Volume 7 Chapter 34 The Ancient Dragon's Spear
"Yesterday was hell," Moruru let out a deep sigh.
The relentless pounding from Echidna's merciless blows. It was enough to knock Moruru's body to the ground with just one hit. If she guarded, her arms would break, and if she didn't, her internal organs would rupture... That's how it was in the beginning.
Later on, even if she guarded, her arms would be torn off, and if she didn't, her torso would be pierced by her own arms. It was truly a desperate situation. But the ancient dragon wouldn't die from that, and the ancient dragon's seal could heal such injuries in an instant.
So, Moruru was terrified of Echidna's fists and desperately tried to avoid them all day. By evening, she was saying, "You're really growing strong, Moruru! If we're talking about a battle of endurance, I'm already going all out!"
But Echidna didn't stop. It was a real all-day, all-night training session. It finally ended late at night. After several hours, Moruru had managed to dodge Echidna's full-power attack.
When it was all over, Echidna said, "That's an amazing result, but... why don't you use your healing to strengthen your body as well, Moruru? Is it to increase the training effect through intense pain?" Moruru got angry at those words.
"If there's a method like that, then tell me from the start Why didn't you say so earlier?!"
Moruru felt a strong anger for the first time in her life and attacked Echidna. ...Of course, she was quickly subdued.
"No, you have a promising future, Moruru. You'll get stronger and stronger. If you had one more month, you could be raised to be on par with an ancient dragon..."
As Moruru was pinned down, held up by one hand, and suspended in mid-air, she listened to Echidna's words.
After finishing the training, Moruru returned home without meeting anyone at the hideout and fell asleep like a mud-covered pig.
And now it's today.
Moruru washed her battered body with well water and headed to the plains with Echidna early in the morning. Her entire body ached with muscle pain, but Moruru imagined herself with the ancient dragon's seal.
"Since Papa said that muscle pain is important for growth, I just need to imagine myself without muscle pain, and that's it!"
She lowered the mark floating above her head to the ground, and her entire body was enveloped. The muscle pain in Moruru's body disappeared, and she felt a slight, toned physique.
"Hmm, it seems you've finally grasped the way to use shapeshifting magic."
Echidna smiled wryly.
"The ancient dragon is a being that can transform freely, taking away anything that's inconvenient. If you're old, you can have a youthful body. If you're tired, you can have an energetic one. If you're bored, you can have an interesting one. Use it as you see fit."
"Can I also manipulate my will?"
"Your will is nothing more than a reflection of your physical condition. It's human foolishness to think of your will as sacred. Even an ancient dragon, with its physical body, is a foolish beast. But the ancient dragon has the mark that controls its physical body and can change everything."
Echidna said proudly.
"Today, we'll be using the ancient dragon's mark for combat training. We'll combine Dragon's Breath and other convenient ancient dragon abilities, and I'll teach you 3 of them. Learn them today, and we'll have a comprehensive training session tomorrow, and prepare for the day after."
When she was told this, she steeled herself. The day after tomorrow, she would be fighting against Papa.
Family... When she asked her party members, "How strong is Papa?" they all agreed, "She's terrifyingly strong." When facing Papa...
"I'll do my best, please!"
So she bowed her head. Yesterday's training had made her realize that this training was the real deal. And with today's explanation, she had a clear idea of how to face Papa.
Echidna nodded in response to her bow. When she looked up, Echidna began explaining with a cheerful tone.
"First, let's start with Dragon's Voice."
"Yes! ...Dragon's Voice?"
"It's an ancient dragon ability that can intimidate enemies with its speed. You keep the ancient dragon's mark in the back of your throat and shout loudly. Then, your voice will turn into a roar, echoing around you. Enemies will be shocked and will definitely freeze for a moment."
"Can sound really stop people in their tracks? Is that true, Echidna-sensei? Are you not exaggerating?"
"Moruru, you're getting a bit too cocky... Well, it's fine. Let's try it out in actual combat then. Come on!"
Moruru's face contorted as she was teased with a finger.
"If you're telling me to come, I'll go." Moruru had been avoiding it all yesterday, but that didn't mean she couldn't do it.
She remembered how Echidna had attacked her. She recalled the feint, how it hurt, and how she felt. Moruru had a good memory.
So, she'd pay her back. This was revenge for yesterday, or rather, a return of interest. A dark emotion began to sprout within Moruru.
She took a deep breath. In, in, in―――
Like an explosion, Moruru burst out.
The ground beneath her feet danced. Her body cut through the grass on the plain, advancing. If she went straight, she'd naturally be blocked. So Moruru passed by Echidna's side and landed behind her.
Fist.
As she landed, Moruru used the recoil to punch Echidna with a small fist. She didn't know how much endurance Echidna had, but it was a blow that could easily shatter a human.
That was when the panic, accompanied by a sound, destroyed everything.
"――――!?"
Moruru covered her ears, crouching down in a biological response.
She didn't know what had happened. She didn't understand, and her instincts told her to hide from something. Fear. The sound exploded from within Moruru, accompanied by fear, and she couldn't endure it.
The sound stopped. But the fear didn't. In a state of confusion, Moruru lost her memories of before and after, and she shrank down, trembling.
What stopped her was Echidna's hand, gently touching her from above.
"Do you understand? This is the Dragon Voice. The dragon's roar. If a human hears it, their eardrums will burst, and they'll faint. Even an ancient dragon will tremble and be unable to move. It may seem mild, but it's the most effective in battle."
"U... Is it stronger than Dragon Breath?"
"In terms of strength, its attacking power is low. But an ancient dragon that can use the Dragon Voice well is strong. On the other hand, someone who only uses Dragon Breath lacks sense. Remember this for now."
"Un..."
She was helped up. Her head was still spinning. As expected, Echidna was the best teacher.
"Hmm, what about the other 2?"
"You'll learn an attack technique using shapeshifting magic and Dragon's Breath. I'll teach you how to use them effectively. If you can master these 3 skills, you'll never lose to those adventurers again."
"Wow..."
Moruru thought to herself, feeling a bit down, "I'm not really motivated, am I?" So, she slapped her cheeks with her hands, trying to psyche herself up.
"I'll do my best with the others too!"
"Alright, let's take it one step at a time."
"Yes, sensei!"
Today, Moruru is still training under Echidna's guidance.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Donate me
Support Me with USDC
(ERC20)
Support Me with XLM
(Stellar Lumens)