* * *
When he turned, following Ed’s gaze, the emperor, who had been crawling toward the throne, was frozen in place as though petrified.
Upon closer inspection, his desiccated form resembled a withered tree, utterly drained of life.
Approaching cautiously, the Grand Duke noticed a thin black thread tethered to the emperor’s neck. His gaze shifted skyward.
“The black dragon must have siphoned the emperor’s life force while following the demonic core embedded in Fez’s eye.”
The black dragon had cloaked itself in smoke and dropped the thread to ensnare the emperor while evading the two golden dragons’ relentless assault.
With a swift strike, the Grand Duke severed the thread with his sword.
Yet, as quickly as it was cut, the thread regenerated, wrapping tighter around the emperor’s body.
It was a tendril connected directly to the black dragon.
Despite draining the emperor’s life force, the black dragon’s greed was insatiable. I
ts attention turned to the civilians, whom the northern knights and royal guards were desperately protecting.
The dragon let out an earsplitting roar, its eyes fixed on its next prey.
Strengthening the protective barrier around the people, the Grand Duke methodically planned his next moves.
First, he would ensure the civilians’ safety.
Then, he would bring the black dragon down and personally put an end to it.
As the Grand Duke focused on his plan, Ed carefully tracked the black dragon’s movements, analyzing its behavior.
Victory seemed inevitable for the Grand Duke and the golden dragons, but as time dragged on, the damage grew, and the people’s exhaustion deepened.
Ed couldn’t quell the rising anxiety in his heart.
“If someone gets hurt…”
He was determined to avoid a pyrrhic victory.
Just then, droplets of rain began to tap against the golden barrier.
“…Huh?”
The rain, which had briefly paused, resumed, now in heavy sheets.
Already tense, Ed’s vision blurred with the downpour, heightening his sense of urgency.
“To bring the black dragon down quickly, we’ll need to restrict its movements,” Ed thought, glancing toward the two golden dragons.
Then, something caught his eye—a faint glimmer in the stormy night sky.
At first, he thought he’d imagined it, but after rubbing his eyes, he saw it again: a shimmering blue star.
As scenes flashed through his mind, Ed realized something.
He knew exactly how to subdue the black dragon swiftly and completely.
“If I gather the raindrops into a prison, I can trap it,” he murmured, almost unconsciously.
Inside him, the small child stirred, almost as if affirming his thoughts.
Placing a hand on his abdomen, Ed whispered as if seeking reassurance.
“You’ll hold out, won’t you?”
The child’s response came as a confident kick.
Encouraged, Ed gazed at the stormy sky.
Despite the dark clouds, his eyes now gleamed brighter than any star.
He extended his hand beyond the golden barrier, letting the cold raindrops cascade over his palm.
“With rain like this, I can do it.”
Instinctively understanding his next steps, Ed closed his eyes and concentrated fully, seeking the energy flowing through the water around him.
A soft blue light began to glow in his palm, rippling like the vast ocean.
The shimmering energy gradually took shape, transforming into a rope-like form.
What started as an indistinct mist solidified into a perfect, transparent cord.
Somewhere nearby, the sound of waves echoed faintly.
When Ed opened his eyes, he spread his clenched fist wide.
The glowing cord floated in the air, exuding a vibrant blue light.
“Perfect. It’s ready.”
He hurled the cord skyward. It shot through the rain, unerringly coiling around the black dragon’s leg.
Startled by the sudden force pulling it down, the dragon thrashed and roared in fury.
But unlike ordinary ropes, this one was made of water, impervious to its razor-sharp claws.
The more the black dragon struggled, the tighter the cord constricted.
Watching from below, Ed bit his lip.
“It’s holding for now, but if the dragon keeps attacking like this, it might break.”
The movements of the black dragon appeared far too rough to Ed, who was still struggling to grasp the full extent of his own power.
A blue rope, born from the merging of Ed’s strength and water, tightened tautly.
Just as he feared the rope might snap, the pouring rain, as if drawn to his power, clung to the rope, making it thicker and more resilient.
“…That’s a relief.”
While Ed breathed a sigh of relief, Luan and the young dragon, momentarily distracted by the black dragon’s thrashing, glanced downward.
Ed’s figure was clearly reflected in the vertical pupils of the beast.
In that instant, Luan and the young dragon realized Ed had exerted his strength to help them.
