novelThe Scar Left on the World (3)
| ← Ch.083 | Ch.085 → |
Chapter 83 - The Scar Left on the World (3)
While Azell was conducting the Dragon Slayer's Ritual, Kairen chased after Laura.
He was chasing after her by himself, and he lost her trail when she hid herself inside Vitan's Maze. Fortunately, the Guardian Shadows were able to pick up on her whereabouts again.
Then.......
<Hmm. Legendary runt. I used my artistic sense to decorate your eyes, but now it is back to its mundane appearance. >
"I neatly cleansed your ugly looking Skeleton, yet it seems it has become dirty again."
Kairen growled.
The one making the sarcastic remarks as soon as it saw Kairen was the Dragon Demon Undead named Delta. It was allied with the Keepers of Prophecy. Its skull was crushed in the fight against Kairen, but it arrived to battle Laura after it had recovered its original appearance.
<We don't have the luxury to unnecessarily squabble over our feelings. >
The one to speak in such an annoyed tone was the Undead Magician Theta. Kairen grumbled.
"Hey, Skeleton Magician. Can't you tell me if I'm in a nightmare or not? Then maybe I'll have some impetuous to be more thankful towards you."
<You should try biting your tongue to see if you are of right mind. You are fighting in a united front with the dirty Undeads. That is an undeniable reality. >
"Shit."
<You've lived for a pretty long time, yet you haven't experienced this before. You should be more accepting of these new emotions. It is best to have a flexible mind in regards to this arrangement. >
"You are an annoying bastard."
<What a very unoriginal assessment. >
From Kairen's perspective, he was really annoyed, but he couldn't deny the fact that Delta and Theta were reliable allies. This was especially true of Theta. If it wasn't for Theta's magic, he would have already lost Laura.
"You guys are really persistent."
Laura let out a sigh. She was clearly vexed by all of this.
However, one could feel a sense of danger coming from within her.
'I never expected him to attempt the Dragon Slayer's Ritual. '
She had planned on escaping, while letting the Thunder Dragon deal with most of her pursuers. However, her plan had gone awry. This was especially true in regards to Azell. He had occupied the Thunder Dragon by using the Dragon Slayer's ritual. This possibility was completely outside of her calculations.
Still, did he really have the requisite power to face off against it?
Before Kairen had arrived, Theta, Delta and several other Guardian Shadows had surrounded her, and they sent fierce attacks towards her. She hadn't been able to travel very far when Kairen suddenly appeared. He had sent an attack towards her without a moment's notice.
Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah!
Everything looked as if it was burning bright. Afterwards, Kairen struck atop her barrier.
The barrier shook violently. Kairen's attack was so fierce that it made her blood run cold.
'As it stands now, I'll be in danger. '
She had been completely wrong in her calculations. There were too many strong enemies for her to fight and defeat them. She was well-informed of these beings. Aside from Kairen, these two Undeads were beings that had been killed in a fight with Laura's predecessor.
Basically, they were Laura's sworn enemies, but it didn't rise to a threshold where she held a bitter resentment against them.
In the first place, Laura didn't hold any affection towards the previous heir of Aunsaurus.
'During that fight, all the members of this organization hadn't gathered in a single location... Moreover, the Dragon Sword Duke is also formidable. '
As she was having these thoughts, she was exchanging attacks in the fierce battle. Laura was using all kinds of magic in an attempt to escape this place.
However, the encirclement by her enemies was too sturdy. About half of her magic was being offset by Theta. While the Guardian Shadows annoyed her by attempting to slow her down, Kairen and Delta rushed in close to hit her with terrifying sword strikes.
'What should I do?'
It wasn't as if she didn't have any methods that'll allow her to escape from this place.
She just had to withdraw the Vitan's Maze being used to imprison Seigar. She had to turn the full ability of the Vitan's Chalice towards her enemies. However, that would cause her to fail her mission.
'I don't want that to happen....... '
Her head knew which choice was sensible. If one considered the merits she had accrued until now, a single failure wouldn't cause too much harm to her. Wasn't this something even her rival, Niberis, had failed?
"If I do fail, I'll be fine."
Laura mumbled to herself as if she was convincing herself. Yes. It'll be alright if she failed. The right move was to concede Segiar to them, so she could get out of here safely.
However, there was a stuffy feeling at the corner of her chest as if there was an obstruction.
