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ED: LonelyMatter
Chapter 329 – Red Dragon Slayer Part 2
The black stallion flexed its muscles in defiance of the red dragon, its jet-black mane fluttering in the wind.
Though it carried Marco, whose armor-like body and massive frame rivaled the stallion’s, its stride was more majestic and graceful than that of any other horse.
Seeing Marco approach, the red dragon halted in midair.
“Gaaahhh—”
Its level of alertness was the same as when it saw the Sea Dragon twins, or perhaps slightly weaker.
Could this mean that El and Al, who were already evolving, might be stronger than Marco? Or was it due to the poor compatibility between a fire-based dragon and a sea dragon?
Regardless, the Red Dragon saw Marco as an undeniably superior opponent.
“You seem rather lacking in fighting spirit, Red Dragon.”
Though Marco appeared relaxed, he was not careless.
He lived for loyalty, and his past experiences had taught him no restraint.
With each stride of the black horse, dust swirled as the distance between them gradually closed.
Veins pulsed crimson-black across Marco’s body, bulging like tubes sucking liquid toward his hands. His jet-black armor gleamed, unscathed, making the Red Dragon mistake him and the horse for a single entity.
Watching from a distance, Batz saw Marco finally raise his sword.
“How on earth does he plan to defeat a red dragon in the sky?”
Marco’s weapon was a sword.
The distance to the red dragon hovering overhead was far beyond the range of any sword—but that was only within the bounds of human understanding.
Any knight who participated in the Heim War and journeyed to the port town of Roundheart knew of Cain, a swordsman whose skill far surpassed comprehension.
With everyone holding their breath beside him,
“I don’t care for being looked down upon. It makes me feel as if I’m serving you, and that’s not a pleasant feeling!”
True to his nature, he uttered these words, then swung his sword out to the side with a slashing motion.
Cutting through the wind, he sent a huge, crescent-shaped blade of dust soaring into the air.
While its force might not have surpassed that of Cain or Ain, his refined, seasoned swordplay carried an elegance all its own. Batz and the knights were transfixed by the sight.
“Gah… Gah… Ah…!”
An invisible blade sliced through the sky, striking the crimson dragon’s wing above.
The dragon reeled from the first physical imbalance it had ever known, its wing membrane torn. Its body tilted, forcing it to descend.
Marco channeled even more power into his grip.
“You shouldn’t have the energy to rampage and breathe fire now, should you? That’s why I’ve worn you down until now. Well then.”
The sound of thick hooves pounding the ground drew closer and closer to the red dragon until it finally reached Marco’s striking range.
Though the dragon was still hovering dozens of meters above, it was now within Marco’s striking range. Just a few steps forward would allow him to attack with his sword.
Marco pulled the reins, halting the black horse.
“Long ago, I fought a bird far larger than you. The method was simple.”
He dismounted, his armor clanking as he soared into the sky.
It was essentially just a jump, but the power in his body propelled him to the dragon’s height in an instant.
“Once I’m clinging to its body like this, it shouldn’t be a problem, right? It’s not elegant, but sometimes loyalty demands that you abandon elegance.”
“GAAAAAAAAAHH—”
“This is probably your first time being stabbed with a sword, and I’ve never fought a flying dragon like this before either.”
Marco thrust his sword into the cartilage along the wing and used it as a foothold.
He hoisted himself up, wrapping his arms around the wing and gradually closing the distance to the Red Dragon’s massive back.
“Wh-what the hell was that!?”
Even Batz, watching from a distance, could tell.
That kind of fighting was absolutely impossible for them. Not even a highly trained knight could overcome the desperate, life-or-death power of the red dragon trying to shake them off.
“Go for it, boss!”
Marco, with his keen hearing, caught the voice and laughed.
“Of course… I have no intention of holding back.”
His footing was poor, but he held his sword high and aimed unwaveringly at the red dragon’s neck.
He took a deep breath, and in the blink of an eye, he thrust the greatsword forged by his own power without restraint.
However,
“Hmph.”
Marco sensed an inexplicable hardness.
