Chapter 69 — The False God of Time
At the same moment…
While Seth was discovering the unreal depths of Obliranca's spiritual palace and the Kingdom of Wind slowly descended into chaos…
another scene was unfolding high above the Dragon Kingdom.
The royal palace was bathed in golden light produced by the flames surrounding the sacred mountains. Massive stained-glass windows depicted the ancient Dragon Kings while celestial dragons slowly circled around the towers of the castle.
Inside one of the palace's grand halls…
Damian walked silently beside Flora, who was slowly beginning to recover.
For several days now, Alexander had asked him to discreetly watch over her whenever his royal duties forced him to leave the palace. And even though Damian didn't fully understand why…
he eventually accepted without asking further questions.
Flora moved slowly near the enormous windows overlooking the kingdom. Her face remained calm, but something in her eyes constantly seemed exhausted.
Then suddenly
Damian stopped.
At the far end of the hall…
an enormous sword rested behind several magical seals.
Even from a distance, the weapon emitted a strange presence.
The blade was gigantic, covered in ancient draconic engravings faintly pulsing beneath a golden light. The guard resembled two dragon wings folded around the handle, and at the center of the weapon shone a deep crimson crystal that looked like a living heart.
Damian slightly frowned.
— "Wow… I never noticed this sword before…"
Flora slowly turned her gaze toward him.
Then she silently observed the blade for a few seconds before replying:
— "That is the Dragon Blade."
The mere act of pronouncing its name seemed to make the atmosphere heavier.
Damian slowly approached the weapon.
Even he could feel that this thing wasn't normal.
The mana radiating from the blade was overwhelming.
Immense.
Almost oppressive.
— "Did it belong to the king?"
Flora gently shook her head.
— "No."
She slowly walked closer as well.
Then calmly placed her hand against one of the seals surrounding the sword.
— "Long ago… Elisa, the First Dragon Knight, left this weapon to the first Dragon King as a sacred treasure in order to establish peace between humans and dragons."
Damian slightly raised his eyes toward her.
— "The First Dragon Knight…?"
A faint nostalgic smile appeared on Flora's face.
— "A monstrously powerful woman."
Her voice softly echoed through the massive empty hall.
— "Back in the era before the kingdoms existed in their current form… Alice fought alongside dragons."
The palace's golden flames seemed to dance slightly around the Dragon Blade.
Then Flora continued:
— "It is said that she was capable of erasing entire continents with a single slash."
— "Some even claim she fought demons from the ancient ages… though those are only legends."
Damian silently observed the sword.
Even while motionless…
it felt alive.
Then Flora calmly resumed:
— "After the great ancient war, Elisa entrusted this weapon to the first Dragon King so it would protect the kingdom until the end of time."
She lowered her eyes slightly toward the blade.
— "Since then… it has remained here."
Silence fell for a few seconds.
Then Damian asked:
— "And no king uses it?"
Flora remained silent briefly.
Then she softly answered:
— "No. Because the Dragon Blade chooses its own wielder."
The atmosphere suddenly became colder.
— "Many have tried to wield it."
— "Most died instantly."
Damian slowly blinked.
— "…Damn."
Flora let out a very faint laugh before her gaze became distant again.
— "In my family… the title of Dragon King is not inherited through blood alone."
Damian slightly frowned.
Flora then slowly lifted her eyes toward the gigantic draconic statues standing throughout the hall.
— "The Sun Dragons inherit the memories and powers of their predecessors."
Silence immediately returned.
Even Damian seemed surprised.
— "The memories…?"
Flora slowly nodded.
— "Each new Dragon King receives part of the memories of the previous rulers."
— "Their experiences."
— "Their techniques."
— "Even their emotions… sometimes."
Her voice became weaker the more she spoke.
— "And this has continued… since the beginning of time."
Damian remained silent for several seconds before looking back at the Dragon Blade.
— "So all the kings before you… still live on a little through you?"
Flora gently closed her eyes.
— "Yes… you could see it that way."
Her reply was almost a whisper.
Then she slowly placed her hand against her chest.
— "But my body is becoming weaker and weaker."