'It won't be too late to give them a name after we sort them out. '
When she was young, she didn't know much about the world, and she hadn't received her name of Laura yet. She remembered the adults speaking as they coldly looked down at her. Their eyes had looked at her as if they were judging the worth of an item.
'Only those who don't fail will be given a name. We don't need failures. '
She always heard a variation of those words. Laura had once been pitted against the children for the seat of being an heir. Those who failed were weeded out through natural selection. They only wanted the children, who achieved results. Only these select children were given names.
The children, who were weeded out, disappeared from this world. The children were tools that would be used to achieve their earnest wish. This was why many children were'produced', and only those that met the requirements were left alive.
"Ooh-oohk...... !"
This was the first time there was a change to Laura's expressionless face.
She made a sensible and cool judgement. She decided to give up on this mission. Her well-being had to be prioritized. This was suppose to be a simple decision.
However, a wound had been engraved into her mind starting from her childhood, and it was getting in the way of her making this simple choice.
Kwah-ha-ha-haht!
Her barrier was cut open. While her concentration was faltering, Delta and Kairen used the opportunity to focus their attacks on a single point.
"Kyahhhhk!"
Laura let out a scream. Her sturdy barrier was broken, and her long dress was torn.
"You are having idle thoughts during a battle. You must be overflowing with confidence, Miss!"
This was the perfect opportunity. Laura had been flung away. Kairen stormed in front of her, and he unhesitatingly brought his sword down. This would be the end for her!
At that moment, a light exploded in front of his eyes.
"What?!"
Kairen was shocked. The light hadn't caused him any harm. His vision was momentarily obstructed, but he didn't suffer any physical damage.
However, he didn't feel anything at the end of his sword. He capitalized on the perfect opportunity, yet his sword had swung down on empty air.
"Ha-ahhhhh......."
Laura was letting out a deep sigh in front of him.
At that moment, Kairen couldn't believe his eyes. The light had ignited in front of him, but he had closed his eyes instantly. He hadn't been blinded by the light. However, the sight in front of his eyes were distorted as if he was seeing a heat shimmer in an early summer day.
Theta spoke.
<It is a distortion of space. >
Vitan's Chalice gathered the light from the sky, and it was a tool that distorted the space. The distortion of space could be used to create a completely secluded space. It was also possible to cause a local distortion of space other than creating the'Vitan's Maze'.
Moments ago, Laura was in a desperate situation, so she had created a distortion in space. Kairen was accurate in his strike, but the distortion made him cut through empty air.
"I failed......."
A pale-faced Laura mumbled to herself.
She had created a distortion in space, and at the same time, the Vitan's Maze had been broken. Azell's assessment was spot on. Laura was still inexperienced in using the Vitan's Chalice. She couldn't maintain the Vitan's Maze and cause a distortion in space at the same time.
The unconscious Seigar was on the floor next to her.
"Seigar!"
Kairen yelled out in surprised. However, Seigar had lost complete consciousness. He didn't respond to Kairen's words.
Suddenly, Laura spoke.
"Since things turned out like this, it would have been great if he followed me."
Light was emanating far in the distance. A powerful surge of Dragon Demon magic was felt a beat later.
Wooooooooooooooo.......
The air was shaking slightly. In the midst of a battle, Laura, Kairen, Delta and Theta all looked backwards. This wasn't the time to take one's eyes from one's opponent, but the wave of Dragon Demon Magic that swept over them from the back had been too powerful.
Laura mumbled to herself.
"In the end, he slayed the Dragon. Azell Zestringer. Maybe you are... Maybe you are descended from the one, who saved the world from the King's Destiny."
"What did you just say?"
He had never expected to hear such words from her. Kairen turned around to look at her in surprise. However, instead of giving an answer, she lifted Seigar with her magic.
"I was able to come to a decision regarding this failure thanks to you, Dragon Sword Duke."
As she spoke those words, she waved her hand once. Seigar's body was flung towards the wrong direction, and he started to fall off a cliff.
"Shit!"
Kairen unhesitatingly threw his body off the cliff to follow after Seigar. No, he didn't just throw himself off the cliff. He was running down the cliff. He couldn't use his movement skills if he didn't have any place to step on.
When Kairen was sent away from her, Laura moved her body. Of course, Theta and Delta wouldn't just standby as she ran away.
They immediately ran towards her, but....
