Chapter 253: Night at Argon Port (1) (1/2)
Hype, hype, hype~
The following episodes after this are quite long, so expect some delays in their releases.
Anyway, some of you wanted a picture of the kitten, but getting a kitten to stop moving when taking a picture wasn’t easy, hahaha…
It still has no name since my family originally thought it was a girl and named it Candy. But I only found out today that it was a boy, so we’re trying to come up with a new name.
Terms used in this episode:
Magic words – Also known as ‘kotodama.’ It refers to the Japanese belief that mystical powers dwell in words and names. In Japanese fiction, it’s mostly a special ability to influence someone or something through the power of words. Characters that have a similar ability to this are Toge Inumaki from Jujutsu Kaisen, and Kudou Asuka from Mondaiji.
Ancient Dragons were special beings.
Even if one looked at the entire history of Pleiades, the number of Ancient Dragons could be counted on one’s fingers.
What was the reason for that?
Why were the number of dragons who reached the level of an Ancient Dragon so small?
It was strange if one thought about it a bit deeply.
No one could deny that dragons were the strongest race when viewed as a single entity.
They had no such thing as a natural enemy, and were a long-lived race that lived longer than dwarves and elves. The mortality rate of adults was also low because they became stronger as they grew older.
In other words, they were a race that had little chance of dying once they became an adult as long as they did not go crazy.
But despite this, the number of Ancient Dragons was small.
They were such a rare existence that it would not be an exaggeration to say that there was only one in several generations.
‘Because it wasn’t just about getting older.’
An Ancient Dragon was not just an old dragon.
A dragon couldn’t reach the level of an Ancient Dragon by just getting old.
In terms of human beings, they were like the Ten Great Swordmasters – no, they were like the Sword Saints who had reached a level that transcended the limits of their race.
Most dragons stopped growing at the level of a common old dragon, an Adult Dragon, when they got older.
But few of them could be more than that.
Ancient Dragons were chosen beings even among dragons.
They were monsters that transcended the limits of the dragon race and reached the realm of a god.
That was the Ancient Dragon.
***
Kajsa gulped as she stared at the tokens of Carlos that had been gathered into one.
Dragon Slayer Carlos.
The great hero of the south who defeated Black Dragon Malekith.
But he was a different being from other dragon slayers.
Most dragon slayers who left their names in history had only slayed Adult Dragons.
However, Carlos was different.
What he killed was an Ancient Dragon, an existence that was like a god among dragons.
‘A true great hero.’
The only person acknowledged as his lifelong rival was Lion D. Sälen, who founded the Sälen Kingdom and subdued countless monsters.
Kajsa could not calm her pounding heart.
How in the world could she not get excited and nervous now?
‘Carlos’ legacy’
It was the first time in nearly 300 years since Carlos passed away that the tokens he left behind were gathered in one place.
Kajsa moved her hands while listening to the beating of her pounding heart, and combined the seven tokens into one without difficulty.
It became a sculpture that had some angles in it, but was overall round and had a diameter of around 15 cm.
Having completed the token, Kajsa unknowingly released mana from her fingertips.
Somehow, she felt like she had to do that.
And it was at that moment.
“It’s shining?”
Carlos’ tokens began to shine.
The emblems of each family began to shine until the entire token intensely shone.
“Pink Bomb?!”
Scarlet’s voice was heard from the far side of the mansion.
But Cordelia did not look back.
Because she instinctively turned her gaze to a distant place the moment a strong light arose from the token in Kajsa’s hand.
Kwagaaaaaang-!
A roar was heard from the distance.
But it wasn’t the sound of an explosion.
The light from the token weakened, so Jude and Cordelia were able to see more clearly.
At a distance.
Something split the night sky.
A pillar of light soared high and pierced the sky, giving off a subtle glow.
“The port?”
Broadly speaking, Count Kagehama’s mansion was also located at Argon Port.
But if one had to pinpoint the exact location, it would be misleading to say that it was in the port. Because it was located outside the city of Argon.
“It’s on the port side! If it’s that far…”
“Central square!”
Jude added after Kajsa.
In the realm of calculation, Jude was unparalleled.
The moment he saw the pillar of light, he unfolded the map of Argon Port in his mind and calculated the exact location.
“That’s where the dwarves’ workshop is.”
To be exact, it was next to it.
At the place where a giant statue of Carlos was erected.
“Then let’s go!”
