Chapter 8 : Black Dragon Subjugation?
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The dragon’s length was at least seven meters. With its whole body covered in jet-black scales, there were five sharp claws on each of its long forelegs. Big wings grew from its back which were slightly shining as they were clad with magic power. Every time it flapped the wings an unbelievable gust of wind appeared, even after taking the size of it’s wings into account. However, its most impressive feature was its golden eyes that floated in the night like moons. Its eyes that closed vertically like a reptile’s, were dangerously narrowed as they released beautiful light.
The golden eyes were glaring at Hajime and the others from the air. A low groan was leaked from the Black Dragon’s throat. Its overwhelming power couldn’t be compared to the Hyveria he saw at the bottom of Raisen Grand Canyon’s ravine. Although Hyverias themselves were generally recognized as troublesome, high level demonic beasts, when compared to the Black Dragon before them, it was as if they were small birds. Its majestic appearance made it suited as the king of the sky.
Just like a frog being stared at by a snake, Aiko and the others stiffened. Will was especially pale faced and gatagata, trembled as if he would collapse at any moment. Inside his mind, he might be having flashback from when he was attacked.
Hajime had already seen the claw marks from the Black Dragon’s attack that created branches off the river. He thought it must be a very strong demonic beast, but feeling the magic power and pressure from the Black Dragon in front of his eyes, he revised that it was three times of what he had imagine. Remembering the demonic beasts in the Abyss, it was not as strong as the Hydra, but he could feel that it had the same power as cla.s.s of demonic beasts from 90th floor.
The Black Dragon confirmed Will’s appearance and girori, sharpened its glare. Following that, in front of the stiffened humans, it slowly lifted its head and concentrated its magic inside the opened jaws where sharp fangs lined up.
KYUuWAaAAA!!
A mysterious timbre began to dye the sunset and reverberated throughout the mountains. Inside Hajime’s mind, he remembered the Breath attack that erased the adventurers on the river.
“Kh! Evacuate!”
Having issued the warning, Hajime immediately leaped away from his location to evacuate. Yue and Shia followed after him. However, some people were unable to react to his warning, no, in this case it could be said most of them.
Aiko, the students, and even Will were stiffened and didn’t move from their spots. Aiko and the students’ bodies were unable to keep up with such a sudden event, while Will was bound by fear that made him unable to even avert his gaze.
“Tch!!”
“Hajime!”
“Hajime-san!”
Hajime issued an order to Yue and Shia using “Telepathy,” then he suddenly returned to his previous location using “Ground Shrinker” and stood between Aiko’s party and the dragon. Normally, he’d just leave. He didn’t feel bad about abandoning Aiko, rather, he didn’t understand why she came here to search for Will who miraculously survived. But, his “job” was to bring him back if he was alive. That’s why Hajime couldn’t abandon him.
Hajime took out a two meters, coffin-like, large shield from the “Treasure Box” into the empty s.p.a.ce, he thrust his left arm and linked it to the shield. As he poured his magic power, on the lower part of the shield gashun!, a stake appeared. Following that, it mightily pierced the ground.
Immediately, a straight, black, laser-like Breath fired from the dragon. The Breath didn’t let out any sound and immediately reached Hajime’s large shield. The impact accompanied by a tremendous roar and the heatwave released melted the ground around the large shield.
“Guu! Ooooo!!”
Hajime let out a roar filled with spirit as he resisted the Breath’s pressure. Before one was aware, Hajime’s body and the large shield let out bright red light. It came from Hajime’s “Vajra.” However, the Breath seemed to carry greater power, so after he resisted it for a while, his defense was penetrated as the large shield received a direct hit.
Even so, the large shield still endured the Breath. Power that penetrated Hajime’s “Vajra” and heat gradually melted its surface, and it’d fall apart at any time, but Hajime used “Trans.m.u.tation” to restore it. He wouldn’t let any more breakthrough than this.
