Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 338

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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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Kale watched the dark clouds cradling black lightning, and through them, screams pierced the air with crystalline clarity.

Aaaahhhhh
Aaaahhhhh—

It resembled the wail that Black Despair had once unleashed. Of course, to others it would register as nothing more than a low hum—a vibration without form.

“…Haaah—”

I exhaled deeply.

My entire body surged with power.

I felt the forces swirling within me—fire and light colliding through my veins, their energy extending to my fingertips and toes, reaching every extremity of my body.

-It comes.

Jjangdol’s voice reached me. I lowered my head.

“Tsk.”

The White Star studied me intently, then clicked his tongue and struck at empty air. His body began to surge upward.

“…We have to stop him!”

Rosalind cried out from beside Erhafen, shielding him. Choi Han and Merry responded, moving into action.
Choi Han’s thoughts crystallized.

This cannot happen.

The White Star cannot reach Kale—cannot reach Raon.
A violent black aura blazed from Choi Han’s blade, radiating raw presence.
Choi Han recalled the moment he had clashed with the White Star. One collision, and he had been sent flying backward.

‘…He is skilled with the blade.’

He was extremely skilled with the sword.
The flames contained within that fiery blade and its aggressive natural power were not the issue.

That swordsmanship from moments ago—the way he severed Erhafen’s golden wave with a short horizontal stroke—Choi Han witnessed an indescribable depth of experience in that single motion.

-Choi Han, this one is also skilled in magic.

Rosalind’s voice echoed in my mind.
It was known that Ancient Powers and magic could not coexist. Yet this one wielded magic, the sword, and Ancient Powers all with equal mastery.

‘…He is strong.’

Overwhelmingly strong.

Crack.
My grip tightened on the sword’s hilt. My body, infused with flight magic, trembled with mounting tension, ready to surge forward at any moment.

Because he was a powerhouse who could not be overcome even if everyone attacked together, I stood against him.

A Mage and a Necromancer fought differently than a swordsman did.
And perhaps this was the swordsman’s unique advantage.
It was the privilege of standing at the very front, wielding a weapon capable of cutting down enemies.

Lately, I had been thinking how fortunate it was that I chose the sword as my weapon.
Because I had justification to stand at the forefront.

-Go.

At Rosalind’s command, I rushed toward the White Star.
But my steps halted abruptly.

“Raon!”

The Black Dragon’s voice came from behind me.
I glanced between the black clouds and the Black Dragon, hesitating, when I spotted a small dragon rapidly approaching Erhafen.

“Grandpa!”

Raon was concerned about Kale, but he couldn’t ignore Erhafen’s call.
Raon saw Kale’s interlaced hands, gripping him as if refusing to let go, and Erhafen’s scarred back standing before Kale.

“Are you alright?”

Erhafen’s image reflected in Raon’s round eyes. The blood he had shed moments ago had dried near the corner of his mouth.
Erhafen still held both hands toward the sky, spreading a platinum barrier to shield it.

“Little one, are you ignoring me?”

The platinum barrier settled beneath the black clouds, enveloping the Capital.

“I’m not ignoring you! Golden Dragon Grandpa, if you get hurt, I’ll destroy this entire world-”
“Quiet, little one.”
“I’m, not loud-!”

Raon was about to retort to Erhafen, who had cut him off, but he closed his mouth upon seeing what the ancient dragon was doing.

The ancient dragon’s two hands, stretched as if supporting the sky itself. Platinum threads began to form there.
Those threads connected with the platinum barrier opposing the black clouds.

The ancient dragon grasped those threads in both hands and then took hold of Raon’s front paw.

“You do it.”

Small and plump, black paw. The ancient dragon connected the platinum thread to that paw.
Raon felt Erhafen’s power flowing from the platinum thread touching his paw.
The thread gradually melted from the sole of Raon’s paw, then enveloped him in platinum light.

“You can do it. You’re very skilled at magic.”

