Episode 188 The Strongest Snake (6)
… The sword strikes continued without stopping for a long time. The Basilisk withdrew its fierce attacks with its tail still fixed. The strong sword horse continued to change positions and swing its sword.
It’s not enough to just block the Basilisk’s movements. The purpose of the wave attack is to inflict a fatal blow on it.
A red dot flashed through the thick dust. Kanggeomma instinctively stepped back. The alarm of danger rang in his head.
At the same time, something strange happened in the area. An ominous light spread out in all directions. A cold chill like frost engulfed the surroundings in an instant.
Jiiing.
The sword energy flying towards him petrified in the air and soon fell like corn. The sound of stones breaking was heard in all directions. He narrowly missed the damage range, but it was a hair’s breadth away.
‘No, you’re saying that it turns Aura into stone?’
I had heard from Hon that the object of petrification was not limited to physical things. However, aura is ‘energy’. And turning it into stone was a moment where I could feel the wickedness of the Demon Eye. Kanggeomma clicked his tongue.
‘Is it impossible to kill someone by shooting them from afar?’
Sure, I had to swing my sword myself to annihilate the guy. But I couldn’t just blindly charge at him.
Didn’t you just see the power of the demon eye? If you were to make eye contact with it for even a moment, you would be reduced to stone shards. What’s more, the creature wields twin swords. The combination of the demon eye and the blade was threatening to the point of evil.
“How on earth does a baby snake handle a sword? Did it evolve from a snake to a lizard?”
Kanggeomma wiped the beads of sweat that had gathered at the tip of his chin with his sleeve. Then he opened his eyes narrowly and stared at the basilisk. His eyes shook as if they were blazing.
‘The compatibility is good, but this crazy lava keeps blocking my movements.’
But what could he do? Kang Geum-ma quickly wiped his sweat and flew away. Because if he got too excited, he really couldn’t control it.
“My lord… … .”
Choi Seol-ah’s face filled with concern as she watched the swordsman. Her master looked quite exhausted. It was probably because he was nervous, but most of all, it was extremely hot in the lava zone. Even he felt dizzy as if his head was burning from afar.
How must the lord feel moving around in such a hot environment?
In any battle, the outcome is not determined solely by skill. Complex factors such as environment, luck, and compatibility are equally important. However, the environment and compatibility were extremely harsh.
Bam.
She ground her molars fiercely. Her fingers, which had been pulling the trigger repeatedly, also stopped. There was already enough cover anyway. It wouldn’t be very effective to fire more bullets at the ceiling. She quickly checked the remaining ammunition.
‘The number of bullets left.’
3 shots. Almost 100 bullets were used up. Choi Seol-ah was fiddling with the lead bullets in her palm like walnuts. She was feeling an internal conflict.
‘What if I get close and shoot using a magic bullet?’
It can distract the Basilisk’s attention. In addition, the closer you get to shoot, the greater the destructive power. However, the greater the risk. If you get involved in a fight between Transcendent beings, you will only be a hindrance.
‘If you get within his firing range, you’ll die instantly.’
That place was a place close to death. She had barely managed to survive here. Even the villains were so obsessed with life that they could not help but give in to her.
But this choice was like crawling into the grave on her own two feet. Loyalty to her lord? She had been stabbed from the beginning of their relationship. Furthermore, she had even been robbed of her ‘seal of the stallion’. It was not strange for her to reveal her evil intentions to Kanggeomma.
‘…but.’
Seol-ah Choi tightly clenched her hands that were fiddling with the lead bullets. She looked at the soul with determined eyes. She was trying her best to spread the force field. Seol-ah Choi called out to her with a faint smile.
“Hey, soul.”
The soul did not react at first. Choi Seol-ah spoke once more.
“Huh, your ears are so long and you’re deaf? Why are you chewing on people’s words, you dragon!”
“…yes?”
Only then did Hon look back at Choi Seol-ah. Her eyes were wide with shock. Hon licked her lips.
“Oh, are you crazy because you’re under the influence of magic? There’s no way that arrogant Boradol-ssi would call my name… … .”
“Mom! Is that what you thought of me all this time!?”
Choi Seol-ah sighed as she became angry. She raised her head and looked straight at the spirit. Her purple eyes were shining brightly.
At the slightly changed atmosphere, dry saliva rolled down Hon’s throat. Choi Seol-ah opened her mouth quietly.
“From what I’ve seen, using guns and magic here is useless. At best, it’s just for creating cover… … .”
Choi Seol-ah nodded to the area in front of her. The Basilisk was swinging its twin swords, splitting the surrounding stalactites into small pieces.
“I see, your little brother, contrary to our expectations, uses a sword. But how does a snake use a sword…? …? Anyway, then we also have to do something unexpected.”
“… … .”
I turned my gaze towards the direction where the Hondo Ganggeomma was. The Ganggeomma was chasing the Basilisk.
‘but.’
The balance of the battlefield was becoming increasingly unbalanced. Above all, he was curious about how the Basilisk could swing its sword. Although the form was not visible due to the dust, it seemed as if it was standing on two feet…
It is impossible for an Imoogi that has not become a dragon to take on the appearance of a human. However, as time passed, an ominous feeling of foreboding began to creep in. As a result, the goosebumps that had once run down my spine began to spread throughout my entire body.
‘That can’t be true.’
Could it be that the Basilisk really became a dragon by eating human flesh? The entire clan thought it was impossible, but there is no such thing as an immutable truth.
Very rarely, things happen that are almost unbelievable. Like the triumph of humanity 700 years ago.
So, just in case, he had to check with his own eyes. After a moment of hesitation, Hon nodded to Choi Seol-ah.
