C289: ACCOUNT OF THE PILGRIMAGE FINALE – THE DECISIVE BATTLE

It’s me again, Hakkai the orc.
I have traveled to various places to accompany Prince Arowana on his pilgrimage.

Looking back on it now, it all comes back to me vividly…
…worthless memories, that is.
We were on the verge of death countless times, after all.

But now, such a journey is coming to a close.
We are standing on the final stage.

If we make it through, this pilgrimage will be over.
Prince Arowana said that we would go home full of pride.

Thus, we challenge the final stage of our journey—a battle against the Geyser Dragon, the Emperor Dragon.

We’re here at the Dragon Emperor’s Castle, home of the Geyser Dragon.

It exists on an island far from humans and is surrounded by dangerous waters that even mermaids stay away from.

The Geyser Dragon that lives in such an isolated world is the Dragon Archon, standing at the top of the strongest race of dragons.
He’s been mentioned several times before, giving off an intimidating image, but he’s finally here before our very eyes.

“Uoooooooooooh!!!”

The first to make a move is Lord Ardheg, our dragon companion.
He reverted to his dragon form and tackled his father, the Geyser Dragon.

“I’ll never forgive you! Everything you told us was a lieeeeee!”

He’s enraged, as you can see!

“You said you’d determine the successor when in reality, it was all an evil plan to seize power from your children to remain at the top! I misjudged you! You are neither king nor a hero!!!”

Geyser Dragon, the Dragon Archon, has been absorbing power from his children to compensate for his aging body.
The trials were just a ploy, a groundwork for a curse that would make it easier for him to rob them of their power.
When Lord Ardheg learned the truth, he was furious.

“I won’t let you take away my power and wisdom! I will resist with all my might!!!”
“Foolish child. Do you think a Glintz Dragon like you can rival the Dragon Archon?”

The Geyser Dragon is bigger and more ominous than any dragon I’ve ever seen.
His wings are incredibly enormous, and when spread out, they could cover an area ten times larger than his body.

“The king of dragons is the king of the world, and everything will be as he pleases. You puny little dragons should be happy to be my sustenance. Be obedient and offer your wisdom and power to me!”

An eerie glow emanates from the Geyser Dragon and heads toward Lord Ardheg.
Just as the light was about to envelop him, it was repelled and dissipated into the air.

“What?!”
“The counter-curse worked! A contract means nothing if you saw through its ulterior motive!” replies Lord Ardheg as he unleashes an attack on his father. “Take this! Gray Breath!!!”

Lord Ardheg puffs a large amount of volcanic ash aimed at the Geyser Dragon.
The volcanic ash is full of glass shards that would leave hundreds of thousands of micro scars on anyone who gets hit by it.
And because they’re so tiny, they can enter the body and damage the opponent from the inside.

“Now! My father flinched! Time for successive attacks!!!”
“Aye, aye, sir.”

Next is Songokufon’s turn.
Of course, the gang’s here. We won’t let our precious companion, Lord Ardheg, become a Lesser Dragon!

“Here I come! Imma excite all the mana drives I have accumulated in this trip!!!”

We got all the power-up items Hermes scattered all over the place to help Songokufon grow.
By activating all of them at once, Songokufon can transform into her ultimate form.

Songokufon is an angel, but her over-the-top wings were removed when she was fixed. They said it would interfere with daily life.
However, now that she’s in her final form, her large wings are again on her back.

“Final Angel Attack!”

Her spread-out wings wrap her up, swirling like a whirlpool, then sharpening like a drill, with its tip aimed at the Geyser Dragon.

“Uooooogh!”

The drill cleanly pierces the Geyser Dragon through and through.
As expected of our party’s ace.
Her destructive power is exceptional.

“Don’t underestimate me! I’m the Dragon Archon. I won’t die from a wound like this!” he says with a hole in his body.

Then one more try.
It’s my turn this time.

I, Hakkai, am also their traveling companion and have grown in my own way.
I have taken a different evolutionary path from Leader Orkubo and the others, and now that I am a Flamines Orc, I will demonstrate my power.

Saint Orc Fist!
My holy attribute Orc attack hit the Geyser Dragon multiple times!

“Uoooooooooh! You impudent little monster!!!”

I guess it wasn’t as effective as the first two attacks.
It should’ve had enough power to destroy elder spirits in one blow, though.

No.
I should let them take the spotlight.

Please!

“Mhm!”
“Let’s go, hun!”

Prince Arowana and Lady Puffer stand side-by-side.

Now’s the time to unleash the finishing blow that will bring an end to the fight against the strongest dragon and to this journey itself.

“Puffer… Let’s go together!”
“I’ll go wherever as long as it’s with you!”

They take each other’s hands and point their clasped hands at the Geyser Dragon, who’s unable to move from the damage it received from the previous attacks.
Truly the perfect opportunity.

Prince Arowana received Poseidon’s blessing during this journey.
Lady Puffer also received Medusa’s blessing.
When a man and a woman with the blessings from these two deities love one another, the blessings’ effects are amplified.

“This strike is the culmination of this pilgrimage!”
“Perish before the power of love, evil dragon king!!!”

The power of the sea and love are imbued in this final attack.

“LOVEY-DOVEY DIVINE WAVE!!!”

An ocean current of tremendous force appears out of nowhere and lands a direct hit on the Geyser Dragon, swallowing his gigantic body whole.

“Uoooooooooooooh! Impossibleeeeeeeeeeeee! I’m the Dragon Archon, the most powerful dragon in the world, but I’m defeated by mere humaaaaaaaaaaaaaaans!!!”

Swallowed by the ocean current, the Geyser Dragon desperately struggles.
However, he becomes more and more exhausted and loses energy.

“Cursed human pests and dragonsssssss! How could you defeat meeeeeeeeeeeee?!”
“Father, your reign is over,” says Lord Ardheg. “Still, you refused to accept that and continued to sit on your throne, even crushing those who came after you. That is your sin. No living creature commits a sin and goes unpunished.”
“Nonsenseeeeee! You’re just a copy of meee! D-Don’t be full of yourself! As long as Alexander is here, you can’t become Emperor Dragon even if you defeat meeeeee!!!”
“I have no intention of becoming Emperor Dragon. I’m just going to keep watching over this hero and king.”
“Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

After leaving his last words along the lines of, “Even if I perish, the second and third…” the Geyser Dragon sinks into the current and disappears.

This is it.

“…”

It’s all over.
Defeating the strongest dragon is undoubtedly a fitting end to this pilgrimage.

“Let’s go home.”
“Good work, guys.” “Man, that was a lot.” “Sis, can I grope yo boobies?”

Here ends Prince Arowana’s training—Journey to the Land.