The Brutal Truth of Ravenrafall

“That person must be the ancestor of the Kingdom of Ravenraphael, right?”

Recalling the Ancient Dragon’s last words to her, Phini had little difficulty identifying the individual. It was highly probable that he was the ancestor of Ravenraphael, the very King who achieved legendary status by slaying the dragon.

“How do you know that?!”

Upon hearing Phini’s speculation, Renard looked at her with an astonished expression. After all, this particular secret was an enigma wrapped in mystery, something an ordinary outsider could never possibly uncover.

“Don’t concern yourself with how I know. Just continue.” Phini waved her hand, dismissing Renard’s shock and signaling for him to proceed.

She felt it was not yet the right time to discuss her conversation with the dragon. Her intuition whispered that the village’s curse was likely connected to Renard himself. No, more accurately, it was probably linked to Renard’s ancestors and the legendary hero who had vanquished the dragon here in the distant past.

“As you suspected, my family divulged the entire secret to one person. That person was the first King of Ravenraphael—the very hero who ‘slew’ the evil dragon.” Renard paused mid-sentence. He closed his eyes, continuing in a tone laced with regret.

“So, the reason the dragon was called ‘evil’… I suppose that is the crux of everything,” Phini mused.

Considering the Ancient Dragon’s demeanor toward humans, and then recalling why the ghouls feared the Ash Mountain created by the beast’s dying breath, Phini naturally grasped the profound contradiction. The core of the secret, she surmised, most likely revolved around the dragon’s true nature.

“The ‘evil dragon’ was merely an excuse Ravenraphael’s ancestor used to conceal his own crimes,” Renard confirmed.

“Indeed…”

“The so-called evil dragon was actually an Ancient Dragon named Bahazard, a kin of the Four-Sided Kings who guarded this southern land…”

“And the King of Ravenraphael desired what Bahazard protected.” Phini pieced together the general outline. “I imagine Bahazard refused to give that item to him, so the King, in a fit of rage and humiliation, killed Bahazard?”

“No. The King of Ravenraphael successfully deceived Bahazard and persuaded him to hand over the secret he guarded.”

“Then, after obtaining the secret, the King of Ravenraphael betrayed Bahazard and killed him?”

“…”

“You’re not speaking, so I’m guessing I’m correct?” Seeing Renard offer no reply, a cold smile flickered across Phini’s face.

If it truly happened as she imagined, then the actions of Ravenraphael’s ancestor were indeed more heartless than those of the man she hunted. Bahazard had already given him the secret he guarded, yet the King still did not spare the beast.

“Yes… My family truly regrets telling that person the secret. After that King obtained the artifact—the Fang of Mirudyas—” Renard hesitated for a moment. Perhaps he felt he had to speak it aloud to earn Phini’s trust. “That person then used the Fang of Mirudyas to brutally slaughter Bahazard!”

“Brutally slaughter?”

While Phini was intrigued by the item named the Fang of Mirudyas, she had heard two other words that captured her attention even more. According to the legends, Ravenraphael’s ancestor had paid a heavy price in a fierce battle to defeat the evil dragon. Yet, Renard used the words ‘brutally slaughter’ to describe it.

What did that imply? Phini knew the concept well. A hard-fought battle and a one-sided slaughter were two entirely different notions. If the King had truly ended Bahazard in such a merciless manner, then…

“Yes, brutally slaughtered! Bahazard was practically defenseless when he was massacred by Ravenraphael’s ancestor.”

“Then the legend?”

“That’s the main point I’m about to make… Ngh?!”

Just as Renard was halfway through his explanation, a sharp arrow silently bypassed Phini and plunged directly into his chest.

“Renard?!”

Seeing the arrow pierce the healer, Phini gasped in alarm and swiftly turned her head. But what met her eyes was utter darkness. She saw no one. Not even the shadow of a wandering ghoul.

“Cough, cough, cough…”

As Phini turned back, the arrow-struck Renard coughed violently. A mouthful of pus-filled blood spewed from his lips.

“Are you alright?” Phini meticulously scanned her surroundings. Only after confirming no one was in immediate melee range did she hurry forward to support Renard.

“Cough, cough, cough…” Renard’s bloody hacking was her only reply.

“Poisoned?” As if sensing something amiss, Phini immediately reached out and touched a little of the blood oozing from the wound.

