Rygar moved swiftly through the mountains, ready for any ambush, his figure barely discernible due to his speed as he followed the sounds of battle.
As he approached, the smell of blood, scorched rocks, and dragons—many dragons—grew stronger. His master had taught him that all dragon species lived in groups. Now, seeing it firsthand, he realized she hadn't been exaggerating when she said she hadn't met a single person who returned alive after venturing into a dragon's lair.
And he hadn't even truly entered the blue dragons' territory yet. He was only on the outskirts. His master had described their true territory as being filled with dragons everywhere. He wouldn't venture there today, but he had plans to do so in the future. Secretly, he harbored a dream of taming a dragon. After all, what man hadn't dreamed of riding a dragon?
As he drew closer, the echoing roars gave way to the metallic clash of steel against scales. Confusion settled over him. It wasn't just dragons fighting—there was steel? How? Each step brought him nearer to the source of the conflict but also heightened his sense of confusion and caution. His brow furrowed, his senses on high alert. The sound of weapons was unexpected—who could possibly be fighting dragons in such a dangerous place?
"This could be a trap," Rygar thought, his gaze sharp as a predator's, assessing the terrain. The name of the Human God echoed in his mind as a constant warning. His instincts were tingling with danger, though it wasn't as intense as when he'd first met Hitogami. He remained wary of him because of that encounter, but nothing was going as wrong as he'd expected. Slowly, he began to consider the possibility that he might be mistaken.
Rygar had already decided not to bring Skoll with him—a calculated precaution to avoid unnecessary complications. If things went awry, he wanted the freedom to retreat without having to protect or abandon his wolf companion, whom he had grown fond of.
As he got closer, new information reached his senses. A new scent. A dense, pervasive odor of dragons—many of them—hung heavy in the air. But there was something more. He sniffed again, this time focusing. Intertwined with the sulfuric stench of dragons was something familiar. A scent he would recognize anywhere. It was someone of the beast race! Rygar's heart quickened, and his thoughts raced. Someone of his own kind was in that cave. And from the sound of clashing steel and dragon roars, that person was fighting.
Clicking his tongue in frustration, he muttered, "A beast race member… but who? And why?" A wave of sulfur hit his nose, and he instantly knew the dragons had used fire in the battle. The smell of nearly solidified molten earth indicated the fire had been unleashed hours ago, suggesting this battle had been raging for quite some time. This only heightened his caution. Even for an experienced warrior, fighting in an enclosed space against high-level dragons was a recipe for disaster. Whoever was inside had to be incredibly strong to endure this long.
Rygar stopped at the cave's entrance. Strangely, there were no blue dragons guarding it. The gaping opening in the mountain was large enough to accommodate massive dragons, yet the darkness inside was oppressive, as though the mountain itself sought to swallow anyone who dared approach. His frown deepened, his thoughts racing.
"Could this be any more obvious? This feels like a perfectly laid trap…" He knew his strength, but he was also aware of his stamina's limits. If he were surrounded by A- and S-rank dragons in a confined space, it would be the end of him. Crossing his arms, he tapped his fingers against his forearm. "Should I just turn back and pretend I didn't see anything?" The thought deeply unsettled him. He was starting to wonder if he was being overly paranoid about a 'god' who might have little to no power over him.
Then he sniffed again. Beyond the scent of the beast race member and the dragons, there was another distinct scent. Fainter, but unmistakable—a human. His eyes narrowed. This made things even more complicated. Who could this human be? An ally? An opponent? Or just another pawn caught in the chaos?
Rygar deliberated. His instincts were usually right, and he didn't sense an overwhelming threat as long as he avoided going deep into the cave. Yet prudence urged caution.
Still, the thought that they might simply be random victims lingered in his mind. That didn't obligate him to save them, of course, but he felt compelled to try. Finally, he let out a deep sigh, making his decision.
"I'll assess the situation. If it's within my capability, I'll save them. If it's too dangerous… well, too bad." Despite his rational words, a latent determination burned in his eyes. But he wasn't a fool. "I'm definitely not entering that cave."
With that resolve, Rygar took a step back, leaped into the air, and began circling the mountain. He would use some unconventional methods to ensure his escape route. His senses were at their peak, registering every sound and scent with sharp precision.
Rygar skirted the mountain, keeping to higher ground where he could hear the sounds of battle and feel the vibrations in the earth below through his magic. Once again, he wondered how these fighters had ended up here. This far into the cave system, it was likely crawling with dragons.
Pausing to reflect, a sly grin spread across his lips. Some might ask how he could save anyone when dozens of meters of rock and stone separated him from his target. The mountain walls were thick and sturdy. But he had spent years studying magic, learning to use it in every conceivable way. "Why enter through the cave's 'door' when I can just create a new one?"
Gathering his mana, he focused intensely. Placing his hands on the ground, he felt the earth stretching out over several kilometers. The more he connected with the geological structure, the clearer his plan became. Slowly, the ground began to tremble. A faint yellow glow emanated from the soil beneath his feet, and the mountain itself seemed to respond to his command. Rygar thought to himself, "I could create a smaller hole if I had more time, but using Earth Fissure as a base gives me a faster way to do this. Plus, a small hole would restrict my movement. I need to be extremely careful not to cause a collapse inside. With my current level of earth control, this spell should work!"
