Terra Nova Online: Rise of The Strongest Player

Chapter 812: Anos and Drogo

(The Demon King’s castle, a few hours before the fight)

A few hours before the fight, Anos found himself unable to rest.

The feeling had crept up on him slowly over the past few days, growing stronger with each passing moment, until now—on the eve of the battle—it had settled into a heavy weight in his chest.

It wasn’t fear.

No, Anos was not afraid.

It was something else.

Something like a tight, lingering unease that gnawed at the back of his mind, refusing to be ignored.

He was restless, his thoughts pacing even when his body remained still, as every second that passed made him feel caged, suffocated by the weight of expectation.

It wasn’t the battle itself that concerned him, but the implications that came with it.

The eyes of his people would be on him tomorrow, watching, judging, waiting to see if he still deserved to wear the crown, and the anxiety to perform, to prove his worth weighed him down.

“I’ll only wear myself out, by pacing around like this….” Anos muttered to himself, as with quiet but determined steps, he walked toward Drogo’s chambers, the only place that he knew would provide him with the comfort that he seeked.

Drogo lived in a cavernous den outside his castle, and as his oldest and only friend, he was the only one Anos could turn to in this eleventh hour.

“May I come in?” He said, as he stepped through the massive stone archway, leading to Drogo’s home.

Upon the sound, the black dragon shifted slightly, lifting his enormous head from where he had been resting.

Their eyes met—golden against crimson.

And without missing a beat, Drogo smirked.

“What happened? You look like you lost your calm there, old friend. You’re sweating like a pig,” the dragon rumbled, his deep voice laced with amusement.

Anos let out a slow breath, crossing his arms as he leaned against one of the stone pillars.

“Yes… I’m feeling restless.” He admitted, not ashamed to show weakness in front of his closest ally.

“Tomorrow’s fight is arguably the biggest challenge I’ve faced yet, and the human boy I’m about to face worries me,” Anos said, cracking his knuckles, waiting for Drogo to offer him some reassuring words.

Drogo chuckled, the sound reverberating through the cavern as he adjusted his wings.

“That human boy is strong, I’ll give him that,” he admitted.

“But you have me by your side. Even if you’re weak, with me present by your side, there’s no chance you’ll lose.” Drogo explained, his confidence absolute.

Anos let out a low scoff, shaking his head. “I know I’m not losing, old friend. I know no one can beat you.” His voice was firm, unwavering.

And yet, the weight in his chest remained.

Drogo caught the hesitation in his tone instantly, his smirk fading slightly.

“Then what is it?” Drogo asked, his golden eyes narrowing slightly.

However, it seemed to be a question that Anos found genuine trouble articulating, for he turned extremely quiet for a while.

“I can’t afford to show weakness, Drogo. Not even for a second.” He said after a while, his voice quieter but no less intense.

“You and I both know that I am not truly as untouchable as my lore portrays me to be. My strength… it’s not as absolute as my people believe it is. I rule because they believe I am the strongest. But, the moment that belief is shaken, the moment even a single whisper of doubt takes root, my rule will begin to crumble.”

He ran a hand through his hair, his jaw tightening.

“Do you know what the Demon Counts have been doing these past few months?” he asked bitterly. “They’ve been watching. Waiting. Testing the limits of my patience. None of them dare to challenge me openly, but I can see it—the hunger in their eyes. The silent questions they don’t dare voice out loud.”

Drogo’s golden gaze darkened slightly. “They’re waiting for you to slip.”

“Exactly,” Anos said, his tone laced with frustration. “The moment they sense an opportunity, the moment I show even the slightest weakness, they will strike. But trust me, I will not give them that opportunity.”

The Demon King inhaled deeply, steadying himself.

“That’s why tomorrow’s battle isn’t just a fight, Drogo.” Anos said, his crimson eyes burning with conviction as he finally looked up. “It’s a statement.”

Drogo let out a slow exhale, understanding dawning in his expression.

“You don’t just want to win,” he murmured. “You want to crush him and have the whole Demon Kind witness it.”

Anos nodded, his fingers flexing into a fist. “I want to prove that I am the Demon King. That I am not someone to be challenged. Not by humans. Not by the Demon Counts. Not by anyone.”

Silence stretched between them for a moment.

Then, slowly, a smirk crept back onto Drogo’s face.

“Well, if that’s the case, then there’s no problem,” he said, his voice laced with absolute confidence. “You have me. And I’ll make sure they remember who we are. We will start the fight with a bang, showing our superiority with the very first move we make–”

The weight on Anos’s chest lightened significantly at those words, as he let out a small but sharp chuckle.

“Still as arrogant as ever, aren’t we?” he asked, as Drogo huffed, his tail flicking slightly.

“It’s not arrogance if it’s true.” Drogo replied, as both friends broke into a wide grin.

Their friendship had stood the test of time for decades and it had grown to the point where either could confide completely in another.

For Drogo, the challenge that Anos faced tomorrow was not something Anos faced alone, as it was a problem that he very much looked at from a personal perspective.

For him, it was a fight that both of them had to win at any cost.

———

/// A/N- The countdown begins, the next book will be released exactly one week from now! ///

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