“No effect at all…?” Adrian muttered under his breath as he examined Mikhail. Mikhail, having once again checked the mana settled inside his body, gave a nod.
“In that case, you really have no choice but to learn how to wield that power yourself.”
Ordinarily, Mikhail should have become a Sword Master the moment the dragon lifted a finger. The power of the dragon had already taken root within him, passed down from Carlo’s timeline. If the dragon merely amplified that power even slightly, Mikhail would have ascended to Sword Mastery and gained complete control over his strength.
However… Adrian’s brow furrowed, clearly displeased with the situation. So this is as far as Ordinas’ intervention in fate goes? The thought preoccupied him, but Mikhail’s firm voice pulled him back.
“Just what I wanted.”
There wasn’t a trace of gloom in Mikhail’s voice, which sharpened Adrian’s gaze.
“What?”
“I intended to do it this way from the start.”
Mikhail replied as he gave Fellen Deeps’ sword a light stroke. He recalled the day he first held a sword as a child. That moment when he thought, Ah—so this is my destiny. From that day on, not once had he ever doubted his dream of becoming a Sword Master.
Mikhail looked up at the dark circle bound in golden chains. He couldn’t recall it clearly, but he was the one who had left a mark on that very circle.
Mikhail’s unwavering gaze turned toward Adrian.
“Whatever power lies within me, it’s mine. Naturally, it’s the rightful owner’s job to learn how to wield it.”
“……”
For a moment, Adrian was left speechless before parting his lips.
“…Yet you can’t even manage the basics of that ‘natural’ thing right now.”
At his grumble, Mikhail let out a brief, amused snort. He must’ve thought Adrian was joking.
Clang—!
It was then that an irritating sound pierced the dragon’s ears.
“……!”
Adrian’s gaze snapped upward as he sensed the chains wrapped around the dark circle stretch, as though they were on the verge of breaking. The sudden, widened gap set off warning bells. Something was wrong.
The claws that had darted out and withdrawn before were now firmly gripping the edge of the circle, as if ready to break through. The monster began to slowly force the gap wider, seemingly intent on tearing through the golden chains.
Rrgrrrrrk—CRACK!
A fissure several times larger than anything seen before split open. Through the gaping breach, the monster began to reveal itself.
First came a long beak gleaming with a black sheen. Following the pointed beak, green eyes emerged. As though it had just returned from swimming in corrupted mana, grimy liquid dripped from the beast’s feathers.
The malice hanging over the lake deepened.
“Mikhail.”
Adrian’s eyes changed.
“Bottom line, you still can’t use that power right now, can you?”
Cheering for Mikhail’s dream was all well and good, but this was a moment that demanded decisiveness. If Mikhail couldn’t use his power, facing that creature would be impossible.
Adrian tilted his head slightly to the side, producing a crack in his neck. It was a habitual motion he always made before returning to his true form. He could feel Mikhail’s puzzled gaze fixed on him.
“Then until you can, listen to me.”
There was no way he could leave Mikhail in a place where death was certain.
“What?”
Mikhail’s brow knit in confusion, as though he’d just heard something strange.
“That’s not what we agreed on.”
“Sorry, but I never agreed.”
He was sure he’d said it before.
Adrian answered with a cold expression. A dragon does not make promises. That rule existed for moments like this.
“Get far away from here.”
With a swift motion of his arm, the air whipped around him.
“Ugh—!”
Just as Mikhail reached out to grab him, his body was flung back at incredible speed, defying his will. At the same time, the boat carrying the vanguard began to glide across the black lake. It was the dragon’s magic.
“Adrian!”
The dragon had no time to respond to Mikhail’s call.
Twin horns jutted out from either side of his head. Then came the emergence of his massive tail and wings. Particles of bright golden mana swirled around him, aiding the dragon’s return to his true form. The transformation that began at his head swept across his body in a golden gust, and in an instant, he had fully taken on the enormous form of a dragon. It was a Gold Dragon, its scales the same shade as Adrian’s golden hair.
Adrian stole a glance in the direction the boat had been sent. The boat had reached the far edge of the black lake, having secured a safe enough distance. If they had any sense, they would disembark and get as far from the lake as possible.
Shhhhhhk—!
