BXBX NOVEL Vol. 9 - Chapter 494 - An opened world
"Matil… Ah, right. You\'re badly hurt, I\'ll need to treat you."
Astel was still worried about the Dragon King. The Dragon King had been waiting for this day so he could revive Astel.
\'Hm? There\'s plenty of priests waiting outside.\'
Dragons had high vitality, so all the deep wounds were not enough to kill him.
"It\'s fine, I can heal him with what I have."
Kurena took out a Heaven\'s Blessing from her magic bag and used it on the Dragon King. All his wounds began to heal rapidly, his broken bones that were jutting out returning to their place, and his wings reconstructing. Even his tail that had been torn out grew back.
\'Oh…that\'s some wondrous medicine…\'
As his Strength recovered, the Dragon King once again understood he had lost. Then Allen teleported there and ran to Kurena, he had left a [Nest] there before.
"Good job Kurena, it was a complete victory."
Allen said that loud enough for the Dragon King to hear.
"Thank you, but I broke the weapons and armor Habarak made."
The greatsword\'s blade was broken in half.
"I guess even orichalcum can break then. But we\'ll go to the divine realm and get even better weapons now."
Allen was always searching for better weapons, just like when he went to the S Rank Dungeon. They had found a lot of orichalcum weapons in the Gates of Trials, but now it seemed that strong enemies could tear through that as well. Allen did not know if there really were better weapons in the divine realm, but Dogora already had the Divine Artifact Kagutsuchi, so maybe there were more weapons like that there.
"Okay."
Kurena seemed to regain her spirits hearing that.
\'Gyuuuuun.\'
Haku whimpered behind Kurena, like a puppy that angered its owner.
"Haku, I\'m not angry. Thank you for saving me."
Kurena knew he had done everything he could to protect her.
"Gyau!!"
When Kurena scratched his nose he instantly looked happier.
(Thankfully we waited out the cooldown for it.)
Allen had made sure Haku had his Awakened Skill available. They had tried it once against Gordino, but Haku was too powerful and lost control. Kurena did not like to see Haku in that state, and Allen knew it was bad that Haku was not conscious, so they agreed that it was best not to use it.
But Allen wanted it to be available when they fought the Dragon King just in case. [Dragon Beat]\'s cooldown was longer than a day, and it was only usable again after 10 days, just like Makris\' Sacred Bead Creation. Allen knew that Skills with longer cooldowns were always more powerful.
(I feel a bit bad for him though.)
Allen felt like making the Dragon King wait for 3000 years was too harsh. Astel also looked distraught, feeling the same way as Allen.
"I know they lost to Megadeth, but they were still ridiculously strong."
Cecile sighed looking at the crumbling temple, but she was glad they won.
"I guess Divine Techniques get stronger in Extra Mode."
While Haku was ridiculously powerful when out of control, Astel and the Dragon King were also strong. If things went just a bit different they could have defeated Kurena and Haku. Allen had an idea that explained their power.
Astel and the Dragon King\'s power was likely in Extra Mode. They had a Divine Technique that boosted their power even more, similar to Dogora\'s [Full Body] and Kurena\'s [Limit Break].
(Hmhm, so Divine Techniques boost power like that.)
If Cecile and Kasagoma were in Extra Mode they would have gained even more power too. Megadeth remained the same after defeating the Dragon King, but during 3000 years the Dragon King could have raised his Skill Levels a lot.
"Milord!!"
While Allen thought of that, the guards and priests finally entered. They had been restless because the sounds stopped and Allen vanished, so they gathered there worried.
\'Yes, it\'s over.\'
"A-and so?"
The priest with the highest position asked.
\'I lost. I won\'t go to the divine realm.\'
"Oh, I\'m just glad to see you\'re still safe."
\'...I see. Yes, I guess that\'s fair.\'
The dragonkin had been wishing for something different. They simply wanted the Dragon King to be safe. Astel watched that with a look of satisfaction. A distance away Megadeth went to talk with Allen.
