One more round... Then we can fire a barrage of hellfire at the high druids while they are caught with their pants down with the blessing ritual. Only figuratively pants down though, I hope.

We got to the announcement of third round without Celica or Azara murdering anyone else, which is small miracle, really. Of the two rivaling teams who got this far one got too badly mauled by the demon in previous round and chose to forfeit. And so my Xena-team is flanked by the remaining team, a group of three grim warriors dressed in practical armor and dull grey clothing. Apparently they are from that same town I visited the very first time I entered mortal world.

A white bearded druid steps before us and the large audience of clanspeople. He looks like he should be laughing merrily while handing a ice cold cola to children, rather than brandishing an obsidian bladed sickle with a cruel blade that screams sacrifice with its every detail. I can hear someone from the spectating crowd helpfully whispering that he's the oldest and highest ranking druid in the Clans.

"The world is constantly besieged by destructive forces..."

Well, that's not too dramatic opening or anything. For someone way past retirement age his speech and voice are surprisingly powerful and animated though.

"Thus, keeping the balance in this chaotic world falls to all of us... us who remember and uphold the old ways."

What is he talking about, 'the old ways'? I turn to Celica questioningly, but she seems to be too captivated by an ant crawling near her feet to pay any attention.

...That's one interesting ant, certainly.

"--with both everyday choices you make, as much as grand decisions of your leaders."

Oops, I missed part of the sermon.

"Always give as much as you take. Pay each crime with justice. Return every favor given in fullness."

I can do these too: 'Fear is the prison we make ourselves', 'Don't trust anyone, not even yourself', 'Never mix beer and wine'.

"--The Great Hunt has been held by the faithful since time immemorial. Every soul of the clans taking part is partaking in that glory! But, the final round is where it surpasses mere show of skill, and steps into the realm of forging of a legend--"

Blah blah blah, just tell what we need to do already.

"...Deep within the northern woods of this plateau a legendary monster dwells. The final round sees the greatest heroes of our age set forth and vanquish a dragon! May our ancestors watch favorably upon you."

***

Despite the shining sun, this forest is very dark. Thick ceiling of fir trees strangles all the light, leaving the forest floor permanently shadowed place where only occasional patches of mushrooms litter the mat of dead fir needles. Frankly, this isn't the place I'd look for a dragon.

"Are we sure it's here? I don't see any signs of giant fire-breathing lizards having been here."

"Fire breath~? Silly Ais~, she'd burn her throat~!"

...There are magic, demons, and flying tentacle monsters, but breathing fire is out of question?

"Fire breath or not, dragon slaying is a bit cliché."

"What are you grumbling~? 'Tis~ rare chance for us demons to be confrontin'~ a dragon!"

As we make our way onwards, light begins to seep onto the forest floor. Here and there small pure white flowers push through the layer of rotting needles. Looking around, Azara speaks up.

"I bet it's lairing on one of the hills in the area. Once we get out of this dump, we may spot it."

"Speaking of spotting..."

Like in previous round, we got here before the rival team. They did their best to catch up on us though, so if we tarry, they may be able to find and engage the dragon first. But, I have a plan to check that possibility.

"...Azara, I assume you've seen a dragon before?"

"Seen? Haha, I've more than seen one!"

"I don't want to know what you mean 'more than seen'. Anyway, I assume you can turn into one then?"

"If I could turn into a big ass dragon, I'd have done so already! ...I can do smaller one though, naturally."

"In that case you just need to remain further away so our rivals can't see the size difference."

"Oh~ oh~! Ais wants to you to mislead them~!"

"Exactly. While you kite them with your fake-dragon, we'll find and kill the real one."

Azara doesn't look too happy about my plan though.

"Huuuh? Leaving me out so you can kill the dragon all by yourselves? Keeping the crowning achievement from me?!"

Is this idiot getting envious of having to defeat giant death lizard?

"It's important for our mission, and only you can do this, Azara!"

"Only me? Hmhm, of course. Very well then, I'll lead those twats on a merry chase!"

Well, that didn't take much persuading.

She shimmers, leaving behind a pile of clothes as she shape-shifts into a scaled, agile-looking reptilian the size of a horse. ...Wait, dragons here don't have wings either? ... Well, whatever. Azara can get some exercising by running away from the slayers this way.

