Chapter 132
“A Fire Dragon?”
I nodded.
In the memory of the last Ambush Team Leader I encountered on Floor 5, there was a scene of a Magic Beast that looked unmistakably like a Fire Dragon moving about.
“Red scales. Massive wings. Two horns on its head. And even a terrible sulfurous smell. A being that could only be described as a Fire Dragon was moving on Floor 6. Bloodied Lucifer Followers were scattered everywhere, and a handsome young man with white hair was touching the Fire Dragon.”
Immediately after witnessing the Fire Dragon, the Ambush Team Leader was hastily dispatched to Floor 5.
Because of that, the sighting lasted only about a minute, but a great deal of information could be extracted from that single, brief scene.
As soon as my explanation ended, Old Man Ban spoke.
“The King of the East on Floor 6. *Mad Dragon Daloran*. Around 2,000 Lucifer Followers were sighted on Floor 1, correct? The total number of Followers who tried to obstruct us with Ambush Teams until now barely reached 500.”
“Surely not, the remaining nearly 1,500 of them......”
“It seems they attempted to Tame Daloran on Floor 6. They must have known from the start that as long as the Saint was present, no matter how many people they deployed, the odds wouldn't favor them through conventional methods.”
Setting up Ambush, launching night Ambush, deploying Heavy Machine Guns in key Passageways.
The attempts by the Lucifer Followers we encountered while descending to Floor 6 were truly desperate.
They racked their brains, struggling to stop the Expedition Team with maximum efficiency, but in the end, all their efforts failed because of me.
So, it seems they only assigned about a quarter of their forces to Ambush Teams, and the rest quickly descended to Floor 6, trying to make the *Mad Dragon* their own.
“This must have been their first attempt. The Lucifer Followers have never succeeded in Taming a Dragon before. If they had, they would have used it as a major force to harass the Labyrinth long ago. *Fire Dragon Taming* is a huge gamble for them.”
“And it seems that gamble paid off, didn't it?”
“If the memory the Saint read is true, then yes. It seems so.”
Sighs of dismay erupted from various places.
“A Fire Dragon. And one that's receiving all sorts of Magic support from Lucifer Followers, no less.”
“On top of that, it's a *Mad Dragon*. This is a terrible opponent.”
The Hunter Guild Masters were uneasy.
Even for them, chosen *Veteran Heroes*, the pressure exerted by the word *Mad Dragon* seemed immense.
“What kind of creature is it? This *Mad Dragon*?”
When I asked out of curiosity, Mayor Ragot shook his head.
“It's a nightmare. It's also why Expedition Teams that reach Floor 7 are extremely rare. Dragons usually don't leave their own Territory. That's why the basic rule for a *Floor 6 Expedition* is to know each Dragon Territory and move along a route that doesn't trespass into their domains.”
With a face full of anxiety and apprehension, Mayor Ragot sighed.
“But this *Mad Dragon* frequently roams outside its Territory. Furthermore, its temperament is extremely ferocious; it's the kind of creature that, upon seeing Humans, immediately breathes fire without question. Countless Expedition Teams have vanished without a trace before its flames.”
“So, a *Floor 6 Expedition* was a matter of luck. If the *Mad Dragon* wasn't roaming outside its Territory, we could descend to Floor 7; if it was, it was considered a failure.”
This was certainly no ordinary matter.
Old Man Ban stated emphatically.
“If the Lucifer Followers advance with the *Mad Dragon* leading them, the chances of victory are extremely low. Even with the Saint present, it's obvious the Expedition Team will suffer catastrophic damage.”
At his words, I held out my hand to Ban and countered.
“What if I make the Fire Dragon mine with *Absolute Hypnosis*?”
“Fundamentally, Fire Dragons fly. They glide at a height of at least 100 meters. Even if the Saint could leap to that height, a Barrier incomparably tougher than those of other Magic Beasts would be surrounding the Fire Dragon's body.”
“What if I jump strongly enough to break through all of that? If I can just make *Physical Contact* somehow, isn't it game over?”
“Carefully selected Black Mages from among the Lucifer Followers will be clinging to the Fire Dragon's body. They don't even need to use powerful Magic. They just need to use *Telekinesis* to push the Saint away or alter your trajectory. No matter how strong your physical abilities are, as long as you can't accelerate in Mid-air, you'll be vulnerable to *Telekinesis*.”
“..........”
“They know the Saint's abilities. They will surely have countermeasures prepared.”
A powerful Barrier, dozens of times stronger than those of other Magic Beasts.
The interference from Black Mages positioned all over the Fire Dragon's body.
It certainly seemed difficult to make *Physical Contact*.
But unfortunately, Old Man Ban wasn't finished.
“Furthermore, Saint. The man you saw in the memory, touching the Fire Dragon. You said he had white hair, correct?”
“Yes. He had white hair.”
“Were his eyes completely black? Like *Jet-black Orbs* embedded there, with no distinction between the whites and the pupils?”
I was surprised by Ban's words.
“Exactly. Do you know him?”
The answer to my question came not from Old Man Ban, but from Priest Mathieu.
“*Balam*. He is the oldest and most cunning of the Lucifer Followers. He is the High Priest of the *Cult of Pride*, and also the most powerful Black Mage and Tamer.”
Priest Mathieu ground his teeth.
I had never seen him wear such a fierce expression before.
“A hundred years ago, he was also the one who impersonated a *Descendant of Hero Karim*, causing internal strife within the *Cult of Heroes* and leading to the deaths of many people. From our Cult's perspective, he is a detestable individual, simply for breathing the same air as us.”
