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Episode 521. I'm Dying
Far away, after the 'Guardian' had completely disappeared.
Only then did Aster take a deep breath and sit down.
“Hoo …
What the hell kind of presence is that?
This feeling is… … yeah.
Long ago, I discovered a dragon heart in the Arapugin Mountains. It felt similar to the pressure I felt from the 'lord' that remained within that dragon heart.
Of course, the Guardian's was much stronger than that of the illusory 'Lord'.
“……Are you okay?”
“First of all… um? Oh, are you okay?”
Aster tilted his head in response to Shine's question.
To be honest, my physical condition was not normal.
Because I tortured my body to block Shine's sword attacks.
If Shine's sword strike had been aimed at Aster himself, he could have detected the killing intent and blocked it, but it was too late.
Muscles are torn here and there, and circuits are all messed up.
But what is this?
'It's really okay.'
A body that has completely recovered in no time.
My wounds felt better as if they had been washed away.
What on earth is going on?
[I received it, a gift.]
"gift?"
[Yes, that. I can feel it, in your body. A refreshing energy.]
“…….”
Indeed, now that I think about it.
Aster calmly observed his inner self. He hadn't noticed it when he wasn't conscious, but now that he was, he could sense a refreshing energy permeating his entire body.
But can this be called a gift?
'It seems like they gave me a bottle and then gave me medicine.'
No, that's not it.
Strictly speaking, the injury was earned by blocking Shine, so it could be said to be a gift.
Anyway, that's not what's important right now.
“You, come here.”
[… …Why, why?]
The wyvern flinched and hid behind Shine. However, Shine naturally grabbed the wyvern's wing and held it out to Aster.
The wyvern, suddenly caught like a chicken, trembled.
[What the heck, this is unfair.]
“Tell me honestly. What are you doing?”
[What are you doing? I was there quietly.]
“Not you.”
Aster nodded briefly and pointed at Yongyong.
Yongyong was still unconscious, perhaps due to the shock he received from his guardian, but what Aster was curious about was Yongyong.
“Where do you wander off to every night? And why did you go to Simcheo?”
[That, that was Yongyong alone… … .]
“Abandon your subordinates?”
[… … .]
“Think carefully before you answer. Don’t let Yongyong be upset.”
Of course, it wasn't Aster's business whether Yongyong was upset or not. It was merely to tickle Wyvern's conscience.
Did the gamble really work?
The wyvern's eyes fluttered open and he sighed.
[I was making it.]
"what?"
[……burden.]
Aster tilted his head.
“You were creating subordinates? Why?”
[What is it?]
“You have a lot of subordinates. In Araprugin.”
[You are such trash.]
“……?”
Aster tilted his head again. This time, his expression was slightly distorted, as he couldn't figure out why he'd been suddenly scolded.
However, it was a perfectly natural insult for a wyvern, and the reason was no different.
[Yongyong's subordinates are my subordinates. But, you gave everything to humans. So Yongyong has no subordinates. I have no subordinates.]
In other words, the Yongyong family that originally ruled the Arapugin Mountains has now completely fallen to the mercenaries of the <Nest>… … .
[I don't like it, Pushk.]
“Uh, um.”
As expected, the main culprit was the Pushk tribe.
For some reason, the Pushk tribesmen were showing exceptional talent in wyvern training.
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After all, that was the reason why the wyvern created subordinates… … .
“Me? Sorry?”
[Is that an apple?]
"I know."
Aster scratched his head awkwardly.
One, that too is temporary.
Aster looked at the wyvern with sparkling eyes and asked a question.
“So… did you make a lot?”
[What did you make?]
"burden."
The wyvern's eyes narrowed as it looked at Aster.
What Wyvern read in Aster's eyes was an unconcealable greed. No, a greed that had no intention of hiding.
[I'm sad.]
The wyvern said this and lowered his head.
And Shine's retribution.
“You wicked thing, stop it, stop it!”
“……Ugh!”
Aster screamed as Shine's fist struck the back of his head.
… … Wyvern secretly smiled at Aster’s suffering.
That would be the case, since Araprugin's wyverns were still under Yongyong's command.
No matter how much Pushk's tribesmen are masters of taming, they cannot break the wyverns' loyalty to Yongyong.
However, for now, they are just waiting for the right time and acting in secret.
someday…….
'……freedom!'
The day I will swim in the sea of moonstone piled up like a mountain.
The day I will cut through the blue sky and throw a stone at my friend's head
The wyvern was waiting.
The promised moment of freedom.
… … The legions were steadily gathering.
* * *
Anyway, after the visit of the 'Guardian', Yongyong was selected as a special surveillance target.
“If you go to the deep end, you’ll all die. Do you understand?”
[… … .]
Yongyong looked at Aster with close eyes, but when he raised his clenched fist, he quietly lowered his head.
For the record, Macron, the guide, had no recollection of the previous day's events.
“I… I think I had a nightmare. Didn’t you lose sleep because of me?”
"are you okay."
“Hmm. That’s good. Hmm.”
In some ways, it was fortunate that the level was low.
Why?
