The empire's backer had come. I could feel it. The air had already changed. The shudder in the atmosphere made one believe as if nature itself was getting mad. so humans really were behind compared to others... I don't want to admit... but even I can't control spirit energy to make a phenomenon like this.
Soon the emperor came to the audience hall, where he should have sat on his throne. I was sitting there. He looked at me with all the fury in the world, all his entourage was gone. I had already killed them. They wanted to leave the country so it was inevitable.
"Your time is up hero! Lord Nomad is coming, and when he comes, he will show you hell!" I wonder how he could still call me a hero.
"What? That's his name? It's a shitty name alright…"
"Say while you still can because when he comes you will see." the Emperor's tone was mocking. His earlier air was gone. Just then I saw the individual coming in. He had a huge pressure.. He was practically showing his full power and trying to intimidate me. I quickly used a barrier from Amanori to protect Iliya, Mila and Bullion. These three would probably have bad health issues if they get in contact with this pressure.
"You are the one?" The middle aged man with moderate features and build came in and stood in front of the emperor. The emperor was already on the ground, be that from the pressure or just because of his obedience, I don't know.
"Hoo… You are a dragon…." I finally realized… this pressure was a dragon's natural aura. Although he was showing the full brunt of it, only a dragon could do this so naturally. But rather the feelings of fear that should have grasped me, I felt like I saw a prey in front of me…. blood lust tried take over me...
......
Lord Nomad was someone who was helping the empire for nearly a hundred years. He had fun while seeing the humans quarrel among each other but his hatred became even more after he lost in a battle with 2 humans. They were the strongest humans alive.
After returning to his clan, he was laughed at and mocked after getting beaten. Not being able to stomach it, He made his hatred drive him and made the already declining empire go down in an even more chaotic situation. he even empowered himself, the dragons were a race that easily became stronger after all.
but he was still nothing in front of the heroes, Since the hero's still had power left to thrash him, he went incognito. It was clear to say that he was incognito for some other reason. Still, even after the heroes realized his influence in the empire, he saw that they did not make any move, the dragon got cocky. He felt that like normal humans, his targets also had wasted away by time.
he had no idea The Hero's had more things to protect now. They could hardly fight like the old days and not care about the consequences. if the human lands get pressured from outside force, everything would go into ruin just like that. Merlin and Melinda had their hands full just keeping the humans from warring with one another, and empire was already ruined, thus the heroes did not push, if anything once Treastein got a bit more stronger and Stein became a bit more sociable... they might have tried something to the empire too, but the heroes didn't even know how long it would take to even reach that point.
As the dragon unknown of any of that, he let loose of his thoughts. The dragon started to do whatever he wanted. he made the empire even more vile, gave power to the cruel and criminals, made morals drops until finally the law was unlawful and the justice turned evil.
But then after many years, suddenly a news came that the empire was at its wits end and ready to fall, it hadn't even taken 2 days for the empire to reach this state, when he heard the culprit was the hero's grandson, his blood boiled again, he barreled straight for the empire. He wanted to feast on the blood of his enemy.
But since the time he came and faced the culprit… he couldn't shake the feeling of dread. He should be the hunter, but he felt like he was being watched like a prey. The boy barely lived more than 15 years and was watching him like he was his target to feast upon.
"You damned brat!.... If you want to die that badly…." he was going to say more but he stopped in his tracks… his words stopped in his throat, as if someone grasped his neck in a tight grip, the boy started exuding a terrifying aura. In the blink of an eye the room felt unusually heavy. The Dragon in the room couldn't even utter a single word. As he was stopped in his tracks by sheer pressure...
"Heh… you… show your true appearance…. I just remembered something… dragon meat was delicious!" such provoking words would have made any dragon's blood boil, but Nomad only felt fear and despair looking at those eyes of Rekka.
What is happening! I, Nomad, am strong even among the dragons! Why does a boy make me stop in my tracks? Nomad thought to himself, but he couldn't find the answer to it. The hunter was the prey now.
It was easy to understand actually. Rekka had a 2nd life filled with mind boggling experiences, at the devine realm the residents were searching for him for a very good reason after all, he was a precious source that even they fought over, just what had he had to do in his 2nd life to reach that point? Even if he doesn't remember what he did, the experience that was gained by him left a small amount of trace.
In his 2nd life he had enough fights with dragons to be able to view them as nothing more than meat.
"Let's go outside. I don't want to wreck this beautiful castle. If you try to run, dragon… I will… hunt you down!" Said Rekka as if giving his ultimatum. He moved with the other 3 to the courtyard of the castle. It was big enough to battle with a dragon. just the other day, 50 thousand people got berried here it was as good as cursed land full of resentment now, but the dragon did not know that. maybe it was actually better that way, he wouldn't be able to cower just yet.
