“Azi Dahaka isn’t moving. It is just sitting there.”
[Be careful. We are also checking with the drones.]
Ian moved with God Slayer on his shoulder. He returned to a human body but once he entered battle, he was Orc Warrior Crockta.
"I’ll proceed quickly.”
[Your voice is bright.]
"I liked the bed.”
He was in a good condition. His body felt light as soon as he opened his eyes.
“Great.”
[Azi Dahaka or Uluru?]
“Both.”
Indeed, Uluru was the world’s largest rock. He gauged the size of Azi Dahaka sitting on Uluru.
"In addition...”
Azi Dahaka saw Ian and raised its head. Their eyes met.
"It is less threatening than I thought.”
The ominous feeling that he felt was great compared to Azi Dahaka’s energy. It seemed weaker than Parthenon, who had just been killed, and Ramul in Egypt. Like Ian’s secretary had guessed, it had barely woken up from its stunned state.
“I will start the operation soon.”
Ian’s voice rose. The start was good. It seemed that the story of handling it easily and returning to South Korea that he imagined yesterday was likely to happy. Following his mood, the energy around him glowed vigorously. It was the haze created around God Slayer when he crossed into the heroic field of the Pinnacle.
[Azi Dahaka?]
“There is no reaction.”
Azi Dahaka was looking down at Ian with blurry eyes.
[Are you going to start?]
"Yes.”
Ian went forward. Azi Dahaka still didn’t move. Ian would take the initiative first. But this didn’t mean he was attacking an innocent opponent. He didn’t forget that this monster, currently in a helpless position, was the demon who had completely destroyed Sydney and devoured many lives a few years ago.
"I’m going.”
The large distance between Azi Dahaka and Ian. He was on flat ground while it was on high land. The moment that Ian jumped, the gap decreased to zero. He jumped almost vertically towards the rock. The air changed with every step. Ian flew towards Azi Dahaka’s nose, making a mark on Uluru.
Azi Dahaka sensed the abnormality and trembled.
Kurwarwarwarwa!
It let out a loud roar and its wings flapped. A sticky goo covered Ian’s vision. Ian cut it without hesitation. The goo was split apart and the wings cut. In the meantime, he saw Azi Dahaka’s angry eyes. Ian laughed.
“Is it toxic?”
[No.]
Unlike Parthenon, Azi Dahaka’s body fluids weren’t acidic or poisonous. It had a classic dragon form that destroyed the opponents with physical force and flames. Ian used the inertia to move past the cut wings. He moved towards Azi Dahaka’s huge eyes and aimed God Slayer. The greatsword stabbed in.
It raised its head and was struck in the cheek. Azi Dahaka screamed. Ian momentarily lost his hearing from the enormous sound. Ian ignored it and kept swinging God Slayer. Flames started to burn around the blade and started to dent Azi Dahaka’s face. Azi Dahaka shook its wings and body.
The resistance was weak. The monster didn’t have the energy to get rid of Ian. God Slayer didn’t let Azi Dahaka go. Ian just had to hold the handle tightly and maintain a firm footing. The blade split apart the flesh and entered. Azi Dahaka’s resistance started to fall.
Kurwarwarwarwa...
Shortly before its life fell under the sword. Ian suddenly looked up at the sky. High and blue. In the midst of the red desert that stretched out endlessly, he felt at home. His eyesight looked as far as possible. It was a blue sky that covered the vast earth. Ian gave a sigh of admiration as he looked at the expanse of blue sky and clouds.
“Ahh...”
It was a beautiful scenery. His shoulders bore the strength. The voice grew bigger.
“Ahhh...”
The desert landscape comforted him. He heard Hoyt’s words. The enemy’s weakness was his strength. It looked like Azi Dahaka was going to collapse. He would soon slaughter the enemy who killed humans.
“Ahhhhhhhhh!”
Ian roared and shoved God Slayer. His aura exploded. Flames burst around the sword. The flames destroyed the inside of Azi Dahaka and harmed the liver. The sword energy kept descending, piercing through the monster’s body and damaging Uluru.
The wind blew. The thick dust subsided.
Ian stood on top of Uluru. He touched the body of the fallen Azi Dahaka. The monster didn’t move anymore. It was an easier fight than Ian thought.
“It has ended.”
Ian spoke brightly through the radio. Soon a helicopter would come to pick up him.
"..."
But there was no answer.
"Headquarters?"
