Berserk: The Prophet

Just as the water serpent was about to strike Saimi Lefudo, it suddenly tilted its head back and spewed out an even hotter dragon breath, colliding head-on with the water serpent. The dragon breath and the water canceled each other out, and in an instant, steam filled the air, and mist enveloped the entire battlefield. The soldiers were blown about by this powerful supernatural force, their vision obstructed.

Cold sweat beaded on the fortune teller's forehead. The power of the Netherworld Serpent was too immense; he could only borrow it once. He could sense the dragon's final, stubborn resistance.

The weak flames could not withstand the biting cold from the Netherworld, and how could the young dragon be a match for the thousand-year-old serpent that lay dormant in the Netherworld River, even if it was just a phantom it manifested in the mortal realm?

The Maitreya Buddha let out a mournful cry, and the ground beneath its feet was even blasted into a deep pit by the water snake. Its dull scales also meant that its life force was about to be extinguished.

Semmelifo's body slowly sank, its limbs gradually collapsing weakly to the ground. Yet its proud head refused to bow, its eyes fixed on Edvarut and the diviner, burning with an indomitable flame. Even as its life drew to a close, it would never yield to these evil forces.

Seeing this, Edvarut's face broke into a maniacal grin. He strode forward, his longsword gleaming coldly, and said mockingly, "Semirfodo, you've finally met your end! So what if you're a dragon?! Today is your death day, and this land will have no place for you!"

"From this day forward, only I and my descendants for generations will be remembered by the people of Grant. The name of Edvarut will resound throughout the entire island!!"

Edvarut let out a triumphant laugh, as if he could already imagine severing the dragon's head as a souvenir, his feet treading on the dragon's corpse, proclaiming to the entire nation that he was the dragon-slaying hero!

Looking at Edvarut's crazed and bloodthirsty state, Semirfodo felt a surge of sorrow and self-mockery. Indeed, no matter the world, humanity is always the same. He could only blame himself for being too careless and merciful.

"...I feel so sorry for you, Edvarut."

Upon hearing Semifodo's words, Edvarut's laughter abruptly ceased, and a ferocious expression appeared on his face: "Sadness? What right do you have to call me sad? You are nothing but a dragon about to die!"

"And my name will be remembered for eternity, sung by my people for generations to come!!"

"...How can someone like you deserve to be loved?" Memories flooded back to Samantabhadra's mind: the time they spent together as companions, the time they hunted together, the boy who slept with it in the wild, huddled together for warmth... He was no longer there.

Upon hearing this, Edvarut was taken aback for a moment, then burst into an even more maniacal laugh: "Love? Can love give me power? Can love make me the supreme ruler of this land? You foolish dragon, you still don't understand that only power and strength are the only truths in this world!"

...The boy was now completely bound by the crimson net of power; his heart and soul were no longer free.

"...Your Majesty, before this dragon is completely dead, we must perform the Red Sacrifice ritual." The diviner's forehead was still damp with sweat; he had almost lost his way in the depths of the Netherworld after merging with the serpent's consciousness.

Fortunately, his beloved disciple woke him up, preventing him from going astray. He still feels lingering fear when he thinks about it now.

Edvarut frowned slightly, shifting his gaze from Semirfodo to the diviner: "Red Ritual? Now? Are you sure this is the best time?"

The diviner nodded hurriedly, a hint of urgency flashing in his eyes: "Your Majesty, this is an opportunity not to be missed. Although this dragon is severely injured, its vitality is beyond imagination. If we do not take this opportunity to complete the Red Sacrifice, we will all be in danger once it recovers some of its power. Moreover, the dragon blood required for the Red Sacrifice must be fresh, and now is the perfect time."

Edvarut's lips curled into a cruel smile as he turned to look at Semirfodo again: "Very well, then let this dragon become the sacrifice for my ascension to the pinnacle of power."

Hearing their conversation, Saimile Buddha felt a surge of anger and disdain: "The Red Sacrifice Ritual? So that's how it is. I didn't expect you to make a deal with these foreign heretics just to deal with me! Aren't you afraid of being scorned by your own people?"

Edvarut sneered, "You think the people of this land will rebel against me? They are already under my control. Once I complete the Red Sacrifice and gain even greater power, no one will be able to stop me. All they can do is worship me!"

The diviner smiled obsequiously from the side: "Your Majesty is wise! Once this red sacrifice ceremony is successful, you will become the greatest ruler in the history of this land, and your name will be remembered for generations to come."

"Potter, take this and restart the elemental golems one by one." As he spoke, the soothsayer had already instructed his beloved disciple to begin setting up the ritual around Semirford.

The diviner pulled a dagger covered in runes from his robes and began chanting incantations. Gradually, a magic circle emitting an eerie red light appeared on the ground.

As the light of the magic circle grew stronger, Sai Maitreya Buddha felt his power and a part of his soul essence being drawn towards the magic circle by an invisible force.

It struggled desperately to break free of its restraints, but not only were the chains tightening around it, rendering it unable to move, it was also too badly injured to move an inch.

Saimile Buddha felt his life essence and dragon power constantly draining away, and his consciousness becoming increasingly blurred, yet the hatred in his heart grew stronger: "Edward, you will pay the price for your madness!!"

"I curse you and your descendants for generations to come, that they will forever repeat your mistakes, with sons killing fathers and daughters killing brothers, and their loved ones either missing out, becoming estranged, or betraying them, and they will surely be separated by death! I curse you and your descendants that you will never receive true love!" Saimile Buddha roared angrily, his voice echoing through the valley.

As Edvarut listened to Semirfodo's curse, a flicker of unease crossed his mind, but it was quickly overshadowed by his greed and ambition.

"Hmph, a death throes!" he said viciously, staring at the Buddha of the Maitreya. At the same time, he gripped the spear in his hand, turned around angrily, loaded the spear into the large crossbow, and aimed the spearhead at the dragon, as if this could dispel the ominous premonition in his heart.

At this moment, Potter, following the diviner's instructions, took four glowing crystal balls and headed towards the cracked elemental golems.

When Potter brought the crystal ball close to the earth elemental golem, a deep hum suddenly sounded, the cracks on the golem began to slowly heal, and an earthy yellow light gradually shone. Then, the other golems also restarted one after another.

The diviner's incantation had ended, and the natural power on the four elemental puppets turned into another crimson color.

The formation is complete; all that remains is the moment to slay the dragon.