novelraw Chapter 447: Good Luck Meets Great Luck: Six Legendary Items
Chapter 447: Good Luck Meets Great Luck: Six Legendary Items
Gentle sunlight poured down, illuminating the entire Citadel of Crimson Flame and the Dragonback Mountains.
Garoth slowly stretched his wings, gazing toward the Citadel of Crimson Flame, preparing to go welcome his honored guest.
Decades had quietly passed since this "Luckbringer," Alya, last appeared in the Ser Wilderness.
At that time, the southern Lothrian Federation was still embroiled in civil war, and he himself had not even conceived the idea of founding a kingdom.
But times changed.
Now everything was utterly different.
He and the former Molten Iron Tribe were no longer what they had been; they had completed the transformation from a struggling faction into a sovereign kingdom.
Some old grievances needed resolution.
Opposite Garoth, the Amethyst Dragon Iseramas seemed to sense something. He flicked his long tail.
"From your tone, that does not sound like a genuine visitor."His eyes brightened slightly as he asked, "An old grievance?"
One had to admit, this old Amethyst Dragon's perception was sharp. From Garoth's subtle facial and tonal shifts, he could roughly deduce the situation.
Garoth did not try to hide it.
"When I was still weak..."
The Red Iron Dragon's voice was deep as he briefly recounted how Alya had taken the Hall of Heroic Spirits back then.
In the end he said in a low voice, "I was born into this perilous wilderness. Even though I possessed uncommon draconic talent, I once trudged through mud and survived storms for the sake of survival and rise. Every step was hard, like walking on thin ice, cautious in everything."
"Those born with extraordinary luck enjoy smooth sailing and easily obtain what they want."
"Usually, that has nothing to do with me."
"Let such lucky people be, as long as they don't touch my interests. We can mind our own business and go our separate ways."
"But," a sharp light flashed through Garoth's dragon pupils, "if someone chooses to take what belongs to me, and at that time neither eliminates the threat completely nor hides their identity and purpose, then they should expect that one day, when circumstances reverse, they will have to pay the corresponding price for what they did."
Garoth deeply understood the law of the jungle and might makes right.
If the strong saw a treasure they coveted and took it from the weak, that was hardly a crime.
If the roles were reversed, Garoth believed he would make a similar choice. But he would either take it silently and leave quietly, or else cut off the root and leave no future trouble.
However, the Luckbringer had chosen neither—she did not eliminate the potential threat, nor did she take what she wanted in secrecy.
She chose the most open and proud way.
She openly revealed her true form and origins, told the Molten Iron Tribe she would take the Hall of Heroic Spirits, and that they could only accept it and could not resist.
Back then, the Red Iron Dragon had to bear it and accept the result.
If he had remained weak forever, or if he had perished midway, that grievance would have ended unresolved.
But now he had successfully evolved into a Legendary being and founded his own kingdom.
Those past humiliations, if not properly settled, would remain lodged in his throat, preventing him from feeling at peace.
So he decided to take back what was rightfully his.
Two options lay before the Luckbringer Alya now:
Either voluntarily return the Hall of Heroic Spirits and pay adequate compensation to his satisfaction, or see whether her proud luck could still protect her when facing his razor-sharp claws.
"A deity's favored... that is rather rare."
Iseramas's curiosity deepened after hearing this. "May I accompany you to take a look?"
He added, "Of course, this is a private matter between the two of you. I would not intervene in any form or influence the outcome. I'll simply observe quietly."
He said this with bright eyes, not concealing his desire to spectate the spectacle.
Garoth's gaze flickered as he instantly weighed the pros and cons.
Iseramas's presence was an unpredictable variable for Alya.
It might prompt her to favor reconciliation and compromise over direct confrontation after weighing strength.
"Could this be an invisible influence of her luck attribute?" the thought crossed Garoth's mind, but he suppressed it.
Whether destiny favored her or not, the situation was clearly more advantageous for him.
Although Iseramas claimed neutrality, his status as a Legendary giant dragon was itself a weighty bargaining chip.
Moreover, Garoth was not petty or revenge-obsessed to the point of refusing a peaceful resolution.
If the Luckbringer could recognize reality and make a wise choice, he could forgive the past and even turn an enemy into an ally, avoiding further conflict and trouble.
"Very well."
Garoth agreed to the Amethyst Dragon's request, "If you're interested, come with me."
After he spoke, his massive wings fully unfurled, generating a tremendous gust as he beat toward the High Mountain Court.
The Amethyst Dragon gave a light trill, also spreading his wings and keeping a deliberate, appropriate distance as he followed the Red Iron Dragon.
After a while,
the Luckbringer Alya received an audience summons and entered the dragon palace.
The space was vast, the pillars grand; Alya walked without looking around, her face wearing a faint smile that betrayed no nervousness or arrogance—as if strolling through a forest.
Led by dragonborn guards, she gradually approached the throne.
The atmosphere in the magnificent palace was solemn.
The Red Iron Dragon Emperor sat high upon the throne, watching the visitor below.
On the throne's right, the Legendary Amethyst Dragon Iseramas lay elegantly with half-closed eyes, as if dozing; on the left, the Iron Dragon Sorog stood solemnly, his gaze fixed on the deity's favored guest.
