C981
"Are we supposed to catch a dragon by ourselves? Seriously?"
Burren swallowed hard.
"He must have lost his mind after making that weird song..."
Martha twirled her finger near her temple, indicating disbelief.
"Yes, I will..."
Runaan nodded calmly, as if it were completely possible.
"I don't want to!"
Dorian shook his head vigorously; his cowardly nature resurfaced after a long time.
"It's definitely an ancient dragon, how are we supposed to catch it?"
He closed his eyes tightly, insisting it was impossible.
"It must be a joke, right?"
Kerin laughed awkwardly, searching Raon's eyes for any hint of humor.
- No? That guy's serious...
Having been the one to receive Raon's blows the most, he quickly realized the truth.
"A dragon, huh..."
Mark Goetun licked his lips expectantly, resting his hand on his sword.
"If the Palace Lord commands it, we cannot refuse. But we have to think this through. It might be too much for us."
Trevin looked at Raon, wondering if he had really thought this through.
"He's right."
Borgos frowned and let out a long sigh.
"The Dsiouros Lance Dragon is an ancient dragon. I know the strength of the Light Wind Palace better than anyone, but we can't face it without you."
He exhaled a smoky breath.
"The dwarves have their survival threatened by that damned dragon. No, they are barely alive, even if they are alive. If we're going to offer half-hearted jokes or salvation, maybe it's better not to help at all and just pretend we didn't see anything."
Borgos lowered his eyebrows and said that giving false hope to those barely clinging to life was the worst thing they could do.
"Of course, I'm not one to talk..."
He wrinkled his nose and stared intently at his feet.
"Because I couldn't help them even though I knew they were being exploited. I feel so powerless..."
Borgos shook his head and said he had no strength to help and couldn't ask others for help.
"I understand."
Vulcan patted Borgos on the back.
"Not even the devil would ask someone to die for something that doesn't concern them."
He clicked his tongue briefly and said he would have made the same decision as Borgos if it were him.
Borgos is right. To face an ancient dragon, we would need a Transcendent.
Raon nodded. Even when he had defeated the Blue Dragon Kaivar, most of its attacks were blocked by Alice. He had only plunged the sword into its end.
"But I'm not kidding. I think these guys can kill that dragon."
"Are you serious?"
Burren narrowed his eyes.
"No matter how I think about it..."
"Of course, I'm not expecting you to do everything."
Raon shook his head with a smile.
"I'll block its breath and its Transcendent-level magic."
He raised his hand, saying he would only block attacks that could lead to annihilation, just like Alice had done.
"Hmm, if that's the case..."
Burren's eyes moved rapidly in all directions as if he perceived a ray of hope.
- Then we can do it! Without its breath, it's just a big lizard!
Martha clapped enthusiastically, saying she wanted to catch a dragon with her own hands.
"Yes, I will..."
Runaan nodded slightly, giving the same answer as before, as if he didn't care either way.
"I still don't want to!!!"
Dorian trembled all over as if he were already inside the dragon's belly.
"Come to think of it, could the dragon be less terrifying than the Palace Master with a sword?"
Kerin closed his eyes, trying to change his mindset.
"We have no choice..."
"Yes. It's not like he'll let us go if we say no."
"We'll have to find a way to do it."
The other swordsmen nodded, accepting that they had no choice but to agree.
"Then it's decided."
Raon nodded as he watched the swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace strengthen their fighting spirit.
"B-But I didn't agree..."
Dorian raised his hand, but he was ignored.
- That never changes.
Wrath shook his head.
"He'll fight well when we get there."
Ever since he awakened the Eye of his Mind, Dorian hadn't run away or backed down in places where he needed to fight. He might be afraid, but he stood firm when his comrades were in danger.
"Go on, please. Tell us more about the Dsiouros Lance Dragon."
Raon gestured to Borgos.
"The Dsiouros Lance Dragon is a red dragon that has made its nest on the edge of the eastern desert. It's an evil dragon that turns everything to ash with the heat of hellfire."
Borgos exhaled briefly as he mentioned where Dsiouros resided.
"The desert? I thought it would live near a volcano, since you said it was harboring dwarves."
