Several months passed. As sumr turned to autumn, Arwen and I visited Rivendell. The elves there had grown close to us and no longer treated us with suspicion or caution.
"Welco."
Elrond greeted us warmly.
"We live nearby — we should visit more often."
"My daughter has moved out, so it must feel empty."
"Ahem..."
My words hit ho, and Elrond coughed. Arwen covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
We ate together, drank tea, and talked.
"At the last White Council, Gandalf said Sauron is growing in power. I'm very concerned."
"So that's why Gandalf has been traveling so much."
"Yes. I worry another war might start."
Elrond took a sip of tea and asked :
"If war cos, will you help us?"
Knowing how much help I could be, and knowing I was a dragon, he asked with so hope.
"Hmm... I promise to protect you, my father-in-law, and the elves of Rivendell until you depart for Valinor. But beyond that, I cannot help."
"I see. Understood."
Elrond accepted this and didn't ask further. He hadn't expected much.
Arwen and I spent a few days in Rivendell. As we were enjoying tea in the warm sun, a child approached and asked. It was Aragorn.
"Mister! Are you really a dragon?"
"Yes, I am."
"Wow~ Then could you transform into a dragon for ?"
Aragorn, barely over ten years old, asked innocently.
"Sorry, but if I transform here, many people would be frightened. I'll show you another ti."
Aragorn looked disappointed. Arwen spoke up.
"Everyone already knows you're a dragon. Would it really matter?"
Elrond scolded Arwen.
"Arwen, even after marriage, you still lack sense. Arkad Jean is right. Think of the people — if a giant dragon suddenly appeared in the realm, they would panic."
Arwen, having received a scolding from her father for the first ti in a while, seed a little sulky. To cheer her up, I stood up and said:
"Alright. Let's go down to the plains below the realm. I'll give you a ride."
At my words, Arwen smiled, and Aragorn was overjoyed. Hearing this, Elrond glanced at Arwen, then quietly asked :
"Ahem... Could I also ride? I am worried about Estel (Aragorn), after all."
Elrond's words suggested otherwise — he just wanted to ride a dragon. I suppressed a smile and agreed.
We went down to the plains. I transford into a dragon, carried all three, and flew slowly through the sky.
"Wow~ Look! I can see the whole Misty Mountains!"
"Estel (Aragorn), don't get too excited. Hold on tight."
Though he said that, judging by his heartbeat, Elrond was even more excited. I flew slowly, circled the Dragon's Tower, and returned to the plains near Rivendell. I lowered them down and transford back into my human form.
"How was it? Fun?"
"It was so much fun!"
I patted the excited Aragorn on the head.
"Let's head back to the realm."
We returned to Rivendell and enjoyed dinner. The day's experience was so wonderful that Aragorn chattered about the sights during the al.
'He's still a child.'
The next day, Arwen and I gave Aragorn so sweets, said goodbye to Elrond, and returned to the Dragon's Tower.
Another month passed. Arwen and I had just finished a delicious dinner and were enjoying dessert when suddenly, a signal ca from my [Nano Buckle].
"Arwen, I got a signal from Thorin. I need to go."
"Really? I'm surprised. A dwarf giving up gold and treasure."
Arwen also seed surprised that Thorin would sacrifice half the treasure to ask for my help. I was a little surprised myself.
"Tell about it. Anyway, a promise is a promise. I'll be back."
"Please co back safely."
"Don't worry."
I had given Arwen the sa type of ring I had given Thorin.
"Ah! This is what you gave Thorin."
"Yes. If anything happens, break the gem."
"Understood."
I left the Dragon's Tower, transford into my dragon form, and flew over the Misty Mountains. With [Flight] and [Telekinesis], I could cover the distance to Erebor, the Lonely Mountain, at trendous speed.
When I arrived, Smaug was devastating Lake-town with his breath. Fortunately, he hadn't been at it long — about two-thirds of the town was still intact.
I flew toward Smaug and spoke to him.
"Hey! That's enough. Leave this place. Or I will take your life."
Smaug seed surprised to see another dragon after so long.
"A fellow dragon, after all these years. Judging by the elven scent, you must be the dragon who settled in the Misty Mountains."
I wondered how a creature who spent his days sleeping on gold could have heard such news. Through magically attuned animals, probably.
"You're the first of my kind I've seen in a long ti, so I'll let it slide once. Leave. I cannot forgive this town."
"Then I have no choice. I will honor my promise and kill you."
"Promise? What promise? And with that small body, you think you can defeat , Smaug the Magnificent? Enough jokes!"
Smaug was indeed larger than . With my transformation and abilities, I reached about 70 ters in length. Smaug, including his long neck and tail, appeared to be over 100 ters. Fortunately, my build was muscular and solid, while Smaug was leaner. Physically, the difference wasn't huge.
"Small but spicy."
"You're full of hot air. You ca to my territory and picked a fight. You'll regret it!"
Smaug opened his mouth and unleashed his breath. I dodged quickly to the side and breathed my own fla to strike back. But having never used it before, I didn't hold back, and the power was imnse — beyond compare to Smaug's breath. Truly a breath stolen from the Black Dragon Fatalis.
Smaug, startled, rose quickly to avoid my fla.
"How can a dragon smaller than wield such power?"
Smaug, barely dodging, was clearly flustered.
"Now do you understand? I don't want to kill a fellow dragon. Leave this place, and I will spare you."
