abcnovels
(535) Volume 52 7 Kaybern’s movement (Part I)
(535) Volume 52 7 Kaybern’s movement (Part I)
Volume 52 Chapter 7 Kaybern’s movement (Part I)
Lafaye closed his eyes.
‘We are finished.’
Even though he accepted defeat in his head, he still hoped for a miracle.
A small ray of hope perhaps.
Something magical like Bard Ray defeating Weed and the Haven Imperial army destroying the Arpen Kingdom.
In a war anything can happen, so he had waited for an unexpected outcome; but to no avail.
‘Even if Bard Ray had won, it wouldn’t have resolved this grave situation… But this is the worst scenario out of all the outcomes I foresaw.’
Along with the defeat of Bard Ray, the fate of the Haven Empire had been sealed.
“We did it. Hurry and fight!”
“Let’s get some payback for everything we went through until now. Don’t go easy on them.”
The combined assault of the northern and central users was devastating.
Whenever the Hermes Guild let loose their magic spells, more came flying in return from all directions.
The Haven Empire had better knights and soldiers, but even that advantage was whittled down by wave after wave of enemies.
“Onward!”
“Charge! Forward!”
The northern users charged like a horde of a hundred million zombies.
In addition, the users from the central continent who had been observing the situation joined in with the Arpen Kingdom; thinking that the Haven Empire had met its demise.
“We can’t hold.”
“This is too much, the number of enemies isn’t decreasing at all.”
Bard Ray’s royal guards and the Hermes Guild members were each fighting against multiple dozens of enemies.
If the Hermes Guild had not been the most powerful guild on the continent, they would have already crumbled.
“I guess we have to use our last resort.”
Lafaye approached Arkhim, who was leading the army.
“There is one final choice left for us to make.”
“We have such a choice?”
“Yes, the last, final option.”
Lafaye skipped the explanation and showed Arkhim a quest.
[Dragon’s Egg
An egg laid by the green dragon Arankald and the black dragon Kaybern was discovered.
Arankald left due to an unknown reason, and the egg was left at its current location.
An egg touched by humans will incur the dragon’s rage.
The only way to quell the dragon’s rage is to hatch the egg safely and wait for the birth of the baby dragon.
Difficulty: S rank
Restrictions: Dragon Egg found. Quest cannot be forfeit at current stage.]
Arkhim read the quest log, but he couldn’t understand Lafaye’s intentions.
“So, what are you planning with this? Are you saying we should complete the quest and manipulate the dragon?”
“No, we don’t know how long we will have to wait for it to hatch. Also, dragons rarely intervene in human affairs.”
The dragons held absolute power over the Versailles continent.
They acted under an established order, and did favors for no-one, no matter how close a friend they were.
“We don’t have much time - what are you suggesting that we do?”
“We need to destroy the egg.”
“The egg? Destroying the dragon’s egg?” Arkhim asked in return, surprised.
“Yes. According to my investigations, there will be an event that could influence the entire continent once the egg is destroyed. Do you remember the King Belthos’s Curse of Flames?”
“It was the incident that caused the Crimson Wing Guild to collapse a while ago.”
“Precisely. The entire continent warmed up due to the Crimson Wing Guild’s greed for treasure. This will be like that event. When the egg is destroyed, the entire continent will suffer Kaybern’s vengeance.”
“Are you serious? And you’re still going to destroy that egg?”
Dragons were peak predators that even the Hermes Guild did not dare challenge.
“If we can’t take over this continent, it is better to destroy it.”
Arkhim abruptly felt frightened by Lafaye.
To collapse here and now, or to create an uncontrollable, catastrophe.
He wavered at the fork in the road before deciding in his own best interests.
“Fine. We can’t fall like this. We’ll give them a scene.”
Goram.
He was a user who started out in Central Continent not too long ago.
His cousin was one of Bard Ray’s royal guards in the Hermes Guild, so he chose the Central Continent even when all others chose the Arpen Kingdom.
He was level 102.