Raon looked at Borgos with narrowed eyes. While the desert is very hot, the place where dwarves' talents can be best utilized is near a volcano. He couldn't understand why it was in the desert.
"Because it spreads the heat on its own."
Borgos twisted his lips downwards.
- The heat? But it would be too intense, wouldn't it?
Raon let out a low groan.
"It means it doesn't care if its slaves live or die."
Borgos shook his head and said that, as they knew, dragons viewed other races as insects.
"What a piece of trash..."
Burren bit his lip hard.
"Sigh, why is there no one decent among the dragons or the archangels?"
Martha shook her head and said none of the stories her mother read to her as a child were true.
"Yes. The Demon King is kinder..."
Runaan pouted and said he didn't like angels or dragons.
- Oh, ice cream girl!
Wrath nodded, clasping his hands as if Runaan's words had moved him.
"Well, that's a relief."
Raon let out a small sigh of relief.
"Relief? What do you mean by that...?"
Borgos shook his head, wondering what Raon was talking about.
"I was worried I might have mistakenly targeted a good dragon, but I don't have to worry about that."
Raon smiled coldly.
"I mean it's a relief not to feel guilty about killing it."
He slowly turned his back, gripping the hilt of the Heavenly Drive.
"Just get ready."
Raon slightly turned his head to look at Borgos and Vulcan, who had their eyes wide open.
"I'll bring back the red dragon's corpse."
After saying they should get back to work, he descended to the village of Mirtan.
"Follow the Palace Master."
At Burren's command, the swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace followed them, emanating sharp auras as if they had never been joking.
"Hehe..."
Vulcan shook his head as he took a sip of alcohol.
"These youngsters have now become well-tempered swords."
He licked his lips and said it was admirable just to see them.
"Indeed."
Borgos nodded.
"Each one of them is a celebrated sword, no matter who tempered them."
He shook his head in amazement.
"Who tempered them? He's right there."
Vulcan laughed heartily, pointing at Raon's broad back as he walked in front.
"A master craftsman who is better than us at tempering swords."
He smiled deeply, recalling the past Raon who had spoken of his goals in front of the charcoal furnace.
—You still have a long way to go, right?
Go beyond, Raon.
* * *
In a gray desert that seemed not only dry but completely burned, a dwarf with a brown beard that hung like rags walked wearily, examining the sand.
"It's not here either."
After searching the sand for a long time, the dwarf sat down helplessly and shook his head.
"I wonder if we'll have to turn another forest and mountain into a desert."
He covered his soot-blackened face with his sand-covered hands and shrugged.
"Hahaha..."
The brown-bearded dwarf let out a sigh that seemed to contain years of hardship as he raised his head.
"I have to leave. Still..."
He stood up, pressing his fist against his knee.
"It's a hell of a journey."
As the brown-bearded dwarf was about to turn around, shaking his chin, his body suddenly sank into the sand as if he had fallen into the sea.
"Ughhhh!"
The brown-bearded dwarf screamed and flailed his limbs, but his feet touched soft ground in just a few seconds.
"W-What is this place...?"
The brown-bearded dwarf opened his eyes wide.
'Frost? Why is there frost...?'
The blue frost burned like flames and created a wall blocking the approaching sand. He had crossed this desert for decades, but he had never seen such a phenomenon.
"Are you from the Brown Beard tribe?"
The dwarf turned quickly at the sound of the low voice behind him.
"Oh!"
Behind him stood a tall human with golden hair and red eyes. Despite being of a different race, seeing him was almost blinding.
'What is this sword aura...?'
However, even the human's striking face seemed insignificant compared to the vast sword aura he felt in his soul.
"Y-Yes, I am. But why is a human here...?"
The brown-bearded dwarf swallowed hard as he looked at the human with golden hair and red eyes and the swordsmen behind him.
"We came after hearing from Chief Borgos of the Gray Hammer tribe."
The golden-haired swordsman smiled gently and extended his hand.
"My name is Raon Zieghart."
* * *
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at the seemingly frightened brown-bearded dwarf.
"He doesn't know my name."
It wasn't something to brag about, but there were almost no people on the continent who didn't know his name. Seeing the expression of someone who had never heard of him, it seemed like he had been trapped in this desert for a long time.
Also, he had never seen a dwarf this thin.
