< 167. Hate to Hate (5) >
After Min-jun headed towards the lair, Ha Eun-seong waited alone.
Or rather, it wasn't strictly true that he was alone. If you counted the insane spirits, he wasn't.
Please… let me go…
It hurts, it's hard, it's agonizing…
The spirits, entangled and struggling, were alien entities Min-jun had left behind, unable to take with him.
Seeing them, Ha Eun-seong felt a chill. Although he had witnessed all sorts of horrific ghosts after death, he had never seen such entities before. The aliens looked like they were in their final moments, and while their deaths were varied, there was a strange consistency to them.
A malevolence intent on delivering the most dreadful end.
As miserable a death as possible.
"Ugh!"
He shuddered.
He couldn't imagine what kind of grudge would lead to such hatred towards aliens.
Agent… I used to manage to hold on for shorter periods in the past.
Was it because of Dallant?
His employer (to use a term from some filthy dragon) was growing stronger each day. The power to handle spirits was the same.
But it seems he still can't break through the barriers using spirits.
So, he must have brought him here. In other words, Ha Eun-seong's unique ability was still beyond Min-jun's reach.
The ghost was certain. That agent still needed him.
In a way, that's fortunate.
Because of that, his two younger sisters were living a luxurious life.
Occasionally, he observed from afar to see how they were doing, and aside from the youngest half-orc's occasional hysteria over wanting plastic surgery like a human, there seemed to be no issues.
Ha Eun-seong knew that if it weren't for Min-jun, the Elder Dragon wouldn't have cared this much.
But.
When will this debt be repaid?
He felt it was time to have a serious discussion about it, but recently Min-jun's mood was so frightening that he was afraid to bring it up.
And how long will I be stuck with this body?
The original owner of this body, the unidentified dragon, still hadn't responded to his calls. It had far exceeded the promised month, and now it was almost half a year.
Will it really become my body?
With such questions, Ha Eun-seong felt a mix of emotions. It was the first time he had possessed a body for so long after death, and he was naturally becoming accustomed to the various pleasures that only the living experience. On the other hand, it was unsettling that the body he was in was that of a dragon, which he found repugnant.
Yet.
It's so comfortable. Like it was originally my body.
It hadn't been this comfortable at first, but as time went on, it felt like wearing a perfectly fitting garment. Recently, Min-jun had asked several times to confirm, and Ha Eun-seong's answers had always been the same.
Discomfort? Feeling like going insane? No, I don't have that. ...Oh, my shoulders are a bit sore because of the weight gain, but it's decreasing gradually.
Min-jun had looked incredulous, but what could he do if it was the truth?
Still, this body is comfortable in many ways. I don't know where I'll be going soon, but it will be advantageous to adapt.
After abducting Ha Eun-seong and bringing him to Hong Kong, Min-jun had announced.
I'll be finishing a major task in the U.S. within a week and then taking off for a while. You're coming with me.
Taking off?
Distance is a relative concept. Even if it's far from Korea and the other side of the Earth, it ultimately leaves only the Arctic or Antarctic.
If I'm in this body, it shouldn't be a problem to live even in extremely cold places. Moreover, if it's 'for a while.'
Even in a -50°C frozen wasteland, Ha Eun-seong wasn't afraid.
After all, Min-jun could teleport instantly to any distance.
No, Yumtus. Are you saying that the Avatar is fleeing to our dimension?
'Yes, that's correct.'
In a space flowing with the most beautiful light in the world, the souls of two priests were conversing. Yumtus had just delivered the Avatar's message. The high priest Elahum-Praaga made a troubled expression upon hearing it.
'The Avatar intends to temporarily reside in the land of true believers to escape the persecution and suffering in this world.'
Fleeing to avoid the Committee? That's impossible!
'Many have already succeeded. The main faction only needs to handle the landing terminal's guidance. We will resolve the departure terminal issues on our side.'
Isn't this different from other smuggling cases? According to your explanation, the Committee will be on high alert, deploying military power to search for the Avatar, and our dimension is still under limited lockdown, making it more conspicuous.
'There's no other way. And from our sect's perspective, isn't this a matter to be welcomed?'
Despite Yumtus's rebuttal, the priest still looked worried.
