Border of the Silver Dragon Territory, the air thick with smoke, the battlefield engulfed in flames.
The Black Sun Dragon King, Bly, and the Chaotic Dragon King, Jags, stood side by side.
Bly gazed at the three women ahead of them, their bodies battered and bloodied. They dragged their exhausted bodies, blocking the way of their queen and princesses.
"I don't understand. Two maids, one scout, and you're all still holding on just to protect a dying dragon king." Bly looked at Anna and said indifferently, "Not long ago, your queen dismissed the entire Silver Dragon clan. You all could have fled and saved yourselves. Though you might be seen as deserters, at least you'd have kept your lives, wouldn't you?"
Anna's half-face was covered in blood, her damaged dragon wings were barely hanging on, and her body was on the verge of collapse. But before she died completely, she would not retreat a single step.
"My life… belongs to the queen. It's none of your concern—cough cough—" Speaking loudly caused Anna to cough up blood. She was too weak to continue fighting.
At this point, if the two dragon kings opposite her moved, they could easily take her life.
But so what?
As the head maid of Rossweise, she would never abandon her queen. She would not live alone while leaving her queen behind.
"Hmph, still being stubborn when death is upon you," Jags said lazily, his voice laced with the pride and boastfulness of a victor. "Your queen has already run out of power, and as for those three little rabbits… Even if we spare them, how long can they survive in this chaotic world? Sooner or later,
they will—"
"Don't you dare insult the princess!"
Before Jags could finish, Milan, the maid, gathered magical power, forming a condensed water orb, and hurled it toward Bly and Jags.
But neither of the two moved.
When the magic orb got close, they simply opened a space portal and easily deflected Milan's attack.
"At the end of your strength," Bly yawned, as though growing impatient. He looked at Jags. "You want to go, or should I?"
"I'll go." Jags shrugged, not arguing.
Bly knew that his old buddy always ran faster than anyone when there was danger, but when it came to seizing a chance to contribute, Jags was more eager than anyone.
Always eager to be one step ahead.
Jags slowly started walking toward the three women, whose bodies resembled candles flickering in the wind.
Rossweise was physically and mentally exhausted, her magical power was almost depleted. She collapsed weakly on the ground, using her bloodstained dragon wings to shield her three daughters.
She lowered her head and looked at her daughters. At least, up until now, she had managed to protect them from harm.
A faint smile appeared on Rossweise's tired face.
"Leon… I've protected the girls well…"
Noah held Little Light in one arm and tightly grasped Muwen's hand with the other. Her two younger sisters were trembling with fear, huddling close to Noah.
Noah glanced back at her mother's smile and saw a flash of despair in her eyes.
So, Mom… it was just a smile before despair arrived.
Noah's pupils trembled slightly.
After thinking for a moment, she placed Little Light gently beside Rossweise's hand. "Mom, please take care of Little Light."
"Noah… What are you doing…?"
"Doing what I can."
"Noah, don't!" Rossweise, nearly collapsing from exhaustion, couldn't stop her daughter.
Noah turned to look at Muwen, biting her lip before finally speaking, "Muwen, I need you to do something for me."
"Sister…" Muwen cried out, clutching tightly to Noah's sleeve. "Muwen is scared…"
Noah cupped her sister's face in both hands, looking into her eyes. She spoke slowly and clearly.
"You are that man's daughter. You can do this."
Muen, her face streaked with tears, hesitated for a moment. But in the end, she mustered the courage to nod firmly. "What should I do?"
Noah leaned toward her sister's ear and whispered something.
"Do you understand?"
"Mm-hmm, I understand."
"Good."
Noah encouragingly patted her sister's head, just like their father would do.
Then she turned and walked toward Anna and the others.
"Your Highness? Your Highness, please retreat. We'll hold them off—"
"Milan, your magic element is water, right?" Noah didn't respond to Milan's plea. Instead, she asked.
Milan paused, then nodded. "Yes, Your Highness."
Noah turned to Anna and Shirley. "Anna, Shirley, can you still unleash Dragon Flames?"
Shirley glanced at the head maid beside her, shaking her head. "Anna can't, but I can still manage."
Shirley, too, was seriously injured, but her condition was better than Anna's. At least she could still use the Dragon Flame.
But…
"Your Highness, what are you planning to do?" Shirley asked.
Noah slowly lowered her gaze to her right hand, noticing burn marks in her palm. They were scars left from countless repetitions of the first technique her father had taught her.
"I'm not going to wait here to die. I'm his daughter."
The sound of Jags' footsteps grew louder.
He raised his hand, beginning to gather energy.
