I Became the Cute One in the Troubleshooter Squad-Chapter 150: To Protect Everyone (4)

There once existed a region called Zhark in a now-vanished otherworld.

A massive canyon spanning several kilometers in width.

A place where thunder, lightning, rainstorms, and fierce winds never ceased throughout the year.

Naturally, it was an environment so treacherous that no ordinary being could possibly survive.

The non-human races born in Zhark were exceptionally powerful and highly adaptable.

—A dragon born from the great storm... Yes, my child. From now on, your name shall be Tempest.

And this applied even to dragons, creatures standing at the pinnacle of all life.

During their juvenile years, before their hearts had fully developed, dragons absorbed mana directly from nature.

In other words, the terrifying and dangerous environment of Zhark played a crucial role in unlocking their latent potential.

Of course, Tempest was naturally gifted far beyond other dragons.

However, the undeniable truth was that his growth was also due to surviving life-threatening storms from the very start of his youth.

Thus, before he became the Dragon King, Tempest was known by a title befitting his prime—the Storm Dragon!

His mastery over lightning and storms made him akin to a walking tempest itself.

“Kugh... So this is the true power of Lord Tempest!”

“I-I can’t believe it.... Just by unleashing his mana, the very climate around us is...!”

With each step he took forward, fierce currents of wind surged around Tempest, so powerful that even the towering trees swayed and bent.

This wasn’t something he consciously intended—rather, it was simply a side effect, the essence of his mana seeping out into the world.

How long had he lived in the company of storms for this to become second nature to him?

For Mira Valentine, a seasoned mage, the sensation was enough to evoke sheer reverence.

But perhaps he had ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) grown too accustomed to such gazes.

Unfazed, Tempest scanned his surroundings before setting his eyes on a bloodied and fallen Peacekeeper in the distance.

“Hm... You’ve been through quite the ordeal, Peacekeeper Examiner. Examiner Mira. Guide him and all the examinees here to the Leviathan. I’ve already taken care of all the obstacles along the way, so you won’t have much to worry about.”

—Taken care of all obstacles. It was no mere bluff.

The path Tempest had come through lay in utter devastation, as though a typhoon had swept across it.

It was no exaggeration to say that he had thoroughly cleared the way.

Mira, staring blankly at the aftermath, trembled slightly before speaking.

“And what about you, Lord Tempest...?”

“Hm, it seems some troublesome guests have come knocking. I’ll have a little chat with them. No need to worry about me. They may be terrifying foes to you, but... to me, they’re nothing more than insignificant brats.”

Mira instantly understood the meaning behind his confident words.

Troublesome guests—he could only be referring to the Seven Calamities, the highest-ranking officers of the Inter-Species Liberation Army.

Tempest was heading straight toward the center of Sky Garden.

He was convinced that the mastermind behind this entire incident, the Seven Calamities, was there.

She didn’t know how, but if Tempest was certain, then he must have had a reason.

Mira stopped thinking about it and nodded firmly.

“Understood. I will ensure the examinees are safely protected aboard the Leviathan.”

“Good. I leave it to you, Examiner Mira.”

“I’ll help as well, Examiner Mira!”

“Thank you, Miss Alice. Then, Lord Tempest, we shall take our leave....”

“Hm. Stay safe.”

Step, step.

Tempest cast a reassuring smile toward Mira, who had steadied herself from her initial shock.

Then, with a face of unwavering determination, he set off toward the heart of Sky Garden.

“Gah! Tempest...! Kiiik!”

“D-Damn it! Olvis, sir!”

Crunch. Crack.

How far had he walked, trampling the modified humans and undead in his path as if they were nothing?

By the time he had left Leviathan far behind and arrived at the center of Sky Garden,

a sharp, slicing bloodlust and an unsettling pressure that scrambled the mind engulfed him.

“So this is the place... The source of this insufferable presence I’ve been feeling for a while.”

As Tempest followed the sensation and emerged from the forest, a vast clearing unfolded before him.

A space unnaturally carved out, as if severed cleanly by scissors.

And standing boldly in the middle of it—three figures.

A swordsman clad in black from head to toe—Edmont, the Blade Demon.

An alchemist garbed in pristine white, ill-suited for battle—Olvis, the Alchemist of Despair.

A necromancer wrapped in bandages, his old wounds still unhealed—Morte, the Plaguebearer.

The Seven Calamities were both strategic weapons capable of wiping out entire cities and commanders leading powerful forces.

Losing even one was an immense blow—yet here they were, prepared to face Tempest, knowing the cost.

“You arrived sooner than expected. I thought you’d show up only after half of this island had been reduced to rubble....”

“Oh dear, this is a little unexpected.... Or perhaps, if we erase Tempest quickly, things will go even more smoothly?”

Edmont and Olvis were visibly surprised by Tempest’s swift arrival.

They had anticipated that, given his importance to both the Fixer Association and humanity as a whole, he would first take time to fully assess the situation.

Instead, he had started moving within mere minutes of the crisis unfolding.

If he were to fall here, it would be nothing short of the worst possible outcome.

