Night Bringer and Dusk Bringar,
The first Black Dragon and the last enemy Red Dragon.
People thought for a moment as they looked at the point where the breaths of the two dragons met.
Perhaps there was such light and such heat when the world was created at the beginning.
The light was dazzling and the heat suffocating as it poured out from the point of collision between the two breaths.
Kwaah!
In response to the mythic breath of Night Bringer, Dusk Bringar desperately spewed a counter breath.
However, the difference in the output of the two breaths was stark. The collision point was pushed back in an instant.
A tremendous source of heat and light, a 'heat-light source,' approached Crossroad. To the people, it seemed like the destruction of the world was imminent.
The endlessly pushed back collision point now reached right in front of the walls of Crossroad. The red-hot walls melted like a snowman under the sun and poured down.
"Ah..."
But,
"Aaaaaah!"
Facing the impending doom, Dusk Bringar held on.
Her horns melted by the tremendous heat fell to the ground like candle drippings, her skin melted and her blood evaporated into a red mist—yet she continued to spew breaths against it.
The ancient bandages that wrapped her body ceaselessly vomited ominous light, feeding curses into her body.
The Dusk Bringar died and was resurrected, died and was resurrected, and kept spewing breaths.
Doom stopped right in front of the gates of Crossroad. Doom knocked fiercely, but the Dragon Lady holding the doorknob ultimately did not unlock it.
She herself would burn to death with the door rather than let doom inside.
Ssss...
The breath of Night Bringer, which felt eternal, finally ceased.
The Dusk Bringar, having endured until the end, collapsed on the ruined southern wall.
Thud!
Then, someone caught her fiery body as she was about to fall.
"Dusk Bringar."
She couldn't see anything with her eyes burned by light and heat, but she immediately recognized who it was upon hearing the calm yet heavy voice.
"...Traha."
"Are you alright?"
Laughing wryly at the emperor's question, despite her appearance.
To ask like that, seeing her like this.
"Yes, I'm fine. Just a bit of rest, and the curse of immortality will regenerate my body, and then the next breath... I'll block it."
"..."
"So put away your needless worries, and use me harshly, as you always do with your people."
"Dusk Bringar."
"Until Ash returns, I'll do whatever it takes... to protect this city..."
With a fading voice, Dusk Bringar muttered.
Traha, rather than saying to protect the city even in death, uttered something colder.
"We may have to abandon this city... Crossroad."
"..."
Her eyes opened.
Her blood cooled rapidly, and the sinking consciousness surged to the surface. The Dusk Bringar gritted her teeth and looked up at Traha.
"...What?"
On the charred walls, burning like coal... Traha held Dusk Bringar wrapped in his cloak, cradling her in his arms.
The man who ruled half the world said once more in an even, cold voice.
"We must retreat from Crossroad. Immediately."
***
The kings had already gathered.
"Let's abandon Crossroad."
Except for a minority of dissenters, everyone agreed.
"There's no longer any justification to hold back the beast here."
Until now, the reason Crossroad had been the base for holding back the monsters was because it was the best location for it.
But now?
In front of the Black Dragon's long-range breath, Crossroad had lost its advantages and functionality as a fortress.
It was just a big, immobile target being pounded.
Moreover, the World Guardian Front had been wiped out, including the main force and the airship fleet.
There was no longer any reason or strength to hold back the Black Dragon here. Retreat was justified.
"Better to draw him further into the continent and surround and defeat him all at once."
"Let's head north, gather troops, and reorganize forces at a nearby fortress."
"He's already close. In a day and a half, he'll reach Crossroad. Before then, we need to transport personnel and resources to the rear as quickly as possible..."
Bang!
Just then, someone entered the bunker where the kings were gathered.
The kings turned around to see Dusk Bringar, radiating heat from under the cloak, and Traha slowly following behind.
"I will!"
Dusk Bringar shouted.
"I will keep blocking his breath!"
"...Duchess Bringar."
"I've blocked it this time too, and I can endure it several more times! So, this city..."
Dusk Bringar's legs gave way, and she leaned against the wall, collapsing to the floor.
"We can't abandon it. This city is... for that child..."
"Duchess."
But the kings' opinion did not change.
"Your Grace must also retreat with us."
"..."
"There aren't many options left for humanity to stand against him. Duchess, you shouldn't be wasted here. Recover, and prepare for the final battle with us..."
"He's getting stronger as he moves north."
Dusk Bringar tried to sound fierce, but everyone noticed her voice trembling.
"The more time passes, the more he becomes one with the night, endlessly growing in strength... Retreat from here? Then he will only get stronger. How are we supposed to face him in the final battle then?"
"Do we have a way to confront him now?"
"..."
"All the troops have died or been injured. Every prepared contingency has been thwarted. And most importantly, Prince Ash who has been leading us... is no longer here."
Dusk Bringar clenched her teeth. The kings continued.
"There's no one to fight, nor a way to fight. Retreating is the best strategy now, fighting to the death is the worst. Don't you understand, Duchess?"
Ash will return.
He promised her.
So, please stay here.
Die here with me, on this front...
She couldn't bring herself to say those words. Dusk Bringar slowly bowed her head.
She couldn't be sure herself.
Whether there was any meaning in all this death.
Whether Ash, who had walked the path to death, could truly return...
Dusk Bringar bowed her head and remained silent. The kings left her alone and began planning the retreat again.
Traha stood quietly behind such Dusk Bringar.
That was when.
"Your Majesty!"
