"Well then, I'll take my leave now."
He straightened his bent back and his gloomy demeanor returned to its sunny state.
The Doctor left the room with hope, and the Elite Operators will likely feel more favorably toward Camelot because of his change in demeanor.
Of course, none of this matters to the people who truly bring about change.
[Vera: The Doctor has agreed, so there's no need to worry about this for now.]
[Gorth: I'm still a little worried. Can willpower alone really suppress this so-called "ideological imprint"?]
[Vane: You can trust his resilience. He carries the hopes of 100,000 compatriots who might be revived. Grey Nails alone can't bring him down.]
[Gregor: The greater the hope, the greater the despair after failure... Fourth brother, are you really confident you can do it?]
[Vane: You should ask the second brother about that. I'm personally confident. If a small piece of material can be resurrected, there's no reason why a perfectly preserved body in Sarcophagus shouldn't succeed.]
[Vane: Second brother, didn't you hate using this power on normal people? Is this okay?]
[Vera: If we consider unnatural death as a terminal illness, then this power is the cure. I do not intend to stand idly by and watch a civilization perish.]
[Vane:... You seem to have a pretty clear understanding of things. Aren't you really going to tell us what happened in the furnace?]
[Vera: That's a long story. Let's tell it when we're all reunited.]
[Gorth: A reunion... Now that things have come to this, we don't need to be as cautious as we were before. It would be too much trouble to wait for the boss to come looking for us one by one.]
[Vane: Set a date? I might need to process this for a while longer.]
[Gorth: Oh, that's true. It's not too late to reunite after we've resolved the hidden dangers.]
[Vera: What riddles are you guys playing now? If you want to meet, can't we reunite anytime in the Vitality Hall?]
[Vane: We'll have to meet in person eventually. If we can get our hands on the scroll from Yan sooner, we can avoid the hassle of traveling there.]
[Vane: Anyway, there's no need to rush. Let me clear out the possible locations of the Star Gate debris. The second and third brothers both have things to do, and as for the eldest... take your time.]
[Gregor: Should I switch back to Columbia? Where is the Stasis Site center located?]
[Vane:... Boss, where do you get the confidence to find your way? Let's get to Vissheim first.]
Gregor: "..."
There's no need to be so hurtful, is there? I can still find my way if I have a map.
Hmm, probably...
"You monster!"
Seeing their companions fall easily before Gregor, the Witch King Remnants, who were supposed to be his support, cried out in alarm and fled in panic.
With someone taking the lead, the already unstable protective network became even more fragile, and the remaining members of the encirclement team began to consider retreating.
Finally, another combined magical attack was easily deflected by the opponent's sword, minced flesh and soil mingled together, and the pent-up fear finally exploded.
The Witch King Remnants scattered in panic, and Gregor charged forward, his blood-red light delivering the final blow.
"So strong..."
Behind them, Hei Jian Ebenholz, who insisted on staying to watch, stared wide-eyed.
Even knowing Gregor was very strong, Ebenholz was still shocked by it.
As Earl, Ebenholz was instilled with the idea that magic was supreme from a young age, but everything he saw before him was shattering his old ideas.
The [Wastestone], who knows nothing about magic, is easily slaughtering those elite sorcerers.
They didn't even dare to fight back, for those spells they were so proud of would become the very weapons that would take their lives.
"Boss! Ceobe help you beat up the bad guys!"
The silly dog charged forward, then stopped abruptly.
Lightning crackled in his palm, and the enchanted heavy spear even unleashed a shockwave, tearing a terrified Witch King Remnants to pieces.
"What? He's gone? He ran away!"
"That's dead, you violent woman!"
Ebenholz felt a pang of shame.
With exceptional magical talent and extremely high physical abilities, an ordinary person would be considered a genius envied by others for possessing even one of these qualities, while the fools around them have them all in their grasp.
As for that childlike intelligence, perhaps that's the price to pay...
Completely unaware that he was also a child, Ebenholz looked at Gregor walking towards him and thought of his people, so he mustered up his courage and stepped forward.
