Chapter 30 Lies, Right...!?
Ail gave further instructions, leaving the tank role players who were facing Ignitor behind.
"Ail's magician team, respond to Ignitor's breath! Don't let it pass through!!"
"You're asking for the impossible, aren't you?"
Claire retorted, her eyes wide open.
However, it wasn't like she was just boasting about being an Expert Explorer. She quickly gathered her party, including the female fire magician from ≪Balmung≫, and positioned theirselves as a shield for their clan members at the rear.
"We can handle the breath, but we can't stop the physical attacks! And we can't keep this up for long, either!!"
"Got it!!"
Ail replied, seemingly satisfied with the words spoken while the others channeling magical energy into their staff.
Right after that, Claire and the others simultaneously unleashed their magic.
"Everyone! Synchronize your magical energy and cast Wall-type magic!!"
"""Yes!!"""
Fire Magic――[Flame Wall]
Violent Wind Magic――[Gale Wall]
Group Magic――[Inferno Giant Wall]
The 2 types of Advanced Wall magic, synchronized and cast simultaneously, merged into a single group magic.
In an instant, a massive wall appeared, blocking our way and the clan members' path, like a firewall cutting across the battlefield. The air was filled with the roar of flames, and the massive wall of fire towered over us.
From now on, we couldn't retreat anymore, not even against Ignitor.
But no one was intimidated by this situation.
Ail shouted at me, his eyes blazing with golden intensity, as he glared at Ignitor in front of us.
"Aaron From here on, you're the one who needs to give us instructions!!"
It seemed like Ail and the others were determined to support me.
In other words, they were leaving it up to me, but for someone like me who was used to solo activities, this was actually easier.
I stored Black Radiance in my Storage Ring and took out Silver instead, responding to Ail's call.
"First, I'll crush Ignitor's dragon scales! Meanwhile, each of you attack him to disrupt his movements as much as possible!"
――Dragon Scales.
When a dragon becomes a higher existence, it's referred to as a "dragon" with a crown.
A "dragon" reigns supreme as the pinnacle of living beings, but when it becomes a "dragon," it transcends the boundaries of living beings and acquires special abilities akin to those of a spirit. One of these abilities is called "attribute synchronization," which allows it to absorb and nullify damage. For example, a fire dragon can absorb flames and high temperatures to rapidly heal its injuries.
The effectiveness of this ability depends on the environment of the battlefield, so Ignitor's strength varies greatly depending on whether we fight him in a volcano or on land.
Even if we manage to defeat a high-ranking dragon like Ignitor, it can regenerate its heart and come back to life before it dies.
To ensure a kill, we need to destroy its brain or cut off its head.
But there's a problem ―― attacks don't work on "dragons" in the first place.
The reason is the "dragon scales."
These scales are already incredibly hard and durable, but they also have the troublesome property of dispersing magical energy or auras that come into contact with their surface.
In other words, skill-based or magical attacks are either nullified or weakened.
So, if we want to defeat a dragon, we need to find a way to deal with its scales first.
"Got it! Is that all?"
"Just crush the dragon scales, and I'll fall back once! Give me 10 seconds after that!"
"Understood!!"
We don't have time to waste on communicating our plan.
The instructions are over. Now it's up to each of us to respond accordingly.
And we're not amateurs, either. We can take in the situation and make the best decision possible.
"――Let's go!!"
I told Ail and the others, and we began the battle.
I exploded my aura from the soles of my feet and jumped up.
My unique battle technique――[Rapid Flash]
In an instant, I jumped high into the air, and Ignitor chased after me with its golden eyes. It raised its long neck and opened its mouth, revealing a light within its maw.
Just as the Dragon's Breath was about to be unleashed, an explosion occurred inside Ignitor's jaw.
"――You're not gonna do that!!"
"Hah!!"
Calum thrust out his spear, and the young archer of ≪Balmung≫ released an arrow.
Spearman Skill――[Burst Javelin]
Archer Skill――[Burst Arrow]
The released aura-infused spear and arrow exploded, interrupting Ignitor's Breath.
"Grrr...!!"
With a resentful gaze, Ignitor's golden eyes glared at the 2 on the ground.
