It seems that all the passengers aboard the airship were guests from the Demon Realm, so the airship had a minimal defense shield in place.
However, in front of a dragon that could burn down an entire forest in half a day, this meant nothing.
With a massive vibration, the ship’s hull rocked, causing the Demon King and monsters to rush to the deck in panic.
A few lower-ranking Demon Kings, who were unfamiliar with the ways of the world, were simply terrified by the fact that a full-grown dragon was enraged.
On the other hand, the higher-ranking Demon Kings focused their gaze on the wounded baby dragon next to the full-grown dragon.
Dragons are a species that rarely leave their nests unless there’s a significant reason.
They have no reason to interfere with the human or demon realms; their focus is solely on protecting their territory.
For a dragon to attack an airship, it was no ordinary event.
Even if it was a baby, if it had been injured by a dragon, it was likely a territorial dispute.
However, if someone had disturbed the dragon’s lair and hurt its young, no one would have survived.
In the end, there was only one conclusion.
An innocent baby dragon had been attacked while wandering around someone’s dungeon.
And that someone was none other than Drak.
“Wh-what are you doing in front of the Demon Kings?! Do you know who is aboard this ship?!”
A loyal boar beastman bravely stepped forward in front of Igdras.
He didn’t want to miss this moment.
It wasn’t just the Demon Kings watching; other noble monsters, especially the prestigious house’s young lady Lauro, the fox, and Roshi, were also watching.
He believed this was a golden opportunity to engrave his name in their minds.
However, the timing was far from ideal.
Who is aboard?
“…What?”
With a mighty step, Igdras shook the deck, and as his molten breath drew nearer, the boar knight’s short fur was singed instantly.
I asked, who is your master?
At that moment, Igdras’s chest glowed as if it swallowed the sun, puffing out.
A dragon’s intake of breath has no other reason.
The lower-ranking Demon King, who appeared to be the boar knight’s master, stepped forward with a pale face.
“My apologies! Please forgive me! This fool…!”
“C-cry?!”
He hurriedly struck the boar knight’s head and bowed.
The dignity of the Demon King was meaningless in the face of an enraged dragon.
There was a reason the human empire, with its centuries of history, couldn’t conquer the mountain range where dragons lived.
Igdras ignored them as if they weren’t worth conversing with and spoke again.
I won’t say much. Send Drak. I swear as a dragon, if not, everyone will die.
In response to the dragon’s speech, dozens of wyverns circled the airship.
The sight resembled a horde of monstrous vultures circling around corpses.
“Remarkable. I thought bandits only existed in mountains and seas, but they were in the sky as well.”
The Great Demon King, Beal, appeared with an air of casual ease. Behind her stood the higher-ranking Demon Kings. Drak was not among them.
“It’s been decades, Igdras.”
Beal, you’re still alive?
It wasn’t a greeting; it was a provocation, and Beal raised her head, speaking.
“I understand your anger, but if you were to strike, shouldn’t you have done it at Sky Island?”
As she lightly released her mana, the intense heat that had filled the deck vanished like wind.
“You must know how much mana I possess.”
Igdras revealed his teeth as if mocking the Great Demon King’s antics.
Have you forgotten who rules the Sky? Do you think you won’t die?
“Keep your words to yourself, Igdras.”
I have no interest in your clownish antics with the human and demon realms. This is your last warning. Hand over Drak.
Instead of replying, Beal used her power. Her red eyes released mana, which spread in all directions.
Igdras spread one of his wings to protect the baby dragon beside him.
The wyverns circling the airship staggered under her ‘domination,’ then fell in droves.
Only Igdras and the other five dragons flinched slightly.
The lower-ranking Demon Kings and monsters watching held their breath and stared in awe.
Igdras fell silent for a moment, then nodded.
Annihilation.
Igdras soared into the air with his brothers.
At the same time, Beal released her full power and commanded the higher-ranking Demon Kings.
“Pour every last drop of mana into the attack. If you hesitate due to fear, you will all die.”
“I-is this right…!”
Aishi cried out in despair.
The other higher-ranking Demon Kings, including Ga’al, prepared their powers with grim faces.
Although they had escaped Sky Island, they were now in the sky.
If they were lucky, they’d perish together; otherwise, complete annihilation awaited.
There was no picture of victory to be drawn.
Ga’al, ranked third, gritted his teeth.
‘What is the Great Demon King thinking?’
Igdras’s belly swelled as if about to burst, and the surrounding air was sucked in.
Within it, blazing flames roared. Soon, they would prove why dragons are called the strongest among monsters and ruthlessly consume the entire airship.
As the catastrophe was about to pour down…
“Wait!”
No one expected the little Demon King to step in front of Igdros.
