Chapter 278 : Victory in Battle

Victory ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍in Battle

"Little Black!"

Taking advantage of the moment when the fissure that birthed the insectoids was frozen, the naga coordinated with the Undead and charged forward.

The soul fire in Little Black's eyes flickered dimly as he looked again at Adolf.

Everywhere the cold wind passed, the ground was thoroughly frozen. Yet upon the frozen surface, a section of ice was smashed open, revealing a tunnel leading underground—evidence left behind by Adolf as he made his escape.

"As expected of that insect..." the powerless Serea muttered, but it was already impossible to catch up at this stage.

Shortly after, maro and Celia arrived at Serea's side.

At this point, maro's armor was shattered in many places, Celia's mental power was depleted, while Lola, Vina, and others were gravely wounded and unconscious.

As for the naga, their four hundred-strong troops now numbered just over two hundred, most of them injured. Their clan chief Kulruan was utterly exhausted, lingering at death's door.

They had won the battle, but there was little joy on anyone's face; they had sacrificed much for the sake of the jungle...

"Queen Serea!"

Maro called out with concern.

"Serea..."

A flood of memories surged into Serea's mind. The confusion in her eyes vanished, but her lucidity lasted only a moment before she collapsed into unconsciousness.

"Serea!"

Catching her, Celia's eyes were filled with worry.

Serea's long hair returned to its golden hue, and she reverted to her original form. As her strength faded away, the frost dragon also slumped to the ground.

Rumble!

The soul fire within the fallen frost dragon dispersed, and its body turned into nothing but bones scattered across the earth.

"What exactly happened here?"

Up to this point, maro still felt as if he were in a dream. The naga gathered around as well, and in their eyes was an emotion toward Serea that could only be called 'awe.'

"Hurry and treat Queen Serea and the wounded."

"Yes!"

Everyone sprang into action swiftly, while in the distance, support from the Eriwin dwarven tribe finally arrived—albeit far too late.

...

Bang!

A huge black insectoid broke through the ground, and then Adolf scrambled out from underground in a sorry state.

"Damn it, that lot was actually that troublesome,"

Adolf muttered as he searched himself, pulling out a black gemstone.

"But thankfully, I have obtained the key to accomplishing my mission."

With this black gemstone in hand, the deaths of the others didn't matter to him at all.

This was a subterranean chamber, and aside from Adolf, there were several others present. Noticing them already, Adolf stowed the gemstone and called out, "No need to hide. All of you, come out."

His words first brought silence within the cave. Then Maragof, friesen, and Desellin—the three goblins—stepped out, each regarding Adolf warily.

"So, you're all still alive."

Adolf glanced at Maragof. He remembered that ever since the fighting started against that woman, this guy hadn't shown up again. Unexpectedly, maragof had taken advantage of the chaos and ended up here.

At this moment, maragof's eyes were opened wide in anger. Only now did he realize that the man's ritual had not been intended to help him gain great power, but was simply a ploy to use him and further Adolf's own plan.

Yet even in his anger, he could not let it show, for the man standing before them was immensely powerful.

Unfortunately, his thoughts did not escape Adolf's notice.

"You're angry, yet powerless,"

Adolf stated.

Maragof's eyes narrowed, and he began to surreptitiously marshal the strength within his body.

Squelch!

Feeling a sharp pain, maragof struggled to turn his head, only to see Friesen's short dagger stabbing into his heart.

"You!!!"

The one who had silently endured both blows and curses from him now plunged a blade into his heart. Shock and an uncontrollable rage were clear on Maragof's face.

But...

Rip!

The Erosion Demon within Maragof's body erupted, consuming his flesh and blood. Thus, the once King of the Jungle met his end in an unremarkable cave.

Watching the knife-wielding Friesen, Adolf smiled.

"You're quite clever—to know what I wanted."

"Milord, I am willing to serve you. Please, grant me the power to fight for you!"

Friesen knelt. Seeing this, desellin was stunned. Before them stood a demon who had sacrificed their entire clan—what should he do?

"I..."

"Maragof died because he held rebellious thoughts toward me. But the two of you are different. You're just afraid of me. If you are willing to keep following me, I'll be happy to grant you strength."

Realizing the implication, desellin immediately knelt.

"I am willing to serve Milord and follow until death!"

"Very good..."

Adolf smiled. For the next phase of his plan, helpers were essential.

Two vortexes of black-violet mist surged from Maragof's body and flowed respectively into Friesen and Desellin.

"This..."

Desellin was confused by the sensation, but Friesen immediately bowed low in gratitude.

"Thank you, milord, for your grace. I will go through fire and water for you, without hesitation!"

"This is what you deserve."

"Yes. To repay the power Milord has granted, I wish to present this offering to you."

With that, friesen handed over a dossier.

"This is intelligence Maragof had me gather on Serea. Some of it may be useful to Milord."

"Oh?"

Adolf leafed through it, an amused smile curving his lips.

"Now, this is interesting. Serea and 'Serea'—tsk, tsk, is it coincidence or fate? But that 'Judgement Holy Cross Sword' surely can't be faked..."

With that, Adolf's smile grew even more sinister.

...

At the same time, several uninvited guests arrived in the imperial capital of the Ailera Empire.

Three wyverns soared through the skies, drawing the gaze of even the sophisticated citizens of the capital.

"Dragons! Wyverns!"

The wyverns' appearance caused a great stir, even alarming the imperial wyvern knight regiment. Yet not daring to intercept, they instead escorted the newcomers to the royal wyvern stables.

Landing inside the heavily guarded palace, three riders dismounted from the wyverns—one wearing a gold cloak, the other two in the attire of knights.

To ride wyverns straight into the palace, and even to be escorted by the imperial wyvern regiment, spoke volumes about their extraordinary identities.

As they paused, a palace guard led a company of a hundred to greet them. Bowing, the captain spoke: "Envoys from the Holy Dragon Empire, my king has prepared a banquet for you. Please, follow me."

The man in fine clothes nodded, and under the guard's lead, they entered a gorgeously decorated palace hall.

Ten minutes later, the envoys of the Holy Dragon Empire had exited the hall. Owing to their special status, even Kenwick Ailera, the king of Ailera, personally saw them off from the hall.

"Your Majesty, I have conveyed my king's message. I will take my leave—you need not see me off."

"Farewell, dragon Envoy. We will consider your nation's 'suggestion.'"

With that, the one addressed as Dragon Envoy saluted Kenwick and, escorted by guards, left. When the distant wyverns soared into the skies again, kenwick's expression grew increasingly cold.

"Summon the imperial great mage, desertwind, to see me. Tell him his old friend has come."

"Understood."

Soon, an old man clad in a white cloak entered the palace, surrounded by several mage apprentices. One after another, many lavishly dressed nobles entered as well. The palace lights burned bright until past midnight.

(To be continued...)