Chapter 427
"......."
Petria bit her lip tightly.
Then she grinned, her mouth stretching so wide it nearly reached her ears.
Crrrack!
Crunch!
Perhaps she no longer felt the need to keep pretending—Petria's body began to change.
First, her neck elongated. No, it didn’t just grow longer, it stretched high into the sky.
"Kyaaaaaaa!"
"Gasp!"
People watching nearby screamed and fled in terror. Even to Simon, it was a truly grotesque sight.
‘Just like that dragonkin monster we saw in the dungeon……!’
Craaaaackkk!
Petria’s neck continued to rise with the force of piercing the sky, and faint blue scales began to appear along it.
“She’s just standing there transforming—”
Vrrrreeeeee!
At that moment, a dazzling beam of light burst from Lete’s right hand.
“You think I’ll just stand here and wait, huh?!”
As she pointed her index finger at Petria, a concentrated beam of light pierced through Petria’s chest.
“Pe, Petria!”
“A direct hit to the heart!”
The crowd murmured.
However—
Petria’s transformation did not stop. She was no longer relying on a human body.
[Worship me.]
A voice like crushing weight echoed through the air.
Petria’s endlessly lengthening neck turned bluish, her entire body now covered in scales.
With a crack, her torso thickened as well.
Her face elongated like a reptilian snout, while gray hair, like a human's, burst out from her head. Sharp teeth filled her gaping mouth. Two arms sprouted from her sides, and a white mane grew along her back.
The body Lete had pierced now fully degenerated, becoming a tail.
[I am Karisa.]
A dragon with a serpentine body, covered in blue scales, and crimson eyes, looked down upon the humans.
[An immortal being, fundamentally different from dust like you.]
Worship me.
The blue dragon repeated.
That alone was enough to stir up the waning blizzard into a renewed rage.
Blades of cold wind pounded fiercely against the village’s barrier. In several places, the barrier shattered, and the cold storm rushed in.
“Everyone, evacuate inside the buildings!”
Simon shouted.
“The dungeon master isn’t a normal monster! This place is too dange—”
“Evacuate? Never! I won’t be fooled again!”
Suddenly, a man rushed forward, standing before Karisa.
It was the middle-aged man from Escaille who had clashed with the lord of Coola earlier.
“Snow Maiden! Is it truly you? I knew you were alive!”
He was overwhelmed with emotion at Karisa’s appearance. Then he turned to the other Escaille people and shouted.
“Behold, everyone! The Snow Maiden is here! What are you afraid of? This is her true form!”
Murmur, murmur!
“The Snow Maiden?”
“That monster……?”
Lete scowled.
“I already said she’s a dungeon master, didn’t I?! What kind of bulls—”
“Lete.”
Simon stopped her.
The man didn’t seem to hear anything anymore. He was already lying flat on the ground, worshipping Karisa.
“Oh, great Snow Maiden!”
The atmosphere was shifting strangely. The murmurs among the Escaille townspeople were growing louder.
[Yes. That’s it. Pitiful mortals should crawl on the ground.]
And Karisa did nothing to stop the man who worshipped her.
Emboldened, the man stood up and faced the villagers.
“Why talk about reconciliation with those Coola bastards! As long as the Snow Maiden is on our side, we have nothing to fear, even if a Saint stands with them! Come, follow me!”
“He’s right!”
“We’re just going to let Coola trample over us? No way!”
Several aggressive Escaille residents began crossing over to Karisa’s side.
Then voices of condemnation rang out from the Coola side.
“How can you wear a human face and worship a monster?!”
“Get a hold of yourselves! That’s a monster!”
The sides were forming.
Pro-Karisa Escaille villagers vs. everyone else.
The ones who had joined Karisa began aggressively confronting the other Escaille people, calling them traitors.
“Snow Maiden!”
The middle-aged man who had first sided with Karisa shouted with a grin splitting his face.
“Please destroy the Coola scum, the traitors, the blasphemous Saint, and those outsiders!”
Sssssss—
Karisa slithered forward, her long body wrapping around the man.
He spread his arms wide in delight, as if he held immense power. Simon and Lete shouted in alarm, but he didn’t listen at all.
“It’s over for all of you now! The Snow Maiden will—”
Crunnnch!
Blood splattered.
Squish! Squish!
The sound of flesh being crushed followed as blood poured from Karisa’s jaws, streaming down like rain.
“Gahhh!”
“W-why……?!”
The Escaille people who had joined Karisa stumbled back in shock.
[Worm-like mortals.]
Karisa’s eyes turned cold.
[You dare issue orders to me?]
The Ice Dragon Karisa opened her mouth, drawing in breath for her frost breath.
<Cloud>
Simon immediately extended his arm, pulling the people who had gone to Karisa’s side back with Cloud.
<Holy Barrier>
Lete, without hesitation, leapt into the air. At the same moment, Karisa’s breath launched.
