Episode 311: The Dragon (1)
The dragon was getting pummeled so hard that even on a rainy day, dust was flying off it.
The Empire’s greatest swordsman watched in awe.
Seeing a living dragon was already a marvel, but witnessing one being beaten was beyond belief.
With every swing of Damian’s club, the massive creature was sent flying, scales and teeth scattering in all directions.
Dragons had vanished long ago, but weapons crafted from their bodies were still revered as the strongest.
From what the Empire’s greatest swordsman knew, a single dagger made from dragon scales was worth as much as an entire castle.
He glanced at the pile of teeth and scales on the ground, mentally calculating their worth.
How much could all that be worth?
“Master Damian!”
The red dragon, having taken a relentless beating, finally collapsed to the ground and shouted.
Its pitiful display made Damian pause mid-swing.
“I was foolish and arrogant! I sincerely apologize!”
The red dragon even pressed its head to the ground in submission.
“Finally learning some manners, are we?”
“All thanks to you, Master Damian!”
“Good. Very good.”
Satisfied, Damian lowered his club.
“Your skill with that club is impressive.”
“You’re too kind. There are just too many arrogant fools around, so I’ve naturally gotten better.”
The Empire’s greatest swordsman recalled the time Damian had intimidated the elven commander. He wondered if he himself might fall into that category but decided not to ask.
“I heard your clubbing technique is so precise it leaves no wounds.”
“If you hit just right, that’s true. But this time, I just hit it straight on.”
The Empire’s greatest swordsman nodded, understanding that the dragon’s attitude had been infuriating.
“Hey.”
“Y-yes!”
The red dragon responded quickly, eyeing the club in Damian’s hand.
A dragon wary of a wooden club— the Empire’s greatest swordsman couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Why are the dragons looking for me?”
“The Elder Council wants to know why the pact was broken. They’re seeking you for an explanation!”
“Pact? What’s that?”
“You don’t know? Then how did you break it?”
The term was unfamiliar to Damian, but the red dragon seemed puzzled by his ignorance.
“Because the pact was broken, demons have flooded the surface.”
Damian’s eyes widened at the revelation.
He had been wondering how demons had so easily crossed over to the surface.
“What exactly is this pact? What was it that kept the demons at bay?”
“The pact is… a very important and absolute rule. We dragons were also bound by it, unable to come to the surface.”
The red dragon’s expression turned grave, and Damian’s face mirrored its seriousness.
He waited for the dragon to continue, but it remained silent.
“And?”
“Uh?”
“Surely that’s not all. Explain more about the pact.”
“I don’t know any more than that.”
The red dragon replied with an innocent look.
“I’m still young, so the elders didn’t tell me much more! That’s all I know… W-wait! Don’t raise the club! Please don’t hit me! I’m sorry!”
The red dragon recoiled in fear, and Damian lowered the club he had raised.
“Where were you planning to take me?”
“We dragons live in a place called the Otherworld. It’s another dimension modeled after the surface. We were going to take you there.”
“I see. Then go tell your elders this: if they want an explanation, they should come to me.”
It was still unclear whether the dragons were friend or foe.
Given the red dragon’s aggressive demeanor, they were likely enemies.
There was no way Damian would willingly go to another dimension like the Otherworld.
He also had a strong aversion to following orders from others.
“M-Master Damian…”
The red dragon cautiously spoke, watching Damian’s reaction.
“Could you please come with us…?”
“Are you out of your mind?”
Damian scowled, raising his club again. The red dragon shrieked.
“But if I don’t go, the elders will kill me!”
“Have you considered that I might kill you first?”
Damian glared at the red dragon, his eyes filled with menace. The dragon turned pale.
“But… but they said we need Damian Haxen to drive out the demons…”
The red dragon mumbled, curling up. Damian quickly pressed for more information.
“Is there a way to track the demons?”
That was exactly what had been troubling Damian.
He had no means to find the demons and could only wait for them to show themselves.
“Yes, there is. But I heard it can only be used if you’re present…”
“Let’s go.”
