Chapter 203 - The Golden Bone Dragon
The Skeleton Dragon is large, making it an easy target for attacks. Its formidable defenses are a nuisance, but since it can take damage, it should be beatable.
As expected of a dragon, despite being made of bones, its attacks are incredibly sharp. The long tail, short arms swinging wildly, and biting attacks all carry a significant weight. Getting hit by any of them would be disastrous.
The intense tension activates my brain and body, heightening my senses. I need to be cautious even of unknown attacks it hasn't used yet.
The magic power it contains is immense. It will definitely use magic. Missing the signs of its magic could mean death, but that's where the real challenge begins. I'll breeze through the early stages.
Each strike with the bat sends a few bone fragments flying. I've tried punching and kicking, but the damage is minimal. Since this is a battle of endurance, I focus on using the bat efficiently to deal damage.
The others' movements are starting to fall into a pattern. The Skeleton Dragon's attacks are easy to predict due to its size. We avoid them and then strike with magic-infused weapons to chip away at it.
We're not sure which parts are its weak points, so we're attacking in a scattered manner. A regular skeleton might have obvious weak spots, but this one might not. If we find a weak point, we can press our attack.
I use the super-hard bat to target the neck, while Albert focuses on the wings. Bones don't typically have membranes, but since this is an undead, anything is possible. If there are any concerns, it's best to eliminate them. Still, with magic, breaking the wings might not matter much.
Liliane and Mia are chipping away at the legs to disrupt its balance, while Valeria moves in three dimensions, slashing with her knife. Her high-speed, multi-directional movements are impressive. She kicks the dragon's arms, legs, and wings, moving and attacking in three dimensions. The damage is minimal, but as long as it's not zero, the strategy has value. We might have to whittle it down entirely, but finding a weak point would be a bonus. It's worth trying various tactics.
And then there's Graylease. Her Shadow Magic can affect the Skeleton Dragon's shadow. While the power difference is too great to immobilize it, she can influence its initial movements. Even this assistance makes the fight much easier.
Despite the Skeleton Dragon's active, unpredictable movements, we're still struggling. We can only land about five to six consecutive strikes.
I attach myself to its shoulder and pummel the neck bones. A few fragments scatter. How many more hits will it take to crush these thick bones? The dragon tries to bite me, moving its head mechanically. Even if an attack is lethal, I don't flinch when I recognize it.
I leap over its head, striking a blow, then land on the opposite shoulder and immediately strike again. I'm aware of everyone's movements in the background. We're all following a similar pattern.
Avoiding, moving, and attacking has become routine, but there's no room for complacency. This enemy doesn't allow for mistakes.
We fight with near full effort, relying on the daily training and real combat experience we've accumulated. This is what supports us. No matter the challenges, our past efforts and achievements give us absolute confidence.
Verone releases a light magic spell. We appreciate these subtle supports. We keep chipping away, expecting an unexpected attack. Finally, the signs appear.
"Something's coming!"
We all retreat and gather behind me. We're ready with physical and magical shields. Bring it on!
The Skeleton Dragon's magical energy suddenly explodes, followed by a violent eruption of smoke.
A sinister, pitch-black smoke rises from the golden bones. This is what's known as miasma, a highly toxic substance. Inhaling it would immediately dissolve your nose and lungs.
But there's no reason to fear. The poison I once created in experiments was even more potent. No one knows about this secret skill, and I'd never use it on a person. The Purifying Engraving has proven to neutralize even that poison.
Our Kikyo Society's custom overcoat offers the highest defense against poison gas. Specialized for this purpose.
"This won't affect us!"
I laugh provocatively, raising my spirits.
With the gas, shields are unnecessary. I plunge into the noxious smoke, swinging the bat.
The purifying enchantment on my overcoat effortlessly cleanses the clinging miasma.
I strike the neck bones again, observing the changes. The only differences are the miasma and more intense movements. I can't afford to be careless.
I focus on the routine, repeatedly striking the neck bones. I cling to the thrashing body, adjusting my position, and continue hammering away. I chip away at the thick, sturdy bones, removing fragments. I don't let up and steadily progress.
The results are visible. One part of the neck is gradually thinning. I'd say it's about thirty percent thinner than before. I'm not sure if decapitating it will guarantee victory, but as long as there's no option to give up, I'll try the next strategy if this one fails.
As the dragon's movements become more erratic, everyone seems to have the same idea. We need to do something about the wildly flailing legs.
"Onee-sama, I need knives! Lots of them!"
"Me too!"
Valeria joins Mia and Liliane in attacking the legs. I have no idea what she plans to do with so many knives, but if she needs them, I'll provide them.
"Got it! I'll scatter them behind you, so pick them up!"
I don't have time to carefully craft each knife. I'll do it all at once.
I declare this and immediately use a spell to grow numerous knives from the ground.
These hastily made knives are sturdy but not finely crafted. They're disposable, but they're still high-quality for their purpose.
The three confirm my magic and leave the dragon's side to collect the knives.
They return quickly and start inserting the knives into the joints.
