Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 243

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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But that gleam in his eyes remained hidden from the others.
All they could see was the soaked back of the man spreading his arms wide to maintain the water barrier.

“…M-My lord. Are you alright?”

I heard Rak’s voice from behind me. So I answered honestly.

“Yeah. Better than I expected.”

It really was better than expected.
Commanding water—in a sense, it was the most incomplete power because I didn’t fully possess it. I’d used nearly all of it, leaving only a small portion, yet I remained unharmed. Strange, but intact.

‘Besides, without using the shield, there’s no pain either.’

This was quite good, actually.
My condition was improving far more than when I’d used the shield earlier.
But Rak’s face twisted.

‘…Better than expected? Then how much pain did he anticipate before using this power?’

Rosalind, who had been approaching after deploying her magic, found herself unable to take another step forward.

‘He knew his body’s balance would collapse, yet he says it’s fine! What kind of lie is that?’

Rosalind bit her lip. In that moment, she heard Kale Heniatus’s voice directed at Rak.

“Don’t get distracted. Focus on your task.”

At his firm tone, Rosalind changed direction, turning away from Kale Heniatus. She pulled a potion from her pocket and drank it. The turmoil in her chest settled.

I still have work to do.

Rosalind’s eyes regained their cold clarity.
At that moment, I felt Rak fall silent and lifted my head.

Screeeech—

The sound of steam rising.

‘I need to hold out for as long as possible.’

The water barrier had to endure for as long as it possibly could.
But that was far from an easy task.

A water barrier erected beside the pillar of flame. The two were inevitably destined to collide.
And unlike fire, water was a force bound by nature’s law—it fell from above to below.

Kale Heniatus held the image in his mind, willing the water he commanded to maintain its barrier form for as long as possible, yet ultimately the water would either vaporize or cascade downward.

He was not alone in understanding this truth. Keeping his gaze fixed upon the sky, Kale Heniatus recalled the one being who understood this best.

As if answering his gaze, a tremendous roar erupted through the air.

Kwaaang!

A sphere of light shattered against a fist, exploding outward in brilliant rays. A solid fist wrapped in rippling, shimmering water swung beyond the sphere of light.

“This bastard!”

The Dragon Hybrid quickly erected a shield.

Bang!

The shield and fist collided. Simultaneously, the owner of the fist drove his forehead into the shield.

Kwaaang!

The shield cracked.

“Kehehehe.”

Orca Arch’s eyes, gleaming with bared teeth in a vicious grin, locked directly onto the Dragon Hybrid. Bang, bang, kwang! His forehead, wrapped in translucent water like a helm, continued hammering against the shield.

“This insane bastard!”

The Dragon Hybrid couldn’t hide his astonishment.
Why, you ask?
He was standing in midair above the Fire Barrier.
That Whale Tribe bastard had walked through the flames to reach this place. Seeing those crazed eyes, the Dragon Hybrid conjured another shield and hurled a small bolt of lightning.

“Truly beastlike.”

At the Dragon Hybrid’s words, Archie burst into laughter.

“What’s so strange about that? Half-breed worm. The Whale Tribe are half-beasts, after all.”

Half-breed worm.
At those words, the Dragon Hybrid’s eyes changed.

“I was going to let it slide—”
“Why would you let me slide? This half-breed is hilarious, isn’t he?”

Crack—!
The shield shattered, and Archie appeared, teeth gritted. As anger and bewilderment flickered across the Dragon Hybrid’s eyes, Archie flashed that characteristically insolent smile and tossed out a casual question.

“What’s wrong, kid? Bitter?”
“Such arrogance—!”

It was the moment the Dragon Hybrid expressed his deep fury.
Archie couldn’t suppress his sneer.

“Arrogance? How dare you speak such words before the future king of the Whale Tribe?”
“What?”

Archie kicked off the ground. The reason he could stand upon the flames—a small platform of water beneath his feet supported him.

