Dragon's Phase Skip
◈ A moving platform used in dungeons. Using it transports you to the upper floor.
In the system’s eyes, Hallasan here was treated as an external dungeon, no different from any other. So, what would happen if I used a moving platform from the base of Hallasan?
“Exactly this.”
In an instant, my vision warped dramatically, and the scenery around me began to shift.
Sssshhh─ It was like the world itself was being corrupted, a sight that sent chills racing down my spine as it unfolded.
Jet-black roses and thorny vines blanketed everything. And in the center, a bubbling violet pond.
As far as I knew, there was only one place with scenery like this.
Baekrokdam.
A location you’d normally have to fight through hordes of monsters and traps along the trails to reach—and yet here we were, unscathed.
“……What kind of poison is this? Any normal person would’ve started rotting from the lungs out.”
The bishop grimaced, muttering as she pinched her nose with her sleeve.
“That’s why we needed Ascalón. Nothing else can purify poison this intense except its sanctuary.”
“……Yeah, I suppose so.”
The sky had looked clear from below, but up here it was oppressively overcast. Gray clouds hung heavy, as if rain could pour any second, accompanied by an eerie wind howl that carried real weight.
Now that we’d reached Baekrokdam, Pafnir could burst out from anywhere at any time. No one dared relax their tension as we scanned our surroundings warily.
Meanwhile, the bishop began her prayers, clutching her rosary in both hands. Golden ripples seeped from it, spreading like mist over the mountain ridge, gradually filling Baekrokdam.
Just as our surroundings started glowing yellow.
Bubble─ Bubble─ Bubble─ Bubble─ Bubble─ Bubble─ Bubble─ Bubble─ Bubble─
The violet pool in Baekrokdam began roiling violently, shaking the ground.
“Father Johan! Barrier!”
“Y-Yes!”
Johan thrust his hand skyward, deploying a holy shield—just as──
───────!!
The pond erupted, revealing a massive violet behemoth slumbering within.
-einhvern stóðstu upp ég úr svefni!
A deafening roar from the enormous dragon, its cry incomprehensible. Violet liquid splashed up in the shockwave, hissing red smoke on contact with the ground and staining everything with death.
-kottur? nei nei nei. lítill stjarnan guðunum hlúa að!
It shook its head, then turned its gaze toward us. Some trembled in terror, others fell backward or burst into tears. Seemingly amused, it slowly opened its massive maw toward us.
-It was definitely this language. Yeah, what the hell are you pets of the damn gods doing in here?
Even with holy power—the one thing it hated most—wafting all over its nest, Pafnir didn’t attack right away. It asked a question first. Not surprising, given its personality.
To it, we probably looked like bugs it could squash with a twitch. That was the ancient dragon race’s trait—and temperament.
And right now, it also meant Pafnir was at its most off-guard.
“Bishop.”
No verbal reply, but I knew instinctively she was listening.
“……Smash its head.”
At my words.
Kwaaaang──!!
A massive golden cross materialized in the sky, plummeting toward its skull.
-Graaaaaaaaaaa!!
The cross slammed straight into Pafnir’s head with a thunderous boom. It thrashed its neck, screeching in agony—a feat only Ascalón, devastating against Pafnir, could achieve.
-viðbjóðslegurAscalón! So you’re the one who brought that accursed blade!
After taking the bishop’s direct hit, Pafnir unleashed a ferocious roar.
“Guh!”
“Hngh……”
Those preparing tactics in front of its breath staggered, trembling uncontrollably. The overwhelming mental assault hit the weakest-willed first, like a tidal wave of malice.
But then, a clear voice cut through.
“Snap out of it! Its whispers are no different from Satan’s!”
Maria’s resolute shout rallied them, one by one shaking off the daze. The Faith Shield skill, unique to religious Awakeners, boosted mental resistance.
“It’s disoriented—now’s our chance! Charge!”
At my call, Yoon Kwang-su was first, aura cloaking his fists as he rushed Pafnir.
“Master said this has to work!”
His blue-aura-wreathed fist uppercut Pafnir’s jaw perfectly. Its head snapped back.
