Chapter 222 – Do Not Worry (3)
– Are you trying to sacrifice yourself?
The Super Rock's imposing voice quickly disappeared.
Boooooooooooom!
The silver shield started to shake. Well, Raon's silver shield was shaking violently and Cale could feel it shaking at the tip of his hands.
"Holy f-."
Cale just barely managed to prevent himself from swearing.
The ocean, the sky, the red thunderbolt, and the purple wind. All of those mixed together, making it impossible to tell where the sky ended and where the ocean started.
The roaring storm made it so that you could not see the ocean beyond the silver shield.
Swooooooooosh- bang, bang, bang!
The wind was knocking on the silver shield. It had drawn up the ocean water and turned it into something similar to hail, looking as if it wanted to swallow up the silver shield as well.
A serious situation would have occurred if this wind would have reached Castle Leona or the central shores.
Both of the mountains to the sides of Castle Leona would have been destroyed, killing many people in the process.
Cale peeked out with his eye through the rough winds and tried to see beyond the silver shield.
Splash-
He felt the ocean water splashing on his head.
A giant waterspout was spinning beyond the silver shield. The waterspout did not seem to be able to support its large size.
– Human, did you see my strength? I did that!
Cale had only used a very weak version of the fiery thunderbolt. The majority of it was Raon's magic.
'This kid has gotten much stronger ever since he fought against that fake Dragon Slayer.'
"Yes, you are a bit g- cough."
Cale let out a light cough. He then wiped his mouth with his sleeve. He had a salty taste in his mouth.
– …Human, why are you bleeding when you didn't even use one-third of the strength in my paw? Did I calculate wrong? That's impossible! How weak is your body that you use power that is the equivalent to the size of a rat's poop and you still cough up blood? You truly are an incomprehensible mystery!
Cale responded back while feeling refreshed.
"I'm fine."
However, the invisible Raon and Choi Han started to frown.
On the other hand, Cale now had a decent idea about how his reaction to the ancient powers worked.
'The Indestructible Shield has definitely gotten stronger ever since the glutton priestess ate the Vitality of the Heart last time.'
That was why the shield no longer put any burden on Cale's body unless it received enough damage to break. However, the other ancient powers still made the Vitality of the Heart work if he used just a little bit of it.
'I can't do much about it since my plate is small.'
It was like this because the plate inside Cale's body, the source of his abilities, was lacking.
"I'm fine so don't worry."
He casually waved the two of them away and looked down at the battlefield. He could calmly observe the scene since Raon's silver shield was very strong.
There had been explosions and a waterspout occurring for the last ten minutes.
The ocean slowly calmed down and returned to normal.
Drip. Drip.
Cale felt water dropping on his head as he continued to look beyond the silver shield.
"Everything was destroyed."
Cale had his gaze focused and did not respond, even when he heard Choi Han's voice. Choi Han understood Cale's reaction.
Everything was broken.
All of the numerous ships that had been on the water were flipped or destroyed.
He could also see the dead and barely alive soldiers.
Seeing the pitiful situation of the enemies outside this safe shield made it easy to understand what Cale was thinking.
That was the type of person he was.
However, Choi Han was only half right.
Cale started to speak.
"Raon, why-"
He could not believe the scene in front of him.
"Why did the Dragon half-blood not use a shield?"
'What?'
Choi Han turned his head to look toward Cale. He could see Cale looking shocked. Raon started to speak to both of them.
"Human, Choi Han, something is weird."
Raon had seen a white gold shield surrounding the large ship just before the fiery thunderbolt pierced through the purple mana orb.
"Someone with that Dragon half-blood's level of skill would be able to protect them, but it looks like he withdrew the shield."
'What?'
Choi Han was shocked.
'He didn't use a shield to protect his allies? Wait, he removed the ones that were present as well?'
"Why?"
It was the moment that question came out of Choi Han's mouth. His body started to move.
– It's coming.
Rooooooooooar!
Raon's water and wind Dragon shot up in front of the silver shield.
Bang!
An explosion happened at that moment. A light orb exploded as a part of the water Dragon's body blew up and water shot up into the air. Choi Han stepped on the silver shield in order to jump over to the other side.
His rough aura shot down toward the water.
Bang, bang, bang!
Choi Han's aura also ran into a few light orbs before it disappeared. The water then split open.
Shaaaaaaaa-
A single person shot up through the gap in the water.
The multiple layers of white gold shield around him had prevented even the water from landing on him.
The person standing on top of the water was, naturally, the Dragon half-blood mage.
"Hahaha- this is where I was."
