N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
Chapter 523
Kuwaaaaaah!
It wasn't the mad dragon Kaibar that caused the massive tidal wave, it was the Sea Serpent.
However, this Sea Serpent was no ordinary one. It was a King Sea Serpent, with a head and body double the size of the average sea serpent, exuding a formidable presence befitting its title as the devil of the sea.
Raon bit his lip as he looked at the King Sea Serpent's fangs, which were longer and thicker than a spear.
'That's right. He said he was there.'
He remembered what Labawin had said about the enemy's forces when he mentioned the King Sea Serpent. It seemed that the King Sea Serpent had taken action now that the monsters had been driven back.
"Ah..."
"Ki, King Sea Serpent!"
"What kind of monster is that size!"
The crew swallowed their saliva in surprise at the size of the King Sea Serpent.
"No matter how big, it's just a monster! Hold your ground! We can defeat it!"
Kuberad was not intimidated by the King Sea Serpent's huge body. He raised his wrinkled hand and encouraged the panicked crew.
Whooooung!
The King Sea Serpent merely moved its tail, but a fierce wave struck. The defensive formation created by the twelve warships seemed to be about to break
"Fire!"
At Kuberad's instruction, the crew moved. They were still unable to shake off their fear, and their movements were slow, but they fired their anti-monster weapons accurately.
Piaaaang!
The harpoons and hooks made by Kuberad pierced the sea serpent's thick scales and sank into its flesh.
Blue blood spilled, but the wounds were not deep. It seemed that the flesh and hide were thick as it was large.
"Kiaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
The King Sea Serpent roared, raising its tail like a colossal club with sharp scales forming a lethal shape.
‘Hmm…’
Raon looked at the shadow of the King Sea Serpent's tail reflected on the warship and placed his hand on the hilt of Heavenly Drive.
'I can't block that.'
If Labawin was there, he could have blocked it easily, but he was fighting a life-or-death battle with the leader of the sea fog tribe on the surface of the sea. Now, there seemed to be no one to block it.
"I'll go."
As he drew Heavenly Drive to block the sea serpent's tail, Aris shook her head.
"No, we don't move."
"But..."
"Didn't the old man tell us when we set out? We should only focus on the dragon. This is not our battlefield."
She clenched her fist, expressing a determination not to move, no matter what happened.
"The King Sea Serpent's attack is coming!"
"Get ready!"
"Magicians, position yourselves!”
Aris and all the crew members aboard the warships looked at each other, silently acknowledging that they had to face the monster's attack on their own.
Despite harboring fear of the monster, they understood that they had to deal with it themselves.
Kugugugugugu!
Finally, the King Sea Serpent swung its blade-like tail. It was just a simple gesture, but it contained the weight of a mountain.
Huuuuuuuuuuuung!
Eventually, as the King Sea Serpent swung its tail like a blade, a transparent light emanated from the center of the twelve warships. In terms of mana flow, it seemed like an intensified shield spell.
Kwaaaang!
The collision between the shield stored by the magicians on the warships and the tail of the King Sea Serpent created a storm-like shock that swept through the area.
"Kiiii!"
The King Sea Serpent seemed to be taken aback and retreated, but the shield that protected the warships also shattered like a thin window.
"Ugh..."
"Just once..."
"Damn it!"
The magicians' expressions were not good. It was unbelievable that the shield had shattered from a single blow.
"Now is the time. Pour it all out!"
Kuberad realized that this was an opportunity to defeat the King Sea Serpent, and ordered all weapons to be fired.
The warships, whose defensive line had been broken, turned their bodies and fired harpoons, hooks, and spears at the King Sea Serpent.
Paaaaaaaaaang!
Dozens of weapons flew like beams of light and pierced the King Sea Serpent's body.
The wounds were large, but the monster was so huge that it was not enough to kill or weaken it.
"Kiiiaaaaa!"
Instead, it seemed to have only touched its temper, as the King Sea Serpent roared and thrashed wildly. The ropes attached to the harpoons were pulled, and the warships shook as if they were about to sink.
"Maintain the center!"
