Chapter 133
Chapter 133
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 133
Chapter Title: Dragon Slayer (6)
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Quagagaga!
A horrific energy gathered at the dragon's maw.
The energy compressed, and compressed again.
The power surging from the dragon's heart began pulling in everything around it with immense gravity.
‘As expected.’
Gulp. I swallowed hard.
I hadn’t realized it under the protection of ‘Ancient Magic’ (SSS Grade).
But staring down the dragon’s breath head-on, its majesty was no joke.
‘Still, it’s more manageable than before.’
The Azure Heaven Heart Method informed me.
If the breath from when the two dragons clashed earlier had been about 90% of its full power.
This one was around 5%?
‘Let’s block it as best we can for now. If it doesn’t work...’
Just in case, I pulled out the ‘Wish-Granting Scroll’ (S-Grade) and clamped it between my teeth.
I planned to rip it open the moment things looked dicey.
“Hey, you crazy bastards... What the hell are you doing right now! Don’t do it!”
From behind, Vladimir yelled while watching his comrades staunchly blocking his path.
“You’re really gonna try to block that? Dragon breath that’s not even proper magic? I’m fine, so just leave me and run...!”
“Shut up.”
It was then that a cat beastkin standing beside Vladimir stuffed a hemostatic cloth into his mouth.
“You’re the only one allowed to look cool? We can’t?”
“Mmph! Mmmph!”
“That’s what we call hypocrisy.”
Good.
I had no time to listen to anyone right now.
Kugugugu!
I was too focused on the breath about to unleash.
“Vladimir is right. Just as the Team Leader is my close friend, so too are all those here.”
Whoooong!
Judgment Spear swung his spear.
“It’s meager power, but I’ll lend it to batting away the breath.”
“Me as well.”
A middle-aged man, Maximilian, stepped up beside him.
He gripped his sword with a grave expression and intoned.
“I shall prepare the Supreme Fragrant Sword’s Fifth Stance, the Heart Sword.”
“What a flashy skill name, just from hearing it.”
Olena smiled faintly.
“All I can do is layer Water Shields.”
Perfect.
Judgment Spear, Maximilian, Olena.
No matter what, we needed every bit of power we could muster.
Kung!
Before me, Bonesaw and his subordinates stacked up in layers.
Fwoosh!
I too conjured a massive red shield to brace myself.
Kugugugugu!
[Immense force surges in!]
[Movement speed decreases.]
[Stamina continuously drains.]
The crushing pressure choked the breath from my lungs.
“Damn it!”
“Hold on!”
“Blow back the energy!”
The raging power brought gale-force winds that made even standing a struggle.
‘Ah.’
I could sense it instinctively.
Any moment now.
That condensed brown energy would blast toward us.
A colossal storm of power would swallow us whole.
Kwang! Kwaaang!
Taeyang, Eldrin, and the other skeletons kept up their assaults.
Aranbalon was taking heavy damage as a result.
But the dragon’s head didn’t budge.
Only.
Locked on us.
“Hraaah! Come on!”
It was as I tensed my whole body and shouted.
Wooong!
The shield in my grip vibrated faintly.
[The Essence of Fire shakes its head.]
“...!”
I widened my eyes.
The Essence of Fire, which never responded before, suddenly?
The times it had responded were exactly two.
When I first acquired the weapon.
And when I encountered the being known as ‘Ancient Magic’ (SSS Grade).
[The Essence of Fire sighs.]
[It says that’s nowhere near enough.]
[There’s a 99.99% chance you’ll melt away.]
“...What?”
It couldn’t block this?
We’d die instantly?
The Essence of Fire was extraordinary.
A God-Slaying grade entity that even SSS-Grade ‘Ancient Magic’ bowed to.
If it said so, it was credible.
‘Then...’
I quickly snatched the paper from my mouth with my right hand.
Had to rip it open fast.
Time was critically short.
The dragon’s breath was imminent.
[The Essence of Fire asks if it should help.]
“...?”
It would help?
Twitch!
My hand halted mid-tear on the scroll.
[The Essence of Fire says it doesn’t want to lose this rare, likable little lifeform.]
[But beware.]
[The Essence of Fire’s power is immense. It could strain your body just to hear its voice, let alone receive aid.]
[That’s why you can only hear its will through messages.]
“Is that so...?”
No idea why this silent guy suddenly wanted to help.
Maybe a whim.
Or perhaps it liked my recent actions.
Gods are capricious, after all.
Patsutsut!
Even now, the breath intensified further.
Had to decide quick.
‘Curious, though.’
Accepting the Essence of Fire’s help would save a scroll.
Plus, I’d get a hint about this weapon’s secrets.
I’d feel, even briefly, the power that made SSS-Grade ‘Ancient Magic’ prostrate itself.
“Alright!”
I slammed my shield down harder and shouted.
Strain on the body?
Didn’t matter.
That was inevitable even against the breath.
“Please help! Do whatever it takes—just deal with this damn dragon!”
[The Essence of Fire laughs.]
[The Essence of Fire nods.]
Thud!
It hit then.
A sinking sensation in my heart.
Fwoooosh!
My vision went red.
No—my vision didn’t turn red.
The world did.
At the same time.
Crackle!
Like lightning to the head, I blacked out.