In order to truly control one's own destiny, power is indispensable.
"Can you teach me how to become stronger?"
Taken aback by Ebenholz's request, Gregor initially intended to refuse on the grounds of his young age, but seeing the determined look in his eyes—
"Actually, I know nothing about magic, and the same goes for maces. As for Ceobe... you wouldn't want her to teach you, would you?"
Gregor told him the truth, and Ebenholz curled his lip.
"Her? I don't deny her exceptional talent, but even a three-year-old child would be better at that brutal technique."
"You also have great talent. As long as you dedicate yourself to studying, you will definitely become an excellent warlock in the future."
"Can't I become a Guard?" Ebenholz asked with some regret.
Watching Gregor's effortless feat, Ebenholz developed a misconception about the strength of the Guardians.
Is Warlock really a top-tier class?
"Not necessarily, but many sorcerers are also skilled in martial arts, and knowledge of this can be helpful in dealing with surprise attacks from the guards."
Seeing that Ebenholz had made up his mind, Gregor began to consider the other party's feelings.
"If you can handle it, do both at the same time. You can learn from Jian while we find a qualified warlock teacher for you."
Ebenholz looked at Mace beside him; he had also learned about the legend of the three-time champion of Kazimierz during this time.
"Can I ask you for a favor?"
"Okay, but don't expect me to be very gentle."
The mace did not refuse, and the Ebenholz responded stubbornly as well.
"Bring it on!"
As Gregor watched the mace's gaze shift from languid to dangerous, he silently mourned for the lamb's recklessness.
"Boss, boss, Ceobe chased all the bad guys away!"
With a leap, Ceobe clung to Gregor's back, shaking her head affectionately.
"Ceobe is so hungry, my stomach has been rumbling for ages. When is dinner time?"
"Right away, but before that..."
Gregor picked up the stupid dog and placed it in front of him.
"You don't need to help next time."
Gregor sighed. Although he knew that the mindset in this Daichi was different from the past, he still felt bad about sending a child to the battlefield.
"Wow! Don't leave Ceobe behind!"
Misunderstanding Gregor's meaning, tears welled up in Ceobe's amber eyes.
A soft nest, hot water, delicious food... It feels so good to have my head touched by my eldest son's hand.
More importantly, she didn't want to be alone anymore.
"Ceobe, don't leave! Ceobe can eat less, three meals a day, no... two meals a day! It really can't be any less!"
"You..." Gregor angrily rubbed the dog's head.
"Eat as much as you want. What kind of boss are you if you let your underlings go hungry? It's just that I don't need you to fight."
Having confirmed Gregor's meaning, Ceobe's tail wagged happily.
"It's okay, Ceobe isn't afraid of getting tired."
"Bad guys always come in droves, so having more weapons means having more strength!"
"Ah... thank you, Ceobe."
Overjoyed by Ceobe's growth, and to avoid the ensuing chaos, Gregor no longer refused.
Anyway, as long as we take care of the enemy before this child makes a move, that's fine.
After a brief cleanup of the battlefield, the group resumed their journey to Vissheim.
Bumping along on the back of the Berserk Boar, Gregor looked into the distance as if sensing something.
Dark clouds spread with lava, a spectacular sight of a volcanic eruption.
"It's a small volcano, it can't interfere with us," Jian added, referring to the map.
The volcano... I wonder how those two little ones are doing. Are they alright?
Considering Reshiram's enormous size, Gregor felt his worries were unnecessary.
"Jian, how far are we from our destination?"
Jian flipped through the map and pointed to the target location.
"Right here."
Are you sure you're here?
"Why don't you go down and take a look?"
The flames of lava illuminated the valley walls, and the smoke from the burning lava rose upwards.
This is Winterspirit Valley, or at least it used to be.
The old man, embarrassed by the question, retreated, clearly lacking the courage to go in and find out.
Just kidding, you get sweating buckets just from being near it, how high is the actual internal temperature?
"We can't go any further; everyone's bodies can't take it."
