There Is No World For ■■

Chapter 61: Revenge Is Reserved For The Ones Who Seek It... (5)

* * *As the starlight brushed past its wings, the Dragon shut its eyes tight.Was it due to the fear of crashing to the ground? No, that wasn't it. Then, was it due to the pain from the wounds? That wasn't it either.It was because of the shame. Yes, the sensation of plummeting to the ground brought back memories that Orsay Taboul never wanted to recollect.Decades ago, it had dauntlessly charged into the Soviet air defense system, carrying a noble king on its back.All because of its childish desire to recreate the ancient legend of a hero defeating the Demon King to restore peace.It was a childish thought, but the noble king accompanied the dragon as it crossed the Kaesong Dimensional Portal.As they flew across the skies of underdeveloped Korea, the Dragon was assured of their victory as they headed towards Moscow.The anti-aircraft guns were unable to pierce its scales, and the fighter jets called MIG¹ were mere scraps of metal in the face of its breath.Just as the ancient hero had done, it was confident that it could burn down the Demon King's castle, the Earthians called the Kremlin², and defeat the Demon King named Stalin.However, it didn't take long for it to realize that those thoughts were nothing but arrogant.The air defense system of the Soviets was qualitatively different from those of China and Korea.For one of the superpowers dividing the Earth, a single dragon was nothing more than a moving target to test their latest weapons and new air defense systems. Nothing more, nothing less.Fighter jets flying at supersonic speeds and anti-aircraft missiles filled the sky.The Dragon tried its best to resist, but that was all it could do.Even the mighty dragon's magic and the king's magic tool were unable to block the relentless barrage.And even before they could see the skies of Moscow, Orsay Taboul and the king were struck by a missile.The horrifying shrapnel warhead shattered the protective shield, and the explosive flames ripped its right wing apart.And just like that, the Dragon, who had lost a wing, and the noble king...Fell.BOOM!!As its massive body crashed, the entire valley trembled.Pain shot up the Dragon's spine as it collided with the ash-covered ground, but it ignored the pain and protected its nape.[No! I can't let that happen again!!]The place where the king would have been seated.The king it was supposed to protect had long been buried in the grave, yet its mind was still trapped in the distant past.The Dragon unleashed its magic in a fit of rage.It erected a wall of fire, reinforced with a protective shield at its foot, to keep the fighter jets and missiles at bay. This was a countermeasure it had rehearsed hundreds of times in its mind.It was the best means for blocking missiles, but the enemy wasn't neither the Soviet military nor the fighter jets. It was a Superhuman who could pass through the wall of fire with just his bare body.Tap.The one who had severed the Dragon's wing leaped off the cliff and landed on the protective shield.The Dragon sensed the footsteps, filled with mana and blessings, dashing across the shield. He was targeting its head and neck.Thinking of the Sword Aura that had severed his wing, the Dragon immediately dispelled the shield and rose. As soon as its massive body moved, the entire valley trembled.Yeomyeong’s figure was reflected in the Dragon's vertically slit pupils as he landed on the ground. Immediately after, heat began to gather in the corners of the Dragon's mouth.KW AAAAHHHH!!The Dragon’s Breath it shot out was weaker than before, but much faster. The red flames surged like waves, engulfing the valley.And the next moment, Yeomyeong swung his arms simultaneously.Two blades flashed simultaneously, and blue swordlight shot straight at the breath, colliding with it.Boom—!An intense shockwave erupted, causing the air to scream. The Dragon's narrowed eyes glared at Yeomyeong, who was bracing himself against the shockwave.Both the divine blessing enveloping him, and the Sword Aura, felt otherworldly, as if it did not belong to this Earth.Although it was hard to believe, all the evidence before it pointed to one thing.[The gods... have rejected my desire for vengeance. And at the hands of an Earthian, no less.]Yeomyeong neither confirmed nor denied its assumption. He simply stood still, watching the Dragon as it steadied its posture.[You insignificant pest, thief, and Earthian blessed by the gods.]Mana began to swirl in front of the Dragon. Dozens of spells wove together filled the burning valley.[Do you also deny my desire for vengeance?]It wasn’t seeking an answer. It obviously was one of those questions asked for the purpose of self-justification.However, Yeomyeong's response was enough to startle the Dragon."No, in my opinion... your revenge is justified."[...What?]Yeomyeong raised his sword. Unlike the Comet Sword, which was an Arcane Relic, the mercenary group’s standard-issue iron sword was so worn that it wouldn’t be surprising if it broke at any moment.Being able to use the Comet Sword with both hands meant… that he probably had just two more chances.As Yeomyeong made a rough estimate of his remaining chances, the Dragon asked.[Then why are you stopping me?]"Because the target of your revenge is wrong."[...]"If you had flown to Moscow instead, I would've just just sat back and watched. If you had gone on a rampage, trying to kill the surviving Soviets, I might've even cheered you on."Behind the Dragon's head, Yeomyeong saw Mara flying in with a strange expression on their face. The plan was still on track. So far, at least.Yeomyeong gathered his mana and made one last attempt to draw the Dragon's attention."But venting out on innocent people... that is something I can't agree with. That's all there is to it.”[...Is that so, that's all?]The conversation didn't continue beyond that. The Dragon swung its hand, unleashing the magic it prepared.Just as all kinds of flames were about to engulf Yeomyung.Mara, the Saintess, and the mercenaries all targeted the Dragon's back simultaneously.

