Volume 4: Nuisance of Fate
Encounter 7: The True Dragon Slayers (The Legend of 7idiots)
The canyon trembled as the dust and frost began to settle. For one brief, triumphant moment, the four warriors allowed themselves to believe they had done the impossible.
Then Glacioboros stirred.
With a bone-rattling groan that echoed off the canyon walls, the Ever-Frozen World-Ender rose again. Cracks of molten light still spiderwebbed across its chest, but the ancient calamity refused to fall. Its massive wings unfurled, shedding fresh waves of absolute-zero frost that turned the air into a blinding blizzard.
"Tch… tough lizard," Edric growled, chest heaving, voice raw with exhaustion.
Sensing its impending demise, the dragon unleashed a desperate, erratic thrum of absolute-zero energy. Its enormous ice-plated tail whipped through the air in a blinding blur — faster and more violent than anything it had shown before.
Edric charged forward anyway, ignoring the screaming protests of his battered body. He never had time to react.
CRASH!
The tail slammed into him mid-swing with catastrophic force. His volcanic aura shattered like glass. The kinetic shockwave rippled outward, blasting Alexander off his path and smashing through Vermorth's spatial barriers. Even Prince Kalvin's dark magic shield collapsed under the overwhelming pressure.
All four warriors were hurled violently across the frozen canyon floor, tumbling and skidding through snowdrifts like broken dolls. Bruised, battered, and momentarily stunned, they struggled to rise.
High above, Glacioboros hovered, chest plates cracked and leaking molten essence. It drew in a final, world-ending breath — preparing an absolute-zero roar that would bury them forever beneath layers of eternal ice.
Amidst the falling frost and the groans of his comrades, Prince Alberch rose alone.
The carefree, food-obsessed prince was gone. In his place stood a man radiating the indomitable will of a future emperor. His golden imperial cape whipped wildly in the freezing gale as he planted his boots firmly into the ice. He gripped his sword with both hands. The blade didn't merely shine — it ignited. Superheated air warped around him, turning falling snow into clouds of instant steam.
"You have threatened the future of my realm," Alberch whispered, his voice cutting through the storm with absolute clarity.
He took one deep, steadying breath… then leaped.
Golden solar fire trailed behind him like the tail of a comet as he soared straight toward the descending maw of the beast.
"BURNING SUN GAZE: RAGNAROK!"
The sword came down.
A concentrated beam of pure, unadulterated solar energy erupted from the blade — a blinding pillar of light that sliced through the darkness of the canyon like the birth of a new dawn. The attack struck Glacioboros's exposed magical core with devastating, perfect precision.
The absolute-zero energy inside the dragon went violently unstable.
Glacioboros let out one final, earth-shaking cry that reverberated across the entire canyon. Its internal core shattered into a million sparkling fragments of ice and molten light. Cracks of golden fire spread rapidly across its colossal body like fractures in a glacier.
The Ever-Frozen World-Ender convulsed. Its massive wings faltered. For one agonizing moment it hung in the air, roaring in defiance… then gravity claimed it.
The ancient calamity dragon plummeted.
Its enormous body crashed into the canyon floor with a cataclysmic impact that shook the earth and sent a shockwave of frost and shattered rock exploding outward. Snow and ice erupted into the air like a frozen geyser. The impact carved a massive crater where the dragon fell, its once-terrifying form now broken and still.
Silence descended.
Alberch landed gracefully on a stone outcropping a short distance away, sheathing his glowing blade with a crisp metallic click. Steam rose from his shoulders as the residual heat of his technique slowly faded.
Up in the snowdrift, Edric pushed himself up on one elbow and stared in open-mouthed awe. "Did… did that food-obsessed idiot just solo a calamity dragon?"
Vermorth slowly rose beside him, frost still clinging to his cloak. A rare look of genuine respect crossed his usually stoic face. "Alexander Hamilton Crane… mark this down. From this day forth, Prince Alberch has earned his title: The Frost Dragon Glacioboros Killer."