The dragon blew a short snort from his nose and blinked his enormous eyes. Before him, a monstrous creature that had broken through the gateway now beat its wings furiously. It was a monstrous bird, black like a raven, with three heads. With each powerful flap of its wings, a gust of wind rolled over the lake, sending ripples across its black surface.
Smack!
The dragon’s forepaw slammed down, pinning the beast’s body beneath it. Dozens of golden magic circles were summoned around the creature, enclosing it. The spells likely wouldn’t land a fatal blow, but they could at least slow it down.
From the center of the array, massive golden spears shot out like lightning, piercing through dozens of points along the beast’s torso. Slumped for a moment, the creature rapidly regenerated using the lake’s black mana and launched itself at the dragon again.
One of the three heads opened its gaping, jagged beak and clamped onto the dragon’s neck. Not to be outdone, another head snapped its beak shut into a sharp point and slammed down onto the dragon’s torso with its full weight.
Hrrrgh—aaargh!
Only then did a groan escape the dragon’s maw.
***
He had killed the monstrous bird again and again, using magic, fangs, and claws. But each time, it regained its vigor, drawing strength from the black mana. He tried burning its wounds with fire magic, dragging it far from the mana’s source, and crushing it in mid-air—but none of it mattered. Unless the black mana itself—the creature’s power source—was destroyed, it could not be killed.
Huff, huffff—!
Panting heavily, the dragon mulled over his options. It wasn’t his own impending death that gave him pause. Long ago, he’d ceased caring about clinging to more time.
Of course, he could teleport away at any moment with a spell. But…
“Ghhak!”
Hack—cough! The dragon violently spat out black blood. The monstrous bird he’d just felled once more was stirring again, its grotesque form twitching back to life. If the dragon fled now, the beast would head straight for the continent.
I have to buy as much time as possible.
If Adrian gave up here, that thing would devastate the entire continent.
Blood was seeping from his body, and the miasma pushing into his wounds stung like acid. He could feel his pure mana being corrupted by the black mana.
At this rate… I’m going to—
He felt the scales around his eyes scrape in the opposite direction as a thick, inky aura began to seep upward. His vision was growing so clouded he could barely tell whether the shape before him was friend or foe. Grkk— A metallic tang of blood filled his mouth from the shredded remains of his gums. He knew that soon, even thinking like this would become impossible.
Before that happened, he had to send them as far away as possible.
SKREEEEEEE—!
The gold dragon, as large as a royal palace, tilted its head back and let out a thunderous roar toward the sky. As though trying to shake off the black mana consuming his body, he thrashed violently—but it was no use. The dark energy forced its way between his scales.
His scales peeled back, his skin tore, and the dragon’s body—once made of pure mana—began to sizzle and burn with a searing shiiik! The smell of scorched flesh filled the air. Still, a sliver of Adrian’s consciousness lingered.
Though it flickered erratically, his gaze caught the distant shape of a small boat pushed far away.
If I lose myself to the black miasma like this, the mural becomes reality.
Far off, he spotted the flash of Mikhail’s bright silver hair on the boat—glinting even as the young man seemed to be scolding the dragon. Of course he’s not in the painting. He was too far away.
Black blood dripped from the dragon’s maw.
Why the hell is he still just standing there? What’s going through that kid’s mind right now…
Even with his mind faltering, Adrian spread his wings wide in an attempt to get farther from the lake. The dragon’s massive wings opened, casting a vast shadow across the water. But that was all he could do.
Damn it, the wings wouldn’t respond. His body felt unnaturally heavy, and no matter how hard he tried to flap them, he couldn’t lift off. He only sank deeper into the black mana.
The monstrous creature, as if waiting for this moment, completed its regeneration and took flight once more. Its third head, still barely hanging on by a thread of black mana, bobbed loosely—but the beast paid it no mind.
***
“Adrian!”
“Your Highness, it’s too dangerous!”
Damn it! The legion commander held Mikhail back as he tried to charge forward. The prince’s powerful arms pushed with all their might, forcing the commander to grit his teeth just to restrain him.
What the hell can I even do for Adrian right now? Is watching from this far away all I’m good for?!
Mikhail bit down on his lower lip in frustration.