As if swatting away a pesky insect, Ignitor took a large step forward towards Calum and the others, swinging its massive front leg in a horizontal arc.
Just as the sharp claw attack was about to tear Calum and the others apart,
"Uooooo!!"
A young shield warrior from ≪Balmung≫'s party stood in front of Calum and the others.
A large shield was readied against the incoming claw attack. And the warrior's entire body was also enveloped in aura.
Shield Warrior Skill――[Aura Shield]
Shield Warrior Skill――[Fortress]
A shield of aura held at an angle. Its surface caused the massive claw to slide off, altering its trajectory.
The shield warrior was able to withstand Ignitor's attack, which was much heavier than their own, without being blown away, thanks to the effect of [Fortress].
[Fortress] covered the entire body with an aura armor, and by stabbing aura stakes deep into the ground from the soles of their feet, they could withstand powerful impacts without being blown away. It was a sturdy fortress-like defense that could deflect any attack, with a complex effect.
"――――."
Right after the claw attack was deflected, Ail suddenly appeared near Ignitor's head.
The location was right above Ignitor's head.
Without making a sound, Ail swiftly thrust out a dagger towards Ignitor's right eye.
Hermit Skill――[Deadly Poison]
The short sword was infused with an aura poison that would destroy living tissue if it entered the body.
Just as the sword's tip was about to pierce Ignitor's eyeball, however, Ignitor closed its eyelid to block the attack. The eyelid was also covered in dragon scales, making it difficult to pierce.
Ail, whose attack was blocked, didn't show any disappointment, and instantly vanished from above Ignitor.
"Grrr...!!"
Ignitor's head shook violently.
Several [Flying Slashes] came flying in from all directions.
Fiona, who had activated [Sword Dance], was maintaining her distance while rapidly firing aura blades in quick succession. Although the impact points were concentrated on the head, it seemed that the power wasn't enough to shatter the dragon scales. The damage was almost negligible. Still, Ignitor seemed to be feeling frustrated.
"RROOOAARRR!"
A furious roar.
Magical energy surged.
In an instant, the magical energy shot out from Ignitor and converged at Fiona's feet.
Fire Magic――[Explosion]
The ground exploded, and flames spread out in all directions.
Even a single direct hit would be enough to obliterate a human body, leaving no trace behind. The explosion was so intense that even the scattered stone fragments could easily take lives.
However, Fiona managed to escape the lethal zone the moment the magical energy was released.
Sword Dance Maiden Skill――[Dance of the God Offering]
The enhancement from [Sword Dance] was reset, and instead, Fiona's physical abilities were boosted. In that state, she instantly activated [Speed Step] and moved at high speed just before the magic was released. Moreover――,
"There!!"
Ignitor's mouth opened with a roar.
A shining aura sword flew into its mouth at high speed.
The 2 aura swords created by [Dancing Aura Sword] pierced into Ignitor's mouth.
"GUuuuuu!!"
A small flame leaked out of Ignitor's mouth.
By spewing out flames from its mouth, it seemed to have destroyed the aura swords stuck inside.
The continuous attacks from the small insects swarming around it drove Ignitor's frustration to its peak.
"――GRRRRRRRR!!"
A roar shook the air.
At the same time, an enormous amount of magical energy was about to be released from Ignitor's entire body in all directions.
It was a massive magic that uses magical energy to blow away everything around me.
But that didn't happen.
My unique battle technique――[Skywalk Rapid Flash]
The moment Ignitor's consciousness completely distracted from me, I was already moving at high speed through the air.
With the first [Skywalk Rapid Flash], I moved high above Ignitor's head, and with the second [Skywalk Rapid Flash], I rapidly descended towards him.
My target was Ignitor's long neck――its base.
Silver already had enough aura accumulated. The shape of the aura wasn't a blade, but a lump like a war hammer.
Last time, I struggled to peel off his dragon scales. But what about now?
I rode the momentum of my fall and slammed the aura lump into Ignitor.
Imitation Sword Saint Technique――[Dragon Scale Crusher - Ice Fang]
The explosively layered aura, with directionality, blasted into the dragon scales.
