We Live in Dragon’s Peak – Chapter 1019

We live in the foothills of Dragon Peak.

“If you won’t tell me, I’ll force you, Red Ogre! ” you’ll regret it.

“You are the assassin of the Red Ogre race, Jumey!”

“Hoh? A mere human knows me and speaks my name?”

“If you wish, I’ll tell you my name as many times as you want!”

I swung my white sword. I aimed to cut Jumey, along with his blade, right through the torso.

However, I felt no resistance from the tip of the sword, and my white sword cut through the air. Jumey, who had been in my line of sight just a moment before, had vanished. And his presence too.

“Spatial Jump?”

If it’s a technique for instant movement, even the Mimicho or I can use it. It’s likely that some high-ranking demons can use such arts. But something feels off. What is it?

In contrast to Jumey, who disappeared instantly in body and presence, a puppet in the depths of the office behind me moved. Slowly and deliberately, the torso resembling Grandpa Jangario moved, and a head was placed on top of its neck. The severed wound healed, restoring it to its perfect form. Similarly, Zeke’s puppet recombined from left and right. with him.

“Fufufufu. Now, now, please entertain me?”

Then, from its slow movements, it shifted to unnatural, puppet-like movements controlled by strings, and attacked us!

Cobwebs were spread out. But these threads were not Grandpa Jangario’s magic, but a spider’s web laid by the Puppet King in imitation. That must be why. To avoid hindering the movements of Grandpa Jangario and Zeke, the magical threads parted ways to avoid their puppets. Conversely, the entire spider’s web began to shrink, narrowing its range towards us!

“Haa!”

Sefina unleashed her fist mercilessly. Precisely weaving through the gaps in the spread spiderwebs, her fist struck Zeke’s face as he closed in. Sefina’s fist, imbued with her full dragon energy, blew off Zeke’s head.

But the puppet did not stop moving even after its head was destroyed! Without any preparatory move, Zeke’s puppet swung its arm.

“Muki! What a tasteless puppet show!”

Madrine’s magic was completed. Then, she bound both the approaching Grandpa Jangario and Zeke’s puppets. The puppets, restrained by moonlight, stopped moving. Not only that, but the movement of the spiderwebs, which had been converging on us, also stopped above the moonlight. Furthermore, Madrine did not relent her offensive. She then layered her magic with a double dedication, mercilessly showering Grandpa Jangario’s puppet with moonlit arrows. Sefina, too, unleashed a kick towards Zeke’s puppet, which had stopped in front of her.

“Oh my!”

Grandpa Jangario’s puppet became riddled with holes from Madrine’s moonlit arrows. Zeke’s puppet, after receiving Sefina’s spinning kick, was then severed into upper and lower halves and blown away. Then, it touched the spiderweb itself and was finely shredded.

It seems the sharpness of the spider silk was real. But Sefina was skillfully avoiding it until just now!? Without cutting her fingertips that touched the threads!

“Not only the Dragon King. Not only my wives. You are strong too, aren’t you? Wonderful, wonderful. Fufufufu.”

However, even though the puppets were destroyed, the Puppet King laughed merrily. The Puppet King was playing. Using us. Using the puppets! And one more person!

I swung my white sword. And deflected a dagger thrown from a blind spot. Then I parried a slash coming from another direction and thrust my white sword in retaliation. But it did not reach Jumey. Before I could swing my white sword, Jumey had once again vanished in body and presence.

“Now, what will be the next performance?”

Fufu, the Puppet King’s voice echoed alone. I finally understood. The Puppet King is not present at this location. Sefina had tracked a single magic thread extending outside the Dragon King’s Capital earlier. The Puppet King is at the end of that thread, sensing our situation through the thread and delivering their voice.

“What an annoying Primogenitor!”

