Raimira stood frozen in fear, her body trembling with anxiety as she stood before the Dragon Demon Castle's core. The core had been obliterated in a sudden and violent explosion, but she remained rooted to the spot, unable to flee.
Despite her overwhelming desire to escape, something held her there, an unexplainable force that kept her in place. It was true that the core had been shattered, but it was not completely destroyed. Instead, the explosion seemed almost controlled, as only about half of the core had been blown away, leaving the rest intact.
The backbone of the system had been completely wrecked, leaving the Dragon Demon Castle falling at breakneck speed toward the ground below. Despite this, Raimira was not able to breathe a sigh of relief. The core, though barely functioning, still existed and was bound to her in some way. Its presence ensured she could not simply walk away from the disaster unfolding before her eyes.
Her bondage meant that Raizakia had been much more obsessed with keeping Raimira contained than with the safety of the Dragon Demon Castle. Even if the core was partially destroyed and could no longer perform its functions, Raizakia had been determined not to liberate Raimira until the end. In a way, it was a curse. A curse to ensure that Raimira would meet her end with the Dragon Demon Castle if the situation ever went out of his control.
Raimira was oblivious to her father's malicious intentions, and she had no desire to entertain such thoughts. Instead, she remained rooted to the spot, trembling with fear as the castle hurtled towards its inevitable collapse. Explosions echoed through the city, not far from where she stood, adding to the chaos and fear that gripped her heart.
The once-great city of the Dragon Demon Castle was disintegrating before her eyes. The sprawling metropolis and the massive landmass on which it stood was breaking apart like brittle crackers, their fragments scattering before exploding into nothing more than dust.
Gulp.
Raimira swallowed her saliva unknowingly, and she could see the fleeting image of the intruder in the chain of explosions and destruction. Although Raimira wasn’t familiar with battles, she understood that what she saw was nothing more than one-sided violence.
Raimira's draconic instincts screamed at her, warning her that the creature was not one she should ever engage in battle. And yet, she watched in astonishment as the monster was being pummeled into submission, thrown into the air, having its arm severed, bleeding profusely before being hurled into the rubble of a towering building, and finally….
‘He’s dead!’
The monster’s presence disappeared. She could no longer feel the ominous power responsible for raising goosebumps on her entire body.
Raimira took several steps back with a pale expression. She knew the unknown intruder was strong, but she had never imagined he was this powerful!
“I-It’s falling….”
Boom!
The wreckage of the Dragon Demon Castle shook violently. Raimira embraced the remainder of the core with a tearful face.
The inevitable was now only seconds away. Within a dozen heartbeats, the shattered remains of the once-mighty castle would collide with the Fief of Karabloom, unleashing a catastrophic event of immense proportions.
“What are you doing?”
Fwoosh!
Lightning flames crackled, and Eugene appeared out of thin air, having leaped to a feather, before asking a question with a tired expression.
He had replaced Ignition with Prominence, but the strain left him depleted even with the Agaroth’s Ring taking on the resulting burden. So he was exhausted and fatigued, albeit not comparable to the aftermath of using Ignition.
Raimira let out a whimper, her voice trembling with fear as she spoke. "T-this lady… can't run away," she said, her words barely audible. Eugene shifted his gaze towards the broken core and let out a vain laugh. With a burst of sword-force, he blasted away the remaining fragments of the core in a deafening boom.
“Hiek!” The resulting explosion startled Raimira, and she shrunk back while covering her head with her arms.
“Kiyaa!” But instead of comforting her or giving an explanation, Eugene made a move. He took the flailing body of Raimira in one arm, then unfolded the burning Wing of Prominence.
In a flash, Eugene made his escape from the Dragon Demon Castle, soaring high into the sky. Raimira clung to his arm with a vice-like grip, her screams piercing the air as the incredible acceleration threatened to overwhelm her with terror.
After the two of them rose to a suitable height, Eugene looked down at the falling debris of the castle.
“Wow,” he exclaimed with a smile of unspeakable satisfaction and happiness.
Boooooooom!
What came next was a spectacle of unimaginable proportions — a colossal explosion that shook the very foundations of reality. The tremors were so violent that they seemed to make the sky above quiver in response. The Dragon Demon Castle had fallen from a great height, and upon impact, it unleashed a catastrophic blast that was akin to a Meteor Shower conjured by an Archwizard, tearing through the heart of Karabloom.
Karabloom was utterly defenseless against an attack from above, with no means to protect itself against the catastrophic impact of the falling Dragon Demon Castle. It was impossible to say whether the demonfolks had managed to evacuate in time, but the ensuing chaos was swift and merciless. The remains of the castle rained down upon the city with brutal force, obliterating everything in its path. The sheer impact of the collisions from the castle remains was enough to cause the very ground beneath to vanish while the ensuing shockwaves rippled outwards and destroyed everything in their wake.
Booooooom!
The explosions and the tremors continued without stopping, just as Eugene had intended. He had carved out the large landmass into pieces for a reason — to maximize the damage it would cause when it crashed down below.