With those words, Erhafen moved, his expressionless face holding Raon’s paw with his hand. He positioned Raon’s paw sole to face the sky, maintaining the same posture he had held when supporting the heavens himself.

“…I-”

Raon looked at the platinum light enveloping him and asked the ancient dragon.

“Why am I doing this?”

If I do this, what will Grandfather do?
Raon’s front paw, stretched toward the sky, trembled slightly. Erhafen grasped that paw firmly once, then released it and spoke matter-of-factly.

“I keep my word.”

Erhafen patted the little one’s round head and turned away.

“Raon, that is what it means to be a dragon.”

Then he raised his voice.

“Everyone, protect Raon’s side!”

Rosalind, Choi Han, Merry, and Hana who had arrived—Erhafen passed them and soared into the sky.
The direction he headed aligned perfectly with the White Star’s direction toward Cale.
Rosalind, who had been watching the scene in a daze, suddenly turned her head at the biting wave of mana.

The Black Dragon.
From the small dragon’s body, a massive wave of black mana was rising.
Rosalind saw only Raon, not Erhafen or Cale, staring with a furrowed brow at nothing but the platinum barrier and the black clouds.

Raon’s front paws trembled violently. Through that trembling, Raon’s voice rang out.

“…I am… great.”

The moment she heard those words, something welled up in Rosalind’s chest. That young voice and the sight filling her eyes stirred her heart.

Platinum threads of light.
The silver began to tint the light that Erhafen had woven.
It was the color that appeared when Raon cast a shield, when he tried to protect something.

Silver light gradually wound around the platinum barrier. The young dragon, Raon, was now striving to do his very best.
The moment she witnessed this, Rosalind spoke to the dazed group.

“Protect Lord Raon’s side!”

And she commanded.

“Concentrate all ranged attacks on the White Star! Support Lord Erhafen!”

Arrows of flame shot from Rosalind’s hands toward the White Star. Simultaneously, she positioned herself to Raon’s right.
Choi Han followed, swinging his sword vertically to send an aura toward the White Star, taking his place to Raon’s left.
Hana stood in front of Raon, while Merry took position behind him.

Boom! Crash!

The flaming arrows and gleaming aura struck the White Star directly.

“…Seriously.”

The White Star, who had deflected both attacks with a curtain of water, made no effort to hide his irritation. Still unable to reach Kale, his face was etched with frustration and exhaustion.

“You certainly seem eager to protect him, don’t you, Kale.”

Standing outside the platinum barrier, Kale responded to the White Star’s upward gaze with an expressionless face.

“Above.”
“…What? Above?”

The White Star’s expression froze as he looked upward in confusion, and the sword in his hand was swung in response.

Boom!
Erhafen and the White Star collided once more. Witnessing this, Kale shrugged his shoulders and pouted as he spoke.

“It’s below, not above, you unlucky bastard.”

At the same time, Erhafen spoke to the White Star across the Destructive Fire sword clashing with his platinum spear.

“Running out of strength?”

At first, the White Star had silently blocked the ancient dragon’s attacks with his water curtain. Now he was deflecting Choi Han and Rosalind’s assaults while unleashing explosive sounds.

The meaning was simple.
The White Star’s condition was deteriorating.
Fresh blood continued to trickle from the corner of the White Star’s mouth.

Of course, Erhafen’s condition was hardly better.
With dried blood at the corner of his mouth and a pallid complexion, Erhafen heard the White Star speak to him with evident weariness.

“…Truly persistent. Not very dragon-like.”

Yet Erhafen lifted his head and met Kale’s gaze.

Kale noticed that Erhafen’s eyes, fixed upon him, had grown calm and settled. Beyond that, he could see the silver light mingling with the platinum barrier, and Raon supporting the barrier behind Erhafen.
When the corner of Kale’s lips twisted slightly, he heard Erhafen speak with a laugh.

“Kale, I should make you live a long life, shouldn’t I?”

