


    It held the powerful ability to control storm and lightning. It had been broken in half.


    Azell looked ghastly as he answered Almarick.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t n on using this, but you are an outrageous bastard.¡±


    This was his hidden card.


    It was the third form of the Extreme Extinction.


    After sessfully hitting Almarick with the second form of his Extreme Extinction, he had resolved his Sky Splitter into its light form. Then he fought with his Moon sword. He had done this, because he wanted to gather the scattered light for the Sunlight Saber. He needed time to form the third form of the Extreme Extinction.


    Azell had hidden this technique, and he nned on only revealing it in his fight against Atein. However, he had no choice. He had to use this technique to defeat Almarick.


    ¡°Ha.......¡±


    Almarick looked dumbfounded as he stared at Azell. Then he broke out intoughter.


    ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha!¡±


    He let out a heroicughter. The blood from his wound continued to flow out.


    He was close to the point of no return. His death was near. He felt this to be true, yet he strangely felt no regret. He felt unburdened.


    Suddenly, hisughter stopped. He spoke as he looked up at the sky.


    ¡°...Azell, the king called us the children of hate.¡±


    The Demon race was born through human hatred. The Dragon Demon race was born when the Dragons and Demons tried to fill their deficiencies bybining the two races.


    In the end, the Dragon Demon race originated from hatred felt by humans.


    Since their existence was rooted in hatred, the Dragon Demon race didn¡¯t fall far from the tree. They possessed high intelligence, ability and longevitypared to humans. However, their base nature was simr to humans. It was inevitable.


    ¡°He is a sage that found the truths of this world. He must be right. However, it really is amazing.¡±


    ¡°What is?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t hate you, Azell.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    His me of life was close to being extinguished, yet Azell saw Almarick smile. Azell watched Almarick as many emotions crossed his eyes.


    He was a foe worthy of his hate. At the same time, there was a connection between the two of them. They had lived and fought in the same era. In their fights, they had transcended all emotions. Both of them had reached heights where they were able to ignite each other soul as ultimatepetitors.


    Suddenly, Almarick moved his gaze towards Laura.


    As always, the battlefield was loud with the sounds of the battle. However, they met each other¡¯s eyes as if it had been promised.


    They didn¡¯t exchange any words, but Laura felt as if she had exchanged countless words with him.


    Almarick was someone she had to kill even at the cost of her life. He was her enemy, but at the same time, he had been her benefactor. When she was being raised within the madness of the in of Darkness, he had been the only person that had given herfort.


    ¡®Elder.¡¯


    Laura respectfully lowered her head towards Almarick. She expressed her respect towards him. Almarick slightly nodded his head as he spoke.


    ¡°In this moment, I really can¡¯t hate anyone.¡±


    There wasn¡¯t a single ounce of lie in his words. He had lived for over a thousand years. When he greeted the end of his life, he couldn¡¯t hate anything in this world.


    ¡°You are the fated victor. Take the blessing of vanquished.¡±


    Almarick closed his eyes.


    ¡°I wish for your sess in the war.¡±


    Even as his life ended, he didn¡¯t fall over. He died as he remained upright like a sculpture.


    6


    When Almarick was defeated, the oue of the battle was decided.


    The ughter started. The elite troops of the in of Darkness desperately struggled for their lives, but their demise was just a matter of time. When the tide of the battle tiltedpletely in their favor, Azell started getting ready to break the seal. He was going topletely destroy the Tree god.


    However, the aftermath of the battle made it hard for him to find the trace of the forest. Thendscape had changed too much.


    At that moment, darkness surged upwards in the middle of the battlefield.


    Azell felt a familiar energy within the darkness. It was an ominous and dangerous energy.


    ¡°Darkness Incarnate!¡±


    It was Atein¡¯s Dragon Demon weapon. It was the Darkness Incarnate.


    The darkness continued to erupt like a geyser, and a person appeared from within it. He had long ck hair, and his ck eyes looked as if he was looking far away into the distance. He was a Dragon Demon youth possessing a thick ck horn. It was Atein.


    -It¡¯s ok.


    At that moment, Kayalia flew to Azell¡¯s side. She looked more hazy than usual.


    -He can¡¯t manifest his true body here.


    This was why Kayalia hadn¡¯t gotten involved in the battle between Azell and Almarick.


    Almarick had shown up a good amount of timeter after Azell¡¯s party started their surprise attack. Almarick had to help out in carrying out a magic ritual. It was being carried out in the building housing the seal.


    It had been a ritual that would call Atein to this ce.


    Kayalia had realized this. This was why she broke through the barrier magic around the building, while Azell and Almarick fought. She was able to defeat the magicians within, and she was sessful in stopping the ritual.


    Atein was carrying out an enormous magic ritual, so he couldn¡¯t leave the Dragon Demon castle. However, it was simr to what Saibein had found out before. Atein had been able to secretly use a secret research facility even as he carried out the Dragon Demon war.It had been possible for him to do it, because he possessed the Dragon Demon weapon called Darkness Incarnate.


    The Dragon Demon weapons of Atein and the Dragon Demon general weren¡¯t personal possessions. They were all bound to the Great Darkness. When Yuren had awakened, his body didn¡¯t go through the process of inheriting the Dragon Demon weapons. However, he had been able to use them, because he gained ess to the Great Darkness.


    The Darkness Incarnate had also be one with the Great Darkness. This was why Atein was able to manifest a clone from so far away through the Great Darkness.


    However, he still needed outside help for a full manifestation. Kayalia had actively interfered with that work.


    ¡°...I see.¡±


    Azell swallowed his breath.


    If it wasn¡¯t for Kayalia, Azell would have been takenpletely unawares. What would have happened if Atein had made his appearance during his battle against Almarick?


    Everyone here would have been sent to an early grave.


    Atein¡¯s clone looked like his real self. His back was straight as he approached Almarick¡¯s corpse. He sounded truly regretful as he spoke.


    ¡°It is regrettable, but I know you did your best. Almarick, you were one of my closest friends.¡±


    Atein had asked Almarick to survive. Almarick said he would, but instead of a promise, he said he would let fate decide it. Maybe, the two of them had a hunch that such an end wasing for him.


    For a moment, deep sadness could be seen as Azell looked at Almarick¡¯s corpse. Then Atein looked away.


    ¡°Kayalia, this is sudden and unexpected, but I can now see that you are resolute in your decision. After experiencing so many lives, you¡¯ve found something worth more than your life.¡±


    -I¡¯m thankful.


    Kayalia answered him.


    -If it wasn¡¯t for you, I would have never gained this opportunity. Thanks to you I was able to choose the path I truly wanted to take in life.


    ¡°I will respect your choice. You were myrade, and at the same time, you were my endearingpanion. Now we will be enemies that¡¯ll fight for our fate.¡±


    One word couldn¡¯t describe the rtionship between the two.


    If it wasn¡¯t for Atein, Kayalia would have died within the body of a human girl. She had tried to avoid death through multiple reincarnation, yet her life had almoste to an end.


    If Atein didn¡¯t take on Kayalia as his third wife, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to revive in this era. He had learned the Reincarnation technique from her, and the experience of using the technique for the past 220 years had been a key part in reviving his true body.


    However, the mutually beneficial rtionship between the two hade to an end in this era. Atein had lived a very long time, so his personal feeling towards others had faded away. Despite this fact, he couldn¡¯t help, but be deeply moved by his emotions.


    ¡°Azell Karzark.¡±


    Atein¡¯s gaze headed towards Azell. Azell felt his heart beat faster despite knowing that Atein¡¯s clone was powerless. It was merely an illusion.


    The two of them finally stood face to face.


    Azell was an old foe that had ended the Dragon Demon war. He was Atein¡¯s fated foe.


    Azell had met Atein before, but it was merely a shade of himself. This was their true reunion.


    Azell and Atein faced each other after 220 years had passed. For a brief moment, they were silent as they looked at each other. The echo of fate prated the heart of the two beings.


    ¡°...I see.¡±


    The first to speak was Atein.


    There was a smile on his lips as he spoke.


    ¡°I also have been looking forward to this moment. After I was revived in this era, I¡¯ve been waiting for the day when I would meet you again, Azell Karzark.¡±


    ¡°It feels awful to say this, but.......¡±


    Azell grinned.


    ¡°I feel the same way. I really wanted to meet you, Atein. It almost makes me wonder if I fell in love with your stupid mug.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha ha. I see. This also might be something arranged by fate. Above all else, I am thankful for the opportunity to converse with you before we try to take each other¡¯s life.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have much to say to you.¡±


    Azell replied in an apathetic manner. However, he shook his head soon. He took back his words.


    ¡°...I want to say that, but I can¡¯t. If you have something you want to say to me, you can. There will nevere a time where I would indulge your words like this.¡±


    ¡°I agree with that sentiment, so I¡¯ll speak.¡±


    Atein let out a bright smile as he spoke.


    ¡°The first to disappear will be the Dragons.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Then the humans will walk down the same path.¡±


    He had heard this before. When he was assessing the skills of the four Lakadi siblings, dark thoughts had risen up from the destroyed waypoint of the Road of Darkness.


    ¡°Thest to disappear will be the Dragon Majin. The only one remaining will be the parentless Dragon Demons. The Dragon Demons will be all alone, and they¡¯ll have to take on the fate of fighting the evil born by the past.¡±


    ¡°You really are babbling away. What are you trying to say, mad king?¡±


    At Azell¡¯s question, Atein answered in a calm manner.


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the fate that¡¯ll be greeted by my race and your race. I¡¯ve been looking forward to this moment, so I sent messages to you in the past. It was an attempt to make you understand my will.¡±


    ¡°Messages?¡±


    ¡°Demon King Balserk of the Yudusk kingdom.¡±


    Azell flinched when he heard the name of the Demon. This particr Demon had told him about the truth behind the Demon race.


    Atein spoke.


    ¡°Then there was the wise Dragon Albatan. It was all set up, so you¡¯ll have the basic knowledge. It was done because I want you to be able to ept what I¡¯m about to say.¡±


    ¡°...that was you?¡±


    He had always been curious about it.


    Azell had learned about the truths about the Dragon Demon race from Balserk and Albatan. The existence of the Dragon Demon race had created a problem in this world.


    Who had arranged it so that Azell became aware of this problem?


    At first, he thought it was Carlos. However, when he met Carlos in the mountain peak of Laus, it was revealed that someone else had arranged it. At that point, he knew that there was a high probability that this mysterious person might be Atein.


    Atein nodded his head.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. You hate me, and you never n on forgiving me. If I hadn¡¯t used such a roundabout and troublesome method, I don¡¯t think you would have even given me the chance to start a conversation.¡±


    As soon as Carlos started his work on eliminating Azell¡¯s curse, Atein had begun making preparations. He wanted to make Azell understand his goal. Atein had spent time much longer than the lifetime of a man to prepare for this conversation.


    ¡°Azell, you were chosen by this world to be my fated foe. Please listen to my story. It is about the sad shift in the fate of the world. It is something we will all face.¡±


    The truth about the world started to flow out of Atein¡¯s mouth.

 Chapter 239 - Fate of the Races (1)

    Chapter 239 - Fate of the Races (1)


    1


    Suddenly, Reygus raised his head.


    <Almarick. In the end, you died.>


    ¡°What?¡±


    Kieren became surprised at the words that hade out of nowhere. He was lying down on the ground, because he was exhausted.


    It wasn¡¯t because he had used Extreme Extinction. The problem arose after he destroyed the Infinite Beast with the Extreme Extinction. He had to destroy his Dragon Demon weapon Bleeding Star.


    An analogy was a dam holding back the water from a reservoir. The dam was the Dragon weapon Bleeding Star, and the gathered magical energy was the water. When the dam was destroyed, the stored magical energy rushed out as a fearsome torrent.


    He only needed 10% of the stored magical energy to manifest the Extreme Extinction.


    Kieren was an outstanding magician, but even he couldn¡¯t control that much magical energy without a medium like the Dragon Demon weapon. Kieren desperately tried to use up all the magical energy. He sent spells out in all directions, and he had caused great destruction. It allowed the rest of his party to escape without much problem.


    Reygus spoke.


    <He probably fought against Azell. Hmmph. That cheap bastard. He should have died after he fought me.>


    Reygus and Almarick had been long time foes before they became Dragon Demon generals.


    They had known each other for a very long time. At times, they had been foes trying to kill each other. In other times, they had been brothers in arms. They had willingly fought back to back with each other. This was why their rtionship had been veryplicated, and outsiders wouldn¡¯t be able to understand the difficult andplicated emotions being felt by Reygus.


    <Still, he died fighting Azell once again. At the very least, he won¡¯t have any regrets.>


    After speaking those words, Reygus silently looked into the distance. He was probably looking towards the direction where Almarick had died in his fight against Azell.


    2


    Demon King Balserk spoke.


    ¡®Demons do not lie.¡¯


    Azell had considered his words to be absurd. The Demons may not lie, but they twisted the truth in an intricate manner. The Demons slowly pushed people to their deaths using these false truths.


    This was why Azell didn¡¯t put much faith in what Balserk had said overall.


    The only part that he hadn¡¯t found fault was the truth about the Demon race. On the other hand, he was suspicious of the being that had made a deal with Balserk. Balserk had to tell the truth about the Demon race to Azell.


    ording to Balserk, the person that sealed him was different from the person that made the deal with him. The one to make the deal had been an unbelievable magician, but he had been human.


    ¡°...now that I think about it, he skillfully avoided telling me a lie. The one to seal him was Atein, and the one to make the deal was Atein¡¯s reincarnated self. Am I right?¡±


    Atein had captured and imprisoned Balserk before the Dragon Demon war had started. After he was reincarnated as a human, he had tried to wrap up his unfinished business. In the process of doing so, he had made arrangements, so the Demon would deliver a message for him. Next, he made a request to Albatan. This was around the time when he was trying to convince Reshoo toe over to his side.


    If Azell thought about it, it all made sense now.


    Atein replied to Azell¡¯s conjecture.


    ¡°You are half right.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You got everything right except for the fact that I didn¡¯t seal the Demon. It was Baldazark.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Basically, there was no lie in Balserk¡¯s assertion.¡±


    Ateinughed as if he found this amusing.


    Azell queried him.


    ¡°Why did you to that? Did you truly think I would work towards solving the problem with you if I saw the big picture? Did you really think I would be persuaded by that?¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    Atein shook his head as he spoke.


    ¡°However, I truly need you and the Sky Splitter. At the very least, I needed to make the attempt at trying to convince you. It was an avenue I had to pursue. You can think of it as a courtesy towards you.¡±


    He knew he couldn¡¯t convince Azell, yet he had made an attempt in trying to convince him.


    It looked like a pointless gesture, but Atein didn¡¯t think of it like that. In the past, Azell had fought him for the fate of the world. If they were to fight once again for the fate of the world in this era, he felt the need to inform Azell about the reasoning behind his actions.


    ¡°Aunsaurus, Baldazark and I researched about the Demon race for a very long time. We found out the identity of the Demon race. We elucidated the problem that arose from the presence of the Demon race.¡±


    After a long research, they had found out many truths.


    They had found out how the Demon race was born, and they learned about a world that could be described as hell. They even found out about how the Dragon Demon race was born.


    ¡°However, we still couldn¡¯t find out the initial reason that caused the Demon race to form. They existed before me. It meant that someone created hell and the Demon race before magic existed..... After countless trial and error, I was sessful in finding the very first Demon. However, he knew nothing.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a simple answer to all of this?¡±


    Azell shrugged his shoulders. Atein tilted his head in puzzlement.


    ¡°What¡¯s the answer?¡±


    ¡°God made them.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Atein, you are like a god in some ways. However, you are not a god. You found out the genesis of the Dragon Demon race, and you went further back to research the origin of the Demon race. Do you know how this world started? Ah. Do you know the genesis of the humans and Dragons? What about the Orcs and the Wolfenoids? Are you trying to find out the genesis of each race?¡±


    ¡°I do not know. My research stopped at finding the origins of the Demon race and hell. Any stories that predate the Demon race is full of holes. They are mere theories, and I¡¯ll have to research those topics in the future.¡±


    ¡°Then you can think of the genesis of the world in this way. Nobody has directly witnessed the existence of the gods, yet there aren¡¯t many people that deny the fact that the gods made this world. Maybe, the gods made hell and the Demon race.¡±


    At his words, Ateinughed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sad to say that I cannot refute your words. Hell and the Demon race are extremely illogical existences, yet our lives and this world is illogical too.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the reason why you created such a ridiculous n? You despaired at the fact that the world was wrong from the start.¡±


    ¡°You are right. It took me a very long time toe to this conclusion. However, it is very difficult to make someone else understand the process in which I came to such a decision. At the very least, it¡¯ll be impossible for me to make you understand in this ce.¡±


    ¡°I do not want you to make me understand. Hurry up, and tell me what you came here to say.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do so. You heard it from Balserk and Albatan, right? The urrence of the Dragon Demons is increasing as hell and the world is starting to converge more and more.¡±


    Atein found his answer when the poption of humans increased and when he was in his death and rebirth cycle.


    ¡°After I created the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, the territory of the humans continued to expand. The poption increased alongside it. As a result, there was a sharp increase in the urrence of the Demons. It was to be expected¡±


    The critical problem urred at this point.


    At some point, humans died. A portion of them became Demons.


    However, the concept of death didn¡¯t exist amongst the Demon race.


    ¡°It is more correct to say that it used to not exist. I¡¯ll expand on thatter on. As you probably know, Demons cannot be destroyed. If a summoned Demon is defeated in this world, they are merely returned to hell.¡±


    This was why Baldazark had sealed Balserk. If Balserk was banished to hell, someone else would be able to summon him again. History would repeat itself.


    ¡°When a dead human bes a Demon, their true essence is not in this world. It is within hell. However, Baldazark found out that a Demon was capable of possessing a body if the contractor died. He used this fact to seal Balserk.¡±


    The body of the possessed being was turned into an Undead. In the process, it tied the essence of the Demon to this world. One had to go through this cumbersome process to imprison the soul.


    ¡°Even if this process was sessful, it isn¡¯t as if it couldpletely kill the Demon. The Demon stole the body of a human, but it didn¡¯t matter if the body was alive or dead. It was just a means to an end that allowed us to maintain the Demon¡¯s true form in this world. However, the Demon was eventually sent back to hell when the body was destroyed.¡±


    In some ways, the Demons were the true immortals.


    This would continue to be true until Atein researched a way to kill the Demons.


    ¡°I promised Balserk that I¡¯ll find a way to destroy the Demon race. I would find a way to kill him.¡±


    The method he developed was the Great Darkness. He bound Balserk to the Great Darkness, and he dissolved Balserk into the flow of information and power within the Great Darkness.


    ¡°In truth, it isn¡¯t a true death. However, I can imprison the Demons, and I can destroy their sense of self. ¡±


    The problem was the fact that it was a very inefficient solution.


    There were countless Demons, and they were constantly being created.


    Just eliminating one of them took an incredible amount of time and effort. One had to trap a Demon in a living body, then one had to make the living body into an Undead. It was something only Archmages could do. After achieving this state, one had to go through a very lengthy process of subordinate the Demon into the Great Darkness. Finally, one was able to ¡®kill¡¯ the Demon.


    Azell realized something at that point.


    ¡°I see! That is why you need the Extreme Extinction.¡±


    ¡°Correct. Extreme Extinction is a violent method that¡¯ll allow us to solve the problem of the Demon race. In my long term n, I want to find another solution that doesn¡¯t rely on the Extreme Extinction. However, I need a solution right now to stop the immediate problem..¡±


    ¡°The reason why you need me is....¡±


    ¡°You probably have the right idea. It is the Sky Splitter. I know Carlos Rizester created a technique that could replicate the Extreme Extinction, but it requires the sacrifice of a Dragon Demon weapon, which is an invaluablemodity. On the other hand, the Sky Splitter could create the Extreme Extinction without any sacrifice.¡±


    At this point in time, Azell was the only being that could create the Extreme Extinction using normal means of magic.


    Moreover, Carlos had received Azell¡¯s full help in his research. This was the only reason why Carlos had been able to recreate the Extreme Extinction even if the sacrifice of the Dragon Demon weapon was needed. If Atein didn¡¯t receive simr cooperation from Azell, he had no idea how long it would take him to reach the same point in his research as Carlos.


    Azell furrowed his brow as he asked a question.


    ¡°So why are you trying to acquire a method that¡¯ll allow you to destroy the Demon race?¡±


    ¡°That is at the heart of the story I¡¯m going to tell you.¡±


    3


    Atein spoke.


    ¡°Azell, you probably heard this from Albatan. The number of 1st generation Dragon Demons are increasing as time passes.¡±


    ¡°He said it was proof that the number of convergence between this world and hell is increasing.¡±


    ¡°This phenomena will continue to elerate. The number of Demons are continuing to increase. This is an entirely different problem from humanity expanding and growing in numbers. The beings, who have no concept of death, will continue to umte. Do you recognize the problem now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you are trying to say.¡±


    ¡°Hell is reaching its saturation point.¡±


    At his words, Azell¡¯s eyes widened.


    Atein continued to speak.


    ¡°This world and hell has an organic connection with each other. When the humans die, the dead humans be Demons. The Demons observe the world, and when the opportunity presents itself, they are able to travel to this world.¡±


    Atein was able toe to the conclusion that the space of the world called hell increased as the number of Demons increased. The ¡®space¡¯ in hell differed from the surface area of this world, but it was the space that could be upied by the residents of hell.


    ¡°The poption of the Demon race is increasing faster than the increase in space within hell.¡±


    Whenever the number of Demons exceeds the area within hell, the phenomena where hell oveps with reality ured. Atein was the first Dragon Demon, so hell had already been dealing with this chronic problem by the time he was born.


    ¡°As the frequency of urrence of the Demons increases, the saturation in hell will worsen. It¡¯ll elerate the problem I mentioned earlier.¡±


    The Dragon Demon war had ended 220 years when Atein was revived in this era. He knew the problem had exacerbated itself during that time.


    ¡°The gue called the ck Darkness made human civilization take a big step backwards, but it didn¡¯t stop the eleration.¡±


    In fact, the gue had caused an explosive growth in Demon poption. Hell had suffered under the explosive poption growth.


    ¡°Of course, it doesn¡¯t guarantee that a Dragon Demon would form if this world and hell converges with each other. In most cases, nothing urs. However, the rate of the Dragon Demons forming would overtake the poption of the Dragons.¡±


    Every Dragon on this world would be a Dragon Demon. In some ways, the Dragons would be able to achieve their wish of gaining wisdom.


    With that, the Dragons would be extinct.

 Chapter 240 - Fate of the Races (2)

    Chapter 240 - Fate of the Races (2)


    All the Dragons of this world would be a Dragon Demon. In some ways, the Dragons would be able to achieve their wish of gaining wisdom.


    With that, the Dragons would be extinct.


    ¡°From the perspective of humans, the extinction of Dragons would have an extremely positive effect. A race capable of threatening humanity would be gone. Humans would be able to proliferate more than ever before. However, there is a process that they¡¯ll have to go through before that could happen.¡±


    It was the rtionship between the humans and the Dragon Demons.


    The blood of the Dragon Demons were stronger than the humans. If a Dragon Demon and a human copted, a Dragon Majin was born. If one wanted a human descendant once again, it would take several generations of the Dragon Majin coupling with humans to produce a human descendant.


    Even if the Dragon Majin¡¯s blood had thinned out as much as possible, a coupling between the Dragon Majin and the Dragon Demon would be able to produce a Dragon Demon offspring.


    ¡°It is true that the Dragon Demon race is much smaller than the human race. Will that hold true in the future? From my perspective, I see the Dragon Demon race increasing in numbers at an incredible pace. The poption of the 1st generation Dragon Demons up until now had been a speckpared to the number of humans.¡±


    When the civilization of humans was at its infancy, the humans had desired the blood of the Dragon Demons.


    The humans born from a coupling with the Dragon Demons were stronger than regr humans at birth. If Dragon Majins were part of one¡¯s family, their mere presence improved the lives of themunity.


    ¡°As civilization developed, such desires diminished. However, human nature still remains on both sides.¡±


    As time passes, humans would be jealous of the longevity and superior abilities of the Dragon Demons.


    Was this really unnatural based on human nature?


    The Dragon Demons would start to consider humans to be lesser beings, and they would want to rule over the humans.


    Was this really unnatural based on human nature?


    ¡°...sadly, I learned that these two behaviors amongst the two races were quite natural.¡±


    ¡°You learned it through the Dragon Demon war, which you started.¡±


    Azell¡¯s eyes turned fierce. Atein was unperturbed as he let Azell¡¯s sharp killing intent flow past him.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. The problem arises when the number of Dragon Demons increases sharply within humanity. The Dragon Demon race will start to prey on humans, and a generational change would ur. Wouldn¡¯t this process be more tragic than the Dragon Demon war?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°If by some miracle, let us say the best case scenario was picked each time. Still, blood would flow. The amount of blood shed will be sorge that one wouldn¡¯t be able topare it to the Dragon Demon war.¡±


    Azell was struck dumb by Atein¡¯s words.


    From Azell¡¯s perspective, the Dragon Demon war had been an unimaginable cmity. It had been the worst. It didn¡¯t matter where one went. One couldn¡¯t avoid fighting, and each day seemed like thest day. One couldn¡¯t avoid thinking about death. Sanctuary hadn¡¯t existed. That was why everyone fought desperately for their lives.


    The amount of blood that¡¯ll flow would be sorge that one wouldn¡¯t be able topare it to the Dragon Demon war?


    The most frightening thing right now was.....


    ¡®He¡¯s right.¡¯


    ...he agreed with Atein¡¯s prediction.


    He had seen countless humans during his lifetime. He knew what choices humans would make when they were ced in extreme situations. He knew it so well that he was fed up with it.


    That is why Azell knew it to be true. If what Atein said was true, a hell-like future would unfold.


    Atein continued to speak.


    ¡°In the worst case scenario, both races might wipe out each other. However, I gave you reasons why I believe humans will disappear first in the long run.¡±


    The Dragons would be extinct first, then the humans would be extinct.


    ¡°Of course, a very long time will be needed for the humans to disappear from this world. At the earliest, it would take over a thousand years. Maybe, when the Dragon Demon race gains the absolute dominant position, they might make a human reservation. They might try to preserve some of the humans. It is simr to what Albatan is doing, but it would be a more arrogant method.¡±


    If one considered the rtionship between the two races, the demise of humanity was inevitable.


    ¡°After a long time, humans will disappear. The Dragon Majins, who were positioned between the Dragon Demons and humans, will disappear.¡±


    When the Dragon Majins became extinct, the Dragon Demon race would be the only race left on this world.


    ¡°The humans and Dragons are the parents of the Dragon Demon race. When they pass away, the Dragon Demons will have to fight the evil created by the parents.¡±


    ¡°...at that point, wouldn¡¯t the problem of the Demon race have resolved by itself?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll try their best to solve it, but I believe the problem will remain. Moreover, it would be much more severe. It couldn¡¯t bepared to what we are facing right now.¡±


    The concept of death didn¡¯t exist amongst the Demon race.


    There was only one way the number of Demons could decrease. It was when a Dragon and a Demonbined to produce a Dragon Demon.


    The problem arose when the Dragons were gone. What happens when Dragon Demons could no longer form?


    ¡°As the poption of humans decrease, there would be a steep increase in the number of Demons. When the generational change urs, the strife created by it would explosively exacerbate the problem¡±


    The saturation problem of hell would not solve itself. It would worsen. After the Dragons became extinct, the convergence between hell and this world would increase in frequency. Wherever human strife urs, this phenomenon would be observed more and more.


    ¡°Do you realize how serious of a problem this will be when humans and Demons meet in such circumstances?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Are you worried about another being like Balserk showing up?¡±


    Azell asked him a question.


    It really sounded like a serious problem. The Demon could appear in this world without the need of ck magicians summoning them. The Demons would be able to entice the humans.


    However, if one went by the tone of Atein¡¯s words, Azell realized that the problem might be more serious than he could imagine.


    As if to confirm this, Atein let out a sigh.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t a magician. No, even if you were a magician, you need extensive research into the Demon race. It is a problem that can only be seen by those that understand the Demons.¡±


    Atein checked the face of Laura, then he looked at the other magicians in Azell¡¯s party. It seemed even the high ranked magicians couldn¡¯t see the problem that Atein had identified.


    ¡°Azell, you don¡¯t know everything about the Demon race. You only know about the one rule that governs the Demon race. It is limited to what happens when a Demon is summoned to this world through magic.¡±


    The one to create this summoning magic was Atein. He traveled all over the world to research his own origin. He coborated and researched with hisrades at the time. He created a magic that was capable of summoning a Demon.


    Azell clicked his tongue.


    ¡°...at this rate, it might be faster to list what you haven¡¯t created first.¡±


    ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t the first in a lot of things. The few that I was able to create first was just memorable.¡±


    Atein let out a bright smile.


    ¡°The main function of the Demon summoning magic was to put as much magical restriction on the Demon as possible. A Demon cannot lie. If the summoner doesn¡¯t want it, the Demon cannot merge with the summoner. Even if a deal looks unfair, there¡¯s always a given and take. Only when the Demon¡¯s goal was achieved, it could snatch away the body of the summoner. These conditions cannot be erased in the summoning magic.¡±


    However, the Demons would be able to appear through the blurred boundary between hell and the world. They would no longer be under such restrictions.


    If the Demons were summoned through ck magic, they were forced to follow the rules. As a price, they would be able to gain a sound body. If they cross over without the summoning magic, they won¡¯t be able to acquire a body without damaging it. On the other hand, they would be able to lie as much as they want. There would be no restrictions that would protect the residents of this world.


    Finally, Azell was able to understand the seriousness of the problem through Atein¡¯s words.


    ¡°The Demons can take over humans at will?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t just the humans. The Dragon Demons wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid this problem. Each time a Demon merges with a human, an unimaginable cmity will ur. If such urrences continue to ur, the danger caused by it would be unimaginable. Even I am unable to predict what would happen.¡±


    Atein didn¡¯t know everything about the Demon race. He was merely someone that knew the most about the Demons in this world.


    ¡°I viewed this as a problem that will lead to the extinction of civilization. The Dragons will be gone. The humans will be gone, and even the Dragon Majin will disappear.... The Demons will even eat the Dragon Demons, who are their children. It¡¯ll all be consumed by the Demons, who are specters of the past.¡±


    This was why Atein decided to erase evil from this world.


    He was trying to use an extreme method to moderate the generational change that would ur between the humans and the Dragon Demons. In doing so, he would be able to significantly slow down the rate of Demon outbreaks in this world. The residents of this world would gain a grace period where they¡¯ll have the opportunity toe up with a solution to the Demon race problem.


    ¡°That is the reasoning behind my choices.¡±


    Everyone was at a loss for words when they heard Atein¡¯s confession.


    In the Dragon Demon war, Atein had insisted on creating an ideal world, and his reasoning right now was different from what he had revealed in the past. It was sorge in scale that it was beyondparison.


    It was n hatched by one being, yet thousands of years of research went into it. He was working towards the ideal future. He was afraid of loneliness, and it was his wish that humanity continued to exist in perpetuity. He was able to foresee the destruction of this world. The destruction was baked into the destiny of this world, and he made a n to stop it.


    ¡°...hundred years. No, it¡¯ll happen in a thousand year.¡±


    Azell¡¯s voice rang out. He suddenly broke the silence.


    ¡°That... It is such a story of epic proportions that even the passage of time looksical next to it.¡±


    ¡°However, it is an inevitable future that¡¯lle to pass.¡±


    ¡°Even several hundred years feels so far away. It is distant like the stars in the night sky. Yes, it was too big of a story. I want to say that something so far in the future shouldn¡¯t matter, but it is reality to you.¡±


    Azell nodded his head as he spoke. Atein spoke when he saw this.


    ¡°I know it is hard for you to ept this story. I won¡¯t require an immediate answer from you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You can give me your answer in our next meeting. No, I¡¯ll be waiting to hear the reasoning behind your choice. I hope you can do me that favor, my fated foe.¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment!¡±


    Azell was taken aback, so he reached out with his hand. However, Atein didn¡¯t wait for him. His figure dissolved into the darkness.


    For a long time, Azell drowned himself in the silence. Then he mumbled to himself in disbelief.


    ¡°...that bastard. I¡¯m willing to give him an answer, yet he just left before hearing it. He just said what he wanted to say.¡±


    4


    After Atein disappeared, the party released the seal to the Tree god. They left the ce after destroying the Tree god.


    The members of the Guardian Shadows including Beorein and the Lakadi siblings looked troubled. Their expression indicated that they were feelingplicated emotions.


    Every one of them held deep seated grudge against the Dragon Demon King worshippers. However, they hadn¡¯t mobilized only out of personal grudge. They felt a sense of duty to protect the world from the Dragon Demon King worshippers.


    That is why Atein¡¯s story was shocking to them.


    Beorein, who was an old Dragon Majin, looked tired from the fight. He asked a question.


    ¡°What do you think about all of this, Kairen?¡±


    ¡°Do you mean Atein¡¯s story?¡±


    ¡°What else would I be talking about?¡±


    ¡°There are always overlords in this world that act with good intentions in mind.¡±


    One didn¡¯t need to go far to see one.


    Atein had made a move in bing an overlord during the Dragon Demon war. It was the same with Nadick, who formed the Nadick empire. They tried to conquer the world, so the world would fit their ideals. In the process, a lot of blood was shed.


    ¡°Those types of beings always thinks their presence is essential to bring about such an ideal. The world is full of people that aren¡¯t living their life right, so an exalted being such as himself is needed to lead the masses. If not, the world would end. Atein is one of those people. Is it so strange to hear such a story from him?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t a problem that we can write off so simply.¡±


    ¡°In my opinion, it is such a problem.¡±


    Kairen shook his head from side to side.


    ¡°He might spout a usible story, but it doesn¡¯t change what he did in the past. His n is sorge in scale that his theories cannot be proven. He overturned the world in order to prove his conjecture. He can package it all he likes, but at the heart of it, it doesn¡¯t change that there is an intrinsic madness within him. Moreover, there is something you should keep in mind.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°He is speaking of an extinction that¡¯ll ur after you are long dead. It¡¯ll probably happen when your great, great, great descendant dies.... At that point in time, your existence would have disappeared from the records.¡±


    Atein¡¯s n covered arge span of time. The event that¡¯ll happen first was the extinction of the Dragons. That¡¯ll happen long after the people of this era were all dead.


    Beorein spoke.


    ¡°However, it¡¯ll happen some day in the future. Should we ignore the problem, because it won¡¯t happen in our era?¡±


    ¡°Maybe so, but we still don¡¯t know for sure that such events wille to pass.¡±


    ¡°Kairen.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not joking around, Beorein. It is the same for any person. We don¡¯t know when we¡¯ll die, but we do know that there will be an end. It will be the same for humanity. There wille a time when humanityes to an end. Maybe, the world would be destroyed before that happens. However, is that our responsibility? Should we try to fix it by sacrificing our present and future?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    ¡°If you carefully listen to Atein¡¯s words, it is filled with selfishness and self-righteousness. He became disappointed in the humans, Dragon Majins and the Dragon Demons. Therefore, he ns on denying our potential and possibility of others. He is talking about the events happening over the vast reaches of time, yet he determined that no one will be able to find the solution. ¡±


    Only I can do it.


    The poor people of this world are foolish and ipetent. I¡¯m the only one that can save them.


    ¡°How arrogant of a thought is that? Of course, I agree that he has the qualifications to be so arrogant, but......¡±


    Kairen snickered.


    It was truly unfortunate, but he couldn¡¯t deny the fact that Atein was a transcendent being even if he was mad. Each of his achievements was almost mythological.


    ¡°Still, he is a mad sage that loves no one, and he trusts no one. I do not want to ask such a being to save us. Atein already jumped to the conclusion that our descendants would be useless. I will do the opposite. I want to belive that our descendants won¡¯t all be fuck ups. ¡±


    ¡°What if things don¡¯t turn out well for our descendants? What if they be extinct?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s their fate.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°People can only do their best in the era they are living in. Even if we do everything we can to help the future generation, we have to entrust those living in the future to make the right choices.¡±


    ¡°At such times.....¡±


    Beorein stroked his beard as he burst outughing.


    ¡°...you sound young. We are the same age, yet you are overflowing with the spirit of youth. I am envious.¡±


    ¡°I am in my prime. You should leave the dangerous task to the young ones like me. You should stay in the rear and act as a support.¡±


    ¡°It is a tempting suggestion. I like it.¡±


    The two snickered at each other¡¯s words. It was as if they were transported back to several dozen years ago.

 Chapter 241 - Fate of the Races (3)

    Chapter 241 - Fate of the Races (3)


    5


    ¡°What are you thinking right now?¡±


    A very soft voice could be heard from his side. Her voice woke Atein up from his revery.


    Atein was sitting lotus style in front of an enormous magic circle. On the surface of the magic circle, the light was being tossed around like a wave. He turned his head to look. He caught sight of the shy face of Aincera. She was pushing a trolley containing his dinner.


    While he was progressing with his ritual, Atein couldn¡¯t leave the magic circle for an extended amount of time. He wasn¡¯t working on the magic circle 24/7, but problems urred intermittently. He had to fix errors, and he had to provide magical energy when the flow of magical energy thinned out. He had to continuously make adjustments.


    While he was doing this, Aincera waited on him. If something needed to be done, she didn¡¯t order her maids. She did it herself. She was acting very differently from how she normally acted over the years. The servants didn¡¯t know what to make of this stark difference.


    ¡°Thanks to the numerous sacrifices the ritual was able to move on to the next step. At the very least, I can now sleep in my bed for a couple hours each day.¡±


    Atein let out a bright smile as he spoke.


    He could feel it at this moment. The Great Darkness was being filled.


    The Dragon Demon worshippers, who promised to follow his cause, continued to die. Their deaths were fattening up the Great Darkness. The specters of intelligent beings were the essence that made up the Great Darkness.


    ¡®I lost the Infinite Beast and the Tree god, but.......¡¯


    He had lost two pirs, and it was a very big loss. In losing them, he was no longer able to use their abilities. He would have to make up for the loss with his own magic. Time and effort had to be diverted to bridge this gap.


    However, the Great Darkness was stronger than ever despite losing the two pirs.


    Unfortunately, this boost in power was temporary. In the long term, the loss of the pirs wasrger than the gain achieved through the deaths of the Dragon Demon King worshippers.


    Still, it was enough power to stop the threat from his enemies. He would be able to finish his ritual.


    Suddenly, Atein spoke.


    ¡°Another one of my friends have left my side.¡±


    ¡°You are talking about general Almarick.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. His fate didn¡¯t allow him to achieve his earnest wish....¡±


    Beings that upied the same time frame as him were dying one by one.


    Aunsaurus, Baldazark and even Almarick....


    Each death hurt Atein.


    The life of a human being was akin to a firefly in front of his eyes. They let out a bright light before they disappeared. It was exceedingly fleeting.


    This was why the existence of the Dragon Demon generals was precious to him. Atein was able to see the world only in the macroscopic view. That was why there weren¡¯t many beings that could upy the same time period as him for an extended amount of time.


    ¡°If I kill Reygus with my own hands, there will be no one left.¡±


    ¡°You have me.¡±


    Aincera embraced Atein.


    ¡°I will be with you until the end.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Atein smiled as he spoke. His eyes couldn¡¯t see Aincera. His eyes were empty.


    She truly was a lovely mate. She was a precious partner that shared his cause. However, she could not exist in the same time frame as him.


    Inparison to the years he had to live, her life was fleeting. He was true to the love being felt in the present. However, he couldn¡¯t help but imagine the future where this love would erode away. This was the pain that Atein would have to bear.


    ¡°If you treat the world with hate, you have to be ready to be hated by the world.....¡±


    Suddenly, Atein mumbled the resolve that he had recited to himself during the Dragon Demon war.


    In truth, Atein hadn¡¯te up with those words.


    In the distant past, a human had told him those words. From Atein¡¯s perspective, the youth had lived for a very short amount of time.


    He could no longer remember the name or the face of this youth. However, when he closed his eyes, he could recall the conversation. He could do it at will.


    ¡®Do you hate the world, magician-nim?¡¯


    ¡®You don¡¯t hate it?¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯ll be lying if I said I didn¡¯t hate it. It is a messed up world.¡¯


    ¡®Why do you live like this then?¡¯


    He was a youth that was born with nothing.


    He was born to a poor family, and he had lost his parents at a young age. He had lived an arduous life, and he got sick before he could achieve anything. In the end, he died before he could recover from the illness.


    Until the moment of his death, the youth lived to help the young homeless children of the streets.


    Atein had disguised himself as a human magician during his travels. In some small city, he had rescued a youth protecting a young girl, who had been selling her body in the back streets. The youth was being beaten as a price for helping the young girl. Atein had rescued the young man, and they had be friends. This was why Atein decided to stay near this city for a couple months. It was also the reason why Atein was able to hear thest will of the dying youth.


    ¡®If you treat the world with hate, you have to be ready to be hated by the world.¡¯


    ¡®Aren¡¯t you already hated by this world?¡¯


    ¡®I suppose so. Despite being hated, I cannot bring myself to hate the world. I refuse to hate the world even if the world hates me. If I do this, I know there will be people that¡¯ll love me.¡¯


    It was as the youth had said. There were a lot of people, who loved this youth.


    He didn¡¯t have any parents or rtives. When his body became so weak that he couldn¡¯t stand up, people willingly searched him out. They came to take care of him. When Atein held a funeral service for the young man, a great number of people had attended the funeral, and they had cried for him.


    The youth¡¯sst will was simple.


    ¡®I worked myself to death, yet the only thing I have is my house. Please use this house to help the children I fed.¡¯


    Basically, he wanted to give his home to the homeless street urchins.


    The life of this young youth was an example of ridiculous amount of selflessness and sacrifice. He hadn¡¯t been a philosopher or a magician. He was a poor youth that had a hard time making ends meet everyday. This was why he had left behind a deep impression within Atein¡¯s mind. After countless years had passed, he still remembered the youth.


    ¡®Magician-nim, you are handsome, so you shouldugh more. Women will line up for you. They¡¯ll love you.¡¯


    ¡®Even if I don¡¯t do that, there are many women that want me.¡¯


    ¡®Wow. You are so full of yourself. Well, I guess I can see it since you are a mage. Magician-nim?¡¯


    ¡®What is it?¡¯


    ¡®I don¡¯t know the source of your hatred, but you should hate in moderation. You should try to live without doing so.¡¯


    ¡®What if I said I¡¯m incapable of feeling hate?¡¯


    ¡®How could you be considered to be a person if that is possible?¡¯


    ¡®.......¡¯


    ¡®For some reason, i know that magician-nim is different from other people. You really seem like someone that is capable of hating the world despite the whole world hating you back. That is why you should reign in your hate. Magician-nim is a good person.¡¯


    After the youth died, Atein left the small city.


    He revisited the city after a couple of years, but the young man¡¯s home was no longer there.


    A criminal organization that ruled over that part of the city had started selling drugs to the residents. After making the residents addicted to the drug, the residents were chased out of the district. The crime organization made an entertainment district in ce of the residential area.


    Some left in disgust and others were chased out with no ce to go. Many people became ruined by the drugs, and they died in the streets.


    Atein checked up on the children that the young man had taken under his wing. He also looked for the young girl, who the youth had saved in their first meeting. She had been thest act of kindness carried out by the young man. Every one of them had be hooked on drugs, and they had been worked to death like ves. In the end, they became ruined or they died.


    When Atein confirmed this truth, he killed all the members of the criminal organization that had been involved in their deaths. Then he killed all the men of influence that pulled the strings from behind the scenes. He knew it wouldn¡¯t change anything, but he couldn¡¯t help it. He killed them all.


    ¡°I can take on the hate of the entire world. If humanity can gain their future as a price......"


    He couldn¡¯t remember the face or the name of the youth. He recalled the youth¡¯s words as he mumbled to himself.


    ¡°...it¡¯ll be well worth it.¡±


    In the middle of his torment, he reaffirmed his resolve. For some reason, his smile looked sad.


    6


    The death of Almarick was an event worthy of a celebration to the members of the Guardian Shadows.


    However, they didn¡¯t pause in their work.


    They knew that they were given a finite time.


    Kayalia spoke.


    -The Great Darkness is getting stronger.


    The destruction of two pirs had been a huge loss. It was apt to say that the Great Darkness had lost significant portion of its function.


    However, this loss was being made up by the deaths of the Dragon Demon King worshippers. In terms of strength, Atein was bing stronger. He was at the peak of his power.


    -My power is getting stronger.


    Her essence was within the great Darkness, so she could feel her power grow continuously.


    -You can also observe it through the Guardian Shadows.


    ¡°You are right. They are capable of pulling this off now......¡±


    Leticia nodded her head.


    It was as Kayalia had said. The Guardian Shadows had gotten stronger too. Each specter¡¯s ability was clearly bing stronger. This increased ability allowed the user of the staff to manifest oneself through the specter. It was a new supplemental power.


    They had discussed this new new phenomena with Kayalia.


    -This ability might be based on the changes Atein made. It is to help him manifest his clones through the Darkness Incarnate.


    ¡°It functions akin to Azell¡¯s Dawn¡¯s Defender.¡±


    Leticia spoke in astonishment as she looked at the specters that had taken on the form of herself. Each of the specters was wielding a spear.


