Chapter 143
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 143
Chapter Title: Suwon, Black Dragon Hunt - 2
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Five gates opened in the heart of Suwon, and a legion of monsters began to pour out.
Thump— Thump— Thump— Thump—
The beat of a drum, perched on the back of a colossal elephant, echoed through the empty city, spreading far and wide.
It was the dark legion bearing the name of Angra Mainyu, the supreme evil deity of Zoroastrianism… and the boss monster set to appear in the final act of their procession was a black dragon named Azi Dahaka.
Dozens of drone cameras hovered in the sky, capturing the scene and broadcasting it to the entire world.
Meanwhile, the channel with the second-most viewers after the Slayers' official channel was <Kill the Monster>.
- "We have news that the Dragon Gate has finally opened—and it's a quintuple gate, no less!"
- "We've never seen a quintuple gate before. As expected, a dragon is on a whole other level."
- "And the first monster to emerge from the initial wave is a Twin-Headed Ogre! Incredible!"
- "Yes, this isn't good. I predict this will be anything but an easy fight."
Just then, a magical drone camera, providing a wide shot of the area, caught something unusual.
Sensing something was off, the on-site camera director ordered the operator to focus on that point.
Whir—
The zoomed-in image revealed…
- "Oh, look over there! Someone is floating in the sky!"
A man was suspended in mid-air, looking down upon the legion of Angra Mainyu.
- "Steelrain—! He's appeared!"
- "That's an exceptionally fast arrival."
- "How did he manage to respond so quickly?"
On the grand stage where the world's eyes were fixed, Steelrain had made the first move.
- "Now, the first point of contention is who will be the first to detect the Dragon Gate's appearance and respond, isn't it?"
As the MC posed the question, today's guest commentator, Tyrone Thompson, shook his head.
- "Well, everyone seems to think so, but surprisingly, I don't believe that's very important."
He was the 5th-ranked Player in the United States and the Head of Strategy for North America's strongest guild, <Alpha Line>. In other words, his every word was considered the highest opinion in the Player community.
- "Oh, is that so? That's an unusual opinion, different from other experts. What's your reasoning?"
- "The dragon won't appear in the first 'wave,' so a preemptive strike would be a waste of stamina."
- "Ah! So you're saying that even if one strikes first, it has no bearing on the real objective of slaying the dragon?"
- "Yes, in fact, the one who strikes first might suffer losses before the dragon even appears. No matter how powerful Steelrain is, he can't wipe out that many troops quickly and will ultimately incur a cost."
However…
- "Uh, what… what is that?"
The moment Laputa appeared, piercing through the dark clouds in the sky, all predictions and opinions became meaningless.
- "..."
The cast members of every broadcasting station covering this moment could only stare, dumbfounded.
- "G-Good heavens, what is happening… Thompson, do you have any idea what this situation is?"
At the MC's question, Tyrone Thompson opened his mouth, then closed it again. He shook his head.
- "Hoo… I was foolish. As expected of Steelrain, he pulls out a method that transcends imagination."
His voice, though still composed, trembled faintly.
Within it was a strange sense of excitement.
It was a scene that could send shivers down the spine of even the highest-level Player.
- "Does this mean you predict Laputa's appearance will create a massive shift in the situation?"
- "If he can utilize that giant flying city, he'll be able to unleash firepower beyond anything we know."
Three main factors determined Lee Hyun-wook's firepower.
First, the number of metal pieces he could move at once, in other words, the ‘quantity.’
Second, the functional level of the metal itself, in other words, the ‘quality.’
Third, the method by which he could store and supply the metal, in other words, the ‘supply.’
And among these, the one that could bring about the most dramatic change was, by far, the third: supply.
In that respect, his wide-area magic, Link-Portal, used for Steel Rain or airdrop devices, was useful. By utilizing gravity, the force of natural descent, the amount of metal he could operate at once increased dramatically.
That was why he spared no expense in improving his airdrop devices and creating things like the War Box.
‘And Laputa is the ultimate airdrop device, something that could never be replicated no matter how much money I poured into it.’
Lee Hyun-wook began to sense Laputa as it tore through the dark clouds, and the metals within it.
Woooooo—
The steel fleet deployed around it, completely encircling Laputa.
Just then, Talos's voice entered his ear.
「Master, all weapons are on standby!」
"Good. Hold your position."
Until now, Laputa itself had been an object to be protected, so it hadn't moved from its position above Seoul Station.