The Dragon on the other hand after getting over the intimidation was furious… he jumped out of the castle and transformed into his dragon form. His aura increased and now there stood a huge black dragon.
As it stood up on the ground, it showed a pressure unlike any other. Nomad the Dragon was boiling in rage. Humiliation of the past was nothing compared to what just happened to him now.
Where the hero's had regarded him as a challenge, this child had looked at him as a prey… not even in the same league… the sheer humiliation was a big enough hit on him to shatter his commonsense.
Mila, Iliya and Bullion, although being shielded by Rekka still felt hopeless in front of the dragons imposing stance.
"It will be fine." As little as the line was, it was said in such a calm manner that even the most panicking person would feel safe hearing it. Although three of them couldn't help but be creeped out by the little drool beside his mouth. Even if he said Dragon meat was tasty… this lunatic wouldn't actually eat it would he?
Rekka may look like an ant compared to the dragon but he was also intimidating Nomad, raw power? he didn't need any of that for intimidation? that look that sent the dragons gaping is despair was enough, the dark eyes that overwhelmed even though no power was imbued in it. It was apparent, while Rekka stayed cool and composed, the dragon looked rigged and ready to show his strength.
As if he had already accepted his death, it was a dying struggle. But how could that actually be? The fight hadn't even begun? Sadly nobody could tell.
At last the dragon moved. Even though it's body mass was huge, it moved at blinding speed. It flew up and did a straight nose dive towards Rekka. With magic Rekka moved his comrades to the side of the courtyard.
Then he prepared himself to fight, as he fixed his stance, his body exuded force shuddering the atmosphere around him itself. If this was earth then many boxing fans would recognize this as an uppercut. As the dragon fell straight for Rekka and collided with his fist.
Booooooom!
The surrounding ground and air burst with intense pressure. Still Rekka's punch had more powerm his armed had puffed up long ago. It smashed the dragon's nose with one strike. As the dragon smashed down on the ground, a fountain of blood came down from his nose.
"GRAAhhhhh!" even the Painful groan of the dragon was shattering the ground. Nomad felt pain after many long years. One punch was enough to get him blacked out for a second. does Rekka has over whelming physical might? yes he has, and does Rekka has overwhelming technique too? that he has too. the fact that made Leila imagine Rekka standing toe to toe with worldly beings. it was presently in effect.
......
"So you're saying even at where I am, I still have enough strength to fight a dragon?" as I asked Granny.
"Your fundamentals are the strongest I have ever seen. Why do you think that humans are weak? Even as a human you stand above them regardless of your age or their power or experiences."
"Isn't that because I just had to face harsh realities until now?" As I said, no human should have been through what I had. But Granny shook her head.
"We are not talking about experiences, I am saying that your fundamentals are strong. A body that you can control to the smallest detail. A mind that can comprehend even the highest of difficulty. You have that." as Granny said, she began explaining even more.
"Strength and technique are both different, when I say that your fundamentals were strong, I mean that your life at the Edge of the world has nurtured you to have a body that is strong and a technique that can let you live out even the messiest situations, of course nobody in this world can reach a harmony between these two sides."
"You mean, someone strong can't comprehend higher techniques and vice versa."
"Not just that, but yes, now when I see you reach a point where you have earned strength through technique and technique through strength.. I believe it is normal for you to grow rapidly. And that growth won't stop. The more you face adversity the more it will grow. Until one side gets tipped that is."
"Whoa… you say all this as if you experienced it…"
"I am still experiencing it, meeting you has grown my strength already, although I don't know which way to go…. And don't want to leave your grandfather behind.. I am waiting until my mind settles."
"Geez… I wanna surpass you guys you know? It won't do if you guys get strong.`` As I said, Granny chuckled from above. Boy her lap was comforting.
"Anyway, as I was saying, you have that harmony and what that brings is continued growth. The reason you are above humans is this, it is enough for you to surpass them. But if we are talking about dragons… then even with this talent of yours. You can only go upto mid level dragons. Higher or stronger dragons… you won't cut it with only these two. From then on you will find it challenging. But I am not saying it would be impossible."
...…..
As his granny's words vibrated in his head, Rekka felt his fist pushing the dragon away. She really was right. Although a dragon… with Rekka giving out his maximum strength and technique… he was nothing but an overgrown lizard… to think he hasn't even used miasma to strengthen his body yet, which meant this was easy.
"It's only the beginning." not stopping there and letting the dragon have time to recover, Rekka started jumping around and punching the Dragon from all around it.