The mage's cheekbones went up and he started to smile before he made eye contact with Cale.
'His allies are dying behind him. Even those from Arm's magic brigade seem to be dying.
But he is laughing.'
Snap. Snap.
Another small thunderbolt appeared in the mage's hand as he shot it toward the shield once again. This was naturally blocked by the water Dragon and Choi Han, making it unable to break through Raon's silver shield.
The thunderbolt just bounced off the shield.
It then headed toward the water.
Crackle-!
"Ahhhhh!"
"Uggggh! M, my body!"
The thunderbolt fell into the water and took the lives of the mage's remaining allies. Of course, the mages who used shields or flight magic and the knights that were skilled enough to climb onto the flipped over ships managed to survive.
The soldiers of the Indomitable Alliance continued to die in large numbers.
"Isn't he a psycho?"
Cale subconsciously commented.
It was at that moment.
"Huu."
The mage and Cale made eye contact. The mage ran straight toward Cale.
Choi Han's sword and the water Dragon tried to get in his way.
Snap. Snap. Snap.
However, they could not defend against the mage who was surrounded by numerous mana orbs.
Cale did not have time to escape to the back.
Baaaaang!
The mage almost instantaneously reached the silver shield and crashed into it.
The forehead of the Dragon half-blood started to bleed. However, he was still smiling.
He flattened himself against the silver shield and observed Cale, who was on the other side.
To be more accurate, he was observing the area around Cale.
"…I smell a Lord. That power from earlier was definitely a Dragon Lord. I know it was. I've smelled it before."
'This crazy bastard.'
Cale could not help but think that way after seeing this scene that seemed to be straight out of a horror movie.
"Are you a Dragon?"
The mage's eyes sparkled.
The fiery thunderbolt.
That thunderbolt was made up of pure natural power and mana.
This was not something a human mage could do.
'A Dragon.'
There was definitely a Dragon's power mixed in.
"What is that thing that is invisible next to you?"
He could feel it.
He could feel it clearer and clearer as he got closer. He could feel the invisible presence next to that bastard.
However, the presence was faint.
In fact, that red-hair, Cale Henituse's presence was much larger. The scent of nature was flowing out of him.
That was why he felt that something was off.
"You're a Dragon. Hmm? Are you a Dragon that came out to play? Is it you? Or is it that thing next to you? Hmm?"
Bang! Bang!
The Dragon half-blood's two fists slammed against the shield.
'This crazy bastard. Does Arm only have lunatics like this?'
Cale looked toward the completely insane person and started to speak.
"A Dragon that came out to play my ass. Sounds more like your brain went out to play. Stop spewing such nonsense."
"Hahahaha!"
The Dragon half-blood started to laugh at Cale's response.
"Yes, I knew you would be that way. Dragons are always good at doing things like this. They feign ignorance and then play around with people much weaker than them. Kahaha, how fun. This is so much-."
He could not finish his sentence.
Scratch-
The Dragon half-blood moved away. A large black claw was cutting through that exact spot. It was violent enough to be moving like a Dragon's front paw.
However, the Dragon half-blood mage was already floating in the air.
"Still not familiar with it."
It was strong, but awkward.
The Dragon half-blood mage's pupils started to get cloudy.
'Perhaps?'
He looked back toward Cale.
That clear red hair and the shield. He had thought that it was an ancient power because he originally believed it to be pure wood power. But was that really the case?
He thought about the red Dragon.
It looked as if it was a living animal.
However, that fire went out, leaving only death behind.
He then recalled the fiery thunderbolt from a moment ago.
It was surrounded by magic, but he felt pure fire underneath it.
There was a lot of a Dragon's power as well.
'And even me, who had received a Dragon's blood.
But this generation no longer has a red Dragon.'
He was certain of it.
'Is it possible?
Is there another person like me?'
Inexperience.
A Dragon that had yet to go through its first growth phase was inexperienced. It didn't know how to use its powers properly.
The Dragon half-blood was partly a Dragon as well. He naturally went through growth phases as well. Even a Dragon half-blood went through three growth phases, just like a normal Dragon.
He had gone through two growth phases. A Dragon that had yet to go through its first growth phase and a Dragon half-blood were easy prey for him. The mage started to laugh like a lunatic.
"Pwahahahah! Everything, really everything is showing up."
The mage could see the water Dragon, the Black Bone Wyvern, Choi Han, and the many magic spells flying toward him from Castle Leona.
He then looked back toward Cale.
"I guess I need to get serious as well."
Light started to shine from the Dragon half-blood mage's body.
