Episode 338: Mount Karon (1)
As soon as Dorogo vanished, Damian coughed up blood. He had pushed himself too hard, constantly using his inner energy.
“Damian! Are you hurt?” The Empire’s greatest swordsman rushed over to support him. Damian wiped his mouth, insisting he was fine.
Just then, a dimensional portal opened in the sky, and an elderly man with a head full of white hair emerged, slowly descending to land before them.
“Gergh, is His Majesty safe?” the swordsman asked the old man. Gergh nodded.
“Fortunately, he is. The Sword Saint managed to evacuate him in time,” Gergh replied, and the swordsman sighed in relief.
“Are you the master of the White Tower?” Damian inquired. He had clashed with Gergh a few times during the War of Destruction. Gergh was not only the master of the White Tower but also the most esteemed archmage in the Empire, particularly skilled in dimensional magic.
“Indeed. It’s an honor to meet the hero of the Empire,” Gergh said, extending his hand. Damian shook it firmly.
“We don’t have time for pleasantries. We need to pursue Dorogo immediately. Please open a portal to Mount Karon.”
“Mount Karon, you say…?” Gergh looked troubled. “I’m afraid I can’t fulfill that request right away.”
“Why not?” Damian pressed.
“Mount Karon is at the edge of the continent. Opening a portal there requires significant preparation,” Gergh explained.
This was terrible news for Damian. Delaying would only benefit Dorogo. In the brief time he had been missing, Dorogo had already used the Demon King’s corpse to strengthen himself and the four great demon lords. Who knew what schemes he was plotting now? They had to act fast.
“Isn’t there any way?” Damian pleaded.
“Rushing won’t help. The cost of opening a portal increases with mass and distance. Ignoring that could cause your body to disintegrate while passing through,” Gergh warned.
There was no one in the Empire more skilled in dimensional magic than Gergh. If he said it was impossible, it truly was.
“Valhard was truly remarkable,” Damian thought. Valhard could open portals effortlessly, even claiming it wasn’t his specialty. Dragons were indeed extraordinary. Damian was reminded of Valhard’s greatness.
“I’ll have to ask someone else. Eos, where is Valhard?” Damian asked.
“Valhard? Oh, the Red Dragon. He said he had somewhere to be and went out,” Eos replied.
“Out? At a time like this?” Damian was incredulous. With the world in danger because of Dorogo, how could Valhard go for a stroll? It was unacceptable. When he returned, Damian would have to clip his wings…
“Relax. Your expression might give someone a heart attack,” the swordsman advised.
“Was it that bad?” Damian asked.
“It was,” the swordsman confirmed with a nod.
“I tried to stop him, but there were circumstances. You’ll understand when you hear,” the swordsman added.
“What do you mean?” Damian asked.
“Ah, here he comes now,” the swordsman said, pointing to the sky. A red-scaled dragon was flying toward them.
The Red Dragon, Valhard, landed roughly in front of Damian. Damian was about to confront him when he noticed a boy sitting atop Valhard’s head. He paused, recognizing the boy as the Mercenary King, Carl Hopper.
As Valhard settled on the ground, the Mercenary King quickly dismounted and spread his arms wide.
“That was incredible! Flying is truly an amazing experience!” he exclaimed.
-I’m glad you enjoyed it, Valhard replied.
“I had a great time, but I hope it wasn’t too tiring for you,” Carl said with concern.
-Don’t worry about it! I’d do anything for you! Valhard assured him.
Damian turned to the swordsman, bewildered. “When did those two become so close?”
“They’ve always been close,” the swordsman replied.
“They’re father and son, after all,” he added.
“That explains it,” Damian nodded, then suddenly his eyes widened. He spun back to the swordsman. “Wait… they’re father and son?”
“Yes,” the swordsman confirmed.
“Is that true?” Damian asked again, still in disbelief.
“It is. Valhard went out to spend time with his son,” the swordsman said with utmost seriousness. Yet, Damian found it hard to believe.
-Oh, Damian Haxen. You’re awake, Valhard said, approaching Damian. He had shifted from his dragon form to a human one.
-I was worried when I heard you fainted. I’m glad you’re okay, Valhard continued.
“Never mind that… are you really father and son?” Damian asked.
-Ah, I see the swordsman told you. Yes, Carl is my child. I never imagined he’d grow up so well, Valhard said, looking pleased. Damian, still skeptical, asked again.
“You’re a Red Dragon. The Mercenary King wields lightning, not fire,” Damian pointed out.
-It’s common for children to inherit different traits, Valhard explained.
At this point, Damian had no choice but to believe it. Accepting the shocking truth, he suddenly realized something. He glared at Valhard.
“Why are you speaking informally to me?” Damian demanded.
Valhard flinched. -Well, you see…
“Oh? You plan to keep it up? Do I need to teach you a lesson?” Damian threatened.
-D-Damian, please! Calm down! Valhard pleaded, glancing at Carl nervously and whispering in a tiny voice.
-It’s just… in front of my child… please, let me keep some dignity.
“You’re spouting nonsense…” Damian began.
-I-I beg you! Valhard implored.
