Chapter 185

〈 Chapter 185, Part 1, Episode 9:19 〉

There were many differing opinions about the Black Flame Dragon’s battle, but the general consensus was that it had expended too much energy fighting the Earth Dragon.

The public didn’t fully understand their elemental weaknesses and strengths, and they were growing slightly bored with the repetitive clashes.

– Does this thing only know how to breathe fire? Is its brain fried or something?

– Even if monsters can be controlled, I doubt their combat sense is fully manageable…

– The Black Flame Dragon…has it spent all its power on the Earth Dragon…?

Just as the fight between the two dragged on, a wave of Heuk Jeon-jals descended upon them. People began losing interest in the drawn-out battle. Even the broadcasters started shifting their cameras toward the Heuk Jeon-jals, causing the duel to fade from attention.

– Wait, what’s happening to the Black Flame Dragon…?

After firing a breath attack and hovering mid-air, the Black Flame Dragon suddenly vanished. Whether its time limit had expired or its magic power ran out, nobody knew for sure. But when the dragon’s magical presence temporarily disappeared, Water Monkey went berserk.

– AAAH! Run for your lives!

– Camera! Get the camera over here!

Just moments before, water bombs were about to rain down near a nearby broadcasting crew and those who were live-streaming via smartwatches, risking life and limb to get close to the action.

And then…

A massive sphere of flame erupted in the sky!

– What is THAT?!

– A Black Flame Dragon egg…?

People felt a glimmer of hope. Like some great new life emerging from an enormous egg, they hoped the Black Flame Dragon would return stronger than ever.

BOOM!

And it did not disappoint. Descending onto one knee amidst the water with flames burning bright blue within, the towering figure was none other than a draconic humanoid clad in armor resembling the Black Flame Dragon itself.

– Doesn’t this look like that SS-ranked villain, the Phoenix?

– No way, this guy’s smaller! Idiot!

– Damn, I believed in you, man! You’re totally awesome!

Perhaps all the breathing attacks earlier were merely to recover the energy needed for this transformation. The Flame Giant flexed his fingers, cracked his neck, and stretched his body, pulling magic power into himself. It was like watching a fighter preparing for the bell to ring.

– Didn’t Seoul have a Flame Giant villain?

– This is completely different! S-Rank!

– But the magical signature still reads as the Black Flame Dragon… Could it be a transformation?

Of course, the truth remained hidden from the masses. The Black Flame Dragon had become a colossal suit of armor, piloted by none other than Deokbae—a human inside the Flame Giant.

And then everyone saw it: a young maiden standing proudly atop the Flame Giant’s shoulder, arms crossed and legs firmly planted.

– Isn’t that Cheongnyeon?

– Turning a monster into a giant mech?

– There was a time when I thought it was just middle school syndrome. Guess not.

It wasn’t mere “middle school syndrome.” Men marveled at Cheongnyeon’s ability to turn the Black Flame Dragon into a colossal mech warrior, while women admired her confidence standing tall atop it.

– Surely she isn’t planning to fight alongside it, right?

But as they say, assumptions kill. The moment Cheongnyeon shouted, the Flame Giant charged straight at Water Monkey and delivered a lightning-fast hook punch.

WHAM!!

Water Monkey was sent rolling across the water surface. One sharp tooth flew off into the air, embedding itself into the shore. The Flame Giant pursued relentlessly, running across the water and sending steam spiraling upward with every step. When Water Monkey rolled along the ground, the Flame Giant kicked him square in the waist.

SCREECH!!

Water Monkey screamed as he soared into the air. Blood-red droplets trailed behind him as he coughed up blood mid-flight. Despite this, Water Monkey swung his long arms, attempting to claw at the Flame Giant.

KABOOM!!

The giant pivoted backward, narrowly avoiding the attack. Water Monkey’s claws scraped against the Black Flame Dragon’s armor.

CREEEAK!!

The sound reverberated across the entire battlefield, shaking the water beneath. Though Water Monkey’s claws were sharp enough to leave marks, they couldn’t penetrate the Black Flame Dragon’s armor. His surprise ambush ultimately failed, leaving Water Monkey exposed and vulnerable before the Flame Giant.

THUD!

The Flame Giant drove his elbow downward with crushing force. Water Monkey’s shoulder and back bent unnaturally under the impact.

CRUNCH!

The Flame Giant stomped forward, driving his knee into Water Monkey’s chest. The impact caused Water Monkey’s torso to cave inward. With a pained cry, Water Monkey collapsed in front of the Flame Giant, spitting blood and going limp.

HMMMM.

