C983
"The feeling of cutting through a breath attack isn't bad at all."
Raon nodded in satisfaction as he watched the frost fragments scatter across the sky.
[Grrr...]
Dsiouros' pupils trembled in surprise, as if he had never imagined his breath could be frozen and shattered.
'As expected...'
Raon smiled slightly as he observed Dsiouros' surprised eyes.
'Dsiouros is weaker than Kaivar.'
Although Dsiouros' fire breath had enough power to erase that entire area, it wasn't strong enough to penetrate his sword. Just as there were power differences between Transcendants, it seemed that dragons also varied in strength depending on how long they had lived.
-Opening your Sword Domain and using all your power, and you're still boasting!
Wrath frowned, telling him not to be arrogant.
«Of course I had to use all my power».
Raon tilted his Divine Sword and looked at the hostages behind him.
"If I had blocked it halfway, the people behind me could have been injured."
He probably could have cut through Dsiouros' fire breath without using all his power, but he had used it from the beginning to protect the hostages from the heat. By unleashing a sword strike that harmonized ice and fury, he was able to completely freeze and destroy the fire breath.
-Well, freezing flames are the best way to deal with them!
Wrath nodded, seemingly satisfied that his cold energy had frozen the dragon's breath.
-That lizard's expression is priceless! His liver looks perfect.
He licked his lips and said the surprised Dsiouros looked delicious. He was truly crazy.
"Am I... am I still alive?"
"To think I could survive a breath attack..."
"Is this even possible?"
"No way, how could a human cut through flames?"
The people behind him stared intently at the icy sky, unable to believe they were still alive.
"It wasn't an ordinary sword aura..."
"A Transcendent. And someone who has properly honed their sword skills."
"How can someone so young possess a transcendent sword aura..."
The dwarves' eyes shone, seemingly captivated by Raon's swordsmanship, which had perfectly split the fire breath. No wonder they were called the race of iron and fire, reacting like this even in a situation like that.
"Didn't I tell you?!"
Latiru excitedly waved his hands, which were covered in burns.
—No way Borgos would have let them go just like that!
He nodded confidently, saying he had believed without a doubt.
"That's truly crazy..."
Martha let out a hollow laugh, as if she were dumbfounded.
"He not only cut the breath, but he froze it and then shattered it. Is that even possible?"
She shook her head, saying that despite observing Raon for a long time, she never knew he could freeze and destroy a breath attack.
"He must have taken measures to prevent the hostages from being harmed by the heat."
Burren nodded, saying he understood Raon's intention in freezing the breath.
"Of course, the power that made it possible is still amazing..."
He let out a sigh, saying it was a level of power beyond comprehension.
"Frost... good..."
Runaan raised both hands with her cheeks flushed, seemingly pleased by the cool blue energy filling the surroundings.
"Seeing the Palace Master's sword gives me courage."
"Yes. If the Palace Master can block the fire breath, we should be able to fight."
"Let's give it our all today."
"We'll become dragon hunters right here."
The Light Wind Palace swordsmen seemed to gain courage from Raon's sword and reinforced their determination to fight Dsiouros. A green wind swirled around the Light Wind Sword Formation as the swordsmen's spirits soared towards the sky.
* * *
[This... this is impossible...]
The winged dragon Dsiouros swallowed hard as he looked at his fire breath that had turned into ice fragments and shattered. His enormous body trembled, and the fire attribute mana that had been condensing around him dissipated like fog.
[It's impossible!]
He had foreseen his breath being blocked due to the strange feeling he was getting from the golden-haired, red-eyed human. But he never imagined that it would not only be blocked but completely cut off, with a heat more intense than lava trapped in ice and shattered.
In the thousands of years he had lived, this was the first disconcerting experience he had had. His mind went blank, and his heart pounded as if it were going to burst.
'Dangerous. That human is dangerous.'
The golden-haired, red-eyed human had shattered his breath using only his innate power, without using any special skills. This meant he had the ability to cut his head off at any moment.
