Chapter 995
The exact method Kaztor used on the pregnant Elizabeth.
Though it wasn’t acquired in a skill format and unable to practice it, she understood the mechanism, so she believed he could somehow resolve it.
Chiyou thought that if she succeeded just once, it would be generated as her own unique skill, and she could use it continuously thereafter.
“So as Zamiel, I must complete this assimilation. I can’t wait for Arcane Sniper from the fetal stage to become an adult. If only it could learn to devour human NPCs on its own, there’d be nothing better.”
She was certain it was possible.
Her calculations couldn’t be wrong.
She believed it, yet no matter how calculated it might be, urgency lingered with that belief.
It was because Elizabeth had become more haggard.
What if Elizabeth died? Chiyou’s power over the Brown family would be rendered useless.
“Kyle doesn’t have as much affection for his father as his mother does. It’s meaningless to turn Brown into a vampire. Ultimately, if Elizabeth dies… Hmm, could there be a way to extend Elizabeth’s life through Brown? But he won’t listen.”
It was still a difficult level of persuasion for Chiyou.
Brown cared about Elizabeth yet refused all methods Chiyou suggested.
He was so steadfast that Igor once attempted to behead him. Naturally, even for Chiyou, he was not an easy character to manipulate.
“If he came this far for the love of his wife, surely he’d do anything to save her, wouldn’t he?”
From that point, Chiyou pondered.
Why was Brown behaving that way?
“Does he have something to believe in?”
What reasons could he have for acting like that after coming all the way here?
“Is that so?”
“What’s the matter, Kaztor?”
Kaztor suddenly spread both arms and raised them toward the sky.
Chiyou, watching an undead pattern of behavior she had never seen before, warily asked.
“I figured it out… Zamiel’s, avatar, remnants, residue, haha.”
There was no longer any greed to control Arcane Sniper. However, was there a scholar’s curiosity and sense of achievement from having researched Arcane Bullet his whole life?
Kaztor’s decayed, bluish-gray face cracked into a grin.
“Explain what you mean in simple terms.”
Chiyou queried.
Kaztor revealed the facts he had learned through Zamiel.
In the place where Zamiel was created, there were also other things ‘born’ together, and they had finally awakened.
“… Again, is it Ha Leeha!? Damn it! Pyro, Igor! Prepare immediately!”
“What―.”
“We’re moving! Further inside!”
For Chiyou, it was never welcome news.
Because of the two curses she had received from Bahamut, her sense of urgency only increased.
〈Achievement: Eternal Nemesis of the metal dragons (R-)〉
Compared to the former Bahamut, I am immensely lacking. However, even if I am lacking, our kin should not be underestimated.
As the authority of the Platinum Dragon and the elder of all Metal Dragons, I command:
Until the existence of 『Chiyou』 vanishes, unleash an eternal, unlimited wrath of our kin upon the target.
Even if all of Middle Earth protects you, we shall pursue you. And we shall annihilate you.
Reward: 50 Stat Points
Familiarity with Metal Dragons: -100%
All Stats -20% in combat against Adult-level or higher Metal Dragons
You are the first registrant of 〈Eternal Nemesis of the metal dragons〉 achievement.
The first three registrants of this achievement were recorded in the Hall of Fame, and the effects were enhanced by an additional 200%.
Effect: 100 stat points
When fighting a metal dragon at the adult level or higher, all stats are reduced by 40%.
“It’s utterly repulsive! What’s the use of 150 stat points?”
Chiyou bit her lips nervously.
Although there was a reward for this so-called achievement, the penalty it came with was so significant that she couldn’t stand the thought of it.
“I knew the leader of the dragons would have some abilities… but in this case, the worst opponent would be Alexander. No, there’s also that damned little girl.”
Given her current location, it was unlikely that the metal dragons could launch a combined attack.
However, it was certain encounters with user’s partner dragons would occur.
Such a scenario would reduce her stats by 60%, making the Ancient Dragon Bailephus and the Adult Dragon Arzenmacht formidable threats just by their presence.
In battles against other users, even if the dragons were merely present, it made the battle virtually impossible.
“Ha Leeha or Lark might also have penalties, and maybe Alexander and Bailephus too, who knows. But we don’t have a chromatic dragon. We can’t be sure if it would work through the undead either, damn!”
Even though she received a penalty herself after killing Bahamut, Tiamat wouldn’t be any less challenging.
Moreover, there was a clear statement on Tiamat’s death.
“She will not spare those who sealed her,” and no matter how low one estimated its power, it would exceed her penalty.
〈Achievement: Pure Continuing Fury (R-)〉
Congratulations!
You have slain the metal dragon Leader 『Bahamut』. Your prowess, having defeated the esteemed leader of the metal dragons, will be known across Middle Earth.
Yet, spreading fame does not always bring good fortune. The metal dragons will strive to find the one who killed their king, trying to revive a new 『Bahamut』. Now, you cannot cease fighting the metal dragons; it is kill or be killed. Your abilities as a Platinum Dragon Slayer will be tested from now on.
