The Rebirth Of The Hero’S Party’S Archmage [EN]: Chapter 229

229

“A dragon can choose between two fighting styles: fighting in its dragon form or in its dragonoid form.”

In dragon form, it can unleash overwhelming size and power. However, what is large is easily vulnerable; applying techniques to its movements becomes impossible.

“Conversely, in dragonoid form, one can move the body skillfully. While it’s impossible to wield absolute power, one can create countless variables instead.”

Both forms have their pros and cons; always remember this.

* * *

While Akireah miraculously appeared and defused the immediate crisis, it’s debatable whether that holds significant meaning.

“Aki, we’ve already failed.”

The Hourglass of Doom has already begun to flow. Sooner or later, the kingdom will meet its end.

“It’s all over!”

And this wave of disaster will spread across the entire continent…

“It’s all my fault.”

If it were Rain Ludwig, he would have understood what Valencidi was trying to say.

His once intact right hand was also melting away into black flames, save for his thumb and index finger.

He was saying that he was no longer of value, and that they should take Ovin and Obira and leave this place, but…

“It’s not over yet.”

Then Ovin shook his head vigorously.

The legacy of Ligwind shone in his hands: the Rhythm Stone that converts light into sound, and the Sky-Piercing Flute that contained the voices of the gods.

“It’s not over yet!”

Could there be a way?

Was he not simply yielding to Elamas’s threats, but had a plan in mind?

“You think I’d just let that happen?”

Without any warning, an immense mass surged in.

The True Dragon’s tail was a weapon in itself, just by its size. The tail, stirring up the cursed ley lines [underground energy pathways], flew in and was deflected before Ovin and Valencidi.

With a fierce explosion of flames, the hem of Aki’s uniform, which had caused the shockwave, fluttered beautifully like flames.

“This one will take on Satchun, Unni [term of endearment for an older sister or female friend].”

Aki gave a thumbs-up to those she had protected, her figure disappearing in a gust of hot wind.

“Dragon Combat System, Fire Wind Rage.”

Appearing suddenly beside Elamas, she slammed a fist burning with flames.

“!”

The surprise attack was blocked by the True Dragon’s outstretched foreleg, but…

“Aki Marking.”

What was being engraved on that foreleg, sparking with fire, was not the Thousand Flowers Sect’s flame crest.

It was Dragon Speech.

The language of dragons, famous for the mystical power imbued in the language itself: Batukira, meaning destruction.

“Dragon Speech Inscription……?!”

The moment the fist collided with the Dragon Speech, the power that should have exploded in a wide area was concentrated and released at a single point.

“The True Dragon’s scales……?!”

Valencidi, who was being dragged away from the palace by Ovin, was speechless at the destructive power.

The True Dragon’s scales, said to be harder and more durable than any metal in this world, could not withstand the fiery strike.

Several pieces of the foreleg’s scales shattered, burned, and scattered into the air. Even the True Dragon’s massive body swayed slightly.

‘That’s, huh……?’

Elamas felt a sense of unease and displeasure at the same time in this situation.

He had definitely seen it somewhere before, but when and where?

He felt the chains of the abyss coiling around the depths of his memory stirring, and the unease disappeared, leaving only displeasure.

“You think you can stop me, someone like you?”

His innate presence was so overwhelming that he was momentarily taken aback, but this level of destruction was within his expectations.

If he had allowed Snire the same opening as just now……

His speed wasn’t overwhelming either. He could react even to the first move that targeted his weakness, so the next attack would be a counterattack to cut off his breath──

– Elsara.

──He couldn’t cut it off.

The moment he saw the baby dragon rushing in, he heard that voice as if it were directly ringing in his brain.

‘Who is it?’

He reached out to control the True Dragon, but he felt as if someone had grabbed his shoulder.

Is that an illusion?

Had he been caught from behind already?

He withdrew his hand and hurriedly turned around, but there was nothing there. Only primitives crawling out of the rift were visible.

“Dragon Combat System──!”

The moment of confusion he showed was a huge opening.

With a great shout, a portion of the power inherited from the greatest mother of the red dragons was unleashed.

The explosive heat of the firepower was momentarily concentrated in the form of a flower, and six flames rose up as if surrounding the True Dragon.

– Wow, seeing this makes me understand why they call flames ‘fire flowers’!

As the still unripe buds began to bloom, emitting heat, an extreme headache struck Elamas.

What’s going on?

Why can I hear my voice?

Did I ever say such a thing?

The memory was sealed in a box. It was bound by chains and locks, so he couldn’t dare to open it.

“──Fire Pine Lotus Flower!”

The blooming of the flames, the rampage of fire.

As each flower bloomed, flashes of light that could only be described as transcendental, roars, and explosions of fire covered the heavens and the earth.

In that fire that saved the living and killed the dead, the palace knights suffered no damage.

Only the primitives who tried to overwhelm those palace knights were turned to ashes with short screams.

An explosion that made light and darkness disappear from the world, if he hadn’t moved the True Dragon’s wings to cover his body.

“This impudent brat…….”

The next moment, the True Dragon spat out black flames from its maw at an absurd speed.

