Chapter 57: Revenge Is Reserved For The Ones Who Seek It...

『An excerpt from an interview with war correspondent Levin2 and Demerond Ipp Marx』***The emotion in the voice of the Dragon that had suddenly appeared was neither anger nor hostility.

It was pure, unadulterated joy.It was an emotion that neither Yeomyeong nor anyone else present in the valley were able to understand.After all, wasn’t everyone gathered here—be it the pig-headed creatures filled with killing intent or the mercenaries— intent on killing the Dragon to acquire the Royal Seal?And not only had the Dragon revealed itself to the invaders who had come to kill it, but also felt joy?Yeomyeong narrowed his eyes and turned to Captain Kwon Mongjoo.After all, the most suspicious person among those gathered here was none other than the Captain, who had personally planned this entire operation with the dwarf.And as if to prove Yeomyeong's suspicion correct, Captain Kwon Mongjoo began to prepare something discreetly.It was fortunate that the pig-headed creatures were focused on the Dragon, or else the Saintess next to him could have been in danger during the fight.Enduring the throbbing in his ankles, Yeonmyeong began walking towards the group.And just as he took a step forward, the Dragon opened its mouth once again.[O Bearer of the will of the mountain range! Step forward and present the token!]A voice echoed throughout the valley.Unable to withstand the mana-infused voice, the pig-headed creatures and mercenaries covered their ears.Even Yeomyeong covered his ears and frowned, but Captain Kwon Mongjoo stepped forward calmly.“Orsay Tabul! O Guardian of the mountain range, O Dragon of Kings!”He shouted with a voice loud enough to reach the Dragon high in the sky.[You are... not a dwarf.]Disappointment briefly flashed in the yellow eyes of the Dragon as it looked down at Captain Kwon Mongjoo, but the Captain knelt before the Dragon without hesitation.“O Great Dragon, I am Kwon Mongjoo. I have come here as the representative of Darulma Dune.”He extended his right hand towards the Dragon with a look of seriousness he had never shown before.In his palm rested a thick ring that Darulma Dune had worn, and even from afar, they could sense the extraordinary aura exuded by the ring.The Dragon's eyes twitched as it observed the ring.[The Dune clan?]“It’s a collateral line of the Sculptor’s Mountain clan.”[Dune, Dune... Ah, I remember. Those cowards who were the first to flee beyond the Dimensional Portal.]“O Great Dragon, that’s all a misunderstanding! The Dune clan retreated to prepare for a greater revenge...”[Spare me your pathetic excuses.]The Dragon’s voice cut him off coldly, bringing about an uneasy feeling.[What I want to hear from you is not an excuse but an explanation. And why in the world did Darulma Dune send an Earthian like you instead of coming here himself?]“Darulma-nim intended to come in person. But...”[But?]“But those… those unidentified enemies over there, who also seek the Royal Seal, ambushed him, so he had no other choice but to send me on his behalf.”The Captain pointed towards the pig-headed creatures who flinched simultaneously under the Dragon’s gaze.[Indeed, they are revolting abominations that can only be created by Earthians.]The Dragon's assessment was brief, and its actions were swift. It calmly raised its left hand and pointed a finger at the pig-headed creatures.[Begone.]Crimson flames burst forth from the tip of the long claw.The flames poured down from the sky like a lightning strike, completely avoiding the mercenaries and the Saintess, only striking the pig-headed creatures.Some of them tried chanting a spell or turned to flee, but not a single one could escape the fiery downpour.""The flames engulfed the pig-headed creatures, the terrifying heat burning them crisp.In the time it would take one to blink a few times, only ashes and the smell of burning flesh remained where they once stood.As Kim Mansoo and the rest of the mercenaries were scared stiff on facing the heat they had barely managed to escape, Yeomyeong clicked his tongue.The skeletal dragon, Kahal Magdu, whom they had encountered in North Manchuria.As soon as the red dragon in the sky unleashed its magic, Yeomyeong felt a mana force that was as strong as that of the skeletal dragon.Of course, he hadn’t gauged its strength accurately. After all, this was his first time seeing a living dragon(?).However, just from the display of magic it had shown a moment ago, one thing was certain.If they fought that dragon, they would have to put their lives on the line.Fortunately, it seemed that both the Dragon and Captain Kwon were more inclined to talk than to fight.At least for now.