Return of the Calamity-Class Death Knight

[Translator - Kie]

[Proofreader - Kawaii]

Chapter 338: Mount Carion (1)

As soon as Dorugo vanished, Damien coughed up blood.

He had overexerted himself by continuously using Soulflower of Tranquility.

"Damien! Are you injured?"

The Imperial Supreme Sword rushed over to support Damien. Damien wiped his mouth, insisting he was fine.

At that moment, a dimensional portal opened in the sky. An elderly man with snow-white hair emerged from it.

The old man slowly descended, landing before the two.

"Gerg, is His Majesty safe?"

Imperial Supreme Sword asked. Gerg nodded.

"Fortunately, he's unharmed. The Sword Saint evacuated him in time."

Imperial Supreme Sword sighed in relief at Gerg's words.

"Are you the master of the White Tower?"

Damien asked Gerg.

During the War of Destruction, Damien had clashed with Gerg a few times.

He was the master of the White Tower and the highest-ranking mage in the Empire.

He was also the Empire's foremost expert on dimensional portals.

"Indeed I am. It's an honor to meet the Empire's hero like this."

Gerg extended his hand to Damien. Damien shook it and said.

"We don't have time for this. We must pursue Dorugo immediately. Please open a dimensional portal to Mount Carion."

"Mount Carion...?"

Gerg said with a troubled expression.

"I'm sorry, but I can't grant your request right away."

"May I ask why?"

"Mount Carion is at the edge of the continent. Opening a gate to travel that far requires considerable preparation."

This was terrible news from Damien's perspective.

There was nothing to gain by giving Dorugo more time.

In fact, during his brief disappearance, Dorugo had already used the Demon Lords' corpse to strengthen herself and the Four Great Demon Kings.

Who knew what schemes Dorugo might be plotting now. He needed to pursue her as quickly as possible.

"Isn't there any way?"

"It's no use rushing. The cost of dimensional portals increases with mass and distance. If we ignore that and force it open, your body will disintegrate while passing through."

There was no mage in the Empire more skilled than Gerg.

If he said it couldn't be done, there truly was no way.

'Balhard was really something else.'

Balhard used to open dimensional portals effortlessly without any preparation.

Moreover, according to Balhard, dimensional magic wasn't even his specialty.

As expected of a dragon. Damien was again impressed by Balhard's capabilities.

"I'll have to ask someone else then. Where's Balhard?"

Damien asked Imperial Supreme Sword.

"Balhard? Ah, you mean that red dragon. He went out for a bit, and said he had somewhere to go."

"...He went out at a time like this?"

Damien reacted with disbelief.

Going for a walk when the world was in danger because of Dorugo?

No matter how he thought about it, it was unacceptable. When he returns, I should rip off his wings...

"Ease up on that expression. Someone might have a heart attack if they see you."

"...Was it that bad?"

"It was indeed."

The Imperial Supreme Sword nodded and added.

"I tried not to let him go, but... there were circumstances. You'd understand if you heard them."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you see... Ah, there he comes now."

The Imperial Supreme Sword pointed at the sky. A dragon with red scales was flying towards them.

Balhard landed roughly in front of Damien.

Damien was about to reprimand Balhard as soon as he saw him.

However, he couldn't help but pause when he saw the boy sitting on Balhard's head.

The boy was none other than Karl Hopper, the Mercenary King.

As Balhard touched down, the Mercenary King nimbly climbed off his head.

He then spread his arms towards Balhard and said.

"That was an incredible experience! Flying through the sky is truly amazing!"

-I'm glad you enjoyed it.

"I had a wonderful time, but I hope it wasn't too tiring for you."

-Don't say such things! What wouldn't I do for you!

Damien turned to the Imperial Supreme Sword with an incredulous expression.

"Since when did those two become so close?"

"Ah, about that. They've always been this close."

"I heard they're father and son."

"Well, that would explain their closeness."

Damien nodded as he replied.

Suddenly, Damien's eyes widened. He whirled around to face the Imperial Supreme Sword and asked again.

"...Did you say they're father and son?"

"That's right."

"Is that really true?"

"It is. The reason for his outing was to spend time with his son."

The Imperial Supreme Sword spoke with an utterly serious face. Even so, Damien found it hard to believe.

-Oh, Damien Haksen. You're awake.

At that moment, Balhard approached Damien and spoke.

He had already shifted from his dragon form to his human form.

-We were quite startled when you suddenly fainted. I'm glad to see you're alright.

"Never mind the greetings... So you’re Mercenary king’s father?"

-Ah, I see the Imperial Supreme Sword told you. Yes, Karl is indeed my child. I never imagined he'd grow up to be so splendid.

Balhard said with a satisfied expression. Damien asked again, his face still showing disbelief.

"But you're a red dragon. The Mercenary King uses lightning, not flames?"

-It's common for offspring to inherit different traits.

At this point, Damien had no choice but to believe it.

After accepting this shocking fact, he suddenly realized something. Damien glared at Balhard and asked.

"By the way, why are you speaking informally to me?"

Balhard's shoulders flinched at Damien's pointed question.

-Well, you see...

"Oh? Are you going to keep this up? Should I teach you another lesson?"

-L-Lord Damien! Please, calm down!

Balhard whispered in a tiny voice, glancing nervously at the Mercenary King.

