Long-Awaited Desire (7)

Thanks to that, the Elder genuinely accepted my poor acting and began to laugh even harder.

“Human! This is your last chance! If you don’t want to die, hand over the orb!”

Then, with an arrogant tone, he gave his ultimatum. At the same time, Rurin whispered to me, looking confused.

“Can you really not teleport?”

“It’s fine. I don’t need teleportation right now. You just need to stay close.”

“That’s my specialty!”

Is sticking close your specialty?

Rurin confidently pressed closer to my side.

Definitely a specialty.

After confirming Rurin’s specialty once again, I looked at the Red Dragon for the climax of the play and sprinkled some seasoning.

“Are you telling me to hand over the orb if I don’t want to fight?”

“Yes. Do you see these numbers? Even you should know that you can’t survive.”

“But you will die too, won’t you? I will create as many companions as possible.”

“You arrogant human! Are you saying it’s fine if that little brat dies too?”

“……”

I pretended to glance at Rurin.

How low will they go? Really, such scum, unworthy of dealing with.

I stared at Rurin desperately, making sure the enemies could see it. The rest was acting, but my desperate gaze was real.

Staring at Rurin desperately was something I could do in any situation.

“Huh?”

Rurin tilted her head and then turned her gaze back to the Red Dragon.

Pretending to lose because of Rurin, I declared my surrender.

“Then, I guess I have no choice. I’ll give it to you. Will you lift the barrier now?”

“If you hand it over quietly, then yes.”

“How can I trust you on that?”

I asked, pretending to be a bit weak. I gave the Red Dragons a suspicious look. To them, it must have looked like the eyes of a rabbit that had been hunted.

“We know your abilities. We don’t want unnecessary damage either. If we get the orb, it doesn’t matter what happens to you or that little brat!”

“Then, I guess I have no choice.”

The play was too contrived. So, I decided to end it. I took the Red Dragon’s orb from my pouch and threw it.

And what do they know about my abilities?

Up-to-date information is always important. What time are they referring to about “me”?

The Elder of the Red Dragons stared blankly at the orb and then gestured. Rurin whispered again.

“You can teleport now!”

That’s right. For their goal, it would be problematic if the numbers were reduced needlessly by fighting here.

The Red Dragon, after receiving the orb, spoke like a true villain.

“Human! If I see you again, it will only be death! Know your place!”

“Sure. Whatever.”

I nodded and spoke to Rurin.

“Rurin, let’s get out of here for now. Teleport us somewhere nearby.”

This is a device to make it look like we’re hastily fleeing.

To them, Rurin and I are just trying to save our lives.

We have to keep acting that way till the end.

To make them completely let their guard down.

“Understood.”

Rurin nodded, and the darkness enveloped us, soon making the unwanted Red Dragons vanish from sight.

They will soon lead their main army to the Black Dragons.

That is their top priority.

So, for now, retreat from the sacred ground and secretly follow them was the first plan.

Dragon Battle.

But it is a one-on-many fight.

The Black Dragon was clearly losing. The opponents were numerous Red Dragons.

It was already covered in blood.

It had clearly been lynched, unable to rise again, and was slammed to the ground. The only reason it hadn’t fled earlier was to prove, even in death, that the Red Dragons were the ones who did it.

It had been overconfident, chasing a single young Red Dragon, and ended up falling into a trap, ending up in this situation.

The one who dealt the blow that left such a mark was the Red Dragon right in front of it.

It was clearly an ancient dragon.

The Black Dragon strained its power and unleashed a breath attack toward the dragon before it.

It was a breath strong enough to easily destroy a village, but its opponent was also a dragon.

The breath met breath, and the surrounding area was filled with powerful winds due to the high-energy clash.

Kwang-!

With the shockwave from the collision, the two energies canceled each other out, and the Black Dragon furrowed its brow even more.

“Stay still.”

Young Dragon Sitni, who blocked the Black Dragon’s breath, was pushed back, and the ancient dragon, Rihaim, spoke.

“Just as I thought, it was you. I should have realized sooner! You vile creatures.”

Its body was already in tatters.

The direct blow from the ancient dragon in front of it had been so powerful that it couldn’t even use its mana properly. The only thing it could use was its breath.

Blood poured out.

The only hope was teleportation.

But the shock had been too much, and gathering mana was already difficult. So, it began gathering mana while talking.

“If you realize we did this, then do you also realize you must die? Young Dragon.”

“I will die, but I will die with my name cleared!”

“This is for the future of the Dragons. Wouldn’t you feel better thinking of it as a holy sacrifice? Just die quietly.”

“A holy sacrifice? You’re kidding. Can you explain where in your filthy actions the word ‘holy’ even comes into play?”

“No need to explain. Just think of it as fertilizer for our Red Dragons. Well, to put it in human terms.”

“Stop spouting nonsense!”

Unable to hold back, the Black Dragon unleashed its breath again. But Rihaim, unlike Sitni earlier, easily swatted away the Black Dragon’s breath.

It wasn’t just any ancient dragon.

It was also the second-ranked Red Dragon ancient. Of course, it was strong.

If not, it wouldn’t be groaning from fatal injuries.

But the important thing was that they had now admitted it themselves.

