Artherion finally stumbled upon a question he had never thought to ask before.
For nearly a thousand years, he had believed in and waited for the Adversary's resurrection. Yet, in all that time, he had never once sensed the Adversary's presence.
At some point, the thought abruptly surfaced in his mind, and he became certain.
'So I…'
He had devoted all his strength to killing the Adversary. He bred monsters, drove them mad, and sent them down in endless waves.
'Why…'
How did he even come to know this?
Why was he so certain that the Adversary had now appeared in the world?
'Erenes didn't... know.'
Even Erenes, who had been subjected to the same seal, had not known. She could only speculate based on various circumstances and evidence.
No one else knew. Only he had definitively sensed the Adversary's resurrection.
Artherion's sharp mind began to refine itself once again.
'I need to know the reason. What has happened to my body and mind?'
The indomitable will of the dragon sought to grasp the meaning of this phenomenon.
At that moment, Artherion's mind became shrouded in a black mist.
The question vanished in an instant. Once again, drowsiness overwhelmed him.
'Yes, because of the seal... the Adversary's power binds me... It's only natural that I can feel that power…'
He rationalized it that way. But the doubt returned to fill his mind.
'No... that alone... doesn't explain it…'
No matter how powerful a dragon might be, how could one sense the presence of a single human while confined to a cave?
The moment doubt surfaced, Artherion's mind became hazy again. He wanted nothing more than to indulge in nostalgia and dream of the past.
In the end, not even the dragon's unyielding spirit could overcome this bizarre phenomenon.
In his unconsciousness, a faint voice brushed past his mind.
— ...When the time of the promise comes...
— ...Come to me...
With that echoing sound, Artherion sank into a deep sleep.
In his dreams, he once again relived the war of a thousand years ago.
Thud…
At some point, one of the black chains that had bound him shattered and scattered into the air.
The fragments floating in the air slowly began to gather as if guided by an unseen will.
The concentrated black energy moved like a serpent, circling the slumbering dragon.
Sss...
The black energy slowly seeped into Artherion's body as he slept.
Even as it penetrated him, Artherion remained unaware. He continued to dream with his eyes closed.
Hooo...
The black energy writhed like a living being. The immense body of the dragon absorbed the energy as if it were a deep, dark ocean.
Soon, all became still.
Now, only a single black chain remained to bind him.
***
After the strategy meeting, Ghislain called Galbarik aside. There was much to prepare for the upcoming battle.
"Why... did you call me?"
Galbarik, who had been enthusiastically readying the retreat, looked uneasy. He had never had a good experience when Ghislain summoned him directly.
Sure enough, Ghislain placed a hand on Galbarik's shoulder and spoke.
"Don't rush off just yet. There's some work to be done. You've had plenty of rest these past few days, right?"
"..."
"Oh, it'll be quick. Easy work. Won't take long."
"...What is it?"
"We're going to build a fortress."
"A fortress?"
"Yeah, we'll need it to fight the dragon."
"No, no. Do you think a fortress just pops up when you say so? It takes years to build one properly, and there's no way a dragon's going to wait that long!"
Galbarik flared up, losing his temper. He had put up with plenty of absurd demands until now, but this was simply impossible.
Ghislain, as if acknowledging the basic logic, calmed Galbarik down and explained.
"Not that kind of fortress. It's more like a small house. Just something sturdy enough to do the job."
"Hmm?"
"Listen carefully. When fighting the dragon, the mages will need to suppress its magic. That means a lot of people will be gathered in one place. If the dragon rolls around saying 'Wrath!', everyone will be crushed and killed."
Galbarik nodded. The dragon was terrifying not only for its magic but also for its physical prowess.
"So, what do we do?"
"We'll spread the mages out, as far as the limits of their magic interference range allow."
"Hmm... How many fortresses are we talking about?"
"About 30, with around 50 mages in each."
By pooling the mages from the allied forces, about 1,500 were gathered. Even after setting aside those assigned to subjugation missions, it was a sufficient number.
With that many mages, they could successfully suppress the dragon's 9th-circle magic.
"Ugh..."
Galbarik looked utterly drained. It was doable, but there would be no time to rest. The workload never seemed to end.
Ghislain, as always, spoke nonchalantly.
"The dragon won't appear for at least a month. But we need to finish before then. The mages need time to inscribe the concealment spells so the dragon can't find the control sites."
Dispersing the mages served not only to prevent a single catastrophic attack but also to obscure the dragon's vision. The concealment process required additional time.
After sufficient rest, it was now time to execute the next phase of the operation.
There were plenty of laborers in the area. They could finish the work and retreat afterward.
Galbarik reluctantly nodded with a grim expression.
"Fine. Ugh, I'll probably work myself to death before this is over."
Grumbling, Galbarik shuffled off with a weary face to get started.
The mages were also conscripted for the makeshift fortress construction. They needed to set up interference spells to keep the dragon from locating the magic controllers.
Jerome and Vanessa worked together carefully selecting locations. The two planned to coordinate all the magical control efforts.
"This spot should work, don't you think?"
"I think we'll need more rune stones."
It wasn't enough to simply gather mana. Supplemental spells were required to control the immense power.
Thus, the mages carved numerous magic circles throughout the area, using an extraordinary amount of rune stones to amplify their power.
Rune stones were abundant. They had gathered them from nearby areas and requisitioned many from the estate's treasury.
Even magic weapons from the mobile army, which contained rune stones, were dismantled and repurposed.
Although it was costly, the result was the creation of an unprecedentedly massive mana field.
