Chapter 373: Chapter 373

Zhuge Hyemi gasped, her gaze fixed on the sky above.

The awe-inspiring sight of the dragons, tearing through the storm clouds,

And the demons, emerging from spatial rifts and descending upon the battlefield, confronting the demon jiangshi…

It was a breathtaking spectacle.

‘The demons, who have been operating in the shadows for centuries…’

…had finally revealed themselves,

Joining forces with the humans to overcome this desperate situation.

‘Well, they’re also part of this world, so it’s only natural.’

This was the first time in centuries that they had openly revealed themselves to the human population.

‘So, those are real dragons. I was skeptical even after seeing them in the clan’s ancient texts.’

She gulped, her eyes wide with awe and wonder, unable to look away from the majestic creatures soaring through the sky.

Even she, a direct descendant of the prestigious Zhuge Clan, was mesmerized… so how would ordinary people react, those who had only heard of dragons and other divine beasts in legends and myths?

It wasn’t surprising that most of the Murim Alliance warriors, even the master-level experts, were simply staring at the sky, their minds blank.

And the Demonic Cult’s forces had also ceased their attack.

But there was one thing that bothered her…

‘…Why does the Yellow Dragon look so different? There’s no mention of this in the records.’

The Yellow Dragon, at the center of the dragon formation, its appearance was… unusual.

Massive wings, a bulky body, and well-developed limbs…

It didn't resemble the typical image of a dragon. It looked more like… a giant lizard.

In this world, the Yellow Dragon was considered the leader of the Five Dragons, the most powerful and revered.

And yet, it looked completely different from the others. There had to be a reason.

‘Are the clan’s records wrong? Or is there some kind of special…’

As she was lost in thought,

“Young Miss Zhuge, we’ve reached the center of the formation. You can stop now.”

…a man’s voice interrupted her.

She snapped back to reality and turned to look at him. Ha Seung-hoon, her savior.

“I apologize, Young Master Ha. I was… captivated by the sight.”

“Haha, it’s alright. I was too. Now, please stop channeling your Ki.”

And as their brief conversation ended,

She released the spell she had been maintaining, the flow of Ki ceasing, and the dragon-shaped energy construct that had been carrying them, its presence still lingering even after landing, slowly faded and dissipated into the air.

“Are you alright? Maintaining such a high-level spell for so long must have been quite taxing.”

“Of course! But it was thanks to you, Young Master Ha. You provided all the necessary Ki. I just… shaped it.”

“I’m fine. I could do that all day if I wanted to. It’s all thanks to your blessing.”

“My blessing wasn’t that powerful… It was your skill that made it possible. And maintaining a stable flow of Ki isn’t easy either.”

They both chuckled awkwardly, their attempts to compliment each other ending in a slightly embarrassing silence.

A lot had happened since they escaped the ritual chamber.

They had been constantly attacked by Demonic Cult warriors and jiangshi, fighting their way through the enemy’s territory.

They would have been captured long ago if it wasn't for the fact that most of the Demonic Cult's forces were concentrated on the outer battlefield, and they had to capture the Dragon’s Children alive.

And during that arduous journey, their bond had deepened, a natural consequence of facing life-or-death situations together, relying on each other for survival.

“…I can’t just stand here and do nothing. They might have gained some hope thanks to the reinforcements, but the battle isn’t over yet.”

“Please stay here and protect the others, Young Miss. Even in the center of the formation, there’s no guarantee of safety if they attack in force.”

Zhuge Hyemi couldn't argue with that.

After all, the Dragon’s Children were the key to this battle.

The Demonic Cult wanted to recapture them and complete the ritual, and the Murim Alliance couldn’t afford to lose them, their only hope of restoring the world.

‘…Right, we’re not safe just because we escaped the Demonic Cult.’

Neither side wanted them to be harmed, but their fate was already sealed.

The only question was… who would they be sacrificed for? And for what purpose?

‘…It’s better to be sacrificed for the world than to be used by the Demonic Cult.’

She didn’t want to see this world destroyed.

