Academy’s Genius Swordmaster

[Translator – Peptobismol]

Chapter 238: The Dragon King (3)

“What the hell are those bastards doing in the tower?”

Ronan frowned. The pulsing aura was something he couldn’t just ignore. Even though the source was far away, it felt as clear as if it were right in front of him.

‘Are the dragons having an orgy or something?’

Something was off. The shimmering mana in the air signaled the severity of the situation. This unique phenomenon, visible only to Ronan, was proof that Nebula Clazier was here.

‘It’s certain. It’s in this tower.’

He hadn’t expected to gather evidence this way. He didn’t know what they were doing in the tower, but he needed to collect data before things concluded. Ronan got out of bed and spoke.

“Alright. Let’s go.”

“Uh, but there’s a problem.”

“A problem?”

Ronan tilted his head. Aselle pointed to the door in the corner of the room. The magical door that had transported them from the reception room to the audience chamber, and then to this bedroom, was firmly shut.

“That door is the only entrance and exit. There’s no other way out.”

“So?”

“There are dozens of security spells on the door. They must have anticipated we might try to leave.”

Aselle stammered. Ronan’s brow furrowed. Upon closer inspection, he could indeed feel the lingering presence of foreign mana inside the doorknob.

“What if I just cut it down?”

“That would get rid of it, but it might also destroy the door’s function. An alarm could go off. These kinds of magical artifacts are usually very complex…”

Aselle trailed off. They hadn’t expected to face a barrier so soon. Even if they managed to open the door, there was a high risk of being caught.

If they had taken such measures, it wouldn’t be surprising if guards were stationed outside the door. Aselle continued speaking.

“It might take about an hour to decode the spells. Should I try?”

“That’s too long. Damn it, what should we do…”

Ronan muttered to himself. They needed to come up with another method. His gaze slowly wandered around the room and settled on something.

A luxurious curtain covered the entire western wall. A sudden thought crossed Ronan’s mind.

“Huh?”

“What, what is it?”

“Wait a minute. Could it be…”

The room had been dimly lit since they arrived, so he hadn’t noticed it immediately. Slowly approaching the wall, Ronan pulled the curtain.

Whoosh! Moonlight poured into the room. Beyond the high-arched window, a bright full moon was shining. Ronan’s lips curled into a grin.

“Hey, we had a way out right here.”

“No way…”

Aselle’s face turned pale. He had a feeling he knew what was coming next. Grinning, Ronan placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Don’t you remember how we got into Adren?”

****

“Has His Majesty not come down yet?”

“No, it’s been a month already. What does he do up there every night?”

“Humans dressed in white were with him again.”

The guards’ conversation echoed under the moonlight. Their duty was to guard the stairs on the 73rd floor of the Sky Tower. Since moving between floors required passing through this point, it was a crucial task.

Of course, the monotony of the guard duty couldn’t be erased even by a sense of mission. The guard with a scar on his cheek grumbled.

“Honestly, I don’t trust those humans. They seem suspicious. What if they harm His Majesty…”

【What is it that you don’t like?】

Just as he was about to continue, a familiar woman’s voice rang out from below the stairs. The startled guards stood at attention. Step. Step—The woman who climbed the stairs soon stopped in front of them.

【Speak.】

“Lady Naransonia, it’s not that…”

The frightened guard stammered. Moonlight streaming through the window illuminated her beautiful face.

Of all people, they had to run into Naransonia. Known as the Empress of Steel, she was infamous for her loyalty and strictness among the Dragon King’s subordinates.

【Our duty is to follow His Majesty’s will. Am I wrong?】

“No, ma’am. I spoke out of turn.”

The guard bowed his head submissively. He knew of many dragons and servants who had been skewered by Naransonia for insulting the Dragon King. Fortunately, there was no additional reprimand. She merely stared at the stairs before stepping forward.

【Move aside.】

“Uh…”

The guards stepped aside. Naransonia extended her hand. Crash! Massive steel spikes erupted from the floor and ceiling, completely sealing off the stairs leading to the lower floor.

It wasn’t hard to realize this was a security measure. One guard asked in dismay,

“Is this really necessary…”

【We must be thorough. Once His Majesty’s ritual is complete, I will remove it. You may patrol elsewhere in the meantime.】

Leaving those words, Naransonia ascended to the upper floor. Crash! Simultaneously, steel spikes grew over the stairs leading upward.

“…Let’s go patrol.”

“Yeah.”

Muttering quietly, the guards walked away. Their footsteps gradually faded. Once they were out of sight from the window, Ronan clicked his tongue in frustration.

“Damn, that was close. If we had tried to go up from inside, we’d be screwed.”

“Yeah… really.”

Aselle nodded. Shullifen silently agreed with a nod.

They had witnessed the entire exchange between Naransonia and the guards from outside the window. Perhaps because they were far from the city, even small voices carried well.

“Alright. Now let’s climb back up. Don’t look down, no matter what.”

“Uh, okay.”