Dwarves usually have a short but sturdy build, like tree trunks. But the dwarf in front of him was so thin that he could be mistaken for a short person.
—Borgos. He...?
The brown-bearded dwarf called Borgos by name, without honors. He seemed to have some position in the tribe.
"May I ask what position you hold in the Brown Beard Tribe..."
Raon narrowed his gaze as he observed the brown-bearded dwarf.
"My name is Latiru. I am the chief of the Brown Beard tribe."
The brown-bearded dwarf nodded as he introduced himself as the chief.
"C-Chief?"
Martha's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Looks like you've been starving."
Burren let out a low groan, as if he felt pity.
"Do you want to eat?"
Runaan took the snack he was eating from Dorian and offered it to the dwarf.
"Mmm..."
Raon shook his head as he looked at Latiru again. Honestly, his condition was so bad that he hadn't even considered that he could be the chief.
"May I hear what Borgos said?"
Latiru looked at Raon and spoke in a voice that lacked confidence.
"He told us that there were dwarves held captive by the Dsiouros Lance Dragon. He asked if we could save them."
Raon handed Latiru the letter that Borgos had written.
"Mmm..."
Latiru read the letter over and over before folding it.
"I understand your intentions and Borgos', but I cannot accept your help."
He shook his head with a long sigh.
"What is the reason?"
Raon lowered his gaze as he listened to Latiru's thin voice.
—Everyone thought he didn't look like a chief, right?
Latiru smiled slightly as he looked not only at Raon but at the swordsmen behind him.
"W-We're sorry."
Burren bowed his head, as if he had been rude.
—No, I understand. Even I would have thought he was a beggar.
Latiru nodded slightly as he looked at his own appearance.
"But it can't be helped. Only I and the tribe executives can go out."
He sighed and said that only the executives could go out to find materials.
"Hmm, the reason is..."
Raon let out a shaky groan as he realized what Latiru was saying.
"Your assumption is correct. Dwarves are a race with strong ties to their tribe. That's why they have taken our members hostage, making it impossible for us to escape."
Latiru shrugged and said that's why he personally roams this desert.
"The Dsiouros Lance Dragon is strong and cunning. Even if you're strong enough to kill it, our race will surely be sacrificed."
He shook his head and said he couldn't abandon even one of the tribe members who had resisted until now.
"I'm sorry. If you had asked me for my life, I would have given it to you."
Latiru shook his head, clearly refusing.
How well do you know Borgos?
Raon looked Latiru in the eye when he mentioned Borgos' name.
"A little too far to call him a friend, a little too close to call him a colleague."
Latiru shook his head and said he was someone he could trust. They seemed closer than expected.
Borgos told me the same thing. That's why he asked me for help.
"Mmm..."
He opened his eyes wide as he heard Raon's words.
"And we're not moving just for your sake. We have a lot to gain, so I hope you'll help us."
Raon bowed, saying not that he would help, but that he needed help.
- Always good with words...
Wrath let out a sigh as he watched Latiru's expression slowly change.
"I promise. We will behead that evil dragon without a single casualty."
Raon nodded with a tone full of assurance.
"Y-You..."
Latiru swallowed hard as he looked Raon in the eye. Although they had only recently met, he felt an inexplicable trust. It seemed like it wasn't just because of Borgos' letter, but because the sincerity of that human was palpable.
"Trust him. He's a Transcendent after all."
Martha nodded as she introduced Raon as a Transcendent.
"That's right. Well, a lot has happened, but our Palace Master even beheaded the Black Tower Master."
Burren smiled and said he would return the trust.
"Transcendent? Black Tower...?"
Latiru swallowed hard as he looked at Raon.
"I didn't kill them all by myself. But like I said, we can behead the Dsiouros Lance Dragon."
Raon bowed again, asking for help.
"No..."
Latiru's chin trembled as he looked at Raon's bowed head. Because of his own fear and lack of courage, those people who had come all the way to help were now asking him for help. He felt like crying from shame and embarrassment.
"Hahaha..."
Latiru closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.
- Alright. What should I do then?
He wanted to give salvation to the children who had been born slaves under that dragon, even though he couldn't save himself. He gave his answer to Raon's request, willing to die.
