One Strike. Just One Strike.

I gripped Amur's dagger tightly and charged at the fallen Spirit Devourer with everything I had.

[Krrr... Krrr...]

Lanselro, still reeling from the Reverse Scale strike, heaved ragged breaths as it slumped against ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the shattered stone pillars, tongue lolling out.

'Three minutes left.'

The spirit power on Amur's dagger wouldn't last much longer.

'Two minutes to lure and stun a dragon isn't too late, but...'

In a situation where every second counted, ending a dragon in three minutes was damn near impossible. Even tackling a B-rank dungeon full of level 60 monsters could take hours—or days. Three minutes was a blink.

'Well... a certain someone turned my capital into a sea of fire in less than that.'

I gritted my teeth, grinding them hard as an unwelcome face flashed in my mind.

'Dragon hunting? This is just the beginning.'

Tat-tat-tat... Thud!!

My lungs burned like fire, but I didn't stop.

'Just a bit more...!'

Even back in the Sword Graveyard, I'd hoarded my points instead of spending them on level-ups. Over 100 saved up, all dumped straight into Agility.

One reason: to reach the Spirit Devourer before the paralysis wore off.

Pure gamble. Balance was key to character growth in games. But I'd skewed mine hard into Agility.

'If I can take it down, though...'

The payoff was worth it. Landing a hit on a dragon as a level 35? Unthinkable.

Taat—!!!

Dust and sand billowed white as I leaped above Lanselro's head.

Woooong...!

Amur's dagger hummed like it was urging me to stab already.

"Hold on. You'll get your fill of dragon blood soon enough."

I reversed my grip and plunged the blade toward its skull with all my might.

That was when it happened.

"...!!"

As the dagger pierced its scales, the beast's eyes snapped open—like it had been waiting.

My reflection stared back from that massive, mirror-like pupil.

[Kaaaaaaaah—!!!]

"Kuh?!"

Its head thrashed like an earthquake. I lost balance and tumbled forward.

"...Watch out!!!"

A massive dragon fang lunged to swallow me whole as I rolled.

"Damn it!!"

I twisted my body in desperation. With all points in Agility, I matched a level 60 player there, at least.

Kuung—!!

I barely dodged the molars, rolled across the floor, and yanked Tesaro's sword free to stab into the ground.

Kagagagak...!!!

'No time.'

Thirty seconds left, tops. The sword scraped, slowing me just enough. I sprang up and bolted under its belly.

"How is it awake already?!"

Aishira couldn't hide her shock at the revived White Dragon.

"Look there. The arrow snapped, so the Reverse Scale didn't shatter properly."

Tonpe pointed. Sure enough, the scale was cracked but intact.

"Too much force, maybe... Damn it, to botch a moment we've waited years for because of nerves. How pathetic!"

She slammed her bow against the wall in frustration.

"It's too late. Entering its range now is suicide."

Tonpe shook his head, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠face grim.

"Kuh...!!"

Hunters groaned from all around.

"Too early to give up. Dump every Divine Beast Arrow into it!! We need an opening for a counterattack!!"

"How?"

Kawara asked beside her.

"I'll go."

Aishira snatched the quiver from Kawara's waist and charged into the dust cloud without hesitation.

"W-Wait...!!!"

Kawara startled, trying to stop her, but she was already a distant silhouette.

[Kraaaaaah—!!]

The dragon's roar tore at their eardrums.

With sensitivity maxed, it hit vividly.

'Damn, Agility lets me run fast, but low Vitality means my heart's about to explode.'

I grimaced through the agony.

But without it, I never would've dodged that earlier strike.

Lower sensitivity was comfier but added delay. In high-end dungeons, it separated the pros from scrubs.

This monster demanded full sensitivity.

Kaduk— I clenched my teeth, ignoring my pounding heart, and sprinted.

'Stop and you're dead.'

Swaaaaang—!!!

A sharp whistle sliced over my head.

"...!!!"

