CHAPTER 41 – THE FIRST DRAGON LORD
HIRAYA MISTELTEIN
I've never encountered such an overwhelming fear before. My past experiences involved facing Neo Arcadians, devising strategies against a Dragon Knight, and successfully apprehending a terrorist's lead scientist. Yet, Gazelle Lockwood, their Supreme Leader, transcends anything I've confronted thus far.
Gazelle's eyes, a mesmerizing crimson with black sclera, exuded an otherworldly aura. It was as though they belonged to a creature ripped from the pages of an eldritch horror script—an entity capable of inducing fear of the unknown deep within our hearts.
My attention shifted to Lysander, still grappling with the aftermath of his unstable magical circuits. Beads of sweat streamed down his face, and he clenched his teeth in obvious agony. His body language alone conveyed the undeniable truth: Gazelle Lockwood was the ultimate adversary.
In the eerie silence of the night, Gazelle Lockwood's bone-chilling voice sliced through the darkness. "Hiraya Misteltein, do you comprehend the essence of a Dragon Lord?"
I denied Gazelle's unspoken offer with a subtle shake of my head. Just as I was poised to voice a question, Lysander intervened, taking a deliberate step forward while extending his arm, a silent command for me to halt.
"Stay there, Hiraya," Lysander whispered.
"Follow Lysander's lead, Hiraya," Alris, the Nova Dragon, communicated telepathically. "This guy spells trouble."
Gazelle emitted a hollow laugh. "Hahaha. I'm here for a conversation, not a skirmish with you all, especially not with a prospective ally of mine."
Gazelle's enigmatic gaze fixated on the Nova Dragon, eliciting a sense of threat. The dragon responded with a resounding roar, preparing to unleash its powerful Nova Breath. However, Gazelle Lockwood calmly uttered, "Negating Vesryn Pulse," and his crimson eyes ignited with a fiery red glow.
The transformation was swift—Alris, the imposing Nova Dragon, reverted to his human form, leaving Lysander and me safely grounded.
"What in the..." Alris stammered, examining his human hand in disbelief. "How?"
"This is the influence of the Eye of Deus," Gazelle explained, his tone unwavering. "It wields the authority to command dragons and manipulate their Vesryn Pulse."
Lysander's frustration escalated visibly. His fists clenched, and his magical circuits hummed with restrained energy, signaling his readiness to unleash spells. However, it was apparent he wasn't in peak condition.
The realization hit me hard. If Gazelle could nullify both mine and Alris's Vesryn Pulse, and Lysander struggled to harness his magical abilities effectively, our disadvantage was glaring. The looming presence of Johnny Wolvesbane and Maggie Antlers on the enemy's side only intensified the challenge we faced.
"Hiraya Misteltein," Gazelle's voice echoed once more, his arm extended, palm open wide. "Join me, and you shall undergo the baptism to become one of the six destined to save the world. I'll guide you on the path to becoming the Second Dragon Lord."
In an instant, a burst of light materialized!
"Lightspeed Accel!" Lysander charged with incredible speed, veering to the left of Neo Arcadia's Supreme Leader. His right hook, fueled by the full force of his weight, aimed to strike with unyielding force.
The strain on his body was evident, the grimace of pain fleeting across his features as he summoned the strength to move and wield his magic. Despite the evident injuries inflicted by the Anti-Mage Arrows, Lysander's determination seemed to override his physical limitations.
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Yet, Gazelle effortlessly caught Lysander's fist with his left hand.
Undeterred, Alris leaped forward, wielding his blue flaming sword in a swift descent—intent on cleaving Gazelle in half with a move he called "Nova Crunch." However, Gazelle thwarted the attack effortlessly, using only two fingers to block the descending sword.
Johnny and Maggie poised themselves to intervene, but Gazelle dissuaded them with a knowing smile. "I've got this. Sit back and take a breather."
Exchanging glances, Johnny and Maggie silently concurred.
With an almost casual grace, Gazelle pivoted, hurtling Lysander to the right and Alris to the left. The two of them tumbled across the terrain, resembling helpless ragdolls before settling motionless on the ground.
"Lysander! Alris!" My anguished cry filled the air.
