Chapter 139
The Celestial Dragon’s breath looms right in front of me.
The sheer density of that incredible magical power sends chills down my spine.
Could it possibly contain ten times the magical power of my own breath?
Haha… am I about to die?
Even though it’s coming at an incredible speed, it feels like everything is moving in slow motion.
Every memory from my life flashes before my eyes.
This… this must be that thing people talk about… seeing your life flash by when you’re in danger.
Only three years… such a short dragon life…
But just as that thought crosses my mind, Jibru steps in front of me.
「Heh.」
She takes a deep breath and exhales mightily.
ZUPAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNN!!!
A roar, a gale, a shockwave, a whirl of magical power.
The Celestial Dragon’s breath that was threatening me just moments ago is completely obliterated.
…Wait, what?
「Just a sigh is enough.」
Jibru nods in affirmation.
The Celestial Dragon clicks his tongue in annoyance.
「Tch, you’re still as monstrous as ever, Jibru…」
「Could you not phrase it that way? What if my dear Earth misunderstands and thinks I’m a real monster?」
「It’s the truth though, isn’t it?」
Jibru puffs up, looking as if the phrase “how dare you” was made for her.
『―――Wait, WHAAAAAT?!?』
Hold up!
Wait a minute?!
WAAAITTTT!!!
「What’s the matter, Earth? Why the sudden scream?」
『I mean, what just happened?!』
「I simply neutralized the breath with my sigh. You can do that, right?」
No, I can’t!!!
Why are you saying it as if it’s the most natural thing in the world?
A mere sigh against a dragon’s breath?!
The Celestial Dragon throws a dubious glance my way.
「Jibru, is that annoying earth dragon your offspring?」
「Yes, that’s Earth. Cute, isn’t he?」
「He has that audacious look that’s so like you. Just make sure you don’t get him killed in the crossfire.」
As he says this, thousands of icicles form around the Celestial Dragon.
「―――”Thousand Ice Pillars”」
I’ve seen this magic before.
It’s a favorite ice spell of Elibel’s.
But the scale is totally different.
Elibel’s icicles are about a foot long each. The Celestial Dragon’s are close to thirty feet.
And there are many more of them.
The Celestial Dragon smirks.
「Think you can dodge this, Jibru?」
With staggering force, the icicles are launched.
A single hit and it would undoubtedly be a fatal wound for me.
But,
「There’s no need to dodge.」
With a simple flick of her finger, Jibru turns all the icicles to dust.
The remnants of the ice glint mysteriously in the air.
「Wow, if these were frozen treats, the scene would be rather appetizing, wouldn’t it?」
I’m speechless.
…She obliterated a thousand icicles… with a single finger.
In stark contrast to my shock, the calm Celestial Dragon prepares another spell.
「―――”Triple Water Serpent”」
Three undulating water dragons emerge, crisscrossing the floor and approaching Jibru.
The intensity of their magical power suggests a spell of the Pope-class.
Even so…
「What’s this supposed to be?」
Jibru spins swiftly on the spot.
With just that motion, the three water dragons vanish the moment they get close to Jibru.
What the hell just happened?
Maybe it’s because Jibru’s figure is too small, but even though the incoming magic looks enormous in comparison, Jibru seems to brush away the Celestial Dragon’s magic as if she’s just wiping off some dust.
No… that’s not it. It’s more than just brushing it away…
「Yamu, it’s pointless to test the waters with me. All the attacks you’ve thrown at me are ones I’ve ‘remembered.’ You understand that such attacks can’t harm me. Just ‘awaken’ already.」
「Hmph, you’re right. I’ve wasted enough time.」
With that, the Celestial Dragon’s magical power swells explosively.
The barrier… it’s trembling?
What the hell is this?
I… I can’t breathe…
「It’s convenient you set up that barrier. When I take this form, it affects the continent to some extent.」
This magical power feels like it’s slicing into my skin.
What is this?
This is bad… I can’t look directly at the Celestial Dragon.
It’s like my instincts refuse to see it.
My consciousness gets blurry.
It’s suffocating.
