Chapter 82


    “Kuwaaah!”


    The grotesque head, filled with sharp, jagged teeth, emitted a repulsive aura.


    It looked as if filthy, sticky sludge was attempting to imitate the form of a dragon.


    Crack!


    The barrier created by the priest was instantly crushed the moment the dragon’s head closed its jaws, ttening both the barrier and the people it shielded. The sight of a person, perfectly fine just moments ago, being turned into a puddle of blood was unreal.


    Among those witnessing this horrifying scene, the first to regainposure was Dior.


    “Move it, you idiots! Do you want to end up like them!?”


    As the sinister light in the distant dragon’s eyes shed ominously once more, the knights scattered. Though the dragon’s head seemed momentarily confused by the sudden disarray, its six eyes soon adjusted, each one tracking a separate target.


    ‘It prioritizes therger groups.’


    Despite running straight toward the dragon, it didn’t so much as nce at Dior.


    ‘This is artificial.’


    This was clearly not a naturally urring resurrection.


    Guooooong!


    But the intent to kill was genuine. Thankfully, the wide-area attacks like the earlier breath were no longer present.


    From every direction, ck dragon heads erupted from the ground, attempting to swallow the knights whole.


    Of course, the knights were not foolish enough to fall for such obvious attacks, but even in a decayed state, a dragon was still a dragon.


    As its heavy body settled onto the ground, it spread its wings wide. Suddenly, the sky sparkled like stars, and then beams of light shot out indiscriminately.


    Ziiing!


    Though not precisely aimed, the explosions that followed the beams were enough to chill anyone’s blood. Dust clouds rose everywhere, obstructing vision, while dragon heads from the ground exploited the chaos, lunging at the knights.


    Kuwaaaah!


    Despite their heavy armor, the knights moved nimbly, but due to inexperience, mistakes were made, resulting in a growing number of injuries and deaths.


    Thanks to the distraction caused by the knights, Ian and Dior managed to close the distance.


    “Wretched specter!”


    Dior, filled with fury, leapt into the air, delivering a fierce kick to the dragon’s jaw.


    Thwack!!!


    The dragon’s head whipped to the side with a satisfying crack. If it were a living being, its brain would’ve been rattled by the blow, but it had little effect on the undead dragon.


    Instead, the dragon’s malice, previously focused on the scattering knights, now turned toward Dior.


    Zing!


    The dragon’s eyes gleamed as ripples formed in the air, and a dragon head burst forth, lunging at Dior.


    “This is nothing!”


    Dior grabbed the mouth of the dragon head that had devoured knights and priests alike and, with sheer overwhelming strength, tore it apart.


    In his rage, fear was an emotion that couldn’t reach Dior. His heart pounded fiercely, like a roaring me.


    [Bane of Evil]


    [me Prison, Multiple Deployment]


    As he fell from the sky, Dior spread his arms wide. mes bloomed like flowers in mid-air and shot toward the dragon, crashing into it.


    Boom, boom, boom, boom!


    A chain of explosions engulfed the dragon, and waves of intense heat rippled outward, threatening to sweep everything around.


    The dragon heads that had just emerged to consume Dior melted in the searing heat.


    Guuuuung!


    This time, the dragon let out a low rumble from its neck, as if in a groan, but the ck mist surrounding it still remained intact.


    There was no time to stop. Power surged into Dior’s eyes.


    [Bane of Evil – Resonance]


    With that, the mes writhing over the dragon’s body came under Dior’s control.


    [Corruption Devourer]


    The mes transformed into greedy fangs, gnawing away at the dragon’s flesh. The ck mist swelled in resistance, trying to smother the mes, but they wouldn’t extinguish.


    “Tuuchaaaang!”


    “Spear Throw!”


    “Tuuchang!”


    From the scattered Red Spear Knights, streams of fire shot forth, arcing toward the dragon.


    Fwoooosh!


