Chapter 237: Symbol of Victory (9)

Rasheel held the walnut pie and pondered to himself. Soon, he voiced his thoughts out loud.

"Ugh. All I can taste is blood."

After vomiting so much blood, his mouth was full of it, and he couldn't even taste the walnuts while eating the pie.

Thud.

The pie that was on Raon's front paw fell to the ground.

"!"

Rasheel's pupils shook upon seeing that.

'Why, why is he doing that?'

He wondered why Raon was acting that way. At the same time, Rasheel felt an inexplicable sensation. It wasn't fear or anxiety. It was an uncomfortable and unpleasant feeling that couldn't be described.

'...Is it because I didn't kill the young Dragon before, just left him unconscious?'

Was that what was causing this uncomfortable sensation after all? Rasheel tried to find the reason in his heart, but soon heard Raon's shout.

"Rasheel! Don't die! Even though you're a scoundrel, I know you're good!"

Rasheel's expression became awkward.

"What are you saying, brat? I'm not going to die! And I'm not good! I'm not good at all!"

Archie, dragging the unconscious Kendall, sighed.

"...Instead of saying you're not a scoundrel, you're upset about being called good? You really are a strange Dragon."

Of course, no one paid attention to Archie's muttering. Raon, who heard all of Rasheel's shouts, stopped for a moment. Then, he gently examined Rasheel's appearance and nodded.

"Don't die, that's it."

He then picked up the walnut pie that was on the ground and handed it to Rasheel.

"Eat a lot! That way, you'll recover faster."

Rasheel, although wondering why the kid was acting like this, finally ate the walnut pie.

"...It's delicious."

"Hehe."

Raon smiled brightly. Meanwhile, Rasheel, feeling irritation again, unconsciously shouted.

"Don't laugh, brat. And I'm not good!"

"Hehe."

Raon heard Rasheel's words with one ear and let them out the other. Although Rasheel saw it clearly, he decided not to argue with the 7-year-old kid.

"Hey, I'm not good."

Instead, Rasheel warned Cale seriously. And Cale, quite indifferently, nodded.

"Yeah, yeah. But you're amazing at capturing the enemy Dragon so easily. It really reassures us to know you're here, Rasheel-nim."

"Cough, cough."

Rasheel coughed for no apparent reason.

"Hmph."

Then, he snorted.

"I'll go home first."

He said that and staggered.

"Ugh!"

Rasheel, realizing momentarily that his wounded right leg was temporarily paralyzed, couldn't land properly.

'For God's sake.'

He hadn't even tasted the walnut pie yet. His body was very exhausted, and his wounds were quite severe.

'Damn it! I have to leave as fast as possible!'

He didn't want to show his appearance to that young Dragon and Cale.

'It's embarrassing.'

Rasheel decided at least not to show the embarrassing scene of him falling on his side.

Thud.

However, his body collided with the hand reaching from the side.

"Are you okay?"

Clopeh Sekka looked at him with a kind smile.

Rasheel's face suddenly changed to a bewildered expression.

Somehow, this crazy guy in front of him felt unpleasant.

'Is it because he's a real nutcase?'

Rasheel brushed Clopeh's hand aside and kept going.

"Hey. Who left that stone down there?"

No one responded to Rasheel's words, leaving footprints on the flat white snow.

"I'm leaving."

With the faint fragrance of Dragon, a teleportation magic circle appeared next to Rasheel.

"Wait a moment."

Cale's voice made Rasheel startle. Since before, he couldn't even look at Cale, keeping his back turned. He felt ashamed for showing such a pathetic figure.

"Archie, go with him."

"Well, okay."

Rasheel frowned at seeing Archie, the Beast People Whale, get on the teleportation circle. Rasheel looked at him with a look of 'why are you here?' but Archie shrugged.

Then, Archie said to Cale:

"Do we leave it to Sheritt-nim?"

"Yes. You tell Sheritt-nim to wake him up for a talk when we get back."

"Okay."

Archie responded calmly and then looked at Rasheel.

"Aren't you coming?"

Rasheel's face wrinkled even more.

But he sighed.

He didn't have the strength to engage in a conversation with this damn Whale.

As fatigue piled up like the tide after the fight, Rasheel felt increasingly overwhelmed.

'...Ugh.'

He bit his lip.

'This is going to be quite difficult, isn't it?'

Judging by the feeling, it seemed that the Dragon he had defeated today would be on the weaker side among the enemy Dragons. So, the Dragons he would encounter in the future would be even stronger.

'It won't be easy.'