Viewers watching the feed thought they saw the Flame Giant smiling beneath his dragon-head-shaped helmet. He reached down, grabbing Water Monkey by the neck.

WHOOSH!!

With a fiery roar, the Flame Giant incinerated Water Monkey’s neck. The wet fur dried instantly, then burst into flames.

SIZZLE!

In desperation, Water Monkey swung his long arms backward, unleashing a torrent of electricity. High-voltage arcs crackled violently, striking the Flame Giant’s armor.

ACK!

Startled, the Flame Giant leapt backward, shaking off the shock. Water Monkey floated there, gasping for breath, laughing mockingly at the Flame Giant despite his injuries. Whether through intelligence or learned behavior, Water Monkey raised one finger, pointing it tauntingly at the Flame Giant.

TICK TOCK.

He was clearly goading the Flame Giant, as if daring him to enter the water. Irritated, the Flame Giant flared his legs, spreading flames around him.

PLOP. PLOP.

The water jets embedded in his armor evaporated instantly, while Water Monkey quickly dove deeper into the lake. The heat radiating from the Flame Giant seeped into the depths below.

BOOM!

Frustrated, the Flame Giant stomped his foot, generating tremendous heat. It seemed he intended to boil the entire lake until Water Monkey surfaced.

As thick clouds of steam rose, drenching the surrounding area in humidity, Water Monkey suddenly burst forth from the deep, latching onto the Flame Giant’s ankles with his long arms.

ZZZAP!

Yellow sparks erupted from the Flame Giant’s legs. Attempting to kick free, the Flame Giant lifted his other foot, only for Water Monkey to grab it with his other arm. Now both feet were pinned.

ZZZZZAP!

Electricity surged continuously, crawling along the Flame Giant’s armored body. Magic power flowed strongly through his feet, anchoring him to the water surface—but gradually, his legs began sinking into the depths.

WHOOSH—-

As his ankles submerged, massive plumes of steam billowed upward. Water started seeping directly through the cracks in his armor. The Flame Giant leaned forward, trying to strike Water Monkey’s hands underwater, but the latter clung on tenaciously like some sort of aquatic leech.

BAM! BAM BAM!

His punches landed futilely against the water’s surface. Slowly but surely, the Flame Giant sank further, until eventually, he was knee-deep in the lake. It was as if he were being swallowed by an endless pit of death.

– Isn’t this dangerous…?

– This place is practically Water Monkey’s living room after all.

Onlookers began worrying about the Flame Giant’s disadvantageous position. Initially, when he landed that powerful punch, knocking Water Monkey’s jaw loose, it was exhilarating and satisfying. But ever since Water Monkey retreated underwater, the Flame Giant had been helplessly taking hits.

ROAR!!!

Adjusting his stance, the Flame Giant stretched both arms skyward. Between his extended hands, a swirling vortex of blue magic power began to form, coalescing into a flaming orb as large as the Flame Giant’s head. The orb pulsed ominously, ready to explode at any second.

KEHEHE?

With a defiant chuckle, the Flame Giant plunged the flaming orb underwater.

KAAAAAAABOOOOOM!!!

The orb detonated beneath the surface, creating a massive crater that pushed water aside. Water Monkey, caught directly in the explosion, released a cloud of black smoke and loosened his grip.

SQUEAL….

CRASH!

The Flame Giant seized Water Monkey’s wrist. Despite sinking himself, his action appeared almost heroic—like aiding an adversary.

HMMM.

But heroes weren’t what the Flame Giant—or his owner standing nearby with blazing eyes—were about. Grabbing Water Monkey’s arm, the Flame Giant hurled him high into the air.

SCREEEEEECH!!!

Unable to fly, Water Monkey flailed helplessly in midair before turning around to see the Flame Giant standing below, looking up at him. The mask-like mouth opened wide, and within, magic power rapidly condensed.

BREATH!

An immense beam of destruction shot vertically from the Flame Giant’s mouth. The river water rushing to fill the void was pushed aside by the blast’s sheer power. The breath attack, imbued with azure flames, struck Water Monkey dead-on.

SKREEEEEEEEEEE!!!

Water Monkey screamed as his fur burned away into ash, his skin blistering red. Despite his core desperately emitting magic power to resist, it proved futile.

Water Monkey could not withstand the Flame Giant’s breath attack. Charred and lifeless, he began falling limply toward the water. Anticipating his descent, the Flame Giant clenched his fist and unleashed an uppercut aimed directly at Water Monkey’s heart.

PUUUUUSH!

As the Flame Giant’s fist pierced through Water Monkey’s chest, the river waters surged back to cover the two behemoths. Just before the water closed above them, atop the Flame Giant’s outstretched hand, Water Monkey’s heart throbbed, emanating residual heat.

