Chapter 174. Step Aside and Don’t Interfere

“

Hmm?

”

Kim Do-Joon barely had time to react when Laoha suddenly lunged, leaving him momentarily flustered.

Thud!

Trusting his instincts, Kim Do-Joon leapt back as Laoha landed where he stood. The ground shook violently as though an earthquake had struck.

“Wait a second! What are you—”

“Shut up!” Laoha barked, cutting him off.

She became enveloped in a radiant, white aura.

She was using divine descent. With an explosion of energy, ten brilliant white wings unfurled from her back. Her power surged exponentially, and her movements became impossibly fast. In a single step, she closed in and drove her fist straight at Kim Do-Joon.

“

Ugh!

”

Kim Do-Joon barely managed to block the strike with his arm.

Bang!

Her punch collided with his forearm, sending him flying through the air. Pain shot through his arm as if his bones were shattering. He slammed into a rocky outcrop, embedded deep within it, buzzing with aftershock all over.

However, Laoha wasn’t finished. Kim Do-Joon looked up, sensing danger from above.

Rumble!

Hundreds of radiant spears formed in the air, all aimed toward him.

One spear came hurtling down, shattering a section of the rock.

“

Tsk

.”

Clicking his tongue, Kim Do-Joon enveloped his right arm in a swirling shadow. Grabbing the first spear, he swung it in a wide arc.

Clang!

The remaining spears ricocheted off his counterattack, scattering in all directions. The surrounding terrain bore the brunt of the onslaught, leaving the ground and trees in tatters.

No sooner had he deflected the last spear than Laoha struck again.

Kim Do-Joon’s eyebrow twitched in irritation.

“Do you ever listen?” he muttered.

Seizing one of Laoha’s radiant spears, he hurled it back with all his might.

The spear tore through the air at imperceptible speed, warping the space around it as it approached Laoha. Her eyes widened in surprise as she twisted midair, narrowly avoiding the attack.

Full of hatred, she charged toward him once more, wielding dual blades of light.

Meanwhile, Drake watched the scene unfold from a distance, incredulous.

“What the hell is this...?”

The fight between Kim Do-Joon and Laoha was nothing short of cataclysmic, but that wasn’t why he was stunned.

Weren’t they supposed to be on the same side?

After all, he had come here after sensing that his subordinates were being wiped out. Wasn’t Kim Do-Joon the culprit?

—Mel Sior!

Wait, she doesn’t know that Mel Sior had been slain by humans back on Eart

h.

Drake quickly pieced together the true cause of the conflict. In fact, Laoha probably didn’t even know what Earth was. And for Laoha, Mel Sior was nothing but a sworn enemy who deserved to die.

Though Kim Do-Joon and Mel Sior bore little resemblance, changing one’s appearance was trivial for beings like them.

Drake’s lips curled into a faint smile.

What an interesting turn of events.

Kim Do-Joon was an intriguing figure for being able to absorb Mel Sior’s power. If Drake could take him down, that power would be his.

At the same time, he couldn’t afford to let Laoha slip away. This was the perfect opportunity to capture her. If he failed, it could mean another centuries-long game of hide-and-seek, the bane of his impatient nature.

The solution was simple.

Why not both?

“Come out!”

As Drake snapped his fingers, a massive mana circle materialized around him, glowing ominously.

The ground rumbled. Then, from beneath, massive bones slowly rose, exuding a terrifying presence of readiness for battle. The earth-shaking energy seized Kim Do-Joon and Laoha’s attention mid-fight.

“Samir...” Laoha growled, gritting her teeth at the skeletal figure.

Samir, the Bone Dragon. Unlike the half-blood dragon, Mel Sior, it was a true dragon. Moreover, it was a dragon of myth, said to have reduced entire continents to ash. The Death Spirit Lord had repurposed its corpse into such a terrifying creature.

“You bastard...” Laoha glared at Drake, venom dripping from her voice.

Drake chuckled. “Is that any way to speak to your dear brother?”

“Shut up!” Laoha snapped, slashing her hand through the air.

The next moment, chains of radiant light erupted around the half-risen Samir. They gleamed as they wrapped tightly around the beast, binding it in place.

“Hmph.”

Drake did not even flinch.

Pzzz—!

Purple lightning sparked from his hand, striking one of the chains. It didn’t shatter the bindings, only cracking the chain’s surface.

However, sometimes, a single crack was all it took. Samir roared, twisting its massive form with unnatural ferocity.

—Keough!

Clank! Crack!

The weakened chains shattered one after another, giving way like a dam bursting under pressure. Laoha’s radiant bindings had disintegrated completely.

Samir let out a deafening roar before taking to the skies. Drake perched atop Samir’s head, stroking the dragon’s bone-plated skull. His lips curled into a satisfied grin as Samir opened its maw, purple energy swirling within.

Seeing the concentrated energy built in the dragon’s mouth, Laoha’s expression hardened.

“This is bad,” she muttered, retreating swiftly.

She loathed Mel Sior and the Death Spirit Lord equally. She couldn’t afford to pick a side because her mission was to kill both. She couldn’t sacrifice herself to defeat one, as it would only let the other escape.

Mel Sior probably thought the same. After all, the two were not allies.

As Laoha turned her gaze toward Kim Do-Joon, her eyes widened in shock.

“What are you doing?!” she shouted.

Kim Do-Joon was charging directly into the path of Samir’s breath attack. He moved like lightning, dashing toward her with a blade. Laoha barely managed to dodge to the side, but his blade grazed one of her wings.

“What kind of lunatic...?!”

Fortunately, there was no major damage.

Booom—!

