Translator: FenrirTL
Editor: Doodle
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< Chapter 190: Descendants of the Mad Dragon Emperor (5) >
“How… How are you here, Kyle?”
Granada’s face showed clear signs of surprise.
It was only natural; Granada had assumed Kyle would be stationed at the main base of the House of Ragnar.
For Kyle, the uncertainty of when the Mad Dragon Emperor might appear made it impossible to act recklessly.
This was the same reason why Kyle had refrained from participating in the northern war directly.
He had to be fully prepared to act at a moment’s notice.
‘Ironically, that’s why the House of Ragnar was able to operate without accounting for Kyle as part of their main forces...!’
It was also why Granada had been able to lay a trap for Theo.
But Kyle only responded with a cold sneer.
“You planted spies of your own, Granada. Did you think I wouldn’t do the same?”
“……!”
“I’ve known for a long time that the Mad Dragon Emperor wouldn’t take the field. My target was always you.”
“……No way. Then the reason you didn’t reveal yourself on the frontlines until now was—”
“To make you lower your guard.”
Kyle’s sneer deepened further.
“And thanks to that, here you are, caught like this. You’ve learned nothing, Granada. Not then, and not now.”
Grind!
Granada clenched his teeth tightly.
-Granada. You’re too impatient. Always rushing. At this rate, you’ll never even touch my shadow, idiot.
When had that been?
There was a time when the northern and eastern regions briefly engaged in exchange programs.
Back then, Kyle was already renowned throughout the Empire as a genius, while Granada was just a newcomer to the world.
Naturally, his youthful arrogance made him challenge Kyle, driven by competitive zeal.
He suffered a crushing defeat.
He hadn’t even managed to land a single strike.
Even after the exchange ended, Granada visited the House of Ragnar several times to challenge Kyle again.
And each time, he was defeated.
No matter how hard Granada worked, no matter how much effort he poured in, why couldn’t he even graze the hem of Kyle’s coat?
When he had once voiced his frustration, Kyle had spoken those words.
You don’t know how to wait.
Setting a strategy is about calculations, yes, but it’s also about knowing how to wait for the right opportunity.
At the time, Granada had resented Kyle for his condescending tone and ignored him.
So why was he suddenly reminded of those words now?
Kyle had already predicted they wouldn’t sit still with the bait of the Chosen One dangling before them and had been playing his moves carefully, step by step.
Kyle was...
“Don’t make me laugh.”
Pop! Pa-bat!
Several shadows descended behind Granada.
Wearing wooden masks on their faces and cloaked in robes, they were the Retainers.
Especially the gazes of the Ninth Retainer, Nine, and the Eighth Retainer, Arkt, gleamed menacingly.
They were the ones who had each undertaken missions outside but had suffered the humiliation of failure at Theo’s hands.
"Fine. I admit that my impatience led me to fall into your trap. But for you to show up here in person? You should know that your arrogance will ultimately lead to the downfall of the House of Ragnar."
Granada decided to completely shift his thinking.
Wouldn’t the best scenario be to kill Kyle here and capture Theo alive?
Kyle’s carefully laid plans would result in his own death.
Flash!
The Retainers transformed into streaks of light and surged toward Kyle.
“So, these are the so-called ‘experimental creations’ I’ve heard about? The ones made in collaboration with the Magic Tower by transplanting parts of the Deluded God’s spirit and body to create infinite magic power? But they failed, turning into monsters and ending up wearing those masks, right?”
What lay beneath the robes of the Retainers was far from an ordinary body.
Tentacles were grotesquely intertwined, writhing chaotically.
The tentacles lashed out, sweeping around Kyle’s vicinity.
Their tips were coated in potent venom.
Even the smallest touch of this venom from the Demonic Sea would dissolve an ordinary person.
“That’s correct. These vessels were created not just to replace, but to ‘evolve’ beyond the Nine Dragons. If you know this much, you must also realize how dangerous they are.”
Bzzzzz!
Granada channeled his magic power into the Dragon Spirit’s Cursed Blade.
While the Retainers restrained Kyle’s movements, Granada planned to use the blade to sever Kyle’s head.
‘It’s unfortunate that I don’t have the Dragon Slayer Sword to fully complete the trial… But this should suffice.’
The Dragon Spirit’s Cursed Blade was considered the supreme relic among all artifacts of the Ancient Dragons.
During the era when only the Chosen could become the head of the House of Ragnar, it also served as a substitute for the scepter that symbolized a sovereign.
Its hidden power lay in the activation of Dragon Force.
It granted the wielder the authority to instill loyalty in those born with the traits of dragons and to freely control their magic power—turning it on and off at will.