Aselle nodded. Whoosh! The cool night wind tousled their hair. As Aselle gestured, the three of them began to rise again.

They had escaped the bedroom through the window, inspired by their entry into Adren.

Unlike the tightly sealed door, there were no security spells here. Of course, no one would expect anyone to escape from such a height.

[Translator – Peptobismol]

Aselle’s invisibility spell, which he had learned last evening, cloaked their bodies. Even though they were close enough to touch shoulders, they couldn’t see each other. Ronan marveled at the spell’s effectiveness, despite its short learning time.

“No matter how many times I see it, it’s amazing. How long did you say it took to learn?”

“About two hours.”

“Must be nice to be so talented.”

Ronan shook his head, momentarily forgetting that geniuses couldn’t be understood with common sense. He patted Aselle’s shoulder affectionately and asked,

“By the way, are you running out of mana?”

“I’m still okay. I have the potions Marya gave me.”

“Stay focused. If you make a mistake, we’re all dead.”

Ronan stressed the importance. Aselle nodded, swallowing hard.

He felt bad for putting pressure on Aselle, but they had no other choice. If Aselle lost concentration or ran out of mana, it would be over. Ronan glanced down and added,

“And in a very gruesome way…”

Adren had already shrunk to a dot below them. Beyond the city limits, a vast sea of clouds stretched out. From this height, they wouldn’t just die; they’d be smeared as a red stain on Adren.

Other than Aselle’s mental and physical strain, there wasn’t much to worry about. They continued to ascend for another twenty minutes. Shullifen, who had been looking upward, spoke.

“…It’s unpleasant.”

“You feel it too?”

Ronan agreed. As they neared the top, the density of the mana thickened. The ominous presence they had faintly sensed in the bedroom grew stronger.

The shimmering mana intensified as well, becoming almost painful to look at. Was this what it felt like to enter the Milky Way? The tower’s walls suddenly ended, revealing the summit. Ronan’s eyes widened.

‘…Shit.’

He froze. The other two, though unseen, must have been reacting the same way. It was an overwhelming sight.

The open top of the massive cylinder was as vast as the grand plaza of Philleon. In the center sat the Dragon King, Azidahaka, gazing at the sky.

The fully revealed twin-headed dragon was so massive and imposing that it was a wonder the tower could support its weight. Ronan gritted his teeth as he surveyed the surroundings.

‘Those bastards.’

Around twenty people in white robes were gathered. Ronan’s grip on his sword tightened.

The unmistakable aura of Nebula Clazier emanated from them. Not only were their numbers significant, but each one looked formidable. Ronan twisted his lips as he scrutinized them.

‘Why did they gather so many?’

Five of them had white hair and crimson eyes—members of the Lycopos, the Leader’s direct assassination squad. Three wore star-shaped badges on their sleeves—bishops, all top-tier members of the cult.

‘Did the Leader come too?’

He looked around but didn’t see Abel. Still, the presence of these individuals was enough to indicate a serious situation.

‘What are they doing?’

They needed a closer look. Ronan and his companions moved stealthily towards the group.

The Dragon King’s posture was reminiscent of a wolf howling at the moon. His two heads, raised high, seemed to be waiting for something.

At his feet, a massive magic circle large enough to contain his bulk was drawn. It pulsed slowly, as if breathing. The shimmering mana covering the entire tower emanated from it.

‘Huh?’

Ronan’s eyes narrowed as he noticed something on the Dragon King’s body. A fleshy mass near the left neck was squirming and growing.

“What is that…”

The burgeoning mass was covered in scales like the Dragon King’s other necks, but these were a bluish-white, like starlight, instead of golden.

As the three watched, mesmerized by the strange yet awe-inspiring sight, the Dragon King spoke, still gazing at the night sky.

【It’s always so wondrous. The power surges within me—】

【I can feel it.】

【Who is granting me this power—】

【I wonder.】

Aselle shuddered at the still majestic voice, but he didn’t lose concentration. A nearby bishop spoke up.

“As I mentioned before, it is the power of the Great Star.”

【Yes. I heard it, but it’s still hard to believe. Such immense power—】

【Exists.】

“Ha ha… The world we live in is just dust in the grand scheme. We draw this power from the sky beyond the skies, the distant celestial realm.”

Hearing the word “star,” Ronan narrowed his eyes. Images of the bald giants flashed through his mind. Was this ritual connected to them? The Dragon King continued.

【So when will this ritual—】

【Be complete?】

“It will take no more than two more days. We eagerly await the completion of the third head. I assure you, Navardose will be no match for you.”

The bishop, bowing respectfully, stepped back. The Dragon King seemed pleased by the words and let out a subtle smile. Azidahaka’s wings slowly unfurled.

【I look forward to it. My era—】

【Is coming.】

The golden wings were vast and grand. Scales shimmering with the night sky’s light scattered in a mystical display. The Dragon King’s voice echoed over Adren.

【Two more days until—】

【War.】

[Translator – Peptobismol]

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