Chapter 84: Platinum Dragon Lord (Patreon)

While the plot unfolded in the Baharuth Empire, a faraway cavern of immense size echoed with a silence only disturbed by the soft, steady breaths of a dragon in deep slumber.

He was no ordinary dragon, but one of the strongest True Dragon Lords—a being of overwhelming power who had even slain players who were transferred to this world. 

Platinum-colored scales covered his body, shimmering faintly in the dim light, emanating an aura that instilled an undeniable sense of awe and dread in anyone who gazed upon him.

He was the son of the Dragon Emperor, over hundreds of years old, and one of the true rulers of this world, also known as the Platinum Dragon Lord. His true name was Tsaindorcus Vaision.

Months ago, he felt something gravely amiss in the capital of the Slane Theocracy.

To investigate, he had flown toward the capital in humanoid platinum armor formed from parts of his own body.

However, the sight that greeted him was not of the capital he remembered but one of devastation. 

The capital was in ruins and on the edge of complete destruction. Buildings were either crumbling or reduced to rubble, and the streets were marred by enormous footprints. 

Hardened pools of blood and lifeless bodies scattered across the ground painted a grim picture of the chaos that had unfolded. 

What troubled Tsaindorcus most was the lingering, foreign aura in the air.

It was an immense power, far beyond what he had expected. If it was magic, it wasn’t the kind the natives of this world wielded—it was something far more advanced. 

Nevertheless, Tsaindorcus instantly recognized it: this was the work of Tier Magic, the same type that the Eight Greed Kings had introduced to this world centuries ago. His vast experience and knowledge confirmed it—it was undoubtedly the work of a player.

A player brought the Slane Theocracy to the brink of ruin. Additionally, the Theocracy's most important figure, who should have been in sanctuary, was missing. There wasn’t even a trace of her presence.

“There is no sign of her dying here...”

He expanded his perception across the battlefield, searching for any sign of life. But even with his extraordinary abilities as a Dragon Lord, he found nothing. She appeared to have departed long before this devastation took place.

For a dragon of his caliber, whose perceptual abilities far exceeded those of lesser dragons, her absence was confirmation that she had fled far beyond his reach.

“The fact that there are no traces of her death means she must have escaped,” he muttered to himself. His mind whirred with questions. “A player caused all of this... but for what purpose? Was it simply for slaughter, or did they want to get the treasures of the Six Great Gods?”

Just as his thoughts deepened, Tsaindorcus sensed a powerful energy closing in on him. He turned his head, his sharp eyes locking onto the source of the presence. 

Before him stood a man with a neutral demeanor, familiar to the dragon. His long black hair flowed down to his shoulders, and his crimson eyes were trained on the Dragon Lord. In his hand he held a spear.

“You... Aren’t you the First Seat of the Black Scripture?”

“And you must be the Platinum Dragon Lord.” The man’s eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the dragon before him. This was not someone he expected to encounter in the midst of the ruined capital.

“Yes, I am,” the Dragon Lord replied. “Can you tell me what happened here?”

“You don’t know either?” The man’s voice carried a note of disbelief. “Does this mean it’s unrelated to you?”

“No,” the Platinum Dragon Lord replied thoughtfully. “But your words suggest it has something to do with me, does it not?”

The First Seat of the Black Scripture lowered his head, a grim expression darkening his features. 

“The disaster that the Six Great Gods foretold long ago... has finally come to pass.”

Instantly, Tsaindorcus’s eyes narrowed. 

“You mean to tell me that the prophecy of catastrophe left behind by Surshana, the God of Death, has been fulfilled?”

First Seat’s voice trembled as he responded, “Yes. I witnessed it with my own eyes.”

“Surshana’s prophesied calamity..." The Dragon Lord's voice trailed off.

The First Seat nodded. 

“A being of unimaginable power has descended. He called himself the ‘Dragon Demon God,’ but his true name is Aurelius Nova Lucifer. He suddenly appeared in the capital, summoned countless dragons, slaughtered the innocent, and destroyed everything in his path.” 

His voice grew hoarse as he recounted the horror. “And then...”

The man paused, his eyes lowered as though the weight of his next words was unbearable.

“Zesshi... is gone.”

“As I suspected. That’s why I couldn’t sense her presence.” 

The Platinum Dragon Lord’s tone was thoughtful but grave. 

“Tell me, what was the Dragon Demon God’s purpose in attacking the capital?”

“He said he came to take the Zesshi.”

“Why?"

The Platinum Dragon Lord’s expression darkened at those words, and he simply couldn't understand this reasoning.

Besides, the existence of the "Zesshi Zetsumei" should have been a well-guarded secret, known only to the True Dragon Lords and the highest leaders of the Slane Theocracy. 

How did the Dragon Demon God find out about her?

“This is troubling... Has word of her existence leaked to the outside world? Information about her should be known only to the True Dragon Lords and the top brass of the Slane Theocracy. How could the Dragon Demon God have learned of her?”

The First Seat of the Black Scripture shook his head helplessly. 

“I don’t know how he found out, but he spoke as if he knew for certain. I attacked him... but I was completely powerless. By the time I regained consciousness, Zesshi was gone. He must have taken her! He’s a monstrous being who slaughtered innocent people and stormed the capital without mercy. If only I had been stronger, I could have saved them all!”

Overwhelmed by the memory of his failure, the First Seat fell to his knees, and tears streamed down his face. He struck the ground with his fist, the impact so forceful that the skin on the back of his hand tore, leaving bloodstains on the earth. 

“I’ll look into it further,” the Platinum Dragon Lord said seriously.

After understanding what happened in the capital, he had no reason to stay.

Though the Slane Theocracy was an ally, the task of rebuilding the capital fell on them, and as an outsider, he had no right to interfere.

“Are you leaving?” the First Seat asked with a gloomy face.

“Yes. I must return to my domain. If the god of cataclysm has truly descended, worse things may yet be on the horizon. We must take action to prevent further disasters. I will confer with the other True Dragon Lords, and we will decide our next course of action. If the situation becomes clearer, we may need to forge an alliance.”

The First Seat nodded, his voice subdued. 

“Understood. I will not speak of this to anyone. I will await your next move, Platinum Dragon Lord.”

With that, the Platinum Dragon Lord nodded in acknowledgment and left the ruined capital behind, failing to notice the sneer that appeared on the First Seat’s face for a split second before vanishing as if it were an illusion.

Back to the present moment...

The Platinum Dragon Lord woke up from his slumber, and his massive body shifted ever so slightly. He had sensed a change in the air, a subtle disturbance that had reached him even in his deep sleep.

His eyes opened, piercing through the darkness like beams of daylight. Before him stood an old woman. 

She carried a fine sword at her waist, and the fact that she had come this far undetected spoke of her considerable skill. 

A mischievous smile crossed her wrinkled face, the kind reserved for those who had just pulled off a harmless prank.

“Long time no see, old friend,” she said, her voice tinged with amusement.

The Platinum Dragon Lord said nothing, his gaze fixed on the woman before him. Her hair, once as dark as night, had turned completely white, an indication of the many years she had lived. 

Yet despite her frail appearance, there was a vibrant, youthful energy about her that defied her age.

“What’s this? Has my dear old friend forgotten his manners?” she teased.  “Has the great dragon fallen victim to senility?”

At her playful jibe, the Platinum Dragon Lord let out a soft, rumbling laugh, baring his sharp teeth. 

“Hahaha... My apologies. It’s been so long since I’ve seen you, Rigrit.”