'It was an inevitable step. Since we haven't found a way to move the divine blood from the sect headquarters to Earth, the Avatar had no choice but to come directly to the headquarters.'
Min-jun had already given instructions through Yumtus. To find a way to bring the Dallant accumulated at the altar. However, the main faction had not provided any satisfactory feedback so far.
Min-jun changed his mind. If they couldn't bring it, he would go himself. It would be a twofold benefit: evading the Committee's pursuit and achieving his goal.
Yumtus asked with suspicion.
'But there has been an alarming lack of progress updates?'
Ah, well…
The high priest hesitated.
It seems that the Avatar's request might not proceed smoothly.
Upon hearing this, Yumtus was enraged. His worst fears were becoming reality.
'What did you say?!'
The priest calmly repeated.
Some priests are still hesitant. It's not distrust towards the Avatar's identity. It's simply cautiousness about dedicating all the Dallant to the Avatar.
'Damn it!'
I repeat, most of us have yet to even meet the Avatar in person…
'It's truly disgraceful and infuriating!'
It took time for Yumtus to calm his boiling anger.
How dare they question whom?
The priest explained defensively.
It's understandable. Given the current state of the main faction, both the priests in favor of the dedication and those hesitant still have their divine power intact.
The moment one denies the entity they serve, divine power is lost. Therefore, the situation was ambiguous. Both those who followed and those who hesitated were still intact.
Regaining his composure, Yumtus snorted and said.
'That issue will be resolved soon. The moment we see the Avatar's body, all doubts and mistrust will vanish. The blood flowing from the forehead will cleanse the corrupted judgment and vain suspicions.'
He was confident.
Elder Dragon Roybert became extremely enraged when he heard himself described as being either pro-Committee or pigeonholed as a small-minded dragon.
He too was an ancient dragon who had experienced wars. He agreed with the racial and historical mission of opposing the Committee. The greatest race on Earth could not remain suppressed forever, and peace would not last. At some point, the power that controls the universe must be reclaimed from those vile races.
But.
At the same time, Roybert thought.
But… is it really necessary for me to do it 'now,' 'myself'?
He recalled the words of the late Lord.
Roybert, as you said, the units of time we use to judge the world are much longer and larger than those of other races. But walking through the world for a long time, in other words, means that the time we can contribute for our descendants is also longer, doesn't it?
The Dragon Lord argued that "we" needed to strive now to leave a better world for future generations.
But Roybert always thought such arguments sounded like empty talk.
The responsibility for the future should be shouldered by those who live in that future, shouldn't it?
Roybert was convinced. This generation could not defeat the Committee. The technological gap he had witnessed was too vast.
Yes, agreed. Dragons should retaliate against the Committee. But that duty would fall to future generations. Not everyone needed to work for the battle. Some entities, or some generations, should strive to maintain what they have now, shouldn't they?
If they pick a fight with absurd evidence, the result will only be a crash in Earth's asset value.
Roybert did not wish for this generation's war.
Conspiring to weaken dragons? Kabaite? That sounds like delusional madness.
Although it was eventually canceled, he had read the pre-distributed secret materials for the dragon conference.
And he laughed in disbelief.
First of all, the evidence is scant. There is no physical evidence implicating Kavaat; all that exists are testimonies from those involved or those used as tools in the crime, and most of them are already dead.
'I understand that ancient races are detested and hated, but this is too much. Kavaat modifying dragons? That sounds like something out of a ridiculous dwarf novel.'
As he recalled and scoffed, he was suddenly startled by the appearance of a human in the room.
This was a space he used as a dining area, so slaves could come and go, but permission was required before entry.
'Is that guy insane?'
The face was unfamiliar.
But seeing that he was holding a kitchen knife in one hand and a frying pan in the other, he seemed to be a cook.
"What is this? I'm having my meal in my true form today, so why a human cook?"
The dragon was not idle enough to remember every slave's face in the lair, so he didn't suspect much. He was merely enraged by the rudeness.
But in the next moment, anger turned into suspicion.
'Wait a minute. Is that frying pan... an Oryhalcon? And the knife...'
Suspicion turned into a sense of crisis.
'Is that human really a human? I don't feel... any presence at all!'
