Chapter 649 – We cannot retreat (5)

Choi Han and the two-headed snake were in an intense battle. Alberu's side seemed to be at a standstill.

However, the battlefield wasn't the problem for Raon.

The eighth unranked monster… And the first unranked monster…

Raon stared at the large monsters that were no longer sculptures before turning his head.

"…Human."

"Haaa...haaaaa…haaaaa."

Cale's breath was hot and heavy and his body was covered in dry blood.

"…Human, what's wrong?"

Raon grabbed a corner of the blanket and brought it up to Cale's nose. Cale's nose was bleeding.

"This is weird. This is very weird."

He usually showed some signs of healing at this point when he fainted like this in the past. But it was different this time.

His injuries were closing very slowly unlike usual. There were no changes even when he poured a potion on him.

He also had a terrible fever and his nose and ears kept bleeding.

Raon thought Cale might die from loss of blood. Raon wasn't the only one worried about this.

– Cale, Cale! Can you hear us?

– …No. You need to hurry up and wake up!

– Hey, Super Rock! Stop talking! Nobody other than the Vitality of the Heart do anything right now!

The ancient powers that tried to talk to the unconscious Cale stopped after hearing the Sound of the Wind's voice.

The Vitality of the Heart that had been eaten, no, that became a part of the Indestructible Shield…

Only that power was faintly using its power with Cale's heart at its focus so that it wouldn't burden his body.

– …Apparently it's not working.

The glutton priestess of the shield weakly mumbled.

– Apparently the restoration is not working well. It looks like Cale needs to wake up. I think we need Cale's will.

The Super Rock made a comment.

– Cale. Please wake up. Please.

Unfortunate, neither the voices of the ancient powers nor Raon could reach Cale.

Raon clasped his two front paws together after seeing no movement in Cale's body.

"Human."

He felt as if he could see that scene again when he closed his eyes.

An instant.

Cale had pushed forward doing something even a Dragon could not do for a very short period of time.

The drops of blood that couldn't even fall to the floor during that time created a red path behind him.

The drops of blood were so red that they looked like flower petals fluttering in the wind, but they were too terrible and painful to be called beautiful.

"…I..."

Raon clenched his paws even tighter.

'If I was a little stronger…'

He was thinking that Cale wouldn't have had to push himself so hard if that was the case.

'If I was stronger, I, instead of the human-'

Raon shook his head.

"No."

He released his clenched front paws.

"…I can't have such thoughts."

Raon was young but he knew.

"I am a great and mighty Dragon. I know what our human was thinking."

This stupid human who never seemed to care about his own health definitely did not want Raon to do the same thing he just did.

That was why Raon couldn't think that he could have stepped forward in Cale's place if he was stronger.

What his human, what Cale wanted was not for Raon to sacrifice himself.

Cale had always said the following.

Fight with an overwhelming advantage.

If not, run and smack them from behind later.

Raon noticed the hidden meaning behind those words.

'That's the way to make sure nobody gets hurt.'

That was probably the message Cale wanted to convey.

Raon repeated something he said to himself many times in the past.

"…Whatever it is, I just need to learn it and grow stronger."

Raon still had no idea about how to use his 'present' attribute. But that didn't mean that he could just sit back and do nothing.

He needed to think fiercely and ponder about it.

Thinking and pondering would not hurt or kill someone no matter how hard it was. In fact, it might be a way to save their allies.

Oooooong– oooooo–

Black mana fluctuated around Raon. Raon took out every video communication device he had in his spatial dimension.

Raon spoke to Cale who had his eyes closed as if he was wiping away all of his uncertainties.

"Human. The crown prince, Choi Han, and goldie gramps are all here. They are fighting right now so one position is empty."

Raon could not leave Cale's side. Someone needed to protect him.

But he also couldn't just sit here.

He realized something after having those thoughts.

"There's nobody to lead right now."

