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Chapter 317

「Gyua, gyua, gyua, gihahahahaha!!」

It was a mockery filled with horror and eeriness, as if the moment I recognized it as a voice, I felt the urge to burst my eardrums. Somewhere in the light-red space, scattered with the glitter of multicolored stars, the man was laughing.

The winds from his wide-spread wings brought fear to all creatures. His yellow eyes looked deep into the souls of those he frightened, enjoying their fear. His thick, sharp fangs and claws, coated in reddish-purple saliva, were hungry for any moment to rip flesh and chew bone.

Seven figures, tiny like little insects, surrounded the creature, which laughed with a sound akin to forcibly tearing metal.

These were the “Seven Braves,” the strongest warriors of the human species inhabiting all dimensions. They would later encounter the Ancient-Celestial Dragonkin and take its life. They were currently engaged in a three-day-long fierce battle against the evil dragon Nidhogg, who aimed to devour one of the World Trees, Yuba-Yggdrasil.

Although the Nidhogg species originally dwelled in a certain realm of the underworld, the one the Seven Braves were fighting was an exceptionally powerful entity close to the original species. This evil dragon, self-named Niesvashal, had already devoured the squirrel Ratatoskr and the giant eagle Hræsvelgr that lived in Yuba-Yggdrasil, and the Seven Braves were fighting to protect the World Tree, which had lost its defenses.

Even the Seven Braves, who prided themselves on being the strongest humans, were only limited to the extent of being the gods’ creations. Therefore, defeating the god-level Niesvashal by their own strength alone was exceedingly difficult. Thus, the priest Maialte among the Seven Braves prayed to his god, greatly diminishing Niesvashal’s power while granting the Seven Braves powerful divine protection within a barrier. This pale pink space was that very barrier.

Yuba-Yggdrasil, the World Tree aimed at by Niesvashal, was a tree of a transcendent scale, with each leaf on its countless branches holding a universe. If the mighty and voracious Niesvashal devoured it, all inhabitants of the universes supported by Yuba-Yggdrasil would share its fate.

The wizard Harmin, with his large triangular hat, black robe, and age-old broom with its bent tip, accurately caught the Needs Vashal, which was flying much faster than light through the spherical wards formed in a sphere one light year in diameter, with his magical vision that could see past, present, and even future, including parallel worlds. The broom, spinning in Harmin’s hand, stirred the ethereal inside the ward while at the same time imparting directionality and enormous energy, and a torrent of jade-colored wind swept down to engulf Niesvashal.

「Prisoner burdened with sin standing before me, vanish into the horizon of causality with the Emerald Banishment!」

「Pathetic. A human’s magic borrowing the power of a wind and law god hybrid cannot force my wings to flap unwillingly.」

Niesvashal laughed off Harumin’s emerald surge, which could move galaxies, as childish play, countering it with a sweep of its yellow wind. Both forces clashed momentarily before vanishing. Seizing the moment when Niesvashal’s attention was diverted, two of the Seven Braves specialized in close combat lunged from both sides, aiming for the dragon’s neck and heart.

Wearing distinctive red shoulder pads, a laminated cuirass, and holding the ancestral sword “Star Cutter,” with black hair tied at the back, was the samurai general Hagami. Displaying his muscular brown body adorned with patterns from special paint, wearing trophies and furs of captured astronomical-scale super-beasts, and wielding a spear with an obsidian-like tip, was the warrior of reckless bravery, Argaz.

「One blade, become the wind and sever the heavenly path. Setting Sun Slash!」

「Just die already, you bastard!」

「Gishaaa!」

The sword of Hagami, the “god of blades,” which carried the spirit of words to increase the power of its slash and slice even a star in half, was caught by Niesvashal’s miasma-cloaked left hand. Even as the scales were cut off and the blade dug into his flesh, he caught it. And again, Niesvashal dared to minimize the damage by letting his right hand be pierced from the palm to the instep by the long spear that Argaz had just pushed out with force from a stance that boasted a more rational power transmission rate than ever before.

「Kikikikiya, I won’t give you my neck and heart for such efforts. You humans perform quite well for failed creations of the gods, but don’t get carried away thinking you can defeat me without borrowing divine power!」
Niesvashal, with an angry roar, waved his hands, and Hagami and Argaz were blown away to the edge of the one-light-year-wide ward. A black-purple mist was generated at the back of Niesvashal’s throat, which had opened with an angry roar. Niesvashal, who possessed the attributes of a poisonous dragon, was about to release a poisonous fluid that was originally intended to rot the roots and trunks of Yggdrasil trees.
In the past, the inhabitants of Yuba Yggdrasil had gathered to repel Niesvashal and challenged it to battle. The breath of Niesvashal’s breath had annihilated in a single breath the giant creatures that devoured even the stars, the giant warriors that made even the sun look like a toy, and the countless fleets of warriors that carried them. Niesvashal turned his head in all directions to fill the inside of the ward with his own poison and began to spread it indiscriminately and without aiming.

