It was the first time I had felt such overwhelming pressure from a mere gaze. Due to the dim light, only the orange irises flickered, intensifying the feeling. The eyes glittered with overflowing anger.
The wrath that had been searching for a target was now fully directed at me. If anger alone could kill, I would have been dead by now. Ereshkigal was evidently radiating murderous intent in her heightened state.
Her elongated body trembled as if ready to spring at any moment, and her forelimbs had clenched so tightly that the earth between her claws crumbled.
Her tail lashed threateningly, carving into the ground just like her front limbs. Doubts crept in about whether I should have provoked her, but I quickly dismissed them.
Even my father truly intended to kill me. To use this battle as a lesson, the opponent must also be fully committed.
“…As a follower, I ask: Does your previous statement mean that you exclude me… understood?”
A power akin to magic resonated beneath my feet, causing the horns to shiver. Golden magical energy surged through the ground, indicating she had already locked onto me.
Looking around, my companions were already hastily climbing up the slope. Here, there was nothing but the dragon and the twisted obsession it had birthed with her.
I met Myungho’s worried gaze, recalling what he had said: He would tell the dragon to stop if it became too dangerous.
That reassured me. Truly.
“Of course. Attack me with the intent to kill.”
No sooner had I finished speaking than I sensed rocks rising from beneath the ground. It seemed they had planned to end it all at the start.
“…I’ll tear you apart so thoroughly that not even a soul bound for the Underworld will remain, wretch!!!”
I halted the rising rocks by channeling magic into the ground. Just doing that caused scales to erupt from my hands. Indeed, this wouldn’t be easy.
Nevertheless, the dragon moved its massive body without hesitation, attempting to crush me with the blade-like structure on its tail.
Simultaneously drawing my sword from the earth and leaping aside, I evaded the attack. While I might survive such an impact, something would surely break.
The dragon showed no intention of stopping its assault, pre-emptively preparing stone spikes where I would land. This time, there was no gap to channel magic, so I had to endure the blow with my body.
Holding my sword diagonally like a shield and covering my hand with scales, I braced for the impact. Despite breaking the sword in half, a heavy shock still reverberated through my arm.
Regaining my footing after nearly tumbling, I repositioned myself just in time for another claw swipe descending from above.
Narrowly avoiding being crushed, I swiftly created a blade and struck at her fingers.
But it left no mark. Though I hadn’t expected such a feeble attempt to wound her, actually trying made me feel helpless. How could I possibly harm such a creature?
Dodging again as she scraped the ground with her claws, stone spires erupted where they passed. Hastily covering my feet with scales prevented the spikes from piercing through my hips, though I was still thrown back by the force.
Landing immediately, I lunged forward, but walls of rock rose and shattered, pelting me with shards.
Again, I leaped to avoid the tail sweeping across the ground, aiming to destroy both the wall and me.
Then the stone spears rained down on me again.
Ereshkigal relentlessly repeated these straightforward attacks, leaving me no way to counter. Her brute strength and immense size were unmatched.
Attempting to use my abilities would likely be blocked by her interference. Moreover, the land was saturated with her magic, refusing to obey my will.
Most importantly, while using my abilities, I lose the protective barrier of magic, meaning I’d risk being pulverized by flying rocks if I tried.
While I steadily accumulated injuries, the dragon showed no signs of fatigue, continuing to charge magic into the earth to prepare her next assault.
“…Is there any way…”
The invisible cloak wouldn’t help much. Disappearing visually doesn’t eliminate vibrations. Most things I can do, she can too.
If I could just get close, but every attempt is thwarted by her size and the rocks. A sudden idea struck me.
Channeling magic into the cloak to vanish and infusing my legs with power, I sprinted forward with all my might.
With neither sight nor sound betraying my presence, the dragon appeared confused, confirming my success. Had she been here, she’d have bombarded the area with stones.
However, the dragon spread her magic widely, scanning for me with wide-open eyes.
