EP.103
“…Was there such a place beneath Nineveh?”
– I had no idea about this fact at all. Truly fascinating.
As I descended into the underground following the information provided by Serika, I arrived at a vast cavern.
Its expanse was broader than an ordinary field, and its height might be comparable to a school building.
Even if one tried to jump with all their might, channeling magical power into their toes, it would be quite unlikely to reach the ceiling.
And about 100 meters from where I stood, a massive door was visible, large enough to be seen with the naked eye.
While I couldn’t discern what material it was made from, the door emanated a dark luster that felt otherworldly, surrounded by grotesque sculptures depicting various magical beasts and tortured people.
This ominous door, just by existing, exuded an unsettling aura; it was currently bound in chains as if someone had intended to seal it up, but that didn’t provide any real sense of security.
The chains sealing the door had already lost their meaning, dripping and melting away, while an indescribable ominous energy seeped through the slightly ajar crack of the door.
And that ominous energy was undoubtedly related to an entity I had experienced far too many times over my nine iterations.
“…By the way, how distasteful. I can’t believe they laid such filth beneath a school where students come and go.”
– Rather, I should be more surprised that a passageway leading here exists directly beneath the student council room.
As Erekaya spoke in a nonchalant tone, a sigh involuntarily escaped my lips.
Indeed, as she said, I had traversed the student building countless times, but I never imagined something like this could be hidden away beneath it.
“Then, the keyword the message intended to convey was undoubtedly the student council.”
– That might be the case. Or perhaps, it could also refer to a specific person.
However, this wasn’t the time to be idly contemplating puzzles. Although it lay quiet for now, the existence behind that door was one of the elements capable of destroying the world itself at any moment.
“…Jin, can we really resolve this crisis just between us? Even now, it wouldn’t be too late to call in others.”
“Who are you thinking of bringing in?”
“Someone like my father, or the Chairperson, or even… Kaya.”
At Altina’s words, I turned to look at her face.
It was unexpected. Altina, who had ascended to the level of mastery at such a young age and held onto her noble pride as the successor of House Seryas, was suggesting we seek help from others?
Generally, individuals like masters take great pride in their abilities, and would tend to avoid asking for help from others even at the cost of their lives.
Yet, hearing such words from her was something I could hardly have imagined.
“…No matter how I think about it, this is a suicidal act. That place is too dangerous. No, what’s inside it is too dangerous. I can’t bear the thought of you dying.”
Shudder.
Altina’s shoulders trembled as she spoke.
I see, she wasn’t just concerned about her own safety; she was proposing to seek help as she struggled with the idea that I might die, setting aside her pride.
To be honest, I was pleased. It was a clear indication that I had become someone far more valuable and precious to her than her own pride.
But regardless, I could not accept her suggestion.
“I appreciate the offer, but it’s already too late to call anyone else. That thing is ready to burst out at any moment; if we don’t act soon, something truly irreversible might happen.”
The ‘Dragon of End’ draws its power infinitely from human negative emotions—that is, fear and awe directed at itself, along with hatred and malice.
If the ‘Dragon of End’ were to escape and start acting in a place visible to others, killing it would become orders of magnitude more difficult than it is now.
Thus, now is the moment. It is this instant, when it’s not drawing faith from humans and is still low on power after being released from its seal.
“Let me explain everything later. For now, just follow the instructions I mentioned earlier.”
As I spoke with a firm tone, Altina hesitated for a moment, then nodded as if resigned to her fate.
“…Alright. But do not act recklessly, understand?”
“Sure.”
“Then for my safety here, I leave it in your hands. Please, good luck.”
With another mutual promise exchanged, Altina and I stepped forward without hesitation into a place that was clearly our potential grave.
‘This is doable.’
The massive creature resembled a mountain range, exceeding 100 meters in length, and just one step of its front legs would induce localized tremors while it could effortlessly array magical power to conjure spells as if breathing.
However, ironically, the first thought entering Jin’s mind while gazing at the dragon was surprisingly that it might be manageable.
‘Compared to its prime, its body is less than twenty percent of what it once was. Moreover, the amount of magical power stored within and its output are both frustratingly weak compared to what I know.’
The ‘dragon’ that Jin was familiar with could obliterate everything in existence with the faintest magical waves escaping its physical form, wielding an overwhelming presence that would crush the very air itself, making it impossible to breathe.
By comparison, the dragon before him now was pitifully reduced to little more than an empty shell.
Of course, this was only when compared to the ‘Dragon of End’ that had once emerged, feasting on human emotions and nearly setting the world ablaze.
Even now, the magic waves emanating from the dragon were powerful enough to easily obliterate Nineveh.
– …Truly a monster. Are you really planning to face that alone?
Usually so bold, Erekaya’s voice now held a hint of dread upon facing the concept of the end. Jin subtly shook his head.
‘Don’t be scared before the fight even begins. If a fight hasn’t started, it’s understandable, but once it has, imagining your defeat is the biggest folly of all. Besides, victory or defeat in battle isn’t determined just by the output or amount of magical power.’