By his estimation, his attack power should have been sufficient, yet the sword didn’t penetrate deeply.
The “AAAAAAHHH!” echoing in his ears was filled with agony. Marco had intended to sever the neck with this strike.
“I see. You can absorb magical power, can’t you?”
Marco’s sword wasn’t made of substance; it used magical power as its medium.
He had once offered his own head to Ain, but that was an entirely different matter from his physical form.
“Still, it doesn’t seem to be much of a problem.”
He felt the magical power being drained. But the damage was far greater than that.
Marco’s overwhelming advantage remained unshaken, and the Red Dragon trembled with terror at the prospect of death.
“It seems our compatibility is poor. Meaning Ain-sama and the Black Dragon must have been the worst. But Ain-sama has achieved victory; I feel it with every part of my being. Therefore—”
Marco’s entire body overflowed with magical power.
“It’s unjust for someone like me to struggle. I’ll just swing my sword until you breathe your last!”
Marco raised his greatsword once more and swung it down with even greater force.
“Gahhhhhhhhhhhhh!”
Unflinching before the spurting blood, he thrust.
“Guuuuuuuuuaaahhhh!”
Two thrusts that could not be parried by desperate dodges.
“Gaahh… aahh… guéééé…”
Finally, the third thrust was delivered with all his strength to fulfill his loyalty to his lord.
The crimson-black fluid gushing from the red dragon’s neck increased, exposing the bones of the wound inflicted by Marco.
Its mouth trembled weakly. The light faded from the dragon’s eyes as its eyelids slowly closed.
It was now falling, with virtually no strength left to flap its wings.
Just before it hit the ground, Marco raised his blade for the final blow.
“The Captain can cleave the heavens. I myself cannot perform such feats…”
Channeling today’s greatest power with both hands, he emitted a blue-purple magical aura.
It was an aura of pure monstrosity unlike anything Batz had ever seen; it was reminiscent of the dazzling moonlit night sky.
“Instead, I’ll show you! I can at least cleave the earth!”
Marco’s greatsword came down in a straight line, aimed at the two branching horns protruding from its forehead.
The blade reached its neck just as the red dragon crashed to the ground with a thunderous roar.
However, it was unclear whether the roar came from the dragon’s fall or the sword’s mighty strike.
“Huh—whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa…!”
Far away, Batz and all the knights he led were stunned.
When the red dragon crashed into the ground, its head faced a deep, gouged fissure where it had been severed. As the thick, mist-like dust settled, Marco stood beside the red dragon’s massive corpse as the victor.
Soon, cheers rose naturally. Batz opened his mouth wide, revealing his white teeth.
“Hahahahaha! What the hell was that… That guy, the boss. Seriously… What a damn strong knight!”
Everyone spurred their horses toward Marco’s location.
He made no move to stop them, waiting beside the red dragon for them to arrive.
Soon, Batz, who had drawn near, spoke up.
“Boss! What an incredible sight that was!”
“That’s good to hear. Well, it wasn’t the most elegant sword, but it is what it is.”
“What in the world are you talking about? So, is the Red Dragon dead?”
“Of course. I can no longer sense any life in this corpse. Coming from an undead person like me, that should carry some weight, right?”
“Hahahaha! Well, you’re certainly right about that.”
“Then let’s take a short break. After that, we’ll prepare to transport it back to our homeland.”
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
Sending Marco was absolutely the right call.
Shortly after, the Red Dragon was slain, and the triumphant expedition team took a break.
Marco stood beside the dragon, arms crossed, staring intently at a single point.
“Boss?”
Batz asked, curious about what he was doing.
“What are you looking at?”
“…The black stone on its forehead. It holds a great deal of significance for me.”
“Significance?”
Averting his gaze from Marco, who said no more, Batz looked at the Red Dragon’s forehead.
Its head was larger than they could span with their arms outstretched, and it had grown even larger since the other day.
“I could break it, but I hesitate. Is it truly something I can shatter without a second thought? What if something troublesome, like during the Heim War, were to leak out? That would be a real headache.”
“Leaking miasma sounds bad, but should we break it?”