* * *
The Greed Dragon, Aranbalon.
He was sick of this situation.
The skeletons swarming like flies.
The poison relentlessly burrowing into his head no matter how he shook it off.
Revulsion filled him.
‘Disgusting. Time to end it.’
Kwaddddduk!
Finally, he drew out every ounce of power from his heart.
With this, he’d melt those insolent humans upfront in one go. Situation over.
‘Show me your tricks. Can you block this breath?’
Even if his power was low.
Even if it was just a fraction of his stamina.
A breath was a breath.
The ultimate attack of the world’s strongest race, dragons.
Not something lowly lifeforms could block.
‘Pay the price for your arrogance.’
Thud!
At last, a brown beam erupted from Aranbalon’s maw.
The immense energy exploded repeatedly as it shot forward.
No, precisely at that shooting moment.
Fwoosh!
—...!?
Aranbalon’s face twisted as he sensed a massive flow of mana.
What?
The instant he felt something off.
Fwoosh! Fwoooosh!
The energy he’d painstakingly gathered.
The breath he’d fully drawn out.
Evaporated amid scorching heat.
Aranbalon froze, mouth agape.
—Fire...?
Sensing the unignorable fire-attribute energy ahead, the dragon muttered blankly.
Aranbalon’s mind began to turn slowly.
‘Fire that evaporates breath?’
He wielded fire too.
Scorching fire, persistent fire, even hellfire dubbed infernal flames.
He’d used every kind through magic.
‘But.’
Aranbalon couldn’t comprehend the phenomenon before him.
Because.
Among the fires he knew, none could evaporate breath.
In mere seconds, no less.
—What in the...
Aranbalon’s words didn’t finish.
Joo Dong-hoon, unleashing beastly momentum, struck like a hawk.
Fwoosh!
Sizzle of burning flesh.
—Kaaaaaaaah!
Aranbalon let out a shrill scream from the searing agony assaulting every nerve.
His eyes bulged.
What power was this?
Undoubtedly, the mightiest he’d encountered since existing in this world.
—What... Who are you! Who?!
Aranbalon shook his head in terror.
And rightly so.
That energy was absolutely not from the inferior race he’d seen moments ago—humans.
It couldn’t be, and shouldn’t be.
The being now gazing at him like an insect...
Dwelled in a higher dimension, one that would scorn dragons.
Kwaddddduk!
The ground below cracked open, blue flames erupting.
Not just that.
The sky shattered, yellow fire streams flowing from the fissures.
Yet amid it all, the humans and bones before him stood unharmed.
In this world.
Only he seemed to feel the blistering pain.
As if facing the god of fire.
No, the demon of fire.
—M-Madness.
Before he could regain his senses.
Kwang!
The energy from Joo Dong-hoon’s swung spear blasted into Aranbalon’s abdomen.
—Keurgh!
Even trying to block.
He had no strength left.
His hide softened, wounds gaping too wide.
Thus, even a simple swing tore flesh cleanly.
Spurt!
Blood gushed.
—Kaaaaaaaak!
Aranbalon wailed desperately.
But.
Joo Dong-hoon’s movements showed no mercy.
As if he couldn’t afford even a moment’s delay.
He soared into the sky.
Then.
Fwoooosh!
Slamming down a spear of pure flame.
Toward the dragon’s wing!
Quagagang!
Toward its waist! Its abdomen!
—Kaaaaaaaak!
His body convulsed.
Poison fog raged fiercer in his brain.
Ran rampant.
Crack! Crack!
Recoil shattered leg bones, spine went numb.
As Aranbalon inevitably toppled, off-balance.
Bang!
Joo Dong-hoon’s energy, now below, surged upward.
The unknown power showed no sign of stopping.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Even if breath failed.
Even bursting organs, grinding flesh and bone.
It hammered from all directions relentlessly.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
And soon.
Sss.
Joo Dong-hoon’s energy vanished in an instant.
His form faded away too.
—...!
Amid agony, a question mark arose in Aranbalon’s mind.
What?
Why did that explosive energy suddenly disappear?
He scanned around frantically.
‘Gone?’
Aranbalon desperately hoped.
Please let it be so...!
Let this all be a dream, that human evaporated from overexerting with power beyond his grasp...!
But.
—...!
Aranbalon’s expression blanked instantly.
No choice.
A man had appeared above his head, plunging a fiery spear into his crown.
Puk!
—...Damn it!
Unbearable fire energy from the struck spear began melting his body.
His entire vision whitened with blazing flames.
‘Ah.’
Aranbalon sighed inwardly.
So this was the end.
Was that invading dragon right?
Was it my fate to perish here today?
—....
His body melted down.
Twitching futilely to resist, but he couldn’t block nature’s force.
Powerless before that overwhelming might.
—....
It burned.
Every nerve screaming heat, but nowhere to flee.
Nowhere to escape.
Helplessness.
—What... is this power.
He wondered.
The strongest being he’d ever met.
Even knowing death loomed, curiosity bloomed.
But.
Fwoosh!
With the final flame, Aranbalon melted away without a scream.
Body and soul alike.
The Master of Theme 2’s Trial.
King of the Aranbalon Kingdom.
The end of the Greed Dragon, Aranbalon.