“I should have brought snacks,” commented Eugene.
“I have some,” responded Mer while poking her head out of the cloak. She handed Eugene a box of popcorn while taking a glance at the disaster taking place below.
As Karabloom burned and crumbled into nothingness before their very eyes, they floated and watched, casually munching on popcorn. Despite the lack of refreshments, Eugene had no trouble stuffing his face with the savory kernels, washing them down with hearty gulps of air.
“Ahh…. Ah…. T-this lady’s… territory…,” called out Raimira with despair.
“Your territory? Where?” mocked Eugene.
“That’s right. How is it your territory? It was you who decided to abandon your territory and run away in the first place,” said Mer.
“Ah…. I-it was because the situation could not have been avoided. This lady wanted to fulfill her duties as the lord, but she could not help it with the power she held. This lady did not run away but took a step back for the sake of the future,” retorted Raimira, making excuses while stealing glances at the popcorn.
She was a dragon, a creature close to the gods. Dragons did not need to eat since they could maintain their existence with mana. Even so, they ate for the sake of enjoyment. Raimira had also tasted many dishes over the two hundred years she lived in the secluded palace.
However, as a dragon and the daughter of the Black Dragon, Raimira was a proud, dignified creature. The popcorn that Eugene and Mer so casually enjoyed appeared to her as something insignificant and unpalatable, fit only for commoners and peasants. Under normal circumstances, she would not have even given it a second glance.
However… she couldn’t help but notice that Eugene and Mer appeared to be really enjoying themselves with the popcorn. The savory and salty aroma and the crisp crunches drew her curiosity.
“That… looks quite good. If you offer it to this lady as a tribute, this lady will be very satisfied,” Raimira finally spoke up after some contemplation.
“What are you saying?”
“You’re not getting any since your attitude is horrible.”
Despair fell in Raimira’s eyes at the firm refusal. She felt more sadness to be denied popcorn than to see the land being destroyed. After all, she had never been attached to the flying landmass anyways.
“Tsk.” Eugene squinted while watching the destruction take place. The dust and the destruction from the initial crash were being halted in an unnatural fashion at a certain boundary. Looking down at the scene from such a height, it was clear that there was a clear boundary restricting further spread.
Eugene observed that the destruction caused by the collision of the Dragon Demon Castle with the Fief of Karabloom was contained within a specific boundary. While the city was wiped out completely, the surrounding area remained unscathed. The ground shook violently, but not a single tree fell or a crack appeared outside the boundary.
He could guess the reason.
Someone had purposely set up a barrier to prevent the destruction from crossing the boundary.
***
“Huff…. huff….”
He was alive.
That was the only thing he could think of. Although his left arm had been swept away by the explosion, he was still alive. In fact, an arm was a cheap price to pay to have survived that ridiculous fight.
Even though his arm wasn’t regenerating instantly after being consumed by the strange and sinister power Jagon had used, it would regenerate sometime soon. In other words, he had suffered no physical damage.
However, he had lost other things, and this made Count Karad despair.
He had waged so much on the war, and most of the wealth he had collected over his lifetime had been used to hire Jagon and the mercenaries. In addition, he had invested all of the elite soldiers under his command, including his personal guards.
A brilliant future would have been waiting for him if he had won. He would have gotten possession of the Dragon Demon Castle, which was created by the Black Dragon himself, as well as the giant mine in Karabloom and the tribute offered by the dwarves working the mine.
However, everything was gone. Jagon was dead, so he had no one to fight with the Black Dragon in case he returned. He had never even gotten a glimpse of the Dragon Duchess’ face. Everything, including the Dragon Demon Castle, Karabloom, and the mine, was gone….
“This…. This is different from what you said…!” Count Karad sobbed while clutching the dirt with his enormous hand.
But he wasn’t talking to himself. A short distance from the count, right in front of the boundary preventing the spread of destruction, stood a woman in a bright dress, completely out of step with the devastation a few steps ahead of her.
“Weren’t you the one who got the wrong idea?” said the woman. Noir Giabella did not bother glancing back at the count. Instead, she observed the continuing destruction with interest, as if she were possessed. “Count. I am not your patron. The reason I told you that Raizakia would not become involved in this war was… a tiny favor I showed you, as someone who stands in a very high place, looking down at you eagerly trying to climb.”
In the early hours of the morning, Noir Giabella had reached out to Count Karad through a dream. The count had been feeling uneasy after failing to persuade Jagon to join his cause, and the sudden attack on the Dragon Demon Castle had only added to his worries. Despite it being just a hatchling in the castle, he couldn't shake off the fear of the Black Dragon appearing, turning the tides of the battle, and destroying his land.
Noir Giabella had dispelled his worries. After making a sudden appearance in his dream, Noir informed Count Karad that Raizakia would not be intervening in the war. Thanks to the information, the count was able to shake off his anxiety and hesitation and ended up joining the daring ambush that Jagon had planned.
