Chapter 154 - Dogfight (5)
"The sun is rising."
"What?"
In the midst of the loud sound of the battle, his opponent had spoken with magical energy behind his words. Azell had made sure that Kieren had heard his words.
Kieren couldn't decipher the meaning behind Azell's words. However, it took only a moment for Kieren's confusion to dissipate.
A powerful light stabbed at his eyes.
The sun had risen. The first sunlight started to part the dim darkness.
Azell knew the precise moment when the sun came up. Azell had already positioned himself, so the sun would be at his back. On the other hand, Kieren was facing towards the light. For a brief moment, he hesitated in his attack.
That brief moment was all Azell needed
In a flash, Azell's clone rushed forward. The blue Dragon Maken raged as it attacked.
"Koohk……!"
Kieren was thrown off his guard, so he was frantic as he was pushed backwards.
However, there was a limit on what he could do when he was so close to his opponent.
He would have to calmly solve each problem as it arose.
As he came to that conclusion, Kieren was about to let out consecutive magic spells when Azell's clone disappeared.
'What's going on?'
The clone had disappeared with impeccable timing, so Kieren had expended his magical energy for nothing. His Dragon Demon magic flowed freely, and it created a static noise for a brief moment.
Afterwards, another clone appeared from behind Kieren to swing a burning light sword. It was as if the thunder was roaring!
'Horn of the Thunder Dragon!'
Ggwah-gwah-gwah-gwahng!
The blue thunderstrike sliced through Kieren as the after effects of attack reached even the next mountain.
However, a fierce energy erupted from within the dissipating thunderstrike. Kieren had been able to block the Horn of the Thunder Dragon head on.
"As expected, it seems you have the requisite skills needed to become the successor of Baldazark's Dragon weapon."
Azell wasn't surprised.
Kieren had brought out his Bleeding Star, and he was able to bring out the full extent of its power by enslaving the blood on the battlefield. The amount of magical energy he possessed was overwhelmingly immense right now, so Kieren didn't have to dodge the attack. He was able to block it head on. Of course, Azell had expected all of this.
It happened at that moment.
"They are retreating!"
There was confusion amongst the ranks of the Dragon Demon king worshippers when they saw something they couldn't' comprehend.
The Guardian Shadows had been pushing them hard, but now they were exiting like water ebbing on low tide. They used their special brand of stealth ability to escape. They disappeared as if they melted into the ground.
They couldn't comprehend the actions of the Guardian Shadows.
Kieren became guarded as he glared at Azell.
"It is right on time."
After a moment, Azell's clone raised his hand to point at the sky.
Since the clone had the sun to its back, the gesture was highly suspicious. However, Kieren couldn't help, but look up at the sky.
Then…….
"Niberis! Look up!"
Kieren finally realized what had happened, so he yelled out.
The sun had risen slowly towards the east, and it was burning in the middle of the sky. There was also a region in the sky that was opaque as if there was a strange distortion. It was as if an enormous tear was floating in the sky.
It was proof that the Dimensional Distortion was being used at a large scale. As the heir to his tribe, Kieren knew what caused this phenomena.
'Goblet containing the Heaven's Tears (Heaven's Tear Goblet)!'
During the dragon Demon war, this was one of the main reason why the humans had been terrified of Aunsaurus. The fear of him had been bone deep.
Laura spoke as if she was whispering those words.
"You are too late."
The Dimensional Distortion floating in the sky went through a change, and the sunlight from the eastern sky was gathered. The sunlight fell to the ground as if it was an unavoidable iron mace.
6
Heaven's Tear Goblet.
It was both Aunsaurus's technique and nickname. The calamity was undeniable proof that the Vitan's Chalice was preposterously dangerous.
Azell remembered how terrifying it had been.
Ansaurus rarely used the Heaven's Tear Goblet.
In the early days of the war, the human alliance found out the terrifying nature of this technique, so they tried everything to prevent Ausaurus from completing the technique.
In the early days of the war, Aunsaurus fought against overwhelming number of enemy forces. He used this single technique to almost wipe out a large human alliance army that was 10,000 strong.
After Azell took part in the war, Aunsaurus had also burned a city as a tactical move. It was done to delay the progress of the human alliance forces.
Azell had urged Laura to learn this technique.
'I cannot use the technique properly, because I'm not a magician. However, it would be possible for you.'
When he used the Sun Lightsaber against Reygus, Azell had used a technique to gather sunlight in one spot.
However, the scale of his technique was unbelievably small compared to Ausaurus' technique. On a clear day, Aunsaurus could gather all the sunlight for his use.
As a magician and a Dragon Demon, Laura could bring out the full potential of the Vitan's Chalice.
She used the Dimensional Distortion over a large area to gather sunlight in her pocket dimension. It wasn't just gathering sunlight. The power of the magic spells engraved inside the Vitan's Chalice would get a massive boost. She would be able to create a strong stream of light and heat.
When the maximum amount of heat and light was gathered in the dimensional pocket, she would open a hole where the power could be emitted outwards.
She could create a one big explosion, or she could freely dissect a battlefield with a heat ray. Laura chose to use the latter strategy.
The unavoidable light mace cut through the mountain, and a massive amount of heat exploded along its path.
Every being in the path of the light had died. The layers of defensive magic was burned away like paper, and even their bodies were turned into ashes.
"…it won't last over 2 seconds."
Laura mumbled to herself.
The party hadn't been able to see the moment when the calamity descended on the ground. The Heaven's Tear Goblet was released at a predetermined moment, and when it was unleashed, she had immediately moved their party into a separate space.
The only worry was whether the plan was properly disseminated amongst the Guardian Shadows…. Surprisingly, the Guardian Shadows reacted precisely as planned. It was as if they followed the party's will. As a result, they were able to create the perfect result they had wanted to create.
