Chapter 16: Bloodstained Malice of the Full Moon (Part 2)
As the atmosphere in the room fluctuated, what had already been a messy space now descended into utter ruin. Clattering and crashing sounds rang out one after another, with most of the furniture destroyed.
Amid the chaos of battle, Erika quickly turned and hid under one of the few intact tables to avoid being caught in the crossfire.
Her wide red eyes stared fixedly at Gladys’s back.
She knew Gladys was strong, but at this moment, she couldn’t help feeling worried.
After all, despite the terrifyingly erratic frigid storm, it had yet to land a single hit on Dervick.
Biting her lip, Erika’s small hand tightly gripped the corner of the table.
Gladys had just said Dervick was a Paladin. Based on what she’d read today in the historical records, Paladins were among the top-tier combatants of humanity—they represented the peak of power.
Even if Dervick claimed he was a traitor now, the fact remained that he had once been a Paladin.
So this man was one of humanity’s strongest fighters?
She began to worry about Gladys. If only her Dragon Core Crystal hadn’t been taken by Jocelyn, maybe she could’ve helped.
Unfortunately, in this little girl’s body, she was already doing well not to be a burden—so she could only hide in the corner, afraid of causing more trouble for Gladys.
“Whoosh whoosh whoosh!”
As a black shadow flickered through the air, the long-dodging Dervick finally launched an attack.
Under the moonlight, his eyes narrowed, and his body instantly reached Gladys. At some point, a silver longsword had appeared in his hand.
A glint of cold light flashed in his pupils. Without any hesitation, Dervick raised the blade and brought it down hard from above Gladys’s head.
Electric sparks crackled along the blade.
Yes—lightning.
The sword was charged with electricity, and the air was filled with a crackling sound.
With the added thunderlight, the power of this single strike could only be described as terrifying.
“Gladys!”
Erika shouted in worry, afraid she would be hit, trying to warn her to dodge.
But to her surprise, Gladys didn’t move at all. She stood straight where she was, coldly watching the descending blade.
In an instant, her jade hand lifted, fingers still curved, and those slender digits suddenly appeared sharp.
“Ding—!”
A metallic clash rang through the room.
Gladys’s hand abruptly grew snow-white dragon scales, and her previously delicate fingers turned into dragon claws.
Claw met blade in midair.
Invisible energy rippled outward like waves across a calm surface.
“Swish!”
Twisting his wrist, Dervick frowned slightly but still wore a twisted grin.
“A dragonkin, huh? No wonder…
Able to take human form… must be above Calamity Dragon level.
A species that supposedly went extinct hundreds of years ago—tsk tsk, my first time seeing one. Terrifying indeed…”
As he spoke, he suddenly withdrew his sword. Lightning flickered once again along the silver blade.
Under the moonlight, the glow from the blade intensified.
In the next instant, Dervick launched a flurry of slashes at Gladys.
“Clang clang clang…”
The crisp sounds rang out again.
Each of his attacks was perfectly blocked by Gladys’s dragon claw, and every clash sent ripples through the air.
This terrifying exchange had already caused cracks to appear in the walls. The tremendous noise echoed under the moonlight like a mournful wail.
Erika remained in her corner, not daring to move.
She now understood why Gladys didn’t dodge earlier—because Erika was directly behind her. If Gladys had dodged, the terrifying sword energy would’ve hurt her.
Looking at the surroundings, Erika felt a pang in her heart. She realized the room was almost completely destroyed—except the small area where she was.
Gladys had been protecting her the whole time.
……
“What’s going on!”
“An earthquake!?”
“My god, what’s happening!”
“Run, get out of here!”
“May God bless us…”
……
Erika clearly heard the commotion outside the door and window.
Perhaps the battle had been too intense and awakened everyone nearby.
Rushed footsteps echoed in the corridor—travelers staying at the tavern fled desperately.
They might not know what was happening, but even a fool could tell this terrifying energy and tremor meant danger.
The moonlight outside grew brighter, spilling into the room like a silver bridal veil over the battlefield.
It was unusually bright—so much so it was strange.
It made Erika feel as if the moon in the sky was channeling all its light onto this very room.
During the battle, Dervick kept glancing out the window at the sky.
“Heh, annoying woman.”
Dervick’s eyes were sharp, and he warned through gritted teeth, “I have no interest in your dragonkin. I’m telling you—the full moon is almost here. If you keep this up, you’ll be dragged into the Endless Abyss. I’ll only be able to mourn for you.”