The old man looked at the group behind him. They had set out from Tara, following in the footsteps of their ancestors, and had immediately set off after learning of the unusual situation here.
But those who believed in that legend were mostly elderly people, and the long journey had already taken many of them away.
If they continue like this, they still won't find their ancestors, and their ancestors will soon come to see them.
"But are we just going to wait here? What if our ancestors have already left?"
Another, younger companion seemed somewhat anxious.
"And those bandits, they've been keeping an eye on us. They'll come back as soon as the leader leaves!"
Everyone sighed silently, and the old man looked at the sleeping girl surrounded by the crowd.
It has a thick, powerful tail, and unlike Vouivre, it has two horns held high.
[Draco], Tara and even Victoria's former master.
The flames that can easily incinerate the enemy are their symbol, and the confidence they have in daring to venture out this time is also due to the leadership of the Deep Pool.
Unfortunately, the leader did not bring enough soldiers.
After being wiped out in the first encounter, the bandits began employing a rogue tactic of retreating when the enemy advanced and harassing when the enemy retreated.
With this fragile team, even the mighty Draco was hampered and couldn't even get proper rest.
"Should we wake the leader? If it's her, she should be able to get into this valley."
The old man's words were true; everyone had seen Draco bathed in flames, and even the molten iron could not harm her skin.
But...
"What will happen to those bandits now that the leader is gone?"
While everyone was filled with worry, in the distance, the bandits who had been searching for this group for a long time were discussing their plans.
"What should we do, boss? They've reached the edge of that valley. Do we really have to go over there?"
The bandit leader remained silent, weighing the pros and cons.
He also knew about the situation in that valley; some said Catastrophe had occurred there, while others said a terrifying Behemoth resided there.
But in any case, the danger was real, as evidenced by the mysterious disappearance of the bandit groups that once guarded this area.
Should we give up?
No, that woman hasn't had a proper rest for several days, and with all the fighting, she should be exhausted.
Moreover, that exceptional magical talent could fetch a large sum of money if sold to a slave-catching team.
"Keep going! That woman won't last much longer. Bring up the big thing we bought from Rusthammer!"
(Rusthammer: An anti-civilization organization rooted in the wilderness, with a complex internal structure, stealing and selling everything.)
As the people of Tara discussed their anxieties, the terrifying howl rang out once more.
The bandits approached from afar, shouting vulgar curses and harassing the troops with ranged weapons such as bows, crossbows, and stones.
Tara and her group skillfully evaded the obstacles. The old man leading the group sighed, looking at the girl with her brows furrowed.
"Wake up, Leader..."
A bloodcurdling scream, a raging inferno.
That was what the girl, huddled in the corner, saw from outside the window.
As the bell, symbolizing bedtime, rang, the girl curled up even tighter, clutching the two Red Dragon dolls in her arms tightly together.
My parents are gone; they collapsed amidst the festive bells.
Her sister told her to hide here, and then disappeared.
The purple flames burned higher and higher, the screams stopped, and the older sister returned.
"It's alright, Loughshinny, get up."
Her legs were still too weak to stand, and her sister didn't reach out to her again, but instead walked back into the firelight.
We have to catch up! Otherwise... we'll be left behind forever!
The girl gritted her teeth and got up, enduring the fear and pain, chasing after the figure in the firelight.
Without realizing it, she ran further and further away, becoming just a tiny shadow herself.
The purple flames ceased to burn; a replacement had cleared the way for them.
"Well done, Loughshinny."
That's good...
Watching the rebels disappear in the flames, the girl numbly bore the gazes of those who worshipped or feared her.
Listen to your sister, until one day this cheap life...
"I don't need you anymore, Loughshinny."
"Since they want to follow in the footsteps of their ancestors, then you should go with them. You've always wanted to escape me, haven't you?"
I...
"I see. It seems I overestimated your maturity. In that case, let's trust you. Those guys need you; they need a leader to protect them."
Need...
I... am needed.
"The Leader? The Leader!"