「Are you alright? My dear Earth.」
Jibru says, touching me.
A faint light radiates from my body.
Wait…
I can breathe again.
「You were influenced by Yamu’s unleashed magical power. I drained some of my strength to create a barrier around you. You should be fine now.」
Barrier?
I can feel a magical membrane covering me, but…
Is this really ‘magic’?
It feels different…
「Finally, Yamu seems to be getting serious. Earth, watch from there.」
Suddenly, Jibru’s magical power surges many times over.
At the same time, her body grows slightly bigger—from about ten centimeters to nearly a meter in length.
「With this barrier in place, you should be able to look directly at him. That’s the true form of the Celestial Dragon after awakening as a ‘Dragon King species.’」
I look at the Celestial Dragon as Jibru points out.
His four wings are even larger now, a pure white.
His snake-like body changes to a hue clearer than any blue I’ve ever seen, resembling pure water.
Furthermore, a golden aura-like energy overflows from him.
「…Amazing.」
The sight of the Celestial Dragon is truly divine.
The Holy Dragon Harsha Lude I saw before had a scorching deep red color.
The Celestial Dragon is the opposite.
Its breathtaking clear blue color is entrancing, leaving me spellbound.
「―――”Heaven Claw”」
The Celestial Dragon swings his arm, and a massive blade of light appears.
It’s so intense; it’s like there’s a crack in space itself.
「Hmm… That attack is ‘unfamiliar’ to me.」
Jibru launches forward, kicking off the ground.
「Dear Earth, watch. This is the power of the Earth Dragon— ‘Gluttony.’ This is its essence.」
The moment Jibru and the light blade collide, Jibru holds up her hand.
The next instant, the light blade shatters.
When the fragments of the blade hit the barrier, there’s an impact so strong it feels like space itself is trembling.
Was that… “Gluttony”?
It looked like she just deflected the Celestial Dragon’s attack…
「Tch, even this attack is ‘resistible’? You monster…」
The Celestial Dragon spits out in frustration.
Resistible?
What does that mean?
No, that’s not it… what’s this feeling?
Despite the results looking the same as before, something feels off.
Jibru looks in my direction.
「Impressive, Earth. Just sensing that odd feeling is commendable. Gold star!」
Jibru grins.
Chills run down my spine.
This dragon’s smile… is terrifying.
「―――’Heavenly Demon Moonlight,’ ‘Heaven Slash,’ ‘Heavenly Ice Burial,’ ‘Tidal Cataclysm.’」
Water transforms into spears, light turns into slashing blades, massive chunks of ice, and great volumes of water.
One after the other, attacks from the Celestial Dragon are unleashed.
Each one, lethal in its intent.
Yet, Jibru doesn’t evade any of them.
「Typical of you, Yamu. Your ‘hand’ never seems to run out. Every attack is something I’ve never seen before. But―――」
As soon as the Celestial Dragon’s attacks connect, they begin to vanish one by one.
In contrast, Jibru’s size seems to grow proportionally.
「All of it―――meaningless.」
What’s happening?
No, something’s even weirder.
Jibru doesn’t even brace herself against the relentless onslaught from the Celestial Dragon.
It’s as if the attacks don’t affect her, as if they have no meaning at all.
「My dear Earth, do you know about the “contradiction” that the Dragon King species hold?」
『Wha?』
While dealing with countless attacks, Jibru addresses me.
She’s now almost half my size.
「Once, a species called the Earth Dragon was hunted relentlessly due to the value of their materials, reducing their numbers.」
I know that.
It was mentioned in Elibel’s ruins.
It’s the reason I considered creating a dungeon.
「So why do you think the strongest of dragon species, the Earth Dragon, was hunted by mere fragile humans?」
『Huh…?』
I’m thrown off by this unexpected question.
Isn’t it just because humans were strong?
If there were many like Wald…
Wait, that’s not the point!
The Celestial Dragon’s attack is coming close!
「The reason is simple. They were of the Dragon King species, but they weren’t the true Dragon King species.」
『Eh?』
Dragon King species but not Dragon King species?