FLICKER.

Blue flames danced around the Flame Giant’s hand. The heart, separated from its body, disintegrated into ash almost immediately. Only the radiant S-rank core remained, glowing faintly in the Flame Giant’s palm.

Moments later.

The calm surface of the Huai River revealed Water Monkey’s charred corpse floating gently upward.

From transformation to victory, it took the Black Flame Dragon, now a Flame Giant, precisely three minutes to secure Water Monkey’s core.

* * *

“Hey, this belongs to me.”

Deokbae smugly shook the Water Monkey core resting in his hand, grinning ear to ear. A thin layer of magic enveloped his body, preventing water from soaking him. Of course, neither Deokbae nor the Black Flame Dragon possessed such abilities; I had used my own magic to ensure his safety.

“Why should it belong to you?”

“I finished it off, didn’t I?”

“But I was the one who detonated the fireball and fired the breath attack!”

Though clad in S-rank armor using an A-rank core, the person inside was still newly promoted B-ranker Deokbae.

“You froze up the moment Water Monkey dove underwater, didn’t you? Admit it.”

“That’s because the floor was water! If it were land, I’d have easily taken him out in sparring.”

“Would Water Monkey come out of the water to fight you? That’s absurd.”

While the Flame Giant had pulled Water Monkey from the depths, the underwater explosion required my magic power entirely.

“Let’s calculate damage dealt. How much damage did I contribute? I bet I wiped out eighty percent of his health!”

“How do you know? Show me some proof. Got any concrete data? KEKEKE.”

“Ugh, so annoying.”

I’ll ask Hikari to craft me something decent when we return.

“Chang-yeom commands: hand over the core.”

“You… giving orders here?!”

Reluctantly, Deokbae surrendered the core to me. I swiftly pocketed Water Monkey’s core, then kicked the Flame Giant’s shoulder to subdue him.

THUD!

Under my blow, the Flame Giant dropped to one knee. By forcibly dispelling the Flame Giant transformation and the Black Flame Dragon’s armor, both reverted into cores.

“Hmph.”

I pocketed Deokbae’s core and reactivated the Black Flame Dragon’s core. From the lakebed, the Black Dragon quietly opened its eyes.

[…]

“Mad?”

[Not exactly. I simply lament my inadequacies. Oh divine one, next time…]

“Don’t worry, I’ll create a training curriculum for you once we return. Let’s head back to Beijing. Slowly.”

I dissolved the protective barrier around my body, now thoroughly soaked. The Black Dragon spread its wings and ascended above the water.

“Case closed.”

I wrung out my sopping hair, tying it loosely at the back. Regardless of the process, Beast Tamer Cheongnyeon would be credited with defeating the Earth Dragon and Water Monkey using the Black Flame Dragon.

‘Will the Black Scorpions’ rampage lead anyone to suspect Cheongnyeon?’

“It’s Bonghyo’s fault. Bonghyo’s fault. Who would even think otherwise?”

That’s what everyone will believe. Cheongnyeon struggled mightily against the Earth Dragon and Water Monkey, while the Black Scorpions rampaged independently.

“Now let’s ascend peacefully, Black Flame Dragon.”

[I shall proceed cautiously.]

As the sun dipped below the horizon, I reclined atop the Black Flame Dragon’s back.

“We need rest tonight. Hmm…”

Regardless of the details, Beast Tamer Cheongnyeon utilized the Black Flame Dragon to defeat both adversaries.

‘The Black Scorpions’ rampage—was it really Cheongnyeon’s doing?’

“Blame Bonghyo. Nobody would suspect otherwise.”

Everyone will think so. Cheongnyeon fought valiantly against the Earth Dragon and Water Monkey, while the Black Scorpions acted as an unrelated factor.

“Then let’s ascend slowly. Black Flame Dragon.”

[Yes, I shall carry you gently.]

I lay down on the Black Flame Dragon’s back as the sun slowly set beyond the horizon.

“It’s time to truly rest.”

Enjoying the warm sunset, I closed my eyes quietly.

[Hey, the Black Scorpions are changing direction toward the southeast!]

[Who’re they targeting…Hmm. Whose fault is this?]

“These two again…sigh.”

Maybe I shouldn’t have told them.

At this rate, six spirits might chatter simultaneously someday.

[We’ll head back to Beijing. Handle it yourselves.]

As Seok Harang and the Spirit Dragon chattered idly, I lazily responded and closed my eyes again.

‘The villains may cause trouble…’

“But cleaning up is the heroes’ job.”

And I am no hero. Therefore, it’s finally time to rest.

“Hehehe…”