Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: Tower of Tarros (10)
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"Is this the 100th floor...?"
"Somehow, arriving all at once makes it feel unreal."
As we stepped through the portal, a dizzying sensation washed over us, and our vision shifted in an instant.
Momentum carried us straight through, landing us on the 100th floor.
We were right in front of the boss room where Tarros was sealed.
"The atmosphere alone makes it clear something's here."
Siegfried murmured as he gazed up at the massive door directly ahead of the portal, in a space as vast as a stadium.
"Let's do a final equipment check before we go in."
We'd faced frequent monster ambushes right up until passing the shortcut.
No mistakes could be tolerated against an ancient dragon, not even a regular boss.
Anyone whose gear was damaged came to me for repairs, and those with wounds got healing magic from Emily.
Afterward, I checked my own abilities.
I had no combat data on the ancient dragon Tarros, but I'd fought dragons before.
In the late game, Emily battles dragons owned by the demon army.
Even a legendary ancient dragon should share basic draconic traits.
The problem was Tarros's unique abilities.
I had no intel on those.
That said, I wasn't without countermeasures.
After the gear check, I gathered the party and held a strategy meeting for the boss fight.
"According to the info, Tarros can't move while sealed, but it'll attack if you enter a certain range."
"So we're safe outside that range?"
"Yeah, so if things get dangerous, we all fall back together."
I nodded at Emily, who quickly grasped the safe zone like the dedicated healer she was.
That was why Emily could approach and then backpedal from Tarros in the game.
Once you crossed into the boss room beyond this one and got too close past a certain boundary, the text message appeared, halting progress.
For any unexpected dangers, we'd just keep our distance.
The seal's influence would likely drop its hostility that way.
"Then why not attack from range outside that zone?"
"That'd be ideal, but Tarros has a double-layered seal, and one layer blocks attacks from outside the range."
It was a natural strategy for our high-ranged-damage party, as Mary pointed out.
But the unknown seal mechanics prevented attacks from range.
"We don't know what attacks it'll use. So once we enter its hostility range, we'll take it down as fast as possible."
"...Fast? Against an ancient dragon?"
"Yes. Siegfried-senpai and Rafne, you'll draw Tarros's attention. Adrian and Mary, keep it pinned down."
"What about me? What do I do?"
"Emily, you stay behind me where it's safe."
"...Tch."
I smiled at Emily's pouting lips and continued.
"Don't be like that. You're the most important one here."
I gently patted the head of Emily, who had drooped gloomily, and explained her role.
We couldn't predict Tarros's abilities precisely.
It'd probably roar with fear effects or unleash wide-area breaths like any dragon.
But its unique skills were a mystery.
That was where Emily came in.
The protagonist of the original game and the child of prophecy from the Lillias Kingdom.
Her sealing power as the child of prophecy.
"So if it uses some weird skill, I seal it right away?"
Emily beamed, clenching her fist at having a role beyond healing.
We didn't know Tarros's abilities, but as long as it wasn't instant death, Emily could seal them after spotting them.
The devs wouldn't give an ancient dragon with sky-high base stats an instant-kill ability.
'Only one character in the game had that—the demon army's supreme commander, as the final boss.'
An instant-death curse skill fitting the game's ultimate boss.
No way they'd slap that on a lore-only dragon.
After explaining how we'd finish Tarros off, we rose from our spots.
"Alright, let's go."
The party looked at me with determined smiles.
Some to help me, some to save the future.
And I challenged legend to change the fate of the girl precious to me.
━Rumble rumble rumble.
As we approached the massive door at the entrance to the sealing chamber, it sensed us and began opening automatically.
The door to the bright waiting area swung wide, revealing a dark space.
A room like a dim cave.
But at its vast center.
A mountain of a dragon lay with its head bowed, asleep under the sole spotlight-like light source.
"...Golden. Incredible. Its scales are like gold bars."
Rafne, the boldest of us, admired Tarros's form.
Truly fitting a legendary ancient dragon—its majesty was overwhelming even from afar.
Step by step.
The tense party advanced slowly with me in the lead toward Tarros.
And after some distance, a strange barrier appeared.
A transparent veil undetectable until close up blocked our path.
"Is this the seal?"
Mary lightly touched it with her hand.
It matched the game's position exactly. Crossing this would make it recognize us.
I glanced back at the party, confirming their readiness.
Seeing their nods, I carefully passed through first, entering the seal.
Then.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Entered the seal of the Ancient Dragon Tarros. The Ancient Dragon recognizes you. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Essence of the Dragon trait activates. The Ancient Dragon Tarros deems you hostile. The messages appeared before my eyes.
━Flash.
The sleeping dragon opened its eyes.
Its vertically slit pupils locked onto me immediately.
━Rumble rumble rumble.
The dragon slowly rose.
Its massive bulk shook the entire room, and its rising gaze stayed fixed on me.
Its stare sent chills across my skin, overwhelming fear gripping me.
'Dragon Fear...!'
The dragons' passive skill.
Varying by rank, it inflicted intense fear on nearby foes.
Tarros then reared back its head and opened its maw.
Seeing that, I shouted to the party.
"Everyone, cover your ears━!!"
My cry rang out just as.
[ Roooaaaaarrrrrr━!!! ]
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The Ancient Dragon Tarros uses the skill 'Dragon Roar'. The massive roar echoed through the chamber.
