Even the shadow dragon was shocked to see the body of his strongest lizard cut in pieces. It sent it to dispose of the intruder that was hanging above while he took care of the Valein army. Between a single individual and a whole company, it was obvious what was the bigger threat, but it looks like he misjudged.

"So many people, are those white creatures the Valein I have heard about? and even more controlled animals, but I can feel the source coming from inside that giant lizard body. You should aim to defeat that thing, Silvano."

"Silas!" Silvano was standing at the side of his captor and yelled with happiness after seeing his friend. "I’m so glad you're still alive!"

"There you’re!" He wanted to talk more, but there were a lot of cockroaches waiting their turn to be blasted in the face.

Their screams of happiness were cut short as the shadow began to flap his wings. "I don’t have the patience to deal with two annoying rats in my home." Another wave of foul poison was unleashed from the dragon's mouth.

[Toxic breath]. He not only sent one wave, but he also moved the previous cloud of poison that was hanging around Sesius by making a current with his wings. A double attack straight at Hendrix and Silvano.

"Don’t wander too far, Silvano. This attack could kill you in five seconds." Hendrix summoned a violin and played a note. A shield formed around them, blocking the poison.

They had no way to attack or escape. The cloud of poison was hanging around them, sealing any exits. Sesius took the chance to escape from below the dragon’s claw and jump away to safety.

"Giving up already, Valein? I thought you had more to offer."

"Don’t bother talking to me. I’m going to kill you. Sergeants keep the perimeter and stay away from the poison clouds. Make a retreat and secure the exit. I’m going to kill this monster alone!"

The two sergeants responded and started to retreat in a circle. Silas had to go help Silvano, but he had no idea how. Even if he was resistant to the poison, he had no way to protect Silvano.

How can I take him out of here? The hordes of insects keep coming; if I try to escape on my own, they’re going to arrest me or maybe kill me.

Before he could think of a plan, a cloud of poison was blasted all around. The wave was carried over the troops, and it hit them.

"AAAHHHH!" The soldiers screamed in pain as their armor disintegrated under the toxins. Silas was the only one who withstood the attack. His skin and eyes hurt, but he was part dragon and part shadow.

He looked at the center, where Silvano and the other man were standing. They were safe and sound. "Oh my, that was a good attack, but Silvano still has to fight. I can’t let him die in the first move."

Hendrix was holding two big drumsticks. He pounded a drum below and dispersed the remaining poison with the force of the sound waves.

"Hey, be careful. You hit us!" Silas pointed to a dozen soldiers who were dying. They had no time to stop and help them; the shadow puppets would break the formation and kill them all.

"This isn't my problem. I'm just here to make sure that Silvano can fight whoever infected him. I don’t care about the army or if you’re his friend. I only need to uphold my duty and see his final dirge!"

The drum sounded stronger than before, and the buildings were blown away in pieces. The cave shook like it was in the middle of an earthquake, following the beat of his director. The insects were smashed into a bloody pulp. Nothing could come close to the evil musician.

On the other side of the battlefield, Sesius was holding back his rage. He thought that the human could be another ally, but after seeing the damage and his frivolous attitude toward the deaths of his soldiers, he knew he was another enemy. The earpiece of communication made a noise, and then Silas spoke.

"Please, captain Sesius, my friend is the man behind the crazy guy with the drum. I don’t know what happened, but that guy is not with us; please don’t hurt Silvano."

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"Are you telling me he’s not using his power to help him in any way?"

"Yes, he’s infected with the shadows, but his power only opens portals. I’m sorry about your men, but he’s got nothing to do with it."

Sesius took a moment to consider the possibility of being betrayed. It was small but not zero; under normal circumstances, he would have had Silas arrested, but with these two enemies, he needed help.

"Try to use your power on that human and tell me what you learn. I’m going to kill the dragon. If your companion is innocent, he will stay still until I go there to help."

Silas gained momentum by flapping its wings and running off from the roof of a building. Unlike the shadow dragon, his wings weren’t broken, so he could fly over the battlefield. Not too low or too high, the cockroaches were also crawling along the ceiling, and the roof was failing from the violent sounds of the drum.

I can’t get close; there are too many puppets, and the sound is pushing me back. If I try to force my way inside his attack range, I’m going to be destroyed.

