"Damn it! Why did I get so careless?!"
The Dragon regenerated even though Dark's sword was enchanted to stop it. The reason would be, Dark ran out of magic power or mana. His equipments sucked out his mana constantly.
Roar Roar
The Dragon roared louder than before. It even jumped and flapped it's wings unceasingl and the ground shook vigorously. Dark couldn't move at all. He ran out of stamina to do anything.
"Damn it! Why now?! Move! Move! Move it now!"
He tried to move his body forcibly. But it didn't even budge. The Dragon's eyes were fixated on Dark. It considered Dark as an potentially harmful enemy. Then the game was set.
Dark was helpless. His body didn't move and even the Dragon wanted to kill him now. Rose wasn't happy with it.
'D-Don't you dare! Don't you dare touch him!'
Again, he released Wave of Aura. This time it was way stronger. The Dragon did get scared this time. It backed out on sensing Rose's Aura and the anger it held. Dark was happy to look at his friend, trying to help him out even though he was in a more worse condition.
'Talk! Talk! Move it NOW! DAMN IT!'
With the help of his strong will, he managed to force his mouth to talk.
"S-Stop....stop.....STOP IT DARK!!"
Dark heard his friend loud and clear. He hid his face to hide his happy smile. The Dragon shifted it's attention towards Rose and recognized him as an even more dangerous foe. It changed it's course and moved towards Rose instead.
Dark helplessly looked as the Dragon neared his friend. He could not think of anything anymore. His mind wondered for ways to work things out.
"I.... have no.... choice now...do I?"
Dark mustered up his strength and flipped himself over. He looked at the cloudy sky. The sound of lightening and the rain drops. He could hear the shouting of his subordinates. The voice of his subordinates, desperately trying to protect their Emperor from the monster.
One by one, the monster threw the Knights like pebbles. The training and hardships the Knights went through just to get humiliated for being weak? Others may see it as the Knights' fault for being so weak but the truth is different. The enemy was strong instead.
The human body, in itself, cannot comprehend higher level of strength unless you are of higher status. So no matter how much you train, once you reach the limit of your status—its over.
Dark cried and cried, looking back at his life. The life full of regrets, pain and suffering. He wanted to talk to Rose one last time.
"Yo! Rose. You doing well."
"What?! How?!....your mind transmission?"
"That's right."
"Why are you doing this?! We can talk once this is over! So please don't force yourself!"
"It's no use, partner. I have sustained too many internal wounds. I should have about 25 minutes at most."
"Impossible! Don't say that!!! Please don't say that!!!"
"I am about to die so would you listen to me for the last time?"
"Please....weep.....please don't say that....I...weep...beg you."
"You asshole! It is your best friend and a dying man's last wish! Won't you even do that?!"
".....? What does it have to do with this? You dying is worse enough."
"Geez, listen to me already!"
"Fine fine, I will listen."
Dark used his mind transmission skill to have a final chat with his friend. His talk about his dreams and life.
"Say, partner. Do you remember when I told you my dream?"
Rose was crying like crazy.
"Yeah, I remember! You said you wanted to kill at least one of the bastards. And I said how ridiculous it was."
"You know, you were right. It might have been the most ridiculous dream. But I still had hope, I still....had hope."
"Yeah....! Weep Sorry...SORRY! SORRY TO HAVE DISAPPOINTED YOU!"
"Why are crying? You, as an Emperor, crying infront of his followers, is pathetic, don't you think so?"
"I...weep...have always been like this. Even though you are so badly hurt, you are the same as always....you...weep....thick-skinned bastard."
"Isn't it mean to insult someone while crying?"
"Shut up!weep weep....who told you to fight?! It's not my fault that you got so badly hurt! I...I...I STILL WANTED YOU TO HAVE HOPE!!"
"Idiot! I wasn't fighting for you. I was....I was... fighting for my country...."
"Liar! You could have still held on to your dreams. I would have worked day and night to fulfill it...like I have always done."
"I know. I know how hard you are working to fulfill all of our dreams. And I thank you for it...but there are things that you can't accomplish, no matter how hard you try. These things called Dreams, how cruel can you be to make such a thing? Making us have dreams first and then after assuring you of it's possibility, make you realise just how impossible it is. These bastards don't let any moments in our lives to go happily, do they?"
"You are right. One day.....for sure, I will surpass them. So just wait for me on the other side. I will be sure to come."
"You have to earn my apology first, you jerk!! Like I would let you visit me so quickly!!!"
"I don't want to come either! I will die a honourable death unlike you. You pathetic jerk!"
"What did you say?! You...!"
" Sorry....."
"Hmmm?"
"I couldn't... apologize properly. Your dreams, my dreams and everyones' dreams, I wanted to fulfill all of them and.....and... apologize....weep....properly and yet you are leaving me....weep....without giving me a chance. You cold bastard!"
"Pftt, Lame, Ahahaha..."
"What's so funny?! I am being serious here, you jerk!!"
"I know that. That's why, I want to give you another chance. Don't die without fulfilling your promise, partner."
"Yeah! Be prepared to welcome me when I visit you."
"You bet!"
With this, there was a brief moment of silence between the two. The Dragon was slowed down by the Knights but it wasn't effective enough. It became a threat that could possibly eliminate the entire capital. Dark said his final words before getting into action again.
"Rose, the seal you gave me, you remember?"
"Yeah, it was a very expensive thing I bought..... Wait, do you still have that seal locket?"
"How could I throw the very first gift I ever received?"
"That thing is a scam, you know. It doesn't even work. That witch fooled me back then."
"There is something that I want to tell you."
"What?"
"That seal...works!"
"Wha-What do you mean?! Does it really work?!"
"Of course, that's why I will bet everything on it. Its the only option left."
"Do whatever you want. I won't stop you."