-Garrrrrrrrr!!
It shuddered, face twitching in pain.
“It landed! Uppercut!”
“Definitely leadership material.”
Dragons like Pafnir, covered in thick scales, were essentially heavy armor. Yoon’s hammer-like fists—forged breaking countless materials—were a natural counter.
“Bishop!”
“Prayer’s done!”
It spread its wings to take flight, but two crosses crushed them down. Golden waves rippled from the crosses across the ground.
The pervasive poison began to dissipate, easing our group’s suffering expressions.
-You dare infuse my nest with the gods’ blessings?!
“What, you want remodeling fees too?”
“I’ve got all your patterns memorized.”
Pafnir’s debuffs were brutal: Baekrokdam’s poison, its breath, wind pressure, curses. Noobs always wiped on first try.
Even veterans with raid-ready characters could get deleted in one go—either faithful to lore or pure malice from the devs.
That’s why I’d pinned it down from the start.
And the result? The momentum flipped in seconds.
“So. It’ll be easier if you think of this as getting hunted.”
-Hunted? You mortals dare challenge this Pafnir?! You think that puny Ascalón alone can take me?!
“Believe in Ascalón? What’re you talking about?”
Like it said, my current self was “puny” enough to deserve the insult. Most abilities were tuned for one-vs-many against Calione foes, lacking raw specs otherwise—output and control aside.
But.
“What I believe in is way bigger than that.”
Gaps like that? Just fill ’em.
I had endless City of Seoul playtime here, hoarded items, and this crew.
Kwaang──!!
I pulled the trigger. The shotgun roared, blasting its eye socket.
Not as devastating as Ascalón, but enough to shred its fragile cornea instantly.
-bölva þér. You won’t leave here alive!
Writhing from the shotgun, it howled skyward—another debuff skill, distinct from dragon fear.
Useless on me. Neck angle and howl pattern gave away the skill easy.
“Already hitting Phase 2, huh.”
Phase 1: Basic breath and melee. But we’d pinned and pummeled it, even popping one eye, skipping proper resistance straight to next phase.
And Phase 2’s main gimmick?
“What’s wrong? Upset your minions aren’t showing?”
A forced monster wave summoning Hallasan’s mobs to Baekrokdam—total chaos. Its wide-range summons made splitting forces key for raids.
Hold anti-dragon power and clear adds.
“Alright, prep’s done…… Let’s go.”
Normally, a monster horde would swarm post-howl. But nothing came—not even an ant. Pafnir looked baffled, scanning around.
-Mortals! What have you done?!
“Nothing much. Just asked some reliable allies below to handle the monsters.”
They might not trust me fully, but those two factions’ firepower could manage the wave.
Meaning we only had this guy to worry about.
Chance hits when Phase 2 skips to Phase 3 transformation.
-How dare you, dare you DARE YOU DARE YOU DARE!!!
Unforgivable!
Its body glowed violet.
“Now!”
Everyone moved to position. Sanctuary declaration nullified nest debuffs, enabling mobility. Cathedral crew to rear, smiths and apprentices circled with us, closing in.
“Unload everything!”
No cutscene delays in reality.
Prime DPS window.
Golden crosses rained from sky, attacks poured from all sides.
Still transforming, it took my repeated shotgun blasts. Smiths like Yoon hammered its body. Priests and nuns healed our stamina drain, letting assault continue.
Its body shrank under the barrage, fully humanoid as──
-dauða!
You won’t escape unscathed!
Energy surged toward it rapidly.
“Bishop! Barrier, now!”
“Everyone, to me!”
We clustered around her. Priests and nuns clasped hands in prayer chant.
At center: Bishop Augustus.
Her lips moved swiftly.
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil……”
-Perish, all of you!
A wide violet shockwave erupted from it, blanketing everything in death. Flowers and thorns browned to ruin. The gloomy sky bled transparent gore, chilling all.
But.
Woooong─
A manmade sun blazed golden at our core.
Bloodied but alive, I stared down Pafnir from under it and declared solemnly.
“Our Phase 2 starts now, kid.”