It was incredibly encouraging that Duke Yuma was the first to charge in and wipe out the enemies.
This gave Hestia and Cloney a moment to prepare mentally and gear up.
Kwahck!
Hestia stepped forward, having stepped on the pedal. She was holding the sword [Kisetaria of the Waning Moon] that Yuma had given her. A red blade light enveloped her sword.
Cloney raised her staff.
A cerulean bolt of lightning sliced through the air.
Her fiery red ponytail danced in the wind.
Hestia’s red blade light surged forward. There were at least thirty enemies coming at them, so there was no need to be picky about whom to hit.
Kwah-aaaang!
The Count’s soldiers fell without mercy.
Fortunately, unlike their zombie-like appearance, it wasn’t common for the fallen soldiers to rise again after taking a fatal blow.
“I should ask Princess Brigitte to replenish our numbers.”
Once this was over, there would be a significant gap in the Count’s forces.
A smidgen of Yuma’s lingering conscience peeked through.
“Father! Father!”
Yuma turned his head toward the desperate cries for his father coming from behind.
Kaisen was shaking the shoulder of Count Rubelt, who was slumped in a chair. However, the pale-faced Count showed no signs of waking up.
Kaisen looked up at Yuma, who was staring at him.
“…I’ll get a medic to treat him.”
“Okay, just find a safe place and stay put.”
A deep voice came from beside Kaisen.
“I’ll take care of him, Your Highness.”
It was Hyman, the commander of the knights.
Kaisen smiled faintly at the stern old knight.
“Thank you.”
Hyman was a man who had reached the master level.
His disposition was aligned with virtue.
At this point, there seemed to be no need to worry about the safety of the next Count. Yuma walked outside with Cloney and Hestia.
Kwah-aaaang!
As soon as he stepped outside, a loud explosion rang in Yuma’s ears. He saw crimson flames exploding in a chain reaction.
Then, after that explosion, a thick cloud of gray smoke settled like a blanket.
Ssssssshh…
As the smoky gray mist lifted, a creature revealed itself.
It appeared to be a lifeform at least 100 meters long.
Yuma felt like the sunlight was burning even more fiercely today.
The black creature soared through the sky.
Purr-luck
Enormous wings unfurled.
Kugugugugugugu!!
An overwhelming presence tore through the air.
No one could question the identity of the being that had appeared before them.
There weren’t many beings in this world that could flaunt such majesty.
A body larger than the Count’s castle.
Black dragon skin.
Eyes red as blood.
[Dragon].
A magnificent existence. The closest being to a god, one that mere humans could not hope to rival.
[Lv.421]
Elcam─Acreon.
A whopping level over 400.
This number was in a whole different league from what had come before.
Yuma cleared his mind.
‘As expected, this is just like Loop Blood.’
The first thing that caught his eye was its name.
Elcam.
The name Elcam was attached to the ‘Black Dragon’ in the game [Loop Blood], which Yuma had enjoyed playing as ‘Don’t Mess with Me.’
This meant that the background setting of the black dragon in front of him was also likely similar. Whether this world came first or if the game, according to the game director, was based on this world, he couldn’t be sure anymore.
“Bugs.”
The black dragon opened its mouth. Just by speaking, it felt like the air was twisting with waves.
The predator’s eyes gleamed.
“You will pay the price for daring to interrupt my amusement.”
It was just a simple mouth opening and words spilling forth. Each word poured out was laced with dragon’s blood.
Duke Yuma remained unaffected by the dragon’s presence.
< Noble Dignity >
– A noble being does not crumble.
– Solely, they themselves are the most noble in this land.
– They do not yield to external pressure.
Due to the feature of self-esteem piercing the sky.
In contrast, Cloney and Hestia were huddled up, trembling all over.
A being closest to a god.
Trembling in front of such a dragon was entirely natural.
It wasn’t a hatchling; it was a dragon that had fully matured long ago.
Yet, one man simply looked at the ferocious black dragon with his usual dull blue eyes.
‘Of course, Lord Yuma…’
Cloney’s eyes were fixated on Yuma, who stood firmly on the ground.
The massive black dragon floated elegantly above Yuma’s head.
