A little while ago.
In Zone 1 of the Lake Kingdom, 'The Dried Sewer'.
"Crawling out here is no small feat..."
Ash grumbled as he disembarked from the narrow boat.
As the great flood struck, black rain poured over the Lake Kingdom, and the underground drainage pipes filled with black water.
Riding through these pipes on a narrow boat rowed by the Sword Demon and the Spear Demon, Ash reached the safe haven of Zone 1.
This was because the teleport gate closest to the Bottom Village was installed here.
Without further words, Ash activated the teleport gate, but Nameless hurriedly stopped him.
"Ash! Where are you going—"
"To the Black Dragon."Ash declared decisively, as if he had made up his mind from the start.
"This is the only chance to kill it. There’s no time to ask for cooperation from others, nor can I synchronize with anyone. I'm going alone."
"How can you, alone, against that mighty Black Dragon..."
"Even though I have no talent for combat and am frail. Experience comes with age, and I've got my ways."
If more time was wasted, the Black Dragon would move further north.
This chance would then be lost. Thus, Ash, though it seemed reckless, was set on confronting the Black Dragon alone.
Nameless rushed after him desperately.
"Then, Ash! I'll come with..."
"You can't."
Ash coldly refused, scanning Nameless with his golden eyes.
"Stop fighting, princess. You've reached your limit."
"..."
In the last battle, Nameless had significantly exhausted her ‘Light’.
Already, shadows formed chains around her body, linking her to the darkness beneath the Lake Kingdom.
"You've held up well until now."
Ash said in a barren voice, yet with a faint warmth.
"Normally by now, you wouldn't be able to sleep and would be breaking down, but seeing you so presentable... I don’t know, it's nice. You've held up well."
"Ash..."
"You and I, the times we could have such a complete conversation... haven’t been that frequent."
Standing in front of the fully opened teleport gate, Ash slightly lifted the corners of his mouth.
"Keep that Light, princess."
"Ash!"
Nameless called out with a trembling voice as Ash turned his back on her.
"You might have forgotten the words you once said... No matter how you change, we are..."
"Friends."
Ash whispered softly. Nameless's eyes widened.
"No matter what we become, we are friends."
After repeating the same promise they had shared in some long-forgotten episode.
"See you again. Princess, and... prince."
Ash waved his hand and disappeared into the teleport gate.
"Especially you, prince, keep doing your—"
Flash-!
The teleport gate emitted a burst of magic light, then quieted down.
"Kuh...!"
Collapsed in front of the teleport gate, Nameless wrapped the chains around her body and clenched her fists, striking the ground.
"..."
Crown, who had followed along, silently observed.
Crown, whom Ash had last called ‘prince’, quietly mulled over Ash’s last words.
"'Keep doing your work...'"
He looked down at the flute in his hand.
"Is this really working?"
Ku-gu-gu-gu-gu!
Once more, the entire Lake Kingdom shook violently.
With a sigh, Crown tightly grasped the flute and also headed towards the teleport gate.
Though he didn’t like him, Ash was doing what he needed to do.
Then Crown must also do what he needed to do.
***
Now.
"Are you the same as that previous player but a different entity?"
Looking down at Ash who had come before him, Night Bringer said with an intrigued tone.
"So, you've managed to survive even after your core was shattered. To have such diverse shadows cast within a single being... fascinating."
To which Ash scoffed cynically.
"Really? I find you more fascinating. How can you always act in the same way?"
"Because my beliefs are firm, my thoughts and actions remain consistent."
Night Bringer lightly countered, easily sensing what flowed within Ash.
"So... it seems you've stolen my blood and heart to become a ‘dragon’, and you've come to challenge me with just that much power?"
"Aren't you mad about the blood you've lost?"
"Do I need to worry about every drop of blood I shed, every scale? The dragons who claim to be my children are no different to me than you are."
Night Bringer chuckled softly.
