Chapter 458 – Returned (4)

Lion King Dorph had a shocked expression as he scoffed at the Dragon half-blood who was letting out a faint light.

"Hoho, I wasn't even paying any attention because a weak bastard was joining in, but..."

He looked toward the Dragon half-blood in disbelief before it turned into a pitying gaze.

"You've become weaker than a regular human. How did you end up this way, sir?"

Dorph's tone changed to a respectful tone.

Ooooooooong.

Dark aura was still gathering around him, but Dorph didn't care as he started to take step after step toward the Dragon half-blood.

"Really, how did you end up this weak, sir? Hmm? For our liege's son to be like this. This makes me very sad."

The liege's son.
People behind Dorph started to whisper while Beacrox, On, and Hong flinched as they looked toward the Dragon half-blood.

– Human! Isn't the Dragon half-blood not the White Star's son? The Lion King is speaking nonsense!

Cale heard the Dragon half-blood's voice as Raon commented in his mind.

"…I'm his son?"

The Dragon half-blood's annoyed face instantly started to frown. There was a much deeper emotion than anger on his face.

"Of course. Are you not his son?"

The Dragon half-blood looked toward the relaxed Dorph with contempt.
Not only was he not really the White Star's son, it was also funny seeing the person who treated him the least like a human being saying such things.
It was not to the level of not treating him like a human being. Dorph had always looked at him with scorn and pretended that he did not exist.

Lion King Dorph and Bear King Sayeru.
These two people were people the White Star approved of, and they always looked down on the failure that was the Dragon half-blood.

So it was unbelievable that Dorph was calling him the White Star's son and being respectful with him.

"…Are you crazy?"

The Dragon half-blood looked toward Dorph and asked as the smile disappeared from Dorph's face and he responded in a cold voice.

"I'm sure it is our liege's son who has gone crazy. He dares to betray his father who created him and charged into this place with that feeble body of his. Am I not right, sir?"

Crunch, crunch.

Dorph started to frown as he continued to walk across the dry ground in the falling snow.

"You choose to become enemies with the person who blessed you with your strength? You're the crazy one, you bastard."

The Dragon half-blood started to frown even more.

'Blessed?'

It was true that he became strong thanks to the White Star. It was also true that he created him. The White Star was the one who had turned him into this monster, into this chimera. However, that was not a blessing. He had to turn into a monster after enduring pain and loneliness.
He ended up as an evil being who was closer to a demon than a Dragon.

Of course, he didn't plan on blaming the White Star for everything. He was the bad person for killing so many people and deserved punishment as well.

"Hehe-"

He started to laugh. He then raised his hand.
His skinny hand was shaking.

Ooooooooong-

Light gathered in his hand.

"Ha! What do you plan on doing with that puny amount of power?"

The Dragon half-blood stopped smiling and started to speak as Dorph mocked him.

"Did you think I would not realize that you were stalling for time while talking to me?"
"What?"

Dorph's face stiffened a bit and the small amount of light that gathered in the Dragon half-blood's hand started to move.

Ooooooong-

The small light broke into even smaller pieces as they dispersed in different directions.
However, they were so small that the lights looked as if they would disappear if they even touched Dorph's fist.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Dorph looked toward the strands of light in confusion before his face stiffened completely.

"No way!"

The thin and weak strands of light shot out and entered the village that was being used as a secret base. Dorph shouted to his subordinates behind him.

"Block it! Don't let it get past the barrier!"

Arm's second secret base that looked like a calm and secluded village.
Although it was difficult to determine the first through third boundaries here, there was a transparent wall that detected intruders and prevented unapproved powers from entering inside the wall.

Cale looked at the anxious Dorph and recalled what the Dragon half-blood had told him.

'That transparent wall is similar to a shield. The White Star, someone I don't really know, and Becrock worked together to create it about ten years ago.'

The Dragon half-blood had continued on with certainty.

'That wall is not something even your young Dragon or even the ancient Dragon can easily destroy. It would take them a long time even if they managed to eventually destroy it. It would be difficult for your ancient powers as well. You'll probably have to cough up a lot of blood.'
'You look quite happy for someone saying that.'
'…It's because there is a way.'

The Dragon half-blood knew the weakness of the defensive wall.

'That wall blocks all powers except the powers of people registered to the village. That makes it easy for people who live at the secret base village to come and go. What do you think? Do you see what I'm getting it?'