The stake that penetrated the ground to fix his location was defeated by the pressure, as he gradually pushed back. Hajime trans.m.u.ted his soles into spikes, and once again, Hajime used Vajra to resist the Breath. The large shield was connected to his outstretched left arm, and he also affixed his right arm to it.
The large shield Hajime took out was using Taur ore as its main material while Star ore was placed in-between and the exterior was coated with Azanthium. Because Hajime was a Trans.m.u.tation Master, even with an attack that exceed Azanthium’s durability, it’s possible to restore it if it could endure even for a few seconds. Even if that was penetrated, the Star ore in the second layer had a nature to strengthened if supplied with magic power, and Hajime’s magic power wouldn’t allow anymore penetration.
That’s why, the Breath that could exceed Azanthium wouldn’t be able to destroy the large shield. However, it couldn’t be said that power wouldn’t be able to blown the large shield’s user away. In fact, Hajime who possessed inhuman power was gradually pushed back. On the ground were the gouged out marks from the large shield’s stake that pierced it and Hajime’s feet.
If this keep up, Hajime who equipped with large shield and “Vajra,” along with his inhuman endurance wouldn’t receive considerable damage. But if Hajime lost the shield, Aiko and the others would fall prey to the breath, and disappear from this world without even leaving a speck of dust behind.
When Hajime became somewhat impatient, an unexpectedly soft feeling was transmitted to his back. As he stole a glance over his shoulder, somehow, Aiko had jumped towards his back and supported him desperately. Apparently, while Hajime was resisting the Breath, she regained her senses and jumped to support Hajime who was gradually being pushed back. Having seen that, the students and Will also jumped to support Hajime, in panic.
The Breath continued even now. The surrounding water in the river was evaporated by the heatwave, the soil and stones on the riverbank were blown away by the impact and in awful state. From the time he received the direct hit from the Breath, a little time had pa.s.sed. Hajime felt it had happen for an eternity, but actually no longer than ten seconds had pa.s.sed. While he grit his teeth and thought about it, finally, he heard the long-awaited voice.
“”Cursed Sky”.”
At the moment the magic’s name was announced, a black, swirling orb of four meters in diameter appeared above the Black Dragon. The deep darkness that could suck in anyone who saw it, immediately fell and crushed the Black Dragon into the ground.
“GuuRUaAAA!?”
A roar came as the Black Dragon sprawled on the ground, and its Breath was interrupted when it raised a scream from the impact. However, the swirling orb, as if saying that’s not enough, didn’t disappear and exerted extreme pressure on the Black Dragon, sinking it into the ground.
“Cursed Sky”
It was Yue’s Gravity magic. By creating a swirling gravity ball, it crushed its target using supergravity that was proportional to the amount of consumed magic power. It was a convenient magic that could change its direction using the gravitational force.
The Gravity magic didn’t consume much magic power if targeted towards the caster itself. However, if the gravity ball was used to attack things, s.p.a.ce, and other people, just like what happened just now, it consumed huge amount of magic power and Yue at the least need ten seconds to prepare it. Because Yue herself still hadn’t completely master this magic, the invocation time and magic consumption could still become much more efficient by training.
The sky king was crucified on the ground, it painfully braced its limbs to somehow escape from the pressuring attack. But, immediately following that were the rabbit ears that came fluttering from the sky and Shia was shouting, “Stop~!”, as she fell together with Doryukken. Holding the sledgehammer which was further accelerated by outburst, she used the high-stance aimed at the Black Dragon’s head.
DOoGAaAAA!!!
The impact was incomparable to any impact that had happened before. At the moment of impact, the ground burst and flew radially, accompanied by a thundering sound, it created a crater that looked like a result of a bombing. That was thanks to Doryukken’s remodelling by Hajime. Gravity magic was granted to the compressed Azhantium that was the main material. However, it was not the one that “neutralized” like the ones in the unmanned reconnaissance planes, but the opposite where the ore could “increase its weight.” The weight increased according to the amount of magic power supplied. The current Doryukken was just like *****ton Hammer!, just like the one inside the manga.
