Chapter 163 - Inherited Resolution (5)
The light dragon coiled around Havan’s body. It was acting as an armor and a weapon. Azell attacked as he appeared unpredictably from all sides, yet his attacks were being blocked by the light dragon. Moreover, the light dragon was simultaneously attacking Azell using its tail and the powerful beam of light emitted from its mouth.
‘Is that a Dragon weapon? No, Azell was surprised when he saw it. It might not be a Dragon weapon.’
The light dragon attacked alongside Havan as if they were of one mind. However, Havan was losing. His specialty was using powerful attacks that accentuated his strength. However, Azell was cutting off his attacks before it could gain any steam.
Azell’s clones were too fickle as their numbers increased and decreased at any moment. Havan’s senses were confused, and he couldn’t highlight his advantages. He was continuously being pushed backwards. He suddenly became furious as he yelled out.
“s.h.i.t! What an evil weapon!”
He finally identified the ability of the Moon sword. However, it was too late. Azell smiled.
“You were too slow in realizing it. This is what you get for being a brute, who rely solely on your strength.”
Dragon weapon Moon sword.
It was Azell’s very first Dragon weapon. It was the sword he inherited from his third teacher Liglan.
Liglan’s Dragon weapon was eccentric. Two swords made up a single Dragon weapon. Originally, it was called the Sun and the Moon sword. The Moon sword took control and absorbed the magical energy in the surrounding. The Sun sword amplified the energy several folds before it emitted the magical energy.
When Liglan was trying to save Azell, he had transferred only the Moon sword to Azell.
The two swords had to be used as a pair. However, he had been given only one, so of course, the sword couldn’t be used properly. This was why Azell had gone through several Dragon Slayer’s Ritual to evolve the Moon sword, which had lost its other half. The reconst.i.tuted Moon sword possessed much stronger ability to dominate and absorb magical energy. Its ability couldn’t be compare to its former self.
“S...s.h.i.t!”
Havan was stunned.
If one had some ability to control magical energy, it was possible to seize and absorb magical energy from one’s surrounding. However, how could a Dragon weapon chip away even the magical energy in his body when it hadn’t even touched him?
Moreover, if he was careless in emitting his magical energy, his opponent would absorb it all. In fact, he had consumed several times more magical energy than any battle he had partic.i.p.ated in before. It was an extreme amount.
In the end, Havan decided to use something he had held back as a gambit for victory.
“My sworn brother! Do not hold back your power!”
The light dragon started to burn like a flame.
Until now, Havan’s attack had been interrupted before it could initiate, so he hadn’t been able to use any of his big skills. However, this was his light dragon’s ace in the hole ability. The power immediately boosted his Dragon Demon magic by several folds.
Azell’s eyes shone.
“So you aren’t thinking about the aftermath?”
Azell immediately realized what Havan was doing.
He confirmed it through the fight. The light Dragon was something similar to the Dragon weapons. It was formed through Dragon Demon magic, yet it needed the Dragon Demon magic of the wielder.
Havan consumed the Dragon Demon magic needed to maintain the form of the light Dragon, and he gained a several fold amplification to his power. It was a similar method to the one Azell had used to bring out a power that exceeded his vessel. In this instance, Havan wasn’t doing this within himself. It was all done through the light dragon.
“I’m coming!”
Havan’s movement accelerated. His strength and speed was on a different level!
Azell stabbed to stop his movement, yet Havan disappeared.
Too-ahhhhng!
Havan had exited the range of Azell’s attack before Azell could complete his stab. Before Azell could turn his sword, Havan kicked off the ground, and he came towards Azell. He was traveling at terrifying speed.
“I’ll end you!”
This was something he hadn’t been able to do since the start of the fight. He struck out with a blow that held all the strength in his body. Azell’s stance had been disrupted, so there was no way he could avoid it. Havan was sure of it.
When his sword reach its maximum speed, something unimaginable occurred.
‘My G.o.d!’
Azell accelerated faster than the attack, and he jumped into Havan’s guard. If Azell had gotten in the path of the sword, he would have been cut into two. He had done something completely insane.
However, Azell didn’t hesitate as he went past Havan. The exchange was brief, but Azell had b.u.mped Havan by a minute amount as he went past. However, Havan’s balance had completely crumbled under it.
“Koo-ahk!”
Havan followed through on his sword strike. He spun superbly through the air before he was planted into the ground. The beautiful trees in the surrounding broke like matchsticks, and a loud sound rang out.
