yasinovel Chapter 384 The Truth That the World Has Not Yet Been Destroyed
Chapter 384 The Truth That the World Has Not Yet Been Destroyed
Chapter 384 The Truth That the World Has Not Yet Been Destroyed
Rumble!!
Roy and his companions rode their tall, monster-hybrid horses away from Orario amidst billowing dust, until the towering city walls disappeared from sight.
Tione, Haruhime, and Lefia rode in the Divine Wheel and used the Flying Hoof Thunder Ox to scout in mid-air.
Based on the information provided by the precognitive dream, Cassandra's hints included a vision of world destruction, the need to bring as many combatants as possible, and a gigantic, shadowy monster.
LV.7 Roy, Ryu, and Tione; LV.6 Daphne; LV.4 Alexie, Kaguya, Maru, and Haruhime; LV.3 Lefia and Lyra.
This is the combat force deployed for this mission.
Although he thought it was unlikely, Roy was prepared for the worst if the black dragon appeared earlier than expected. He would go all out and, if they couldn't defeat it, he would take a group of people to the dungeon world.
It's practically an invincible trump card!
The distance from Orario to Dragon Valley is not as far as the Great Tree Sea, but it still takes four or five days of continuous travel. Worried about the situation in the north, Alisha, Ryu, and the others were extremely anxious and traveled day and night.
If the distance isn't far, Roy will use "Superior Transfer" to move everyone there.
Unfortunately, it can't be done; the drawback of "upper-level transfer" is its poor long-distance range.
This refers to a range of tens of thousands of kilometers or more!
It can easily cover hundreds of kilometers.
In contrast, the "portal" magic at the Great Tomb of Nazarick can ignore distance limitations and transfer large amounts of resources. Compared to "higher-level teleportation," it has its own advantages and disadvantages, and it would be best to combine the two.
Roy was itching to pull off another heist; there were just too many good things in that great tomb.
But after hunting Shalltear, the old skeleton entered "ultimate caution" mode, making it really difficult to find opportunities for those guardians to be alone, and the story may not necessarily unfold as originally planned.
As for breaking through the Great Tomb of Nazarick, Roy estimated that the difficulty would be no less than defeating the Black Dragon.
Rumble!
After leaving Orario, the party headed north at a fast pace, passing through winding mountainous terrain. The Fairy Peaks, known as the Alf Mountains, came into view. It is said to have been the origin of the elves, but they were forced to relocate due to the Black Dragon. However, many elves were unwilling to leave their homeland and chose to stay.
The towering mountains stretch as far as the eye can see, often shrouded in dark clouds that blanket the sky, accompanied by flashes of lightning and thunder.
"What is that?"
The girls gazed into the distance, and at the edge of the Alpheus Mountains, beneath rolling black clouds, appeared an enormous wall, towering majestically.
What's truly terrifying is that the towering wall doesn't stop at one corner, but stretches endlessly from west to east, until it disappears from sight.
They had never seen anything so magnificent; perhaps only the Tower of Babel could compare.
Roy explained, "That's the Great Wall of Dragons!"
This building was constructed by a group of factions, led by the Orario and Thor clans.
Construction began approximately nine hundred years ago to address the recurring visits to the dragon statue. It is a massive project of world-class scale. Construction and restoration are still ongoing, and completion remains a distant prospect.
This massive defensive wall extends from the westernmost point of the mainland to its easternmost point.
This will isolate the area north of the mainland!
That's a forbidden zone for life that humans cannot set foot in!
Orario is located at the westernmost edge of the continental plate, and they are moving northeastward.
Roy asked, "Lyra, where are we?"
Leila cautiously surveyed her surroundings and smiled, "It's alright, Captain, we haven't strayed off course."
There are no wrong titles, only wrong names. Lyra, nicknamed "The Cunning Rat," may only be LV.3, but she's proficient in countless skills: poison making, setting traps, assassination, reconnaissance—
Alisha and Kaguya have the combat power of a high-level LV.4.
Maru is a lower-tier alternative to Cassandra, a Level 4 healer who is one of the best in Orario, no less than Heiz Bellpert!
The group continued their journey along the "Great Wall of the Dragon".
The Black Dragon, hailed as the ultimate being, is a monster that even Zeus and Hera's Familia failed to defeat, and is the last of the three adventurers' commissions.
This great protective barrier was built to protect the world from the onslaught of the Black End.
The Dragon of the End remains sealed away.
What will come are only some "remnants," that is, dragons that have escaped, and the problem of visiting dragons they face.
