Lunaclaw Group — Inside the Tavern
Roger slammed his mug on the table, laughing loudly.
"Come on! Let's drink until we drop. What a damn great night!"
Yung crossed his arms.
"Don't overdo it, Commander."
Lina puffed her cheeks.
"This is boring for me. How long am I supposed to drink milk anyway?"
Alisa smiled gently.
"You're still too young. You'll get there someday."
Lina frowned.
"Hey, don't look at me like that. You're way too cute when you do."
Elisa laughed softly.
"This party is thanks to our newcomer. Nice work, Yami."
Yami waved it off.
"It wasn't a big deal."
Yung leaned forward.
"You did well, but from now on, listen to my calls.
Tomorrow morning, we meet here. I'll explain our next plan."
Yami tilted his head.
"Isn't Roger the commander? Why doesn't he decide these things?"
Roger grinned.
"Kid, I command during battle.
Planning and strategy? That's our elite's job."
He pointed at Yung.
"Our tiger-man genius. Ha—"
Yung sighed.
"You're drunk again. Every time you drink, you start mocking people."
Suddenly, another adventurer group entered the tavern.
"Look who's here," one of them sneered.
"A bunch of pathetic B-ranks."
Yung muttered,
"Great… these guys again."
Roger shrugged.
"Ignore them. They just hit Rank A. Got an ego boost."
The leader of the A-rank group stepped forward.
"What's wrong, clown? Still Rank B and running your mouth?"
His eyes shifted to Yami.
"Oh? Is this your rookie?"
He laughed loudly.
"The one who killed ten white tigers?
A Divine Moon Sword user at Rank B? That's hilarious."
He leaned closer.
"You're a disgrace to Moon-style swordsmen."
Yami smiled calmly.
"Yeah, that's true. I'm still new to the style.
That's why I'm Rank B."
The man burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Interesting guy."
He extended a hand.
"Name's Nadaro.
People call me Venom Saber.
Half-human, half-marten.
Earth-style swordsman, Rank S."
Yami shook his hand.
"I'm Yami. No title.
Moon-style swordsman, Rank B.
Nice to meet you."
Nadaro smirked.
"Hahaha. See you around, Yami.
We'll get to know each other better someday."
He turned and left.
Yung frowned.
"That's strange. He doesn't usually talk like that."
Roger lifted his mug.
"Damn it. We're out of drinks. Another round!"
Yung snapped,
"That's enough! How much are you planning to drink?"
Yami stood up.
"I'm heading out."
The Next Morning
Everyone gathered inside the tavern.
Yung spread a map on the table.
"Here's the plan.
We've been assigned to deliver an extremely important letter to the Giant King."
The group froze.
"On the way, we'll take additional missions.
If we succeed, our rank jumps to A+."
Roger blinked.
"Wait—what? From B- to A+ in one job?"
Yung nodded.
"I received the letter directly from Queen Lunaria yesterday, after the tiger hunt."
Alisa frowned.
"That sounds dangerous.
Doesn't she already have an SSS+ ranked team?"
Yung smiled slightly.
"She does. But this is something we can handle."
He looked around.
"Stock up. One month of supplies at least.
We leave soon."
Everyone nodded.
"Understood."
Yami stayed silent.
Something feels off…
I need to speak with the Divine Dragon.
Aetherfang Palace — Zerothrax's Chamber
Knock. Knock.
"Who is it?"
"It's me."
"Come in."
Yami stepped inside.
"I'm here about the letter you gave my group."
Zerothrax leaned back.
"It's nothing complicated.
Just an alliance proposal with the Giant Realm."
He continued calmly.
"You know the Sun Kingdom and the Radiant Elf Realm have already allied with the Sky Dominion."
"Three military superpowers against the giants.
If this continues, the giants will go extinct."
Yami narrowed his eyes.
"Our enemies overlap with the giants' enemies," Zerothrax said.
"And frankly, we gain a lot from weakening the elves."
He paused.
"Our queen despises the Thunder Queen.
An old hatred."
Yami nodded slowly.
"I see.
Which nations are allied with Queen Lunaria now?"
