Chapter 125
Chapter 125
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: Aranvalon vs Giant Dragon (2)
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Aranvalon roared.
-Kraaaah!
The balance that hadn't seemed likely to break easily shattered.
In a tense tug-of-war.
The moment one side lost its footing and faltered, the equilibrium collapsed at breakneck speed.
Aranvalon was in a similar predicament.
The bitter defeat of the Dragon Soldier legion.
Because of that, his surroundings crawled with drakes.
-You damn vermin! How annoying! Get lost!
Even if they were mere insects compared to the Greed Dragon.
In a matchup of equal power, even minor differences mattered more than one might think.
-Explode!
After holding out as long as he could, he finally twisted his body and swung his tail.
In a standoff that tolerated no mistakes.
If he let them keep clinging, it'd tangle up his movements completely.
Squeeeeal!
Aranvalon spun 360 degrees, smashing the clinging drakes hard.
Kwaaaang!
With a massive boom, a drake burst apart.
Blood sprayed, chunks of flesh rained down plop-plop!
The sheer force of the swing made even the drakes in the rear flinch and halt their charge.
But.
-Kekeke, showing an opening at last.
It was then that a sinister whisper from the Giant Dragon reached Aranvalon's back.
-……!
Aranvalon urgently surged his energy.
He knew instinctively.
He absolutely couldn't dodge the attack coming now.
Even though it was slow, an attack he'd never taken a hit from before.
Now, there was no choice.
Woooong!
Tensing his body and channeling his energy, Aranvalon glared at the Giant Dragon.
-Come at me, intruder!
Kwaaaang!
In that instant, the Giant Dragon's right claw hammered Aranvalon's belly.
-Kuhk!
In the split second he couldn't recover from the stronger-than-expected impact.
Bang! Kwaaaang! Kwaang!
Follow-up strikes rained down relentlessly.
Slow, but each one overflowed with power and precision!
'Stronger than I thought.'
Aranvalon admitted it honestly.
He was being pushed back.
The slightly disrupted balance had grown beyond what he could handle.
'Damn it, because of these otherworldly bastards.'
Insignificant if faced alone.
But when they sided with the Giant Dragon, it changed everything.
Their balance had been golden.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
-Kroooooh…….
Once the Giant Dragon's barrage began, it was merciless.
Even with his guard up.
The impacts crashing over it shook Aranvalon to his core.
'Damn, it's disorienting.'
The Giant Dragon's combo was tough enough.
And now the drakes were swarming again from the side.
That multiplied the Giant Dragon's possible moves and trajectories.
'Stuck between a rock and a hard place.'
Mind the drakes, and he'd eat an attack for sure.
But focusing only on defense? There were too many drakes.
And besides.
The Giant Dragon was cunning.
No reckless moves, just steadily rolling the snowball.
The Giant Dragon grinned.
-What's this! Cat got your tongue now!
He struck without overextending, with careful precision.
-Indeed!
Bang! Bang!
Each hit atop the guard sent Aranvalon's massive frame sliding back.
Dust billowed thickly above.
-'Overreaching greed brings ruin' is an eternal truth across all worlds!
The Giant Dragon kept his focus.
And hammered away fiercely.
Faster.
[The Giant Dragon roars.]
Even faster.
[The Giant Dragon amplifies gravity magic.]
Faster still.
[The Giant Dragon amplifies gravity magic.]
Radiance streamed from the Giant Dragon's eyes.
Just as the rhythmic pounding reached its peak.
-Begone!
A thunderous roar erupted from Aranvalon's maw.
[Aranvalon uses 'Dragon Fear.']
At the same time.
Kwaaaaang!
Immense pressure exploded outward in a sphere.
Blasting away the encircling drakes and the Giant Dragon.
Kwagagagaga!
The shockwave upheaved the ground and hurled the thick dust far away.
-Hoo, still got some fight left?
The Giant Dragon's expression soured.
He craned his neck to check Aranvalon's state.
Then twisted his face even more.
-No way, you?
Gooooo……
Immense energy was gathering into Aranvalon's body.
Like powerful gravity sucking everything in.
It was drawing in all the ambient energy from every direction.
-Planning to use your breath?
Breath.
A dragon's exhalation.
The ultimate technique all dragons could use, channeling every ounce of power into a single blast.
But it drained nearly everything afterward.
So it wasn't something to use lightly.
'Means he's in that much trouble.'
The Giant Dragon nodded.
He'd considered it himself when he was on the back foot earlier.
Not an incomprehensible move.
Just painful.
-Fine.
Acknowledging it, the Giant Dragon gaped his maw wide.
-I won't back down in a contest of power.
Kwudududu……
He too began gathering all his power at his jaws.
[Aranvalon prepares Breath.]
[Giant Dragon prepares Breath.]
The longer time passed.
The fiercer the power grew.
Dudududu!
The floor and walls crumbled to fragments, and the shattered Dragon Soldiers and drake flesh began melting.
The unyielding standoff of two dragons!
The team members watching were dumbfounded.
"Everyone okay? Damn it! The shield's broken!"
Olena shouted urgently.
"Damn! Hold tight!"
Vladimir yelled too.
