Death is an inevitable part of life.
For most people, those words may be nothing more than a resigned observation, but among short-lived races, they are practically a common refrain.
Because their lives are so brief, death always seems to follow close behind them.
The Dragon Race, however, sees things differently.
As the most perfect race in the New World and the darlings of the world itself, dragons seem to exist solely to defy convention.
Their lifespans are nearly eternal, fundamentally setting them apart from every other race.
The physiology of the Dragon Race is so unique that they can withstand the ravages of time.
Their scales are incredibly tough, protecting them from external harm, while their tenacious vitality allows them to recover rapidly even after being wounded.
This extraordinary resilience enables them to endure through countless ages.
The lifespan of the Dragon Race exceeds anything humans can imagine.
They can live for thousands of years or even longer without becoming weak or senile with age.
On the contrary, as time passes, they accumulate more experience and wisdom, becoming increasingly mature and powerful.
For the same reason, the Dragon Race rarely suffers from disease or chronic illness.
Their immune systems are exceptionally powerful, allowing them to easily fend off all manner of pathogens and viruses.
Nor are their bodies prone to the health problems common among short-lived races, such as heart disease, cancer, and the like.
As a result, they rarely die from natural causes.
Even so, death is not entirely avoidable for the Dragon Race.
Natural causes may pose little threat to them, but external dangers still exist.
These include grudges and deadly conflicts between members of their own kind, as well as damage to the Soul caused by researching Wild Magic.
To protect themselves from such outcomes, the Dragon Race began researching resurrection magic.
[Self-Reincarnation]
This was the result of their research.
Its core principle was to use the caster's life force as a medium to cross the boundary between life and death. It was a power worthy of being called taboo.
It was said to be capable of resurrecting both the living and the dead.
Some exceptionally powerful True Dragon Lords could even perform Resurrection without sacrificing their own life force.
(P.S.: Mentioned in Chapter 292.)
…
"If I'm not mistaken, Deep Darkness tore apart his own Dragon Soul, then used [Self-Reincarnation] to resurrect himself."
The Platinum Dragon Lord voiced his theory.
It was the only explanation he could think of.
Resurrecting another version of oneself while the original was still alive sounded absurd, but with the power of Wild Magic, it was not entirely impossible.
After all, a True Dragon Lord had conducted such an experiment long ago, though it had caused a series of disasters.
As a result, this particular Wild Magic had been classified as one of the forbidden arts.
"Another version of yourself, brought back through Resurrection... would that really still be you?"
Herohero could not help asking.
This undoubtedly touched upon the very concept of the self.
Putting himself in that position, if he learned that another version of himself existed, he doubted he would feel any joy. His first instinct would probably be to find a way to erase the other one.
"I suppose Wild Magic truly deserves to be placed on the same level as World-Class Items. I never imagined it could accomplish something like this."
Momonga was equally impressed.
They had previously believed that resurrection magic did not exist within Wild Magic. Now it seemed they had underestimated its possibilities.
(P.S.: This was mentioned in Chapter 153.)
Just as the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord had developed [Soulbreaker Breath], a spell comparable to [Longinus], the potential of Wild Magic was clearly immense. It simply needed to be explored and developed.
"It resembles an avatar, with the same memories and personality, but..."
Naohara glanced at the two Deep Darkness Dragon Lords, a meaningful look flashing in his eyes.
The situation reminded him of the cultivation novels he had read in his first life. Such techniques were convenient, but they also carried enormous risks.
It had to be said that the Deep Darkness Dragon Lord truly knew how to come up with outrageous ideas.
Compared with absurd beings like the Brightness Dragon Lord, the Vampiric Dragon Lord, and the Heavenly Dragon Lord, he was remarkably hardworking.
"Albedo, Cocytus, Shalltear. Attack with everything you have and break open that cocoon."
After a moment's thought, Naohara issued the order.
He could not handle everything personally.
The NPCs needed chances to prove themselves too. Otherwise, they might start overthinking things.
