A Dangerous Proposition

“What is happening… Mofimod… this dragon…” Domu looked up in astonishment at the colossal black dragon relentlessly tearing at the magic barrier, then turned to the frowning Mofimod, a strange query on his lips.

“It’s one of my adversaries, I suppose, but it’s truly peculiar…” Mofimod gazed at the black dragon, whose scarlet eyes were fixed on him with an intense, hateful glare. “It should have been long dead… why is it here?” he murmured, a note of confusion in his voice.

“Please, terminate the duel immediately. This dragon is exceedingly dangerous, and we must escape from this place.” Hearing the rising clamor from the event venue, Domu fully grasped the immense power wielded by the black dragon overhead.

‘If it cannot be stopped, not only will everyone present be slaughtered, but even the entirety of Morgan City will be reduced to ruins. No… absolutely not. Soronna and Dora must not be endangered. We must get out of this barrier,’ Domu thought, consumed by anxiety.

“That is impossible,” Mofimod stated with a hint of regret in his voice. “The magic barrier can only be deactivated from the outside, via the magic barrier device. As I’ve already mentioned, if one of them is unfortunately damaged, the barrier cannot be shut down; we must simply await its energy depletion. However…”

“Mofimod! This black dragon could attack anyone at any moment! Is there truly no other way to dispel this barrier?” Domu exclaimed, his voice laced with urgency.

This world was unlike a game. The people in the venue were mere mortals, not respawning players or NPCs. Mr. Tule, Philly, Phil—all were ordinary individuals with a single life to live.

Seeing Mofimod, whose words seemed to hold a hidden meaning, Domu worried for everyone’s safety, his anxiety palpable. “Is there not?” he pressed on.

“Indeed, there are other methods to dismantle the barrier,” Mofimod replied, his furrowed brow smoothing out as if he had come to a realization. A faint smile touched his lips as he spoke to Domu. “However, Lord Domu, I fear this method might be unacceptable to you.”

“What is it?” Domu pressed.

“But… why should I save these people?” Mofimod’s gaze remained icy, yet his voice was utterly indifferent, uttering words Domu found incomprehensible. “This demon dragon is clearly here for revenge against me, and this magic barrier conveniently ensures my safety.

“If I am not mistaken, this new magic barrier can last at least ten days before its energy is exhausted. This means that within these ten days, this barrier is absolutely safe. Furthermore, after ten days, the Kingdom will undoubtedly dispatch other legion commanders to jointly suppress this demon dragon.

“So… why should I risk my life to fight this terrifying monster for people I do not care about?”

“Mo—Mofimod… how could you say that?” Domu stammered, disbelief coloring his tone. “If we wait ten days, the entire Morgan City will be destroyed by this demon dragon! These civilians are innocent, and aren’t you a legion commander of the Norachi Kingdom? Shouldn’t you be protecting everyone’s safety?”

Domu found it impossible to believe Mofimod’s words. Shouldn’t Mofimod be protecting the people of the Norachi Kingdom? Why would he… why would he say such callous things? Could Mofimod truly be someone who feared death and clung to life? How could this be? Domu thought, utterly astonished.

“The effort I put in to achieve my current status, Lord Domu, is something you could never imagine,” Mofimod said, straightening his posture. “Moreover, as the Second Legion Commander of the Norachi Kingdom, my duty is not to guard the common folk, but to protect the royal family. The only one I pledge allegiance to is the monarch of the Norachi Kingdom. As for the lives and deaths of these civilians, I do not concern myself.

“However… if Lord Domu requests it, I can tell you how to deactivate this magic barrier. But whether you can achieve it will depend on your strength.” Mofimod performed a respectful Norachi Kingdom military salute, the gesture of offering one’s heart, then smiled faintly at Domu and spoke.

“The method to deactivate this magic barrier is simple. One way is to find a matching magic barrier device and shut it down from the outside. However, if the magic barrier device is already damaged, then the magic barrier will activate a specific detection effect… if only a single life unit is detected within the magic barrier, the magic barrier will… self-deactivate. I wonder, Lord Domu, if you understand the implication?” If a poker-faced person suddenly smiled, it would likely startle many. Mofimod’s smile, however, was far more unsettling.

“You mean… if only one living creature remains inside the magic barrier… the barrier will automatically shut down?” Although Domu was somewhat dazed, he was not foolish. Upon hearing Mofimod’s explanation, he immediately grasped its meaning. This was… was this not too unreasonable?

“So now, Lord Domu, you have two choices. One is to safely wait with me inside this magic barrier until its energy is exhausted. I believe that with our combined strength, going without food for ten days should be no issue, correct? The second choice… is to fight with all your might against me!