Damian’s gaze turned fierce, and Valhard swallowed hard.
“Only when the Mercenary King is around,” Damian relented, despite his stern expression.
-R-Really? Valhard asked, surprised.
“Want me to change my mind?” Damian challenged.
-N-No, thank you! Valhard quickly replied.
There wasn’t a grand reason for Damian’s concession. Valhard reminded him of his own father, wanting to play the role of a parent. Damian couldn’t bring himself to refuse.
“Father, what were you discussing so seriously?” Carl asked, approaching.
-Nothing important, Valhard replied, looking sheepish.
“Damian! I heard my father helped you a lot!” Carl said enthusiastically.
“Yes, well, something like that,” Damian replied vaguely.
“He saved you when you were ambushed by demons, right?” Carl continued.
Damian shot Valhard a look that said, “What are you talking about?” Valhard avoided his gaze.
“I did… receive some help…” Damian admitted, each word carefully chosen. Sweat beaded on Valhard’s forehead.
“See? My father is amazing!” Carl said, looking at Valhard with admiration. Valhard lowered his head even more.
“Valhard, I’m sorry to interrupt your time with your son, but we need to move now. Please open a portal to Mount Karon,” Damian requested.
-Of course. I’ll do that, Valhard replied, flustered, and began preparing to open the portal.
He moved to a spacious area and chanted in the dragon tongue. As the incantation continued, the surrounding magic surged.
But something was off. No matter how long he chanted, the portal wouldn’t open.
Damian watched Valhard with a puzzled expression. Valhard stopped his incantation and turned to Damian.
-Well… the thing is…
“Is there a problem?” Damian asked.
Valhard looked sheepish. -The portal won’t open…
Despite repeated attempts, Valhard failed to open the portal. Frustrated, Damian had Valhard take him back to the Otherworld to seek help from other dragons.
After hearing Damian’s explanation, Iris surveyed the surface briefly before speaking.
“The coordinates around Mount Karon are completely distorted,” Iris said.
“Distorted coordinates?” Damian asked, confused.
“Yes, it’s a method used to protect specific locations. Otherwise, it would be too easy to come and go using portals,” Iris explained.
“So it wasn’t Valhard’s fault,” Damian realized.
-I told you… Valhard muttered, disgruntled.
As soon as they entered the Otherworld, Damian had berated Valhard for his supposed incompetence. Valhard couldn’t help but feel wronged.
“Then we can open a portal near Mount Karon,” Damian suggested, ignoring Valhard’s protest.
“That would work, but it will require a long journey,” Iris replied.
“What do you mean?” Damian asked.
Iris used magic particles to draw a map of the continent in the air.
“Not just Mount Karon, but the entire surrounding region’s coordinates are distorted,” Iris explained.
Damian examined the map. The area was nearly the size of the Empire.
“Is it really that easy to distort coordinates?” Damian asked.
“No, it’s impossible. Even distorting the coordinates of a single room requires immense magic and effort. To disrupt an area this large…” Iris said, her face tense.
“It’s an act akin to divine power,” she concluded.
Damian stared at the map, deep in thought.
It was truly a power befitting the Demon King. It was easy to see why he was revered as a god in ancient times.
“Then we’ll have to open a portal as close as possible and move directly,” Damien said.
“Do you have a means of transportation?” someone asked.
“I do. A very useful one, in fact.”
With that, Damien turned to Valhard, who looked utterly bewildered.
—Me? Are you talking about me?
“Yes, you. Enough chatter, let’s get moving.”
Damien leaped onto Valhard’s back. With a deep sigh, Valhard spread his wings.
—Alright… Let’s go.
Valhard used his draconic magic to open a dimensional portal and flew through it.
On the other side, instead of the otherworldly realm, a vast field stretched out before them.
—Hold on tight. I’ll fly with every ounce of strength I have.
“Don’t worry about me, just hurry,” Damien urged.
Valhard’s wings beat powerfully.
His massive body shot forward like an arrow, slicing through the sky and breaking the sound barrier.
Atop Valhard’s head, Damien opened a pocket dimension and retrieved several potions.
These were gifts from the Emperor before he left for the otherworldly realm, all designed to heal the body.
Damien drank them all, feeling the internal injuries from using his ultimate technique rapidly mend.
‘My body still can’t keep up with my abilities,’ he thought.
The enemies Damien faced were so formidable that he had no choice but to push himself to the limit.
‘Time is running out.’
If only he had more time, he could have strengthened his body to withstand the strain of his ultimate technique.
But his foes gave him no such luxury, and Damien couldn’t help but feel frustrated.
‘To find a solution… I’ll have to meet him.’
Damien drew Erebus, focusing his mind as he gripped the sword with both hands.
When he opened his eyes, he was face to face with Ruin’s spectral form.
”…”
Ruin’s eyes, devoid of life, stared back at Damien.
“Not in the mood for a chat, I see,” Damien muttered, raising his sword. Ruin mirrored his actions.
“How many times must I defeat you before you regain your senses?”
Ruin lunged forward, and Damien moved to meet him.
In the mental realm, the clash of swords echoed relentlessly.