"Ah…"
Zhuge Huimei gasped, gazing at the sky. The awe-inspiring sight of dragons tearing through the dark clouds, followed by yokai emerging from spatial rifts and descending to confront the demonic yokai jiangshi, filled her with a strange mix of awe and wonder.
'The yokai, hidden in the shadows for so long…'
Finally revealing themselves in this moment of crisis. Joining forces with humans to overcome this desperate situation.
'Well, they are also part of this world.'
The yokai had been active, cooperating with humans much like they did during the Imperial collaboration two decades ago, but their activities were shrouded in secrecy. This was their first open appearance in centuries.
'So those are real dragons. I always doubted the descriptions in our clan's ancient texts.'
She stared, mesmerized, unable to look away from the awe-inspiring sight. If she, a direct descendant of the prestigious Zhuge Clan, was this overwhelmed, how would ordinary people, who considered yokai and divine beasts mere legends, react?
It was no wonder that even the seasoned warriors of the Murim Alliance were staring in stunned silence. Even the Demonic Cult had ceased their attack.
However, there was one thing that bothered her.
'…Why does the Yellow Dragon look so different? There's no mention of this in any records.'
The Yellow Dragon at the center of the other dragons looked different. It had large wings, a thick body, and well-developed limbs, resembling a giant lizard rather than the typical serpentine form associated with dragons.
The Yellow Dragon was considered the most revered of the Five Dragons. There had to be a reason for its unusual appearance.
'Are our clan's records wrong? Or is there some special reason…'
Lost in thought, she was startled by a voice.
"Lady Zhuge, we've reached the formation. You can stop now."
"Ah!"
She returned to the present, looking at the man who had spoken, Ha Seung-hoon.
"I apologize, Young Master Ha. I was captivated by the sight."
"Haha, it's alright. Me too. Now, I'll stop supplying ki."
"Yes!"
As the flow of ki ceased, she released the spell she had been maintaining. The dragon-shaped construct that had carried them, still radiating power, slowly dissipated.
"Hah…"
"Are you alright? Maintaining such a high-level spell must have been taxing."
"I'm fine! It wasn't as difficult as what you did, Young Master Ha. You supplied all the ki. I just shaped the form."
"I'm fine too. I could do that all day if I wanted to. It's all thanks to your blessing."
"My blessing wasn't that significant… Your achievement was due to your own abilities! Maintaining a stable flow of ki isn't easy."
"Still… well…"
"…Hehehe."
They laughed awkwardly, exchanging compliments.
Much had happened since they escaped the ritual chamber. They had fought their way through hordes of Demonic Cultists and jiangshi, barely escaping the enemy's stronghold. They would have failed if not for the Demonic Cult's forces being concentrated on the main battlefield and the restriction on harming the Dragon Children.
Their shared struggle had forged a bond between Hugo, the sole fighter, and Zhuge Huimei, whose abilities supported him.
"…I can't just stand by. The arrival of the dragons and yokai gives us hope, but the battle isn't over yet."
"Then I'll…"
"Please stay here and protect the others. Even within the formation, there's no guarantee of safety if the enemy attacks in force."
Zhuge Huimei had no choice but to agree. The fate of the Dragon Children was crucial to this battle. The Demonic Cult wanted to recapture them to complete the ritual, and the Murim Alliance couldn't abandon them, their only hope of restoring the world.
'This isn't over just because we escaped the Demonic Cult.'
While neither side wanted them harmed, the Dragon Children's fate was predetermined. The outcome of this battle would only determine who they would be sacrificed for.
'…Better to be sacrificed for the world than used by the Demonic Cult.'
She didn't want the world to be destroyed. She still had much to live for: her family, the Zhuge Clan members who had cared for her frail body since childhood…
She watched Hugo leave, clenching her fists. Flames erupted from his body, forming a fire dragon that engulfed the jiangshi ahead. The heat blurred her vision.
"…"
She stared, then looked up at the sky, where dragons swam gracefully through the air.
'It's a shame I can't properly document this.'
She gazed at one of them, the unusual-looking Yellow Dragon. This historic event wouldn't be forgotten, with so many witnesses. The details of the battle, the participation of dragons and yokai, and the Yellow Dragon's unique appearance would be recorded in history books, passed down through generations, immortalized in art and song.
Though her name would be absent from the records.
"Ah."
She thought she briefly made eye contact with the Yellow Dragon, but it must have been her imagination. Her vision was still blurry. Blinking would clear it, but she refused, as if it were an act of defiance.
***
["Excellent timing. Any later, and it would have been irreversible."]
A deep voice echoed in Horus's mind as he looked down.
["We could have been here sooner if you hadn't objected, White Dragon."]
["I admit I was overly cautious. But leaving the mystical realm requires caution, especially now, with the world on the brink of collapse."]
The Red Dragon retorted, her voice sharp, and the man replied calmly. A typical response from White Dragon, the oldest of the current Five Dragons. Though even he was only in his early thirties, in human terms.
["Tsk, such an old fogey."]
["Red Dragon, show some respect."]
Red Dragon, who seemed to be in her early twenties, grumbled, and Azure Dragon, around the same age, chided her gently. While Azure Dragon agreed with Red Dragon, she was more composed.
