Chapter 184 —Entry— Imperial Red Dragon, Klaus?
Imperial Dragons Arc
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(POV: Akashic Records)
As reality crumbled around him, Klaus, a powerful being in the Dragon's Summit, sat with his piercing crimson eyes fixed on the clairvoyant orb.
Through its information efficient abilities, he could witness the unfolding events.
However, this was simply how he chose to perceive.
He also possessed the [World Acuity] skill, which allowed him to sense everything in the vast expanse of the Cosmic Sea.
Provided he wanted to, or rather cared to.
Although the collapse of reality occurred at a mind-bending speed, millions of times faster than light, Klaus and his companion Cenis perceived it as relatively slow.
They possessed mental processing speeds that was on equal footing.
"It's about time you step in, is it not?" Cenis raised a brow.
Sensing Cenis' half-baked concern, Klaus tilted his head slightly before responding.
"You're right, sister," Klaus admitted with a calm expression. "It's time for me to act."
In an instant, Klaus vanished from his spot and seemingly teleported to the location where Eterna Noctis, the black entity devouring other worlds, left Lumiere's palm unrestrained.
The sight that greeted him was engulfed in an abyss of impenetrable darkness, causing Klaus to let out a sigh.
With a subtle adjustment of his crimson locks, he pressed his palms together, preparing for the impending confrontation.
"I swear," Klaus whispered to himself. "Once I've dealt with this threat, I'll give Eunaria a fitting punishment."
Klaus channeled his immense power through his outstretched palm.
The scorching sun high above them shrank effortlessly, dwindling down to a minuscule orb that obediently nestled within his grasp.
Closing his hand, Klaus pondered the name of the boy before him, a flicker of recognition lighting up his mind.
"Lumiere, was it?" he murmured softly, his voice barely audible amidst the collapsing realities.
But there was no time for idle conversation.
Curse Kings like Lumiere were a menace to the world, wreaking havoc and leaving catastrophe in their wake.
Sure, this was accidental... but it an accident that wipes out the entire Cosmic Sea was nothing to laugh about.
A wry smile curved Klaus' lips as he mused, "No matter. A title like 'Imperial Dragon' would be meaningless if I couldn't handle something as mundane as this."
Drawing deeply upon the powers bestowed by his Apex Skill, 『God of Flames: Azuris』, Klaus unleashed a force known as the 「Crimson Abyss Cataclysmic Inferno」.
This all-destroying magic summoned flames of apocalyptic proportions, voracious tongues of fire capable of reducing everything to ashes in their merciless wake.
The principles guiding this skill were driven by acceleration, a fundamental aspect of 『God of Flames: Azuris』.
It granted Klaus the ability to infinitely accelerate the destructive capacity of any fire.
"That should be just about enough.."
As he opened his palm, the flames obeyed his command, manifesting in a searing crimson hue. Spreading outward from his hands, they voraciously devoured the primordial black matter oozing uncontrollably from Lumiere's hands, threatening to unravel reality itself. With each passing moment, the conflagration blazed brighter, reducing the once-devouring darkness to nothing but ashen remnants.
Watching the restoration slowly unfold, Klaus sighed with relief.
The innumerable tears and rifts that had scarred the fabric of reality were gradually mended, returning the world to a semblance of stability.
"That should be enough..."
Klaus, clad in his signature jacket, strode towards Lumiere with purpose, his chiseled physique on full display. With his hands casually tucked into his pockets, Klaus exuded an air of confidence.
Approaching Lumiere, who knelt on the ground, his gaze fixated on his trembling palm, Klaus spoke in a calm and composed voice.
"Are you alright, Lumiere?" he inquired.
Lumiere's glare met Klaus'.
"So, you're also here to try and take Serena too, huh?" Lumiere retorted.
A mischievous grin tugged at the corners of Klaus's lips as he retorted, "Well, even if I were, what could you possibly do about it?"
Lumiere, unfazed by Klaus' remark, rose to his feet, his fingers wrapping tightly around the hilt of his tsurugi.
Looking up at Klaus, who towered over him with an imposing stature, Lumiere made his intentions clear.
"Serena is mine, and anyone who dares to take her is my enemy," he declared.
Klaus' gaze met Lumiere's unwaveringly.
There was a condescending feel to his gaze. Almost as if Lumiere was someone too insignificant to get agitated by.
"Big words coming from someone who, just a few seconds ago, was an enemy to the entire Cosmic Sea," Klaus remarked, clearly mocking Lumiere.
Lumiere hesitated for a moment, absorbing Klaus' words, before conceding, "
You stopped it... didn't you?"
Klaus nodded knowingly, a smug smile dancing across his face.
"Of course, who else could have done it? If I hadn't stepped in as a moderator, someone from the God Continent would have intervened," he explained.
A clear sense of self-assuredness resonated in his words.
"( This guy was able to burn away the effects of my skills... should that even be possible? )" (Lumiere)
Curiosity getting the better of him, Klaus leaned in closer, his gaze fixated on Lumiere's hand.
"That was one of the strangest skills I've ever seen," he commented as he gently stroked his chin.
"Who... who are you?" Lumiere questioned, his eyes narrowed a bit.
"Huh? Oh that?" Klaus was prepared to answer, but his attention suddenly shifted to the side.
A smirk tugged at the corners of his lips.
"Eunaria," Klaus spoke softly, "I can sense you lurking there. There's no need to hide any longer."
Eunaria, still in her dragon form, hesitated for a moment before soaring out of a deep crater.
Her scaled wings cast shimmering shadows on the ground.
Hovering just above them, her golden eyes met Klaus'.
Guilt and apprehension were evident in her eyes.
Klaus folded his hands behind his back, regarded Eunaria calmly, like a commanding general addressing his subordinate.
"You were supposed to handle a simple confrontation," Klaus' voice was so gentle and at the same time menacing. "Your task was to bring the vessel and her companions back to the Galadiatrix Fortress, after confirming that it was indeed Valtara's vessel. What happened, Eunaria?"
Eunaria hastily tried to explain herself.
"I-I was trying to do just that, big brother, but the Curse King... he interfered, and I... I got carried away," Eunaria stammered.
An eyebrow raised, confusion spread across Lumiere's features.
"( Wait... big brother...? )" (Lumiere)
Klaus' expression softened.
He called out her name. "Eunaria," he said gently, causing her to squeak, even in her dragon form, before immediately reverting back to her human form.
With a flash of blue hair, she stood before Klaus, her petite stature and innocent visage accentuating her vulnerability.
Bowing her head frantically, Eunaria pleaded with Klaus.
"Please, big brother! Please! Please! Please! I didn't mean to fail you!"
Klaus smiled indulgently at her.
"Relax, Eunaria," he assured her. "No need to panic. I'm not angry with you."
"Re— Really?"
Eunaria lifted her puppy dog eyes to his crimson gaze.
With a gentle smile, Klaus looked back at Eunaria and nodded.
"Yes, dear little sister."
Lumiere watched with confusion and unease.
But before he could fully comprehend the situation, Klaus' swift and powerful strike sent Eunaria's head crashing into the ground.
"Eh?" Lumiere uttered, stunned.
Klaus was still smiling.
"Will it happen again?"
As Eunaria's body twitched and her head remained buried in the ground, she managed to lift a trembling thumbs up in a silent display of obedience.
"Good girl," he remarked.
"Oh yeah," Klaus turned to Lumiere. "You asked who I am..."
"Yeah?"
"I'm Klaus... the Imperial Red Dragon."
Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om