Chapter 362: Battle with the Platinum Dragon (1)

[What’s the plan?]

I’m going to fight until he unleashes his full power.

[...That’s quite straightforward,] Allen responded in a rather exasperated tone.

[What a perfect way to get yourself killed.]

Despite his mocking words, Allen was already channeling Duaat’s power to maintain his form. As he clasped his hands together, a long staff materialized before him. When he reversed his grip, the smoky form of the black staff blurred, revealing the image of the Freezing Talon for a split second.

“φχ-ﬆϪϪχκ,” Allen chanted in the runic tongue. All magic originated from this ancient language, and as such, it could summon far greater power than ordinary spells.

As his Arcane Mana merged with the ancient magic, blue lightning crackled beneath his feet.

Crack—!!

A sharp bolt of lightning shot toward Narh Di Maug. With the roar of lightning, Karyl surged upward, rocketing over the dragon’s head with a thunderous whip-crack as the air burst around him.

Click

—

Karyl steadied himself midair, swinging Lakna through to unleash a fierce gust of wind. The next instant, he used Agnel to unleash a second Arcane strike, merging with Allen’s lightning to form a crescent-shaped flash that gleamed like a curved, razor-sharp blade.

“Kruaaaaghhh...!!”

The murderous lightning projectile brushed past the Platinum Dragon, cutting through the thick, armor-like scales and leaving a crimson gash beneath. Narh Di Maug roared, baring his long fangs, not so much in pain but more in disbelief.

𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Thud—!!

Following that fleeting moment, Karyl spun in the air before landing on the ground. He then leapt back up, driving his sword into the dragon’s lower jaw..

“Grrk!!

Cough

...!!”

With a forceful slam, Narh Di Maug’s jaws snapped shut, his fangs clashing with a dull, heavy sound.

“You...!!”

The Platinum Dragon, reeling from the sting, shook his head violently and began gathering a fiery breath within his mouth.

“Hup!!”

But Karyl, biting down on Agnel, grabbed Lakna with both hands, driving it deeper into the dragon’s jaw.

Ssssss...!!!

The air swirled, as if being sucked inward, creating a vortex. It seemed to absorb even the searing heat of Narh Di Maug’s breath, pulling it back before it could be released. The condensed vortex focused on the blade of Lakna, and the Mana Blade glowed a bright, molten red, like a blazing furnace.

Crack... Crack...!!!

Karyl switched Agnel to his opposite hand, causing the dagger to emit a brilliant white light, its blade shimmering with a silvery hue. In one swift motion, he drew it across to clash against Lakna, still buried in the dragon’s gaping jaw.

Annihilation Strike: First Cut

BOOM—!!!

A violent explosion erupted directly above Karyl’s head. The entire sequence happened within seconds. Before the imperials could even grasp what was going on, they were blinded by the blast that enveloped the entire area.

“Ugh... Aaaargh...!!”

“Ghh...! What the...!”

Their screams were stifled by the deafening explosion. In the midst of the chaos, Narh Di Maug attempted to shield Neil Blanc from the point-blank explosion with his wings.

Karyl didn’t miss this moment.

Sizzle...

In an instant, the entire area had turned to ruins. The forest lay charred, reduced to ash. There was nothing left, not even smoke.

“For a human to wield such Divine Power... Mael, are you really going to break your vow to the gods and repeat the same mistake?”

“That’s your weakness.”

Karyl was seemingly oblivious to Narh Di Maug’s words. His chief focus was finding another way to attack him.

Whoosh—!!!

Karyl bent backward, and then, with a sharp whistle tearing through the air, he surged forward with explosive speed, closing the distance between himself and the Platinum Dragon. But this time, his target wasn’t the dragon—it was Neil Blanc, shielded by the wings.

“Haa...”

As Karyl inhaled, a thin wisp of smoke escaped his lips, a sign of how much strain he was putting on his body, using every muscle and fiber to the maximum.

“Aaaagh!!”

At that moment, Neil Blanc screamed in terror, falling back and scrambling on the ground in a desperate attempt to retreat. Narh Di Maug quickly shielded him again with his wings.

[Strange... He seems incredibly weak, yet his magic is so powerful. Something feels off,] Allen muttered, watching as Neil Blanc cowered pitifully.

Back in the capital, he pretended to be weak, but that was clearly an act. This time... it feels like he’s a different person altogether.

Karyl, too, sensed something strange about Neil Blanc’s behavior.

Skrrr—!

The blade meant for Neil Blanc struck Narh Di Maug’s wing instead, embedding itself in the joint.

“...”

There was no scream of pain, but unlike before, the Platinum Dragon’s eyes burned with fury as he lifted his gaze to the sky.

“Python. How much longer are you going to just watch?” he growled, addressing the Red Dragon flying high in the distance.

“My apologies...” Python muttered nervously as he lowered his head, unsure what to do.

“I thought you were the first among the dragons to fly out and end this war. Care to explain what exactly you’re doing right now?”

“The pact with Riseria concerns all Red Dragons. The Flame Dragon’s blood is like our lineage, and following the one who holds her power is our sacred rule.”

“Are you saying you’ll submit to a human?”

“N-No...! O-Of course not! That’s not what I’m saying! Me, submitting to a human? That’s utterly ridiculous. You saw it yourself—I declined his command.”

“And yet you’re ignoring me. Is the blood of the dead Flame Dragon more important than the authority of the one in front of you?”

“...Pardon?”

