Chapter 02: Betrayal

The hero and his party, seizing the moment right after the dragon lord finished its deadly breath attack, charged forward with the intent to deliver a lethal blow to the majestic creature while it remained grounded.

The dragon lord, having just expended its breath attack and unable to take flight immediately, tried to gain distance by flapping its wings once more. However, an unexpected turn of events was about to unfold.

"Now, Ryan!"

The hero's voice echoed with urgency. The dragon lord initially appeared confused, but suddenly, a cloaked figure emerged near its wings.

When had this mysterious figure appeared?

The dragon reacted with surprise, attempting to thwart the stranger's plan by releasing a deafening roar, hoping to blow him away. But instead of panic, the cloaked man smiled.

"It won't work."

Ryan asserted control over the dragon lord, launching his attack with precision. He drew two daggers cloaked in darkness, disappearing and reappearing in an instant.

"Descend, mighty dragon."

With a cold, unwavering gaze, Ryan vanished into the shadows of his dark cloak once more.

The dragon lord lost one of its wings, followed by the other, causing it to lose balance and plummet towards the earth. It all happened so swiftly that even the hero and his party couldn't comprehend the details of Ryan's incredible feat.

Ryan's abilities never ceased to astonish them, though his actions were tinged with an eerie aura. For now, they put aside their reservations and focused on the immediate threat.

The dragon lord, despite its efforts, struggled to regain control in the air due to its weight and loss of balance. The hero and his party knew they had to strike with a decisive blow before it landed on the ground, where it could still pose a considerable threat.

With a sense of determination, the hero and his party decided to unleash their ultimate attacks. This was their moment, and they couldn't afford to let it slip away.

The hero halted in mid-air, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Ailah, I need you to restrain him for a minute! I'll deliver the final blow!"

Ailah understood his intent and promptly raised her staff, wasting no time in initiating her incantation.

"Listen to my plea, God of Death, release the chains to bind my target, trading half my mana... Restrain him! Chain of hell!"

Around the dragon lord, mysterious dimensional ripples appeared out of nowhere, blazing in flames and surpassing even the dragon lord's fiery power. From these ripples, dark chains with menacing spikes shot out, encircling the dragon lord and halting its movements.

Ailah's sacrifice was evident as she coughed up blood, urging them to finish the dragon lord quickly.

"Hurry… I can't maintain this for long…"

The hero, with his divine sword raised high, approached the dragon lord. Ryan appeared at his side and offered his assurance.

"I'll finish it. Put everything into your attack. I promise you, I can kill it."

The hero, though initially speechless, chose to trust Ryan's words.

"Alright, I'll invest all my strength into this attack."

With unwavering resolve, the hero concentrated his mana around his sword, bathing it in a brilliant blue glow.

"Shatter the heavens and earth, EXCALIBUR!!"

With a battle cry that seemed to freeze time itself, the hero swung his sword towards the dragon lord. Everything fell silent in that moment, and a powerful blast of mana streaked toward the dragon lord's head.

The dragon lord, still struggling within the chains, had nowhere to evade the impending attack.

BANG!

An ear-piercing noise and a resounding explosion filled the air as the mana blast nearly severed the dragon lord's head. However, it clung to life, with severe wounds revealing its vulnerable flesh beneath its once-impenetrable scales.

Frustration filled the hero as he realized that the dragon lord still survived, despite pouring all his strength into that strike. His grip on his sword trembled, and exhaustion overcame him, causing him to plummet from the sky.

Hammelot acted swiftly, catching the falling hero before he hit the ground.

Now, it was up to Ryan to conclude this battle. Their fate rested in his hands.

Ryan stowed away his daggers and unveiled his trump card—a weapon he had kept hidden, even from the hero and his party. The moment he drew the cursed sword Gram from his magical box, the dragon lord sensed the impending danger and marshaled its remaining magic to destroy the chains.

The chains slowly fractured, causing Ailah to fall and the dragon lord to break free. The dark chains disintegrated, along with the dimensional ripples.

Hammelot stared at Ryan with a grave expression, realizing the dire situation they now faced. The dragon lord was free, and it was ready to retaliate.

But before the dragon lord could act, Ryan had vanished from sight, leaving only traces of darkness behind.

The dragon lord scanned its surroundings, futilely searching for the elusive figure. It blinked, and suddenly, its world tilted.

Confusion filled its thoughts as it realized its head was no longer attached to its body. The last image it saw was the enigmatic man with the dark sword, and then darkness enveloped its existence. The dragon lord's body crashed to the ground, creating a massive crater.

The battle was over. Humanity had emerged victorious, thanks to Ryan's decisive action.

Ryan dispersed the cursed sword Gram, returning it to his magical box. After years of fighting and strife, the long war between monsters and humans had come to an end.

The hero and his party regarded Ryan with a mixture of awe and admiration. They attempted to offer him their share of the spoils, but he steadfastly refused.

"I did nothing more than deliver the finishing blow. Without all of you and that final attack, I couldn't have accomplished it."

After hours of insistence, they reluctantly relented, recognizing Ryan's humility and teamwork.

With the war against the monsters finally concluded, the hero approached Ryan along with his companions, pondering their future.

"Ryan, what are your plans after receiving honors and authority from the King? Do you intend to rule another kingdom?"

Ryan had a simple response to their inquiries.

"I have no intentions of meeting with the King. After this, I plan to seek a peaceful land far away and, perhaps, start a family of my own."

It was a dream he had never realized until now, as his only family had been the hero and his party.

"I see..."

The hero and his companions felt a mix of disappointment and gratitude. They respected Ryan for his strength and lack of greed.

After bidding their farewells, they parted ways with Ryan, wishing him well.

"Goodbye, Ryan. May our paths cross again one day."

As Ryan walked away, he held back tears, longing to remain with the family he had found during their adventures. But that farewell was meant for him alone.

Suddenly, with a splashing sound, Ryan felt a sharp pain in his stomach as the hero's sword pierced through him, a wicked smile on the hero's face. Shocked and betrayed, Ryan glanced at his former companions, who wore equally malevolent smiles, except for Hammelot, who gazed at him with a somber expression.

One question reverberated in Ryan's mind.

"Why...?"

He had regarded them as his only family, shared laughter and dreams, and yet, he couldn't fathom why this betrayal had occurred.