“If you kill me, the barrier will naturally be dispelled, and I can assure you that the Norachi Kingdom will absolutely not retaliate against Lord Domu, as this would be an act of my own free will. However, after that, whether Lord Domu still possesses the strength to defeat the demon dragon remains unknown. And if Lord Domu unfortunately loses to me, then please, Lord Domu, spend ten wonderful days with me in this absolutely safe barrier, hahahaha.” Mofimod grasped the Rotten Dragon Blade at his waist, twirled it with several incredibly cool flourishes, and then pointed the blade at Domu, a smile playing on his lips.

“I will not kill you, Mofimod, nor will I duel you. However, I have a question I wish to ask,” Domu said softly, shaking his head, his gaze fixed on the Rotten Dragon Blade held before his face. “What happens if the maximum power this magic barrier can defend against—demigod-level strength—is exceeded?”

“Heh, does Lord Domu mean that if you wished, you could easily kill me? If you choose not to fight me, does Lord Domu believe you possess power beyond that of a demigod, capable of effortlessly tearing apart this magic barrier? How utterly ridiculous! Domu! You are truly the most arrogant man I have ever met in my life!” Domu’s words seemed to ignite Mofimod’s fury.

The Rotten Dragon Blade in Mofimod’s hand trembled incessantly. The very colors of the stage seemed to drain away, rapidly condensing onto the blade of the Rotten Dragon Blade. In an instant, the formerly plain gray longsword transformed into a shimmering, iridescent weapon.

“Pervert Uncle! What are you doing! Domu, are you alright!” Just as Mofimod was about to make a move against Domu, a girl’s voice echoed from outside the magic barrier.

A girl with pink twin pigtails, dressed in a white nun’s habit, was seen frantically running towards the stage. Behind her, a young mercenary followed, looking panicked as he tried to stop the pink-haired girl from approaching the stage.

It was Soronna, who had just returned, running towards the stage, while the young man behind her was Phil, whom Mr. Tule had sent to find Soronna. Phil now looked terrified, watching the black dragon relentlessly attacking the magic barrier.

However, due to his duty, he had no choice but to follow Soronna closely, constantly trying to prevent her from getting any closer to the magic barrier around the stage. The enraged black dragon was launching indiscriminate attacks against the entire stage’s barrier, and approaching it would mean being easily struck by the demon dragon’s terrifying power.

“Domu! Domu!” Soronna completely ignored Phil’s pleas from behind her. Her heart was solely fixed on Domu, who stood at the center of the stage. Upon seeing his figure, a sweet smile bloomed on Soronna’s face.

She ran towards the stage, calling Domu’s name. “Soronna! Don’t come here, it’s dangerous! Be careful!!!” Domu shouted, his voice filled with extreme worry, as he watched Soronna approach the stage, then glanced at the enraged black dragon on the magic barrier. But before Domu could finish speaking…

The scene that unfolded before Domu’s eyes was the black dragon spewing scorching flames from its mouth, and in an instant, Soronna’s figure was engulfed by the inferno.

No… please, no, Soronna… Soronna… Domu stood blankly on the stage, gazing at the burning sea of fire outside the barrier, his heart filled with despair. He had promised… promised not to let anyone harm them again… Soronna…

In stark contrast to Domu, Mofimod also wore a dazed expression, though his mind was filled with shock. ‘How could this be? I only ordered the immortal dragon soul summoned by the Rotten Dragon Blade to attack this magic barrier… how could it… accidentally injure Princess Soronna… No… Princess Soronna, please don’t be hurt!!!’

“Please rest assured, esteemed sirs… Lady Soronna is not in mortal danger; she has merely fainted. However… as expected of… Schneiframan, the Roar of Darkness… a mere ordinary blow forced this old man to expend all his magic to withstand it… cough, cough… Alas, I can offer no further assistance now…” Just as Domu and Mofimod on stage were lost in confusion and regret, an aged voice roused them from their thoughts.

Philavman was seen supporting himself with his staff, a trace of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Soronna lay unharmed nearby, though she appeared to be unconscious.

“Soronna! Ha… this is… this is wonderful! Mr. Philavman, thank you… thank you so much.” Seeing Soronna completely unharmed, Domu, who had been consumed by regret, suddenly let out a huge sigh of relief. With a weight lifted from his mind, Domu sincerely thanked Philavman.

Like Domu, Mofimod also breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Princess Soronna safe and sound. However… Mofimod suddenly sensed a dangerous aura, and its source was Domu, standing right before him.