Chapter 75 – Gold Dragon Countermeasure
“So, what should we do?”
Menew woke up the next morning.
As they had fallen asleep without any food, Ralph, Totto and Mofusen were guided by Waldung, and they ate fruits from the trees.
There was no guarantee that something like this would not happen again. And it was decided that everyone should carry their own food from then on.
Once Menew was awake, they ate an extravagant meal of wyvern stew and bread. There were also a lot of vegetables, which made it easier for Mofusen to eat.
Kanon and Stan ate a lot as well. Apparently, summoned monsters also felt the effects of Menew running out of energy.
And then, once everyone had eaten until they were full, he said those words.
“Indeed. Waldung, is it? When the tree dragon is gone, the gold dragon may return. And everything will happen again.”
“We cannot return like this every time.”
Ralph agreed.
The gold dragon they had defeated yesterday was like Mr. Wal. Just a part of it put into something else. Once enough time passed, the real dragon would regain its strength.
But going to the gold dragon’s base and defeating her would be bad for the balance of this world. The world was sustained by maintaining the correct balance of the Five Elements and Yin-Yang. Nothing good would happen from removing something.
However, it was clear that the gold dragon did not care about such things. After all, she had tried to defeat Waldung in his real body.
There was no stopping to negotiate now.
So, what was to be done? As they wondered this, Waldung raised his head.
“Master. You must have noticed the source of the change.”
“Yes. I want to do something, but I don’t know anything yet.”
“In that case, fuse me with this land. With Totto here, it should be possible.”
His eyes widened.
“Fu-fuse! But what will happen to you if I do that…!”
“Do not worry. It is just temporary. I know, after swallowing Totto’s tools. He uses some very interesting arts.”
They all turned to Totto then.
He scratched his head and looked embarrassed. It was like he wasn’t quite what they were talking about, but he was being praised.
“…Alchemy for using and separating.”
Ralph muttered.
“Yes. I am a phenomenon. Not a real being. Like the wind and trees. I will still be me even if fused with the lands. And I will be the same when I return.”
Menew looked like he was not convinced, but Waldung dropped the stuffed animal in front of him.
“I will move most of my consciousness here. I must witness the solution of this change. Now that I think about it, the change might have been the reason that I became mad for gold.”
Indeed, right now, he did not fixate on gold at all.
He was lying quietly in the tree, with that giant body.
“I must waken the gold dragon. And it is possible that other dragons have become mad as well. I will go with you. If you need my power, just draw and summon me again.”
“Tree dragon, Waldung. In order to protect our village, I agree that you should join the land and stop the encroachment. However…are you sure about it?”
“I said it already. I do not exist here. Whatever form I have, it does not matter.”
For humans like Menew, it was a chilling thought. But Waldung had made up his mind.
In that case, they should respect him.
They talked about this decision in my detail, and then they went outside.
First, Stan was enlarged, and Menew and Totto got onto his back.
Out of the ten magic circles that Totto had, he placed one, fuse, on Stan’s back. And he held it down with both hands so the wind would not blow it away.
Below them, Waldung was leaning against the giant tree. They were now high enough to see the entire Vala forest, so he was about the size of a fist.
“Let’s go, Totto.”
“Yes!”
Menew stood up behind Totto and began to pass over the magic energy.
It glowed as it passed through. From Menew’s staff to Totto’s back.
Totto then used it to charge up the magic circles.
It was inhuman magic control.
“Here it goes! Mr. Wal! …Fuse!”
The magic circle shone, and the light reflected on the ground below, making the same pattern appear.
Waldung, who was in the center of the forest, lifted his head to the sky and roared.
Those two were so powerful, but it was still not enough energy. And so he made up for it with himself.
From the ground, vines grew and tangled around Waldung’s body.
He started to become covered in grass, and Waldung became like a round boulder. Until he looked like a silent and great part of nature. Now, the fusing was complete.
Now, it would be incredibly difficult for anyone to change the land.
“Mofusen, please.”
“Aye.”
Upon hearing Menew’s words after he descended again, Mofusen created a barrier around Waldung’s body and the giant tree.
He carved a seal into the land that would last forever. It was Ralph’s job to bury the keystone.
With Waldung and the tree in the center, the magic stone was taken out of the metal that was buried, and Mofusen used it as the keystone for the barrier.
Now Waldung’s body should be safe.
“And for the finishing touch.”
Menew placed the stuffed animal next to Waldung, and then he tapped it with his staff.
“Summon.”
And then it moved. The cotton wings flapped, and it stuck onto Totto’s back.
“Thanks, Totto and Menew. And you too, Ralph and Mofusen.”
While he may have looked silly, Menew was relieved to see that he had not lost his memories.
“Welcome back, Mr. Wal!”
Totto hugged the stuffed dragon happily.
As he had been carrying him for some time, Totto probably preferred this form. And then Totto rubbed his eyes sleepily.
Aside from Ralph, everyone was exhausted. Mofusen was tough, but he had stayed up for the night watch, and he couldn’t help but yawn.
And so Ralph prepared some food and a place to rest, and they quickly ate and fell asleep.
Ralph, Kanon and Mr. Wal kept the watch the whole night.
Thanks for the chapter!