Loughshinny opened her eyes; her recent experiences had allowed her to react quickly even in her confusion.
The Red Dragon brandished its staff, and flames filled the sky, causing the charging bandits to immediately retreat.
"Damn it! We've exhausted her for so long, how can she still use spells of this scale?"
No one answered him; his companions were all busy escaping for their lives.
A wall of flames relentlessly pursued from behind, devouring everything in its path.
The bandit leader, who was gazing into the distance, gave an angry order.
"Tell them to slow down! How am I supposed to aim if I don't lure them over?"
The order was harsh, but no one dared to object.
After all, the expensive shells were worth more than the lives of everyone below.
Anyway, it wasn't them who got burned...
Watching each life perish in the flames, Loughshinny felt neither sorrow nor joy.
She had long been accustomed to taking lives.
As for the so-called sense of guilt...
All life, including hers, is cheap, like reeds by a pond, easily ignited.
She had long understood this tragic fact.
The Red Dragon intensified its firepower, and the jubilant flames surged upwards, dyeing the sky crimson and blocking the approaching dark blades.
It was too late when the strangely shaped shell came hurtling towards them; the people of Tara were right behind them, and Loughshinny knew she couldn't dodge it.
The Red Dragon was hit.
Her strong physiological endurance prevented her from fainting immediately, but she was also unable to stand up.
She was too tired...
"I thought we were going to fail. Is this woman so stupid that she doesn't even know how to dodge?"
"They're probably protecting those burdens behind them. Don't just stand there, grab them all. Even a mosquito's leg is meat."
"She only suffered this little injury; she's truly worthy of being called Vouivre... Wait, it seems she's been infected by Originium. Is Boss alright?"
"What we need are the Infected!"
Once the danger was confirmed to be over, the bandits' convoy arrived and captured the fleeing Tara people.
A bandit screamed as he tried to lift Loughshinny into the cage, but his hand was burned by the Red Dragon's extremely high body temperature.
Upon landing again, Loughshinny let out a soft groan.
I should have eaten something...
If I hadn't given up my share back then, I should be able to fight back now, right?
All I could see was a sky covered in dust, and all I could hear were the pleas and curses of my fellow countrymen.
Loughshinny, who thought herself numb, felt a pang of regret.
You're so useless; you can't even protect the only person who needs you.
As her vision dimmed, Loughshinny looked puzzled; she seemed to see dust swirling in the sky.
No, that is...
"Roar--!"
Zekrom was in a bad mood.
Ever since Gregor sent him to these mountains, he hasn't had a single day of peace.
Unlike at home, hunting is necessary in the wild.
Reshiram has been in hibernation since his last replenishment, and his near-adult size allows him to conserve energy effectively.
But Zekrom is different; still in his juvenile form, he needs enormous amounts of energy every day to grow.
Although under Vane's tutelage he learned to use fire to devour the energy of the environment, the hunger of an empty stomach could not be eliminated.
After patrolling the mountains once more, having devoured most of his prey, a frustrated Zekrom simply returned to his newly built lair to prepare for sleep.
However, the young dragon's habits had not completely changed, and Rashiram used the technique of rolling over in his sleep.
Zekrom was even more frustrated by the size of the body.
Dragons are a race that reveres strength.
In his childhood, he could gain the upper hand with his higher IQ, but now Zekrom is completely overwhelmed by his older brother, whom he considers an idiot.
How could he accept this?
Although Vane had explained that the power of heredity was beyond his control, Zekrom still felt that his father was somewhat biased.
What kind of Dharma cultivation and physical cultivation? I don't understand at all.
The so-called "dragon seed" should be "powerful! strong! and robust!"
Forgetting that he was still a baby dragon, Zekrom turned to look at his immature wings and angrily exhaled a breath of fire.
Soaring into the sky, the young dragon prepared to vent its frustrations with a violent hunt.
However, when he reached the highest point, the hot air that flew in carried an unfamiliar scent.
He smelled it...
The other dragons!
In the bewildered eyes of the bandits—
A dragon descended from the sky, its face contorted with rage and ferocity.
