The half-transparent shield surrounding the white castle.
The numerous magic bombs aiming for the shield.
Cale saw the large shield about to hit the White Star before the bombs detonated.
"Ha!"
The White Star scoffed, and a water wall appeared around him.
Cale could not see anything after that.
Boooooooom-
A large sandstorm appeared because of the large explosion.
However, Cale still got goosebumps on his arms.
'…There's no…'
There were no changes at all.
He could hear explosions, feel the ground shaking, and see the giant sandstorm, however…
In this area surrounded by the half-transparent white shield…
Nothing outside impacted the white castle at all.
Complete protection.
Cale could hear Raon mumbling to himself.
"…Protection..."
He slightly turned his head to see Raon looking past the white shield with a shocked expression. Raon continued to mumble in shock. It didn't look like he even knew he was talking.
"…This is… mom's…power..."
Cale and Raon made eye contact.
Raon's eyes focused again before he quickly closed his mouth in shock. He then hid his face on Cale's shoulder.
Cale started to speak.
"What are you doing? She said to watch."
'Take a look.'
Raon recalled what the white Dragon Sheritt had said.
The small Dragon's head slowly looked up.
Shaaaaaaaaaaa-
A gust of wind took the debris of the explosion with it.
Then the results of the explosions appeared.
"Ha, haha-"
The White Star started to laugh.
"How entertaining."
He brushed his hand off.
It was his left hand that had created the water wall.
There were no injuries nor any blood visible on it.
However, he repeated closed and opened his fist.
His hand was shaking.
There had been a strong explosion when the large shield crashed into the water wall. The aftershock of that explosion was making his hand shake a bit.
The White Star's entire left arm was shaking from the strength of that first attack.
"…Really..."
Of the five main ancient power attributes, the White Star did not have an earth attribute power.
That was why his body was never in balance.
This led to many situations where his insides would twist and make it difficult for him while he was fighting.
'Yes, there have been many times that happened.'
However, he had never expected his arm to be numb like this from a single shield explosion.
"Really, it's been a while since I've experienced something like this."
The first attack from ancient Dragon Eruhaben had not even strained the White Star.
In fact, it had never been like this for the past few hundred years.
"I guess even as an illusion you are still the Lord."
He continued to laugh.
"This much strength…how entertaining."
He was still looking at his shaking hand in amusement.
There was someone else who was shocked by this situation.
Cale looked toward Raon.
Lord Sheritt. She had said that this illusion grew at Raon's pace and only had Raon's level of strength. That statement and the current situation created a question in Cale's mind.
'Does that mean that Raon is strong enough to cause this kind of damage to the White Star in a single attack as well?'
Cale could see Lord Sheritt slowly descending to the ground.
She looked fine without any damage. In fact, the smile on her face made her look vicious.
Cale could see Raon looking down at his own paws with a confused expression as well.
'Is Raon's hidden potential that high?'
It was at that moment.
– Cale.
He heard Eruhaben's voice.
– Don't look toward me.
He quickly told Cale not to look toward him.
'Why?'
He soon got the answer.
– Lord Sheritt is putting everything on the line right now.
Cale flinched.
– I'm certain that she must have anticipated that we were not strong enough to win against the White Star's forces without getting seriously injured.
Eruhaben had found that to be weird from the beginning.
He had confirmed that Lord Sheritt's strength was similar to Raon. He found it weird that she still chose to fight alone.
It was weird because she was a Dragon who was once the Lord.
The Dragon Lord was someone who was calm and calculated situations more rationally than anyone else. She should have noticed the difference in strength just now.
'The Lord stepped up even though she knew we would lose or be severely injured.'
Eruhaben realized what was going on after thinking about it.
– Lord Sheritt is putting everything on the line right now.
The half-transparent woman seemed fine on the outside.
– I think Raon probably could injure the White Star like this if he put his life on the line, if he really put his life on the line to fight.
There was a difference between saying someone would fight with their life on the line and actually having someone fighting with their life on the line.
Eruhaben had no choice but to figure out Sheritt's intentions.
He had also planned on preparing with his remaining lifespan to fight with his life on the line against the White Star as well.
That was what he planned on using most of this next year doing.
– She is doing this knowing her existence might disappear as a result. She's fighting with no regard for herself.
Sheritt had waited almost 10,000 years to meet Raon.
How would someone like that act?
– The reason she is doing this is probably to protect us to keep us safe and alive.
Cale could see Sheritt remove the half-transparent white shield and stand at the boundary of the open castle gate. That was as far as she could go.
Cale heard a sound he didn't like as well.
Rumble- Rumble-
It was the sound of thunder.
The same thunderbolts that had almost made the Empire's capital disappear.
It took Cale's shield, as well as Raon and everyone else working together in order to barely block it.
