Chapter 1177
"It’s total dominance..."
The Red Dragon Valasiur stood frozen, his jaw dropping in pure amazement.
"To think he’s actually overwhelming the Lord? Is such a thing even possible?"
His voice wavered as he watched Raon’s blade tear through the midsection of the Dragon Lord.
"I’m having a hard time processing it myself."
Sirtiren, the Blue Dragon, let out a breathless, disbelieving chuckle.
"I was aware that Raon Zieghart possessed immense talent, but I never imagined he would be capable of dismantling the Lord in this fashion."
She shook her head slowly, her eyes fixed on the Dragon Lord’s back, which was now coated in a thick, supernatural frost.
"The man is a complete monster..."
Dariauran, the Black Dragon, squeezed his fists so hard the skin across his knuckles turned white.
"He is crushing the Lord through sheer, unadulterated power! We aren't talking about a simple leader of a clan, but the Lord of our entire race!"
His shout was almost manic, fueled by the intoxicating display of Raon’s martial brilliance.
"A truly terrifying level of strength."
The White Dragon Bursiarabi felt his throat go dry as he watched.
"I didn't realize the gap was this wide. Has he been suppressing his true capabilities this entire time?"
He narrowed his gaze, wondering if Raon had been playing a much deeper game than anyone had suspected.
"Phew..."
Bartius took a moment to wipe the perspiration from his brow, letting out a heavy sigh of relief.
"It seems we made the right call."
In the beginning, their plan had been to seek out the strongest man on the continent, Glenn Zieghart, rather than Raon. Logically, that would have been the safest path to bringing down the Lord.
'However, once we understood the path Raon Zieghart had walked, our perspective shifted.'
Raon Zieghart was a mortal who had shattered the established boundaries of the world to carve out a destiny entirely his own. In that regard, he was a kindred spirit—someone fighting to tear down the walls built by the Ancient Dragons and restore the true purpose of the mediators. That shared defiance was what ultimately drew them to him.
Even though they had seen glimpses of his talent, they had still been plagued by doubt.
They believed they could take down clan heads if they worked together, but the Lord existed on a plane of existence that defied conventional logic.
'I feared it was a suicide mission.'
When Raon insisted on facing the Lord alone, they hadn't been entirely convinced. They had been prepared to intervene and fight alongside the other dragons the moment Raon showed any sign of failing.
'I never envisioned the battle turning out like this...'
Initially, it looked as though Raon was being pressured, but at a certain point, the momentum shifted entirely. Watching a solitary human systematically break the massive Dragon Lord through physical might alone sent shivers down their spines, even as dragons themselves.
"Finish this, Raon Zieghart."
Bartius let the mana dissipate from his hands, placing his full confidence in the young warrior.
"I knew he’d pull it off!"
Martha slapped the dust from her hands and crossed her arms over her chest.
"I kept telling you that worrying about him just makes us look like idiots!"
She nodded emphatically, acting as if Raon’s victory had been a foregone conclusion from the start.
"I had faith, certainly, but still..."
Burren gave a faint, weary laugh, his hand still resting on the hilt of his weapon.
"I didn't expect to see him drive the Lord into a corner like this."
He rubbed his face in awe as he watched Raon slice through every spell the Lord cast.
"Uuuugh..."
Dorian let out a low moan, holding his head every time the shockwaves from Raon’s sword hitting the Lord’s magic rattled the air.
"The Palace Master is going to win... right?"
He muttered the question, his eyes barely darting upward.
"Without a doubt!"
Evelyn replied with a steady nod, her composure unshaken.
"Raon is not the type of man to fail those who believe in him."
A soft smile touched her lips, reflecting a deep-seated certainty.
"Though, there is one detail that is starting to bug me."
Evelyn bit her lip, a shadow of concern crossing her features.
"That Dragon Language stuff..."
Martha's brow furrowed as she observed the Dragon Lord using his innate power to try and repel Raon.
"Isn't it sticking out as a bit weird?"
She scratched her face, unable to shake the feeling that something was off.
"What do you mean by weird?"
Burren shifted his focus toward her.
"He keeps using these half-hearted orders like 'get back,' 'stay away,' or 'fly off.'"
Martha mimicked the commands the Dragon Lord had been shouting.
"If he's so powerful, why doesn't he just command him to 'die' and end the whole thing?"
She tilted her head, caught between confusion and anxiety.