Damian's expression immediately changed.
Flora was still smiling slightly.
But that smile seemed sad.
— "My illness is progressing quickly."
The silence inside the hall deepened…
Even the golden flames around them appeared dimmer.
Then she calmly continued:
— "That's why Alex helps me so much."
— "Without him… I probably wouldn't even have the strength to fulfill my role as queen anymore."
Damian slightly looked away.
For the first time since arriving in the kingdom…
he truly understood the burden resting on Flora's shoulders.
She wasn't merely protecting a kingdom.
She was literally carrying the entire legacy of the Dragon Kings within herself.
Then Flora slowly turned her head toward him.
— "Damian."
— "Hm?"
— "If something ever happens to me someday… would you watch over Alex for me?"
Damian immediately frowned.
But Flora continued before he could answer.
— "Protect your friends too."
Silence abruptly fell.
Then Damian lightly sighed before placing his hand behind his head.
— "Yeah, yeah… try not to say stuff that sounds this dramatic."
Flora blinked softly.
Then a genuine smile finally appeared on her face.
Small.
But sincere.
And for a few seconds…
the crushing weight constantly surrounding the Dragon Kingdom faded slightly.
Meanwhile…
The wind howled across the entire celestial capital.
The walls of the Kingdom of Wind were now covered in ruins, blood, and unstable magical flames left behind by the massacre caused by Zero. Hundreds of soldiers lay collapsed on the ground, incapable of even understanding what had truly happened moments earlier.
And at the center of that hell…
two presences faced one another.
Rhea.
And Zero.
The magical pressure released by the Valkyrie was massive. Her long violet hair floated within the currents of mana while her enormous celestial spear vibrated with monstrous energy. Behind her back, several ancient magic circles slowly rotated, projecting luminous symbols across the kingdom's skies.
Facing her…
Zero stood motionless.
Calm.
As though this entire situation posed absolutely no danger to him.
Silence lingered for a few moments.
Then Rhea finally spoke:
— "You slaughtered my men… destroyed our walls… and you still dare remain this calm?"
Her voice heavily echoed throughout the capital.
But Zero did not answer immediately.
He simply observed the sky.
Then—
— "The wind of this kingdom is weak."
Rhea's gaze instantly turned colder.
BOOOOOOM.
Her mana exploded violently.
A gigantic storm instantly formed above the floating capital. The clouds began rotating at monstrous speed while violet lightning tore through the sky in every direction.
The surviving soldiers immediately stepped back.
Because they recognized this magic.
The magic of the Valkyries.
Rhea slowly raised her spear toward Zero.
Then behind her—
a massive magic circle appeared.
Gigantic wings of light unfolded from her back while her armor began transforming.
The silver plates covering her body slowly became engraved with celestial markings. An enormous violet aura exploded around her, shaking the floating structures of the kingdom.
— "First Armor… Armor of the God of the Seven Skies."
The wind around her became uncontrollable.
— "Valkyrie: Tempest Sovereign."
BOOOOOOOOOOM.
Rhea instantly vanished.
The ground exploded beneath her feet.
Even the soldiers lost sight of her movements.
Then—
a gigantic shockwave ripped across the walls.
Her spear had already reached Zero.
BOOOOOOM.
The impact pulverized several kilometers of floating structures behind them.
An entire storm exploded across the sky.
But…
Rhea's eyes widened violently.
Zero had stopped her spear with two fingers.
Simply.
Without even moving his body.
Silence became heavy.
The wind screamed around them.
But Zero…
had not moved an inch.
— "Too slow."
Then he slightly raised his hand.
And the space before Rhea suddenly distorted.
BOOOOOOM.
Her body was blasted through several buildings in a monstrous explosion.
Blood scattered through the air.
The soldiers immediately screamed as they saw Rhea disappear into the explosion caused by Zero's attack. Several walls collapsed beneath the shockwave while entire fragments of the celestial capital crashed into the ocean of clouds hundreds of kilometers below.
But before the debris could even fall—
BOOOOOOOOM.
A gigantic violet explosion erupted in the sky.
