190. Where the sky becomes thin (1)
#190
Navardose snapped his fingers and flames engulfed the two men. As soon as his vision went dark, a nauseating sensation unique to spatial magic struck Ronan.
‘I can’t get used to this at all.’
It felt like the intestines were being put in a bag and being spun around. Before long, my vision became bright again. Clumpy clouds were flowing clearly in front of my eyes. Ronan’s eyes widened.
“ah?”
There was nothing beneath my feet where the ground should have been. It didn’t take long for Ronan to realize that her own body was floating in the air.
“Damn, what?!”
He took a deep breath and cursed. The body began to fall straight down. As I quickly looked around, I saw Navardose falling right next to me. She said, looking back at her Ronan.
“Oh, I forgot to explain. It’s a bit far to go in one trip. “There is a range where you can move through space.”
“I understand, so can you please do something first? “Honestly, I’m scared to death right now.”
Ronan said, trying desperately to maintain his composure. Navardose’s face was so calm that it almost felt feverish. She would have sworn and screamed like a bitch if this lady hadn’t been the dragon she was supposed to show off. Navarro suddenly stretched out her arm and grabbed Ronan’s wrist, pulling him towards her.
“Master Navardose…?”
“Don’t be so scared, child. “Who do you think you are with?”
She smiled and hugged Ronan gently. Ronan was left speechless by her behavior as if he was handling her baby. Even though she was much taller, she felt like she was being held by a giant.
‘oh my god.’
I couldn’t even think of a vulgar joke. If I were to leave a short two-line review of my experience with the Mother of Fire, it would be that a dragon’s body temperature is much higher than that of a human, and that Itargand is a person to be beaten to death.
Yeah, I guess long-distance space travel isn’t that bad. I was thinking about something like that. Grumble! The flames rose again and covered the two people.
.
.
.
Unfortunately, the trip did not last long. They arrived at their destination after a total of seven space movements. Ronan raised his eyebrows at the sight of the magnificent castle erected in front of him.
“castle···?”
“okay. Drimoore Fortress. “It is our outpost.”
“Where on earth are we right now?”
Ronan asked in a dumb voice. He had seen all kinds of rare sights in his two lives, but this time he could not hide his embarrassment. He seemed to know why he used the expression where the sky becomes thinner.
The place where the fortress was built was in the middle of the sky. It gave off a similar impression to Lodolan, which had become a floating prison, but it was incomparably grander in terms of scale or anything else.
First of all, the sky was not what people usually think of. High above the sky, which cannot even be seen with the naked eye from the ground, was the sky that I had only heard about.
‘There were so many stars…?’
It was on a different level than when seen from the ground. Even though it was not night, there were literally countless stars forming a night sky in the pitch black sky.
Ronan looked down the cliff. Far below, the continent where he was born and raised was firmly established. I couldn’t believe that everything I had ever experienced was contained in that speck-like lump of land.
If I raised my head slightly, I could see the horizon drawing a gentle arc. Ronan could easily deduce that that arc was the edge of the planet he lived on.
As Ronan walked down the main road to the fortress, he looked around like a child going for his first walk. Navardose laughed.
“It seems interesting.”
“yes. Honestly, it feels like I’m dreaming. “I don’t think this fortress is an ordinary building either.”
The material that made up the exterior wall was unusual. Mithril was the most common building material in the overall blue Drimoor fortress. Precious metals that were finer than that, such as orichalcon and dasm stones, could also be found frequently. They were all materials specialized for dispelling physical and magical damage.
‘Damn, didn’t they scrape everything up to build this and it became precious?’
It’s not a lie, it seemed like if they were determined and defended, they wouldn’t be able to capture it even if all the imperial troops came. Ronan, who was examining the fortress, opened his mouth.
“It wasn’t built to deal with humans.”
“yes. “You’re quick-witted.”
“What on earth are you fighting against that requires a fortress like this?”
“But you will see it soon. “I came here to chase them away.”
Navardose arrived in front of the castle gate and lightly gestured. The two doors, built to withstand a meteorite, opened gently. Ronan tilted his head at the scenery inside the fortress that unfolded right in front of him.
“It’s narrower than you thought?”
“They say it’s because the building was built solely for durability. “I think we’ll have to talk about your father after we’re done. Is that okay?”
“yes. “It doesn’t matter as long as I listen to it today.”
Perhaps because the walls and ceiling were so thick, the interior was narrower than expected. Of course, it was narrower than it looked from the outside, but it was enough for Itargand without polymorph to move around.
There was almost no decoration, so it felt a bit boring. Of course, it doesn’t really matter since it’s a fortress built for fighting.
It was the moment when two people who were walking side by side in the hallway turned a corner. A giant with one head taller than Ronan suddenly jumped out. He was a rather handsome man with a mustache that extended to his sideburns. When he encountered Navardose, he stopped in place.
“Are you here, Navardose? “It’s a little late.”
“Something happened. “What is the situation?”
