Chapter 1144
"Explain this! Why is there a dragon present!"
The complexion of Holy King Hoppen drained of all color, seized by the sudden manifestation of the Great Beast.
"This is preposterous! First the sorceress departs, and now a dragon descends?"
Saintess Olga clenched her jaw, her gaze toward the heavens burning with clear exasperation.
"..."
Raon kept a steady watch on the gargantuan creature obstructing the sky, his hand tightening around Heavenly Drive.
'Gilded scales.'
A repulsive Gold Dragon, then? The beast was encased from head to tail in shimmering plates that mirrored the shade of his own locks. It seemed every member of the Gold bloodline he ran into was equally grating.
'The stillness of the atmosphere suggests it utilized spatial warping.'
The entity had appeared without a single omen. However, noting how the mana currents had buckled in the upper reaches just moments prior, it had undoubtedly employed spatial teleportation.
-That is accurate.
Wrath gave a sharp nod while inspecting the underbelly of the Gold Dragon.
-This king also detected the minor warping of the essence.
'I noticed it as well. But this isn't a standard leap through space.'
To move such a monumental frame through the void with only the most infinitesimal ripple of mana required a dragon of superlative sorcerous talent. Furthermore, the Suphren Holy Kingdom maintained a barrier of holy power to negate teleportation, so bypassing such a fortification proved this was no commonplace drake.
'Its fundamental nature is as striking as its magic.'
Regarding physical dimensions, it had not yet achieved the status of an Ancient Dragon, yet its wells of mana surpassed those of the elders. Having clashed with numerous dragons, Raon could now gauge their maturity and potency simply by analyzing their frame and wingspan. This dragon was vast enough to eclipse the sun, but it lacked the specific markers of an Ancient Dragon.
Curiously, this Gold Dragon carried mana that outweighed an Ancient Dragon's despite its younger rank. Its energy felt as pure and boundless as the natural world itself, which made him feel restless.
-Precisely as you observe.
Wrath narrowed his gaze, finding harmony with Raon's deduction.
-That serpent has hoarded an immense amount of mana for its years. Quite...
He licked his lips while fixating on the beast.
-It looks scrumptious! It hasn't aged too much, so the flesh should be succulent and soft!
Wrath threw his arms up and began a little jig, advocating that they decapitate the creature immediately for a feast.
"Raon."
"Lord Raon!"
Evelyn and Dorian, alerted by the dragon’s aura, sprinted to take their places behind him.
"W-we were on the verge of leaving, so why would a dragon..."
Dorian gripped his temples, grieving over the fact that nothing ever went smoothly anymore.
"The tainted mana from my clash with Lust likely radiated throughout the territory."
Raon felt a slight tension in his brow as he reflected on the duel with Lust.
"The sanctified shield couldn't have bottled up all that malice."
Hoppen, Olga, and the gathered Holy Knights and Priests had endured for as long as their strength allowed, but the holy barrier had eventually collapsed. Even before the total failure, cracks had formed, so it wasn't illogical for dragons to catch the scent of Lust's dominion and demonic weight. The true anomaly was that the dragons were appearing only now, rather than during the heat of the struggle.
"That dragon feels somewhat distinct, doesn't it?"
Evelyn pushed her hair back as she scrutinized the beast, clearly picking up on the same discrepancy he had.
"D-distinct or not! We have to act! It could unleash its breath at any second!"
Dorian unsheathed his blade with shaking fingers, pleading for them to stop the dragon before the Holy Kingdom took more hits.
-The yellow-bellied one speaks sense for once!
Wrath shouted in approval of Dorian.
-Excellent! Sever that serpent’s head and offer it to this king!
"We should settle this with haste."
Olga likewise gathered holy power into her fist, set on terminating the dragon without delay.
"Hold."
Raon extended his arm, checking the momentum of both Dorian and Olga.
"That dragon..."
He moved his head slightly as he watched the dragon’s pupils scanning the earth.
"It doesn't appear to be seeking a fight at this moment, does it?"
If that beast intended to strike, a breath weapon fired immediately after warping would have been the optimal tactic. Yet, unlike the Dragon Lord or the other Ancient Dragons he had faced, this one simply suspended itself in the air, watching them.
-So you're just going to ignore it?
Wrath rolled his sapphire eyes.
-That is utterly forbidden! Snare it and cook it regardless!
He shook his head with fervor, insisting that a rare chance for dragon meat was slipping away.
'I don't plan on cooking it this instant.'