Unfortunately, there was a problem.
The Heaven's Tear Goblet was incomplete.
When the battle started, the sun hadn't come up yet. This was why Laura had to focus the Dimensional Distortion in the far east. Moreover, she hadn't been able to gather sunlight for long. All the sunlight was used up in 2 seconds.
Azell spoke.
"That should be plenty enough. They'll be in a state of confusion, so we just have to escape….."
Koo-goo-goo-goo-goohng!
Suddenly, the pocket dimension shook.
Laura's expression turned pale.
"What is it?"
Something she couldn't understand was happening. Someone was assaulting the pocket dimension she had created. In the past, she had experienced the Vitan's Maze being invaded twice. It was when she had saved Niberis from Azell. The most recent attempt was Kieren coming in to save Niberis in this battle.
'Now that I think about it, Niberis was involved in both attempts.'
Of course, this was completely opposite of what she experience twice before.
The situation right now was entirely different from what happened twice before.
Azell had tracked her down from the other side of the dimensional divide, and Kieren had exploited a weak point before the Vitan's Maze could be completed. This being was trying to break the magical energy forming the dimensional pocket.
The unbelievable part was that the attempt was effective. Laura only knew one person that knew how to do this.
"…Azell. Someone is attempting the same thing you showed before."
Azell had cut the wave of magical energy swirling in midair. It was an absurd skill.
From Laura's perspective, she had no idea how it was possible. When she had asked Azell about it, he gave her this answer.
'It is a skill that is pretty useless in real battle. You can't use this skill in the heat of battle. This is why it is used in ambushes or when one wants to break through a barrier from the outside.'
Azell had reemphasized this fact.
'When one stretches out one's senses to the extreme, the surrounding magical energy looks like strands. I'm not a magician, but I know the shape and structure the magical energy needs to take to form a spell. After I focus and assess the spell, I cut the strands.'
'…this is probably what non-magicians feel when they listen to an explanation from a magician.'
'That means you don't know what the hell I'm talking about. I like the expression you just used.'
'Who else can do this besides you?'
Azell had explained the shortcomings of the skill, yet it was an incredible dangerous technique against a magician. This was why she couldn't help, but ask the question.
'The duke can't do it yet.'
'Will he be able to do so in the future?'
'I'm not sure. In the past, there were exactly two people who could use this technique.'
'Who were they?'
'It was the old man Croix and the Dragon Demon king Atein.'
'…….'
…some unknown being was using that exact technique to dispel her pocket dimension.
"Did the king revive already?"
From Laura's perspective, this was the only possibility that seemed plausible.
When she was still with the Plain of Darkness, they kept saying the king's revival was near.
Then there was the Dragon Demon General Reygus. He had become a preposterously strong Undead, and Reygus was still tracking down their party.
In such a situation, Azell had said someone on par with Reygus was approaching them.
In such a situation…..
Kairen spoke to a pale faced Laura.
"Laura, I want you to withdraw the Vitan's Maze."
"But……."
"If we drag this out, it'll be to our detriment. We will become surrounded. Since we have no idea what is going on outside, we can't' continue putting our trust in a wall that will eventually fall."
Kairen was cold as he made the decision.
Laura turned to look at Azell, and she dispelled the Vitan's Maze when he gave a nod.
A suffocating wind immediately assaulted their skin.
Hweeeee……!
They saw a sight they would have never imagined seeing inside the dimensional pocket.
If things had occurred as planned, heat should have emanated from where the Heaven's Tear Goblet had impacted. The surrounding should have been burning.
However, the sight in front of them had nothing to do with heat.
Ooh-roo-roo-roong! Ggwah-gwahng!
"A storm……?"
Laura was amazed as she mumbled to herself.
Thunder was crackling in the sky, and a gale powerful enough to throw people around was swirling around them. Soon, there were harsh raindrops mixed in with the gale.
They were basically in the middle of a storm.
However, the intensity of the storm was quickly dissipating.
The suffocating winds dropped off, and rain started falling harder instead. No, the raindrops that had been carried by the wind was now falling normally.
Shwahhhhh…….
After the gale, a regional shower fell from the sky.
Everyone was amazed by the sudden change.
Azell mumbled his words to himself.
"He's coming……."
His expression hardened, and it was a scary sight.
From across the falling rain, someone was approaching them. This being was coming here at a leisurely pace as if he was on a stroll. His Dragon Demon magic was so weak that the members of the party hadn't felt threatened.
It was directed only at Azell… It was a enormous pressure. It was as if a mountain was pressing down on him.
This was why they couldn't understand why Azell was so tense.
What was he sensing at that moment?
Koo-roo-roong!
The puzzled Kairen was about to ask Azell a question when a large sound rang out. At the same time, a fierce wave of Dragon Demon magic spread into the surrounding.
"Ooh-ook……!"
Everyone was taken aback. The suffocating wave of Dragon Demon magic reached them as it resonated.
Ggwah-roo-roong! Ggwah-gwah-gwahng!
A thunder exploded forth.
From a specific point on the ground, a thunder rose into the sky in reverse. For a brief moment, the world was dyed white, and the thunder ripped apart the clouds letting out the torrential rain.
"How can this be……!"
Kairen was shocked.
As the rain clouds in the sky dispersed from explosion, the rain stopped. The morning sky was clear, and a Dragon Demon male was walking towards them from the east with the sun coming down on him.
"It has been a while.."
The silence that had suffocating the entire battlefield was broken as a solemn voice rang out.
Everyone turned to look at the owner of the voice. It was as if they were mesmerized. When Azell saw his face, his expression turned strange.
"…who are you?"