Chapter 404: Everything Waiting to be Rebuilt, Reconstructing the Homeland

On the shores of Dragon Island, the ground was littered with half-dead dragons. Most lay in a deep stupor; though they had survived the imprisonment and draining of Mielos, these survivors were shattered, their massive frames hollowed out to the point of collapse.

"Hmm, this one is in decent shape. A bit of my blood to mend the ruptured viscera, then some supplements and rest should suffice."

Wang Yu thrust his hand into the maw of a dragon. Blood surged from his internal pool, flooding the blue dragon’s body, knitting together internal injuries while infusing the vast, withered form with vital nutrients.

"Roar!"

As the pain receded and the carefully metered nourishment restored its strength, the blue dragon’s eyes snapped open. It let out a furious roar, lunging forward and snapping its jaws shut toward the hand still buried in its throat.

"Bang!"

With a quick step back, Wang Yu dodged the descending fangs, then raised his arm, his right hand—shimmering with a faint golden light—bracing against the charging dragon’s skull.

The two collided. Though the blue dragon’s movement was sluggish from exhaustion, it still carried immense kinetic energy, yet it came to a dead halt the instant it touched Wang Yu’s palm, its momentum vanishing into nothingness.

Holding the dragon’s head steady, Wang Yu stepped forward, gripped its claw, and with a surge of battle aura and raw muscle, executed a perfect shoulder throw. The massive beast was sent flying, crashing into the earth with a thunderous boom.

"Wake up. I am here to help, not to fight."

Wang Yu called out to the dazed dragon. Its aggression was not born of malice, but the instinctual reaction of a mind still trapped in the nightmare that had preceded its awakening.

It was understandable. Their souls had been shackled by the Dragon God, and upon the breaking of those chains, they had been immediately assaulted by Mielos. They were like dreamers finally surfacing from a century-long terror.

"Is it... over?"

The blue dragon’s voice was weak as it questioned the man who had just tossed its massive bulk aside with such ease.

Despite his unchanged appearance, Wang Yu’s physical strength had truly ascended to the legendary realm after piloting the shell of the Dragon King. The vitality harvested from the modified dragons and the secrets gleaned from the King’s remains were no mere ornaments.

Ordinary dragons stood no chance against him in a test of strength, let alone these sick and broken creatures on the shore. They were easily subdued, and their resilient hides ensured that a few tosses wouldn't do any lasting harm.

"Yes, it is over. The abyssal creature known as Mielos has been destroyed. You dragons are finally free."

Wang Yu replied casually, moving to the next dragon to assess its condition.

"That abyssal creature... is it truly dead? And what of our King?"

The blue dragon remained dazed, lying on the ground in the same position where it had landed.

"Dead," Wang Yu answered, probing the mouth of the next dragon. As his blood surged inward, the feedback from the Chariot’s power made him frown; this one was far worse off, its skeleton largely shattered.

"How... could he..."

The bluntness of the answer left the blue dragon reeling, its clouded mind unable to process the loss.

"Hum!"

A flash of white light revealed a silver dragon standing before them, watching as Wang Yu pulled potions from his storage to toss into the dragon’s mouth.

"This one is stable, just delirious. Let him rest a moment, then get him to work. The Sky Mechanical City is preparing for the return of the displaced residents. We are short-handed; the Merfolk and I cannot do it alone. The dragons of the island must do their part."

The voice emanated from the throat of the dragon Wang Yu was treating—the man had crawled entirely inside the beast’s gullet to tinker with its internal state.

Aerielian nodded, silver light enveloping the blue dragon as she prepared to lead it away.

"Roar!" "Click!" "Bang!"

Another sudden roar erupted. The dragon’s jaws snapped shut, but Wang Yu held them open with both hands, forcing them apart. After a brief struggle, he backed out and rewarded the aggressive dragon with another shoulder throw.

"Stimulating the heart works, but most of the bones are still broken. Let this one rest; no labor for him, or I can't guarantee he won't suffer permanent damage."

Wang Yu wiped his hands, stained with the dragon’s blood, and moved toward the next patient without looking back.

