Recently, the kingdom of Oseo had suffered immense damage—a blow severe enough to threaten the collapse of the entire nation. If this had been due to diplomatic friction or the ambitions of a great power, it might have been understandable. Yet in reality, it was retaliation for a prince’s rude remark at a wedding. Understanding it did not make it any easier to bear. The absurdity of the situation only fueled outrage.
It was incomprehensible. If the single prince himself had been killed, that might have been tolerable—but to destroy a nation in response was beyond reason. The king of Oseo, his ministers, and the people alike were plunged into despair.
Yet the appearance of monsters from the Old World changed everything.
These were the creatures that humanity, even with the Eight Sacred Treasures, could not defeat in the distant past. And now, they had come to fight on their side—a reinforcement equal to an entire army. The emergency council was abuzz with energy; the heavy, somber atmosphere lifted.
“Your Majesty, may I ask—why have they appeared in our kingdom only now, after ten thousand years?”
“I don’t know. I wasn’t told.”
Yet upon reflection, the strangeness of the situation could not be ignored. Why had monsters that had not appeared for ten millennia suddenly arrived now? The leaders of Oseo decided to ask those very beings directly.
“As you know, we are like a boat sinking in water, left to be picked apart by our surroundings. Even if we knew your circumstances, there would be no reason to turn aside your aid. We ask that you reveal the truth here and now.”
“Of course. However...”
A bipedal monster covered in scales like a lizard, accompanied by other monsters as guards, paused before answering. There was a question he needed to ask first.
“First, tell me what happened ten thousand years ago. How was it recorded and passed down among humans?”
“I see... A reconciliation of accounts, then.”
Anyone learned in history would naturally know the myths of this world. The king, well educated himself, began speaking without hesitation.
“More than ten thousand years ago, humanity lived in the Old World. That world contained many intelligent monsters besides humans, among which dragons were feared as the strongest creatures.”
It felt strange to recount this to a monster of the Old World itself. Yet for alignment of knowledge, the king continued.
“The dragons boldly proclaimed to the gods that ‘we are greater than you,’ and other monsters agreed. Only humans opposed them, challenging the dragons and their followers. But they were powerless, and humanity teetered on the brink of extinction. Then the gods, in their mercy, bestowed upon humans the Eight Sacred Treasures. Yet even with them, they could not defeat the dragons, and in the end, they escaped aboard one of the Sacred Treasures—the Ark—into this world.”
“It seems the story has been passed down surprisingly accurately.”
Even after ten thousand years, the myth had not been distorted. The dragons of the Old World were astonished to find that humans had preserved the history of their retreat so faithfully.
“Then...what became of us afterward, in your myths? Were you not told?”
“Since the retreat, we’ve had no way of knowing about the original world...but we assumed that after the humans had been removed, the dragons and their ancestors lived in peace?”
The king’s ministers nodded in agreement. By ordinary reasoning, the dragons and their followers must have been living comfortably. Yet the Ancients were irritated by this speculation. Though it was the first time they had seen these beings, their agitation was evident.
“At first, yes, that was the case. Even with the power of the gods, humans could not defeat us. So our ancestors proudly claimed to be greater than the gods. However...”
It was a bitter revelation. The monsters trembled all over.
“As time passed, the Mother World...the ‘Old World’ you speak of...began to wither.”
“It became barren?”
“That understanding is correct. By the time we realized something was wrong, it was already too late—beyond recovery.”
There was no longer any water to drink, no food to eat. The land lost its bounty, and the seas their vitality. The dragons remained the strongest beings—but such strength was meaningless before a world that was withering away.
“We lost the love of the gods!”
The humans were left speechless as they imagined the scene. How terrifying it must have been to live in a world that was dying, a world that was drying up.
“Our world, abandoned by the gods, withered over the course of ten thousand years. By our generation, only the barest remnants of the land’s bounty remained.”
That was why they had come here. The people of Oseo felt a pang of sympathy, realizing that these beings had endured an even harsher plight than their own.
“We managed to recreate one of the Eight Sacred Treasures—Noah, the Ark—and followed humanity to this world. To this world, rich with the gods’ love... But of course, that means the gods’ beloved humans are here as well.”
The monsters had managed to arrive, but that did not mean they were safe. All Eight Sacred Treasures, the one thing capable of opposing them, were now assembled here.
“Those who wield the Eight Sacred Treasures... Warriors empowered by the gods...”
“Pardon me, but did your ancestors not defeat the Eight Sacred Treasures and their wielders?”
“You are correct. Our ancestors did defeat the Eight Sacred Treasures. But it is said that doing so required immense sacrifice. There is no guarantee that we, as we are now, could endure the same.”
Hearing this, the people of Oseo frowned. They had believed victory was assured. Now they realized that that hope had been naive.
“Hmph... Well, that is only to be expected. If the Eight Sacred Treasures were no threat to you, there would be no reason for you to ally with us.”
The king’s calm words made them reconsider. Perhaps this was not necessarily a bad thing.
“You are correct. We require human collaborators.”
The Eight Sacred Treasures were artifacts made for humans. Nonhumans could not properly maintain them. Dragons and their kin could not even store them—attempts to do so would simply cause the treasures to return to the gods.
“In an ideal scenario, we would move in step and invade Arcana, subjugating it. You would secure the Eight Sacred Treasures, and we would claim the majority of the territory. That is what we aim for.”
It was a dangerously bold statement—but to those who knew the legends of the Ancients, it was surprisingly restrained. So restrained, in fact, that it gave the listeners pause.
“Unlike your ancestors, you have no intention of exterminating humanity?”
“We cannot repeat the folly of our ancestors. Besides...the ones we truly hate are neither the humans nor the gods. We hate our ancestors, who arrogantly declared that gods were unnecessary.”
Had their ancestors stood before them now, they would have been struck down without hesitation. Such killing intent radiated from the dragons now.
“In any case...our goal is simply a territory where we can live in peace, without fear of starvation. We have no desire to exhaust ourselves by trying to claim the entire world.”
The leaders of Oseo—a nation abandoned by the rest of the world—had been prepared to cooperate even if it meant annihilating all other humans besides themselves. Yet the monsters’ goal was smaller than expected, leaving them momentarily taken aback. Then they reconsidered.
“It will not be easy.”
The king of Oseo said this precisely because he understood it firsthand.
“Destroying the Arcana Kingdom is more difficult than destroying every other nation combined. This is not merely my opinion—it is the consensus of all the surrounding great powers.”
“We are well aware.”
The dragon spoke with firm resolve.
“If we attack some lesser nation and make it our territory, we may well enjoy a hundred years of peace only for wielders of the Eight Sacred Treasures to invade one day and annihilate our descendants. This future is a real possibility.”
The dragon’s sense of crisis was entirely reasonable. Unlike their Mother World, this world was not barren; yet even so, land and resources were always contested. Human or not, no nation would accept a massive influx of outsiders.
“And besides...we cannot expect mercy from the Arcana Kingdom.”
“A natural judgment. At least based on the experiences of our own country, Arcana’s arrogance and ruthlessness are clear.”
Their reasons and motivations were convincing. The leaders of Oseo understood and sympathized with their goals. Once that understanding was reached, the dragon changed the topic.
“As you know, our reserves are limited. Before we attack a nation, we want to secure as much food as possible.”
In the withered Old World, there had been nothing to take, but in this world, the possibilities were vast. With sufficient power, resources could be seized from any number of places.
“Is there a place near this country where large food storehouses are managed?”
At the slightly mischievous question, the king smiled cruelly.
“Yes—I know just the one. Let us attack there first as a preliminary move.”