The High Elf woman moved against the breath, which was still ferociously toxic inside the ward filled with divine blessings. Elsyria, a spirit wielder who had been praised as the only one in the history of the High Elven race to be equaled by no one before or since, extracted power from her garments, which were woven from an enormous amount of compressed and fibered spirit stones, and from the rainbow-colored compound spirit stones in both hands, and opened a channel to the spirit realm in the other dimension.
「King of the Wind Spirits, Vayuravima! King of the Water Spirits, Nihelsharma! King of the Fire Spirits, Agundzu! Repel the malice of the false dragon cloaked in the aura of the underworld!」

Responding to Elcira’s call, three spirit kings appeared simultaneously. Each was a transcendent entity capable of destroying a universe. The wind raised by Vayuravima, with a tornado lower body and a robust human upper body, gathered Niesvashal’s breath in one place. Nihelsharma, a water spirit king with the form of a girl peeking out from a conch shell, enclosed the breath in blue water. Agundzu, a fire spirit king with two flaming horns and wings, incinerated the poison along with the water, eliminating the threat.

The power and spiritual rank of Elcira, who summoned three spirit kings at once, were extraordinary. Still, the fact that she had to summon three spirit kings simultaneously to fend off one breath attack from Niesvashal showed how formidable the dragon was.

「You are annoying, humans.」

Niesvashal calling Elcira a human was due to knowing the origins of high elves, who were created from humans by the first elves, the god’s failed creations.

「Shut that foul mouth, Niesvashal! Spirit King of Time, Clockwork Clock, seize the flow of time!」

With a sound like clock hands overlapping, a giant clock face appeared centered on Niesvashal, fixing the evil dragon in place. While it was supposed to stop Niesvashal’s time entirely, it only managed to restrain its movements, causing Elcira to feel a growing sense of urgency.

「Semto, Sogen! It won’t hold for long!」

「Ooooooo!」

Roaring in response to Elcira’s warning, Sogen created an eighth and ninth chakra above his head and at the tip of his coccyx, activating all nine chakras and linking them to his body to form a tenth chakra. This transformation connected him intimately with the cosmos, enhancing his chi to unprecedented purity.

「Kaah! Thousand Fights, Thousand Strikes!」

As if growing a thousand arms and legs, Sogen unleashed a barrage of punches and kicks at Niesvashal. The dragon’s combined magical and miasmic barrier weakened under Sogen’s chakra, and the high-purity orichalcum-smashing strikes caused Niesvashal to grimace slightly.

Just before Niesvashal could counterattack, the leader of the Seven Braves, Semto, dressed in the all-dimensional compatible infantry enhancement armor “Cosmos Armor” and wielding the latest space-time vibration blade “Zee Ripper,” closed in for a deep strike.

「I won’t let you devour the World Tree!」

Semto, known and praised as the unique and unmatched hero of the world, swung his blade in a graceful arc, embedding countless magical and divine techniques into a basic motion, splitting Niesvashal from chest to left neck, causing purple blood to gush out like a waterfall.

「Gaah, you did well. You actually wounded me, Niesvashal! Humans, no, superhumans! You have reached the level of demigods, but know this: even if you reach near-divine status, you cannot defeat me, a member of the Nidhogg clan.」

「It doesn’t matter if you’re strong or weak. The only fact that matters is that you are an enemy who must be defeated.」

「Whatever I choose to eat is my choice. Your universe is not even related to Yuba-Yggdrasil, yet you interfere and hinder my actions, disregarding your own selective killings.」

「Even if that’s true, letting you devour the World Tree would result in countless deaths. It’s wrong to overlook what can be prevented.」

「Ha! You don’t even have the courage to call me evil. Then you shall be the appetizer before Yggdrasil. Enter my belly, scum!」
For four more days, the Seven Braves and Niesvashal fought until the wounded Niesvashal turned back to his own dimension, and the battle was temporarily settled. However, it was clear that Niesvashal had not given up on Yuba Yggdrasil, and at the same time, the Seven Braves had the next battlefield and the next one waiting.
After the fierce battle with Niesvashal, it was estimated that it would take a month for his wounds to heal, and Semto and his team had to come up with a plan to defeat Niesvashal without letting him escape when they fought again. The request brought through the United Kingdom of Syn Earth, to which Semto belonged, was one of the most difficult of all the activities they had performed as one of the Seven Braves.
Returning to the battleship stationed outside the barrier and docking at the artificial satellite owned by the World Tree Federation, the Seven Braves took a much-needed rest. The satellite, Gumnesia, a typical artificial satellite powered by an artificial black hole, housed a population of 3 billion.

The World Tree Federation, with many non-human intelligent beings as members, featured various living quarters within the satellite tailored to diverse biological needs and preferences. The Seven Braves, primarily standard-sized humans up to three meters tall, were provided with the finest accommodations in their residential block.

By this time, the Seven Braves were widely renowned across numerous worlds, revered as rare miracles capable of standing against gods. Consequently, they were treated with the utmost respect and hospitality.

In a room meticulously designed for human comfort, with optimal furniture, temperature, scent, and lighting, Semto and his companions, now dressed casually, gathered around a large table.

Argaz, having finished the fruits placed on the table, noisily devoured them, skin, seeds, and all. Elcira, looking irritated, sipped tea made from leaves considered the most exquisite by elven standards to calm herself.