Alya lifted her head slightly and her eyes immediately fell on the Red Iron Dragon upon the throne.
She had already gathered information about this northern lord through her church.
But seeing him up close now, the sheer solidity and explosive power in every inch of his draconic body made her briefly stunned and awed.
Her peripheral sight caught the Amethyst Dragon on the right, which stirred even more waves in her heart.
Without any probing skills, merely from his enormous size and the gravity of age, she could tell he was a Legendary giant, and not a newly arrived one.
As for the Iron Dragon Sorog standing on the throne's left, because he had not yet ascended to Legendary, Alya selectively ignored him.
Under Garoth's calm gaze, Alya steadied herself and spoke first in a clear, composed voice.
"Good day, esteemed Lord of the North, great Emperor Ignas."
"May the radiance of the Goddess of Fortune forever shine upon your ever-greatening kingdom."
"After decades, stepping onto this land again, your achievements astonish me from the bottom of my heart."
She opened with flattery, then shifted to the point without subservience: "I come with the sincerest wish for cooperation, representing the Goddess of Fortune's order, hoping to build deep and lasting friendship with the powerful and promising Aola sovereign state."
Iseramas, who had seemed half-asleep, let his eyes flicker almost imperceptibly.
Garoth was right—this person carried an innate arrogance and seemed unaware of it...
Iseramas thought to himself.
He adhered to his neutrality and remained silent, content to watch the show.
On the throne's left, Sorog remained mute but increasingly cold-eyed.
"Alya, Luckbringer."
Garoth lowered his massive head, his radiance like substance falling onto her.
He asked, "What sort of friendship do you seek with Aola Kingdom?"
Alya straightened, her eyes bright as she unapologetically met Garoth's gaze.
"We ask permission to spread the Gospel and teachings of the Goddess of Fortune within your realm," she said. "To build temples for the Goddess, to guide your people to recognize and embrace fortunate favor, allowing the glory of order to weave with blessings of luck."
"In return, we will bring a more harmonious and stable internal atmosphere to Aola, reducing disasters and accidents."
"And the Goddess will bestow favor and invisible protection on allies she recognizes."
"For a kingdom rapidly rising with boundless prospects, this would be icing on the cake, helping you reach prosperity and strength faster."
She fell silent and waited for Garoth's reply.
He did not give the response she expected.
He tore off that thin veneer of politeness: "Alya, spare me the empty courtesies and future projections."
"You know well there are unresolved matters between your order and my kingdom dating from the past."
His gaze locked onto the Luckbringer.
"Decades ago you took from the then-weak Molten Iron Tribe a treasure that belonged to us—the Hall of Heroic Spirits."
"Now the world has changed. It's time to return it to its rightful owner."
"Return the Hall of Heroic Spirits and pay due and sufficient compensation for your past actions."
"Only then will we have the basic premise to calmly discuss the cooperation you just mentioned."
Alya's smile flickered and a trace of displeasure crossed her eyes and lifted her brows.
She did not expect Garoth to be so uncompromising.
"Your Majesty, please understand: the Hall of Heroic Spirits is no ordinary magical object," she adjusted her composure and spoke seriously. "It can imprison souls. If it falls into the hands of the unscrupulous or those lacking responsibility, it could lead to irreparable disaster and harm countless innocents."
"My taking it was wholly based on preventing such danger, to safeguard the many innocent lives of this land by keeping it in a more stable and secure place, avoiding misuse."
"My decision then was just and blameless."
Hearing this grandiose rhetoric, the Iron Dragon Sorog at the left flank could no longer hold back.
"Heh, 'stable and secure'? 'Prevent danger'? What noble and convenient reasons."
Sorog flicked his metal-scaled tail, the tail making a cold impact noise, and sneered, "If you really thought a Legendary item was unsafe in the powerful Halden Empire's hands, would you have had the gall to demand it from them, claiming you'd keep it safe?"
The remark hit hard, leaving Alya speechless and unable to answer directly.
After all, she had taken advantage of the Molten Iron Tribe's weakness back then.
After a few seconds of silence, Alya smoothed her brows and retorted to Sorog, "Is that comparable? The Halden Empire naturally has means to securely use Legendary items without needing others to hold them."
Realizing arguing with Sorog was pointless, she shifted her gaze back to the Red Iron Dragon on the throne—the true decision maker.
She forced down her displeasure, her tone slowing.
"Your Majesty, the past had its specific context and limits."
"Clinging to old grievances is not the act of the wise."
"If we can now put aside prejudice and look to the future, working together, the Goddess's favor will bring Aola long-term benefits far beyond a single Legendary item."
"We can discuss cooperation specifics, for example..."
"Favor? No." Garoth cut her off bluntly.
"Aola stands on draconic strength, the loyalty of its people, and strict order!"
"We do not stake our nation's fortune on intangible luck. If your favor were truly omnipotent, why would you have personally intervened back then instead of waiting for luck to bring the treasure to you?"
He disliked evasive talk and was frank: "Do not try to change the subject."
"My terms are simple: return the Hall of Heroic Spirits and pay sufficient compensation. Do those two things and I will forgive the past."
A palpable pressure began to coalesce around Alya as she looked around.
Her eyes sought the Legendary Amethyst Dragon, quickly weighing things in her mind.
"Two Legendary dragons... the depth of Aola's foundation is far greater than I estimated before coming."
