Dragon Slayer

The moment I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was a notification from the Special Shop, followed by the pitch-black sky stretching outside the window.

My body was utterly shattered.

I was lying inside a dilapidated ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠building. The barrier was gone, but the crumbling ceiling overhead at least shielded me from the toxic Black Rain.

I clutched my head and tried to sit up, but a searing jolt of agony shot through my entire body. It was a pain so excruciating I wanted to scream.

My legs were pinned beneath the heavy debris of the collapsed building, and my bones felt so thoroughly crushed that I couldn't budge. The only part of my body I could still move was my right arm.

Still gripping Aeterna in my right hand, I reached out and opened my Subspace Pocket. I had practically drained the Spring of Life dry before coming here, preparing for exactly this kind of worst-case scenario.

I pulled out one of the portioned bottles of the Spring Water of Life and downed it. Instantly, the crushed bones beneath the rubble began to snap back into shape. The fractures fused together, and the blood pouring from the gash on my forehead ceased.

“Damn, I thought I was a goner,” I muttered.

The sheer agony forced the curse from my lips. It was the kind of pain no one could truly comprehend unless they had experienced it firsthand.

With a heavy *thud*, I shoved the debris aside and stood up. Feeling the sheer weight of the rubble, it was no wonder my bones had been pulverized.

I scanned my surroundings while staying clear of the Black Rain, searching for Apel Cloud and Reinhardt Eriksen. But instead of my allies, the only things that greeted me were ghouls, drawn by the scent of my blood.

With a swift, effortless sweep of my sword, I decapitated the lunging monsters. As one of their heads rolled away, a metallic *clink* echoed. A silver necklace bounced onto the floor.

It was a knight's dog ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠tag. A heavy weight settled in my chest.

“...May you find peace in the next life.”

With my barrier shattered, I couldn't simply walk out of this building. My best bet was to wait for Apel Cloud to find me and take me to the Paladin. I could potentially use Aeterna to whip up a tempest, temporarily blocking the Black Rain while I dashed to another building. But that was too much of a gamble. There was no guarantee Aeterna's winds could deflect every single drop of rain.

And I was out of coins. Which meant I couldn't rely on the Spring Water of Life to keep healing me indefinitely. If it were that easy, the fairies would have purified the Contamination themselves.

As I furrowed my brow, weighing my options, a sudden realization struck me. The effect of Tenacious Vitality. What if I used the Spring Water of Life to purify the contamination once it was weakened by my trait? It was a gamble, but one well worth taking. After all, even a basic health recovery package had been enough to cleanse weakened contamination before.

And if it failed, I could always take out a Coin Loan. Once we took down the dragon, the sponsors would surely shower me with donations, whatever the amount.

I decided to make a run for the next building, using Aeterna's windstorms to clear a path. Given the distance, I wouldn't be able to avoid the Black Rain entirely.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I took a step forward. I channeled my Aura into Aeterna, conjuring a localized tempest. Stepping into the eye of the storm, the Black Rain failed to touch me. But this was only viable for a short distance. I had to burst forward with maximum speed to minimize my exposure.

With a sharp kick, I flexed my calves and thighs, sprinting forward. *Pitter-patter.* The Black Rain began to seep through my hair. Filthy, splashed water struck my shoulders and splattered onto my face.

A burning sensation flared up, and my vision began to bloodshot. My body trembled, and breathing became a struggle. A chaotic storm of foreign emotions surged within my heart. Yet, I managed to reach the next building.

Instantly, messages from the Special Shop flashed before my eyes.

My body and mind began to stabilize. I immediately uncorked the bottle of the Spring Water of Life and chugged it down.

The result... was a success. Just like before, I hacked up a violent cough, spitting out a congealed black mass that had been festering inside me. With this, I was safe from the contamination—even if it left a lingering ache.

Using this method, I hopped from building to building, searching for Apel Cloud and Reinhardt. Fortunately, it didn't take long to find them. I found Apel Cloud first, hovering on the brink of death.

“Are you alright!” I rushed to his side.

“Go... save Sir Eriksen first...”

“Drink this first. Sir Eriksen is next.”

I helped Apel Cloud up and pressed the bottle of Spring Water of Life to his lips. He choked, coughing violently as he began to catch his breath.

“*Gasp*, *pant*. What in the world is that water...?”

“There's no time to explain. Where is Sir Eriksen?”

“Over there.”

Apel Cloud, who had been completely exhausted just moments ago, stood up and led me with a slight limp. We soon found Reinhardt buried under the rubble of a collapsed building.

I poured the Spring Water of Life down the unconscious Paladin's throat.

“*Cough*, *hack*!”

“Are you awake?”

“...Thanks to you, I am.” Reinhardt stood up, casually brushing off the heavy debris as if nothing had happened.

“Where is President Schuhartz?” I asked.

“Sir Schuhartz is...”

Reinhardt and Apel Cloud exchanged complex, heavy glances. My heart sank. Had he actually died?

“First, we must return to where the battle took place. Sir Schuhartz and Igrit should still be there.”

So he was alive. But how could anyone survive a direct hit from that breath? Then again, he wasn't called a Transcendental for nothing.

“Sacred Barrier. Sacred Bless. Sacred Over Victoria,” Reinhardt muttered, clutching the holy symbol around his neck.