Upon seeing the blood on her fingers turn black, Phini instantly understood why Renard couldn’t speak.

“Hold on!” Realizing the poison was fast-acting, Phini immediately supported his weight, intending to rush him toward his clinic.

“Cough, cough…”

Before Phini could take a step, Renard reached out and made a ‘no’ gesture, stopping her.

“?” Phini looked at him with profound confusion, entirely bewildered as to why he would refuse help.

“It’s useless…” Seeing Phini look at him, Renard managed a bitter smile, painstakingly squeezing out those two words.

With that, Renard slowly closed his eyes, his strength spent. The entire process took mere seconds, giving Phini no time to react.

Renard was gone.

“…”

Feeling the life force drain completely from the young man she supported, Phini felt a helpless pang. She had witnessed another vibrant life leave her sight. Although Phini didn’t entirely trust him, he was, after all, one of her saviors. Without his treatment, Phini would not have recovered so quickly from the airship crash.

“It seems you were targeted a long time ago…”

Gently laying Renard’s corpse on the dirt, Phini slowly rose. She lowered her head and murmured to herself, her voice tinged with a hint of regret. Clearly, Renard’s every move had been under someone’s watch. And that person definitely did not want Renard to reveal the hidden truth about Bahazard and Ravenraphael’s ancestor. Thus, he had been silenced.

Moreover, this individual must have been lurking for a very long time to successfully kill Renard right before Phini’s eyes so silently.

“Are you truly not going to show yourself? I am, after all, half an insider now,” Phini sneered, coldly surveying the shadows. She shouted toward the seemingly empty street, using the truths she had just learned to lure out the assassin.

There was a response, but it came in the form of arrows gleaming with cold light. It seemed the assassin wanted to eliminate Phini as well.

“Are you underestimating me?”

Facing the volley, even though they flew silently, Phini simply raised her arm. Her flesh churned into black scales, and she used her sharp dragon claws to swat every single arrow out of the air.

“Monster!”

Perhaps witnessing Phini effortlessly block the projectiles with a demonic claw, a voice suddenly emerged from the dark, silent street.

“I thought you couldn’t speak.” Hearing the voice, Phini pinpointed the direction and half-jokingly retorted.

“Monster, though I don’t know where you came from, today…”

“If you wish to kill me, you’ll need to demonstrate some real skill.” Hearing the boastful words, Phini countered without the slightest politeness, casually batting away a few more arrows.

If these arrows were meant for ordinary people like Renard, they were highly effective. However, the assassin faced Phini, a being with scales as hard as a dragon’s. These ordinary weapons were clearly insufficient.

“Monster, do not get too carried away! Excessive arrogance only invites destruction!”

The assassin, having been mocked, felt she was too complacent. The voice shifted around Phini. Judging by the sound, Phini distinctly felt that the owner was somewhat at a loss against her defenses.

“But your arrows can’t even pierce the scales on my body~”

Faced with the ‘kind reminder,’ Phini’s expressionless face broke into a smile. Yes! Phini smiled! It was a smile that mocked the other party’s foolishness. Only the enemy’s utter incompetence could make her smile now.

“Hmph, it seems you want me to get serious!” The person hidden in the darkness snorted coldly, warning Phini not to be too proud.

“Oh, you’re going to get serious? Weren’t you serious all this time?” Phini feigned surprise.

“You will pay the price for your words and actions!”

The assassin, further provoked by Phini’s sarcasm, finally stepped out of hiding.

Seconds later…

“This is what you look like? Quite distinctive!”

Phini, who had been tracking the sound, instantly locked onto the figure. What met her eyes was a squat silhouette, barely four feet tall. This individual was not only diminutive but also remarkably round. At first glance, Phini thought she had encountered a dwarf—a creature she had only ever read about in novels.

“Monster, tonight is your doomsday!” Mocked by Phini once again, the dwarf glared furiously and slowly drew a melee weapon.

“With that? Without even a Holy Sword, what will you fight me with?”

Phini glanced at the dwarf’s blade. Seeing that it was not a Holy Sword, she quickly realized that the dwarf before her was not a Disaster Purger. If this assassin were a Purger, their weapon would undoubtedly be holy steel, not a standard enchanted sword, no matter how extraordinary its origin.