If you were at a level where you could remember even after seeing 'The Guardian', you would have suffered a lot like Damian.
“Life, pain… ugh.”
Damian continued to vomit until the next morning after the Guardian left, and according to Shine, the Guardian's presence had taken a toll on his soul.
"You'll be fine soon. A Transcendent's mental power isn't that weak. But more than that…"
“……?”
“I told you before, remember? ‘Three fingers.’”
“If it’s ‘three fingers’…….”
Aster tried to recall his memories again. He remembered what Shine had told him after the Sanctuary.
“Captain of Salvation?”
"okay."
"What, exactly? An unknown entity? That guy? But, why that guy?"
"Do you remember what I told you back then? Remember, you might meet him someday. That being could shock you even more than Destrow. And if we're going to consider similarities…"
“……I said it was more similar to ‘The Sun and the Moon’.”
"okay."
At the time, Shine said so.
It's similar to Destroyer, but it's far superior to Destroyer, and if I had to be specific, it's as incomprehensible and bizarre as the final form of the 'sun and moon'.
No, actually, that expression was not correct.
The most accurate expression is… … .
‘… …a fear beyond recognition.’
Yeah, that was it.
But, the fact that I mentioned its existence now is…
"similar."
“……Similar?”
"Yes. I don't know which of the 'guests' and 'three fingers' is higher, but they are definitely beings in similar realms."
“Then that means….”
“If you keep three fingers in mind in the future, it would be good to refer to that ‘guest.’”
"hmm."
Aster let out a sigh.
That's understandable, because when you imagine the 'three fingers' based on the 'guardian', there's no way to do it.
but.
“Okay, I understand.”
Aster answered obediently.
Because you never know what will happen in human affairs.
It never hurts to be prepared for any situation.
anyway.
"Well then, let's get going. The road is blocked now, so keep that in mind."
“So, do I have to find a way?”
“Yeah. Are you okay? It’s raining hard.”
“Please leave it to me.”
Macron stepped forward confidently.
* * *
After that.
Aster and his party followed Macron's lead into the forest. Macron proved to be an excellent guide.
… … So, how many days passed?
“From here on out is the territory of the ancient species…….”
Is the rainy season over?
The rain stopped before we knew it.
Macron was smiling, perhaps enjoying the clear weather after a long time, and there was no trace of fear of the ancient bell on his face.
During our journey together, we came to know just how skilled the three masked people were.
Because of this, Macron was rather excited.
'… … I might even be able to witness the ancient species hunt firsthand.'
But why is that?
“……? Wizard?”
Macron tilted his head. He'd arrived at the place he'd longed for, but something about the "Number 4" wizard seemed off.
No, it wasn't just the 'number 4' wizard.
“Hmm.”
Of course, Shine too.
“Hmm.”
Even Damian.
And the wyvern was openly showing its wariness by raising its scales.
Macron sensed something ominous and held his breath. Then, lowering his voice, he asked a question.
“Why are you doing that?”
“Here, what kind of ancient species was it?”
"According to witnesses, it's a Treehorn Drake. It's been seen a few times in there, and it moved its habitat here during the last Destroyer appearance."
“Treehorn Drake…….”
Aster narrowed his eyes.
Shine hummed softly.
“It’s a dragon paper.”
Damian nodded as if he sympathized with Shine's words.
“Yeah, it’s a dragon.”
The wyvern roared.
[Gyaaaa …
It was a situation that Macron could not understand.
Why on earth are you doing this?
However, I kept my mouth shut because I didn't have the confidence to ask again, and it was at that moment that Aster stepped forward.
“First, let’s go.”
“Oh, yeah.”
As Macron was about to step forward to answer, Aster shook his head.
“This way.”
"……yes?"
Macron tilted his head. Did he find any trace?
However, no matter how hard I searched, there was nothing that could be called a "trace" around. The tracks of the Treehorn Drake were so large that I should have been able to spot them at first glance.
“What are you doing? Why aren’t you coming?”
“Go, go.”
Macron put aside his doubts and followed Aster.
Aster was walking briskly as if he knew the way, and Shine, Damian, and Wyvern were also moving as if they knew the way.
It had to be that way.
… … that deep place.
Someone's thick magical power was beckoning.
Come here.
How far did Aster walk with his group?
Aster descended into a deep cave leading underground.
No, should I call this a cave?
It was a beast's den.
However, it is so huge that it is not visible.
Anyway, Aster went down a tunnel that led underground for a long time, and at the end of it, he was able to meet the master of the magic that had called them.
Its identity is… … .
Grrr, groan―
Treehorn Drake.
However, it was incomparably larger than what Chenbi and Salie had encountered.
The height alone is 40 meters.
The body length is several hundred meters.
It was a truly overwhelming presence, and Macron was left trembling, unable to breathe.
“Monster, monster, monster…….”
Aster turned his back on Macron and looked at the giant Drake.
at that time.
[You are dying.]
The wyvern stepped forward.
[What is it, tell me what you want.]
The golden eyes shone.
Does it respond to that light?
Grrrrrrr—
A giant treehorn drake let out a mournful cry.
Bowing his head in submission.