Chapter 132
Chapter 132
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 132
Chapter Title: Dragon Slayer (5)
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A heavy silence fell.
I shook my head, trying to grasp the situation.
So.
Vladimir was in the spot where I should have been.
And I was standing where Vladimir had been?
That’s why Vladimir had taken the hit to the heart in my place?
“Damn it, what the hell…!”
My mind snapped back into focus.
Bonechili, who had rushed over, must have cast healing on me.
My voice came out hoarse, but it came out nonetheless.
“Urk!”
The binding energy that had wrapped around me so tightly was gone, and my body could move again.
“Team Leader, are you okay?”
One of the Myo clan members approached and pressed an emergency cloth against the flowing blood to staunch it.
‘If this were normal.’
She would have emitted white light from her hands for healing.
But nothing like that happened.
I furrowed my brow.
“What… happened here?”
The pain in my body wasn’t the priority right now.
“Why is Vladimir in that spot?”
“…….”
The team’s atmosphere grew solemn.
Referee Window and the middle-aged man clamped their mouths shut, and Olena’s eyes were already red-rimmed.
“One of the Myo used the ‘Sacrifice’ (S-grade) skill on Vladimir,” Kapu said, stepping forward.
“‘Sacrifice’ transfers all debuffs from the target to the user. She took the debuffs the dragon had placed on you, which also released Vladimir’s seal.”
His bitter expression turned toward empty air as he spoke.
“The rest was Vladimir’s choice. He said surviving among ourselves wouldn’t cut it—we had to save the Team Leader. Teleporting you with spatial magic wouldn’t reach far enough, so in a pinch, he used a secret technique. Swapped positions with you out of nowhere before we could stop him. Damn it.”
“…….”
Hearing Kapu’s words, I immediately pushed myself up.
My whole body ached like hell, but it was bearable compared to before.
No.
That wasn’t the issue right now.
Thump!
My heart pounded.
“…….”
Suddenly, an indescribable emotion surged through me.
What the hell was this feeling?
Why.
Why did Vladimir have to take the damage in my place?
I looked up at the sky.
- Kraaaargh! Kraaah!
Aranbalon, screaming as the poison fog increasingly dominated its brain, came into view.
And right in front of it, clutching its heart with blood trickling from his mouth, was Vladimir.
“Olena.”
I muttered softly.
Yes.
This emotion was, strictly speaking, anger.
Not anger at the dragon, not anger at the situation.
Anger at myself.
Anger as the team leader who, despite being so pathetically weak, had dragged his team into this crisis.
“Yes, Hoon.”
“Make that water platform from before again. Get me up there.”
“Got it!”
Splash!
Olena created the platform without a word.
Step.
I stepped onto it.
The other team members climbed on too.
Even Bonechili, who had been healing me, joined.
“…….”
We all knew without saying it.
That the platform was heading toward Vladimir.
Whoosh!
Olena’s magic floated gently through the air.
It flew up to Vladimir’s side at a decent speed.
“…….”
I looked at Vladimir.
The man groaning, blood dripping from his mouth.
“Bonechili.”
[‘Bone 7’ uses the skill, Intermediate Healing (Lv. 2).]
Whooo!
The dark light from Bone’s hand gently enveloped the man’s heart.
“Urgh, heh… Team Leader. You came?”
Vladimir smiled, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
“Heh, heh heh. Fuck… This hurts like no joke.”
His condition was clearly dire.
His voice already whistled with escaping air.
His chest was stained deep red.
“Urgh… Normally, my heart would’ve exploded already, but that magic circle’s pressure is keeping me alive, I guess. That damn dragon bastard. Wants me to suffer a bit before I die.”
“Stop talking. Just stop.”
I kept channeling healing through Bonechili.
I wanted to use ‘Recovery,’ but.
I’d already used it to take down the poison fog.
“Wait. I’ll save you no matter what.”
Clink!
I pulled out the elixir I’d stored away.
