We Live in Dragon’s Peak – Chapter 272

We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.

Connected thoughts and power.

The Giant Demon Lord carelessly holds out a white sword, its hilt adorned with a pale blue, glowing Spirit Tree jewel, towards me.

As I instinctively reach out to accept the white sword, I snatch my hand back.

“A curse…”

Weapons imbued with magic power by demons carry a potent curse. If someone from another race wields them, they will be cursed. It would be one thing if it only took their life, but to lose one’s self and become a demon sword user who attacks everyone would be unbearable.

The Giant Demon Lord scoffs at my mumbling.

“What fun would it be to curse you here and now? Don’t worry, there’s no curse.”

Even so, he’s a Giant Demon Lord who just broke a verbal agreement with Dantall. I look at him with suspicion, and he sighs with exasperation.

“To me, everyone here is a weakling. If I were to curse them one by one, I’d turn them into dust in an instant. Now, take it. If you don’t, I’ll kill you.”

Dantall and Mistral, the Demon Generals. Nimia and Lily, ancient dragon species despite being children. And yet, they are all weaklings? Is that so?

Steeling my resolve, I take the white sword from the Giant Demon Lord’s hand.

The moment I grip the hilt.

A sharp shock, like an electric current, surges through my entire body.

I shiver violently once.

But that’s all.

The white sword in my hand feels remarkably normal, fitting in my grip as if it always belonged there.

And as my preparations are completed, so too it seems are Dantall’s.

“…Guh!”

Dantall roars, exhaling all the breath he had held in.

Around me and Dantall, not a single trace of the demon army remains.

Dantall had devoured them all to recover and strengthen himself.

Dantall conjures countless black spheres around him, firing them indiscriminately.

I know it’s a feint.

But it’s enough to momentarily halt our movements.

Mistral flies at high speed through the air, evading the approaching black spheres.

The black spheres that fly towards us are once again annihilated by the Giant Demon Lord.

And everyone’s gaze follows the path of the black spheres that fly wildly.

Above Dantall’s raised twin sickles. Black tears fall from his ominous crimson eyes.

The black tears fall silently to the floor, creating dark stains. The dark stains consume the scenery of the floor, swallowing light and shadow.

In an instant, the floor of the middle layer of the Demon Lord’s Castle where we stand transforms into flat, black, and featureless ground.

The dark floor slices through space, extending not only across the floor of the Demon Lord’s Castle but also into the air beyond.

“Guhahaha… Guhahaha! I will devour humans, dragonkin, dragons, even the Demon Lord!”

Dantall shouts. From the expanse of the dark floor, black shadows writhe and emerge.

All of them bear Dantall’s likeness.

A face like a spider’s, with six blue compound eyes. His now muscular body is visible even through his black robe. The black robe has added sleeves, sprouting four spider-like arms. In his original hands, he grips twin sickles with large, curved blades, like those held by demons of death.

“Elnea!”

Mistral shouts from the sky.

I look up at Mistral and nod firmly.

“Ares!”

I shift my gaze from Mistral to Ares.

“I am Nimia. Only you can protect Priscilla.”

It seems that only our immediate surroundings are under the Giant Demon Lord’s influence. Perhaps because of this, Laira, who had fallen under Dantall’s curse, regains consciousness and lies face down in a daze. Ares, now free, smiles at Priscilla-chan and Nimia beside him, and transforms into a shower of light.

Golden particles of light are absorbed by me.

I feel a different, strong, and warm power settling within me, unlike the Dragon Jewel.

“Whether they are demons or Demon Generals, I will fight with all my might if they oppose me. I will not lose!”

With fierce determination, I ready my white sword and the Spirit Tree wooden sword.

“Elnea-kun, leave the rear to me!”

Preparing her sorcery, Ruiseine readies her naginata.

“Laira, snap out of it! Reflection can come later!”
“Laira, snap out of it! Penance can come later!”

The Twin Princesses slap Laira’s cheeks as she remains dazed.

*Haa*, Laira’s eyes focus.

Then, the three of them take up their respective weapons, entering combat readiness.

“Once again, I shall bear witness to the power of you who have been guided by the Meteor Dragon and the Saint.”

Although I didn’t understand the meaning of the Giant Demon Lord’s words, all we can do is what we can do!

Dantall’s clones, continuously emerging from the dark floor, attack us mercilessly.

Mistral’s attack ignites the battle.

