Clash of Scales and Lightning
The Draconian simply raised its arm and blocked the attack. Sparks flew even though it clearly struck flesh, deflecting my black club.
Is that dragon scale?
One of the reasons fighting a Draconian was so tricky was the scales covering its entire body. Even as a mere minor copy of a dragon's, they boasted tremendous defense and magic resistance.
Ching.
The scales enveloping its body rippled like waves. As if to say that all you got?, it crossed its arms and stood there smugly.
Oh yeah?
I smirked at its provocation and poured mana in earnest into the club I gripped. Let's see if you can shrug this off too.
I swung the club straight down vertically, infusing it with the essence of Strike. The skill, now at level 3, added massive bonus damage even to basic attacks.
Boom!
This time, it couldn't ignore it—the Draconian clasped both hands together to block the club. Its ankles sank into the ground from the impact.
Even though the shock must have ravaged its body, it didn't so much as blink. What a tank.
I like that.
A thrill shot through me unbidden. Ever since reaching S-rank, I'd felt this insatiable thirst for a worthy opponent. All those S-ranks I'd faced before? I'd held back. Now, it felt like I could finally quench it to my heart's content.
"Take this!"
Thud.
I stomped hard, launching a back kick straight at its exposed abdomen. The most destructive kick in taekwondo pierced its solar plexus dead-on.
Thwack!
In that instant, the recoil from kicking its leg sent me flying backward instead.
What the hell kind of body is that?
It felt like kicking a massive rubber ball. The Draconian rolled lightly on the ground, shaking off the mana that had burrowed into its body.
Even penetration damage, brushed off like nothing?
First, the dragon scales blunted the attack, then its insanely dense muscles—more elastic than any rubber—absorbed the rest. And the most annoying part? Despite that bulk, it was ridiculously fast.
Whoosh!
I dropped to the ground in a hurry to dodge the blade whistling past my head. Every step cratered the floor—had to weigh at least a few hundred kilos, yet it moved like a lightweight.
Thud!
I raised my club to block the mid-level kick that followed immediately. My body floated up and got shoved aside, the inevitable weight class gap.
Tch!
The absolute disparity between monster and human. Phenomena like this were what stumped most hunters.
"Grraa."
As if it had fought humans plenty before, it exploited its advantages masterfully.
In midair, I twisted my body once to redirect the force, then kicked off the ground and charged straight at it.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Its sword, with its pristine white blade, was unmistakably a Dragon Bone Sword made from a dragon's tooth. That was another reason it was such a pain to face—the ultimate weapon that turned any other gear into scrap.
Sell just that, and I could live easy for generations.
Whoosh!
The fierce clash forced me to flip backward and bleed off the excess force.
Damn, this thing's tough as hell too.
Even as we clashed nonstop, not a single chip flew off my black club. I was quietly impressed. With any other weapon, it'd be cracked or shattered by now.
Just the fact that it could trade blows with a Dragon Bone Sword made buying this thing worth every penny.
Surprised by my weapon's durability too, perhaps—the Draconian's gaze shifted slightly as it eyed my club.
Still, raw power's not on my side.
If strength was outmatched, next up was speed.
Crackle.
Electrodes sparked instantly along my mana circuits, spreading through my body in a flash. A blink was all it took for white light to flood my form.
Since hitting S-rank, my body had changed—recoil from power was no issue now. I could unleash everything.
Thump thump.
Vast mana erupted from the Dragon Heart, surging through me and regenerating electrode-damaged tissue even faster than the wear.
Crackle.
I grinned at the electrodes dancing over my fist. My condition was better than ever.
Here I come!
The moment the thought hit, I was already in its face. I drove my fist forward, carrying all that momentum.
BOOM!
A deafening roar unlike anything before echoed out.
"Grk."
Caught off-guard, it grunted shortly as my fist slammed its gut, sending it hurtling back into a massive cliff.
Splat!
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Sounding faster than sound itself, I tore through the air—only for a massive shockwave to hit my back.
Flutter flutter.
Air rushed back in from the collision, whipping my clothes wildly in the gale.
I looked down at my fist, where tiny electrodes flickered in and out, and smiled in satisfaction.
That got a reaction.
This was the first pure strike I'd landed using my own power fully, without relying on the Lightning skill. Worlds apart from that awkward jab it hadn't even reacted to.
This time, I'd hit exactly where and when I wanted.
Crack crack.
It shook off the debris and emerged from the punctured cliff.
That's more like it. Hold up better for me.
To fully harness lightning movement, I needed a sturdy sandbag like this.
Then, for the first time, it assumed a proper stance and swung its sword.
Whoosh. Slash.
Mana riding the blade extended like a razor edge, slicing through everything in its path.
A brush with death in that instant. I shuddered at the chill racing down my spine, having dodged by a hair's breadth.
A sandbag, sure—but one wrong hit, and I'd be the one dying. The thrilling kind.
Damn, it's good!
Probing done. Time to get serious.