Chapter 128
Chapter 128
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 128
Chapter Title: Dragon Slayer (1)
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Rumble! Grrruk!
A bizarre noise echoed.
It could’ve been the dragon’s internal organs sloshing around, or maybe some external impact.
Or hell, maybe both.
Anyway.
The inside of the dragon was exactly as expected.
“Urk!”
My breath caught.
It was suffocating.
Stifling.
Pitch black.
The only silver lining?
A faint trickle of oxygen seeping in through Olena’s water.
And the fact that we’d pierced straight into the space Kapu mentioned.
“You fool. Hurry it up.”
Of course, the real relief?
Even in this precarious moment, the old man was right by my side.
“Staying in a place like this won’t do you any good. Man or beast, when something invades their body, instinct kicks in to protect it.”
“Like white blood cells?”
“White blood cells? What’s that?”
Oh.
Right. The old man wouldn’t know modern science.
“Something like that. The immune system.”
“Hmm. Is that so?”
“Yeah.”
Whoosh!
I swung the God-Slaying Spear to readjust my grip.
Then let out a short breath.
The old man was right.
No time to waste—had to achieve our goal as fast as possible.
‘Which way?’
I just closed my eyes.
The dragon’s core was packed with immense energy anyway.
As long as I could sense it with the Azure Heaven Heart Method, that was enough.
‘That way.’
Rumble...
A massive flow of energy.
I twisted my head toward it.
“That’s it, kid. Slash through with that ridiculous dark weapon of yours. There’s no path here anyway. Wherever you go becomes the path.”
Oh.
That’s badass.
Where I go is the path.
Felt like a great explorer.
I morphed the spear into a short dagger.
Held the blade horizontal and burrowed in.
Slash! Slice! Stab! Thrust!
Bones and flesh that would’ve been impenetrable before? The God-Slaying Spear carved through them like butter.
Splurt!
Blood sprayed.
Squelch!
Flesh brushed against me.
Gross texture, but fine.
Olena’s barrier was still holding strong.
Her magic was seriously convenient.
The flowing water kept circling my body.
Washing and scrubbing away the grime.
“...”
I charged on in silence.
Pumping my legs to push forward.
Grabbing bones or muscles with my left hand to shove myself deeper.
“Good. Keep moving.”
I did.
“Every move you make inflicts agony on this dragon’s nerves. Now go wild—stab, slash! Pour out that poison too!”
“Right, poison.”
Listening to the old man’s ramble, I stayed focused.
Kept releasing the Poison Fog I’d used earlier.
Boom! Boom!
Distant drum-like thuds.
And a drawn-out groan...
Seemed like it was working.
“We’re almost there.”
Vladimir must’ve guided us right.
The core wasn’t far now.
“A bit more! A bit more! We’re close!”
With the old man’s cheers, I pressed on.
The path wasn’t easy, though.
Gulp! Gulp!
Surrounding muscles twitched, attacking me.
Some even sharpened into spikes to slice.
“See that? Isn’t the body of a living thing a mystery?”
It hurt.
Stung.
But whatever.
If I hurt...
Then the Giant Dragon hurts too.
Hold on.
I’ll make it hurt more.
“Sun, Eldrin.”
[Using skill, ‘Skeleton Knight Summon’ (A-rank).]
[Using 10 stamina.]
[‘Bone 1’ appears.]
[Using skill, ‘Skeleton Knight Summon’ (A-rank).]
[Using 10 stamina.]
[‘Sun Spear’ appears.]
[Using skill, ‘Skeleton Knight Summon’ (A-rank).]
[Using 10 stamina.]
[‘Eldrin’ appears.]
...
I resummoned the skeletons behind the path I’d carved.
“My liege, this place...?”
“Master. Is this the Giant Dragon’s insides?”
Sun Spear and Eldrin spoke with their usual loyalty.
Eldrin’s voice even carried a hint of excitement.
‘Well, yeah.’
The Giant Dragon was the enemy that kept Eldrin from the skies.
“Unleash everything you’ve got. Attack with all your abilities.”
I gritted my teeth and ordered.
“Call your subordinates if you want. Spam your skills. Deal as much damage as you can.”
“Yes, my liege. As you command.”
“Thank you for this chance, Master.”
I nodded at their replies and kept pushing forward.
Every time the dragon’s flesh split, the twitching intensified.
The distant screams grew louder.
- Kraaaargh!
A guttural roar shook the body’s gravity up and down.
“Stay focused to the end!”
The old man shouted.
“It’s thrashing like mad! It’s finally realizing it’s in real danger! We’re right there! Break through! Jam that weapon into the energy clump!”
That’s what I did.
Blood sprayed everywhere.
I kept shoving forward.
Until finally.
“Guh!”
A massive surge of energy hit me head-on, ripping a scream from my throat.
Normally, getting this close would’ve melted me on the spot.
But the breath attack had weakened it enough to try!
Thrust!
I poured all my power into the weapon.