He was supported by his cousin, who provided him with good equipment and let him use the hunting grounds.
With his authority as one of Bard Ray’s royal guards, he could let Goram enter a beginner dungeon as many times he wanted to.
“If I complete this… it’s worth an entire apartment.”
Goram smacked his lips.
A while ago, Lafaye himself had made a request of him: “Take this egg. When I contact you, destroy the egg within the Arpen Kingdom camp.”
‘Would the egg cause a massive explosion if I destroyed it?’
It was an easy task.
Goram’s level was low and he did not have the murderer mark, nor was he an official member of the Hermes guild.
When the battle at Garnav Plains breaks out, he just needed to blend in with the northern users and destroy the egg.
Lafaye also handed him some equipment in advance.
The Rock God’s hammer.
If one without his permission uses it, his body would explode but would be able to wield it just once.
‘Well. It’s worth an apartment…’
Goram waited for Lafaye’s order.
He was worried that the mission may get cancelled by the time Weed defeated Bard Ray and the Haven empire was under heavy assault.
- Lafaye : Destroy it now.
Lafaye’s whisper was delivered.
Goram was relieved, pulled out a large white egg from his backpack and laid it on the floor.
“What is that?”
“Is that an ostrich egg? It’s huge!”
“Isn’t it a rock?”
The surrounding users were intrigued by the egg.
Goram didn’t pay any attention to them. Their reactions were not important.
‘I have to go through exactly 3 stages. Take out the egg. Grab the Rock God’s Hammer. Destroy the egg.”
He must not raise the Rock God’s hammer first. In about a second, he would explode and die.
He had to take out the egg and strike as soon as he lifts the hammer.
‘I’m ready to die, and it’s going to get me an apartment so what’s there for me to hesitate?’
He equipped the Rock God’s hammer.
Blink!
[ You have equipped the Rock God’s Hammer.
You are lacking faith.
You are lacking strength.
You are lacking the affinity with the earth.
You must lay down the hammer before the rage of the Rock God reaches… ]
Goram did not care to read the notification.
He concentrated his strike down on the white egg.
Crack!
The egg shattered effortlessly, and shortly after Goram’s body was dismembered by the god’s curse.
[ You have lost your life due to the Rock God’s rage. ]
[ You destroyed the black dragon Kaybern’s egg.
You have destroyed the egg laid by the black dragon Kaybern and the green dragon Arankald.
The dragon’s’ rage will sweep across the continent… ]
***
“We won.”
“It is our victory.”
Weed was listening to the shouts of the users siding with the Arpen kingdom while on top of his poro-bird.
The core unit of the Hermes guild were still firmly holding their grounds.
The best elite squad that led countless battles to victory and conquered the Central continent.
Their numbers were less than the ones that fought earlier, but each one of them were very powerful and were not pushed back so easily.
Even so, if looked down upon from the sky the view was incredible; as if the entire Garnav plains was lunging at them.
- Mapan : With this, it looks like Weed-nim will be responsible for the unification of the Versailles continent.
- Pocket money: Congratulations. The enemy remains but soon the lands will be conquered… The construction of Arpen Empire is imminent.
- Hidden Money: I will work hard on the Mapan branch’s duties in Britton. Leave it to me!
The merchants already began their sweet talking for positions.
- Roam: I look forward to a good relationship, your highness.
- Kallis: The black lion guild will swear our loyalty for eternity.
- Halma: I can do anything that you require of me. I could even lick your feet.
There were even users lining up.
Weed was thinking of governing the Versailles continent in the near future.
‘Similar to the water park, I will create many amusement parks that families can enjoy. Ski resorts can also do just fine in making money.’
He was going to set a beginner ski course from the peak of a mountain that is 8,800 meters in height.
If there were to be a ski resort on the mountain over 1 km in height within the Central or northern continent, it would be crowded with customers.
‘Hotels, restaurants, night club. I’m going to create any space that people will use money on.’
Fields where they could enjoy sports, theatres for live performances. He was going to encourage spending on luxuries.
