Chương 439: Chapter 434 - Apex predator

In the game's world, there were very few entities that were truly unbeatable. At least, not in the traditional sense. Some were very clearly designed not to be fought head-on unless very specific conditions were met. Entities that, lore-wise, were either ancient beyond reckoning, fundamentally warped the world itself, or simply so poorly understood that the game never expected the player to fully grasp what they were dealing with. Depending on the route, a player could end up intimately familiar with some of them.

The Gentleman. Vail. Ustrum. Either way, they were all existences Scarlett had been careful never to confront directly unless she was fully prepared — and even then, she'd avoid it for as long as humanly possible. But they were a different kind of threat. They were relatively unknown from most perspectives that weren't the player's. They had major, dangerous roles, yes, but they weren't beings whose power was feared or even known by the average person in this world.

If you were talking about that kind of existence— There was almost nothing above the ancient dragons. Dragons were a constant across almost every fantasy setting worth the name, and in this world, even their adolescents were threats capable of wiping out entire settlements. Their oldest kin, those that had lived for millennia, were closer to natural disasters given flesh. Beings that even entire nations could do little more than endure.

The empire had learned that eight years ago, when the Dragon of Devastation tore through its lands and reduced an entire domain to what was now known as the Blasted Lands. The incident had driven home the simple truth that even with heroes like Arnaud Astrey, Marchioness Thackeray, the Five Swords of the Emperor, and countless other notable figures, there were still forces in the world that stood just beyond what mortals could meaningfully oppose.

For some, it might have been a lesson that in any system, there was always something at the peak. And those beneath it survived only by virtue of never drawing its attention. But nothing was guaranteed to stay at the peak forever. Even existences that once ruled uncontested could, given enough time, be reduced to something lesser. Something those beneath could finally reach. Scarlett knew better than anyone how true that should be here.

Even so, there was a faint knot of tension in her chest at what they were about to attempt. She glanced again at the quest window the system had generated. [Side quest: To kill an ancient] {The dragons have prevailed since this world's inception, heirs to a proud heritage predating even the shaping of its realms. Beings who brush against a power only a step from a divinity of their own, their names and deeds carry more weight than any mortal lifetime can contain. Today, you intend to lay one such existence to rest. Can you do it? Will you? Should you?} [Objective: Slay the dragon or defeat the dragon] [Reward:?] [Failure: None] Her eyes moved slowly over the text, quietly trying to parse the hidden intent behind the being that wrote it. The system almost never issued quests like this ahead of time. Normally, it only bothered with post-completion updates.

The fact that it had gone out of its way here suggested this was important in some way that differed even from the times she'd fought Anguish, the Anomalous One, or in Beld Thylelion. In fact, her only other side quests had involved Skyler. Another person with some tie to the system. So why would it appear here? She doubted the connection this time was the same, but it still made her hesitate. Was this just The Other's interference? Was it some nudge? A provocation or mockery? Mere entertainment?

She couldn't even begin to tell yet. A surge of wind tore through the chamber, washing over Scarlett and the others. Grehalyr's massive body remained still, but for a brief moment, the unnaturally calm air surrounding it seemed to distort, the fur along its frame stirring as if brushed by the gust. Above them, the spiralling vortex of wind flared with pale light, and then Scarlett felt herself lifted from the ground along with the others. They were dragged upward towards the vortex.

The moment it swallowed them, the world dissolved into a chaos of howling wind and disorienting pressure, like being caught at the heart of a storm with no sense of direction or distance. The sensation only lasted a few seconds. Then her feet struck solid ground. The storm peeled away in layers, receding outward as the pressure remained but transformed. Rather than the storm enclosing them, holding them within its power while shielding them from it, that containment was now gone.

It was as if they were suddenly standing at the base of a frozen mountain as a blizzard bore down, demanding submission through raw inevitability. The howl of the wind dulled, breaking apart into violent, uneven thrashing, like something immense straining against restraints that fought back just as harshly. It was still the presence of a storm, but no longer centred or controlled, its power lashing out in distant, erratic surges. Then sight returned.

