Chapter 37: Chapter 37

Chapter 37: The Warrior and the Dragon (3)

It was a familiar voice. A sultry voice, like that of a seductive fox.

My hand trembled before I even realized it.

That couldn’t be. There was no way that woman could be here.

“Why are you so stiff? You look like you’re about to be eaten.”

That alluring voice brushed against my ear again.

I bit down hard on my lip. It was to steady the heart tainted by fear. A momentary terror had seized me. Yet a warrior should remain calm no matter the circumstance.

I clicked my tongue at my own pathetic reaction and turned around.

At the end of my gaze stood Superbia. She looked as enchanting as when I first saw her—perhaps even more so. And that was what made it unbearable.

I knew exactly what kind of monster she was. I had nearly died once because of her trickery. The fact that she acted so human only made her all the more terrifying.

“So you finally look at me.”

Superbia smiled softly. The curve of her lips and the glimmer in her eyes looked as if she was trying to seduce me.

“How have you been? It’s a shame I couldn’t see your true power back then. But today… I think I finally will.”

Her composure was infuriating. This was the creature who had once tried to kill me. Seeing that smiling face made my insides twist as though my organs were being wrung out.

Zeke stepped forward.

“Superbia, I didn’t expect you to return to the North.”

Superbia’s face stiffened. The tension in her expression was obvious. Of course it was. Zeke was a warrior even Count Reinhardt had acknowledged as stronger than himself. Superbia had once been defeated by Reinhardt; she had every reason to be nervous.

“I thought you’d never set foot on this land again after I tore off your limbs. You’re braver than I expected.”

I blinked in shock at Zeke’s words. Superbia was an incredibly powerful demon beast. And he had once torn her limbs apart?

‘No, of course he did.’

Zeke was the mightiest warrior of Elphrel—the strongest among them all. No matter how monstrous she was, she couldn’t possibly have stood against him.

And proof of that stood right before my eyes—Superbia remained frozen in place. Normally, she would have lunged at me the moment she saw me, but now she stood there like a fool.

I couldn’t help but let out a faint chuckle.

But soon, Superbia regained her usual demeanor. She waved her fingers delicately and traced her lips with her tongue.

Then, with eyes burning with heat, she said to Zeke,

“Zeke, our enemy of the demon beasts. Have you come again to stand in our way? We merely wish to reclaim our king.”

It wasn’t hard for me to infer who she meant by “king.”

The strongest among the remnants of the Evil God.

‘Luseus said he guarded the Demon King’s seal… at the cost of his own life span.’

My mind raced. A seal sustained by the Dragon’s remaining lifespan… which meant their goal was—

Once Luseus died, the seal on the Demon King would no longer hold. I didn’t know the exact terms of the binding, but it was said that the seal drew on the Dragon’s life as its medium. Even now, his tremendous vitality was being drained—something no human could ever withstand.

Zeke was beside me. The man known as the Conqueror, the one feared throughout the Empire. He would be able to handle Superbia.

“When are you going to start, Superbia?”

Then, from behind her, another figure emerged—a man shrouded in black energy. It rippled around him like a cloak of shadow.

“It’s been a while, Zeke.”

The man waved casually, as if greeting an old friend rather than an enemy.

“Has it been twenty years since you almost killed me last? I don’t think I’ve seen your face since then.”

Despite his easy grin, his words dripped with venom. I could feel it—the faint malice in his tone and, beneath it, a far deeper, more sinister killing intent.

A chill ran down my spine. The very air seemed to freeze around us. Zeke must have felt it too.

I glanced at his face. He looked the same as ever—calm, composed. As if that murderous aura was too insignificant to even acknowledge.

“It’s been a long time, Ira. It seems your wounds have all healed.”

“Thanks to you, I had quite a hard time. But I’m not the only one who came to greet you today.”

It happened in that instant.

I froze at the surge of aura I felt from afar.

It was chilling. Terrifying. Words like that didn’t do it justice.

If all the world’s foreboding gathered in one place, this must be what it felt like. The presence was so vile it made me want to vomit.

There were seven of them in total, including Superbia and the man beside her.

“Did you really think no one knew you were here in the North?”

Superbia laughed, her high-pitched voice echoing through the cavern.

“Zeke, we knew you’d guard Luseus. So we came fully prepared. We’ve brought all Seven Apostles of the Demon King with us—just to face you! Maybe you could take one or two… but can you handle all seven?”

Zeke’s face hardened. I didn’t know who or what the Seven Apostles were, but seeing his expression told me all I needed to know—this was serious.

A heavy silence fell. No one spoke. We all felt it instinctively—words were useless now. From this point on, only our bodies would speak.

Zeke stepped forward.

A massive shockwave burst from where Zeke stood. The sheer force of it nearly made me lose consciousness.

His figure shot forward in an instant. I didn’t even see him move. My eyes couldn’t keep up with his speed.

BOOM! CRAAASH! THUNDEROUS IMPACT!

Explosions shook the cavern again and again. The tremors grew until the cave itself began to collapse, unable to withstand the aftermath of their clash.

As boulders rained down, Luseus spread his wings, shielding me from the falling debris.