Furthermore, those who received the ultra-heavy blow wouldn’t be able to escape from serious damage. That’s right, if it was directly hit….
“Guruaaa!!”
Together with the Black Dragon’s roar, a flame bullet approached Yue at tremendous speed from inside the dust that scattered by Doryukken. Yue immediately did an emergency evasion by “falling” to the right. However, the gravity ball magic was canceled instead.
The dust was cleared up as the after-effect of the previous flame bullet, and there was the Black Dragon who managed to evade Doryukken which sunk to the ground by a paper-thin margin. At the moment of impact, it seemed to somehow evade using the peculiar strength of a dragon. Having its restraints removed, the Black Dragon did one rotation in high-speed as if trying to dispel its grudge and its large ma.s.s of a tail hit Shia who was just pulling out Doryukken.
“Agh!!”
By a hair’s breadth, Shia used Doryukken as a shield and jumped back to kill the impact, because she was greatly blown away at the same time, she disappeared into the trees.
The Black Dragon used the momentum from the rotation and recovered its posture, and its golden eyes were glaring at Hajime… … not, just pa.s.sed towards Will behind him. Hajime immediately put the large shield back into “Treasure Box,” then pulled out Donner-Schlag and fired them. Many roars resounded, accompanied by flashes that cut through the sky and attacked the Black Dragon. Without being able to evade, the Black Dragon received direct hits from the storm of destruction, blown away from its spot, and thrown into the river with a tremor, creating a magnificent sprays.
Because Hajime thought it’d be bad for Will to be in its line of fire, he charged at the Black Dragon. Using gunspin in mid-air to reload Donner-Schlag in his hands, he repeatedly fired in succession just like before. However, the Black Dragon got up accompanied with roar that scattered the river’s water, somehow, it ignored Hajime and fired a flame bullet that was aimed at Will.
“Kh!”
Because it aimed at Willl, Hajime dared to approach it and tried to attack furiously to gain its attention. But, the Black Dragon acted as if it didn’t even care if Hajime was there, continue to target Will.
“Yue!”
“Nh “Wave Castle”.”
“Hih!”, was the miserable scream that came from the cowering Will, and in front of him was high-density wall of water. The flame bullet was obstructed by the rampart-like wall of water created by Yue and disappeared. And, at that time, the students finally regained their senses from this raging development and began to chant their magic. They were trying to support the party. Quickly, fire bullets and wind blades rushed towards the Black Dragon as they created archs.
However….
“GOoAAA!!”
The impact from the dragon’s roar dispersed the attacks. Moreover, having heard the tremendous roar and stared by the golden eyes, Will let out similar “Hih,” scream as he backed away and fell on his b.u.t.t, reaching the female students’ spot.
Hajime, who completely judged her to be outside of the combat a.s.sets, shouted at Aiko to escape. Aiko was hesitating. Hajime was also Aiko’s student after all, so to left him in front of this powerful demonic beast made her hesitate as a teacher.
At that time, the Black Dragon began to flap its wings and flew into the sky while blowing the surroundings river water away. In addition, it rapidly shot flame bullets at Will.
Although Hajime had fired the railguns in quick succession, he couldn’t get its attention at all. The Black Dragon’s scales, similar to scorpion-like thing that boasted its hardness in the past, was only slightly scratched even after receiving direct hits from the railguns.
The Black Dragon stubbornly targeted Will. It was as if it was being manipulated by something. It faithfully obeyed the order like a robot. It kept trying to kill Will even after being restrained by gravity before, it seemed to think nothing of those who tried to obstruct it.
Although Hajime didn’t understand why it obstinately targeted Will, it was a convenient thing, since its target was already decided, so he gave out an instruction to Yue.
“Yue! Protect Will! I’ll defeat this guy!”
“Nh, leave it to me!”
