Goddess's Provocative Duel
Mideronde panicked as the Goddess suddenly appeared, shoving her aside.
"Who... how did you get in here? No... more importantly... my barrier...?"
Mideronde had clearly erected a semicircular barrier around her prepared spot. Yet the Goddess had pierced right through it without a care.
"I've come to watch an entertaining show, Mideronde Imel Ilmidris."
At the Goddess's words, Mideronde froze, her face hardening in shock.
"My true name... how do you... know it?"
Sensing something, Mideronde addressed the Goddess with formal respect. But the Goddess completely ignored her reaction, plopping down on the sofa and crossing her legs.
Our eyes met, and the Goddess waved at me with a pretty smile.
"What brings someone as busy as you here? Don't tell me you're just here to watch us fight?"
"It's the most exciting matchup I've seen since the Demon King."
As she grabbed the apple cider from the table, I felt... well, the same vibe I got from Marim or Aterugar. This was the being who created the world and commanded all those lesser gods? No way. Dad God must handle all the tough stuff while this irresponsible daughter struts around like it's her playground, loafing all day.
"You won't use the Holy Sword, right? That'd be total cheating."
"Of course not... you think I'd pull something like that?"
The Goddess grinned sweetly, while Mideronde still looked utterly baffled watching us.
Ergaduk didn't seem fazed by the Goddess's arrival either.
"Dragons can use magic, that's fine."
But even Ergaduk tilted his head slightly at her statement.
"That human has innate superhuman strength, but you're polymorphed, so most of your true power is sealed away."
"So, you're saying I should use magic to compensate for the disadvantage, fair lady."
"Something like that."
Magic, huh... Fine by me. Matching my level evenly suits me too.
"Then let's begin, innkeeper."
Ergaduk planted his feet firmly on the ground. We stared at each other in silence for a moment.
It looked like nothing was happening, but my hypersensitive nerves picked it up. The air around Ergaduk shimmered faintly. Like a pot slowly heating up, the space around him rippled subtly, and the dirt particles on the ground trembled and shifted.
Hmm... is that aura...? I'd only seen it once, ages ago, sparring with Kamei, the former king's guard captain.
One thing was sure—with that on, speed and toughness skyrocketed.
As I watched, the ground under Ergaduk's feet dipped ever so slightly.
In that instant, I twisted my body sideways.
Ergaduk streaked past where I'd stood a heartbeat before. He stopped a few meters away, a fierce gust chasing after him.
He turned back to me and spoke.
"Impressively fast."
"Saw the ground sink right before you moved."
I waved away the dust cloud and faced him again.
He'd thrown the first punch, so now it was my turn.
Hmm... let's see... now!
I surged forward in a flash, driving my fist straight at his face.
A normal person wouldn't even know what hit them, but Ergaduk whipped up his arm at blinding speed to block.
At the same time, his foot shot toward my side.
I wrapped my arm around his leg and twisted, dragging him down hard onto his back.
As I reared back to smash his face, his body vanished from view.
Blink?!
I threw myself forward; his foot, now behind me, slammed viciously into the ground.
I rolled to my feet and spun. Ergaduk was gathering immense energy for his next strike.
Aura plus blink? This dragon was insane.
Now I knew his level. Time to get serious.
I stepped forward, stomping hard. Faint light began flickering rapidly around me.
The ground under my feet cratered visibly, fist-sized rocks cracking and shattering.
Ergaduk, mid-motion for his attack, hesitated.
"Aura...? What kind of aura is that...?"
Aura was usually invisible. But at extreme levels, it warped space, creating this glow around me.
"Truly beyond ordinary human limits."
"Thanks to my ancestors. Come at me."
Ergaduk ramped up his own aura and charged.
Our auras clashed, unleashing a massive shockwave that leveled the nearby ruins.
But compared to mine, his was like a cheap trick.
I grabbed his collar as he tried to blink in panic and smashed my fist into his jaw.
Ergaduk took the clean hit without a groan and countered with a brutal strike to my chin.
Even with aura, the impact rattled my skull.
Polymorph or not, this guy hit like a truck... but raw strength? I had the edge. He was still trapped in my grip.
I hammered his jaw and ribs while holding his collar. Finally, his mouth opened.
"Ouch... that hurts."
With a short grunt, he thrust his palm at me.
Not a fist—a palm? What the— fuck!!!
A blinding flash erupted from his palm, searing my vision white.
I couldn't see a thing, but I didn't let go. Blind, I'd just eat a blink ambush.
Good thing I had a counter for this.
The whiteness receded from the edges, shrinking like a bug eating a leaf until it vanished from the center.
My sight snapped back in a blink—Holy Power recovery speed, the secret to my flawless skin through ten years as a hero. Not that I got hurt much anyway.
I dodged his incoming fist by a hair; his eyes widened in shock.
"How...?!"
"Sorry, Ergaduk. In more ways than one."
My turn now, dragon.
As I lunged, he shredded his shirt with a hand swipe and blinked back.
Stripping to escape? Didn't see that coming.
At a distance, he adjusted his tattered clothes and spoke.
"Innkeeper. It seems I'm far below your level."
"Not enough to call it yet."
He shook his head.
"No. I can tell without more fighting. The tales of the world's strongest human are true."
"That so? Shall we end it?"
But he wasn't conceding. He glanced toward where the Goddess and Mideronde sat—but we'd drifted too far. Instead, he looked up at the scouting magic eyeball floating above us.
"Is this space sealed from outside magic too?"
The eyeball bobbed up and down affirmatively.
"As you see, I can't match her in a pure human duel. So..."
Ergaduk paused, then continued.
"If it's alright, I'd like to revert to my true form."
What...? True form...? Fight a human as a full dragon...?!
I glared at the scouting eyeball. It hovered thoughtfully, then bobbed yes.
"You little shit!!"
It taunted me by wagging side to side.
Mideronde wouldn't pull that—definitely the Goddess messing with me. Lounging on the sofa, chugging cider and munching snacks, egging on the fight?
I'll give her a piece of my mind later. She picks and chooses requests, dodges questions with "don't need to know" or "no fun if I tell," and now sets me against a dragon's true body? Ridiculous.
But this dragon... he really plans to fight me like that?
"Ergaduk. You're serious about going full dragon... right."
An enormous shadow blotted out the sun, plunging the area into twilight in seconds.
Mideronde was thoroughly annoyed.
A chance to watch the strongest human versus the strongest dragon live. She'd prepared everything, only for a blonde human to barge in, claim the sofa, guzzle her cider, and now casually approve Ergaduk's transformation on a whim.
"More cider?"
The blonde woman held up the empty bottle with a smile.
But Mideronde couldn't snap or blast her out with magic. Knowing her true name, breaching the barrier, familiarity with Bertrand—it all pointed to her being no ordinary human. Something far more powerful and transcendent, she dimly sensed.
"One moment."
Mideronde flicked her fingers, refilling the bottle.
The woman whistled appreciatively.
"Impressive. Time is a thief, huh? Humans study magic endlessly and still fall short, but elf mages churn out spells nonstop and pull off wonders like this."
"You're too kind."
"Not flattery. You're the last surviving elf mage in the world. That makes you the greatest."
Did it work that way? After so long isolated tending monsters, the words didn't quite land.
Mideronde just bowed her head slightly in response.
The woman beamed and pointed at the table.
"More snacks too?"