Emperor.
"..."
No, should I say ruler instead?
"...Does the answer matter?"
The Heavenly Demon let out a bitter laugh while looking at his hand.
The hand holding the sword was trembling slightly.
But he couldn't afford to keep staring at his hand for long.
'Kim Haeil.'
His gaze automatically turned to Kim Haeil, Cale Henituse.
'What exactly is that man?'
The world was turning upside down. The sky was crying, suddenly it rained, then the sun shone, and afterward, thunder and lightning fell. The ground shook or cracked. If one was careless, they could be caught in this natural disaster and get seriously injured.
'The World Tree and the Source of the World won't pay attention to this area.'
Everything was going according to prior information. Neither enemies nor allies cared about the situation and just charged at each other.
But now—
'What is this?'
There was calmness. No, the world was still noisy. But both enemies and allies were just standing there.
In silence...
'No.'
They were silent because they were afraid.
Allies and enemies stood there.
Uuu—uu—
The aura surrounding the Heavenly Demon remained the same.
That dark red aura.
Acknowledging that he was the sky and the pinnacle of demons, and that this was the only path he had to walk.
The Heavenly Demon had come to dominate this aura at that moment.
'That's why I can see it.'
Also.
'It's not a force focused on us.'
He could feel the force concentrated on the Dragon Lord. However, the force was so overwhelming that it was seeping like a fragrance around him.
'It's different from the past.'
In the past, he had seen Cale Henituse subdue his enemies with his aura. But now, he didn't feel the same in him.
'Warmth.'
Yes.
It was terrifying, but it felt warm.
Why was it like that?
It was comforting.
As if...
'Yes. If there were a God watching over us.'
If an absolute entity showed compassion toward Humans.
Wouldn't their aura be like this?
"Ha."
What an absurd thought.
Cale Henituse is human.
Very strong.
'And also—'
Well.
Yes.
No matter how much he tried to show a cold and detached appearance, at his core, Kim Haeil is a good person. That kind of guy.
"It's true."
This aura is really his. In fact, this current aura suits Cale Henituse better.
'Then why can't I see his aura?'
He couldn't see Cale Henituse's aura, but he could feel it. In fact, it would be less terrifying if he could see it—
"Ha!"
What am I thinking?
Am I thinking that I'm afraid?
Me, the Heavenly Demon?
The Heavenly Demon couldn't easily express his disbelief.
He heard Rasheel, the Dragon, murmur in disbelief.
"Is the mana running away now?"
Between heaven and earth. The fluctuating mana was moving away from Cale Henituse. Anyone could see that it was fleeing.
What kind of aura is this?
What does it contain?
What could make the mana, which had never feared anything, run away?
"Crazy bastard."
The Heavenly Demon couldn't help but nod silently at Rasheel's words.
'It can't be explained.'
The aura emanating from Cale Henituse cannot be explained.
Domination?
Fear?
Terror?
No.
None of those.
But one thing was certain.
It shouldn't be confronted.
And also—
"Ha!"
He was surprised by the thought that came to mind.
Despite feeling that it shouldn't be confronted, he wanted to reach out. Because it felt warm. Amid a world of chaos and turmoil, the unwavering firmness of that warmth was strangely attractive.
"Phew."
At that moment, Rasheel let out a deep sigh.
"I can't take it anymore."
I can't.
Muttering, he distanced himself from Cale.
'What is this?'
The Heavenly Demon wondered as he watched the enemy dragons distance themselves from Cale or use their own dragon aura.
His eyes met Rasheel's.
He muttered with obvious irritation.
"I can't stand it!"
Rasheel looked at his own hand. Goosebumps had formed on his skin.
"That guy didn't use to be like this. What the hell is—"
Rasheel couldn't finish his sentence. The Dragon Lord Neo. Focusing so much on him, Cale's aura was overflowing.
'…Why—?'
Isn't it terrifying?
Isn't it unsettling?
Cale Henituse's aura contained multiple emotions towards the dragons.
'Hostility?'
No.
'Rivalry?'
Neither.
Looking around, Rasheel saw a red dragon, one of the Ten Dragon Gods, who had not yet died and was barely alive.
With the gluttony ability, the Red Dragon, struck by Eruhaben, was trembling as he looked at Cale Henituse.
"Ah."
Yes. That's it.
He found the answer.