Cale did slowly start to see a way to get past the wall after hearing what the Dragon half-blood had to say. What the Dragon half-blood said next made the answer perfectly clear.
The Dragon half-blood had said through the video communication device with a pale expression on his face.

'…My power should still be registered in the village. There should have been no reason for them to erase my record since they think I'm dead.'

The thin and weak strands of light touched the transparent wall.

"Hurry! Block them!"

Dorph ordered his subordinate mages to hurry up and prevent the Dragon half-blood's power from piercing through the wall, however…

"M, my apologies, sir! Becrock-nim is not here, so-"

The needle-thin strands of light moved past the wall as the anxious mages stuttered in response.

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh-

The wall allowed these strands of light into the village. It considered anybody who was recorded to be on their side.

"No!"

Swooooooosh-

Dorph's darkness rushed like a storm and instantly flew toward the defensive wall.
It was so he could erase the tiny openings that were created as the strands of light passed by.

However, there was someone who had finished his preparations before that dark storm could reach the wall.

– It's my turn!

Numerous black spears quickly followed behind the strands of light.
The spears made of magic instantly caught onto the tails of the strands of light, and the wall that had created gaps to allow the strands of light inside had to face the numerous black spears that charged in through those gaps as well.

"No!"

Dorph shouted in desperation while Cale started to smile.
The name of the plan to take down Arm's second secret base was simple.

Fast and accurate.

The White Star and his subordinates would have heard about their attack on the first secret base, so, their goal for the second secret base was to attack it as quickly and accurately as possible.
That was why they didn't need a lot of people.

Why?
They were going to hit and run.

– Human! I'm going to do it now?
"Sure, do it."

Cale responded to Raon's excited voice then heard a large explosion.

Booboboboooooooooom-
The wall tried to reject the black spears and prevent them from invading.
However, numerous black spears twisted their bodies and pushed through the gaps created by the strands of light.

Screeeech-
Boobooboooom-

Many different noises filled the area. The numerous black spears accelerated and started to spin as they pierced through the wall. It was difficult for the wall to close the gaps that had already been pierced.

'You mentioned that you guys defeated Becrock. Since the White Star won't be there either, the Dragons by your side should be able to use the gaps created by my power.'

It had been as the Dragon half-blood mentioned.

"Cast shields!"
"Sir, we will attack the black spears!"

The people inside the village, the people outside the village, about half of the people at the secret base tried to stop these black spears. However, these numerous black spears that looked like multiple large tree trunks gathered together quickly started to rotate and pierced through the wall before that could happen, and then…

Craaaack-

White cracks started to appear on the transparent wall.

– It's done!

The black spears destroyed the wall as Raon shouted in Cale's mind.

Baaaaaaaaaang! Baaaaang! Baaaaang-

Numerous explosions rang by Cale's ear and made him stumble.

"You can't fall!"

Hong and On each grabbed one of Cale's legs as if to support him up.

Bang- Baaaaang!

The explosions continued and the ground started to shake.

"F*ck!"

Dorph started to frown.

"This broken chimera bastard!"

He glared at the Dragon half-blood with a heinous expression.
The numerous thin strands of light. Those things made it past the wall and started to fly in different directions.
Those directions were all the locations that were important inside this secret base.

The strands of light headed toward the food storage, document storage, advisors' meeting room, etc, and the black spears following behind them naturally started to attack those places as well.

"Ugh!"
"Ugh!"
"Are you okay? We still managed to block it!"

Some of the facilities were able to act quickly and block the black spears.
However, the strong individuals who stepped up to defend against the black spears either coughed up blood or were seriously injured. Dorph's pupils started to shake.

'Did he get stronger in that short amount of time?

These black spears definitely belonged to the young Dragon and not the ancient Dragon. His power seemed to be stronger than when they last met at the Mogoru Empire.
Furthermore, he seemed to be more than just slightly talented as he was able to accurately control this large amount of power.

'…He really must be the Lord's child.'

Dorph who had heard about Lord Sheritt and the black Dragon from the White Star glared at the Dragon half-blood as if he could not forgive him.

"You pretty much handed everything to them. Are you happy you turned the village into this mess?"

The Dragon half-blood responded with a stoic expression.

"Yes. I am happy."
"Ha!"