"If I hand over the Hall and additionally compensate with a Legendary item, perhaps this matter could end here and cool the emperor's wrath."
"But..."
A doubt rose in her mind.
"If I comply and hand over my item, what if the dragon still harries me afterwards, taking more?"
"An ancient elven lord once warned me: sometimes you must snuff danger out at its root. I cannot and should not trust a dragon's promise."
Alya wavered briefly.
She did not want to give up her possession and pay compensation; yet the Amethyst Dragon's presence had exerted pressure.
After a quick weighing of benefits and risks, she tended to retreat for now.
Alya sighed and prepared to accept Garoth's terms.
But just as a reply was about to leave her lips, her gaze flicked to Iseramas on the throne's right.
The Legendary giant dragon had not spoken and remained relaxed.
And—if she remembered correctly—the Gemstone Dragon race to which he belonged was famed for neutrality, rarely interfering in worldly affairs.
An idea sparked in Alya.
She could not be certain of this Amethyst Dragon's stance; she had to confirm it personally.
"Sir, what is your relationship with Aola Kingdom?"
She looked to Iseramas and asked.
He paused, looked first at Garoth—after all he had promised not to speak—and with Garoth's consent, he turned back to the visitor.
He shook his head and smiled lightly: "Me? I only recently awoke from a long sleep. I have no fixed destination, temporarily residing in Aola to adapt to the new age of the wilderness."
"Your affairs are your private matter. It has nothing to do with me."
"Consider me nonexistent. I'm just here to observe."
Alya's spirit lifted when she heard this.
Fortune smiled on her again! This Legendary giant was neutral and would not interfere—so she need not overly worry about his presence.
Her expression hardened.
"Your Majesty, inviting me over for a trivial old matter seems narrow-minded."
Her tone hardened, abandoning earlier conciliatory posture.
"I will never hand you the Hall of Heroic Spirits. This concerns not merely an object but my principle and conviction. I will not abandon the preventive choice I made to protect potential peace just because you are strong now."
"As for cooperation, if Your Majesty clings stubbornly to the past with no sincerity, then so be it—there is no point in further discussion."
Garoth watched her mood shift with no ripple in his eyes.
Alya inhaled deeply. "If Your Majesty has no other business, please allow my leave."
Garoth neither roared nor showed any urge to stop her.
He sat steadily on the throne and calmly said, "The path you chose is your own. If so, you may go."
Alya did not say more and did not even bow.
She turned decisively and left the heavy atmosphere of the royal hall without looking back.
Interestingly, after leaving the palace she sped out of the Citadel of Crimson Flame at high velocity but then began to traverse the wilderness at a steady pace rather than immediately exiting Aola's territory.
At that moment Iseramas fully opened his eyes.
He looked at the Red Iron Dragon with interest and taunted playfully, "This favored lady has a rather stubborn personality. Your Majesty, what will you do?"
Garoth did not answer immediately.
Yet in the vast throne chamber, a killing intent began to silently congeal and spread, making the air itself heavy and thick.
Dealing with a deity's favored messenger might bring trouble down the line.
But that was far from enough to make Garoth fear.
For gods he could maintain necessary reverence.
But when his own interests were at stake, he need not overly defer.
Gods were lofty, but why could material sovereign powers stand against divine authority in many places, sometimes even suppress it? There were reasons.
The Dragon Legacy clearly recorded that the Material Plane had strict rules constraining divine intervention.
Deities risked great peril by descending in true form. Lesser divine avatars might not stand against certain Legendary champions.
A true descent carried unimaginable risks: severe suppression by planar rules and exposure to deadly ambush by rival gods.
Divine influence in the Material Plane relied mainly on three aspects: mortal followers, churches, and favored agents.
The Goddess of Fortune's order had limited influence across planet Bernardo—far less than dragon-worshipping organizations that spanned worlds.
On the Atlantis Continent the only Legendary archbishop for that order was the Luckbringer Alya; other continents had at most one Legendary archbishop—insignificant overall.
Garoth had weighed the pros and cons long ago.
He rose slowly, then with a wing beat blasted out of the High Mountain Court.
His draconic form tore the sky.
His pupils narrowed as if stars flowed within, and he activated the Eye of Truth.
Gazing across the wilderness, he soon located his target among countless life-spark points and flew off.
Meanwhile,
on a bleak, windswept plain far from the Citadel of Crimson Flame, Alya halted her seemingly casual stride.
She slowly turned to face the direction of dragon might, showing no surprise as if she had long awaited this.
Alya anticipated that Garoth's domineering nature would not allow her to leave unchallenged.
Once she left the city’s range, combat would ensue with no restraint.
That suited her plan.
Though confident, she did not want innocent casualties nor was she unafraid of possible runes within the city, so she came to this remote plain to quietly wait and settle old scores.
In less than ten seconds,
before the dragon form arrived, a massive gale swept across, flattening the grass and tossing sand and stones.
Alya's hair whipped wildly in the gusts, yet she remained upright, hovering slightly above the ground, focused.
In an instant the massive draconic silhouette reached the plain overhead, its body blocking the sun and casting a shadow that completely covered Alya.
"You linger here. It seems you want to settle our old grudge as well," Garoth's voice dropped from the sky, echoing across the empty land.
