Chapter 19
[Are you one of my kind?]
A sudden voice rang out in Dragon Tongue.
Terra flinched at the sound and looked at me.
“…Should I try talking to it first?”
I felt a little uneasy about it.
Talking to someone I might have to fight to the death in a moment.
[Yeah.]
[Your presence is quite considerable. But your mana is alien. Did you come from another world?]
It was pretty perceptive.
[Then have you come to eliminate that, too? And why do you take the form of an inferior race?]
That…?
I shook my head at its words as it looked toward the World Tree.
[I’m not interested in the World Tree. I’m like this because it’s convenient for me.]
[Tch. I thought you might be something, given your high standing. You’re a half-baked thing. Can’t you even sense the end?]
[What are you even talking about?]
Its pupils narrowed.
I didn’t feel anything in particular, even after it said that…?
[Fool. If you can’t even understand, get back to your own world. This is my home.]
[I can’t do that. I have some business with the elves.]
[You’re already corrupted.]
Ruuumble!—
As if there was nothing more to hear, it turned its enormous body.
Then it spread its wings wide and raised its body…
“I knew talking to other dragons wouldn’t go well.”
It slammed a huge foreleg down toward us.
- Whoa, look at that shadow;
- It really looks like a mountain’s falling, what’s the streamer gonna do??
As a massive shadow fell over us and the ground shook, I clenched my fist.
Then I tossed the Fragment of Hermes to Ha-eun and said,
“Gather the surviving elves with Terra. …And don’t die.”
[Withdrawal 5,000,000 won - Details: [Physical Enhancement - Gold] skill usage fee]
My body shone more brilliantly than it ever had with any Physical Enhancement before.
My body felt light enough to fly. I shook out my hand once, then kicked off the ground and charged.
Bang!—
Compared to it, my body was infinitely small.
But the radiance bursting from me looked like it could envelop the dragon.
- It’s like a shooting star;
- What the hell is the principle behind that…
- [LushGreen] Magic gets stronger the more mana you use, so that’s probably how that works too
[You’reGoingToBeAB-RankHunter donated 50,000 won!]
[That’s what it takes to be a C-rank Hunter? The bar is insanely high, seriously…]
Seeing the chat, I chuckled and gathered energy into my fist.
Then I swung at the dragon’s approaching sole.
KWA-BOOM!—
[…!]
A burst of light.
Along with it, the dragon’s gigantic body was shoved backward.
[Withdrawal 1,000,000 won - Details: [Wing Manifestation] skill usage fee]
Flap—
I flapped the wings that had sprouted from my back, pulling my nearly falling body up and flying even higher.
- Oh?
- Whoa, what? Boss can do that too?
- The ability to fly really is kind of enviable
- For real, it'd be so damn convenient for commuting
Shing!—
At that moment, a sharp sword ring sounded behind me.
Moonlight Slash.
Shraaak!—
A sharp sword mark was carved into its scales.
I glanced back and saw Beren, who had somehow leapt all the way up here.
[Withdrawal 200,000 won - Details: [Matter Creation] skill usage fee]
I summoned a crude stone platform right beneath the dragon, and Beren landed on it steadily.
“I’ll join the fight.”
And behind him, I saw another swordsman.
“…I’m grateful for your help.”
A man carrying a sword almost identical to Beren’s.
Is that… Hero Kairan?
“How can you speak…?”
Swish—
Kclang!—
Ah, this isn’t the time for that.
I should subdue that thing first and think later.
“Everyone, get back.”
“What?”
“Get back unless you want to be crushed by my attacks.”
Saying that, I sent the platform I’d summoned flying backward.
All the byproducts from that thing belong to me.
- [KoiKoi] Sometimes the boss seems pretty arrogant
- It’s a dragon, yeah
- [I’mGonnaDie] You can’t hide your race, meow
- But when you’re that strong, you can be arrogant lol
“Guys, I think I’m going to spend a lot of money, so donate.”
[I’mGonnaDie donated 2,000,000 won!]
[Looks fun, meow. Let’s see you try, meow]
- Fuck, is everyone here rich except me?
- You didn’t know? You’re the only bum here
- For real lol
I glanced at the donation window, then looked straight at the enormous Red Dragon’s pupils.
What ridiculously huge, unyielding eyes.
Like a child who knew no fear at all.
“You must’ve never felt fear in your life. Still, you went and attacked me first?”
It gave a faint, amused smile.
“I’ll show you what the difference in stature means.”
