Part 1, Chapter 9, 19

There were many differing opinions regarding the Black Flame Dragon’s fight, but the general consensus was that it had “poured too much power into its battle with the Branch Dragon.”

The public didn’t know much about the compatibility between the two, and they were growing a little tired of the constantly repeating battles.

-How long is it going to keep using only Breath? Does it have no brain because it’s a monster head?

-Even if you control a monster, it doesn’t seem like you can just control its combat sense too, right?

-The Black Flame Dragon, which poured everything into the Branch Dragon…

With waves of Black Scorpions also swarming in, people began to lose interest in the sluggish battle between the two. As even the broadcasting stations turned their cameras to the Black Scorpions, the fight between the two gradually lost attention.

-Wait, what’s wrong with the Black Flame Dragon…?

The Black Flame Dragon, which had fired its Breath and paused in mid-air, suddenly vanished. People couldn’t tell if its time was up and it disappeared, or if its mana had run out and it dissolved, but as the Black Flame Dragon’s mana signature temporarily vanished, the Water Guardian went wild.

-Aaaargh! Run away!

-Camera! Camera!

Water projectiles were on the verge of falling right next to the broadcasting stations filming nearby, and those live-streaming with smartwatches who had ventured too close to the danger zone.

At that moment.

A giant egg of flame formed in the sky.

-What’s that?

-The Black Flame Dragon’s… egg?

People held a slight glimmer of hope. They hoped the Black Flame Dragon would reappear, as if reborn as a new life from within a giant egg.

Thump!

And the Black Flame Dragon did not disappoint. The giant, who landed on the water’s surface in a kneeling pose, was now a Dragonoid, burning with blue flames inside and clad in armor that perfectly resembled the Black Flame Dragon on the outside.

-Doesn’t that look like the SS-rank Villain Phoenix?

-The size is completely different, you idiot!

-I knew it, damn it! That’s so damn cool!

Had it been holding back, only using Breath until now, to recover the mana for its ‘transformation’? The Flame Giant clenched and unclenched its hands, then cracked its neck. The way it warmed up and gathered mana looked exactly like a fighter before the bell rings.

-I heard there’s a Flame Giant Villain in Seoul.

-Its mana is completely different from that one! It’s S-rank!

-The mana signature is still the Black Flame Dragon’s, though? Isn’t it the Black Flame Dragon transformed?

Naturally, people didn’t know the truth. The Black Flame Dragon had actually become the armor of a giant monstrous human, and the person inside was Deokbae, a Flame Giant.

And then people saw it. Next to the Flame Giant’s neck, a blue-haired girl stood firmly on two feet, arms crossed.

-Isn’t that Cheonghwa?

-She can transform a monster into a giant monstrous human?

-There was a time when I thought she was just suffering from Chunibyo.

It wasn’t mere Chunibyo. Men were amazed by Cheonghwa’s ability to turn the Black Flame Dragon into a giant monstrous human, and women admired Cheonghwa’s appearance, standing firmly on two feet atop it.

-But surely she’s not going to fight with it there, right?

“Surely not” is what gets people. The moment Cheonghwa shouted something, the Flame Giant charged at the Water Guardian and threw a right hook.

Loud roar!!

The Water Guardian took the punch and tumbled across the water’s surface. One sharp tooth flew into the air and landed on the shore, embedding itself. The Flame Giant pursued it, running across the water. Steam erupted with every step, and the Flame Giant kicked the Water Guardian, which was rolling on the ground, in the waist.

Screech!!

The Water Guardian shrieked and was sent flying into the air. Red blood, vomited by the Water Guardian, stained the water’s surface. Even amidst that, the Water Guardian swung its long arm, trying to claw the Flame Giant.

Loud roar!!

The giant stretched its leg back and twisted its body. The Water Guardian’s claws scraped the Black Flame Dragon’s armor.

Grinding!

A metallic screech echoed, shaking the entire water surface. The Water Guardian’s claws were hard and sharp, but they only managed to leave claw marks on the Black Flame Dragon’s armor. With its sudden surprise attack, launched even while being thrown into the air, having come to nothing, the Water Guardian was left defenseless before the Flame Giant.

Thump!

The Flame Giant brought its elbow down vertically. The Water Guardian’s shoulder and lower back simultaneously bent downwards.

Crunch!

The Flame Giant stepped on the water’s surface and kicked its knee up. The Water Guardian’s chest caved in. The Water Guardian folded like a book in front of the Flame Giant, spitting blood, and its entire body went limp from the sudden pain.

Chuckles.

Those watching the video had the illusion that the Flame Giant was smiling beneath the helmet shaped like a dragon’s head. The Flame Giant lowered its arm and grabbed the Water Guardian by the neck.

Loud roar!!

Regardless of whether the Water Guardian, caught from behind, screamed or not, the Flame Giant spewed fire from its hand, burning the Water Guardian’s neck. The Water Guardian’s wet fur quickly began to dry out, and soon, its fur caught fire.

Crackling!

The Water Guardian swung its long arm back and unleashed an electric discharge. A powerful high-voltage current, bright enough to make eyes flash, sparked on the Flame Giant’s armor. The Flame Giant flinched and recoiled significantly.

