Chapter 486

Chapter 486

“What is that?”

Tesserina’s eyes trembled.

A tremendous surge of mana, unlike anything she had ever felt before, washed over them.

Except for dragons, she had never sensed a life form with such an overwhelming presence.

This was an entirely new kind of mana wave, something beyond her experience or understanding.

From afar, a tidal wave of mana rolled toward them like a living sea.

It was the result of the creature’s power clashing with the mana in the air itself.

“What in the world…?”

Focusing mana into both hands, Tesserina fixed her gaze on the distant sky.

Paaang!

The blue heavens split apart as something massive thrust its head through.

Levin and Lemura’s eyes widened, nearly tearing open in shock.

“A snake?”

“Its… its head has horns.”

What emerged through the clouds and approached Gaia was a colossal serpent,

its length easily exceeding a hundred meters.

Just as Lemura said, a pair of horns jutted from its brow.

They seemed too small for hunting, decorative, or perhaps symbolic.

Ssrrrk!

Like a rattlesnake gliding across sand, the giant serpent undulated through the sky, drawing nearer to Gaia.

A serpent without wings swimming through the air, it was such an unreal sight that none of them could speak.

“Ugh…”

“Ah…”

Levin and Lemura groaned simultaneously.

Their eyes had gone glassy and unfocused.

Just by meeting the serpent’s gaze from afar, their minds had been seized.

That was how high its rank was, so high that even two high-tier Awakened had their souls suppressed in an instant.

―Piii!

Gaia’s cry rang out.

It was a warning, a threat directed squarely at the serpent.

If it came any closer, Gaia would not stay still.

Gaia’s body was over forty meters long, not as immense as the serpent’s, but still enormous by any standard.

And in the world of beasts, size alone was a formidable weapon.

Though shorter in length, Gaia’s bulk and mass surpassed even that of the serpent.

Perhaps that was why the great snake stopped, maintaining a wary distance.

Ss, ss, ss!

The sound of its flicking tongue echoed through the air, eerie and chilling.

Tesserina frowned.

“Is that a Leviathan?”

“No, it’s different. Leviathans can’t fly.”

“So you’ve met one before, then?”

“This robe,” Zeon said, touching his sleeve, “is made from its hide.”

“No wonder it looked special.”

Tesserina let out a low sound of admiration.

But even as she spoke, her attention remained fixed on the airborne serpent.

Ss, ss, ss…!

Its hissing grew louder, sharper, as though it had finished assessing Gaia.

The moment bloodlust glimmered in those mineral-like eyes, Zeon stepped beyond the barrier.

The wind gathered around him, carrying grains of sand that supported his form.

The serpent’s slit pupils narrowed as it spotted him.

Those predatory eyes scanned Zeon from head to toe like a living scanner,

and then stopped upon his robe.

For a brief instant, it flinched.

Zeon spoke.

“You can sense it, can’t you? It’s the skin of your kin, Leviathan. I hunted it myself.”

―Saaah!

A strange, guttural sound rumbled from the serpent.

It was somewhere between a threat and a warning.

Zeon took a step closer.

The serpent’s eyes turned vicious, its great jaws twitching as though ready to devour him whole.

But Zeon didn’t so much as blink.

“Leviathan tried the same thing. It charged at me… and became this robe. If you’d like to join it, then come.”

―Sssaaah!

The giant serpent’s body rippled, tensing to strike.

Then Zeon spotted something, a single scale on its neck that lay reversed against the rest.

The yeok-rin, the forbidden scale of legend.

A fragment of an ancient tale rose in his mind, a great serpent that failed to obtain the Yeouiju, the dragon’s pearl, and thus could never become a true dragon.

“So you’re an Imugi.”

―Tssaaah!

The serpent twitched sharply, startled.

Just as Zeon guessed, it was an Imugi.

A serpent that had failed to ascend, forever trapped in the heavens between earth and divinity.

Tesserina tilted her head.

“Imugi? There’s a beast like that?”

Even she, who knew nearly every monster in Kurayan, had never heard the name.

Zeon spoke to the creature.

“If you plan to devour Gaia to become a dragon, give up now. You couldn’t digest it even if you tried.”

As if to confirm his words, a dark, ominous aura rose from Gaia.

It was the malice and curse absorbed from the Reaper’s Scythe and the Blood Crystal.

If the Imugi took in such energy, it wouldn’t ascend, it would unravel and die.

The creature seemed to sense that truth. It slowly began to back away.

Zeon estimated its rank to be SS-class,

the same level as the Leviathan he’d slain.

Even for him, it wouldn’t be an easy battle.

He could win if he went all out, but it would take time, and risk.

If a fight could be avoided, it was better not to start one.

After staring at Zeon for a long moment, the Imugi withdrew further, never breaking eye contact.

Then, at last, it turned and soared away.

Kwaarrr!