The aura that touched the scales dispersed, but that wasn't a problem. The surface layer was blown away, and before the lower layers dispersed, the aura exploded, forcefully crushing the dragon scales and sending them flying.
"GRRRROOOOAAARRR!!?!"
Ignitor let out a scream of pain, his body twisting violently.
I had killed the impact of the fall with [Dragon Scale Crusher], but I couldn't stay on top of Ignitor, so I moved with [Rapid Flash].
I landed on the ground, not stopping for a moment, and continued to move.
As I did, I observed him.
I had successfully peeled off Ignitor's scales. However, the range was narrow, and I would need to hit him with [Dragon Scale Crusher] several more times.
But, contrary to expectations, there was no sign of the dragon scales regenerating.
The abnormal regenerative power of the dragon species, due to "attribute synchronization," should have applied to the dragon scales as well. Normally, regeneration should have already started, but this time, it didn't show any signs of regenerating.
I already knew why.
It was a bit unexpected even for me, but it was Silver's power.
Silver is a wooden sword created by the ≪Ice Elemental Treant≫, and when magical energy or aura is channeled through it, it gains ice and snow attributes. As a result, the aura of [Dragon Scale Crusher] released through Silver took on ice and snow attributes, freezing the damaged area.
For the fire dragon that absorbs heat energy to regenerate its body, Silver is essentially its arch-nemesis.
However, it's not like we can keep hindering its regeneration forever.
If Ignitor were to dive into the magma, the ice that hinders its regeneration would melt in an instant.
No matter how advantageous our position may be, it's only a matter of time before the tables are turned. Ignitor's attacks are instant kills for fragile humans like us. We have to be on our guard until we can finish it off, or we'll die the moment we let our guard down. This is that kind of battle.
But――
(No way, is this really...)
——[Rapid Flash][Rapid Flash][Skywalk Rapid Flash]
——[Dragon Scale Crusher - Ice Fang]
While moving at high speed, Ail and the others distracted Ignitor, and in that moment, I quickly closed in and unleashed a second [Dragon Scale Crusher].
Then, I quickly created some distance and repeated the process, looking for an opening to strike with [Dragon Scale Crusher] again.
(Lie, is this...!?)
As I did so, I was faced with an unbelievable reality.
(Ignitor (this guy)... is it really this... this weak!?)
No――saying it's weak would be an understatement.
Ignitor is undoubtedly strong. At the very least, I couldn't withstand any of its attacks head-on. I could sense that even if I managed to dodge its massive tail swinging like a whip using [Rapid Flash], I'd still be a goner if it so much as grazed my clothes.
But, even so――
I could confidently say it's weak.
Of course, if I were to fight it alone, I'd probably have a tough time.
Right now, I can think of Ignitor as weak because Ail and the others are providing precise support. In other words, by fighting together as a party, the difficulty of defeating Ignitor has relatively decreased, which is why I can think of it that way.
Additionally, having Silver around is also a big help, as it can hinder Ignitor's regenerative abilities. And after observing Logan's sword saint techniques up close multiple times, I've been able to imitate them, which is also a factor.
The Unique Job "Sword Saint" is a job that recreates the power of heroes from the ancient era.
That hero was also known as the "Dragon Slayer" besides being called the "Sword Saint". Therefore, many of the Sword Saint's skills are highly effective against dragons and dragon species, because they're skills meant to kill dragons.
――Is this overconfidence?
I ask myself as I unleash my third [Dragon Scale Crusher].
With just a little more, the scales that have been peeled off will spread further.
As I keep my distance from Ignitor, I answer myself.
No, it's not overconfidence or complacency, I think.
Although Ignitor was an opponent who almost killed me last year, I don't feel threatened by it at all right now.
"GRROOOOORRRR!!"
Ignitor lets out a pathetic scream, spreading its wings wide.
It's trying to escape into the air, I think. Ignitor, which was about to fly away in an instant, was restricted in its movement for a few moments.
"――I WON'T LET YOUUUUU!!"
Ignitor's left hind leg...
The young shield warrior is embracing it, holding it down, as if to pin it to the ground.
