Vol 8. Chapter 35: Instant Surrender

Black clouds pressed over the city, a storm about to break. The front gate of the Silver Dragon Sanctuary had been breached. Under Leon Casmod’s command, ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) the Imperial Dragon Corps launched a fierce assault, about to engage the Silver Dragon Queen in the final battle inside the sanctuary.

“Captain, the recon squad’s caught up. Let’s signal the advance from this side.”

A girl with teal hair, dual pistols in hand, ran up quickly to Leon’s side.

“The weather flipped in an instant—looks like a downpour any moment. We’ve got to end this quickly. The longer it drags, the harsher the environment, and the worse it is for us.”

Leon lifted the broken lightning flickering in his hand, raised his head toward the distant Silver Dragon Sanctuary. His black eyes were calm as always, but for one fleeting instant something rippled within them, boiling faintly, and he froze in place.

“What a strange feeling... why does it feel like I’ve seen this Silver Dragon Sanctuary somewhere before...”

He murmured to himself, staring at the castle ringed by silver dragons.

When the captain still gave no order, Rebecca leapt up and smacked the back of his head with her gunstock.

“Don’t space out, Captain! Make a decision already!”

Leon snapped back, head aching.

“Pass down the order: all squads encircle the sanctuary. Fast and fierce—don’t drag this out. Rebecca, Martin, and Victor, come with me through the main gate.”

“Yes, Captain!”

“Understood, Captain.”

Rebecca and Martin flanked Leon, one on either side. The gun-girl slammed her weapons home, ready, while Martin, the support mage, prepared his spells to cover Leon’s entry.

But Victor, walking at the rear, didn’t hurry forward.

He stared fixedly at Leon’s back. Quietly, he drew out from his trouser-leg the enchanted ivory dagger he had hidden. Pressing his hands together, then slowly spreading them open, he condensed a giant sword between his palms.

B-Rank Lightning Magic · Lightning Sword Manifestation.

“Move out!”

The three surged forward, driving with the other dragon squads into the sanctuary.

But the instant Leon, Rebecca, and Martin stepped into the forecourt, darkness engulfed everything.

Not even a hand was visible, no breath of comrades could be sensed. Only faint, muffled shouts of the dragon soldiers could be heard, weak and distant.

Leon blinked.

“Silver Dragon clan illusion magic? But intelligence said they only excel at speed...”

Panic lasted only a moment. Battle-hardened instinct steadied him, and he began channeling magic, trying to dispel the illusion.

But in the dark, a sharp enchanted dagger was already driving toward his heart—

...

“Ahhh, I can’t watch! Aurora, why did you start from here?”

Moon covered her eyes, unable to look at the images in the recording stone.

Aurora retorted self-righteously:

“Dad and Mom always said that dungeon was where everything began, but I’m telling you—the real start was the day Dad led humans to tear down our home.”

Noa pressed her lips tight, drew a sharp breath.

“How many more hell-jokes do I have to sit through in this house before it’s enough?”

Muse blinked, pointing at the frozen image in the recording stone.

“But I remember Dad said he was betrayed here by that guy Victor, and then ended up as Mom’s captive. Looking at this, things are still playing out the same way. Didn’t you say there’d be another possibility?”

Aurora waved her hand.

“Don’t rush it, Muse. Keep watching—something different’s definitely going to happen.”

...

Boom!—

A thunderclap split the earth. Rain poured down in sheets.

That single crash of thunder jarred Leon’s senses, pulling his focus to the limit. In that instant, he locked precisely onto the glint of the dagger.

“Got you! Damn dragon—Victor?!”

Leon clamped Victor’s wrist. Darkness peeled away at once. He had thought the Silver Dragons had set a trap to strike from the shadows. Never did he expect the one trying to stab him was his own comrade Victor.

Victor panicked, straining to break free—but Leon’s grip was iron, immovable.

“Victor! Why would you...”

“I’m going to kill you, Leon Casmod! Die!!”

Seeing no escape, Victor went all-in, clutching the dagger with both hands, still driving for Leon’s heart.

Bang!—

A gunshot. The muzzle flared. The bullet spun and tore through Victor’s chest from less than five meters away.

“Leon... you will... you’ll doom the Empire...”

No malice remained in his eyes now, only resentment and unwillingness. He staggered back, collapsing into a pool of blood.

Rebecca’s hands shook as she held her smoking gun, forcing herself to breathe deep to steady.

“I... I’m sorry, Captain. I was afraid he’d really hurt you.”

A seasoned soldier could, in a heartbeat, accept and deal with a traitor. But even so, to shoot the vice-captain who had fought at her side for years—it wasn’t easy for Rebecca.

Leon looked down at the ivory dagger in his hand. After a silent moment, he summoned lightning to shatter it into dust.

“It’s fine, Rebecca. You don’t need to apologize.”

The powder blew away on the storm’s wind. Leon glanced only once at Victor’s lifeless body, then waved ahead.