“I don’t need a human to mourn for me.”
Responding coldly, Gladys showed no signs of retreat. She only wanted to thoroughly teach this man a lesson—for frightening Erika.
“Bang bang bang!”
Their battle continued, evenly matched for now. Both had excellent timing and reaction, and each attack was parried.
It was clear that their strength was evenly matched.
Gladys, however, began to sense how troublesome this man was. Her pupils started to change, transforming from human to beast-like slits.
Horns sprouted from her head. Giant wings unfolded from her back, and a long dragon tail swung behind her.
Gladys had entered partial dragon form.
With the transformation, Dervick gradually began to fall behind.
In strength and speed, he was clearly becoming outmatched.
“Damn it!”
Frustrated, Dervick shouted, “Get out of here now! The full moon is coming! It’s the only chance to meet Lord Meladin!”
But the other party didn’t care to listen. Her fierce attacks forced him back step by step.
Seeing Gladys gain the upper hand, the worry on Erika’s face lessened considerably.
It looked like Gladys was truly formidable—even a human Paladin struggled to match her.
Her gaze turned toward the window.
From the beginning, Erika had felt something strange.
Why was the moonlight in this room so bright?
And who exactly was the “Lord Meladin” Dervick kept mentioning?
Weren’t there only three people in this room?
……
But as time passed, the moonlight outside began to change in a bizarre way.
An unbelievable scene unfolded.
The silver-white moonlight turned blood-red in an instant.
Yes—blood red.
As if blood had stained the moon… no, as if it stained the entire world through the moon.
The glow was chilling.
What was happening?
Erika didn’t know.
She only felt the crimson light grow stronger—aimed directly at her.
The world before her eyes was dyed in red. The eerie sight made it hard to keep her eyes open.
“Whoosh!”
Suddenly, all the crimson light converged on Erika, enveloping her in some mysterious power.
“Damn it, Dragon lady, you should look at that little girl behind you!” Dervick yelled in alarm.
Hearing this, Gladys snapped out of her focus. She had been concentrating on Dervick, trying to keep Erika from being harmed, but when she turned, her face changed drastically.
“Erika!”
She rushed to pull Erika from the red glow.
But it was too late.
“Jie jie jie…”
A strange, demonic laugh echoed from within the light.
……
The voice seemed to pluck at the strings of one’s heart.
In that instant—Everything fell silent.
Time and space themselves seemed to freeze.
……
“Whose voice is that!?”
“Oh God… whose laughter is that!?”
……
Even those fleeing the tavern heard the voice. Their faces were filled with terror. Their bodies froze, paralyzed by the sound.
Because they felt—This was not a human voice.
……
The next second, the ground under Erika turned into a blood-red mire.
Blood-red light burst forth from beneath her feet like stage lights.
The brilliant light seemed to connect to the moon, and the ground below resembled the gaping jaws of a giant abyss.
“Eri…ka!”
Sensing something terrible, Gladys sprinted toward Erika.
At the same time, Dervick also turned pale and flashed toward Erika.
But before either could reach her, in a blink—The mouth of the abyss swallowed Erika’s small body whole.
“Whoosh!”
The light faded. The moonlight returned to calm.
The scene fell silent again.
As if nothing had happened—except Erika’s figure had vanished.
In the ruined room, there wasn’t a sound.
Dervick stopped, brows furrowed. “Damn, the chance is wasted!
Heh, if I’m right, a little girl like that won’t survive Lord Meladin’s power.”
“Where has Erika gone?” Gladys asked coldly, head lowered.
“I warned you. It’s your own foolishness. That little girl is already dead.”
Hearing this, Gladys visibly trembled. Rage surged across her face, and her sapphire eyes filled with killing intent.
“Tell me—where did she go?”
Dervick’s mood was foul too. He glared back coldly.
“She’s dead. Dead on the road to the Abyss.”
“The Abyss… what place is that?”
“An unknown domain.”
Dervick took a deep breath and said darkly, “It’s a place ordinary people can never reach. Simply put…
It’s the forbidden realm of the gods.”
“The gods’ forbidden realm? Are you joking?”
“Believe it or not.” Dervick narrowed his eyes. “I said it’s a place no one reaches. That little girl is clearly dead!”
“If she’s dead, I’ll bury you with her.”
“Heh, want to try?”
With those words, the two faced off once more.