Clash with the False Dragon King
Le Ganus hadn't changed much since their reunion.
He seemed a bit larger, but his overall appearance was exactly the same as before.
The only real difference was the ferocious aura radiating from his entire body—a savage pressure that stung my scales like needles. It was unmistakably far stronger than last time.
This is SSS-rank.
It was ridiculous to think I'd even considered facing something like that alone, even briefly.
One-on-one was absolutely impossible. No matter what tricks I pulled, I could only envision myself being torn to shreds.
If it'd been Melusio and me, the outcome would've been obvious.
Escape? If you could flee unscathed from that, you'd be a miracle worker.
Feeling the gap with an SSS-rank monster firsthand, I grimaced.
What I'd thought was close was farther away than I'd imagined.
Good thing. He hasn't fully absorbed the power yet, just as I thought.
I glanced at Giryu at his calm declaration.
He stared silently at Le Ganus with his usual stoic expression.
[That's him not fully absorbing the power?]
[Yes. If he'd fully absorbed it... no, if he had, it wouldn't end at just this level. The Dragon King in his prime was beyond even that.]
[...I can't even imagine how monstrous that Dragon King guy was.]
[Whatever you imagine, it's more than that.]
Giryu spoke flatly and subtly flapped his wings.
[Anyway, it's truly fortunate. At this level, we've got a real shot.]
[...Yeah. Worth a try, huh?]
I turned my gaze back to Le Ganus.
Was it because of Giryu's words?
Le Ganus still loomed huge and distant, his chilling ferocity unchanged, but he no longer felt utterly unreachable.
...Was I just scared?
I didn't want to admit it, but yeah, probably.
Pathetic, after being so cocky before the fight even started.
Time for some reflection.
Thud—!!!
As I slammed my head into the ground with all my might, not just Giryu but everyone steeling themselves turned to stare.
Ignoring their gazes, Giryu spoke in a hesitant tone.
[...You're not losing it at this point, are you?]
[No. My head's clearer than ever. Sorry for worrying you.]
[...Good, then.]
[More importantly, time to move. He's starting.]
I glanced beyond the sky as I spoke, and Giryu followed suit.
Le Ganus's crimson eyes blazed as he began flapping toward us vigorously.
A gale whipped up from those seemingly light wingbeats, sending small floating islands tumbling off balance.
I clicked my tongue quietly at the disaster incarnate charging in.
[...Right. Time to get serious. You remember the plan?]
[Of course. It's not some grand scheme worth forgetting.]
Giryu gave a wry smile and nodded.
[Anyway, good luck.]
[You too.]
Giryu nodded curtly and shot into the air.
A fierce storm erupted from the start as countless monsters, including Melusio, followed in his wake.
The sight of high-rank monsters filling one side of the sky was a spectacle never to be seen again.
[You pathetic insects—!!! How dare you bare your fangs at me, the new Dragon King?!]
Le Ganus bellowed upon spotting the monsters charging him.
A ferocious pressure exploded outward in an instant, making my body ache.
Much stronger than before.
Arrogance SS
Body Reinforcement SS
Thought Acceleration SA
Feeling my body settle into a comfortable state, I hurried my own preparations.
My role in this battle was rear support.
No wings meant I had no choice but to stay back on this floating island—Lehatna's lair, thankfully much larger and sturdier than the others—and act as artillery.
At least I could unleash my power without worrying about immediate collapse.
That said, I wasn't the main event here.
My job was firepower from afar.
The stars were Giryu and Melusio.
Considering Melusio's unstable condition, Giryu was the real lead.
As my other partners quietly prepared their magic, I observed the battlefield.
Giryu pierced Le Ganus's raging aura and finally clashed with him head-on.
[This storm! Yes, it's you, Giryu! You worm who dared choose that brat Lehatna over me!]
Kraaaah—! Le Ganus roared, mana surging around him.
Dark crimson flames ignited across his body.
They burned so fiercely that the scorching heat reached even here.
Some monsters dodged, unable to withstand it, as Le Ganus swung his arm wildly.
The flames devoured Giryu's storm greedily, just like their master.
At that sight, I unleashed the magic I'd prepared.
Dozens of lightning bolts struck him.
Kaboom—!
As the blinding lightning hit, Melusio—who'd been waiting for an opening—targeted his rear.
[You pathetic insects...!]
Dark crimson flames exploded massively from Le Ganus.
Giryu, Melusio charging in, and nearby monsters all had to retreat hastily.
[I would have spared you irreverent worms out of the Dragon King's mercy... but you're begging for death!]
Grrr...
Le Ganus growled low like a beast and began exerting his power in earnest.
No monster—not Giryu, Melusio, or any other—could approach easily through the blazing dark crimson inferno.
In that frozen moment, the left head unleashed its prepared magic.
[Nothing beats water for putting out fire!]
A freezing frost storm surged forth with the shout.
It was more ice than water, but no time for nitpicking.
Even against the raging frost storm, Le Ganus's flames didn't weaken.
They grew fiercer, devouring the incoming ice shards.
Undaunted, my other partners unleashed their magic in unison.
Magic of various elements, each devastatingly powerful, bombarded Le Ganus at once.
Yet Le Ganus remained unscathed.
Truly SSS-rank.
Not going down easy.
[Grr... Annoying pests! Yes, this mana signature! So you're there, you inferior land worm!]
After taking my magic head-on, Le Ganus's gaze fixed on me.
His crimson eyes gleamed murderously through the dark crimson blaze.
[You land worm always getting in my way! I'll tear you apart right now!]
