CHAPTER 6-DRAGON LORD OF DARKNESS
[Katon: Gōka Mekkyaku]!
In an action that surprised even himself, Madara made the first move and opened with one of his favored Fire-Style Jutsu, and bathed the cavern in a literal sea of flames as the powerful burst of heat and fire was expelled from his mouth. On the opposite end of the attack, the Dragon Lord was seemingly taken off guard as its eyes widened at the sight. It made no move to dodge or guard itself, as in a flash its body was engulfed by the orange blaze that lit the surrounding crystal formations like stars in the night sky.
As the light of the flames danced and flickered in the blackened cavern, Madara seemed calm and relaxed outwardly. Inwardly however, he was on guard. Given the information he had received when he had first appeared in this new world, he knew a dragon audacious enough to call itself, "Dragon Lord", should NOT be underestimated.
It is a title only given to those dragons who have reached the highest age category amongst their kind, possessed special powers, can use exotic magic, or were simply overwhelmingly strong. They were the strongest of the strongest race, and if his ocular and sensory sensory abilities held true, then this one certainly qualified. Not since his fights against the Bijuu of his own world had he sensed such power, although the power type itself held a very unique signature to it.
"...!"
His suspicions were confirmed as he still felt its powerful presence within the flames, which then shot out of them into the air and to his right. It had cocooned itself within its wings as it dove out of the sea of flames. With surprising speed, grace, and agility, it had unfurled its wings, and flipped itself to face Madara and land on all fours.
Looking upon his quarry with a scrutinizing gaze, Madara saw that the Dragon Lord was calm and unfazed by its recent experience. If anything, it seemed only mildly annoyed. As before, the dragon's scales had not a speck of sheen to them from the flame's light nearby. It was as if all light sources were sucked into his body, never to be seen again. In fact, the intensity of the flames had actually gone down by half, as if drained of energy.
Before Madara could contemplate the matter, the rumbling voice of the Dragon Lord vibrated the ground as it spread its wings wide and spoke...
{Qid' Vaj' Hegh}!
The language spoken was unrecognizable and unintelligible to Madara, which for a brief moment baffled him. To his knowledge, all languages should have been translated due to this world's strange nature, but this dragon stood in defiance to such natural laws, as he soon realized that the words spoken were an activation chant for a spell.
High winds mysteriously gathered around the blackened form of the Dragon Lord, and as they did the flames died down until naught but embers remained, and the darkness reclaimed its domain. The winds surrounding the dragon likewise became black as they then shot towards Madara with a speed that both surprised and impressed the Uchiha. Having little time to mull on the nature of the attack, he turned to lift his right hand.
[Rikudō no Jutsu: Gakidō]!
The Six Paths ability activated and a translucent field surrounded Madara like a bubble and met the Dragon Lord's attack. For a split second all seemed normal as it began to absorb the spell's energy, but then Madara's eyes widened at what he saw; the spell was breaching the Jutsu's effect and was not getting adsorbed! Furthermore, the energy was trying to slither up his hand, and as it did he felt HIS power being drained away instead, along with a pain that felt like the stinging of a thousand wasps at once.
[Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu]!
[Shunshin no Jutsu]!
In a flash, Madara moved at high speeds away from the area of effect of the Dragon Lord's spell as he also expelled a burst of flame from his mouth to cover his movements and blow away the winds and give them something else to drain. As he cradled his right arm with his left, he took a few moments to assess the damage using the ocular abilities of his [Rinnegan]. His chakra pathways were undamaged, but were drained of power. Meanwhile his flesh seemed sickly. Like it had been infected with death itself. In that moment, a likely hypothesis formed in his mind as he moved.
"You surprise me human, but you are not leaving my home alive." The rumbling voice of the Dragon Lord ominously declared as he chanted another spell.
{Hurgha' Durga}!
Just then, 5 large black orbs with a glowing gray aura were conjured around the dragon, and began to orbit around him in irregular and unpredictable patterns. During this, he turned his head to and fro, sniffing the air with a sound that slightly echoed in the dark cavern, like a predator tracking it prey.
Meanwhile, Madara had concealed his presence behind a nearby rock formation while he drank a blue healing potion and applied special salves he modified himself from what he had received from the Observer. The effects were negligible, as the spell seemed to place a powerful curse upon him. Still, it was better than nothing, and he knew that he would overcome it soon regardless. For now, his attention was on the Dragon Lord with an eager and analytical expression as he smirked in amusement.
'Well, well. This "Deep Darkness Dragon Lord" continues to surprise me. He's faster and more agile than his size would lead his foes to believe, and seems to possess a special power to drain life and energy away from his surroundings. And that spell which summoned those black orbs seems to be a type that both defends user, and attacks a careless target that gets too close. His offensive and defensive capabilities are superb, and he has excellent battle sense... Thank you Dragon Lord. All doubts have now been erased. When this battle is through, I will have you collared, but first continue to dance. I have not taken enough enjoyment from this yet...'
