Chapter 55: Like a Dragon (1)

Soul Severance.

Gert was cut down.

His king was cut down.

Every heart and soul was severed.

The mass of despair that was Adelvain shattered. The demon’s flower lost its vitality and withered away in an instant.

A black mist rose from the aftermath, thickening the sky.

Suddenly, through the haze, pillars of light pierced the heavens, streaming down like countless beams.

Pale, shimmering shapes began to ascend along those beams.

“Ah…”

It was like a scene from a sacred ritual.

Yuri couldn’t grasp what this sight meant.

Were Adelvain’s souls departing toward some destined place? Or was this merely the final flicker of life evaporating into nothingness?

Whatever it was, it was beautiful enough to stir a sense of holiness in anyone who witnessed it.

Yuri’s companions stood silently beside him.

None spoke a word.

Though they hadn’t glimpsed the past as Yuri had, they all roughly understood the situation. The victims of Adelvain were finally breaking free from the black grasp and gaining their freedom.

Jose broke the silence.

“Your Highness.”

“Sir Jose.”

“What could possibly be happening in this world?”

He gazed up at the wave of souls ascending with the light. Yuri, shorter than Jose and looking up at his raised chin, couldn’t read his expression.

Yuri reached out and rested a hand on Jose’s shoulder. The size difference made it feel like barely a touch, but he didn’t mind.

“The age has come when knights must do what knights are meant to do.”

“To do what knights are meant to do…”

Jose chuckled softly.

“Hearing you say it like that makes it easier to accept.”

The black mist gradually dispersed, and the pillars of light faded.

The blue sky began to reappear.

Sunlight poured down.

The funeral for Adelvain was over.

Yuri walked toward the spot where the demon’s flower had vanished. There, curled up on a tattered parchment, was a small, unidentifiable lump of flesh with roots clinging to the old vellum.

It was the same as what they had retrieved from Okua.

“Kori.”

“Yes?”

“Can you use seal magic?”

“Yes, I can.”

“Bind it to that parchment. Don’t touch it directly.”

“Understood.”

After Kori cast several seals with magic, Yuri carefully removed the lump and tucked the parchment into his arms.

A faint aura lingered, but the power of Soul Severance suppressed it.

This would make Marilose’s work much easier.

Suddenly, Jared spoke up.

“One of the Ten Strong will have a vacancy now. Could it be that Prince Gert will be the last to join the Ten Strong?”

“Are you crazy?”

“Usually, that’s how it goes.”

“This is different.”

Yuri’s gaze wandered until he spotted a sword lying broken on the ground.

It was Gert’s blade.

As if it had endured the flow of time all at once, the sword was rusted and missing many teeth along its edge.

Yuri picked it up and planted it upright in the dirt.

“Gert finished what he had to do. When the time came, he left on his own.”

“What about Adelvain?”

“If we don’t speak of it, he’ll remain as he is. The fact that Gert disappeared will naturally become known, so let’s say nothing.”

“Understood.”

Thus, the battle for Adelvain had ended.

The group sank down to the ground, exhausted.

Only Yuri remained standing, replaying the recent fight in his mind. The past that Gert had passed on still lingered heavily.

Then, suddenly, he noticed Kori’s pale expression.

“Kori, are you alright?”

“Y-yes…”

“You don’t look alright.”

“Actually, I’m not…”

“Then say something.”

“Heh…”

Yuri touched his forehead. His body was burning hot.

“What’s wrong?”

Kori collapsed onto the ground, sweating profusely. The others gathered around, feeling his entire body.

“Why are you so hot?”

“Did this happen suddenly?”

“This doesn’t seem like a normal fever.”

“This is…”

Jose touched his chin thoughtfully.

“I think Kori is suffering from a magical illness…”

“Magical illness?”

“Yes. Let me take a look.”

Jose placed his fingertip on Kori’s forehead and closed his eyes.

“An unknown energy is fighting against Kori’s mana from within.”

“That’s the magical illness?”

“Yes. I’ve only heard of it in stories. It happens when incompatible energies enter the body.”

“How did it happen? Did some magic enter him earlier?”

“Magical illness isn’t caused by external invasion. It’s something the body creates itself.”

Yuri recalled hearing a similar term from Moyongchan.

It was called “running fire into madness” — a spiritual possession by one’s own power.

Kori spoke up.

“I think I pushed myself too hard earlier…”

“When earlier?”

“When I was creating the core’s glyphs. I don’t even know how I did it…”

“Sir Jose, how do we treat this?”

“I don’t know.”

“Damn…”

Yuri tried to channel the energy of Soul Severance into Kori’s body.

If it was a malignant force, Soul Severance should be able to purge it.

But it was useless.

Instead, the three energies tangled together, making things worse.

“Ugh!”

“S-sorry!”

Yuri immediately withdrew his hand.

“Damn, this is why you need two mages.”

“Huh?”

“If one gets hurt, the other can heal them. Why?”

“Ah…”

“What were you thinking?”

“Nothing.”

Yuri hoisted Kori onto his back. His muscles made him heavier than before, but there was no time to worry about that.

“Let’s run. To the nearest village, no—the temple…”

But Yuri barely got moving before he had to stop.

“What the hell is that…?”

Something was flying in from the distant sky.

A being with crimson wings.

It circled the group a few times, as if observing them, then slowly began a vertical descent.

Yuri had seen this creature before in Gert’s memories.

“So it really is Kruar…”

The Ten Strong weren’t all human.

There was Inariel, the elf, and Gert, the death knight.

Two others were non-human.