Usually, Cale, Alberu, Eruhaben or someone like that would be in the back controlling the flow.

However, there was nobody to do that right now.

"I don't know how to lead. But I am very good at video communication."

The spell he used the most while traveling with Cale had been the video communication spell.

Raon floated the video communication devices into the air.

His black mana surrounded them and started contacting them to different people.

– Hello Raon-nim. We have gathered the team to rescue the Dark Elves and are about to infiltrate the Endable Kingdom. Will the Elves send additional reinforc-, hmm? Is that Cale-nim behind you?

Tasha, the squad leader for the combined Elves and Dark Elves team headed toward the Endable Kingdom.

– Oh, my hoobae Dragon! Rasheel is currently beating Dorph to dea- eek! Isn't that Cale Henituse?! Why does he look like that?!

A second one connected to a different battlefield.

Dodori had happily picked up the call from the Sez Kingdom's Mount Nex where their allies were fighting against the Cats and Lions.

– Raon.

Third was to his mom Sheritt.

– Raon-nim! We can finally contact you!

– I was already planning on heading over, please wait!

There were also video communication devices connected to Saint Jack, excommunicated priestess Cage… Raon contacted everybody he knew.

Raon didn't know how to lead.

But there was something he did know.

"Information needs to flow smoothly."

There were large battles going on in multiple places. The important thing in such a situation was that the information about each battlefield was quickly delivered. It would let them rescue anybody who might be in big danger and allow others who have some breathing room to move to help someone else.

Kim Rok Soo and now Cale Henituse had lived a life on the rear support squad before moving to the vanguard attack squad.

On the other hand, Raon was moving from his usual position in the front attacking the enemies to a rear support position to do whatever was needed.

'Human, don't worry. I, the great and mighty Raon Miru am good at everything.'

Raon placed one of his front paws on Cale's limp hand and turned toward the video communication devices looking at him.

Their allies scattered around were all looking at him. Raon could get a feel for how much pressure Cale must have felt while receiving these gazes.

Raon firmed his resolve and started talking.

"Tell me all of your current situation! I will tell you the situation here first!"

– Please wait!

– I have something to say as well, Raon-nim.

Raon's gaze headed toward the people who shouted at him with urgency.

The former was Saint Jack while the latter was the Tiger Shaman Gashan who had received the video communication device from Dodori.

"I have something to say to you as well, Saint Jack! Hey Saint, are you able to come here?"

He needed the Saint's healing ability.

It might be helpful to Cale.

Unfortunately, Saint Jack frowned and shook his head.

– …I think that will be difficult.

Jack started to explain why and after he heard Gashan's explanation as well…

"That motherfucking White Star!"

Although Cale might have gasped after hearing that, Raon swore in the exact same manner as Cale before heading toward the terrace.

* * *

– Hey crown prince!

"Hmm?"

Clopeh Sekka, the Whales, Mary, the Bone Dragon, and Dragons. Alberu who could take a breath after the appearance of their allies turned toward the urgent voice.

He looked toward the City Hall's terrace. He could faintly make out a black figure.

– I'm currently contacting our other allies!

Alberu's eyes under the helmet opened wide after hearing Raon's voice.

'…Not bad.'

He had been worried about the flow of information now that even he was fighting, but Raon was filling that empty void.

– Bad news!

He soon frowned.

– I talked with Saint Jack! He said that Arm is invading the Mogoru Empire! There are Black Knights on black horses as well!

– Jack contacted the priests of the Sun God in other kingdoms and apparently they are all being attacked by unknown forces right now!

Arm and other unknown forces were attacking the different kingdoms throughout the Western continent.

"…I just thought they were running late."

Alberu finally realized why the Jungle, the Whipper Kingdom, and others were not here yet and had not contacted them at all.

– Tiger Gashan said something too!

He then heard information about the Eastern continent.

– Mercenaries all around the Eastern continent contacted Bud and said that multiple kingdoms seemed to have activated large-scale teleportation spells!