    Of course, their battle capability couldn¡¯t bepared to Leticia. At most, the specters of the Guardian Shadow could use this new ability to copy Leticia¡¯s appearance and style. Still, this was enough. It was quite useful in many ways.


    She was quickly learning how to control the multiple Guardian Shadows thanks to Azell. It was simr in technique to his cloning technique.


    While she researched on how to make better use of this ability, she became deeply upied in finishing her secret technique.


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°At this point, I think you can use it in a real battle.¡±


    ¡°You want me to use the technique at this degree ofpletion?¡±


    Leticia was cultivating a secret technique learned from Azell.


    She had been instructed on it from before, but it was such a high level technique that she was only able to learn it recently. This was the first time Azell had said her technique was good enough to use in battle.


    Azell nodded his head.


    ¡°The most important part is your confidence and trust in your technique. You have to be confident that you¡¯ll be able to seed in using the technique in any situation. We were going at each other, and you were able to seed in using it in all ten attempts. That means you are ready to use it in a real battle.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think this is enough.....¡±


    Leticia still didn¡¯t look confident in herself. Azell cut her off.


    ¡°If twobatants are fighting equipped with long sword and armor, therees a moment in a fight where a dagger might be useful. The degree ofpletion of your technique might look poor to you, but it can be used in a live battle. ¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    ¡°Every technique doesn¡¯t have to be a killer technique. Each skill has its own role. You know this to be true.¡±


    ¡°...you are right.¡±


    Leticia smirked.


    When she heard Azell¡¯s words, she realized that she had unnecessarily set her expectations too high. Her expectation was so high that she had missed the big picture.


    Suddenly, she asked a question.


    ¡°If I get into a fight with Reshoo, will I be able to win against him?¡±


    ¡°I do not know the level of Reshoo¡¯s power.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t as if we are devoid of any information about him. There is the information we heard from Kayalia.¡±


    Azell¡¯s party learned about what had happened in the fight between Reygus and Reshoo. It was an extremely important piece of information.


    ¡°...he would be too much for you. Even if you are being supported by Laura and Kairen, I think you might need one or two more of our members if you want to face Reshoo.¡±


    "As expected.......¡±


    Leticia let out a cold smile at his honest answer.


    ¡°It is a good thing I asked you that question. If I asked Kairen, he would have tried to spare my feelings with his answer. I wouldn¡¯t have received a proper answer.¡±


    ¡°Unexpectedly, the Duke is soft in some ways. He is like that even when he is harsh on himself.¡±


    Azell smirked. As he looked at Leticia, he had a thought.


    ¡®I¡¯m lucky.¡¯


    Two hundred twenty years had passed, yet he still had goodrades by his side. It was the same during his era. He was surrounded by good people.


    It wasn¡¯t just therades that were alive right now. Carlos had endured personal hell to give Azell hope in the future. Then there were his descendents, who had given up their lives as humans. They had taken up the duty of finding someone that they could entrust the future.....


    These were rtionships that he would never forget.


    It was the same for therades that were currently next to him. If he hadn¡¯t met them, he wouldn¡¯t be alive right now.


    ¡®That is why I¡¯ll give you my answer as many times as you want, Atein.¡¯


    The traces of all these people were etched into his soul. That was why he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to answer Atein¡¯s enormous question. Moreover, that time wasn¡¯t too far off. Atein would hear his answer.

 Chapter 242 - Fate of the Races (4)

    Chapter 242 - Fate of the Races (4)


    7


    The campfire was ced away from the stream, yet the sound of tter could be heard. It was the sound of two people washing dishes.


    ¡°If I think about it.....¡±


    Arrieta possessed an exalted background. She wasn¡¯t suited for such work as washing dishes, yet she was doing it. She spoke.


    ¡°...in the past, I felt something simr.¡±


    ¡°When?¡±


    Laura was washing the metal bowl as she tilted her head in puzzlement. She was using her magic to scrub away stubborn spots that she could easily wipe away with water. She had reached a point where she was adept at washing the dishes.


    ¡°It was my first live battle. It was as if the world had been flipped on its head by the power of fate.¡±


    Arrieta had aing of age ceremony on her 15th birthday, and she had to step onto the battlefield as the Dragon Demon Princess. It was her first mission, so the mission wasn¡¯t that dangerous. In truth, not a single hair on her had been damaged..


    Despite this fact, there had been a lot of deaths.


    They had killed many monsters, and the soldiers under hermand had died in the expedition.


    Kairen had been strict in teaching her, yet she was traumatized by the deaths. The shock was beyond imagination. It had driven her into a spiral of confusion.


    ¡°...I knew I couldn¡¯t live like how I lived the day before. I thought everything would change in the future.¡±


    However, her prediction hadn¡¯te to pass.


    ¡°I still talked with people that had nothing to with the battle. I slept when I got tired. I ate when I got hungry. It is obviously something a living body requires, yet at the time, I thought that was out of the ordinary. I expected things to be different.¡±


    Her first battle had been that traumatic of an experience for Arrieta. This was why she thought her whole would change, yet nothing had changed. When she realized this truth, she found it all to be a bit too weird.


    Arrieta wiped away the remaining water from the dishes as she spoke.


    ¡°...I¡¯m feeling a simr feeling right now. We are facing a man that lived the life of a god, and he has a grand n that would change the fate of the world. The fate of humanity is on the line, but we are washing dishes right now.¡±


    ¡°This stuff umtes.¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    Arrieta became puzzled at Laura¡¯s sudden words. Laura continued to speak.


    ¡°Atein speaks in a cosmic scale, but in the end, events umtes.¡±


    ¡°Are youparing his endeavors to washing dishes?¡±


    ¡°Sleeping, washing, meeting other people and fighting.... Hundreds, thousands, millions and billions of these events umte..... Then we reach a point of grandess spoken of by Atein.¡±


    ¡°I see. You can think of it that way. If such trivial tasks do not exist, the grand n has no meaning?¡±


    Arrieta looked impressed as she nodded her head.


    Laura asked a question.


    ¡°What do you think about it, Arrieta?¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about Atein¡¯s story?¡±


    Laura nodded her head. Arrieta thought on it for a moment before she gave her answer.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always felt this before. From one to ten, that man looks at events in toorge of a scale.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    ¡°We criticized Atein for thoughtlessly messing with the underbelly of the world thinking he was doing it in the present. In truth, he was speaking in a scale that passed human history and civilization. Isn¡¯t it quite ridiculous?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°If one made a mistake, one should reflect upon one¡¯s actions. One should apologize, and one should think about making up for that mistake. A normal person would think like that. That thought process is missing from that man, and he is unapologetic about it. His view is so macroscopic that it is hard to tell where his thought process had run awry.¡±


    Arrieta shook her head from side to side.


    ¡°He is trying to make the entire world fit around him. He doesn¡¯t put any importance to the standards that had been developed in this world. You can see it in how he talks about the Dragon Demon war. I¡¯ll sum up his words. He made a mistake, but he wasn¡¯t in the wrong. Still, he would take responsibility for his mistake. He would do this by making another big mess in some other way.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Laura blinked her eyes. Arrieta wasn¡¯t wrong, but Laura wondered if it was ok to summarize Atein¡¯s words like that.


    Arrieta snorted.


    ¡°I cannot trust someone like that. He isn¡¯t family. He isn¡¯t from my kingdom.... He speaks as if he is loves ¡®humanity¡¯, and that we should support his cause. I am not that open minded. In order to secure the future of humanity, he is nning on stepping on the throats of the people of the Rin Kingdom. I cannot allow that.¡±


    ¡°Arrieta, you......¡±


    Laura just blinked her eyes, and she spoke as if she was impressed.


    ¡°...you have a lot that you consider to be precious.¡±


    ¡°Mmm? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I just.... I just want to reach the end of this fight, and I want to see what¡¯s beyond it.¡±


    It didn¡¯t matter what happened. Arrieta had things that were precious to her. This was why her will to fight Atein wouldn¡¯t falter, since she had to protect what was precious to her.


    Laura didn¡¯t have any of that.


    Of course, there was something that was precious to Laura.


    ¡®You all...¡¯


    She treasured Azell and herrades. However, Laura wasn¡¯t fighting Atein for them.


    This was why she was envious of Arrieta. However, she heard something unexpected when Arrieta opened her mouth.


    ¡°I am envious of you, Laura.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Laura¡¯s eyes turned round. Arrieta let out a gentleughter as she spoke.


    ¡°When this fight end, you will be free to do what you want. I am jealous of that freedom. The end of this fight would basically be an end to the curse. Afterwards, you can go wherever you want. You can be with whoever you want.¡±


    ¡°Arrieta, you.......¡±


    When she saw Arrieta¡¯s smile, Laura realized one fact. Laura knew why Arrieta was truly envious of her.


    However, she knew it wasn¡¯t a good idea to voice such thoughts out loud.


    Laura was taken aback at emotions that she was unfamiliar with. Arrieta picked up the washed dishes. Sheughed heartily as she stood up.


    ¡°After washing the dishes, it is time to pass the night in the open air. I feel a bit sad when I think about the fact that such days like this wille to an end soon.¡±


    ¡°...yes.¡±


    Laura nodded her head as she swallowed the words that was hovering around inside her mouth.


    8


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Since we¡¯ve defeated Almarick, Atein doesn¡¯t have many cards left.¡±


    ¡°The problem remains. As we destroy his cards, his personal power bes stronger. The loss of the pirs causes a problem in the long term, but he is sacrificing his underlings to strengthen the Great Darkness....¡±


    As of now, they had destroyed five pirs.


    Creator of Dragon Weapon Iksseru.


    King of the Dead Belrun.


    Steel King.


    Infinite Beast.


    Tree God.


    ¡°There are seven pirs left.......¡±


    Azell replied to Kairen¡¯s mumbled words.


    ¡°If it is as Kayalia had predicted, it doesn¡¯t matter how much resources is put into the Great Darkness. If the Great Darkness loses half of its pirs, its foundation will start to shake.¡±


    ¡°Basically, we have to destroy one more pir. However, the problem remains in that we don¡¯t know how much time we have left.¡±


    Atein was carrying out his ritual. Kayalia had an inkling as to what was going on, but she didn¡¯t have any specifics. She could only guess. In her opinion, Atein must have finished the first step of his ritual by now. He probably moved onto the next step.


    ¡°If he finishes the ritual, it¡¯ll be the end.¡±


    Before her rights were restricted, Kayalia had found out that Atein¡¯s ritual had a total of four steps. When he finishes the four steps.....


    ¡°It¡¯ll be irreversible.¡±


    Azell was sure of it.


    Atein would use a massive system called the Great Darkness to manifest a miraculous magic. The spell would scar the world.


    As Atein had done several times before, he would change the bnce of the world. Even if Atein was defeated at this time, it would be a loss.


    ¡°The probability of our victory is uncertain.......¡±


    Kairen made a decision after he thought hard on it.


    ¡°We have to put it all on the line.¡±


    Finally, the date with destiny was at hand.


    9


    The forest was underneath the night sky, and the ghost-like figure of Kayalia was floating in the air.


    She suddenly raised her hand, and she ced her hand over the luminescent moon. She was seeing it with her eyes, but it didn¡¯t feel real. The light from the moon went through her hand.....


    At such moments, it brought home the fact that she wasn¡¯t really alive. This wasn¡¯t her world. Her world was within the Great Darkness, and the Great Darkness held only those that were gone from this world.


    Still, there was a reason why she couldn¡¯t leave this world. She only had one reason.


    ¡°Kayalia.¡±


    -Is the meeting done?


    Kayalia asked the question in a weing manner when she heard Azell call out her name. Azell spoke as he sat on a nearby boulder.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    -Please let me know what I have to do.


    ¡°You have to travel with us for now.¡±


    -I see.


    Kayalia didn¡¯t ask for more details.


    Kayalia and Atein could see into each other, so she was a risk. This was why the party didn¡¯t tell her anything important. Azell¡¯s party was fighting for their lives, so she did feel left out. However, she didn¡¯t care.


    The fact that Azell trusted her was enough for her. The fact that she would be able to fight the end battle with him was enough for her.....


    ¡°I want to ask you one thing.¡±


    -What is it?


    She was like a fish swimming in water. She flew threw the air, and she brought her face right in front of Azell¡¯s face.


    If she still breathed, they would be able to feel each other¡¯s breath.


    However, they could only look at each other. She couldn¡¯t feel anything. She had no breath nor body temperature.


    -At such a moment, I really resent the fact that I¡¯m dead.


    ¡°.......¡±


    -At the very least, I would be able to kiss you if I was alive.


    ¡°...would it be inappropriate to say that I¡¯m sorry you can¡¯t do it?¡±


    -Don¡¯t say that.


    Kaylia burst outughing as she circled around him. She was being illuminated by the moonlight, so there was a white halo behind her. She looked like a forest fairy.


    She suddenly looked up at the sky as she asked a question.


    -What are you curious about?


    ¡°You.......¡±


    Azell hesitated for a brief moment. He was careful in his choice of words.


    After she joined up with them, he had always had this question. He couldn¡¯t be callous in how he asked this question, so he had buried it until now.


    Still, he felt like he had to ask this question right now.


    ¡°...why did you choose to die?¡±


    -Didn¡¯t I tell you my reasons?


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about the past. I¡¯m talking about this era.¡±


    Azell spoke in a heavy tone when he saw her eyes turn round.


    Soon, Kayalia let out a timidughter. She looked like a cute girl.


    -You know about it.


    ¡°.......¡±


    -I guess it isn¡¯t a secret that is hard to figure out. I should have expected it.


    Kayalia sped her hands behind her back, and she acted as if she was kicking a rock with her foot. Of course, her foot couldn¡¯t interact with her surroundings, so her foot passed through the rock.


    Silence continued to hang between them. Azell waited for her to talk.


    Finally, Kayalia let out a sigh as she opened her mouth.


    -I¡¯m already dead. So it isn¡¯t right to characterize it as me choosing death.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask the question, because I want to hear you make ys on your words.¡±


    -I didn¡¯t n on doing that. Mmmm. I just want to make it clear that it isn¡¯t what Azell oppa thinks it is.


    Kayalia wasn¡¯t part of this world. Her world was the Great Darkness.


    This was why her existence would end when the Great Darkness was destroyed.


    If they wanted to stop Atein¡¯s n, they had to destroy the Great Darkness. It was a must. When the King of Death Belrun was killed, the ability to deny death was gone. However, it wasn¡¯t a guarantee that Atein would be able to ovee this problem with magic.


    In the end, Atein¡¯s n would only end when the Great Darkness was destroyed.


    -Reygus oppa and I are in the same boat.


    For Kayalia and Reygus, the act of destroying the Great Darkness was an act simr to suicide. They were putting their lives on the line for this fight, yet their reward would be their death. How ridiculous was that?


    -The people in our world are already dead. We just want to greet the end of our lives doing the right thing.


    In the past, she had let her hate and despair choose her path for her. However, she was always suffering as she walked down that path. At the end, she died with regret and doubt in her heart.


    This time she didn¡¯t want to repeat her past mistakes.


    When she died, she was able to escape the torturous emotions that had taken hold of her heart. She was able to see into her heart, and she was able to make a decision. Until the end, she would walk down a road that wouldn¡¯t make her regret.


    ¡°Kayalia.......¡±


    -I feel it every moment. I no longer belong to this world. My world is like a dream. It is merely a shadow of this world.


    It was like watching the outside world through a window for Kayalia. She could only intervene using magic. She couldn¡¯t touch or feel anything in the other world.


    -I realized that my old rtionships are my only ties to this world.


    It was too cruel to ask of her to find meaning through the people of this era. The past was her only connection, and the people from her past was the only thing tying her to this world.


    -I didn¡¯t choose death, Azell oppa.


    Kayalia let out a bright smile. Not a single ounce of regret was within her smile.


    -I want toplete my life that I was unable to finish.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Azell was at a loss for words when he was faced with her smile. He could only show his respect towards her.


    10


    They could no longer give more time to Atein. That is why they had to end this even though their victory wasn¡¯t guaranteed.


    They had to hit the Dragon Demon castle hard, and they had to take down Atein in one fell swoop.


    The killing of Atein wasn¡¯t the highest priority. It was to destroy the ritual that was being carried out. If one considered the fact that the Dragon Demon castle was the headquarters of their enemy, they would be able to celebrate even if the destruction of the ritual was the only thing they achieved.


    ¡°If that happens, the fight will change into a battle of attrition....¡±


    If Atein was still alive and the Dragon Demon King worshippers were intact, the war wouldn¡¯t end just by stopping the ritual. Atein would once again make preparations to make another ritual, and the Dragon Demon King worshippers wouldunch a fierce counterattack.


    ¡°Until now, they wanted to fight their battles away from the eyes of the world. We were able t o dictate where the fight would happen. What would happen if they gave up on defending the Road of Emptiness?¡±


    From the beginning, they had decided to avoid attention from the broader world. They wanted to cause chaos from behind the curtain. The chaos, which had been caused by them, hadn¡¯t subsided yet.


    What if the elites of the in of Darkness no longer cared about staying hidden? What would happen if they started attacking all of society?


    The ones that had wanted to fight a stealth war would run full tilt into the fight. Most of the members of the Guardian Shadows were highly influential people in human society, and they might have to pull themselves out from the frontline. They had other duties they had to fulfill.


    ¡°It will happen eventually. We are pushing them into a corner, and there is a high probability that they¡¯ll go all out.... At that time, their power would be weakened. However, it¡¯ll be hard to take care of consequences that happens afterwards.¡±


    ¡°In the end, the best n is to kill Atein in this fight.¡±


    At Leticia¡¯s words, Kairen nodded his head.


    ¡°However, it won¡¯t be easy. Still, the other members of the Guardian Shadows will attack the waypoints to draw their attention away. We also formed an elite force that¡¯ll apany us to the in of Darkness. We are still gathering some supplies, so at the verytest, we¡¯ll carry this out within four days.....¡±


    -Excuse me.


    At that moment, Kayalia suddenly poked her head into the meeting.


    This was the first time she had interrupted a meeting, so the party members looked at each other in puzzlement. Kayalia hesitated before she opened her mouth.


    -There is something I must inform you....


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    -Reygus oppa said he¡¯ll destroy a pir. He already left.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Kairen got up in surprise. He had made intricate ns in his head. At that moment, the sound of his ns being obliterated could be heard within his head.

 Chapter 243 - Darkness Incarnate (1)

    Chapter 243 - Darkness Incarnate (1)


    1


    The elite troops of the in of Darkness were dispatched to the pirs of the Great Darkness.


    Thergest number of troops were dispatched to the Bijes Kingdom, and it was where the God of Rest was sealed. Since the nearby waypoints were all destroyed, no further reinforcements could be sent in.


    Four days had passed after Kairen had contacted Reygus to wait a little bit. Kairen had asked for time. He needed time toplete his n.


    However, this didn¡¯t mean Reygus hadmenced his attack on a whim.


    He had his own reason for doing this.


    ¡®It is a reason that makes sense only in his mind. That¡¯s the problem.¡¯


    Kieren felt a migraineing on, so he furrowed his brows.


    <I¡¯m here, you bastards! You better be on your toes! Fight me!>


    Reygus sauntered out of the forest as he revealed himself. He was bold as he announced his presence.


    Wasn¡¯t he just giving his enemies time to set up their defense?


    Kieren let out a sigh.


    ¡°Somehow, I now know what my ancestors felt when working with him.¡±


    It was the same asst time.


    There were only three of them, yet they were going up against several hundred foes. Moreover, they were going up against elites troops ced behind a location hardened for defense. This was also why Reygus didn¡¯t bother with an ambush. It would be almost impossible to ambush such a ce. He boldly revealed his presence as if he was visiting his friend¡¯s house. He would charge in when his enemies had enough time to bring up all their defense.


    ¡®If only he wasn¡¯t the legendary Dragon Demon general.....¡¯


    Kieren firmly massaged his temple with his fingers.


    When he was carrying out a mission for the in of Darkness, he would have executed any ally that would act like that. He wouldn¡¯t have hesitated.


    However, his ally was the Dragon Demon general Reygus. He was called referred to as the hammer that swallows up the scream of thend. He couldn¡¯t be controlled with words or strength. Basically, one just had to follow his lead. Nothing else could be done.


    Kwah-gwa-gwahng! Kwah-kwahng! Kwah-ahhhhhng!


    Reygus was sauntering forward when an explosion detonated beneath his feet. The hidden magic circles detonated all at the same time. Reygus was assaulted with thunderbolts, mes and light based attacks.


    <Oh-ho! It seems they knew I wasing.>


    Reygus had wanted his opponents to finish making all their preparations for battle. He hadn¡¯t expected them to have already finished making their preparations. This was why Reygus was taken unawares by the ambush. The Dragon Demon King worshippers had acted as if they were disorganized. They made it appear as if they had been surprised by Reygus¡¯ appearance. However, they had been prepared for this possibility. They had been thorough in their preparations for Reygus.


    Reygus had fallen into a trap, and the magicians focused their bombardment on Reygus. It was such a swift attack that Reygus didn¡¯t even have the opportunity to swing his SoulHammer.


    <You bastards! You really have an insight into my personality! You guys are pretty good!>


    ¡°It feels awkward telling you this, but.......¡±


    In the midst of the enemy, an old Dragon Majin with gray horns appeared. He had a cold expression on his face. He was Chanes. During the Dragon Demon war, he had been an officer under themand of Reygus.


    The sound of huge explosions were detonating around them, so they couldn¡¯t carry out a normal conversation. Chanes used his Dragon Arts to deliver his voice to Reygus. His body had weakened, and he had retired as a warrior. However, he was quite advanced in how he handled his magical energy.


    ¡°...your personality is the easiest in this world to discern, general. How can you actually say that out loud?¡±


    <I cannot refute that point! Still, I was called a ball of charisma in the past! I was told that I¡¯m unpredictable!>


    ¡°No one said that about you. In your mind, the probability of fighting general Reshoo was the highest in this location. However, you were able to hold yourself back for quite a while. I was able to put up the best possible defense thanks to your patience. I don¡¯t know how I should feel about that.¡±


    Chanes shook his head from side to side.


    It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that Chanes understood Reygus¡¯ personality better than anyone in this era. When he heard the details of what had happened during the extermination of the Infinite Beast, Chanes determined that the probability of Reygusing to this location next was very high.


    ¡°I would have been disappointed if you went to a different location or if you were able to be patient until the end. This is more like you, general Reygus.¡±


    <You¡¯ve be a bit arrogant now that you have some wrinkles on your face! I have one question for you, Chanes.>


    Reygus resisted against the storm of magic spells as he asked the question. At the same time, Chanes furrowed his brow as he raised his hand. A translucent beam of light pierced through the storm of spells as it hit Reygus.


    Reygus had released the power of his Soul Hammer. Within the big cloud of dust, Reygus was getting ready to unleash a terrifying attack.


    <Is your life fun now?>


    It was what Chanes had said when Reygus was revived as an Undead. He said his life wasn¡¯t fun, and if he was with Reygus, he would have the chance to go out hard even with his old body.


    Chanes had a twisted smile on his face as he spoke.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll make an honest confession. I thought hard on it.¡±


    He wondered if he should follow Reygus and oppose Atein. Or maybe he should he follow Atein to go against Reygus.


    Other members of the in of Darkness didn¡¯t even bother with such a dilemma. Atein was like a god to them.


    However, it was different for Chanes. Reygus was a bigger presence in his life than Atein.


    ¡°When I thought about it, I realized that I wanted to try it once.¡±


    <What do you mean?>


    ¡°I¡¯m as old as I can be, and I have lost my strength. I¡¯ve been passing the time as I schemed from the back, but I always wanted to fight you. I want to fight the person that¡¯s forever my hero.¡±


    <Oh ho! You are still a man!>


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been one until recently. However, my heart started beating faster when I made the decision. Is my life fun? Yes, it is fun! It became fun at this moment!¡±


    <I see. Congrattion!>


    Reygus let out a heroicughter as he brought down his Soul Hammer.


    Gwah-gwa-gwa-gwahng......!


    The earthquake generated by the attack spread outwards in a conical shape. The attack swallowed up several hundred meters of ground.


    However, magic circles had been prepared for this scenario. The magic circles activated, and it killed most of the power of the attack. At the same time, Reygus¡¯ magical energy started being drained away. The magic circles were targeting him, and his magical energy was being forcefully suppressed and absorbed by them.


    That wasn¡¯t all. A thousand elite troops had positioned themselves to protect this location, and the magic circles were boosting their attack power.


    Reygus had a sense of deja vu.


    <This is.......>


    ¡°Do you remember this?¡±


    Chanes¡¯ hair whipped around in a wild manner. He hadn¡¯t unsheathed his sword, but he didn¡¯t back off. There were several hundred meters of space between Reygus and him, yet Chanes knew he couldn¡¯t put his guard down.


    ¡°It is the tactic that got you killed.¡±


    During the Dragon Demon war, the human allied forces had prepared this trap to kill Reygus.


    Chanes had recreated that trap, and he had strengthened it. He was able to strengthen it, because Reygus had moved slower than he had expected.


    <I like it! Will you answer me this one question?>


    ¡°Hmmm. Unfortunately, general Reshoo isn¡¯t here.¡±


    <Shit. This ce was a dud!>


    He had been driven into a corner, yet Reygus¡¯ question didn¡¯t fit the situation at all. However, Chanes immediately recognized what Reyugs was trying to ask. He took it as par for the course with Reygus. Chanes¡¯ underlings listened on in bafflement.


    Suddenly, Chanes mumbled to himself.


    ¡°They are here.¡±


    From where Reygus hade from, a darkness started to surge forward like wildfire.


    ¡°Niberis and Kieren Baldazark.¡±


    The two young Dragon Demon had been high ranked officers in the in of Darkness not too long ago.


    Of course, Chanes hadn¡¯t forgotten about them. Reygus had been pinned down by the magic circle, and five hundred of his troops kept up their attack on Reygus. However, Chanes had dispatched a troop of hundred to stop the two young Dragon Demons.


    ¡°Since the king took general Reshoo, he sent enough troops to make up for that loss. I admit these brats are skilled, but will they be able to turn the tide of the battle? I won¡¯t give you the chance to use the Extreme Extinction.¡±


    Chanes fully acknowledge the threat posed by Niberis and Kieren. However, this battle waspletely different from the battle where the Infinite Beast had perished.


    Chanes had a detached force that¡¯ll take care of Niberis and Kieren. Moreover, he had analyzed the power of these two, so he hade up with a n that¡¯ll take them down. Moreover, there were skilled Undeads on his side. These were beings that had participated in the Dragon Demon war.


    ¡®The only thing left is to stop the general frompleting his transformation.¡¯


    They had to stop Reygus¡¯ transformation. If he transformed into a state where he could use his Dragon Demon magic, their preparations would not be enough.


    However, everything had proceeded as Chanes had nned. The magic circles were suppressing and absorbing Reygus¡¯ power. He wouldn¡¯t be able to transform. If he wanted to transform, he had to go through the process of raising his magical energy to the extreme. This piece of information had been verified several times.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll finish you here.¡±


    Was it because he was trying to end Reygus, who he admired? There was a bitterness to the words mumbled by Chanes.


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    Suddenly, Chanes¡¯ expression turned rigid.


    Since magicians were dispatched in the surrounding, they were using amunication spell that allows Chanes to get an up to date information. He was able to give orders after assessing the information. However, an unexpected variable had made an appearance.


    ¡°Why......!¡±


    The detached force had surrounded Niberis and Kieren, but they were starting to be killed in ones and twos. A powerful magician, who was twice as strong as him, had made an appearance.


    When Chanes saw who it was, he yelled out in shock.


    ¡°Why are you here, prince Saibein?!¡±


    He was a middle aged Dragon Demon with a beard. He had his long ck hair tied backwards. He was destroying the Dragon Demon King worshippers with his overwhelming power.


    2


    When Saibein was epted as a resident of the Albatan forest, he made a pact that he wouldn¡¯t interfere with the outside world. Even if it was his daughter, the pact wouldn¡¯t allow him to do anything.


    This was why Saibein made another deal in order to break that pact.


    When Albatan epted the deal, Saibein was released form the pact. He searched out his daughter, so he could fight by her side.


    This was also the main reason why Reygus had mobilized. A powerful ally had joined his side. He no longer needed to wait. He brutishly charged towards a pir in order to destroy it.


    ¡°Sir Reygus, you never change.¡±


    Saiben let out a bitterughter. A pitch ck Dragon was coiled around his entire body.


    Reygus was unchanging. When Saibein saw him, he was reminded of the days before his despair. It felt as his old self was being revived. It was a time when he fought the world with genuine fervor.


    ¡°Your highness! You weren¡¯t dead?¡±


    There were some amongst the detached force that recognized Saibein. They expressed their shock. Saiben let out a bitterughter.


    ¡°If possible, I didn¡¯t want to overturn that belief.¡±


    In truth, he had run away to the Albatan forest after he fell into despair. If he had kept to his original n, he would have lived in the Albatan forest until his death.


    However, his precious daughter moved him when she disyed a cold and firm resolve.


    The Dragon Demon King worshippers were confused only for a brief moment. They quickly made a decision.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what is going on, but we cannot forgive you if you¡¯ve joined the enemy!¡±


    Saibein had ambushed them from outside of their encircling. This was why he was able to kill the members of the detached force one after another. However, there were ways to counter him now that they became aware of his presence.

 Chapter 244 - Darkness Incarnate (2)

    Chapter 244 - Darkness Incarnate (2)


    Saibein had ambushed them from outside of their encircling. This was why he was able to kill the members of the detached force one after another. However, there were ways to counter him now that they became aware of his presence.


    ¡°It might have been possible if you were your past self. However, you¡¯ve lost your Book of Darkness! You are merely an outstanding magician now.¡±


    Before Saibein went missing, it was true that Saibein had been the strongest magician within the in of Darkness. He was the son of Atein, and he possessed overwhelming amount of Dragon Demon magic. In terms of magic, he had been close to reaching the zenith.


    However, Saibein no longer had his Dragon Demon weapon. This difference of having it and not having it was stark. The present Dragon Demon King worshippers were the elite troops of the in of Darkness. Several of them possessed Dragon Demon weapons, so they would be able to go up against Saibein without much problem.


    At the very least, that was what they had believed.


    Kwah-jeek!


    A terrifying sound rang out.


    Two warriors and two magicians had surrounded Saibein. They attacked from all four direction with exquisite timing. One of them was able to pierce through Saibein¡¯s defensive magic, and he was about to attack Saibein¡¯s body. However, the result waspletely different than they had expected.


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    The magicians were taken aback.


    One warrior had attacked from the front. He couldn¡¯t break through the barrier magic, so he was bounced off. The warrior in the rear was able to break through, but he was suddenly caught in the air.


    The warrior was caught in the jaws of the Dragon made out of pitch ck darkness. All his bones were crushed by the dragon. It was a grisly sight.


    ¡°It is true.......¡±


    Saibein had a cold expression on his face as he spoke.


    ¡°...that I no longer have my Dragon Demon weapon.¡±


    Dragon Demon energy erupted out of him like a tsunami. In terms of Dragon Demon magic, he easily had more than Niberis when she was using the Book of Darkness. When he activated his Dragon Soul, he had power that exceeded even the Dragon Demon generals.


    This was all possible because the Dragon Souls had a special attribute.


    The owners of Dragon weapons maintained their power separately from their weapon. It was merely a tool that allow them to store their Dragon Demon magic over time. They were like a container.


    On the other hand, the Dragon Soul was an extension of their owner. They arose from within the owner¡¯s Energy Pulse. Its function deteriorated when the owner¡¯s status deteriorated. In return, one gained the benefit of one¡¯s Energy Pulse being expanded to twice its size when the Dragon Soul was deployed.


    If one only looked at the ability to boost the output of Dragon Demon magic, the Dragon Soul was superiorpared to the Dragon Demon weapon. This was why Kairen was able to fight on equal ground with Almarick in the past. He had been able to pull up his output of Dragon Demon magic.


    Ooh-juhk! Ooh-juhk!


    ¡°Koo-ah, ahhhhhhhhk......!¡±


    The warrior let out a blood curdling scream as he was eaten alive by the Dragon of darkness.


    The Dragon Demon worshippers froze when they saw this. They were used to seeing gruesome deaths, but they just witnessed theirrade being eaten alive. Of course, they were shocked by it.


    At that moment, something ck hit them.


    Kwahng! Kwa-kwahng!


    ¡°Koo-ahk!¡±


    The magicians screamed.


    A cursed sword made out of darkness had nted itself on top of their barrier. It was Saibein¡¯s specialty spell called the Dancing Maken.


    Just a single blow from sword had almost broken the barrier, yet countless swords had appeared afterwards. They flew faster than the speed of sound as they assaulted the Dragon Demon King worshippers.


    Hoo-oooooooh......!


    Saibein continued to use new spells as explosions rang out. Fire, thunder and the power of curses detonated against his enemies. While he was putting pressure on his enemies, the darkness started to encroach over them like a wave.


    ¡°Shit! Block it!¡±


    He steadily deployed spells to put a groundwork for arge scale magic. When his enemies realized this, they became desperate.


    Puh-uhng!


    A Dragon Majin warrior was about to turn around when a sharp de of darkness pierced through his body. The Dragon Majin warrior looked behind him in disbelief.


    He looked into Niberis¡¯ cold eyes.


    ¡°You dare ignore us.¡±


    If the detached force had been faithful to the n, they would have been able to kill both Kieren and Niberis. However, Saibein¡¯s appearance had created chaos, and a crack had opened up in their encircling. Some decided to attack Saibein. They were basically begging Niberis and Kieren to attack them.


    Saibein continued to kill his enemies without being pressured.


    He didn¡¯t go out of his way to kill or maim his enemies. His sole purpose was to sow as much chaos using his high speed Dancing Makens. He kept using abination of minor spells to push his enemies backwards.


    As he was doing this, he was steadily creating his great magic spell. The Dragon Demon King worshippers couldn¡¯t ovee their nervousness, so they pushed as one towards him....


    Kwahng!


    At that moment, he activated the fatal traps that he had ced in between using his minor spells. He started killing them in droves.


    However, his enemies were the elites of the in of Darkness. They knew how dangerous a high ranked magician could be. They used theirrades as fodder. The warriors rushed in using Instantaneous movement.


    ¡®I caught you!¡¯


    Even if Saibein was a scary magician, his physical ability and reaction time couldn¡¯t bepared to a high ranked Dragon Arts user. Saibein could bridge this gap using magic, but the Dragon Demon King worshippers sacrificed their lives to open up a path through the wall of magic erected by Saibein. It created a brief sliver of opening that allowed the warrior to reach Saibein. It was possible to cut Saibein down with his sword.


    Kwah-jahk!


    In the next moment, the warrior¡¯s vision turned ck.


    From the darkness surrounding Saibein, the Dragon Soul struck out like lightning, and it bit the warrior. The Dragon Soul could keep up with the movement of a high ranked Dragon Arts user.


    Ooh-juhk, ooh-juhk......!


    The bone chilling sound of the warrior being chewed up could be heard.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Saibein wasn¡¯t letting his Dragon Soul eat the warrior alive to instill fear into his enemies.


    ¡°Thepletion time of my spell was lessened by seven seconds..¡±


    Saibein¡¯s Dragon Soul could heal other beings, but it also had another ability. It could suck out magical energy and life energy from the being it ate. It could transform that energy into Dragon Demon magic. It was an ability that was akin to ck magic.


    -Queen of Darkness!


    A tsunami of darkness spread outwards with Saibein at its epicenter. His Dragon Demon magic took another jump as countless Corrupted Beings started to form.


    While he was doing this, countless cursed swords continued to fly around. The screams of his enemies rang out.


    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhk!¡±


    Saibein was ughtering his enemies with overwhelming power. He was attacking them from outside the encircling, and his spells were creating holes within their lines. Their formation was being copsed by his attacks.


    ¡°Father.¡±


    She was also draped in the magical energy of darkness. She was using almost the same magic as him. Father and daughter met each other in the air.


    Saibein spoke.


    ¡°I never expected a day toe when I would be able to fight by your side.¡±


    ¡°I.......¡±


    Niberis was about to say something, but she shut her mouth. She just put on a light smile. For the two of them, this was enough.


    3


    Chanes¡¯ battle n was wrecked.


    Saibein was too big of a variable. Saibein had given the Book of Darkness to his daughter, yet he was still terrifying. It was almost unfathomable as to how he had picked up the nickname of Simpleton Prince. His abilities was that awe inspiring.


    ¡°This.......¡±


    A wretched expression appeared on Chanes¡¯ face. He watched the battle crumble around him.


    He suddenly looked backwards.


    ¡°As expected, he isn¡¯t someone I can end.¡±


    The battle wasn¡¯t being lost all at once. His side had the absolute advantage in numbers, and they were all elite troops.


    However, the result was already determined. Others might not know this, but as the strategist of this force, he knew this to be true.


    ¡°Ha ha ha. We¡¯ve built all of this for the past 200 years. We are merely capable of buying time.¡±


    Chanes smiled as he felt his ending.


    It was an empty smile.


    He unsheathed his sword for the first time, and he waited for the right opportunity.


    ¡°I never expected you toe, prince Saibein. It isn¡¯t something I¡¯ve imagined happening even in my dreams. I¡¯ve made all the preparations, yet the only thing I can do now is to leave it all up to fate.¡±


    When Saibein entered the battle, the encircling around Niberis and Kieren had copsed. When the three of them gained some respite, they started attacking the encircling around Reygus.


    Saibein used his overwhelming magical energy to summon beings that could fight independently. He was able to have his fingerprints all over the battlefield all at the same time. This was something Kieren and Niberis couldn¡¯t do.


    In the Dragon Demon war, Saibein had gone through all kinds of battle. He fought small andrge battles. This was why he was able to effectively lead Kieren and Niberis. It also helped that Niberis had the same magical energy attribute as him. The three of them were able to work synergistically. In the end, a crack formed in the encircling around Reygus.


    <Roar!>


    Apanying Reygus¡¯ shout, a wave of translucent light shot into the air.


    Then....


    <Soul Hammer!>


    The ground flipped over, and earthquake spread outwards.


    A radius of 100 meters was destroyed around Reygus. The magic circles were broken, and the soldiers from the in of darkness had to stop their assault. They had to defend against the attack.


    <That was a pretty great wee! You bastards!>


    Reygus¡¯ voice rang out as earth shot into the air. Massive amounts of soil and rocks were sent flying in all directions at high speeds. It killed the panicked Dragon Demon King worshippers.


    ¡°Koo-ahhhhhhk!¡±


    Screams rang out.


    However, Reygus didn¡¯t attack them himself. The Soul Hammer created the wave of earthquake only once. Earth and rocks were used to kill unsuspecting enemies.


    Reygus was hidden from view from his enemies, and he wasn¡¯t fine. The magic circles had forcefully drained away his power, and he had suffered under the assault of 500 elite troops. Half of his armor was broken, and darkness was leaking out from inside the armor. He swayed on his feet, but he kept his body upright.


    <Shit! I never expected to need strong fortitude to move my body even after death!>


    He did not possess a living body, yet he felt pain from the magical attacks. His body could be damaged. Moreover, the magic circles still had residual effects on him, so his recovery was slowed.


    ¡°Monster......!¡±


    However, his enemies couldn¡¯t see him thanks to the cloud of dust. This was why the Dragon Demon King worshippers couldn¡¯t stem their fear. It was such a fierce attack that it could have pulverized a Dragon several times over. They never expected him to be able to use an attack that could change the tide of battle.


    The only one that could assess the situation withposure was Chanes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop attacking him! We cannot give the general time to recover his strength!¡±


    Reygus had suffered a lot of damge. Chanes had prepared a trap that was more meticulous than the one used by the human alliance in the past.


    This was possible, because Chanes knew Reygus¡¯ power better than anyone. However, Chanes wasn¡¯t able to capitalize on this opportune moment like the human alliance during the Dragon Demon war.


    Reygus wasn¡¯t alone. In the past, he had ignored his orders. He had jumped into the trap without any allies by his side.


    On the other hand, Chanes still had five thousand troops at his disposal.


    ¡®We have to take down the general first. If we are able to kill the general in the allotted time, Saibein won¡¯t be too big of a threat.¡¯


    Chanes moved hundred troops towards the edge of the encircling. They were ordered to attack Saibein, Niberis and Kieren. The remaining four hundred troops would once again focus their attack on Reygus. Chanes gave his orders.


    Even if he was able to buy time, it would be their victory. If they were able to hold out for a certain amount of time, they would be able to use an ace up their sleeve. It would guarantee their victory.


    However, Chanes wanted to end the fight with Reygus before that happened. He wanted to end Reygus with his own hands.

 Chapter 245 - Darkness Incarnate (3)

    Chapter 245 - Darkness Incarnate (3)


    Even if he was able to buy time, it would be their victory. If they were able to hold out for a certain amount of time, they would be able to use an ace up their sleeve. It would guarantee their victory.


    However, Chanes wanted to end the fight with Reygus before that happened. He wanted to end Reygus with his own hands.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Soon, Chanes realized that there was a fatal w to his n.


    His assessment of the situation was correct. He gave the best possible orders he could give.


    However, his soldiers couldn¡¯t properly carry out his orders.


    They were elite troops, but only a few of them had experienced the Dragon Demon war. Most of them didn¡¯t have experience in fighting extremely strong foes. Moreover, Reygus was a legend in their eyes.


    When faced with these two realities, the shock and confusion felt by his troops was taking toorge a toll. The swiftness and the precision needed to carry out the n suffered as a result.


    Moreover, they weren¡¯t facing easy opponents that would let such an opportunity pass them by.


    <Soul Hammer! Show me your will!>


    Before the troops around him could increase the intensity of their attack, Reygus started to rush forward within the cloud of dust. He minimized the magical energy allocated for his defense, and he tried to dodge as many attacks being rained down upon him. Hepressed his power, and he brought down his hammer using all his strength.


    He wasn¡¯t attacking in order to affect the entire region. The seismic wave spread in a conical shape.


    ¡°Sir Reygus! Go!¡±


    Saibein started a fierce attack against the confused enemies. Corrupted Beings and vindictive spirits wielded their cursed power against the Dragon Demon King worshippers. The horrible screams of the Dragon Demon King worshippers rang out.


    It really looked like hell had manifested in this world.


    ¡°Ha ha ha ha!¡±


    ck magic was known to vite death. It infringed upon what was called the final rest of living beings. There was someoneughing like a mad man as this dark power defiled the battlefield.


    It was Chanes.


    Reygus wasing for him.


    Reygus was destroying all the traps prepared for him. He was pushing through the troops under Chanes¡¯mand.


    This truth made his heart race in a crazy manner. How long had it been since he¡¯d experienced such excitement?


    ¡°...ha! It feels amazing, yet I¡¯m having a hard time breathing. This is why it sucks to have an old body. However, it is better than bing a shriveled up Undead!¡±


    <Are you insulting me?>


    ¡°If you think that was an insult, I¡¯m fine with that!¡±


    Chanes pointed his sword towards Reygus, who was closing the distance at high speeds. The troops, who were tasked his guarding Chanes, rushed forward to greet Reygus.


    Kwahng!


    Reygus sent the lead warrior flying. It was as if he swatting away a fly. However, these were elite troops. In an instant, they focused on their movement. They split off in both directions as they tried to attack from both sides.


    <You should know your ce, you brats!>


    Reygus used one of his shoulders to receive an attack. The attack nced off his shoulder, and he used that same shoulder to blow away the head of an attacker. He let the other side of his body take on another attack. The powerful sword strike left a deep mark, but it couldn¡¯t prate the armor. The warrior was surprised by Reygus¡¯ preternatural sturdiness. He tried to back out, but it was toote.


    Puh-uhk!


    Reygus brought up his knee, and the warrior¡¯s body was pulverized. The magicians continued to let out beams of light as they tried to gain distance from Reygus. He brought down his foot, and an explosion erupted underneath the magicians. Earth and rocks assaulted them.


    ¡°As expected!¡±


    Chanesughed as he watched his underlings lose against Reygus.


    There had been 12 troops guarding him. It took Reygus less than 10 seconds to break through them. Reygus didn¡¯t even change direction as he fought them. The only thing that changed was the fact that his speed had decreased a little bit. Reygus continued to charge in a straight line as he ughtered everyone in his path. He approached Chanes.


    Reygus was clearly weakened. His armor was in tatters, and his magical energy was noticeably lower. Still, he was on a different level.


    He was all brute force. He was like a walking fortress, yet he was surprisingly fast. There was precision to his movements. He had cultivated his techniques until it could be called a work of art.


    Chanes had raised his sword against such a being. He used his Dragon Arts to shoot out continuous beams of light. It was as if a dozen archers was shooting at Reygus. It was a continuous stream of attack.


    Reygus didn¡¯t stop


    <Let¡¯s go! Chanes!>


    Reygus didn¡¯t care if the beams of light hit him or not. He didn¡¯t slow down at all as he arrived in front of Chanes.


    Chanes had stopped giving a fuck at that moment. He knew it would be useless, yet he attacked Reygus when he came in range. He charged forward as he let out a sword strike containing all the power within his body. He greeted Reygus, who was taking big strides towards him.


    Kwahng!


    An explosion rang out.


    In a sh, Chanes¡¯ vision was dyed with darkness. He didn¡¯t feel any pain. He lost his five senses. He lost his sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste.