"Secure the ships!"
The captains of each warship tried to hold on by connecting the ships to each other with mana lines and iron chains, but the King Sea Serpent's strength was too great.
The twelve ships began to be dragged towards the King Sea Serpent.
"W, we have to cut the ropes and chains!"
"No!"
Kuberad shook his head at the people who suggested cutting the harpoons' lines.
"If the lines are cut, that bastard will run wild and we'll all die!"
It seemed he had experience in battles like this before, reading the flow of the battlefield.
However, the King Sea Serpent, as befits its reputation as the devil of the sea, raised its tail even though its body was being controlled by the harpoons.
It struck the tail at the warship on the far right without a moment's hesitation.
The warship broke in half and began to sink into the sea like a piece of paper soaked in water.
"Aaaaaaaaaah!"
"M, monsters are coming!"
"Dammit! Why here of all places!"
"Save me!"
The crew who had escaped death cried for help from the sea.
However, the monsters' claws were faster than the helping hands extended from other ships.
Sea monsters like sharkmole and rain lizards, who call the sea their home, tore the crew's flesh and crushed their bones.
"Fire!"
Kuberad forced himself to turn his head and fired the reloaded weapons.
The harpoons and hooks pierced the King Sea Serpent's body again, as the target was too large, but the monster only spewed blue blood and did not fall.
"Kiiiaaaaa!"
The King Sea Serpent roared and spewed a black cloud from its fangs. It was heading towards the warship on the left, and it was larger and faster than the first cloud of poison from the sea serpent that had been driven away.
The yellow metal plates of the warship could not withstand the poison cloud and were pierced. and holes began to appear. Eventually, the entire ship started to dissolve in the poison.
"Jump, jump off! We'll die from the poison if we stay like this!"
"Ugh!"
"Damn it!"
The crew members leaped into the sea or onto other ships before the ship completely dissolved. Although they avoided the poison, cracks in the defense allowed monsters to rampage even more.
‘Ugh…’
Raon bit his lip as he watched the dying people.
A child younger than Yua was dying from being stabbed by a sharkmole's claw, and an old man who looked older than Glenn fell to the ground with his flesh torn apart.
The lives of warriors who had embarked on this journey, valuing revenge above all, were fading away.
Raon knew that he had to endure, even though he had faced all of them during this journey, but he couldn't just stand by.
“I know, it's hard to endure…”
If it were the assassin Raon, he could have easily endured it, but he had learned about the value of people while living his current life, so it was hard to stand still. His hands were shaking.
"But still endure."
Aris shook her head, saying that it wasn't time yet.
"You have to endure."
Her lips were trembling as if freezing. She seemed to be forcefully containing her anger and sorrow about the situation she couldn't act against.
'Yeah, she must be even more affected.'
I met the people who are dying now only after starting the voyage.
But for Aris, they were subordinates she had personally accepted. It was natural for her to find it more difficult.
Quite a decent thief.
Wrath twisted his lips as he looked at Aris.
The King of Essence despises those who abandon their subordinates, but this thief girl is admirable in this one thing.
'......'
The lizard is nothing but meat to the King of Essence, but it is a natural enemy to you humans. If you are not prepared, you will be wiped out in an instant.
'I know.'
Raon sighed and lowered his hand that was holding the hilt of Heavenly Drive.
"Aah..."
The casualties began to emerge on the Blue Wind as well. Nuan, who was moving according to Kuberad's instructions, was stabbed in the shoulder by the rusted spear of Balas.
"Nuan!"
Morin threw the hammer he was holding to save Nuan and rushed forward.
"Kuk!"
However, he too was still too young to have mastered martial arts, so he rolled on the ground after being hit in the thigh with a spear.
Two children who looked younger than Yua risked their lives to come here, hoping to witness the death of the dragon that destroyed their families and village.
It looked like they would die before they could achieve their dream.
"Damn monster bastards!"
Kuberad, who seemed to think that strategic instructions were no longer meaningful, held up a large hammer and stood in front of the children.
His hand was shaking due to fatigue, but without any hesitation, Balas stabbed the corroded spear into Kuberad's waist.