Granada had already used the [Blue Key] bestowed by the Mad Dragon Emperor to unlock the trial and successfully awaken the blade’s functions.
Although he wasn’t fully recognized as its true master due to the absence of the paired Dragon Slayer Sword, it was enough to seal Kyle’s Dragon Force for a few critical seconds.
And in a battle between beings of such extraordinary power, a matter of seconds could determine life or death.
Bwoooom!
At that moment, the clash between the Retainers and Kyle began.
Crackle—Boom!
It was the very instant Granada was about to swing the Dragon Spirit’s Cursed Blade.
“Didn’t I tell you? You’re far too impatient. The arrogant one isn’t me—it’s you.”
Kyle’s voice, laced with amusement, stabbed into Granada’s ears.
What?
Before Granada could even voice his confusion—
Wham!
Suddenly, Granada’s right arm, holding the Dragon Spirit’s Cursed Blade, was severed and flung into the air.
“You even turned your back on the enemy.”
Kyle’s sneering voice pierced his ears again.
Granada turned his shocked gaze toward the Retainer who had ambushed him.
It was Nine.
You planted spies of your own. Did you think I wouldn’t do the same?
Kyle’s earlier words replayed in his mind. Even so, he hadn’t considered the possibility of betrayal among the Retainers.
Especially not from Nine.
Wasn’t Nine the one who bore the deepest grudge against Theo and the House of Ragnar after failing in the Floating Archipelago campaign?
Beneath the wooden mask, Nine’s eyes twisted in irritation.
「Tsk! I could’ve killed you… And yet, you dodged?」
Nine leapt forward, aiming to take Granada’s remaining arm and head.
In that instant, a tremendous sense of pressure surged, as if the very air was quaking. It bore down on Granada’s shoulders.
Flash!
Nine’s form became engulfed in a radiant glow before transforming into something else.
A massive figure, nearly three meters tall.
“Conquering Dragon…!”
Granada’s face froze in shock.
A figure said to rival the Demon Dragon in strength among the Nine Dragons—no, perhaps someone even stronger—why was he here?
Granada couldn’t comprehend it.
He had no way of knowing that the man of light Nine had encountered when he sank beneath the sea of the Floating Archipelago was none other than the Conquering Dragon himself.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
With every step the Conquering Dragon took, the ground trembled violently.
Crash!
When the Conquering Dragon finally reached Granada, his swinging fist carried the destructive power of a battering ram smashing through a castle gate.
Having lost his right arm, Granada frantically raised his left hand to block.
The resulting shockwave exploded outward, sending a massive dust cloud billowing into the sky.
And from above, beams of light tore through the dust cloud, descending rapidly to the ground.
The Black Dragon, Robert.
The Ice Dragon, Niel.
The Illusion Dragon, Commander of the Blue Sword Guard.
The Original Dragon, Chairman of the Elder Council.
And the Sword Dragon, Lord of Plum Blossom Palace.
Five of the Nine Dragons had appeared.
The Illusion Dragon stepped forward and spoke with a tone of warning.
“Commander of the Blue Sword Guard, given the allegations of collusion with Torkel, unless you achieve proper merit in this battle, I will have no choice but to hold you accountable. The same applies to you, Chairman of the Elder Council. If you wish to cleanse yourself of past failures, fight with everything you have.”
The Black Dragon was the first to leap into action following a brief warning.
His target was Granada.
His eyes were filled with determination not to lose such a significant achievement to the Conquering Dragon, who was also his rival.
“Damn it. Of all times for things to go wrong…”
“…My left hand still feels unfamiliar, but if this is the only way to prove my innocence…”
The Illusion Dragon gritted his teeth, recalling Torkel, who had been a good drinking companion over the past few days.
Meanwhile, Wolfgang began to move, intent on killing the subordinates of his elder brother—the same brother who had once played a hand in having him exiled.
A cold wind swept through.
Rumble!
Granada’s hands and feet grew chaotic and unsteady.
A new emotion flickered in his eyes, which had been brimming with confidence just moments ago.
Despair.
And fear.
* * *
[All Buff Mode is deactivated.]
[The penalty is applied.]
Thud!
Theo collapsed to the ground, his body as heavy as waterlogged cotton.
He had only planned to assassinate Torkel, but the sudden appearances of Kyle and the Nine Dragons had left him stumbled.
The back-to-back major events had been overwhelming.
Yet a sense of relief washed over him.
He had no doubts about the outcome of the battle—victory seemed inevitable.
‘It wasn’t enough to use me as bait; to think he even placed the Conquering Dragon as either a watchful eye or protector.’
