Chapter 121: Chapter 116: Echoes of the Dragon King (Part 2)
The battlefield remained silent.
Thousands of ancient warriors stood frozen, awaiting a single command.
Asterion lowered his hand.
His calm golden eye settled on John while the abyss-like black eye seemed to stare far beyond him, as though observing countless futures simultaneously.
The old traveler who had appeared moments ago stood quietly between the two forces, leaning lightly on his weathered staff.
The silver aura surrounding him neither expanded nor diminished.
It simply existed.
Unlike the mana everyone else possessed, his aura blended naturally with the hidden realm.
As though the world itself accepted him.
John narrowed his eyes.
"...Who are you?"
The old man chuckled softly.
"A question better answered after we survive today."
His voice carried none of the pressure that Asterion’s did.
Instead, it was warm.
Comforting.
Like an old grandfather greeting family after many years apart.
Yet despite that warmth...
John’s draconic instincts remained alert.
Not because the old man was dangerous.
Because he was incredibly powerful.
Hidden.
Controlled.
Aerion quietly stepped beside John.
"Can you sense it?"
John nodded almost imperceptibly.
"He isn’t weaker than us."
"No."
Aerion’s grip tightened around his sword.
"I think..."
"...he’s stronger than all of us."
Neither spoke another word.
---
The old traveler slowly removed his hood.
Long silver hair, streaked with age, fell onto his shoulders.
Deep wrinkles marked his face, yet they failed to hide the dignity he carried.
His eyes immediately caught John’s attention.
Unlike Asterion’s mismatched gaze...
Both of the old man’s eyes were brilliant silver.
Ancient.
Wise.
Filled with countless years of experience.
When his gaze met John’s...
He smiled.
"So..."
"The resemblance truly is remarkable."
John frowned.
"You know me?"
The old man shook his head.
"I knew someone..."
"...who carried those same eyes."
---
The Soul Raven’s wings trembled.
"Master Caelis..."
The old man inclined his head.
"It has been a long time, old guardian."
The Soul Raven lowered itself respectfully despite its injuries.
Lythriel blinked.
"You know each other?"
Caelis smiled faintly.
"I helped plant this tree."
Silence.
Nobody moved.
Even Asterion’s composed expression shifted slightly.
John blinked twice.
"...What?"
Sylvara stared in disbelief.
"That’s impossible."
"The World Tree is thousands of years old."
Caelis merely chuckled.
"I know."
"I was there."
---
John studied him carefully.
There was no arrogance.
No boastfulness.
He simply stated it as fact.
The System remained completely silent.
No warnings.
No danger notification.
Nothing.
Strangely...
That made John trust the old man even less.
Asterion finally spoke.
"I wondered if you still lived."
Caelis sighed.
"I wondered the same about you."
For several moments...
Neither moved.
Old friends.
Old enemies.
Perhaps both.
John could feel decades...
No...
Millennia...
Of shared history between them.
---
Finally...
Caelis broke the silence.
"You look tired."
Asterion smiled bitterly.
"I am."
"You should rest."
"I cannot."
"Why?"
Asterion slowly looked toward the False Heart beneath the roots.
"Because no one else can carry its burden."
Caelis closed his eyes.
"There are always others."
Asterion shook his head.
"Not anymore."
---
John listened quietly.
For the first time since arriving in the hidden realm...
Nobody rushed toward battle.
Nobody shouted.
Nobody attacked.
It felt...
Human.
Even beings who could destroy mountains were simply speaking.
Trying.
John realized something.
Neither Caelis nor Asterion wanted this battle.
But neither would retreat.
---
Lythriel quietly leaned toward John.
"...I’m confused."
"So am I."
"I thought he was the villain."
John looked toward Asterion.
"I think..."
"...it’s more complicated than that."
Sylvara overheard them.
"History usually is."
---
Aerion remained vigilant.
"Complicated or not..."
"He nearly crushed me with one finger."
Lythriel couldn’t help smiling.
"I never thought I’d hear you admit that."
Aerion snorted.
"I’m old."
"Not blind."
"If I rush him again..."
"I’ll lose."
His honesty surprised everyone.
Aerion had always projected unwavering confidence.
Seeing him openly acknowledge an opponent’s superiority reminded John just how overwhelming Asterion truly was.
