Chapter 232: Dragon Hunter ② Deathmatch in the Cave
–Aegir POV–
The dragon roars once again.
It feels strong enough to send my consciousness flying if I loosen up my abdominal muscles even just a little bit.
Perhaps sensing he could not make faint like Christoph, the Dragon stops roaring and approaches instead.
It probably wants to use a more direct thod.
「L-Lintbloom...... chief...... this dragon is not an opponent you can fight!」
Gido is trembling while in a ready stance with his sword as he appeals to with a tear-stained face.
Nobody can bla him, asking him to stay calm in front of a giant dragon dozens of ters tall is impossible.
That reminds , I rember hearing about so dragon of legends.
I don’t know if this is the sa one, but it may be intelligent.
I’ll try talking to it.
「We’re sorry for disturbing your place of slumber. We’ll be leaving now so you can continue your afternoon nap......」
When I was still in mid-sentence, the dragon raises its front leg and swipes at sideways.
I was able to jump backwards to barely avoid being hit but the wind pressure was enough to send tumbling backwards three tis.
「......it doesn’t look like talking works. Everyone, spread out.」
The difference in size is too great so if we group together, it’ll just squash us all at once.
One person will have to dodge its attacks while the others counterattack.
Fortunately, it isn’t very fast based on that previous strike.
Everyone, aside from Christoph, should be fast enough to dodge.
With that said, it’s hard to believe regular swords can get through the tough-looking scales covering its entire giant body.
The only weapons that look effective are my hamr and Balbano’s axe.
「You guys don’t have to worry about attacking, just focus on evading. Balbano and I will attack so escape to the top when we create an opening.」
I use a forceful tone while raising my hamr.
The highest point I can reach with my attack is its front legs at best.
I’m not looking to deal a fatal blow, but it might writhe in pain if I crush its finger or sothing.
Even I feel trendous pain when I stub my toe on a desk.
「I don’t care if you’re Lintbloom or whoever, but getting hit with a hamr while you’re sleeping isn’t-......」
I pause.
I guess I would also feel like killing soone out of frustration if that happened to .
「It’s coming!!」
As if understanding my thoughts, the dragon roars angrily and swipes its foreleg at us again.
The trajectory of its claw leads toward Celia and Kroll. I hope they can dodge it.
「Kuh! Can’t hit !」
Celia hops sideways and tumbles to evade the claw.
anwhile, Kroll closes his eyes and stands still.
「Idiot, dodge it!」
I instinctively shout at him.
The large claw looked to tear Kroll apart.
「I see it!」
At that mont, Kroll’s eyes shoot wide open, then he dodges the claw by a hair’s breadth before jumping forward, of all things.
He slashes at the dragon’s giant tree trunk of an arm with his unsheathed sword and a sharp clang reverberates throughout the cave.
「There is nothing my sword can’t cut.」
At the sa ti Kroll finished his sentence, the blade of his glittering sword stabs into the ground.
「Your sword broke.」
「Huh......?」
Kroll’s sword snapped in half right in the middle.
「How mortifying......」
「Like I said, you don’t have to attack. If you don’t listen to what I say, you’ll get buttfucked!」
「Hey pal, so you swing that way after all?」
Argh, this is not the ti for that, Balbano.
That thing is attacking again.
The dragon does not even care about Kroll’s weak counterattack, instead it gets upset, probably from swinging at air, and raises its front leg up high.
「It wants to crush us! Jump backwards.」
It aid for Gido.
The limb swinging down was even more lethargic than before
「C-c’mon......guwah!」
The arm that slamd into the ground with unbelievable power sent rock shards scattering in all directions.
Gido tries hastily to block with his shield but wasn’t able to cover his entire body as he collapses after countless stones pelted his limbs.
「Let’s go, pal.」
「Right.」
The movent that limb made as it ca down to the ground made a rather large opening.
Balbano and I run simultaneously at the dragon.