With a sharp, ringing hum, a golden barrier enveloped us, accompanied by a radiant blessing.

“With this, our preparations are complete. It is time for round two.”

Apel Cloud and Reinhardt Eriksen exchanged resolute nods.

“Multiple Teleport.”

We warped back to the battlefield. But the sight that greeted me... was the blackened, lifeless corpse of Jeral Schuhartz.

Even in death, he refused to yield. He stood tall, his hand still firmly gripping his sword.

“I feared as much...”

“Sir Schuhartz poured every ounce of his Aura into protecting us. It is solely thanks to his sacrifice that we managed to survive with our lives.”

Staring at the charred remains of Jeral Schuhartz, everyone's faces contorted with grief. My own expression was likely just as grim.

I didn't have any particularly deep feelings for him. We had only known each other for a short time, and our connection was merely that of an academy president and a student who had briefly fought alongside him.

Yet, a profound sense of displeasure washed over me. I clenched my teeth tightly.

“Let us ensure Sir Schuhartz's sacrifice was not in vain,” Apel Cloud declared, his resolve hardening.

“I will mobilize every resource at my disposal to support you,” Reinhardt Eriksen nodded.

Then, both of them turned their gaze toward me.

“Now, it is your turn.”

“We are counting on you, Sir Johannes.”

I was the only one left who could engage in close-quarters combat. With Reinhardt's support, I had to hold the line until Apel Cloud could unleash his transcendental magic. But strangely, I felt like we actually had a shot. The beast was already severely weakened.

I gave them a silent nod. Just before the second round commenced, I handed bottles of the Spring Water of Life to both of them.

“Keep these on you. They will restore your stamina and mana.”

Apel Cloud stroked his chin, staring at the bottle. “Where on earth did you obtain such potions?”

“Trade secret.”

“...Pardon?”

I had cracked a joke to ease the tension, but the reception was lukewarm at best. I guess there's a reason people say silence is golden.

“In any case, we are ready. I shall initiate mana tracking. The beast must be nearby.”

“Is your mana holding up?”

“Drinking Sir Johannes's potion has fully restored my reserves.”

“That is excellent news. Let us finish this once and for all,” Reinhardt declared.

“I have located its mana signature! It is still in the vicinity!” Apel Cloud shouted.

Right then—*CRASH!*

Igrit's massive forepaw tore through the building we were sheltering in. Thanks to Apel Cloud's rapid reflexes, he successfully teleported us out of harm's way just in time.

“Phew, it certainly isn't going to let us catch our breath,” Reinhardt muttered, gripping his mace tightly.

“Because it can sense our mana.”

“Sir Schuhartz left a massive wound on its neck with his sword qi. It won't be able to unleash another breath attack like before.”

“That is the best news I've heard all day.”

This confirmed it. Igrit was far weaker than before. I would be the one to take its head.

“Multiple Teleport.”

Once again, we stood side-by-side before Igrit.

—Insignificant insects, still struggling. You should have accepted your deaths gracefully.

“Apologies, but I have no intention of dying young,” I muttered.

Apel Cloud whispered to me, “Sir Johannes, please.”

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

With those words, he began to draw a massive magic circle in the air.

“United Will, Sacred Will.” Reinhardt cast another blessing upon me.

I gripped my hilt, pointing my blade at Igrit. Countless sword paths illuminated my vision. I would follow those lines to sever the beast's neck. But first, I had to deal with those troublesome wings.

With a sharp leap, I lunged at the dragon. As if ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠expecting my move, Igrit swung its massive forepaw to swat me down.

But—

“Yin-Shadow.”

I dissolved into a dark shadow, letting Igrit's claw pass harmlessly through me.

“Now, let's clip those annoying wings. Full Moon Dance!”

With a violent *slash*, my sword danced in a brilliant, elegant arc along the sword path, severing one of Igrit's wings.

A success. Without losing momentum, I pressed forward, tracing the next path. The next destination was its neck.

“Flowing Water Sword, Crescent Moon Slash!”

I slashed along the path leading straight to its throat. *Clang!* The neck scales were exceptionally durable. Despite being weakened, my blade bounced off.

Right then, Apel Cloud's spell was completed.

“Dragon Lightning!”

*Crackle-crackle!* A massive bolt of lightning shaped like a dragon surged into the sky before plunging down, biting savagely into Igrit's neck. The spell was devastatingly effective; the scales that had resisted my blade were blasted away by the lightning.

“Sir Johannes! Now!”

“Sacred Over Victoria!”

Seizing the opening Apel Cloud had created, and bolstered by the Paladin's ultimate blessing, my Aura flared with blinding brilliance.

“Moonlight Slash.”

With a clean, decisive *slash*, my sword cleaved through Igrit's neck along the final path.

With a massive *thud*, Igrit's head fell to the earth.

“Did we... succeed?”

In that moment, alongside the coin notifications, Igrit's voice echoed directly in my mind.

—Her scream will bring the end of the world, and her despair will force history to repeat...

With those cryptic words, Igrit's consciousness faded entirely.

I couldn't make sense of it. A flood of questions rushed into my mind. What was it trying to tell me?

“We need to get out of here first. The monsters are swarming! Multiple Teleport!”

There was no time to ponder. And so, having successfully subjugated the Mad Dragon, we escaped from Garhirst.