Dragon Slayers of the Tax Bureau
Beyond the snow-capped mountains lay the heartland of the Demon King's forces. At its entrance stood the Demon Realm. Whether someone had deliberately spread the word or not, news of the Third Army's annihilation spread like wildfire, and the unnamed place quickly earned the moniker of Demon Realm.
"Think there's a spy inside?"
"Nah, more likely the Demon King's forces leaked it themselves."
Two women chatted leisurely as they traversed the Demon Realm. They were the manager and deputy manager of the Tax Collection Department under the Ministry of Finance, breathing in the refreshingly eerie air of the magic realm as they pressed onward.
The deputy manager, suspecting an internal spy, prompted the manager to shake her head.
"The Great Treant Purge was just a short while ago. Even if there really is a spy, they'd lay low for a bit."
"So you're saying there's some kind of magic beast specialized in spreading rumors. What a pain."
"Eh, leave that to the Ministry of War."
The Tax Collection Department's job was catching tax evaders, plain and simple. Spies or magic beasts were the purview of the Ministry of War's special task force and the Ministry of Interior.
"Speaking of which, shouldn't dragon hunting be the Ministry of War's job? Why are we from Finance doing it?"
"What can we do? Gotta collect taxes from dragons somehow."
"That's what I'm saying—why collect taxes from dragons?"
"Because dragons are loyal subjects of our empire too."
The deputy manager looked even more baffled at the manager's words.
"Then it should definitely be the special task force or Ministry of Interior handling it. They're traitors, aren't they?"
"We've come too far for that now, probably?"
Manager Elishia said with a chuckle. Yeah, they'd come too far. At this point, forming a dragon-slaying strike force under the special task force or Interior would cost more than just deploying the two from Tax Collection. Considering the money and time to train even one Sword Master, this was the smarter choice. Especially since it wasn't a Sword Master for human or beast combat, but one specialized in dragon-slaying.
"If I'd known I had this kind of talent, I would've gone military."
Serena, the Tax Collection deputy and bearer of the epithet Dragon Slayer, grumbled. She probably would've risen through the ranks fast if she'd joined the army.
"Well, can't change that now, can we?"
"True enough."
Serena let out a deep sigh.
"We've really come a long way."
She couldn't even imagine herself working for the military or anywhere else anymore—they'd strayed that far from the path.
"Incoming."
"Yes, ma'am."
As they bantered lightly, Elishia's eyes gleamed. With that cue, both women drew their swords, snapping into combat readiness in an instant.
"Three, four... total of fourteen? Three adults and eleven sub-adults."
"Leave the small fry to me."
"Got it. Be careful."
The deputy charged forward, mana exploding from her body. She rushed to confront the adults, who radiated a flesh-trembling aura. Watching her go, Elishia readjusted her grip on her sword. Before she knew it, youthful-looking dragons had surrounded her.
"No presence at all. Wind Dragon?"
"...Human. Strong."
"Ah, yeah, I am."
Elishia smiled with her eyes. The dragon approached, its green eyes glinting. No footstep sounds—definitely a Wind Dragon. It advanced slowly, flashing its razor-sharp claws. Elishia kept her eyes locked on it. The other dragons' auras were still distant, visible in the distance. The situation was more relaxed than expected, letting her focus fully on the foe before her.
"That makes it my one thousand eleventh."
"What?"
"Nothing. Just keeping count."
Elishia closed her eyes briefly, a sly smile curving her lips. A subtle upturn at the corners, eyes fluttering shut for a split second. Even a sub-adult was still a dragon. The Wind Dragon seized that instant and lunged.
No sound. Riding the wind, it accelerated in a flash, slicing air with its claws aimed to impale.
"Huh?"
As that split-second passed, what appeared before the Wind Dragon wasn't Elishia with a pierced chest or head—but its own right arm, diced into a spray of blood mist.
Why?
The Wind Dragon stared dumbly at its vanished limb.
"Ow."
It slowly looked up. The sword, which had pointed downward, now aimed from above. The instant stretched into eternity. Time crawled as if frozen. The sword stroke, which it normally couldn't react to, was crystal clear. From above, cleaving space downward.