Yuma gazed at the intimidating dragon and opened his mouth.
People were keeping their distance; it was only natural for them to scatter when a dragon appeared.
“Dragon, what is your name?”
Even though he already knew through Search Eye, asking for the name was the best start to the conversation.
“…You lowly being, do you dare to ask for my birth name? Fine, I shall tell you. Elcam─Acreon, that is my magnificent birth name.”
Acreon continued.
“After 300 years of slumber, I awoke to find the power I had accumulated scattered. So, to rebuild that power, I made this Rubelt my nest. In a gigantic cave. I’ve been devouring the lives of the fresh count’s domain to slowly recover my strength, whoever you are, it is too late for you.”
Suddenly, the black dragon Acreon confessed all of its evil deeds and began exuding dark magic from its massive body.
“Because I have regained all my power. I, who have lived for six thousand years, Elcam─Acreon!!”
The ground trembled.
“Uaaaaah! O, Dragon God! Great being, please forgive me!”
“Please forgive us!”
The knights and citizens of the count’s domain kneeled and lay flat on the ground. Their desperate cries for survival echoed only among themselves, never reaching Acreon.
Duke Yuma slowly opened his mouth again.
“Acreon, let’s engage in dialogue. If you answer my question, I shall answer yours.”
The slender, fierce mouth of the black dragon Acreon twisted.
“A mere mortal is going to engage in dialogue with me? Absurd…!”
Gray air shot from its nostrils.
It was literally scoffing.
“Don’t you want to reach Elcadell?”
Elcadell.
At the mention of that name, Acreon’s eyes widened.
“…How does a human know of Elcadell?”
Elcadell was the sacred ground of black dragons, said to hold the living tale of the first lord of the black dragons.
“If you answer my questions, I will tell you where Elcadell is.”
A dense malice wafted from Acreon’s body.
The concentration of hostility was strong enough to suffocate a human.
“Arrogant one, fine. Ask your questions. But if you babble nonsense, I will incinerate your limbs on the spot. Without a trace!!”
“If that’s the case, I’ll burn my limbs right now. Without a trace!!”
Yuma slowly nodded his head.
“Have you ever heard of a swordsman with blue hair? Or a tribe like that.”
Acreon opened his eyes wide.
Yuma’s eyes lit up. Is he really finding clues this quickly?
Acreon’s mouth opened, and his red eyes blinked.
“How could I possibly know such a human? A swordsman with blue hair…? A tribe with blue hair? Did something like that spring up while I was sleeping?”
As expected.
Things can’t possibly unravel this easily. Yuma clicked his tongue inwardly.
“A demon capable of marking. Do you know where they are?”
Yuma brought up his second matter.
“Are you talking about the marking clan? They would surely be in the demon realm, since they’re demons.”
Yuma slowly nodded his head.
This wasn’t a bad harvest. He had clearly confirmed that a marking clan capable of inscribing exists.
The fact that they are in the demon realm was the same as in the game, Loop Blood.
Just as Yuma finished organizing his thoughts, Acreon gaped.
“Now it’s your turn to tell me where Elkadel is, human.”
Without hesitation, Yuma replied.
“I don’t know.”
He really didn’t know.
Elkadel was only mentioned in Loop Blood; there had never been any detailed discussion about whether it actually existed or not until the end.
Elcam—Acreon’s massive jaw trembled furiously.
“This uncivilized mortal brat!!!”
Rumbleeeeeeeee!!!
Dozens of red dragon breaths swirled in the sky.
To be precise, it wasn’t just breath. It was a gathering of all dragons’ ultimate ability, Dragon Breath, in Acreon’s mouth.
*
A woman with orange hair was flat on the ground, staring ahead.
‘Why is a dragon suddenly appearing…!’
Yumir was a mercenary connected to Yuma.
Though it was quite a one-sided connection.
Having taken on a mission from Count Venosetian, she had witnessed Yuma’s might with her own two eyes in front of Princess Brigitte, the first princess.
That was Yumir, the disciple of the Mercenary King.
‘I specifically said I wouldn’t take any missions related to this person…!’