They stop chipping away and jam the knives into the hip and knee joints as much as possible. Even sturdy knives will break when wedged into the massive, hard bones.
Regardless, they keep inserting knives, and eventually, the dragon's movements are hindered and it stops. It tries to thrash around but ends up falling over.
"Great job! Let's press the attack!"
We continue chipping away, undeterred by the rising miasma. This is a bonus round now that it's immobilized. We aim to finish it off.
Albert attaches himself to the back and hammers away at the relatively thinner bones of the wings. He's already broken several during this bonus round.
As time passes, I notice the miasma's intensity increasing.
The Purifying Engraving neutralizes the poison gas regardless of its intensity, but this seems like another sign. Everyone is on high alert, and our attacks slow down.
"Something's wrong! Let's back off!"
Before we retreat, I deliver one final blow.
I strike the neck, which is already half-chipped, with all my strength. I feel a solid impact. I jump back before I can confirm the damage, but I think I cracked it.
As we regroup, the miasma from the fallen Skeleton Dragon grows to an abnormal level. It's so thick that the dragon itself is no longer visible.
"What's happening?"
"Creepy..."
"It's not regenerating from our attacks, is it?"
After all that, to have no effect would be frustrating. I hope it's a different phenomenon.
The thick, potent miasma makes it impossible to understand what's happening. We hesitate to engage.
"Should we try a magic attack?"
Elves are always so calm. But yes, we can't just stand by and watch.
We exchange knowing glances and start attacking.
We bombard it with spells and throw iron balls, but it becomes clear that the attacks are ineffective.
The high concentration of miasma seems to act as a barrier, preventing our attacks from landing. Worse, it appears to absorb our attacks and convert them into more miasma.
"...It's absorbing the attacks! Stop the attack!"
If it's only a feeling, it's manageable, but if it's really absorbing, attacking is counterproductive. We should observe instead.
Even after stopping the magical attacks, the miasma continues to grow. It feels like it's turning from a gas to a liquid, and then to a solid.
"...Isn't this getting dangerous?"
"More like a mass?"
The situation is changing. The miasma, which was initially a gas, is now a bulky, writhing mass, transforming the golden-boned dragon.
A massive body, head, and wings are forming with black flesh and scales. It's clearly not just miasma.
"What is that? An evolution from skeleton to zombie?"
"More like a full resurrection?"
"Can it really come back to life? A fresh zombie?"
But it doesn't look like a zombie. It's well-formed, with no signs of decay. The scales look impressive and hard.
Strangely, as the transformation progresses, the temperature around us drops sharply.
The Forest of the Underworld is always cold, but this is an abnormal chill. Without temperature-regulating overcoats, we'd freeze. I feel the frigid air on my exposed face.
The massive magical beast is changing from golden bones to a black dragon. As the hollow eye sockets fill with golden eyes, it looks down at us. Despite being knocked over, it somehow stands back up. I hope the damage we inflicted on its bones remains, but we'll see.
Then the black dragon's fleshy throat vibrates.
"ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"
The roar is so loud I have to cover my ears. It sounds like a monster.
Still, the golden bones were more majestic. The black dragon is impressive but ominous. It should be called a Vile Dragon. Its appearance is one thing, but its strength is the real concern.
The Skeleton Dragon was already a powerful undead, with incredible durability and attacks that could kill us with a single hit. With its body restored, what new abilities will it have? It's certainly not weaker, and the intense cold is making our bodies stiff. This is going to be tough.
The unrealistic transformation of the undead, the terrifying legendary dragon, and the unknown phenomena occurring one after another are overwhelming. It's pointless to be surprised by each one. It's exhausting to try to understand each reason. We won't reach any conclusions anyway.
No matter what, our task remains the same. We need to take down the enemy in front of us. That's all.
Faced with this unprecedented threat, I ask myself:
Am I afraid?
Of course not. Even if I were, I'd crush it without a second thought.
Am I tired?
Quite the opposite; I feel energized.
Are my companions okay?
There are no weak links. The battle spirit is palpable, and no one is hesitating.
Can we defeat it?
That's a foolish question.
No, it's not a problem at all.
Is anyone not excited about this prime target?
A dragon? A Vile Dragon? A legendary magical beast?
Anyone with a sound mind would run away, or maybe even faint and be killed easily.
But we are the Kikyo Society. We overcome challenges and seek greater ones to overcome.
Everyone must be thinking the same thing.
A legendary magical beast, so what?
I don't care. It's irrelevant.
All I feel is the certainty of victory.
The enemy in front of me is just a delicious target.
"Hehe, hahaha!"
"Ahahaha!"
"Hehehehehe!"
"My stomach hurts!"
"It's getting fun!"
We can't help but laugh, and everyone else joins in.
Is there anything more enjoyable than this?
"This Forest of the Underworld isn't so bad!"
The fun is just beginning. My strength is bubbling up.
Big guy, I'll knock you down again.
A powerful boss always has a transformation. It's a metamorphosis.
Of course, it won't be easy.
The next chapter: "The Fierce Battle with the Vile Dragon" continues!