"Your Majesty is so eager to see me off, how could I leave without a word?" Alya smiled slightly. "I did not expect you to be so impatient."
"Return the Hall of Heroic Spirits now. This is your last chance."
Garoth issued the final demand.
"Very well," Alya shook her head firmly, "I repeat—never!"
No sooner had she spoken than Garoth's attack launched.
Majestic Dragon Might! Transcendent Dragon Breath!
An invisible draconic might crashed forward like a tangible tsunami, vast and oppressive, carrying a mental shock aimed at Alya.
At nearly the same time Garoth's chest expanded and he breathed out a sphere of dragon breath braided with searing flames and raging lightning. It shot like lightning from the sky toward Alya.
Yet before the Red Iron Dragon's attack reached her,
layers of dazzling light suddenly flared around the Luckbringer!
A heavy, archaic black armor, exuding a calm gravitas, manifested and fit tightly over her body.
Immovable Plate!
A set that grants its wearer power and defense comparable to a Legendary giant, greatly boosting stability and making knockback, being blown away, or being knocked down extremely difficult, while significantly reducing stun and rigidity effects...
That was only part of it.
A staff inlaid with brilliant gems and shaped oddly, a pair of shadow-imbued nimble boots, and a pair of magnificent wings of pure light also appeared almost simultaneously on her.
They were the Thiefmage's Terminus, the Shadowlight Boots, and the Wings of Shelter.
Including the Immovable Plate, all four were precious Legendary items—prizes the Luckbringer had obtained through her exceptional luck and various opportunities.
Hum!
The Wings of Shelter suddenly spread.
Holy luminous wings shone down, forming a translucent, eggshell-like protective barrier that firmly sheltered Alya and successfully blocked the mental assault of Majestic Dragon Might.
She stepped lightly in the air.
The Shadowlight Boots emitted dense shadow energy and wrapped around her body.
Swoosh!
She vanished from the spot.
Boom!!!
The dragon-breath sphere violently struck the ground where she had stood, detonating in a thunderous explosion!
Flame and lightning ravaged, tearing a huge charred crater in the plain.
But Alya's true body had already appeared elsewhere, evading the first strike.
Yet the danger was far from over.
A stronger wind pressure burst outward, compressing the air.
Garoth's massive body dove like a meteor at a speed disproportionate to his size, blotting out her vision with oppressive force that smothered the lungs.
As they closed to only a few hundred meters,
Alya flicked a seemingly unremarkable ring-shaped item in her hand and hurled it.
It did not travel linearly; it flashed and instantly appeared at the center of their trajectories.
The ring's effect activated.
Ring of Despair, open!
With Alya's steady gaze, she triggered the Legendary item without hesitation.
Ripples roiled around the ring and abruptly froze into a solidified stasis.
Garoth's dive halted abruptly as if he'd smashed into invisible glue.
Then his entire body sank uncontrollably, swallowed by a familiar sensation. The colors before him seemed rubbed away like graphite, flaking and fading.
Only oppressive dark red remained.
The environment underwent a cataclysmic change.
Garoth found himself in a bounded space. The ground beneath was solid though of unknown material; the horizon and the sky were shrouded by a surging curtain of dark-red energy.
"What is this?"
He calmly scanned his surroundings, a gleam of realization in his eyes, then a hint of surprise.
"The Ring of Despair—a Legendary item lost by the Divine Kingdom of Theo in their civil war. You should have heard of its name. After some twists, it ended up in my hands."
Alya's figure appeared on the other side, smiling.
Garoth looked at the entirely different yet oddly familiar space and felt a sense of affinity.
He had fought two fierce battles in the past inside replicas of the Ring of Despair; now he faced the real thing.
"Spatial items or domain skills are always irrationally strong. I should study some countermeasures or attempt to master spatial skills," Garoth thought inwardly.
He didn't act rashly in the unfamiliar space. He elevated the Eye of Truth to its pinnacle and inspected carefully for escape routes.
At the same time, Alya stood bathed in the combined glow of multiple Legendary items.
She extended her pale hand and made a distant gesture toward Garoth.
Instantly, an invisible pressure blanketed Garoth, and he felt strands of his power being peeled away while Alya's aura rose.
Flame Domain!
Garoth's eyes hardened as he activated his domain.
Scorching flames erupted from his body into a burning realm, offsetting much of the oppressive force.
However, the attribute-stripping effect inherent to the Ring of Despair ignored domain boundaries and persisted.
Within heartbeats Garoth felt about a ten percent drop in his overall attributes.
This was the Ring of Despair's powerful effect:
Unfair Duel!
It strips specified attributes from the designated target and imbues them into the caster; if one kills the opponent inside the space the caster can randomly retain some of those attributes.
"Such... strength. No wonder it's a Legendary giant..."
Alya could not help but mutter.
Her body began to visibly change.
She swelled a bit, becoming larger and taller, filling out the Immovable Plate so it fit more snugly; her finger joints thickened, her fingertips extended into claw-like nails; black-red dragon scales appeared on skin exposed at armor seams.
Breathing out slowly, Alya said, "Welcome to my home turf."
"Here, no one can disturb us. And you will now face me and my Heroic Guardians alone."
Behind her the space rippled.
A miniature hall's illusion emerged—the Hall of Heroic Spirits.