The thunderbolts could strike down at this white castle at any moment.
It would happen whenever the White Star wanted it to happen.
Of course, the White Star's body would be in pain afterward like last time. His body was not in balance without the earth attribute ancient power.
However, the White Star currently had over 100 allies.
The White Star had something to lean on this time as well.
Ruuuuuuumble- Ruuuuuuuumble-
The thunder continued to roar.
– Cale. Let's, let's follow the Lord's will for now.
Cale could hear Eruhaben trying to be as rational as possible.
Eruhaben was saying that they should follow the Lord's will even though he knew that she was fighting with her existence on the line.
It was because he cherished these children as much as the Lord did.
Eruhaben was thinking that he was next after the Lord.
The mana around him was quietly starting to gather together.
It was at that moment.
"I didn't expect to see my benefactor's face."
He could hear the White Star's voice.
The White Star opened his arms toward Lord Sheritt.
"I was able to obtain eternal life thanks to you. Should I speak respectfully to you because I respect you?"
Squeeze.
Cale could feel Raon's paws squeezing his clothes.
He could also feel the White Star looking toward them. However, the bright brown eyes visible through the half mask were not looking at Cale, but at someone else.
"Hmm, I never imagined that Dragon to be that black egg."
He was looking at Raon. He recalled the black egg he believed to have been broken a long time ago.
'…Did that chimera go against my order?'
He thought about the child he tried to turn into a Dragon. He just ended up a useless Dragon half-blood.
The White Star found this current situation to be quite entertaining. There had never been so many things outside his expectations like this in close to 1,000 years.
He gently started to speak to Sheritt as if he was very amused.
"Lord, how does it feel to meet your child after close to 10,000 years? I'm sure you're relieved. You'll get to die with your child."
Clang!
Cale could see Beacrox take his greatsword out and glare at the White Star. Everybody else looked ready to strike at any moment as well.
However, nobody could move.
"Ha, hahahaha!"
Laughter filled the area.
Sheritt was the one who was laughing.
She smiled toward the White Star as she started to speak.
She pointed toward the White Star.
"You can never sleep. You'll feel pain as if your heart is ripping into pieces every day, but you'll never be able to rest. Once you rest, death will visit you once again."
The smile on the White Star's face disappeared.
"What is it? Why aren't you smiling?"
Lord Sheritt continued to speak to the White Star who was no longer smiling.
"Hey bastard, smile."
On the other hand, Sheritt's smile became even bigger.
"You can't even taste anything when you eat food, right?"
Cale could slowly understand what the curse from the oath of death entailed.
A life where he could not cherish anything.
That was not a simple curse.
It was not a life that one would say was a bit tiring.
"You can't feel the change of the seasons, right? You don't even know what is cold and what is hot anymore, right? You don't even remember what temperature is, do you?"
Sheritt was the only one speaking. She calmly continued to speak.
"I'm sure you had family members with each reincarnation. However, I'm sure that they all died once you had any sort of positive emotion toward them."
Sheritt's dark blue eyes observed the White Star's eyes.
"No matter what it is, as long as it is alive, anything you became attached to would have all died."
The Dragon who had lost her children, her everything, smiled and asked the man who took it all from her.
"Is it bearable?"
The White Star's gaze slowly lowered. Sheritt laughed even more as if she was enjoying it.
"What is it? You chose to have the curse while knowing about all of it."
Lord Sheritt had made a deal with the God of Death to make that oath of death happen, giving the Dragon Slayer and his village something in return.
That could be called Sheritt's sacrifice.
She asked the human who chose the curse even after knowing about all of this. It was something she had wanted to ask this human who knew as much about this curse as she did for 1,000 years.
"Is it fun? I'm sure your life is very fun. Right?"
Ruuuumble. Rumble.
Cale looked toward the White Star after hearing the rumbling grow louder. The smile had disappeared from the White Star's face and an even more tired expression was visible.
The emotionless White Star started to speak.
"It's fun."
It was the life that the White Star had chosen for himself.
He confidently started to speak to the existence that was laughing at him.
"You're just an illusion."
Hahahaha-
Sheritt laughed out loud once more.
"My illusion life seems more real than your life that has nothing."
The White Star started to frown.
"Tsk."
He clicked his tongue and then raised his hand.
The tens of people in the fog around the castle walls shot up into the air.
"How impudent."
Sheritt raised both of her hands as well.
Baaaaang! Baaaaang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Loud bangs could be heard around the castle.
"Ugh!"
"Grrrrr-! This stupid shield!"
"Ugh, my arm!"
Groans were coming out of the mouths of the Bears, Cats, and Arm members around the castle wall. In front of each of them was a shield.
The White Star quietly observed before starting to speak.