Hearing Hajime’s instruction, Yue immediately “fell” towards Will, and stood in front of him. When she snuck a look at her back, irritation surfaced when she saw Aiko and the students who couldn’t move well in this situation and she muttered in displeasure.
“… … If you don’t want to die, hide behind me.”
The students were trivials, but regarding Aiko, Hajime was at least concerned about her, so she let out those words to not let her die. Incidentally, she had already forgotten how Aiko became a hindrance to them.
The students moved closer to Yue without particularly reacting to Yue’s cold words. They realized by Yue’s side was the safest place, thanks to the rampart of ice that chantlessly constructed using the surrounding moisture.
Normally, they’d have the ability to fight some more. But, no matter even if they knew Hajime was alive, the day they were almost killed by the Behemoth and Traum Soldiers as well as how Hajime fell to his “death” into the abyss still traumatized their minds. They followed Aiko because even if they couldn’t join the hero group in the dungeon, they couldn’t just half a.s.s things.Even so, their magic was ineffective against the Black Dragon, coupled with the roar filled with killing intent, made their heart completely withered. Their mental state was completely unsuited for combat.
Because Yue was there, Hajime was a.s.sured of Will’s safety, and concentrated on attacking. The flying Black Dragon was concentrating on destroying Yue’s defensive wall, as it targeting Will on the other side of the wall, even now. However, flame bullets were incapable of penetrating the wall, then it raised its head in an arch again as it realized it. It began to focus magic power inside its mouth.
“Hah, it’s the first time I’ve been ignored this far… … that’s why, I’ll do anything to make you not ignoring me!”
As Hajime put back Donner into its holster, he took out Schlagen from the “Treasure Box.” Immediately after he activated “Lightning-clad,” the three meters weapon with an atrocious form let out bright red sparks. As expected, the Black Dragon realized Hajime’s next move was a dangerous one, and it turned its mouth, aiming at Hajime. It was just like Hajime had predicted: it couldn’t ignore him.
At the same time the Black Dragon fired the death spreading Breath, Hajime’s Schlagen finished the loading and fired.
They let out the same extreme flash. They became a storm of death. Black and red aurora were clashing against each other. At the moment of collision, a terrific shock wave was generated and the surrounding trees were blown away. Just by power alone, they were probably equal. However, the two auroras clearly divided between the victor and the loser from their nature. Although the Breath continued to let out an excellent aurora, Schlagen was specialized in penetrating through a single point. Therefore, the Breath was inevitably broken through, and that power reached the Black Dragon.
The head of the Black Dragon which fired the Breath suddenly curved upward. The full-metal jacket made out of star ore penetrated the Breath and hit the dragon’s opened mouth. However, the wound was far from a mortal one. With the bending of the Breath’s trajectory and power, several of its sharp fangs evaporated and as it nearly pa.s.sed through the side of its head, it stopped before one of its wings on its back was blown off.
“GURUaAAA!!”
The Black Dragon fell as it spun towards the ground and let out a pained scream. Hajime was fortunately able to evade the Breath using “Aerodynamic,” and while he was upside down in mid-air he used “Aerodynamic”‘s “Ground Shrinker.” As he dived at high-speed, he used “Grand Leg” to attack the Black Dragon’s abdomen.
ZUDONh! The lower abdomen let out a roaring sound from the impact, and the Black Dragon’s body folded. The ground was radially cracked by the impact. It couldn’t be said that the damage was considerable even though the Black Dragon let out a scream. Its armor was capable of enduring the Railguns after all. However, having a.s.sumed that, Hajime attacked further as he greatly held out the artificial left arm. KIiIIIII!!! Machine-like sounds came from the artificial arm. The “Oscillation Smash” he used before fell down.
It was Hajime’s fist of destruction that was thrust in high speed and was capable of pulverizing a large boulder in a single blow, and it mercilessly attacked the Black Dragon’s abdomen.
DOoGUuUU!!