"Huh? Are you really sending children to fight now? Seems like you've run out of tricks," Jags sneered, still mocking. "Don't worry, little one, death is quick. There's no pain."
Once the energy was gathered, Jags was about to strike.
But before he could, Milan and Shirley both launched their elemental magic.
The concentrated water orb collided with the searing Dragon Flame in the air, causing a thick fog to explode upon impact.
The fog quickly spread, covering a large area.
In the fog, Jags' vision was obstructed, and the visibility was extremely low.
Jags furrowed his brows, gritting his teeth. He shouted into the fog, "What are you still struggling for?! Isn't it better to just wait for death?"
Before he could finish, two elements—lightning and fire—flashed nearby.
Jags remembered that Leon Cosmodeous's eldest daughter, the girl who had just stood by the maids, had awakened the rare Lightning Element.
As for the fire element, it was probably the scout who had just used Dragon Flame.
"So, you're trying to sneak around under the cover of fog…," Jags snorted. "Childish tricks."
He stepped forward, heading toward the direction of the lightning and fire.
"Whether it's a feint or a diversion, it doesn't matter."
Jags continued mockingly, "I'll kill each of you one by one, and then cut off your
heads—"
Before he could finish his speech, a sharp explosion rang out from behind him.
A small, black figure dashed forward, leaping into the air, and the lightning in her hands shot toward Jags' shoulder like a sharp arrow.
Instantly, a burning pain shot through him, and Jags stumbled, barely managing to keep his balance.
The one who had ambushed him was already preparing another lightning strike.
But this time, Jags wouldn't let her succeed so easily.
Even with the fog, he was able to accurately track the girl's movements.
"Damn brat!" he roared angrily, reaching out to grab Noah's neck.
The fog gradually dissipated.
In the clearing, Jags was holding Noah by the neck, lifting her a meter off the ground.
Noah struggled, but it was futile.
In terms of both size and strength, she was no match for the Dragon King before her.
For some reason, seeing this scene, Bly in the distance had a bad feeling.
Jags had caught the little brat who had ambushed him, but why did this scene feel so familiar?
"Water and fire magic to create fog and obscure vision, then using the twin awakening as bait to ambush with lightning," Jags observed as he looked down at the struggling Noah. "How could a child know these things?"
"I'm not… a child…" Noah gritted her teeth, pounding weakly at Jags' arm, her tail flailing behind her.
"Heh, then what are you?" Jags sneered.
"I am… Leon Cosmodeous's daughter!"
As soon as Jags heard that name, the mocking grin on his face immediately froze.
The hand squeezing Noah's neck tightened with more force. "Your useless father died long ago, lost in a spatial rift. It's been six months, and you still haven't accepted the reality."
"Don't you dare speak of my father…"
Jags squeezed harder, but the little brat still refused to give up.
"Isn't it painful, little brat?"
Jags chuckled darkly. "Say it—Leon Cosmodeous is dead, and I'll let you go. Or I'll make it quick. How about it?"
Noah's heart raced, her breathing shallow, bloodshot eyes filled with fury.
"Let go of Noah, Your Highness!"
"Stay right there! Or I'll snap her neck!"
Jags wasn't joking. Crushing this little brat's neck was as easy as breathing for a Dragon King.
After threatening her, he looked back down at Noah.
"Say it. Your father is dead. He was a coward, a weakling. He abandoned you and your mother to die alone."
Noah tightly gripped Jags's wrist, struggling to open her mouth,
"I… my father… didn't die! Ugh!—"
"If you don't speak, I will snap your neck! By then, you won't be able to say anything."
Noah tightly clutched Jags's arm, her dragon pupils radiating a murderous intent and viciousness that were completely out of place for her age.
The edges of her eyes began to shimmer with scales, and the dragon blood in her body boiled with rage.
"My father… is Léon Cosmodeous! He didn't die! He will come back and kill all of you without leaving a single one alive!"
Jags widened his eyes in shock.
How can a two-year-old dragon have the courage to speak like this to a Dragon King?!
"Well… well, you little thing, since you're so fearless of death—"
Jags threw her to the ground, then turned and transformed into his giant dragon form.
In an instant, his dragon wings darkened the sky, and his shadow enveloped Noah.
The massive and terrifying body of the dragon stood before Noah, its size was exaggerated compared to her tiny form.
Jags slowly lowered his dragon head, bringing it close to Noah.
Just the head of the dragon was already several times bigger than Noah's entire body.
"You're not scared? Little brat?"
The heavy dragon pressure was like an overwhelming force, sweeping toward Noah and instantly engulfing her.
