Chapter 332 - Dmitra (3)
Theodore’s body stiffened as he saw the sky. The presence of the terrifying creature, Nídhöggur, surrounded Theodore on all sides. He was able to protect his body, but the rest of the mortals fell to the ground without daring to look up at the sky.
Nídhöggur was a being they couldn’t even face! No, it was good that it was this way. Theodore took short breaths.
‘...We would be dead without Mitra.’
This wasn’t a joke. As he stared at Mitra, he could see that the power stretching out from her was offsetting the power pressing down from that black sky. It was like a fly falling after being hit by a sudden clap. Just like how people didn’t hesitate to trample on ants, Nídhöggur had no need to think about slaughtering mortals.
The malevolence of the ‘Sneering Butcher’, Nídhöggur, was worse than they had imagined.
-Kuhuhu, you say that you are going to deal with this body? Nídhöggur silenced Elvenheim from the distant sky.
Compared to the dragon that blocked the sun with one command and ripped the sky apart, the girl with the wheat-colored hair looked so small. For a moment, Dmitra, the ancient elemental who had become the incarnation of the world tree, looked like a victim before the evil dragon, rather than a goddess.
However, she was far more prominent than anyone else in this room.
[Yes, you stupid person!] Mitra puffed up her chest and placed her hands on her waist. She countered the evil dragon without taking a step back. [The sky is dark because of you! Too disruptive! Can’t you read the mood? You, no friends!]
-What nonsense are you saying?
[If you have one, call them. A person who can’t read the atmosphere won’t have any friends!]
-This girl! Nídhöggur’s raised his voice at the slander. -For a great demon king, other existences are either slaves or enemies to be killed. Therefore, I have no need for friends!
[Yes, yes. I heard your excuse. My score is 0 points!]
-W-What is wrong with you?
While the transcendents who had challenged the realm of the gods were in the double digits, how many of them had dared to mock Nídhöggur from the Age of Mythology? Countering wisdom with humor, he couldn’t argue with a childish girl like her.
However, Dmitra didn’t stop after raising Nídhöggur’s blood pressure.
[People who don’t have friends talk like this. You tell me that you don’t need friends. Then why did you come to another person’s house and cause a disturbance? In fact, you were lonely because you have no friends to play with!]
-......
[Don’t you think you are lonely? Do you want to be Mitra’s friend? How about it?]
Finally, Nídhöggur had no more patience.
-...It is now.
[Yes?]
-This damn world, I will blow it away with my breath. I will make sure it doesn’t come back again!
Subsequently, Nídhöggur opened his mouth, and poison emerged from it. He aimed the poison at Mitra. It was a level of poison where even a god wouldn’t be safe. Dmitra bit her lips and gathered her strength to prepare for the incoming wave.
‘It’s coming.’ Theodore, who had been paralyzed by Nídhöggur, sensed something.
This poison was just a prelude to the breath. The real attack would come pouring out next. The breath filled up with Nastrond’s death energy. It was a rotten breath that didn’t distinguish between the body or the soul.
Then just after that...
Kuooooooh!
From the heavily ripped crack in the sky, Nídhöggur’s breath blew forth like a fog over the ground. It didn’t seem to have much destructive power, and its speed wasn’t fast. However, the air became heavier as the energy slowly descended to the ground.
The masters who recognized it were fearful and took action first. The moment the fog covered the forest, everything in Elvenheim would die.
“Damn!”
Flames once again emerged from the transformed Veronica’s mouth, and the guardians unleashed all their strength at once. The storm arrows, thunderstorms, and other chain attacks launched at the fog of death. Did it work...? No, the destructive power of the fog was too high.
“...Dammit, it didn’t work at all!” Veronica paled unconsciously.
Her breath that was comparable to a pureblood red dragon only destroyed a little bit of the poison, while the attacks of the guardians only made it a few meters into the fog. Nídhöggur’s breath was still descending to the surface of the earth without a bit of hesitation.
[Don’t be afraid!] Mitra extended her palms without any fear. [I will stop that stupid dragon’s bad breath!]
The present Dmitra wasn’t like the old Mother Earth. The faith of Elvenheim was lacking to regain her mighty divinity, so Theodore used the second best thing—the world tree, Yggdrasil. The sacred tree found in the myths was a symbol of the origin of life and wasn’t lacking divinity at all.
‘In addition to that, I cooperated with Nohengrin...!’
As such, it was possible to control this Great Forest.
While Theodore was thinking this, Dmitra finally moved. She was now the incarnation of the world tree and a goddess of this forest. As Dmitra moved her hands, the earth shook, and something rose from the ground.
Kukukukukung!
Tree roots, rocks, and dirt... The deeply buried roots of the world tree had the length and thickness of large walls, and they rose up like a kraken’s legs. In response to Dmitra’s call, the tree roots and dirt tangled together to make a pair of huge hands. The old saying about how the sky couldn’t be covered with two palms seemed to be a lie.
[Eeit!] Dmitra moved the hands and joined them together as if to seal the hole in the sky.