Gazelle's unsettling smile persisted as he advanced toward me. Feeling the imminent threat, I swiftly retrieved my holstered pistol and aimed it unwaveringly at the approaching adversary.
"Hiraya... You are the future Oracle of the Six Dragon Lords, destined to bring salvation to this world," Gazelle asserted.
"Shut up!" I retorted, squeezing the trigger of my gun and unleashing three shots at Gazelle. Yet, an invisible barrier shielded him from harm. Realizing the futility of my regular shots, I infused my bullets with magic. Drawing on the bond with Alris, I conjured a Nova Arrow within the pistol's chamber, and the gun unfurled ethereal blue wings. "Nova Arrow!"
A bluish-green magical arrow soared toward Gazelle, but he made no effort to evade. Instead, he casually caught the Nova Arrow in his hand, dispelling it effortlessly.
"What!?" My disbelief echoed as I charged another spell into my gun. "Nova Arrow! Nova Arrow!"
I fired my ultimate spell repeatedly, but it proved futile. Gazelle nonchalantly caught each arrow, crushing them like squeezing an orange, causing bluish-green mana particles to shower around us.
Fear gripped me, compelling me to retreat from Gazelle. In my attempt to escape, I stumbled over a discarded piece of metal, landing painfully on the ground.
"No... No! Stay away!" I cried, summoning the last shreds of courage to aim the gun at Gazelle's head, my hands trembling uncontrollably.
"Don't you dare touch her!" Alris roared, his voice resonating through the air as he assumed his Partial Dragon Form. Dark blue claws materialized on his arms, and flames erupted from his wings. Two formidable black horns emerged from his forehead, and his sword transformed into a buster sword.
With a forceful kick on the ground, Alris charged at the seemingly invincible enemy. Flames danced on his buster sword as he aimed to sever Gazelle's neck in a single, decisive strike. However, Gazelle, with just a glance from his crimson eyes, halted Alris in his tracks, freezing him in place.
"You should be directing that sword towards humanity, not me," Gazelle muttered, his tone insidious.
"What's happening? What are you doing to my body?" Alris cried, attempting to free himself from the mystical force restraining him. Despite his efforts, the invisible hold rendered him immobile.
Unperturbed by Alris's struggles, Gazelle continued advancing toward me. Fear rooted me to the spot, rendering my body unresponsive.
"Allow me to demonstrate the true power of the Dragon Lord, Hiraya Misteltein. Witness this, and perhaps you'll reconsider joining Neo Arcadia," Gazelle declared with a sinister intent, the promise of a formidable display hanging in the air.
Gazelle's proclaimed Eye of Deus emitted an intense glow, and an overwhelming surge of magical energy surged into Alris. The Nova Dragon's chest illuminated with a vivid greenish-blue light, appearing on the brink of eruption.
Gazelle Lockwood extended his right arm toward Alris, the V-Mark on his palm emanating an ominous glow. His commanding voice, resonating with a force that seemed to shake the very ground beneath us, issued an order that hung heavy in the air.
"With my Dragon Lord Commandment, I hereby decree unto thee: Unleash your full potential and bring ruination upon this city."
"Aaaaaaaargh!" Alris screamed in agony as the condensed mana within him reached its limits.
Without warning, Gazelle uttered, "Dracaryx. Activate Terranova Bomb."
"Uwaaaaaaaaaagh!" Alris's cries pierced the air as he unleashed the gathered magical energy. The energy coalesced into the form of a radiant blue sun, hurtling towards the direction of Tasty Town with devastating force.
A brilliant flash of light seared through the surroundings, followed by a mushroom cloud explosion bathed in bluish neon brilliance. The intensity of the light forced me to shut my eyes tightly for several agonizing seconds, while the deafening explosion reverberated through my sharp ears, causing them to bleed.
As the moments passed, the luminance gradually subsided, revealing the shocking aftermath of Tasty Town—or rather, what remained of it. The town I had once cherished and considered my home had vanished. In its place, an immense hole opened, a gateway pointing down into the abyss of nothingness.
The peaceful haven I had loved was obliterated, leaving only the haunting echoes of its former existence.