CHAPTER 180 – HIRAYA’S DRAGON LORD COMMANDMENT
HIRAYA MISTELTEIN
I vividly recall the moment when I ascended to the title of Third Dragon Lord, an event etched into my memory like a brand. It was the day I brought Lysander back from the brink of death, transforming him into a pseudo-dragonoid by embedding the Heart of Exceria into his chest. The memory of that fateful time when Johnny Wolvesbane, our sworn enemy, invoked his Dragon Lord Commandment lingers like a dark shadow. He twisted the minds of Kate, Charlotte, and Gaeun, forcing them to unleash their Partial Dragon Forms against their will, turning my comrades into unwilling puppets in his cruel game.
Watching them fight with every fiber of their being against the control that had overtaken them, I made an unbreakable vow. I swore never to wield the Dragon Lord Commandment to manipulate my allies, vowing to avoid becoming the tyrant Lysander once feared I could become, the very monster he had fought so hard to keep me from becoming.
Yet, there were times when I had no choice but to use the Dragon Lord Commandment. In the chaotic battles at Onishira, when Gazelle unleashed his own commandment, the situation demanded I seize control of the dragonoid armies. It was a decision driven by necessity, a move to counter an unstoppable force, and though I hated myself for it, I knew there was no other way.
Since then, I have resisted the temptation to use my commandment in the battles that followed—the harrowing fight against Nocturnia’s Famine Dragon and the relentless assault by Kraghelm’s Conquest Dragon. I wanted Charlotte and Gaeun to feel the true power and responsibility of the Vesryn Pulse, to let them bask in the glory of their own strength without my interference. They needed to prove to themselves that they could conquer these mighty foes, and so I held back, offering only minimal assistance.
As I stood before the Queen of Dragons—a colossal, majestic Nexus Dragon with scales that shimmered in a hue of bluish-white—dread washed over me. Even with the combined might of the Daybreaker Squad, I knew deep down that our defeat was all but certain. Lysander’s inability to stand against this overwhelming force was proof enough that we were facing an enemy far beyond our capabilities.
I turned my gaze to Lysander, who lay writhing in unbearable agony. Chains and blades cruelly impaled his body, each one a source of excruciating pain that twisted his features into a mask of torment. Black blood oozed from his wounds, staining the ground beneath him like a dark reminder of the suffering he endured. The sight of Lysander in such a wretched state ignited a fierce hatred within me, a burning loathing for Arthur that consumed my thoughts.
My eyes fell to my gloved hand. I clenched my fist tightly, the fabric creaking under the pressure as I grappled with my own hesitation. The urge to unleash my full power gnawed at me, yet still, I hesitated to remove the gloves that kept my strength in check.
“Hiraya.” Kate’s voice broke through my turmoil, drawing my attention. When I looked up, I was met with her steadfast smile, one filled with unwavering resolve. Beside her, Gaeun, Charlotte, and Meike mirrored her determination. Their faces radiated a fierce will to fight until the very end, no matter the cost.
“Do what you have to do,” Meike urged, her voice steady and full of trust.
“Thank you, everyone,” I replied, a smile of my own forming as I nodded in gratitude.
There was no more room for hesitation. The time for restraint had passed. I pulled off the gloves, revealing the Mark of Vesryn—a crimson V-shaped insignia etched deeply into the flesh of my palm. As it came into view, the mark began to glow with an intense, otherworldly light, responding to the prayer that rose from my lips.
“With the authority of my Dragon Lord Commandment, I command you, Kate, Gaeun, Charlotte, and Meike—to unleash your true forms and activate the Vesryn Pulse!” My voice rang out, echoing through the battlefield.
In that instant, my friends were enveloped in a radiant golden light. Kate’s form shifted and grew, transforming her into a crimson blazing dragon with a mechanical right arm that hummed with power. Gaeun took on the shape of a silver bestial dragon, her nine tails flickering with lethal grace. Charlotte became a massive, turtle-like dragon, her back bearing two colossal cannons ready to unleash devastation. Meike transformed into a sleek, black dragon, her scales crackling with vibrant orange lightning.
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The Warflame Dragon, Kyubi Dragon, Panzer Dragon, and Tachyon Dragon roared in unison, their mighty voices reverberating through the castle's interiors like an earthquake. The sheer force of their synchronized roars sent shockwaves rippling through the ancient stone walls. Windows shattered into a cascade of glass shards, and massive pillars buckled under the pressure, collapsing in a thunderous crash.
“What the hell?” Arthur gasped, his eyes wide with disbelief as he witnessed the destruction these four dragons were capable of within the confines of the Imanity Empyrios Quinella. “They can wield their powers inside this sanctum?”