He had ingrained the experience of defeating foes far stronger than himself into his very being. Now, it was time to verify and showcase that achievement.
The ‘Dragon of End’ would no longer symbolize despair for him.
At this point, having already faced death from it six times, it had simply become another prey.
What kind of hunter exists in this world who fears their quarry before they even chase it?
Plans were in place. He had trained countless times to prepare for such situations. However, his uncertainty lay in how effectively those efforts would translate to real combat.
‘I’ll leave support to you. Here I go.’
Jin dashed across the surface at high speed, darting towards the massive body of the dragon without regard for the walls or ceiling.
Its sheer size meant there were countless places to attack.
Even if the opponent was a dragon, it was still a living creature; if it allowed continuous attacks, it would eventually face death.
Yet, a critical issue existed within his plan.
[So absurd.]
Boom!
The dragon unleashed a torrent of magic relentlessly at Jin, who was darting around frantically.
Enormous bolts of lightning struck from the air, dozens of torrents surged to tear him apart, raging flames whipped about, and sharply slicing gusts of wind flew in from every direction like lethal blades.
There was no hint of delay in the magic unleashed by the dragon. For the dragon, casting spells wasn’t an act of usage but one of command.
To put it simply, it was akin to ordering a slave around.
For a dragon that wielded magic as a tool, the act of ‘competing’ with another being was simply untenable.
The dragon allowing a ‘duel’ was merely out of respect for its old nemesis.
With its transcendent senses, the dragon instinctively captured everything within this space, capable of utilizing every kind of magic in the world without respite. There was simply no way that such a creature could fail to defeat a single human!
“Ugh!”
Reading the signs, Jin let the lightning pass by, shattered the water streams with kicks, shielded himself from the encroaching flames with magical energy, and dodged the slicing winds by anticipating their trajectories.
However, three minutes later, as attacks continued to rain down from every direction, his limbs began to grow steadily numb.
Even when he attempted to retaliate against the dragon, massive attacks would always intercept him in advance.
[You’re foolish. Do you think you can ambush me? Have you not learned what I am from the past?]
Boom!
“Cough!”
In an instant, the ground trembled, causing him to lose his balance, and seizing that opportunity, dozens of bolts of lightning surged toward Jin, electrocuting him.
Though he managed to mitigate the attack somehow, the moment he exposed a gap, a beam of light descended as if it had been waiting for that very moment—
[Judgment of Light.]
Boom!
In that instant, his vision turned completely white. A scorching pillar of light reminiscent of the sun literally obliterated the spot where he had been blasted away.
As he gazed at the site of divine judgment, where no living being could survive, the dragon calmly opened its mouth.
Just as calculated. Three minutes and forty-three seconds had elapsed since the duel began.
Though it took thirty seconds longer than he had calculated, ultimately, their trivial battle came to an end with the dragon’s victory.
[You must have known well. You can never surpass me.]
“…”
[I am stronger than you, and I have far more cards to play. Moreover, I possess the ability to calculate your movements, habits, and even your heartbeat with precision. What can you possibly do against me in your current state?]
A voice tinged with both mockery and lamentation resonated in all directions.
[What a truly uninspiring conclusion. It would have been better had I proposed we leave this Imperial Capital and find another stage to settle our score.]
However, suddenly, the dragon sensed something strange.
Everything had indeed unfolded as he had foreseen and predicted. As a result, he was victorious while Jin was defeated.
But why on earth had the duel taken thirty seconds longer? If everything went according to plan, there should have been no reason for a delay.
“…Well, I think it’s a bit early to declare victory.”
And at that moment, from beneath the ground that had been completely shattered by the pillar of light, Jin revealed himself.
[…Why? How are you untouched?]
Though he had adjusted the power in anticipation of unforeseen circumstances, ensuring Jin wouldn’t die, it was nonetheless expected that he wouldn’t be able to stand on two legs.
“Why, you ask? It just took me a little while to get used to it. This is why practice and real combat are distinctly different.”
[…Practice? Real combat?]
Faced with Jin’s inexplicable words, the dragon unconsciously furrowed its brow.
“You just said it with your own mouth. The senses of a dragon observe all of me. Because of that, I couldn’t possibly lose to you.”
“But conversely speaking, if I had your senses, wouldn’t that mean I could fight you on equal footing? Well, I nearly died since I had never used it in real combat.”
In an instant, the dragon detected a familiar energy emanating from Jin.
Two hundred years ago, one of the seven who had dishonored him, destined to rule the world.
And among them, the audacious human who had dared to mimic his powers to imprison him.
Even after two hundred years, that individual had etched an unforgettable presence in the dragon’s memory—
[Pendragon…! How dare you exude the energy that Pendragon once did…!]
Facing the furious dragon, Jin couldn’t help but smile.
“Then, it’s round two. Just a heads up, this time it won’t be as easy as before.”