Chapter 491 ·Castle Struggle (7)

In truth, Penia was grateful for the current situation.

Someone ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍might ask why she was grateful while being punished.

But ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the punishment she had received over the past few days, while painful, was at least bearable.

Because ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the punishments other than “holding her hands up” were so terrifying that she was afraid to even describe them aloud.

In ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍fact, even the “hands-up punishment” she was currently enduring had only been decided after numerous dangerous arguments.

It ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was a sentence(?) handed down in consideration of how useful she currently was to Alon.

From ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Penia’s perspective, the current situation was more than worthy of gratitude.

At least, that had been true until just a moment ago.

“......”

Penia looked ahead.

There were many different faces gathered there.

No, perhaps saying that was strange.

After all, Yutia, Magrina, Rine, and Seolrang were all smiling in remarkably similar ways.

Except for their eyes.

Of course, everyone else had very different expressions.

Deus and Radan were looking at Penia with sympathetic expressions that seemed to say,

‘Oh dear, oh dear... she’s about to die.’

Nangwon wore a tired expression mixed with pity, as though thinking,

‘I wish this would just end already.’

Meanwhile, Historia looked completely relaxed, lazily swishing her tail as though she didn’t care what happened.

Ryanga also looked pitifully concerned, much like Nangwon.

Amidst that strange atmosphere of sympathy and smiles masquerading as something colder—

Penia timidly voiced a small request.

“Um...”

“Have you decided?”

“No... Couldn’t I just keep holding my hands up?”

A small request.

However—

“No.”

“Just choose one.”

“It’s easy, isn’t it?”

“Choosing a single person, I mean.”

The four women spoke in perfect succession, as if they were a single organism.

Penia squeezed her eyes shut.

Because she knew.

There was no correct answer.

No—it went beyond there being no correct answer.

No matter whom she chose, death awaited her.

That was right.

This choice led only to death regardless of whom Penia selected.

The only thing she could choose was perhaps the manner in which she died.

“Hooo...”

Of course, if she thought about it rationally, there was no way she would actually die.

Naturally.

No matter how reckless the people before her could be, she knew they observed at least some minimum boundaries.

“......”

‘They do observe boundaries... right?’

‘There’s at least some line they won’t cross... right?’

‘Even if there isn’t a line, there’s common sense... right?’

‘...If there were common sense...’

‘Would all of this have happened because of a single thing I said?’

“Miss Penia?”

At the voice, Penia let out a low sigh.

Regardless, she had no choice but to choose someone.

“......”

“Just choose comfortably.”

“Mhm, mhm~ Nobody’s going to blame you.”

“Of course.”

“And this will end your punishment too.”

The four women spoke as though reassuring her.

But in Penia’s ears, it sounded like this.

‘Just choose comfortably. The answer is already decided anyway.’

‘Mhm, mhm~ Nobody’s going to blame you. Since you won’t be in any condition to hear complaints.’

‘Of course. You’ll already be gone from this world.’

‘And this will end your punishment. Since you won’t be able to receive any more.’

...Or at least, that was how Penia’s imagination interpreted it.

Then—

“Hoo...”

Penia released a deep sigh.

She had realized something.

This situation would never end unless she made a choice.

Therefore—slowly lifting her gaze, Penia spoke.

“So... I only need to choose one person, right?”

She confirmed once more.

“That’s right.”

“Choose the person most suited for the eighth floor.”

“We won’t object.”

“Exactly.”

Penia bit her lip tightly.

“I choose...”

Then she stretched out her numb finger.

And pointed.

Toward one side.

There—

“...Huh? Me??”

—was Radan.

Startled by Penia’s finger, Radan pointed at himself.

Penia firmly nodded.

“You said I could choose anyone among the voters, so...”

she explained while carefully gauging everyone’s reactions.

For a brief moment, Radan stood there dumbfounded as the unexpected owner of the coveted eighth floor.

Then—

“!!”

He realized something.

Penia had just thrown him a bomb—the kind of thing he had to do but absolutely could not do.

“You—!”

Radan shouted in disbelief.

Meanwhile, Penia, still kneeling, quietly avoided his gaze.

At the same time—

“Hoh~”

“She used her head a little.”

“I never expected this~”

“Indeed.”

The women murmured with interest.

Their eyes turned toward Radan.

And then—

“No, I’m not interested, so you all can just—”

Radan hurriedly tried to speak.

Then—

“Then choose for us, Radan.”

“Ah.”

At Seolrang’s words, a quiet sigh escaped him.

One day later.

“I’m back!”

“Penia, did your urgent matter get resolved?”

“W-Well... somehow.”

Penia appeared looking noticeably thinner.

“Lord Alon, they’ve decided the floors.”

“...Didn’t that take nearly a week?”

“Pretty much.”

“So who ended up getting the eighth floor?”

“Yutia.”

“Hm?”

“In the end, voting didn’t work, so they settled it with rock-paper-scissors.”