Laoha had managed to escape the destructive blast. Kim Do-Joon was not so lucky and was caught directly in its path.

Laoha watched the breath streak past, only to stiffen suddenly.

What’s this?

Her divine wings showed a strange disturbance. One of them flickered unnaturally, about to disappear.

It was the part Kim Do-Joon had touched.

This can’t be...

Her eyes wavered ever so slightly. As soon as she channeled her energy, the dim, faltering wing regained its brilliant vitality. Still, what caused it to weaken in the first place?

Did he steal my power? Did he absorb it with that shadow of his?

It was not impossible at all. However, something was off, and an indescribable unease gnawed at her. It unsettled her more than she cared to admit.

“

Koff!”

The breath attack passed, and Kim Do-Joon’s figure emerged from the smoke. He had used his shadow to form a barrier around himself, minimizing the damage. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, stark against his pale face.

Laoha’s gaze fell on his shadow, and her eyes ignited with fury again.

However, this time, something was different. Unlike before, when her rage had driven her to blindly charge, there was now a faint hesitation mingling with her anger.

“How persistent,” she hissed.

Before either of them could make a move, Drake charged toward them, unaware of the tension between the two.

From high above, Samir plunged down toward Kim Do-Joon with deadly precision.

Crunch—!

Kim Do-Joon narrowly slipped through an empty gap in Samir’s skeletal structure, evading the dragon’s crushing bite. Being a Bone Dragon, Drake’s teeth weren’t enough to finish him unless he was fully swallowed.

“

Tsk

.”

Drake clicked his tongue in frustration, the Bone Dragon’s massive wings flapping as it ascended once more. However, this moment was an opportunity. Despite managing to avoid his strike, Kim Do-Joon was clearly injured.

With a sharp flick of his fingers, Drake summoned a vortex of dark thunderclouds that spiraled outwards, centering on Samir.

Clouds crackled, swirling with violet energy as they amassed power. From the heart of the storm, lightning rained down, charged with destructive force.

“

Hah...

” Kim Do-Joon exhaled deeply, steadying himself.

Stretching out his hand, he prepared to unleash his counterattack. Then, someone stepped in front of him—it was Laoha.

“What the hell are you doing, Sister?! Get out of the way!” Drake shouted, his voice rough with urgency.

Of all the people present, Drake seemed the most shocked.

Drake had no intention of killing Laoha. Even though she wanted him dead, he had always aimed to capture her alive. It was the only reason she had not been defeated yet, despite the overwhelming difference in their strength.

“Move!” Drake roared.

The massive energy orb hurtled downward, its sheer intensity making the air quiver. Not even Drake could reverse it now. Watching Laoha standing there, shielding Kim Do-Joon, Drake’s veins bulged with fury.

Meanwhile, Laoha trembled as she stared at the oncoming strike. If it hit her, it was over. Even if she survived, she’d lose most of her power and divine authority. Without those, it was only a matter of time before Drake put a leash around her neck. No matter how this played out, her life as she knew it was finished.

So why am I still standing here?

The question lingered, unanswered. Her instincts screamed at her to move, yet her feet refused. It was as if some unknown ancient debt had bound her to this moment, compelling her to stand her ground.

So, she stayed, shielding Kim Do-Joon.

Rumble—!

The violet orb descended, a cataclysmic force on the verge of exploding. Laoha clenched her teeth, eyes wide with defiance. However, before the impact could engulf her, she felt a firm grip on her shoulder.

“Step aside and don’t interfere.”

Kim Do-Joon’s calm, commanding voice pierced through the chaos. Laoha flinched, shivering all over. Then, she froze, unable to move.

Leaving her there, Kim Do-Joon extended his arm once more. Shadows bloomed like a giant flower bud, spreading wide before wrapping themselves around the descending thunder prison.

“You fool!” Drake sneered, his laughter booming.

At best, the human had only absorbed a fraction of Mel Sior’s power. Above all, not even Mel Sior in his full strength could stop this attack. That man was beyond hope.

Still, I’ll give him credit where it’s due.

He was not cowering behind his sister like a frightened rat—that much deserved a nod of acknowledgment.

A brave human. Even if you’ve turned into dust, I’ll make sure to resurrect you. You’ll serve as a loyal underling to this Great One for eternity.

As Drake chuckled in amusement, his eyes bright with satisfaction, a system message interrupted his thoughts.

[Would you like to proceed?]

Just as I thought...

Kim Do-Joon’s gaze turned cold and resolute. The system asked if he wanted to use his copy-paste skill.

Since his clash with Mel Sior, the Shadow Lord, the copy-paste skill had undergone a profound transformation. Or perhaps, it was when he had discovered the true source of this power—the old man.

In the end, all of this power, including the power of Yggdrasil, the abilities derived from its items, and even the authority wielded by the Lords, came from the old man.

Then, the shadows surged forward, completely enveloping the energy orb.

Pzzz—

The oppressive energy began to shrink, compressing smaller and smaller.

“What the...?”

Within moments, the orb of lightning, which had seemed unstoppable moments ago, vanished. It didn’t explode, nor did it veer off course. It simply dissolved into nothingness.

Drake’s mouth hung open, struggling to comprehend what had just happened.

“I can’t believe he used the lightning orb...” Kim Do-Joon muttered.

Standing there was Kim Do-Joon, his wounds fully healed as if he had never been injured in the first place.

Both Drake and Laoha were left speechless. What had just occurred defied everything they thought possible.

Ignoring their reactions, Kim Do-Joon coldly gazed at the stunned dragon rider overhead.

“Your impatience hasn’t changed, Ushas,” he said, his voice laced with icy disdain.