Chapter 271-The Manga Pariah's Guide to Self-Salvation
A thousand miles away, Percy suddenly halted mid-step. His gaze pierced past the companions behind him, fixed on some point in the void.
"Percy, did you spot something?" Roy followed the direction of his stare.
"No, it's nothing. Let's go."
The northern district's walls had crumbled entirely, leaving only shattered ruins shivering in the wind. The culprit behind the destruction hadn't pressed further into the city, instead circling the outskirts like a vulture biding its time.
Three days ago, Roy had revealed his identity as a prince and posed as an envoy dispatched by the royal family, forcing the North District to send people to repel the monsters outside.
The plan had progressed smoothly. Bai Yi's raging flames left the dragons with nowhere to rest, and in less than a day, Sierra was forced to retreat under their combined assault.
Yesterday, following Bai Yi's guidance, they located the Dragon Bones' hiding place. After a grueling battle, they dispelled the Demonic Domain—but the moment they emerged from the underground palace, Sierra descended from the sky atop the Black Dragon.
Caleb was gravely wounded protecting them. Bai Yi and the North District's knights stood guard over the newly unearthed Dragon Bones, locked in a standoff with Sierra.
Percy and Roy rushed the critically injured Caleb back to the city. Once they confirmed Caleb was out of danger, they set out for the outskirts again.
"Roy, you said the Emperor has a way to destroy the Dragon Bones, but why hasn't he sent anyone to help us?"
"...Probably to avoid alerting Ye Zheng. Once the royal family gets involved, the Church can't possibly sit on the sidelines."
The two ran at full speed, their voices distorted in the howling wind.
"Sierra showed up in the North District with her dragon-kin. Ye Zheng must have received word long ago, yet the Church only sent a token force."
Percy said abruptly. Roy glanced at him, unsure what he was getting at.
"Are you worried Ye Zheng is the mantis stalking the cicada? That's her style, but we won't let her succeed—right?"
Their pace gradually slowed. Not far ahead, a Black Dragon burst from a hillside cave, its sharp, powerful claws dragging white bones behind it. The hill visibly trembled, and with the appearance of the pale remains, it seemed ready to collapse at any moment.
Percy drew the golden sword at his side, eyes locked on the scene ahead. "...I still think destroying them on the spot is the best solution."
"Percy, you can't be reckless! The Emperor said the Dragon Bones can't be damaged carelessly—"
Roy's urgent shout cut off mid-sentence.
"That sword of yours—what exactly is its origin?"
Nearby, dragons, marauders, and the North District's knights were tangled in chaos. A golden-haired youth had appeared before them without a sound.
"I was curious last time too. Why can't I nullify its damage?"
Sierra tilted her head. A weapon this powerful had to be forged from special metals, exotic beasts, or rare plants found in high-level Demonic Domains—all of which fell within the scope of her ability nullification.
Yet this sword showed no submission whatsoever before her power. It was infuriating.
In contrast to Sierra's casual air, Percy was wound tight as a bowstring, regarding his sudden adversary with the utmost wariness.
"If you're willing to take your people and leave, I'll tell you the origin of this sword."
Sierra clutched her stomach and burst out laughing. She stood on the scorched earth, arms spread wide, her face full of vicious provocation.
"Try hitting me with it a few more times."
Behind her, the hill collapsed with a thunderous roar. The Black Dragons landed beside her, white remains clenched in their jaws.
"That sword of yours is interesting. I'd like to be friends with it." And then crush it to pieces.
Percy closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. His right hand, gripping the sword, gradually merged with the blade itself.
"Sierra, I don't want to kill anyone. It's you who refuses to stop."
"I'll tell you where this sword comes from—consider it my parting gift."
The sword tip aimed at Sierra refracted a blinding light, flashing across her manic red pupils.
"It was the sword wielded by Hope five hundred years ago. It slew the Demon Dragon."
"It is the true Holy Sword."