A meteor, almost golden in color, descends from the sky. The meteor, or rather Mistral, who landed far ahead of us, blows away the surrounding Dantall clones.

Mistral’s single-handed club glows pale blue as it dances, seeking prey.

Behind me, Laira’s cry echoes. Yufilia imbues it with Dragon Energy, and Nina crafts a Spirit Tree Jewel. Laira accepts the jewel and throws them around indiscriminately, almost as if taking out her frustration. With Laira’s enhanced physical abilities, the jewels fly far away.

A flash of light. Followed by an explosion and a shockwave. Although thrown far, it blows away even the shadow Dantalls nearby.

“Um, Spirits, please help.”

Priscilla-chan’s prayer is answered by the Wind Spirit. A protective wind arises, deflecting the black spheres fired from all directions. The Earth Spirit shakes the dark floor. The floor, which trembles like a great earthquake, trips up the shadow Dantalls, making it difficult for them to move.

“Nyaaa!”

Nimia cries out.

A shadow Dantall, attempting to approach Priscilla-chan, turns into white ash.

And I dash towards Dantall himself.

Approaching at high speed, I activate the Spirit Tree arts. The leaves on the hilt of my sword glow with a new spring-green color, and countless leaves appear around me. The shadow Dantall, attempting to block my path, moves. However, the surrounding leaves move automatically, overlapping to block the thrusts of the spider’s arms and the slashes of the twin sickles. While defending, I repeatedly slash at the shadow Dantall with other leaves, shredding him infinitely. While each blow has little effect on Dantall, as the leaf slashes multiply to ten, a hundred, a thousand, the shadow Dantall suffers thousands of lacerations all over his body and is torn apart by further attacks, vanishing.

Now merged with Ares, the control of the Spirit Tree arts is entrusted to her will. My focus is solely on the Dantall clone rushing towards me!

The twin sickles of the waiting Dantall and the enhanced blade of my white sword collide. A hard sound rings out, and small lightning bolts, rather than sparks, fly out.

Dantall and I are surprised simultaneously. Between the two clashing blades, a clear superiority emerges. Dantall’s twin sickles chip.

With a hint of surprise, I unleash the next blow. With a flowing movement, I deflect Dantall’s twin sickles and aim the white sword at his black robe. At first, the black robe showed no signs of damage, but this time, it is sharply cut by the blade of the white sword, reaching his tough flesh beneath.

“Guh!”

Dantall roars. Despite being greatly strengthened by sacrificing the demon army, he is wounded by my blow, which he couldn’t even defend against before.

The surrounding shadow Dantalls turn their hostility towards me and attack in unison. However, the leaves dancing around me block the approaching fierce attack, and Mistral reduces their numbers. The Twin Princesses and Laira’s coordinated attacks instantly obliterate the shadow Dantalls that appear further away. The Earth Spirit intervenes by splitting the dark floor, hindering the shadow Dantalls trying to move from shadow to shadow, and the Wind Spirit conjures winds to disorient them. Protected by everyone’s support, I dance.

I make full use of the surrounding leaves, confusing Dantall with light footwork. My slashes, delivered with varying tempo, deceive and trick Dantall. With flowing movements, my Spirit Tree wooden sword blocks black spheres and deflects the blows of the twin sickles. Then, seizing an opening, I mercilessly slash Dantall’s body with the white sword.

As I perform the Dragon Sword Dance, I conjure a green chicken. The chicken, made of mist, runs energetically towards Laira and Yufilia, replenishing their lost Dragon Energy.

Mistral and Ruiseine are connected. The more Mistral releases his Dragon Energy, the more Ruiseine’s magical power seems to increase. While feinting with her naginata against approaching shadow Dantalls, she casts numerous sorceries to support everyone.

Huh?

Ruiseine’s naginata is using an actual Spirit Tree leaf, the same kind that rests in my left hand… I notice that as I release my Dragon Energy and use Spirit Tree arts, a portion of that Dragon Energy flows into her naginata. The naginata, strengthened by my unintentionally flowing Dragon Energy, dispatches shadow Dantalls. Ruiseine, surprised by the unexpected power of the naginata and the Dragon Energy flowing into it, seems astonished.

I don’t understand what’s happening, but seeing everyone fighting hard and doing their best fills my heart with elation.

As my Dragon Sword Dance gains more power, the Dragon Vein energy surging from the ground fills the surroundings. I transform the rising Dragon Vein energy into Dragon Energy and spread it around. Riding the wave of Dragon Energy, my consciousness expands to encompass my surroundings.