Harumin enjoyed a harsh-looking coffee made with a replicator—capable of creating almost anything with enough mass and energy—while Sogen, typically silent, gave the impression of a human-shaped statue, occasionally causing Elcira to doubt if he was real.

Hagami, nibbling on dried sweet potatoes and sipping genuine gyokuro tea, initiated the discussion. Known for his reliable character and sharp insights, Elcira often sought his opinion.

「Let’s start with our usual reflection. Despite Maialte’s barrier weakening the false dragon and drawing it into our realm, it proved to be a formidable foe. Although we inflicted some wounds collectively, its escape was swift. Even if we prepare to restrain it next time, it will likely come up with countermeasures. I don’t think it’s simple-minded enough to seek revenge without considering its weaknesses.」

The group, although not openly showing it, agreed with Hagami’s assessment. Unlike typical god-related creatures that hesitated to retreat or showed weaknesses, Niesvashal’s decisive escape demonstrated a troublesome judgment.

Semto, now in the kingdom’s officer uniform, turned to Maialte, the party’s conscience and one of its two intellectual pillars.

「Maialte, can we strengthen the barrier to prevent Niesvashal from escaping?」

Maialte shook her head slightly, responding.

「No, the current barrier is my best effort. Even with support from the World Tree Federation and the Federation Kingdom, it’s the limit to contain Niesvashal in three dimensions and keep other false dragons and demons from appearing. I’m sorry.」

「You’ve done nothing wrong, Maialte. We know you’re doing your best.」

「Thank you. But even if we sought aid from other gods, Niesvashal might also seek help from nearby evil gods or other false dragons.」

Maialte’s statement highlighted the risk of an endless cat-and-mouse game if they relied on divine power. Despite considering it a disgrace, Niesvashal might not hesitate to seek assistance.

Having finished the fruits, Argaz began consuming thick steaks produced by the replicator, offering his perspective between bites.

「Then we need to become strong enough to finish that lousy false dragon quickly or use Yggdrasil as bait to attack while it’s preoccupied.」

「Argaz, the first part is fine, but the second is impossible. If Yggdrasil is harmed, it would cause disasters for the worlds coexisting with it,」 Elcira protested vehemently.

Elcira, an elf who revered Yggdrasil, found the suggestion unacceptable, though Argaz, expecting this reaction, continued eating calmly.

Despite consuming synthetic meat identical to real meat, Argaz would never feel satisfied, Semto thought, observing him. What Argaz sought was life itself, to fuse with his own, becoming new vigor and heat.

Although Argaz’ suggestion had merits, using Yggdrasil as bait would disgrace the World Tree Federation and Federation Kingdom and provoke the elves.

「Becoming stronger is ideal, but can we do that in a month? Of course, it’s worth pursuing, but we should explore other options. Limiting our choices under pressure isn’t wise.」

Smiling at Semto, Hagami poured himself a second cup of gyokuro.

「Our leader speaks wisely. However, conventional weapons won’t be effective against Niesvashal. High-level beings like it are immune to standard temporal or causal interference weapons. With divine aid unlikely, we must find individuals who can match Niesvashal. The World Tree Federation likely searched for such fighters before approaching us. This, too, may be difficult.」

「You always speak the harsh truths, Hagami. Indeed, finding someone willing and capable of fighting Niesvashal seems improbable. But we must try,」 Semto conceded.

High-level warriors existed but often held significant responsibilities or roles, making their participation unlikely. A month’s preparation might not suffice to guarantee Niesvashal’s defeat without escape.

Finishing her toxic-looking coffee, Harumin sipped mead that expanded her consciousness to the stars, proposing a solution.

「If the kingdom’s anti-high-dimensional entity weapon was ready, it would solve our problem, but it’s far from complete. Therefore, we need allies. In such battles, countering the enemy with superior counterparts is best. Swordmasters against greater swordmasters, mages against greater mages, martial artists against greater martial artists, and dragons against greater dragons.」

Harumin’s proposal, though challenging, was logical and persuasive if feasible. Semto considered her idea deeply. High-level dragons had long departed from this world, leaving only spiritually and physically diminished descendants.

「A dragon? But those who can fight Niesvashal have all moved to the Dragon Realm. Do we have any means to contact them, and can we offer suitable rewards? Would such proud beings even help us?」

「Don’t worry, we don’t need to contact the Dragon Realm. There is still one dragon on this earth with the power to enter the Dragon Realm. A most fortunate individual.」

Maialte, realizing Harumin’s implication, looked up with a complex expression, recognizing the most important secret known to some high priests and major leaders. The name of the dragon still remaining on Earth was…

「The Ancient Celestial Dragon. Even surpassing the destructive and oblivion goddess Karavis, the chaos god, and the war god Ares, one of the original seven dragons remains. If we can gain his aid, Niesvashal won’t stand a chance. Fortunately, Dragon is known for his friendly attitude toward humanity. If we approach respectfully, he will likely help us. Probably. Hopefully. I think.」

It was obvious from Semto and Elcira’s faces that they wanted more certainty.