Sanctuary Armor was basically a compact version of Sanctuary Barrier, so I’d cast it in case the dragon fired his breath at me again. It should allow me to evade it, though it would be a close call.
“Come at me with the powers of my brethren.”
“Be my wings and soar, Wind Dragon!”
I chanted, feeling my body lifting off the ground. Then, I created a wall of mana under my feet to see if I could dash forward by using it as a temporary ledge. It worked perfectly. Under normal circumstances, I’d be overjoyed by this discovery, but I didn’t have time now. Chanting an incantation under my breath, I channeled every ounce of mana I had as I flew straight at the dragon.
“Fool. You have put yourself in the trajectory of my breath all on your own. Die,” the Umbra Dragon warned me before unleashing his attack.
Dark-purple flames instantly engulfed the space where I’d been flying.
“How disappointing. I had high expectations for you, yet you didn’t hold a candle to Reinstar,” the dragon’s voice echoed through my brain, full of sorrow.
“Heal,” I chanted from behind it, and a pale light illuminated its body.
“Y-You! You’re still alive?!” he exclaimed, letting out a pained cry.
“Yup. I don’t feel like dying just yet. I kinda winged this whole thing, but it looks like I successfully managed to land a hit on you.”
“How did you get behind me? My breath should have burned you to a crisp.”
“It did. Well, it destroyed a decoy I created with the Flame and Water Dragons’ powers. I made a mana clone of myself, then used the power of the Thunder Dragon to maneuver behind you, all while restraining my mana so you wouldn’t be able to sense me. What your breath destroyed was merely an illusion.”
“You did that?”
“Sure did. But my plan only succeeded thanks to you. You kindly hinted that I should avoid your breath.”
“What?! I would never do such a thing for a mere human like you!”
“If you had attacked me without warning like you did Lord Reinstar, or if you had fired a breath so powerful I couldn’t have avoided it, I would have been completely obliterated. There wouldn’t be a single hair left behind,” I stated.
The Umbra Dragon remained silent.
“Besides, you’re so weak that you were only able to detect me by sensing my presence and mana signature. That’s why my crude, hastily made strategy worked. How long have you been bearing the Wicked One’s curse for you to be so weakened?”
When my Heal had illuminated the Umbra Dragon, I had seen that he was already emanating miasma and that most of his body was either rotting or reduced to bones already. It was so severe that I was surprised he hadn’t become undead.
“When did you notice that I was not fighting seriously?” he asked me.
“When the breath you fired on the fiftieth floor didn’t instantly break my barrier. The Spirit of Dusk showed me your battle with Lord Reinstar, and I immediately understood that you were in a completely different league. So when I saw how weak your attack was, I realized you were either holding back or unable to use your full power,” I explained.
“So it seems your success in freeing my brethren was not merely due to luck. You are neither a coward nor a reckless fool. Someone with the courage to oppose fate and the determination to strive for peace no matter the cost... Let me ask you, human, how will you maintain the world’s order?”
How was I supposed to answer that question? It felt far too grand for a regular guy like me. But I didn’t think the Umbra Dragon would appreciate such a response, so I decided to tell him how I genuinely felt.
“That’s such a big question, I’m not sure how to answer it. All I know is that, while many people live in this world, it’s not so small that we have to resort to fighting each other instead of coexisting peacefully. At least I don’t think so.”
“You believe that humanity can coexist and thrive together? Then why was Reinstar unable to stop them from fighting among each other?”
“Isn’t that just a consequence of being alive? Everyone wants to be richer, happier, and more loved than others.”
“Then they will never stop fighting, will they?”
“Your observation is both right and wrong. I believe that people are capable of both living in harmony and letting go of that harmony when they choose. If one person took their neighbor’s hand while reaching out to someone else with their other hand, there would be no conflicts. However, it is true that greedy people also exist.”
“Just as I thought, humanity is a failure.”
“That’s what we might seem to you, but I personally believe that all these mistakes we commit are what allow us to grow and learn.”
“Then why did Reinstar break his word to me?”
“Lord Reinstar has created a Church to heal the people, a land for craftspeople to develop technology for the betterment of society, and a nation specialized in magic research. By doing so, he has sown the seeds that will allow humanity to grow and thrive. However, he didn’t have the time to accomplish everything he intended, and his will faded with the passing of time,” I said, although there were some holes in my argument.
“You seem to hold him in high esteem. You should become his successor, then,” the Umbra Dragon said, seemingly pleased with that conclusion.
But I knew I could never fill Reinstar’s shoes. I would simply do what I could do with my own capabilities. “I won’t. I’m just going to do everything I can to live a peaceful life. I wouldn’t place high expectations on me if I were you, because I know for a fact that I won’t be able to meet them,” I said. “So? What about the Radiance Dragon? Has he really been freed already?”
The Umbra Dragon stayed silent for a moment before saying, “He has, there is no doubt about it. However, strangely, his consciousness has not reincarnated yet. It still lingers in this world.” He shared this important information with me as though merely stating a fact.
I suddenly realized something. Could the “power” Blanche had gotten their hands on, the one that was supposedly strong enough to bend the world to their will, be the Radiance Dragon?
I decided to ask more questions, just to be sure. “Is it possible that he turned undead?”
“No. Unlike the Holy Dragon, which has strong healing abilities but weak resistance to status ailments, the Radiance Dragon is immune to such effects entirely.”
“Then did something feel different after you felt his seal being broken?”
“Sometimes my voice does not reach him. It has happened before, but it is becoming more common as of late.”
The Radiance Dragon may have been immune to status ailments, but could he be possessed?
“If you were to fight the Radiance Dragon, would you be able to win?”
“As long as I canceled his breath with mine, I would not lose. But I do not have any reason to fight him.”
Well, that wasn’t very informative. “What would happen if the Radiance Dragon were to be summoned using a magic circle designed to enslave it?” I asked next.
“He would be bound to the will of those who summoned him. Summons are a type of contract, after all.”
“Is there a way to break that contract?”
“There is. If it were me, I would simply destroy the nation of those who had enslaved me, but I do not know what the Radiance Dragon would do.”
“Out of curiosity, what would happen if someone used a technique for demonizing humans on the Radiance Dragon?”
“It has never happened to me, so I do not know. But we Eternal Dragons possess a magic core, so I assume nothing would happen.”
I nodded. “I see. All right, then, since we’re done here, can I lift the curse the Wicked One put on you?”
“Sage Luciel, I will not ask for much. However, if you truly care about Reinstar, do everything in your power to build the world you envision.”
“I’ll do what I can,” I said reluctantly.
“Hah. You have already freed all of us except for the Radiance Dragon, so I have high expectations for you.”
“Wait, what? This necklace has holes for nine gems, doesn’t it?” I pointed at the necklace I’d received upon defeating the Holy Dragon.
“If you wish for the answer to that question, you ought to visit the Dragon Valley. You will know everything when the Dragon God grants you his power. Goodbye, Sage Luciel. I expect great things from you.”
“Yes, sir.”
I lifted the Wicked One’s curse, and the Umbra Dragon vanished. Then, I took out my light and collected all the gold and items lying on the ground, making sure to avoid the trapped dungeon core that would summon the Wicked One on contact. When I was done, I made my way to the return circle.
A ping echoed in my head.
Title Obtained: Protection of the Umbra Dragon
All of the Eternal Dragons’ seals have been broken.
Title Obtained: Protection of the Dragon God