"...Did we come to the right place?"
[We should have..... we should have, but what is happening here!?]
The scene where dragons and angels fought bloody battles. The one who led the charge against the other side was the dragon Teraka, whom Yu IlHan knew all too well.
Wait, he came here? He succeeded in making Yu IlHan, who was proficient in reading the flow of incidents, panic. Of course, this would be his first and last success. After all, this turned out to be the worst possible result for him!
[No, we shouldn't stay still like this. We must go save them now!]
Spiera also didn't seem to have anticipated a battle so early on and took out her spear. Yu IlHan found Teraka, who was driving the angels into a corner, and gave a bitter smile.
"Is this fate…"
"*Yawn*, what is it? Wasn't I allowed to sleep for a little more? Why can I feel a prickle?"
"You could...… but the situation is heading towards a strange direction."
"Hmmmmmmmm."
Liera walked sheepishly out of the mansion in her pyjamas and, defenselessly, forced her way into Yu IlHan's arms. It wasn't that she didn't notice Spiera; she just didn't seem concerned about her at all. Spiera burst out laughing while looking at Liera's peaceful expression and flew up with her two wings.
[I can't bear to watch. Yu IlHan, I'll go first. I'll need to beat up that arrogant lizard.]
"Don't forget that your concealment only lasts until the first attack."
[First attack? I think you're mistaken.]
Spiera's two eyes glistened. As she was experiencing the effects of Yu IlHan's concealment, she was unseen by anyone other than Liera and Yu IlHan – and she wore a confident smile. Bringing up all her power as a 6th class, she declared.
[If it's the current me, the first attack shall be the last.]
"...."
[Yu IlHan, my single greatest strike – etch it into your two eyes. Be thankful to your luck in having acquired an opportunity to bear witness to the Great Cosmos-severing Spear up close.]
Never in her life did Spiera rely on concealment. It was an embarrassment for her, who had always fought from the front! However, that thought gradually changed as she watched Yu IlHan.
The one who survives is the victor, and until now Yu IlHan had gained successive victories with his concealment. Watching what he possessed at the end of all that, cowardice or embarrassment became laughable things. Moreover, this was a war for a higher world! Anything that could be used advantageously must be used.
[Then, I shall go.]
"It's thanks to me that you can conceal yourself, so give me half the spoils, ok?"
[So greedy... Eei, this is a bribe for the alliance. I'll give you all of it. So you open your eyes wide, and watch me from this place.]
Spiera's spear glowed with a mysterious power. This was the spear Yu IlHan had never seen before – the spear that harboured all of Spiera's power as a 6th-class!
With zero presence thanks to Yu IlHan's concealment skill, Spiera flew straight towards Teraka. Her body glowed a light blue, leaving a trail like a comet, but the only ones who could see it were, of course, Yu IlHan and Liera.
[Hhhhhhp.]
The moment before Spiera and Teraka clashed, Yu IlHan thought – don't protagonists usually beat such guys? – like so.
[Proceed! Go against an angel by teaming up! Threat to your lives? You just need to charge.... Mm?]
[This.]
Not that it was meaningful, though. Spiera had no thoughts of leaving the one that stirred up trouble in the Heaven's Army camp to someone else.
[is what it means to sever the cosmos.]
Spiera's spear severed the very fabric of space. Teraka, who was facing tens of angels at once with his magic, didn't even notice Spiera's approach and took her attack full on. Without even time to activate defence magic, he was cleanly cut in the neck.
Like that! Just like that! Without any time for any screams or final words, and above all, without any room to leave behind foreshadowing! While watching that, Yu IlHan muttered absentmindedly.
"That's the Great Cosmos-severing Spear?"
"It really is strong."
"Well, yeah, it is indeed strong, but...." Yu IlHan muttered as he redrew the trajectory Spiera had traced in the air; it was visible only to Liera and Yu IlHan himself.
Her technique was indeed very strong, enough to ignore the defences of a 6th class, but, well? In Yu IlHan's eyes, it did not look that strong. If it had that much destructive power, he could probably block it with the Spear of Untraceable Trajectory. Not that he'll honestly tell Spiera that.
[Fuu.]
Spiera fully extended her two pairs of wings and grabbed Teraka's severed head and body. Although her technique seemed somewhat lacking, her figure holding up Teraka's head couldn't have looked any cooler.
It didn't seem to be his thoughts alone, and the other angels also rejoiced and shouted.