One of them was Kruar, the last dragon.

“My goodness…”

Everyone was speechless.

The red dragon stood about three meters tall, with wings twice that length. Folding its wings revealed a serpentine body. Its scales shimmered in the sunlight, reflecting varying shades of red depending on the angle.

Yuri raised his gaze higher.

A face with two horns and a long snout looked down at them.

Its bright yellow irises narrowed as it took them in.

Its mouth opened, revealing sharp teeth.

[Kruar has arrived.]

Though the voice was unlike a human’s, it was clearly the common tongue of the continent.

Caught off guard, Yuri’s group stared up at the creature in stunned silence.

After a long pause, Kruar spoke again.

[The great dragon has gone to the trouble of leaving its nest and descending here. Will no one applaud or bow their heads?]

It was muttering to itself.

Turning its head as if looking elsewhere, Kruar glanced sideways at Yuri’s group.

Still no reaction, so it muttered again.

[No greetings? How awkward… If you keep standing there silently, the great dragon Kruar might accidentally breathe fire…]

Realizing what was expected, Yuri began clapping loudly.

“Th-the great dragon Kruar has come! What an honor! I am truly delighted!”

The others were still bewildered, but Simon, born the baron’s illegitimate son and used to reading the room, instinctively caught on.

He took over.

“Ah, ah, no! What luck to meet the great dragon Kruar! I, humble human Simon, offer my greetings!”

He bowed deeply.

Only then did the others begin to greet Kruar one by one.

“Ha, ha! To meet the dragon in person, I, Jose Aratur, am truly honored!”

“To think a commoner like me would meet Kruar! I have no regrets in life!”

“I am Laurent Flandre, son of Count Francais, and I greet the great dragon Kruar!”

“Ah, to have such an event happen… I feel I have lived for this day!”

“Ah, hello… Please forgive me for being unable to stand due to illness…”

Kruar, pretending to look elsewhere, let the corners of its mouth twitch upward.

Ahem, ahem.

Each cough sparked tiny embers.

[To be welcomed like this, I’m glad I came. Greetings, humans.]

Kruar waved a clawed hand awkwardly in greeting.

Yuri didn’t relax.

Though Kruar seemed a bit slow, it was infamous for breathing fire when provoked. The empire once had an entire village razed, prompting the emperor to place a bounty on it.

But Yuri had faith.

“Welcome, Kruar. On behalf of my group, I greet you again.”

[Oh, you must be the leader, human. If you act rude to me because of your status, you might end up roasted on my dining table today…]

“That won’t happen. I am Yuri Briol, third prince of Briol. It is an honor to meet the great dragon Kruar.”

[Briol, Briol…]

Kruar muttered the name, then suddenly flinched.

[Briol? Could you be the son of that monstrous human?]

“If you’re referring to Fiore Briol, then yes, he is my father.”

Cruar’s expression stiffened.

[Hmm, the son of that monstrous man…]

Though he is the last remaining dragon, he is not an absolute powerhouse.

There are nine others on the continent who stand shoulder to shoulder with him, and Fiore Briol—Yuri’s father—is considered the strongest among them.

Yuri knew that Fiore and Cruar had met once before.

Cruar muttered softly, his gaze fixed on empty space.

[Hmph, hmm… The son of that monster, huh? It’s unsettling, but I am a benevolent dragon to all. As long as you show me respect, I suppose I can treat you well…]

“Of course. I’ve long admired the great dragon Cruar and am well aware of your reputation.”

Yuri bowed slightly, and Cruar’s expression brightened.

[Yes, yes. You’re a polite human.]

“Thank you for saying so.”

Yuri smiled and asked, “But the great dragon Cruar is known for rarely leaving his lair. What brings you here before us today?”

[Ah, yes. There is a reason I came personally.]

Cruar’s eyes flickered. His yellow pupils gleamed with a fierce light.

At the edge of his gaze lay Cory, lying on the ground, groaning in pain.

[Because of that half-blood human.]

“Excuse me?”

[Because of that half-blood human.]

Cruar took a step forward, the ground trembling under his weight.

[The reason that half-blood is suffering now is…]

Jose interrupted.

“Isn’t it a demonic disease?”

Cruar wrinkled his nose.

[If you interrupt the great dragon Cruar, I might accidentally breathe fire and turn you into a perfectly cooked steak…]

“I-I’m sorry.”

[It’s similar to a demonic disease, but fundamentally different.]

Cruar extended his hand. A cold aura radiated from his sharp claws, enveloping Cory’s body.

[What happens if someone who’s never walked in their life forces themselves to stand and run?]

“It would hurt, right?”

[Exactly. Perhaps you’d appreciate the great dragon Cruar’s excellent analogy and feel better…]

“You’re comparing it to legs? That makes perfect sense!”

“Looks like Cory used muscles he never did before!”

“Wow, so that’s what happened!”

[Seems you liked my explanation.]

Cruar’s eyes softened slightly.

He pinched Cory’s cheeks gently with two fingers, causing her lips to purse and part.

He studied the gap carefully.

[Because she is a human-orc hybrid, an incredibly rare possibility has manifested in her.]

Simon, who understood Cruar’s personality, spoke up.

“This foolish human cannot begin to guess what the great dragon Cruar knows. If you could share just a little of your knowledge, even someone as insignificant as me might understand…”

[Indeed, only a great dragon could know this. I shall explain. If you listen carefully to what I say, you might feel even better…]

Everyone cupped their ears with one hand, turning their attention fully to Cruar. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

He said,

[This half-blood human was born with the Dragon Speech Organ.]