Madara's inner musings were halted as the Dragon Lord's voice spoke with a guttural growl that vibrated the air, and communicated his contempt.
"Do you really think you are hidden human?"
'Humph. As expected...' Madara thought with a pleased smile.
He was aware of a dragon's superior senses, and if he had to be honest, he would have been disappointed if a Dragon Lord couldn't eventually sniff him out. Especially if he was not even using his best stealth and concealment abilities. He looked around his more immediate surroundings as a plan was formulated.
Though the cavern was large, he was leaning away from using his more powerful Jutsus and abilities. His goal was to not only enjoy this battle, but to continue to test the black scaled Dragon Lord, and when he was satisfied with the results, he would subdue it and force it to submit to him. Not bury him under a literal mountain of rock. With an excited grin, Madara then prepared to make his move, when suddenly the dragon had shot forth towards his position with a blinding speed that belied his massive size.
"YOU'RE MINE!"
The dragon's roar shook the cavern with a venomous wrath as his very breath seemed to blacken the stone and crystals in the area. He brought down his right claw onto the rock formation that Madara hid behind, crushing them into pebbles with ease. He had jumped out of the way easily, but the blackened orbs that had been surrounding the dragon immediately launched towards him once the distance had been closed.
They all converged upon him at once, coming from multiple angles that effectively trapped him as they made contact. A massive explosion of black and gray aura burst out that would inflict concussive damage, as well draining the stamina/lifeforce of the mark. Dy'vom smiled, exposing his silvery fangs that glistened even in the dark, along with the crimson light of his eyes. He relaxed his guard, thinking that victory had been achieved.
Then, his eyes widened as he saw instead of bloodied chunks of meat falling to the ground, but bits of wood and white smoke. Dy'vom knew what this meant as he roared in anger, shaking the cavern.
"ANOTHER DECOY?! ENOUGH OF THESE GAMES COWARDLY HUMAN!"
Almost immediately, the Dragon Lord sensed a presence behind him, and on instinct raised his tail to his neck. That impulse was the correct one, as a massive, ghostly blue blade was swung down towards him.
*CRANG!*BOOM!*
A massive shockwave blew out in all directions, as a sound resembling a metal on metal collision echoed throughout the cavern. Dy'vom was shocked as he saw a giant glowing blade with an asymmetrical design of what he knew to be called a "Kris", extending out from another shocking sight; a glowing, dark blue and half-formed humanoid skeleton figure. In the center, Madara was staring the dragon down, his [Rinnegan] shining.
"Don't get full of yourself, lizard." Madara said with a cold wrath in his voice that took Dy'vom Nivra'mortis by surprise.
The pressure exerted by his presence made it all too clear of what he had already deduced during the fight; this man was more than a match for him. That in itself was enough to strike anger in the dragon, but he reigned his pride in as they locked their attacks together, tail to blade.
'This human... he's different from all others I have fought. He's not a Player, and he's not one of those overly vaunted, "Godkin". The smell his power gives off is unlike anything I have ever encountered. He's dangerous. Too dangerous to live...'
{VI'ghoj QIu'n}!
Once again, Dy'vom made an unintelligible chant, but this one conjured four giant black spears with a glowing gray aura. They shot forward at blinding speeds and upon contact with Madara's ghostly skeletal outer frame, it shattered, and drained away it's energy. Madara anticipated this and was quick to create distance. Once he did, he clasped his hands together, interlacing his fingers into the "Mi" Hand Seal. The pain was extreme as hs forcefully infused his chakra into his damaged hand, but smiled as he relished it.
[Mokuton: Mokusei Toji no Jutsu]!
The earth beneath their feet shook as roots and tendrils of the Wood-Release element burst forth from the ground and wrapped around Dy'vom like restraining blanket. The Dragon Lord roared as he was restrained, and with all his might pushed against them. It seemed to be working as the Wood-Release element started started to steam and the wood itself started to wither and blacken. Madara was unfazed by the sight as he then launched another technique.
[Mokuton: Mokuryū no Jutsu]!
From the ground near Madara, a serpentine-like dragon, with a short trunk-like nose, burst forth and in the blink of an eye, coiled itself around Dy'vom and bit down onto the base of his neck. His movements seemed to be completely hindered as Madara gazed upon him with a sharp, albeit slightly disappointed gaze.
'WHAT IS THIS?! I can feel my strength being... sapped away? Such a thing should not be possible. My special ability should negating this. Hmph! Then I suppose it is time to end this farce before this "Madara" can conjure any more surprises...'