“I agree with that opinion. However, if we enter the scope of Ma-an’s circumstances, our lives will be as good as nonexistent. Is that okay?”
“uh…….”
Choi Seol-ah trailed off. When she heard it with both ears, she couldn’t help but hesitate. But soon she shook her head.
“Yeah. If I run away from here, I’ll be killed by my lord anyway. I’d rather be turned into a stone than get stabbed.”
Choi Seol-ah rubbed the bridge of her nose. A cold sweat formed on her index finger.
“I said the opposite earlier… Okay.”
Hon shook his head as he watched her pretending to be calm. That was when the hairs on his entire body stood on end.
‘It’s been a while, sister.’
“… … !”
A voice echoed in his head. The soul instinctively turned its gaze forward. A pair of lights flashed like rubies in the hazy dust. It was the eyes of the stone.
Even though he was out of range, Hon felt his body tightening. Even though he was being pushed back, his younger brother’s eyes were full of murderous intent. It was like the eyes of a beast waiting for a chance to make a surprise attack.
‘Don’t disturb me, sister.’
“Ugh.”
Hon staggered with a pounding headache, wrapping his arms around his temples. Even though it was just a thoughtful voice, his mind was in disarray.
The Basilisk followed.
‘I have no intention of harming my own flesh and blood. If you just leave the two humans you came with behind, I will spare your life. If I eat the flesh and bones of these two, I will be able to achieve my long-held wish.’
It was an extremely arrogant tone. The soul fiercely rebuked him with its inner voice.
-Do you think that makes sense, Basil? Every snake is given the chance to become a dragon. You, of all people, are the one who turned it down.
‘Ha, that’s funny. Hontail, you think I’m doing this just to become a dragon. I’ve never cared about those lowly servants since I became wise. What I want is that higher realm.’
-what……?
‘I will be reborn as Alduin’
At those words, Hon felt his blood run cold. Black Dragon Alduin. Despite his nickname, it was not a dragon.
The soul muttered with a bewildered face.
“The strongest snake.”
An unclean being that even dragons are reluctant to mention. However, its strength is said to be comparable to that of the first Dragon Lord.
‘I never intended to become a dragon in the first place. What good would it do to be the highest ranking demon and just watch and waste time? And you, Horntail, would have felt it. Just receiving my words would make you, a dragon, stumble. All of this is the result of preying on human spirits.’
The Basilisk laughed gloomily. The wind blew unnaturally. The swordsman who had been scattering sashimi also slightly leaned back.
The eerie atmosphere condensed and then spread out, pushing the dust snakes away all at once.
Kwakwakwang!
In the blink of an eye, a gust of wind destroyed more than half of the stalactites.
The next moment, the Basilisk’s form was slowly revealed. Kanggeomma was the first to be taken aback. He blinked several times.
“Is that a snake?”
Black scales covered its entire body, its tongue protruded, and its tail was covered in thorns. It seemed as if it was shedding its skin, with traces of its skin appearing here and there on its body.
The creature stood on two legs, holding two black swords in its hands. It had all the characteristics of a snake, but its appearance was infinitely closer to that of a human.
“…Fuck.”
Choi Seol-ah froze with a dumbfounded expression. The burning spirit burned like a candle in the wind. It was a disgusting appearance that made you break out in hives just by looking at it.
But more than that, the momentum was ferocious. It felt like my bones would be sucked if I just approached. Choi Seol-ah unconsciously hesitated and stepped back. At that moment, another huge energy surged from the side.
“Ear, earworm?”
Even at Choi Seol-ah’s call, Hon lowered his head. Hon bit his lips tightly. A shadow fell heavily on his face.
‘basilisk.’
Hon recalled his memories of his younger brother. He was not a good-natured child, but he was not like this. At some point, he became intoxicated with his own strength and disregarded life, and that was the beginning of his downfall.
The elders of the clan wanted to brand the younger brother as an unclean snake and execute him, saying that the seeds of evil must be rooted out early.
Hon, who overheard this by chance, chased Basilisk into the magic realm. Even if it was a harsh environment, it was better than death.
However, contrary to her intentions, her younger brother was drawn into the world of humans and became a demon.
‘This is all my fault.’
If he had followed the will of his clan instead of his own personal feelings at that time, there would have been no innocent sacrifices.
‘So you have to take responsibility.’
Moreover, my younger brother wants to become Alduin. That alone is enough. There is no need to think about it any more.
“I…….”
The spirit raised its eyes and stared at the Basilisk. A yellow light flowed from the shadowed corners of its eyes. She spoke as if proclaiming.
“…I will definitely stop you.”
Black fog gathered around the soul and formed into a gigantic figure. Wings sprouted from its shoulders, long horns rose, and… … .
Kwaaaaaaaah!
A roar shook the inside of the room. Choi Seol-ah, barely able to keep her balance, tilted her head back and looked up. A single word escaped from her wide-open mouth.
“Dragon.”
Hontain spoke to Choi Seol-ah. In a tone that was different from her usual tone, as heavy as lead.
“Let’s go, contractor. I will be your wings.”
Choi Seol-ah, who had been dumbfounded, nodded. As soon as she got on his back, her body floated up.
Choi Seol-ah lowered her posture and somehow managed to find her place. Then she tilted her head up and looked down.
The dragon flew away from the ground in an instant, close to the ceiling.
The air is the dragon’s domain, beyond the reach of snakes. Basilisks, mere snakes, cannot extend their beastly wings to this height.
The horntail flapped its wings. The flapping of wings created a gust of wind that swept away all the heat and darkness.