A soldier came running breathlessly and prostrated before Traha. Traha looked down at the soldier with puzzlement.
"What's the matter?"
"That, that is..."
The stammering soldier brought distressing news.
"The people who had headed north earlier... are coming back."
"...What?"
Caught off guard, the kings all looked this way. The soldier continued.
"Those who left Crossroad and headed north are all returning. Led by the people of the Ariane Kingdom..."
"No, what does that mean? Didn't the Ariane Kingdom lead the withdrawal?"
They had screamed and protested that they could no longer fight in this battle, really leaving the World Guardian Front and returning home — the Ariane Kingdom and its King Miller Ariane.
Following the Ariane Kingdom's lead in fleeing, quite a few smaller kingdoms and forces had also left.
That was 12 hours ago.
But they're returning?
"Why would they return midway? Has there been a coup? What about Miller Ariane?"
"That is..."
The soldier continued his hesitant report.
"King Miller Ariane himself is leading everyone at the front."
"...?"
Everyone at the meeting looked baffled.
"No..."
Even Traha, with a look of incredulity, said,
Reflecting everyone's question in one word.
"Why?"
***
6 hours earlier.
North of Crossroad. On a snow-covered road.
"...What?"
King Miller Ariane's mouth hung open as he repeatedly questioned the large communication magic device before him.
"What, you say...? Report it again, clearly."
"A tremendous snowstorm and avalanche are continuing, Your Majesty!"
It was a device capable of using emergency communication magic. Just as the priests of the Goddess secretly used communication magic, the Ariane Kingdom also operated this device.
When Yun had received an order for forced repatriation previously, they had also communicated with the homeland through this device.
At that time, it was the homeland issuing orders, but now Miller Ariane was on the receiving end.
And the situation in the Ariane Kingdom was urgent.
"Just yesterday, daylight disappeared up to the central continent, and by dawn today, the north was also enveloped in night...!"
"Just hold out a few days without light! What's such a big deal about that-"
"As soon as daylight disappeared, the temperature began to plummet! Just when I thought the snowfall was increasing, now it's pouring down so much that you can't see in front of you!"
Miller Ariane's already pale face lost even more color.
"The snow has piled up so much that the weight is causing buildings to collapse, and the snow accumulated on the mountains can't bear the weight either, resulting in avalanches!"
He had thought this Black Dragon invasion was just a problem for the south.
He believed it was an event that would eventually end, with the southern continent burning and southern lives vanishing as the price.
He had decided that the blood of the northerners should not be spilled for a problem that should be resolved in the south, and he was in the process of returning home amid curses.
But he was wrong.
The Black Dragon had draped a curtain over the skies of the entire world and robbed the entire world of daylight.
As a result, the damage from the general of winter came first to the north, which had lost daylight last.
Miller Ariane realized too late.
His judgment had been wrong.
The world was never divided by defense. That was merely a human standard.
The destruction that covered the entire world was striking everyone equally, without discrimination.
"If it continues like this... we won't last long, Your Majesty! The entire kingdom is... freezing..."
The communication began to crackle,
"If this continues, everyone will di... Your Majesty, what should we do-"
Click.
It cut off.
"..."
Slowly putting down the dead communicator.
Miller Ariane slowly turned around. His subordinates and the kings who had fled with him were looking at him with ashen faces.
The Ariane king's eyes closed tightly and then opened.
He was short-sighted and a narrow-minded human who hated to suffer even a little loss, but he was no fool.
"The Black Dragon."
He knew well what he had to do now.
"We have to defeat the Black Dragon."
"Your Majesty..."
"Everyone, we must go back! To Crossroad!"
The other kings who had come with him protested.
"What are you talking about, Miller...!"
"The blizzard is a problem for the north. It's not my concern as a westerner!"
"We have already lost the will to fight. You go back! We will return to our homeland as is..."
Shing!
But they couldn't finish their words.
Miller Ariane had suddenly drawn a large axe and was pointing its sharp blade at the kings.
"All of you, go back and fight on the frontline against the Black Dragon."
"Look here, Miller! Regain your senses! This won't solve anything by doing this-"
"Shut up. I always keep my reason."
Miller Ariane was a selfish king.
He detested any situation where his country had to suffer even slightly more than others and couldn't stand sacrificing for regions his country did not belong to.
That's why.
This was the most 'selfish' decision he had made for his country.
"We are returning to the World Guardian Front!"
Miller Ariane roared with a hoarse voice.
"We must save... save the world!"
***
"Going back?"
While the Ariane Kingdom and other small kingdoms hurriedly prepared to return,
Scalian was amused to death.
They had been fleeing north together, and just a few hours later, they flipped their stance and decided to return to fight.
Watching ants scurry in confusion in a collapsing anthill after being hit by water might feel like this?
Covering his mouth and laughing, Scalian looked to the side.
"Did you do this, Violet?"
By casting a spell of illusion, showing the kings visions to give them a reason to fight and order a return.
Perhaps Violet had followed this evacuation procession for that purpose?
It occurred to Scalian to ask.
"Yes?"
Lying flat on Parekian, munching on jerky with a foolish expression,
Violet blinked in confusion.
"Not me?"
"..."
"I didn't do anything. Oh, but by the way."
Parekian and Violet had already left the evacuation procession and were hiding in the bushes.
Violet put her finger over her lips and went, "Shh-".
"Shall we keep running? Maybe we should hide here for a while?"
"...Ahaha."
Watching such Violet, Scalian's smile grew even broader.