Its aim did not deviate from being Gido.
After all, it would only take one more attack to finish him off.
It should retreat if we’re able to bash its leg before it can complete its attack.
However, the dragon didn’t continue its attack mindlessly.
It quickly turned its attention to us, trying to mow us down with its right leg.
「Nnuuun!」
The targeted Balbano deftly rolls out of the way.
You would think as a dwarf he would move slow, but he actually isn’t that sluggish.
「You’re mine!」
Balbano, who reached the dragon before , took a heavy swing at the dragon’s leg with his axe.
The dwarven axe should be able to split that leg even if it has the sa thickness as the trunk of giant tree.
A sharp tallic sound rung out.
「......what the-」
「So that’s not good enough?」
Balbano’s axe snapped in half from the handle portion.
The blade which danced in the air before falling to the ground was also dented with the shape of the dragon’s scale.
Even as axe made with dwarven tal can’t co close to getting through that thing’s scales.
And now I’m the only one with a decent weapon.
Dashing towards the dragon one beat later, I take a swing with my hamr, utilizing the montum from my run as well.
I purposely aim for the tip of its foot.
The hamr I’m holding is made with the sa material as the axe that broke, so it will probably produce the sa result even if I get a decent hit in.
「I’ll hamr your toe!」
Not straying from the spot I aid, the hamr accurately pounded the base of the dragon’s giant claw.
The impact made a dull sound and the recoil made my hands feel numb.
When I look at the hamr, I find that it has beco flat and the handle was bent.
However, I can tell the blow was effective.
No blood was shed and the claw didn’t snap off but its body definitely shook when my attack hit its mark.
Its face warped with anger and pain as it glared at , disregarding both the fleeing Balbano as well as the fallen Gido.
So a dragon feels pain when it stubs its toe too.
I’ll need to use this chance to let everyone escape.
「Run away Balbano, I’ll figure sothing out.」
As I say that, I hold the crooked hamr in my left hand so I can wield the Dual Crater with my right hand.
「Sorry. I’m powerless here.」
Balbano listens obediently, putting Gido on his shoulder before falling back.
Don’t worry about it, it’s already hard enough to fight when I have to be mindful of Celia or Kroll.
It’s easier if that thing aims only at .
The dragon roars again, though I’ve already gotten used to it by the third ti.
「Here I go.」
I run straight ahead with my hamr and sword in hand.
First, it swipes at horizontally with its right hand.
I crouch to the ground as low as possible to avoid being hit.
Next, it swings its left hand down at .
I change course and take a diagonal route.
I use the hamr only to destroy the larger rocks flung at from the shockwave of the attack, taking the hits from the small rocks with my body.
Naturally, it really hurts but it shouldn’t cause any major damage so long as it doesn’t hit my head.
Now, how will this guy react when I get within range of its feet while avoiding attacks from both of its arms?
It would make things easy if it just moved back, though I doubt it would do sothing like that after getting enraged from the hit on its toe.
Sure enough, as I get up close, the dragon attempts to bite , sticking out its neck and opening its large mouth.
「Right there!」
I hurl my hamr as its jaws separate.
The heavy object spins in the air several tis before crashing into one of its teeth.
Take that, you don’t have scales inside your mouth.
The weapon makes a dull thud before that one tooth snaps at the root.
「Oww......」
I hear Celia moan in pain behind .
Oh right, she recently fixed her cavity.
「I’m not done yet!」
I swing my Dual Crater at the snout of the dragon whose movents stopped due to pain.
It reflexively closes its mouth so I would be slashing at its scales. It better not break my sword.
If the Dual Crater breaks, Nonna will cry while headbutting a hundred tis.
A dull clang rings out on impact, then sothing falls to the ground a few monts later.
It was a dragon’s scale.
「You did it!」「It shed blood!!」
Celia and Balbano cheer.
The Dual Crater cuts into the dragon’s snout and red blood sprays out.
「......」
However, I’m not happy.