'Wait a minute...'
Golden hair and red eyes? He remembered that when the Lord had recently visited him and told him to prepare for the war against the humans, he had warned him to be wary of a swordsman with golden hair and red eyes.
"He definitely said he was an old man..."
The Lord had said he was an older man who could die at any moment, so he hadn't paid much attention, but he never expected this outcome. It seemed all golden-haired, red-eyed humans were a threat.
-It would be better to retreat from here.
The Lord's words were worrisome, and he couldn't predict the power that this golden-haired, red-eyed human possessed, so getting away from that place was the priority.
[Don't fool yourself just because you blocked a fire breath!]
Dsiouros forcefully gathered the scattered mana.
[I have magic beyond breath attacks!]
He chanted the dragon language and unleashed a crimson beam towards the ground. It was transcendent magic, the Wrath of Heaven. Amidst the violently falling beams, Dsiouros turned his body.
"It's not perfect, but it should buy me some time."
Magic usually doesn't exert its full power when one's mental state is shaken, but since he was only trying to buy time instead of killing them, his current state was enough.
'First I'll fly higher and then use spatial movement...'
Just as Dsiouros spread his wings to fly higher, a sword silently rose, creating a red flash as it rushed towards his neck.
[Block it!]
Dsiouros hastily chanted the dragon language, but the sword imbued with golden flames pierced through the thick dragon language defense and severed his two wings. With a chilling sound of torn space, the red wings that had spread to cover the sky fell, replaced by bright red blood.
Dsiouros, unable to regain his senses due to the pain of his severed wings and unable to use flight magic, crashed down onto the icy blue desert. Waves of sand scattered in all directions due to his unimaginable weight.
[Urgh...]
Dsiouros opened his eyes, letting out a painful groan.
[Hu...human...]
The golden-haired, red-eyed human stood in front of him with a calm demeanor. Piercing through his defenses and cutting off both wings with a sword strike that he couldn't even perceive was an impossible level of power. Honestly, it was enough to instill fear.
-That's right. You should run away like the lizard you are.
Raon looked at Dsiouros and tilted his chin.
"However, I have experienced too much malice from your kind to let you escape."
Despite boasting of being the strongest race on Earth and mediators of the world, dragons were no different from lizards who cut off their tails and ran away when they were in danger.
"You only have two ways out of this place."
Raon raised his finger and pointed at the Light Wind Palace swordsmen.
"Either you kill them, or they kill you."
After warning Dsiouros, he turned to look at the Light Wind Palace swordsmen.
"The same goes for you. Fight and win."
Raon said he wouldn't intervene anymore and stepped back.
[That means...]
Dsiouros slowly raised his body.
[If I kill those humans, will you let me go?]
"You understand quickly."
Raon smiled as he looked at Dsiouros' burning red eyes.
"Just don't use your breath, and don't think about running away in the middle."
He nodded and said he would promise if those conditions were met.
[Alright...]
Dsiouros gritted his teeth, blood dripping, as he straightened his enormous body. He looked at the Light Wind Palace swordsmen and unleashed a chilling murderous intent.
[Don't regret this!]
* * *
"That crazy bastard is going to sell us out in the end."
Martha let out a hollow laugh, as if she couldn't believe it.
"It means he believes in us. Let's take it positively."
Burren nodded and said this must be Raon's test.
"We can do it..."
Runaan blinked and said they could definitely do it, just like when they started this mission.
"Are you unusually confident today? Did you eat something strange?"
Martha lowered her eyebrows, looking bewildered.
"Because we can do it."
Runaan clenched her fist, not only to reinforce her determination but also to give the impression of being confident of victory. It seemed as if she was seeing something.
"O-Okay! Let's do it!"
Kerin raised his sword and shouted that they should fight to the death.
"Huhuhuhu..."
Dorian also grabbed his sword with both hands, shedding tears.