Hum!
Its doors slammed open.
A figure formed: a Heroic Spirit warrior fashioned from solid light, bearing a huge shield and greatsword, with an aura not inferior to Legendary. He strode forth, locking his gaze on Garoth.
At this moment, all Alya's Legendary items were active.
Feeling the surge of power sourced from Garoth within her, an unusual exhilaration crossed her face.
She stepped back and raised the Thiefmage's Terminus staff high.
The summoned Legendary Hero stepped forward to guard Alya solidly.
Fully armed, the Luckbringer vowed to slay the Red Iron Dragon within the Ring of Despair.
Runes swirled in Garoth's dragon pupils; he had already found several weak points of the despair-space, but he did not intend to attack the space. He watched Alya closely to analyze her condition.
The Ring trapped its owner as well as its captive. While immensely powerful, its flaw was obvious:
Unless a victor was decided inside the space by death, or an overwhelming force broke the ring's limits, even its owner could not escape prematurely.
Rage! Bloodburst! Four-Arm Crimson Lotus!
Garoth roared a shattering cry and activated three battle states simultaneously.
Under the Colossus Stance's amplification, his already massive body visibly swelled and grew! Muscles bulged, scales bristled, four dragon arms cloaked in red scales and burning flames spread like a world-ending beast from myth.
Terrifying oppression rushed in.
Alya's pupils snapped tight.
"[Unfair Duel] was used a bit early," she inwardly regretted.
If she had stripped attributes when the opponent had opened all battle states and reached peak attributes, it would have been more effective.
Whoosh!
Garoth beat his wings and, far from clumsy, tore through the space like a crimson bolt, charging straight at the Hero guarding Alya.
The Heroic Spirit reacted swiftly.
He stepped forward with a giant stride and raised his shield high. Three lines of solemn runic words glowed across his arm.
Vigilance: Always be wary of encroaching danger!
Loyalty: Be loyal to your mission, your comrades, your duty!
Watch: You are the ultimate shield against endless calamity; keep your blade forever sharp!
This Hero had pledged the Oath of Watch. Perhaps due to a flaw from being transformed into a Heroic Spirit, though he had Legendary-level energy he did not display a unique Legendary domain.
Watchman's Bulwark!
A massive energy barrier gathered before the Hero's shield.
He charged Garoth with his colossal sword forming a radiant Divine Smite aimed to purify evil.
Garoth roared, his body deftly sidestepped the Hero's attack, then with no flourish swiped a claw across.
Crack—Boom!!!
The Watchman's Bulwark, built with all his might, shattered under Garoth's claw in under half a second, exploding into scattering motes of light.
However, the Hero's defensive abilities were no joke.
Its potent hindering effect stalled Garoth's momentum for a breath.
The Hero seized the chance to retreat and open distance again.
Simultaneously Alya completed her casting.
The Thiefmage's Terminus elegantly waved and produced a mighty meteorological spell.
Gravity Mire!
Garoth's charging body suddenly sank as if trapped in invisible viscous mud, a powerful pull toward the ground trying to slow and restrain his movement.
At the staff's gem a glow sparked and triggered an additional buff, doubling the heavy-gravity effect.
This was the Legendary staff's random extra.
The Thiefmage's Terminus, with its highly random supplementary effects, was often unwelcome to many casters, but for Alya it was the perfect match.
Under the heavy oppression Garoth's movements did not stagnate.
His wings covered all escape angles and slammed into the Heroic Spirit.
!!
A dull, leathery thud.
The Heroic Spirit's body of condensed light did not even cry out. It shattered on the spot into a scattering shower of luminous flakes.
Alya's eyes widened, shock written across her face.
She had not known that Garoth trained long-term in overweight environments and had high resistance to such effects, with advanced magic immunity almost negating them.
Garoth moved with surprising speed for his size. No more than a moment after the Hero disintegrated, he was at Alya's position.
Four claws, covered in black-red scales and burning like blazing flames, cut the air with a deathly intent, closing from multiple angles as if to crush Alya along with the space around her.
Alya's pupils shrank; the shadow of death enveloped her.
Her Shadowlight Boots shone.
Swoosh!
At the last instant she vanished.
The burning dragon claws only tore at the afterimage she left behind.
But Garoth's rune-marked gaze and Eye of Truth caught the slightest residual energy reaction and locked onto her landing point.
The dragon breath had already swelled in Garoth's throat.
A crimson Destruction Breath burst forth toward Alya.
She had no time to teleport again. The Wings of Shelter slammed shut, completely enveloping her.
Boom!
A tempest of light and annihilation erupted inside the Ring of Despair, dimming even the dark-red sky.
The Wings of Shelter trembled violently and its light feathers flaked away and dissolved.
Under the massive impact Alya was driven backward and slammed against the space wall.
!
The energy curtain behind her indented inward like rubber and even developed thin spatial cracks.
Although the Wings of Shelter and Immovable Plate reduced some of the aftermath, Alya felt dreadful pain.
She retreated and the Shadowlight Boots pulsed purple light as she teleported again, narrowly escaping Garoth's follow-up destructive pounce.
Rumble!
Garoth's massive body struck down and left large spiderwebbed cracks in the space curtain.
"Storms, heed my call!"
Alya appeared in midair, ragged but her eyes bright.