The red dragon looked bewildered at Damian’s sudden change of heart.
“R-really?”
“Do I sound like I’m joking?”
Damian’s stern reply made the red dragon hiccup.
“Understood! I’ll open the portal right away.”
As the red dragon prepared the portal, Damian turned to the Empire’s greatest swordsman.
“Sir Eos, I’ll be off now.”
“Are you sure? It seems dangerous.”
The power of dragons was legendary, passed down through millennia.
In the Otherworld, there would be plenty of such dragons.
No matter how skilled Damian was, it was natural to worry.
“I can take care of myself, so don’t worry.”
“You’re not one to lie.”
The Empire’s greatest swordsman nodded.
“Everything’s ready!”
The red dragon called out to Damian.
A massive portal had opened in the air.
After bidding farewell to the Empire’s greatest swordsman, Damian climbed onto the red dragon’s head.
“Let’s go.”
Damian commanded, but the red dragon didn’t move.
“What are you doing?”
“Uh, well… do you have to ride like this…?”
“Then where should I sit?”
“How about my hand?”
The red dragon suggested with a sheepish grin.
“Having another species ride on a dragon’s head is… incredibly disrespectful… If anyone sees, my status…”
Damian began to pull out his club from his storage space.
“I-I’ll take off right away!”
The red dragon panicked and flew towards the portal.
What exactly is a dragon?
Most people would think of their massive size, wings, and fiery breath.
But those who knew a bit more about dragons thought of something else.
The origin of magic.
In fact, the first magic was created by imitating the dragon’s language, known as Draconic.
Dragons could use this special language to create various supernatural phenomena.
The dimension known as the Otherworld was also created using Draconic.
It was a place made by several powerful dragons, known as Ancient Dragons, who sacrificed themselves to create it.
“Has Valhard returned?”
In the grand temple of the Otherworld, a dragon spoke.
It was so ancient that moss grew between its scales.
“Chairman, there’s no news yet.”
“It seems Damian Haxen’s resistance is stronger than expected.”
Other dragons gathered in the temple chimed in.
“Sending only Valhard is concerning. I’ve heard Damian Haxen is notoriously fierce.”
A white-scaled dragon expressed its worry, causing the others to laugh.
Their laughter was so loud it echoed beyond the temple walls.
“Fierce or not, he’s just a human. How much trouble could he cause?”
“Valhard may be a bit… naive, but he’s the most skilled among the young ones.”
“We should worry about bringing the human back safely, not Valhard.”
“As long as he can talk, it’ll be fine.”
As the dragons exchanged words and laughter, a hatchling entered.
“Grandma! Grandpa!”
The tiny dragon barely reached the feet of the others gathered in the temple.
“The portal’s open! It looks like Valhard is coming back!”
“Oh, that’s good news. Let’s all go see Valhard.”
The dragons in the temple moved outside. Their massive size made the ground shake and dust rise with every step.
Once outside, they saw the portal open in the sky.
Soon, a red dragon emerged from it.
“Valhard! You’re finally back…”
The dragons, eager to welcome Valhard, paused.
Something was off about his appearance.
“Why are his scales all gone?”
“They’re not just gone; they look shattered, like he was beaten.”
“All his teeth are broken too.”
The once-proud red dragon now looked as pitiful as a plucked chicken.
Valhard slowly descended to the ground, and the dragons rushed over to him in a flurry.
“Valhard! What on earth is going on?”
“Lord Demian, we’ve… we’ve arrived,” Valhard said, bowing his head to the ground. With that, the human riding atop him dismounted.
The eyes of the elder dragons all turned to this human. Compared to the dragons, he was as small as a pebble. Yet, he showed not a hint of intimidation as he shouted out.
“Pleasure to meet you all. I’m Demian Haxen.”
He glanced around at the dragons and added with a smirk, “I heard you lizard whelps were looking for me, so I came in person. You should be grateful.”
The dragons stared down at Demian, their expressions a mix of disbelief and bemusement.