A fierce arrow nailed Lanselro's cheek as it lunged for me. Boom!

'Divine Beast Arrow.'

No time to think—more arrows dusted with divine beast powder hammered the same spot. The beast's head reeled.

Like magnets, five arrows clustered perfectly.

One man in the North could pull that off.

"Aishira!!!"

As I shouted her name, a shadow loomed overhead.

"Sorry. I said one shot would've done it, but I botched it ugly."

She nocked another arrow and spoke to me.

Pang-! Pang! Pabang—!!

Three arrows flew in crisp bursts.

"This way."

She reached out.

"...Watch out!!!!"

But the staggering beast unleashed a massive breath from its maw.

"...!!!"

Aishira whipped around.

Far from collapsing, its charred skin—blackened by the arrows—glowed with murderous eyes fixed on her.

Hwaaaaaak—!!!

Blazing breath roared toward us.

"Aishira!!!"

...Is this how we die?

I grabbed her hand and squeezed my eyes shut on instinct.

Thump—

My heart sank as death loomed.

Crack... Craaaack...!!!

Shockingly, the "blazing" breath was bone-chilling cold.

The path it scorched froze solid in seconds. Icy wind lashed my face.

"Uwaaaaaah!!!!"

That instant, the flesh-slicing chill pierced me—and unlocked another buried memory.

'...What?'

Hwaaaaaak—!!!

The world sucked into a white void. Scenery blurred back, and a vision filled my mind.

'Where...?'

White light faded. The hill before me was the ice cliff Lanselro had wrecked moments ago.

No rubble. Ice pillars gleamed pristine.

-My liege. A dragon's breath looks like mere fire at first glance, but it's closer to magic.

That's why, ironically, you need a mage for dragon hunting.

'Lorend...?'

I turned to call him. But my voice echoed only in my head—silent to the world.

Then it hit: this was a memory fragment landscape.

'Peeking Aishira's felt like watching a quick clip. Mine weren't this vivid before.'

Complete fragments birthed full VR immersion. My dream memories—mine alone—now manifested in-game.

'88 latent fragments I can summon from my subconscious...?'

I was stunned.

But unease crept in. The system questifying my prophetic dreams felt off. They were cheats—continent history, future spoilers.

Like it locked them to balance players who "knew" already.

-Magic? But isn't the Spirit Devourer a lesser breed that can't cast?

A man spoke to Lorend. Steel Kingdom king Kal Hendrick's face—but it was me.

I stared at my past self.

-Lesser breed... That's the common view, but it's one of the six great dragons. It hasn't forgotten magic—it just lost it.

-...Huh? Same difference if it can't use it, right?

Lorend smiled faintly at my question.

-Dragon magic is primal force itself. Their hearts hold vast mana. Not bound by class lines like humans.

-Hmm...

-Breath is magic, pure mana. Hence: 'Don't shield a dragon's breath—hide behind a mage.'

-Haha, good one. Guess without magic, I'll duck behind you when it comes?

-Yes. Stay behind me.

Lorend smiled like it was a joke.

-I'll protect you anytime, my liege.

"...Right."

White light reversed the world. I faced the oncoming breath.

'Lorend, should've learned magic from you instead of hiding. With Memory Borrower, I could've recalled a counter-spell.'

I sighed, biting my lip.

'But dream-me had no mana. Never visited the Magic Tower.'

Why ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠lock this memory?

Sting—!

Cold from my frozen leg stabbed up.

Then—a memory flashed.

"...I did."

I'd learned magic.

Post-Dimension World 2 launch, Los Clan's Rerto Karen defined Memory Borrower:

'Seems like a perk for prior Dimension World players.'

But Yong-gong Geom-sik proved mine was different.

I'd overlooked the basics.

'If I can pull dream skills...'

Why not game skills? Even Dimension World's top magic.

My sword hand moved.

Frost rimed the mana-charged blade.

Chanted endlessly, tediously.