“Experience tells me it’s definitely better to destroy it completely.”
“…I see.”
Beyond the unspoken depth, the content itself remained utterly baffling.
Batz lightly scratched his cheek and tilted his head. He crossed his arms and glanced at Marco’s profile before letting his gaze wander to where the Red Dragon lay.
“I did receive some binding-type magic tools from His Excellency, though.”
“Let’s refrain from that. It’s better to bind it purely physically, without any magic involved.”
“Well then, shall we proceed to bind its entire body?”
It was about time to end the break.
Batz called out, and the knights rose from the ground and surrounded the red dragon. They began binding its entire body with chains and ropes.
Suddenly, Batz felt a pang of concern.
“Just to be clear, if something happens to that black stone, the Red Dragon won’t come back to life, right?”
“…”
Batz held his breath at the aura emanating from Marco, who was now silent.
“I do not possess the proper answer. I only know the black stone was a tool to strip the Red Dragon of its freedom and make it obey.”
It might regain consciousness. In that sense, all he could say was that the possibility existed.
The current Red Dragon wasn’t a dead soldier like the Heim Knights during the Heim War. Therefore, the possibility of its revival in a mad frenzy couldn’t be entirely dismissed.
“We’ll halt the binding process for now. Everyone, keep your distance. I shall destroy that creature’s black stone myself.”
“Ah, got it. I’ll relay that to everyone.”
“Naturally, Batz-dono, you must also keep your distance. Please be prepared for that.”
“…Yeah.”
Batz turned his back to Marco and gave a wry smile.
“My gear can handle miasma. I’m still a noble, albeit a low-ranking one, and the equipment Father gave me is top-notch.”
“That won’t do. Even if you could withstand the miasma, there’s no guarantee that I could protect you if the Red Dragon were to suddenly lash out.”
“I’m not worried about that. I’m here because His Majesty and Ain asked me to.”
While not quite heroic, the fierce spirit within Batz refused to be silenced.
Marco understood.
With someone who spoke and acted like this, force was the only way to make him see reason. Still, he hesitated, unsure if he should crush the young knight’s spirit.
“I haven’t done anything for Ain yet. Please… Boss.”
“But exposing yourself to undue danger for the sake of glory is nothing but reckless bravery.”
“Maybe. But if I run away from something like this, I won’t be able to face my father.”
“I hear Baron Crim is a man of great capacity.”
“…Boss. I don’t want to run away. As a knight and as Ain’s friend, I refuse to do anything shameful.”
“It is by no means shameful. Batz-dono is still growing.”
No matter how much he tried to reason with him, Batz remained stubborn.
Should he knock him unconscious with a counter-strike? That’s how strong Batz’s resolve was.
“I came here prepared to lose my life. Yet I expected everything to be handed to me on a silver platter…”
“This is no time to throw your life away lightly. This is not a situation where that should be permitted, and Batz-dono is not yet in a position to do so!”
“But I’m a knight!”
“…”
He understood that feeling all too well. If he were in the same position, he would have done the same thing.
Marco closed his mouth and thought for a moment.
“If something happens, Ain-sama will be saddened, but…”
He wasted more time. He wanted to create distance quickly and destroy the black stone.
After a slight hesitation, Marco finally consented.
“You must keep your promise. Do not leave my side. For now, please take these words more seriously than His Majesty’s.”
“Wh-what!? Are you sure?”
“Sigh… I suppose I’m being too lenient.”
Then, Marco placed a hand on Batz’s shoulder.
“If anything happens, it’s the duty of the older to protect the younger. That’s all there is to it.”
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
Soon, the other knights kept their distance from Batz and Marco.
Standing beside the carcass of the Red Dragon, the two exchanged a few words before Marco summoned his sword into the air.
“If the miasma makes you feel sick, say the word. I’ll absorb it quickly, but if I can’t make it in time, run for your life.”
“U-understood!”
“Then let’s get to work destroying it.”
Poised as if to thrust his sword, Marco pushed it forward the instant he spoke.
Clang! With a sound like shattering glass, the black stone shattered cleanly.
