We live at the foot of Dragon Peak.
Storm and Flame
Old Man Sleigsta descends toward the center of the undead army, numbering tens of thousands.
The demons, confused by our sudden appearance, were thrown into chaos. A colossal dragon descended from the sky, sending them into a panic.
Old Man Sleigsta landed without a word, crushing the demons beneath him.
The resistance of mere undead meant nothing to Old Man Sleigsta. They were mercilessly crushed and vanished. Furthermore, Old Man Sleigsta unleashed a breath of darkness in front of him, accompanied by a roar.
The world turned black. Like a torn-off landscape, a part of the plains was swallowed by darkness. Jet-black lightning discharged, erasing everything.
When the world of darkness and the jet-black lightning disappeared, nothing remained.
Not even the earth.
The ground was gouged out, deep and wide. The trail of jet-black thunder created countless cliffs on the ground, and the world of darkness transformed the severed area into an abyssal valley.
In an instant, the rear half of the undead army was wiped out.
Huh!?
What is this power!!
If you had used this in the capital, it would have been more than just a wasteland.
Or rather, you just erased everything, including Demon General Goldoba, whose presence was confirmed behind the undead army!?
“Hmph, if I exert myself too much, I might interfere with others’ catharsis. Though it is not you, I shall exercise restraint.”
“No, no, no, you’ve already exceeded the limits of restraint!”
This is Old Man Sleigsta’s true attack power.
The Giant Demon Lord said that Old Man Sleigsta was from the Yin-Yang Dragon clan that serves the Dragon God. I don’t know what Yin-Yang Dragons or the Dragon God are, but I was stunned by the power of the ancient dragon who protected the Dragon Forest and Spirit Tree for two thousand years.
I wasn’t the only one taken aback. Those who had teleported with Old Man Sleigsta. The Yorttenitos Kingdom army and the undead army, who had been on this battlefield from the start, were all awestruck by Old Man Sleigsta and stopped moving.
“My, my. I wish you had left a little something to enjoy.”
“What are you saying? You surely had enough fun over there. Cooperate here to clean up after the brats.”
Asher is probably the only one acting calm.
Asher moved to Old Man Sleigsta’s right. A moment later, Lily landed on his left.
With just this, the undead army was split in two, front and back.
Ah, that’s not right. The back half has already vanished.
The countless cliffs and abyssal valley created in an instant stretched far into the distance, their depths dark and unsearchable.
Before, Asher had said that when he goes all out, he could shave off Dragon Peak and create a lake, but Old Man Sleigsta is the same. I must remember not to involve Ancient Dragon Species in combat.
You were holding back in the capital, weren’t you?
Perhaps the Giant Demon Lord was also holding back.
I realized that unfathomable beings are indeed beyond all measure.
“Now, what are you all dawdling about? Show me your strength.”
Old Man Sleigsta turned his neck and spurred everyone on. In particular, I felt his words were directed at me.
Speaking of which, I practiced my forms and mock battles endlessly in the Moss Garden, but I’ve never shown Old Man Sleigsta my full power in actual combat, have I? This isn’t a reply showing him my growth in response to his overwhelming power, but it’s my turn to show my growth next!
“Th-this… You can’t predict something like this!”
Ah!
I found Goldoba within the half-destroyed undead army. I confirmed him regenerating along with the Rotten Dragon he was riding from above Old Man Sleigsta’s head.
“Grandpa, I’m going!”
I leaped off Old Man Sleigsta’s head using Spatial Jump. Then, I charged into the still-panicked undead army.
The members of the Dragon Peak Alliance also seemed to be regaining their composure and began to wreak havoc in various places. The battlefield suddenly became noisy.
Wyverns launched fierce attacks from the sky. Earth Dragons charged at full speed. Dragon Race warriors swept away the undead as if competing.
It became a one-sided battle.
I swung my White Sword and Spirit Tree Wooden Sword, charging forward. My target: Demon General Goldoba.
Rotten Dragons are troublesome. The fact that it regenerated means it couldn’t be destroyed even by Old Man Sleigsta’s breath. Goldoba is likely somewhere else, his true body.
I channeled my Dragon Energy. I didn’t spend the entire time everyone was setting up a barrier just for recovery. I unleashed my fully recovered Dragon Energy, concentrated it, and brought a storm to the Yorttenitos Kingdom. Thunder began to rumble in the sky, and a raging wind toyed with the undead army.
A fiery tornado raged in front of me, seemingly whipped up by the storm.
It’s Listea!
I couldn’t see her due to the overwhelming number of approaching undead blocking my vision, but I could strongly feel her presence. Listea’s purifying flames sent the undead ascending to heaven.
A giant luminous blue blade appeared in the distance. A breath of darkness spread before my eyes. Cheerful shouts and crisp commands could be heard!
It seems the Hero and his party reached Goldoba before I did. Not wanting to be left behind, I swung my sword even harder. I closed the distance with Spatial Jump and engaged Goldoba immediately.
