"Red Dragon God Saraz!?" Ragni's voice growled in my head. "Krito, did you know it was him? Where from?"
"It's just a hunch. Perhaps their souls are still connected to the divine flame that created this world," I replied.
"A forgery!! I won't fall for this!" Ultras roared and lunged at the dragon, but the crimson dragon effortlessly intercepted his paws. "How about this?!"
Stepping back, the dragon struck the god with force using its forehead, and the god responded in kind. The collision caused a few red scales to turn back into flames and disappear, but the wound immediately regenerated with a fresh influx of fire.
"And how about the breath?" Inhaling deeply, the red dragon released a thin stream of concentrated flame towards the massive body. The concentrated fire shattered the shards of crimson flames before Seleria could absorb them, but it still wasn't enough to bring down such a giant.
"Here's my flame for you!" The deep voice of Ragni resounded from the chest of the crimson god. A black wave of flames rolled over the body from the tail to the throat, and when the dragon opened its mouth, a storm of destructive flames burst out.
"What?" Pushing off with his hind legs, Ultras recoiled, and the spiraling mass of black energy missed its target, but still managed to tear off a good half of the right wing. "How can you control this power too?!"
"It's all because!" Seleria's voice echoed from the center of the crimson flames.
"We fight together!" the black princess echoed her friend.
For the first time, the red lord felt that he might lose and attempted to retreat.
"Aileen, Miriam, Yuki, do whatever you want, but don't let him escape!" I commanded the team of archers and turned to the two dragonesses. "Seleria, keep him above the volcano!"
"But he could hurt you then!"
"Then rise higher," I chuckled and looked at the thunderous clouds shimmering with golden flashes. The archers kept shooting at Ultras, and though the arrows didn't cause much trouble, the venom on their surface inconvenienced the huge monster, making him involuntarily dodge the shots.
"Krito, I hope you know what to do," Katrina anxiously observed the battle. "We can't leave everything to them."
"Don't worry; it's better if you keep showering them with lightning," I found Leira flying on another stone a few meters away and rushed to her. "Lady Leira, can you charge my sword with the opposite power from Katrina's?"
"Have you lost your mind?" Leira said incredulously, tapping her temple with her finger. "Her lightning will immediately be attracted to you. Are you tired of living?"
"Well, you have a point," I handed her the big sword and leaped back to our warriors. "Vivi, I need your gloves."
"I don't think they will protect you from Katrina's full power," the girl was still struggling to stand on her feet after the previous attack, but she obediently handed me the insulated gloves.
"That's not a problem; the main thing is to choose the right spot for the strike," I scrutinized the red monster's body. All the wounds on its body were healing quickly; even the wing, which had been entirely destroyed by the black flames, fully regenerated in a couple of minutes. Only one place on its body caught my attention. "Asura, tell me, where was the wound that your ancestress inflicted on Ultras located?"
"Hmm," Asura also noticed it. "It should have been closer to the heart at the base of the neck."
On the dragon's body, there was only one wound that showed no signs of healing despite the monster's regeneration.
"White flame..." Only one force could stop the recovery of such power. "Asura, you're also a descendant of the white goddess. Can you use the white flame?"
"Only for a very short time," Asura grasped her katana and took a deep breath. "But if you need it, I can stop time for about ten seconds."
"No, I don't need to stop time. I want you to strike the dragon's body around the wound left by your predecessor with the white flame."
"Hmm..." Asura looked at her target. "I'm afraid my power won't be enough to cover such a large area. The wound is too extensive."
Asura shook her head apologetically, but another girl supported her.
"I'll help you," Hilda smiled and took the ax in her healthy hand.
"It's not just ordinary ice magic; you won't be able to replicate it!" Asura tried to stop her wounded comrade.
"Maybe I won't be able to produce white flame, but I can support your attack. Let's attack together, and it will work out."
I glanced at my companions and found the person suitable for my plan.
"Rizel, can you use your power to lift me up into the air?"
"What? Lift you with telekinesis? I might accidentally throw you too high," Rizel said uncertainly, gripping her staff.
"That's what I need. Throw me up to the storm clouds, if possible," Rizel frowned in disapproval but nodded reluctantly.
"Well, what's up?" I returned to Leira.
"Take it if you're not afraid," the noblewoman carefully moved away from the sword embedded in the ground. After her touch, weak blue lightning flickered on the blade. "I really wouldn't advise you."
"Don't worry; I'm fine," I put on Vivien's gloves and raised the sword. It felt heavier than usual, and I could feel it drawing everything around it. "Now, everything is ready. Let's begin."
At my command, Grain brought the girls closer to the two dragons. A white aura began to gather around Asura and gradually enveloped her and her neighbor. Ultras sensed the threat and turned around to the white glow, but it was too late. The girls simultaneously swung their katana and ax, and a narrow wave of white energy rushed towards the target.
The white flame struck the monster's neck and immobilized its movements.
"How I hate all of you," the dragon turned to spew a fiery rain on the pesky insects, but his attack was intercepted by the crimson giant.
"Don't think we'll miss this chance!" The crimson dragon pushed Ultras' head away and sank his fangs into the injured area on the neck.
"Rizel, it's time," upon my command, the necromancer gathered her power at the end of her staff and sent me flying.
Flying past the monsters, I saw the black flame gathering in Saraz's mouth, and as soon as I disappeared into the clouds, a wild screech marked the monster's deadly blow. However, it was not enough for his death; I had seen that his heart was protected by an additional barrier even in this state, and he remained dangerous.