Even among demons, the Primogenitor Race is known to be exceptionally terrifying. The Giant Demon Lord and the Fairy Demon Lord are prime examples of Primogenitors. Duke Cat is also a Primogenitor, but he’s terrifying in a different way. He may be capricious like a cat, manipulating those around him, or waste his material creation abilities. And the Puppet King is also incredibly bothersome. Without being present at the scene, they manipulate things as they please using puppets. Surely, they must have other abilities hidden away! And speaking of hidden things!

I shielded Madrine and swung my white sword. I deflected two poisoned daggers aimed at Madrine. Sefina dodged a surprise attack on her own.

“A fight befitting an assassin!” I shouted so the voice would reach Jumey, who had no body or presence. Suddenly appearing and disappearing. Throwing weapons without a body or presence. Jumey’s technique doesn’t seem to be mere spatial jumping. And yet, it’s not like the Black Ogre race, which lurks in shadows. What kind of technique is it?

“Fufufufu. Next is this, you see?”

Jumey’s surprise attacks are unpredictable, making it impossible to tell where or how attacks will come from, so we have to be on guard in all directions. But Jumey is not the only enemy! Grandpa Jangario’s puppet, riddled with holes from the moonlit arrows, moved. It opened its spider mouth wide and released countless threads of spider silk! This time, I shielded Sefina and swung my white sword. As if to tear the spider silk. But the threads did not break; instead, they entangled the blade of my white sword. Then, the puppet began to suck the threads, as if to steal the entangled white sword from me. I struggled desperately to prevent my white sword from being taken. As a result, my movements were restricted.

“Elnea-kun!”

“Zeke’s puppet is about to revive!”

“Kts!”

Towards me, whose movements had stopped, a dagger was thrown again from a blind spot. As Sefina deflected it, Jumey appeared in my embrace! Elsewhere, Zeke, who had been scattered, became a single puppet again and attacked Madrine! I was unable to move. Sefina, in the act of deflecting the dagger. Zeke’s puppet, pressing in on Madrine. A desperate crisis!

“How could I possibly allow such a situation? Unfortunately, everything is going according to my calculations!”

“Tch!?”

Jumey, covered in dark red attire. Only his long, sharp horns on his forehead and around his eyes were exposed. His pupils widened in astonishment. I easily severed the spiderwebs entangled around the blade of my white sword. And with the momentum, I bisected Zeke’s puppet once more. Furthermore, with my free left hand, I grabbed Jumey’s extended arm.

“Yes. Caught you! Tag, you’re it!” I grinned at Zeke. Jumey stared at my smile with astonished eyes. In that brief moment, the surrounding situation changed drastically.

“Yes. This is over too.” Sefina said with a cool smile as she touched the magic thread. Following the magic thread Sefina touched, we saw the figures of Grandpa Jangario and Zeke’s puppets, bound by the threads. Sefina manipulated the magic threads and, using the spiderwebs spread throughout the office, ensnared the two puppets. Then, Madrine mercilessly unleashed her magic on the immobilized puppets. The radiance of the stars enveloped the two puppets. And they exploded! After a blinding flash of light, the two puppets had vanished without a trace.

“What a powerful display, Madrine.”

“Are you more impressed now?”

“Of course!”

I exchanged light conversation, but I didn’t let go of Jumey’s arm. Jumey struggled desperately to break free from my grip, but I was holding his arm with full dragon energy. I won’t lose in a test of strength even against a high-ranking demon! Jumey was astonished by the superhuman strength, not to mention being perplexed by a situation where he was unable to move or attack from his disappearing and reappearing stance.

“Well then,” now that the bothersome puppets are out of the way, I think I’ll interrogate him. I glared at Jumey, my grip on his arm tightening as if I would crush it.

“How dare you attack Meduria? Ah, yes. Meduria survived. You, an assassin, failed to get your prey?” I smirked, deliberately taunting him. Of course, it was to provoke Jumey. Jumey is a top-class assassin. He probably wouldn’t reveal secrets even under torture. Furthermore, he likely has the resolve to commit suicide before enduring torture. Therefore, I deliberately provoked him to make him lose his composure. If I could do that, I might be able to extract a little information. As expected, provoked by a mere human, anger and killing intent flared in Jumey’s eyes. But I’m not scared. Madrine activated further magic, binding Jumey not only by his arm but also by his entire body.

