The End of the Dragon

Another wave of attacks from the Seraph descended.

The Platinum Dragon Lord raised its only remaining intact foreclaw to block. Its talons collided with the shield in a piercing metallic shriek.

But its injuries were too severe. Its movements had clearly slowed, and its body, once as elegant as a work of art, was now covered in gruesome wounds left by "Reality Severance" and blackened scorch marks caused by "Great Catastrophe."

Several casts of "Resistance Weakening" had all been resisted.

Even though Higashino Makoto was not particularly skilled at weakening magic, he had to admit that dragons truly possessed absurdly high resistance!

Higashino Makoto sighed.

He truly did not want to kill this dragon.

Not out of pity, nor mercy, but from a purely pragmatic calculation—

Killing the Platinum Dragon Lord would bring him no benefit.

What Higashino Makoto needed was the Dragon Emperor's knowledge of summoning players, not his life.

Before they had fought, Higashino Makoto had worried that the other party might pose a threat, so he had come prepared to kill it if he found himself in danger.

But after fighting it and discovering that he could crush it with ease, Higashino Makoto no longer wanted to kill it.

This world would become his backyard. The dragon race would be the brilliant flowers within it, and the Platinum Dragon Lord was one of the most dazzling among them.

True Dragon Lords were nearly extinct. How wasteful would it be to kill them all?

Moreover, this city-state's ability to maintain coexistence among all races depended heavily on the Platinum Dragon Lord's absolute deterrence.

Once it died, the Argland Council State would inevitably descend into civil strife, and civil strife meant death, chaos, and—

Trouble.

Higashino Makoto used "Life Essence" to monitor the Platinum Dragon Lord's health, preparing to use "All-Race Charm" to control it once its health fell low enough.

Success would be ideal. But if it continued to resist successfully, then he could only sever its limbs and wings and use "Memory Manipulation" to search its mind for answers.

Though by then, the Platinum Dragon Lord would most likely become an idiot, wouldn't it?

But that would have nothing to do with Higashino Makoto.

It was not as though he had not given it a chance. If it failed to cherish that chance, it should have no complaints about bearing the consequences itself, right?

"All-Race Charm"—failed.

"All-Race Charm"—failed.

"All-Race Charm"...

After nearly dozens of failed attempts, Higashino Makoto had no choice but to consider other methods.

Tenth-Tier faith magic—"Blasphemy."

A pitch-black ray of light drifted toward the Platinum Dragon Lord like a flickering firefly, then gently merged into its body.

In an instant, an intense sense of discomfort surged from within the Platinum Dragon Lord.

"Damn filth! What have you done?"

"You'll know soon enough."

Higashino Makoto shrugged without explaining, merely beginning to cast other weakening skills.

"Resistance Weakening."

"Open Wounds."

"Dominate."

"Curse."

"How could I possibly let you succeed?!"

The Platinum Dragon Lord roared, its entire body erupting with dazzling golden light.

That was the dragon race's innate noble "soul," proof of its connection to the world, attempting to forcibly dispel the filthy power clinging to its body.

Yet the black light of "Blasphemy" merely swayed before remaining firmly embedded within it.

Higashino Makoto raised an eyebrow slightly.

It worked.

He did not immediately follow up with more attacks, instead quietly observing.

Tenth-Tier faith magic truly was extraordinary. The resistance barrier that had rendered every weakening spell ineffective had now been torn open with a gap.

"You..."

For the first time, a trace of tremor entered the Platinum Dragon Lord's voice.

"Damn filth! I will never submit to the power of evil!"

"I told you."

Higashino Makoto answered calmly.

"Give me the knowledge of how the Dragon Emperor summoned players, and I'll leave immediately."

"Don't even think about it!"

The Platinum Dragon Lord forced its battered body upright and violently spread its wings.

Even though nearly a third of one wing had been sliced away by Reality Severance, it still burst forth with astonishing speed and pounced at Higashino Makoto.

Golden dragonfire gathered deep within its throat—

Then, just as it was about to spew forth, its movements suddenly froze.

"Dominate."

—It succeeded for an instant.

Though he had failed to fully control this ancient dragon, that instant of hesitation was enough.

Higashino Makoto sidestepped, raising a hand to follow up with Open Wounds and Resistance Reduction.

The old wound at the base of the Platinum Dragon Lord's left wing suddenly split open, and golden dragon blood gushed out like a fountain.

It let out a pained roar as its massive body crashed heavily into the ruins, sending dust and ash flying everywhere.

"Its resistance is continuously dropping."

Looking at the data fed back by Life Essence, Higashino Makoto muttered to himself.

The Platinum Dragon Lord's health had already fallen below ten percent, while its resistance to negative statuses was steadily weakening under the ongoing erosion of Blasphemy.

He raised his hand again.

"All-Race Charm"—failed.

"All-Race Charm"—failed.

"All-Race Charm"—succeeded.

At that instant, a trace of confusion flashed through the Platinum Dragon Lord's golden vertical pupils.

But it lasted only an instant.

"Impossible!"

It began struggling frantically.

"A mere human, how dare you—"

Golden light erupted once more, forcibly shattering the charm's effect.

Higashino Makoto sighed.

It had succeeded, but it had lasted less than three seconds.

Still, that was fine. Those three seconds had already proven one thing.

As long as he kept weakening it, sooner or later, he would be able to control it completely.

Higashino Makoto couldn't help grumbling inwardly. This Platinum Dragon Lord's mental resistance was absurdly high!

He began chanting the next round of weakening magic.

The Platinum Dragon Lord lay amid the ruins, its chest heaving more and more violently. Its vision had begun to blur, and its consciousness was growing sluggish under the erosion of the Curse.

It finally realized one fact—

From the very beginning, the human before it had never regarded it as an opponent.

It was merely a beast that needed to be slowly tamed.

"Kill me."

The Platinum Dragon Lord's hoarse voice carried the last trace of its pride.

Higashino Makoto stopped what he was doing and looked down at this being that had once ruled over all.

"What benefit would killing you bring me?"

He asked in a tone as calm as if they were discussing what to have for dinner tonight.

"I'd even have to waste mana resurrecting you."

In this otherworld, where resurrection magic existed, death was not the end of everything.

The Platinum Dragon Lord grew even more terrified.

A player was actually planning to resurrect a Dragon Lord?

"Never..."

The Platinum Dragon Lord gasped, its voice weaker than ever.

"I will not become your... slave."

"That depends on your choice."

Higashino Makoto crouched down, meeting those golden dragon eyes that were gradually losing their light.

"Give me the knowledge, and I'll leave. You can continue being your Councilman of the Deliberative Nation, your True Dragon King. I guarantee I won't come bother you again."

"And if I... refuse?"

Higashino Makoto fell silent for a moment, a trace of impatience flashing through his golden eyes.

Did he really think he still had the right to refuse?

"Then from now on, you won't be a Dragon King anymore," he said softly.

"You'll be nothing more than a dim-witted guard lizard chained up in my nest."

As his words fell, he raised his hand again.

Pitch-black light gathered in his palm.