["Why be so cautious now? If we fail here, it's all over! We would have been in serious trouble if it weren't for Horus! And now you're saying 'excellent timing'?"]
Red Dragon was annoyed because White Dragon had been the most vocal opponent of Horus's plan to intervene. She was quite fond of Horus.
["In hindsight, it seems to be the perfect moment."]
A young girl's voice interjected. Black Dragon, the youngest of the Five Dragons, excluding Horus, who had just completed her coming-of-age ritual a few years ago.
["If we had come earlier, there wouldn't have been enough human casualties. Ideally, we should have arrived just before their annihilation, but that would have been too risky for us. This is the perfect balance."]
["Black Dragon…"]
Her words, filled with chilling indifference towards human lives, contrasted sharply with her youthful voice. She harbored a strong dislike for humans, who had seized control of the continent from the dragons, the rightful descendants of the Dragon God. Her resentment had intensified after her brother, the previous Black Dragon, died trying to maintain the world's balance while humans waged war amongst themselves.
["Horus? What are you looking at… Ah! I see. Those children…"]
Azure Dragon, unable to rebuke Black Dragon, followed Horus's gaze, nodding slowly. She recognized them immediately. The frail humans gathered at the center of the human forces. The Dragon Children, the key to saving the world.
["…Seven. And one of them has a particularly strong aura. That should be…"]
Azure Dragon trailed off, unable to openly state that they were suitable sacrifices. Red Dragon continued, her voice regaining its usual energy.
["Good. We just need to eliminate those monsters, and everything will be resolved. We have a good chance. We can't participate directly because we have to stabilize the space, but we brought plenty of reinforcements."]
It was a risk for all Five Dragons to be here. They were supposed to be maintaining the world's balance from within the Dragon God Temple. But they had to come personally to suppress the demonic realm's energy and transport the yokai army. They had left other dragons in their place, but they wouldn't last long.
'The more power the divine beasts use in the mortal realm, the greater the backlash.'
It endangered everyone: the dragons maintaining the world's balance, those who overused their powers, and the unstable world itself. That was why White Dragon had been so cautious. The world could end before they even restored the Dragon Heart.
'Of course, that doesn't apply to me.'
Horus grinned, his sharp teeth glinting. He was an otherworldly Awakened, unbound by this world's rules. He wasn't constrained like the other dragons.
["So, it's a race against time?"]
["Indeed. We need to finish this quickly and return to the Dragon God Temple to minimize the damage."]
While Red Dragon replied casually, Azure Dragon sensed something, her eyes narrowing as she looked at Horus.
["Horus?"]
But before she could speak—
Flap
["I'll be back!"]
Horus spread his wings, circling once before diving towards the battlefield.
["…Huh?"]
["Horus?!"]
He ignored their surprised cries, his Dragon Orb glinting as he approached the battlefield.
'The main objective is complete. Now to maximize the gains.'
This world was unfolding according to his plan, generating a massive amount of karma. But there was no reason to pass up an opportunity for additional gains.
'I'll leave my mark on this world. A mark that will last for millennia.'
Those gathered here, humans, dragons, and yokai, were the strongest in this world. This was his chance to make his presence known, to exert his influence.
Flash
His Dragon Orb, previously emitting a gentle glow, flared like a miniature sun. His Dragon Heart pulsed, concentrating energy within him.
'Full power.'
His innate Gold Dragon abilities, enhanced by 「Elder Dragon's Heart」, amplified by 「Dragon Language Magic」, supported by 「Ruler of All」 and 「Seeker of Mysteries」. 「Defier of Fate」 negated any restrictions, and 「Convergence of All Things」 harmonized the flow of energy.
'And finally, 「Limit Break」.'
Crack
Something within him shattered. Not a physical object, but an invisible barrier. A limit.
He unleashed his full power for the first time.
Whoosh
The air currents shifted. A portion of the gentle breeze surrounding Beijing, caused by the arrival of the Five Dragons, converged on a single point, compressing and intensifying.
"Huh? Yellow Dragon?"
"What, what is that?!"
"Damn it…! Fall back! Defensive formation!"
The Demonic Cultists and even the Murim Alliance scrambled to react to the ominous phenomenon. Only the emotionless jiangshi remained unfazed.
ROAR
Limitless magical power, unleashed from his Elder Dragon Heart, surged from his throat. Not the usual, restricted power of an adult dragon. It flowed into his Dragon Orb, amplifying and intensifying.
And then, a destructive beam of energy, impossible for any living creature to produce, shot out like a laser, aimed at the Demonic Cult's forces in Beijing.
And—
Silence fell upon the battlefield. Or rather, all other sounds were drowned out by a single, overwhelming roar.
"@!%$!&*…!"
"
@@
!#%&…!"
The shockwave ripped through the battlefield, through all of Beijing. The battle had stopped. Everyone struggled to maintain their balance.
Rumble
The earth quaked, dust and debris filled the air, and a massive mushroom cloud rose over the city.
Beijing, the ancient capital, a scarred landscape of ruins…
Vanished.
Along with a portion of the Demonic Cult's forces.