The group shared a moment of exhausted, breathless laughter — the kind born only from surviving certain death.
But the relief was short-lived.
As the lingering frost dissipated and the canyon began to thaw into rushing waterfalls, the shadow of the fallen dragon twisted unnaturally on the ground. Dark energy pooled and condensed, rising into a massive, horned projection. The silhouette of the Demon King materialized before them, eyes burning with pure, venomous hatred.
"Insolent mortals," the projection hissed, its voice echoing with demonic malice that chilled the soul far deeper than any dragon's breath. "The prophecy of the Seven Luminaries ends here. You may have survived my catalyst today… but the armies of the demonic realm will ensure your light is permanently extinguished before you can ever truly unite."
With a final, frustrated roar that shook the canyon walls, the projection shattered into harmless dark particles that scattered on the wind.
Silence returned, broken only by the sound of melting ice turning into roaring streams.
Edric let out a low whistle. "Well… that was dramatic."
Alexander wiped blood from the corner of his mouth and smirked despite the pain. "Welcome to the future, gentlemen. Try to keep up."
Vermorth glanced at the two princes, then at Edric, and finally at Alexander. A faint, tired smile tugged at his lips.
"Five down," he said quietly. "Two more to find."
The canyon, once locked in eternal winter, now flowed with life again — a fitting symbol for the fragile yet powerful alliance that had just taken its first true, bloodied step toward destiny.
As the shadow of the Demon King dissolved into the warm, thawing air, the canyon came alive with the sound of rushing waterfalls. Prince Alberch's regal aura vanished as quickly as it had appeared. He slumped his shoulders, groaned loudly, and immediately began scanning the ground for any snacks that might have miraculously survived the battle.
Instead, his eyes caught a soft, pulsing blue glow from a deep recess in the rock wall — the very spot Glacioboros had been guarding.
"Hey, guys! Look at this massive snowball!" Alberch called out, scrambling over the wet stones.
Before anyone could stop him, a sharp CRACK echoed through the canyon. The shimmering egg split cleanly down the middle. From the broken shell emerged a tiny, brilliant whelp covered in cosmic-blue scales and wings that shimmered like the night sky.
The baby dragon blinked its large golden eyes, looked straight at Alberch, and let out a tiny, high-pitched squeak. Then, with surprising speed, it launched itself onto the prince's messy hair and began aggressively nuzzling his head like it had found its lifelong throne.
The entire group froze in stunned silence.
"Is that…" Alexander rubbed his eyes, his Future Sight flashing wildly. "The calamity left an heir."
CRASH!
Edric broke the silence by marching over and delivering a massive, heavy slap to Alberch's shoulder, nearly knocking the prince into the mud.
"Hahahaha! Looks like you've been chosen, Your Highness!" Edric roared with laughter. "The World-Ender's kid likes your hair!"
Alexander burst out laughing too, the earlier grudge completely forgotten. "If you actually put your full focus into things, you really can pull off something incredible, you lucky bastard!"
The tiny dragon chirped happily from its new nest. Alberch reached up to scratch under its chin, a wide, goofy grin spreading across his face.
"Well, little buddy," he chuckled, "I think I'll name you Aetheris."
Weeks Later – The Grand Cathedral of the Allied Kingdoms
News of the newly formed group's exploits had spread like wildfire across the continent. Tales of five young warriors destroying a major Crimson Fang bandit stronghold, wiping out three demonic scouting camps, and slaying the dreaded Glacioboros, the Ever-Frozen World-Ender, were sung in every tavern from the frozen North to the southern marshes. People called them the budding hope of humanity — the ones who would stand against the Demon King and the Seven Calamity Dragons.
Because of this, the Central Church and the leaders of the allied kingdoms called for an emergency assembly. They needed to give the people something solid to believe in.
Inside the opulent Grand Cathedral, the atmosphere was tense. Kings, emperors, and high priests filled the hall as the Pope addressed the skeptical assembly.