“This is nothing, nothing! Hmph, you can’t predict something like this!”
On the back of the Rotten Dragon, which was more than twice the size of Duranel, was Demon General Goldoba.
“Four Ancient Dragon Species from the sky? A large number of Dragon Race and Dragon People summoned on the ground? I wasn’t told about thistttttt!”
Yes. No one told you. My condolences.
Goldoba screamed, his bones creaking all over his body, along with the Rotten Dragon crying out as it was burned by the Fire Phoenix created by Listea.
“Shut it! Creepy skeleton guy!”
“Saying he’s a skeleton is too harsh. You should say he’s thin!”
“He’s just bones, so I don’t think ‘thin’ is quite right…”
“It’s frustrating, but Slaton is right this time.”
“Everyone, don’t let your guard down!”
“Be careful! If you touch that creepy dragon’s bodily fluids, it’s dangerous!”
“Everyone, don’t let your guard down. Attack from a distance!”
The Hero’s party, assembled! Duranel unleashed a breath of darkness, preventing the Rotten Dragon from approaching. On Duranel’s back, Creacio sat cross-legged, preparing for sorcery. Nearby, Kiiri and Inea readied themselves to cast magic. Slaton dismounted Duranel and swung his giant blue sword on the ground, slashing at the Rotten Dragon. Listea used her flames to draw Goldoba and the Rotten Dragon’s attention. Naimi moved supportively, dealing with the approaching undead. However, Naimi alone wasn’t enough. This was the heart of the undead army. Faced with swarms of undead attacking from all directions, the Hero’s party gradually had less time to focus on Goldoba.
“Doooon!”
With my shout, lightning struck the undead surrounding Listea and the others. It also hit Goldoba a few times.
“Gyaaah!”
But for some reason, Slaton screamed.
“No, but why are you screaming?”
The Hero’s party looked at me in surprise as I appeared after clearing the surrounding undead with lightning strikes.
“Could it be… that lightning strike was you?”
“Yeah. It was!”
Come to think of it, Listea and the others don’t know I can summon lightning and storms.
“Y-you were the one who caused that thunderous stormmm!”
“Ehhhhh”
Suddenly, Slaton rushed at me, his face pale.
“I… I was targeted by that lightning multiple times and almost died!”
“I have no recollection of that. Aren’t you mistaken?”
“Didn’t you just confirm it yourself? I was desperately running away throughout the Great Monster Battle!”
“For some reason, only Slaton was targeted.”
Naimi laughed merrily.
“Ah, if that’s the case, it wasn’t me. That was the Giant Demon Lord.”
Yeah. It wasn’t me after all. I think being framed is terrible.
“However, that lightning strike and the thunderous storm in the capital felt like they had the same properties. In fact, the storm that has started again seems similar.”
I nodded at Cerise’s words.
“That storm was me. But the lightning that toyed with Slaton wasn’t me! However, the source of my lightning is the Demon Lord’s magic. So, perhaps it felt similar?”
Everyone’s eyes widened at my explanation.
“Elnea-kun is causing the storm?”
“Yeah, that’s right, Kiiri.”
“You can unleash lightning with the Demon Lord’s magic?”
“It comes with a curse, though!”
Why is it? The more I explain, the more everyone looks at me strangely.
“Elnea, when this battle is over, let’s talk about it properly…”
“Yeah. I also want to talk a lot with Listea.”
I’m happy. Once this is settled, I can spend enjoyable time with Listea and the others. I thought I wouldn’t be able to reunite with Listea and the others until the year of departure was over. So, Listea’s offer makes me very happy.
Alright, I’ll do my best with all my might!
“Y-you guys… What are you leisurely chatting about while surrounded by my proud undead army?”
Ah, Goldoba has revived. I thought I had obliterated him with the lightning strike, but he regenerates, doesn’t he? Where is his true body?
“Th-this guy… He regenerates endlessly!?”
Slaton’s face twitched. Goldoba, along with the Rotten Dragon, is a frustrating opponent who regenerates no matter how much you attack. Perhaps Listea and the others don’t know about the Rotten Dragon’s existence or Goldoba’s characteristics as an undead user.
Not only Goldoba, but the undead army also began to revive, swarming out. The Dragon Peak Alliance members were devastating the undead army with overwhelming offensive power. In the distance, the Yorttenitos Kingdom army had also started fighting the undead army. However, with the undead reviving no matter how many were defeated, there was no end in sight.
After all, it’s pointless if I don’t strike Goldoba’s true body. Or rather, even for an undead user, this feels abnormal. I feel a strange sense of discomfort. Even as a Demon General, his power and presence feel astronomically different. Compared to other Demon Generals I’ve fought so far, Goldoba’s existence and magic are abnormal. In the Necropolis, the entire populace was turned into undead and made to mimic ordinary lives. To then endlessly create an undead army of tens of thousands seems impossible.
“Heh heh heh. Gradually weaken. No matter how much power you have, how long can you fight an endless horde of undead?”