Boooom—!!

Narh Di Maug, visibly irritated, raised his forepaw and slammed Python’s head into the ground.

“Gurk...!! Ugh!!”

Python’s face was crushed under Narh Di Maug’s massive claws.

“Take Neil Blanc and leave. He is my messenger. I won’t force you to fight, but you must carry out the order I just gave you, no matter what.”

“...Understood. I swear I will do it,” Python grunted, his face still pinned beneath the Platinum Dragon’s claw.

“How revolting...”

Karyl observed the scene with a detached expression.

“Let me show you how powerless humans really are,” said Narh Di Maug, his gaze back to Karyl.

“I’ve already subdued him. What makes you think you’ll be any different?”

“You lowly creature...”

Narh Di Maug’s tone dripped with disdain, and for a moment, Karyl wondered if this truly was the same dragon from his past life.

The Platinum Dragon he remembered had been a protector of humans, a creature of unmatched grace and dignity. Karyl had admired him deeply, even feeling gratitude when he had shown him how to alter the future.

But now, this Platinum Dragon seemed no different from the others, looking down on humans with contempt.

“This is your true nature, isn’t it?” Karyl murmured, a bitter smile on his face. He had already realized, long before this clash, that his image of the Platinum Dragon was likely an illusion, but receiving such blunt confirmation made it all the more painful to bear.

Did you send me back in time just to show me this? You guided me to Pharel... for this...?

What had the dragon wanted to show him, exactly? Just this vile side of his? This disgusting view of humans as nothing more than tools?

This was the dragon Karyl had once considered a comrade, the one who had given him a second chance.

Narh Di Maug was the one who had warned him about Olivurn’s betrayal, the one who had saved his life.

Now I know that everything was a lie. You have no regard for human life. But then why fight for the Empire? Is it really because of your pact as a Guardian Dragon? Or is it because you’ve sided with the gods and wish to protect the traitors who have also sided with them to preserve their power...? Or perhaps...

Could it be to manipulate them?

Karyl’s mind was a whirlwind of questions and theories.

[You need to uncover the truth.]

Allen’s whisper snapped Karyl out of it.

[Find out what he wanted to preserve by betraying the Bladers during the Mythical Era, and what he was trying to accomplish by experimenting on us and Alteman. And finally, you need to find out why he sent

you

back in time and not Olivurn.]

Why me and not Olivurn...?

[Yes. There has to be a reason. From what we see now, he has no particular fondness for the tribes. The only one he seems to care about is that brat of the empire. And yet, he let him die and sent you back instead, a tribesman.]

Indeed, Olivurn was one of those who worshipped the Platinum Dragon. That much was certain.

Sending him back in time would have been far more advantageous, especially considering his destiny to ascend the throne. What could Karyl, who had nothing and had to start from scratch, possibly achieve by comparison?

[He didn’t send you back in time just to escape the accusation of assassinating the emperor, and it certainly wasn’t for the sake of the tribes either.]

Karyl nodded.

[There must be a reason. A future that only you, a tribal, could change. A reason he abandoned Olivurn and saved you instead...]

Hearing those words, Karyl felt a chill down his spine. Blinded by anger and a sudden thirst for revenge, he had failed to realize what Allen had just pointed out.

Indeed, the Platinum Dragon before his eyes was not the dragon he had once known, and now, Karyl found himself questioning even the circumstances of Olivurn’s death.

“...Before that, I need the power to surpass him.”

[On that, I can agree.]

Karyl adjusted his grip on the blades.

And then it happened.

Rumble... Rumble...!!

The Platinum Dragon opened its enormous jaws, and dozens of magic circles materialized around it.

[Draconic Incantation...!]

Allen immediately recognized what this was and the danger of it.

Fifteen magic circles intertwined, their central cores connected by strands of light that branched out like threads, forming a complex web.

[This is unbelievable... How many magical systems are entangled in that spell?]

Even Allen, who had once analyzed and dispelled the grand crimson spell arrays of Kadin Luer, was stunned by the Platinum Dragon’s magic.

[I know that Draconic Magic is beyond all bounds, but this... I’ve never seen anything like this during the Magical Age.]

Even when Narh Di Maug had instructed the Assembly of Seven Elders, it seemed he had never revealed his full strength.

[Karyl, screw the plan! We can’t deal with something like that! Get out of here!!]

The strands converged at the core, pulling the fifteen magic circles together. As they merged into one, a blinding white light burst forth.

Dragon Incantation was a spell of the 9th Class, the realm only dragons could reach. Narh Di Maug’s breath was by no means ordinary—it was a blend of pure draconic force and mana.

Karyl watched intently, as if he had been waiting for this very moment. He scrutinized the entire process, from the formation of the magic circles to the culmination of their union, not missing a single detail.

I disagree, Allen. The problem is that you’re trying to solve a formula with another formula. Sometimes the answer is simpler than that.

[What are you saying?! This isn’t the type for theorizing!!]

This sheer amount of magic... It’s overwhelming. There’s no way I could replicate that as I am now. However...

Karyl placed Agnel over the hilt of Lakna, gripping both blades simultaneously, and softly called out to the snake.

“You see that, Mael?”

[Yes, I saw everything.]

“And how did he do that?”

[We’ll know once we taste it. I’ve said it before, haven’t I? Just once. That bastard will fall if we can drive our fangs into his throat once.

Karyl leaped forward, diving straight into the blinding light aimed at him.

[Just plunge your blade into him!]