He had just reached into the dragon’s chest to shock its heart back into rhythm, forcing the body to rely on its own regenerative powers. Aerielian watched him, reflecting on how little she truly knew of this friend of Sieg’s. She had seen glimpses of his uniqueness in the Undead Plane, but only now, after the war with Mielos, did she realize the sheer absurdity of his existence.

Setting aside the feat of piloting the shell of Wendel Mix, this man—who was certainly no professional healer—had single-handedly taken on the treatment of nearly a third of the island’s survivors. His methods were "bizarre," yet undeniably effective.

Three groups were now working to save the dragons: the residents of the Sky Mechanical City who had stayed to fight, the Merfolk who had joined the Nightfall Church, and Wang Yu, who stood as a force unto himself. Avia and Noel coordinated the efforts between them.

"Though I have said it many times, I must thank you again, Arch-Bishop Wang Yu."

Aerielian’s sincere gratitude reached him. Having learned from Noel about the events at the Tide Barrier, she knew that without Wang Yu, the outcome would have been vastly different.

"It is my duty. Whether for my own sake or my connection to Sieg, I will do all I can for the dragons."

Wang Yu replied offhandedly, noting that the title of Nightfall Arch-Bishop was becoming increasingly well-known.

Silver light flickered as Aerielian departed with the two stabilized dragons. Wang Yu continued his work, tapping his temple to activate the Perfect Fractal Lens, which relayed the girl’s voice to him.

"Most have been saved, but some are too damaged to heal. We are still short on hands; we must hurry. The good news is that the first batch of awakened dragons has joined the rescue team and is heading your way."

The girl’s tone was lighter now. The situation was better than expected; just over a thousand survivors, but most would live.

"Remember that knight we met in the Sewentan Snowfields who had a grudge against the Dragon Cult? His 'Inner-Dive' could be useful. If the dragons that cannot be saved are willing, they might be able to survive in another form through his ability."

Wang Yu nodded, spotting the dragons flying toward him. He mentioned the knight, Light Servison, whose unique ability could prove invaluable in these dire times.

"He and some members of the Nightfall Church are already on their way, bringing supplies. Combined with what the Sky Mechanical City provided, it should be enough."

"Clatter..."

The dragons landed beside Wang Yu, bowing their heads in respect. He recognized the white dragon leading them—he had been the first one Wang Yu had saved.

"Hurry."

Wang Yu pointed to the remaining unconscious dragons. The newcomers were eager to save their kin, so he wasted no time.

They soon realized, however, that their combined healing efforts were less efficient than Wang Yu’s alone. He would crawl into a throat, tinker for a moment, and the dragon would wake up—only to be tossed aside by a shoulder throw and dragged away by Aerielian.

Ultimately, Wang Yu was simply too unique. His blood, transformed by the secrets of the Dragon King’s shell, acted upon these wounded creatures with miraculous, almost terrifying efficacy. Most dragons felt an instinctive blend of awe and kinship toward him.

With the help of the others, the pace quickened. By the end of the day, all the survivors had been awakened and moved to the gathering grounds.

Wang Yu rode the back of the white dragon toward the dragons' rebuilding home. Above, many dragons flew, carrying supplies in their claws. Though their numbers were a fraction of what they once were, it was a sight of resilience Wang Yu had never seen elsewhere on the continent.

The island itself was unrecognizable. A massive crater, occupying a quarter of its original area, had formed at the center, now filled with seawater to create a lake.

The landscape was scarred and desolate. The forests were gone, the hills had collapsed, and the ground was pockmarked with craters—a ruined, barren wasteland.

From Wang Yu’s vantage point, however, one could see many dragons dragging their weary, healing bodies, either weaving spells or exerting raw physical strength to mend the fractured earth as best they could, while around the lake, the silhouettes of crude structures had already begun to emerge.

There is no need to fret over the resilience of these dragons; they are, by nature, far more formidable than any other sentient race, and provided they are granted the respite to recover and kept free from the meddling of those with ulterior motives, they will soon emerge from the shadow of this catastrophe.

The potential of this island, standing amidst the ruins and awaiting its rebirth, is beyond any doubt.