“Let’s move.”

“Right.”

Rebecca, Martin, and the others pushed into the sanctuary. Leon followed a step behind, lifting his gaze to the sky. The rain only poured harder.

He wasn’t brooding on the traitor. Only puzzled. If not for that thunder, he never would have broken free from the illusion, and Victor would have killed him.

And yet...

“That day... it didn’t rain...”

The words slipped from him. He froze, touched his mouth in disbelief.

“Why did I suddenly say that...?”

Shaking his head hard, he steadied himself, then charged into the sanctuary with the others.

The gate burst open. Dragon soldiers split left and right.

Leon strode in from outside. His black-gold armor still glittered with rain, reflecting cold light under the hall’s glow.

He advanced to the center of the hall and raised his gaze to the silver figure seated high on the throne.

“Silver Dragon King... Ross—why are you here?”

“What Ross? Captain, the report says she’s called Melkvey. Silver Dragon King Melkvey.” Martin whispered beside him.

Leon nodded absently. Then, raising his blade of thunder, he leveled it straight at the throne’s occupant—

That woman.

“I am Leon Casmod, commander of the Imperial Dragon Corps. Silver Dragon King, get off your throne.”

On the throne, Rosvisser Melkvey lounged with perfect composure, long legs crossed, cheek propped on one hand, gaze languid. Anna and Sherry stood flanking her.

“Your Majesty, he’s that so-called ‘Black Perch’—the one who’s stormed several Silver Dragon sanctuaries already. We may not... be able to handle him,” Anna said.

“Your Majesty, let the guard cover your retreat. Leave this to us!” Sherry added quickly.

Rosvisser only watched their backs, unmoved. Her expression remained calm, almost indifferent—as though it weren’t her home being smashed apart.

“Your Majesty! Why aren’t you moving? Hurry and go with the guards, we’ll hold them off!” Sherry urged in panic.

Her strange calmness stirred confusion among the dragon soldiers below.

Rebecca edged up to Leon, eyeing the silver-haired beauty.

“Captain, is that dragon king scared witless by you? Why isn’t she moving at all?”

“Oh, don’t talk that way about your sister-in-law.”

“What? Sister-in-law?”

“...What did I just say?”

Rebecca scratched her head, baffled, scanning her captain—he didn’t seem to be joking.

“Captain, you’ve been acting weird since just now. Don’t tell me Victor’s betrayal cracked your mind and now you’re rambling nonsense?”

Leon pressed his temples hard.

“No... maybe just marching too long, too little rest.”

He steadied himself, then called up at the woman on the throne.

“You’re the first dragon king we’ve beaten to your very doorstep who can still stay this calm. You must have some trump card. Don’t waste time—hurry up and fight. I’m in a rush.”

At those words, Rosvisser rose slowly. But instead of retreating as Sherry urged, she descended the steps unhurriedly—straight toward Leon.

“Your Majesty!!”

“She’s gone mad!” Sherry nearly lost it, but still rushed after her.

Seeing their leader approach the great foe, Rebecca and Martin didn’t move to block Leon either.

“Don’t come closer! One more step and I’ll shoot!”

The black muzzle was fixed between Rosvisser’s brows, Rebecca’s finger tight on the trigger.

Rosvisser paused, her gaze drifting from Leon to Rebecca. After a long moment, her lips curved.

“Go ahead, little lunatic.”

Even enchanted bullets couldn’t harm a dragon king like Rosvisser.

After that brief halt, she walked on.

“What the hell—what kind of dragon is this woman? Forget it, take this shot—”

But just as Rebecca was about to squeeze, Leon gently pressed her wrist down.

“Captain? What is it?”

Leon’s eyes were intent, locked on the approaching queen.

“There’s no killing intent on her at all... She doesn’t look like she came to fight.”

“Then she’s—?”

Rosvisser came up before Leon. Under the eyes of Anna, Sherry, and all the tense dragon squads, she slowly lifted her arms, wrists together, and held them out before his chest.

“I surrender to you, Leon Casmod. Go on—take me prisoner.”

...

“What the—! Aurora!! You said Mom might be beaten another way, but you mean she just surrendered herself?!”

Moon’s little head clearly couldn’t keep up with such absurd development. Even Noa, Muse, and Xiaoxue couldn’t make sense of it.

Aurora was struck dumb.

“No no no, that’s wrong! By rights Mom and Dad were supposed to brawl, then Dad would instantly beat her and capture her. How did this—oh!!! I get it!!”

The little dragon girls and Xiaoxue all crowded in, demanding at once:

“What what? What is it?”

“Didn’t I just say, in this constructed world, Dad and Mom can’t act according to their own will? Things move along their set path. But...”

Aurora looked at the mother in the recording stone who had just surrendered at light speed, swallowed hard, and muttered:

“Mom’s will is intact. In other words, in this timeline—”

“She can do whatever she wants.”