She raised the Thiefmage's Terminus and intoned solemnly.
Tempest Convergence!
The dark-red heavens color-shifted as dense ink-black clouds roiled into being.
In the next moment, pale, tree-thick lightning struck down like a deluge covering the entire area where Garoth stood.
Simultaneously, the staff's gem flickered and randomly produced a powerful wind spell.
A ferocious hurricane formed and, combined with the relentless lightning, swept toward Garoth from all sides.
The combined might was terrifying, and Garoth felt threatened.
He lifted his head and gave a low dragon bellow. The Flame Domain adhered to his body and burned outward, preparing to withstand the storm.
But unexpectedly, his domain became unstable.
Different regions of flame energy seemed interfered with, conflicting and consuming each other, failing to form a steady, effective defense.
The dense lightning and ripping hurricane, as if guided by sight, precisely struck the weakest nodes of his domain where energy flow was most disrupted.
A massive area bombardment yet with pinpoint precision... Garoth narrowed his eyes in comprehension.
Alya, the Luckbringer, had somehow activated a domain.
His guess was correct.
Alya's domain was intangible, the Fortune Domain. It amplified her already-high luck to a level that affected Legendary-level combat.
Unlike conventional domains that provide direct attack or defense bonuses, this domain's invisible manipulations proved more troublesome and potent in practice.
Under the Fortune Domain's interference, the hurricane always found angles to tug at Garoth's wings, slightly hindering his speed; his wing beats, forced against lightning, were disrupted in momentum while his Flame Domain suffered repeated, well-timed blows that shredded it.
Alya's assault did not stop with a single strike.
The Heroic Spirit that had been shattered reformed again from the opening of the miniature Hall of Heroic Spirits.
But the hall's light had dimmed considerably—the resurrection did not come without cost.
Oath of Battle!
Alya kept going, crafting a powerful summoning enhancement.
Dense strengthening runes crept across the Heroic Spirit's body, abruptly elevating his aura.
At the same time the Thiefmage's gem flickered and produced a Fearless Blessing, wrapping the Hero in a halo of courage and strength.
With dual enhancements the Hero's light became denser and heavier, his frame visibly swelling.
Chains of gleaming reinforcement runes wrapped across his greatsword and shield.
The fortified Hero let out a silent roar and charged again, faster and more powerful, his blade nearly lighting up the space.
Alya swung her staff again.
Frozen Wasteland!
In front of Garoth's charging path extreme cold condensed; frost spread like a tide, freezing even the space it passed through.
It utterly shattered Garoth's already-gashed Flame Domain.
Countless ice crystals covered him, slowing his motions and almost turning him into an ice statue.
The Thiefmage's gem flashed and bestowed a high-level hastening on the fortified Hero.
His speed skyrocketed as a streak of light closing on Garoth; the greatsword slashed at Garoth's neck flank.
Crack—crack...
Garoth roared low. Ice shattered across his body, shards and flaked scales flying.
After this fierce, continuous barrage his scales split wide.
He gained dozens of wounds of varying depth and dragon blood seeped from them, turning into steaming flames before they could drip.
Now the enhanced Hero's Divine Smite arrived at his side.
The Hero's speed was extreme and pressured Garoth's rise. He could not fully evade and tilted his head to block the blow with the hardest part—his horn.
Clang—!!!
A deafening metallic clash exploded.
Sparks flew at the collision point like fireworks.
A gouge formed on Garoth's horn while the heavy sword in the Hero's hands snapped at the collision!
Garoth shook his head and thrust toward the Hero's raised shield.
Unyielding Perseverance!
A faint red light curled around his horn.
Crash!
The Hero's giant shield disintegrated in an instant as if the earlier fortification had never existed. The Hero and his shield shattered into pieces and dispersed.
"Die!"
Garoth roared and charged the Luckbringer.
With the Heroic guardians gone, Alya's nerves were stretched to the breaking point; relying on Legendary gear she barely escaped Garoth's onslaught.
Her composure had vanished and panic crept in.
She could not understand why her spells had shattered Garoth's domain but not significantly harmed him; why a Hero pledged to the Oath of Watch could be torn like paper by him despite being magically enhanced.
"No—I'm the favored one of fortune. Destiny will not end here! There must be a turnaround!"
Alya drew a deep breath and forced down panic, raised the Thiefmage's Terminus, and began crafting her specialty: summoning divine spells.
She lacked real life-and-death combat experience but knew that without a powerful summoned being to block Garoth's terrifying close-range pounce, she could not prepare long-cast destructive divine spells.
Summon Celestial Creature!
A massive gate of soft, pure holy light started to sketch and appear in midair.
Just as the spell neared completion, the Thiefmage's gem flashed and randomly generated an Exceptional Summon.
Hum!
The gate trembled violently and doubled in size, its splendor flooding the Ring of Despair with an overwhelming oppressive presence.
Alya's eyes blazed with uncontrollable light and a smile of imminent victory returned to her face.
"See, you foul dragon! Your power cannot break the luck I carry!"
Garoth fell silent, unease clouding his eyes.
The pressure emanating from the light gate filled him with deep discomfort.
He had already entered Rage State, red veins sprouted in his eyes and his body swelled slowly again.
Meanwhile,
a figure stepped from the grand celestial gate into the Ring of Despair.