"That is a feat that is nearly impossible to pull off."
Bartius made a clicking sound with his tongue.
"Impossible?"
Martha’s eyes widened, startled that Bartius had bothered to explain.
"The language of dragons isn't magic without limits. It is a tool that allows a dragon to manifest and amplify their internal power at an accelerated rate."
Bartius shook his head, clarifying that the power wasn't a simple "win" button.
"It creates a distortion in the natural laws of the world, meaning it cannot be used without pause, and a failure results in a devastating rebound. It is only because of his status as the Lord that he can even utilize commands of that caliber."
He explained that even other Ancient Dragons would struggle to use that level of authority against someone like Raon.
"As he stands now, Raon Zieghart is a legitimate threat to the Lord’s life. If the Lord attempted to command him to 'die' and the magic failed to take hold, the resulting backlash would likely kill the Lord instantly."
Bartius scrunched his nose, emphasizing that the risk of such a command failing against a powerful opponent was essentially a death sentence for the caster.
"Okay, that makes sense."
Martha nodded, the logic finally clicking.
"Whew! In that case, we really have nothing to fret over!"
Dorian let out a long, shaky breath, finally letting his guard down a fraction.
"Actually, it is time we start worrying about our own situation."
Bartius exhaled sharply and glanced over his shoulder. In the distance, the quiet sky was suddenly filled with the thunderous roar of dozens of approaching lights.
"What are those...?"
Burren squinted, trying to make out the source of the glowing orbs.
"Dragons. It appears the Lord sent out a call for help the moment he regained his senses."
Bartius confirmed that a massive force was en route to bail out their leader.
"Because we’ve jammed the teleportation networks, they are forced to fly here manually."
He let out a grim smile, noting that their interference had at least bought them some precious minutes.
"I truly hope this marks the final time we are forced to shed the blood of our own kind."
Sirtiren sighed heavily as her body began to shift and expand back into her draconic form.
"I’m actually looking forward to testing myself against our brothers."
Valasiur smashed his knuckles together, a fierce, hungry grin spreading across his face.
"Always the bloodthirsty ones, aren't you?"
Dariauran transitioned into his true form as well, radiating a sharp, cold hostility despite his dismissive comment.
"Some will fight for the sake of it, others because they must. Our focus must remain on the survival and future of the dragon race."
Bursiarabi unfurled his colossal wings, his breath coming out in thick plumes of white vapor.
"Perfect! I was hoping the day wasn't over yet!"
Martha unsheathed her blade, energized by the prospect of another round of combat against dragons.
"Keep your head on straight. Raon is occupied; he won't be able to bail us out this time."
Burren signaled for her to stay focused and not let her battle lust take over.
"Even if I lose my cool, I know you’ve got my back, right?"
Martha smirked, flashing him a look of total confidence.
"I suppose that’s true."
Burren gave a firm nod of agreement.
"Ugh... why is it always like this for me..."
Dorian grumbled miserably, yet he still raised his sword as he watched the incoming hoard of dragons.
"So, if the Dragon Lord actually decides to use the 'die' command on Raon..."
Evelyn’s eyes remained fixed on the duel in the distance, ignoring the approaching reinforcements.
"It would signify that he is absolutely certain he can end his life."
With a thunderous sweep, Raon neutralized the Dragon Lord’s defensive spells using the Revolving Sky technique of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation before slamming a strike into his gut. A massive explosion of sound followed; the Dragon Lord managed to keep his scales from being shredded by deploying a mana shield at the last second, but the sheer momentum sent him tumbling across the floor of the dark realm.
Fresh blood sprayed from various gashes across his gargantuan frame, the result of the cumulative trauma.
"You're surprisingly durable."
Raon moved like a shadow, flanking the Dragon Lord as the beast struggled to find his footing and spread his wings. A freezing smile played on Raon’s lips.
[You insignificant brat!]
The Dragon Lord conjured a multitude of shimmering barriers. His intent was clear: to box Raon in and crush him between the converging walls of light. With a high-pitched ring, Raon activated the Thirty-Six Crimson Flash Techniques with his Divine Sword, shattering the barriers like glass before lunging forward with his Demonic Sword in a Single Crimson Point thrust.
The blue steel, focused into a lethal, glowing dot of red energy, drove deep into the Dragon Lord’s chest.