Jude nodded as Cordelia jumped and spoke. He naturally offered his back and she jumped again as she got on his back.
“Pink Bomb? Black Cloak?”
Scarlet came running just then and called the two.
She did not know of the current situation because she was looking for the token in the mansion.
But she was quick-witted like a Rogue Master.
As soon as she saw the token in Kajsa’s hand and the pillar of light soaring from afar, she roughly understood the situation.
“Have you sensed it? Then let’s go!”
When Cordelia urged them again, Kajsa grinned and turned around, but not Scarlet.
Unlike the two beast girls, she spoke like a rational person.
“W-wait! What about Count Kagehama? Is he dead already?”
Scarlet pointed to Count Kagehama who was lying on the floor with his tongue sticking out.
He seemed to have fainted when Kajsa threw him in the midst of the fight.
“He’s not dead. So let’s hurry up.”
Kajsa beckoned and urged her to hurry as if he was insignificant, and Scarlet unconsciously narrowed her brows and sighed.
Because the current situation was unlike a Rogue Master’s work.
A garden that had become a sea of fire, and a destroyed mansion.
Even the owner of the mansion had fainted with his tongue sticking out.
‘Is this even a robbery?’
No, this isn’t even a robbery.
It’s more appropriate to call it terrorism.
“Anyway, let’s go!”
Scarlet nodded as Cordelia urged her while on Jude’s back.
After all, a huge pillar of light suddenly appearing was bound to attract attention.
“Okay, let’s go.”
Scarlet replied with a displeased expression, while Cordelia tightly hugged the neck of Jude who kicked the ground.
He raced towards the pillar of light.
***
Scarlet wasn’t wrong.
The pillar of light that rose up with a roaring sound had attracted a lot of people’s attention.
And among them was Sicilia who was watching the situation from afar.
Dark Elf Sicilia.
The descendant of the high elf royal family who lived in the Forest of Eternity then furrowed her brows.
‘Madhur.’
She somehow knew on what happened to him because she was also one of the Three Knights of Malekith.
Madhur had failed.
He not only lost all of Carlos’ tokens, but also lost his own life.
‘That stupid b*stard.’
She didn’t cry but her heart ached.
Because they had been working together for a long time.
But now was not the time to indulge in her thoughts.
Sicilia gritted her teeth and thought.
‘Our plan has failed.’
Their plan to collect all seven tokens by attacking Count Kagehama and Marquis Ophand at the same time had failed.
Madhur who attacked Count Kagehama’s mansion had died, and the battle at Marquis Ophand’s mansion had lost its significance.
All seven tokens had already been gathered.
‘Is it time to make a decision?’
After all, the seven tokens had all been gathered, and the location of Carlos’ legacy in the south had been revealed.
The reason they attacked the 7 southern families in the first place was to secure his legacy, so it was only natural for her to make a move now.
But she needed to make a decision.
Because most of the available troops she had were gone or busy.
Gamorr Khan strangely disappeared somewhere, while Madhur died in his mission.
The troops attacking Marquis Ophand’s mansion were being used to bind the marquis’ feet, so in the end, she had to release all the troops she had saved so far in order to take Carlos’ legacy.
‘Someone who’s strong enough to defeat Madhur.’
She made up her mind. She would only fail again if she held back their forces.
Sicilia took a deep breath.
She closed her eyes and gave a command.
“Go.”
Go and take Carlos’ legacy.
The necromancer’s command soon became magic words and crossed the sea. Those who were hiding in the darkness of the night began to move at once.
***
‘F*ck! They’re so fast!’
Kajsa swore as they raced under the moonlit night.
Because she couldn’t keep up with Jude even with her speed that was the fastest among the Ophands. She could only strive hard to chase after him.
Moreover, Jude was carrying Cordelia.
No matter how light Cordelia was or how strong Jude was, there should have been a significant difference between running alone and running while carrying someone.
‘But I still can’t catch up, huh?’
The unyielding Kajsa mustered all her strength to increase her speed, so Scarlet who was running behind a little further ended up swearing.
‘Hey, you beast b*tches! Wait for me!’
She knew that they were in a hurry, but was still confused with the situation.
And frankly, her pride was hurt.
She was the Rogue Master’s descendant, yet she was the one lagging behind the most. It didn’t make any sense to her.
‘Haaaa!’
Scarlet shouted out in her mind before adding one more spell on herself. She clenched her teeth at the pain that inflicted her entire body as she sped up.
And it was at that moment.