Dorph then started to charge toward the Dragon half-blood. He felt as if his anger could only be resolved if he killed this half-dead weakling right now.
What kind of place was this village?
It was a home for the wandering Lion tribe that had no place to stay. Of course, they would soon get their own kingdom, but they still cherished this village that gave them a home.
It was important to them.

"You monster-like bastard! I will kill you!"

The Dragon half-blood reached both arms out with an emotionless expression toward the charging Dorph. Light started to surround his two hands again.
The light that was even weaker than before looked ready to go out at any moment.

However, the Dragon half-blood did not wish to run away from Dorph.
He had already come thinking that this would be where he died. That was why he thought that he would be more at peace if he died while fending off Dorph who was angry at the fact that he fell for his plan.

Dorph scoffed in disbelief at the Dragon half-blood who was trying to fight him.

"Kekeke, how funny! You want to fight me? Kahahaha! Did you want to help him because that Dragon shares your blood?"
"…What?"

The Dragon half-blood's two hands flinched. The light that was gathering started to shake.
Confusion was visible on his face.

'That Dragon shares my blood? What is he talking about?"

Dorph had a look of disgust on his face as he threw a black spear that was different than Raon's toward the Dragon half-blood.

"Why are you feigning ignorance when you dared to betray your father who created you to help your dongsaeng?! Do you not know what a blessing is because you are a monster?"

'…Dongsaeng? I have a dongsaeng?'

The Dragon half-blood's pupils started to shake. He did not have a dongsaeng.

However, there was something that came to mind.

There was something he did a few years ago, the first and only thing he ever did against the White Star's orders.
It was something that he had stealthily asked someone heading over to the Western continent to do because he thought the White Star was less likely to find out about it as they were on the Eastern continent.

'…Redika.'

Yes, he had asked that bastard to help him out.
They called him the blood-crazed mage, but the Dragon half-blood had thought he was trustworthy. That bastard had been loyal to him.
The bastard who was crazy about the color red considered him to almost be a god because he had the heart of a red Dragon.

'Perhaps?'

The Dragon half-blood started to think about something.

"Kahahaha! Did you give up already?"

The black spear that Dorph had thrown was now in front of his face while Dorph approached and shouted out loud while swinging the large sword in his hand toward the Dragon half-blood.

A spear and sword.
Two different weapons were attacking the Dragon half-blood. However, this was the first time the Dragon half-blood could not focus on the battlefield.
He blankly stared at the sword and spear flying toward him.

Baaaaaaaaaang!

A large explosion occurred.
The Dragon half-blood's body was pushed back.

Tap.

However, there was someone who caught him.

"…Cale Henituse."

The Dragon half-blood did not get hurt. He had just been pushed back because of the shock.
There was a silver shield in front of him that was blocking the black spear and the sword. Cale tightly clenched the Dragon half-blood's shoulder as he started to speak.

"Why are you blanking out like that?"
"You-"
"I'll tell you later."

He made the chaotic Dragon half-blood stand up straight.

– Human! The Dragon half-blood has a younger sibling? Are they around here? Let's help find him! I feel a bit sorry for this guy! He works too hard to do the dishes!

Cale had a bitter smile on his face at Raon's ramblings as he moved the Dragon half-blood behind his back.

'I didn't expect it to blow up like this first.'

The Dragon half-blood did not know about how they had met Lord Sheritt.
It was because there was nobody around Cale who would tell the Dragon half-blood or any others such secret information without Cale's permission.
Nobody would also talk about how Sheritt's Castle was in the Forest of Darkness because he had said it was a secret as they needed to avoid the White Star's gaze.

'…I purposely made sure the Dragon half-blood didn't hear about it too.'

Cale had not asked the Dragon half-blood about Lord Sheritt and her children, the red egg and black egg, because he wanted to properly ask in person.
It was not something to discuss through a video communication device.

'I also wanted to hear it first while away from Raon.'

It could be information that would shock Raon. He wanted to hear that story first.
He heard the Dragon half-blood's voice behind him.

"What the hell is going on-"

The Dragon half-blood looked at Cale who turned around after hearing his voice. The eyes that were quietly observing him slowly started to speak.

"I'll tell you everything. So, survive for now."

The Dragon half-blood's mouth that was dropped in shock slowly started to close. However, his pupils were still shaking. The Dragon half-blood's eyes reflected the stoic face in front of him.

"You can't die right now. You must live."

Those words dug deep into the Dragon half-blood's ears.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]