Upon seeing this massive protective barrier, everyone seemed to instantly understand the gods' "prophecy": if the next campaign against the black dragon also ended in failure, humanity would have no chance to rise again, be completely swallowed by despair, and usher in the true end of the world.
Once you break through the great defensive barrier and enter the area known as the "forbidden zone," what unfolds across the northern land is a vast, boundless plain, displaying an eerie hue that is neither black nor purple, exuding extreme desolation.
"roar!!"
The familiar yet ferocious roars continued to ring out.
The figures of young dragons, blue dragons, blood dragons and other monsters appeared. They were all rare or enhanced species from a certain floor of the dungeon. It was clear that these monsters had not been weakened! They were all dragons, and their abilities and physiques were stronger than monsters of the same level.
Aside from Ryu and Alyssa, Tione, Daphne, and the others couldn't help but feel surprised.
It's unbelievable to see such a scene on the ground!
It should be noted that the blue dragons and blood dragons that they cleared out as trash in the dungeon could easily slaughter residents within a hundred miles. Even non-Orario adventurers would find it difficult to deal with them.
These monsters came from Dragon Valley.
Roy said in a deep voice, "Clean them up!"
"Yes, Commander!"
At Roy's command, the girls set out to slay the monsters on the wasteland.
On the way there, during his spare time, Roy used the materials he had on hand to upgrade everyone's equipment, so that everyone was at least equipped with epic-level gear.
Alisha, Kaguya, Lyra, and Maru all received new weapons, and their affection for Roy skyrocketed. Who wouldn't like a powerful, handsome, dashing, and omnipotent captain?
"Arisch, I declare Roy to be a better captain than you!" Maru's face lit up with joy as she held the staff Roy had given her. It was made from a branch of the Great Tree and had an absurdly high magical power transmission capacity, which caused a dramatic change in the healing magic she could unleash.
Kaguya, on the other hand, had two small katanas and a long sword, and wore a Japanese robe, exuding elegance and grace.
Lyra's weaponry is diverse, including a magic sword to supplement firepower, a small round shield, a poisoned short sword, and more.
"That's absolutely right!" The two completely agreed with Maru's statement. As the leader, Roy completely crushed Alisha, that idiot who was always hot-blooded.
"Even though it's true, you don't need to say it out loud; it hurts me too!"
Alexie pouted, but her attention quickly returned to the equipment. Her pale green eyes shone brightly as she held the longsword, modeled after her former weapon, "Crimson Order." The moment she touched it, she understood that Roy's skill as a blacksmith was second only to that of a god!
"Alicie, you're really good too." Ryu smiled and comforted her best friend, saying that losing to Roy wasn't shameful.
"Eh? Leon, you've changed!"
"You used to be my sweet little darling, but now you're always taking your boyfriend's side!"
"Boyfriend—that kind of thing!!"
Bang!Bang!Bang!
While chatting, the girls of the clan moved swiftly, like crimson lightning tearing through the night sky, rapidly traversing the scorching wasteland.
The long, slender weapons in their hands trailed a chilling glint in the dim light.
Facing the enormous, ferocious dragon monster, they showed no fear or hesitation. They charged forward, their figures as graceful as dragons, dancing and swaying. Their sharp swords transformed into crescent moons of death, slashing fiercely into the body covered in hard scales.
The monster's muscles were brutally torn apart, and foul-smelling dragon blood gushed out like a filthy fountain.
The ominous-looking magic stone inside the monster's body was instantly pierced by a precise attack.
Bang! Crack!
The magic stone inside his body was shattered!
Those dragon monsters that were just roaring and charging suddenly stiffened, their hard scales turning to ashes and their thick bones turning to dust.
boom!
Roy stood on a hill, observing the battle situation with a clear view. Golden lightning surged from his palm, and with a push forward, the lightning struck instantly, shattering the "Peruda" that was hiding in the shadows and trying to ambush the girls.
The deep-seated monster "Peruda" fires poison needles that can quickly kill LV.4 adventurers; it is also a dragon.
For the people on the surface and most of the Familia in Orario, these powerful dragon monsters are nothing short of a "natural disaster".
But facing the Astrea Spring Clan.
If their situations were reversed, these dragon monsters would be the ones to be slaughtered, weak and pitiful!
"Roy, this feels dangerous!" Liu fought her way through the dragon monsters and came to Roy's side, a trace of worry appearing on her cool and pretty face.
This wasn't Liu's first time visiting this wasteland.
Compared to before, she is now a LV.7 adventurer, and has a Synchro Contract with Roy, sharing skills and development abilities, allowing her to discover even more things.