KRAAAAAAAHH!
Piercing cold surged forth. Lete’s defensive magic directly clashed with the breath.
The shards of ice repelled by the holy shield fell like hail.
Hahahahahaha!
Karisa let out a great laugh as she slithered through the village. Her massive body scraped the ground as she moved, smashing the frail buildings like sandcastles.
“What are you doing?!”
Simon shouted as he ran. He had already asked the lord of Coola to lead people to safety.
“They were your worshippers!”
[They are now nothing but useless mortals.]
The blue dragon’s eyes flashed.
Just like how the Mizenashi had tried to use the dungeon’s anomaly and Karisa to exact revenge.
Karisa had merely used the humans.
Decades ago, when the spatial distortion first occurred, Karisa had been cast onto the continent with the dungeon in an extremely weakened state.
Then, by chance, the mages of Mizenashi, who had been driven into the snowy mountains by Coola, discovered the dungeon, and declared they would serve Karisa.
Mizenashi created the legend of the Snow Maiden to hide the dungeon, offering human flesh or monsters from outside the snowy mountains as sacrifices to Karisa.
As time passed, Karisa’s strength steadily returned, and the blizzards she stirred grew fiercer.
Had they lasted just a few more years, she could have reigned supreme—but the involvement of outsiders created a new variable.
[The timing may have been accelerated, but it doesn’t matter! I am the one who shall rule this world!]
Karisa’s mouth opened wide.
[I will kill all who know the secret, and create my world with eternal frost!]
Lete, who had landed after blocking the breath, shouted at Simon.
“No need to talk to someone who won’t listen! Let’s just take it do—!”
Her words were cut off.
Crackkk!
Karisa’s tail shot out from a crack in the ground and lashed at Lete like a whip.
<Golden Transmutation>
At once, golden buildings rose to block Lete’s front.
Crack!
Karisa’s tail struck the structure and then recoiled.
“Lete! Are you okay?”
Simon rushed over.
In his hand was a staff.
[It’s been a while! Kya-ha-ha!]
Lete’s eyes widened as she heard Herseba's voice.
“…A talking staff?”
“I’ll explain later. Just focus on the fight for now!”
Since the power was based on Darkness, he had been hesitant to use it, but now that everyone was indoors avoiding the cold, it was worth a try.
THUMP!
Simon slammed Herseba onto the ground.
<Golden Transmutation>
The ground turned golden and floated into the air.
He gripped Herseba and swung with all his strength, shattering the platform into fragments that rained down on Karisa.
[Pathetic!]
With a roar, Karisa froze the golden shards midair. They fell to the ground, encased in ice.
[Mortals! You are destined to perish. Why resist fate and struggle? I will—]
WHAM!!
Something collided with Karisa’s head. As Simon looked up, he saw a streak of pure white tracing across the wide sky.
“Shit.”
Lete stood with her index and middle fingers pressed together, palm raised to the sky.
She had just summoned a ‘Meteor’.
“Don’t underestimate a Saint, bastards.”
KABOOOOOM—!
Struck hard in the head, Karisa crashed into the village.
The meteor that struck her continued far beyond, slamming into the side of a distant mountain.
As blinding light rose in the distance like a rising sun, Simon could hardly believe his eyes.
[What the……!]
Karisa groaned and began to rise.
[How can a mere mortal possess the power of the immortal?!]
Lete lowered her fingers.
BOOOOOM!
Once again, Karisa’s body was struck by a small comet from the sky and crashed to the ground.
The village buildings were destroyed even worse than when Karisa had torn through them before.
“Seems like your ears are clogged, so I’ll say it again.”
In Lete’s pupils, clearer than ever, symbols of the stars gleamed.
“Don’t get cocky, lizard.”
Watching this, Simon let out a dry chuckle.
‘I figured Lete would be next level if she became a Saint……’
[Kid, I’m scared of that woman.]
Even Herseba murmured quietly.
Craaaaack!
Suddenly, ice pillars shot up throughout the village.
Simon and Lete froze. Inside the ice pillars, the fleeing villagers were trapped.
[Encased in ice, wrapped in mana.]
Karisa raised her massive body once more. Incredibly, she was still able to get up even after being hit by two meteors.
[If you use that technique on the village again, innocent mortals will be caught up in it too. Isn’t that right?]
Lete bit her lip.
As a Saint of the Stars, her powers had overwhelming destructive force and range, but their only problem was being too strong.
Not ideal for situations where one had to avoid involving allies or civilians.
Then—
“Lete! I’ve got a good move. When I give the signal, run straight to me and grab my hand!”
“…What’re you scheming now?”
Lete asked, furrowing her brows, and Simon grinned.
“You’ll see when you get here!”
Karisa’s frost breath surged toward them. Simon and Lete pushed off the ground simultaneously, splitting to either side.
Tatata-tatatat!
Simon sprinted at full speed, tapping empty buildings around him with Herseba.
