Realizing she had been ambushed, Castorice didn't immediately think of a 'diversion'.
After all, in the memories from other Monarchs she had witnessed, the King of Dragons was the type who preferred to bulldoze his way through everything.
Even if he did employ some tactics, it was merely to enjoy the thrill of toying with his opponents.
Therefore, Castorice never expected him to avoid a fight right in front of her.
But… for some reason, an uneasy feeling began to stir in her heart, making her unwilling to linger in the dungeon any longer.
She wasn't worried about the Draw Sword Guild withholding her reward—even if they did, she honestly didn't care much. What concerned her more was the source of this growing unease.
With the local monarch now dead, there was no reason for her to stay.
After bidding farewell to the Draw Sword Guild and leaving the dungeon alone, Castorice immediately sensed something was wrong.
An abnormal concentration of magical energy was gathering in the direction of Korea.
It wasn't that her perception range could stretch that far—it was simply that the disturbance over there had become visible to the naked eye.
Instinctively, she tried to open a portal, only to find the coordinates she had left behind had grown hazy. If she attempted a random teleportation now, there was no telling where she might end up.
This unexpected situation made Castorice think instantly of the Monarch of Transfiguration. She had thwarted him earlier with careful preparation—was this his way of returning the favor?
But… to play spatial tricks right before her eyes?
That was far too arrogant.
Even without the Core of the Herrscher of the Void at her disposal now, her sensitivity and understanding of space remained, a legacy that persisted regardless.
Meanwhile, on the other side.
Where a city once stood, now lay only a vast crater. The people shielded behind the shadow army stared dumbfounded at the battle raging in the sky.
Even S-Rank Hunters found the scene before them alien and incomprehensible.
Go Gunhee gasped for breath. The magical power within him remained immense, but his body had reached its limit.
The bitter taste of aging filled his heart—not only was he unable to assist, but others even had to divert their focus to protect him.
Were it not for the magic sustaining him, his body, pushed to the brink, could give out at any moment.
In the sky, Cha Hae-in's expression was grim as she fought both the Monarch of Fangs and the Monarch of Transfiguration simultaneously.
Each swing of her twenty-meter greatsword cleaved through the Monarch of Fangs' flesh, yet the Monarch of Transfiguration persistently healed his ally while disrupting her with spatial magic.
Neither monarch's attacks could breach the defenses of her fully released Spirit Dress. Logically, the two opponents posed no real threat to her, yet they successfully kept her pinned in place.
It was almost a repeat of the earlier scenario—once again, she was bursting with strength but unable to wield it effectively.
Watching the distant battlefield, Cha Hae-in grew increasingly anxious.
This wasn't the first time Sung Jinwoo had stared death so closely in the face. Though he had worked in the Underworld for so long, that had always been dealing with the deaths of others.
His own near-brushes with death had come during his weaker days, when almost every dungeon run involved several close calls.
Death had been his constant shadow, yet… no matter how close it came, he had always managed to escape that inevitable end.
This time would be no different!
Twin daggers swept left and right, tearing through the oncoming flames as Sung Jinwoo fought a guerrilla retreat against the King of Dragons.
Now restored to his true draconic form, the Monarch of Destruction was massive—each claw alone measured three to four meters.
Combined with the magical energy coiling around him, even his simplest movements shook the earth.
"Fighting on in such a wretched state—is this worthy of the title Monarch of Shadows?!"
Watching Sung Jinwoo dodge and weave, stubbornly refusing a head-on confrontation, the King of Dragons felt his blood pressure surge uncontrollably.
That the dignified Monarch of Shadows showed no intention of fighting him seriously didn't bring him any pleasure—instead, his mood grew increasingly oppressive.
Because such behavior meant his opponent's goal wasn't to defeat him.
He was a cataclysm of destruction, the embodiment of ruin, inherently at odds with this human who had inherited the Monarch of Shadows' power.
Yet the other had no intention of overcoming him. What did that imply?
It could only mean Sung Jinwoo believed there was someone more suited to defeating him.
In other words, even now, with the power of the Monarch of Shadows, he still considered someone superior. And who could that be?
The King of Dragons didn't need to think—he knew exactly who Sung Jinwoo was waiting for: that unknown entity.
Not even the King of Dragons believed he could survive facing two Monarchs of Shadows at once, especially if that unknown being surpassed the Monarch of Shadows. If those two joined forces…
Unwilling to let the situation devolve to that, the King of Dragons roared, "Like before! Face me in a decisive battle!"
'Like hell I will.'
Sung Jinwoo sneered as he evaded.
Initially, he had intended to cooperate with Cha Hae-in to eliminate the King of Dragons before Castorice's arrival.
Unfortunately, two other Monarchs had appeared—a perfect support and fighter combo—effectively pinning Cha Hae-in down.
It seemed Cha Hae-in could break free given more time—after all, even monarchs couldn't remain flawless forever—but it wouldn't be quick.
After a few rounds of direct clashes, Sung Jinwoo confirmed his earlier assessment: he couldn't win in a straightforward fight.
So why keep forcing it? It was better to return to the original plan and wait for Castorice.
Watching the King of Dragons's furious yet helpless expression, Sung Jinwoo almost laughed.
To think the mighty King of Dragons would be brought to such a state.
Yet, in that split second of distraction, the dragon's maw curled into a cold smirk before unleashing a thunderous roar.
Whether it was Sung Jinwoo nearby, Cha Hae-in in the sky, or even the Monarch of Fangs and the Monarch of Transfiguration—all were momentarily paralyzed by the sudden sound.
This was the dragon race's ultimate racial ability: Dragon Fear.
An indiscriminate, overwhelming intimidation affecting all life in the vicinity. An ordinary dragon could terrify a National-Level Hunter, let alone the King of Dragons's Dragon Fear. Even a Monarch of Shadows couldn't easily withstand it.
And a single moment of vulnerability was all that was needed.
Flames churned within the King of Dragons's gaping maw.
Sensing the danger, Sung Jinwoo summoned the flying dragon Kaiser with all his might to carry him away, only for his expression to shift dramatically the next instant.
"No! His target isn't me!"
Sung Jinwoo looked up at the sky, trying to summon soldiers to evacuate Cha Hae-in, who had been caught off-guard and immobilized. But his stiffened body couldn't muster the fine control of magic required. All he could do was watch as crimson-gold dragon breath painted the sky.
"Cha Hae-in?!"
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T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.