At last, the cave completely caved in. How fierce must their battle be…

I stepped out from Luseus’s embrace and looked outside. Beneath the blazing sunlight, a ferocious battle was raging.

With every crack of thunder and flash of lightning, the ground quaked; every surge of aura sent fierce winds spiraling through the air.

It was a sight that made my skin crawl. Could such combat even belong to living beings?

A heavy worry settled in my chest.

Zeke was human—not a demon beast. He didn’t possess their monstrous regenerative power. And there were seven of them.

I raised my anelryuk — to see the fight more clearly. If a dangerous moment came, I intended to join the battle.

But soon I changed my mind.

‘He looked remarkably composed.’

To my surprise, Zeke showed no sign of being outmatched while facing the seven demon beasts. It was astonishing. By my reckoning, those seven were each enemies of comparable stature.

In short: they were on a par with Superbia. Superbia had been strong enough to slay knights; and Zeke was contending with seven foes like her.

It was a spectacle that could only be called beyond-human might.

I swallowed hard. The tense expression I had worn a moment before was gone; I simply watched Zeke’s fight with burning eyes.

“Ira! While we hold him, kill Luseus!”

Superbia shrieked like a demon, a voice full of malice.

At the same moment something plummeted from the sky like a comet.

A man appeared directly in front of Luseus. A figure wrapped in black energy. It was Ira.

My body reacted instinctively, and I unleashed the Simheomugukkwon. Against an opponent who could kill with a single gesture, my body moved on its own.

My fist pierced Ira’s abdomen. It should have been true. My fist had clearly passed through Ira’s belly.

But it hadn’t felt like a hit. There was a hollow sensation as if I had cleaved through empty air. It felt less like piercing and more like passing through.

“You stupid fool. No mere human could possibly touch my body.”

Ira’s fist struck my face. He had seized the split second I hesitated. My new form was driven rapidly backward.

While I flew, I rubbed my numb nose and thought,

‘My attack didn’t reach him from the start?’

It was strange. I had seen overwhelmingly strong demon beasts before, but never one my attacks simply could not touch. Maybe he used magic.

Humanoid demon beasts had intelligence; learning magic would be trivial for them.

‘So he wasn’t primarily a martial-type fighter.’

The question resolved itself. It was a small insight, but enough. From now on I could fight in the right way.

Something bright flashed in my eyes.

“Long time no see, Luseus. How have you been?”

[Ira, you need not start things .]

“What a dull remark. With you gone our king will be revived. When we heard the news that you were dying, how joyful we were. Accept your death obediently.”

A bitter smile curled on Ira’s face. Luseus exhaled a sigh.

It had been a long enmity—someone I had expected to meet again someday, though I had not expected it so soon.

Luseus thought: he still needed time until his successor was born.

At the very least he had to protect the life that would be born soon. His heir would become a great dragon to guard the world.

He could not allow that successor to die a meaningless death in a place .

“Hm? I sense life near your lower belly. Is someone there?”

Ira cocked his head and spoke.

“No, it doesn’t feel like a living intelligence. Ah—so that’s it. Luseus, you were making an heir.”

Luseus’ face stiffened. His gaunt complexion tightened with fierce resolve.

[I warn you in advance. If you try to kill my child, you will not go unpunished.]

“That’s something you know better than anyone.”

Ira spoke with a sneer.

“If only the king were revived, I would do anything. He could purify the world again.”

A fierce mana flared from Luseus. He was a dragon who had reached the peak of life as a living being. Even if he awaited death, that power did not simply vanish.

[I did not spend my remaining days tending a child while waiting to die. I already expected you would invade.]

An explosion bloomed on Luseus’ face. Ira had launched a fireball.

Ira watched Luseus take the spell without resistance and said,

“What can you possibly do? You’ll be protecting the egg in your belly and can’t even think of casting offensive spells. Oh—are you trusting Zeke?”

Ira looked over at Zeke.

“He is indeed terrifying. Facing our seven, he showed no sign of being overwhelmed. If anything, he’s slightly ahead. Probably because I was absent. I should finish you quickly and then go kill Zeke. He will certainly interfere with our grand design.”

Mana gathered in Ira’s hand. It was of a different nature than the fireball used as a provocation; this black mana carried a killing intent so chilling it was hair-raising to behold.

“You’ve suffered long, Luseus. The king’s power is strong. You must have endured much through the ages. I will free you from that suffering.”

Ira’s mana roiled violently. At once Luseus felt it. This was to be his end.

He had no strength left to resist. If Ira unleashed his full magic, there would be no way to defend.

Ah—he still had a duty.

It was cruel. Simply cruel. The most update n0vels are published on novelFirｅ.net

If only he had a little more time…

In that instant Ira’s form was knocked sideways. Luseus’ eyes widened at the sight.

For a moment Luseus saw it—

My body, flying at terrifying speed, delivering a kick that sent Ira reeling.

The child he had thought subdued had reappeared before him.

My body made grotesque sounds, like bones breaking.

Luseus assumed it was due to injury. I had taken a hit from Ira. A demon’s attack—no matter how well trained a warrior, my body would have been badly damaged.

[Are you all right? Your body sounds strange.]

“It’s nothing.” I smiled faintly, looking at my hair reddening.

“Actually, I’m in a good state to turn this situation around.”