A terror far beyond the passive Dragon Fear overwhelmed us.
Thankfully, everyone plugged their ears at my shout, but they still grimaced from the effects.
My body began to tremble too.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Due to the Essence of the Dragon's effect, you gain strong resistance to the Ancient Dragon Tarros's debuff. The message appeared, and the paralyzing fear eased.
'Essence of the Dragon gives strong hostility... but also strong resistance.'
I'd forgotten about the mana-boost effect's side benefit, but it helped now.
Tarros still glared at me, baring its fangs.
'...You could dial back the hostility, though.'
I inwardly cursed the devs amid that oppressive stare.
"...━Don't glare at Ken like that!!"
Right on cue, Rafne charged ahead as planned.
Her spear extended with its trait, ignoring the distance gap, striking Tarros.
━Boom boom boom!!
The swung spear scraped the dark walls before slamming into Tarros's head.
━KABOOM!!
"...Tough as expected."
The blast and gust were immense, but Tarros's head emerged unscathed from the smoke.
Its intimidating gaze still pierced me.
"Here I go."
Siegfried dashed forward next, having watched.
"Stick to the plan, everyone! Mary! Adrian! Magic before it moves!"
At my shout, Mary raised her staff, Adrian extended his hands.
A torrent of massive flames and ice assaulted simultaneously.
As Tarros swung its sharp foreclaws at Rafne and Siegfried.
━Crunch crack!!
Jagged ice pillars erupted everywhere, halting Tarros.
A vortex of flames then rose from the floor, engulfing its colossal body.
'...Perfect, it's frozen—now!'
I reached into my subspace pouch.
Better to end this fight fast.
Dragging it out would only disadvantage us.
Even if anticlimactic, I'd use my strongest opener now.
What I drew was a golden-glowing spear.
A replica of the Thunder Spear Aspetra.
A replica, yes—but modeled after the mythical legendary weapon.
My trump card mimicking that legend.
Grip...
My trait-boosted strength.
I poured it all into a throwing stance.
Mana surged from my hand, enveloping the mimic spear, activating its myriad runes.
The tiny rune inscriptions glowed.
The light flowed to the massive spirit stone embedded in the blade's core.
Crack crack...
The floor beneath my braced legs cracked from the strain.
'...End it with this one shot.'
While the party held Tarros's focus, I finished prepping the throw.
"...━Everyone, fall back━!!"
Party members turned at my yell.
Seeing me at the epicenter of rising lightning, Rafne and Siegfried broke from the front line.
They retreated to where Adrian and Mary stood, out of range.
With their safety confirmed, I hurled the gripped spear.
Breath held, every muscle tensed, infused with my diet-enhanced physical prowess.
The spear rocketed toward its target like a cannon shot.
━KABOOM!!
It tore through the air, leaving my hand.
━CRACKLE ZAP!!
[ GROOOOAAAAARHH━!!! ]
The spear struck Tarros's chest, manifesting mythic lightning.
[ GRAAAAAAAHH━!!! ]
Endless bolts rained down as Tarros screamed, thrashing in agony.
The blinding flashes forced some party members to shield their eyes.
Its golden scales blackened under the barrage.
━Sizzle...
The spear expended its energy and dimmed; smoke rose from the rigid, tormented ancient dragon.
"We got i...!"
Emily's joyful voice came from behind.
That instant.
━Flash.
"Damn it, not yet!!"
Tarros, eyes rolled back showing whites, opened them again.
But differently this time.
A new eye opened on its forehead—three eyes total.
'The spear's effect landed solid...!'
Something was missing.
Was Aspetra's power insufficient?
...No, having crafted Aspetra myself, I knew: infinite lightning until death.
With those runes, the target would burn alive enduring bolts nonstop.
The issue? It was a replica, not the original.
'...Output fell short.'
That was the only explanation.
It nearly killed it, but the spirit stone lacked power for the final bolts.
'...Not over yet.'
Tarros's three eyes gleamed.
But its ragged breaths and charred hide signaled near-death HP.
And that new forehead eye.
A pattern from bosses at the Academy of Epiris.
The weakness exposed on critical damage.
'One strong hit to that weak spot...!'
"Adrian! Mary! The eye on its forehead...!"
I shouted to strike before it recovered.
[ GROOOOAAAAARRH!! ]
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The Ancient Dragon Tarros uses the skill 'Dragon Roar'. Its roar shook the room.
"Urgh...!"
"Kyaaah━!"
The unprepared party froze under the debuff.
'Damn...! Even me...!'
Seeing them immobilized, I drew my weapon to attack solo.
But the roar was just prep.
[ ...□■■□□■.... ]
It began muttering something unintelligible.
A language beyond our understanding.
Unease surged at the eerie voice.
The system soon revealed it.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The Ancient Dragon Tarros uses the skill 'Whisper of the Soul'. A new skill name.
The unknown skill I'd feared activated.
With the message, purple light bloomed under Adrian, Mary, and Siegfried.
"Urk... Th-this...!"
"Ugh...!"
"...Ken... Dangerous."
The three turned to me stiffly, panicked.
Like puppets defying their will, clearly controlled.
Awkwardly, they reached out.
In their hands: gauntlets, staff, and sword.