    When he regained them, his senses were so faint that he could no longer get a grip on reality.


    ¡°Ha ha ha.......¡±


    Chanesughed.


    He could see the sky. His messed up senses was starting to deliver their bleak information.


    His body had been sent flying.


    The battle was decided with a single strike. He thought about his past self as he put every ounce of his power into the attack. Reygus answered him with a heroic counterattack. The attack ruthlessly broke his body, and he was sent flying for several dozen meters.


    It was a wonder that he hadn¡¯t died on impact.


    However, it wasn¡¯t a miracle. Chanes knew this would happen from the start. He had made preparations, so he would be able to have a final conversation with Reygus.


    Arge shadow appeared above the dying Chanes. Chanes saw two burning red orbs within this dark silhouette. When he saw this, he knew it was Reygus.


    <Hmm. What the hell? Your body is old and withered, but your spirit remains strong.>


    ¡°...haha. Koo-luhk!¡±


    Chanes wasughing, but he suddenly vomited blood. He was dying, but he fought to stay conscious. He used his Dragon Arts, so his words were clear.


    ¡°Thank you for thepliment. It is shameful, but my spirit isn¡¯t strong. I¡¯m a coward.¡±


    <Yes, your actions up until now was cowardly.>


    ¡°You are still quite ruthless.¡±


    <Still, you fought like a man right now. You are going to the other side before me. Find a ce for us, and wait for me. The day of our reunion won¡¯t be far off.>


    Chanes saw an illusion through his blurred vision. He didn¡¯t see the Undead skeleton of Reygus. It was a vision of Reygus when he was alive. He saw Reygus grinning towards him.


    In the past 220 years, he had gotten old, and he had lost his honor. He had fallen.


    He told himself that he had no choice, but he knew it was a poor excuse. If he had a firm resolve, he would have been able to choose a different path for himself.


    He used his injuries as an excuse. He told himself that he had to get along with the others. He used it as an excuse to not change the flow of events. He let himself be dragged along.


    This was why he was happy right now. Reygus hadn¡¯t changed.


    Reygus had died. He jumped 220 years to appear in this era as an Undead, yet he remained the same....


    Reygus was still his hero.


    ¡°...I was afraid of standing by your side.¡±


    Chanes¡¯ vision became blurry as he confessed his true feelings.


    ¡°If I chose that path, I would have merely been an old man that had nothing. I would have be a burden that would be of no help to you.¡±


    This was why he chose to go against Reygus. In his ugly descent into corruption, he had built up a lot of things. He was able to be a powerful foe that could be a threat to Reygus. Instead of dying as a useless burden, he decided to put everything he had on the line. He wanted to be a threat to Reygus.


    He knew it was a cowardly choice. He knew this to be true, but he was already walking down that path before he knew it.


    <It is the same now as in old time. You have too much unnecessary thought. That¡¯s your problem.>


    Reygus was baffled so heughed. Then he spoke.


    <Anyways, I had fun. What about you?>


    ¡°I.......¡±


    Chanes¡¯ voice faded away as he spoke. He smiled.


    ¡°...it was fun. It really has been so long.¡±


    These were hisst words.


    A darkness erupted beyond the corpse of Chanes, and it started to surge forth in front of Reygus.


    4


    Reshoo returned to the in of Darkness when he received Atein¡¯s summon.


    He should be protecting seal of the god of Rest, but there were two reasons why he had left the job to Chanes.


    First, Chanes had prepared a trap for Reygus if he decided toe that way. The other reason....


    <Atein!>


    Reygus looked at the Dragon Demon that appeared from within the surging darkness.


    Atein floated in the air as his ck hair whipped around him. He looked down at Reygus. The surging darkness looked as if it would disperse into the surrounding, but it suddenly changed direction. The darkness gathered around Atein.


    No, it wasn¡¯t gathering only around Atein. A portion of the darkness was being sucked into Reygus, and it helped in his recovery. As his magical energy was replenished, even his destroyed armor was restored.


    <This is the Darkness Incarnate. Were you preparing this?>


    This darkness was part of the Great Darkness. Reygus was part of the Great Darkness, so he was able to receive benefits from it.


    Atein¡¯s Dragon Demon weapon had appeared in front of Reygus. The Darkness Incarnate resolved itself into a clone.


    However, the clone was different from the one that had appeared when Almarick had died at the hands of Azell. Kayalia had interfered, so Atein couldn¡¯t manifest the clone fully. Atein was able to manifest a perfect clone here. Chanes had bought enough time in his fight against Reygus.


    A silence descended upon the battlefield.


    Saibein stopped breathing for a moment.


    ¡°Father......!¡±


    Atein was his father. He was his teacher in magic. Furthermore, he was like a god-like figure in his eyes.


    It had been 220 years since he saw Ateinst. He thought time had eroded his feelings, but he felt long lost emotionse alive within his heart. Confusion and fear spread like a wildfire within his soul.


    Suddenly, Saibein flinched.


    He looked to his side, and he could see Niberis holding his hand. She was looking at Atein, but he could feel her hand shaking.


    When he saw this, he amazingly felt himself calm down. In ce of fear and confusion, the new resolve he made when exiting the Albatan forest returned to his heart.


    ¡°Hmmm.......¡±


    Atein had been looking at the empty air before he spoke. To be precise, his clone, which had manifested through the Darkness Incarnate, spoke.


    ¡°I never expected this.¡±


    He never expected the process of manifesting the Darkness Incarnate to heal Reygus. Atein¡¯s consciousness had been sent to this ce, and the first thing to catch his interest was this phenomena.


    <As expected, you didn¡¯t intend to do it? I knew it wasn¡¯t like you to do so. You don¡¯t like a fair fight.>


    ¡°If it is a fight against you, I might do something unreasonable like healing you. There are times when I do treasure my feelings over logic.¡±


    <Koohk koohk. The situation turned quite interesting. I was disappointed that Reshoo wasn¡¯t here. It seems I was too hasty in feeling that way!>


    ¡°Has it been 270 years since we¡¯vest met each other as enemies?¡±


    <It doesn¡¯t feel that long ago to me, but in reality, it has been that long.>


    At times, Atein and Reygus had been allies. However, there were numerous instances where they had fought each other as foes.


    These two beings lived for a long time. The lifespan of a human wasn¡¯tparable. Their stances and circumstances changed over time. Above all else, Reygus wanted to fight powerful foes. He would make up excuses to fight powerful foes. This was why he had challenged Atein numerous times.


    Atein spoke.


    ¡°I have 7 wins, 2 losses and one tie against you. We will renew our fight, but it will also be ourst fight.¡±


    <Don¡¯t give me that bullshit. Who said I won two times? I lost all 10 times.>


    Reygus refuted Atein¡¯s words.

 Chapter 246 - Darkness Incarnate (4)

    Chapter 246 - Darkness Incarnate (4)


    Even in thest fight, Reygus was unable to win against Atein. They fought 10 times, and Reygus had lost all 10 times.


    It really depended on what one considered to be a victory.


    Atein¡¯s criteria for winning was the achievement of his goal, and he looked at the terms of the fight. On the other hand, Reygus only determined the result of a fight based on whether he won an individual fight or not.


    There was a saying that said one could lose the battle but win the war. There were times when Atein won his personal fights, but his group lost the battle. That was why he considered it to be losses. However, Reygus disagreed with that assessment.


    ¡°I see. However, this will be a first for me, Reygus.¡±


    <What do you mean?>


    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ll be fighting you with the intent to kill you.¡±


    -Come Dragon Demon weapon! Darkness Engraver Sword! Sky¡¯s Fortress! Son of Earth!


    Atein summoned consecutive Dragon Demon weapons. He was holding a longsword made out ofplete darkness, and it was like an absence in space. A translucent wall made out of light surrounded him, and an enormous hand made out of boulders erupted behind him.


    Reygus did nothing as he watched Atein summon his Dragon Demon weapons.


    Saibein, Niberis and Kieren didn¡¯t urge Reygus to attack Atein. They knew Reygus¡¯ action was foolish, but they could only swallow their sighs.


    ¡°I hoped he fixed that bad habit.....¡±


    Saibein let out a bitterughter.


    When Reygus met a powerful foe, he waited until his enemy could be at his peak power. Even if he pushed an enemy into a corner during battle, he would stop if his enemy wanted to pull out an ace in the hole. He let his enemy use it against him.


    This w in his personality had not changed over the years. It didn¡¯t feel like distant memories to Saibein. He was deluged with memories that gave him stomach ulcers.


    Oooooooooooh!


    However, it wasn¡¯t as if Reygus was doing nothing.


    While Atein summoned his Dragon Demon weapons, a change urred within Reygus. When he partially absorbed the Great Darkness, he dramatically recovered his magical energy. He amplified his magical energy to induce his transformation.


    His armor covered his skull, and his armor was dyed white. The magical energy of an Undead changed into Dragon Demon magic. In a sh, his body contained power that couldn¡¯t bepared to his past self.


    Atein looked a bit surprised.


    ¡°You did it faster than expected.¡±


    Reygus had finished his transformation faster than expected.


    There were two reasons why he was able to do this. First, his reservoir of magical energy was filled to the brim when he absorbed by the Great Darkness. Secondly, Reygus was used to his transformation now.


    If one thought about it, Reygus had to adapt and evolve at breakneck speed after he awoke as an Undead in this era.


    He had to get used to his Undead body, and he had to optimize his battle techniques to fit his new body. His essence was within the Great Darkness, so he had to learn how to draw power out from the Great Darkness. At a nce, he looked like a simple brute. However, that was just his style. Reygus was one of the experts that reached the zenith during the Dragon Demon war. His experience and talent didn¡¯t erode away just because he was an Undead.


    <You get used to doing things if you continue to do it!>


    Reygus used Instantaneous movement as he brought down his Soul Hammer against the surprised Atein. He was so fast that it looked as if he had skipped a step.


    An explosion rang out.


    When the Soul Hammer impacted on the ground, it created an earthquake. However, the earth didn¡¯t get overturned. Atein had stealthily ce magical traps, and Reygus¡¯ attack activated them. The magical traps created a Dimensional Distortion.


    <I may be dumb, but do you think I¡¯ll fall for the same trick multiple times?>


    Reygusughed. As soon as the Dimensional Distortion was used, Reygus nted the Soul Hammer on the ground. The rebound caused his attack to change direction. He once again pushed off the ground as he used Instantaneous movement. He attacked Atein.


    There was a wall of light around Atein. It was the Dragon Demon weapon called Sky¡¯s Fortress, and it blocked Reygus¡¯ attack. After receiving a strike from the Soul Hammer, the wall shook fiercely, but it didn¡¯t break. It was too sturdy.


    However, the energy created from the impact wasn¡¯t entirely dissipated. Atein had been in the air, and the attack dropped him close to the ground. The shockwave tried to encroach into Atein¡¯s space.


    ¡°Mmmm!¡±


    Atein kicked off the ground as he moved backwards. He tried to let the attack flow off from him. Reygus appeared in front of him.


    Kwahng! Kwahng! Kwah-ahhhhhhhhng!


    The Soul Hammer ruthlessly elerated without reserve. It was a spectacr swing with massive power behind it. However, one could barely see the attack, because it was too fast.


    After his transformation, Reygus became much stronger than his past living self. It wasn¡¯t, because his reservoir of Dragon Demon magic had increased. This was a difference caused by being an Undead. Every ability of an Undead was determined by how much magical energy one possessed. This was why his physical ability increased in an overwhelming manner.


    Kwah-chahng!


    In the end, the Sky¡¯s Fortress was broken. Reygus stomped on the ground once again, and the ground exploded. Earth and rocks started to attack Atein.


    However, the attack rapidly dissipated as it approached Atein. Atein had a Dragon Demon weapon that dealt with the power of earth. It was possible to neutralize Reygus¡¯ attack, because Atein had summoned the Son of Earth.


    <Hmmmph!>


    However, Reygus expected this move. While the Son of Earth blocked the soil and rocks, he made a frontal attack against Atein.


    Atein couldn¡¯t dodge it. When he came to this conclusion, he brought up his Darkness Engraving Sword, and he charged forward.


    The shockwave assaulted the ground around them.


    <Kuh-uhk......!>


    Reygus yelled out loud as he was sent flying.


    A streak of darkness moved through the air.


    It was as if someone was drawing in the sky with a brush dipped in ck ink. It was a darkness that was absent of all light and mass. This alien darkness streaked all over the sky as Atein¡¯s clone appeared and disappeared like illusions.


    It was Atein¡¯s Dragon Demon weapon called Darkness Engraver Sword.


    After he regained his bearing, Reygusnded on the ground, and he caused the ground to shake. Earth erupted upwards as it blocked the streaks of ckness.


    <What is this? Are you trying to mimic Azell?>


    It was as if the streaks of darkness was turning the day into night. The Darkness Engraver Sword was creating this phenomena, but ording to Reygus¡¯ memories, this Dragon Demon weapon didn¡¯t have this ability.


    Atein appeared in front of Reygus.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Atein¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change as he admitted his giarizing Azell¡¯s technique. Atein was the creator of magic, and countless beings had copied what he had created. This was why his pride wasn¡¯t hurt when he copied someone else¡¯s ability.


    In the next moment, Atein¡¯s fist pierced through the wall of earth erected by Reygus. His fist impacted on Reygus. Reygus had raised his arm to block the attack. Shockwave erupted outwards centered around the two of them.


    Koo-oong! Koo-oooooohng!


    The sound rang out almost simultaneously.


    The first sound erupted when Reygus hit the ground several dozen meters away. The second sound rang out when Reygus slid for several dozen meters.


    Atein had used his Dragon Arts to pierce through Reygus¡¯ defense. It was a technique that could pierce through a Dragon¡¯s hide to destroy its innards.


    However, Reygus used his sublime defensive technique to deflect the attack using his shoulder. However, that wasn¡¯t all he did.


    ¡°Mmmmm......!¡±


    Atein groaned.


    After deflecting the attack, Reygus returned some of the damage. He was able to damage Atein.


    <What an old and tired technique!>


    Reygus let out a heroicughter as he kicked the frozen Atein. Atein broke apart into darkness, and several dozen magic circles appeared in the air.


    Reygus wasn¡¯t flustered.


    The destroyed clone was there to draw attention away from the real Atein, who was preparing to carpet bomb Reygus with spells. Dozens of fireballs, thunderbolts and cursed essences impacted on Reygus all at once. An incredible explosion rose into the air.


    When the spells detonated, part of the mountain nearby was destroyed. The aftereffects of the attack caused andslide.


    Koo-roo-roo-roong......!


    Atein had hit Reygus with a full force of his attack, yet he didn¡¯t show any reaction. He just got ready to use his next attack.


    The earlier attack by Atein wasn¡¯t meant to be a killing blow. It was meant to stop Reygus from moving.


    The real attack would being next. He used the aftereffects of his previous spell to chain his next spell. It truly was a high level magical tactic.


    The energy created by the carpet bombing was sucked into Atein¡¯s surrounding, and it was gathered at a single point.


    -Sr Gaze!


    The energy was amplified to the extreme, and a destructive beam of light was shot towards Reygus. It was an attack so hot that it would vaporize rock. The beam pierced through the prior explosion, and a new explosion of light urred.


    Kwahhhhhhhhng!


    By the time the surrounding people realized what had happened, the heat and the destructive force of the attack had changed terrain of the battlefield.


    Koo-gooooooo......!


    ¡°A...amazing!¡±


    Kieren had been barely able to bring up his shield. He groaned.


    He was speechless. It was such an amazing way to use magic. He wasn¡¯t surprised by the destructive capability of the spell. He was surprised by how fast and easy Atein was able to use such spells.


    Moreover, Atein hadn¡¯t stopped his assault.


    -Come Dragon Demon weapon! Gatekeeper of Emptiness!


    Atein had been continuously changing his spell. He suddenly stopped manifesting his spells, and he summoned another Dragon Demon weapon.


    A portal made out of darkness appeared in front of him. It manifested as arge sphere with a diameter of 10 meters. At the same moment, an off-white colored beam of light shot towards Atein. It roiled around like lightning.


    An explosion urred several hundred meters behind Atein. The Gatekeeper of Emptiness had the ability to connect two location. Atein had sent the light-based attack to a different location using the portal.


    ¡°Reygus, what happened? This isn¡¯t the you I know.¡±


    Atein was truly puzzled as he appeared in front of Reygus. There wasn¡¯t a single scratch on Reygus.


    <If it was me before my fight against Azell, I might have suffered significant damage against such an attack.>


    When he fought Azell, Reygus had used the new ability of his Soul Hammer. He was able to redirect the damage using his Soul Hammer, and he was able to survive against Azell¡¯s Sun Lightsaber. However, he was a wreck after taking on that attack. Reygus knew his skill wascking.


    This was why he worked on his defensive technique, and he was able to take another step forward. It didn¡¯t matter how fierce the attack was. If the attack was straightforward, he could predict the path of the attack. Reygus would be able to slip the attack.


    In the previous exchange, Atein had realized the his carpet bombing of spells would be unable to pierce through Reygus¡¯ defense. This was why he decided to use focus his attack.


    Reygus could have taken that attack head on with his body, but he decided to defend against it. He was able to slip Atein¡¯s devastating attack while taking almost no damage.


    Atein let out a bitterughter.


    ¡°I wanted to end this fight quickly, but.... It seems fights with you always devolve into a prolonged fight.¡±


    <I don¡¯t know. It isn¡¯t as if there aren¡¯t ways to end this fight quickly.>


    Reygus raised his Soul Hammer as he spoke.


    <I just have to pulverized you quickly!>


    Reygus was about to kick off the ground, but suddenly, he flinched. He stopped in ce.


    ¡°What.......¡±


    Atein spoke in a questioning manner, but he didn¡¯t finish his sentence. He immediately realized what had happened.


    ¡°...you got me. Did you hide another force nearby?¡±


    While he fought Reygus, Atein had kept an eye on Saibein, Niberis and Kieren. He was able to do this through Incarnation. It was possible using his clones.


    However, someone he hadn¡¯t sensed had broken the seal of the god of Rest.


    ¡°No. That¡¯s not it.¡±


    Soon, Atein realized that he had guessed wrong. His gaze headed towards Saibein.


    ¡°It was you, Saibein.

 Chapter 247 - Darkness Incarnate (5)

    Chapter 247 - Darkness Incarnate (5)


    5


    Saiben let out a bitterughter as he met Atein¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°You¡¯ve finally called me by my name.¡±


    It was as Atein had said. Saibein had broken the seal.


    Saibein knew Atein¡¯s abilities better than anyone present here. Atein had manifested in this ce through Darkness Incarnate, but Saibein knew Atein was capable of monitoring the other members of Reygus¡¯ party. It was the reason why clone users were so scary.


    However, this didn¡¯t mean Atein knew everything that was going on in the battlefield.


    If Saibein had personally moved to break the seal, Atein would have used Incarnation to stop him. This was why Saibein had used another method.


    Saibein wasn¡¯t a clone user. However, he possessed dark magical energy. He was able to create Corrupted beings and wraiths that were under his control.


    As he used hisrge scale magic, he continuously produced Corrupted Beings and wraiths. He had diverted some of them, and he had stealthily hit the facility containing the seal.


    Atein spoke.


    ¡°You¡¯ve changed a lot.¡±


    The passage of time was apparent through Saibein¡¯s appearance. In terms of appearance, it looked as if Saibein was the father.


    Saibein spoke.


    ¡°A lot of things happened before you were revived. You already know this....¡±


    ¡°Those experiences pushed you to be my enemy?¡±


    There wasn¡¯t a single ounce of anger in Atein¡¯s expression as he asked the question.


    Saibein was his son, yet he had turned his back towards Atein. He was trying to kill Atein. When faced with this fact, it hadn¡¯t bother Atein at all. Only an expression of pure curiosity appeared on his face.


    ¡°As expected.......¡±


    Saibein was hurt by this truth.


    It would have been better if Atein had raged and berated him. He couldn¡¯t see any affection towards him within Atein¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°...I see. I mean nothing to you, father.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t true. You are my son.¡±


    ¡°You talked about the worth of family. However, the worth you ce on your bloodline is different from everyone else. Am I right?¡±


    At his question, Atein didn¡¯t immediately give an answer.


    Atein looked at Saibein for a brief moment. There was a slight hesitation before he nodded his head.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t the same. Unfortunately.... It can¡¯t be the same.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought. I¡¯ve never once felt that I was an important figure in your life.¡±


    It had been like that during the Dragon Demon war. Druing that time, the fight had been much more personal to him.


    He wanted to be recognized by his parents.


    He wanted love, and he wanted to be special to his parents.


    He wanted an extremely normal type of happiness. However, it was alwayscking in his life.


    Atein, who was his father, only acknowledged him as his progeny. He didn¡¯t give any interest or love that was supposed toe along with being a father. Saibein spoke with Atein, but his heart was always somewhere else. There was always a distant look in his eyes. This was why Saibein felt endlessly hurt by Atein.


    What about his mother, Aincera?


    ¡®You are the son of the exalted one. You have to be someone that won¡¯t embarrass him. You cannot fall behind the children born to those lowly women.¡¯


    It was hard to imagine it when one looked at the current Aincera, who had lost her sense of self. In the past, Aincera had been a strict and temperamental mother.


    Her love was only towards Atein. She had born two children named Reba and Saibein. The number of children were proof that she was loved above all other queens. Moreover, the two of them were mere tools that were pitted against the offspring of second queen Tedrin. They were used to show that Aincera was superior to Tedrin


    When Reba died in the Dragon Demon war, Aincera hadn¡¯t been sad. She was disappointed. Above all else, she was angry.


    It was the same when Saibein was defeated in battle. She had been disappointed and angry when he came back barely with his life intact.


    ¡®As if losing to those lowly humans weren¡¯t enough, you brought disgrace to your father!¡¯


    ...her son had almost died, yet she only talked about him hurting Atein¡¯s reputation. Above all else, it put her at a disadvantage in herpetition against the other queens.


    Aincera was such a mother.


    It would be great if he was able to hate his parents. However, he didn¡¯t possess such a character.


    He was hurt and angry, but he wanted his parents to look out for him. He wanted his parents to acknowledge and love him.


    ¡°...as I lived my life, I learned a lot of things. Do you know what¡¯s the most interesting thing I learned?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea.¡±


    ¡°I learned that my emotions towards mother and father was quitemon in the world. Neglected children pine for love from their parents. It was easy to find humans that shared the same emotions as me.¡±


    His father was singrly unique, yet Saibein¡¯s feelings were universal.


    ¡°Can you imagine what I felt? You are like a god, and I am your son. However, the rtionship between the two of us was quitemon. Do you realize how taken aback I was when I learned this?¡±


    His father was the first Dragon Demon and the first magician. He had saved the world several times. He was the Dragon Demon King Atein, and Saibein was his son. Of course, Saibein had thought he was special too. He also thought his rtionship with his father was unique. He thought it was something no one else was capable of understanding. He thought their rtionship was that singr.


    In truth, it wasn¡¯t like that at all.


    A person may be unique, but the rtionship between people weren¡¯t that special. There were countless ¡®children¡¯ in this world that understood and shared Saibein¡¯s experience.


    ¡°I finally realized it then. I had really special parents, and I was also a rare existence. However, I was a person in the end. Moreover....¡±


    Saibein hesitated before he spoke.


    ¡°...I knew that father wasn¡¯t someone that could be called a person.¡±


    It was a realization that threw Saibein into a spiral of despair.


    Atein was a transcendent being, and he could never be what Saibein wanted him to be. Aincera took on the caretaker role of the Great Darkness, and she had lost her sense of self. The possibility of her being a person had disappeared.


    ¡°You do not hold any attachment towards your bloodline. You aren¡¯t cold, and you do not consider family to be unimportant, but.... From the beginning, it wasn¡¯t something that could move the needle of your emotions. Am I not right?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t deny that fact.¡±


    Atein didn¡¯t hesitate to give his answer. Saibein¡¯s expression crumpled.


    ¡°Ha.......¡±


    His heart hurt.


    He thought he had given up such emotions long ago. Atein had never taken care of him. Atein¡¯s blood flowed within Saibein, yet he was basically like the numerous figures within the Dragon Demon King¡¯s army. Atein only cared for him a little bit morepared to the others.


    Saibein knew this to be true, and he had thought he had abandoned any expectation he had towards Atein.


    Saibein realized that he had been deluding himself.


    When he realized this truth, Saibein let out a sadughter.


    ¡°Thank you, father.¡±


    ¡°What are you thankful for?¡±


    Atein asked as if he couldn¡¯t understand Saibein.


    Saibein spoke.


    ¡°I won¡¯t live like you, father. I never expected to confirm my resolve like this.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I want to hear more about it. I really do, but.....¡±


    Suddenly, Atein spoke.


    ¡°Time is up.¡±


    The ground was shaking. The tremor had started not too long ago. It started deep under the earth, and it had reached the surface. The being causing the vibration had finally reached the surface.


    Koo-roo-roong......!


    The sound of the ground exploding spread outwards. Everyone¡¯s gaze headed towards the source of the sound. It was where the seal had been ced.


    Goo-gwa-gwa-gwahng!


    A thick darkness emanated upwards as the facility holding the seal blew apart. Then an enormous silhouette appeared from within the darkness.


    Two enormous wings unfolded. The owner of the wings looked as if he was wearing a mask. His face was smooth, and he wasrger than Reygus.


    <Is he the god of Rest?>


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    When Reygus muttered his words, Atein replied. He recalled an old memory.


    ¡°He tried to get rid of desire for humans to fight other humans.¡±


    6


    In the distant past, there was a human that got sick of the fact that humans fought other humans.


    Humans were capable of oveing their human nature that led them down the path of destruction. However, humans were selfish and ugly by nature, so the fight between humans were never ending.


    There were countless beings that were capable of wiping out humanity. Instead of fighting the outside threats, humans fought each other. It made him feel anger and sadness towards humans.


    When faced with the obvious truth, he tried to get rid of the source that was causing the self-destruction.


    ¡®I¡¯ll eliminate the hate humans have for each other.¡¯


    The desire to destroy each other would be eliminated. He thought everyone would be able to live happily ever after if he did that. If humans had no reason to fight each other, he thought they would work to advance their civilization. They would pursue their happiness.


    After long research, he found a way to aplish this task.


    All humans dreamed. Dreams was a pathway to one¡¯s deep subconsciousness. All humans were free with this space.


    ¡®If I control their dreams, I can control how their conscious mind works.¡¯


    With him at the center, he tied the dreams of many humans into one. He created a mental world. In this world of dreams, he made the humans throw away the ¡®unnecessary¡¯ parts of themselves.


    The humans under his control gained peace.


    They no longer hated other humans.


    They were no longer envious of other humans.


    The humans were no longer.....


    Everything unnecessary was left behind in the dream world. In the real world, these humans started living peaceful and rational lives. Fights amongst humans happened only in the dream world. The dream world was merely a ce where they could let out all their dark desires in their sleep.


    At a nce, it wouldn¡¯t have been surprising to see a utopia appear within the world.


    ¡°...however, the parts that were considered to be ¡®necessary¡¯ by the god of Rest was essential to humans. It was needed to be able to live as humans.¡±


    Atein mumbled to himself.


    In the process of creating the dream world, he gained control over countless humans. He was able to be a transcendent being. As the number of humans under his control grew, his power grew. He was able to gain god-like power over the beings under his control.


    ¡°It would have been great if he was able to create a utopia.¡±


    Atein let out a bitterughter.


    Human civilization was at its infancy during this time. Magicians were rare, so the god of Rest was fully capable of taking over the world.


    Atein observed the god of Rest for a time span equal to a human lifespan.


    The god of Rest had created a power base that would make it hard for Atein to fight against him. That was why Atein continued to research the abilities of the god of Rest. He researched until he could increase the probability of his victory to an eptable level.


    At the same time, he observed if the god of Rest could truly create an ideal world.


    In thend ruled by him, none of the usual stressors of maintaining a human society existed. He had eliminated any stressors that would arrive from humans interacting with other humans.


    However, this didn¡¯t mean that they were happy. After a long period of observation, Atein arrived at that unfortunate conclusion.


    ¡®They could no longer be called humans.¡¯


    They looked like humans. They spoke and acted like humans. However, they were no longer humans.


    It was true that there was no jealousy and hate.


    However, they didn¡¯t love each other either.


    ¡®If there¡¯s no conflict, people don¡¯t interact with each other.¡¯


    They didn¡¯t get lonely. This was why they had no desire to talk to each other.


    Things had to ur in the real world. If not, their conversation had no substance. There was no desire to understand each other.


    In Atein¡¯s view, it wasn¡¯t an ideal world.


    ¡°It was another form of hell. I came to the conclusion that humanity would end in the long run.¡±


    Humans lost jealousy, hatred and their fighting spirit. Humans couldn¡¯t identify what they werecking in their lives, and they had no desire to better themselves. This led tock of desire, and they lost the ability to take risks. There was no advance in their civilization. Everyone acted as if they were living the ¡®ideal¡¯ life.


    In this stagnant paradise, birthrate dropped steeply. At that point, Atein gave up on all expectation. After a fierce fight, he was able to seal the god of Rest within the Great Darkness.


    <Ha!>


    Reygusughed at the absurdity of it all.

 Chapter 248 - Darkness Incarnate (6)

    Chapter 248 - Darkness Incarnate (6)


    <Ha!>


    Reygusughed at the absurdity of it all.


    <How is your actions any different from what the god of Rest tried to do?>


    ¡°It is different.¡±


    Atein was firm with his words.


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to restrict human nature or their free will. I just want to push human madews and institutions to the extreme.¡±


    <Howughable! You are trying to steal everyone¡¯s ability to face their destiny! You are no better than that bastard!>


    ¡°The important part is their potential, Reygus. It didn¡¯t directly messy with human nature, so I didn¡¯t kill their potential.......¡±


    Atein knew he couldn¡¯t convince Reygus. He shook his head at this unfortunate fact.


    -Come Dragon Demon weapon! Dream¡¯s Apostle!


    This particr Dragon Demon weapon had been the key to defeating the god of Rest. It had the ability of dominating the spirit world and mental world. It had delivered victory to Atein when he had faced the god of Rest.


    Ahhhhhhh......!


    After emerging onto the surface world, the god of Rest opened his mouth. The sound that emanated from him sounded like beautiful music. It was so beautiful that almost everyone became mesmerized by it.


    In a sh, everyone on the battlefield became absorbed with the song. Their eyes became unfocused as if they were drunk.


    The fierce battle stopped as the will to fight bled away. There were only a few that were capable of shielding their minds with their power. Everyone else stood still. They lookedfortable as if they were in the arms of their mother.


    Koohng!


    The one to break this effect was Atein. He brought down his staff called the Dream¡¯s Apostle. The head of the staff was decorated with the moon and the stars.


    An unseen power reverberated outwards as it awoke his troops, who were drunk on the power of the song. Atein¡¯s clone shouted as he raised the Dream¡¯s Apostle.


    ¡°Do not be mesmerized by it. Suppress him. My power will protect you all.¡±


    <I won¡¯t let you do that!>


    Reygus charged towards Atein¡¯s clone. However, a darkness erupted in front of him.


    Pah-ahhhhng!


    Another clone appeared from within the Darkness. The clone was destroyed in the process of stopping Reygus, but another clone had rushed right behind the first one. The clone hit Reygus, and Reygus hit the ground.


    <Koohk......!>


    ¡°I¡¯ll just kill you all here. There is no meaning to recovering the seal now.¡±


    <You are merely a clone, yet you are full of confidence! Let¡¯s see which side prevails!>


    The battle, which hade to a halt, raged again.


    7


    Kairen cursed.


    ¡°Shit! That bastard, Reygus!¡±


    When Reygus decided to move, Kairen¡¯s n blew up in his face.


    Four days.


    They just needed four days, and all their preparations would have beenpleted.


    The selected members, who would be participating in the uing battle, had been moved to the northern border of the Yudusk kingdom. It was also the border of the in of Darkness. The only thing left was to set up a supply line, and they would be able to find a path that¡¯ll allow them to invade the in of Darkness in one fell swooop.....


    However, Reygus¡¯ move had messed everything up.


    This didn¡¯t mean they weren¡¯t going to do anything. Kairen kept cursing Reygus¡¯ name as he quickly readjusted his n.


    ¡°The final battle will be fought today!¡±


    It didn¡¯t matter if they didn¡¯t have all their supplies. It couldn¡¯t be helped if they were unable to mobilize all their troops. Since events had turned out like this, this was the moment they had to make their move.


    Azell snickered.


    ¡°This reminds me of the old days.¡±


    ¡°Something simr to this happened before?¡±


    ¡°Almost nothing turns out as nned. Above all else, you were the one that kept information back from Reygus. You didn¡¯t fully flesh out the n.¡±


    Reygus¡¯ party held a big role in Kairen¡¯s n. They were supposed to draw out Atein¡¯s Darkness Incarnate by attacking a seal. Basically, his n was to spread out Atein¡¯s power.


    Kieren had lost his Dragon Demon weapon, so Reygus¡¯ party could use Extreme Extinction only once more. After drawing out the Darkness Incarnate, Kairen didn¡¯t expect much from Reygus¡¯ group. In the end, they would lose a significant portion of their power through the loss of the Dragon Demon weapon.


    This was why they had to act now even if their preparation wasn¡¯tplete. If not now, they would have to fight a much scarier version of Atein.


    Kairen red at Azell.


    ¡°If I exined it all to him, do you really think he wouldn¡¯t have caused an ident?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. Well... There¡¯s no guarantee that he wouldn¡¯t have caused an ident.¡±


    Azell scratched his cheek.


    They were flying through the sky.


    Azell was using the Storm Dragon¡¯s Wing to fly by himself. He also manifested his White me Phoenix. Kairen and ten other members were able to ride atop it. Moreover,s were made through telekinesis by magicians, and they were hanging off the White me Phoenix. Theses carried supplies and men. There were over 50 men being carried within the.


    Everyone was hanging off of the White me Phoenix, but they couldn¡¯tin. This was the only method that¡¯ll allow them to enter the in of Darkness in one fell swoop.


    In fact, Arrieta was doing the same thing with the Crying Phoenix.


    Kairen let out a sigh.


    ¡°Hoo-ooh. We have to hit the in of Darkness with only 100 men. We¡¯ve lost our mind.¡±


    ¡°You were the one that came up with this n, so you shouldn¡¯t say such words. Moreover, you said 100 men, but that¡¯s a bit....¡±


    There were a total of 87 members heading into the in of Darkness. This number included Azell¡¯s party. They were all elite members, but it was extremely foolhardy to attack the in of Darkness with their number.


    However, all the remaining Guardian Shadows remaining on the surface of this world were heading towards a point determined by Kairen. They would all gather there.


    A significant number of Guardian Shadows were destroyed in the ongoing fight, but there were over eight thousand of them left. It was thanks to the order given by Kairen when he had first gainedmand of the Guardian Shadows. He had turned half their numbers into observers.


    ¡°Now we.......¡±


    Azell looked at his surrounding as he spoke.


    Rough terrain was below him, and he could see a white ining up ahead.


    For a very long time, humans believed that all the evils of the world was sealed in this demond. It was the in of Darkness.


    ¡°We have to settle this fight.¡±


    8


    Saibein groaned.


    ¡°This is a mess!¡±


    It was as he said.


    The fight between Reygus and Atein was altering the terrain around them. As Atein fought Reygus, the fight with the god of Rest was going on in parallel.


    It was a problem, because both sides were split into fighting two battles.


    While the Dragon Demon King worshippers fought the god of Rest, they were also fighting Saibein, Niberis and Kieren. From the perspective of the Dragon Demon King worshippers, they had to stop Reygus¡¯ party from using the Extreme Extinction at all cost..


    Despite fighting battles at two fronts, the Dragon Demon King worshippers were holding up pretty well.


    It was all thanks to Atein. While Atein fought Reygus, he used the Dream¡¯s Apostle to assist the Dragon Demon King worshippers.


    ¡®I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s capable of blocking most of our curses so easily.....¡¯


    Saibein and Niberis used ck magic, and they were specialized in using curses. Most of the curses affected the mind or the spirit. Even if their curses could manifest different effects, most of their curses started out by affecting the mind or the spirit. This was why their effectiveness was significantly reduced when facing foes, who were under the protection of the Dream¡¯s Apostle.


    As a result, they were no longer able to dominate the Dragon Demon King worshippers. It devolved into a very difficult fight.


    It really brought home the fact that they were fighting the Dragon Demon King Atein. He was the first Dragon Demon, and he was the founder of magic.


    As always, Atein had an immense godlike presence.


    Could they really win against his father?


    ¡®It would have been better if the god of Rest was a bit stronger!¡¯


    Saibein was so frustrated that he had such thoughts.


    The god of Rest was being worked over by the Dragon Demon King worshippers.


    It couldn¡¯t be helped.


    The god of Rest was one of the oldest pirs within the Great Darkness. His power mainly dealt with messing with the mind of living beings, and that ability was greatly reduced by the Dream¡¯s Apostle.


    If he wanted to try something else, he had to fall back on using magic. However, his magic was woefully outdatedpared to the magic of this era. He possessed more magical energy than Atein and Reygus. However, he didn¡¯t have the technique to be able to properly utilize his magical energy. From the perspective of the god of Rest, he wanted to scream out in frustration.


    ¡®This is the worst.¡¯


    At that moment, a middle aged Dragon Majin warrior broke through Saibein¡¯s magic.


    Saibein moved his Dragon Soul to attack the warrior, but the warrior didn¡¯t go down easily. He turned away the fierce attack of the Dragon Soul, and he kicked out towards Saibein.


    Too-oong......!


    ¡°Ooohk!¡±


    Saibein swayed on his feet. An invisible power shot out from the warrior¡¯s kick, and it had hit Saibein¡¯s body.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be taking your head, prince Saiben!¡±


    The warrior turned away the Dragon Soul once again as he swung his sword. However, his sword let out sparks as it shed against a magical barrier quickly erected by Saibein.


    Pah-jee-jee-jeek!


    Moreover, a thunderbolt detonated on the warrior¡¯s head before he could retreat.


    Kwahng!


    The middle aged Dragon Majin warrior was sent flying.


    Niberis had saved Saibein. Despite suffering under the surprise attack, the Dragon Majin warrior wasn¡¯t instantly killed. He blocked the next salvo of spells as he retreated. The magicians, who followed him in support, concentrated their attack on Niberis.


    ¡°...they are quite relentless.¡±


    After he escaped the immediate danger, Saibein calmed his breathing.


    From the beginning, this was a tough fight. Even if Saibein, Niberis and Kieren were powerful magicians, they were fighting the elites of the in of Darkness.


    There were a good number of troops that had gone through the Dragon yer¡¯s Ritual, and there were those that possesed Dragon Demon weapons. The fact that the three of them were trying to face several hundred elite troops was an arrogant act in itself. The only reason why they were able to hold out against so many was the fact that they were unusually strong, and they had decent tactics.


    However, the tide of battle had turned when Atein entered the fight.


    ¡°Hah-ah, hah-ah.......¡±


    Niberis and Kieren were also breathing hard. They didn¡¯t suffer any life threatening wounds, but there were minor wounds all over their bodies.


    Since they had sublime control over their magic, they still had enough Dragon Demon magic in reserve. However, their Energy Pulse was under stress, and their bodies were screaming out in pain.


    The situation was getting worse by the minute.


    As the god of Rest was pushed back, the Dragon Demon King worshippers continued to gain respite. They were slowly diveriting troops towards Saibein¡¯s party.


    Above all else, the problem was the fight between Atein and Reygus.


    ¡®Sir Reygus isn¡¯t able to gain an upper hand.¡¯


    Since the Great Darkness was stronger than ever, the Darkness Incarnate was also at the height of its power.


    Atein had created four clones through Incarnation, and the four clones were able to make five clones each. Moreover, a good number of them possessed Dragon Demon weapons, so Reygus could barely pressure Atein with his attacks. He destroyed the clones several times, but he was having a difficult time getting close to the real body.


    It was as if they were struggling to get out of quicksand. Saibein came to the conclusion that their situation was slowly getting worse.


    At that moment, Niberis spoke.


    ¡°Father.¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to end this before it is toote.¡±


    Saibein knew she had made the same assessment as him.


    At this rate, they were slowly inching towards defeat. They had to make a gambit for victory when there was still a sliver of a chance.


    ¡°I see, but.......¡±


    The problem remained that there were too many enemies. There were over 300 enemy troops remaining.


    ¡®It would have been great if Kieren still had his Dragon Demon weapon. I never expected to miss that thing.¡¯


    The situation was bad enough that Saibein was having such thoughts.


    It wasn¡¯t as if it was impossible to defeat all the enemies in front of them. Kieren had lost his Dragon Demon weapon, but thebined power of the three of them was still formidable.


    The problem was what they were running into right now.

 Chapter 249 - Darkness Incarnate (7)

    Chapter 249 - Darkness Incarnate (7)


    The problem was what they were running into right now.


    Even if they were able to kill the enemies in front of them through a bloody fight, it didn¡¯t mean they would win. They would only win if they were able to kill the god of Rest.


    ¡®Since things have turned out like this, would it be better to bait them into sealing the god of Rest? Would it be better for us if we use that opportunity to escape from this ce?¡¯


    They would be admitting defeat in this fight. They would be trying to live to fight another day. Since Saibein didn¡¯t know Kairen¡¯s n, it would be the wise choice.


    ¡®However, will there really be another day?¡¯


    When Saibein left the forest, Albatan had given him a warning.


    ¡®Thepletion of Atein¡¯s ritual isn¡¯t too far away.¡¯


    The ritual might bepleted in a couple days, or it could bepleted tomorrow. It could even bepleted today. No one knew the exact timeline.


    Everything would end when Atein finished his ritual. Saibein looked at Niberis. Saibein felt pressure from the fact that they couldn¡¯t retreat right now.


    ¡®Ah.¡¯


    Also, he was impressed.


    Niberis¡¯ demeanor never cracked.


    She was probably going through the same thought process as him, yet she was unppable. She assessed the situation in front of them, and she had made a goal. Then she put all her mind towards aplishing her goal.


    ¡®How embarrassing.¡¯


    He came out from hiding for his daughter. He wanted to protect his daughter, who was walking into the lion¡¯s den.


    He never expected to feel embarrassment from seeing his daughter¡¯s resolve.


    Suddenly, Niberis asked a question.


    ¡°Kieren. How much time do you need?¡±


    ¡°I need 3 minutes.¡±


    ¡°I want you to do it in 2 minutes.¡±


    ¡°You are talking nonsense.......¡±


    Kieren clicked his tongue. Despite showing dismay, he grinned.


    ¡°But I¡¯ll do as you say.


    ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±


    Saibein asked in puzzlement. Instead of vocalizing her n, Niberis usedmunication magic to deliver her n to Saibein.


    ¡°Ho-oh.¡±


    Saibein¡¯s eyes twinkled when he heard Niberis¡¯ n. He was impressed. Saibein turned to look at Kieren.


    Kieren had an ability that Saibein didn¡¯t know about. Niberis had been Kieren¡¯spetitor for a very long time. She had also fought alongside him with their lives on the line. She knew what he was capable of doing.


    ¡°It is worth attempting. Let¡¯s....¡±


    The three of them changed formation.


    Until now, Saibein and Niberis shared their darkness magical energy. Theyyered spells upon each other to attack their enemies. Kieren moved to where he was needed, and he had been in charge of crowd control.


    Now Kieren had retreated fully from the battle. Saibien and Niberis increased the intensity of their attack.


    Since they were fighting numerous enemies, they were mindful of how much magical energy they were using. They were mindful of a long drawn out battle. However, the two of them started pouring out powerful magic. It was as if they didn¡¯t care about the consequences of using so much power. Their enemies started to scream, and they were pushed backwards.


    It happened at that moment.


    Koo-roo-roo-roong.......


    Suddenly, there was a rapid change to the atmospheric pressure.


    There were still explosions detonating around the battlefield. Hot air was swirling around, so the atmosphere wasn¡¯t stable. However, it shouldn¡¯t cause the dark clouds to converge over the battlefield. Fierce winds picked up as it uprooted the trees and boulders.


    Gwah-roo-roong! Ggwah-gwahng!


    Then the lightning detonated.


    An enormous streak of electricity connected the earth to the sky. As the lightning detonated, the world was dyed white. There had been countless lightning bolts impacting the battlefield up until now, but this lightning was on a different level.


    Saibein reflexively had a thought.


    ¡®Can it be?!¡¯


    As if to confirm his guess, a powerful wave of Dragon Demon magic emanated outwards.


    -Come Dragon Demon weapon! Storm¡¯s Scream!


    The Dragon Demon weapon of the deceased Almarick made its appearance. Frightening lightning bolts assaulted the surface of the ground.


    On the other side, Atein was focusing the power of the Storm¡¯s Scream. It was as if time was being rewound. The electricity from the lightning blots were flowing backwards. They were sucked into the Storm¡¯s Scream. It changed into arge de of energy.


    ¡°My god......!¡±


    Everyone became shocked when they saw this. A power that could decimate everyone present was being focused into a small vessel.


    It had the effect of weakening the attack being directed towards Reygus. Reygus didn¡¯t miss this opportunity. He charged Atein, and he brought down his Soul Hammer.


    Atein didn¡¯t have the time to dodge it, but he didn¡¯t n on dodging it.


    Light exploded forth.


    In a sh, the world was filled with blinding white light. Heat and shock erupted from the site of the explosion, and it overturned the earth.


