Chapter 244: The Curmudgeon's "Thirty Ways to Crash the Ice Dragon"
Senios's grimoire of magic, penned by a senior mage. Despite its grandiose title.
The preface jumps right in.
Ice magic is trash.
Too soon to be shocked by the first line. What follows is even more outrageous.
Reader, if you're an ice mage, abandon it now. Ice mages have no merits beyond cooling you in summer.
A thought while reading... Senios was an oddity among mages. How did someone with that temperament rise to senior mage?
Of course, the doubt didn't last. Reading his grimoire revealed it. Senios was a genius without peer.
I mastered all elemental magics. And I declare: ice magic is the worst among them. The world's praise as the most beautiful? That's just pretty trash.
The rant on ice magic's flaws continued for about twenty pages. My reaction upon reaching that point? I just wanted to ask Senios himself. Then why choose ice magic?
Thankfully, the next page answered.
The reason I chose ice magic is simple.
Truly twisted to the core, our Senior Senios.
I wished to prove the weakest the strongest.
Elemental magics have predator-prey matchups. But the pinnacle is flame magic, without doubt. Just as Karimjeba was called the Flame Dragon. Overwhelming incineration defies matchups. To put it scientifically: 'A fierce blaze evaporates even water.'
In that sense, Senios subtly revealed his ambition in the grimoire. Prove the weakest supreme. To the ignorant, it sounds noble. But knowing the context...
'He just wants to beat Karimjeba.'
Consistent from the past. But I'd witnessed Senios and Karimjeba's battle. So I knew. Senios nearly proved the weakest supreme.
"To think you'd stake your life. Unexpected."
"...!"
"Yet I staked mine as well."
Overcoming elemental limits, a virtual draw. Karimjeba burned his own heart to escape peril. But he survived barely wounded.
That eternal snowman Senios. Self-mockingly penned a guide to felling the ice dragon.
I originally intended a hypothesis on overcoming elemental matchups. But no matter how I pondered, ice magic's flaws yielded thirty conclusions. So I shifted: describe ways to crash the ice dragon.
Yes. Calling his own ice magic trash, Senios obsessively dissected its weaknesses. To him, the ice dragon? Just flashy trash-dragon.
Thus, his ice dragon counters burned clear in my mind.
Drip, drip—
The ice dragon, Proznax, eyes his melting body.
"You, a mage of the Mage Tower?"
Such a bewildered look. Not even touching flames, yet melting? Unimaginable.
But panicking now? It's just beginning.
And mage? Don't make me laugh.
"I am the chief. Not chief mage."
He looks puzzled, as if what's the difference.
But strictly, there is. Don't underrate my desperate climb here as a demon hunter.
'...Though wielding Mage Tower magitech undermines it.'
Floating— What I levitated: the [Miniature Mana Sun].
Flame magic senior Bensy covets it greedily.
◈ Restriction: Lv. 1,000
◈ Effect: Absorbs flame magic used.
◈ Description: Mechanical orb, sun for sunless worlds. Devours flames, unleashes stored blaze gloriously at user's will.
Level restriction: a whopping one thousand.
'Senior mages could exit the tower for it.'
No big issue. Especially now with Zero Mountains manifest. A senior mage there aids humanity immensely. Their presence bolsters players, crushes monster morale.
But.
'The impure motive is the problem.'
Bensy William. His exit motive? Priorities utterly wrong.
At least justify earnestly. Exit solely for magitech? And not ordinary—
'What does he plan with this monstrosity?'
As the extraordinary restriction implies, [Miniature Mana Sun] isn't worn or swung. More like a living ally.
'Epic item, befittingly bizarre effect.'
No mana reduction or power boost for flame magic. It absorbs your cast flames.
But its true value emerges now. Using absorbed flames as fuel.
"...Irritating, mage."
Even the ice dragon flinches. Emitting sun-like heat, as named.
I gaze at the iceberg melting in the blaze.
Ice magic is heavily environment-dependent. In places water won't freeze, maintaining ice devours mana. Thus, to crash an ice dragon: seize environmental superiority.
With Senios's counter. Recalling Senios and Karimjeba's duel of demigods.
'Battlefield: the Arctic.'
Come to think, even then...
"Choosing a favorable battlefield matters against strong foes."
Senios stressed it. Lately, I hear "you see as you know" often... Truly, that's all I can say.
'Ice dragon's the same.'