She had a beauty beyond mortal imagination, a tall perfect figure, four pure white wings flowing with sacred flames, wielding a long sword burning with holy fire. Her presence was solemn and awe-inspiring.
Her gaze landed on Garoth and Alya.
A Seraphic Envoy?
Garoth's pupils constricted.
A Seraphic Envoy sat at the pinnacle of celestial beings, one of the highest angels serving close to deities as their executor.
A sufficiently powerful Seraphic Envoy could rival the might of lesser gods.
Even proud dragons must respect their power and nobility.
The envoy's aura was extremely strong—more than ordinary Legendary, likely beyond level twenty-five—and Seraphic Envoys fought for order and were supreme combatants, not comparable to Alya's gear-dependent summons.
"High Envoy, slay this foul dragon!"
Alya could not contain her jubilation and cried out.
Yet the Seraphic Envoy did not heed her plea or act. She simply fixed her gaze on Garoth.
Her eyes suddenly ignited with burning divine light; her visage became sacred and severe.
Eye of Judgment!
In an instant, the envoy's holy radiance glimpsed parts of Garoth's past.
It saw his bloody battles with chaotic red dragons in the wilderness; it saw him build a kingdom and issue laws, instilling unprecedented order into the chaotic land; it saw his dragons and countless people living and developing under relatively fair rules...
After a pause, the envoy's solemn voice echoed through the space.
"Those who practice and defend order should not be judged by the blade of order."
With that, and under Alya's stunned stare, the powerful Seraphic Envoy turned and with her four holy wings re-entered the grand celestial gate, closing it heavily from within as if she had never emerged.
Seeing this, Garoth nearly lost composure for a moment, unsure who fortune favored.
Thanks to her Legendary gear, Alya had survived thus far.
But using such equipment exacted a heavy toll, and she had wasted earlier summoning energies. She could not sustain this indefinitely.
"No—this cannot be!"
Alya snapped back, screaming hysterically.
She could not accept the cruel reality.
The Heroic Spirit re-emerged from the hall a third time.
The Hall of Heroic Spirits, already dim, lost all its remaining luster and became a mere miniature model.
Even a slow-witted Alya sensed death closing in.
Despair breeds frantic choices.
Madness replaced panic in her eyes.
She stopped conserving treasures: with a sweep at her waist she produced several vials of different materials and poured the potent elixirs into her mouth.
These were strong potions effective even against Legendary beings.
Downing so many at once made her feel as if she might burst. Had she not absorbed part of Garoth's attributes earlier she would not have dared this recklessness.
"Nyahhh—!"
Alya convulsed violently; veins stood out across her skin, eyes engorged with blood. Yet her pupils burned with a near-solid light.
Agonizing pain brought a roar but also unprecedented power.
She felt her soul burning and thought flashed like lightning.
"By my god, forge your war soul!"
Imperishable Edict!
Wild Edict!
Berserker Oath!
She croaked and howled through bleeding orifices, unleashing three top-tier enhancement divine spells at once onto the Heroic Spirit that had just stepped out. The Thiefmage's Terminus further activated, boosting the Hero even more.
The Hero's body changed dramatically.
No longer mere condensed light, he turned a dark red as if made of congealed blood and blazing rage, his mass swelling to nearly half of Garoth's size; his sword and shield became spiked, terrifying implements.
He gave no cry, but the murderous will rising off him moved even Garoth.
The Hero stopped defending and attacked with both hands on his greatsword, bearing unstoppable momentum to face Garoth.
Speed, strength, and intimidation surged severalfold.
Garoth met the blow.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Each clash shook the Ring of Despair like thunder, shockwaves ravaging the confined space.
The Hero knew his defense could not hold, so he attacked relentlessly.
Even if clawed apart he could rapidly heal and keep Garoth entangled, buying precious breathing room for Alya, but his light dimmed rapidly as regeneration slowed.
With the respite, Alya launched a frenzied spell barrage.
Under the impact of multiple external stimuli, her casting speed exceeded limits; with no incantation required, high-level meteorological divine spells poured down like a torrential rain.
Meteoric Firefall! Zero-Degree Ice Spears! Rending Tempest! Dual Thunder Prisons!
...
The space seemed torn by countless rents.
Burning meteors, soul-freezing ice crystals, space-rending storms, woven lightning—every calamity descended, engulfing Garoth and the Hero.
With the Hall of Heroic Spirits so dim, the Hero risked true death.
But Alya did not care for the Hero's survival.
If she could injure Garoth, sacrificing the Hero was worth it.
The Thiefmage's gem flashed frantically, triggering one random spell after another with unprecedented frequency; mixed with the meteorological spells, strange and powerful compound effects arose.
Sometimes meteors gained tracking, sometimes storms had corrosive properties...
Under this saturated bombardment Garoth felt intense pressure and activated the Steel Domain.
Alya's spells were loosely controlled and spontaneous, but her Fortune Domain ensured their effects manifested optimally and powerfully.
A same-tier dragon might not be her match.
Garoth had to contend with the Hero's sacrificial entanglement and the surrounding divine spells.
His domain, not having adapted and evolved, was not much stronger than a peer's and soon shattered.
Then his scales began to break and strip under relentless attacks, revealing flesh and even bone. Dragon blood burned and flared into roaring flame.
