Despite the overwhelming pain tearing through its stone body like molten lava, the dragon's mind refused to surrender.
'How… how did this happen?'
It had thrown away its humanity. It had sacrificed its flesh, its future, and its very soul to become something greater, something untouchable, invincible.
Yet here it was, pinned helplessly to the ground like a beaten training dummy, its so-called immortality reduced to a cruel joke beneath this masked man's foot.
'Where did this monster even come from…?'
With the towering spectral ribcage of Susanoo looming behind him like a silent god of death, Ashan leaned forward slightly. His overwhelming presence pressed down on the entire battlefield like an invisible mountain, making the air itself feel heavier.
"I think that should be enough to fix whatever's wrong with your head," he said calmly, almost lazily, as if he were scolding a misbehaving child.
"What do you think? Should I hit you a few more times, just to be sure?"
The dragon growled, low and strained. The arrogance that had once filled its voice had cracked and splintered.
"Good," Ashan continued, straightening up with deliberate slowness.
"Looks like it worked. Now stop wasting my time and answer properly."
His gaze sharpened behind the mask, cold and piercing.
"If I'm the one who killed your brother… why did you come after Eirena?"
The dragon hesitated for a fraction of a second, its massive frame trembling under the pressure. Then it forced the words out through gritted stone teeth.
"I know you two worked together that day… You killed him together. So I came here… attacked her… knowing you would show up."
Ashan blinked once, then slowly turned his head toward Eirena. He raised a single finger and pointed directly at her.
"What part of this," he said flatly, his tone dripping with disbelief, "made you think I'd work with this annoying brat?"
A visible ripple of surprise swept through the entire formation.
'Annoying brat…?''
Eirena's face flushed crimson with instant anger. She narrowed her eyes sharply and looked away, biting down hard on her lower lip to stop herself from snapping back. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, knuckles turning white.
"But you came," the dragon snapped back, desperation creeping into its voice. "Didn't you come because of her?"
Ashan let out a short, incredulous breath, almost like a laugh.
"What kind of nonsense are you spouting?" he replied, shaking his head.
"How would I even know why you came here? I showed up because I heard a dragon popped out of nowhere. Thought I'd skin it, take some materials… maybe even see what dragon meat tastes like."
He clicked his tongue, glancing down at the creature with open disappointment.
"But turns out you're just a walking pile of rocks. What a waste. I was already imagining stew for tonight."
A visible shiver ran through not only the dragon, but several people in the formation behind him. Even the seasoned S-rankers felt a chill crawl down their spines.
'He came here… to eat it?'
Lia felt her stomach twist. She unconsciously took half a step back, her usual composure cracking for a moment.
Ashan didn't pause for even a second.
"You mentioned Norwel Greaves earlier," he continued, his tone sharpening like a blade. "What about him?"
The dragon's expression twisted with raw hatred, its crimson eyes burning brighter.
"I had unfinished revenge with him… but that bastard died before I could repay it. Just like my brother… my father was killed by him during a mission. So instead…"
Its gaze slid slowly toward Eirena, filled with pure venom.
"I chose his daughter."
For the first time since the battle began, Ashan fell completely silent.
Slowly, deliberately, he turned his head toward Eirena again. This time, there was no mockery, no irritation, no teasing edge in his gaze.
Only something quieter.
Something deeper.
He recalled everything in that moment.
Her mother had died the moment she was born. Her father, Norwel Greaves, one of the strongest S-rankers in history, had raised her alone, carrying his grief while trying to be both protector and parent.
And then fate had taken him too.
During the demon gate incident, Norwel had given his life without hesitation, saving countless others… leaving behind a daughter who now stood completely alone in the world.
An orphan.
Ashan's eyes dimmed slightly behind the mask.
'…She really did go through hell.'
Compared to that, he had at least known warmth, had at least had parents, even if only for a short time.
But the original owner of this body… hadn't even been given that much.
The loneliness. The quiet suffering. The silent acceptance without placing blame on anyone.
Ashan felt it all, as if the pain were his own.
Eirena stiffened visibly.
Even through the swirling patterns of the Sharingan, she saw it clearly.
Understanding.
It caught her completely off guard. Her chest tightened, and for a moment she couldn't breathe properly.
Ashan turned back to the dragon, and whatever softness had flickered in his eyes vanished instantly, replaced by cold steel.
"So you couldn't do anything to him…" he said, his voice dropping low and dangerous, "and came crawling here to take it out on his daughter instead."
The Adamantine Sealing Chains around the dragon's wings suddenly tightened with crushing force.
The dragon's body jerked violently as terror finally sank in.
"Stop…! Release me right now, or you'll regret it!"
Ashan let out a quiet, amused breath.
"Regret it?" he repeated, almost mockingly. "It's impressive how you still don't understand your situation."
In the next instant,
RIP…!
Both massive stone wings were torn clean off its body in one brutal motion.
The dragon's scream tore through the air like shattering glass, raw and agonized.
"You bastard…!"
"Trash like you," Ashan cut in, his voice dropping even lower and colder, "doesn't get to bark."
The massive skeletal hand of Susanoo slammed down again.
BOOM.
The dragon's head was driven mercilessly into the ground, half of its skull sinking deep into the shattered earth.
Ashan looked down at the broken creature, his eyes cold and absolute.
"You've already been sentenced."
His voice carried across the battlefield, heavy and final, leaving no room for argument.
"How dare you drag children into your revenge for something between adults?"
He pointed toward Eirena without even glancing at her.
"There's nothing between her and me. I don't owe her anything."
A brief, heavy pause hung in the air.
"But her father?"
His tone shifted; firm, grounded, and unmistakably sincere.
"That man saved lives. Whether intentionally or not, he kept scum like you from doing whatever you wanted. He stood his ground, protected others, and died doing it."
The weight of his words settled over the entire field like a physical force.
No exaggeration. No theatrics.
Just raw, honest truth.
Eirena's chest tightened painfully. Her breath caught in her throat as unfamiliar emotions surged through her.
Others felt it too; a quiet, genuine respect blooming in the silence.
"And you," Ashan continued, his voice hardening once more into ice, "think targeting his daughter makes you justified?"
The chains constricted even tighter.
The dragon trembled violently.
Real fear finally took complete hold.
"You won't get away with this… our almighty leader will come for you," it hissed desperately. "When he does, you're finished."
For a moment, Ashan simply stared down at the creature.
Then he laughed.
Not loudly.
Not wildly.
But with a deep, cutting mockery that made the air itself feel colder.
"Almighty?" he repeated. "That's the funniest thing I've heard in a while."
His gaze turned sharp, almost predatory.
"You mean that pathetic thing trying to open the demon realm and chase immortality?"
He scoffed coldly.
"Don't insult me. That trash isn't even worth stepping on."
Something inside the dragon finally snapped.
Its killing intent surged violently, desperate and wild, but it never got the chance to act.
SLAM.
Another crushing blow drove it back into helpless silence.
Ashan's own killing intent replaced everything else in an instant.
"I've wasted enough time on you," he said quietly, his voice carrying an edge of finality. "But since I'm already here… I might as well get something useful out of this."
He placed his hand firmly on the dragon's head.
"I'll give you one chance."
His voice dropped lower, cold and merciless.
"Get out of that body. Surrender."
A heavy pause followed.
Then,
"If I have to pull you out myself…"
his eyes darkened dangerously,
"…it'll be worse than death."