novelraw Chapter 106 : Can't Smile Anymore
Chapter 106 : Can't Smile Anymore
Elaphia adored the Princess.
She loved authenticity, beauty, the purity of life—her affection was absolute, transcending life and death in its intensity.
Thus, whenever Elaphia witnessed the Princess’s smile firsthand, an irrepressible melting sensation would course through her, trembling with the same fervor she held for life itself.
Precisely because such value remained beyond her grasp, Elaphia could appreciate its splendor all the more deeply.
Pain could shatter all joyful emotions, yet the feeling of recognizing beauty in its presence remained undiminished. Not only undiminished—it was heightened by suffering, cast into sharper relief.
Withdrawal.
Without this contrast, such beauty would ultimately prove false.
Truth be told, Elaphia now felt deeply remorseful toward the Princess. She had promised to join her party, yet in the end, fearing she might implicate the Princess, she chose to retreat—
Even though it was the very treatment she had craved a thousand times over...
Elaphia would rather forget the debts owed to her than overlook those she owed others.
At her core, she was a sensitive soul yearning for warmth. Having endured those long, solitary nights and watched fleeting fireworks alone, she desperately wished for someone to stay by her side.
If lasting companionship eluded her, even a brief togetherness would suffice.
"It’s alright. It’ll all be over soon," Elaphia whispered, comforting herself.
She took a few steps forward. Along this unavoidable path to the city center, stark black figures stood out—pale-faced, ragged-clothed, with bloodthirsty crimson eyes gleaming, their presence saturated with the thick scent of blood.
These were fellow victims, Vampire Spawn like herself, now utterly enslaved in body and soul by Dreka.
Those not participating in this blood-soaked revelry had clearly been ordered to lie in wait here.
"Testing me, is that it?"
Elaphia glanced toward the river of blood, pausing briefly to survey her surroundings as more Vampire Spawn emerged from the shadows.
"My soul—how much is a thrall truly worth?"
She hesitated not, nor did she care to demand answers. Silently, she raised a decoction to her lips and drank without a second thought, knowing she had no other choice.
Black Honey Decoction.
A legendary magical potion—Elaphia had lost count of the time spent gathering ingredients to brew it, but its effects made every moment worthwhile.
Its most remarkable trait was its ability to temporarily blend the effects of other potions.
When combined, it created a fleeting synergy, allowing two or more elixirs to act simultaneously for a short duration. The ensuing side effects, however, were unmistakably severe.
But none of that mattered to Elaphia now.
She downed every magical potion she had pilfered from Oz Tower in one frantic gulp.
"Potion of Hill Giant Strength, Potion of Heroism, Potion of Speed, Potion of Vitality, Potion of Barkskin, Potion of Superiority, Potion of Invulnerability, Potion of Dragonborn, Swallow, Full Moon, White Blood, Golden Needle Orchid Forest..."
The last decoction slipped from Elaphia’s hand as she drained it, clattering to the ground amid a sea of empty vials.Elaphia gazed up at the sky, the entire expanse filling her vision. It seemed rain was imminent; she could almost trace the droplets' paths as they began their descent.
In an instant, the world around her brightened.
A transformative surge swept through Elaphia. Her blood flowed like thawing rivers through her veins, every cell breathing with the wild abandon of spring sprouts after rain. They strained to absorb the endless medicinal potency, while violent pulsations of agony rippled through her muscles and tendons, threatening to tear her apart.
Who stood in her way?
She would simply kill them.
What followed was pure slaughter. Elaphia felt no pity for these soulless victims who had surrendered their will to resist—they could hardly be called living beings.
The central square stood empty. In the distance, the majestic clocktower chimed three times. Metallic frameworks intertwined into crisscrossing staircases that spiraled from the ground to the spire. Below the tower lay countless humanoid forms submerged in thick rivers of blood. Rain fell from the heavens, yet couldn't cleanse the filth staining the ground.
Wiping the mixture of blood and rain from her face, Elaphia saw the tall figure waiting for her at the blood river's edge. Rage ignited in her chest—a power belonging to her, or perhaps not belonging to her at all—a self-immolating impulse overwhelming her senses.
"Welcome, welcome. The mouse has returned home," Dreka applauded mockingly.
"Curse you, Dreka!"
Elaphia slammed Dreka against the wall, lifting the Grand Duke off the ground. One hand clamped like iron around the vampire's throat while the other struck with lightning speed. The sickening crunch of shattered shinbone and skull echoed simultaneously.
Strangely, Dreka merely convulsed twice, offering no resistance.
After the storm of blows, Elaphia panted heavily, releasing her grip to let the headless corpse collapse face-first into the mud.
'Something's wrong. This was too easy.'
As Elaphia stood catching her breath, she quickly realized the abnormality.
Dreka's limbs began twitching unnaturally, as if manipulated by invisible strings. The convulsions grew more pronounced—fingers curling, knees slowly bending.
The headless corpse gradually rose, moving with its former grace. Flesh buds rapidly sprouted from the vacant neck as tributaries of the blood river converged beneath its feet. Tormented souls wailed while piecing together like a puzzle to reconstruct the missing head.
...
"Is this all you've got in the end?"
...Elaphia clenched her fists.
"You can't kill me, little mouse," Dreka said calmly. "Don't worry, I won't kill you either. Pets as interesting as you are rare."
