Chapter 135
The Expedition Team had halted at the Floor 6 Entrance.
The moment the Mad Dragon appeared, flying in Mid-air.
No amount of firepower would be meaningful.
Therefore, they had no choice but to trust the Saint's somewhat absurd Dragon Seizure Strategy.
Of course, that didn't mean the Expedition Team was just sitting around.
“How’s the Machine Gun Nest construction?”
“It’s in progress.”
“Do we have enough firepower to penetrate the Dragon’s Barrier?”
“Of course. We were planning to go beyond Floor 6 to Floor 7, so wouldn’t we have brought weapons to counter Dragons?”
The Expedition Team was converting their camp into a Defensive Position.
Machine Gun Nests were set up everywhere, and Booby Traps were made with landmines and grenades around the camp, in case Lucifer Followers skilled in Taming appeared with a large-scale Monster Wave.
*Meanwhile.*
The Golden Company’s role was Anti-Materiel Rifle Fire, a weapon with enough firepower to shoot down a Dragon.
“This one is an Anti-Materiel Rifle that fires 14.5mm rounds. And this one is an Anti-Materiel Rifle that uses 20mm Rounds.”
The Golden Company Members looked bewildered at the massive Anti-Materiel Rifles brought by the Hunters of the Labyrinth.
From their perspective, these were excessively large and powerful firearms to be operated by an individual.
But the Hunters also looked dissatisfied with these weapons.
“Even these aren’t suitable for penetrating a Dragon’s Barrier. You have to shoot the same spot repeatedly many times just to barely break through the Barrier.”
“It would have been easier if we had brought the 88mm Cannon installed in the Labyrinth... but that’s not a weapon that can be carried by Barg, our pack animals.”
“For now, this is the best we have.”
The Hunters taught the Golden Company Members how to operate the Anti-Materiel Rifle.
“Basically, it’s used by a Two-person Team. One person fires, and the other must handle Reloading and Ammunition Resupply.”
“Let me show you how to use it.”
The Golden Company Members were the best of the best, handpicked from the Empire.
It didn’t take long for them to learn how to use the Anti-Materiel Rifle.
“This is important. You must apply Concentrated Fire to a single point. The moment you disperse your firepower across various spots, the Barrier will never break.”
“Once the Barrier is broken, the rest is simple. All the weapons we use have the firepower to penetrate Dragon Scales.”
Mayor Ragot made a gesture of poking his palm with his finger.
Captain Jerome and the Golden Company Members understood his meaning.
“So, our victory is assured if we just embed rounds into the breached area?”
“Exactly. There are currently 10 Anti-Materiel Rifles in total. 20 people should focus on breaking the Dragon’s Barrier, and the rest should handle Sniping.”
Mayor Ragot pointed to his chest.
“To use Magic here, you absolutely need Magic Stones. If you can just break the Black Mages’ Magic Stones, it will make things much easier for us. If it’s a fight fought with guns and gunpowder, not Magic, there’s no way we can lose.”
“Understood. If the Lucifer Followers approach us, when do you expect them to arrive?”
Captain Jerome asked after assigning which Squad would use the Anti-Materiel Rifles laid on the Floor.
Mayor Ragot shook his head at his words.
“We don’t know either. The basic principle of the Floor 6 Expedition is not to trespass into Dragon Territory. Because of that, the routes we can take are practically fixed.”
“But the enemy has the Mad Dragon.”
“Then that changes things. Since there won’t be a battle even if they trespass into Dragon Territory, they can create and use any route they want, not just the existing ones. That’s why we can’t predict where they might be right now.”
It was impossible to send Scouts to find out.
Scouts could only travel along fixed routes, but the enemies would be moving through Passages that Scouts couldn’t use.
“They must have spent a lot of time and resources acquiring the Mad Dragon. Even considering the time they need to regroup... they will probably attack today or tomorrow at the latest.”
“Because it’s to the enemy’s advantage to attack as quickly as possible.”
Before the Expedition Team could prepare countermeasures for the Mad Dragon. It was to the Lucifer Followers’ advantage to strike as quickly as possible. Therefore, there was a high probability they would attack as soon as they could.
Mayor Ragot bit his lip.
“The Saint needs to tame Alcasas before the enemies attack.”
“For now, we can only trust. Let’s wait.”
The conversation ended there.
