In a hidden valley within a dense snow-covered forest, where the corpses of burned and mangled monsters stood as silent witnesses to a recent conflict, a man emerged from the shadows.
His figure was tall and imposing, covered by a black coat that concealed his body and face, except for the gleam of his eyes, which glinted under the hood.
The silence of the place was only broken by the deep sigh that escaped his lips.
"Haa..."
The mist swirling in the valley seemed to part in his wake as he advanced with a determined stride. However, he soon came to a sudden halt.
There, in front of him, was his target: a dragon of imposing size, its black scales like jet glinting faintly under the sunlight filtered through the tree canopies.
The dragon's blue eyes, cold and calculating, observed him with a mix of curiosity and disdain. Its horns, curving backward, highlighted its majestic power.
The dragon slightly tilted its head, not taking its gaze off the man, and spoke with a deep and resonant voice, like distant thunder:
"What is a human doing in my territory?"
Cain, with a calm that could only come from experience or desperation, introduced himself in a firm but weary voice.
"I'm here just to deliver a message."
The dragon narrowed its eyes, intrigued, but immediately decided to ignore the intruder, turning its gaze toward the horizon.
"Leave. I have nothing to discuss with you."
The command was clear and forceful, but Cain did not move. His stance remained firm, and a spark of defiance shone in his eyes. He had not come this far to be rejected so easily.
"I refuse. I, Cain Saimon, by the authority of Count Saimon, command you to serve as a familiar to Count Leo Saimon."
A tense silence fell over the valley. The dragon, who had until now shown a disinterested calm, slowly turned its head towards Cain, its eyes now glowing with contained fury.
"You, a mere human, order me, the Black Dragon of the North, to obey?"
The dragon's voice roared like thunder, and the air around Cain seemed to vibrate with the intensity of its anger.
"With what authority...?"
Cain did not take a step back. He knew that his life was in danger at this moment, but he also knew that retreating would mean more than a simple defeat.
"With the authority of Count Saimon, the soon-to-be new Emperor," he repeated, his voice firm and clear, resonating in the icy air.
The dragon, incredulous at the audacity of this human, reared up, spreading its enormous wings
.Here is the translation:
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His shadow covered Cain, and the ground beneath his feet trembled.
The air grew thick and oppressive, charged with a dangerous energy.
"How did that damned Leo come up with the idea of sending me to fight the Dragon of the North?" Cain thought, biting his lower lip as his mind raced for a way out.
The irony of the situation hit him hard.
-"I didn't expect it to be a suicide mission from the start!"
A dark thought seized him, and, unable to contain himself, he shouted with all the rage and desperation he felt.
-"Damn Leo!"
The words echoed through the valley, but before he could reconsider his options, the dragon was already upon him.
With a swift and brutal movement, the dragon raised one of its front legs and, in an instant, hurled Caín against a nearby tree.
The impact was devastating, and Caín felt his bones crunching under the pressure.
He spat out blood, feeling a sharp pain in his side.
With effort, he got up, swaying slightly, as the dragon approached, its gaze now full of contained fury.
Caín knew he couldn't flee, not after what he had done.
He unsheathed his black sword, an oriental blade that reflected the light with a metallic gleam.
He held it firmly, though his hands trembled slightly. He was no longer fighting to follow Leo's orders; now, he was fighting to survive.
The dragon, wasting no time, opened its jaws and unleashed a breath of fire.
The flames were not ordinary; they were a dark purple color, and upon touching the ground, the fire spread violently, burning a quarter of the forest in an instant.
Cain barely managed to dodge the attack, throwing himself to the side and rolling on the ground as the flames consumed everything around him.
"Damn it… if that attack hits me, it'll be the end of me,"
he thought, panting as he tried to recover.
"That attack is equivalent to a five-star attack…"
Wasting no time, Cain sprinted in a desperate run, circling the dragon in an attempt to find a weak point.
He looked for an opportunity, a lapse in the dragon's defense, and found it momentarily when the dragon turned its head to unleash another breath of fire.
Caín took advantage and ran towards its back, hoping to attack from a position of advantage.
- Damn it! - he exclaimed, realizing he had been discovered.
The dragon, with a surprising agility for its size, swung its tail and struck Caín with force, hitting the man and sending him crashing against a tree again, raising a curtain of snow.
Caín, with his breath catching, spat blood for the second time, but still didn't let go of his sword.
- "Ha... Did you think I wouldn't notice you trying to attack me from behind?"
The dragon mocked, its voice resonating with cruel satisfaction.
Caín, in pain but with a bitter smile on his lips, responded with difficulty.
"I admit that I was reckless.
I knew I was at a disadvantage, but I couldn't allow myself to fall without fighting until my last breath.
He took an attacking stance, his legs slightly bent and his sword at the ready.
"Winter steps... First step: flash" - he murmured, and with inhuman speed, he ran towards the dragon's underside, aiming for its belly.
But the moment his sword made contact with the dragon's scales, he realized the cruel reality.
The scales were harder than he had anticipated, and his sword blade broke in half, leaving Caín disarmed and vulnerable.
"No... it can't be...!" - he stammered, panic beginning to take hold of him.
The dragon didn't miss the opportunity. With a swift movement of its tail, it struck Caín again, this time with a force that broke his left arm and right leg. The pain was so intense that Caín could barely maintain consciousness.
"Damn it... if only I were at least 2 stars stronger, I wouldn't die in such a humiliating way..."
" He murmured, his voice full of bitterness as blood flowed from his wounds.
The dragon, approaching slowly, inclined its enormous head towards Caín, watching him with a mix of pity and amusement.
"Answer me, human ... "- said the dragon, its voice now softer, almost whispering, "why don't you ask your companion for help?"
"Compa-companions?" - Caín asked with difficulty, trying to understand what the dragon meant.
The dragon showed a terrifying smile, displaying its sharp fangs.
"Don't you know? Those who are hidden in the forest..."
Caín felt a chill run down his spine. If there was someone else, why hadn't they intervened? Were they really his allies?
"No... it can't be...!" - he murmured, trying to remember if anyone had followed him. "But I came alone..."
Before he could process what was happening, twenty figures emerged from the forest.
They were assassins and knights, their swords already drawn and ready for combat.
"They're the dogs of Leo..." - Caín recognized them immediately.
"Ah... I see... They're the dogs of Leo..." - he said, coughing as blood slid down the corner of his lips.
The assassins and knights, without hesitation, attacked the black dragon, their movements precise and lethal.
Caín, his vision clouded by pain, looked up at the sky watching the snow fall, and could only think of one person...
"Forgiv
e me, Yeolah, for not being able to free you from Leo clutches..."
He said as he took his last breath...
End of chapter.