But if the enemy wasn't targeting Laputa, and a battle occurred within close proximity to Seoul…
‘…Laputa becomes the ultimate weapon.’
It was essentially no different from an aircraft carrier fleet floating in the sky—no, it held an even greater payload.
Groooowl—!
As Laputa's massive shadow fell over them, the Angra Mainyu legion grew wary.
They scattered in all directions and began to prepare their siege weapons. Their movements were quite systematic.
"Even so, if you have no idea how my attack will unfold…"
The monsters, having just set foot in this world, had no way of knowing about the existence of Steel Rain.
"…you'll have to learn the hard way."
Psheeeeew—!
The opening salvo was three flashes of light, Mogleys, launching from a low altitude and streaking vertically across the sky.
The kinetic bombardment weapon, commonly known as a "Rod from God," actually has a destructive force equivalent only to the same weight in TNT. In other words, it could deliver a massive impact to a single point, but it was difficult to devastate a large area.
And even if it shattered the ground and created a crater, it didn't mean the monsters within that range would die.
This was because a simple shockwave couldn't break through the ‘barriers’ of high-level monsters.
But against a single target like a Twin-Headed Ogre, its performance would be undeniable.
- Twin-Headed Ogre, Fanatic of the Evil God (LV: 109)
The massive boss monster stared blankly at the flashes of light piercing through the dark clouds.
Having never seen anything like it, it couldn't think of a proper response, and its movements became sluggish. It belatedly sensed the danger and tried to move, but it couldn't be faster than the Mogleys' descent.
Boom—! Boom—! Boom—!
Three Mogleys pierced three Twin-Headed Ogres, shaking the very axis of the earth.
Cra-a-a-ack—!
The asphalt road rippled like a carpet, rising up and scattering as gravel, while buildings on both sides crumbled. The impact was so great that even the elephant monster, as large as a five-story building, fell to its knees and collapsed.
The first assault had completely shattered the formation of the Angra Mainyu legion.
But that was only the beginning.
"From this moment, I will deploy all firepower."
- Chk—All fleets, present a baptism of fire to the invaders.
The moment someone's voice sounded in his ear, the magic circuits on Laputa's surface began to glow.
Wooooong—
Immediately after, the underside of Laputa opened.
And from within, a torrent of black dots began to pour out.
Following that, the same process began across the entire steel fleet.
Whoo-o-o-osh—!
They were long, cylindrical masses of metal.
Hundreds, thousands… from a distance, it looked like a murder of crows in a steep dive.
Whoo-o-o-osh—!
When they drew somewhat close to the ground, Lee Hyun-wook raised his hand.
He scattered the haphazardly falling metal cylinders over a wide area.
To be precise, he distributed them evenly above the heads of the Angra Mainyu legion.
And when they fell a little further—
‘Shatter—’
Cla-a-a-a-ang—!
With a deafening noise, the cylinders crumpled. He had stripped them of their ‘packaging.’
From within each cylinder, dozens of red iron beads burst out, scattering in all directions.
‘That's the real thing.’
They were the ‘Fire Traps’ he had planted on Ganghwa Island, which had detonated under the feet of the Black Orc legion.
[Item Information]
- Name: Fire Trap (Advanced)
- Effect: Caution! Causes a ‘Flame Explosion’ upon receiving a strong impact to its core.
The same item could become a completely different weapon depending on how it was used.
‘This time, I've modified them into high-explosive bombs for an aerial bombardment.’
In other words, they could now deliver surprising destructive power without the need to be planted on the ground.
To put it simply, it was ‘carpet bombing.’
Fwoom-boom-boom-boom-boom-boom—!
A welcoming fanfare for the otherworldly guests rang out violently, dyeing the entire world crimson.
***
Edward Woods and the other executives of the Slayers were en route aboard transport planes.
‘…I’m one step behind, but that’s all. In the end, I will catch up.’
Yes, he was just one step behind. This situation had no bearing on the final result.
Edward Woods remained composed, and those around him regained their calm as well.
As a leader who had overcome countless adversities, his demeanor often set the mood.
"In my opinion, conquering a dragon is not a sprint, but a triathlon."
He casually tossed that remark toward the camera, and the PD nodded repeatedly.
"Ah! In a triathlon, who has the faster start doesn't really matter, does it?"
"Correct. You must fully understand all three disciplines and execute them strategically."
Winning a triathlon couldn't be achieved with stamina alone.
And a dragon raid couldn't be accomplished with just firepower.
One had to understand every moment, devise the right strategy, and execute it precisely.
