54 - Carry Me (3)

Monster ranks grow increasingly distinct the higher you go. The boss appearing now is one that doesn't show up until mid-game in the original: the Armored Vicious Dragon - Ebony Plating.

Far behind Dustin, the war hero who was stylishly blocking its breath attacks, I watched them while pulling up 'Ebony Plating Pattern Details'.

Unlike the Flame Oni, which had fanfic alterations, this boss—untouched by the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠story—showed zero changes from the original.

I knew it inside out from playing the game, but what made it a pain was that 'Orbit of the Black Dragon'. At half HP, it inevitably drags one party member to the afterlife. Probably the skill that got Adrin killed too.

'Light-attribute for groggy... so timing's on Dustin.'

I'm only 1-circle level, and Scarlett handles lightning and water as a magic swordsman, so neither of us meets the light-attribute hit condition for groggy. That leaves Dustin the holy knight to hold his divine power and aim for groggy at the right HP threshold.

Since it's the weakened version, if we can just trigger groggy, I can deal solid damage too.

-Flap!!!!

-Shwaaah!!!!

Every wingbeat from Ebony Plating spawned black, claw-like mana tendrils swarming Dustin. Spiderwebs narrowing his movement range...

"Hold up—get back!"

-Boom! Crash!

-Crackle!

Scarlett's lightning magic started smashing them.

-Clang clang!

Black and white mana clashed in relentless chain lightning strikes. Hard to call it our advantage.

'What the—no way we're losing this, right?'

Of course, charging in is standard for an A+ boss, but I figured heroes like them could handle it... Variables at play. Umberto not joining, and Scarlett was fully hyped up.

"Scarlett, focus a bit!"

"I know—shut it!"

-Zzzap!!!

Despite Dustin's pleas, she was pissed, dumping uncontrolled mana wildly. Mana efficiency in the toilet like that. True to the original game's emphasis on comps and positioning.

But our party's got no healer, no extras.

'What now...'

This pace, and survival ping's incoming...?

"Lev! You good?!"

Dustin's voice rang from ahead, right on cue.

"Yeah, whatever."

-Clang!!

Conversation cut short. He was constantly deploying holy barriers to shield Scarlett. In other words, he was in a pinch too.

"Hmm."

Situationally, it was dire. The 'me' who'd seemed like dead weight turned out to be a munchkin, Deus Ex Machina-style. But after barely scraping by the Flame Oni, could I...?

* * *

Dustin. Lowborn, no fancy house or surname to his name. If you looked back on his childhood, it was just a tad unluckier than most.

But Dustin grew straight because he always had something to believe in.

A stranger claiming to be a distant cousin who showed up out of nowhere, a pickpocket kid from the alleys he befriended, the neighbor uncle who tormented him under pretenses of sharing food...

When everyone abandoned him, Dustin never doubted for a second. Even unseen, the Lord existed, and His saintess would come. Polish his knighthood with unyielding faith, and he'd serve the divine proxy.

When all pointed fingers saying he wasn't knight stock, wasn't there a flower blooming from the mud? Hundreds of vows later that he wouldn't betray his creed—

-"Dustin, come here."

Dustin finally inherited 'Salvation'.

Salvation's Herald, Dustin.

-Shing!

His longsword, honed over years, stood straight. All his holy power flowed into the blade.

-Shiiiine...

The body's language felt only at swordsmanship's pinnacle: aura. He wielded Aura Blade.

Regardless of origins, Dustin was hailed closest to Swordmaster... and his character matched. No one would argue.

Knighthood demanded unbowed faith in adversity.

'Testing me again, Lord.'

Psyche, the saintess who'd granted his inheritance over a decade ago and vanished. Without her, could he fell this colossal dragon?

As the breath ended and Ebony Plating caught its breath—

-Ching!

Dustin's sword aura surged at it.

'Expose your weakness...!'

-Kagagang!

The crescent slash hammered its neck. Sharp blow triggered a flinch—

-Flap!!!

It lifted off, trying to gain distance.

'...!'

Wings flapping, its sole vulnerability: left shoulder, exposed.

Just like the day Adrin fell. Normal attacks did negligible damage. But now, it had a reverse scale.

Unlike before, Dustin the frontline could buy time while others struck the weak spot—standard strat.

"Scarlett, snap to it—left shoulder, weak point only! At this rate, revenge or whatever goes poof!"

"I know...!"

-Crackle zzap!!

Scarlett's belated magic zeroed in on the left side.

-Kagagagang!!!