The being who sent forth platforms to follow his steps.
Archie believed that a humpback whale humanoid could only become king.
The berserk Whale Tribe.
Unlike other humanoid races, their physical transformation was minimal.
Their height didn’t increase, and no fang-like physical weapons manifested.

However, she wraps water around herself like armor.
And the Whale King—those with the qualifications to be a true ruler stand on a different level.
Among the Whale Tribe, those who have lived for countless ages.
Those born with the instinct to command the sea itself.

“Get out of my way.”

Archie laughed at those words with a chuckle and leaped into the air. As he spun once in the sky, his gaze fell upon a woman.
The being who had just told him to move—Witira.

“Well, well, our king seems even angrier than I am.”

Archie’s face was filled with laughter.
But the Dragon Hybrid’s expression had changed.

“…These damn bastards—”

Beneath Witira’s feet, small waves stirred and carved a path for her.
A column of water began devouring the pillar of flame.

A woman who commanded water columns that consumed fire, parting the way before her.

“When did you ever see me before, you worm?”

Her face expressionless, she brought the whip down vertically.

Craaaaaack.

Like a thunderbolt, or perhaps a colossal spear, the whip descended in an instant, threatening to cleave the Dragon Hybrid’s body in two.

‘What in—’

The Dragon Hybrid swiftly began casting with both hands.

That whip.
He could feel pure water power within it.
More than that, the dominion unique to a sovereign made the back of the Dragon Hybrid’s neck tingle with dread.

‘They said the Whale Tribe had gone berserk, but was it to this extent?’

The whip lashed across the space where the Dragon Hybrid’s head had been.

Kwaaaaaang!

With a tremendous roar, the whip cleaved through a section of the blue-green Fire Barrier. The severed halves of the Fire Barrier became visible.

“…What kind of power is that—”
“How is she—”

Those watching from below drew sharp breaths, trembling at the sight.
Yet Witira’s expression remained composed, as though nothing extraordinary had occurred, her gaze shifting slightly higher.
She took a step forward into the air itself, toward the sky where the Mages’ conjured rain descended.

Caw, caw,
Black ravens beneath her feet bore her weight. Simultaneously, a cloak materialized across her shoulders—a veil woven from the water she commanded.
She and the water remained inseparable.

Then nothing else mattered to her.
Her twin whips slashed across the heavens once more.

Kwaaang, kwaaang!

Lightning and whip collided.
The Dragon Hybrid and Witira—the two locked eyes upon each other alone.

Kwang! Crash!

Lightning and water whips descended upon each other dozens of times. Nothing that lived could approach their battlefield.
The Dwarves and the Bear Tribe had fled the moment the Dragon Hybrid began unleashing his power.

Orca Arch stood with his arms crossed, calculating the precise moment to intervene. Choi Han circled the perimeter, unable to penetrate the dozens of lightning bolts. His expression was grim.

And as the lightning rained down from the Dragon Hybrid above, Witira opened her mouth.

“You’re not yourself, are you?”

Standing upon ground created by hundreds of black ravens, Witira’s eyes missed not the slightest movement of her opponent.

“You’re in pain.”

The Dragon Hybrid said nothing in response to her words.
His expression began to grow cold and distant.

It hurt.
Yes, his wounds had not yet healed.

The battle at Caro Kingdom. The scar left by the lightning that had pierced through his abdomen back then still remained.
His gaunt fingers traced across his belly.

Kale Heniatus.
He had thought that bastard was also a Dragon Hybrid like himself. That’s why he hadn’t reported it to that cursed White Star or whatever boss he served.
If he had reported it, a wound like this would have healed in an instant.

But he had deliberately left the traces behind without erasing them.
He had hoped that Dragon Hybrid would come find him again.
He wanted to spare his own kind and observe him slowly.

But that wasn’t it.

‘…I saved a dragon brat!’

What he had saved, what he had hidden and concealed, was a dragon brat.
And not even one that had completed its first growth stage.