‘I won’t apply much taxes on necessities, but on luxuries people will be much more generous about it.’
He planned to exploit them without any hesitation.
‘It is not over yet. Not until I bring a world of true exploitation…’
Weed was in a cloud of his ideals, and that moment.
Blink!
[ The rage of the black dragon Kaybern has begun. ]
A short message popped up and a video began streaming.
***
A short scene of Goram shattering the egg with the Rock God’s Hammer played through.
The more important matter followed right after.
Black dragon Kaybern.
The black dragon nested in the dwarven kingdom.
The interior of his lair stacked with mountains of treasures was shown through the stream feed. The ones seeing a dragon for the first time were in awe from the overwhelming size and the intricate beauty of it.
The artwork and precious jewels refined by dwarves were decorating the lair.
The enraged black dragon lifted his enormous body and roared into the sky.
- How dare you destroy my egg. Humans… I will punish your insolence.
The treasures stolen from the dwarves and many antiques crumbled, as well as shelves crashing down.
- I will kill you all. You all!
Kaybern’s swung his forepaw and tail as he roared.
The cave ceilings collapsed, and a mountain of rocks fell to the ground.
“Kuaah!”
“Kuk!”
The monsters that guarded the lair were crushed under the rocks.
As if a huge earthquake was happening, Kaybern’s entire lair was falling apart.
Kaybern spread his wide wings, burst through the mountain and flew up to the sky.
The Thygorn, Ulta and Norn mountain range.
The video stream contained little cities of the Thor kingdom. Dwarves lay on their stomach frightened.
- You humans deserve obliteration…
Kaybern spread his wings and flew across the sky.
At extreme speed Kaybern glided past the stunning scenery and arrived in the Kallamore region close to the Thor kingdom.
The industrial city Edelen was visible.
It was a city that accumulated great wealth through trades with the Britton United Kingdom and contained a large population.
“W, What is that?”
“It’s a dragon. Sick!”
A portion of users were by the city gates and within the city.
Fewer in number than usual, but there nonetheless were active users that did not travel to Garnav plains.
These users pointed their fingers at Kaybern in great surprise.
- Disgusting humans. I will unleash my rage on your worthless lives.
Kaybern opened his mouth wide.
Pitch black darkness was gathering and growing larger inside it.
“Could that be…”
“A breath attack? For real? Towards us?”
The users inside the city began to panic.
The users approaching on their horses from far away witnessed Kaybern and quickly turned tail.
They were swift in judging the situation.
However, most of them were just staring blankly at Kaybern from the plains and the city gates.
For them, it was marvelous seeing a dragon up close and they were still trying to wrap their minds around this unrealistic situation.
- Disappear. Humans.
The breath fired away straight onto the city.
The land and buildings melted away, and the users lost their lives to the toxicity even if it did not touch them.
- Slaughter the remaining humans.
As a result of Kaybern’s magic, magical soldiers rose to their feet within the city.
“For the vengeance of the great Kaybern-nim!”
They were dragon soldiers.
They were comprised of the dragon’s flesh and immediately began slaughtering the citizens.
Due to the dragon’s magic blessing, they were immune to the users’ attacks.
- By my great command, I am liberating your boundaries. Punish the humans. Take their lands and destroy everything.
The three mountain ranges and dungeons of the Thor kingdom.
Many mountains, plains, swamps, rivers and dungeons in the Kallamor region.
By Kaybern’s dragon command the monsters followed and marched towards the human villages and cities.
“Kill the humans.”
“For Kaybern-nim’s revenge!”
“They must pay the price for enraging the dragon.”
Monster tribes were never close with one another.
Users and soldiers hunted monsters, but fights often broke out in the monster’s ranks, provoking a lot of deaths and keeping them balanced.
However, the monsters unleashed by Kaybern had no hostility towards one another and actively cooperated in attacking human cities and villages.
Kkkrrrraak!
*Crash!*
Drenching rain and ruthless strikes of thunder.
The last part of the video stream captured Kaybern spreading his wings wide and flying off into the distance.