– Huh? Human! Something is weird!
Cale heard Raon's shocked voice in his mind.
– That Dragon half-blood has not been using all of his strength until now.
'That wasn't his full strength?'
– …He is strong.
Cale looked toward the mage.
The mage's white gold mana was roaring and making his robe flutter.
At the same time, his hair started to stick up in the air. At the same time, he started to look livelier and full of vitality.
The mage looked toward Choi Han who was chasing him with the black aura.
"Do you know why I didn't care whether or not my allies died?"
Choi Han was curious, but that did not slow down. However, he still really wanted to know. He could not understand it.
However, Choi Han started to frown after hearing the Dragon half-blood mage's response.
"I want even more humans to die! The more the better."
Light then started to shine from his entire body.
Choi Han did not stop even though it was extremely bright.
He suddenly got the chills.
That bright light in front of him.
That light felt like extremely thick darkness.
The light that seemed to be much stronger than before felt as if it was burning his body. Choi Han could feel his palms starting to sweat.
He felt as if he would die if he went into that light.
'I might die.'
His incomplete darkness would disappear without a trace.
However, Choi Han did not stop.
It was at that moment.
"I will kill all the humans! I will kill them all, even if it is the last thing I do!"
'All?'
That word made Choi Han turn pale.He turned his head. He could see the Caro Kingdom's mages flying toward them.
Darkness that was weak against light.
He thought about the Dark Elves as well.
'Perhaps?'
"Kahahaha! Die!"
The Dragon half-blood's body shot toward the shore.
"N-
No!"
Choi Han turned his body.
He could see something going in front of him.
"Crazy bastard."
The red hair of the person moving in front of him caught his attention.
Cale was flying in front of him while riding on the other Black Bone Wyvern. As for Raon, he was being the wind in order to assist the Black Bone Wyvern and Cale.
Boooooooom-
Choi Han turned his head around after hearing the loud noise.
The shield, the large shield that had been blocking the path, started to rise up into the air. Silver wings appeared on both sides of it as it followed behind its master.
– Weak human, do not worry. I will make sure nobody gets hurt.
It was not just Cale's shield that was following behind. Raon's silver shield was following behind its master as well.
However, light was fast. Speed and destruction. Those were the attributes of the mage's light.
The Dragon half-blood mage quickly arrived at the shores.
The Dark Elves and Bears, as well as the Caro Kingdom's mages who had come through a path Mary had made through her purification of dead mana, were all present there. There were a lot of people still on the castle walls as well.
""T, that-"
He could see the anxious humans.
'Those useless creatures.'
These were beings he would not pay any attention to if that bastard from Arm did not have him by the collar.
"Your highness!"
The Caro Kingdom's crown prince Valentino could not say anything when the chief called to him.
His hand that was on the ledge was shaking.
He had seen that explosion from the shores.
This battle was beyond the level of human capabilities.
He could now see the mage who was smiling even with a bloody gash in front of him.
And then he saw behind the mage as well.
"Death to all-!"
There were hundreds of light arrows.
The Dragon half-blood mage waved his hand with a bright smile on his face. It was the moment the mage's hand stopped. Those arrows shot down toward the humans below.
"Shield, activate the shields!"
"Your highness, please escape!"
Crown prince Valentino could not say anything while looking at the attack coming from the sky. He could feel the chief trying to pull his arm, however, he could not move.
The light arrows looked as if they were a punishment from god.
It looked as if everything would burn down because of those arrows.
"Oh, lord."
The bishop called to his god as he started to run.
However, the crown prince was looking at the soldiers. The castle wall was a total mess. Despair was in his eyes as he looked around.
However, there was still a strand of hope.
That hope was the reason.
"Your highness! You must go!"
It was the reason he did not move.
And finally, he could see that hope.
He could see a set of large black wings.
He then saw a person with red hair on top of it.
"I knew it would be like this!"
The Dragon half-blood smirked as he raised his voice.
He saw the person who managed to follow him even though he was extremely fast thanks to his light affinity.
Cale Henituse.
He had suddenly appeared in front of the arrows.
"You call yourself a human even though you could move that fast?"
"Crazy bastard."
They both said things that the other could not hear.
Cale reached his hand out.
He felt two small paws supporting him.
"Let's do it."
– I understand, human.
Everybody on the ground looked up at the sky.
The sun had already set.
However, night had not yet arrived.
In fact, their eyes were in pain due to the extremely bright light.
The light seemed to foretell the coming of the end of the world.
It was the moment those hundreds of lights fell to the ground.