Zerothrax answered without hesitation.
"The Great Ocean of the Merfolk—enemies of the Sky Fairies.
The Ogre, Orc, and Goblin lands.
The Dragon Realm.
And soon… the Giant Realm."
Yami frowned.
"I doubt the giants will accept.
They haven't had allies for thousands of years."
Zerothrax smiled.
"Want to bet?"
"On what?"
"If I win," Zerothrax said,
"You become a knight of this empire until the Ogre Queen dies.
After that—you become King of the Ogre Realm.
And remain our ally forever."
Yami's eyes sharpened.
"And if you lose?"
"If I lose, I'll give you my power," Zerothrax replied calmly.
"After that, defeating Lucen will be easy for you."
Yami laughed quietly.
"That's one hell of a bet."
He nodded.
"Deal."
Then he paused.
"One thing though…
Why are you still a knight here?
Shouldn't you already be the Dragon King?"
Zerothrax's expression darkened.
"I'm not yet."
He exhaled slowly.
"I was human once."
"When I was born, instead of dragon eyes like others, I carried the Shadow of Dragons."
"Everyone feared me."
"At eight years old, I fled the Sun Kingdom to the Radiant Elf Realm.
I lived there for two years, in a poor village with kind elves."
His voice lowered.
"One morning, I woke up…
They were all slaughtered."
"By order of Queen Elia."
"My Dragon Eye awakened.
I killed every elven soldier in sight…
And came to this land."
He looked at Yami.
"When Queen Lunaria found me—wounded and broken—
she didn't take my power."
"She saved me.
Raised me in this palace.
Trained me."
"She is… my mother."
Yami blinked.
"A seven-hundred-year-old mother.
Sounds like a great woman."
Zerothrax smiled faintly.
"She truly is."
"I swore an oath that day.
Until I become king of my own realm—
I will remain her knight."
Yami said calmly,
"I'd like to get to know you better."
Zerothrax replied without even looking at him,
"Don't get ahead of yourself."
Yami gave a faint smile.
"Before leaving, I need to visit Queen Lunaria."
Zerothrax shrugged.
"Fine."
"See you."
Yami entered the royal palace.
The hall was as always—silent, heavy, and filled with light whose source could not be seen.
He spoke directly:
"Why do you want me to deliver this letter to the land of the Giants?
I know you didn't place me in an adventurer group for no reason."
He stepped forward.
"What did you write in that letter?"
Queen Lunaria smiled.
She stood up and slowly began to clap.
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
"I would expect nothing less from someone who possesses the Eye of Darkness."
She lowered her hands.
"You're the only one, after Zerothrax, whom I can truly trust."
She turned her back to him.
"I didn't give the letter to the Dragon God because I'm sending him to the Northern Mountains…
the place where the Demon was born."
Yami raised an eyebrow.
"That Demon won't be trouble for the Dragon God?"
Lunaria answered without hesitation:
"Don't underestimate Zerothrax.
Twenty-five percent of his power has awakened. That alone is enough to destroy an entire country."
She slightly turned her head.
"The Eye of Control, the Black Hole Eye, and the Eye of Regeneration…
he won all of them through wagers.
He never loses."
Yami muttered,
"You raised a monster."
Lunaria laughed softly.
"No… he's my child. He just needs to learn a little from his mother."
Yami looked at her.
"Damn it… you're just as deceptive as you are beautiful."
Lunaria stepped closer.
"If you deliver the letter safely, I promise you a date."
Yami smiled.
"A date with the Goddess of Beauty, the most beautiful woman across infinity?
That's a good deal. I accept."
He bowed his head slightly.
"I'll deliver the letter."
And he left.
Lunaria whispered to herself,
"Men are truly foolish…
especially when facing a woman who's seven hundred years old."
Yami returned to the group.
"Hey everyone. I'm back."
Yung frowned.
"You're late."
Roger laug
hed.
"No, he's right on time."
He picked up his weapon.
"Well then… let's go."
End of the Chapter
🔜 Next Chapter:
The beginning of the journey to the Land of the Giants
and
the direct clash between the Dragon God and the Demon God