One cardinal stood up, voice sharp. "Your Holiness, we only know of three destined heroes revealed by the Oracle. These five — no matter how impressive their feats — are not yet confirmed. Introducing them as the full Seven Luminaries would be premature and dishonest."
The Pope raised a calm hand, his expression weary but resolute.
"We are not claiming they are the complete prophecy," he said. "But the people are losing hope. The Demon King's forces grow bolder every day. If we wait for the Oracle to reveal every name, fear may consume us first. Let the world see these brave souls. Let them represent the light of the gods. This is not deception — it is a beacon. The gods have not abandoned us. We still carry their blessings."
After a long, heavy silence, the leaders reluctantly nodded in agreement.
And so, the grand introduction was set.
"Presenting the saviors of the realm — the Seven Luminaries!"
The heavy velvet curtains began to part. Bright sunlight poured onto the stage as thousands of citizens, nobles, and rulers watched in anticipation.
Behind the fabric, however, peace was never an option.
As they stepped forward, Edric subtly stuck out his armored boot. Alexander Hamilton Crane stumbled dramatically onto the stage.
"Watch your step, Alice Hammerhead Gree!" Edric snickered.
"That is it!" Alexander snarled, drawing his slender blade halfway out of its sheath.
Before they could clash in front of the entire continent, Vermorth stepped between them — only to catch a stray elbow straight to the chin.
Crunch!
The force sent Vermorth stumbling backward into Kaira.
Thud!
Enraged, Kaira swung a punch at Vermorth. He ducked at the last second.
Smack!
Her fist connected perfectly with Edric's face instead.
A dizzy Vermorth tried to headbutt Edric in revenge. Edric dodged, and Vermorth slammed into Alexander instead. Edric burst out laughing — right before Vermorth swept his legs out from under him. As Edric fell, his head bumped into Kaira's face. She retaliated with a blind, furious slap that missed Edric and smacked Kane square across the jaw.
While the five frontline warriors devolved into a localized hurricane of limbs, elbows, and slaps, the two princes remained blissfully in their own world.
Prince Alberch casually pulled a massive, fully cooked chicken leg from his royal robes and took a huge bite." Hehehe time to eat!" Prince Kalvin immediately lunged for it. " Hey give me some!" Kalvin shout while Albrecht still munching the meat, Without even looking away from the crowd, Alberch planted his boot on Kalvin's chest and shoved him away with casual imperial grace.
Right at that exact moment, the curtains fully opened.
The bright sunlight revealed not dignified heroes, but seven absolute idiots in the middle of glorious chaos: five warriors tangled in a slap fight, one prince casually eating chicken, and another prince trying (and failing) to steal said chicken.
The grand cathedral split into two reactions.
Down in the lower balconies, the commoners exploded with cheers and laughter. Tired of stiff, stuffy ceremonies, they loved the chaotic, relatable energy. Bets were already flying on who would land the next hit.
Up on the high dais, the nobles and priests sat in horrified, stunned silence.
The Head Prelate, sweating profusely, raised his golden staff and tried to salvage the moment.
"We welcome… cough… the first of our pure, disciplined protectors…"
"Step forward, Prince Alberch, Bearer of the Sun!"
Alberch tried to step forward while still chewing, but Kalvin was still latched onto his leg.
"Wait,share me some bite you glutton!"
"Nope!"
Alberch simply pinned Kalvin's robe to the floor with his boot, bowed gracefully to the Emperor, and took another massive bite of chicken.
"And step forward… Alexander Hamilton Crane!"
Alexander attempted to present himself with dignity, but Edric had him in a loose headlock.
"Get off me, you oversized brute!"
"Just standard battle formation, Alice!" Edric laughed, dragging him toward the holy water font while waving enthusiastically at the cheering crowd.
The High Priest, deciding denial was the only path forward, quickly sprinkled holy oil over the entire writhing pile of heroes.
"The Seven Luminaries are officially baptized! May the realm rejoice!"
And thus, the legend of the Seven Idiots — also known as the true Dragon Slayers and Luminaries — was born in the most undignified, unforgettable way possible.
To be continued...