There were still things she cherished.

Her family, the members of her clan, who had cared for her and supported her despite her frail health…

She gritted her teeth, her gaze fixed on the young man’s retreating figure.

Flames, erupting from his body, transformed into a fiery dragon, engulfing the jiangshi in front of him.

The heat haze distorted her vision.

She blinked, trying to clear her eyes, then looked up at the sky.

The dragons, still circling above, their movements graceful and majestic.

‘It’s a shame I can’t properly record this. I’d like to document the dragons’ appearance for future generations.’

She stared at the Yellow Dragon, its form so different from the others.

Of course, there were countless witnesses here, so this historic event wouldn’t be forgotten.

The details of the battle, the arrival of the dragons and demons, and even the Yellow Dragon’s unusual appearance…

It would all be recorded in history books, passed down through generations, immortalized in paintings and songs.

…Though her name wouldn’t be mentioned.

She thought she had made eye contact with the Yellow Dragon for a brief moment, but it must have been her imagination.

Her vision was still blurry.

She could clear it with a single blink, but she didn’t.

As if it was her only form of resistance.

[“Just in time. Any later, and it would have been irreversible.”]

A deep voice, a man’s voice, echoed in Horus’s mind as he looked down at the battlefield.

[“We could have arrived sooner if you hadn’t objected, White Dragon.”]

[“Hmm, I admit I was being cautious. But leaving the hidden realm is always risky, especially in these times. The world is on the verge of collapse.”]

The man, his voice calm and reassuring, replied to Red Dragon’s sarcastic remark.

A composed and level-headed response, as expected of White Dragon, the eldest of the current Five Dragons.

Though he was still quite young, in human terms, barely in his early thirties.

[“Tsk, such an old fogey.”]

[“Red Dragon, show some respect.”]

Red Dragon, who seemed to be in her early twenties, clicked her tongue, clearly annoyed by his cautious approach, and Azure Dragon, who was around the same age, gently chided her.

Azure Dragon also agreed with her, to some extent, but she knew when to draw the line.

[“But why are you being so… stuffy? If we lose here, it’s all over! If it wasn’t for Horus, we would have been in serious trouble! And now you’re saying ‘just in time’?”]

Red Dragon’s irritation stemmed from the fact that White Dragon had been the most vocal opponent of Horus’s plan to intervene in the human world.

She had grown quite fond of Horus, just like Azure Dragon, and she couldn't understand his reluctance.

[“But looking at the situation now, it seems like the perfect timing.”]

A young girl’s voice, soft and gentle, interrupted their bickering.

It was Black Dragon, the youngest of the Five Dragons, excluding Horus, who had just come of age a few years ago.

[“If we had arrived earlier, there wouldn’t have been enough casualties on the human side. It would have been ideal if we arrived just before they were annihilated… but then our losses would have been too great, so this is… a good compromise.”]

Her words, filled with a chilling indifference, a casual disregard for human life, were jarring, considering her gentle tone.

She clearly harbored resentment towards the humans, who had seized control of the continent, despite being descendants of the Dragon God.

Her animosity had grown stronger after the death of her older brother, the previous Black Dragon, who had sacrificed himself to maintain the balance of the world while the humans fought amongst themselves.

[“Horus? What are you looking at… Ah! I see. Those children…”]

Azure Dragon, unable to respond to Black Dragon’s words, followed Horus’s gaze and nodded slowly.

She recognized them instantly.

A group of frail humans, gathered in the center of the human formation.

The Dragon’s Children, the key to saving the world.

[“…Seven of them. And one of them has a particularly strong aura. At that level…”]

Azure Dragon trailed off, unable to bring herself to say that they would make excellent sacrifices.

Red Dragon, picking up where she left off, spoke, her voice filled with a predatory excitement.

[“Good. Then we just have to eliminate those demons, and everything will be resolved. We have a good chance of winning. We can’t participate directly, but we’ve brought plenty of… capable individuals.”]

It had been a risky decision for all Five Dragons to come here.