"Bye now."
As if she had been waiting for them to move, the distortion of space was used to flip the space. They had been running full force towards her, but they were now running in the opposite direction as her. When they realized this fact, Laura had already hidden herself with magic, and she exited the location at high speed.
"Shit!"
The angry Guardian Shadows started to chase after her.
7
Azell started to slowly open his eyes as the light surrounding him was dimming.
The Dragon Slayer's ritual was over. The defeated Thunder Dragon had offered everything it had to the winner, Azell.
Azell momentarily closed his eyes, and he felt the Dragon's power permeate his body. He could feel it. The enormous power he had taken from the Dragon was twitching within him.
If he wanted to digest all this power, he would need a good amount of time. However, at that moment, he was full of energy as if his body's previous state had been a lie. All his wounds had healed, and the magical energy he had consumed to the extreme was now full.
"Now I should...."
If he had his way, he wanted to immediately go into meditation to digest this power. He wanted to give this task his full attention. However, he didn't have the luxury to do that.
It was at that moment. Azell let out his killing intent as he asked a question.
"... are you so eager to die?"
The Keeper of Prophecy Leone had appeared in front of him. Unlike Jares, he had come here with his true body.
"No. I just wanted to let you know that you don't have to be in a hurry any more."
"What do you mean by that?"
"We lost the Aunsaurus' heir. However, we were able to rescue the Dragon Demon Prince."
"I see. At the very least, you doused the most immediate fire. I guess it is time for me to solve a personal business now."
"What personal business are you talking about?"
"You should immediately send out the bastard called Zeta. I'll destroy him. Then I'll go after Jares next. I'll make it so that he won't be able to think about doing this ever again."
"About Jares.... Hmmm. I won't defend that runt's action, but......."
"Runt?"
Azell's eyes opened wide. Leone spoke.
"Ah. I may look like this, but I'm much older than you, sir Azell."
"What do you mean?"
"When one becomes a Keeper of the Prophecy, it means you forfeit your life of living as a human. I was born during the Great Darkness."
Azell swallowed his breath when he heard those words. It was hard to believe his story. If he was born during the Great Darkness, wasn't he at the very least an old man over 60?
"You aren't a Dragon Demon or a Dragon Majin.... Does this mean you avoided the flow of time for all these years?"
"Yes. However, you don't have to treat me like an old man. I've already thrown away my past."
Leone was speaking about an incredible story, yet he was smiling brightly. Azell was temporarily at a loss for words, so Leone spoke.
"Then I'll return to talking about Jares. I fully understand sir Azell's feelings, but his unnecessary method hatched a good result for you. May you take that fact into consideration?"
"Birds of a feather flock together. You are only looking at the result."
It was true that the Frost Dragon was used to lure away the Dragon Demon King worshippers. This in turn allowed him to block the Thunder Dragon. However, if Azell thought about the original reason why Jares had prepared the Frost Dragon, he couldn't forgive Jares.
"I see. Well, that is too bad. It seems Jares will have to look out for his own life."
"I think it'll be more convenient for me to torture you. It'll prompt him to show up in front of me."
"Unfortunately, we aren't tied to each other through affection. We all prioritize our own safety over others."
"You guys are trash."
"I won't deny that fact. However, the reason behind our choices may differ from what you are thinking, sir Azell."
"What do you mean?"
"There is a reason why we emphasise putting our own safety above all others. Our lives are a tool being used to achieve our earnest wish. The Keepers of Prophecy gave up our lives as humans by choice. We are now the tools being used to eradicate the Dragon Demon King worshippers."
"So this is why you are suddenly a bit more free with the information you offer. This is why you continue to flap your lips. You want me to feel pity towards you. Do you expect me to sympathize with you guys?"
"We never considered such a thing. We assessed that there was a high chance that you are the person mentioned in the prophecy. This is the only reason why we are being more cooperative with you."
"However, I have no plans to cooperate with you."
"If you are able to destroy the Dragon Demon worshippers, then that is the best kind of cooperation you can give."
It didn't matter what words were said. Leone kept smiling, and his face was really like a mask. Azell furrowed his brows as he spoke.
"Well, all right. I'll hunt down Jares myself, and I'll make him suffer. Give me the bastard called Zeta."
"I refuse."
"What did you just say?"
| ← Ch. 083 | Ch. 085 → |