    Koo-goo-goo-goo-goo......!


    Even the troops fighting the god of Rest had to desperately protect themselves. They had to do this despite being far away from the site of the explosion. A groan could be heard from within the hellish heat.


    <Ooohk! Shit! You got me! It was a great move!>


    Reygus swayed on his feet.. Arge portion of his white armor was destroyed, and darkness was leaking out from within.


    On the other side of him, Atein was holding a transparent greatsword, and he was looking down on Reygus.


    The Dragon Demon weapons of the Dragon Demon generals were subjugated to the Great Darkness. It could live past the death of its owner within the Great Darkness.


    Of course, the original owners had the highest priority to use their Dragon Demon weapon. However, Almarick had died, and he hadn¡¯t passed on the Storm¡¯s Scream to anyone. This was why Atein was able to use it.


    <It is unfortunate that Almarikck is dead. His expression would be priceless If he saw what you did right now!>


    Reygus had suffered massive damage at the hands of Almarick¡¯s secret technique called the Thunder God¡¯s Sword. As if using the Storm¡¯s Scream wasn¡¯t enough, Atein had mimicked Almarick¡¯s technique.


    ¡°I bet he wouldugh at my poor technique.¡±


    Atein let out a bitterughter.


    It was true that he had copied the Thunder God¡¯s Sword. He had to make up some of the deficiency with magic, so he couldn¡¯tpletely recreate the destructive power of Almarick¡¯s technique. Above all else, the range of the attack was woefully short. This was why he had to bait Reygus into charging him. Atein had used it as a counterattack.


    <You got one over me, yet you are acting humble. This is why you suck. No wonder you are a magician.>


    ¡°It isn¡¯t as if I won the exchange in a one sided manner. That is why it is hard for me to pat myself on the back.¡±


    It was as he said. A darkness was also leaking out from Atein¡¯s body. Atein had struck an awesome blow against Reygus, yet he had suffered a big wound when the Soul Hammer nced off of him.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t his living body. It was a clone made through the Darkness Incarnate. Still, its function decreased if the clone took damage. It was inevitable.


    Koo-goo-goo-goo-goo......!


    The space around them had turned into hell. Even high ranked magicians would need to use all their power to survive in this environment.


    However, Atein and Reygus were well past such levels.


    Atein used the hellish heat as ingredient for his spell. He attacked Reygus.


    Reygus took on the attack as he got ready for a counter attack.


    <You won¡¯t be able to stop me without the help of your other clones!>


    They had to use a good amount of their power to protect themselves from the hellish environment.


    It clearly gave Reygus the upper hand. Atein was a clone technique user, and his power was significantly reduced if he was unable to use his clones. If Atein tried to use Incarnation in this environment, he would have to protect each clone from the heat . It would cause too much strain on his resources.


    ¡°Mmmm......!¡±


    He never expected to be put in this predicament, so theplexion of his face changed. Since he wasn¡¯t using the clones, he could theoretically increase the number of spells he could use against Reygus. However, that was easier said than done.


    In the end, Reygus broke through Atein¡¯s magic, and he kicked towards Atein. Atein retreated backwards, and the melted ground rose up like a wave to attack Reygus. Reygus increased his speed as he tried to close the gap.


    Kwahng!


    Atein hit Reygus from the rear in the nick of time. It had the effect of changing the trajectory of Reygus¡¯ charge.


    However, Reygus did something unexpected in the next moment. When he was pushed off his path, he used the momentum to spin his body, and he struck the ground with his Soul Hammer.


    ¡°Oh shit!¡±


    Atein was a beatte in realizing Reygus¡¯ intention.


    The seismic wave cut through the heat. It headed towards the Dragon Demon king worshippers, who were fighting the god of Rest.


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    Saibein unintentionally let out a heartyughter.


    ¡°I never expected in my life topliment you on your tactics, sir Reygus!¡±


    The earth was hotter the me. A massive amount of earth rode the seismic wave, and it hit the Dragon Demon King worshippers.


    A miraculous opportunity presented itself. Saibein, Niberis and Kieren stepped forwards to enact their gambit for victory.


    9


    ¡°I¡¯m asking this because I¡¯m curious....¡±


    It was rare to see Atein perturbed. He looked a bit taken aback as he asked the question.


    ¡°Were you aiming for this result from the start?¡±


    <What? No way!>


    Reygus proudly gave his answer.


    Normally, Reygus didn¡¯t pay attention to others when he entered a battle. However, his current action had helped his allies. On the surface, it looked as if Reygus had been keeping a close eye on how the battle was progressing.


    <I tried to hit you, but I missed. However, it was toote to pull back my attack. I thought I could somewhat change the direction of the attack, so I sent it towards them!>


    ¡°...thank you for giving me an honest answer. Are you sure you won¡¯t regret using that move?¡±


    Atein was asking the question, because he could see Atein¡¯s state.


    The attack was going to miss anyways, so he changed the direction of the attack. He had dealt a big blow to the Dragon Demon King worshippers. Everything was ideal up until that point.


    However, Reygus had revealed a fatal weakness as a price of using that attack. Atein was baffled by Reygus¡¯ decision, but he would let an opportunity pass him by. He sent out a powerful attack.


    <Koo-koohk! Regret? I never regret my actions! It¡¯ll make me look small!>


    Reygusughed as he took control of his swaying body. He had already suffered a big blow, yet he had suffered under another powerful attack. Another big hole had appeared on his armor, and darkness was leaking out.


    ¡°That answer if very like you.¡±


    Atein ran in towards Reygus. When Reygus retaliated, Atein resolved into lightning. He appeared behind Reygus as he brought down the Storm¡¯s Scream.


    Ggwahng!


    The lightning detonated as Reygus¡¯ body shook. Atein¡¯s hand had changed into lightning in the previous attack. It manifested back into its original form as his fist hit Reygus¡¯ body. The enormous figure of Reygus was sent flying into the air.


    <Koo-uhk......!>


    His strike was precise. He had aimed for the broken portion of Reygus¡¯ armor. The cracks in his armor widened, and the darkness within poured out like a torrent.


    Atein appeared in front of Reygus as he brought down the Storm¡¯s Scream. When Reygus used his Soul Hammer to block the sword strike, other clones appeared to continuously attack Reygus.


    When each clone struck Reygus, a premade spell detonated against Reygus body. Reygus¡¯ body was bouncing around the air like a pinball.


    <Koo-oohk!>


    Reygus groaned.


    At once, the tide of the battle changed in favor of Atein. Reygus had destroyed the environmental factor that had sealed the formation of clones with his own hands. Moreover, his missed attack had caused him to lose a massive amount of magical energy.


    Atein didn¡¯t pass up on this opportunity as he let out a fierce attack. As a result, the damage to the armor expanded. Reygus was quickly losing his magical energy, which made up his body.


    Kwahng!


    However, Reygus didn¡¯t go down easily.


    In a sh, Reygus headbutted the Storm¡¯s Scream being brought down by Atein¡¯s clone. Then he brought up his shoulder to destroy the body of the clone.


    <I¡¯ve suffered enough that I know your patter now!>


    ¡°Mmm......!¡±


    Darkness manifested to form Atein¡¯s body once again.


    Reygus was about to attack, but he suddenly came to a stop. He became aware of a devastating truth.

 Chapter 250 - Darkness Incarnate (8)

    Chapter 250 - Darkness Incarnate (8)


    Reygus was about to attack, but he suddenly came to a stop. He became aware of a devastating truth.


    <Shit! This body isn¡¯t durable. Already?>


    His transformation was bing undone.


    The damage taken in the battle against Atein might not be the only factor. Was this happening, because he had taken significant damage before his transformation? He had taken massive damage after falling into Chanes¡¯ trap.


    Atein spoke.


    ¡°It seems the effect is finally showing up.¡±


    <...did you do this?>


    ¡°You might have forgotten about it, but I¡¯m the one that gave you your ability.¡±


    While exchanging blows with Reygus, Atein had hammered spells into Reygus body. He had done it several times. It was done in order to cancel Reygus¡¯ transformation. Reygus¡¯ defense was so mighty that the effect of the spell had been significantly dyed. It only took hold when Reygus took significant amount of damage.


    His white armor was turning back to its original ck color. The Dragon Demon magic being generated by Reygus fell steeply. It was being changed back into magical energy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s end this.¡±


    Atein had already manifested numerous spells around him. He was about to send them all towards Reygus.


    <Says who?>


    Reygus did something totally unexpected. He threw his Soul Hammer towards Atein.


    It wasn¡¯t a sword or a spear. He used the battle hammer as a throwing weapon.


    Atein was taken aback.


    The backside of the hammer was shaped like a human head. In a sh, it opened its mouth as it roared.


    Koo-ahhhhhhh!


    It caused the ground beneath the Soul Hammer to explode. Earth and boulders assaulted Atein at high speed.


    ¡®He was hiding this function all this time?¡¯


    Atein didn¡¯t know about this function. He was flustered, but he trusted his defensive spells to stop the attack. He decided to send all his prepared spells towards Reygus.


    It was a mistake.


    As soon as Reygus threw his Soul Hammer, he charged forward using the Instantaneous Movement technique. Most of the magical bombardment barely missed Reygus. Reygus pushed through the spells in front of him, and he rammed his whole body into Atein.


    Kwahng!


    Atein was pushed back as his barrier spells were broken. After he reacquied his Soul Hammer, Reygus swung his hammer again.


    Atein, who had been in front of him, disappeared like an illusion. Atein¡¯s clone turned into a streak of darkness. Since he could avoid taking physical damage, Atein decided to escape by turning into darkness.


    <I said I can read you now!>


    In an instant, Reygus pulled back his attack, and he ran sideways. Then he punched where Atein would show up.


    Atein¡¯s eyes widened. When he resolved back into his physical form, Reygus¡¯ fist struck him. Theyers of barrier magic blocked the blow, but it still caused strain on his body.


    <Go!>


    Reygus brought down his Soul Hammer with one hand.


    It was an attack that couldn¡¯t be dodged. Atein was quick to make a decision.


    If he couldn¡¯t dodge it, he would face it head on.


    Kwahhhhhhhng!


    It caused an explosive impact.


    In the middle of the rising cloud of dust, Reygus and Atein red at each other.


    Reygus was in tatters. He had already taken a lot of damage up until that point. When he took on Atein¡¯s counterattack, around half of his upper body was blown away. Even if he was a powerful Undead, it was dubious as to whether he could recover from this serious injury.


    ¡°...it¡¯s your victory, Reygus.¡±


    However, Atein had suffered more damage than him.


    Atein could no longer maintain his Darkness Incarnate clone. Regus spoke as he watched the clone slowly copse on itself.


    <Shit. I won, but it doesn¡¯t look like I¡¯ve won at all. This is embarrassing. Don¡¯t be so petty next time by bringing out your clone. Let¡¯s fight each other will all our might.>


    ¡°Next time.......¡±


    Atein let out a hollowughter. Then he looked at Reygus with regretful eyes.


    ¡°...this is goodbye, my old friend.¡±


    Atein¡¯s clonepletely copsed. Reygus swayed on his feet before he sat down on the ground.


    <I can hear deathing for me! I don¡¯t even have time to rest! I am so thankful to the god of fate that I am almost in tears.>


    In no time, his enemies started to converge towards him. Reygusughed as he saw this.


    10


    Saiben¡¯s party was hitting their enemies like a surging wave.


    ¡®Just a little bit more!¡¯


    The Dragon Demon King worshippers were fighting the god of Rest, and Saibein¡¯s party had attacked them from the rear. When Reygus¡¯ errant attack hit them, the Dragon Demon King worshippers suffered a critical blow.


    In a sh, several dozen members were killed, and their formation started to fall apart. Saibein¡¯s party knew that this was their best opportunity.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Kieren released the magic he had prepared.


    An incredible amount of magical energy poured out of him. It was such a massive amount that it made one wonder if he had truly lost his Dragon Demon weapon.


    He was using a spell that mimicked the function of the Dragon Demon weapon Bleeding Star.


    It was simr to what Laura had done with her research of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. She was able to manifest Dimensional Distortion through magic.


    Of course, this spell was less powerful than the original ability of the Bleeding Star. However, it was very effective in his current situation. Countless people had died in battle, and blood had flowed like a river. Magical energy was being generated by gathering the blood. Kieren was able to break through the Dragon Demon King worshippers using this power.


    Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwah......!


    Kieren split his enemies into two groups as he poured out his spells. His enemies shed their blood, and it was fed back into Kieren. The spell generated magical energy once again. It was akin to a ball of snow rolling down a snowy mountain.


    Saibein and Niberis followed behind, and they used their spell on the divided group of Dragon Demon King worshippers. Corrupted Beings appeared amongst them as they started ughtering the Dragon Demon King worshippers.


    In the middle of this massive chaos, the three of them reached the god of Rest.


    The god of Rest was already a mess. Several spears and swords, which had been imbued with the sealing spell, were skewered into his body. It was suppressing a massive amount of his power.


    However, he was showing no signs of dying. When he gained some respite, the god of Rest started to extract the des skewering him. It had the effect of quickly healing him, and his magical energy was being filled up again.


    It was possible for him to die, because he was an immortal being. There was no limit to his life energy. He was able to endlessly regenerate any wound.


    ¡°Specter of the past! Death ising for you!¡±


    Niberis yelled out in anger as she sent a spell towards the god of Rest. The shockwave of the spell pushed the god of Rest backwards, and a cursed sword of darkness pierced through his body.


    Ahhhhhh... Ka-ah-ahk......!


    The god of Rest was undaunted by the pain, and he tried to vocalize his song. However, the songsted only for a brief moment. Saibein had sent an attack. It pierced through the throat of the god of Rest. The song turned into a guttural scream


    ¡°Niberis! Hurry!¡±


    Kieren yelled out.


    He was able to use massive amount of magical energy through the blood in the battlefield. As a price, his Energy Pulse was under a massive strain. It was crying out. It wouldn¡¯t be too long before his spell would be shut off.


    Moreover, the Dragon Demon king worshippers were still a problem. They had been outwitted by Saibein¡¯s group, so they had allowed Saibein¡¯s group to charge through them. However, they were still dangerous. They were also willing to give up their lives to stop the three of them, so the pressure created by the Dragon Demon king worshippers was intense.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Niberis was well aware of her current situation. She manifested Extreme Extinction through her Book of Darkness. It wouldn¡¯t take her too long toplete her spell. Many emotions crossed her mind as she spoke.


    ¡°...thank you for everything, Book of Darkness.¡±


    He hadn¡¯t created it, but the Book of Darkness was her swornpanion. It had a connection to her soul. She had been lost in the darkness as the madness of the in of Darkness was drilled into her. The only thing that had allowed her to survive such an experience was the Book of Darkness. It had been the light of hope in her darkness, and it had been her sole connection to Saibein.


    Of course, she was deeply moved when sacrificing such an item. Niberis was awash in her emotions as she was about to activate the Extreme Extinction. It happened at that moment.


    Pah-ahk!


    She felt excruciating pain spread throughout her body.


    ¡°Ah......!¡±


    Niberis¡¯ eyes widened.


    A streak of darkness had pierced through her body.


    ¡°This......!¡±


    One of the des, which had been pierced through the god of Rest, had attacked her. She realized that a powerful magic had been ced on this de. It was a trap. This sword had been ced there for her from the start.


    ¡®It¡¯s the king! He knew things would turn out like this from the beginning......!¡¯


    Atein had prepared this trap.


    Even Atein couldn¡¯t predict everything. However, he had made preparations for the possibility of the god of Rest being attacked. He was a clone user and an apex magician. He was capable of cing such a trap even as he fought Reygus.


    ¡°Niberis! No!¡±


    Saibein yelled out. Niberis grabbed the de sticking out of her body, and she immediately grasped her current situation.


    ¡°Ooh-ahhhhhh!¡±


    Saibeing yelled out in grief.


    He had promised himself that he would protect his daughter at all cost. His promise was trampled by none other than Atein!


    ¡°Niberis!¡±


    However, he couldn¡¯t let his despair paralyze him. He supported Niberis as he worked on dispelling the magic imbued within the de.


    She had suffered a critical wound by the surprise attack. The sword held Atein¡¯s curse. It ate away at her life energy like a powerful poison.


    ¡°Stay awake! No! I¡¯ll save you! I will......!¡±


    He just had to extract the de. Then he would be able to heal her with his Dragon Soul. Even if Atein¡¯s curse was dreadful, he.......


    ¡°Father, stop.......¡±


    Niberis raised her hand to stop Saibein¡¯s action.


    At the same time, she started to get up. Saibein looked at her in surprise, and he realized that she had created tentacles of darkness. She was using them to move herself.


    ¡°Stop moving!¡±


    ¡°At this rate... We... We will all die.... Without.... Aplishing anything....


    Niberis panted as she spoke.


    It was as she said. Saibein¡¯s Dragon Soul had a healing ability. However, he waspletely defenseless when using this ability.


    Their enemies were attacking them from all directions. It would be suicidal for him to use his healing ability. If Saibein was focused on healing her, he would die once Kieren was unable to hold back their enemies. In the end, Niberis would die either way.


    ¡°Niberis, how could you.....¡±


    Saibein¡¯s expression was dyed with despair. Niberis squeezed out her words.


    ¡°...sir Reygus, do you hear me?¡±


    Her voice reached Reygus, who was fighting on the other side of the battlefield.


    <I hear you, but I¡¯m a bit busy right now!>


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear you whine. Come towards us. You have to pay back the debt you incurred for not being able to protect my life.¡±


    <Miss?>


    Reygus sounded puzzled. Niberis took a step forward.


    She felt no pain. She had blocked all her pain through magic.


    However, her senses had dulled. She could barely see, and her hearing was impaired.


    She felt her life drain out as she took a step. She felt her life drain away as she took each breath. The reaper was getting closer. She could hear the reaper breathe down her back.


    ¡°Kieren.¡±


    ¡°Niberis. Please stop. Yes? Please........¡±


    She could hear Kieren. He was close to tears. Niberisughed as she recalled her old memories.


    ¡°You should stop being a cry baby at this age. Kieren, let me face my own death with honor.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I ask this of you.¡±


    Niberis didn¡¯t wait for his answer.


    She didn¡¯t know what Kieren would do. However, he wouldn¡¯t stop her. He would let her do as she wished. He wouldn¡¯t turn around to watch her death. He¡¯ll do as she wished by blocking their enemies from reaching her.


    ¡®Death.......¡¯


    It would be a lie to say she wasn¡¯t afraid of it.


    If she gave up right now, she might live. She could use the power of the Book of Darkness to dispel the curse. At that point, Saibein and Kieren might sacrifice themselves to save her. Such hopeful thoughts ran through her mind. However, she couldn¡¯t go down that path.


    ¡®Duran.¡¯


    Duran was a human, who had died for her. She didn¡¯t want to embarrass him through her actions. It was something she dreaded more than death.


    Niberis wouldn¡¯t be able to forgive herself if she ran away even if there was a possibility that she would be able to save her life.


    ¡®King. Oh great king....¡¯


    Niberis looked at the sky with her blurry eyes.


    ¡®I will resist against your madness.¡¯


    Atein considered the rise and fall of an empire as a single moment in his life. She was an insignificant beingpared to him.


    However, she wouldn¡¯t follow the destinyid out by him. She would show him the will of someone that he considered to be a mayfly.


    The Book of Darkness let out a light. The Extreme Extinction was close topletion.


    It happened at that moment.


    ¡°Stop.¡±

 Chapter 251 - Darkness Incarnate (9)

    Chapter 251 - Darkness Incarnate (9)


    It happened at that moment.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    Saibein¡¯s voice was full of grief. Niberis tried to shake her head, but Saibein¡¯s Dragon Soul roared before she could do that.


    Goo-ohhhhhhh!


    A powerful wave of power pushed the nearby enemies backwards. At the same time, it broke apart the Extreme Extinction technique, which Niberis had been desperately trying toplete.


    ¡°Ah......!¡±


    Niberis was taken aback. Saibeinughed as he took her falling body into his arms.


    ¡°Sir Kieren.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I know I am asking much of you, but could you buy me 30 seconds? Can you do it?¡±


    Saibein didn¡¯t listen to Kieren¡¯s answer. He wrapped the Dragon Soul around Niberis. Niberis was being suppressed by Saibein, so she couldn¡¯t do anything. She could only watch as he used his Dragon Demon magic to heal her body.


    ¡®Father, why......?¡¯


    Saibein should know that his actions were pointless. So why did he choose to go down this path?


    ¡°I promised myself that I wouldn¡¯t live like my father, Niberis.¡±


    Saibein¡¯s voice sounded long way off as if it was a dream. Niberis couldn¡¯t see him, but he had a gentle smile on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been able to act like your father. Still, I do not want to watch my daughter die in front of my eyes. Please.......¡±


    Thetter half of his words couldn¡¯t be heard as the sound of a nearby explosion buried his voice. Niberis¡¯ consciousness was fading into the darkness. She soundlessly despaired.


    ¡®Father......!¡¯


    11


    The source of the ringing explosion was Reygus. When he heard Niberis¡¯ call, he had rushed towards her. He did so as he took on the fierce attack of his enemies.


    The cost of such an action was huge. Half of his upper body had already been destroyed, yet he had been pummeled by the attack of his enemies. Severe cracks had formed all over his body. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if his body fell apart at any moment.


    If Reygus had done nothing, his body would have been destroyed. He was forcefully keeping his body together through sheer force of will. If he continued to fight, his death was guaranteed.


    Moreover, the Great Darkness lost the god of Death Belrun¡¯s ability. Reygus would no longer be able to reincarnate himself. If he died here, it would be his final resting ce.


    <I don¡¯t have much time. She fell asleep before she could tell me why she called me over here. What shall I do?>


    ¡°Will you listen to my request instead?¡±


    <What do you want me to do?>


    ¡°First, I want you to block everyone that approaches us.¡±


    Saibein spoke those words as he withdrew the Dragon Soul, which had been healing Niberis. He deployed his spells once again as he gave Kieren some respite. Kieren had been prepared for his own death, so he was abusing his Energy Pulse.


    ¡°Kuh-huhk, uh-uhk.......¡±


    Kieren sunk to the ground. Seventy percent of his spells copsed, but it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    ¡°Sir Kieren.¡±


    Saibein grabbed his shoulder as he spoke.


    ¡°You did very well. I know this is cruel of me, but I would like to ask you for another favor.¡±


    ¡°Please speak.......¡±


    Kieren breathed roughly as he answered Saibein.


    Saibeinughed.


    ¡°Please look after my daughter.¡±


    ¡°...Saibein-nim?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t forgive you if you are unable to save my child.¡±


    When he finished speaking, Sabein turned his back towards Kieren. Then he spoke to Reygus.


    ¡°I¡¯ll block their attack. Could you open up a path for them?¡±


    <You can see my current state, yet you are asking me of this?>


    ¡°Will you turn down my request?¡±


    Saibein grinned as he used his magic.


    <I won¡¯t be a man if I let the little miss die! A man should show his spirit in such a moment!>


    Reygus¡¯ remaining arm brought down his Soul Hammer. A wave of earthquake spread in a cone-like shape as it created a hole in the encircling of the Dragon Demon King worshippers.


    At the same time, Saibein yelled out his order.


    ¡°Now! Go!¡±


    Kieren didn¡¯t give a reply. He just used his all power to fly. He had Niberis in his arms.


    Saibein didn¡¯t look back. He yelled out towards his enemies.


    ¡°Those that worship my father¡¯s madness! Look!¡±


    At the same time, incredible power was unleashed from within him. For an instant, his enemies flinched as they looked at him.


    Until now, Saibein had been controlling how much Dragon Demon magic he was using. He had been keeping some in reserve in case of a drawn out battle. While he had disyed devastating power up until now, he hadn¡¯t used a significant portion of his Dragon Demon magic. He had chained his spells together to create greater effect. It was a highly advanced way to use magic, and it had allowed him to avoid using arge portion of his Dragon Demon magic.


    It was different now. He didn¡¯t hold back any power in reserve. He squeezed out every ounce of his power.


    The darkness magic spread outwards like a tsunami, and countless spheres of darkness appeared from within the darkness. Moreover, the spells that he had ced around him was triggered. A storm of magic engulfed his surrounding.


    Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa......!


    It was a shy attack that looked like it could overturn the heavens, but in reality, there was little substance to it.


    The amount of power and spells being used was incredible. It was almost unbelievable that a single person was able to do this. It might have worked if Saibein was facing normal troops. However, his enemies were the elites of the in of Darkness. They were able to weather the attack without taking much damage.


    The only problem was the fact that the spells were continuous.


    Spells kept bombarding the Dragon Demon King worshippers, and they were being driven backwards.


    ¡°Mmm! Prince Saibein ns to sacrifice himself for his daughter!¡±


    Everyone knew what Saibein was trying to do.


    This was the absolute worst way a high ranked magician could use his magic. The result was much worsepared to the power he had invested.


    From the perspective of their enemies, they would win if they could hold out. Saibein would burn himself out. He wouldn¡¯t be able to cause significant damage to them.


    However, Niberis and Kieren would be able to run away as a tradeoff.


    ¡®We can¡¯t let those two get away. When Saibein¡¯s attack slows down, we¡¯ll split into two groups. We¡¯ll track them down.¡¯


    From their perspective, Niberis was someone that they had to kill. She possessed a Dragon Demon weapon, so she¡¯ll be able to use Extreme Extinction.


    ¡°I can clearly see what you guys are thinking. Do you really think you¡¯ll be able to win against us just by waiting us out?¡±


    At that moment, Saibein¡¯s voice hit the minds of the Dragon Demon King worshippers. It was delivered through magic.


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you why you are wrong. You should watch me. I¡¯ll kill the god of Rest through Extreme Extinction!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Everyone was shocked. This movepletely cut the ground out from under his opponents.


    ¡®Is he bluffing?¡¯


    Of course, it was highly probable that Saibein was bluffing.


    However, they thought about Saibein¡¯s reputation as a magician. Even if they thought Saibein was making a bluff, they couldn¡¯t ignore his words. What if he really was capable of doing what he imed? They had to stop Saibein at all cost.


    ¡°Shit! Stop him!¡±


    In the end, the Dragon Demo King worshippers had to give up on being passive. They had to stop Saibein even if the risk of them taking damage increased.


    Reygus also queried him.


    <Will you be able to do it?>


    ¡°My daughter can do it. There is no reason why I can¡¯t do it either.¡±


    Saibein grinned.


    In order for him to break free from Albatan¡¯s contract, he had to barter with Albatan. The content of the deal was....


    ¡°Albatan let me go, because he was satisfied with the price I paid.¡±


    It was the Extreme Extinction technique.


    Saibein had held back Niberis for couple days. He told everyone that he was going to teach Niberis how to use the Book of Darkness. It had actually been an excuse to enact his secret n. There was a secret function to the Book of Darkness that Niberis didn¡¯t know about.


    Every magic of its user was engraved into the Book of Darkness.


    As soon as Niberis had acquired the Book of darkness, she was able to disy immense power. This was possible, because every spell learned throughout Saibein¡¯s life had been engraved into the Dragon Demon weapon. When Niberis became its owner, all the spells she knew was also engraved into Book of Darkness.


    Basically, the Extreme Extinction technique was engraved into the Book of Darkness as soon as Niberis learned it from Laura.


    Saibein didn¡¯t tell Niberis about this. He made an excuse. He told her he was trying to teach Niberis about the Book of Darkness. In the meantime, he gained ess to the Book of Darkness, and he stole the Extreme Extinction technique.


    Of course, he couldn¡¯t immeidately use the technique. It was the version made by Carlos, so one had to sacrifice a Dragon Demon weapon to be able to use it.


    This was why Saibein had made a stiption in his deal with Albatan.


    ¡®I want you to help me modify this technique as soon as possible. Instead of sacrificing a Dragon Demon weapon, I would like to sacrifice my Dragon Soul. Please cooperate with me.¡¯


    Freedom wasn¡¯t the only price extracted for providing the Extreme Extinction technique. Saibein received cooperation from Albatan and Libetan. They were two Dragons, who had gained wisdom. As a result, he was able to modify and evolve the Extreme Extinction technique in a short amount of time. He rejoined Niberis after he did this.


    ¡°I never expected to say goodbye to her as soon as I came to see her........¡±


    Saibein turned his gaze towards the direction where Niberis and Kieren had left. Reygus coughed.


    <Jeez. It seems I brought up a sore subject without knowing the full situation. I¡¯m sorry.>


    ¡°At least, you know you should be sorry.¡±


    <This is all I can do for you now. I can be your travelingpanion as we head down the road of death. I acknowledge you as a man, prince.>


    ¡°Ha ha ha. That is good to hear. Let¡¯s go now.¡±


    Saibein let out a heroicughter.


    Their enemies rushed towards them. They were ready to sacrifice their lives. The Dragon Demon King worshippers had to push through the storm of spells, so several dozen members were killed in the process. However, they didn¡¯t blink an eye.


    ¡®We have to stop them at all cost!¡¯


    Atein had promised them rewards in the afterlife, so they weren¡¯t afraid of death. They were fanatics.


    When the bloodied Dragon Demon King worshippers were about to reach Saibein, Reygus stepped in between them.


    <Let¡¯s see if you guys can end me, you brats!>


    Even as Reygus let out a heartyughter, his armor was breaking apart.


    He was already at death¡¯s door. Reygusughed even though he was aware of this truth.


    Kwah-jeek!


    One of his enemies stabbed his sword into a crack in his armor. Reygus headbutted him. A spear stabbed into the hole created in Reygus¡¯ armor. Afterwards, spells were sent towards him. Fragments of his armor flew apart into the surrounding when he was hit with the spells.


    <Koo-oooh! You guys y pretty hard!>


    At the same time, Reygus brought down his Soul Hammer. The warriors, who stabbed with their weapons, didn¡¯t have time to retreat. A powerful shockwave exploded outwards, and they were swept up in it.


    Koo-goo-goo-goo......!


    Reygus sat down in the middle of the battlefield.


    The previous attack had the unfortunate effect of damaging Reygus too. He could no longer stand up.


    <Hey. Prince! I did my part. Are you done?>


    ¡°It is done.¡±


    While Reygus was having his final fight, Saibein¡¯s Dragon Soul was letting out a light as it encircled the god of Rest.


    Saibein could see his enemies charge him as they screamed. However, it was toote.


    The Extreme Extinction will soon kill the god of Rest. Afterwards, his life energy wouldbust. His suicide attack would deal a critical blow to his enemies.


    ¡®Niberis, this is all I can do for you. Please live a happy life.¡¯


    Saibein smiled. He was near death, yet his heart was surprisingly peaceful.


    Saibein spoke as the light continued to get stronger.


    ¡°I never expected you to be my travelingpanion in death.¡±


    <Are youining?>


    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t bad at all. I was able to act like a parent thanks to you.¡±


    <Ha ha ha! Good!>


    The two men looked at each other as theyughed.


    The white light engulfed everything as it expanded outwards.


    12


    Kayalia suddenly raised her head as she mumbled to herself.


    -Ah.......


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Azell queried her.


    Their surrounding had turned into a battlefield.


    Azell¡¯s party fought off the enemies that were converging towards them. They were doing so, while the White me Phoenix and the Crying Phoenix maintained their flight.


    It was curious to see Kayalia be distracted in the middle of a fight.


    Kayalia let out a sadughter as she spoke.


    -Reygus oppa went ahead of us.


    ¡°.......¡±


    -Still, he aplished his goal before he passed away. It is so like oppa. The pir was destroyed.


    If it was as she said, half of the twelve Pirs of Darkness was destroyed. One of the party¡¯s goals had been achieved.


    ¡°That bastard.......¡±


    Azell felt mixed emotions as he mumbled to himself. Reygus had been a nuisance both as an enemy and an ally. Still, Azell felt mixed emotions at that moment.


    Kayalia spoke.


    -There isn¡¯t much time left.


    ¡°Ok.¡±


    He nodded his head as he looked into the distance. In the middle of the snowy in, there was an enormous castle. An imposing snow-covered mountain was behind the castle, and a city was built around the castle.


    They were at the heart of the in of Darkness. The Dragon Demon castle was in front of them.

 Chapter 252 - Outbreak of War (1)

    Chapter 252 - Outbreak of War (1)


    1


    After the Dragon Demon war, the in of Darkness didn¡¯t allow any outsiders to enter their domain for a very long time.


    The Dragon Demon King worshippers were hiding in the in of Darkness, and they were waging a one-sided war against the rest of the world. However, they never experienced a foreign force stepping onto their soil. It was as Kieren had predicted. They had no experience in defensive warfare.


    Moreover, they had been focused in ying an offensive and defensive battle in order to protect the waypoints of the Road of Emptiness. They never expected to be invaded. They especially didn¡¯t think the Dragon Demon castle, which was at the heart of the in of Darkness, would be attacked.


    When enemies suddenly appeared, it threw the Dragon Demon king worshippers into confusion.


    2


    ¡°Unbelievable.¡±


    He was a Dragon Demon with metallic blue hair color. Reshoo mumbled to himself as he watched what was going on outside of the Dragon Demon castle. He was at the heart of the Dragon Demon castle with Atein. Currently, Atein was projecting images through magic.


    The suicide squad led by Azell¡¯s party and the several thousand Guardian Shadows were attacking the Dragon Demon castle.


    The Guardian Shadows moved across the snowy field, and they ambushed the residents of the in of Darkness. The defensive magic of the city was activated, and everyone tried to react to the attack in great haste. However, the confusion didn¡¯t die down. The confusion became worse as time passed.


    ¡°Did you know this would happen? Is that why you called me back here?¡±


    Reshoo asked the question. Azell¡¯s party had been aiming for the pirs of Darkness, yet Atein had called Reshoo back to the Dragon Demon castle. He could now understand why Atein chose to do so. It seemed Atein had predicted this scenario.


    Atein answered him.


    ¡°I just made preparations, just in case. I didn¡¯t know for sure.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know, but it looks as if you¡¯ve been dutiful in making your preparations...¡±


    It was almost unimaginable that someone would invade the in of Darkness, but it wasn¡¯t as if there weren¡¯t any contingencies in ce. However, their enemies wereing in from extreme elevation using the White me Phoenix and the Crying Phoenix. They couldn¡¯t react to such an attack.


    Despite the ambush, the Dragon Demon castle didn¡¯t suffer any critical damage. It was all thanks to the defensive system ced over the Dragon Demon castle.


    The enemy force was able to enter into the in of Darkness without much problem, but they were detected when they were five kilometers away from the Dragon Demon castle. When the enemies started to descend from the sky, anti-aerial spells started to fire into the air.


    The current state of chaos was the result of such events.


    ¡°This situation transcended my expectation. I expected them to try to assassinate me with a small group of elite troops. I never expected them to haul in arge force through such a method...¡±


    Atein let out a bitterughter.


    When Yuren stole and gave the White me Phoenix to Azell, Atein had to prepare for the future. However, he had expected a small number of elite troops toe. He never expected a group of 100 troops to ambush the in of Darkness. Moreover, he never expected several thousand phantoms of the Guardian Shadows to hit them at the same time.


    Reshoo spoke.


    ¡°Anyways, you made the right choice in calling me back. I¡¯ll try to stop as many of them as possible.¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment.¡±


    ¡°You have more to say?¡±


    When Atein held him back, Reshoo tilted his head in confusion. Atein spoke.


    ¡°Reshoo, I have a request for you. It might not be necessary for me to do this. I hope this to be true.......¡±


    3


    ¡°I imagined the worst case scenarios that could happen whening here....¡±


    Kairen mumbled to himself. He was rushing through the frozen city, and a Dragon Majin magician shot a beam of light towards him.


    Puh-puh-puh-puhng!


    Kairen unleashed his Dragon Soul, and he charged through the beam of light. He used Instantaneous Movement, and the distance of 50 meters between the twobatants disappeared in an instant.


    However, the magician didn¡¯t panic. It was as if the Dragon Majin warrior had waited for that exact moment. The warrior got in Kairen¡¯s way.


    At that moment, Kairen let out a cold smile.


    Kwahhhhng!


    As the sound of an explosion rang out, Kairen crushed the Dragon Majin warrior.


    The other side had made the magician into bait. They wanted to lure Kairen into their trap before ambushing him. Kairen saw through their n from the beginning.


    This was why he chose to end the Instantaneous Movement 10 meters before he reached the magician. He let out a powerful de of energy with his sword. The Dragon Majin warrior was taken by surprise, so he died before he could put up any defense. The eyes of the Dragon Majin magician widened from shock.


    Pah-hahk!


    Before the confusion could dissipate, Kairen cut off the head of the magician.


    Someone contacted Kairen through magic.


    -Five enemies broke through the Guardian Shadows towards the northwest. Be careful. They areing in fast.


    It was Kayalia.


    She was flying in the air, and she was monitoring the battle. She gave up to date information to her allies, and she used her magic at crucial moments in battle.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Kairen didn¡¯t n on going up against five enemies by himself. If he was alone, he would have done it. However, there was a clear objective to this battle. They had to minimize damage taken, and at the same time, they had to do as much damage as possible to their enemies.


    He immediately returned towards Azell¡¯s location. He spoke.


    ¡°Thing are going too well. I almost feel numb inside.¡±


    ¡°It has been going well up until now. However, it will all be for naught if we don¡¯t eventually kill Atein.¡±


    Azell was cold in making his assessment.


    It was almost unbelievable as to how well things were going.


    While they were crossing the vast in of Darkness, they could have been found at any moment. They would have been slowed down by fights. However, they weren¡¯t found before they reached the Dragon Demon castle. They were able to ambush their enemies before they were ready forbat.


    The only reason why their cover was blown was the Dragon Demon castle¡¯s defensive system. However, they were only five kilometers away before they were detected, so it didn¡¯t matter. Their enemies hadn¡¯t been prepared for this scenario. The Dragon Demon King worshippers ran around in confusion, and it gave time for Azell¡¯s party to descend towards the city.


    At the same time, over eight thousand Guardian Shadows entered into the city from the ground. Therge walls surrounding the city weren¡¯t a deterrent at all. Soon, confusion descended upon the city.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°However, there really are a lot of them. After our ambush, Dragon Arts practitioners and magicians poured out of the houses to fight in the streets ...¡±


    The regr troops, who were supposed to protect the Dragon Demon castle, weren¡¯t able to do much. The guards that were ced on the castle walls were the only ones fighting right now.


    Although, there were fights erupting all over the city, but these fights were being conducted by the many residents of the city, who possessed overwhelmingbat powers.


    Azell¡¯s party was running through the streets when an explosion rang out it front of them.


    ¡°They are starting to clump in numbers.¡±


    Kairen mumbled to himself.


    The Dragon Demons and Dragon Majins were fighting against the Guardian Shadows.


    When one saw their equipment, it was obvious that they weren¡¯t part of the regr army. They wore old armors. Some didn¡¯t even wear any gear. They were old Dragon Majins and Dragon Demons, who had taken up their swords once again.


    They were old, but their battle capability was well above a normal human. They used their massive power to sweep the streets as they fought the Guardian Shadows.


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    Leticia stepped forward when she was this. At the same time, the Guardian Shadows changed their movement pattern.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    The Dragon Demons and Dragon Majins were taken aback. The Guardian Shadows had been attacking in a free for all manner up until that moment. They suddenly moved in sync. They organized to fight in short, medium and long distance. They moved in a precise manner.


    The Dragon Demon kin worshippers were taken aback.


    A single streak of lightning fell from the sky.


    Kwah-gwahng!


    Kayalia, who had been flying in the sky, had attacked with her magic.


    ¡°Koo-ahhhhhk!¡±


    The Dragon Demon king worshippers had been clumped together as they fought. They screamed. Afterwards, Leticia charged into them as she stabbed with her spear.


    Kwah-hahk!


    Her spear, which was coated in cold energy, pierced through an old warrior¡¯s heart. Before her enemies coulde to their senses, cold energy exploded outwards from the body of the dead warrior.


    Kwah-hahhhhhhk!


    The white wave of energy left behind only pirs of ice. There was only one half frozen old Dragon Majin warrior that remained standing. He charged towards her.


    ¡°You bitch!¡±


    Kayalia¡¯s magic had done minimal damage to him. His defensive ability was outstanding. He was able to avoid critical wounds from Leticia¡¯s ambush attack too. He attacked her with his life on the line.


    Pahk!


    However, Leticia didn¡¯t even blink as she stabbed her spear into his neck. Her party members arrived right afterwards, and they muttered amongst them.


    ¡°They¡¯ve retired, yet they still possess great amount of skill and power. If we attacked a human city like this, we would have instantly taken over the city.....¡±


    ording to the information they had acquired, the in of Darkness possessed 5 small cities and the Dragon Demon castle. These were the residential areas.


    The in of Darkness had a higher number of Dragon Demons and Dragon Majins within their poption. This was why their residents were capable of fighting. However, it wasn¡¯t as if their entire poption were active fighters. There were many that had retired due to injuries or old age. Then there were the lowest ss within the in of Darkness. These were humans that provided basicbor, and there weren¡¯t a lot ofbatants within this group.


    If they weren¡¯t fully geared, one could assume them to be civilians.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Still, our n worked. There would be much more resistance here if our n hadn¡¯t worked.¡±


    After Atein was revived, the in of Darkness gave up on defending the waypoints. However, this didn¡¯t mean they hadpletely pulled back. They chose not to sacrifice the elite troops, but the regr troops already dispatched outside were used to defend the waypoints. They were sacrificed.


    When the pirs of Darkness were attack, they couldn¡¯t use same battle n. It was known as to which pir would be attacked, so numerous elites troops had to be deployed to protect the pirs.


    As a result, there were a lot of vacancies in the number of troops within the Dragon Demon castle.


    ¡°What about the castle gate?¡±


    Arrieta queried him.


    The eight thousand Guardian Shadows were fighting within the city to act as a distraction.


    The attack force was made out of 87 members, and they were split into two groups. They advanced towards the Dragon Demon castle. Azell¡¯s party arrived at the gate of the castle a bit faster than the other team.


    The imposing steel gate was 10 meters high, and it was firmly shut. If it was a simple steel gate, it wouldn¡¯t cause much trouble to Azell¡¯s party. However, there was a powerful protection magic ced over it, and it was causing them trouble.


    Kairen spoke.


    ¡°Let¡¯s upy this location, and we¡¯ll be on standby. We¡¯ll solve this in no time.¡±


    However, Kairen had to adjust his n when something unexpected urred. A window high up in the Dragon Demon castle opened, and enemies started to pour out.


    ¡°Their regr armed forces are finally making their move?¡±


    It seemed the force within Dragon Demon castle was gathered in one ce. They ran down the castle wall as if they were running across the ground. They started letting out their long range attacks.


    Kwa-kwa-kwahng! Kwah-ahng!


    Azell¡¯s party had to retreat as they blocked the attack. As if the other side had been waiting for this moment, the castle gate opened.


    Gee-gee-gee-geeek......!


    The gate was massive, but it was being raised at high speeds. Kairen was puzzled when he saw this.


    ¡®What the hell? No one is there?¡¯


    The castle gate had opened, yet no one was there. If one considered that the castle door was opened at that exact moment, one would expect soldiers to be on the other side.


    However, Kairen was fooled.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been had!¡±


    When the castle gate opened to a certain degree, several hundred enemies suddenly appeared. An illusion had been ced over the troops to fool Azell¡¯s party.


    As they stood on standby beyond the castle gate, the soldiers had used the extra time bought by the illusion to prepare their spells and Dragon Arts techniques. They were ready to concentrate all their might towards Azell¡¯s party.


    Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa!

 Chapter 253 - Outbreak of War (2)

    Chapter 253 - Outbreak of War (2)


    Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa!


    Light, lightning and me flew towards them like a torrent. Everyone tried to react to the attack, but they knew they couldn¡¯t block it all. When they had that thought, a wave of light expanded in front of them.


    -Come Dragon Demon weapon! Unyielding Fortress!


    It was as if numerous water drops were falling to the surface of the ground, then waves of light spread outwards as they ovepped each other to block the onught.


    Kwahhhhhhhng!


    Most of the surprise attack was blocked by the Unyielding Fortress summoned by Azell.


    He had to cover arge area in a short amount of time, so he couldn¡¯t block all the attacks. However, it didn¡¯t matter. Everyone present in his party could block the remaining attacks without taking damage.


    ¡°We¡¯ll split up. Let¡¯s hit them from both sides!¡±


    Kairen yelled out.


    The suicide squad was popted by people, who had only fought on theirnd. Basically, they never had the opportunity to fight alongside each other.


    Despite this fact, the group quickly and efficiently split up when Kairen¡¯s order came down. Of course, each member used their preferred long range attacks to keep their enemies in check. They moved closer to their enemies as they attacked.


    ¡°Foolish bastards! Even if each one of you is excellent, do you really think you can threaten the Dragon Demon castle with such numbers?¡±


    The Dragon Majin was themander in charge of the guards defending the Dragon Demon castle. He grinded his teeth.


    They were the defenders of the Dragon Demon castle. This was the first time in history that the in of Darkness had been attacked, and it was humiliating.


    ¡®This castle gate is meaningless in front of the Guardian Shadows. It is best to meet them outside.¡¯


    Themander made the shocking move of opening the castle gate, because he knew the Guardian Shadows possessed a special characteristic. They were like ghosts that could go through the walls or floors of buildings. He determined it would be better to fight them out in the open. It would be more advantageous than fighting in cramped space.