-B-but in front of my son... Please, spare my dignity.

"You little... How dare you spout such nonsense..."

-I-I beg you!

Damien's expression turned fierce. Balhard gulped nervously.

"...Only when the Mercenary King is present."

Despite his expression, Damien readily agreed to Balhard's request.

-I-is that really true?

"What? Should I take it back?"

-N-no, not at all!

There wasn't any grand reason for it.

Balhard's appearance overlapped with that of a father figure. Damien couldn't bring himself to refuse someone who wanted to act like a father.

"Father, what are you discussing so seriously?"

-Ha-ha, it's nothing.

The Mercenary King approached and asked. Balhard replied with an awkward expression.

"Damien! I heard my father helped you a lot!"

"Yes, well, I suppose he did."

"They say he saved you when you were under attack by demons?"

Damien glared at Balhard with a ‘what's this about’ expression. Balhard averted his gaze.

"I... did... receive... help..."

Damien spat out each word as if chewing them. Beads of cold sweat formed on Balhard's forehead.

"Incredible! Father, you're amazing!"

The Mercenary King looked at Balhard with admiration upon hearing Damien's response. Balhard lowered his head even further.

"Balhard, I'm sorry to interrupt your father-son time, but we need to move right now. Please open a dimensional portal to Mount Carion."

-Ah, understood. I'll do that.

Balhard hurriedly prepared to open a dimensional portal.

He moved to a spacious area and began chanting in Dragon Tongue. As the incomprehensible words continued, the surrounding mana could be felt fluctuating.

But something was off.

No matter how much time passed, no matter how long the chant became, the dimensional portal wouldn't open.

Damien looked at Balhard with a puzzled expression. Balhard stopped chanting and turned to Damien.

-Well... you see...

"Is there a problem?"

Balhard said with an embarrassed expression.

-The dimensional portal cannot be opened...

* * *

Balhard continued to fail at opening the dimensional portal.

Eventually, tired of waiting, Damien had Balhard return them to the Otherworld. They needed to request help from other dragons.

After hearing Damien's explanation, Iris briefly surveyed the surface world before speaking to Damien.

"The coordinates around Mount Carion are completely distorted."

"The coordinates are distorted?"

Damien asked, his face showing incomprehension at Iris's explanation.

"Yes, it's a method used to protect specific locations. Otherwise, one could easily come and go using dimensional portals."

"So it wasn't Balhard's fault."

-Didn't I tell you so...

Balhard said in a sulky voice.

Damien beat Balhard for being incompetent as soon as they entered the Otherworld.

From Balhard's perspective, it was an unfair situation.

"Then we'll just have to open a gate near Mount Carion."

Damien ignored Balhard and asked Iris.

"That should work, but... we'll have to travel quite far, I'm afraid."

"What do you mean?"

Iris used magical particles to draw a map of the continent in mid-air.

"Not just Mount Carion, but the coordinates of the entire surrounding area are distorted."

Damien examined the map. It covered an area almost as large as the Empire.

"Can coordinates be distorted so easily?"

"No, it's impossible. It takes an enormous amount of mana and effort to distort the coordinates of even a single room. To interfere on this scale..."

Iris said with a tense expression.

"It's an act no different from the power of a god."

Damien pondered as he stared at the map.

It was truly befitting of the Demon Lord's power. He could understand why the ancients had revered them as gods.

"Then we have no choice but to open a portal as close as we can and travel there directly."

"Do you have a suitable means of transportation?"

"I do. A very useful one at that."

Saying this, Damien turned to look at Balhard. Balhard was greatly flustered.

-M-Me?

"Yes, you. Stop dawdling and let's get going."

Damien leaped onto Balhard's head. Balhard heaved a deep sigh and spread his wings.

-Yes... we're departing.

Balhard used Dragon Tongue to open a dimensional portal. Then he flew into it.

As Balhard passed through the gate, they emerged not in the Otherworld, but in a field on the surface.

-Hold on tight. I'll fly with every ounce of strength I have.

"Don't worry about me, just hurry up."

Balhard flapped his wings.

His massive body shot forward like an arrow. He pierced through the wall of air like cleaving the sky.

* * *

On top of Balhard's head.

Damien opened a subspace and took out potions.

These were provided by the Emperor before he left for the Otherworld. They were all potions to restore his body.

Damien drank all the potions. He could feel the internal injuries caused by using Soulflower of Tranquility rapidly healing.

'My body still can't keep up with my skills.'

It was a problem arising from the overwhelming strength of the enemies Damien had to face.

To confront them, Damien had no choice but to push himself beyond his limits.

'There's not enough time.'

If he had time, he could have developed a body strong enough to withstand Soulflower of Tranquility.

But his enemies wouldn't give him that time. Damien couldn't help but regret this.

'To find a solution... I'll have to meet him again.'

Damien drew Erebos. He held it with both hands and concentrated.

When he opened his eyes, Damien was face to face with Ruin's thoughtform.

"..."

Ruin's thought form glared at Damien with lifeless eyes.

"As expected, you're not in a state for conversation."

Damien raised his sword. Ruin mirrored his action.

"How many times must I kill you before you regain your senses?"

Ruin kicked off the ground. Damien moved as well.

In the mental space, the sound of clashing swords rang out incessantly.

***

[Translator - Kie]

[Proofreader - Kawaii]