Dark Dragon: The Summoned Hero Is A Villain - Chapter 219

Chapter 219: Captain Roderick
Noah stepped out of the tunnel, his boots crunching against damp stone.

He continued on his journey, towards whatever the monolith would bring, and eventually, he arrived at another cavern.

This cavern was bigger than any before, with a wider roof, allowing the light of the fake sky spear downwards.

However, the walls were crawling with the bioluminescent moss from the tunnels, and when the light hit them, they glowed in a beautiful green-blue pattern.

For a few seconds, the silence in the cavern was absolute, then the skittering began.

His eyes narrowed as the sound grew louder.

From the cracks and shadows of the cavern, giant rats poured out, their eyes glowing a bright red.

Their fur was slick with filth, their claws scraping the ground like knives.

The stench hit him next, and Noah almost retched in disgust.

“Again?” he muttered. “Fine.”

The first rat lunged, teeth gnashing.

Noah stepped aside and drove his fist into its skull. The creature’s body convulsed before collapsing, its head caved in.

Devour.

The shadows around his feet rippled, consuming the corpse. Strength surged faintly in his limbs.

The rest of the swarm descended upon him.

Noah didn’t hesitate. His tail lashed out, smashing into one’s ribs.

With his other hand, he cast Pillar of Judgement. A beam of golden fire fell from above, vaporizing three rats at once.

The rest shrieked, scattering and circling him.

“Don’t run,” he said softly. “You’ll just die tired.”

He moved like a storm. Flash Step flared beneath him, and he was gone, reappearing beside one of the fleeing rats.

A sword made from his own soul shadow sliced through its body.

He fired Blackflame, the dark fire exploding against another’s flank. The blast tore through the creature, splattering blood across the cavern walls.

The battle quickly fell into a calming rhythm of attack, movement, and annihilation.

Blood sprayed through the air, and every kill fed Devour, filling his veins with more power.

By the time the last rat fell, the cavern was littered with corpses.

Noah straightened, exhaling slowly. “Easy.”

He turned, already preparing to move toward the next tunnel, when clapping filled the air.

He froze.

The clapping echoed through the cavern, and Noah’s head turned sharply, eyes narrowing as a figure stepped from the shadows near the far wall.

The newcomer was tall, clad in polished steel armor engraved with gold filigree. His helm bore the insignia of the Camelot Guard.

The man stopped a few paces away, the glow from the moss reflecting off his armor.

“Impressive,” the man said, voice deep and steady. “Few walk into a monolith like this alone and live to tell the tale.”

Noah said nothing, straightening slightly but not relaxing. After all, the man seemed to have also entered the monolith alone.

The man placed his gauntleted hand on the hilt of his sword. “I am Captain Roderick of Camelot’s outer guard. I followed the fire you left in the forest. It led here.”

Noah’s lips twitched upward. “I see.”

“You shouldn’t be here,” the captain continued, tone still polite but firm.

“Monoliths are under the jurisdiction of the Crown. Unauthorized entry is forbidden. I’ll have to ask you to leave, before this becomes… unpleasant.”

Noah’s gaze flicked over him, calculating. “I came for something. I’ll leave when I find it.”

Roderick tilted his head. “That’s not an option, I’m afraid.”

“Then you’ll have to remove me.”

For a moment, neither spoke. The air between them thickened with tension.

Then, the captain’s stance shifted. His right foot slid forward, weight balanced, the sign of someone trained for years.

“So be it,” Roderick said quietly. “By order of the Crown, you’re under arrest.”

He moved.

Noah barely saw him coming. One moment, the man was several paces away, the next, his sword was a streak of silver.

Noah raised an arm, shadows condensing into a solid barrier just in time.

Clang!

The impact was monstrous. The ground cracked beneath Noah’s feet.

He flash-stepped backward, narrowly avoiding the follow-up strike that sliced through where he’d been standing.

Roderick didn’t stop hounding him, his blade dancing unpredictably like a bonfire, every movement efficient and deadly.

Noah tried to counter with Void Bolt, firing it point-blank.

The captain raised his free hand, golden light flaring around his gauntlet.

Dispel.

The spell vanished in midair.

“Tch.” Noah dodged sideways, tail snapping out in retaliation.

The captain ducked under it, slammed a knee into Noah’s ribs, and swung his sword in the same motion.

Noah caught the blade between his palms, the friction of mana grinding against mana. Sparks flared as their energies collided.

“You’re strong,” Noah admitted.

Roderick didn’t answer. He shoved Noah backward with a burst of mana, then raised his hand again.

“Radiant Judgement!”

A glowing circle appeared above them, light gathering.

Noah reacted instantly, throwing up Devour.

The sky split open and a massive beam of blue light fell upon him.

The ground exploded under the pressure, dust and debris filling the cavern. The world became sound and fire.

When the light faded, Noah was crouched low, the black sheen of Devour rippling around him like armor.

The floor beneath him was melted into glass.

The captain’s eyes narrowed beneath his helm. “Impressive defense.”

“Thanks,” Noah said dryly, straightening. “But that’s not all I’ve got.”

He vanished, reappearing behind the man.

His fist lashed out, and was caught mid swing.

The captain twisted, dragging him off balance, and slammed a boot into his chest.

Noah hit the ground, rolling back to his feet.

Roderick was already casting again, a golden spell formation spinning around his arm.

Noah countered with Pillar of Judgement, the two spells colliding midair.

Boom!

The explosion sent shockwaves through the cavern, dust filling the air.

Both men skidded backward, boots digging into the stone.

Noah’s cloak was torn, his ribs ached, and this fight was eating into his mana capacity, but his grin only widened.

The captain raised his sword again, the blade glowing faintly.

“You’re good, stranger,” he said. “But you’re not leaving here alive.”

Noah lifted his hand, gathering energy. “We’ll see about that.”

They clashed once more, each one not holding back.

Each spell they cast shook the walls of the cavern. Sparks of gold and black illuminated the battlefield, flashes of destruction echoing through the tunnels.

Finally, Roderick leapt back, chanting under his breath. Spell formations surrounded him.

Noah’s eyes widened. “That’s—”

“An advanced casting technique,” the captain finished, his voice reverberating. “You’ve fought well. But this is the end of your road.”

The spell formations locked together, light gathering into his sword. The cavern glowed with blinding brilliance.

Roderick swung.

The spell erupted forward into a giant wave of radiant energy tearing through the air toward Noah.

Noah threw up his arms. Devour!

The darkness burst from him, crashing into the oncoming light.

The two forces collided in midair, clawing and ripping at each other.

The cavern shook violently. The stones cracked, and the sound was deafening.

Noah gritted his teeth, muscles trembling as he held the spell. He kept pouring mana into it, barely managing to hold the spell together.

The force pressed down on him, inch by inch, driving him back towards the wall. His boots carved trenches into the ground.

He poured everything into Devour, darkness roaring as it tried and failed to consume the spell, but miraculously, it held.