    ¡®If we push the enemies backwards, we¡¯ll be able to join up with the civilians, who are fighting in the streets! General Reshoo and the troops of each n will mobilize soon!¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t a bad judgement.


    Even if a lot of troops had vacated their posts, the Dragon Demon castle possessed massive number of troops. The beings, who were considered to be the ruling power before Atein¡¯s revival, had continuously developed their military power. On top of that, there were the Undeads, who had participated in the Dragon Demon war.


    If they pushed back the enemies in front of them, they merely had to wait for the rest of their forces to mobilize and participate in the battle. They would be able to easily win this fight if that happened.


    The problem was the fact that the enemy in front of them couldn¡¯t be judged through normal standards.


    -Come Dragon Demon weapon! Sky Splitter!


    The sky was clear, yet a lightning bolt streaked down from the sky. As the light dissipated, a sword letting out blue light made its appearance.


    ¡°It¡¯s Azell Karzark! Shoot him!¡±


    The guards were shaken by the presence of Azell, yet they reflexively followed the order. The 1st line of troops attacked the suicide squad, which had split towards each side. There was a small time difference between the attacks sent by the second and third line. They attacked Azell.


    ¡°You have good judgement!¡±


    Azell gave hispliments to his enemies. As he blocked the attack with his Unyielding Fortress, his heart started to pound.


    Ba-dump!


    The Dual Bands around his heart resonated as it produced a massive amount of Dragon Demon magic. The Dragon Demon magic coursed through his Energy Pulse. A powerful wave of Dragon Demon magic emanated from Azell¡¯s body, and clones made out of light charged forward.


    Gwa-roong! Gwah-gwa-gwa-gwahng!


    The clones sessively let out lightning bolts, and it stalled the guards.


    However, the defense of the guards were sublime. They were all Dragon Arts practitioners or magicians. They worked with each other to put up a defense, and the protection magic around the gate extended outwards towards them. Magical barriers were also erected. This was why all of Azell¡¯s attacks were blocked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Azell didn¡¯t hesitate.


    He attacked with his clones, so he could distract his enemies.


    The sound of thunder rang out above his head.


    Ggwah-roo-roohng!


    A blue bolt of lightning struck Azell.


    It was Kayalia. At the request of Azell, she had directed a lightning spell towards him.


    After being hit by the lightning bolt, all the electricity was sucked into the Sky Splitter. In a sh, the power of the lightning became amplified as it was shot towards his enemies.


    -Thunder Dragon¡¯s Horn!


    During the Dragon Demon war, Kayalia and Azell had made a name for themselves as being in the rank of the most powerful beings. Their attacks were well above what the guards could handle.


    The barrier put up by the guards were ripped apart, and they were swallowed up by the lightning bolt.


    Ggwah-ggwah-gwah-gwahng!


    The sound of the explosion rang out a beatte, and the battle lines set up by the guards were broken.


    ¡°Now! Go, Crying Phoenix!¡±


    Arrieta¡¯s eyes shone.


    The Crying Phoenix had been flying around her in its miniature form. In a sh, it regained its original size as it flew up into the sky. Countless bombs made out of fire fell from its wings as it carpet bombed the guards.


    ¡°Koo-ahhk!¡±


    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhk!¡±


    The scream of their enemies rang out.


    The two split teams re-joined once again. The Guardian Shadows, who had been causing chaos around the city, started to gather in one ce too.


    Kairen didn¡¯t let this opportunity pass him by.


    ¡°Everyone just let it rip! Oh Dragon Sword, burn the evil darkness!¡±


    Even if Kairen hadn¡¯t said anything, everyone had been waiting for an opportunity to attack. The warriors, who were the quickest to attack, started to send out long distance attacks. Consecutive explosions rang out as the 10 meter tall castle gate was blown into pieces.


    The magicians attacked before the explosion could subside. On top of that, Leticia controlled the Guardian Shadows to snipe at the guards with long range attacks.


    The guards became desperate at that point.


    ¡°Shit! Break them apart!¡±


    The troops, who had been stationed behind the castle gate, had taken massive damage. The ones that exited from the top weren¡¯t the target of the attacks, so they continued to pour out to put pressure on their enemies.


    The guards were trying to turn this into a melee, and the suicide squad looked as if they were about to jump in. Suddenly, a voice rang out inside the heads of the guards.


    -The guards shall immediately retreat back into the Dragon Demon castle.


    ¡°Your majesty?¡±


    It was Atein¡¯s voice.


    The guards were puzzled by the order, but they followed it. Atein¡¯s orders were absolute to them.


    Kairen clicked his tongue.


    ¡°They wised up to it.¡±


    ¡°We hid it as best as we could, but we caused too much damage. I thought Atein would be too focused on his ritual, but it seems he has enough time to monitor the events outside.¡±


    Azell grumbled.


    Suddenly, the suicide squad ebbed away. One of the guards, who were puzzled by their move, suddenly let out an exmation.


    ¡°Ah......!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Look up at the sky!¡±


    He had been monitoring the sky since he had been wary of Kayalia¡¯s presence in the sky.


    The sky was blue, and it was empty except for the white clouds. Suddenly, a portion of the sky became distorted. It was as if an enormous teardrop had formed in the sky.


    Everyone knew what this phenomena meant. The guards were shocked when they saw it.


    ¡®Heaven¡¯s Tear Goblet!¡¯


    While herrades fought on the ground, Laura had entrusted herself to the White me Phoenix. She was flying at a higher altitude than Kayalia.


    While Kayalia blocked Larua¡¯s magic from being detected, she prepared an attack that would deal a critical blow to her enemies.


    After Laura honed in on the Dragon Demon castle as the target, she raised the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. She mumbled to herself.


    ¡°Release.¡±


    A massive amount of sunlight was gathered in the sky. An iron mace of destruction fell onto the Dragon Demon castle.


    4


    In a sh, their vision burned white.


    Afterwards, a terrifying heat swept through the surrounding. It was such a devastating destructive event that it looked as if the world in front of them had ended.


    ¡°Ooohk. Everytime I see this I don¡¯t know what to think. It really is amazing.....!¡±


    Kairen grumbled to himself.


    The previous attack was a joint effort between Laura and Kayalia. The amount of power used was calcted. If the Heaven¡¯s Tear Goblet was used in an irresponsible manner, she would have wiped out her allies too.


    The target was ultimately the Dragon Demon castle. Instead of causing mass destruction, the goal was to cut through the Dragon Demon castle using the beam of light.


    Despite the restraints, the aftereffects of the attack was massive.


    There was nothing left near the Dragon Demon castle. All the buildings within several hundred meters were destroyed, and everything was on fire. The aftereffects of the attack created fierce winds that could send humans flying like ragdolls.


    Leticia grumble.


    ¡°My god. It took the full brunt of the attack, yet it took so little damage?¡±


    Inparison to the destroyed surrounding, the Dragon Demon castle retained its shape.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t untouched. There was a big hole where the attack hit, and the nearby structure was crumbling. However, it was almost unbelievable that the damage stopped there.


    Kairen asked Azell a question.


    ¡°By looking at the damage inflicted, I¡¯m guessing the ce where the ritual is taking ce was unharmed?¡±


    ¡°I believe so. That ce should have the highest defense.¡±


    ¡°As expected, nothing is easy. Let¡¯s charge in before our enemies can get back on their feet!¡±


    Even if Atein¡¯s defensive magic had minimized the damage, their enemies were probably in a state of shock. They had to break through their enemies before the confusion could reigned in.


    The suicide squad immediately entered through the castle gate. There were many corpses strewn about the entrance, and there were many enemies inside that were still dazed from the attack.


    The suicide squad cut them all down as they moved deeper into the Dragon Demon castle. Soon, they shed with the troops stationed deeper inside.


    ¡°Do not yield!¡±


    The guards were ready to give up their lives in order to stop Azell¡¯s party. The number of guards still outnumbered the suicide squad by a significant amount.


    This was true if one counted those that were ¡®alive¡¯.


    ¡°Koo-ahk!¡±


    ¡°They areing through the walls!¡±


    ¡°Floor! Be wary of the attacks from below!¡±


    The screams of the guards rang out.


    The Guardian Shadows passed through walls like ghosts, and they attacked the guards. In a straight fight, the suicide squad could fight the guards to a standstill. When the Guardian Shadows revealed themselves from below, the line set up by the guards were destroyed.


    ¡°Laura.¡±


    Azell spoke as he observed the fight. Laura had re-joined him by this time. She nodded her head.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The Vitan¡¯s Chalice created a Dimensional Distortion. The floor beneath them became distorted, and a path to the lower floors was opened.


    Above all else, they had to stop Atein frompleting the ritual.


    Kayalia had found the room where the ritual was taking ce. It was being done in the 7th floor of the underground.


    Azell took half of the suicide squad as they left the first floor. The other half of the suicide squad and the Guardian Shadows were tasked with fighting the remaining enemies up top.


    Azell and his party arrived at the 7th floor of the underground. They had used the Path of Tears. Azell looked at his surrounding as he asked a question.


    ¡°How far do we have to go?¡±


    -You just have to go straight for 5 kilometers.


    ¡°This ce isrge for no purpose.¡±


    It was such arge space considering it was just one floor. From the floor to the ceiling, there was a distance of over 30 meters.


    Kayalia spoke.


    -Atein¡¯s ritual room is above the abyss. It is a ce where he can focus all of his power.


    ¡°The abyss.......¡±


    It was a grandiose name. However, it was the heart of the Great Darkness, so it deserved to be called by such grandiose name.


    Soon, the party checked their surroundings as they quickly moved forward. Laura and Kayalia were their guides, so there was no way they¡¯ll be lost.


    <You shall not pass.>


    Undead magicians wearing fancy clothes got in the way of Azell¡¯s party. There were also several dozen Dragon Majins and Dragon Demons present alongside the Undead Dragon Majins.


    Laura recognized them.


    ¡°They are Digo and Bolton¡¯s warriors.¡±


    These were the troops directly under leaders of the in of Darkness. The Undeads, who had participated in the Dragon Demon war, had pulled aside these troops, since they weren¡¯t part of the guards.


    ¡°I knew they wouldn¡¯t let us move forward in peace. Sir Kazark, do not waste your strength here. Let us handle it. Just go.¡±


    The one to speak was the White Sword Count Bakard Lakadi from the Rios Kingdom. His siblings stepped forward with him.


    Azell nodded his head.


    ¡°I wish you good fortune in battle.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. When this battle ends, I¡¯ll invite you to mynd. Will youe? I¡¯ll serve you some rare alcohol that had been passed down through the previous generations.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll dly take you up on that offer.¡±


    Including the four Lakadi siblings, 10 members of the suicide squad and 50 Guardian Shadows remained behind.


    The rest left behind the fierce battle as they pushed onwards.


    However, that wasn¡¯t the end to the enemies they encountered. At various locations, troops of simr level as the previous group were deployed.


    Each time a part of the suicide quad stepped forward to fight them.


    They were 400 meters away from the ritual room, and only the members of Azell¡¯s party was left amongst the suicide squad.


    Suddenly, Kairen mumbled to himself.


    ¡°Will we be ok?¡±

 Chapter 254 - Outbreak of War (3)

    Chapter 254 - Outbreak of War (3)


    Suddenly, Kairen mumbled to himself.


    ¡°Will we be ok?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Kairen¡¯s expression darkened as he replied to Azell¡¯s question.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if this really is the best course of action. Even if it takes longer, wouldn¡¯t it be better to attack with our full force? If we do that, I believe we can take on Atein with no difficulties.....¡±


    Instead of pushing through with thebined might of the suicide squad, Kairen had decided to split them apart. It was the price for reaching the ritual room as soon as possible. However, he suddenly had a feeling of doubt when their destination was close at hand.


    Azell let out a bitterughter.


    ¡°This n came out of your own mouth. As amander, you shouldn¡¯t show doubt at this point in time.¡±


    ¡°...you are right.¡±


    Kairen coughed. He was embarrassed by the fact that he had shown a pathetic side of him.


    However, no one could fault him for feeling that way. Even if they had fought many battles, they were fighting for the fate of the world. How could they not feel pressured by that fact?


    Azell spoke.


    ¡°We all trust you, duke. We¡¯ve already carried out the n. Let¡¯s trust your judgement until the end. Let¡¯s push forward with confidence.¡±


    ¡°Alright. However, it means your burden will increase ...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been expecting it from the beginning. It isn¡¯t as if I¡¯m the only one to put my life on the line.¡±


    Azell grinned.


    The party had been moving forward without a hitch when they suddenly came to a stop. There were the sounds of explosions ringing out from behind them, but there was also the sound of stepsing towards them from the front. It wasing from the corridor connected to the ritual room.


    Juh-buhk, juh-buhk.....


    Leticia¡¯s expression hardened.


    ¡°Reshoo.¡±


    A Dragon Demon youth with messy metallic blue hair made his appearance. He stopped when there was a distance of 50 meters between them.


    ¡°In the end, you are here.¡±


    ¡°As expected, you were here.¡±


    Azell¡¯s expression also hardened.


    He had expected it. When Reygus attacked the seal of the god of Rest, Reshoo hadn¡¯t been there.


    After they ambushed the Dragon Demon castle, Reshoo hadn¡¯t made his appearance either. This was why Azell was holding out hope that Reshoo wasn¡¯t here. As expected, there was no way things would be that easy.


    Reshoo spoke.


    ¡°It was an excellent ambush attack. I never expected us to be bloodied so much. If Atein hadn¡¯t called me back, we would have been in a pretty bad spot.¡±


    ¡°Reshoo, do you truly wish to fight us on behalf of Atein?¡±


    ¡°Do you really need to confirm that again?¡±


    Reshoo let out a bitterughter.


    From early on, Azell and Leticia had been ready to fight Reshoo to death. However, it was a bitter pill to swallow when it actually came time to fight Reshoo.


    ¡®If someone cursed me out for being soft hearted, I wouldn¡¯t be able to say anything.... If I¡¯m being honest with myself, I am thankful that Atein made that request.¡¯


    Atein had made a request to Reshoo before he came out here. Reshoo let out a small sigh as he thought about that request. After Azell¡¯s party had arrived here, he stepped forward to act as the chief gatekeeper. He had done so, because of that request.


    ¡°Azell, you should go.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you guys already split apart your force to reach this ce? You probably knew someone would block your path here. You also know that there isn¡¯t much time left.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm......!¡±


    Kairen groaned.


    Reshoo was right. They had rushed forward at the expense of not keeping their forces together. That was how desperate the situation was.


    As soon as they entered the Dragon Demon castle, Kayalia was able to acquire some devastating information.


    In the process of eliminating the god of Rest, Reygus¡¯ party had killed a massive number of Dragon Demon King worshippers. It had the side effect of strengthening the Great Darkness. It was stronger than ever before, and it had hastened the timeline of the ritual.


    Soon, Atein would pass the 3rd stage of his ritual. The next step wouldplete the ritual.


    Reshoo spoke.


    ¡°Atein wants to see you. At this point, he just wants to settle his quarrel with you.¡±


    ¡°Why should I go along with that proposal?¡±


    ¡°Will you fight me with the help of everyone here? I assure you that it¡¯ll be the worst decision you¡¯ll make. I can try to prove it to you.¡±


    Reshoo let out a confident smile as he spoke. Azell red at him when he heard Reshoo¡¯s words.


    There was Azell, Laura, Kayalia, Kairen, Leticia and Arietta here. There were also the 50 remaining Guardian Shadows. They might even be able to beat Atein with this force.


    The problem right now was the fact that no one knew the true measure of Reshoo¡¯s power.


    While Kairen and Leticia learned the Dragon Soul from him, Reshoo had never showed his true power. Reygus had fought Reshoo, but it was no guarantee that he had shown the full extent of his power in the fight.


    ¡®It¡¯ll put too much burden on our side.¡¯


    If they fought Reshoo as is, the party had to defeat him as soon as possible in order to reach Atein in time.


    On the other hand, Reshoo just had to buy some time. If he focused only on his defense, will they really be able to defeat him in a short amount of time?


    Azell was conflicted. Someone tapped his shoulder. It was Kairen.,


    ¡°Azell.¡±


    ¡°Duke?¡±


    ¡°Go.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Let us use our enemy¡¯s arrogance against them. Leave Reshoo to us.¡±


    Then Kairen used the Whispering technique to speak to him.


    -It is turning out as nned, so why are you hesitating? Our n doesn¡¯t change by this new development.


    ¡°...understood.¡±


    Azell nodded his head as he looked at each member of his party. It was as if he wanted to etch their figures into his mind. Atst, he met Laura¡¯s eyes. She soundlessly moved her lips.


    ¡®Leave it to me.¡¯


    Azell unscisciously smiled when she read her lips. In the end, Azell ran across the wall. Reshoo didn¡¯t even turn to look at Azell.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s....¡±


    Oooooohng!


    Before Reshoo could end his words, Laura had used the Vitan¡¯s Chalice to create a Dimensional Distortion. Reshoo furrowed his brows as he got ready to defend against her attack.


    Soon, Reshoo realized that Laura didn¡¯t n on attacking him. The Path of Tears opened up on the floor. Laura and Arrieta disappeared into it.


    ¡°...uh?¡±


    Reshoo was taken aback. His eyes widened.


    If anyone tried to follow after Azell, he nned on stopping them. He was confident that he could stop them. However, he never expected them to use such a method to escape from this spot.


    ¡°Jeez. Atein might get mad at me.¡±


    ¡°That is none of your concern now.¡±


    Leticia stepped forward. She let out a sharp killing intent as she spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep my word.¡±


    When they parted ways, Leticia had made a deration towards Reshoo. If they met again as enemies, she would be the one to take his life.


    She moved forward, so she could keep her word.


    5


    After he passed by Reshoo, Azell went straight towards the ritual room. The sound of battle rang out behind, but no one got in his way.


    It almost made him feel uneasy. He thought there would be more troops or traps hidden in front of him, but he went forward unhindered. In the end, he arrived at the ritual room.


    Geeeeeeng......!


    Moreover, the door to the ritual room started to open when Azell came close. It was as if it had been waiting for him.


    Atein was waiting for him inside the room.


    Atein didn¡¯t look any different from the clone that Azell had met not too long ago. He had long ck hair, and two thick ck horns. Then there were his empty blue eyes, which looked unfocused as if he was seeing far into the distance....


    The only thing that was different was the darkness behind Atein. It was undting like a wave, and Azell felt chills when he saw it.


    ¡®That is an incredible amount of magical energy.¡¯


    There was a magic circle etched on the floor. Instead of light, darkness was floating atop of it. Azell was sure that it was part of the Great Darkness.


    The problematic part was the amount of magical energy gathered there. Azell had never experienced such vast power gathered in a single location.


    ¡®It is a spell that is capable of scarring this world.¡¯


    This magic was on a different levelpared to a simple destructive spell. Atein was carrying out a ritual that might be able to change the nature of this world.


    Atein spoke.


    ¡°You are a bitte. I¡¯m almost at the final step of the ritual. If you hadn¡¯te, I would have been able to finish it before dusk.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to spell it out for me. I can see that it isn¡¯tplete yet.¡±


    ¡°You are right. Still, this is unexpected, Azell Karzark.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Even if it was an urgent situation, I never expected you toe here by yourself. At the very least, I thought you would be apanied by Kayalia or Aunsaurus¡¯ heir ...¡±


    Atein tilted his head as if he couldprehend Azell¡¯s decision.


    It was true that Azell was strong. Atein couldn¡¯t guarantee victory if he fought against Azell.


    He admitted this fact. Still, it was quite reckless for Azell toe here by himself.


    ¡°You are fighting me in the Dragon Demon castle, yet you are confident you can win against me by yourself? I know you aren¡¯t that dumb....¡±


    The battle capability of a high rank magician greatly varied depending on the resource avable to the magician. Environment also mattered when it came to efficacy of one¡¯s specialized magic. A magician¡¯s spell increased in power by several folds depending on how much resources were prepared beforehand.


    Moreover, this was Atein¡¯s front yard. It was the Dragon Demon castle. This ce was the heart of the Great Darkness. Atein was standing above the abyss. It was literally where Atein¡¯s ability was maximized.


    Azell was dismayed.


    ¡°You are worried for an enemy that is trying to take your life. It almost brings tears to my eyes as to how arrogant you are.¡±


    During the Dragon Demon war, Azell had defeated Atein at a location called the Dragon¡¯s Horn fortress. Arge number of his troops were gathered there, and it had been a stout fortress. However, that location didn¡¯t have any power to maximize Atein¡¯ abilities.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even use your traps. I was able toe here unharmed.¡±


    In order to fend off invaders, many traps had been ced within the Dragon Demon castle. If Atein had wanted to do it, he just needed to use a small portion of his magic to slow down Azell.


    However, Atein hadn¡¯t done that. He had sent Reshoo out to stop Azell¡¯s party member, but Atein had allowed Azell to reach him without any resistance.


    ¡°I insisted on that. I¡¯m about to make a choice that I cannot go back on. I inevitably became sentimental.¡±


    Atein let out a bitterughter.


    Aunsaurus, Baldazark, Almarick and now Reygus..... Everyone that could upy the same timeframe as him was dead. Until someone new shows up, he would have to be alone. He would be lonely in the eternal passage of time.


    ¡°There aren¡¯t that many people left that can make me feel sentimental. There is only a handful of people left. Azell Karzark, I realized something when I met you again in this era.¡±


    ¡°What was it?¡±


    ¡°I have to settle the business between the two of us. You are the symbol that represents my regret, and it is tying me down.¡±


    Atein looked at Azell. It was unlike his usual gaze. His eyes were focused as he looked at the existence called Azell.


    ¡°You are my fated opponent chosen by this world. When I defeat you, it¡¯ll mean that I¡¯ve ascertained the potential possessed by humanity.¡±.


    ¡°As always, you always talk in grandiose terms. Well, all right.¡±


    Azell started to walk slowly. It was as if several Azells were ovepping each other. Clones started to appear in ones and twos.


    ¡°We¡¯ll continue the fight that we weren¡¯t able to conclude in the past. Let¡¯s end this, Atein.¡±


    In the next moment, Azell and Atein moved almost at the same time.


    Azell¡¯s clones split to both sides as Azell remained in the center. He swung his sword. The Sky Splitter turned into its light form as itshed out towards Atein.


    Atein didn¡¯t back down as he countered the attack. The Darkness Engraver let out a de of darkness as it exploded against the de of light.


    Kwahhhhh!


    The ritual room shook.


    Finally, the fight with the fate of the world in its bnce started.

 Chapter 255 - One Person (1)

    Chapter 255 - One Person (1)


    1


    The Dragon Demon castle was louder than ever before.


    Everyone within the castle was aware of it. There were battles urring all over the castle. The sound of explosions continuously rang out, and the castle continued to shake.


    Koo-goo-goo-gooong......!


    Powerful beings were shing against each other. The floor was overturned, and arge hole was formed on the wall. A ck hair Dragon Demon could be seen within the cloud of dust. Kairen groaned.


    ¡°Ooh-ook......!¡±


    He was holding onto his two swords, and a green Dragon soul was wrapped around his body A gale suddenly erupted indoors, and someone emerged from the other side of the cloud of dust.


    It was Reshoo. He was the Dragon Demon youth possessing messy blue metallic hair. A red Dragon Soul was wrapped around his body. Kairen gritted his teeth as he charged. He swung his dual swords.


    Shwee-shwee-shwee-swheek!


    Reshoo retreated backwards as he dodged the sword strikes, which was as swift as the winds.


    The Guardian Shadows ran at Reshoo from his back. These were Guardian Shadows capable of close quartersbat. They jumped towards Reshoo with their spears and swords in hand.


    Hwahhhhhhhhl!


    me erupted from his entire body. The fire swept the Guardian Shadows away. At the same time, Reshoo was about to kick off the ground. He was about to elerate, but....


    Shweek!


    Leticia had moved with exquisite timing. She stabbed Reshoo with her spear from the side. Reshoo had been about to move forward. It would force Reshoo toe to a halt since he had to respond to her attack.


    It should have been like that.


    Too-ah-ahng!


    A streak of red light moved forward in space. Leticia was shocked.


    ¡®He escaped my attack?¡¯


    She had attacked with perfect timing.


    If Reshoo charged forward, he should have been skewered by the spear. Moreover, if he tried to stop his charge, it would have put immense pressure on his body. He would have to regain his bnce, and at that moment, Kairen would have been able tounch a powerful attack.


    However, it was as if Reshoo didn¡¯t care if the spear wasing towards him. He pushed off the ground, and his speed became several more times faster. It was much faster than what Leticia was expecting.


    Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah!


    Leticia didn¡¯t even have the opportunity to unleash her cold energy. The shockwave hit her. Kairen wasmitted to his attack. He trusted Leticia would be able to execute her attack. Kairen¡¯s eyes widened.


    He was hit, and it felt as if his body would shatter.


    ¡°Kuh-uhk!¡±


    Kairen let out a scream as he was sent flying. His body bounced off the floor several times before his body was embedded in the wall.


    Leticia wasn¡¯t in any better shape. She waste as she tried to attack the backside of Reshoo. However, Reshoo kick came up from a blindspot as he struck Letica. Immediately, the Dragon Soul followed up with a powerful attack Leticia was sent flying.


    -My god.......


    Kayalia was taken aback.


    Kairen and Leticia got back on their feet. They were swaying on their feet. Kayalia had expected Reshoo to follow up with an attack, so she had prepared a spell. However, Reshoo didn¡¯t move from his spot after attacking them.


    Kairen gritted his teeth.


    ¡®Shit. He is fast. It is almost unreal.......¡¯


    Reshoo possessed more Dragon Demon magic than Reygus in his transformed state. It was almost impossible for Kairen and Leticia to track Reshoo with their eyes.


    Many Spirit Order and Dragon Arts practitioners learned skills that could elerate their body parts to extreme. Even Kairen and Leticia could move faster than the speed of sound if they wanted too.


    However, this type of eleration was unnatural. One had to stop for a brief moment to recuperate or the eleration would cause too much of a burden on one¡¯s body.


    ¡®He is able to use Pure Copper technique to create such ridiculous speed. I see. Is this the secret to his Dragon Soul?¡¯


    Reshoo was using Pure Copper Technique on various parts of his body. This allowed him to elerate each body part with impunity. He was able to generate transcendent speed that defiedmon sense.


    Azell¡¯s party had acquired information about Reshoo through Kayalia. She had witnessed the fight between Reshoo and Reygus. This was why they had been wary of his speed.


    However, when they were faced with it, it was beyond imaginable. It was overpowering. Even if they used quick, short attacks, they were having a hard time responding to the continuous attacks from Reshoo.


    Reshoo spoke.


    ¡°I see. You fought someone that is faster than me. Reygus was like that too.....¡±


    From Reshoo¡¯s perspective, he should have taken them unawares. His speed was something Kairen and Leticia should have never experienced before. Their senses shouldn¡¯t have been able to register his speed.


    If everything was as it seemed, he should have wiped them out in the first exchange. However, he saw it. They registered his movement, and they had tried to respond. Their bodies were unable to carry out what their mind had processed. Still, they were able to minimize the damage they took.


    Kairen didn¡¯t answer him as he took on a fighting stance. Cold sweat was running down his back.


    ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for Azell, we would have died from the start.¡¯


    It was as Reshoo predicted. The two of them had experienced movement that was faster than Reshoo. They had experienced it through Azell.


    Reshoo was fast in a different way from Azell. As a clone user, Azell could exist in multiple ces at the same time. He could carry out many actions at the same time. His clones could freely move between its energy form and its form of substance.


    He could appear wherever he wanted at the moment he wanted to. He was able to pull off attacks in an instant. There was no dy in his control over his clones. In a battle, this could be called a form of extreme speed.


    Kairen and Leticia had fought against such an opponent. This was why they were able to react to Reshoo¡¯s speed even if the end result was awufl.


    Suddenly, Reshoo spoke.


    ¡°It has started.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Azell and Atein.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    The expression on Kairen and Leticia¡¯s face hardened.


    They werete in realizing it, because Reshoo had been letting out too much power.


    It was true. They could feel two incredibly powerful beings shing against each other on the other side.


    Leticia red at him.


    ¡°You are quite rxed. Does this mean you are confident you can kill us at any time? Even if you are strong, you shouldn¡¯t be arrogant when life and death is on the line. You taught me this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not that rxed right now. You guys are formidable foes, and there is an extraordinary magician helping you.¡±


    Reshoo¡¯s eyes were glued to Kayalia.


    She was dead, so she didn¡¯t have a body. She didn¡¯t possess any Dragon Demon magic, and her ess to the Great Darkness was restricted. She no longer possessed the same amount of power she possessed when she was alive. Despite this fact, she was one of the top magicians during the Dragon Demon war, so he couldn¡¯t take her lightly.


    ¡®Still, her attacks have been oddly lukewarm. I¡¯m sure she is aiming for something.¡¯


    When he thought about theposition of their group, it made sense that Kayalia would support Leticia and Kairen instead of directly attacking Reshoo. Despite this fact, he was having a hard time believing that was all Kayalia was doing.


    She truly was an extraordinary magician. She used her magic at the right ce at the right time. This was why he hadn¡¯t been able to wipe out Kairen and Leticia in the first engagement. Her actions were restricting his movements to an annoying degree.


    He had to think about her past reputation. This couldn¡¯t be all she would do. He couldn¡¯t erase that nagging thought inside his head.


    Leticia made a sarcastic remark.


    ¡°Is that the assessment you came up with after you thoroughly investigated us?¡±


    ¡°In truth, it wasn¡¯t like that. Leticia, let me ask you one question. Why are you opposing Atein?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I can understand why Kairen is opposing Atein. Kairen is a member of human society, and he is a lord in theirnds. Why are you on their side? Is it because you despise the Dragon Demon king worshippers?¡±


    ¡°Unbelievable.¡±


    Leticia let out a feigned smile as she asked a question.


    ¡°Why are you supporting Atein? Do you really think his crazy n will bring about a paradise in this world? Do you really think everyone will be happy?¡±


    ¡°I support him because I believe we need preventive measures. If the gods truly did make this world, they missed some important things in designing this world.¡±


    Reshoo had experienced a lot as he wandered around the world for the past 220 years.


    He had met a lot of people. He watched children turn into adults. He watched them turn old. He had given his love to others. Leticia was one of the people that had received his affections.


    Then he kept losing his loved ones. He experienced pain until he was sick of it.


    Reshoo raised a fist as he spoke.


    ¡°Even if I am powerful, I cannot protect everyone in this world. In fact, I couldn¡¯t even protect one person.¡±


    Even if one cared very much for others, they had to live their own lives at the end of the day. It was impossible to shadow them every day of the year.


    This was why a safety was needed.


    Everyone knew this to be true. When humans formed a society,w and institution was established. Each member of the society worked hard to procure safety within the society.


    ¡°However, that¡¯s not enough.¡±


    The safety made by humans throughout history had been woefully inadequate.


    If someone broke thew, thewbreaker got a punishment.


    There were countless times when this simple rule wasn¡¯t followed at all.


    ¡°As a result, the meless became hurt. Those that were loved by everyone died. The ones with the bright futures died.¡±


    Reshoo couldn¡¯t stand that fact. That was why he had joined forces with Atein.


    There were people that avoided detection as theymitted crimes. People used loopholes in thew to act with impunity. They carried evil deed without fear.


    In the world created by Atein, such incidents would never ur. There would be a monitoring system. The freedom to carry out evil deeds would be taken away from humanity.


    ¡°Ha-ah.¡±


    Leticia sighed when she heard Reshoo¡¯s reasoning. She looked baffled as she shook her head. Reshoo furrowed his brows at this sight.


    ¡°If you have something you want to say to me, you can.¡±


    ¡°...Reshoo, you¡¯ve definitely lived longer than me.¡±


    Leticia opened her mouth.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve lived for a long time, you¡¯ve seen more people than me. You¡¯ve experienced more of life than me. I do not know about the life lived by normal humans. When I was with you, I tried to live amongst the humans. When I saw their lives, it was like watching a scene within a portrait.¡±


    For most of her life, she had lived within the in of Darkness. She was ¡®made¡¯ to be one of the candidates that¡¯ll be the heir to Almarick. When she was branded as a failure, she was thrown into hell.


    The only peaceful memories she had was the time she spent with Reshoo.


    While she was his student, Leticia was able to live amongst normal people. She knew their names, and she had shared stories with them. She even did tasks that were mutually beneficial to her and others.


    When she looked back on it, it really was her best memories. There were times when she wanted to continue living amongst them.


    However, there was a me of hate burning within her heart. Reshoo recognized this, so he had pushed her to leave.


    In truth, she was thankful that he had done that. If he hadn¡¯t ended it for her, she would have been lost. The hate would have ate away at her.


    Leticia continued to speak.


    ¡°I used to think you were capable of doing anything. Yes. I was like a human child that looked up at an adult. I thought you knew everything, and I thought there was nothing you couldn¡¯t do..... That¡¯s what I thought.¡±


    He had lived amongst the humans under a mask called Jisel. Reshoo was a skillful performer. He easily mingled with other people, and in a short amount of time, everyone became reliant on him, and they liked him.


    This was why she hadn¡¯t had this realization until that moment. She had been like a child that didn¡¯t know the worries of an adult. Leticia hadn¡¯t known about the truth within Reshoo¡¯s heart.


    ¡°I understand it now. You aren¡¯t superhuman. At the very least, there is something I know more than you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°You are talking about making the whole world into a greenhouse, and the humans will be your indoor flowers. You probably can¡¯t even imagine what it would be like living such a life. However, I can. I grew up in such a sheltered environment and it was hell.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Reshoo looked as if he couldn¡¯tprehend what she was saying.


    Leticia let out a bitterughter as she spoke.


    ¡°I was monitored and controlled by others. Others determined what was ¡®evil¡¯ for me. I couldn¡¯t do what was considered to be evil by these people. That is the world you want. How do you know if the ones in control is good?¡±


    Before Leticia escaped the research facility, she had been an experiment, and the ones in charge had made her life a living hell. The research facility was a closed world, and the ones in charge determined what was good and evil. They had vited the souls of the test subjects..


    ¡°I found out the truth when I came out to the outside world. Good and evil isn¡¯t something that is predetermined from the beginning. It was something peoplee to an agreement as they live in this world.¡±


    Leticia had escaped, because she wanted to be freed from the pain. She wanted to live without being abused.


    At the time, she hadn¡¯t gone against them, because she didn¡¯t think they were evil. She didn¡¯t even think their actions were evil.


    ¡°There is no good and evil when carnivores eat herbivores. Good and evil is something made up by humans. I moved away from where I was born, and I found out that the good and evil in the outside world differed greatly from where I came from. You taught me that, Reshoo.¡±


    When Leticia came out to the outside world she was introduced to a new standard. Her world view was shattered by what she learned from Reshoo. It had shocked her to her core.


    ¡°From the perspective of the outside world, I was born and raised in a ce that¡¯s perceived to be the hotbed of evil However, I¡¯m not fighting them, because they are evil.¡±


    ¡°So why?¡±


    ¡°The simplest reason is I don¡¯t want to see them do well.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Jeez. Did you expect some profound answer?¡±


    Leticia snickered when she saw Reshoo¡¯s dumbfounded expression. She continued to speak.


    ¡°Those bastards worshipped Atein, so he was the source of my pain. He acts like an absolute being, and he acts as if I should be satisfied with what he is offering. He wants me to fuck off, because he ns on giving me a paradise in this world. My life had been too harsh and painful for me to ept that.¡±


    ¡°In the end, you don¡¯t trust Atein. Is that what it boils down to?¡±

 Chapter 256 - One Person (2)

    Chapter 256 - One Person (2)


    2


    Reshoo let out a sigh.


    He already knew about it. Good intentions wasn¡¯t enough. If Atein was behind it, there would inevitably be enemies that would oppose his n.


    Leticia spoke.


    ¡°Trust isn¡¯t something that is built up so easily. You should think hard on it. What if Atein didn¡¯t do this when he was awakened? What if he hid his identity to work as a saint for couple hundred years? What if he used his almost endless life span like that?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Myrade told me this. Atein doesn¡¯t apologize for his mistakes. He doesn¡¯t try topensate for his mistake. I mostly agree with that assessment.¡±


    Leticia knew why Atein didn¡¯t act like this.


    Atein didn¡¯t consider it important to make rtionships with the people of this era.


    Since he was living on a different time frame as others, he didn¡¯t feel the weight that came with developing rtionships with others.


    It didn¡¯t matter if one was a man or a woman. It didn¡¯t matter which culture one was from. There are universal experiences that everyone shares. Even if it was a personal experience, one shared such memories with each other. As time passed, everyone aged. This was why an importance was ced on the rtionships that tied one to others.


    However, Atein was already beyond such concepts.


    He only saw the difference in time between the humans and himself. He felt much more detached from humans than the animals of this world. This was why he didn¡¯t feel the need to apologize and givepensation to the people he hurt.


    He was working for ¡®humanity¡¯. This was why he had to make up for his mistake to ¡®humanity¡¯.


    From Atein¡¯s perspective, humanity was the presence that was equal to himself. The individuals making up humanity wasn¡¯t on equal footing as him. This was why he didn¡¯t feel the need to sacrifice his life for those individuals. He wouldn¡¯t dy what he considered important for them.


    ¡°I cannot let someone that lives by such principles ascend to godhood in this world.¡±


    ¡°Leticia.......¡±


    It happened when Reshoo let out a sigh.


    Leticia ran towards him. His breathing had changed for a brief moment, and she wouldn¡¯t let such an opportunity pass by. She ambushed him..


    If it was anyone else, he would have been taken unawares. However, Reshoo registered the attack in a single beat, and he calmly used his Pure Copper technique to counteract the ambush. He started moving wayter than Leticia, but he was able tofortably block Leticia¡¯s spear stab. He counter her attack.


    Too-hahk!


    Leticia¡¯s Dragon Soul was shaken. She endured the attack without being flung away. Guardian Shadows moved in from both sides of her.


    ¡°It won¡¯t work.¡±


    Reshoo was calm as ever. His hands moved like the wind as he blocked all attacks sent towards him. He lightly stomped on the ground. The ground rang out as a wave of me erupted to sweep his surrounding.


    Hoo-ooooooooooooooo!


    Leticia, who had been withstanding the mes, created a wave of cold energy. Fierce winds erupted forth when the two powers shed.


    Leticia gritted her teeth as she amplified her cold energy.


    In terms of abilities possessed by the Dragon Soul, she could never win against Reshoo. However, she wasn¡¯t alone.


    ¡°Shout! Soldiers of Wind God!¡±


    Kairen let out his cantrip as he swung his twin swords. His Dragon Soul roared, and the winds were directed towards Reshoo.


    ¡°Ho-oh!¡±


    It caught Reshoo¡¯s eyes. The power to control the wind and the power of the cold energy wasbined to create a synergistic effect. The fierce snowstorm froze all the precipitation in the air, and the ice shards flew towards Reshoo.


    It was an attack to be reckoned with. Since they were in a corridor, Reshoo couldn¡¯t dodge the attack. He decided to face it head on. The red Dragon Soul let out a roar as it wrapped itself around Reshoo¡¯s fist. He punched towards the snowstorm.


    Kwahhhhhhhh!


    mes erupted from his fist when he made contact with the snowstorm.


    The snowstorm looked as if it was capable of freezing the whole world. As if the snowstorm had never existed before, it became fuel for the mes. The me didn¡¯t show any signs of slowing down as it melted the walls and it punched through the ceiling.


    Reshoo wrapped his Dragon Soul around his body to endure the bacsh of the attack. The Guardian Shadows appeared from below before the heat from the explosion could dissipate. They stabbed towards Reshoo. The Guardian Shadows attacked him despite knowing they might be destroyed.


    ¡°Oh no!¡±


    Even Reshoo felt his blood curdled at the surprise attack. He was barely able to hit the ground running. Guardian Shadows appeared out of both walls, and they sent their long distance attack towards Reshoo.


    Puh-puh-puh-puhng !


    Reshoo bounced in the air in a dizzying manner as he blocked the attack. At that moment, a streak of lightning fell from the hole in the ceiling.


    Ggwah-gwahng!


    It was a lightning attack that was on par in power with a lightning bolt. Reshoo used his Dragon Soul to dodge the attack, but he became frozen in midair for a brief moment.


    ¡®Is it Kayalia!¡¯


    Leticia suddenly appeared in front of Reshoo, who was gritting his teeth.


    ¡®Clone?¡¯


    The surprised Reshoo tilted his head as he barely was able to dodge the spear. The side de of the spear cut his face as blood sprayed out from the wound.


    He immediately kicked Leticia, but it felt as if he had kicked the empty air.


    ¡®It isn¡¯t Incarnation.¡¯


    If it was a clone with substance, he would have felt some resistance. However, he felt nothing.


    ¡®Is it the same as the Guardian Shadows?¡¯


    ZZeeeeeeeng!


    He was taken aback for a brief moment, and at that moment, something stabbed at his senses. It was a mental attack.


    Reshoo strengthened his mental defense as he repelled the mental attack. He jumped into the air. He nned on kicking off the wall to descend towards the ground.


    However, Leticia appeared once again in front of him.


    ¡°What is she ying at?¡±


    Reshoo used a lightning quick strike to destroy the Guardian Shadow that looked like Leticia. However, numerous Leticia appeared around him in an instant. They stabbed towards him with spears infused with cold energy.


    ¡°Koohk......!¡±


    Reshoo couldn¡¯t¡¯ freely fly in the air. He didn¡¯t have that ability. He didn¡¯t have any ce to ce his feet in the air. His attacks were slowly starting to lose its power.


    He could see burning lights appearing in various locations. It meant powerful spells were being created at that moment.


    ¡®They are pretty good!¡¯


    Reshoo didn¡¯t hesitate as he made the decision. The red Dragon Soul roared as me exploded outwards towards his surroundings.


    Hwahhhhhhk!


    Guardian Shadows, who had taken on the shape of Leticia, were swept away. Moreover, the spells that had been prepared by Kayalia were swept away too.


    Reshoo used the rebound to fly into the air, and he stuck to the wall. He finally found a surface that he could ce his feet.


    ¡¸Ahhhhhh......!¡¹


    Guardian Shadows appeared around him as they attacked him.


    Reshoo didn¡¯t bother blocking each attack. Instead, he strengthened his Dragon Soul. He created a me that blocked all of their attacks.


    Kwahhhhhng!


    Leticia let out a wave of white cold energy towards him. When he blocked it, Reshoo realized that Kairen had jumped high into the air. Kairen descended from the air as if he was a hawk diving for a prey.


    ¡°March forward! Storm Dragon¡¯s Army!¡±


    As he shouted out his cantrip, countless wind bullets shot towards Reshoo. Reshoo used his Pure Copper technique to elerate, and he broke apart all the wind bullets. At that moment, Kairen followed up with an attack that contained all of his power.


    ¡°It is useless!¡±


    However, Reshoo wasn¡¯t shaken at all. He had used the Pure Copper technique to stop the wind bullets, yet there was no opening for Kairen to attack. Reshoo let out a counterattack.


    He attack with perfect timing. His fist would would have struck Kairen¡¯s chest before Kairen¡¯s swords could elerate.


    ¡®Uh?¡¯


    When his fist arrived at its target, something iprehensible happened.


    Reshoo¡¯s eyes widened. Until a moment ago, Kairen had been in front of him. So why was he seeing the wall right now?


    Kwahng!


    He should have hit Kairen, yet Reshoo¡¯s fist punched the wall. As the wall crumbled away, Reshoo realized what had happened.


    ¡®Dimensional Distortion!¡¯


    Kairen had waited for the exact moment when Reshoo would hit him. Then he activated a magical trap.


    Since Laura¡¯s Vitan¡¯s Chalice wasn¡¯t here, Reshoo had his guard down in regards to the Dimensional Distortion technique. He never expected Kayalia to be able to replicate the Dimensional Distortion in such an urate manner.


    Reshoo didn¡¯t even have the time to think. He threw his body forward.


    Kwah-hahhhhhhht!


    Leticia¡¯s spear barely missed, but the cold energy around the spear exploded forth. It hit Reshoo from the back.


    ¡°Ooh-ook !¡±


    It was almost a miracle that he was able to avoid being skewered by the spear. His back was frozen. He used his Pure Copper technique to elerate. He spun his body in a sh as he extended his hand.


    Kwahk!


    Leticia was following up with another spear stab. He grabbed the spearhead with his hand. Reshoo¡¯s body slid backwards as a cloud of dust rose into the air.


    ¡°It is a terrifying attack, but.......¡±


    He felt his blood curdle by the attack. Reshoo sealed the power imbued within the spear. When he tried to open his mouth, another Leticia appeared from behind him.


    ¡®Another clone? How many times will you use the same trick?¡¯


    Reshoo was annoyed. His Dragon Soul responded to his emotions. Itshed out towards the clone.


    However, something unexpected happened once again.


    Pah-ahk!


    Reshoo¡¯s eyes widened.


    Leticia¡¯s clone had stabbed her spear into his back.


    Up until now, he had easily destroyed the Guardian Shadows that looked like Leticia. However, this clone used exquisite body technique to dodge the Dragon Soul¡¯s attack, and she had stabbed him with her spear. Moreover, the strength behind the strike was powerful. It was enough to break through his Dragon Soul¡¯s defense.


    ¡°...Incarnation?¡±


    Reshoo was in disbelief as he looked at Leticia¡¯s true form.