Circulated the Azure Heaven Heart Method, squeezing out every drop of stamina.
Splurt!
Blood sprayed, vibrations rocked me, but I didn’t stop.
Thrust! Thrust! Stab! Stab!
If anything, I went even crazier, pounding it relentlessly.
“Die...”
Killing a dragon with human hands.
Toppling a transcendent being we were never supposed to touch.
Had any hunter on Earth ever done this?
“Die...! Die...!”
I can do it.
Everything I’ve said I’d do, I’ve done.
Breathing? Stopped.
No oxygen left anyway.
“Fuck!”
I held my breath, arms flailing like machines.
Slammed the weapon into its heart.
* * *
- Kraaaaaargh!
Seeing the Giant Dragon suddenly writhe in pain...
- Hm?
Aranbalon voiced his doubt.
He’d clearly been on the back foot.
After the breath clash ended, he’d been utterly overpowered.
Each gravity-infused strike made his organs scream, every nerve wail.
‘But suddenly?’
The beast was thrashing.
Violently.
‘No way.’
True to dragon nature, Aranbalon grasped the situation fast.
‘Those humans?’
The ones who’d troubled his dragon eggs earlier.
Now they were making the Giant Dragon suffer too?
- Hrm.
Unexpected.
He’d pegged them as mere bugs.
Now they were a real nuisance.
‘Whatever.’
Aranbalon had his chance now.
Just like the Giant Dragon hadn’t wasted its shot before, he wouldn’t either.
Heh, a light chuckle escaped as he swung his claws.
Whoosh!
Dragon energy exploded outward.
- Now die for real! Invaders!
He unleashed the power he’d slowly stockpiled.
Crackle-crack!
The immense force tore through space, pouring into the Giant Dragon’s belly.
- Kraaaagh! You coward! Now of all times?!
The Giant Dragon’s face twisted in deeper agony.
Dozens of energy streams from Aranbalon had pierced its body.
- Coward? You with your overreaching greed—look at you now.
Aranbalon didn’t stop.
- I’ll rip out your throat.
Seizing the distracted gaze, he lunged headfirst.
A risky move normally, but now? Certain success.
Then.
Crunch!
His sharp fangs tore into the Giant Dragon’s neck.
- ...!
The Giant Dragon’s eyes widened in shock, but Aranbalon pressed on.
Thrust! Thrust!
Claws ripped savagely into the belly.
He used his massive bulk to mount and crush.
Stomped it flat.
Rip! Riiiip!
Even raked the belly with huge feet, shredding the hide.
- G-guh?
The Giant Dragon couldn’t even scream.
Aranbalon’s fangs had already pierced its esophagus.
- Grrr! Pathetic. Accept death, invader.
Sensing victory, he growled his declaration of the fight’s end.
- Your corpse will sate my greed, so worry not.
- Th-this... damn... guh, kerrgh...!
The fully subdued Giant Dragon’s yellow pupils dilated.
- This can’t...
Unbelievable.
Impossible.
Even with seals binding him.
Even with that humiliating human seal before.
He’d dominated a world, unmatched by any.
- This can’t be...
He couldn’t die like this.
Not without revenge.
Not torn apart by some strange dragon in an unknown land.
But.
The battle was decided.
The Giant Dragon knew it.
Why?
How?
- That damned human.
The otherworldly being he’d summoned to break his seals.
Yes.
That one ruined everything.
‘Was it greed after all? Should never have indulged?’
- Heh...
The Giant Dragon laughed.
- Heheheh...!
Facing death with serene abandonment, its eyes held total resignation.
Those eyes fixed on Aranbalon’s form one last time.
- You... laughing now... think you’ve won...
The dragon’s eyes slowly closed.
- Soon... you’ll pay the price for that greed.
The dragon’s final words.
Thud! Boom!
Its head slumped lifelessly to the ground.
Dust billowed with the crash.
- Hmph. Loser talks big.
Shlick!
Aranbalon released the neck.
Then eyed the Giant Dragon’s corpse with greedy hunger.
But first.
- You lot.
He stared at the figures hovering far off in the air.
Seven when they entered, now only six humans.
They floated on water-pressure platforms.
- Hm.
Aranbalon rolled his aching neck.
Ouch!
Every joint screamed, head spun.
His body was wrecked.
Wounds layered over wounds, refusing to heal.
Blood kept flowing.
- What to do with you?
Enemies, sort of.
But thanks to them, he’d beaten the Giant Dragon.
Let them go? Maybe.
- No.
If they hadn’t touched his eggs, victory was his anyway.
Besides, he was the Greed Dragon.
What he claimed, he never released.
- Right.
Aranbalon nodded.
- I’ll grant you mercy. Kill you painlessly. That should satisfy us both.
Woooong!
As the dragon gathered energy once more.
“Hey, hold up!”
One of the bug-like humans yelled.
“Satisfy my ass. Who made you decide what satisfies us, you lizard!”
The staff-wielding man—Vladimir Rodigin.