"I'm glad I joined the Light Wind Palace. To think I would be facing a life-or-death battle with an ancient dragon."
Trevin licked his lips and said it was a great opportunity for growth.
"That's the best part of the Light Wind Palace."
Mark Goetun bowed his head, welcoming them once more to the Light Wind Palace.
You have no chances left!
Dsiouros frowned and lowered his blood-dripping claw. Flames rose from his palm and unfurled like silk, falling towards the heads of the Light Wind Palace members.
"It's too late to dodge! Focus on defense!"
At Burren's shout, the Light Wind Palace swordsmen moved to the inside of the sword formation and compressed their aura. The aura blooming from their swords turned into a blue-tinged shield that collided with the flames Dsiouros had unleashed. Violent shock waves erupted one after another as the flames and aura met, creating purple sparks.
"Mmm..."
Raon narrowed his eyes as he watched the fierce competition between the flames and aura.
"They are not inferior in power."
The power of Dsiouros' ninth-circle magic and the swordsmen enhanced by the sword formation were almost equal. This meant that if Dsiouros hadn't used transcendent-level magic and fire breath, they wouldn't be at a disadvantage.
'Assuming he can't use his breath, they just need to block transcendent-level magic somehow.'
To block that... Raon turned his gaze towards the Light Wind Palace, thinking of an answer to defeat Dsiouros.
"We can't give him time!"
Burren wrinkled his nose and stomped his foot.
"Get in right now!"
He moved to the center of the sword formation, saying they needed to press forward without giving him a chance to breathe.
"I know!"
Martha, the leader of the Light Wind Palace, stepped forward before Burren could finish his instructions. She thrust her sword towards Dsiouros' body, regardless of the defense, as if she were prepared to die. Her sword, imbued with heaviness, pierced through Dsiouros' scales and cut deep into his flesh.
[You, miserable!]
Dsiouros narrowed his eyes and launched sharp fire swords towards Martha. Just before Martha's body was about to be impaled, a wall of ice rose and blocked Dsiouros' flames.
"I saved you..."
It was Runaan. She tilted her chin calmly, as if she had known this would happen.
"I'm not thanking you!"
Martha ran forward again to cut Dsiouros' scales, as if she had believed Runaan would come to her aid.
"I didn't expect that..."
Runaan followed closely behind Martha, putting out all the flames that fell. The two worked together in perfect attack and defense, unlike when they were fighting as enemies.
[Ouch!]
Dsiouros let out a shout filled with pain and threw out burning blue flames.
"Fall back..."
Realizing she couldn't block this magic alone, Runaan grabbed Martha's nape and they retreated together.
"Destructive Sword Formation!"
As soon as Martha and Runaan returned, Burren concentrated the energy of the sword formation and split the falling blue flames like a waterfall.
[Insects!]
Dsiouros, seemingly truly enraged, unleashed dragon language magic and ninth-circle magic successively. He seemed to be trying to buy time by forcing them to retreat somehow.
"We can block it! Advance!"
The Light Wind Palace swordsmen, realizing they couldn't give Dsiouros time, advanced while cutting the magic. The clash between swords and magic, dragon and swordsmen, continued endlessly. Dsiouros roared as his scales were cut by the sword aura, while the swordsmen groaned as they wielded their swords with skin burned by the heat.
The fierce battle between Dsiouros and the Light Wind Palace swordsmen continued. Amidst the relentless exchange, the first to lose his patience was the supposedly strongest race on Earth.
[I'll kill them all!]
Dsiouros summoned flames of an intense crimson color, almost dark, in front of his chest, roaring in anger. The heat emanating from the shadowy flames was enough to distort the surroundings.
"Black flames..."
"Is, is it transcendent-level magic?"
"Don't tell me it's hell..."
The Light Wind Palace swordsmen swallowed hard at the heat radiating from the black flames.
"It's a bluff!"
Burren raised his head and shouted with as much fierceness as Dsiouros.
"Even an ancient dragon needs preparation time to use transcendent-level magic!"