"Still, my blood is quite potent... You've done well to endure it and become a 'dragon'."
"The poison of the years I've drunk makes your blood seem like mere water."
Ash, looking tired, rubbed his eyes and stared directly at Night Bringer as he spoke.
"I'm quite busy, so let's skip the chatter and get to the point. Let's try to kill each other."
"Hmm, I've got some time on my hands..."
Night Bringer, feigning leisure, glanced towards his breath that had gathered at his chin.
"Shall I fire this off first?"
Ash glanced at the breath and then, as if he had no choice, gestured northward.
"As you wish."
"Then."
The next moment.
Kwa-aaaaa-!
Terrifying heat and tremendous energy twisted the surrounding space, gathering at the tip of the monster's mouth, and Night Bringer released the breath northward.
The fifth breath since landing on Earth.
A fierce gale tousled Ash's hair. He stood still, facing the gale, watching the breath without trying to block it.
It would require too much power to block or divert the breath.
It made sense for Ash to let go completely, given that Night Bringer hadn't fired it at him.
'All I can do is hope that Crossroad blocks the breath on its own.'
What Ash was aiming for now was Night Bringer, just after firing the breath.
Fundamentally, a breath attack is a means for a dragon to expend its very essence and soul. Even a Black Dragon, harmonized with the night of the world, couldn't avoid some depletion.
To target Night Bringer at his weakest moment after expending his strength.
Ash had timed his arrival here via the teleport gate to coincide with the firing of the breath.
Gooo-ooo-ooo...!
As the seemingly endless emission of breath ended.
Exuding massive heat and steam, Night Bringer slowly turned his head.
"Thank you for waiting."
"Don't mention it."
"It's thrilling, really. You're the first to seek redemption after a defeat."
Except for the Red Dragon clan, it was natural as all who faced him died in their first battle.
Night Bringer, holding his head high in an aloof manner, spoke with a puzzled voice.
"After all, being derived from me, how do you plan to beat me?"
"Do you think I'd challenge you to a life-and-death duel if becoming a dragon from your blood was all I had?"
Ash smirked, resting his hand on his waist.
Currently, on his waist was a ceremonial long sword capable of transforming into a flagstaff.
And— there was something new, a long thorn bush staff.
"What is that...?"
Interest flickered in Night Bringer's eyes. Ash bit his lower lip, smiled, and then drew the staff.
In fact, Ash didn't come straight here from the Dried Sewer. In between, he had stopped at a dungeon in Zone 8.
The 'Tower of Magic' secret vault.
The tower had collapsed, but a vault hidden underground nearby was intact. And now, with White Night dead, Ash was the only human who knew of this vault's existence.
Inside the vault were some items stored by the Tower of Magic— including one guardian tree from each of the four alien races.
Ash had concocted something on the spot in that vault.
An artificial guardian tree created by grafting the guardian trees of the four alien races, a guardian tree for humans—
"Everblack. Initialize."
Ash activated Everblack and closed his eyes.
The basic function of Everblack was 'The Beacon of Magic.' It provided the user with information about the future.
With such a small staff, he couldn't see far into the future, only a few minutes ahead at most... but that was enough.
The fragmented information located by the Beacon of Magic poured into Ash's mind. Everblack dumped chaotic images of the future, jumbled and out of order, onto Ash.
And Ash, already proficient in using this beacon, organized the pieces of fragmented information in order, forming a map in his mind.
With all the information gathered, Ash opened his eyes, which glinted golden.
He saw it.
The 'future'.
"I may not be as proficient in swordsmanship or magic as my eldest gangster brother or my second thug brother, nor do I have ambitions as grand as our father's, and I might be talentless and foolish but..."
With self-deprecation, Ash took a breath.
"Still, when you accumulate enough experience, you become useful."
No need for talent.
No need for genius.
With extremely refined experience, endlessly accumulated data, and an indomitable will.