Fury flickered across the Dragon Hybrid’s pupils. It was a deep, viscous hatred.

“Yeah, I’m hurting a bit right now.”

Witira hesitated at the sight of the Dragon Hybrid calmly admitting his weakness. At his composed and serene demeanor, an inexplicable chill crept up the back of her neck.
She quickened her pace.

Squiiiiish—

Soon after, the water column would dissipate. She had to bind those limbs within that time.
Her mouth opened.

“Archie!”

Archie moved immediately.
He stepped onto the curtain—the water’s mantle that stretched to where Witira stood—and rushed toward the Dragon Hybrid.

That was the moment. As Witira was about to swing her whip, she caught sight of the Dragon Hybrid’s smile.

“Dragons are beings of a different caliber.”

Orca Arch saw someone surpass him.

“…Choi Han!”

Choi Han and the Black Wyvern rushed toward the Dragon Hybrid together. And Witira could hear what the Dragon Hybrid said.

“Water cannot overcome lightning.”

A matter of elemental advantage.
Lightning’s favorite battlefield was a space drenched in water.
The moment the Dragon Hybrid’s lips curved into a bloodthirsty smile, he could see Witira’s composed face.

“…I know. Everyone knows this fact.”

A fact everyone knew.
Witira, Archie, Choi Han rushing over now, and finally Kale Heniatus.
It was a fact they all understood.

That was why Kale had told Witira to fight, not to win.
But Witira intended to win.
She called upon one person.

“Choi Han!”

If it were merely water, she would not have fought. But this was water she commanded. Commanded water might be able to command lightning as well.

Furthermore, there existed a natural counter to light.
The most savage force, even if incomplete.

Why do living beings fear darkness?
Because it is merciless.

She felt the presence approaching her side and opened her mouth. Her soft voice reached only Choi Han.

“Archie will carve a path. And I will protect you, Choi Han.”

Choi Han and Witira’s eyes met.

“One chance. The opening to exploit exists only once.”

The darkness was incomplete. But Choi Han’s power was not the only thing that remained incomplete.

That wounded place was still unstable as well.
In darkness, neither completeness nor incompleteness can be seen. The darkness need only swallow everything.

Witira did not wait for Choi Han’s response. Instead, she stepped upon her own shoulder and extended her hand toward Archie, the one advancing forward.

Whoooosh—

A whip became Archie’s feet.

“Hehehehe, do you think you can win by swarming me like this?”

The Dragon Hybrid unleashed magic without concealing his dark laughter. Dozens of light spheres materialized and poured down upon Archie.

Boom!
Boom! Boom! Boom!

The light spheres hammered against Archie’s water armor. Crackling electricity erupted, devouring the water. Archie’s eyes narrowed.
This was no jest.

“…So, he wasn’t using his full strength.”

The Dragon Hybrid’s power that Kale Heniatus had spoken of. Compared to that, the strength displayed until now was woefully inadequate. He had found it strange, and indeed, the Dragon Hybrid had been holding back.
But it mattered not to Archie. His role was to open the way.

“Uuuaaaagh!”

With a roar, Archie spread both arms wide and charged toward the Dragon Hybrid. Spheres of light engulfed his body. But Archie did not stop.

Lowering one’s head was more humiliating than pain. It was the nature of an Orca. A being who would never bow his head unless he truly respected another. He could fake submission once or twice, but if he did not genuinely respect, the Orca would inevitably charge forward.

The only being before whom the Orca bowed its head was the humpback whale—the royal bloodline it acknowledged as king.

Crash! Bang! Bang!

“So you’re determined to die!”

The Dragon Hybrid burst into raucous laughter and fired a massive arrow of light toward Archie. The projectile spun ferociously as it shot forward, threatening to pierce through him instantly.

Archie did not stop even as he saw the approaching arrow of light. Instead, he smiled wickedly.

‘…Smiling?’

