"I apologize for being rough with you!" I hurriedly apologized before stabbing Azazel on the ground and kneeling on one foot

How could I rough up a... female... well it was a battle but still

"Master?! please don't apologize" Shinku pulled me up

"I really am sorry, If I had known earlier, I would've been a bit gentler" I stated as I looked down

"Master, that kind of belief will kill you in battle" Shinku corrected me

"Y-Yeah, thanks for the warning" I've been told that several times in the past now but my answer is always the same

"Anyway, I think we should move" Shinku stated

"No, there's a party coming to get us, just rest up for now" I spoke out

"No, we should move, there's a troublesome one that lives around here" Shinku looked from at the dense forest, anger apparent in her eyes

"What? what do you mean?" I had no idea so I asked

"I'm not the only dragon that lives here, there's another dragon that terrorizes villages nearby, I managed to stop his last rampage but I think he will go out for another" Shinku explained

"You're not the one who attacked the townsfolk?" I asked

"No, I would never, I won't attack unless provoked... or in a bad mood like earlier" Shinku replied

"I see, then where is this dragon? It is our mission to take it down"

'Zeno something is fast approaching!' Lilith warned

'What? can you predict what it is?'

'It is similar to the dragon Shinku'

'So he's come?'

"He's coming! get back he utilizes corrosive poison!" Shinku quickly moved in front of everyone

A dragon soon landed in front of us

"Shinku, to be bested and enslaved by a human, how low have you fallen" The dragon was larger than Shinku, it was probably a tier 3 dragon

The dragon had greenish scales, his mouth was filled with jagged teeth with overflowing green goo and green fume.

"Nether, what are you doing?" Shinku asked

"Well, I smelled the forest burn and you know just how much I crave destruction, good thing I recovered from that surprise from you, now I can have my revenge" Nether stated as vile smog was released from his wings

Shinku immediately protected everyone with her wings, I grabbed Azazel before I jumped forward, the smog had no effects on me so I should be able to fight him

"Let me see how strong is this human to make a prideful dragon submit!" Nether roared out and released a poisonous breath

I hacked down and used [Crescent slash], my attack cut through the poison breath easily. It reached Nether and left a deep wound on his face, he kept shaking his head, blood spilling everywhere

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Nether was outraged

I need to keep his organs intact for Alissa to thoroughly examine his corpse later so I guess I'll just let him bleed out

I dashed forward and kept making deep wounds all over Nether's body and soon enough, he collapsed on the ground. The blood flowing out his body started to corrode the ground, I wonder if the cart will hold up

"Kh! how can a pathetic human with no magic be so powerful" Nether eyed me with its green eyes

"100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, and 10 km run everyday" I joked with a poker face though no one can see it

"Surely you just, however, it is now over for all of your friends!" He opened his mouth before a huge smog of dark green gas was released from it, it headed for Shinku and the others

I immediately moved in to block the smog, I faced Shinku as the thrusters on my back blasted away the smog. I looked at Nether who looked satisfied, if only he knew how his last attack failed

"You all good?" I asked everyone

"No one seems to be poisoned thanks to Shinku" Brunhilde reported

I looked at Shinku's wings and they seem to be corroded a bit

"Potions, give them to Shinku, her wings are damaged" I stated

"Got it, wait here a bit" Albert spoke out before running to the carriage

10 minutes later, he came back with a downcast face

"No potions?" I asked, We bought some before heading out

"No, it's not that, it's just that the horses died" He replied with a depressed face

"Ah... the horses you liked huh, condolences" I replied as I patted his back in an attempt to comfort him, seriously though, he named the horses

"Ah... Dashy and Rary, why did you have to go" Albert kept sulking as he gave the potion to Shinku, the entire picture seemed like extortion, I can't help but laugh

We all decided to rest as we await the arrival of the people who will come get the corpse

A few hours later, they all came with their heads wrapped in cloth, well, I can't argue with that, there was still some of Nether's poison gas lingering the area, thankfully Shinku erected a barrier around us

They all looked at the dragon before looking at me, I showed them Azazel which still had some greenish blood because Lilith kept asking me to analyze it

They all nodded before starting to work on the corpse, instead of wrapping it in chains and carefully transporting it, they instead, stuck iron nails connected to chains, they had the horsed drag it. I can't blame them though, the dragon's blood is basically poison.

It took us a while but we managed to drag the dragon all the way back to Alphon city where an arc priest blessed the corpse and erected a barrier around it so that the poison coming out of it wouldn't spread, the people who dragged the corpse back had to get detoxified at the church while everyone in my party was just fine.

The corpse was now being guarded by Alphon city's elite guards while we were given some time to rest.

We entered the inn we stayed in when we came to Alphon city, we all slept like logs, I woke up at 7 but others woke up at 12 am. We were asked by Alphon city's lord to continue our journey, so we went on but we never forgot to drag the corpse of the dragon along with us, the people who saw it cheered.

The journey back took half a week with the dragon now being moved to a cart ever since we left Alphon city, of course, we attracted a ton of attention, from travelers to monsters. The monsters tried to eat the said corpse because according to Brunhilde, it'll help them transform into a much stronger creature, like how a caterpillar turns into a butterlfy, a metamorphosis

When we reached the gates of Alphon city, the bells were rung as the iron gate started to lower itself, allowing us access to the city. The people kept cheering as the guard kept them from crowding the streets and blocking our pathway, we quickly headed for the castle where the dragon will be thoroughly examined by Alissa who still had no idea of my present for her.

As soon as we entered the castle walls, I went ahead to the lab where Alissa is located, after some going through some defenses she set up like voice recognition and some birthday combinations, I entered the lab

"Yo Alissa" I spoke to Alissa who was busy a large gun? cannon? whatever it was, it was being built by two robotic arms that Alissa was controlling

"Oh hey, haven't seen you in a while, so what's up?" Alissa smiled as her fingers left the keyboard that controlled the robotic arms

"I got a present for you" I smiled behind the mask

"Oh? what is it?" She asked

"I'll surprise you, close your eyes" I stated

"Ok" She smiled and closed her eyes, I gently pulled her hand

We were heading outside, behind the castle where the dragon coprse was being pulled, I strictly ordered them that only those in my party are allowed to come behind the castle. It was also time for them to meet Alissa

The door opened and sunshine hit our bodies

"Outside?" Alissa muttered as she felt the sunlight hit her skin

"Okay, now open them" I stated

She slowly opened her eyes, she started staring at the dragon corpse while Albert, Reina, and Melphis were staring at her in shock.

"Oh... oh... oh my" Alissa started blushing as she looked at me, she went full maiden mode

"Sir Zeno..." Albert forcefully spoke out

"Can I... cut him up, dice him, and examine him?" Alissa requested with puppy eyes as she pointed at the dragon though Albert thought it was him Alissa was referring to

"It's why I brought it" I nodded and Alber t immediately hid behind Reina

"Oh, you guys... good evening, I am Alissa, Zeno's fiance" Alissa introduced herself as the trio looked at me with astonishment

What? think I can't get a woman?