The Warflame Dragon's mechanical arm shifted with a metallic whirr, transforming into a formidable rocket launcher. Without hesitation, it unleashed a relentless barrage of missiles, each one streaking through the air with deadly precision toward the Nexus Dragon.
Meanwhile, the Kyubi Dragon's nine tails shimmered with an ethereal fire, each tail forming a glowing orb of flame. With a flick of its tails, the Kyubi Dragon sent the fire bubbles hurtling toward the Nexus Dragon, each one leaving a trail of heat in its wake.
The Panzer Dragon, with its massive, turtle-like form, locked onto its target. Its twin rail cannons charged with a menacing hum before firing a concentrated blast of energy straight at the Nexus Dragon’s throat, aiming to silence its fearsome roar.
The Tachyon Dragon, its sleek black scales crackling with vibrant orange lightning, unleashed a torrent of electrical energy that surged toward the Nexus Dragon’s stomach, the air itself sizzling with the sheer power of its attack.
“Graaaaah!” The Nexus Dragon cried out in pain as the combined onslaught forced it back, its colossal form crashing into the throne room of the castle. Debris flew in every direction, and the once-mysterious stronghold began to disintegrate, its walls crumbling as if under the weight of the dragons' fury.
Without wasting a moment, I rushed to Lysander's side. He was still pinned to the ground, swords cruelly impaling his arms, body, and legs. I grasped each blade, one by one, and wrenched them free, blood staining my hands. Then, with unwavering resolve, I pointed my Dragon Lord Commandment at him, channeling nearly half of my mana into the spell.
“With my Dragon Lord Commandment, I order you, Lysander Faradeiss, to regenerate your wounds!” I chanted, my voice steady and filled with determination.
In an instant, all of Lysander’s wounds closed, the flesh knitting itself together as if by some divine force. He slowly rose to his feet, his eyes wide with disbelief as he looked at me, the pain and desperation fading from his gaze.
“Hiraya…” Lysander whispered, his voice filled with awe. “You’ve come.”
“Of course,” I replied, taking his hand and pressing it gently to my chest, feeling the steady rhythm of my heartbeat beneath his fingers. “I told you. You are always a part of me.”
Our brief moment of reunion was abruptly shattered by the sound of falling debris. Half of the castle had already been reduced to rubble, and what remained of the walls now exposed the open skies above. The Nexus Dragon, despite the grievous wounds inflicted by the combined might of the Daybreaker Squad’s dragons, rose once more, its massive form still towering and defiant.
“Hahaha… Hahahaha!” Arthur’s maniacal laughter echoed from atop the Nexus Dragon’s crown. “Did you plan for this too, Hiraya Misteltein? Did you counter my Imanity Empyrios Quinella by arriving late, so that you and your pesky lizard friends would remain unaffected?”
“That’s not my only plan, Arthurius Elkyria Neos!” I retorted with ferocity, the fire in my voice undeniable. Lysander and I clasped hands tightly, and a brilliant golden light began to radiate from our chests, growing stronger with each passing second. “We still have more cards to play! Activating Vesryn Pulse!”
As soon as the words left my lips, a blinding golden flash engulfed us, and in the next moment, I found myself astride the dragon form of the man I loved. He had transformed into the magnificent Trailblazer Dragon, its scales gleaming white as snow, and its wings blazing with ethereal blue flames.
“Raaaaaaaaah!” The Trailblazer Dragon roared, the sound carrying both power and resolve.
The Trailblazer Dragon was far more powerful than the Necroblaze Dragon, a testament to the incredible strength of the Vesryn Pulse. With my heart and Lysander’s beating in perfect harmony, our magical energies intertwined and amplified, creating a force that dwarfed the power of the Necroblaze Dragon. Together, we had become something far greater, a beacon of unstoppable strength poised to turn the tide of battle.
“Hiraya.” The voice of the Trailblazer Dragon echoed in my mind, clear and resonant, a telepathic call that carried both urgency and calm.
“What is it?” I responded, my heart pounding in sync with the dragon beneath me.
Suddenly, a staff materialized in my hand, its form familiar yet strikingly new. It was a long, white staff—the same one Lysander had once wielded to conjure fields of vibrant flowers, a symbol of life and renewal.
“You are the promised reincarnation of the goddess,” the Trailblazer Dragon continued, its voice filled with a deep, unwavering conviction. “I know you can unleash the power within us five.”
I gazed at the staff, feeling the weight of destiny in my grip. My fingers tightened around it as I began to channel my mana, the energy flowing through me like a river of light. With a silent yet fervent prayer, I closed my eyes and focused all my will into the ancient relic.
“Oh dragon contractors of the Dragon Lords,” I muttered, my voice barely more than a whisper, yet carrying the weight of an oath. “Lend me your full strength! Unleash the full power of the Vesryn Pulse!”