Le Ganus charged straight at me.
Did he have a real grudge?
He ignored Giryu and the surrounding monsters entirely, flying at terrifying speed for his massive bulk.
Monsters including Giryu and Melusio desperately blocked his path, but to no avail.
Dark crimson flames erupted explosively, sending lower-rank monsters plummeting into the vast sky below.
I didn't panic at his approach.
Calmly casting magic and using my Magic Eye, I glanced at Lehatna, who'd been quietly watching from the side.
[I leave it to you, Lehatna.]
[Okay! I'll do my best!]
Lehatna had little affinity for combat, but her specialties were barriers and shields—defensive prowess.
It seemed mismatched for her innocent demeanor, yet perfectly suited.
She erected a barrier against the charging Le Ganus.
A massive wall blocked him instantly, furrowing his brow.
Flames-wreathed arm swung at the obstructing shield.
Bang—!
The barrier held against Le Ganus's strike.
It cracked deeply, but repaired itself swiftly.
Lehatna looked strained maintaining it, but it endured an SSS-rank blow admirably.
She's giving it her all.
I glanced at her grunting effortfully, then refocused.
Realizing the barrier's creator was Lehatna, Le Ganus roared in fury.
[Lehatna! You fool! Daring to block your brother for a land worm?! Do you want to die by my hand like our sister?!]
[Shut up! You're no brother of mine anymore!]
[You idiot! Fine, if you wish for death, your brother will grant it!]
Flames around Le Ganus flared anew.
So intense the surrounding area dyed dark crimson.
He hammered the barrier with full force.
Bam— Bam— Boom—
The shield shook perilously under his relentless fists, on the verge of breaking—but it held.
Thanks to Lehatna's desperate efforts.
But Le Ganus's power wasn't so easily withstood.
Judging raw punches insufficient, he inhaled deeply.
Preparing a breath attack, signature of dragons.
[This is bad, Nix! Brother's breath is too much for me!]
[It's fine, Lehatna. You've bought me plenty of time to prepare.]
I told the panicking Lehatna to drop the barrier.
She hesitated briefly but trusted me and released it.
The obstacle between Le Ganus and us vanished.
[Dropping the shield? You're asking for death! Pathetic land worm! Useless sister! I'll send you both to the afterlife!]
With that shout, Le Ganus exhaled his inhaled breath.
Dark crimson flames scorched everything in their path toward me.
Against it, I unleashed my prepared fusion magic.
Unlike the flashy spells before, this one looked plain—a mere soccer-ball-sized orb.
Tiny compared to Le Ganus's breath, barely visible against our sizes.
But its power was no joke.
Six elements fused, compressed to the limit.
Almost exploded mid-fusion.
Without Lehatna's protection, I wouldn't have finished it.
The fusion magic collided with Le Ganus's breath mid-air.
The ultra-compressed orb engulfed in dark crimson flames.
KABOOOOOM—
A massive explosion erupted.
The shockwave obliterated everything nearby.
Even our massive floating island shook violently.
Without Lehatna's preemptive barrier, we might've been swept away.
I wondered if Giryu and the others were okay.
Frowning at the nuclear-blast-like flash, I inhaled deeply.
No illusions of downing an SSS-rank with that.
Indomitable SS activated.
Mana squeezed dry earlier made it taxing, but no stopping now.
Whoooosh—
Breath from all nine heads shot toward where Le Ganus lurked beyond the fading explosion.
Something definitely connected at the beam's end.
But...
“─────!!!”
Le Ganus tore through my breath, emerging unscathed.
Still wreathed in dark crimson flames, he looked utterly fine.
[You insects... Howdare you!]
His echoing roar was vicious.
Beyond intact—he seemed even more energized.
A laugh escaped me momentarily.
Fine after that?
A bit much.
Even for SSS-rank, this felt unfair—the same injustice my foes once felt against me.
But I didn't lose focus.
The battle was far from over.
If anything, just beginning.
[I'll kill you all! Every last one blocking my path...!]
As Le Ganus roared to charge again, a pure white phoenix blocked him.
The unstoppable dragon halted abruptly.
[Le Ganus.]
[—Freya!]
Le Ganus stared at her in disbelief, face twisted.
Freya gazed back calmly.
[Freya, I've been searching forever! Where were you? Why block me now?!]
Freya ignored his growling questions.
Instead:
[Please come to your senses, Le Ganus. Look at yourself. Is this the form you've always wanted?]
Le Ganus's face contorted further at her gentle admonishment.
[What nonsense, Freya? Let these pests who keep thwarting me be? Enough talk—move aside! We'll finish them and go home together! Your absence punishment comes later...]
[...No. I won't go back.]
[...Freya, what?! Won't go back?!]
[I can't return with you as you are now. You're not the Le Ganus I loved.]
[Freya—!!!]
His bellow ignited flames anew.
The searing heat scorched like melting flesh, but Freya didn't flinch.
She stared steadily, drawing up mana.
Le Ganus's face crumpled again.
[Freya... you truly...!]
[I'll stop you. The old you wouldn't want this rampage.]
Undaunted by his murderous glare, monsters who'd once followed the real Le Ganus gathered behind Freya.
At the familiar faces blocking him, Le Ganus's expression twisted beyond recognition.
[...So, you've all betrayed me! Unforgivable! I'll tear you apart! Die regretting your betrayal!]
“──────!!!”
Like a wounded beast, Le Ganus lunged at those in his path.
Giryu and Melusio intercepted the merciless charge.
Matching their move, I—somewhat recovered—launched another attack.
The skirmish ended; the true battle began.