CHAPTER 109: UNEXPECTED HELP

The dragon’s realm gave off a grim first impression.

The sky hung low and dark, the air was thick and heavy, and the silence pressed down like a weight.

The trio advanced carefully toward the soldiers guarding the border gates.

Their presence was imposing. Hades could tell at a glance—they were no ordinary men. He gave a small nod, acknowledging their strength.

Releasing the hands of his companions, he stepped forward alone.

Luna and Peri stayed back, watching quietly.

Hades approached the soldier on the left and said in a steady voice, "I have the permit to cross the border." He then presented the letter the Sage had written.

It was rare for anyone to enter the dragon realm from the other side—rarer still for it to be a human and an elf.

The soldier narrowed his gaze as he took the letter from Hades. "Wait here," he said curtly, his tone sharp and unwelcoming.

Hades let out a quiet sigh before stepping back to stand with the others.

"The sun..." Peri’s voice broke the silence. She lifted her head, prompting the others to do the same. "...why does it look like that here?"

It unsettled her. Only a few hours away from her home, yet the skies were warped—the sun appeared to be bleeding across the horizon.

Even Hades couldn’t make sense of it.

"The air reeks of blood," Luna muttered, covering her nose in disgust.

Truly, this realm lived up to its name—the realm of death.

The only outsiders who regularly ventured into the dragons’ domain were from the beast realm. Fierce and untamed, they came either to test their strength in brutal tournaments or to purchase raw materials for weapons and armor.

The beast realm was as vast as the human lands, yet its population was nearly double. They were wild beings who lived by four simple instincts: fight, mate, eat, and sleep.

Hades had encountered beastkin before. Once, during such an encounter, he had nearly lost his head.

’I was lucky that day...’ He exhaled heavily at the memory.

The soldier soon returned, handing the parchment back to Hades.

With a deep rumble, the great doors of the border began to part, a slow, grinding motion that signaled their passage was allowed.

Hades gave a small gesture to the others, and together they moved forward.

Peri’s stomach turned as she felt countless stares following them—hungry, lecherous eyes that stripped her of any sense of comfort. Luna felt the same but hid it well, her face set in stone as she crossed the border.

But the moment they stepped past the gates, their path was cut short. Dozens of spears thrust forward, their tips gleaming cold and sharp.

"Halt right there!" one soldier barked.

Hades’ brows furrowed. His voice hardened as he stepped closer. "What’s the meaning of this?!"

And then, before the tension could snap—

"Now, now, no need to be so hasty."

A man appeared beside Hades in the blink of an eye, his sudden presence sharp enough to make the air itself shiver.

Hades turned to face the man, completely unfazed by his sudden appearance. His stance made it clear—he was ready to strike the moment danger revealed itself.

The newcomer grinned, long black hair falling loosely over his shoulders. He wore dark armor, though without a helmet or weapon. That alone spoke volumes—either his confidence was absolute, or his rank was high enough that he had no need to prove himself. Perhaps both.

"You think we’d let you through just because an outsider wrote you a permit?" he asked, tilting his head with mocking ease.

"The Sage has the authority to do so," Luna cut in firmly.

The man’s gaze slid toward her—and lingered, shamelessly tracing down her body.

A crack split the ground beneath Hades’ feet as his mana surged in fury. The air trembled around him, thick with heat and pressure.

The soldier only shifted his eyes back to Hades, lips curling into a knowing smirk. "Oh... so you’re a dragon, eh?"

His voice carried no doubt. Mana sensors were crude compared to a high-ranking dragon’s senses. In a single glance, he had pierced through Hades’ disguise. This redhead—was a dragon.

The high-ranking soldier rested a hand on his waist, his grin widening. "At first, I thought of asking you to hand over the women in exchange for safe passage. But now..." His eyes glinted with cruel delight. "...how could I resist humiliating you instead?"

In answer, the soldier unleashed his own aura.

The ground quaked violently, splitting wider beneath his feet, a crater spreading with each pulse of his power.

The surrounding soldiers instinctively stepped back—they knew just how violent their superior could become when provoked.

The air grew heavy, oppressive. Luna’s chest tightened as if invisible chains were squeezing the air out of her lungs, but she forced herself to remain standing, ready to fight at Hades’ side.

Peri, however, could see the truth. This opponent was beyond Hades’ level. Even if he managed to land a powerful strike, there were still too many soldiers gathered for them to stand a chance. Her eyes darted around, searching desperately for any possible escape.

The heat in the air rose, searing and stifling. The atmosphere felt ready to explode.

Hades’ gaze turned icy, his rage silent but absolute. This man had dared to cast his eyes on his mates—dared to think of taking them from him. That alone was unforgivable.

If he had to reveal his true nature here and now, so be it. Hades would see this man dead.

"You ready to go?!" the soldier taunted, claws sliding out from his fingers, a savage grin carved across his lips.

Hades didn’t answer. His own fingers twisted into crimson claws, his pupils narrowing into slits. His aura surged again, a wave of bloodlust so raw and suffocating it rattled the air itself.

The clash was inevitable.

The soldier shifted, muscles tightening as he prepared to pounce—

SPLATTER!

In an instant, his body was crushed.

It wasn’t a clean death. It was a grotesque collapse. Flesh tore apart, bones snapped and folded like brittle twigs, and blood sprayed outward in a thick, wet mist. Under the overwhelming force of gravity, his body flattened into the earth as though the weight of a mountain had slammed him down.

Armor caved in, organs ruptured, and what remained of his figure was nothing more than a mangled smear of broken limbs and pulped meat pressed deep into the soil. The ground itself cracked and buckled beneath the sheer pressure.

Peri gagged and doubled over, vomiting uncontrollably. "B-Blergh!"

Luna’s complexion turned ashen, her lips parting but no words leaving her. Her hands trembled despite her attempt to remain composed.

Even Hades faltered. He staggered back a step, his eyes wide with disbelief. The man who just moments ago had radiated overwhelming strength—reduced to nothing more than a crimson stain.

The soldiers were no better.

Just then, a voice resonated, the voice of the culprit of such a mess.

"MY BABY!!"

And the next thing Hades felt was the warmth of a woman enveloping him.

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A/N:- Baby is in heaven. Thanks for reading and leave a review if you are enjoying the story.