A silver light covered the ground once more.
The silver shield that resembled a milky way that had fallen on the ground blocked the light.
Bang, bang, bang!
Everybody lowered themselves onto the ground. The ground was shaking. Even the sky was shaking.
The bright light made it so nobody could see anything.
"Hahaha! I knew you would protect the humans!"
The Dragon half-blood could see Cale beyond the shield. He found it funny that Cale would defend against the light arrows even with a frown on his face.
It was because he had time to run.
Why would he put his own life on the line in order to kill some humans?
Why would he dirty his hands like that?
He could see Choi Han and the Black Bone Wyvern that could not approach him.
'Yes, you cannot approach such a light. The Black Bone Wyvern would burn if he approached, and that bastard would be seriously injured as well.'
That was the difference between perfect darkness and this man's imperfect darkness.
Snap. Snap. Snap.
A teleportation magic circle appeared underneath him after he snapped three times. As the person who had made Arm's teleportation magic spells, it was easy for him.
"Bye, have a nice one."
He smiled and looked down toward Cale. He then flinched.
Cale was smiling.
Cale was hearing a voice in his mind at that moment.
– Human, I learned that I am not great and mighty. That is why I have made up my mind. I will learn everything and understand it all in order to make it my own.
The young Dragon had learned something while fighting against the fake Dragon Slayer.
If you are not great and mighty, then you have to work hard in order to get there.
The young Dragon had learned about disasters last time.
And this time…
– I learned about light this time.
A small light shot down from the dark sky.
It was small and fast.
However, the power inside of it was extremely hot and destructive.
The Dragon half-blood felt that it was similar to his light that he had developed for nine hundred years. The light was heading for his back.
"…This-"
Baaaaaang!
Another loud noise filled the air.
However, only Choi Han, Cale, and Raon could see this. The others could not see anything as the light was too bright.
However, people opened their eyes after hearing the bang.
The banging continued.
'Does he keep replenishing his stock of light arrows? Why is it that it is not stopping?'
There were a few people who did not close their eyes. Valentino was one of the people who had kept their eyes open, even when they were getting watery.
Crown prince Valentino kept his hands on the ledge as he slowly looked at the dark sky.
The light had disappeared, and he could see something that resembled a small lamp.
It seemed pitiful in comparison to the large shield and the hundreds of light arrows.
The owner of that lamp was standing tall.
"…Commander Cale."
The Black Bone Wyvern and the red-haired man.
Cale waited until the light that surrounded the sky disappeared. And then once the calm night returned, Cale started to move.
He pulled back the silver light.
Drip. Drip.
Cale could see the drops of blood falling down from the Black Bone Wyvern's head.
This blood was the Dragon half-blood mage's blood.
However, Cale did not manage to catch him.
'I guess it hasn't gone through its first growth phase. I had fun.'
The Dragon half-blood grasped the light piercing through his body and started to laugh. He then created another volley of arrows instead of trying to escape.
That was a wise decision. It held Raon and Cale back and prevented Choi Han from approaching him. The light arrows headed toward Choi Han and the Black Bone Wyvern this time.
'You can't do this if you have a weak mind.'
The Dragon half-blood used teleportation magic while Raon had no choice but to put a shield around Choi Han.
The two split apart like that.
Cale recalled the Dragon half-blood's voice that had spoken to him in his mind.
'You are like me, a person who has received Dragon blood, so I will protect the young you. However, I will also be the one to kill you. Hahahaha!'
'…What kind of bullshit is this?'
However, Cale didn't pay much attention to it.
– Human. I left a trace! Let's go catch him as well!
It wouldn't matter once they caught him.
"I'm sorry, Cale-nim."
Choi Han flew over on the Black Bone Wyvern and started to speak.
Tap, tap.
Cale patted him on the shoulder and responded back.
"Let's go down."
Cale looked down below.
He could see people standing there.
The people who have survived the attack of the light arrows were looking up at Cale.
Boooom.
The Black Bone Wyvern descended and Cale stepped back down onto the ground. Vice Captain Hilsman ran toward him as soon as he landed. Cale let out a fake cough after seeing Hilsman's sorry sight.
Their allies had survived while one enemy had escaped.
This was good enough.
They just needed to capture the one that ran away.
That was what Cale was thinking as he opened his mouth to speak to Hilsman. It was at that moment.
"Young master-nim, no, Commander-nim! The shield truly did not break!"
Hilsman's voice was full of admiration. Cale started to frown.
He could see crown prince Valentino behind Hilsman with a similar expression that was full of admiration.