Puk!
A rusty spear was stuck in Kuberad's waist. However, he did not let go of the spear.
"You can't go behind me!"
There was no one with the luxury of spare hands, especially given the much larger number of monsters. Kuberad also seemed to know this, not asking for help from anyone, not even looking at Raon and Aris.
"Ugh..."
Raon gritted his teeth and glancing at Aris, but she remained motionless with her hand on the hilt of her sword.
'Endure. Just endure a bit more...'
As he forced himself to control his insides using the Ring of Fire, the King Sea Serpent raised its head.
The rope and chain attached to the hook were broken because the monster's strength was too strong, and the warships swayed.
"Kiiiaaaaaa!"
The King Sea Serpent opened its giant jaws. Poison poured out from its throat, which was stained black.
If that falls like that, the entire ship will melt.
"......"
Aris didn't seem to be going to act this time either, and she even closed her eyes.
Puuuureooooooooong!
Just as the poison cloud was about to engulf the ship, a huge aura exploded in the air.
Kuuwuuuuuung!
The King Sea Serpent's head flew more than halfway, crashing into the sea. The largest wave so far surged.
Zheooooreoeoek!
With fierce waves, a powerful gust of wind swept through the ranks of monsters, tearing them apart.
It was Labawin. He had returned after smashing the head of the King Sea Serpent and defeated the sea fog tribe leader, he bowed his head in front of Aris.
"I'm back."
"...You're late."
Aris exhaled a low breath and raised her lips.
"I'm sorry."
Labawin bowed his head. He too seemed to have come from a difficult battle, as his entire body was covered in wounds.
"I will take command again."
He pulled out the spear that was stuck in Kuberad's waist, lightly bandaged it, and then went up to the upper deck.
"The King Sea Serpent is dead! First save the people who fell into the water!"
Emphasizing the priority of saving lives, he swept away the sea monsters that had gathered.
Kugugugugugugu!
As the crew members threw ropes and rescued those who had fallen into the water, bubbles came out of the sea where the King Sea Serpent had sunk.
In fact, a much larger flow occurred than when the King Sea Serpent first appeared.
Puuureooooooooong!
The sea surface exploded, and eight legs of a size similar to a warship sprang up. A head with horns sticking out like blades with an unspeakably large number of suckers attached to its eight legs. It was the giant sea monster Kraken.
"Ah...."
Raon sighed as he saw Kraken.
'Kraken here?'
He thought this was the time for Kaibar to appear, but why did Kraken appear?
He couldn't understand what Kaibar was thinking when all the monsters were dying.
"I'll take care of Kraken! All ships, deal with the monsters!"
Labawin struggled to gather energy without properly catching his breath. It was the moment he was about to tear the Kraken's legs with his sword.
'Huh...?!'
A tremendous chill emanated from the deep sea beneath the Kraken.
It was extremely subtle. If it weren't for the Ring of Fire and Glacier, he wouldn't have felt it..
"Raon."
Aris uncrossed her arms and put her hand on the hilt of the sword. Her eyes flashed with a chilling light.
"It's coming."
Raon quickly nodded.
'My instincts were right.'
In the depths of the sea, the dragon Kaibar was moving. He used other sea monsters, including the Kraken, as bait and intended to annihilate everyone here with his icy breath.
Aris and Wrath were right. If he had been participating in the battle, he would have died without knowing anything, frozen into an ice cube.
Chiiing!
Raon drew out Heavenly Drive and the Blade of Requiem and ran towards Kraken. Aris was already ahead of him.
"What?"
Labawin, who was about to attack Kraken, looked back and widened his eyes.
He seemed to have not felt the coldness from the bottom of the sea because he was concentrating on Kraken.
"Could it be..."
"Withdraw all ships immediately!"
Aris nodded and went forward.
"We'll take care of it from now on."
Raon gave Labawin a look of gratitude and activated the Supreme Harmony steps.
Uuuuuuuuuuuung!
As he was about to step onto the sea, the entire surface began to turn blue with a blue light.
Puk!