My words injured his pride. Angry, Smaug shouted:
"Silence! I am stronger than Glaurung (the Father of Dragons) himself! There's no way I'll lose to the likes of you!"
"Oh dear... Smaug, your father would be sad to hear that."
Unable to bear my mockery, Smaug charged at in a straight line. I charged as well, and we engaged in close combat. But he had made a mistake. My monstrous strength and defense were beyond imagination.
We tumbled in the air, clawing and biting at each other. From the ground, it must have been a spectacular sight. Unfortunately, I was too busy fighting to see it.
Smaug, knowing a bite would be fatal, desperately avoided my jaws, even at the cost of being clawed. I also avoided biting him, going along with the mood, and attacked only with my claws. The funny thing was, neither of us was taking damage.
Even with my [Busoshoku Haki], Smaug's scales were not pierced — only scratched. His scales boasted incredible defense, and fighting in an unfamiliar body while flying made it difficult to land a solid blow. So I decided to use raw strength. When Smaug struck with his foreleg, I grabbed it and bent it the opposite way.
CRACK!
"GRAAAGH!!"
As his arm twisted in the wrong direction, Smaug roared in pain, then bit my shoulder. But his teeth couldn't penetrate my body, hardened with [Busoshoku Haki]. I imdiately infused my teeth with Haki and mana, bit into Smaug's neck, and clenched down.
CRUNCH!
As I crushed his neck, Smaug couldn't even scream properly — only groan — and began pleading for his life.
"Grrr... S-spare ..."
"It's too late."
With his neck still in my jaws, I pressed his body down with my legs and descended rapidly to the ground near the lake.
CRASH!!!
CRACKLE!!
When two massive dragons hit the ground, it sounded like an artillery shell exploding, sending dirt and rock flying. The impact broke Smaug's spine and neck, killing him instantly.
DING~!
You have acquired abilities [(S) Dragon Breath], [(S) Fla Resistance], and [(A) Dragon Skin].
[(S) Dragon Breath] has been absorbed into [(SS) Dragon Breath].
[(S) Fla Resistance] has been absorbed into [(SS) Fla Resistance] and upgraded to [(SSS) Fla Resistance].
[(A) Dragon Skin]
Your skin becos as tough as a dragon's.
"Now, ordinary flas won't even scratch ."
After obtaining the abilities, I stored Smaug's corpse in my inventory — it might be useful. I then flew toward Lake-town to put out the fires. Suddenly, a black arrow was shot from the bell tower at the center of the town. I caught it with my hand.
"This is absurd. I ca to help, and this is how you repay ?"
This was the 'Black Arrow' — specially made by the dwarves of Erebor to kill dragons. I glared at the bell tower. Bard ca out with his hands raised in surrender.
"Arkad Jean, Lord of the Misty Mountains, please forgive us. We did not know if you were friend or foe. It was a mistake."
My na had reached even this far, and Bard knew it. After a mont's thought, I spoke to the townspeople.
"Hmm... Fine. I'll give you a chance. Sacrifice the life of the highest among you. Then I will spare the rest."
The townspeople murmured.
"The highest?"
"That would be the Master."
"Where is the Master?"
"Find the Master quickly! If we delay, we'll all die!"
Then, a female elf climbed onto a rooftop and called out to . It was Tauriel — the woman Legolas loved. She didn't appear in the original novel, but I had chosen the movie version, so she existed.
"Here he is, great dragon!"
She pointed. On a boat laden with gold and treasure, dressed in finery, stood a fat Master. I flew over, snatched him with my foreleg, flew high into the sky, and burned him to ash with my breath.
I imposed this condition because in the original story, Smaug was hit by a Black Arrow and fell, crushing the Master beneath him. Bard then led the townspeople. But since Smaug and I fought and died elsewhere, that wouldn't happen. So I added the condition.
The Master was a greedy man who neglected the town's developnt, and when the dragon attacked, he abandoned the people, gathered his wealth, and tried to flee. So I killed him, removing a future headache.
'After all this, they can handle themselves.'
After finishing with Lake-town, I flew to Erebor, the Lonely Mountain, where Thorin and Company were. When I arrived, the dwarves did not welco — they panicked. From Thorin, I learned why.
"Arkad Jean! This was a mistake! One of my companions took the ring from by force and broke it. This deal is void!"
They must have realized Smaug might not be killed, that the dragon would destroy Lake-town, rembered their promise, and forced Thorin to break the ring.
I ignored his excuse and spoke threateningly:
"Such excuses do not work. I have kept my promise. You must pay."
With that, I flew into Erebor and began sweeping its gold and treasure into my inventory. After taking a good amount, I ca back out. Thorin sat slumped against the wall, looking devastated. I saw Bilbo standing nearby and asked him:
"Bilbo, I'm returning to the Dragon's Tower. Do you want to co?"
Bilbo thought for a mont, then said:
"Thank you for the offer, but I'll stay here. I'm worried about my traveling companions."
He was likely concerned about the conflict that had arisen among them. Bilbo was a good person.
"I see. Very well."
"Thank you for killing Smaug."
As I was about to leave, Bilbo thanked . Thorin glared at him angrily.
"You! Y-you..."
But he couldn't finish, sighed, and turned away. The gold I had taken was too painful for him to bear.
The contrast was clear: Bilbo, who thanked even though I had taken paynt, and Thorin, blinded by greed and unable to think clearly.
'Well, Thorin does eventually co to his senses — just before dying.'
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