Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1745: I am their Curse! Part-3

Lackey stared at the scene with a blank expression before letting out a disappointed sigh.

“…I honestly thought they’d explode and buy me at least a few more seconds.”

KYYYRRRAAAA!!

Another deafening screech echoed overhead.

Lackey instinctively looked toward the sky and watched as the reconnaissance drones, which had also restarted after the DIY Gun’s effect wore off, reignited their anti-gravity engines. Their blue optical sensors lit up once more as they resumed scanning the surrounding mountains.

Unfortunately…

None of them remained airborne for longer than two seconds.

Several Cursed Wyverns launched themselves from the cliffs with terrifying speed before snapping the drones out of the air. Metal shattered between enormous skeletal jaws as sparks and broken mechanical fragments rained across the valley. Within moments, every drone had been swallowed whole, disappearing into the creatures’ molten bodies without leaving behind a single functioning component.

“…”

Nothing remained except Lackey and the dozens of Cursed Wyverns surrounding him from every direction.

He slowly scanned the creatures while tightening his grip around the DIY Gun. Their crimson eye sockets never left him, yet something about their expressions felt… strange.

They were undoubtedly furious after being awakened, but beneath that anger, he could sense another emotion lingering inside their empty gazes.

“…They’re angry…”

His brows slowly furrowed.

“…But why do they also look… cautious?”

How could he understand them?

The realisation made him even more uneasy.

Every possible escape route had already been blocked by wyverns, while the surrounding mountain walls were nearly vertical cliffs covered with smooth volcanic rock. Even using his movement skill wouldn’t allow him to outrun so many flying monsters across such terrain.

‘I can’t even fight these things head-on,’ Lackey thought grimly. ‘The moment even a single drop of that molten lava touches my body, I’m pretty sure I’m completely screwed.’

His thoughts immediately drifted toward Raven.

Back during the Heart Game, Raven had managed to fight these creatures only because she possessed Purifying Magic Stones.

Unfortunately…

Lackey hadn’t prepared for anything like this.

“If I’d known these bastards were waiting here,” he muttered under his breath, “I’d have stuffed a few thousand Purifying Magic Stones into my storage before coming.”

It wasn’t even an exaggeration.

He would have happily carried thousands of them if it meant surviving this place.

Still, one final thought lingered quietly in the back of his mind.

The Ethereal Flames.

He still possessed that power, and if anything in existence could resist a curse, it was probably those flames.

The problem was that he still couldn’t control them.

Betting his life on a power that refused to obey its owner was hardly a plan, and Lackey knew better than anyone that blind hope usually got people killed.

He desperately tried to focus, reaching inward for the Ethereal Flames that had saved him before.

It was as though the flames had never existed in the first place, remaining completely dormant no matter how hard he tried to call upon them. An invisible barrier seemed to separate him from that power, preventing even the slightest reaction.

‘…Is it because of my missing hand?’

The thought flashed across his mind almost immediately.

But then another memory surfaced.

‘No… Didn’t No.25 use those flames without any problem?’

His brows knitted tightly together.

‘Then why him?’

‘Why not me?’

‘Damn it! I even reached 999 on the Ethereal side and yet… fuck!’

His thoughts were violently interrupted as the Cursed Wyverns collectively let out thunderous screeches.

Their massive skeletal bodies surged forward all at once, shaking the entire mountain path beneath their combined weight. Countless obsidian wings unfolded simultaneously while molten lava poured from their ribs, splattering across the battlefield like a deadly rain of liquid fire.

“Oh, shit! Oh, shit!!”

Lackey immediately abandoned the idea of forcing out the Ethereal Flames and relied entirely on his instincts.

STEP!

STEP!

STEP!

His body blurred across the battlefield.

One enormous claw tore through the space where his head had been only an instant earlier.

STEP!

Another Wyvern lunged with its skeletal jaws wide open, attempting to bite him in half.

“Fuck!”

STEP!

He twisted sideways, narrowly avoiding the attack before planting one foot against a jagged boulder and launching himself toward another opening. Before he could gain any distance, molten lava rained down from above, forcing him to flip backwards through the narrow gap between two burning streams.

His feet had barely touched the ground when another Wyvern appeared beside him.

Its enormous obsidian wing swept across the battlefield with terrifying force.

Lackey raised both arms instinctively.

BOOM!!

The stone-like wing struck him like a speeding freight train.

Crack!