The sea froze, and the breath of the sea monsters trapped underwater vanished. A breath of death, freezing the soul upon contact. If it continued to spew out like this, it would mean annihilation not only for the monsters but also for the humans.
Chiiing!
Aris stepped on the air and performed a sword dance. Aura and will clashed against the breath of cold, which sought to engulf the world
Zheooooreoeoek!
The space sword that she poured out cut the rising cold breath of Kaibar in half, but the aftermath was still there.
Haaaaa!
Raon wrapped Heavenly Drive and the Blade of Requiem with the aura of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation. The Flame Dragon Art that stretched out from the two blades at the same time collided with the breath of cold that was trying to swallow the world.
Kuwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang!
The collision of cold and heat at the sea surface caused a terrifying explosion. White steam sprouted throughout the sea. It was more than the fog of the Sea Fog tribe.
"Kuk..."
Raon bit his lip. The breath of cold, as the strongest attack of a dragon, penetrated his high water resistance. It felt like his bones and flesh were freezing.
'But I'll endure it!'
Witnessing others dying while he did nothing was unbearable. If he couldn't do anything, there was no reason for him to exist in this place.
Kugugugugugu!
Raon, using the Ring of Fire, unleashed the amplified energy of the Flame Dragon Art , like the wings of a bird, spread from the blades, melting away the cold breath that surged towards him.
Haaaaaaaa!
In the end, Kaibar's breath of cold could not kill a single human, and only Kraken and monsters were frozen as it died away.
But Kaibar's offensive was not over yet. This time, a strong flow of mana was felt from the bottom of the sea, as if it was about to explode a spell outright.
"Everyone, retreat!"
As soon as Labawin's cry was heard, dozens of lights burst out from the turbulent sea.
Chiiing!
Aris aimed her sword at the sea. The moment the red blade distorted space, the spells rising from the sea were divided diagonally.
Kugugugugugu!
Even though it was cut before it came out, the purity of Kaibar's mana was so strong that a huge shock wave began to erupt from inside the sea.
'This time....'
Raon used Glacier and extended his two swords. The ice flowers that bloomed on the blades, like a silver tree, spread out like hundreds of petals.
It was Flame Spirit created with the power of frost.
Zzeezeezeezeek!
The pieces of cold sank like cherry blossoms, freezing the sea surface and significantly reducing the power of Kaibar's mana explosion.
"Huff...."
Raon exhaled sharply, watching the frozen Kraken burst.
'Good thing I endured.'
If he had fought the King Sea Serpent or Kraken, he would have been wiped out by the dragon's breath or magic.
Thanks to Aris and Wrath's advice, he was able to block the dragon's cunning attack by holding on until the end.
"Well done."
Aris smiled faintly, as if she believed in him.
"If I couldn't do this much, there would be no point in coming here."
Raon exhaled a dull breath and looked back. Fortunately, the warships had retreated far back under Labawin's instructions.
Kugugugugugu!
The entire sea shook, not just waves.
It wasn't a wave, the entire sea seemed to tremble.
On a different level of existence from the King Sea Serpent or Kraken. It felt like the whole world was screaming.
Puuuuureooooooooong!
As if the moon was rising on the sea surface, a magnificent shadow spread, and a neck that seemed endless, like the sun setting in a lake, rose into the sky.
"Ah...."
Raon swallowed dry saliva and raised his gaze.
* * *
Advance chapters: Tinyurl.com/Albnlfff
For Indonesian: Tinyurl.com/Aldbnlff
'That's the dragon Kaibar.'
The scales shone with a mysterious light, as if they were wrapped in the sea, and the neck that surrounded the scales was as thick as a combined warship here. It was so long that it was difficult to see, like the main street of a castle.
There were fish fins like blades on the neck that seemed to reach the sky, and they had a dignified majesty like a work of art.
Kugugugugugu!
Kaibar lowered his neck, revealing his head. The diamond-shaped eyes that rose above the thick scales that could withstand even the strongest forces were blocking the sun. The world sank into darkness as if night had come.
