How Dare You Point a Weapon at Me?
Karia had come to the tavern to confirm that she'd changed. After grueling training, she'd finally overcome the insatiable lust that had kept her from breaking free. But would it hold up in front of other people too?
Better than before.
It was better than before. In the past, just the gazes of males scanning her body would make her lower belly itch and grow slick. Now, it was less so. The stench of sweat-soaked males felt repulsive, and the fantasies of being pinned down by those mongrels, ass up in the air, begging to be raped—no longer surfaced…
To think that I, of noble dragon blood, craved being fucked by such worthless scum. I was truly out of my mind back then.
Sneering at her past self, she scanned the tavern interior. She wanted to show her current self to the comrades who'd climbed to the 19th floor with her. To declare that the Karia Redheart they knew had returned.
"…What the hell gives you the nerve to show up?"
But her old comrades no longer welcomed Karia.
"It's my party. As much as it pains me to say it myself, I've come to my senses. I won't make the same mistake again."
"Ha… mistake? Seeing you spit out words like that, you do seem better. But how the hell are we supposed to trust you?"
Karia looked around at the three remaining members of her old party.
"You're the leader now? Come back to me. Over here, you've probably heard the name…."
"Shut your mouth! Do you have any idea how many people died because of you? And you're saying that shit to us now!?"
The emotionally charged voice silenced the rowdy tavern in an instant. As people's stares stabbed into her like daggers, Karia let out a startled "Eek!"—a girlish squeak of panic.
Ugh… I did screw up, but…
Karia reflected on the past. After losing to Han Do-yoon and turning into a bitch in heat, she'd challenged the trials anyway… and many comrades sacrificed themselves because of her. They'd barely succeeded and escaped the tower, but as a result, she'd been kicked out of the party she'd formed herself.
In fact, among the residents around the 20th floor, rumors spread far and wide that Karia Redheart was a worthless bitch. And on top of that…
"Tower Blade Karia Redheart! Climbing with you would raise the trial difficulty itself—why the fuck should we go up the tower with you?"
The title Tower Blade was infamous. Like red lines slashed under a nameplate. Entrusting your back to someone who'd harmed others for selfish gain was no easy task.
…Of course, that was for the old Karia. Back when she hadn't met Han Do-yoon.
Tower Blade? I'm a Red Dragon. Raise the difficulty? I'll handle it all. I'm strong—as long as you don't act bitchy, I won't bite…
She would've boasted her confidence in her power and earned trust. But she couldn't now. Meeting the "disaster" named Han Do-yoon had turned the undefeated dragon into a female, shattering her ironclad confidence. And once broken, it was easy to break again.
With all eyes on her, Karia couldn't muster a rebuttal. Her mind spun dizzily, cowed. Her hair felt like it was turning black again. Just as her index fingers timidly touched, on the verge of becoming a timid, gloomy dragon…
By chance—or perfect timing—a man who arrived there jumped into the conversation.
"…Because I'm the party leader."
Attention shifted… Han Do-yoon.
He hadn't shown his face in the tavern often, but anyone who needed to know, did. Record breaker, Starcloud Alchemist, Heavenly Tower incident… Even if you didn't know the face, in the 20th floor area, there was only one human with black hair and an alchemist's garb bearing the Starcloud badge.
Their eyes met. Even though her body had turned, her pride hadn't recovered yet. Han Do-yoon stood in front of her and said,
"I'm Han Do-yoon… I'll be climbing the 20th floor with the Tower Blade, Karia Redheart. Even with me joining, you got no intention of letting her in?"
"Eh? W-wait a sec! You're Han Do-yoon!?"
Karia's old comrade was a stranger to him. A woman with blue-tinted wings, tail, and horns—likely Blue Dragon half-blood. She looked shocked, never imagining the famous Han Do-yoon would collar her sister.
"…We'll discuss it. Wait a moment."
As the Blue Dragon consulted her comrades, Han Do-yoon eyed Karia. Her fiery hair aside, her demeanor hadn't changed.
"Why're you here?"
"I, uh, wanted to check something real quick…."
"Not to get chewed out by everyone, I hope."
"N-no, that's not it!"
"Did you escape from Arachne?"
"…No, she said I'm good now and let me go."
"From where I'm standing, you still need more rolling."
Karia pouted. Even she knew she wasn't back to her old self.
"Can you handle the 20th?"
"…I can fight."
"Guess I have to trust Arachne."
Han Do-yoon trusted the Heavenly Sword, but others didn't. Those unaware that Karia Redheart had trained under the Heavenly Sword doubted if she had the skill and mindset for the 20th floor again.
"…Sorry for the late intro. You might've heard from Karia, but… I'm Lumine Blueheart."
"Blueheart? Related to Karia?"
"…Sisters. Didn't know I had an older sister from a different sire till I came here."
Usually people said half-siblings, but specifying different seed meant dragons favored maternal lines sticking together.
Sisters? Never heard she had a little sis.
Well, they weren't close enough to share personal shit. Same with Isana, Karia, and the rest—just comrades, nothing more or less.
"…Anyway, it's an honor to climb with the famous Han Do-yoon, but we can't trust my sister."
