Chapter 273
Chapter 273
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 273
Chapter Title: Large-Scale Raid (2)
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An endless ocean stretched out.
Over the rough waves of the Pacific.
Shoooaaa!
Vinasa was soaring powerfully.
"Kekeke, impressive. Now you're not just taming dragons—you're riding them around?"
Even at a speed several times faster than an airplane.
An old man was keeping pace effortlessly, chuckling in amazement.
That's right.
I'd chosen Vinasa as my ride to the problem spot, the Yucatan Peninsula.
No choice.
No planes were flying there anyway.
And there was no portal like Demir connecting Muryeong Do-won and Earth to that place.
Just in case, I'd asked after hopping on his back.
And he'd become the most comfortable and swift mount in the world.
"What a stark contrast, you rascal. Kekeke. It feels like just yesterday you were shoving skeletons at me, begging me to trust you, some no-account punk."
'So what?'
"Kuhahat, good! Exactly! If you're the Master of Myriad Sorceries, you ought to ride dragons around, right?"
'Trouble is that Master of Myriad Sorceries. He might croak any day now.'
I shot back in my mind and glanced to check his vitality.
[Hunter: Joo Dong-hoon]
[Alias: Skeleton Emperor]
[Vitality: 4,020/4,220]
Fortunately, his vitality was fine.
I hadn't used any at all, except when summoning Arin or the old man occasionally.
My own condition was decent too.
'Lucky.'
Vinasa having almost no vitality left wasn't great news, but until just a few days ago, he wasn't even part of my forces.
'No need to freak out.'
Dragons are strong.
But that's all they are—strong.
I'd already slain two dragons before.
And faced a constellation on par with one.
'Well, the essence helped each time.'
Still, past experience eased the tension somewhat.
It bred confidence that I could make it work somehow.
"......"
That said, it didn't mean zero fear.
Those murderous eyes.
Overwhelming power and magic.
Enormous size.
No human could face such a being without dread.
But the rewards for taking it down were just as sweet.
Overcoming great trials brought top-tier prizes.
Catching this one would surely peel back another layer of growth.
'And toughen up our bony crew too.'
How much time passed as I flew onward with that resolve?
- Kraaaaaargh!
Vinasa roared powerfully once more mid-flight.
'Hm?'
Snapping from my thoughts, I saw land in the distance already, as if we'd crossed the continent.
And there.
"......That it?"
The massive silhouette was unmistakably a dragon, plain as day.
Even the overwhelming pressure making my hairs stand on end.
'Showtime.'
Gulp.
I swallowed and pulled myself together.
Adjusting my emotions inwardly for the ordeal soon to come.
I deliberately kept my expression calm.
Shoving all negative thoughts aside, focusing only on the positive.
Cooling my brain like dousing it with ice water, staying composed.
Battles with dragons.
That's how you survived—barely.
* * *
At that moment.
- Kraaaaaargh!
Briath roared toward humanity, who had dodged the Earthquake.
-Pesky insects, getting in my way!
'Earthquake' (SSS Grade) was top-tier magic that even dragonkin needed hefty mana to unleash.
Dragons weren't infinite magic machines, so he'd hoped this one shot would end it all.
But some punk with special abilities had controlled space.
Evacuating roughly 100 km² in a single move.
A total loss in the efficiency game.
For a proud dragonkin, it was a pride-shattering moment.
-......
In the end, Briath decided to just crush them underfoot.
He was this world's strongest anyway.
No skills needed—just raw physical combat to show these lowly newbies true dragon might.
Whoosh!
He flapped his wings again, lifting off.
Shoooaaa!
Crashing down with force to pulverize everything.
And simultaneously.
Kwarrrgh!
He swung his tail with all his might.
* * *
"You crazy bastard!"
Floa steadied herself.
Thighs tensed, pressing into the ground to brace.
Kugugugugu!
The earth dragon's brutal melee assault.
The tail hadn't even reached yet, but the pressure felt like it would burst her body.
"This is something."
Vladimir shook his head.
"Gonna waste all that vitality we poured in to save us?"
It was true.
Even after fleeing far.
Ten seconds to close in.
Five to hit the ground nearby.
Five more to swing the tail.
"The funny part."
Vladimir clicked his tongue.
"Is we can't even see the tail swing from here."
Just how massive was this close-up dragon.
It filled the entire view—no tail in sight.
If Guide Kapu hadn't shared the overhead view, they wouldn't have even known it was coming!
"Loider!"
In that instant.
A woman clad head to toe in pristine white armor shouted.
"Left side!"
"Got it!"
At the cry of world rank 6, Aria Yuel.
The hulking, rippling muscle man replied.
World rank 9, Ronnie Williams.
These two hyper rankers charged as if anticipating the dragon's melee, straight toward it.
And at the same time.
Kwarrrgh!
Confirming the tail barreling through, shattering split trees and boulders anew.
"Block it!"
Fwoosh!
Holy light surged from Aria Yuel's shield.
"Hraaaah!"
Ronnie Williams's pecs and lats bulged instantly.
One side: the tail.
The other: two hyper rankers.
Charging without yielding.
Kwarrrgh!
The moment the distance closed.
Boom!
A heavy rebound sent up a radial dust cloud.
"Hraaaaaah!"
"Grraaaaaah!"
Veins bulging on their necks, the two hyper rankers' shouts rang out.
Just how immense was the dragon's power.