With that determination fully cemented, the Deep Darkness Dragon Lord roared with a ferocity and intensity that eclipsed all others to this point. As he did, a black aura leaked from the void of his scales and wrapped around the Wood-Release elements that had bound him.
{Toh'jo Vaj' Hegh}!
Immediately after, a column of blackness with a bright gray aura erupted from Dy'vom, destroying his bindings as they turned into a sickly black. That column then turned into a wave that flooded the cavern, and like a storm made their way towards Madara, who only grinned devilishly at the sight as the wave closed in. And then...
[Rikudō no Jutsu: Tendo]... [Shinra Tensei]!
The sea of black was suddenly blown away by an invisible force when Madara muttered those words. The Deep Darkness Dragon Lord was taken aback from the result. Never had he seen such a thing. Then, his keen senses caught something else as he looked upon Madara. He was... chuckling. Then those light chuckles burst into full on elated laughter.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! GOOD! THAT'S GOOD! EXCELLENT! YOU HAVE EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS DRAGON LORD! MORE! GIVE ME MORE! DANCE MORE!"
Dy'vom felt a chill go down his back as Madara joyfully laughed. He felt a pressure from him that his senses could not identify as the man had been enraptured by battle lust. If the Dragon Lord had to be honest, he also felt it, and decided to meet Madara's brazen challenge as he chanted another of his [Wild Magic] spells, still retaining an adequate store of power to do so...
{Vog'd VI'ghoj}!
The Dragon Lord's form shimmered with a dark crimson light that then faded from view after less than a second. Madara grinned as he observed the action through his visual prowess and senses.
'Hmm... Whatever spell he used, created a protective field around himself... Though the nature is different, the effect is very similar to the defensive tier spell [Shield Wall], that Lottus had showed me... I should counter this, but I am having too much fun!'
Immediately after Madara ceased his inner musings, the Dragon Lord spread his wings and legs apart, and looked like a predator ready to pounce as he then chanted a spell.
{QIj Dung'Daj Curn}!
Dy'vom opened his maw, and black flames with a dark orange aura spilled forth, but instead of being launched towards Madara, it formed a ring around the dragon. This ring then transformed into over a dozen fiery black and orange, five meter wide orbs, that orbited Dy'vom like planets around a sun. They then levitated into the air and launched towards Madara.
He deftly dodged them with a speed that, while surprising to the Dragon Lord, did not allow for his guard to be dropped. He was through underestimating Madara, and then proceeded to take flight to create distance.
Meanwhile, Madara had a look of utter glee as he continued to "play" with the new fire orbs that Dy'vom had deployed. He then drew his adamantite [Katana] from its sheath, and then coated it in a layer of chakra that hummed with shimmering blue energy.
'Now then, let's test this out...'
In a flash, Madara sliced through one of the fire orbs as it closed in on him, separating it into two halves. Madara was quick to use high-speed movement to back away from them as the exploded, but as Madara looked himself over, he noticed that the chakra that had coated his blade had been half drained away, and his clothes had also been slightly smoldering, with the flames eating away at the magic that had been enchanted into them. Just as he was to contemplate on the nature of the flames, they had all surrounded him, and locked on to him as they converged on his location.
[Shinra Tensei]!
The orbs exploded in a fiery mass of black and orange that obstructed even his sight, and roared in a deafening cacophony that echoed within the cavern. However, even with the auditory deluge hit Madara's senses, he could still faintly make out something in the distance.
{Tlhu'Hi Yu'egh}
Suddenly, a blast of newly expelled breath from the Dragon Lord in the air had broken through. This surprised Madara to a certain extent, as his [Shinra Tensei] had yet to recharge for another use, due to its five second interval.
A column of blackened, orange flame erupted as Madara's position was overwhelmed, and engulfed nearly the entire cavern. Even the nearby Dragon Lord was caught up in the blast, but due to his magically enhanced defenses, he had been spared any major damage. The ground, the cavern, and the very earth shook as the blast reduced all to dust and ash, and the sudden updraft of heat forced the air to be displaced in violent waves that staggered Dy'vom whom was still hovering in the air.
Skillfully correcting himself, Dy'vom floated back down onto the ground that had been blasted into a deep, smoldering black. None of the crystal formations had survived, and as he surveyed his surroundings, the Dragon Lord grinned. He could not sense the human called Madara at all, and for a moment he believed victory had been achieved.
*BOOM!*
Just then, a massive explosion rocked Dy'vom as he staggered in an attempt to regain his footing...
*BOOM!*
Then another, mysterious explosion, coming from seemingly out of nowhere...