Heheheh.

Freed, the Water Guardian panted and scoffed at the Flame Giant. The Flame Giant shook its hand, where the electricity had sparked, once, then clenched and unclenched its fist again, taking a stance.

Through a brief skirmish, the Flame Giant had gained an overwhelming advantage. The Water Guardian scoffed at the Flame Giant and quickly submerged itself in the water.

What?!

The Flame Giant was flustered. Simultaneously, sharp, spear-like jets of water shot out from beneath the surface.

Thwack!

The Flame Giant crossed its arms in front to block the water jets. The water jets, aimed at its face, created deep holes in the Flame Giant’s armor before evaporating.

Damn it…!!

The Flame Giant became irritable at the Water Guardian, which had hidden itself, taking advantage of the terrain. But before it could even get annoyed, water jets began to shoot out from all directions beneath the surface.

Rat-a-tat-tat!

The Water Guardian fired water jets in rapid succession, like a gatling gun. It swam in circles beneath the surface, embedding water jets into the Flame Giant’s armor, while the Flame Giant reinforced its armor with mana to block the jets. The Flame Giant was utterly helpless against the Water Guardian in the water, and gradually, holes began to appear all over its armor.

Heheheh.

The Water Guardian subtly raised its head and scoffed at the Flame Giant. Whether it possessed human intelligence or had learned from humans, the Water Guardian raised a single index finger above the water’s surface.

Wiggle wiggle.

The Water Guardian provoked the Flame Giant. As if to say, ‘If you’re so tough, come into the water,’ the Flame Giant tilted its head sideways.

Roar!!!

Unable to bear it any longer, the Flame Giant stomped its foot hard, spreading flames in all directions.

Drip. Drip.

The water jets embedded in its armor quickly turned into steam and evaporated, and the Water Guardian swiftly hid deep within the lake. The heat emitted by the Flame Giant sank below the surface.

Boom!

The Flame Giant stomped its foot hard. If the Water Guardian had no intention of coming out of the water, it seemed the Flame Giant intended to turn the entire lake into boiling hot water to force it out.

As massive steam billowed up, making the entire surrounding area humid and hot, the Water Guardian, leaping from the deep bottom of the Hwaiheo River, used its long arms to firmly grab the Flame Giant’s ankle.

Sizzling!

Yellow lightning sparked from the Flame Giant’s ankle. The Flame Giant lifted its other foot, attempting to kick the Water Guardian’s foot that held its ankle, but the Water Guardian extended its other arm and succeeded in grabbing both of the Flame Giant’s feet.

Sizzling!

Lightning continued to spark. The full-power discharge from the Water Guardian began to climb up the Flame Giant’s armor. The Flame Giant’s feet, which had been firmly planted on the water’s surface by flowing strong mana into them, slowly began to sink into the river.

Hissing—-!!

As its body sank up to its ankles, an enormous amount of steam boiled up. The Hwaiheo River’s water began to seep directly between the Flame Giant’s armor plates. The Flame Giant bent its upper body to strike the Water Guardian’s hands beneath the surface, but the Water Guardian clung on like a water ghost.

Bang! Bang bang!

The Flame Giant’s fists struck the innocent water surface. Its body sank deeper and deeper, and soon the Flame Giant was submerged up to its knees in the lake. It looked as if it was being sucked into a bottomless swamp of death.

-Isn’t that dangerous…?

-This place is practically the Water Guardian’s home turf anyway.

Those watching the fierce battle between the giant and the monster began to worry about the Flame Giant’s disadvantage. The moment it first swung its fist and knocked out the Water Guardian’s jaw was thrilling and satisfying, but from the moment the Water Guardian entered the water, the Flame Giant had been helplessly taking hits.

Loud roar…!!

The Flame Giant straightened its posture and stretched both arms towards the sky. Blue mana began to swirl between its outstretched hands, as if supporting the heavens, and a fireball the size of the Flame Giant’s head was created. The fireball shimmered as if it would explode at any moment.

Heheheh?

The Flame Giant grabbed the fireball and plunged it into the water.

KABOOM——!!

The fireball exploded beneath the surface. The mana explosion beneath the water created a massive crater in the lake, pushing the water away, and the Water Guardian, directly hit by the fireball’s explosion, released its grip, spewing acrid smoke.

Gasp….

Grab!

The Flame Giant grabbed the Water Guardian’s wrist. The action of grabbing the Water Guardian’s arm, even as it was sinking itself, looked as if it was trying to help its opponent.

Chuckles.

However, the Flame Giant was not such a benevolent being, nor was the giant’s master, who was watching with wide, piercing eyes, of such a disposition. The Flame Giant snatched the Water Guardian’s arm and threw it high vertically.

Screech!!

The Water Guardian could move freely in the water but could not fly in the sky. Flailing in the air, the highly thrown Water Guardian hastily turned its body to look down.

And the Water Guardian saw it. The Flame Giant, having landed on the water’s surface, was raising its head towards it. Its mask-like mouth gaped wide, left and right, and within its open maw, mana began to rapidly condense towards the Water Guardian.

Breath.