He used a flash step air version to jump and turn in air. Not only that, every punch had enough force as the first uppercut. Rekka's spirit energy began to get sucked out as more and more strength puffed up his muscles, but that wasn't a problem, his reserves had grown considerably.
Nomad started to look bloody; his black invincible scales were broken all over his body. As Rekka continued this assault for an hour, his speed and power only increased. he pushed himself even more, at one point, the muscles stopped puffing up but started to harden, even without any gauntlets, the punches became deadlier.
It was a one sided fight. The dragon was being smashed from one place to the other like a tennis ball. Rekka looked like he was doing parkour around the dragon.
The ones who were watching could only see Rekka's shadow. But even so, the fight could be seen as one sided. Rekka overwhelmed the dragon's defense with this blasting physical strength. Each punch thrashed the dragon like a ball being kicked and passed around. of course the master level flash step stance that provided speed and power was what made him so strong, but the only looker could only see that Rekka was overwhelmingly strong.
The punches were not normal boxing punches, they were filled with technique to give out the sharpest of hits, piercing hits. Even though a punch, each of them were like a spear or an arrow embedding on the dragon body like a critical hit.
As if finding the pattern, the dragon whipped his tail and it hit Rekka with an overwhelming force.
Rekka smashed to the ground not being able to counter and a crater was formed.
The dragon looked like he was breathing heavily. At last getting out of the infinite barrage, the glorious body was no more. What stood now was a bloodied up black dragon, he couldn't even stand up straight. The scales that could produce high quality armor worth to be called legendary were broken like glass as they fell off the dragon.
"Was that all?" Still lying on the crater, Rekka spoke nonchalantly. Hearing so, the Dragon made a panicked face. It then turned into a scary one. Rekka stood up brushing the dirt away from himself. He was unscathed. His body was sturdy as ever. Did he only have his strength and technique?
Nope… [At last, to think you don't even need to use me to beat a dragon...] Amanori grumbled at her partner's overwhelming display. Rekka had only used Miasma this time to not get damaged physically. and it seemed that he was going to go for a record where not even his body was dirty after the fight.
"I will burn you!" as the dragons last weapon, he shot a mouth full of flame. Rekka dodged it swiftly and the place that was burnt turned red like the lava.
"Hey, you can actually spew fire!"
"You dare mock me?!!" saying so it shot a breath of fire again.
"Come come!" Rekka closed in on the dragon straight and caught the flame in his hand.
"How can you!?" The Dragon was speechless.
"This is nothing, as long as there is mana in it, I can stop and control any magic." as he said so, he compressed the fire into a ball. The Dragon was horrified. the flame he dished out couldn't compare to what Rekka had just made, the heat was extreme to the point his surrounding started to catch on fire too.
Rekka shot the ball straight at the dragon's wing. Not being able to dodge it, the wing became scorched.
"Gahahhhhh!!!" This time the dragon's howls were even more painful. His left wing was gone.
"Come on, don't whine, it will grow back." As the dragon was at its last push, it tried to hit one last time but Rekka caught the Tail and started to spin the dragon in the air and smashed him back to back on the ground.
ThuD!
ThuD!
ThuD!
ThuD!
ThuD!.....
It was a savage display but Rekka, who grew up in this world fighting huge monsters on the Edge of the world, could fight big sized prey naturally. Shifting weight to his advantage was a technique he was borned with at this point.
As the dust settled down, Rekka could be seen standing beside the dragon's head… the face of the dragon was swollen…. It's body is draped in blood.
"Dude I beat you… now As my reward. I will take half your tail, don't worry, I heard that dragons can grow their tail back." as if the dragon wasn't scared enough this statement was even more shocking to him.
Not paying any heed to this at all, Rekka used Amanori to cut half the tail in one stroke. The dragon yelled again for his life. It was going to thrash around again but Rekka hit it's head and got it unconscious.
Putting the tail back in his storage, he came back to the 3 companions…
"You're a monster…" Iliya said, looking at Rekka with disbelief. The Emperor was already flabbergasted. Bullion looked like he expected this outcome. Mila, as devoted as she was to her Master, looked composed. A man who could topple 100 thousand men in one night could do this much, was her way of convincing herself.
"Mongrel… I will not kill you, if you can stand up again with the empire, try to follow the good natured humans, and as payment for my troubles, I will take your lovely castle."
Hearing this, the Emperor was already broken. According to the statement, Rekka took the whole castle off the ground leaving a gigantic hole and shoved it in his storage.
He was villainous to the end. Truly a chapter that would be written as such in his history.