I ended up saving an elf girl nad Lara, who was being attacked by a monster.
She was the first mber of a race I had encountered since arriving in this world, and she embodied every classic fantasy trope. Just like in the gas, the elves had long, pointed ears, and nearly all of them were strikingly beautiful.
According to the Observer's advice, they utilized a form of magic known as "spirit magic." It was a discipline where one contracted with higher beings of the natural world—spirits—to wield their power. The stronger the contracted spirit, the more potent the magic they could manifest.
A gentle breeze brushed against my face.
Since outsiders were forbidden from entering the village, Lara had been bringing food from the settlent every day.
She was a truly kind-hearted girl.
Lara told that deep within the Mist Forest lay an elven kingdom, a society living almost entirely secluded from the rest of the world. A massive barrier protected the realm, aning only those with explicit permission could navigate the Mist Forest and enter the land of the elves.
The nation was ruled by a young elf queen nad Alusia. According to Lara, she possessed a gentle, feminine nature and never spoke harshly to anyone, regardless of their status.
She was deeply loved and respected by her people.
"But why are you in a place like this, sir knight?"
It seed Lara had seen the spear resting beside and mistaken for a knight.
"I just thought... becoming one with nature has its own charm. When the body and mind align, one can find true inner peace..."
At my overly profound and awkward explanation, Lara let out a small hum and propped her chin on her finger, looking puzzled.
"Well, it's basically just ditation."
Ti flowed on until the sun dipped below the horizon and a dreamlike moon ascended. The moonlight and the shimring Milky Way stretched across the firmant, creating a magnificent spectacle.
As expected, I didn't recognize a single constellation.
"Hm?"
As I stared blankly at the night sky, the Observer's voice echoed in my mind.
"Warning. A human force is marching toward this location."
A human army?
This place was shrouded in mist on all sides, and without the elves' permission, passing through the barrier was supposed to be impossible.
It seed soone among the elves had betrayed their own and sided with the humans, letting the army in from the inside.
What should I do? They were humans. Against other humans...
Until now, I had killed monsters without hesitation, but these were people. Still, I couldn't simply stand by and watch lives be snuffed out before my eyes.
What is the right thing to do?
As I stood there agonizing over the decision, a scream pierced the air.
"Help !!"
The mont I heard that voice, my body moved before my mind could even process the thought.
***
The kingdom's knights fought desperately against the sudden human ambush, but the enemy numbers were overwhelming. The defensive line collapsed under the sheer weight of the assault, and the human forces poured in like a crashing waterfall.
"Fall back!!"
They fled in terror, but many were overtaken. Lara was captured, snagged by a lasso thrown by one of the knights.
Lara and her family were quickly surrounded by the human army.
"No... please!"
Tears stread down the young girl's face. Blood sprayed across the grass, and piercing screams tore through the air. The forest itself seed to wail in agony. Just as everyone succumbed to despair, the girl on the brink of death prayed with all her soul.
She prayed for soone—anyone—to save them.
And then, it happened.
Squelch—!!!
A massive spear tore through the air, skewering several knights and their armor in a single strike.
Standing behind the fallen was a knight with striking red and white hair.
The red knight gave Lara a brief, reassuring glance before stepping forward.
The human knights charged him in a frenzy, but the red knight simply leveled his spear. A burst of red magic erupted from the tip; the first knight struck was incinerated instantly, and the flas leaped from one soldier to the next. Strangely, the fire consud only the n, leaving the surrounding forest completely untouched.
The versatile attacks unleashed from the spear swept through the humans like autumn leaves in a storm. A single thrust pierced through them effortlessly; even those who attempted to block with shields or heavy armor were mocked as the spear tore straight through their defenses.
Nothing could halt his leisurely advance.
"R-run! Retreat!!"
The commanding officer, tears and snot streaming down his face, ordered a desperate retreat to save his own skin. But the red knight didn't move. He simply infused his spear with mana, condensing a massive amount of energy at the tip to fire a colossal magical cannon.
"Pendrigan's Glory."
BOOM!!