A smile threatened to twist Kale’s lips.
Suddenly, my former team leader’s voice echoed in Kim Rok-soo’s ears.

‘…Damn it. Rok-soo. Kim Rok-soo. You live for my share too.’
‘Did you understand?’
‘Live a long life, you bastard. While doing that unemployed life you like.’

That voice overlapped with Erhafen’s voice.
In that moment, the power of fire circling through Kale’s entire body spoke.

-I have prepared to the maximum.

Destructive Fire.
The maximum capacity of that power.
Kale did not know how much strain using this power would place on his body. However, Cale’s Power was keeping his body strong.
And with all the attributes gathered together, maintaining a precarious balance, and though the vessel was said to be as fragile as glass, hadn’t it grown larger?

Kale closed his eyes.
From his two hands facing the black clouds, a crimson-gold light began to spread.

Thump. Thump. Thump.
With the sound of his heartbeat, Kale poured out all the fire within his body.

The crimson-gold light stretched from Kale’s hands, becoming a thin line that cut across the space between the black clouds and the platinum barrier.

In that moment, Kale heard the sound of something shattering. It was the sound of Erhafen’s platinum spear breaking.
Yet Kale did not open his eyes. The White Star drew closer to Erhafen.

“Old dragon bastard.”

The White Star’s fist, which had shattered the window, drove toward Erhafen’s abdomen.

“How irritating.”

The fist connected directly with Erhafen’s stomach.

“Cough!”
“You’re getting on my nerves.”

A groan burst from Erhafen’s lips, and just as the White Star moved to kick him—

“Ha, haha.”

With laughter, the White Star’s fist was caught.
In the next instant, the Dragon’s other hand swiftly ensnared his remaining arm.

“I’ll handle you.”

The Ancient Dragon kept his word once spoken.
Hands gleaming with platinum light seized the White Star’s wrists in an iron grip.
Erhafen’s two hands bound the White Star’s two hands, preventing him from advancing further toward me.

“Kale, do as you wish.”

Do what you desire, exactly as you see fit.
The moment I heard the Ancient Dragon’s voice, the White Star’s eyes twisted in fury as he screamed.

“Strike down!”

Strike down!
His command was directed at the sky, and simultaneously, Erhafen let out another groan.

“Ugh!”

From the White Star, an immense power surged forth.

Uuuuuuung—
The moment the vibrating black clouds ceased their trembling.
A moment of silence flowed.

Keeeeee-
Keeee- Keegee-

The sky trembled with a horrifying cry.
Black clouds writhed as if to swallow the earth. The very air shuddered.

“Cough!”

Erhafen was kicked back by the White Star’s foot, losing his grip as he stumbled away. In his exhausted eyes, reflected in his labored breath, the sky came into view.
Black clouds.
Something black erupted from within them.

Lightning.
Black lightning revealed itself beneath the black clouds that engulfed the Capital.
Countless bolts of black lightning poured down.

In that moment, Erhafen smiled.

At the same time, Kale’s eyes opened.
He spoke as he watched the descending black lightning.

“Purify.”

With those words, the thin thread that spread between the platinum barrier and the black clouds.
A slender golden thread.
From there, a massive inferno began to surge upward.

And through that raging fire.
As if to devour the black lightning, to pierce through the black clouds and even the heavens themselves, a golden lightning bolt erupted skyward.

It appeared as though fire from the earth and black lightning from the sky were clashing against each other with gaping jaws.

Keeee-
The eerie cry of black lightning and golden lightning collided.

Ahhhhh-
Ahhhhhhhh!

The cry transformed.
The moment the two bolts of lightning tangled together. Just as I had purified the black despair, the grotesque voice shifted into human cries, and the black was washed away.

The crimson lightning devoured the darkness of the black bolt.

“Kuhaha, hahaha!”

Yet the White Star laughed.