The Dual Crater definitely slashed its body.
Yet I thought I would have made a deep and clean cut from its snout to its chin.
「What impressive scales.」
I was able to tear off a single scale.
In exchange, it deflects my Dual Crater and prevents from slashing its face.
「This will be a tough fight.」
I settle my heart down and think calmly.
If I can’t tear its body apart, then I’ll have to aim for its vitals.
I don’t know where the vitals are on a dragon specifically, but like all living things, probably its head or heart.
It’s impossible to cut off its head so I either have to pierce straight through the top of its head or through its heart.
The Dual Crater is by no ans a small sword, yet it still isn’t long enough for this particular opponent.
Moreover it is hard, even with my strength, to make deep cuts on its body through the hard scales.
「What do I do?」
If I take a clean hit from the enemy’s attacks, I’ll be squished like a little insect.
This fight is a little too unfair.
「Aegir-sama...... is smiling.」
I unconsciously grin.
This kind of fight probably sets my soul on fire more so than crushing goblins.
Despite going crazy with rage from getting a tooth broken and shedding blood from its snout, the dragon seems to have recognized as more than just an insect.
It spreads its previously folded wings, flaps them once and pushes itself backwards.
The gust of wind created from the single beat of its wings makes lose my footing.
「Uooh, what a strong wind.」
「C-chief...... Lintbloom...... can fly......」
Gido, who is being carried by Balbano, frantically tries to inform .
Don’t push yourself, besides it’s already too late.
The dragon rises into the air then dives down toward .
Its speed is worlds apart from before.
「I won’t make it if I use my head.」
I don’t have ti to think about how to dodge.
I lock my eyes on that thing and rely on my instincts to twist my body out of the way.
I evade its claw, its fangs, and avoid getting pinned by its body, but still get hit by its tail.
Just when I thought I got hit, I rolled on the ground rapidly.
「Aah! I’m going back!」
「You’d only get in the way if you go back! Just go back up.」
I can see Balbano carrying the shouting Celia as he returns to the rope even as the world spins around .
After tumbling for a while, I crash into the wall.
I check my body while enduring the sharp pain.
No bones were broken and my innards didn’t fly out of my chest.
It looks like I tripped over the tail rather than getting hit by it.
Fortunately for , I rolled quite a bit so the speed dropped.
「Gaboh! Gebo!」1
All I know is that the pain hurts and my eyes are spinning and everything in my stomach has now co out.
Because of that though, I’ve sobered up as well.
The dragon doesn’t have any intention to wait for to recover after throwing up on the ground.
Its earth-shaking steps carry it forward toward and then it slowly raises its leg.
So it wants to crush underfoot.
I keep track of its movents while pretending to continue throwing up.
Right when its foot was about to co down on , I roll to the side and narrowly escape.
「This is an uncool attack but......it hurts!」
As soon as I get up, I swing my sword at its lowered leg.
The razor-sharp blade of my Dual Crater perfectly cuts into the area between its finger and claw.
Unlike its earlier roars of intimidation, it lets out a more of a whining scream.
Fufufu, it hurts, doesn’t it.
I’ve done the sa thing accidentally when cutting my nails with a small knife.
I really wanted to cry when that happened.
The dragon spreads its wings once again and dances in the air, putting so distance between us.
I swiftly retreat until I’m close to the wall of the cave.
As long as I’m here, it can’t make a rapid descent and fly towards .
Or else, it will crash into the wall.
The dragon hovers in the air but doesn’t approach .
I thought it was scared of the wall but sothing seems strange.
It’s facing this way while sucking in air.
「C-chief...... Lintbloom can...... guh......」
The injured Gido shouts again.
「Lintbloom can...... breathe fire......」
「Too late!!」
Right as Gido finishes his sentence, an intense stream of fire shoots out of the dragon’s mouth.
Its power makes even Alice’s magic seem like a child playing around with fire and it doesn’t look like I can avoid it.
