Chapter 205 - Brilliance of the Blue Flames
"Sorry, I'm a bit late. Still, I'm surprised it's a legendary dragon. But according to Verone, it seems fire might work, right?"
"Our general magic can only char the flesh. How far can you go?"
"I'll do my best! Let's start with a big blast. Can someone stop it from moving!?"
A lively spirit can change the atmosphere. It brings back our energy, even when we're tired.
Since Ophelia has a fire affinity, we can probably count on her a bit.
Considering our fatigue, dragging out the battle any longer isn't a good idea. If we have a plan, we should finish this quickly.
"You may be late, but you're acting like a big shot. Leave it to us!"
"Albert's lightning and my Shadow Magic should do the trick!"
"Alright, just hold it off until I get close! Keep it in place, and leave the rest to me. Everyone, stand back!"
She shouted, quickly forming a plan that barely qualifies as one.
Ophelia, full of energy, started running and used her original fire-wrapping magic.
As a ball of crimson flames, Ophelia was fully supported, reaching the dragon without a hitch.
Once she latched onto the dragon, she plunged her sword deep into the exposed flesh. On its own, it wouldn't do much, but let's see.
"Liliane, encase it in wind!"
Following Ophelia's command, Liliane wrapped the dragon and Ophelia in a cocoon of wind.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"ROAROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
The flames surrounding Ophelia suddenly grew, engulfing the dragon.
The temperature in the wind cocoon soared, the flames growing brighter.
I'm curious how the caster can survive in such extreme heat, but I doubt Ophelia has thought that far.
The wind barrier must be shielding the heat, but even the surrounding cold air starts to warm up.
Inside the oven-like cocoon, the sword is burning from the inside out. We'll see how well this works.
I hope this ends it.
"AAAAAAHH, more, more! This isn't enough! Yukari, everyone, send me fire!"
Everyone, except Liliane who uses wind, sent fire in response to her call.
No time for details, just release the flames. She'll make good use of them.
"Is that all? Send everything you have! This isn't enough!"
In response to her urgent cries, we increased our output to the max, pouring in all our remaining magic.
We all know this is the decisive moment.
Valeria, Albert, Mia, Graylease, and I pushed our flames to the limit. Soon after, Verone and the Young Master joined in with their own fireballs.
Our magic reserves are running low, and we can't sustain this for long.
The absorbed flames transformed under Ophelia's control, glowing with a brilliant blue-white light.
The radiance was so intense it almost blinded us.
A minute or two felt like an eternity.
Suddenly, the light faded, and the flames vanished without a trace.
The levitation spell revealed the aftermath.
The ground glowed red and emitted intense heat, but Ophelia was somehow unscathed.
Exhausted, Ophelia collapsed, unconscious.
And the Vile Dragon?
Its black scales were undamaged, not even scorched. It remained cold and intact, just as before the inferno.
Cold sweat broke out, and tension gripped us.
But then, a scale fell off the dragon.
One scale, then another, and another, dropping in a chain reaction.
I quickly formed a shield to protect Ophelia and observed.
The scales fell away in a cascade, revealing golden bones beneath. The inner flesh was completely burned away.
"...We're back to square one? No, not quite."
The initial damage to the bones remained, with visible cracks.
Moreover, the dragon's magic felt weaker, as if it had made a last desperate effort during the fiery assault. It was near death.
One more push, and we can finish it!
I rallied the stunned group.
"Valeria! Stab the weak spot at the back of its neck and hold it in place! Mia and Albert, attack like we did! Graylease, retrieve Ophelia!"
"Y-Yes!"
This is our chance. The undead dragon, now a golden bone dragon, is motionless, likely due to its depleted magic.
Valeria sprinted and stabbed the weakened bone with a disposable knife, holding it in place.
"Here I go!"
I swung my Silver Super-Hard Bat with all my might, aiming for the knife's handle.
Valeria released her hold just before impact, and the bat hammered into the weakened spot like a stake.
A satisfying crack echoed as the head detached.
"Not done yet! We'll shatter every vulnerable spot!"
Valeria pulled out the knife and stabbed another weak spot, smashing it with the bat. If one hit didn't do it, she'd keep going until it broke.
Mia and Albert did the same, their weapons leaving the same destructive results.
We focused on destroying as many vulnerable spots as possible, taking advantage of the dragon's immobility.
Our bodies and minds were at their limits, but we pushed through.
Before long, the dragon's magic faded completely.
Silence fell on the square, now a pile of golden bones and black scales.