It's probably [Fortress]. The young warrior, who has become one with the ground due to the deeply buried aura stake, is nailing Ignitor down.
However, the difference in mass between them is still significant. The ground beneath the young warrior's feet is swelling up and cracking. Ignitor is trying to pull out the aura stake with brute force and fly away into the air.
But...
"GOOD JOB, YOUNG WARRIOR!!"
I praise the young warrior's excellent work.
The few moments of time he created were truly invaluable, like gold.
Ignitor, who spread its wings to dance in the air, was struck by Silver's attack twice. The techniques used were the same.
Imitation Sword Saint Technique――[Flying Dragon Sever - Ice Fang]x2
Multiple layers of aura accumulated, forming a high-density blade.
The flying aura blade slashed through Ignitor's wings, cutting them off from the roots. If it was just a thin dragon scale wing, it could be cut off with this.
"GRROOARR!!"
Ignitor, who was floating in the air, lost its wings and fell to the ground.
However, it didn't stop moving, even as it let out a scream. It quickly used its strong limbs to kick the ground and started moving.
"Tch!!"
"Hey, stop that guy!!"
Fiona clicked her tongue, and Calum shouted as they realized where Ignitor was heading. Meanwhile, Ail and the others launched a simultaneous attack.
However, Ignitor ignored all of it. It seemed to prioritize something more important, focusing only on the attacks targeting its eyes as it advanced. What lay ahead was magma.
If it dove into the magma, Ignitor would fully recover. The "Attribute Unification" of ≪Ignitor the Imperial Flame Dragon≫ boasted an absurd performance.
That's why only one party had been able to clear this floor so far.
And if it recovered now, all the results of our battle would be for nothing.
Ail's desperate attacks could only stop Ignitor's feet for less than 2 seconds.
In the midst of this, I couldn't help but feel a sense of joy and laughed.
"I haven't felt this happy fighting with a party since ≪Sword of Glory≫."
Two seconds.
If I were solo, I would have probably been recovered by Ignitor in these 2 seconds.
But now, I had comrades who could buy me those 2 seconds. The ease of battle was on a whole different level.
――[Continous Blade]
A familiar sword technique. I had 12 minutes to build up my aura.
I swung my sword. I continued to swing it, again and again.
――[Continous Blade]
――[Continous Blade]
――[Continuous Blade]!!
Every time I swing my sword, a massive aura is released, transforming into countless blades that fly through the air. They soar into the sky, only to plummet back down in an instant.
But they don't fall towards Ignitor. Instead, they land on the vast, sprawling foothold that surrounds the fiery crater. The magma overflows, spilling out around it.
My unique sword technique――[Ice Fang Continuous Blade - Ice Rain]
Like a river, the magma flows, and I unleash a rain of blades colder than ice onto its surface. The magma rapidly cools and solidifies, forming a thick, rocky crust that covers the lake of magma.
"Grrr...!!"
Ignitor, now solidified, looks back at me with a fierce glare, its eyes fixed on me.
However, the solidified magma will soon fall back into the magma flow, or perhaps it will crack and shatter under the pressure. We only have a few minutes, or at most, a few dozen seconds.
But that's all the time we need.
As Ignitor tries to shatter the solidified magma with its front legs, we charge towards it in unison.
In that instant...
"――Grroooarr!!"
The very act of Ignitor swinging its front legs was a trap.
Magical energy erupts from Ignitor's entire body, transforming into flames that engulf everything.
Fire Magic――[Fire Burst]
A simple magic that only releases flames. Its difficulty level is low, and even an intermediate fire magician can master it early on.
But the scale of this magic is otherworldly.
The massive flames that erupt from Ignitor's entire body engulf the entire battlefield, and the simple magic continues to scorch the surroundings without stopping.
"――Everyone! Get behind me!!"
The young shield warrior shouts, holding up his shield against the wave-like flames.
Ail, Fiona, Calum, and the young archer, who were relatively close by, manage to make it in time.
Shield Skill――[Dome Shield]
The half-sphere aura shield expands, blocking the flames.
Meanwhile, I swing my Silver sword towards the approaching flames.
