Chapter 363

Translator: Kell | Editor: Weasalopes

Slaying the Evil Drakon

It towered like a black wall. It loomed like a black mountain. Bigger than the Gray Noble Drakon, Hikaru couldn’t even see its whole body.

The Evil Drakon was lying down, and Hikaru and the girls stood next to its face, right where they could see its neck, which was about ten meters in length.

Upon closer inspection, its body surface was quite smooth, despite the scales. The scales are about the size of my palm, huh? Quite smaller than expected.

The miasma was so thick that Hikaru and the girls wouldn’t be able to stay long. They were starting to get dizzy. Even Hikaru, who was barely exhausted, was struggling. Paula must be feeling even worse.

Can’t have doubts now that we’ve made it this far. Time to end this once and for all.

Hikaru nodded at Lavia. Operation Start.

『I tread the holy path to atone for my sins. Forbidding may be the road ahead, and my heart might shrivel at the harsh ordeals that await me—』

Light streaked along the silver short wand that Lavia brandished. Procured in Ville Zentra, it was the most expensive item in the shop, costing 250 thousand gilans. It was very useful in handling magic. Apparently it made difficult-to-control spells relatively easier to wield.

It was also thanks to the short wand that she was able to use the spell that she learned for the first time last night.

『Let the ever-pure light illuminate the dark and narrow path.』

The light emitted from the short wand enveloped Lavia. Unlike her previous spells, no magic circle appeared. The light too was white. It crackled as it pushed back the miasma.

Hikaru discussed with Lavia how far they could increase her offensive power. She had six points left on her Soul Board. The first thing Hikaru thought of was to add 4 points to Fire, bumping it up to 10. But then he recalled his battle against the Gray Noble Drakon.

Evil against Holy. If the enemy was Evil, then one should use the Holy attribute. Following his Instinct, Hikaru edited her Soul Board. He unlocked her Willpower board and put four points on her Holy stat.

Lavia already knew the existence of a spell that had both the properties of Holy and Fire. As a diligent bookworm who read all kinds of books, it was only natural.

「Atonement Flame.」

Raging white fire darted forth. But before the spell was even complete, Hikaru started running. Even if her spell scored a direct hit, there was no telling if it could inflict a fatal wound on the Evil Drakon. The scales were especially troublesome. Hikaru’s Mana Detection showed a thin film of mana coating the surface of the scales. It probably functioned to reduce the power of spells.

In that case, Hikaru had to destroy the scales beforehand. He himself had tweaked his Soul Board, putting two points on his Short Sword under Weapon Mastery.

As he pulled his wakizashi out of its sheath, a terrifying amount of magical power rushed out. Stealth prevented it from being sensed by the Evil Drakon.

I can see it.

The ground beneath his feet had turned black. Even as his shoes corroded, making crackling sounds, he didn’t stop, his eyes fixed on one spot only.

There. That spot’s got a different color.

Immense mana resided in the upside-down scale—also known as an Inverted Drakon Scale—growing on the drakon’s throat. It was located a little higher than Hikaru’s head, but still well within reach. His wakizashi darted forward, the tip drawing nearer to the scale.

《————…………!!》

The Evil Drakon’s eyes peeled open.

How?! No, there’s no time to think. The wakizashi’s tip barely reached the scale, slicing half of it.

Mana and miasma gushed out. Then white flames swooped in, covering the drakon’s neck. The creature roared.

Losing his balance after the attack, Hikaru was knocked backwards. The roar, however, was weaker from yesterday’s. Perhaps because the roar back then was an attack, while right now it was simply screaming in pain.

Hikaru was sent tumbling back to Lavia and Paula.

The drakon’s neck was scorched, jet-black blood oozing from it.

We couldn’t kill it!

The Evil Drakon was still alive, looking down on them. It probably had an ability similar to Instinct that made it survive. The drakon was no longer careless.

《Who knew a puny human could injure me…?》

Its voice rumbled. Though it didn’t look like it was actually speaking, it was able to communicate its will.

《The moment you recite an incantation, I will burn the entire area to the ground.》

Lavia’s arm froze. She was just about to ready her wand. The Evil Drakon stared intently at the intruders.

The Evil Drakon stayed still not because it was sleeping or exhausted. It stayed still so it could send evil mana into the earth. Despite almost dying just now, it looked to be in good health.

