Chapter 348: The Extinction Dragon Fainted Again.
The Extinction Dragon soared through the sky, looking down at the puny organisms below her.
Yes, she was scrutinizing them.
When brute force couldn’t accomplish what needed to be done, it was time for intelligence to step in.
After being double-teamed by the Spiny Dragon and Abyssal Wave Dragon on Coral Land Plateau, then beaten nearly to death in Valley of Miasma, finding Golden Land only to get thrashed again by the Glittering Dragon, and just recently dragged underwater by the Abyssal Wave Dragon and beaten into a coma…
For an Extinction Dragon, fainting and faking death were extremely rare occurrences. She could usually best most Ancient Dragons with ease, though they might prove difficult to hunt and eat. Normally, she wouldn’t be knocked unconscious.
Every single one of these faints was akin to brushing up against death itself.
Her old wounds from previous battles required copious amounts of food to heal, but the brief periods spent in barren wastelands weren’t enough for recovery. Her body’s desperate need for nourishment drove her to pounce upon something moving on the surface of the sea.
What else could she do? The Destroyer of All Things must act accordingly.
But this time, the target was both useless as food and dangerous to handle.
All those brushes with death clearly told the Extinction Dragon that raw power wasn’t as effective as it used to be. She had to think.
She warily eyed the ships floating on the ocean’s surface. The little bugs below hadn’t been half as threatening as the monster’s Breath Weapon.
She wanted to attack that monster, but it was on the water instead of land. If she got hit by its counterattack and was blasted back into the water, rendering her unconscious… well, that would be the end of everything.
The fear of being dragged underwater and rendered unconscious lingered in her mind, refusing to fade.
Should she just leave?
As this thought crossed her mind, anger tightened her brain like a flexing bicep.
These tiny insects—these persistent pests—kept attacking her!
They swatted at her, didn’t die when struck, and even came back after flying away!
And they were still on the shore!
Without hesitation, her wings tore through the rain curtain as she dove, claws almost forming fists as she ascended.
“Here she comes!”
The hunters below felt their hearts sink. They quickly determined the direction of the Flying Dragon’s dive.
It was heading straight toward where the first-phase hunters and the female archer were retreating. They had performed exceptionally well during their skirmishes with the monsters!
Destruction rained from above. Jagged spines plowed long furrows, scattering accumulated water to either side.
The pitch-black creature slid forward with crushing force, arriving in an instant, only to collide with the countermeasures the hunters had prepared since she took flight.
The Extinction Dragon had no time to assess the effectiveness of her strike, for she was exhausted.
Due to insufficient nutrients and energy, her spines hadn’t fully grown back. And her dives always carried a self-destructive tendency, amplifying the damage to herself while weakened.
Her anger and frustration dissipated along with her spines, leaving behind an empty shell.
As her muscles relaxed, her brain regained control of her thoughts.
The two monsters were still watching from the sea. She had to retreat!
With her last bit of strength, she flapped her wings and staggered into the sky, leaving the hunters with nothing but her receding silhouette.
The second-in-command had already completed transporting the second Restraining Crossbow. The ballista aimed at the ascending Extinction Dragon, but he held his fire until she was gone.
Sure, he could’ve shot her down, but then what?
Having successfully ensured their own safety, they had more pressing matters to attend to.
He climbed down the side of the ship and waded through the seawater to join the hunters. He looked at the key members among them.
The Fire Dragon’s flaming sword burned brightly as it stood planted in the ground, while the Master Swordsman lay sprawled in the accumulated water.
His armor showed no visible injuries, but his gauntlets were twisted and soaked in blood.
Before the second-in-command could worry, the swordsman gasped, raised his head, indicated he was fine, then fell back. Only when the flames extinguished and the seawater reached his helmet did he sit up and catch his breath.
The Ailu Cat’s fur was dirty and clung to its shrunken frame, its breathing labored. It was cradled by a blond man, both of their thick fur stained with blood.
The second-in-command bent down and retrieved the broken weapon of the Ailu Cat from the seawater.
He recognized the style of the blade; it should have been a small sword but was custom-made larger into a Great Sword.
The Ailu Cat usually played a supporting role rather than leading attacks, so it used fewer materials. Over the past decade, perhaps due to lack of maintenance, it snapped under the impact.
“Phew, that was close!”
“Yeah, thanks to you guys. I’m not a hunter, so I wouldn’t have known what to do.”
The second-in-command kept his head low, nodding vigorously before standing up after retrieving the broken blade.
“But I’m a craftsman, and I brought materials. Whether it’s repair or crafting anew, leave it to me!”
“Good, I won’t hesitate to ask, but let’s wait until he’s recovered to decide.”
He patted his companion’s head, who weakly leaned onto his arm.
He gestured slightly to the bald youth, indicating he should take command.
The second-in-command called over the messenger, signaled the other two ships with flags, and helped the injured onboard the stranded ship. After securing everyone, the three ships sailed towards the coastal forest area.
——Meanwhile——
The Extinction Dragon wobbled unsteadily in the sky, scanning below for food to replenish her strength.
However, there were no Large Monsters active in the nearby coastal region. The activities of the four Ancient Dragons earlier had driven them away.
The barren wasteland stretched endlessly. Fully aware of this, she deliberately flew towards the forested areas, eventually reaching the swamp where she spotted a Mud Fish Dragon and dived.
Evolved for combat, her wings had become shield-like over time, making her flight performance average. She relied more on brute force. Now lacking that strength, her sudden dive turned into a crash landing, plunging her headfirst into the swamp mud, sinking halfway into it.
Even as her depleted stamina gave her a fleeting boost, the Extinction Dragon harbored no relief at surviving another ordeal. She wasn’t sure if she could break free if she sank completely, knowing only that she was dying once more.
A Mud Fish Dragon stirred the mud as it approached, clearly not intending to help.
“Grunt!”
The approaching Mud Fish Dragon was stomped on by a massive claw, which dislodged mud and scales. Its muddy flesh was shoved into her mouth.
She didn’t need to bite; her stimulated mouth naturally began chewing and swallowing the meat.
As more chunks entered, the Extinction Dragon regained some awareness. She realized her body was being pushed and pulled out of the mire.
Sensations returned to various parts of her body, especially her spines, reminding her of the suffocating feeling when submerged. Her throat seemed somewhat choked too.
The bloody flesh in her stomach had already begun digesting, bringing warmth and sleepiness, which felt especially lethal at this moment. Her recovered strength seemed to evaporate.
If she hadn’t died yet in this state, her surroundings must be relatively safe, right?
As soon as this thought arose, it pressed down on her like sleepiness, causing her to drift off.
Before losing consciousness, she seemed to hear a low, disappointed voice.
Chapter 349…