His entire body slammed into the mountain wall hard enough to create a crater. Rock exploded outward in every direction while fractures raced across the cliff face.

Dust filled the air as countless pieces of shattered stone rained onto the ground below.

“Cough…!”

“Cough…!”

The impact completely knocked the air from his lungs.

Lackey slowly pulled himself out of the crater, coughing violently while brushing chunks of broken rock from his shoulders. A dull pain spread across his entire body despite his absurd physical durability.

As he finally looked up…

He froze.

The Cursed Wyverns weren’t attacking.

Instead…

They were watching him.

Several creatures lowered their skulls slightly while others spread their wings in slow, deliberate motions. Low growls echoed throughout the valley, sounding almost… mocking?

As though they were laughing at him.

“…”

Then it hit him.

“…Ah.”

He slapped his forehead with enough force to echo across the valley.

“These motherfuckers hate dragons.”

His expression immediately became complicated.

Now everything made sense.

The strange hesitation.

The anger.

The caution.

The mocking stares.

It wasn’t because they recognised Lackey himself.

They recognised what flowed through him.

Even though these Cursed Wyverns had long since lost their flesh, their rationality, and even their blood, they had originally descended from the Dragon bloodline before becoming cursed.

Their instincts hadn’t disappeared… Hatred directed toward dragons.

“…No wonder you bastards kept staring at me.”

Only then did Lackey realise something else.

His vision had subtly changed ever since the Wyverns first revealed themselves.

He blinked.

The reflection on a nearby pool of molten lava confirmed it.

His ordinary ice blue pupils had silently transformed into narrow dragon slits, glowing with an icy blue light.

“…Interesting.”

A slow smile spread across his face.

Then it grew wider.

Colder and far more dangerous!

“And unlike before…”

He slowly straightened his posture, no longer looking like prey cornered by predators.

Instead…

He looked like a king addressing rebellious subjects.

“Do you even know who I am?”

The smile completely disappeared.

Only absolute authority remained on his face.

His icy blue pupils suddenly shifted.

Purple light flooded the dragon slits as ancient draconic power erupted from deep within his body. The surrounding air instantly grew heavy as an overwhelming pressure descended upon the entire valley. Even the crimson mist hanging between the mountains trembled beneath the invisible force.

“I…”

His voice was calm.

Yet every word carried unquestionable dominance.

“…am your Dragon Emperor.”

His glowing eyes locked onto every Cursed Wyvern surrounding him.

“So tell me…”

A terrifying smile slowly returned.

“…who gave you permission to bare your fangs against your Emperor?”

His voice suddenly exploded across the mountains like thunder.

“KNEEL!!”

BOOOOOOM!!

A monstrous wave of draconic authority erupted from his body, sweeping across the battlefield like an invisible tidal wave.

!!!

Every Cursed Wyvern trembled.

Their skeletal bodies froze where they stood.

The crimson flames burning inside their hollow eye sockets flickered violently as though struggling against an unseen force. Rivers of molten lava coursing through their bones churned violently, splashing against the ground while countless cracks spread across their blackened skeletons.

Even their instincts… Were beginning to break.

Deep within the remnants of their cursed bloodline, something ancient had awakened.

The command engraved into every dragon descendant.

Obey!!

“KYYRRRRR!!”

“KYYYYRRRAAAA!!”

“KKKRRR…?”

The monstrous creatures staggered backwards one after another.

Some desperately shook their skulls.

Others clawed at their own heads as though trying to rip something invisible out of their minds.

Their hollow eye sockets shifted toward one another in confusion.

They could no longer understand what they were feeling.

Their instincts screamed at them to devour the dragon standing before them.

Yet another force, far older and infinitely more absolute, demanded unconditional submission.

The two instincts violently collided inside their corrupted minds, leaving the entire swarm frozen in place as they struggled against a command that had once been etched into the very foundation of their bloodline.

Sensing the confusion spreading through the Cursed Wyverns, Lackey watched them descend further into chaos.

Several of the monsters slammed their skulls against one another, while others clawed at their own heads as though trying to tear away whatever invisible force was invading their minds. Their instincts were colliding with something far older buried deep within their bloodline.

‘Good… it’s working,’ Lackey thought as he slowly took a step forward.

KYRRR!!

KYYYYYYRRR!!

KKKRRR!!

The Wyverns immediately reacted to his movement. One after another, they let out furious screeches while instinctively retreating half a step before advancing again. Their threatening cries sounded less like battle roars now and more like desperate warnings, as if they were telling him not to come any closer.