A destructive beam, imbued with immense mana, was fired vertically from the Flame Giant’s mouth. The river water, which had been trying to fill the empty space, was pushed aside again by the Breath’s destructive power, and the Breath, imbued with blue flames, shot straight up and engulfed the Water Guardian.

Aaaargh!!!

The Water Guardian shrieked and writhed. In an instant, all its fur burned away to ash, and its skin turned bright red. Its Core desperately tried to resist the Breath by emitting mana, but it was useless.

The Water Guardian could not block the Flame Giant’s Breath. The Water Guardian, turned to charcoal in mid-air, began to fall helplessly, and the Flame Giant, waiting below, clenched its fist and delivered an uppercut towards the Water Guardian’s heart.

Thwack!

As the Water Guardian’s chest was pierced by the Flame Giant’s fist, the river water covered the two monsters. Just before the river water filled the empty space, the Water Guardian’s heart, radiating heat and pulsating, was held aloft in the Flame Giant’s hand, stretched towards the sky.

Whoosh.

Blue flames rose from the Flame Giant’s hand. Perhaps because it had been extracted, the heart quickly turned to ash and disappeared, and only an S-rank Core, glowing a deep blue, sparkled in the Flame Giant’s palm.

A moment later.

The charred remains of the Water Guardian floated gently on the calm surface of the Hwaiheo River.

The time it took for the Black Flame Dragon to transform into a giant and obtain the Water Guardian’s Core.

It was merely 3 minutes.

* * *

[Hey. This is mine.]

Deokbae arrogantly shook the Water Guardian’s Core, which rested in his hand, and laughed. A thin membrane of mana enveloped his entire body. Of course, neither Deokbae nor the Black Flame Dragon would use such an ability; I had cast the mana to prevent water from seeping into his body.

“Why is that yours?”

[Because I finished it, didn’t I?]

“But I was the one who exploded the fireball and fired the Breath?”

He had an A-rank Core and wore S-rank armor, but the one inside was Deokbae, who had only just become B-rank.

“You panicked and couldn’t do anything the moment the Water Guardian went into the water, right? Admit it?”

[That’s because the ground was water. Hey, if it had been land, I would’ve utterly annihilated it in a sparring match.]

“Why would it be crazy enough to come out onto land and fight you? What an absurd assumption.”

It was the Flame Giant that dragged out the one hiding in the water, but all the fireballs exploded in the water for that purpose were made of my mana.

“Should we calculate the damage contribution? Who dealt how much damage? I probably took off 80% of its health.”

[What do I care? Bring me proof. Do you have any concrete data? Heheheh.]

“Ugh, this is annoying.”

When I get back, I’ll have Hikari make one right away.

“Changyeom commands. Hand over the Core.”

[You…! You’re commanding here?!]

Deokbae obediently offered me the Core. I deftly took the Water Guardian’s Core and put it in my pocket, then stomped on the Flame Giant’s shoulder to subdue him.

Thump!

The Flame Giant knelt in one blow. Because I forcibly released the Flame Giant and the armored Black Flame Dragon, both immediately turned into Cores.

“Hmph.”

I put Deokbae’s Core in my pocket and reawakened the Black Flame Dragon’s Core. A black dragon quietly opened its eyes from the bottom of the lake.

[…….]

“Are you sulking?”

[That is not it. It is merely.]

The Black Flame Dragon lamented with regret.

[I merely lamented my shortcomings. O God, next time, I will surely….]

“Don’t be too disappointed. When we go back, I’ll create a training curriculum for you. For now, let’s head back. To Beijing. Slowly.”

I released the protective barrier surrounding my body. My entire body was soaked, and the Black Flame Dragon spread its wings and soared above the water’s surface.

“That’s the end of the alibi.”

I neatly gathered my wet hair behind me and tied it loosely. Regardless of how it happened, Beast Tamer Cheonghwa would be known for defeating the Branch Dragon and the Water Guardian using the Black Flame Dragon.

‘Will Cheonghwa really be suspected for the rampage of the Black Scorpions?’

“It’s Bonghyo’s fault. Bonghyo’s fault. Surely no one would think otherwise.”

Everyone would think that Cheonghwa had struggled against the Branch Dragon and the Water Guardian, and that the Black Scorpions had begun their rampage due to an entirely separate factor.

“Then let’s go up leisurely, Black Flame Dragon.”

[Yes. I will serve you slowly.]

I lay on the Black Flame Dragon’s back. The sun slowly began to set beyond the horizon.

“I should rest at night. Hmm.”

Now, I would truly rest. I quietly closed my eyes, enjoying the warm sunset.

[Hey. The Black Scorpions suddenly changed direction to the southeast?]

[Who are they targeting as they head down there… Heheheh. Whose fault is all this?]

“These two, together… Haa.”

I wondered if I shouldn’t have told them.

They wouldn’t all six spirits chatter at once later, would they?

[We’re going back to Beijing, so deal with it yourselves.]

I casually replied to Seok Harang and Hwanryong’s chattering and closed my eyes again.

‘The villains caused the trouble, but.’

“It’s up to the heroes to clean up.”

And I am not a hero. Therefore, I can rest now.

“Puhuhu.”