*BOOM!*
And then another, and another, and another, until Dy'vom noticed the source of these explosions. Under his feet, and floating around his body were numerous strips of paper, which were red, black, and white colored. Within intervals of a few seconds of each other they would light up, and explode. Dy'vom ferociously growled at the trickery, and cursed himself for falling for it. Having lost all patience, he then used his wings to shield himself as he cast a spell with an earth shaking roar.
{Toh'jo Vaj' Hegh}!
Once again, a column of blackness with a bright gray aura erupted from Dy'vom, much larger than before, which very nearly engulfed the entirety of the cavern. Once things settled down, the Dragon Lord could be heard breathing heavily as it became clear that his spell had taken a toll on him. Suddenly his alertness level sharply increased as he then spun his body and tail 360 degrees in a circle, blowing away blackened wooded tendrils from the ground.
That moment's distraction had costed him, as from above him eight different Madaras were descending upon his position. Near simultaneously, they chanted out...
[Susano'o]!
In a flash they were clad in gigantic, ethereal blue energy, which then coalesced into a humanoid shape, with each duplicate Madara inside its chest. The face had elongated canine teeth in its lower jaw bracket, with two tusks growing from said jaw, and each wielded a serpentine-like blade in each hand. Those blades all slammed down upon the Dragon Lord, pinning him down onto the ground.
The dragon roared in his fury, swiping his tail to swat at one of the [Susano'o] clad clones. The strength of the blow was enormous, shattering the front of the chest and knocking the clone back. Immediately in response to this, a clone in the front closed the distance with Dy'vom's head, and his eyes morphed into the color, shape, and patterns of the [Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan].
[Genjutsu]!
*BUH-THUMP!*
Just then, the Dragon Lord felt the strength in his limbs fall away, as a fog clouded his senses. His body felt heavy, and was failing to respond to his commands as his thoughts raced.
'What?! What is this?! This should not be possible! Is this... illusionary power?! I looked into his deformed eyes for only a moment! NO! I AM THE DEEP DARKNESS DRAGON LORD! My domain is over the darkness and life! I will NOT be bested by something like this!'
Suddenly, Dy'vom's black aura flared, draining away the energy around him, and within him, and he could move again, somehow breaking the effects of the [Genjutsu]. The faces of the clones contoured into pleased smiles as they thoughts the same thing...
'As expected Dragon Lord. Your life and energy draining abilities are superb. However, it is also too little, too late...'
All the clones looked up at once as they continued to hold down the dragon. Floating above them was the real Madara, with his cloak, armor, and clothes in tatters, with burn marks over parts of his body.
'You have genuinely impressed me, Dragon Lord. Had one of my Wood Clones not reverse summoned me, I would have taken severe damage. But now, this dance comes to an end...'
His palms were directed down towards the restrained Dragon Lord with a triumphant grin as he spoke.
[Shinra Tensei]!
A massive wave of power and gravity washed over the Madara clones and Dy'vom, pressing them down into the contours of the ground, and creating a shockwave that blew debris out and upwards. The clones dispelled as the force pressing down on to the Dragon Lord subsided. Although shaken and disoriented, Dy'vom still managed to push himself up out of his body shaped recess in the earth. However, his movements were weak and lethargic, giving Madara plenty of time to set up his next move...
[Banshō Ten'in]!
An enormous boulder almost as large as the Dragon Lord himself slammed down onto him, pinning him down as Dy'vom roared in pain and rage. This was not the only thing that Madara had planned however, as he then clapped both hands together, forming a black sphere between them as he slowing pulled his hands apart.
[Chibaku Tensei]!
The shining black sphere was then gently dropped over Dy'vom's position as Madara disappeared in a buff of white smoke. The sphere continued to fall until it was within 10 meters of the boulder that pinned the black scaled dragon. It stopped in mid-air, and then a burst of blinding white light shined down upon the cavern, illuminating all within. This was accompanied by tremors that shook the entirety of the cavern and the very earth itself, as the surrounding materials began to be drawn in by an overwhelmingly powerful force of gravity.
The Deep Darkness Dragon Lord tried with all his might to resist the pull, but had been weakened too much to fight the current of gravity that swept all in its wake. Dy'vom roared balefully for his current situation, and for the one he knew had brought this upon him. The mass pulled him in closer toward the center of attraction, all the while earthen materials piled around and compressed him, trapping him in a cage of rock that bound him tightly within.
He couldn't move, and his powers were rendered useless against nonliving materials. He could barely even breath as the mass piled and compressed all the way up to his head. With one last defiant guttural growl, Dy'vom resigned to his fate, knowing that he had all but lost. With one last great squeeze, the mass of stone and earth compressed into a perfect orb, with only the head of the dragon sticking out from the surface.