“Don’t interfere……!”

As Akireah threw herself into the sky to evade the attack, the black flames tracked her trajectory but were far below the baby dragon’s speed.

“I was just about to have some fun!”

The battle, where black flames swept the ground and flames swirled and clashed endlessly, had reached a stalemate.

This was not because Elamas could not keep up with Akireah’s speed.

If he wanted to, no, if he gave it his all, killing her would be a matter of time.

But every time he tried, something unknown kept interfering.

‘Not only me, but this brat too. Is she underestimating me?’

He doesn’t feel any fighting spirit or bloodlust at all. Why isn’t she attacking with the intent to kill?

When their eyes met, the baby dragon tilted her head.

“But why are you crying?”

Crying? Me?

Stop talking nonsense.

He had just taken the first step in his long-cherished wish of several decades, several centuries, and he was just getting excited.

– Why did Father have to go and die in such a place!

Unpleasant.

That girl’s eyes are extremely unpleasant.

He had definitely seen them before. Those eyes that looked at him with pity.

– All of this was decided when I was still in the womb.

The eyes he had seen before were also golden, like the inside of a flame. Her hair was as red as fire.

‘And it’s also unpleasant.’

The eyes of those trashy palace knights, looking at those eyes with expectant gazes.

Don’t you guys have hands?

Don’t you have feet?

You don’t even have the strength to hold a weapon? Why don’t you think about fighting yourself?

– That’s because the power of the demons is too strong…….

They always just make excuses.

It is my long-cherished wish to kill all of you who are not even worth living.

It is my eternal wish to cut off the lives that have been prolonged by sucking the lives of others, even though it is natural to be eliminated.

“I’ll kill you guys first.”

The True Dragon turned its maw towards the palace knights.

Towards the humans, covered in blood and dust, supporting each other as they tried to escape this hell.

When the heat began to concentrate explosively in the dragon’s maw, Akireah’s eyes widened as she understood the situation.

– Aki, are you hurt?

There were no guidelines for action in this situation in the combat methods that Shalesarum had taught her. Only what she had seen and learned from Rain Ludwig.

How did he act back then?

Fire Wave Step, she moved her body without even thinking about what repercussions this action would have.

“…………………!”

A huge crater had formed in the ground.

Only sediments of molten stone, iron, and gold remained in what had been the palace’s courtyard.

The elegant arches, spires, and statues had all lost their shape. They were twisted, burned to ashes, or melted in the black flames.

“Ah…….”

Muddled voices flowed from the mouths of the palace knights.

In the midst of this surreal destruction, in a situation where they could only see death, they had survived.

Thanks to the red-haired girl who stood protecting them from the wave of black flames.

“Heh, are you not hurt…….”

Akireah turned to look at them and smiled brightly but staggered weakly and finally plopped down on her butt.

She had drawn out more firepower than she could handle with her juvenile body.

The backlash from that power was engulfing her entire body. And even if she drew out all that power, it was impossible to completely block the power of an adult.

“How pathetic…….”

Elamas’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the baby dragon trying to somehow get her collapsed body up.

Ah, now I get it.

It’s not unpleasant.

It’s because she’s similar.

That pathetic person who fought for the humans and died pathetically…….

‘……Who?’

He knows that he called him Father and followed him. But the memory of what kind of being he was is hazy.

‘Unpleasant.’

Today was supposed to be the happiest day of my life, the day I was supposed to laugh the most.

“What are you going to do about this annoying feeling I have right now!”

Just as Elamas raised his hand, lightning struck from all directions.

At the speed of light.

One of the 5-star spells created by the Archmage Rin in the past.

Jeser Chain Lightning: Lightning Strike.

“Hmph.”

The chains of lightning that spread out like a spider web in an instant were all shattered into light particles by the True Dragon’s rough lion’s roar.

But even though it was shattered.

By the time Elamas had managed to deal with the surprise attack without much difficulty, the situation had entered a new phase.

“Aki.”

The red hair fluttering under the old bamboo hat had an artificial feel, unlike the dragon race.

But the soul within that body clearly possessed a tremendous power comparable to the True Dragon’s Orb.

The young man who appeared in the space between Elamas and the baby dragon smiled at Akireah.

“You did well.”

The moment he met Valencidi and Ovin and hurriedly climbed the stairs of the royal castle, he could guess the situation. He could understand everything.

[Aruu!]

The moment he understood the situation, he didn’t know how to express this overwhelming feeling, admirable and lovely, perhaps beyond words.

Just like that, short and concise.

He conveyed his sincerity.

There’s no need to feel sorry for yourself for being powerless. You’re still young. To be able to do something like this when you’re so young.

‘She will grow, grow more and more, and one day she will easily accomplish things that I can’t even imagine.’

So one day, she will warmly caress the last era that will come. Just like Alakish did.

So now.

What I must do now as a guardian is.

“Well, shouldn’t adults fight among themselves?”

My age is roughly 317 years old.

Even though it’s far short of Elamas, who lived for 500 years, I’m not old enough to be called a child.

“Unless your hobby is tormenting kids.”