As doubt flickered in the Dragon Hybrid’s eyes, Archie bowed his head. He bent deeply at the waist.
A being worthy of his deference.
The feet of that being stepped across his back as he passed.

“Thank you.”

Archie had become a stepping stone bearing the weight of the king’s stride.
And standing upon his back was Witira, her hand wielding a whip of water that resembled the arrow of light—yet it took the form of a colossal spear, its edge honed sharp as a finely-tempered blade.
But that whip had the appearance of a giant spear, standing taut like a finely sharpened blade.

Witira hurled the spear.
The arrow of light and the spear of water shot toward each other.

“Do you truly believe such a trivial water spear can defeat me?”

The arrow of light erupted in brilliant radiance as it collided with the water spear.
A tremendous explosion of light detonated. The Dragon Hybrid’s smile widened.

I could feel it.
The arrow of light enveloping the water spear.

Soon the electrical current would consume the water entirely.

That was the moment.

Whoooooosh!

The water moved.
No—a massive curtain made of controlled water shifted. Witira removed the cloak hanging from her shoulder, tearing away the curtain.
And she hurled it toward the Dragon Hybrid.

“What trick is this now!”

Simultaneously, Witira grasped a spear of water. Crackle. Electric current coursed through her body. Power infused with the essence of light. Her water armor evaporated in an instant, her palms burning.
But she was already a woman bearing many scars.

Witira was the one who had carved X-shaped scars across her back through countless battles, and to her, those scars were a source of pride.
Because thanks to those scars, I protected my comrades and peace.
She was an existence that lived with such pride.

Witira lifted the spear wrapped in electric current and hurled it.
The spear left her hand and flew with perfect accuracy toward the Dragon Hybrid, enveloped within the curtain of water.

In that moment, the Dragon Hybrid felt his own power returning against him.

Shrieeek!

A portion of the water curtain obscuring his vision tore apart. Light surged in the Dragon Hybrid’s hands as he ripped through the controlled water.
Simultaneously, the Dragon Hybrid spotted the water spear wrapped in luminous radiance.

“Ha, haha!”

The Dragon Hybrid burst into laughter, extending his skeletal hands forward.

Boom!

A tremendous roar erupted. The spinning water spear and his hands collided, but a sound of an entirely different magnitude engulfed the Canyon of Death.

“Kehehehe, hehe!”

The Dragon Hybrid smiled as he seized the spear that had halted directly before his abdomen. His palms burned with heat. It had been long since he felt such pain. Yet it did not pierce his belly as that small lightning strike had done so devastatingly of late.

In the end, it came down to this.
When there is a difference in caliber, one cannot win.

The Dragon Hybrid’s gaze turned toward Witira of the Whale Tribe.
There was no more water, no more fire. All that remained were two members of the Whale Tribe barely maintaining their berserk state, standing atop the ravens.

“Hehehehe, so it comes to this. The barrier cannot be bro—”

The Dragon Hybrid’s expression shifted mid-sentence.
Witira and Archie.
The moment they both smiled.

Behind.
Still shrouded by the water curtain, at my back.

The Dragon Hybrid turned his head. Simultaneously, one of his hands moved toward the wound.

Darkness is insidious.
Death is compared to darkness precisely because it strikes silently, targeting what lies behind.

That insidious darkness appeared behind the Dragon Hybrid.
And silently, swiftly, it pierced the enemy’s weakness without hesitation.

“Kugh!”

The Dragon Hybrid’s head snapped down. In his wavering vision, he saw a rough hand grasping the hand that had been reaching toward the wound.
A hand wrapped in black aura, burning away in the light.
Even as it burned, the hand did not release its grip on the dragon’s hand.

“This… this human bastard…! Kugh!”

Choi Han’s other hand formed a dagger of black aura, piercing through the wound.
Penetrating from behind, not from the front.
Choi Han’s black aura traced the same path Raon’s small lightning had carved—from back to belly, piercing through once more.

The Dragon Hybrid could see Choi Han’s expressionless face looking down at him.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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