* * *Whoosh!!

Flames brushed past his back. Although he narrowly dodged them, he couldn't escape the searing pain of burning flesh.Swallowing the scream that was rising up his throat, Yeomyeong kept running.He was the only one present who could pierce the Dragon's scales and bring it down.He swallowed the pain as he inhaled and unleashed his mana as he exhaled. He closed the distance between him and the Dragon, across the burning valley, in an instant.Oooooohhhh—As if it were waiting, the Dragon opened its mouth wide, preparing to unleash the Dragon’s Breath on Yeomyung. Or rather, it tried to.At that very moment, Mara descended from the sky and struck the Dragon's snout."Just die already!"The momentum behind their punch forced the Dragon’s mouth shut and incomplete breath leaked from between the Dragon's teeth.However, it didn’t stop there. Mara continued to pummel the Dragon's head relentlessly. Even in Yeomyeong's eyes, the series of martial arts moves they displayed were extraordinary, overwhelming the Dragon’s senses.But the Dragon wasn't just taking the hits. As it staggered, it unleashed a weakened Dragon’s Breath, just like before.KWAAAAAAHHH!Mara unfortunately lost their balance due to the sudden burst of flames— just as they were striking the Dragon's snout.Without missing a beat, the Dragon's thick tail swatted Mara away like a fly."Kugh!"They were sent flying across the valley. And judging by the mana, they probably weren’t dead, but it didn’t seem like they would be returning to the fight anytime.Seemingly aware of this, the Dragon didn’t even bother to check on Mara, instead turning its attention back to Yeomyung.Filled with the determination not to let Yeomyung get close enough to strike with his Sword Aura, the Dragon once again began to gather its breath.The Dragon’s gaping jaw came into view, but Yeomyeong didn’t stop his advance.After all, there were others ready to help this time as well.Bang!A blessed, glowing bullet struck the Dragon's open mouth. Ignoring it, the Dragon continued to gather its breath, but it was unable to ignore what came next.Rat-ta-tat-a-tat!Though not as powerful as the Saintess', blessed, glowing bullets rained down on the Dragon’s head.As the bullets aimed for its eyes, the Dragon had no choice but to react. It turned to the direction the bullets were coming from.Captain Kwon and the Sonjuk Mercenary Group were unleashing their blessed rifles from the opposite cliff."Shoot! Aim for the eyes! Stop that breath attack!"Vice Captain Kim Mansoo shouted as he hurled his hatchet. The blessed, shimmering hatchet flew straight in a straight line, piercing the Dragon’s scales before lodging itself into its snout.KWA ARRRGHHH!Unable to endure it any longer, the Dragon withdrew its breath.The flames meant for Yeomyeong were now aimed at the mercenaries instead, but Captain Kwon emitted flames from his hands and blocked the magic.In the meantime, Yeomyeong managed to get close enough to the Dragon to use the Sword Aura. Taking note of this, the Dragon took a deep breath, preparing to exhale.The moment their eyes met, a burst of light erupted from Yeomyeong’s sword.The Dragon's right leg split open, spraying blood everywhere. Then, its scales that glittered like red rubies began to fall to the ground with a rustling sound.Although the wound he inflicted was enough to even make a massive dragon feel pain, it wasn't fatal. It only brought the Dragon down to one knee.[If you wish to kill a dragon with a sword, you should have brought the holy sword instead!!]Converting its pain into fury, the Dragon swiped its foreleg at Yeomyung. Using the Feather Step, Yeomyeong dodged the dragon's attack nimbly while preparing for his next Comet Sword strike.Perhaps this would be his last.Thud, thud, thud!Not content with just using its foreleg, the Dragon also swung its tail and flapped its still-functional left wing.Unlike Kahal Magdu, which was only left with its skeletal remains, this attack relied on the dragon’s sheer mass as a weapon.The ground trembled. And with every move of the Dragon's massive