Then the forces of gravity settled, and the sphere of stone and earth levitated in the air of the cavern as the restrained Dy'vom tried to move his head. He could not do even that and settled to move his eyes to survey his surroundings. As he got his bearings, he was in shock and awe as he saw the cavern had been hollowed out even more, forming its own perfect sphere-like area around him.
He did not have much time to mull, for as he lifted up his head he was further taken aback by the sight of a gigantic, glowing blue form of an armored and winged humanoid with sword in its right hand. As the giant touched down he saw one other thing that all but confirmed the one responsible.
Suspended within the forehead of the giant blue construct of energy was Madara, staring down the Dragon Lord with the purple ripple pattern of his [Rinnegan], and very nearly healed as he was drinking a blue healing potion. His preternatural presence washed over Dy'vom in a wave as he fell into thought.
'W-What IS this?! I have never felt power like this before! This is far above what I have seen of ANY creature, let alone a human...'
Dy'vom's thoughts were cut off as the sword of Madara's [Susano'o] was pointed at his head, and Madara spoke in a voice filled with power and authority.
"Deep Darkness Dragon Lord. You have danced well, but the endgame belongs to me. Concede your defeat."
The dragon ground his fangs in anger and frustration. Never before had he experienced such a humiliating loss, and he could only blame himself. From the very beginning he could sense that this "Madara" was different from all those he had ever fought, and if he went all out from the very beginning, he felt that he could have won. As he reflected on the fight however, he realized that much like himself, his foe also held back.
For what reason did he hold back? For Dy'vom, it was a mix of wanting to conserve his power, and underestimating his opponent. As he gazed upon Madara, the answer had all put escaped him. Madara's expression was a wall. A well sculpted facade that hid all his intentions and betrayed little more than his satisfaction over their, "dance". Dy'vom huffed as black and orange flame was expelled from his maw, along with the words he never thought he would have heard himself say...
"You... have won. Madara Uchiha..."
With that admission, Madara lowered the blade of [Susano'o], and seemingly sheathed it as he looked down upon the beaten dragon lord with a satisfied smirk. It unnerved Dy'vom, but he had little choice as he then spoke in a tone of resignation.
"So then... what happens to me now?"
"Now... you are given a choice, Dragon Lord."
"Grr... what kind of choice?"
"If your loss is too great a burden to bear, I can end your life. Or you can work for me."
"... HUH?!"
Dy'vom was taken completely off-guard by the audacity of Madara's words, but at the same time he was somewhat curious. He had him at his mercy. One more stroke and he could finish him, but instead he offered a choice: death or servitude. As proud as the was, Dy'vom did not wish to die. Not if an acceptable alternative could be reached. With this in mind, his voice rumbled as he spoke.
"Before I answer, I have a question of my won."
Madara simply nodded for him to continue.
"If I say 'yes' to your offer, tell me, what would you have me do?"
"A simple enough question to answer, Dragon Lord. You would serve me as one of my summons. I have an ability, to where once a blood contract has been signed, I will be able to call upon you for aid. Conversely, you will be able to do the same, should you need my assistance. In addition, what treasures and possessions you have will also be mine. A reasonable bargin for your life, no?"
Dy'vom pondered Madara's words, and if he had to be honest, he was somewhat intrigued by what he had said. It was far and away from what he had expected, and although the prospect at being at someone's peck and call did not sit well with him, he also knew that he had little choice. Whatever "contract" he would be placed under, he would find a way to break it, but only when the time was right.
"Hmph! Very well. Your puissance is undeniable, and if there is one thing that we dragons respect, it is strength and power. Just do not expect me to call you, 'master'."
Madara smirked in amusement at Dy'vom's statement.
"I would be disappointed in you if you did, Dy'vom."
The Dragon Lord perked a brow at Madara's sudden use of his name, and the subtle change in his demeanor. However, he dismissed it as simply the satisfaction of a victor over a conquered foe. Just as that crossed his mind, the giant glowing "avatar", as he was beginning to think of it, drew its sword once, and in a burst of forward movement and swordplay, the gigantic sphere was cut into four sections. This allowed Dy'vom to free himself from his confines and land onto all fours, no matter how unsteadily.
As Madara made his way back to Dy'vom, the Dragon Lord narrowed his vision upon the man for a moment. He was almost certain that display was used as a means to flaunt his abilities when using that avatar of unfamiliar, yet potent energy. Even now he could not identify it, and that worried him. For now, he would push it aside, given he was now in a weakened and vulnerable position, and hardly able to inquire further.
Something else caught his attention about the man. On the left side of his chest was a slightly disfigured portion that he could have sworn was in the shape of a face, but lacked a nose, eyes, and mouth. The color of the skin was slightly paler than the skin around it, and had a slight different smell than the man himself. It was a curious sight, but he dispelled these thoughts as his attention went to the man himself.
