novelraw Chapter 86: Ashen Kid [2]
Chapter 86: Ashen Kid [2]
’What is the dragon talking about? Does someone already know I’m here? Do they know I’m the Herald of the Unnameable?’
Questions aside, the dragon exhaled a small cloud of ash dust. The hole in its chest was clearly visible—there was nothing there but a dark void, with faint traces of greenish mist drifting inside with soft, ghostlike movements.
That proved the dragon wasn’t lying. If it had been alive—a being belonging to the Mortal World—Azel’s arrow would have definitely killed it. But that wasn’t the case. On top of that, the creature seemed even more powerful than the Lover of Flowers Among Blood.
"Are you afraid, little human?" It brought its claws closer to the boy, that wide, sinister grin still on its face. "Who would’ve thought? The agent of our nightmares is a pathetic, frail human."
Mitsuki felt a chilling shiver run through his entire body. His breathing grew heavy and uneven, and the primal instinct to survive screamed from deep within his soul. That monstrous hand was about to touch his face, however—
Clang!
That detestable guy appeared in front of him, as if the world had slowed down, saving his life once again. He swung his sword with overwhelming force, pushing the dragon back a few centimeters.
’Marco...’
Somehow, Mitsuki—paralyzed by that primal fear—could no longer see the idiot who had annoyed him back at the guild.
The eyes of that knight in shining armor burned with anger and courage in the face of death. The hardened expression on his face, forged through countless battles, completely defied the beast, which adjusted its stance in the middle of the street to observe the two of them.
"Don’t just stand there like an idiot, loser. Want to die?" he said.
His voice—authoritative, annoyed, rigid, and arrogant—brought back bad memories for Mitsuki, but those memories were overshadowed by the actions of that "Blondie."
It wasn’t the first time Marco had saved him, but this time felt different. This time, for the first time since Jeanne, Mitsuki was able to look him in the eyes.
’Once again... I’m acting like a loser,’ he thought, clenching his teeth tightly, staring at the ground like a true failure.
A small drop of blood ran down his lip as he stood up. He gripped the shotgun barrel tightly, filled with frustration.
’How long am I going to keep being like this?’
Change is hard.
’How long am I going to let myself be trampled like this?’
The shadow of the system had already told him.
’Even if I die, I can’t bow my head again.’
Even if fear screamed at him to run—even if it meant risking his life—he couldn’t listen to it anymore. That fear was what had made him retreat again and again.
Monar had said it before: "Those who fight and live fully despite fear can be called brave." Mitsuki clearly wasn’t brave—he didn’t consider himself as such. His heart was filled with heavy fears that always held him back.
’If I want to live, I have to fight!’
The dragon laughed.
"You really are entertaining. A little knight fighting to protect those who cannot... How many times have I seen the same thing?"
"Enough talk, you stupid beast!" Marco shouted. "Fight!"
Without another word, Blondie charged at the dragon. The creature shook its head in disappointment, stopping the young knight’s sword with a single hand.
Mitsuki watched, tense. Marco was giving it his all to survive—they couldn’t leave him alone. And just then, from behind them, an ancient elven chant echoed throughout the entire town.
The vines and roots that had survived the initial incineration burst out from the houses, surrounding Monar. He knelt with his eyes closed, holding his staff with both hands as his soft, gentle voice carried through the air.
At last, the roots rose around him, forming four walls. A mysterious fruit sprouted from them—small, like beautiful strawberries on a bush—glowing brightly in the colors of nature, a soft green that embraced the scene with immense magical power.
The dark elf opened his eyes. His face showed nothing but serenity.
"Azel, Marco, and Mitsuki... The three of you will have to deal with it. I will protect you."
Azel, who felt like he might pass out at any moment, was wrapped in a faint green glow. His wounds closed instantly, as if time had been reversed. At the same time, that "aura" covered Marco and Mitsuki as well.
’This is... the same "glow" from when I fought the statues...’
"Children..." said the elf.
His voice remained mysterious, as if it didn’t belong to Monar anymore. Even the way he looked at the dragon was nothing but pure serenity.
"A young elf... asking a god for help... Hahaha!" the dragon laughed. Its broken laughter echoed alongside the sound of Monar’s magic clashing against its claws. "I’ve never seen anything like this. You have my respect."
Monar ignored it.
"You who are the future of this world must not die to a creature that has already lost its place in our plane of existence. That is why I offer you all my strength, my magic, and my heart. Fight and live, for spilled blood means nothing when it is not directed toward the heavens..."
A powerful current of wind surged from Monar, enveloping the battlefield in a cold, ghostly breeze.
’A god...? Monar can do something like this?’
There were no words to explain it, but there was undeniably a strange presence in the surroundings—as if someone else was watching over them, protecting them from the shadows.
Suddenly, Mitsuki felt filled with strength and conviction, as if that faint magical mantle had calmed every doubt in his heart. He gripped the shotgun tightly, and with all the thoughts that had been pushing him forward, he could no longer hesitate.
The same went for Marco. After striking the dragon and forcing it back once more, he shifted into a different stance. He raised his sword high, his gaze sharpening on the dragon.
With a sigh, as he pulled back the bowstring, Azel looked at Monar with concern and guilt. Unfortunately, there was no time for regret.
"I can play the same game, humans," the dragon declared, spreading its regenerated wings.
In the blink of an eye, its body began to release a massive amount of ash, spreading like a deadly cloud across the town. Houses trembled, walls collapsed, forcing Azel to descend, and debris covered the ground, forming a strange, flat battlefield.
The only structure left intact was the one Monar used as an "altar."
Seeing the landscape, an out-of-place thought crossed Mitsuki’s mind.
’This is like... a final boss arena...’
When the dust settled, the ground revealed an enormous magic circle carved into the stone beneath their feet.