“It’s over for now, but they’ll come back soon. “I need you to step forward.”
“I get it. “There was no damage to the ‘passage’, right?”
“I guess I got hurt like this because I protected it. shit.”
The man grumbled and showed the wound on his forearm. Although a small amount of blood was seeping out of her, it was honestly a scratch that was embarrassing to call a wound. She suddenly looked down at Ronan and said as he regained his appetite.
“So, is this a snack for me when I’m hungry?”
【Avoid joking, Taklamakan. You are my guest.】
Before Ronan could say anything, Navardose’s voice became thicker. The man called Taklamakan shrugged her shoulders. A smile formed on his lips to escape the situation.
“Haha…Why are you making a straight face again? “It’s been a while since I’ve seen a mortal, so I thought I’d play around a bit.”
“See you later.”
“Okay, okay… I’ll see you later. “Be careful not to let that delicious-looking human die.”
The man who tapped Ronan on the shoulder passed by. It wasn’t that difficult to guess his identity. Ronan said.
“It’s a dragon, right?”
“okay. Even so, it is a fairly famous Earth Dragon. About a thousand years ago, few people knew the name. “He is the one who destroyed the Kingdom of Galacia overnight.”
“It’s not easy.”
Ronan shook his head. It was ancient history that did not appear in history books, but its status could be felt from the word destruction.
As they exited the hallway, they encountered a few more figures. They were all a race that lived an immortal life like elves and dragons. A woman with bright blue hair bowed her head and greeted her.
“Ah, you are here, Mr. Navardose. “I’m sorry I asked for your help so much.”
“no. “Who is on the front lines now?”
“This is Bnihardo and Iraniel Remation.”
“It’s a good combination. “Get some rest.”
Most of them bowed politely to Navardose. Considering that even Taklamakan, who looked like a bastard, was scared, it seemed like he was of a different class even among the so-called immortals.
The two soon arrived in front of another castle gate. Navardose opened the door and pointed ahead.
“Okay, we’ve arrived.”
“This···.”
Ronan’s mind turned completely white for a moment. He was more spectacular than I could have imagined. The sea of stars, which he had always been looking up at, was spread out before his eyes.
The boundary between heaven and earth was not visible. I once saw a scene similar to this. This is exactly what the scene looked like on a rainy night in a desert covered with salt instead of sand.
I could see a translucent curtain hanging ahead, about three hundred steps away. It was so wide that you couldn’t see the edges from top to bottom, left to right, and it seemed like some kind of defensive shield.
There was a hole in the middle that looked like it had been broken by a rock. That hole, about 10 meters in diameter, seemed to be the ‘passage’ that Navardose had mentioned. Ronan opened her mouth, his eyes focused on the cluster of stars shining beneath her feet.
“Isn’t this just a cliff?”
“It looks like this because of the material. “The floor continues beyond the shield, so don’t worry and just take a step.”
Ronan did so. Indeed, the ground existed. It seemed like it wouldn’t be a problem even if it was quite sturdy and jumped around. When I glanced at Navardose, it seemed as if he was walking in the sky. She said.
“They are coming from the front, beyond the curtain we are seeing now. Originally, it was designed to prevent water from pouring down from above, but Lorhorn reorganized the space. “It was much better this way.”
“Lorhorn? “That Lorhorn I know?”
“okay. Didn’t I tell you? That child is also a member of our front line. He is unique among mortals.”
Ronan’s eyes widened. This was again unexpected information. At that time, I heard the sound of a man and woman having a conversation not far away.
“That’s pathetic. “I need to depend on my mother in moderation.”
“There’s nothing you can do about it. “It would take too long if we dealt with it on our own.”
“How about you go and persuade Orsay? “Even if you don’t have any skills, that kid would be a great help.”
“Ha, it would be better for you to start breathing hot fire faster than Navardose. “Who will Orsay listen to?”
Ronan turned his head in the direction of the sound. A red dragon and an elf man whose age was unknown were having a conversation. The elf who discovered Navardoje bowed her waist.
“Ah, Mr. Navardose. “Are you here?”
“mother.”
The dragon next to him also bowed his head. Ronan shrugged his eyebrows after hearing the title “mother.” I thought the scales were somewhat similar in color, but it seemed like they were Navardose’s blood relatives.
Although it was smaller than her, it was still twice as big as Itargand, so it seemed like a fairly old dragon. Navardose said.
“Bnihardo. “How long has it been since we defeated them?”
“It’s been a little less than thirty minutes.”
“I’ll be back soon. Good job.”
Navardose gently stroked the bridge of the dragon’s nose. Ronan, unable to bear her curiosity, asked her a question.
“Well, what on earth are these guys you were talking about earlier?”
“They are beings from the sky beyond the sky. “The forms are different, but the purpose is the same… they are the most disgusting race in the world.”
“purpose?”
“okay. The world we live in…”
It was the car that Navardose was trying to say something about. Her horns began to glow red again. The eyes of the dragon named Bnihardo and the elf widened at the same time.