    Leticia didn¡¯t answer him. When Reshoo was shaken by the attack, the spear unleashed its wave of cold energy.


    Pahhhhhl!


    The pure white energy exploded. Around half of his body was frozen. He haltingly retreated. Leticia kept attacking in a ferocious manner.


    Kwahng!


    Leticia and Reshoo were flung in opposite directions.


    He was able to hit Leticia even in such a situation. However, she wasn¡¯t the only enemy he was facing.


    ¡®Shit! You really taught them well, Azell!¡¯


    Reshoo blocked the barrage of spells sent by Kayalia. Kairen had jumped in as soon as the spells ended, and Reshoo was barely able to defend against Kairen¡¯s dual swords. Reshoo was impressed.


    Leticia was using her secret card. It was the Incarnation technique learned from Azell. Even if she had the aptitude for the clone technique, it was impressive that she had learned Incarnation in such a short amount of time!


    Peeht!


    Blood erupted from his shoulder.


    Pah-aht!


    The de, which he couldn¡¯t dodge, made a shallow cut on his chest.


    ¡°Ha-ah!¡±


    Kairen¡¯s kick impacted on Reshoo¡¯s defense. Kairen used his Dragon Soul to concentrate the power of the wind around his leg. At the same time, he detonated the power concentrated around his leg. A terrifying amount of force jammed Reshoo into the wall.


    Kwahhhhng!


    Reshoo was sent flying into the next room. He was barely able to kick the ground to lessen the damage. However, it didn¡¯t change the fact that he had taken a significant amount of injury. As soon as he regained his feet, a beam of light and lightning flew towards him.


    Kwa-kwa-kwahng! Kwahhhhhhhng!


    After Kayalia¡¯s spells struck Reshoo, Kairen immediately used his long distance attack.


    Reshoo pushed through the explosion as he charged towards Kairen.


    ¡®What the hell?!¡¯


    Kairen was shocked. Reshoo had taken significant damage. He had looked off bnce, yet he had pushed through the barrage of spells!


    Kairen was takenpletely unawares. Reshoo was powering through the spells, so he was slightly slowed down. If not, Kairen wouldn¡¯t have been able to react to the attack.


    Kwah-chang!


    Kairen was barely able to parry the attack as he retreated backwards. Reshoo immediately tried to chase after him, but he stopped. He swayed on his feet.


    ¡°Fantastic!¡±


    He was gravely injured, yet Reshoo wasn¡¯t mad. Heughed instead.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been beaten this bad in 200 years.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an amazing record.


    Leticia looked tense as she red at him.


    He had taken significant damage, yet the Dragon Demon energy emanating from him wasn¡¯t getting weaker. In fact, it was getting much stronger.


    ¡®We¡¯ve used all the aces up our sleeves.......¡¯


    They had used the Dimensional Distortion as a trap. Leticia even used Incarnation, which was very ipletepared to Azell¡¯s Incarnation technique. It was mainly used to surprise Reshoo.


    What else were they supposed to do to contend with Reshoo?


    Reshoo tried to gather his breath as he spoke.


    ¡°Hoo-ooh. Let me apologize. It seems I¡¯ve underestimated you guys.¡±


    ¡°Are you perhaps going to say you¡¯ll show your true skills now? Are you going to say something so stale?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m just going to change my mindset.¡±


    Leticia was puzzled as she faced the oppressive pressureing from Reshoo.


    ¡®Even now he isn¡¯t showing any killing intent towards us. What is he thinking?¡¯


    He looked determined now. There wasn¡¯t any looseness in Reshoo¡¯s eyes any more.


    However, she couldn¡¯t feel any killing intent from him. This fact was too weird.


    ¡®What are you nning, Reshoo?¡¯


    It happened at that moment.


    Koo-roo-roo-roong......!


    The Dragon Demon castle shook as if it was about to copse.

 Chapter 257 - One Person (3)

    Chapter 257 - One Person (3)


    3


    Azell and Atein were fighting the fastest battle that had ever happened in this world.


    Since Almarick was dead, the two of them were the best clone technique users. No one could measure up to them. They immediately appeared wherever they wanted to appear in an instant, and they could dismiss their clones at any moment. The battle between the two of them had transcended the general concept of space and time.


    The darkness from the ritual was wrapped around them as the two men shed with their swords.


    Kwahng!


    Each fighter took a step back as the sound of an explosion rang out.


    However, that wasn¡¯t the end. Clones kept flickering in and out around them like phantoms. The clones were shing against each other. It caused sparks and shockwaves to erupt around them.


    Streaks of light and darkness shed through the air as they intersected with each other. The two men were so fast that one could only seen countless lines being drawn in the air. One could only see the sparks that erupted when the two lines crossed each other.


    Azell inwardly clicked his tongue.


    ¡®Koohk! The Darkness Engraver has gotten stronger.¡¯


    The Darkness Engraver was the exact opposite in nature as the Sky Splitter. To be precise, Atein had copied the functions of the Sky Splitter when creating the Darkness Engraver. Reygus had made that admission.


    However, the Darkness Engraver could never hold up against the Sky Splitter in the Dragon Demon war. Even now the difference between the two weapons wererge.


    Azell held the Dragon Demon weapon called the Moon sword in his hand. The Sky Splitter had turned into light as it moved within space.


    On the other hand, Atein still had his Darkness Engraver in his hand. He created streaks of darkness to counteract the Sky Splitter. He didn¡¯t need to do much else.


    The fight between light and darkness was taut. Was it because Atein¡¯s power had grown? Or was it because the Dragon Demon castle was a location that amplified Atein¡¯s power to the extreme?


    Kwah-ahng!


    The ritual room could hold several hundred people, yet it was too small to host the fight between the two of them. The walls fell, and a hole was formed in the ceiling. As if both of them had been waiting for this moment, they flew into the air as they fought.


    ¡®I cannot destroy the ritual using the aftereffects of our fight.¡¯


    Azell had made that assessment. He even tried to attack the ritual couple times, but the darkness above the magic circle swallowed up all his attacks. It was none the worse.


    There was a reason why Atein was so confident. He had reached the 3rd stage of the ritual. If Azell wanted to destroy it, he would have to use all his strength.


    This was why Azell had given up on fighting within the ritual room.


    ¡°This is surprising.¡±


    Suddenly, Atein mumbled to himself.


    Each sh made one¡¯s blood curdle.


    In terms of sword fighting, Atein was slightly at a disadvantage.


    In the battle of clones, he was being overwhelmed. Atein could create nine clones if he included the Darkness Incarnate. On the other hand, Azell was able to create 32 clones.


    However, the battle was even, because Atein was a magician. As a magician, Atein held the advantage in the size and quantity of magic he could use. He was like a moving castle, but at the same time, he could use his power in a dynamic fashion. This was why he wasn¡¯t at a disadvantage in this fight.


    Atein mumbled to himself.


    ¡°Dual Banding. It is a very surprising technique. He has enough magical energy to contend with me....¡±


    In the Dragon Demon castle, there were many devices installed that were boosting his Dragon Demon magic right now. Currently, Atein possessed much more Dragon Demon magic than the version of himself that had lost to Azell in the Dragon Demon war.


    However, Azell wasn¡¯t being pushed back. Azell had finished his Dual Banding, and in terms of Dragon Demon magic, Azell possessed more than Atein.


    ¡°Ha! I¡¯m the one that should be dismayed.¡±


    Azell clicked his tongue.


    Even if the Dragon Demon castle helped in boosting Atein¡¯s power to the extreme, his party had gone through extraordinary efforts to chip away at his power base. Six pirs of the Great Darkness had been destroyed. One of them had fallen recently when Reygus had sacrificed himself. The Darkness Incarnate was also destroyed once in that fight..


    ¡®The Darkness Incarnate isn¡¯t in its normal state.¡¯


    Currently, the Darkness Incarnate was in its summoned state. However, the Darkness Incarnate was focused on using spells only. It was unable to use the Incarnation technique.


    Atein knew about this deficiency, yet he remained unshaken.


    -Come Dragon Demon weapon! White me Phoenix!


    Azell summoned a new Dragon Demon weapon. It was arge bird that was made out of white me. It attacked Atein as it flew at high speeds.


    ¡°It is a mean-spirited attack.¡±


    Atein let out a bitterughter.


    He was being attacked by the White me Phoenix, which had been taken from him by Yuren. It was like a bad joke. The White me Phoenix let out white mes as it let out the spells stored within itself. It blew apart a portion of the Dragon Demon castle.


    Kwahhhhhng!


    They finally broke through the Dragon Demon castle to appear on the surface. Azell had been trailing behind Atein, so he flinched when he came outside.


    ¡°The sky....¡±


    ¡°If you were anticipating seeing the blue sky, you won¡¯t. I apologize.¡±


    Atein replied.


    It was as if it was night outside. The sky was covered with a murky darkness.


    This was unlike a normal weather event where dark clouds covered the sky. There was a distinct curtain of darkness covering the sky, and it was blocking the sunlight. It covered the city and a distance of several kilometers. It was like the darkness that came with a starless night.


    ¡®I never expected him to make such preparations.¡¯


    Azell stopped breathing for a moment.


    The Dragon Demon castle was at the center of the city, and exactly eight pirs of Darkness were stretching into the sky. They were located at the perimeter of the city. This caused the enormous curtain of darkness to form in the air, and it had blocked out the sunlight.


    The Sky Splitter became stronger when it was exposed to external light. On the other hand, the Darkness Engraver became stronger in darkness.


    Their special characteristics were on the pr opposite end. In terms of when they were fighting the battle, Azell had the advantage. This was why he had given up on fighting within the ritual room. It was supposed to be day outside, so Azell had never expected this scenario.


    -Come Dragon Demon weapon! Storm¡¯s Scream! Volcano¡¯s Giant! Breath of Wind!


    With the massive darkness as background, Atein summoned Almarick¡¯s Dragon Demon weapon, and he let his clone wield it.


    Afterwards, an enormous giant made out of fire appeared, and it attacked the White me


    Phoenix. Since this was a battle between two beings made out of fire, heat started to burn everything in their surroundings.


    Then there was the half translucent blue cape that appeared around Atein¡¯s shoulders. It fluttered as it started to rapidly change the air currents.


    ¡°Hmmph!¡±


    Azell didn¡¯t let him do as he liked. He summoned the Storm Dragon¡¯s Wing. It burned white on his back, and he fought for the control of the air currents with Atein.


    Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah......!


    Aside from the space upied by Azell and Atein, the region was swept up by a fierce wind.


    ¡°Everyone evacuate! We¡¯ll die if we get caught up in this fight!¡±


    The people near the Dragon Demon castle screamed as they started to evacuate. They instinctively knew that the fight between the two of them would basically be a natural disaster.


    They made the wise decision. Azell and Atein hadn¡¯t used their full power, yet the area around the Dragon Demon castle was being brutally destroyed.


    -Come Dragon Demon weapon!


    Azell immediately summoned new Dragon Demon weapons. He hadn¡¯t predicted this development, but he was in open space now. There were countless things he could do now that he wouldn¡¯t be able to do if he was indoors.


    -Dawn¡¯s Defender! Underworld Ruler¡¯s Marksman! Box of Hate!


    Four clones made out of light appeared. Two clones were a silhouette of Kayalia, and the other two possessed the silhouette of Laura.


    They split apart as they supported Azell with their magic. Then Azell used his numerous Dragon Demon weapons to attack Atein.


    Gwah-gwahng! Gwah-ah-ahng!


    The Box of Hate created countless marbles of light. They flew in the air as homed in on Atein¡¯s spells. It detonated his spells. Atein furrowed his brows.


    ¡°Box of Hate. As always, it is a troublesome Dragon Demon weapon.¡±


    Atein could freely use the Dragon Arts and magic, but at his essence, he was a magician. The Box of Hate was a natural enemy of magicians.


    When the owner of the Box of Hate was Azell, its power was beyond imagination. A box made out of light floated in the air as it dispersed countless light marbles. It was like watching a dandelion spread its seed. It continuously made the spells explode.


    Of course, Atein had a countermeasure.


    He created minor spells, so the light marbles created by the Box of Hate was wasted. The real spells were packaged with higher density of magical energy. These spells were sturdy enough to ovee the ability of the Box of Hate.


    This tactic had been used during the Dragon Demon war. However, this tactic consumed a lot of magical energy, and it limited what spells he could use. This fact hadn¡¯t change.


    The Box of Hate wasn¡¯t the only thing that troubled Atein.


    One of Azell¡¯s clones was flying through the air, and he was shooting invisible magic arrows using the Underworld Ruler¡¯s Marksman. It flew at a speed several times faster than the speed of sound. Its destructive capability wasn¡¯t that high, but it could prate magical defense. It was also an unusually stealthy weapon.


    ¡°Mmm......!¡±


    Atein groaned.


    The Box of Hate was making him consume his magical energy to the extreme. The Underworld Ruler¡¯s Marksman was eating away at his concentration. It was a dangerousbination of attack.


    ¡®In such a short amount of time, I can¡¯t believe he became so good at using the Brand of Paradise.¡¯


    Azell was using his cloaking technique on it, but Atein knew Azell had summoned the Brand of Paradise.


    The Brand of Paradise was imbued with the power to manipte the flow of time.


    Amongst the Dragon Demon weapons, it was one of the most difficult power to control. Azell could use such a weapon freely. He used it as he instantaneously moved between his clones.


    ¡®He really is a monster. He really is my fated foe.¡¯


    Atein suddenly felt the treachery of fate.


    At the end of the Dragon Demon war, he had died to Azell once. Now they were in the distant future. His victory should have been guaranteed in this era.


    However, Azell had ovee his curse, and he had revived in this era. He had ruined all of Atein¡¯s n.


    If Azell had died from the curse, Atein might have woken at ater date. He probably would have no trouble implementing his n. He might have been able to hide his identity as he took his time to change the shape of the world.


    However, Azell had awakened in this era. Moreover, Carlos had made the Guardian Shadows after he had sealed the god of Death Belrun. Carlos was able to deliver the truth to Azell, so Atein was left with not many options. He was put in a bind.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll sever all lingering feelings here.¡±


    Atein mumbled to himself as he summoned a new Dragon Demon weapon.


    -Come Dragon Demon weapon! Moon of Rest and Anger!


    From beneath the curtain of darkness, an ominous red moon appeared. The red orb looked as if it was melting.


    Azell¡¯s face hardened.


    ¡®Is he nning to use that instead of the Dream¡¯s Apostle?¡¯

 Chapter 258 - One Person (4)

    Chapter 258 - One Person (4)


    4


    Moon of Rest and Anger.


    There was a clear weakness to this Dragon Demon weapon. He couldn¡¯t reclocated it once it was summoned. It had to be unsummoned. Also, he couldn¡¯t use it with the Dream¡¯s Apostle.


    Both Dragon Demon weapons dealt with the mind and the spirit world. Their powers interfered with each other. The ability that separated the Moon of Rest and Anger from the Dream¡¯s Apostle was....


    ¡®It¡¯sing!¡¯


    ...it didn¡¯t directly attack the mind. It was able to create mental construct that had the ability to attack the mind.


    The melting red moon looked as if it was far up in the sky. On the surface of the moon, small shadows started to appear. They quickly grew in size, and they appeared in the real world.


    It messed with one¡¯s perspective when one saw the mental constructs appear. There were two extremely different mental constructs.


    Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!


    The mental constructs singing the beautiful song looked humanoid. However, they possessed luminescent eyes and wings. They were angels.


    Keeeeeeeeee!


    The other type of mental construct looked like an ugly distorted version of a human. They were demons possessing wings of darkness.


    They were the angels of Rest and demons of Anger. They were beings that attacked the extreme ends of one¡¯s mental state.


    The angels of Rest dealt with the positive aspect of one¡¯s mental state, so on the surface, their ability didn¡¯t look harmful. However, their ability was scary if it was weaponized. What happened if one¡¯s killing intent and hostile feelings towards a must kill enemy was gone? What if one forgot why one was fighting?


    ¡®Unlike the Dream¡¯s Apostle, it is more powerful when used against a single entity. As a price, it is restrictive in how it could be used, and it is smaller in scale.¡¯


    Azell had faced both the Dream¡¯s Apostle and the Moon of Rest and Anger before. He knew how dangerous they were.


    La-ahhhhhhhh......!


    The angels of Rest flew as they sang their beautiful song. It was mesmerizing.


    Azell and Atein continued to fight each other, but Azell didn¡¯t be careless. The mental constructs didn¡¯t have physical bodies, yet they flew at incredible speeds as they attacked Azell using mental waves.


    ¡°Koohk......!¡±


    Azell strengthened his mental barrier as he used the Sky Splitter, which was in its light form. He attacked the mental constructs.


    Since the mental constructs weren¡¯t created using magic, the Box of Hate was ineffective against them even if they used attacks imbued with magical energy. They could be defeated using attacks that utilized mental waves. Still, Azell was being assaulted by their mental waves, so he was under extreme duress.


    ¡®It might have been better for me if I had faced the Dream¡¯s Apostle!¡¯


    The Dream¡¯s Apostle was different from the Moon of Rest and Anger in the fact that it was used over a wide area. Moreover, it was user dependent. Its effects were dependent on who was wielding it.


    It also meant that one had to exhaust one¡¯s mental power to use it. The Moon of Rest and Anger wasn¡¯t like that at all. One had to summon it, and one just had to set the target. Everything else was automated. This was the advantage of using the Moon of Rest and Anger.


    ¡®Shit. If only I had my Dream sword.....!¡¯


    Azell missed the Dragon Demon weapon he had lost.


    When Azell had lost, Atein had chosen to use the Dream¡¯s Apostle. He had done so because Azell had possessed a Dragon Demon weapon called the Dream sword.


    This sword also had influence over the mental and spirit world. It was the natural enemy of the Moon of Rest and Anger. However, this Dragon Demon weapon had been passed on to a young hero of the Nadick empire by Carlos. In the end, the young hero was unable to pass on the Dragon Demon weapon before he disappeared.


    ¡°Now let¡¯s.......¡±


    Atein raised his hand, and he pointed towards Azell. Azell was puzzled by the gesture.


    Kwahhhhhng!


    The center of the city exploded. mes erupted from below.


    The magician¡¯s will wasn¡¯t used, so the only thing that could be sensed was the magical energy being moved around. There was no warning sign to the attack. Azell was barely able to block the attack as he flew into the sky.


    Then he looked down.


    ¡®Shit!¡¯


    Numerous magic circles of darkness rose up from various parts of the city.


    No, it wasn¡¯t just the city. He hadn¡¯t been able to see it, because the curtain of darkness had masked their presence. Numerous spells had revealed themselves from above too.


    ¡®No. It is toote!¡¯


    Azell let out a torrent of attack as he destroyed the spells stored within the magic circles of darkness.


    However, there were too many of them.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already said this before. The oue might differ if we were anywhere else. You were too arrogant in thinking that you¡¯ll be able to face me in the Dragon Demon castle.¡±


    There were devices boosting his magical energy. Moreover, the darkness covering the sky wasn¡¯t all that was prepared by Atein. The Great Darkness was flowing through the heart of the Dragon Demon castle, and countless spells had been stored within it.


    In order to use those spells, he didn¡¯t need to waste any mental power. He didn¡¯t need to waste any magical energy. He just needed to choose which spells he wanted to use.


    Oooooooooh!


    The number of spells being used by Atein more than tripled.


    A tight equilibrium had been formed until now, but Azell could no longer match Atein. The clones, which had been ced in various locations, were swept away. Azell was sent flying,


    Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah......!


    Suddenly, countless magical storms erupted in the sky.


    It urred several hundred meters up in the air, yet the aftereffect broke apart thend below. The shockwave destroyed the buildings, and the heat burned up thend. The fierce winds swept away everything.


    ¡°Koo-ahk......!¡±


    A scream escaped Azell¡¯s mouth.


    Hisst line of defense was the Unyielding Fortress. It had almost broken under the assault. Azell was barely able to right himself. In a sh, a dark silhouette appeared above him.


    ¡®Gate Keeper of Emptiness! Shit!¡¯


    From beyond the Dimensional Distortion, a cursed darkness descended upon Azell.


    Ggwah-gwa-gwahng!


    Azell, who had been pierced by the darkness, fell towards the ground. Smoke was emanating from his body.


    Soon, the sound of an explosion rang out, and a dust cloud rose into the air.


    ¡°Ooohk......!¡±


    Azell stood up from within a broken building. He swayed on his feet. He didn¡¯t have the luxury of staying down. If he didn¡¯t block the impending attack from Atein, he would be dead.


    ¡°Azell.¡±


    Atein appeared in front of him.


    He didn¡¯t immediately attack Azell. Azell realized that a mere illusion had been projected in front of him.


    Atein spoke.


    ¡°I want to ask you something before I end this.¡±


    ¡°You are treating me like already cooked meat. I admit that you got a decent shot in, but you shouldn¡¯t act as if you¡¯ve already won.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not taking you that lightly. However, I determined that this will be thest chance I¡¯ll get to ask you this question.


    ¡°What do you want to ask me?¡±


    ¡°I just want one thing. I want an answer to the question I asked youst time. Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Ha.......¡±


    Azellughed as if he was baffled.


    On the day he killed Almarick, Atein had asked Azell to answer his question on their next meeting.


    ¡°My god. You were being serious?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Do you really think I said all of that to deceive you?¡±


    ¡°...no. That isn¡¯t your style.¡±


    Atein was a foe worthy of his hate, but he wouldn¡¯t resort to such petty tricks. Azell knew this to be true.


    Still, he couldn¡¯t understand Atein¡¯s action.


    Atein was giving him time to recover. Of course, Atein knew he was ying with fire. Why was he giving up such a golden opportunity in order to hear Azell¡¯s answer?


    Atein let out a bitterughter.


    ¡°I know I am being foolish. The logical voice in my head is telling to drop this madness. However, I do not see you only as an obstacle that has to be ovee. If I can hear your honest answer, I¡¯m willing to take the risk.¡±


    ¡°Even if it might lead to your death?¡±


    ¡°Life is just a battle that must be won. However, I¡¯m not interested in just winning the fight. If I was interested in such a thing, I would have lived my life in a different way.¡±


    Azell was speechless for a brief moment as he looked at Atein.


    No matter how much he thought about it, it was ridiculous. They were in a fight to the death, yet Atein wanted to hear Azell¡¯s answer. He even gave up his advantage to do so. This actually made Azell want to answer him.


    The importance behind this fight was sorge that rationality was thrown out the window. This wasn¡¯t just true for Atein. It was also true for Azell.


    ¡°Ha ha ha! This really is ridiculous.¡±


    In the end, Azell couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter.


    ¡°You make it sound as if it should have taken me a long time toe up with the answer. I could have given you your answer at that time. You ran away before you could listen to it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I did that. Will you tell me now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really need to exin my stance. The current situation is basically a form of answer.¡±


    ¡°I want to hear the reasoning behind that decision.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Azell nodded his head.


    5


    ¡°Atein, you¡¯ve said it yourself. You aren¡¯t a god.¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    ¡°From my point of view, I don¡¯t think you truly believe that. You aren¡¯t a god now, but you are trying to be a god.¡±


    ¡°Why do you think that?¡±


    Atein looked amused. Azell was indignant. He red at Atein as he spoke.


    ¡°In the system you are trying to make, there are no ce for humans.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you think your path is the way to reach true paradise, but I reject your idea. ¡±


    Atein had lost hope in humanity. This was why he had excluded traits of humanity from his system. He was trying to protect humanity, but he was trying to exclude the traits that made humans what they are.


    ¡°If I think about it, it was the same during the Dragon Demon war. Humanity didn¡¯t exist in the ideal world you dreamt about. You only thought about the Dragon Demon race, whom you believed to be slightly better than the human race.¡±


    During the Dragon Demon war, Atein became disappointed in the Dragon Demon race too. This was why he decided on the goal of creating a system that¡¯ll eliminate traits of humanity from the poption.


    Azell shook his head from side to side.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t trying to make an ideal world for everyone. You are pushing a single person¡¯s standard of good and evil onto others. Everyone that lives within such a system wiill be living in a hell where they¡¯ll be able to achieve nothing in life. Atein, you are using selfish reasons to put humanity in a birdcage. Do you really think humanity would be ¡®alive¡¯ in such a cage?¡±


    Azell couldn¡¯t hold back his cynicism.


    ¡°You said you rejected the deification of yourself by the Dragon Demon King worshippers. You are deceiving yourself. You are merely a mad man that is desperate to be a god. You lost hope in humanity? Laughable.¡±


    He was sure of it.


    Atein wasn¡¯t someone that could live alongside humanity. He considered humanity to be a pet that he had to take care of.


    He was trying to put humanity into a bird cage, and he was trying to look after their needs. What else should onebel such a being if not a god?


    ¡°If not a god, what would you call it? I cannote up with a betterbel.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll also tell you what my friend said. Carlos said this about your goal. Adults try to protect children. Those with power try to protect the powerless. Do you think humans do that because they are good? Why?¡±


    There was a noble reasoning behind such actions. They believed that all humans had an inherent worth.


    Children grew up to be adults. Those without power could do things that the powerful couldn¡¯t do.


    There was no meaning behind the natural order. The idea of good and evil was an invention of those that possessed wisdom and will.


    Strength wasn¡¯t the be-all and end-all in life. When humanity began in this world, they started to put meaning behind everything. It continued to this day. It was the pride of humans, and at the same time, it was the self conceit of humans.


    Atein wanted to steal everything from humanity, and he wanted to raise them like cattle.


    ¡°You view humanity as an antidote that¡¯ll cure your loneliness, yet you expect humanity to live on the bread crumbs that¡¯ll be given by you. Who would be satisfied in living such a life?¡±


    ¡°...I see.¡±


    Atein, who had been quietly listening to Azell¡¯s words, smiled.


    ¡°I am also a being that looks for meaning in humanity. I know that I am also someone that is seeking my own self worth. That is why I didn¡¯t want to directly mess with human nature when making the ideal world.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying that your premise is faulty. You¡¯ve lived for a long time, so you should know this. During your lifetime, did the standard of what is good and evil stay static? Didn¡¯t it change countless times? So why are you now trying to take away the the will of the people? Why should your own will be forced upon others? Above all else, is there a guarantee that you won¡¯t be worse than any other tyrants that existed in this world? Will you be better because you¡¯ve lived longer? Is it because you are more talented than others? ¡±


    Atein was so talented that he was a godlike figure even in this era. However, this didn¡¯t make him a trustworthy person.


    Atein let out a forcedughter.


    ¡°I already knew all of this, but it cuts to the bone when I hear it from your mouth.¡±


    ¡°You know this, yet you are continuing on with this?¡±


    ¡°Azell, you¡¯ve told the absolute truth. I won¡¯t deny it, and I won¡¯t look away from it.¡±


    Would the loss be greater than continuous misfortune suffered by humanity?


    Would the loss be greater than the blood and tears shed at the hands of evildoers?


    ¡°I won¡¯t!¡±


    For the first time in this fight, Atein spoke with passion. His eyes were like moltenva as he stared at Azell. Atein heard a voice from the past ring out within his head.


    ¡®If you treat the world with hate, you have to be ready to be hated by the world.¡¯


    It was the human youth from the past. Atein could no longer remember his name, and in the grand scheme of Atein¡¯s life, it had been a brief encounter. However, he couldn¡¯t forget that youth¡¯s words. It was etched into his mind. His rtionship with the youth had created an eternal wound, and at the same time, it had be the backbone of his belief.


    ¡°You should ask your question to the unfortunate souls that were killed by evildoers, who had power! You should listen to the painful cries of those that died without justice! They became Demons just because they resented this world!¡±


    ¡°But.......¡±


    At Atein¡¯s shouted words, Azell¡¯s eyes turned sharp. A cold voice flowed out of his mouth.


    ¡°Blood and tears will not stop flowing in the world you will make. Do you really think there won¡¯t be any people that¡¯ll resent the world you created?¡±


    ¡°I know that.¡±


    ¡°There might be a small number of them. However, there will be those that might take up their sword against a god. The number might be minusculepared to the people that are satisfied. Still, there will be people that¡¯ll fight. It¡¯ll be like what we did during the Dragon Demon war. There will be death upon death. Blood will flow like a river. There will be enough bodies to make a mountain. In the end, they¡¯ll try to break your birdcage.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m prepared for it.¡±


    Atein was resolute.


    Azell, who had been ring at Atein, changed his expression.


    ¡°Then.......¡±


    His heartbeat resonated with the Rings of Life. The resonance started from his heart, and it spread to his extremities. His amplified power gushed forth with force.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll end your madness here.¡±

 Chapter 259 - One Person (5)

    Chapter 259 - One Person (5)


    ¡°...I¡¯ll end your madness here.¡±


    When Atein heard his words, he looked perplexed.


    It wasn¡¯t as if he was surprised by Azell¡¯s hostility. In the short amount of time it took them to have a conversation, a frightening amount of Dragon Demon magic suddenly poured out from Azell.


    ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°I merely awakened the ninth Ring of Life I had put to sleep. Thank you for giving me that time.¡±


    Koo-goo-goo-goong......!


    The building couldn¡¯t withstand the Dragon Demon magic emanating from Azell¡¯s body, and it started to fall apart.


    Ggwah-gwa-gwa-gwahng!


    A beam of light punched through the falling building as it stretched into the sky.


    Afterwards, Azell used the Storm Dragon¡¯s Wings to fly into the air. Atein, who had been observing the city from they sky, groaned.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already finished making the ninth Ring of Life?¡±


    Atein had thought he had gotten a measure of Azell¡¯s strength when Azell had fought against Almarick. In that fight, Azell had been driven into a corner, so he had to reveal the ace up his sleeve. He had revealed the existence of the Extreme Extinction technique.


    Atein had used this information as background to make his preparations for his victory. Even if Azell¡¯srades joined in on the fight, he was confident that he would be able to defeat them all.


    He never expected Azell to have hidden such power.


    Oooooooooh!


    The Dragon Demon magic swept over their surrounding like a tsunami. This simple action had the effect of working against the spells that went against Azell¡¯s will. It almost broke down the integrity of Atein¡¯s spells.


    ¡°Mmm......!¡±


    While Atein was groaning, Azell started creating clones of himself once again. They took up the Dragon Demon weapons that had remained summoned. The unsummoned Dragon Demon weapons were brought back again. Atein mumbled to himself when he saw this sight.


    ¡°...still, nothing will change.¡±


    It was surprising that Azell hadpleted his ninth Ring of Life. If this battle had taken ce anywhere else, Atein would have lost.


    However, this ce was the Dragon Demon pce.


    The Moon of Rest and Anger was continuously creating angels and demons. The numerous magic circles were pouring out spells. The number of preparations he had made was overwhelming in quantity. It was as if several hundred magicians were focusing their fire on Azell, so Azell was busy dodging.


    Kwah-kwahng! Kwahng! Kwah-ahhhhhhng!


    He was flying at high speed using the Storm Dragon¡¯s Wings, and there was a torrent of spells trailing behind him.


    The mes exploded, and the cursed darkness continued to spread. The gale whipped towards him. The city had been made with magic, so it had been a grand sight to see. In a sh, the city was turned into ruins.


    ¡°You made a mistake, Azell.¡±


    Azell flew through the city as he used the buildings to block the spells. Atein mumbled to himself as he looked down.


    Azell should have used the ninth Ring of Life as soon as the fight had started. If Azell had used this explosive power to overwhelm Atein, Azell might have won.


    However, Atein¡¯s magic had already took control of the battlefield. He had overwhelming power, and it couldn¡¯t be defeated by the power of a single person.


    ¡®At this rate, he might just run away.¡¯


    Atein thought about the possibility.


    However, it was pointless thought. Azell would only run away if he could fight another day. If Atein wasn¡¯t defeated here, there won¡¯t be another chance.


    -Thunder Dragon¡¯s Horn!


    Azell, who had been in the city, quickly gained height. He shot blue lightning towards Atein.


    However, the attack never reached Atein. It crashed into the numerous spells in the sky, and it was extinguished.


    ¡°Koohk! I guess it won¡¯t work?¡±


    Azell grinded his teeth.


    Azell had awakened his ninth Ring of Life, yet he had no opportunity for a counterattack. In terms of personal power, Azell overpowered Atein. However, the resources avable to Atein was toorge.


    The problem right now was the fact that Azell¡¯s mental power was being chipped away.


    There was a limit to how long he could use his phenomenal mobility to dodge Atein¡¯s attacks. Atein was predicting Azell¡¯s path, and he was cing spells preemptively in Azell¡¯s path. Azell was mired in these spells.


    ¡®Oh no.¡¯


    The heat spread towards the surrounding.


    It was a trap that couldn¡¯t be dodge, yet Azell easily pushed through it. He was narrowly dodging all the magical bombardment, but a small mistake would be fatal.


    Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!


    The magical storm destroyed the streets.


    Atein was shocked as he watched the explosions.


    ¡®What happened?¡¯


    For a brief moment, he lost track of Azell.


    Even if he was using the Storm Dragon¡¯s Wing, Azell needed time to reelerate once he was halted.


    That meant....


    ¡®Is this Instantaneous Movement?¡¯


    The detection spells ced all over the city was able to locate Azell a beatter, and the information was delivered to Atein.


    Azell was 1 kilometers away from where the explosion had started. The explosions had indiscriminately destroyed all the buildings in a straight line. Azel was a bloody mess as he red at Atein.


    A wave of light moved over the destroyed buildings.


    Kwahng!


    As soon as Atein¡¯s eyes registered this light, Atein was attacked by Azell.


    Azell was moving several times faster than the speed of sound. He had used a form of the Pure Copper technique to elerate himself. In a sh, he had crossed a distance of 200 meters. It was extraordinary.


    ¡®What ridiculous speed!¡¯


    Atein was taken unawares by his speed. He had been prepared for clones to attack him using their energy form. He was also reading the flow of magical energy, so his spells would automatically react to what he saw.


    However, Atein had never expected Azell to rush him with his true form, which was made out of flesh and blood.


    ¡°Ha-ahhhhhhh!¡±


    Azell attacked


    Azell attacked Atein like an angry wave. Numerous clones appeared as they attacked Atein like a storm.


    Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwah!


    The Sky Splitter let out a wave of light. Every light within visible range gathered and exploded upon Atein.


    Atein was instantly overwhelmed by the attack, and his body was bounced around the air like a ball. Azell had summoned the maximum number of clones. He used them to block the spells that were converging towards him. The Box of Hate dispensed its light marbles, and it resisted against Atein¡¯s magic. Azell pushed Atein.


    -Come Dragon Demon weapon! Chain of the Earth Dragon!


    He wasn¡¯t done with his attack. One of the clones summoned a thick chain with a weight at the end. He started to swing it.


    Hwee-hwee-hwee-hwee-hwee!


    Atein and Azell had been locking their swords together. When the speed of the chain exceeded a certain point, Azell purposefully broke his stance as he kicked Atein. Then he struck the ground.


    As the explosion erupted, Atein¡¯s movement halted for a brief moment. At that moment, the Chain of the Earth Dragon flew in towards Atein.


    Ggwah-ahhhhhng!


    The weighted end of the chain created an explosion. The explosion had a radius of several hundred meters.


    The Chain of the Earth Dragon had power over the earth. When it hit its target, a massive impact caused the ground to crumble. Earth and rocks assaulted Atein. Azell, who was in the sky, brought down the Sky Splitter with all his power.


    -Thunder Dragon¡¯s Horn!


    In a sh, everything turned white.


    However, itsted only for a moment. Azell¡¯s face fell when his vision cleared in the next moment.


    ¡®Gatekeeper of Emptiness! Shit!¡¯


    Therge emptiness swallowed the lightning bolt. At the same time, arge emptiness that was a couple dozen meters away let out the lightning bolt. The lightning bolt carved the ground as it was sent in a different direction.


    When Atein was attacked, he immediately used the Gatekeeper of Emptiness, which was capable of connecting two points in space. This was how he had dodged the Thunder Dragon¡¯s Horn.


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    Atein started rising into the air from a broken building.


    He wasn¡¯t untouched. He had dodged a critical blow, but his left arm had been broken by Azell¡¯s initial charge. The following attack had made him into a bloody mess.


    In terms of injuries, both side had suffered simr level of injury. However, Atein was sure of his victory.


    ¡°This is why you put your ninth Ring of Life to sleep.¡±


    There was a bitterughter to Atein¡¯s lips.


    ¡°It isn¡¯tplete to the point where your body cannot sustain and endure that power.¡±


    ¡°Koohk.......¡±


    Azell groaned. He looked dismayed.


    It was as Atein had said. This was a tactic he had used to take Atein by surprise. He had purposefully hidden his magical energy, because his body couldn¡¯t handle that much magical energy. The vessel holding the magical energy had to get stronger as one gained magical energy. Azell hadn¡¯t been able to find that bnce.


    It meant that Azell had to finish the fight as soon possible after awakening his ninth Ring of Life. However, he had failed. His Energy Pulse was unstable, and it was causing massive problems for his body.


    ¡°Your surprising speed using the Pure Copper technique... I¡¯ll call it the Ultrahigh Speed Pure Copper technique. It seems there is a cost to using it.¡±


    Azell was able to use the Ultrahigh Speed Pure Copper technique by using the massive power that was released by the ninth Ring of Life. He had the magical energy to be able to use it, but his body hadn¡¯t been able to endure the stress.


    ¡°You are an extraordinary being. You were chosen by this era, so all kinds of luck has converged upon you. However, the fact that you were able to reach this level in less than 30 years is a miracle in itself.¡±


    While Atein was speaking, countless circles of darkness surrounded Azell.


    There would be no escape. The fight would end when Atein would activate the spells.


    ¡°Mmmm?¡±


    Atein was puzzled by Azell¡¯s expression.


    From Azell¡¯s perspective, he was in a desperately dangerous situation. Unless he had more aces up his sleeve, he was facing imminent death.


    So why did Azell have a grin on his face?


    ¡°It seems they were barely able to make it in time.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you think it was weird, Atein? You wondered why I came alone.¡±


    It was as he said. Azell¡¯s party weren¡¯t idiots. They knew Atein¡¯s power was amplified to the extreme at the Dragon Demon castle.


    Yet they insisted on sending Azell to fight Atein alone.


    It was an unreasonable gamble.


    ¡®However, there are no hidden troops.¡¯


    Atein had been aware of the possibility that Azell¡¯s party members might have hidden themselves. He made preparations for the possibility of an ambush from. However, he couldn¡¯t sense them even now.


    Did they attack the ritual room while he fought Azell?


    That wasn¡¯t it either. The ritual was in its third stage. An attack by one or two people wouldn¡¯t be able to stop the ritual. He had set up detection spells in the ritual room, and he sensed no one in there.


    ¡®So why?¡¯


    Atein looked baffled as he looked towards Azell.


    Suddenly, a dizzying sensation washed over him.


    ¡®What is this?¡¯


    Atein knew this sensation. It was the bacsh that appeared when magical energy escaped his control.


    In a sh, the magic around him escaped his control The circles of darkness, which had been about to activate, copsed. Even his stored magic went away, and the flow of magical energy in his body went awry.


    ¡®Ah!¡¯


    Atein swayed on his feet, and he waste in realizing what had caused this.


    ¡®Someone destroyed the seal to the Abyss! Who did it?¡¯


    The Abyss was the heart of the Great Darkness. The seal of the transcendent being buried below had been destroyed.

 Chapter 260 - One Person (6)

    Chapter 260 - One Person (6)


    6


    Sah-ahhhhhhhhhhh......!


    A white cold energy was sweeping through the deepest part of the Dragon Demon castle. It was the hallway that was connected to the Abyss. It was akin to water bursting forth from a breached dam. The white cold energy was terrifying. It froze the hallway as it pushed forward.


    If there was anyone alive, death was a certainty. However, there was only corpses remaining in the corridor.


    No, someone was still alive.


    ¡°It is safe now.¡±


    After another wave of cold energy swept through the corridor, it died down. Suddenly, someone appeared in this space. She was a Dragon Demon female with long silver hair. It was Arrieta.


    She looked haggard as she swayed on her feet. A hand suddenly appeared in the empty air, and the hand steadied Arrieta.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Laura revealed herself as she asked the question. The two of them had used Dimensional Distortion to avoid the wave of cold energy.


    Arrieta replied as she relied on Laura¡¯s hand to hold herself up.


    ¡°I want to say I am fine, but... Unfortunately, I¡¯m not in a position where I can bluff. Ooh-ook.¡±


    Arrieta groaned as she sank to the floor.


    There was a thinyer of ice all over her body, and one of her arms was frozen solid. It was the price of the battle she had fought earlier.


    Laura was also in rough shape. However, she had fared better than Arrieta. She used her magic to warm up Arrieta¡¯s body.


    Arrieta looked much better as she spoke.


    ¡°Queen of Frozen Land. She was nasty woman.¡±


    There was a pir ced below the Abyss.


    Queen of the Frozen Land.


    She was a crazy transcendent being that wanted to make the world into a frozen paradise.


    Laura and Arrieta had escaped from Reshoo, and they had infiltrated the Abyss. They had broken the seal. The battle had been fierce but short. In the end, they were able to eliminate the Queen of the Frozen Land using the Extreme Extinction.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°I am fine, Laura. You should go ahead of me.¡±


    ¡°But.......¡±


    ¡°I cannot help you in this state. I don¡¯t want to be a burden. In the time it took us to finish the fight, the fight outside might have ended.... However, if the fight is still ongoing, he¡¯ll need your help.¡±


    ¡°Will you be ok? You no longer have your Dragon Demon weapon....¡±


    ¡°...ha ha. I received it from Azell in the first ce. Moreover, I¡¯m not fighting this fight just for him.¡±


    Arrieta answered in a weak voice.


    In order to use the Extreme Extinction, she had to sacrifice the Crying Phoenix.


    There were two reasons why she had sacrificed the Crying Phoenix instead of the Vitan¡¯s Chalice. First, she determined that the Vitan¡¯s Chalice might be needed in the future. Secondly, she determined that the Vitan¡¯s Chalice would be needed after the Queen of the Frozen Land had been defeated with the Extreme Extinction.


    Her judgement was correct.


    If they had sacrificed the Vitan¡¯s Chalice, they would have died by the wave of cold energy emitted by the Queen of the Frozennd. She had let out waves of cold energy in her death throes.


    ¡°.......¡±


    The two women silently looked at each other for a brief moment.


    Laura nodded her head slightly. She used Dimensional Distortion to head towards the surface.


    7


    When Atein realized what was going on, he was taken aback.


    ¡°They were able to enter into the Abyss without my notice?¡±


    The Abyss was the most important location for Atein. This was why he hadn¡¯t beenzy in monitoring the Abyss.


    However, his detection spells had not gone off. Laura and Arrieta had wiped out the guards as they infiltrated the Abyss. Atein hadn¡¯t known they were there until the seal to the Queen of the Frozen Land was broken.


    Atein was flustered, but he soon had the answer.


    ¡°It was Kayalia!¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    As he gave the answer, Azell attacked Atein.


    Too-hahk!


    Atein¡¯s spells had copsed, so he had to block with his Darkness Engraver as he retreated.


    Azell nned on immediately pushing towards Atein, but he swayed on his feet. He had overburdened his body with his earlier attack, so his body wasn¡¯t responding to his will.


    ¡°Shit!¡±


    ¡°She still had this much power.... Shepletely owned me with that move.¡±


    Atein quickly recovered his defensive magic as he mumbled to himself.


    He had ce restrictions on Kayalia¡¯s ess to information, so he hadn¡¯t been worried about her. However, Kayalia had transcended his estimation.


    She was restricted from gathering information from the Great Darkness, yet she was capable of interfering with his flow of iing information. Kayalia had hidden this ability, and she had used it at the most crucial moment. She had taken Atein unawares.


    ¡®I see. She used the dy that urs when information is sent towards me.


    Atein realized how he had been duped.


    He had unfettered ess to the information gathered by the Great Darkness. On the other hand, Aincera couldn¡¯t handle the unfettered ess This was why he had put a restriction on how the information could be essed. He had been worried that unfettered ess to the Great Darkness would damage Aincera¡¯s sense of self.


    This was why the user was given only the information that was considered to be important. The priority of the information had to be set manually. When the Great Darkness received an information, there was a step before the information could be transmitted to Atein.


    Kayalia used this fact to her advantage.


    Atein had made it so that they couldn¡¯t see each other¡¯s information. However, he hadn¡¯t blocked her ability to voluntarily send information towards the Great Darkness.


    Kayalia used this inconsistency. She had sent a massive amount of fake information, and it had caused massive problems to the filter that sorted the iing information. She used this state of confusion to sneak false information past the filter.


    Reshoo had wondered why her abilities hadn¡¯t matched up with her reputation in their fight. While she was supporting Leticia and Kairen, she had been hiding Laura and Arrieta¡¯s progress as they attacked the Abyss. She had hidden all of this from Atein.


    Atein queried him.


    ¡°You used all your power to keep me fully upied in this battle. Was this your role in the n?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t n on dragging this out. If it was possible, I would have ended this fight already. It just turned out like this.¡±


    ¡°I see. That¡¯s ...¡±


    Atein let out a despondentughter at Azell¡¯s answer.


    If Atein had the time to check the veracity of the information, this tactic wouldn¡¯t have worked. Atein was a clone user, so he was very good at multitasking.