What does that mean?
Unfazed, Jibru takes the full brunt of the Celestial Dragon’s attack.
Smoke billows from the impact.
From within, an unscathed Jibru emerges, calm and composed.
「To be more precise, the four types of Dragon King species are races that have the “potential to awaken as the Dragon King species”… perhaps that’s the best way to describe them.」
The potential to awaken as the Dragon King species…?
「You sure are composed, Jibru!」
The Celestial Dragon’s attacks intensify.
Distortions begin to appear in the surrounding space.
The protective barrier seems to be screaming, overwhelmed by the immense power of the Celestial Dragon.
Such a dense magical power.
Without a doubt, it’s one of the most potent I’ve ever seen among all monsters.
「Only four beings, to my knowledge, can truly be called the Dragon King species. In my opinion, only these four, not the four species, should be allowed to claim the title of Dragon King species. That’s where the confusion arose. These four beings, far superior to all others, led their species, and thus their species came to be known as the Dragon King species.」
Jibru faces forward, deflecting the Celestial Dragon’s attack.
She’s now about my size.
With each attack she absorbs, Jibru’s figure, her magical power, grows.
「It’s only me, Yamu standing before you, the head of the Holy Land Harsha Lude, and Ouronus. Only these four have awakened as the “true Dragon King species.”」
The Celestial Dragon releases a breath attack.
An attack likely dozens of times stronger than before.
「Hmph.」
Jibru catches it effortlessly with one hand—and crushes it just as easily.
「This applies to all species. The Celestial Dragon, the Holy Dragon, and even the Earth Dragon. They are of the Dragon King species, but they aren’t truly the Dragon King species. That is the inherent contradiction of the Dragon King species.」
Jibru speaks as if narrating a story.
「GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!」
The Celestial Dragon roars, charging towards Jibru.
Perhaps he believes that long-ranged magic doesn’t work, or maybe…
「And that’s why there are no rivals to those who have truly awakened as the Dragon King species. Because of that overwhelming power.」
The Celestial Dragon swings his tail hard, trying to strike Jibru.
Jibru effortlessly deflects it with one hand.
That counter-force sends the Celestial Dragon flying tens of meters, crashing into a wall.
「No… to be precise, only the same Dragon King species can be an enemy of an awakened Dragon King species.」
With just an exhale, a force many times more powerful than the blast the Celestial Dragon had sent out before is unleashed, tearing the dragon to shreds.
「And among them, the power of an awakened Earth Dragon stands unmatched. The ‘Gluttony’ we possess―――it’s both the mightiest shield and spear.」
Yet, even in his tattered state, the Celestial Dragon releases another attack.
「An awakened Earth Dragon doesn’t devour with its mouth, but its whole body becomes the subject of its gluttony. The moment it touches something, the Gluttony is activated. Hence, no attack holds any meaning before the Earth Dragon. The moment it’s touched, a resistance is born.」
Jibru parries the Celestial Dragon’s attack and instantly closes in on him, lunging.
「―――!?」
The Celestial Dragon quickly erects a magical barrier, trying to protect himself.
However,
「In front of an Earth Dragon’s gluttony, all defenses are meaningless. It can analyze any spell the moment it touches it.」
Like candy art, the Celestial Dragon’s barrier shatters, and Jibru’s claws tear into his flesh.
「GUHAAAA!!」
The Celestial Dragon screams in agony.
He quickly sets up another magical formation, attacking Jibru and using the distraction to gain some distance.
At first, it seems futile with the wounds he has sustained.
Yet, from the gashes Jibru inflicted, water pours out, and in a blink, the dragon regenerates.
「The Celestial Dragons are a race known for their exceptional self-regeneration. Even if torn apart, they can regenerate with water. A true Dragon King, even if only a drop of its body remains, can restore its entire body within seconds.」
In an instant, Jibru closes the distance and hit the Celestial Dragon.
「That’s why it’s just perfect. Since he won’t die easily, there isn’t a more convenient training dummy.」
No matter what the Celestial Dragon tries — retaliation, offense, barriers — it’s as if everything is futile against Jibru’s onslaught.