"Please tell us the exact location of the dragon and the layout of its lair. It normally lives in the lair, and when we make our move, get all the tribe members out."
Raon nodded, saying that would be enough.
"Is that all? Don't we need to pierce the dragon's scales or something..."
"No need. Just come to the surface."
He nodded and said they would take care of the rest.
"Well, alright. The location is..."
Latiru gave detailed information about the location and scale of the lair where the Dsiouros Lance Dragon was hiding.
"This is enough."
Raon nodded after drawing the location of the dragon and a map of the lair.
"Then we'll come tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?"
"Yes. Dragons are cunning creatures. If we delay, it could cause problems."
"I see. Then..."
Latiru blinked as if he still couldn't believe it and then went to the lair.
"There are bastards everywhere."
Martha gritted her teeth and clenched her fists.
"The dragons I read about in the books were mediators who protected the world..."
Burren shook his head and said he was increasingly disappointed.
"Yes. They're worse than lizards..."
Runaan also lowered his eyebrows, calling them disgusting.
—It's not time to insult lizards, you know?
Raon shook his head as he looked at the three squad leaders and the swordsmen behind them.
- Don't we have a little time to make a plan?
He gestured with his hand, saying he wouldn't start moving right away.
"C-Correct..."
"That damned Palace Master said he wouldn't help."
"Bad..."
Burren, Martha, and Runaan let out brief sighs.
"Come on, let's gather. We need to get together first."
Trevin clapped, calling the others.
"Let's think about how to rescue the hostages first."
"It won't be easy. There's only one exit."
"And it's narrow too."
"Then we have to lure the dragon..."
"If we lure the dragon first, we can't ambush it. We need to use the element of surprise if we want to catch it ourselves."
The swordsmen began a serious discussion, each offering their opinions.
"Mmm..."
Raon hummed a tune with his arms crossed as he watched.
- This guy...
Wrath frowned as he saw Raon enjoying himself.
- He has that look in his eyes.
* * *
The next day, at noon, the swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace were digging a tunnel in the desert, heading towards the Dsiouros Lance Dragon's lair.
"Is this really the best plan?"
Raon clicked his lips as he followed the Light Wind Palace swordsmen.
"We have no other choice. The exit is too narrow. We have to break through first if we want to rescue all the hostages."
Martha shook her head and said they could all die if the dragon moved first.
"That's right. We have no choice but to rescue the people inside and then block the dragon's attacks while we escape."
Burren threw sand back, saying that was the best option.
"Truthfully, I'm not sure..."
Runaan nodded slightly and said he was just following Burren and Martha.
"Now that we know the dragon's location and the layout of the lair, we should take advantage of that."
Trevin gestured with his hand and said this method seemed best for now.
"Alright, everyone be quiet. We're close to the lair."
Burren exhaled briefly as he looked at the map. The other swordsmen nodded and closed their mouths.
"Mmm..."
Raon shook his head with his arms crossed.
"No matter how I think about it, this isn't right."
He rose to the surface on a layer of frost after sensing the presence inside the lair right in front of them.
"Hey!"
- Raon!
"Eh!"
After smiling deeply at the Light Wind Palace executives who were shouting, he rose to the surface of the desert. A huge mountain of sand appeared before his eyes. The Dsiouros Lance Dragon and the dwarves were gathered beneath it.
"Hahaha..."
Raon took a deep breath and opened his mouth as wide as he could.
"You bastard lizard hiding in the desert! The warriors who will kill you have arrived! Come out now!"
At his shout, which sounded like a roar, the desert sand was swept away, and the sand mountain shook as if it were about to collapse. A massive surge of mana began to rise from inside the sand mountain, as if responding to Raon's shout. It seemed like the Dsiouros Lance Dragon was about to reveal itself.
"Aaah!"
"Crazy bastard!"
"Why is he really doing this?"
"Why are you going crazy after agreeing that the plan was good?"
The swordsmen shouted when they saw Raon suddenly go crazy.
- I knew this would happen...
Wrath shook his head and said he could see the madness in Raon's eyes.
'You know it too.'
Raon twisted his lips into a smile as he watched the red scales slowly revealing themselves beneath the sand mountain.
"His method won't save the hostages."
-
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