《I have taken an interest in you. Let me see your faces… What is that? Are you wearing masks? Take them off.》

Right now, the Evil Drakon was acting solely on pure curiosity, not even caring that it almost died.

No one came to this place except its retainers—such as the flying dragons. It could understand what they were thinking without exchanging words. In fact, not even Koukimaru had set foot in this place, as the miasma was too thick.

The creature did not expect mere humans to come to this place. Much less attack him.

With the composure of an overwhelmingly powerful being, the Evil Drakon talked to the intruders.

The intruders were wearing masks. The drakon didn’t care about masks, but for some reason, it wanted to see their faces. Again, out of pure curiosity.

The humans seemed reluctant to remove their masks. One of them was still, completely exhausted. But words of the Evil Drakon possessed a certain compelling force against smaller creatures. A command that called directly to a living being’s instincts.

《Oh…》

Seeing the face behind the silver mask, the Evil Drakon was a little disappointed. It was ordinary. While they possessed a certain aura that suggested they were experienced in fighting, the drakon didn’t fear for his life.

It was disappointing, but at the same time, a little strange. The drakon felt an intense hostility when he was about to get killed. But he sensed none from the girls.

《Did that staff destroy my Inverted Scale? Hmm, how does it work?》

The girl was looking downwards.

《Answer me.》

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The Evil Drakon didn’t notice her mouth curve into a smile.

Blown back by the Evil Drakon’s scream, Hikaru immediately made his next move.

「Lavia, undo your Stealth.」

「Got it.」

That exchange alone was enough for her to understand. He wanted her to be a decoy and buy time.

Man, I hate myself.

Hikaru hid himself with Stealth. As he watched Lavia facing the drakon, he couldn’t help but despise himself. So much so that he wanted to scream.

He made Paula suffer almost to the point of death, and now he asked Lavia to be bait. Against the most powerful being in the whole continent, no less.

I swear I’ll kill it.

Hikaru readied his revolver from the Evil Drakon’s blind spot. The creature did not know how many intruders were there, and it firmly believed that an incantation was required to cast magic spells.

I’m not gonna miss at this distance. Now!

The bullet was loaded with Atonement Flame, a spell that burned evil beings. The Evil Drakon thought that Lavia and Paula were the only intruders. He shouldn’t miss. His mind was extremely calm. He pulled the trigger.

《Hmm?!》

Hikaru expected to trigger the drakon’s Instinct at this point, but he shouldn’t fail. Not when he was this close. That is of course, if the revolver was in good condition.

The moment the spell was released from the barrel, the revolver exploded. The ball of fire flew towards the Evil Drakon, its power halved and ITS speed reduced.

But the Evil Drakon was fast. It lowered its head to dodge the spell. Although part of the back of its head was burned, it was only a minor injury to a drakon.

《Ha… Hahahahaha! I see. The was another one! That hostility from earlier came from you—》

Managing to dodge the attack out of pure luck, the Evil Drakon regained its composure.

《What…?》

Then a shock, like an electric current, jolted through its huge body. The Evil Drakon failed to realize lowering its head meant moving its neck closer to the ground.

Hikaru’s hand reached the Inverted Scale. The blade of the wakizashi slashed the scale—the Evil Drakon’s neck—in half.

From the length of the blade, it shouldn’t even reach the middle of its neck, but the mana contained in the wakizashi was able to penetrate deep, physically wounding the creature this time.

Evil mana gushed forth along with contaminated blood. Hikaru leaped backwards and rushed to Lavia.

「Lavia!」

「Atonement Flame.」

Even before Hikaru said anything, Lavia was already chanting the incantation. Glad I could count on her.

The white ball of raging fire slipped past Hikaru. As he reached Lavia, she collapsed from exhausting her strength.

「Safe.」

Paula was dead-tired. Lavia was breathing heavily. Hikaru held them both in his arms.

The sound of an explosion came from behind, and white light illuminated the surroundings.

Hikaru’s Mana Detection sensed a huge amount of magicule surging out from the Evil Drakon. Although it protected itself now from the Atonement Flame, once the magic stopped working, the magicule would go out of control.

「We’re getting away from here! Just hang in there!」

Hikaru held the girls on both sides and started to run. The earth shuddered as the huge creature collapsed.

After a while, an intense, itchy sensation racked Hikaru’s body—the feeling of his Soul Rank going up. The girls too gave a yelp.