Azell turned to look at him as he asked the question.
“You want to continue this?”
After a moment, an answer could be heard.
“…s.h.i.t! I lost!”
Havan fumed as he got up.
It was a complete loss. He had attacked with the intent to kill, yet Azell had fought, while trying to spare his life. It showed the gulf between their skill level. He had no choice, but to accept this fact.
The blonde haired Dragon Majin woman walked towards him as she spoke.
“You are an idiot. You charged like a boar without realizing who your opponent is. You got what you deserved.”
“Hmmph. Do you think I’m petty enough to take advice after I’ve already started my one on one fight?”
Havan jumped off the floor. If he had been a normal person, his body would have been broken into pieces by the impact. However, not a single bone was broken.
The Dragon Majin female ma.s.saged her forehead.
“Why the h.e.l.l did I fall for such a man?”
“I’m sorry for intruding on a conversation between a married couple, but…..”
At that moment, Azell let out a bitter laugh as he b.u.t.ted into the conversation.
“Could you facilitate my meeting with Albatan?”
“You’ve pa.s.sed the test given by our side, so we will do so. However, did you really need to go through all of this ha.s.sle? You are the hero Azell, who defeated the Dragon Demon king Atein.”
“You know who I am?”
“As expected, you are him. It is hard to believe, but you are the real deal.”
“…so you guessed it.”
At her reaction, Azell let out a bitter laugh. She put on a bright smile.
“I’ve heard a lot about you. My name is Mirnel.”
“I see. It has been such a long time, since I’ve been here. I didn’t think anyone at the edge of the forest would know me. I a.s.sumed my ident.i.ty could only be proven to Albatan. Moreover, everyone just kept picking a fight with me….”
“Most of us don’t look kindly towards outsiders. Anyways, you are correct. The outer regions are under the stewardship of Hanerosa-nim and Libetan-nim. You probably do not know them…...”
“I don’t know, who those two are.”
“Libetan-nim was also present in the forest when you visited the forest in the past.”
“Yet I do not know him?”
Azell tilted his in confusion. When he came here to meet Albatan in the past, he had made a ruckus that disturbed entire forest. Anyone that was worth their salt in the forest had come to fight him for two months. That was why he had met everyone that held influence within the forest.
Minerel had on a bright smile as she spoke.
“Libetan-nim is a Dragon, who acquired wisdom about 100 years ago.”
Azell was shocked at her words.
“There are other Dragons that acquired wisdom aside from Albatan?”
It was something that could happen at any moment. He knew it was a possibility, but he couldn’t hide his shock when he found out that it actually had happened.
It was at that moment...
“Uh? The one to gain wisdom was Libetan? It wasn’t Lacunda?”
At his words, everyone’s gaze headed towards Yuren. Minerel and Havan looked at him with wary eyes. Minerel queried him.
“How do you know the name of Lecunda? How did you know Lecunda was a Dragon that was at the cusp of gaining wisdom?”
“Ah, that is…. There is someone that informs me of such things?”
Yuren let out an awkward laugh as he spoke. It was information that was given to him in his dream last night by the Guide. This was why he had unconsciously responded to their words. However, the reaction shown by Minerel and Havan was very severe. Minerel let out an overpowering energy. It was suffocating.
“Are you playing with me?”
“Wait a moment..”
Azell stopped her.
“He’s one of my companions, and he really does possess such an ability.”
“You really want me to believe that?”
“It can’t be helped if you don’t believe me….. Well, it’s just how it is. This guy receives weird information from his dreams.”
Azell shrugged his shoulders as he spoke.
“Anyways, please present us to Albatan.”
“Mmm…….”
Minerel glared at Azell with suspicion, but in the end, she let out a sight.
“I’ll do so.”
10
It was as if Azell’s party hadn’t fought them for the past four days. There was no resistance as they headed straight towards the heart of the forest.
Minerel asked him a question.
“What are those things that are hiding in our surrounding?”
When the two of them had approached Azell’s party, the Guardian Shadows had hidden themselves completely. They had no idea about the existence of the Guardian Shadows. However, they were now able to see glimpses of the Guardian Shadows from between the trees, and they were becoming worried.
Azell answered her.
“They call themselves the Guardian Shadows. If no one attacks me, they won’t become hostile.”
“What if they worry me?”
“It can’t be helped. Did Albatan give you the power to expel me depending on your judgment?”