While continuing to sense the underground movements, he realized the battle inside the cave seemed to have ceased due to the tremors. The two combatants were running, perhaps trying to escape. After a few more seconds of intense concentration, Rygar finally thought, "This is it. The structure is ready! Now I just need to put it into action. I hope it works..."
Determined, he slightly lifted himself off the ground, using wind magic to float. Flying skillfully and at high speed like a dragon was still a challenge for him, but floating was a simple task. While reflecting on how to name his spell, he heard dozens of roars coming from within the mountain. That sound echoed in his mind like a warning, but it also brought an epiphany as he observed the mountain from above. "I've got it!" he thought with a spark of satisfaction.
Raising his hands, he shouted, "Mountain Divider!" Afterward, he amusingly thought he looked like Pain when he destroyed Konoha.
At the command of his mana, the mountain seemed to respond as if it were alive. The rocks and walls began to turn malleable, moving like clay molded by a giant sculptor. In a motion reminiscent of an earthquake, the mountain began to open. But unlike a natural disaster like Earth Fissure, this process was more orderly—a symphony of control and power. Every stone, every rock moved precisely, creating a path before Rygar as if he were parting the sea.
The surrounding mountains and ridges trembled in response; birds and smaller animals fled the source of the tremor, while the roars of blue dragons in the mountain's heart grew louder. Some dragons had already started heading toward the exit, frightened by the noise and disturbance. The scene was breathtaking, and Rygar, floating above the ever-expanding opening, prepared himself to face whatever lay ahead.
As the mountain began to open before Rygar, the scene emerging from within was, at the very least, unexpected. Amid the dust, rocks, dragons, and roars, he saw two figures. The first was a tall woman, about 1.85 meters, wearing minimal clothing in the traditional style of the beast race. Her long silver hair and ears contrasted with her dark skin, and her eyes—one red and the other green—shone with fierce intensity. She carried a red sword in one hand, while the other firmly held the hand of a child. The girl, with vibrant red hair, looked around 9 or 10 years old and struggled to keep up with the warrior's pace. Despite this, she made no complaints. Both were injured. Scratches of various sizes, bruises, and burns were scattered across their bodies, but the beast woman's injuries were far more severe, with a deep gash across her back shaped like long claws.
Rygar observed the situation with a mix of urgency and caution. The two were running toward a formation of taller rocks, seemingly trying to leap toward the opening he had created in the mountain's "ceiling." Quickly, he assessed the dangers using his senses and his Magic Eye. Despite the presence of several blue dragons, his instincts detected no traps.
Floating slowly into the cavern, he concentrated magic in his hand. Targeting a blue dragon about 60 meters long that was pursuing the two—it was almost upon them, and he needed a quick, high-impact spell that wouldn't harm the pair—he declared aloud with theatrical confidence: "Lightning."
He felt a bit embarrassed afterward, realizing he had thought about showing off in such an urgent situation.
The magic in his hand burst into lightning that sliced through the air, striking the dragon almost instantly. The impact launched it a few meters away, leaving it paralyzed and halting its pursuit. The echoes of enraged dragon roars filled the cavern as others began turning their attention toward him. Wasting no time, Rygar manipulated the tall rocks around him, creating an improvised staircase to help the woman and the girl reach the top.
There was no denying it—the beast woman was incredibly fast, evading most of the dragons trying to chase them. One dragon sprinted forward, flapping its wings for a short flight toward the pair. Anticipating the attack, Rygar moved slightly ahead and used his Howling Magic, releasing a powerful shockwave that spread through the cavern like a deafening roar.
At the same time, he raised a physical barrier in front of himself. The dragon, slightly intimidated and stunned, lost some of its momentum. When it collided with the barrier, a crack formed but wasn't enough to break it. The dragon hesitated, retreating cautiously. Meanwhile, the beast warrior and the girl were almost at the end of the platform. Seeing they were about to escape, Rygar floated back through the opening in the ceiling. The woman, noticing the proximity of the exit, picked up the girl and leapt with all her strength out of the mountain.
Inside the cavern, blue dragons began pursuing them. Rygar, however, was prepared. He cast a quick spell, creating a thin earthen barrier that temporarily covered the opening. It was easy to break through, but the dragons wouldn't know that—at least, he hoped they wouldn't.
The earthen walls rose rapidly, blocking the dragons and muffling their furious roars. Rygar sighed in relief. These dragons were beasts, after all, so accustomed to always having a roof overhead that they assumed everything was back to normal when it reappeared.
Outside, the warrior landed with the girl, both gasping for breath and on the brink of collapse. Rygar, reinforcing the rocks further, ran toward them.
When he approached, he stopped ten meters away, observing cautiously. The beast woman, exhausted and gravely injured, still held her red sword aloft, shielding the girl behind her. Her eyes could barely focus; the blood loss had pushed her to her limits, but her intent to protect the girl was clear and unwavering. Rygar raised his hands in a gesture of peace and calmly said:
"It's all right. You're provisionally safe now."
Surprisingly, as if his words were a signal to shut her down, the warrior's eyes rolled back, and she collapsed heavily onto the rocks. The girl screamed in despair, crouching beside her as tears streamed down her face. Amid sobs, she cried out:
"Ghislaine!"
And so, silence fell over the mountain as Rygar reflected on what he had just witnessed.