What was peculiar was its horn. Unlike the intact right horn resembling a spire, the left horn was broken in half.
However, it seemed to show the dragon's madness even more.
"This is...."
Is this the dragon Kaibar?
As Aris said, Kaibar's size was beyond what humans could handle. Even with a vast expanse of strength, it seemed impossible to sever its neck.
Hmm, I've seen that lizard somewhere before....
Wrath stroked his chin as he looked at Kaibar. Raon ignored him because he seemed like he was going to say something weird again.
"Now it begins. Focus."
Aris exhaled a low breath and gripped her sword. She seemed to be tense, her eyes squinting.
Well, it has gotten fat, hasn't it?
As expected, Wrath's nonsense began. It was a crazy sound that didn't fit the situation, but it helped to relieve the tension.
Kooooooooooooooooooo!
Kaibar roared towards the sun. The sea sank as if it were crushed, and a terrifying storm rose up, erasing the sunlight.
The overwhelming noise momentarily deafened the ears.
[Bug creatures!]
Kaibar, who had been glaring at the sun, lowered his head. The fierce eyes of the reptile turned down towards Raon and Aris.
"Hmm..."
Raon's fingertips trembled.
'Is that a dragon's language?’
Raon felt a chill run down his spine as he heard the voice. The voice itself seemed imbued with the power of a dragon, instilling a creeping fear as if squeezing the heart.
However, because he had experienced the aura of demon kings and Glenn, so he was able to withstand the fear.
"Wow, what is this lizard saying? Weren't you the one launching a sneaky attack on the mere bugs? Are you that afraid of them?"
Raon punched his trembling chest and muttered.
"Raon?"
[... ...]
Aris widened her eyes, and Kaibar's gaze turned to him.
"You talked big for a dragon, but in reality, you're just a pathetic lizard.”
Raon's voice sounded arrogant, as if Wrath had come out of him.
[There's no need for fairness towards pests that bring threats to this world.]
Kaibar's eyes began to fill with hatred and murderous intent.
"That must be you. Destroying cities and ruining nature, that's all your doing!"
Raon gritted his teeth. He had seen countless corpses in the ruined Aikar, and his anger boiled up at the thought of him saying such a thing.
[Human. You resemble that creature.]
Kaibar, too, seemed to harbor self-disgust as his pupils narrowed.
"That creature?
[Do you know?]
The dragon straightened its tilted head back, revealing a descending sun and an approaching storm that were concealed until then.
[Only humans can summon the demon king of Devildom to this land.]
"......"
Raon did not answer.
'That's...'
The story of human negative emotions summoning a demon king is common, and he had seen the actual event himself.
"So what's the big deal!"
Aris seemed puzzled, as if hearing something completely new.
[Only the impure emotions of humans can summon the demon king, distorting the balance of this continent. That's why you lot are nothing more than pests on this continent.]
As Kaibar's voice grew louder, the air began to vibrate with a low hum. It felt like one's ears might pop.
[And the demon king is a being that should never exist in any dimension.]
That arrogant lizard is going to die!
Wrath shook his fist at Kaibar.
“You talk like you've seen the demon king yourself. To me, you're a more unnecessary existence than them."
Raon twisted his lips as he looked at Las.
[That is because you have not seen the demon king.]
Kaibar's eyes emitted a chilling coldness.
[Demon king. The blue demon king killed my kin who had moved for the balance of the continent....]
As if recalling that moment, he gnashed his teeth fiercely.
[He roasted and devoured their corpses. If you haven't witnessed that pure evil, that savagery, then stay silent!]
‘Ah....’
Raon shuddered, rolling his eyes to the right as he looked at Wrath.
‘The reason that dragon became a mad dragon was…’
Was it because of this guy?
A smoky breath escaped from Kaibar’s nostrils. It seemed like the coldness was involuntarily emanating due to anger.
[He broke my horn, which I used to protect my kin, and then dared to mock me by saying he would eat me when I grow larger! Humans who summon such beings deserve nothing but death!]
Raon nodded with conviction upon hearing those words.
'That's right.’
This carnivorous demon was the reason.