In an instant, a dark aura erupted from behind the human.
"You!"
The dragon, waiting for his meal in his true form, tried to activate a forced ejection magic circle. Fighting within the lair was absurd.
This also meant that he had realized his opponent was not an ordinary human. If that were the case, he could have crushed him with a single spell without even needing to leave.
But then...
Whoosh!
"Impossible?!"
The massive dining room designed for dragons vanished in an instant.
Amidst his bewilderment, Roybert scanned his surroundings. Darkness had engulfed everything. Nothing could be seen.
What was maddening was...
'Teleportation?!'
The teleportation magic circle had not activated. At the same time, the dragon's senses, usually keen, were becoming dull.
It was as if darkness had coalesced into a spatial distortion and trapped him.
This was impossible.
Crash!
The great dragon, filled with rage, turned his body. His magic-focused brain quickly cast dozens of spells. Spells of various attributes, including movement, analysis, dispelling, protection, and distortion, swept the area.
But there was no reaction. There were no targets crushed by his attacks, and the spells meant to interpret the darkness remained silent. Attempts to escape were in vain.
'What the hell!'
It was then that a chilling and sharp blade pierced his nape.
Zing!
There was a sharp sting, followed by a burning pain.
"Graaah!"
Gush!
The dragon couldn't easily define the sensation he felt after such a long time. It was a sensation he hadn't experienced since the early days of his immigration to Earth, when he fought other dragons for territory.
A deep pain penetrating even beneath the scales.
"Grrraah!"
Thud! Thud!
Swoosh!
In the darkness, sharp attacks continued. Soon, the dragon felt similar lacerations forming on his nape, the hollow under his wing joints, the gap between his tailbone and pelvis, his heels, thighs, and armpits.
And...
Gush! Gush! Gush!
The pressure in the darkness was abnormal. Blood erupted from the wounds like hot spring water. It melted into the black flow.
"······!"
Roybert felt as though he was suffering from an indescribable nightmare. The enemy's objective was clearly to drain a large amount of blood to incapacitate him. Therefore, the dragon tried to strengthen his protective magic.
But the predator in the darkness allowed no such respite.
Whoosh!
The human, cutting through the black mist like an arrow, appeared.
The frying pan in his left hand cut through the black waves. The target was the dragon's back of the head. Roybert's eyes widened in shock and suspicion.
'No way?!'
The reason for making a frying pan out of Oryhalcon...
Crash!
With the wide surface of the frying pan, Minjun struck the dragon on the back of the head.
It felt like a full-strength blow, but it was actually accompanied by very precise control of force.
'Can't kill him.'
With a pledge of no killing in his heart for the day.
Crash! Crash! Bang! Crash!
Minjun mercilessly beat him. One, two, three, four... He checked the condition of the dragon and counted the hits. The targeted area was right above the dragon's brain.
Indeed, the great dragon was different from the young dragon he had once knocked out with this method. Though Minjun was trying not to kill and was moderating his strength, the dragon stubbornly held on.
Minjun focused persistently, hitting only one spot.
Crash!
"Kraah!"
Crash!
"Kek!"
Crash!
"Cough!"
Wiping the sweat from his forehead with a shadow, Minjun grumbled.
'It's a lot more laborious since I can't just cut his back like with Raymond.'
Then the frying pan in his other hand muttered. It sounded as if it was in a daze.
"Um... I'm not trying to complain or anything, but... is it really just about not killing him?"
While Minjun did not answer and continued to hit him diligently, he eventually caused a concussion on the sixth strike.
Stumble!
The dragon's body, swaying, revealed an opening. The moment the magical resistance vanished, the shadows surrounding him extended their tendrils, wrapping around the dragon. They spread like veins, encircling the body, climbing up the neck, and infiltrating the mouth and teeth. They then forcibly opened the dragon's mouth.
'No!'
In his fading consciousness, the dragon screamed. He couldn't tell what was happening, but he had a dreadful premonition.
As expected of a great dragon, it was a very accurate premonition.
"Oh, agent. You're back?"
"Let's leave immediately. We need to take out three more... no, make it three more people today."
"······?!"
< 167. Hate to Hate (5) > End