"Um!"
Roy nodded slightly, his gaze fixed on the distance. The moment he stepped into this place, his keen intuition sensed a suffocating sense of danger deep within this wasteland, enveloping his heart.
The power of LV.7 was as insignificant as a firefly in a storm before that terrifying being who seemed capable of devouring the entire world. The difference was so great that even the soul was frozen and could not muster the slightest will to resist.
Only Ryu, who shared skills, could understand Roy's feelings, feeling despair and fear all over her body.
Liu instinctively grasped Roy's large hand.
With their fingers intertwined, the two felt the synchronized vibrations and warm support emanating from each other's fingertips.
A captivating blush rose uncontrollably on Ryuna's fair and aloof face, like cherry blossoms blooming in the snow, spreading from her cheeks to the tips of her delicate ears. Her fingers did not loosen; instead, they intertwined more firmly with Roy's hand, as if only in this way could they build a small yet warm barrier to resist the great terror that would destroy the world.
Roy's team cleared monsters from the wasteland while venturing deeper into the northern wasteland.
The deeper you go, the stronger the monsters you encounter.
But these monsters still couldn't stop this small team of three LV.7 adventurers!
Finally, the team successfully arrived at "Dragon Valley".
"This is the dwelling place of the black dragon?!"
Those who saw this scene for the first time couldn't help but show a hint of astonishment on their faces. Roy, who had expected it, was also amazed. As one of the three great secret realms in the world, Dragon Valley is completely different from the dungeon and the Great Tree Sea. It does not have caves and valleys that are like abysses, nor does it have complex and ever-changing forests filled with mysterious atmosphere.
That was merely a wildly swirling storm!
The terrifying tornado, stretching from the sky to the earth, was so enormous that words could not describe it. With a diameter of over tens of kilometers, it resembled a raging, world-destroying serpent, writhing wildly across the vast land.
Billions of tons of sand, gravel, trees, and even entire hills on the edge were easily torn apart and uprooted, swept into that suffocating, dark vortex.
The solid ground was mercilessly cleaved with deep wounds, leaving behind a chaotic wasteland.
The sky was stained with an apocalyptic yellow by the swirling dust and debris, and the deafening roar was a desperate lament of billions of tons of matter colliding and tearing apart!
The storm before us is none other than "Dragon Valley"!
A thousand years ago, the black dragon had one eye stolen by the strongest hero, Albert. It escaped from the westernmost point of Orario, spread its wings and came here, where it was eventually sealed away by a great sage at the cost of his life!
As you can see, within the destructive storm, countless huge, ferocious shadows appear and disappear, twisting in the gale – those are the figures of dragon monsters!
Their bodies, covered in dark scales, withstood a storm sharper than even the most advanced level one armor, their crimson vertical pupils flashing with a cold and brutal light.
Roar!Roar!
A series of roars, filled with primal wildness and destructive desire, pierced through the storm and resounded.
Legend has it that the black dragon, whose eye had been stolen by a great hero, descended upon this deep valley and immediately issued a command to its kin, who were then scattered throughout the lower realms—
"Command! All dragons!"
"Gather them all under my command!"
Therefore, dragon monsters that had escaped from the dungeons and were found all over the world swarmed in.
According to the gods, the black dragon needed a large amount of food to replenish its energy in order to heal its lost eye. Therefore, the moment most of the dragons in the world gathered in this remote region, the great wind spirit summoned that enormous storm—
The most ferocious race, the dragons, who brought countless destructions to the lower realms, along with the dragon king who sought to destroy the world, were imprisoned here.
The "Fairy Storm" that sealed the black dragon to this day has been called Dragon Valley by later generations as time has passed.
This gale is the protective barrier that delays the tolling of the doomsday bell. Thanks to it, the black dragon is firmly bound here, allowing the lower realm to survive.
Those who know this information are few and far between, even among the major powers around the world.
The sealing of the black dragon also marked the end of the ancient era and the beginning of the glorious age of gods!
Many gods descended to the mortal realm, bestowing divine blessings upon people and granting them the power to fight against monsters.
In fact, Dragon Valley is the least prestigious of the three major dungeons. The black dragon at its core escaped from the dungeon, and the Great Tree Sea is bizarre and strange, with countless altars and temples of immortals and gods.
However, the other two secret realms have not yet revealed their fangs, but this one is the only one that clearly poses a world-ending threat!
Even for thousands of years, there has been constant turmoil.
The black dragon, sealed away by a celestial essence, falls into a deep slumber, occasionally emitting dragon snores in its sleep.
