𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧
“Blade-sama?! Blade-sama?!”
“Calm down, Rin! If you go to Blade now, our battle line will collapse! Leave it to the medical team!”
“Understood! Medical team, provide protection and treatment for Blade!”
“””Ha!”””
ㅤ
Auntie Elle is soothing Rin who was screaming, and Eltrait-san is issuing orders for Blade’s rescue.
Blade should be fine now.
He was successfully guarded just in time, so as long as he’s not instantly killed, he should be safe. Probably.
For now, we can’t afford to take our eyes off this guy.
ㅤ
Dragburn, wreathed in blue flames, charges in.
Its target is Stella.
By expelling blue flames from its back as a substitute for its lost wings, Dragburn is rapidly approaching Stella.
Its speed is reminiscent of Ruberto-san’s Instant Slash.
What a sick joke.
To think that massive body would move at a speed I can’t even follow with my eyes.
ㅤ
But the one who will confront it is the brave Stella.
Unlike me, Stella can actually follow Dragburn’s movements.
Stella deflects Dragburn’s rapid fist with the Holy Sword and counterattacks by slashing its belly.
But,
ㅤ
“You’re kidding me. . . . . .?!”
ㅤ
Stella lets out an incredulous cry of astonishment.
Despite being hit by the counterattack, Dragburn is. . . . . .unbelievably unscathed.
Even though it was a spontaneous attack without any chanting magic, how could it completely withstand an attack from an enhanced Holy Sword?
It seems that not only its physical abilities but also its defenses have significantly increased in this Blue Flame Dragon state.
ㅤ
“Graaaaaaaaaaah!”
ㅤ
Dragburn winds up its fist.
Aiming at Stella, who’s still from receiving the slash, it launches its fist cloaked in blue flames to smash from above.
This is bad!
ㅤ
“Stella!”
ㅤ
Just after I shouted, Dragburn’s fist shakes the earth.
This is no metaphor.
The fist that slammed into the ground created not just a massive crater but also scattered a powerful shock wave, shaking the earth like a tremor.
The castle walls, which had been serving as the Elves’ foothold, collapse.
They won’t die from this, but they’ve lost the advantage of height from which they were launching their magic.
ㅤ
However, Stella somehow managed to deflect the attack and survived, albeit with minor burns here and there.
That’s a relief. . . . . .but the situation is still dire.
Dragburn is preparing for a follow-up attack.
It would be bad if Stella, who’s lost her balance, gets bombarded with that rapid assault again.
ㅤ
I run at full speed and get close to Dragburn, slashing from behind.
Thanks to the leg armor of the wind, I could close the distance even as the ground shook.
I don’t expect this attack to injure him.
I just need to interrupt his movement and disrupt his balance!
ㅤ
“Tail of the Flame Dragon!”
ㅤ
However, Dragburn chose to stop pursuing Stella and instead turned to intercept me.
Its tail swings towards me.
It’s a pleasant miscalculation that it’s guarding against me.
This is the best case scenario.
ㅤ
“Flowing Blade!”
ㅤ
I dodge the horizontal sweep of its tail by leaping and, striking my sword Kurotenmaru against its passing tail, use the recoil to activate the Flowing Blade.
Dragburn’s movements are too fast for me to follow with my eyes.
However, I managed to defend against Ruberto-san’s Instant Slash, which was equally too fast for my eyes.
If I can’t track it with my eyes, I’ll just have to perfectly predict its movements.
Compared to the swordmaster Ruberto-san, Dragburn’s simple movements are far easier to read.
ㅤ
Converting the force of Dragburn’s attack into rotational power, I used the momentum from my own charge and the rebounding impact to vault over his head. In a position where it felt like the world had flipped, I swung my blade at Dragburn’s eyeball.
Since he chose to counter-attack, I don’t have to worry about Stella being pursued anymore.
So, I’ll bet on the possibility of inflicting even a little damage.
ㅤ
“Huh?!”
ㅤ
But it didn’t go as planned.
Even with my attack, I couldn’t cut through his eyeball.
I managed to inflict a wound, but it completely healed in the blink of an eye.
Despite using Flowing Blade, which harnesses the enhanced power of Dragburn himself.
The rate of increase in his defense was more than I expected.
Even his healing power has been massively boosted.
It seems it’s worth the life he’s sacrificing.
ㅤ
“『Fist of Flame』!”
ㅤ
My attack was blocked, and a fist from Dragburn flies towards me, who is in mid-air.
The power of this attack is also off the charts.
Upon closer inspection, his fist is still broken from Stella’s earlier attack.
ㅤ
While trembling at Dragburn’s increasing monstrousness, I read his movements and dodge the attack.
My current position is mid-air, having jumped to attack his eyeball, and moreover, I’m upside down.
Furthermore, my sword has already been swung.
In such a condition, it’s tough to withstand Dragburn’s ultra-fast attacks.
ㅤ
So, this time, I don’t block.
I add to the momentum of the remaining Flowing Blade and kick the wind generated by my leg armor to accelerate downward.
I evade the fist that was swung at me from below by accelerating straight down.
I then rotate my body and kick the wind in front of Dragburn’s stomach to disengage.
I land in front of Stella, who had been knocked away earlier, and take up my sword again while staying alert for his next move.
ㅤ
And just as I move away from Dragburn, another attack strikes him from a different direction.