Along with the m.u.f.fled sound, the scales on the abdomen were cracked. With the purpose of transmitting the impact, its insides received considerable damage from this attack, and the Black Dragon raised a pained voice again as it vomited large amounts of blood from its mouth. Maybe because it thought it’d be dangerous if this kept up, the Black Dragon poured its magic power in one of its wings and a windstorm appeared, then it tried to forcefully regain its posture. Once again, Hajime used “Aerodynamic” to evade. He didn’t forget to leave a parting gift.
At the moment the Black Dragon turned its golden eyes towards Hajime who escaped into the air, a big explosion occurred under its abdomen. The dragon’s gigantic figure flew two meters from the surface from the impact. Hajime’s parting gift was a “Grenade.”
“KUuWAaAA!!”
Receiving an impact at the same place as before, it couldn’t be helped that it was unable to raise a scream and only let out a m.u.f.fled groan. With its head drooped to endure it, blood was flowing from the Black Dragon’s mouth. Somehow, its groan weakened.
Maybe because the Black Dragon recognized Hajime as a threat, it looked away from Will towards Hajime and rapid-fired flame bullets from its mouth. The flame bullets flew through the air as if they were anti-aircraft fire. However, none of the fire hit Hajime. Hajime was using “Aerodynamic” and “Ground Shrinker” simultaneously to freely run in the sky, leaving after-images, Hajime knocked down the Black Dragon using Hit & Away tactic.
He fired Donner-Schlag from medium range at nasty places such as the claws, gums, eyes, tail’s base, and b.u.t.t. In the next moment, he drew closer and used the combo of “Oscillation Smash” from the shotsh.e.l.l outburst + “Grand Arm” to hit the head and flank.
“KURUu, GUWANN!”
Somewhat, no, the Black Dragon certainly began to give out a weeping voice. With its scales cracked all over the place, a large amount of blood dripped from its mouth.
“Incredible….”
Having watched Hajime’s fight, Tamai Atsushi spontaneously muttered that from the safety area behind Yue. Without having to say it, the other students and Aiko were silently agreeing as they nodded, and they were unable to look away from the overwhelming fight. As for Will, he intensely watched Hajime with sparkling eyes as if he didn’t remember he was trembling in front of the Black Dragon before.
By the way, unbeknownst to them Shia had returned and tried to enter combat, only to be stopped by Yue who had guessed Hajime’s intentions. Currently, she watched him together with Yue by her side. Having been blown away at the beginning, she actually felt somewhat depressed.
Hajime didn’t immediately pull out Schlagen, Orkan, and the others because he thought it was a good chance to show off his fighting prowess to Aiko and the students. Although the Black Dragon was certainly st.u.r.dy and the power of one of its attacks was to be feared, it’s easier to attack its huge body if one fought calmly, and its attacks were monotonous. So, it was possible for him to put into practice “no matter what, it won’t hit,” after all it was an opponent Hajime could go easy on. Because he’d separate from Aiko and the students, to put a hard-line so the Church and Kingdom wouldn’t be relaxed when the heroes received the information from Aiko, he thought of showing off his true power to them.
Because of that, although Hajime completely knocked down the pitiful Black Dragon, he held grat.i.tude towards it in his mind. Even though there were cracks all over the place, none of the scales were completely crushed in the least. Truly significant durability. Because he remembered the scorpion-like thing, to be sure of it, he used “Mineral Appraisal” on the scales and because there was no reaction, it seemed it was a mineral that couldn’t be trans.m.u.tated.
Slowly, because he thought it was enough to make them understand his true strength, it was about time for the finishing blow. He slipped onto the Black Dragon’s chest in an instant, and kicked with “Grand Leg” to roll him back towards its abdomen. Following that, he pulled out the Pile Bunker from the “Treasure Box” on the Black Dragon’s abdomen.
From the direction of Will and the others, he could hear a clamor but decided to ignore it. The anchors fired, and the arms fixed its location on the Black Dragon. Following that, he released “Lightning-clad.” The reason he chose the Pile Bunker was because he couldn’t pull out all of its power inside the Raisen Great Dungeon, so he wanted to do an actual combat test.