"Make sure to make lots of noise, so they can spot you in this forest."

"GraRAh Rhuu Aahs..."

She can't even speak in this form? ...Dragons of this world are rather disappointing.

Azara-dragon scampers off as Celica and myself step out of the dark forest into a low-key meadow growing thistle and other weeds. One of the rocky cliffs that Azara said dragon could be staying at can be seen on the other side of the clearing in forest. Celica sniffs around, just like in previous rounds. I guess something size of a dragon shouldn't be difficult to spot, whatever sense you rely on.

"Sniff~. Smells like dragon alright~."

"Where exactly?"

"Hmmmmm~."

We walk towards the hill's face, with Celica trying to find its trail. However, we did not find the dragon, the dragon found us...

Jumping from somewhere within the roughly eroded cliff, a mass of scale, teeth and muscle the size of a truck drops with heavy thud in fron of us. We ready to leap aside, but instead of advancing the dragon just stands tall and roars at us while stomping threateningly. It's almost like it's... scared? Yes, it probably can smell the unnatural aura we demons have, and is warily defending its territory.

While it's making up its mind about attacking or fleeing, this would be a great time to slam it with hellfire and be done with this. However, same as in previous round, if the druids or other clanspeople come see the dragon corpse - and they undoubtedly will - scorches and frostburns made by demonic essence would ruin our cover. This needs to be dealt with the hard way.

"Let's~ kill~ it~! Chaaaarge~!"

Celica loses patience first, and charges at the dragon. I follow after her - I trust she's not just being suicidally onver-confident here. Not enough to not stay bit behind her though.

Reacting at the imminent threat, the dragon lunges at Celica, who jumps into air and starts flying around the dragon's huge head like a particularly annoying fly. Letting Celica tank the dragon, I flank our opponent to find a weak spot.

I attempt to cleave it's hide at several spots, including the knee of its front leg and underbelly, but even with demonic strength my strike doesn't quite sink in. I'll take back calling them disappointing, with thick armored scales like this the dragon is like a living tank! Breaking though would require repeated smashing, but trying to hit the same spot multiple times is bit of a problem when an angry giant reptile is actively trying to counter-murder you.

It swipes its long tail at me horizontally, and I roll behind its body to avoid the forceful attack. Then, right before my eyes, I spot an opening between scales. Chance!

"Take this!"

My swordstaff's long blade penetrates astonishingly easily, almost as if there was a hole to begin with. The dragon shudders as my weapon sinks in the blade's whole length.

"UNF!"

...The dragon just went 'UNF!'? What kind of noise is that for a dragon to make?

"Ais~, what did you do the poor dragon~? It has this really~, really~ weird look~!"

"I just stabbed it after finding an opening right here... Ah."

I'm standing right under its tail. Which means, the hole I found is its-- ...D-did I just anal rape a dragon with a swordstaff?

...

Welp, if it works.

Determined to do maximize my DPS, I keep twisting the hooked blade and slicing its intestines, all the while draining its life-force. While kept busy by Celica's attacks in front, the dragon attempts to crush me with its tail and legs. Doing that forces me to dodge, but since I refuse to let go of the shaft, the blade keeps moving every which way inside it, cutting more and more its innards. The traumatized monster has only bad options here.

After a while of trashing around with blade in its guts, the dragon coughs blood and collapses after the evisceration and demonic drain wear it down. Celica pokes its blindly staring eye with a stick, getting no reaction.

"Oooh! Great job Ais~, big sis~ is proud of ya~!"

Celica beams at me while keeping on prodding at the dragon eye. I sigh and realize I'm covered in blood and... other fluids. For a supposed legendary battle this was not really fit for an epic.

"How'd you kill it so fast anyways~?"

"I just found a weak spot. That's all. Now, let's bring news of our victory--"

Disregarding my attempts to change subject, Celica runs around the corpse. With the amount of blood bursting from it, its not hard for her to see just what happened. She turns to me with gleeful smile, bouncing far more excited about this than the actual slaying of dragon.

"Whoa~! Pushing your long hard thing deep inside and destroying that booty~? Tehe~. Big sis~ didn't know Ais could be so hardcore~!"

...I'm never going to hear the last of this, am I?