Noah body trembled with fear, and even her heart seemed to stop beating.
But her will… remained unshaken.
Noah gasped for air, gathering lightning elements with her trembling hands, then looked up and glared fiercely at the giant dragon before her.
"…"
Jags was speechless.
The daughter of a monster… is also a monster.
How can she not be afraid?!
How can she still stand here?!
Yet this little brat… still thought she could attack Jags.
"Well… let's see then."
Jags's dragon breath brushed past Noah's hair, "Let's see what your weak and pitiful strength can do to me. I'll stand here and let you attack. What can you possibly do?"
"In the end, won't your fate be the same as your dead father?"
"You all will die!"
"Your mother, your sister, your maid… they will all die!"
"Your struggles are meaningless, little brat!"
The shrill scream of a Chidori interrupted Jags's victory declaration.
Magical airwaves lifted Noah's hair, and her dragon pupils flashed with images of her father and herself together.
Noah's gaze was resolute, and her expression calm, "I told you not to call me a little brat."
"I am his daughter, I am the daughter of the Silver Dragon Queen, and I will not just sit here and wait to die!"
"Then come and try! Your pathetic strength can't even leave a scar on me!"
Noah raised her chidori, thrusting it at the giant dragon before her.
Boom!—
Lightning ruled the battlefield at that moment.
The sharp cry of the Chidori rang out through the heavens, and the mighty lightning elements howled like a waking beast.
And the giant dragon, who had been so arrogant just a moment ago, now let out a painful howl.
Roar!!!
Jags tried to break free.
But the lightning elements had paralyzed his body.
He could only lie there, allowing the surging lightning to dismantle his massive dragon form.
How can a child… a child have such power?!
Jags desperately opened his dragon pupils, and in that lightning, he seemed to see that little brat's back, as though… standing behind her… was another man.
"Is it… you? Is it you?! It's you!!!"
The Chidori exploded, and the lightning surged, turning the dragon's massive body into ash.
When the light faded, Noah stared in disbelief at the scene before her.
The Dragon King's corpse lay at her feet.
This is…
Suddenly, a warm touch came from her small shoulder.
That familiar hand gently rested on her shoulder.
"Well done, Noah."
"Now, go back to your mother and sister."
"The rest of the things, leave them to your Dad."
…
The enormous dragon's body turned into wisps of ashes, scattering with the wind.
Beneath the ashes lay the barely breathing disordered Dragon King, Jags.
Leon slowly walked up to him.
Jags struggled to sit up with all his strength. Upon seeing the emotionless man before him, he panicked and scrambled backward, retreating several meters.
The arrogant and defiant aura from a few seconds ago was completely gone.
Replaced instead by fear.
Fear of death.
"How… are you still alive?" Jags trembled, asking.
Leon stood before him.
Jags no longer retreated.
Because Leon had stepped on his ankle.
He did not doubt that if he moved even a single centimeter, Leon would mercilessly break it.
This Dragon King, who had lived for centuries, was paralyzed under the pressure of a mere human.
Leon looked down at him, his calm gaze hiding an anger that was about to spill over.
"The last guy who hurt my daughter chose to commit suicide with a spatial rift. Such a shame, I never got the chance to kill him myself."
Leon spoke indifferently, "But this time… I won't give you the chance to commit suicide."
"You… what are you going to do—ah!!"
Before Jags could finish his sentence, two thunder swords pierced through his left
and right hands, pinning him firmly to the ground.
Then—
Crack! Crack!—
The sound of bones breaking rang out loudly, accompanied by Jags' howls of agony, echoing across the smoke-filled battlefield.
Of course, Leon wasn't interested in torturing his enemies with bizarre and cruel methods. His revenge was always about efficiency.
And just as Leon was about to take action, his peripheral vision caught sight of another figure not far away.
The Black Sun Dragon King, Bly.
"Ah… I recognize him. He came with you, didn't he?"
Leon spoke slowly, "So, the ones who caused all this were you two. In that case—"
He retracted the thunder swords, grabbed Jags by the collar, and dragged his broken body towards Bly in the distance.
"I'll kill you both."
The fabric of Jags' clothes scraped against the gravel, producing a muffled sound.
It was as if the scythe of death was descending, its blade scraping the ground, the
harsh noise sparking eerie sparks.
Bly reacted just like Jags when he saw the man.
From surprise to shock, from fear to despair.
For a moment, he even forgot to run away.
However, when the grim reaper approached, Bly slowly regained some sense.
He glanced at Jags in Leon's hand.
No saving him now.
Time to run.
Don't hesitate, just run!