Chapter 31: Drastic Measure

One of the Dragons shouted.

“We’re already perfect, so we don’t need that kind of—… Gwahk!”

The bold cry soon turned into the squeal of a slaughtered pig.

“If you were perfect, you wouldn’t be making those sounds after just getting hit like this.”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The Heavenly Palace trembled.

Dragons were slammed to the ground by my hand, and I ran rampant over them, gripping both fists tightly.

“Unfortunately, I can’t help you with your magic resistance. But don’t worry. For your perfection, I’ll keep pounding you until you achieve complete immunity, not just physical resistance. If you want to die, that means you don’t want to be perfect, so bite your tongue and just drop dead.”

Hahaha. I left you to solve it on your own, but still…

Inside the nest that looked like a plain, the Lord, watching everything outside the Heavenly Palace through a scrying spell, let out a dry chuckle.

“That’s quite an extreme solution.”

Next to the Lord, Thrall watched the scene with a stern expression and looked at Owen.

“Lord.”

“Hm? Why do you call me, child?”

“You said I became a traitor because I couldn’t use magic.”

“That’s right. Even in the Prophecy, you ultimately became hostile to us.”

“Then isn’t it right for me to die, after all?”

Thrall had been unable to use magic since birth.

He was constantly mocked by other Dragons of his age for being imperfect, and was told that one day, the others would execute him if things continued.

And several years ago, the Lord, who could see the End of the World, received a Prophecy.

The Lord’s Prophecy was granted by the Star God, one of the four Supreme Deities who created the world.

Whenever a Prophecy descends, all Dragons in the Heavenly Palace feel its power.

All the Dragons gathered at the center of the Heavenly Palace to hear the Lord’s Prophecy.

But shockingly, what came from the Lord’s mouth was not the End of the World, but the Extinction of Dragons.

“So in the end, you drove everyone to death, right? Is it okay for someone like me to be given a chance to live?”

The Lord gazed quietly at Thrall.

In his eyes, an indescribable bitterness lingered.

“Child. There is something I must confess.”

As if steeling himself, the Lord’s lips parted calmly.

“That Prophecy would only be fulfilled if you left the Heavenly Palace.”

“…What?”

With composure, he revealed that he himself had pulled the trigger for the Dragons’ extinction.

I’ve always had a tendency to speak harshly.

No matter who the other party is, I never hold back.

That’s why Ryuk always had a hard time trying to cover my mouth in the past.

Every time we drank together, he’d start off with, ‘Because of you, I—!’ so it was for sure.

Those were some truly nostalgic memories.

“Any more Dragons who want to wrestle with me?”

All the Dragons who tried to face me in front of the Heavenly Palace were sprawled on the ground.

Some had broken arms, others missing legs, one had lost an eye, and there was even a Dragon with his wings torn off.

The state of these Dragons was the result of my so-called training to build their endurance and make them perfect.

“At this point, I’d like to think that even the most foolish of you would understand why I beat you this badly. What do you think?”

Some of the Dragons trembled and tried to stand.

“W-We won’t surrender to mere pain like this.”

“To pursue perfection, cough… overcoming this much is just another trial.”

I unconsciously clapped my hands.

“Wow, you’re really something. Truly impressive. Even after being beaten like that, you don’t even pretend to listen to what others say. Among all the Dragons I’ve thrashed, your conviction is the strongest.”

But if I put it differently, having strong conviction means you’re a dictator who sees nothing but your own beliefs.

Of course, I know where that dictatorial streak comes from.

The Dragons’ low self-esteem.

But just knowing that didn’t mean I could stop.

I understand—it’s not easy to deny thousands of years of their own existence, but on the other hand, that means they’ve been stuck in stagnation for thousands of years.

No wonder the Demon King, let alone just the Dragon King of Destruction, slaughters them so easily.

In old plays, Dragons always looked so cool and powerful, but in reality, this is their sorry state.

I decided to give them one last choice.

“Your old traditions and ideologies aren’t my concern. If you want to stick to them to the end, go ahead. I won’t stop you.”

I plunged the Holy Sword into the ground and spread my arms wide.

“But in exchange, there will be a price.”

“What price?”

Ignoring the Dragons’ questions, I looked up at the sky.

“Owen, the Hero, earnestly offers his prayer. If you hear this prayer, please answer.”

Boom!

Suddenly, a heavy pressure seemed to crush the air around us.

A pain that shattered both body and bone, and a suffocating emptiness pressed down on us.

“W-What is this…?!”

For the first time, the silent Dragons showed startled expressions.

This intense pressure wasn’t just felt by me, but by every Dragon in the Heavenly Palace.

Even the Dragon Lord, who was surely watching.

I saw the once-clear sky begin to turn black.

And from the darkened heavens, pure white pillars descended.

Three pillars crashed down from the sky to the earth in an instant, marked by nothing but their immaculate whiteness.

[O mighty warrior, do you desire the punishment of fire?]