The Expedition Team calmly finished their Fortification Work and prepared their best to receive the Lucifer Followers.
The Golden Company Members practiced firing the Anti-Materiel Rifles for the first time, Zeroing them in.
As evening approached amidst anxiety and fear.
“It’s the Mad Dragon!! The enemies are coming!!”
As the luminous moss on the Great Labyrinth ceiling slowly began to dim.
Beyond the horizon.
A massive Fire Dragon and an equally enormous number of Magic Beasts began to appear.
***
Captain Jerome nervously put away his Telescopic Sight.
Lucifer Followers were riding on the backs of the Magic Beasts that filled the distant horizon.
Judging by the size of the Magic Beasts, these weren’t the soft ones they’d seen on Floor 4 or Floor 3.
They were clearly High-Risk Magic Beasts from Floor 6.
There were at least 1000 such Magic Beasts and Lucifer Followers on the Mortal Realm.
But they weren’t the problem.
The enormous Dragon floating in Mid-air.
The pressure emanating from the Fire Dragon, whose body was at least 100 meters long, was something indescribable.
“The number of Wyverns around the Dragon is also roughly over 100. This is dangerous. This is.”
“I know.”
At his Adjutant’s words, Captain Jerome swallowed and picked up his rifle.
He took a Deep Breath.
He couldn’t show a disheartened face in front of his subordinates.
He stepped forward and looked at the Company Members preparing for Sniping.
The Saint was not there.
Alcasas, whom the Saint had promised to capture, had not yet appeared.
At this rate, it could be an annihilation.
But Captain Jerome did not give up hope.
He stepped in front of the Company Members and raised his hand.
“Don’t be afraid! Remember your training! You are the Elite Forces of the Empire! You will survive and return!! For His Imperial Majesty and the Imperial Citizens! Fight to the death if you must!!”
The Golden Company Members cheered in unison, agreeing with Captain Jerome’s words.
Mayor Ragot and the other Hunter Guild Masters also loudly boosted morale.
He couldn’t understand what they were saying in the Northern tongue, but the cheers of hundreds of Hunters simultaneously made the ground rumble.
The *clack* of bullets being Loaded into the chambers of Heavy Machine Guns could be heard everywhere.
Captain Jerome also raised his Bolt-Action Rifle and Loaded it.
After Zeroing the long Telescopic Sight, checking the ammunition in the chamber, he firmly Shouldered the rifle.
“Come on, you bastards.”
The other side also seemed ready, as movement appeared.
The Mad Dragon began to Roar and fly forward.
Along with it, the Magic Beasts on the Mortal Realm.
And all the Wyverns also began to fly together.
Even at a considerable distance, the Horrifying Sound of the Fire Dragon’s Roar was so clear that Captain Jerome felt his body stiffen for a moment before relaxing.
“All Company Members! Target the Black Mages’ Magic Stones! If you just break those, the Hunters can take care of the rest!”
A tremendous vibrating sound began to come from the Mortal Realm.
It was obvious, but the Magic Beasts flying in the Sky were much faster than those running on the ground.
The Wyverns and the Mad Dragon began to approach at incredible speed.
When they judged the distance was sufficiently closed.
Along with a sharp Northern cry, tremendous gunshots began to erupt from all over the Defensive Position.
The Hunters’ Heavy Machine Guns all began to spew fire.
The Wyverns, which had been flying aggressively, began to falter under the immense Anti-Air Fire pouring down on them.
“Fire!! Target the Black Mage’s Magic Stones!”
The Golden Company Members also began to Fire.
If those Aerial Forces started flying overhead, then everything would be over.
The Golden Company Members’ shooting skills were tremendous.
Despite the considerable darkness, they succeeded in accurately Sniping the Magic Stones hanging around the necks of the Black Mages riding the Wyverns.
As the Magic Stones shattered and the Demon King’s Authority scattered, some Black Mages, unable to maintain their Taming Ability, were eaten alive by the Wyverns they were riding, meeting a horrific end.
As casualties occurred, the Lucifer Followers drove the Wyverns behind the Mad Dragon.
They used the Mad Dragon as a shield, minimizing their Hit Area.
“Anti-Materiel Rifles! Commence Fire! Target the Dragon’s head! Everyone, Single Point Fire!”
At Captain Jerome’s shout, excessively loud explosions, too large for Sniping rifles, immediately began to erupt from all over the Defensive Position.