Rhea violently reappeared above the clouds.
Her armor was cracked everywhere.
Blood ran down her right arm.
Part of her helmet had been destroyed.
But her eyes…
still burned.
No.
They burned even more fiercely than before.
The wind surrounding her instantly became uncontrollable. Tornadoes began appearing throughout the floating capital while even the clouds themselves were dragged upward beneath the monstrous magical pressure she now emitted.
Then slowly…
she raised her hand toward the heavens.
— "Second Armor…"
Thousands of luminous particles exploded around her body.
CLAAAAAAC.
Her first armor literally shattered into pieces before being replaced by a far more aggressive form.
This time…
her appearance resembled a celestial war machine.
Gigantic metallic wings covered in runes violently unfolded behind her while two long spears materialized within her hands. Her armor had become lighter, faster, completely designed for offensive combat.
— "Valkyrie: Celestial Huntress."
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.
The battle exploded.
Rhea vanished.
The ground beneath her disintegrated.
Even the remaining soldiers could no longer follow her movements.
She now crossed the sky like a violet comet. Dozens of afterimages appeared behind her while thousands of magical spears rained down upon Zero from every direction.
BOOM.
BOOM.
BOOM.
Every impact obliterated entire sections of the capital.
Gigantic explosions illuminated the heavens.
But amidst the chaos…
Zero simply walked forward.
Calmly.
Every attack missed him.
He was untouchable.
Then suddenly—
Rhea appeared directly behind him.
Her two spears struck simultaneously with monstrous force.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM.
The explosion literally tore apart the clouds across several kilometers.
This time—
Zero slightly stepped back.
The soldiers immediately widened their eyes.
Rhea had truly pushed him back.
And she did not stop.
— "SKY PIERCER!"
Thousands of magic circles instantly appeared behind her.
Then hundreds of gigantic celestial spears descended from the heavens like divine rain.
BOOOOOOM.
BOOOOOOM.
BOOOOOOM.
The entire kingdom trembled.
Even the floating islands began cracking beneath the violence of the battle.
Rhea then burst through the explosion at full speed before slamming her knee into Zero's face.
BOOOOOOOM.
A shockwave crossed several floating mountains.
Then she immediately continued.
Spear strikes.
Kicks.
Magical assaults.
Every impact made parts of the sky explode.
For the first time since the battle began…
Zero was truly moving.
But then—
a smile slowly appeared on his face.
— "Finally… a little better."
And instantly—
Rhea felt monstrous danger surge through her entire body.
Her instincts screamed.
She raised her spears defensively.
Too late.
CLACK.
Zero had simply placed a finger against her forehead.
And time around her stopped.
Not throughout the entire kingdom.
Only around her body.
Rhea instantly felt her movements drastically slowing down.
Her mana.
Her breathing.
Her thoughts.
Everything was becoming frozen.
Even her heart seemed to slow.
And then—
Zero struck.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.
The sky exploded.
Rhea was launched through the capital like a meteor, destroying several suspended towers before piercing through an entire island in a gigantic explosion. The shockwave spread throughout the whole kingdom from the sheer force of the blow.
Silence fell for several seconds.
Then—
BOOOOOOOOOOM.
The destroyed island completely exploded.
A gigantic violet light rose into the sky.
And slowly…
Rhea appeared once more.
Her body was covered in wounds.
Her armor nearly destroyed.
Blood flowed down her legs.
But her eyes…
still refused to surrender.
The remaining soldiers immediately felt hope return to them.
Because she was standing again.
Hundreds of magic circles appeared behind her.
Her mana literally exploded.
This time…
even Zero slightly raised his eyes.
Rhea's armor completely transformed.
An enormous luminous crown appeared above her head while six gigantic wings made of pure mana unfolded behind her. Her spear fused with celestial energy until it became an almost divine weapon.
— "Ultimate Armor…"
The entire kingdom trembled.
— "Valkyrie: Queen of Heaven."
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.
Torrents of violet light instantly tore across the sky.
The clouds were blown away for hundreds of kilometers.
Even the natural magical currents of the kingdom became unstable.
To be continued…