"Such insolence, invading my home and destroying it. Stop that annoying drum and die; everyone should die or accept your destiny as my slave." The dragon charged another [Toxic breath] and the army of insects grew more ferocious.

The [Toxic breath] was aimed at Sesius, but he jumped from a building into the wall, bounced off to the right, and then went straight at one of the legs of the dragon. He moved fast, but the same shield appeared and blocked his attack.

"The same trick; I’m done with you." The claw fell on him again, but this time shadows poured out from the leg like an open wound.

Sesius cut the claws as they descended on top of him. Slashing the shadows and body with swift and small cuts. This was a step beyond his previous defense.

"Moon style: Full moon." Anything that crossed his reach was cut dozens of times from all angles. Sesius couldn’t use this move while moving, but he only had to time it when the dragon attacked him. "I say the same thing to you; trying to crush me the same way was a foolish move."

The sound of a flute began to play in the cave; it was Hendrix. He was playing with expertise and elegance. The insects stopped in their tracks; they were entranced by the music.

"This is a famous tale from our world, but you two wouldn’t know it." He looked down at Sesius and the shadow. "A long time ago, a town named Hamelin was haunted by rats. A man used his flute and the power of music to drive them away. He drowned the rats in a river; doesn’t that sound dreadful? If it was me, I would have made the rats work for me."

He resumed his melody, and the cockroaches turned to attack them.

"Impossible!" the dragon yelled with fury as his slaves turned against him. How dare these measly insects do this. He blew another cloud of poison at the horde, but it was too late.

At the same time, Sesius blocked all the insects trying to kill him. He was using his full power; any moment he let his guard down, his technique would falter, and he would be devoured by the cockroaches or torn to pieces.

"Now, Silvano, wait for your chance to strike at the dragon with your best attack." Hendrix was still talking calmly, but suddenly Silvano and the cockroaches started to writhe in pain.

Slaves who rebelled against their master had no reason to live. Their bodies began to explode, releasing the shadows inside. The shadows formed a storm of darkness as they joined one another over the cavern.

Silvano was still struggling; he was resisting the urge to give up control. This was the last resistance he could muster, but in Hendrix's eyes, this was the end.

"Ah, how tragic. Don’t worry; don’t let the pain overwhelm you. I’m right by your side." He changed the flute into a baton. It was the strongest move in his arsenal, but it wasn’t being used as an attack. "Ode to Joy" was Silvano's final wish, and he promised to play it at the moment of his departure.

"Orchestra."

The instruments manifested in the middle of the air and began to play; at the same time, a storm of shadows descended over the city. They turned into a rain of spears. The music kept them at bay; shields and rays of fire, along with a blinding light coming from the cello, kept the spears away from the two humans at the center.

The shadows didn’t give them a moment of peace; after falling to the ground, they turned into spike tramps surrounding their escape route. The shadows that were destroyed or missed the targets were raised back into the storm for another attack.

It was a perpetual attack, only possible thanks to all the slaves he sacrificed to use this technique, but it was worth it. He could always catch more insects and lizards with enough time.

"Drown under the shadows." The battle was over. Sesius and Hendrix were focused on defense. They had no way to escape the rain of spears. It was a battle of attrition he couldn’t lose. The way things were going, it wasn’t going to last more than two minutes.

"Silvano!" Silas was flying toward the middle of the storm, dodging the spears. "Use your power, Silvano!"

It was a suicide; despite his speed, he barely could keep up with the spears. Several shadows scratched his legs and arms; one almost hit him in the head, but he moved down and ended up with a wound in the forehead.

In the eyes of his two enemies, this was a desperate move, but Sesius saw the truth of this plan.

"Silas, you’re…"

Right as Silas was about to reach the center, the drum turned to face him.

"Don’t interrupt my performance. Can’t you see I’m helping your friend to pass away in peace?"

"Peace, my ass, I won’t let you kill him!"

The drumstick fell, and a sound wave hit him. The buildings were destroyed, and the spears blew in all directions. It was over; there was not even a body left to mourn.

[Shadow mantle]. The shield cracked revealing the broken arms, but Silas was alive and charging straight at Hendrix.