Chapter 849: Rifle Cannon – Steel and Dragon
“That is the Avatar of the Traitor.”
Philippe’s face darkened beneath the shadow of his Pope Crown, his scales flickering along his jaw and cheekbones like living shadows. His vertical pupils—serpentine, venomous—burned with raw, unmasked hatred as he stared at the crimson silhouettes looming across the sky.
The once-proud heir of the Fadalan trinity had long since become an extension of Tiamat’s will. Now, he harbored a bone-deep loathing for the Emperor of the Ashen Flame—Kai Xiusu—whose repeated defiance had shattered countless rituals of the Dragon Worship Church.
His visage twisted into something monstrous, the crown upon his head trembling faintly. Raising the Scepter of Woe high, he pointed a trembling finger toward the Phantom of the Red Dragon and roared:
“Betrayer of Tiamat—may you suffer eternal torment in Immortality! Sinful Kai Xiusu—your fate shall be the most agonizing! Your heart shall be pierced by poisoned spears, your scales torn from your flesh, your head severed and hung from the Dragon Queen’s palace!”
As he spoke, a profound light erupted from the dragon-head of the Scepter. The sky trembled with invisible ripples. A crushing wave of divine power surged across the earth, causing countless Dragon Blood Monsters to howl in unison.
Their forms were grotesque—frantic, frenzied—some even began consuming each other. Flesh, skin, and internal organs fused together in a horrifying amalgamation, coalescing into towering, distortion-filled abominations. Each stood as tall as a hill, limbs mismatched—some four-legged, some six, others with dozens of segmented legs like centipedes.
Their bodies were a nightmare fusion of flesh and spirit. Neck and heads writhed atop massive torsos, their forms never fixed. The colors—red, blue, green, black, white—flickered like dying embers. But no single creature bore more than four heads. For only Tiamat herself was worthy of such a sacred visage.
To possess five or more heads was an abomination—a desecration of the stingy, narrow-minded Five-Colored Dragon Queen. Such a being would not survive its birth, struck down instantly by divine punishment from the heavens.
These were the twisted offspring of Tiamat’s divine power—Colorful Dragon Beasts, known as the “Blood of Tiamat.” Each one was a terrifying entity forged from hundreds, even thousands of monsters fused together. Individually, they could counter an entire legendary adventurer party. Alone, they could level a mortal city-state with ease.
“Roar—!”
“Rend it!”
The horde bellowed, their many heads contorting in madness. In the violent trembling of the earth, they charged—rampaging toward the crimson phantom with feral hunger.
But they faced no mortal army.
They faced the Emperor of the Ashen Flame—summoned by the Oath of the Dragon Holy Knight, wielding a fragment of his true form’s strength. A power deeper than comprehension.
“Boom!”
A searing column of flame descended from the heavens, piercing through one of the Color Dragon Beasts. The creature did not die. Instead, it let out a guttural scream, its three heads—red, white, and green—spewing fire, frost, and toxic mist in unison.
The others lifted their maws—gaping, blood-filled caverns of nightmare—each unleashing a torrent of colored breath. Five beasts, in perfect harmony, combined their attacks. The resulting barrage blocked the Red Dragon’s own flame breath.
With rasping, jagged roars, the five beasts closed in from all sides, surrounding the phantom like a living cage.
“Utterly revolting spawn of Tiamat,” Anthony sneered. He swung his long spear—its tip adorned with the Dragon Oath Knight banner—and charged forward, leading his comrades.
“For the Empire!”
“For the Great Dragon Lord!”
The Oath of the Dragon Holy Knights roared in unison, their battle intensity soaring. Their combined will surged forward in a disciplined line, charging headlong into the monstrous hills of flesh and scale. Above them, their Dragon Souls let out a thunderous, soul-shattering cry, diving down like celestial warhawks.
One of the Color Dragon Beasts advanced—its body shifting like a moving hill. With each step, the ground cracked beneath it. Yellow sand roared in storm-like waves.
“Defensive Formation! Prepare for impact!”
A voice bellowed from the front lines, commanding the regiment.
“Hold the line!”
“Do not retreat!”
Hundreds of Dragon Oath Paladins—shields locked, spears bristling—formed a tight semicircle. Their bodies shimmered with a crackling aura, forming a living wall of iron and thorns.
“Boom!”
The beast charged. With brute force, it crashed into the formation. In an instant, three unprepared knights were crushed into bloody pulp.
But the rest stood firm. Using the Dragon Vein Bond, they shared the impact, distributing the pain across their ranks. Flame chains snapped between them, weaving into a vast, pulsing net—ensnaring the colossal entity in a web of divine power.
“Kill it!”
“Attack the weak point!”
Red-hot spears speared from all directions, driving deep into the beast’s distorted flesh. Blood gushed in rivers. The creature’s three heads lifted, howling in agony, then unleashed a barrage of fire, lightning, and frost—engulfing a dozen knights in a flash of destruction.
Yet the Holy Knights did not falter. Even as their comrades burned alive before them, they filled the gaps without hesitation. No retreat. No surrender.
“For the Emperor!”
“Attack its core—this abomination won’t last much longer!”
Above the battlefield, summoned by their unwavering will, the Red Dragon Battle Spirit descended from the sky. It struck the beast’s back with a thunderous impact, claws and scales tearing through flesh. With a brutal yank, it ripped off the head pulsing with Blue Dragon power.
“Aaaaah—!”
Flesh flew. A shriek split the heavens.
Amidst the cacophony of battle cries, roars, and the deafening explosion of power, the six Color Dragon Beasts clashed with thousands of Oath of the Dragon Holy Knights. The slaughter was endless—neither side gaining clear ground.
At the same time, the remaining dozen beasts surged forward, targeting the weak points of the Imperial Defense Line. They joined forces with the Dragon Blood Monsters in a flood of furious, relentless assault.
“Boom—”
The roar of steam engines echoed across the battlefield. The Empire’s Steam Tank Corps advanced in full formation, crushing everything in their path. They rolled over the earth toward Sunset City, reducing every obstacle to scrap.
But then—three mountain-sized Color Dragon Beasts emerged before the armored vanguard. Their heads opened wide, unleashing a torrent of five-colored breaths—flames, lightning, frost, poison, and wind.
In an instant, the leading steam tanks were engulfed. Explosions roared through the air. The Empire’s [Victory Wings]-type tanks were torn apart, scattered like kindling.
“Open fire!”
“Destroy them!”
The commander of the [Emperor’s Wrath] tank division— a sharp-voiced dragon-vein gnome—slammed his fists on the control panel, screaming in fury.
“Boom!”
“Boom! Boom!”
The tanks’ main cannons roared. Armor-piercing shells tore into the beasts’ flesh, carving charred craters into their bodies. But they did not fall.
“Roar—!”
With agonized, soul-wrenching howls, the Color Dragon Beasts charged through the barrage of artillery fire. Their massive bodies crushed tanks, flipping them like toys.
And then—skyward—the warships descended.
Dozens of blazing light beams lanced down from above, striking the Color Dragon Beasts’ heads with precision.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