"He… may have firepower, but I'm actually a little worried about whether he's prepared for what comes next. A few days ago, Steelrain said in an interview that he knew the method of conquest, but well…"
He still firmly believed that he would ultimately be the victor.
"Now, at this point, let me introduce someone. This is a famous figure from India you all know well, Nisha Cape."
At his gesture, someone stepped in front of the camera and offered a greeting.
"Hello. It was confidential until now, but I have also joined the Slayers Alliance."
She was an S-rank support-type Player, the world's greatest buffer, Nisha Cape.
Her appearance became a significant issue, spreading across the internet.
And the embargo on the press releases that the Slayers Alliance had distributed to the media in advance was lifted.
The content was, in essence, that the Dragon Slayer's ‘secret conquest method’ was beginning to be revealed, one by one.
"Nisha will be doing something truly great for this conquest operation."
"Yes, I'll do my best."
"A raid is absolutely not something you can do alone… or recklessly."
Edward Woods planned to use the ‘Mental Barrier’ she provided to nullify the ‘Dragon Fear.’
In other words, her ability was the irreplaceable core of this conquest.
‘Without a Mental Barrier of this level, Steelrain will crumble the moment the dragon appears.’
He remembered the London dragon incident.
‘The moment I faced it, I felt like a rabbit…’
It was a primal fear that could not be endured with mental strength alone.
And if this was a mature black dragon, it would emit a much more powerful Dragon Fear.
Steelrain was fated to lose his light and make his exit immediately after the dragon's appearance.
‘…When Steelrain starts to fall behind and is on the verge of death, I will rescue him.’
The hero, appearing to save his rival who had been running wild on his own, recklessly. It would make for quite a good show.
The corners of his mouth turned up unconsciously at the thought.
"We're arriving soon!"
Before long, the transport planes landed one after another on the empty 8-lane road.
Just then, a guild member ran up, shouting.
"—Boss, we can't get any closer!"
He didn't need to be told.
Rumble—rumble—rumble…
The area around the quintuple gate had been completely transformed into a sea of fire.
Just as Lee Hyun-wook had warned, it was a situation where they couldn't dare to approach.
And…
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Cannons protruding from various parts of Laputa were firing indiscriminately at the ground.
It was like a scene of a massive battleship shelling an uninhabited island to smithereens.
A giant flying fortress that ran on infinite power, one that could be operated offensively at that… and they said it even contained the source of advanced magical engineering technologies?
Gulp—
Indeed, who wouldn't covet such a thing?
Honestly, it was a moment where he couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy toward Steelrain.
For a while, the Slayers Alliance could only stare blankly at the spectacle. Unable to enter the battlefield as Lee Hyun-wook had warned, they were left looking up like a dog that had been chasing a chicken.
"Damn it, isn't he doing this on purpose to keep us out?"
"Right? His arrogant desire to take everything for himself is acting up again."
As such complaints erupted from here and there, Edward Woods gave his aide a look.
The aide then ran over, restrained them, and moved them away from the camera's microphone.
There was a concern that such voices on a live broadcast would tarnish their image.
And about ten minutes later, the state of the battlefield changed once again.
"Boss… according to our observations, almost all the monsters have already been subjugated."
Steelrain had completely wiped out the immense legion that had appeared in the first wave.
"..."
It was at that very moment.
"Huh?"
"Ugh!"
Suddenly, numerous Players groaned simultaneously, their faces contorting.
"Y-You feel this too?"
"Ugh, my chest suddenly feels so tight…"
Noticing something was wrong, Edward Woods urgently called for his aide.
"Aide, show me the live feed from the gate right now!"
Sure enough, the rightmost of the five gates was expanding…
Fwhoooosh—!
An immense wind pressure burst forth from it, sweeping away the surrounding buildings like sandcastles.
With it, a tremendous amount of mana erupted, causing the ambient mana concentration to spike dramatically.
"W-What is this… it's suddenly harder to breathe."
A heavy pressure weighed on their hearts, as if they had been plunged deep underwater.
Amidst the confusion, Edward Woods strode forward and opened his mouth.
"…That, what you are all feeling, is the power of a dragon."
The dragon. Its name had finally been invoked.
"Hah… how in the world are we supposed to fight in this state?"
"Exactly! We can't use our full strength like this!"
Questions flew in from all directions—they were planned lines, part of the performance.
And Edward Woods, with a faint smile, gave the equally planned response.
"That, I have already prepared for—"
But his words were cut off once again.
Crash!
A nearby skyscraper was smashed as if struck by something.