    The dragon, still engulfed in the explosion, moved its wings at that moment, catching the streams of fire. Its defense seemed weak, as the fire pierced through the ck mist without mercy.


    Perhaps it was due to the drug; otherwise, Dior might have missed that opening. He could clearly see the flow of battle, and instinctively knew what to do next.


    “Incredible.”


    But it was dangerous. Dior was even more hesitant, knowing this was the effect of the drug Ian had given him.


    Still, he couldn’t let this opportunity slip away.


    After all, finishing the fight was Ian’s job. Dior just needed to make a significant enough contribution to have something to sayter.


    His eyes gleamed as he drew his sword from his waist. The distance was a bit far, but…


    ‘I can reach it.’


    It was within range.


    [Bane of Evil: Fifth Form]


    [Punishment, Beheading]


    With terrifying speed, the sword flew from its scabbard, cutting through the air.


    Ssshhh!


    Before long, one of the dragon’s wings was severed.


    Fwoosh!


    At the same time, the dragon’s ck tailshed toward Dior like a whip, mming him into the ground.


    Boom!


    Ian, who had quietly been closing the distance from the sky, felt his heart pound as he looked down at the scene.


    He wasn’t worried for his brother’s safety. At that moment, he saw Dior engulfed in me, blocking the tail’s blow, clearly feeling the effects of the drug Cordelia had made.


    He may have been injured, but he wasn’t dead. That was enough for now. What mattered most wasn’t that.


    ‘Hmm.’


    Though Ian had nned to use the Pamael to deal with the dragon, seeing the mes Dior had unleashed sparked a thrilling sensation within him, along with a powerful inspiration that stirred his inner world.


    Whoosh!


    Berger’s me, Bane of Evil, was specialized in eradicating evil, true to its name. After confirming that these mes were devouring the dragon’s flesh, Ian had an idea he wanted to try before throwing the Pamael.


    Dior’s mes. He wanted to imitate them.


    “Is this how it’s done?”


    Though it wouldn’t be perfect, he thought he could roughly replicate it.


    When he had trained in Bane of Evil, he had never seen a technique like me Prison. It was likely a unique technique Dior had developed himself.


    It wasn’t just a simplepression of mes.


    It was a double explosion—an initial st followed by sessive detonations.


    Though unfamiliar, Ian’s mana moved naturally as if he had practiced it countless times.


    He stretched his hand forward, scattering mana into the air and activating the technique.


    [Bane of Evil]


    [me Prison, Multi Deployment]


    mes blossomed spectacrly in the air.


    Whooosh!


    “It worked.”


    Ian’s lips curled into a deep smirk as he watched.


    There was a time in his youth when he had been arrogant, thinking himself a genius. But once he realized that there were skies above skies, he had never dared to harbor such thoughts again.


    However, this moment felt different. He felt capable, as if he could do anything.


    Roooaaar!


    The dragon let out a strange rumble and lifted its head, but only one of its six gleaming eyes was staring at him.


    Though not real eyes, they served a simr function as mana lights. The moment Ian faced them, a chilling sensation tightened around his body, but he easily shrugged it off.


    Having already encountered the Outer Gods, Ian had no reason to fear this iplete dragon. If anything, he found the situation amusing.


    “So, it still doesn’t consider me a threat?”


    He knew it couldn’t understand his words.


    “You’ll regret that.”


    The dragon tried to fully spread its remaining wing, but Ian was faster.


    The twenty-four mes he had unleashed spiraled toward the dragon, descending like a vortex.


    Fwoooosh!


    The moment the mes neared the dragon—


    Boooom!


    Boom!


    Thepressed fire erupted with a powerful explosion, scattering in all directions.


    Ian extended his hand toward the spreading mes, grabbing hold of the fire and heat.


    ‘Can I do it?’


    Yes, he could. Since it was created from his own mana, controlling it wasn’t difficult.


    “…So it is possible?”