At his words, Minerel put on a coy expression. Havan scratched his head.
“Albatan-nim and the other elders probably knew all about this, yet they sent us as envoys. I have no idea why.”
“I think you are right. They are cantankerous old men.”
Minerel agreed with Havan’s words. The elders had been snickering as they sent the two of them as envoys. It seemed they some ulterior motive in doing so. Was this the reason why?
Azell let out a bitter laugh.
“I believe you are right. Albatan is highly proficient in magic, so there is no way our presence wasn’t known to him.”
If it wasn’t Albatan, the act of checking up on Azell through the Magic Eye wasn’t even work. However, there had been so many observation type magic on their party, since they entered the forest. He had no idea which one was being used by Albatan…..
Suddenly, Minerel asked a question.
“So why do you want to meet him?”
“Some unknown being arranged it?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“It’ll be a bit difficult to explain all of this to you… I also have to get the full story from Albatan….”
Azell let out a bitter laugh.
When he decided to come here, there hadn’t been some crucial reason behind his decision. He just wanted to meet someone from the past that knew him, and he had wanted to hear what had happened.
However, as he followed the instructions of Yuren’s guide, it became crucial for him to come to this place. The problem remained that he had no idea why he had to come here until he met Albatan.
“However…..”
Suddenly, Kairen turned to look at Havan as he asked a question.
“When you were fighting Azell, you used something called the Dragon Soul. What is it?”
“You want us to talk about our secret technique to outsiders?”
“Ah. Now that I think about it, I’m being rude. I’m sorry.”
Recently, Azell didn’t hold back in supplying Kairen with information. Leticia also didn’t hesitate in exchanging techniques, and he had gotten used to it. He had forgotten the mindset of most traditional martial artists regarding sharing information. Kairen acknowledged his fault as he gave an apology.
Havan smirked.
“It seems you do have some manners. I cannot speak about such things without the consent of the elders. Please do not speak any further about that subject.”
“I’ll be careful.”
Havan spoke in a threatening manner, but Kairen knew he was the one at fault. This was why he didn’t take any offense as he accepted Havan’s words.
Suddenly, Minerel stopped in front of a spring with a large boulder in the middle of it.
“I’ve called someone that’ll heal you guys. Your wounded members will slow us down, and it would take us several days to reach our destination at this pace.”
“Do you have someone that can heal us? Do you have a healer?”
Azell asked in puzzlement. This was obvious, but there hadn’t been one 220 years ago. At the time, only the priests from the temples could use the healing art, and there hadn’t been any priests here.
Mirnel shook her head.
“No. Unfortunately, we do not have any hearlers here. However, there is someone with the ability to heal.”
“Is it an ability of a Dragon weapon?”
Several heroes acknowledged by Albatan carried Dragon weapons. However, 220 years had pa.s.sed, and there were probably beings like Havan, who used this mysterious technique called Dragon Soul instead of a Dragon weapon…..
‘The woman called Minerel seems to use a similar technique as him…..’
From her outer appearance, Minerel looked to be of the same age as Kairen. By that age, she probably could have made her own Dragon weapon if she had diligently studied the Dragon Arts from a young age.
However, Azell decided she was a user of the Dragon Soul. The energy emanating from her body felt similar to Havan.
Soon, he could feel someone approaching them from the opposite side. Azell instantly could tell this being was a Dragon Demon, and he felt something strange.
‘Is it someone I know?’
The feel of this Dragon Demon magic wasn’t unfamiliar.
‘It is to be expected. I’m sure a lot of beings from the time I visited here survived...’
Azell was having such thought when he caught sight of a figure. He became puzzled before he became surprised. It was as if he had seen a ghost.
The middle aged Dragon Demon male was refined. He had neatly trimmed black hair, and he possessed a stylish long beard. His eyes were red, and two black obsidian-like horns curved towards the sky. There was a red Dragon stone on the back of his hand. It was the same color as his eyes.
“How can you…...”
The Dragon Demon male looked puzzled as he looked at Azell. Azell’s eyes widened when he recognized the Dragon Demon in front of him..
“Are you perhaps….. Aren’t you the Simpleton Prince?”
At his words, the Dragon Demon let out a bitter laugh. The laughter held surprise, but he didn’t sound too happy. He spoke with a voice that revealed that he was feeling complex emotions at that moment.
“It has been a long time since I’ve heard that insulting nickname.”
He was Dragon Demon Atein’s son, and the father of Niberis. It was Saibein.