“You’re here at the right time.”
Navardose smiled bitterly. For a moment, a chill hit Ronan, as if ice water had been poured into his intestines. I’ve only ever felt a sensation similar to this once.
‘This···!’
The four people turned their heads in the same direction at the same time. Unlike the three who were relatively calm, Ronan froze in place. Navardose extended his index finger and pointed beyond the curtain.
“Look carefully, child. “That is the true enemy your father taught us to face.”
“The true…enemy.”
Ronan muttered like someone possessed by something. Hundreds of black lumps were rushing toward the tent. I had never seen the bizarre appearance of those crawling, running, flying, or swimming creatures, at least on the ground.
I thought it would look something like this if you attached tentacles and a mouth to a rotten, swollen piece of meat. The elf man named Irani El frowned at her.
“Ugh. These guys have tough leather. “I should have called Navardose anyway.”
“I guess so. I will help you. mother.”
“done. “I’ll be back soon, so please watch over that child.”
Navardose waved his hand and took a step forward. When she gestured, the barrier blocking her passage disappeared in an instant. Only then did Bnihardo, who looked down at Ronan, open his mouth.
“Now that I think about it, what are you, human? “What is your relationship with your mother?”
“I was curious too. “I don’t think he’s a wizard like Lorhorn.”
Ronan didn’t answer. His eyes were fixed on Navardose’s back. No sooner had she left her passage than her shield was restored.
‘Is that okay?’
I knew better than anyone else that Navardos was strong, but when I saw it in person, I felt anxious. In front of the swarm of monsters that covered her vision, her polymorphed appearance looked as dangerous as a candle in the wind.
“···You are a rude person. “Are you scared?”
“It is a sight that could well be like that.”
“Well, we’ll protect you, so don’t do anything foolish, just stick with us. “Because they can’t even scratch mortals.”
Bnihardo said in an arrogant tone. Her belated reaction caused Ronan to glare at her.
“You can’t even scratch me?”
“What, I could tell.”
“yes. That’s a common trait among those monsters. To be precise, there is almost no strong person among mortals who can harm them. Basically, it is covered with a protective shield that is different from Mana.”
Iraniel answered on his behalf. The idea that the Ark was a different kind of protection lingered in Ronan’s mind. Is it like the star protection that bald people use? After thinking about this and that, Navardose finally took action.
【You never get tired of coming. Aren’t you afraid of dying?】
-Kyaaaaaaa!
Her majestic voice rang out. At the same time, the monsters that were coming all at once screamed. Ronan’s brow furrowed. She was so quiet that she expected she wouldn’t be able to make a sound, but her voice was so good that it made you wonder if the sky was shaking.
Now the distance between the monsters and Navardose was less than two hundred steps. She quietly raised her right arm. I felt the mana currents that made up the area gather around her palm. Iraniel said.
“You’d better cover your eyes.”
“ok?”
He was already covering his eyes with both palms. Ronan was about to say something. For a moment, there seemed to be a flash of red, and then flames poured out from Navardose’s palm. Quaaaaa! A crimson torrent engulfed the monsters.
-Kyaaaaaaa!
-Keeek! Kieeeeek!
A strange sound of death rang out. Most of them were reduced to ashes on the spot, but some of the larger ones slowly burned to death, twisting their bodies like fish pulled out of water.
Ronan realized why the elf had told him to cover his eyes. There was so much heat and light coming through the shield that she couldn’t even open her eyes.
Navardose slowly turned around and burned the monsters. Her radiating flames formed a red wall the size of a curtain. Bnihardo burst out in cheerful laughter.
“Ahahaha! After all, she is my mother. “You can’t do that even if you’re wearing a human mask!”
“The fire is weaker today than usual. “It must be because of the fatigue from the morning.”
Ronan laughed at Iraniel’s words. I was shocked that this had weakened me. It was about the time when the curtain of flames was slowly fading away. Suddenly, a quiet sound of something breaking was heard from a corner of the shield.
“huh?”
Ronan turned his head. It seemed like no one heard him except him. He narrowed his eyes and looked in the direction the sound came from. A monster as long and pointed as a needle was rushing towards us.
“What the fuck…!”
Ronan took a deep breath. Even though the speed was fast, it was too fast. The body of the monster being burned by Navardose fire looked exactly like a red meteor. The monster belatedly let out a painful scream.
-Keaaaaaaa!
“what?!”
Only then did the other two turn their heads. However, the monster had already approached Bnihardo’s eyes. Ronan immediately leapt off his feet. His attacks didn’t work, so he guessed what he did, but that was none of his business right now.
“this···!”
It’s too late. Bnihardo, who sensed a crisis, gritted his teeth. The monster’s spiral-curved body was about to pierce her neck. Ronan barely reached her and swung his sword at her. Suddenly! A white line was drawn over her burning piece of meat.
“···uh?”
Bnihardo’s eyes widened. Ronan landed on the floor, spraying blood on her sword. The monster’s body, cut in two, fell to the ground.