‘We’ve prepared no less than thirteen anti-dragon artifacts just for this battle.

From the moment he entered this clearing, the best he can fight at is... sixty percent of his full power!’

Though this was an unexpected development, their confidence remained unshaken.

They believed in their own strength, and they had poured everything into this operation.

Their confidence stemmed from their artifacts.

A collection of curses, refined over years, designed solely to weaken and kill dragons.

If they could cut down his strength and fight as a team, victory was within reach.

Of course, a single artifact alone wasn’t enough to cripple Tempest.

But two? Three? More than ten?

Even a dragon of his caliber wouldn’t be able to fight at full power under such conditions!

‘If only some lesser Fixers had encountered the curses first, they could have warned him.

But no—he walked straight into our trap. Even the greatest mage is useless if their mana is disrupted. That arrogance will be his downfall.’

With a smug grin, Olvis chuckled.

Her creations were scouring Sky Garden for the World Tree’s Seed, while she personally ensured Tempest wouldn’t interfere.

The other Fixers?

The Seven Calamities’ Elite Guard alone would be more than enough to crush them.

In her mind, ninety percent of their plan was already complete.

Yet, amidst all this, the necromancer Morte had a different perspective.

With dark circles under his weary eyes, he muttered,

“...As I said before, I won’t participate in this battle.... That was our agreement....”

“Tch. Just don’t get in the way. If I can’t defeat a weakened dragon, then I’d be unworthy of my title as a swordmaster.”

Schwing.

From Edmont’s waist, a long sword was unsheathed.

Its blade shimmered with an ominous, brass-like glow.

A weapon coated in liquefied Dragon Slayer—

a blade that inflicted wounds a dragon could never heal from.

If even a single strike landed cleanly, the consequences would be dire.

Recognizing the danger, Tempest immediately drew forth his mana.

But—

For the first time, his once-fluid mana felt sluggish and entangled, as if resisting his control.

The air was saturated with dragon-cursing magic, thick like sewage, disrupting its flow. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

“So this is the curse meant to kill dragons... What an annoyance.”

Suppressing his frustration, Tempest forced his mana to move, speaking in a low, irritated voice.

“Tch, what pathetic tricks...! Annoying pests. Let’s end this quickly.”

CRACKLE!

Even with his power suppressed, lightning surged violently in his grasp, as if declaring—

—You can never shackle a storm.

The Seven Calamities had no more words to exchange.

Instead, they rushed toward him, prepared to strike.

The battle that could wipe Sky Garden off the map—had begun.

*

Just as the fatal clash between Tempest and the Seven Calamities was about to unfold, a fairy with purple hair let out a sigh of relief, as if finally finding some solace.

“Huu, this place should be safe enough. Now I just need to bring the other fairies here.”

This fairy’s name was Murmur.

A skilled mage who had been traversing Sky Garden, rescuing more than ten fairies so far.

However, moving in large groups would only make them an easier target.

Thus, Murmur had been tirelessly searching for a secure shelter and had finally found a cave with only one entrance.

With the decision set—gather the fairies here—Murmur cast a sidelong glance at the human who had been helping him all along.

“Waaah... This human’s skin is so soft! Just like ours!”

“Her hair is so smooth and shiny... I want to use it as a blanket....”

“Wait a minute, are you sure you’re not just a really big fairy?”

“...”

At the cave entrance stood a pale-skinned girl, Yuria, completely surrounded by countless fairies.

It seemed that, after spending time together, they had concluded that she was a good human.

Their affection for Yuria had reached sky-high levels.

Fairies, by nature, adored cute and beautiful things.

Though they couldn’t see her face due to her mask, her scent was pleasant, and her skin was soft—qualities that made it impossible for them not to like her.

“Hey! You guys! Stay away from Whitey!”

“Eeeh, Chiriloo, you’re so selfish~ You just want her all to yourself!”

“This is suspicious. Chiriloo always shares things, but now she’s being greedy? This human might have something incredible!”

Outside, a literal war was raging on—yet inside the cave, they were acting as if none of it concerned them.

Murmur watched the fairies clinging to Yuria with an utterly dumbfounded expression.

Then, sighing, he stepped in and swiftly shooed them away, speaking firmly.

“The white human is our benefactor. Don’t make things difficult for her. The best way to repay her kindness is to step back and not get in her way.”

“Hm? Is that so?”

“Now that you mention it, humans are always busy. If we cling to her too much, she might be troubled.”

Perhaps it was because Murmur was always nagging but also deeply cared for them, but the fairies quickly listened to his words.

In an instant, the ones who had been pressing against Yuria quietly backed off.

Of course, Chiriloo still clung tightly to her clothes, sniffling as if unwilling to let go.

However, when Murmur mentioned that he had something important to discuss, she had no choice but to put some distance between them.

Finally, they could have a proper conversation.

Breaking the carefree mood that didn’t match the chaos outside, Murmur spoke to Yuria.

“Hey, human. Could I ask you for a favor?”

“...?”

His expression as he spoke was utterly serious.