"You are damn right. After all, stopping a dead man would be a dumb thing to do."
With a wide smile, Dark said,
"Look at me, partner!! I will end this show now!!"
".....weep....yeah!!! You better win, Damn jerk!!!"
Dark joined his hands together, tightly. Rose could now move his hands thanks to Dark. The loop of never ending pain stopped for Rose and now it was the time.
"MY PROUD KNIGHTS!!! LISTEN TO YOUR CAPTAIN'S ORDER ONE LAST TIME!! PROTECT THE EMPEROR AND THE EMPIRE WHILE I AM GONE!!! YOU BUNCH BETTER NOT SLACK OFF!!! GOT IT?!!"
All knights already saw it coming. They couldn't hold back their tears at all. To see off their captain, the proud knights of The Rose Empire, saluted him, one last time. Concurrently they said,
"DON'T SWEAT IT, CAPTAIN!! WE, THE KNIGHTS, WILL PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE IF IT COMES TO THE EMPIRE OR THE EMPEROR!! BE ASSURED AND REST IN PEACE, CAPTAIN!!"
"You guys, you say that after I die. I am still half alive, you know."
"We are sorry, Captain!!"
"Well then, let's settle this!!! Sir Dragon. Death! Seal!! RELEASE!!!"
Dark's armour broke into tiny pieces. Slowly, he was enveloped by bright light. The bright light vaporised the rain drops on immediate contact. Dark rose into the air and a skeleton seal appeared on top. Soon the light got dimmer and Dark could be seen, half naked.
His wounds weren't healed however, he had received power equal to the Emperor status.
"So this is what Emperor status feels like? I only have 13 minutes left. Let's settle this quickly, Sir Dragon!"
His bare torso, above the hips, just like the face—was covered in scars. On the chest, on the back, on the stomach, basically there were no spot without scars.
The Dragon turned back at Dark. It felt the presence of a new and stronger entity. Just like everytime, it flapped it's wings continuously creating gusts of strong winds. But this time, it was different. Dark didn't even budge.
"You have to take me seriously now. I am not weak anymore. If you still underestimate me, you will surely die."
Dark grabbed his sword and pointed it at the Dragon.
"You seem to get intimidated by the tip of the sword. Now, come at me!"
The provoked Dragon acknowledged Dark's strength and attacked first. It flew up to the sky, past the clouds. But this time the attack was different. Instead of throwing Bone Swords, it decided to headbutt Dark.
Dropping at the speed of 100 km/hr, it was above Dark's head.
"So you decide to do this, huh?"
In less than the second, the Dragon hit Dark with a great force. Anyone looking at this would surely think that Dark died but it was different this time.
"Is that all you got? If yes then it won't be enough!"
Dark was holding back the Dragon with his left hand alone. He didn't move an inch from his spot but the surrounding area, its hard to tell. Maybe the terrain map will have to be remade.
"Then, its my turn to attack! Bowling Ball!"
Dark threw the Dragon like it was a bowling ball. It dropped 67 metres from him. There was no time to waste so Dark assumed his sword position.
"I bet it didn't even itch. Then taste this! My new technique! Dark Sword Technique! The! Final! Show! 99 Unholy Slashes!"
In an instant, Dark covered the 67 metres distance. 13 metres behind the Dragon, he stood proudly.
"I only used one sword this time. But it will work."
Behind Dark, the dragon was cut into 99 pieces. Unlike the last time, it didn't show any signs of regeneration. The damage he did to the terrain added more job for the mappers to do.
The knights were happy and yet they couldn't stop crying. Rose turned around and didn't look at Dark even once. The knights rushed at Dark with full speed and Dark fell to the ground.
His body was battered. There was blood coming from everywhere. He gazed at the cloudy sky once again and remembered his friends.
'So, did you guys love the show? I hope you did. This was my last after all. I will be seeing you all soon. Sorry that you have to see me like this but this can't be helped. If the world doesn't want me to live, so what? I had a great friend who wanted me to live.
Sigh, to be frank, I don't have many regrets. Dying with regrets will only taint your soul. And these regrets will haunt you in the afterlife. I don't want to say this but the afterlife is the best thing those assholes made. I can meet you guys thanks to it.'
Dark's mind played a show for him, one last time, the show of life. One by one, his memories flashed before him. Remembering those days, he couldn't help but cry.
'Rose is hopeless as all of us know. That's why....weep.... that's why, I wanted to stay by his side...forever. Even though he promised me, I am sure he will crumble. He....weep..he will not be able to fulfill the promise. But I still want to have hope, I still do. So, Let's watch over him together, okay?'
The knights reached Dark. They even carried Rose with them. One of the knights said,
"Captain! We will not say those cliché things like 'Please don't die' but please.... please watch over us. We have brought Emperor Rose with us. Please say him your last words!"
The knights moved 25 steps back and left Dark and Rose alone. Rose put Dark's head oh his laps and cried.
"Hey.....cough...don't cry.....pant pant...the tears are dropping on my face....."
"You jerk!! It doesn't matter!!!"
"So....cough.....what.....did you want to....tell me?"
"I want you to rest assured. I will definitely keep my promise. I...I will surely catch up to you and the others."
"You...you want...cough....me to tell them 'Hi'?"
"Of course! Please tell them that I miss them. Please tell them that I am sorry. Please--"
"You have to apologize on your own.... cough....once you become a great person, that is."
"Yeah!!"
"Then.....I don't have any regrets....left. Thank....you, friend...."
Even though he died, his face still had a proud smile on it.
To be continued.
(He had still 9 minutes left but the last attack completely took those minutes.)
Death seal: A locket with a skull as the main showpiece. Once it is activated, it forms a contract with the God of Death. According to the pact, enormous strength is provided in exchange for life.