Elaphia's brows furrowed tightly, her eyes burning with frustration and greater fury.
"Elaphia, weren't you always good at math? Let me ask you: what's 18,000 minus one?" Dreka grinned widely.
Then he glanced toward the blood river.
"Correction: what's 18,050 minus one?"
○
Meanwhile, Loranhir followed the light rain and the blood river toward the city center. Finding Elaphia wasn't difficult—she simply had to follow the trail of vampire corpses.This kind of fighting style that beats people to death with repeated punches is something only a brute like Elaphia could pull off.
After walking along the path for a short while, she found Elaphia as expected under the central clock tower—lying motionless on the ground, unconscious, occasionally letting out painful groans. It was unclear what she had been through.
"Elaphia, are you alright?" Loranhir approached and helped her up.
"Oww, it hurts... it hurts so much I can't stand it... Please, stop... please... It's too terrifying, don't continue..." Elaphia seemed trapped in some nightmare, her face twisted in agony.
"Wake up." Loranhir tried calling her.
Elaphia showed no response.
"Wake up."
Still no reaction.
"I'll break the illusion on you." Loranhir thought for a moment, carefully observed her, and seeing no major injuries, simply slapped her across the face.
With a sharp smack, a post-nightmare scream followed. Elaphia weakly opened her eyes to see Loranhir's concerned expression.
"Elaphia, are you okay?"
"Tch, why did you follow me here?"
"Hurry and leave. Don't die here," Elaphia said, the effects of the black honey nearly worn off. The severe side effects made every neuron in her body feel like it was screaming in pain.
"Well, well, look who's here?" Dreka emerged nonchalantly. "If it isn't our invincible hero."
"The little mouse has no strength left. Is it time for the hero to take her place now?"
"Loranhir, you can't handle this guy," Elaphia stood up with Loranhir's support. "I've lost count of how many times I've killed him, but he always comes back completely unharmed."
"It must be because of that blood river," Elaphia pointed. "For every person that river devours, he gets to revive that many times. He's consumed at least 9,000 souls already."
"How despicable," Elaphia cursed.
"Blood river?" Loranhir glanced at the crimson flow beneath the clock tower—a torrent of blood flooding every visible surface like a broken dam.
"Hero, I know you're powerful, but how many times can you kill me?" Dreka sneered. "My resurrection is endless, while your stamina drains constantly. In the end, I will win."
"...This is cheating," Loranhir muttered.
Her hand repeatedly clenched and unclenched around the holy sword at her waist.
Forget it. After all we've been through, now's not the time to rely on this fire poker.
Neither gods nor heroes could help here—this was something she had to handle herself.
Her opponent could resurrect infinitely through the blood river?
This was just too unfair.
"Run, hero," Elaphia's voice grew low, filled with cold determination. "I can hold him off a couple more times. Just take the Princess and escape far away."
Loranhir completely dismissed the option of fleeing. Frowning in thought, her brain's emotional circuitry released a flood of hormones to keep her body alert.Should she seek help from that senior who had experienced a miserable heartbreak?
No, she didn't even know the other's name, and it was too late to find her now.
But she had no clue about this shameless cheating method of thousands of resurrections.
The Princess was still waiting outside for their return.
What should she do?
Suddenly, an idea flashed through Loranhir's mind—a conviction so certain it seemed to sprout instantly yet remained elusive.
What if... what if she could burn the River of Blood to ashes with a single blaze...
Loranhir glanced at the ever-expanding River of Blood.
No, Yanubi could never accomplish that.
It had to be something... something bigger, fiercer, more violent, more dangerous.
But where could she find such a thing?
It couldn't possibly fall from the sky, could it?
Loranhir looked up—not expecting any angelic descent, but because she heard a sudden friction in the air above, something approaching with an orange glow.
"Holy shit, what the **** is that?" Loranhir focused her gaze and froze instantly.
It was an ancient dragon!
No one knew where it came from or why it had arrived.
Amid dense dark clouds, the ancient dragon landed on the giant clock tower at the center of Taurant, its sharp claws tearing through the sturdy outer walls.
Amid falling debris and violent tremors, a deep, resonant bell tolled, echoing across the city.
It gazed down at the crimson sea below, massive black wings spread wide, letting out a piercing roar. Its scales shimmered with a dark gleam under the faint light, eyes like two burning embers radiating ruthlessness and fury.
The ancient dragon curved its slender neck, scanning the surroundings, briefly locking eyes with Loranhir. Its dark golden draconic pupils shone like a beacon in the darkness.
The first time she met its gaze, Loranhir felt an inexplicable sense of déjà vu, as if she had seen it somewhere before.
"Pa... Patunasankus?"
For some reason, Loranhir called out the ancient dragon's name.
Ignoring the ants below, the dragon fixed its gaze on the River of Blood flowing beneath the clock tower.
It took a deep breath.
The air filled with the scent of sulfur and flames as a blazing fire began to gather, distorting the surrounding air with intense heat.
Dragon Fire cut through the atmosphere, carrying the power to annihilate everything, heading straight for its target.
The flames shifted from deep crimson to orange-yellow, then to nearly transparent white, so scorching that even rocks melted before them.
Wherever the Dragon Fire passed, everything was incinerated—trees turned to ash, the River of Blood boiled and evaporated, and even solid rocks cracked under the extreme heat, leaving behind scorched earth and ruins.
Dreka instantly lost his smile.