Chapter 86

I’m completely exhausted. I can’t believe I fought until the effects of the enhancement potion wore off.

But more than my physical fatigue, the Queen was on my mind. She didn’t dodge my attacks. My speed was significantly slower because I focused all my energy on power. Surely, she could have dodged if she wanted to.

But she didn’t. It was as if she had been waiting for this, accepting my attacks. She was truly an incomprehensible woman.

Still, one thing was clear…

“O naive dragon who knows love. I will support your love.”

Her body, weakened and limp, fell into my arms.

“Once in ten thousand times. Yes, once in ten thousand times, may your love come true.”

Hoping for such a coincidence, I drew my weapon.

Even with a hole in her abdomen, she smiled as if at peace. Her smile, as if she had shed everything, was almost beautiful.

“You’re a cruel woman. You injected poison into me, tormenting me for life. Yet, you leave with such a peaceful expression. How utterly cruel.”

I lay down on the wet grass to catch my breath. My left arm seemed broken, and my entire body screamed in pain.

My ribs and leg bones were probably cracked. My ankle throbbed, likely sprained from the recent attack.

Now that I looked, my body was covered in small wounds. The blood flowing continuously suggested the wounds weren’t shallow.

I was a complete wreck. I couldn’t even move a finger.

Just as I was about to rest my battered body, the sound of flapping wings reached my ears.

“The Queen is dead! That lowly woman is finally dead!”

“Where is the heart! Where is the heart! That heart is mine!”

“The Giant Hunter is here too! Kill him! Take the flesh and blood of the Queen and the Hunter!”

Of course, it was the dragons. The demons’ cowardice wasn’t new, but now it was a bit troublesome.

Injured, exhausted, and suffering from the side effects of the enhancement potion, fighting back was out of the question, and even escaping seemed impossible.

“Congratulations, dragon. We just parted, and now we’re about to meet again.”

Of course, having killed so many dragons, I had no right to complain. Just as I had rightfully killed them, they had the right to kill me.

I had burned their nests, slaughtered countless dragons, and destroyed their eggs. Meeting my end at the hands of dragons wasn’t so bad.

And so, they flew in to tear us apart.

The last sight being a dragon’s maw was quite unsettling. With that thought, I tried to close my eyes.

“Disgusting creatures of the abyss.”

A chilling voice snapped me awake as ivory arrows pierced the dragons’ heads.

“I won’t ask you to respect the King. I won’t ask you to mourn the King’s death. She was a tyrant unworthy of such.”

The forest’s darkness began to stir.

“But I cannot tolerate you defiling a warrior’s battle. Snakes with wings and tongues. Even if you take that heart, you cannot fill the void of dignity.”

The overlapping voices, as if multiple people were speaking at once, sent chills down my spine. The overwhelming strength, even without fighting, was palpable.

“The Dragon Queen fought her enemy and was defeated. Though the process was not pure, the battle itself was. Do not defile the honorable death of a warrior.”

But dragons are creatures that lack understanding. Perhaps due to their arrogant nature. Even after witnessing this, they couldn’t grasp that they could be hunted.

“King of Specters! Have you finally gone mad! How dare you challenge us!!!”

“Not likely.”

“If you understand, return to your grave. I won’t hold you accountable for killing your kin, having reduced your competition.”

“Battles should be fought between equals. Even if bugs swarm, they cannot match a tiger.”

The King of Specters, his old armor clanking, stepped in front of me. Or perhaps he was protecting the Queen’s body in my arms.

“Hunter. Lower your guard. Today, I come not as your enemy but as a mortician to collect the body of your comrade.”

“… What about Camilla?”

“Rest assured. Your comrade has defeated the enemies and collapsed from exhaustion.”

Hearing this, I lowered the staff I was holding.

I couldn’t trust the enemy’s words, but in my current state, they had no need to lie. I had no choice but to believe.

“I came as a mortician. If you interfere with collecting the body, I will shoot, be it human or demon.”

“Hahaha! King of Specters! Age has addled your brain! Do you think you can take us all on at such close range! With just a bow?!”

It was a sensible observation. A bow is an excellent weapon, but only at a certain distance.

At such close range, and against multiple enemies, it was unsuitable.

But that was only within the bounds of common sense.

Could one explain someone hitting a target hundreds of kilometers away with common sense? Probably not.

“Do you know what it means for us to be this close?!”

“It means there are multiple targets for my arrows to hit sooner than others.”

The King of Specters drew the bowstring with a gesture like tuning a harp.

With a flash of the bowstring, ivory arrows pierced the heads of nearly forty dragons.

“Is there anyone else who wishes to receive the Specter’s arrow? If you wish to become my people, I won’t stop you.”

As the King of Specters drew his bowstring again, the dragons fled with their arrogant expressions intact.

No matter how strong dragons are born, they cannot defeat a true monster.

Having caught my breath, I stood up using the staff. I never thought this staff would be used for its intended purpose.

“What brings you here, King of Specters?”

As I pointed the staff at him, he answered in his usual chilling voice.

“Didn’t I say, Hunter? Today, I come not as a warrior or a king, but as a mortician.”

“Weren’t you on bad terms with the Dragon Queen? I suggest adding a bit of realism to your nonsense.”

“Do personal grudges or disagreements prevent the collection of a body? The Empire was always like that. Deciding the outcome first and then attaching reasons, such ugliness never changes.”

“I’m asking sincerely.”

“I disliked her. I despised her way of thinking about the value of a king, her methods of ruling the people, and her lack of pride in governance. But such trivial matters are no reason to prevent the burial of a comrade.”

I had no response.

Because the words of a mere monster sounded so convincing.

The King of Specters stepped closer and reached out, and a gem emitting a bright light emerged from the Queen’s body.

The gem, passing through bone and flesh, was breathtakingly beautiful even to my untrained eye.

“This is the Dragon King’s Heart. A power created by a wise old dragon to make himself immortal to protect his people.”

“I have no interest in such history.”

“Your disdain for the unknown remains unchanged. Does the Empire have a mold for shaping people?”

“……”

I felt twisted inside, but I had to endure.

If it were him, killing me in a fit of rage and turning the villagers into swiss cheese would be nothing.

“In other words, this is a power to protect, not to oppress the people or incite internal strife.”

And with that, the King of Specters crushed the gem into dust.

All that remained intact were three small gems the size of pebbles.

“I have fulfilled my duty. Now, all that’s left is to transport the body. You may take your rightful spoils.”

“Taking something already shattered doesn’t seem appealing.”

“Those fragments still hold power. Your comrades, too, won’t live long due to the enhancement potion. They would be a valid gift for you.”

“Just so you know, there are four of us. With only three…”

“Your share has already been prepared by the Queen.”

The King of Specters took out a gem-encrusted necklace from his pocket and tossed it to me.

“I have also fulfilled the Queen’s preparations. Though I cannot fathom the Queen’s wishes…”

The King of Specters looked at the peacefully sleeping Queen with a satisfied expression.

“Leaving behind the object of that smile must be painful. Truly a regrettable and painful death, Dragon Queen.”

He lifted the Queen’s body and began walking towards the forest’s darkness.

“I bid you farewell now.”

“No, wait… I can’t let you go like this…”

“Don’t be hasty. The time for harvest will come in due course.”

“……”

“When that time comes, I, as a warrior and a king, will offer you a peaceful death.”

And so, the King of Specters disappeared into the darkness, leaving my battered self behind.