    However, both fighters had to use all their powers to fight each other. Atein didn¡¯t have the luxury of paying attention to anything else. .


    ¡°What a stunner. I¡¯ll agree with what you said earlier. You aren¡¯t arrogant.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so thankful that you acknowledged that fact. It almost makes me want to shed a tear.¡±


    Azell went on the offensive.


    When the Queen of the Frozen Land was unsealed, there were only five pirs left. Moreover, it was the pir that maintained the Abyss, which was basically the heart of the Great Darkness.


    Even if the Great Darkness had gotten stronger through the deaths of the Dragon Demon King worshippers, the Great Darkness couldn¡¯t function properly any more.


    Atein¡¯s current state was proof of this fact. He had been freely using the spells stored within the Great Darkness up until now. This function was longer working.


    Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa!


    As the swords shed against each other, the wind roared around them. The lines of light and darkness crossed each other. Atein and Azell was fighting with their swords at ridiculous speeds.


    ¡°Ha-ah!¡±


    At some point, Azell had retreated backwards. Atein immediately used his magic when he saw this. However, Azell was right back in front of Atein. It was as if Azell had never retreated.


    ¡®Brand of Paradise!¡¯


    His abnormal movement was pulled off by using the Brand of Paradise. It could manipte the flow of time. Azell had elerated time to throw off Atein¡¯s timing. He used the Pure Copper technique to rush Atein.


    Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwahng!


    After a beatter, Atein¡¯s spells exploded behind Azell. Atein had sent the spells after he set his target. This was why his spells missed when his timing was thrown off. It couldn¡¯t be helped.


    Kwahng!


    The explosion rang out as several buildings were demolished. Azell soared into the air as six clones appeared as they swung their lightning swords.


    -Thunder Dragon¡¯s Horn!


    The bluish white thunderbolt hit Atein.


    Atein was also using clones, so he was able to block four out of six attacks. He became a bloody mess when two Thunder Dragon¡¯s Horn hit him. He gritted his teeth.


    ¡°Ha-ahhhhht!¡±


    Atein let out a shout to quench his pain. In a sh, it felt as if he was having an out of body experience.


    When was thest time he had shown this much passion? He had let out a shout to ovee the pain that was ruling over his body. How long had it been since he did that?


    Azell rushed forward. He was using the Ultrahigh Speed Pure Copper technique. It was an attack that Atein shouldn¡¯t have been able to dodge, but....


    -Infinite in!


    When Azell stabbed with his sword, the space in front of him extended far into the distance.


    ¡®He got me!¡¯


    Azell¡¯s face turned white. He never expected Atein to ce a Dimensional Distortion trap using his magic!


    On the other side of the far away distance, a streak of darkness was moving away from him. Azell attacked. He tried to stop Atein by attacking the spell.


    Pah-ah-ah-ah!


    The Dimensional Distortion should have been ripped apart like paper. Why didn¡¯t it cancel?


    ¡°Oh no......!¡±


    Azell realized that this was an intricate trap with twoyers.


    Atein had used the Dimensional Distortion to stop Azell¡¯s charge. Azell had lost his timing and he was flustered. He desperately tried to block the iing attack.


    However, he was deceived once again. When Azell focused his power on his defense, the Dimensional Distortion was withdrawn. Azell had diverted his power for nothing.


    Atein¡¯s real aim was waiting for Azell. When Azell returned to normal space, he was surrounded on four sides by constructs of darkness.


    -Gatekeeper of Emptiness!


    The Dragon Demon weapon called Gatekeeper of Emptiness used Dimensional Distortion to connect two points in space. Cursed Darkness and cold energy appeared out of the construct of darkness. A vacuumous energy was also sent towards him.


    Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!


    Azell was sent flying before he could even scream.


    He was barely able to surround himself with the Unyielding Fortress, but he couldn¡¯t mount a proper defense. He only stopped the attack for a brief moment. His defense shattered as he fell to the ground.


    ¡°Ooh-ook......!¡±


    Atein had suddenly been attacked too. He groaned as he fell to the ground. He was barely able to right himself before he crashed into the half destroyed building. Heughed in disbelief.


    ¡°You were able to attack in such a situation. You¡¯ve always been a ridiculous person ...¡±


    After the doubleyered trap took hold of Azell, Atein used all his power to attack Azell. He even brought out a Dragon Demon weapon that he hadn¡¯t revealed before. It was called the Ice Forest. Azell was busy blocking this attack, yet he was able to summon two clones. The two clones had attacked Atein.


    The Underworld¡¯s Marksman possessed a critical ability. It was able to pierce through most defensive magic. The bolts had pierced Atein¡¯s stomach and left shoulder. He suffered a serious injury.


    ¡°Atein!¡±


    Azell¡¯s angered shout could be heard.


    The Dragon Demon magic rushed forward like a tsunami, and the spells meant to hit Azell from afar was swept away. Then a light started to extend into the air.


    -Come Dragon Demon weapon! Master of Raging Waves!


    After he transitioned the Sky Splitter into its light form, he summoned a new Dragon Demon weapon. It was called the Master of Raging Waves. It could attack in the physical and spiritual realm. It caused the nearby buildings to shake as it ruthlessly copsed Atein¡¯s spells.


    ¡°I guess the tables have turned.¡±


    Atein realized that Azell had also prepared a trap, and he had baited Atein into this spot.


    There was a pir of light stretching into the sky. It was the Sky Splitter. The Sky Splitter looked like a tree made out of light.


    Azell didn¡¯t hide the fact that he was manifesting the Sun Lightsaber.


    The injury to his body wasrge, but he had finished the Dual Banding of his ninth Ring of Life. He was able to create a clone that could freely use the Dragon Demon magic generated by the ninth Ring of LIfe.


    As he started unleashing the Sun Lightsaber, he blocked his surrounding with the Unyielding Fortress. He used the Master of Raging Waves to stop outside interference as he made his move. On top of that, the countless light marbles from the Box of Hate blocked spells from being used around him.


    It was as if a fortress had appeared in the middle of the city.


    Azell wasn¡¯t done yet.


    The White me Phoenix was letting out white hot mes. The Dawn¡¯s Defender manifested as silhouettes of Laura and Kayalia. They flew in the air as the monitored the battlefield. Azell held air superiority. He hadpletemand over the domain he had created.


    Even if Atein was able to enter into this space, he wouldn¡¯t be able to interfere with his magic. Spells and clones had to be created outside Azell¡¯s domain.


    ¡®Are you trying to induce a final showdown, Azell?¡¯


    Even if Azell had massive amounts of Dragon Demon magic, he couldn¡¯t maintain this scenario for too long. This move would haved put stress on his Energy Pulse in normal times, but Azell was seriously injured right now.


    ¡®It is a temptation that I can¡¯t pass up.¡¯


    Atein burst intoughter without even realizing it.


    He knew this was a trap, but he couldn¡¯t help it. He had to step into it. If he let Azell alone, he, Azell would be able toplete a move that might exterminate him.


    Since all the spells stored within the Great Darkness had copsed, Atein had to move directly. He had no choice.


    Of course, Azell didn¡¯t let Atein do as he pleased.


    Azell¡¯s clones appeared. They were surrounded by lightning, and they assaulted Atein. Atein¡¯s clones responded to the attack, and he counterattacked with the Darkness Engraver.


    Pah-haht!


    As soon Atein defeated the clones with his sword, he kicked off the ground. He elerated using the Pure Copper technique. The Underworld¡¯s Marksman barely missed him.


    ¡°Hoo hoo! It has been awhile since I¡¯ve charge a foe instead of waiting for them to attack me!¡±


    Atein ignored the pain emanating from all over his body.


    He had thought his heart has turned cold, but it was beating now. He had always seen everything in front of him as lights that¡¯ll be extinguished in an instant. However, he was suddenly in the now, and he was swept up in a feeling of euphoria.


    Pah-cheet!


    Azell¡¯s clone was surrounded by me as it attacked Atein. It was instantly defeated. Another clone came up behind Atein with exquisite timing. However, Atein didn¡¯t even need to turn his head. He crouched as he shot an elbow out backwards. When the elbow hit his target, Atein flip backwards into the air like an acrobat. He split open the head of the clone.


    ¡®Even if the effect of the Brand of Paradise was used to its estimated maximum, it¡¯ll take him 17 seconds to finish the Sun Lightsaber.¡¯


    Atein passively gathered the information around him, and he acquired the answer he wanted.


    Even if Azell was able to elerate the time using the Brand of Paradise, Atein held the advantage. The curtain of darkness was covering the sky, so it significantly slowed down thepletion of the Sun Lightsaber. Theck of light made it very difficult for Azell to finish his move.


    ¡®Fourteen seconds..¡¯


    As he ran forward, Atein¡¯s clones appeared around him in ones and twos. Azell¡¯s clones went on the offensive, but Atein¡¯s clones weathered the storm using their magic. The clones opened up a path that would allow the real Atein to attack Azell.


    ¡°Come! Oh, darkness!¡±


    Atein shouted.


    Darkness gathered all around him. The Sky Splitter wasn¡¯t the only Dragon Demon weapon that could amplify its power. The Darkness Engraver was the antithesis of the Sky Splitter, yet it could be used simrly to the Sky Splitter.


    This battlefield was where the Darkness Engraver¡¯s power was at its zenith.


    ¡®Ten seconds.¡¯


    The pirs of darkness had risen into the air on the outskirts of the city. Parts of the darkness broke away from the pirs as it gathered around the Darkness Engraver. Darkness also descended from the sky. It was as if the curtain of darkness was letting out a downpour of darkness. It was sucked into the Darkness Engraver. A normal person would barely be able to see what was in front of their eyes in such darkness. At the same time, a clear outline appeared in the darkness as it pulsed.


    -Come Dragon Demon weapon! Dream¡¯s Apostle!


    Atein withdrew the Moon of Rest and Anger. He summoned the Dream¡¯s Apostle.


    Azell¡¯s clones were no longer functioning properly.


    Until a moment ago, Azell¡¯s clones kept appearing several meters away from Atein. Now they had to manifest far away from Atein.


    Even if one was a master of using clones, mental energy had to be gathered in one ce alongside magical energy to manifest clones. The Dream¡¯s Apostle had the effect of interfering and blocking the mental waves around Atein.


    ¡®Seven seconds.¡¯


    No one stood in Atein¡¯s way any more. Atein shouted as he raised the sword made out of concentrated darkness.


    ¡°It is my victory, Azell!¡±


    It was a mere difference of five seconds. Atein¡¯s secret technique wasplete five seconds faster than thepletion of Azell¡¯s Sun Lightsaber.


    -Dark Sky Engraver!

 Chapter 261 - One Person (7)

    Chapter 261 - One Person (7)


    8


    Atein put all his power into executing this attack. The enormous sword of darkness looked as if it would touch the sky. When it was brought down, it ruthlessly broke apart the domain being maintained by Azell.


    Kwahhhhhhhhh!


    The White me Phoenix was cut into two. The light marbles, which were dispersed by the Box of Hate, continued to explode as they were extinguished. Even the domain created by the Master of Raging Waves was ripped apart like paper. Finally, the Unyielding Fortress was sliced open. The only thing left was the enormous pir of light.


    Even the pir of light was cut into two by the sword of darkness.


    For a brief moment, darkness dominated everything.


    It really was the perfect moment.


    It was as if time had stopped. It felt as if this moment would stretch on forever. However, the moment passed, and the magical energy making up the pir of light fell. The light magical energy hit the surrounding like a tsunami.


    Koo-gwa-ahhhhhhhhh......!


    It really looked like the city was being submerged by a tsunami.


    Everything around them was destroyed. The broken buildings were turned into rubble. The Dragon Demon castle, which had still remained intact, was swept away by the light. It was like watching a natural disaster. It was too solemn of a sight when one considered that only a single person had perished in this attack.


    Atein continued to watch as if he was mesmerized by the sight. Suddenly, he felt a frightening sensation.


    ¡®Someone is watching me?¡¯


    He felt someone¡¯s gaze on him.


    It wasn¡¯t one of the civilians, who had been swept up by the cmity. There was clear hostility directed towards him.


    Koo-gwahhng......!


    An explosion rang out in the distance.


    When Atein turned his gaze towards the explosion, he saw one of the pirs of Darkness fall. Someone had destroyed the facility that was emitting the darkness.


    Kwah-ahng, kwahhhhhhhhng......!


    It didn¡¯t end there. The second, third and fourth pirs exploded before Atein knew what was going on. The curtain of darkness started to fall.


    ¡®It is just one person.¡¯


    Atein was sure that there was only one culprit. While Atein was busy fighting Azell, this person had ced explosion magic within the facilities maintaining the pirs of Darkness. This person had detonated the facilities all at the same time.


    It resulted in the curtain of darkness starting to fade away. Light started to filter in through the curtain of darkness.


    ¡°Mmm......!¡±


    Atein squinted when the sunlight suddenly hit his eyes.


    A de suddenly came towards him.


    Pah-jee-jeek!


    Atein was surprised. He blocked the attack, and he was flung backwards.


    He was perplexed, but he immediately realized that someone had connected two points in space to attack him.


    ¡®Aunsaurus¡¯ descendant?¡¯


    Atein caught sight of the Dimensional Distortion from the distance. Laura was ring at him from the outskirts of the city.


    However, she wasn¡¯t the real problem.


    ¡®How?¡¯


    Atein¡¯s eyes widened.


    Azell was slumped over as he stood next to her. He was a bloody mess.


    The blue Dragon Demon weapon in his hand was burning up with a pure white light.


    The wave of light washed over the ground. Azell used the Ultrahigh Speed Pure Copper technique to pass through the Dimensional Distortion, and he attacked Atein.


    Kwahng!


    An explosion rang out as Atein fell towards the ground. He was barely able to kick off the ground. He rolled several times to lessen the damage. Atein threw up blood.


    ¡°Now.......¡±


    Azell swung his sword from the distance.


    -Thunder Dragon¡¯s Horn!


    A lightning strike, which was as sharp as a de, hit Atein. Atein was barely able to dodge it. Azell followed up immediately with another attack.


    ¡°Koo-ah!¡±


    Atein refused to take it lying down. He moved backwards at full speed as he brought up his defensive magic. He let the force of the attack flow through him.


    The pure white de and the pitch dark de remained locked together.


    Azell yelled.


    ¡°...let¡¯s end this ill-fated rtionship between the world and you!¡±


    They were entangled with each other as they flew at high speed. Azell rotated his body as he let out a kick. Atein was hit, and he was sent flying higher into the sky. The rebound sent Azell towards the ground. He once again used the Ultrahigh Speed Pure Copper technique to chase after Atein.


    ¡°Ill-fated! Ha-ha-ha! You are saying I have a ill-fated rtionship with the world?¡±


    Atein let out a bitterughter.


    Atein used his clone to block Azell, who was charging towards him. Azell defeated the clone as he pushed higher into the air. The fight had taken only a brief moment, yet he saw several dozen circles of darkness appear in the air.


    The spells, which were charged within, were released at the same time. The light was so bright that it was blinding. The shockwave shook the heavens.


    ¡°Atein!¡±


    Azell burst through the explosion as he charged Atein. The sword, which was burning with white light, was brought down towards Atein. Atein parried with the Darkness Engraver.


    Zzuhng!


    A clear sound rang out.


    It was the sound that rang out when swords shed against each other. However, this was the first time the pure sound of des shing against each other had been heard.


    ¡°What a pity.¡±


    Ateinughed.


    Azell had brought down his sword with all his power, but the blow felt light to Atein.


    It seemed Azell¡¯s power had been depleted when he charged through the spells. After blocking Azell¡¯s movements, Atein spoke.


    ¡°This is the end, my fated foe.¡±


    ¡°...yes.¡±


    Atein felt puzzled by Azell¡¯s words.


    There wasn¡¯t a single ounce of despair in Azell¡¯s voice.


    ¡®What is he up to.......¡¯


    It happened when he was trying to end the fight by setting off his spells. Azell¡¯s sword, which had been stopped by his Darkness Engraver, resolved into a different appearance.


    Since the de had been surrounded by a burning light, the only part that was visible was the hilt of the sword. Atein was appalled when he saw the subtle change.


    ¡®Moon sword?¡¯


    He had thought the sword was the Sky Splitter. While the de was burning with white light, it didn¡¯t have the blue luster of the Sky Splitter. It was the Moon sword, which Azell had inherited from his teacher.


    The sword cut space before Atein could question anything.


    ¡®Ah.......¡¯


    Atein¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.


    The Darkness Engraver had been broken into two. Moreover, there was a deep cut to his body. Red blood sprayed into the air.


    ¡®I see.¡¯


    Atein was in a state of shock, but he acquired his answer before he fell to the ground.


    ¡®Is it the Extreme Extinction?¡¯


    It was the third form of the Extreme Extinction that had been disyed during the fight between Almarick and Azell. Azell had manifested it through the Moon sword.


    Suddenly, a shadow appeared above Atein¡¯s body. The sun was on Azell¡¯s back as he looked down at Atein.


    ¡°Once again.....¡±


    He was opening his mouth when he threw up blood once again.


    This wasn¡¯t the first time he had experienced this. This was the sensation he had experienced at the end of the Dragon Demon war. The sound of death¡¯s footsteps was getting closer.


    ¡°...I¡¯ve been had by Carlos and you.¡±


    There was blood around his lips as he smiled.


    Azell nodded his head.


    ¡°Yes. I would have lost this fight without him.¡±


    He had openly used the Sun Lightsaber to bait Atein. He used it to set up his next move. Azell used his clone to maintain his trap as he hid his true body. He waited for the right moment.


    If it ended there, it would have been optimal for Atein. However, Atein had pushed through Azell¡¯s trap, and he had destroyed the Sky Splitter.


    At this point, Azell wasn¡¯t able to immediately resummon the Sky Splitter. In such a situation, Azell had done something very bold. He made the Moon sword look like the Sky Splitter, and he had charged forward for the final attack.


    It was to take advantage the preconceptions that had been ingrained into Atein by Carlos and Azell.


    In order for Azell to use the Extreme Extinction, he had to activate the Sun Lightsaber using the Sky Spitter.


    The version of the Extreme Extinction left behind by Carlos could only be used by magicians. It was done through a magician sacrificing a Dragon Demon weapon.


    These intricate lies had been created, so Azell could take advantage of this exact moment.


    ¡°Magic isn¡¯t the only way it can be used.... I never expected that to be a lie....¡±


    Atein sounded dejected as heughed.


    The variation of the Extreme Extinction technique had been left behind by Carlos. In truth, it wasn¡¯t a technique that was exclusive to magicians. Spirit Order users could also sacrifice their Dragon Demon weapon to recreate the Extreme Extinction.


    It was the same as how Arrieta was able to use the Extreme Extinction by sacrificing the Crying Phoenix.


    ¡°If my teacher knew that his Dragon Demon was sacrificed in order to kill you, he would have been satisfied.¡±


    He had sacrificed the Dragon Demon weapon left behind by his third teacher Lin. The Moon sword symbolized his special rtionship to his teacher. Azell was proud of the absolute knowledge that the sacrifice had been worth it.


    Atein mumbled to himself.


    ¡°In the end.... I couldn¡¯t ovee the world¡¯s hatred.....¡±


    ¡°If you treat the world with hate, you have to be ready to be hated by the world....¡±


    Azell mumbled those words without realizing it. Atein looked at Azell with ssy eyes as he spoke.


    ¡°A human taught me those words a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I am sad. In the end, I couldn¡¯t change anything.....¡±


    Atein was truly sad.


    He wasn¡¯t sad about his own death. He had been tormented for a very long time. He had been lonely living in a different time framepared to everyone else. He strangely felt relieved when he realized that it woulde to an end.


    However, his death wouldn¡¯t change the fate of humanity.


    ¡°Oh Azell. The fate that¡¯ll greet humanity won¡¯t change¡±


    ¡°I know. You are a sage that was able to unravel the truths of this world. The cmity, which you predicted, wille someday.¡±


    ¡°Unimaginable amounts of blood will flow. The world will be covered by a tsunami of hate.¡±


    ¡°Even if that is true.......¡±


    Azell sighed as he spoke.


    ¡°...it isn¡¯t something you can handle on your own. From the beginning, it was an undertaking that you shouldn¡¯t have taken on by yourself, Atein.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°It is something we all have to ovee. This includes our descendants. Humans shouldn¡¯t give up on everything. They shouldn¡¯t cling onto you as if you are a god.......¡±


    No one had the right to live someone else¡¯s life. Even if their destinies were preordained by the gods, everyone had to live their own lives.


    ¡°That is why you should sleep now, Atein. You¡¯ve done your part.¡±


    The knowledge dug up by Atein would be passed on to humanity. Humanity would use this knowledge to make preparations. They¡¯ll fight the inevitable cmity that¡¯ll hit them in the distant future.


    ¡°...I see.¡±


    Atein let out a faint smile. Somehow, there was contentment within his smile.


    ¡°That will do... It seems my life wasn¡¯t a waste.¡±


    He was a man that had feared the loneliness that came along with living an eternal life, so he had tried to change the world. He had looked down on the world, but now he epted the fact that he was just one of the people living in this world. He closed his eyes.


    9


    Aincera was deep within the Dragon Demon castle, and she was waiting for the battle to end.


    When she was with Atein, she showed feelings of love. She showed the semnce of herself before she had lost her sense of self. Currently, she just sat on a chair with a nk expression on her face. She looked like a doll staring into empty space. Atein might lose. He might die, yet she didn¡¯t look worried at all. She looked empty.


    A darkness started to appear in front of her.


    ¡°King.......¡±


    It was as if her previous self had been a lie. Vivid emotion started to appear on her face. She looked as if she wanted to cry as she ran towards the darkness.


    A man appeared from within the darkness, and he embraced her. He was a Dragon Demon with long ck hair and thick ck horns. It was Atein.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Atein whispered in her ear. It was enough. He didn¡¯t need to exin any further. Aincera understood everything.


    Aincera remained in his embrace as she nodded her head.


    ¡°No, my king¡±


    ¡°I asked you to wait for a very long time, yet I was unable to do anything for you. Do you not resent me?¡±


    ¡°I gave up on such emotions when you became mine. If I can be with you , it is enough. My time with you may only be a brief instant of your life, but I am satisfied by the fact that you looked towards me.....¡±


    Atein looked like he had been suckerpunched by her words. Aincera smiled as she looked up at him. Finally, she opened her mouth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be alone. Please take me with you.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t necessary. I will no longer be here, but you still have ...¡±


    Aincera quietly raised her hand, and she ced it over his mouth. She looked straight into his eyes as she spoke.


    ¡°I am merely an empty doll in a world without you.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°If you are gone, I have no reason to live.¡±


    ¡°...I am sorry.¡±


    ¡°Those aren¡¯t the words I want to hear.¡±


    Aincera shook her head as she looked intently into Atein¡¯s eyes.


    Soon, he let out an abashedughter as he nodded his head.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Atein gently hugged her closer.


    Then the turbulent darkness swallowed the two of them.


    Forever.


    10


    Reshoo let out a bitterughter as he mumbled to himself.


    ¡°In the end, it turned out like this.¡±


    Atein had delivered a message through the Great Darkness.


    -I¡¯ll leave everything in your hands, Reshoo. I¡¯m sorry for requesting this task of you. It will basically amount to a penance. I wish you the best in creating a new world.


    Atein had always prepared for the possibility of his own defeat. That is why he had set up a site called the in of Darkness during the Dragon Demon war. It was a ce of refuge that would assure the survival of his defeated troops. He had also prepared a n for those that had followed him.


    At the end, Atein had asked Reshoo to takemand of his n. Reshoo already went down a path of no return, so he epted Atein¡¯s request.


    ¡°Reshoo!¡±


    As the corridor fell, he could hear Leticia¡¯s scream.


    Half of Reshoo¡¯s field of view was obstructed, but he met eyes with Leticia.


    ¡°Do you really think I¡¯ll let you run away?¡±


    She growled as if she was ready to hunt him down. However, she had spent all her power, so she was swaying on her feet. Kairen had also used up all his power. The only one that looked fine was Kayalia since she didn¡¯t possess a real body.


    ¡®I¡¯m d I don¡¯t have to kill you.¡¯


    Reshoo meant it.


    Since he had to fulfill Atein¡¯s request, he didn¡¯t show any killing intent towards them. His goal had always been to keep them upied until Azell and Atein could resolve their fight.


    If Atein had won, he would have had to kill Leticia and Kairen with his own hands. Atein¡¯s defeat was a bitter pill to swallow, but it brought him somefort that he didn¡¯t need to kill the two of them.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t see me for the rest of your lifetime......¡±


    Reshoo said his goodbye.


    ¡°Please live happily, Leticia. You deserve it.¡±


    ¡°Reshoo!¡±


    Koo-roo-roo-roong!


    When Reshoo turned around, the ceiling copsed. Leticia looked despondent when she saw this. Soon, she lost strength in her legs. She copsed to the floor.


    ¡°Shit! That soft bastard!¡±


    Kairen was behind her. He sighed as he watched her rage.


    ¡°He was just messing around with us.¡±


    The feeling of defeat filled his heart. If Reshoo wanted to kill them in the first ce, the fight wouldn¡¯t havested long. He was well aware of this fact now.


    On the other hand, he also felt a sense of relief.


    It wasn¡¯t because his life had been spared. Kairen was sitting on the floor as he looked at the back of Leticia¡¯s head. He scratched his head.


    ¡®It is infuriating, but he was like a parent to her. Maybe, it may have been for the best that she wasn¡¯t able to kill him.¡¯


    If they were able to kill Reshoo, it would have been their victory. However, it would have also been a tragedy. Kairen had such thoughts as he looked towards where Reshoo had made his exit.


    ¡®Since it turned out like this, you should go somewhere far. Never show yourself again. That would be for the best for both of you and Leticia.¡¯


    Kayalia was behind Kairen, and she looked perplexed as she mumbled to herself.


    -Pioneer n......?


    11


    Azell and Laura was flying above the ruined city. Laura was perplexed as she mumbled to herself.


    ¡°No matter how hard I try.......¡±


    This city had been her home for a very long time. If she closed her eyes, she could vividly remember every inch of the city.


    ¡°...I cannot believe it.¡±


    However, the only thing she could see was the totally demolished city. It had been a majestic city only a couple hours ago.


    She feltplicated emotions when she saw this sight. It didn¡¯t matter if she liked or hated this ce. It was her birthce. Most of her past memories urred in this ce. She felt sadness wash over her when she realized she¡¯ll never get to see the home she remembered in her memories.


    At the same time, she felt the oppressive weight of fate no longer press down on her. She felt a sense of freedom. So why did she feel deste instead of being happy?


    Azell, who was flying next to her, suddenly spoke.


    ¡°There will probably never be a fight like this.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°...I hope so.¡±


    Laura looked at Azell, who was sighing. She let out a ghost of aughter.


    ¡®It¡¯ll be fine.¡¯


    She didn¡¯t know how she¡¯ll live from now on. It was a thought that terrified and frustrated her. However, it¡¯ll be ok. She had someone next to her that¡¯ll guide her in life.


    She held up the Vitan¡¯s Chalice as she looked up at the sky.


    ¡°I hope so.¡±


    It was as if arge tear drop was floating in the sky. It visibly distorted the sky.


    It was the Heaven¡¯s Tear. Since Azell couldn¡¯t summon his Sky Splitter for a while, they had to use the next attack with the highest amount of destructive capability. They had to use the Heaven¡¯s Tear to destroy the ritual.


    FIrst, she evacuated all allies from the Dragon Demon pce. Azell chose the target, and she opened the Road of Tears to the location. Then.......


    ¡°Release.¡±


    She let out a small whisper, and she released the massive amount of sunlight gathered in the sky. The enormous pir of light passed through the Path of Tears, and it hit the underground facility of the Dragon Demon castle. An enormous explosion detonated, and light erupted towards the surface.


    Koo-goo-goo-goo-goo......!


    The Dragon Demon castle couldn¡¯t withstand the damage, and it cratered into the ground. A massive cloud of dust rose into the air. Laura and Azell sensed the terrifying amount of magical energy, which had been underground, cease to exist.


    Azell watched it until the end. His face rxed as he mumbled to himself.


    ¡°It¡¯s over.¡±


    There were a lot of emotions within that short phrase.


    As a sense of relief washed over him, he recalled the faces of many people. He remembered hisrade from long ago. He recalled the faces of the people he met in this era....


    He could finally stick his chest out as he spoke these words.


    The long fight was finally at an end.


    We¡¯ve won.


    ¡°It really is over.¡±


    Azell let out a bright smile as he reveled in this truth.

 Chapter 262 - Epilogue (1)

    Chapter 262 - Epilogue (1)


    1


    After Atein was defeated, the Dragon Demon castle was demolished. The heart of the in of Darkness was destroyed, and the long fight waged by the Guardian Shadows came to an end.


    However, this didn¡¯t mean that their work was done.


    The Great Darkness still existed in this world. More pirs of Darkness had to be destroyed topletely eradicate the presence of the Great Darkness.


    Moreover, there was an immediate problem they had to take care of.


    There were still remnants of the Dragon Demon king worshippers. The in of Darkness possessed five small cities, and many Dragon Demon king worshippers had been dispatched into the outer world.


    The remnant of the Dragon Demon king worshippers woulde flooding back.


    The suicide squad was tired and injured right now. They were running out of medicine, supplies and equipment. They would have to break through the waves of Dragon Demon worshippers to escape from this ce.


    The suicide squad was ready to fight to the death, but they soon received a shocking piece of news.


    The five small cities within the in of Darkness was empty. While the Dragon Demon castle was being destroyed, everyone within these cities had evacuated to some unknown location. They were basically ghost cities.


    It was the same for the troops that had been defending the waypoints and the pirs of Darkness.


    Of course, the Guardian Shadows were taken aback when they realized all the Dragon Demon King worshippers were gone.


    Kayalia found out the reason behind their disappearance when she regained ess to the Great Darkness.


    ¡®Pioneer n.¡¯


    It was a n that had been prepared alongside the construction of the Dragon Demon castle. It had been prepared near the end of the Dragon Demon war. Reshoo was in charge of carrying out the n now. The Dragon Demon king worshippers were embarking on a new future.


    2


    Shwahhhhh.......


    He could hear the sound of the waves.


    An enormous ship was crossing the ocean. It was a ship that wasrger than any ship built in the history of this world. It was sorge that it could be called a small ind. The ship¡¯s hull was colored ck. The sail and the power of magic allowed the ship to cut through the waves.


    There wasn¡¯t just one boat. There were 33 ships traveling as a fleet.


    A Dragon Majin female with long ck hair and cold blue eyes was standing atop the deck. She looked out at the horizon.


    She had been working as Niberis¡¯ aide until Niberis betrayed the in of Darkness. Regina was thrown out from the Dragon Demon castle afterwards, and she chose to reside in one of the small cities within the in of Darkness.


    On the day of the final battle, Regina had heard the voice of Atein ring inside her head.


    -Myrades. You have participated in my n, and we stand at the crossroad of our fate.


    Atein knew that everything he had worked for was in danger of copsing. It would be great if he had won, but there had always been the possibility that he might be defeated. This was why he had worked on finding another future for his people.


    The residents near the Dragon Demon castle, who were embroiled in the fight, was excluded from the order. All the other Dragon Demon King worshippers were ordered to gather in one location. They were told to wait for the result of the fight.


    They gathered at the eastern tip of the continent. They were at the Atisan mountain range, and it was a ce beyond human reach. Only a very few number of people knew about this location. Another n was put in ce when Atein had built the Dragon Demon castle long ago.


    When Atein¡¯s death became known, his n was revealed to the scared and saddened Dragon Demon king worshippers.


    Pioneer n.


    Atein had used his great magic to find a new continent. He had chosen to immigrate his people to the new world using his fleet.


    ¡°A newnd across the ocean.......¡±


    Regina absent-mindedly mumbled to herself.


    3


    After Atein was awakened, a chosen group of people had been put in charge of preparing the Pioneer n. He had built the Dragon Demon castle for the possibility of him losing the Dragon Demon war. He had done the same thing by preparing another backup n.


    The foundation of the Pioneer n had beenid down before the Dragon Demon war had begun. He had put dozens of years into preparing this n.


    It was considered short if Atein took only several dozens years toplete a n. There were some ns that took several hundred years to finish. Aside from the Road of Emptiness and the Dragon Demon castle, the rest of Atein¡¯s n had remained iplete after his death.


    The Pioneer n was one of the iplete ns, but it had been at the final stages of beingpleted. The n just needed some finishing touches to bepleted. However, there had been ack of manpower and supplies to finish the n near the end of the Dragon Demon war.


    The Pioneer n was finally finished after it was halted 220 years ago. It urred after Atein was revived.


    As civilizations grew, their technology and skills naturally developed. Their search for knowledge did not remain confined to their continent.


    The Auru Archipgo was located in the western ocean. The Brikra continent was located across the southern ocean.


    Still, the northern and eastern ocean were uncharted territories for humanity.


    The North contained the in of Darkness. The Atisan mountain range, and the Albatan formed an imprable barrier to the south. This was why humanity was blocked from exploring towards those directions. Some tried to explore the north and south through the ocean. They were met with natural and artificial phenomena like giant whirlpools and the Fog of the Water god.


    Atein had defeated a transcendent being called the Water god a long time ago. In the process, he found out a route that would allow him to bypass these obstacles.


    Moreover, he was able to use the Great Darkness to observe the new continent, which was across eastern ocean. There were no humans and Dragons living on this uncharted continent. In fact, no intelligent races upied this territory.


    If Atein had won and survived his battle, he would have used the Pioneer n to extend humanity¡¯s territories. He nned on creating new possibilities using thisnd.


    However, he had lost. In his death, he ordered his people to embark on their new future.


    4


    Reshoo was sitting inside of the captain¡¯s room of the lead ship. He was going over a report.


    The fleet was made out of 33 ships, and there was amunication line being maintained through the Great Darkness. They didn¡¯t have to waste paper to create reports. They could exchange information through the Great Darkness.


    ¡°Food is our biggest worry.¡±


    Reshoo mumbled to himself.


    It had been 10 days since the fleet was put out to the ocean. They could use the power of magic to transform the ocean waters into drinkable water. Their water supply wasn¡¯t a problem.


    However, they were short on food. They hadn¡¯t been able to scrounge up enough food before the final battle had started.


    ¡°I think we should start fishing now.¡±


    The one to make the suggestion was a Dragon Demon youth sitting next to Reshoo. It was Jeffers Almarick.


    During the final fight, he was dispatched to protect one of the pirs. This was why he hadn¡¯t participated in the final fight, and he became included in the Pioneer n.


    He had the status symbol of being the descendant of Almarick, so he was widely epted by the Dragon Demon king worshippers. Reshoo had also rescued him twice before, so he had made Jeffers an officer under hismand. Jeffers had been a big help in taking care of the day-to-day responsibilities.


    Reshoo spoke.


    ¡°Fishing. I guess that¡¯s our only choice. Does anyone have experience with fishing?¡±


    ¡°...no.¡±


    ¡°It is to be expected since we never fought near the ocean. We¡¯ll have to rely on the magicians to fish. It would be optimal if we are able to find an ind along the way.....¡±


    ¡°It would be great if we are able to find one.¡±


    Jeffers sighed as he spoke.


    Atein¡¯s n only gave the route that¡¯ll get them to the new continent. Overall, the information had beencking. Atein had used the abilities of the Great Darkness to observe and glean couple crucial information about the new continent, but he didn¡¯t know much else. Atein hadn¡¯t had the time to explore and expand on the information he had gathered.


    Suddenly, Jeffers spoke.


    ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll do a good job?¡±


    ¡°We have to do a good job. Are you not confident?¡±


    ¡°In truth, I¡¯m not. This is my first time doing this.¡±


    ¡°It is also my first.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Reshoo chuckled when he saw Jeffers¡¯ expression crumble.


    ¡°It is understandable that you are nervous about this venture. I¡¯m nervous too.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look like you are nervous.¡±


    ¡°I have to be like that. You¡¯ve been in positions where you had to lead men. The leader always has to be confident even if you are hitting a rock with an egg.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    Jeffers groaned.


    He felt frustrated. From the moment he was born, he had always walked the path designated by someone else. It didn¡¯t matter before or after Atein was revived. He always believed that the path pointed out by his superiors was the right one. This was why he was anxious now.


    In some ways, he was still living his life the same way as before. Atein was his god, and Reshoo was in charge of carrying out Atein¡¯s will.


    However, Atein hadn¡¯t been able topletely discern the future. They were being given a nk canvas to work on.


    Would they really be able to do well?


    Suddenly, Reshoo spoke.


    ¡°I was thrown into this world with only my name. I left the Albatan forest to understand humans, and I was afraid and nervous at the time. Ites with the territory when you are trying to discover the unknown. However, if I gave up before I even attempted it, I would have never been able to bring about any change.¡±


    ¡°Even if I am afraid, I shouldn¡¯t try to dodge an unavoidable fight. You are saying I shouldn¡¯t think about the consequences. I should hit it headon.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly it. It probably differs from what you learned from the in of Darkness, but.....¡±


    ¡°I know you aren¡¯t saying we should willingly die for our noble mission.¡±


    Jeffers sighed.


    Suddenly, Reshoo spoke.


    ¡°It had been a blur since we¡¯ve started our voyage..... Somehow, I get why Atein gave this mission to me. Do you know why he did so?¡±


    ¡°He appointed Reshoo-nim as the Dragon Demon General. You have the right pedigree to be in charge of the Pioneer n..... Also, you have the power to control everyone if needed.¡±


    Jeffers gave his answer. It was the reasons why everyone epted Reshoo as their leader.


    There were many problems percting within the ships.


    The Dragon Demon king worshippers were beings bred and raised on fanaticism within the in of Darkness. The Dragon Demons were on top of their social ss. Humans were ced at the bottom. They had lived within such ss system.


    When Atein was revived, all their values and beliefs were shattered. They were shocked by it. It also didn¡¯t mean their personalities changed after they learned the truth. The principles of fanaticism, which had been established from their birth, still had a hold over them.


    Above all else, the word of Atein was important. He was their god.


    However, Atein was dead now. There was a state of uneasiness in the ships, and it felt as if a problem would arise at any moment. It was a ticking time bomb.


    This was why it had been wise to have ced Reshoo as the leader. He had both the pedigree and strength to be the leader.


    Reshoo spoke.


    ¡°In practical terms, you are right. The elders of the in of Darkness no longer exists, but the problems they created remains. If drastic measures are needed, the leader must be able to take control through power.¡±


    The survivors of the Dragon Demon war and the elders of the in of Darkness had been gathered inside the Dragon Demon castle. They had done so at the order of Atein, and they had been wiped out in the final battle. This was why they weren¡¯t part of the Pioneer n.


    It was unknown if Atein had purposefully done this or it was a simple coincidence. As the leader of the Pioneer n, their absence had been a huge boon for Reshoo.


    ¡°However, those weren¡¯t the only reasons why Atein chose me. Even if Almarick, Ausaurus or Baldazark survived until the end, Atein would have chosen me. ¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°This will be my first.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Jeffers looked as if he couldn¡¯tprehend his words. Reshoo spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been a king before.¡±


    Reygus, Almarick, Ausaurus and Baldazark had lived for a very long time, and they had been kings before. They had fought for their ideals, and they had be worn down by reality. This was why they had entrusted their dreams to Atein.


    However, Reshoo had never attempted to achieve his ideals through his own power.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always lived in a world created by others.¡±


    It started in the Albatan forest. It was the same when he wandered around the humans world. It continued when he had allied himself with Atein.


    From Atein¡¯s point of view, hisck of experience as a ruler was a merit in Reshoo¡¯s favor. It made Atein want to entrust the future to Reshoo.


    Reshoo knew about the various facets of the world. Moreover, he had created the Dragon Soul. It had been several thousand years since the Dragon Demon weapons had been created, and he had created a new possibility through his own actions.


    ¡°I think that is why he did it. He wanted to entrust the future to an unknown quantity.¡±


    Atein hadn¡¯t revealed his inner thoughts to Reshoo. He just told Reshoo about the Pioneer n, and in the case of his death, he would entrust the future to Reshoo. He told Reshoo to make a good world as he saw fit to make it.


    ¡°Atein left me a big burden, so I have to take on the responsibility. From now on, I¡¯ll borrow the name of the god called Atein. I n on acting as an apostle that follows the words of a god.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be his apostle?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what I am?¡±


    Reshoo shrugged his shoulders.


    Reshoo had to change the way of life of the settlers from now on. It was a lifestyle that was ingrained into them. From the moment of their birth, these people had lived as ves to their fanaticism towards Atein.


    Reshoo determined that the easiest way to change their behavior was through using the ¡®god¡¯s words.¡¯


    The Dragon Demon king worshippers had grown roots in the in of Darkness for the past 220 years. They left behind their lives without any fuss, and they were participating in the Pioneer n without causing any trouble. It was all thanks to Atein¡¯s presence. If Reshoo tried to minimize Atein in any way, it would cause confusion and bacsh amongst his people.


    ¡°At some point, I won¡¯t need to use such facade......¡±


    The Dragon Demons, Dragon Majins and humans would ovee the confusion of change that came with generations changing. They would do so by following Atein¡¯s words.


    In the distant future, humanity in their homnd will forget about their hatred towards Atein and the Dragon Demon King worshippers....


    ¡°When that timees, we¡¯ll be able to reunite with the people of our homnd. We¡¯ll be able to forge a different rtionship with them. If possible, I want to live long enough to witness this.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to live for a very long time.¡±


    ¡°I guess so. Well, it is merely a wish.¡±


    Reshoo didn¡¯t know how long his lifespan was. He wasn¡¯t sure if he¡¯ll be able to transcend his lifespan.


    Anyways, he¡¯ll be with the settlers for a very long time, and he¡¯ll be able to steer the future of the new world.


    Reshoo looked at the navigation map on the wall as he spoke.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, the new continent has no name.¡±


    ¡°There are no indigenous people there so no name has been given.¡±


    ¡°The name has already been chosen.¡±


    ¡°Is it the Reshoo continent?¡±


    ¡°Is that supposed to be a joke?¡±


    Reshoo clicked his tongue as he raised a pen to the map. He wrote a name atop the new continent.


    ¡®Atein.¡¯

 Chapter 263 - Epilogue (2)

    Chapter 263 - Epilogue (2)


    5


    She stood atop a windy mountaintop, and her long ck hair fluttered in the wind.


    The owner of the long hair was a young and beautiful Dragon Demon woman. It was Niberis. She had been watching the horizon for a long while.


    Someone approached her. He was a Dragon Demon with beautiful blonde hair. It was Kieren.


    ¡°Niberis.¡±


    After Saibein and Reygus had destroyed the pir of Darkness, Niberis and Kieren had escaped to the Albatan forest. When they arrived at the Albatan forest, they were told of Atein¡¯s defeat at the hands of Azell.


    The two of them resided in the Albatan forest as guests for the next month.


    Kieren spoke.


    ¡°Albatan-nim is looking for you.¡±


    Niberis turned around to look at him. There was a soft smile on her lips as she spoke to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for always doing as I please Kieren. I¡¯m sure you would have enjoyed living here....¡±


    ¡°No, I.......¡±


    Kieren looked away as he scratched his cheek. When she smiled towards him, she was stunningly beautiful. It was an expression that he would have never seen in the past.


    Kieren called up his courage as he spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go wherever you want to go.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. However, if you are doing this because you feel obligated to honor my father¡¯s words.....¡±


    ¡°Niberis.¡±


    Kieren furrowed his brows as he called out her name. He looked straight into her eyes as he spoke.


    ¡°You know that¡¯s not the case.¡±


    ¡°Then why?¡±


    ¡°Uh.......¡±


    ¡°Please tell me in no uncertain terms.¡±


    ¡°Uh. Mmm. That is....¡±


    Kieren¡¯s face turned red, and he floundered. Niberis watched him struggle for a brief moment. She let out a small sigh as she started walking.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. We shouldn¡¯t make Albatan-nim wait on us.¡±


    The two of them didn¡¯t bother walking down the mountain. They used magic to fly down towards Albatan¡¯s abode.


    Albatan was a Dragon, who had acquired wisdom. He had his head perched atop his talons as he waited for the two of them. When Niberis arrived in front of him, she gave an elegant bow. Albatan spoke.


    ¡°I heard you are leaving today.¡±


    ¡°That is correct. I came here because I wanted to give my final farewell to you.¡±


    ¡°Will you consider bing a resident of my forest?¡±


    ¡°I want to thank you for your offer, but I¡¯ll have to decline.¡±


    Saibein had bargained for his freedom for the price of teaching Albatan the Extreme Extinction technique. He had also asked Albatan to ept Niberis and Kieren into the forest if they decided toe to the forest after the fight.


    Albatan was willing to grant that request, but Niberis revealed her intention of leaving for the outside world.


    Albatan asked her a question.


    ¡°Why? You guys aren¡¯t part of the human society. Also, there is no one left inside the in of Darkness.¡±


    Albatan know the result of the final battle, and he was aware of what had urred afterwards. He had passed on the information to Niberis.


    She had nowhere else she could return to.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never had a ce I can return to.¡±


    When Atein was revived, she had impulsively ran away from the in of Darkness. Afterwards, she clearly chose to walk down the path of treason. Even if the Dragon Demon king worshippers hadn¡¯t left for the Pioneer n, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to return to them.


    ¡°This ce no longer feels the same to me. My father isn¡¯t here anymore.¡±


    Niberis let out a sad smile.