After all, they were supposed to be at the Dragon God’s Temple, maintaining the balance of the world, at great personal cost.

But they had no choice. They had to come here personally to suppress the demonic energy of this place and transport the demon army.

They had sent other dragons to the temple as replacements, but they wouldn't last long.

‘The more power the divine beasts use in the mortal world, the greater the backlash.’

It would put everyone at risk.

The other dragons at the Dragon God’s Temple, those who had overexerted themselves in this world, and even the world itself, which was in a fragile and unstable state.

That was why White Dragon had been so cautious.

If they weren't careful, the world might end before they could even begin the Dragon Heart restoration ritual.

‘Of course, that doesn’t apply to me.’

Horus, looking down at the battlefield, grinned, his sharp teeth glinting in the sunlight.

He was an otherworldly Awakened, unbound by the rules of this world.

His circumstances were different from the other dragons, who had to be cautious.

[“So, it’s a race against time?”]

[“Well, yes. We have to finish this quickly and return to the Dragon God’s Temple to minimize the damage to the world.”]

Red Dragon replied casually to Horus’s question, but Azure Dragon, sensing something, looked at him with narrowed eyes.

But before she could say anything,

…Horus spread his wings, spun around in the air, and then swooped down towards the battlefield.

He ignored their surprised cries, his Dragon Orb gleaming brightly as he approached the battlefield.

‘I’ve achieved my primary objective. Now, it’s time to maximize my gains.’

This world was already moving according to his plan.

And the amount of Karma he would acquire would be astronomical.

But there was a way to increase his gains even further…

‘To leave a mark on this world. A lasting legacy that will be remembered for centuries.’

The people gathered here, humans, dragons, demons… they were all at the pinnacle of this world.

This was his chance to imprint his existence upon their minds, to exert his influence.

Why would he pass up such a golden opportunity?

The Dragon Orb, which had been emitting a soft glow, suddenly flared with a blinding light, like a miniature sun.

And Horus’s Dragon Heart pulsed, a surge of energy converging in his throat, like a volcano about to erupt.

His innate 「Gold Dragon」 abilities, enhanced by 「Elder Dragon’s Heart」, amplified by 「Dragon Language Magic」, supported by 「Ruler of All」 and 「Seeker of Mysteries」.

「Resistor of Fate」, negating any restrictions or limitations, and 「Heavenly Flow Sorcery」, harmonizing and unifying the flow of energy.

‘And finally… “Limit Break”.’

Something within him… broke.

Not a physical object, but something intangible.

A limit, a boundary, a restriction.

His full power, unleashed for the first time since his birth, resonated with the world around him.

The wind shifted, its direction changing, a part of the gentle breeze that had been blowing across Beijing suddenly converging towards a single point, compressing and intensifying.

“Huh? Yellow Dragon?”

“Damn it…! Fall back! Defense! Defensive formation!”

The Demonic Cult warriors, and even the Murim Alliance members, panicked, hurriedly preparing for the unknown.

Only the jiangshi, their movements mechanical and emotionless, remained unfazed.

An infinite amount of magic power, unleashed from the Elder Dragon’s Heart, erupted from his throat.

It wasn't limited to the Adult Dragon level, like before.

It surged into the Dragon Orb, resonating with its power, creating an endless positive feedback loop.

Stronger, faster, larger, more magnificent.

…a beam of destructive energy, impossible for a living being to produce, shot forward like a laser.

Towards Beijing, the Demonic Cult’s stronghold.

No, not silence, but a single, overwhelming sound that drowned out all others.

A shockwave, a wave of pure destruction, rippled outwards, engulfing the battlefield, the entire city of Beijing.

The battle that had been raging just moments ago was over.

They were too busy trying to stay alive.

The earth shook violently, dust and debris filling the air, and a massive mushroom cloud rose above the city.

Beijing, the capital of this world, a city with a long and storied history, a place that had witnessed countless rises and falls…

…a scar on the earth, a festering wound of a past disaster, long abandoned and neglected…

Along with a portion of the Demonic Cult’s forces.