Just as Madara was upon the Dragon Lord, he dispelled the effects of [Susano'o] and gracefully landed on his feet. Dy'vom was still wary of Madara despite the change, and opted to sit down in a neutral position to show lack of aggression. Madara himself was outwardly unmoved as he pulled a scroll from a pack on his hip. He unfurled it, and then slammed his palm down on it. In a blast of white smoke, an even larger scroll roll had appeared, which Madara promptly rolled it open, revealing script written in blood.
"This is how this will work, Dy'vom. Place a few drops of your blood upon this scroll, and afterward place one of your claws on it, and simply command, 'invoke contract'."
Dy'vom simply nodded at his instructions, and lightly bit his tongue as he leaned his head forward and allowed a drop of his blood to fall upon the scroll. He then carried out the rest of his instructions. When he did he felt a surge of power flow through him as he then felt a connection of some kind with Madara, who then proceeded to roll the large scroll up, and dismissed it with but a wave of his hand.
"Now then, Dy'vom. If memory serves, dragons usually horde a great deal of valuables. Tell me, would you happen to have some replacements for my gear that was destroyed during our, 'dance'?"
For a moment, the Dragon Lord winced at the question, as Madara spoke of their battle as if it were a game of some kind. In fact, he had been doing so from the very beginning of their encounter. Most would write it off as a character quirk, but for Dy'vom it only served to comfirm his suspicions that Madara truly held back in their fight to ensure this particular outcome. He grunted in his consternation as he answered.
"Grmph... Indeed, Madara. Behind us is a hidden tunnel that leads to my treasury."
"Is that so? Then by all means, lead the way..."
...
Madara and Dy'vom had entered the hidden tunnel that was blocked by a stone slab that was moved by a magical switch that only the Dragon Lord could activate via his unique powers. Unless one had exceptional senses, they would not know it was even there. During this time that Dy'vom led Madara through the hidden tunnel, a thought occurred to Madara as he spoke.
"Dy'vom. The magic that you wield. Is it by chance, [Wild Magic]?"
For a moment the dragon hesitated to answer, taken aback by how knowledgeable Madara seemed.
'Who is this man? How does he know so much?! Hmph! I will need to ask of this from him later...' Dy'vom thought to himself before answering.
"Indeed. I was using [Wild Magic], although my variation is unique to my special abilities."
"Hmm... Interesting. And is this related to why I could not understand you whenever you would cast a spell?"
"Yes, it is. Since [Wild Magic] is magic derived from the soul, and fueled by the power of souls, it exists outside the spectrum of the magic that allows the beings of this world to understand foreign languages... However, I find it curious that I as well could not understand you whenever you would cast your spells. They too are quite different of my magic, or even [Tier Magic]."
Madara perked a brow at this. He never once thought that beings of this world could not understand him when casting his Jutsu. Lottus never said anything about it the few times he used his Ninjutsu in front of him. Thinking about it, he simply ascribed it to how their first meeting had taken its course, and how the undead might have worried over displeasing him. He would check up on it later, but in the meantime...
"Indeed, it is different. However, for the time being know that it is far more potent than what you call [Tier Magic]. More than that, you need not know. At least for now."
Dy'vom grunted and huffed briefly at the non-answer he had received, but he had also expected it. They had just formed an accord of sorts, and trust was in very short supply. Especially since Madara held him on a sort of "leash". The dragon then shook his head to push such thoughts away. He could afford to be patient.
After approximately 10 minutes of walking down a darkened tunnel, with only the soft light of lightly glowing crystalline formations to illuminate the way, Madara and the Dragon Lord had arrived in front a massive set of double doors. They were a dull gray in color, with the depiction of a dragon roaring to the heavens on the left side, and a depiction of a dragon descending from the sky like a hawk on the right. The designs were finely etched into the polished stone framework akin to an ancient work of art.
Using his [Sharingan], Madara saw a field of energy wrapped around the stone-work like a second skin. It did not take him long to realize that the doors had been sealed with a barrier of some kind, and a powerful one at that. Madara then slightly turned his head to the right, and looked upon the dragon next to him from the corner of his eye.
"Dy'vom. Open it." Madara calmly ordered.
"Hmph. Very well." The Dragon Lord flatly replied.
The black scaled dragon slowly approached the doors as the ground vibrated with each of his weighted steps. As he approached the door, a blue fiery magic circle came into view. It had intricate, and ever changing designs and runes that slowly shifted its color to red as Dy'vom got closer. His snout stopped just short of touching the doors when he chanted in a low growl.
{Ta'wIje' Ha'}
The moment he chanted what Madara had assumed to be a magical key command, the seal over the double doors burst into motes of light and flame that then scattered all around them, and faded into nothingness. A massive clicking sound was heard as the doors then slowly started to open on their own. Dy'vom took several steps backwards so he was once again slightly behind Madara to his right.