Yet he did not panic. He felt exhilaration.
After becoming Legendary, this was the first time he'd taken such severe wounds, and regardless of gear, the Luckbringer's strength exceeded his expectations and surprised him.
Unyielding Perseverance!
Garoth lowed and red light flared across wings, tail, and claws.
His actions were not slowed by injury; damage only intensified.
Garoth withstood the Hero's greatsword stroke, his shoulder torn open to bone, then he wrapped four arms around the Hero and plunged his claws deep into the body.
Tear apart!
Garoth laughed wildly and pulled the limbs outward.
Rip!
The heavily enhanced Hero could not hold; he was brutally shredded.
"Now!"
Alya bit into the last scarlet fruit she had, swallowing it whole.
The Lifeflame Fruit—true do-or-die fare, burning life for a moment of extreme power.
Black Arrow of Oblivion!
She raised her staff and condensed the strongest strike.
A black arrow, like a convergence of calamities, formed, carrying the aura of annihilation.
Crack!
The Thiefmage's Terminus cracked violently and spawned a spell Alya had never seen: Life Demise Art!
With the Fortune Domain's influence, the two spells fused in an incredible miracle.
The Oblivion Arrow dissolved inch by inch—but it had not vanished; it transformed.
Alya extended her forefinger and pointed at Garoth.
No earth-shattering sound, no blinding light.
No sign—Garoth's scales developed a grayish white blotch. From that spot his scales, flesh, and bones began to collapse and dissipate as if sand blown by wind.
In moments Garoth's body was riddled with holes and his aura plummeted like a candle in the wind.
"It's over, foul dragon. Destiny will see you fall to my fortune."
Alya exhaled and relaxed.
Responding was a heartbeat like thunder.
Boom!
That heartbeat hit with such force it made her ears ring.
From the shredded body of Garoth radiated a white light and a terrifying aura, surpassing his prior peak.
Born from Death!
White flames burned across him, granting power beyond his limits.
Garoth lashed his wings and instantly reappeared before Alya.
Instinctively she tried to use Shadowlight Boots to teleport to the ring's other side, but before she could react, Garoth reappeared and swiped a claw.
The Wings of Shelter flared with their final brilliant, dense light, attempting last resistance.
But before Garoth's claw that once had been impervious, the light protection was as fragile as foam in sunlight.
Crack!
A piercing shatter rang out.
The protective light could not even hold a moment and disintegrated into drifting motes.
Her light wings dimmed into a small winged pendant necklace, which Garoth plucked in one claw, then struck Alya with another.
Boom!
The Immovable Plate that had granted her Legendary-like defense began to cave inward on contact with the dragon claw.
Pfft!
She vomited a mouthful of blood mixed with organ fragments.
Alya felt as if hit by a gigantic iron golem; her bones screamed.
The Thiefmage's Terminus flew from her loosened grasp and was swept away into Garoth's right wing, taken as spoils. Alya crashed like a meteor into the ground, producing a heavy thud.
Before she could catch breath, a crimson blur flashed again!
Garoth's figure seemed to ignore distance and reappeared before her.
Alya's soul fled; her survival instinct desperately drove the Shadowlight Boots, but she discovered with horror that the boots no longer answered.
She scanned mentally and found that from the waist down her legs had been completely crushed and evaporated by Garoth's previous claw—gone.
The precious Shadowlight Boots had also been taken by Garoth.
Garoth lowered his eyes to the limp, ragdoll upper body of Alya.
His over-limit aura subsided. White light faded; his injuries healed under the Dragon Pearl's glow, rapidly nearing full strength.
Alya's expression showed stupefied disbelief, nearly numb.
She had given everything, fought crazily for the first time, and he was almost unscathed?
"No—my luck... will..."
Alya whispered, then forced herself up and cried, pleading, "Your Majesty Emperor Ignas, I was wrong! I shouldn't have been stubborn! Please forgive me!"
Garoth's massive head bowed slightly.
"Forgive? I already gave you a chance, didn't I?"
"And you're not repentant; you're only afraid to die."
He raised his claw to give Alya a final blow.
Alya's begging froze and was replaced by desperate madness.
"You dare kill me?! Behind me stands the great Goddess of Fortune!"
"If you kill me, I swear the Goddess will not spare you! I will use my last breath and soul to curse you! You will be abandoned by Fortune; misfortune will cling to you your whole life!"
Garoth remained unmoved.
He had long considered such threats. Once he chose to strike, he would not hesitate.
Garoth gave her no more chance; the claw fell.
Boom!
The massive claw blocked all of Alya's sight.
"No—!!"
Amid her screams filled with regret and venom, her body was first crushed, then utterly turned into ash.
At the instant of her death, the gray ash rose windlessly and coalesced into a black curse sigil, attaching to Garoth.
He could not be bothered to dodge.
"Curse? No—thank you for your final blessing."
He grinned.
With Alya's death the dark-red sky curtain dissolved and the normal wilderness reemerged.
Garoth collected the Ring of Despair and the Hall of Heroic Spirits, then counted his gains from the encounter.
At last a satisfied, genuine smile spread across his draconic face. He fully forgave the now-deceased Luckbringer.
These things, she could not keep.
By her own account, they were in safer hands with him.