The dark floor, created by Dantall, now spans the entire sky above the Demon Capital. Below and above the dark floor, completely different scenes unfold.

On the ground, the sudden appearance of darkness covering the sky has caused the demon ground forces and civilians to panic, not knowing what it is. However, due to the effects of the Demon Capital Labyrinth created by Priscilla-chan and Ares, they are in utter chaos, unable to even grasp where they are. The effects of the Demon Capital Labyrinth are also present above the dark floor. Winged demons that were flying towards us find themselves flying on the edge of the Demon Capital, or forming formations only to suddenly become isolated. Revalia and others are individually defeating the demons that have wandered into this spatial labyrinth.

As I survey the surrounding situation, I begin to converge the fully expanded wave of Dragon Energy. The Dragon Energy that had spread throughout the Demon Capital begins to swirl and converge towards me at the center. The fiercely swirling Dragon Energy generates wind. On the ground, the demons struggle to withstand the strong winds that have begun to blow. In the sky, the winged demons are being swept away by the gale.

Thick clouds begin to form in the sky, and a low thunderous rumble echoes in my stomach. The thunderclouds quickly cover the sky, blocking out the sunlight. In sync with the swirling Dragon Energy storm, the thunderclouds also begin to swirl, emitting a bluish light as lightning streaks through the gaps in the clouds.

Dantall is astonished by the natural disasters that begin to appear overhead and all around.

Is it my imagination, or did I briefly see everyone’s faces contorted?

But I can no longer stop! I perform the Dragon Sword Dance, overwhelming Dantall with swordplay. I immobilize the demon forces on the sky and ground with the Storm Dragon Arts. Power flows from the Spirit Tree jewel embedded in the white sword’s hilt. I don’t quite understand it, but it’s a pulsing energy that resembles Dragon Energy. Perhaps this is magic power. Magic power calls forth thunderclouds, and Dragon Energy creates storms.

Is it thanks to the Spirit Tree jewel given to me by the Giant Demon Lord? I sense the magic power of the surrounding demons. Dantall, who stands before me with terrifying magic power. The surrounding shadow Dantalls. And behind me, the immeasurable magic power of the Giant Demon Lord. Besides them, there are multiple demons with magic power comparable to Dantall’s in the lower levels of the Demon Capital and the Demon Lord’s Castle. Is this what high-ranking demons are like?

Regardless, demons are the enemy! Even if I defeat Dantall, the battle will continue if high-ranking demons attack.

In that case…

I turn my attention to the swirling thunderclouds in the sky.

I feel like I can do it now. I feel like I can do it.

Vast bolts of lightning charge freely through the thick, swirling black clouds.

“Fall!”

I command with my ever-heightening consciousness.

The ominously dark sky bursts into brilliant light. Then, a thunderous roar that shakes my entire body echoes.

I aim at the demons with immense magic power. Lightning strikes descend, directed towards the manifestations of magic power in the Demon Capital and the lower levels of the Demon Lord’s Castle. Not only that, but I also strike the surrounding shadow Dantalls with lightning, defeating them. While unleashing the rumbling thunder, I further converge the storm of Dragon Energy. Everything is drawn towards me, the center of the storm.

And then, confirming that an unmanageable amount of magic power and Dragon Energy has converged overhead. I deflect Dantall’s horizontal sweep with my Spirit Tree wooden sword. As Dantall loses his balance, I bring the white sword down from above! The white sword, trailing pure white and pale blue tails, is swung straight down from Dantall’s head, cleaving him in two. Simultaneously, a full-powered lightning strike falls from the thunderclouds above.

“…!”

Without even uttering his dying words, Dantall turns to charcoal.

Dantall vanishes, and the surviving shadow Dantalls and the dark floor dissipate into dark mist. I gasp at the power, even surprising myself.

And then, I gasp for a different reason.

Huh…?

It’s not stopping! Even though I defeated Dantall, the Dragon Sword Dance won’t stop!? My still-exhilarated heart compels me to continue the Dragon Sword Dance. In sync with the Dragon Sword Dance, the thunderclouds swirl, and the Dragon Energy brings forth storms. Lightning falls like rain, destroying the Demon Capital.

“Elnea!?”

Mistral looks at me with a worried expression. Revalia and everyone else are also ashen-faced, even though the battle is over.

Ahhh…!

Only the Giant Demon Lord laughs heartily to himself.

I was deceived! I was cursed after all!