Chapter 186:
Roderick couldn't understand the phenomenon happening to his body.
'Why?'
It was on a different level from the Mage Guild Master.
As soon as he saw him, his body froze.
It wasn't a special aura either.
He was a prodigy, and among prodigies, he was a man who reached the threshold of genius through painstaking effort.
Considering his mediocre abilities, he alone had no power.
However.
Why couldn't Roderick move against him?
"You, who possess all power, also have something to fear."
-...What?
"Aren't you afraid of me now?"
Roderick couldn't open his mouth, and couldn't spit out words from his throat.
'I... I'm afraid?'
He only felt hatred towards those he met for revenge.
But with Reed, the feeling of unknown fear was greater than the desire for revenge.
Why is he afraid of his existence?
Roderick possessed all power.
The one who couldn't be stopped by tens of thousands of people was now feeling fear towards a single human among tens of thousands.
Why?
'Don't you know the reason well?'
The dragon's soul interfered once more.
'It's because you are the one.'
'He walked his path without giving in to any tragedy.'
'He didn't crave for power beyond his limits.'
'He accepted and gave up.'
'And then he gained everything.'
Roderick was afraid of Reed because he had everything he couldn't possess.
It was an absurd story.
He finally gained the power he longed for, but he was afraid of such a prodigy?
-You... You were the cause of everything.
From the moment all seven disasters broke away from their orbits and escaped, to Phoebe Astheria Roton defying him.
It was all a work created by Reed alone.
"Yes, I'm the cause."
Reed said.
"And now I'll be the result."
Reed reached out his hand. The engagement ring on his ring finger.
On his index finger, a ring with an engraved seal was in place.
It was the same ring that the emperor, the pope, and the tower master of the Silence Tower were wearing.
His ring was shining gold.
All four rings were activated.
The Longinus embedded inside the Silence Tower fired.
Kugugug!
The thunderous sound echoed through the sky.
At that moment, the sound that filled the world completely disappeared.
The world went dark.
A light brighter than the sun fell from the sky to the ground.
It fell and pressed down on Roderick's back.
The wings fixed to the ballista were torn off, and the ground shattered.
He was crushed along with the earth.
Roderick had tracked the destructive magic with his eyes, but it was already too late to avoid it.
The vanished light and sound returned to normal.
-Kuuk!
The moment Roderick carried the beam of light on his back, he tried to resist its power.
-Is this...! The same magic that old man used?!
The same magic, but the power was on a different level.
Until then, he could resist, but his over 100-meter body was being overwhelmed by a single beam of light.
-A mere human...! I can't believe it!!
Kwaaaa!
He roared, but even that was gradually buried by the beam of light.
After about five minutes, the bombardment of light ceased, and the world gradually returned to its original color.
The people who had fled from the fortress all looked out the window.
"Ah..."
"Ahh..."
Everyone was at a loss for words.
The dragon that hadn't flinched at any attack, the disaster that hadn't left even a speck of hope, was sprawled on the ground.
He had collapsed with his chest pierced by a huge beam of light.
"Wow!"
"Thank you, Althea, for saving us."
There was nothing more to say.
The soldiers who had fallen into the abyss of despair shed tears as they each celebrated their victory.
Those who believed in God prayed to God.
Those who had lost hope embraced one another.
Ishel and Rachel, who were looking down at the death of the dragon, clasped their hands.
"Rachel, it's not just me, right?"
"..."
"Yes, when I was with the hero... I'm reminded of that time."
Mixed with bitter emotions and longing, teardrops the size of chicken droppings fell from Rachel's expressionless eyes.
Isel wrapped Rachel's head with a smile.
***
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***
Although the atmosphere in the castle was filled with joyful cheers, Reed did not fit in.
Those who knew the core of this operation knew that this was not the end yet.
The origin of the dragon could only be killed by a dragon.
Strictly speaking, it was closer to the concept of absorption rather than killing.
Although the beam of light crushed and burned the flesh, it wasn't over until the origin was absorbed.
'When the two of them come, it's just the beginning...'
Just as he thought that, two lifeforms with huge wings unfolded from inside the empire approached.
The half-dragons, Gorgan and Saul.
"Master of the Silence Tower."
"You came early."
"As soon as we saw the Master of the Silence Tower, we set off immediately."
It was fortunate that they didn't have to waste time.
Saul and Gorgan looked down at the spot where the beam of light had landed.
Saul exclaimed.
"The ground is burnt black. Isn't the heart melted too?"
"The only ones who can break the heart are you two. Now go down and finish it."
"Let's finish it quickly."
The two grabbed the hilt of the sword fixed to the crossbow.
"Lastly, I ask, who among you will it be?"
"The plan is the same. It will be me."
Gorgan answered.
They had already decided everything, and he was determined to become a dragon.
They entered Roderick's body.
Entering a body over 100 meters long felt like exploring a dungeon.
The treasure they sought was clear, and the path wasn't complicated, but they couldn't find what they were looking for.
They dug through the remaining organs just in case, but it was as expected.