The thunderclouds whirled around the battlefield in a furious hurricane. Cold winds, laden with volcanic dust, scratched my skin as lightning flashed around, gradually converging around me. The charge of my large blade attracted the lightning, but the charge of the smaller one repelled it back. Electric discharges circled, preparing to annihilate me in a single strike.
The charge reached its limit and rushed towards me. I reacted quickly and placed the small blade in its path. An unbelievably powerful electricity surged through my body, but the gloves and my barrier weakened the attack, allowing me to retain control of the weapon. The power, far surpassing even the mightiest of Katrina's discharges, accumulated in the small piece of metal in my hand. I felt the energy created by the riot of elements and magic of a single girl transforming into magical energy and distributing itself between my swords.
For a moment, I felt gravity leaving my body, and the lightning subsided as I ascended above the storm clouds. Below, a fierce battle raged on; the dragons' fire and the volcano's fury scorched the land. In the sky above the clouds, peace and serenity prevailed. My sensitivity returned to my hands, and I felt the power flowing from the meteoric blades. The lightning thirsted to break free, and I had a perfect target for it.
Once again, attraction pulled me downward, and I gathered myself as I passed through the layer of clouds.
Only ten seconds had passed, and the crimson dragon had moved away from its prey. Ultras had torn a massive portion of its body with a powerful strike, and the fire couldn't close the wound in time. The red god's form was about to crumble. However, the dragon also suffered significantly. The black flame had torn apart its left shoulder, turning the muscles and bones above its left breast into dust, and the white flame relentlessly devoured the boundaries of the wound, preventing it from healing. Now, the dragon tilted its head back, preparing for a fiery attack, and, in doing so, perfectly exposed itself to my assault.
But sensing the threat, the monster extended its neck upward, charging towards me with its jaws wide open. A little more, and I would disappear into the beast's belly.
Sighing, I closed my eyes and visualized the maneuver. I surrounded my body with barely noticeable magic of wind and made a sharp turn sideways. The wind intensified the rotation, allowing me to dodge precisely as much as needed. Gliding along the enormous dragon's cheek, I evaded the attack and went straight for its heart. I slid along its neck, gathering all the atmospheric charge within my blades. The remaining charges spiraled around me, and from afar, I resembled a spear of thunder sent from the heavens to vanquish a demon.
Ultras didn't have time to react to my movement, and with a resounding thunderclap, I pierced the ruby shell of its heart, releasing the entire charge into the lord's body. Trembling from the discharges, the dragon's body collapsed to the bottom of the crater.
"Kokoro no arashi," Asura whispered softly in an unfamiliar language, catching only Vina's attention.
"What did you say?" Apparently, only Vina paid attention to it.
"Huh? Oh, I just remembered some childhood fairy tales," the warrior looked at the pattern in the sky left by the golden spear of lightning. "Ikazuchi, born of thunder, the ruler of lightning."
"Hmm, indeed, sometimes it surprises me too."
After the attack, I could hardly feel my arms; the electric discharges and the force of the blow had paralyzed my nerves. Struggling to sheathe my blades, I leaped from the dragon's body onto a massive boulder floating in the sea of lava. The heat was unbearable, but I couldn't escape from this islet on my own. Leaning on the monster's body, I waited for my comrades, and suddenly, it shuddered. Even after such an assault, it was still alive!
"Isn't it over yet?" I attempted to lift the blades, but I could only manage to raise one sword to chest level with difficulty.
"How foolish," Ultras' voice no longer sounded majestic and terrifying as before; it was now the hoarse voice of a dying dragon, regretting its life. "I killed two gods but fell at the hands of mortals."
Blood spurted from the wound in its heart, and Ultras weakened with each passing second, but it still wanted to confess before the end.
"You brought it upon yourself," I nonchalantly rested my elbow on the dragon's massive paw. "The strongest rule among dragons; it's the law of the wild. Since it's been a long time since that law worked, you should have adapted to the new world."
"I didn't need advice from a mortal like you," Ultras' voice grew weaker. "You speak just like that man in red."
"Baron De'Grenor? So he did come to negotiate with you?"
"This mortal wanted to unite with me since he failed with the White Clan, and I played along with him. Either way, I didn't plan to let him live, but as long as he didn't interfere with my vengeance, I let him live."
"Yeah, you were truly too ruthless. That's why you ended up alone in your moment of danger."
"Silence!" The dragon tried to shout with its last strength, but it didn't turn out well. "If you rely on others' help, you're weak. A true ruler should rely only on themselves!"
"And look where that led you!" The red princess descended into the crater on her fiery wings. "Your cruelty and lack of foresight were the reasons for your downfall. If the Red House had followed you solely because of your strength, they wouldn't have sent me here."
The dragon's eyes still burned with hatred towards the half-blood, but now, there was also a hint of respect.
"Haha, you amuse me, girl," the dragon sighed in its last words and said its final sentence, "Now YOU are the ruler of the Red Dragons, and you, just like me, wrested that right from your predecessor's dead claws by force. But it won't change anything. Many dragons will remain loyal to me even in death. The forces that pushed the world into the abyss of the Great War won't calm down, and great battles will drown these lands in blood."
The last heartbeat of the great monster marked the end of the reign of the Crimson Demon of Destruction.