Translator: Dreamscribe

The Magic Dragon dreamed of gold.

“......”

In the resplendently shining Arsilan, it believed that was the most precious treasure of all. To grasp every golden hue that had settled on this land, it sowed countless trials and created many myths.

It became Ella’s adversary.

“So truly....”

So truly fleeting.

The golden glow she had yearned for crumbled so utterly in vain.

Long ago, when the Golden Alliance appeared on this land, the brilliantly shining golden forces were swallowed by Erosion, lost their color, and fell into corruption.

They vanished, broken so pitifully and easily.

That which the great Magic Dragon had so desperately desired amounted to no more than that.

“What a childish farce.”

Helby stood above Evanth, looking down at the battlefield.

The Heroes hurled themselves into the army of Erosion to protect Evanth. Their bodies, glowing with golden emblems, turned to ash and vanished.

There wasn’t a trace of hesitation in their actions.

Though it's clearly staged...

Though it's just a childish play...

Helby clenched her fist. Her body was trembling slightly. The sight of the Lord of Erosion, the Core, on the fields of Evanth was etched into her soul and could never be erased.

Fear, terror, despair, and resignation.

The memories she had desperately tried to forget were now standing right before her eyes.

She had chosen to run away, hoping that her soul would shrivel to the point of feeling nothing. That way, when Erosion devoured her soul, the pain would be lessened.

She would never raise her head again as one who was defeated. She would not participate in this childish play.

That’s what she had thought.

“Hoo.”

Evanth was collapsing. The streets she had once walked was crumbling, buildings were engulfed in flames. The bench she once sat on while mocking the foolish Heroes had vanished.

‘...Let’s go back.’

Helby turned her gaze away.

"Ahhh! No!"

“The Platinum Coin Shop!”

“Where’s Helby nim?”

Heroes with horns on their heads shrieked at the half-collapsed Platinum Coin Shop. As if searching for someone, they quickly scanned the inside of the ruined shop.

“She’s not here!”

“Where is she?!”

Helby turned her back and began to leave Evanth, then stopped.

Tsk!

She clicked her tongue, sighed, and descended to the ground. Though it had collapsed, the Platinum Coin Shop was still her domain.

“Idiots, are they here to loot my shop in the middle of a war?”

“Helby nim!”

“We finally found you!”

Letting out a sigh of relief, the Heroes rushed to her quickly.

“Helby nim! Hurry, evacuate to the Church!”

“You can’t stay here! It's chaos right now! They're swarming in like a black tide!"

Helby folded her arms and let out a dry laugh.

“As if I’d go to some Church-”

“Uh, uh-oh! Crap! Th-they’re coming!”

“Excuse me!”

A Hero scooped Helby up under the arm and started sprinting forward.

Helby blinked.

She had heard there was a sacred restriction that prevented anyone from handling beings of Arsilan without permission, yet these damn fools were carrying her like luggage.

The mage had clearly lied to her.

Thinking this, she scowled.

Kwagagaga!

KWAANG!

The black masses falling from the sky pierced through buildings effortlessly and scorched everything around them. From within those dark masses, soldiers corrupted by Erosion poured out and began to swarm.

“This is insane!”

“I’ll draw their attention! Run to the church!”

“Got it!”

The Heroes, despite their weakness, were desperate.

They hurled themselves at the Erosion soldiers to divert their attention. Helby captured that scene in her gaze. One Hero, caught by an Erosion soldier, looked at Helby and grinned.

Chuk!

He gave a thumbs-up, then turned to ash and vanished.

Helby's pupils trembled slightly.

“That idiot... doing something so pointless.”

"Because we love you so much!"

“What?”

“Helby nim, you’re our dream! Half-human, half-dragon! Kya! That’s just irresistible!”

At that moment, strangely, the trembling in her body began to subside.

Helby examined the Hero holding her.

Through the ring, his information window appeared.

[Lv.11] Hellhound

Guild: Helby Lovers Group

Race: Human

Gender: Male

Position: Guild Master

'Protecting their beloved is what it means to be a hero!'

He was the one who pestered her every single day at the Platinum Coin Shop, a truly tiresome guy.

“Ha....”

“Helby nim, we’re almost there! The Saintess is at the church, and there are lots of Heroes too...!”

“Stupid mutt.”

“Yes?”

“Listen carefully.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

The hero carried Helby in his arms and began sprinting with all his might.

Helby calmly stared at his stupid face.

“Huff! Huff!”

He barely reached the church after running like mad.

In front of the church, the Saintess and the clerics were deploying sacred techniques, and behind them stood the Arsilans unable to fight. And before all of them stood many Heroes guarding the entrance.

“Stay here!”

Hellhound set Helby down inside and quickly ran off to join the line of Heroes.

Kwagaga!

Kwagang!

Black masses fell from the sky, blatantly targeting the church.