\'Good job winning the last battle.\'
"It was a harsh battle, but we\'ve completed the requirements now."
The Dragon King had been the last Gatekeeper they needed to conquer.
\'You don\'t have to say anything. Woohoo.\'
Megadeth\'s rainbow wings flapped and Kurena and Haku\'s bodies began to glow.
"Ohh, that\'s another Talent Change!!"
\'Gyau!!\'
Both of them raised their voice afterwards.
(Hm? I guess Haku is a step closer to being a god too.)
Kurena became a 5 Star Dragoon Emperor, and Haku became a Demigod Dragon. Their Levels were reset to 1, and their stats halved.
\'So now we can finally go to the divine realm.\'
"It seems so Mouton! Okay, don\'t wiggle so much, you\'re pulling on my hair!!"
Mouton kept moving in excitement and Luck\'s hair got caught inside his slime body.
\'Yes, so let\'s get things moving and let\'s open the Gate of Judgement. Bring out all the pieces.\'
"Here!"
Kurena took out the three pieces they got from the Gates of Trials, which began to float and glow, fitting into the drawing on the gate.
The drawing seemed to split along the middle and the gate opened with a deep rumbling sound.
"Ohhhhhhhh!!"
Kurena exclaimed seeing that.
"The floor turns to white mist there. I guess that is the divine realm."
Cecile described what she could see through the gate.
"Maybe it\'s above clouds then?"
"That\'s probably it. The divine realm seems to be made of many floating islands above clouds."
(There\'s floating temples too.)
Allen thought Sophie\'s assumption was correct.
"Somehow it feels incredible to feel the sunlight so strongly."
Kiel also felt like the sunlight was more powerful there compared to the human realm. While the group was so impressed, there was someone whose time was coming to an end. Astel and the Dragon King watched the gate, and the world they would never get to.
"I see, that\'s the divine realm. It would\'ve been so fun to go adventuring there, right Matil?"
Astel\'s body began to float and turn into bubbles of light.
\'Astel…\'
"I guess this is it then, Matil. The pact is over, so you can go on now, live freely. And then once we meet again you can tell me everything you saw in this world."
Astel smiled as he told the Dragon King to keep on living for as long as he could. The Dragon King tried reaching out, but he only swatted air as Astel vanished. Then he just looked at the spot where Astel had been, shedding large tears. The temple was silent for a moment, and then Allen spoke.
"...Alright, let\'s go to the divine realm."
"Right, that\'s why we worked this hard."
Cecile still felt bad for the Dragon King that was crying.
(Is everyone ready?)
Allen checked on Merus who was not present there.
\'No problem here. Just make a bit more space for us.\'
Merus replied that he needed a bit more space.
"I\'m sorry, my other companions who will come to the divine realm don\'t have enough space to arrive. Could you move back a little?"
"Hm? Is this enough?"
Allen spoke to the high ranking priest, and he moved to the side.
"No, could you move just a bit more? And could the other priests gather over here? I\'m really sorry."
The priests and guards were confused. The depressed Dragon King and Megadeth were too. But they decided to do as told, gathering on one side of the hall and leaving a large space open in front of the Gate of Judgement.
"Alright, that should be enough. I really want all my companions to come with me to the divine realm."
\'Companions..? Your companions are coming here then?\'
"Yes, I feel like all of them deserve experiencing this, Lord Megadeth. We all worked together to reach the divine realm after all."
\'Companions, huh…\'
Somehow Megadeth understood that there were more people who were part of Allen\'s group.
(Alright, everything\'s ready here too. Bring them.)
\'Understood.\'
As Allen said that, Merus came together with the troops, using the Bird A summon\'s Awakened Skill [Homing Instinct].
\'Wha-?! What\'s this?! Where did all these people come from?!!\'
Megadeth\'s confused voice echoed through the temple. An army of more than 10000 had appeared there.