Kan was almost shocked enough to drop his skull. He hadn’t expected his lord to step forward like that.
Looking at his tiny Rupia, Igdras stopped breathing for a moment.
Ho, so it’s the little one who could die at any time. Have you decided today?
With great effort, Rupia shouted at Igdras with a voice full of courage.
“This, this airship is! Our Demon King’s precious subordinates are aboard! So, that means…!”
So, what does that mean?
Rupia held back tears, clenched her tiny hands, and, looking determined, pointed at a dark corner of the deck.
“J-just kill that one! The one over there, the horned gorilla-like creature, that’s Drak…!”
It sounded like a child tattling to their teacher.
An eerie silence, like the world had ended, fell.
Kan, and even Beal, seemed to be flustered as the flow of mana distorted.
The most startled one was Drak, who had been pointed out. No, it was closer to terror than surprise.
“T-That madman…!”
Drak, clutching his crotch and trembling in the corner of the deck, gasped.
Kan immediately knew what was about to happen.
“Lord!”
He threw himself forward, pulling Rupia into a protective embrace and trying to distance them from Drak.
Without hesitation, Igdras sent a fiery blast toward Drak’s position.
Kugugugung!!
The flames that dared not even be looked at clashed with the deck, causing part of the airship to explode and fly away.
Even though Kan and Rupia were quite far away, they were swept up in the heatwave.
They almost fell under the airship.
“AAAHH!!”
Drak flailed like a mad wild horse, trying to extinguish the flames clinging to his body.
Had Beal not fired a barrier from the front, he would have been turned to ash.
Grabbing his painful groin, Drak staggered away.
Though he acted to save himself, the damage spread out to those around him.
To capture him, Igdras started to release flames recklessly.
Innocent monsters caught in the inferno were consumed by the flames. The ship was shaking as if it might crash.
The more Beal blocked the attacks, the angrier Igdras became.
So you intend to end this today, huh?
Now even Igdras’s dragon siblings joined the fray.
Behind a pillar, Lauro stomped her feet anxiously.
‘If this goes on, we’re all going to die…!’
Beal intended to protect Drak no matter what, and Igdras was bent on taking revenge, even if it meant turning the entire demon realm into enemies.
As everything headed toward a cliff, an idea suddenly occurred to Lauro’s sharp mind.
There was no time to hesitate. She quickly stepped in front of Igdras.
“W-wait! Great Dragon, your revenge for your kin has already been fulfilled!”
All eyes shifted toward Lauro. Igdras, still angry, asked without relenting.
What do you mean?
Lauro released the Evil Eye’s memory in a screen form for everyone to see.
“It’s about the Death Knight you know! Kan fulfilled your revenge! Look at this…!”
In the screen, when Kan swung his sword, something important of Drak’s was severed.
In an instant, all the Demon Kings and monsters were enveloped in shock, gasping in disbelief.
Not only had they made the Demon King of the Second Rank kneel, but they had also cut off his pride.
Even before that, they had even negotiated with Beal.
Their fearful gazes now shifted from Igdras to Kan.
Igdras spoke in a somewhat softened tone.
Ha. You not only touched my kin, but you also dared to touch the great knight.
The words “great knight” from a dragon’s mouth made even the higher-ranking Demon Kings and noble monsters, who had barely managed to keep their composure, flinch in surprise.
For a dragon to acknowledge someone as a great knight.
So that’s why he’s been hiding like a woman. Normally, I would have blown the whole airship away for offending me.
Igdras moved slightly away from the airship, taking the baby dragon with him.
Kan, for your sake, I’ll let it go this time.
He flapped his wings, sending the Evil Eye flying like a wyvern and flew off in another direction.
The Evil Eye, attached to a wyvern’s claws, pointed its lens at Igdras, like a cameraman.
On the screen, Igdras, who had suddenly stopped flying, took a deep breath as if he was about to devour everything.
The target was someone’s enormous dungeon. Upon seeing it, Drak’s face turned pale and trembled.
“Wait, wait!!”
A thunderous explosion rang out, and a bolt of lightning struck the distant ground, making a brilliant flash of light.
The screen shook as if the Evil Eye’s eye would melt from the dazzling flames.
Igdras and the dragons didn’t stop their fire until the dungeon was reduced to ashes rather than ruins.
Beside them, the baby dragon, like peeing in a burning house, shot out small breaths with a chirp.
After quite some time, when the dungeon had been completely wiped out, Igdras seemed satisfied and flew off.
Drak, with a soulless face, just stared blankly at the screen.
A few days later, when the airship reached the ground…
Numerous articles flooded the prestigious newspaper, Hell Journal.
Most of them were about Kan and Drak.