Its debris rained down on the Players like hail.
"Damn it, what was that all of a sudden!"
"Watch your heads!"
Beyond the building whose upper floors had been sheared off, a massive black shape could be glimpsed.
It was a membranous wing.
Flap— Flap—
With each beat of its wings, the half-crumbled building was ground down, becoming a little shorter.
Soon, it soared into the sky, and two red glints of light appeared high in the heavens.
With the black clouds and hazy dust as a backdrop, they looked like two supernovas floating in space.
"Hah—"
At first glance, one might perceive a brilliance like that of giant rubies. But upon closer inspection… one would sense the indescribable power contained within and fall into a state of instinctual terror.
Eventually, when one unconsciously lowered their gaze, the creature's elegant body would come into view.
Yes, a sleek, hard-scaled body that could be described as beautiful… 70 meters from head to tail, and with its wings spread, it would be three times larger.
A colossal being, every part of it sculpted from the materials of intimidation and fear…
Grooooaaan—
At last, the black dragon, Azi Dahaka, had appeared.
It looked down upon the ground and slowly opened its mouth.
「Wretched humans… I have resolved to turn you all into a handful of ash.」
The voice was not an sound. It couldn't be said that it was heard.
But it was ‘perceived’ within their minds.
And…
Kra-a-a-a-a—!
The moment the being roared—
"Ugh, gack— Hah—"
"Ugh, uuuugh…"
"Aaargh—"
Groans and screams erupted from all sides.
A warning system message appeared before their eyes.
- Warning! You have been exposed to Dragon Fear.
* You will feel an overwhelming sense of terror.
* All abilities are significantly reduced. (-40%)
Exposed to the Dragon Fear manifested with the roar, they had fallen into a state of fear.
Just then, Edward Woods's prepared card—Nisha Cape—made her move.
Thud—
She struck the ground with her staff and chanted an incantation.
Gwo-o-o-o-o—
A golden shield symbol then appeared above the Players' heads.
She had cast the ‘Mental Barrier’ magic, which could withstand Dragon Fear.
"Hah…"
The Players who had overcome the fear let out gasps as they came to their senses.
They looked toward Edward Woods with dumbfounded expressions.
"..."
He still stood there, composed and aloof.
It was a perfect posture he could maintain thanks to his Dragon Slayer title.
As all eyes turned to him, he gripped his spear and strode forward.
"Now… Steelrain can do nothing. In other words, it is our turn to act!"
He was about to raise his red spear to the sky and give the most dramatic order to advance, when—
"Uh, uh… DS, the situation is a little…"
Once again, at a dramatic moment, an NG cut the flow.
Edward Woods's eyebrow twitched violently.
But this time, the one who caused the NG was none other than the PD.
"Well… please take a look at this."
With a half-dazed expression, he held out a tablet PC to Edward Woods.
"..."
After checking the screen, Edward Woods turned his head to look somewhere.
In the sky, across from Azi Dahaka, a single dot still hovered.
"Steelrain…"
According to Edward Woods, he should have been steeped in Dragon Fear, trembling in terror.
But there he was, still floating loftily in the sky, facing the black dragon.
And a single Mogley slowly approached his side.
His left hand reached forward, and the sword slowly turned horizontal, aiming at the black dragon.
One could feel his intent to confront the absolute being, the black dragon, without any hesitation.
That meant he, too, had anticipated and countered the Dragon Fear.
And he had done so perfectly.
"…Why is Steelrain perfectly fine? Don't tell me, does he really know the entire conquest method?"
The PD asked, momentarily forgetting about the broadcast.
"..."
It didn't take long for him to realize it was the wrong question.
"Ah, well…"
"PD, let's just stop the broadcast."
Edward Woods's face was still calm, but his voice was somehow sharp.
And his gaze was fixed not on the black dragon, but on Steelrain.
"…What?"
"I said, let's end the broadcast here."
"B-But…"
"Hurry up and cut the broadcast."
"From now on, I have to get serious."
In the end, the Slayers' official broadcast channel was terminated midway.
Immediately after, Edward Woods gathered his team members.
"The conquest method Steelrain supposedly has, I don't know how, but it's effective."
His voice had grown even colder.
"…Even so, Steelrain lacks the decisive weapon."
No matter how much of the conquest he had prepared for, there was one thing he absolutely could not have prepared.
He drew his red spear.
It was the very spear that had ended the life of the red dragon whelp in London.
"…As long as I have the title of Dragon Slayer and this weapon, the outcome will not change."