A sudden premonition.
It was a strange sensation. It could be a sudden impulse or a flash of inspiration.
The Deep Darkness Dragon Lord did not believe such a feeling would arise without reason.
To him, a sudden premonition was not a blind impulse, but an extension of his reason and vigilance.
An indescribable sense of unease.
That was what he felt at that moment.
Like a shadow spreading silently through the darkness, the unease crept across his mind and enveloped it.
A trace of doubt and wariness surfaced within him. The Deep Darkness Dragon Lord frowned and began reviewing his own actions.
First, he had united the True Dragon Lords and waited for an opportunity.
Then, during the Sorcerer Kingdom's celebration, they had split into two groups. After that, he had infiltrated the Filth's stronghold.
Everything seemed perfectly normal.
Yet something still felt faintly wrong. His instincts told him that he had forgotten something important.
The Deep Darkness Dragon Lord searched through his memories, examining every corner for details he had previously overlooked.
True Dragon Lords... True Dragon Lords...
Dragon Emperor... Platinum... Brightness... Vampiric... Heavenly... Six Dragon Alliance... Six Great Gods... White Dragon Lord...
Countless details arranged themselves like pieces of a puzzle, gradually coming together to form a complete picture.
Wait!
No. Something was wrong!
Why was one member missing from the Six Dragon Alliance?
Damn it. There was something wrong with his memories.
Was it a World-Class Item?
No, impossible.
Not only had his Wild Magic given him no warning, but the World-Class Item he carried should have made him immune to such an effect.
Could the Filth have activated a World-Class Item similar to the one the Eight Greed Kings had used to rewrite the laws of the world?
Had it first affected the world itself, then used the world to influence the True Dragon Lords?
That was possible.
But using an item like that solely to alter memories would be absurd.
Not even an Orc could be stupid enough to do something like that.
Calm down.
Think carefully. What else did not make sense?
When something appeared normal, people often overlooked the problems and irregularities hidden within it.
That kind of thinking could leave them blind to potential risks and dangers.
Those caught in the middle were often unable to see clearly, while observers could grasp the whole situation.
At times like this, he needed to change his perspective and analyze everything from another angle.
Everyone viewed the same event differently.
Those directly involved were influenced by their emotions, interests, and prejudices, preventing them from judging the situation fully and objectively.
Knowing that his memories had been tampered with, the Deep Darkness Dragon Lord decisively shifted to a third-person perspective.
He examined everything as an outsider.
That allowed him to approach the problem more objectively and calmly, making its true nature and full scope easier to see.
"Only the portion concerning the Six Dragon Alliance is missing from my memories."
"If my guess is correct, that True Dragon Lord has most likely met with disaster. And when I was gathering forces to oppose the Filth, I must have tried to contact them."
"The Filth were probably responsible."
"But the chances of them using a World-Class Item capable of affecting the entire world are extremely low. Aside from a World-Class Item, what else could accomplish something like this...?"
"Heh. It couldn't possibly be Wild Magic."
The Deep Darkness Dragon Lord almost laughed at the thought.
How could Wild Magic possibly do this?
Unless...
Unless a True Dragon Lord had sided with the Filth!
[Dragon Transformation Secret Art]
The name of a Wild Magic spell suddenly surfaced in the Deep Darkness Dragon Lord's mind, striking him like a thunderbolt.
Sacrifice another to perfect oneself.
Memories, flesh, magic, Soul, even the very concept of one's existence. Nothing was exempt.
Once the sacrifice was completed, the victim would be forgotten by all living beings and even by the world itself.
Every trace of their past would be altered, as though they had never existed.
That explained the gaps in his memory.
A True Dragon Lord had joined the Filth and used [Dragon Transformation Secret Art] to sacrifice another True Dragon Lord!
And there had to be several traitors...
After all, activating that Wild Magic required at least three True Dragon Lords working together.
Who were they?
Heh. Did he even need to think about it?
After excluding the Swordmaster Dragon Lord, whom he had personally sought out, the answer was obvious.
The Brightness Dragon Lord, the Heavenly Dragon Lord, and the Vampiric Dragon Lord!
Exactly three True Dragon Lords~
...
"Deep Darkness, what are you thinking about? We don't have time to waste. We need to reach the next Floor as soon as possible."
The Vampiric Dragon Lord's hurried voice pulled the Deep Darkness Dragon Lord back to reality.
Without realizing it, they had already reached the teleportation array on the Sixth Floor. They could proceed to the Seventh Floor at any moment.
"Wasting time? What exactly are we running out of time for?"
"Platinum... No, Tsa. I have a question for you."
After muttering to himself, the Deep Darkness Dragon Lord turned toward the Platinum Dragon Lord, whom they had just rescued.
"What?"
The Platinum Dragon Lord looked up, pulled from his thoughts.
Ever since deciding to temporarily side with the Players, he had been reflecting on everything he had done over the past several centuries.
Did the world truly need the protection he believed he was giving it?
Could Players and dragons really coexist peacefully?
Riku...
Was I truly wrong back then?
Those questions weighed upon the Platinum Dragon Lord's heart like heavy shackles.
Had his will been any weaker, he would undoubtedly have fallen into depression.
"What do you think our chances are of seizing the Guild weapon?"
The Deep Darkness Dragon Lord voiced his question.
Or rather, his test.
He wanted to see whether the Platinum Dragon Lord had fallen after being imprisoned for so long.
"...None."
The answer surprised him slightly, but not much.
The Platinum Dragon Lord responded without hesitation.
Whether the answer was sincere or merely an act, and regardless of whether the Deep Darkness Dragon Lord truly possessed a World-Class Item as his trump card, the Platinum Dragon Lord remained deeply pessimistic.
He still could not forget the terror branded into his Soul.
Me, fight a Player?
Fuck that!
Anyone who wanted to go could go. He certainly would not.
"Very well. Then we'll retreat."
"We'll retrieve the Eight Greed Kings' Guild weapon first, then reconsider our plans."
Under the Vampiric Dragon Lord's astonished gaze, the Deep Darkness Dragon Lord nodded without hesitation.
He turned around as though he truly intended to abandon their mission.
"Deep Darkness, are you treating this like some kind of game?"
"We fought all the way to this Floor, and now you want to give up? Brightness and the others are still risking their lives to hold back the Filth!"
The Vampiric Dragon Lord immediately moved in front of him.
Damn it. Why did something have to go wrong now?
They could have barbecue on the next Floor, and on the Floor after that, it would finally be time to eat.
The Vampiric Dragon Lord betrayed nothing on his face, but cursed inwardly.
He had not even received his reward yet!
(P.S. The Vampiric Dragon Lord became impatient here and overlooked certain details. Otherwise, he might have noticed that something was wrong with the Deep Darkness Dragon Lord.)
"You're right. This has been nothing but a game~ Unfortunately, I'm already... tired of pretending!"
[Wild Magic: Darkness]
Without warning, light converged at a single point and formed a vortex of energy.
The Deep Darkness Dragon Lord unleashed a full-power strike directly at the Vampiric Dragon Lord.
A traitor who had sided with the Filth deserved only death!