「But still......」
I swing my Dual Crater.
「It’s not as bad as that ti.」
Compared to the calamity at Dard mountain, this similarly seems like child’s play.
I swing my Dual Crater down as the flas approach .
The fire in front of is split apart, separating the fire into three walls, one on top and one on either side of .
I managed to avoid getting hit directly, but it still felt really hot.
「Aegir-samaaaaaa!! Nooooooooo!!」
「D-don’t struggle, you’ll fall! Ooh!」
Celia must have brushed away Balbano’s hand.
The screaming voice is getting closer.
The flas were split apart but it still seed to engulf so she probably thought I got burned to death when she couldn’t see from the outside.
Don’t worry, there’s nothing in the cave that will cause the fire to spread.
The fire around will eventually die down too so you’ll see co out of this alive.
I can hear that thing roar during the short ti before the fire vanishes.
Following that, there was a continuous deep rumbling and shaking from sothing resembling a cave-in before it eventually becos quiet.
Celia jumps at crying when the flas peter out and as I look around , I don’t see any sign of that thing anymore.
「Huh? Where did it go?」
Balbano points to the ceiling with a blank look on his face.
「Hanging like a bat...... -wait, what’s that!?」
A large hole opened up in the ceiling of the cave and a ray of light shines down almost like God was about to descend down from the heavens.
It’s just sunlight.
「So it escaped above ground......」
「It made a hole just by bashing its head once against the wall. Its original entrance might have been sealed off by a cave-in.」
「It probably left after thinking Aegir-sama got burned to death.」
If the Dual Crater didn’t cut apart the flas, I would have beco a piece of steak.
Woah, the rocks have turned red and are lting.
How powerful were those flas?
「Because you made it angry, it didn’t pay any attention to us at all.」
「It wasn’t anything more than a little pestering.」
With and Balbano safe, we could relax and make jokes.
Celia is clinging to my waist with my relieved smile on her face.
Phew, that was close, really close.
「Did that dragon leave to the surface?」
What’s wrong, Kroll. Should I hug you too?
「......that thing went outside and I believe it had the city of Lintbloom in its eyes.」
Kroll and I look at each other.
Celia also got in the mix while still grabbing onto and the three of us stare silently.
「Hurry! Let’s head back to the city!!」
If that thing gets to the city, it won’t end with just a few casualties.
More importantly, Leah plus Claire and her company are there.
They can’t put up any resistance, let alone run away.
「Balbano, lend the best and heaviest weapon you have!」
「Sure! We’ll all head to the city as well. We can’t sit back and drink while that thing’s around.」
We rush out of the cave and run along the tunnel.
Balbano kicks the drunk dwarves along the way while shouting to gather his friends.
「This is the best thing I got, though it’s not light enough for a human to carry.」
Ignoring all he said, I grab the giant warhamr in my left hand and run out the exit.
「In one hand? As expected of my pal......」
Argh, this isn’t ti for talking.
「Aegir-sama, the dragon flies in the air. You won’t be able to reach it with a sword or hamr if there’s no ceiling.」
「You’re probably right. On top of that, it has those scales. Arrows won’t have any effect on it.」
To be honest, I have no idea how to fight it.
It might just burn down the entire city.
I still have to let the girls escape sohow, along with the other citizens too.
「It looks like Claire-san is going to be ruined.」
I want to do sothing but I unfortunately can’t fly.
Balbano, who is stroking his beard after shutting up, spoke up.
「Can you win if its wings are taken away?」
「I’ll figure sothing out if it falls to the ground.」
「In that case, I have an idea!!」
Balbano shouts happily in a certain direction.
「Fufufu, the ti has co for our masterpiece to be of use!!」
Interesting, I’m certain ‘that’ can penetrate the dragon’s scales in spite of how hard they hard.
Let’s drag that thing out of the sky.
–Third Person POV–
Battle of White City. Arrival of Reinforcents. White City Royal Palace.