“Rock-paper-scissors?”

“Yes.”

Evan continued his report.

At those words, Penia’s body visibly flinched.

Alon didn’t miss it.

“......? Penia, what’s wrong?”

“Huh? Ah, nothing. Rock-paper-scissors just reminded me of something.”

“What did it remind you of?”

“Uh... that scissors can beat a fist...?”

Penia answered very cautiously.

It was a bizarre response.

Still, Alon simply nodded.

“Anyway, it’s good they finally settled it. The timing’s pretty good too. Lainisius said he finished the adjustments. He also wanted to discuss something regarding Blackie.”

“Then let’s go.”

“Ah, and all the letters you sent arrived safely in the Empire.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Following Evan’s report, Alon headed to see Lainisius.

“Take it.”

“Is it finished?”

“I made a few modifications as well.”

“Modifications?”

“It’s closer to disabling certain functions and replacing them with others. From now on, if you charge mana into it beforehand, summoning will be instantaneous. If fully charged, it should last roughly two hours.”

“So I need to charge it based on a two-hour limit?”

“Yes. That’s the current limit.”

“No. That alone is more than enough.”

Without Lainisius’s modifications, Alon would have needed to land every ten minutes to replenish mana.

Completely satisfied, Alon accepted the ring.

[Meow-!]

The moment Alon arrived, Blackie immediately leapt onto him and slipped into his coat pocket as though he had been waiting.

“You mentioned there was something you wanted to say about Blackie.”

At Alon’s question, Lainisius nodded.

“That’s right.”

“What is it?”

“I’m not entirely certain. I’ve only observed a possibility.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Then Lainisius began explaining.

“It seems your Shadow Dragon may be capable of freely transferring divine-blood abilities.”

“What?”

“Of course, it’s only a hypothesis. I only witnessed the Shadow Dragon ‘extracting’ abilities into a form that could theoretically be absorbed. I never actually saw them being absorbed.”

“Why not?”

“To be honest, I wanted to test it. But it wasn’t a type of power I could absorb.”

“A power you can’t absorb?”

“Yes. The category itself is different. Almost as though it doesn’t belong in this world.”

Lainisius shrugged.

“Regardless, I only observed the possibility. I haven’t been able to test it. Just keep it in mind.”

“Understood.”

As Alon fell into thought, Lainisius added—

“Why not take it for a test run?”

“A test run?”

“The Shadow Dragon and that thing.”

[I shall assist if requested.]

Having been called “that thing” so often, Basiliora no longer seemed affected.

In fact, his tail twitched slightly with anticipation.

“Hmm... I suppose I could visit Divine Land.”

“You mean that territory. Flying there should be incredibly fast.”

Alon nodded.

A short while later—after leaving the office—

[I’m ready~!]

Basiliora shouted enthusiastically, no longer bothering to hide his excitement.

Alon nodded and activated the ring Lainisius had pre-charged.

Immediately, Basiliora manifested.

Then—

“Blackie.”

[Meow-!]

The instant Alon called him, Blackie darted forward as though he had been waiting.

Saaaaaaa—

His body rapidly spread across Basiliora’s form.

At the same time—dozens of eyes appeared.

Then those eyes vanished, replaced by solid dark-gray armor.

And then—

[O- OOOOOOOOOH~!!!!]

Basiliora’s massive body, now clad in dark armor, slowly began to rise.

Thrilled by his ascending body, Basiliora openly displayed his excitement.

At the same time—

Swish!

Blackie lowered a black rope.

“I’ll go alone for now.”

“Understood.”

“We’ll be waiting!”

The farewells ended.

Without Alon doing anything, his body naturally floated into the air and settled atop Basiliora’s head.

Then—Basiliora truly began ascending into the sky.

“Waaah—”

Both Evan and Penia gasped in admiration.

This wasn’t the first time they had seen Basiliora wearing the dark armor.

Yet they were still amazed.

Because the sight of a serpent even larger than a Sea King swimming through the clouds felt incredibly mystical.

And there was another reason.

“Hm. But you know...”

“Yes?”

“Doesn’t it kind of have that sort of image?”

More specifically—the black mist pouring from Basiliora.

Or rather, from Blackie.

“Yeah... it does.”

Lainisius, Evan, and Penia all looked up at the sky.

There, Basiliora swam among the clouds while black mist seeped outward, devouring the clouds themselves.

And as if that wasn’t enough—

Crackle! Crackle!!

Red lightning began flashing through the sky.

“I see. So it wasn’t merely flight. It appears to involve lightning as well.”

Lainisius looked satisfied by this new discovery.

However—

“Uh... no matter how I look at that...”

“It really does look like something a Demon King would ride...”

Evan and Penia exchanged glances.

As the crackling red lightning spread farther and farther—

“I think Divine Land is about to panic.”

“I was literally thinking the same thing.”

For once completely in agreement, they blankly watched the pseudo Demon King(?) disappear into the distance.

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