    Memories from the past resurfaced. This was something only the Heroes who had fought alongside the Champion could do.


    Only those who possessed overwhelming talent and had reached a high level could recycle the resources they had once used.


    “So now you’re finally paying attention to me?”


    Isn’t it a bit toote? Ian met the dragon’s gaze and twirled his extended hand in the air. As he clenched the space in front of him, the scattered mes coiled back around the dragon.


    Whoooosh!


    The mes slithered up the dragon’s massive body like snakes. He couldn’t craft them into a precise shape.


    Scales, head, fangs… Creating such forms would naturally increase their power, as it signified a higher level ofpletion.


    But for that, his current mana was far too insufficient.


    “What a shame.”


    His heart tingled with the feeling that he was on the verge of gaining something, but wasting more mana now was not an option.


    He didn’t have enough power left for a decisive strike. The only reason he had managed this much was thanks to the artifact, Frey, which he had received from his father, the head of the family.


    Reluctantly, Ian relinquished control of the mes. As the fire began to disperse, Ian pulled out the Pamael.


    ***


    “Ha! That didn’t even hurt!”


    Dior, who had been mmed into the ground by the dragon’s tail, got back on his feet.


    His body ached, but the pain was bearable. Converting Bane of Evil’s mes into armor at thest moment had been the right choice.


    He had anticipated a follow-up attack for a clean kill and had hurried to escape, but fortunately, no such attack came.


    He assessed the situation. In the short span of fewer than 30 seconds, nothing significant had changed.


    “…What the—?”


    However, when he saw the ball of fire forming around Ian, who was plummeting from far above the dragon, Dior was dumbfounded.


    Wasn’t that me Prison? It wasn’t exactly a novel technique. Anyone who wielded fire could replicate it.


    Boom!


    But me Prison wasn’t justpressed mes.


    It was a double explosion technique, designed to sweep an area with minimal mana, alter the surrounding environment, and take control of the space. And Ian had copied it.


    Dior wasn’t angry that his unique technique had been stolen. It simply meant that Ian had found it useful.


    However, what truly shocked him was the skill with which Ian controlled the mes and heat, wrapping them around the dragon.


    “That crazy bastard…”


    This was not something a Level 4 could pull off.


    ‘Does he have enough mana?’


    As expected, Ian soon released his control, likely due to a shortage of mana.


    Above him, the dragon, now free, began to move again.


    Despite its massive weight, the dragon’s body spun effortlessly as it prepared to whip its tail.


    Meanwhile, Ian was channeling mana into Pamael, and Dior could see wind gathering around the weapon’s uniquely sharp de.


    Dior exhaled deeply and adjusted his grip on his sword.


    nk—


    “Hoo. As your older brother, I suppose I should help.”


    He felt he had already done enough by clearing the path, but standing by and watching when he could help made no sense.


    Perhaps if they were rivals, it would be different.


    He clenched the sword he hadn’t let go of even when he was mmed into the ground, drawing up his mana.


    There was a part of him that thought he should use this opportunity to target the mana stone, but doing so might put his younger brother in danger.


    [Bane of Evil, Fifth Form]


    [Judgment, Decapitation]


    Dior steadied his stance and swung his sword.


    Sssssshing!


    His radiant mana turned into a sharp sh, instantly severing the dragon’s tail.


    As he watched the tail fly into the air, he gathered more mana.


    “One more time!”


    This time, he aimed for the dragon’s remaining wing. Thanks to the relentless strikes from the Red Spear Knights, the tattered wing was severed as well.


    Slice!


    In the brief moment that the dragon spun its body, it lost both its tail and wing, but its momentum didn’t falter.


    Without feeling pain, it quickly realized it had lost its means of attack and opened its lower jaw to bite down on Ian.


    Whooooom!


    With mana surging through him, Ian recited a spell as he threw Pamael toward the dragon’s gaping maw.


    “Tear it apart.”


    ———-