[Earthian Kwon Mongjoo, representative of the Dune clan. I will accept your explanation. Now, tell me the reason you have come here.]"Darulma-nim and the Dune clan seek the Golden Seal."The mana within the Dragon quivered at the mention of the Golden Seal. It looked as though it was barely managing to restrain itself from expressing joy.[Finally, the time for revenge has dawned upon us.]Revenge? Yeomyeong tilted his head slightly as Captain Kwon responded in a calm voice."Great Dragon, Darulma-nim is not seeking the Royal Seal for the sake of revenge."[What? Are you saying that he dares to abandon revenge?]"No. The revenge has already been completed. The Soviet Union lost Siberia and has broken into many small states, and Stalin is no longer in this world."[...What?]"The fallen Soviet Union has paid war reparations, and the dwarves have regained their homeland. The war has ended."[Stalin... is dead? The Soviet Union has fallen?]The Dragon stared at Captain Kwon before turning towards the northwestern sky in shock, as if it could see Moscow from there."Yes, Great Dragon, this is a fact all Earthians know of."[...]"So now, the Dune clan and the dwarves seek to prevent the Royal Seal from becoming a trigger for a disaster that will harm the innocent."After hearing Captain Kwon's words, the Dragon fell silent for a while, then gently extended its hand.[I will verify the token.]Captain Kwon lowered his head and raised his hand, holding the ring aloft.Soon, an invisible force enveloped the ring as it floated from the Captain’s hand.The gleaming golden ring flew towards the Dragon under the moonlight that illuminated the valley.[At last....]Although the dwarven ring was much thicker and larger compared to a human one, it looked smaller than a button in the Dragon's hand.Intense emotions swirled in the Dragon’s eyes as it inspected the ring, but no words of sentiment escaped its mouth.What exactly was it trying to verify?The Dragon, who had remained silent, finally spoke again after Yeomyeong's broken leg had completely healed.[Earthian, do you know about the king who buried the Royal Seal here?]"That is...."The sudden question left Captain Kwon unable to respond immediately, and his words trailed off.Not particularly expecting an answer, the Dragon continued speaking while looking down at the ring.[Daval Hilin. The rightful king of the Dragon Scale Mountain Range and the greatest warrior.]Nostalgia filled the Dragon's eyes. They were not focused on the present but on the distant past.[He was one of the few great kings of history and the most... noble king ever. He possessed a sublime nobility that even a dragon would have difficulty emulating.]The Dragon’s voice was calm, but Yeomyeong felt a strange sense of foreboding.[Do you know? The Royal Seal has already finished carving tunnels beneath all the volcanoes in this land ten years ago.]"..."[So why haven't they erupted yet? It's simple. King Hilin didn't want them to. He manipulated the Royal Seal to prevent it from triggering the eruptions.]Upon hearing this explanation, Captain Kwon sighed in relief, but the Dragon was not done speaking.[But don't be mistaken. He did not abandon his pursuit for revenge. He merely decided to leave the choice to his descendants.]"Leave the choice... to his descendants?"[By manipulating the Royal Seal along with the token of his bloodline, they can either fill up all the tunnels or trigger the volcanic eruptions.]"...Then as his representative, I will convey his will: as his descendants, the Dune clan and all the dwarves under them do not desire revenge.”And with Captain Kwon’s declaration, Darulma’s request should have been completed.…Or, rather, it should have ended.However, the Dragon did not respond to Captain Kwon. Nor did he return the token or hand over the Royal Seal.Instead, he bared his teeth with a menacing grin. It was the chilling smile of a madman.[However, this is where my thoughts differ.]The Dragon pulled something from between the scales on his neck. It was a rectangular chunk of gold, slightly larger than its claw.The Golden Seal.So it wasn’t sealed away beneath the cave? Captain Kwon's expression stiffened.[The dwarves who had been tainted by Earth are no longer worthy. They are not worthy of possessing Hilin's Seal nor do they have the right to make the choice. The only one in this world who is worthy... is ME.]The Dragon brought the ring in its left hand, the seal of the Dune clan, to the Royal Seal.[The choice is now mine, Earthians— suffer as you deserve!]Emitting powerful golden mana, the Royal Seal trembled violently.And the next moment, a massive golden magic circle appeared above the cliffs of the valley.There was no need to explain what kind of magic circle it was.The sky above the valley was dyed in gold, the ground beneath their feet resonated with the magic.An earthquake with its epicenter in the valley struck the entire Manchuria.