“I never promised your victory, and I did not lie. Raizakia did not intervene in this war,” said Noir. She turned her enchanted gaze upward, staring at Eugene Lionheart standing high in the sky.
“The Black Dragon did not appear, but… E-Eugene Lionheart… The Hero was there. Your Excellency…! D-didn’t you know that Eugene Lionheart would intervene in the war?” asked Count Karad.
Noir did not give an answer. She still stood with her back to the count, and she never bothered sparing him even a glance. Count Karad felt deceived and angry.
“You are a Duke of Helmuth! Even so, you stayed silent, knowing that the Hero, the enemy of Helmuth, had become involved in a war between the territory of demons. This… this is going to cause a huge ruckus. I do not intend to stay silent about this matter,” said Count Karad.
“You’re a fool, aren’t you?” Noir Giabella burst out laughing. “Even if you think so, you shouldn’t say such things right in front of me. Are you so desperate and frustrated that your brain isn't functioning properly?”
She was right, and Count Karad hurriedly covered his mouth with shock.
“Ah, you shouldn’t regret having said that. Even if you didn’t say it, and even if you didn’t mean it, I would have done the same thing to you,” said Noir.
“What…?”
"I'm saying that nothing important happened," Noir replied without bothering to turn around. "This is what wars are usually like. Two sides collide, and one side ends up losing everything. These days, demonfolks want a clean, calculated war, calling it territorial wars, ranking disputes, or whatnot. They want a clean trophy from a rank-and-file war. It wasn't like this in the past, you know. The only trophies to be gained were intangible honor, a decapitated head, a permanent scar… things like that."
Count Karad faltered and took several steps back.
“Ah, did I sound too old-fashioned? Well, what can I do? I am an old demon. Of course, I think that a territory would make a great trophy. Buuut…. I don’t really like your mentality of ‘get something for nothing.’ Count, you wanted the Dragon Demon Castle and Karabloom in perfect condition, right? You can’t want something like that. The Dragon Demon Castle, Karabloom, the city, and the mine, everything was created by Raizakia. They are all fundamentally dyed in Raizakia’s color….”
The count turned around and started sprinting away at full speed.
“Did you really think that you could own all of it? Even though everyone would be reminded of Raizakia when they heard about the Dragon Demon Castle? No, that’s just not right. You should have planned to wipe everything out and claimed the wasteland as yours. Then you would have a blank canvas to color to your liking, something that belongs to you fundamentally, your territory. That would have become your territory. I did that, too, right?”
After winning a battle against Iris, the Abyssal Princess, Noir claimed Iris’s territory, the Forest of Dark Shadows, as her own. The first thing she did was to uproot all the trees. She then turned the forest into a jungle of concrete.
As a result, people no longer thought of the Forest of Black Shadows when referring to that territory. Instead, the things that occupied the land included the giant Giabella Face, a beautiful statue of Giabella in the center of the city, and colorful neon signs. It was now known as Giabella City, the biggest landmark in Helmuth.
“There was such a war here today. Count Karad, unlike the nobles these days, you wiped away all of your enemy’s territory and proved your power by bringing down the Dragon Demon Castle. However…. Unfortunately, you failed to survive. You won the war, but you ran out of strength. But it wasn’t in vain, right? The young noble who brought down Raizakia’s Dragon Demon Castle.”
Count Karad continued running without turning back. Although he had created quite a distance, Noir’s whispers rang clearly in his ears as if she were right beside him.
“That’s how your name will go down in history.”
“Uwaaaaghh!” Count Karad screamed.
Boom!
A large lump of Dark Power fell from the sky and crushed the count’s large stature. That was it. All that remained of the Giant Daemon were blood, flesh, and guts.
“That’s the end,” muttered Noir with a bright smile.
Indeed, that was all that happened here today. If there were survivors, and even if they witnessed something else, the Queen of the Night Demons would ensure that not a single word would get out.
Everything would be forgotten like a dream.
No one would remember that Eugene Lionheart had intervened in the war, that the Beast of Ravesta had been unilaterally humiliated and killed, that it wasn’t the Holy Sword that finished him, but rather a sword emitting an ominous, gray light.
No one would remember that the wielder had not been Eugene Lionheart but a ghost from three hundred years ago.
Noir giggled while clutching her trembling chest with excitement.
Everything made sense now. It felt as if all the cogs had aligned in the right place. She finally understood how Eugene Lionheart could be so powerful at only twenty-one years of age, why he hated demonfolks so much, and how he possessed such mental fortitude.
‘And why he hates me.’
She understood everything. There was no way she could have forgotten the horrible, sinister weapon, and there was no way she could have forgotten his movements.
“You must have changed during the three hundred years,” Noir muttered in a small voice while spreading her bat wings. “It’s a little upsetting that you don’t call it Asura Rampage anymore.”
The gazes of Noir and Eugene met.
“My Hamel.”
Hamel of Massacre.
Noir grinned while speaking the name of her first love from three hundred years ago.