The young dragon immediately prepared to glide downward, thrilled by Ed’s attention.
A mischievous streak from its days of causing trouble in the North with Ronen made it eager to win favor rather than display the dignity expected of a dragon.
Luan, however, wrapped his tail around the young dragon, halting its descent, and fixed it with a stern gaze.
‘…’
An unspoken exchange passed between the two creatures. Luan, whose personality mirrored that of the grand duke, made the young dragon flinch in submission.
It shook its body pleadingly as if asking to be released.
Seeing the childish behavior, Luan relented and loosened his grip.
Once free, the young dragon turned its gaze to the black dragon, seemingly looking for a target to vent its frustration.
Rustle.
As the young dragon’s eyes slowly moved, the black dragon flinched.
Sensing the shifting atmosphere, the black dragon bristled, its nerves tense beneath its thick scales.
Determined to change the tide, it opened its mouth toward the ground.
“Fire again?”
Frowning, Ed quickly scanned his surroundings.
The Royal Knights and the Imperial Guard were busy managing people still restrained by their shackles.
The grand duke, impressed by Ed’s summoned torrents of water, quickly reinforced the protective barrier with his own power.
The dome-shaped shield glowed a radiant gold, outshining any magical artifact.
On the ground, the sound of raindrops striking the earth grew louder and more chaotic.
Everyone prepared for the fire the black dragon might unleash.
But just as tension peaked, lightning tore through the sky, followed by an earth-shaking clap of thunder.
And then, the black dragon attacked.
Its scales bristled backward, releasing sharp black threads that shot downward like sinister serpents.
“Ed!”
The grand duke, who had moved to Ed’s side unnoticed, reached out to ensure his safety.
“Your Grace, I’m fine. But…”
Held against the grand duke’s broad, firm chest, Ed tightened his grip on the duke’s waist as he peered over his shoulder at the scene.
‘It’s trying to drain life energy, like it did to the Emperor.’
As Ed suspected, the black threads targeted the shackled people.
When they couldn’t penetrate the grand duke’s barrier, the threads sharpened their tips and began striking against it.
“Your Grace!”
The knights raised their voices in unison.
The grand duke’s barrier was enormous, protecting countless people at once.
No one knew how long it could withstand the relentless assault.
Ed felt the grand duke’s muscles tighten as he held him.
Though the sound of thunder muffled the knights’ voices, their fury toward the black dragon was unmistakable.
Sharing their sentiment, Ed muttered under his breath.
“I’m so angry.”
“Ed, calm down. I’m fine,” the grand duke whispered gently, loosening his hold slightly as he adjusted his embrace.
The moment the grand duke’s struggle became evident, Luan and the young dragon sprang toward the black dragon.
However, the black dragon, seemingly indifferent to its scales being torn, focused solely on piercing the barrier and draining life energy.
Hundreds, even thousands, of black threads continuously battered the shield.
Each collision sent sparks flying, accompanied by deafening cracks like lightning striking the earth.
The black dragon’s eyes glowed a deep crimson for a moment before dimming.
Simultaneously, the shackles glowed with the same eerie light.
People restrained by the shackles suddenly charged toward the knights.
“Ugh! They’re getting more aggressive! Be careful!”
One knight shouted while blocking the advancing people with his sword sheath.
Hearing this, Ed looked up at the sky.
“It seems like the dragon is trying to force people out of the barrier since it can’t break through.”
With the knights stretched thin, gaps in their defenses began to appear.
Realizing this, Ed stepped away from the grand duke, who glanced down at him with curiosity.
“Your Grace, please take command of the knights.”
Before the grand duke could refuse, Ed added, “Don’t worry about me. Just buy me some time.”
“Time?”
“You’re planning to drag the black dragon down to the ground for battle, aren’t you?”
The grand duke nodded.
“Yes. Once the people are purified and safe, I’ll bring the dragon down.”
Ed smiled.
“I have a better plan.”
Ultimately, dealing with the dragon was a task for both Ed and the grand duke.
“Dragging the dragon down here now is too dangerous,” Ed said, gesturing to the people.
Some might not recover their sanity and could be caught in the crossfire between the dragon and the grand duke.
“So, what’s your plan?” the grand duke asked softly, his gaze filled with unwavering trust.
Ed replied playfully, “It wouldn’t be fun if I told you in advance.”
* * *