He raised his sword and said they should press forward.
"That's right. How could someone with a broken spirit use transcendent-level magic right away? Follow me!"
Martha ran even faster, plunging her sword into Dsiouros as if she weren't afraid of the black flames.
"We have the advantage..."
Runaan, also realizing this was their chance, cut Dsiouros' ankle with her frost flower-filled sword.
"Let's go!"
"Stab him!"
"Damn it!"
Following Mark Goetun's instructions, Kerin and Dorian took the initiative and launched their sword aura. Dozens of sword aura beams fired by the Light Wind Palace swordsmen pierced through Dsiouros' body. Blood gushed from his body like a broken dam.
[Flies!]
Unable to bear it, Dsiouros attacked with his incomplete transcendent magic.
"Not so fast!"
As if he had been waiting for this, Trevin gathered all the power of the sword formation and deflected the black flames that Dsiouros had fired towards the desert behind them. Despite being incomplete, the transcendent-level magic spread throughout the desert behind them, melting the sand itself.
'Not bad.'
Raon licked his lips as he watched the Light Wind Palace swordsmen corner Dsiouros.
'Good strategy to not give him time, and good patience too.'
The only way for the Light Wind Palace to win was to steal time from Dsiouros, and the swordsmen had perfectly executed the plan, sticking to him like leeches.
"Everyone has grown."
Burren had calmed down enough to live up to his name as Vice Palace Master, Martha's courage and charge were unmatched on the continent, and Runaan coordinated the sword formation with a broader perspective to ensure no one suffered serious injuries.
Dorian, despite shedding tears, stood at the front blocking Dsiouros' magic, and Krein trusted Dorian and stepped forward to push his sword.
Mark Goetun, Trevin, and the other swordsmen also seemed to have grown through this battle, perfectly fulfilling their roles.
-Everyone has grown well...
Wrath sobbed, as if he were proud of the swordsmen.
-Yes, they're worth watching now.
Raon nodded in agreement.
[Ouch!]
Dsiouros shook his body and screamed. Due to the multiple sword wounds, blood rained around him.
[I don't care anymore! I'll kill them all!]
He seemed to have forgotten his promise, as he rolled his eyes and opened his enormous maw. Inside Dsiouros' throat, lava-like flames began to condense in a circular motion.
'Flame Breath.'
It seemed he had given up on transcendent-level magic due to his inability to concentrate and was trying to unleash his breath attack.
-What are you doing!
Wrath waved his hands quickly.
-Hurry up and stop him! The kids will die!
'Wait.'
Raon stopped Wrath and looked at the Light Wind Palace swordsmen.
"Those guys are going to try it."
The Light Wind Palace swordsmen didn't wait for him, but reinforced their sword formation and raised their swords as if they were going to fight directly. Their eyes glowed with the desire to fight to the end.
-Alright. Try it.
If it were the same fire breath as before, even the Light Wind Palace would be annihilated, but in his current state, Dsiouros could barely use his breath properly. If the Light Wind Palace swordsmen hardened their determination and concentrated on the sword formation, they could block it.
Dsiouros, unable to fully extract his fire breath due to the pain and urgency, condensed only half of it before unleashing it towards the Light Wind Palace swordsmen.
"Light Wind Sword Storm!"
At Burren's shout, the Light Wind Palace swordsmen swung their swords simultaneously. Several sword auras merged into one, creating an intense blue light.
The fire breath and the ultimate technique of the Light Wind Sword Formation collided, causing huge shock waves to explode in all directions. The sand crumbled, and the black flames burning behind them were extinguished.
However, the Light Wind Palace swordsmen's expressions hardened, and a cold sweat began to break out on their foreheads as they seemed to be losing in terms of power.
[It's over!]
Dsiouros, seemingly no longer caring about the consequences, roared and unleashed an even more intense fire breath.
"Hold on!"
"Believe in the path we've walked, being defeated by Raon!"