When the Conquering Dragon revealed his identity among the Retainers, Theo had been just as shocked as anyone else.
Neither he, nor Selperd, nor Arin—his comrades in the mission—had known a thing about it.
How far ahead had Kyle calculated to ensure Granada’s defeat?
『The more I see of him, the less human he seems.』
Lodbrok seemed uneasy with Kyle.
『No matter how important restoring his house may be, how could he treat his own son as nothing but a tool? That boy, Torkel, was just another pawn in Kyle’s schemes, wasn’t he?』
Theo also believed that Torkel’s rebellion had been part of Kyle’s strategy from the very start.
『They say he stands on the verge of attaining godhood. Is that why? Has he erased his emotions entirely?』
‘I think differently.’
『What?』
‘Wouldn’t someone like you have also struggled deeply when making such coldhearted decisions?’
『Companion, have you lived with your father for so long and still failed to understand what kind of man he is?』
‘I’ve been wondering lately if the father I thought I knew is not quite the man he truly is.’
Theo recalled the moment he had met Kyle before heading out to battle.
Though Kyle’s face had been as expressionless as ever…
For some reason, it seemed as if he had something he wanted to say but was forcibly suppressing it…
『Yes, he’s your father, not mine. But be careful, in case you find yourself betrayed. He’s the kind of man who wouldn’t hesitate to stab even you in the back.』
Lodbrok’s distrust of Kyle remained immense, leaving Theo scratching his cheek awkwardly, unsure of how to respond.
“Agh, I’m dying here.”
At that moment, Holcus slumped down beside Theo, letting out a heavy sigh.
Thanks to him, Theo didn’t have to continue arguing with Lodbrok.
Theo offered a faint smile.
“Thanks.”
His gratitude carried multiple meanings—for ending the argument and for saving him earlier.
“...I didn’t really do anything,” Holcus muttered, turning his head away slightly as his nose tinged red.
He meant it sincerely. He had stepped up to protect Theo, but in truth, he knew all too well that without Kyle’s intervention, his efforts would have been futile.
But Theo shook his head.
“What do you mean, you didn’t do anything? You got a good hit on Granada.”
“I didn’t even land a proper clash with my sword!”
“What does that matter? The important thing is that you stepped up and bought enough time for the family head to arrive. Because of that, Granada couldn’t accomplish anything.”
“...!”
“You made an incredible contribution, Holcus. And you’re my lifesaver.”
Thump, thump, thump!
With each word Theo uttered, Holcus felt his heart pounding wildly.
He had finally received Theo’s recognition.
The warmth in those words from a friend he admired was overwhelming. It was powerful enough to blow away all the inferiority and self-doubt he had harbored until now.
Holcus wanted to say something in response, but his throat was too choked up.
“Hey, my little brother. You’ve been acting so pitiful lately I didn’t know what to do with you, but now you’re finally pulling your weight, huh?”
Erika plopped down, wrapping an arm around Holcus’s neck, while Ray took a seat beside Theo and nodded in agreement, as if to back up her words.
Their appearances were a mess, likely a result of the prolonged battle.
“Damn it…”
Holcus felt his chest tightening with emotion.
Unable to hold it in, he sharply turned his head to the side.
“What’s this? Are you crying? Seriously? Pfft! A hulking brute like you, crying?”
“I’m not crying!” Holcus snapped.
“I said, I’m not crying!”
“Stop copying me!”
“Stop copying me.”
“I said, stop copying me!!”
“I said, stop copying me~.”
“Hey!”
Watching Holcus and Erika fight like siblings, Theo found himself thinking:
‘If I were to form a new squad… Wouldn’t it be fun to do it with these friends?’
The thought crossed his mind that it would be incredibly enjoyable to travel the world with them.
Just as Kyle and his sworn brothers had shaped the Ragnar of today, Theo wondered if he, too, could create a new version of Ragnar with these companions.
‘And it’d be even better if Well were here.’
For a brief moment, Theo thought about how much he wanted to see Wellington again.
He made up his mind.
Even though the Black Dragon had said they might have to kill Wellington, Theo resolved to bring him into his fold, no matter what.
And not just Wellington, but also the Upsurging Dragon, and even Hilda.
‘I’ll make sure that in the Ragnar I create, there will never be anyone like Torkel again. Let’s build it that way.’
As Theo laid plans for the future—
Slash!
The harsh sound of a throat being severed tore through the air.
All eyes, including Theo’s and his friends’, turned toward the source of the sound.
Granada’s head was flying through the air, severed by a single strike from Kyle.