ㅤ
“””『Electric Cannon』!”””
“””『Magical Ice Storm』!”””
“””『Water Wave』!”””
“””『Earth Tornado』!”””
“””『Wind Blast』!”””
“””『Dark Rain』!”””
“””『Holy Light Strike』!”””
ㅤ
Lightning, ice, water, earth, wind, darkness, light.
From the collapsed castle wall, Elves released spells of all elements except fire, which wouldn’t work on Dragburn anyway.
ㅤ
“”『Judgment of all Attributes』!””
ㅤ
Finally, a direct hit with maximum firepower from two Sages.
Until a moment ago, the continuous magical attacks were dealing significant damage.
But. . . . . .
ㅤ
“It doesn’t work! It just doesn’t!”
ㅤ
For the current Dragburn, it’s not a fatal blow.
Even being bombarded by a storm of magic, the Blue Flame Dragon Dragburn remained unfazed.
The damage dealt is regenerating immediately.
It even looks like the wounds inflicted so far, including those by the Holy Sword, are gradually healing.
How much more can he take?
ㅤ
“ROOOOAAAAAR!”
ㅤ
Dragburn lets out a roar, and flames form in his mouth.
Another breath attack, the number of which I’ve lost count.
But this breath is different from all the others.
From this mass of blue flames, I can feel an enormous heat, as if it could burn everything in this world to ashes.
ㅤ
“『Azure Dragon Cannon』!”
ㅤ
And then, a blue breath was unleashed.
As if to sweep away all the magic raining down from all directions, the blue flame that was emitted while swinging its head and rotating, burnt away all sorts of magical attributes and easily melted even the remaining barriers, attacking the Elves.
Along with the remnants of the magical wall, the Elves were engulfed in flames.
. . . . . .Complete annihilation?
No, the power of the breath had been reduced by magic and barriers.
There should be some who have survived.
Still, to so easily decimate such a large force. . . . . .!
The only ones confirmed to be safe within sight are Stella, who is right beside me, Rin, Auntie Elle, and Holy Warrior Eltrait-san, who seem to have successfully blocked the breath.
I wish the other Elves could rejoin the battle line, but. . . . . .it’ll probably be difficult right away.
ㅤ
“Stella, are your injuries okay?”
“. . . . . .Yes, they’re completely healed.”
“I see.”
ㅤ
If Stella is safe, there’s still a chance of winning.
The enemy is powerful.
So powerful it easily swept aside the Elves, who are strong themselves.
If that’s the power obtained in exchange for its life, perhaps the best move might be to wait for it to self-destruct by running away.
But, I don’t think we can keep running from something that fast, and I don’t know how much longer Dragburn’s life will last.
Aiming to escape doesn’t seem like the best plan.
ㅤ
Then, I’ll resolve myself to step forward.
ㅤ
“There’s no point in attacking it bit by bit. You should start chanting a powerful spell that could inflict a fatal wound on it. I’ll buy time until then.”
“Allan. . . . . .”
“It’ll be fine.”
ㅤ
As I walk alone towards Dragburn, I call out to Stella behind me without looking back.
ㅤ
“Trust me. I’m the man who outdueled heroes.”
ㅤ
With my utmost coolness, showing all the bluff I’ve got, I speak to my dear childhood friend standing behind me.
But it’s not an empty bluff.
I have confidence in pulling this off.
I have the will to do so.
I’ve been through this kind of life-or-death situation many times before.
ㅤ
“. . . . . .Understood! I’m counting on you!”
“Alright.”
ㅤ
Stella trusts me and starts her magical chant.
In front of her, several layers of barrier magic unfold.
It’s the magic from Rin and the others.
With this, I can fight without worrying about the aftermath.
I’m grateful.
ㅤ
I give a slight smile, which fades quickly as I fix a piercing gaze at Dragburn while stepping towards him.
ㅤ
“Oh! You come at me alone!”
ㅤ
I don’t intend to fight alone.
I can face you because I trust Stella behind me, because I know there’s support from Rin and the others, because I believe other Elves will eventually come back.
But, I don’t need to say any of that.
There’s only one thing I should say to him.
ㅤ
“Dragburn. I won’t let you take another step forward.”
ㅤ
With absolute resolve, I declare.
Upon hearing this, Dragburn. . . . . .laughed.
It’s not a laugh filled with scorn or contempt.
It’s a laugh of pure joy, from beginning to end, excited and happy to be in battle.
ㅤ
“Hahaha! Ha ha ha! Good resolve! Good mindset! No fear at all before this Blue Flame Dragon! Excellent! I’m proud to fight a man like you at the end of my life!”
“Thanks.”
ㅤ
As I reply with those words, I unsheathe the sword from my waist.
My first companion in this world, Onryomaru.
Kurotenmaru in my right hand.
Onryomaru in my left hand.
Ironically, this is the original way to wield this sword, used by its previous owner.
ㅤ
“Ultimate Killing Sword Deformation・Dual Sword Style.”
ㅤ
This is my trump card.
In the previous world, it was unattainable, but it’s a new possibility for the Ultimate Killing Sword that I’ve arrived at because I’m with my comrades.
With this power, I will defeat you.
ㅤ
“Come.”
ㅤ
With my blade ready, I simply announce.
Dragburn bares its fangs, revealing an even more sinister grin, and initiates the charge.
The final battle begins.
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