"As you command!"
Upon receiving the order, Albedo finally tore her gaze away from Momonga. Had the circumstances been more appropriate, she would have pounced on him long ago.
With the decisiveness of a warrior, Cocytus raised the God Slaying Emperor Blade and began gathering power.
Shalltear, who had been speaking with Aura, smiled and extended one hand. A pure white spear of light appeared before her.
[Counter Arrow]
[Kulika Blade]
[Purifying Javelin]
The three attacks tore through the air and hurtled toward the giant cocoon.
In the distance, the Deep Darkness Dragon Lord's eyes widened in terror.
He struggled with all his might to stop them, but there was nothing he could do.
Trapped within the encirclement of the White Dragon Lord and the others, he could only watch helplessly as the three attacks struck the giant cocoon like bolts of lightning.
A deafening explosion shook the area, and the cocoon began trembling violently, like an eggshell on the verge of shattering.
Then a sigh came from within.
"Ah, what a headache."
As the dust cleared, a Dragonoid wrapped in flowing darkness silently emerged from the depths of the abyss.
His skin was as black as the night, glimmering with a mysterious sheen as dark power coursed through his body.
The black feathers covering his wings gave off an eerie glow, silently absorbing the surrounding light like a black hole devouring everything around it.
"My old friends. It has been a long time."
A voice that sounded both familiar and unfamiliar rang out.
The Dragonoid first looked toward the Brightness Dragon Lord and the other True Dragon Lords, greeting them casually.
Then he turned toward Naohara and his two companions. Under everyone's stunned gaze, he bowed deeply.
His manner was extraordinarily respectful.
"And you, Great King of All Dragons. I am deeply honored to meet you here."
"Might you grant this subordinate a chance and spare my life?"
The Dragonoid continued speaking, his tone filled with profound respect.
The sudden request left everyone stunned.
"Spare your life?"
Momonga and Herohero froze, confusion flickering in their eyes. Neither had expected such a request from the "Deep Darkness Dragon Lord" before them.
Only Naohara narrowed his eyes slightly, regarding the man with interest.
"Yes, Great King of All Dragons. I ask for nothing more than the chance to serve as your dog. I am also willing to offer everything I have learned throughout my life. So long as you permit it, I will spend the rest of my days tirelessly spreading the glory of the Three Lords."
A faint smile rested on his face, and his words were calm yet unwavering.
"You want to be my dog? Then bark twice and let me hear it."
Naohara smiled.
The original body and the avatar?
Interesting. It seemed the situation he had anticipated had come to pass after all.
"Of course. Your will is my command."
The Dragonoid did not hesitate. He was just about to speak when an enraged roar came from the side and interrupted him.
"What are you doing?!"
The Deep Darkness Dragon Lord glared at the other version of himself and let out a low roar.
"What am I doing? Making the correct choice, of course. My foolish other half, if you insist on remaining obstinate, then do not blame me for being ruthless."
The Dragonoid remained as composed and unhurried as ever, but his words sent a chill through everyone who heard them.
"You intend to kill me? You actually intend to kill me!"
"You are nothing but a clone! How dare you!"
The Deep Darkness Dragon Lord's eyes widened. His voice was filled with shock and fury, his normally deep tone rising into a shrill, piercing screech that seemed capable of tearing through the air.
He stared fixedly at the other version of himself, confusion and disbelief flickering in his eyes.
What was happening?
Was he trying to kill himself?
Had he been betrayed by himself?
"Hah. A clone? When did you fall under the illusion that I was the clone?"
"My foolish other half, you are nothing more than the skin I shed. The discarded shell once known as the Deep Darkness Dragon Lord."
"After all, only by making you believe that you were the original could I ensure that you would willingly help me without ever considering betrayal, wouldn't you agree~"
To shed one's skin was to cast away one's former self.
Then the discarded shell would be used as nourishment for the newly born self.
The moment the Dragon Soul was divided, the being known as the Deep Darkness Dragon Lord had already become a thing of the past.