—God of War Yuma, you who have seen him once, thinks it’s a good idea to go this time as well. You haven’t been discovered yet. This time, it’s a mission from the First Prince’s side. There’s no intention to harm him at all. Just keep an eye on him and let us know his movements.
Damn it, the voice of the Mercenary King echoed in her head.
She was merely trying to avoid the mission out of fear of the author, God of War Yuma.
But now, the target of her fear had suddenly changed.
Due to the unexpected presence of the Black Dragon.
‘No matter how much he is God of War Yuma, there’s no way to defeat a dragon. How can I win against a creature that probably has lived for at least five thousand years!’
A great being, a dragon.
One dragon was enough to annihilate an entire nation.
The dragon in front of her could easily wipe out a kingdom.
“…Yumir, you also seem to have come to gather information on the author. It looks like we’re going to die together here, thanks to that breath.”
The red dragon breath gathering at the mouth of the Black Dragon Acreon was distorting the air itself.
Yumir turned her head to look at the two individuals next to her.
“You’re from the Information Guild, right?”
The man and woman clad in black robes nodded in agreement.
“Yes, we’ve been assigned to watch over the author. He’s now the Empire’s most high-priority subject, but I never thought we would end up being found out and killed by dragon breath.”
“I didn’t know the line.”
God of War.
“That’s just a title for humans.”
“Even if one is called a god of war, they are merely someone who has surpassed human limits.”
Dragon.
“There’s no way to defeat a fully grown dragon, not even a hatchling.”
“Unless a legendary hero or a legendary archmage falls from the sky.”
The three gazes were fixed on just one person.
Looking at Duke Yuma, who gathered them here.
And they did not expect his victory. They were merely prepared to witness death.
*
Kwaaaaarrrr!!!
The ultimate attack of the dragon, capable of annihilating a nation, was complete. A technique of destruction with catastrophic power greater than that of seething magma.
“For daring to mock a great being, turn to ash and repent!! Mortal!!”
The Black Dragon, Elcam ─ Acreon’s jaw opened wide.
The massive wings of the Black Dragon flapped as its body was shoved backward.
Acreon was the culmination of condensed dragon energy. The recoil from unleashing that energy propelled the dragon’s body, which was stronger than any living being!
Kwaaaahhhhhh──!!!!!
It was a red flash.
A colossal flash that could obliterate not only the Count’s castle but also the mountains behind it.
That flash of ruin was aimed not just at Yuma but at the very ground he stood upon.
The red dragon breath spewed from Acreon’s mouth.
Yuma thought as he watched it.
“It’s impossible to match it with the teeth of Black Dragon Bernac.”
The [Dragon Breath]‘s ‘parrying point’ appeared to be the central dark current, but the [Teeth of Black Dragon Bernac], being a shortsword, had too narrow a blade area.
Sling─
He drew a sword from the Spatial Pocket of the Sword God Chronos.
It was his cherished artifact, [Aksion], which Chronos had personally wielded in battle.
He gripped Aksion with both hands.
And he swung it. Solely aimed at the dark current at the center of the dragon breath.
There was only one chance.
Failure meant certain death awaited.
There was only one thing to rely on.
Parrying.
His innate sense of parrying.
He swung.
Ka──ang
A golden circular impact bloomed. Like a golden flower.
The flash of destruction that was plunging towards the ground twisted. No, it reversed.
[Absolute Counter]
The red flash that targeted the ground. The dragon’s ultimate attack, Dragon Breath, was deflected at a right angle.
Kwaaaahhhh─────────!!!!!
“…This is insane!!”
That was Elcam ─ Acreon’s last words.
In the crimson vision of Acreon, an even more intense red engulfed him.
Annihilation.
The Black Dragon, nearly 100 meters in size, vanished from the sky.
The reflected Dragon Breath, ten times the original attack power, left behind neither the corpse of Acreon nor even bones or ashes.
The clouds were split apart. It was the place the Dragon Breath had pierced through the sky.
The people of Count Rubelt’s territory knelt and stared blankly at the spectacle.
Mercenary King’s disciple, mercenary Yumir, had her mouth agape.
Drool dripped from her chin.
“…Dragon Slayer.”
The men and women of the Information Guild, seated beside her, chuckled faintly.
“Dragon Slayer.”
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