"I can supervise so she doesn't pull any bullshit."
"Word is, she attacked you…? No idea how that flipped, but that's not our worry."
Han Do-yoon instantly grasped what Lumine meant.
"Don't wanna drag dead weight?"
He glanced at Karia. Right when she should've been pissed, she was dazed in shock.
"…Our party took huge losses on the 19th because of Karia. Don't wanna repeat that mistake."
"I get it. Good thing there's a clear solution."
"Pardon?"
Han Do-yoon drew Last Wish and aimed at Karia.
"Wh-what the fuck? Why point that at me…?"
"You wanna check if she can pull her weight solo."
Karia finally caught up to the conversation… and rage boiled over.
How dare… you point a weapon at me…?
Fury surged. A Red Dragon like Karia, suspected by others? Me… having to prove myself to these nobodies?
Never happened before. Born half Red Dragon, she'd always been strong from the start. Never doubted in battle, always frontline. But now.
Me? Dead weight?
Her dulled hair began glowing red. The tavern heated up instantly, mouths drying out… Han Do-yoon's eyes widened at her reaction.
Scratch the pride a little, and the temper flares, huh?
"Hey! Get your ass outside! I'll give you a proper beatdown!"
"No need to go all out—just defend. Prove you can handle your share."
"Defend? Bullshit! I'll half-roast you like last time—get ready!"
Suddenly, memories of her last charred defeat flashed.
…Thinking it over, even now, Karia wasn't someone to underestimate.
@
The tavern commotion drew residents… The cowering, excitable bitch Karia vanished. In her place, a pissed-off beast stretching, ready to pounce.
"Start already!"
"…Calm down. We're not here to kill each other."
"No! Just thought of it—I got a reason to kill you!"
Get her riled, and the old personality resurfaces.
…Not bad. The girly Karia was cute, but for tower climbing, he needed decisive, beastly Karia.
Han Do-yoon pulled out a gold coin. Worth 100 coins each.
"…When it hits the floor, we start."
"Toss it!"
-Fling!
Without hesitation, he hurled it high. That instant, Karia leaped, snatched it, tossed it away, forcing the fight to begin.
This… is cheating, right?
Never expected her to exploit the rule like that—Han Do-yoon panicked. He'd planned to move leisurely, but she stole first move.
"Shit!"
Karia dove like a hawk, fist thrusting at Han Do-yoon. He barely dodged, but flames spread like water splashing a puddle…
Without combat experience, he'd be screaming in pain, but Han Do-yoon hadn't reached the 99th floor sloppily. Aimed the barrel at her approaching head and pulled the trigger.
Last Wish Fires!
Using the massive hand cannon's powder recoil to backpedal, he attacked while pulling an egg Karia herself had laid from inventory and synthesizing it with his robe.
…To think the first synthesis on Master's robe would be with something this filthy.
The 'Summer's Grand Triangle' robe Evelyn gave him upon becoming her apprentice boosted resistance to materials' related elements. Karia's unfertilized egg was deeply tied to fire, so synthesizing granted flame resistance—even against a Red Dragon's blaze.
Won't go down from one shot.
Half-dragon meant tough durability. Even taking a magic bullet good to 29th floor point-blank, only slight bleeding.
Still got fight left.
Her eyes showed surprise, but flames raged on. Han Do-yoon steadied and fired.
Mana Circles Spin!
Whirrr!
Six mana circles rotated, feeding infinite mana to the exoskeleton, mastering the recoil.
-Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three detonations in a blink. Karia read the barrel trajectory, twisted her torso to dodge… then leaped. A massive flame spear in her hand, swung in an arc with centrifugal force.
…Too late to dodge!
Trusting robe and Last Wish durability, he took the spear head-on. Scorching heat enveloped him. Not a real spear, so no broken bones or knockback.
Fucking hurts!
Focused will on the synthesis circle in the handgrip from last mod. Dwarf forge parts weren't just mana scope—close-range mode with high stopping power.
-Whirrr!
Bursting through flames, a new weapon in Han Do-yoon's hand… Longer barrel, thicker build. Karia smirked, facing it.
New gun…?
Not her first firearm. Her world had similar, and she'd fought him before. Karia's take: pros—fast, powerful pinpoint attacks. Cons—easy to dodge or block if you read the barrel, since pinpoint.
Pro was con. Too close to dodge… concentrate defense on one point.
Read barrel, predict bullet path. Compress flames and defense magic there.
This time, I win!
But Karia's knowledge was shallow, simplistic. A gun nut would've backed off wide on seeing it.
Because that gun was…
Dozens of Water-Attribute Magic Pellets!
Dozens of water-element spells—Red Dragon's bane—spread from one shell, slamming her whole body. Heat vanished, chilled instantly. Limbs froze, head doused.
-Bang! Bang! Bang!
Each shot staggered her. Overwhelming stopping power flung her like a ragdoll. Felt like dozens of blacksmiths hammering her with iron clubs.
"Ack, urk, guhuk!"
Only then did her weird shriek escape. Victory decided, but burned all over, Han Do-yoon angrily aimed at her lower belly and fired.
-BOOM!
"Kweeeeeh!"