CHAPTER 76 – THE DRAGON LORD HUNT

LYSANDER FARADEISS

The ticking clock echoed through the conference room, each second stretching into an eternity. The heavy silence hung in the air, broken only by the weight of judgmental stares from my supposed allies. Their eyes bore into me, silently echoing their collective doubt about my efficacy as a time traveler. Admittedly, they weren't entirely wrong—I struggled with the enormity of my task, trying to save Hiraya from the clutches of the dark side while juggling the skepticism of those around me.

Hiraya, sensing the tension, took charge. With a decisive clap of her hands, the sound reverberated, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. Grateful for her initiative, I watched as all eyes shifted to her, a willing sacrifice in the hot seat.

"Let's divert our focus to the next matter at hand," she announced, flashing a charming smile at the assembly. "Lysander might not be the most adept time traveler, but he serves as a valuable informant. That, at least, should be acknowledged."

Madam Corasell leaned forward, her eyes narrowing as they locked onto mine. "Do you possess knowledge of the future for the coming years?" she inquired, skepticism evident in her tone.

Regretfully, I shook my head. "Not all of it," I admitted. "The events in my timeline have been accelerated—The Purge of Humanity, the bombing of Tasty Town, and the tragic demise of Erudite Anoushka were slated for the future. My interference with the timeline had consequences, triggering a Butterfly Effect that propelled these events forward."

Eva and Madam Corasell exchanged furrowed glances, absorbing the gravity of my narrative. Meanwhile, the silent trio—Kate, Gaeun, and Charlotte—betrayed their acceptance of my tale through their contemplative expressions. The absence of protest suggested a willingness to entertain the notion of altering destiny. Yet, the dissenting thoughts brewing in Eva and Madam Corasell's minds lingered palpably in the room.

Eva's voice cut through the heavy air, her accusation hanging palpably. "Are you saying you made the world worse than it was in the original timeline?"

Hiraya, unable to witness my potential condemnation, rose from her seat in defense. She pleaded earnestly, placing a hand on her chest for emphasis. "Please don't be hard on Lysander," she implored. "It was all done for good reasons. If blame must be placed, it should be on me. I was meant to be the enemy of mankind, but Lysander saved me."

"Hiraya..." I muttered, observing her subtle trembling, a vulnerability concealed from the others in the room.

Madam Corasell, the voice of reason, acknowledged the weight of our actions. "Point proven," she declared. "It was too heavy a burden for one person alone to change the world. Regression Magic caster or not, some things would inevitably spiral out of control."

"Thank you, Madam Corasell," Hiraya expressed her gratitude with a bow before resuming her seat.

Madam Corasell, delving into a folder, skimmed a document briefly before redirecting her gaze toward me. "So, the fact that you had to go back in time means that humanity has suffered defeat in the future, no?"

"Correct, Madam," I affirmed with a nod. "I was the last of the human race, tasked with killing the Dragon Lords before they rose to power. By spilling blood in the past, I aimed to save the future."

Kate's fury erupted as her fist collided with the table, jolting the room. "So you were planning to kill Cap all along!?" she accused, her voice laden with anger.

Hiraya responded swiftly, attempting to diffuse the tension with a forced smile. "Kate, Lysander has his reasons. It's okay now."

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Charlotte, cautious, sought clarification. "Are you sure about this?" she inquired.

"Yes. Lysander has already had a change of heart," Hiraya assured.

Gaeun, unsure, turned to me for confirmation. "Is that true? You're not going to kill our Captain?"

I nodded, meeting her gaze. "That's correct." I scanned the faces around me, ready to address the looming doubts. "Initially, I planned to target the Second Dragon Lord, Hiraya Misteltein. She was meant to be the linchpin in uniting all the Six Dragon Lords, the Oracle of the dragonoids—a prophetess of the future."

Madam Corasell, always discerning, continued her cross-examination. "You mentioned wanting to kill the Six Dragon Lords. Why start with the Second? Why not the First?"