'The heart is not visible.'
After about 30 minutes of rummaging through the body, all they found were sagging organs and muscles.
The source of power, the heart, was not visible.
Saul looked down at the scorched ground and said.
"It seems like the heart is really gone. Then, doesn't that mean no one needs to become a dragon?"
"I wish it were that simple..."
Neither Reed nor Gorgan thought things would go so smoothly.
The disappearance of the heart meant they were in the worst situation.
"Could it be..."
Reed thought of the worst-case scenario for himself.
Once doubted, there was no turning back.
He began to run to the place he suspected.
***
Rosaria held Phoebe's hand tightly.
When they went for a walk, they always held hands.
Phoebe held Rosaria's hand so she couldn't go far, and Rosaria held Phoebe's hand because she liked it.
The two explored the interior of the laboratory left by the mages, touching various things.
Phoebe's face still showed concern.
'Is everything going well outside?'
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Since they were completely cut off from the outside, they couldn't even guess.
'Master of the Tower... and the Lord.'
The two she loved turned against her.
One of them had to disappear.
She didn't want Reed to die, but she didn't want Roderick to die either.
She still had feelings for the Lord.
She couldn't easily shake it off.
'I'm very emotional, aren't I?'
She believed she would be calm in such a situation, but the more she thought about it, the deeper she sank into a quagmire.
"Unii, are you worried?"
"Huh?"
Phoebe looked down at Rosaria in surprise.
It was as if she had read her thoughts.
Rosaria fiddled with the hand she held and said.
"When you're worried, your hand always gets clammy."
"Is, is that so? I'm sorry for having clammy hands..."
At Rosaria's words, Phoebe let go of her hand and wiped it on her clothes.
"Is there no one here because Rosaria has to hide?"
"......Yes."
Phoebe couldn't lie and nodded.
"I see."
Rosaria sat on a folding chair.
Her face became gloomy.
"When will Rosaria become strong?"
"Miss, you are already strong enough."
Phoebe knelt in front of her and looked up at her.
"But! Rosaria hasn't done anything yet! Rosaria wants to defeat the bad villains too."
"Why?"
"Because they're tormenting my father."
Hearing that, Phoebe's face spread into a smile.
"It's because you have such a beautiful heart that I have to protect you even more."
She shyly held both of her hands with her dry hands.
"You see, flowers are vulnerable before they bloom. If they are shaken by the wind and rain, the buds may fall off before the petals even bloom."
"Is that so?"
"You are strong, Miss. We are just protecting you until the flower bud blooms firmly. Someday, the Master of the Tower and I will need your help. When that time comes, please help us. You understand, right?"
"Yes."
It wasn't a clear answer, but Rosaria seemed to accept it in her own way.
Kugugug-.
Just when they thought it was over, the underground laboratory shook as a whole.
"The building shook!"
She replied as if it was fascinating, but Phoebe's expression wasn't good.
Being immune to external shocks, shaking meant that someone remaining had caused a big shake.
Or someone had invaded.
"Miss, this way."
Phoebe picked up Rosaria and moved.
There was no need to check what had happened.
If they asked who could cause such a thing, they could easily guess.
Either on the surface or deep within.
***
"Kuuk...!"
Roderick groaned.
His body was a mess with tattered scales and burn marks.
When the light struck Roderick's body, he barely managed to escape.
'That was close.'
He discarded the giant dragon's body like a lizard shedding its skin and returned to human form to escape.
In the process, he couldn't avoid taking damage.
Transforming from a dragon's body to a human meant becoming weaker.
Roderick, who harbored the dragon's origin, became weak enough to take on the appearance of a half-dragon.
'Damn it.'
Roderick looked at his corpse from a distance.
The ultimate physical form created by gathering all the features of six dragons.
An absolute being that wouldn't be strange to subdue humans and rule the world, that's what he was.
But he failed.
'Why is that?'
Was it my fault for not anticipating that magic would fall from the sky?
No, that's not it.
The ultimate mistake was due to emotions.
Roderick tried to take revenge on all those who had humiliated him before he became a complete dragon.
Why did he try to take revenge before those emotions intensified?
As he asked himself that question.
-If you still have emotions, when you have great power, you can be swayed by that power.
-That's the price of having great power.
-The words of someone who doesn't pay the price.
Voices overwhelmed Roderick's mind.
The dragons he had met and absorbed.
They continued to speak in Roderick's ear, pouring curses like a torrent.
'Don't nag in my ears.'
-You never admit your mistakes.
-It's all as planned.
"Shut up! All of you, shut up!"
Roderick couldn't control his emotions and yelled.
But the voices didn't subside.
When his power was strong, he could somehow ignore them.
But now he was weakened.
The sound grew louder, and the emotions became more agitated.
"Damn it. Damn it. Damn it."
Curses never stopped coming from his mouth.
-If you started something, you should see it through.
-Astrophe, it's time to go to that guy.
"Who the hell are these bastards mocking!? I've been begging to find that kid all this time!!"
-No, you know.
The voices said.
-You were just ignoring it.