Clouds churned and thunder roared in its wake.

Moments later, the Imugi vanished from sight.

“Haah…”

“Huuh!”

Only then did Levin and Lemura’s bodies relax.

They collapsed onto Gaia’s back, gasping for breath, their legs too weak to stand.

Tesserina unclenched her damp palms and muttered,

“That was close. An Imugi, of all things… unbelievable.”

Her hands were slick with sweat.

It had been ages since a dragon like her had felt such tension.

If she were in her true form, an SS-class beast like that would pose no threat, a mere mouthful, nothing more.

But now, she inhabited a chimera’s body, bound by its limits.

If she’d fought head-on, her vessel would’ve been crushed instantly.

She turned to Zeon.

“That Yeouiju, does it really exist?”

“Who knows? It’s an artifact of legend. But from how it looked at Gaia, I’d say what it seeks is a pure crystallization of power itself.”

“Makes sense.”

Tesserina nodded.

―Piii!

Gaia let out a plaintive sound, turning its head toward Zeon.

Its massive body trembled, it, too, had been deeply frightened.

If it were its mother, Moby Dick, it might have stood unshaken.

But Gaia was still young. The Imugi had terrified it, despite its brave front.

Zeon stroked its head gently.

“You did well. Let’s head down to the ground and rest for today. Sleep with us under the open sky.”

―Piii!

“I know, I know, you’re not scared. Once you grow a bit more, you’ll be able to crush creatures like that without effort. So don’t blame yourself.”

―Pii!

“Right. Time is the cure for everything. You’ll grow bigger and stronger than Moby Dick ever was.”

―Piii! Pii!

“You’ll become a magnificent whale someday.”

At those words, Gaia lifted its head proudly, as if pleased.

Then, slowly, it began to descend toward the earth.

“Ah, solid ground… finally.”

“Haah… haah…”

Levin fell to his knees, clutching at the sand, while Lemura knelt beside him, struggling to steady her breath.

The encounter with the Imugi had shaken them both to their core.

Levin, who thought he’d seen it all following Zeon through countless battles, realized now how naïve he’d been.

There are still monsters out there I can’t even fathom. If I ever hope to survive against something like that… I need to be stronger.

The memory of being paralyzed by a single glance filled him with shame.

But he knew, this, too, was part of growing stronger.

He was still young. There was room to grow.

Next time… I won’t freeze so easily.

He made a firm vow.

Zeon didn’t bother comforting him.

Levin had risen too quickly under his protection, his growth, rapid but sheltered.

And with that came a quiet arrogance.

Today’s encounter had stripped that away.

His rank wouldn’t rise overnight, but if he continued to push forward, he’d reach S-rank someday.

Zeon hoped that day would come soon.

So the Imugi really exists… he thought. Then again, with things like Archelone, the mobile fortress turtle, wandering the world, maybe it’s not so strange.

The world had fallen apart.

Old beasts from Kurayan had reappeared, new species had been born,

and even the ancient monsters of legend were awakening.

In this age, nothing was impossible.

Zeon looked toward Gaia again.

Now resting on the ground, the giant whale lay still, exhaling deep, heavy breaths.

Once, Gaia had been small enough to fit beside him, almost cute.

Now it was far too large for that word to apply.

And yet… there was still something endearingly gentle in its eyes.

―Piii?

Feeling his gaze, Gaia blinked its large eyes.

“It’s nothing. You must be tired, get some rest.”

―Piii!

“Yeah. Everything’s fine now.”

At last, reassured, Gaia closed its eyes and drifted into sleep.

Tesserina turned to Zeon.

“That child trusts you completely. The bond between you is remarkable.”

“We’ve been connected since the moment it was born.”

“She has tremendous potential.”

“I know.”

“No, you don’t, Gaia could be the hope of this new world, a seed of infinite possibility.”

“I know.”

“You shouldn’t sound so indifferent. She needs special care. If she ever falls into the Imugi’s hands, the world would lose that hope, and face disaster.”

“So what are you suggesting?”

“Did you not hear me? She needs to be specially protected, ”

“How, exactly?”

“Well, perhaps, ”

“Don’t tell me you want to hide her away. And where would that be, Tesserina? Your lair?”

“That’s not what I, ”

“Gaia is free. No one has the right to cage her, not even me.”

Zeon’s voice turned cold.

Tesserina flinched at his tone.

He continued, firm and unwavering.

“Don’t ever say that to me again. If Gaia truly is the hope of this world, she won’t bow to threats or fate. Her destiny will guide her forward.”

To lock her in a cage under the guise of protection would be to destroy her.

There is no such thing as safe growth.

Only those who endure hardship and trial can truly evolve, as Levin had, as he himself had, as Briel was doing now.

And Gaia would be no different.

“Right?”

Zeon gently stroked the sleeping Gaia’s head.