The story about the giant (Atlas) who held up the sky in the past came to mind. The fog of death was pushed back into the crack by the pressure, and Nídhöggur’s presence was blocked, temporarily returning the freedom of the Elvenheim residents. They looked up at the sky supported by two palms. Some sighed with relief while others cheered.
“Ohh...! The evil dragon’s appearance is gone!”
“M-My body can move! I’m alive!”
“Hooray, Dmitra! Goddess of the forest!”
“The world tree is looking after us!”
However, it was still too early to cheer. Theodore, Veronica, and the high elves were watching the sky, and their faces weren’t bright. The cheering eventually stopped. If the evil dragon had really disappeared, the sky wouldn’t still be black. He might be hidden by the hands, but it was proof that he was still present beyond the sky.
“Mitra, are you okay?” Theodore was behind her and could discover it immediately.
Mitra’s neck was soaked with sweat despite having become a god. To think that A spiritual body that didn’t have any physiological functions was sweating...? There could only be one reason for it.
[T-Theo...] Dmitra’s face was pale. [Ohh, he is getting angry. It is hard.]
“Then why did you make fun of him? How is the situation?”
[I can still hold on. But the condition of the tree is getting worse...]
“Tree? Ah.” Theodore realized who she was referring to and looked at the palms holding up the sky. The origin of these palms was the roots of Yggdrasil. It was impossible for the tree to not be affected after directly blocking Nídhöggur’s breath.
“This...” Theodore found some signs and sighed. It was because the edges of the palms had become black and rotten.
However, it wasn’t just that. It was slow, but both palms were gradually becoming black. Mitra’s power was still holding it up. However, if this continued, both palms would collapse, and the breath would fall down again. Theodore prepared his heart and pulled out the dragon heart. “Mitra, draw on my strength.”
[B-But...]
“If you are suppressed, then I will die anyway. Didn’t you say it is hard?”
[...Theo is a liar!]
“Haha, maybe.” Theodore smiled bitterly as he faced the tears in Dmitra’s eyes. He wasn’t in a position to complain. Theodore Miller would sacrifice his life if they could overcome this crisis. Mitra had been with him for several years and knew it well. She didn’t try to say anything to convince him.
[I will win.] She faced Nídhöggur with a more serious expression. [If I win, Theo will be okay!]
Then the magic power in Theodore’s body started to be sucked out. To be precise, the magic power of the dragon heart flowed into Theodore’s body and then into Dmitra. Thanks to that, his actual magic power consumption wasn’t large. The problem was that Theodore felt burdened from the process of passing an absurd amount of magic power through his body. He was in pain, feeling like a few of his blood vessels were bursting.
‘I can’t stop. I will die if I am weak!’
Fortunately, the effect was immediately apparent. The blackened palms regained their color, and flowers and grass grew from the roots, purifying the poison. This was a phenomenon that was impossible without the power of a true divinity. If this was the case, then Nídhöggur had no way of returning to this world.
Theodore was briefly relieved thinking about the optimistic future when a voice rang out.
-You. You will never live.
Theodore froze at Nídhöggur’s words.
Jjejejeok!
The spread out breath became more concentrated, gathering at one point in order to kill Theodore. Theodore hadn’t expected such an attack. Nídhöggur wanted to kill Theodore and return, rather than destroy the forest or the world tree? In retrospect, that wasn’t weird since all the obstructions had started from Theodore.
-Die.
It was a death sentence.
Kiiiing.
Beyond the sky and the limits of the palm, a purple light fell toward Theodore. He knew the result of the death glare. His body would be shattered by the light, and it would dig all the way into the mantle. This flash of light was ultimate magic that couldn’t be defeated. Nídhöggur launched an all-out attack, regardless of the damage to himself. No matter what, the young Theodore Miller couldn’t escape the fate of death.
However...
“This is a handshake. Dumb little lizard.” Theodore laughed.
Flash!
Simultaneously, a golden light enveloped Theodore’s body. It was divine power! The power of a mighty god from the Age of Mythology devoured the ray trying to kill Theodore. It was a force comparable to that of Nídhöggur’s breath. This was a god’s immortality that couldn’t be penetrated.
‘Thank you, Balor! I’ll keep my promise with you!’
The eternal protection that symbolized the sun god, Balor. It was the best defense from the Age of Mythology that invalidated any attack except from mistletoe! Theodore didn’t pay any attention to the scattering of Nídhöggur’s breath as he flew off the ground.
In the crack that started to disappear, he could see Nídhöggur’s confused face!
“Get lost from this world!” Theodore became temporarily invincible and held the dragon heart in his hand, undaunted by Nídhöggur’s murky poison. Theodore drew out mana at such a rapid rate that it felt like he was going to explode. Like setting fire to oil, he used the strongest magic he had available.
Great magic Abraxas (ΑΒΡΑΞΑΣ).
Final Chapter.
Four beads combined to create a sphere containing tremendous power. If the explosive power of the dragon heart was added to it, then he would have the strength to smash the nose of that arrogant lizard! Nídhöggur’s face stiffened just before Theodore dealt the stunning blow.
-W-Wait a minute...!
“Elemental Buster!”
The light from Abraxas appeared as the dragon heart cracked.
――――――――――――――――!
There was a big explosion that shook the boundaries of this dimension.