Even if what is held in one's hand is merely a twig, a human can fight against an evil dragon.
"Let's see then. That usefulness—!"
The six heads floating around the middle head of Night Bringer all simultaneously flew towards Ash.
Each of the six heads, glaring fiercely, charged their breaths, magics, and dragon roars.
But Ash, without even blinking, calmly thrust his staff forward—
Swish!
Magic power erupted from the tip of the staff, shot into the void, then he swiftly slammed it down to the ground.
Then,
Thump! Thunk! Thwack...!
The six heads flying towards Ash all lost their light and plummeted, crashing down with their momentum.
All six heads rolled around on the ground near Ash, tongues lolling out. Astonishment swept over Night Bringer's face.
"What...?"
"My body runs with your blood, evil dragon. My magic pattern is also the same as yours."
These six auxiliary heads were all dead.
Night Bringer merely moved them with his magic.
"It’s not even difficult to interfere and cause disruption...!"
Ash spoke as if it were an easy task, but Night Bringer knew better. It wasn’t something that could be done simply because the magic patterns matched.
It was impossible unless one mastered the entire magical system of his dragon kind.
"There's no way that could be possible..."
Wham!
Ash was already charging towards Night Bringer.
Chill—
Though a dragon's body shouldn't shiver, facing this tiny human's charge, Night Bringer experienced a similar sensation.
Night Bringer spread his massive wings and launched a feather bombardment.
Whooooosh!
Thousands, tens of thousands of feathers rained down, sweeping across the ground with the sound of a downpour.
And Ash,
"...?!"
By merely a hair's breadth.
Dodged all the feathers, advancing forward.
He didn’t deploy a magic barrier, not even raising a hand to shield his head. He ran through the barrage as calmly as if he knew he wouldn’t be hurt.
As if he could see every detail of the future...!
"Heh heh. Hahahahaha—!"
With a satisfied laugh deep from his soul, Night Bringer prepared his magic next.
"Quite impressive, truly—!"
Swirl, swirl, swirl...!
Dozens, hundreds of magic circles rose around Night Bringer’s head.
Ancient magics, one after another, targeted Ash and shot forth.
But Ash still didn’t stop running, staring at the incoming spells with wide eyes.
Inside Ash’s golden eyes, complex diagrams within magic circles appeared sequentially,
Thump! Thump! Thump—!
And he dispelled the spells that flew at him just before they could touch his body.
The shattered spells dispersed into fine particles, scattering around like stardust.
Watching Ash advance, receiving the fragmented magic particles on his body, Night Bringer could only gape in disbelief.
"How can you possibly—?"
"Dispelling magic is just a matter of memorizing formulas... If that damn Vampire King can do it, why can't I?"
Suddenly, Ash was close enough to Night Bringer.
Ash crouched low, gathering strength in his legs. A halo of black magic power gathered at his toes, and the next moment, Ash soared into the air.
Instantly, the height of the soaring Black Dragon and Ash’s eyes leveled.
"I've been wanting to say this from the start..."
With a wan smile, Ash extended his hand forward. Following his motion, an invisible black magic power coalesced and transformed into the shape of a giant dragon's forepaw.
Night Bringer tried to dodge, but having absorbed so much of the night, he had become too large.
Crunch!
The giant forepaw summoned by Ash gripped under the neck of Night Bringer and then—
"...?!"
Slammed him downward.
Crash...!
The head of the massive Black Dragon smashed into the dirt ground, sending clouds of dust in all directions.
In the midst of this unprecedented situation, unable to regain his composure, Night Bringer heard a voice right in front of him.
"Watch your eyes, you disrespectful brat."
Looking down at Night Bringer, who for the first time found himself at a lower eye level, and placing one foot on his head.
Even in the darkness, his golden eyes narrowed to slits, Ash bared his teeth and laughed ferociously.
"I've also had my fair share of years."
--TL Notes--
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at /MattReading