「Ivan Galchenko Defense Supre Commander.」
「Yes, Your Majesty!」
High officials dressed in fancy attire have gathered here in the royal palace while the battle of White City continues.
Sitting on the throne with his eyes closed in the center is Jutland II.
Everyone’s eyes are concentrated on Galchenko.
He led as many troops as possible to White City amidst the chaos caused by the fall of Albens.
「Those Imperial savages have regrettably forced my nation to fight a difficult war.」
「Right......」
Cannons could be heard echoing sporadically in between their words.
Skirmishes would continue in so area of the wall regardless of the ti of day.
「The west has completely fallen into their hands, and even the eternal capital in Jutlandgrad has also been ravaged by the war.」
Galchenko keeps his head lowered in silence.
「And that bla should fall on you as the supre commander, do you have any objections to that?」
「I have none. Military Minister, Your Excellency.」
The Cabinet Minister of military affairs nods, taking a breath before saying what he has to.
However Jutland II casually raises his hand to interrupt him.
「Galchenko, I don’t think you are incompetent or disloyal. Everything just didn’t go your way, that’s all.」
「I-...... I am unworthy of your words.」
Galchenko sheds tears as he falls to his knees dejectedly.
He wasn’t able to protect his fatherland, he allowed harm to befall the citizens and he even let the capital be turned into a battlefield.
As a soldier, there is no greater sha than that.
The ruler governing Olga Federation lets out a single sigh.
This particular incident was also painful for him.
「But sure punishnt or reward is the fate of a military official, responsibility must be taken.」
After saying that, the King signals for the Military Minister to continue.
「Ivan Galchenko, you will be dismissed as the Supre Commander of Defense. Further, you will assu responsibility for suffering defeat and a trial will be held...... tomorrow morning.」
Galchenko doesn’t say anything as he lifts his body up and bows his head deeply.
「I cannot imagine you will flee after all the achievents you have brought about. Soone will be sent to your ho to get you tomorrow morning, so you are free to do as you wish until then. You will return the dal of commander bestowed upon you.」
After a final bow, low enough to touch his head to the ground, Galchenko begins to leave the throne room.
The King spontaneously stands up and shouts towards the doors.
「Galchenko! ......farewell.」
「Your Majesty as well, take care. Victory to the Olga Federation!」
The general, slightly more than 50 years old, executes a perfect salute before taking his leave.
The King burns the last image of his retainer of more than 20 years into his eyes.
Everybody in the room knew that the trial could not be held tomorrow.
The reason a trial was deliberately scheduled on the day right after he was dismissed was to protect the man’s honor.
The defeat began with the annihilation of the naval fleet in the first battle, a place outside of Galchenko’s authority.
In order to prevent him from losing any more honor than he already has, Jutland II himself made arrangents for him.
「Your Majesty, subsequently please nominate the new Supre Commander of Defense.」
「Stessel broke through the blockade in the north, didn’t he....... Alright, make it quick.」
The King covers his reddened eyes for a bit before composing himself.
Post-nomination. White City Headquarters.
「I’m Martin Stessel. I was appointed to be the Supre Commander of Defense starting from today.」
He stands upright and salutes to everyone in the headquarters.
anwhile, all those present seem to have the slightest amount of anxiety within their eyes.
That is probably because the person who took over the position of Supre Commander in place of Galchenko was a young man, who looks to be in his mid-thirties.
The man was dashing and handso enough to star as the lead actor on stage during peace tis, but that thin and unreliable look to him fostered more doubt in a place like the battlefield.
Paying no mind to the insecurity in the eyes of his new subordinates, the man with his nicely trimd blond hair scanned the entire room with his beautiful blue eyes.
「Everyone, your eyes are bloodshot. How many days have you not slept?」
Everybody looks at each other.