Imitation Sword Saint Technique――[Destructive Wave - Ice Fang]
The torrent of aura that destroys everything, canceling out the flames' tidal wave, pierces forward.
I sprinted towards Ignitor, tracing a single path through the flames.
"I knew you'd do that!!"
The [Destructive Wave] pierces through the flames and collides with Ignitor.
Although its power had decreased by the time it reached him, the damage was negligible. But I was able to confirm what he was trying to do.
This time, he was trying to shatter the thick rocky plate again, raising his front leg once more.
"――――."
Without a sound, Ignitor's gaze turned towards me.
Highly intelligent beings have rich emotional expressions.
The instant our golden gazes met, I grasped his emotions as if they were in my hand.
"――Are you scared?"
Fear.
Cowardice.
In this moment, where our lives were on the line, victory would not smile upon the coward.
I bared my teeth and laughed ferociously.
――[Rapid Flash]
My spirit soared, and my concentration intensified. I felt as if I had grasped even a fragment of my aura. It was the same sensation as when I created Silver.
The sharpness of every technique increased by another level.
I jumped like a released arrow.
Faster than Ignitor could react. Even with the dragon's dynamic vision, it was impossible to keep up with my speed.
Ignitor's massive body. I rapidly closed in on the base of his neck. With the momentum of my flight, I struck my sword. Imitation Sword Saint Technique [Dragon Scale Crusher - Ice Fang]. The explosive shockwave from shattering the scales sent me spinning in mid-air, rotating rapidly. Amidst the rapidly shifting scenery, I maintained extreme concentration, somehow clearly recognizing the spot where I had shattered the dragon scales.
Perhaps I had absorbed the heat from the previous [Fire Burst]. The broken scales were melting, and new ones were starting to regenerate.
But it was far from fully healed.
――I can cut him down.
And I was certain of it.
It was a moment that would be over in less than a second.
I continued to spin in mid-air, pouring my aura into Silver, which I grasped in my right hand.
I converted magical energy into aura, poured aura into it, and honed the aura to unleash a powerful sword technique. The entire sequence of actions was performed so smoothly, it felt like I was doing everything at the same time.
Before I knew it, I was ready to unleash my sword technique.
I spun around and swung my sword.
My unique sword technique, [Giant Blade], [Flash Blade] - a combined technique, [Giant Flash Blade].
The massive, sharp aura blade descended like the guillotine's blade, beheading the criminal on the execution ground.
It sliced through the scales on Ignitor's neck and, in the next instant, had beheaded him.
Ignitor's head, still attached to his long neck, flew through the air.
Just before it hit the ground, I landed.
Thud! The massive head crashed to the ground. I had been readying my sword to strike it, but seeing Ignitor's head and his massive body begin to dissolve into magical energy, I finally lowered my sword.
No mistake about it.
We had won.
"Phew..."
I let out a deep breath, releasing the heat inside me.
The flames from [Fire Burst] had already dissipated.
I felt a satisfying fatigue, one I hadn't experienced in a long time.
I turned to Silver, my gaze filled with gratitude.
This time, we were able to defeat Ignitor so easily because of the party's strength and the power of my sword techniques, but Silver's power was also a significant factor. If Silver hadn't been there, we would have had a much tougher fight.
In the end, I didn't even need to use my ultimate technique to win.
"It's been proven that a wooden sword is the strongest and best weapon..."
Indeed, a wooden sword holds infinite possibilities.
As I was basking in the thrill of victory, I realized that the battle had ended, and Ail and the others approached me.
"Hey, Aaron..."
When I turned to face them, they were all staring at me with dumbfounded expressions. Ail, who had called out to me, was no exception.
"Did you... defeat him?"
"Yeah, as you can see."
The Ignitor, which was returning to its magical energy, was shown in my hand. It was certain that the battle had ended.
"You... when you had just stepped back, we would've given you 10 seconds, what was that about...?"
"Ah, that's right..."
I remembered saying something like that in response to Ail's question.
To be honest, I had intended to use My Ultimate Technique and was trying to buy time to gather my aura.
I nodded and answered Ail.
"No... somehow, I managed to defeat it."
"""......"""
No one spoke a word.
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