Chapter 338: Crimson Blade (Part 1)
Beside an inconspicuous hill on the battlefield, a severely injured Silver Dragon lay on the ground, barely clinging to life.
Olivia's eyes were tightly shut as she let out groans and muffled cries of pain.
Her slender body, over ten meters long, curled into a ball. Chaotic mist seeped from the wounds on her wings, spreading throughout her body and continuously corroding her flesh.
Suddenly, silver light poured down, dispelling the abyssal energy. Golden beams descended as well, slowly healing the wounds and regenerating new flesh.
Cassius held the "Wind of Bahamut" in his claws while casting the spell "Dragon's Vitality," silently standing beside the Silver Dragon.
After a moment of silence, he finally spoke:
"Why did you do this?"
Olivia struggled to open her eyes. Her blue-gray gaze was full of determination. "I swore in my heart that I would save you."
"I'm not a liar like you."
Her words were fragmented yet resolute.
"Naive, overconfident, self-proclaimed savior. You embody every stubborn trait of the Silver Dragon race—or perhaps, its virtues."
"Still, it's almost adorably foolish."
Gazing intently at the young Silver Dragon, who had been deceived into misery but still saved him at a critical moment, Cassius's expression was complex.
His pale golden slit pupils flickered slightly, hinting at unspoken thoughts.
Olivia's eyelids quivered as she tried to lift her neck to see the Red Dragon's expression but ultimately collapsed powerlessly onto the ground.
"Is it… all over now?"
"It will be over soon."
Cassius answered calmly.
Seemingly satisfied with the answer, the Silver Dragon's eyelids could no longer hold. After a few tremors, they gently closed.
Olivia fell into a deep coma. Her scarred body rose and fell slightly with her breaths; she was utterly exhausted.
The Red Dragon, however, flapped his wings again, a fleeting ferocity crossing his face.
"But first, I need to deal with a few rats hiding in the shadows."
At the rift of the Prime Material Plane, within a temporary extradimensional space created by spellcasters.
"Are you crazy?"
"Take a good look! That Red Dragon defeated the famed 'Silver Wing' Oszedro head-on!"
"A mere hundred thousand gold coins are not worth our lives, especially when our dear employer was taken by an abyssal demon!"
A frantic female voice rang out.
The speaker was a full-figured woman in a white robe, Ingrid Garses, the legendary cleric of light from "Crimson Blade."
Dexus Flaregold gripped his greatsword tightly, his fiery gaze unwavering as he said:
"Indeed, he defeated Oszedro, but that doesn't mean he still has that strength now!"
"After a battle of such intensity, the Red Dragon must be running on fumes. This is our best chance to slay him!"
"Think about it. This is a dragon that defeated Oszedro, the so-called 'Dragon Prince' of Tiamat!"
"If we sever his head, our names will go down in history. The fame of Crimson Blade will spread across Fianzo and even the entire multiverse! We'll become heroes of the righteous faction. Even Queen Amanata herself will extend an olive branch to us!"
Dexus's voice grew more urgent, more excited, as if he could already see the glorious future.
The members of Crimson Blade peered through the magical projection. The Red Dragon indeed appeared battered, his body languid and far less intimidating than before.
A towering man, bare-chested and covered in red tattoos, hefted a battle axe. Hot air flared from his nostrils—this was the legendary barbarian, Rano.
"Boss, I'm with you!"
"It's just a big Red Dragon. I can kill him all the same!"
Ingrid furrowed her elegant brows, still feeling uneasy. She voiced her concerns again: "Even if we succeed in slaying the dragon, how will we escape? There are thousands of draconic followers here!"
Dexus grinned smugly and said, "We have a legendary spellcaster here."
Clad in a blue-black robe, Klein gently stroked his crystal ball of true seeing, speaking softly: "The Red Dragon's followers lack anyone capable of casting ninth-circle spells. If I wish to leave, they won't stop me."
"They can't catch shadows either."
A shadow rose and coalesced into a slender humanoid figure in black—the legendary ranger, Grom Desley, the most enigmatic member of Crimson Blade.
Dexus scanned the team before turning to the hesitant Ingrid. "So, what's it going to be?"
"Take a gamble with us."
"This Red Dragon has sown endless evil and war. Now is the perfect time to slay him!"
The avenger knight's eyes gleamed faintly.
Although he was a mercenary pursuing profit, he also remembered his oath to never spare any evildoer. Moreover, this could bring him fame and fortune.
"You madmen, gamblers."
Ingrid remained silent for a long time before muttering.
Suddenly, the cleric's eyes widened, her face turning pale, and her voice trembling.
"You… look there."
"He… he seems to have noticed us!"
Ingrid pointed a shaking finger at the magical projection behind Dexus.
The Red Dragon was grinning viciously, his pale golden slit pupils seemingly piercing through the spatial barrier to meet her gaze.
Ingrid was certain.
It was the gaze of a hunter locking onto its prey.
Dexus frowned, crossing his arms, slightly dissatisfied. "Ingrid, aren't you being overly paranoid?"
Grom chuckled lightly and added, "We're in an extradimensional space created by Klein. Even legendary spellcasters would struggle to detect us, let alone locate our presence."
Suddenly, chaos erupted.
"Boom—"
A deafening roar resounded, followed by the sound of tearing fabric.
The members of Crimson Blade were caught off guard by the sudden upheaval, momentarily panicked, but their legendary experience quickly allowed them to prepare for battle against their incoming foe.
Ingrid raised her staff, releasing dazzling light; Dexus sprouted wings, transforming into an avenging angel surrounded by holy radiance; Rano roared fiercely, becoming a rune-covered primal warrior; Grom was enveloped by supernatural shadows.
They looked up and collectively gasped.
The Red Dragon had torn through the planar barrier with his claws, creating a massive, jagged rift at the top of the extradimensional space.
His colossal dragon head emerged, staring down at them. His pale golden slit pupils seemed to burn with fire.
"Hello there."
"Long time no see, dragon slayers."