At my mocking words, the Red Dragon’s gaze sharpened.
Of course it was angry.
Dragons had ridiculously high self-esteem.
Snap—
[Withdrawal 20,000,000 won - Details: [Multi-Caster] skill usage fee]
As I snapped my fingers, dozens of enormous magic circles appeared all around us.
I immediately clenched my fist and slammed it down, as if pulling an invisible rope.
KRAK-BOOM!—
[Guh…]
A gigantic golden thunderbolt fell from the clear sky and struck the Red Dragon.
While it staggered briefly from the impact,
I flapped my wings again, quickly closed in, and placed my hand on its chest.
Being small wasn’t all disadvantage.
To it, I must’ve seemed like a mosquito.
[Withdrawal 1,000,000 won - Details: [Shockwave] skill usage fee]
Taaang!—
“Oof.”
It didn’t budge, despite the fairly powerful impact.
It really was tough.
Was a million won nowhere near enough?
Then I’d just hit it harder one more time—
Swoooosh!—
“Huh? Hey!”
Its foreleg suddenly came flying straight at me.
Was it trying to flatten me?
[Withdrawal 200,000 won - Details: [Matter Creation] skill usage fee]
I immediately created a platform right behind me and concentrated Physical Enhancement on both hands and ankles.
Then I held both hands out in front of me and—
KWAANG!—
I stopped the foreleg flying at me dead in its tracks.
The Red Dragon’s body came to a halt.
It seemed flustered and tried to press me down even harder, but—
Crack—
Crrrraack—
I exerted more strength, and it began pushing back against me.
- Whoa, shit lol
- What’s that sound? Gives me chills
- I’ve been arm wrestling for 47 years, and I lost my right arm after a match with the boss
- If all you lost was an arm, you’re lucky
- The boss is insanely strong, huh;
Fwoooosh!—
“…!”
Perhaps, realizing it was in danger as it was being pushed back,
Scorching heat suddenly erupted from between its scales.
Heat that could melt steel.
Well… I could probably just endure it, but at this rate my clothes would all burn off, so I backed away for a moment.
That’d be dangerous in a whole other way!
“Whew… I almost got the stream shut down.”
- What are you doing
- Show us what’s inside too!
- The other dragon’s aim is really trash…
- [I’mGonnaDie] You’ll get sued if you keep that up, meow
Shing!—
Suddenly, a vivid blue blade flashed out beside me.
Moonlight Flurry.
Shrrrkt!—
Slice!—
“Ooh.”
What I saw was a single swing, but the slashes that burst out afterward numbered dozens.
Amid that dance of slashes, the blade cut again and again, even severing and sweeping away the heat itself.
Within that dance of slashes, Kairan, sword held forward, shouted,
“I’ve opened a path. Let’s advance!”
“Huh…?”
There was no need to open a path for me…?
- Wow, Lady Goldie’s flustered expression is kind of cute lol
- You bastard, what did you call Terra?
- Take that back.
- Retract that.
What are they even saying?
“Instead of talking nonsense, donate!”
Flap!—
I rushed back toward the Red Dragon’s chest through the opening that had appeared by chance.
This time, I clasped my hands together over the back of my right hand, as if interlocking my fingers, and gathered mana once more.
Stronger than before.
Across an even wider area.
“Hah!”
[Withdrawal 10,000,000 won - Details: [Shockwave] skill usage fee]
Taaaaang!—
———!!
This time, I landed a proper hit.
The dragon’s body was violently shoved backward, and several scales fell off.
…Wait a second, I could sell those, couldn’t I?
I quickly flew over and snatched a few of the falling scales.
Then I tried using the Treasure Digitization skill.
[Would you like to sell Ancient Red Dragon Scale (unmeasurable)?]
[Sale price: 15,000,000 won]
“Ha… yeah, this is it.”
The money I got was more than I spent on the skill.
Now that’s a profitable deal.
This is fun.
Suddenly, it was getting really fun.
Should I just tear everything off?
What about its teeth?
How about those eyeballs?
Or its bones? Its organs?
Would its meat fetch a price, too?
“Hehehe… How much is all that worth?”
An excited voice slipped out of me before I knew it.
Did it hear that, too?
The pupils of the dragon, which had barely regained its balance, contracted to their limit.
It must’ve realized by now.
What kind of dragon I was.
Huuuuuh—
It took a deep breath.
It was painfully obvious what it was about to do.
By now, my viewers could probably tell just from the sound.