“…”
Batz watched, his eyes narrowed, crouched in a ready stance.
“Boss, nothing seems to be happening…”
“No, it seems it was rigged after all.”
The surrounding air was sucked in like a tornado. Its destination was the red dragon’s forehead.
Even though Batz felt nothing, Marco sensed magical power being sucked from his body, so he prepared to swing his greatsword down.
But in the next instant—
“Hah… Hahahahah… Haa, haa… Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!”
Batz instinctively covered his ears at the piercing cry.
The red dragon’s aura seemed to have gone mad, emitting a strange sound.
“Batz-dono! Get away!”
Marco shouted with surprising vigor.
Batz scrambled to run away, but unfortunately, his foot got caught in the scattered chains on the floor.
“Wh-what… Whoa!”
The next time he blinked, Batz’s body was floating in midair.
The chains had already wrapped around the red dragon’s body.
Seeing the dragon flap its wings and soar into the sky in an instant, Marco flew high into the air with all his might.
“Batz-dono, are you all right?”
“Yeah! I guess I’m still alive!”
“That’s good!”
Batz hung suspended in midair, clutching the chains while Marco scrambled up the wing membrane and pulled on them.
They were already too high up to cut the chains and safely reach the ground.
“Guess I’m not so good with heights after all…”
“If you can crack jokes, that’s good enough. Now, come this way first!”
“Eeeee… Haa…”
“Whoa—!”
What was the red dragon with vacant eyes thinking?
It began emitting thick, dark air from its entire body as it flew around with an air of entitlement.
“Miasma… Batz-dono!”
“I’m fine! The equipment Father gave me should handle this. Sorry for worrying you!”
A strong wind buffeted Batz’s body, but he managed to hold on, the chain wrapped tightly around his arm.
“I’m not thrilled about this, but what choice do I have? I’m breaking the magic stone!”
“The magic stone!? The red dragon’s?”
“Yes! I truly wanted to present it to Ain-sama, but given the situation, priorities have changed!”
“Understood! Then I’ll—”
“Batz-dono, you should stay here… No, but clinging on here like this…”
Even if it was dangerous, it was better to have Batz beside him than to have him somewhere unseen.
Having made his decision, Marco pulled another chain from nearby and tied it around Batz’s torso.
“…Listen. Cast aside all fear.”
Marco’s voice was reassuring, almost like a command.
“From this moment on, Batz-dono, you must display your martial prowess alongside me to earn a certain epithet.”
“An epithet?”
“Yes, a special epithet that no one else in modern Ishtalika possesses!”
Under Marco’s leadership, Batz crawled across the red dragon’s back on all fours.
He drew the sword at his waist and thrust it into the thick scales. However, the blade was already chipped and seemed unreliable.
Deep down, he still harbored fear, wondering if such a monster truly existed.
Marco’s words were clearly meant to embolden Batz.
Not reckless bravado, but a careful choice of words—the most crucial thing in this situation.
“The ‘Red Dragon Slayer’—”
Suddenly, Batz swallowed hard.
“The Red Dragon’s forehead is covered in thick bone, skin, and scales.”
“A-ah!”
“If you’ve come this far, there’s no need to think about it! Take all the feelings you’ve built up until now, and stab them with the sword in your right hand.”
His cheeks buffeted by the fierce wind whipped up by the Red Dragon’s flight, Batz nodded and widened his eyes.
“I won’t rest until I get something back from this troublesome dragon. That’s how it is!”
The uncontrollable tremor in his hands grew worse.
But soon, Marco placed his hand over Batz’s, and the tremor subsided.
“Stop there. If you keep trembling, your aim will falter.”
Batz chuckled at the gentle lie and began moving his head and neck forward again.
Though it was less than a few dozen meters, the oppressive feeling and tension were akin to crossing countless mountain ranges.
He took a step forward, felt the chain, and relaxed. He immediately moved his foot forward and thrust his sword into the scales.
“Guh… Haa, haa.”
His legs felt heavy.
The pain and stiffness felt almost foreign, not his own.
