38. This world is still the same as it was back then.
*
A bat cloud. Richter von Franzrit sat on the port side of the ship, gazing at the dark night sky untouched by moonlight.
The Blood Pouches whispered in fear, a vulgar expression. The origin of this sacred spell, which even the sun, moon, and any celestial light could not penetrate, lay even higher.
Pathetic creatures. Richter’s red eyes glowed in the darkness. His pale, curly hair fluttered in the night sea breeze. Richter chuckled as he stood up.
-Kyaaaaah!!!!
-Shaaaaah!!!
In response to his movement, his kin, now half-beasts, howled. They were monsters, as if the most evil parts of bats and giants had been combined.
They shook their heads at Richter’s gesture. The hunger and savagery of his kin resonated through Richter’s veins. He grinned wryly.
“Have they come?”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Good. How are the preparations?”
“Aildern, that old Elf, has handled things quite neatly. Guimerin’s slaves are now trapped in the port, struggling.”
“And the crows? What are they up to?”
The young man who had appeared behind Richter hesitated for a moment. As the answer stalled, Richter’s gaze brushed the young man’s neck. The young man trembled and bowed his head.
“Contact with the Runraven Academy has been lost.”
As Richter frowned, the young man hurriedly continued.
“B-but it’s not a failure! L-look at this earthquake and this magic… this presence, Your Grace. The plan to revive the Dragon must have succeeded. As planned, the vanguard has infiltrated the port thanks to the earthquake.”
“So, where is the Dragon? Guimerin, that old fool’s flagship, can only be damaged by the Dragon’s Breath.”
As the young man hesitated, Richter placed a hand on his shoulder. The young man was startled but dared not shake him off.
“Dawn is near. Son. How much time do we have left? It’s been over an hour since the first earthquake.”
“I-I will… I will personally board the old fool’s flagship. G-give me a chance, Your Grace.”
“Haha, a chance. Son. Son. I’ve always given you chances…”
Richter gripped the young man’s chin and lifted him. The young man’s body hung in the air like a sheet of paper.
“G-gah!!”
“Are you afraid of me?”
Richter’s red eyes filled the young man’s vision. Despite the Vampire’s night vision, darkness obscured his sight, leaving only Richter’s blood-red pupils glowing.
-Kyaaaaah!!!!
The distant howls of the half-beasts faded. The Vampire’s acute hearing could only hear Richter’s voice now.
“Y-your Grace. Your Grace…”
“Yes. Son. If you’re afraid of me. If you fear me.”
“Gah!!!”
-Thud.
Richter’s grip loosened, and the young man rolled on the floor. He lay curled up, gasping for breath. As he barely lifted his head, he saw Richter’s smiling face in the darkness.
“Don’t be afraid of those weaker Blood Pouches. Go. Show the discipline of Franzrit. Kurt von Franzrit.”
“Y-yes, Your Grace!”
-Swish.
The young man nodded hastily and disappeared into the darkness. Richter chuckled as he watched. Soon, he turned his head and whispered toward the sea.
“Go and help him. Board Guimerin’s flagship. I’ll allow seventy-three.”
-Rumble.
-Splash!
From the black ships silently floating on the night sea, corpses and Vampires leaped down. Richter flicked his fingers.
“Zigismund, do you think he’ll succeed?”
“Even a Ghoul wouldn’t think so, Father.”
“Hahaha, right. He’s just bait.”
“Will the Dragon really help us? Do you trust the Runravens that much?”
“Me? I trust no one. Son. If the Dragon doesn’t help us? Will the Elves help? Will the humans? No matter how it rampages, as long as it happens in that port. Everything will go according to my plan.”
-Boom.
From the mast, a giant clad in full armor leaped down. Inside the thick helmet, red eyes resembling Richter’s glowed.
“Even if the port burns to the ground, as long as we can eliminate the Elves, it’s our victory. In this sea, aside from the Elves, there’s no force that can stop my fleet. The Blood Pouches will now fear every sea.”
“Everything will go according to the Grand Duke’s will.”
Richter looked at Zigismund, who bowed respectfully. His eyes twisted with a sadistic gleam.
“Bring Iolande. She deserves it too. The right to watch her husband burn to death.”
“Hehe, she’ll be pleased too.”
Richter chuckled. Watching the burning port with the Elf woman’s wails as background music would be quite an entertaining spectacle.
Her loyalty to the Elven King, even after becoming a Franzrit, was laughable. Richter sneered at Iolande. That woman had remained loyal to the Elven King even after becoming a Franzrit. Ridiculous.
-Rumble…
Far away, beyond the port. A massive earthquake struck. Waves swept across the sea. Richter’s white curls fluttered in the sea breeze. He watched the pillar of fire rising from the port.
-Kwaaaaah!!!!
The pillar of fire momentarily split the night sky in half. Intense flames lit up the entire sea as if it were daytime. The Franzrit fleet…
The dark clouds that had been hidden suddenly lit up brightly.
– Kyaaaaak!!!
The vampires of the fleet all cowered in fear, overwhelmed by the overwhelming presence of the dragon. Its influence reached even the distant ocean, causing even soulless corpses to shrink back.