The stake which coated in Azanthium started to rotate intensely inside, and the Pile Bunker let out bright red sparks. If this kept up, the four ton stake would mercilessly end the Black Dragon’s life.
However, just like the proverb “a cornered rat will bite the cat,” a wounded beast was something one should be cautious of. It was the same as the Black Dragon.
“GUuGAaAAAA!!!”
Along with the Black Dragon’s roar, a violent blast was generated towards all directions. It was an explosion made of pure magic power. In addition, using a moment to strengthen its body to the limit and the explosive power from its muscles, the anchors that pierced the ground to fix the Pile Bunker were raised and at the same time it pried open the arms with its muscles. Following that, it turned around in an instant to shake Hajime off.
“Uoh!?”
Hajime instinctively stepped back. The heavy Pile Bunker was, the Pile Bunker that was on the verge of firing was turned to target the sky, and the stake that was accelerated to its max launched into the sky. A straight line that made ones narrow their eyes ascended through the sky, and Hajime who put the Pile Bunker into the “Treasure Box” confirmed the Black Dragon used its last struggle to move towards Will.
“Tch, Shia!” “Y-Yes”
As he clicked his tongue towards this blunder, Hajime called Shia. Shia, having realized his intentions, jumped towards the sky using the rampart of ice, and let out a yell so she wouldn’t be blown away this time. With the free fall and the outburst from the shotsh.e.l.l, she fell towards the Black Dragon just like a meteor.
If it was the normal Black Dragon, it’d be able to avoid it, but the Black Dragon that was literally in its last struggle didn’t have room for that, it was unable to avoid the hammer. Shia, who held the ultra-heavy Doryukken in a high-stance, further poured her magic power to explosively increase its weight. Subsequently, it directly hit the crown of the Black Dragon’s head without missing an inch as it let out a thundering sound.
The Black Dragon’s head sank to the ground, and its lower body floated as it stood on its hands because it was in the middle of a charge. After a moment of stillness, it finally fell down and made the earth tremor.
Shia, who pulled out Doryukken from the Black Dragon’s head that was on the ground, was surprised by what she saw. It was something natural. Although the Black Dragon’s head was smashed and considerably cracked, it wasn’t completely broken. It was truly dreadful durability.
Hajime came towards the Black Dragon from behind. Also, the stake launched from the Pile Bunker pierced the ground between Hajime and the Black Dragon. Hajime knew the sprawled dragon wasn’t dead by percepting its presence, next, he suddenly recalled the talk with Mottou about the Ryujin race from before. The one about “kicking a dragon’s a.s.s.”
Hajime pulled out the stake that pierced the ground using “Grand Arm” and carried it on his shoulder as he positioned himself before the base of the Black Dragon’s tail. Following that, he made a stance just like a javelin thrower. Naturally, in his hand was the Pile Bunker’s stake.
Everyone there was able to guess what Hajime was going to do, and their cheeks convulsed. Even though the scales were troublesome, it shouldn’t be a good thing to thrust it there(··). Even though Yue, Shia, and the others floated expressions of horror towards Hajime’s mercilessness, Hajime only thought of that as blowing wind.
And finally, Hajime’s Pile Bunker mightily pierced the Black Dragon’s “bleep” and zuburi sound resounded. At that moment,
“Ah— — — nanojyaaaaa — — — !!!”
With its eyes immediately opened wide, the Black Dragon let out a heartbreaking scream as it woke up. In truth, having thrust half of the stake and using his fist to make it pierce further, as expected, even Hajime was surprised by the scream that obviously came from the Black Dragon, and he inadvertently removed his clasped fist.
“a.s.s is~, this one’s a.s.s is~”
Because of the Black Dragon’s grieving, painful, and somewhat excited tone, everyone let out a “What the heck is this!?” in amazement as they stared at the Black Dragon while stunned.
Apparently, it didn’t end as just a normal dragon subjugation.