The fight with the enemy Dragon today boiled down to the question of which Attribute was stronger between 'Victory' and 'Indomitability'. Moreover, the enemy Dragon was also inexperienced. But if it's a fully developed Dragon, with an even more powerful Attribute, and moreover, if it's in a state of having consumed that 'Blessed Water.'

'Ah.'

Rasheel felt a heaviness in his heart. He realized that winning in this damn world Aipotu wouldn't be as easy as he thought.

Although Rasheel's head was filled with complicated thoughts, he quickly activated the teleportation magic circle.

He needed time to think when he got back.

Paaat-

The moment the magic circle was activated, Rasheel shivered.

Cale's voice sounded from behind.

"Impressive. But make sure to take care of your body."

Rasheel smiled upon hearing the usual indifferent voice. A very uncomfortable voice was also heard beside him.

"A little impressive?"

When Rasheel turned his head, Archie avoided his gaze. Rasheel ironically laughed once again and suddenly said.

"Of course. Who do you think I am?"

It was none other than him, the Indomitable Dragon, Rasheel asserted.

"I will continue to be impressive in the future."

Archie's face wrinkled, but the teleportation circle activated anyway.

Paaat!

Archie, Rasheel, and even Kendall disappeared.

Cale looked at the empty space and asked Clopeh.

"Where are the Beast People?"

"They're down there."

"Did you see Witira-nim?"

"Well, I'm not sure. I didn't see her until I got here."

Cale was having a conversation with Clopeh when he felt something strange. So, without realizing it, he looked at Clopeh.

He was looking at him with a calm expression.

"Why are you like this?"

"... No. It's nothing."

What's wrong?

Cale clearly realized why he felt this way.

'Why isn't Clopeh Sekka praising me?'

The guy who constantly praised or admired him was now silent. Moreover, the guy who couldn't help showing his desire to be together was now calm.

'What's going on?'

A strange and uncomfortable feeling overwhelmed him.

Is this guy going to cause trouble?

Cale thought that at that moment.

"Hehehe."

Clopeh smiled softly.

- Human, Clopeh is smiling strangely.

Raon couldn't say that to Clopeh's face, so he used magic for the first time in a long while to convey his thoughts to Cale's mind.

And Cale felt-

'Ah, that's good.'

He felt an inexplicable sense of relief.

His expression relaxed. At that moment, Clopeh said in a whisper:

"I've finally found the way."

"What?"

"Hehehe."

Although Cale looked at him as if wondering what he was talking about, Clopeh continued walking with an inexplicable smile on his face.

Leaving a word.

"The more intense the light, the more visible the shadows. But no one can see the light hidden in the bright light."

Clopeh thought that Cale's shadow was Choi Han. And the hidden light...

'It's me.'

No one else would fit in that place except himself. Clopeh headed towards where the Beast People were hiding.

"Human, what is Clopeh saying?"

"I don't know."

Cale and Raon simply gave up on understanding and followed Clopeh. However, Cale felt relieved to see Clopeh return to his usual state. And as they headed towards the Beast People, Cale thought.

'If Rasheel-nim is in that state, I'll have to be more cautious.'

According to the information about the 10 Dragons provided by the Har Kingdom, Kendall occupied one of the positions. If Rasheel had difficulties facing just one, facing other Dragons would be even more complicated.

'I have to think of something.'

But Cale's expression wasn't so grim.

'I'll take advantage of the situation now that the Dragon Lord isn't here.'

Purple Blood Family. By attacking enemies by taking advantage of the absence of the leader, the Dragon Lord, Cale organized his thoughts and soon arrived at the place where the Beast People were hiding.

"Young Master."

"Did you come to help Rasheel-nim?"

Lock and Gashan greeted him. And Witira waved at them.

"It didn't seem necessary to intervene, so I stayed here."

After Clopeh left for the mountaintop, Witira discovered them and stayed here.

"..."

But Cale's expression stiffened. He looked into the small cave where the Beast People were hiding. Then he looked away.

"It can't be..."

The recipient of that gaze was Koukan, the Wolf People's hunter. Koukan opened his mouth as he swallowed saliva.

"I'm very sorry."

And he bowed deeply, apologizing. As Cale silently watched that scene, Lock cautiously approached and asked.

"And Rasheel-nim?"

"He managed to defeat the Dragon and sent it to the castle. That Dragon will be imprisoned in the meantime, I suppose."

"Huh!"

Behind him, the elderly wolf from the Wolf Tribe let out an admirative sigh. The others from the Wolf Tribe were equally amazed and stunned.

Anyway, Cale looked at Koukan and pointed to the side.