The golden blade hummed. The wind across the open field seemed to freeze in that instant. The dragon-kin stared in unison at that brilliant golden gleam with their pitch-black eye sockets, so still that even their breathing seemed to vanish.
*
After half a day's journey, Ye Zheng and her entourage returned to the upper district. She sensed the prying, hostile gazes had disappeared—had the Emperor finally given up on the idiotic plan to assassinate her?
Or perhaps he'd deduced that she was collecting Dragon Bones and simply had no mood to deal with her personally for the time being.
She suddenly felt like paying him a visit, just to see what expression he'd wear and what honeyed words he could conjure up.
"Your Holiness, the Dragon Bones from the North District, they—they..."
The moment Ye Zheng stepped into the Papal Palace, a breathless young nun came running to deliver the latest news.
The nun was so flustered she couldn't find her words. Then a steady, firm hand gently pressed against her back. She looked up into Ye Zheng's composed gaze and instantly calmed.
"Your Holiness, the Dragon Bones from the North District have been taken—split between Sierra and that man surnamed Bai... the Bai criminal!"
Ye Zheng asked, "Split between them—what do you mean?"
"That man called Percy—no one knows where he got the power—he split the Dragon Bones in half with a single strike during the battle. Each side took one half."
"...I see."
So that sword wasn't merely divine in name—it truly possessed the legendary power to sever Dragon Bones.
"Thank you for your hard work. Go get some water first."
Ye Zheng patted the young nun on the shoulder and strode onward, a barely perceptible gravity settling over her features.
Margaret's power originated from a higher-dimensional world. If the Holy Sword could sever the Dragon Bones, it too must come from a higher dimension.
According to the memories of Marcy, the first Pope, the sword hadn't originally belonged to Hope. She was merely a girl from the countryside, blessed with the freakish strength to wield any weapon.
The Holy Sword and the divine blood—in all likelihood, they belonged to the Emperor: Aston XIV, from five hundred years ago.
Given the Holy Sword's power, Ye Zheng knew the Emperor well enough to be certain he'd never willingly hand it over.
That left only one possibility: he himself was unable to use the Holy Sword.
Percy might not possess superhuman strength, but his ability [Metal Transmutation] let him manipulate any metal at will—as if he'd been born to wield the Holy Sword.
Ye Zheng walked to the deserted garden, her gaze filtering through gaps in the branches to the brilliant sunlight.
The Demon Dragon's skull in the East District. The spinal column in the West District. The left bone wing in the South District. The torso in the North District. The right bone wing in the Central District...
And Margaret's ashes, scattered across the East District.
With that, all the Dragon Bones had surfaced.
Ye Zheng let out a soft sigh.
The Emperor already knew she was secretly collecting Dragon Bones. He'd likely guessed her aim of resurrecting Margaret, and would do everything in his power to stop her.
Percy's fusion with the Holy Sword was growing stronger by the day. Given enough time, it was entirely possible he'd gain the power to destroy the Dragon Bones outright.
But none of that was what worried Ye Zheng the most.
She was confident she could seize all the Dragon Bones back to her base in the short term. No matter how fast Percy grew, he couldn't keep pace with her.
The question was: what about the ashes, fused so deeply into the very soil of the East District?
Ye Zheng held her head tilted upward. Suddenly, a cool drop landed on her cheek. She lowered her head and reached up to touch her face.
One raindrop after another filtered through the dense canopy and fell upon Ye Zheng's dark hair.
Head bowed, Ye Zheng suddenly smiled.
Summer was approaching. The weather grew increasingly capricious—storms arriving on a whim, pouring out their torrents with abandon before yielding a sky of pristine clarity.
Ye Zheng loved the world after the rain.
Limpid, renewed—every sin and secret washed clean, all light and justice free to bare themselves without fear.
She longed to bring down just such a rain.
*
Author's Note:
Forum time tomorrow, gogogo
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