<Golden Transmutation>
THUMP!
Then he slammed the ground with Herseba, sending golden-transmuted buildings soaring into the air toward Karisa.
[Pathetic attempt!]
Just Karisa moving her long body stirred violent gusts of wind.
As she blew away the building debris, Simon continued narrowing the distance.
Tap.
In response, Karisa planted her tail against the ground.
FWOOOOOSH!
And swept it like a broom. The surrounding buildings split in two, and Simon leapt into the air to avoid the tail.
[Goodbye, then!]
As if waiting for that, Karisa opened her mouth and lunged, swallowing Simon midair and slamming her head into the ground.
“Simon!!”
Lete screamed in panic. Crunching sounds echoed from Karisa’s jaws.
– Keeeeeegh!
But Karisa suddenly jerked her head up from the ground, thrashing in pain. Blood poured from between her gums and teeth.
“Can’t just shove me in your mouth like that.”
Simon was climbing out of the dragon’s jaws. His Overlord blades, drenched in blood, vanished into subspace.
Then, sliding down Karisa’s neck, he raised Herseba.
‘Third Authority!’
Ssshhhhhhhhhhh!
Golden sand began swirling around Simon and Karisa.
Simon reached out with the hand not holding Herseba.
“Now, Lete!”
Tap!
Lete launched herself toward Simon.
[Nooooooo!]
At the same time as the blue dragon’s furious roar—
FLASH!
All three figures were swallowed by the sand and vanished.
“…Ugh.”
Lete, sitting on the ground, opened her eyes to silence. She felt particles sliding over her legs.
‘Sand?’
And ahead of her stood Simon, robe fluttering. He turned around and asked,
“How is it?”
The surroundings had changed.
From the frozen mountain storm, now they were in a night desert, filled with nothing but sand.
Lete stumbled to her feet in confusion.
“W-what is this?”
“We trapped Karisa and ourselves inside another dungeon.”
Just as he said, Karisa was shaking her head on the opposite side, glancing around.
[You lowly being dare……!]
“Now then.”
Simon clapped his hands.
“Let the counterattack begin.”
Ruuuuuuumble!
Rumble rumble!
Lete flinched and stepped back.
Across the barren desert, countless golden structures began rising.
– Gyaa-gyaaa, gyagyagya!
From within them, citizens of the golden city—mummies—started to emerge one by one.
‘Herseba! Can you summon the Ancient Undead from the dungeon here temporarily?’
[Of course I can! But those friends are in a different dungeon, far across dimensions. Calling them here will consume a lot of power.]
The more Herseba used its power, the shorter the dungeon’s duration would become.
How many to summon was the critical question.
Of course, there was no need to summon all four.
‘Lete’s here too, so just one will do.’
[Which one?]
Simon smiled.
‘Feer, please.’
As soon as he finished speaking, a chilling air swept over them, and the area turned into gray tiles and walls.
Herseba had recreated the ‘Feer’s Ruins.’
At its center, atop the altar, stood a tall, cloaked skeleton, grinning.
[Keh-heh, boy! You called during busy times!]
“Sorry, Feer. How’s the dungeon raid going?”
[Going alright! But we’ll talk about that later.]
Simon approached and took Feer’s hand. With a shhh sound, Feer’s body split into hundreds of parts and attached to Simon’s body in the form of Bone Armor.
Feer’s skull descended over his head like a helmet, the cloak wrapped his shoulders, and the Greatsword of Destruction gripped in his right hand.
[Whatever you're planning!]
Karisa opened her mouth wide and launched a frost breath.
[Disintegrate!]
A wave of deathly frost painted their vision blue as it approached. Simon lowered his stance and angled the greatsword.
‘Along with the space—’
He planted his foot firmly on the ground, his shoulder and arm following through.
Finally, his waist turned, and the white greatsword sliced through the air.
‘Feel the cut!’
SLLLLLLAAAAAASH!
The pure white slash cleanly split the frost breath in two.
Lete, watching a bit from afar, saw ice shards falling across the golden city.
‘…This is the power of a Legion Commander, equal to a Saint.’
It was her first time seeing Simon’s ‘Feer’ transformation as well. She bit her lip lightly.
Snap!
Then she flicked her fingers, and a massive holy subspace opened.
From within, something white flew out and embraced her, lifting her into the sky.
“What the—”
Simon’s eyes widened.
“Ran! Since when did you get so big?”
Lete’s main summon.
The white dragon, Ran, roared with Lete seated on its head.
“I won’t fall behind you!”
Lete smiled down at Simon.
“Just what I wanted.”
Lete raised her hand toward the sky, and the stars sparkled.
Simon lowered his hand toward the ground, and the army of undead mummies cried out with the wails of the dead.
[You……!]
Karisa stumbled back.
[Are you really mortals!!]
Superb.
When are we getting more free chapters?
Thanks for the new chapters