The abnormal cold was gone, and the ground, once magma-like, had cooled and solidified. We stayed on guard, but the immediate threat was over.
"We did it, right?"
"I can't do any more..."
Despite the flag-like lines, I felt confident.
The battle had been so relentless that it was hard to believe it was over.
"I'll call the vehicles. If the dragon revives, we'll ignore it and keep moving."
We couldn't handle another fight.
Three vehicles arrived, and we set up camp a short distance away. This area was relatively safe from other undead, making it a good spot to rest.
"I can't go on. I need a real break or I'll die."
Liliane, removing her smile, declared and immediately tried to sleep.
There were many concerns, but we were all at our limits.
"...I'm done too. I'm going to sleep."
Laying down my tired body, I closed my eyes without waiting for a response. The ground felt fine.
"I'm done too."
"Me too..."
The front-line fighters all fell asleep.
"Hey, everyone! I get it, but I'll wake you in three hours. I'm tired too."
We drifted off to sleep, listening to Verone's complaints.
I half-awoke, feeling heavy. Checking my state, my magic had recovered about halfway, but my physical and mental exhaustion was still immense.
"Yukari, you're awake?"
"...Yeah, still sleepy. What time is it?"
"Almost three hours. Should I wake the others?"
Verone seemed to be the only one on watch. She had allowed the Young Master and the others to rest, judging it safe.
"Let them sleep. I can take the watch. You should rest too."
"Alright, I was at my limit anyway. See you later."
She yawned and quickly fell asleep.
I crawled out from under the blanket she had thoughtfully provided and forced myself to get up.
Valeria and the others were sleeping soundly nearby.
The battle with the dragon had lasted over half a day, not just long but intensely tense. Everyone was exhausted.
Looking at myself, I couldn't help but laugh. My once-elegant coat was tattered and dirty, as were the others' clothes. A purification spell and a change of clothes were necessary to feel human again.
The battle against the unexpected magic beast was intense.
I felt like we had accomplished something significant, even though it was unrelated to our main mission. The journey was far from over, and the thought of future battles with the Legisamo Cartel and the Empire was daunting.
"Haah, I'm so tired."
Even after resting, I still felt drained.
The damage was considerable. The most shocking was my ruined coat. Although I had spares, it was sad to lose my favorite one. The damage was beyond repair, and I'd have to start over.
Our weapons were also affected. My bat and gloves were fine, but many others were rendered useless by the dragon's tough defenses and noxious gases. Ophelia's sword was lost in the final high-heat attack. While we had backups, the cost of weapons was significant.
Our undergarments and consumables were also affected. I could replenish the Kikyo Society's standard magical potions and healing potions, but the limited-use magic items couldn't be replaced.
Despite the losses, we were fortunate. Thanks to Verone and the Young Master, our vehicles and cargo were safe. That was a major relief.
We might have lost a lot, but the potential gains were immense.
Looking at the aftermath of the battle:
"That should be collected."
The mountain of golden bones and black scales was undoubtedly valuable.
We couldn't take everything, especially the larger parts, but we'd load as much as we could into the vehicles.
Besides personal use, we could sell these to merchants connected to large countries like Rosmerta or Berliza, or even to guilds. The potential profit could be in the millions.
Comparing the losses to the gains, the outcome was positive.
Not only was the financial aspect promising, but the experience of fighting a powerful, legendary dragon was invaluable.
Individually, victory would have been unlikely, even with all our resources. But as a team, we triumphed. This experience, and the knowledge that we can defeat such a formidable foe, will be a significant asset moving forward.
The world is full of unknowns. There's still so much to discover. Hehe, life is still exciting.
I climbed onto the jeep's cargo bed, lost in thought. The quiet Forest of the Underworld was perfect for reflection.
During my watch, the quiet turned to hunger. The remaining food was limited, and eating alone wasn't fair.
It was time to wake everyone. They had rested enough, and we needed to move on.
I released a burst of aggressive magic, and everyone jumped up.
They were on high alert, showing they weren't completely out of it.
"Did you wake up?"
"Onee-sama!"
"Was that you, Yukari?"
"Please, spare us..."
"More importantly, I'm hungry."
Ignoring the complaints, I announced my hunger, and someone's stomach rumbled loudly.
---
The battle against the unknown and powerful undead dragon is over. It was one of the most challenging fights we've had.
Though the battle was long, it was just a side event on our journey. We haven't even left the Forest of the Underworld yet.
The next part of our journey, "Sprouting Hope and Despair," continues.