It was okay to die.

Dying didn’t matter.

All that mattered was clearing the false charges, so that the injustice could be washed away. That way, Rurin, her daughter, would also be able to stand proud.

So, now that it knew the Red Dragons were the ones behind the veil, even without evidence, the wise Dragon Lord would surely settle the dispute. The Black Dragon desperately gathered its mana.

The ambition to escape from here and clear its name.

Even if using too much power worsened the fatal injury and led to its death.

“You’re funny. Are you gathering mana? Trying to escape to the sacred ground? But, whether it’s the Black Dragon’s sacred ground or your lair, or any place, you’d be better off not using teleportation.”

“Am I crazy? This is just the beginning!”

The Black Dragon cried out, blood pouring from its wounds, squeezing out its remaining strength.

Fortunately, it could use teleportation. It had just gathered enough.

Now, it just needed to use it.

That was all that mattered.

But the Black Dragon could not use teleportation. It was because of Rihaim’s words.

“Sorry, young one. The problem is your daughter. The moment you teleport here, your hatchling, your daughter, will die instantly.”

“…!”

The Black Dragon’s body stiffened, and at that moment, the expression of hostility and anger that had always been there collapsed completely.

It needed to teleport right now to reveal the truth.

That was the only way to regain its life and honor. It would die without treatment.

It needed to escape immediately. But it couldn’t escape.

They had targeted its vulnerable spot, one from which it couldn’t escape.

In fact, there was something more important than clearing its name. It was restoring its honor for its daughter.

But, what if that daughter were gone?

“You, you bastards… What have you done to Rurin? If you even touch one of her wings, I’ll tear you apart, no matter how many ages it takes!”

“Hah, that’s scary. You’re showing your fangs to an old man. But it’s the truth. Young one, if you plan to embrace your dying daughter, then go ahead. Dying together isn’t such a bad idea.”

The Black Dragon began to visibly fidget.

That was understandable.

The fear that her daughter could be harmed, or even killed. That was a terrifying thought for her.

The fear of losing a life that was irreplaceable, that of her beloved daughter.

The Black Dragon began to panic to the point where it would abandon pride, hatred, and even the false charges.

“No…! You…bastards!”

Rihaim stared at the Black Dragon without changing his expression, then spoke clearly.

“I told you, didn’t I? All you need to do is die. There’s no need to drag your daughter into this. You’re the one who found the orb, so go back and receive treatment, and live pitifully? Instead, just explode here. I’m sure you know how to explode your heart. Then, all the evidence of our wrongdoing will disappear, and your daughter will be safe.”

‘If I die like this, there will be evidence left.

‘Proof that they killed me.

‘That cannot happen.

‘That’s why the Red Dragons had planned this.’

They made a plan to force the dragon in front of them to choose death, denying the last chance to clear its name and recover.

A very cruel and vile plan.

But the Black Dragon’s face had already completely collapsed.

The choice, of course, was for her daughter.

The false charges, which she had wanted to clear so badly, were now nothing but scrap paper in the face of their vile actions.

She clicked her tongue at her own foolishness.

The ones who framed her. It was clearly her own fault for leaving Rurin alone, not knowing their vile nature.

The sin of not seeing what should have been protected and rushing out in the face of her anger.

“Do you want me to die? How could I believe that you’ll save my daughter?”

“Young Dragon, sadly, you have no more choices. If you choose to abandon your daughter and save your own life, go ahead. But truthfully, if you die alone, touching your daughter would only cause us harm. It would look too suspicious if we drove you to suicide and then killed your daughter. That’s why, if you die, your daughter will be safe. If you run away and choose your daughter’s death, then only a war between Red and Black will unfold.”

The Red Dragon spoke at length.

It was an angry speech, but the Black Dragon felt relieved instead.

What they said was true.

If she did as they wanted, Rurin would be safe from the Red Dragons’ hands.

In that case, it didn’t matter.

The Black Dragon helplessly folded its wings.

What mother would abandon her daughter’s life? Especially just to clear a false charge?

Even if she would be called the symbol of shame for thousands of years, it didn’t matter in front of her daughter’s life.

“That’s enough. As long as Rurin stays alive, nothing else matters. Yes, I’ll die as you say.”

“Have you made your decision?”

Nodding.

The Black Dragon nodded while emanating hostility, then stepped back and slumped down, leaning against a nearby cliff.

A life for her daughter.

No regret at all.

She worried about her daughter being alone, but as long as she stayed alive, someday the sun would rise again.

She thought of her daughter and shed tears.

Death wasn’t scary, but not seeing Rurin again was terrifying.

She had raised Rurin alone, always wriggling and smiling beside her. For her daughter, she would do anything.

What could be more important than that?

The Black Dragon lamented her own foolishness for falling into such a situation, while gathering her mana.

If she hesitated, Rurin would be hurt.

The Red Dragon sent such a gaze. Continuously. Over and over.

“Rurin…! “

Finally, the Black Dragon called her daughter’s name loudly.

An explosion erupted from inside the Black Dragon’s body.

Kuaaaang-!

After the powerful explosion cleared, all that remained were the Black Dragon’s ashes, scattered from the explosion within.