"Looks like I need to get rid of the castle itself."
Rumble, Ruuuumble-
The sounds coming from the sky became even louder. Cale lifted his head.
The sky instantly became dyed black.
'Will Sheritt be able to block this on her own?'
If she puts her life on the line.
He recalled the ancient Dragon's words.
"…Human."
Cale could hear Raon calling him. However, he could not respond.
He could only see Sheritt who was still talking to the White Star.
"I'll just need to get rid of you before that."
She had a large shield in each hand and aimed them toward the White Star.
Cale heard a voice in his mind at that moment.
– I'm sure you're looking for the White Star's weakness?
Sheritt was speaking into Cale's mind.
Cale could not respond and only looked at her back.
– There is a secret that bastard does not know.
A secret that the White Star did not know.
– This gate is not the only way into the castle.
'…There's another door into this castle?'
She threw her shields as Cale's pupils started to shake.
However, Cale could still hear her voice in his mind.
– There is a secret passage that will take you to the Dragon Slayer village. It is a path that only the first Dragon Slayer and I know about.
Baaaaang! Baaaaang!
The two shields that flew toward the White Star crashed into him.
The White Star started to smirk.
"…It's weaker than last time."
He blocked the shields with his right arm before looking toward Sheritt.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The Cats, Bears, and Arm members were still fighting against the large number of shields. The White Star licked his lips as if he had found a prey before almost whispering to Sheritt.
"…You're not that strong."
Sheritt smiled even after hearing that.
She then continued to speak to Cale.
– Go to the secret passage I told you about. Use that to go to the Dragon Slayer village.
However, Cale could not see the smile on Sheritt's face.
All he could see was her back as she created shield after shield to throw toward the enemies.
She could only attack at the edge of the gate as she could not leave the castle.
Rumble- Rumble-
Cale could hear Sheritt's voice louder than the rumbling in the sky now.
– I'm certain you'll be able to find that bastard's weakness in that village. That bastard can't return to his hometown. That is why that is the safest place for all of you.
Step. Step.
Cale started to move one step at a time.
– His hometown is somewhere precious to him. That is why someone who cannot have anything precious cannot go there. I am certain about that.
He continued to hear Sheritt's voice.
"…Human."
He could hear Raon calling him once again.
– Hurry up and go. I can defend them here.
"Haaaaaaaaa."
Cale let out a sigh after hearing Sheritt's statement.
However, his steps started to get faster.
But he suddenly stopped.
– I'm sure you were the one who gave a name to my child?
Rumble- Rumble-
White lights started to flash between the dark clouds.
The thunderbolts would strike down soon.
A gentle yet cautious voice continued in his mind.
– Thank you. Thank you very much.
Cale started to walk again.
– Hurry up and go. I will protect this place until you return.
'What a lie.
She's trying to sacrifice herself.'
Cale reached his hand out.
Tap.
His hand was placed on the shield in Sheritt's hand.
He could see the Lord looking at him.
The half-transparent dark blue eyes were staring at him.
Cale continued to speak with a frown on his face.
"But I don't want to."
"…What?"
Lord Sheritt looked toward Cale with shock.
She did not know Cale very well.
Cale didn't know the Lord very well either, however, he knew Raon very well.
"Raon."
Raon finally left Cale's back with a bright smile on his face.
Ooooooong- Oooooong-
Black mana started to quickly gather around Raon.
His small front paw pointed toward the White Star.
Once Raon was ready to battle…
"On, step back with Hong."
On and Hong left Cale's arms.
On moved Hong behind her.
"But I don't want to."
She then started to create a fog. The fog quickly turned red. It was Hong's poison.
"I, I don't want to either!"
Lord Sheritt watched all this with shock.
She could see Cale's scowling gaze at that moment.
He opened his mouth to speak.
"Maybe it is because I am famous for being a trash and having a terrible personality, but…"
This was Raon's hometown, his roots.
This was his home.
He reached out his hand.
"I can't sit back and watch someone destroy my house."
Even a trash like him did not destroy someone else's house.
"Ah."
He did break the human traffickers' homes.
However, Cale just feigned ignorance and moved on. It didn't matter because he was trash.
Cale then turned toward the front.
How could he watch this place and Sheritt get destroyed?
He couldn't let that happen.
Cale started to smile.
"Attack."
Choi Han, Ron, and Beacrox started to run forward as if they had been waiting for this command. They rushed out past the half-transparent white shield protecting them.
The White Star could see Cale.
Cale looked back at him and started to speak.
"Burn."
Rumble- Rumble-
The sky that had been rumbling endlessly…
Baaaaang! Bang!
The White Star raised his head.
The black clouds.
A rose gold thunderbolt started to roam around the cloud with the white thunderbolts.