The snoring shook the storm and caused distortion!
Then dragon monsters escaped from the gaps, which is the truth behind the so-called "Dragon Visit Problem".
Rumble!
Upon arriving at "Dragon Valley," what appeared before Roy and his group was no longer the small-scale skirmishes they had encountered before.
Deep within the storm, lightning crackled and flashed, and on the edge of the gale, between the cracks in the dark clouds, a massive, suffocating shadow revealed the true form of some terrifying being!
A giant centipede?!
The girls were terrified at the sight.
When Alexie, Ryu, and the others solved the "Dragon Visit Problem" before, they had not gone deep into this place, nor had they ever seen such a monster. Their little faces became serious.
The figure that appeared at the edge of the storm resembled a giant centipede, with a body length of fifty or sixty meters. Its overall color was dark purple, unlike the streamlined body of a snake, but rather it was composed of connected segments.
Incongruous with its enormous size were dozens of small, sharp, claw-like legs extending from its sides, wriggling and squeaking, making it look exactly like a large worm.
Physiological chills instantly spread throughout my body.
Its head has ugly mandibles, long and sharp protrusions like the mouthparts of a mosquito.
Instead of feet, the sides of its head have wing-like organs, which allow it to soar through the sky.
Its entire body is covered in hard scales, just like dragon scales, proving its identity—a dragon monster!
Poisonous Centipede Dragon!
The monster on the 67th floor is level 6. If it escapes, it will be a "natural disaster" on the surface!
Sizzle! Sizzle!
Just as the Poisonous Centipede Dragon was about to break through the gap in the Black Dragon's distortion, countless tiny points of light appeared out of nowhere and bound it.
The Poisonous Centipede Dragon struggled, slowly breaking through.
That was a specially made barrier set up by the school district, covering the entire "Dragon Valley," right at the root of the storm.
The "Binding Net of Light" barrier, as its name suggests, will entangle any dragon that breaks through the storm and becomes bound by this net of light, the more it struggles, the tighter it becomes.
This buys valuable time for the arrival of the expeditionary force.
The Great Wall of Dragons, the "Binding Net of Light" barrier of the school district, the storm summoned by the Great Fairy with her life—the people of the lower realm used every means to stop these monsters.
The girls present could all feel the determination and strong will that people have shown over the past thousand years, and their little faces were filled with shock.
And so, we arrived in this era.
The situation has reached a critical point. The power of the Immortal Essence Storm has begun to weaken significantly, and in a few years, the black dragon will be fully awakened.
"Cheer up, we're only dealing with those dragon monsters now," Roy said in a deep voice.
Roy's words brought everyone back to reality.
All eyes fell on Roy, and the girls' eyes grew brighter and brighter.
Several years may not seem like much, but as the Astrea Familia, with a captain who has created countless miracles, they have enough time to develop!
"Drink the medicine!"
Roy swept his hand across the spatial ring, took out a potion, and generously gave each girl an epic-level Heavenly Elixir to enhance their resistance.
Dragons that escape from "Dragon Valley" and have an ability value of LV.5 or higher will release polluted miasma (Dragon Miasma), and the Poisonous Centipede Dragon is one of them.
That gaseous toxin can enter the body through the wound, severely weakening the effects of healing magic.
Even if they all have abnormal resistance, it won't be very effective; they need to rely on medicine to enhance their resistance.
Of course, the abnormal resistance level is still too low.
If one's "abnormal resistance" ability reaches S-level, then one truly possesses an invulnerable body!
"Gurgle, gurgle!"
Upon hearing this, the girls quickly drank the potion, and a dazzling, colorful halo appeared on their bodies.
When the dark purple poisonous mist passively released by the Poisonous Centipede Dragon swept past them, they remained unharmed!
"That's amazing!" the girls exclaimed in surprise.
Roy smiled calmly, feeling great about checking the strategy guide beforehand, and he had to thank Eina for this information.
"Lefia, use an attack spell!"
"Ryu, use 'Residual Light' with me to slay the Poisonous Centipede Dragon and those monsters!"
"Everyone else, be careful of your surroundings!"
Roy gave clear instructions, and the girls responded and took their positions.
"Long-range slashing, that's great, I want to learn it too!" Tione looked at Roy and Ryu with some envy.
The other girls' expressions were pretty much the same.
They cannot enter the storm; to deal with the monsters soaring inside, they can only rely on the mage's ranged magic. Without the "Residual Light" technique, the warriors would be stuck in place, receiving no support other than assistance.
This is why the members of Zeus and Hera's kin went to great lengths to develop this technique.