Right. Even if consumed by rage, she wouldn’t throw stones at someone she loves. With joints nearing their limits, I wanted to end this quickly.
Clutching onto her head, the dragon went berserk, smashing it against walls and the ground in an attempt to dislodge me.
Embedding my nails and claws into her carapace, I held on with the determination not to let go. Scratching at her eyes with her forelimbs, the dragon eventually calmed down.
Seizing the opportunity, I forced her eyelid open and gouged her eyeball with my hand.
Apparently, the area wasn’t as hard because pulling out my hand resulted in blood gushing out and an ear-splitting scream.
One down. Before I could finish the other eye, the rejuvenated dragon tore me off with her claws, pressing me under her full weight.
Crying out in agony as my bones shattered, I refused to succumb to her frenzy. I wanted to fight until the very end with my own will.
Still unsatisfied with merely pinning me, the dragon dragged me to a wall and slammed me against it.
…
I remained conscious. Despite twisted joints, extending horns, and my body covered in scales, I retained awareness.
Why? That can be pondered later. There’s only one thing to do now. Channeling magic subtly into the earth, I burrowed underground.
Thinking I was finished, the dragon reacted belatedly, wildly churning the nearby ground. But I had long since escaped.
Somewhat recovered, the pain from broken bones disappeared, and strength surged through my body. Still, I remained at a disadvantage.
Increased power wouldn’t suffice against her size. My improved durability still wouldn’t protect me from a direct tail strike.
Avoiding the spikes emerging from below and becoming invisible again, I leapt toward her head, only to be blocked by a dome of rounded rocks.
The moment I touched the dome, sensing my vibrations, she compressed the rocks and then detonated them.
Feeling different this time, I infused the surging magic directly into the earth, attempting to make a giant spear erupt beneath her, but predictably, it was blocked.
Approaches are sealed. Attacks don’t penetrate. Blocking isn’t the solution. Her frenzy will subside eventually, and attacking from a distance with overflowing magic gets blocked.
There must be… some way.
…There was something.
Something I’ve never remembered during frenzies. An instinctive method etched in blood and primal instincts.
I exhale.
Instead of gathering magic in my horns, I collect it in my heart.
Compressing and melting all metals in my body to a dangerous degree.
For the first time in my life, instead of channeling magic or using abilities, I employ it for casting a spell.
Unfamiliar magical runes float before me.
“…Impossible, no. A mongrel like you… a mongrel like you couldn’t possibly use THAT…!!”
Realizing what I was about to do, the dragon frantically released magic, but it was too late.
Inhaling deeply enough to rip my lungs, I simply followed my instincts and…
…exhaled.
──────────!!!!!!!!!!!!
– – – –
The crimson beam emitted by Alterra illuminated the darkness that had descended upon the Underworld, vaporizing the upper jaw of the dragon.
Whatever that was, the dragon, having lost more than half its head, collapsed rather anticlimactically.
“…Did we defeat it?”
Though clichéd, I couldn’t help but ask. Honestly, I had believed I had lost from the moment we began exchanging blows, never expecting it to be outright killed.
“Umm… Is the… Is the dragon really dead…? Was it even a real dragon…? Or… No, it was definitely a dragon…”
Yuna, shocked by the scene, babbled incoherently. Only Akashi maintained a stoic expression, silently observing the fallen dragon’s corpse.
“…Breath, perhaps. Just a mere mongrel shouldn’t possess such… Impressive. Myungho, prepare yourself. It’s not dead yet.”
Breath. I’ve heard of it before. Some exceptionally strong dragons can weaponize their very breath.
Their breath is said to destroy kingdoms and melt mountains.
Such exaggerated tales of minstrels I thought were mere boasts. But witnessing it just now, I realized it wasn’t entirely false.
“…Wait, not dead?”
My cognitive processing seemed delayed. Akashi’s statement about it not being dead only registered after a while. And as soon as I said it wasn’t dead, the fallen dragon abruptly rose, grabbing Alterra with its forelimbs.