Was it planning to burn this whole area, me included?
If so, I couldn’t lose either.
Flap!—
After moving back a little, I drew in a deep breath with all my strength.
Then, with a snap, five magic circles lit up and crumbled away.
- Is something big coming?
- Something really big is coming, right?
- [NotSuspiciousAtAll] Oh lol
- [KoiKoi] What is that?
- [I’mGonnaDie] Ah, you don’t know, meow
[Withdrawal 30,000,000 won - Details: [Breath] skill usage fee]
Fwoooooosh!—
At the same time, two enormous breath attacks erupted.
Fierce flames that looked ready to swallow the surrounding area even on their own clashed head-on, neither giving way.
And behind me—
KWA-BOOM!—
Two beams of concentrated heat, supporting me, engulfed the Red Dragon.
***
Flinch—
“T-Terra!”
Ha-eun, who was searching the area, sensed something and urgently grabbed Terra, changing direction.
“Wha?! What is it?!”
“This way!”
The moment she roughly flung open the door of a building and ran inside—
Fwoosh!—
“Whew… That was close….”
Violent flames began to swirl outside the door.
KWA-BOOM!—
Then came a deafening roar that nearly tore their ears apart.
“A breath…? Could the magic I felt just now have been…? How did you know?!”
“Huff, huff… I don’t know either… M-Maybe it’s because of the buff Unnie gave me….”
Gasping for breath, she struggled to her feet.
A threat to her life, suddenly sensed by instinct.
Could this Physical Enhancement… have sharpened even that kind of sense?
Rustle—
“…!”
At a rustle nearby, Ha-eun and Terra hurriedly turned to look.
Then—
“W-Who are you…?”
“Hic… Mommy….”
“Uh… elves…?”
The surviving elves were there.
One adult elf and several young elves.
Was this… some kind of daycare?
Clang!—
KWAANG!—
At that moment, the impacts began again, and the ground rumbled as if a shell had fallen.
And then—
“Damn… Hey, human!”
“Y-Yes?!”
“That enormous dragon will command the things bound to me!”
Kyaaak!—
Grrrr…—
Outside, the growls of monsters began to rise as well.
Crunch—
“Terra…?”
Terra transformed her arms and legs into those of a dragon and glared outside the door.
“I’ll fight. Lady Goldie ordered me to protect the elves here.”
At that, Ha-eun looked back inside, and the sight of the terrified children filled her eyes.
“….”
Should I fight?
Was I supposed to protect those children?
‘But I… don’t have the ability to do that….’
This wasn’t a safe D-rank Gate.
It was an unknown Gate, with nothing about it understood.
What if the monsters outside were A-rank?
Or what if there were ten B-rank monsters?
Just as Unnie had said, I could die.
If not for the Physical Enhancement, I might already have died in that breath attack.
Of course… I didn’t want to die.
‘This is why I wanted to get stronger….’
Actually, Beren had told her during training yesterday.
To survive, paradoxically, she’d have to be prepared to die.
But knowing that didn’t make it any easier to move her feet in this situation.
Because if she really died, everything would be over.
If only, like with the Association’s assignments, an email would tell her what to do….
The higher-ups always went quiet at times like this.
No, it wasn’t as if they’d respond to such a minor personal matter anyway.
Come to think of it, that was just the higher-ups’ guidelines.
They didn’t decide an employee’s life for them.
In the end, moments when she had to choose for herself would keep coming.
“If my older brother went through this process, too….”
She couldn’t throw away this opportunity that had come her way, if only to surpass him.
To grow, put your life on the line.
“…B-rank Hunter Park Ha-eun. Hoo, commencing combat to fulfill the request to explore and subjugate the unusual Gate.”
Having made up her mind, she pressed the record button on her Hunter Watch and spoke in a resolute voice.
Then she drew her sword and followed Terra outside.
KWAANG!—
High in the sky, the Red Dragon and Goldie were clashing.
The raucous noise and shockwaves reached all the way here.
Compared to those two, Ha-eun stood so very low.
But what did her position matter?
What mattered was that she had stood here of her own accord.
That was all.
Though she herself had yet to realize it, flames were strewn all around her.
Her artifact had already grown to the next stage.
The moment its first condition as an uncut gem was fulfilled.
Fwoosh!—
Goldie’s gaze, sensing it, briefly stopped here.
At the tip of Ha-eun’s sword in Goldie’s sight,
crimson-black flames had gathered.