odessanovel Chapter 114: Dragon Of Despair
Chapter 114: Dragon Of Despair
Chapter 114: Dragon Of Despair
“Ah, Marcus. My unfortunate brother...”
The mangled corpse of a vampire, torn apart and spilling contaminated blood.
Even as he crushed it underfoot, the remnants of the plague’s devastation, resurrecting her from death, made him start to chuckle with a semblance of amusement.
“The humanity you dedicated your life to protecting, in the end, falls prey to arrogant monsters.”
As tiny spores began to emanate from his trembling body, they started to merge into the scattered corpses of heroes throughout the area.
“...Indeed, perhaps madness would be preferable. Even the leaders who guide you have chosen to avert their gaze from reality and bow to the absurd.”
Crack, creak. The sound of joints and flesh twisting as his body began to warp.
The screams of the resurrected monsters echoed in the cave, and a sense of fear began to rise in the approaching footsteps.
Despite the abandonment by the heroes, the pitiful beings continued to advance to this place without giving up.
Even towards them, the scourge of the plague did not withhold its pity.
“So, go, heroes, for the remnants of you who came to this world to save humanity, I will provide the necessary respite for salvation!”
In an attempt to rescue these pitiful lambs, he intended to send them the remains of the saviors who descended upon this world.
And to save even more, he ignored the cries of those wandering through adversity, aiming his feet towards the destination at the end.
“I shall ascend through this reprieve.”
What he encountered at the end was a space supported by massive bones.
In its center, powerful energy, once the symbol of the corrupted world, was now densely packed with magic even after death.
“By accepting the beings that transcended death, surpassing even those who reached the peak of this world...”
Before that energy, Blight attempted to dissolve his body and merge into a mass of mana.
In response to that vast mana, the volume of spores swelled rapidly, soon covering the entire area.
And then...
“Commander! The undead’s invasion is intensifying by the moment!”
Inside the stronghold, where fierce battles were raging, what was initially thought to be manageable was gradually tipping in favor of humanity’s disadvantage as time passed.
Due to the risk of infection, they resorted to passive engagement, repeatedly attacking those who hadn’t joined behind the barricades, swelling their numbers.
“Fall back! Retreat to the defense line!”
“Even the defensive line has been infiltrated by the infected! The priests can’t keep up with the healing pace!!!”
Exploiting the vulnerability of the priests, the plague spread at an unimaginable speed, increasing the number of deserters on the frontlines.
But what was even more alarming was the exponential increase in strength of the infected as time passed.
Krghhh!
Kyaaaah!
The enemy knight of war, her magic spreading through the land, disgustingly empowering the undead brought to the stronghold in increasing numbers.
Although three heroes were somehow holding off the enemy knight herself, merely her presence was bolstering the overall strength of the military. If she wasn’t defeated, the situation would only worsen.
Even if there were heroes capable of rectifying this situation...
No, even if the White Knight and the betrayed heroes clashed, there might have been a chance to aim for mutual destruction.
“Commander! The betrayed heroes have turned into undead and are blocking the passage to the dragon’s heart!”
“No way! Nearly a dozen heroes have already fallen to the White Knight?!”
Even that last glimmer of hope was dimmed as the White Knight, using her formidable power, decimated the reinforcements attempting to thwart their ambitions.
“Why?”
The morale of the frontlines, the belief in thwarting the enemy’s objectives, was being brutally crushed.
Even the allies who fought with desperation were turning into enemies, making everything done so far seem futile.
“Why does it have to be like this? Is the world intent on rendering us powerless?”
Was it his own will that led his brother down the path of corruption because feeling more despair was deemed meaningless?
Was it because he harbored a desire to awaken as an enemy of humanity?
Was it because he foresaw a future like the present while witnessing the downfall of his homeland?
Crack, roar!
The breath containing contaminated spores, which enveloped countless diseases even more harshly than the landslides, began to be exhaled.
“Yet, for those who still wish to fight, I, the Plague Dragon Blight, shall declare! Starting from here, I will spread the plague throughout this world and bring death to all living beings!”
Even though its breath forewarned that it would sweep away all who stood in its path, none among those present could entertain the thought of fleeing.
“...It’s the end.”
Feeling the futility of their efforts in the face of overwhelming odds, even their cherished hope seemed to betray them repeatedly.
And now, with an unstoppable disaster manifesting before them, all that remained for mere humans was to accept everything as it was, to watch and accept whatever unfolded.
“Really, the end...”
In such a grim reality, even the Legion Commander, who had finally lost his will to fight, began to slowly lower his knees to the ground, unable to overcome despair.
It was the end for humans, who chased hope until the very end.
At that end, all that could be done was simply accept.
Whatever happened afterward, all they could do was watch with their eyes and accept.
Whoooosh!
But just before that breath was exhaled, the sky split open.
And also the sight of a giant flash of light falling from it, pressing down its widely opened mouth onto the foothills.
Kwarrrung! Kwang!
Yes, something had descended at this moment.
The shock caused its mouth, trying to spread the breath to close, and its giant body tumbled, once again causing the ground to tremble.
“Wh-what is this? What exactly is...?”
Blight, who was regenerating his crushed body, struggled to lift his head to grasp the situation.
Something with immense power had attacked him.
Was it a human? Or a hero?
“I am the ultimate being! Who dares to...?!”
Whatever it was, he had become a dragon.
A part of this world and a small being with a will.
He was supposed to be quickly heading towards the prime of his body, mixing himself with the vast energy remaining in the remains, and reviving the records lingering in the corpse.
“You really like the ultimate.”
Mocking such firm belief, the giant creature swung its foreleg, slamming the ground.
The heat emanating from it pressed down on the ground, and the crushed dirt melted, eventually turning into lava like sand.
“Just picking up a few pieces of bone and pretending—do you really think you can match me?”
A powerful presence that burned everything around it just by existing.
The moment that intent turned murderous and targeted him, fear began to sprout within Blight, who defined himself as the ultimate being.
“Y-you are...”
“Whatever it is, if you also consider yourself a lizard scum, you would know. We all hate it when someone enters our territory.”
Whooong!!
The giant dragon swung its forelimb to stomp the ground.
But it wasn’t merely mimicking something by donning a corpse.
At this moment, the flames consuming its body proved it was undeniably a living being.
“...You’re just a kid.”
In this moment, such a being spoke.
A rift in the oath to “bring about the extinction of humanity by my own hands.”
“You must be fully prepared to touch another’s prey?”
The last embers remaining in its body.
They began to blaze fiercely.