[Item: Elixir]
[Grade: S]
[Type: Potion]
[Description: Legendary potion]
[Effect 1: Cures all diseases]
[Effect 2: Removes all status ailments]
[Effect 3: Supreme recovery effect]
[Effect 4: Cannot be used on the dead.]
The two elixirs I’d received as rewards.
“Heh, won’t work.”
Won’t work?
Why?
“Anyway… With that damn flash piercing my heart, healing’s just gonna get pierced again. Can’t do it unless we remove that bullshit magic circle.”
He was right.
It was such an obvious thought anyone could have.
But things had been too chaotic.
“Damn it.”
I opened my mouth.
“Why did you do it?”
I knew why in my head.
But my heart couldn’t accept it.
“Why, why…! Why risk your life like that…!”
“Why? ‘Cause you’re worth it. Haven’t known you long, but you’re a good guy, Team Leader.”
A good guy.
“Truth is, this trial’s been blatant from the start. Round 1 pushed murder, Round 2 pushed betrayal. But look. What happened to those who did it.”
The murderers got eliminated.
The betrayers got torn apart by Aranbalon.
“Heh heh, heh… We resisted those temptations. Resisted and resisted to get here. Not just you, Team Leader. Everyone here’s proven they’re good people. Wanna hear something funny?”
Vladimir’s gaze fixed on one spot.
The spear-wielding man.
Referee Window—Jang Wei.
“Cough! Heh… That Referee Window guy not flipping out over the judging means everyone here… is trustworthy… I’ve always liked that kinda thing. Loyalty that transcends life. Sure, out there it’s so cutthroat you can’t even breathe, let alone make comrades like that.”
And that wasn’t all.
These seven here.
Hadn’t fled from the Greedy Dragon’s trial.
“Heh heh, at least I get to fulfill one wish before dying.”
They’d fought alongside the Dragon Fang Soldiers.
At the very least, they valued loyalty over their own lives.
“No.”
I clenched my fist and opened my lips.
“Trust me and wait.”
“Trust you… and wait?”
“I said it. I’ll save you no matter what. So don’t give up on that life. Don’t die.”
I’d save him somehow.
From now on, they weren’t just means to become a ranker.
Not stepping stones, but true ‘comrades.’
“Myo Hana.”
“Yes?”
“Take these.”
I handed her the two bottles of elixir.
Then I looked at the screaming dragon.
“We’ll kill the dragon somehow from here on. Once the dragon dies and that magic circle vanishes…”
“Yes, I’ll save Vladimir somehow too.”
Myo Hana nodded with a resolute expression.
Okay, that was it.
I worried the elixir might not work.
‘If it doesn’t.’
‘I’ll summon ‘Ancient Magic’ (SSS Grade) for help.’
That thing looked seriously powerful.
Whoosh!
I converted my weapon back to a spear and extended it.
Then I looked down from the air.
Creak! Squeak!
Below my view.
A total of 7,777 skeletons still fighting tenaciously.
Tough ones that didn’t break even after getting dragon bones.
They charged endlessly.
Charging in, stabbing their weapons into the dragon’s ankles.
‘Yeah.’
Fight.
For me.
For the Skeleton King.
[Uses skill, ‘Wail of the Departed’ (A-grade).]
[Uses 50 stamina.]
Kiiiiiaaa…!
In that instant, a chilling wail erupted from my body, shaking the area.
[Skill: Wail of the Departed]
[Grade: A]
[Effect 1: Doubles the stats of all nearby skeletons.]
[Effect 2: Uses 50 stamina.]
Kwarung! Kwarung!
The skeletons’ speed surged dramatically.
Like undead zombies that wouldn’t die. They climbed the dragon’s body, stabbing their weapons.
Ripping wounds open.
- Kraaaargh! You bastards!
Aranbalon, finally regaining its senses, drew another magic circle in the air.
But.
“Not on my watch, dragon.”
Whoosh!