As the doors opened inwardly, Madara's eyes slightly widened in what was genuine awe at the sight of a brilliant golden resplendence shining into the tunnel. Once the doors had fully opened, the scene that was revealed would have been the envy of any king in any land, as stacks upon stacks of myriad treasures came into view. Anything one could dream up was neatly on display in a massive chamber that was easily on par with a palace in scale.
Madara then wordlessly walked in, with Dy'vom following closely behind. Chandeliers of platinum construction with multicolored precious gems were hung from the ceiling, casting magical light down upon the room. The stonework inside the chamber was of a light brown color, that somehow complimented the treasures within. These said treasures all were neatly stacked in piles and rows with great care, denoting pride in one's collection.
One section had diamonds and other precious gems and crystals stacked on rows of shelves that reflected the magical light sources, producing a veritable rainbow colors in a breathtaking display. Another had rings, necklaces, other kinds of jewelry glistening from within equally impressive clear glass containers. Then there was the gold. Literal mountains of gold ore ingots and coins that lined the very walls of this Dragon Lord's treasury. Even Madara in his long life had never seen such wealth in one place.
As he worked his way through Dy'vom's treasury, he noticed through his [Sharingan] that some of the gold coins were slightly larger than others, and glistened with the telltale signs of light magical enchantments. While Madara perked a brow at this, he continued on until he reached the very back of the treasury. It was here that his main interests had been resting in neat rows. Displays of various types of armor, weapons, and magical items of various types and uses were all lined up in rows in a crescent shaped room separate from the rest.
Every single armor piece and weapon had magical enchantments of various levels of intensity. In fact, they all were for more powerful than the gear that Madara had worn previously, and far outclassed anything he had seen in this new world. The entire room literally surged with power, and at this it made Madara smile devilishly. Never in his wildest dreams did he think that he would be blessed with luck such as this. Just as his mind was going over countless scenarios to take advantage of this, the rumbling voice of Dy'vom spoke up in as low a tone he could muster in such a space.
"These are all the very best in my collection. There are others, but nowhere near the level of power that these items possess. As per our arrangement, what I have is now yours, so choose what you require."
Madara perked a brow at the Dragon Lord's brusque comment, but he decided to let it slide for the time being, as he knew the Dragon Lord was still unaccustomed to being in a subordinate position to anyone but himself. It was a matter of wounded prided that Madara knew all too well, and decided that for the time being he would let Dy'vom grow into the role slowly as he responded in his usual, unmoved tone.
"Hm. Indeed I will."
Madara ignored the subtle grumbling from the Dragon Lord as he walked through the line of over a dozen armor displays of various types. While they all varied in types and power, they were all of the finest make that Madara had ever seen in his life. As jaded as he was, even he had to admit to feeling impressed by all that he had seen. Just as he was beginning to mull over this, one particular armor set had caught his eye at the end.
The armor was a curious blend of scale-mail and plate. Its base consisted of a scale hauberk of plain design, while its plates were a deep crimson red, and fashioned from what looked like Red-Dragon scales. The plates were attached to the hauberk to afford the mobility of lighter armor, while at the same time providing the protection of heavy plate. The chest, back, and shoulders all possessed dragon scale plate reinforcement, and the scale-mail, which was of such a dark gray color that it was almost black, formed a collar around the base of the neck for added protection.
The shoulder plates were layered in segments to afford a wider range of shoulder and arm movement as opposed to standard plate suits that Madara had become familiar with in this world. The dragon scales also possessed a dark, ethereal quality to them, and quietly hummed with power. The fingertips of the clawed gauntlets could be used as a weapon, but still allowed for the fingers to deftly manipulate and hold objects.
The cuisses and greaves on the legs were of similar design that protected the arms and forearms. The feet had sabatons that, much like the gauntlets, contoured to the toes of the feet with a clawed design, that could easily be used to inflict additional damage with well placed kicks. The midsection consisted of a reinforced armored codpiece, with the elongated faulds on the waist protecting the sides that reminded him of his old armor.
In fact, despite the obvious differences, the entire set greatly reminded Madara of the armor that he had worn in times past. Not only that, but with his senses and his eyes he could clearly make out that this equipment was by far the most powerful on display. For a moment, curiosity had swelled within him as he turned to the still watching Dy'vom.
"Tell me Dy'vom, where did this collection of equipment come from?"
Through his enhanced vision and senses, Madara could tell that the question had then elicited a sour expression for the black colored Dragon Lord. It did not take much to conclude that the subject was not a fond one to recall, but Dy'vom answered the query nonetheless.