Not just posturing with the iceberg. Even unconsciously, proof ice dragons share ice limits.
Exposing his weakness blatantly. Yet as king of beasts, oblivious.
"Futile effort, mage."
Crack-crack![Peace, Ice Dragon's Snowpeak] refreezes.
Maintaining environment. Unwittingly pouring mana.
Dragon mana near infinite, arguably. Near, not actual.
I know well.
'Same bloodline.'
As [Blessing of the First World Tree] has limits. Yours too.
I know that.
Thus, I intone.
"Still blind to the situation."
"Situation?"
"That form resembles a frog more than a dragon."
"...!"
Frog in a well. Boiling slowly, oblivious. Double meaning.
Even Grandfell knows limits on omission.
How heated Yunak Seus paused.
"...Frog."
But no time for surprise, Yunak Seus. Ice dragon battle: drag to attrition. Endure assaults till mana nears depletion.
"Traitor Yunak Seus. Now playing with a mage?!"
Whoosh! Frost intensifies. Snowpeak and dragon vanish in blizzard. Like returning to dim dimensional rift. Gale blocks senses.
'Good we have this.'
I eye the [Miniature Mana Sun]. Using mechanical sun as lantern, predict ice dragon's next.
Whatever, I can counter. Senios's lessons: twenty-nine left.
But...
Thud!
Unexpected pattern?
Flap— White wingbeats. Yunak Seus staggers.
Damn, melee from the start. Impressive temper, ice dragon.
Yet clever. Instinctively spots foe's weakness.
"Proznax!"
Yunak Seus counters Proznax's strike with aged body. Vivace. Dragon heart leaping beyond limits.
Holding in raw power clash. But obvious.
'Vast gap.'
Proznax at prime. Yunak Seus: ready to perish anytime.
Size gap shows it.
"Arrogant, Yunak Seus. Face me with a human atop? One myriad years' experience shamed. Pitiful."
Screech! Dull impact reaches me.
Urgent, yet I ask Yunak Seus.
"Yunak Seus."
"I hear, Lee Hoyeol Claudy."
"Compared to you, how long has Proznax lived?"
"Merely one thousand years."
"Fortunate, then."
No wonder so vigorous. Human age: turbulent youth.
Explains all. Disrespect to elders. Rash reliance on physique.
But life is long, real combat.
Middle-school dragon brat.
"Yet to pass the disciplining age."
Instinctively knows: close distance on mages effective. Mages weak up close.
But I said: not a mage.
Shing— Draw Noble Iron from waist.
As if waiting, it speaks.
Blood pup to ice dragon? No intimidation, brazen. Who'd you inherit this confidence from, Noble Iron?
Confidence fine, but clarify.
"Not cleave, Noble Iron."
"Discipline."
Discipline a dragon barely toppable at full? Guts spilling out.
Yet defeat means no death. [Last Adventurer] active. Defeat yields experience. Invaluable combat exp.
'Why die well.'
Grandfell's radiant talent, self-taught to now. What death yields? Beyond my gauge.
Plus Senios's knowledge. Noble Iron. Dozen ultimate magitech. Yunak Seus.
Worth trying.
To ice dragon Proznax, I declare.
"Accounting for your youth, I shall judge."
"...?"
"I shall guide you personally."
"...!"
Screech! Snow intensifies at abrupt words. Proznax's furious voice.
"What drivel from a lowly worm?"
Lowly. Fair view. To myriad-year dragons, human life shorter than mayfly.
But depends on benchmark.
Grandfell's benchmark: unshakable self, any circumstance.
Thus, brazenly.
"Two thousand years."
"...Two thousand?"
"Equating human and dragon lifespans."
"...What?"
"Roughly two millennia gap between us."
Proznax, Yunak Seus confused. Human Lee Hoyeol's age, dragon-converted: near three thousand. Absurd sophistry.
Irrelevant. Benchmark: self. Proof: self.
Jacket fluttering in frost wind. Slowly raise Noble Iron. No, disciplinary rod.
"Behold the two millennia gap, hatchling."
Dragon Temple.
Dozens of dragons awaken simultaneously. Elder Yunak Seus spoke no lie.
Dragon heart. 'Oath' etched in heart constricts flesh.
Into inviolable dragon mindscape. Irresistible voice resounds.
"...!!!"
Thud! Dragon heads drop.
Thud thud! One by one.
...Thud!!
All dragons prostrate, heads flat.