Sun Spear, now atop the dragon’s head, glowed.
[‘Sun Spear’ uses skill, ‘Soulflare’ (Lv. 6).]
[‘Sun Spear’ uses skill, ‘Solar Barrage’ (Lv. 6).]
Pabababam!
The bursting light struck the yellow eyes repeatedly.
Startled, Aranbalon shook its head, but Eldrin, charging from behind Sun Spear, kicked off the hide and soared into the sky.
[‘Eldrin’ uses skill, ‘Moonlight Fall’ (Lv. 6).]
Moonlight poured down like a storm.
Moonlight Fall unfolded.
Having recovered some abilities, the evolved light arrows seeped into Aranbalon’s wounds.
- Kraa, kraaaargh!
A high-frequency roar echoed through the sky.
The inscribed magic circles shook or shattered.
I swallowed hard.
‘They’re definitely strong. Sun Spear and Eldrin.’
They’d said they recovered 50% of their original power.
And now with ‘Wail of the Departed’ (A-grade) on top.
They had to be.
Of course, ‘Wail of the Departed’ didn’t turn 50% into 100% original power.
It just boosted stats, slightly different conceptually.
‘Keep going.’
Move.
The two absolutes’ momentum was immense.
As if unleashing everything they’d held back while watching.
They poured ferocious killing intent onto Aranbalon.
Kwarung!
They stayed afloat in the air purely from recoil.
- Grrr!
The dragon faltered for a moment.
And soon.
- Kraaaargh! All of you, tear apart!
It went berserk.
Magic circles bent wildly, firing beams indiscriminately.
Aranbalon thrashed its tail recklessly.
But.
“What a pathetic sight.”
Sun Spear’s spear stabbed into a wound.
Eldrin’s arrow lodged in a wound.
Boom!
A massive explosion rang out, blood bursting.
The two absolutes’ attacks were calm yet sharp.
- What…!
Aranbalon wore an expression of utter incomprehension.
- How can mere undead…!
Whoosh!
Aranbalon’s claw tore through the air viciously.
Aimed at where Sun Spear floated.
“Blind attack. I’d love to take it, but I can’t.”
Flash!
Sun Spear burst with light again, leaping through the air.
The dragon’s attack grazed by perilously.
And without fail.
Boom!
Sun Spear’s barrage struck the dragon’s vitals and wounds.
Aranbalon’s face twisted with rage.
At the situation not going its way.
And at Sun Spear’s taunt.
Sensing it, Sun Spear sneered.
“Too bad, that’s your limit—and your end. You thought you could stand before my lord in that state?”
- Shut up!
Aranbalon flew into a rage.
It shook its head violently.
- Guess I have no choice. Even if I’m in danger. Even if my body tears.
Rumble rumble rumble!
It gathered all remaining energy from its central heart into its mouth.
- I’ll take that human with me!
[Aranbalon prepares a breath attack.]
Thud thud thud!
The ground shook again.
Not as strong as the previous preparation, but still formidable.
And cleverly aimed.
Right at where Vladimir was bound.
“D-Damn! That dragon’s looking this way!”
“What do we do? Vladimir’s right here.”
The team members asked.
But.
“…….”
No way.
We absolutely couldn’t dodge.
Vladimir was already on the brink.
If we didn’t block that attack, who knew what would happen.
[Uses skill, ‘Skeleton Lord Summon’ (S-grade).]
[Uses 10 stamina.]
[‘Bone 4’ appears.]
I summoned Bone 4 onto Olena’s water platform.
Sss!
I switched the spear to a shield.
And stood in front of Vladimir.
“Everyone, get behind me.”
The team gasped at my words.
“Hoon…! You don’t mean…?”
“My friend, you plan to take it alone?”
“Yeah.”
I nodded.
“From now on, I’ll protect Vladimir by any means necessary. So…”
Rumble rumble rumble!
An enormous energy swirled before my eyes.
“You all… help me too.”