Reborn as a DRAGON

Chapter 403: Standoff

My initial reaction was one of disbelief. Could the King truly be dead? Celestine's words, despite her air of confidence, seemed far-fetched. I couldn't shake the memory of the King I had glimpsed before a being of immense power. It was difficult to fathom that he could have met such a fate.

Before my grandmother could respond, I found my voice, emboldened by a fierce certainty. "It seems like you've been blinded to see the truth. How could the King be dead?" I retorted, my words laced with a determination that bordered on defiance.

Celestine turned her gaze toward me, her amusement thinly veiled. "Truly, you are adorable. How about it? I don't want to kill you. I really don't, so why don't you come over here and join us?" Her voice held an eerie charm, and her manipulation of mana created an air of intrigue.

I sensed her attempting something, a strange weaving of mana. The intentions behind her actions grew clearer as strands of mana moved with purpose. My grandmother's response was swift and resolute. She roared, "Enough!" Her powerful command dissipated the tendrils of mana, a testament to her formidable presence.

Exhaling a sigh, Celestine spoke as two fire elders cautiously advanced from opposite sides, closing in on us. "I'm sure you can feel it as well. Beyond the Gate, 'It' is coming, and once it does, you stand no chance." Her words hinted at a dire threat, one that weighed heavily upon my mind.

I instinctively took a step back, my gaze shifting between my grandmother, the ominously shimmering gate, and the trio of approaching adversaries. Unwanted reality settled in they were right. Whatever loomed beyond the Gate was formidable, capable of tearing an elder asunder. We had no hope against such a foe, let alone the encroaching fire dragon elders.

"So, join us. Why must we suffer in this eternal battle? What point is there to all of this?" Celestine's plea bore a sense of desperation.

Grandmother couldn't contain her disbelief. Her retort was laced with a blend of anger and frustration. "Have you lost your damn mind? Are you even listening to yourself? You are inviting the Shade bastards into our own land! Do you have any idea what you are doing?" Her reproachful gaze fell upon the two fire dragon elders. "What is the point? Have you no shame, calling yourselves Elders? Calling yourselves Dragons?"

Celestine shook her head, a hint of sympathy in her expression. "I thought you, of all people, would understand. You were expelled from the council; you know better than anyone how absurd this war is."

Grandmother scoffed, her disdain evident. "Absurd? You inviting those bastards into our homes is what's absurd!"

"We merely want peace. We want balance, true balance," Celestine argued.

Grandmother had heard enough. She decided to take matters into her own claws. "Enough of this charade. Come at me!"

With those words, she used her tail to nudge me in the direction of the gate. I heard her mental message loud and clear: "I'll hold them back for as long as I can! Try to stop the gate!"

There was no time for hesitation. As I desperately rushed toward the shimmering gate, the clash of titans erupted behind me. The sound was deafening, and a blinding flash briefly overwhelmed my vision. Amid the chaos, I stole a glimpse of the battle. Grandmother had managed to push all three elders off the island, and they faced each other in the sky. The two fire dragon elders blazed like living infernos, while Celestine's skin appeared to harden, giving her an impenetrable aspect. Grandmother, although appearing diminutive in stature, emanated an aura of towering strength.

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I watched her battle with awe but knew I had no time to lose. The gate shimmered as if someone or something were attempting to force their way through. Time was running out, and the cosmic mana at my disposal was my last hope.

"Damn it!" I cursed under my breath, the weight of responsibility heavy on my shoulders. With a deep breath, I reached out to the cosmic mana and prepared to act.

The familiar thread of cosmic mana descended once more, creating a connection that was stronger and more determined than before. I wasted no time and swiftly transformed into my three-headed Dragon form, knowing that my power would be needed for what lay ahead. With newfound resolve, I reached out to the cosmic mana contained within the gate.

However, in the midst of my focused concentration, a searing pain suddenly surged from my side, and I was sent hurtling through the air. I struggled to regain my composure, my vision clearing just enough for me to catch a glimpse of what had struck me a colossal black rock, its size comparable to a small mountain. The sheer force of the impact left me gasping for breath and dazed.

Groaning in pain, I glanced upwards and saw Celestine, who, despite being preoccupied with my grandmother, had managed to interfere with my attempt to control the gate. "Damn, that hurts!" I cursed under my breath, shaken by the unexpected assault. With gritted teeth, I pushed myself up from the ground and staggered back towards the gate.

I immediately summoned a protective bubble of water mana that enveloped me, and began to mend my wounds. The soothing effects of the water mana helped to alleviate the pain and enabled me to regain my focus. With renewed determination, I reached out to the cosmic mana within the gate once more.

"Stop!" Celestine's voice roared from a distance, her pleas echoing in my ears, but I paid no heed. Explosions and the sounds of fierce combat rang out around me, but I remained steadfast. I had faith in my grandmother's formidable abilities to keep the bastards at bay, just as she had faith in me to quell the chaotic forces at the gate. Together, we could do this!

My initial conviction wavered as the situation took a darker turn. It was as if a veil of unreality had been lifted, revealing an abominable monstrosity lurking behind the gate. The moment that grotesque arm pushed itself into our world, an oppressive aura descended, enveloping us in a maelstrom of dread and chaos. The very ground we stood on quivered and cracked under the sheer weight of its presence.

My grandmother, who had been fiercely battling the other dragons, now did so with mounting urgency as she sensed the dire threat that loomed before us. I, on the other hand, could only watch in horrified disbelief as the nightmarish entity beyond the gate revealed itself.

With a firm shake of my head, I forced myself to clear the fog of shock from my mind. We needed time, and I had to buy it. My eyes focused on the massive, disgusting obsidian arm that had ventured into our realm, serving as a grotesque foreboding of what lay beyond.

Determination surged through me, and without hesitation, I marshaled my cosmic mana into a lethal weapon. The power surged through me as I channeled it into a devastating assault against that abhorrent arm. To my surprise, the entity lurking on the other side of the gate appeared unfazed. It was as if it had not even registered the threat I posed, causing its colossal arm to inexplicably vanish from our world.

"Take that, you bastard!" I yelled in frustration, my voice a mixture of anger, fear, and determination.

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