Although the anger was directed at Loughshinny for trespassing on their territory, the crowd was clearly unaware of this.
Despite its small size, the temperature at which it melts the ground upon landing is undeniable.
Without the slightest hesitation, the bandits chose to flee.
Of course, given someone's warning, Zekrom had no intention of pursuing the matter.
Unfortunately, this "quiet" behavior led to some misunderstandings.
"Eat this cannonball, you monster!"
Boom--!
"..."
The shell exploded, flames and smoke billowing from the young dragon's head, and the world seemed to fall silent.
Whether it was her imagination or not, Loughshinny seemed to see the pulsating tendons beneath the young dragon's scales.
Zekrom turned his head, and a low gurgling sound moved from his abdomen up to his neck.
A ray of light burst forth from the dragon's mouth, and the tiny line of fire instantly expanded, transforming into a raging tsunami of flames.
The bandit gang that had been hunting the people of Tara for so long vanished into flames along with the surface of the land, and the people of Tara cheered for a long time!
"That's right! Although the color and size are different, this appearance... it's our ancestor! It's our ancestor!"
"Did our prayers work? Our ancestors really came to save us!"
"Thank the ancestors! We are saved! Tara is saved!"
"Roar--!"
Annoyed by the noise, Zekrom retaliated with a harsh shout, and after a brief silence, the crowd cheered even louder.
Growing increasingly agitated, Zekrom couldn't understand how these tiny creatures dared to compete with two dragons.
And this dragon...
Zekrom looked at the weakened Loughshinny.
It's definitely the aura of a dragon, and Dragoness at that, but it's far too weak!
This is the kind of place that dares to try and take over territory?
Unable to understand Zekrom's thoughts, the Tara group praised him while constantly trying to get closer, which quickly aroused Zekrom's suspicion.
A spark of fire gathered in her throat; Loughshinny saw it, but was powerless to warn her.
With a forced effort, he activated his staff, and a tiny ball of flame struck Zekrom's face, causing him to turn around.
"Lady Loughshinny! What are you doing?"
The people of Tara were terrified, viewing Loughshinny's actions as an attack. Just as they were about to rush forward, a violent Dragon's Roar knocked them all off their feet.
After quieting the restless ants, Zekrom hesitated before approaching Loughshinny and cautiously nudging her.
"It really is our ancestor..."
Feeling the tremor in her blood, Loughshinny confirmed that what stood before her was indeed the target she had been searching for.
She wanted to explain the purpose of her visit, but her weak body made even breathing difficult.
But Zekrom didn't pay any attention, and just kept fiddling with the staff that had just emitted the flames.
He... wants fire?
Although she didn't say anything, Loughshinny clearly understood this idea.
Another spark ignited, Zekrom excitedly devoured it.
"Roar--!"
Loughshinny's eyes widened.
He... was he happy?
Zekrom was naturally pleased.
As a noble Red Dragon, it sensed something amiss the moment it came into contact with Loughshinny's flames.
The flames of this weakened Dragoness... actually have a ripening effect!
(Fun fact: Unlike her sister's flames, which symbolize death, Loughshinny's flames can rapidly activate anything she touches; the flames are merely a byproduct of the process.)
Zekrom immediately had an idea.
His flames stripped away the energy of his surroundings, while the Dragoness's flames fueled the growth of her flesh.
It gets stronger and bigger the longer it burns!
Once I mature into an adult, becoming as big as Reshiram, or even larger—
[Foolish Onii-chan, you're no match for Watashi!]
The thought of Reshiram submitting to his wings made Zekrom tremble with excitement.
Wow! This power... it's sure to bring him endless surprises!
With a resounding Dragon's Roar, Zekrom took flight.
The worshipping people of Tara looked up, stunned, to find that their revered ancestor had flown away with their leader.
"That..."
Loughshinny, caught in the dragon's claws, tried to warn them.
"Roar--!"
Zekrom interrupted him, clearly displeased.
Dragoness! I need your help in my cultivation!