「Well, that’s because those guys from the Empire are attacking us incessantly......」
「We’ve only taken brief naps whenever it gets quiet......」
「How many days have you not slept? Answer the question.」
「Three days!」「Five for !」
After all the subordinates provide their answers in a hurry, Martin’s expression relaxes and he smiles
「Alright, then here’s your first order. All of you will sleep soundly until tomorrow morning. You do not need wake up for anything unless I call for you. You will also fill your stomachs.」
The subordinates were puzzled at the sudden order, but Martin continues with a smile.
「What, the enemy is only sending out small detachnts because they have no other way to attack. The last all-out offensive was three days ago, so it will take at least four days for them to reorganize.」
「But how can we sleep with no care in the world while the enemy stands before us......」
Martin continues, interrupting the subordinates who continue to express their worries.
「Put yourself in the place of the enemy commander.」
His slow and imposing tone echoed throughout the once murderous headquarters.
「Your opponent is a man with red eyes who is both lacking sleep and starving.」
After saying that, he lightly prods the forehead of one of his subordinates.
「Then you have a man who is full of energy, well-rested and well-fed. Which one would you rather not have as your enemy?」
Then Martin adds one final order in a joking tone.
The strained mood loosens up slightly.
「You have to learn when to be vigilant and when to relax. You’ll just tire yourself out if you remain tense for so long.」
Martin proceeds to tap the shoulder of each subordinate.
「You’re too skinny. at, go eat so at.」
「Haha, I’m ashad.」
「You stink. Go take a bath before you sleep, but don’t sleep in the water. Don’t drown before going out to war.」
「Pfft, understood sir.」
「You look like you’re in need of a woman. Go visit an operating brothel.」
「I-I’m a virgin.」
「You have bags under your eyes. What a waste of your lady-killing skills, go sleep right away.」
「Yessir! I will do so for an entire day!」
After making his way around to everyone, Martin got everyone’s attention once again.
「Don’t worry, we will win. I brought a trump card as our reinforcents!」
The window was opened at the sa ti those words were spoken.
“Reinforcents”, a word everybody wanted to hear.
All of the subordinates crowd around the window.
「Where are the reinforcents......?」
They couldn’t see the much anticipated reinforcents waiting for them outside the window.
The only thing there was the 20,000 troops that accompanied Martin when he broke through the blockade to get into White City from the north.
That was already a well-known fact among all those in the headquarters and they could not expect reinforcents of a re 20,000 to greatly influence the state of battle.
Seeing everyone’s confused faces, Martin opens his mouth and laughs.
「Hahahaha! Just as I thought from sleep-deprived people, your heads are not thinking clearly! Look carefully. Not on the ground, but in the air!」
The n looked up at the cloudy sky and their expressions changed from surprise to delight.
Sothing white was floating down from the gray sky.
When that substance touched the window or the faces of the n peeking out, it lted quietly and turned into water.
It goes without saying that it was snow, winter has finally co.
「Look gentlen, it’s snowing. Winter is here! The Federation’s winter is upon us!」
The murmuring turns into cheers.
It’s the first ti the Imperial army has stepped so far inside the Federation, so they have not experienced the hellish cold of the Federation winters.
They might be equipped with iron armor but they shouldn’t have carried fur pelts with them.
In addition, the military slaves might as well be half-naked in this weather.
「Gentlen, eat! Sleep! Prepare for the soon-approaching ti to counterattack.」
The generals in the headquarters rush to fill their stomachs and get rest in bed like they were charging towards an enemy.
The snow falls indiscriminately on both armies, welcoming the harsh winter.
Federation VS. Empire – Comparison of Military Forces (Current Losses = Max Mobilization. In the case where numbers don’t match, it ans there are spare forces.)
Olga Federation
Military Strength – Current: 600 000, Max Mobilization: 2 550 000, Losses: 1 170 000, Civilian Victims: 940 000
Garland Empire
Military Strength – Current: 2 110 000, Max Mobilization: 3 100 000, Losses: 990 000 (Military slaves not included)
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