Chapter 127: Aranballon vs. the Giant Magic Dragon (4)


    —Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle!


    I braced myself by grabbing the spear with both hands while the poison mist poured out of me like a waterfall.


    “Get lost, you despicable pests! Even grinding you to dust won’t be enough! Just wait a little longer! After I’m done with this cursed dragon, I’ll make sure you pay the price! Grrraaaah!”


    The Giant Magic Dragon thrashed and roared.


    However, we paid no attention. We ignored it and kept doing what needed to be done.


    After all…


    That guy couldn’t afford to focus on us. If it did, it would face the same ordeal Aranballon went through earlier—exposing weak spots and allowing relentless attacks.


    “Hoon!” Olena approached me and extended her palm.


    —St!


    Droplets of water generated by her seeped into the wounds of the Giant Magic Dragon.


    “This will act as a kind of catalyst!” She looked at me with determination. “Liquid works better than gas when ites to entering the skin. This way, the poisoned mist you generated is absorbed into the bloodstream in liquid form.”


    “Oh, I see. Thank you.” I nodded.


    If a mage said so, it must be true. It made sense.


    “No need to thank me.” Olena winked, and at that moment, someone else approached from behind her.


    “Team Leader!”


    The man who approached was the middle-aged swordsman from Germany. Maximilian, was it?


    “Yes, Maxi. What’s the matter?”


    “Do you mind if I use the dragon’s open wound over there for a moment?”


    “That wound?” I nced around.


    —ng! ng!


    Come to think of it, the Spear of Judgment, Sunny, and Eldrin were all relentlessly attacking the Giant Magic Dragon. But none of them had been able to pierce its tough hide. Even wounded, the dragon’s skin was indeed imprable. Only my godyer-rank weapon could easily breach it.


    “Just trust me this once, Team Leader.” He stepped forward and reversed his grip on the sword. Then…


    —Squish!


    He drove the sword into the flesh of the wound I had created. He plunged in deep, like inserting a needle into the skin.


    “Watch closely. While my skills may palepared to the others, my unique ability is one even top-ranking yers envy.”


    The middle-aged man closed his eyes and began chanting an incantation.


    The Sword Aspiring to be the Highest.


    Five Aspirations.


    Fourth Sword Technique:


    Ki-Controlled Swordsmanship.


    Maximilian released his grip on the sword’s hilt. Simultaneously, a sound of tearing erupted from within the dragon’s hide.


    —Rippp!


    The sword, no longer in his hand, was clearly moving on its own, slicing and tearing apart the inneryer of dragon skin.


    —Ssshh!


    The poison mist flowed even more freely, confirming the effectiveness of his technique.


    “Wow, is that really Ki-Controlled Swordsmanship? That’s amazing!” I eximed in admiration.


    I’d heard from Lee Sunah that even Ha Sera, ranked 3rd in the world, had only recently mastered this ultimate skill.


    “It’s not real. It’s fake.” Maximilian focused on controlling his de butughed bitterly.


    “…Fake?”


    Seriously? There was a fake version of Ki-Controlled Swordsmanship?


    “Well, technically, yes. Look at the name of the skill: The Sword Aspiring to be the Highest. But in reality, it’s just a poor imitation of the real thing. Do you know why?”


    “Why?”


    “It can only use five techniques, thus called the Five Aspirations. Nothing else. No fundamental skills at all. And these five techniques aren’t ordinary either. Sword Energy, Compressed Sword Energy, One with the Sword, Ki-Controlled Swordsmanship, and Heart de…”


    “That’s insane.”


    Even hearing the names of the techniques was intimidating.


    “And if the ability were extraordinary, it’d be fine. But look. The ki flow has already stopped.” Maximilian gave a bitter smile.


    Sure enough, the sound of flesh being torn had ceased. Itsted for barely 30 seconds. And just like that, the man had lost his sword after using a single skill.


    However.


    It was enough to help. Maxi had widened the wound further, andbined with Olena’s magic, the poison mist could prate even deeper and more effectively.


    “You little gnats!”


    The Giant Magic Dragon suddenly shook violently. At that moment, the flow of energy shifted. The dragon’s focus, previously directed at Aranballon, turned to us.


    “I can’t just leave you be any longer!”


    It was dangerous.


    “Guh!”


    I couldn’t breathe, and rm bells rang wildly in my brain. Instinctively, I gripped the godyer spear tightly.


    “Even if I take a hit, I’ll make sure to crush you into a pulp!”


    The next moment, the Giant Magic Dragon’s yellow eyes gleamed. With a deep breath…


    “Die!”


    Simultaneously, a ck-patterned magic circle appeared in the sky—the gravity magic it had used against Aranballon.


    “Be crushed under the weight and perish!”


    —Crrrack!


    At that moment, an overwhelming pressure crushed down from all directions.


    “Grrgh!”


    “I-I can’t breathe!”


    “Urgh!”


    The team members were in the same state. Olena copsed onto the ground, clutching the scales, and even the usually bnced Eldrin froze in ce.


    “Haaah!”


    I, too, was overwhelmed by the suffocating pressure, falling to my knees.


    —Ring!


    A ringing sound echoed endlessly in my ears.


    “Focus,d!” Amid the searing pain in my head, the old man bellowed, “If that dragon which treated you all like some pests is going out of its way to attack you, it’s a good sign! It means your poison is working! Trust me, your poison mist is terrifying! As long as you hold on, you have the advantage!”


    “I know that… But… Ugh!


    “Besides, it won’t be able to focus on you for too long!”