"Wow, with this, not even a dragon could do much," Jerome remarked in awe. They now had complete control over the mana in the area.
Vanessa, however, looked slightly concerned.
"But... do you think it'll really appear here?"
"Hmm, who knows."
The chosen location was the closest route to the capital of the Turian Kingdom.
Ghislain had insisted on this spot as the battleground. If the dragon appeared elsewhere, things would get dire.
In that case, they'd have to charge in with minimal preparation.
"Still, we had to pick a location and prepare, right? It's the most likely route if it's aiming to destroy the kingdom."
"That's true. The Lord has always been right, so this time should be no different."
Vanessa steeled her wavering resolve. Ghislain's methods were always unusual, but his results were consistently correct.
All they could do was trust him, as they always had.
Within a few days, the makeshift fortresses were completed. The fortresses were spaced apart, ensuring that even if some were destroyed by the dragon, the mana gathering would continue.
"Let's double-check everything."
At Jerome's words, the mages entered the makeshift fortresses.
The floors of the fortresses were inscribed with countless magic circles.
The mages' sole focus was to pour their mana into these circles.
However, the location where Jerome and Vanessa stood was slightly different from the others. In addition to the magic circles, two rods were embedded into the ground there.
These rods were auxiliary magic tools designed to aid in mana control.
Standing side by side, Jerome and Vanessa each grasped one rod in their hands.
The rods were positioned close enough that if something happened to one of them, the other could hold both rods simultaneously.
Vroooom!
As the mages channeled their mana, a massive surge of energy gathered in the area. Vanessa controlled and concentrated the mana while Jerome used it to cast a spell.
Fwoooosh!
A Fireball materialized in mid-air. Its size was so immense that it resembled a small hill.
And yet, this wasn't even the full extent of their mana. It was just a light test of the system's capabilities.
"Wow…"
"A Fireball of this size... What the…"
"At this rate, we might actually stand a chance against the dragon!"
The onlookers marveled at the sight.
Those attuned to mana could feel the overwhelming pressure in the area seeping into their very skin.
This was no ordinary magical suppression, where mages individually deployed their spells. Instead, all the mana was concentrated in a single controller.
This setup freed the mages from worrying about dispelling spells—they only needed to keep supplying their mana.
"In essence, we've created a dragon to fight a dragon."
Jerome grinned. With this setup, even 9th-circle spells, known only in theory, could now be used.
While they could attempt ultimate techniques, their practicality was low.
Aside from the inherent risk to their lives, a chaotic melee wouldn't work. The dragon's attacks would reach them before they could finish casting their spells.
That's why suppressing the dragon's magic remained the top priority.
With preparations complete, everyone except those assigned to the dragon hunt began to retreat.
Elena, Arel, and the other non-superhumans would lead the Lutania troops in the withdrawal.
Elena turned to Ghislain with a worried expression.
"Oppa, your mouth is the problem. Please, stop saying scary things."
"…What did I do?"
"Just don't say anything weird. Don't let another strange rumor start."
"…Alright."
Ghislain knew exactly what she was talking about.
A bizarre rumor had spread among the people, claiming that the dragon had appeared because of Duke Fenris.
'I heard the source of the rumor might be Ricardo…'
After causing trouble with rumors about Skovan and being chased out of Perdium, it seemed he was at it again.
Ghislain sighed internally. Knowing the future wasn't easy—it was exhausting. Even when he spoke honestly, no one believed him and instead scolded him.
The remaining individuals waited nervously for the dragon to appear. Now that all preparations were finished, all they could do was wait.
'Will it really appear here?'
'I hope we can negotiate…'
'I'll shred its wings with my twin blades…'
Each person was lost in their own thoughts as the time passed. A few days later, the tension began to ease.
'Hmm, could it show up somewhere else?'
'It's nice to have some downtime, but still…'
'Maybe the dragon's existence is just a lie?'
If not for Erenes' words, they wouldn't have prepared at all. It was Ghislain's belief and persistence that had brought this plan to fruition.
Kaor and Alpoi spent their days gambling. Others trained or rested as time went by.
A month later, a mage standing on watch suddenly widened his eyes.
"It's real. It's really here. The dragon has appeared."
From one side of the mountain range, something pure white emerged.
Even at a great distance, it was visible, a testament to its immense size.
The mage shouted as he launched a flare of mana into the sky.
"The dragon has appeared!"
All eyes turned skyward simultaneously. A massive, white figure loomed, exuding an overwhelming presence.
Under the dazzling sunlight, its scales shimmered, outlining its form with brilliant clarity. It was like a living mountain of snow.
Whoosh!
As the dragon, now close, spread its enormous wings, its shadow darkened the earth below, making everything on the ground seem minuscule.
"Prepare yourselves!"
Ghislain's shout snapped the mages out of their daze. They began to focus and gather their mana. Although they hadn't yet activated the magic circles, they were ready to deploy the mana field at any moment.
Everyone except Yulian gathered around Ghislain, staring nervously at the approaching dragon.
Rrrr...
Flying toward the capital of Turian, Artherion noticed the group below.
The dragon's piercing blue eyes glimmered as it gazed down at them, filled with ancient wisdom and power.
Its long, elegant neck curved gracefully as it turned its head, the very air seeming to tremble.
"Ah, there are bugs."
Artherion thought nothing of it. To him, they were just humans gathered on his path.
He could have ignored them entirely. But these were the first humans he had encountered since returning to the world. Such a significant moment couldn't simply be passed by.
So, he slowly opened his mouth.
Rooooar...
At that moment, it was as if the world had plunged into complete silence.