Lackey ignored every one of them.

He continued walking with slow, steady steps, his posture perfectly upright as the oppressive aura of the Dragon Emperor continued pouring from his body.

The overwhelming pressure distorted the surrounding air, causing crimson mist and drifting volcanic ash to swirl around him like servants bowing before their sovereign.

One enormous Wyvern lowered its skull until its face was only inches away from his own.

KYRRR…

Its molten breath rolled across his face while streams of lava dripped between its exposed fangs. The creature growled deeply enough to shake the surrounding rocks, trying to intimidate him into retreating.

Lackey never flinched.

Not even once!

He understood dragons better than anyone.

Dragons respected only absolute dominance. The moment their opponent hesitated, showed fear, or took even a single step backwards, they would tear that weakness apart without mercy.

It was law!!

His glowing purple slit pupils stared directly into the Wyvern’s burning eye sockets without blinking. Ancient draconic authority surged through his gaze, crashing relentlessly against the creature’s corrupted consciousness.

At the same time, an unbearable pressure spread through Lackey’s own mind.

The resistance was tremendous.

Unlike ordinary dragons, these creatures had long ago lost their sanity to the curse. Their minds were broken beyond repair, forcing him to dominate pure instinct instead of reason.

Drip…

A thin trail of blood slipped from his nose before slowly running down his lips.

The strain was beginning to damage him.

Even so…

He refused to look away.

He stood motionless, staring at every one of them with the calm authority of an emperor judging rebellious subjects.

After almost a minute… The Wyvern before him suddenly recoiled.

KYRRRRR…

Its skull trembled violently while the molten lava flowing through its skeletal body churned uncontrollably. Obsidian wings beat wildly against the air as though the creature wanted to flee while another force compelled it to kneel instead.

Splash!

Splash!

More lava splashed onto the ground.

Several burning droplets landed barely centimetres from Lackey’s boots, instantly melting solid stone into glowing magma. Without breaking eye contact, he calmly stepped aside before the molten liquid could touch him.

One by one, the remaining Wyverns began shaking violently.

Their hollow eye sockets flickered.

Their skeletal jaws repeatedly opened and closed.

Some clawed desperately at their own skulls while others slammed themselves against nearby cliffs, unable to endure the invisible battle raging inside their minds.

Finally, the pain became too much.

Every Wyvern lifted its head toward the sky before unleashing a deafening screech in perfect unison.

KKKKYYYYYYYYYYRRRRRRRRRRRRR—!!!

The entire mountain range trembled beneath the monstrous roar, yet

*SILENCE.*

His voice wasn’t loud.

It didn’t need to be.

The single word carried absolute authority, flowing directly into the remnants of the draconic bloodline sleeping beneath the curse.

Instantly…

Every mouth snapped shut.

The screeches died before they could even echo through the valley.

The Wyverns stared at one another in visible confusion before slowly lowering their enormous heads. Their burning eye sockets gradually shifted toward the lone figure standing before them.

Lackey’s glowing purple eyes calmly met theirs.

A satisfied smile slowly spread across his face.

*Good.*

His voice carried the quiet confidence of someone issuing an unquestionable decree.

*Now… follow me.*

The pressure surrounding him intensified.

*I shall grant every one of you the greatest feast you have ever known.*

A wicked grin slowly crept across his face.

For the briefest moment…

Even the Cursed Wyverns hesitated.

As they stared into those ancient purple dragon eyes, an unsettling thought crossed what little remained of their shattered minds.

Perhaps…

The true monster standing in this valley…

Wasn’t them.

Lackey slowly turned around, placing his back toward the countless creatures without the slightest concern that they might attack.

He gave one final command.

*Call every one of your brethren.*

A cruel smile lingered on his lips.

*We’re going hunting.*

The Cursed Wyverns raised their heads toward the blood-red sky before opening their skeletal jaws.

“KNNNFFFFKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK—”

The strange cry echoed across the endless mountain range, spreading farther and farther like a summons.

Deep within the distant cliffs, countless unseen voices answered the call.

Without wasting another moment, Lackey took the lead.

The Cursed Wyverns under his control obediently followed behind him in organised ranks, their skeletal bodies shaking the ground with every step. As they advanced through the volcanic landscape, more Wyverns emerged from hidden crevices within the cliffs or descended from the dark skies overhead after answering the strange summons.