What Cale Henituse's aura showed to the dragons.
It was—
"…Gluttony."
Yes. It was similar to gluttony.
"Ha."
It was unbelievable.
'Does he want to devour the dragons?'
It's different. It's something stickier and more horrifying than gluttony.
Thump. Thump.
Rasheel felt his heartbeat.
'Ah.'
This is...
The feeling of a herbivore before a predator.
That was this fear.
Rasheel couldn't understand it all, but he could feel that there was something fundamental in Cale Henituse's aura that could instill fear in Dragons.
That too—
'God.'
It was so powerful that it evoked the idea of a God.
Even using all his Dragon aura, he couldn't surpass Cale Henituse's.
It was the same for the other dragons.
"Hehe—"
Rasheel couldn't help but laugh as he saw that none of the enemy Dragons dared to go and save Neo.
Moreover, he realized something else.
It was a bit shameless, but quite clever.
In fact, his shamelessness was often well measured.
'There's no other race as affected as the dragons.'
He saw the other races, humans and Beast People, who did not show the same fear.
'Hmm.'
Rasheel's eyes gleamed.
'Humans.'
Humans and Beast People.
The way they looked at Cale was different from when he normally used his aura.
Yes, there was fear, but there was also warmth.
'Warmth?'
There was affection and sympathy. They looked at Cale Henituse as if he were—
'Ah.'
Like the elves looked at the World Tree. That's how humans and Beast People looked at Cale.
'What?'
With elves, it made sense. Their home and world began with the World Tree. So, humans and Beast People looking at Cale that way didn't make sense.
'It doesn't make sense.'
Cale isn't their home or world. Cale Henituse is just another human. So why do they look at him as if he's their world, their home? So naturally that they don't even realize it?
'It's not the same as worshipping a God.'
Elves revere the World Tree, but they don't consider it a god.
They see it as a vital part of their life.
And the humans and Beast People of Apitoyu looked at Cale with warmth, even the enemies.
Seeing this, Rasheel understood.
'It's an aura that's terrifying to dragons and warm to humans.'
Wow.
How can that be possible?
'This is like—'
It was like seeing another guardian or neutral being of the world.
Rasheel remembered a conversation Eruhaben and Mila had about Cale Henituse's condition.
'Cale's vessel now contains the world.'
'A whole world?'
'Yes.'
Why does this come to mind now?
Because I'm a Dragon?
Dragons are guardians of nature.
But in Apitoyu, Dragons seek to destroy this world.
But what if there were another natural being that could oppose the Dragons, even the Gods, who sought to destroy nature?
A human who, though human, contains within him another world, vast and powerful.
'Yes.'
If such a being arose...
'It would be like Cale Henituse.'
Rasheel couldn't even laugh at the irony.
He looked around.
The expressions of the enemy dragons were not good.
They too had realized.
They understood what Cale Henituse's existence represented.
A being so powerful that it could break the uniqueness of dragons,who had always been the sole guardians or neutrals.
A being with an aura so strong it could devour dragons.
They understood upon seeing Cale Henituse.
"…Surprising."
The former Lord Sheritt was observing the entire scene from the sky above the black castle.
'The Gods say that Cale Henituse has the potential to become one of them.'
Recalling what Eruhaben had mentioned, Sheritt smiled slightly.
"Gods, my foot."
With those words, she moved her hand.
She wasn't the only one.
Even the dragons, those with firm beliefs, were willing to trust in that aura.
"Cale Henituse wanting to devour dragons?"
Impossible, absolutely impossible.
"It's the power of the crown."
Eruhaben's hand also moved.
Sss---
The Dragon Mila followed.
"Ugh, ugh."
The Dragon Lord Neo was breathing heavily.
-95%.
Cale advanced towards Neo while listening to the voice of the Dominating Aura.
"This can't be—"
Neo's broken words reached Cale's ears.
"Ugh."
Cale watched as Neo stood up again.
-Impossible!
The Dominating Aura couldn't hide its surprise.
-Can he endure that much? Is he some crazy God of Balance?
Cale ignored its astonishment indifferently.
"How dare you, human... to..."
Neo's body strengthened a little more. He straightened up a bit more.
A smile appeared on Cale's lips.
"!"
Neo's eyes widened.
Clang—
A chain's sound was heard somewhere.
"Ugh!"
Neo's head turned to the left.