body, gusts of wind whipped around, and the air, heated by the forest fire, scorched Yeomyeong's lungs relentlessly.Not yet, it's not time yet.Yeomyeong continued dodging the Dragon's attacks, desperately waiting for the perfect moment.His blood, amplified by the Blood Flow Acceleration, surged with mana, stimulating his brain, and the overflowing adrenaline kept his mind sharp.Soon, the accelerated thoughts and cold logic converged into a single sword path....Huff.Yeomyeong took a short breath. And the next moment, he poured all the mana he had been saving into his sword without reservation.Flash!Starlight burst forth from the sword. It was the very same Comet Sword that had made Freya Cahn a hero in Australia.It was a strike with his whole heart and soul in it, but even in the face of the Sword Aura, the Dragon remained confident of its victory.The reason was simple. That Sword Aura wouldn’t be able to kill it.The Comet Sword's Sword Aura slashed through the Dragon's left leg instead of its chest or neck.The massive body lost its balance and toppled, but even this was not a fatal blow.If Yeomyung could manage one more sword strike, perhaps the outcome would be different, but...[How unfortunate! You wasted your last opportunity in this manner!]Unable to withstand the Sword Aura it had unleashed, Yeomyeong’s iron sword shattered.He still had the blue dagger left, but would a single dagger be able to replicate the power of the Sword Aura from before?[Victory is mine, human.]Pressing its massive body against the ground, the red dragon, Orsay Taboul, declared its victory. Though its wings were severed, and it could no longer walk on two legs, its opponent had exhausted all options and still failed to bring it down.Unless someone brought in a missile, it was impossible to penetrate the Dragon’s scales…[You don’t know how to give up, I see.]Discarding the broken sword, Yeomyeong started running towards Orsay Taboul. The Dragon paid its respects to his unyielding determination to the very end.Which meant that it unleashed all its magic on Yeomyung.Whoosh!!Flames engulfed his body. A fireball tore off his arm, and a spear of flames pierced his side.Yet, Yeomyeong did not stop. He unceasingly regenerated his wounds as he drew closer to the Dragon.Could it be that he was planning to unleash a half-powered Sword Aura at close range? It was a desperate, almost pitiable struggle.[What a meaningless effort.]A massive amount of heat gathered at the Dragon’s mouth—a Dragon’s Breath attack, befitting its final tribute to its last opponent.Just as the Dragon’s jaws began to open.Something bright shot towards Yeomyung from the cliff above."Yeomyung! Catch!"The Remington MH750— a rifle Jang Man had prepared for Yeomyeong, glowing as if blessed by God."Finish it!"The Saintess' shout echoed throughout the valley as Yeomyeong grabbed hold of the rifle.Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger.Blam!Just before the Dragon could unleash its breath attack, the shotgun blast struck the inside of its mouth.It wasn’t just some ordinary iron buckshot. The bullets were specially treated with magic and imbued with various blessings, making them custom-made ammunition.[Graaaah!!]The Dragon's inner mouth tore apart, and unable to endure the pain, it turned its head away. The breath attack dispersed into the air in vain.Yeomyeong leaped onto the Dragon's snout as it faltered.The Dragon desperately tried to shake Yeomyung off, shaking its head and flailing about.However, Yeomyeong was a little quicker. His shotgun roared once more.Blam! Blam!With the final blaze of the buckshot, the Dragon’s vision faded to black.The valley echoed with the screams of the Dragon, having lost its wings, legs, and now its sight.

1. Soviet Union fighter jet manufactured by Mikoyan-Gurevich.2. The Moscow Kremlin, or simply the Kremlin, is a fortified complex in Moscow, Russia. Located in the centre of the country's capital city, it is the best known of the kremlins and includes five palaces, four cathedrals, and the enclosing Kremlin Wall along with the Kremlin towers.