Striking where it hurts most to induce despair.

A tactic Erosion frequently used. Souls gripped by fear were easier to corrupt.

Erosion soldiers began to flood the streets.

“Hold the line!”

“We must protect the church at all costs!”

The Erosion soldiers were once elite forces of the Golden Alliance. Though they weren’t fully recreated due to computational limits, they were still tremendously threatening.

Helby took a deep breath.

The nearby Arsilans weren’t enjoying this.

They all looked at the Heroes with anxious eyes.

Just who was deceiving whom?

It felt laughable.

But it wasn’t that the scene itself was funny. Her tail too trembled as if agitated.

“Ugh!”

Hellhound was struck in the head with a club.

Clang!

The horns he wore fell to the ground. He staggered and tried to rise but collapsed again. Right beside him, an Erosion soldier raised a club toward him.

“......”

The trembling that had plagued Helby’s body stopped entirely.

Then it happened.

The Erosion soldier who had been about to swing the weapon froze. The advancing army toward the church stumbled backward, taking a step away. They were pushed back by an overwhelming, wave-like pressure.

Hellhound and the Heroes turned their heads to look behind them.

Helby walked forward past the sacred barrier.

Her eyes had become the eyes of a dragon, slitted and fierce, and her face contorted savagely. From her mouth flowed a current of energy like starlight.

“Helby nim?”

Helby slowly stepped up in front of Hellhound and picked up the fallen horns.

[-] Helby’s Horn

Can be worn in place of a hat.

Price: 10 Platinum Coins

“Stupid mutt, wear a helmet instead of junk like this.”

Helby looked at Hellhound, placed the horns on his head, and walked forward. She passed the line of Heroes and stood before the Erosion soldiers.

Fweeeeee!

Multiple black masses drew arcs in the sky, flying toward Evanth.

She turned her head to glance at the church.

She sensed the presence of the mage preparing something.

“Hoo.”

I can’t let you be the only one with a cool entrance.

“I am Hella Violani Urshig, the Magic Dragon.”

I'll take it away like a true dragon. Because that's my nature.

So then.

[Kneel.]

The Erosion soldiers that had filled the streets began to tremble, then dropped to their knees on the ground.

“And now....”

Fweeeeee!

Helby opened her mouth. Starlight swirled, forming a current that resembled a galaxy.

“Die!”

The starlight exploded.

Like a supernova detonating, an immense light burst forward with massive energy.

Kwagagagaga!

There was no stopping it.

It could not be resisted. It simply swept everything away. The massive energy surged forward, vaporizing not only the Erosion soldiers but also the ground and surrounding buildings.

It stretched far ahead and then soared upward.

Paaaaah!

The starlight split into many branches and obliterated the incoming black masses in the sky. At the overwhelming spectacle, Hellhound’s mouth dropped open, and the Heroes were left with dazed expressions.

Was it because the Magic Tower had drained too much magic power? Perhaps it was due to the lack of computational power, leading to excessive magical consumption.

Helby’s body staggered and tilted toward the ground.

Just as she was about to collapse, someone caught her.

“Leon nim!”

“Woooow!”

“Leon nim...!”

It was Leon, wearing a surprised expression.

Seeing his face, Helby let out a small laugh.

“I finally stole something of yours. Surprised?”

“Geez....”

‘I had a dramatic entrance planned too....’

Leon murmured just loud enough for only Helby to hear, then chuckled.

“I’ll lend a hand. But let me make this clear, I’m not acknowledging anything.”

“So... a compromise?”

“Yeah.”

When Leon extended his hand, Helby stared at it blankly, then turned her head and took it. In that moment, Helby transferred all her abilities to the Magic Tower.

The streets were once again filling with Erosion soldiers.

Leon drew his sword.

“The situation is not looking good.”

The Heroes gathered around Leon.

“...You lot join the battlefield. I’ll hold this place. Go.”

At Helby’s words, Leon and the Heroes all looked at her.

“For Arsilan.”

Leon said, looking toward Helby. The eyes of all the Heroes focused on her. Helby’s brow twitched.

She let out a sigh and parted her lips.

“Yes. For Arsilan.”

At Helby’s words, Leon smiled brightly and nodded.

“For Arsilan!”

“Uwaaaa! Let’s go!”

The Heroes shouted as one and rushed into the battlefield.

Helby watched them go, then stepped back.

“Hmph.”

What a truly childish play.

Fweee!

A warm energy wrapped around Helby.

Her eyes widened.

A golden emblem was shimmered on her chest, and golden light began to flow from her galaxy-like horns.

“So this was all it took..., how foolish.”

For the first time, the Magic Dragon grasped the golden light.

She turned her head and looked toward the church.

Ella, you stupid bitch.

This is my victory.

Helby, at the edge of Erosion, had claimed victory.