As if sensing my suspicion, Goldoba laughed, his skull rattling. The depths of his skeletal eye sockets burned red. His bone-covered body and eerie ceremonial robe made him look like the king of death.
“Now, let us invite you to an endless feast of death!”
Goldoba spread his arms. The revived undead charged at us all at once.
“Elnea-sama, no matter the situation, I will always rush to your side!”
“Lyra, I’ll be asking you about that statement later, okay?”
“Lyra deserves to be punished.”
“Lyra’s preemptive move needs attention.”
“You all, fight seriously!”
However, the undead were once again annihilated in an instant. A group of beautiful women appeared after scattering the undead, and Listea and the others were once again dumbfounded.
This is strange. This is the first time I’ve seen them all together, but I’ve met them individually, right?
“Elnea Older Brother’s common sense is everyone else’s uncommon sense, nyan.”
“Uncommon sense, uncommon sense.”
“Yeah. It’s uncommon sense.”
Even the young girls have arrived! A heartwarming scene that makes me wonder if this is really a battlefield. Priscilla-chan and Ares-chan are smiling, holding hands as if they’re going for a walk. Nimia, shrunk down, was lounging on top of Priscilla-chan’s head.
“You guys!! Are you going to interfere with me for the second time, not just the first!”
Only Goldoba knew all of my family.
“Now, Elnea, leave the surrounding undead army to us. You go strike the main target.”
“Yeah, thank you!”
Mistral swung his jet-black one-handed club. Ruiseine cast magic, and the Twin Princesses wielded their Ryūhōken. Lyra overwhelmed the undead army from above with Revalia. Priscilla-chan and Nimia, as a matter of course, jumped onto Duranel’s back.
“Whoa! What is this little girl!?”
“Just take care of her quietly. Childcare suits you.”
Revalia reprimanded Duranel in the air. Duranel reluctantly complied. Creacio was surprised by Priscilla-chan, who suddenly appeared on Duranel’s back via Spatial Jump.
“Now, let’s get serious too!”
I feel like there are many explanations missing, but all of that can wait. For now, I need to focus on the fight with Goldoba! Ares-chan, who remained by my side, and I nodded at each other. Ares-chan transformed into particles of light and merged into me. While not perfect, I received immense power from Ares-chan. Ares-chan had also received replenishment of spirit power from Priscilla-chan.
Energized!
I instantly leaped into Goldoba’s embrace using Spatial Jump. Then, I gracefully danced the Dragon Sword Dance. I unleashed my surging power to its maximum. The raging storm intensified, engulfing the undead army. To assist the Yorttenitos army struggling against the demons, I used branches of Dragon Energy to pull in the undead and immobilize them. Undead in distant locations were blown towards the Dragon Race and Dragon People. Where our forces were thin, I rained down lightning, trampling them.
“What, can you touch this creepy dragon!?”
Slaton recklessly charged forward, so I stopped him by hitting him with leaves from the Spirit Tree.
“No, you can’t. I’m protecting you with Mistral’s Dragon Energy and my own power, but if you touch it normally, it will corrode you!”
“H-hey! Say that sooner!”
Slaton hastily dodged the liquid spewed by the Rotten Dragon.
“We’ll aim for that Rotten Dragon with long-range attacks!”
Deciding that Goldoba was my responsibility, Listea and the others set their sights on the Rotten Dragon. Mistral and the others would handle the surrounding undead, while I focused on Goldoba. And Listea and the others would focus on the Rotten Dragon. A quick role division was decided. This is my first coordinated attack with Listea and my friends! My heart pounded with excitement at the unexpected turn of events. My Dragon Sword Dance was even more brilliant than usual.
“Th-this guy…!”
Goldoba also wielded swords made of his own bones in both hands, but his swordsmanship was nowhere near Ruilala’s. I shattered his bone swords, cut off his arms, severed his legs, and bisected his torso. The Spirit Tree leaves sliced him into pieces, and the lightning pierced not only Goldoba but also the Rotten Dragon. Goldoba and the Rotten Dragon screamed. Then, Slaton’s light sword attacked, severing the Rotten Dragon’s head. Listea’s flames burned the Rotten Dragon, including its severed head. Except for the area around me, the Rotten Dragon was engulfed in purification flames. The rotting skin on its feet evaporated and burned. But strangely, I felt no heatwave. It wasn’t Mistral’s protection. Listea was intentionally blocking the heat. I have to do my best too! While performing the Dragon Sword Dance, I delved deep into my mind. While swiftly cutting down the revived Goldoba, I searched for the Dragon Vein. Goldoba was connected to his true body using the Dragon Vein. I must find it. I must find it. I focused my mind, searching for the slender connection that linked his true body and his clone. After crushing his revival for the nth time, I carefully examined the next regeneration. I found it! Finally, I discovered the foreign object mixed into the flow of the Dragon Vein. You can easily express your support by clicking the heart. (Login required) Support Login if you have an account Learn more about the reading experience on Kakuyomu.