Ian tried to call headquarters for a while before realizing. A translucent curtain surrounded the Uluru area. The scenery beyond it became hazy. Ian brandished his sword at Azi Dahaka. There was no reaction as body fluids poured out. Once Uluru was completely hidden and the desert and sky was no longer visible, the opponent showed up.
“You.”
Ian sighed. It was the enemy he saw yesterday. The unidentified humanoid monster that revealed itself after killing Parthenon. It emerged from the liquids flowing and landed in front of Ian. Their eye levels were similar. The insect-like eyes stared at Ian. The mouth kept opening, like it wanted to say something. It soon created human language.
“Hu...man.”
"Yes, Monster.”
Ian replied with God Slayer on his shoulders. The human language imitated by the vocal organs of a monster wasn’t good to hear. Still, it was polite enough to use Korean.
“A very strong human.”
"Put away the praise.”
Ian didn’t want to drag on the conversation for a long time. He prepared to swing his sword right away. However, his next words greatly outweighed Ian’s expectations.
"We should help each other."
Ian was speechless. A monster that constantly destroyed humanity now wanted to work together?
“You bastard...”
Ian swung the sword instantly.
"..."
The claws at the end of its arms blocked the blade. The monster blocked the attack without changing its posture or moving its legs. Strong.
“Calm down. Human. I’m not an enemy.”
“Shut up.”
Ian ran forward and wielded his blade again. The monster retreated. The greatsword hit a transparent wall.
“Human. I understand your anger.”
“You understand?”
“Numerous humans have died. I also share your grief.”
“..”
Ian took a deep breath. He tried to calm down his agitated self. Stress and fatigue had accumulated for too long. Inside he was seething. Ian took a deep breath and tried to settle down.
“What is with the curtain?’
"If I didn’t do this, ‘he’ would notice. It is for us.”
Ian rubbed his temple.
“Yes. Tell me. I will listen once.”
“Human. Bagamadra who has invaded your world?”
“Bagamadra?”
"I also lost everything to him. He is my enemy. He wasn’t satisfied with what he did to us and wants to obtain your world.
"Who are you?”
“I am Garuda.” He waved his claws. It seemed to be a respectful greeting from somewhere. "I am the only descendant remaining of the Basarayuda royal family. In the past, a prince. Now I am a warrior resisting Bagamadra."
Warrior. It was a word he hadn’t heard for a while. It felt strange when the word emerged from the monster’s mouth.
“Warrior?”
“That’s right. Human. A warrior. Just like you.” Garuda stared at Ian with eyes that were hard to read. "Your world is different from before. But Bagamadra will destroy everything. He creates only pain and hatred. He wants to have this world but can’t because of humans.”
"..."
“Originally, most of this world should’ve been conquered. But there was you, a strong human. You are strong. You killed most of his subordinates.”
Ian nodded. Without Ian, the dragon-class monsters would’ve occupied areas, causing monsters to pour out from the lairs. Most of Earth would’ve fallen. Or the nuclear bombs would’ve turned most continents into lands of death.
"But if this situation continues... This world will be like other dimensions. It will be taken by Bagamadra. Just like mine.”
Ian observed Garuda. He had the skill to see through the truth, Mind’s Eye. Mind’s Eye gradually adapted to Garuda’s existence and read his mind. Garuda wasn’t telling a lie. He was sincere. Deep grief that couldn’t be faked shone on the insect-like face. The sadness of losing his own world and people, the helplessness towards the enemy and the hopeless dreams. It was what Ian would end up like.
"We should help each other."
Ian put God Slayer down and asked.
“How?”
Garuda bowed his head instead of answering. The antenna on his head stretched out towards Ian. Ian hesitated but allowed his movements. Garuda’s antenna reached Ian’s head. Something started to enter Ian’s mind. Images poured into Ian’s head.
Then there was an illusion.
"Ah...”
Hell. Endless pain and hatred, those dying and those who were having seizures in the abyss. A demonic landscape where ugly creatures made ugly things, transplanting them into a more horrifying existence. The giant monster that caused all of this, Bagamadra. The illusion of hell seemed to contaminate just mind just by looking at it. Numerous things he didn’t want to know were injected into his head. Ian’s breathing was rough.
Ian shook off Garuda’s antenna. He bent his waist and vomited.
“Do you understand? Human.”
Ian grabbed his head. As he bowed his head, he started laughing.
“Hahaha...” His luck was too good today. “Shit.”
The ordinary blue sky and the distant landscape came into view. Somehow, he felt something pleasant. Ian gritted his teeth.
“Shit...”