『…This is just absurd…』
I find myself muttering.
Because this… it’s just too overpowering.
The Earth Dragon’s “Gluttony.”
Its overwhelming resistance.
Its overwhelming analysis ability.
Every attack is pointless.
Every defense is pointless.
「There’s no need to exert force.」
Because when she lands a hit, it’s lethal.
「There’s no need to guard.」
Because the moment an attack touches her skin, it’s neutralized.
「Simply exist, and crush the enemy. That is the true ‘Power’ of the Earth Dragon, the true Dragon King.」
I can only stand, staring blankly at the scene.
The Celestial Dragon, the one who single-handedly overwhelmed our dungeon, is now being torn apart like a rag in Jibru’s hands.
「GRA…Gahh…」
The Celestial Dragon writhes in pain.
Its healing can’t keep up.
Even with its extraordinary regenerative abilities, in front of Jibru’s power, it’s seemingly insignificant.
Because even that regeneration is analyzed by the gluttony, turning every counter into an effective attack.
Jibru keeps hitting.
Punch, punch, punch
To simply and single-mindedly hit.
Slash, slash, slash.
The being that was once the mighty Celestial Dragon is now just a mound of flesh.
「Even if it’s a Dragon King of the same class.」
The Celestial Dragon’s body is torn apart by those claws.
「Even if it’s a creature that devours the stellar vein.」
Jibru releases a breath attack.
The Celestial Dragon is blown to bits.
「Whether they’re the ‘Emperor Beasts’ or the ‘Dream Mists’ of the same divinity.」
Blood splatters in the air.
「They all end up as pathetic prey.」
The heavily damaged Celestial Dragon can’t move a muscle now.
「This is the pinnacle――――the true power of the Earth Dragon species, known as the Divine Catastrophe.」
Jibru looks down at the Celestial Dragon, so severely wounded that describing it as a mere lump of flesh would be an understatement.
「Thank you, Yamu. Because of you, I was able to show Earth how to use our power.」
「…….Ha」
Hearing this, the dragon called Yamu gives a sarcastic laugh.
He seems to be still alive.
It’s impressive that he’s not dead, despite such injuries—truly befitting of the Dragon King species.
「…You never change, do you…? Haa… Haa… A hundred years, a thousand years, you’re always the same… No, maybe it’s because you never change that you’re so powerful… Honestly, you’re way more twisted than I am…」
Breathing heavily, Yamu continues.
「To you, even someone like me is treated like an inferior species… No, you probably don’t even think that… To you, there’s no difference between dragons, ants, or pebbles, is there?」
「I don’t particularly care about such thing.」
Jibru says, sounding completely disinterested.
For a split second, a sad glint seems to pass through Yamu’s eyes.
「Ha… You’re as unchanging as ever… That’s why the old man Gwyve, that idiot Ouro… even Mýrus left your side…」
「………」
Yamu’s words sound almost like a bitter spit.
For a brief moment, it looked like Jibru was taken aback.
Wait, did he just mention Gwyve?
Was there some old incident?
「….That might be the case. But that’s in the past.」
Saying so, Jibru raises her arm, filled with explosive magical power.
「Now, let’s end this. Even if you didn’t know better, you’ve dirtied Earth’s precious dungeon. Pay with your life.」
The Celestial Dragon doesn’t attempt to dodge.
No, perhaps he can’t move anymore.
Just as Jibru’s hand is about to strike, something happens.
「No, stop!」
A scream echoes, followed by the sound of something breaking.
Someone breaks into the barrier.
This intruder places himselves between the Celestial Dragon and Jibru.
It’s a small blonde boy, around five or six years old, bearing a resemblance to Yamu’s human form.
「Wha…」
「Hmm?」
Yamu’s eyes widen in surprise.
Jibru halts her hand mid-air.
「No… Don’t!」
The blond boy stands trembling, yet with his arms spread wide as if shielding the dragon.
「Don’t bully Papa!」
Still shaking, the blonde boy says this.
………..Papa?
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