Secret Pathway
Chain Lightning! Freezing Sphere! A burst of powerful light appeared from Leylin’s hands and struck the two wings on the back of the red dragon in an instant, causing a chilling cold in the air.
Leylin proficiently controlled the power of the spells, launching attacks on the wings with powerful spells.
Dimension Hop! At this moment, Tiff’s figure flickered behind the dragon’s back, and two curved knives ruthlessly slashed into the base of the red dragon’s wings. With added support from powerful spells, even the defensive dragon scales began to show signs of damage, scalding dragon blood spurting out.
“Damn it, damn it! You bunch of wretched worms!” The red dragon exclaimed, blasting crimson flames from its throat that were hot enough to smelt metal.
“Let’s go!” Leylin summoned numerous walls of ice in succession, but with the dragon’s breath, they could only hold on for a few seconds. That allowed him to escape from the cave with Rafiniya.
Their strategic goal had been reached. Staying behind any longer for a fight to the death would be foolish.
Dragons possessed wings, and once they soared into the sky, the others could only blink and watch with a dumbstruck expression except for Leylin and Tiff. That was why Leylin had chosen the battlefield to be in the cave and focused entirely on the wings. This would cripple the red dragon and render it unable to fly.
Once it no longer had the advantage of flight, he would use his men to tire it out and then kill it.
“Quick, attack!” Seeing that Leylin and the other two had run out of the cave, Helen immediately launched huge fireballs from her hands, targetting the red dragon behind them.
“Attack! Are you all deaf?” With Leylin’s yell, those high-ranked Professionals jolted to awareness, brandishing the large weapons in their hands and charging forth.
“You darned worms! I will tear you to shreds!” The red dragon Sylvester continued to shout. These human mercenaries seemed to have come prepared. Not only had their weapons been smelted with special methods, there were also toxins smeared on them. Even its thick hide and muscles could do nothing against them.
*Roar!* A huge figure flashed past, and the red dragon flung its tail. A few Professionals who could not dodge in time were sent flying, spilling blood in mid-air and fated for death.
*Rumble!* The red dragon opened its mouth once more, and a powerful cone of flames spewed forth violently. Tens of Professionals who could not evade were incinerated into ashes in that moment.
“You will pay for your foolishness, mortals!” The red dragon roared, its mouth full of sharp teeth holding a Professional within. Horrifying sounds of chewing could be heard, and great chunks of the corpse’s flesh and bones tumbled to the ground.
The poor fellow still had half of his body hanging outside the dragon’s jaws and was shrieking bloodcurdling screeches.
It was only at this point that the Professionals came to their senses. The being in front of them was a legendary dragon, and while slaying it would give them abundant wealth, it was not something they could even begin to set their sights on.
With the dragon’s fear aura, terror weighed down on their rationality and sanity. A Professional howled and quickly ran in the opposite direction.
*Pu!* The light from a blade flashed, and that Professional’s head fell. Following which, Tiff’s figure was seen in the air.
“Based on military laws, all deserters will be executed!” Tiff had a cold look on his face, and strange flaming scales appeared on his body.
“A sorcerer! I never expected Lord Tiff to be a Legend in sorcery!” Tiff soared into the air, eyes trained on the giant red dragon in front of him. With a raise of his hand, numerous spells flickered into existence.
Dimensional Imprisonment! Absorption!
“As expected, these Professionals are only passable with someone guiding them.” Leylin was not surprised by this sight. As he watched Tiff guide the other close-combat Professionals to stall the red dragon, his expression was calm.
“Pay attention. Shoot!” Under his guidance, many archers released the Spellslayer Arrows in their hands. With powerful magic held within, the arrows landed on the dragon’s body like raindrops.
There were terrifying devices mixed into this rain of arrows.
[Beep! Surrounding physical environment data has been successfully scanned. Trajectory calculations complete.] Leylin was now controlling a ballista, aiming the crossbow that was four metres long and as thick as a person’s arm at the red dragon.
*Thump!* The entire ballista thundered when the mechanism was pressed down. An explosion rang out as black lightning streaked through the air and penetrated into the red dragon’s chest. The huge groove on the arrow tore at its injuries, causing boiling dragon blood to flow unceasingly, forming a dark pool on the ground.
“Dragonslaying Arrow! How could you have the blueprints to it?” The red dragon spat out in disbelief.