***The Earth screamed. Sёarch* The NôvelFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Deep-rooted trees quivered in fear, and stones and grass shook violently up and down.An overwhelming earthquake so powerful that even Superhumans barely managed to remain standing.Barely maintaining his balance on the trembling ground, which felt like a prelude to destruction, Captain Kwon shouted."O Great Dragon! Stalin is dead, and the Soviet Union no longer exists! There is no one left for you to exact revenge upon!!"[Huh! And what about the communists who sided with the Soviet Union? And what about the commies who dwelled in this Manchurian land? They are still alive!]The Dragon shouted, clutching the Royal Seal tightly. A long shadow fell across its face, illuminated by the golden magic circle behind it."...The war did not take by their will! How many among the tens of millions in Manchuria even remember that war?!"[They may have forgotten. For Earthians, even a few decades are more than enough to turn their crimes into history! But I have not forgotten! I still remember the greed of the Earthians and the cruelty of the communists as if it were just yesterday!]Spreading its red wings wide, the Dragon shouted in anguish.The immense mana radiating from its body surged forth, permeating the magic circle and dyeing the sky over the valley in a golden hue."Then what about the dwarves? If Manchuria collapses, what will happen to all the dwarves who have settled on Earth?"Captain Kwon shouted with such urgency that his voice broke.Unable to keep watching their exchange, the mercenaries rushed to grab him, desperately trying to pull him away.They intended to flee with their captain, but Captain Kwon stubbornly resisted, shouting even louder."Earth will not forgive the dwarves! The hard-earned peace will be shattered!"[Peace? You call this PEACE? That is not peace, Dune clan’s representative.]The Dragon and Captain Kwon locked eyes beneath the golden sky.[True peace cannot be achieved by forgetting old grudges. Only after avenging the wrongful deaths of the innocent! Only then can it be called peace!]"Then you should only punish the guilty! The innocent people of this land—"[The dwarves who died due to the gas attack were also innocent! Was it their fault that Stalin coveted mana metal? Was the Cold War their fault?!]The Dragon raised its hand. Having finished absorbing the ring, the Royal Seal shone brilliantly.Waves of golden mana surged forth and poured down upon the earth like a waterfall.[How can innocent grudges be soothed with the blood of the guilty few?! The lives of the sinners cannot be equalled to those of the innocent!]A long golden line appeared beneath the feet of Captain Kwon and Yeomyeong, stretching across the valley and connecting the Khingan Range.One, two, three, five, ten… and dozens more.Not a single line among the dozens of lines that began in the valley overlapped.Some headed towards North Manchuria, while others towards Mount Baekdu.Even without anyone explaining, everyone present figured out the identity of those lines —Tunnels that connected to all the volcanoes in Manchuria and the surrounding regions.Captain Kwon and the mercenaries could easily envision Manchuria's destruction.Lost in his own thoughts, the Dragon ignored them, shouting again and again at the Manchurian sky.[A FAIR DEATH! Only innocent blood of equal value can appease the grudges of the innocent!]Just as the Dragon’s cry reached its peak…[Earthians! BURN AND BE PURGED—]A shining white bullet pierced the Dragon's eye.1. Leviticus 24:20 "Fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. The one who has inflicted the injury must suffer the same injury."2. This may refer to Meyer Levin. Levin was a war correspondent in Europe during World War II, representing the Overseas News Agency and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.