Old Man Ban and Priest Mathieu growled lowly.
Old Man Ban continued.
“*Balam* won't just stand by and watch the Saint approach the *Mad Dragon*. He is known as the strongest Tamer, commanding dozens of types of Magic Beasts, and the most powerful Black Mage on record. Considering his active interference, it seems incredibly difficult for the Saint to make *Physical Contact* with the *Mad Dragon*.”
Silence descended upon the tent.
*Mad Dragon*.
*Balam*.
And the Lucifer Followers, who, though we don't know how many died during the *Mad Dragon Taming* process, must number at least in the hundreds.
I clenched my fists tightly.
There would be casualties.
Even I couldn't prevent a single casualty when facing an opponent with such a combination.
“Is there a way to defeat the *Mad Dragon*?”
When I asked the Guild Masters, they too shook their heads.
“Even if we assume there are no Lucifer Followers, the chances of victory are very low. But with hundreds of Followers and *Balam* joining in? We can't win.”
For the first time, the words 'we can't win' came from Mayor Ragot's mouth.
I kept racking my brain.
What if I applied *Time Stop* locally to my feet to create footholds and accelerate again in Mid-air?
What if I neutralized *Balam*'s and the Black Mages' interference with Con's *Psychic Power*?
What if I pushed myself a bit, stopped time for the entire Floor 6, and then fought?
I considered various possibilities, but every single one yielded negative results.
I couldn't stake the fate of the entire Expedition Team on such low-probability possibilities.
My heart felt heavy.
I was the only one capable of creating a variable here.
*Think*.
*Think*.
*Amael*.
I have to come up with something.
If not me, everyone here will die.
I literally racked my brain desperately.
And that desperation finally.
Led to one crazy idea.
“Is the *Mad Dragon* the only Dragon on Floor 6?”
Mayor Ragot shook his head.
“No. There are many other Dragons as well.........Saint. Surely not.”
“If it's impossible to make a Dragon mine due to the interference of the Lucifer Followers, then why don't we bring a Dragon without interference to our side? If they have a Dragon and that puts us at a disadvantage, then all we need is a Dragon too, right?”
At my words, the Guild Masters shook their heads.
“I object, Saint. It's too dangerous.”
“It's over as soon as I break through the Barrier and touch its body. The *Absolute Hypnosis* skill is absolute. Even a Dragon won't be able to resist.”
“Breaking through that Barrier is not an easy task. Furthermore, the *Magic Phenomenon* a Dragon can wield isn't just one thing. Its *Dragon Heart*, which can be called a magic stone, is larger than three adult men combined. It will relentlessly attack the Saint with all sorts of unheard-of Magic, without tiring.”
“I'll just heal myself with my *Healing Ability*.”
“If you get hit by its *Breath*, your body will melt away before you even have a chance to heal. Its power is that immense. Even if you survive, it will be incredibly painful. Saint, it's too dangerous. It's an entirely different dimension from dealing with the Lucifer Followers who were ambushed at *Demon's Peak*.”
“Mayor Ragot.”
I smiled and stood up.
To be honest, I'm scared too.
It's a Dragon.
The kind of Dragon that appears in fantasy.
And I'm saying I'll go face it alone.
Still, I smiled.
I did my best to smile, to reassure everyone.
“Please, trust me a little. I can do this. I don't want anyone in the Expedition Team to die or get hurt. If my suffering increases our chances of success, I'll do it a hundred times over.”
This is the only way.
Once a decision was made, I had to act swiftly.
“Expedition Team, do not move from this spot until I return with a Dragon. Set up a defensive perimeter and move as defensively as possible. You must protect yourselves. If the Expedition Team is annihilated or weakened to the point where it cannot continue the expedition, everything is over.”
After saying that to the Guild Masters, I then looked at Captain Jerome.
“Please stay here and help defend the Expedition Team. You don't need to follow me. Other personnel would only be a hindrance when facing a Dragon. I will return as quickly as possible.”
Captain Jerome had a look on his face that said he didn't know what to say.
But in the end, he had no choice but to nod.
No one else had a solution.
What I proposed was, in fact, the only viable plan.
“Please, you must return alive.”
I nodded.
Then, Old Man Ban and Priest Mathieu suddenly raised their hands.
“The two of us will accompany the Saint.”
“This is a path to face a Dragon. The two of you will only be a hindrance.”
“Not necessarily, Saint. Have you ever caught a Dragon?”
Old Man Ban proudly pointed to his chest.
“I was the Captain of the Expedition Team that first caught a Dragon on Floor 6. And Priest Mathieu accompanied me then too. You'll need my advice. Furthermore, I have no intention of taking risks. I will maintain a sufficient distance and only provide support through long-range *Sniping*.”
“But, *Mr. Ban*.......”
“Besides, isn't it possible you might lose consciousness and faint again, just like last time? Won't you need people to rescue you then? Priest Mathieu and I. The two of us will follow.”
He wasn't wrong.
I nodded.
“Then, only the two of you, please follow.”
Con, hanging around my neck, let out a hollow laugh.
[*Of all things, now it's a Dragon?*]
“You'll help, right?”
[*Damn it, it's hard to get a body even once.*]
Thus, the decision was made.
Me, Con, Priest Mathieu, and Old Man Ban.
The four of us immediately left the Expedition Team in the carriage we always rode and began to race like mad.
Our objective had been set from the start.
“To catch the *King of the East*, we must bring a King as well.”
The *King of the West*.
*Immovable Dragon Alkassas*.
That was our goal.