The crimson lightning gradually became red ash and vanished in its struggle against the black bolt.
It consumed only the darkness of the black lightning, unable to stop the lightning itself.

Even if Bernhard’s darkness disappeared, the White Star’s sky remained unchanged.
That was why the White Star laughed.

“Hahaha, so my Ancient Powers cannot be defeated after all.”

The white lightning, its darkness washed away by the crimson bolt, poured down toward the platinum barrier. That was the moment.

“Cough!”

The White Star drew in a sharp breath.
Erhafen had driven his fist into the White Star’s face. The ancient dragon’s visage, exhaling ragged breaths, was exhausted. His hands trembled.

The sword of fire born from strengthening the Sword of Calamity—the power of the Dragon Slayer. It was from the constant collision with that blade.
Yet Erhafen squeezed out every ounce of strength and unleashed it.

“You, leave.”
“What?”

As the equally exhausted White Star questioned him, Erhafen barely summoned his mana and poured it forth toward the White Star.

“Still thinking of attacking-!”

The White Star’s pupils dilated as he braced for the assault.
It was not an attack.
It was wind.
Swift wind engulfed him and thrust him upward.

Beyond the platinum barrier.

The White Star was pushed back, and in that instant, Erhafen reached out his hand.
I saw something falling from above.

“Gasp, huff. Gasp.”

Erhafen’s hand caught the falling person.
I heard his ragged breathing.

“Huff, gasp.”

I was breathing heavily as if starved for air. My entire body trembled violently.
I hadn’t coughed up blood, but I couldn’t breathe properly—as if I were about to suffocate to death.

I leaned against Erhafen and lifted my head. My vision blurred.

-Don’t sacrifice yourself.

Cale’s Power’s voice echoed in my mind.
Beyond my hazy vision, beyond the platinum barrier, amid the cascading lightning, I saw the White Star smiling with a weary face.

-I erased the black.

Cale’s Power spoke.

-We did what we could.

The corners of my mouth rose.
White lightning that pierced through the Destructive Fire, washing away the black despair.

“Ah.”

On the ground, Saint Jack clasped his hands together.
Lightning where Bernhard’s darkness had vanished, leaving only the White Star’s pure power.
That lightning was filled with the essence of untainted nature.
I felt the courageous yet resolute force of nature.

A noble and beautiful power.

‘…A power that even feels sacred.’

Saint Jack’s face contorted at that power.
It couldn’t be helped.
With a face twisted between laughter and tears, Jack opened his mouth.

“…Prince Kale.”

And Erhafen, Raon.
Both joy and sorrow were etched into Jack’s expression as he called out to them.

The Ancient Dragon Erhafen unleashed his magic once more, squeezing out every last drop of mana.

“I cannot allow it to be destroyed.”

Platinum light began to shimmer across the platinum barrier once again.

“…I am… I am great!”

Brilliant silver light poured forth from Raon’s two front paws, wrapped in enormous black mana.
Kale opened his hand as well.

-So you’re really going through with it?

I heard Cale’s Power’s voice.
I watched the white lightning descending as if to destroy the Imperial Capital, the home of the people living here, and answered.

“Stop asking.”

Cale’s Power exhaled with a sigh.

-You won’t die, but it will be agonizing.

I let out a hollow laugh.

Someone’s home, someone’s life.
Destroyed.
Shattered.
Crumbled.
Vanished.
Witnessing such things was sometimes far more agonizing than anything else.

Even with Erhafen and Raon stepping forward, it remained uncertain whether they could withstand the White Star’s power.
Adding even a fraction more strength was the right choice.
And.

“I haven’t lost consciousness yet.”

I hadn’t lost consciousness.
That meant there was still something I could attempt.

My hand stretched toward the sky, silver light radiating from it.

A platinum barrier.
Above it, a silver shield.
And above the silver shield, a silver shield with wings spread wide stood firm.

White lightning poured down upon it.
The light that sought to protect collided with the light that sought to destroy.

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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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