With the Lord and the Ancient Dragons having vacated their dens to vanish into the shadows, he had no intention of letting a dragon that showed itself so openly simply walk away.
'I must secure it first...'
Just as Raon reached for Heavenly Drive to clip the Gold Dragon's wings, four glowing arrays manifested around the beast with a low thrum. From these portals stepped four distinct beings: an Elf, a Dwarf, an Orc, and a Goblin, each possessing unique hues.
"Those entities..."
Evelyn's brow furrowed as she observed the four figures surrounding the Gold Dragon.
"They are all dragons."
She fanned out her fingers, clarifying that the creatures had shifted their forms into the Elf, Dwarf, Orc, and Goblin.
"Correct. They all appear to be of a similar generation."
The four newcomers also seemed to be fully grown dragons on the cusp of becoming Ancient Dragons, much like the Gold Dragon, and each emitted a staggering amount of mana.
"F-five..."
Dorian’s mouth hung open in terror as the count rose to five.
"Every one of them is a dragon?"
Hoppen swallowed hard, his voice thick with shock.
"W-we should get everyone out of here..."
“This time, there is no need to retreat.”
Olga stepped in front of Hoppen.
"Observe that man's face. He is untroubled. He could likely take on five Ancient Dragons if the situation demanded it."
She let a faint smile touch her lips, interpreting Raon's tranquil stare.
-Five! Five serpents!
Wrath salivated at the growing list of ingredients.
-Since there are five, we must grill at least one of them!
He made a sweeping motion with his hand, proposing they char a dragon using the heat of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation.
'Actually, that isn't a terrible suggestion.'
Raon gave a subtle nod and a chilling grin.
'Considering there are five.'
Back when there was only a single dragon, he had intended to take it alive for questioning, but with five present, slaying three and keeping two for interrogation felt like a fair trade.
"Evelyn. Ensure the dragons cannot flee."
Raon signaled to Evelyn, giving his orders.
"Understood! Give me just a second!"
[Those vermin...]
Just as Evelyn nodded to begin her incantation, the voice of Lust resonated through a rose-colored mist.
[They are likely lizards lured by my aroma. I shall deal with them.]
Lust spoke with a freezing detachment, telling Raon to leave the task to her. The demon kings truly seemed to regard dragons as nothing more than petty snakes or mobile rations.
[No, no. I will handle it.]
Just as Raon prepared to launch himself toward the Gold Dragon's neck.
[Are you Raon Zieghart?]
A mental transmission arrived from the Gold Dragon. The tone was frigid and precise, but unlike the dragons of his past, it lacked a blind hatred for humanity.
[Follow me. Surely you wish to avoid collateral damage to these people?]
After a slight tilt of its chin to signal Raon to follow, the dragon soared toward the northern peaks that flanked the Suphren Holy Kingdom.
-What insolence!
Wrath threw a punch at the air.
-A mere serpent dares to bark orders at us! Just take its head!
He shook his head, demanding Raon begin by hacking off the creature's tail.
[Are you going to let it lead you? It is quite full of itself.]
Lust also lowered her pitch, clearly annoyed by the dragon's arrogance.
'Those two are starting to sound alike.'
In this regard, Wrath and Lust shared a similar mindset. They might actually be more compatible than he had thought.
"I'll follow for the time being."
Raon gave a curt nod and slid his partially drawn Heavenly Drive back into its sheath.
"Y-you're actually going to go after it?"
Dorian’s jaw dropped in sheer disbelief.
"It might be an ambush."
Olga knitted her brows, skeptical of the decision.
"I can dismantle any trap."
Evelyn shook her head while gathering mana in her palms.
"Do as you wish."
She grinned, signaling that she would back whatever path he chose.
"Those dragons..."
Raon narrowed his eyes at the beasts who didn't even bother to check if he was coming, acting as if his compliance was guaranteed.
"They don’t look like they intend to start a war immediately."
"H-how can you be sure?"
Dorian blinked in confusion.
"Just an intuition."
Telepathy, the method of mental communication, always leaked a hint of the speaker's true state. That dragon had projected a cold, analytical vibe, but there was no murderous drive to kill him on sight.
"I'll get in touch with you later."
Raon gave a brief wave to Olga and Hoppen before trailing the dragons toward the northern mountain range.
"I-I'm coming too!"
Even as he whimpered about being terrified, Dorian sprinted with everything he had to stay close to Raon.
"I'll see you in a bit."
Evelyn offered a small wave before dissolving into a flash of light.