Reward: 50 stat points
Buff ― 『Aura of the Dragon Slayer』 acquired
Metal dragon affinity: -100%
Debuff ― 『Aura of Platinum』 acquired
You are the first registrant of the 〈Pure Continuing Fury〉 achievement.
The first three registrants of this achievement were recorded in the Hall of Fame, and the effects were enhanced by an additional 200%.
Effect: 100 stat points
“The 『Aura of the Dragon Slayer』, I couldn’t care less about such a buff weakening metal dragons. What’s crucial is the 『Aura of Platinum』, this maddening, unremovable debuff―”
『Daily disclosure of coordinates by Bahamut』
These two R- rank achievements were precisely why Chiyou couldn’t even muster a smile.
It wasn’t just a simple disclosure of her location, but the disclosure of her coordinates!
When it comes to spatial skills, dragons surpass ordinary users. However, unfortunate as it might be, there was one individual among users who could rival that.
Sage Hyein.
Chiyou remembered him.
“They said Bahamut hasn’t been born yet. But once born…”
They would immediately identify her location.
And if they came swarming now, there would be no way to stop them.
Her best option was to move to a place impervious to spatial travel, beyond the eastern frontier of the new continent.
But this too was a formidable challenge. For her enemies included not only the metal dragons and the 〈Sacred Alliance〉.
“The Demon King’s Fragments are also on this side. We haven’t yet encountered them, but if Le seeks revenge… if Kyle becomes their target while we’re logged out, the risk is high.”
With all Demon King’s Fragments resurrected, there was no knowing what chaos they might unleash.
She was able to objectively assess the power structure of Middle Earth and acknowledged that her force was currently the weakest.
Excluding the asymmetrical power of 《Arcane Bullet》, she compared herself to a fragile weed, struggling to survive even a day.
“It’s okay. As long as I know my weaknesses, I can compensate for them.”
“What?”
“It means you should do your job properly. Have you finished contacting Czar?”
“Heh, of course. Reinforcements are coming too. They’ll all come over.”
“Very good.”
Reinforcements were needed as soon as possible. Even if it meant one more person, even if it meant one minute sooner.
The guild that Igor originally led, 〈Czar〉.
She had enticed Igor to join them into her force.
The Czar was not just a single guild. On a larger scale, it was one of Russia’s national projects that Russia was backing—raising Igor.
“If they could receive serious capital investment from them…”
Expanding their influence was no chore.
But what if Igor’s force grew too large?
No matter how much of a 〈Vampire Queen〉 she was, she would be overwhelmed by her own forces. She was well aware of that fact.
―Sasuke! How’s the classification of the applicants going? When on earth is it going to be finished?
―Ha! It will be finished soon, oka-san!
―Finish quickly. We don’t have time, hurry! You wouldn’t want things to be reported to otou-san, right?
―Of course not. Just a bit more time―
―I’ll give you three days. Finish as soon as possible.
Therefore, she did not neglect to establish an internal force that would follow only her.
Despite Ha Leeha’s writing, there were many users who wanted to side with Chiyou.
“New Continent’s east, it’s good for hiding, but considering future activities, shouldn’t we avoid ‘that side’?”
“Oh my, is it possible for you, Igor, to be scared?”
Just as they were about to set off with the NPCs, Igor grabbed Chiyou.
Knowing why Igor was saying this, she provoked him with a smile.
“Keh! Nonsense! It’s not that I’m scared! It’s just that over there―.”
“I also agree with Igor. The monsters on which even our skills didn’t work were… something that is difficult for us to handle with our current strength.”
Pyro had been playing with fire in his hand, turning it on and off while looking at Chiyou.
“If we include you two with me, we would deal with an Ancient Dragon effortlessly, yet you’re afraid of such creatures? At night, you two alone can easily handle an Ancient Dragon.”
“That’s when skills work. Moreover, their numbers are….”
Pyro’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly.
What they had encountered on the New Continent’s east happened just before the negotiation with Le regarding Bahamut’s disposal.
Seeing Igor and Pyro, who had shown a mere trivial reaction to the Demon King’s Fragment, filled with fear, Chiyou pondered for a moment.
“It’s fine. We won’t need to fight them. First, there’s an old castle nearby that the vampires used to use, so let’s gather what’s left there—the others can detect ‘those things’ and avoid them.”
“Are you really going to go, knowing that if things go wrong, we all might―.”
“We have to have such things in place so they can’t recklessly intrude towards New Continent’s east, right? Remember, we don’t have much time either. We must finish preparations as quickly as possible in New Continent’s east―.”
Chiyou interrupted Pyro and moved forward once again.
With no grounds to express dissent, Kaztor and the NPCs trailed behind her.
Entering the dense, shadowy forest, she uttered one final word.
“We must intercept them heading towards 〈Laputa〉… no, getting something from 〈Laputa〉.”
Tap, tap, tap.
It was evident that something significant was there.
Chiyou couldn’t let it pass unnoticed. Given New Continent’s east’s characteristic of not allowing a large number of people to move at once, if it became a conflict of fewer numbers against fewer numbers, they surely had to capitalize on it.
Chiyou saw this as the crucial point against Leeha.
Fortunately, Chiyou wasn’t the only one who harbored such thoughts.