With a heavy *thud!*, the Mad Dragon Daloran’s head momentarily reeled.
All 10 Anti-Materiel Rifles hit the exact same spot.
No matter how tough the Mad Dragon’s Barrier was.
It seemed unable to withstand Concentrated Fire.
As the reeling Mad Dragon stumbled for a moment.
“Fire!”
Immediately, the Hunters’ and Golden Company’s Fire concentrated on the Wyverns behind it.
The Mad Dragon immediately righted itself, but in that short time.
8 of the Wyverns flying behind it lost control and broke formation.
“Well done! Fire again!! Don’t stop!”
Once again, the Anti-Materiel Rifles fired.
The Mad Dragon began an Evasive Maneuver, but it was as good as nothing against the Golden Company’s Fire.
8 out of 10 shots, predicting its evasion path, hit Daloran’s head once more.
A visible crack appeared in the Barrier.
A smile appeared on Captain Jerome’s lips.
“That’s it! Just a little more! The moment the Barrier breaks, victory is ours!...”
*At that moment, when the word “hope” appeared to everyone.*
The Mad Dragon opened its mouth, sucked in air, and began to emit a Horrifying Sound.
The speed at which Dragons flew was tremendous.
The Expedition Team’s camp was already within the range of its Breath.
Captain Jerome’s voice began to grow urgent.
“Fire the Anti-Materiel Rifles again!! We have to break the Barrier!!”
Once again, 10 Anti-Materiel Rifles roared, firing bullets.
But it was useless.
The Mad Dragon’s head reeled for a moment, and the crack in the Barrier deepened further, but that was all.
The Barrier was intact, and the Mad Dragon merely stumbled for a moment.
It continued to gather its Breath.
Mayor Ragot’s flustered voice was heard.
“At this rate, the Barrier should have broken normally!”
Captain Jerome quickly took out his Telescopic Sight and examined the Fire Dragon at Mayor Ragot’s near-desperate words.
Dozens of Black Mages were Casting Magic on the Mad Dragon’s back.
A faint black light swirled around the Mad Dragon’s horns.
Captain Jerome’s face contorted.
“They reinforced the Barrier with Magic.”
The Golden Company Members were frantically Reloading their Anti-Materiel Rifles and preparing to Fire again.
But Captain Jerome, who had been observing the situation, knew.
It was too late.
Even if they fired the next round, the Breath would hit the Expedition Team faster than the Barrier would break.
It was exactly as the Hunter Guild Masters had said.
As long as the Lucifer Followers had the Mad Dragon.
There was no chance of victory.
“Magic Beasts from the Mortal Realm are also approaching! Captain! What should we do!!”
The urgent voices of the Golden Company Members were heard.
If the Breath and Wyvern attacks swept through the Expedition Team, it would be over.
The Expedition Team’s Combat Ability would drastically decrease, and then the Magic Beasts pouring in from the Mortal Realm would tear the Expedition Team apart.
“Captain! Orders!!”
In that grim moment.
The moment there was no way to save his subordinates.
The moment there was no way to avoid the Breath, nor to break the Barrier in time.
The Mad Dragon’s Breath erupted.
Even at a distance of over 100 meters, the super-heated flames, glowing with a fierce purple light, poured down towards the Expedition Team, hot enough to feel the heat.
The dim dungeon brightened.
And.
Thanks to that.
Captain Jerome spotted a pure White Dragon flying at tremendous speed from the left of the Mad Dragon’s flight path.
“Alcasas!!”
Almost simultaneously with Captain Jerome’s shout, the White Dragon, not to be outdone, spewed its Breath.
The super-cold Breath and the super-hot Breath canceled each other out in Mid-air, emitting an enormous amount of steam.
As the Mad Dragon, startled, turned its head to the side.
Alcasas broke through the steam curtain and directly charged the Mad Dragon.
The two Giant Dragons tangled in Mid-air, breaking formation.
And the Wyvern swarm, whose shield had disappeared, was exposed to the Expedition Team’s line of fire.
“Blast “em!!”
A tremendous shout echoed from Alcasas”s back.
It was Old Man Ban’s voice.
The change brought by that single word was immense.
“Fire!! Kill them all!!”
*Inside the dim Great Labyrinth.*
Through the steam.
Bullets began to pour down like rain.