Orbis Online
236. The Dragon King Spirit

   "[What do you think of the history of the dragon? What a ridiculous and shameful story for a nation said to be the strongest, right?]"

Bahamut put on a smile filled with sadness as he asked Reus and Ikshan. He could guess both of them thought these dragon kings were stupid and too haughty to cause their nation to run out in the hands of the organization they underestimated.

   "If I may be honest the history of this dragon nation is more sad than I thought."

Reus argues first make Bahamut surprised. He had not expected the word 'pathetic' to come out from someone upon hearing this story.

   "[Why do you think it's sad?]"

   "Well, I understand that dragon kings like you have such a strong power that they are almost invincible and feel that they are at the top of the world and then underestimate small mortal beings like the Order of Chaos, but you guys did that big battle too to hold all that back so they wouldn't creep all the way to Plainfest, would you?"

Bahamut widened his eyes hearing Reus' explanation further.

The main reason Bahamut fought was probably for the safety of his own people but he remembered that he also thought that the hard-won kingdom at Plainfest was not involved by the fight that resulted from it the dragon nation.

   "You also left this continent thinking of the innocent races that could be victims of a possible dragon conflict."

Reus expressed his feelings while imagining himself in the middle of the great battle. Watching the dragons one after another fall from the sky without any life that could be said also for the sake of protecting Plainfest.

   "All that you dragon people do for this continent is unheard of by those protected, without any knowledge or merit like this.... If it's not pathetic then what should I call it?"

Reus is human. He is not a dragon who can understand what the way of life or the mindset of a dragon but hear the story of the fall of the dragons that without anyone knowing, make him shed tears.

Bahamut was a little stunned to see a human, let alone an Immortal Being whose incident was not a human from this world, weeping over the mistakes made by the dragons due to their arrogance.

He could see Ikshan also feeling the same though not to the point of shedding tears. He felt overwhelmed to meet people like the two of them even though he was dead.

Usually at a time like this Ibane will laugh when seeing the weakness of Reus or Ikshan but maybe because carried away the sad atmosphere of the two players, Ibane lowered her head to feel sad.

It took some time for Reus and Ikshan to reorganize their feelings, too, though Ibane did not shed a tear she realized her feelings were a little messed up.

   "Ah, this is all because of you, Bahamut. If only you hadn't told me about the truth of the dragon nation then the atmosphere wouldn't have been this grim."

Bahamut could not find a word to reply to the words of Ibane, but they were the ones who asked the truth about the death of the White Dragon King.

   "By the way, if you've been killed in that great battle why are you still alive here?"

After rearranging his feelings Ikshan asked the most important thing that had been missed when Bahamut told him. Reus who was already feeling better also noticed her waiting for an answer.

   "[Dragon has a special ability that can release their spirit from its body when they die. They can stay alive as long as their spirits are not dead yet but the realms of life and death also have absolute rules.]"

Bahamut flapped his wings away from Reus' shoulder and alighted on Ibane's head.

   "[When a disembodied spirit drifts freely between these two realms, neither alive nor dead, then the realm of death will automatically attract them.]"

   "Is that also true for Astral-type monsters like Ghosts?"

   "[Of course, but the stronger the existence of a spirit the faster the realm of death attracts it. If it was an Astral monster that came from the spirit of a human or other mortal race then it lasted for a hundred more years even they were capable, but not for us dragons.]"

Bahamut added that dragon spirits wandered among the living and dead realms only about 10 years at the most. Even if there are exceptions such as young dragons or dragons that die from disease may be able to survive until about 30 years.

   "What about you? Aren't you able to possess Ibane because your spirit can last for hundreds of years?"

The nameless Dungeon that brings Bahamut to Ibane is the place that Bahamut chose as a place to guard his spirit.

Bahamut also believes that other dragon kings have prepared similar plans if they really have to face death. There is still the possibility of the dragon kings reawakening through intermediaries such as Ibane.

   "mediator? So, you could say that Ibane is the spirit vessel and the place where you prepare for resurrection?"

   "[That's how. In exchange I will give my host power, Ibane.]"

Reus nodded slowly to understand the workings of the spirit techniques as well as the resurrection process that this dragon king prepared. He looked at Ibane.

   "Did you mind? Suppose Bahamut rises maybe your life—no, your account might be lost to him."

   "That's not gonna happen."

   "[Ibane would only be like giving birth to me singly if I managed to get up, so there's no need to worry about such a thing.]"

Reus and Ikshan frowned feeling strange hearing a man about to give birth, let alone 'single'. If this conversation is brought into the real world it may be a matter of debate between 'straight people' and 'heretical people'.

It was as if I could not accept Ibane hitting Bahamut's chin hard enough until the little dragon king crashed and let out a small scream. He wanted to bite the head of the Ibane in return but the Draconian gave a good reason to ward off the bite of Bahamut.

   "Don't say anything that could lead to misunderstanding! It's good you said I gave birth to you! If I'm a woman it might still be acceptable but I'm a man! At least tell me you're like taking my DNA as the basis of your body structure!"

   "[Uhm, about that I was wrong. I'm sorry.]"

Ibane snorted angrily still could not accept Bahamut calling her like a woman, while Reus and Ikshan smiled dryly not knowing what to respond to the reaction just now.

Reus cleared his throat for a moment continuing the initial discussion which is now far off.

   "So, in addition to Bahamut and Arshwind's relationship and the truth of the dragon's history, what else should we know about your secret?"

   "My class, weapons, skills, abilities, and fighting style are also needed in the battle later, right? Why are you asking as if we're running out of chatter tonight?"

Reus blinked for a moment before looking at Ikshan who was similarly shocked and looking back at Ibane who now looked confused about their behavior.

   "Isn't information like this even more fatal than the truth of the dragon's history?"

   "Heh, we are already arguably comrades-in-arms with the aim of eradicating the Order of Chaos. Why keep something like this from someone I can entrust my back to?"

Reus actually wanted to argue that Ibane should not be too trusting of others like them, but Ibane did not mind such things and he could trust Reus and Ikshan completely.

   "Are there really bad people who cry because of the ridiculous truth of the dragon nation's history just now?"

Ibane's response made Reus' face flushed. He had started to forget the incident just now but Ibane actually reminded Reus.

Even if it was the true feeling of Reus, as a man in his 20s and above, of course, would feel embarrassed if crying in front of others.

That night Reus, Ikshan, and Ibane talked about their avatar information until the morning while discussing the combinations of the three skills in order to be used more effectively and efficiently.

Maybe this sounds excessive but through long talk this is born a legendary Party in Orbis Online in the future.