[Spiera has returned! She has killed the leader of the enemy at the same time!]
[Spiera, how can she move so discreetly?]
[The remaining ones are mere lower existences; kill them all!]
Yu IlHan saw that Teraka had died too easily and thought, 'That must not be the end of him, is it?' but he did die with that one strike. The evidence of it appeared on Yu IlHan's retina after all.
[You have earned experience.]
[You have earned the record of Lv 411 Teraka.]
It seemed that Yu IlHan's influence was quite big as he gained experience and record as well. However, Yu IlHan couldn't really be happy.
"I feel like my stage was just stolen by Spiera. I even have the Eight-tailed dragon spear, which is effective against dragons. I feel like I've made a loss...."
"Do you really have to be dejected because you couldn't fight a 6th class....? Rather, if IlHan's concealment is added on top of a monster like Spiera, such an absurd thing happens..."
Liera was still half asleep and was talking nonsense even while dragons were rampaging around. However, Yu IlHan did not bother replying to her. Spiera threw the body of Teraka behind her, and at that moment, the possession of Teraka's body was transferred to him.
He received Teraka's body into his inventory while being careful of his concealment. The dragons despaired as they watched Teraka disappear into thin air.
[Lord Teraka!]
[That damn angel killed Lord Teraka!]
[W, we need to flee. We cannot win against them with our power alone!]
[No, if we make it through this fight, we'll become stronger!]
On the enemy side, no one other than Teraka was a bigshot. Yu IlHan also immediately helped out the angels. Though, in fact, he just wanted to take all the dragon remains for himself!
"Mir, can you fight them?"
"Hing, I don't like those cowards. Dad, will I become a coward like them if I eat them?"
"If you're worried about that, it's fine. If I cook it well, all those weird things will disappear."
"Then I'll fight!"
Yumir also got off the Guardian fortress and charged towards the battlefield. Yu IlHan was relieved at Yumir's figure, and he also went into the fight. Against higher existences, he had to conceal himself and devote all his power to surprise attacks, but right now there was no need to do so.
"Mystic, maximum output. I don't care how many 4th-class magic stones you use, so shoot to your heart's content."
[While not damaging the bodies, right? Roger that!]
Hundred Eyes floated in the air. As more mana gathered, the resting personnel turned their attention to it, and when everyone woke, Mystic's strike pierced the battlefield, instantly annihilating more than 100 dragons. It was a refreshing strike indeed!
[Wh, what is that!?]
[Lower existence! It's the one that Lord Teraka talked about!]
[B, but right now.]
Right now, you guys are all being lynched, so it's no time for you to be hunting us! With an evil smirk that any villainess would have fallen for, Yu IlHan drove both the Flying Fortress and the Guardian Fortress.
"Hunt as much as possible. They are weak, so there's no worry about dying! Miss YuNa, output as many blessings as possible!"
"I thought we could finally rest, but it's work again! I hate you, Mr. IlHan!"
However, even while she was grumbling, blessings were being poured onto the army filling the two fortresses.
Yu IlHan also felt his vitality rise after being blessed by her and took to the air. His concealment was revealed anyway. Right now, the one that rampaged the most was the winner.
"Orochi, let's work a little more!"
[There is a lot of easy food. I also welcome this hunt!]
The Eight-tailed dragon spear burned with a translucent flame. Yu IlHan thought that there was no need for Falling Down with the angels here. In fact, the dragons couldn't even escape properly, so he didn't see the need to either!
[W-we cannot endure anymore.]
[We need to flee, but how?]
[Lord Teraka is not with us anymore! What we can trust... is nothing, dammit! Kugh!]
Even dragons over level 250 were mere mobs lower-level than Yu IlHan himself! Yu IlHan moved faster than the angels, now freed from the threat of Teraka, and tried his best to kill as many dragons as possible.
As long as he had his Eight-tailed dragon spear, Yu IlHan received a 120% increase in his damage, so any random swing of his spear would annihilate the dragons here.
"Haaaaaaap!'
[Dragons, it's dragons! Master, swing bigger! Output your flames stronger!]
"IlHan is so cool!"
[J, just what is that lower existence!? I half-doubted it when they said we'll ally with them, but if it's him....!]
[A single strike from him killed twelve dragons! Just what is he!?]
[Yu IlHan, Yu IlHan of Earth!]
Though not as much as Yu IlHan with the Eight-tailed dragon spear, it was the same for the two fortresses and the armies inside that had an easy time facing the dragons!