The world resolved itself all at once, and several sharp inhales sounded around her. They stood on a broad expanse of fractured stone, pocked with massive craters that might have looked scorched if not for the pockets of ice embedded unevenly throughout. Above, the sky was a white maelstrom of twisting wind and snow, converging towards a single point overhead. But none of them were looking at the terrain. They were looking at what was bound within it. A dragon hung in the air, pinned by the storm itself.

It was enormous. Vast to the point of erasing perspective. Occupying space in a way that made the world feel insufficient, its presence pressing outward and demanding acknowledgement. Its wings were half-spread, their edges caught in endless gales that wrapped around them like shackles, tearing at membranes that flickered between something solid and something less defined.

Half-iridescent scales glinted like fractured crystal beneath the stormlight, while parts of its underbelly wavered between pearly white brilliance and indistinct blur. Horns spiralled from its skull like obsidian spires, and its molten eyes burned with a feral, ancient light as it strained against its bindings. Whenever the dragon struggled, the howling swelled. Whenever it twisted, the howling tightened. Despite herself, Scarlett almost flinched at the weight of it pressing down on her chest.

"That's…Olgolzkreh, isn't it?" Shin asked quietly. Scarlett nodded.

"It is." Lord of the White, in the tongue of dragons and older races. The Dragon of Devastation, in modern imperial parlance. Or what remained of him, at least. They had encountered Olgolzkreh once before. The image of him. Back in the Hall of Echoes, when the Memory of the Anomalous One had nearly consumed them, and Scarlett had used her stolen power to drag Olgolzkreh's image into that space to force the Memory to play out properly.

"It doesn't look right," Kat said, squinting upward.

"Why are parts of it blurry?"

"It is a manifestation of Olgolzkreh's continuation," Slate explained with little emotion.

"Those who are set as transcendent fixtures of Fate can project themselves as fixed phenomena. This is such a projection. It is not fully solid because it is damaged." This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Scarlett glanced at her, brow lifting. Was that what this was? In the game, it had only ever been named as the 'Will of Olgolzkreh'. She hadn't been aware it was tied to one's position within Fate itself.

Then did this rely on a similar mechanic to how Memories worked? If so, she might have expected Fate's unravelling to affect it, but that didn't appear to be the case. The damage was unrelated, as far as she knew. It had been present in the game as well. An ear-splitting roar tore through the space as Olgolzkreh strained once more against his bindings, the air shuddering in response. Last time they had met, Scarlett had thought of him as regal yet intelligent in his menace. This time, there was nothing but rage.

"Why is it so…berserk?" Kat asked.

"That is the influence of the Ring of Depravity," Slate replied.

"The…ring of what?" Kat glanced at Scarlett.

"It's some artifact the Tribe of Sin and the Hallowed Cabal stole," Allyssa said in her stead, staring at the dragon. There was a slight trace of awe mixed with consternation in her tone.

"Scarlett told us about it once. It's what let them control the monsters attacking the empire. And… I guess it worked on an ancient dragon too." Her gaze flicked towards Fynn, standing ahead of the group, watching the dragon in silence. A few wary looks were also sent towards Nol'viz and Carnwedain at the mention of the Tribe and Cabal, but neither reacted. Scarlett focused on Fynn's back, on the way the winds calmed only to rise again in subtle surges.

The Dragon of Devastation incident eight years ago marked the beginning of the Cabal properly testing the first stages of their plans. Back then, they'd used the [Ring of Depravity] to force the Will of Olgolzkreh into a rampage, and among his first victims had been Fynn's tribe and home, before the dragon went on to tear through imperial lands. Not everyone had died in the initial attack.

Some of the elders and more experienced warriors had survived, including Fynn's parents, who had managed to shield him and his siblings. But even after the Shields Guild—led by Arnaud Astrey and Rosanna Adlam—had managed to recover the [Ring of Depravity] from the Cabal alongside Duke Tyndall, Olgolzkreh's rampage didn't stop, and the devastation threatened to continue.