    When she resided here before, it might have been the most peaceful and happiest time in her life. When she first came here, she was able to reunite with her father, who she had wanted to see for a very long time. When she returned to the forest after the fight, she saw the traces of her father, and it had soothed her sadness.


    However, that wasn¡¯t enough. If she stayed here any longer, the sadness and longing for her father would continue to grow. She knew she would feel tormented here.


    ¡°My father gave me so much.¡±


    On that day, she couldn¡¯t hear what Saibein had said before she lost consciousness. His words had been drowned out by the sound of the explosion. However, she had a good idea as to what he was trying to say to her.


    ¡°I do not want to stay in a shelter provided by someone else. I would like to find my own answers as I travel the world. By doing so, I¡¯m hoping I¡¯ll be able to find my path forward.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll respect your wishes, Saibein¡¯s daughter. However, there will always be a ce here for you. Remember this. Your father gave me something that¡¯ll guarantee that.¡±


    ¡°Understood. Oh wise Dragon, I hope you peace until we meet again.¡±


    Niberis nodded her head. She turned around, and she left. Kieren followed after her as he asked a question.


    ¡°Where do you n to go?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.......¡±


    Niberis had expressed her wish to leave the Albatan forest, but she hadn¡¯t talked about any specific destination. She thought for a brief moment as she looked to the north.


    ¡°Kieren, where do you want to go?¡±


    ¡°Uh? Me?¡±


    ¡°If you tell me, you¡¯ll go wherever I go then I¡¯ll refuse to listen to such an answer. This time I¡¯ll give you the same statement you presented me with. I¡¯ll go wherever you want to go.¡±


    ¡°N...Niberis?¡±


    Kieren was flustered. Soon, he realized that there was a change to Niberis¡¯ usual expression.


    Her face was red as if she was embarrassed. Despite being embarrassed, she looked straight at Kieren as she waited for his answer.


    Kieren suddenly woke up from his stupor. She was being brave by giving him such an opportunity. If he tried to avoid answering her question with a half-assed answer, how pathetic would he be?


    ¡°This might be sudden, but.... I would like to answer the question from earlier first.¡±


    ¡°Which question?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. That is.... You asked why I¡¯m doing all this?¡±


    ¡°Ok.¡±


    When he heard her words, Kieren took a deep breath. He mustered up his courage as he spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing all of this, because I love you.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Even if Saibein-nim hadn¡¯t made the request, I would do the same. I love you. If it is for you, I¡¯m willing to do anything.¡±


    Niberis¡¯ expression froze for a brief moment when she heard his honest confession.


    She stared at Kieren for a brief moment, and her face started to heat up.


    ¡°Ah. Understood.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Kieren, your words.... I understood it.¡±


    It was Niberis¡¯ turn to take a deep breathe. Her face was beet red from embarrassment, yet she didn¡¯t look away from Kieren¡¯s gaze.


    ¡®Wow. This is so like her.¡¯


    It really was like her, yet this was a side of her he had never seen before. She was so lovable right now that it was driving him crazy. Kieren wanted to hug her right now, but he resisted against such impulse.


    Niberis spoke.


    ¡°I love you too, Kieren.¡±


    ¡°Uh, uh.......¡±


    ¡°I hope you won¡¯t ask me if I¡¯m speaking the truth.¡±


    At her words, Kieren swallowed the words that he had almost blurted out in a reflexive manner. It had been very close.


    Niberis took another deep breath as she raised her hand. Soon, Kieren realized that Niberis wanted him to take her hand. He quickly held her hand. Niberis took the lead as she spoke.


    ¡°We share the same fate now. That is why I¡¯ll decide where we should go.¡±


    ¡°What? Wait a moment. I thought you wanted me to decide on a destination?¡±


    ¡°Even if I choose the destination, you don¡¯t n on going against my decision. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°I guess so.......¡±


    ¡°My n is simple. Let¡¯s start with somewhere close.¡±


    In the outside world, the Iellos kingdom was closest to the Albatan forest If they didn¡¯t want to travel through the Atisan mountain range to the in of Darkness, they had to go through the Iellos Kingdom.


    Niberis spoke.


    ¡°That ce will be our starting point. We¡¯ll take a tour of the continent, then we can choose our next destination. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°It.......¡±


    Kieren didn¡¯t answer immediately. When he hesitated, Niberis whipped her head around to re at him. Kieren smiled as if he was waiting for her to do so. He spoke.


    ¡°It is the best of ns.¡±


    They were freed from the madness that had shackled them from birth. The two started a long journey to find a new life for themselves.


    6


    ¡°Youth. This is why the young ones are fun to watch.¡±


    Albatan was far away, but he had heard the whole conversation between Kieren and Niberis. He mumbled to himself. As soon as he spoke, he heard a reply.


    ¡°You were listening in on a conversation between lovers. If they found out about it, they¡¯ll cuss you out, Albatan-nim.¡±


    The one to speak was a young Dragon Demon woman with straight blonde hair. She was the woman who had greeted Azell¡¯s party when they arrived at the Albatan forest.


    Albatanughed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember my youth. That is why it pleases me when I see such sights. It is like listening to a great story. I can live vicariously through it.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, it is time for you to woo a charming female Dragon.¡±


    ¡°I wish such a woman would show up. It would have been great if Libatan was female.¡±


    In the history of this world, the second Dragon to acquire wisdom was Libatan. Libatan was male.


    Mirnel shook her head from side to side as she spoke.


    ¡°We¡¯ve received news from Azell Karzark.¡±


    ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°There are only two pirs left.¡±


    When Atein was defeated, there were five remaining pirs of Darkness.


    Azell¡¯s party and the Guardian Shadow replenished their supplies, and they killed another transcendent being sealed within the in of Darkness. He was the god of pestilence named Limas. At that point, the suicide squad was disbanded, and most of the members went back home.


    The remnants of the Dragon Demon king worshippers had left thisnd, so the role of the Guardian Shadow had ended. Each member had to go back to their own country, and they had to clean up the mess within their countries. This would also be another long, hard fight.


    Azell¡¯s party understood why they had to return to their home. If help was needed in destroying the pirs of Darkness, the nearest members would be enlisted for help. For the time being, everyone went on their separate ways with such an understanding.


    After one month passed, two additional pirs had been destroyed.


    Albatan spoke.


    ¡°The world¡¯s greatest magical legacy is being destroyed. It is a miraculous item that¡¯ll never exist once again.... It is a pity.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve inherit its power, so it won¡¯t bepletely gone.¡±


    ¡°No, the system that¡¯ll be created in this forest will never hold a candle against the Great Darkness. The Great Darkness was a tower of wonder that had been built up by Atein, who was the embodiment of magic and its history.¡±


    Albatan received a copy of the Great Darkness when he made a deal with Carlos. For the past dozens of years, he had slowlyid down the foundation for his own system. His efforts were starting toe to fruition. He was finally seeing some tangible results.


    However, he was merely a single magician, so he had to be realistic about his own limitations The Great Darkness was made by sealing twelve transcendent beings, and it was a miracle that¡¯ll never be recreated once again.


    Suddenly, Minerel spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ve reviewed the recent events, and I feel uneasy about it.¡±


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    ¡°We might have to leave thisnd someday. We¡¯ll have to leave like the Dragon Demon king worshippers.¡±


    Atein and his followers had been an alien presence that had been ipatible with humanity. Atein had attempted to control the fate of humanity, and he had failed. His followers were no long wee in thisnd, so they had to leave for an unknownnd. It had been an inevitable choice.


    Minerel observed the fall out, and she was reminded that the Albatan forest was also considered to be an alien presence to humanity.


    The only difference was the fact that they had never openly fought against humanity like Atein and his followers. Theirnd was considered to be one of the Demonds that couldn¡¯t be encroached, but would that remain true in the future?


    Albatan spoke.


    ¡°We might have to move. It is a possibility.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°At some point, humanity would be so strong that we won¡¯t be able to stop them. Their minds aren¡¯t mature enough, so they¡¯ll try to eliminate everyone that isn¡¯t like them.... At that point, we might be chased out of thisnd.¡±


    Albatan had always worked to fight against such a future. However, it wasn¡¯t a guarantee that he¡¯ll be able to protect thisnd indefinitely. No one could make such a guarantee.


    He let out a soft smile towards the gloomy Minerel.


    ¡°However, you don¡¯t have to worry about it. It won¡¯t happen in your lifetime.¡±


    ¡°Albatan-nim.......¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t hapeen during your son¡¯s lifetime. The humans have too many enemies they have to fight beside us.¡±


    Soon, Minerel left. Albatan looked up at the sky as he murmured to himself.


    ¡°Will my race disappear first or will humanity face the cmity predicted by Atein first? I have no idea..¡±


    Minerel was talking about the distant future. She would be dead, and her son would also be dead by that time.


    However, it was a reality that Albatan would have to face some day.


    ¡°I am still a green puppared to you, but I somehow understand what you were feeling, Atein.¡±


    Albatan let out a bitterughter as he muttered to himself.

 Chapter 264 - Epilogue (3)

    Chapter 264 - Epilogue (3)


    7


    He was called the White Sword Count in the Rios kingdom. It had been awhile since Bokard Lakardi was able to return to his castle.


    It had been two months since he had participated in the final battle as a member of the suicide squad.


    During those two months, he hadn¡¯t been able to rest. The in of Darkness had meddled in the affairs of the world, so his country had been fighting a war against the Rin kingdom. He had been ordered to lead the troops into the war.


    Fortunately, the war hadn¡¯t reached a point where the rtionship between the two kingdoms couldn¡¯t be salvaged. In the end, the two kingdoms reached an end-of-war agreement. It was all thanks to the effort made by the members of the Guardian Shadow in both countries. They patched up the rtionship between the two kingdoms.


    Bokard had been of those members. When the agreement to end the war was finalized, he returned to his castle, and he headed straight towards the field in the back.


    It was a graveyard. It was where his parents, who had died at the hands of the Dragon Demon king worshippers, had been buried. Moreover, there was also a new grave ced next to the old graves.


    ¡°Our dreams wille true soon. Please look over us, Eileen.¡±


    He poured alcohol straight from the bottle over the grave. Bokard was wearing an eye patch. He had lost his left eye in the fight within the Dragon Demon castle.


    However, his loss was smallpared to his other loss. In the final battle, he had lost his beloved little sister. He had lost Eileen Lakardi.


    He was pouring a brand of liquor that Eileen had enjoyed in life.


    ¡°Oppa, you¡¯ve returned.¡±


    While he was remembering Eileen, his remaining siblings arrived behind him. Sarah and Jierens held the same brand of liquor as they approached the grave. Bokardi turned to look at them.


    ¡°Yes. Did you hear about the cessation of war?¡±


    ¡°You did good.¡±


    ¡°What about you guys? How was count Karzark?¡±


    ¡°He is still ridiculous as ever.¡±


    Sarah burst intoughter.


    While Bokard participated in the delegation that had brought about the cessation of the war, Sarah and Jierens had apanied Azell¡¯s party.


    Their enemy had been one of the pirs of Darkness. He was a transcendent being called the King of Emptiness. The party had made many preparations. However, it was unnecessary. The fight was fierce but short. They were able to kill the King of Emptiness.


    Bokard spoke after he listened to their ount of the fight.


    ¡°I see. I wanted to join you guys in that fight. However, you guys did your part in achieving our dream. Eileen would have been happy.¡±


    ¡°Oppa.......¡±


    Sarah¡¯s eyes were filled with sadness.


    In the final battle, around half of the suicide squad had died. Everyone had been prepared for the possibility of death. Their deaths had not been in vain. In death, they were able to achieve their goals.


    Still, one of his blood had died. Of course, he was sad. Each Lakardi sibling felt as if a piece of their soul had been torn away. They were still in the grips of sadness.


    Bokard looked at his siblings for a moment then he changed the topic.


    ¡°Did count Karzark leave behind any message?¡±


    ¡°He did.¡±


    ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°He said he¡¯ll head towards the Bijes kingdom after thest pir is destroyed. He¡¯ll focus his energy in rebuilding the County of Karzark. He asked you to visit when he seeds in his task.¡±


    ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°He said he¡¯ll freely shared Atein¡¯s research material in regards to the Demon problem. He looks forward to working with you in solving the problem.¡±


    Atein had left behind a homework for humanity. The remaining Guardian Shadows had to work in ce of the Dragon Demon king worshippers. They¡¯ll have to fight against the cmity that would befall on the humans in the distant future.


    Bakard spoke.


    ¡°We still have work to do. Of course, I¡¯m willing to cooperate with him. However, I put more importance on both your input than mine.¡±


    ¡°Of course, we are of the same mind as you.¡±


    She passed the liquor bottle as she spoke.


    ¡°Eileen would have wanted that.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she would have....¡±


    The three of them mourned the loss of their sibling as they drank the alcohol.


    8


    It was a bright moonlit night.


    The bluish moon was at the center of the night sky, and countless stars surrounded it. Darkness was rising into the sky like a geyser.


    Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa......!


    The darkness pierced the sky, and on the ground, it spread like wildfire into the surrounding as the darkness dissipated.


    This ce had been a reservoir for magic, and it had epassed the whole continent. The destruction of this reservoir was thest step in destroying the Great Darkness.


    -Now.......


    Kayalia was watching this sight when she opened her mouth.


    -My work is done.


    She had her back to the moonlight, so she looked like a forest fairy. She let out a bright smile as she looked at her party.


    Azell¡¯s party and the phantoms of the Guardian Shadows were the only ones to participate in the destruction of thest pir. Azell, Laura, Kairen, Leticia and Arrieta were standing in front of Kayalia.


    ¡°Kayalia.......¡±


    As he called out her name, Azell felt a lump in his throat.


    She knew what her fate would be if she aplished this task. Despite knowing what would happen, she went through with it.


    Kayalia watched Azell bite his lips. She flew through the air as if she was a fish in water. Her half translucent hand stroked Azell¡¯s cheek.


    Of course, it was pretense. She was an illusion, so she could never touch Azell.


    -Thank you.


    ¡°.......¡±


    -Azell oppa epted me. I can end my life without any regret.


    She was reborn in this state thanks to Atein. It had always felt as if she was no longer alive. It didn¡¯t feel as if she was a part of this world.


    The only meaning she could find in this world was her ties to her old life. If there was no connection to her past, she couldn¡¯t find any meaning in this life.


    It was as if she was dreaming a never-ending dream. Her life should have ended a long time ago, yet she continued to work towards the moment when her iplete life would bepleted.


    That moment had finally arrived.


    ¡°You.......¡±


    -Shhh.


    Kayalia put her finger on his lips as she let out a bright smile. It was a mischievous smile.


    -Please don¡¯t say anything sad. I want you tough. I want to remember yourughing face.


    At her words, Azell tried to force a smile onto his face. It was a really awkward smile, yet he had done his best.


    -I really like oppa¡¯s smiling face. When I was a human, it was that face that I always remembered.


    Kayalia let out timidughter as she nodded her head.


    At some point, white figures lined up behind her. They were the Guardian Shadows.


    ¡¸Prophecy.......¡¹


    ¡¸Prophesied person.......¡¹


    ¡¸Our long wish.......¡¹


    ¡¸It has been granted.......¡¹


    The forest had been destroyed from the battle, yet Azell could hear whispers emanating from his surroundings.


    No matter where he looked, he could see the Guardian Shadows. Their numbers had dwindled a lot through the continuous fights, yet there were over 2,000 of them gathered at this location.


    However, he would have to say farewell to them too.


    They were in the same boat as Kayalia. Their existence had root in the Great Darkness. Soon, the Great Darkness will be no more, and their existence would end soon.


    Despite knowing this, the Guardian Shadows weren¡¯t sad. They had given up on their eternal rest to be the Guardian Shadows. This was the first time they were happy. Their whispers rang out in the forest, and it sounded like an ode to joy.


    -Azell oppa.


    As the song rang out, Kayalia retreated backwards as she spoke.


    -Please be happy.


    ¡°.......¡±


    -Good bye.


    She let out a bright smile as she melted into the darkness.


    Then her world changed.


    Her connection to reality was severed. Instead, her consciousness flowed into the world of the Great Darkness. It was where her essence had been stored.


    At one point, everyone within the Great Darkness had once existed in the real world. It was a world made out their experiences in life. This world was falling apart. The Great Darkness had lost all its pirs, yet it didn¡¯t mean this world would immediately disappear. Still, the destruction of this world was right around the corner.


    Kayalia was within this world as she looked at the memories that made her who she was.


    She watched the distant past when she started walking this world as a parentless Dragon Demon.


    She remembered her fear of death. It drove her to create the Reincarnation technique.


    Then she watched herself go through reincarnations, and she saw the first moment when she started losing herself. She started changing into different existences....


    ¡®Kaydika.¡¯


    She saw her twin brother, who had fallen under the weight of his sad fate. Since a single entity had been split into two, Kaydika couldn¡¯t withstand the hatred that had been awakened within him towards Kayalia. He had lived a luckless life.


    When Kayalia approached the figure in her memories, heughed. This was him before he was crushed under his cruel fate. He had treasured her as someone that was of his flesh and blood.


    Kayalia continued to fly through the world of memories.


    Countless people passed by her. She couldn¡¯t even remember the names of most of the people in her memories. It was rare for anyone to evoke any meaningful emotions within her.


    ¡®Atein.¡¯


    Amongst all of them, there were figures that she couldn¡¯t forget.


    They were part of her memory, yet the shadows of their former selves still remained within the Great Darkness. Atein was smiling towards her, and Aincera was next to her. She was smiling too. It was a smile that Kayalia had never seen before from Aincera.


    ¡®You¡¯ve acquired your salvation.¡¯


    As the world continued to deteriorate, the shadows of the dead looked at each other as theyughed.


    Kaylia flew past them, and she flew deeper into the world. She wanted to meet all of the remaining shadows within the Great Darkness.


    Almaricked looked as if he had no regrets. The two of them showed respect towards each other as they brushed past each other.


    ¡®Hey. You did a good job.¡¯


    Unlike the other beings, there was a being that spoke in a carefree manner. He was a Dragon Demon with an unusuallyrge body.


    When Kayalia saw him, her eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡®Reygus.¡¯


    Her surprisested only for a brief moment. Soon, she put on a gentle smile as she flew into his arms.


    The two shadows, who had finally lived a life with no regret, smiled at each other. They greeted their final moment of peace.


    9


    There was a strange echo as the whispers filled the forest.


    Each Guardian Shadows followed Kayalia¡¯s example. They started disappearing in ones and twos. It was as if they were melting into the moonlight.


    The sound of their whispers started to sound distant as each Guardian Shadows exited this world. It had sounded as if several hundred children had been whispering to each other, but the unnatural sound started to die away. In the end, every one of them as gone. The only thing left behind was silence.


    ¡°...please rest in peace.¡±


    Azell murmured to himself as he touched his cheek. It was where Kaylia had ced her hand.


    There was no way this could be true, but somehow, he could still feel her warmth on his cheek.


    10


    He was the Dragon Demon prince of the Rin kingdom. Seigar Weil Rin had participated in the final battle as a member of the suicide squad, and he had survived until the end. After the battle ended, he departed from Azell¡¯s party. He returned to the Rin kingdom, and he gave his report to his mother, the Dragon Demon Queen. Afterwards, he ceased doing his public duties.


    Seigar ventured out of his residence after four months had passed after the final battle.


    He hadn¡¯t gone out, because he had to fulfill his duties as the Dragon Demon prince.


    Seigar took couple talented bodyguards as he headed towards the County of Michael.


    After he shifted all duties to his sessor, Count Michael was currently enjoying his retirement. Seigar had traveled here to meet archmage Beorein Michael.


    ¡°Wee, prince.¡±


    ¡°It has been awhile.¡±


    Seigar gave a respectful greeting.


    Beorein had also participated in the final fight as a member of the suicide squad, and he was a fellow survivor. This was why there was mutual respect in both their gazes even if there was a gap in age and station.


    Beorein spoke.


    ¡°Did you achieve your goal?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it took a long time.¡±


    ¡°May you show it to me?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Seigar closed his eyes, and at the same time, a powerful wave of Dragon Demon magic was emitted from his body.


    -Release Dragon Soul!


    A half translucent blue dragon appeared as it wound itself around Seigar¡¯s entire body. At the same time, sparks started to erupt from his surroundings.


    Beorein looked impressed as he asked a question.


    ¡°As expected, your Dragon Soul is a Thunder Dragon.¡±


    ¡°It is. My sister probably has the same Dragon Soul.¡±


    Seigar unsummoned his Dragon Soul.


    He had been holed up in his residence, because he had wanted to perfect his Dragon Soul. In the final battle, he had beencking in power, so he hadn¡¯t been able to y a significant role in the fight. It had frustrated him.


    Beorein asked him a question.


    ¡°What brings you to this retired old man?¡±


    The County of Michael was pretty far from the capital. Seigar had went through the trouble ofing here, so he must have some business with Beorein.


    Seigar spoke.


    ¡°I would like tomission you to make me a Dragon sword.¡±


    ¡°You want a Dragon sword?¡±


    Dragon sword was a weapon created by Kairen and Michael. Of course, several more people had coborated in the endeavor, but the two of them was crucial to the process. If one wanted to make a Dragon weapon, either Kairen or Beorein had to be involved. If they were excluded, it was impossible to make the Dragon sword.


    ¡°Yes, the crown acquired all the ingredients. I¡¯ll be sure topensate you very well too.¡±


    Since Seigar had awaken the Dragon Soul, he would never be able to acquire a Dragon Demon weapon. Aside from the Dragon Demon weapons, the Dragon sword was the best weapon in the world, and he wanted one.


    ¡°Also, I would like to leave behind the Dragon sword to my descendants.¡±


    Unlike the Dragon Demon weapon, Dragon Soul was part of oneself, so it couldn¡¯t be passed on. Moreover, the Albatan Forest had put a strict restriction on who can learn the Dragon Soul. This was why he wouldn¡¯t be able to teach the Dragon Soul to his descendants.


    He wanted a Dragon sword the more he thought about it. He¡¯ll marry someday. If he had a son, he wanted to leave behind a weapon for him.


    Beorein nodded his head.


    ¡°I see. Alright. This might be a good opportunity.¡±


    ¡°A good opportunity?¡±


    ¡°It is time for me to start teaching my pupils on how to create the Dragon weapon. I cannot take this precious technique to my grave.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Seigarughed.


    Beorein had spoken some wise words.


    Seigar suddenly asked a question.


    ¡°Are you solely focused on teaching your pupils now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve taken my hands off from the family affairs, so I guess so. However, that isn¡¯t the only reason why I¡¯m doing this.¡±


    ¡°Then why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking into the research material given to us by sir Karzark. We are furthering Atein¡¯s research with the other members of the Guardian Shadows.¡±


    ¡°Ah.......¡±


    This was the first time he had heard such news. Azell¡¯s party had handed over Atein¡¯s research materials in regards to the Demon race. Azell had suggested they should coborate in furthering the research, but the offer had been made to mostly magicians. This was why Seigar hadn¡¯t heard about it.


    Beorein stroked his beard as heughed.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be something that¡¯ll happen in the distant future. We have to steadily make preparations, so we¡¯ll be able to escape Atein¡¯s prediction. I never expected to find so much motivation in mytter years.¡±


    ¡°I see. If you need my help, please ask. I¡¯d be happy to help.¡±


    ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll be asking the throne for support when I¡¯ll be expanding my research. Please support my endeavors when the timees.¡±

 Chapter 265 - Epilogue (4)

    Chapter 265 - Epilogue (4)


    11


    It had been a while since Giles Vince had entered through the gate of the capital.


    He was the personal knight of the Dragon Demon princess Arrieta, yet he had been allowed to take a fairly long vacation. He had used the long downtime to return to his homnd, and his family had weed him back.


    In his childhood, his father had been strict in his education. It was so harsh that it almost counted as abuse. His father didn¡¯t say anything, but he looked proud of Giles.


    After Giles had be the personal knight of Arrieta, his family¡¯s fortune had improved a lot, so all his other family members looked happy. This was why he was able to spend a pleasant time at home before he had to return to the capital.


    ¡°We are here.¡±


    As soon as he returned to the capital, he made a promise to meet someone. He was meeting Boar, who was a member of the royal knights.


    Boar was six years older than Giles, yet they shared a deep friendship. If it wasn¡¯t for Boar, Giles would have had a hard time adjusting to the life within the capital.


    Giles flinched in surprise when he saw Boar, who had reserved a seat in a bar.


    ¡°Where did you get that scar?¡±


    There was arge scar on Boar¡¯s cheek. Boar let out an embarrassedughter.


    ¡°Ah. I got hurt in a mission that I conducted not too long ago. A new recruit overextended himself. I got hurt trying to save his life.¡±


    Boar thought about the incident as he clicked his tongue. Giles sat across Boar, and they clinked their sses together. Then they talked about what had happened in their respective lives.


    ¡°So.......¡±


    Giles had a peculiar expression on his face when he heard how Boar had been wounded.


    ¡°So you met a new recruit that acted like your old self?¡±


    ¡°Oof. Ok, buddy. I received a valorous wound in the process of saving someone else. You shouldn¡¯t talk like that.¡±


    Boarid it on thick.


    The recruit was from an affluent family, so he was directly elevated to knighthood. He didn¡¯t have to go through the process of being a knight¡¯s apprentice. He had overestimated his own strength, and he had almost died. Boar didn¡¯t look kindly on the new recruit, but they wererades in arms. As the senior knight, he had saved the new recruit even at the expense of being injured.


    ¡°The princess sent word that she¡¯ll be returning in couple days. Is that why you¡¯ve returned to the capital?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Giles had gone on his vacation, because Arrieta had stopped her duties as the Dragon Demon princess. She had joined Azell¡¯s party for the past couple months. However, Arrieta had sent notice that she¡¯ll be returning to the capital. The throne had called him back to work.


    Giles spoke.


    ¡°While I was on vacation, my frustration didn¡¯t go away.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I was too weak to be of help to the princess. I couldn¡¯t apany her.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Also, it was a fight between legendary heroes. It won¡¯t be written down in the history books, but it was a fight with the fate of the whole world on the line. I really wanted to y a role in that fight. The fact that I wasn¡¯t good enough frustrated me to no end.¡±


    ¡°I understand your feeling. I felt something simr when I learned that sir Azell was really Azell Karzark.....¡±


    Boar let out a bitterughter.


    He had learned that Azell was the legendary hero Azell Karzark through Giles. Azell had befriended Giles and Boar for a short amount of time, yet it seemed he didn¡¯t want to hide his identity from them.


    When he learned the truth, Boar was so shocked that he couldn¡¯t form words. He had befriended the legendary hero, who had etched his name in history.


    On the other hand, Boar was a friend, but he wasn¡¯t someone that could unload some of the burdens carried by Azell. He felt a bit bitter that Azell hadn¡¯t shared the truth with him earlier. Still, Boar was very self-aware. He had been too weak to be told such information.


    Giles spoke.


    ¡°I want to be strong. When I meet him once again, I want to show him how strong I¡¯ve be. I want to show that it was all thanks to him...¡±


    Azell had given them too much. The two of them were hailed as geniuses now, but if they hadn¡¯t learned the forgotten techniques from Azell, they would have been limited to standards of this era. They would have been trapped in mediocrity.


    Boar raised his ss as he spoke.


    ¡°The feeling is mutual. Let us be the stepping stone that¡¯ll change the standard of this era.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡±


    Giles clinked sses with him.


    12


    Enora had lived a very leisurely life for the past four months. It was to be expected. She had no one to serve since Arrieta had left her post.


    Still, it wasn¡¯t as if she hadn¡¯t worked. She started the day by cleaning Arrieta¡¯s room, then she diligently did all her duties as a maid. She made sure she wouldn¡¯t be taken unawares when Arrieta finally came back home.


    Currently, Enora was changing the sheets atop Arrieta¡¯s bed. While she was folding the bed sheets, she heard a voice from behind her.


    ¡°Enora.¡±


    For a brief moment, Enora thought she had heard wrong.


    However, she soon realized that she had heard the voice in reality. Her eyes widened.


    ¡°Princess!¡±


    Arrieta had walked through the opened door. Enora was d to see her, so she started running towards Arrieta. Soon, she came to a halt. She froze like a statue.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Arrieta became puzzled at Enora¡¯s rapid change in behavior. Arrieta had expected an emotional reunion, but Enora looked pale. It looked as if she had seen something dreadful.


    ¡°Ohh-ahhhhh.......¡±


    ¡°Enora?¡±


    ¡°No way. This cannot be.¡±


    Enora¡¯s body shook as if she had seen something that she shouldn¡¯t have witnessed. Enora sounded like she was about to cry as she stood in front of the confused Arrieta.


    ¡°Of all the ces, we are in pce! I cannot believe you showed this grubby appearance inside the pce! Ahhhhhh.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Suddenly, Arrieta swayed on her feet in relief.


    She really wasn¡¯t in a clean state. After departing from Azell¡¯s party, she had done her best in keeping herself clean on the road, but it was inevitable that she was travel-stained.


    ¡°Mmm. I might have understood it if you said I was a bit disheveled. Grubby is a bit...¡±


    ¡°What do you mean! I¡¯ll immediately prepare a bath for you. Since you¡¯ve returned, you have to see the king and queen. If you go meet them in such a state, you¡¯ll make them faint!¡±


    ¡°...No. Both of them said I did a good job. They said they were proud of me.¡±


    When Enora heard Arrieta¡¯sining words, it looked as if her world hade crashing down around her.


    Basically, Arrieta had seen the king and the Dragon Demon Queen in her grubby state. Enora felt dizzy.


    ¡°Ahhhh. I¡¯m done. They¡¯ll think I let you appear in their presence in such a state. My reputation is ruined.....¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I went to the throne room as soon as I arrived at the pce. They know this truth.¡±


    Arrieta stroked Enora¡¯s head. Then she sat in front of the table as she spoke.


    ¡°I would like some fragrant tea. I¡¯ve missed the tea you¡¯ve always brewed for me.¡±


    ¡°Aht! Yes! Which tea should I bring?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. I would like a tea that¡¯ll mend my broken heart.¡±


    ¡°...what?¡±


    Enora thought she had heard wrong.


    Arrieta spoke with a serious expression on her face.


    ¡°Yes, it is true. My heart was broken¡±


    ¡°Y....your heart, princess?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I didn¡¯t even get to give my confession before my heart was broken. That is why it hurt so much more.¡±


    Arrieta looked out the window as she sighed.


    An explosive piece of information had suddenly been dropped on Enora¡¯sp, and she had no idea what to do with it. She could only open and shut her mouth in a soundless manner. Arrieta turned to Enora as she asked a question.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to know who broke my heart?¡±


    ¡°How dare I.......¡±


    ¡°Hmm. You are pretty bright girl. You probably guessed who it is.¡±


    ¡°...it can¡¯t be sir Azell, right?¡±


    Arrieta sounded as if she to talk about it with Enora, so Enora carefully asked the question.


    Arrieta had an expression of displeasure on her face as sheined.


    ¡°Yes, it is him.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°What a bad man. He made so many idents with women in the past, yet I was willing to look past that. He should have had the courtesy of allowing a girl to confess to him, yet he was like an iron wall. He said he wanted to rebuild the County of Karzark, and he wanted to start his life anew there. ¡±


    Enora listened to Arrieta¡¯sints. She let out a small sigh as she discreetly exited the room. She went to boil some tea. Soon, she poured a fragrant tea that calmed Arrieta¡¯s heart.


    Arrieta held up the tea cup as she took in the aroma of the tea.


    Arrieta spoke.


    ¡°I was cross with him, so I didn¡¯t n on delivering this.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°That man wanted me to deliver some words to you, Enora.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    Enora¡¯s eyes widened.


    Arrieta nodded her head.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. He said he¡¯ll be going to the Bijes Kingdom, and he ns on rebuilding the County of Karzark. He asked if you would like to be the head maid of the newly constructed County of Karzark at ater date.¡±


    ¡°Ah.......¡±


    Enora¡¯s face turned red.


    She was deeply moved by the offer. He was a legendary hero, who had saved the world. After he recovered his lostnd, he was asking her to embark on a new future with him.


    When Arrieta saw Enora¡¯s expression, she sounded sullen as she spoke.


    ¡°If you want, you can go. The Bijes kingdom is far away, but I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯ll get there safely. We are talking about something several years down the road. Of course, it¡¯ll be a worthwhile endeavor...¡±


    ¡°No, princess.¡±


    Enora had unconsciously cut off Arrieta¡¯s words. Enora flinched when she realized she had been rude. Soon, she regained a calm state of mind. She spoke the words in her heart.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already made my future ns.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Will you let me hear your n?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll serve you until you retire. After you retire, I¡¯ll follow you, and I¡¯ll be the head maid of your household. I want to be able to point with my chin, and the other maids will jump to do my bidding. Then I want to meet a good man, and I want to live a happy life.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    This was her dream, and she had told Azell about it. This was the first time Arrieta had heard it, so her eyes had turned round.


    Enora didn¡¯t sound confident as she spoke her next words.


    ¡°Of course, this is merely my own wishes. If you will not ept me, I¡¯ll have to find work elsewhere ...¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? I wee it!¡±


    Arrieta quickly spoke her words. She cleared her throat as she rified her words.


    ¡°When I retire, there is no one else that can fill the role of my head maid except you, Enora. I promise you this.¡±


    ¡°Princess......!¡±


    Enora was moved. Arrieta sounded excited as she spoke.


    ¡°Since I¡¯ll be the world¡¯s greatest sloth in retirement, I¡¯ll need someone talented to take care of my servants. You shouldn¡¯t worry about your future, Enora. Just follow me. I¡¯ll do my best to retire as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Enora let out a brightughter as she gave her answer.

 Chapter 266 - Epilogue (5)

    Chapter 266 - Epilogue (5)


    13


    Leticia looked at the distant city, and she unconsciously murmured her words.


    ¡°It is a beautiful ce.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡±


    The one, who had answered immediately, was Kairen. At his words, Leticia became startled. Soon, she nodded her head.


    ¡°Unlike you, your parents had great artistic taste. It really is quite apparent.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha ha. You¡¯re not wrong.¡±


    Kairenughed.


    The two of them were looking at the Tarantos castle, which was at the heart of the Dukedom of Tarantos.


    Kairen looked deeply moved as he spoke.


    ¡°It has been a long time since I¡¯ve returned to this ce. My people will nag me to no end. I can imagine it.¡±


    It had been over a year since he had left hisnd to follow Azell.


    He had sent regr updates on his whereabouts, but he was a lord, who had vacated hisnd for over a year. He could easily imagine how much stress his absence had caused Havanz. When he returned to the castle, he¡¯ll be assaulted by a storm of words. He¡¯ll have to put up with Havanz¡¯s scolding.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to endure it since it is karma for my actions.¡±


    ¡°At the very least, you are aware that you¡¯ve done wrong by him.¡±


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be helped. If I hadn¡¯t left at that time....¡±


    ¡°What would have happened if you hadn¡¯t left?¡±


    ¡°Azell would have floundered without my sublime abilities as amander.¡±


    ¡°...if only you couldn¡¯t talk.¡±


    Leticia gave him the side-eye. Kairenughed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t regret leaving at that time. Our fight won¡¯t be written down in history like the Dragon Demon war, but I was able to fight with the legendary hero. We fought for the fate of the world, and I was able to meet you.¡±


    The Great Darkness was gone now. When Kayalia and the Guardian Shadows gained their true rest, the party¡¯s journey hade to an end.


    They toasted their victory then they broke up the party. They set up a future reunion date.


    Azell said he¡¯ll go to the Bijes kingdom, and he¡¯ll rebuild the County of Karzark. Laura revealed her intent of apanying him.


    Arrieta had to return to the Rin Kingdom since she had to return to work as the Dragon Demon princess.


    The only one left was Leticia. She had finished a fight that had consumed her whole life. There was a weird sense of despondency within her. When he saw this, Kairen invited Leticia to hisnd. Since she had nowhere else to go, she epted Kairen¡¯s offer.


    ¡°It is a bitte to ask you this, but.......¡±


    Suddenly, Leticia asked a question.


    ¡°Did you talk to Azell?¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡±


    ¡°Please tell me the truth.¡±


    ¡°...I did.¡±


    Kairen avoided her gaze as he gave his answer. Leticia clicked her tongue when she saw this.


    It was quite curious. Azell hadn¡¯t asked Leticia to help rebuild the County of Karzark. She was the only one he hadn¡¯t asked. It seemed Kairen had talked to Azell beforehand.


    ¡®When the fight ends, I want to ask Leticia if she wants toe with me. If she turns me down, you can ask her to participate in the reconstruction of yournds.¡¯


    Leticia looked sullen as she spoke.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Why did you do that?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.......¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have any future ns. I epted the offer of being a guest in yournds, because the idea intrigued me. So why did you invite me to yournds? Is it because I¡¯m yourrade in arms?¡±


    ¡°Uh. Mmm. That is ...¡±


    Kairen was flustered. When she saw him be embarrassed, Leticia let out a sigh.


    ¡°...I¡¯ve lived for a long time, and I¡¯ve never been posed a question quite like this before.¡±


    ¡°You already know that I¡¯m unlike any woman you¡¯ve ever met. I heard you¡¯ve dated a lot of women, yet you are heirless. What gives, your lordship?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was wrong.¡±


    Kairen admitted defeated. He cleared his throat then he spoke.


    ¡°Leticia, I like you.¡±


    ¡°I like you too.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    At Leticia¡¯s forthright answer, Kairen¡¯s eyes widened. However, Leticia didn¡¯t sound like she was admitting her dying love for him.


    ¡°I think I like you in a different way than you like me. I want there to be no misunderstanding. I cannot answer your feeling. What I¡¯m trying to say is.... I like you, but I don¡¯t know if it is the same feeling that urs between a man and a woman.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. So what you are saying is.....¡±


    Kairen was careful in how he posed his question.


    ¡°...you aren¡¯t turning me down? I have a chance?¡±


    ¡°For now.¡±


    ¡°That is enough.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°We can take our time in figuring everything out. As long as you stay as a guest in my house, I¡¯ll try to seduce you. Please keep your heart open and wait for me.¡±


    ¡°You really are...¡±


    Leticia smirked.


    ¡°You are a shameless man.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just say I¡¯m being bold?¡±


    Kairen let out a yfulughter as he replied to her.


    The two of them were getting closer to the Tarantos castle as they conversed with each other.


    14


    The Bijes kingdom had fallen for the scheme set up by the Dragon Demon King worshippers. This was why they were at war with the Iellos Kingdom. However, the blueprint had been set in the war between the Rin kingdom and the Rios kingdom. The members of the Guardian Shadows brought about an end to the war.


    The war had been very fierce, so the domestic situation within the Bijes kingdom was a mess. The Bijes kingdom was in a state of turmoil, yet in this turmoil, a man started to make a name for himself. He started creating ripples.


    Azell Karzark.


    He was a man with the same name as the legendary hero Azell Karzark, who had defeated the Dragon Demon King Atein. He had the same name as the man who had ended the Dragon Demon war.


    His outer appearance was also identical to the hero¡¯s portrait, which had been passed down through the years. This man imed to be the descendant of Marquis Kazark. It really did sound like a n hatched by a swindler trying to use the clout of the legendary hero for his benefit. However, something surprising happened. Count Chieha, who was the king¡¯s maternal uncle, came forward to vouch for Azell. Even Duke Renas, who was the great lord of the east, stepped forward to back the newly found heir of Marquis Karzark.


    It created a big ssh within the Bijes kingdom.


    Afterwards, Azell traveled around the Bijes Kingdom, and he performed great feats.


    Thanks to the war, there weren¡¯t enough soldiers to protect the poption. The monsters didn¡¯t miss this opportunity to take advantage of the situation. They caused great damage to the human poption.


    Azell went around the whole country in order to defeat these monsters. He didn¡¯t ask for any rpense, and it allowed him to be epted by the people.


    He killed the orc horde in the south. Then he killed a Frost Dragon that was rampaging in the Berdan region with hispanion mage. At that point, everyone epted that he was the descendant of the hero.


    Azell was bold as he told everyone his goal.


    ¡®I¡¯ll take back the County of Karzark, which was taken over by monsters.¡¯


    Azell wanted the throne of the Bijes Kingdom to give him dominion over hisnd.


    The people praised him as a hero. It allowed Count Chieha, Duke Renas and other nobles to support his activities.


    It had been eight months since Azell had started his n. At that point, he was officially epted as the heir to the County of Karzark by the throne of Bijes. He acquired the rights to take over hisnds.


    The throne didn¡¯t send any troops. However, people from all over the continent started to gather when he made his desire known that he wanted to restore the County of Kazark.


    15


    ¡°We are finally here.¡±


    Azell sat inside the barracks as he mumbled to himself.


    The sun was slowlying up.


    It was getting loud outside as people started to move around the camp. The people outside were equipped with an assortment of weapons. They were from all over the continent. They hade because they admired Azell. They wanted to help Azell take back hisnds.


    There were several thousand fighters gathered outside. Even if one considered Azell¡¯s reputation, his title as the Marquis was in name only. He didn¡¯t have any resources, so they asked for no rpense from Azell. It was almost a miracle that so many people had shown up.


    ¡°It took us a long time.¡±


    Laura had spoken.


    In any rumors pertaining to Azell, there was always a beautiful blonde Dragon Demon girl by his side. Everyone assumed they were an item.


    Azell tilted his head in puzzlement.


    ¡°Did it take a long time? It has been less than a year.....¡±


    ¡°If we didn¡¯t unnecessarily hide our power, it would have been much faster.¡±


    Azell had hidden his true powers as he aplished his tasks. In this era, he was now known as someone that possessed legendary prowess. However, he had revealed only a portion of his true power. They were only seeing the peel to the fruit.


    Azell shook his head from side to side.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe that is true.¡±


    ¡°Do you think people would have be afraid of you?¡±


    ¡°In the standard of this era, I have enough power to threaten a nation.¡±


    This fact had been fine during the Dragon Demon war.


    The army led by the Dragon Demon King army had been such a powerful force that they were considered to be a cmity. The Nadick empire had conquered most of the continent, and most countries were under the banner of empire. There were many powerful beings on both sides, so these powerful beings usually moved in concert to take down anyone that went rogue. A being with transcendent power could be stopped.


    However, it was different in this era. If Azell revealed his true strength, themon folk might greet him with fan fare. However, the rulers of each nation would feel extreme fear towards him.


    ¡°Anyways, we have to live as a member of this era. We cannot make enemies of the people. I am very thankful to the members of Guardian Shadows for making this possible.¡±


    He was epted as the descendant of Azell Kazark thanks to Count Chieha and Duke Renas. Both of them were members of the Guardian Shadow. Azell had let them realize their long-cherished wish of taking revenge against the Dragon Demon King worshippers. Moreover, there were practical benefits to having Azell join Bijes Kingdom. This was why they had given their full support to Azell.


    Laura queried him.


    ¡°Still, I think it would have been ok if you were a bit more greedy.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by greedy?¡±


    ¡°It could have been more than the County of Karzark. You could have made it the Karzark kingdom.¡±


    During the days of the Nadick empire, he had held the position of Marquis.


    Currently, seven kings ruled over this continent, but their families had merely been high ranking lords before the Nadick empire fell.


    If so, wouldn¡¯t it have been ok if Azell created the Karzark kingdom?


    Azell grinned as he asked her a question.


    ¡°Why? You want to be queen?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then why?¡±


    ¡°It is just an idle thought. In the stories, the hero always bes the king.¡±


    ¡°My dream is to make the County of Karzark inhabitable. I want to make it a good ce to live. Anything else... Yes, I¡¯ll leave that possibility open, but I¡¯ll push such ns to ater date.¡±


    ¡°You want to put it off like the n for us to have children?¡±


    ¡°Kool-ruhk!¡±


    Laura had ambushed him with her words. His saliva went down the wrong pipe, so he started coughing. Azell¡¯s face turned red as he turned to look at her.


    ¡°...y...yes. That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying we should rush into it. It is something we should do after we build our nest.¡±


    Laura had an expressionless face, yet she had stuck her tongue out. Azell let out a sigh when he saw this.


    ¡°Your personality has changed a lot.¡±


    ¡°It is bound to happen since I have to live with a rascal like you.¡±


    ¡°Jeez.¡±


    Azell hugged her, and he gave her a light kiss.


    In the past year, they had be lovers. Azell had been freed from the ghosts of his past, and he was able to be honest with his feelings. Moreover, Laura had epted his feelings.


    Soon, Azell exited the barracks as he spoke.


    ¡°Shall we go?¡±


    Laura nodded her head. The change in her expression was so minute that others couldn¡¯t see it. However, Azell knew she was smiling right now.


    When the two of them exited the barracks, the people caught sight of them. It stirred the audience. As numerous eyes were focused on him, Azell extended his hand towards the sky.


    Suddenly, lightning erupted from the sky. The lightning bolt shattered the darkness of the early morning as it shot towards Azell¡¯s hand. Azell¡¯s cape fluttered as he appeared from within the explosive light with a blue sword in his hand. Everyone let out an ardent shout.


    Wahhhhhhhhhhhhh!


    As their shout rang out, Azell and Laura advanced towards the demond called the County of Karzark.


    Azell looked at the forest as he spoke.


    ¡°This is just the beginning.¡±


    He was finally able to escape from the shadow of his past, and he embarked on his new life.


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