"It's because the First Dragon Lord, Gazelle Lockwood, is shrouded in mystery. My knowledge extends only to his association with Estoff Wraith and the formation of the Old Arcadia. Attempting regression during the Dragonoid Liberation War or the War of the Four Empires would be excessively risky as I was not born on those time periods. I chose to begin with Hiraya because of our personal connection, and she posed a greater threat than Gazelle Lockwood in our timeline."

"Bigger threat? Why?" Kate raised an eyebrow, seeking clarification.

"The Hiraya in my timeline possessed formidable power. She could obliterate cities with her Nova Dragon, conjuring miniature suns even in the dead of night—earning her the moniker Daybreaker. Moreover, she harnessed the full potential of the bell towers, capable of making them resonate. When the bell rang, she could revive any dragonoid from the dead."

"That's quite an overpowered ability I got there," Hiraya commented with a forced laugh.

"Yeah," I agreed, then shifted my focus to Madam Corasell. "That's why the Republic of Dragons in this timeline is like mere kittens compared to the dragonoids from my time. In the previous timeline, humanity struggled, and our only goal was to stall and survive. Now, we have a fighting chance. We've even reclaimed Alterra's territory, which never happened in my time."

Eva, sensing a crucial point, questioned, "So, why are you revealing all of this now?"

"I wanted to gather your insights on these matters. Ever since my supposed best friend, Johnny Wolvesbane, ascended to become the Second Dragon Lord, and subsequently, Hiraya became the Third Dragon Lord, drastic changes have unfolded. I believe it's time to reach out to the others before Gazelle Lockwood gets to them," I explained.

A brief murmur swept through the conference room before Charlotte voiced the unspoken question. "Are you suggesting that we should eliminate the next Dragon Lords before they emerge?"

Hiraya interjected, clarifying, "Not eliminate. Recruit. Since Lysander managed to save me and bring me to the human side, we believe it's better to have all the remaining Dragon Lords join forces against the Republic and Gazelle. This significantly increases our chances of winning the war and prevents further bloodshed."

Madam Corasell, approving of the strategy, smiled. "That is indeed a great idea. Do you know the whereabouts of the remaining Dragon Lords?"

"I do. But to reach them, we'll have to step back from the frontlines," I stated.

"We'd appreciate your input on this, Madam Corasell," Hiraya added. "While reclaiming the cities of Alterra remains a top priority, we believe our presence is still needed in the battlefield."

"There's plenty of fighting to go around, Captain Misteltein," Madam Corasell reassured, smiling. "I'll support your quest to find the next Dragon Lords. Just point them out on the map, and we will give you an airship to get there."

Hiraya and I exchanged smiles, a silent acknowledgment of the path we were embarking on. As I turned my gaze to Kate, Charlotte, and Gaeun, they were visibly celebrating, even sharing a triumphant high-five.

"Woohoo! We're going on a field trip!" Kate exclaimed, celebrating the upcoming journey.

"Hey, you're traveling to do our job, and that is to save the world!" Eva protested.

"Tsk! Party pooper," Kate mumbled, joined by Charlotte and Gaeun.

"Hahaha," Hiraya forced a laugh, attempting to lighten the atmosphere.

Madam Corasell, with a stern gaze, turned her attention to me. "Mister Faradeiss, I'll appoint you as the one in charge of your itinerary. I presume you know best."

"Okay," I responded, rubbing my chin as I contemplated the next steps.

Among the next three Dragon Lords, if I followed the previous timeline, there were now four candidates with Johnny as an addition. As I considered the possibilities, a certain female mermaid from a nearby secluded island came to mind.

"First, we need to go to the island of Atlanticus—the undersea island of mermaids. If we follow the order from the previous timeline, a teenage female mermaid named Velissa Petrova comes to mind as the Next Dragon Lord," I explained.

Eva and Madam Corasell exchanged troubled glances before redirecting their attention back to me.

"But... Atlanticus was already bombed by the Alientech Dragon two days ago," Eva delivered the unsettling news.

"W-What!?" I exclaimed, shock and disbelief registering on my face.