The only drawback of "Residual Light" is its excessive difficulty in learning. The two conditions—a warrior using a slashing weapon and possessing enhancement magic or skills—directly eliminate more than 90% of people.
However, these two conditions are not absolute.
The most crucial factors are comprehension and talent. Alphia learned it at a glance and used a hand chop to deliver this slash. Her talent was so strong that it was unreasonable.
But my own daughter clearly doesn't have that talent.
Roy was willing to teach, but the other person found it difficult to learn.
At the edge of the sky, the venomous centipede dragon slowly wriggled, raising its eyes and locking onto Roy and the girls.
As if disgusted by the noisy insects in its territory, it gathered a vast amount of magical energy in its ferocious mouth and shot out a beam of light, a slender laser piercing the sky.
Intuitive!
With the skill activated, Roy anticipated the laser beam and retreated more than ten steps like a ghost.
boom!
The laser beam traveled a great distance, accompanied by a piercing bang, and instantly the spot where Roy had been standing exploded violently, creating a huge hole ten meters in diameter, like an abyss.
It was as if the earth had been melted by lasers.
They were about five kilometers away from the Poisonous Centipede Dragon inside the storm, engaging in an ultra-long-range sniping attack that far exceeded the range and power of the Valgon Dragon's artillery fire.
This is how terrifying the monsters in the depths are!
The enemy won't wait for the soldiers to reach them; they can launch an attack from a distance of more than ten kilometers.
hum!hum!hum!
As Roy gazed at the Poisonous Centipede Dragon within the storm, a haughty smile curved his lips.
Remote attacks? That's not your specialty!
Roy's elven holy sword trembled slightly, emitting a clear and melodious sound like a dragon's roar. At LV.7, he no longer needed any other enhancements and could unleash the maximum firepower of this legendary weapon in normal conditions.
call out!
As if summoned, the surrounding magical energy surged wildly from the void, converging at an astonishing speed onto the sharp blade, transforming into crimson flames that coiled around the sword, creating a pure and chilling sword light.
The next moment, Roy swung his wrist forward!
Afterglow!
A highly refined arc of flame-colored light burst forth from the sword's edge, stretching for several kilometers and splitting the howling, raging immortal energy storm at the edge in two, revealing the ferocious Poisonous Centipede Dragon.
The sharp sword light did not stop, sweeping past the massive body of the Poisonous Centipede Dragon, which was over fifty meters long!
"Hiss?!"
The Poisonous Centipede Dragon's eyes, usually filled with cruelty and mockery, revealed extreme astonishment and disbelief, letting out a sharp roar filled with shock and fear.
The dragon's scales, impervious to blades and spears, were easily torn apart by the strikes, without any obstruction. Its massive body was sliced open vertically, separating along a smooth straight line.
Bang!
Along with the demonic stone within its body, the Poisonous Centipede Dragon, filled with intense resentment, vanished into nothingness.
"As expected of our leader!" the girls exclaimed excitedly. So what if there are monsters in Dragon Valley? They'll still slaughter them indiscriminately!
"Lord Roy, another monster!"
Haruhime, who was scouting from atop the wheel of the Divine Might, called out softly. Her weak voice made it hard to believe that she could briefly possess the top-tier combat power of LV.9.
Within the storm, more and more enormous shadows emerged, representing various dragon monsters with abilities generally ranging from LV.3 to LV.6. Deeper within, there were even more powerful monsters, but they did not appear easily.
They are all dragon monsters that have survived from ancient times, serving as the Black Dragon's most loyal guards.
Several venomous centipede dragons opened their blood-red maws at Roy and the others, their chilling laser beams becoming even more dazzling.
"Gospel!"
At that moment, a clear and ethereal aria rang out, drowning out the clamor of the battlefield.
Terrorist attacks followed immediately!
boom!!
An invisible and intangible sonic cannon, with terrifying force, instantly pierced through several kilometers.
puff!puff!puff!
A series of muffled explosions rang out as the head of a Poisonous Centipede Dragon, along with a whole row of monsters behind it, was brutally pierced through by the invisible sonic bombardment, leaving behind huge, terrifying holes!
In an instant, the row of ferocious beasts, like dominoes toppled by an invisible giant hand, burst into a blood mist, and were collectively annihilated with a single blow!
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound.
Amidst the smoke and chaos, a tall, aloof figure stood silently. Alphia's gray hair fluttered slightly in the aftershocks of energy, and her exquisite face remained as calm as if she were isolated from the world. She exuded an absolute sense of power and aloofness that could rewrite the course of battle with every gesture.
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