Ronnel halted in his tracks, his sharp gaze fixed on Overlord. The latter stood tall on the high platform, his skeletal hands clasped together in what seemed like a ceremonial gesture. The sharp clapping of his bony palms echoed through the enclosed space.
Ronnel's body tensed instinctively.
"Is this some kind of ritual? Or perhaps a Nen condition...?"
Before he could analyze further, a sudden and violent gust of wind swept through the chamber.
Wind? Here? In a sealed space?
The anomaly unsettled him, but realization dawned soon enough.
From behind the platform, a thunderous roar reverberated through the cavernous hall, shaking the very ground.
"RAAAWR!!"
A surge of intense aura erupted like a volcano, raw and powerful, as if a colossal being had awakened from its eternal slumber. The entire area quaked, the ground splintering as mountains of bone collapsed with thunderous crashes.
Thick clouds of dust and shards of skeletal remains filled the air. Some unfortunate undead, sluggish and unable to escape, were swallowed by the cascading debris.
Ronnel shielded his face with his arms, his Nen flowing instinctively into a defensive Ten and Ken. Squinting through the chaos, he caught a glimpse of the behemoth.
Emerging from the dust, illuminated by an otherworldly white glow, was an enormous skeletal dragon. The sheer scale of its massive wings and jagged frame dwarfed the space, its radiant aura piercing through the dim atmosphere.
Ronnel's breath hitched as he took in the sight.
"So, this is his trump card... the Bone Demon Dragon."
It resembled not the serpentine dragons of Eastern myths but rather the western concept of a winged, lizard-like dragon. Despite its skeletal form, the raw power emanating from the creature was undeniable.
Dragons weren't foreign to Ronnel. Tales of ancient, otherworldly beasts abounded in the Six Continents. He'd even heard rumors of the Zoldyck family keeping winged dragons, likely sourced from the Dark Continent or raised from eggs through arcane cultivation.
But the bone dragon before him was different. Its oppressive aura was unmistakably from the Dark Continent—a primal force that defied logic.
Even as he analyzed the situation, Ronnel couldn't deny a surge of excitement coursing through him.
"If I take down these two... my strength will skyrocket to the next level," he thought, fists clenching in anticipation.
Overlord's maniacal laughter broke his focus. The self-proclaimed king of the undead stood atop Sigwumidi's head, a picture of unhinged grandeur.
"This is Sigwumidi, the Bone Demon Dragon—our closest ally, who accompanied us from the Dark Continent and earned the reverence of my clan!" Overlord announced, his voice brimming with pride.
He spread his arms wide, as if embracing the heavens.
"And I, Overlord, am the ruler of the undead! Even Sigwumidi bows to my will! This world belongs to us, the Undead Bone Demon clan! It belongs to me!"
The skeletal dragon lowered its massive head as Overlord strutted across its wings, standing triumphant upon its crown. He extended a bony finger toward Ronnel, his voice dripping with arrogance.
"Pitiful human, the great ruler of the undead, Overlord, offers you mercy. Surrender, kneel, and serve as my clan's vanguard in conquering this world. Do so, and I may grant you the honor of joining us!"
The cavern fell silent, save for the ominous hum of Sigwumidi's aura. Overlord waited, convinced his proclamation had left the human trembling in awe.
Instead, Ronnel casually cleaned his ear with his pinky, flicking away imaginary debris as he spoke.
"Are you done?"
His indifferent tone cut through the theatrics like a blade. Overlord's smug expression faltered, confusion creeping in.
Ronnel smirked, his voice laced with dry amusement.
"Let me guess. You've been stuck here so long you've lost track of reality. It's 9991. V5's got satellites, virtual reality tech's mainstream, and world domination is just... outdated. You're like a relic playing dictator in a sandbox."
He shrugged, his sharp eyes locking onto Overlord.
"I don't have time to play along with your delusions. Let's get this over with."
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