Last Egg: Reincarnated as a Dragon in a Game Chapter 526: The Vault

For a moment, Vesuvius silently observed the cloudy surroundings. Every space was immaculately bright and white—not a speck of dirt or dust could be found. Even the very air he drew into his lungs felt pure, carrying a pleasant scent reminiscent of gold.

Small formations of angels flitted about in the distance, yet none seemed to notice their group. Lucifer kept his hand raised, the light demonstrably warping around them, effectively concealing their presence.

Vesuvius refocused his attention on their objective, his gaze settling upon a colossal white edifice, resembling a Grecian temple, suspended amongst the clouds below. This structure was patrolled by a contingent of angel soldiers: cherubim bearing eight wings, their forms luminous and radiant, wielding swords forged from light, alongside four-winged powers, each armed with spears of pure light.

"Let us proceed; my schedule is rather tight," Satanael declared, unfurling the wings on his demonic form and commencing a gentle descent. Vesuvius and the others followed suit, their wings slicing silently through the pristine heavens.

Vesuvius maintained a vigilant posture, his eyes sweeping across the expanse. He could sense a potent magical barrier, suffused with divine energy, encasing the vault. From their briefing, he understood its formidable purpose.

'It detects movement, life forces, unfamiliar energies. Nearly everything. Tricking it would be exceptionally difficult.'

Suddenly, an intense light erupted from the clouds, its brilliance almost blinding. A holy aura surged forth, inundating the vicinity.

'A high-ranking angel is approaching.' Vesuvius tensed, and the rest of the group halted their movement. Despite this, they all maintained an outward appearance of composure, none initiating an assault.

The aura rapidly drew nearer, the clouds churning in disarray as the light intensified. An angel with an astonishing nine pairs of wings, composed entirely of light, descended. Its feathers blazed like incandescent flames, its immense silhouette distinctly humanoid yet profoundly monstrous. One elongated hand of light held a perfectly balanced scale, and amidst the brilliance, a deep black shadow occupied the space where its head should be.

As this celestial being descended towards the vault, feathers of pure light rained down.

Vesuvius let out a silent sigh of relief, recognizing the angel of justice in its true form—their inside operative.

Upon Justice's approach, all the guardians turned towards her. The most radiant of the cherubim unfurled their wings, attempting to intercept her path.

"Lady Justice, the vaults are to remain sealed as per the decree of the most holy god of light, our lord."

"Do you presume I am unaware of the lord's commandments? That is not why I am here, cherub. Nevertheless, your unwavering dedication to our lord's mandates is indeed a commendable act."

Beside Vesuvius, Lucifer remarked sotto voce, "One of the reasons I'm relieved to have left the embrace of heaven. I can barely tolerate this incessant fawning and sycophancy."

Even Vesuvius could empathize; the constant praise directed towards their god in nearly every angel's utterance had begun to wear on him.

"Guards, attend me. I shall bestow a blessing upon you to aid in your sacred duties, having judged your faith to be true."

Instantly, all the surrounding angels fluttered their wings and converged towards Justice, kneeling in mid-air.

"Praised be our lord!" they intoned in flawless unison.

Seizing the opportune moment, the group propelled themselves forward, rapidly closing in on the temple. Vesuvius's heart hammered against his ribs as they neared the barrier enclosing the vault. He could feel the palpable crackle of divine energy permeating the atmosphere.

"The barrier is close; we must deactivate our concealment, or we risk triggering it. Our time is exceedingly limited," Lucifer announced as they finally reached the barrier. The distorted light surrounding them dissipated, fully exposing their forms against the heavenly canvas of white and blue.

The god of knowledge advanced, her eyes blazing with an intense luminescence as she commenced her analysis of the barrier. Her hands hovered just above its perimeter, her fingers twitching subtly, as if probing for concealed mechanisms.

"I comprehend; this presents a significant challenge," she murmured, her concentration unbroken.

Behind them, Vesuvius could still hear Justice expertly diverting the attention of the angels. "Your devotion and loyalty are truly admirable. It is through such unwavering commitment that we shall triumph over the encroaching darkness and injustice."

The cherubim and powers responded with fervent exclamations of allegiance, their focus entirely captivated by Justice. Yet, Vesuvius was acutely aware that their window of opportunity was rapidly diminishing.

Knowledge moved along the barrier's edge, her eyes glowing with even greater intensity, as if in a meticulous search. Her movements were marked by precision.

Meanwhile, Vesuvius could discern the growing impatience amongst the fanatical angels. Their allocated time was swiftly evaporating.

"Lady Justice, while we are deeply appreciative of your commendation regarding our dedication, it is imperative that we resume our positions on guard duty."

"Indeed, angel, your commitment is so profound that you would forgo praise for the sake of your responsibilities! Allow me to offer you another blessing!"

"Praised be our lord!" they chanted once more in perfect unison.

'Frenzied zealots!' Vesuvius nearly felt the urge to utilize his dominion to decelerate time, yet with the barrier so near, it seemed like a perilous gamble.

"Located it. Approach," Knowledge beckoned, her hand gesturing over a small section of the barrier, revealing an inscribed rune. "Immobilize this rune in time. Infuse it with celestial energy for permanence."

Vesuvius wasted no time. With a sweep of his clawed hand, he dispatched a minute fragment of his dominion. The rune began to ignite, but before its activation was complete, he imbued it with both divine and celestial power, flicking it toward the ancient inscription.

The rune appeared to cease its temporal flow, its luminescence captured in an unmoving, icy stillness.

'Still challenging to wield.' Even elevated to kingship, Vesuvius perceived temporal manipulation as more intricate than spatial control.

"So be it. Return to your stations and persist in your hallowed task. Moreover, dispatch a communiqué to the sentinels within; I wish to bestow my blessings upon them as well, aiding in their sacred duties," Justice commanded from the rear.

Lucifer snapped his fingers, the luminous barrier re-enveloping them. The vault's defensive layer pulsed in response, yet no tangible effect manifested.

'It is genuinely deactivated. No, not deactivated—still present, merely rendered inoperable.'

A seraph bearing four wings materialized from behind a corner of the temple, their luminous gaze surveying the assembly before they moved onward.

"Let us enter! Let us plunder those sky-dwelling fowl!" Satanael unfurled his wings and traversed the vault's perimeter barrier. The others followed suit.

Vesuvius's heart thudded as he crossed the threshold, sensing an overwhelming aroma of wealth emanating from within.