"It was 300 years ago, when much like yourself, an intruder took it upon himself to invade my domain. As I remember it, he called himself, 'Yoshitsune'. He was a powerful human warrior, but was an entity that hailed from another world entirely. Tell me, Madara. Are you familiar with beings known as, 'Players of YGGDRASIL'?"
At that mention of "Players", Madara's eyes widened, and information provided to him by his benefactor flooded into his mind. Players of YGGDRASIL. Beings of immense power and potential from that named realm. A realm of the mind, might, and magic, where beings of nearly any and all races walk like giants across the fields of YGGDRASIL.
The manner in which they use these powers varied from individual to individual, but in the end, whenever they appeared in this world, it could be a time of great upheaval, a time of peace, or an inconsequential appearance altogether. They would suddenly and without warning, appear in random areas of the world once every century. Should they make their presence known, this new world was little more than a stage for a Player of YGGDRASIL. Those who could wield power akin to gods.
Excitement flooded Madara as this new information settled into his consciousness, but he held onto his composure as he simply nodded in reply to Dy'vom, and motioned him to continue his tale.
"This 'Player' brazenly entered my lair and challenged me to a duel. He was far stronger than I at the time, but due to my unique abilities, I was able to emerge victorious in the hard-fought battle. However, instead of killing him, I used one of my spells to bind his soul to my will, and control him like a puppet. As a result, I had forced him to forfeit nearly everything in his possession."
"Hoh? How interesting... Tell me, Dy'vom. Where you able to extract any useful information from this, 'Yoshitsune'?"
"Grmph! Only a little. I concentrated on the numerous magical items and artifacts in his possession in the little time he had left. An unfortunate side-effect of this magic, is that it slowly ruins the mind of the being bound. Towards the end, he was spouting near incomprehensible gibberish, in between moments of clarity where he had begged for release, which I granted."
"Umu. I see..." Madara mused thoughtfully.
He gazed at the armor, and marveled at how it literally pulsed with power. It was as if it called out for a master to wield it after so long in isolation. Madara took a moment to gently inspect its smooth surface with his right hand, and was still awed by the levels of craftsmanship that eclipsed everything he had seen before. As in response to his rapt attention to the armor set, Dy'vom spoke.
"According to the human Player, YGGDRASIL used specific terms to denote the power and class of items and equipment. He referred to this armor as, '[Legendary Class]', which is supposedly the second most powerful set a Player could 'typically' attain."
Madara chuckled at this fact, and found the idea of such a magnificent armor set to be "only" the second most powerful in class to be both ironic and humorous. Still, he then wondered just how much more powerful he would be using the armor, as well as the 10 rings, amulet, other garments, and sheathed swords he noticed displayed behind it.
Just as he was about to step forward and claim the items for himself, something caught the attention of his sensory abilities. A faint stirring of power that felt as if it was being masked, or contained somehow. His eyes followed the path his sensory abilities had directed him, and noticed the only single sealed vault in the Dragon Lord's treasury.
He nearly missed it due to the myriad magical items that were in such close proximity to each other. As he turned to inquire, he noticed the Dragon Lord's expression turn to that of discomfort, and even worry. Something about what was in that vault elicited fear and apprehension, which only further encouraged Madara's curiosity.
"What is in that vault, Dy'vom?"
"Hmm... The most powerful, and most dangerous item in my collection. Once I had defeated the Player, and realized its true nature, I did everything within my power to lock it away, and hide it from the world. It was something even the Player feared to have fall into the wrong hands."
To this ominous description Madara perked a brow, and found himself smirking at such worryings of the Dragon Lord. He had once wielded powers that could shatter an entire world if he so wished it. Such warnings of danger would not serve to deter him. It can only excite and draw him in.
"Tell me, Dy'vom. What sort of power could make you fearful?"
The Deep Darkness Dragon Lord became solemn and grim as he spoke with a serious edge to his voice...
"One of the most powerful items to exist. Something that can allow one to oppose the gods themselves. A relic referred by the Player as a '[World Class Item]', and one of the '[Twenty]' of their most powerful..."
Dy'vom's voice trailed off as shock filled his being at the sight he was now witnessing. Madara was smiling. A smile that did not bode well for any that would dare to oppose him...
...
*A/N: WELL! That took me a while! I'm really sorry about that my dear readers. Between work on other things, IRL issues, and my arse of a cousin getting me hooked on Dark Souls: Remastered, this got delayed quite a LOT. And I'm afraid that trend is going to continue in the immediate future as this fanfic will be put on temporary hold, so I can focus on my primary Overlord fanfic, and get a couple of new chapters out for it before this one can continue. I sincerely apologize for that, but I absolutely NEED to get certain things done and in place. Oh! In the meantime, please check out the poll I have going on my "Bio" page, since it will have a bearing on this crossover, as well as my regular fanfic. Until next time!*