"...Is that what I think it is?"

The direction pointed by Cale.

"Grrrr...."

Beastly howls were heard from there.

"...Yes, that's right."

Koukan weakly responded. And Cale looked in the direction of the howls.

Clang, clang.

The sounds of iron chains clashing were heard.

"Grrr, grrr..."

The intense howls continued. Cale's expression stiffened upon hearing the voice of Shaman Gashan.

"It's the Wolf Tribe Leader."

Wow.

Cale barely managed to contain a sigh that wanted to escape.

Clang, clang.

"Grrr..."

Inside the cave. There, a presence rivaled the fierceness Lock showed when he turned Berserk. Moreover, the claws were surprisingly sharp. Of course, even that was limited.

Clang, clang.

The thick chains seemed about to break at any moment. The Wolf Tribe Leader. She had a rather imposing appearance befitting her title.

"Grrr..."

However, she was very different from Lock. Her entire fur was covered in a dark grayish tone, and her sharp fangs were prominently displayed.

"There's no reason."

That being, drooling, with sharp fangs clearly exposed and baring her sharp teeth at everyone, seemed to have no reason or rationality in her.

"She seems quite wild, actually."

If the Beast People acted as wild and violent as the Wolf Tribe Leader, losing control and carrying out violent actions, ordinary people might have been engulfed in fear. It was quite a threatening image.

"What happened?"

To Cale's question, Gashan sighed lightly before opening his mouth.

"She was already like this when we arrived at the wolf village."

An elder from the Wolf Tribe, who was observing the situation, discreetly stepped forward.

"The leader, with the desire to protect the Wolf Tribe, tried to transform forcefully. That's when her body became so gigantic."

They thought the Wolf Tribe Leader's wish would come true. With the Eradication Team about to come, it finally seemed like the Wolf Tribe's wishes would be fulfilled. However, ...

"She suddenly lost her reason and became violent. At that moment, luckily, Koukan, along with all of you, visited the village, and thanks to that, we were able to control the leader."

For the Wolves who couldn't properly carry out the Berserk Transformation, the leader's state was nearly impossible to handle. The Wolf Tribe Elder looked at Lock.

"Thank you, Lock-nim."

Eh? Just as Cale was about to look at Lock, the sound of a howl intensified, and the Wolf Tribe Leader twisted her body. She seemed desperate to get out of that suffocating situation.

Clang! Clang!

It seemed like the chains would break at any moment. Cale was surprised by the strength it would take to break them.

Crack~

No, they were already breaking. When Cale was surprised by the strength they might have, someone called Lock.

"Lock-nim!"

The Wolf Tribe Elder called Lock, and Cale could see Lock approaching the leader. Although Lock didn't turn Berserk, he was quite tall, but compared to the Berserk leader, he seemed quite small. However, when Lock stood in front of the leader...

"Shh."

He put his finger to his mouth.

"Are you okay?"

And he petted the leader's head.

"Lock, it's dangerous!"

The moment Raon shouted without realizing it, Cale's eyes widened.

Grr, grr.

The Wolf Tribe Leader suddenly stopped resisting. And while whimpering, she shrank her body. She seemed frightened by Lock's gaze, despite the kindness with which he treated her.

"As expected! He's the reincarnation of the Blue Wolf!"

The excited voice of the Wolf Tribe Elder reached Cale's ears. The Blue Wolf? Wasn't that the God worshipped by the Beast People here?

At that moment, Lock grinned foolishly at Cale.

"Haha."

Grr, grr.

After that, the Wolf Tribe Leader was completely scared and avoided Lock's gaze, shrinking again and again.

Ssshh~

Cale felt a cold sensation and saw the small white snake emerge from under his clothes.

The white snake tilted its head and opened its mouth.

"Mom?"

Speaking correctly, he didn't look towards Lock or Cale.

"Me?"

There she was, Witira from the Whale Tribe, who had wide-open eyes and couldn't hide her surprise.

And then, Raon spoke bravely.

"Human, I don't know why this little snake does this! It must be his specialty!"

Ignoring Raon, the little white snake spoke.

"She smells like mom."

He mentioned that 'smell', he had already mentioned before.

Cale thought it was the scent of the Imoogi. But Witira wasn't an Imoogi.

"Mom said that worthy beings who have the right to take the place of Dragons have this smell."

Worthy beings? Cale's eyes moved, and the little snake continued speaking.

"Mom said that this collapsed world is trying to exclude Dragons from this world."

Oh?

Interesting. Cale's gaze stayed on the little snake.

* * *

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]