"Lord Raon has saved Suphren once more..."
Hoppen folded his hands as he surveyed the garden, now illuminated by the afternoon sun.
"He is truly an enigmatic individual."
He chuckled softly, noting that Raon hadn't changed a bit since their first encounter.
"Wouldn't you agree?"
"..."
Olga offered no reply to Hoppen, her gaze fixed intently on the path Raon had taken.
"Saintess?"
"I am going as well!"
She bit her lip with determination and bolted toward the northern mountains.
"What? For what reason!"
"He might sustain an injury!"
Olga ran without a backward glance, insisting she was going to provide healing if Raon got hurt.
"Uh..."
Hoppen shook his head, recalling how Raon had flattened the northern district earlier.
"Regardless of how I view it, the dragons are the ones in danger here..."
With a solid thud, Raon touched down on the crest of a nameless peak, looking across at the adjacent summit. With a vibrating hum, the Gold Dragon watched him closely from the heavens before descending in a slow spiral, cloaked in a radiant glow.
-Now is the chance! Strike it down!
'I'll get you food later. Be silent for now.'
Raon ignored the drooling Wrath and stared straight into the piercing gold light. In a flash, the dragon that had been larger than the peak itself contracted within the brilliance, emerging as a young man with golden hair and blue eyes. In appearance, he was nearly indistinguishable from a human. The ground beneath his feet splintered.
Following him were the Elf, Dwarf, Orc, and Goblin who had been hovering above. Though they wore the masks of other races, they projected the raw aura of apex predators.
"Why have you summoned me?"
Raon kept his palm on the hilt of Heavenly Drive as he confronted the Gold Dragon. Detecting no warmth from the creature, he was ready to strike the moment the conversation turned sour.
-Why even ask! It's obviously looking for a fight!
Wrath wrinkled his nose, asserting that all lizards were cut from the same cloth.
"Forty-eight hours ago, was the adversary you faced truly a demon king?"
As Raon suspected, the dragon was aware of his conflict with Lust.
"Before demanding answers, shouldn't you identify who you are?"
"Hmm..."
The Gold Dragon’s brow twitched, seemingly irritated by the human's demand for etiquette.
"What? Does it offend you when a supposed lesser being speaks?"
Raon narrowed his gaze and tightened his grip on his sword. Given the typical ego of dragons, he expected the beast to erupt in fury over his lack of respect. It seemed the dragon barbecue Wrath wanted was drawing near.
"My apologies."
To his surprise, the Gold Dragon placed a hand over his heart and blinked slowly, as if conceding the point.
"I am Bartius, a mature dragon of the Gold clan."
He gave a slight bow of his head as he stated his name.
-Eh? W-why is he being...
Wrath’s jaw hung open, clearly blindsided by the civil response.
"And those following me are mature dragons from the Red, Black, Blue, and White clans."
Bartius identified himself and his companions in turn.
“I wish to test my strength against that human.”
"Greetings!"
"So that is Raon Zieghart..."
"One of only six humans ranked with the highest threat level."
The dragons observed him with a mix of curiosity and aggression, reflecting their various temperaments.
"I ask you once more. Was it a demon king you battled?"
Bartius repeated the inquiry regarding the demon king.
"And if it was?"
Since the question suggested he already knew the truth, Raon answered without evasion.
[Dull lizard. I am not the only demon king in this place!]
Lust mocked the dragons for failing to perceive the full scope of Raon's situation.
-They are quite full of themselves, aren't they?
[I'll just incinerate them all!]
[No, both of you just stay quiet!]
Raon suppressed both Wrath and Lust while looking back at the dragon.
"So you managed to repel the demon king."
Bartius let out a heavy breath and curled his lip. Though it was a smirk, it didn't seem aimed at Raon.
“This is a truly chaotic era. The things that should be done are ignored, and the things that should never happen are coming to life.”
He raised his eyes slowly, radiating a sense of disdain, though it was unclear exactly who he was judging.
"What is your point?"
Raon frowned, looking at Bartius.
"I came to gauge you. To see what kind of man Raon Zieghart truly is."
Bartius lifted his hand with agonizing slowness.
"Are you capable of showing us hope?"
A fierce fighting spirit poured out of him, a craving for combat. Unlike other dragons he'd met, there was no thirst for blood, but his resolve was hot enough to dissolve aura.
"Very well... But if I am the victor, you will tell me everything."
Raon leveled Heavenly Drive at Bartius with a confident nod.
"This won't take long."