The newly arrived monsters weren’t under Lackey’s control.

At least, not yet.

However, the Wyverns already dominated by his authority immediately forced the newcomers into line. Whenever one of them growled too aggressively or stepped too close, another controlled Wyvern would shove it back with its massive body or snap its jaws threateningly.

It was almost as though they were silently declaring that their king was walking among them and that every creature present would show proper respect.

Watching such a bizarre scene unfold before his eyes, Lackey nearly burst into laughter.

He had to bite the inside of his cheek to suppress the grin threatening to spread across his face.

‘Who would’ve thought I’d end up controlling these monsters…’

Even he found the situation absurd.

Just a few minutes ago, he had been desperately searching for a way to survive. Now he was marching through Hell’s Gate at the head of a growing army of cursed monsters capable of wiping entire cities from existence.

He casually wiped the blood running from his nose before a wicked smile slowly appeared across his face.

‘I wonder…’

His dragon-slit eyes gleamed dangerously.

‘…just how much carnage they’re going to unleash out there.’

The thought alone almost made him tremble in excitement!

Just then, movement in the distance caught his attention.

Far ahead along the narrow mountain path, two figures slowly came into view.

Meanwhile…

Several hundred meters away.

“Are you sure this is where the monsters disappeared?” one soldier asked as he cautiously scanned the surrounding cliffs with his Mech-suit’s optical sensors.

“I’m telling you, I heard those screeches,” the other replied while checking the holographic map floating before his visor. “The signal came from this direction, so they have to be somewhere arou…”

His voice suddenly stopped.

“…There!”

He raised an armoured finger toward the mountain pass ahead.

Both soldiers instinctively focused their optical zoom.

At first…

They only saw dozens of gigantic black silhouettes.

Then the image sharpened.

Hundreds of skeletal Wyverns were slowly advancing through the valley. Some crawled across the ground while others glided through the air on enormous obsidian wings. Molten lava continuously poured from their skeletal bodies, leaving glowing trails across the black stone beneath them.

And walking calmly at the very front…

Was a single person?

“Huh…?”

“Who the hell is th…”

The soldier never finished his sentence; in the next instant, that person disappeared from their visuals and,

“Bad timing, fellow humans~”

Lackey appeared beside them with big smile; The expression on his face was almost cheerful.

“Hahaha…”

With a casual flick of his wrist, he raised the DIY Gun toward the two Mech-suits.

Bob!

The crimson energy strips covering both Mech-suits instantly went dark as every powered system abruptly shut down.

The two pilots desperately attempted to restart their systems.

Grabbing both powerless Mech-suits by their helmets, he effortlessly swung them overhead before throwing them directly into the advancing horde of Cursed Wyverns.

*Bon appétit.*

KKYYYYRRRRAAAAA!!

The monsters surged forward as though they had been starving for centuries.

One Wyvern caught the first Mech-suit between its jaws before crushing the armoured body with horrifying force. Reinforced plates folded inward as though made of paper before both the machine and its screaming pilot disappeared into the creature’s molten throat.

Another Wyvern struck from the side.

Its enormous skeletal claw sliced cleanly through the second Mech-suit’s waist.

The upper half of the suit spun through the air while the lower half collapsed onto the ground.

Blood…

Flesh…

And shattered internal organs spilt across the volcanic stone before the monster casually lowered its head and devoured what remained.

Lackey quietly watched the Wyvern withdraw its razor-sharp claws.

His gaze lingered on the blade-like bones for several thoughtful seconds before he simply turned around and continued walking toward the distant portal.

The growing army followed their Emperor without question.

Not long afterwards, the massive crimson portal finally appeared before them once again.

Just as they approached its entrance…

BOOOOOOM!!

A gigantic pillar of crimson energy suddenly erupted into the heavens.

The violent beam tore through the clouds before crashing into the surrounding mountains, instantly reducing several towering cliffs to clouds of rubble.

Lackey slowly turned his head towards the source.

For several silent seconds, he simply watched the crimson light illuminating the sky.

Then…

He looked back at the countless Cursed Wyverns gathered behind him.

A cold smile slowly spread across his face.

*Let the carnage begin~*

KKKKYYYYYYYYRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

Every Cursed Wyvern answered the command with a deafening roar.

The earth shook beneath hundreds of pounding claws as the monstrous horde exploded into motion.

Like an unstoppable tidal wave of death…

The army surged through the portal.