A blinding red flash and a pillar of light swallowed the fleeing knights whole. In an instant, they vanished without a trace.
The sight of him dominating the battlefield with that enormous spear was nothing short of heroic.
Yet, it wasn't the flashy heroism of a typical protagonist. There was a stern, unapproachable dignity in his disciplined movents—a regal presence that demanded submission.
Having single-handedly annihilated the army that dared attack the elven kingdom, he looked like a knight stepped straight out of a myth.
He spared only one soldier to demand an answer: why had they invaded the forest to kidnap the elves?
The soldier shrieked in terror.
"T-to sell them as slaves!! Elves fetch a fortune because of their beauty and long lifespans!!"
The mont I heard those words, my heart turned to ice.
They hadn't attacked because of a political dispute or a prior provocation. They were kidnapping people simply because they were profitable, and the soldier even had the audacity to ntion that young elves fetched an even higher price.
"Who gave the order?"
"T-the King!!"
"I see... then die."
With those final words, I ended the soldier's life.
***
The human invasion ended in a decisive victory for the elven kingdom. Every elf expressed their profound reverence and gratitude toward the red knight. Queen Alusia herself bowed her head, wishing to reward the benefactor who had saved her people.
She was a breathtaking woman with long golden hair and erald eyes. According to the villagers, she was a high elf, a being superior to the common elf. Despite her revealing attire that exposed her midriff and cleavage, I sought nothing from her.
"I only returned a kindness," I replied.
With a sharp jawline, a straight nose, and clear erald eyes paired with red and white hair, I was exceptionally handso even by the strict beauty standards of the elves.
"And I am not human."
As I spoke, my form began to shift. My body expanded rapidly, transforming into a massive red fra with wings so vast they eclipsed the forest. A golden horn sprouted from the bridge of my snout.
They had assud I was a human wielding powerful magic, but the truth was far more shocking. I was a dragon.
No, comparing to a re dragon felt like an insult. My presence was on par with the True Dragons—the four supre beings of this world.
The sheer pressure of my aura felt like it could crush the life out of them, yet for so reason, the elves felt only awe and respect.
"Until we et again."
Leaving the Mist Forest, I retraced the path of the human army and arrived in the skies above their capital. Even if the forest was safe for now, I knew that humans with malicious intent would eventually return.
I should handle this thoroughly.
I made my presence known with a casual display of power.
"Who is it?! Who dares cause a disturbance in my kingdom!!"
A thunderous shout rang out as the king appeared, flanked by his entire army. The soldiers stood in perfect formation, national banners fluttering in the wind. Every siege engine was aid at , and court magicians were frantically deploying barrier magic. At the center of the formation stood the king, shielded by his elite guard.
"So you finally show your thick-skinned face."
Rumble...
The sky darkened abruptly. A chilling, obsidian mist veiled the heavens. Seeing this, the king activated his ultimate defensive magic.
It was a barrier so sturdy that it was said to withstand a falling teor. The king wore a smug expression, convinced that not even a dragon could pierce his defense.
I looked down at him as if he were a re insect. Then, I spread my wings to cover the horizon, soared to the apex of the sky, and dove straight toward the castle.
"[Draconic Impact]."
KWA-BOOOOM!!!!
My body, wreathed in the heat of atmospheric friction, beca a colossal mass of kinetic energy. I shattered the king's "invincible" barrier in a single heartbeat.
"W-wh... what...?"
The defense he had boasted about shattered like a pane of glass. The soldiers and magicians were incinerated instantly.
As the smoke cleared, I brought my massive eye level with the king. Overco by primal terror, the king lost control of his bladder and fainted on the spot.
"Tell your people this: if you ever target the elves again... I will erase this entire nation from the map."
With that warning, I vanished. The king never truly recovered from the shock; the long-oppressed citizens eventually rose in rebellion, overthrew him, and installed a new ruler, gradually stabilizing the land.
—And through this incident, a massive surge of magic was detected, signaling the birth of a new draconic lineage. Two Primordial Demon Lords and one True Dragon began their pursuit of this new existence...
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