"…Silver-tongued!"
A sweep of blazing fire tore past Chen Mo's side, and that icy, razor-flat expression settled back onto Talulah's face.
A pure contest of flames was meaningless for the two of them. They were both Draco—fighting this way did nothing but burn time.
Even if the surrounding city was reduced to ruins by the horrific inferno, even if the steel forest melted into scorching magma, it meant nothing to either of them.
But if Talulah came down and took that outrageously arrogant Draco man in close-quarters combat, victory would only be a matter of time.
And yet—
Talulah turned her head and looked at her right hand, gripping the black sword so tightly it trembled. She frowned, ignored her body's resistance, and stepped forward—then crashed down onto the ground.
Boom—
Rolling smoke and blistering heat surged outward. Under the stares of Reunion's members and cadres, Talulah strode forward and stopped a short distance in front of Chen Mo.
"You let the young Demon King escape, and now you face me alone."
"You really think… that with that face of yours, I can't kill you?"
Chen Mo spread his arms, tail swaying broadly left and right, and smiled at Talulah wreathed in flame.
"Then try."
At dusk—
Two Draco stood opposed beneath a wildfire sky. Two nearly identical blazes devoured and burned against each other.
Two strikingly similar faces—one cold as ice, the other bright with a grin.
Even Mephisto, mad as he was, didn't dare act rashly before such a scene. The surrounding Reunion soldiers could only watch, wide-eyed and helpless.
But there was always someone stubborn enough to stick their head out.
"Please stop, Your Highnesses!"
Talren—risking being burned alive—charged into the space between the two red dragons. Her entire body was scorched, but she still threw herself in front of them.
She failed to notice Talulah's gaze turning even colder. Talren shouted in panic at the sovereign she served.
"I beg you—don't kill each other, Lady Talulah! He is your blood kin, your younger brother, and your future consort!"
"You should marry Lord Chen Mo and bear heirs—future monarchs of Victoria—so the Red Dragon bloodline can be continued! Why… why would you—"
Why draw blades against each other on barbarian soil, when Victoria's restoration was right within reach?
If the two red dragons joined hands—if they used Chernobog as their foundation—if they led Reunion into Victoria—
Everything would move toward a brighter future, a hopeful future.
So why…?
Shhk—
A flash of steel. A burst of flame.
Heat spilled from Talren's neck through her entire body. In a daze, she felt the world tilt, the ground spinning beneath her.
Only when she saw her own body—burning in the fire—did she finally understand.
She wasn't afraid of death.
What she feared was that Victoria's hope would slip away in her hands.
Her charred head rolled into the ash. In those grief-stricken eyes, the light faded—little by little—until there was nothing left.
"Good death! Pop the champagne!"
On a distant rooftop, W watched through binoculars and threw both hands into the air, cheering wildly. Behind her, Ines covered her face and sighed.
"We should leave, W. This isn't a place for us anymore."
"Go to hell. Two Draco fighting like this—how many people on this land have ever seen it? Let me watch a little longer."
That set Ines' forehead vein twitching. She stepped forward, ready to yank off that swishing tail—
"Stop, Ines. Now isn't the time for infighting."
Hedley emerged from the shadows behind them. He glanced at the two Draco facing off in the distance, then turned to the pair.
"I'm heading to Victoria soon to meet His Highness Theresis. You two will leave with Rhodes Island."
"Hah? You don't seriously think that old hag will—"
"Enough!"
Ines kicked W to shut her up before she could start that filthy mouth again, then nodded at Hedley.
"If anything happens, contact us."
"…Mm."
Hedley didn't linger. As W and Ines resumed bickering, he faded back into the darkness and disappeared.
At the center of the battlefield, Chen Mo watched Talulah erase Talren—clean, swift, and without hesitation—and clicked his tongue in surprise.
"You're really quick to kill your own people. A subordinate that loyal, and you just cut her down like that."
Talren's words had honestly shocked him. He hadn't expected that stupid cat to be carrying that kind of fantasy while working under Talulah.
Pure delusion.
"A foolish Victorian noble. Once she leaked information about you, she lost the right to remain a piece on the board."
Flames hissed, evaporating the blood on the black sword. Talulah lowered her eyes and experimentally flexed her hand.
This body faltered and hesitated when facing Chen Mo's vessel—
But killing Talren had been unnaturally smooth.
As though even this body was furious at what Talren had said.
So then—
Bang!
The enormous black blade slammed into a refined silver-black sword. The shriek of metal-on-metal rang across the district.
In the spray of sparks, two nearly identical handsome faces stared each other down at point-blank range. Talulah's brows were drawn in cold detachment.
Chen Mo, by contrast, kept smiling—taunting without pause.
"What's with the sudden rush, Old Black Snake? Worried you can't beat me?"
"Oh, come on—no way, no way. The famous immortal Black Snake that's lived for a thousand years… scared of a young Draco who just stepped onto the stage?"
"…Shut up!"
Boom—
Talulah—fighting under Black Snake's control—lived up to her name. A sudden surge of force blasted Chen Mo backward dozens of meters.
But she was clearly holding back. Chen Mo barely felt any pain.
He looked at Talulah again—she'd stopped, hand pressed to her chest, frowning as if she'd been seized by heart pain.
Chen Mo nearly laughed himself sick.
So it was just as he thought.
The real account owner didn't like the booster playing on her behalf.
"Old Black Snake—looks like you're not that impressive either. You can't even possess someone properly."
"…To know so many secrets, and still dare to run your mouth in front of me without restraint."
Talulah drove her sword into the ground. Then her right hand clenched into a fist and slammed down hard.
Boom!
The earth cracked. The ground shook. Under Chen Mo's puzzled stare, Talulah slowly lifted her arm amid the rubble.
Her dust-covered right hand no longer trembled.
Only then did she coldly reclaim the black sword.
The already oppressive heat turned even more terrifying. Reunion had begun withdrawing—retreating to a far greater distance to watch.
This block had become a vacant battlefield.
Only two fire-breathing dragons remained, facing each other.
"The arrogant Gaul collapsed before my eyes. The Nightmare Keshigs never made me feel fear."
"For thousands of years, my opponents have changed again and again—yet I still stand on this land. Ursus still stands on this land."
In the light of the raging flames, the sword tip gleamed as Talulah slowly raised it, pointing it at Chen Mo—who also held his blade, tail flicking behind him.
"And you—the blood kin of this body. Younger brother. Weak point."
"You will become dust in history… just like all the rest."
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