How many seconds had passed? No, how many minutes—how many tens of minutes—had he walked? His senses were dulled, making it impossible to tell. By the time he reached the back of the line, his knees trembled from exhaustion.
“You did well… Batz-dono.”
That voice was nothing short of divine salvation.
With Marco’s help, who had already climbed up, Batz placed his foot on the dragon’s forehead.
The chain was connected to the red dragon’s torso, which made the balance precarious. Even worse, a misstep would leave him dangling in midair.
“What do we do now!?”
“It’s obvious! Grab the sword and stab it into its forehead—that’s all!”
“Well, that’s straightforward and perfect!”
Shortly after he thrust the sword, the red dragon’s powerful counterattack finally reached them.
It violently shook its head left and right, trying to fling the two off its forehead.
“I’m used to heights by now, dammit! Even if you shake us off, we’ll just land back on your torso!”
“Yeah, that’s the spirit!”
Batz wedged his fingers into the gaps between the dragon’s scales to brace himself.
Standing beside Marco, who swung his sword relentlessly, Batz grew frustrated at merely enduring this.
But as soon as he found his footing, he swung his sword too.
“You bastard! Come on! Spit out that magic stone already!”
Thud, thud—the impact sounds rang out as Batz’s sword blade gradually buckled.
Though weaker than Marco’s, Batz’s sword cut through more easily than he expected after Marco knocked it down once.
Several more minutes of swinging his sword down passed before the magic stone finally revealed itself.
“A splendid magic stone. I’ve never seen one with such a beautiful crimson hue,” Marco murmured in admiration.
The crimson dragon magic stone, which was even larger than a double bed and characterized by an aura writhing like flames within, naturally captivated Batz’s gaze too.
“No need for restraint! Just swing your sword relentlessly and destroy this scarlet magic stone!”
“Leave it to me, boss! That’s what I’m best at!”
“Aaah…!”
The red dragon shook its head more violently for a moment, but then its momentum gradually subsided.
Marco knew why it was calming down. The reason was simple. The flaw in the magic stone was draining its vitality, leaving it unable to move effectively.
“More!”
“Got it!”
The two cracks in the magic stone lengthened, merged, and spread like roots taking hold.
Instead of spilling blood, warm magical power began to surge and swirl.
Marco felt it most keenly, as it bathed his entire body.
“This…what a sweet power it is.”
It was the surest way for a monster to grow stronger.
It was nothing other than absorbing power from another’s magic stone.
“My power is Ain-sama’s power! I shall take this power without restraint!”
“Gah… Eeeaaah… Voh…”
“I won’t let you win either!”
The red dragon, already near death, was losing the consciousness it had gained through the black stone.
It was facing true death. For a proud dragon, escaping its current state of being used, apart from its consciousness, could be called salvation.
“Enough already! Shatter, you bastard!”
The magic stone shattered completely.
The final blow came from Batz’s sword.
“A… Aaah…”
In its final moments, all strength left the Red Dragon’s body. Its limbs and wings went limp as it fell toward the ground.
He did it! He destroyed the Red Dragon’s magic stone! Batz felt an unprecedented sense of accomplishment.
“Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! It’s over!”
“Quite so. You did it, Batz-dono!”
“Yeah, but I just swung my sword at the thing you were about to kill.”
“No, it is your courage that deserves praise. Despite the danger, you chose to fight. That is commendable.”
Then, Marco extended his hand.
Batz grasped it and shook hands.
“Yeah… I’ve never been this exhausted all over before… never in my life…”
“B-Batz-dono?”
Still holding hands, Batz suddenly lost consciousness.
It was likely his utterly exhausted body demanding rest once the tension broke.
The problem was the location—midair atop the Red Dragon’s forehead—but Marco caught Batz’s limp body.
“Haha… Hahaha! In Ain-sama’s case, even his friends are no ordinary folk. Very well, Marco here will handle the rest.”
With that, Marco hoisted Batz onto his back.
This time, it was the end. The Red Dragon’s defeat was final this time.
What might his lord be doing now?
As Marco prepared to land, his thoughts drifted to Ain, far away.
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