“Someone gifted it to me!” Leylin glanced at the ballista that had fallen apart, not looking to find this a pity at all. These items were prepared by the high-grade werebeasts, and this was their final attack. It was a pity that it only had a one-time use.
The red dragon Sylvester had a bad feeling that it was really going to die, and suddenly began to fight harder, all its might put into the constant use of powerful magic.
It was a pity that with Tiff in charge and Leylin the wizard around, it had no chances at all. Even the dimension was completely sealed off, giving it no chances of escape.
“Let me go! In the name of the Dragon God, I, Sylvester, vow to give you all my wealth and never seek revenge!” The red dragon thundered.
“Hehe... a dragon’s promise?” Leylin snickered, grabbing a large vorpal sword and charging forward.
“Tiff!” Leylin yelled.
The Legend had also launched his last attack now. Terrifying corrosive energy struck the dragon, causing a large portion of its chest to wither up.
“Hah!” Leylin’s sword pierced into the wound from the Dragon Slaying Arrow, ferociously splitting it open.
Chain Lightning! Freezing Sphere! Disintegrate!
The terrifying wounds tore apart once more, and the flesh and blood even glinted as they charred up. Huge amounts of scalding blood splashed onto Leylin’s body, practically drenching him.
“The dragon race will not let you off!” The light in the red dragon Sylvester’s eyes gradually weakened till it disappeared. Its mountainous corpse crumpled to the ground, causing a small earthquake.
“You won’t let me off?” Leylin snickered, and then sensed an aura similar to a vengeful spirit spilling out of its body and pouncing onto him.
“Is this something like a revenge mark? Hehe...” Leylin’s eyes glinted, and in that instant he wiped this mark out thoroughly, leaving nothing behind. The hot dragonblood bath still continued, and the A.I. Chip’s voice sounded out.
[Beep! Host has been baptised by dragon blood. Strength +1. Vitality +2. Skin has increased resistance. (Matches with part of Perfect Body and has been combined!)]
“The power within dragon blood?” Leylin experienced the burning with his senses, “It holds so much strength! Even the Devilblood Dagger wouldn’t be able to devour everything...”
This sort of dragon blood was basically poison for all with a vitality below 5. They could not handle the corrosive energy within and would only be fated for death. However, for high-grade Professionals, this was a pretty good boost, though only if they could withstand it.
“Gather the dragon blood! Do it fast!” Dragon blood was a very precious magic ingredient, and wasting all of this had even Leylin feeling a tinge of regret.
Afterwards, the red dragon that was like a hill was dismembered by Leylin’s underlings. Its blood was gathered first, followed by a complete layer of its hide. This would be a great material to make armour out of. There were also the dragon bones, dragon crystals and the like, which were pretty good.
When Leylin’s underlings saw the treasures in the red dragon’s cave, the excitement in their eyes could not be concealed as they began to cheer. Dragons liked to collect shiny objects, and while most would be quartz and glass, there were also many precious metals and even magic items which must have belonged to some poor fool.
“I want the materials from the red dragon’s body. As for the gold and silver, divide it amongst yourselves!” Leylin kept the materials from the red dragon in his bag of holding, not even giving the various metals piled like a mountain there a second look. After hearing this order, all the troops’ cheers increased in intensity.
In the night, the soldiers set up a feast to celebrate their success in slaying the dragon. Being able to witness the birth of a dragonslayer was something they would be able to brag about for their entire lives. The participants would receive even more glory. The celebration went deep into the night. Besides the guards on duty, everyone was completely drunk.
A few dark figures arrived at the dragon’s lair at that time.
“Are you sure it’s here?” Leylin gently touched a black wall, the traces left behind from a great battle still vivid in his mind.
“Yes! I can confirm that the gate to the ruins is here.” Helen crouched down and found a twisted rune at the corner of the wall.
‘The inheritance of the arcanists was under this red dragon’s lair. Is this a coincidence or an intentional arrangement?’ Leylin’s eyes had a searching look in them. Some arcanist flames then blossomed from his hands, disappearing into the twisted rune in the corner.
*Rumble!* A secret passageway appeared. The fact that it had been undiscovered by the red dragon for such a long time exhibited its terrifying concealing abilities.
“This should be some sort of space-time technique.” Leylin nodded and entered the passageway with Helen, while Tiff stood guard outside.
‘What is the difference between arcane spells and those of Magi?’ Leylin’s eyes glinted, holding within them a trace of hope.