The sound of tearing flesh echoed as the Lord’s chest was ripped open, leaking vibrant red blood. Immediately, the wound was sealed by a layer of unnatural white ice, cutting off his ability to heal.
[Graaaah!]
Blinded by agony and rage, the Dragon Lord whipped his mana-saturated tail downward, aiming to pulp Raon into the ground.
"Finally, you're fighting with the desperation of a cornered animal."
Raon’s smile widened into a predatory grin. He swung both the Divine and Demonic Swords upward in a synchronized motion. The Fangs of Insanity and the Blizzard Sword Art surged forth, their opposing energies of fire and ice clashing and building off one another as they met the descending tail. With a bone-shaking impact, the flaming Divine Sword and the frost-laden Demonic Sword shoved the massive tail back with overwhelming force, sending the Dragon Lord crashing into the boundary wall.
—Magnificent!
Wrath bellowed in appreciation as he watched the ruler of dragons eat dirt.
—It is like watching a man topple a fortress pillar using nothing but a pair of toothpicks!
He nodded with enthusiasm, noting that Raon was exceeding all expectations.
"If you say so..."
Raon’s breath came out in a white cloud, and his grip on his twin blades was beginning to falter with a slight tremor.
—Hmm...
Wrath rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
—You have undoubtedly reached a new peak of power, but your stamina is still your weakest link.
He clicked his tongue, having instantly realized that Raon was running on fumes.
'He really is the King of Wrath. He sees everything.'
Raon let out a self-deprecating smile as he felt the shaking in his hands.
'I’m hitting the wall.'
The Wrath Release allowed him to tap into an incredible reservoir of combat power by cloaking himself in pure emotion, but the cost to his body and mind was staggering. Even though his baseline endurance had improved, the sheer volume of wrath he was channeling had increased proportionally, leaving him just as drained as he used to be in the past.
—You still have much to learn.
Wrath let out a snort, signaling that Raon wasn't quite at the top of the mountain yet.
'Agreed. I have a long way to go. But...'
Raon tightened his hold on the Divine and Demonic Swords once more.
'I am the one who has to put this lizard down.'
Even though his reserves were nearly dry from maintaining both the Sword Domain and Wrath Release, he could still force his body to move. The Dragon Lord was on the verge of collapse, and this was the window he needed to finish the job.
'I have to kill him now so I can deal with what's coming next.'
He knew the other dragons were closing in. He had to execute the Dragon Lord immediately so he could pivot to assist his comrades.
"Haaaa..."
Raon tapped into the depths of his soul once more to pull up whatever lingering shards of wrath remained. With a violent surge, he reached past the layer of wrath and grabbed onto the authorities of other demon kings buried even deeper, letting them wash over him. A heavy, vibrating hum filled the void.
The flow of time slowed to a crawl, eventually appearing to stop altogether. A feeling of absolute control, as if the entire world was a toy in his hands, flooded his consciousness.
'I only have a few seconds of this.'
The strain on his already exhausted mind and body was astronomical. This was his final gambit.
"With this strike..."
Raon blurred through the air, launching himself at the Dragon Lord. He moved at a velocity that bypassed the very concepts of sound and light, bringing both blades down in a final arc.
"It is finished."
The Dragon Lord gasped, sensing Raon’s approach despite the total absence of sound or presence. He felt the cold, sharp edges of the two swords beginning to bite into the scales of his neck.
'This is the end!'
His survival instinct, sharpened over ten millennia, screamed at him that his physical form would be obliterated the moment those blades followed through.
'I can't block this!'
He needed just a fraction of a second to weave a defensive spell, but Raon was moving too fast to allow him even a single heartbeat. He could already see the blades severing his life.
'There is only one way...'
Just one path to survival remained. It was a desperate gamble. One slip, and he would be the one to kill himself.
'What do I do...'
[...]
'Wait!'
As the cold steel began to draw blood from his neck, a memory surfaced. Or perhaps, a "familiar voice" nudged him toward a solution he had overlooked in his panic.
'The ultimate spell...!'
The supreme magic he had been crafting to wipe out the human race was still dormant within this pocket dimension.
'It’s nearly impossible to direct, but I have no other choice!'
The Dragon Lord locked eyes with Raon’s burning red gaze and shattered the seals on the ultimate magic he had spent centuries preparing.
[Raon Zieghart!]
Channeling the entirety of that absolute power into his Dragon Language, he spat out the most lethal command in existence.
[DIE!]