[Weary adversary, do you seek judgment?]

[Charging saint, do you require the biting wind?]

One thing was certain—at the end of these pillars were the very Trinity Gods with whom I had made a Contract.

“Temple of All Gods?”

One of the Dragons realized what was happening and fell to his knees.

When I looked around, I saw that none of them retained their draconic forms.

They had all polymorphed into human shape, bowing their heads in front of the pillars of the Temple of All Gods.

It might seem like an overreaction, but it’s only natural.

It was no different from standing before the very Supreme Deities who had created their ancestors.

Ignoring them, I answered the gods’ questions with one of my own.

“I wish to ask the Trinity Gods something. It’s important enough to call you here directly.”

[We have seen.]

[We understand.]

[We have heard.]

The Trinity Gods each replied, then spoke in unison.

[Do the Dragons of today deserve the title of Guardian?]

“…You always know exactly how I feel, don’t you?”

[We have spent time together.]

The moment I heard that, I realized the Trinity Gods already knew my time had been reversed.

Well, of course.

It wouldn’t make sense otherwise.

Even though I’d been spending Blessings so carelessly, I hadn’t felt any true sense of crisis—because my Contract with the gods was still valid.

And as long as that Contract remained, the gods would watch my every move without missing a thing.

Truly, they’re stalkers watching me from the heavens 24/7.

I spoke to the Dragons kneeling before me.

“Right now, you have two choices. One is to cling to your idea of perfection and, in return, lose both your duty as Guardians and the title of Dragon. The other is to admit the sin you’ve committed and start over from the beginning.”

No one answered, and for a moment, I thought the silence would continue. But then, one Dragon raised his hand.

“You there, the one with your hand up. Speak.”

“Even if we do start over, we don’t know how or where to begin.”

I wanted to scold him with, “Why ask me that?” but since I was the one who let things get this bad, I held my tongue.

If you give someone a disease, you should give them the cure, too. Otherwise, you’re just a wicked necromancer who leaves after spreading the plague.

“I’ll mention to the Lord that you want another chance. Ask him directly later.”

The root of the Dragons’ problem could be solved if they learned how to build their self-esteem.

It’s not something that would be resolved quickly anyway, so there was no need to rush.

Another Dragon raised his hand.

“You there, what’s your question?”

“What if we don’t accept your proposal and refuse to change? What does it mean to no longer be a Dragon…?”

Maybe it’s because they’ve spent their whole lives cooped up in the Heavenly Palace, but they really are slow to understand.

I looked around at the other Dragons.

“Are the rest of you wondering the same thing?”

Even though they didn’t speak, most Dragons couldn’t hide their curiosity.

So they were genuinely curious.

Realizing this, I scowled and answered.

“In front of the Temple of All Gods, after the Supreme Deities themselves have questioned your worthiness as Guardians, you sure are brazen. I bet the Lord, holed up in his cave, must be bright red with embarrassment right now.”

The Dragon who had asked brazenly replied,

“That doesn’t matter. No matter how perfect we are, we could never be like the Supreme Deities. Even if it’s us, if the gods speak, then we accept it without question.”

Then he fell silent.

He seemed to be boiling with anger, but didn’t know where to direct it, so he just stood there as the shameless Dragon spoke again.

“If the gods judge us unworthy, I will humbly accept it.”

“…So in other words, you can’t let go of what you believe. Is that it?”

“That’s right.”

“Then why not say that from the beginning instead of asking strange questions?”

“We just wanted to know what would happen if we insisted on keeping it to the end.”

After hearing this much, I saw no reason to remain rational.

“Ha, fine. Okay. I won’t ask anymore. I’ll show you the answer.”

I grabbed the Holy Sword and strode toward the Dragon.

“Losing the title of Dragon doesn’t mean having your racial traits sealed or stolen. Even the Supreme Deities you say are more perfect than you can’t do that.”

Of course, to be precise, it’s because the Supreme Deities can’t directly interfere with this world by their own will, but there’s no reason to explain all that.

“So, losing the right to be a Guardian and the name of Dragon means this.”

Clang!

As if it were nothing, I walked up and swung the Holy Sword, slicing the Dragon’s head off with a single blow.

The Dragon’s face twisted in shock as it fell to the ground, and without hesitation, I smashed that hideous face with my sword.

“The rest of you, make your choice.”

“Will you end up like this? Or will you start over?”

At my declaration, the atmosphere of the Heavenly Palace grew heavy.

I looked at that oppressive mood and asked,

“This execution was carried out before the Trinity Gods. Unless you wear your heads as mere ornaments, you should know what that means.”

The Trinity Gods had given a mere lowly human, not even their own Hand, but one who only received their Blessing, the authority to execute a Dragon.

And that meant their beliefs were dangerous enough for the gods to allow it.

“Hic! Hiccup!”

A hiccup broke out among the Dragons, who had just been given an extreme remedy for the wounds that had festered for centuries since the dawn of the world.