He was gripping the Referee's Spear jammed into the ground.
"Incredible suction! One slip and we'll all get pulled in!"
Into the maws of the two dragons.
Dust and air began swirling in.
Even Vladimir's spatial magic couldn't block it.
It wasn't the kind of force you could block.
And even.
Crack-crack!
Cracks spiderwebbed across the floor beneath.
Floor fragments lifted into the air, flying toward the dragons.
"Kyaaah!"
Miao Hana floated up first.
She had the lowest physical strength among the team.
"Sun!"
"Yes, my lord!"
In that instant.
Taeyang, nearest to her, soared through the air and grabbed her waist.
Then shot downward, slamming his spear into the ground.
Kwaaaang!
But closer to the dragons now?
Grip! Griiiip!
The spear and his body were yanked harder.
Even tougher with Miao Hana in tow.
"Hoo."
I too gripped my grounded spear and exhaled.
Straining so hard my neck veins bulged, arms trembled.
The rest of the team held on with their own methods as best they could.
'But at this rate.'
It's over.
Before the dragons even fire their breaths.
We'll all be dust.
'And.'
Even if we somehow endure.
The clash of breaths would sweep us away in the aftermath.
'No choice?'
Finally, I pulled out my hidden trump card.
[Item: Wish-Granting Scroll]
[Rank: S]
[Type: Scroll]
[Description: Use in your hour of need. Something you desperately require will appear.]
[Effect 1: In crisis, ancient magic aids you.]
No idea what answer it'd give.
But this sure qualified as a crisis, right?
Ancient magic.
Grant me an answer!
Even a sloppy one is fine—just help somehow!
I bit down on the scroll.
And ripped it with my left hand—riiip!
['Wish-Granting Scroll' (S-rank) used.]
Flash!
That instant.
The scroll in my hand emitted white light.
Wooong! Woo-woong!
Vibrating wildly.
A message popped up.
[Ding!]
['Ancient Magic' (SSS Grade) assesses the crisis.]
"……What?"
I bulged my eyes.
Assessing crisis was one thing.
'SSS Grade?'
Ancient Magic had ranks?
And SSS?
First time seeing it, outside that one reward.
Oho.
Then.
Worth getting my hopes up?
Maybe even better than top rankers?
As expectation swelled.
['Ancient Magic' (SSS Grade) opens its eyes wide.]
['Ancient Magic' (SSS Grade) detects an awe-inspiring being and recoils in shock.]
['Ancient Magic' (SSS Grade) bows in reverence.]
Huh……?
What? Awe-inspiring being?
What's that mean?
Whiiiing!
Then.
The spear in my right hand vibrated faintly.
['Essence of Fire' opens its eyes.]
"Essence of Fire?"
['Essence of Fire' asks what you're doing here.]
What the hell is going on?
I hurriedly scanned around.
Wondering if the messages in my view were visible to others.
"D-Damn it! My hands hurt!"
"Shield! Squeeze out whatever mana you have left!"
"If I had mana, I'd have used it already!"
But the team was too busy screaming.
No one seemed aware of 'Ancient Magic' or 'Essence of Fire's' exchange.
['Ancient Magic' (SSS Grade) says it's here to uphold the 'Ancient Oath.']
['It asks if it may dare use its power before your great presence…….]
['Essence of Fire' tells it to shut its trap.]
[……?!]
Wooong!
My mouth and the torn scroll fragment in my left hand quivered faintly.
What the— so.
Short version.
This insanely powerful-seeming 'Ancient Magic.'
Was cowering before a fragment of my weapon?
"……."
I stared blankly at the spear in my right hand.
Whoa.
As expected, Godslayer grade!
What a beast!
Sure, it ignored my calls after the first time.
Still.
Talking down to SSS Grade like that.
['Ancient Magic' (SSS Grade) panics.]
['Ancient Magic' (SSS Grade) asks what's wrong.]
['Essence of Fire' tells it to drop the useless flattery.]
['Essence of Fire' tells it to do its job and scram.]
…….
Essence of Fire, you punk.
Tougher than I thought?
**['Essence of Fire' turns away annoyed.']**
['Essence of Fire' closes its eyes again.]
…….
Silence after that.
"What was that? Hey, Essence of Fire? If you're gonna pop up out of nowhere, say hi to me too. You ignore me when I call normally."
I muttered at my weapon again.
But.
Seconds passed, still no response.
['Ancient Magic' (SSS Grade) hurries.]
Yeah.
Whatever.
Hurry it up.
"U-Uwaaaah! We won't last ten seconds like this!"
"I-I'm slipping! Slipping! Uwaaah! W-Wait! My grip's giving!"
Seriously, any later and we're done for.
['Ancient Magic' (SSS Grade) assesses the crisis.]
[The caster needs absolute defense for a set time.]
['Ancient Magic' (SSS Grade) searches for the appropriate spell.]
And.
The skill from this never-before-seen entity.
['Ancient Magic' (SSS Grade) uses 'Space Separation' (SSS Grade).]
As expected, a brand-new skill.
['Ancient Magic' (SSS Grade) wishes you luck.]
That instant.
Thud!
The world flashed white.