"This, this is—"
A golden chain was binding his wrist. The chains connected to the shield shackled Neo.
"Damn it!"
Just as Neo gathered some mana to break the chains.
Thud!
"Ugh!"
His head was lifted.
-Human, I landed a good hit.
Raon's mana missile struck Neo's face.
-His nose is bleeding.
Blood flowed from the Dragon Lord Neo's nose.
"Ugh, ugh."
Clang—
Even then, the golden chains bound Neo's arms and legs.He stopped resisting and took a deep breath.He had no other choice.
"Ugh. Ugh."
That aura that was suppressing him.
'...God of Chaos.'
Why was he thinking of that crazy God now?
It was then.
"You—"
Cale spoke softly.
"Why haven't you looked me in the eyes for a while?"
Neo flinched.
"Are you scared?"
Neo bit his lips. The human in front of him. Cale Henituse.
'Be wary of Cale Henituse.'
The Wanderer of the Purple Blood Family had warned him.
'But they didn't tell me this.'
Cale Henituse's eyes that were looking at him were strange.
They had clearly been normal, but ever since that unknown aura began to emanate, Cale Henituse's eyes had been saying something.
Give me your blood.
Give me your power, your heart.
Dragon Slayer.
The sticky greed that enveloped him was unparalleled.
It was as if he was seeing an illusion of being trapped in a swamp.
That force reminded him of the God of Chaos.
'What is this?'
What is that human?
"Ugh. Ugh."
He couldn't look into those eyes. He is the one who should become a God. He had endured so long to get here.
'The role of the Purple Blood Family Leader is just one.'
'To pass it on.'
'You must pass your time to the next generation.'
The Purple Blood Family.
When he became the leader and inherited the time of the previous generation.
Neo felt like he had achieved everything.
He would be the greatest Dragon of all.
Perhaps he could even surpass the Gods.
But the truth was cruel.
'They told you to pass the time, didn't they?'
His role was to inherit.
'Five Colors Blood...'
He was just a chess piece for those bastards.
'I told you, Dragons will never be Gods. Even if you were, you'd be alone. No God would recognize you.'
The Purple Blood Family Leader. He remembered his words.
'The place reserved only for mortals cannot be desired by a Dragon.'
'Enjoy your life as a powerful mortal and pass your strength to the next generation.'
'That is your role.'
Purple Blood Family Leader!
That guy is also human.
'Yes. A living Human.'
Like Cale Henituse.
"Ugh. Ugh."
Thud.
Neo's heart was pounding.
His body was wrapped in chains.
Shackles that bound not only his arms and legs but also his torso.
"...I—"
Neo spoke.
"Do you think I'll fall like this?"
I have Time.
I still have Time.
At that moment...
Cale let out a sarcastic laugh while looking at Neo. No, while looking at the shackled being.
"You—"
Neo couldn't look at him. But he had to look when he said the following words.
"You don't have Time."
Thud.
Neo's heart pounded.
Cale Henituse spoke.
His finger pointed at Neo.
"Exion said it."
The Three-Star Dragon Exion. He was Neo's closest confidant and old friend.
"I've never seen you use the Time ability so much."
Cale's dark brown eyes shone strangely.
He had been observing the whole time.
The abnormal state of Neo's body.
Every time he used his power, he would breathe heavily.
As if he were too exhausted.
A direct hit to the heart would be the end of Dragon Neo.
"Your body..."
Then, what did all of this mean?Why wasn't Neo using his power at this moment?
"Ugh. Ugh."
What did his labored breathing mean?
Neo.
His body.
"Are you already collapsing, aren't you?"
The countdown to the end had begun.
The Dragon Lord Neo.
He was the one who had no time.
Life.
The unavoidable truth was catching up to him.
The answer had already started appearing from the beginning of the crisis, when the mana began to fluctuate.
Cale was watching Neo's body, which could no longer maintain the purple mana.
While other dragons were using their abilities or bodies more effectively in this situation, Neo wasn't reverting to his original form, wasn't using his body. He was just clinging to the mana.
Stronger than any ability.
Cale extended his hand.
Whisper~
Neo's hair slipped softly through his fingers.
"Time hasn't forgiven you."
The purple hair that had lost its mana was turning white.
Neo's youthful face, now gaunt and wrinkled from fatigue, looked like that of an elder.
A pale elder was now in front of Cale.