In the end, what remained of the tribe had pooled the last of their inheritance to bind the dragon here, sealing it away where it couldn't do any further harm. In truth, Scarlett and the others being here at all was a risk. Their interference meant Olgolzkreh would inevitably be set free, and if they failed to defeat him—even just this manifestation of him—it could lead to another catastrophe on the scale of the Blasted Lands. Normally, that would have been reason enough to walk away.

But Scarlett had let Fynn make the choice, and she would honour it. For all that she tried to remain a decent person who took the broader picture into account, she was also greedy in her selfishness to protect those around her. She had already come to terms with that part of herself back when she'd helped facilitate Anguish's incursion into the Material Realm for Rosa's sake. Slowly, she stepped up to stand beside Fynn, studying his profile.

His hair shifted in front of his eyes, tugged by the wind, but it didn't hide the intensity of his gaze. Even so, there was something about that intensity that surprised her. It didn't carry the raw anger she expected to rise even further as they stood before Olgolzkreh. It carried something more… contained.

"What do you feel, now that you see him once more?" she eventually asked, lowering her voice so only the two of them could hear over the surroundings. Fynn was quiet for several seconds, his shoulders rising and falling with his breaths.

"…They're harder to control now," he admitted.

"They can't restrain their rage."

"Then tighten their leash," Scarlett said.

"Make it clear that their rage is pointless. That it has nothing to do with yours." He didn't answer.

"They may be your kin," she continued, "but ancestors who prioritise their own grudges over their descendants do not deserve reverence. Your anger, I will not condemn. But theirs is insular and petty." She might have understood if they sought vengeance for the destruction of Fynn's tribe, but that wasn't the case. She wasn't even sure they cared. To them, Fynn was simply a tool to punish Olgolzkreh for his role in Grehalyr's fall. Fynn's gaze stayed fixed on the dragon.

The intensity behind his expression dulled, replaced by something quieter.

"I said I was angry," he said after a while.

"You did," Scarlett replied.

"Will killing him help?" She was silent for a moment.

"I do not know," she said, turning her eyes forward.

"I cannot say that I have ever felt that kind of thirst for vengeance." Even against the likes of the Cabal, the Anomalous One, or The Other, her motivations had never narrowed into something as cruel as revenge. She wasn't sure how she would handle that kind of anger if she felt it herself, but…

"If possible, I would advise you not to allow it to consume you." Revenge was a ravenous kind of hunger. She knew that much. It was one she hoped she would never have to truly indulge, or lose herself to. She'd seen what it had done to Arlene—had witnessed the woman's life spent trying to avenge her parents—and allowing herself to fall into the same spiral felt like a betrayal of the woman she had known. A brief pause followed. Then a low, dry chuckle came from beside her. Scarlett blinked and turned to Fynn.

She hadn't ever heard him make a sound like that.

"I thought I would feel more of my ancestors' anger now that we are facing my tribe's killer," he said. As if in answer, Olgolzkreh's head lowered, enormous, feral eyes locking onto them.

"But instead, I am just disappointed."

"Disappointed?"

"We were told stories. About Grehalyr. About Olgolzkreh." His gaze didn't shy away from the dragon.

"I thought he was more than this. I'm disappointed that something I believed in as a child has fallen."

"I see." Scarlett considered him, then looked back at Olgolzkreh.

"I did not expect that from you, Fynn. After all, you have always been one to prefer letting your fists speak. But I suppose you were always more mature than appearances suggest."

"Mmm," he murmured.

"Then do you no longer wish to fight Olgolzkreh?"

"No. I do." The answer was immediate.

"But not for revenge?"

"…I simply want to fight." Scarlett suspected there was plenty left unsaid, but she would leave it at that.

"Very well. Then prepare yourself." She turned towards the others.

"I am certain you are all aware, but this battle will not be easy. It will be the most challenging fight any of us has faced. You were warned that there was a genuine possibility we might perish here today, and you still chose to come. Does that resolve remain?" The party exchanged glances.