Power wasn’t everything.
Recognizing one’s limits...
That required strength as well.
John silently stored that lesson away.
---
The Soul Raven suddenly looked toward John.
"Young Dragon."
John turned.
"Yes?"
The guardian hesitated.
"Do not mistake power for victory."
John remained silent.
The guardian continued.
"When I was young..."
"I believed greater strength solved every problem."
Its golden eyes drifted toward Asterion.
"I was wrong."
John noticed the sadness hidden beneath those words.
"You fought him."
"Yes."
"And I lost."
The admission carried no shame.
Only acceptance.
"I possessed greater raw strength."
"But Asterion understood the battlefield better."
"He anticipated every decision."
"He never wasted movement."
John slowly nodded.
So even in the past...
Asterion hadn’t relied solely on overwhelming power.
He relied on experience.
Calculation.
Patience.
---
Caelis suddenly spoke.
"John."
Everyone turned toward him.
"You have transformed into your humanoid form before."
John blinked.
"Only briefly."
"And it drains me."
Caelis nodded.
"As expected."
John frowned.
"You know about that too?"
The old man smiled.
"The Dragon Kings preferred fighting as dragons."
"They only adopted humanoid forms..."
"...when they wished to understand those they protected."
John listened carefully.
"This form isn’t meant to make you stronger."
"It is meant to teach you."
John’s brows furrowed.
"Teach me what?"
Caelis’ smile widened slightly.
"Perspective."
---
Everyone became quiet.
Even Aerion seemed interested.
"The greatest weakness of dragons..."
Caelis continued,
"...is believing the world exists beneath them."
"They soar above mountains."
"They live longer than kingdoms."
"They possess overwhelming strength."
"So they stop understanding ordinary lives."
He gently tapped his staff against the crystal ground.
"The Dragon Kings changed that."
"They walked."
"They listened."
"They ate beside farmers."
"They played with children."
"They mourned with families."
"They learned."
John remained silent.
The old man’s words resonated with something deep inside him.
Back on Earth...
He had been human.
After reincarnating...
He had gradually begun thinking more like a dragon.
Stronger.
Prouder.
More distant.
Without realizing it.
Caelis seemed to notice the realization in John’s eyes.
"Never forget who you were."
"Nor who you wish to become."
"A dragon’s strength may inspire awe..."
"...but compassion inspires loyalty."
The words settled heavily within John’s heart.
He looked toward the kneeling champions below.
They had once followed the Great Dragon King willingly.
Not because they feared him.
Because they believed in him.
Perhaps...
That was the true meaning of being a Dragon King.
Not ruling through strength.
But earning trust.
---
Asterion watched the exchange quietly.
For a brief moment...
Something resembling nostalgia crossed his face.
"The old fool is still giving lessons."
Caelis laughed.
"And you’re still pretending not to listen."
To everyone’s surprise...
Asterion gave the faintest smile.
Only for an instant.
Then it vanished.
The heartbeat beneath the World Tree suddenly grew louder.
**THUMP!**
The smile disappeared from both ancient men’s faces.
The False Heart had grown impatient.
Its influence spread through the roots once more.
Dark veins climbed higher along the World Tree’s trunk.
Golden leaves began falling in greater numbers.
The brief moment of peace had come to an end.
Caelis slowly exhaled.
"It seems..."
"...our time has run out."
He stepped forward, placing himself beside John rather than in front of him.
Without looking away from Asterion, he spoke quietly enough that only John’s group could hear.
"When the battle begins..."
"Do not try to defeat Asterion."
John frowned.
"What?"
Caelis’ silver eyes narrowed.
"The man before you..."
"...stopped being the true enemy long ago."
He lifted his staff toward the enormous roots beneath the World Tree.
"The False Heart has been listening to every word we’ve spoken."
John’s pupils contracted.
Asterion remained motionless.
But for the first time...
His black eye twitched.
Just once.
As though something else within him had heard Caelis’ accusation.
A cold realization washed over John.
Perhaps they had misunderstood the situation from the very beginning.
Perhaps Asterion wasn’t the one controlling the False Heart...
Perhaps the False Heart had been controlling Asterion for thousands of years.
The true battle had yet to begin.
---
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