Even these strength-famous rankers were getting shoved back effortlessly, but one thing was clear.
'The tail's slowing down......!'
'A bit, but we're holding!'
'Does that mean......we can do this?'
Hope glimmered.
The watching rankers' eyes lit up.
"Kahaha! Noe-myeong! Don't stop me! Gotta join in!"
World rank 16, Berserker Jang Dae-woong charged, fist extended.
"I'll support too!"
World rank 17, Dual Swords Octavia Spencer unleashed sword strikes.
Other famed hyper rankers rushed to aid Paladin and Loider, latching onto the tail.
"......Now?"
At that moment.
Blood trickling from her mouth, Mage Tower Lord Sophia muttered.
She'd just burned massive mana neutralizing the dragon's Earthquake and assessed the situation.
Dragon going melee.
Humanity swarming to block it.
Pouring every ultimate into stopping that tail.
The dragon wasn't pulling back either.
"Which means."
The one chance to strike its unguarded state!
Whooo, thud!
Sophia urgently swung her staff and slammed it down.
Woooong!
Mana surging simultaneously.
"M-Mage Tower Lord is moving!"
"Everyone, replenish mana! Send all to the Tower Lord!"
"But she hasn't ordered yet......!"
"Shut it! Just do it! Forgot? Against a dragon, we're just potion batteries!"
The elders moved proactively, thinking and judging.
'Good.'
Confirming her depleted mana refilling, Sophia's eyes flashed.
As a follower of 'Ancient Magic' (SSS Grade), her magic insight was unmatched.
Meaning, with enough mana, anytime.
She could cast spells understood from the archive.
'Though forbidden tomes demanding life force are out.'
In short.
This was fair game.
Roarrr!
['Fire of Despair' (SS Grade) activates.]
Not quite Hell Fire (SSS Grade), the infernal blaze to incinerate all creation.
But topping all fire-attribute magic besides it.
The Flames of Despair ignited.
"Hraaaaaah!"
Gritting her teeth, Sophia thrust her staff.
Roarrr!
Flames streaked through the air accordingly.
Target: Briath's head.
But.
-Insolent fool.
With the dragon's voice booming in her eardrums.
Psssh!
The Flames of Despair fizzled out pathetically.
Simultaneously.
[Briath gazes upon you.]
['Binding' (SS Grade) is cast.]
[Cannot move until target spell is dispelled.]
Some force began binding her tight.
'......Damn.'
No matter how she strained.
No matter the mana she summoned.
She couldn't budge.
Breath catching, she could only feel the dragon's gaze.
-But Flames of Despair, eh. Not bad for an inferior race. Fine. You get the honor of me devouring you personally.
Kwarrrgh!
The earth dragon halted its tail swing.
Then shoved its massive head toward the Mage Tower Lord.
Hummmm......
The closer the enormous, murderous head, the more goosebumps prickled her skin.
Shadows blanketed the world.
Pressure on a whole other level from afar.
'Ah.'
Clatter!
The Mage Tower Lord dropped her staff.
'Is this......hopeless......?'
No answer.
Delaila had once said.
After seeing Joo Dong-hoon take down two dragons in her trial, she'd become a fan.
She hadn't grasped how insane that was then.
But now she did.
Bone-deep.
'The Skeleton Emperor. You're the mad one, huh?'
Faced two of those?
Cheats or not.
That alone made him legendary.
A true hero.
'Sorry, but I'm going first......'
Kwarrrgh!
Facing the grotesque dragon fangs closing in, Sophia squeezed her eyes shut.
The dragon said it'd chew her.
But that mouth would pulverize the whole area, rankers and mages nearby included.
It was bigger than imagined.
'Giving up. As Tower Lord, what a disgrace......'
The instant resigned Sophia relaxed and bowed her head.
-Hm?
Kwarrrgh!
The darkened world brightening gradually.
The dragon's approaching head pulling back.
'Hm?'
Peeking through slitted eyes at the shifting light and shadow, Sophia opened them.
Taking in the dragon's form.
Not her—but staring across the Pacific.
'A dragon turning its head on purpose?'
Meaning.
Something far more critical than finishing her.
'Ah?'
That instant, a familiar presence pinged her senses.
The man she'd secretly hoped would hurry up.
Perhaps even more than the Demon King or Heavenly Demon.
'Skeleton Emperor.'
He'd arrived.
- Kraaaaaargh!
With another dragon's roar echoing from afar.
The presence flying from across the Pacific made other rankers look up too.
"W-What's that?"
"......A dragon? But why so small? Barely four adults stacked?"
"But that roar's real......Gives me chills—definitely a dragon."
As they murmured.
"It's Joo Dong-hoon!"
Someone shouted.
"Look close! You all have good eyes! That guy on the dragon—totally Joo Dong-hoon, right?!"
"Joo Dong-hoon?"
"Skeleton Emperor?"
"That hyper ranker in record time?"
But whatever.
Joo Dong-hoon was hyper ranker, sure—but only rank 10.
With 4th, 6th, and 9th struggling together like this.
What could one 10th do?
Amid the lukewarm reactions, some beamed pure joy......
"You damn master! Why so late!"
Noe-myeong and the Star Heaven Realm crew.
"Team leader!"
"Huuuwooo!"
Vladimir, Olena, and the 'Team Dragon Slayer' comrades.
They knew.
Better than anyone who the true Dragon Slayer was.