"Just checking," Rosa said lightly, almost grinning, "you weren't joking about the whole 'dying' thing, then? Because I kind of assumed this was one of those moments where it's all 'world-ending danger' right up until we actually step into it, and then suddenly it's just another Tuesday solved by a snap of your fingers." Scarlett fixed her with a steady look.

"When I say something is truly dangerous, I mean it. If you cannot take my word seriously, then I cannot trust you to act on what I say." Rosa's easy smile lingered for a second longer, then softened as she met Scarlett's gaze properly.

"Easy, Red. We've all thought this through. We always do with stuff like this." She shrugged.

"Sure, part of us probably still expects you to pull some ridiculous solution out of thin air at the last second anyway, but we're ready either way. Besides—" she glanced at Fynn "—he's carried more than enough risk for all of us already. About time we carried some of it for him." She gave Fynn a small, earnest nod. He returned it, then glanced to Allyssa and Shin, who both nodded back. His gaze shifted to Kat.

"I haven't been around you as much," Kat said, "and I can't promise I'll always be here in the future either. But for this, I'm in." She smiled.

"I was the one who helped Scarlett pick up that ring of yours in the first place, after all. It'd be a right shame not to see this through." Fynn looked them all over for a few seconds. His eyes then moved to Slate.

"I do not feel any noticeable inclination to endanger my continued safety and function in pursuit of your revenge," she said evenly.

"Do you wish me to announce an explicit statement of intent, regardless?"

"No." Fynn shook his head.

"You're fine like this." Slate tilted her head.

"Am I?" She looked at Nol'viz, and the two of them seemed to share some unspoken question between each other. Finally, Fynn turned to Carnwedain, and something sharper crossed his expression.

"…We'll settle things after." Carnwedain simply lowered his head in acknowledgement. Scarlett was surprised by the weight in that exchange, but if the two of them felt there was unfinished business lingering after their fight… So be it. She refocused on Rosa and the others.

"A few things before we begin. This battle will be unlike most we have experienced. The longer it continues, the more unstable Olgolzkreh will become, and the more dangerous he will be. Our sole objective is to end this as quickly as possible." Her gaze shifted to Rosa.

"That means there can be no holding back from you." Rosa nodded without hesitation.

"Right. Consider 'holding back' officially stricken from my vocabulary."

"Good," Scarlett said.

"Shin. Allyssa. The two of you will need to be especially careful. Shin, do not focus on drawing attention. Strike only when we create openings for you, and nothing more. Allyssa, the majority of your bolts and concoctions will have limited effect against this foe. Your priority will be misdirection where possible, and keeping Kat and Rosa supplied with potions until they physically cannot stand." Rosa's eyes widened.

"Now hang on a second—""Kat." Scarlett turned to the Shielder.

"You are the one I trust most to require no further instruction." Kat scratched her head.

"Annoy the hell out of him like the tiny little ant I am, and don't die. Right?"

"Yes."

"I can do that. Got my ass handed to me and my face burnt last time I fought against something on this level, but I can do that."

"I trust that you can." Finally, Scarlett looked to Nol'viz and Carnwedain.

"Now it is time for you to fulfil your end of the bargain." Carnwedain tightened his grip on his sword, lifting the massive weapon with ease. Scarlett stepped up to Nol'viz and released the seal on her power. The girl looked up at her without blinking, the three violet irises of her mask slowly shifting.

"You are deeply intriguing," the whispering voices murmured from behind it.

"I am aware," Scarlett replied. She stepped back and glanced at Slate.

"Remember. Your own safety takes priority above all else."

"I will not forget," the homunculus said simply. Scarlett turned back to Fynn, studying him for a moment.

"Are you ready?" He nodded once, then paused. The wind around him began to change, tightening and coiling closer. He glanced back over his shoulder at Rosa.

"You wanted to know what I learned," he said.

"Watch." He walked forward. The gathered winds surged. Air folded in on itself around Fynn, spiralling inward before erupting outward in a violent rush. An enormous, ethereal wolf of pale green wind took shape around him, eyes burning with the same light that threaded through the storm as it grew in size. At its centre stood Fynn, calm and unmoving as the gale howled. Above, Olgolzkreh roared.