'Large-scale teleportation?'

Alberu's eyes clouded over.

– I think they must have used those large-scale teleportation spells to come to the Western continent!

Alberu nodded his head.

– Do you think that the people attacking the different kingdoms here on the Western continent are a combination of the White Star's subordinates and those kingdoms?

There were many kingdoms beside the Sez Kingdom that were allied with the White Star.

He could have requested troops from other kingdoms while preparing for the summoning ritual in the Sez Kingdom.

Alberu started to speak.

"…Motherfucking bastards. They used their heads this time."

Archie, who was walking over, flinched and stopped.

"We will fight."

Witira nonchalantly pointed toward the eighth monster.

Paseton was already charging toward the eighth monster, the Lion Dragon.

Alberu couldn't even glance in Paseton's direction as he was deep in thought.

The reason that the White Star was dragging in other kingdoms to attack the entire Western continent despite his now low number of forces…

"…It must be so that nobody can help the Roan Kingdom."

Isolation.

His plan must be to isolate the Roan Kingdom.

And the reason he has not attacked the Roan Kingdom beside these monsters…

"…He thinks these two bastards are enough."

The White Star must think that these monsters were enough to destroy not just Puzzle City but the entire Roan Kingdom.

Alberu raised his head to look at the people coming down from the sky.

"Fuck."

He made eye contact with Clopeh Sekka.

"Sir Clopeh. Did your kingdom not get attacked?"

"We did get contacted about an attack from an unknown group of people. However, the Whales and Wyvern Knights are fighting against them. It's okay for four of us to not be there."

Smirk.

Clopeh started to smile. He took a video recording device out of his pocket. Everything was being recorded right now.

"I could not be left out on the path of a legend."

'…Crazy bastard.'

Alberu sighed after hearing Clopeh's response.

It was at that moment.

Baaaaaang! Baaaaaang!

"Ugh!"

Alberu could see Archie being flung away by the Lion Dragon's shield.

His face stiffened up.

He could see Witira biting down on her lip.

This strong future Queen of the Whales had an awkward expression on her face as she stood there with her whip in hand, unable to do anything.

The two of them made eye contact.

"…It looks like we need to get rid of the shield first."

That shield was a problem for the Whales as well. They needed to get past that shield to attack the Lion Dragon's body, but that first part was extremely difficult.

"…Ha."

Alberu couldn't help but sigh.

'We can't expect help from other kingdoms now.'

The entire Western continent was currently having trouble protecting themselves.

'…We need to defeat these monsters with the strength of the Roan Kingdom alone.'

Alberu subconsciously tightened the grip on his spear.

At that moment…

"What are you thinking about?"

He turned his head after hearing a voice right behind him. The ancient Dragon was looking at the battlefield and Alberu with his eyes that were deep with experience fitting his age.

Swiiiiiish- Swiiiiiiiish-

He felt a gust of wind above him.

Alberu noticed a shadow above him just as the Lion Dragon noticed it as well and raised its head. The monster looked at the individual responsible for casting a shadow on it.

"Is it this bastard?"

The Dragon half-blood's voice came out of the black Bone Dragon's mouth as the Lion Dragon's gold eyes looked into the slightly brighter gold eyes of the Dragon half-blood.

The Dragon half-blood had achieved what he wanted.

Although it was just bones, he was able to become a Dragon and look down at others from the sky.

Screeeech- screeeeeeech-

Numerous monsters of the Flying Skeleton Brigade made of white bones were flying over looking like clouds from the Northeast.

"There are only two enemies. There are hundreds of us. We will win if we push forward with our numbers advantage."

Mary calmly stated in her GPS-like voice as she stood on top of the Dragon half-blood's back.

—
Translator's Comments

Raon is learning and growing. Does this mean that his second growth phase might be coming? Hmmmmmmm

What will happen next?

***

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]