"We can cut it too..."
At the shouts of Burren, Martha, and Runaan, the Light Wind Palace swordsmen pressed forward, bringing out their last strength. When the minds and hearts of the swordsmen connected as one sword, a familiar green wind blew, forging everyone's energy into a single blade. The true ultimate technique of the Light Wind Sword Formation. Light Wind Sword Storm.
The true ultimate technique of the Light Wind Sword Formation, created by Rimmer and Raon, unleashed with the green wind, sliced through Dsiouros' fire breath and cut deeply into his neck.
[Urgh...]
Dsiouros couldn't even roar like before, his whole body trembling. The dragon scale was reversed. Normally, he should have struggled desperately, but he didn't have much strength left.
"Now's the time!"
"Advance!"
The Light Wind Palace swordsmen, despite being covered in bright red burns from the breath attack, didn't retreat but plunged their blue swords into Dsiouros. Astral rings and sword aura rained down, cutting through the dragon's thick scales and tearing his flesh and bones.
Realizing he had no chance of winning, Dsiouros gathered his remaining strength to prepare a teleportation spell.
[Tele... port...]
Just as he was about to use dragon language magic to move through space, a heavy, cold sword pierced through his mouth.
[Oops!]
Dsiouros let out a scream that seemed to tear his mouth apart as his dragon language magic was interrupted.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"We can see through you."
Martha and Runaan twisted the swords that had pierced Dsiouros' mouth, saying they had anticipated this after seeing Raon.
-Now, kill him!
As the Light Wind Palace swordsmen were about to deliver the final blow at Burren's shout...
"Enough."
Raon stepped forward and raised his hand. The Light Wind Palace swordsmen immediately erased their killing intent and returned to their original stance, standing at attention as soon as Raon stepped forward. It was a display of complete trust in him.
"Not a bad fight."
Raon nodded towards the Light Wind Palace, saying it was a decent battle.
"Haha..."
"It's over."
Martha and Burren sat down on the spot, lowering their swords as soon as Raon finished speaking.
"I told you we'd win..."
Runaan tilted her head calmly, as if she had foreseen this outcome.
"I, I fought because I was more afraid of the Palace Master..."
Dorian's lips trembled as he said Raon was scarier than the dragon.
"That's true."
Kerin nodded, saying he understood what Dorian meant.
"To think we actually killed a dragon."
"And not just any dragon, but an ancient one!"
"I never thought I'd face a breath attack and live."
"This is what the Light Wind Palace is all about!"
"The Palace Master even praised us, so we must have fought well!"
The swordsmen raised their swords and cheered, seemingly thrilled by their victory.
"However!"
Raon shook his head as he looked at the rejoicing swordsmen.
"There were many unnecessary movements. If you had used your strength properly, you could have caught this lizard without even seeing its breath."
He clicked his tongue and said there were also many disappointing aspects.
"Besides, there was an initial mistake. Well, let's talk about it calmly when we get back."
Raon gestured with his hand and said they should have a proper debriefing when they returned to Zieghart.
"Ah..."
"Tell us later..."
"That's right! It's scary to hear it before we can feel the joy of victory!"
"I'm already worried..."
The Light Wind Palace swordsmen shook their heads, saying Raon had no human emotions.
-What a ruthless guy...
Wrath also murmured that Raon was too much, letting out a sigh.
"Dsiouros."
Raon ignored the complaints of the Light Wind Palace behind him and stepped onto Dsiouros' head, which was coughing up blood.
"You broke your promise not to use your breath, and you also broke your promise not to run away, right?"
He curled his lips as he looked into the dragon's red eyes, which were larger than his own body.
"Then I guess I can do whatever I want too, right?"
[Ugh...]
"I look forward to it."
Dsiouros' enormous body, reflected in Raon's red eyes, trembled like a mosquito's wings.
"I'll make you tell me everything you know, and even what you don't know."
-
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Thanks for the support
Oh i love this series so much
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