Lightning Storm raked its surface satisfyingly—

-◼◼◼◼◼◼◼◼◼◼◼!!!

The basest of dragons, Ebony Plating, began roaring. Knowing its reverse scale, it belatedly shielded with a wing, but mid-air limits showed.

-Thud!

It crashed left-side first.

"Dodge!"

Fully enraged, Ebony Plating whipped its tail wildly.

-Kwaaang!!!

-Boom!

Its tail stabbed ground; Dustin seized the gap, climbing the tail for a shoulder strike.

-Crack!

-◼◼◼◼◼◼◼◼◼!!!!

Aura-clad blade inflicted no lacking damage. As it twisted, Dustin landed safe.

Time bought.

"We're good! Just hold till it exposes again...!"

-Boom!

"Ngh!"

Meant to reassure, but no healer meant attrition favored them. Dragons outlasted humans vastly; one tiring tipped balance.

'If only a support or DPS extra...!'

-Shaaa!!!

Scarlett's runes glowed across her body.

-Whoooosh!

"Scarlett! No way...!"

Chilling vortex—impossible in this heat—spun at Ebony Plating like a top.

"Urgh!"

Grand magic ritual deployed, devouring her mana instantly. Pre-memorized 8-circle spells: Ice Crystal of Storm and Frozen Tempest.

8-circle was archmage territory. Scarlett surpassed 7-circle grand mage, but 8 was a stretch. Still, a woman's grudge brings frost in midsummer, right?

-Whooooosh!!!!

Winter gale engulfed the black dragon fully.

-Crackle freeze...

-◼◼◼◼◼◼!!!

Ironclad body froze momentarily.

"Dumb brute defense? Freeze and shatter...!"

Not wrong. Plate armor favors blunt impacts over sharp blades.

Effect unknown, but mobility cramped for sure.

"Attack now or...!"

-Ching!

Scarlett mana-drained; Dustin squeezed last holy power into a slash—

-Kagak!

-◼◼◼◼◼!!

Not enough for groggy.

-Piiiing!!

"?!"

Arrow rain straight down on Dustin. Blue wind trails like clouds in black mist, every arrow a light-beam parabola.

Dustin knew Adrin's Wind Archery... but this was different. New archery.

No backup possible; just one first-year cadet behind?

Accuracy solid. Ebony Plating's pain showed. Arrows hounded the weak spot relentlessly. Frozen rigidity helped.

-Crack... ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Kagagak...

Scale-armor cracked under impacts.

Finally—

-◼◼◼◼◼◼◼◼◼◼◼!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Berserk prelude roar.

-Grrrummmble...!

Storm clouds rolled in, black mist thickened, vision obscured.

'No...?'

Dustin sensed it. The black magic that stole Adrin coming.

'What to do...?'

Adrin's swallowed image flashed. Sacrifice. Knightly sacrifice. Noble.

Dustin's mouth opened wide again.

"Everyone, cease attacks!"

Didn't wanna die, but no need for math. Fading hero him vs. bright-future cadet and near-archmage woman. Black mana lethal to humans. His holy power made him best pick.

'If Saintess watches, strength to overcome this curse...!'

-◼◼◼◼!!!!!

But Ebony Plating writhed in pain. Archery afterimages unrelenting.

"Lev! Stop—you'll get swept!"

"Kid!!"

Despite shouts... Clarice first-year just showed godhand calm.

. . .

-Piiiing!!!

'Nice feedback.'

'Orbit of the Black Dragon' auto-casts on most recent hitter. No ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠matter Scarlett's archmage flair, bugged afterimage barrage out-DPSes multi-hits. Straight to me.

And that's the win con.

Black mist from Armored Vicious Dragon - Ebony Plating enveloped me in a sphere.

"Danger...!!!!"

Scarlett and Dustin's voices swallowed too.

"Time to dip, Your Highness."

Sealed in darkness, I chanted inwardly.

Mainhwa.

-Tssst!!

Familiar demon mana sloshed like water inside Orbit of the Black Dragon, filling me.

'Yeah, devour it all.'

Status windows cluttered my vision.

-Kikikikik gigig!!!

Ashen Scattered Wings gobbled greedily like a gaping demon maw.

'Knew how to use Ashen Scattered Wings, huh...'

-Ziiing!

-Drip.

Ashen Scattered Wings, sated on long-awaited black mana, unfurled wing-like on both sides. Like... a ballista.

'Apply.'

All that remained: index finger, trigger-pull resolve.