It's splitting.
Blink.
The sword divided into eight branches.
Blink.
It split again.
Blink.
The sword closed in.
"Haha. No way."
One Sword. Multi-Derivation.
"Hoo."
Before the spray of dragon blood, Elishia exhaled lightly. Silence fell around her. She addressed the other dragons lurking in the dense forest, glaring at her.
"Next?"
■■■■■—!!!
Soon, breaths of every color assailed Elishia.
⁎ ⁎ ⁎
People called this generation blessed. The realm of Sword Master—one that even vast time, funds, and top-tier talent might not guarantee. Twenty had reached it, an undying legend. Monsters who etched their names in continental history simply by arriving there now roamed the land. Half being Imperials was secondary.
"Ugh."
Serena halted, exhaling deeply. Of the continent's twenty Sword Masters, only two were dragon slayers. Sure, outliers like Control Sword could slay dragons effortlessly, but true dragon specialists? Just her and Elishia.
"Ah."
She'd barely stopped when the attack came. A charge that shattered her sword, leveraging massive bulk and iron scales to crush. A Rock Dragon.
"Slow."
Its heavy frame made the assault sluggish. A few steps back dodged it, leaving the Rock Dragon fuming alone.
"Damn bitch...!"
"...?"
Dragons symbolized wisdom. Eternal life granted knowledge and insight—not entirely wrong. There were even Wise Dragons. Very few, though.
The dragons Serena had faced were mostly arrogant. Arrogance from innate superiority. That very hubris made them impatient, quick to anger. We're superior, so everything should go our way. Plenty bought into that idiocy.
"You're all the same."
Kagagak—!
Serena drew a freshly sharpened new sword, deflecting the Rock Dragon's strike. Sparks flew; a hairline crack formed on the blade.
Adults are different. Those scales are a headache.
"That's all you got?! Not even a scratch!"
A mere graze on its torso—like a white scratch line on colliding stones. Serena stowed the sword in her inventory.
"Tough scales, huh?"
She pulled out a massive hammer next. As the Rock Dragon charged, she smashed it down.
Kwajik—!
The enormous dragon body crumpled.
"One down."
Serena dropped the half-ruined hammer and drew a new sword.
"That bitch...! Killed Stony!! I'll rip you apart!!"
"Wait! Hold on!"
One of two hovering adult dragons spread its wings midair, cursing as it dove at high speed. Serena readjusted her grip and swung. The continent's top dragon slayer's blade severed the charging dragon's claws.
"Graaaah! You filthy—!!"
Kududuk. Muscles tore, scales shattered—the massive roar echoed through the forest. Condensed mana erupted like an explosion; the air quivered.
《I'll kill you, insect!!》
Serena eyed the dragon's full form—abandoning human guise—with mad glee. It had shed its humanoid shape for true draconic might.
"Yeah, I wondered when you'd go all out."
Legends said a dragon's body rivaled mountains. That its claws gouging the ground carved canyons. That its breath was a second flame devouring all.
"Dragon tales abound. Some true, some exaggerated or fabricated."
But one common thread in every story:
"Dragons are huge."
Dragon or wyrm—same difference.
"Those who protected people and shared knowledge earned the title 'dragon' with respect. Destroyers got called 'drakes.'"
Hence, evil dragons bore the slur "True Drake."
"I'll cleave you in one stroke."
《Try it, foolish human bitch! I'll chew you bones and all!!》
Serena grinned ear-to-ear and drew her sword. Mana exploded, slicing space.
⁎ ⁎ ⁎
After dispatching the sub-adults, Elishia arrived at Serena's position and burst out laughing at the sight.
Dragons were arrogant. Red Dragons—the most arrogant of all.
And now, one knelt before them, head bowed.
"I-I'll guide you... miladies..."
Elishia joined Serena, looking down at the Red Dragon.
"The missing child is doing well?"
"...Yes."
A grinding crunch—like shattering teeth—echoed. Hearing it, Serena and Elishia exchanged glances and laughed heartily. Pure delight.