Richter also felt his entire body tingle. Amidst the pillars of fire, a roaring silhouette faintly appeared. It was him. And this flame—
Yes, this flame is our signal fire, marking the end of Guimerin’s long reign. Richter twisted his lips into a smile.
“Go! Go! Go! My children! You useless bugs! Tear the elves apart! Go! Show them the discipline of Franzrit!”
– Boo, booo!!!
– Kyaaaaaak!!!
– Fwoosh!
The ship’s horn blared loudly. Some flew up, while others leaped into the sea. Countless corpses poured out from the warships of Franzrit.
During the Celestial War, the mages who dared to covet immortality and killed the Sun God were cursed with three things. Richter heard the wailing of the dead god in his ears.
[You shall not hold the warmth of the living.]
Yes, the living shall fear the cold of the night.
[You shall only drink the blood of the living.]
Thank you. I will gladly do so.
[You shall not walk in the time of the living.]
Now is the time of the dead.
Begone, specter. Richter sneered at the Curse of the God flowing through his veins. Who dares to escape death? Even the Eternal King, Guimerin. Even the great dragon!
No one can escape death.
*
A massive flame erupted from the center of Infermur. The infiltrating vampires, the humans caught in chaos, and even the elves from the distant sea momentarily stopped their blades and turned their gaze toward Infermur.
– Kwaarrrr!!!
A seismic wave swept through the harbor. Those who lowered their bodies to withstand the shock looked as if they were worshiping the approaching presence.
The flames slowly faded, but now, no one in Infermur’s harbor could easily rise to their feet. An overwhelming presence loomed in the sky above Infermur.
People’s eyes turned to the black night sky. Above the bowed mortals, the dragon reigned.
– Fwoosh.
The sound of thousands of sails flapping simultaneously echoed like thunder. The dragon looked down upon the earth from the sky.
“Khh… [Huhu, struggling?]”
Fernandez, clinging to the dragon’s neck, groaned as he endured the wind pressure. The dragon chuckled, its neck rumbling.
[Ah, how free. How sweet. Look, Fernandez. Gaze upon the horizon. The starlight in the sky, the kneeling humans below… How beautiful. This world remains, as it was in those days.]
“Huff… Abel… lesas.”
Every time he tried to speak, the wind tore at his lungs. Fernandez struggled to turn his head against the wind.
[Huhuhu, how amusing, your reaction is just like that of Dain.]
“Abelesas. Enough with the games!”
[Games? How cheeky. I have been buried underground for nearly two thousand years. Do you know how much I longed for this scenery?]
“Khh…!”
– Whoosh!!
Abelesas playfully twisted her body in the air, spinning once. Fernandez held his breath and clung tightly to her back to maintain balance.
As Fernandez gasped for air, Abelesas chuckled and began to descend slowly. Only when the dragon’s back shielded him from the wind could he finally breathe.
This dragon, at times like a wise sage, could suddenly act like a foolish child. Fernandez felt a headache coming on as he adjusted his posture.
[Hmm? What are those?]
As they slowly approached the ground, men in robes gathered below, pointing at her. They were familiar faces to Fernandez.
“The necromancers who awakened you, Abelesas.”
[Hmm. I should show my gratitude.]
– Kwoooong.
As the dragon’s foot touched the ground, the earth shook, and dust rose. As the dust settled, the robed mages rushed forward.
“Dragon! Bow before us!!!”
[Hmm?]
As Abelesas hesitated, the men giggled and drew daggers with blue blades. It was commendable that they could withstand the dragon’s presence, whether out of madness or confidence.
But, how rude. Abelesas frowned as she looked at the men. They hastily pulled out a parchment filled with writings. Purple sparks flew from the parchment, and magic flowed.
[Did these crude beings truly awaken me?]
“They were mere minions. The real mage was one. It seems he has fled.”
[Haa… Young humans. I am in a rather good mood now. Do not push your luck…]
Despite Abelesas’s growling, the men did not stop. Soon, the parchment held by the leader burst into purple flames. Black smoke formed the shape of a crow and flew toward Abelesas’s head.
[Your rudeness has gone too far.]
– Kwoooong.
A tail as thick as a marble pillar tore through the air and crushed the ground. Abelesas swept the men aside with her tail and exhaled deeply.
[Do you hear it?]
“Hmm?”
[An old elf is calling me.]
Abelesas raised her head and glared at Infermur’s harbor. In the distance, a massive ship was anchored. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
[The age of etiquette and respect has been lost. The constellations in the sky and the shimmering sea still shine beautifully, yet mortals have lost their proper reverence.]
Abelesas sneered.
[Many see me as a mere trophy. As if a dragon could be a reward for effort.]
“I told you. You are but a legend to scare children…”
[Good.]
– Kwoooong.
Abelesas took a heavy step forward and opened her eyes. Blue flames flickered within them.
[I will personally show these children what a terrifying legend is.]
Flames dripped from her mouth. Her eyes gleamed like a mischievous child’s. Fernandez clung to her neck as tightly as he could.
Soon, the dragon charged toward the sea.
![[TS] Obsessed Gamer: The Ultimate Return](https://i3.wp.com/novelhitam.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/TS-Obsessed-Gamer-The-Ultimate-Return2.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] Obsessed Gamer: The Ultimate Return")