“So? Jumey, you failed your assassination. Where is your employer, the Puppet King?” Perhaps because his puppets were destroyed, or perhaps because he was amusedly observing the exchange between us and Jumey, the Puppet King showed no sign of interfering with us at the moment. Taking advantage of that situation, I asked Jumey, as a long shot. Then, I received an unexpected answer.

“My employer is the Puppet King? Don’t be ridiculous. He and I have a different relationship.”

“W-W-What!? So, the Puppet King just took advantage of this situation?”

“Fufu. Fufufufu. It’s amusing. I’m glad you’ve finally realized it.” Only the Puppet King’s voice came. As expected, he was observing our situation. Damn it. I hate feeling like everything is in the Puppet King’s palm. But well, one truth has been revealed, so let’s consider it a positive.

“Then, let me change my question. Who commissioned you for this assassination?” If the Puppet King is not Jumey’s employer. Who exactly is the mastermind? To my question, Jumey’s eyes now held a smile.

“My employer? Do you think I would tell you?”

“I don’t expect you to? I’m just asking.” I replied with a confident smile, indicating I had no expectations. Perhaps displeased, the hint of amusement vanished from Jumey’s eyes.

“In the first place, my target was not the lord of this lowly capital. I lured you, my main target, with that as bait.”

“I know that too. We knew it, and we came here?” I continued to mock Jumey with a smirk. It was as if *I* were the villain. But this is fine. By continuing to provoke the opponent like this, I might be able to uncover other information. My aim was successful. Jumey, his smile gone and his eyes filled with anger and killing intent, glared at me and uttered something terrifying.

“You want to know who hired me? Huhaha! You’re mistaken. I have no employer. I came to kill you by the unanimous will of my clan!”

“Wha—!!” That means… “Yes. Even if you take me down now, the entire Red Ogre race will continue to target your life from now on!!” Shocked by Jumey’s words, I recoiled in surprise!

“…As if you thought I’d back down from something like that?” I laughed. And this time, it’s my turn to speak. “The entire clan? That’s good. I was thinking the same thing. Anyone who threatens the lives of my kin and companions is a nuisance, isn’t that right? The Red Ogre race is famous for being assassins? If that’s the case, then if I defeat you and destroy the Red Ogre race, perhaps the demons will finally recognize my strength? From the start, I intended for the Red Ogre race to take collective responsibility. As retribution for sending a fool like you?” So, Jumey had no client. Instead, Jumey, representing the Red Ogre race, had come to kill me. Therefore, the Red Ogre race is our enemy. And rather than keep being targeted by assassins, it would be better to simply destroy the Red Ogre race. That way, the shadows of assassination will disappear, and no fools will dare to lay a hand on us. Because if they do, not only the perpetrator but also their entire race or organization will be annihilated as collective punishment. I said this so casually that it would make most demons turn pale. As expected, upon hearing my words, Jumey’s eyes widened beyond their limit, and he stared at me. His eyes no longer held anger or killing intent, but were filled with the terror of seeing something utterly terrifying.

“Well, first, it’s you, Jumey. I will defeat you and declare war on the Red Ogre race. Of course, you too, Puppet King!” I also declared towards the Puppet King, who was observing us through the spider silk. “It’s useless hiding anywhere! I will find you and the Red Ogre race with a swarm of dragons and destroy you!” Jumey trembled in astonishment. He must have suddenly realized what kind of opponent he had picked a fight with. But the Puppet King was different.

“Fufufufu. Fufufufu. How amusing. Please, come. I’ll be waiting with a fun puppet show?” The Primogenitor race is endlessly troublesome! But having declared a fight, I won’t hold back. Filled with anger, I brought down my white sword. Lightning roared from the thick dark clouds gathering in the sky, and lightning sharp as a scythe struck the office of the lord’s mansion!