    At that moment…


    —Kaboom!


    A thunderous roar erupted as my body was flung into the air.


    “Graaaah!”


    Hearing the Giant Magic Dragon’s agonized roar, it seemed Aranballon hadunched an attack.


    “Ugh!”


    Of course, even that was grueling for us.


    —Clench!


    I tightened my grip on the embedded weapon.


    “Grrahhh! You cowardly scoundrel—!”


    “Have you still not let go of that hypocritical mindset? What you do is reasonable, but what others do is cowardly?”


    “Silence!”


    For the moment, the Giant Magic Dragon that had been driving us to the brink turned its attention back to Aranballon.


    Small fry, that’s what we are.


    Why did the image of fish fry suddenlye to mind? We were just pitiful small fry crushed in a sh between two whales.


    “Lad! Are you daydreaming at a time like this?!” the old man scolded.


    Damn it. How did he always know when my mind wandered? He really must be a ghost.


    “Focus. It would be better to enter and take direct action.”


    “Pardon?” I blinked in confusion. “Enter? Where?”


    “Where else? Into the wound of that dragon’s body, of course.”


    “…?”


    When I gave him a bewildered look, he continued.


    “That dragon’s energy is concentrated near its heart. If all you can do is hold onto its back, wouldn’t it be easier to stab it to death instead?”n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Uh. That sounds way harder, though.


    “Once inside, you won’t feel the blows as much! Normally, it’d be impossible to get close, but thanks to it using the breath attack, now’s your chance!”


    “Hmm.” Though I pulled a grim face, I was already gathering the strength in my legs.


    Honestly, the old man’s words were borderline impossible. Get inside that massive dragon’s body, locate its heart, and stab it—easier said than done. How would I pierce its sturdy bones or deal with the thick, sticky blood? There would be no light inside—I wouldn’t be able to see anything. And with no oxygen, I wouldn’t even be able to breathe. The old man’s suggestion was like telling me to dive into the deep sea with no equipment and stab a Kraken in the eye.


    But…


    It was somehow funny.


    —Swoosh!


    As I drew the spear, I found myself amused at the thought. The fact that I was even considering this n made meugh.


    Honestly…


    The old man had never given me bad advice, had he?


    “dimir!” Drawing the spear, I called out for Lodygin.


    “Yeah, you called for me?” Hearing my voice, he shouted back while swinging his staff in the distance.


    “Can you teleport me to the dragon’s heart?” I shouted. Even as I yelled, I realized how absurd the request sounded.


    “…What?” dimir seemed to process my words for a moment. “Are you saying we should all just die together instead of letting the dragon kill us?”


    “No, I’m serious!”


    “Have you gone mad, Team Leader?”


    “I told you. I’ve always been crazy!”


    “Oh, for fuck’s sake!” Cursing, he approached me.


    The other team members, hearing our conversation, turned to me with shocked expressions.


    “Don’t tell me you’re going to suggest going to the center and striking the dragon’s heart or weak spot!”


    “Oh, exactly. Thanks for sparing me the exnation.”


    “You damned lunatic…!”


    “Thanks for thepliment.”


    At that moment, I briefly understood how Jang Daewoong the Berserker, felt.


    Daewoong, my bro! So this is how it feels! The strange satisfaction of beingplimented for your madness!


    —Ssh!


    Suddenly, a refreshing stream of water enveloped me. It was Olena’s water-attribute magic.


    “It’s a protective barrier! It’ll keep the blood off you and supply oxygen! Splitting H2O gives you O2, you know!”


    Olena. She was the only one who truly acknowledged me.


    Seeing this, dimir’s jaw dropped. “Seriously, has everyone lost their minds?”


    “Is this new? Hoon’s always been like this. I gave up the moment he said we were going to hunt down the dragon. What can we do? Humans are adaptable creatures, after all, so we adapt.”


    “Y-Yeah, I suppose… But still…” dimir sighed deeply. Then he nodded in resignation. “Fine. But listen.” He nced toward the dragon’s core. “Spatial magic isn’t some idealized technique where everything goes as nned. If there’s solid material or an object in the teleportation spot, the two will merge, or worse, your body could be cut in half. In this case, the dragon’s bones would be the obstacle.”


    “I think I can help with that.” At that moment, Capu stepped forward. “My irvoyance ignores obstacles. ording to my skill, there’s a 10-meter-wide space just below the central left area.”


    Whoa. Capu, the guide! He was so dependable, alwaysing through in critical moments.


    “R-Really?” Even dimir blinked, surprised by the information.


    “The dragon’s size probably ounts for it. There seem to be plenty of empty pockets throughout its body.”


    “Haah, damn it. Fine.” Finally, dimir threw up his hands. “Let’s do this, damn it! Should I send you now?”


    “Yes, I’m ready. What’s the worst that could happen? Death?” With determined eyes, I nodded.


    The old man grinned. “You’ve got good teammates. It’s not the kind-hearted ones but the useful ones that make the best allies.”


    Agreed. They were good teammates and greatrades.


    Muttering, dimir raised his staff and began chanting.


    I gripped my weapon tightly and swallowed hard.


    —Boom! Boom!


    The two dragons were still locked in fiercebat. The ck magic circle in the sky continued pressing down on us. And then…


    “Hey, Team Leader.” dimir opened his eyes.


    “Yes? Are you ready?”


    “Make sure youe back alive.”


    —Whoosh!


    He waved his staff, and a mystical power enveloped my body. And in that moment…


    —sh!


    A brilliant light filled my vision.


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