They finally met an enemy that 'won't kill them even with their strongest attacks'. Free experience was referring to this alright! Under Lier and Yumir's command, each army rampaged in joy.
[Khaaak!?]
[W, we cannot win. Not even against those small beings!]
[Lord Teraka, Lord Teraka!]
Yu IlHan-made armours and weapons increased the members' league by a tier, and dragons that weren't higher existences could not possibly go against them. As with the first time Yu IlHan had hunted dragons, they were being given titles such as dragon slayer, dragon hunter, and the like.
[W-we need to flee.]
[We grabbed onto the wrong rope. Destruction Demon Army, we need to return to....]
"Where?'
The weapons held by angels glowed. Magic cast by hundreds of angels struck against the dragons continuously, and Yu IlHan's spear severed the lives of countless dragons.
Although their experience was way smaller than that of higher existences, their remains were among the most needed materials for Yu IlHan right now! Yu IlHan did not stop and rampaged around. Right now, he was etching his existence deeply into the angels' minds.
[What the hell, we abandoned Earth and gave up on that human?]
[S-shut up. What are you going to do if he hears it?]
[We need to bring him to the Heaven's Army. Although I had seen him once, his growth is frightening.]
Yu IlHan had killed dragons during his 2nd class days. Now that his level and equipment have risen by several tiers, he can hunt dragons at a speed even Spiera cannot match.
His spear throw would kill several dragons, and his ten-strike swing would simultaneously behead ten dragons. It was only a matter of time before the 5,000 dragons all died.
[R, resentful.]
[I did not want to die like this. I only wanted to live on in this continent....]
[Lord, Teraka....]
Listening to the enemies' final words would provoke sympathy. As such, Yu IlHan killed the ones who talked a lot first. In fact, he had succeeded in concealing himself amid the battle, so no one could find him!
[Khhhhhhmmmm.]
At the time when Yu IlHan was butchering the enemies (and gathering them) like mad, the sky above the battlefield 'opened'. The sky, the atmosphere, and the clouds were literally splitting in half, so it could only be described as 'opened'.
[You maggots.]
A horrible aura that Yu IlHan had 'never felt before' emanated from beyond that.
[I finally thought I found a suitable successor, but they all died.]
The voice from the gap made Yu IlHan shiver. Just what kind of being was it to possess such an aura? Although he had expected this to some extent, he never imagined he would encounter such a frightening monster so early on!
[That's why we dragons are no good. We always let our guard down too easily. Since the powers we possess are too strong...]
Yu IlHan quickly returned to the Flying Fortress and pulled his concealment over the two fortresses. Fortunately, the enemy hadn't shown himself, so his attempt succeeded. Liera and Yumir, who had been watching him the whole time, also followed him back. The same with the wolfkin, the elves, and the Dragon's Army!
[The Destruction Demon Army that headed to Dareu has been 'annihilated', so I can finally show myself here...]
The enemy's voice rang out in the air. Unlike the angels that were confused at the 'annihilated' part, Yu IlHan had guessed what was going on and was sweating cold sweat. The enemy did not put him into consideration and continued speaking.
[I shall go to that place. The memorial for my kin, I shall have it paid for with your blood. The power of Echjar, the 13th Battalion Commander. Receive it with your power.]
[E, Echjar!]
The angels shivered. Liera was also shocked and grabbed Yu IlHan's arm.
"I, Ilhan, Echjar is...."
"Oh, I know. You don't have to explain."
"How do you know!?"
"Well, that's because I couldn't finish off Teraka myself – meaning, the Eight-tailed dragon spear hasn't had its chance to act yet. And that means only one thing."
Yu IlHan's voice lowered. He continued after looking at the gigantic monster that slowly emerged through the gap in the split sky.
"A dragon that's stronger than Teraka, in other words..."
The enemy he thought he might have to face one day; one he thought he would only have to face after he became a higher existence.
"A 7th class dragon."
[Kuooooooooooooooooooh!]
The dragon, which could only come to Dareu after all his kin had been slaughtered, roared loudly throughout the world. While the angels and the army under Yu IlHan, immersed in the joy of victory, fell into despair, only one, Yu IlHan, had glistening eyes.
"What would pop out if I make equipment out of that guy?"
"Get yourself together, you idiot!" Liera shouted with all her soul. Immediately after that, the Dragon of Despair descended upon Dareu.
The curtains to the biggest battle yet had risen.